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

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

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

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

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

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

Though he spoke glowingly about fig…

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

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

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

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

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

Waiting in the wings, Pan…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A native of Costa Rica, Calvo owns a 2…

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

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

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

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

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

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

Gonna have to walk this one off...

— Sean Strickland (@SStricklandMMA) May 13…

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

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

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

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

“…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bably, meanwh…

Khamzat Chimaev doesn’t hold grudges after a fight. 

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

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

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

Kamaru Usman is questioning Khamzat Chimaev’s training strategy. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

— DT (@darrentill2) May 12, 2026

Till developed a close relationship with Chi…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sean O’Malley DOES NOT like his UFC W…

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

Khamzat Chimaev was allegedly promised a fight at light heavyweight. 

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

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

Artur claim…

Sean Strickland recently took a moment to celebrate his championship victory with his teammates.

In a video posted on the Xtreme Couture Instagram account, Strickland brought the belt back to the Las Vegas-based gym and praised his training partners.

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“After every L I’ve got, the fact that I went back and came to the gym is why I have another one of these f—ers,” Strickland said.

“That being said, as always, I want to thank you guys. I’m pretty f----ed up; I’m going to take a few weeks off. But I wouldn’t be here without you guys, seriously. F----ing, all the coaches, would not be here without you. So, it’s not just my belt, it’s our belt. Thank you.”

Strickland upset Khamzat Chimaev via split decision in the UFC 328 headliner this past weekend to capture the middleweight crown. It’s the second championship win for Strickland, who initially shocked the world by ending Israel Adesanya’s championship reign at UFC 293 in September 2023.

Love A…

Ariane Lipski da Silva bested Sumiko Inaba in her PFL debut. | PFL MMA

Ariane Lipski da Silva has a date and venue for her second Professional Fighters League appearance.

The UFC veteran and former KSW champion will lock horns with Jena Bishop in a flyweight contest at PFL San Diego on June 27. The promotion confirmed the pairing following an initial report from MMAFighting.com. PFL San Diego takes place at Pechanga Arena in San Diego and is headlined by a featherweight showdown between A.J. McKee and Salamat Isbulaev.

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

Lipski ended a three-bout losing streak in her promotional debut, as she outpointed Sumiko Inaba at PFL Pittsburgh on March 28. The 32-year-old Brazilian went 6-8 over the course of a UFC tenure that began in 2019.

Bishop, meanwhile, has been victorious in three of he…

Khamzat Chimaev will make his first Real American Freestyle foray a little more than a month after losing the UFC middleweight belt.

The wrestling promotion on Tuesday announced that Chimaev will face Dillon Danis in a catchweight match in the RAF 10 headliner on June 13 at Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis. The card will stream via Fox Nation.

Chimaev suffered his first professional MMA defeat in the UFC 328 headliner, where he dropped a split decision to Sean Strickland on May 9 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. “Borz” has been known for dominating foes with his wrestling and grappling throughout his UFC tenure, but he struggled somewhat in that regard against Strickland. While the Chechen star was initially expected to move up to 205 pounds after UFC 328, his team recently revealed that he was obsessed with securing an immediate rematch against Strickland in the Octagon.

Danis initially gained notoriety as a training partner of Conor McGregor with a …

Bellator vet Christian Edwards will make his UFC debut on Saturday. | Bellator MMA/Lucas Noonan

The UFC Vegas 117 bill has undergone some more changes ahead of Saturday’s event.

The promotion announced on Tuesday that Rodolfo Bellato has been “removed” from a proposed light heavyweight clash against Modestas Bukauskas. As a result, Christian Edwards will step in and face Bukauskas in a 215-pound catchweight affair.

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Down One Fight Additionally, Nicolas Dalby has been pulled from a welterweight matchup with Jeremiah Wells, and that bout has been canceled. Those changes are in addition to a previously reported change that saw Artur Miniev replace Thomas Gantt in a lightweight contest.

UFC Vegas 117 — also known as UFC Fight Night 276 — takes place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas and is headlined by a featherweight scrap between Arnold Allen and Melquizael Costa. The event airs in its entirety on Paramount+ beginning at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT.…

Khamzat Chimaev wants another shot at Sean Strickland. | Getty/UFC

Khamzat Chimaev may not be headed to the light heavyweight division just yet.

A statement from Chimaev’s team provided to ESPN on Tuesday revealed that the Chechen standout is instead focused on a return date with Sean Strickland. Entering UFC 328 as a heavy favorite, “Borz” relinquished his middleweight crown to Strickland in a surprising split-decision defeat.

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"The rematch with Sean Strickland is the only fight that Khamzat wants, he is obsessed with it," the statement read. "That's the only fight he will accept right now.”

That’s a shift from what UFC CEO Dana White indicated shortly after Saturday’s main event at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. At the post-fight press conference, White revealed that Chimaev told him that UFC 328 was his last bout at 185 pounds. However, Chimaev also tweeted “See you soon again” to Strickland, perhaps hinting that he …