issue 219
July 2025
Paul Browne jumps into the Fighters Only wayback-when machine to recap the best of mixed martial arts in July 2025.
“No Weakness”: Teddy Atlas Heaps Praise on UFC Champ Ilia Topuria
Teddy Atlas doesn’t believe Paddy Pimblett has what it takes to dethrone new UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria.
Pimblett (23-3 MMA, 7-0 UFC) faced off with Topuria (17-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC) inside the Octagon immediately after the Spanish-Georgian star’s title win over Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 last weekend. The moment led revered boxing analyst Teddy Atlas to speculate that the UK star could be next in line to challenge for Topuria’s belt.
“Well, we've got a taste in the ring after,” Atlas said in a video posted to his YouTube channel when asked who he thinks Topuria might face next inside the Octagon. “Paddy the Baddy, it looks like. Yeah, he's been on our show, Paddy the Baddy. You know, that's a big money fight. I mean, listen, I like Paddy. I think he's gotten better. I think he's improved. There's no doubt about it. He's a tough guy (and) all that. But I'm not picking him over Topuria. I mean, I'm just not. He keeps his chin up too high in the air. I know he's got a good chin, but he keeps it up too high, and this guy's going to find your chin.”
Having served his apprenticeship under legendary Hall of Fame trainer Cus D’Amato and gone on to coach multiple world champions, Teddy Atlas is one of the most qualified analysts in combat sports to evaluate a fighter like Ilia Topuria. And in his view, “El Matador” is about as close to perfect as he’s seen inside the Octagon.
“He's the best striker in the UFC right now, probably in the MMA world, period,” Atlas said. “But, man, he's great on the floor too. He's great on the floor. His grappling skills and everything else that goes with that. There's no weakness. There's no apparent weakness. And the thing he has, what Cus D'Amato used to say, that Cus told me. The only people he ever saw that had this was Sugar Ray Robinson and Muhammad Ali: supreme confidence. Really, the belief that you can strap him to a lie detector and the line's going to be straight.”
While Topuria proved he could hold his own with Charles Oliveira on the ground at UFC 317, it was in the striking exchanges where he ultimately found the finish—becoming the first fighter in UFC history to win titles in two different weight classes while remaining undefeated.
Atlas, who has an eye for elite-level striking, is a big fan of everything Topuria brings to the table.
“It was magnificent,” he said of Topuria’s devastating knockout. “It was a brutal sport. Had something very sweet in there to be able to get that result. I just want people to appreciate that, to see that, to understand that. He is the real package. He really is. I mean, he's physically the package. He's technically the package. He's mentally the package. And he's got what I always talk about, what great champions have to have. He's smart. He's cerebral. He thinks. He digests things. He breaks things down in his mind. He's great.”
A New Era Begins: Aspinall Set for First Title Defense
After spending so long pursuing a title unification bout with Jon Jones, newly crowned UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall must now turn his attention to the future.
Aspinall (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC) held the interim heavyweight title for over a year and a half while Jones (28-1 MMA, 22-1 UFC) repeatedly declined to face him. Now that “Bones” has officially announced his retirement, the British standout has been elevated to undisputed heavyweight champion.
A clash between Aspinall and Jones would have likely been one of the biggest fights in UFC history. But with the former light heavyweight king no longer in the picture, Aspinall has begun evaluating the other contenders in the division.
“The heavyweight division’s not exactly on fire at the moment,” Aspinall during an appearance on the One on One podcast. “From a name point of view. I think the talent’s there. But if you look five plus years ago, just the name value in the top 15 was incredible. We’re talking guys like Fabricio Werdum, Cain Velasquez, Junior (dos Santos), Mark Hunt, Alistair Overeem, Brock Lesnar, etc, etc. Stipe (Miocic), the list goes on and on. You look through the top 15 and it’s like wow, that’s incredible. Where as now, even me who’s a heavyweight, I look through the top 15 and I’m like I’ve not really seen (these guys) fight before.
