issue 230
July 2026
Paul Browne jumps into the Fighters Only wayback-when machine to recap the best of mixed martial arts in June 2026
GSP Details UFC Talks for Anderson Silva Superfight That Fell Apart
Former UFC two-division champion Georges St-Pierre has shed new light on why a long-rumored superfight with Anderson Silva never materialized, revealing that the UFC approached him about the matchup only once and never followed up after he outlined several conditions for accepting the bout.
For years, fans clamored to see St-Pierre (26-2 MMA, 20-2 UFC) and Silva (34-11 MMA, 17-7 UFC) face off while both men were at the height of their powers. St-Pierre dominated the welterweight division during one of the most successful title reigns in UFC history, winning 12 championship fights between 2006 and 2013. Silva was equally dominant at middleweight, racking up 11 title-fight victories and establishing himself as one of the sport's all-time greats.
Despite widespread interest from fans and media alike, the fight never came together.
Speaking recently with former UFC flyweight champion Demetrious "Mighty Mouse" Johnson on Johnson's YouTube channel, St-Pierre explained that the UFC's interest in the fight never progressed beyond an initial conversation with then-UFC executives Dana White and Lorenzo Fertitta.
“This is one of the biggest regrets of the fans,” St-Pierre said. “So what happened is that at the time when I was in my prime and Anderson Silva was in (his) prime…I can only speak from my side because I don't know what was happening on Anderson Silva's side…I was only asked once by Dana and Lorenzo.”
According to St-Pierre, he was open to the fight but believed certain concessions were necessary given that he would be moving up from welterweight to face a larger opponent.
“I had the request because I was like, ‘Okay, you want me to get out of my way to go up in a weight class? I need to be compensated because, you know, it's different,’” St-Pierre said. “I'm full of challenges now in my weight class. So if I'm fighting someone bigger, I need to change my training, try to get bigger maybe.”
The Canadian legend said his first condition involved increased compensation for taking on the challenge. He also wanted the fight contested at a catchweight rather than the full middleweight limit.
“My request was like: if I fight Anderson Silva, I want it to be put in the contract that I wanted to be compensated better, for one,” St-Pierre explained. “I wanted this to be done in a catch weight, because Anderson fought in PRIDE at 170, and I knew he could go down.”
St-Pierre acknowledged that Silva's ability to make a lower weight later in his career was uncertain, but said his concern stemmed largely from the difficulties fighters can face after moving up in weight and then attempting to return to their natural division.
“I wanted a catch weight so that I could, after that, go back because I saw what happened to Roy Jones,” St-Pierre said. “He went up and then tried to go back, got knocked out by Antonio Tarver. It's easier to go up. It's harder to go back down.”
The third condition centered on drug testing, an issue St-Pierre became increasingly vocal about throughout the latter stages of his career.
“And the third one was: I wanted to have drug testing implemented,” he said.
According to St-Pierre, the UFC never responded to any of his requests.
“They never got back to me,” St-Pierre said. “If they said, ‘You want that? If you make that happen, I'm in.’ Yeah. No problem. I'm in.”
He reiterated that his demands were not unreasonable and were based on the unique circumstances surrounding a champion-versus-champion superfight.
“If you make, let's say, a 180 catch weight, I'm in,” St-Pierre said. “And if you compensate me…the money that I wanted more…it was reasonable. It was not emotional. It was like the numbers were there.”
St-Pierre concluded by noting that the proposed drug-testing measures also never advanced and that he has no knowledge of whether Silva was ever presented with similar conditions.
“Also the drug testing, they didn't keep up. They didn't follow up with that,” St-Pierre said. “I don't know if they asked Anderson about that, but they only asked me once.”
Max Holloway Gives Honest Assessment of Conor McGregor Before UFC 329
Max Holloway is embracing the challenge of facing Conor McGregor once again as the former UFC champions prepare to headline UFC 329 on July 11 during International Fight Week in Las Vegas.
The highly anticipated rematch will take place at T-Mobile Arena and marks McGregor’s first fight in more than five years. It will also be Holloway’s debut at welterweight, adding another layer of intrigue to a matchup that dates back more than a decade.
