UFC 320 is upon us.  In Saturday's main event, Magomed Ankalaev defends the light heavyweight tit...

<p>UFC 320 is upon us.</p><p>In Saturday's main event, Magomed Ankalaev defends the light heavyweight title in an immediate rematch with former two-division champion Alex Pereira. In the co-headliner, bantamweight champ Merab Dvalishvili puts his belt on the line against Cory Sandhagen.</p><p>Here are three key storylines ahead of the UFC's return to T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><h3>Is Pereira's career on the line vs. Ankalaev?</h3><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/774301/cropped_GettyImages-2204072149.jpg?ts=1741553108" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/774301/w220xh124_GettyImages-2204072149.jpg?ts=1741553108 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/774301/w320xh180_GettyImages-2204072149.jpg?ts=1741553108 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/774301/w640xh360_GettyImages-2204072149.jpg?ts=1741553108 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/774301/w768xh432_GettyImages-2204072149.jpg?ts=1741553108 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/774301/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2204072149.jpg?ts=1741553108 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Jeff Bottari / UFC / Getty</span></figcaption></figure><p>Sure, it might be a tad dramatic to suggest Pereira's career would be over if he loses to Ankalaev for a second straight time this weekend. But no one ever wants to be 0-2 against the current champion in their division, and that's the predicament Pereira would find himself in if he comes up short at UFC 320.</p><p>This time last year, the Brazilian was about to make his third successful title defense of 2024, a TKO win over Khalil Rountree Jr. to cement one of the best campaigns we've seen in MMA. Now, he's one loss away from sitting outside the title picture for the first time since he joined the UFC.</p><p>There's always a chance Pereira could turn things around if he loses to Ankalaev again, but at 38 years old, it's not particularly likely. It would be tough to work his way back to a title shot as long as Ankalaev is champion. And looking beyond the light heavyweight division, there wouldn't be much appetite for superfights against Jon Jones or Tom Aspinall anymore - matchups that, not even a year ago, would've been major box-office attractions.</p><p>While a second defeat to Ankalaev wouldn't necessarily be a death sentence for Pereira's career, it would be a sign that his time as one of the UFC's biggest stars is over for good.</p><h3>Dvalishvili seeking Fighter of the Year award</h3><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/789442/cropped_GettyImages-2219120442.jpg?ts=1749409609" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/789442/w220xh124_GettyImages-2219120442.jpg?ts=1749409609 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/789442/w320xh180_GettyImages-2219120442.jpg?ts=1749409609 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/789442/w640xh360_GettyImages-2219120442.jpg?ts=1749409609 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/789442/w768xh432_GettyImages-2219120442.jpg?ts=1749409609 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/789442/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2219120442.jpg?ts=1749409609 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Elsa / Getty Images Sport / Getty</span></figcaption></figure><p>Dvalishvili is on a roll.</p><p>The bantamweight champ is looking to become just the eighth fighter in UFC history to record three successful title defenses in a calendar year. He upset Umar Nurmagomedov in January, finished Sean O'Malley in their rematch in June, and is now hoping to get past another top contender in Sandhagen.</p><p>As we've progressed through 2025, it's become clear that this might be the year of "The Machine." Dvalishvili has been very impressive, outmatching his opponents and smashing records. If he beats Sandhagen on Saturday, the Fighter of the Year award will be his to lose.</p><p>The winner of the UFC 322 main event between Jack Della Maddalena and Islam Makhachev will also have a solid argument, but it's tough to go against three straight title defenses in one of the promotion's deepest divisions.</p><h3>Who's getting the next light heavyweight title shot after Pereira?</h3><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/766148/cropped_GettyImages-2194643230.jpg?ts=1737261062" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/766148/w220xh124_GettyImages-2194643230.jpg?ts=1737261062 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/766148/w320xh180_GettyImages-2194643230.jpg?ts=1737261062 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/766148/w640xh360_GettyImages-2194643230.jpg?ts=1737261062 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/766148/w768xh432_GettyImages-2194643230.jpg?ts=1737261062 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/766148/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2194643230.jpg?ts=1737261062 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Cooper Neill / UFC / Getty</span></figcaption></figure><p>The light heavyweight division will get some clarity at UFC 320.</p><p>The main event between Ankalaev and Pereira isn't the only big 205-pound matchup on the card. Additionally, former champion Jiri Prochazka will square off with Rountree in a fight that could determine the No. 1 contender.</p><p>However, a title shot for the winner of Prochazka-Rountree is far from a sure thing. Carlos Ulberg is also on the hunt for a crack at the belt, and he set a high bar last weekend in Perth, Australia, when he knocked out Dominick Reyes in violent fashion. Prochazka and Rountree will need to deliver if they want to jump ahead of Ulberg in the title race.</p><p>It'll also depend on who leaves UFC 320 with the belt. If Ankalaev remains champion, the promotion will have several options, as the Dagestani has never fought Prochazka, Rountree, or Ulberg. Prochazka might be the biggest matchup of those three. Pereira, on the other hand, has beaten Prochazka twice and Rountree once, making Ulberg the front-runner if "Poatan" regains the title.</p>

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MARCH 08: (L-R) Alex Pereira of Brazil faces Magomed Ankalaev of Russia in the UFC light heavyweight championship fight during the UFC 313 event at T-Mobile Arena on March 08, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

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3 biggest storylines ahead of UFC 320

Two marquee matchups are set for the UFC's debut event in Qatar next month.  Lightweight contende...

