Marlon Moraes explains decision to retire before signing with the PFL: ‘I just wasn’t feeling it anymore in the UFC’

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.

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.

Gilbert Burns hasn’t given up hope on a five-round fight against Jorge Masvidal at UFC 287, though he concedes it probably won’t happen. Just days after their matchup was announced for the April 8 card, the one-time UFC welterweight title challenger requested a 25-minute co-headliner. Masvidal quickly shot down that idea, adding he’d already signed his bout agreement and wasn’t interested in a five-round fight unless the UFC pays him “BMF money.”

If Jorge Masvidal can win at UFC 287, Leon Edwards is prepared to finally settle their score. In the co-main event of UFC 287, Masvidal faces Gilbert Burns in a pivotal welterweight bout. The bout is critical for Masvidal, who has lost three in a row and finds himself on the precipice of being dropped from the title conversation for good. However, if he wins, those losses won’t matter as much, because the welterweight champion says he’ll give “Gamebred” a title shot.

Who is Fedor Emelianenko and why is he so revered?. Ahead of Emelianenko’s retirement fight against Ryan Bader on Saturday night, MMA Fighting’s Shaun Al-Shatti and E. Casey Leydon explain the legend of “The Last Emperor” and the story behind one of the most celebrated heavyweights in MMA history.

Former UFC interim heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane has a mission – to hand Jon Jones his first legitimate loss. Gane released his own promo for his UFC 285 headliner against former light heavyweight kingpin Jones and borrowed the soundtrack for the latest installment of Mission Impossible. Gane welcomes back...

For the final time in a legendary career that spans two decades, Fedor Emelianenko will make the walk to compete in an MMA fight. On an all-new edition of Between the Links, the panel discusses the swan song for “The Last Emperor” when he faces Ryan Bader for the heavyweight title in the main event of Bellator 290, and the fight card as a whole which will serve as the Bellator debut on CBS. Additionally, topics include Dana White’s big announcement this past Friday regarding UFC 287, including Alex Pereira vs. Israel Adesanya 2 in the headliner, along with Gilbert Burns vs. Jorge Masvidal at the April 8 event, Max Holloway’s return to the octagon against Arnold Allen at the UFC’s April 15 event, this Saturday’s UFC Vegas6 8 card headlined by Derrick Lewis vs. Serghei Spivac, and more.

The PFL officially returns April 1 for a new season with the main and co-main events for the first three cards announced Thursday via a press release. The three events will all take place at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. 2022 featherweight champion Brendan Loughnane headlines the first card on April...

With a historic event for Bellator MMA this Saturday, it is putting its best foot forward in the heads up battle with the UFC, which includes the final fight of Fedor Emelianenko’s legendary career, along with the sendoff “The Last Emperor” will receive. On an all-new edition...

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...

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Deiveson Figueiredo went under the knife Tuesday to fix injuries sustained in his UFC 283 championship loss to Brandon Moreno on Jan. 21. The procedure was deemed a success by the doctors, Figueiredo’s coach “Maizena” confirmed to MMA Fighting. The former UFC flyweight champion suffered fractures to...

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.

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.

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.