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Fares Ziam has won six straight in UFC competition. | Getty/UFC

Two lightweights looking to make a statement will square off at UFC Fight Night 278.

Fares Ziam will lock horns with Tom Nolan in an intriguing 155-pound matchup on June 6 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Both fighters confirmed the booking on social media following an initial report from MMA Odds Breaker. UFC Fight Night 278 is headlined by a welterweight showdown between Belal Muhammad and Gabriel Bonfim and airs in its entirety on Paramount+.

On a Roll Ziam has been victorious in six consecutive Octagon appearances. The 29-year-old Frenchman is coming off a 2-0 campaign in 2025 in which he defeated Mike Davis via unanimous decision at UFC Fight Night 250 and scored a second-round TKO over Nazim Sadykhov at UFC 323. The Frenchman known as “Smile Killer” is 8-2 in the Las Vegas-based promotion overall.

Australia’s Nolan has won four straight contests since dropping his UFC debut against Nikol…

Curtis Blaydes gave everything he had against Josh Hokit at UFC 327, but ultimately it wasn’t enough.

The 35-year-old heavyweight veteran dropped a unanimous decision to Hokit in a “Fight of the Year” contender on Saturday at the Kaseya Center in Miami. After nearly being finished early by his upstart opponent, Blaydes rallied for a strong finish in Round 1. However, Hokit gradually took control over the final 10 minutes to capture a unanimous decision triumph in a memorable slugfest.

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Blaydes paid tribute to his opponent in a brief statement on social media.

“Emptied the clip, threw the gun,” Blaydes wrote on Instagram. “That SOB is tougher to kill than he looks.”

One for the Record Books When all was said and done, Blaydes (177) and Hokit (174) combined to land 351 significant strikes, the most ever for a three-round UFC heavyweight fight. They also set a record for most combined significant strikes attempted (595). The bout took its toll on Bla…

Daniel Rodriguez is ready to resume his career after spending eight months in Mexican jail. | Getty/UFC

UFC welterweight Daniel Rodriguez paid dearly for attempting to take marijuana into Mexico.

Shortly after defeating Kevin Holland at UFC 318 last July, Rodriguez planned a vacation to Rosarito, Mexico, to celebrate his victory. However, “D-Rod” was arrested at the U.S.-Mexico border for possession of weed, and he ended up spending the past eight months in Mexican prison. The 39-year-old Californian was finally released last week. During an appearance on "The Ariel Helwani Show,” Rodriguez detailed his experience.

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“This is my first time in Mexican jail and I can tell you one thing for sure, it’s the worst possible situation,” Rodriguez said. “Fortunately, I was able to make the best of it. I was able to pull a couple of strings and get a little bit of workout equipment there and I was able to work out and try and stay in shape, but i…

Cub Swanson enjoyed a memorable farewell at UFC 327. | Getty/UFC

Cub Swanson went out on a high note.

The 42-year-old Palm Springs, California, native wrapped up a 22-year mixed martial arts career at UFC 327, where he defeated Nate Landwehr via technical knockout 4:06 into Round 1 of their featherweight clash at the Kaseya Center in Miami on Saturday night. Swanson made it look easy against the former M-1 Global champion, dropping him twice en route to earning the stoppage.

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“I wasn't expecting that,” Swanson told the UFC. “I was really worried about him picking up the pace late in the fight. And I was expecting him to to come after me a little bit more. And I was trying to calm it down. And so once I kind of realized that he wasn't having a lot of success, I was like, all right, I need to I need to start pulling the trigger.”

Farewell fights don’t always go as planned, but with his family in attendance, Swanson couldn’t have scripted …

Plenty eyes will be on Gable Steveson at UFC 329. | Mexico Fight League

Gable Steveson isn’t doing anything to temper the hype ahead of his highly-anticipated Ultimate Fighting Championship debut.

The promotion announced on Saturday that Steveson has signed to make his first Octagon foray at UFC 329 on July 11 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. An heavyweight opponent for Steveson is expected to be announced at a later date.

