Issue 213
January 2025
Ray Klerck jumps into the Fighters Only wayback-when machine to recap the best of mixed martial arts in December 2024.
Sean O'Malley Outlines Title Plans For His Return Midway Through 2025
Jan 05, 2025
The former UFC bantamweight champion Sean O'Malley is planning to take some time off before he makes his return to the Octagon later on in 2025.
"Suga" recently outlined his plans during a trip over to Japan to celebrate the end of 2024 in style.
O'Malley made an appearance at the huge RIZIN "Decade" card that closed out the year with a massive night of fights, as has become tradition.
The 30-year old hasn't fought since last September when in the main event of UFC 306 at the Sphere, he was defeated by Merab Dvalishvili.
Both men were seemingly pushing for a rematch but the UFC decided to go down a different route which the defending champion eventually agreed to.
At UFC 311 later this month, Dvalishvili will put the 135-pound title on the line against the undefeated challenger, Umar Nurmagomedov.
During O'Malley's time in Japan, he spoke about his plans for the future and how it will change depending on what happens at the Intuit Dome on January 18.
He told RIZIN TV that though he would ideally like to face Dvalishvili again to try and get some revenge, his target is the title and whoever is in possession of it.
“Ideally, Merab beats Umar and I get the rematch,” said O’Malley. “But if Umar wins, it’ll be Umar. That’s what I want next is a title fight. “Hopefully mid next year against the winner of that one.”
"Suga" has always been a big star for the promotion but sitting out rarely ends up playing out how you expect it to in combat sports.
This is especially true when you have other top contenders like former champion Petr Yan putting impressive wins together as of late.
Donn Davis Announces That Elbows Are Now Legal In All PFL Fights
Jan 07, 2025
The PFL has announced a major change to the promotion's ruleset that has been called for by the fans for a long time. Elbows are one of the most devastating weapons in the sport and that creates an issue for the PFL's season-based format.
In order to the tournament to progress throughout the year, you need the competitors to be able to make the quick turnarounds that are required as they advance through to the later stages.
Elbows are incredibly effective at opening up cuts which make these turnarounds far more difficult but they're a crucial aspect of the sport when it comes to striking offence.
In 2024, the promotion seemingly listened to some complaints from the fans by allowing elbows in the World Championships when fighters don't need to worry about the next stage of the tournament bracket.
We saw the importance of this specifically in the co-main event of the night where Dakota Ditcheva was able to unleash her entire Muay Thai arsenal to put Taila Santos away in a star-making performance.
They have now gone one step further than that with an announcement from PFL founder Donn Davis which shows that they're listening to the fans even if this change was long overdue.
Davis posted on social media that elbows will now be allowed in every PFL fight, stating that the new year comes with new adjustments.
We will see throughout 2025 how this changes the season format and whether it creates problems with injuries.
However, when it comes to the action taking place inside of the Smart Cage, it is only going to be an improvement now that elbows are being added into the mix permanently.
Henry Cejudo To Headline UFC Seattle Against Song Yadong, Cruz Returns Against Font
Jan 07, 2025
Following reports from multiple sources, it has been confirmed that a huge bantamweight match-up will headline the UFC's long awaited return to Seattle. At the Climate Pledge Arena on February 22, the former UFC flyweight and bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo will make his return to face Song Yadong.
Cejudo stepped back inside the Octagon for the first time in three years at UFC 288 where he challenged Aljamain Sterling for the bantamweight title in 2023.
After coming up short, "Triple C" looked to bounce back against Sterling's teammate at UFC 298 last year where he was beaten by Merab Dvalishvili who would go on to win the 135-pound title last September.
The 37-year old will now look to earn his first win since he successfully defended the bantamweight title in 2020 and the same can be said for his opponent, the #8-ranked Song Yadong who was beaten by Petr Yan last March.
It appeared that the top 15 middleweight rematch between Anthony Hernandez and Brendan Allen would headline the card but the UFC has now officially announced the card from top to bottom though there are some placeholders at this time.
The co-main event was also recently reported as another former bantamweight champion steps back inside the Octagon.
Dominick Cruz hasn't fought since his head kick loss to Marlon Vera in 2022 but in Seattle, he will look to get back in the win column by facing off with the #9-ranked Rob Font who is coming off of a win over Kyler Phillips in October.
