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Movsar Evloev rejects the notion that fans only want bloody fights.

Evloev is scheduled to challenge Alexander Volkanovski for the Ultimate Fighting Championship featherweight title at UFC 333 on Oct. 24 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. The Russian challenger has won all 10 of his UFC bouts by decision but believes fans appreciate his fighting style.

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Movsar Evloev argues wrestling can entertain UFC fans ahead of Volkanovski title fight The recent departures of Michael Page and Farid Basharat have fueled debate about whether winning is enough to secure a new UFC contract. Neither fighter was re-signed despite a winning streak, though a lack of finishes has not been established as the reason for either departure.

Evloev believes finishes are not the only measure of a fighter’s value. He says fans also appreciate tactics, skill and wrestling.

“I have zero finishes in UFC, but I’m still in the UFC and I’m fighting for the title,” Evloev told MMA Fi…

Alexander Volkanovski is brimming with confidence ahead of his next title defense.

Volkanovski (28-4) is scheduled to defend his Ultimate Fighting Championship featherweight title against Movsar Evloev (20-0) at UFC 333 on Oct. 24 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. The Australian champion believes he can deliver a career-best performance against the undefeated Russian.

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Alexander Volkanovski doubts Movsar Evloev can outgrapple him for 25 minutes at UFC 333 Evloev has won all 10 of his UFC bouts by decision, but Volkanovski doubts the challenger can outgrapple him for five rounds. “The Great” believes Evloev would need to catch him with a decisive strike to win.

“Trying to outgrapple me for 25 minutes, I can’t see it,” Volkanovski told MMA Junkie. “I believe that the only chance that any of these guys have is for them to catch me… If he thinks he can beat me by decision or he thinks he can outgrapple me, I’m sure he’s gonna try, we’ll see. I’m just very …

Joaquin Buckley remains undeterred after his third consecutive defeat in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Buckley faced Mike Malott in the Canadian’s home country at UFC Edmonton on Saturday. Malott landed a knee in the second round and followed with a punch before the referee stopped the bout. Despite the setback, “New Mansa” remains optimistic about his future.

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Joaquin Buckley plans to document his rebuild after Mike Malott's UFC Edmonton knockout Buckley won six straight fights before his current skid. He now plans to livestream his efforts to rebuild, inviting fans to follow the process.

“Right now, we rebuilding and I want y’all to see the process, not just the results,” Buckley wrote in the caption of his postfight Instagram post. “The highs, the lows, and everything it takes to become who God called me to be.”

In the accompanying video, Buckley said he wants to share his training and introduce fans to his team.

“I realize tha…

Farid Basharat is pushing back against suggestions that he was difficult to work with.

Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO Dana White addressed Basharat’s departure after UFC Edmonton. White suggested there were reasons beyond the unbeaten bantamweight’s results for the decision not to renew his contract, prompting a response.

Farid Basharat denies refusing UFC fights, cites Victor Hugo weight miss and torn MCL The UFC did not offer Basharat (16-0) a new contract despite his 7-0 promotional record. After White raised difficulties with matchmakers and declined fights as possible reasons for such departures, “Ferocious” reiterated that he had never turned down an opponent and cited instances in which he competed under unfavorable circumstances.

Basharat pointed to his victory over Victor Hugo, who weighed 145.5 pounds for their originally scheduled bantamweight bout in 2024 — 9.5 pounds above the non-title limit. He also said he competed with a torn medial collateral lig…

ALL THE ANGLES 😮‍💨 @Michael_Malott timed the knee perfectly to close out #UFCEdmonton! https://t.co/8CCXwMUYVb

— UFC (@ufc) October 18, 2026 The Ultimate Fighting Championship's latest trip to Canada saw four fighters earn $100,000 performance bonuses.

In a no-brainer, UFC Edmonton main event winner Mike Malott earned a performance bonus. A well-timed knee knocked Joaquin Buckley out cold and made it an instant knockout-of-the-year contender. It also gave the Canadian his biggest career win. With the win, Malott (15-2-1) has now won five straight inside the UFC.

