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UFC President, Dana White, broke the news today (Tues., May 2, 2023) that a major shift has taken place atop UFC 289 on June 10, 2023, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The original Bantamweight title main event trilogy between reigning roost-ruler, Amanda Nunes (22-5), and former champion, Julianna Pena (12-5), is off after “Venezuelan Vixen” suffered a broken rib. Now, Aldana (14-6) , the No. 5-ranked contender out of Mexico, is set to fill in for her first UFC title shot. Before the Pena trilogy was formally announced, the Nunes-Aldana pairing was one that many in the mixed martial arts (MMA) community anticipated. Aldana has won her previous two fights by spectacular knockout victories over opponents like former featherweight championship contender Yana Santos and Macy Chiasson, the featherweight champion of season 28 of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF). Prior to Raquel Pennington's injury, Aldana was scheduled to face Pennington again in the main event of UFC Vegas 73 on May 20, 2023. Aldana's replacement in the Pennington fight has not yet been revealed, and it is unknown whether the Bantamweight contender will continue to compete in that main event spot.

Veteran welterweight Neil Magny will compete on June 24 in Jacksonville for the second time this year against rival Phil Rowe. The featherweight contenders Josh Emmett and Ilia Topuria will be the event's featured fighters, and the #11-ranked Magny will try to recover from the terrible setback he experienced in Brazil in January at the fight. The unranked Phil Rowe will share the cage with "The Haitian Sensation" inside the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena, according to reports from MMA Junkie's Nolan King and Farah Hannoun. Magny and Rowe will travel to Florida the following month with different objectives thanks to the booking. Magny (27-10), a longtime challenger, will be hoping for a strong showing. The 35-year-old made an unfortunate journey to Rio de Janeiro earlier this year, where he lost to the #5-ranked Gilbert Burns via submission in the first round. He will aim to regain the form that saw him force the highly regarded Daniel Rodriguez to submit in November at UFC Vegas 64 when he faces Rowe. The inability to do so could result in "The Haitian Sensation" going on its first losing streak since 2013. Rowe (10-3), who has climbed the welterweight ladder with the help of three straight victories since losing his promotional debut to Gabe Green in 2021, will be the one aiming to break him out of that slump.

Masvidal announced his retirement from fighting last month at UFC 287 in his native Miami, Florida, following his fourth straight defeat. Despite a valiant effort, "Gamebred" was ultimately unable to defeat "Durinho's" all-around game as he won by a unanimous decision. It was Masvidal's (35-17) 52nd fight, and despite no longer being a competitor, he is still well-established in the combat sports community. The 38-year-old experienced welterweight, who is the head of Gamebred FC and Gamebred Boxing, is concentrating on his promotional duties. Although it is intended to keep things that way, Masvidal will not rule out the possibility of returning. “I love this sport so f****** much, bro. I love it so much,” Masvidal told ESPN. “As people would assume, I cried for many days after retirement. Not because I’m f****** so hurt, this and that, it’s because I love this sport. Since 11, 12 years old this is all I did. Whether it was in a karate class then after that I went to a kung-fu class, but I’ve been training once or twice a day every day for this. Waking up just in love with what I do and being in love with the same thing for 20 years. There’s so much love and passion in my heart. “I’ll never say like, ‘I’ll never come back’ because I love this sport so much. I have so many great memories that just fill me and will stay with me forever about this sport. So, I’ll never say I can’t come back.” Do you think Masvidal will come back for one final time? Comment and let us know