<p>Two marquee matchups are set for the UFC's debut event in Qatar next month.</p><p>Lightweight contenders Arman Tsarukyan and Dan Hooker will headline the Nov. 22 Fight Night card in Doha, Qatar, UFC CEO Dana White announced Wednesday.</p><p>Former welterweight champion Belal Muhammad will return against Ian Machado Garry in the co-main event.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>Tsarukyan hasn't stepped into the Octagon since earning a split-decision win over former 155-pound champion Charles Oliveira at UFC 300 in April 2024. The 28-year-old was scheduled to challenge Islam Makhachev for the title at UFC 311 in January, but he withdrew the day before the event due to an injury. White later indicated that Tsarukyan would have to win another fight to earn a title shot again.</p><p>Hooker, the No. 6-ranked lightweight, has also been idle for over a year. The 35-year-old is coming off a split-decision victory over Mateusz Gamrot in August 2024. Hooker has won three straight.</p><p>Muhammad is looking to get back on track after dropping the 170-pound title in a unanimous decision loss to Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 315 in May. The 37-year-old was riding an 11-fight unbeaten streak before that fight.</p><p>Garry beat Carlos Prates in his most recent Octagon appearance, earning a unanimous decision in the UFC Kansas City main event in April. The 27-year-old holds a 9-1 record in the promotion.</p>

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - APRIL 13: Arman Tsarukyan of Georgia prepares to fight in a lightweight fight during the UFC 300 event at T-Mobile Arena on April 13, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

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UFC legend Dustin Poirier doesn't plan to come out of retirement to compete in mixed martial arts...

<p>UFC legend Dustin Poirier doesn't plan to come out of retirement to compete in mixed martial arts again, but he says he'd be willing to face Nate Diaz in a boxing match.</p><p>"Zuffa Boxing, (12 rounds), me and Nathaniel. I'd do it," Poirier <a href="https://x.com/DustinPoirier/status/1972884857102717423">wrote</a> Monday night on X. "Only one more fight I'd take."</p><p>He <a href="https://x.com/DustinPoirier/status/1972886134679277942">added</a>: "I'm retired, I'm done, but Nate is one that got away."</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>Poirier, a former interim lightweight champion, retired from MMA in July after he lost to Max Holloway in a trilogy bout at UFC 318 in his home state of Louisiana.</p><p>Poirier and Diaz were scheduled to square off in a marquee bout in the UFC in 2018, but Poirier withdrew due to an injury. They've both talked about rescheduling the matchup several times since, but it never materialized in the Octagon.</p><p>Diaz, one of the biggest stars in MMA history, left the promotion in 2022 and has since competed twice in boxing. He suffered a unanimous decision loss to Jake Paul in his professional debut in 2023 and then earned a win over former UFC title challenger Jorge Masvidal last year.</p><p>Zuffa Boxing, headed by UFC CEO Dana White, is expected to hold its first event in 2026. On Monday, it announced a long-term U.S. media rights deal with Paramount+ and CBS.</p>

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JULY 18: Dustin Poirier poses on the scale during the UFC 318 ceremonial weigh-ins at Smoothie King Center on July 18, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

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Mateusz Gamrot has replaced Rafael Fiziev and will square off with Charles Oliveira in the UFC Ri...

<p>Mateusz Gamrot has replaced Rafael Fiziev and will square off with Charles Oliveira in the UFC Rio de Janeiro main event Oct. 11, the promotion announced Tuesday.</p><p>Fiziev withdrew from the card last week due to an undisclosed injury.</p><p>Gamrot, the No. 8-ranked lightweight, is coming off a unanimous decision win over Ludovit Klein in May. The 34-year-old Polish fighter is 4-1 in his past five Octagon appearances.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>Oliveira, a former 155-pound champion, is looking to get back on track after suffering a devastating knockout loss to Ilia Topuria in a vacant title bout at UFC 317 in June. "Do Bronx" is 2-2 in his last four outings.</p><p>The 35-year-old Oliveira will compete in his native Brazil for the first time since March 2020.</p>

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JULY 18: Mateusz Gamrot is seen on stage during a Q&A session prior to the UFC 318 ceremonial weigh-ins at Smoothie King Center on July 18, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

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The Los Angeles Dodgers were left puzzled after yet another disappointing loss Friday.  The defen...

<p>The Los Angeles Dodgers were left puzzled after yet another disappointing loss Friday.</p><p>The defending World Series champions fell to the Baltimore Orioles, who sit in fifth place in the AL East, 2-1 at Camden Yards. Orioles rookie <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/players/17667" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/players/17667">Samuel Basallo</a> hit a home run off <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/players/5525" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/players/5525">Tanner Scott</a> in the bottom of the ninth to secure the walk-off victory.</p><p>The struggling Dodgers have lost four in a row and six of their last seven games.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>"Sometimes, you just don't have the right answers," Dodgers first baseman <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/players/1412" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/players/1412">Freddie Freeman</a> told reporters postgame, according to the <a href="https://www.latimes.com/sports/dodgers/story/2025-09-05/dodgers-shohei-ohtani-pitching-tyler-glasnow-scratched">Los Angeles Times' Jack Harris</a>. "Not going to sit here and give some cliches. We're just not playing very good. ... There's no sugarcoating this. We need to figure this out, and figure this out quick."</p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/players/9519" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/players/9519">Shohei Ohtani</a>, who stepped in on five hours' notice as the Dodgers' starting pitcher after <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/players/4257" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/players/4257">Tyler Glasnow</a> was scratched with back tightness, performed well on the mound, tossing 3⅔ scoreless innings with five strikeouts and three hits allowed. However, Los Angeles struggled to generate offense throughout the game, with Orioles starter <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///mlb/players/8585" href="https://thescore.com/mlb/players/8585">Dean Kremer</a> and six relievers holding them to just five hits.</p><p>"Not scoring runs, it's just not who we are," Freeman said. "We're not getting anything going. We're not getting the hits."</p><p>"We haven't for a while," he added. "I truly have no answers."</p><p>Scott accepted responsibility for the loss after giving up his 10th home run of the season. The closer has a 4.52 ERA and has allowed 10 earned runs in his last nine innings pitched dating back to July 6. </p><p>"I just keep making terrible pitch selections right when it matters, and it's costing us every time," Scott said. "It sucks. It feels terrible. And I have to figure it out. Because baseball hates me right now."</p><p>Dodgers manager Dave Roberts seems aware that something needs to change.</p><p>"I know each day the guys come in fresh, prepared, and expecting a different result," Roberts said. "But we're just not getting it done."</p><p>Ohtani, meanwhile, thinks he knows why the team is struggling.</p><p>"We individually are trying to find ways on our own to ... (be) hitting better than we are," Ohtani said through an interpreter. "But I think the side effect of that is, we're a little too eager and putting too much pressure on ourselves. That's really hurting us more than it's helping."</p><p>The Dodgers remain in first place in the NL West and hold a 78-63 record this season. They play the Orioles again Saturday evening.</p>

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - SEPTEMBER 2: Freddie Freeman #5 of the Los Angeles Dodgers in action during the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on September 2, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

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One of UFC Paris' most anticipated fights is off.  The featherweight bout between Patricio "Pitbu...

