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Aaron Pico is confident he can defeat Lerone Murphy in a rematch.

Pico made his Ultimate Fighting Championship debut against Murphy at UFC 319 last year. Murphy knocked Pico out with a spinning back elbow in the opening round and the latter now wants to run it back.

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Why Aaron Pico wants another shot at Lerone Murphy Pico believes he was beating Murphy before he got caught with the spinning elbow. The former Bellator fighter is certain he beats Murphy in a rematch and believes a win over the Englishman brings him closer to a title shot.

“I want that fight,” Pico told MMA Junkie. “And people are gonna ask me, ‘Why do you want that fight?’ I’m a competitor; I want to fight and get that one back. I mean, obviously, you watch the fight, I was beating him up. I would have just been a little bit smarter and would have gotten that win. But there’s a lot of lessons that came because of the loss. And that’s the reason that I would love to run it back. And w…

Jonny Parsons says he barely trained for his 2021 Dana White’s Contender Series bout after Sean Strickland knocked him out with a head kick in sparring.

The two sparred at Syndicate MMA, where Parsons still trains, six weeks before the bout. Parsons recalled the incident ahead of his Nov. 7 return to the Octagon at Meta Apex in Las Vegas.

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Jonny Parsons recalls being knocked out by Sean Strickland in sparring Parsons said he was tiring when Strickland, a two-time Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight titleholder, picked up on his head movement. Parsons avoided the first two punches of the combination but took the kick across his jaw.

Parsons said he only saw how the knockout unfolded when he watched the gym’s security footage afterward. Strickland drove him home that day.

“Before Strickland kind of settled down at Xtreme Couture, he was training at Syndicate [MMA],” Parsons told Danny Podolsky. “Second half of the round, I start getti…

Raul Rosas Jr. just defeated Colby Covington on a day’s notice.

Covington was originally scheduled to headline Hype FC in a submission-grappling match against Dillon Danis on Tuesday at Pala Pellicone in Rome, Italy. However, Danis pulled out a day before the match for undisclosed reasons.

Raul Rosas Jr. steps in on one day’s notice, submits Colby Covington ahead of their RAF matches Rosas Jr. attended the Hype FC press conference and stepped up to replace Danis. “El Nino Problema” took the former interim Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight champion down with his first attempt. He then took Covington’s back and locked in a rear-naked choke, forcing the tap in just 40 seconds.

This marks Covington’s first loss since he last fought in the UFC in 2024. “Chaos” has picked up five wins under the Real American Freestyle banner, including victories over Danis, Luke Rockhold, Chris Weidman, Arman Tsarukyan and Belal Muhammad. He is scheduled to face Khamzat Chimaev at …

Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani trained with Conor McGregor when he was in high school.

Lebosnoyani said he was just 17 when he had the chance to train with the Ultimate Fighting Championship star ahead of McGregor’s first fight against Nate Diaz in 2016. Lebosnoyani had just finished a large Mongolian barbecue meal when his father called to tell him McGregor needed a training partner at the gym. “American Bandit” trained with McGregor for about two weeks.

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How Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani first met Conor McGregor Lebosnoyani praised McGregor’s humility and said the former two-division champion has sent him messages throughout his career. Despite the controversies surrounding McGregor, Lebosnoyani said he will always respect the Irishman.

“I had just eaten the most I've ever eaten in my life. As soon as I finished my meal, my dad calls me,” Lebosnoyani told Ariel Helwani. “He goes, ‘Conor's at the gym. He needs you to train right now.’ I was like, ‘Oh my God, I'm go…

Artem Lobov has renewed his feud with Conor McGregor despite the former friends settling their legal dispute over the Proper No. 12 whiskey brand earlier this year.

In social media posts Monday, Lobov accused McGregor of breaking financial promises to friends and teammates. He also alleged that McGregor sent people to burn his car and threaten his mother. The allegations have not been independently verified.

Artem Lobov alleges Conor McGregor sent people to threaten his mother and burn his car after the former friends settled their Proper No. 12 dispute The exchange began when Lobov responded to a post about McGregor’s next Ultimate Fighting Championship appearance, dismissing the significance of it being the final bout on his current contract.

