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Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight champion Islam Makhachev's coach, Javier Mendez, claims his pupil is open to a fight against Max Holloway.

This comes after Holloway’s win at UFC 329, where he faced Conor McGregor at welterweight. “Blessed” emerged victorious, albeit with their rematch ending in anticlimactic fashion as McGregor suffered an early injury. Mendez believes that neither Makhachev nor Holloway would refuse a matchup against the other.

Javier Mendez discusses a potential Islam Makhachev vs. Max Holloway UFC matchup after UFC 329 Ahead of his UFC 329 bout on July 11, Holloway expressed his desire to fight Makhachev. Despite being beaten and thoroughly outgrappled by Charles Oliveira earlier this year, Mendez knows that Holloway will not stop pursuing a fight with the current 170-pound king. He also believes that his fighter would not back down from the challenge if UFC pushes for it.

“Whatever the UFC wants to do, Islam’s going to say yes and Max …

Former Ultimate Fighting Championship title challenger Paulo Costa didn’t like the short-notice fight offer against Magomed Ankalaev.

Ankalaev was originally scheduled to fight Khalil Rountree in the main event at UFC Abu Dhabi on July 25 at Etihad Arena on Yas Island. However, Rountree pulled out due to an injury and has been replaced by Uzbek contender Bogdan Guskov. Costa has now revealed he was in the running to take on the former light heavyweight champion.

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Paulo Costa discusses UFC negotiations and short-notice Abu Dhabi offer Costa (16-4) recently revealed that he, too, was approached by the UFC to replace Rountree against Ankalaev. However, “Borrachinha” turned down the offer as it was too short notice to fly to Abu Dhabi for a five-round fight. Costa also claims he was not offered any extra incentive to accept a tough matchup against a former champion.

“They called yesterday,” Costa told Ariel Helwani. “But I think it’s so short notice, l…

Dustin Poirier continues teasing a return to the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Poirier hung up his gloves following a loss to Max Holloway last year. “The Diamond” has since repeatedly admitted that he dearly misses fighting. He even says he would consider returning to the Octagon for the right matchup.

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Meanwhile, Poirier’s former rival Conor McGregor returned to the Octagon after five years against Holloway at UFC 329 in Las Vegas. The fight ended in a first-round stoppage loss for McGregor after he blew out his knee throwing a jumping head kick.Dustin Poirier says a welterweight fight with Conor McGregor could bring him back to the UFC While McGregor claims he intends to complete the last fight remaining on his UFC contract, Poirier is willing to end his retirement for a fourth outing against the Dubliner. Furthermore, Poirier is also open to moving up to welterweight to fight McGregor, as their previous bouts were at featherweight and lightweig…

Conor McGregor is not yet ready to call it a career, it seems. | 📷: Getty/UFC

Despite his latest injury setback, Conor McGregor is eager to see out his contract with the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

McGregor (22-7) returned to action for the first time since 2021 in a rematch against Max Holloway at UFC 329 in Las Vegas. His much-awaited return ended in massive disappointment as “Notorious” injured his knee with the first kick he threw. McGregor was barely able to stay upright after the injury, prompting the referee to call a stop to the contest in just 69 seconds.

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Conor McGregor says surgery comes first before he attempts one last fight under his current UFC deal With his Octagon return ending in such anticlimactic and devastating fashion, many believe McGregor won’t return to the Octagon again, especially considering his vast wealth. However, the former two-division champion seemingly hasn’t given up yet. He recently reiterated …

Ultimate Fighting Championship bantamweight Cory Sandhagen’s hamstring is a mess after his loss against Mario Bautista.

Sandhagen (18-7) took on Bautista (18-3) in a bantamweight bout at UFC 329 in Las Vegas. While they were going toe-to-toe in the first round, Bautista caught Sandhagen in a kneebar late in the round, hyperextending his left leg. While “The Sandman” survived the round, he immediately informed his corner that his leg was compromised.

