Bo Nickal broke some fight news on his podcast saying Ilia Topuria vs. Alexander Volkanovski 2 will take place at #UFC314 in Miami.

via Bo Nickal YT Channel pic.twitter.com/IXiwBWUtDw

— Cageside Press (@Cagesidepress) January 27, 2025

“It’s official. I know for a fact,” Nickal said on his YouTube channel.

“I don’t know that it was announced for a fact, but I know it’s happening for a fact. I’m announcing it.”

Is Nickal is right the rematch would take place at UFC 314 in Miami, FL on April 12.

Volkanovski (26-4) would enter the octagon for the first time since dropping the title to Topuria at UFC 298 last February. He’ll be looking to snap a two-fight losing streak and get his title back against the man who took it from him.

Topuria (16-0) has already defended the title against former champion Max Holloway at UFC 308. He’s been calling for a shot at Islam Makhachev’s lightweight title, but there hasn’t been a lot of traction behind that fight just yet.

“I don’t know about Ilia and Volk rematch. I mean I get it. Volk had to rematch (Max) Holloway a bunch of times. He knocked Volk out clean. Bad. I love Volk, he’s great. I don’t see a path to victory for him really,” he said.

Nickal would like a spot on the card as well.

“I might fight on that card. That’s the card I’m trying to fight on. April, Miami,” said Nickal.

The post Bo Nickal Breaks Topuria vs. Volkanovski 2 For UFC 314 appeared first on Cageside Press.

Speaking at a Jiu Jitsu Seminar at East LA Jiu Jitsu the champion stayed true to his martial arts roots by imparting wisdom on the next generation of grapplers.

“Don’t give up on your dreams. Continue to be disciplined. Don’t give up on stuff because Jiu Jitsu is a smooth art,” Oliveira told Cageside Press through a translator at the seminar.

“The more you do it the more you get out of it.”

True words in both Jiu Jitsu and MMA. The former lightweight champ Oliveira lost his title at UFC 274 on the scale and not in the cage in a very controversial weigh-in. Since then Oliveira has gone 2-2 with losses to Arman Tsarukyan and Islam Makhachev. The bout against Makhachev was for his vacant title.

Makhachev submitted him for the title that night, and the ‘DoBronx’ has been itching for payback.

“It would be huge to actualle be able to avenge a loss. I’ve always been able to avenge losses against guys that beat me in the past. To actually become a champion again against a guy that beat me up? Even better,” he said.

“The champion has a name it’s Charles Oliveira.”

Watch the entire interview with Charles Oliveira above.

The post Charles Oliveira Itching To Avenge Loss To Islam Makhachev appeared first on Cageside Press.

Islam Makhachev

The pound-for-pound king was originally supposed to rematch Arman Tsarukyan, but the Armenian pulled out the day before the fight due to a back injury. Renato Moicano, who already had a fight scheduled on this card, stepped in after making championship weight. For some, the extreme short-notice nature of the fight might lessen the impressiveness of what Makhachev did, but Moicano wasn’t coming off the couch. He had a full training camp in him and was on a roll, having won his previous four fights, three of which came by finish. Still, Makhachev dispatched him inside a round.

There was a lot of talk about whether this would be Makhachev’s last fight at lightweight but having had to face someone other than Tsarukyan on Saturday could keep him at 155 due to that unfinished business. However, Dana White refused to guarantee that Tsarukyan would get the next shot, and the Armenian took to social media to say he agrees that he needs to go back out there and get a win. So, who would Islam face should he stay at 155lbs? Having taken no damage in this fight, the champion should be ready to get back in the octagon as soon as Ramadan ends. The winner of Justin Gaethje and Dan Hooker will have a case, but knowing how their fighting styles, we shouldn’t expect the winner of that fight to make a quick turnaround.

That leaves us with Charles Oliveira. The former champion was originally booked to rematch Makhachev in October of 2023, but had to withdraw due to an injury and then never got his rematch. It makes sense given the circumstances and the timelines match, so I say book it now.

Makhachev’s next fight: Charles Oliveira

Merab Dvalishvili

The champion Dvalishvili came in as a sizeable betting underdog and alluded to being forced by the promotion to make the quick four-month turnaround and take this fight against the undefeated Umar Nurmagomedov. The deck was stacked against him, but ‘The Machine’ lived up to his nickname and managed to win the last three rounds to pull away with the victory.

