Category Archives: Lowkickmma.com

Dustin Poirier has reacted to Arman Tsarukyan’s claims about Alexander Volkanovski being a good/perfect fight for him stylistically.

Tsarukyan made this claim a few days ago in an interview with Helen Yee. He said:

Yeah, I would fight him. He’s old, bad chin. He’s a tough opponent, but he’s a little bit old now. For me, it’s a perfect fight.

Check out Arman Tsarukyan’s comments about Volkanovski below:

In the latest episode of Deep Waters, Din Thomas brought up Tsarukyan’s comments about the featherweight champ. Reacting to the same, Dustin Poirier said:

Arman’s a great fighter, but it’s probably tougher matchup than he’s saying, man. Volk is no easy out for anybody.

‘The Diamond’ added:

And he showed his wrestling defense against Islam [Makhachev]. That’s a tough fight.

Check out Dustin Poirier’s comments below:

Chris Weidman Agrees With Dustin Poirier’s Take on Arman Tsarukyan Calling Alexander Volkanovski A Perfect Fight

Chris Weidman opined on the same after Dustin Poirier’s comments. The former middleweight champ brought up Alexander Volkanovski’s recent win over Movsar Evloev, who has ‘got great wrestling,’ to make a claim that it wouldn’t be possible to ragdoll ‘The Great.’

He said:

It’s gonna be hard to imagine you just think you’re gonna ragdoll him [Volkanovski]. Look at Evloev [Movsar]. Evloev has got great wrestling, but it didn’t work out for him.

Weidman then went on to say why he found an otherwise ‘humble’ Tsarukyan ‘funny.’

Arman’s funny, because he seems like a very humble dude. He doesn’t really smile much, and is usually humble, but then these things come out of his mouth, and it’s actually funny.

Tsarukyan’s next fight in the UFC might be in early 2027, and it would be for the lightweight title. Prior to that, in November, he has an RAF match against Neiman Gracie in Abu Dhabi.

LowKickMMA.com

Carlos Prates seems extremely frustrated with UFC welterweight titleholder Islam Makhachev’s inactivity and fake promises.

Makhachev, after beating Ian Machado Garry at UFC 330, had opined that Prates should be the one challenging him next, and that he would love to enter the octagon before Ramadan 2027 to face the knockout artist. However, later, the Russian phenom changed his plans completely.

Makhachev now believes that since Prates has lost to Garry, the Brazilian now must beat undefeated contender Michael Morales before fighting for the title.

The UFC has already announced an interim title fight between Prates and Morales, which will serve as the UFC 336 co-headliner.

However, “The Nightmare” seems really pissed, as he now has to do double the work to become an undisputed UFC champion because Makhachev decided to sit out and watch a No. 1 contender bout/ interim title fight instead of defending his strap.

Carlos Prates TORCHES Islam Makhachev

Carlos Prates, during a sit-down with Laerte Viana, sent a chilling warning to two-divison titleholder Islam Makhachev. He quipped:

“He chickened out… I’m going to come back and beat Makhachev twice as badly as I was going to before. Just so he learns his lesson and stops being such a coward.”

Prates also added that the UFC was “pissed” with Makhachev for acting like an “assh*le” and not being ready to fight him in January.

“The UFC was pissed. They didn’t like it. If you don’t have a serious injury and you’re not hurt, then fight, man. Your contract is for this. This is your job. If you don’t want to fight, vacate your belt, and that’s it. But instead you act like an as*hole. That’s some as*hole sh*t, you know.”

The 32-year-old also had another message for the P4P king:

“You’re unsure whether you’re going to fight in January or not? Then don’t go around talking about it, man. Just stay quiet, fake an injury or something. It would honestly be less bad if you faked an injury and pretended you were hurt.”

Check out Carlos Prates’ comments about Islam Makhachev below:

LowKickMMA.com

Dan Hooker is not a fan of Charles Oliveira and believes the Brazilian has ruined the meaning of the BMF belt.

