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 

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

Round 1 – Mauricio Ruffy wasted little time taking control of the center of the Octagon while Michael Chandler bounced on the outside, looking to explode into range. Chandler tried to back Ruffy toward the fence early, but the Brazilian’s footwork kept him out of danger as he effortlessly circled away from the pressure.

Ruffy started finding his rhythm with a sharp low kick followed by a crisp jab. Chandler mixed in level changes and takedown feints in hopes of creating openings for his power shots, but he struggled to close the distance cleanly. The former Bellator champion looked ready to unleash his trademark right hand at any moment.

Ruffy wasn’t content to sit back and wait. He fired off a spinning back kick to the body, only for Chandler to answer with a clean right hand before quickly retreating across the cage. Whenever Chandler found himself backed up against the fence, however, Ruffy made him pay with heavy combinations.

As Chandler grew more desperate, he shot in for a takedown that went nowhere. Moments later, Ruffy cracked him with a clean right hand that sent the American crashing to the canvas. Chandler managed to climb back to his feet, but with his back pinned against the fence he absorbed a brutal body shot before diving on another takedown attempt out of necessity.

Ruffy shut it down immediately.

After forcing Chandler back upright, the Brazilian uncorked a perfectly timed spinning kick that dropped the former title challenger where he stood. A follow-up right hand sealed the deal as the referee stepped in to wave off the contest.

On one of the sport’s biggest stages, Mauricio Ruffy didn’t just pick up the biggest win of his career.

He made a massive statement at the White House against the American. As for Chandler the questions will only grow louder as to whether or not his time in the sport is over.

Official Result: Mauricio Ruffy def. Michael Chandler via R1 TKO, 4:29

The post Mauricio Ruffy Delivers Highlight-Reel KO Against Chandler At UFC White House appeared first on Cageside Press.

Join us for a special Fight Companion as we react live to the FINAL 4 bouts on the UFC Freedom 250 card, a historic event taking place at the White House featuring championship stakes, star power, and enough drama to keep the MMA world talking long after the final bell.

Whether you’re watching along with friends or looking for a place to celebrate victories and vent about scorecards, we’ve got you covered with live analysis, instant reactions, and plenty of laughs throughout the night. So settle in, jump in the chat, and experience one of the wildest nights in UFC history with the Cageside Press crew.

UFC Freedom 250

Ilia Topuria (C) vs. Justin Gaethje – UFC Lightweight Championship
Alex Pereira vs. Ciryl Gane – UFC Interim Heavyweight Championship
Sean O’Malley vs. Aiemann Zahabi – Bantamweight Bout
Josh Hokit vs. Derrick Lewis – Heavyweight Bout
Mauricio Ruffy vs. Michael Chandler – Lightweight Bout
Bo Nickal vs. Kyle Daukaus – Middleweight Bout
Diego Lopes vs. Steve Garcia – Featherweight Bout

The historic UFC Freedom 250 card takes place June 14 on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington DC.

The post UFC Freedom 250 Fight Companion LIVESTREAM appeared first on Cageside Press.

Back when Sen. John McCain was calling MMA and the UFC “human cockfighting,” mixed martial arts struggled to find respect, and the UFC found difficulty securing venues. Donald Trump, with his Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, for one, was one of the safe havens for the promotion, at least for a brief period.

That sparked a relationship between UFC President (and now CEO) Dana White and future U.S. President Trump. And with Trump now serving out a second term in office, and the UFC a multi-billion dollar sports property, the tide has certainly turned.

What was once unthinkable is now very much reality, with the UFC having to honor of being the first-ever professional sporting event at the White House. Set for the White House lawn on Sunday, the likes of Ilia Topuria, Justin Gaethje, Alex Pereira, Sean O’Malley and Michael Chandler were all on hand. Just 14 fighters, seven fights in total, a rare opportunity for all involved to appear on what was expected to be one of the biggest cards in UFC history.

With the full card airing on Paramount+ in the U.S., there was no premium price tag, at least for U.S. fans. All the more reason to tune in.

The wait is over, and UFC Freedom 250, a.k.a. UFC White House, is finally here. Check below throughout the night for results from the event, and links to each fight’s individual recap. It all kicks off at 8PM ET, 5PM PT.

Update, 6:15 PM ET: Earlier this afternoon the UFC announced a change to the UFC Freedom 250 broadcast schedule. The broadcast now starts at 8PM, which was originally the go-time for the first fight. It’s unclear if the originally planned one-hour pre-show will still be held in its entirety.

