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		<title>Ahead of UFC&#8217;s White House Show, Topuria-Gaethje Gets Personal</title>
		<link>https://cagesidepress.com/2026/06/09/ahead-of-ufcs-white-house-show-topuria-gaethje-gets-personal/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Staff]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 2026 12:34:12 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MMA News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ilia Topuria]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Justin Gaethje]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC Freedom 250]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://cagesidepress.com/?p=225464</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Genuine or not — the UFC Freedom 250 main event was perhaps in need of a little something, after the card as a whole underwhelmed fans when first announced — the rivalry between Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje appears to finally be heating up. With their lightweight title unification bout less than a week away, [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2026/06/09/ahead-of-ufcs-white-house-show-topuria-gaethje-gets-personal/" data-wpel-link="internal">Ahead of UFC&#8217;s White House Show, Topuria-Gaethje Gets Personal</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Genuine or not — the UFC Freedom 250 main event was perhaps in need of a little something, after the card as a whole underwhelmed fans when first announced — the rivalry between Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje appears to finally be heating up.</p>
<p>With their lightweight title unification bout less than a week away, Topuria, the UFC&#8217;s &#8220;undisputed&#8221; champ, and Gaethje, who holds an interim title (making the belt very much disputed) have begun trading barbs on social media.</p>
<p>In a recent interview with <a href="https://www.foxsports.com.au/ufc/ufc-white-house-freedom-250-justin-gaethje-brutal-dig-at-ilia-topuria-over-divorce-exwife-giorgina-uzcategu/news-story/fb19a02a38534324b49ff333433241fa" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer">FOX Sports Australia</a>, Gaethje, the lone American among the top four fighters on the White House card, took aim at Georgia&#8217;s Topuria, saying &#8220;All that guy is, is a gimmick,&#8221; and adding &#8220;He calls himself the king. He thinks he’s a God. What an annoying little bastard. I couldn’t imagine being in a room with him for 30 minutes listening to him talk about himself.&#8221;</p>
<p>He made it a little more personal by making a comment about Topura&#8217;s divorce from Giorgina Uzcategui earlier this year. &#8220;I can say this: I would leave him,” said Gaethje. “That’s all I’m saying. I would leave him. No way I would put up with his sh*t.”</p>
<p>Gaethje had a lot more to say about Topuria, the fight, and his training camp, which has included keeping an eye on the weather for the outdoor show. It&#8217;s the divorce comment that got under Topuria&#8217;s skin, not surprisingly.</p>
<p>&#8220;Justin crossed a line. What happened between my ex-wife and me is our business,&#8221; Topuria <a href="https://x.com/Topuriailia/status/2064073233284898930" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer">wrote on social media</a> in response. &#8220;We may no longer be together, but she is the mother of my daughter. To everyone insulting her or speaking about things they know nothing about: show some respect. You don’t have to respect our relationship. But respecting someone’s mother should be one of the most basic codes in life. Be better.&#8221;</p>
<p>Topuria had more to say in an episode of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSQDZlsdwc8" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer">UFC Embedded</a>. &#8220;Actually, I thought he was a great guy. But since he crossed the personal line, he’s not going to have my respect; he’s not going to have my team’s respect,&#8221; he said of Gaethje, at one point flipping his rival off. “All I’m going to need is two minutes in the octagon with you, and I’m going to put you to sleep in front of your whole family, your country, in front of everyone.&#8221;</p>
<p>That, in turn, brought <a href="https://x.com/Justin_Gaethje/status/2064094974526865615" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer">a social media response from Gaethje</a>. &#8220;Proving my point. Insufferable little bitch boy. Never said a thing about your wife. You want to speak words to my father then act like I crossed some line. We already fighting buddy.&#8221;</p>
<p>Exactly when Topuria&#8217;s exchange with Gaethje&#8217;s father occurred is unclear, but the lightweight champion was<a href="https://x.com/Topuriailia/status/2064101417837588653" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer"> quick to respond</a>. &#8220;You should’ve kept your father out of this. He was the one calling me a short guy and saying you’d smash me, all while holding a beer in his hand. Then you started talking about my divorce and telling the world you wouldn’t want to be my roommate. Idiot.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;First, we’re fighting, not dating. Second, I’m not looking for a roommate. When I put you to sleep and you’re lying there next to the rose, I’ll look at your father and ask him one simple question: Who’s the short one now? I’m gonna break you Justin.&#8221;</p>
<p>If you needed a narrative outside of &#8220;sheer violence&#8221; to pique your interest, there you have it folks. Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje throw down in the main event of UFC Freedom 250 at the White House this Sunday, June 14, 2026.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2026/06/09/ahead-of-ufcs-white-house-show-topuria-gaethje-gets-personal/" data-wpel-link="internal">Ahead of UFC&#8217;s White House Show, Topuria-Gaethje Gets Personal</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
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		<title>UFC White House: The Mad Mind of Josh Hokit</title>