A monumental win for the Georgian considering the circumstances and the fact that this was by far considered his toughest assignment. With Nurmagomedov out of the way, Dvalishvili now finds himself in the spot every champion wishes to be: with nothing but rematches on the horizon against fighters he has already dominated.

The idea of a Sean O’Malley rematch has been floating out there, but that would be blatant favouritism for a champion who only had one title defence. In our UFC 311 losers matchmaker piece, we suggested an immediate rematch. That may not be in the cards, as Dana White didn’t seem high on the idea. If not, the first order of business should absolutely be Petr Yan, who earned his way back to a title shot with a successful 2024 campaign.

Dvalishvili’s next fight: Petr Yan

Jiri Prochazka

This was a fight two years in the making. When Jiri Prochazka vacated the belt, Jamahal Hill became the beneficiary of that vacancy by beating Glover Teixeira. They then both proceeded to call each other out and ‘Hill vs Prochazka’ was the fight fans were anticipating. So when Hill also had to vacate his belt, Alex Pereira was the one who benefited the most.

Both Prochazka and Hill got thoroughly beaten by Poatan, yet the hype behind the fight on Saturday did not feel diminished by that. It was a guaranteed banger that delivered. Prochazka showed improvements in his defence and ultimately finished Hill after knocking him down multiple times.

With Pereira now booked against Magomed Ankalaev in March, there is a decent chance that it will be his last title defence at light heavyweight, as he’s been hinting at a move up to heavyweight. And if he loses, he will probably get an immediate rematch. That means Prochazka will need another win to stay busy. That means no other fight makes more sense than fighting the winner of Jan Blachowicz and Carlos Ulberg in London.

Prochazka’s next fight: Blachowicz/Ulberg winner

Jailton Almeida

This was an important win for Almeida to stay relevant in the division’s top 10. Fans are hoping we get the Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall fight, but if we don’t then the picking order at heavyweight becomes a bit messy for Aspinall.

Ciryl Gane has won two straight fights, but his last win was a very uninspired performance in which he says he suffered an injury. Alexander Volkov was on a good run but lost on the cards to Gane. However controversially, it is still officially a loss. There are important fights between Sergei Pavlovich, Jairzinho Rozenstruik, Curtis Blaydes and Rizvan Kuniev coming up, but the permutations will really depend on the results of those fights.

With the title picture being as blurry as it is, Almeida isn’t lacking in options. I ultimately chose Alexander Volkov as that fight was booked last June, and with Gane probably being out a little while due to his injury, the timing probably won’t work between Almeida and the Frenchman.

Almeida’s next fight: Alexander Volkov

Reinier de Ridder

Two fights, two finishes for de Ridder so far in the UFC. The Dutch King ran through Kevin Holland at UFC 311, submitting him in just three and a half minutes. Last week, I matchmade for Cesar Almeida who scored an incredible knockout and said he should fight the winner of this RDR/Holland bout. I must admit, I didn’t necessarily expect the de Ridder to make such a statement.

With this type of performance, I fully expect the UFC to give RDR a ranked opponent next, which means the Almeida fight is off the table. Michel Pereira would make for a fun fight, but last week I had him fight Roman Kopylov and I still prefer that matchup. I believe the right fight to make is Jack Hermansson, who has been rehabilitating injuries since upsetting Joe Pyfer last February. Hermansson is the gatekeeper to the top 10 at middleweight and if de Ridder fancies himself fighting the top of that division, this is a test he needs to pass.

de Ridder’s next fight: Jack Hermansson

The post What’s Next: UFC 311 Winners appeared first on Cageside Press.

Catastrophic wildfires in the area and one half of the main event pulling out complicated things to say the least. However, the main card still delivered in every way, with only the last fight of the night between UFC lightweight champion and #10 ranked last second fill in, Renato Moicano leaving something to be desired. Despite one literal slip, it was a clean victory for Islam Makhachev, sending Renato back to the drawing board in what will likely be his only shot at the lightweight belt. Not to mention one of the biggest ‘losers’ of this fight card, Arman Tsarukyan. Who will not be granted an automatic shot at the title again. Some pivotal losses took place on Saturday’s card at the Intuit Dome, meaning the next fight booked for the losing will be extra important.

