MMA news: UFC President Dana White offers major updates ahead of UFC 317 and UFC 319
UFC President Dana White has dropped some mammoth news pertaining to upcoming bouts that will no doubt change the complexion of 2025.
News ranging from stars Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria, to the shake-ups in the middleweight division relating to champ Dricus Du Plessis, leaving us with plenty of scintillating fight news to discuss.
Sports News Blitz writer Aidan Leo walks you through all the recent fight revelations dropped by president Dana White.
Makhachev relinquishes the Lightweight belt
In the aftermath of incumbent Welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena’s triumph over Belal Muhammed at UFC 315, it has now been confirmed that Makhachev will indeed go up a weight class to test the mettle of Della Maddalena.
Rumours have circulated for a while as to whether Makhachev would leave the lightweight division in his rear view.
We now have that answer.
However, it should be mentioned that had Muhammed retained his belt, the Dagestani champion would have stayed put.
Both have asserted that they would not fight one another as they have a friendly relationship outside of the cage.
The bout date between Della Maddalena and Makhachev is currently unconfirmed, but is likely to take place near the end of this year.
Per Fox Sports Australia, Della Maddalena stated: “There are no plans yet, but yeah, I reckon we’ll be getting back in there within the next four to five months.
“I believe, some point mid to late end of the year we’ll get something going.
“Hopefully we get in there real soon, cause I’m feeling pretty good,” asserted Della Maddalena.
Makhachev’s manager, Ali Abdelaziz chimed in with his thoughts on the pending clash, speaking with MMA Junkie, saying: “Islam will fight this year, regardless of whether Della Maddalena is injured or not injured, this is what I was told by Dana, Hunter (Campbell), everybody.
“They said, Jamahal Hill got injured, we (stripped him)… Islam will fight for the title, and for the real one, not the interim.”
Regardless of the thoughts of Abdelaziz, per the timeline of Della Maddalena’s recovery, he will indeed fight Makhachev next and will not be stripped by the UFC at any juncture.
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Main Event for International Fight Week confirmed
Speaking of the events down at lightweight, the emergence of ex-Featherweight champion, Georgia and Spain’s own, Ilia Topuria, has caused plenty of pot-stirring in the division.
But now, we have reached an outcome via Makhachev’s exodus.
We will now see the highly-anticipated clash-of-horns in the form of Topuria vs. Oliveira as the Main Event of UFC 317 - International Fight Week, Las Vegas.
With this main event possibly being the last-chance saloon for UFC stalwart and ex-Lightweight champion, Brazil’s Charles ‘Do Bronx’ Oliveira, the contest is bound to be just as mouth-watering as the prospect sounds.
Topuria has been urging for a fight between him and Makhachev to ensue, but the outcome of this lightweight debacle will see him take on a worthy opponent nevertheless.
Through Do Bronx’s experience and battle-tested nature at this level, the fight odds will be extremely tough to call.
Topuria is no normal fighter, though, he is no doubt the next future ‘Face of the UFC’, provided there’s no controversy.
Topuria likely wins this bout, and we possibly get him vs. Makhachev after all, if the latter was to overcome Della Maddalena.
If he fails, he comes back down to lightweight and we get the fight anyway.
That’s a conversation for another time, though.
For now we have UFC 317 to look forward to, and the Welterweight Champion’s first title defense later in the year.
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Middleweight madness beckons
President White has also confirmed possibly the most hotly anticipated bout in the UFC (not named Jones vs. Aspinall) in the form of the Middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis vs. highly sought after contender Khamzat Chimaev.
The bout is set to take place at UFC 319 on August 16 at the United Center in Chicago.
The fight has been a significant talking point in the aftermath of champ Du Plessis’ dominant five-round defeat over the then no. 1 ranked middleweight, Sean Strickland.
Plenty have assessed the fight in the manner of whether Du Plessis can escape the first round and drag Chimaev into deep waters, the ‘championship rounds’ as fight fans have penned it.
If so, Du Plessis likely wins this bout dominantly. If not, Chimaev gets to show that he really is the ‘boogie man’ of the division.
More analysis will follow though, closer to the fight’s date.
For now, let’s look at the reactions of DDP and Borz to the fight’s confirmation.
Du Plessis posted the bout’s UFC graphic on his Instagram, captioning, “Prepare to be amazed.. Again!”
Chimaev has yet to respond definitively in words, but did post the same image on his Instagram, accompanied by a “shush” emoji.
The plot thickens. The suspense builds. UFC 319 could not come quick enough.
With fans online claiming many of the UFC pay-per-views and Fight Night events have been a letdown thus far this year, these bombshells dropped by the UFC president will no doubt have fans passionately engaged with combat sports for the rest of 2025.
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UFC 317 - Main Card (Bout order TBA)
Main Event: Ilia Topuria vs. Charles Oliveira (Lightweight Title)
Co-Main Event: Alexandre Pantoja (c) vs. Kai Kara-France (Flyweight Title)
Paulo Costa vs. Roman Kopylov (Middleweight)
Beneil Dariush vs. Renato Moicano (Lightweight)
Michael Johnson vs. Daniel Zellhuber (Lightweight)
Brandon Royval vs. Manel Kape (Flyweight)
Jhonata Diniz vs. Justin Tafa (Heavyweight)
Viviane Araujo vs. Tracy Cortez (Flyweight)
Jack Hermansson vs. Gregory Rodrigues (Middleweight)
Fight card and bout order subject to change
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