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Rizvan Kuniev bagged his second win in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, getting his hand raised at UFC Abu Dhabi, but he isn’t entirely content with his performance.

Kuniev secured a finish against Tyrell Fortune at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. The back-and-forth heavyweight clash was later awarded Fight of the Night, with both heavyweights having their moments before the third-round stoppage.

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Rizvan Kuniev reflects on mistakes after Tyrell Fortune stoppage at UFC Abu Dhabi Fortune (18-4) proved to be a solid test for the Russian, who eventually landed two back-to-back knees to prompt the referee to intervene. Despite finding a finish, Kuniev (14-3) later admitted that he expects more from himself moving forward, especially considering his championship aspirations.

“Of course I made some mistakes,” Kuniev said in a post-fight interview. “Because I rushed sometimes too fast into the fight, but we will work it out and as my coach said, I’m on top n…

Ramazonbek Temirov has highlighted what separates himself from the rest of the Ultimate Fighting Championship flyweight division.

Temirov delivered a resounding statement against former title challenger Steve Erceg at UFC Abu Dhabi. The Uzbek prospect secured a first-round knockout, taking his professional record to 20-3. In a post-fight interview, he discussed the X-factor he possesses at 125 pounds.

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Ramazonbek Temirov’s knockout ability stands out after UFC Abu Dhabi win over Steve Erceg Temirov put his Australian counterpart to sleep with a crushing right hand in the co-main event of UFC Abu Dhabi, extending his UFC record to 3-0 and earning a Performance of the Night bonus for his efforts. Speaking after the victory, he explained why he feels he's different from the rest of the division, emphasizing how flyweights rarely pull off one-shot knockouts as he did against Erceg.

“I haven’t seen all the fighters just fighting like me. Just striking p…

Magomed Zaynukov couldn't have asked for a better start to his Ultimate Fighting Championship career.

The unbeaten Dagestani prospect earned a unanimous decision over Damian Rzepecki in his Octagon debut at UFC Abu Dhabi, neutralizing his opponent's grappling while showcasing the polished striking that saw him earn a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series last year.

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Magomed Zaynukov breaks down his unanimous decision victory over Damian Rzepecki in his UFC debut Following his victory over Rzepecki, Zaynukov shed light on the preparation that went into his UFC debut.

“I thought they liked me only that much in America, but they also like me in Abu Dhabi as well,” Zaynukov said in a post-fight interview. “And I really wanted to show a good performance. I know a lot of people were counting on me, a lot of people were waiting for me to debut. I worked really, really hard. I had a crazy hard camp. I had really good sparring. Good sparring partners. …

Carlos Ulberg isn't rushing his return to the Octagon.

The reigning Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight titleholder provided an update on his recovery from an ACL injury following UFC Abu Dhabi, revealing that he is targeting an early 2027 return to action.

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Carlos Ulberg discusses ACL recovery and UFC light heavyweight title plans Ulberg suffered the injury in his title-winning knockout victory over Jiri Prochazka earlier this year. He recently emphasized that he does not want to risk any further injury and hence plans to take his time. In a recent interview with UFC's Charly Arnolt, “Black Jag” gave an update on his injury.

“I’m just making sure I do everything I need to keep on task with my injury, but then also just been working closely with the UFC PI and make sure I can get back in there as quickly as possible, but also as safely as possible,” Ulberg said. “We’re looking at early next year, so 2027 if we’re being smart, so we don…

The lineup for the opening two weeks of the 10th season of Dana White’s Contender Series has been unveiled.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship announced the bout order during the UFC Abu Dhabi broadcast, confirming 10 fights across the first two episodes of the annual prospect series, which returns to Meta Apex in Las Vegas on Aug. 11. Each event will stream live on Paramount+ beginning at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.

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DWCS Season 10 opening fights feature Anthony Wint vs. Matthew Adams and 10 UFC hopefuls Dana White's Contender Series has become one of the UFC's primary talent pipelines, producing numerous ranked contenders and champions, including current light heavyweight king Carlos Ulberg.

The upcoming season opener is headlined by a heavyweight clash between Anthony Wint and Matthew Adams, while lightweight prospects Fabrizio Escarrega and Abe Alsaghir meet in the co-main event. The second episode’s headliner sees Namo Fazil taking on Kaik Brito, wi…

Jean Silva won’t desert his teammate out of fear of getting embroiled in controversy.

