MMA
Ex-UFC exec leaves PFL for BKB VP role
Published
7 hours agoon
A former UFC executive from the nascent days of the company's building process now finds himself in a similar role with a surging bare-knuckle boxing promotion. Loren Mack is now the Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Vice President of Strategy for BKB Bare Knuckle Boxing, as announced in a press release leading into their stacked BKB 56 card in Los Angeles on Saturday, July 18th.
Mack also has experience in this lane with ONE Championship during the years when the powerhouse Asian combat sports league had more of a defined focus on promoting mixed martial arts. Loren Mack was most recently the Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications for the Professional Fighters League, and in the wake of PFL San Diego and the looming summer series for PFL, now finds himself with a promotion that is vying for hierarchical placement in a surging sport as BKFC continues to serve the same master.
Global brand growth across several proven combat sports properties in a demonstrable way is now within the scope of Mack's deliverables as he aims to further bolster the international profile of BKB Bare Knuckle Boxing during a key transformative period for the sport.
BKB Bare Knuckle Boxing announcement touched on by the promotional CEO as well as by Loren Mack himself
David Tetreault is the Chief Executive Officer of BKB, and when discussing the onboarding of Mack to their brand, Tetreault said [via BKB's press release],
“BKB has achieved extraordinary growth over the past several years, and we're assembling an executive team capable of taking the organization to the next level. Loren brings a rare combination of strategic vision, marketing expertise, commercial leadership, and deep industry relationships developed over more than two decades in sports.â€
“His experience building global brands and driving business growth will be invaluable as we continue expanding our audience, strengthening our partnerships, and continue to bring BKB to millions of fans around the world.â€
Also responding to this BKB Bare Knuckle Boxing news is the man himself, as Mack stated [via BKB's press release,
“I've been fortunate to be part of some incredible organizations throughout my career, but I truly believe this represents the biggest opportunity in combat sports today. BKB has incredible momentum and has established itself as the largest and most-watched bare knuckle boxing organization in the world. I'm excited to help continue to elevate the brand, expand its global footprint, develop new business opportunities, and introduce BKB to millions of new fans around the world.â€
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MMA
Michael Page returns at UFC Paris against surging Nursulton Ruziboev
Published
8 minutes agoon
July 16, 2026
OUI OUI 🇫🇷
Michael Venom Page & Nursulton Ruziboev will clash at middleweight
at #UFCParis
🤩[ September 5 | LIVE on @ParamountPlus
] pic.twitter.com/HbzdoPnFrU
— UFC on Paramount+ (@UFConParamount)
July 15, 2026
Michael
Page is among the latest additions to the upcoming
Ultimate Fighting Championship event in Paris.
Several matchups, mostly featuring European fighters, have been
finalized for UFC
Paris on Sept. 5 at Accor Arena in Paris, France.
The UFC announced several new fights for its Sept. 5 event in
France
Page (25-3) will take on Nursulton
Ruziboev (37-9) in a middleweight bout at UFC Paris. The
Englishman is 4-1 in the UFC and currently on a three-fight winning
streak. Despite a commendable Octagon record, “Venom†has been
severely criticized for the lackluster nature of his recent
outings. Meanwhile, Ruziboev is 5-1 in the UFC with four finishes.
The Uzbek middleweight is currently on a three-fight winning
streak.
UFC Paris also features undefeated heavyweight prospect Mario Pinto
(12-0) against knockout artist Ryan Spann
(24-11). Pinto earned his UFC contract with a first-round knockout
win on the Contender Series in 2024. The Portuguese prospect has
since finished two of his three UFC wins. Meanwhile, Spann has seen
the judges' scorecards only six times in his 35 career outings.
“Superman†is 10-6 in the UFC and coming off back-to-back wins.
Belgium's Losene
Keita (16-2) will take on Tajikistan's Muhammadjon
Naimov (13-4) in a featherweight clash at UFC Paris. Keita
dropped a closely contested split decision against Nathaniel
Wood in his UFC debut this past March. Meanwhile, Naimov is 5-2
in the UFC and coming off a knockout loss against Mairon
Santos.
Oumar
Sy (12-2) will have the Paris home crowd behind him when he
takes on Modestas
Bukauskas (20-7) in a light heavyweight tilt at Accor Arena. Sy
was a highly touted finishing machine coming into the UFC in 2024.
