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On YouTubeIlia Topuria News / Field Level Media / December 15
UFC's undefeated Ilia Topuria: Must 'step away' to defend reputation, not title
Undefeated UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria explained his absence from the UFC 324 title bout on Monday, alleging he's addressing an extortion attempt and will return to the cage at the appropriate time.
MMA News / EssentiallySports / December 15
Manel Kape Secures Daniel Cormier’s Backing for Joshua Van Title Fight After UFC Vegas 112
Is Manel Kape next for a title shot against Joshua Van? Well, after the Portuguese powerhouse cracked Brandon Royval’s iron chin at UFC Vegas 112, fans have jumped on his bandwagon.
Mario Bautista News / UFC on ClutchPoints / December 15
Mario Bautista and Vinicius Oliveira set to collide in first Paramount+ fight night event
The UFC is making history on February 7, 2026, when UFC Fight Night 266 debuts as the first Fight Night card of the Paramount+ era. The event will take place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, and for the first time ever, standard tickets are being made available to the general public for UFC Apex cards beginning with this card.
MMA News / UFC on ClutchPoints / December 15
Kyoji Horiguchi vs. Amir Albazi co-main event set for first UFC Apex event of Paramount+ era
The UFC is kicking off 2026 in style, and the co-main event has fans buzzing. Former RIZIN and Bellator champion Kyoji Horiguchi will square off against top-ranked flyweight Amir “The Prince” Albazi in the promotion’s first UFC Apex card of the Paramount+ era.
MMA News / Bloody Elbow / December 15
Ilia Topuria ends his personal feud with Paddy Pimblett: ‘We all learn from our mistakes’
Ilia Topuria vs Pimblett has changed from a personal feud to a professional rivalry. The UFC lightweight champion famously came to blows with Paddy Pimblett in a hotel three years ago.
MMA News / MMA Weekly / December 15
Ilia Topuria approves of Justin Gaethje vs. Paddy Pimblett interim title fight
In late November, UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria announced that he was taking a break from fighting to deal with personal issue while going through a divorce. "I won’t be fighting in the first quarter of next year.
MMA News / MMA Weekly / December 14
Paddy Pimlett to Arman Tsarukyan: 'Sit down, shut up, and do what you're told'
When top lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan was passed over for the UFC 324 interim title bout, he didn't have a lot of nice things to say about No.
MMA News / EssentiallySports / December 15
Ball’s in Dana White’s Court as Joshua Van, Manel Kape Reach Verbal Agreement for UFC Title Fight
Dana White is not often dragged into matchmaking debates on social media. Fighters lobby behind the scenes, managers talk privately, and the UFC makes announcements when it is ready.
Francis Ngannou News / Bloody Elbow / December 15
PFL CEO John Martin reveals Francis Ngannou comeback talks as challenger emerges
Francis Ngannou and Vadim Nemkov was a fight the PFL were eyeing before the Russian’s massive win at PFL Lyon. The former Bellator champion crowned himself the official PFL heavyweight champion on Friday night with an impressive victory over 2023 Tournament winner Renan Ferreira in Lyon.
Ilia Topuria News / Athlon Sports / December 14
Ilia Topuria Provides Update on His UFC Return
The calendar keeps flipping, the division keeps moving, and the questions keep piling up. Fans want dates, contenders want clarity, and matchmakers want certainty.
MMA News / Bloody Elbow / December 14
Tom Aspinall suggests unorthodox way he could finally fight Francis Ngannou without Dana White
Tom Aspinall has claimed that it may take a move into a different sport for him to finally fight Francis Ngannou. The heavyweight showdown was never on the cards during Ngannou’s initial UFC run as the Brit was only rising through the ranks at the time.
MMA News / EssentiallySports / December 14
Ilia Topuria Offers Grim UFC Return Update Amid Paddy Pimblett’s ‘Title Vacate’ Threat
Last month, Ilia Topuria announced that he would not be available to compete until the first quarter of 2026 due to personal reasons. Following ‘El Matador’s hiatus declaration, Dana White confirmed the UFC 324 headliner as a showdown between Paddy Pimblett and Justin Gaethje.