“I think over the next few years that’s going to change. I think there’s going to be more big fights at heavyweight. People are going to become bigger names, which is great. We just need more up and coming heavyweights doing a bit in the top 15.”
Aspinall captured the interim heavyweight title in November 2023 with a knockout win over Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295. Since then, he has fought just once, scoring another knockout victory over Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304 nearly a year ago.
After spending such a long stretch out of action, Aspinall says he’s more than ready to return to the Octagon. He also revealed that his first official title defense is already in the works, with an opponent and date locked in.
“I now have a fight, which will get announced, unfortunately that’s not my job,” Aspinall revealed. “But at least we’ve got a date, we’ve got an opponent to work towards. Everything’s good. Very happy with that. I can finally get my career going again.”
“I Only Died Four Times”: Ben Askren Opens Up About His Health Battle
For the first time since undergoing a life-saving double lung transplant, Ben Askren is publicly speaking about his health battle.
The former MMA star—best known for his runs in the UFC and as a Bellator champion—faced a medical crisis after being hospitalized with severe pneumonia. Throughout much of his hospital stay, Askren was largely unresponsive, with his wife Amy sharing that he was only intermittently conscious as doctors fought to keep him alive. Eventually, a double lung transplant became necessary—and successful.
Now in recovery, Askren is awake, responsive, and beginning to open up about the ordeal that nearly cost him his life.
“I just read through my wife’s journal because I don’t remember anything from May 28 to July 2,” Askren revealed in a video posted to Instagram. “No recollection. No idea. No idea what happened. I just read through my wife’s journals and it’s like a movie. It’s ridiculous.”
Askren recounted that his condition became so dire, his heart stopped on multiple occasions as medical staff worked urgently to revive him. With his body under extreme stress, he experienced dramatic weight loss during his time in the hospital—long before he was stable enough to undergo the double lung transplant that ultimately saved his life.
“I only died four times where the ticker stopped for about 20 seconds,” Askren said. “That’s not ideal. But I got the double lung transplant. I made it out the other side of it. Gaining quite a bit of strength, learning to use everything again.
“I was actually on the scale yesterday — 147 pounds. I haven’t been 147 pounds since I was 15 years old. So that’s like 50 pounds [lost] in a 45-day period. That was a battle. I don’t remember most of it.”
Askren’s road to recovery is far from over, and he has yet to share how long he expects to remain in the hospital following his transplant. While full recovery from a double lung transplant can take several months, the most dangerous window is the initial post-surgery phase, when patients face the highest risk of complications like infection or organ rejection.
Despite the uncertainty ahead, the former Olympic wrestler and MMA standout took time to reflect on the outpouring of support he received throughout his ordeal. He expressed deep appreciation for the flood of messages and encouragement from fans, friends, and fellow fighters during what he called the most challenging chapter of his life.
“The thing that was most impactful to me was all the love I felt from everybody,” Askren said. “It was almost like I got to have my own funeral. I still remember 30 years ago, Dave Schultz died, you would listen to all these older people recollect, and how much they enjoyed him, how much they loved him, and obviously he never got to hear that. The outpouring of love from the wrestling community is just amazing. It felt so good.
“I love you guys. I appreciate you guys. It’s been tough, not only on me but my whole family and my close community. I appreciate everything.”
Dana White Confirms UFC White House Show in 2026: “The Best Card We Can Possibly Put Together”
UFC President Dana White is planning to build the best fight card imaginable when the UFC heads to the White House in 2026.
Since Donald Trump announced his intention to host a UFC event at the White House as part of next year’s celebrations for America’s 250th birthday, social media has been flooded with fighters campaigning for a spot on the landmark card.
“I mean everybody wants to be on this card,” White said while speaking to reporters at the UFC Nashville post-fight press conference. “You don’t even have to know who’s blowing up my phone. You just see it all on the internet. But the fight’s a year away. The landscape will change a lot over the next year.”