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Ready for the Next Step "Man, I feel amazing," Steveson told the UFC after his signing was annoucned. "This is going to be the biggest debut on earth and I'm ready. The butterflies, the jitters, it's all part of the game, and I'm ready to take that big step to the UFC and do what I need to do. Man, I think International Fight Week is going to be crazy. You know, maybe a crazy headliner that might come back that you guys might know so, who knows?”

As for the “crazy headiner,” Steveson is likely referencing the re…

Dominick Reyes vs. Johnny Walker was a forgettable affair. | Getty/UFC

While Dominick Reyes vs. Johnny Walker seemed like a surefire candidate to deliver a spectacular finish, the light heavyweight bout did not meet expectations.

Reyes defeated Walker in a forgettable split decision on the UFC 327 main card on Saturday night at the Kaseya Center in Miami. The contest drew boos from a restless audience as both fighters offered llittle in the way of meaningful offense over the course of the 15-minute affair.

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Reyes’ last three UFC victories had all come via knockout or technical knockout, but the former 205-pound title challenger defended his performance, citing his opponent’s finishing potential.Money Over Entertainment "He's super dangerous, so if I go crazy, I'm going to run into something," Reyes said at a post-fight media scrum (transcription via MMAjunkie.com). "I did get a concussion less than six months ago. I probably shouldn't h…

It was an unforgettable night for Carlos Ulberg at UFC 327. | Getty/UFC

Carlos Ulberg may have essentially been fighting on one leg in the UFC 327 main event, but that didn’t prevent him from achieving his goal.

Despite being hobbled with an apparent right knee injury, “Black Jag” dropped Jiri Prochazka with a left hook and finished his opponent with follow-up punches at the 3:45 mark of Round 1 to claim the vacant light heavyweight crown on Saturday night at the Kaseya Center in Miami.

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“The whole thing was, nothing was going to stop me. Nothing was going to stop me when I was in that Octagon,” Ulberg said in a post-fight interview with the UFC. “Although we knew we had this issue with the leg, I knew that nothing was going to stop me from getting that win.”

There was no immediate prognosis for the injury, though speculation was that Ulberg might have suffered a torn ACL.

“We don't know yet what's wrong with it,” he said. “I think …

Paulo Costa vanquished the previously undefeated Azamat Murzakanov at UFC 327. | Getty/UFC

There’s been a theme to Paulo Costa’s recent victories in the UFC.

After an impressive knockout over Azamat Murzakanov in the UFC 327 co-main event, his second victory over a Russian opponent in 10 months (he also defeated Roman Kopylov at UFC 318), Costa revealed to Ag.Fight’s Diego Ribas that he would love to face a third “Russian” next.

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“Two Russians, two southpaws in a row, and I would be glad if UFC had a third one to offer me,” Costa said in a video interview. “[Khamzat] Chimaev. Actually he is a Gourmet Chechen, not Russian. But it doesn’t matter. The UFC knows how much I want to face him.”

When asked about his post-fight conversation with U.S. President Donalt Trump, Costa said it was a private talk about a “friend in common” — likely former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro or his son, Flavio Bolsonaro, who will be running in next nat…

Perhaps attending UFC 327 in person made Jon Jones reconsider his recent statement that he was done with fighting.

“I’m not sure if I’m retired or not,” Jones said in an interview with UFC Brasil. “I’m just taking it day by day just trying to kind of figure out my body and how I feel, things like that. I’ll tell you what, being here at the UFC right now definitely has given me this fire that I haven’t felt in a little bit, so it feels very good to be here.”

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“Bones” hasn’t competed since November 2024, when he defended the heavyweight crown with a third-round stoppage of Stipe Miocic at UFC 309. While UFC CEO Dana White expressed confidence that a Jones-Tom Aspinall championship matchup would be booked, that pairing never came to fruition. Jones briefly retired last June only to re-enter the drug testing pool when plans for the UFC White House card were announced.

Perspectives on how close Jones was to reaching an agreement to compete at the June…

Curtis Blaydes took a beating at UFC 327 | Getty/UFC

Engaging in a “Fight of the Year” candidate took its toll on Curtis Blaydes.

The longtime heavyweight contender squared off against prospect Josh Hokit on the UFC 327 main card at the Kaseya Center in Miami on Saturday night. While both combatants boast wrestling backgrounds, the bout turned into a slugfest in which Blaydes (177) and Hokit (174) combined to land the most significant strikes in a three-round fight in UFC heavyweight history.