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Despite Sandhagen’s movement being evidently limited, he surprisingly out-landed Bautista in the second round. The latter then dropped Sandhagen in the third frame and accumulated control time to earn a unanimous decision win.Sandhagen details how a suspected hamstring tear altered his game plan Sandhagen has since revealed a gruesome injury to his hamstring from Bautista’s submission attempt. He believes he tore his hamstring in the opening round, limiting his arsenal for the rest of the fight. The 34-y…

Charles Oliveira is campaigning for a UFC lightweight title shot against Justin Gaethje.| 📷: Getty/UFC

Former Ultimate Fighting Championship champion Charles Oliveira is using unique tactics to call for a title shot against Justin Gaethje.

Oliveira was in attendance for Conor McGregor’s (22-7) return to action after five years against Max Holloway (28-9) at UFC 329 on Saturday in Las Vegas. However, the bout ended in disappointment when McGregor injured his knee on his first kick, forcing the referee to step in just over a minute into the opening round.

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Charles Oliveira campaigns for a UFC lightweight title shot against Justin Gaethje after UFC 329 Holloway was plotting a lightweight title shot and a rematch against Gaethje if he secured a victory over McGregor. Despite the anticlimactic nature of the fight, the Hawaiian still called for his shot against “The Highlight” at the post-fight press conference. Meanwhile, Oliveira started …

Conor McGregor has broken his silence on what happened at UFC 329. | 📷: Getty/UFC

Conor McGregor assures fans that he was not injured heading into his return to action in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

McGregor (22-7) returned after a five-year hiatus against Max Holloway (28-9) at UFC 329 on Saturday in Las Vegas. The return of the sport’s biggest star couldn’t have ended more anticlimactically. McGregor injured his right knee with the very first kick he threw and could barely stand thereafter, forcing the referee to call a stop to the contest, hardly over a minute into the fight.

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Conor McGregor says he was healthy before UFC 329 knee injury Fans have since speculated as to whether McGregor was already injured heading into the fight. “Notorious” was also seen stumbling while taking off his shoes before entering the Octagon. However, the former two-division UFC champion claims he had no injuries before the fight.

“I was so sha…

Islam Makhachev (left) appeared to have some fun at Conor McGregor’s expense. | 📷: Getty/UFC

Ultimate Fighting Championship titleholder Islam Makhachev poked fun at Conor McGregor following the Irishman’s anticlimactic defeat to Max Holloway.

McGregor suffered a knee injury with the very first strike he threw in his rematch with Holloway at UFC 329 in Las Vegas. He couldn’t plant both feet properly thereafter and the referee subsequently intervened, calling a halt to the action. Makhachev has now mocked the former two-division champion.

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Islam Makhachev posts 'Conor beat Conor' after Max Holloway stops McGregor at UFC 329 Makhachev has addressed the result of UFC 329’s main event, wherein his friend and mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov’s bitter rival failed to return to the win column. UFC featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski posted his live reaction to the injury on Instagram and Makhachev commented with a laughing emoji underneath. Read more about Islam Makhachev trolls Conor McGregor following UFC 329 injury

Terence “Bud” Crawford has addressed Conor McGregor’s anticlimactic return to action in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

McGregor’s return to the Octagon ended in just 69 seconds at UFC 329. The former two-division champion seemingly injured his right knee in the opening sequence of the fight, leading to a stoppage from the referee as he was unable to continue.

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UFC CEO Dana White subsequently speculated that it could be an ACL-related issue, an unfortunate occurrence considering McGregor’s last bout before UFC 329 also ended in a leg injury.Terence Crawford says Conor McGregor's UFC 329 injury was 'God punish them' after the former champion's 69-second loss. Crawford, who has gone back and forth with McGregor previously, believes the Irishman got what was coming his way. The unbeaten boxer and the MMA superstar were once rumored to be squaring off in a two-fight crossover series across both combat sports, and McGregor claimed Crawford turn…

Gable Steveson said he would welcome a fight with Josh Hokit. | 📷: Getty/UFC

After a dominant win in his Ultimate Fighting Championship debut, Gable Steveson has responded to Josh Hokit’s trash talk.

Steveson defeated Elisha Ellison at UFC 329, extending his professional record to 4-0 and recording his fourth straight first-round finish. Hokit, who’s emerged as one of the most polarizing figures in the UFC, has issued threats to Steveson and his mentor, Jon Jones, drawing a reaction from the Olympian.