Among those rumored to be in contention for the event are former two-division UFC champion Conor McGregor and recently retired former heavyweight champion Jon Jones, who re-entered the UFC’s drug testing pool just 13 days after announcing his retirement.
“We wouldn’t even start building that card — it’s literally a year away from now,” White said. “It’s a year away. It’s not even worth talking about, who would be on the card. The entire MMA landscape will be different a year from now.”
The unique nature of the event is expected to make it one of the most memorable in UFC history. UFC President Dana White has promised that matchmakers will aim to stack the card with some of the biggest names on the roster to mark the historic occasion.
“It will be a pay-per-view card,” White said. “The best card we can possibly put together.”
Plans for the historic event are already taking shape, and UFC President Dana White recently offered a glimpse into what fans might expect. He also confirmed that he and his team are scheduled to meet with President Trump soon to begin ironing out the logistics for what promises to be a groundbreaking show.
“We’re going to be on the south lawn and literally when you’re watching the fight, this will all be the White House (signals to one side) and then behind me will be the Washington Monument,” White said.
“We’re just getting into the logistics now. My team have already walked the White House with the staff there. Now we’re putting together the design. We’ll all fly out to D.C. and sit down with him and see what he wants to do.”
UFC 318 Results/Bonus Winners
Complete results from UFC 318 at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Max Holloway defeated Dustin Poirier via unanimous decision (48-47, 49-46, 49-46) - Holloway retains the BMF title
Paulo Costa defeated Roman Kopylov via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Daniel Rodriguez defeated Kevin Holland via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Patricio Freire defeated Dan Ige via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Michael Johnson defeated Daniel Zellhuber via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Vinicius Oliveira.defeated Kyler Phillips via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Brendan Allen defeated Marvin Vettori via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Nikolay Veretennikov defeated Francisco Prado via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
Ateba Gautier defeated Robert Valentin via TKO (strikes) – Round 1, 1:10
Islam Dulatov defeated Adam Fugitt via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 4:06
Jimmy Crute defeated Marcin Prachnio via submission (armbar) – Round 1, 4:42
Ryan Spann defeated.Lukasz Brzeski via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 1, 2:47
Brunno Ferreira defeated Jackson McVey via submission (armbar) – Round 1, 3:35
Carli Judice defeated Nicolle Caliari via TKO (knee, punches) – Round 3, 1:30
Five Fighters Score $50K Bonuses in Action-Packed New Orleans Card
UFC 318 delivered the fireworks Saturday night in New Orleans, prompting the promotion to hand out five post-fight bonuses instead of the standard four. The Smoothie King Center played host to a card filled with explosive moments — and these standout fighters walked away with an extra $50,000 for their efforts.
Performance of the Night: Carli Judice
Louisiana’s own Carli Judice (5-2, 2-1 UFC) brought the hometown crowd to its feet with a brutal finish to open the night. In Round 3 of her bout with Nicolle Caliari (8-4, 0-2 UFC), Judice landed a devastating knee down the middle that dropped her opponent, followed by a flurry of strikes that sealed the TKO win and earned her a well-deserved performance bonus.
Performance of the Night: Islam Dulatov
Making a perfect first impression, Islam Dulatov (12-1, 1-0 UFC) didn’t waste any time in his Octagon debut. He made quick work of Adam Fugitt (10-5, 2-3 UFC), securing a clean knockout in the opening round. The dominant showing — and the fact he emerged completely unscathed — came just in time, as Dulatov heads into a modeling gig early next week.
Performance of the Night: Ateba Gautier
Ateba Gautier (8-1, 2-0 UFC) continued to build momentum in the welterweight division with a ferocious first-round TKO over Robert Valentin (10-6, 0-3 UFC). The fight lasted just 70 seconds, with Gautier overwhelming his opponent in a violent, one-sided assault that earned him his first UFC bonus.
