Steve Garcia continued his impressive winning streak at UFC Fight Night this weekend following a First-Round knockout victory over David Onama at the Apex in Las Vegas on Saturday.

While Garcia holds a 19-5 record in Mixed Martial Arts, the Featherweight star has now recorded his seventh straight win in what was largely a one sided affair this weekend.

Following a flurry of left hands in the latter part of the First Round, Garcia imposed himself on Onama (14-3) early on, while his opponent was finished for the first time in his career.

The 33-year-old wasted no time in closing the distance on Onama and applied front foot pressure from the first bell.

Fighting through the Southpaw stance, Garcia consciously found openings with his left-hand and rocked Onama inside two minutes before overwhelming his opposite number with high volume punches.

Speaking after the fight, Garcia expressed that his father spurred him on to show no mercy inside the Octagon.

"I've said before, my dad told me to be violent in there," Garcia said.

"My dad asked for it and I tried to deliver. It's kill or be killed in here.

"He did a good job of listening to his coach, but for me, I'm just, 'I'm going to get you.'"

UFC Fight Night Main Card results:

Waldo Cortes Acosta defeats Ante Delija by TKO (strikes) at 3:59 of Round 1

Jeremiah Wells defeats Themba Gorimbo by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-29)

Yadier del Valle defeats Isaac Dulgarian by submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:41 of Round 1

Charles Radtke defeats Daniel Frunza by submission (rear-naked choke) at 4:29 of Round 3

Allan Nascimento defeats Cody Durden by submission (anaconda choke) at 3:13 of Round 2

Ugandan MMA athlete David Onama will chase a potentially career-defining performance when he faces Steve Garcia in the featherweight main event of a UFC Fight Night, set for the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on the morning of 2 November 2025.

 

David Onama Fight Week pic.twitter.com/rqVILMC46t

— CagePulseUFC (@Cage_PulseUFC) October 27, 2025

 

Onama (14-2) will have his first main event fight after putting together a four-match winning streak, most recently defeating Giga Chikadze via unanimous decision in April.

The 31-year-old “Silent Assassin” has climbed to 13th in the featherweight rankings and feels ready to seize the moment: “I’m fighting who’s in front of me. I don’t care about the name or what he did. I just feel like it’s my time now.”

Garcia (18-5) is 12th in the rankings and has racked up six successive wins, most recently overcoming Calvin Kattar via unanimous decision in July.

 

All out until the very end ⚡️ #UFCVegas91 pic.twitter.com/dY5rB7qcWM

— UFC (@ufc) April 27, 2024

 

The 33-year-old “Mean Machine” believes his recent run is more impressive than his opponent’s.

“If you look at my history and my streak that I've had, I've been able to finish people within the first two rounds," Garcia explained.

"It can be a little gritty, but for the most part, I've been kind of able to make it look a little bit cleaner.

“You look at Onama's win streak – I have more of a finish streak, he has more of a win streak. It only turned to a win streak because I didn't finish Kattar.

“If you compare the two, he's had a lot more grittier, harder fights when it comes to trying to get the win, where mine's kind of been more with ease, you can say.”

The rest of the main card features another African MMA star, Themba Gorimbo, taking on Jeremiah Wells in the welterweight division. The Zimbabwean is looking to bounce back from a submission loss to Vicente Luque at UFC 310 in December 2024.

UFC Fight Night: Garcia v Onama – Main card

- Main event: Featherweight: Steve Garcia v David Onama

- Heavyweight: Waldo Cortes Acosta v Ante Delija

- Welterweight: Jeremiah Wells v Themba Gorimbo

- Featherweight: Isaac Dulgarian v Yadier Del Valle

- Welterweight: Charles Radtke v Daniel Frunza

- Flyweight: Allan Nascimento v Rafael Estevam

Former UFC fighter Suman Mokhtarian was gunned down in a "brazen" shooting while on an early evening walk in Sydney, police said, months after surviving an attempt on his life.

The 33-year-old was shot dead in a "targeted" attack in Riverstone, a suburb in Sydney's northwest, on Wednesday evening, New South Wales Police said.

A short time after the shooting two cars were found on fire in different locations, a hallmark of recent organised crime hits that have rattled the city.

"It's very brazen and it's a shame that this is happening in our community," NSW Police superintendent Jason Joyce said.

"You'd want to think that in a residential area that people could wander the streets at that time of (early) night and be safe, but we do believe it's a targeted attack," he said.

Local media reported that Mokhtarian had survived an attempt on his life last February, when a gunman fired on him outside a gym in Sydney's west.

He fought twice in the UFC, in 2018 and 2019, losing both times, before moving into coaching, according to ESPN.

He helped develop some of Australia's top mixed martial arts prospects, the website said.

A local who only identified himself by his first name, Ben, said he was walking with his wife when he heard a gunshot.

"It was around then when we heard a bang as well and a lot of smoke went up in the air... that would have been the car," he told The Sydney Morning Herald.

"There was a large commotion, a lot of people were just shocked because they've never witnessed anything like this."

"The shooting happened with children literally riding bikes around the park."

Neighbour Natalie, who also did not provide her last name, said she was out the front of her home with her children when the incident took place.

"I called the police straight away," she told the national broadcaster ABC.

Natalie said she ran over to see if Mokhtarian was alive, but "he clearly wasn't".

"I could immediately tell he wasn't alive, otherwise I would've tried to help him," she said.

