issue 223

November 2025

Paul Browne jumps into the Fighters Only wayback-when machine to recap the best of mixed martial arts in November 2025

Kayla Harrison Hints Amanda Nunes Fight Could Happen Sooner Than Expected

Kayla Harrison has hinted that a fight with Amanda Nunes may be on the horizon, and it could happen sooner than expected.

It had been speculated that Harrison (19-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) might face Nunes (23-5 MMA, 16-2 UFC) when the UFC stages its event at the White House in April 2026. However, the UFC women’s bantamweight champion suggested this week that while she plans to compete at that gala event, fans may see her return to action well before then.

“There’s a fight on the horizon,” Harrison told Jorge Masvidal on his podcast Death Row. “I can't say (when or where). It's not booked yet. It's a fight that we all want to see happen. And it's going to happen sooner rather than later.

“My perfect world, I fight soon. And then I fight again at the White House. But for sure, I'm going to be on the White House card. I'm the only American champion.”

When asked about her dream scenario for the next few fights, Harrison envisioned a quick stoppage victory over “The Lioness” to kick off the new year, followed by a massive matchup against UFC women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko (25-4-1 MMA, 14-3-1 UFC).

With Shevchenko set to face former strawweight champion Zhang Weili at UFC 322 later this month, the timing could be ideal if “Bullet” emerges victorious and decides to move back up to 135 pounds.

“I'm going to whoop (Nunes’s) ass real quick. And then in my perfect world, like, either Valentina beats Weili, and then we do, like, a (superfight). Why not? We do like a USA versus Russia.”

Masvidal also floated the idea of a fight against Harrison’s fellow former Judo Olympian Ronda Rousey (12-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC), who has recently been posting footage of her return to the training room.

“I love Ronda,” Harrison said. “She's been out too long. You can't do it. Ronda or whoever's next in line, I literally don't care. I'll fight anybody.”

Jon Jones on Tom Aspinall: “He Couldn’t Touch Ciryl Gane at All”

Jon Jones says he learned a lot from watching Tom Aspinall’s performance at UFC 321.

Aspinall (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC) attempted to make the first successful defense of the UFC heavyweight title he inherited from Jones in Abu Dhabi, but the fight ended in a no contest after Ciryl Gane (13-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC) accidentally poked him in the eye late in the opening round.

While the bout didn’t produce a definitive result, the 4 minutes and 35 seconds we did see offered a slightly longer look at Aspinall than usual, given his recent inactivity and tendency to finish fights quickly.

"Tom's a great athlete, but I do feel like he's a one-trick pony," Jones said on NoScripts Podcast. "I believe that his wrestling and jiu-jitsu is incredibly overrated. He has a beautiful 1-2. I got to learn a lot about his patterns in his last fight. That's really about it. That's the one thing that he's setting up real nice."

Aspinall has faced criticism since UFC 321, with some fans claiming he chose to quit after the eye poke, as the opening round didn’t appear to be going his way. While that notion may be far-fetched, Jones agrees that Gane was in control of the fight.

"He couldn't touch Ciryl Gane at all, that's the way I felt," Jones said. "I felt Gane was just getting warmed up. Gane's hands was down, he was shaking his shoulders, bouncing around, touching him – he was so comfortable."

"I've Beaten Many Brazilians"

As for Jones, he doubled down on his plans to make a return to the Octagon when the UFC hosts an event at the White House in 2026, and he has the perfect opponent in mind.

“I'd like to fight Alex Pereira at the White House,” said the former 2-weight champion. “I feel like he's incredibly respectful. I feel like he's a household name in America, in MMA. Everybody knows who he is. He's a champion. He's in the conversation of being one of the greatest fighters of all time. It would be a blockbuster event. I think the whole world would come out.

“I've beat many Brazilians over the course of my life. Either way that fight were to go, no one loses in that fight. It generates so many millions for the sport. There is just no losing when you have such high-level people competing who respect each other.” 

UFC 322 Exclusive: Tracy Cortez Embracing the Spotlight

Tracy Cortez sat down with Fighters Only’s Paul Browne ahead of her rematch with Erin Blanchfield at UFC 322, discussing how both fighters have evolved since their first meeting, the respect she has for Blanchfield’s rise, and the pressure-fueled mindset driving her into fight week.

Tracy Cortez expects an entirely new challenge when she faces Erin Blanchfield for the second time this weekend.

Cortez (12-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC) earned a split-decision win over Blanchfield (13-2 MMA, 7-1 UFC) when they first met under the Invicta banner in 2019. As they prepare to square off again at UFC 322 this Saturday, Cortez knows that her previous victory doesn’t carry much weight now.

