April 17, 2024, 4:04 PM ET
As the year progresses, news and rumors begin to flow from the likes of UFC, PFL, Bellator and more from the latest in matchmaking possibilities, promotional news, match venues, and more. That’s why we cover it all here, with analysis and insight from our reporters and writers.
Check out the latest updates now and update often to stay informed as this year unfolds.
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April 17: Callouts, Bible Verses, BMF — Back and forth between Topuria and Holloway heats up
UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria is scheduled to face Max Holloway, but only if the BMF belt becomes available. Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
Jeff Wagenheim: One of the million great things about Max Holloway’s last-second KO of Justin Gaethje at Saturday’s UFC 300 was that in that moment, it was a huge blowout from the cageside fighters. It was a reaction. In various videos posted online, Doricas du Plessis, Sean O’Malley, Valentina Shevchenko, Israel Adesanya, Tom Aspinall, Michael Chandler and Gilbert Burns are all seen losing their minds. The list includes two current champions and several former champions, but it’s not easy to impress viewers.
One face in the audience that remained unfazed was Ilya Topria, who was probably more excited than anyone else. Holloway just set up a featherweight megafight, and the division’s champion is likely to take home the prize. But Topuria remained calm as Holloway called out to him in the post-fight interview inside the cage while the crowd was still roaring.
Topuria finally responded with an I will be the first.” Please turn off the lights. ” Topria then cited a Bible verse: Philippians 4:13. This is the same tattoo that was carved on John Jones’ chest, which read, “Through faith you can do all things.”
It’s all about love champions. I’ll see you soon. Jeremiah 51:20 https://t.co/D6i8Ph7SQ5
— Max Holloway (@BlessedMMA) April 15, 2024
Holloway’s response: “It’s all about love, Champion. See you soon. Jeremiah 51:20.”
The poem he quotes is about being a tool of battle, suggesting it’s not personal, but I’m pointing in your direction. How is Holloway able to be so warm and yet so freezing cold at the same time?
Topuria then appeared on The MMA Hour to restart the discussion and try to provide some inspiration for himself in a potential matchup with Holloway.
“Without the BMF belt, I don’t want him at all,” Topria told Ariel Helwani. “If not, I’m going to fight Volkanovski. Volkanovski deserves a rematch more than he does. He has that belt, so I’m excited about it. So I’m going to fight Volkanovski. He’s saying, ‘Now I have the belt.’ There are a lot of options, but he doesn’t have any.
Holloway, who defeated Gaethje, who was previously ranked No. 3 in the lightweight division on ESPN, has every reason to challenge Islam Makhachev for the title. Additionally, depending on how things go in June, Holloway could book a bigger superfight against the likes of Conor McGregor in a BMF title defense.
“I’m the champion now,” Topira said. “I pick the date, I pick the location. He just has to be ready. He has to wait for the call. Whenever I want him, he’s ready. You must.”
April 15: Harrison tells Pennington that he wants to fight for the interim title soon.
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Kayla Harrison submits to Holly Holm in UFC debut
Kayla Harrison lands a rear-naked choke on former champion Holly Holm in her UFC debut.
Brett Okamoto: Fresh off her first UFC win on Saturday, Kayla Harrison is already eyeing an interim title fight in her next appearance.
Harrison (17-1) told ESPN on Monday that he was told that UFC bantamweight champion Raquel Pennington has been injured and will be sidelined for the time being. If that’s the case, Harrison said it would make sense for the UFC to create an interim 135-pound title.
“Didn’t you hear that Raquel was hurt right now?” When asked if she thought Pennington would avoid fighting with her, Harrison replied: “She won’t be able to fight for a while. She’s out for the next quarter and she heard she won’t be able to fight for quite some time. She’s in for a surprise!
“My time is now. I want to fight for the interim title and unify the titles when she gets better.”
Pennington (16-8), who won the vacant championship with a win over Maira Bueno Silva in January, responded to Harrison’s request in a text message to ESPN.
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“Interim title??? She needs to calm down. We are already discussing a deadline for title defense later this year.”
Harrison defeated former UFC champion Holly Holm in her first appearance at 135 pounds at UFC 300. She has been a lightweight for many years and says she feels great at 135 pounds and believes she could drop her weight three times a year if necessary. she said. Harrison also said she wasn’t surprised that her retired double champion Amanda Nunes released a video on the night of the match, in which she told Harrison of her victory after the match. It was like he was daring her to say his name.
