MMA News | UFC Betting Sites - The Best MMA Online Bookies

ONE Championship CEO Reveals Which Fight He’s Most Excited For at Loaded ONE 172 Event in Japan

ONE Championship CEO Reveals Which Fight He's Most Excited For at Loaded ONE 172 Event in Japan With ONE Championship’s latest event, ONE 171, officially in the books, the promotion’s marketing machine will officially turn to…

With ONE Championship’s latest event, ONE 171, officially in the books, the promotion’s marketing machine will officially turn to its highly-anticipated return to Japan on Sunday, March 23.

Emanating from the iconic Saitama Super Arena, ONE 172 will be headlined by a long-awaited kickboxing clash between Thai sensation Rodtang Jitmuangnon and former three-division K-1 world champion Takeru Segawa.

Additionally, ONE fans will be treated to five massive title tilts at the mega-sized event, including an interim ONE featherweight kickboxing clash between Tawanchai PK Saenchai and Japanese star Masaaki Noiri. Elsewhere, it’ll be a battle of new school vs. old school with Jonathan Di Bella meeting Sam-A Gaiyanghadao for the interim ONE strawweight kickboxing crown.

Speaking with Mitch Chilson during Thursday’s live ONE 171 broadcast in Qatar, ONE CEO Chatri Sityodtong revealed that Di Bella vs. Sam-A is one of the fights he’s most looking forward to.

Of course, Sityodtong couldn’t walk away with mentioning the title unification clash between Superlek Kiatmoo9 and 20-year-old Algerian-Thai star Nabil Anane.

“I’m looking forward to Jonathan Di Bella versus Sam-A, you know,” Sityodtong said inside the Lusail Sports Arena. “Young rising star and world champion versus old legend and world champion. It’s going to be incredible. But also, Superlek versus Nabil. This is going to be a war for the ages for sure.”

Asked to pick a winner between Superlek and Anane, Sityodtong said:

“You know what, I can’t pick. Someone’s gonna get knocked out, that’s all I’d say. Someone’s getting knocked out.”

Anane earned the opportunity via a stunning first-round knockout against Nico Carrillo at ONE 170 to win the interim ONE bantamweight Muay Thai title. Now, he’ll try to exchange his interim belt for undisputed gold against one of the best P4P strikers on the planet.

ONE Championship’s Return to Japan will see a new flyweight MMA world Titleholder crowned

Rounding out the title fights at ONE 172 will be the return of former ONE flyweight MMA champion Adriano Moraes who has his sights set on reclaiming the recently vacated 26 pounds of gold. Standing in his way will be Yuya Wakamatsu, the No. 3 ranked contender in the division.

Wakamatsu is coming off a trio of victories over Xie Wei, Danny Kingad, and Gilbert Nakatani in his last three outings.

Which fight are you most looking forward to at ONE 172: Takeru vs. Rodtang?

Veronika Smolková Outclasses Aitana Álvarez in Dominant OKTAGON 67 Victory

Slovakian rising star Veronika Smolková delivered a commanding performance against Spain’s Aitana Álvarez at OKTAGON 67 in T?inec, Czech…

Slovakian rising star Veronika Smolková delivered a commanding performance against Spain’s Aitana Álvarez at OKTAGON 67 in T?inec, Czech Republic. Competing in the women’s flyweight division, Smolková secured a unanimous decision victory after three rounds of action.

Veronika Smolková Victory at OKTAGON 67

Smolková showcased her striking superiority from the opening bell, landing a total of 140 punches, with 110 classified as significant strikes. In contrast, Álvarez managed only 38 significant strikes throughout the bout. Smolková’s relentless pace overwhelmed her opponent, leaving little room for Álvarez to mount any meaningful offense.

Key highlights of Smolková’s performance included her effective use of knees, teeps, and body shots. These techniques kept Álvarez on the defensive and also visibly wore her down as the fight progressed. Observers noted that Smolková might have secured a finish had there been an additional minute in the final round.

Veronika Smolkova Victory at OKTAGON 67 2

This victory marks another milestone in Smolková’s career as she continues her ascent in the flyweight division. With this victory, she is now positioned to fight for the vacant world title in her next matchup.

All Images Courtesy of Oktagon MMA.