Dana White posted the full line-up on social media which shows that Michael Chiesa will get his wish to compete on the card following his submission win over Max Griffin at UFC 310 in December.
Both Chiesa and Chidi Njokuani don't currently have opponents for February 22 but they are set to be in action.
Report: Nathaniel Wood vs. Morgan Charrière Booked For UFC London In March
Jan 09, 2025
The UFC is set to return to the O2 Arena in London on March 22 where some of the finest talent from the UK are set to be in action.
A recent report states that a fascinating featherweight bout has been signed for the card which will feature two former Cage Warriors champions.
England's Nathaniel Wood has become a staple of the Octagon's trips to England since he debuted with the promotion back in 2018.
Some of the best performances from "The Prospect" have taken place in the capital where he trains with GB Top Team.
The former Cage Warriors bantamweight champion has moved up to 145-pounds in recent times where following a loss to Muhammad Naimov, he bounced back by beating Daniel Pineda at UFC 304 in Manchester last July.
Wood recently shared a screenshot on social media of a friendly message exchange between him and his next opponent where they agreed to have a beer after their fight.
The news was reported shortly after by HeadclashMMA on X that the other half of the match-up, which Wood blurred out in his post, is France's Morgan Charrière.
Charrière is a former Cage Warriors featherweight champion who received his long awaited UFC call in September of 2023.
"The Last Pirate" is a big star amongst the French fans and he has produced two wins and finishes inside the Octagon on either side of a split decision loss to Chepe Mariscal.
It's always great to have some UK favourites competing in London but an all-European clash makes it even more exciting.
Both these men are incredibly high-level competitors who could easily put together some serious momentum if everything falls into place for them.
We still have a fair few fights that are yet to be announced for the card but thus far, this one is looking like a spotlight attraction for fight fans all around the world.
Ilia Topuria's Brother Aleksandre Gets Debut Confirmed For UFC 312 In Sydney
Jan 10, 2025
2024 was an absolutely massive year for Ilia Topuria who became the featherweight champion and successfully defended the belt.
Following a star-making run from "El Matador", his brother is now set join him at the highest level of the sport.
Ilia told the media some time ago that his older brother Aleksandre would also be making his way to the UFC at some point in the near future.
"El Cazador" is only 5-1 in his pro career but that's largely due to a six-year gap in his activity between 2015 and 2021.
The 28-year old is also a dangerous finisher and he's proven himself to be a sharp mind in the corner of his sibling.
UFC Espanol recently confirmed the news that has been circulating for a while now that Topuria will make his Octagon debut next month.
"It's OFFICIAL!!! We will have another pair of brothers in the UFC!!! Aleksandre Topuria will debut at UFC 312 in Sydney, Australia on February 8th!!!"
He recently stated that the reason that his UFC debut has taken a while to come together following the announcement that he had signed with the promotion was because he was focused on helping his brother in his huge fights with Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway.
For his highly anticipated debut, Topuria draws Australia's Cody Haddon who appeared on this year's season of Dana White's Contender Series.
After submitting Billy Brand to earn his UFC contract, Haddon earned a debut win inside the Octagon when he defeated Dan Argueta via a unanimous decision last October.
Whilst he is sure to receive support from the home crowd at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, a lot of fans will be tuning in to see whether being an elite fighter runs in the Topuria family.
Dominick Cruz Confirms That Seattle Return Is Expected To Be His Last Dance
Jan 10, 2025
The UFC's long awaited return to Seattle has taken shape this week where a few surprise announcements took place.
In the co-main event at the Climate Pledge Arena, the former UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz will step back inside the Octagon for the first time since August of 2022.
Cruz is considered to be one of the best 135-pounders of all time but injuries have played a major factor in his career.
"The Dominator" has come through many periods of inactivity over the years with his latest run of bouts coming after a four-year hiatus.
Following his loss to Henry Cejudo in 2020, Cruz recorded back-to-back wins over Casey Kenney and Pedro Munhoz before he was stopped by Marlon Vera in the fourth round of their main event clash.
He's now set to compete once again when he takes on Rob Font on February 22 in what Cruz recently admitted will likely be the final fight of his career.