When McGregor supporters challenged him, Lobov expanded on his allegations of unpaid financial commitments and claimed substance abuse had contributed to the breakdown of McGregor’s relationships.

“He took care of nobody,…

Carlos Prates isn't hiding his anger over Islam Makhachev's decision to skip a proposed January Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight title defense.

The Brazilian contender had hoped to challenge Makhachev for the undisputed championship but will instead face Michael Morales for the interim belt at UFC 336 on Jan. 30, 2027, at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto.

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Carlos Prates questions Islam Makhachev's decision to delay his return ahead of Michael Morales interim title fight at UFC 336 Speaking on journalist Laerte Viana's YouTube channel, Prates accused Makhachev of backing out of an opportunity he had spent years working toward.

“I've been in this game for 17 years. When it's finally my turn to live my dream of becoming champion, the guy [Makhachev] backs out like that,” Prates said. “I think everybody was pissed off about Islam's decision. I was, the UFC was, the people didn't like it.”

Prates also questioned why Makhachev would delay his …

Kevin Vallejos is teasing Aljamain Sterling ahead of their Ultimate Fighting Championship clash.

Sterling criticized referee Dan Miragliotta’s decision to stand the fighters up while Renato Moicano had Tom Nolan’s back in the second round of the UFC Vegas 123 main event. Nolan went on to finish Moicano in the third round.

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After the former bantamweight champion voiced his frustration, Vallejos responded with a joke about their upcoming referee assignment.Kevin Vallejos addresses Aljamain Sterling's criticism of Dan Miragliotta Sterling said Miragliotta’s intervention left him so angry that he considered entering the Octagon.

“I felt like I was close to storming that cage,” Sterling said on his YouTube channel. “I was angry, I was fuming. Even this morning, I was daydreaming: what possessed this man to do such a thing? Criminal.”

Vallejos (18-1) jokingly claimed that UFC CEO Dana White had already told him Miragliotta would referee his bout ag…

Daniel Cormier is facing criticism of his commentary from Darren Till.

Till accused the Ultimate Fighting Championship commentator of favoring certain fighters, particularly those from the Caucasus region. The former title challenger said his criticism is not personal.

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Darren Till claims he can ‘see right through’ Daniel Cormier’s favoritism Despite his criticism, Till admitted he would not confront the former two-division UFC champion in person.

“It’s not that I don’t like him; I just see right through his bullsh*t,” Till told Ariel Helwani. “I wouldn't say it to his face, mind you, because he's a f*cking animal of a fighter. But you can just see through his bullsh*t. Any guy who's got the second name Magomedov, he's just always biased. He's a company man... I can smell that bullsh*t from over this corner of the world. I've got no time for that whatsoever.”

Cormier and Khabib Nurmagomedov developed a close friendship while training at the A…

Michel Pereira has found a new home after leaving the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Pereira is scheduled to face In Su Hwang in a middleweight bout at Z - Fight Night 5 on Dec. 19 in Incheon, South Korea. ZFN is led by former UFC fighter Chan Sung Jung, known as “The Korean Zombie.”

Michel Pereira's next fight takes him to South Korea Pereira (32-15, 2 NC) completed his UFC contract in February before returning on a one-fight deal to face Sharabutdin Magomedov at UFC Baku in June. He lost by unanimous decision and subsequently became a free agent. The Brazilian lost four of his final five UFC bouts.

Hwang (9-2), meanwhile, unsuccessfully sought a UFC contract on Dana White’s Contender Series last year. The South Korean rebounded with a third-round technical knockout victory in May.

John McCarthy has explained why he hasn’t refereed an Ultimate Fighting Championship bout since 2017.

McCarthy, who helped develop the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts, said Dana White was unhappy when he joined the Bellator commentary team. He suggested White’s opposition contributed to his absence from UFC assignments.

John McCarthy says Bellator commentary role angered Dana White, discusses UFC’s influence on referee appointmentsState athletic commissions generally assign referees for MMA events within their jurisdictions. McCarthy said the UFC provides commissions with names of officials it prefers.

“I went and worked for Bellator and Dana White was absolutely pissed about that and said, ‘I don't want him.’ And he doesn't need me,” McCarthy told Ariel Helwani. “That's fine… You want the truth? I'll tell you the truth. They put in names for people they feel comfortable with, which they should be able to do.”