Silva’s Fighting Nerds teammate Ilay Barzilay (7-1) is from Israel, and like some athletes from the country, Barzilay is facing backlash amidst the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict. Barzilay is scheduled to fight Lucas Almeida (15-5) at Gordon Fight Nights 1 on July 27 at Menorah Mivtachim Arena in Tel Aviv and Silva is set to corner Barzilay for his upcoming fight.

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A fan recently noted that Silva being in the Israeli capital will likely see him be labeled a ‘Zionist’ in Brazil. However, the Ultimate Fighting Championship featherweight refused to part ways with his longtime teammate. “Lord” also says that he had to go to Israel as none of their other Fighting Nerds teammates could make it. The Brazilian also believes a win over Almeida could earn Barzilay a spot on Dana White’s Contender Series.

“I'm here 100% because of the fight of the Fighting Nerds fighter…

Carlos Ulberg has a pitch for how the Ultimate Fighting Championship should handle the light heavyweight title mix.

The reigning champion believes none of the division's top-ranked contenders have done enough to earn a title shot, so he proposed a solution, essentially laying out a four-man tournament to determine his next opponent.

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Carlos Ulberg’s UFC matchmaking idea targets Magomed Ankalaev, Jiri Prochazka and more Ulberg took on the role of a matchmaker and offered some suggestions for how the top of the division should be matched up to determine the next title challenger in a new Instagram post. This came shortly after Magomed Ankalaev's win at UFC Abu Dhabi, where the Kiwi was in attendance.

"After last night's fights, here's my thoughts," Ulberg wrote on Instagram. "Ankalaev vs. Jiri. Give them both full camps. It's a fight the division deserves, and stylistically, it's one the fans would love to see. Costa vs. Rountree. That's a wildcard. …

Magomed Ankalaev will only take on Paulo Costa if the Brazilian is ready to bring the fight to him.

The former Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight titleholder took on Bogdan Guskov in the main event of UFC Abu Dhabi. Guskov had stepped up on two weeks’ notice after Ankalaev’s original opponent, Khalil Rountree, pulled out due to an injury. Ankalaev dominated Guskov in a slow-paced bout before finishing him in the final round with ground-and-pound.

Now back in the win column, the Russian has addressed his next bout.Magomed Ankalaev says Paulo Costa fight depends on pressure and forward movement Ankalaev defended his recent performance against critics who found it lackluster. He says that Guskov was backing up even though he kept pressing forward.

“It wasn’t up to me whether the fight would be boring or not,” Ankalaev told Red Corner MMA. “I was pressing forward, I wanted to fight. But my opponent started working on the back foot and constantly running fro…

THAD JEAN GAVE 110% 🔋

WHAT A BATTLE#PFLDC | Main Card LIVE NOW on ESPN pic.twitter.com/iTAj3uzkjn

— PFL (@PFLMMA) July 26, 2026

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Thad Jean overcomes late replacement Ernesto Rodriguez after Shamil Musaev withdraws to capture the PFL welterweight championship Carefirst Arena in Washington, D.C., was the venue for Professional Fighters League's latest “Summer Series” fight night on Saturday, July 25.

In the main event, two of the top welterweights in the world were due to battle it out as 2025 tournament champion Thad Jean was set to fight 2024 tourney king Shamil Musaev, but the latter had complications with his weight cut and was replaced by Ernesto Rodriguez.

We were initially scheduled to an incredible fight on paper, but what we got in practice was somehow even more special as Jean and Rodriguez went to war from the bell. Jean was rattled by Rodriguez right hands multiple times in the opening frame, but gave a…

Getty Images/UFC

It wasn’t especially compelling viewing, but Magomed Ankalaev (21-2-1) showed beyond a doubt that he is simply too much for the vast majority of light heavyweights to handle.

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In the main event of UFC Abu Dhabi on Saturday at Etihad Arena, the recently dethroned champ faced Bogdan Guskov (18-4-1), who was promoted from next week’s Belgrade card to headliner duty when Khalil Rountree withdrew from the fight last month. Guskov had the opportunity to jump the line to a title shot if he could defeat Ankalaev, but there never appeared to be even the slightest chance, as the Dagestani dominated virtually every moment of the fight.