He appeared on ESPN MMA's Good Guy/Bad Guy show with Daniel Cormier and Chael Sonnen where he said that whilst he's still confident in his skill set, his body is ready to lay the gloves down for good:
“For me, it is,” Cruz said. “(It’s) not because of my mentality, not because of my skillset. Yeah, I lost my last fight, but I was in that fight every minute of the fight. When I got finished, I was going for the kill, which got me hurt. It wasn’t one of those situations where I was bowing out of the fight. It was that I was in the fight trying to kill the guy, and I hurt myself, and that led to the finish eventually. I looked at that fight. I go, ‘OK, don’t be too harsh on yourself. This is part of the game. You get hit. You get caught. These things happen.’
“But I was in the fight. I wasn’t slower. I wasn’t looking behind a step. I wasn’t not choosing the good techniques. Those are all things I add to my mindset before moving into this last nine months as well. The skills are still there. It’s just a matter of all the injuries and stuff. Can I keep them together to get through the camp? The camp is the hard part. We all know that. It’s not really the fight.”
Mackenzie Dern Happy To Have Avenged Ribas Loss From 2019, Looks To Continue Building Momentum
Jan 12, 2025
The first UFC event of 2025 is in the books with Mackenzie Dern emerging on top at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Saturday night.
At strawweight, she was set to run it back with the woman who handed her the first defeat of her mixed martial arts career.
Dern was able to avenge her loss to Amanda Ribas six years on from their initial contest by submitting her fellow Brazilian in the third round.
The 31-year old has always been a dangerous submission specialist with excellent jiu-jitsu fundamentals and this proved to be the difference.
"I'm happy, I wanted to get my submission record higher but I'm trying to get better with my striking, trying to get better with my takedowns," Dern told Michael Bisping in her post-fight interview. "We were able to get some takedowns, she's such a tough fighter. Her judo too so it's not good to be on my back so lots of stuff to get better but from five years ago, to get this win was heavy on me so I'm happy to get that off and to get two wins in a row."
The victor was joined in the Octagon by her young daughter who rated her mother's performance as "good".
Dern is currently ranked as the #6-ranked contender at strawweight but with the title set to be defended next month at UFC 312, she doesn't have a next opponent in mind.
"I just want to get another win in a row so I don't know who that will be. I would hope someone in front but I've fought almost everyone in the front. The only one I think is Tatiana and she's going for the belt so I don't know, we'll see."
Former Champion Holly Holm Parts Ways With The UFC After Being Granted Her Release
Jan 14, 2025
Former UFC bantamweight champion Holly Holm has parted ways with the UFC after requesting her release from the promotion.
Having debuted with the UFC a decade ago in 2015, she racked up 16 fights inside the Octagon as a staple of the 135-pound division.
After the news was initially reported by Yahoo Sports, MMA Fighting confirmed with Holm's manager Lenny Fresquez that she had been granted her release.
"The Preacher's Daughter" is coming off of a loss to Kayla Harrison at UFC 300 last April where the former PFL star submitted her in the second round.
The Jackson Wink fighter and International Boxing Hall of Fame fighter is 3-3 with one no contest in her latest outings.
Whilst it remains unclear where Holm will go next as a free agent, she has left behind an impressive legacy in the UFC.
She holds wins over the likes of Irene Aldana, Raquel Pennington and Bethe Correira but nothing will ever top the head kick heard around the world.
At UFC 193 in November of 2015, Holm became the first person to defeat Ronda Rousey when she knocked out the bantamweight champion with a stunning head kick in front of a massive crowd at the Etihad Stadium in Melbourne, Australia.
After losing the title to Miesha Tate in another iconic fight, Holm would compete in three more title fights having faced Germaine de Randamie for the inaugural women's featherweight title before challenging two of the all-time greats in Cris Cyborg and Amanda Nunes.
Whilst the peak moment of her career may have come in just her third fight with the promotion, the 43-year old won't be forgotten in a hurry having achieved a great career in both boxing and mixed martial arts.
"Bellator Is Dead" - PFL Undergoes Major Reshuffle Before Kicking Off 2025
Jan 14, 2025
The PFL is implementing some major changes to the way that they promote fights in 2025 and the biggest aspect of that is the future of Bellator.
After PFL acquired the promotion back in 2023, the Bellator brand has now come to an end after being founded in 2008.
Bellator continued to be an active product throughout 2024 via the Bellator Champions Series but there were clearly some adjustments that needed to be made heading into this year.
