❗️Mackenzie Dern ’s first title defence has swerved away from the obvious name.

For weeks, the cleanest strawweight story looked simple enough: Dern wins gold in Abu Dhabi, Weili Zhang comes back down after missing out on Valentina Shevchenko ’s flyweight belt at UFC 322, and the new champion is.

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#MackenzieDern #WeiliZhang #UFC

❗️One kick changed the temperature around Rafael Fiziev .

Before UFC Baku, the lightweight conversation around him had turned uncomfortable.

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#RafaelFiziev #UFC

❗️Cormier says Jones rejected a $1M+ six-minute wrestling match over scoring rules.

Daniel Cormier claims he and Jon Jones were offered seven-figure paydays for a wrestling match by an unnamed organization. Cormier says Jones backed out because he wanted submission-only rules, not a points-based match. The former UFC double champion framed this as Jones avoiding a pure test of wrestling skill.

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#DanielCormier #JonJones #UFC

❗️Big John McCarthy defends Herb Dean over Pereira's illegal shot complaints

John McCarthy reviewed images of Ciryl Gane's punches against Alex Pereira at UFC Freedom 250.
He stated most strikes were legal under MMA's narrow back-of-the-head rule, not fouls.
McCarthy did concede a couple of shots may have crossed the line, but saw no referee scandal.

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#AlexPereira #CirylGane #UFC

❗️Dana White absent as Saudi power broker Turki Alalshikh hosts major boxing summit in London

UFC and Zuffa Boxing chief Dana White was notably absent from a major boxing strategy meeting hosted by Saudi power broker Turki Alalshikh in London. Promoters Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren attended the four-hour talks, which centered on the Anthony Joshua vs. Tyson Fury fight. TKO Group board member Nick Khan met with Alalshikh separately, but was not in the main group photo with the boxing promoters.

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#DanaWhite #TurkiAlalshikh #ZuffaBoxing

❗️Strickland predicts training partner Johnny Eblen will join UFC, fight him for middleweight title

Former UFC champ Sean Strickland says he and close friend Johnny Eblen 'are going to fight.' He laid out a path for the elite PFL middleweight to cross over and challenge for UFC gold. Eblen faces Impa Kasanganay at PFL Austin on July 18.

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#SeanStrickland #JohnnyEblen #UFC #PFL #AmericanTopTeam

❗️Crawford defends taunting Topuria after Gaethje TKO at White House UFC

Terence Crawford said his social media jab at Ilia Topuria was a direct response to the UFC star's boasts about beating him and Canelo Alvarez in boxing. Crawford watched from cageside as Justin Gaethje stopped Topuria via TKO at UFC Freedom 250. He framed Topuria's talk as disrespect, asking 'Who's this guy?' after seeing him struggle with Gaethje's fundamental boxing.

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#TerenceCrawford #IliaTopuria #UFCFreedom250

❗️Jon Jones diagnoses the championship hangover that hit Topuria and the grappling weakness that exposed Chimaev.

Jon Jones analyzed Ilia Topuria's and Khamzat Chimaev's first career losses after they dropped UFC titles. He said Topuria must manage the fame and pressure that comes with a belt and be brutally honest with himself. For Chimaev, Jones pinpointed a need to rebuild his ground game from the bottom after Sean Strickland put him on his back.

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#JonJones #IliaTopuria #KhamzatChimaev

❗️Adrien Broner reacts emotionally to major Kick streaming payout, discusses supporting his 11 children

Former four-division boxing champion Adrien Broner had an emotional reaction to a large payment from streaming platform Kick. In a viral clip, he showed his balance to partner Deen The Great, jumped into a pool, and spoke about what the money means for his family. The payout is understood to be around $150,000, marking a new income stream for the fighter outside the ring.

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#AdrienBroner #Boxing

❗️New WBC heavyweight champ Agit Kabayel calls out Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury

Agit Kabayel has been elevated from WBC interim champion to full WBC heavyweight champion after Oleksandr Usyk vacated the title. The unbeaten German is openly targeting a first defense against either Anthony Joshua or Tyson Fury, stating 'Kabayel will wait for you.' Joshua and Fury are currently scheduled for separate fights in July before a potential all-British clash.

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#AgitKabayel #WBC #Heavyweight

❗️Former boxing champion JoJo Diaz enters bare-knuckle with BKB debut July 18 in LA.

