Ciryl Gane shares first words since Tom Aspinall vacated UFC heavyweight title amid latest eye setback
Credit: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
One of Mixed Martial Arts' renowned coaches believes Mauricio Ruffy and his team are letting his immense potential go to waste.
Top UFC lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan clinched a likely title shot with a come-from-behind knockout against Mauricio Ruffy at UFC 331. After a strong start by Ruffy in the opening minutes of the fight, Tsarukyan caught Ruffy with an elbow in the final seconds of Round 1 to finish the action.
It was a stunning result in the co-main event, after many predicted Tsarukyan would utilize a wrestling-heavy approach against Ruffy. But Tsarukyan took advantage of Ruffy's late-round tentativeness to catch the talented striker with a brutal elbow.
Ruffy suffered his first knockout loss since November 2019, and according to a well-renowned coach, it was a critical mistake that led to the final sequence.
Ray Longo: Mauricio Ruffy made ‘critical mistake' vs. Arman Tsarukyan
In a recent appearance on The Anik & Florian Podcast, legendary coach Ray Longo scorched Ruffy and his team for letting Tsarukyan back in the fight at UFC 331.
“It looked like when it started it was going to go his way, but you can't just fall asleep. We've seen that a few times,†Longo said of Ruffy.
“Some guys just think, ‘Oh, it's 10 seconds; guys aren't going to do anything', and that is just f—— unacceptable how you can do that. Critical mistake, like holy s—. The bell doesn't even mean anything. That ref has to step in, and you always have to be on point. I just can't get over that…
“10 seconds, I'll just ride it out, and next thing you know he's on the floor,†Longo continued on Ruffy. “He was just concerned with not getting taken down and had zero respect for anything else. â€
Ruffy will look to bounce back in his next fight after recent wins over Michael Chandler and King Green. Luckily, Ruffy's recent work with UFC featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski will improve his odds of a bounceback performance.
Can Mauricio Ruffy rebound after UFC 331? Share your thoughts in the comments!
Michael
“Venom” Page says his new deal will pay him more than he earned
during his
Ultimate Fighting Championship tenure.
Page had promised an exciting performance against Nursulton
Ruziboev in September, the final bout of his UFC contract. He
won by unanimous decision, but the promotion opted not to re-sign
him. The Englishman now says his move to Misfits Boxing will bring
a substantial increase in earnings.
Michael Page compares three-fight Misfits contract with
earnings from six UFC appearances
Page produced highlight-reel knockouts in Bellator,
but all six of his UFC appearances went the distance. He finished
5-1 in the promotion, with his only loss coming against Ian
Garry.
Page (26-3) said he received offers from several promotions before
signing with Misfits. He expects to earn more from the three-fight
agreement than he did from his six UFC bouts, describing his new
compensation as roughly double what he previously earned. He also
said Misfits intends to launch an MMA show with him as a leading
figure.
“Misfits came with an absolutely crazy deal, which means I’ve
continued to grow and get better financially,†Page told Ariel
Helwani. “They have vision for the future. They're trying to get an
MMA show going, with me kind of lead that way, be the face of that…
I’ve left the UFC and I’m making more money. Like two times more,
maybe just over, and in a shorter period. In a three-fight deal,
I’ll make more than I have my whole UFC contract.â€
MVP reveals he’ll make more money in his
three-fight Misfits deal than he did during his entire UFC run,
with seven figures per fight: “Misfits came with an absolutely
crazy deal, which means I’ve continued to grow and get better
financially. I’ve left the UFC and I’m making more money. Like two
times more, maybe just over, and in a shorter period. In a
three-fight deal, I’ll make more than I have my whole UFC
contract.”
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani)
October 12, 2026
Alistair Overeem wants to be part of the Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua boxing card on Dec. 11, and he wants Rico Verhoeven standing across the squared circle.
Overeem shared a post on social media suggesting the bout after mentioning his interest in transitioning to boxing, and issued a callout on his Instagram stories.
“Stop hiding,†Overeem wrote. “Let's make history.â€
Fury vs. Joshua takes place at Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, and airs live on Netfilx.
Verhoeven was part of a massive boxing show this past May in Egypt, where he lost via controversial 11th-round stoppage in his boxing debut against heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk.
Prior to that match, Verhoeven remained undefeated in kickboxing for over a decade, reigning as the GLORY heavyweight champion. He was slated to face Overeem in 2021, but the MMA veteran withdrew due to an injury.
The former Strikeforce titleholder won four of his past six UFC bouts, all by knockout, between 2018 and 2021, including a first-round stoppage over Sergei Pavlovich. His UFC run also includes wins over former and future champions Fabricio Werdum, Frank Mir, Brock Lesnar, Junior dos Santos and Andrei Arlovski.
Ismael
Bonfim has been removed from the
Ultimate Fighting Championship roster.
Bonfim's UFC tenure ended after a loss to Francisco
Prado at
UFC Vegas 122 on Saturday. The Brazilian missed the non-title
lightweight limit by 7.5 pounds and forfeited 25% of his purse. He
then suffered a first-round technical knockout before being removed
from the roster.
Ismael Bonfim exits UFC with 2-5 record after third weight miss
and Francisco Prado TKO
This was Bonfim's third weight miss during his UFC tenure. He came
in 3.5 pounds overweight for a scheduled fight against Vinc Pichel
in 2023, prompting the bout's cancellation. Bonfim missed weight by
five pounds against Chris
Padilla last year and lost by knockout. He was finished in his
last four UFC appearances.
Before news of his departure, Bonfim posted a statement Sunday
reflecting on the loss. The 30-year-old thanked his supporters and
said his career was not over.
“Always grateful to God for life, health and every opportunity He
gives me,†Bonfim wrote on Instagram. “Everything doesn’t go as
planned, results don’t always come as desired, but my faith remains
unshakable. Because, above my plans, are God’s plans, and I choose
to trust, even when I don’t understand. Thank you to every person
cheering me on, praying for me and standing by my side no matter
the outcome. You are all part of my story! There are no excuses, no
shame, and much less reason to give up. We’ve come here the hardest
way, facing battles few know about, overcoming fears, breaking
barriers, and fighting against things that go far beyond what
happens inside an octagon. The result of a battle does not define
the value of a warrior, and defeat will never be able to erase the
entire history we have built. I keep my head held high, my heart at
peace and my faith even stronger. Because who knows where he came
from, everything he faced and how much he had to fight to get here,
doesn’t give up because of a result. My story doesn’t end here. God
is still writing the next chapters, and I trust Him completely. All
honor and all glory be given to God!â€
Bonfim earned a UFC contract on
Dana White's Contender Series in 2022 and won his promotional
debut with a flying knee knockout of Terrance
McKinney. He went 1-5 afterward, finishing his UFC tenure at
2-5.