“In that first fight we were both so young, you know, even my victory: Yes, I won, but I still don't take her lightly,” Cortez told Fighters Only. “She's made a name for herself. And I'm not a disrespectful person. And I give my hats off to her and give my respects to her because you don't get this far by accident. Not just anybody gets to be the number four in the UFC. So if you look back, she's evolved, and I would be very ignorant if I didn't respect her evolution as an as an athlete. 

“But as well, I've evolved. I'm not the same athlete I was when I first fought her. I've grown so much, and if you look back at our first fight, her evolution, including my evolution, we're two different athletes; our IQ levels have gone up. So it's going to be a completely different fight. I think the intensity will still be there and if anything, I do believe that there's going to be a lot more emotion because of the history and the way things are playing out right now.”

Both fighters enter this weekend’s bout at Madison Square Garden in strong form. Cortez defeated Viviane Araujo at UFC 317 in June, while Blanchfield earned a win over former strawweight champion Rose Namajunas in her most recent outing.

With the UFC flyweight title on the line in Saturday’s co-main event between Valentina Shevchenko and Zhang Weili, a decisive win for either Cortez or Blanchfield could set up a title shot in 2026.

“It definitely adds more fuel to the fire, absolutely!,” Cortez smiles. “I've always been one of a person that thrives off pressure. It's almost like, give it to me. I want to feel it because I love when I feel that pressure. It's almost like that fire gets lit up within me, you know? I don't know how to explain it. I really don't know how to explain it other than come Saturday night, you'll see it.”

UFC 322 Exclusive: Sean Brady Staying Locked In

Ahead of his fight against Michael Morales at UFC 322 this Saturday, Sean Brady sat down with Fighters Only’s Paul Browne to discuss his patient approach to the title picture and why he believes he’s the toughest test Morales has faced to date.

Sean Brady isn’t letting anything blur his focus ahead of UFC 322 this weekend.

Currently ranked No. 2 at 170 pounds, Brady (18–1 MMA, 8–1 UFC) could earn a shot at the winner of the UFC welterweight title fight if he can defeat Michael Morales (18–0 MMA, 6–0 UFC) in emphatic fashion on Saturday night.

After rebounding impressively from his first career loss to Belal Muhammad two years ago, Brady appeared to be the most likely contender to challenge for Jack Della Maddalena’s title, until longtime lightweight champion Islam Makhachev (27–1 MMA, 16–1 UFC) jumped the line. As a result, Brady now faces a tough test in eighth-ranked Morales instead.

“I’m not worried, because I think that winning solves everything, and eventually I'm going to have to get my shot at the title,” Brady says assuredly. “Like, yeah, I might have to fight again after this one, and I'm completely fine with that. Eventually I'll get to the title shot, it doesn't have to be next fight. I'm not in a rush to get there, you know?

“I feel like I've tried to rush things in the past, and that's when I fought Belal, and it didn't go my way, so now I just think whatever is on my path is on my path. And right now it's Michael Morales, and then whatever's after that will come, and I'll deal with it then.”

Having beaten former welterweight champion Leon Edwards in devastating fashion in March, Brady could be forgiven for feeling a bit aggrieved at not being rewarded with a title shot this time around. While he’ll be fighting down the rankings at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, eighth-ranked Morales is far from an opponent to take lightly. The unbeaten Ecuadorian made light work of Gilbert Burns in his last outing in May, and Brady is fully aware of the challenge that awaits him this weekend.

“He did finish Gilbert very quickly, but I think Gilbert kind of gave up on himself more than Michael finished him,” Brady says of Morales’s last performance. “Michael is definitely big, he's strong, he hits hard, but he's not like ‘one punching’ a lot of these guys, you know? He's TKO-ing them on the ground. I think he just kind of overwhelms them, and I don't think he's fought like a true, true grappler who's going to push him, like Gilbert was on his way to doing that. Gilbert had good moments in that fight and showed a lot of good things, but I just think that he hasn't been tested the way I'm going to test him.” 

Matches to Make: What’s Next for the Big Winners at UFC 322?

Madison Square Garden in New York hosted the penultimate UFC pay-per-view of the year on Saturday, where two of the sport’s most iconic names strengthened their legacies as some of the greatest fighters in UFC history.

Here’s a look at what could be next for the biggest winners from UFC 322.

Islam Makhachev

Islam Makhachev (28-1 MMA, 17-1 UFC) entered fight week with questions about whether his aggressive, wrestling-heavy style would translate effectively to a higher weight class. He answered all of them with a dominant performance over Jack Della Maddalena in Saturday’s main event.