Two other main card winners also earned bonuses. First off was Mandel Nallo, who wrecked UFC veteran Nate Landwehr. "Mango" won via TKO in the second round after a brutal leg kick and punches. Additionally, Marc-Andre Barriault showed his toughness by knocking out Kyle Daukaus with elbows. The victory breaks a two-fight losing streak for Barriault.

Finally, Joel Faglier took…

CANADA HAS A TOP 10 WELTERWEIGHT 🇨🇦 Mike Malott gets the HUGE knockout in R2 tonight! [ #UFCEdmonton | LIVE on @ParamountPlus ] https://t.co/a0d0cFeCOv

— UFC on Paramount+ (@UFConParamount) October 18, 2026

Mike Malott’s patience paid off as he knocked out Joaquin Buckley in the main event of UFC Edmonton at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, on Saturday night.

Buckley refused to touch gloves before the fight, setting the tone for a tense opening round. Neither man committed to sustained offense early, but the pace increased in the second, when Malott found the decisive strike.Mike Malott knocks out Joaquin Buckley with second-round knee at UFC Edmonton Malott (15-2-1) brought the crowd to its feet with a knee to Buckley’s jaw midway through the second round, sending the American’s mouthpiece flying. Buckley fell face-first to the canvas, and Malott followed with a punch before the stoppage at 2:32. Buckley dropped to 21-9, while Malott st…

Sherdog's live UFC Edmonton coverage will begin Saturday at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT. The event is also known as UFC Fight Night 291. Round 1 Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Mike Sloan scores the round:

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Round 2 Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Mike Sloan scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Mike Sloan scores the round: The Official Result Round 1 Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Mike Sloan scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Mike Sloan scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Mike Sloan scores the round:The Official Result Round 1 Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Mike Sloan scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores B…

[embedded content] The Ultimate Fighting Championship's return to Canada is now official following the UFC Edmonton weigh-ins.

The middleweight main event will see Joaquin Buckley and Mike Malott clash over five rounds. Ever the professionals, both men had no issue making weight. The same can be said for the rest of the 13-match card, as all 26 fighters hit their marks.

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Buckley (21-8) looks to defend his top 10 ranking inside the promotion. "New Mansa" has struggled recently, with back-to-back defeats to Kamaru Usman and Sean Brady derailing his title shot hopes. The 32-year-old will try to get back on track against the Canadian and weighed 170.5 pounds for his third UFC main event.

Meanwhile, Malott (14-2-1) is looking to earn the biggest win of his career in his second UFC headline bout. "Proper" is on a four-fight win streak that includes a TKO victory over Gilbert Burns. At 34, it's now or never for the Team Alpha Male fighter to make a run. M…

Dakota Ditcheva and Jena Bishop face off in the SmartCage after the PFL Women's Flyweight World Championship 🍿 #PFLChicago | Main Card LIVE NOW on ESPN 2 https://t.co/ysS4fjjyVX

— PFL (@PFLMMA) October 17, 2026

In August 2025 at the Professional Fighters League World Tournament Finals, Jena Bishop was stopped by Liz Carmouche in the third round. Since then, she has maintained that the stoppage was premature and vowed to avenge the loss.

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In the main event of Friday’s PFL Chicago 2 at Wintrust Arena, Bishop did just that. She survived a punishing opening round and outlasted Carmouche (26-9) in a back-and-forth battle to capture the vacant PFL women’s flyweight championship.Jena Bishop avenges Liz Carmouche loss with 48-47 decision at PFL Chicago 2 Carmouche rocked Bishop with punches in the first and dominated the rest of the round with ground-and-pound, earning 10-8 scores from all three unofficial Sherdog scorers. Bu…

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

A flyweight title fight headlines PFL Chicago: Tune in on Friday, Oct. 16 at 11 p.m. ET on ESPN 2.

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Round 1 Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:Sean Sheehan scores the round:Mike Sloan scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:Sean Sheehan scores the round:Mike Sloan scores the round: Round 3 Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:Sean Sheehan scores the round:Mike Sloan scores the round:The Official Result Round 1 Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:Sean Sheehan scores the round:Mike Sloan scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:Sean Sheehan scores the round:Mike Sloan scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:Sean Sheehan scores the round:Mike Sloan scores the round:The Official Result Round 1 Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:Sean Sheehan scores the round:Mike Sl…

Mike Malott has reflected on his career ahead of his Ultimate Fighting Championship main event against Joaquin Buckley.

