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Kayla Harrison’s championship victory might have been a best-case scenario for the UFC.

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The two-time Olympic gold medalist was dominant in the UFC 316 main event, as she submitted Julianna Pena with a second-round kimura to capture the women’s bantamweight crown on Saturday at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. That sets up a high-profile showdown with former two-division champion Amanda Nunes, who entered the Octagon to square off against Harrison after the bout.

Nunes is going to be making her return in the near future after a retirement that has lasted two years.

"Listen, I'm going to give Amanda as much time to prepare, I want her to be the best her," Harrison said at the UFC 316 post-fight press conference. "I'm going to be the best me, and we're going to go in there and make absolute magic in the UFC women's division. We're going to break some records and make some history. We're both going to make a lot of money doing it, and w…

😬Ian Machado Garry sends a message to Belal Muhammad:

"I’m gonna box the ears off you… Belal learn from your last loss and never ever try to stand and bang with me."🥊

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🎥 @iangarryMMA ▫️ pic.twitter.com/Lguu8qR1gJ — Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) June 7, 2025

Belal Muhammad (24-4) and Ian Garry (16-1) could be on a collision course.

Garry recently called out Muhammad, vowing to box his ears off. The Irishman also warned Muhammad against striking with him like he did in his title loss against Jack Della Maddalena.

“I am going to box the ears off you because I’m the best in this division, hands down,” Garry said on social media. “Belal, learn from your last loss and never ever ever try and stand and bang with me.”

Muhammad wasted no time in replying, proposing a fight at the UFC’s annual card at Madison Square Garden in the fall.

“I’ll see you at MSG,” Muhammad wrote on X.

I’ll …

Mario Bautista was denied a post-fight interview after dominating Patrick Mix at UFC 316. 

Mix made his promotional debut against Bautista at UFC 316 on Saturday in Newark, New Jersey. A sizeable favorite going into the fight, Mix vowed to dominate the “journeyman” Bautista. However, the former Bellator bantamweight champ was thoroughly outclassed by Bautista throughout three rounds. 

But Bautista was not granted a post-fight Octagon interview, even though some preliminary fighters had that privilege. Fans expressed their displeasure with Bautista being denied an interview. Some conjectured that the UFC was unhappy with Bautista for spoiling a hyped prospect’s debut. While some fans were unhappy with Bautista’s controversial split-decision win over Jose Aldo in his last fight, they still thought he deserved an interview after his performance at UFC 316.

So they give random prelim fighters interviews after a decision but not …

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Kevin Holland considers Colby Covington to be an easier matchup than Vicente Luque. 

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Holland opened the main card action against Luque at UFC 316 on Saturday in Newark, New Jersey. While Holland’s mid-fight trash talk is well known, “Trailblazer” just couldn’t stop running his mouth at UFC 316. After hurting Luque with an elbow in the opening stanza, Holland submitted him with a brabo in the second round. 

Holland subsequently jumped the cage and shook hands with the commentary team, the UFC brass and President Donald Trump, who was also in attendance. Holland shared his plan to continue at welterweight going forward instead of dabbling at 185 pounds as he has done in the past. Holland also called out Covington, labellng him the “worst guy” in the welterweight division. While Holland considered Luque a tough matchup, he doesn’t think the same of “Chaos.”

“I’d like to keep building myself at 170 pounds, I love [185]…

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Joo Sang Yoo wants to take care of Chan Sang Jung’s unfinished business in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. 

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Yoo made his promotional debut against Jeka Saragih in the prelims at UFC 316 on Saturday in Newark, New Jersey. It couldn’t have been any better for Yoo, as he slept the Indonesian with a left hook just 28 seconds into the fight. 

Nicknamed “Zombie Jr.”, Yoo wants to follow in the footsteps of his fellow countryman, “The Korean Zombie.” While Yoo thanked all of his teammates and sponsors after his win, he had a special mention for Jung. Yoo revealed that the former UFC featherweight title contender made it possible for him to compete in the Las Vegas-based promotion. While Jung never realized his championship dreams, Yoo wants to win a UFC title and hand it over to his idol.

