Photo by Steven Cordes on Unsplash
Petr Yan is the bantamweight champion once again after taking out Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 323, and now the division is buzzing over who gets the next shot. Once one of the brightest stars in the UFC, Sean O’Malley wants to climb back into that position. Before he can do that, though, he has to get through Song Yadong next month. Even so, talk of a possible rematch is already heating up.
There will be a boxing event taking place on December 28, 2025. This will be located at Sumiyoshi Ward Center in Osaka, Japan. The event will be put on by Kenbun Taiho, via Taiho Promotions.
In the Super Bantam division, Tomomi Takano (15-6-1, 10 KO), will face off against undefeated Mao Nishi (3-0, 2 KO) who will both be fighting in an orthodox stance. The women’s rankings are only two points away. Who will win this exciting matchup?
Combat Sports & Martial Arts Writer| Partnership Marketing and Digital Strategy Lead (Combat Sports)
I have been an avid viewer of Boxing and MMA for decades. I have had an interest in MMA since 2001. I had a 25 year career in healthcare, and now I am pursuing my hobby. I enjoy writing about combat sports and martial arts for FightMatrix.
UFC has had another amazing year fighting wise. To be honest it wasn’t lacking in drama either. In the aftermath of the UFC 323 event we have seen just how passionate and emotional fighters can be even after the duel is over. At times it is hard to differentiate the hardest sports out there from a soap opera. With a year almost over, and only one UFC event on the horizon in 2025, let us walk you through the most dramatic events that marked the past few weeks in the UFC.
UFC on ESPN 73 — December 13, 2025
UFC Apex, Las Vegas, Nevada
[#5 FLW | #3 UFC] Brandon Royval (17–8–0) vs. [#9 FLW | #6 UFC] Manel Kape (21–7–0)
Stylistic Breakdown
Brandon Royval
A dynamic southpaw known for his unpredictable scrambles and high-level grappling. With nine career submissions, Royval is at his most dangerous on the ground and thrives in chaotic exchanges. His cardio and pace give him an edge in longer fights, though he has shown vulnerability when opponents can control the tempo and maintain positional discipline.
Manel Kape
A powerful and accurate striker with elite speed, sharp boxing, and proven finishing ability. Kape’s stand-up presents a real threat early, as he often capitalizes on defensive lapses. While his takedown defense has improved, extended grappling sequences could still put him at risk against a submission specialist like Royval.
MMA Promoter | Event Organizer | Analyst
Founder & President of Real Fight Promotion (RFP) – one of the longest-running and most recognized MMA organizations in Ukraine. Organizer of 100+ MMA events. Contributor, analyst, and Trusted Promoter collaborating with leading global MMA platforms.
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Anthony Joshua will face Jake Paul in a professionally sanctioned heavyweight bout on 19 December at the Kaseya Center in Miami.
The fight, branded Judgement Day, will be streamed live on Netflix, at no extra cost to current subscribers.
Britain’s Joshua, the 36-year-old former two-time unified heavyweight champion, will take on the YouTuber-turned-boxer over eight three-minute rounds, with both fighters wearing regulation 10-ounce gloves.
This represents a replacement fight for Paul, who was originally scheduled to face Gervonta Davis in an exhibition earlier this month before it was cancelled due to a lawsuit filed against Davis by his ex-girlfriend.
Instead, the American will face his most credible opponent to date in Joshua, a former heavyweight champion with a professional record of 28 wins and four losses, 25 of those victories coming by knockout.
By Simon Head for FightMatrix.com
The welterweight division took center stage at UFC 322 as a host of the top names at 170 pounds saw their stock rise, and in some cases fall, on a big week for the weight class in New York City.
The former undisputed UFC lightweight champion looked bigger, stronger and healthier on fight night at Madison Square Garden. But, more worryingly for the rest of the welterweight division, he looked better, too, as he dethroned Jack Della Maddalena with consummate ease.
With Makhachev looking like he’s now at his optimal weight class, he can now focus on adding to his already-stellar resumé as he looks to build a list of accomplishments to put him among the sport’s all-time greats. Some may think it’s a tad early to suggest it, but he may already have surpassed the achievements of his coach, friend and mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov.
If you’ve seen Oleksandr Usyk fight, you know there’s something special about him. He dances around, thinks three steps ahead, and makes a way to take down massive heavyweights. We’ve seen him beat Joshua and Fury twice while also dominating the cruiserweight division. Still, the question remains: where does he stand among the all-time greats?
