Baku and San Diego headline a two-card Saturday

A doubleheader Saturday anchors the day, with UFC Baku's lightweight headliner and PFL San Diego both live, while the McGregor-Holloway build-up rumbles toward UFC 329. Away from the cage, Oleksandr Usyk stunned boxing by vacating all three heavyweight belts, and the promotions kept stacking the summer calendar.

Fiziev fights to stay relevant against Torres in Baku

The UFC returns to Azerbaijan on Saturday with a five-round lightweight main event between No. 11 Rafael Fiziev (13-5) and surging Mexican knockout artist Manuel Torres (17-3), who has finished every UFC opponent in the first round. Fiziev has dropped four of his last five, with losses to Justin Gaethje (twice), Mauricio Ruffy and Mateusz Gamrot, and is fighting to hold his spot in the rankings. The co-main pits one-eyed striker Shara Magomedov against Michel Pereira at middleweight, with Aliskerov-Ferreira and Sadykhov-Camilo rounding out a finisher-heavy main card. All 26 fighters made weight.

Why it matters: With Gaethje now champion and the 155-pound picture suddenly fluid, a Torres upset would vault a first-ever Mexican lightweight contender toward the title conversation while a Fiziev loss likely ends his run as a ranked name.

McKee chases more gold against unbeaten Isbulaev at PFL San Diego

Former Bellator featherweight champion A.J. McKee (24-2) headlines PFL's first San Diego card against undefeated Kazakh prospect Salamat Isbulaev (10-0), who knocked out Jesus Pinedo in his PFL debut. McKee is biding time for a title shot while champion Timur Khizriev recovers from being shot in Dagestan, calling the matchup 'big risk, little reward.' The co-main features former champ and 2025 PFL tournament winner Liz Carmouche against Viviane Araujo. All made weight except Sarvarjon Khamidov, who missed by 1.6 pounds.

Why it matters: PFL CEO Pete... John Martin says he wants a featherweight champion crowned by year's end, and an Isbulaev upset could even open the door to a PFL Kazakhstan event — making this a genuine contender bout, not a placeholder.

McGregor talks down Holloway as UFC 329 rematch nears

Conor McGregor, returning from a five-year layoff, declared himself 'multiple levels above' Max Holloway ahead of their July 11 welterweight rematch headlining UFC 329 in Las Vegas. McGregor dismissed Holloway's record octagon fight time (8:52:43) as proof he 'can't finish people,' despite his own long inactivity since breaking his leg at UFC 264. Lightweight champ Justin Gaethje confirmed he'll be cageside, repeating he'd 'love to punch Conor in the face,' while a pro-Holloway billboard went up in Ireland.

Why it matters: McGregor's first fight in four years is the UFC's biggest 2026 draw, and Gaethje eyeing the winner ties the marquee bout directly to the lightweight title picture.

Usyk vacates all three heavyweight titles, eyes 'last dance'

Unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk (25-0) announced he is relinquishing his WBA, IBF and WBC belts, opening the division after his controversial stoppage win over kickboxer Rico Verhoeven in May. The 39-year-old says he isn't retiring and wants one final bout. The vacancies set up a scramble, with Agit Kabayel in line for the WBC, Murat Gassiev for the WBA, and Frank Sanchez positioned for the genuinely open IBF strap.

Why it matters: A crossover figure who beat Fury, Joshua and Dubois walking away from the belts reshapes heavyweight boxing overnight — and his recent novelty bout against a kickboxer underscores how blurred the combat-sports lines have become.

Cris Cyborg sets retirement fight vs. Vieira at PFL Tampa

PFL women's featherweight champion Cris Cyborg (29-2) will close out her career on Aug. 22, headlining PFL Tampa against former UFC title challenger Ketlen Vieira (16-5), who makes her PFL debut with the belt on the line. A champion in every major promotion she's fought for, Cyborg has not lost since 2018. The card airs on ESPN.

Why it matters: One of the most accomplished fighters in women's MMA history gets a title-fight sendoff, while Vieira has a chance to spoil the farewell and capture featherweight gold in her first PFL outing.

Hernandez vs. Rodrigues to headline UFC's Sacramento return

Anthony Hernandez (sources confirm) will face Gregory Rodrigues in the middleweight main event of UFC Sacramento on Aug. 22, the promotion's first event in the city since 2019. 'Fluffy' looks to rebound from a third-round TKO loss to new champion Sean Strickland that snapped his eight-fight win streak, while 'Robocop' rides a three-fight run including two first-round knockouts.

Why it matters: It's a contender-clearing bout in a middleweight division now led by Strickland, with the winner re-entering the top-10 mix.

Joe Lauzon signs with BKFC for Fenway Park debut

Longtime UFC lightweight Joe Lauzon (28-15), a 27-fight veteran and one of the promotion's all-time bonus leaders, has signed a multi-fight deal with BKFC and will debut at BKFC 92 on Aug. 29 at Fenway Park in Boston. The 42-year-old Massachusetts native hasn't competed since a 2019 TKO of Jonathan Pearce; his opponent is yet to be named. The card is headlined by featherweight champ Kai Stewart defending against Harry Gigliotti.

Why it matters: A submission-first grappler with a near-seven-year layoff switching to bare-knuckle is a curious fit, but the hometown draw at an iconic venue is exactly the nostalgia play BKFC trades on.

Topuria's first loss draws strong reactions from peers

Two weeks after Justin Gaethje stopped Ilia Topuria to take the lightweight title at UFC Freedom 250, the fallout continues. Paddy Pimblett argued Topuria 'never comes back the same' having only ever been 'the hammer, never the nail,' and offered to be his first fight back. Merab Dvalishvili said he's 'heartbroken' and hasn't slept, claiming Gaethje may have used illegal eye tactics, while Baku headliner Manuel Torres said the title changing hands will 'make the division flow.'

Why it matters: How Topuria responds to the first defeat of his career will define the lightweight division's near future — and the chorus of opinions shows how much his aura of invincibility shaped it.

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