There’s so many guys, I’m so thankful, all of my team. And all of my sponsors as well… ‘Korean Zombie’ paid [my] way to come to th…

Reigning bantamweight champ Merab Dvalishvili was one of four “Performance of the Night” winners at UFC 316.

“The Machine” secured his first UFC finish since 2021, as he submitted Sean O’Malley in the third round of their rematch in Saturday’s headliner at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. As a result of his efforts, Dvalishvili pocketed an additional $50,000 while extending his winning streak to 13.

Meanwhile, newly-crowned 135-pound queen Kayla Harrison also earned $50,000 for a submission in a title bout. The two-time Olympic gold medalist gradually overwhelmed Julianna Pena with her grappling en route to a kimura at the 4:55 mark of Round 2 in the UFC 316 co-main event.

Earlier on the main card, Kevin Holland secured a $50,000 bonus for vanquishing Vicente Luque in a welterweight affair. The finishing sequence began when Holland caught a kick and shoved his opponent to the canvas. From there, “Trailblazer” locked in a brabo choke, eliciting a tap 6…

Sean O'Malley spent most of this year assuring us that a rematch with Merab Dvalishvili would go differently. It did, but not in the way he probably would have liked.

In the main event of of UFC 316 on Saturday in Newark, New Jersey, “The Machine” defended his bantamweight title against the man from whom he took it last fall, O’Malley. Much of the promotional lead-up to the fight consisted of O’Malley discussing the changes he had made in his life and how those would lead to a different result in the cage, but once the two men went to work, he looked somewhat tentative. For most of the first half of Round 1, O’Malley gave ground, backing up and circling out in the face of Dvalishvili’s trademark frantic pace and pressure. The champ, aided by an O’Malley stumble at the base of the fence, secured his first takedown midway through the round. O’Malley escaped, but Dvalishvili was relentless in pursuit and returned him to the canvas, more emphatically this time, and landed a few…

Sherdog's live UFC 316 coverage will begin Saturday at 6 p.m. ET. BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Mederos (-218), Choinski (+180)Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:

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Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round: The Official Result BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Salkilld (-485), Ashmouz (+370)Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:The Official Result BETT…

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Joshua Van keeps claiming he wants to take a patient approach to his career, but he fights like a character in an action movie who was just told he has a year to live.

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In the top preliminary bout of UFC 316 on Saturday at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, the 23-year-old flyweight phenom picked up his fourth win in 11 months, burying Bruno “Bulldog” Silva under an avalanche of punches in the final round. To begin things, Van belied his reputation as a slow starter, forcing engagement on the feet from the very start and dropping Silva with punches midway through the round. “Bulldog” recovered his wits and his feet but was clearly in survival mode. He survived, then got some of the momentum back with a low kick that took Van off of his feet. Silva came out for Round 2 with more hard leg kicks but was forced to think better of it after catching some hard counter punches. A tense second frame broke wide open just aft…

Former Bellator MMA and ONE Championship title holder Ben Askren has been hospitalized with pneumonia.

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Askren’s wife, Amy, provided an update on the retired fighter’s condition via social media on Saturday.

“You may have heard that my husband Ben is going through something,” Amy Askren wrote. “He developed severe pneumonia which come on very suddenly. He’s currently in the hospital and unable to respond to anything at this time. We welcome all prayers for healing and for peace. We are trying to keep life as normal as possible for our children currently and doing our best to support them thoughtfully, so please refrain from discussing it with them for now.”

Update on Ben Askren pic.twitter.com/74uk2xeDW4

— Mark Bader (@MarkSBader) June 8, 2025

A two-time NCAA national champion wrestler at the University of Missouri and a 2008 Olympian, Askren put his mat skills to good use in the mixed martial arts realm. He made h…

When they were both in the UFC, the stars never seemed to quite align for Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones to cross paths.

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These days, the two heavyweight stars are in different promotions. However, there still appears to be some interest on both sides regarding a potential fight, which would be one of the biggest in the sport.