Arman Tsarukyan

Arman Tsarukyan fumbled one of the biggest opportunities of his career thanks to an untimely back injury just hours prior to Friday’s weigh-ins. Tsarukyan would be sidelined from his high stakes rematch with potentially devastating consequences to his fight career.
UFC President Dana White made it clear in the post-fight press conference that Tsarukyan will not be next in line for a title shot.

It’s imperative that Arman get a good result in his next fight. It’ll likely be a tough opponent and he will need a finish of some kind to be booked for a title shot once again. Tsarukyan headed into UFC 311 fight week as the #1 ranked UFC lightweight.

For his next bout, Tsarukyan should draw a matchup against the Justin Gaethje vs. Dan Hooker fight winner on March 8 at UFC 313. That fight could potentially be a war so if Arman had to get back in the cage before that, he could look towards a guy like Max Holloway who is ranked at #5 as a lightweight. But the winner of #3 ranked Gaethje versus #6 ranked Hooker would be the perfect striking-first type of opponent to match Arman up against.

Tsarukyan’s next fight: Justin Gathje vs. Dan Hooker winner

Renato Moicano

Renato Moicano was taken down and submitted in the first round of his short notice title shot in the main event on Saturday.  UFC lightweight champion, Islam Mackhachev, made short work of Money Moicano, in what the Brazilian reluctantly admitted after the bout was likely his only chance at the lightweight belt.

Renato entered the title bout with a #10 ranking and was originally supposed to take on #9 ranked Beneil Dariush. The 35-year-old former featherweight had won four in a row with three stoppages leading up to the fight. Realistically this was a freebee for Moicano and his stock will likely remain virtually unblemished. The Renato vs. Beneil fight needs to be rebooked as Dariush has not fought since December of 2023. Moicano didn’t seem to take too much damage so that could potentially be on the table sooner rather than later.

Moicano’s next fight: Beneil Dariush

Umar Nurmagomedov

Umar Nurmagomedov suffered the first defeat of his professional career on Saturday in an instant classic opposite of UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili. Though the 29-year old lost a unanimous decision, it was a competitive high level showcase that came down to the last minute of the fight. Umar entered the bout ranked at #2 in the UFC’s bantamweight division. With Merab’s recent dominating victories over former champions Petr Yan and most recently, Sean O’Malley, Umar has a strong case for a rematch. Umar’s last victory was #4 Cory Sandhagen so the only fighter that would have a real claim for a shot at the belt would be #5 former flyweight champion, Deiveson Figueiredo.

Part two of Merab vs. Umar could be very interesting, especially seeing what game plan Umar, Khabib and company can come up with to counteract the cardio machine that is Merab “The Machine” Dvalishvili.

Nurmagomedov’s next fight: Merab Dvalishvili

Jamahal Hill

Jamahal Hill was stopped late in the final round of a fight that had fans on the edge of their seats at UFC 311 on Saturday. Jiri Prochazka showed off his gas tank and diverse striking to eventually wear down Hill.  A dynamic counter sealed the deal for ‘Sweet Dreams’ as he was dropped and pounded out seconds later. It was a bitter pill for Hill to swallow no doubt. Added to the fact that Hill has had multiple injuries, three cancelled fights and been finished twice all since his January 2023 victory over light heavyweight champ, Glover Texiera, it’s been a nightmare of a couple years for Hill.

Jamahal entered the fight at #3 in the UFC’s light heavyweight division while Jiri was ranked at #2. With all of these factors in mind, Jamahal should fight Aleksandar Rakic.

It comes down to #7 ranked Khalil Rountree Jr. who Hill was matched up with last year before his injury forced a withdraw, or Rakic. Khalil went on to put on an epic scrap in a losing effort on short notice against the champ, Alex Pereia. Or there’s #5 ranked, Aleksandar Rakic, who has lost his last three fights: By third round knee injury TKO to Jan Blachowicz in 2022, second round TKO opposite Jiri Prochazka in April of last year and a unanimous decision loss against Magomed Ankalaev in October. Rakic makes a little more sense as both men have been finished by Jiri and have a bit of work to do (more than 2-3 fights back to the title). Barring a last second replacement situation, of course.