Update, 8PM ET: Per UFC pre-show broadcast, shelter in place order will be given in the case of lightning strike within a six mile radius of the White House. That will end 30 mins after the last strike. Weather supposed to clear by 9PM ET. 

Update, 8:25PM ET: With the weather cooperating for the time being, the fights themselves are set to go, with Dana White and U.S. President Donald Trump walking out first.

UFC Freedom 250 Results

Justin Gaethje (ic) def. Ilia Topuria (c) by TKO (corner stoppage), Round 4, 5:00 – for the UFC lightweight championship / title unification bout
Ciryl Gane def. Alex Pereira by TKO, Round 2, 1:27 – for the vacant UFC interim heavyweight championship
Sean O’Malley def. Aiemann Zahabi by TKO, Round 2, 4:02
Josh Hokit def. Derrick Lewis by TKO, Round 2, 4:09
Mauricio Ruffy def. Michael Chandler by TKO, Round 1, 4:29
Bo Nickal def. Kyle Daukaus by TKO, Round 1, 4:34
Diego Lopes def. Steve Garcia by KO, Round 2, 2:42

The post UFC Freedom 250 Full Results appeared first on Cageside Press.

While the card lacks the likes of Jon Jones and Conor McGregor (the latter of whom returns to action next month), it was unquestionably made better by the addition of Josh Hokit vs. Derrick Lewis. Hokit’s Fight of the Year contender against Curtis Blaydes back in April has made him appointment television, after all.

The main event, meanwhile, feels like another potential Fight of the Year candidate. Go ahead, name a boring Justin Gaethje fight, we dare you. Now do the same for Ilia Topuria. Put them together, and you’ve almost certainly got a powder keg on your hands.

The co-main event, meanwhile, offers a chance for Alex “Poatan” Pereira to claim a title, albeit an interim one, in a third weight class. A feat never before accomplished in UFC history. Standing in Pereira’s way as he moves to heavyweight, a former interim champ himself in France’s Ciryl Gane, who is looking to get back to a rematch with Tom Aspinall after their first encounter ended early due to eye pokes.

Weigh-ins for UFC Freedom 250 take place Saturday, June 13, 2026 starting at 11AM ET, 8AM PT. Full results can be found below.

All fighters made weight for UFC Freedom 250, with Josh Hokit, as usual, making the weigh-ins a little weird with his act. This time out, Hokit appeared to spit up on himself, then said “So what, maybe I was drinking was night. Who wouldn’t be? I have a giant black man that wants to knock me out, he has the most knockouts in UFC history.”

All a game to Hokit, who is one of the most divisive figures in the sport at the moment, but whose success in the cage has been undeniable.

An unbelievable scene then followed: Diego Lopes weighed in a second time, in a second weight class, as the back-up for the lightweight main event. Lopes hit the scale at 154lbs, after weighing in an hour or so earlier at 146. Quite possibly the first time a UFC fighter has made weight successfully twice in one day for two different fights at two different weight classes.

On his second attempt, Lopes did have a shirt and hat on.

UFC Freedom 250 Weigh-In Results

Lightweight: Ilia Topuria (c) (155) vs. Justin Gaethje (ic) (155) – for the UFC lightweight championship / title unification bout
Heavyweight: Alex Pereira (251) vs. Ciryl Gane (248) – for the interim UFC heavyweight championship
Bantamweight: Sean O’Malley (135.5) vs. Aiemann Zahabi (135)
Heavyweight: Josh Hokit (231) vs. Derrick Lewis (265)
Lightweight: Maurício Ruffy (155) vs. Michael Chandler (156)
Middleweight: Bo Nickal (186) vs. Kyle Daukaus (186)
Featherweight: Diego Lopes (146) vs. Steve Garcia (146)

Lightweight: Diego Lopes (154) – weighed in a second time as the main event backup

The post UFC Freedom 250 Weigh-In Results: Lopes Hits the Scale Twice in One Day for Two Weight Classes appeared first on Cageside Press.

“Iron” Mike is also looking to bounce back from a trio of losses, to Dustin Poirier, Charles Oliveira, and Paddy Pimblett, in his fight against Mauricio Ruffy. That last one appears to have gnawed at Chandler (23-10) more than most.