Knockouts aren’t just flashy finishes. They define careers, help shape mixed martial arts, and energize the fans. Achieving the most knockouts in UFC history isn’t just a numbers game. It is somewhat of a market of timing, endurance, power, and, of course, the ability to close a fight in style.
In this post, we will talk about how knockout records change over time, who holds the top spots, and why the knockout artists matter so much in the Octagon and outside of it.
A promotional bidding war for Artur Beterbiev is likely in the near future after the former undisputed light-heavyweight champion’s contract with Top Rank expired. The boxer, who lives in Canada but was born in Russia, has been out of action since February, when Dmitry Bivol defeated him and won no fewer than four titles in the process: WBA, WBC, WBO, and IBF.
Commonly referred to as ‘King Artur,’ the Canadian fighter is apparently going to have a major career change in the near future. A retirement from boxing doesn’t seem to be on the card quite yet, though there may be some other changes going forward.
Madison Square Garden, the site of the upcoming UFC 322 – Source: Unsplash
To hoist a UFC championship belt is to reach the apex of fighting. But to clutch two belts at once—each from a different, brutal weight class—transcends the sport entirely. It carves legends from mere mortals, forging the rarest fraternity in mixed martial arts: the UFC champ-champs. These are the fighters who stared down history, defied the odds, and rewrote the rules of achievement inside the Octagon.
One man, however, who won’t have the opportunity to become the fifth member of the champ-champ club is Islam Makhachev. Later this month, the Dagestani wrestling supremo will make the move from lightweight to welterweight in a bid to dethrone Jack Della Maddalena and become a two-weight world champion, albeit not simultaneously. Makhachev, the former 155-pound king, chose to vacate his lightweight title rather than risk keeping two burning candles alight at the same time.
Keep ReadingWeight changes don’t always get the attention they deserve in combat sports. Still, they can make or break a fighter’s performance. Dropping down to a lower division or bulking up for a higher one isn’t just a physical adjustment — it’s a mental game too. This season, two names took that gamble and shook up the balance of power: Ilia Topuria and Islam Makhachev.
Introducing Stanley “KiD Muscle” Johnson, @k1dmuscle the newest member of Team LI, the esports division of Long Island Gaming League (LIGL) — in collaboration with Eruption Boxing & MMA Management / @eruptionboxing and Muscle Syndicate. He dominates in the ring, while leveling up in the game. Stanley is a fighter, a gamer, and a creator. As a boxer, his record is 7 – 1 (5 KOs), is ranked #12 in the US Cruiserweight division, and #108 worldwide. Stanley brings the same discipline that fuels his boxing career into esports and digital media.
Next Fight: Nov 8 | WBC Australian Title | Stanley Johnson vs Karim Maatalla (10–2, 8-win streak) | Melbourne, Australia
Gaming Debut: Now streaming, competing, and creating as part of Team LI — including highlights from his EVO 2025 appearance and exclusive behind-the-scenes content from both the ring and the arena.
Sweden continues to be a powerhouse in the world of mixed martial arts. From the early pioneers like Alexander Gustafsson to today’s new generation of UFC and PFL stars, Swedish fighters have consistently proven themselves on the global stage. In 2025, several Swedish MMA fighters are making headlines for their skill, determination, and impressive records.
Khamzat Chimaev remains one of the most dominant Swedish fighters in the UFC. Known for his relentless pressure and elite wrestling, Chimaev continues to chase the middleweight and welterweight titles. His performances have captivated MMA fans worldwide, proving that Sweden produces world-class athletes capable of taking on anyone.
In MMA, a fighter’s journey is rarely a straight line. Many have hit rock bottom only to claw their way back to the top. Some stories are so wild they could be scripted in a Lukki fight film. These comebacks are more than just wins – they’re proof of resilience, discipline, and a little bit of madness that defines the sport.
Below, we look at four fighters whose career revivals stand as the greatest in MMA history.
Image source: AI
With the UFC returning to Vancouver, British Columbia, the focus is on Canadian athletes aiming to advance in the global rankings. The Fightmatrix MMA Rankings, which are based on objective data from the CIRRS engine, show that these fights on home soil are very important. They are a crucial period where performance metrics, especially the strength of the opponent and the kind of victory, can change a fighter’s path in a big way. Both Canadian fans and experts want to know which member of the “Maple Leaf Militia” is most likely to make the biggest leap in the weight classes. The rankings method gives us the solution by looking at the forthcoming encounters in a strict way.