		<link>https://cagesidepress.com/2026/06/09/ufc-white-house-the-mad-mind-of-josh-hokit/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Gabriel Gonzalez]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 2026 10:47:09 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Opinion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Alex Pereira]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ciryl Gane]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Derrick Lewis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Freedom 250]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ilia Topuria]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Josh Hokit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Justin Gaethje]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC Freedom 250]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC White House]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://cagesidepress.com/?p=224828</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Ahead of UFC White House, we look at the top storylines going into the card. Today: the wild ascent of Josh Hokit. The proof is there on YouTube. The real Josh Hokit. No, not that real Josh Hokit. The actual Josh Hokit is a former football player and hard-working contender who is looking to make [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2026/06/09/ufc-white-house-the-mad-mind-of-josh-hokit/" data-wpel-link="internal">UFC White House: The Mad Mind of Josh Hokit</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2>Ahead of UFC White House, we look at the top storylines going into the card. Today: the wild ascent of Josh Hokit.</h2>
<p>The proof is there on YouTube.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOJQOz0-vwU" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer">real</a> Josh Hokit. No, not <a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/8o-CohltIqw" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer"><em>that</em></a> real Josh Hokit.</p>
<p>The actual Josh Hokit is a former football player and hard-working contender who is looking to make the most of his career transition to professional MMA fighter. He made his professional debut at 25 years-old at the seminal Bellator 300 event in 2023, back then just making the most of the platform given. Fast forward three years later and Hokit remains undefeated at 9-0.</p>
<p>But that&#8217;s not the biggest change.</p>
<p>&#8220;The Incredible Hok&#8221; has embraced a relentless approach on the microphone that has led to trepidation for his promotional appearances that rivals that of middleweight champion Sean Strickland. There are shades of everyone in his on-stage persona, from the late &#8220;Macho Man&#8221; Randy Savage of the WWE to his friend and advisor Chael Sonnen whose 2010 verbal assault led to a Hall of Fame bout against the legendary Anderson Silva.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Put himself on the biggest stage with this fight! 😮‍💨<a href="https://x.com/Josh_HokitUFC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer">@Josh_HokitUFC</a> is looking for a repeat performance on June 14th! </p>
<p>[ <a href="https://x.com/hashtag/UFCWhiteHouse?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer">#UFCWhiteHouse</a> presented by <a href="https://x.com/cryptocom?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer">@cryptocom</a> &amp; <a href="https://x.com/RamTrucks?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer">@ramtrucks</a> ] <a href="https://t.co/1S0RQrYbd2" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer">pic.twitter.com/1S0RQrYbd2</a></p>
<p>&mdash; UFC (@ufc) <a href="https://x.com/ufc/status/2056464843826184568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer">May 18, 2026</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>Let&#8217;s be blunt, Hokit is not politically correct in many of his comments whether they be from his fake characters or otherwise. He crosses the unspoken lines of pre-fight talk in bringing in children, spouses, and more into his loud tirades. Ask him a question and he will say something. To be clear, that&#8217;s not the same as answering said question. It is brash, off-putting, and draws the ire of foes both current and potential alike. He plays the villain willingly and passionately. You can say he goes too far but he ascribes to the Chael Sonnen rule of playing the heel: bad guys never apologize.</p>
<p>The talk would be all bluster if not for the fact that the man can fight. This was never more evident than by his most recent match. Hokit took a leap as he went from fighting fellow developing professional Denzel Freeman to fighting former title challenger and perennially top five ranked heavyweight Curtis Blaydes. Blaydes had dispatched all manner of far more experienced foes than Hokit in his UFC career and has shared the cage with the best of the era. But in April, the promotion booked the two together and they put on what has been praised as the Fight of the Year so far. Despite Blaydes grappling and resilience, Hokit prevailed behind admirable tenacity. So exciting was the performance that UFC CEO Dana White claimed he had CFO Hunter Campbell approach Hokit that night as he was being loaded into an ambulance about fighting at the White House.</p>
<p>The stage is now set for a wild scene. Hokit is fighting a dangerous contender in Derrick Lewis who White has claimed is a personal favorite fighter of the United States&#8217; President Donald Trump. Further, the anticipation for how far he is willing to push the bubble — if he doesn&#8217;t burst it altogether — has many fans wondering if the pre-fight press conference at the Lincoln Memorial will be the most shocking in the history of the UFC. The kickoff presser in Newark already saw insane scenes as Hokit had conflicts with two fighters he wasn&#8217;t even booked against and had to be removed from the scene.</p>
<p>What goes up must come down eventually. But should Hokit&#8217;s star continue to rise on Sunday, the one can only wonder just how far — and wild — his journey could go next.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2026/06/09/ufc-white-house-the-mad-mind-of-josh-hokit/" data-wpel-link="internal">UFC White House: The Mad Mind of Josh Hokit</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
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		<title>UFC Vegas 118: Tom Nolan Wants to Fight &#8220;Awesome,&#8221; &#8220;Scary&#8221; Moicano</title>
		<link>https://cagesidepress.com/2026/06/08/ufc-vegas-118-tom-nolan-moicano/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Destiny McCubbin&nbsp;and&nbsp;Jay Anderson]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 08 Jun 2026 23:08:14 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[MMA News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Video]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tom Nolan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC Fight Night 278]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://cagesidepress.com/?p=225412</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Las Vegas — With a decision victory over Fares Ziam on the UFC Vegsa 118 main card, lightweight Tom Nolan improved to 11-1, extended his win streak to five straight, and has set himself up for even bigger things moving forward. After snapping Ziam&#8217;s own six-fight run, Nolan&#8217;s only sore spot, if any, was that [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2026/06/08/ufc-vegas-118-tom-nolan-moicano/" data-wpel-link="internal">UFC Vegas 118: Tom Nolan Wants to Fight &#8220;Awesome,&#8221; &#8220;Scary&#8221; Moicano</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Las Vegas — With a decision victory over Fares Ziam on the UFC Vegsa 118 main card, lightweight Tom Nolan improved to 11-1, extended his win streak to five straight, and has set himself up for even bigger things moving forward.</p>