The killing came a day after police foiled a "kill team" bearing firearms, balaclavas, body-worn cameras and jerrycans on the way to a daycare centre.

Police are investigating if the two incidents are linked.

Brazilian favourite Charles Oliveira will hope to ride a wave of home support when he faces Mateusz Gamrot in the lightweight main event of a UFC Fight Night at the Farmasi Arena in Rio de Janeiro, set for the morning of Sunday, 12 October 2025.

Oliveira (35-11, 1 NC), a former lightweight world champion in the UFC, has lost three of his last five fights, most recently succumbing to a first-round KO at the hands of Ilia Topuria in a title fight at UFC 317 in June.

The 35-year-old “do Bronxs” says he has not considered retirement and remains passionate about the sport of MMA.

“To be real with you... everything you do in life, you have to do it with joy. You’ve got to be excited about it, passionate even. If you’re not, then something’s wrong,” Oliveira explained.

“Like, say I’m working construction – am I happy doing that? Hell no. So while I still feel that fire, that drive to wake up early, train, diet, cut weight… I’ll keep fighting. I’ll keep making history. The day I stop feeling that passion - that’s when I’ll walk away. But right now? I’m not even close to thinking about retiring.”

Gamrot (25-3, 1 NC) stepped in at late notice to replace the injured Rafael Fiziev. The 34-year-old “Gamer” has won four of his last five MMA matches, most recently claiming a unanimous decision triumph over L’udovit Klein back in May.

The Polish fighter says he is ready for the ground battle that Oliveira is sure to bring to their meeting: “Jiu-jitsu and wrestling are my background. This is in my heart. I feel it in my DNA. I can roll with him on the ground. I think this is going to be an epic fight on the ground, for sure, because I’m not afraid of his ground. I will go and take him down, and I’m going to try and roll with him on the ground. But this is going to be an all-rounder fight.

“I’m going to exchange punches, exchange wrestling. I want to test myself against him on the ground. This is going to be non-stop action, for sure – five rounds non-stop action. But maybe we don’t need five rounds. Epic fight for sure – super excited.”

The rest of the main card features Deiveson Figueiredo v Montel Jackson in a bantamweight co-main battle; Jhonata Diniz faces Mario Pinto in a heavyweight clash; Ricardo Ramos takes on Kaan Ofli in a featherweight fight; and Vicente Luque and Joel Alvarez face off in the welterweight division.

UFC Fight Night: Oliveira v Gamrot – Main card

- Lightweight: Charles Oliveira v Mateusz Gamrot

- Bantamweight: Deiveson Figueiredo v Montel Jackson

- Welterweight: Vicente Luque v Joel Alvarez

- Heavyweight: Jhonata Diniz v Mario Pinto

- Featherweight: Ricardo Ramos v Kaan Ofli

- Featherweight: Lucas Almeida v Michael Aswell

Magomed Ankalaev and Alex Pereira will run it back for another battle, headlining UFC 320 with their rematch for the Light Heavyweight Championship at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on the morning of 5 October 2025.

Ankalaev (20-1-1, 1 NC) defeated Pereria (12-3) via unanimous decision at UFC 313 back in March, ending the latter’s 18-month reign as king of the division.

Pereira was strangely underwhelming in that match, with doubts over his fitness and health, and Ankalaev is hopeful that his Brazilian opponent returns to his best so that any doubt over his worth as champion of the light heavyweight division is removed.

“I don't want to hear talk like last time about him not being ready or something not being done," Ankalaev said. "I want him to be in great shape so that after our fight, he has no excuses."

The Russian added, "I think the rematch will be much easier than the first fight because statistics always show that fighting me in a rematch is very dangerous.

“I think we'll prove again that it's not a good idea to face me in a rematch. I'll do whatever it takes to dominate. If I need to wrestle, I'll wrestle. If I need to strike, I'll strike. I don’t think we'll have problems anywhere."

The co-main event sees Cory Sandhagen (18-5) get a shot at the Bantamweight Championship, facing belt-holder Merab Dvalishvili (20-4). ‘The Machine’ is looking to make a third successful defence of the title, and is even hopeful of a fourth before the year 2025 is out.

“I don’t overlook Cory Sandhagen. It’s going to be a tough fight. But, God willing, I’m going to do my best to win this fight, and if I win, I want a quick turnaround and I want to fight in December,” Dvalishvili explained.

“I will ask the UFC for a favour to give me another fight in December or even November. I don’t care. Petr Yan is the clear contender right now. He deserves it. I don’t want to make him wait too long. I can take a quick turnaround and fight him, and after we will see who will be the next contender.”

The rest of the main card features Jiri Prochazka v Khalil Rountree Jr in the light heavyweight division; a featherweight fight pits Josh Emmett against Youssef Zalal; and Abusupiyan Magomedov takes on Joe Pyfer in the middleweight opener.

UFC 320 – Main card

- Main event: Light Heavyweight Championship: Magomed Ankalaev b Alex Pereira

- Co-main event: Bantamweight Championship: Merab Dvalishvili v Cory Sandhagen

- Light heavyweight: Jiri Prochazka v Khalil Rountree Jr

- Featherweight: Josh Emmett v Youssef Zalal

- Middleweight: Abusupiyan Magomedov v Joe Pyfer

An undisclosed injury has forced Rafael Fiziev to withdraw from his lightweight main event against Charles Oliveira at UFC Fight Night in Rio de Janeiro, multiple media outlets reported on Saturday.

