Speaking in a recent interview, Jones placed himself and Makhachev at the top of the sport, highlighting the Russian’s remarkable achievements inside the Octagon.

“[Islam] may just be one of the greatest fighters in the world. Right now, it’s me and maybe him.”

The praise comes after Makhachev further strengthened his legacy by becoming a two-division UFC champion. His dominant grappling, ever-improving striking, and consistent performances have cemented his place among the elite fighters in mixed martial arts.

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Mutual respect between two all-time greats

Jones and Makhachev have often expressed admiration for each other’s accomplishments despite competing in different weight classes. Both men have captured UFC titles in two divisions and own identical professional MMA records of 28 wins and one loss, adding another interesting comparison between the two champions.

While fans continue to debate who deserves the title of the sport’s pound-for-pound king, Jones’ latest comments show the respect Makhachev has earned from one of the most accomplished fighters in UFC history.

With Jones’ fighting future still uncertain and Makhachev continuing to dominate at the highest level, the discussion over who truly sits atop the MMA world is likely to continue. For now, however, Jones believes there are only two names that belong at the very top of the conversation—his own and Islam Makhachev’s.

READ MORE: Rifdean Masdor Calls For Shot At Nadaka Following $100K Contract Win

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Pereira suffered a second-round TKO loss during the Freedom 250 co-main event and later expressed frustration with the referee’s stoppage decision. Despite the defeat, the Brazilian remains confident about his future and recently discussed potential blockbuster fights against Jon Jones and Khamzat Chimaev.

“I think that’s what everyone wants to see, Jon Jones right? A fight I’m gonna have with Chimaev won’t make the same money as a fight with Jon Jones. Looking at the financial side, Jon Jones for the legacy too right and of course Chimaev for the sake of fighting. I like challenges and that’s what motivates me,” said Alex Pereira via ALF Global.

Pereira has been chasing the Jon Jones fight for over a year now, and fans were hyped about it before Jones retirement. Given the popularity of both fighters, this fight definitely has the potential to attract massive hype.

On the other hand, Khamzat Chimaev is the current middleweight champion and has a long-standing beef with Alex Pereira. According to the Russian, his wrestling will be enough to beat Pereira’s unbelievable striking prowess.

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Jon Jones ready to fight Alex Pereira and Ciryl Gane simultaneously

Jon Jones was expected to compete at Freedom 250, but his controversial fallout with the UFC ultimately prevented the highly anticipated appearance. Despite the setback, the former heavyweight champion has continued teasing a potential comeback, keeping fans excited and speculation surrounding his future.

During a recent interview, Jones boldly claimed he could fight both Ciryl Gane and Alex Pereira on the very same day. “I would love to. anytime, anywhere, any place,” said Jon Jones.

Ciryl Gane shocked the world by knocking out Alex Pereira and capturing the heavyweight championship. The fighter previously faced Jon Jones back in 2023 and lost the bout via submission in the first round. Nevertheless, it would be interesting to see whether Jones can make his return anytime soon.

READ MORE: Rifdean Masdor Calls For Shot At Nadaka Following $100K Contract Win

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The undefeated Ukrainian has previously said he plans to retire after one more fight, and his latest comments have immediately sparked excitement across both boxing and MMA. While many expected Usyk to face another top heavyweight contender, the undisputed champion instead named two of the biggest names in combat sports.

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Can Either Fight Become Reality?

A crossover clash with Jon Jones would be one of the biggest events in combat sports history, although the UFC champion has never competed in professional boxing. Meanwhile, a showdown with Deontay Wilder would see Usyk take on one of the hardest punchers the heavyweight division has ever seen, despite Wilder no longer holding a world title.

Both fights face significant hurdles, but Usyk has made it clear he wants his farewell bout to be something special. Having already become the undisputed champion at both cruiserweight and heavyweight while defeating the likes of Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury, and Daniel Dubois, the 39-year-old has little left to prove.

Whether it’s Jones, Wilder, or another surprise opponent, Usyk’s final fight is shaping up to be one of the most talked-about events in combat sports.

READ MORE: Rifdean Masdor Calls For Shot At Nadaka Following $100K Contract Win

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The card also features a crucial lightweight clash between Benoît Saint Denis and Paddy Pimblett, along with several ranked contenders looking to make a statement on one of the UFC’s biggest stages of the year.

