“The guy deserves to make a living. He lost everything. He’s been building himself up for the last five years," White said of Hardy.
Chelsea Howard
Henry Cejudo and T.J. Dillashaw clash for flyweight championship. Here's how you should bet on the first UFC main event of 2019.
Steven Muehlhausen
Rachael Ostovich speaks to Sporting News ahead of her fight Saturday vs. Paige VanZant, feeling empowered to represent domestic violence victims and survivors in the Octagon.
Mark Lelinwalla
As he makes the first defense of the flyweight title on Saturday, Henry Cejudo is poised to put the division on his back.
Cory Sandhagen, who will face Mario Bautista at UFC Brooklyn on Saturday night, is definitely a fighter to watch this year.
E. Spencer Kyte
Other fighters have held world titles in two different weight classes, but T.J. Dillashaw is looking to be the first who moved down in weight to capture his second. He explains how his road to this point is the reason why he'll be an all-time great.
Sure, the immediate aftermath of a fighter holding two titles looks great. But this Sporting News column analyzes why having a "Double Champ" isn't exactly a good thing.
This Sporting News column lays out the benefits of the UFC keeping its flyweight division long after Saturday night's event in Brooklyn.
Sporting News picks the 2019 UFC breakthrough candidates in each division.
Like a kid makes his wish list to Santa Claus, Sporting News comes up with some scenarios that we'd like to see happen in mixed martial arts across 2019.
Colby Covington was passed over for a title shot against UFC welterweight title holder Tyron Woodley in favor of Kamaru Usman.
Thomas Lott
The first man who successfully defended world titles in two different weight classes easily gets the nod as our 2018 fighter of the year.
Sporting News Staff
The UFC made some interesting decisions over the weekend. This Sporting News column analyzes the UFC 235 main and co-main event.
Sporting News predicts who will be standing as UFC champions by the end of 2019.
As long as the Nevada State Athletic Commission grants him a license, Jon Jones will defend his light heavyweight title against Anthony Smith at UFC 235 on March 2.
This Sporting News column explores how the UFC had other breakout stars in 2018 in addition to Israel Adesanya, who garnered the most spotlight.
One of the greatest knockouts you will ever see in any sport took place at the UFC's 25th anniversary show.
A fight that came together at the last minute ended up with a finish for the ages and taking home the hardware for the 2018 MMA fight of the year.
A clear-cut winner for submission of the year didn't emerge until the final week of 2018.
Even though he's on the outside looking in, the former UFC heavyweight champion finds himself in a unique position.
"As long as everything goes right, this fight should happen," White told TMZ Sports.
Kirstie Chiappelli
From surveying the current light heavyweight landscape ruled by Jon Jones to taking a closer look at what it means to be "Double Champ," The Remix discusses everything for the week that was in MMA.
Floyd Mayweather Jr says he can do three rounds in his sleep, but Tenshin Nasukawa plans to give him a wake-up call.
Peter Thompson
The precedent is there for Amanda Nunes and Cris Cyborg to run it back one more time.
Light heavyweight champion Jon Jones is eyeing a third clash with Daniel Cormier after claiming the title at UFC 232.
Ben Spratt
From Jon Jones' dominance and a possible third fight with Daniel Cormier, to Amanda Nunes' shocking finish of Cris Cyborg, SN reflects on the 10 things we learned from UFC 232.
Jon Jones and Alexander Gustafsson battle one more time to see who will be the undisputed light heavyweight champion in the main event of UFC 232.
The UFC is going out in style for its final show of 2018.
The fight was moved out of Las Vegas because the NSAC did not have the proper time to investigate the matter, according to USA Today.
Ameer Tyree
Amanda Nunes has a chance to make history on Saturday night, as she challenges women's featherweight champion Cris Cyborg in the co-main event of UFC 232.
Alexander Volkanovski will face Chad Mendes at UFC 232 on Saturday night in Inglewood, California. Despite being an undefeated featherweight, Volkanovski has managed to stay under the radar. Perhaps not for long, though.