Hill’s next fight: Aleksandar Rakic

Serghei Spivac

Despite having Jailton Almedia in some deep trouble early, Serghei Spivac was finished late in the first round on Saturday. Spivac has now lost two of his last four, since early 2023.  Spivac took a round to choke Derrick Lewis before being stopped in two by Cyril Gane in September of ’23. Heading into the fight on Saturday, Spivac was coming off a round one armbar victory over #8 ranked heavyweight Marcin Tybura last August.

Serghei entered the UFC 311 as the #7 ranked UFC heavyweight while his opponent was right above him at #6.

The heavyweight rankings are crowded. Everyone has fought everyone. #9 ranked, Jairzinho Rozenstruik would make a lot of sense but he has a fight booked against #4 ranked Sergei Pavlovich.  That fight is scheduled for Feburary 1 however. The loser of the fight would have either lost two or three of their last four bouts. It would also be a classic striker vs. grappler matchup as well as a fresh opponent either way.

Spivac’s next fight: Loser of Sergei Pavlovich vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik

Kevin Holland

Kevin Holland was on the wrong side of another quick finish to start UFC 311’s main card Saturday night. To say it was a disappointing result for Holland would be a massive understatement as the UFC gatekeeper fell to Reinier de Ridder via first round submission. Holland has now lost four of his last five fights since September of 2023. Holland has gone 0-2 at welterweight in two respectable showings against Jack Della Maddalena and Michael Page. Kevin dropped decisions to both fighters. Kevin is 1-2 at middleweight in that time.  The victory came over Michal Oleksiejczuk at UFC 302 in June of last year.

Point blank, if Holland is dead set on continuing to compete at 185lbs it will likely continue to be difficult for him to find the win column or draw matchups that move him towards the belt. At this pace, it is not hard to imagine a matchup with a guy like Bo Nickal in his very near future. By no means is this any implication that Kevin Holland’s UFC roster spot is in jeopardy (it’s not), but Holland could easily see a step to a different tier with a couple more losses in ‘that’ fashion. That said, a fighter like Paul Craig would be a good matchup for Holland. Craig is 1-3 since moving down to 185lbs from 205lbs in mid 2023. His lone win in that time is a second-round finish over Andre Muniz. The Scotsman was finished by Brendan Allen and Caio Borralho at middleweight. Most recently, Craig lost a unanimous decision to Bo Nickal at UFC 309. The grappling ace badly needs a win and he’d likely be ready in time to match Kevin’s breakneck turnaround time between fights.

Holland’s next fight: Paul Craig

The post What’s Next: UFC 311 Losers appeared first on Cageside Press.

Pimblett did not wait an extra second to provoke the #10 ranked lightweight.

Paddy Pimblett and Renato Moicano sparring online about Moicano’s loss at #UFC311 pic.twitter.com/MnkK6wV98y

— Cageside Press (@Cagesidepress) January 20, 2025

“Paddy pimblitch is talking sh*t! Let me tell you something you gonna tap if we fight! You never got a short notice fight in your life imagine one day notice! #ufc #mma,” Moicano posted on X.

Pimblett fired back with a quickness.

“I’m not talking sh*t Renato I’m talking facts. u tapped after like 2 seconds like a bitch. only chance you’ll ever get to be a @ufc world champ & u quit like an absolute sausage! I’d make you quit just like Islam did you.”

Moicano (20-6-1) took a very short-notice title fight with Islam Makhachev in the main event of UFC 311 over the weekend after Arman Tsarukyan pulled out on Friday morning with a back injury.

The fight lasted until the 4:05 mark of the first round when Makhachev sunk in a d’arce choke and finished the fight.

Clearly Pimblett took it as an opportunity to take a shot at a man who he’s been linked to for a couple years now.

Moicano is down.

@danawhite just book this fight already https://t.co/7ROVJoszjQ

— Renato Moicano (@moicanoufc) January 20, 2025

The post Paddy Pimblett Goes After Renato Moicano For Quick Tap appeared first on Cageside Press.