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Hokit appeared to wobble Blaydes on more than one occasion, but “Razor” was never dropped. However, Hokit got stronger as the fight progressed, ultimately earning a hard-fought unanimous decision victory.The Cost of Doing Business As for Blaydes, he will likely be sidelined for quite some time as he recovers from the injuries suffered in the memorable contest. Blaydes’ management team at Vayner Sports revealed to MMAjunkie.com that the fighter sust…

Jiri Prochazka got caught by a left hook at UFC 327. | Getty/UFC

Jiri Prochazka may long regret the UFC 327 headliner as the one that got away.

With the vacant light heavyweight title on the line and Carlos Ulberg hobbled by an apparent knee injury, Prochazka suffered a shocking knockout loss 3:45 into the opening stanza on Saturday night at the Kaseya Center in Miami. In the aftermath of the defeat, Prochazka lamented a missed opportunity while also hinting that he may have let up once he realized his opponent was injured.

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It was the same sentiment for Prochazka both in his immediate post-fight interview and then in a video update he later provided via social media.

“Just checking the jaw in the hospital,” Prochazka said on his Instagram Stories. “Big apologies for my performance tonight. I still can’t understand this. My stupid mercy in the fight and that cost me this fight.

“I would like to fight a rematch. Because that was my…

Health permitting, Josh Hokit has earned himself a spot at the UFC White House event. | Getty/UFC

At the request of President Donald Trump, the UFC White House card will have one more fight than originally anticipated.

UFC CEO Dana White announced on Saturday that Derrick Lewis will square off against Josh Hokit at the June 14 event. UFC White House takes place on the South Lawn in Washington, D.C., and is headlined by a lightweight title tilt pitting Ilia Topuria against Justin Gaethje. In the co-main event, Alex Pereira and Ciryl Gane will vie for the interim heavyweight belt.

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Just prior to the announcement, Hokit had emerged from a three-round war against Curtis Blaydes at UFC 327 with a unanimous decision triumph. “The Incredible Hok” is 9-0 as a professional — including three triumphs in the UFC. Blaydes was by far the most significant victory of Hokit’s career to date, and the bout also stands out as a potential “Fight of the Ye…

Heavyweight prospect Gable Steveson is officially taking his talents to the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

During the UFC 327 broadcast on Saturday night, it was announced that Steveson had signed with the Las Vegas-based promotion. He will make his debut at UFC 329 during International Fight Week against an as-yet-to-be-named opponent. Steveson was in attendance at UFC 327 in Miami when the announcement was made.

THE NEWEST ADDITION 🚨

Gable Steveson is officially signed and will be fighting at #UFC329! pic.twitter.com/mUVJsFUskK

— UFC (@ufc) April 12, 2026 Making Waves Steveson is regarded as one of the top prospects in all of MMA. The 25-year-old, who has worked extensively with former UFC two-division champion Jon Jones, is 3-0 in MMA bouts — finishing all of his opponents inside of a round. Prior to focusing on fighting, Steveson tried his hand at both professonal wrestling and the NFL.

Steveson last appeared at Mexico Fight…

Rajabali Shaidullaev continues to dominate the competition in Rizin. | Rizin FF

Rajabali Shaidullaev is one of MMA’s most talented fighters outside of the UFC. The 25-year-old Kyrgyz warrior kept his unblemished record intact and easily retained his featherweight title with a first-round TKO victory in the Rizin Fighting Federation “Landmark Vol. 13” main event on Sunday in Fukuoka, Japan.

Shaidullaev (19-0, 7-0 Rizin), who has run into a shortage of challengers on the Rizin roster, was matched up against striker Yuta Kubo (5-3, 1 NC; 5-3, 1 NC Rizin) in a rematch from their first meeting at the end of 2024. That first fight ended in a TKO triumph for Shaidullaev, and he captured his Rizin featherweight title four months later, but it was also the only time in his Rizin career so far that he was taken into a second round.

Perhaps motivated to make a statement with an even more dominant victory, Shaidullaev did just that in the rematch. After engaging in a…

Josh Hokit was a standout performer at UFC 327. | Getty/UFC

It was a night to remember for Josh Hokit.