Oliveira won the BMF belt at UFC 326 by dethroning Max Holloway. However, in a fight where fans expected a slugfest, “Do Bronxs” opted to take Holloway down, suffocated “Blessed” for more than 20 minutes, secure five takedowns en route to a unanimous-decision win.

Fans expected a wild brawl but watched a snoozefest. Therefore, after the 37-year-old won the BMF strap, many asked the UFC to retire the belt. However, the promotion has yet to strip Oliveira.

The Brazilian is now set to defend his belt against Diego Lopes at UFC 335.

Dan Hooker Says Charles Oliveira Made the BMF Belt “not cool”

Dan Hooker, one of the most entertaining strikers and seasoned UFC veterans, recently took a dig at Charles Oliveira during a sitdown with Submission Radio. “The Hangman” quipped:

“[The belt is stupid], to be honest. It was cool for a bit, and then he [Charles] kind of made it not cool.”

Oliveira, however, isn’t bothered by these kinds of comments and has said in a recent interview with MMA Fighting that a strap cannot dictate how he needs to fight, and if the company wants, they can take the belt, as “Do Bronxs” won’t really mind. The former 155-pound champion said:

“Let’s talk about the BMF belt. People might want to see two guys stand in front of each other, throw bombs, and beat each other up to see who can knock the other guy out. Sure, that could happen, and it would be cool. But I’m not here to please anyone. I’m here to go out there, fight, and win.”

“‘Oh, but the BMF fight is about going there and breaking each other up.’ Then, honestly, brother, here’s the belt. Take it somewhere else. That belt is not for me.” [h/t: MMA Fighting]

Check out Charles Oliveira’s comments below:

LowKickMMA.com

Merab Dvalishvili has sent a chilling warning to Petr Yan while discussing what he plans to do differently when he and Yan meet a third time inside the octagon.

Yan vs. Dvalishvili is set to take place at UFC 333 on October 24. Ahead of this title rematch, “The Machine” has identified the flaws in his game and what went wrong at UFC 323, when the Russian fighter dethroned him.

In an interview with UFC on Paramount, Dvalishvili said that in the Yan trilogy bout, he will have to ‘chase Yan’s body, mix things up, and just be himself.’ The 35-year-old sent a chilling warning to the current and two-time bantamweight champion.

“In the last fight, I was trying to be different than I was. I was chasing his head too much. Now I’m gonna chase his body, then mix it up. And then just I will be just myself… He was the No. 1; now I will be No. 1. I will be the one who will chase him and who will rip the body and rip the head and break his face.”

Check out Merab Dvalishvili’s comments below:

Last year, when “The Machine” was dethroned at UFC 323, Yan dictated the pace and landed more accurate shots to Dvalishvili’s body, head, and liver, while also stopping the Georgian fighter’s takedowns and scoring some of his own. After 25 minutes, Dvalishvili’s face was a bloody mess, yet “The Machine” refused to give up. Unfortunately for him, it was simply not his night. UFC 323 was also Dvalishvili’s fourth title defense in 12 months, and he had previously revealed that he specifically did not train for Yan and entered the bout injured.

However, this time, after months of recovery, both fighters will meet again to settle their trilogy, which is currently tied at 1-1.

Merab Dvalishvili discusses who he wants to face if he recaptures UFC bantamweight title at UFC 333

If Merab Dvalishvili recaptures the UFC bantamweight title by defeating Petr Yan at UFC 333, he wants to defend it against Song Yadong.

In the same interview above, “The Machine” named Yadong as the fighter he would love to face in the future. Yadong most recently knocked out Umar Nurmagomedov cold at UFC Shanghai, and Dvalishvili is impressed with “Kung Fu Kid.” He said:

“I was excited for Song Yadong. He is the new contender now. He’s new blood. I’ve never fought him, and he excites me because he is dangerous and has knockout power… I think if I beat Petr, I think Song Yadong will be my next opponent.”

