Blog – Martial Arts Videos

MVP MMA weigh-in results: Ronda Rousey, Gina Carano make weight for Netflix clash

Ronda Rousey vs Gina Carano FULL AM WEIGH IN - BOTH MAKE WEIGHT!" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen> Jake Paul's Most Valuable Promotions puts on its first mixed martial arts card tomorrow, which is now set following the official Rousey vs. Carano weigh-ins.

MVP's debut MMA event is headlined by a highly anticipated fight between former Olympian and Ultimate Fighting Championship women's bantamweight titleholder Ronda Rousey and former EliteXC and Strikeforce star Gina Carano. Both women successfully hit their marks for their first fights in 10 and 17 years, respectively. In total, all 22 fighters for the event made their contracted weight.

A pair of title fight knockout losses ended the career of Rousey (12-2). Prior to a shocking head kick defeat to Holly Holm, Rousey was seen as the most do…

UFC Vegas 117 weigh-in results: Arnold Allen’s Octagon return set

Almighty @Arnoldbfa💪

He weighs in at 145.5 lbs

[ #UFCVegas117 | MAY 16 at 8pmET on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/hyNEpJL60m — UFC (@ufc) May 15, 2026 The Ultimate Fighting Championship returns this weekend in one of the rare moments where they won't have the biggest mixed martial arts card going on that day, and now its UFC Vegas 117 card is official following the weigh-ins.

Headlining the 13-fight event is a featherweight scrap between contenders Arnold Allen and Melquizael Costa. Both men successfully made weight for the five-round main event. The rest of the card also hit their contracted weights, so there was no drama at the weigh-ins.

This is a must-win fight for Allen (20-4) if he hopes to stay a relevant factor near the top of 145 pounds. "Almighty" has come up short in three of his last four fights, as he dropped decisions to Max Holloway, Movsar Evloev and Jean Silva. While a win over Giga Chikadz…

Philipe Lins: I’m going to ‘shock the world’ against Francis Ngannou

In the famous words of Rocky Balboa, “It ain’t about how hard you hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.”

Philipe Lins is like that. A native of Brazil’s arid northeast, the now 40-year-old is mere days away from the most important fight of his career -- facing Francis Ngannou on Netflix at Most Valuable Promotions’s inaugural card.

In his native Portuguese, Lins shared some of the challenges as well as the stubborn drive that brought him to this pivotal moment.

“I had an excellent start to my MMA career in Brazil. I went 7-0 there. That’s when I caught the attention of my first international MMA organization -- Bellator. I debuted there in 2014. At Bellator, I went 3-3. It wasn’t great, but I was able to show my talent, skills and aggression.”

Lins’ last appearance at Bellator MMA couldn’t have gone worse -- a knockout loss in the first round to current Professional Fighters League champion Vadim Nemkov. But even in…

Liz Carmouche: Why I think Ronda Rousey will defeat Gina Carano

Liz Carmouche knows Ronda Rousey well, having broken ground with her in the first ever women’s fight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, a match that the latter would win by first-round submission. Ten years after her last professional mixed martial arts bout where she lost to Amanda Nunes, Rousey is back in action, taking on another pioneer in Gina Carano. The women square off for the first ever Most Valuable Promotions MMA event, being broadcasted on Netflix, where Carmouche will be watching.

As Carmouche prepares for her next fight in the Professional Fighters League on June 27 at PFL San Diego, she spoke with Sherdog.com and provided her predictions for MVP “Rousey vs. Carano,” hoping to see the unexpected.

“It’s funny because prior to me starting my career and getting into fighting, I was a huge Gina Carano fan, a huge [Cris Cyborg] fan, I watched both of them. So I got to see her career and then the end of her career where she retired, a…

New Rizin champ thanks slain father, Wanderlei Silva for success

Now that he resides atop the Rizin Fighting Federation mountain, Luiz Gustavo is not about to forget who helped him get there.

Last Sunday, Brazil's Gustavo won the Rizin lightweight title in Japan by knocking out Ilhom Nazimov at 2:08 of the first round. The emotion of the disciple of former Chute boxer Andre Dida caught the attention of Japanese fans. Upon receiving the belt from Rizin head Nobuyuki Sakakibara, he cried profusely and made a point of dedicating the title to his late father and the former Pride Fighting Championships great Wanderlei Silva.

Back in his home state of Curitiba on Wednesday, “Killer” spoke to Sherdog about the victory and explained the importance of these two figures in his career.

“My father passed away when I was 12 years old, and the last thing he did for me, the week before his death, was to enroll me in a Karate academy,” Gustavo explained.