Jon Jones tells Sporting News ahead of his fight with Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 232 on Saturday night that he needs to make a statement to prove he's still the best that MMA has to offer.
Jon Jones and Alexander Gustafsson clash once again for the light heavyweight championship. Here's how you should bet on the final UFC main event of 2018.
This Sporting News column explores how Jon Jones, like Barry Bonds, is an undeniable talent whose legacy has been tarnished by scandal.
Daniel Cormier will remain the UFC's heavyweight champion.
A battle-tested Abner Mares speaks with Sporting News about trying to defy the odds and defeat Gervonta Davis on Feb. 9.
Mark Ortega
Kayla Harrison talks to Sporting News about a variety of topics ahead of her fight on New Year's Eve at PFL 11.
The back-to-back Bellator events in Hawaii were a hit, while the UFC on Fox had its last card and Edson Barboza shined in the MMA week that was.
Ilima-Lei Macfarlane defended her women's flyweight title against Valerie Letourneau at Bellator 213 in thrilling fashion in front of her hometown fans in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Saturday night's UFC Milwaukee card featured Al Iaquinta earning a unanimous decision victory over Kevin Lee thanks to a punishing striking game on his feet. Edson Barboza made a statement against Dan Hooker in the co-main event.
Ilima-Lei Macfarlane defends her women's flyweight championship against Valerie Letourneau in the main event.
Michael Chandler exacted revenge with a lopsided unanimous decision win in his rematch with Brent Primus.
Brent Primus and Michael Chandler lock up once again for the Bellator lightweight title at Bellator 212 on Friday, Dec. 14.
Frank Mir reveals why Brock Lesnar was tougher than his last outing against Fedor Emelianenko.
The feud between De La Hoya and White another turn when the boxing promoter called out the MMA boss during a radio interview Thursday.
Drew Nantais
At 6-0, Ed Ruth has used superior wrestling skills to excel thus far in Bellator MMA. The prospect to watch will face fellow unbeaten upstart, Neiman Gracie, at Bellator 213 on Saturday night, live on DAZN.
In lieu of her second title defense, women's flyweight champion Ilima-Lei Macfarlane speaks with Sporting News about the real reason she initially got into MMA and much more.
Who ranks No. 1 on the Bellator Top 25?
Dan Hooker looks to set himself up for a huge 2019 with a win over Edson Barboza on Saturday at the final UFC on FOX event.
Reigning lightweight champion Brent Primus has been waiting for his moment to face rival Michael Chandler in a rematch of their June 2017 fight. He speaks with Sporting News about finally getting that chance Friday night at Bellator 212, live on DAZN.
Upstart Tywan Claxton is one to watch when he faces Kaeo Meyer at Bellator 212 in Hawaii on Friday night, live on DAZN.
Max Holloway may headline the featherweight division, but there are plenty of other names that you should be keeping an eye on within the ranks as well.
The Remix looks back at the week in MMA, with Max Holloway's masterful win over Brian Ortega, Valentina Shevchenko's victory against Joanna Jedrzejczyk, why Jack Shore is a prospect to watch and more.
After defeating Brian Ortega at UFC 231, Max Holloway left no doubt who the best featherweight in the world is. But what should he do next?
Max Holloway's overwhelming pressure forced Brian Ortega to quit on his stool as Holloway successfully defended his title.
Max Holloway puts his featherweight championship on the line against No. 1 contender Brian Ortega.
After enduring a false start, the Brian Ortega-Max Holloway featherweight title bout at UFC 231 on Saturday night is finally upon us.
Joey Ruquet details his remarkable journey from being homeless to competing in the second annual Copa Combate tournament.
The promotion showed tone deafness by booking a convicted domestic abuser alongside a fighter who was allegedly abused by her husband.
Featherweight champion Max Holloway details what has been the worst year of his fighting career.
UFC president Dana White said a fight for Jan. 19 between Greg Hardy and Allen Crowder is close to being finalized.
Aleksandar Rakic is rapidly ascending the ranks in the 205-pound weight class.
Kamaru Usman and Joseph Benavidez each pulled off impressive victories in the week that was in MMA. All that and more in the latest installment of The Remix.