<p>After snapping Ziam&#8217;s own six-fight run, Nolan&#8217;s only sore spot, if any, was that he couldn&#8217;t finish the fight as he&#8217;d hoped coming in.</p>
<p>&#8220;I did think I was going to either chin him or choke him out in the second. I wasn&#8217;t sure which one; I knew I was the better fighter in all realms,&#8221; Nolan told media outlets including Cageside Press backstage at the Meta Apex following his victory.</p>
<p>Not getting the finish has left Nolan with something to work on, he added. &#8220;I wanted the finish, but we&#8217;ll get it next time.&#8221;</p>
<p>After losing his UFC debut following a win on the Contender Series in 2023, Nolan has marched through each and every opponent since. &#8220;Everything&#8217;s just coming together for me at a really good time. I feel like I&#8217;m taking a boxing camp approach to my game plans now a little bit, in the sense that I&#8217;m trying to revolve around exactly what&#8217;s in front of me,&#8221; he noted. &#8220;All year round I&#8217;m trying to get better, but I&#8217;m not going to work something that&#8217;s not specific for the fight anymore.&#8221;</p>
<p>Nolan also pointed out a couple of areas where he&#8217;s shored up his game, areas he feels have led to his continued success. &#8220;Two things going into this fight that I worked on a large amount, one is my mind. I&#8217;ve been working with my mental coach, Eric. Dr. Eric Simmons. Just learning to love the game again.&#8221;</p>
<p>Nolan suggested that he wouldn&#8217;t care if he lost the fight, so long as he gave it everything he had. &#8220;I would have genuinely been proud of myself, and that&#8217;s what really matters to me.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;And the second thing is, cutting weight properly. I&#8217;m a perfectionist, and I&#8217;ve been coming into these fights too light. I&#8217;ve had times where I&#8217;ve come into Fight Week on weight, and I&#8217;m just like maintaining on weight all week, which is just not good for you, it&#8217;s really, really bad for you. Which I thought, in my mind, I was like &#8216;oh I&#8217;m not sweating out as much as everyone, so I&#8217;m doing it right.&#8217; But I wasn&#8217;t.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;This time I did a proper sweat-out, and it sucked. It wasn&#8217;t fun,&#8221; admitted Nolan. &#8220;But today I felt awesome. I just felt normal. I didn&#8217;t feel all bloated and sore.&#8221;</p>
<p>Timing is everything in MMA, but so is trajectory, and Nolan is on the right one. Following the win, the Australian called out longtime lightweight and fan favorite Renato Moicano.</p>
<p>As to why, &#8220;I respect him so much. I think he&#8217;s awesome,&#8221; stated Nolan. &#8220;I&#8217;ve studied him a lot, I studied his fight against BSD for my last fight.&#8221;</p>
<p>Tom Nolan even borrowed some techniques from the Brazilian for his own last bout, and added &#8220;I think he&#8217;s great. I&#8217;ve been watching him since I was a child. There&#8217;s nothing but respect. I love that dude, he&#8217;s cool. I just think that, like I said, I&#8217;m back in love with the game, and I want to challenge myself. I think that dude has a scary striking skillset, a scary grappling skillset, he&#8217;s fought everybody. He&#8217;s awesome, he&#8217;s great. So why not fight someone like that? Why not go out there and prove myself right once again?&#8221;</p>
<p><em>Watch the full UFC Vegas 118 post-fight press conference with Tom Nolan above.</em></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2026/06/08/ufc-vegas-118-tom-nolan-moicano/" data-wpel-link="internal">UFC Vegas 118: Tom Nolan Wants to Fight &#8220;Awesome,&#8221; &#8220;Scary&#8221; Moicano</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
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		<title>What&#8217;s Next: UFC Vegas 118 Winners</title>
		<link>https://cagesidepress.com/2026/06/08/whats-next-ufc-vegas-118-winners/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Mathis Desjardins]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 08 Jun 2026 21:38:56 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Opinion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Brendan Allen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bryce Mitchell]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gabriel Bonfim]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Iwo Baraniewski]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tom Nolan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC Fight Night 278]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://cagesidepress.com/?p=225454</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Like UFC Vegas 90, UFC Vegas 118 will be remembered (or not) as the card that was overshadowed by the event that immediately followed it. Very few will recall Brendan Allen’s revenge against Chris Curtis on April 6 2024, because everybody was too busy talking about UFC 300. With the White House event coming up, UFC [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2026/06/08/whats-next-ufc-vegas-118-winners/" data-wpel-link="internal">What&#8217;s Next: UFC Vegas 118 Winners</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Like UFC Vegas 90, UFC Vegas 118 will be remembered (or not) as the card that was overshadowed by the event that immediately followed it. Very few will recall Brendan Allen’s revenge against Chris Curtis on April 6 2024, because everybody was too busy talking about UFC 300. With the <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2026/03/07/freedom-250-jones-topuria-gaethje/" data-wpel-link="internal">White House event coming up</a>, UFC Vegas 118 will suffer the same fate. However, it was one of the better Apex cards that we have had, so far, this year. Before we look ahead, let’s see what’s next for the UFC Vegas 118 winners.</p>
<h2>Gabriel Bonfim</h2>
<p>After a successful first main event last November, the young Brazilian has now another one, this time against a former champion. While Belal Muhammad is clearly showing his age since winning the belt in July of 2024, a clean, 25-minute sweep on every judge’s scorecard is nothing to sneeze at.</p>
