As has been seen often, there are many different paths to UFC gold.

Some are like the proverbial rocket to the top of the division, a straight line upward unimpeded. Others are like a graph, with peaks and valleys that through resilience continue to go upward until they reach the summit.

Paddy Pimblett has very much been the former in the UFC. The Cage Warriors star debuted in 2021 with much fanfare. What came next has been one of the most notable ascents to stardom of the 2020’s for the UFC. Pimblett would be a featured attraction on events in his native United Kingdom, receiving special treatments for his walkouts despite more established veterans coming later on the card. But it became clear his star had outgrown even the rambunctious crowds of Europe as the UFC began to put him in featured bouts on numbered events in the United States. It was a move that paid dividends for the UFC. It was clear his star power was also high in the US.

BAD TO THE BONE 😤@PaddyTheBaddy aims to take home the interim lightweight belt at #UFC324!

[ LIVE JAN 24 at 9pmET on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/OEtPvD2whS

— UFC (@ufc) January 20, 2026

In January, he was heavily favored to get past the older Justin Gaethje and set up a fight with undisputed champion Ilia Topuria with whom he’d had a viral confrontation with in the Octagon months earlier. It was not meant to be though as Gaethje turned in a brilliant performance to route “The Baddy” and claim interim gold.

Today, the lightweight division is in a unique place. Gaethje is now undisputed champion and has handed both Pimblett and Topuria their first UFC losses. Top contender Arman Tsaruyan awaits a matchup for the second half of the year and reigning BMF champion Charles Oliveira looks to convert a prior win over Gaethje into a rematch for undisputed gold.

This creates a pivotal moment for Pimblett. He remains hugely popular and has the distinction of being the lead-in for the return of Conor McGregor on Saturday. A victory in his return to action would put him in play for one of the outliers in the title picture and a chance to keep him on the short list for a crack at the belt. Considering how many contenders he has not fought at the top of the division, it’s far from out of the question that he could be in contention again going into 2027.

Of course, that is assuming he gets past Benoit Saint Denis. “The God of War” has not enjoyed the same push as Pimblett since he joined the UFC back in 2021 as well. He dropped his promotional debut as a welterweight that night and went on to work his way up the rankings as a lightweight with five straight finishes. A dangerous contender to be sure, but UFC star he was not quite yet.

Absolute control 😮‍💨
@BenoitSt_Denis is ready to make it 5 consecutive wins in the co-main event at #UFC329!

[ LIVE JULY 11 at 9pmET on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/DNmCEZwyLK

— UFC (@ufc) July 1, 2026

Then came pivotal opportunities that led to stumbles. A showcase bout against Dustin Poirier saw his win-streak snapped. He was granted a headliner in his subsequent appearance, but he would be on the losing side again as he lost to Renato Moicano as the home country favorite in France. It appeared very much so that the figurative buckets of cold water had been dropped on the hot-streak that he had worked so hard to build.

What came next has been nothing short of impressive. He’s turned in four straight victories by stoppage, submitting surging contender Mauricio Ruffy and stopping perennially ranked fighters Beneil Dariush and Dan Hooker. The victory has placed him in prime position to be a breath of fresh air to the lightweight title picture and he has already been calling for a fight for the BMF belt. Where once he was overlooked, his current win-streak has many coming over to the idea of his bid to get the opportunity.

One of the UFC’s most well-received programs was fittingly titled “The Thrill and the Agony.” The same can be said for a long journey to becoming a contender. For those who have taken the long route to the top of the division, to not be able to convert one’s success into a fight for the belt could very well be described as agony. It is what makes Saint Denis, and Pimblett for that matter, the gladiators of this day and age. Because for as much as is at stake and as much work as they have put in, the two are definitely leaving it all on the line for a chance to take a big step forward.

The post UFC 329: Breakthroughs and Broken Hearts in Pimblett vs BSD appeared first on Cageside Press.

The episode dropped during the busy UFC 329/2026 International Fight Week, and found Team Cormier and Team Bisping tied at two wins a piece.

“You’re a killer, you f*cking hit hard,” Bisping tells his student, Alves. “You’re very good on the ground, but you’ve got power in your hands, you’ve got power in your kicks, your knees,” he adds, before telling her that the other cast members aren’t her friends.

Meanwhile, “The Count” lies to Urijah Faber, Black’s usual coach, and tells him that she’s on his team. That allows him to get the inside scoop on Black right from the horses mouth. When he later fesses up to it, Faber texts him back. “You weasel.”

Alves lost her dad at age 10 from MS, and was raised by her mom. She’s looking to give her mother and sisters a better life.

Fellow Brazilian Tina Black started training when he sister invited her to the gym, and it was “love at first sight.” By the time she was 14 or 15, she took her first fight, in kickboxing. She’d switch to MMA, make her way to California, and be training with Faber’s Team Alpha MMA (formerly Team Alpha Male).

Alves has a rough weight cut ahead of the pair’s fight. “One hour and it’s over,” Bisping tells her. Dana White notes that if a fighter is heavy, they get an additional hour at weigh-ins. But there’s a concern that if they stop the weight cut for Cormier’s team to weigh in, it could set her back. So they opt to send an assistant coach to witness Black weigh in, while Alves goes straight into her extra hour. Black hits 116, while Alves comes down to the final minute. It’s the only weigh-in, since she immediately took her additional hour. Behind the barrier, Alves is 116.5. Cormier, Bisping, and the commission rep debate whether Alves cutting her hair would make the difference.

Instead, to secure the fight, Michael Bisping agrees to shave his head, with Cormier doing the honors. That after talk of a payout to Black, but Cormier prefers torturing Bisping a bit.