“I wasn’t surprised,” Harrison said. “I didn’t know what she was going to say or do, but I was expecting something. I think it’s hard to stay out of the spotlight. I struggle with the same ego that she does. “We’re cut from the same cloth. I’m not.” I don’t know if she’s having doubts about it or feeling some kind of jealousy or something, but I don’t know. I expected it. ”
April 15: UFC 302 was about to host another main event.
After defeating Charles Oliveira at UFC 300, Arman Tsarukyan was presented with an interesting opportunity. It was decided that he would win the lightweight title less than two months after the announcement.Jeff Bottari/Getty Images
Andreas Hele: Following the conclusion of UFC 300, UFC President Dana White announced that Islam Makhachev will defend his lightweight title against Dustin Poirier in the headliner. However, Arman Tsarukyan revealed that he had been approached to face Makhachev shortly after his split decision win over Charles Oliveira earlier in the night. However, due to the intense nature of the fight with Oliveira and the quick response of the match preparations, Tsarukyan was forced to decline.
“As soon as I left the Octagon, [chief business officer of the UFC] Hunter Campbell said on June 1st. [to fight] Islam [Makhachev]” Tsarukian said on Monday’s The Mixed Martial Arts Hour. The Armenian fighter was sent back to the field, but he realized that seven weeks was not enough time to have a full camp for a fight of that magnitude. At the end of June there will be at least 10 weeks, two weeks of rest and eight weeks of preparation, so I will be in that fight. ”
Tsarukyan made his UFC debut relatively briefly in 2019 against Makhachev. Although he lost in a hard-fought unanimous decision, the match is still believed by many to be the champion’s toughest test in the promotion. Tsarukyan has no intention of relinquishing his advantage heading into the rematch, and a short camp will likely be a disadvantage.
“Why did I have to take the same risks as in the first match?” Tsarukyan continued. “It’s the same thing. It’s short notice. I want to be ready and have a good training camp. If I’m the No. 1 candidate, why take the risk?”
Tsarukyan briefly considered Campbell’s offer, but quickly realized that he needed to properly prepare for his first chance at the title.
“It was difficult to say no, but I know that next time I will be fighting the winner of that fight for the title.”
The title fight will instead be contested by Poirier, who defeated Benoit Saint-Denis at UFC 299 in March.
April 12: Light heavyweights put on a show at PFL 2
Dobrezhan Yagsimradov and Jacob Nedeau met in one of five light heavyweight bouts at PFL 2. All five matches ended in one round.Cooper Neal/Getty Images
Okamoto: There was a lot to see in the second card of PFL’s 2024 regular season held on Saturday. Below are some observations from the Las Vegas event, which featured the light heavyweight and lightweight divisions.
Comes with light heavy weight
I will definitely load up on 205. Finishing fifth in the first round might suggest that the matchmaking was biased, but that wasn’t the case. Rather, it was about elite performances by top names. Impa Kasanganay truly blossomed in the PFL. He may have lost his last fight, a middleweight bout to Bellator MMA champion Jonny Eblen, but he presented himself well and is the guy to beat in 2024. Robert Wilkinson was phenomenal. Antonio Carlos Jr. is a problem for everyone. And Dobrezhan Yagshimuradov has an interesting confidence in him.
With the first round from Saturday all wrapped up, the second round will be full of drama.
Rob Wilkinson answered some questions
Wilkinson was the biggest question mark of the night. Having just made it to the finals, he looked like a monster in 2022. Then he took a drug test in 2023 and to be honest, in 2024 he was clearly smaller. But once the fight with Tom Brees started, he looked like the same Wilkinson. This is great for PFL. The division is better, with Wilkinson looking like a monster, as was the case with Antonio Carlos Jr. coming back from knee surgery.
New BMF comes to PFL
There will be a lot of interest in Justin Gaethje and Max Holloway as the UFC’s BMF this weekend. Clay Collard is not in the UFC, but he is also a BMF. I expect him to headline the PFL card for the second round of the regular season in June, but I promise whoever he fights will be worth rounding out the calendar.