Fight of the Night: Brendan Allen vs. Marvin Vettori
Middleweight contender Brendan Allen (25-7, 13-4 UFC) earned a signature victory by outclassing former title challenger Marvin Vettori (19-8-1, 9-7-1 UFC) in a high-stakes clash. Allen’s pace, composure, and precision carried him to a unanimous decision win. Both fighters walked away with "Fight of the Night" honors for their competitive and gritty three-round battle.
Dana White Hesitant on Jon Jones Return for White House UFC Event
Dana White isn’t getting swept up in the hype surrounding the UFC’s landmark event scheduled for the White House in 2026.
Since U.S. President Donald Trump announced his plans to host a UFC event at the White House on Independence Day next year, several of the sport’s biggest names have expressed interest in fighting on the historic card.
Recently retired heavyweight champion Jon Jones (28-1 MMA, 22-1 UFC) and former two-division champion Conor McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) both revealed that they’ve re-entered the UFC’s anti-doping testing pool and want to compete at the event. Meanwhile, former UFC fighter Nate Diaz (21-13 MMA, 16-11 UFC) — who’s faced McGregor twice — has said he’d love to return for a trilogy bout with the Irish star at next year’s showcase.
Although White isn’t dismissing the idea of a Diaz comeback, he emphasized that it’s too early to begin assembling the fight card.
“I love Nate,” White told reporters at the UFC 318 post-fight press conference in New Orleans on Saturday night. “That fight's a year away, so I'm not even thinking about anything right now. The landscape will change so much by next 4th of July. Who knows what's going to happen? Who knows who's going to be on the card or what the main event will be or who will hold all the titles. Everything could be completely different, so it's not even worth thinking about it right now.
“I have other problems. I'm dealing with the logistics and all the things on figuring out how to make this thing happen. How do we want to do it? I'm going to fly out there in about 10 days, two weeks, and we'll have all the renderings done, sit down with (Donald Trump) and go through the renderings and see what he wants to do and what he doesn't want to do.”
Jon Jones recently announced his retirement following a prolonged saga surrounding a potential heavyweight title unification bout with Tom Aspinall. “Bones” had reportedly agreed to face the then-interim champion, only to pull the rug out from under the UFC by abruptly retiring.
Less than two weeks after Jones stepped away, President Trump unveiled his plans for next year’s White House event. In response, the former champion revealed his intention to re-enter the testing pool with hopes of competing on the historic card.
However, UFC President Dana White was quick to shut down that possibility, saying he isn’t willing to take the risk of relying on Jones to follow through for such a high-profile event.
“It's not even about him winning the belt,” said White. “You know how I felt about him. I can't risk putting him in big positions, in a big spot, and have something go wrong. Especially the White House card.”
Dustin Poirier: “It’s a Beautiful Story Because I Know the Author”
Dustin Poirier remains fueled by his fiercely competitive nature — even after the final bell.
Despite the wave of support and admiration he’s received following his unanimous decision loss to Max Holloway in the UFC 318 main event on Saturday night, “The Diamond” (30-10 MMA, 22-9 UFC) has been fixated on the judges’ scorecards.
The bout delivered exactly what both Poirier and Holloway promised — 25 minutes of beautiful violence, with each fighter coming close to securing a finish. In the end, the judges awarded the victory to former UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway by scores of 48-47, 49-46, and 49-46. However, Poirier was surprised by how decisively the scorecards favored Holloway.
“Obviously I wanted to win,” Poirier told reporters at the post-fight press conference on Saturday. “Max is a great fighter, tough competitor. I just felt being inside the eye of the storm, it felt a lot closer to me. I really thought it might have been 2-2 going into the fifth (round). Mike Brown (Poirier’s coach) checked the scorecards when we got to the locker room and I think the judges gave me different rounds, so I don't know. I think all the judges gave him the second round. I thought I almost had him out.
“He hurt me too, but I thought my shot was, when I followed up with elbows, I was cracking him. He told me in the medical tent, he said, ‘man, you had me out.’ We couldn't hear the bell. So I just, it felt, you know, being in the fight, it felt like a lot closer than that when I heard the judges. 49-whatever, I was like, ‘no way. It was closer than that.’ Like the man says, it is what it is.”
