SHERDOG ARCHIVES: Articles

Dec 31, 2025

Sherdog’s 2025 Comeback Fighter of the Year Just two years removed from a 1-4 skid and roundly counted out of the title hunt in the division he once ruled, Petr Yan completed a stunning return to the bantamweight mountaintop at...

Year-End Awards

Dec 31, 2025

Sherdog’s 2025 Entrance of the Year Paul Hughes delivered a spine-tingling entrance at PFL Belfast on May 10, which he then punctuated with a brutal knockout in front of an arena...

Year-End Awards

Dec 30, 2025

Sherdog’s 2025 Ms. All-Violence Joselyne Edwards extended an unexpected run of finishes inside the Ultimate Fighting Championship women’s bantamweight division with a pair of...

Year-End Awards

Dec 30, 2025

Sherdog’s 2025 Breakthrough Fighter of the Year Joshua Van seemingly reached into the future and pulled himself forward, completing the journey from blue-chip prospect to UFC champion well...

Year-End Awards

Dec 29, 2025

Sherdog’s 2025 Mr. All-Violence As we bring back our annual tribute to the sublimely violent, there could be only one man to usher in the new era.

Year-End Awards

Dec 29, 2025

Sherdog’s 2025 Robbery of the Year “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 32 winner Mairon Santos escaped with a contentious and almost universally panned split decision over Francis Marshall as part of the...

Year-End Awards

Dec 28, 2025

MMA Roots: Super Challenge and the Rise of Demian Maia The Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace made his first real waves in mixed martial arts during a one-night tournament in October 2006, roughly a year before he made his...

MMA Roots

Dec 28, 2025

Pictures - Super Challenge 1 In October 2006, Demian Maia emerged from the shadows as the surprise winner of Super Challenge, one of the toughest tournaments ever held in Brazil.

MMA Roots

Dec 28, 2025

Fight Facts: UFC 2025, a Year in Review The Ultimate Fighting Championship reaffirmed its place atop the MMA totem pole, offering fans a record-tying slate that closed out the...

UFC

Dec 28, 2025

Fight Facts: PFL 2025, a Year in Review Professional Fighters League turned in its busiest year to date, planted its flag in several overseas markets and bade farewell to its trademark...

Professional Fighters League

Dec 27, 2025

Sherdog’s 2025 Round of the Year Diego Lopes and Jean Silva engaged in an unforgettable firefight at UFC Fight Night 259 in Sept. 13 in San Antonio, and it reached peak...

Year-End Awards

Dec 27, 2025

Top 5: UFC Rookies of 2025 A productive pipeline of young talent remains the lifeblood of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, and the latest wave provided plenty of...

Features

Dec 26, 2025

Sherdog’s 2025 Upset of the Year Petr Yan avenged a 2023 loss, recaptured the bantamweight strap and shocked the world with his one-sided handling of Merab Dvalishvili at UFC...

Year-End Awards

Dec 26, 2025

The FF-Files: It’s a Raid Regulation of MMA differs from country to country, but when a Russian SWAT team kicks down your doors, that's probably a good indicator that...

FF-Files

Dec 25, 2025

Opinion: Ilia Topuria’s Five-Alarm Warning The reigning lightweight titleholder’s ongoing flirtation with boxing provides further proof that the Ultimate Fighting Championship must up...

Boxing

Dec 25, 2025

Top 5: Jim Miller Submissions The Ultimate Fighting Championship mainstay beat the company’s most prolific submission specialist at his own game when he disposed of the previously unbeaten Charles Oliveira with a kneebar at...

UFC

Dec 25, 2025

Sherdog’s 2025 Event of the Year When the smoke cleared at the conclusion of UFC 320 on Oct. 4, no other fight card could top it.

Year-End Awards

Dec 24, 2025

Top 5: Dustin Poirier Finishes The American Top Team ace avenged a previous defeat to Conor McGregor when he punched out the former two-division Ultimate Fighting Championship titleholder in the second round of their...

UFC

Dec 24, 2025

Top 5: Donald Cerrone Knockouts “Cowboy” was in prime form when he cut down Rick Story with a crushing head kick and follow-up punches in the second round of their UFC 202...

UFC

Dec 23, 2025

Sherdog’s 2025 Beatdown of the Year For the second year in a row, Anthony Hernandez authored the signature beatdown of the year, this time with a pillar-to-post mauling of Roman Dolidze in the headliner of...