Malott recalled repeatedly being told while growing up that becoming a UFC fighter was an unrealistic dream. Ahead of UFC Edmonton, he says the headlining opportunity serves as a reminder of how far he has come.

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Mike Malott reflects on childhood doubts ahead of Joaquin Buckley fight at UFC Edmonton Malott headlined a UFC event for the first time earlier this year, defeating Gilbert Burns at UFC Winnipeg in April. He is set for his second headliner, facing Buckley at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, on Oct. 17.

He recalled being smaller than most of his peers and facing skepticism when he spoke about his UFC ambitions.

“It’s probably kind of odd for people who knew me growing up to see this,” Malott said in a pre-fight interview. “I was kind of the runt of my year as, you know, smaller than like almost every other kid gro…

Ivan Gnizditskiy has secured an Ultimate Fighting Championship contract despite missing his scheduled appearance on Dana White’s Contender Series.Ivan Gnizditskiy signs UFC deal after visa issues derail Contender Series appearance The unbeaten Russian light heavyweight’s manager, Ali Askarov of Crown Sports Management, confirmed the signing to MMA Junkie. Gnizditskiy (7-0) is expected to make his promotional debut in December.

Gnizditskiy was scheduled to face Nell Ariano (6-1) on DWCS Season 10 but withdrew because of visa issues. The 30-year-old has since signed directly with the UFC.

Gnizditskiy has finished all seven of his professional victories, six by knockout or technical knockout and one by submission. He competed twice in One Championship in 2025 before stopping Tursunbek Sodikov in his most recent bout in March.

Charles Oliveira believes Carlos Prates has the tools to dethrone Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight titleholder Islam Makhachev.

Prates is expected to challenge for the 170-pound championship next year. Oliveira, who has fought Makhachev, believes Prates’ knockout power and openings exposed by Ian Garry bode well for “The Nightmare.”

Charles Oliveira believes Carlos Prates can exploit Islam Makhachev's openings with kicks and knockout power Makhachev went the distance against Garry in his first welterweight title defense, with the Irishman enjoying moments of success against the Russian. Oliveira, who trains alongside Garry, believes Prates can capitalize on vulnerabilities revealed during the champion’s last fight.

“I think Garry showed Prates the blueprint,” Oliveira told Sherdog. “I usually say these matchups will be close, but this time, I believe Prates has a real chance to win. Beyond being a sniper, he possesses knockout power and is a black belt in ji…

Raoni Barcelos and Raul Rosas Jr. have reunited in Las Vegas following their Ultimate Fighting Championship main event.

The two bantamweights recently crossed paths and posed for a photo together. Barcelos remains in Las Vegas undergoing medical tests to determine what caused him to lose consciousness during his stoppage loss to Rosas Jr. at UFC Vegas 121 last month.

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Raul Rosas Jr. shares message of respect as Raoni Barcelos continues medical tests after UFC Vegas 121 Barcelos was ahead on the judges’ scorecards entering the fifth round before losing consciousness during a wrestling exchange. Referee Herb Dean stopped the bout, and Rosas Jr. was awarded a technical knockout victory, snapping Barcelos’ five-fight winning streak.

The Brazilian veteran was transported to a hospital for evaluation after being removed from the Octagon on a stretcher. The UFC subsequently confirmed that he was stable, alert and responsive. The 39-year-old later reassure…

Ki MMA is considering adopting elements of Pride’s rules as the new promotion looks to distinguish itself from other mixed martial arts organizations.

Rich Chou, the promotion’s executive vice president of athlete relations, discussed the possibility on “Bowks Talking Bouts,” saying officials are exploring ways to make competition more exciting for fighters and fans.

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Rich Chou discusses Pride-inspired rules for Ki MMA's 32-fighter featherweight Grand Prix Chou said Ki MMA is examining existing rule sets alongside other ideas as it develops its approach to competition.

