MMA: Breaking News, Rumors & Highlights

Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev humbled ‘John Pork’ with key advice after viral fame

Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev had to give vital advice to Magomed Zaynukov as his star continues to rise without ever fighting in the UFC. Zaynukov has become a viral social media star after a meme which has seen him given the nickname ‘John Pork’.

Features

The Morning Bark

The Quiz of the Day

O’Malley vs. Song Elevated to Co-Main Event UFC 324

UFC 324 has a new look after a major shakeup at the top of the card. UFC officials confirmed Wednesday that bantamweight champion Kayla Harrison has suffered an injury that forced her out of her scheduled title fight against Amanda Nunes.

MMA News / Bloody Elbow / January 17

Conor McGregor seems to end bitter Dustin Poirier beef with two-word message

Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier’s years-long bitter feud may finally have come to an end for good. The legendary lightweight duo had three iconic fights, one at featherweight which McGregor won and two in 2021 at 155lb which Poirier took.

MMA News / Bloody Elbow / January 17

Jon Anik reveals he would cut 150 UFC fighters to help fix one massive issue if he was Dana White

What would you do if you were the UFC president? Mixed martial arts fans recently answered that question as part of TalkingPoints on Bloody Elbow, and plenty of changes were proposed to Dana White.

Ilia Topuria News / MMA on SI / January 17

UFC Champion Ilia Topuria provides first clear update on plans for UFC return fight

Ilia Topuria has finally shared an update regarding when fans can expect to see him return to the Octagon and defend his UFC title. A perfect 17-0 in his professional MMA career, Topuria joined the UFC in 2020 and won six-straight fights before he unseated UFC Featherweight Champion Alexander Volkanovski with a second-round knockout at UFC 298.

MMA News / EssentiallySports / January 17

UFC Seattle: Alex Pereira’s Kickboxing Rival & Veteran Desk Analyst Join Israel Adesanya’s Card

This week, the UFC surprised fans by announcing that former middleweight champion Israel Adesanya will make his comeback against Joe Pyfer during the promotion’s fifth trip to Seattle.

MMA News / Dice City Sports / January 17

Conor McGregor Shrugs Off Dana White’s Dismissal of Michael Chandler Fight

Conor McGregor isn’t losing sleep over Dana White closing the door on a long-delayed matchup with Michael Chandler. After the UFC president publicly dismissed the idea of McGregor facing Chandler at the proposed UFC White House event, the former two-division champion responded with trademark bravado and indifference.

MMA News / EssentiallySports / January 17

'You Are Way Wrong': Chael Sonnen Under Fire for His Wildest UFC 324 Take Yet

Kayla Harrison vs. Amanda Nunes for the bantamweight championship at UFC 324 co-main event was widely viewed as one of the biggest female fights in UFC history.

MMA News / EssentiallySports / January 17

Khamzat Chimaev Breaks Character as He Confesses Harsh Truth About Kamaru Usman Fight

UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev appeared untouchable during his early days, having absorbed only 1 strike in his first 5 UFC fights. That statistic was turned upside down in his 6th fight against Gilbert Burns at UFC 273, where he took 119 strikes in a fierce showdown.

MMA News / Bloody Elbow / January 17

Diego Lopes apologizes to Australia in advance for what he’ll do to Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 325

Diego Lopes says there will be no successful homecoming in Sydney. The 31-year-old is not far away from his second shot at the UFC featherweight title, which comes less than a year on from his failed bid in Miami.

MMA News / Stadium Rant / January 17

Last Chance For Israel Adesanya, Paulo Costa To Remain Relevant Over Five Years After UFC 253 Title Clash

More than five years ago, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Israel Adesanya and Paulo Costa fought each other for the middleweight title at UFC 253.

MMA News / EssentiallySports / January 17

Khamzat Chimaev Snubs Nassourdine Imavov as UFC Houston Intensifies Race to His Title

Khamzat Chimaev vs. Nassourdine Imavov seems like the next match in the middleweight division for the title. In a verbal exchange on X, both superstars agreed to clash after Ramadan, which only added to the buzz.

MMA News / Dice City Sports / January 17

Dana White Still Doesn’t Trust Jon Jones

Jon Jones, a former two-division UFC champion, announced his retirement in June 2025 only to reverse course almost immediately after President Donald Trump revealed plans for a UFC event on the White House lawn.

Kamaru Usman News / Dice City Sports / January 17

Mohammed Usman Accepts 30-Month Doping Ban Following Positive Testosterone Test

Mohammed Usman’s UFC career has been put on hold for more than two years. Combat Sports Anti-Doping (CSAD) announced Friday that Usman has accepted a 30-month suspension after testing positive for testosterone ahead of a scheduled bout against Valter Walker at UFC Rio in October 2025.

Click here to get Yardbarker's Quiz of the Day emailed to you!

The 'College Football Player of the Year' quiz

The '4,000-yard NFL passers' quiz

The 'Most passes thrown by NFL season' quiz

The 'Winning NFL playoff debuts' quiz

Jon Jones News / HITC / January 17

Ex-UFC and WWE star who beat Jon Jones twice open to giving him a chance for revenge

Jon Jones doesn’t have many losses on his record, but the handful of men who beat him always seem willing to take another shot. Jones has recently stirred up his old feud with Daniel Cormier, even though he’d previously said he was ready to move on from their rivalry.

Khamzat Chimaev News / Bloody Elbow / January 17

Khamzat Chimaev claims ‘nobody wants to fight’ when providing update on his UFC return

Khamzat Chimaev originally hoped to make a quick turnaround after winning the middleweight title. The undefeated star’s plan ended up being derailed by an injury that eliminated the chances of him proving people wrong.

MMA News / HITC / January 17

Conor McGregor’s next fight? UFC Legend he’s never faced hints at major White House news

‘The Notorious’ is still eyeing the White House following some recent developments. Conor McGregor has reiterated his intention to return to the Octagon in 2026, nearly five years on from his last appearance in July 2021.

MMA News / MMA Weekly / January 17

For Charles Oliveira, the BMF fight against Max Holloway is about legacy

Former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira asked to fight "BMF" titleholder and former featherweight champion Max Holloway. He was granted his request by UFC matchmakers. Oliveira and Holloway headline the UFC 326 fight card on March 7 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and for "do Bronx," the BMF fight is about legacy. "(It's) something huge.

Justin Gaethje News / BoxingNews.com / January 17