Karate training was essential for the boy to work through the trauma o…

Former PFL, Bellator champ eyes cross-promotion bout with Jake Paul’s MVP MMA

The mixed martial arts world will see a new product this weekend with the launch of Most Valuable Promotions’ MVP “Rousey vs. Carano” as Jake Paul puts his brand in a showcase event on Netflix, featuring the return of Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano.

Both women have openly talked about their optimism to open new doors in the sport, working with MVP to create another place for fighters to get the most out of their careers. One name that will be watching this weekend is one who has shared the cage with Rousey in first ever women’s fight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, Liz Carmouche, the 2025 Professional Fighters League flyweight tournament winner.

Paul has shown that he is open to new opportunities and challenges with his promotion, searching for ways to elevate the sport between multiple companies. During an appearance on ‘Undefeated & Undisputed’ with Chael Sonnen and Ian Parker on Smash Cast Media, Paul talked about the future of MVP, go…

‘The Smashing Machine’ makes cinematic landfall in Japan

Now fans in Japan can see what all the hype was about.

On Friday, “The Smashing Machine” premiered in theaters in Japan. The focus of the biopic, Mark Kerr, spent several years competing at the highest level in Pride Fighting Championships. While doing publicity before the movie’s release, Kerr sat down for an interview with “Gong Kakutogi Magazine,” known for its history of martial arts coverage dating back to 1986.

In the interview, Kerr discussed his evolution from wrestler to mixed martial artist, trials and tribulations that he endured during his fighting career, controversies with Pride FC and ultimately overcoming an addiction to steroids and opioids that nearly destroyed his life. He also pulled back the curtain on some lesser-known stories from his time in Pride FC, including about a planned bout against Royce Gracie that had been set to go ahead at Pride 2 but failed to materialize for multiple reasons.

Though he spoke glowingly about fig…

Top coach suggests Alexandre Pantoja healed, ready for negotiation

Having worked with so many Ultimate Fighting Championship fighters before, coach Marcos da Matta firmly has his finger on the pulse of the sport.

After injuring his arm and losing his belt to Joshua Van, Alexandre Pantoja became one of the most interested men watching the co-main event of UFC 328. Not surprisingly, the Brazilian and his coach “Parrumpa” da Matta watched the event from the front row. Da Matta spoke with Sherdog about the future of his athlete, the successes of a newly minted champion and a whether being a backup fighter is a good idea.

“I particularly wanted Van to win because I really wanted this rematch,” explained to Sherdog.

In the opinion of the American Top Team coach, Van vs. Tatsuro Taira provided excellent material for study.

“We were able to see a lot in these almost five rounds,” the coach analyzed. “Both exposed themselves a lot, showing both strengths and weaknesses. I liked what I saw.”

Waiting in the wings, Pan…

Adriano Moraes looking to make the most of opportunity with MVP, Netflix

Adriano Moraes may not yet be a household name in the U.S., but he’s looking forward to changing that in impressive fashion.

As the only man to defeat legendary flyweight Demetrious Johnson via knockout, the Brasilia, Brazil, native looks to prove that lightning can indeed strike twice.

Not long ago, the 37-year-old spoke to Sherdog.com in his native Portuguese about exploring free agency after an 11-year stint at One Championship. Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions signed him up almost immediately:

“Everything happened quickly,” Moraes said. “Right after I gave interviews letting people know I was a free agent, the opportunity came up, to be on the MVP card. It’s going to be a great fight. Like every fighter, I too have the dream of being in the UFC one day. But since this great opportunity materialized as I was coming off a loss, it’s my chance to show that I do belong among the best. I think that my opponent presents an excellent opportunity to…

Jack Della Maddalena releases first statement since UFC Perth defeat

Jack Della Maddalena has broken his silence after coming up short on home soil a little more than a week ago.

The former welterweight champion suffered a third-round technical knockout loss to Carlos Prates in the UFC Perth headliner on May 2. It was the second consecutive defeat for the 29-year-old Aussie, who relinquished the welterweight strap to Islam Makhachev at UFC 322 this past November.

Pride and Gratitude “Thanks for all the love and support,” Della Maddalena wrote on Instagram. “I could not be prouder to represent my gym [Scrappy MMA and Fitness[ , my family, my city and country. Not the desired result this time around but it was in line with the desired challenge; fighting the most vicious and toughest opponents.”

Della Maddalena won 18 consecutive professional outings from 2016 to 2025 before his current two-bout skid. He was victorious in his first eight Octagon appearances, including an championship victory over Belal Muhammad at UFC 315 in May 2025.