“That is in the discussion,” Chou said. “We’ve said Pride quite a bit. Yeah, who didn’t love Pride, right? Some of my favorite fights, some of the greatest fights in the history of the sport. There really was no greater spectacle for MMA and for us, it was the same kind of adoration and love for K1 on the kickboxing side. We’re looking at all those options and then some. Some that I t…

Manel Kape views Joshua Van as an easy matchup.

Kape is a leading contender for a title shot against the Ultimate Fighting Championship flyweight champion. “Starboy” is confident he would dominate Van, claiming he has beaten tougher opponents than the reigning 125-pound titleholder.

Manel Kape predicts Joshua Van will be too slow, citing Anderson Silva's knockout of Forrest Griffin In a recent interview with Daniel Cormier, Kape said he would have a speed advantage against Van. He predicted their bout would resemble Anderson Silva’s first-round knockout victory over Forrest Griffin at UFC 101.

“I know the power that I possess, I know the skill I possess,” Kape said. “When I say this fight is going to be too easy, it's going to be too easy. He's going to be very slow. The way he throws punches is going to be slow to me. This fight is going to be like Anderson Silva against Forrest Griffin. I apologize: I love Forrest Griffin, but it's going to be like this. That's the f…

Valter Walker has escalated his war of words with Alex Pereira.

Walker has responded to the former Ultimate Fighting Championship two-division titleholder’s sparring offer. Pereira is scheduled to fight Walker’s Gor MMA teammate Sergei Pavlovich next.

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Valter Walker asks Alex Pereira for a Las Vegas ticket after foot-submission wager Walker previously predicted that Pavlovich would knock out Pereira when they meet at UFC 335 in Las Vegas on Dec. 12. Pereira subsequently challenged Walker to spar and offered to pay him the equivalent of Walker’s last fight purse if he could submit Pereira.

In an Instagram video alongside his coach, Gor Azizyan, Walker questioned whether Pereira had followed through on his offer to arrange travel to Las Vegas.

“Poatan, I’m still waiting for that ticket,” Walker said. “Buy it, and I’ll head straight to Las Vegas to get a hold of your foot. If you don’t want me grabbing your foot at the Performance Institute, no p…

Farid Basharat has addressed his departure from the Ultimate Fighting Championship in a statement on social media.

Basharat (16-0) completed his contract with a victory over John Garza in July and wasn’t offered a new deal despite going unbeaten in the promotion. In his statement, Basharat reflected on his UFC tenure and questioned the organization’s direction.

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Farid Basharat says the UFC never offered a new contract after his unbeaten seven-fight run Basharat went 7-0 in the UFC after earning a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series, with six of those victories coming by decision. He confirmed his departure on Instagram, saying he competed under unfavorable circumstances and never declined a fight.

“The news is confirmed, I am no longer with the UFC,” Basharat wrote on Instagram. “I’ve had an incredibly successful time in the organization. I’m proud and happy with what I’ve accomplished inside the Octagon. I leave with a stainless record. Hold…

Paulo Costa has renewed his criticism of fighter pay in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

A resurfaced clip shows UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland asking former light heavyweight champion Quinton "Rampage" Jackson about his biggest UFC payday. Jackson said he earned $7 million, including pay-per-view compensation, for fighting Chuck Liddell. Costa contrasted that figure with his estimate of what a current UFC fighter earns.

Paulo Costa compares Rampage Jackson's claimed $7 million payday with estimated Raoni Barcelos earnings Jackson attributed the payday to a contract he signed with World Fighting Alliance, where he said his manager also had a promotional role. According to Jackson, the deal included lucrative pay-per-view terms that the UFC inherited when its parent company acquired WFA assets in December 2006.

“$7 million, Chuck Liddell, that was pay-per-view, though,” Jackson told Strickland. “I left Pride. My manager, he became like the manager of the …

Henry Cejudo believes Alex Pereira needs more heavyweight victories before challenging for another Ultimate Fighting Championship title.

Pereira is scheduled to face Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 335 on Dec. 12 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. However, he believes he deserved a title rematch against Ciryl Gane, who will instead defend his heavyweight championship against Josh Hokit at UFC 334 on Nov. 14 at Madison Square Garden in New York.