Junior dos Santos managed to get past Tai Tuivasa, but it was far from easy.
Brendan Bradford
Big win for the veteran.
Kent Kauppinen made quick work of Alessio Sakara.
Alessio Sakara and Kent Kauppinen will duke it out in Italy on Saturday, Dec. 1.
Kamaru Usman can't be denied a title shot any longer after dismantling his Brazilian foe in Las Vegas.
Middleweights Chidi Njokuani and John Salter do battle in the middleweight headliner of Bellator 210 on Friday night, live on DAZN.
A key middleweight bout headlines Friday's Bellator event in Oklahoma.
Junior dos Santos doesn't hold anything back in regards to the UFC heavyweight championship picture.
Juan Archuleta looks to keep his winning streak going Friday night, when he faces Jeremy Spoon at the Winstar World Casino and Resort in Thackerville, Oklahoma at Bellator 210.
Joseph Benavidez faces Alex Perez at the TUF 28 Finale on Friday, looking to set up a bigger fight against Henry Cejudo and TJ Dillashaw.
Bellator 211 will feature a rising star from SBG Ireland, the very gym responsible for putting Conor McGregor on the map.
It's rare that a fighter in the main event manages to fly under the radar, but that's exactly what we have with Kamaru Usman heading into his fight with Rafael dos Anjos.
With the 28th season of "The Ultimate Fighter" wrapping up, we rank the top 28 fighters who have passed through the 'TUF' competition and graduated to the UFC.
"Everything is possible," Nurmagomedov said Monday. "Just as McGregor and I feuded, so we could reconcile."
Francis Ngannou making quick work of Curtis Blaydes at UFC Beijing was just one of the storylines to emerge from MMA over the past week.
Tito Ortiz gets redemption in stopping Chuck Liddell in their trilogy bout.
The former UFC heavyweight title challenger got back on track with a decisive victory at UFC Beijing.
Song Yadong will face Vince Morales at UFC Fight Night 141 in Beijing, China on Saturday.
Since joining the Denver-based Elevation Fight Team, Curtis Blaydes is 6-0. He'll face Francis Ngannou at UFC 141 in Beijing on Saturday.
The UFC could learn something from its handling of Francis Ngannou, who is in danger of losing his third straight fight when he faces Curtis Blaydes at UFC Fight Night 141 on Saturday.
The Remix looks back at the week of MMA action, which saw Santiago Ponzinibbio knocking Neil Magny out in spectacular fashion at UFC Buenos Aires and Patricio Freire defeating Emmanuel Sanchez by unanimous decision at Bellator 209. Also, the column pinpoints Mizuki as a prospect to watch.
Santiago Ponzinibbio dominated Neil Magny before finishing him in the fourth round of the UFC Fight Night 140 main event.
Andreas Hale
UFC Buenos Aires touts a main event pitting Neil Magny vs. Santiago Ponzinibbio, and although the fight is flying under the radar, it doesn't mean that it won't be an action-packed crowd-pleaser. SN explores how unsexy contenders come about and why fight fans should give bouts like this a chance.
Will Emmanuel "El Matador" Sanchez be able to tame featherweight world champion Patricio "Pitbull" Freire at Bellator 209 on Friday?
Ian Heinisch has a chance to make a splash in the middleweight division Saturday, when he faces Cezar Ferreira at UFC Buenos Aires.
Nick Diaz reportedly plans to end his four-year UFC absence and return in March 2019 against Jorge Masvidal.
He's already one of the greatest fighters in Bellator MMA history, but where does Pitbull rank among the current crop of featherweights?
Phil Davis may be the 'A' side but Vadim Nemkov is certainly the one to watch as the two clash at Bellator 209 in Tel Aviv, Israel.
Yair Rodriguez punctuated an incredible week for mixed martial arts with an elbow out of nowhere to knock Chan Sung Jung out.
Yair Rodriguez pulled off a finish for the ages.
Israel Adesanya has some poignant words regarding fellow rising middleweight Paulo Costa.