“This is a weird way to resolve not making weight, but good for Tina Black for not taking the easy way out,” says Dana White, who notes that she could have won by forfeit.

Tina Black vs. Natalia Alves

Alves and Black, despite Natalia’s strength on the ground, plays out on the feet for the first half round. And ultimately the entire frame. Black has an obvious edge in power, and is able to fight Alves off when she tries to close the distance. By the midway mark of round one, coach Bisping is urging Alves to throw. She does get an outside leg kick and right hand going, but nearly every attack sees her forced back by Black’s powerful punches. When she changes levels, Black gets underhooks and is able to fend her off.

Cormier is liking what he sees from his fighter. Between rounds, Bisping tells Alves that the round belonged to Tina Black. As the second gets underway, it looks strikingly similar to round one. A well-placed punch by Black causes Alves to falter. Black’s uppercut and right hand look nasty. She adds kicks, and is landing at a much higher rate than Alves. There’s no need for a third round after ten minutes has passed: Tina Black had the clear edge throughout. She doesn’t let up, however, landing some nasty blows including a knee to the body with under two minutes on the clock. “Tina, she’s hurt!” hollers Cormier. Alves is slowing, her body language concerning. She begins covering up and retreating more than fighting. Multiple knees to the body land. “Fight back!” urges the ref.

Black is showing great accuracy on top of power, and finally the ref calls it. A TKO win for Black in round two, at 4:08!

Next Week on The Ultimate Fighter 34

With Black in the strawweight semifinals, it’s back to the men’s bantamweights. It’s the grudge match up next. Illimbek Akylbek Uulu from Team Bisping gets Sean Mora of Team Cormier, after Mora cut Uulu during tryouts. Cormier and Bisping have to get between them as they face off. “Dirty fighter,” Uulu calls Mora. This looks like a good one!

The post The Ultimate Fighter 34: Drama At the Scale in Ep. 5 appeared first on Cageside Press.

Gable Steveson may be, without exaggeration, the most blue chip prospect to ever be signed into the UFC.

He’s not only excelled in one discipline, but he’s spent time at the highest level in other arenas. His 2021 Olympic gold medal in freestyle wrestling is complimented by two NCAA titles. He was briefly signed to the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings and played several games with the practice squad. Finally, he spent three years working with the WWE where he had several dark matches and one televised match on their NXT program. Compared to his contemporaries to come over to MMA from other disciplines, he carries more credentials than nearly all of them.

Oh, did we mention he’s also a close teammate of one of the consensus greatest MMA fighters of all-time in Jon Jones?

So far he’s only had three MMA fights (and one bout under the hybrid rules of Jones’ Dirty Boxing promotion) and they’ve all ended within the first round in his favor. It is a touch more experience than the likes of other super prospects like Bo Nickal, Kayla Harrison, and Aaron Pico had before they entered the big leagues of a major MMA promotion. But he certainly carries far more attention going into one of the biggest events of the year.

GABLE STEVESON 13 SECOND KO 😳

Jon Jones loving it 👀 pic.twitter.com/E0YgXNODSn

— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) October 31, 2025

He is, as many super prospects being pushed into the spotlight quickly are, a huge risk for the promotion. On the one hand, He could well develop into the newest heavyweight contender and potentially one of the most dangerous fighters ever seen given his vast pedigree in wrestling. On the other, his lack of experience could be exposed by his foes and throw the proverbial bucket of cold water on his aspirations in MMA before they’ve really had a chance to take flight.

But that is the world Steveson has created with his success. Today’s wirelessly connected world makes it impossible for him to cut his teeth anonymously on the regional scene, especially given his high profile. Furthermore, said stardom also means that he is almost certainly being underpaid competing in anything less than a global promotion with a budget to compensate him for the attention he brings. In short, the only option for him is to either sink or swim in the UFC if he intends to be a professional mixed martial artist.

For night one at least, Steveson has been given as hand-picked an opponent as can be hoped for. The 5-2 Elisha Ellison was set for a Dana White’s Contender Series bout last year but the promotion ended up cancelling his bout and rebooking him against the same opponent immediately in the UFC last September. Ellison lost that bout by first round finish and could already be fighting for his UFC job before it’s really even begun.

Could the UFC find another Ellison should Steveson be victorious? Perhaps. But the fact remains he could be called out by veterans looking to expose his inexperience sooner rather than later. Then, should he not take such bouts as he continues to build experience, the narrative will quickly change as to when will he take on bigger name opponents that will test his abilities.

He is as athletically talented and gifted as anyone who’s ever entered the UFC. He is too decorated not to take a risk on. The only thing now is to see if the sum of all the pieces does translate into “the next big thing” in MMA.

The post UFC 329: Gable Steveson’s Arrival to the Big Show appeared first on Cageside Press.

After debuting in conjunction with Freedom 250 at the White House, TUF 34 has shifted to its usual Tuesday slot on Paramount+ and Rogers SportsNet (Canada), with bantamweights and women’s strawweights in the spotlight.

This week, Team Bisping had Mehemmedeli Osmanli on deck, looking to get them on the board at bantamweight. Bisping calls him “unbelievable” and adds that his fighter’s confidence is “thought the roof.”

“We are very confident going into this match-up.”

Osmanli is taking on Team Cormier’s number one pick, Artem Belakh. He’s a Kazakhstan-born Russian.

Mehemmedeli Osmanli, an Azerbaijani, reveals his father was once a millionaire, but when he was young, the family lost their fortune due to mistakes his father made. They sold their house, their car, and were left with next to nothing; his uncle stepped up to help him out. At 21, he’s the youngest fighter on the show.

