Category: Boxing / UFC / MMA

Beneil Dariush thinks the only way to beat UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev is on the feet. Makhachev (26-1 MMA, 15-1 UFC) defends his title in a rematch against Arman Tsarukyan (22-3 MMA, 9-2 UFC) Jan. 18 in the UFC 311 main event from Intuit Dome…

The old adage says "Time flies when you're having fun." And somehow, it's already been a decade since one of the UFC's breakout years – 2015. The year featured all kinds of big news. That year, long-reigning champs like Ronda Rousey, Jon Jones and Chris…

If ever there was a time when it might have been easy to hand out a bunch of extra bonuses, it was UFC 218. The show in Detroit in December 2018 featured nine finishes in 13 fights – including six of eight on the prelims. But when it came time for…

Friday marks the 10-year anniversary of one of the most important main events in UFC history – and also the anniversary of a fight card that was rife with all kinds of issues. Then-light heavyweight champion Jon Jones headlined UFC 182 against arch rival Daniel…

With another action-packed year of MMA in the books, MMA Junkie takes a look at the best fights from January to December 2024.

The oddsmakers will set a line for almost anything if given a chance. So let's say hypothetically they were asked to give odds for UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones on the basketball court at Madison Square Garden. He gets four shots from 3-point range, and all he has to do…

(This story was updated to add new information.) The new Global Fight League will hold its inaugural draft Friday, and more than 75 female fighters are eligible and on the list. The GFL will be a team-based promotion that kicks off in April. Teams will be made up of…

Not a single media member agreed with the scorecards for Rinat Fakhretdinov vs. Carlos Leal. At UFC 308 this past October, Fakhretdinov (23-1-1 MMA, 5-0-1 UFC) picked up a controversial unanimous decision win over Leal (21-6 MMA, 0-1 UFC) in the first fight of the night. Every…

Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez is the latest big name to be snatched up by the fledgling Global Fight League. But Velasquez won't be fighting. The 42-year-old will serve as a manager in the team-based league, the GFL said Friday in a news release.…

Mansur-Abdul Malik and Antonio Trocoli will throw down in Seattle. At UFC Fight Night 252 on Feb. 22, the two middleweights will collide at Climate Pledge Arena. Two people with knowledge of the matchup recently informed MMA Junkie of the booking but asked to…

Jeremy Stephens thinks he's found a home in BKFC, and is ready to prove he's a top dog in that promotion against Eddie Alvarez. Stephens is set to take on Alvarez in the main event of BKFC: KnuckleMania 5 on Jan. 25 at Wells Fargo Arena in Philadelphia, Penn.…

Youssef Zalal had no idea how good Ilia Topuria was when he welcomed him to the UFC. Zalal (16-5-1 MMA, 6-3-1 UFC) was scheduled to face Seung-Woo Choi in October 2020, but Choi was forced out just 10 days' out from the fight. Topuria stepped in to face Zalal, but "The…

Daniel Cormier thinks the stage is set for an Ilia Topuria takeover in the UFC this year. Topuria (16-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) had an unforgettable 2024 in knocking out Alexander Volkanovski to claim the featherweight title in February before knocking out Max Holloway in

The Fighting Nerds became the cool kids in 2024. No MMA team turned heads more than the Nerds over the past 12 months as they exploded into the UFC rankings with impactful wins spread across their professional team. Led by coaches Pablo Sucupira, Flavio Alvaro…

After it was reported Thursday that a potential plan was in place if Julianna Peña can't fight soon, a new hat has been thrown into the proverbial ring. Manager Ali Abdelaziz told MMA Junkie that an interim women's bantamweight title may be on the table soon if Peña (11-5 MMA,