Check out Merab Dvalishvili’s comments below:

LowKickMMA.com

Michael Venom Page has confessed that he felt disrespected by how the UFC brass handled his exit.

Earlier this month at UFC Paris, MVP fought the final bout of his UFC contract against Nursulton Ruziboev. Page won the bout by unanimous decision, but the 3-round affair was low-action, and MVP was once again denied a post-fight octagon interview.

A few days after the event, it was reported that the UFC would not offer him a new contract, meaning he won’t be re-signed.

Page is on a four-fight winning streak and has a 5-1 record in the UFC. He wanted to continue being a part of the promotion and had hoped to fight for the undisputed strap someday.

Michael Venom Page explains why he felt disrespected

Michael Venom Page believes the promotion should have handled his exit differently and, at the very least, sat down with him to discuss a new, shorter contract with fewer fights. During a recent interview with Ariel Helwani, while discussing why he felt disrespected, “Venom” said:

“I still felt like we’d sit down at the table… I wouldn’t have expected it to be dealt with in the way that it was dealt with. I found that quite disrespectful, to be fair… What is the harm in allowing me to speak [after the fight]? I’ve seen fights that have been absolutely terrible, and they still get to go on the mic and say their piece. This is the second time it’s happened to me.”

Page added that he found out he was cut from the UFC at the same time fans and everybody else elsewhere discovered.

“I found out at the same time everybody else found out… If you’re not happy with the performances, have a conversation with me… At least it gives me a goal and something to work towards, and I know exactly where I stand with the partnership.”

“To hear nothing and have to guess all the time, I think that’s annoying. And even after the fact, to not have a conversation to say, ‘Thank you for your time here, but we’re not going to move forward,’ it would just be nice to hear that beforehand.”

Lastly, MVP revealed that he sent a message to UFC staff and others, thanking them for everything they had done for him during his time with the promotion.

“I sent a nice message to the guys as well because, regardless of this, I enjoyed my time. I always go on about the staff and the team there; they’re great.”

Check out Michael Venom Page’s comments below:

Jake Paul wants Michael Venom Page to join Most Valuable Promotions

Jake Paul is interested in signing Michael Venom Page to Most Valuable Promotions. After the news of Page’s UFC exit hit social media, “The Problem Child” posted on X:

“Think it’s time to bring MVP to MVP.”

Check out Jake Paul’s comments below:

During the same interview with Ariel Helwani, Page also revealed that he’s interested in signing with Jake Paul’s organization. The 39-year-old wants to fight for 2 more years before potentially retiring.

LowKickMMA.com

Scott Coker‘s new MMA promotion will be Ki MMA, set to launch in 2027.

The former president of the now-defunct Bellator MMA announced that it will launch early next year, alongside Rich Chou.

And the promotion is reportedly set to kick off with a 32-Man Grand Prix Tournament in the featherweight division. A total of 32 fighters across 4 continents, viz. Asia, Europe, South America, and North America (eight from each continent) will fight it out, with four continental champions eventually getting crowned.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by MMA Junkie (@mmajunkie)

The winners from each continent will compete in the final event, in a knockout format, to win the Ki MMA championship.

In addition to this, the fights are set to take place in a ring.

Check out the Ki MMA ring below:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by MMA Junkie (@mmajunkie)

Coker then, in an interview with talkSport, spoke about the money on offer for the fighters in Ki MMA. He said:

So those athletes will fight each other in one night for the finals to crown the world champion…That’s the one that will win the big prize money, and the fighters will win money along the way…But if you win the big World Cup finals, then you’ll get the majority of the prize money. You’ll be the world champ, and you’ll be fighting two times in one night.

It is also worth noting that Ki comes from a Japanese word that signifies ‘spirit, mind, and energy.’

Potential Locations For Ki MMA tournament Confirmed by Scott Coker

Scott Coker also confirmed the potential locations for the Ki MMA Grand Prix tournament.