<p>One of UFC Paris' most anticipated fights is off.</p><p>The featherweight bout between Patricio "Pitbull" Freire and Losene Keita was canceled Friday after Keita weighed in at 149 pounds, three pounds over the divisional limit.</p><p>The promotion announced the matchup was off due to Keita's "weight management issues."</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>UFC Paris is scheduled to take place Saturday at Accor Arena. It will proceed with 13 fights, including the main event between middleweight contenders Nassourdine Imavov and Caio Borralho.</p><p>Freire ripped into Keita, a former Oktagon MMA two-division champion who was slated to make his UFC debut, after the weight miss. The 38-year-old Brazilian revealed he declined the fight because he didn't want Keita to have an "advantage."</p><p>"(Keita) said in an interview he was faster, stronger, younger. ... He had all the advantages and still didn't make weight, so I wouldn't give him that advantage," Freire said in Portuguese in a video posted by the UFC, according to <a href="https://www.mmafighting.com/ufc/402409/patricio-pitbull-blasts-fat-panther-losene-keita-ufc-paris-weight-miss">MMA Fighting's Guilherme Cruz</a>. "At this stage, I don't fight for money anymore, I fight for legacy, and I won't give him that advantage."</p><p>Freire added: "If you want to blame anyone, blame my opponent. Black Panther, he's 'Fat Panther.'"</p><p>Keita, a 27-year-old Guinean-born Belgian fighter, apologized for missing weight.</p><p>"For the first time in 25 fights, I failed to make weight, and it had to happen on my UFC debut," Keita <a href="https://x.com/keita_losene/status/1963939185049456929">wrote</a> on X. "I wanted to continue and would have given everything to make weight, but my body didn't want it."</p><p>Freire told <a href="https://x.com/full_send_mma/status/1963903462283821263">Full Send MMA</a> he wants to return at UFC Rio de Janeiro on Oct. 11 and mentioned Arnold Allen as a potential opponent.</p><p>The former Bellator two-division champion was scheduled to make his third Octagon appearance against Keita. Freire debuted in the UFC in April and has gone 1-1 so far.</p>

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JULY 19: Patricio 'Pitbull' Freire of Brazil prepares to face Dan Ige in a featherweight bout during the UFC 318 event at Smoothie King Center on July 19, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

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Former world champions Mike Tyson and Floyd Mayweather have agreed to square off in an exhibition...

<p>Former world champions Mike Tyson and Floyd Mayweather have agreed to square off in an exhibition boxing match next spring, it was announced Thursday.</p><p>A date and location are to be determined.</p><p>The bout will be promoted by CSI Sports, a "leading global multimedia business" founded in 1997, according to the company's website.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/DOMvEtjAVTe/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DOMvEtjAVTe/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"> <div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div>
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<script async="" src="https://www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script></figure><p>Tyson, 59, will return to the ring for the first time since suffering a unanimous decision loss in a pro fight against YouTube star turned prizefighter Jake Paul last November. Tyson is a former heavyweight champion and one of the most devastating knockout artists in boxing history.</p><p>"This fight is something neither the world nor I ever thought would or could happen," Tyson said in a press release. "However, boxing has entered a new era of the unpredictable - and this fight is as unpredictable as it gets. I still can't believe Floyd wants to really do this. It's going to be detrimental to his health, but he wants to do it, so it's signed and it's happening."</p><p>Mayweather, 48, is significantly smaller than Tyson, having competed between junior lightweight and junior middleweight throughout his legendary career. He retired from pro competition in 2017 after knocking out UFC star Conor McGregor to lift his record to 50-0. However, Mayweather has since competed in several exhibitions, including a high-profile matchup against Logan Paul in 2021. He most recently stepped into the ring in August 2024, dominating John Gotti III in a rematch.</p><p>"I've been doing this for 30 years, and there hasn't been a single fighter that can tarnish my legacy," Mayweather said in the release. "You already know that if I am going to do something, it's going to be big and it's going to be legendary. I'm the best in the business of boxing. This exhibition will give the fans what they want."</p>

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 15: Mike Tyson fights during LIVE On Netflix: Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson at AT&T Stadium on November 15, 2024 in Arlington, Texas.

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Tyson, Mayweather set for 2026 exhibition bout

Former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold is likely hanging up the gloves for good after his...

<p>Former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold is likely hanging up the gloves for good after his brutal knockout loss to Darren Till.</p><p>Rockhold made his professional boxing debut against Till, a fellow UFC veteran, in the main event of Misfits Boxing 22 last weekend in Manchester, England. Till dropped Rockhold in the first round and then put him to sleep with a vicious combination in the third.</p><p>Rockhold said Wednesday it was one of the "worst" losses of his career and has forced him to contemplate retirement.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>"I am 40 years old, and I can't be taking shots like that," Rockhold told "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDUP99Mz6B4">The Ariel Helwani Show</a>." "I want a future for myself, and I got a lot of good things in the works. That's pretty much - it's right about that time. There's not much left to do. I've done a lot in this sport. I've won my championships. I've done Karate Combat. I've done bare knuckle. I've done boxing. I don't know what else. Jiu-jitsu at the top level.</p><p>"I can compete with the best of the best, but I think it's time to put the competition shoes on hold for the time of times. I don't know. We'll see."</p><p>Rockhold is one of the most accomplished middleweights in MMA history. He won his first major title under the Strikeforce banner in 2011 and then captured the UFC championship in 2015. Rockhold holds wins over the likes of Chris Weidman, Michael Bisping, Lyoto Machida, and Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza.</p><p>The Santa Cruz, California, native last competed in MMA in August 2022 when he suffered a unanimous decision loss to Paulo Costa at UFC 278. Rockhold announced his retirement after that fight but has since dabbled in various combat sports and promotions, including BKFC, Karate Combat, and now Misfits Boxing.</p><p>Rockhold said he'll always have "other forms of competition" in his life, but added that he's content putting fighting in the rearview mirror.</p><p>"I'm pretty happy with where I'm at," Rockhold said. "I still will continue to train, I still will continue to test people. ... We always have top-tier talent coming through Newport Beach here. I always like to test people. I might not want to take the hardest shots from the biggest hitters, but I'm gonna test myself. I want to keep pushing myself. But the real competition, I think, is gonna be behind me."</p>