UFC 329 Event Details

UFC 329 takes place on Saturday, July 11, 2026, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The early prelims are scheduled to begin at 2:00 p.m. ET, followed by the prelims at 4:00 p.m. ET, while the main card starts at 6:00 p.m. ET on Paramount+. The main event between Conor McGregor and Max Holloway is expected to make its walk to the Octagon at approximately 9:30 p.m. ET, depending on the length of the earlier bouts.

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How to Watch

Fans in the United States can watch the entire event live on Paramount+, while international broadcast details vary by region.

Main Event

Conor McGregor vs. Max Holloway 2 (Welterweight)

Co-Main Event

Benoît Saint Denis vs. Paddy Pimblett (Lightweight)

Main Card

• Cory Sandhagen vs. Mario Bautista
• Brandon Royval vs. Lone’er Kavanagh
• King Green vs. Terrance McKinney

Preliminary Card

• Robert Whittaker vs. Nikita Krylov
• Cody Garbrandt vs. Adrian Yanez
• Gable Steveson vs. Elisha Ellison
• Tracy Cortez vs. Wang Cong
• Alessandro Costa vs. Cody Durden

With McGregor making his highly anticipated return against Holloway and a stacked supporting card, UFC 329 promises to be one of the biggest MMA events of the year and a fitting centerpiece for International Fight Week.

READ MORE: Rifdean Masdor Calls For Shot At Nadaka Following $100K Contract Win

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Following Pereira’s recent defeat, Jones posted a video that many fans interpreted as celebrating the loss and taking aim at “Poatan.” The timing of the post sparked criticism across the MMA community, with some accusing the heavyweight champion of disrespecting one of the sport’s biggest stars.

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Jones says the message was for his critics, not Pereira

Speaking about the controversy, Jones explained that the video was directed at fans who were already placing Pereira in the greatest-of-all-time conversation rather than at Pereira himself.

“A lot of people were saying if Alex wins, he’s the GOAT. My video was a message to all my haters.”

Jones made it clear that he wasn’t trying to diminish Pereira’s accomplishments and instead wanted to respond to the growing number of critics who believed Pereira would surpass his legacy with another high-profile victory.

The clarification comes after weeks of debate over Jones’ relationship with Pereira and ongoing fan discussions comparing the achievements of the two champions. While Jones remains widely regarded as one of the greatest fighters in MMA history, Pereira’s rapid rise through multiple weight classes has led some fans to include him in the GOAT conversation.

Although the debate is unlikely to end anytime soon, Jones has now made his stance clear: his comments were aimed at those questioning his legacy—not at Alex Pereira himself.

READ MORE: Rifdean Masdor Calls For Shot At Nadaka Following $100K Contract Win

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Rather than predicting an early knockout, Garry said he plans to dominate the opening rounds before securing a spectacular finish in the fourth.

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Garry wants four rounds of control before the finish

“I want four rounds of domination, and in that fourth round, I’m going to tell everybody, I’m going to do it now, and then I’m going to go in, and I’m going to finish him.”

The prediction is one of the boldest made ahead of UFC 330, especially considering Makhachev’s reputation as one of the most dominant champions in the sport. Known for his elite grappling, relentless pressure and improving striking, Makhachev has rarely looked vulnerable during his championship reign.

Garry, however, believes his fight IQ, movement and striking will allow him to dictate the contest before delivering a statement finish in the championship rounds.

The matchup is expected to be one of the biggest fights on the UFC 330 card, with Garry looking to shock the MMA world by dethroning one of the promotion’s pound-for-pound best fighters. Whether he can back up his confident prediction remains to be seen, but his promise of a fourth-round finish has added even more intrigue to an already highly anticipated title clash.

READ MORE: Rifdean Masdor Calls For Shot At Nadaka Following $100K Contract Win

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Rodrigues defeated “The Queen” Phetjeeja Lukjaoporongtom by split decision across five rounds in the main event of The Inner Circle 19 at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, on Friday, June 19, completing her fifth successful title defence. The win made her the first fighter to defeat Phetjeeja inside ONE Championship.