The win ties him with Anderson Silva for the longest winning streak in UFC history and puts an even bigger target on his back as the list of contenders at 170 pounds continues to grow.

Makhachev and his manager Ali Abdelaziz appear eager to position former champion Kamaru Usman (also managed by Abdelaziz) as the next title challenger. However, that could be a tough sell for the UFC given Usman’s recent inconsistency.

The rightful next contender, Shavkat Rakhmonov (19-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC), remains sidelined with an injury, and asking him to return from a long layoff against someone as formidable as Makhachev is a massive request.

A more realistic option could emerge at UFC Qatar next Saturday. If Ian Machado Garry (16-1 MMA, 9-1 UFC) defeats former champion Belal Muhammad in emphatic fashion, he may punch his ticket to a title shot. If Garry falls short, the UFC may look toward Michael Morales (19-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC), though ideally the undefeated Ecuadorian would be given more time to develop before being thrust into a championship fight.

Valentina Shevchenko

The most dominant female champion in the sport added another impressive win to her résumé in Saturday’s co-main event. Even at 37, Valentina Shevchenko (26-4-1 MMA, 16-3-1 UFC) still appears miles ahead of the rest of the flyweight division.

After dispatching former strawweight champion Zhang Weili, “Bullet” could be matched up with Natalia Silva (19-5-1 MMA, 7-0 UFC) next. The Brazilian is unbeaten in the UFC and hasn’t suffered a loss in eight years.

Michael Morales vs. Carlos Prates

Assuming Ian Machado Garry seals his title shot with a win over Belal Muhammad next weekend in Doha, there’s a strong chance the two fighters who delivered first-round knockout victories in New York may be paired up against each other.

Morales has looked like a wrecking ball at 170 pounds, showcasing fight-ending power in each of his UFC bouts. Meanwhile, Carlos Prates (23-7 MMA, 6-1 UFC) continues to carry the Fighting Nerds banner, even as the hype surrounding his teammates has faded throughout the year.

Benoit Saint Denis

Benoit Saint Denis (16-3 MMA, 8-3 UFC) will likely break into the top ten at lightweight when new rankings are released on Tuesday. His 16-second knockout of Beneil Dariush in Saturday’s main card opener capped off a strong 2025 for the French contender.

Give him Mateusz Gamrot next.

Conor McGregor Begins Training for White House UFC Event

Conor McGregor is already deep into training camp ahead of his potential return to the Octagon in 2026.

McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) has signaled his intention to compete when the UFC hosts an event at the White House next June, and his coach, John Kavanagh, says “The Notorious” has already begun preparing for the occasion.

“I could tell (you) on our end, we're 100% in,” Kavanagh told Ariel Helwani on Monday. “He's asked me to basically lay out a program between now and June of how we'll ramp up our training. He's showing up again, he's back in the gym most mornings, early. and yeah, he's having fun with it.

“I got a bunch of messages after the show on Saturday night (UFC 322). He wants to fight everybody, but certainly, he wants to get on that card. So how it works from a management point of view, that's between them, so I don't really get involved in that. But from a trainer's point of view, he's already tasked me with putting together a team of suitable trainer partners. We'll do some of it in the gym, some of it in his house. Like I said, if it's Conor's choice, he's in. I don't know how it will work with UFC.”

McGregor last fought in 2021, suffering a devastating leg injury in his loss to Dustin Poirier. He was expected to return at UFC 303 last July against Michael Chandler, but a foot injury sustained during training forced him to withdraw just weeks before the event.

Kavanagh maintains that Chandler remains the planned opponent for McGregor’s comeback, especially given their shared coaching roles on Season 32 of The Ultimate Fighter last year.

“I mean, the last one we were so freaking close until he clipped (his training partner) Tristan on the elbow, so look, we just got to get back there again,” Kavanagh said. “I think Chandler's not being quiet about wanting to be that guy, and I think the matchup makes sense. I think it'll be a fun one.

“I think they kind of have a bit of a spark between them. They've done some stuff together before. I think it'll be a fun fight week, press conference, all of that. Style-wise, that kind of shorter, stocky wrestler, he's faced a few of those in his day. And, yeah, I'm in the mindset that that's what we're doing, so we're already beginning our training for that.”

“There Are Holes There”: Machado Garry Believes He Can Crack Makhachev

Ian Machado Garry sees holes in Islam Makhachev’s game that he believes he can exploit.

Machado Garry (16-1 MMA, 9-1 UFC) is preparing to face former welterweight champion Belal Muhammad in the co-main event at UFC Qatar this Saturday, a matchup that could determine the first challenger for Makhachev’s (28-1 MMA, 17-1 UFC) 170-pound title.