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - AUGUST 20: Luke Rockhold stands in his corner before facing Paulo Costa of Brazil in a middleweight fight during the UFC 278 event at Vivint Arena on August 20, 2022 in Salt Lake City, Utah.

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Rockhold ponders retirement after KO loss: 'I can't be taking shots like that'

Darren Till knocked out former UFC champion Luke Rockhold in devastating fashion in the Misfits B...

<p>Darren Till knocked out former UFC champion Luke Rockhold in devastating fashion in the Misfits Boxing 22 main event Saturday in Manchester, England.</p><p>The finish came at the 1:08 mark of the third round.</p><p>Till dropped Rockhold late in the first round and then unleashed a vicious combination that put him to sleep in the third.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">DARREN TILL JUST SLEPT LUKE ROCKHOLD!!!<br><br>OH MY GODDDD <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/XSeries22?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#XSeries22</a><a href="https://t.co/Uf91CYDF71">pic.twitter.com/Uf91CYDF71</a></p>— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChampRDS/status/1961923151484334436?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 30, 2025</a>
</blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure><p>Till, a former UFC title challenger, improved to 3-0 since his Misfits Boxing debut earlier this year. He beat Anthony Taylor by TKO in January and then took home a unanimous decision over former UFC fighter Darren Stewart in May.</p><p>Till, 32, parted ways with the UFC in 2023 after eight years. The Liverpool native challenged Tyron Woodley for the welterweight title in 2018 but lost by submission. He left the promotion on a three-fight losing streak, though two of those losses were against former champions Dricus Du Plessis and Robert Whittaker. Till's most recent MMA victory came in November 2019.</p><p>Rockhold was making his Misfits Boxing debut. The 40-year-old retired from MMA in August 2022 after a loss to Paulo Costa at UFC 278, though he's bounced between various combat sports since then. Rockhold lost to Mike Perry in a bare-knuckle boxing match in 2023 and beat Joe Schilling in a Karate Combat bout in 2024.</p>

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - AUGUST 30: Darren Till punches Luke Rockhold during the Light Heavyweight fight between Darren Till and Luke Rockhold during the Misfits 22 - Ring of Thrones fight night at AO Arena on August 30, 2025 in Manchester, England.

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Till brutally KOs Rockhold at Misfits Boxing 22

"El Cucuy" is back.  Former UFC interim lightweight champion Tony Ferguson was victorious in his ...

<p>"El Cucuy" is back.</p><p>Former UFC interim lightweight champion Tony Ferguson was victorious in his boxing debut, earning a TKO win over Salt Papi at Misfits Boxing 22 on Saturday in Manchester, England.</p><p>The finish, which came at the 2:43 mark of the third round, was Ferguson's first combat sports win in over six years.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">TONY FERGUSON FINISHES SALT PAPI IN THE THIRD!!!<br><br>OH MY GODDDD <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/XSeries22?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#XSeries22</a><a href="https://t.co/jFVjK7Ei6s">pic.twitter.com/jFVjK7Ei6s</a></p>— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChampRDS/status/1961914166421115277?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 30, 2025</a>
</blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure><p>Ferguson, 41, got his hand raised for the first time since June 2019 when he defeated Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone via TKO at UFC 238. He parted ways with the UFC earlier this year on the heels of a historic eight-fight losing streak.</p><p>Ferguson had a slow start to his boxing debut. Salt Papi controlled the action early, landing a few left hooks and backing Ferguson up with a solid punch. However, Ferguson turned his offense up a notch in the second round and then took over in the third. He put pressure on Salt Papi and landed punches against the ropes. With just seconds left in the round, Ferguson began teeing off with heavy shots to force a referee stoppage.</p><p>After the win, Ferguson expressed interest in facing MMA star Dillon Danis, who earned a 15-second submission victory over Warren Spencer earlier on Saturday's card.</p><p>Ferguson was one of MMA's top fighters in his prime. His 12-fight winning streak spanning 2013-19 is tied for the second longest in UFC lightweight history. The California native held the promotion's interim 155-pound title from 2017-18 and beat the likes of Anthony Pettis, Rafael dos Anjos, and Edson Barboza.</p><p>Salt Papi, a 31-year-old boxing influencer, fell to 4-3 in the Misfits ring.</p>

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - AUGUST 30: Tony Ferguson punches Nathaniel Bustamant during the Middleweight fight between Tony Ferguson and Nathaniel Bustamante during the Misfits 22 - Ring of Thrones fight night at AO Arena on August 30, 2025 in Manchester, England.

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Ferguson TKOs Salt Papi in 3rd round of boxing debut

Featherweight contenders Josh Emmett and Youssef Zalal will square off on the UFC 320 main card O...

<p>Featherweight contenders Josh Emmett and Youssef Zalal will square off on the UFC 320 main card Oct. 4 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, the promotion announced Saturday.</p><p>Emmett is coming off a unanimous decision loss to Lerone Murphy in an April main event. The 40-year-old is 1-3 in his last four Octagon appearances, and his lone win during that stretch was a brutal knockout of Bryce Mitchell in December 2023. Emmett is ranked No. 8 in the division.</p><p>Zalal, a rising contender who's ranked No. 9, is riding a seven-fight winning streak. "The Moroccan Devil" most recently earned a unanimous decision over Calvin Kattar in February. Zalal, 28, returned to the UFC for a second stint last year and has since gone 4-0.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>UFC 320 will feature a light heavyweight title rematch between champion Magomed Ankalaev and former champ Alex Pereira, as well as a bantamweight title bout between champion Merab Dvalishvili and Cory Sandhagen.</p>

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - DECEMBER 16: Josh Emmett enters the Octagon in a featherweight fight during the UFC 296 event at T-Mobile Arena on December 16, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

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Emmett-Zalal added to UFC 320 main card

Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson wasn't impressed with his team's offense at the start of Fri...

