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Ciryl Gane has called upon the help of a man who once defeated Alex Pereira under the Glory Kickboxing banner.

Gane, who will face “Poatan” for the interim heavyweight crown at UFC White House on June 14, has been training with Artem Vakhitov ahead of that fight. Vakhitov defeated Pereira via majority decision at Glory 78 in September 2021.

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Vakhitov, who owns a 3-1 MMA record, posted video of some sparring with Gane via Instagram on Monday. Vakhitov earned a contract on Dana White's Contender Series in 2024 but was unable to come to terms with the Las Vegas-based promotion.Gane, Vakhitov Go Head-to-Head

Gane, a former interim heavyweight champion, has twice come up short in bids for undisputed heavyweight gold, dropping a unanimous verdict to Francis Ngannou at UFC 270 and suffering a first-round submission loss to Jon Jones at UFC 285. More recently, a title clash against Tom Aspinall at UFC 321 ended in a no contest after Gane poked his op…

Sean Strickland’s longtime coach, Eric Nicksick, recently reflected on their brief falling out last year. 

Strickland looked to reclaim his middleweight title in a rematch against Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 312 in February 2025. Strickland dropped a lopsided unanimous decision against the champion. Nicksick seemingly just failed to get his fighter going despite his best efforts.  The Xtreme Couture coach subsequently lashed out at Strickland publicly, calling the performance “underwhelming.” Strickland responded, saying Nicksick would most likely not remain his coach any longer. However, they buried the hatchet soon after, and Strickland still continues to train under the tutelage of Nicksick at Xtreme Couture. 

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Reflecting on the brief spat, Nicksick recently admitted that he deserves criticism. Nicksick revealed that he was also dealing with a lot in his personal life, which, added to Strickland’s performance, made him lash out at the f…

Paddy Pimblett has learned a lot from his loss against Justin Gaethje. 

Pimblett took on Gaethje for the interim lightweight title at UFC 324 this past January. While Gaethje put a beating on Pimblett, “The Baddy” showed grit and heart in refusing to go down. Gaethje eventually earned a unanimous decision win, handing Pimblett his first UFC loss. Pimblett believes he learned more from the loss against Gaethje than he did from his unbeaten seven-fight run in the UFC. Pimblett is now returning for revenge and hopes to get a future rematch against Gaethje. While Pimblett respects Gaethje, he also recalls “The Highlight” poking him in the eye.

Destiny Awaits “I’m coming back for revenge... Everyone loses, and that’s how you learn, that’s how you get better,” Pimblett told iFL TV. “I probably learned more from losing that fight than winning seven other UFC fights. But I will be back better and stronger. It’s in me destiny that I’m gonna be world champion of the worl…

Demetrious Johnson believes the UFC 328 headliner will be a one-sided affair. 

Khamzat Chimaev puts his middleweight title on the line for the first time against Sean Strickland in the main event at UFC 328 on May 9 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. While Chimaev is a massive favorite going into the fight, many believe Strickland’s wrestling defense might be the ultimate answer to “Borz.” 

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However, Johnson believes Chimaev will prove the oddsmakers right with a dominant performance. Currently helping Chimaev in camp, Johnson is impressed with the middleweight champion’s discipline and work ethic. “Might Mouse” predicts that Chimaev will finish Strickland in the fourth round.'Absolute Domination' “I think it’s gonna be absolute domination,” Johnson said on the "Jaxxon Podcast.” “Khamzat’s got a great team around him. He’s doing the drilling, he’s doing the sparring, he’s not skipping anything. He’s making sure he leaves no stone…

Khamzat Chimaev is confident in his wrestling skills. | Getty/UFC

Khamzat Chimaev has put a bounty on himself. Chimaev recently signed with Real American Freestyle, which has been making waves in wrestling. Meanwhile, 2016 Rio Olympics gold medalist Kyle Snyder defended his RAF light heavyweight title against Rizabek Aitmukhan at RAF 8 on Saturday. Snyder subsequently expressed interest in a wrestling bout against Chimaev at RAF. 