After drawing mixed reviews for his various personas during UFC 327 fight week, “The Incredible Hok” delivered on Saturday night, keeping his undefeated record intact with an upset victory over perennial Top 10 heavyweight Curtis Blaydes.

Not only was it a signficant step in Hokit’s career, but it also padded the Jackson-Wink MMA product’s bank account. For a slugfest that resulted in the most combined significant strikes in UFC heavyweight history, Hokit and Blaydes received “Fight of the Night” honors and $100,000 apiece. Additionally, Hokit garnered a $100,000 “Performance of the Night” bonus for his unanimous decision trumph — bring his total bonus earnings up to $200,000.

Belt and a Bonus Meanwhile, Carlos Ulberg earned the card’s other $100,000 “Performance of the Night” award for his stunning knockout of Jiri Prochazka in the UFC 327 headliner…

With his championship dreams seemingly about to go up in smoke, Carlos Ulberg defied the odds.

After appearing to injure his right leg due to an awkward step early in Round 1, Ulberg scored an unlikely knockout victory over Jiri Prochazka in the UFC 327 headliner on Saturday night at the Kaseya Center in Miami. A picture-perfect left hook and approximately six to seven follow-up blows rendered Prochazka unconscious at the 3:45 mark of the opening period. With the victory, Ulberg claims the light heavyweight belt vacated by Alex Pereira.

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The bout was just getting started when Ulberg suffered his injury, which instantly compromised his movement. While Prochazka targeted the leg with kicks, he also let up on the throttle somewhat — even offering to stand and trade with his wounded foe with a symbolic point to the canvas. As Prochazka stalked Ulberg near the fence, “Black Jag” countered with the left hook to instantly send the former Rizin champ to the fl…

The Professional Fighters League has just found a potential star in the making at PFL Chicago, and his name is Mitchell McKee.

In his PFL debut, McKee dominated former world champion Sergio Pettis en route to a decision win (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) Saturday night at Wintrust Arena in Chicago. Despite the close scorecards, McKee (10-0, 1-0 PFL) was in control for the majority of the fight. The unbeaten Minnesotan made mincemeat of Pettis on the ground and controlled the former Bellator kingpin’s hips in check. Pettis nearly pulled off a hail mary triangle choke in the second round, but once McKee avoided the danger, he closed the door on Pettis’ hopes for a comeback. With his first win in the PFL coming against a battle-tested former champion, the sky is the limit for what the promotion plans for its newest title contender.

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Renat Khavalov kept his unblemished record intact after eeking out a tough decision win over experienced veteran Raufeon Stots in b…

Aaron Pico picked up his first UFC win in Miami. | Getty/UFC

Aaron Pico looked every bit like a fighter who was once one of the sport’s most highly-touted prospects on Saturday night in Miami.

In a battle of former Bellator standouts, Pico (14-5, 1-1 UFC) shook off a slow start to pull away for a unanimous decision triumph against Patricio Freire (37-9, 1-2 UFC) in the featured UFC 327 preliminary bout. All three cageside judges scored the featherweight fight in favor of Pico: 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28. Pico rebounds from a first-round knockout loss to Lerone Murphy in his promotional debut at UFC 319 this past August.

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The first round was competitive, but there were some nervous moments for Pico, who was buckled by a jab and stumbled by a counter right in the frame. The 29-year-old Californian kept his composure, however, and truly began to assert himself over the final 10 minutes of the bout.

During that period, Pico showcased his super…

Sherdog's live UFC 327 coverage will begin Saturday at 5:30 p.m. ET. BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Radtke (-185), Prado (+154)Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Dayne Fox scores the round:Scottie Smith scores the round: Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Dayne Fox scores the round:Scottie Smith scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Dayne Fox scores the round:Scottie Smith scores the round:The Official Result BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Gastelum (-250), Luque (+205)Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Dayne Fox scores the round:Scottie Smith scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Dayne Fox scores the round:Scottie Smith scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Dayne Fox scores the round:Scottie Smith scores the round:The Official Result BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Padilla (-180), Mederos (+150)Round 1 Sh…

Sherdog's live PFL Chicago coverage will begin Saturday at 6 p.m. ET.

