Issue 225
February 2026
Paul Browne jumps into the Fighters Only wayback-when machine to recap the best of mixed martial arts in December 2025
Sean O’Malley: “This Might Be the Last Sugar Year Ever”
Sean O’Malley has his eyes firmly fixed on getting his belt back.
O’Malley (18-3 MMA, 10-3 UFC) was dethroned as UFC bantamweight champion back in 2024 when he was dominated over 5 rounds by Merab Dvalishvili (21-5 MMA, 14-3 UFC) at UFC 306. He was submitted by “The Machine” when the pair fought again at UFC 316 last summer, leaving him out in the cold as far as the 135-pound title picture is concerned.
All of that changed however when Dvalishvili lost to Petr Yan (20-5 MMA, 12-4 UFC) at UFC 323 in December, and now “Sugar” sees an opportunity to re-enter the title discussion should he manage to overcome Yadong Song (22-8-1 MMA, 11-3-1 UFC) when the pair meet at UFC 324 later this month.
“Petr knows that's what's next,” O’Malley said on his YouTube channel. “I'm going to go out there and take care of Song, and that's what's next. It just makes sense. 2026 is going to be lit. I’m gonna go out there and take care of Song, take care of Petr. (I’m going to be) doing well, it’s going to blow up. (Then) I'm going to retire. This might be the last Sugar year. Ever.”
While O’Malley is fully focused on picking up wins over both Song and Yan in 2026, he hasn’t ruled out the idea of walking away from mixed martial arts entirely, particulary if he doesn’t manage to snap his current losing streak.
“Go 2-0 (this year)…dude, that would be kind of sick,” the former champion said. “Just f***ing then box. I don't know. It's almost so pointless to predict what I want to do in the next five years, two years, three years. It's take it one fight (at a time). (If) I go out there and I lose I'm like, ‘I'm done with this shit.’ Ideally, I go out there and win. I don't care if Merab retires. I still know how to beat that motherfucker. Ideally, I'd go take out Song and then get that Petr fight. And then we'll just go from there.” 
Cormier Says Jon Jones Rivalry Still Burns Years After UFC Battles
Old habits die hard.
When Daniel Cormier and Jon Jones recently linked up as opposing coaches on ALF Global’s Alf Reality series, it didn’t take long for their old rivalry to reignite.
The pair shared a frosty relationship during their time competing in the UFC light heavyweight division, with Jones (28-1 MMA, 22-1 UFC) defeating Cormier (22-3 MMA, 11-3 UFC) twice, in 2015 and 2017. However, the second victory was later overturned to a no contest after “Bones” failed a drug test.
With Cormier long since retired, the prospect of a third UFC bout between the pair is off the table. However, “DC” revealed that tensions flared when they met recently, and that he even agreed to take part in a boxing match against his longtime rival.
“There were multiple occasions in the midst of the times (we were) put together where Jones and I argued about fighting each other in a boxing match, to which I agreed to do if it's just boxing,” Cormier said on his YouTube channel. “We also (in the one that caught fire the most) was the wrestling thing because I said that I would wrestle him in Real American Freestyle wrestling (match) and I would beat him. That stems from Jon earlier saying, ‘I would wrestle Daniel in an exhibition or a grappling match for charity.’ That was something he said prior.
“I'm not making this up. There's a desire, right? Regardless of the respect for the fighting ability, there's a desire to compete against each other in something. I think that is honestly the most telling part of the relationship between myself and Jon Jones, that no matter what it is in terms of respect for skill, respect for ability, you guys know in terms of a person, him and I will never be or see eye to eye.”
Both men held the UFC light heavyweight title at various points during their careers, with Cormier twice stepping in to win the belt while Jones was serving suspensions. Cormier later went on to claim the heavyweight title by defeating Stipe Miocic in 2018, an achievement Jones matched when he returned from a three-year hiatus to submit Ciryl Gane in 2023.