Veronika Smolkova Victory at OKTAGON 67 3

Xzibit Stands by Conor McGregor Despite Controversies: “It’s About the Vision”

West Coast rapper Xzibit has made headlines for his decision to partner with Conor McGregor’s Greenback Records, even as…

West Coast rapper Xzibit has made headlines for his decision to partner with Conor McGregor’s Greenback Records, even as the UFC star faces ongoing legal and public controversies. McGregor, known as much for his polarizing persona outside the octagon as his fighting skills within it, has been embroiled in numerous legal battles, including allegations of assault and sexual misconduct. Yet, Xzibit remains steadfast in his support for the Irishman.

Xzibit Stands by Conor McGregor

Speaking about his decision to work with Conor McGregor, Xzibit has emphasized the unique vision and approach that the former UFC champion brings to the music industry. “We’ve seen athletes try to do the label thing,” Xzibit explained. “But Conor’s not trying to rap or chase trends. He’s treating this like fight promotion-focused, strategic, and aggressive.”

Despite Conor McGregor’s controversial history, which includes a recent civil case in Ireland where he was found liable for sexual assault, Xzibit has chosen to focus on their shared goals rather than past scandals. Xzibit’s collaboration with Greenback Records came after a trip to Ireland where he met Conor McGregor’s team.

The rapper was impressed by the fresh perspective of the label’s staff. “These are music people and business people who know what they’re doing,” Xzibit said, adding that this gave him the confidence to move forward despite McGregor’s reputation.

McGregor’s controversies have ranged from high-profile incidents like the infamous UFC bus attack to multiple allegations of sexual misconduct, including a recent lawsuit filed in January 2025 regarding an alleged incident during the 2023 NBA Finals. While these issues have cast a shadow over McGregor’s public image, Xzibit has chosen to focus on what he sees as an opportunity for innovation.

In a recent interview, Xzibit addressed why he continues to stand by McGregor despite public backlash. He said:

“I’m not blind to what’s going on. But I’ve seen something in this partnership that goes beyond the headlines. It’s about creating something real and lasting in an industry that needs it. He doesn’t need to do it for money. He just wants to build a record label that kicks everyone else’s ass, and that’s his gratification. He is looking to promote these labels and artists like he does fighters. Press conferences, showing up, being involved and engaging, hyping and then delivering. That’s really big, we can hype it up all we want but if we don’t deliver we are fucked. So we got to punch somebody in the face and that’s exactly what we plan to do.”

He acknowledged that working with McGregor comes with risks but expressed confidence in their ability to deliver results.

Former UFC Champ Luke Rockhold Plans To Piece Up Chris Weidman in Upcoming GFL Showdown

Luke Rockhold plans on piecing up Chris Weidman when the two former UFC middleweight champions run it back under…

Luke Rockhold plans on piecing up Chris Weidman when the two former UFC middleweight champions run it back under the Global Fight League banner.

10 years after Rockhold TKO’d Weidman at UFC 194, the two are set to run it back sometime this year as part of the GFL, a team-based MMA organization that made waves with its first-ever live draft in January. A slew of former UFC stars were announced to be part of the promotion, including Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua, Yoel Romero, Urijah Faber, Paige VanZant, Junior dos Santos, and Tony Ferguson.

Among them was Rockhold and Weidman, who declared himself for the GLF draft days after announcing his retirement from MMA during the UFC 311 weigh-in show.

Speaking about his long-awaited rematch with the ‘All American’ during an appearance on the JAXXON podcast with Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson, Rockhold slammed Weidman’s last appearance inside the Octagon and offered a bit of prediction for the rematch.

“I just watched Chris versus Eric Anders’ last fight in the UFC, and Chris just doesn’t—he’s sloppier than ever. I mean, he still dropped Anders with a good shot, a good left. It was kind of surprising, but I don’t know… I’m going to piece him up.”

No official date has been announced for Rockhold vs. Weidman, or any GFL for that matter.

Will Weidman avenge his decade-old loss to Luke Rockhold?

Rockhold’s victory over Weidman in 2015 snapped the latter’s 11-fight win streak and relieved him of his role as the UFC middleweight champion. ‘All American’ was never quite the same following the loss, dropping four of his next six bouts before exiting the UFC altogether.