<p>Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson wasn't impressed with his team's offense at the start of Friday's preseason win over the Kansas City Chiefs.</p><p>The Bears' backups had to overcome a 17-point second-half deficit to beat the Chiefs 29-27 at Arrowhead Stadium.</p><p>"Offensively, the first two possessions (were) really sloppy football that has plagued us in and out of camp so far," Johnson said postgame, according to <a href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/46054803/bears-ben-johnson-slams-sloppy-offense-not-good-enough">ESPN's Courtney Cronin</a>. "And unfortunately, that's what we got here tonight."</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>Chicago tallied 22 yards on its first two drives of the game, both ending in punts. </p><p>During the first drive, quarterback <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nfl/players/199760" href="https://thescore.com/nfl/players/199760">Caleb Williams</a> fumbled an exchange with wide receiver <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nfl/players/99552" href="https://thescore.com/nfl/players/99552">Olamide Zaccheaus</a>, and tight end <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nfl/players/209919" href="https://thescore.com/nfl/players/209919">Colston Loveland</a> was flagged for a false start. During the second possession, Williams held onto the ball for almost six seconds before taking a sack from Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones.</p><p>Johnson said he was disappointed with the team's offensive issues because he believed "we had worked our way out of that."</p><p>"If the first quarter was really any indication, it's not good enough, so we got to get better in a hurry," Johnson said. "Good news is we will be able to look at this tape and coach it up with our guys, and I think it's out of our system, hopefully, for us going into the regular season. We got to make sure that we start faster on offense and on defense."</p><p>Backup quarterback <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nfl/players/188930" href="https://thescore.com/nfl/players/188930">Tyson Bagent</a> entered the game in the second half. He went 20-of-28 for 212 yards and three touchdowns, completing the comeback with a walk-off throw to rookie <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nfl/players/210736" href="https://thescore.com/nfl/players/210736">Jahdae Walker</a>. Bagent signed a two-year, $10-million extension worth up to $16 million with incentives earlier in the week.</p><p>The Bears host the Minnesota Vikings in their season opener Sept. 8.</p>

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - AUGUST 22: Ben Johnson, head coach of the Chicago Bears, watches the game in the fourth quarter during the NFL Preseason 2025 game between Chicago Bears and Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on August 22, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri.

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Bears' Johnson rips 'sloppy' offense: 'Not good enough'

Johnny Walker walked into enemy territory and earned a TKO finish of Zhang Mingyang in the UFC Sh...

<p>Johnny Walker walked into enemy territory and earned a TKO finish of Zhang Mingyang in the UFC Shanghai main event Saturday at the Shanghai Indoor Stadium.</p><p>Walker dropped Zhang with a calf kick and then finished him with devastating ground-and-pound. The light heavyweight bout ended at the 2:37 mark of the second round.</p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Johnny Walker beat the shit out of Zhang came out of no where 🤯🔥 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UFCShaghai?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UFCShaghai</a> <a href="https://t.co/CvkA57sCt8">pic.twitter.com/CvkA57sCt8</a></p>— Unbiasedbox2 (@Unbiasedbox2) <a href="https://twitter.com/Unbiasedbox2/status/1959233779337490433?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 23, 2025</a>
</blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure><p>Walker, who was nearly a 3-1 underdog on theScore Bet and ESPN BET, snapped a three-fight winless streak and picked up his first victory since May 2023.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>Zhang had a strong start to the fight. He got on top of Walker five seconds into the opening round, reversing an ill-advised takedown attempt. Walker returned to his feet, but Zhang did the much better work in the stand-up department, tagging the Brazilian with a heavy right hand and an elbow.</p><p>But Walker changed the course of the fight in the second round. He cracked Zhang with a heavy leg kick that gave the Chinese fighter no choice but to collapse to the mat. Walker swarmed him with ground-and-pound, landing punches as Zhang covered up. Referee Marc Goddard gave Zhang several moments to try to improve position, but Walker continued to pummel Zhang with punches and eventually Goddard had to step in.</p><p>Walker returned to the Octagon for the first time since he suffered a first-round knockout loss to Volkan Oezdemir in June 2024. After the victory, the 33-year-old said he wants to face former light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz next.</p><p>Zhang, 27, suffered his first loss in the promotion. He began his Octagon career with three straight first-round finishes, including a TKO of Anthony Smith in April.</p>

SHANGHAI, CHINA - AUGUST 23: (L-R) Johnny Walker of Brazil punches Zhang Mingyang of China in a light heavyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Shanghai Indoor Stadium on August 23, 2025 in Shanghai, China.

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/32144974/related

Walker stuns Zhang with TKO in UFC Shanghai main event

Aljamain Sterling defeated Brian Ortega via unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 50-45) in the UFC S...