Year-End Awards

Dec 23, 2025

Sherdog’s 2025 Submission of the Year Costello van Steenis wrested victory from the jaws of defeat—and separated Johnny Eblen from consciousness—in the dramatic main event of PFL...

Year-End Awards

Dec 22, 2025

Pictures - PFL Lyon Vadim Nemkov and Renan Ferreira fought for the inaugural Professional Fighters League heavyweight belt at PFL Lyon on Dec. 13, 2025.

Professional Fighters League

Sherdog.com Staff

Dec 21, 2025

Sherdog’s 2025 Knockout of the Year Lerone Murphy authored a highlight for the ages when he vaporized Aaron Pico with a spinning back elbow in the first round of their UFC 319...

Features

Dec 21, 2025

Bracketology: 2025 PFL Africa Finals The first season of Professional Fighters League Africa closed with a bang, seeing tournament champions crowned across four different divisions...

Professional Fighters League

Dec 20, 2025

Top 5: Seismic Shifts in the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Division Ronda Rousey weathered her first brush with adversity and put away Liz Carmouche with an armbar to retain her undisputed women’s bantamweight title in the first round of their landmark...

Women’s MMA

Dec 20, 2025

Top 5: Daniel Cormier Inflection Points “DC” encountered only one riddle he could not solve during a remarkable career that encompassed 26 professional bouts and spanned more than...

UFC

Dec 20, 2025

Sherdog’s 2025 Fight of the Year Joshua Van needed proof that he belonged among the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s flyweight elite, and an unforgettable three-round...

Year-End Awards

Dec 20, 2025

Top 5: Tournament Finishes from 2025 PFL Africa Finalists Abraham Bably punched out Paul-Emmanuel Gnaze in the first round of their 2025 PFL Africa 1 heavyweight tournament quarterfinal on July 19.

Professional Fighters League

Dec 19, 2025

How to Watch 2025 PFL Africa 4 The Professional Fighters League will put a lid on its latest campaign with four tournament championships on Saturday in Cotonou, Benin.

Professional Fighters League

Dec 19, 2025

How to Watch Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua Jake Paul will continue his pursuit of legitimacy as a professional boxer when he throws hands with Anthony Joshua in the MVP Promotions main...

Boxing

Dec 19, 2025

Opinion: UFC’s ESPN Era Falls Somewhere Between Disappointment and a Mixed Bag There was some good, some bad and some ugly associated with the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s time on the Worldwide Leader in Sports,...

UFC

Dec 19, 2025

Sherdog’s 2025 Female Fighter of the Year Valentina Shevchenko recorded a pair of high-profile victories in defense of the undisputed Ultimate Fighting Championship women’s flyweight...

Year-End Awards

Dec 19, 2025

Sherdog’s 2025 Male Fighter of the Year Joshua Van climbed to the top of the Ultimate Fighting Championship flyweight division with four victories over the past 12 months.

Year-End Awards

Dec 18, 2025

Top 5: Fabricio Werdum Submissions “Vai Cavalo” sent shockwaves through an industry when he put away the seemingly invincible Fedor Emelianenko with a triangle armbar in the first round of their...

Features

Dec 18, 2025

Sherdog’s 2025 Story of the Year The Ultimate Fighting Championship on Aug. 11 announced a seven-year, $7.7 billion media rights deal with Paramount, which marked the end of the...

Year-End Awards

Tristen Critchfield

Dec 17, 2025

Top 5: Knockouts in UFC Lightweight Title Fights The Irishman became the first man or woman in Ultimate Fighting Championship history to hold titles in two weight classes simultaneously when he...

UFC

Dec 17, 2025

Top 5: Fighters on the Rise at 2025 PFL Africa 4 Shido Boris Esperanca bears the look of someone who could potentially carry a division for the Professional Fighters League in the...

Professional Fighters League

Dec 17, 2025

Top 5: Stipe Miocic Knockouts The Strong Style Fight Team cornerstone punched out Fabricio Werdum and captured the undisputed heavyweight title in the first round of their UFC...

UFC

Dec 16, 2025

Best Reasons to Catch 2025 PFL Africa 4 Four tournaments will reach the finish line when the Professional Fighters League closes out its calendar year on Saturday in Benin.

Professional Fighters League

Dec 16, 2025

Top 5: Prolific Single-Fight Striking Performances in UFC History Max Holloway tortured Calvin Kattar for five rounds, pieced together a beatdown of epic proportions and waltzed to a woefully one-sided unanimous decision in their...

