Musaev out, Rodriguez saves PFL DC title fight

A weight-cut scratch blew up PFL's Washington D.C. main event hours before fight week's end, forcing an unbeaten prospect into a short-notice title shot. Elsewhere, Kamaru Usman revealed a torn pec behind his lopsided loss to Dricus du Plessis and is weighing retirement, while UFC Abu Dhabi weighed in and champ Justin Gaethje slammed the door on an Ilia Topuria rematch.

Musaev misses weight, PFL DC title main event reshuffled to Jean vs. Rodriguez

Shamil Musaev, the 2024 PFL welterweight tournament winner, withdrew from Saturday's vacant-title main event against 2025 tournament champ Thad Jean due to weight-cut complications, just hours before the CareFirst Arena card. Undefeated Cuban prospect Ernesto Rodriguez (11-1), already booked lower on the card, moved up on short notice to face Jean (11-0) with the belt still on the line. It's the latest hit to a card that had already lost Magomed Umalatov, Valentin Moldavsky and Mando Gutierrez bouts.

Why it matters: PFL loses one of its most anticipated welterweight matchups and hands a career-defining title shot to an untested short-notice replacement, reshaping the division's next champion.

Usman reveals torn pec in du Plessis loss, weighs retirement

Kamaru Usman fought Dricus du Plessis with a torn pectoral muscle, co-host Henry Cejudo revealed on Usman's Pound 4 Pound podcast, though the former welterweight champion refused to lean on it as an excuse. Usman dropped a lopsided decision (50-45, 49-46, 49-46) at UFC Oklahoma City despite a strong fifth round and Fight of the Night honors. Now 39 and 1-4 in his last five, Usman says he has to sit with his team and assess 'whether it's worth continuing to do this.'

Why it matters: One of the greatest welterweights ever and a guaranteed Hall of Famer is openly contemplating the end, with a fresh injury layoff ahead of any decision.

Gaethje rules out Topuria rematch: 'Arman deserves it way more'

New undisputed lightweight champion Justin Gaethje flatly rejected an immediate rematch with Ilia Topuria, telling RMC Sport Combat that Arman Tsarukyan is far more deserving of the next shot. Gaethje, who forced a corner stoppage before the fifth round at UFC Freedom 250, argued Topuria must return to the win column first and doubted he'd even ask for the fight. Gaethje is expected to sit out the rest of 2026, pointing to a first defense in early 2027.

Why it matters: The champ publicly endorsing Tsarukyan over a Topuria rematch clarifies a lightweight title picture that also involves Oliveira, Holloway and Pimblett.

UFC Abu Dhabi set: Ankalaev, Guskov make weight for Saturday headliner

All 26 fighters hit the scale for UFC Abu Dhabi at Etihad Arena, with former light heavyweight champ Magomed Ankalaev (205.5) and short-notice replacement Bogdan Guskov (205.5) both on point for the five-round main event. Guskov stepped in on under two weeks' notice after Khalil Rountree Jr. withdrew injured. In his first outing since losing the title to Alex Pereira, Ankalaev also traded jabs with 'Poatan' online, firing back at a mocking comment that Pereira 'must have just woken up' after being knocked out by Ciryl Gane.

Why it matters: Ankalaev's return launches his climb back toward a suddenly open 205-pound title now held by Carlos Ulberg, and a win keeps his Pereira trilogy campaign alive.

Chopurov flattens Reece McLaren in 63 seconds at UAE Warriors 72

Undefeated bantamweight prospect Asaf Chopurov defended his UAE Warriors title in 63 seconds, dropping former ONE Championship title challenger Reece McLaren with a perfectly timed overhand right counter in the Abu Dhabi main event. The 24-year-old improved to 11-0 with his third UAE Warriors title defense and called for a matchup with ex-UFC flyweight Muhammad Mokaev. The loss snapped McLaren's three-fight win streak.

Why it matters: Chopurov is arguably the best bantamweight prospect outside the UFC, and a highlight-reel finish like this only sharpens the case for a promotion call-up.

Namajunas stalls on return after 'brutal' eye surgery, torn thumb

Rose Namajunas revealed a three-month recovery from eye surgery after an eye poke in her UFC 324 loss to Natalia Silva, requiring a silicone tube in her eye plus a torn thumb UCL. Cleared to train in April, the two-time strawweight champ says she has no fight booked and is searching for a 'purpose and a reason' to return after losing three straight title eliminators at flyweight. She's not retired but is targeting a comeback next year.

Why it matters: A former champion with no clear path to a flyweight title shot is at a genuine career crossroads, with a strawweight return the likelier route to relevance.

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