Coach Bisping takes his team outside for a run, noting that in training camp, “every day is like Groundhog Day,” and it’s a break from the “same old routine every single day.”

Belakh struggles with his weight ahead of his first TUF fight, and winds up 7lbs over the morning of weigh-ins. Cormier is in the gym trying to get Belakh to sweat it out, and Team Bisping shows up for their assigned time. That leads Cormier to lock them out, as he refuses to force Belakh to halt his cut. Bisping confronts him, they talk it out, and Cormier gets to use the gym a little longer.

Both fighters make weight in the end. They get a little heated at face-offs, with Cormier suggesting Mehemmedeli Osmanli is scared, while “The Count” calls him a “real fighter.” Things get out of hand with Osmanli throwing an empty water bottle and hollering “b*tch” and “shut the f*ck up” when members of Team Cormier chirp at him. Bisping has to calm him down.

Balakh says he feels his time is coming. “Now is the cherry on the cake. I just love to fight, I just love competing.”

Artem Belakh vs. Mehemmedeli Osmanli

The fourth fight, and second bantamweight scrap, of The Ultimate Fighter 34 starts off with some clinchwork up against the cage. Osmanli and Belakh reverse positions, and both have their moments. It’s Osmanli who starts getting his striking going partway through the round, leading coach Cormier to tell Balakh that he needs to take the fight down. He certainly gives it his best effort, but Osmanli scrambles, frees himself, and then puts Balakh in a bad spot, taking the back and raining down punches. The hooks go in, the choke goes in, and the tap to the rear-naked choke comes soon after.

Cormier complains that his fighter “just wrestled the whole time” during the fight. “That’s all he did, was wrestle. Why? Why?” Beforehand, they felt a stand-up fight would favor Artem. Even Bisping is confused by his approach.

Dana White says that Mehemmedeli showed no fear, and “made a statement” with his performance.

Next Up on TUF 34

Bisping picks the next fight, and it’s Natalia Alves vs. Tina Black – an all-Brazilian match-up. Black trains with Urijah Faber, while Alves is part of The Fighting Nerds.

The post The Ultimate Fighter 34: Team Bisping Looks to Even Score in Ep 4 appeared first on Cageside Press.

To kick off this latest installment, Dana White addresses the state of Team Bisping, being down 0-2 between the men’s bantamweights and women’s strawweights, but also noted that “at the end of the day, this is an individual sport.”

Bisping decides to get his team into sparring close to fight day. “Nothing gets you ready for a fight better than sparring,” says “The Count.” Bisping also sings the praises of Canuto, calling her a “really nice person” who listens to everything she’s told in the gym. As a multi-time BJJ champ, the game plan is to take Karim to the ground.

“I don’t think she has much to threaten me with,” Canuto says of her opponent.

Bisping’s team later prints out a shot of Daniel Cormier from his infamous cake video to hang in the house as a prank. Tina Black doesn’t enjoy the rib, and says she thinks people are “jelly” of her coach. Canuto, meanwhile, tells the camera that the other girls don’t like Black. They give her the nickname “Baba Ovo,” which apparently means ass-kisser.

In Team Cormier’s training session, Anita Karim vomits doing sprints, but pushes past it. That earns Cormier’s respect, and he notes that she’s “not going to quit on herself.”

Karim is the first Pakistani female fighter to represent her country on the international stage. Canuto, meanwhile, has an interesting backstory as well: she met her husband in the gym, in a kids class. Not as teachers, as students. They would fall in love, grow up, get married, and he now serves as her full-time coach. “We’re literally the same person and we’re still in the honeymoon phase basically,” she says.

Canuto has appeared as part of the UFC BJJ Invitational, and uses target practice to help with her accuracy and staying calm.

At weigh-ins ahead of the fight, Karim needs the barrier, but hits the mark. The coaches bet on the fight, the loser buying dinner for the winner’s team. Canuto makes a side bet with Cormier: if she knocks out Karim, he has to pay out $500. Canuto also needs the barrier. She makes weight as well.

Before we get to the fight, Tina Black and Canuto squabble at the house. “She’s lucky she got the other girl. I wanted her to fight me,” Black says.

Gigi Canuto vs. Anita Karim

Coach Bisping tells Gigi Canuto that she’s better than Karim in every area. “You’re going to show the world who you are.” Canuto opens with a kick, and Bisping tells her not to do that. She then gets her hands going, lands a kick to the body, and Karim folds in half. She’s doubled over, holding her stomach, but the fight isn’t over. Canuto moves in, and the finish comes seconds later. A couple of punches, and a second kick to the stomach, and it’s done.

Michael Bisping later reveals that Gigi had scouted Karim and found her to be soft in the midsection, and planned to go for teep kicks. While he was worried about her kicks being caught, the student knew better than the teacher in this case.

Daniel Cormier says he’s disappointed, saying he thought Karim had more grit to her than that.

Canuto’s first-round TKO gets Team Bisping on the board. Cormier pays Canuto her $500, but won’t buy Team Bisping dinner, because he says the bet was one or the other.

Next on TUF 34

It’s back to the bantamweight division, with Michael Bisping making the pick. Mehemmedeli Osmanli will represent Team Bisping, against the #1 pick of Team Cormier, Artem Belakh.

The post The Ultimate Fighter 34: Can Cormier Stay Unbeaten in Ep 3? appeared first on Cageside Press.

Manel Kape

With this third-round TKO win, “Starboy” avenged a loss from 2017 against Kyoji Horiguchi. By losing the fight up until he wasn’t, Kape reminded everyone that the danger factor is always present when he’s in the cage. This is Kape’s fourth consecutive knockout win against ranked opponents. Even if Alexandre Pantoja is ready to come back and rematches Joshua Van, there should be no doubt about who the backup should be and who should get the next shot: it’s Manel Kape.