Chimaev (15-0) has since seemingly taken a dig at Snyder’s callout. “Borz” is scheduled to defend his UFC middleweight title against Sean Strickland (30-7) at UFC 328 on May 9 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Chimaev says that while “poor” wrestlers are calling him out, he is facing difficulty finding sparring partners for his fight camp against Strickland. Apparently responding to Snyder, the undefeated Chechen-born has offered $200,000 to any Olympic champion who can survive against him in sparring.

Call for…

Vicente Luque believes he has the skills to compensate for his size disadvantage at middleweight. 

Luque made his middleweight debut against Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 327 earlier this month. “The Silent Assassin” forced Gastelum to tap with an anaconda choke in the opening round. While Luque fought at welterweight for most of his career, he plans to stick around at middleweight going forward. 

Luque (24-12) admits that he is unlikely to be among the strongest guys at 185 pounds. However, Luque believes he has the technique to compensate for the difference in strength with other middleweights. Luque has also had the experience of training with elite middleweights at Kill Cliff FC like Reinier de Ridder, Gregory Rodrigues, and Impa Kasanganay. Having trained with middleweights while being a welterweight, Luque doesn’t think he will have issues sticking around at 185 pounds now.

Compensating with Skill and Technique “I think that I have enough skill and techniq…

Johnny Walker’s coach, Eric Nicksick, isn’t one to shy away from accountability. 

Walker took on fellow veteran Dominick Reyes at UFC 327 earlier this month. Contrary to expectations, the bout was largely marked with inactivity, leading to boos at the Kaseya Center in Miami. Reyes eventually earned a lackluster split-decision win over Walker, with very little to score in the whole fight. 

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Nicksick takes responsibility for Walker’s underwhelming performance. Nicksick believes the onus falls on him to communicate his expectations to his fighter.

“Johnny did a great job,” the Xtreme Couture coach told MMAjunkie.com. “We had great preparation. And if there is disconnect between what I wanted for the game plan and his execution, that falls on me as the coach. I’ve got to get him in a position to be firing on all cylinders, seeing the reads that I’m seeing, the expectations that I want from him. And at the end of the day, that falls on us as st…

Paddy Pimblett won’t go against UFC CEO Dana White. 

While Dana White is an MMA promoter and Eddie Hearn is a boxing promoter, they have been longtime rivals. The rivalry has recently intensified with White’s entry into pugilism with Zuffa Boxing. Hearn has since been going back and forth with White about a potential fight. 

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With White repeatedly underplaying the idea, Pimblett doesn’t think that fight will ever materialize. However, if it does, Pimblett is backing his boss White to starch Hearn, even though he admits that the Matchroom Boxing chairman has a reach advantage. Pimblett further notes that White and Hearn stand to earn more than the fighters promoted by them if they ever fight. However, “The Baddy” sees the entire saga as a “teenage girlish” spat which both parties will eventually get over.A Lucrative Matchup “It’s not gonna happen,” Pimblett told iFL TV. “Dana’s not gonna box Eddie. It’s a bit of a mad situation. Eddie’s got t…

Gable Steveson is 3-0 in MMA bouts. | Mexico Fight League

Gable Steveson’s first UFC appearance is shaping up to be one of the most highly anticipated debuts in recent memory.

It was recently announced that the Olympic gold medalist and two-time NCAA national champion will make his first Octagon foray at UFC 329 on July 11 in Las Vegas. Steveson’s first UFC opponent — which has yet to be announced — remains a hot topic of discussion as thet fight approaches.

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According to UFC CEO Dana White, the promotion will make sure to find an appropriate opponent for the highly-touted prospect.A Different Level "CM Punk fought here – we'll find somebody," White said on Saturday at the UFC Winnipeg post-fight press conference. "I don't know if we go after a top 15 guy. I say this to you guys all the time: The UFC jitters are real. I don't care how you've competed or where or what you've done. When you come here, it's a different level.

"Our m…

Carlos Ulberg isn’t the only fighter who could be on the shelf for an extended period following UFC 327.

Ulberg was one of six fighters who received an indefinite suspension following the April 11 event at the Kaseya Center in Miami. The Florida Athletic Commission recently released a full list of medical suspensions from UFC 327. The exact nature of each suspension was not revealed.