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Henry Cejudo wants Alex Pereira to win two or three heavyweight fights before another UFC title shot Cejudo believes Pereira (13-4) received preferential treatment in reaching title contention in two divisions. “Triple C” pointed to Pereira’s opportunity to fight Gane for the interim heavyweight championship in his divisional debut at UFC Freedom 250. He argues that Pereira must now build a winning record at heavyweight before receiving another title shot.

“It’s a part of him being spoiled too,” Cejudo said on the “Po…

Henry Cejudo doesn’t want families to be involved in his ongoing feud with Brendan Allen.

Cejudo and Allen are both married to Brazilians. However, the former Ultimate Fighting Championship two-division titleholder has previously criticized Allen for representing Brazil in the Octagon. Cejudo also slammed Allen for playing it safe when asked about fighter pay, leading the latter to label the former’s podcast “trash.” Their wives are now seemingly involved in the back-and-forth.

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Henry Cejudo says Brendan Allen’s wife sent ‘nasty’ messages to his wife After Sean Strickland’s latest outburst about UFC fighter pay, Allen was asked about the same after his win over Christian Leroy Duncan at UFC Vegas 122. Allen opted against criticizing the promotion, drawing a strong response from Cejudo, who now claims the UFC middleweight’s wife has gotten involved in the feud.

Cejudo claims his wife received a “nasty” message from Allen’s wife. The Olympic gold med…

Kayla Harrison says she probably would not have returned to competition without the opportunity to face Amanda Nunes.

Harrison is scheduled to defend her Ultimate Fighting Championship women’s bantamweight title against Nunes at UFC 334 on Nov. 14 at Madison Square Garden in New York. Harrison, who goes to great lengths to reach the 135-pound championship limit, says the matchup makes the weight cut worthwhile.

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Kayla Harrison prepares to defend UFC bantamweight title against Amanda Nunes after neck surgery Nunes is widely regarded as the greatest female mixed martial artist of all time. Harrison said she might not have fought again if Nunes were not her opponent.

"I mean, just to be honest, yeah,” Harrison told Ariel Helwani when asked if the Nunes fight is the only reason she’s returning to action.

Harrison (19-1) won two Professional Fighters League lightweight championships before joining the UFC in 2024. She submitted Julianna Pena to wi…

Raoni Barcelos says medical testing has yet to determine why he lost consciousness during his Ultimate Fighting Championship headliner against Raul Rosas Jr.

Barcelos faced Rosas Jr. in the main event of UFC Vegas 121 last month. The Brazilian led on the judges’ scorecards entering the fifth round but lost consciousness during a grappling exchange against the fence. Rosas Jr. was awarded a technical knockout victory, and the 39-year-old Barcelos was transported to a Level 1 trauma center.

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Raoni Barcelos undergoes medical tests after losing consciousness against Raul Rosas Jr. at UFC Vegas 121 Barcelos said he is undergoing tests in Las Vegas to determine what happened. He hopes to continue fighting but has not ruled out retirement.

“Unfortunately, we don’t know what happened,” Barcelos told MMA Fighting. “It was a sudden illness. I fell ill and I felt my whole body really starting to go numb. After that, I don’t remember anything. I only remember …

It’s never a boring day on fight week

Get a behind the scenes look to the PFL Chicago Weigh Ins from today ⚖️

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PFL Official Weigh Ins | B2YB @gorillaenergy #PFLChicago | Friday, October 16th | Early Card 6PM EST on ESPN App | Main Card 11 PM EST on ESPN 2 pic.twitter.com/j6vf4ZiQlt — PFL (@PFLMMA) October 15, 2026 The Professional Fighters League’s women’s flyweight title will be on the line following the PFL Chicago weigh-in.

Both reigning champion Liz Carmouche and top contender Jena Bishop made weight without fail for their upcoming title fight. It’s a rematch of last year’s championship fight that saw Carmouche notch a knockout victory in the third round. All 13 fights on the card are set after all fighters hit their official marks.

Carmouche (26-8) is a legend of women’s mixed martial arts and hasn’t tasted defeat since Taila Santos beat her in 2024. Prior to the rematch, “Girl-Rilla” won a one-sided unani…