Ahead of UFC Macau, Road to UFC Season 5 debuts, with the first batch of fights taking place on Thursday, May 28.

This year, flyweight, bantamweight, featherweight, and women’s strawweights are set to fight in the win-or-go home format, with quarterfinal action kicking off the three-round tournament.

Also featured on the first of two Road to UFC cards this week, Zhu Rong, taking on Victor Martinez. At Wednesday’s weigh-in, Martinez missed weight, coming in at 158lbs.

Where to Watch Road to UFC Macau

The Road to UFC Season 5 tournament kicks off on Thursday, May 28, 2026 at the Galaxy Arena in Macau, China. The event streams live on UFC Fight Pass starting at 6AM ET, 3AM PT. Full results from the card can be found below.

Road to UFC Season 5: Macau Results

Zhu Rong def. Victor Martinez by TKO (punches), Round 1, 1:10
Xie Bin def. Yudi Cahyadi by TKO (punches), Round 1, 2:05
George Mangos def. Yuito Yanagawa by TKO (knee and punches), Round 1, 3:19 – featherweight quarterfinal
Ahejiang Ailinuer def. Lim Gwan-woo by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) – featherweight quarterfinal
Kasib Murdoch def. Yunosuke Minami by submission (arm-triangle choke), Round 3, 3:46 – bantamweight quarterfinal
Dagiisuren Chagnaadorj def. Regezhen by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) – featherweight quarterfinal
Rabindra Dhant def. Kimbert Alintozon by TKO (ground n’ pound), Round 2, 4:37 – bantamweight quarterfinal
Ryo Tajima def. Ti Haitao by split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28) – bantamweight quarterfinal
Song Young-jae def. Jin Aoi by submission (rear-naked choke), Round 2, 3:39 – featherweight quarterfinal
Chungreng Koren def Ryuho Miyaguchi by submission (rear-naked choke), Round 2, 4:00 – bantamweight quarterfinal

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Kicking off this edition of TTP is our interview with Road to UFC flyweight, Joseph Larcinese. Larcinese chats about his run to the Eternal MMA title and his win over Dana White’s Contender Series veteran, Anthony Drilich. Plus, he chats about getting the call to fight on Road to UFC and shares his feelings about how much you can look at a bracket in a tournament. Plus, he digs into the origins of his fight name “Big Sexy” and breaks down his first round fight with Ryoga Arimoto.

Combat Countdown: Top 5 Comebacks We Wouldn’t Mind (16:15)

With Road to UFC and UFC Macau not until next week, we brought back the Combat Countdown for this week. In honor of Ronda Rousey coming out of retirement for her MVP MMA figth, we’re taking a look at comebacks. We’re counting down the top five comebacks that we wouldn’t mind seeing in the next year. We not only talk about who we’d like to see comeback, but we play fantasy matchmaker for their pretend return. Nobody ever really stays retired in this sport, so check out this list and tell us if you think we hit it out of the park or botched it badly. For this segment, all odds via FanDuel Sportsbook.

Cameron Smotherman Interview (26:36)

Closing out this Road to UFC edition of TTP is our interview with UFC bantamweight, Cameron Smotherman. After a victorious debut in the UFC, Smotherman ran into a couple of tough fights back-to-back. While he learned a lot about himself in those fights, he learned even more from a year outside of the cage. He’s taken some time away to heel, grow and add a few new wrinkles to his game. Now he looks to show the new version of “The Baby-Faced Killa” at UFC Macau when he takes on Kai Asakura.

The post TTP Ep. 532: Joseph Larcinese, Cameron Smotherman, and Top 5 Comebacks We Wouldn’t Mind appeared first on Cageside Press.

Coming from down under, Australia’s Nolan impressed on Dana White’s Contender Series when he improved to 6-0 as a professional with a devastating first round KO. However, the tables were turned on the giant Aussie got put to sleep quickly in his UFC debut. Martinez won his DWCS contract with a decision, but was similarly put out in his debut.

The fighters traded kicks to start, Nolan pressing forward. Martinez was game and tried to counter but was usually unable to get past the reach of Nolan. Suddenly, the fight changed when Nolan got dropped. However he was not out of it. Tom fought back up to his feet and hit Martinez with a knee to the sternum that made Victor drop to the fetal position. A few more ground strikes finished the job for the Aussie, securing the TKO victory in impressive, come-from-behind fashion.