<p>With Ian Machado Garry seemingly set to face<a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2026/03/09/dana-white-makhachev-white-house-card-topuria-gaethje/" data-wpel-link="internal"> Islam Makhachev</a> this summer and Carlos Prates most likely being next in line, guys like Michael Morales and Gabriel Bonfim cannot afford to sit on their laurels. I think a number one contender matchup between 26-year-old Morales and 28-year-old Bonfim, who have a combined 39-1 record would be one of the most exciting number one contender bouts we have had in a while.</p>
<p><em>Bonfim’s next fight: Michael Morales</em></p>
<h2>Brendan Allen</h2>
<p>Most people looked at this matchup wondering what its purpose was. In a fight where Brendan Allen seemingly has everything to lose and very little to gain, he managed to hold serve, winning a <em>Fight of the Night</em> bonus in the process. Though he won his third consecutive fight and was already inside the top5, unless an injury happens and the UFC needs him as a substitute, this win will not grant Allen a title opportunity. Caio Borralho, Joe Pyfer and Gregory Rodrigues are all names that could be thrown at Allen if need be, but I personally landed on Christian Leroy Duncan, should he defeat Jared Cannonier next month.</p>
<p><em>Allen’s next fight: Cannonier/Leroy Duncan winner</em></p>
<h2>Tom Nolan</h2>
<p>In what may have been the most interesting fight on the card aside from the main event, two streaking lightweights under 30 were meeting the feature bout. Despite Fares Ziam coming in with the longer win streak, it was Nolan who came out on top, nearly sweeping the Frenchman on every scorecard. With this win, the Aussie will crack the lightweight rankings and will officially be in the lion’s den. There are a few matchups that make sense, but the one that excites me the most is the winner the Baku main event going down later this month.</p>
<p><em>Nolan’s next fight: Fiziev/Torres winner</em></p>
<h2>Bryce Mitchell</h2>
<p>“Thugnasty” has now won both of his fights at bantamweight since making the move down. He defeated a known commodity in Said Nurmagomedov and has now taken the 0 of youngster Santiago Luna. This division is too deep to give Mitchell a ranked opponent yet as there are a lot of names more deserving of that opportunity. I think Kai Asakura or Charles Jourdain would be great matchups, but I really like the storyline with Aleksandre Topuria. Mitchell lost to Ilia at featherweight, but can he get his revenge on the Topuria family by beating Aleksandre?</p>
<p><em>Mitchell’s next fight: Aleksandre Topuria</em></p>
<h2>Iwo Baraniewski</h2>
<p>In just seven months, Iwo Baraniewski has not only won three fights, but he has made his brand identity very clear with the UFC fanbase. Another name who has proven to be all gas no brakes type of fighter is Abdul-Rahman Yakhyaev, who is favoured to beat Julius Walker later this month. Why not put those two together and see who comes out on top?</p>
<p><em>Baraniewski’s next fight: Yakhyaev/Walker winner</em></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2026/06/08/whats-next-ufc-vegas-118-winners/" data-wpel-link="internal">What&#8217;s Next: UFC Vegas 118 Winners</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
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		<title>What&#8217;s Next: UFC Vegas 118 Losers</title>
		<link>https://cagesidepress.com/2026/06/08/whats-next-ufc-vegas-118-losers/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Bryson Hester]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 08 Jun 2026 21:19:22 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Opinion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Belal Muhammad]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Edmen Shahbazyan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fares Ziam]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Junior Tafa]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Santiago Luna]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC Fight Night 278]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://cagesidepress.com/?p=225382</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>The UFC visited its Meta APEX facility once again on Saturday. This time, for a 12-fight fight night card, UFC Vegas 118. The card was capped off with an interesting ranked welterweight matchup between the former 170lb UFC champ Belal Muhammad and 2022 Contender Series alum Gabriel Bonfim. In the co-main event, which ended up [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2026/06/08/whats-next-ufc-vegas-118-losers/" data-wpel-link="internal">What&#8217;s Next: UFC Vegas 118 Losers</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The UFC visited its Meta APEX facility once again on Saturday. This time, for a 12-fight fight night card, UFC Vegas 118. The card was capped off with an interesting ranked welterweight matchup between the former 170lb UFC champ Belal Muhammad and 2022 Contender Series alum Gabriel Bonfim. In the co-main event, which ended up capturing Fight of the Night honors, Brendan Allen battered an unranked Edmen Shahbazyan in a fun and action-packed fight. A rare five-fight Fight Night card as this edition of losers highlights a unique group to match up.</p>
<h2>Belal Muhammad</h2>
<p><a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2026/06/06/gabriel-bonfim-puts-on-masterclass-against-muhammad-calls-out-jdm/" data-wpel-link="internal">(#11) Gabriel Bonfim</a> looked like he was in the matrix on Saturday as he cruised to 50-45 unanimous decision victory over (#5) Belal Muhmamad in the main event. Belal is now riding a three-fight losing streak originating from his unsuccessful title defense against Jack Della Maddalena in May of 2025. The other name in that skid was Ian Machado Gary, who Belal lost to via unanimous decision in November of 2025.</p>
<p>Given the circumstances and the performance from Belal on Saturday, he deserves respect but given he&#8217;s turning 38 years old in just a month, will he ever make it back to title contention? That&#8217;s for Belal to answer.  But a fight that makes a lot of sense right now is letting him take on a name like Shavkat Rakhmonov.</p>
<p>The pair were originally supposed to fight in late 2024 but Belal broke his foot. Instead, Shavkat took on and defeated Ian Machado Garry via unanimous decision. Due to injury Shavkat has been on ice since that appearance. He&#8217;s completely slid out of the rankings due to inactivity. Shavkat still has that notoriety at 7-0 in the UFC but needs a way to insert himself back into the division. What better way than matching these guys up to see where both stand? Fight Night main/co-main event where the winner gets a relevant ranking and an eventual path towards the title.</p>
<p><em>Muhammad&#8217;s next fight: Shavkat Rakhmonov</em></p>
<h2>Edmen Shahbazyan</h2>