A world class bantamweight clash headlines PFL Chicago: Tune in LIVE, Saturday, April 11 at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2.

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Round 1 Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:J.L. Kirven scores the round:Mike Pendleton scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:J.L. Kirven scores the round:Mike Pendleton scores the round: Round 3 Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:J.L. Kirven scores the round:Mike Pendleton scores the round:The Official Result Round 1 Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:J.L. Kirven scores the round:Mike Pendleton scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:J.L. Kirven scores the round:Mike Pendleton scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:J.L. Kirven scores the round:Mike Pendleton scores the round:The Official Result Round 1 Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:J.L. K…

Yoel Romero’s father was concerned about him getting hurt in boxing. 

Still an athletic specimen at 48, Romero has made a career in bare-knuckle boxing since his most recent MMA bout in February 2024. However, the former UFC title challenger recently revealed that his father never wanted him to try boxing, even though he loved it. Romero’s father was concerned about the potential damage his son could suffer in boxing. However. “Soldier of God” went to try his hand at pugilism regardless.

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Difference in Opinion “I wanted to try boxing, but my father said no,” Romero told Red Corner MMA. “He said, ‘I don’t want you to do boxing because it’s very hard. Punches in the face, punches in the head.’ He told me many times, ‘Son, you don’t need to do this.’ I said, ‘Dad, I love boxing.’ When I see bareknuckles, I see it like boxing. The only thing is there are no gloves. He said, ‘No, my son, don’t do that.’ But doesn’t matter. My father said no, but now I…

Jon Jones' retirement from fighting was unceremonious to say the least. 

While Jones (28-1) was teasing a return to fighting until recently, the former UFC double champ is no longer considering it. “Bones” recently confirmed that he is now focused on his business ventures and won’t fight again.

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“No bare-knuckle. My gloves are hung up,” Jones said at an IBA bare-knuckle boxing event in Russia last month. “I’m chilling these days. You got business Jon Jones. No more fighter Jon Jones. The businessman.” 

Jones initially returned to action after a three-year hiatus in 2023 and made quick work of Ciryl Gane to win the UFC heavyweight title. Jones then insisted on defending the title against Stipe Miocic despite Tom Aspinall being the interim champ. Jones successfully defended the title against Miocic in 2024 and stalled the division, continuing to avoid Aspinall.

Failed Bid for the White House While Dana White kept promising that Jones woul…

Ilia Topuria’s son is a curious learner. 

Topuria recently boasted about his son’s fighting skills. However, the UFC double champion claims he has never formally trained his son. Topuria just brings his son to the gym and asks him to figure things out by watching. Topuria claims his son is inquisitive enough to pursue him and other coaches for lessons. Topuria doesn’t want to pressure his son to choose any particular career. While “El Matador” will support his son if he wants to fight, the undefeated Georgian-Spaniard most importantly wants him to have a purpose in life.

Finding a Purpose “You have to see my son. You don’t know how good he is,” Topuria told Adam Catteral. “In my life, I never teach him anything. Everything he knows is because he saw it. I never ever put him in a class. Come [to the gym] and do something. He is the one who’s always asking me and the coaches. When we finish training, he goes, ‘Hey, do you mind to be with me and teach me something?’...…

Terrance McKinney has a few names in mind. 

McKinney recently listed potential opponents for his next fight. “T.Wrecks” is eyeing Lance Gibson Jr., Joaquim Silva and Alex Hernandez. However, McKinney notes that Hernandez is scheduled to fight Rafa Garcia at UFC Fight Night 274 on April 25. McKinney wants to take on one more fight before he starts calling for ranked opponents.

Keeping Options Open “Lance Gibson will be cool. Alex Hernandez got a fight, I wanted to fight him. We got a few other names in mind that I sent my coach,” McKinney told MMAjunkie.com. “Maybe Joaquim Silva as well… One more and then a ranked opponent.” 

McKinney (18-8) is one of the most exciting fighters on the UFC roster. McKinney has finished all of his eight UFC wins in the first round and has never seen the judges’ scorecards in his career. McKinney recently knocked out Kyle Nelson at UFC Seattle last month to rebound from a loss against Chris Duncan. 

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