Holloway (27-9 MMA, 23-9 UFC) and McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) first met in August 2013, when McGregor earned a unanimous decision victory in just his second UFC appearance. Since then, both fighters have gone on to capture UFC world titles and establish themselves as two of the most recognizable names in the sport.
Speaking on his YouTube channel this week, "Blessed" addressed the widespread speculation surrounding McGregor’s return and whether the Irish star will make it to fight night.
“I mean, it is what it is, you know. A fight is a fight,” Holloway said. “A lot of people talking about Conor, maybe not showing up or even if he is training or whatever, but he looks pretty dedicated from everything that he's posting out and I think he's pretty serious. I think he really missed the sport and he really wanted to get back in there. I'm glad for the opportunity and July 11th can't come soon enough.”
The former featherweight champion revealed that discussions about the fight developed quickly after the UFC floated the possibility of a rematch.
“You know, the fight came together. I have history with the man,” Holloway said. “I was always on the short list to fight Conor McGregor, so we're here now and I'm pretty excited. I didn't know too much about it. It wasn't the timeline of me knowing. They kind of threw the idea out to us, and we kind of like, yeah, we see what happens, we see where it goes, and things just caught fire. And we're in a blaze, I guess, and we're here now.”
While some observers have questioned the decision to stage the contest at 170 pounds, Holloway dismissed concerns about the weight class and emphasized his willingness to compete anywhere.
“My thoughts on the fight being at 170 are like... who cares? Weight is just a number,” Holloway said. “Real gladiators back in the day, they didn't walk around with a scale. You show up and you fight. And I'm a fighter, that's what I do. Open weight class, whatever weight class, I'm glad I get to share an octagon with him.”
LAS VEGAS – Rob Hewitt, Fighters Only Founder and CEO, is pleased to announce that the 17th Annual Fighters Only World MMA Awards will take place on Wednesday, July 8, live from SAHARA Theatre at SAHARA Las Vegas and will be streamed live globally for the first time, exclusively on Rumble.
Returning to its Pre-Pandemic schedule by coinciding with the UFC 329 annual International Fight Week 2026 celebration, the 17th Annual Fighters Only World MMA Awards highlights the outstanding performances and accomplishments in MMA during the 12-month period between July 2024 and June 2025. However, additional recognitions will be featured to also spotlight the top performances for the remainder of 2025, allowing the Fighters Only World MMA Awards to return to a true annual format for the first time since 2018.
Celebrities, industry executives, personalities, and a who's who of fighters will take to the red carpet once again to celebrate the achievements from the stars of Mixed Martial Arts in this exclusive event, where the winners, as decided by fans around the world, will take home a coveted World MMA Award.
"Im happy to finally be able to release the details of the 17th Annual Fighters Only World MMA Awards" Hewitt said. "It been easy to keep quiet over the past several months as we constructed a plan to address one of the most frequent requests we received, which was to switch our voting periods back to a true calendar year for the first time since the pandemic forced an adjusted approach for 2019 and 2020. We realize the July-to-June voting period was at times confusing for fans and are excited to switch back to the format we held for the first 11 Fighters Only World MMA Awards.
"We're also excited to return to SAHARA Las Vegas, which hosted two previous editions of the Awards and remains an iconic property on the world-famous Las Vegas Strip in the heart of the Fight Capital of the World.
"The final piece of the puzzle was securing a new, bigger and more beneficial live stream partnership with a major platform. Our new exclusive streaming partnership with Rumble will allow more fans from around the world access to watch the whole event live and gain VIP backstage passes to witness all the behind-the-scenes action and emotions as they happen.
"I say it every year that the next will be bigger than the last and the 17th Annual World MMA Awards will be no exception!
"This ceremony has been a long time coming, and we're thrilled to once again be issuing the most prestigious award in our sport and welcoming our nominees, special guests, industry peers, and VIPs back for a night of celebrating the greatest athletes and sport in the World."