UFC 328 medical suspensions: 11 fighters receive indefinite terms

Sean Strickland is just one of 11 fighters facing an indefinite layoff following UFC 328.

The New Jersey State Athletic Control Board recently released a full list of medical suspensions from this past Saturday’s event, which took place at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. Strickland defeated Khamzat Chimaev via split decision to claim the middleweight title in UFC 328 headliner.

Strickland, who recently revealed a list of shoulder-related injuries, is suspended indefinitely pending orthopedist clearance of his left hand. At a minimum he is suspended 45 days with 30 days of no contact. Chimaev emerged relatively healthy, as he received a 45 day term with 30 days of no contact.

Meanwhile, co-main event combatants Joshua Van and Tatsuro Taira both received indefinite suspensions following their flyweight title bout, which Van won via fifth-round TKO. Van requires clearance of his left hand before he can return to action, while Taira needs a CT sca…

After exit from MVP card, Muhammad Mokaev to fight in Ilia Topuria’s promotion

Muhammad Mokaev may have missed on the opportunity to fight on Netflix, but that won’t prevent him from maintaining an active itinerary.

After visa issues forced Mokaev to withdraw from a matchup with Adriano Moraes at Most Valuable Promotions "Rousey vs. Carano,” the UFC veteran has agreed to face Jorge Calvo at WOW 31 on June 6 in Madrid, Spain. The organization announced the bantamweight bout on Wednesday. UFC lightweight champ Iia Topuria is part owner of the promotion, which is officially known as Way of Warrior FC.

A New Opportunity Mokaev, who is the reigning Brave Combat Federation titlist, is unbeaten in 17 professional outings. He earned a Top 10 ranking after going 7-0 in the UFC, besting the likes of Manel Kape, Alex Perez and Tim Elliott in the process. He was released from the organization in 2024 and has gone 3-0 in MMA bouts since then, winning the Brave CF flyweight strap this past November.

A native of Costa Rica, Calvo owns a 2…

Sean Strickland shares list of injuries suffered at UFC 328

Sean Strickland suffered multiple shoulder injuries at UFC 328. | Getty/UFC

Sean Strickland did not emerge unscathed from his championship clash with Khamzat Chimaev.

In a post on social media, the newly-crowned middleweight champion revealed that he suffered the following injuries: Type 2 AC separation, an extended Type 5 SLAP tear, and a partial rotator cuff tear/tendinosis. Strickland has received an indefinite medical suspension from the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board as a result.

Shoulder Pains All of the above are shoulder-related ailments. Strickland also revealed that he suffered a Grade 1 AC joint separation while sparring Johnny Eblen during UFC 328 fight week.

“Gonna have to walk this one off,” Strickland added on X.

Type 2 AC separationExtended Type V SLAP tearPartial rotator cuff tearing/tendinosis

Gonna have to walk this one off...

— Sean Strickland (@SStricklandMMA) May 13…

Welterweight title fight to headline PFL D.C. on July 25

Thad Jean emerged as one of the PFL's top stars in 2025. | PFL MMA

The vacant welterweight title will be on the line when Professional Fighters League heads to the nation’s capital this summer.

The promotion announced on Wednesday that undefeated 2025 tournament winner Thad Jean will lock horns with 2024 PFL champ Shamil Musaev for the 170-pound strap at CareFirst Arena in Washington, D.C., on July 25. The PFL D.C. main card will be broadcast live on ESPN beginning at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT, while prelims will air via the ESPN app beginning at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. More bouts will be announced in the coming weeks.

According to a release, the welterweight title was vacated when Ramazan Kuramagomedov was stripped of the belt. Kuramagomedov defeated Musaev via unanimous decision to capture the 170-pound championship at PFL Dubai on Feb. 7. Kuramagomedov announced his retirement after the victory, which is apparently why he was stripped.

“…

Jon Jones, Cain Velasquez expected for guest roles at MVP ‘Rousey vs. Carano’

Most Valuable Promotions is pulling out all the stops for its first-ever mixed martial arts event.

MVP and Netflix on Wednesday announced the broadcast team for "Rousey vs. Carano" on Saturday at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. Perhaps the most intriguing revelation in the release was that Jon Jones and Cain Velasquez will be present for guest commentary and analysis. While Velasquez is expected to be on hand for weigh-in coverage on Friday, it is not specified what Jones’ role will be.