<p>Aljamain Sterling defeated Brian Ortega via unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 50-45) in the UFC Shanghai co-main event Saturday at the Shanghai Indoor Stadium.</p><p>The fight was contested at a 153-pound catchweight after Ortega was unable to make the featherweight limit at Friday's weigh-ins.</p><p>Sterling dominated Ortega from start to finish in what was largely a stand-up affair. He controlled the action on the feet, picking his opponent apart with punches and kicks from a distance. Sterling outlanded Ortega 100-45 in significant strikes.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>Sterling, who's known for his wrestling, didn't look for a takedown until the second half of the fight. He got Ortega to the ground in the fourth and fifth rounds. Sterling put a stamp on the performance with a rear-naked choke attempt and heavy ground-and-pound in the final moments of the contest.</p><p>After the win, Sterling, a former bantamweight champion, called for a title shot against featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski. Ortega and Sterling were ranked Nos. 5 and 7 coming in, respectively.</p><p>"I think I did my damn thing against a really tough dude who fought for the belt twice," Sterling said in his postfight interview. "Respect, Volkanovski is the f-----g man, but I would love an opportunity to fight for the belt again."</p><p>Sterling is 2-1 since moving up to the featherweight division last year. The 36-year-old beat Calvin Kattar in his 145-pound debut at UFC 300 but then came up short against No. 1-ranked contender Movsar Evloev at UFC 310 last December.</p><p>Ortega, a former title challenger, is riding a two-fight losing streak and is 1-4 in his last five Octagon appearances. The 34-year-old has won just one fight in nearly five years.</p>

SHANGHAI, CHINA - AUGUST 23: (L-R) Aljamain Sterling punches Brian Ortega in a 153-pound catchweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Shanghai Indoor Stadium on August 23, 2025 in Shanghai, China.

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Sterling shuts out Ortega, calls for title shot

The Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) suspended former UFC middleweight champion Sean Stric...

<p>The Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) suspended former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland for six months for his involvement in a post-fight altercation with a fighter at an MMA event in June.</p><p>The suspension is retroactive to June 29, the date of the incident, and will end Dec. 29. However, Strickland can have it reduced to four and a half months if he completes an anger management course. He also received a $5,000 fine.</p><p>The incident occurred at Tuff-N-Uff 145 in Las Vegas, where Strickland was cornering teammate Miles Hunsinger. Strickland stormed the cage and threw multiple punches at Luis Hernandez after Hernandez submitted Hunsinger and started taunting his corner.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>UFC welterweight Chris Curtis was also in Hunsinger's corner and went after Hernandez but didn't throw a punch. The NSAC fined Curtis $2,500 for his role in the altercation.</p><p>Strickland is coming off a unanimous decision loss to then-middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 312 in February.</p>

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 09: Sean Strickland prepares to face Dricus Du Plessis of South Africa in the UFC middleweight championship fight during the UFC 312 event at Qudos Bank Arena on February 09, 2025 in Sydney, Australia.

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NSAC suspends Strickland 6 months for altercation

Highly touted bantamweight prospect Raul Rosas Jr. will receive the biggest test of his career wh...

<p>Highly touted bantamweight prospect Raul Rosas Jr. will receive the biggest test of his career when he faces Rob Font at Noche UFC on Sept. 13 in San Antonio.</p><p>The promotion announced the matchup Wednesday.</p><p>Rosas is coming off a unanimous decision win over Vince Morales in March. The 20-year-old Mexican-American is riding a four-fight winning streak and is 5-1 in the UFC overall. Rosas made his Octagon debut in 2022 after an appearance on Dana White's Contender Series.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>Font, the No. 9-ranked bantamweight contender, has won two in a row, earning decisions over Jean Matsumoto and Kyler Phillips. The 38-year-old is 3-2 in his last five outings dating back to 2023.</p><p>In the Noche UFC main event, Diego Lopes and Jean Silva will meet in a pivotal featherweight bout.</p>

MEXICO CITY, MEXICO - MARCH 29: Raul Rosas Jr. reacts after a victory against Vince Morales in a bantamweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at CDMX Arena on March 29, 2025 in Mexico City, Mexico.

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/32126044/related

Font-Rosas added to Noche UFC card

Khamzat Chimaev captured the UFC middleweight championship Saturday night, annihilating Dricus Du...