From now on, the former promotion will instead be known as the "PFL Champions Series" with title fights taking place on these events for PFL divisional titles, as Ariel Helwani outlined on a recent episode of The Ariel Helwani Show:
"Right now I can tell you, on Monday, Jan. 13, at 1:20 p.m. Eastern time: Bellator is dead," Helwani said. "Bellator as we know it is no more. Bellator is dead. You will not see Bellator events anymore."
It currently isn't known how these PFL divisional titles will be earned and how that will impact the current Bellator titleholders.
Helwani also announced that as has been recently reported, the promotion's season format with the points system and play-off rounds will also cease to exist in 2025.
PFL will still be holding year-long tournaments but they will instead take place as more conventional Grand Prix style brackets with eight competitors and alternates being ready to step-in if needed.
With all of that being said, it appears that the promotion's first event of the year will feature the final Bellator title fight in the history of the brand with no other announcements thus far.
At the first Road to Dubai card on January 25, the undefeated Bellator lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov will face off with Ireland's Paul Hughes at the Coca-Cola Arena in what will be the end of an era.
Bellator Champion Patrício Pitbull Parts Ways With PFL And Is Now A Free Agent
Jan 15, 2025
Following the news that the Bellator brand is set to cease to exist under the PFL banner, one of the biggest names in the history of the promotion has now parted ways.
Patrício Pitbull has been asking to be released by the PFL for several weeks and following an announcement from Donn Davis, the news is now official.
The PFL founder posted on X that Pitbull has been released from his contract after he has been very outspoken about wanting to fight elsewhere rather than staying on the promotion's roster.
"We are releasing @PatricioPitbull," Davis wrote. "PFL is all about opportunity. I founded this company to create new great opportunities for top fighters. PFL has and will continue to do that for all top fighters who want to be here."
The 37-year old leaves the promotion as the current holder of the Bellator featherweight title having last defended the belt in March last year where he stopped Jeremy Kennedy in the third round.
His brother, Patricky Pitbull, is seemingly still with the promotion after competing in last year's regular season where he was eliminated following back-to-back defeats.
Patrício fought 30 times under the Bellator banner and through multiple title reigns, he became one of the faces of the promotion.
The Brazilian recorded iconic victories over the likes of Daniel Straus, Daniel Weichel, Emmanuel Sanchez, Michael Chandler, Juan Archuleta and Pedro Carvahlo during his second title reign which was arguably his peak in the promotion.
That run came to an end in back-to-back fights with AJ McKee where after being submitted in the first round in their initial encounter, he reclaimed the title by beating McKee in the rematch via a unanimous decision.
The former two-weight champion will be the life-long holder of multiple Bellator records including most fights, most wins, most finishes and most title fights.
Having spoken about wanting to fight in the UFC before he retires, Pitbull tagged the former UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski in a social media post once the news was made official.
Featherweight Champion Harry Hardwick Faces Javier Garcia At CW 186 In London
Jan 15, 2025
Cage Warriors is set to return to London on March 21 as part of the biggest week in UK MMA for 2025.
With the UFC taking place the following night in the same building, we now have our first title fight for CW 186 which goes down on March 21 inside Indigo at the O2.
One of the promotion's stand out fighters throughout 2024 is back for his eighth outing in the iconic yellow gloves.
Featherweight champion Harry Hardwick will be looking to secure the second defence of his title after winning the belt last May.
The older sibling of the Hardwick brothers, who both hold gold in CW, is undefeated in Cage Warriors with his last performance against the dangerous Keweny Lopes in November being the highlight so far.
In the capital, he will face off with American contender Javier Garcia who previously made his Cage Warriors debut at CW 173 in June where he defeated former bantamweight title challenger Roberto Hernandez via a split decision.
"El Mariachi" has had seven of his 17 pro fights under the LFA banner, going 4-2-1 with the promotion before switching promotions.
Garcia's record is fairly unique in that despite the fact that he has seven wins via finish, none of them are by knockout or TKO, meaning that well over half of his wins have come by submission.
He's also never been stopped by strikes himself but does have two submissions losses on his record and three defeats via decision, giving him an overall pro record of 12-5.
As is always the case when you're fighting one of the Hardwick brothers, Garcia will need to be well conditioned in order to deal with the constant pace, pressure and output that they often put on their opponents.
