Between the Links: Bellator 288, UFC Vegas 65, PFL pay-per-view, Chimaev vs. Pereira, more

With the UFC, Bellator, and major MMA promotions off this past weekend, MMA Fighting’s matchmaking show decided to give back to fans of the program with a special “Ask Us Anything” show. On an all-new edition of On To the Next One, MMA Fighting’s Mike Heck and...

It’s been a long, long time since Alexander Volkanovski has been a betting underdog. The reigning UFC featherweight champion has been one of the most dominant forces in MMA since joining the UFC in 2016, racking up a 12-0 record and four defenses of his 145-pound belt en route to becoming the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the sport. Naturally, he’s been the betting favorite for the majority of that run. But that will change on Feb. 12 when Volkanovski vaults up to 155 pounds to challenge UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev for two-division glory in the main event of UFC 284.

Israel Adesanya is once again promising a scary good time. “The Last Stylebender” is scheduled to face longtime rival Alex Pereira once again when he challenges Pereira for the UFC middleweight title at UFC 287 on April 8. Pereira defeated Adesanya via a dramatic fifth-round knockout at UFC 281 to claim the belt, moving him to 4-0 in their series that also includes a pair of kickboxing bouts.

Longtime UFC broadcaster Laura Sanko is official as the second female color commentator in UFC history. The promotion on Monday announced Sanko makes her debut cageside at UFC Vegas 68, which takes place Saturday at UFC APEX in Las Vegas. The assignment marks a new professional benchmark for Sanko, a regular presence behind the UFC desk for pre- and post-fight shows and a color commentator on Dana White’s Contender Series.

After taking a week off, the UFC is back and, for the first time in 2023, so is Bellator! UFC Vegas 68 takes place late on Saturday and is headlined by a heavyweight title between Derrick Lewis and Sergey Spivak. But before that, all-time great Fedor Emelianenko makes the final walk of his career, challenging Ryan Bader for the heavyweight title at Bellator 290. As always, the No Bets Barred boys are back, covering all the best betting angles for both cards.

Max Holloway is rejoining the fray. A massive featherweight fight pitting Holloway against top contender Arnold Allen is being targeted to headline a UFC Fight Night event on April 15. MMA Fighting confirmed the news Monday following an initial report by UFC broadcast partner ESPN. Contracts have yet to be finalized however verbal agreements are in place.

Mike Perry is the backup plan for Jake Paul’s next fight. Speaking to the media this past Saturday, Paul announced that Perry will step in as a replacement opponent should Tommy Fury withdraw from his upcoming boxing bout against Paul on Feb. 25 in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia. “We have...

The Mixed Martial Arts Hour is back in your life! Below is a rundown of Monday’s show, which begins at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT / 6 p.m. UK time. 1 p.m. ET: We recap the latest MMA news and the weekend in combat sports. 1:45 p.m.:...

Ryan Bader is quietly building his own legacy at heavyweight, but he’s not quite put together the résumé where he could be considered among the best ever. As it stands, Bader’s upcoming opponent Fedor Emelianenko is most commonly called the the greatest of all-time at heavyweight after putting together a ridiculous 28-fight, eight year unbeaten streak, which included his stint as a PRIDE champion.

Two-time UFC title challenger Jorge Masvidal said he cut loose his longtime management firm when he decided he didn’t need them to negotiate his deals. On Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour, Masvidal indicated he wasn’t getting his money’s worth and decided on a “100 percent split” with First Round Management this past December. Masvidal was part of a star roster that once included UFC champs Jon Jones and Demetrious Johnson, but he said he is now “basically” self-managed.

RIO DE JANEIRO - Conor McGregor hasn’t won a fight in more than three years, but he’s still seen by Brazilian UFC stars as a very profitable and winnable foe inside the octagon. UFC middleweight champion Alex Pereira was one of the UFC 283 guest fighters part a...

By the time fighters step into the cage late Saturday at the UFC APEX, Laura Sanko will have put in three days of preparation to call the action at UFC Vegas 68. The gig is new for Sanko, 40, who’s set to be the first female color commentator in modern UFC history. The routine and the nerves are not.

Ahead of the final mixed martial arts bout of his legendary career, Fedor Emelianenko has no regrets not competing inside the UFC’s octagon. Emelianenko will challenge Ryan Bader for the Bellator heavyweight title this Saturday at Bellator 290 in his swan song at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, Calif. The event will be the promotion’s first to air on CBS network television.

The UFC’s first pay-per-view of 2023 delivered the drama in a big way. In the UFC 283 edition of the “Fight Motion” series, you can relive Jamahal Hill putting on a career-best performance to complete an unexpected rise to the top of the light heavyweight division, Brandon Moreno putting an exclamation point on his tetralogy against Deiveson Figueiredo, Gilbert Burns dominating Neil Magny, and more.

Over the last few days, a slew of massive fights have been announced for the UFC, including two big ones for UFC 287 with Alex Pereira vs. Israel Adesanya 2, and Gilbert Burns vs. Jorge Masvidal. On Monday evening, another big fight was confirmed in the featherweight division between Max Holloway and Arnold Allen for the main event of the promotion’s April 15 fight card. While the matchup is great on paper, was it the right fight to make for the division?

Matchroom Boxing exec Eddie Hearn may not get along with Jake Paul right now, but he’s picking “The Problem Child” over Tommy Fury. On Wednesday’s The MMA Hour, Hearn said Fury, the half-brother of heavyweight boxing champ Tyson Fury, is “unbelievably limited” and will crack under the pressure of Paul’s mental warfare.

The Mixed Martial Arts Hour is back in your life! Below is a rundown of Wednesday’s show, which begins at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT / 6 p.m. UK time. 1 p.m. ET: A preview of this weekend’s upcoming events including Bellator 290 and UFC Vegas 68.

Fedor Emelianenko’s greatness will be recognized by some of the greatest to ever do it. Following of the last fight of “The Last Emperor,” which takes place against heavyweight champion Ryan Bader this Saturday at Bellator 290 in Inglewood, Calif., Emelianenko will be honored with a special ceremony on fight night that has an illustrious guest list, which includes legends Randy Couture, Royce Gracie, Chuck Liddell and more.

The UFC is discussing a potential clash between Charles Oliveira and Beneil Dariush for later this year, and “Benny’s” teammate Neiman Gracie likes Dariush’s chances against the jiu-jitsu ace. A member of the family that has founded Brazilian jiu-jitsu and created the UFC three decades ago,...

Michael Chandler sees no other options for Conor McGregor’s return opponent. The three-time Bellator lightweight champion made his intentions clear as soon as he entered the octagon in Jan. 2021. Chandler, 36, isn’t here for a long time, he’s here for a good time ... and that was said with the hope of big fights like “The Notorious” McGregor.