Kape’s next fight: Title shot

Navajo Stirling

While the betting odds seemed a bit wide, Navajo Stirling did pass what certainly was his toughest UFC test, thus far. After going to the judges’ scorecards in his first three fights, Stirling has now earned finishes in his last two. I think the sensible increase in competition would bring Stirling to a matchup with veteran Alonzo Menifield. Julius Walker, Oumar Sy and Zhang Mingyang couldn’t pass the Menifield test, let’s see if Stirling can.

Stirling’s next fight: Alonzo Menifield

Christian Rodriguez

After back-to-back losses, a head kick into a nasty guillotine choke that puts Hyder Amil out cold was just what the doctor ordered. Though he’s still quite young, the apparent ceiling on Rodriguez may have come down in people’s eyes, but there is little doubt that he’s going to stick around for a long time. He’s the kind of fighter that is beatable but will beat you if you don’t mind your Ps and Qs. He can grow into a Neil Magny, Dan Ige-type of litmus test for unranked featherweights. He should fight the undefeated featherweight prospect that won spectacularly on this very card.

Rodriguez’s next fight: Murtazali Magomedov

Murtazali Magomedov

Murtazali Magomedov made a splash in his promotional debut, earning a Scottish twister against Melsik Baghdasaryan. He had a difficult strength of schedule on the regional scene and now looks primed to make some noise at 145 lbs. But before we get too carried away, he first needs to pass the test that all undefeated featherweights need to: beat Christian Rodriguez. Rodriguez has taken the 0’s off of multiple fighters in his UFC career. Let’s see if Magomedov’s 0 can survive C-Rod.

Magomedov’s next fight: Christian Rodriguez

Vinicius Oliveira

“LokDog” had to overcome some adversity, but was ultimately successful in his new division, defeating a respected veteran in Andre Fili. There are reasons to be optimistic about Oliveira at featherweight, and another similar test should tell us more about what kind of run we can expect out of the 30-year-old. Someone like Joanderson Brito would not only be a good test, but would certainly produce fireworks.

Oliveira’s next fight: Joanderson Brito

The post What’s Next: UFC Vegas 119 Winners appeared first on Cageside Press.

Kyoji Horiguchi

Manel Kape completed the come from behind victory on Saturday to finish Kyoji Horiguchi in the pair’s rematch, nearly 10 years in the making. The loss was just the second of Horiguchi’s 11-fight UFC career. The first stint of which, came from 2013-2016. Horiguchi was re-signed to the promotion in late 2025 and has gone 2-1 since. His two victories were against Tagir Ulanbekov and Amir Albazi.

Horiguchi’s next fight should be against the loser of Brandon Royval vs.  Lone’er Kavanagh. That bout goes down on July 11 so the timing would be great. Royval is 7-5 with the UFC and on a 2-fight losing streak. He’s lost to Joshua Van (in a fight of the night winner) and was finished by Manel Kape in his last fight back in late 2025.

Lone’er is a 2024 Contender Series product that is just 3-1 with the promotion so far. In his second to last fight, he suffered the first defeat of his pro MMA career in the form of a late second round finish at the hands of one Charles Johnson. Lon’er got back on the right track with a surprising upset victory over former UFC flyweight champ, Brandon Moreno, in his last fight.

Giving Horiguchi the winner of this bout makes sense in timing, rankings, and fight style. Either matchup presents an interesting and entertaining matchup for fans. Co-main or featured high on the main card of a Fight Night card.

Horiguchi’s next fight: (#4) Brandon Royval vs. (#6) Lone’er Kavanagh loser

Ion Cutelaba

Navajo Stirling passed the test on Saturday in the form of 21-fight UFC veteran Ion Cutelaba. Stirling showed he was more than competent in mixing the martial arts and melting his opponent to get the finish. Cutelaba falls to 9-11-1 in his 10-years with the promotional giant. Ion is 3-3 in his last six fights. He’s lost to Philipe Lins, Modestas Bukaukas and now, Stirling. Cutelaba has defeated Ivan Erslan and stopped Ibo Aslan and Oumar Sy in the first rounds.

With that in mind, Ion’s next fight should be against the winner of Levi Rodrigues Jr. vs. Felipe Franco. That fight is scheduled for July 18 so the timing would be fine. Felipe is a 2025 Contender Series alum that received the call up after stringing together a couple more wins on the regional scene. Felipe is 0-1 with the promotion as he lost his debut to an undefeated Mario Pinto back in March.

Levi will be making his UFC debut in his bout against Franco. The 2025 Contender Series alum had his first-round finish overturned to a no contest after he tested positive for nandrolone metabolites. Levi is only 5-0 as a pro so his debut will be a large litmus test. Winner of this bout should draw a veteran like Ion who is known but outside of the rankings. Light heavyweight is super shallow, so with a good performance these guys could climb pretty quickly.

Cutelaba’s next fight: Felipe Franco vs. Lucas Rodrigues Jr. winner

Hyder Amil

Christian Rodriguez turned a highlight reel combination into a fight stopping guillotine choke late in the first round to get the victory over Hyder Amil on Saturday. Hyder is now riding a 3-fight losing streak and is 3-3 with the UFC. Hyder was 11-0 prior to the skid. Amil was stopped in less than 30 seconds by Jose Delgado, lost a unanimous decision to Jamall Emmers and now, Rodriguez took less than a round to stop him.

Hyder’s next fight should be against the veteran Andre Fili. Andre fought to open the main card of UFC 119 and lost to Vincius Oliveira, who was making his featherweight debut. Amil was once a very hot prospect with the promotion and Fili is a guy incapable of participating in a boring/noncompetitive scrap. This should be an easier one for match makers to book, though fans shouldn’t pretend that there aren’t plenty of other options within the division.