With the UFC in town, you can bet that CW 186 is going to be a card that you cannot afford to miss.
Leon Edwards vs. Jack Della Maddalena Official For UFC London Main Event
Jan 18, 2025
The UFC has announced the full card for the promotion's upcoming return to the O2 Arena in London on March 22.
With that, we have the news that in the main event, Leon Edwards will face Jack Della Maddalena in a pivotal welterweight bout.
The fight was reported some time ago as a targeted headliner for the UK card before being made official by the UFC on the day before UFC 311.
"Rocky" Edwards had previously stated in interviews that he would be returning on this card to fight in the main event.
The former UFC welterweight champion hasn't competed since UFC 304 last July where he lost his title to Belal Muhammad in Manchester.
Before this setback on home turf, the 33-year old was unbeaten in 13 consecutive outings inside the Octagon.
Now we will see how he rebounds as he takes on one of the division's most exciting rising contenders.
Della Maddalena is one of the few top welterweights that Edwards is yet to cross paths with having really emerged in the past few years, not to mention the fact that they're both signed to the same management group.
Since arriving in the UFC via the Contender Series back in 2021, the Aussie has won seven fights in a row at 170-pounds.
The 28-year old has picked up five performances bonuses along the way with wins over the likes of Gilbert Burns, Kevin Holland and Randy Brown.
Della Maddalena hasn't fought since his win over Burns at UFC 299 last March after dealing with some injuries.
With both men being in the top 5 rankings at welterweight, the fight has huge stakes hanging over it.
A win over a former champion will surely cement Della Maddalena as being worthy of a title shot whilst for Edwards, halting his opponent's winning streak would be a statement win that he is here to stay.
UFC 311 Results: Champs Retain On A Classic Main Card In Los Angeles
Jan 19, 2025
UFC 311 may have needed to clear some unexpected hurdles on fight week but when the athletes stepped inside the Octagon, the first PPV card of 2025 set a high bar.
The main card in particular, which saw both champions retain their titles, will be incredibly hard to top throughout the rest of the year with highlight reel finishes, incredible performances and two back-to-back barnburners.
Islam Makhachev continued his dominant winning streak at lightweight in the main event by making short work of his replacement opponent, Renato Moicano.
The Brazilian stepped up to replace Arman Tsarukyan on Friday but had his night cut short once the fight hit the floor and the champ locked up his signature D'Arce choke.
Makhachev's teammate Umar Nurmagomedov suffered his first loss in the co-main event following an instant classic title fight with Merab Dvalishvili.
Despite the challenger starting incredibly well, the insane cardio and output from the champion eventually started to take over the fight which won him the last three rounds.
Former light heavyweight champions Jiří Procházka and Jamahal Hill also put on a remarkable contest which saw both men have success on the feet.
In typical fashion, Procházka was able to keep sustain any damage that he took and keep hunting for the finish which he found in the third round.
The main card opened with consecutive first-round finishes from grappling specialists Jailton Almeida and Reinier de Ridder with the Brazilian earning a performance bonus for getting Serghei Spivac out of there.
The prelims had some big performances from the likes of Raoni Barcelos, Grant Dawson and the debuting Azamat Bekoev but the energy really picked up during the main card where the Intuit Dome really announced itself as one of the most exciting destinations for live sports.
Check out the full results listed below:
Main Card:
Islam Makhachev defeats Renato Moicano by submission (D’Arce choke) at 4:05 of Round 1
Merab Dvalishvili defeats Umar Nurmagomedov by unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 49-46)
Jiří Procházka defeats Jamahal Hill by TKO (strikes) at 3:01 of Round 3
Jailton Almeida defeats Serghei Spivac by TKO (strikes) at 4:53 of Round 1
Reinier de Ridder defeats Kevin Holland by submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:31 of Round 1
Prelims:
Raoni Barcelos defeats Payton Talbott by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)
Azamat Bekoev defeats Zachary Reese by KO (strikes) at 3:04 of Round 1
Bogdan Guskov defeats Billy.Elekana by submission (guillotine choke) at 3:33 of Round 2
Grant Dawson defeats Diego Ferreira by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Fight Pass Prelims:
Ailin Perez defeats Karol Rosa by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Muin Gafurov defeats Rinya Nakamura by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Benardo Sopaj defeats Ricky Turcios by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Tagir Ulanbekov defeats Clayton Carpenter by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Pereira vs. Ankalaev & Gaethje vs. Hooker Headline UFC 313 In Las Vegas
Jan 19, 2025
During the broadcast for UFC 311 on Saturday night, the promotion officially announced the top two fights for the promotion's March return to the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Topping the bill will be one of the biggest stars in the sport as Alex Pereira defends the light heavyweight title against Magomed Ankalaev.