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Gable Steveson responds to Josh Hokit after dominant UFC 329 victory Hokit took to X to share a clip from one of Steveson’s pre-fight interviews wherein the latter questioned the former’s skills. “The Incredible Hok” listed his many athletic achievements before suggesting that both Steveson and Jones steer clear of him.

“Remember, this ain’t wrestling,” Hokit wrote on X. “If anyone signs up to face me in a fist fight, better have a go…

Chael Sonnen says you can stick a fork in Conor McGregor: He's done. | 📷: Jason Burgos/Sherdog

Chael Sonnen believes Conor McGregor’s Ultimate Fighting Championship career took a major hit following the anticlimactic loss to Max Holloway at UFC 329.

McGregor suffered a knee injury seconds into his rematch with Holloway. He then wasn’t able to find stability and repeatedly fell while attempting strikes, prompting the referee to stop the bout. With the Irishman’s last two main events ending in unfortunate injuries, Sonnen questions whether he can headline another card.

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‘You cannot main event him’: Chael Sonnen on Conor McGregor In McGregor’s last outing prior to UFC 329, he suffered a leg break in his trilogy fight against Dustin Poirier in 2021. A lengthy stint on the sidelines ensued before the Holloway rematch came together. According to Sonnen, there were no takeaways from the former two-division champ’s return.

“It was one of th…

Conor McGregor’s coach has weighed-in on the outcome at UFC 329. | 📷: Getty/UFC

Conor McGregor’s coach, John Kavanagh, has squashed rumors of a pre-existing injury going into the Ultimate Fighting Championship star’s Octagon return at UFC 329.

McGregor rematched Max Holloway in the main event of UFC 329, but injured his knee in the opening sequence. After he struggled to stay upright, the referee stopped the bout, leading to an anticlimactic conclusion to the fight card.

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John Kavanagh details McGregor’s injury after comeback fight ends early Kavanagh took to Facebook to discuss McGregor’s injury following the defeat to Holloway at UFC 329. The former two-division champion’s longtime coach shed light on the post-fight mood and reiterated McGregor’s claim that he wasn’t injured going into the bout.

“Devastated,” the SBG Ireland head coach wrote in a Facebook post (via ESPN). “That opening jump switch kick was drilled daily for month…

Paddy Pimblett’s comments on Conor McGregor have spark criticism from Josh Hokit. | 📷: Getty/UFC

Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight Josh Hokit believes fighters are two-faced, using Paddy Pimblett as an example.

Pimblett (24-4) secured a spectacular win by putting Benoit St. Denis (17-4) to sleep in less than a minute in UFC 329’s co-headliner. The main event between Conor McGregor and Max Holloway then ended in anticlimactic fashion, with the returning Irish star suffering a leg injury in the opening sequence, leading to a victory for his Hawaiian counterpart.

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Pimblett remained respectful towards McGregor in the lead-up to UFC 329, seemingly taking a backseat as the Irish superstar drew most of the attention. However, he changed his tune after watching the former two-division champion lose.Josh Hokit says Paddy Pimblett proved exactly why he talks trash Pimblett stole the show at UFC 329, given the unfortunate conclusion to …

Sean Strickland posted a controversial theory on Conor McGregor’s UFC 329 injury. | 📷: Getty/UFC

Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight champion Sean Strickland doesn’t think Conor McGregor was injured going into UFC 329.

McGregor’s return to action after five years against Max Holloway at UFC 329 on Saturday ended in anticlimactic fashion. “Notorious” blew his right knee with the first kick he attempted, leading to a stoppage loss hardly over a minute into the first round. Strickland has now weighed in on the Irishman’s injury.

Sean Strickland questions Conor McGregor’s knee injury after UFC 329 loss While Strickland doesn’t want to jump to conclusions, he wonders whether McGregor’s injury could have been triggered by steroid use. He claims to have seen several steroid users’ bodies get fragile with time.

“Im not saying this is it..... but every homie I have that has done steroids for too long their bodies become so fragile,” Strickland wrote on …

Dana White is livid with the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s production team for getting celebrities’ names wrong on the broadcast.

Four-division boxing champion and Zuffa Boxing’s latest signing, Shakur Stevenson, was in attendance at UFC 329 on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. However, when Stevenson was shown on screen, a lower third had him captioned as NBA player Jalen Williams of the Oklahoma City Thunder. White later slammed the UFC’s production team for the mix-up.