The promotion has yet to make an official announcement on the news for the October 11 bout.

The reported withdrawal of Fiziev (13-4, MMA, 7-4 UFC) also serves as a blow to Oliveira (35-11 MMA, 23-11 UFC), who was set to compete in his home country of Brazil for the first time since March 2020.

Diego Lopes and Jean Silva are set to light up the third ‘Noche UFC’ Fight Night when they meet in the featherweight main event, set for the Frost Bank Centre in San Antonio, Texas, on the morning of Sunday 14 September 2025.

Lopes (26-7) comes into this clash on the back of a unanimous decision loss to Alexander Volkanovski in a Featherweight Championship match at UFC 314 back in April – a result which snapped a five-match winning streak.

The 30-year-old has a mix of Brazilian and Mexican heritage, and his status as a representative of the latter country in an event celebrating their independence day has been questioned, though Lopes remains defiant.

“I’ve heard it from both sides, from Hispanic people to Brazilians. It’s all good. I don’t care,” said Lopes. “I know the people who support me and that are with me. I remember the people who were with me when I literally had nothing. I let people talk.

“One thing is certain, though: The day of the fight I will walk out with the flag of Brazil and Mexico – whether they like it or not. It’s that simple.”

Silva (16-2) is on a 13-fight win streak, most recently submitting Bryce Mitchell (also at UFC 314 in April), and says he is determined to continue his rise in the division by emphatically defeating Lopes.

“Diego just went online and made some statements about the fact that he would fight me over the weekend if he could,” noted the fighter nicknamed ‘Lord’. “So basically Diego was doing matchmaking and basically signed on his coffin.”

The rest of the main card features Rob Font v David Martinez in the bantamweight division; Rafa Garcia takes on Jared Gordon in a lightweight clash; a middleweight match pits Kelvin Gastelum against Dustin Stoltzfus; and a bantamweight opener sees Santiago Luna face Quang Le.

Noche UFC: Lopes vs. Silva – Main card

- Main event: Featherweight: Diego Lopes v Jean Silva

- Bantamweight: Rob Font v David Martinez

- Lightweight: Rafa Garcia v Jared Gordon

- Middleweight: Kelvin Gastelum v Dustin Stoltzfus

- Bantamweight: Santiago Luna v Quang Le

Nassourdine ‘The Sniper’ Imavov will take aim at Caio Borralho in the middleweight main event of a UFC Fight Night at the Accor Arena in Paris, France, on 6 September 2025.

Imavov (16-4, 1 NC) is on a four-fight win streak, most recently stopping former division king Israel Adesanya in the second round of a Fight Night in February of this year to further underline his status as a rising contender for the Middleweight Championship.

The 30-year-old Russian-born Frenchman will be under pressure to perform in front of a partisan crowd, but has promised a “spectacular” show for his fans in Paris.

“For me it’s important to try to keep this fight up [on the feet]. Because that’s what people love,” said Imavov.

“If he wants to go down, we will go down. But then we will stand up and I will show him…I know this guy just wants to [take the fight to the ground] and win. Just having a weird fight, not [an] interesting fight. That’s what he’s used to.

“But for me, I will make this fight spectacular. It’s important for me to show people that I can make a great fight with a boring fighter.”

Borralho (17-1, 1 NC) is on a 14-fight win streak and is unbeaten in the UFC since his debut in 2022. The 32-year-old Brazilian, known as ‘The Natural’, was last in action a year ago, claiming a unanimous decision win over Jared Cannonier.

Borralho has warned that his propensity to be a “Fight Nerd” will give him the edge in Paris on Saturday night: “I've been studying all these guys. Dricus [du Plessis], [Khamzat] Chimaev, Imavov, all these guys.

“So, I know, as a Fighting Nerd, all the strategy and the tactics that I need to have to win every one of them, and that's what I do.

“I'm a Fighting Nerd, I do my homework, and when the test comes, I always take A+.”

The rest of the main card features Benoit Saint Denis tackling Mauricio Ruffy, Bolaji Oki v Mason Jones, and Fares Ziam v Kaue Fernandes, all in the lightweight division; a light heavyweight battle pitting Modestas Bukauskas against Paul Craig; and Patricio Pitbull v Losene Keita in the featherweight opener.

UFC Fight Night: Imavov v Borralho – Main card

- Main event: Middleweight: Nassourdine Imavov v Caio Borralho

- Lightweight: Benoit Saint Denis v Mauricio Ruffy

- Lightweight: Bolaji Oki v Mason Jones

- Light heavyweight: Modestas Bukauskas v Paul Craig

- Lightweight: Fares Ziam v Kaue Fernandes

- Featherweight: Patricio Pitbull v Losene Keita

Tatsuro Taira returned to winning ways with a second-round submission win over Park Hyun-sung in the flyweight main event of a UFC Fight Night at the Apex Facility in Las Vegas on the morning of Sunday 3 August 2025.

Taira, who moves to 17-1, bounced back from a split decision loss to Brandon Royval in October last year with this victory. Park, who was a late replacement for Amir Albazi, was formerly unbeaten but dropped to 10-1 with his first professional career defeat.

Taira dominated the fight throughout, bossing Park in the grappling exchanges through the first round. He then executed a takedown at the start of the second round, advanced to the back, secured his position with a body triangle and cinched the face crank for the finish at 1:06.