Although their relationship was contentious while they were actively competing in the same weight class, Cormier has expressed gratitude for the motivation the rivalry provided and has cited it as one of the factors that drove him to greatness.
“I feel like between us, there's a need to compete and truthfully, in the heart of it, in the heart of the fighting, it was actually a gift to have someone with that level of skill to want to compete with that much and have that need for competition, and that still sits today,” Cormier admitted. “It's still in there. So while maybe we're not fighting each other physically like we did or throwing stuff at each other, it's still ‘chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp, box me, wrestle me, grapple me.’ Do something to make us be on the opposite side of a line to where him and I come together and we compete or fight.”
Jon Jones on Daniel Cormier: “He Wants to Be Enemies for the Rest of His Life”
Jon Jones isn’t buying Daniel Cormier’s “nice guy” act.
The two former rivals recently reunited as opposing coaches on ALF Global’s ALF Reality TV series. Ahead of filming, Jones had expressed hope that the show might give them an opportunity to let bygones be bygones and possibly begin a friendship. Those hopes now appear dead in the water after several difficult interactions during the first week of filming.
“This season against Daniel Cormier, oh man, what a stuffy, just, d***head Cormier really is,” Jones told Red Corner MMA. “I think if you really get to know Daniel Cormier, he's really nuts. He's an a**hole. He is an a**hole. I mean, he didn't really connect with any of the fighters here. He's just an a**hole. I tried to make peace with him many times, and he made it very clear that he wants to be enemies for the rest of his life because of how lucrative it is.”
Jones defeated Cormier twice in UFC light heavyweight title fights in 2015 and 2017, although the second victory was later overturned to a no contest after Jones failed a drug test. Their rivalry frequently spilled over during those years, and neither man has missed an opportunity to take shots at the other in the time since.
“There were moments where we got to laugh, you know, but for the most part, he's a d***head,” Jones insisted. “You look at the way that he treats his staff members. He brought like 10’ yes men’ out with him and literally (he was like), ‘go get me my water. Where's my this? Why is that this?’ He just bosses guys around.
“In the times we weren't filming, he wasn't very sociable with the people on set. He's just a d***head. I think people that really work with him know that.”
Cormier has this week floated the idea of wrestling match between him and Jones, insisting he would dominate his former rival should they meet under the Real American Freestyle wrestling banner. Jones disagrees.
“If I wrestled against Daniel Cormier, it'd be really interesting to see what happened,” Jones said. “But the one thing I do know is that I made him cry in front of the world. I took him off of the list of being considered one of the greatest fighters of all time. He'll be even lower in the rankings of the greatest heavyweight of all time, because my prospect, Gable Steveson, is going to be three times the champion Daniel Cormier ever was. And so he'll just always be in my shadow one way or another.”
Kayla Harrison’s Title Defense Against Amanda Nunes Scrapped After Neck Injury
Kayla Harrison has been forced to withdraw from her bantamweight title defense against Amanda Nunes at UFC 324.
Harrison (19-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) was scheduled to face Nunes (23-5 MMA, 16-2 UFC) in the co-main event of the first UFC card of 2026, set for Saturday, January 24, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The news broke Wednesday that the reigning 135-pound champion suffered a neck injury, with some outlets (including The Eagle Tribune) reporting that she underwent surgery Tuesday to repair herniated discs in her neck.
The bout would have marked Nunes’ first UFC appearance since her victory over Irene Aldana at UFC 289 two and a half years ago. That night at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, “The Lioness” set a new promotional record with her 11th win in a UFC women’s title fight and announced her retirement while holding championships in both the bantamweight and featherweight divisions.
During Nunes’ absence, Harrison transitioned to the UFC in the spring of 2024 after winning the PFL’s global tournament twice at 155 pounds. The former Olympic gold medalist in judo made an immediate impact in the Octagon, dominating and submitting former champion Holly Holm at UFC 300 in April before earning a decision victory over Ketlen Vieira at UFC 307 later that year.