“Very happy. Not only for the win, but also for shutting a lot of people up,” Perez told reporters including Cageside Press at her post-fight scrum.

“First and foremost making weight was a way to shut people up, and also just putting on a class inside the octagon.”

Perez (12-2) holds a 5-fight win streak with the victory over Rosa which is the longest current one at 135 pounds. Such an accolade could open the door for a big fight if not a title shot.

“I want to fight for the title. The current title holder she is sh*tting her pants. She does not want to take on Kayla Harrison so let me take that. I’m coming off of five straight wins, all of them dominant wins, great finish in Paris. Three dominant wins before,” she said.

“There’s no reason why they wouldn’t give me a chance and actually put me on for a fight for (the interim title).”

On her way to her post-fight press conference, reportedly, UFC flyweight fighter Tracy Cortez had some words for Perez which caught the attention of the media. Cortez and Perez have gone back and forth on social media the past few months.

“That’s trash. Don’t name her in this conversation right now. Get better quality people to have beef with me while I’m here,”she said.

Perez clearly has disdain for the flyweight contender and refused to say much about her at first.

“She was trying to provoke me. Please don’t name her. She’s dirty,” Perez told Cageside Press.

“Every time she sees me she wants to jump me. I think she wants to be me. She is probably outside trying maybe waiting for a picture (with) me. She cannot believe how beautiful I am.”

Watch the entire post-fight scrum with Ailin Perez above.

The post Ailin Perez Calls For Interim Title Fight, Downplays Cortez appeared first on Cageside Press.

It wasn’t until the crowd quieted down that Bekoev saw his opponent still out some time after the knockout.

“I felt bad because I didn’t know that he’s out (for) so long. When I saw hit I didn’t want to celebrate too much,” Bekoev told reporters including Cageside Press at his post-fight scrum.

“He’s also fighter and everybody can be (in that) same place. This is fights. This is dangerous, and he was (a) very dangerous fighter. 8 finishes I think in the first round. Very dangerous.”

Bekoev (19-3) made the short-notice UFC debut count by finishing the fight in the first round.

“I have only game plan, but I didn’t prepare because it was very short-notice. Only 5 days, but it was my dream, and when I heard about short-notice, I was very happy. Doesn’t matter (who’s) in front of me I would smash everybody,” he said.

“Everybody (saw) what was in the face-off. How I was like ready, I was charged, (you’re) going to see next. I want to fight as soon as possible.”

He absolutely means it noting that, even though there’s no event next week, he’d be ready for a fight by then. The American Top Team fighter did have one event in mind for his next fight.

“I’m training (at) American Top Team two years already. This is my fifth victory with American Top Team. I want to bring my fight to Miami. This is my second hometown,” said Bekoev.

“It would be very, very nice to fight in Miami. There is a lot of friends, supporters, people who I know. I would like to fight with top 10. Maybe (Jack) Hermansson.”

Watch the entire post-fight scrum with Azamat Bekoev above.

The post Azamat Bekoev Calls Out Hermansson For Miami Card appeared first on Cageside Press.

It’s a performance that the Czech, a former RIZIN champion before jumping to the UFC, was quite happy with, given he showed he was ready to win the fight by any means necessary.

Speaking with media outlets including Cageside Press, Prochazka (35-5-1) explained that he was prepared to win by “points, but also be ready to end it [by] knockout. I was ready for both, and that was the change that I wanted to show.”

“I don’t need to press myself and be hurried for a knockout. 100% knockout, I want a knockout, but be ready for everything. [To] make points, not make points, catch the opponent at the right times, seriously, not so seriously make contact, feel good in the fight. Feel good. This is something that I achieved.”

After the win, Prochazka called for a third fight with Alex Pereira, who he has lost to twice previously. Coincidentally, Pereira was announced on Saturday as the headliner for UFC 313 in March, where he’ll take on Magomed Ankalaev. Could serving as a back-up on that card be an opion?

“Good idea,” Prochazka said when asked about that possibility – only to then shoot it down. “No, I don’t like to be a back-up. Because it’s every time, weird, you can fight or not, but you still prepared. No, I want to make good preparation, and then to face, like I said, Alex Pereira a third time.”