MMA News / EssentiallySports / December 14
Ilia Topuria Reveals Dana White’s Paddy Pimblett Favoritism in Cryptic UFC 324 Bombshell
Amid personal issues in his married life, UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria confirmed a few weeks ago that he will step away from the octagon for the time being.
MMA News / EssentiallySports / December 14
Alistair Overeem Urges Rampage Jackson to Reconsider Major Career Move Amid Health Concerns
“With age comes wisdom” perfectly describes UFC heavyweight legend Alistair Overeem, who doesn’t want fellow UFC veteran Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson to face the same fate he once did.
MMA News / EssentiallySports / December 14
UFC Flyweight Champ Snubs Dana White’s Ambitious Japan Plan After Manel Kape’s Win
At UFC Vegas 112, Manel Kape flatlined Brandon Royval with a cracking right hook to seal the deal. With that kind of finish, ‘Starboy’ realized he now sits on the frontline of the title picture, and he wasted no time calling out flyweight champion Joshua Van for a future clash in his hometown, Houston.
Ilia Topuria News / Bloody Elbow / December 14
Ilia Topuria’s cryptic update reveals unification fight won’t be next if one UFC 324 result happens
Things may not be as simple as they appear in the UFC lightweight division. Champion Ilia Topuria announced a UFC hiatus due to personal issues away from the Octagon, meaning he won’t be returning early next year to make his first defense of the 155-pound title.
Manel Kape sends chilling warning to UFC Champion Joshua Van in epic callout
Welcome to the Manel Kape show. In case UFC fans didn't get the memo during the main event of UFC Vegas 112, Kape (22-7 MMA) put the division on notice with a first-round TKO against former flyweight title challenger Brandon Royval to put a bow on the 2025 promotional calendar.
Arman Tsarukyan appears to reveal why he withdrew from Islam Makhachev bout
Arman Tsarukyan might have revealed the real reason behind his withdrawal from the Islam Makhachev fight earlier this year. Tsarukyan was lined up for a title shot at UFC 311 but pulled out just days before, missing what would have been a huge opportunity in his career.
Colby Covington News / Bloody Elbow / December 14
Colby Covington suffered injury ex-UFC champ wouldn’t wish on his ‘worst enemy’ in brutal title loss
Colby Covington sustained significant damage in his first undisputed UFC title shot. The polarizing American fighter has never held the top prize on MMA’s biggest stage, and that’s despite having three opportunities to do so.
Cris Cyborg News / BoxingNews.com / December 14
Cyborg Submits Collins To Retain Featherweight Title
Cris Cyborg retained her PFL Women’s Featherweight Championship by submitting Sara Collins in the co-main event of PFL Lyon in the third round. The fight was competitive, with Collins staying resolute until Cyborg’s class ultimately showed.
MMA News / UFC on ClutchPoints / December 13
Brandon Moreno vs. Asu Almabayev set to headline UFC Mexico on February 28th
UFC Mexico just got its main event—and it’s an absolute banger. Former flyweight champion Brandon Moreno will make his long-awaited homecoming on February 28th, taking on surging contender Asu Almabayev in a five-round showdown that could reshape the future of the 125-pound division.
MMA News / Athlon Sports / December 11
Khabib Nurmagomedov Warned Islam Makhachev About White House Fight
This year, Islam Makhachev cemented his legacy as one of the greatest fighters in UFC history. After vacating his lightweight title, he dominated welterweight
MMA News / Dice City Sports / December 11
Justin Gaethje Teases Surprise Grappling Plan for Paddy Pimblett: 'Maybe I’ll Sub Him'
Justin Gaethje may be the most reliable bonus-hunter in UFC history, but ahead of UFC 324 he’s hinting at a twist that nobody saw coming. “The Highlight” returns on Jan.
MMA News / Dice City Sports / December 11
UFC 325 Adds Dan Hooker–Benoit Saint Denis, Rafael Fiziev–Mauricio Ruffy to Stacked Sydney Card
The UFC’s first international event of 2026 continues to take shape, with multiple high-profile lightweight matchups added to UFC 325, scheduled for January 31 at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney and streaming globally on Paramount+.
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