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Justin Gaethje rejects Ilia Topuria’s immediate UFC rematch push

Published

3 weeks ago

on

Justin Gaethje rejects Ilia Topuria’s immediate UFC rematch push

Justin Gaethje says Ilia Topuria must prove himself before a
rematch. | 📷: Getty/UFC


Justin
Gaethje believes Ilia
Topuria has to work his way back into title contention.

Gaethje challenged Topuria for the undisputed
Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight title at
UFC Freedom 250. While Topuria was a massive betting favorite
and nearly found a finish in the second round of their bout,
Gaethje rallied to pile on the damage in the next two frames.

The fight ultimately ended due to a corner stoppage before the
final round and Gaethje was crowned the new undisputed champion.
Topuria subsequently vowed to make amends in a rematch on social
media, but the Georgian-Spaniard will need to return to the win
column before another title shot, according to the new lightweight
king.

UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje says Ilia Topuria must
return to the win column

Gaethje was recently asked if he would consider an immediate
rematch against Topuria. “The Highlight” shut down the idea,
doubting whether Topuria would even ask for an immediate rematch.
The American believes Arman
Tsarukyan is way more deserving of the next lightweight title
shot and notes that he didn't dispatch Topuria with a lucky shot.
The UFC lightweight champion further added that Topuria hasn't been
seen much in public since the brutal loss.

“No, he's not fighting me next,†Gaethje told RMC Sport Combat.
“Why would he fight me next? Arman deserves it way more than him… I
didn't knock him out, I didn't get lucky, I beat him up. He's gonna
have to get a win before he fights for a championship… He didn't
say he wanted a rematch. If he uses his mouth and says, ‘I want a
rematch,' I will be very surprised. We haven't even seen him.â€

Topuria (17-1) was undefeated with consecutive knockout wins over
Alexander
Volkanovski, Max
Holloway, and Charles
Oliveira before facing Gaethje (28-5). “El Matador” isn't the
only contender gunning for a rematch with Gaethje, with Paddy
Pimblett and Holloway, who returned to winning ways at
UFC 329, also in the running for a shot at the 155-pound
title.

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MMA

UFC 330 ‘Makhachev vs. Garry’ play-by-play, results & round scoring

Published

5 hours ago

on

August 15, 2026

By

UFC 330 ‘Makhachev vs. Garry’ play-by-play, results & round scoring

Sherdog’s live UFC
330 “Makhachev vs. Garry†coverage will begin Saturday at 5:30
p.m. ET.

Round 1

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Scottie Smith scores the round:

Round 2

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Scottie Smith scores the round:

Round 3

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Scottie Smith scores the round:

The Official Result

Round 1

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Scottie Smith scores the round:

Round 2

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Scottie Smith scores the round:

Round 3

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Scottie Smith scores the round:

The Official Result

Round 1

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Scottie Smith scores the round:

Round 2

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Scottie Smith scores the round:

Round 3

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Scottie Smith scores the round:

The Official Result

Round 1

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Scottie Smith scores the round:

Round 2

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Scottie Smith scores the round:

Round 3

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Scottie Smith scores the round:

The Official Result

Round 1

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Scottie Smith scores the round:

Round 2

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Scottie Smith scores the round:

Round 3

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Scottie Smith scores the round:

The Official Result

Round 1

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Scottie Smith scores the round:

Round 2

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Scottie Smith scores the round:

Round 3

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Scottie Smith scores the round:

The Official Result

Round 1

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Scottie Smith scores the round:

Round 2

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Scottie Smith scores the round:

Round 3

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Scottie Smith scores the round:

The Official Result

Round 1

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Scottie Smith scores the round:

Round 2

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Scottie Smith scores the round:

Round 3

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Scottie Smith scores the round:

The Official Result

Round 1

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Scottie Smith scores the round:

Round 2

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Scottie Smith scores the round:

Round 3

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Scottie Smith scores the round:

The Official Result

Round 1

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Scottie Smith scores the round:

Round 2

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Scottie Smith scores the round:

Round 3

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Scottie Smith scores the round:

The Official Result

Round 1

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Scottie Smith scores the round:

Round 2

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Scottie Smith scores the round:

Round 3

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Scottie Smith scores the round:

Round 4

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Scottie Smith scores the round:

Round 5

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Scottie Smith scores the round:

The Official Result

Round 1

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Scottie Smith scores the round:

Round 2

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Scottie Smith scores the round:

Round 3

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Scottie Smith scores the round:

Round 4

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Scottie Smith scores the round:

Round 5

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Scottie Smith scores the round:

The Official Result

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MMA

UFC 330 Results: Makhachev vs. Machado Garry

Published

6 hours ago

on

August 15, 2026

By

UFC 330 Results: Makhachev vs. Machado Garry
UFC 330: Makhachev v Machado Garry - Ceremonial Weigh-in
UFC 330: Makhachev v Machado Garry - Ceremonial Weigh-in

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – AUGUST 14: (L-R) Opponents Islam Makhachev of Russia and Ian Machado Garry of Ireland face off during the UFC 330 ceremonial weigh-in at Xfinity Mobile Arena on August 14, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Ed Mulholland/Zuffa LLC)

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MMA

Joshua Van and Alexandre Pantoja have to be separated at UFC 331 press conference: ‘When someone talks, you shut your f*cking mouth’

Published

9 hours ago

on

August 14, 2026

By

Joshua Van and Alexandre Pantoja have to be separated at UFC 331 press conference: ‘When someone talks, you shut your f*cking mouth’

The rematch between Joshua Van and Alexandre Pantoja has some real heat behind it.

In December, Van took the UFC flyweight title from Pantoja, winning just moments into the fight when Pantoja dislocated his elbow while falling to the ground. Since then, Pantoja has been healing up from his injury, while Van defended his title with a fifth-round stoppage victory over Tatsuro Taira at UFC 328 in May. Now, the two are set to run things back at UFC 331 next month, and at the opening press conference for the event on Friday, things got testy between the two.

“Had that not happened, I would have still whooped his ass that day,†Van said when asked about the injury that awarded him the title. “So September 19, it's just another opportunity for me to whoop his ass again.â€

“I think he needs to wash his mouth,†Pantoja replied. “I respect where I'm from. I'm from Brazil. In Brazil, you need to take care about what you talk. If not, maybe you lose your teeth.â€

Things only heated up from there as Van interrupted Pantoja while he was giving a long answer about what this fight means to him and his history in the division.

“Bro, talk about the fight on September 19,†Van said. “We're not here for your story, bro. We're here for the fight.

“Hey kid, when someone talks, you shut your f*cking mouth,†Pantoja responded. “You understand that?â€

“Shut up. What you gonna do about it?â€

In response to this, Pantoja stood up and started to walk across the dais toward Van, before security intervened to sit him back down, with Van mocking him the whole time.

“You ain't doing shit,†Van said. “Sit your ass down. Sit your ass down; you ain't doing shit. Somebody get him some milk.â€

“Hey kid, September 19, you're gonna be locked in the octagon with me,†Pantoja replied.

This is a new look from Van, who seemed to enjoy needling Pantoja and trying to rile him up. But for the former flyweight champion, this just looked like Van pretending to be something he's not.

“Nothing about Joshua surprises me,†Pantoja said. “He tries to make this character, tries to be the tough guy, but what I see, he's just a fraidy cat. He's afraid.â€

“I ain't afraid of shit,†Van responded.

“Oh, I'm so tough,†Pantoja mocked.

“My name is Fearless,†Van said. “I ain't scared of you.â€

The two then had their first faceoff for this fight, where things remained fiery, with both men jawing at each other and Dana White having to keep them apart.

UFC 331 takes place on Sep. 19 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

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