As for the rather nasty eye poke that Hill landed in Saturday’s fight, “I still feel that right now,” admitted Prochazka. There was never any thought of ending the fight early on his part however.

“There is no way to stop the fight because of [an] eye poke. I’ve got one more eye,” he joked. “So no. We’re here for a fight, to win, to win the fight. I know there is the rules and all these things, but this is the true sport of man. The fight. And you’re fighting with eyes, no eyes, if the opponent gets you to the balls or not, it doesn’t matter. For me, it’s fight to the end. There has to be one result, one winner, and one who’s not.”

At weigh-in day, Jiri Prochazka was accompanied on stage by Ashly McGarity, who is battling cancer and inspired the UFC star to shave his head in solidarity (McGarity is undergoing chemotherapy, forcing her to shed her own locks). She was in the stands on Saturday for Prochazka’s fight.

“I want to give something back, and this is something that, right now in this world, it’s really necessary to be connected,” Prochazka said of having her alongside him. “To be together, to fight together with someone, and overcome these things together.”

Watch the full UFC 311 post-fight press conference with Jiri Prochazka above.

The post UFC 311: Jiri Prochazka Not Interested in Back-Up Role for Pereira-Ankalaev appeared first on Cageside Press.

As luck would have it his target happens to be the one man who was left out in the cold after the matchup shuffle at the top of the card. Beneil Dariush was the odd man out after Renato Moicano stepped into the main event on short notice.

Dawson (23-2-1) would have loved to take a fight with Dariush on short notice.

“If they (the UFC) had came to me and said will you step up and fight Beneil I would have said yes,” Dawson told reporters including Cageside Press at his post-fight scrum.

“They didn’t ask. Better case scenario I get to fight Diego, who I was preparing for, and now I get to fight Beneil with a camp.”

Dariush said, after losing out on his fight, that the UFC paid him his show and win money for his troubles. Dawson still hopes the fight materializes for him sooner than later. Dariush said he was told the UFC had ‘something big’ for him.

“I didn’t hear that about the something big, but good for him. I hope he gets something big man he’s a vet and he’s fought everybody, anytime, anywhere. I’m one of the anybodies,” he said.

“Maybe it’s me, maybe he gets something bigger with a big name, I’m super happy for him. There’s enough wealth and riches to go around for everybody. If I get somebody else, I get somebody else.”

Maybe Dawson needs to change his callout strategy.

“What I need to do is just start calling out people that I’m afraid of, that I don’t want to fight, because I never get anybody I call out,” he said with a laugh.

“The next person I call out I’m probably afraid of that dude because I’m not going to get him.”

Watch the entire post-fight scrum with Grant Dawson above.

The post Grant Dawson Would Have Fought Dariush At UFC 311 appeared first on Cageside Press.

‘Shocked’ is what Holland said he’d be if de Ridder was able to submit him in their main card fight at Intuit Dome.

“He said a lot of stuff. If you shoot 10 times you might say something wrong once,” de Ridder said unable to hold back laughter in front of reporters including Cageside Press at his post-fight scrum.

“They’re cheering ‘Holland’ for me so nice.”

De Ridder (19-2) who is from the Netherlands appreciated that cheer…as tounge-in-cheek as it was.

“It’s very nice to be a part of this. Just cool man. So special to get in here, go through all this stuff, yeah. It’s nice,” he said.

After joking that he’d be able to fight tomorrow he got serious with some names of guys he wants to fight.

All in the top 5.

“Sounds good. All of them. Khamzat (Chimaev), and (Robert) Whittaker, yeah. Khamzat would be cool for a grapplers matchup. Whittaker would be cool for all that he’s done. I hope they give me this. It would be amazing. I could be ready as soon as they are,” de Ridder said.

“Israel (Adesanya) and (Nassourdine) Imavov will fight soon as well. One of them would work too.”

One more name outside of the top 5 that he would like? One of the leaders of the Fighting Nerds, Caio Borralho.

“Yep. Definitely. I haven’t really watched a lot of his fights yet,” de Ridder told Cageside Press.

“I’ll study and I’ll be down for that too.”

Watch the entire post-fight scrum with Reinier de Ridder above.

The post Reinier de Ridder Shocked Holland, Wants Top 5 Next appeared first on Cageside Press.