Amil’s next fight: Andre Fili

Melsik Baghdasaryan

Murtazali Magomedov stayed perfect as a pro and completed a nearly flawless UFC debut with his 87 second modified twister finish over Melsik Bagdasaryan on the main card of UFC Vegas 119 on Saturday. It’s been a rough three-year stretch for Melsik who has gone 1-3 in the time period. Not to mention, Melski has had four cancelled fights during that time period. The 2020 Contender Series alum had high hopes and started off hot at 2-0 with a performance, bonus to his name.

Melsik’s next fight should be against another 2020 Contender Series veteran. Baghdasaryan should take on Jordan Leavitt. Jordan last fought on June 6 when he lost late in the first round when Joanderson Brito submitted him. Brito is a fighter that Melsik has been booked against twice- in late 2022 and late 2025. Brito is now 7-3 in the UFC, so that doesn’t make too much sense. But Leavitt is 6-4, so that makes way for sense as a matchup for Melsik. Jordan is also 3-3 in his last six fights since mid 2022. His losses during that time period are respectable finish losses to Paddy Pimblett, Chase Hooper, and now Brito. With wins over, Victor Martinez and Kurt Holobaugh-both first round stoppages. Jordan’s most recent win came against Yadier del Valle back in February. Great scrap to make, even though Melsik seems to be a little weak on the ground.

Baghdasaryan’s next fight: Jordan Leavitt

Andre Fili

Vinicius Oliveira took a massive amount of damage in a two round war that saw him finally crumpling the veteran Andre Fili, to notch a victory. This main card opener was so good, it ended up securing fight of the night honors. Fili now falls to 13-13, 1 NC with the UFC. Andre has lost four of his last six fights. Within that stretch he’s lost to Dan Ige, Melquizael Costa, Jose Delgado and now Oliveira. His two wins are split decisions over Cub Swanson and Christian Rodriguez.

Very familiar and common opponent names here to another fighter on this edition of losers, Hyder Amil. That’s the low hanging fruit here, and the right matchup to make for a soon-to-be 36-year-old Fili. Who is still very game.

Fili’s next fight: Hyder Amil

The post What’s Next: UFC Vegas 119 Losers appeared first on Cageside Press.

UFC Freedom 250 was hotly anticipated, or much maligned, depending on which side of the political spectrum you fell on ahead of Sunday’s historic fight card on the south lawn of the White House. For years, UFC CEO and President Dana White had opted to stay out of politics, but once Donald Trump, an early supporter of the UFC no matter how tenuously, entered the political fray, that began to change.

Suddenly, White was there, introducing Trump at the Republican National Convention. The relationship between the two seemed to grow, or at least become more public. During both his terms as President, Trump made very public appearances at UFC events. Pundits railed against this mix of political showmanship and sports, but Trump’s ties to the increasingly mainstream mixed martial arts promotion no doubt helped his image, which especially in recent times has taken something of a drubbing.

Then came word that the UFC was set to host the first-ever professional sporting event at the White House. Critics called it sportswashing, and they are most certainly correct. The entire affair, ostensibly to celebrate 250 candles on the great American birthday cake, reeked of political opportunism. Never more so than when the date of the event moved to Donald Trump’s 80th birthday. You might as well have dressed Dana White in a little white number and had him sing “Happy birthday, Mr. President” to start the show.

All that aside, however, the UFC Freedom 250 card was a brilliant production and an incredible night of fights. Had it been held anywhere but the White House, or even held there on anything but Trump’s own birthday, it would have had the feel of one of the old Fight for the Troops events (which the UFC, coincidentally, is in talks to resurrect). Only with a massive budget, against an incredible backdrop, and with bigger star power.

There are plenty of takeaways in the aftermath of UFC Freedom 250, from the uneven mainstream coverage of the card to Justin Gaethje’s movie-like ascension to the top of the lightweight mountain. Lots of ground to cover, only so many words to do it in, so let’s not waste any more with this ramble of an introduction.

Sorry Arman, Only One Move Makes Sense for Gaethje

It’s hard to feel too sorry for Arman Tsarukyan, always the bridesmaid, never the bride when it comes to UFC title fights. Since pulling out of a bout against then-lightweight champ Islam Makhachev in January 2025, Tsarukyan hasn’t been able to sniff a title shot. He was supposed to serve as the back-up fighter for the UFC Freedom 250 main event, but even that fell through; instead, Diego Lopes somehow weighed in twice in one day, in two entirely different weight classes, first for his featherweight fight with Steve Garcia, then for the main event, just in case.

No one, it seems, other than Tsarukyan himself and maybe his family, cares to see him in a title fight. There was mild interest in the Makhachev fight, mainly because they had met before, less for a match-up with Topuria, and Justin Gaethje? Unless you’re a purist and beholden to the rankings (which is justified in most cases), or a Topuria superfan, well, poor Tsarukyan may have to wait.

Then again, he brings it on himself, getting kicked off planes, sparking brawls, and removed from rival MMA events. That’s when he’s not busy headbutting opponents at weigh-ins.

Arman will have to wait. Because after beating Ilia Topuria into oblivion and dispatching him to hospital in the UFC Freedom 250 main event, Justin Gaethje brought up retirement talk. Specifically, he revealed that he would not make a decision about his fighting future on the night of the event, having made a promise to his mother not to do so.