Makhachev became the welterweight champion after dominating Jack Della Maddalena over five rounds in the main event at UFC 322 last Saturday. Machado Garry believes he saw enough in that performance to feel optimistic about his own chances of dethroning the new champion should he earn the opportunity with a win this weekend.

"Islam's phenomenal," Machado Garry said during Wednesday's media day. "So, he sticks to the southpaw stance. He looked far cleaner on the feet against Jack this fight, and I was very impressed by that. His calmness and composure was elite compared to what I've seen, but there's still holes.

“If you watch that fight and you focus on the striking, there's obvious gaps that I would absolutely take advantage of. But when he grabs a hold of your leg, he's the best in the world. He's technically beautiful with his wrestling. He's smart, he's intelligent, he doesn't do silly things or make mistakes, he does the right thing every time, and he's a dangerous submission threat.

"However, I don't care for any of that. I'm so intelligent, I'm so smart on the feet, I'm so elusive. I'm long, I'm tall, I'm in rangy, I'm undefeated against southpaws. So when we face off, he's got to get to my leg, and he's got to be able to catch me when I'm longer and taller than anybody he's ever faced before. But also, I'm just wickedly fast. He's never seen anyone as fast as me. He can pull in bantamweights, and they're never going to be as fast as me. I'm the fastest in the world, and that's my specialty. Until they stand in front of me, they think they can do something then their head just starts snapping back, and they don't know what to do."

Jon Jones Breaks Down Why Pereira and Aspinall Present Similar Challenges

Jon Jones believes that fighting either Alex Pereira or Tom Aspinall would present similar challenges.

Former UFC heavyweight champion Jones (28-1 MMA, 22-1 UFC) announced his retirement earlier this year, just as it appeared that a title unification bout with then-interim champion Aspinall (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC) was about to be finalized.

He quickly reversed that decision once the UFC revealed plans to hold an event at the White House in 2026, declaring his interest in facing light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira (13-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC) at the gala, though UFC president Dana White has since poured cold water on that idea.

Despite White’s misgivings about placing the former champion in such a high-profile slot on a major event, “Bones” remains hopeful his wish will be granted. This week, he discussed the similarities he sees between Aspinall and “Poatan” as potential opponents.

“With Pereira, I would just have to be... I'd have to be smart,” Jones told Geoffrey Woo. “I'd have to be really smart. I would have to use what's in front of me. The biggest difference between Pereira and Aspinall is the level of footage that I have. Pereira posts everything, you know, every sparring session. I have a whole kickboxing career to study from. I have a pretty decent resume in MMA to watch now, just to take things from.

“I feel like Pereira is really stuck in a certain way of fighting, where he could really show he has tendencies in his combinations, tendencies in his counters and in his defense. And it would be my job to find the holes inside of those tendencies, which I feel like I could.

“So I think that's where he punches really hard and kicks really hard. I think my grappling power and wisdom would be a lot for him to handle. But I also feel like that would be the same scenario with Tom Aspinall. I don't think the UK wrestling system is as good as people think it is. Where Tom is a lot physically bigger, it would probably take me a little bit more effort. I think it would be the same story if I got Tom to the ground as it would be as if I got Pereira to the ground.

“It's really, to me, it's the same fight. They both are strong on their feet and hit very hard on their feet. And I think they both have holes in the grappling department. I feel as if my clearest path to victory in both of those fights would be to get them to the ground at some point. My goal would be to kick box until I find my moment and get the fight on the ground, go for submission or go for a TKO.”

Matches to Make in the UFC Welterweight Division

The co-main event at the Ali Bin Hamad Al-Attiyah Arena in Doha featured the final leg of the UFC’s unofficial welterweight Grand Prix, as Ian Machado Garry (17-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC) and Belal Muhammad (24-5 MMA, 15-5 UFC) went head-to-head in a bid to secure the first shot at Islam Makhachev’s (28-1 MMA, 17-1 UFC) welterweight title.

Coming just seven days after Makhachev’s championship win over Jack Della Maddalena (18-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC) at UFC 322, Machado Garry strengthened his claim to a title opportunity by outpointing Muhammad over three rounds in Qatar.

With both Carlos Prates (23-7 MMA, 6-1 UFC) and Michael Morales (19-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) scoring impressive knockouts at UFC 322, the UFC matchmakers now face a dilemma in determining what comes next at 170 pounds. With that in mind, let’s take a guess at what Dana White, Mick Maynard, and company might look to do with the growing swarm of contenders in the welterweight title picture.