The first round was a tense affair, as Ankalaev employed his usual methodical approach on the feet while Guskov constantly switched stances and moved in and out of range, looking for an opportunity to land one of his trademark power shots. The haymaker never came, but Guskov landed enough kicks to…

Sherdog's live UFC Abu Dhabi coverage will begin Saturday at 9 a.m. ET/6 a.m. PT. The event is also known as UFC Fight Night 281. Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round:Tudor Leonte scores the round:

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Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round:Tudor Leonte scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round:Tudor Leonte scores the round: The Official Result Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round:Tudor Leonte scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round:Tudor Leonte scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round:Tudor Leonte scores the round:The Official Result Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round:Tudor Leonte scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry sco…

Sherdog's live PFL Washington D.C. coverage will begin Saturday at 8 p.m. ET.

A welterweight title fight headlines PFL Washington DC: Tune on Saturday, July 25 at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN.

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Round 1 Sherdog Scores Tyler Treese scores the round:Mike Pendleton scores the round:Mike Fridley scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Tyler Treese scores the round:Mike Pendleton scores the round:Mike Fridley scores the round: Round 3 Sherdog Scores Tyler Treese scores the round:Mike Pendleton scores the round:Mike Fridley scores the round:The Official Result Round 1 Sherdog Scores Tyler Treese scores the round:Mike Pendleton scores the round:Mike Fridley scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Tyler Treese scores the round:Mike Pendleton scores the round:Mike Fridley scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Tyler Treese scores the round:Mike Pendleton scores the round:Mike Fridley scores the round:The Official Result Round 1 Sherdog Scores Tyler Treese scores th…

Salahdine Parnasse has officially been announced as one of the headliners for the Ultimate Fighting Championship's upcoming trip to Paris.Salahdine Parnasse finally enters the UFC after championship run in KSW During the UFC Abu Dhabi broadcast, the promotion revealed that the highly-touted prospect will take on Dan Hooker at UFC Paris. A former Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki lightweight and two-time featherweight titleholder, Parnasse (23-2, 0-0 UFC) has long been regarded as one of the best fighters outside the UFC. In his most recent outing, under the MVP MMA banner, he stopped Kenneth Cross with punches at the 4:18 mark of the opening round. Parnasse is riding a five-fight winning streak, including a victory over UFC veteran Marcin Held.

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Octagon veteran Hooker (24-14, 14-10 UFC) looks to bounce back after consecutive losses to Benoit St. Denis and Arman Tsarukyan. On both occasions, "The Hangman” has been finished in Round 2, with elbows and punches by St.…

Ready to impress 💪@AnkalaevM weighs in at 205.5 lbs

[ #UFCAbuDhabi | SAT JULY 25 | 12pmET on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/V2ZbKcGmiz

— UFC (@ufc) July 24, 2026 The Ultimate Fighting Championship's return to Abu Dhabi is now official following the UFC Abu Dhabi weigh-ins.

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Headliners Magomed Ankalaev and Bogdan Guskov both successfully made light heavyweight for their upcoming five-round fight. All other fighters also successfully hit their marks in what was an uneventful weigh-in from a drama perspective. Saturday's card will feature 13 fights in total.

"Big Ank" returns to the promotion for the first time since losing the light heavyweight championship back to Alex Pereira. The Russian lost the belt via TKO in just 80 seconds. Prior to the setback, Ankalaev (20-2-1, 1 NC) hadn't lost a fight since 2018 and put together wins over Pereira, Aleksandar Rakic, Anthony Smith and more. Ankalaev officially weighed 205.5…

⚖️ #PFLDC Official Weigh Ins

PFL Welterweight World Title is official!Thad Jean: 169.2 lbsErnesto Rodriguez: 169.8 lbs#PFLDC | Saturday, July 25th | 📺Prelims 8PM EST on the ESPN App | Main Card 10PM EST on ESPN pic.twitter.com/XBkybqUk8L

— PFL (@PFLMMA) July 24, 2026 The Professional Fighters League welterweight championship will be on the line this Saturday after the PFL DC weigh-ins made it official today.