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Shakur Stevenson and Jalen Williams react to mix-up at UFC 329 White notes that his production team, which he is usually immensely proud of, just hosted a monumental event on the South Lawn of the White House last month. However, the UFC CEO believes his production team is the worst in all sports when it comes to showcasing celebrities at UFC events.

“My production team, we just did the White House. We built an arena on the South Lawn of the White House, and it was the …

An apparent knee injury snuffed out whatever magic Conor McGregor planned to rekindle in his first Ultimate Fighting Championship assignment in five years.

Max Holloway was awarded an anticlimactic technical knockout over the SBG Ireland cornerstone in the first round of their UFC 329 headliner on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. A disappointed and dejected McGregor (22-7, 10-5 UFC)—who had beaten the Hawaiian by unanimous decision in their first meeting in 2013—bowed out 1:09 into Round 1.

It was essentially over before it began. McGregor appeared to suffer the injury while throwing a jumping round kick inside the first 10 seconds. He collapsed on multiple occasions afterward, unable to put any weight on his right leg while he attempted to engage Holloway (28-9, 24-9 UFC). It soon became clear to all involved that McGregor was compromised to such an extent that he could not move forward with the match.

Meanwhile, former Cage Warriors champion Paddy Pimblet…

A fast finish and an action-packed flyweight bout were among the UFC 329 bonus winners.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship handed out a pair of Performance of the Night awards and a Fight of the Night bonus, with each recipient pocketing an extra $100,000 over their contracted fight purse. The fight card featured 11 finishes in total, but a couple of bouts concluded in anticlimactic fashion, with the main event ending via an unfortunate injury.

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UFC 329 bonus winners include Paddy Pimblett, King Green and Royval-Kavanagh Paddy Pimblett secured a $100,000 POTN bonus for his submission of Benoit St. Denis in the co-main event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. It took Pimblett under a minute to put away his French counterpart, sealing one of the quickest and most emphatic victories of his UFC tenure.

King Green also earned a $100,000 POTN bonus following a dramatic first-round comeback against Terrance McKinney. Despite initially facing an early barrage…

Bucking a trend that has become beyond familiar to those that watch the Ultimate Fighting Championship on Paramount+ in the U.S., Dustin Poirier was not featured in Bud Light’s commercials during UFC 329.

Poirier (30-10) was recently arrested at Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport for public drunkenness. The former UFC interim lightweight champion threatened to fight and used a racial slur directed at a police officer after being denied permission to board his flight for being intoxicated. He has been charged with a misdemeanor and is currently out on bail.

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Poirier subsequently opened up about his mental issues while addressing the incident. “The Diamond” also revealed that he lost a major sponsor and several business deals in the aftermath of his arrest. There were also rumors of Bud Light canceling Poirier’s sponsorship.Dustin Poirier absent from the latest Bud Light adWhile Poirier’s official sponsorship status with Bud Light is unk…

King Green rallied to upset Terrance McKinney at UFC 329. | 📷: Getty/UFC

King Green is eager to extend his win streak in the Ultimate Fighting Championship after his come-from-behind victory over Terrance McKinney at UFC 329 in Las Vegas.

McKinney started as he always does, marching down Green with forward pressure. “T.Wrecks” came close to locking in a submission, but his veteran counterpart escaped. Green then landed a flurry of strikes to finish McKinney with a second to spare in the opening round.

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King Green’s late-career run continues after UFC 329 victory over Terrance McKinney Kicking off the UFC 329 main card at T-Mobile Arena, Green notched his fourth straight victory. After the fight, Green said that he wants to keep the momentum rolling.

“I told you my activity, and I’m on a roll. And I’m not playing. And I am gonna keep doing this thing that nobody’s ever seen. You know? And I might not be the Conor McGregor or the Max H…

Merab Dvalishvili slapped TF out of Umar Nurmagomedov’s friend 😳 pic.twitter.com/SZsqDOBM9y

— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) July 11, 2026

Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight Arman Tsarukyan has accused Merab Dvalishvili of delivering a sucker-punch to a man he says is Ultimate Fighting Championship bantamweight contender Umar Nurmagomedov’s friend.