Since making his UFC debut on New Year’s Day in 2011, Dustin Poirier has stepped into the Octagon 32 times, earning a reputation as one of the most thrilling fighters in the promotion’s history. Although he didn’t get his hand raised in what may have been his final appearance, Poirier feels grateful for the chance to say goodbye to the sport in his home state of Louisiana, surrounded by friends and family.
“It was amazing,” Poirier said, smiling. “I really felt appreciated this week. I know I said it a couple times in interviews when people asked me about it. I never look back or look at it like a third person before this week and say, ‘wow, I did accomplish a lot in this sport.’
“You know, I did make people feel certain ways and make people inspired. I didn't think about that but the love and the outreach this week has been incredible and I really feel it, you know, I really feel it, and I'm just thankful that people got inspired or people followed my journey. You know, you can do anything you put your mind to, and that's what I want my story to be. I want people to realize that no matter where you come from, if you believe and work hard enough, you can make dreams happen, you know, because I'm just a kid out here, walking out (to the Octagon) with Lil Wayne, living his dreams, man crazy, putting on wars, you know, with the best guys in the world. That's what a beautiful life. It's a beautiful story because I know the author, that's what it is.”
Matches to Make For The UFC 318 Winners
All eyes may have been on Dustin Poirier and Max Holloway as they delivered the kind of fight fans were hoping for in the UFC 318 main event on Saturday night. But beyond the spotlight at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, the rest of the card featured plenty of jaw-dropping moments of its own.
As “The Diamond” rides off into the sunset following Saturday’s epic showdown, let’s take a look at what could be next for the winners from the UFC 318 main card.
Max Holloway
While much of the post-fight conversation has rightly centered around Dustin Poirier, it’s equally important not to overlook Max Holloway’s outstanding performance in the UFC 318 main event.
The former UFC featherweight champion, Holloway (27-8 MMA, 23-8 UFC), delivered yet another impressive showing at 155 pounds, building on his dominant knockout win over Justin Gaethje at UFC 300. Although his loss to Ilia Topuria last October in a featherweight title bout may keep him from leapfrogging contenders like Arman Tsarukyan and Paddy Pimblett for another shot at "El Matador," it's clear that Holloway has found a new home in the lightweight division.
There are a few worthy challengers for Holloway’s BMF title — Dan Hooker comes to mind — but the most compelling matchup may be a long-overdue rematch with Charles Oliveira (35-11 MMA, 23-11 UFC). It’s been nearly a decade since the two last met in Saskatoon, and considering all they’ve accomplished since, a BMF title fight between Holloway and Oliveira now would be a guaranteed box office hit.
Paulo Costa
Former middleweight title challenger Paulo Costa (15-4 MMA, 7-4 UFC) turned back the clock in Saturday’s co-main event with an impressive counter-striking performance against Russian knockout artist Roman Kopylov.
“The Eraser” looked more like the version of himself that earned a title shot against Israel Adesanya in 2020. Coming off four losses in his previous five bouts, Costa’s performance was a pleasant surprise for many fans. Although he voiced his disdain for Khamzat Chimaev in the lead-up to UFC 318, it’s unlikely that Saturday’s win alone will be enough to land him a fight with “Borz” — unless Chimaev suffers a decisive loss to Dricus Du Plessis next month.
A more realistic next step for Costa would be a matchup with Brendan Allen (25-7 MMA, 13-4 UFC), who earned a Performance of the Night bonus for his win over Marvin Vettori on Saturday’s undercard.
Daniel Rodriguez
And just like that, the momentum Kevin Holland had built with back-to-back welterweight wins earlier this year went up in smoke. “Trailblazer” ran into a resurgent Daniel Rodriguez (20-5 MMA, 10-4 UFC) in a thrilling three-round battle on Saturday’s main card, with “D-Rod” emerging victorious and earning his third consecutive win in the past nine months.