It started when Xtreme Couture coach Eric Nicksick said that Ngannou would definitely be interested in an eventual return to the UFC despite a contentious departure from the Las Vegas-based promotion in 2023.

Jones, who hasn’t seemed all that motivated to unify the UFC heavyweight crown against Tom Aspinall, was immediately intrigued.

“I’m hearing Francis Ngannou is still interested… now we’re talking. That’s a real super fight,” Jones wrote on X. “A clash of champions, not just hype. He held the UFC belt, I’ve defended mine for over a decade. Two kings from different roads. Not just one legend facing a mouth that’s hot …

"I have Kayla by decision."@Amanda_Leoa is ready to fight whoever the winner is on Saturday! #UFC316 pic.twitter.com/frgcPU8CoX

— UFC (@ufc) June 6, 2025

Amanda Nunes’ comeback won’t be a one-off event.

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The former UFC two-division champion is expected to end her retirement to face the winner of the Julianna Pena-Kayla Harrison bantamweight title bout scheduled for UFC 316. Nunes vacated the 135-pound belt and called it a career on the heels of a unanimous decision triumph over Irene Aldana at UFC 289 in June 2023.

During an appearance at a fan Q&A, “Lioness” revealed that she plans on an extended run at the top of the division.

"I'm ready to stay here," Nunes said. "I'm going to take the belt back. I'm going to defend as long as possible. As long as my body can handle, I'm going to be here.”

The 37-year-old Brazilian is widely regarded as the No. 1 pound-for-pound female fighter of all-time. She has be…

Jon Jones apparently didn’t appreciate being a topic of conversation a recent episode of the “Good Guy/Bad Guy” show.

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The podcast hosted by Daniel Cormier and Chael Sonnen recently featured interim UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall as a guest. It should come as no suprirse that the topic du jour was the long-awaited title unification bout with Jones. During that conversation, Aspinall stated that Jones was retired, and that he’s ready for the heavyweight division to move on.

“Jon’s retired,” Aspinall said. “What are you talking about? You guys don’t follow Jon on social media? The guy is living his best life. He’s had a fantastic career, we all know. We know Jon’s a religious man, so I want to say God bless him moving forward, what he does in his life and his career, and we move on. We move on. I’m the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. I’m ready to take on all comers, get this division moving again. Us guys have been waiting around…

[embedded content] The Ultimate Fighting Championship's return to Newark, New Jersey, is official with two title fights following the UFC 316 weigh-ins.

Headlining the 13-fight card is Merab Dvalishvili looking to make his second bantamweight title defense versus former titleholder Sean O'Malley. Both men successfully came in under 135 pounds for the rematch. Women's bantamweight champion Julianna Pena and title challenger Kayla Harrison also hit their marks for the co-main event. All other fighters made weight with the notable exception of Ariane Lipski da Silva, who came in an almost remarkable six pounds over the flyweight limit. Weighing 132 pounds, Lipski da Silva will be fined a percentage of her purse if her fight against Cong Wang goes on.

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Dvalishvili (19-4) is on a remarkable 12-fight win streak inside the Octagon. "The Machine" most recently outlasted Umar Nurmagomedov in his first title defense. Prior to that, he won a dominant decision o…

For those who haven't seen- this is Khabib's older brother

"This guy my real brother, mother father same" -Khabib😂

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🎥 @WillHarrisAOAF pic.twitter.com/pIJVjZC3IA — Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) June 4, 2025

Khabib Nurmagomedov’s elder brother, Magomedov Nurmagomedov, was recently spotted on camera.

While Khabib reached the pinnacle of success and stardom in mixed martial arts, he has always kept his family life private. Very little is known of his older brother Magomed, barring a few rare photos and mentions in the past interviews.

However, Will Harris of Anatomy of a Fighter managed to briefly capture Magomed during a visit to Dagestan. Just as Khabib was introducing his older brother, Magomed politely told Harris, “no camera.”

“This guy is my big brother,” Khabib said. “Real brother. Mother, father same… he don’t like camera.”