When fighters start talking about retirement unprompted, you know the end is neigh. The question is whether or not Justin Gaethje returns for another fight or two. For years, Gaethje has counted his time left in the sport not by fights, but wars. He’s said he only had a few wars left, and his fight with Topuria very much was one. “The Highlight” came out without the extreme sort of damage Topuria was sporting, but he ate some hellacious body shots, and not a few blows landed upstairs. Lack of gore aside, Justin Gaethje is one step closer to MMA’s retirement home, and for good reason.

So, sorry Arman Tsarukyan, but if Gaethje does fight on, it will likely be for the last time, and that’s not the fight to make. Not even close.

There is, of course, the potential of a rematch with Topuria, and who wouldn’t want to see that? Yet despite the Spanish-Georgian fighter being undefeated prior to Sunday’s loss, despite him being a two-division champ, he was one-and-done at lightweight. No title defenses, and no real need for an immediate rematch. Ilia Topuria will fight for another title in the UFC, but it needn’t be right away.

There’s one fight, however, that makes all the sense in the world for Justin Gaethje, the most violent man in mixed martial arts. Gaethje is your favorite fighter’s favorite fighter, and he deserves one massive fight to go out on. And there’s a fight coming up that, whether it comes against either party, fits the bill: Conor McGregor vs. Max Holloway.

McGregor is the biggest name in MMA history. Holloway is the man who beat Gaethje in the dying seconds of their UFC 300 classic, a fight that may one day land itself in the UFC Hall of Fame, alongside both fighters and McGregor himself. No matter who wins at UFC 329 next month, Gaethje versus the victor is one of the biggest fights of 2026. Yet, Max and Conor are fighting at 170lbs. Max is expected to come back to lightweight. With McGregor, who knows, but it doesn’t matter. Gaethje doesn’t need to defend the belt at this point. He’s won interim gold twice, held the “BMF” title, and fought a who’s who of the lightweight roster. Lightweight, catchweight, 170, whatever.

It’s time for the UFC to get back to booking big fights. They struggled to get the right names on UFC Freedom 250, struggled with the Jon Jones situation. Gaethje saved their bacon by overcoming the odds when it mattered most and giving the UFC a crowning moment for an American in front of the White House. Now, give him the most massive farewell party possible.

Sean Strickland Didn’t Steal the Show, But Made His Presence Felt

According to UFC middleweight champ Sean Strickland, he was banned from UFC Freedom 250. To hear UFC CEO and President Dana White tell it, there was simply no room at the inn. Strickland may be right on a technicality, as his presence may not have passed muster with the White House itself, especially since he’s taken to calling Donald Trump a pedophile and criticizing his association with Israel and invasion of Iran.

Either way, Strickland was not supposed to be part of the White House card festivities this week, so of course he showed up. First, he crashed the ceremonial weigh-ins, hiding out in the crowd until his presence was revealed (literally unmasked) by a cop overly hung up on sticking to the book. No face coverings allowed, so let’s risk a near riot by having fans mob a reigning UFC champ.

Strickland had his fun, criticizing Trump publicly, landing a leg kick on a willing fan who likely had second thoughts after the fact, then fleeing the scene as fans chased him. Had he stopped there, it might all might have been forgotten, but Strickland is, well, Strickland, and likes to do Sean Strickland things. So, unable to secure a ticket for UFC Freedom 250’s fan fest and viewing at the Ellipse across from the White House, he crashed the party anyway.

This time, Strickland was escorted out by a small army of police officers and security team members. Though he initially claimed to be facing a misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct, it seems that won’t be the case. Still, Sean Strickland stole headlines all week. Were it not for the performances of Justin Gaethje and Ciryl Gane, he might have stolen the show outright. Either way, as unlikely as it seems, Strickland is a bigger star than ever in 2026.

The post UFC Freedom 250 Aftermath: Next Move for Gaethje, Hokit Winning in More Ways Than One appeared first on Cageside Press.

Justin Gaethje

What can you say about “The Highlight”? This will not be remembered as the biggest upset in UFC title fight history when it comes to the odds, but circumstances-wise, this has to be, at worst, top 5. The aura of invincibility that Ilia Topuria had coming in was akin to something like Thanos having every infinity stones and calling himself “inevitable.” I’m not sure we’ve someone who looked this unbeatable get dominated so badly since Ronda Rousey getting head kicked by Holly Holm. The delta between Topuria’s image before and after the fight is almost incomprehensible and truly a testament to Gaethje as an all-time great war horse.

As for what’s next, we will see whether or not the UFC will give Arman Tsarukyan the shot. But as far who is the most deserving, this isn’t even worth debating. Let’s just get it over with.

Gaethje’s next fight: Arman Tsarukyan

Ciryl Gane

Say what you will about Ciryl Gane’s seemingly infinite title shots, but there’s no doubt he made the most out of this one. He was widely considered undeserving of the shot against Aspinall, but it’s the fact he was winning that fight until the eye poke that got him this interim shot against legend and fan-favourite Alex Pereira. It used to be that Gane would be flustered under the bright lights, but not this time. He got it done and left no doubt, knocking out “Poatan” and punching his ticket for a rematch with the Englishman.

Gane’s next fight: Tom Aspinall

Sean O’Malley

After dropping back-to-back title fights to Merab Dvalishvili, it was unclear how Sean O’Malley’s confidence had been shaken up. It may not have been the most convincing victory of his career, but he did get the job done against Song Yadong in January. However, this walk-off KO paired with the celebration was vintage “Suga” Sean. It seems like the Petr Yan and Dvalishvili trilogy is on its way, but if it isn’t, then a Yan/O’Malley rematch practically books itself.