In his post-fight interview, Taira, who is currently sixth in the UFC's flyweight rankings, said he wanted the winner of the upcoming Alexandre Pantoja v Joshua Van UFC flyweight title fight, and laughed off a suggestion from interviewer Michael Bisping that he might need one more win before he gets a title shot.

The rest of the main card saw Chris Duncan defeat Mateusz Rebecki via unanimous decision in the lightweight co-main event; another lightweight match saw Esteban Ribovics outpoint Elves Brener; Karol Rosa did the same against Nora Cornolle in the women’s bantamweight division; Neil Magny scored a second-round knockout of fellow welterweight Elizeu Dos Santos; and Kevin Vallejos got the better of Danny Silva via unanimous decision in the featherweight division.

The UFC continues next weekend with a Fight Night at the same venue on the morning of Sunday 10 August, headlined by a middleweight match between Roman Dolidze and Anthony Hernandez.

UFC Fight Night: Albazi v Taira – Main card results

- Main event: Flyweight: Tatsuro Taira def. Park Hyun-sung via submission (face crank), R2, 1:06

- Lightweight: Chris Duncan def. Mateusz Rebecki via unanimous decision (29-28 29-28 30-27), R3, 5:00

- Lightweight: Esteban Ribovics def. Elves Brener via unanimous decision (29-28 29-28 30-27), R3, 5:00

- Women’s bantamweight: Karol Rosa def. Nora Cornolle via unanimous decision (30-27 29-27 29-27), R3, 5:00

- Welterweight: Neil Magny def. Elizeu Dos Santos via TKO (punches), R2, 4:39

- Featherweight: Kevin Vallejos def. Danny Silva via unanimous decision (29-28 30-27 30-27), R3, 5:00

Reinier de Ridder will look to continue his winning streak when he faces Robert Whittaker in the middleweight main event of a UFC Fight Night, set for the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on the evening of Saturday 26 July 2025.

De Ridder (20-2) has won all three of his UFC fights since joining the promotion last year (submitting Gerald Meerschaert and Kevin Holland, and stopping Bo Nickal) and is on a four-match winning streak overall.

However, Whittaker (26-8) represents a step up for the 34-year-old ‘Dutch Knight’. ‘The Reaper’ may have lost his last fight to Khamzat Chimaev, but is a former champion in the division and should be a major obstacle for De Ridder.

Whittaker has expressed his belief that a win in this clash puts him back on track to challenge for the title at 185 lbs.

“Victory over RDR [Reinier de Ridder] pushes me in the path towards gold [the championship],” said the 34-year-old Antipodean. “That’s what I’m trying to head for, that’s the direction I want to head to. It makes me a better fighter.”

Whittaker added, “I want to get that title. That’s what I’m fighting for. I’m doing everything in my power to beat RDR, and that will push me in the direction I need to go to get rematches or fights with people that are holding the strap.

“He’s [De Ridder] well put together, he’s got a really good skill set, he’s high calibre, so I look forward to putting on a show.”

The rest of the main card features a featherweight fight pitting Movsar Evloev against Aaron Pico; high-class bantamweight bouts will see Petr Yan take on Marcus McGhee, and Bryce Mitchell faces Said Nurmagomedov; Shara Magomedov will battle Marc-Andre Barriault in the middleweight division; and a flyweight opener sees Asu Almabayev take on Ramazan Temirov.

UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. De Ridder – Main card

- Main event: Middleweight: Robert Whittaker v Reinier de Ridder

- Featherweight: Movsar Evloev v Aaron Pico

- Bantamweight: Petr Yan v Marcus McGhee

- Bantamweight: Bryce Mitchell v Said Nurmagomedov

- Middleweight: Shara Magomedov v Marc-Andre Barriault

- Flyweight: Asu Almabayev v Ramazan Temirov

Dustin “The Diamond" Poirier’s storied UFC career came to an end with a loss to Max “Blessed” Holloway in the main event of UFC 318 at Smoothie King Centre in New Orleans in the morning of Sunday 20 July 2025.

Born in Louisiana, Poirier fought the final fight of his career in his home state where he was unable to register a third win against Holloway, losing out on the BMF belt.

Holloway dropped Poirier with a straight right just a minute and a half into the fight. Poirier tried to get up but was put back down with a left hook, however, the 36-year-old was able to get back on his feet.

Holloway continued targeting Poirier’s head, landing an uppercut and a right shot in the second round, forcing Poirier against the cage before unleashing a barrage of punches which the veteran was able to withstand.

Poirier changed the momentum towards the end of the second round as he took Holloway to the ground with a well-timed combination and attempted to finish the fight with a guillotine, however, the Hawaiian native was able to outlast the bell, escaping at the end of the round.

The last 10 seconds of the fight saw the two fighters slug it out in the middle of the octagon, but both remained standing after the bell.

Holloway landed 198 significant strikes to Poirier’s 109, with each fighter earning one knockdown. The 33-year-old retained the BMF title, winning by unanimous decision (48-47 49-46 49-46).

Poirier left fans with some emotional words before leaving the octagon for the final time.

"I feel appreciated. I feel seen. I never got to step outside of fighting and look at this this way… I didn't know I touched as many people by living my dreams. You touched my heart," he said.

In the co-main event, Paulo Costa returned to the win column with a victory by unanimous decision over Roman Kopylov after losing to Sean Strickland by split decision in UFC 302 in June.

