MMA

May 6, 2022 PHOENIX — One of the UFC’s most popular and dynamic weight classes takes center stage on Saturday, with Charles Oliveira (32-8) preparing to step into the Octagon against Justin Gaethje (23-3) in the main event UFC 274 inside Footprint Center. However, Oliveira missed weight on Friday, resulting in him getting stripped of

12:39 AM ET Two-time PFL champion Kayla Harrison is a notoriously harsh critic of her own performances, and that trend continued once again on Friday. Harrison (13-0) extended her undefeated record with a dominant unanimous decision over Marina Mokhnatkina (6-2) inside the Esports Stadium Arlington in Texas. In doing so, Harrison kicked off her 2022

3:27 PM ET PHOENIX — Charles Oliveira will be stripped of the UFC lightweight championship after missing weight Friday at the UFC 274 weigh-ins. Oliveira came at 155.5 pounds, a half-pound over the limit for a lightweight title fight. As a result, the title is now considered vacant — and Saturday night, only his opponent,

7:52 AM ET Eddie Alvarez looked like he was holding a golf ball in his mouth, and his right cheek was comically swollen. To compound matters, Alvarez’s left leg was barely mobile due to numerous hard kicks to it. In Detroit, the former UFC lightweight champion was embroiled in the third round of a back-and-forth

10:04 AM ET The UFC is finalizing a heavyweight bout between former interim champion Ciryl Gane and Tai Tuivasa on Sept. 3, officials confirmed to ESPN. Both sides have agreed to the matchup, per the UFC. The bout will headline a UFC Fight Night; an official location has not been announced, but the event has

8:08 AM ET Ian ParkerESPN The third and final opening night of the PFL 2022 season is here, and the main card features some of biggest stars in the league. Kayla Harrison and the women’s lightweight division step into the cage on Friday (6 p.m. ET on ESPN+). Harrison, who re-signed with the PFL in

10:13 PM ET The UFC is targeting a lightweight main event between Rafael dos Anjos and Rafael Fiziev on July 9, sources told ESPN on Wednesday. Contracts have not been signed, but the UFC is close to finalizing the 155-pound fight. It will headline UFC Fight Night at a location to be determined. This will

8:00 AM ET The art of the submission is rooted in a fighter’s ability to seize an opening. An opportunity. A mistake. An action leading to a reaction. Close-quarters combat turns into an ongoing battle for positioning and leverage. It all plays on a constant loop until there’s an escape. Or an ending. The very

7:17 PM ET The UFC is working on a bantamweight fight between Sean O’Malley and Pedro Munhoz, sources told ESPN on Tuesday. The 135-pound bout is expected to be finalized shortly. It will take place at UFC 276 on July 2 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. O’Malley (15-1) is 5-1 in the UFC with

9:07 AM ET Kelsey Puckett IRVINE, Calif. — Several cars pull up in front of what is normally a quiet Southern California home. The muffled voice of Matthew Lomeli, a practicing physician, can be heard coming from the house as he finishes up a Zoom call. Lomeli considers himself to be a private person. He

May 7, 2020 Editor’s note: This story was originally published ahead of UFC 249. He will face Charles Oliveira at UFC 274 on May 8. The story has been updated to reflect his upcoming fight. JUSTIN GAETHJE WAS 18 years old when he spent a summer working at the Morenci copper mine, located about an

8:00 AM ET Jeff Wagenheim Ranking the fights on a big UFC card can seem like an obvious exercise. The sport curates its fight nights to build and build throughout the evening, culminating in the main event that has been hyped on promo posters to draw fans into the arena or to watch on television.

10:39 AM ET For the first time in two years, Darren Till has booked a fight in his native UK. Till (18-4-1) will face Jack Hermansson (22-7) at UFC Fight Night on July 23. The three-round middleweight bout will take place at the O2 in London, where Till last fought in March 2019. Sources confirmed

10:55 PM ET LAS VEGAS — Marlon Vera was feeling it on Saturday — and it might be time for the UFC’s bantamweight division to take notice. In his first UFC main event, Vera (21-7-1) put on a show against the ultra durable Rob Font (19-6). Ultimately, Vera wasn’t able to get the finish —

7:04 PM ET A featherweight matchup between Calvin Kattar and Josh Emmett will headline a UFC Fight Night on June 18, the promotion announced Saturday. The UFC Fight Night is slated to take place in Austin, Texas. Kattar (23-5) is coming off an impressive upset over Giga Chikadze in January. A Massachusetts native, Kattar fought

8:16 PM ET English heavyweight Tom Aspinall will headline his second UFC event in a span of four months, as he has agreed to face Curtis Blaydes on July 23. Multiple sources confirmed the heavyweight bout will serve as the main event for UFC Fight Night on July 23 at O2 Arena in London. The

9:49 AM ET UFC announced on Thursday it will host a second fight night in the U.K. in 2022. The event, which will be held at the O2 Arena in London on July 23, follows the success of UFC London on March 19, where English heavyweight Tom Aspinall secured a first-round submission victory against Russian

3:59 PM ET UFC bantamweight contender Rob Font has missed weight for his main event bout against Marlon Vera this weekend in Las Vegas. Font (19-5) was at 138½ pounds Friday during the official weigh-in at the UFC’s Apex facility — 2½ pounds over the limit. The UFC Fight Night headliner will still take place