Among them were San Jose (North America), Dublin, Budapest, Italy, or France (Europe), South Korea, Japan (Asia), and Brazil (South America).

LowKickMMA.com

Dan Hooker isn’t shying away from admitting exactly what’s driving him into the octagon against “new kids” like Salahdine Parnasse, and it has little to do with rankings or reputation.

The veteran lightweight will take on Parnasse in the main event of UFC Paris 2026 at the Accor Arena this weekend.

Ahead of the fight, Hooker spoke about the upcoming bout set to be the “biggest payday” of his career, and said that he would even fight Francis Ngannou if offered the same money. In an interview with RMC Sport Combat, ‘Hangman’ said:

If they pay me this much money to fight the new kids then I’ll be fighting the new kids until the day I die…I’d fight Francis Ngannou for the amount of money they’re paying. Biggest payday of my career for sure.

Check out Dan Hooker’s comments below:

Despite fighting some of the biggest names in the division, including Islam Makhachev, Dustin Poirier, and even Michael Chandler, it’s Parnasse who is set to hand Hooker the biggest purse of his career.

Dan Hooker Brings Up Michael Chandler and Salahdine Parnasse to explain why he will be Usman Nurmagomedov’s First Fight

Usman Nurmagomedov might be one of the biggest names next in line to join the UFC. The undefeated (22-0) fighter has not renewed his contract with the PFL (MVP MMA), making him one of MMA’s hottest free agents.

And Dan Hooker believes he will be the one to welcome Nurmagomedov to the promotion. Citing examples of already having fought a debutant, Michael Chandler, and his upcoming fight against another debutant, Salahdine Parnasse, Hooker stated in an interview with Submission Radio:

It’s the same thing as when I fought Chandler; it’s the same thing with this Parnasse guy. It’ll be the same thing with Usman. No one else will take the fight… None of these other guys in the division wanna risk it. So they call up Dan Hooker, offer him a bit of danger money, and he welcomes these boys to the big leagues. [via Championship Rounds]

Check out Dan Hooker’s comments below:

LowKickMMA.com

Tonight, the UFC returns to the Meta Apex once more for Season 10, Week 4 of Dana White’s Contender Series. This week’s card features 5 bouts as usual.

In the first three weeks, 15 fighters have already impressed the UFC head honcho and grabbed UFC contracts. Some of those newcomers have already made short-notice UFC debuts and secured impressive finishes.

Tonight, more combatants will be adding their names to the list to be part of the big show.

In the main event/featured bout of DWCS season 10, Week 4, welterweight Patrick Rivera (13-4) will lock horns with Adam Darby (7-1).

Before the welterweight contest between Rivera and Darby, there is an 185-pound bout featuring Brandon Holmes (6-1) and Modestino Rodrigues (7-1).

Stay tuned with LowKick MMA for updates on all the fights and to find out which fighters earn UFC contracts tonight on Dana White’s Contender Series Season 10, Week 4!

Dana White’s Contender Series Season 10, Week 4 Results & Highlights

Adam Darby defeated Patrick Rivera by TKO in Round 3 (2:42) – Doctor’s stoppage

Adam Darby showed all his weapons against Patrick Rivera earlier tonight on DWCS while dismantling his American foe tactically.

It was majorly one-way traffic from the Irishman, and Rivera’s face turned into a horror movie scene after 12 minutes, after which the ref decided to call the doctor. After the assessment, the bout was stopped as Rivera’s upper eyelid looked extremely swollen.

Modestino Rodrigues defeated Brandon Holmes in Round 1 by TKO (0:15)

Modestino Rodrigues was on the gas from the opening bell. He started piecing up Brandon Holmes right away and did not let Holmes throw a punch.

Rodrigues dropped Holmes with a right hook under 12 seconds, and before the latter could attempt to survive, the ref stepped in to stop the fight.