Jones, a former UFC two-division champion, recently requested his release from the Las Vegas-based promotion after being excluded from the White House card on June 14. “Bones” hasn’t fought since defending the heavyweight crown against Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 in November 2024. Though his fighting future is uncertain, Jones hasn't fully committed to retirement.

Velasquez, meanwhile, is a former UFC heavyweight champion who was recently released from prison after …

Rob Wilkinson to face former heavyweight champ at PFL San Diego

Rob Wilkinson will look to snap a three-fight skid at PFL San Diego. | PFL MMA

Rob Wilkinson will welcome Abraham Bably to the light heavyweight division at PFL San Diego.

An elite and undefeated welterweight prospect headlines PFL Brussels against a former UFC champ: Tune in Saturday, May 23 at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN2.

The promotion confirmed the bout following an initial report from Combat Evolved. PFL San Diego takes place at Pechanga Arena in San Diego and is headlined by a featherweight clash pitting A.J. McKee against Salamat Isbulaev.

Former Champs Collide A two-time UFC veteran, Wilkinson won the PFL light heavyweight championship under the old season format in 2022. After failing in drug test in relation to a bout against Thiago Santos in 2023, “Razor” has gone 2-3 in PFL competition. He has lost his last three outings, including a first-round submission defeat to Luke Trainer in his most recent appearance at PFL Dubai on Feb. 7.

Bably, meanwh…

Khamzat Chimaev explains why he forgave Sean Strickland

Khamzat Chimaev doesn’t hold grudges after a fight.

Chimaev (15-1) lost his middleweight title to Sean Strickland (31-7) via close split decision at UFC 328 last weekend. While the rivalry seemed intense in the lead-up to the fight, Strickland and Chimaev squashed their beef immediately after the fight. Chimaev and Strickland have since faced backlash for building up a fake rivalry.

Chimaev recently explained why he decided to bury the hatchet with Strickland. Chimaev says that he doesn’t believe in keeping grudges after sharing the Octagon with his opponent. Chimaev gave his best inside the Octagon and came up on the short end of a decision. Strickland also apologized to Chimaev for crossing boundaries with his trash talk. “Borz” says he believes in forgiveness when someone asks for it.

Forgive and Forget “And regarding that guy — he said a lot of unnecessary things,” Chimaev said on his Instagram Stories (translation via Home of Fight). “People were as…

Kamaru Usman: Khamzat Chimaev needs real MMA head coach

Kamaru Usman is questioning Khamzat Chimaev’s training strategy.

Chimaev (15-1) lost his middleweight title to Sean Strickland (31-7) via a narrow split decision at UFC 328 last weekend. Chimaev was visibly tired in the second round, and despite finding a second wind in the fourth, it was too little, too late from “Borz.”

Usman, who has shared the Octagon with Chimaev, believes the latter needs an MMA head coach. While Chimaev certainly has coaches who are a regular presence in his corner, he doesn’t train with any renowned MMA coach. Chimaev’s friend, UFC lightweight Arman Tsarukyan, was seen taking an active role in his corner last weekend. Usman believes Chimaev has gotten this far by training himself for the most part. According to Usman, Chimaev needs a head coach to reach the next level.How to Reach the Next Level “I’m impressed by how far he’s gotten by just really training himself,” Chimaev said on the ”Pound4Pound” podcast. “Because in…

Darren Till hypes Khamzat Chimaev’s undefeated teammates

Darren Till wants the UFC to keep an eye on two undefeated prospects.

Till recently shed light on Khamzat Chimaev’s undefeated teammates, Ansar Khamzaev and Said Magomed Esembaev. Till asked fans to follow both Chechnyan prospects, as they are the future of MMA. “The Gorilla” believes they can beat most Top 15 fighters in the world in their respective divisions. The former UFC fighter also asked the promotion to keep a close eye on Khamzaev and Esembaev.

“If anyone wants to follow the future of MMA give [Ansar Khamzaev and Said Magomed Esembaev] a follow. They [probably] beat most of the Top 15 in their divisions right now. UFC take note…”

If anyone wants to follow the future of MMA give @khamzaev__ansar & @Esembaev170 a follow. They prob beat most of the top 15 in their divisions right now 🤣 UFC take note… https://t.co/9knDNGuKSP

— DT (@darrentill2) May 12, 2026

Till developed a close relationship with Chi…

Georges St. Pierre’s coach makes sales pitch to Khamzat Chimaev

Georges St. Pierre’s head coach, Firas Zahabi, promises that Khamzat Chimaev won’t have conditioning issues if the former middleweight champ joins his team.