The Brazilian was clinical in her early execution. She attacked Phetjeeja’s legs, imposed her Muay Thai in the clinch, and kept pressure on the kickboxing champion throughout the opening rounds. The fight tightened in the middle stanzas as Phetjeeja found more success with her boxing, but Rodrigues pressed forward and refused to let the challenge dictate the distance.

“I’m so happy to represent my team and everyone against a really strong opponent like Phetjeeja, and to get one more win to keep the belt with us,” she said.

“For sure, she’s one of the strongest opponents of my life, but I felt good in the fight. In the beginning, I felt really great, and things were going really well. In round three, the fight became harder, but we came back and took the win.”

She broke down the tactical sequence that turned the fight in her favour. Phetjeeja began to retreat as the clinch pressure accumulated, and that shift in movement was the moment Rodrigues identified as decisive.

“The fight was good. I did everything I trained really hard to do for this fight: kick her leg, land knees, and clinch. I felt good. The fight became harder at some point, but then I overcame it and kept clinching. Phetjeeja started running away, and that’s when the fight started going [my way.]” she said.

“It was a close fight, but I feel I won most of the rounds. I only lost one round, so I was a little bit unsure, but I was confident that I did enough to take the win.”

Rodrigues left the door open for a rematch with Phetjeeja, offering words of genuine respect for the challenger and what she represents. Then she turned toward the future.

“We’re always ready, and we’re going to get better and better,” she said.

“Thank you so much for the fight. I have so much respect for you and your story. It was a pleasure to share the ring with Phetjeeja. See you soon.”

The five-time Muay Thai defender has already begun MMA training and has her heart set on another world title in a different ruleset.

“I’m already training MMA, and I’m planning to make the move. If everything goes well, my next fight will be in MMA,” she said.

“For sure, I want the MMA belt.”

READ MORE: Rifdean Masdor Calls For Shot At Nadaka Following $100K Contract Win

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The 23-year-old Malaysian knocked out Iran’s Javad Mozafari in the first round of their atomweight Muay Thai bout at The Inner Circle 19 at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, on Friday, June 19, earning the US$100,000 six-figure contract that has defined his entire journey. The finish, his fifth first-round stoppage in ONE Championship and seventh promotional win, came at the 94-second mark.

“I’ve been waiting for this contract for three years. I’ve got it because I worked hard. Discipline and motivation have always been number one for me,” he said.

“Thank you so much to Boss Chatri [Sityodtong] for giving me the contract and the bonus, and thank you to my big boss at Sor Sommai. Thank you to my fans and my family. Thank you, everyone.”

The finish itself followed a calculated build. Rifdean dropped Mozafari with a body shot early in the round. The Iranian recovered and beat the count, only to be met by two left hooks to the body that ended the contest. The Sor Sommai and Sor Kitrungroj product had not banked on the finish coming so quickly, but he trusted the process and kept the pressure on until it did.

“I wasn’t expecting to get the knockout win in the first round because anything can happen in a fight. But, Alhamdulillah, I kept pushing until my opponent went down,” he said.

In earning the contract, Rifdean joined Johan Ghazali and Aliff Sor Dechapan as Malaysian fighters to have been handed this opportunity on the world stage. It was a milestone he had visualised for years, and its arrival confirmed everything he had been telling himself across three years of grind.

For Rifdean, the contract is not the destination. It is the beginning of the next chapter, and he already knows exactly who he wants to share it with.

“Now that I’ve got the contract, I’m happy. But it’s not over yet. See you in the next fight. I will do my best,” he said.

The callout he delivered after the win sent a clear message to the entire atomweight division. ONE Atomweight Muay Thai World Champion Nadaka Yoshinari was watching from wherever champions go when they wait for challengers to arrive.

“My next goal is to become a ONE World Champion. So, for my next fight, see you in Japan, Nadaka. I want to fight against him,” he said.

“I’ll train hard to get the belt. Nadaka is my idol, and I want to fight with my idol. It will be a good fight.”

READ MORE: Aslamjon Ortikov Accepts Heartbreaking World Title Loss But Vows To Return With The Best Version Of Himself

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Ortikov suffered the first defeat of his professional career when Asadula “The Dagestan Ninja” Imangazaliev claimed the vacant ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Title by split decision at The Inner Circle 20 at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, on Friday, June 26. Two of three judges sided with Imangazaliev at the end of a five-round war. Ortikov’s record falls to 24-1.