He has since gone 3-2 in the promotion and is coming off a shocking
upset loss against Ion
Cutelaba via submission. Meanwhile, Bukauskas is 7-2 in his
second UFC stint since 2023. The Lithuanian is coming off a
split-decision win over debutant Christian
Edwards.
Nora
Cornolle (9-4) will look to return to the win column in front
of her home fans when she faces Klaudia
Sygula (8-2) at UFC Paris. Cornolle is 3-3 in the UFC and
coming off a two-fight slump. Meanwhile, Sygula is on a two-fight
winning streak since suffering a knockout loss in her UFC debut in
2024.
🔥 La francophonie est bien représentée pour
cet #UFCParis
!Ne manquez pas l'ouverture de la billetterie CE VENDREDI pic.twitter.com/9gv9x5C7MH
— UFC France (@UFCFRA)
July 15, 2026
MMA
Ben Askren’s final match comes one year after double lung transplant
Published
3 hours agoon
July 15, 2026
Ultimate Fighting Championship veteran Ben Askren
will have a fairytale ending to his wrestling career irrespective
of the outcome of his next match.
Askren is scheduled to face Belal
Muhammad in the co-main event at RAF 11 in front of his home
fans in Milwaukee. Most thought Askren would never compete again
when he was battling a life-threatening case of pneumonia last
year. The Olympic gold medalist looked nothing like himself after
undergoing a double lung transplant exactly a year ago. However,
Askren recovered well and gradually returned to the wrestling mats
at his training academy.
UFC veteran Ben Askren returns to wrestling after surviving a
major medical scare
Currently a commentator and ambassador at RAF, Askren had no plans
to compete while urging the promotion to come to his hometown.
However, he couldn't resist the idea when he learned that RAF would
come to Milwaukee on his birthday.
Askren has confirmed that he will hang up his wrestling shoes for
good after his match against Muhammad this weekend.
“I don't want to do any more matches. This is it for me,†Askren
told MMA Fighting. “I never really even had the idea. I did
encourage RAF to come to Milwaukee because we do have a strong
wrestling base here… I knew we would sell a bunch of tickets. So, I
said, ‘Hey guys, Milwaukee's great in the summer; come to
Milwaukee.' We'll sell a bunch of tickets; we'll probably be able
to attract the Chicago crowd too, because they had a great show
there last November or whenever it was. And when they told me it
was going to be on my birthday, something just said, ‘Ben, get out
there and wrestle. It's a year after your transplant. It's your
birthday; it's your hometown. Go do it.'â€
MMA
Cris Cyborg announces next chapter after MMA retirement: starting a family
Published
6 hours agoon
July 15, 2026
Former
Ultimate Fighting Championship champion Cris
Cyborg is ready to embrace a new chapter once her legendary
mixed martial arts career comes to an end.
The reigning
Professional Fighters League champion has revealed that she
plans to start a family after her retirement bout against Ketlen
Vieira at
PFL Tampa on Aug. 22. She also confirmed that she has one more
boxing match scheduled for later this year.
Cris Cyborg's final MMA chapter has a deeply personal goal
Speaking to Sherdog’s Marcelo Alonso ahead of her farewell MMA
fight, Cyborg explained that her decision to retire is fueled by a
personal goal.
“I’ll never stop training because I love competing,†she said.
“I’ve been training since I was 12 years old. I started fighting
professionally at 19. This healthy lifestyle has allowed me to
reach 41 years old in great health and still performing at an elite
level. It’s become part of who I am, and I won’t change that.â€
The Brazilian, who turned 41 on July 9, confirmed that she already
has a boxing bout booked after facing Vieira but intends to focus
on starting a family after her retirement.
A middleweight
title fight headlines PFL Austin: Tune on Saturday, July 18 at 8
p.m. ET on ESPN.
“But I’ve always wanted to become a mother. Now I plan to get
pregnant and begin this new chapter,” she added.
Cyborg also said that she's happy to have fellow Brazilian Vieira,
a top-ranked contender whom the UFC opted against re-signing, as
her last opponent in MMA.
“I believe Ketlen is in her prime,” Cyborg said. “Just a few months
ago, she was ranked in the top three, so I’m happy to have a ranked
and highly credible opponent for my final fight.”
Cyborg enters the bout as one of the most accomplished female
fighters in MMA history. She will look to cap off her career with a
30th professional victory before shifting her focus to motherhood.
Michael Page returns at UFC Paris against surging Nursulton Ruziboev
Ben Askren’s final match comes one year after double lung transplant
Cris Cyborg announces next chapter after MMA retirement: starting a family
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