November may not have a pay per view of champion fight on deck, but the UFC is showcasing 17 up-and-coming fighters who are all 27 years of age or younger. Here's the run down on every single one of them.
The UFC welterweight defends himself over recent comments that have put him on the hot seat.
Maycee Barber is challenging herself to become the youngest fighter in UFC history to grab gold. And she has the potential to do it.
There are already lazy parallels being drawn between Israel Adesanya and Conor McGregor. However, the two fighters are incredibly different.
Here's everything you need to know about the 20-year-old undefeated kickboxer.
What a week it was in MMA, with Daniel Cormier making his submission of Derrick Lewis look easy and middleweights at UFC 230 shining bright. Here's a look at the week that was in MMA and a prospect to watch moving forward.
Floyd Mayweather is set to come out of retirement to face 20-year-old kick boxer Tenshin Nasukawa at Rizin 14 in Tokyo on New Year's Eve.
With all of his accomplishments, where does Daniel Cormier sit when it comes to ranking the greatest mixed martial artists of all-time? Here's our guess.
Franklin McNeil
UFC "Double Champ" Daniel Cormier could fight Brock Lesnar or Jon Jones before the end of his career. But even if he doesn't face either opponent, he seems content with his place in MMA history.
Daniel Cormier defends the UFC heavyweight title against Derrick Lewis. Sporting News will be inside Madison Square Garden with blow-by-blow coverage of UFC 230.
Daniel Cormier closed UFC 230 in proper fashion and social media erupted with reactions to the finish.
Social media reactions to Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza's thrilling knockout of Chris Weidman at UFC 230.
Israel Adesanya put on a show to kick off the UFC 230 main card.
Daniel Cormier makes the first defense of the heavyweight championship against an unlikely challenger.
The Sporting News staff makes their predictions for UFC 230: Cormier-Lewis.
Despite failing to make the weight cut for flyweights, Sijara Eubanks still looks to deliver on an impressive win over Roxanne Modafferi on Saturday night.
Chris Weidman can propel himself to a possible middleweight title shot if he can defeat Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza at UFC 230 on Saturday night.
Derrick Lewis turned into an instant viral sensation at UFC 229. But a knockout of the UFC "Double Champ" Daniel Cormier would be elevate his star power to an astronomical level.
It seems as though if Daniel Cormier defeats Derrick Lewis at UFC 230, people will say it's what he was supposed to do, but don't downplay what he has done in the Octagon.
Daniel Cormier defends the heavyweight championship against Derrick Lewis. Here's how you should bet on the upcoming showdown.
Derrick Lewis is relying on one key thing to become the heavyweight champion of the world at UFC 230.
UFC 230's Israel Adesanya has all the makings of the UFC's breakout star. But he has to overcome his toughest test to date in Derek Brunson.
People questioned why the fighter known as "Sarge" was considered for the main event of UFC 230. After this weekend, there should be no more questions about Sijara Eubanks.
"I don't think the fight would happen in the UFC, but they didn't say no," White said Thursday.
"The Remix" looks back at not only the biggest stories of the last seven days, but also some of the ones that aren't getting enough attention, with some weekly awards and a prospect to watch going forward added for good measure.
Anthony Smith gives Sporting News his candid thoughts about the former light heavyweight champion and why he hopes Jones regains the light heavyweight title at UFC 232.
It was a light fight week in the sport, but it still turned out to be an interesting week in mixed martial arts.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. will have to leave the ring for the octagon if he wants to face Khabib Nurmagomedov, according to UFC chief Dana White.
The winner receives $100,000.
Anthony Smith showed during his victory in Canada that he's a legit light heavyweight.
Anthony Smith is irked over people not giving him credit during his sudden rise in the light heavyweight division.
For this week's Under the Radar, Sporting News takes a look at UFC Fight Night 138's Te'Jovan Edwards and why he's one to watch this weekend.
Even though no major fight cards took place, it still turned out to be an interesting week in mixed martial arts.
Khabib Nurmagomedov defeated Conor McGregor at UFC 229 and the Irishman admits he got his preparation wrong.