Michael Johnson got the better of Daniel Zellhuber to earn victory by unanimous decision, Patrício Pitbull moved to 37-8 with a win over Dan Ige by unanimous decision and Daniel Rodriguez defeated Kevin Holland by unanimous decision.

The UFC continues on Saturday 26 July with UFC on ABC, as Rober Whittaker takes on Reinier de Ridder in the main event.

Lightweight: Max Holloway def. Dustin Poirier via unanimous decision (48-47 49-46 49-46), R5, 5:00

Featherweight: Paulo Costa def. Roman Kopylov via unanimous decision (30-27 30-27 29-28) R3, 5:00

Welterweight: Daniel Rodriguez def. Kevin Holland via unanimous decision (29-28 29-28 29-28) R3, 5:00

Middleweight: Patrício Pitbull def. Dan Ige via unanimous decision (29-28 29-28 29-28) R3, 5:00

Lightweight: Michael Johnson def. Daniel Zellhuber via unanimous decision (29-28 29-28 29-28) R3, 5:00

The UFC made official on Monday its return to the city of Perth, Western Australia.

The fourth-most populous city in Australia will host UFC Fight Night on 28 September 2025.

It's the fourth time the city will host a UFC event, but it will be the first time the city will receive a UFC Fight Night, rather than a pay-per-view event.

Perth previously staged UFC 221 in February of 2018, UFC 284 in February of 2023 and UFC 305 in August of 2024.

No bouts have been revealed, though numerous UFC fighters hail from Australia, including featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski and welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena.

MARK THOSE CALENDARS 🗓️🇦🇺

We return to @WestAustralia for #UFCPerth on Sep 28!

Register your interest at https://t.co/zdYvdmX8jR | #WATheDreamState pic.twitter.com/OZd9ZfU9Gg

— UFC_AUSNZ (@UFC_AUSNZ) July 14, 2025

UFC Fight Night was supposed to end with a women's flyweight fight between top-five contenders Erin Blanchfield and Maycee Barber. Instead, the fight was canceled as both were set to enter the Octagon at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas on Saturday night.

The #UFCVegas107 main event has been cancelled due to Maycee Barber not being medically cleared to compete. pic.twitter.com/ymjAxjF6Yn

— UFC (@ufc) June 1, 2025

Instead of cutting to Barber's dressing room, the broadcast cut to play-by-play commentator Brendan Fitzgerald revealing that Barber (14-2 MMA, 9-2 UFC) was "not medically cleared to compete."

Barber missed weight Friday, weighing in at 126.5 pounds, while Blanchfield (13-2 MMA, 7-1 UFC) fulfilled her obligations.

Blanchfield revealed she would not grant Barber a rebooking, saying she would "talk to her manager" to see what contenders are available.

"(Barber) needs to look at another division," Blanchfield said at a press conference after the cancellation. "She needs to fix her life. She needs to fix herself. I think she's a mess in every aspect of her entire life."

Dominance in the Octagon tonight! 🫡@Gamer_MMA wins by UD to keep his top 10 ranking 👏

[ #UFCVegas107 ] pic.twitter.com/1OGrOGPbdl

— UFC (@ufc) June 1, 2025

The card finished with nine fights, five on the main card at UFC Vegas 107.

In the co-headliner, Mateusz Gamrot won a unanimous decision over Ludovit Klein 30-27-30-27, 30-27. Gamrot (25-3 MMA, 8-3 UFC) has won four of his last five fights, sending Klein (23-5-1 MMA, 7-3-1 UFC) to his first loss since October 2021.

Ramiz Brahimaj pulled off a critical upset at welterweight over Billy Ray Goff with a guillotine choke at 3:16 in Round 1. Brahimaj has finished all 12 of his wins, 11 of them by submission. Brahimaj (12-5 MMA, 4-3 UFC) has won two of his last three, while Goff (9-4 MMA, 1-2 UFC) has lost two straight.

Dustin Jacoby, 37, demonstrated that he still has power in his hands, making quick work against Bruno Lopes by securing a first-round TKO at 1:50. A Jacoby jab set up the finish before a flurry of punches, as he has now won back-to-back fights.

Jacoby (21-9-1 MMA, 9-6-1 UFC) made it clear he is anything but a "stepping stone," and would eventually love to run back his October 2022 split-decision loss to former UFC light heavyweight title challenger Khalil Rountree Jr. (13-6 MMA, 9-6, 1 NC UFC) down the line. Lopes (14-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC) returns to the drawing board, suffering his first loss since September 2023.

The second fight saw Ketlen Vieira use her ground control to beat Macy Chiasson by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27) at women's featherweight. Vieira (15-4 MMA, 9-4 UFC) halted a possible skid as she's now won four of her last six. Meanwhile, Chiasson (11-4 MMA, 8-4 UFC) has split her last four fights as a two-fight winning streak was snapped.

In the main card opener, Zachary Reese beat Dusko Todorovic in middleweight action, taking the cards 29-28, 29-28, 29-28. Reese (9-2 MMA, 3-2 UFC) has won three of his last five, while Todorovic (12-6 MMA, 3-6 UFC) has lost three in a row and four out of his last five.

Cory Sandhagen made a statement of intent with an impressive victory over Deiveson Figueiredo in the bantamweight main event of a UFC Fight Night at the Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa, on the morning of Sunday 4 May 2025.