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Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight Arman Tsarukyan believes it was wrong of Merab Dvalishvili to strike a man he says is Umar Nurmagomedov’s friend.

Dvalishvili recently got into a scuffle ahead of his wrestling win over Henry Cejudo at RAF Georgia. He was asked about a potential wrestling match against Nurmagomedov during the pre-fight press conference. “The Machine” dismissed the idea, calling the Dagestani “spoiled.”

A friend of Nurmagomedov was a part of the contingent of Abdulrashid Sadulaev, who lost to Kyle Snyder at RAF Georgia. Nurmagomedov’s fri…

Gable Steveson blasted through his first potential roadblock in the Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight division and did so while sustaining minimal damage.

The five-time NCAA All-American wrestler and 2020 Olympic gold medalist excelled in his long-awaited promotional debut, as he swept aside Elisha Ellison with punches and knees in the first round of their featured UFC 329 prelim on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Ellison (5-3, 0-2 UFC) bowed out 2:31 into Round 1.

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Steveson (4-0, 1-0 UFC) bypassed a feeling-out process in favor of a tit-for-tat firefight. He tore into Ellison with front kicks to the body and power punches upstairs, all while walking through the return fire. Steveson closed the distance midway through the opening stanza and smashed his fading adversary with close-range punches and knee strikes. Ellison ultimately collapsed under all the punishment.

Meanwhile, “The Ultimate Fighter: The Smashes” winner Robert Whit…

Gable Steveson reflected on his successful Octagon debut at UFC 329. | 📷: Getty/UFC

Ultimate Fighting Championship newcomer Gable Steveson wanted Elisha Ellison to feel “pressure” and “pain” at UFC 329 in Las Vegas.

The U.S. Olympic gold medalist wrestler finished the fight against Ellison via TKO at the 2:31 mark of their heavyweight clash at UFC 329. Following his debut Octagon win, Steveson discussed his intentions going into the bout.

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Gable Steveson’s UFC debut ends with first-round TKO win over Elisha Ellison Steveson went into the contest as one of the biggest betting favorites in UFC history. His performance reflected as much, as he put away Ellison in the opening round. He out-landed his opponent 41-14 in total strikes.

“See, I wanted Elisha Ellison to feel that pressure; I wanted him to feel pain. I wanted to go out there and make him quit,” Steveson said after his win. “And I knew when Elisha Ellison got hit hard, he woul…

Former Ultimate Fighting Championship champion Merab Dvalishvili mounted a fairytale comeback in front of his home fans at RAF Georgia.

Dvalishvili took on Henry Cejudo in a wrestling match at RAF Georgia. Cejudo took an early 8-0 lead with a dominant gut wrench and appeared to be on his way to a clear win. However, Dvalishvili came from behind in the second period to close the gap to 8-5.

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“The Machine” then sent the Georgian crowd into a frenzy as he ultimately defeated Cejudo 11-8 on points.Merab Dvalishvili vs. Henry Cejudo wrestling match delivers dramatic comeback in GeorgiaDvalishvili had also defeated Cejudo via a unanimous decision in their UFC clash in 2024. He won the UFC bantamweight title in his next outing and defended it thrice before losing to Petr Yan at UFC 323 this past December.

Cejudo retired from MMA on a four-fight slump following a loss to Payton Talbott on the same card. “Triple C” defeated fellow UFC veteran Urijah Faber …

Luke Riley took issue with reaction to his finish at UFC 329. | 📷: Getty/UFC

Ultimate Fighting Championship featherweight Luke Riley was confident that it was only a matter of time before his UFC 329 opponent, Kai Kamaka III, went down.

Riley (14-0) took on Kamaka III (18-8) at UFC 329 in Las Vegas. The Brit took some punishment to his lead leg early in the fight, but needed just one well-timed right hand to floor his foe, also opening up a cut near the Hawaiian’s eye.

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While Kamaka III returned to his feet, Riley was relentless with his combinations, which was enough for referee Kerry Hatley to call a stop to the contest. The stoppage drew some backlash from the commentators and fans online, as Kamaka III was covering up but still on his feet.Luke Riley responds to criticism after UFC 329 victory over Kai Kamaka III Riley believes Hatley saved his opponent from taking unnecessary damage. The Liverpudlian is confident he would eventual…