UFC

Dec 15, 2025

Matches to Make After UFC Vegas 112 The Ultimate Fighting Championship put on its final ESPN event before the mixed martial arts leader moves to Paramount+.

UFC

Dec 13, 2025

Matches to Make After PFL Lyon Professional Fighters League was back in action Saturday, touching down in Lyon, France, with four titles on the line.

Professional Fighters League

Dec 13, 2025

Bracketology: 2025 PFL Europe Finals The 2025 Professional Fighters League Europe Tournament Finals took place on Saturday in Lyon, France with two new champions being crowned in...

Professional Fighters League

Dec 13, 2025

Pictures: UFC Vegas 112 UFC Vegas 112 brought an end to the Ultimate Fighting Championship era on ESPN.

Professional Fighters League

Sherdog.com Staff

Dec 13, 2025

Prime Picks: PFL Lyon, UFC Vegas 112 The Professional Fighters League and the Ultimate Fighting Championship on Saturday will share the mixed martial arts stage despite being...

Fight Odds

Dec 12, 2025

How to Watch UFC Vegas 112 ‘Royval vs. Kape’ The Ultimate Fighting Championship will tie a bow on its 2025 campaign when the company touches down at the UFC Apex with Top 10 flyweights in...

UFC

Dec 12, 2025

How to Watch PFL Lyon The Professional Fighters League will stage its final tentpole show of 2025 on Saturday in France.

Professional Fighters League

Dec 12, 2025

Top 5: UFC Vegas 112 ‘Fight of the Night’ Contenders Brandon Royval rarely—if ever—falls short of expectations in terms of entertainment value, especially when he has a willing dance partner...

UFC

Dec 12, 2025

Preview: UFC Vegas 112 ‘Royval vs. Kape’ Top-tier flyweights close out the year, and the ESPN era, for the Ultimate Fighting Championship on Saturday at the Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.

UFC

Dec 11, 2025

Opinion: Long Reigns May Be Extinct in the UFC A variety of factors are contributing to shorter shelf lives for Ultimate Fighting Championship titleholders, writes Dayne Fox.

UFC

Dec 11, 2025

Top 5: Renan Ferreira Knockouts The monstrous 6-foot-8 Brazilian will square off with Vadim Nemkov for the inaugural Professional Fighters League heavyweight championship in the...

Professional Fighters League

Dec 11, 2025

Top 5: Brandon Royval Submissions The Factory X standout will confront Manel Kape in the UFC Vegas 112 main event this Saturday at the UFC Apex.

UFC

Dec 11, 2025

Top 5: Bobby Green Finishes The former two-division King of the Cage champion will toe the line against Lance Gibson Jr. as part of the UFC Vegas 112 under this Saturday at...

UFC

Dec 10, 2025

Preview: UFC Vegas 112 Prelims Former strawweight title challenger Amanda Lemos will try to slow the momentum of the scarlet-maned and red-hot Gillian Robertson in the top preliminary bout of...

UFC

Dec 10, 2025

Top 5: Cris Cyborg Inflection Points Invincibility proved to be an illusion with Cristiane “Cris Cyborg” Justino.

Women’s MMA

Dec 10, 2025

Top 5: Manel Kape Knockouts The onetime Rizin Fighting Federation champion will lock horns with Brandon Royval in the UFC Vegas 112 main event on Saturday at the UFC Apex.

UFC

Dec 09, 2025

Top 5: Vadim Nemkov Finishes The Fedor Emelianenko protégé will face Renan Ferreira for the inaugural Professional Fighters League heavyweight title in the PFL Lyon main...

Professional Fighters League

Dec 09, 2025

Top Reasons to Catch PFL Lyon Cristiane “Cris Cyborg” Justino will vie for the inaugural Professional Fighters League women’s featherweight title when she meets the...

Professional Fighters League

Dec 09, 2025

Top 5: Fighters on the Rise at PFL Lyon Sara Collins will put her perfect 6-0 record on the line when she faces Cristiane “Cris Cyborg” Justino for the inaugural Professional Fighters...

Professional Fighters League

Dec 08, 2025

Matches to Make After UFC 323 The Ultimate Fighting Championship put on its final pay-per-view card for the foreseeable future.

UFC

Dec 07, 2025

Pictures: UFC 323 The Ultimate Fighting Championship held its final pay-per-view event ahead of the Paramount era with UFC 323.