Ticketing information for this year's awards will be revealed in the coming weeks, along with complete details and additional exciting announcements. In the meantime, fans can see a full detail of this year’s awards at WorldMMAAwards.com.
ABOUT FIGHTERS ONLY
Fighters Only Magazine was the world's first Mixed Martial Arts and lifestyle magazine, having launched in the U.K. in 2005. By 2008, the publication was on sale in 33 countries worldwide. A dedicated U.S. edition was launched in February 2007 featuring content for the largest market in the world, followed by Canadian, German, Mexican and South African editions.
Fighters Only content is now accessible via the Fighters Only app. Digital versions of the complete Fighters Only back catalogue as well as new monthly editions of the magazine can accessed via iOS and Android devices on iTunes and Google Play, as well as via its website at FightersOnly.com. The proprietary technology IP behind the Fighters Only app is wholly owned by Fighters Only parent company i2media Ltd. It has the capability to speak to each of the 1 billion MMA fans around the world in their own language, sharing an unparalleled library of content depicting the history of the sport.
The company launched the Fighters Only World MMA Awards in 2008 to celebrate the achievements of everyone within the global sport of Mixed Martial Arts and has since established itself as the premier industry awards annual event. Each year, an industry panel of experts selects nominees across more than 20 different categories. Once nominees are announced, fans inherit the power to determine the winner by voting for nominees through the official Awards website, WorldMMAAwards.com, using their mobile devices, smart phones, or personal computers. The most anticipated awards include "Fighter of
the Year", "Knockout of the Year", and "Fight of the Year"; Awards are presented to recipients during a highly prestigious live gala event attended by a who's who of athletes, fighters, celebrities and other famous personalities in sports and entertainment.
About Rumble
Rumble is a Freedom-First Technology Platform™ with a mission to protect a free and open internet. The platform spans cloud, AI, and digital media, including its namesake video service, and is built on a foundation of customer independence and free speech. For more information, visit corp.rumble.com.
ABOUT SAHARA LAS VEGAS
SAHARA Las Vegas is an all-encompassing resort and casino with 1,613 guest rooms and suites in three distinctive towers, more than 80,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, The Pool and a collection of acclaimed restaurants, bars and entertainment venues. The 60,000-square-foot casino features elegant designs and a newly expanded slot floor with approximately 30 of the latest slot machines from the world’s top gaming content creators, bringing the total to more than 650 machines. The casino features more than 30 classic table games, the Infinity High Limit Lounge and a sports book operated by global gaming leader William Hill. An impressive selection of culinary and cocktail offerings includes Maroon, a Caribbean Steakhouse by James Beard Award-winning chef Kwame Onwuachi (arriving spring 2026); Balla Italian Soul by James Beard Award-winning chef Shawn McClain; famed Philadelphia sports bar Chickie’s & Pete’s; The Noodle Den; CASBAR Lounge; Uno Más; Prendi; The Tangier; and Zeffer’s Café.
SAHARA Las Vegas is also proud to serve as home to MAGIC MIKE LIVE Las Vegas presented by Channing Tatum. SAHARA Las Vegas players can also enjoy the perks of an Infinity Rewards membership, a joint loyalty program between SAHARA and its sister property Grand Sierra Resort and Casino Reno, which gives players the opportunity to earn and redeem rewards across both destinations. SAHARA Las Vegas is a minority-owned business certified by the Western Regional Minority Supplier Development Council.
For more information, please visit saharalasvegas.com and stay connected on Instagram, Facebook and X.com.
Justin Gaethje Trusting Trevor Wittman’s Strategy for UFC Freedom 250 Main Event
Justin Gaethje says he has a blueprint to defeat Ilia Topuria this weekend, but fans will have to wait until fight night to see exactly what it is.
The interim lightweight champion (27-5 MMA, 10-5 UFC) is set to face undisputed titleholder Ilia Topuria (17-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC) in a title unification bout in the main event of UFC Freedom 250, which takes place Sunday night at the White House.
As he prepares for one of the biggest fights of his career, Gaethje remains confident in the game plan he and longtime coach Trevor Wittman have put together for the undefeated champion.