Now 6-1 and with his first loss coming to a tough out in Nikolas Motta, Tom Nolan likely has a bit of breathing room moving forward. Not so for Martinez, with “The Brick” now 0-2 inside the octagon and in must-win territory.

Official Result: Tom Nolan def. Victor Martinez by TKO (knee to the body/punches), Round 1, 3:50

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Originally slated to face Victor Martinez at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena, undefeated lightweight Trevor Peek (8-0, 1NC) will instead get a replacement opponent in Jose Mariscal (13-6). Sedrique Dumas (7-1), meanwhile, had been scheduled to face Punahele Soriano, but with the Hawaiian withdrawing from the fight, “SD” Dumas now takes on Cody Brundage (8-4).

Promotion officials announced the news via the UFC’s official website recently.

No specific reason was given for the removal of either fighter from their respective bouts. UFC Jacksonville’s main card is set to air on broadcast network ABC, making the event UFC on ABC 5. Dumas vs. Brundage is scheduled for the main card currently, while Peek vs. Mariscal is scheduled for the prelims.

The bout order has not yet been finalized however.

As it stands, the full UFC Jacksonville line-up now breaks down as follows:

• Josh Emmett vs. Ilia Topuria
• Amanda Ribas vs. Maycee Barber
• Cody Brundage vs. Sedriques Dumas
• David Onama vs. Gabriel Santos
• Brendan Allen vs. Bruno Silva
• Neil Magny vs. Philip Rowe
• Zhalgas Zhumagulov vs. Joshua Van
• Austen Lane vs. Justin Tafa
• Randy Brown vs. Wellington Turman
• Mateusz Rębecki vs. Loik Radzhabov
• Tabatha Ricci vs. Gillian Robertson
• Trevor Peek vs. Jose Mariscal
• Jamall Emmers vs. Jack Jenkins
• Tatsuro Taira vs. Kleydson Rodrigues

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“I feel…like a million bucks. I’m so happy. I’m in a great mood. I look good, I feel good, I performed good,” Leavitt told reporters including Cageside Press at his post-fight scrum.

“Got hit a little bit more than I should have, but I got two paychecks, and my last fight isn’t me getting tea bagged in front of a bunch of drunk degenerates. So I’m pretty good. Pretty damn good.”

Leavitt (11-2) was coming off the loss to Paddy Pimblett in July of 2022 where he was submitted and part of Pimblett’s post-fight Call of Duty style celebration.

Helps that every fighter who got a finish at UFC Vegas 70 earned a 50K bonus from the promotion.

Leavitt strolled into his post-fight scrum wearing a red vintage suit and platform shoes.

“This is my granddad’s outfit. He passed away a few years ago, and he was always like one of my bigger supporters. So when I fought Paddy I promised I’m going to beat Paddy. I’m going to dress in his suit, and that didn’t happen,” Leavitt said.

“So I thought you know on the rebound this would be a good suit to wear. So I’m thinking about him.”

Leavitt finished the fight by employing the Thai clinch and landing some devastating knees on his opponent before ending the bout with strikes to the grounded Martinez.

“I impressed myself. I always like struggle self-belief a lot when I like am preparing. I have a lot of anxiety, but I’m very happy with that. I took a few punches, I didn’t freak out, I didn’t panic wrestle. I hurt him to the body and then I good instincts,” he said.

“I’m now a grappling specialist with half his wins in the UFC by knockout so quite happy with that.”

When one reporter pointed out that Leavitt had predicted that finish the lightweight smirked.

“That was a joke! That was straight up joke. I had no belief that I was literally going to knock him out. It was a possibility, things happen, but total joke,” he said.

Now that he’s back in the winner’s circle what’s next for one of the more expressive fighters on the roster.

“My wife has not seen me fight since I’ve been in the UFC. My family my mom, everyone who has supported me all long the way, they haven’t been able to see me fight for now half of my career. It really bums me out,” he said.

“I really would love for my wife to come to the next one as long as I’m not flying to some other country where they hate me. Give me T-Mobile (Arena). Give me like the hometown crowd I deserve it, dammit.”

Watch the entire post-fight scrum with Jordan Leavitt above.

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Martinez had won his contract in 2021, but had yet to make his debut prior to the arrival of Saturday night’s contest. The young man looked to take down a five fight UFC veteran early on in his career, but Leavitt had something to say about that as he looked to hold onto his winning (3-2) record in the promotion.