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Ulberg recently underwent surgery after suffering a torn ACL early in his light heavyweight championship fight against Jiri Prochazka. Despite that injury, “Black Jag” was able to finish his opponent with a left hook and follow-up punches 3:45 into the opening stanza. Prochazka also received an indefinite suspension following the bout. Both Ulberg and Prochazka must received medical clearance before returning to active competition.

Four other fighters from UFC 327 also received indefinite terms: Azamat Murzakanov, Curtis Blaydes, Dominick Reyes and Johnny Walker. Blayde…

While Arman Tsarukyan defeated Urijah Faber via technical fall at Real American Freestyle 8 on Saturday, it wasn’t the result of the match that attracted attention over the weekend.

Instead, one moment stood out: When Tsarukyan attempted a takedown that resulted in him driving Faber all the way off stage and onto the concrete floor on Saturday in Philadelphia. Fortunately, neither man was hurt in what could have been a scary moment.

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Arman Tsarukyan is a psychopath 🤣 https://t.co/Odg1fCYXrC pic.twitter.com/qbXagyyESp

— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) April 19, 2026

"I don't control myself so much, so if something happens it not like I thinking about something that happened from my mind," Tsarukyan said after the match (via MMAFighting.com). "Thank god Urijah didn't get hurt and we went viral again. So we need that.”

Faber, meanwhile, provided an update via social media while poking fun at his opponent.

“He’s got all t…

Gilbert Burns called it a career on Saturday. | Getty/UFC

Retirement wasn’t initially part of the plan for Gilbert Burns heading into UFC Winnipeg.

However, those plans changed after the former welterweight title challenger suffered a third-round technical knockout loss to Mike Malott in Saturday’s main event at the Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Burns laid down his gloves in the Octagon at the conclusion of the bout. It was the 39-year-old Brazilian’s fifth consecutive loss within the Las Vegas-based promotion.

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“I was crazy confident I was going to get the win,” Burns said on the Paramount+ post-fight show. “I was 1,000 percent confident that I was going to win. I knew if something goes wrong, I don’t want to do this no more. Not because of anyone. Because I’m not showing my 100 percent. Maybe the age or whatever but I feel a little stuck. The fire is still there but I’m still a little stuck. I cannot let go.

“If I…

John Yannis felt he had a point to prove at UFC Winnipeg. 

Yannis (10-4) opened the action against Canada’s Jamie Siraj (14-4) in a bantamweight clash at the Canada Life Center in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, on Saturday. Coming off a loss in his UFC debut, Yannis felt he had a point to prove in his sophomore outing in enemy territory. Yannis knocked out Siraj in front of the latter’s home crowd in the very first round.

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“Came from a loss, so I felt I had something to prove coming into enemy territory,” Yannis told the UFC. “Feels good, couldn’t have asked for a better night.”

Yannis suffered a first-round submission loss against Austin Bashi in his short-notice UFC debut at featherweight last year. However, “The Juice” believes he is one of the best bantamweights with a full camp. Winning in enemy territory is also nothing new to Yannis. Yannis claims he was ruining his opponents’ homecomings on the regional scene, which translated to the bigge…

Robert Valentin felt he just couldn’t lose at UFC Winnipeg. 

Valentin (11-6) took on Canadian debutant Julien Leblanc (10-3) in a middleweight bout at the Canada Life Center in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, on Saturday. Valentin looked for his first UFC win, having lost all three of his previous fights in the promotion. However, Valentin didn’t let the pressure get to him this time, unlike in his previous fights. “Robzilla” also had the added motivation to win for his late mother, who passed away last November. The Swiss fighter scored a first-round submission win over Leblanc to make his mother proud.

“I had all of this pressure and it led me to not enjoying the moment,” he told the UFC. “I went back to having fun with my everyday workouts and being around people. And another big thing that motivated me is the passing of my mom. I just know that she’s watching and she’s proud of me not matter what. I couldn’t lose today… I know momma’s up there watching and she’s …

Jasmine Jasudavicius believes her unsatisfactory win at UFC Winnipeg is a blessing in disguise. 

Jasudavicius (15-4) took on fellow veteran Karine Silva (19-7) in a flyweight clash in front of her home crowd at the Canada Life Center in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, on Saturday. Jasudavicius picked up a unanimous decision win in a bout mostly marked by inactivity.  Jasudavicius isn’t impressed with her performance at UFC Winnipeg. However, having never lost two fights in a row in her entire career, the Canadian is glad to bounce back from a loss in her last outing.