‘The Sandman’ shut down Figueiredo's leg lock attempts, poured on offence and clearly claimed a dominant first round. In the second, while tangled in a 50-50 position induced by leg attacks, Sandhagen reversed positions. Figueiredo quickly submitted while shouting in pain. The referee ruled the fight a TKO win for Sandhagen due to a knee injury for the Brazilian.

Sandhagen (18-5) has lost four times in the UFC. Each time, the person who beat him subsequently fought for the UFC bantamweight title. A decisive win on Saturday, even with the unusual stoppage, was crucial after losing to Umar Nurmagomedov, UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili's last title challenger.

"I've dreamed of being a world champion for more than half my life now," Sandhagen said after the win. "UFC, please, give me an opportunity to show how great I am to the whole world. Please."

He added, “Nothing fires you up like a loss. I have a really good team behind me. We work our butts off. I'm going to be a champion one day.

"I'm ready to win that belt. Sean O'Malley or Merab, I want the winner. I'll be the backup if they want.”

The rest of the main card saw Reinier de Ridder stop Bo Nickal with a knee-to-the-body KO in the second round of their middleweight match; Daniel Rodriguez claimed a TKO win over Santiago Ponzinibbio in the welterweight division; Montel Jackson outpointed fellow bantamweight Daniel Marcos; Thomas Petersen had a dominant unanimous decision triumph over Don’Tale Mayes in the heavyweight division; and the women’s flyweight opener had Juliana Miller defeat Ivana Petrovic via unanimous decision.

Next week brings UFC 315, set for the Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada, on the morning of Sunday 11 May, and headlined by fights for the Welterweight Championship (Belal Muhammad v Jack Della Maddalena) and Women’s Flyweight Championship (Valentina Shevchenko v Manon Fiorot).

UFC FIGHT NIGHT: Sandhagen v Figueiredo – MAIN CARD RESULTS

MAIN EVENT:

BANTAMWEIGHT: Cory Sandhagen def. Deiveson Figueiredo via TKO (knee injury), R2, 4:08

MIDDLEWEIGHT: Reinier de Ridder def. Bo Nickal via KO (knee to the body), R2, 1:53

WELTERWEIGHT: Daniel Rodriguez def. Santiago Ponzinibbio via TKO (punches), R3, 1:12

BANTAMWEIGHT: Montel Jackson def. Daniel Marcos via unanimous decision (30-27 30-27 30-27), R3, 5:00

HEAVYWEIGHT: Thomas Petersen def. Don’Tale Mayes via unanimous decision (30-25 30-26 30-26), R3, 5:00

WOMEN’S FLYWEIGHT: Juliana Miller def. Ivana Petrovic via unanimous decision (29-28 29-28 29-28), R3, 5:00

Lerone Murphy remains undefeated in his professional MMA career after he got the better of Josh Emmett in the featherweight main event of UFC on ESPN: Emmett v Murphy at the Apex Facility in Las Vegas on the morning of Sunday 6 April 2025.

 

STILL UNDEFEATED 😤@LeroneMurphy is now 16-0 in his professional career after #UFCVegas105 pic.twitter.com/SaHDS6qX7f

— UFC (@ufc) April 6, 2025

 

Murphy, who moves to 16-0-1 in his career, took the victory via unanimous decision (48-47 48-47 49-46 on the judges’ score cards), using his superior striking skills to outclass Emmett, who tried to pour on the offence and utilise wrestling, but was unable to effectively corner his opponent.

“16-0! 16-0! What? What? Easy work!" Murphy said post-fight as the crowd booed him. "I had to fight my game. It was dangerous work. He has one-punch knockout power. You have to fight a certain fight at a top level. I couldn't make any mistakes. I was knocked down in my last fight and had to make it right.

"I want the title, but give me anyone in the top three or five. I'll be ready to go in July.”

 

Unpopular opinion... But Lerone Murphy really out classed the aging Josh Emmett in every aspect of the GAME and his leg kicks made a huge difference in this Fight to get him the DECISION ‼️🦿💥 @LeroneMurphy 💯 #UFCVegas105

Who should Murphy fight next??? 👀🤔🚨 pic.twitter.com/TrXFkahfmM

— MMA Homie Podcast (@theMMAhomies) April 6, 2025

 

The rest of the main card saw Pat Sabatini overcome Joanderson Brito in the featherweight division; Lee Chang-ho stopped Cortavious Romious in a catchweight (139.5 lb) bout; Brad Tavares outpointed fellow middleweight Gerald Meerschaert; Ode Osbourne stopped Luis Gurule with a second-round TKO; and Torrez Finney edged Robert Valentin with a split decision win in their middleweight opener.

The UFC continues next week with UFC 314, set for the Kaseya Centre in Miami on the morning of Sunday 13 April, and headlined by a featherweight championship fight between Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes.

UFC on ESPN: Emmett v Murphy – Main card results

Main event: Featherweight: Lerone Murphy def. Josh Emmett via unanimous decision (48-47 48-47 49-46), R5, 5:00

Featherweight: Pat Sabatini def. Joanderson Brito via unanimous decision (30-26 30-26 30-27), R3, 5:00

Catchweight (139.5 lb): Lee Chang-ho def. Cortavious Romious via TKO (punches and elbows), R2, 3:48

Middleweight: Brad Tavares def. Gerald Meerschaert via unanimous decision (29-28 29-28 29-28), R3, 5:00

Flyweight: Ode Osbourne def. Luis Gurule via TKO (punches), R2, 1:54

Middleweight: Torrez Finney def. Robert Valentin via split decision (27-30 29-28 29-28), R3, 5:00

Josh Emmett will make his return to the Octagon when he faces Lerone Murphy in the featherweight main event of UFC on ESPN: Emmett v Murphy, set for the Apex Facility in Las Vegas on the morning of Sunday 6 April 2025.