Big John McCarthy reveals …

Uros Medic has seen enough of Islam Makhachev’s dominance.

Medic said he is tired of watching Makhachev win fights. “The Doctor” considers him the best fighter in the Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight division but believes the champion has nothing left to prove.

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Why Uros Medic believes Islam Makhachev should leave the UFC on top Medic suggested Makhachev should retire and pursue other interests if he is already considering leaving the sport.

“I’m a little tired of watching Islam Makhachev winning at the top,” Medic said on the “Believe You Me” podcast. “I’m like, come on, go rest, go relax. You’re the best, bro. I’m not afraid to say he is the best in the division right now. He is the champion. There’s no doubt about it. But if you’re talking or considering retirement, bro, get out. You’ve already accomplished everything. Go do your thing, bro. Go be a businessman, go be a politician; he can do everything. He is a smart fellow.”

Mak…

Renato “Money” Moicano plans to retire from mixed martial arts after completing his current Ultimate Fighting Championship contract.

Moicano (21-8-1) says he has three fights remaining on his deal and wants to transition to influencer boxing afterward. He doubts the UFC will offer enough money to persuade him to stay.

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Why Renato Moicano sees only three more UFC fights, influencer boxing in his future Moicano said he wants to avoid a prolonged decline like that of Tony Ferguson, who left the UFC after eight consecutive losses.

“To be completely honest with you, I want to finish my contract, and once I finish my contract, I don't want to fight MMA anymore,” Moicano told Ariel Helwani. “I want to do boxing, like influencer boxing. I want to beat up people that don't know how to fight. Like this Adin Ross show… I don't want to be like Tony Ferguson. Eight fights, trying to be a champion, 40 years old, on a six-fight losing streak. I don't want that. I'…

Eddie Hearn wants a public debate with Dana White amid their dispute over White’s role in Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua.

Fury and Joshua are scheduled to meet Dec. 11 at Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales. White has repeatedly claimed he is involved alongside Turki Alalshikh, while Hearn maintains that the Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO cannot take part in promoting or producing the event without his approval.

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Eddie Hearn expects Dana White to attend Fury vs. Joshua presser and wants an open ‘debate’ with UFC CEO Hearn expects White to attend the fight and hopes they can discuss their differences at the prefight press conference.

“I think he’ll be there,” Hearn told iFL TV. “I’m certain he’ll be there. I hope he’s at the press conference. I got a lot to say with him on an open forum; I think it’ll be a great back-and-forth debate.”

White says the UFC production team will handle the broadcast, a role Hearn maintains is barred under the…

Renato “Money” Moicano doesn’t see himself as someone to idolize.

Moicano suffered a stoppage loss to Tom Nolan at UFC Vegas 123 on Oct. 31 at Meta Apex in Las Vegas. The bout drew controversy when referee Dan Miragliotta stood the fighters up while Moicano had Nolan’s back in the second round. Nolan subsequently won by technical knockout in the third.

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Before their Ultimate Fighting Championship clash, Nolan described Moicano as one of his heroes. The Brazilian has since explained why he rejected the compliment.Why Tom Nolan's admiration made Renato Moicano uncomfortable When told of Nolan’s praise at media day, Moicano dismissed it and emphasized that he intended to beat the Australian.

Moicano (21-8-1) said he doubts Nolan’s sincerity and believes the praise was intended for the cameras. He described himself as a journeyman rather than a fighter deserving the admiration afforded to Charles Oliveira or Khabib Nurmagomedov.

“F*ck that sh*t… …

Johnny Walker has ruled out fighting his half-brother, Valter Walker, in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

The Brazilian heavyweight told MMAFighting that the violence inherent in the sport makes facing a relative unthinkable.

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Johnny Walker rules out UFC fight with half-brother Valter Walker despite tension over their relationship “No, man. Am I going to fight my own brother? Are you crazy?” Walker said. “I go in there to hurt other people. I don't want to hurt my own blood.”

Walker explained that fighters must set aside concern for their opponents once they enter the cage, but he cannot imagine approaching a fight against his brother that way.

