March 2025

February 2025

Fighters Only’s social media editor, Ryan Burnyeat, picks out his highlights from the past month on MMA social media.

ALEX PEREIRA’S HEARTFELT HAIRCUT

Last year, Alex Pereira shaved a fan’s head in a show of solidarity as the young man battled cancer. Now, that same fan is officially cancer-free. Pereira, never one to put himself in the spotlight for inspiration, shared the emotional update with a carousel message.

"I am not an example of how to overcome obstacles as difficult as cancer, but here I bring you an example of someone who overcame cancer."

The video shows Pereira carefully shaving the fan’s head, followed by a classic ‘Poatan’ moment WHERE he was welling up with tears slightly afterward. What started as a gesture of support is now a celebration of resilience, proving that some fights are bigger than the Octagon.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DGGV_XAxRt3/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

ISLAM MAKHACHEV GIVES BACK TO DAGESTAN

Champions collect belts, but legends leave a legacy. Islam Makhachev donated his UFC title and fight gloves to the Dagestan Sports Museum, ensuring that future generations can see what’s possible with hard work and discipline. Makhachev shared that he hopes his belt and gloves will inspire young athletes to chase their dreams, proving that greatness isn’t just about winning - it’s about giving back. A true champ doesn’t just raise a belt - he lifts the next generation with it.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DFqe-zcJzPa/?img_index=1

MMA's VALENTINE'S DAY CARDS HIT DIFFERENT

Love and violence have never been so compatible. This Valentine’s Day, MMA fans were given the kind of love notes only an MMA fan could appreciate - where left hooks, Masvidal soundbites, and Dana White mic drops replace poetry and candlelight. Whether you’d take a punch for Alex Pereira, think a Masvidal proposal is ‘super necessary,’ or prefer Dana White’s no-nonsense approach to romance, these Valentine’s cards prove that MMA fans love with the same intensity they fight. Because in the cage and in love, it’s all about who’s willing to go the distance.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DGDFvKBND67

DRICUS TEAMS UP FOR A KO COLLAB

Lately, whenever MMA and comedy collide, there always seems to be a link to Australia. Volkanovski pioneered the genre, but recently, Dricus Du Plessis partnered with the Reesebros for a viral video that literally delivers a lesson with a punch. The skit plays with expectations, flipping the script in classic Reesebros fashion and reminding everyone that assumptions can be dangerous, especially when a UFC champ is involved.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DFmmaSKRkb3

A NEW TAKE ON TAKEDOWNS

Every so often, a technique surfaces that makes you do a double take. This slick foot scoop counter sends an opponent stumbling forward and straight into a face full of fists—effortless, smooth, and something we’ve never seen executed in the Octagon before. It’s the kind of move that makes you wonder who will be the first to pull it off under the bright lights. High risk, high reward—now we just wait for a fighter brave enough to add it to their arsenal.

https://x.com/24hoursMMA/status/1879549790159302838