In the world of MMA, there are always exciting matchups being discussed and speculated upon by fans and fighters alike. One potential matchup that has been gaining steam in recent weeks is a main event bout between former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman and rising star Khamzat Chimaev. Usman, who holds an impressive record of 20-3, is widely considered one of the best fighters in the world today. He has dominated the UFC's welterweight division since capturing the title in 2019 and has defended it successfully five times since then. Usman is a well-rounded fighter with excellent striking and grappling skills and is known for his relentless pace and cardio. Nevertheless, the situation has changed over the past 12 months. Last summer, Leon Edwards banged him out, causing him to concede the title. In March, 'Rocky' defeated him once more by majority decision. Since his title loss and trilogy bout with Leon Edwards, Usman has been thinking out of the box. The pressure of being a champion has been released which made him lookout for some exciting fights and Khamzat Chimaev is the person he has been targeting. “A fight with myself and Khamzat? Boom,” Usman said to ESPN. “I’m kind of in a place now where I’m having fun with it, and what’s the biggest, funniest, most intense fight that really makes me feel something? That’s a fight right there. That could headline a pay-per-view.” Chimaev burst onto the scene in 2020 with a series of impressive victories, including two wins in the span of just 10 days. He has since become one of the UFC's most hyped prospects, with many pundits and fans predicting big things for him in the future. Chimaev (12-0) is a ferocious striker with a dangerous ground game and has yet to taste defeat in his MMA career. “He’s a fighter and I’m a fighter at the end of the day,” Usman said. “I fight these guys' hearts, not their weight. I’ve been able to deal with middleweights and light heavyweights in the gym. And if he wants a shot at the welterweight strap, you kind of have to give a little bit and show I can get down there and do it. But if it’s up a weight, potentially.” Since, Chimaev may be making his way up to middleweight sooner rather than later which was also confirmed by UFC President Dana White after struggling to make the scales in his last fight against Kevin Holland at UFC 279, but we can all agree that this fight would be a total firecracker.

Former world heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder was arrested in the early hours of this morning in Los Angeles on a charge of possession of a concealed weapon. The hard-hitting heavyweight was stopped at around 1.15am by police during a routine traffic stop, with officers believing that his car windows were illegally tinted and that his licence plate was obstructed, according to TMZ. Mirror Fighting can confirm that the arrest was in relation to a firearm, and that Wilder, 37, was subsequently released after posting a $35,000 bond at 6.34am. Wilder was booked at 3.13am, meaning he spent just over three hours in the facility. He has since had a court date of May 23 set in Los Angeles, where he could face a felony charge and be fined up to $10,000. The boxer is currently in talks for a December super-fight with Anthony Joshua in Saudi Arabia. At the time of publication, the Media Relations Division of the Los Angeles Police Department did not have a comment on the arrest. Wilder took to Twitter to make a cryptic and brief statement, telling his 776,700+ followers: "I’d rather be safe than sorry. The End." Wilder has been training in California for his inevitable ring return, with talks currently underway for a bout between he and fellow former champion Joshua. The pair are in discussions to meet in Saudi Arabia, where the Brit has fought twice and his American rival visited as a spectator back in February for Jake Paul vs Tommy Fury. It is believed that Saudi Arabian officials are looking to get the two ex-title holders to face off in the semi-final of a tournament in which Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk would fight for the undisputed gold. Fury dethroned Wilder as WBC champion in 2020 before a 2021 trilogy bout defence, while Usyk defeated Joshua twice for the WBA, IBF and WBO belts in 2021 and 2022. Both Wilder and Joshua have made returns to action since losing their belts over the past few years. First of all, back in October, the American viciously knocked out Robert Helenius within a round before his British counterpart came back to the UK to face Jermaine Franklin, winning by unanimous decision in a relatively lack-lustre bout. It remains to be seen if Wilder's arrest will have any impact at all on talks for his next fight.

A new promoter has been selected by Regis Prograis. With Eddie Hearn's Matchroom Boxing, the WBC super lightweight champion is anticipated to sign a three-fight contract. The 34-year-old Prograis' fights will be broadcast by DAZN around the world as part of that agreement. Prograis' debut match under his new contract is most likely going to happen this summer against an unnamed opponent. The native of New Orleans, Prograis (28-1, 24 KOs), choose to work with Hearn's organisation over an offer from Bob Arum's Top Rank Inc. The former WBA 140-pound champion would have had opportunities to compete on ESPN against opponents like the victor of the upcoming Josh Taylor-Teofimo Lopez fight, former WBC/WBO 140-pound champion Jose Ramirez, and unbeaten challenger Arnold Barboza Jr. if Prograis had agreed to a five-fight commitment from Arum's company. Top Rank has all of Taylor, Lopez, Ramirez, and Barbosa promoted. Candidates for the junior welterweight division Jack Catterall, Richardson Hitchins, and Liam Paro are a few of the Matchroom-affiliated boxers who Prograis might meet in the main events broadcast on DAZN. Prograis also made the decision to establish Rougarou Promotions in honour of his stage name. The fights will be co-promoted by Matchroom and Rougarou Promotions thanks to Matchroom's exclusive content agreement with DAZN. Prograis previously was promoted by Probellum, which announced his signing in October 2021. He parted ways with promoter Lou DiBella in 2020. On June 10, at The Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York, Taylor will defend his WBO junior welterweight title against Lopez (18-1, 13 KOs) in the headline event that ESPN will broadcast. Prograis has made no secret of his desire to rematch with Taylor and to face Ramirez (28-1, 18 KOs). Over the past few years, Prograis has repeatedly called Ramirez out for "ducking" him.

