Bud Light cuts ties with Poirier

A quieter news day carried by podcasts and sit-downs. Dustin Poirier loses his Bud Light deal in the fallout from his airport arrest, the UFC's Abu Dhabi card looms with Magomed Ankalaev's return and a first-time Uzbek headliner, and revealing admissions pile up from Brandon Royval, Jon Jones and Dana White.

Bud Light drops Poirier after airport arrest

Dustin Poirier says Bud Light "terminated my contract immediately" after his June arrest for public drunkenness at Atlanta's airport, costing his family a deal worth a few hundred thousand dollars. The retired former interim lightweight champion, now 28 days sober, said UFC executive Hunter Campbell reached out the day after the incident to offer the promotion's support, though he never heard from Dana White. Sean Strickland had publicly urged Bud Light to stand by "The Diamond" rather than cut him loose.

Why it matters: A rare, unvarnished look at how a sponsor and the UFC treat a fan favorite in crisis; Poirier's sobriety fight now plays out without his biggest endorsement.

Ankalaev returns Saturday, admits he erred fighting Pereira hurt

Ahead of headlining UFC Abu Dhabi on July 25 against short-notice replacement Bogdan Guskov, former light heavyweight champion Magomed Ankalaev finally addressed the health issues behind his 80-second title loss to Alex Pereira last October, saying he ignored advice to pull out and "made a mistake." He also vowed to chase a Pereira trilogy at heavyweight or 205, calling their series 1-1. Guskov, in for an injured Khalil Rountree Jr., becomes the first Uzbek to headline a UFC card and says a win puts him next in line for the title.

Why it matters: Ankalaev remains the top light heavyweight contender behind new champ Carlos Ulberg; a win keeps him in title range, while Guskov's rise injects a fresh name into the 205-pound picture.

Royval says UFC passed him over for a headliner on follower count

No. 3-ranked flyweight Brandon Royval revealed the UFC once denied him a 2022 main event because Alexa Grasso had far more social media followers, telling Ariel Helwani he was "pissed." The point was moot when his opponent Askar Askarov withdrew and Grasso vs. Viviane Araujo took the slot anyway. Fresh off a Fight of the Night submission of Lone'er Kavanagh at UFC 329, Royval has since leaned into building his online following and landed three Fight Night headliners.

Why it matters: A candid window into how the UFC weighs drawing power and social reach over rankings when it builds cards.

Dana White: 'Thank god' Fedor turned down the UFC's biggest offer

On The Pivot podcast, Dana White recounted flying to meet Fedor Emelianenko to book a dream heavyweight fight with then-champion Brock Lesnar, offering the PRIDE legend "so much money." Fedor declined, and White says he and Lorenzo Fertitta were relieved on the flight home. Emelianenko never fought in the UFC, finishing his career in Bellator and retiring in 2023 after a knockout loss to Ryan Bader.

Why it matters: The one marquee name that got away, and a reminder of the era when Fedor's camp held out for terms the UFC wouldn't meet.

Jones says alcohol capped his legacy as White squashes their beef

Jon Jones told Ring Magazine he believes "all my setbacks in life have been directly related to alcohol," wondering how much further his career could have gone without the partying. Separately, Dana White returned Jones' "homie for life" olive branch on The Pivot, again calling him the greatest of all time months after Jones publicly requested his release for being left off UFC Freedom 250.

Why it matters: Jones and the UFC patching things up quietly keeps a comeback on the table, even with nothing booked and the heavyweight title elsewhere.

Logan Paul calls McGregor 'cooked,' pitches a WWE showdown

After Conor McGregor's UFC 329 comeback ended in 69 seconds with a torn ACL and meniscus, Logan Paul said on Impaulsive that he texted WWE bosses about booking a fight, declaring the Irishman "incapable of fighting." McGregor, who faces surgery, still insists he'll return by the summer of 2027 to fight out the final bout on his UFC contract.

Why it matters: The vultures are already circling McGregor's drawing power just as his in-cage future looks bleaker than ever.

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