"Poatan" had an incredible 2024 which saw him defend the title with three consecutive knockout wins which have only increased his profile.
However, throughout the past year, Russia's Ankalaev was a consistent talking point regarding the 205-pound title picture with many believing that he will be the toughest test for Pereira in the weight class.
Whilst there is a no contest and draw result in there, the Dagestani fighter is unbeaten since his UFC debut back in 2018, meaning that he hasn't tasted defeat in 13 Octagon appearances.
In 2024, he produced back-to-back wins over Johnny Walker and Aleksandar Rakic to earn himself another shot at claiming UFC gold.
The big question heading into this one is whether Ankalaev will stick to his word and strike with Pereira or whether he looks to test the grappling of the Brazilian.
In the co-main event, two of the biggest fan favourites on the roster will meet for the first time over five rounds in a clash that has fight of the night, if not year, written all over it.
Justin Gaethje makes his return to the Octagon following nearly a full year out when he takes on Dan Hooker in a match-up that somehow hasn't already taken place.
New Zealand's Hooker has been on a bit of a resurgence as of late with a huge victory over Mateusz Gamrot in August giving him a three-fight win streak in the division.
For Gaethje, "The Highlight" had produced consecutive wins over Rafael Fiziev and Dustin Poirier before at UFC 300, he lost the BMF title to Max Holloway in the most iconic bout of 2024.
One of the most all-action contests on paper and one of the most highly anticipated title fights of the year are on deck for Las Vegas and March 8 can't come soon enough.
Craig Piligian Becomes First UFC Hall of Fame 2025 Inductee For Producer Role On The Ultimate Fighter
Jan 21, 2025
During the UFC 311 broadcast, the first announcement was made for the 2025 Hall of Fame inductees.
Craig Piligian was announced to be entering the Contributor Wing for his role in producing The Ultimate Fighter.
Premiering in 2025, the first few seasons of TUF are incredibly important chapters in the history of the promotion.
The debut season in many ways is the moment where the UFC either pulled themselves out of a hole or sunk below being salvageable after they invested large amount of money in one last roll of the dice with the hopes of getting MMA onto free TV via a reality show format.
Without that season, the classic cast and the incredible finale between Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar, who knows where the sport of mixed martial arts would be in 2025.
Piligian served as the executive producer of the show with several other major reality TV projects being linked to his name.
He is credited with creating American Chopper and Dirty Jobs alongside winning an Emmy for his role as a co-producer on Survivor.
Piligian joins the Contributor Wing alongside seven other names which are as follows:
Charles "Mask" Lewis - Founder of Tapout
Jeff Blatnick - Commentator and UFC commissioner
Bob Meyrowitz - UFC co-creator who sold the promotion to Zuffa in 2001
Joe Silva - UFC matchmaker from 1997-2018
Bruce Connal - UFC TV producer from 1997-2018
Art Davie - UFC co-creator, co-owner and matchmaker
Marc Ratner - Former Executive Director for the Nevada State Athletic Commission, current Vice President of Regulatory Affairs of UFC
“Craig Piligian is one of the most influential and respected executives in the history of television,” UFC CEO Dana White said in a press release. “Craig was instrumental in shaping The Ultimate Fighter into one of the most important unscripted television shows in sports and helping make UFC a global phenomenon. It will be an honour to induct him into the UFC Hall of Fame this summer.”
PFL's Road To Dubai Event This Saturday To Air On DAZN For UK & Irish Fans
Jan 22, 2025
The PFL is set to kick off 2025 with a new chapter in the history of the promotion after undergoing several major changes.
Saturday night's Road To Dubai event is the first of those steps and broadcasting details have now been announced for UK and Irish fans that want to tune in with the card airing via DAZN.
At the Coca-Cola Arena on January 25, the promotion will debut in Dubai with their new format that has replaced the Bellator Champions Series which ran throughout 2024.