More to Prove “Not too impressed with my performance,” she told the UFC. “I know it was kind of boring. But back in the win column, still climbing my way to the top. I know that I have more to prove and better to show. But we’re back, baby.”

Jasudavicius was under a ton of pressure to return to the win column at UFC Winnipeg. The 37-year-old feels that the underwhelming win is a blessing in disguise. …

Paulo Costa isn’t above kicking a man when he is down, albeit in good humor. 

Costa (16-4) took on Azamat Murzakanov (16-1) in a light heavyweight clash at UFC 327 earlier this month. Costa was a sizable underdog going into the fight against the previously undefeated Russian finisher. However, “Borrachinha” showed why he is perennially a top contender as he never let Murzakanov get his game going. Costa pieced Murzakanov apart before finishing him with a head kick and a few follow-up shots in the third round. 

Costa recently took a dig at Murzakanov over his comments in the lead up to their fight.

“April 11 Paulo Costa is dead,” Murzakanov wrote on X ahead of UFC 327. “I will get justice for all of Brazil.”

Nothing But Crickets However, there had been radio silence from Murzakanov on social media since Costa handed him his first professional loss. Costa couldn’t help taking a dig at Murzakanov’s absence from social media.

“Hi bro, how are you? You'…

Jai Herbert believes his will to win made all the difference at UFC Winnipeg. 

Herbert (14-6) took on promising debutant Mandel Nallo (14-4) in a lightweight clash at Canada Life Center in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, on Saturday. Nallo hurt Herbert early on with head kicks, even partially dropping him with a right hand. However, Herbert survived the onslaught and returned favour by dropping the Canadian with a right hand. While Nallo managed to return to his feet, “The Black Country Banger” dropped him again with a clean combination and rained brutal ground-and-pound to secure the finish. 

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Herbert admits that his game plan went out of the window in the wild affair that lasted barely over two minutes. Herbert claims he had decided to win when he entered the Octagon against Nallo. Even when Nallo hurt Herbert early, the Englishman knew he would come from behind and get the win unless he was knocked out cold.‘I Just Had the Will’ “I have never …

Dana White is trying his best to secure the best treatment possible for Canadian mass shooting victim Maya Gebala. 

Gebala’s name has been in the UFC Octagon for the past few months. Gebala, 12, was shot in the head and neck during one of the deadliest mass shootings in Canadian history in Tumbler Ridge this past February. White reached out to the family, offering help, when he heard the news. Gebala’s parents want to provide her with the best medical care possible, likely in the U.S. While it was recently reported that Gebala will be treated in Los Angeles, White claims that the procedure is not as simple as it seems. While the UFC head honcho has stepped in to help with his team, he seems annoyed with the complications regarding treating Gebala in the U.S. However, White promises that he and his team are working on it.

Not as Easy as it Sounds“I saw it on the news, and I reached out to the family,” White said at the UFC Winnipeg post-fight press conference. “I wo…

Khamzat Chimaev has signed with Real American Freestyle weeks ahead of his first UFC title defense. 

Chimaev’s signing was announced during the RAF 8 broadcast on Saturday. The UFC middleweight champion is expected to make his debut at RAF 10 on June 13 in St. Louis. 

Chimaev’s close friend Arman Tsarukyan defeated Urijah Faber via technical fall (13-1) at RAF 8. Tsarukyan has been extremely active at RAF while he remains sidelined from the UFC lightweight title picture.  Meanwhile, Chimaev (15-0) is scheduled to defend his middleweight title for the first time against Sean Strickland (30-7) in the main event at UFC 328 on May 9 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Chimaev dominantly dethroned Dricus Du Plessis to win the title at UFC 319 last year. 

The Wolf is Coming

The Wolf is coming to RAF. pic.twitter.com/F1niSf7osV

— Real American Freestyle (@RAFWrestlingUSA) April 19, 2026

Four fighters walked away with bonuses at UFC Winnipeg.