Rockhold ended up losing the middleweight title six months later to Michael Bisping at UFC 199. He bounced back with a win over David Branch but came up short in his next two outings and, like Weidman, exited the promotion.

Cutman Tate Calls Out Flat Earthers in the UFC: ‘These MF*ers Should Never Get Hit in the Head Again’

UFC cutman Brad Tate has a pretty strong opinion about fighters who seriously think the earth is flat. Despite…

UFC cutman Brad Tate has a pretty strong opinion about fighters who seriously think the earth is flat.

Despite there being scientific evidence dating back to the 3rd century BC that the earth is round, there’s a small but vocal subset of people who legitimately believe that our planet is in fact flat. As ridiculous as it sounds, it’s sadly become a popular conspiracy theory among those who have become enamored with the idea that nothing in the world is as it seems and that science is really some kind of demonic witchcraft.

Bryce Mitchell, a UFC featherweight standout and an admitted admirer of Adolf Hitler, has shared his belief about the earth being flat multiple times. He also says it has something to do with NASA run by a bunch of Satanists, but we’ll let you investigate all of that bullsh*t on your own.

Joining Mitchell in this foolishness is Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson, who featured the beloved cutman on a recent episode of his JAXXON podcast.

During the conversation, Tate had some pretty harsh words for UFC fighters who believe the earth is flat. That prompted an intense back-and-forth between himself, Jackson, and Rashad Evans who was also a guest on the show.

“F* no! These motherf*ckers should never get hit in the head again… Y’all have been around the world and should know that the earth is round,” Tate said.

‘Rampage’ outs himself as a flat earther

‘Rampage’ outed himself as a flat earther in 2023 while speaking with Brendan Schaub.

“This is the thing about the whole ’round Earth/flat Earth’ thing, why do people care if people believe in the Earth the way Bible describes it?,” Jackson told a characteristically flabbergasted Schaub. “Why do people get so mad about that? Why do people get mad at people if they just describe the Earth the way the oldest history book described it?”

Someone should let ‘Rampage’ know that the book he’s referring to also describes the “four corners of the Earth.” That sounds a lot more like a square than a circle. Maybe even a rectangle. How about a trapezoid? Oh, what about a diamond-shaped earth? That would be pretty cool.

Maybe Earth is a parallelogram.

Perhaps we should get ‘Rampage’ one of those shape-sorting toys so that he and Bryce Mitchell can conjure up another theory about the earth because clearly, Aristotle, Galileo, and Albert Einstein got it all wrong.

Diego Lopes Talks Accomplishing Dreams By Fighting for UFC Gold against Alexander Volkanovski

Diego Lopes is one win away from achieving his dream. In a blockbuster announcement made by UFC CEO Dana…

Diego Lopes is one win away from achieving his dream.

In a blockbuster announcement made by UFC CEO Dana White on Wednesday, featherweight titleholder Ilia Topuria has vacated his belt in favor of a move to lightweight where he will inevitably challenge that division’s top dog, Islam Makhachev.

As a result, UFC 314 will see a new featherweight champion crowned when ex-titleholder Alexander Volkanovksi returns to the Octagon for a clash with Lopes inside the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida.

Reacting to the news on social media, Lopes didn’t offer much thought on Topuria’s shocking decision to bail on the featherweight division after just one title defense. Instead, the Brazilian chose to focus on the task at hand and show appreciation for the opportunity he’s been presented with.

“I have worked like no one else in recent years, I have accepted challenges and dares that the UFC has put in front of me, I have said yes in every situation, even when it was not favorable for me.” Lopes wrote on X. “In less than 2 years within the UFC I will have my opportunity for the title. I will not fail. Dream, believe and make it happen.”

Diego Lopes rides into UFC 314 on a five-fight win streak

Lopes goes into his first UFC title fight riding a five-fight win streak inside the Octaton, his most recent victory coming against Brian Ortega in September. Before that, he racked up a series of impressive showings against Gavin Tucker, Pat Sabatini, Sodiq Yusuff, and Dan Ige.

As for Volkanovski, this will be his first time competing since suffering a pair of brutal back-to-back knockouts last year against Topuria and Makhachev—the two men rumored to fight for the lightweight strap as early as International Fight Week.