Harrison went on to submit Julianna Peña at UFC 316 last June, capturing the UFC bantamweight title and adding another major accolade to her résumé. She then faced off with Nunes inside the Octagon immediately following the fight.
It remains unclear whether a replacement opponent will be named for Nunes at UFC 324. However, given that the former champion stated this week that Harrison’s challenge was the primary motivation behind her decision to come out of retirement, it appears unlikely she would accept a short-notice matchup against a different opponent.
“This Is a Tough One”: Kayla Harrison Opens Up After UFC 324 Withdrawal
Kayla Harrison has opened up about the heartbreak of having to withdraw from the co-main event at UFC 324 next week.
UFC bantamweight champion Harrison (19-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) had been scheduled to face Amanda Nunes (23-5 MMA, 16-2 UFC) at the first UFC event of 2026 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, January 24. The bout would have marked “The Lioness’s” first appearance inside the Octagon in two and a half years.
News emerged on Wednesday that the former Olympic judo gold medalist suffered a neck injury and will therefore be unable to compete.
“Yeah, this is a tough one,” Harrison said in a video posted to her Instagram account. “I had to have surgery on my neck yesterday here in New York City with a specialist, Dr. Kim. So in lieu of that, obviously we're going to have to reschedule the fight. And I just want to say I'm sorry. I'm sorry to Amanda. (I) was really looking forward to it.”
Former PFL champion Harrison had taken the UFC bantamweight division by storm since signing with the promotion in 2024. Wins over Holly Holm and Ketlen Vieira led to her earning a title shot in June of last year, where she submitted Julianna Pena to win the 135-pound belt once held by Nunes.
This led to Nunes announcing her decision to come out of retirement and the pair even faced off inside the Octagon in the immediate aftermath of Harrison’s title victory at UFC 316. For now, it seems fans will have to wait a little longer to see the pair square off again.
“This is day one of recovery and the road back starts now,” Harrison said. “I don't know God's plans. I know he knows that this is my dream, so I gotta praise him in the mountains and I gotta praise him in the valleys. And so I'm grateful for this. We'll be right back. I hope that it brings me closer to him and that he uses this story in a mighty way. Yeah. That's it. I'm sorry, guys. I'll be back soon.”
Michael Chandler on McGregor Fight: “I Don’t Have a Plan B”
Michael Chandler isn’t ready to give up on his dream of fighting Conor McGregor at the White House just yet.
handler (23-10 MMA, 2-5 UFC) and McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) have been entangled in one of the longest will-they-or-won’t-they sagas in recent UFC history ever since coaching opposite each other on Season 32 of The Ultimate Fighter three years ago.
Both fighters have expressed a desire to face one another if the UFC hosts an event at the White House later this year, but UFC President Dana White poured cold water on the idea earlier this week, insisting he no longer has any interest in booking that matchup.
“My reaction is ‘we will see.’ We'll see how this whole thing plays out,” Chandler told Ariel Helwani on Wednesday. “Obviously, nobody has any idea what the fights are going to be on the White House card. Is that 100% how it's going to be? Me and Conor not fighting at the White House? I don't know.
“Obviously, it's not encouraging. It's not great to hear. But I've also heard many things that were not encouraging that turned out to be not true. We just keep on going, man, until the fights get announced, until Conor McGregor gets announced his next opponent. Until then, man, all we can do is just hope and pray and kind of see what happens.”
Former two-division UFC champion McGregor has not stepped into the Octagon in nearly 5 years, since his loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264. He was scheduled to face Chandler in the main event of UFC 303 in 2024, but withdrew from the fight just weeks out due to a toe injury.
Chandler remained inactive for more than two years while waiting for a bout with McGregor, before returning late in 2024 and suffering losses to both Charles Oliveira and Paddy Pimblett.