<p><a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2026/06/06/brendan-allen-defeats-edmen-shahbazyan-calls-out-sean-strickland-at-ufc-vegas-118/" data-wpel-link="internal">(#4) Brendan Allen</a> logged an entertaining victory against Edmen Shahbazyan in the co-main event of UFC Vegas 118 to position himself closer to a title shot. The loss snapped a three-fight win streak for Shahbazyan that saw him defeating Dylan Budka, Andre Petroski, and Andre Muniz. The 2018 Contender Series alum is now 9-6 with the UFC. Shahbazyan was scheduled for a fight against Jun Yong Park in April, but the bout was cancelled after Park was injured.</p>
<p>That Park fight could be a good backup, but with that performance, Edmen should draw the loser of (#15) Ikram Aliskerov vs. Brunno Ferriera. That fight goes down on June 27 so the timing would work. Ikram has won two in a row since getting smoked by Robert Whittaker in 2024. He&#8217;s 4-1 in the UFC. And his most recent fight was a victory against Jun Yong Park in October of last year. Ferreira is 6-3 with the UFC and coming off a devastating first round KO at the hands of Gregory Rodrigues. Shahbazyan drawing the loser of this huge fight is an excellent, but dangerous, matchup. Could be on the main card of a Fight Night or the undercard of a PPV. Winner fights a ranked name.</p>
<p>Oh, and <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2026/03/30/whats-next-ufc-seattle-losers-2/" data-wpel-link="internal">deviating from a previous loser&#8217;s article pick of Israel Adesanya here</a>. It&#8217;s not something completely outside of the realm of possibility, but at the movement, just feels like a little too harsh of matchmaking for Izzy, all things considered. Just doesn&#8217;t work as well right now.</p>
<p><em>Shahbazyan&#8217;s next fight: (#15) Ikram Aliskerov vs Brunno Ferriera loser or Jun Yong Park</em></p>
<h2>Fares Ziam</h2>
<p><a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2026/06/06/ufc-vegas-118-tom-nolan-snaps-fares-ziams-win-streak-extends-own/" data-wpel-link="internal">Tom Nolan </a>completed the mild upset of Saturday with his unanimous decision victory of (#14) Fares Ziam. The loss snapped a 6-fight win streak for Ziam who now falls to 8-3 with the UFC. Absolutely devastating outcome for Ziam who had finally climbed into the shark infested rankings of the lightweight division.</p>
<p>Ziam&#8217;s next scrap should be against a fighter like MarQuel Mederos. The 2023 Contender Series alum is 3-0-1 within the UFC. MarQuel has defeated Landon Quinones, Austin Hubbard, and Mark Choinski before he fought Chris Padilla to a majority draw in his most recent outing. MarQuel is on the climb and giving him a recently ranked fighter in a guy like Fares Ziam makes perfect sense. On the other side of the coin, Ziam needs to reset, a solid win against a respected fighter, preferably a finish, that&#8217;ll draw him another shot at the rankings. Only thing off here is that MarQuel last fought on April 11, so maybe the timing doesn&#8217;t matchup the greatest. Backup here is Chris Padilla (MarQuel&#8217;s last opponent), who is 4-0-1 but missed weight in his last outing.</p>
<p><em>Ziam&#8217;s next fight: MarQuel Mederos or Chis Padilla</em></p>
<h2>Santiago Luna</h2>
<p><a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2026/06/06/ufc-vegas-118-bryce-mitchell-locks-up-late-sub-on-santiago-luna/" data-wpel-link="internal">Bryce Mitchell</a> submitted his short notice replacement, Santiago Luna, in the final 10 second of their bout on Saturday. Considering the circumstances, short notice, and his second fight with the UFC, against a high-profile opponent, Luna had a decent showing. It&#8217;s still a bitter pill to swallow for Luna, as that was the first defeat of his professional MMA career. Santiago is now 2-1 with the UFC since being signed in September of 2025.</p>
<p>Good next fight for Luna would be to match him up against John Yannis. John fought on the undercard on Saturday and also lost. Yannis was taking on a tall task in formerly ranked fighter, Marcus McGhee (who was coming off a main event loss to Petr Yan). So, the timing would match up well here. Yannis is 1-2 with the UFC but his losses are to McGhee and Austin Bashi. Very respectable defeats. Excellent fight to make here, offering both guys a litmus test that is more in line with their trajectories.</p>
<p><em>Luna&#8217;s next fight: John Yannis</em></p>
<h2>Junior Tafa</h2>
<p><a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2026/06/06/ufc-vegas-118-iwo-baraniewski-leg-kick-spells-disaster-for-junior-tafa/" data-wpel-link="internal">Iwo Baraniewski</a> stayed undefeated on Saturday with his first-round destruction of Junior Tafa to open the main card of UFC Vegas 118.</p>
<p>Iwo was originally scheduled to take on Billy Elekana who is 3-1 with the UFC. After Billy withdrew, Tafa answered the call. Junior is now 3-6 with the promotion and has lost three of his last four fights. Tafa is in a sticky situation as if he wasnt in such a shallow division, he likely would have already been cut.</p>
<p>Best fight to make here is to rebook one of Junior&#8217;s fights that have been cancelled. A scrap with Ibo Aslan seems like exactly what the doctor ordered in this situation. The pair were originally supposed to fight in September of 2025 before Tafa suffered an injury. Tafa is 1-2 since that fight fell through. Aslan is 0-1 since it was booked. But that loss was also to Iwo Baraniewski. And it was also a first round finish. So, this matchup works great- and considering Ibo is riding a 3-fight losing skid, the loser of this bout will likely be facing the axe.</p>
<p><em>Junior&#8217;s next fight: Ibo Aslan </em></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2026/06/08/whats-next-ufc-vegas-118-losers/" data-wpel-link="internal">What&#8217;s Next: UFC Vegas 118 Losers</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
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		<title>Joanderson Brito Celebrates 10th UFC Fight With Victory Over Leavitt</title>
		<link>https://cagesidepress.com/2026/06/08/joanderson-brito-celebrates-10th-ufc-fight-with-victory-over-leavitt/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Destiny McCubbin&nbsp;and&nbsp;Eddie Law]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 08 Jun 2026 17:54:51 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[MMA News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Video]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Joanderson Brito]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jordan Leavitt]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC Vegas 118]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://cagesidepress.com/?p=225447</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Joanderson Brito reached a significant milestone on Saturday night at UFC Vegas 118, earning a victory over Jordan Leavitt in his 10th appearance inside the Octagon. Adding another win to his resume while continuing to build momentum in a crowded 145-pound division has him ready to take another step up. &#8220;I&#8217;m just super happy. It&#8217;s [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2026/06/08/joanderson-brito-celebrates-10th-ufc-fight-with-victory-over-leavitt/" data-wpel-link="internal">Joanderson Brito Celebrates 10th UFC Fight With Victory Over Leavitt</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Joanderson Brito reached a significant milestone on Saturday night at UFC Vegas 118, earning a victory over Jordan Leavitt in his 10th appearance inside the Octagon. Adding another win to his resume while continuing to build momentum in a crowded 145-pound division has him ready to take another step up.</p>