Speaking with Fox Sports Australia this week, "The Highlight" revealed that his team has a strategy in place, though he isn't willing to share any details before stepping into the Octagon.
"I mean, I definitely got a plan," Gaethje said. "I definitely can't speak about that plan because I got to show it to you on Sunday night. I have one of the best coaches in the world and we have a plan to be perfect."
Gaethje stressed that facing a fighter as dangerous as Topuria leaves little room for error, making flawless execution a necessity rather than a goal.
"Ultimately, you have to be perfect when it comes to these fights," Gaethje said. "You cannot make mistakes. Guys this dangerous, you know, one mistake can cost you everything. And so I have to be perfect at the end of the day."
With fight week entering its final stages, Gaethje acknowledged that one of the most important tasks remaining before the championship showdown is successfully making weight and recovering afterward.
Asked about his focus in the days leading up to the fight, Gaethje pointed to the final steps of the preparation process.
"Yeah, right. That's a big part of our job is making weight and then rehydrating," Gaethje said. "You know, being perfect."
Gaethje enters UFC Freedom 250 looking to unify the lightweight titles and hand Topuria his first defeat inside the Octagon. While the former interim champion is keeping his tactical approach under wraps, he is confident that the work he and Wittman have put in throughout training camp has prepared him for the challenge awaiting him on Sunday night.
Justin Gaethje: ‘I Think It Really Took His Spirit’ in Title-Winning Victory Over Topuria
Justin Gaethje captured the undisputed UFC lightweight championship on Sunday night after wearing down Ilia Topuria and forcing the previously unbeaten star to retire on his stool following four punishing rounds at UFC Freedom 250 at the White House.
Topuria (17-1 MMA, 9-1 UFC) entered the bout riding a wave of momentum after his dominant runs through the featherweight and lightweight divisions, but Gaethje's relentless pace and durability ultimately proved too much to overcome.
The challenger had moments of success early, particularly with his body attack. Gaethje (28-5 MMA, 11-5 UFC) admitted afterward that Topuria's offense caused significant damage throughout the contest.
“Yeah, he's very good. I mean, my liver still hurts right now,” Gaethje told reporters at the UFC Freedom 250 post-fight press conference. “The body shots were crazy. (He) was really, really fast, but when he didn't get the finish at the end of the second round, I think it really took his spirit.”
According to Gaethje, the turning point came when Topuria failed to capitalize on his early success. As the fight moved into the later rounds, the veteran contender believed the pressure began to mount on the Spanish Georgian champion.
Gaethje pointed to comments Topuria made during fight week, when he predicted a dominant victory, and said those expectations may have worked against him once adversity set in.
“And, you know, again, I said it in the press conference leading up,” Gaethje said. “He really backed himself into a corner, saying he's going to be so dominant. And I said it. When we go to the second round, you're going to be like, what the f**k? When we go to the third round, you're going to be like, what the f**k? And, you know, that's what I did tonight.”
With the victory, Gaethje adds the undisputed lightweight title to his résumé and hands Topuria the first defeat of his UFC career. The result also reinforces Gaethje's long-standing reputation as one of the sport's most durable and dangerous competitors, capable of dragging opponents into grueling battles that test both their conditioning and resolve.
After surviving Topuria's early surge, Gaethje did exactly that, breaking the former champion over the course of four exhausting rounds before securing the biggest win of his career.
McGregor on Topuria: ‘He Has the Same Tattoos! He Says the Same Stuff!’
Conor McGregor doesn’t deny that there are similarities between himself and Ilia Topuria.
During a rare appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show this week ahead of his scheduled comeback fight against Max Holloway at UFC 329 next month, the former two-division UFC champion was asked about the comparisons that have followed Topuria throughout his rise to stardom.
Ever since capturing both the UFC featherweight and lightweight titles, Topuria (17-1 MMA, 9-1 UFC) has drawn frequent comparisons to McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC), who famously became the first fighter in UFC history to hold championships in two weight classes simultaneously.
According to McGregor, the similarities are hard to ignore.