Their father, the great Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, has once famously compa…

PFL at the palm of your hands at ALL TIMES

Here's everything you need about the PFL App! 📱✍️

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📱Download the PFL App for FREE! Now available on the Android and Apple Store pic.twitter.com/1oGi4gLJBg — PFL (@PFLMMA) June 5, 2025

Watching Professional Fighters League International Events in the U.S. is about to get much easier.

The PFL on Thursday revealed a new direct-to-consumer app that will provide free access for American viewers to all of its PFL International League events live, including PFL Africa, PFL Europe and PFL MENA. The app is available now at no cost in the Apple and Android store and will be available via web browser, Amazon Fire TV, Roku and Apple TV later this year.

“We’re putting the power directly in the hands of MMA fans,” said PFL CEO Peter Murray in a press release. “For the first time ever, fans in the U.S. can watch PFL MENA, PFL Europe, PFL Africa, and PFL Pacific live and free, all in o…

Alexander Volkanovski says he was expecting Movsar Evloev to be the next challenger for the title.

"It's pretty clear that it wasn't gonna be Movsar. I thought he would be, because he's undefeated. Yair's name has popped up, but no dates are set right now. The rumours you're all… pic.twitter.com/4IpgchPwPC

— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) June 5, 2025

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Alexander Volkanovski recently detailed his next title defense scenario.

Movsar Evloev (19-0) is widely considered the next right featherweight contender, including by Volkanovski. However, the undefeated Russian recently announced that he will be fighting at UFC Abu Dhabi on July 26. Volkanovski (27-4) has now confirmed that Evloev isn’t fighting for the title next.

There have been rumors of ongoing talks for a fight against veteran contender Yair Rodriguez (20-5), which Volkanovski says are true. However, the featherweight champ hasn’t been given a date for his…

🥶🫡Dustin Poirier mouthpiece for his last fight at #UFC318 says:

"Last Dance."

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🎥 @dcmouthguards ▫️ pic.twitter.com/FT88I2pGJ0 — Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) June 4, 2025

The wheels are churning to make Dustin Poirier’s retirement fight as special as possible.

Poirier (30-9) will make his final Octagon walk against Max Holloway (26-8) at a href="/events/UFC-318-Holloway-vs-Poirier-3-107850">UFC 318 on July 19 in front of his home fans at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. “The Diamond” recently revealed a special mouthguard for his retirement fight to mark the end of a legendary career. The Lafayette, Louisiana, native will compete wearing a diamond-themed gumshield that says “Last Dance” in golden print. The piece was presented to Poirier by Damage Control Mouthguards.

Poirier made his UFC debut in 2011 after the promotion acquired World Extreme Cagefighting. In his 30 trips to the Octagon, Poirier…

🚨 BREAKING: Bryce Mitchell will make his bantamweight debut against Said Nurmagomedov at UFC Abu Dhabi on July 26. pic.twitter.com/ko3axDHbkB

— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) June 4, 2025

Bryce Mitchell has decided to drop down a weight class for his next challenge.

Mitchell (17-3) will make his bantamweight debut against Said Nurmagomedov (18-4) at UFC Abu Dhabi on July 26 at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. RedCorner MMA first reported the matchup.

Once considered a highly-touted prospect, Mitchell suffered his first professional loss against future champ Ilia Topuria in 2022 and “Thug Nasty” has since moved further and further away from the featherweight title picture. Mitchell has since alternated wins over Dan Ige and Kron Gracie between stoppage losses against Josh Emmett and Jean Silva. Many believe it’s not wise for Mitchell to cut more weight considering he has been finished so violently and frequently.

Meanwhile, Nu…

🥹👶Sean O’Malley reveals he had a baby boy 10 days ago, just two weeks before his fight with Merab at #UFC316

🎥 @SugaSeanMMA ▫️ pic.twitter.com/vqFr9Lw6Ek

— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) June 4, 2025

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Sean O'Malley has become increasingly discreet.