Rodriguez is likely to take Holland’s spot in the welterweight top 15 when the updated rankings are released, opening the door to some intriguing matchups for his next fight. One compelling option could be Gabriel Bonfim (18-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC), who narrowly edged out Stephen Thompson at UFC Nashville last week. The timing feels right for a clash between the two rising contenders.
Patricio Pitbull
Former Bellator champion Patricio “Pitbull” Freire (37-8 MMA, 1-1 UFC) earned his first UFC victory on his second attempt, outpointing Dan Ige over 15 hard-fought minutes. While his lackluster debut against Yair Rodriguez last April raised questions about whether he’s still capable of contending for UFC gold at this stage of his career, there are still plenty of compelling matchups for him at 145 pounds.
One potential opponent could be Arnold Allen (20-3 MMA, 11-2 UFC), who is currently on the comeback trail after an injury and hasn’t competed since his win over Giga Chikadze last July. “Almighty” would offer an intriguing challenge for the veteran in his next outing.
Michael Johnson
On the evening that the longevity of Dustin Poirier was clebrated, another veteran of the promotion emerged victorious in the main card opener. Michael Johnson (24-19 MMA, 16-15 UFC) brushed off the challenge of Daniel Zellhuber to pick up a win in his 31st UFC appearance, and move to 4-1 in his last five outings.
Let's match him with another elder statesmen of the featherweight division next. Renato Moicano (20-7-1 MMA, 12-7 UFC) - who recently lost to Beneil dariush at UFC 317 - would be a perfect next test for Johnson.
UFC Announces Stacked Lineup of Fights for Fall 2025
Let’s take a look at some of the major fights announced by the UFC on Tuesday.
Noche UFC (San Antonio, September 13)
Tatiana Suarez vs. Amanda Lemos (Strawweight)
Former strawweight title challenger Tatiana Suarez (10-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) will look to rebound from the first loss of her professional career when she faces No. 4-ranked Amanda Lemos (15-4-1 MMA, 9-4 UFC) at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. Suarez dropped a unanimous decision to reigning champion Zhang Weili at UFC 312 in February, following an extended layoff due to injury. She now aims to get back in the win column against Lemos, who holds notable victories over Mackenzie Dern, Michelle Waterson-Gomez, and Iasmin Lucindo.
UFC Perth (Australia, September 27)
Luana Carolina vs. Michelle Montague (Bantamweight)
One of the most highly touted prospects in women’s mixed martial arts is set to make her UFC debut when the promotion returns to Australia this September. Former Bellator/PFL standout Michelle Montague (6-0), who trains out of American Top Team in Florida, is scheduled to face Luana Carolina (11-4 MMA, 6-3 UFC), marking Carolina’s first appearance since July 2024. A native of New Zealand, Montague has finished all six of her professional victories via rear-naked choke — a streak that has firmly established her as a rising talent to watch. UFC 320 (Las Vegas, October 4)
Magomed Ankalaev vs. Alex Pereira (UFC Light Heavyweight Championship)
The biggest of the four fights confirmed for UFC 320. After much speculation that he might be headed for a move to the heavyweight division, former middleweight and light heavyweight titleholder Alex Pereira (12-3 MMA, 9-2 UFC) has signed on the dotted line to face the man who dethroned him to capture the 205-pound title in March of this year, Magomed Ankalaev (21-1-1 MMA, 12-1-1 UFC). Merab Dvalishvili vs. Cory Sandhagen (UFC Bantamweight championship) UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili (20-4 MMA, 13-2 UFC) continues to live up to his nickname, “The Machine.” He’s set to return to the Octagon to face Cory Sandhagen (18-5 MMA, 11-4 UFC) in what will be his fourth title fight in less than 13 months. Since dethroning then-champion Sean O’Malley at the Sphere in September of last year, the 34-year-old Dvalishvili has stayed relentlessly active, defeating Umar Nurmagomedov in January and submitting O’Malley in their rematch at UFC 316 in June. Sandhagen enters the bout having won three of his last four, including a TKO victory over former flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo in May.