“He has the same tattoos! He says the same stuff! He does the same f--king movements,” McGregor said. “He was going to scream on the (scale at weigh-ins). He’s a good lad. He's alright. I like him. Maybe.”
While McGregor acknowledged the parallels between their careers and personalities, he also weighed in on Topuria’s first professional defeat, which came last Sunday in the main event of UFC Freedom 250 at the White House.
Topuria suffered a fourth-round stoppage loss to Justin Gaethje after his corner elected to pull him from the fight following a sustained barrage of punishment. The defeat marked the first loss of Topuria’s professional career and ended his undefeated run.
McGregor revealed that he was not surprised by the outcome, claiming he had concerns after watching footage from Topuria’s training camp leading into the fight.
“I knew that was going to happen to him. I knew,” McGregor said. “I knew by his training. I'd just seen the training. You need to get it put on you in the gym. You need to get it put on you.”
McGregor did not elaborate on the specific aspects of Topuria’s preparation that raised red flags for him, but he suggested the training footage he saw indicated vulnerabilities that would eventually surface under the pressure of a fight against an opponent as dangerous as Gaethje.
Now preparing for his own return to competition against Holloway at UFC 329, McGregor remains one of the sport’s most influential figures, while Topuria faces the challenge of rebounding from the first setback of his career after a meteoric rise to championship status.
Dustin Poirier: "Some Days I'm Great. Some Days I'm Not So Good."
Former UFC star Dustin Poirier has opened up about the emotional challenges of adjusting to life after retirement, admitting that the transition has been far from straightforward.
Poirier (30-10, 1 NC MMA, 22-9, 1 NC UFC) officially ended his legendary MMA career following his loss to Max Holloway in their BMF title fight. After 32 appearances inside the Octagon, "The Diamond" walked away as one of the most respected lightweights in UFC history, despite falling short in three bids to capture the undisputed 155-pound championship.
Since retiring, Poirier has remained closely involved with the sport, working as a desk analyst on UFC broadcasts and making recurring appearances on UFC on Paramount's Deep Waters podcast.
Speaking with Full Send MMA, the former interim lightweight champion reflected on the mental adjustment of no longer preparing for fights.
"I'm trying to navigate it, bro. I'm good. Some days I'm great. Some days I'm not so good. It's just, it's up and down, honestly. Fighting has changed me forever. And in good and bad ways," Poirier said.
The Louisiana native explained that he's now focused on embracing family life while pursuing opportunities outside of competition—things he was forced to put on hold during his fighting career.
"(I'm) just trying to get into a groove of being a father, being home more. Working on things outside of fighting, things that I put on the back burner that I couldn't for so many years. Just staying busy, man."
Poirier also revealed that staying productive has become essential to maintaining his mental well-being, admitting he struggles when he doesn't have clear goals to pursue.
"I got to keep my mind busy. I'm a danger. I've said this before. People have heard me say this, but I'm a danger if I don't have anything circled on my calendar. If I'm not working towards something, trying to better myself and my family, I'm a danger to myself."
Joe Rogan Reflects on 'The Greatest Night of Fights' After Topuria vs. Gaethje
Joe Rogan has hailed the UFC Freedom 250 main event between Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje as the greatest fight he has ever witnessed, describing the bout as the highlight of his more than two decades calling combat sports.
Speaking this week on an episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, Rogan reflected on the electric atmosphere surrounding the event, recalling the massive crowd reaction throughout the night.
"It was insane," Rogan said. "I'm a hyperbolic individual and I'm always like, 'This is the greatest.' This is awesome. Like that was the wildest experience that I've ever had in my 20 whatever years of calling combat sports. There's nothing even close."
Rogan went even further in his praise, calling the event itself unparalleled.
"It was the greatest night of fights of all time. The main event was the greatest fight of all time," he said.
According to Rogan, Topuria entered the contest as the favorite in the eyes of many fans due to his elite skill set, and he initially lived up to those expectations by controlling much of the early action.
"Most people thought that he was going to be too much, and he was too much for a while," Rogan explained. "He almost took Justin out in the second round."