Chimaev (15-1) lost his middleweight title to Sean Strickland (31-7) via split decision at UFC 328 last weekend. While Chimaev was a massive favorite, he visibly faded in the second round and was forced to give up his strongest skillset, wrestling.

Zahabi, who is credited with shaping St. Pierre’s legendary career, is inviting Chimaev to train under him at Tristar Gym in Montreal. Zahabi promises that Chimaev will no longer face conditioning issues if he joins their camp. Zahabi, along with St. Pierre, vows to do everything in his capacity to make Chimaev return to the win column. Zahabi also welcomes Chimaev’s friend and training partner, Arman Tsarukyan.

Making His Case “Someone spread this around: Khamzat, come train with me,” Zahabi said on his YouTube channel. “Come to Montreal, work with me. I…

Belal Muhammad wants to make Strickland ‘bleed’ for offensive religious remarks

Belal Muhammad refuses to accept Sean Strickland’s apology to Muslims.

Strickland (31-7) has made Islamophobic comments on multiple occasions in the past. Strickland also targeted Khamzat Chimaev’s (15-1) religion ahead of their UFC 328 fight last weekend. However, Strickland apologized to Chimaev after dethroning him via split decision. Strickland also apologized to his fans across multiple religions.

However, Muhammad isn’t buying the apology. A devout Muslim, Muhammad accuses Strickland of trying to justify his comments by making peace with Chimaev after the fight. While Muhammad competes at welterweight, and Strickland at middleweight, “Remember the Name” wants to share the Octagon with the fellow American and make him “bleed” someday.

No Going Back “Even though the clown apologized, ‘I apologized to my Muslim fans, I was just promoting a fight.’ No, it’s not promoting a fight when you’re talking about religion,” Muhammad Said on YouTube. “He always …

MVP CEO announces $40,000 guaranteed purse for every fighter

Most Valuable Promotions is giving a lucrative deal to its MMA fighters.

MVP will host its first MMA card in collaboration with Netflix on Saturday at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles,. MVP co-founder and CEO Nakisa Bidarian recently revealed that the promotion has guaranteed a $40,000 purse to every fighter, avoiding the show/win model, which the UFC follows. Bidarian also revealed that there will be a performance bonus up for grabs for every fighter, which will vary depending on the fighter.

Challenging the Status Quo “This event and anything we do going forward as MVP… [we plan] to have a minimum $40,000 for fighters to fight in MMA,” Bidarian said on “The Ariel Helwani Show.” “That’s guaranteed. And then every fighter has a performance bonus in addition to that, which there are different levels, depending on the fighter.”

MVP is making no secret of the fact that it is trying to emerge as the UFC’s strongest competitors. Ronda Rousey, who …

Sean O’Malley slams ‘ugly’ UFC White House fight kits

Sean O'Malley is not a fan of the UFC Freedom 250 fight kits.

UFC Freedom 250 is a one-of-a-kind card that will go down at the White House on June 14. The card, which is a celebration of America’s 250th year of independence, also coincides with President Donald Trump’s birthday. To match the occasion, special fight kits have been designed in red, white and blue colors, featuring the official White House logo.

However, O’Malley found the kits ugly, at least his own white one. O’Malley believes the UFC did a shabby job on the kits and wonders if they put the contract out on Fiverr.Minimal Effort? “They are ugly; mine were ugly. I don’t like them,” O’Malley said on YouTube. “They’re not pink, which is fine, whatever, I’ve worn other colors… Did they go on Fiverr and say, ‘Hey, we got these guys getting to fight at the White House lawn. Can you just come up with something?’”

Sean O’Malley DOES NOT like his UFC W…

Brother reveals Khamzat Chimaev’s weight cut issues ahead of UFC 328

Khamzat Chimaev struggled with his weight cut before losing to Sean Strickland. | Getty/UFC

Khamzat Chimaev was allegedly promised a fight at light heavyweight.

Chimaev (15-1) had long been hinting at a move up to light heavyweight. However, Chimaev put his middleweight title on the line against Sean Strickland (31-7) at UFC 328 last weekend. Chimaev showed signs of fatigue early in the second round, completely abandoning his wrestling thereafter. Strickland outpointed Chimaev on the feet via a split decision, handing “Borz” his first professional loss. Chimaev had also looked completely drained at the weigh-ins, even getting accused of missing weight.

Chimaev’s brother, Artur Chimaev, recently revealed the former middleweight champion had a terrible weight cut. Chimaev’s body allegedly shut down with just over two pounds to cut. Artur claims even Khamzat didn’t know how he would go forward with the bout.

Artur claim…