3+ hour, 39+ min ago (417+ words) Tom Aspinall is still recovering from the eye poke. That abruptly ended his first defense as undisputed UFC heavyweight champion against Ciryl Gane in October, and the incident has reignited a long-running debate in MMA: what can actually be done about eye pokes? The foul, which occurred in the UFC 321 main event, turned a marquee title fight into a no-contest and left fans. Fighters, and officials frustrated. While some have renewed calls for equipment redesigns or rule overhauls, UFC CEO Dana White says the real solution might be much simpler and harsher. In the Gane fight, the referee did correctly call the eye poke and paused the action, but there was no immediate penalty issued to Gane. Aspinall, clearly compromised, was eventually unable to continue, leading to the no-contest ruling. As is often the case. The controversy didn't just center…...

4+ hour, 12+ min ago (479+ words) The co-creator of the UFC goes out of his way to try and prevent fights from becoming dull to watch. It's the very nature of sport across any level that it's not always going to be the kind of edge-of-your-seat entertainment that creates fans in the first place. In 2025, some of the most impressive wins of the year in the UFC haven't made for the best viewing experience. UFC 322 was a great example of this, with Islam Makhachev dominating Jack Della Maddalena and Valentina Shevchenko completely shutting down Zhang Weili. The co-creator of the promotion recently gave his thoughts on some big recent matchups not living up to expectations while revealing how he chooses to counter this. In a recent exclusive interview with Bloody Elbow, Campbell McLaren spoke about the early days of the UFC, where the concept was to…...

5+ hour, 6+ min ago (474+ words) Sean O'Malley had a different opponent in mind for his upcoming return to the Octagon in 2026. O'Malley had hinted that he wasn't sure if he'd fight again, let alone when, after suffering back-to-back losses for the first time in his career. "Suga' may have come up short earlier this year when attempting to reclaim the bantamweight title but he remains one of the biggest stars on the roster. O'Malley was then shocked by his position on the UFC 324 card, where his next bout against Song Yadong will take place. Despite the matchup being rumored for some time, the former champion recently revealed that this wasn't the fight that he was pitching to the UFC. Comment your predictions for the former champion's upcoming return. Sean O'Malley has been linked with Song Yadong for some time now and it's not surprising to…...

9+ hour, 29+ min ago (512+ words) Just hours after news broke that Ronda Rousey is in talks for a controversial comeback to combat sports, Gina Carano posted footage of her hitting the pads with her coach. After years and years of UFC fans calling for Ronda Rousey to return to the sport, news broke this past Monday that she is sensationally in talks to take on Katie Taylor in a boxing super fight. Just the matter of hours later, fellow women's MMA legend Gina Carano coincidentally posted a video on her social media of her back in the gym training with her coach. "Conviction' Carano last fought inside the cage in 2009 when she took on Cris Cyborg for the Strikeforce featherweight title, subsequently losing by first round knockout which marked the end of her fighting career, but the beginning of her extremely fruitful acting career. Carano…...

10+ hour, 55+ min ago (519+ words) Mexico's Moreno enters the cage with a decorated professional record of 23-8-2. The 31-year-old stands 5'7" (170 cm) and has a reach of 70" (178 cm), with a walkaround weight of 145 lbs (65 kg). A former 2x UFC Flyweight Champion, Moreno is a well-rounded fighter, combining volume striking and grappling. However, training at Team Moreno, with a pro-BJJ style, Moreno relies on submissions over KOs. His Japanese opponent comes into the scene with a less extensive profile at 17-1-0. However, at 25 years, Taira has a clear age advantage over Moreno. But with a matching height of 5'7" and a reach of 70", neither fighter has an edge over the other. While Taira's walkaround weight isn't publicly disclosed, figures place him much higher than his weigh-in of 125 lbs. Moreno bears the distinct advantage of experience. He has eclipsed the division's elite, fighting in the trenches for over a decade. Even though he lost…...

