“I fought Darren Elkins in April of last year, and then I took a pretty quick turn around and fought Melky [Costa] at the Apex in May, and during that fight, I broke my orbital about halfway through that fight,” Erosa explained. “After it, I had to take about, I would say maybe three and a half to four months before I was fully back into training.”

However, it wasn’t just the injury. Towards the end of 2025, he started looking to get back in there. As he was itching to get back in there, some full cards and a temptation of a home fight held back another booking.

“I still wanted to get one in last year, but it kept getting pushed back a little bit, and then I heard about them going to Seattle, which Washington’s my home state,” he said. “I was born in Seattle, so if I have to wait till March 28th, I’ll do it if it’s for that Seattle card, and I would just cross my fingers and hope my management could get me on that card.”

Washington is more than just a home fight for Erosa, but the chance to complete a full circle moment for him. Having started on the regional scene out there, throwing down in the big arena is a dream come true.

“I started fighting on a regional scene in Tacoma, Washington, 10 minutes away from Seattle,” Erosa said. “So being able to fight under the UFC banner has been a dream of mine in Washington State, and on March 28th, it’ll happen.”

While he didn’t care who they put in front of him, a willing newcomer like Lerryan Douglas is a fun matchup. He not only likes that he isn’t going to have to go looking for a fight, but also thinks he has some hole to exploit.

“I think if the fight goes the way I think it’s gonna go, I think I can get a stoppage in the later of the second round or the third round,” he said. “Either a TKO or some sort of front headlock choke, because obviously that’s my favorite thing to do.”

You can catch his fight with Lerryan Douglas as part of the UFC Seattle main card. The fight card begins at 5pm EST this Saturday on Paramount+.

The post UFC Seattle’s Julian Erosa: Happy to Be Home appeared first on Cageside Press.

“I felt great. I mean, some of the biggest takeaways are the training camps and stuff and being able to feel better through the training camp,” Nelson explained. “Then the weight cut – I probably still cut a similar amount of water and stuff like that. But I feel like 145lbs, sometimes, I would end up being a little bit malnourished going into the fight because you’ve only got like the 24 hours to rehydrate.”

While the Garcia fight may have been the final nail in the coffin, Nelson noted that there had been some signs that it was time prior. He pointed back to some fights in which he wasn’t quite himself as the fight progressed.

“I feel like that’s stuff that’s kind of showed its head in like the Billy Quarantillo fight and some of the fights where I was doing great for the first few minutes,” he said. “Then lend of the first, beginning of the second, just seemed like my body kind of shut down on me. So at 155, I don’t think we’ll have that problem.”

With any change in division, there is the question of where the fighter will fit in. Nelson was initially worred that he would be treated like a newcomer in his new (old) division. After a pair of bookings, he was relieved to see that wasn’t the case.

“I felt like moving up to a new weight class, I almost felt like I was starting at the bottom again,” Nelson said. “Then to get to like Matt Frevola, who I had seen and heard his name and watched him fight and stuff like that, I was like, oh, like I’m, you know, I’m not kind of starting at the bottom again. And same with the [Terrance] McKinney fight.”

And that McKinney fight may just be his ticket to the top 15. He sees this not only as a fight where he can pick up a big name win, but one with some emphasis.

“I think it’s kind of a 50-50, whether it’s gonna be first round, I tag him early as he’s coming in really wild and with his chin up and his hands down,” he said. “Or I think beginning of the second, he’s gonna start to slow down. I’m gonna be picking it up even more, but either way, I think it’s gonna be a knockout.”

You can see Nelson’s fght with Terrance McKinney on the main card of UFC Seattle. The fight card begins at 5pm EST on Paramount+ this Saturday.

The post UFC Seattle’s Kyle Nelson Feeling at Home at Lightweight appeared first on Cageside Press.

“I would fight him right now if he walked in, and I would still fight Niko Price on Saturday,” he said.

“It’s a drop of a hat. I would do it right now.”

Watch the entire media day scrum with Michael Chiesa above. He faces Niko Price at UFC Seattle on Saturday night.

The post Michael Chiesa Would Still Fight Colby Covington, “It’s a drop of a hat. I would do it right now” appeared first on Cageside Press.

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“He’s the greatest middleweight of all time in my opinion,” Pyfer told reporters on Wednesday.

“It’s a great opportunity, it’s a great privilege to be able to do what I do, and be able to say that I fought one of the best in the world. I really look at this as a win-win. I’m honored that I got this opportunity. Could have been anybody else, but it’s me.”

Pyfer (15-3) had no issue putting Adesanya above greats such as Anderson Silva. Pyfer explained why he believes the former champion stands above even the legends who came before him.