<p>Khamzat Chimaev captured the UFC middleweight championship Saturday night, annihilating Dricus Du Plessis en route to a unanimous decision victory in the UFC 319 main event in Chicago.</p><p>In the co-headliner, Lerone Murphy spoiled former Bellator star Aaron Pico's Octagon debut, knocking him out in the first round with a spinning back elbow.</p><p>Here are four takeaways from the pay-per-view event.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><h3>Stopping Chimaev might be impossible</h3><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/797881/cropped_GettyImages-2230533404.jpg?ts=1755461503" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/797881/w220xh124_GettyImages-2230533404.jpg?ts=1755461503 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/797881/w320xh180_GettyImages-2230533404.jpg?ts=1755461503 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/797881/w640xh360_GettyImages-2230533404.jpg?ts=1755461503 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/797881/w768xh432_GettyImages-2230533404.jpg?ts=1755461503 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/797881/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2230533404.jpg?ts=1755461503 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Cooper Neill / UFC / Getty</span></figcaption></figure><p>Chimaev was favored to beat Du Plessis - and we've known for a long time that he's a special talent - but I don't think anyone could've imagined a dominant performance like this.</p><p>Chimaev put on a grappling showcase for the ages. It took him no longer than 30 seconds to get on top of Du Plessis in each round. He completed 12 takedowns, compiled 21:40 of control time, and shattered the record for most strikes landed in a UFC fight (529). And he did all of this against the reigning, defending middleweight champion.</p><p>Du Plessis was never in the driver's seat, except for maybe 10 seconds in the fifth round when he went for a Hail Mary rear-naked choke that Chimaev easily fended off. It was the definition of one-way traffic.</p><p>It was also the kind of performance that made you feel bad for every other middleweight vying for a title shot, from Nassourdine Imavov and Caio Borralho to Reinier de Ridder and Anthony "Fluffy" Hernandez, because their chances of becoming a UFC champion in the foreseeable future just plummeted. It truly feels like Chimaev might be unbeatable in this weight class. The mix of relentless grappling and solid striking makes him a nightmare matchup for literally everybody. A title shot might be more of a punishment now than it is a reward.</p><p>The nice thing is that there are a bunch of fresh matchups out there for Chimaev, since he's fought just two people in the top 15. Now it's on the rest of the division to prove Chimaev is, in fact, human.</p><h3>Massive KO exactly what Murphy needed</h3><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/797882/cropped_GettyImages-2230531120.jpg?ts=1755461514" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/797882/w220xh124_GettyImages-2230531120.jpg?ts=1755461514 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/797882/w320xh180_GettyImages-2230531120.jpg?ts=1755461514 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/797882/w640xh360_GettyImages-2230531120.jpg?ts=1755461514 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/797882/w768xh432_GettyImages-2230531120.jpg?ts=1755461514 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/797882/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2230531120.jpg?ts=1755461514 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Geoff Stellfox / Getty Images Sport / Getty</span></figcaption></figure><p>Murphy has struggled to gain popularity for his entire career despite his success in the Octagon. He's always been one of those talented, unsung fighters. A dark horse. Murphy has never lost a fight and is solid everywhere, but he doesn't have many highlights. He's not particularly great on the mic. He's never been someone the UFC has rushed to give a title shot.</p><p>But all of that may change after his Knockout of the Year candidate against Pico.</p><p>This win was exactly what Murphy needed to get his flowers. All eyes were on Pico, a former Bellator contender who was making his long-awaited UFC debut, and Murphy stole his thunder with a vicious spinning back elbow to the head.</p><p>He even had featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski calling <em>him </em>out for a fight later this year:</p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">See you in December <a href="https://twitter.com/LeroneMurphy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LeroneMurphy</a> congrats <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ufc319?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ufc319</a></p>— Alex Volkanovski (@alexvolkanovski) <a href="https://twitter.com/alexvolkanovski/status/1956927492092051515?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 17, 2025</a>
</blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure><p>Murphy pulled out all the stops on the biggest stage of his career so far, and there's a good chance it was enough to lock up an unlikely, but deserved, crack at the belt.</p><h3>Free-agent signings continue to underdeliver</h3><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/797883/cropped_GettyImages-2230531497.jpg?ts=1755461552" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/797883/w220xh124_GettyImages-2230531497.jpg?ts=1755461552 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/797883/w320xh180_GettyImages-2230531497.jpg?ts=1755461552 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/797883/w640xh360_GettyImages-2230531497.jpg?ts=1755461552 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/797883/w768xh432_GettyImages-2230531497.jpg?ts=1755461552 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/797883/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2230531497.jpg?ts=1755461552 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Geoff Stellfox / Getty Images Sport / Getty</span></figcaption></figure><p>Pico's UFC debut couldn't have gone much worse.</p><p>He started fast and aggressive, but that ended up being his kryptonite. Murphy caught him coming in, and that was all she wrote.</p><p>On his best night, Pico is a supremely skilled, athletically gifted fighter who can beat most of the division. He's faced adversity and has bounced back before, so I have no doubt he'll do the same here. But it's also fair to at least wonder what this loss means for his future.</p><p>Pico isn't the only recent free-agent signing who took a bad loss Saturday. Former Rizin FF bantamweight champion Kai Asakura fell to 0-2 in the UFC after Tim Elliott choked him out in a big upset. The ground game was once again Asakura's weakness, just like in his debut loss to flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 310 last December. The Japanese fighter was supposed to be a huge addition to the UFC's 125-pound division, and now he's one loss away from being a complete bust.</p><p>Pico's and Asakura's losses are part of a wider trend this year of free agents failing to deliver in the UFC. Former Bellator champions Patricio "Pitbull" Freire and Patchy Mix also lost their UFC debuts. (Freire has since won a fight, moving to 1-1.) The only recent addition from Bellator who has lived up to the hype is Michael "Venom" Page, who defeated Jared Cannonier at UFC 319 to lift his Octagon record to 3-1.</p><h3>Prates back on track in a big way</h3><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/797884/cropped_GettyImages-2230528598.jpg?ts=1755461570" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/797884/w220xh124_GettyImages-2230528598.jpg?ts=1755461570 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/797884/w320xh180_GettyImages-2230528598.jpg?ts=1755461570 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/797884/w640xh360_GettyImages-2230528598.jpg?ts=1755461570 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/797884/w768xh432_GettyImages-2230528598.jpg?ts=1755461570 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/797884/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2230528598.jpg?ts=1755461570 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Geoff Stellfox / Getty Images Sport / Getty</span></figcaption></figure><p>If your goal is to make people forget about a disappointing loss (in this case, to Ian Machado Garry at UFC Kansas City in April), crushing your next opponent with a spinning back elbow is a damn good way to do it.</p><p>Carlos Prates filed his own entry for Knockout of the Year at Geoff Neal's expense, sending "Handz of Steel" to the shadow realm with one second left in the first round. Prates is now 5-1 in the UFC, and just like that, momentum is back on his side.</p>

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UFC 319 takeaways: Can anybody beat Chimaev?

UFC middleweight contender Anthony "Fluffy" Hernandez is confident he can halt Khamzat Chimaev's ...

<p>UFC middleweight contender Anthony "Fluffy" Hernandez is confident he can halt Khamzat Chimaev's reign.</p><p>Hernandez said Saturday night after Chimaev <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3326262" href="https://thescore.com/news/3326262">dominated</a> Dricus Du Plessis to capture the 185-pound title at UFC 319 in Chicago that he believes he'd "drown" Chimaev in the Octagon.</p><p>"Call me for the fight," Hernandez told <a href="https://x.com/CCLegaspi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1956976827571851670%7Ctwgr%5E7db022c929cd8d7ba7c7169ce43d2a83da878fe6%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fmmajunkie.usatoday.com%2Fstory%2Fsports%2Fufc%2F2025%2F08%2F17%2Fufc-319-anthony-hernandez-opinion-prediction-new-middleweight-champ-khamzat-chimaev-drown-him%2F85697862007%2F">ESPN Deportes' Carlos Contreras Legaspi</a>. "I can wrestle, I can do jiu-jitsu, I can stop all his shit, and I can shut him down. With my gas tank, I'll drown him, I promise. I'll make him f-----g work.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>"So, call me, keep me in mind, guys, and I think you guys will have a new f-----g Mexican-American champion."</p><p>The UFC has yet to determine Chimaev's next opponent, though Hernandez could be in the running for a title shot. The No. 7-ranked middleweight delivered his own dominant performance in last weekend's UFC Fight Night main event, submitting Roman Dolidze in the fourth round. Hernandez, 31, has won eight in a row and is unbeaten since 2020.</p><p>Chimaev has expressed interest in making a quick turnaround to defend his belt at UFC 321 on Oct. 25 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.</p>

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - AUGUST 09: (R-L) Anthony Hernandez elbows Roman Dolidze of Georgia in a middleweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on August 09, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

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Hernandez says he'd 'drown' Chimaev in fight

UFC CEO Dana White didn't expect newly crowned middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev to destroy D...