11+ hour, 39+ min ago (427+ words) MMA icon Cris Cyborg is finally hanging the gloves up next year after decades atop the sport, and starts her retirement tour in Lyon next week. The legendary featherweight has remained one of the greatest fighters in the sport through generations and across every major promotion. She has been out of the cage for over a year since defeating Larissa Pacheco in Saudi Arabia last year, but has kept busy boxing. Cyborg returns to defend her PFL belt against Australian Sara Collins on December 13 in France. Her opponent is a midwife by day, but has been a dangerous fighter by night for the past few years; most notably submitting Leah McCourt last September within a round. Legendary featherweight Cyborg has dedicated decades to being the top dog in all of women's MMA, winning world titles in Strikeforce, Bellator, UFC, PFL…...

14+ hour, 29+ min ago (404+ words) The lightweight bout between Edson Barboza and Jalin Turner at UFC 323 is one of the most fascinating matchups on the card. Barboza's (24-13) late-career years have been uneven, but he remains one of the cleanest, sharpest outside strikers the UFC has ever seen. Even at 38, the Brazilian still possesses world-class technique, elite kicking mechanics, and a great understanding of distance. Turner (14-9), for all his talent, isn't a relentless pressure fighter. He prefers to operate at mid-range, rely on his length and counter opportunities, and pick his shots with calm patience rather than volume. And that actually plays slightly into Barboza's hands. Edson Barboza " Odds 2.88" Jalin Turner " Odds 1.40" When opponents don't pressure Barboza hard, don't consistently crash the pocket, and don't force him backward, Barboza can still carve them up at range, just as he did to a younger, longer, taller Dan…...

14+ hour, 58+ min ago (323+ words) Kayla Harrison has one big worry ahead of her UFC 324 super fight which will see her defend her title for the first time. Kayla Harrison should be heading into UFC 324 focused solely on defending her bantamweight belt for the first time. Instead, she has one lingering worry about her long-awaited showdown with Amanda Nunes " a fight that fans have been clamouring for since Harrison entered the UFC in 2024. After months of uncertainty, Dana White finally unveiled the UFC 324 lineup, confirming Justin Gaethje vs. Paddy Pimblett as the headliner for the interim lightweight title and Harrison vs. Nunes as the co-main event. But with Nunes returning from retirement and a long layoff, Harrison is unsure the bout will actually take place. Amanda Nunes built her legacy competing at both bantamweight and featherweight, winning and defending titles in each division. But late…...

15+ hour, 6+ min ago (446+ words) This past Monday, huge news broke that Ronda Rousey is in talks for a potential boxing super fight against the consensus greatest female boxer of all time. Ever since her retirement from the UFC in 2016, fans have wondered if Ronda Rousey would ever make a return to combat sports. And earlier this year, it seemed as though "Rowdy" was gearing up for a potential return to MMA after sharing training footage online. However, huge news broke this past Monday that Rousey is in talks for a potential super fight in boxing against the consensus greatest female boxer of all time, Katie Taylor. During her time in the UFC, Rousey was known for her dominant Judo and grappling offense, but she often received a lot of criticism for her striking. The first time she came up against a reputable striker was…...

18+ hour, 5+ min ago (375+ words) With UFC 324 being the event that kicks off the promotion's new deal with Paramount, there are several familiar faces throughout the card. Last week, UFC boss Dana White finally announced the UFC 324 card that will kick off the promotion's new broadcast deal with Paramount, beginning a new era in the sport. Controversially, an interim lightweight title fight between Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett will headline the card, with a women's bantamweight title fight between Kayla Harrison and Amanda Nunes clashing in the co-main event. Also competing on the card is former UFC bantamweight champion, Sean O'Malley, who at one point seemed to be the new face of the promotion. After finally winning the bantamweight title in 2024, "Suga' went on to defend his title once against Marlon Vera before immediately losing his title to Merab Dvalishvili. Because of his popularity in…...