The 32-year-old Brazilian had predicted a quick finish on DWCS and delivered, scoring the fastest finish of his MMA career. Rodrigues extended his winning streak to five tonight, and all five victories have come by way of knockout.

Silvestre Sanchez defeated Liam McCraken by TKO in Round 3 (2:44)

Earlier tonight on Dana White’s Contender Series, Silvestre Sanchez dominated for the first 2 rounds, both on the ground and on the feet. He scored 3 takedowns and landed vicious ground-and-pound, bloodying Liam McCraken up.

In the final frame, “Gorilla” dropped McCraken with a left hook and then went for the final kill with a couple of follow-up shots before the ref stepped in to stop the bout.

McCraken looked like the faster puncher, but Sanchez’s power, precision, and well-roundedness proved to be too much for the Brit to handle.

Gabriel Lorenco defeated Charlie Cleveland in Round 1 (2:02) by KO

Gabriel Lorenco dropped Charlie Cleveland in the first frame with a solid right hook. The Brazilian fighter then went for the final kill with a series of hammerfists and elbows until the ref stepped in to save Cleveland from further punishment.

Adam Livingston defeated Hunter Smith by split decision (29-28 x 2, 28-29)

Adam Livingston landed a variety of spinning attacks and stunned Hunter Smith numerous times in Round 1. Despite being stunned a couple of times, Smith survived and eventually found his rhythm, after which both fighters delivered constant action throughout the first frame.

In Round 2, Livingston slowed down but kept on head hunting. Smith, on the other hand, started dictating the pace, pressuring, and landing heavy leg and body kicks to punish Livingston.

In Round 3 of this firefight, Smith once more had a higher output. Meanwhile, Livingston also had his moments but failed to dictate the pace or control the center of the octagon.

After 15 mins of nonstop back and forth, Adam Livingston secured the win by split decison. Post-fight, “Bomb” promised to deliver highlight reel finishes if he earns a UFC contract tonight. He also wants to open the UFC 334 card at Madison Square Garden on November 14.

Dana White’s Contender Series Season 10, Week 4 Contract Winners

• Adam Livingston
• Gabriel Lorenco
• Silvestre Sanchez
• Modestino Rodrigues
• Adam Darby

LowKickMMA.com

Two lightweights remained undefeated as professional MMA fighters on Saturday: Magomed Zaynukov and Nurullo Aliev.

Magomed Zaynukov:

Zaynukov carried plenty of hype into the UFC following his contract-winning performance on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2025. He quickly became arguably the most talked-about fighter from Season 9. His UFC debut went even better as he dominated Damian Rzepecki across three rounds.

Before transitioning to MMA, Zaynukov built an extensive muay thai career, compiling an 18-3 record while becoming a four-time Russian and European champion. In 2021, he made the move to MMA full time.

Zaynukov also comes from the renowned camp founded by Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov. The father of Khabib Nurmagomedov, Abdulmanap was widely regarded as one of the greatest coaches in the sport before his tragic passing due to COVID-19 in 2020. His gym has continued to thrive under Khabib’s leadership.

Of course, Abdulmanap’s camp—and Dagestani fighters as a whole—are primarily known for their elite sambo-based wrestling. That’s what makes Zaynukov particularly intriguing. He has already proven himself to be a dangerous striker, yet he has also spent years training alongside some of the greatest wrestlers in MMA history, including Khabib Nurmagomedov and welterweight champion Islam Makhachev. Zaynukov showcased flashes of his grappling pedigree on both Dana White’s Contender Series and in his UFC debut, but he has largely continued to rely on his striking.

Nurullo Aliev:

Unlike Zaynukov, Nurullo Aliev has largely flown under the radar during his UFC career. A native of Tajikistan, Aliev earned a UFC contract in 2022 and has since gone 4-0 inside the Octagon, improving his professional record to 12-0 with a victory over Mike Davis on Saturday.