“I’m very disappointed in my performance in my last fight. And I think sometimes as a fighter, you need those to really look at your blind spots, to really look at the areas where you need to improve,” Chandler told media outlets including Cageside Press during the White House card’s media day on Wednesday. “Areas where maybe you feel like you need to improve, where you feel like you need to tweak your training, tweak your mindset, but you’ve just been firing on all cylinders going 100 miles an hour ahead and just keep doing the same of what you’ve been doing.”

“Gave me an opportunity to kind of step back, recalibrate, kind of coil the spring so to speak for the greatest platform and the greatest opportunity of my life. And in my opinion, a great opponent, the perfect opponent to fight on the White House lawn.”

Over the past few years, Chandler has circled a fight with Conor McGregor, one that was briefly booked at UFC 303 only for the Irish star to pull out. The lightweight spent a lot of time on the sidelines waiting for the opportunity that never came, leading to a lot of talk among fans and pundits. Yet in a way, his loyalty to the fight, and the UFC itself, appears to have paid off. After all, he might be mired in a slump, but he’s still fighting at the White House.

That has to be somewhat vindicating, and have the monkey off his back so to speak.

“Yeah a little bit,” Chandler agreed, speaking to Cageside Press. “You’ve got certain fighters [not] on the card who after the fact, after they were not put on this card, say ‘well I didn’t want to fight on the card anyway.'”

“There’s no way in the world that somebody doesn’t want to fight on this fight card. When you talk about eyeballs, when you talk about platform, when you talk about reach, when you talk about the greatest moment of opportunity to showcase your skills to the world. So I always looked at it that way, at that’s me not even putting my blue-blooded American hat on.”

Of course, Chandler is a “very proud American” who wanted to represent the country, and the promotion, on the biggest stage possible, he noted. That’s been the case all along, even when he was chasing the McGregor fight.

“There was a lot of chatter. These last couple of years have been very interesting, but I think I’m a better man because of it, and because I’m a better man because of it, I’m a better husband and father because of it,” Chandler explained. “Sometimes things just don’t work out. Sometimes the things that you are chasing doesn’t work out. Sometimes you hitch your dream to a shooting star, and it just doesn’t work out.”

Throughout the process, Michael Chandler “did a lot of soul searching, and there were a lot of decisions that needed to be made, a lot of pieces needed to be put into place. But as you saw, whenever Conor pulled out of that fight, it was like, recalibrate for a month, lets see what happens, and I threw myself into the fire, Madison Square Garden, co-main event against one of the most dangerous guys on the planet, Charles Oliveira.”

“I stole the show that night even in a loss, and then got right back on the horse probably a little too soon, going into that Paddy fight, coming off an injury and stuff that never becomes public, that you guys never find out about. But here we are. I’ve had a year to lick my wounds and look myself in the mirror and know that I can be better. And I’m going to be better, and I have been better over the last year, and I’m going to show that on fight night.”

Watch the full UFC Freedom 250 media day appearance by Michael Chandler above.

The post Michael Chandler Reacts to Landing on White House Card After Hitching Dream to McGregor appeared first on Cageside Press.

Ahead of the UFC’s first event of the year, and more importantly the first event with their new broadcast partner in Paramount, company CEO Dana White has been doing the media rounds and changed his stance on the biggest question in the sport.

🚨 Dana White says he is NOT interested in booking Conor McGregor vs Michael Chandler at the UFC White House card 😬

"That was a couple years ago. No."

(via @Complex) pic.twitter.com/Tirsmy5PJA

— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) January 15, 2026

For the past several months since it was announced, the UFC boss has been asked at nearly every media appearance about the event being held at the White House later this year. Specifically, which fights will be on the card and of course which matchup will get the honor of headlining the seminal event. The frontrunner has been the the sport’s biggest mainstream star Conor McGregor taking on his opposing coach from The Ultimate Fighter reality series Michael Chandler. In interviews throughout 2025, White made several comments acknowledging McGregor’s commitment to being on the card and saying how he can count on McGregor with such a responsibility as opposed to another superstar in Jon Jones.

However, in an interview Thursday morning with Matt Welty of Complex, White was asked once again about McGregor vs Chandler headlining the event. Specifically, Welty asked “I know there’s all that talk of Michael Chandler and Conor, do you see that as a realistic thing?” to which White responded “No. That was a couple years ago.”

