Islam Makhachev is considered by most, except UFC CEO Dana White, as the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter on the planet. Yet, despite his accolades and praise, Arman Tsarukyan finds Makhachev to be a bit overrated. That's right, Tsarukyan (22-3 MMA, 9-2 UFC),…
Jim Miller still struggles with one condition 45 fights into UFC career
Even though he's made the UFC walk nearly 50 times, Jim Miller still struggles with something that may come as a surprise. Sometimes, the 41-year-old lightweight said, he doesn't think he should be making the kinds of demands about his fighting career that get made by…
Oleksandr Usyk defeats Tyson Fury to retain unified heavyweight championship – as it happened
- Usyk defeats Fury by 12-round unanimous decision
- Usyk v Fury II: How the world title fight unfolded
- Britain’s Moses Itauma wins by TKO 1 in co-main event
- Oleksandr Usyk beats Tyson Fury again – in pictures
Our man at ringside checks in as we count down the minutes to the main event:
Moses Itauma is only 19 but the British teenage heavyweight recorded a sensational first-round TKO of a tough and normally durable Aussie, Demsey McKean. His ferocious punching power really lit up the Kingdom Arena and cleared the way for an earlier-than-expected start to the compelling main event. The music has been cranked up and, yep, everything feels much more intense. We’ve got a first real crackle in the previously chilly atmosphere.
Continue reading...UFC Fight Night 253 gets Brandon Royval vs. Manel Kape flyweight contender main event
A new flyweight title contender will likely be determined in March at UFC Fight Night 253 when Brandon Royval meets Manel Kape. The flyweight bout between former title challenger Royval (17-7 MMA, 7-3 UFC) and Kape (20-7 MMA, 5-3 UFC) will headline the event on Mar
Robelis Despaigne hopeful for UFC return if he can improve one thing after release
Robelis Despaigne doesn't think he's done fighting for the UFC. Despite getting released from the Las-Vegas based promotion in October, the Olympic bronze medalist in karate is determined, and confident, he'll once again find himself fighting inside the octagon. Despaigne…
New combat video game star – and an NPC! – born from crazy karate kick caught on cam
Rashad Eugene had a killer karate resume already, but now the phone's really probably going to ring. Eugene posted a video to social media that was picked up by ESPN MMA that shows an utterly insane flip kick that landed on a karate opponent and took him out. It's the kind…
Ian Heinisch details how brain injuries forced UFC retirement
LAS VEGAS – Ian Heinisch remained silent, until he couldn't take it anymore. He just wanted to feel normal, a state he hadn't been in for a year and a half. In July 2023, Heinisch (14-5 MMA, 3-4 UFC) announced an indefinite break from MMA, something he now…
Changing of the guard: Every new UFC champion crowned in 2024
UFC title fights throughout 2024 were filled with dramatic moments, exciting finishes and huge upsets. Titles change
Photos: Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury 2 weigh-ins
Check out these photos from the official weigh-ins for Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury 2 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photos by Richard Pelham, Getty Images)
Video: UFC vet Rafael Alves lands sick kicks at Karate Combat, then pops the question
It's been quite the solid run for Rafael Alves since he exited the UFC. After a 1-3 run in the promotion, Brazil's Alves found himself outside the UFC a little less than a couple years ago. But 2024 has been a good year: Alves went 3-0 under the Karate Combat banner.…
MMA Junkie’s Submission of the Month for December: Alexandre Pantoja strangles Kai Asakura
With another action-packed month of MMA in the books, MMA Junkie looks at the best submissions from December 2024: Here are the five nominees, listed in chronological o
‘XtremeYogurt.com’ on the ass: See Hendo’s KO of Bisping at UFC 100 from a new angle
Some of the UFC's most legendary finishes look a little different from other angles. The vast majority of MMA fans have seen Dan Henderson's UFC 100 knockout of Michael Bisping, which came with an extra shot for good measure. But from the opposite side of the…
Defying the odds: The 10 biggest MMA betting upsets of 2024
Who doesn’t love a good upset? In 2024, MMA saw its fair share of underdogs who defied the odds in the UFC, PFL an
Tyson Fury outweighs Oleksandr Usyk by massive amount ahead of boxing rematch
The impending heavyweight boxing title rematch will have a large differential in weight. Ahead of their rematch Saturday, Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury stepped on the scale Friday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
UFC 311’s Grant Dawson hopes to avoid ‘Belal Muhammad route’ to title
Grant Dawson has no issues earning his way to the top of the lightweight division, but if he can avoid the longest possible path to UFC gold, he would certainly take it. Dawson (22-2-1 MMA, 10-1-1 UFC) looks to continue his assent through the division when he takes on Diego Ferre