“It's a fight that just makes sense,” the former Bellator champion said. “So much sense. It's an explosive fight, and it's an exciting fight. I think I'm his top choice. He's my top choice. That's the fight that we want, but it remains to be seen.
“I don't have a plan B. I don't have a plan B until plan A is 100% exhausted. That's kind of where we're at right now. That's the plan, fighting at the White House, fighting Conor at the White House. Until that train gets completely derailed, and the only way it's going to get derailed is him getting announced against somebody else at the White House.”
Matches to Make: What’s Next for the Big Winners from UFC 324?
Fight fans breathed a collective sigh of relief on Saturday night as the UFC finally kicked back into gear following its longest sabbatical in years. The added bells and whistles of the organization’s new broadcast deal with Paramount+ brought plenty of intrigue to the opening card of 2026, but beyond the aesthetics, the overwhelming sense of relief across the fanbase was palpable once the action began inside the Octagon.
With more than half of the evening’s participants beginning 2026 ranked inside the top ten of their respective divisions, there was plenty at stake under the Las Vegas lights at T-Mobile Arena.
Let’s sift through the rubble of UFC 324 and project what might be next for the evening’s biggest winners.
Justin Gaethje
By becoming the first fighter in promotional history to win a UFC interim title twice, Justin Gaethje (25-5 MMA, 10-5 UFC) gave the world a stark reminder that there is still plenty of life left in the old dog.
Having publicly contemplated retirement on several occasions in recent months, the 37-year-old likely contributed to his perception as an underdog heading into Saturday’s main event against Paddy Pimblett (23-4 MMA, 7-1 UFC). Once the fight began, however, “The Highlight” did what he has always done, dragging his opponent into the most intense firefight of his career to date.
Pimblett was initially rumored to face undisputed lightweight champion Ilia Topuria (17-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC) in Saturday’s main event, only for the Georgian-Spaniard’s personal issues to remove him from the equation for the time being, resulting in Gaethje being drafted in as a replacement.
With the interim belt now draped over his shoulder, the veteran has not only taken Pimblett’s unbeaten UFC record but has also leapfrogged him in the title race and will likely face “El Matador” at the White House this summer.
Sean O’Malley
After a turbulent couple of years, the Sugar Show finally got back on track in Saturday’s co-main event. Sean O’Malley (19-3 MMA, 11-3 UFC) had to dig deep to overcome Song Yadong (22-8-1 MMA, 11-4-1 UFC). With the momentum of the fight seemingly slipping away, the former bantamweight champion found an extra gear, allowing him to get over the line and secure a unanimous decision victory.
As O’Malley noted during his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan, Merab Dvalishvili (21-5 MMA, 14-3 UFC) is likely next in line to challenge reigning 135-pound champion Petr Yan (20-5 MMA, 12-4 UFC), and O’Malley’s next move will largely depend on the outcome of that matchup.
Should Yan successfully defend the belt against Dvalishvili, it would set up a rematch of O’Malley’s 2022 split-decision win over the current titleholder. On the other hand, if “The Machine” dethrones Yan to reclaim the belt, O’Malley’s path back to a title shot becomes more complicated, and he could find himself matched up with Cory Sandhagen (18–6 MMA, 11–5 UFC) next.
Waldo Cortes-Acosta
A frankly astonishing body of work over the past ten months has seen Waldo Cortes-Acosta (17-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC) crash the top five of the UFC heavyweight rankings, and his win over former title challenger Derrick Lewis (29-13 MMA, 20-11 UFC) on Saturday’s main card only served to further cement his status as one of the division’s most dangerous fighters.
With the heavyweight title seemingly on ice as Tom Aspinall (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC) recovers from the eye injury he sustained against Ciryl Gane (13-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC) at UFC 321 in October, “Salsa Boy” is forced to look laterally within the rankings when considering his next opponent. His callout of Curtis Blaydes (19-5 MMA, 14-5 UFC) was an astute one, although there remains an outside chance that Cortes-Acosta could find himself matched up with Gane in an interim title bout should Aspinall’s injury keep him sidelined for an extended period.