<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m just super happy. It&#8217;s also my 10th fight in the UFC so I&#8217;m just super happy to be here,&#8221; Brito told reporters including Cageside Press through a translator at his post-fight scrum.</p>
<p>&#8220;As the fight was going on I got a feeling of it. I was defending pretty good, and some of my strikes were hitting. So I was like yeah, let&#8217;s see how this goes.&#8221;</p>
<p data-start="0" data-end="283">While fans may still be interested in seeing him settle unfinished business with Dan Ige, Brito isn&#8217;t spending much time worrying about past callouts. Instead, the Brazilian featherweight is focused on staying active and taking whatever opportunity the UFC puts in front of him next.</p>
<p>&#8220;Honestly, not really. Dan Ige&#8217;s not really on my mind anymore. When I threw the cards at him I didn&#8217;t really get a reply back. I&#8217;m just super happy that I&#8217;m in the biggest organization in the planet, and I&#8217;m just ready to fight again,&#8221; he said.</p>
<p>&#8220;The fight on June 20th that&#8217;s going to happen, Lokdog (Vinicius Oliveira) his opponent seemed like they dropped off and (Andre) Fili took it. If the UFC wants me there, I&#8217;m ready.&#8221;</p>
<p><em>Watch the entire post-fight scrum with Joanderson Brito above.</em></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2026/06/08/joanderson-brito-celebrates-10th-ufc-fight-with-victory-over-leavitt/" data-wpel-link="internal">Joanderson Brito Celebrates 10th UFC Fight With Victory Over Leavitt</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
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		<title>Alessandro Costa Finishes Matt Schnell, Sets Sights On Ranked Opponent</title>
		<link>https://cagesidepress.com/2026/06/08/alessandro-costa-finishes-matt-schnell-sets-sights-on-ranked-opponent/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Destiny McCubbin&nbsp;and&nbsp;Eddie Law]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 08 Jun 2026 17:35:49 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[MMA News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Video]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Alessandro Costa]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Matt Schnell]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC Vegas 118]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://cagesidepress.com/?p=225442</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Alessandro Costa finally got the opportunity he had been waiting for, and he made the most of it on Saturday night at UFC Vegas 118. The Brazilian flyweight submitted veteran Matt Schnell in impressive fashion, earning one of the biggest victories of his UFC career before immediately turning his attention toward the next goal: breaking [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2026/06/08/alessandro-costa-finishes-matt-schnell-sets-sights-on-ranked-opponent/" data-wpel-link="internal">Alessandro Costa Finishes Matt Schnell, Sets Sights On Ranked Opponent</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Alessandro Costa finally got the opportunity he had been waiting for, and he made the most of it on Saturday night at UFC Vegas 118.</p>
<p>The Brazilian flyweight submitted veteran Matt Schnell in impressive fashion, earning one of the biggest victories of his UFC career before immediately turning his attention toward the next goal: breaking into the flyweight rankings.</p>
<p>&#8220;It is a fight that I&#8217;ve been waiting for quite some time. Thank God everything actually went just according to plan,&#8221; Costa told reporters including Cageside Press through a translator on Saturday night.</p>
<p>&#8220;When that fight got canceled originally it was an injury. He talked about retirement at that point. I started thinking about other things, you start focusing and shift your focus to other things.&#8221;</p>
<p><a href="https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fighters/125815-alessandro-costa" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer">Costa</a> (16-5) said he felt the finish was inevitable once he secured the dominant position and began working for the submission. While he was proud of the victory, he also showed respect for Schnell afterward, praising the veteran&#8217;s career and what he has accomplished inside the Octagon.</p>
<p>&#8220;When the hand got in I knew it was just a matter of time. All I needed to do was just finish the job. Whenever he was on the ground I knew it was just a matter of just finishing the fight,&#8221; he said.</p>
<p>&#8220;I went to him and I just wanted to thank him and say you&#8217;ve done a lot in the UFC. This is the sport. Sometimes you lose and I wanted to keep your head high and I just really wanted to thank him because he&#8217;s a really cool guy.&#8221;</p>
<p data-start="0" data-end="301">With another impressive victory now on his record, Costa made it clear that he&#8217;s no longer interested in fighting outside the rankings. The Brazilian flyweight believes he&#8217;s earned the opportunity to test himself against the division&#8217;s elite and wants his next fight to come against a ranked opponent.</p>
<p>&#8220;I aiming for the top 15. That&#8217;s what I&#8217;m looking for right now,&#8221; he said.</p>
<p><em>Watch the entire post-fight scrum with Alessandro Costa above.</em></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2026/06/08/alessandro-costa-finishes-matt-schnell-sets-sights-on-ranked-opponent/" data-wpel-link="internal">Alessandro Costa Finishes Matt Schnell, Sets Sights On Ranked Opponent</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
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		<title>Marcus McGhee Says He Still Belongs In UFC Top 15</title>