<p>UFC CEO Dana White didn't expect newly crowned middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev to destroy Dricus Du Plessis the way he did at UFC 319.</p><p>Chimaev smothered Du Plessis on the ground in all five rounds, completing 12 takedowns and outstriking him 529-45 to win a lopsided unanimous decision in Saturday's main event in Chicago.</p><p>"In the leadup to this fight, I said, 'I bet the main event is the Fight of the Night.' Didn't see that coming, but not shocked either," White <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucTenLAAfhE">said</a> of Chimaev's dominant performance at the postfight press conference. "I mean, you go in and dominate the way that he dominated, you do it the first round, more than likely you can do it the second and throughout the rest of the fight."</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>Chimaev was favored to win the 185-pound title at UFC 319, but many believed Du Plessis was poised to give the 31-year-old Chechen the toughest test of his career. Du Plessis, who was undefeated in the promotion until Saturday and had defended the belt twice, has a strong gas tank and the ability to wear on his opponents in deep waters.</p><p>In the end, though, Chimaev delivered one of the most dominant performances ever in a title fight. Now that "Borz" is the middleweight champion, White is curious to see if his popularity will reach new heights.</p><p>"Yeah, he's a big star now," White said when asked if Chimaev could become the biggest star in MMA. "He's a big star. When you're asking me, 'How much bigger can he be?' I don't know, we'll see. But he's already a big star."</p><p>White added: "When we were on Fight Island (in 2020), (Chimaev) said, 'I want to fight next Saturday.' Ever since then, the guy's been a rocket ship. ... People love him."</p><p>The UFC CEO also praised Du Plessis for hanging tough throughout the fight.</p><p>"Getting dominated on the ground and punched in the face and elbowed, it's a very frustrating place to be," White said. "I thought he handled it well. He came out every round trying to get in the fight and trying to win. Impressive."</p>

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 16: UFC CEO Dana White places a middleweight title belt on Khamzat Chimaev of the United Arab Emirates after Chimaev's unanimous decision victory against Dricus du Plessis of South Africa, not pictured, in UFC 319 at the United Center on August 16, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois.

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White reacts to Chimaev's dominance at UFC 319: 'Didn't see that coming'

The Khamzat Chimaev era has finally begun.  Chimaev defeated Dricus Du Plessis via unanimous deci...

<p>The Khamzat Chimaev era has finally begun.</p><p>Chimaev defeated Dricus Du Plessis via unanimous decision (50-44, 50-44, 50-44) to capture the middleweight championship in the UFC 319 main event Saturday night at United Center in Chicago.</p><p>Chimaev delivered one of the most dominant performances in title-fight history. He smothered Du Plessis on the ground for almost the entire bout, leaving his opponent little room to breathe. Chimaev completed 12 of 17 takedowns and amassed 21:40 of control time. He outlanded Du Plessis 529-45 in total strikes and 37-13 in significant strikes.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>"I don't ever have a game plan," Chimaev said in his postfight interview. "Just go in and work like I do in the gym. That guy is strong. (I) couldn't finish (him). Respect that guy. The only champion who was saying my name."</p><p>Chimaev remained undefeated with the victory, improving to 9-0 in the UFC and 15-0 as a professional.</p><p>Du Plessis praised Chimaev after the impressive showing.</p><p>"The man has incredible control on the top," Du Plessis said. "He was just like a blanket. It wasn't just a matter of strength. He wasn't that physical. It was almost as if he knew what your next move was gonna be. ... I had to decide, 'Am I gonna be on my back or have him on my back?'"</p><p>The 31-year-old Chechen took the sport by storm when he made his Octagon debut in 2020, with many predicting he would win a championship within a year or two. However, it took Chimaev far longer to reach a title shot than anyone would've imagined, largely due to factors outside of the cage. Illnesses, injuries, and visa issues slowed down his rise; Chimaev fought just once in three of the last four years.</p><p>But when Chimaev has made it to fight night, he's been nothing short of dominant - and that couldn't have been truer than on Saturday.</p><p>Chimaev scored his first takedown 10 seconds into the opening round, and that was just a sign of what was to come. He applied heavy top pressure and trapped Du Plessis in a crucifix. Chimaev remained on top for almost the entire round.</p><p>Chimaev took Du Plessis down just seconds into Rounds 2, 3, and 4 as well. Du Plessis offered minimal resistance while defending takedowns and was unable to do much off his back. Chimaev ragdolled Du Plessis for long stretches, advancing to full mount, trapping him in a crucifix again, and taking his back.</p><p>Chimaev's most dominant round was the third in which he landed a few heavy elbows and also attempted a rear-naked choke. All three judges gave him a 10-8 in that frame.</p><p>Du Plessis had a small window of opportunity in the fifth round when he got on top of Chimaev midway through but lost the position while going for a guillotine choke. Du Plessis caught Chimaev with a solid right hand. He got on top of Chimaev again later in the round and almost trapped him in a rear-naked choke, but Chimaev defended it.</p><p>"I went for it, had the back," Du Plessis said of his late rally. "I could almost taste that victory. But big ups to Khamzat. He deserves this 100%."</p><p>Du Plessis suffered the first loss of his Octagon career and first defeat since 2018, ending his 11-fight winning streak.</p><p>The 31-year-old South African captured the middleweight title in January 2024 and successfully defended it twice, beating former champions Israel Adesanya and Sean Strickland. The loss to Chimaev dropped him to 9-1 in the promotion and 23-3 overall.</p>

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 16: Khamzat Chimaev of the United Arab Emirates grapples with Dricus du Plessis of South Africa during their middleweight title bout in UFC 319 at the United Center on August 16, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois.

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Chimaev mauls Du Plessis to win UFC middleweight title

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