Issue 226
March 2026
Paul Browne jumps into the Fighters Only wayback-when machine to recap the best of mixed martial arts in February 2026
Alexander Volkanovski noted some improvements in Diego Lopes at UFC 325.
Volkanovski (28-4 MMA, 15-3 UFC) outpointed Lopes (27-8 MMA, 6-3 UFC) for the second time in Saturday’s main event at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia, successfully defending his UFC featherweight title. Having now faced the Brazilian contender twice in just nine months, Volkanovski said Lopes at least tried to bring something new to the table the second time around, despite again losing on the scorecards.
“He did make a few different changes,” Volkanovski told reporters at Saturday’s post-fight press conference. “He tried to work a few things, he was flicking the kicks out, trying to cut off (the cage) a bit better. He was doing some different things, shooting as well.
“He's still got a pretty well-rounded game when it comes to knowing everything, all aspects. But he's going to get better at putting it all together. He won't have to rely on just that chin sooner or later.”
Just as he did in their first meeting at UFC 314 last April, Volkanovski picked Lopes off from distance over 25 minutes, using his superior footwork to make the challenger miss over and over before countering with his own strikes.
“It's always going to be dangerous when you're (fighting) that type of guy,” Volkanovski said. “It's just unfortunate that he had to fight me for the two title fights. I don't mean that in a bad way. I mean like... I know how to work the octagon, footwork, I can do all these things and take advantage of that with him. A lot of the other guys won't be able to do that for 25 minutes. They won't be able to make the adjustments that I can.
“So it's unfortunate because if he had 10 rounds with anyone else, they ain't doing what I did for them 10 rounds. So it's unfortunate in a sense. He'll be back. He's still young enough. He'll be back.”
Paddy Pimblett Learns From Loss, Acknowledges Slim Odds of Gaethje Rematch
Paddy Pimblett wants to run it back with Justin Gaethje.
One week removed from his decision loss to Gaethje (27-5 MMA, 10-5 UFC) in the main event of UFC 324, Pimblett (23-4 MMA, 7-1 UFC) has been reflecting on the fight. “The Baddy” gave credit to Gaethje, who became the first fighter in company history to win a UFC interim title, and said he will be cheering on “The Highlight” if and when he faces Ilia Topuria (17–0 MMA, 9–0 UFC) in a title unification bout.
“Congrats to Justin Gaethje,” Pimblett said in a video posted to his YouTube channel. “I did say before the fight ‘I want the best version of Justin Gaethje’ and that Justin Gaethje turned up, so hats off to him. I hope he wins the undisputed title off Ilia and hopefully we can run it back, even though I don’t think he’s got too many fights left. Hopefully we can run it back in the future (because) there is a couple of things in that fight (that) pissed me off, you know?”
The loss to Gaethje was the first defeat of Pimblett’s UFC career, and the first time he had tasted defeat since losing against Soren Bak at Cage Warriors 96 back in 2018. While he is hurting after the setback, he acknowledges that his chances of getting another shot at beating Gaethje are slim.
“We get on with it,” the Liverpudlian said. “It’s done now. There’s nothing we can do, there’s nothing we can go back and change. I just hope that in the future he can step up and have a rematch with me, but it’s one of (those things). I know he’s on the arse-end of his career, so if he just end up just fighting Ilia and fighting Max (Holloway) and retiring, it’s one of them (things). I’ll have learned a lot from losing that fight, so we crack on.”
One Year In, Quillan Salkilld Is Already Making Noise in the UFC
Quillan Salkilld is riding high right now.
Salkilld (11-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC) secured the fourth win of his UFC career by submitting Jamie Mullarkey in the opening bout of the main card at UFC 325 last Saturday. The 26-year-old made his promotional debut in February of last year and has already amassed three first-round stoppage victories along with three post-fight performance bonuses.
Salkilld’s head-kick knockout of Nasrat Haqparast at UFC 321 last October went viral, marking the Perth native as one of the most exciting prospects in the UFC lightweight division. As he approaches the 12-month anniversary of his Octagon debut, he couldn’t be happier with how his tenure has unfolded so far.
“It’s really cool,” Salkilld told Ariel Helwani on Monday. “Everything is progressing a lot faster than what I anticipated this time last year. I'm just enjoying myself, having a good time. And, you know, I'm stoked to have all this momentum going my way and I'm just real keen to keep on going full steam ahead.”
Salkilld was originally scheduled to face Rongzhu on last Saturday’s card at Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena. When the Chinese fighter was replaced by Salkilld’s fellow Australian, Jamie Mullarkey (18-9 MMA, 6-7 UFC), on just three weeks’ notice, Salkilld remained unfazed.