“When we step in there, man, it's one guy trying to kill the other. That's just how it is. You signed the contract, you know what you're getting into,” Walker explained. “But doing that to your own brother, someone who shares your blood, there's no way. Unless the guy is completely crazy — and I'm no…

Khamzat Chimaev and Jorge Masvidal are reportedly scheduled to meet in a submission-only grappling match on Dec. 4 at The Agenda in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The matchup is expected to headline ALF League’s inaugural event.

ALF League announced the pairing Sunday, according to MMA Fighting, although the original social media post has since been removed.

Khamzat Chimaev and Jorge Masvidal reportedly scheduled for Dec. 4 submission-only match in Dubai Chimaev has remained active on the wrestling circuit since losing his UFC middleweight title to Sean Strickland by split decision at UFC 328 in May. He has competed against Dillon Danis, Tyron Woodley, Gilbert Burns and Robbie Lawler under the Real American Freestyle banner.

“Borz” is also scheduled to face former UFC interim welterweight champion Colby Covington in the main event of RAF Abu Dhabi on Nov. 14. The reported Masvidal matchup would give Chimaev another assignment 20 days later.

Masvidal has not competed…

Ode Osbourne was determined not to tap out to Cody Durden.

The two met in an Ultimate Fighting Championship flyweight bout at UFC Vegas 123 on Saturday at Meta Apex in Las Vegas. Durden threatened Osbourne with a first-round submission attempt before using his wrestling to earn a unanimous decision.

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Ode Osbourne explains the physical toll of Cody Durden’s twister at UFC Vegas 123 Osbourne said defending Durden’s twister attempt left him in pain and depleted his stamina for the remainder of the bout. Despite recognizing how deep the submission was, he remained determined not to tap, even at the risk of injuring his back.

“The Jamaican Sensation” said he plans to have his back examined and hopes he avoided a serious injury. He also vowed to return stronger.

“It was difficult to fight after that first round,” Osbourne said on Instagram. “He put me in a deep, deep, deep twister. Shoutout to Cody Durden. That twister he got me in definitely made …

The co-main event for the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s next event in Australia has been confirmed.

Robert Whittaker will face Bogdan Guskov in a light heavyweight matchup at UFC Sydney on Feb. 7, 2027, at Afterpay Arena.

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Robert Whittaker faces Bogdan Guskov in second light heavyweight bout Whittaker (27-9) snapped a two-fight losing streak in his light heavyweight debut, stopping Nikita Krylov in the third round in July. The former middleweight champion will now face Guskov (18-4-1) in front of his hometown crowd.

Guskov is coming off a stoppage loss to Magomed Ankalaev after accepting their UFC Abu Dhabi main event on short notice in July. “Hitman” had been unbeaten in his previous five bouts, including a draw against Jan Blachowicz.

UFC Sydney is headlined by a lightweight clash between Quillan Salkilld and Benoît Saint Denis.

#UFCSydney co-main event is LOCKED IN 🔒 @BogdanGuskov vs @robwhittakermma [ #Fee…

A matchup of featherweight prospects has reportedly been added to the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s next event in Australia.

Marwan Rahiki and Joo Sang Yoo are scheduled to meet at UFC Sydney on Feb. 7, 2027, at Afterpay Arena, according to Nolan King.

Marwan Rahiki and Joo Sang Yoo seek return to win column at UFC SydneyRahiki (9-1) is coming off his first professional loss, a unanimous decision defeat to fellow featherweight prospect Tommy McMillen. The Moroccan has finished all nine of his professional wins, including two in the UFC.

Yoo (9-2) joined the UFC in 2025 with an unbeaten record and knocked out his debut opponent in 28 seconds. The South Korean has since lost two straight.

The announced UFC Sydney lineup includes a lightweight main event between Quillan Salkilld and Benoit St. Denis, a co-headliner between Robert Whittaker and Bogdan Guskov, and four “Road to UFC” tournament finals.

Marwan Rahiki vs. JooSang Yoo is h…

Conor McGregor wants to make what he describes as the final bout of his Ultimate Fighting Championship contract a record-breaking spectacle.

Saul "Canelo" Alvarez reclaimed the WBC super middleweight title with a unanimous decision win over Christian Mbilli on Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. McGregor subsequently questioned the event’s viewership, attendance and gate receipts. The former two-division UFC champion claimed he could outsell other combat sports stars without even trying.