Mike Malott (14-2) took on veteran Gilbert Burns (22-10) in front of a home crowd in the main UFC Winnipeg main event on Saturday. Malott picked apart Burns from the opening bell and gradually broke the Brazilian down before finishing him in the third round. Malott earned a $100k Performance of the Night bonus for his victory over “Durinho.” Meanwhile, Burns laid down his gloves following a seven-fight slump to wrap up his Ultimate Fighting Championship tenure that spanned more than a decade.

Canada’s Charles Jourdain (18-8) took on Kyler Phillips (12-5) in a bantamweight tilt in the co-main event. While Phillips tried to control Jourdain on the ground, “Air” scrambled throughout the fight, never accepting bottom position. Jourdain also put on an entertaining display with flying knees and rolling thunders, eventually landing more damage to earn a unanimous decision win. The bout was awarded the Fight of the Nigh…

Mike Malott proved he could more than handle the stressors of a top-of-the-ticket assignment in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

The burgeoning Niagara Top Team star put away Gilbert Burns with punches in the third round of their UFC Fight Night 273 headliner on Saturday at the Canada Life Center in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Malott (14-2-1, 7-1 UFC) brought it to a decisive close 2:08 into Round 3, as he logged the most significant victory of his 17-fight career.

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Burns (22-10, 15-10 UFC) tried and ultimately failed to keep the Canadian at bay with leg kicks. Malott employed bulletproof takedown defense and chipped away at the four-time Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion with accurate combination punching. By the time the middle stanza rolled around, damage had begun to build on Burns’ face. Malott dropped the Kill Cliff Fight Club mainstay with a right uppercut and left hook, allowed him to stand, reset and resumed his assault. An overhand right droppe…

Sherdog's live UFC Winnipeg coverage will begin Saturday at 5 p.m. ET. The event is also known as UFC Fight Night 273. Jamie Siraj (136) vs. John Yannis (136) BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Siraj (-250); Yannis (+200)Round 1 It’s Canada against the world in this rough UFC Fight Night card that may yet deliver in terms of action but is sorely lacking in the rankings-relevance department. Nevertheless, we persist, as there are 43 fight cards to punch through this year and a fight fan does not dine on caviar alone. The ground turkey of a fight card provides 12 matches, with nine of those featuring a Canadian athlete against a foreign adversary. The first fight of the night is one of those bouts when newcomers collide, as Siraj (14-3, 0-0 UFC) reps his home country against Texas-based Yannis (9-4, 0-1 UFC) at 135 pounds. Drawing the first assignment of the evening is referee Chris Desautels. The combatants touch ‘em up to seal the cage around them, and it’s time for …

Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight Arman Tsarukyan just cannot seem to avoid making headlines wherever he goes.

On Thursday, Russian journalist Adam Zubayraev posted a video purportedly showing Tsarukyan’s ejection from an American Airlines commercial aircraft. Per Zubayraev, he and two friends—American Airlines later noted four individuals were involved—were forced to disembark the flight before departure. The initial reason given was that Tsarukyan would not get off his phone during the takeoff procedure, despite the airline staff telling all fliers that they must disable all electronic devices or place them on airplane mode.

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Tsarukyan and his team were en route from Los Angeles to Philadelphia. The fighter still plans on headlining Real American Freestyle 8, the professional wrestling organization which has gained crossover interest from athletes domestic and abroad. Tsarukyan will be wrestling Urijah Faber in their main attraction on Satu…

Professional Fighters League will next be stopping off in South Dakota in a couple weeks.

The organization completed its lineup of 12 matches for its PFL Sioux Falls offering on May 2. The fights are scheduled to take place inside of the Sanford Pentagon in South Dakota’s most populous city of Sioux Falls—it is not, however, its capital, as that honor falls to Pierre. Capping off the jaunt to the home state of Mount Rushmore will be a local staple against a PFL Europe champ, as Logan Storley (18-4) looks to defend home turf against Albania’s Florim Zendeli (9-1-1).

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Interim Bellator MMA welterweight titlist Storley was absorbed into the PFL following the merger, joining its roster in 2024. After getting knocked out by the first time in his career at the hands of Shamil Musaev, Storley turned things around to enter the final welterweight bracket of the main tourney. While he reached the finals, Thad Jean turned him away on the scorecards.

It has bee…