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Headlining the eight-fight mixed martial arts event is the title fight between welterweight king Thad Jean and late-notice challenger Ernesto Rodriguez. Both men made weight for the fight, which came together after would-be challenger Shamil Musaev bowed out due to weight-cutting issues. All other fighters on the card also successfully made weight.

The undefeated Jean has a perfect 11-0 record as a pro. Just 28, "Silverback" already has seven wins inside the promotion. The American most recently beat Logan Storl…

This sport always seems to find a way.

With outlet Happy Punch in conjunction with MMA matchmaker Dean Toole and newly created organization Duel, they released a fight poster on Friday announcing an MMA event in August. Atop the “Duel: Arena” billing, one where there is but a single bout announced thus far, will see Mike Perry (15-8) throw down with Dillon Danis (2-0) at 170 pounds. The organization, formed by online crypto casino Duelbet, has indicated that there will be MMA matches alongside kickboxing and boxing. It will all be contained in a ring at the Kia Arena in Orlando on Aug. 29.

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Reaction to the fight itself has been overwhelmingly negative, with Ultimate Fighting Championship cutman Brad Tate as well as fighters Philip Rowe, Charles Johnson and Jorge Masvidal all responding quickly to the Instagram announcement post. Some have already campaigned to either join the card themselves or push for their friends or training partners to get involv…

As it turns out, one victory in MMA outside of the Ultimate Fighting Championship can be enough to earn a call to come back.

Management team First Round Management announced on Friday that their client, Robelis Despaigne (6-2), has been re-signed to the UFC. The soon-to-be 38-year-old ex-kickboxer has no return date announced, nor an opponent selected for his first appearance back.

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Despaigne ran the table in Karate Combat in one year The Cuban appeared once in MMA following his UFC release, punching out Junior dos Santos in May at the inaugural MVP MMA event. This gave the 6-foot-7 striker his sixth first-round knockout across his six victories. On the way, Despaigne joined the striking-only Karate Combat league at the end of 2024 and punched out Dominik Jedrzejczyk in four seconds. Subsequent foes Marcos Brigagao and Roggers Souza could only survive a combined 20 seconds in the pit against him.

On the heels of those three speedy knockouts totaling …

THE FINAL FACE OFF! IT ALL GOES DOWN TOMORROW NIGHT! ??

?? Buy #JoshuaPrenga NOW at https://t.co/FoiaUucafv | July 25 | Danger Before Destiny ?? pic.twitter.com/c9oaZBBXQU

— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) July 24, 2026

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Anthony Joshua and Kristian Prenga both made weight for their upcoming heavyweight clash. Joshua faces off against Prenga in a crucial tune-up fight before a potential blockbuster showdown with Tyson Fury.

Joshua (251) returns to action for the first time since stopping Jake Paul in December 2025. The former unified heavyweight champion enters the contest looking to build momentum ahead of a proposed clash with fellow Englishman Fury later this year.

Prenga, who weighed 261.4 pounds, steps into the biggest opportunity of his career. The Albanian veteran will look to spring a major upset and derail Joshua's plans for a blockbuster domestic clash. Prenga last won against Joe Jones in February.

The…

Spence returns after three years to face Tim Tszyu in his middleweight debut in Sydney Errol Spence Jr. (159) successfully made weight ahead of his long-awaited return to the ring as he prepares to face Tim Tszyu (159) in the middleweight main event on Saturday in Sydney.

Spence Jr. (28-1, 22 KOs) competes for the first time since suffering a technical knockout loss to Terence Crawford in their undisputed welterweight championship clash in July 2023. Following a three-year hiatus, the former unified welterweight champion returns with a new trainer in Ronnie Shields after ending his longtime partnership with Derrick James. Saturday's bout also marks his debut at the 160-pound middleweight limit.

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Tszyu (27-3, 18 KOs) enters the contest looking to score another signature victory as both veterans attempt to re-establish themselves among boxing's elite. The Australian will have home advantage as the bout takes place in Sydney.

The event is scheduled for …

A pivotal women's flyweight matchup has been removed from the next Ultimate Fighting Championship numbered event.

Erin Blanchfield's bout against Jasmine Jasudavicius has been scrapped from the Aug. 15 card at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia due to an injury on Blanchfield’s end, per MMA Junkie’s Nolan King. The promotion is reportedly looking to rebook the contest for a UFC Fight Night event on Oct. 17 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, instead.