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Conor McGregor vows to break his own records in final fight of UFC contract McGregor touted the commercial success of his latest appearance and vowed to make a greater promotional effort for his next Octagon outing.

“How many views did the Canelo fight get?” McGregor wrote on X. “How many in attendance? Gate? Man, I outdo ALL of these people in sales. Majorly. EVERY SINGLE ONE. With ease. Maybe even combined. I don’t even be trying. I was on the same time as the Worl…

Renato “Money” Moicano takes responsibility for his latest loss but has some choice words for referee Dan Miragliotta.

Moicano (21-8-1) faced rising Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight Tom Nolan (12-1) in the main event of UFC Vegas 123 on Saturday at Meta Apex in Las Vegas. Miragliotta drew criticism for standing the fighters up while Moicano held a dominant grappling position, but the Brazilian has no plans to appeal the result.

Why Renato Moicano is furious with Dan Miragliotta after UFC Vegas 123 Moicano controlled much of the opening two rounds with his grappling. However, Miragliotta ordered the fighters to their feet while Moicano had Nolan’s back in the second round. Nolan then hurt Moicano late in the frame and continued his striking success in the third before securing a ground-and-pound finish at 1:28.

Moicano said the stand-up surprised him because he did not remember receiving a warning to increase his activity. He acknowledged that his frustration…

Arman Tsarukyan is open to fighting Alexander Volkanovski, provided Ultimate Fighting Championship gold is at stake.

Volkanovski (29-4) defended the featherweight title with a technical knockout victory over Movsar Evloev at UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi before expressing interest in returning to lightweight. With champion Justin Gaethje uncertain about his future, Volkanovski offered to face Tsarukyan (24-3) for the vacant title if Gaethje retires.

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Arman Tsarukyan reminds Alexander Volkanovski how Islam Makhachev rematch ended Tsarukyan said the championship matters more to him than the opponent.

“I’m ready for everyone,” Tsarukyan told Yavuz Saynomo. “For me, it doesn’t matter who I’m gonna fight; I just want to fight for the title.”

Volkanovski has expressed confidence that he can counter Tsarukyan’s wrestling and avoid being held down. Tsarukyan responded by recalling the Australian’s knockout loss to Islam Makhachev.

“He said Islam Makhachev can…

Jacqueline Cavalcanti’s fight against Michelle Montague has reportedly been postponed by three weeks.

Cavalcanti and Montague were originally scheduled to meet in an Ultimate Fighting Championship women’s bantamweight bout at UFC Qatar on Nov. 21. The matchup has been moved to UFC 335, according to Marcel Dorff.

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Jacqueline Cavalcanti vs. Michelle Montague reportedly removed from UFC Qatar card Under the revised booking, Montague (8-0) would face Cavalcanti (10-2) on Dec. 12 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Montague finished her first six professional opponents by rear-naked choke before joining the UFC last year. “The Wild One” has won both of her UFC bouts by decision. Cavalcanti, meanwhile, won her first five UFC appearances before losing a decision to Ketlen Vieira in May.

Other women’s bouts scheduled for UFC 335 include Maycee Barber vs. Carli Judice and Angela Hill vs. Shanelle Dyer. The event is headlined by a BMF title clash between C…

Raul Rosas Jr. has accepted a short-notice grappling matchup against Colby Covington after Dillon Danis withdrew.

Danis was scheduled to face Covington in a submission-only match on Nov. 3 at Pala Pellicone in Rome. However, Hype FC CEO Armand Martirosian announced at Sunday’s press conference that Danis had pulled out. “El Nino Problema” stepped in to face the former interim Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight titleholder.

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Colby Covington and Raul Rosas Jr. set to clash at Hype FC ahead of their RAF matches Rosas, who was attending the press conference, volunteered when Martirosian called for a replacement.

“Let’s do it, f*ck it… Chiwiwis!” Rosas Jr. said at the presser.

Covington competed at welterweight in the UFC, while Rosas is a bantamweight. Covington last fought in December 2024, losing to Joaquin Buckley, and has since notified the promotion of his retirement from mixed martial arts. Rosas has won six straight and is coming o…