Peter Hanson
It's not a three-man show between Jones, Cormier and Gustafsson anymore.
Daniel Cormier gives a first-hand account of the now-infamous UFC 229 melee, which he says wasn't a surprise to him because of an incident he'd had with some of Khabib Nurmagomedov's pals.
Fans of combat sports are less interested in there being a great fight unless there is a fair bit of controversy and drama attached to it.
UFC star Conor McGregor was a guest of the Cowboys as they defeated the Jaguars on Sunday.
Sacha Pisani
Fedor Emelianenko taught us a valuable lesson in his postfight press conference Saturday night: He cares what his opponents say about him.
Fedor Emelianenko punched his way into the final of the Bellator heavyweight grand prix.
Chael Sonnen faces Fedor Emelianenko at the Bellator 208 grand prix semifinal at NYCB Live in Uniondale, New York on Saturday.
Ahead of Saturday's Bellator 208 bout vs. Saad Awad, Benson Henderson speaks with Sporting News about the one thing fighters don't like talking about.
Chael Sonnen battles Fedor Emelianenko in the main event of Saturday's Bellator 208.
Ryan Bader becomes the first entrant into the final of the Bellator heavyweight grand prix.
The heavyweight grand prix semifinals continue and can be streamed on DAZN.
From Conor McGregor attacking a bus to sanctioned pit fighting, we look at the biggest debacles in the history of mixed martial arts.
Lorenz Larkin isn't happy heading into Bellator 207.
Bellator grabs the MMA spotlight this weekend with their heavyweight grand prix semifinal matchups feat. Chael Sonnen vs. Fedor Emelianenko and Matt Mitrione vs. Ryan Bader.
Ryan Bader changed things up a bit leading into his semifinal bout at Friday's Bellator 207.
Prior to every event, Under the Radar will cast the spotlight on an up-and-coming talent who shows the potential for growth in their division and isn’t getting enough attention as they head into battle.
"The American Gangster" Chael Sonnen cut off Fedor Emelianenko during their Bellator 208 press conference Thursday and he plans to do the same in the cage when they fight Saturday night.
Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier are returning to the Octagon in 2018, but not against each other. What does it mean for a possible trilogy between the two?
Instead of promoting negativity, creating "super fights" and interim titles, the UFC needs to go back to what it used to do best: promoting and making great fights, without the shenanigans.
Derrick Lewis has beef with Daniel Cormier — or let's just say, chicken. Lewis, who will square off against the heavyweight champ at UFC 230 on Nov. 3 at Madison Square Garden, didn't like when Cormier danced with Popeyes chicken.
Chael Sonnen will face Fedor Emelianenko on Saturday (Oct. 13) at the NYCB Live in Uniondale, New York, as the headliner to Bellator 208, live on DAZN.
Don't expect Roy Nelson to be sending Matt Mitrione a Christmas card this holiday season.
Amanda Serrano, a six-division world champion, is putting her boxing career on indefinite hold while moving full speed ahead with MMA. She spoke with Sporting News about her reason for doing so, ahead of her MMA fight on Oct. 13.
Khabib Nurmagomedov isn't the only one facing discipline from the state of Nevada.
Khabib Nurmagomedov defeated Conor McGregor before a post-bout melee marred UFC 229, and the Irishman claims he "won the battle."
Ali Abdelaziz apologized for the ugly scenes after Khabib Nurmagomedov's win, but suggested Conor McGregor's comments had led to the melee.
Liam Blackburn
Khabib Nurmagomedov's postfight antics after beating Conor McGregor overshadowed his moment in the sun, or maybe they opened a door for an even bigger payday in the future.
It was an impressive win over Conor McGregor, but Khabib Nurmagomedov's reputation took a dive at UFC 229.
UFC 229 descended into mayhem after Khabib Nurmagomedov beat Conor McGregor but the Russian said Vladimir Putin called to congratulate him.
Tom Webber
UFC heavyweight Derrick Lewis gave a legendary interview after his come-from-behind win over Alexander Volkov on Saturday night at UFC 229.
Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor could be set for a rematch once the dust has settled following the chaos that marred their fight.
Jack Davies
Following the chaos that marred his defeat to Khabib Nurmagomedov, Conor McGregor says he is "looking forward to the rematch."
Fighting broke out after Khabib Nurmagomedov's victory over Conor McGregor and Mike Tyson suggested the scenes were unprecedented.
Following the shocking aftermath of Khabib Nurmagomedov's win against Conor McGregor and the chaos that ensued thereafter, we look at how things boiled over.
Chaos ensued at T-Mobile Arena after Khabib Nurmagomedov defeated Conor McGregor with a rear naked choke in the fourth round.
The Sporting News staff predicts the winners for the main card of UFC 229: Khabib vs. McGregor.
Khabib Nurmagomedov defends his lightweight title against Conor McGregor. Here's how you should bet on the upcoming showdown.
Conor McGregor is in against his toughest test to date but there's a lot to gain should the Irishman come out on top as future opponents are already lining up.
Conor McGregor returns from nearly a two-year layoff to face the undefeated lightweight champion.
Conor McGregor is the biggest star in UFC history, but is he also the greatest mixed martial artist of all-time? We explore the idea if Mystic Mac defeats Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 229.
Tony Ferguson faces Anthony Pettis at UFC 229 on Saturday night.
The UFC lightweight champion refused to wait for McGregor to arrive at their press conference and then departed early. McGregor said his rivalry with Nurmagomedov is "deeper than a fight."
Al Iaquinta lost a unanimous decision to Khabib Nurmagomedov back in April but there are things that Iaquinta says McGregor can learn from and find a path to victory at UFC 229.
UFC 230 finally has a main event and it's not Nate Diaz vs. Dustin Poirier for the inaugural 165 pound title.
Former two-division UFC champion Georges St-Pierre talks with Sporting News about a variety of topics ahead of UFC 229.
Conor McGregor describes what led to his Octagon return.
The biggest card in Bellator history didn't disappoint.
The biggest card in Bellator history takes place on Sept. 29 in San Jose, exclusively on DAZN.
From Conor McGregor vs. Eddie Alvarez to Georges St-Pierre-BJ Penn, Sporting News takes a look at MMA's top superfights.
Gegard Mousasi explains to Sporting News why fighting is never fun, discusses his upcoming title defense against Rory MacDonald and just how close he is to retirement.
The extensive partnership between Bellator MMA and Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson will include a new apparel line from Jackson.
Rory MacDonald discusses his upcoming showdown with Gegard Mousasi and how he has gone from experimentation to finding what works at just the right time in his career.
With a win over Arlene Blencowe, Amber Leibrock could be back in contention in the featherweight division.
The featherweight will face Leandro Higo on Saturday night.
From Eddie Alvarez vs. Michael Chandler to "Rampage" Jackson vs. Muhammad Lawal, Sporting News takes a look at the biggest fights in Bellator history.
Bellator middleweight champion Gegard Mousasi speaks with Sporting News ahead of his main event bout at Bellator 206 against welterweight champion Rory MacDonald, airing live and exclusively on DAZN on Sept. 29.
The Brazilian wins in impressive fashion.
The top two fights at Bellator 205 delivered the goods. The main event ended quickly and brutally.
Bellator returns on Friday, Sept. 21, in Boise, Idaho, and will be streamed live on DAZN.
Eryk Anders headlines the event against Thiago Santos in the UFC's final trip to Brazil in 2018.
The biggest star in combat sports isn't going anywhere.
The already-bad blood between Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov just got worse.
It will now be up to McGregor to back up his trash talk on Oct. 6 when he fights Nurmagomedov at UFC 229.
MMA pioneer Antonio McKee helped create Team Bodyshop, a gym that brings in athletes from around the world to train at the highest level. That includes his son, A.J., who's on the Bellator 205 card.
Dan Holzhauer
"I'm gonna make him tired and make him look bad," Nurmagomedov said Thursday upon his arrival in New York.
The former UFC champion is already feeling comfortable with his new employer.