O’Malley’s next fight: Title shot

Josh Hokit

This fight didn’t deliver like the Curtis Blaydes one, but perhaps those expectations were unfair. At the very least, Hokit kept his undefeated record and earned himself another finish, as sloppy as this one may have been. His best hope is that Tom Aspinall will be out for a much longer time, to the point that they will either strip him or have Gane defend his interim belt. That would open up the door to Hokit fighting for a title. Until that happens, I don’t think anybody’s more deserving of yet another number one contender bout than Alexander Volkov.

Hokit’s next fight: Alexander Volkov

Mauricio Ruffy

Mauricio Ruffy was the biggest betting favourite on the card and he fought like it. He made short and easy work of Michael Chandler, picking him apart for the entire opening round on his way to a knockout win. If the UFC is looking to throw another older lightweight at Ruffy, they could definitely do worse than Dan Hooker. “The Hangman” is always looking to stand and bang and Ruffy would certainly oblige. However, if Max Holloway dispatches of Conor McGregor next month in the way that I believe he will, I would love to see the striking matchup between those two.

Ruffy’s next fight: Holloway/McGregor winner

Bo Nickal

While this was probably the least interesting bout on the card in terms of stakes, it was a great indicator of how the UFC still sees potential in Bo Nickal, even post-de Ridder loss. Kyle Daukaus had looked very good since getting cut and then coming back to the UFC and Nickal knocked out using his boxing, which must have been an encouraging sign. I still think the UFC should use a slower approach with him and match him up against more known, yet beatable names. I thought of the winner of Shara Magomedov vs Michel Pereira, but instead went with Edmen Shahbazyan, who fits that description to a tee.

Nickal’s next fight: Edmen Shahbazyan

Diego Lopes

After a relatively quiet first round by Diego Lopes and Steve Garcia’s standards, they both started to open up in the second and the Brazilian’s durability and power got him the edge. After a poor showing in the Volkanovski rematch, Lopes needed a good rebound performance. Ending Garcia’s seven-fight win streak via finish on a stage like this one will go a long way to restore his image. Knowing the bad blood between he and Yair Rodriguez, this fight is long overdue to main event a Fight Night card in Mexico or Brazil.

Lopes’ next fight: Yair Rodriguez

The post What’s Next: UFC Freedom 250 Winners appeared first on Cageside Press.

Regardless, all seven of the fights ended with a finish including the two final title fights to cap off the night. Some matchups made more sense than others and some were certainly more competitive than others. In the main event, Ilia Topuria suffered the first loss of his professional career as Justin Gaethje legitimized his UFC Interim Lightweight title. In the co-main event, top ranked UFC heavyweight Ciryl Gane stopped Alex Pereira, denying him of a historic third belt in three different weight classes. The heavyweight and lightweight division were left especially reeling from this card.

Ilia Topuria

(Interim C) Justin Gaethje battered and brutalized the face of (C) Ilia Topuria, leaving him nearly unrecognizable on his way to a stoppage between the third in fourth round of the main event on Sunday. This was the first loss of Ilia’s now 18-fight career. He’s now 9-1 with the UFC.

The best fight for Ilia here is for him to stay at lightweight and establish himself. There are some climbing fighters fighting next month that could offer Topuria the perfect opportunity. Giving Topuria the loser of Paddy Pimblett vs. Benoit St-Denis makes a lot of sense here. Those two fight on July 11 so the timing could be fine. Topuria is going to need some time to recover. If Paddy loses, he’d be on a two-fight skid as he lost a unanimous decision to Gaethje back in January. Paddy would be 7-2 with the promotion. BSD is riding a four-fight win streak after he was finished twice; by Dustin Poirier then Renato Moicano in 2024. Either way, Ilia drawing one of these fighters would be an optimal way for him to start a rebuild. Easy co-main of a ‘PPV’ (numbered card).

Topuria’s next fight: (#6) Paddy Pimblett vs. (#5) Benoit St. Denis loser

Alex Pereira

(#1HW) Ciryl Gane had (#2LHW) Alex Pereira out on his feet against the cage early in the second round of their bout in the co main event slot of UFC Freedom 250 on Sunday.  Alex has lost two of his last three fights and is 10-3 with the promotion.

Alex said that he would speak with his coaches regarding whether or not he would be staying at heavyweight for his next fight or going back down to light heavyweight. Should Pereira go back down, he should take on the current champion, Carlos Ulberg. Since Pereira was forced to vacate his strap, Carlos took just a round to smoke former champ, Jiri Prochazka. Putting my eggs in the basket that Pereira and his camp elect to pack it up and go back down to 205lbs. and this would produce the matchup that makes the most sense. Not to say Alex doesn’t come back up, but he’s definitely looking to keep active.

I could see Alex drawing any number of names in the heavyweight division if he elects to stay. (#4) Waldo Cortes Acosta and his snappy boxing is a name that comes to mind that is coming off a loss as well. Last in the cage against (#2) Alexander Volkov last month losing a unanimous decision.  Of course, whatever Pereira elects to do will be on a number card in a co main or main event slot.

Pereira’s next fight: (LWCHMP) Carlos Ulberg 

Aiemann Zahabi

(#3) Sean O’Malley delivered yet another highlight reel KO on Sunday night with his second-round finish of (#6) Aiemann Zahabi. The finish had all of the signature style that ‘Suga’ has come to be known for, during his tenure with the promotion. Aiemann falls to 8-3 in the UFC as he suffers his first defeat in over seven years. After starting 1-2 with the promotion, Zahabi ripped off 7-wins in a row nearly ascending into the top 5 of the division.

