In this episode, Zac Pomilio, a seasoned boxing matchmaker, reveals the intricate details of building fights, the challenges in today’s boxing landscape, and the evolution of the sport from his perspective. We explore the importance of matchmaking, industry dynamics, and how boxing has shifted over the decades.
This Week’s WHR Bets/Parlays (2026/#18)
Still trying to get out of this hole…
Fights considered must satisfy all of the criteria below:
- Both fighters must be active (fought in 360 days prior to event). Reduces uncertainty.
- Both fighters must have at least 7 fights in the prior 7 years, including 1+ loss. If the loss was in their debut, then 2+ losses are required.
- Both fighters must be rated in the same division as the fight. Further reduces uncertainty.
- Must have odds from at least three bookmakers.
Featured Upcoming Bouts (Outside of UFC)
| Thursday, September 10th 2026: Rizin FF - Super Rizin 5 | |||
 [#1 W105] Natalia Kuziutina |  [#17 W105] Rena Kubota | ||
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| Last Fight Date: 4/12/2026 [Rizin Fighting Federation] Last Opponent: [#9 W105] Ayaka Hamasaki Last 5: W W W W W | Last Fight Date: 12/31/2025 [Rizin Fighting Federation] Last Opponent: [#2 W105] Seika Izawa Last 5: W L W W L | ||
| Saturday, June 27th 2026: PFL San Diego: McKee vs. Isbulaev | |||
 [#7 W125] Liz Carmouche |  [#13 W125] Viviane Araujo | ||
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| Last Fight Date: 8/15/2025 [PFL] Last Opponent: [#15 W125] Jena Bishop Last 5: W L W W W | Last Fight Date: 4/11/2026 [PFL] Last Opponent: [#60 W125] Shanna Young Last 5: W L W L W | ||
| Saturday, June 27th 2026: PFL San Diego: McKee vs. Isbulaev | |||
| [#6 FW] A.J. McKee |  [#19 FW] Salamat Isbulaev | ||
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| Last Fight Date: 3/20/2026 [PFL] Last Opponent: [#28 FW] Adam Borics Last 5: W W L W W | Last Fight Date: 2/07/2026 [PFL] Last Opponent: [#23 FW] Jesus Pinedo Last 5: W W W W W | ||
Featured Fighters
| [#1 LW] | Justin Gaethje | [#2 LW] |  Ilia Topuria | |
| [#1 WW] | Islam Makhachev | [#1 LHW] | Alex Pereira | |
| [NR] |  Conor McGregor | [#8 HW] | Josh Hokit | |
| [#1 HW] |  Ciryl Gane | [#2 MW] |  Khamzat Chimaev | |
| [#4 LW] |  Arman Tsarukyan | [#3 LW] | Charles Oliveira |
FBI Says Explosive Drone Plot Targeted UFC Freedom 250 on White House Lawn
Washington, D.C. – UFC Freedom 250 was already one of the most surreal sports events in American history. The lawsuit had failed. The weather had held. The fights delivered. Seven bouts ended in seven finishes. Justin Gaethje shocked Ilia Topuria on the White House lawn. Dana White walked away with a one-of-one spectacle that somehow lived up to the impossible hype.
Then, two days later, the story took a darker turn.
Federal authorities now say the same event that became a historic UFC triumph had also been the target of an alleged terror plot involving explosive-laden drones, firearms, sniper-style attacks, and plans to strike “high value targets” near one of the most secure buildings in the world.
Fight Matrix Program – UFC Fight Night: Kape vs. Horiguchi 2 (06-20-2026)
Flyweight (125)
[#3][#3UFC] Kyoji Horiguchi (36-5-0, +135) vs. [#5][#5UFC] Manel Kape (22-7-0, -163)
Kyoji Horiguchi is the All-Time #16 ranked Flyweight fighter.
Manel Kape is the All-Time #22 ranked Flyweight fighter.