Emmett (19-4), a former flyweight interim title contender, was last in action in late 2023 when he defeated Bryce Mitchell via first-round knockout.

The 40-year-old American took a lengthy break from fighting to get back to full fitness and focus, as he looks to make a final push to try and win the flyweight championship.

“I feel like I owe it to my family, friends and coaches,” said Emmett. “I’m 100 per cent now, so I want to make a run at that title, and I’m excited to get back in there. I’m feeling great, and I can’t wait for people to see me perform.

“In the last few years, I’ve been a fraction of myself, but you get these opportunities, and you have to take them, and here we are [...]. Everyone will see the progression that I’ve made in this year lay off.”

Murphy (15-0-1) kept up his unbeaten record as a professional when he defeated Dan Ige via unanimous decision in October of last year.

The 33-year-old Englishman, known as ‘The Miracle’ because he has had a couple of brushes with death – being shot in the face and hit by a car – is looking to win the featherweight title before the year is out.

“I’m looking to bring the title home in 2025, that’s my goal,” said Murphy. "The perfect year would be to have three fights - March, mid-summer [Northern hemisphere summer] and then a title fight at the end of the year.

"I believe I have the skill set to give anybody problems in that division, and I’m getting better daily.”

The rest of the main card features Cortavious Romious v Lee Chang-ho in a bantamweight battle; Nigerian Kennedy Nzechukwu faces Martin Buday in a heavyweight bout; a middleweight match pits Torrez Finney against Robert Valentin; Pat Sabatini takes on Joanderson Brito in the featherweight division; and a middleweight match will see Brad Tavares and Gerald Meerschaert chase victory.

UFC on ESPN: Emmett v Murphy – Main card

- Main event: Featherweight: Josh Emmett v Lerone Murphy

- Featherweight: Pat Sabatini v Joanderson Brito

- Bantamweight: Cortavious Romious v Lee Chang-ho

- Heavyweight: Kennedy Nzechukwu v Martin Buday

- Middleweight: Brad Tavares v Gerald Meerschaert

- Middleweight: Torrez Finney v Robert Valentin

Roman Dolidze avenged his previous defeat at the hands of Marvin Vettori, claiming a unanimous decision triumph over ‘The Italian Dream’ in the middleweight main event of a UFC Fight Night at the Apex Facility in Las Vegas on the morning of Sunday 16 March 2025.

Roman Dolidze avenges his 2023 loss against Marvin Vettori with a win at #UFCVegas104 💪 pic.twitter.com/bWuxRDKBHu

— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) March 16, 2025

The two top-tier fighters had a similar battle to their first meeting back in 2023 (which Vettori won by unanimous decision), with Dolidze the more aggressive and pro-active of the two, while his opponent remained dangerous with leg strikes and counter punches.

While the first fight went the way of Vettori on the back of Dolidze flagging through three rounds, this five-round main event saw the Georgian display much greater cardio – and he was able to keep a high level of offence to deservedly triumph 49-46 on all three judges’ score cards.

“First fight [against Vettori] I was going hard because of my aggression," Dolidze told UFC commentator Michael Bisping post fight. "This time I was ready and controlled my aggression. I deserve a top five fight. 100 per cent. There are two realistic fights for me: Robert Whittaker or Israel Adesanya.”

One of the best answers I've ever heard about "We are going to war" in a fighting sport.

Roman Dolidze definitely knows what is a WAR. 🇬🇪🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/HrqSFYG8B4

— Giorgi Kokiashvili 🇬🇪 (@iHeartGeorgius1) March 16, 2025

In the rest of the main card, Chidi Njokuani stopped Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos in a catchweight (172.25 lb) fight; Alexander Hernandez outpointed Kurt Holobaugh in the lightweight division; Da’Mon Blackshear submitted Cody Gibson in a bantamweight battle; Brendson Ribeiro got the better of Diyar Nurgozhay in a catchweight (210.5 lb) match; and Kevin Vallejos stopped Choi Seung-woo in the first round of their featherweight opener.

"It's Whittaker or Adesanya!" - Roman Dolidze shoots his shot! 👀#UFCVegas104 | Live on TNT Sports & discovery+ pic.twitter.com/SwBNOHce4i

— UFC on TNT Sports (@ufcontnt) March 16, 2025

The UFC continues next weekend with a Fight Night at the O2 Arena in London on the evening of Saturday 22 March, headlined by a welterweight clash between Leon Edwards and Sean Brady.

Roman Dolidze believes a fight with Israel Adesanya will get him the most eyes in terms of his next fight.

“It’s not about personality, it’s all about name and quality of opponent and Adesanya will be better if we’re looking at a future opponent” pic.twitter.com/WyakYLCtn0

— FULL SEND MMA (@full_send_mma) March 16, 2025

UFC Fight Night: Vettori v Dolidze – Main card results

- Main event: Middleweight: Roman Dolidze def. Marvin Vettori via unanimous decision (49-46 49-46 49-46), R5, 5:00

- Catchweight (172.25 lb): Chidi Njokuani def. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos via TKO (knees and elbows), R2, 2:19

- Lightweight: Alexander Hernandez def. Kurt Holobaugh via unanimous decision (29-28 30-27 29-28), R3, 5:00

- Bantamweight: Da’Mon Blackshear def. Cody Gibson via submission (kimura), R2, 4:09

- Catchweight(210.5 lb): Brendson Ribeiro def. Diyar Nurgozhay via submission (kimura), R2, 1:28

- Featherweight: Kevin Vallejos def. Choi Seung-woo via TKO (punches), R1, 3:09

Dan Hooker underwent surgery on his left hand after withdrawing from Saturday's co-main event lightweight fight against Justin Gaethje at UFC 313.