“When I found out, I was a bit surprised that they matched us up on an Aussie card, but I (didn’t) really know Jamie at all leading up to this,” Salkilld explained. “I've met him before, but we're not like we're mates or anything. So it was easy just to say, 'Yeah, get into the fight.' Obviously, no (hard) feelings. (At) the end of the day, (it’s) just business.”
Jon Jones Reveals Extent of Arthritis, Still Eyes One Last Historic Fight
Jon Jones has moved to clear up any confusion surrounding his health issues.
A clip went viral earlier this week of Jones telling UFC welterweight Joaquin Buckley at last Firday’s DBX 5 event that he is suffering from severe arthritis and may be forced to have hip replacement surgery.
"I have severe arthritis, and most people don't know that” Jones told Buckley in the video. “My left hip is covered in arthritis. I actually already qualify for a hip replacement. My last training camp, dude, I went to bed in so much pain."
After footage emerged of the conversation yesterday, Jones addressed the situation in more detail.
"Looks like a private conversation I had at DBX 5 in Houston made its way out into the wild," Jones told TMZ Sports. "It happens. Like most fighters, we deal with injuries quietly sometimes and like in my case, for years. A lot of us walk around limping most days, paying the ultimate price for our health.
"If you’re wondering whether it’s true, it is. I’m grateful for all my battle scars, and if I could do it all over again, I absolutely would without hesitation. It's been what I wake up for in my career everyday."
He continued ... "Even after becoming one of the most accomplished fighters in the history of the sport, my critics still give me grief about slowing down over the past few years. That’s called living to fight another day taking the lessons learned and applying them to business instead of the Octagon. It's called evolution."
Despite dealing with these issues, Jones has been vocal about his dream of fighting one last time at the White House this summer.
"The UFC knows the extent of my arthritis,” the former two-weight UFC champion said. “They also know that if I were to put it all on the line one last time and endure that level of pain, the reward would have to be something special and something more than a fat payday. For me, that was and is still the White House.
"Whether that fight happens or not, my career has been one for the ages and nothing short of legendary. I left a big part of myself in that Octagon, and I’m grateful for every bit of it. And don’t get it twisted, I’ll still kick 99% of your asses out there. Still putting up big numbers under the squat rack. Still training. Still outworking most of you ... just maybe after a proper warm-up and a good stretch."
Ariel Helwani: Usman Nurmagomedov Could Be Headed to the UFC
Usman Nurmagomedov could soon be plying his trade in the UFC, according to Ariel Helwani.
Nurmagomedov (21-0) successfully defended his PFL lightweight title when he submitted Alfie Davis (20-6-1) in the main event at PFL: Road to Dubai on Saturday. The Dagestani standout remains unbeaten as a professional and with his PFL contract winding down, Helwani has been pondering a possible future where the 27-year-old trades the Smart Cage for the UFC Octagon.
“I do wonder how he would do in the UFC,” Helwani said on The Ariel Helwani Show. “I think he would do much better than Patchy Mix. Is he the best of the best at 155 in the UFC? Maybe top five. If you're wondering about his future, he has one fight left, I'm told. He has one fight left, or end of (20)26. Meaning if he doesn't get that one fight in by the end of 2026, he's a free agent. And it doesn't matter, I'm told, if he's champion or not.”
Nurmagomedov became the Bellator lightweight champion in 2022 when he defeated Patricky Pitbull, then went on to defend the title against Brent Primus, Alexander Shabily, and Paul Hughes. However, the win over Primus was later overturned to a no contest after Nurmagomedov failed a drug test, resulting in an 18-month suspension.
After the PFL merged with Bellator and subsequently disbanded the Bellator brand, Nurmagomedov defeated Hughes again to win the inaugural PFL 155-pound title in Dubai last October. He has since reaffirmed his dominance over the division with a victory over Davis, the 2025 PFL Global Tournament winner.
With Nurmagomedov’s training partner Islam Makhachev having vacated the UFC lightweight title last year in order to move up to 170 pounds, Helwani believes the time could be right for a move to the UFC.
“There's no championship clause (in his contract), or anything like that,” Helwani said. “I would imagine they're going to want to try to re-sign him. But as we've talked about, now that Islam has moved up to 170, you would think, ‘all right, the coast is clear at 155.’ Does he want to follow in the footsteps of his mentors and family members? There's no one (left) at 155 (in the PFL) for him to compete with. It wouldn't make sense. But he is, in many respects, one of the faces, I would say, top two or three faces of PFL.
“He should probably want to stick around because they're probably going to pay a hell of a lot of money for him to stick around, just like they did with Dakota Dicheva. But perhaps he feels like he's been there, done that, and he's going to move on. That's going to be one of the big stories to watch as we try to decipher what is the future of the PFL with this rights deal coming up at the end of 2026.”