Natalia Silva
Speaking at Saturday’s post-fight press conference, UFC President Dana White looked like a man regretting his pre-fight promise that the winner of the bout between Natalia Silva (20-5-1 MMA, 8-0 UFC) and Rose Namajunas (14-8 MMA, 12-7 UFC) would be next in line to face women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko (26-4-1 MMA, 15-3-1 UFC).
White confirmed to reporters that Silva will indeed receive the next title shot, and as dull and uninspiring as Saturday’s fight proved to be, it is important not to overlook the fact that Silva has now outpointed three former UFC champions in her past three outings.
Jean Silva
Jean Silva (17-3 MMA, 6-1 UFC) and Arnold Allen (20-4 MMA, 11-3 UFC) delivered an exceptional battle to open Saturday’s main card, with both men reaffirming their status as two of the very best fighters at 145 pounds. Silva looked uncharacteristically measured and composed in the opening round before returning to his typically chaotic best over the second half of the bout.
It remains difficult to know whether a decision win over the featherweight division’s most underappreciated and overlooked fighter will be enough to propel the Brazilian into title contention, but a matchup between “Lord” and the No. 3–ranked Yair Rodriguez (20-5 MMA, 11-4 UFC) feels like the logical next step.
Dan Hooker Reveals Arman Tsarukyan Broke His Nose Before UFC Qatar Fight
Dan Hooker has revealed that Arman Tsarukyan broke his nose prior to their fight at UFC Qatar late last year.
Hooker (24-13 MMA, 14-9 UFC) and Tsarukyan (22-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC) engaged in a heated confrontation at the ceremonial weigh-ins ahead of their main event bout in Doha last November, which resulted in Tsarukyan headbutting the New Zealander.
Hooker, who is preparing to face Benoit Saint-Denis (16-3 MMA, 8-3 UFC) in the co-main event of UFC 325 in Sydney, Australia, this Saturday, revealed earlier this week the full extent of the injuries he suffered at the hands of the Armenian fighter.
“When (Arman) f***ing headbutted me at the weigh-in and broke my fucking nose, it pissed me right off,” Hooker said during his appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show on Monday. “But it's like, you can't get emotional at that stage of the fight. Mate, I was fuming. Like, I wanted that back, but you just have to brush it off. You have to put that in the back of your mind. But, yeah, I was steamed, bro. I was steamed. That threw me off for sure.”
Hooker was submitted by Tsarukyan in the second round before a routine post-fight checkup revealed the extent of his injuries.
“They took me to the hospital and scanned me after the fight, and they were like, 'Oh, you've got a fractured nose,'” he said. “I was like, 'C***,' that was the weigh-in. That had absolutely nothing to do with the fight.’
“And then, for this (week’s) fight, they were like, 'Oh, you've got (to get) medically cleared (because I had a fractured nose), you've got to medically clear it for this fight.’ And I just flat refused, brother. I was like, 'You already let me have one fight with it, and now you're going to stop me from having another fight with it.' I said, ‘that was from the weigh-in, brother. They had nothing at all to fight.’
Shaking the Ladder: Who Climbed the Rankings After UFC 324?
With last Saturday’s fight card at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas stacked from top to bottom with ranked fighters, the UFC’s opening event of the new year caused significant movement throughout the rankings.
Media members who vote on the rankings were also notified that Michael “Venom” Page (previously ranked No. 15 in the middleweight division) will no longer compete at 185 pounds and will instead return to the welterweight division moving forward.
Let’s take a look at the biggest movers and shakers in the official rankings following UFC 324.
Lightweight Reshuffle
With his interim title win over Paddy Pimblett in last Saturday’s main event, Justin Gaethje (25-5 MMA, 10-5 UFC) leapfrogged several notable names in the 155-pound rankings and now sits just behind reigning champion Ilia Topuria.