The Uzbek emerged from the ring physically unmarked and fully convinced he had done enough to take the gold back to Samarkand.

“As you saw, guys, I did my best. It even looked like I won. You can see it from my face,” he said.

“But the decision wasn’t in my hands or yours. So, I have to accept it. What can I do? I did my best and showed everyone a great fight.”

Ortikov pointed to the visible evidence of his argument. His own face remained clean throughout five rounds against one of the sport’s most dangerous and unorthodox strikers, while Imangazaliev bled from his nose after a third-round punch. He believed the cleaner work and the lack of damage on his own face should have been enough.

“You could see how many kicks I landed on him, how many push kicks I landed to his face, and the spinning backfists. And look at my face. There wasn’t a mark on it,” he said.

The narrow verdict did not leave him doubting what he showed inside the ring. He had stood in front of a man many consider the most dangerous striker alive and fought for fifteen minutes without once questioning whether he belonged there.

“Of course, I believed in myself that I won,” he said.

“I don’t know what other people thought or who they believed won, but for me, I was inside the ring and fighting there. During the fight, I thought I won, but that’s how it is.”

The first loss of his career has not altered what he knows about himself as a fighter. He left Bangkok healthy, he left it with his self-belief intact, and he left it with one immediate priority settled in his mind.

“It didn’t affect me at all. I know what I did, and I know how I fought. I didn’t give up at all. I think it was a very good fight, and I fought until the end. Most importantly, nothing happened to me. My body wasn’t injured. So this loss doesn’t affect me at all,” he said.

A return is already in his thoughts. He has not named a target or a timeline, only a guarantee delivered with characteristic directness.

“You already saw the best version of me, and next time, you will definitely see it again,” he said.

“Anytime, anywhere.”

READ MORE: Stamp Fairtex Recaps Cynthia Flores Split Decision: “Gave It Everything I Had”

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The former three-sport ONE World Champion outpointed Mexico’s Cynthia Flores by split decision in their atomweight Muay Thai clash at The Inner Circle 20 at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, on Friday, June 26, improving her striking record to 65-18. Flores came forward with relentless dirty boxing from the opening bell, and the fight grew increasingly competitive as the rounds wore on.

Stamp broke down exactly where her tools fell short on the night, despite respecting the danger Flores brought into the ring.

“She’s tough and really strong. But as for her power? Her kicks and strikes weren’t that heavy. Her punches, though, if they land clean, they definitely pack a punch,” she said.

“I actually looked for the head kick several times, but my legs just wouldn’t get up there that day. It just didn’t happen. It felt like I couldn’t pull the trigger on my kicks.”

She was candid about how the fight slipped away from her control in the closing round, and revealed an unexpected complication that had thrown off her preparation before the bell ever rang.

“I’m 100 percent confident I won the first round. The first was definitely mine. In the second round, I felt like I still had a slight edge over her. By the third round, though, I think I fought way too defensively and just tried to manage the game,” she said.

“I’m not going to use the excuse that this is only my second fight back. On top of that, I completely lost my focus. My mind was all over the place because my main trainer got sick and couldn’t be in my corner tonight. It really threw me off.”

The win did little to settle her own assessment of the performance. Stamp has built her career on a standard that a split-decision victory over a determined but unheralded opponent did not meet.

“I’m not happy with this fight at all. Seriously, I’m completely disappointed. Nobody’s happy with how it went, and neither am I,” she said.

“I know my performance tonight might not have lived up to everyone’s expectations, but I truly gave it everything I had out there.”

Looking ahead, Stamp remains focused on rebuilding toward MMA gold, the title she relinquished after a torn meniscus derailed her championship run. She is not rushing the timeline, and she has not closed the door on staying in Muay Thai a little longer first.

“I probably need another one or two fights. I’m down for MMA, but maybe let’s hold off on the title shot for now,” she said.

“But honestly, I wouldn’t mind doing Muay Thai again for my next fight. I can do Muay Thai or MMA.”

READ MORE: Nong-O Settles Kongthoranee Trilogy, Eyes Imangazaliev ONE World Title Rematch

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