Islam Makhachev vs. Kamaru Usman

What the UFC should do and what they are most likely to do are two very different things. If Islam Makhachev’s next challenger were selected strictly on merit, the undefeated Shavkat Rakhmonov (19-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) would be the clear and undeniable frontrunner.

However, rumblings of a potential matchup between the current pound-for-pound No. 1 and his predecessor, Kamaru Usman (21-4 MMA, 6-3 UFC), at the UFC’s 2026 White House gala event continue to surface. With both fighters represented by the same manager, both expressing interest in the matchup, and Dana White recently praising Usman’s career during an appearance on his podcast, an uneasy feeling is growing that “The Nigerian Nightmare” may leapfrog the entire division.

While Usman’s legacy as a former champion is unquestioned, his only win since 2021 came earlier this year when he outpointed 10th-ranked Joaquin Buckley to snap a three-fight skid.

If (as now seems very likely) Usman gets the nod to face Makhachev next, a long line of contenders will have every reason to feel aggrieved.

Ian Machado Garry vs. Michael Morales

Ian Machado Garry did himself no favors in the lead-up to Saturday’s win over Belal Muhammad. By promising to knock out an opponent who hasn’t been finished in nine years, “The Future” set expectations at a level that made anything less feel underwhelming.

In reality, his decision victory was an impressive tactical and technical performance. Combined with his willingness to accept short-notice fights against two of the division’s most dangerous contenders (Shavkat Rakhmonov and Carlos Prates) the Irishman can make a strong case that he’s built the best résumé at 170 pounds.

Despite delivering an excellent post-fight promo in the Octagon, Machado Garry may still find himself on the outside looking in if the UFC ultimately chooses Kamaru Usman as Islam Makhachev’s next opponent. If that happens, he could end up in the same position Sean Brady found himself in at UFC 322: standing across from the welterweight division’s most dangerous young contender instead of competing for a title.

let’s take a guess at what Dana White, Mick Maynard, and company might look to do with the growing swarm of contenders in the welterweight title picture.

Michael Morales has been nothing short of sensational during his rise up the rankings. While he, too, has a legitimate shot at a title opportunity, a win over a major name like Machado Garry would make his case impossible to ignore.

Shavkat Rakhmonov vs. Carlos Prates

Shavkat Rakhmonov remains the division’s boogeyman, even though he hasn’t competed since suffering a knee injury during his win over Ian Machado Garry at UFC 310 a year ago. There’s ongoing speculation that “Nomad” could return to the Octagon in early 2026. And while Kamaru Usman’s looming presence may prevent him from getting the title shot he deserves, the Kazakh contender could likely benefit from another fight to regain peak form after such a long layoff.

Carlos Prates continues to be one of the most electrifying fighters at welterweight, having earned a knockout and a Performance bonus in all six of his UFC victories so far. His loss to Ian Machado Garry earlier this year likely puts him behind the Irishman in the title conversation, but his recent knockout of Leon Edwards at Madison Square Garden ensures he remains firmly in line for a major fight.

Unbeaten Welterweight Contender Shavkat Rakhmonov Nears UFC Return

Shavkat Rakhmonov is eager to remind everyone just how good he really is.

It’s been an eventful 12 months in the UFC welterweight division, with the title changing hands twice and a wave of new contenders emerging. While Islam Makhachev will end 2025 in the hot seat, fighters like Ian Machado Garry, Michael Morales, and Carlos Prates are all snapping at the heels of the new 170-pound champion.

One man who cannot be ignored in the welterweight title discussion, however, is Rakhmonov (19-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC), who spent the year on the sidelines recovering from an injury.

"It wasn't an easy year – a lot of challenges, a lot of problems – but thank God everything is getting well," Rakhmonov told Ariel Helwani via an interpreter. "I'm already in training getting back in shape and just looking how this situation will play out in our division to see what's next for me."

Rakhmonov last competed at UFC 310 nearly a year ago, where he went to the judges’ scorecards for the first time in his career and earned a unanimous decision win over Machado Garry.

There had been speculation that Rakhmonov’s knee issues were a direct result of Machado Garry’s devastating leg kicks, but the Kazakh star insists that wasn’t the case.

"I actually injured myself before the fight against Ian Garry because I had to prepare for such a long time and I didn't want to miss the opportunity to fight," Rakhmonov said. "That's why I fought and took a risk. The injury didn't get worse in the fight. It was the same scale before and after the fight.

“First, I wanted to avoid the surgery and give rest to the injury and rehab, but it wasn't enough, so I had to do surgery still. I've been out for a while. Soon it's going to be a year. But right now, I feel good, and I feel healthy, and I believe I'll be ready to fight at the end of February or March. We'll see."