British Middleweight Chris Eubank Jr. Disgusted by Fighters Testing Positive for Banned Substances Chris Eubank Jr. has expressed his disappointment over the recent spate of boxers testing positive for banned performance-enhancing substances in the United Kingdom. Eubank, who had a high-profile catchweight bout with Conor Benn canceled due to Benn's two failed tests for clomifene, and more recently, Amir Khan's backdated two-year ban for testing positive for ostarine after his sixth-round defeat to Kell Brook, expressed his disgust for the situation in an interview with iFL TV. Eubank recounted being approached by individuals offering him "assistance" but was quick to dismiss the idea of using banned substances, stating that he had dedicated his life to the sport and that cheating would destroy his reputation. He also expressed concern that young people could be influenced by the behavior of these athletes, and the example they set could lead to further cheating. "It’s disheartening, it’s upsetting, disappointing because kids are reading these headlines and going, ‘Well, Conor Benn did it. Amir Khan did it. I’m gonna do it.' That’s the example that you’re setting for the kids coming up," Eubank said in the interview. Eubank, who will be fighting Liam Smith in a rematch on June 17 at the AO Arena in Manchester, also expressed his frustration at the situation and the impact it has on clean athletes. He acknowledged that the issue is prevalent in the sport and that the temptation to cheat can be too much for some fighters. Eubank's sentiments echo those of many clean athletes who believe that doping not only undermines the integrity of the sport but also poses a danger to those who compete against athletes who use performance-enhancing drugs. It is clear that more needs to be done to deter athletes from using banned substances and to protect the integrity of the sport.

The former lightweight champion of the UFC and Bellator, Eddie Alvarez, recently appeared in his Bare-Knuckle Fighting Championship debut and defeated Chad Mendes, another former UFC competitor. Both of them presented an outstanding performance in that match. In the five-round contest, the two former UFC stalwarts threw many knockdowns, eventually Alvarez winning by a split decision. The skilled boxer is currently looking for an out-of-town matchup with Nate Diaz of Stockton. The former UFC champion declared his desire to head back to the BKFC stage after the victory. In an interview with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, Alvarez revealed a potential opponent for him. He yelled out Nate Diaz over there. The native of Stockton just scheduled his fight with Jake Paul in August. On The MMA Hour, Eddie Alvarez claimed he's sought to face Nate Diaz for a long time. The fight hasn't happened yet even when the pair was in UFC. But he thinks it's possible now that there are new regulations and promotions. Alvarez understands that Diaz will face "The Problem Child" in August in a boxing match but he thinks that BKFC could be able to draw the former UFC star since he is not under contract with any promotion. “Dude, I feel like I’m beating a dead horse. But I think me and Nate Diaz in this would be like, but he doesn’t want to fight me,” Eddie Alvarez stated on The MMA Hour. “I’m convinced, and I have no idea why. I have no clue why, but he will not fight me. And I’m like, maybe this, because like, I won’t take him down and beat him up. He’s always concerned about wrestlers taking him down, he thinks that’s cheating in a fight if you take him down or kick him.” He continued, “So like this, this is bare-knuckle, this is all we’re doing. I think me and Nate would be f*cking beautiful… Just bring me a big fight that fans are excited about.” In the meantime, Alvarez will continue to train and prepare for his next fight in BKFC. With his impressive debut and his determination to take on the best fighters in the world, Alvarez is quickly becoming a fan favorite in the promotion. And, who knows, if he continues to win and Diaz becomes available, we may just see the "fucking beautiful" fight that Alvarez is hoping for. Hopefully, Alvarez might be looking to settle an old score after an altercation with Nate Diaz back in 2015.