		<link>https://cagesidepress.com/2026/06/08/marcus-mcghee-says-he-still-belongs-in-ufc-top-15/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Destiny McCubbin&nbsp;and&nbsp;Eddie Law]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 08 Jun 2026 17:16:50 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[MMA News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Video]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[John Yannis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marcus McGhee]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC Vegas 118]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://cagesidepress.com/?p=225423</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Marcus McGhee continued his climb up the UFC bantamweight ladder on Saturday night at UFC Vegas 118, earning a hard-fought victory over the durable John Yannis. While the win added another notch to his growing resume, McGhee walked away from the fight convinced he still has much more to show and made it clear that [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2026/06/08/marcus-mcghee-says-he-still-belongs-in-ufc-top-15/" data-wpel-link="internal">Marcus McGhee Says He Still Belongs In UFC Top 15</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Marcus McGhee continued his climb up the UFC bantamweight ladder on Saturday night at UFC Vegas 118, earning a hard-fought victory over the durable John Yannis.</p>
<p>While the win added another notch to his growing resume, McGhee walked away from the fight convinced he still has much more to show and made it clear that his sights remain firmly set on the ranked contenders he believes he belongs alongside.</p>
<p>&#8220;John is a tough guy and I didn&#8217;t doubt him. I believe in my own skillset, but I knew how tough he was and how hard he is to finish. He&#8217;s never been finished,&#8221; McGhee told Cageside Press among other reporters at his post-fight scrum.</p>
<p>&#8220;That was one thing we took into it.&#8221;</p>
<p><a href="https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fighters/70861-marcus-mcghee" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer">McGhee</a> (11-2) said one of the more interesting aspects of the matchup is that, despite his rapid rise through the UFC ranks, he still considers himself a fighter who is learning and developing in real time. While many fans view him as an established contender, McGhee believes he&#8217;s still gaining valuable experience every time he steps into the Octagon.</p>
<p>&#8220;Experience-wise really he has more experience than me. It&#8217;s so hard for me because I&#8217;m new too. I just have been able to accomplish what I&#8217;ve been able to accomplish while also being new,&#8221; he said.</p>
<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m learning on the job as well. I&#8217;m glad to be able to learn on the job with the wins and all the accolades, but I&#8217;m still new. I don&#8217;t consider myself to be like a vet of any such.&#8221;</p>
<p data-start="0" data-end="298">Despite picking up another win, McGhee made it clear he isn&#8217;t interested in slowly working his way back into the rankings. The bantamweight contender believes his skill set still stacks up with the division&#8217;s best and feels he belongs fighting the names currently occupying spots inside the Top 15.</p>
<p>&#8220;I&#8217;d rather be fighting up in the rankings, I think I still should be there. That&#8217;s not the performance I wanted to put on and I believe I have a better skillset than I even showed tonight for sure,&#8221; said McGhee.</p>
<p>&#8220;Nevertheless I don&#8217;t think that I should have been out of the top 15. I should be up there competing against those guys. I&#8217;m not here for a long time, here for a good time, right?&#8221;</p>
<p><em>Watch the entire post-fight scrum with Marcus McGhee above.</em></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2026/06/08/marcus-mcghee-says-he-still-belongs-in-ufc-top-15/" data-wpel-link="internal">Marcus McGhee Says He Still Belongs In UFC Top 15</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
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		<title>Last-Minute Lawsuit Cites Trump Purchase of TKO Stock In Attempt to Stop UFC Freedom 250</title>
		<link>https://cagesidepress.com/2026/06/08/last-minute-lawsuit-cites-trump-purchase-of-tko-stock-in-attempt-to-stop-ufc-freedom-250/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Staff]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 08 Jun 2026 16:41:35 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[MMA News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Donald Trump]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC Freedom 250]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://cagesidepress.com/?p=225421</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>UFC Freedom 250 is set to take place this coming Sunday on the White House lawn — though not if a recently filed lawsuit has anything to say about it. Lawyers with the Public Integrity Project, who previously sued over Donald Trump&#8217;s approval of the sale of social media app TikTok, have filed suit against [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2026/06/08/last-minute-lawsuit-cites-trump-purchase-of-tko-stock-in-attempt-to-stop-ufc-freedom-250/" data-wpel-link="internal">Last-Minute Lawsuit Cites Trump Purchase of TKO Stock In Attempt to Stop UFC Freedom 250</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>UFC Freedom 250 is set to take place this coming Sunday on the White House lawn — though not if a recently filed lawsuit has anything to say about it.</p>
<p>Lawyers with the <a href="https://publicintegrityproject.org/what-we-do" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer">Public Integrity Project</a>, who previously sued over Donald Trump&#8217;s approval of the sale of social media app TikTok, have filed suit against the UFC&#8217;s White House event. The lawsuit has been filed on behalf of Paul Romano of Springfield, Virginia, a retired Air Force Sergeant and Vietnam War medevac veteran, and Susan Douglas of Alexandria, Virginia, a longtime civic activist and organizer, per a press release obtained by Cageside Press.</p>
<p>The lawsuit, the text of which Cageside Press has also obtained, almost immediately labels the card as &#8220;deeply corrupt,&#8221; adding that the event is &#8220;being organized by the UFC, whose chief executive, Dana White, is a close friend and ally of the President. The President is giving White and his company what none have enjoyed before: unfettered access to the White House and Lincoln Memorial to stage a private, for-profit sports event, with all the promotional and branding opportunities that accompany such access.&#8221;</p>
<p>The lawsuit notes the sale of high-priced VIP Packages &#8220;for between $1 million and $1.5 million per head,&#8221; and that U.S. President Donald Trump stands to personally gain from the event, based on &#8220;Reporting published in late May revealed that earlier this spring, he purchased up to $50,000 worth of stock in TKO, UFC’s owner.&#8221;</p>