“If you look at Anderson Silva, who was also one of the best, I think the modern era of the MMA fighter is now. From year to date I think Israel has beat the more complete MMA fighters. Just the way that he did it I think it was so dominant,” he said.

“Anderson Silva was, no disrespect to guys like Stephan Bonnar or Forest Griffin or Rich Franklin, but they weren’t at the level that I think MMA fighters are today. That’s why I tip the cap to Israel as the greatest middleweight of all time.”

Watch the entire media day scrum with Joe Pyfer above. He faces Israel Adesanya in the main event of UFC Seattle on Saturday night.

The post Joe Pyfer Believes Adesanya Is The Middleweight GOAT appeared first on Cageside Press.

Hold the applause (not that we expect much).

The announcement of the first ten UFC events of 2026 came as part of Friday’s “It’s On” press conference, and sees the promotion heading to Houston, Mexico City, and Seattle, in addition to previously announced dates in Sydney, Australia and London, England.

The rest of the newly reported dates come in Las Vegas, which, outside of the first card of 2026 and UFC 326 in March, both at the T-Mobile Arena, will take place at the relatively barren UFC Apex.

• Jan. 24: UFC 324 – T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas
• Jan. 31: UFC 325 – Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney
• Feb. 7: UFC Fight Night – UFC Apex, Las Vegas
• Feb. 14: UFC Fight Night – UFC Apex, Las Vegas
• Feb. 21: UFC Fight Night – Toyota Center, Houston
• Feb. 28: UFC Fight Night – Arena CDMX, Mexico City
• March 7: UFC 326 – T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas
• March 14: UFC Fight Night – UFC Apex, Las Vegas
• March 21: UFC Fight Night: O2 Arena, London
• March 28: UFC Fight Night: Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle

The promotion’s own private venue and production facility was a godsend during the coronavirus pandemic, allowing the UFC to consistently and safely put on events when just about every other sports league was shut down. Since fans returned to venues, however, the company has been frequently criticized for seemingly lackluster fight cards attached to Fight Night shows at the Apex, with the term “Apex slop” entering the MMA lexicon.

While there had been some hope that the UFC would return to the road full time in the wake of the Paramount+ broadcast deal, which sees it earning $1.1 USD per annum for its U.S. broadcast rights alone, that does not seem to be the case.

The post UFC Announces Q1 2026 Schedule, and Yes, Apex Cards Will Continue appeared first on Cageside Press.

Abdul-Malik (8-0) seemed to get hurt from a spinning shot that Klein landed in the first. The young middleweight had to gather himself before finishing the fight in the next round.

“Definitely wasn’t hurt, but I got knocked off balance, got knocked off my game. In that moment, it was a moment of adversity, I had to get myself back to where I needed to be,” Abdul-Malik told reporters including Cageside Press at his post-fight scrum.

“Focused on the next round and got it done.”

With the win secured at UFC Seattle Abdul-Malik now looks ahead at what’s next. He might not be throwing out names, but he definitely pays attention.

A lot of attention.

“I see several good fights. I pay attention to every single person in this division. I know what every single person in this division had for breakfast this morning,” he said before cracking a smile and taking it back a tiny bit.

So what did Sean Strickland have for breakfast? That got a big laugh from the middleweight before getting serious again.

“Man I’m aware of every single person in this division. I have many, many fights in my mind, but I’m also someone that doesn’t want to say something and then not be prepared to back that up the next day,” said Abdul-Malik.

“If I say something about someone I’m fighting them tonight. I’ll see him at the hotel.”

Watch the entire post-fight scrum with Mansur Abdul-Malik above.

The post Mansur Abdul-Malik Pays A Lot Of Attention To Middleweight Division appeared first on Cageside Press.

“I actually had a very emotional week thinking about stuff. About everything. Having a fight week,” Costa told reporters including Cageside Press through a translator at his post-fight scrum.

“It actually made me cry when I realized because when the coin just finally drops. When it dawned on me I was fighting a guy that I remember fighting Max Holloway back in the day watching him on tv. I’m like I’m going to fight this guy.”

Costa (22-7) had been talking during fight week about how he looked up to Fili hoping to one day make it into the UFC. The realization of a dream was a lot for the 28-year-old featherweight to grasp all at once.

Even though he beat a seasoned veteran at UFC Seattle, Costa doesn’t believe he’s earned the right to call anyone out.

“I’m not at the stage where I can actually be choosing, calling out opponents, I’m an employee. I want to fight man I want to fight,” he said.

“And even two fill in some holes, always be ready to fight, so if they need somebody to fill in. A month, two months, a couple weeks, I’ll be ready for it.”

Watch the entire post-fight scrum with Melquizael Costa above.

The post Melquizael Costa Had Emotional Fight Week Realizing Fili Fight appeared first on Cageside Press.