Former IBF super featherweight champion Joseph 'JoJo' Diaz Jr. has signed with BKB Bare Knuckle Boxing for his debut in the sport. He will fight at BKB 56 on July 18 at The NOVO in Los Angeles, joining a card featuring ex-boxing champs Victor Ortiz and Alfredo Angulo. The event will be streamed live for free on BKB's official TikTok page.

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#JoJoDiaz #BKB #BareKnuckleBoxing

❗️Paddy Pimblett dismisses Ilia Topuria as 'a fat featherweight' before UFC 329

Paddy Pimblett has targeted Ilia Topuria, calling him a former featherweight who doesn't convince as a natural lightweight.
Pimblett must first face Benoit Saint Denis at UFC 329, needing a win to rebuild after his loss to Justin Gaethje.
Topuria recently suffered his first professional loss when Justin Gaethje stopped him to take the lightweight title.

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#PaddyPimblett #IliaTopuria #UFC329

❗️Bruce Buffer wants UFC events in Italy, Hawaii, French Riviera and South Africa

UFC announcer Bruce Buffer named Italy, Hawaii, the French Riviera and South Africa as his top locations for future UFC events. He expressed concerns about the logistical safety of using Rome's ancient Colosseum, despite Dana White previously floating the idea. Buffer's picks mix personal preference with untapped markets, highlighting South Africa as a key expansion target for the promotion.

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#BruceBuffer #UFC #DanaWhite

❗️Max Holloway nearly fought in WSOF lightweight tournament before UFC debut

Max Holloway signed with WSOF (later PFL) before his UFC debut in 2012, lined up for an early lightweight tournament. Repeated delays and sponsorship issues kept pushing the opportunity back. Then-UFC President Ray Sefo released him from the contract, allowing Holloway to fight Dustin Poirier and begin his UFC career.

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#MaxHolloway #WSOF #PFL

❗️Liz Carmouche blames bantamweight lull on lack of a 'pretty girl' the UFC machine wants to sell.

UFC pioneer Liz Carmouche says the women's 135-pound division lacks heat because it has no conventionally marketable face for promoters. She argues the sport still asks female fighters to win in the cage and the marketplace. Fellow bantamweight Luana Santos agrees the division needs louder contenders to create public pressure.

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#LizCarmouche #UFC

❗️Ponzinibbio vs. Patterson booked for UFC Abu Dhabi: Veteran striker faces young finisher July 25

Santiago Ponzinibbio faces Sam Patterson on the UFC Abu Dhabi card on July 25. The Argentine veteran, 30-9, looks to rebound from a 3-6 stretch since 2021. British finisher Patterson, 14-3-1, boasts a 93% stoppage rate and brings urgent pressure.

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#SantiagoPonzinibbio #SamPatterson #UFCAbuDhabi

❗️Justin Bernard credits UFC for saving his life, lands Abu Dhabi Fight Night call on July 25

Announcer Justin Bernard says UFC figures including Dana White and Zack Candido helped pull him through a difficult personal period, changing his life's course. He previously announced he'd work for the UFC for free to get his start. Bernard's next booking is for the UFC Fight Night card at Abu Dhabi's Etihad Arena on July 25.

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#UFC #UFCFightNight

❗️Pimblett calls Topuria a 'featherweight', won't wait for him after Saint-Denis fight

Paddy Pimblett is skeptical Ilia Topuria can return from his double orbital fracture quickly enough for a 2026 fight. Pimblett fights Benoit Saint-Denis at UFC 329 first and refuses to sit out, calling Topuria a natural 145-pounder. The grudge match is on hold due to Topuria's recovery from his UFC Freedom 250 loss to Justin Gaethje.

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#PaddyPimblett #IliaTopuria #UFC329

❗️Gervonta Davis calls out former mentor Floyd Mayweather for potential 2026 fight

Gervonta Davis has called out Floyd Mayweather, the retired 49-year-old legend who once promoted him. Davis is coming off a majority draw with Lamont Roach Jr. and the loss of his WBA title. The callout adds a layer of personal history to a potential spectacle, though cleaner sporting paths exist through Devin Haney or Shakur Stevenson.

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#GervontaDavis #FloydMayweather #Boxing

❗️Josh Hokit dissects Tom Aspinall's aggressive style as a potential weakness

Josh Hokit claims champion Tom Aspinall's offensive speed and instinct can leave openings. The No. 5-ranked heavyweight, riding a four-fight win streak, says Aspinall's strength is also his weakness. Hokit is pushing for a fight with Alex Pereira while waiting for the Aspinall-Ciryl Gane rematch.

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#JoshHokit #TomAspinall #UFCHeavyweight