Last 3 Fights: Kyoji Horiguchi (3-0-0)
2026-02-07: W vs. [#21FLY] Amir Albazi (17-3-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
2025-11-22: W vs. [#15FLY] Tagir Ulanbekov (18-3-0) via Technical Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) in 2:18 of round 3
2024-12-31: W vs. [#113FLY] Nkazimulo Zulu (16-9-1) via UD ()
Last 3 Fights: Manel Kape (3-0-0)
2025-12-13: W vs. [#7FLY] Brandon Royval (17-9-0) via KO (Punches) in 3:18 of round 1
2025-03-01: W vs. [#11FLY] Asu Almabayev (23-3-0) via TKO (Retirement) in 2:16 of round 3
2024-12-14: W vs. [#41FLY] Bruno Silva (15-10-2) via TKO (Body Kick and Punches) in 1:57 of round 3
| System | Favorite | Rating | Rating Diff | Win % |
| Betting Odds | Manel Kape | -163 | 59.29% | |
| Elo K170 | Kyoji Horiguchi | 2154.68 | +150.19 | 70.36% |
| Elo Modified | Kyoji Horiguchi | 2113.33 | +156.13 | 71.07% |
| Glicko-1 | Kyoji Horiguchi | 2173.03 | +142.34 | 69.41% |
| WHR | Kyoji Horiguchi | 2041.43 | +98.05 | 63.75% |
Fighter Ages on Fight Day: Kyoji Horiguchi 35.7, Manel Kape 32.6
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Kyoji Horiguchi 133, Manel Kape 189
Previous Match-up Record: Kyoji Horiguchi leads 1-0-0
Wins Against Common Opposition: Even: Both have 2 win(s) against common opposition.
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Light Heavyweight (205)
[#26][#17UFC] Ion Cutelaba (20-11-1, +258) vs. [#36][#22UFC] Navajo Stirling (9-0-0, -331)
Last 3 Fights: Ion Cutelaba (2-1-0)
2026-03-14: W vs. [#40LHW] Oumar Sy (12-2-0) via Submission (Guillotine Choke) in 4:24 of round 1
2025-05-10: L vs. [#28LHW] Modestas Bukauskas (20-7-0) via SD (29-28, 30-27, 27-30)
2025-02-22: W vs. [#125LHW] Ibo Aslan (14-4-0) via Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke) in 2:51 of round 1
Last 3 Fights: Navajo Stirling (3-0-0)
2026-03-28: W vs. [#82LHW] Bruno Lopes (14-3-0) via NC in 4:05 of round 2
2025-09-27: W vs. [#51LHW] Rodolfo Bellato (13-3-1) via UD (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
2025-05-10: W vs. [#55LHW] Ivan Erslan (15-6-0) via UD (29-27, 29-28, 29-28)
| System | Favorite | Rating | Rating Diff | Win % |
| Betting Odds | Navajo Stirling | -331 | 73.33% | |
| Elo K170 | Navajo Stirling | 1738.31 | +22.51 | 53.24% |
| Elo Modified | Navajo Stirling | 1764.96 | +6.16 | 50.89% |
| Glicko-1 | Ion Cutelaba | 1831.65 | +26.53 | 53.81% |
| WHR | Ion Cutelaba | 1706.25 | +19.13 | 52.75% |
Fighter Ages on Fight Day: Ion Cutelaba 32.5, Navajo Stirling 28.6
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Ion Cutelaba 98, Navajo Stirling 84
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Even: Both have 1 win(s) against common opposition.