When Welty followed up “So that’s nothing you’d entertain for the White House?” White reiterated. “No. No.”

Considering the amount of attention on the event since nearly a year out from the date, many have felt that the addition of a superstar like McGregor or Jones (perhaps even both) to the card would make it potentially one of the most viewed events in UFC history. When Jones reportedly turned down a record $30 million for a fight with Tom Aspinall that was verbally agreed to, it appeared that White and the UFC were moving forward in favor of McGregor taking the spot by himself. Further, the idea of McGregor headlining the event was bolstered considering he was invited to the office and even spoke with the White House press while there which seemed to indicate he was in the place where he’d be favored to get the privilege.

Should White stand by these most recent comments as the event draws nearer, it is now anyone’s guess who they might choose to headline their most talked about card in years.

The post Dana White Says He’s Not Interested in McGregor vs Chandler at the White House Anymore appeared first on Cageside Press.

Per a report by Deadline, Dustin Poirier and Michael Chandler have both joined the cast, and will appear alongside Jake Gyllenhaal in Road House 2. In addition, Michael “Venom” Page, Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson, Tyron Woodley, and kickboxing star Rico Verhoeven are all onboard. Former UFC fighter Jay Hieron will return, reprising his role as Jax “Jetway” Harris from the 2024 film, a remake of the Patrick Swayze original.

McGregor portrayed Knox, chief antagonist to Gyllenhaal’s Elwood Dalton in the initial installment. The Knox character does survive the climax of the movie, as shown while the credits roll. It seems McGregor might be too busy to return, however, as the fighter targets a comeback at next year’s UFC White House card.

Road House 2 falls under the Amazon MGM Studios banner, and will shoot in the U.K., Malta, and Savannah, Georgia, per Deadline’s report. The original film drew in 80 million viewers during its first eight weeks of release on Amazon’s Prime Video platform.

Ilya Naishuller replaces Doug Liman in the director’s chair. Plot details for the sequel are being kept under wraps; the 2024 film found Gyllenhaal as Dalton, a former UFC fighter, working as a bouncer in a dive bar in the Florida keys. He winds up drawn into a hostile takeover of Road House, the bar, with a local crime lord trying to buy up the property.

Woodley has previously appeared in Olympus Has Fallen, Escape Plan 2, and the Netflix series Cobra Kai, among others. Poirier will be making his acting debut, while Chandler has one film credit to his name, the little-known horror flick Be Afraid.

The post McGregor Absent, But Poirier, Chandler Join Jake Gyllenhaal for Road House 2 appeared first on Cageside Press.

A number of fighters now need to bounce back, including some big names.

Diego Lopes

Diego Lopes put up a valiant effort in the main event of UFC 314 but was ultimately out fought by former champion, Alexander Volkanovski on the way to a unanimous decision defeat. However, the fight did break the four-card drought of there not being a Fight of the Night. Diego had a great showing; but was simply outclassed by Volk. The loss is just Diego’s second with the UFC.  It snaps his five-fight win streak dating back to his second fight with the promotion in August of 2023.

All things considered, Diego’s ascent thru the ranks of the UFC’s featherweight division has been both remarkable and fast. Lopes entered this bout ranked at #3 in the division while Alexander was the #1 contender. Diego lost little momentum from his loss at UFC 314.

Ideal next fight for Diego would be against Yair Rodriguez. Yair won his bout against UFC newcomer and former Bellator featherweight champion, Patricio Pitbull, earlier on the card. That fight is an absolute no brainer. Both Yair and Lopes are high paced, high output fighters. Yair’s kicks and diverse striking against Diego’s wild power would be an exciting matchup for the fans. And as an added bonus for UFC fans and execs, the timing could matchup for this fight to go down during Hispanic heritage month between mid-September and mid-October. This fight could easily headline a card with the winner getting the next title shot in the 145lbs division (though Noche UFC seems like the obvious option).

Lopes’s next fight: Yair Rodriguez

Michael Chandler

Michael Chandler put on a largely disappointing performance on his way to being bloodied, brutalized and finished by Paddy Pimblett in the third round their co main event on Saturday. Chandler came into the octagon with a #7 ranking while his opponent was ranked at #12.  But when the fight actually started, it looked the other way around. Michael had some brief moments but the soon to be 39-year-old, was largely outfought in every aspect on his way to his third straight loss. Michael could just not find a way to get inside. Chandler has now lost five of his last six fights. Bringing his record to an abysmal 2-5, since joining the UFC back in early 2021.