This event in particular is sure to be of interest to UK & Irish fans in particular though due to the magnitude of the main event, it should generate interest from MMA fans across the board.
Bellator lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov will look to remain undefeated when he takes on Ireland's Paul Hughes.
It has been a busy few weeks for Nurmagomedov and his team following UFC 311 this past weekend where his brother Umar and teammate Islam Makhachev were both involved in title fights at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles.
He now faces a fairly recent addition to the roster in Ireland's Hughes who skyrocketed to the top of the division with a statement victory over AJ McKee last time out.
The card also features the likes of former Bellator light heavyweight champion Vadim Nemkov and two other bouts that pit Dagestan against Ireland before we get to the blockbuster title fight in the final bout of the evening.
Nurmagomedov and Hughes is one of the best fights that both PFL or Bellator have hosted period and certainly shouldn't be missed.
Whilst the event isn't currently listed on DAZN's schedule at the time of writing, a PFL press release stated that the card will begin at 4PM via the streaming platform.
Karlos Vémola & Attila Végh To Close Out Their Careers In "Judgement Day" Trilogy Fight At OKTAGON 72
Jan 23, 2025
Karlos Vémola and Attila Végh are two rivals that have helped to define one another's career but now, their paths will culminate in one final meeting.
At OKTAGON 72, sub-titled "Judgement Day", both men will compete for the final time at Eden Stadium to settle their feud once and for all.
Back in 2019, Végh stopped his Czech rival in the first round in a result that only made him an even bigger star in Europe.
Whilst Vémola wanted to run it back right away, he had to campaign for a rematch for several years after his former foe decided to step away from MMA at the height of his popularity.
"The Terminator" continued to rebuild by producing many more iconic moments in his career before at long last, he was able to bring the Slovakian back to the cage after five years away from competition.
Vémola was finally able to tie the score at 1-1 last year at the biggest MMA event in Czech and Slovakian history.
He submitted Végh in the second round at Eden Stadium to defend his light heavyweight title in the main event of OKTAGON 58 but it was clear that this wouldn't be the end of the story.
This setback only motivated Végh to dust off the gloves one more time and with both men ready to call time on their careers, the trilogy must come to an end before the dust can settle.
On June 16 at Eden Stadium in Prague, bragging rights are on the line for good as these two icons of their countries go to war for one last time.
Both men may be coming off of losses but what better way for one of them to ride off into the sunset than by going out with a win over their most iconic foe.
Several UK Fighters Added To The GFL's Talent Pool In Final Major Announcements Ahead Of 2025 Draft
Jan 24, 2025
One of the most talked about subjects in MMA over the past several weeks has been the upcoming launch of the Global Fight League, or GFL.
The promotion is set to host their initial draft later today (January 24) meaning that they've recently announced the final additions to the talent pool.
GFL's first ever draft will air live via multiple platforms including social media channels and YouTube as fans finally get to find out which athletes will be competing in their team-based format.
The talent pool currently consists of over 400 fighters but only around a quarter of them will make it through the draft in order to officially signed to the promotion.
From there, they will compete for the team that they're selected for which consist of a team manager and a head coach.
For example, London's team is headed up by European MMA veteran Luke Barnatt as the manager whilst Manchester Top Team's Carl Prince will serve as the head coach.
Other teams feature managers such as Cain Velasquez, Thiago Alves, Wanderlei Silva and Lyoto Machida alongside coaches like Rafael Cordeiro, Conan Silveira, Ray Longo and Javier Mendez.
More notable names were recently announced to be joining the draft pool, including several UK fighters and other names that fight fans will be familiar with.
The likes of Brett Johns, Mike Grundy, Saul Rogers, Norman Parke and Emrah Sonmez are all recent additions.
Some of the other major names that fans will recognise from the latest additions include Douglas Lima, Brian Kelleher, Bruno Cappelozza, Chad Mendes, Dillon Danis, Greg Hardy, Kai Kamaka, Matheus Nicolau, Neiman Gracie, Pedro Carvalho, Ray Borg, Raphael Assuncao, Renan Barao, Ricky Bandejas, Timur Valiev and Uriah Hall.
GFL's first event is set to take place in April with a full schedule being announced in the coming weeks which is set to include a stop off in London.
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