Jiri Prochazka vs. Khalil Rountree Jr. (Light Heavyweight)
Two former UFC light heavyweight title challengers are set to clash at UFC 320, as Jiri Prochazka (31-5-1 MMA, 11-1 UFC) makes his return against Khalil Rountree Jr. (14-6 MMA, 10-6 UFC) in a scheduled three-round bout. Prochazka, who suffered back-to-back title fight losses to Alex Pereira in 2023 and 2024, rebounded with a win over former champion Jamahal Hill at UFC 311 in January. Since then, the Czech fighter has taken time away from the sport to complete his education, recently earning a master’s degree in security and strategic studies. Rountree Jr., meanwhile, also defeated Hill in his most recent appearance and has won six of his last seven fights — the lone setback being a title loss to Pereira at UFC 307 last October. Edmen Shahbazyan vs. Andre Muniz (Middleweight) One addition to the UFC 320 lineup that may have flown under the radar is a middleweight matchup between Edmen Shahbazyan (15-5 MMA, 8-5 UFC) and Andre Muniz (24-7 MMA, 6-3 UFC). Shahbazyan has bounced back after a tough stretch in his career, winning three of his last four fights. Muniz, meanwhile, appears to be heading in the opposite direction. After a strong start in the UFC, the Brazilian has now lost three of his last four bouts.
UFC 321 (Abu Dhabi, Oct 25)
Tom Aspinall vs. Ciryl Gane (UFC Heavyweight Championship
Arguably the biggest fight announced this week: With the long-standing uncertainty surrounding a potential title unification bout against Jon Jones finally put to rest after “Bones” confirmed his retirement, Tom Aspinall (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC) will officially step into the Octagon as the undisputed UFC heavyweight champion. He’s set to face Ciryl Gane (13-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC) in the main event at UFC 321 in Abu Dhabi. Gane will be looking to redeem himself after a disappointing performance in his last title opportunity. “Bon Gamin” was submitted in the first round by Jon Jones when they fought for the vacant belt in March 2023.
Dakota Ditcheva is embracing the moment right now
Ditcheva (15-0) returned to action in the co-main event at PFL Africa last Saturday, earning a dominant decision victory over Sumiko Inaba — only the second time in her professional career that she’s gone the distance.
She fought seven times across 2023 and 2024, winning both the PFL Europe and PFL World tournaments along the way. Saturday’s win over Inaba in Cape Town, South Africa, marked her first non-tournament bout in the promotion since her victory over Katherine Corogenes in November 2022.
After the fight, the 26-year-old revealed she has signed a new multi-fight deal with the organization. While her next opponent is still unknown, “Dangerous” admitted during an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show this week that chasing championship gold isn’t her top priority at the moment.
“Honestly, Ariel, I don't really mind if it's not,” she responded when asked if she would like to fight for the PFL flyweight title in her next outing. “I don't even want the belt. It's really funny, like walking out for this fight, I felt less nervous than I've ever felt before. And I was like trying to explain it to my mum. I don't know whether it's because like, I've done it all now. I fought for the belt, the world title, fought for the million dollars, which is a lot of money. I fought for a tournament where I need to keep winning every round.
“Like I felt like I've been through like the worst emotions now. I feel like I'm just excited to fight. Since when did I ever throw spinning back kicks in fight? Like I must have been comfortable, you know, so if I don't have to fight for the belt again, like I'm not bothered, I'm just going for the wins, I want an unbeaten record and that's it.”
Ditcheva has built a reputation as one of the hottest prospects in women’s MMA thanks to her recent performances. While holding a championship title certainly comes with its perks, the UK star — who trains at American Top Team in Florida — believes the belt isn’t a necessity for her.
“I get, perks anyway, yeah. I am the face of PFL. Like, Sumiko, she said, ‘oh, Dakota's the face of PFL. So if I beat her, does that mean I'm the face of PFL?’ Well, no, because I still am. So I'm rolling with it now.”
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