There are several reasons why Aliev hasn’t generated the same level of buzz as Zaynukov. For one, he simply hasn’t had the most memorable or exciting fights. The 25-year-old owns a modest 17% finish rate across his 12 professional victories and was heavily criticized for his performance on Saturday. Although he accumulated 12:25 of control time, Aliev rarely took risks and showed little urgency to pursue a finish. He is an outstanding wrestler, but the rest of his game remains less developed.

Another factor is his marketability. Aliev does not speak English, which naturally makes it more difficult to connect with the UFC’s primarily American audience. While Zaynukov also isn’t fluent in English, his personality has been amplified through his association with high-profile figures like Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev. Aliev is beloved in his native Tajikistan but has yet to receive much attention elsewhere.

Perhaps more than anything, Aliev’s biggest obstacle has been inactivity. Since joining the UFC in 2022, “The Tajik Eagle” has fought just four times as injuries have repeatedly stalled his momentum. In fact, 2025 was the first year he competed more than once in a calendar year since signing with the promotion.

Despite the criticism, Aliev is undeniably talented, and at just 25 years old, he has an incredibly bright future.

A potential Matchup between Zaynukov and Aliev:

That brings us to Magomed Zaynukov’s callout. “Wild Chanko” is clearly not interested in easing into UFC competition. He has already shown a willingness to take on difficult opponents as he looks to stay active and work his way toward the rankings. Aliev may have his critics, but defeating an undefeated prospect like him would instantly boost Zaynukov’s résumé and likely earn him even more fans, while potentially putting him in line for a ranked opponent.

Will this fight ever come together? Who knows. It’s entirely possible the UFC will keep two of its undefeated lightweight prospects apart for the time being. It’s also important to note that Aliev does hold a win over Magomed’s brother, Makkasharip, from 2018. Zaynukov has made it clear he’s willing to accept the challenge, and look for some family revenge. If this matchup does happen, it would present one of the most fascinating stylistic clashes amongst undefeated fighters in the division.

LowKickMMA.com

MMA fighter Bartłomiej “Bucketboy” Skowyra turned a second-round stoppage into a viral moment Saturday, pulling out a joint from his shorts and lighting it while perched on the cage at DWM Fight Night 10 in Gliwice, Poland. The celebration followed Skowyra’s win over Pablo Moura, and the video has since made the rounds well beyond the regional MMA scene.

Skowyra, a 23-year-old Polish fighter, faced Portugal’s Moura at the July 25 event inside Gliwice’s PreZero Arena. Moura, described as a grappling specialist, repeatedly looked for leg locks, but Skowyra shut down those attempts and took control on the floor.

MMA Fighter Celebrates KO By Pulling Joint From Shorts And Lighting Up

The finish came at 2:28 of Round 2. Skowyra landed a run of elbows from top position, forcing the referee to wave off the fight as Moura absorbed unanswered shots. The official result is a TKO through ground elbows, even though early clips and headlines have loosely called it a knockout.

Then came the part nobody had on their bingo card.

Skowyra sprang up, climbed the fence, reached into his shorts and pulled out a rolled item that appeared to be a joint. He also had a lighter ready, lit it in front of the crowd and cameras, and took a few puffs while sitting on top of the cage before returning to the canvas for the official decision.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Happy Punch (@happypunch)

The clip captured both parts of the sequence: the elbows that ended Moura’s night, followed by Skowyra’s unusual smoke break. In a sport full of post-fight backflips, roar-at-the-camera celebrations and callouts, “Bucketboy” went with something closer to a post-training wind-down, except it happened above the cage after a professional fight.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Bartek Skowyra (@bartekskowyra)

The victory reportedly moved Skowyra’s professional record to 6-5. DWM 10 featured 10 fights and aired in Poland via Kanał Sportowy, with the Skowyra-Moura bout quickly becoming one of the event’s most circulated moments online.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Smoke (@smoke)

LowKickMMA.com