Now Aiemann has to pick up the pieces after facing the former champ. Zahabi’s next fight should be against the loser of (#4) Cory Sandhagen vs. (#7) Mario Bautista. That fight is on July 11th. Cory is 2-2 in his last four. He’s coming off an unsuccessful title shot opposite of Merab Dvalishvili last October. Mario has 9 of his last 10 heading into this bout. His only loss in that stretch came to Umar Nurmagomedov in October of last year. Giving Aiemann the loser would make a lot of sense rankings-wise as well as timing-wise. Could see a bout like that as a co main or main event of a fight night card, easily. Big implications for an ever-moving bantamweight division.

Zahabi’s next fight: (#4) Cory Sandhagen vs. (#7) Mario Bautista loser

Derrick Lewis

(#5) Josh Hokit outclasses and dispatched a 41-year-old (#9) Derrick Lewis in an interesting, but lopsided heavyweight fight on Sunday. This may have been a ‘special order’ bout, but that doesn’t help it make too much more sense. Especially considering Hokit was heading into this one on the heels of his April victory of Curtis Blaydes.

But anyways, back to Derrick. “The Black Beast” is now 20-12 with the UFC and 2-2 in his last four. Firmly in the exciting and established gatekeeper realm. Derrick’s next fight should be against the loser of Marcin Tybura vs. Alexsandar Rakic. Aleksandar is moving up to the heavyweight division after an ugly four-fight losing skid stemming from a nasty knee injury opposite of Jan Blachowicz four years ago. Rakic was a force to be reckoned with and is 6-5 with the promotion. He’s only lost to killers; this current losing streak includes Jan, Jiri Prochazka, Magomed Ankalaev and Azamat Murzakanov. Interested to see him with the big boys, as he’s got a large frame.

Tybura is on a two-fight losing skid having lost to Ante Delija and Tyrell Fortune most recently. Tybura and Lewis fought in 2018 and Lewis finished him in the third round. This would be a fun one to run back as Marcin in Derrick’s age and being used similarly. Timing isn’t great as this fight doesn’t go down till early August. Still plausible.

Lewis’s next fight:(#12) Marcin Tybura vs. Alexsandar Rakic loser

Michael Chandler

(#9) Mauricio Ruffy looked as spectacular as ever as he had an answer for nearly everything that his hyper-explosive opponent, Michael Chandler, threw at him on Sunday. Chandler now has the miserable promotional record of 2-6 with the added bonus of one of his wins being against a fighter no longer with the UFC (Tony Ferguson). Chandler’s other win is Dan Hooker in his UFC debut in early 2021.

40-year-old Michael Chandler is in a horrible position after the loss at the White House.  But he could still pull a huge fight and an even bigger payday. Chandler’s next fight is a no brainer here; he should draw the loser of Conor McGregor vs. Max Holloway. That fight goes down on July 11 so timing would be great. Conor will be days away from turning 38-years-old in his next appearance (if you can believe that) and has lost three of his last four fights dating back to 2018. That stretch includes fights against Khabib Nurmagomedov, Donald Cerrone, and Dustin Poirier, twice. If Conor loses to Max in the pair’s rematch and doesn’t retire, then Mike is going to get his money fight. Only other fight on the table for Conor would be a Diaz fight, at least that makes sense.

Holloway is 4-3 in his last seven bouts dating back to 2022. He’s been way more active than Conor, obviously, and has lost to Alexander Volkanovski, Ilia Topuria, and Charles Oliveria in that stretch. All title fights. He’s coming off a five round unanimous decision defeat to Charles back in March. If he somehow loses, why not give him Chandler? Mike will likely somehow stay in the rankings, and it’d be a fun fight for fans.

Chandler’s next fight: Conor McGregor vs (#4) Max Holloway loser

Kyle Daukaus

Bo Nickal made quick work of Kyle Daukaus, dropping his opponent with a nice right hook and finishing him off with some terrifying ground strikes. The loss was Kyle’s first since being resigned to the UFC last year. In this second stint with the promotion, he had two finishes under a minute. One over Michel Perira and then over Gerald Meerschaert last November. The result on Sunday brings Kyle’s UFC record to 4-5, 1 NC.

Kyle should target former welterweight and middleweight title challenger, Kelvin Gastelum for his next bout.

Kyle was originally scheduled for the bout against Vicente Luque on April 11 but got rescheduled to take on Bo on this massive card. Vicente took on Kelvin in April instead and steam rolled him in a round. So great fighters to match up here, considering they had a similar outcome. Timing isn’t the greatest, but it could certainly work as Gastelum is a name a Daukaus has earned that. Kelvin is 2-3 in his last five, losing to Sean Brady at 170lbs. and Joe Pyfer at MW. Of course, Kelvin’s missed weight in that stretch so he always has a question mark next to his name. Fun scrappy fight to make between two capable fighters who have yet to put it all together in the UFC, albeit for two totally different reasons.

Daukaus’s next fight: Kelvin Gastelum

Steve Garcia

(#2) Diego Lopes notched another wild finish to his resume with his spinning stoppage over (#9) Steve Garcia to win the first bout of UFC Freedom 250 in the first round. Steve entered Sunday riding a seven-fight win streak as he was another fighter who had started off 1-2 with the UFC before streaking. That seven-fight win streak also featured six finishes. Truly devastating for Steve.

Going to do something a little different here. Jean last fought at the end of January and likes to stay pretty active. he’s gone 6-1 with the UFC in two years. His only loss with the UFC was in his second to last fight when Diego Lopes finished him in the second round. Jean bounced back with his last win over Arnold Allen via unanimous decision. Silva is likely going to be booked for a fight any day now. Steve should draw the loser of that bout as that is guaranteed to get him on the right track with a banger of a fight. He can’t rebuild the streak in one fight, but he can recapture some of the hype.

Garcia’s next fight: (#6) Jean Silva vs. next opponent loser 

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