So many different ways this could go for Chandler. Its whatever he wants to do. When the rankings are updated, he shouldn’t be in the top 15- (but he likely will be just based off name value). Beating a dead horse at this point but- the Conor McGregor fight still makes sense. Chandler is the perfect size and style of fighter that Conor made a name off of KO’ing. Michael looked really bad in his last performance, and it could give Conor just enough confidence to swoop in and take that fight.

If that fight doesn’t materialize there is little else that makes sense at this point. Unless someone in the lightweight division wants to fight down for a money fight (I’m looking at you, Renato Moicano). But a fight that makes a lot more sense for Chandler, at this stage, would be against the loser of Joel Alvarez vs Benoit Saint Denis at UFC 315 next month. The timing would work well for that fight, as Chandler is going to need some time off to recover. Benoit is currently ranked at #13 at lightweight, while Joel is unranked. Alvarez is riding a three-fight win streak while Benoit has lost his last two. Fight would be another striker’s delight but could go to the ground as its now a known point of least resistance against Chandler. It’s high time for Chandler to have to fight down.

Chandler’s next fight: Conor McGregor or Loser of Benoit Saint-Denis vs. Joel Alvarez

Patricio Pitbull

Patricio Pitbull couldn’t really get going on his way to a unanimous decision defeat against Yair Rodriguez at UFC 314. Saturday was the 37-year-old former Bellator featherweight champion’s UFC debut which unfortunately did not go to plan.

There are a lot of directions Pitbull could go in at this point. Patricio has a limited amount of time to get the caliber of fights he wants before he retires. A fight against Bryce Mitchell could make a lot of sense. Mitchell competed just before Patricio on UFC 314’s main card on Saturday. As The Ultimate Fighter Season 27 winner and with his vocal ‘brash’ personality, Bryce is as fighter with a lot of clout. Bryce is a huge threat on the ground and was ranked at #13 on Saturday. This would be a good litmus test for Pitbull to see if he even deserves to be in the rankings or if he should strictly be looking for those eye-popping matchups at this stage of his fight career.

Pitbull’s next fight: Bryce Mitchell

Bryce Mitchell

Bryce Mitchell started out strong but was quickly out-struck on his way to an embarrassing second round submission loss to Jean Silva. Michell had a lot of pressure on him heading into the fight as Silva specifically called him out. Mitchel also entered the fight ranked at #13 while Jean was unranked, adding to the pressure.

Mitchell has now lost three of his last five fights, finished in all three. To be fair, all his losses in this time period have been against good competition (Ilia Topuria, Josh Emmett and Jean Silva). But Bryce’s best win was a unanimous decision against Dan Ige in 2023. Bryce will likely lose his ranking when they are updated and will need to prove himself in his next bout. That’s why a fight against a former Bellator champ like Pitbull would make a lot of sense for Bryce. Especially considering how Pitbull performed against Yair at UFC 314. If Bryce can go in there and finish him or take it to him and earn a lopsided victory, he could very easily see himself propelled back into the rankings.

Mitchell’s next fight: Patricio Pitbull

Nikita Krylov

Nikita Krylov was countered and finished by Dominick Reyes in the first round of their fight to open the UFC 314 main card. The loss snapped Kryolv’s 3-fight winning streak dating to 2022, which included two finishes.

Krylov entered the fight ranked at #8 in the UFC’s light heavyweight division while Reyes was ranked at #11. Krylov was supposed to fight Azamat Murzakanov back in November. However, the fight fell apart after Azamat withdrew.

Azamat is a 2021 Contender Series alum. The 14-0, 36-year-old is 4-0 under the UFC banner and has stopped all but one of his opponents. Azamat was last in action in August when he smoked Alonzo Menifield in just two rounds. Unfortunately, Murzakanov who is the #12 ranked fighter 205lbs., is already matched up against the #10 ranked, Johnny Walker. Those two are scheduled to fight at UFC 316 in June. Walker is currently riding a two-fight losing skid, but the fan favorite, freak athlete, is always dangerous. The loser of this fight would make a lot of sense for Nikita to get back on the right track. And guaranteed violence for the fans with a high likelihood of a finish no matter who Krylov fights. Winner of that fight would be right in #8-13 rankings.

Krylov’s next fight: Loser of Johnny Walker vs Azamat Murzakanov

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