UFC

Sherdog.com Staff

Dec 06, 2025

Bracketology: 2025 PFL MENA Finals Four new Professional Fighters League tournament champions were crowned in the bantamweight, featherweight, lightweight and welterweight divisions Friday in Saudi Arabia at...

Professional Fighters League

Dec 05, 2025

How to Watch Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz vs. Lamont Roach Jr. Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz will defend his interim WBC super lightweight title against Lamont Roach Jr. in the Premier Boxing Champions main event...

Boxing

Dec 05, 2025

How to Watch UFC 323 ‘Dvalishvili vs. Yan 2’ The Ultimate Fighting Championship on Saturday will stage its final pay-per-view of 2025 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

UFC

Dec 05, 2025

Top 5: UFC 323 ‘Fight of the Night’ Candidates A wave of momentum brings Joshua Van to the brink of stardom in the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s loaded 125-pound weight class.

UFC

Dec 05, 2025

Prime Picks: UFC 323 ‘Dvalishvili vs. Yan 2’ The Ultimate Fighting Championship will close out its pay-per-view schedule with a pair of title bouts on Saturday in Las Vegas. Ready the wagers.

Fight Odds

Dec 05, 2025

How to Watch PFL MENA 2025 Finals The Professional Fighters League on Friday will pitch its tent in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia, with PFL MENA 4: 2025 Finals at Dhahran Expo.

Professional Fighters League

Dec 05, 2025

Opinion: A Litany of Possibilities Exist for the UFC Flyweight Division The outcome of the UFC 323 co-main event between Alexandre Pantoja and Joshua Van will determine which direction the 125-pound weight class...

UFC

Dec 04, 2025

Preview: UFC 323 ‘Dvalishvili vs. Yan 2’ Merab Dvalishvili will put his undisputed bantamweight crown on the line in a rematch with Petr Yan atop the final Ultimate Fighting...

Fight Odds

Tom Feely

Dec 04, 2025

Top 5: Brandon Moreno Finishes “The Assassin Baby” laid claim to the undisputed Ultimate Fighting Championship flyweight title when he dismissed archrival Deiveson Figueiredo with a rear-naked choke in the third round of their...

UFC

Dec 04, 2025

Preview: UFC 323 Prelims Lightweights Grant Dawson and Manuel Torres will buoy a deep Ultimate Fighting Championship undercard on Saturday in Las Vegas.

Fight Odds

Tom Feely

Dec 03, 2025

Top 5: Seismic Shifts in the UFC Bantamweight Division Dominick Cruz bobbed, weaved, punched, kicked and wrestled his way to a unanimous decision over archrival Urijah Faber in the UFC 132 main event...

UFC

Dec 03, 2025

Top 5: Alexandre Pantoja Submissions It was perhaps the first real sign that “The Cannibal” was ready to make a move on the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s flyweight elite.

UFC

Dec 03, 2025

The Hit List: Can’t-Miss Fights of December A monstrous 6-foot-8 Brazilian stands between former Bellator MMA champion Vadim Nemkov and Professional Fighters League immortality.

UFC

Dec 02, 2025

Top 5: Jan Blachowicz Finishes The affable Polish powerhouse brought down Dominick Reyes with punches and laid claim to the vacant light heavyweight title in the UFC 253...

UFC

Dec 02, 2025

MMA Roots: When Forrest Griffin’s Star Blazed at Heat Fighting Championship 1 Twenty-two years ago, the American traveled into hostile territory to make his mark before he captured imaginations on “The Ultimate Fighter” reality series and went on to claim the...

MMA Roots

Dec 01, 2025

Pictures - Heat Fighting Championship 1 Future “The Ultimate Fighter” winner and UFC lightweight champ Forrest Griffin was among the rising stars who appeared in Natal, Brazil, on...

MMA Roots

Dec 01, 2025

Top 5: Fighters on the Rise at UFC 323 Joshua Van will challenge Alexandre Pantoja for the undisputed Ultimate Fighting Championship flyweight title in the co-main event on Dec. 6 in...

UFC

Dec 01, 2025

This Month’s MMA Birthdays: Mark Kerr, Royce Gracie, Chuck Liddell, B.J. Penn No matter what Max Holloway achieves with the time he has left in his remarkable career, he has already ensured that he will be remembered as one of the most accomplished mixed martial artists in...