Ankalaev won the
Ultimate Fighting Championship 205-pound title against Pereira
in their first matchup at
UFC 313 in March 2025 in dominant fashion. The Russian then put
his title on the line against Pereira in their immediate rematch at

UFC 320 in October. “Poatan” knocked out Ankalaev in just 80
seconds to reclaim his strap.

The Russian has now divulged the obstacles he overcame ahead of the
rematch.

Magomed Ankalaev says health issues led his team to urge him to
withdraw from UFC 320 against Alex Pereira

Ankalaev's team and his manager, Ali Abdelaziz, claimed that he was
not fully fit going into the rematch against Pereira. Abdelaziz
said that Ankalaev had decided to go ahead with the fight despite
being advised otherwise by his team.

Ankalaev recently admitted that he was dealing with health issues
going into UFC 320. The former light heavyweight champion also
reveals that he ignored his advisors when they told him that the
fight could be postponed if he pulled out. Ankalaev paid the price
for his mistake and doesn't want to relive the memory.

“I had some specific health issues at the time, and I was advised
by many not to even go out, to pull out of the fight, that they
were gonna move it to a later date,†Ankalaev told MMA Junkie. “I
decided that I was well enough to go on; I decided not to listen to
anybody. I made a mistake, and sometimes you have to pay for your
mistake. This has been a long time… I would rather not revisit it
if we can.â€

Ankalaev (20-2) was scheduled to return to action against Khalil
Rountree at
UFC Abu Dhabi on July 25. However, Rountree pulled out due to
an injury and has been replaced by Bogdan
Guskov (18-3) on 14 days' notice.

Tawanchai PK Saenchai officially vacated his ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Title on Tuesday, July 21. The move clears the path for Nico Carrillo to be elevated from interim titleholder to undisputed champion of the division.

The 27-year-old has been sidelined since December 2025 following surgery for an injury suffered against Liu Mengyang, and the decision carried genuine weight for a fighter of his stature.

“Throughout my reign as champion, I felt so happy and honored to defend my belt in front of fans all over the world. Every athlete dreams of holding onto their title for as long as possible, and I'm no exception,†he said.

“But after taking time to reflect, especially regarding my injury, I am officially announcing that I am vacating my World Championship Title today. I want to give the interim champion and the top-ranked contenders the chance to chase their dreams.â€

Tawanchai insists the decision was entirely his own

Tawanchai PK Saenchai made clear nobody pressured him into this call. Having spent years understanding what a title shot means to fighters chasing gold, he arrived at the decision entirely on his own terms.

He has largely stayed out of the spotlight since suffering the injury, letting his recovery play out away from constant public scrutiny. When he does return, Muay Thai will remain his clear priority, though he has not closed the door on his two-sport ambitions.

“I thought this through carefully and realized this is the right path so the organization can keep moving forward. I want to see other fighters get their shot, and I want the fans to stay happy watching the new generation compete,†he said.

“I'm currently back to about 70 to 80 percent. I expect to make my return pretty soon, likely early next year.

“I am 100 percent sticking with Muay Thai for sure. As for kickboxing, I still have that dream. I still have unfinished business with that belt.â€

Two years ago, online critics wrote off Sam-A Gaiyanghadao. Now the Thai legend is one win from World Title gold.

Sam-A Gaiyanghadao challenges Aliff Sor Dechapan for the ONE Interim Strawweight Muay Thai World Title in the main event of The Inner Circle 23 on Friday, July 24, streaming live from Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

At 42, the former two-sport, two-division ONE World Champion insists age has sharpened rather than dulled his fighting style. More than three decades and 400 professional bouts into his career, he says the calmer version of himself only found this level of aggression recently.

“I think my fighting style has changed in my forties. I have become more aggressive and stronger,†he said.

“It feels as though I am no longer afraid of my opponent's strikes. If I get hit, I get hit. If we have to trade, then we trade. That is simply how I fight now.â€

Sam-A Gaiyanghadao found calm amid criticism

Sam-A Gaiyanghadao has weathered two years of online criticism about his age. Commenters have suggested his best days are behind him and predicted younger opponents would knock him out, with the noise intensifying after a knockout loss to reigning champion Prajanchai PongSuphan PK left him questioning his future.

His wife, Tangmo, urged him to rest and trust his body, giving him the space to recover before committing to another title run.

“After that loss, a small thought crossed my mind. Maybe my body just couldn't take it anymore. I talked to my wife about it, but she gave me so much encouragement.â€

Since returning, Sam-A has answered every doubter with wins over Zhang Peimian, Jaosuayai Mor Krungthepthonburi, and Elmehdi El Jamari.

“By now, I have proven that age does not affect my ability to fight. Fight after fight, I have shown everyone that I can still compete in ONE Championship, continue moving forward, and challenge for a World Title.â€