In November 2020, Josh Taylor faced off against Jack Catterall in what would become one of the most disputed decisions in recent British boxing history. Despite widespread criticism of the judges’ scoring, Taylor walked away with the WBO 140-pound title, and Catterall was left to ponder what might have been. Over a year later, Taylor remains unbothered by the controversy surrounding his victory. In a recent interview with Brian Custer on The Last Stand Podcast, the Scottish boxer stated that he has not received much blowback for the win, despite the social media storm and headlines that characterized the decision as a “heist job.” Taylor also suggested that the commentary for the fight, which was broadcasted by Sky, may have unfairly influenced public opinion against him. He argued that the commentary was heavily biased in favor of Catterall, and that without it, the fight would have been perceived very differently. Despite the controversy, Taylor is moving on. After multiple attempts to stage a rematch with Catterall fell through, Taylor announced that he would be defending his title against Teofimo Lopez, the former unified lightweight champion, in June 2023 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City. For Taylor, the fight against Lopez represents an opportunity to prove his worth on the world stage and silence any remaining doubts about his abilities. And while the controversy surrounding his win over Catterall may continue to linger, Taylor seems content to let his performances in the ring do the talking.

John Ryder will wake up this morning in Guadalajara, Mexico, just four days shy of the biggest opportunity of his boxing career. The 34-year-old Englishman has been paid for punching for the last 13 years and is now facing the biggest challenge of his life. His opponent? Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez, who has been the biggest commodity in boxing for nearly a decade. Ryder has spent most of his career working the smaller rooms across the United Kingdom, with the exception of higher-profile matches at the Copper Box Arena and the Echo Arena in Liverpool. In those three matches, he fought for regional titles against Billy Joe Saunders, Rocky Fielding, and Callum Smith, losing two competitive decisions and a wider verdict in his first career grab for a world championship. Ryder's three opponents, Saunders, Fielding, and Smith, have all fought and lost to Alvarez, two by KO and the third by a wide decision. Ryder's chances of winning are slim, with an 8-to-1 underdog status, but he remains determined and focused. Ryder returned from a 13-month hiatus after losing to Smith and scored consecutive wins over Mike Guy and Jozef Jurko. He then opened 2022 with a split 12-round decision over ex-middleweight claimant and former Alvarez challenger Daniel Jacobs. The win over previously unbeaten Zach Parker nine months later gave Ryder the WBO's interim title and put him in line for Alvarez, who was looking for a foe to appear opposite him when he returned to action with his first fight in Mexico in more than a decade. Ryder is not in Mexico for a holiday and wouldn't bring his team with him if he didn't believe he could win. He has worked hard to get back into this mandatory position and took the right fights at the right times. Ryder is determined to leave no stone unturned and believes he can come away victorious. In conclusion, Ryder is facing the biggest challenge of his career against Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez. Although the odds are against him, Ryder is determined to give it his all and come out on top. His hard work and dedication have brought him to this point, and he's ready to leave no stone unturned in his quest for victory. It'll be interesting to see how the fight plays out and whether Ryder can pull off the upset of the year.

MMA has a history of causing horrifying wounds. Bruised faces, fractured limbs, torn ligaments, and lost teeth. But occasionally, we experience an injury that even MMA would consider unusual. It's a cauliflower ear eruption this time. The event occurred at a fight card in Tijuana, Mexico, where UWC Mexico 43 was held this past Friday. Dorian Ramos, the UWCM featherweight champion, took the front stage when he faced José Pealoza in a title defense. Jose Pealoza entered this battle with a severe cauliflower ear. Pealoza was given some ground and pound by the UWCM champion, which caused his ear to swell three times its normal size. Referee Luis Cobian signaled for the cage-side doctor to examine the ear as Ramos and Pealoza entered the ring for the second round. He let "Relámpago" go on, which let Ramos resume a dominant top control position and apply more ground-and-pound. Pealoza's ear was badly hit. Blood was flying, and Pealoza's only option until the referee stopped the fight was to try to hide from Ramos' barrage of punches and elbows.

Former UFC fighter Felipe Colares passed away after being hit by a bus at the age of 29. On his way home from training in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Colares was struck by a bus on Monday morning. According to his coach Rodrigo Babi, the MMA fighter was rushed to Hospital Rocha Faria in Campo Grande but passed away before arriving there. Between 2019 and 2022, the former featherweight champion of Jungle Fight went 2-4 in the UFC, winning over Domingo Pilarte and Luke Sanders. After losing to Chris Gutierrez and Chase Hooper, he left the organization. Eight months after the birth of his first kid Rhavi, "Caboco" fought for the first time after his UFC release under the Ares FC banner and choked out Alioune Nahaye in Paris, France, to improve to 11-4 in MMA.