White Says White House Card Could Be Most-Watched in UFC History
UFC President Dana White says the promotion is entering the decisive phase of building what he calls a “one-of-one event”, a June 14 fight card staged on the South Lawn of the White House.
Speaking with CBS Sports’ Brian Campbell, White said formal matchmaking discussions will begin this week, with UFC matchmaker Mick Maynard flying in from Texas to help construct the lineup.
“We’re going to figure that all out this week,” White said. “I’m having Mick Maynard fly in. He lives in Texas, so he’s coming in and we’re going to have him here for a few days and we’re going to start hammering out this card.”
Interest from fighters, he added, has not been an issue.
“Almost every big name fighter” has publicly said, “‘I want on that card,’” White noted, describing the event as “something that will never happen again.”
While White declined to specify how many title fights the card might feature, or whether stars such as Jon Jones or Conor McGregor could be involved, he emphasized that the structure will match the scale of the setting.
Logistically, the groundwork is already complete. “We have this video rendering of what it looks like,” White said. “We literally have the trees that are in the South Lawn. We’ll know exactly where the sun is until it sets. So all the logistics are done.”
White made perhaps his boldest claim when discussing viewership expectations.
“We believe that this is going to be the most watched UFC event ever,” he said, despite milestone shows such as UFC 100, 200, 300 and the recent Sphere event in Las Vegas.
Beyond numbers, White framed the night as a career-defining moment. “This is going to be the most unique, amazing night of our entire careers,” he said, adding that fighters will be “walking from the Oval Office.”
“When we go to do something,” White said, “I like to deliver big.”
Bisping Calls for Makhachev-Topuria Superfight at Historic White House Event
Former middleweight champion and current UFC commentator Michael Bisping is calling for a blockbuster champion-versus-champion showdown when the Ultimate Fighting Championship stages its highly anticipated event at the White House on June 14.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Bisping made it clear that if the UFC is bringing the Octagon to such a historic venue, the promotion must deliver a card worthy of the occasion.
“Don't put an event on at the White House and not have the fight card just blow everything else to smithereens, right?” Bisping said. “This thing has to deliver, and it absolutely will. And they're going to put together the most incredible night of fights that us fight fans, UFC fans, could ever imagine, right? And there's no bigger fight right now, in my humble opinion, than Islam Makhachev versus Ilia Topuria.”
Bisping is advocating for a superfight between reigning lightweight champion Topuria (17-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC) and current welterweight titleholder (and former lightweight king) Makhachev (28-1 MMA, 17-1 UFC). The bout would come despite the fact that Justin Gaethje (27-5 MMA, 10-5 UFC) recently captured the interim lightweight title by defeating Paddy Pimblett at UFC 324 in January, positioning himself as the rightful No. 1 contender to face Topuria.
“I know Justin is the interim (champion). And Ilia is the undisputed (champion), and that (fight) should happen. It really should,” Bisping acknowledged. “But this is a once-in-a-lifetime occasion. It's going down on the White House lawn. President Trump will be there. The whole world will be tuning in. That's a fact, okay? There's going to be billions of people watching this. They want to put on the biggest fights, okay? So unfortunately, in this situation, Justin Gaethje is going to have to wait.”
Bisping underscored Makhachev’s credentials as justification for the matchup.
“On one side, you have Islam Makhachev. A man that is 28-1, okay? A two-weight division champion. A two-weight division champion. Dominated lightweight. The greatest lightweight fighter that the sport has ever seen,” he said.
While acknowledging the star power and legacy of past champions, Bisping argued Makhachev’s résumé stands on its own.
“Yes, Conor McGregor was a bigger star. Yes, Khabib Nurmagomedov may be the GOAT, and he's a cultural icon, of course, and what he's done in this sport will never be forgotten. But on paper, Islam Makhachev has defended the belt four times.”
Whether the UFC opts for divisional order or spectacle remains to be seen, but Bisping has made his position clear: if the Octagon is headed to the White House, only the biggest fight in the sport will suffice.
Islam Makhachev Dismisses Ian Garry’s Georgia Wrestling Camp
UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev is not losing sleep over reports that rising contender Ian Machado Garry has traveled to Georgia to sharpen his wrestling.
Speaking this week to Russian outlet Ushatayka, Makhachev (28-1 MMA, 17-1 UFC) addressed rumors that Garry (17-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC) could be next in line to challenge for the 170-pound title. The Irish contender’s decision to train in Georgia (a nation renowned for its wrestling pedigree) has fueled speculation that he is attempting to close the grappling gap ahead of a potential title fight.