<p>The suit goes on to read that the so-called &#8220;claw&#8221; structure being constructed on the South Lawn of the White House for the show lacks congressional approval. &#8220;Under the National Park Service’s (“NPS” or “Park Service”) usual permitting regime, no special events of<br />
any sort, including any sporting events, may be held on the South Lawn or at the Lincoln Memorial. Nor may structures be erected on the South Lawn without express authorization from Congress and a thorough environmental review.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;Any erection of structures on national monumental grounds must be expressly<br />
authorized by Congress, and, insofar as it constitutes a major federal action, must undergo<br />
thorough National Environmental Policy Act (“NEPA”) review,&#8221; the complaint later adds.</p>
<p>The lawsuit aims to secure &#8220;judicial relief for their [plaintiffs] injuries, uphold the rule of<br />
law, and protect our nation’s most cherished monuments from corrupt exploitation.&#8221;</p>
<p>Given the event is just a week away, it&#8217;s unclear what if anything short of an emergency injunction is likely to stop it. The lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, and targets both the National Parks Service and the United States Department of the Interior, who oversee the White House grounds.</p>
<p>&#8220;This is a profoundly corrupt scheme to enrich the President and his friends,&#8221; said Brendan Ballou, founder of the Public Integrity Project, in the aforementioned press release. &#8220;If this fight is allowed to proceed, it will be only the beginning, and our national monuments will become little more than branding opportunities for the rich and well-connected. We plan to stop that.&#8221;</p>
<p>UFC Freedom 250 is scheduled to take place on Sunday, June 14, 2026 at the White House, making in the first-ever professional sporting event to be held at the nation&#8217;s capitol.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2026/06/08/last-minute-lawsuit-cites-trump-purchase-of-tko-stock-in-attempt-to-stop-ufc-freedom-250/" data-wpel-link="internal">Last-Minute Lawsuit Cites Trump Purchase of TKO Stock In Attempt to Stop UFC Freedom 250</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
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		<title>Edgar Chairez Stuns Bruno Silva, Sets Sights On Top 10 Fight</title>
		<link>https://cagesidepress.com/2026/06/08/edgar-chairez-stuns-bruno-silva-sets-sights-on-top-10-fight/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Destiny McCubbin&nbsp;and&nbsp;Eddie Law]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 08 Jun 2026 16:23:03 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[MMA News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Video]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bruno Silva]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Edgar Chairez]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC Vegas 118]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://cagesidepress.com/?p=225418</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Edgar Chairez may have delivered the breakthrough performance of his UFC career on Saturday night at UFC Vegas 118. The Mexican flyweight stopped Bruno Silva in impressive fashion, proving he belongs among the division&#8217;s rising contenders before immediately setting his sights on a Top 10 opponent. &#8220;We knew he hit hard, but I know I [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2026/06/08/edgar-chairez-stuns-bruno-silva-sets-sights-on-top-10-fight/" data-wpel-link="internal">Edgar Chairez Stuns Bruno Silva, Sets Sights On Top 10 Fight</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
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										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Edgar Chairez may have delivered the breakthrough performance of his UFC career on Saturday night at UFC Vegas 118.</p>
<p>The Mexican flyweight stopped Bruno Silva in impressive fashion, proving he belongs among the division&#8217;s rising contenders before immediately setting his sights on a Top 10 opponent.</p>
<p>&#8220;We knew he hit hard, but I know I also hit hard. Once he hit me I felt the power didn&#8217;t hurt, but I knew I hurt him,&#8221; Chairez told reporters including Cageside Press at his post-fight scrum.</p>
<p>&#8220;After I knocked him down I just waited for my moment, and that&#8217;s how we found the finish.&#8221;</p>
<p><a href="https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fighters/80020-edgar-chaidez" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer">Chairez</a> (14-6) believes his performance on Saturday night was the kind of statement victory that should launch him into the next tier of the flyweight division. After delivering one of the most impressive showings of his UFC career, the Mexican contender made it clear he&#8217;s no longer interested in taking small steps up the rankings.</p>
<p>&#8220;I want a top 10 fight next. Noche UFC. My performance tonight was incredible and I know I can knock anybody out,&#8221; he said.</p>
<p data-start="0" data-end="185">One of the biggest motivations throughout training camp was a promise he made to his daughter. Now that the fight is over and his hand was raised, he&#8217;s finally ready to make good on it.</p>
<p>&#8220;She&#8217;s waiting for my this very moment because last fight I promised her we&#8217;d go to Disneyland, and we didn&#8217;t go because I had a fight a couple days later,&#8221; Chairez said with a smile.</p>
<p data-start="0" data-end="245">Beyond the win itself, he lit up when talking about his family and the role martial arts has played in their lives. What started as his journey has now become something that&#8217;s inspiring the next generation of his family to follow a similar path.</p>
<p>&#8220;So the first thing she&#8217;s going to ask me is, &#8220;&#8216;Are we going to Disney?&#8217;,&#8221; he said.</p>
<p>&#8220;She loves this sport, in fact, she has a tournament coming up in a couple weeks. I very happy that she, and my little brother, and my family are getting into the sport and becoming athletes. I was the first one in my family and I want to instill this discipline in them because this is my life now.&#8221;</p>
<p><em>Watch the entire post-fight scrum with Edgar Chairez above.</em></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2026/06/08/edgar-chairez-stuns-bruno-silva-sets-sights-on-top-10-fight/" data-wpel-link="internal">Edgar Chairez Stuns Bruno Silva, Sets Sights On Top 10 Fight</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
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