MMA

Reed Kuhn Close Reed Kuhn Special to ESPN.com Reed Kuhn is a Silicon Valley entrepreneur, and strategy and analytics consultant. He is the author of “Fightnomics: The Hidden Numbers and Science in Mixed Martial Arts,” the first book to quantify drivers and performance metrics in combat sports. Ian Parker May 25, 2023, 09:26 AM ET

Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff WriterMay 23, 2023, 09:33 AM ET Close MMA columnist for ESPN.com Analyst for “MMA Live” Covered MMA for Las Vegas Sun WHEN FRANCIS NGANNOU officially announced he’d signed with the PFL earlier this month, he promised the deal would allow the next chapter of his career to be “tremendous.” Under the

Jeff Wagenheim May 20, 2023, 10:36 PM ET Mackenzie Dern did not add to her record number of submissions but showed off a different dimension of dangerousness in dominating Angela Hill in the main event of UFC Fight Night on Saturday in Las Vegas. Dern (13-3), a two-time jiu-jitsu world champion whose four submission wins

May 19, 2023, 09:27 AM ET It’s been a massive week of breaking news in mixed martial arts, as the last five days have included the end of Francis Ngannou‘s free agency and the return of the UFC’s notorious BMF title. Ngannou (17-3) sent a shockwave through the sport Tuesday when he announced he’d signed

Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff WriterMay 18, 2023, 03:29 PM ET Close MMA columnist for ESPN.com Analyst for “MMA Live” Covered MMA for Las Vegas Sun If Sean O’Malley is to become the UFC’s bantamweight champion this summer, he’ll have to defeat the most dangerous bantamweight in the history of the sport — at least in

Jake Michaels, ESPN Senior WriterMay 17, 2023, 08:14 PM ET Close Jake Michaels is a Melbourne-based sports writer who covers everything from Aussie Rules to Formula One, basketball to boxing. He has been with ESPN for 10 years and works as a Senior Writer, covering sport in Australia and around the world. Sydney has struck

Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff WriterMay 17, 2023, 04:45 PM ET Close MMA columnist for ESPN.com Analyst for “MMA Live” Covered MMA for Las Vegas Sun The Nevada State Athletic Commission has officially acknowledged nine PFL fighters tested positive for banned substances last month, during the promotion’s opening round of matchups for its 2023 season. Last

Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff WriterMay 16, 2023, 07:35 PM ET Close MMA columnist for ESPN.com Analyst for “MMA Live” Covered MMA for Las Vegas Sun A bantamweight title fight between Aljamain Sterling and Sean O’Malley will headline UFC 292 on Aug. 19, UFC president Dana White announced on Tuesday. The pay-per-view event will take place

Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff WriterMay 16, 2023, 05:16 AM ET Close MMA columnist for ESPN.com Analyst for “MMA Live” Covered MMA for Las Vegas Sun Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou has signed an expansive, multi-fight deal with the Professional Fighters League, he and the organization jointly announced on Tuesday. Ngannou (17-3) is expected to

Jeff Wagenheim May 15, 2023, 12:34 PM ET The Edwards family already has one MMA world champion. It could add a second in September. Bellator middleweight Fabian Edwards, fresh off a win in a No. 1 contender fight, will challenge champion Johnny Eblen in the main event of Bellator Dublin on Sept. 23 at 3Arena

Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff WriterMay 13, 2023, 05:59 PM ET Close MMA columnist for ESPN.com Analyst for “MMA Live” Covered MMA for Las Vegas Sun CHARLOTTE, North Carolina — Jailton Almeida still has a long way to reach the top of the heavyweight division, but it certainly appears he’ll be a force to reckon with

Marc Raimondi, ESPN Staff WriterMay 13, 2023, 07:07 PM ET Former UFC champion Deiveson Figueiredo is now officially out of his scheduled flyweight contender bout against Manel Kape at UFC 290 on July 8 in Las Vegas, UFC president Dana White said Saturday at a news conference after UFC Charlotte. Figueiredo had told MMA Fighting

Brett Okamoto Close Brett Okamoto ESPN Staff Writer MMA columnist for ESPN.com Analyst for “MMA Live” Covered MMA for Las Vegas Sun Jeff Wagenheim May 16, 2023, 07:02 PM ET The PFL has made it a mission to persuade the MMA public that it is the No. 2 fight promotion in the sport, behind only

Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff WriterMay 16, 2023, 07:19 PM ET Close MMA columnist for ESPN.com Analyst for “MMA Live” Covered MMA for Las Vegas Sun Former UFC interim lightweight champions Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje will square off for the second time in a five-round main event at UFC 291, UFC president Dana White announced

May 15, 2023, 09:23 AM ET There was plenty of action across MMA over the weekend with Bellator 296 in Paris on Friday night and UFC Fight Night in Charlotte on Saturday. Rising UFC heavyweight contender Jailton Almeida notched a first-round submission win over Jairzinho Rozenstruik to extend his UFC unbeaten streak to five in

Andres Waters May 12, 2023, 08:35 AM ET Rising heavyweight contender Jailton Almeida (18-2, 4-0 UFC) is set to make his first UFC Fight Night main event appearance on Saturday night. Almeida, currently unranked in ESPN’s divisional rankings, will take on ESPN’s No. 10 ranked heavyweight, Jairzinho Rozenstruik, at UFC Fight Night in Charlotte (3

Marc Raimondi, ESPN Staff WriterMay 12, 2023, 12:41 PM ET Nine PFL fighters have been suspended by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC), forcing the promotion to make major changes to its ongoing season. Seven PFL fighters, including former UFC title challenger Thiago Santos and former PFL heavyweight champion Bruno Cappelozza, appeared Thursday on the

Marc Raimondi, ESPN Staff WriterMay 12, 2023, 07:26 PM ET Leon might not be the only Edwards family member with a championship in the future. Fabian Edwards, brother of UFC titleholder Leon Edwards, beat multiple-time former MMA champion Gegard Mousasi via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-46) on Friday in the main event of Bellator 296