The fighters came out and felt each other out. Jordan used front kicks and other types, smartly as the taller fighter, and Martinez was boxing-heavy.  After a minute, Leavitt went for a takedown but Martinez defended well and escaped after Leavitt held him in the cage for a few seconds. Martinez was getting through Leavitt’s guard when he could get past the long limbs, but he often fell short as kicks herded him away.

Leavitt then suddenly used a double collar tie like a Muay Thai fighter and blasted Martinez with knees that crumpled him against the fence. One more pushed him to the ground where Jason Herzog stepped in after brief ground and pound.

This was only Leavitt’s second TKO victory in thirteen pro fights, but also his second in six UFC fights. ‘The Monkey King’ rebounded from a tough loss in incredible style. Comically, Leavitt said in his post-fight interview that, “I’ve never rocked anybody before,” referring to his previous lack of knockout power.

Official Result: Jordan Leavitt def. Victor Martinez by TKO (knees), Round 1, 2:27

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Martinez (13-4) earned a unanimous decision win over Jacob Rosales, extending the lightweight’s win streak to seven. While going the distance doesn’t always secure a deal on the show, UFC President Dana White recognized both the skill of Martinez, and the fact that he set a lightweight record for significant strikes in the fight.

“I’m super happy,” Martinez exclaimed after the bout, speaking to media outlets including Cageside Press. “I remember, I fought for my first title a couple years back, and I had a talk with coach Sayif [Saud], and he told me ‘this is a ten year plan.’ And this is basically what this was, a ten year plan. I’m so happy to be here, and I’m so happy to get signed to the UFC.”

Given Martinez made his pro debut back in 2011, he’s right on schedule.

Tuesday night’s fight ended up a war, with Rosales refusing to go quietly. “We did expect that. My coach had told me ‘expect it to be a fight,'” Martinez acknowledged. “Going into the first round, I know he dropped me, I don’t know what he dropped me with. I just remember blinking, like ‘blink’ and then I was on the floor and I was like ‘oh damn I’ve got to get up.’ So I just started working my way up. I got the win, and I’m glad. I even broke a record. I’m just excited and happy to be here.”

The significant strikes landed by Victor Martinez totaled 144, and he now gets his name in the show’s record book. Now, it’s on the UFC, though Martinez isn’t about to rush things.

“I know I’ve still got a lot to work on. I’m going to take it step by step,” explained the lightweight, who trains at both Fortis MMA and Team Ferreira. “It’s no rush. Take it step by step, go train more at Fortis [MMA] and get better, and just get better overall. Let’s just see where this 10 year plan goes, how much longer it goes.”

Watch the full Dana White’s Contender Series Season 5, Week 4 post-fight press scrum with Victor Martinez above. More coverage from the event can be found below.

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This time out, Nguyen will take on the undefeated Theo Rlayang.

The featured fight on the card sees middleweights go at it. Hashem Arkhagha entered the night undefeated at 6-0. But ahead of the fight, he missed weight by a full three pounds, making the possibility of winning a contract questionable (though anything, frankly, seems possible on the show). Opposite him, another undefeated fighter in AJ Dobson, whose latest victory came over LFA standout and DWCS alum Kailan Hill.

Dana White’s Contender Series Season 5, Week 4 kicks off at 8PM ET, airing live on ESPN+ in the United States, and on UFC Fight Pass elsewhere. Full results from the card, at the UFC Apex, can be found below.

Lightweights Victor Martinez and Jacob Rosales kicked off the card Tuesday. The pair went the distance, with Rosales seemingly hurting his hand during the fight (this turned out to be a broken arm). That lead to him being a little gunshy in the final round. Martinez took home the unanimous decision win.

Kleydson Rodrigues followed that up with a one-sided decision against Santo Curatolo, which saw the Brazilian firing jump knees, head kicks, and more en route to the win.

A third straight decision was never in question, as Steven Nguyen controlled his fight against Theo Rlayeng. The previously undefeated Rlayeng had a point deducted in the third round for an eye poke, but it wouldn’t have made a difference.

Almost unthinkable was a fourth consecutive unanimous decision. That saw Ecuador’s Michael Morales get the better of Nikolay Veretennikov. Morales was the underdog heading into the fight, but he certainly didn’t look it. After a bit of a slow start in the first, he began to pull away as the fight progressed, and really took control in the final round.