Makhachev, however, dismissed the move as largely symbolic.
“In Georgia, he’ll probably improve in some areas,” Makhachev said. “I’ve been wrestling my whole life, not just for 2-3 months. So…I don’t care about that anymore.”
The champion emphasized that bringing in elite wrestling coaches or training partners is a common strategy among his opponents, but one that has historically failed to neutralize his grappling dominance.
“Throughout my recent fights, someone brings someone into their camps, they bring in some wrestlers or whatever,” he said. “Oliveira brought in someone from the Iranian national wrestling team…zero effect. So don’t waste your time.”
Makhachev was referencing his submission victory over Charles Oliveira at UFC 280 in 2022, where he captured the UFC lightweight title with a second-round finish. Despite Oliveira’s efforts to bolster his wrestling preparation, Makhachev was able to secure a takedown and ultimately lock in a fight-ending submission.
Now reigning at welterweight, Makhachev appears confident that history will repeat itself if Garry earns the shot. For the Dagestani champion, years of elite-level grappling cannot be replicated in a single training camp, regardless of location.
Strickland Camp Details Strategy for Chimaev’s Grappling Following UFC Houston Victory
Following a statement win at UFC Houston, Sean Strickland is once again positioning himself in the middleweight title conversation, and his team is already outlining a potential blueprint for reigning champion Khamzat Chimaev.
Former 185-pound titleholder Strickland (30-7 MMA, 17-7 UFC) scored a third-round knockout over Anthony Hernandez (15-3 MMA, 9-3 UFC) on Saturday night, handing “Fluffy” a decisive loss in a bout that carried stylistic similarities to a potential championship clash. Hernandez is widely regarded as a relentless pressure fighter with a wrestling-heavy attack, making the matchup a meaningful litmus test for how Strickland might fare against Chimaev’s (15-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC) suffocating grappling.
Speaking to Submission Radio, Strickland’s head coach Eric Nicksick detailed how the team would approach Chimaev’s chain wrestling, an area that has consistently overwhelmed opponents throughout the champion’s rise.
“We’re going to have our work cut out for us,” Nicksick admitted. “But we can shut some of that stuff down and make him doubt himself on any of these routes that he's on. Especially when it comes to the ground game, he's very systematic.”
Nicksick emphasized the importance of disrupting Chimaev’s rhythm rather than simply defending single shots. According to the veteran coach, the key lies in interrupting the champion’s chain-wrestling sequences, forcing resets and creating hesitation.
“If we can disrupt some of those chain wrestling attacks that he puts together and make him restart, and put some doubt in his mind, I think that's where we have to be successful,” Nicksick said.
Equally critical, he noted, is making Chimaev pay for failed entries.
“When you defend those takedowns (and if and when you defend them) making him pay for it. Telling him, ‘Hey, if you're going to come in here, you're going to have to pay a price for that.’”
Charles Oliveira Reveals Neck Injury That Ended First Max Holloway Fight
Former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira is set to renew his rivalry with former featherweight titleholder Max Holloway in the main event of UFC 326 on March 7, with Holloway’s BMF belt on the line. Nearly a decade after their first meeting ended in abrupt and unusual fashion, Oliveira is shedding new light on the frightening injury that forced him out of their 2015 bout.
Oliveira (36-11 MMA, 24-11 UFC) and Holloway (27-8 MMA, 23-8 UFC) previously faced off at UFC Fight Night 74 in August 2015 in Saskatoon, Canada. The fight ended just 99 seconds into the opening round when Oliveira suddenly crumpled to the canvas and was unable to continue. At the time, speculation swirled regarding the nature of the injury, with rumors suggesting he had suffered damage to his chest or even his esophagus.
Speaking this week to New York Post Sports, Oliveira clarified what actually occurred inside the Octagon.
“I lost movement on my left side in the fight,” Oliveira said. “I think a lot of people didn't know that I explained what it was. So they talked about the esophagus and all of that, but you know, the reality of it is that it was an injury to my neck.”
The Brazilian star explained that the situation was far more serious than many realized at the time.
“There were talks that I could have been paralyzed because of that, but the reality of it is that I lost movement on my left side, you know, it was no joke,” he said. “I was told that in the ambulance the guys were trying to put an IV in my arm and I couldn't even feel it because I just couldn't feel my left side. So I was scared that my career was over at that moment.”
Despite the terrifying episode, Oliveira rebounded to become one of the most accomplished fighters in UFC history, capturing the lightweight title and setting multiple submission records. Now, as he prepares to face Holloway again with the symbolic BMF championship at stake, the rematch carries added emotional weight…a chance to rewrite a chapter that once left his career in jeopardy.