O’Malley (18-2) is scheduled to challenge Merab Dvalishvili (19-4) in a rematch for the bantamweight title in the UFC 316 main event on June 7 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Once a loud presence on social media, O’Malley recently and discreetly welcomed a newborn, hardly two weeks ahead of his title fight.

Opting not to do a gender reveal, O’Malley was predicting it would be a girl while his wife, Danya, was convinced it would be a boy. And Danya was correct. O’Malley credits his wife for not letting the pregnancy and birth hamper his camp. “Suga” rather finds bliss when he returns home and gets to hold his now 10-day-old boy.

“That is true. Oh, yea…

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While Maycee Barber can recall some of what happened leading up to her last-minute withdrawal from the UFC Vegas 107 headliner last weekend, the exact cause remains a mystery.

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“I hate going back and being like we have no answers but we’re not entirely sure what happened. Obviously, there was a medical emergency,” Barber recently told ESPN. “We’re not quite sure what it was, what it is but there was something that happened. I don’t exactly remember everything but there was an event that happened in the back when I was warming up and the doctor, the commissioners, everybody saw it and the commissioners, I guess they were asking me if I was OK and I was saying I was.

“They didn’t think that I was and so they kept asking the coaches — and again, I’m not entirely sure because it’s hard for me to remember everything that happened — but from what I was told, the coaches were like ‘we’re not quite sure.’ So they were trying to figure it o…

Credit: Getty/UFC Credit: Getty/UFC Credit: Getty/UFC Credit: Getty/UFC

Kris Moutinho will return to the Octagon for the first time in more than three years.

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The former CES MMA standout will square off against Malcolm Wellmaker at UFC Atlanta — also known as UFC on ESPN 69 — on June 14. Multiple outlets confirmed the bantamweight pairing following an initial report from MMA Mania.

UFC Atlanta takes place at the State Farm Arena and is headlined by a welterweight showdown pitting Kamaru Usman against Joaquin Buckley.

Moutinho gained a small measure of fame for his showdown with Sean O’Malley in July 2021, when he absorbed a large amount of punishment en route to a third-round TKO defeat at UFC 264. He parted ways with the promotion on the heels of a loss to Guido Cannetti but has since righted the ship with five consecutive triumphs on the regional circuit.

After earning a contract with a first-round knockout of Adam Bramhald on Dana Wh…

Professional Fighters League lightweight Alexandr Shabliy has accepted a six-month suspension for a failed drug test, USADA announced on Wednesday.

Shabliy tested positive recombinant erythropoietin (rEPO) in an out-of-competition sample collected on March 19. EPO is a synthetic hormone that increases the body’s production of red blood cells, which as a result improves oxygen transport and aerobic power. It’s the same substance that former UFC champion T.J. Dillashaw tested positive for in 2019, which resulted in him serving a two-year suspension.

Shabliy’s suspension is retroactive to the date of his positive test, so he will be eligible to return to action on Sept. 19. The 32-year-old Russian was slated to face Brent Primus in the opening round of the PFL lightweight tournament before the failed drug test.

Shabliy’s last appearance came at Bellator Champions Series San Diego, where he dropped a five-round verdict against Usman Nurmagomedov in a lightwe…

👀⚡️Merab Dvalishvili wants to fight Cory Sandhagen next in New York:

"Looks like a Cory Sandhagen is ready for me… He’s a great contender. He beat a lot of guy in our division.

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I don’t mind to take another quick turnaround and fight one more time this year in either New York… pic.twitter.com/5umWQpWCM1 — Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) June 3, 2025

Merab Dvalishvili is already eyeing his next target going into his UFC 316 title defense. 

Dvalishvili puts his bantamweight title on the line in a rematch against Sean O'Malley at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, this weekend. “The Machine” recently said that he would like to fight Cory Sandhagen next if he beats O’Malley at UFC 316. 

Dvalishvili considers “The Sandman” a legitimate contender who has paid his dues coming up the rankings. The Georgian champ would prefer a quick turnaround and would like take on Sandhagen when the UFC returns t…