Arman Tsarukyan, Charles Oliveira, and Max Holloway each slide one spot to Nos. 2, 3, and 4, respectively.
Stalemate at 135
Umar Nurmagomedov (20-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC) and Sean O’Malley (19-3 MMA, 11-3 UFC) both picked up statement victories on Saturday night, but neither moved in the bantamweight rankings, remaining at Nos. 2 and 3.
Former champion Merab Dvalishvili holds firm as the division’s No. 1 contender behind the man who dethroned him in December, Petr Yan.
Salsa Boy Holds Firm
Another highlight-reel knockout win for Waldo Cortes-Acosta (17-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC) last weekend reaffirmed his status as one of the heavyweight division’s most exciting contenders. However, with the title picture seemingly on hold as Tom Aspinall recovers from an eye injury, “Salsa Boy” remains at No. 5.
Derrick Lewis (29-13 MMA, 20-11 UFC), whom Cortes-Acosta defeated at UFC 324, drops two spots to No. 10.
Silva Primed and Ready
Following her decision victory over former two-time strawweight champion Rose Namajunas on Saturday’s main card, Natalia Silva (20-5-1 MMA, 8-0 UFC) climbs one spot to join Manon Fiorot as the flyweight division’s joint No. 1 contender.
Lord Has Risen
Jean “Lord” Silva (17-3 MMA, 6-1 UFC) is the biggest mover in this week’s updated rankings, jumping four spots to No. 6 at 145 pounds.
The Brazilian returned to the win column with his victory over Arnold Allen in Saturday’s main card opener and now firmly enters the featherweight title conversation.
T.J. Dillashaw: Sean O’Malley Ahead of Umar Nurmagomedov in Bantamweight Title Race
T.J. Dillashaw believes Sean O’Malley is ahead of Umar Nurmagomedov in the bantamweight title race.
Both O’Malley (19-3 MMA, 11-3 UFC) and Nurmagomedov (20-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC) picked up important wins at UFC 324 last Saturday. O’Malley edged Song Yadong in a closely contested bout on the main card, while Nurmagomedov cruised to an impressive unanimous decision victory over flyweight titleholder Deiveson Figueiredo in the featured preliminary bout.
Both men had been treading water in the division following losses to then-champion Merab Dvalishvili (21-5 MMA, 14-3 UFC) in 2025. However, with the Georgian having since been dethroned by Petr Yan (20-5 MMA, 12-4 UFC) at UFC 323 in December, the title picture has grown far more intriguing as the promotion enters 2026.
The former UFC bantamweight champion believes Nurmagomedov may have a steep climb ahead if he hopes to overtake O’Malley in the race to challenge Yan.
“He's got to get some more wins, right?” Dillashaw said of Nurmagomedov during an appearance this week on the JAXXON Podcast. “I think he's got to do it in an impressive fashion, because we know probably O'Malley is going to get the title shot, because I'd imagine Merab's going to probably take a little bit of time (off). I bet that's what's going to happen.”
O’Malley held the bantamweight title for just over a year before suffering his first loss to Dvalishvili at the Sphere in Las Vegas in September 2024. He faced “The Machine” again upon his return at UFC 316 last June but was submitted in the third round.
Saturday’s victory over Yadong marked his first win in nearly two years. Despite recent results not going his way, Dillashaw believes that “Suga’s” star power sets him apart from the rest of the contenders at 135 pounds.
“You know, you got a superstar at O'Malley and people want to watch him fight,” Dillashaw said. “So again, it's not about what you do in the cage. What I'm saying about Umar is that O'Malley's win wasn't super impressive, right? It was good. He did a great job, and he got the win. But he's getting a good title shot because of his star power. Something to call home about.
“Umar doesn't have the star power that O'Malley has, so if you don't have that star power, you better show it in the cage. You better go out there looking to demoralize someone and get the finish and be like, 'Oh sh**, we can't not give Umar the fight.”