Hooker (24-12 MMA, 14-8 UFC) withdrew from the fight last month, disclosing a fractured hand in a video with his daughter posted on YouTube. He said the injury occurred when he hit the "top of the dome" of his sparring partner with his knuckle.

Hooker took to social media again on Monday, sharing a picture on Instagram from a hospital bed with his surgically repaired hand.

The 35-year-old Hooker last fought in August, beating Mateusz Gamrot in Australia to extend his winning streak to three fights. However, he will not get to face Gaethje (25-5, 8-5) on Saturday, with Rafael Fiziev (12-3, 6-3) stepping in.

It's a rematch of a fight Gaethje won by majority decision at UFC 286. It will also mark Gaethje's first return to the Octagon since the 36-year-old was knocked out by Max Holloway in the fifth round at UFC 300 in Las Vegas.

Jared Cannonier knocked out Gregory Rodrigues just 21 seconds into the fourth round of their main-event middleweight fight on Saturday night at UFC Fight Night in Las Vegas.

WHAT A PERFORMANCE FROM JARED CANNONIER 🤯

He gets the TKO victory in the #UFCVegas102 main event! pic.twitter.com/EKWMpHiNCw

— UFC (@ufc) February 16, 2025

Cannonier (18-8-0) used punches to down Rodrigues for his first win since June 17, 2023. Rodrigues (16-6-0) saw a three-fight winning streak come to an end.

JARED CANNONIER KNOCKS OUT GREGORY RODRIGUES IN ROUND 4!!!!!! #UFCVegas102 pic.twitter.com/h9hT1ZmIUi

— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) February 16, 2025

Youssef Zalal (17-5-1) defeated Calvin Kattar (23-9-0) in featherweight action, taking the cards 29-28, 29-28, 29-28. Dylan Budka (7-5-0) didn't even last one full round before he was knocked out by Edmen Shahbazyan (14-5-0) in a middleweight bout.

Other winners Saturday included lightweight Nazim Sadykhov (10-1-1) and middleweight Andre Petroski (13-4-0).

Mackenzie Dern secured a dramatic submission triumph over Amanda Ribas in the main event of the first UFC Fight Night of the year, held at the Apex Facility in Las Vegas on the morning of Sunday 12 January 2025.

 

REDEMPTION FOR @MACKENZIEDERN‼️#UFCVegas101 pic.twitter.com/Xz1ltijf9w

— UFC (@ufc) January 12, 2025

 

A well-balanced women’s strawweight match saw both Dern and Ribas enjoy moments of dominance via takedowns – the former bossed the grappling and submission attempts, but the latter was more powerful in the ground and pound.

In the third round, Dern threatened an armbar to sweep Ribas into full mount. From there, Dern worked her striking before attacking the arm again, ultimately unravelling her opponent’s defence before sinking in a Ronda Rousey-like armbar that forced a first submission loss from Ribas.

Dern moves to 15-5 in her career and has won back-to-back matches for the first time since 2020-21. The 31-year-old American is hoping to build further momentum.

“I just want to get another win in a row," Dern told commentator Michael Bisping post-fight. "I don't know who that would be. I hope someone in front of me [in the rankings], but I've fought most of them. The only one I haven't fought is Tatiana [Suarez] but she's fighting for the title.”

 

Make it back-to-back wins for Mackenzie Dern 💪 #UFCVegas101 pic.twitter.com/MrUIdnHtVR

— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) January 12, 2025

 

The rest of the main card saw Santiago Ponzinibbio stop Carlston Harris in the third round of their welterweight co-main event; Cesar Almeida made quick work of Abdul Razak Alhassan with a first-round knockout in a middleweight bout; Roman Kopylov stopped Chris Curtis in the third round of their middleweight match; Christian Rodriguez out-pointed Austin Bashi in a featherweight fight; and the welterweight opener saw Punahele Soriano TKO Uros Medic in just over 30 seconds of the first round.

Next week brings UFC 311 from the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, on the morning of Sunday 19 January, headlined by championship fights in the lightweight (Islam Makhachev v Arman Tsarukyan) and bantamweight divisions (Merab Dvalishvili v Umar Nurmagomedov).

UFC Fight Night: Dern v Ribas – Main card results

- Main event: Women’s strawweight: Mackenzie Dern def. Amanda Ribas via submission (armbar), R3, 4:56

- Welterweight: Santiago Ponzinibbio def. Carlston Harris via TKO (punches), R3, 3:13

- Middleweight: Cesar Almeida def. Abdul Razak Alhassan via KO (punch), R1, 4:14

- Middleweight: Roman Kopylov def. Chris Curtis via TKO (head kick), R3, 4:59

- Featherweight: Christian Rodriguez def. Austin Bashi via unanimous decision (29-28 29-28 29-28), R3, 5:00

- Welterweight: Punahele Soriano def. Uros Medic via KO (punches), R1, 0:31