AJ Dobson broke the decision streak in the final fight of the event. He landed some heavy blows on Hashem Arkhagha, who fired back but couldn’t stave off the onslaught. By the end of the round, Arkhagha was on his knees, and without even taking the back, Dobson sunk in the rear-naked choke for the tap.

Dana White’s Contender Series Season 5, Week 4 Results

Middleweight: AJ Dobson def. Hashem Arkhagha by submission (rear-naked choke), Round 1, 4:21
Lightweight: Michael Morales def. Nikolay Veretennikov by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Featherweight: Steven Nguyen def. Theo Rlayeng by unanimous decision (29-27, 29-27, 30-26)
Flyweight: Kleydson Rodrigues def. Santo Curatolo by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Lightweight: Victor Martinez def. Jacob Rosales by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Contract winners: Victor Martinez, Kleydson Rodrigues, Michael Morales, AJ Dobson

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In season one of the show, 16 UFC contracts were awarded. Total. In just three dates so far this year, Dana White had already dished out 15. Unless the unthinkable happened and there was a shutout on Tuesday, the first season mark would be surpassed in just the fourth show of the year.

Let’s take a closer look at the Contender Series this week.

Middleweight: Hashem Arkhagha Vs. AJ Dobson

Tale of the Tape

Pros and Cons

Who has the advantage?

Striking: Even
Speed: Dobson
Output/Volume: Dobson
Knockout Power: Arkhagha
Chin: Even
Kickboxing: Even
Footwork: Dobson
Wrestling: Arkhagha
Grappling: Arkhagha
Submissions: Arkhagha
Cardio: Even

Prediction

There isn’t a lot of certainty in this fight, but one thing that is almost a sure bet is that someone is getting finished. Arkhagha is one of the biggest Middle East and North African prospects out there. He was 4-0 in 2012, but would retire because he was told that if he fought again, he could lose his eyesight.

Seven years later, in 2019, Arkhagha returned to the cage and has had two highlight-reel knockouts.

Dobson is a virtually unknown prospect, but is the best prospect representing Ohio at the moment. It’s hard to get a good enough read on Dobson however, because there isn’t enough footage. I can see that he’s a good striker and a very dangerous power puncher. I don’t know how his ground game is though. Arkhagha does have some wrestling and a decent ground game but doing it against lower-level competition doesn’t prove much. I believe this fight will come down to who has the better hands and whose chin holds up. I don’t have a strong prediction but I like that Dobson is faster and throws more volume so I’m taking him.

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In this three-part feature, we’ll list prospects the UFC should bring in for season five. This will exclude prospects that have already been on the show, although there are a few that could very well be brought back (and at least one, Aaron Jeffery, that will be). The goal here is to be realistic with the selections, so don’t expect too many left-field picks.

From last year’s list, Tafon Nchukwi, Dustin Stoltzfus, Brandon Royval, Collin Anglin, TJ Laramie, Adrian Yanez, Al Matavao, Nikolas Motta, Cody Brundage, Sherrard Blackledge and more all made it to the show. Others, like Anthony Ivy, Kay Hansen, Max Rohskopf, Timur Valiev, and Irwin Rivera, were signed directly to the UFC, to varying degrees of success.

It’s time for our third and final installment. If you missed them, parts one and two are linked below.

Scouting Prospects for Dana White’s Contender Series Season 5, Part 1

Scouting Prospects for Dana White’s Contender Series Season 5, Part 2

Paul Capaldo

Bantamweight | 24 | New Jersey, US | 6-0 | Win streak: 11 | 4 KO/TKOs

6-0 as a pro and 5-0 as an amateur, Capaldo is a solid prospect out of Nick Catone MMA and Fitness. Capaldo is on the correct path to get to the UFC having all his pro fights under the CFFC banner. His highlight-reel wheel kick knockout in his last bout does nothing but help his case. Capaldo could just get more experience and come onto the Contender Series in 2022 but does have the skillset to be on the show this year, and would give anyone problems.

AJ Fletcher

Welterweight | 24 | Lafayette, Louisiana, US | 7-0 | Win streak: 10 | 3 KO/TKOs, 3 Submissions’

Since losing two consecutive fights as an amateur in 2018, Fletcher has hit his stride. The Louisiana-born fighter has looked excellent across seven pro bouts. “The Ghost” has been very active since turning professional even fighting four times in 2019. The fighting style of Fletcher slightly resembles Contender Series veteran and UFC fighter Ian Heinishch. I’m sure a young welterweight with an undefeated record will attract a spot on the show.

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