However, Rogan believes the momentum shifted after Topuria emptied the tank in pursuit of a finish. He noted that the former champion appeared to suffer damage that affected his vision before fatigue began to set in.
"It looked like he got really damaged in either the first or the second round," Rogan said. "He was having real trouble seeing out of one of his eyes."
As the fight progressed, Rogan said Gaethje's trademark durability and relentless pressure began to take over.
"Justin recovered. And Justin started battering Ilia in the third and fourth," he said. "By the end of the fourth round, Ilia quit on his stool."
The dramatic comeback capped off what many have already labeled an instant classic, with Rogan insisting the five-round war stands alone atop the list of the greatest fights he has ever called.
Ian Machado Garry: "I'm Going to Take His Title. I'm Going to Take His Throne."
Ian Machado Garry understands the magnitude of the challenge awaiting him when he steps into the Octagon against Islam Makhachev on August 15.
The undefeated Irish contender (17-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC) is set to become the first fighter to challenge Makhachev (28-1 MMA, 17-1 UFC) for the UFC welterweight championship when they headline UFC 330 at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia.
While Makhachev enters the fight riding a 16-fight winning streak dating back to 2015, Machado Garry remains as confident as ever that he has the tools to end the champion's dominant run and begin his own reign at 170 pounds.
In a video posted to his Instagram account, Machado Garry acknowledged the difficulty of the matchup while expressing complete confidence in his ability to dethrone the reigning champion.
"I don't think Islam has a lot of weaknesses," Machado Garry said. "He's never fought someone as long and tall as me. He's not fought someone as fast as me. He's not fought someone who has the distance management, the boxing capabilities, the head movement that I do, but also the takedown defense."
The Irishman also welcomed the possibility of being forced into grappling exchanges with one of the sport's most accomplished wrestlers.
"He might get me down…I hope he does, because I want to prove to the world that he can't submit me. I want to prove to the world that I can get back up. I want to prove to the world that I can beat him in his own world."
Machado Garry dismissed Makhachev's decorated background in Sambo, insisting that his own skill set will ultimately prove to be the difference.
"I don't care how long he's trained in that area. I don't care if he's an internationally recognized master of Sambo or not. I'm going to bounce him on his skull. I'm going to take his title. I'm going to take his throne. And I'm going to finish that consecutive win streak. And I'll always be the guy that stopped history from happening."
If Machado Garry can deliver on his prediction, he would not only capture UFC gold for the first time but also hand Makhachev his first loss in more than a decade, ending one of the longest active winning streaks in mixed martial arts.
Charles Oliveira Claims Conor McGregor 'Ran' From Him for Max Holloway Fight
Charles Oliveira was convinced that his BMF title victory over Max Holloway at UFC 326 in March was set to land him a lucrative matchup against Conor McGregor.
Oliveira dominated Holloway over five full rounds to claim the BMF strap, but he remains on the sidelines while “Blessed” is the one set to welcome McGregor back to the Octagon at UFC 329 next month.
"You and everyone else know that fight was supposed to be mine, but he chose Max because he thinks he can beat Max. The truth is, he ran from me," Oliveira told MMA Fighting. "It was never officially offered (to me), but everyone knew that whoever won between Max and I would fight him. In reality, he picked Max because he thought it was the easier path."
McGregor hasn’t fought since suffering a catastrophic leg injury in his bout with Dustin Poirier five years ago. Oliveira thinks that the Irishman’s prolonged absence will cost him dearly upon his return.
"The Irishman hasn't fought in a long time," Oliveira said. "How many years has he been out now? It's been a long time, five years without fighting. But he's Conor. If you make a mistake and he lands, he will knock you out."
Oliveira agrees that McGregor’s signature power left hand will give him a fighting chance early in the bout, but the Brazilian believes that the longer the fight goes on, the more confident Holloway will become.
"I think the first and second rounds favor (McGregor) a lot," Oliveira said. "After that, things swing much more in Max's favor. Conor has a great chance of getting the knockout early if he can impose his game. But once you get past those rounds, Max definitely has a much better chance of winning."