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Erin Blanchfield injury forces UFC 330 card change as UFC targets Edmonton rebooking The withdrawal marks the first time Blanchfield has been forced out of a fight during her UFC tenure. She is on a two-fight win streak, beating Rose Namajunas and Tracy Cortez in her most recent Octagon appearances.

Meanwhile, Jasudavicius was looking to build on a unanimous decision win over Karine Silva in April. With her clash with Blanchfield now being targeted for the next UFC event in Canada, she’ll h…

After 15 years, Darren Elkins is set for his final UFC bout. | 📷: Getty/UFC

The Ultimate Fighting Championship has finalized the lineup for its next Fight Night at Meta Apex in Las Vegas, including Octagon veteran Darren Elkins’ final appearance in the promotion.

The card, headlined by Mateusz Gamrot and Quillan Salkilld, is scheduled for Aug. 8.

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UFC Fight Night lineup features Darren Elkins vs. Yadier Del Valle and Gamrot vs. Salkilld Elkins (29-12) will square off against Dana White’s Contender Series alum Yadier Del Valle.

The 42-year-old has been on the UFC roster since 2010, earning memorable victories over the likes of Mirsad Bektic, Michael Johnson, Dennis Bermudez and Luiz Eduardo Garagorri. Furthermore, Elkins has shared the cage with several former champions and fan favorites, albeit in losing efforts, against Alexander Volkanovski, Charles Oliveira, Chad Mendes and UFC Hall of Famer Cub Swanson.

New matchups added …

Mateusz Gamrot (right) has reupped with the UFC. | 📷: Getty/UFC

Mateusz Gamrot has extended his stay in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Gamrot recently announced on X that he has signed a new multi-fight deal with the promotion, ensuring that his tenure will continue beyond his upcoming main event assignment.

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Mateusz Gamrot signs a new UFC contract before facing Quillan Salkilld in the UFC Fight Night 284 main event. While he didn’t divulge the exact number of bouts on his new deal, Gamrot is ecstatic to continue fighting in the promotion. The Polish lightweight claims he’s “grateful” for the new contract and is excited for what lies ahead.

“I’ve signed a multi-fight deal with UFC! Another step begins in just two weeks, let’s gooo,” Gamrot wrote on X. “I’m grateful to the UFC for the trust and for recognizing my hard work. Thank you for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to keep proving myself on the biggest stage in …

Rose Namajunas wants to rediscover her motivation before returning to competition in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

The 34-year-old admitted during a recent podcast appearance that she has spent the past few months evaluating her future after multiple disappointing results and the lengthy recovery from injuries sustained in her last bout.

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Rose Namajunas discusses injuries, recent losses and her UFC future Namajunas still intends to fight again, but she wants to make sure she has the right reason for returning. The former strawweight champion lost to Natalia Silva at UFC 324 in January and had to undergo surgery shortly after her fight with Silva to repair damage caused by an accidental eye poke.

“It was like a three-month process,” Namajunas said on the "Weighing In" podcast. “After the fight, I had to get this surgery right away. They put this weird silicone tube in my eye. It was a really easy surgery, though. It was just kind of uncomforta…

Alexander Poppeck (right) will make his UFC debut on Aug. 1. | 📷: PFL MMA

The Ultimate Fighting Championship’s upcoming visit to Serbia will see new European talent make his Octagon debut.

Alexander Poppeck (21-5) recently signed with the UFC. The German is set to make his promotional debut against fellow UFC debutant Jovan Leka (13-2) at UFC Belgrade on Aug. 1 at Belgrade Arena.

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Jovan Leka brings a six-fight winning streak into UFC Belgrade against Alexander Poppeck While Poppeck competes at light heavyweight, he will move up to heavyweight for his upcoming bout. Notably, the 34-year-old had suffered a knockout loss to Jamahal Hill on Dana White’s Contender Series back in 2019.

One of the biggest names in Oktagon MMA, Poppeck is unbeaten in six outings (1 NC) since 2023, with four finishes. Meanwhile, Leka will have the Serbian home crowd rallying behind him and is on a six-fight winning streak with four finishes.

Leka earn…