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Featherweight (145)
[#88][#46UFC] Hyder Amil (11-2-0, +131) vs. [#119][#55UFC] Christian Rodriguez (12-4-0, -159)
Last 3 Fights: Hyder Amil (1-2-0)
2025-11-08: L vs. [#70FW] Jamall Emmers (22-8-0) via UD (30-27, 29-27, 30-27)
2025-06-28: L vs. [#52FW] Jose Delgado (11-2-0) via KO (Knee and Elbows) in 0:26 of round 1
2025-03-01: W vs. [#41FW] William Gomis (15-4-0) via SD (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Last 3 Fights: Christian Rodriguez (1-2-0)
2025-08-09: L vs. [#64FW] Andre Fili (25-13-0) via SD (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)
2025-03-29: L vs. [#21FW] Melquizael Costa (26-8-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
2025-01-11: W vs. [#154FW] Austin Bashi (14-1-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
| System | Favorite | Rating | Rating Diff | Win % |
| Betting Odds | Christian Rodriguez | -159 | 58.64% | |
| Elo K170 | Hyder Amil | 1562.95 | +16.08 | 52.31% |
| Elo Modified | Christian Rodriguez | 1574.23 | +60.24 | 58.58% |
| Glicko-1 | Christian Rodriguez | 1582.84 | +54.32 | 57.75% |
| WHR | Christian Rodriguez | 1553.45 | +65.38 | 59.30% |
Fighter Ages on Fight Day: Hyder Amil 36.0, Christian Rodriguez 28.5
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Hyder Amil 224, Christian Rodriguez 315
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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UFC Fight Night 279 – Kape vs. Horiguchi 2
Jun 20, 2026 | UFC Apex, Las Vegas, United States
[#5 FW | #2 UFC] Manel Kape (22-7-0) vs [#3 FW | #5 UFC] Kyoji Horiguchi (36-5-0)
Preview and Prediction
The main event of UFC Fight Night 279 features one of the most intriguing flyweight rematches in recent MMA history as Manel Kape and Kyoji Horiguchi meet nearly nine years after their first encounter.
The two fighters originally faced each other on December 31, 2017, at RIZIN World Grand Prix 2017. On that night, Horiguchi showcased his championship-level versatility by defeating Kape via third-round arm-triangle choke. Since then, both athletes have continued to evolve and establish themselves among the world’s elite flyweights.
Today, the rematch arrives under very different circumstances. Kape enters as one of the UFC’s leading title contenders, while Horiguchi returns to the Octagon carrying the experience of a legendary career that includes championships in both Bellator and RIZIN.
Current MMA Rankings Updated (06-15-2026)
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UFC Betting Canada: How to Read Lines Like a Rankings Analyst
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This UFC betting Canada guide covers both layers. First, the UFC betting Canada legal framework, market structure, and bet types ensure you are never lost on a UFC sportsbook. The second, probability conversion, margin stripping, and stylistic mismatch analysis, covers the territory most UFC betting Canada guides leave blank.
5 Football Stats That Predict Results Better Than League Tables
League tables show just a part of what is really going on. You can see the scores, wins, and how many games a team has lost. But league tables do not show you everything about how well a team is playing. A team at the top might have just been lucky. A team lower down might play well all the time. If you look past the league table, you can get better football analysis. This can help you make smarter betting decisions.
Training Like a Champion: Inside a Modern MMA Fighter’s Routine
https://www.pexels.com/photo/two-male-martial-artists-fighting-6295767/
Ever wondered what it actually takes to step into the cage?
MMA training is tough. Really tough. If you thought punching and kicking bags were hard, just wait till you try crawling on the ground learning submissions. These days MMA fighters train like athletes of all sports.
Nobody really knows what today’s mixed martial artists go through on a day-to-day basis. The hours they put in, the sacrifices they make, or the tools they use to recover to stay intact.
Here is a behind-the-scenes look at how the pros do it.
5 Hidden Pitfalls You Can Easily Avoid by Sticking to a Genuine UFABET Direct Website
The online betting industry has seen a big increase in the last ten years. Now, people have more fun and can make bets from anywhere. The way to place bets is now much easier. But with this growth, there are more scam sites trying to look like real betting platforms. They do this to trick people who may not know better. These fake sites can look real when you first see them. But, they often do not have good safety, clear rules, or the trust of good betting sites.
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Decoding MMA Betting Odds: How to Spot Value in UFC and Combat Sports
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By learning the terminology of the odds in MMA betting, you can make better decisions and will not make common mistakes that make casual bettors lose money.
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The purse number that gets announced or discussed publicly is almost never the number that moves the bank balance. Between manager percentages, coach cuts, gym fees, cornerman pay, commission deductions, and taxes that nobody withheld, the gap between gross and net is often significant – and it catches fighters off guard repeatedly, even experienced ones, because the deductions can change from contract to contract.
FightMatrix and RFP: One Year of Partnership
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