Pay revolt spreads past Strickland

The sport's fighter-pay fault lines widened on Monday: Dana White slammed the door on Sean Strickland's boxing escape, Paulo Costa threatened to fight "somewhere" outside the UFC, and Michael Page put hard numbers on why leaving paid off. Away from the grievances the matchmakers were busy — a Makhachev title defense took shape for Toronto, Doha landed a loaded card, and Julianna Peña booked a wrestling return opposite the UFC 334 title fight she's tied to.

White rejects Strickland's boxing escape as pay revolt gathers voices

Dana White publicly ruled out letting middleweight champion Sean Strickland cross over to box Zuffa cruiserweight champ Jai Opetaia, saying a crossover 'never goes good' — leaving Strickland, who has refused to defend against Nassourdine Imavov over pay, without a fight in either sport. New voices joined in: Vegas 122 main-eventer Brendan Allen admitted 'we are underpaid' before nervously apologizing to UFC CBO Hunter Campbell, while Hall of Famer Demetrious Johnson argued Strickland signed the deal and should honor it.

Why it matters: The 185-pound title could sit idle for months while its champion sits out, and the UFC shows no sign of blinking on a model that returns fighters roughly 18-20% of revenue.

Paulo Costa says he'll 'fight somewhere' this year as UFC freeze-out drags on

No. 4 light heavyweight Paulo Costa, who hasn't fought since knocking out Azamat Murzakanov in April, said on X he's heard 'nothing from the UFC' and plans to compete 'at an event at the end of the year.' Costa has one bout left on his deal and has balked at taking five-rounders without extra pay; Dana White counters that Costa has turned down multiple offers. Because he's still contracted, any rival-promotion MMA fight would have to wait until he fights that bout out.

Why it matters: Another marquee name openly agitating to leave adds weight to the pay-dispute drumbeat, and a free-agent Costa would be an obvious target for the PFL's rebuilt super-promotion.

MVP says three Misfits fights will out-earn his entire UFC run

Michael 'Venom' Page, let go after going 5-1 in the UFC, revealed his new Misfits Boxing deal pays seven figures per fight — roughly double his UFC money — and that three bouts will net more than his whole six-fight Octagon contract. Page said he felt 'free of the shackles' creatively, called the UFC's pay reputation 'embarrassing,' and added that Misfits wants him to front a future MMA venture.

Why it matters: A concrete dollar figure from a recent UFC roster member hands the fighter-pay argument exactly the kind of evidence Strickland and Costa have only gestured at.

Makhachev-Prates targeted to headline UFC 336 in Toronto on Jan. 30

Welterweight champion Islam Makhachev's second title defense is reportedly set against surging contender Carlos Prates, with reporter Álvaro Colmenero saying the fight is expected to top UFC 336 on Jan. 30 in Toronto. Makhachev took the 170-pound belt from Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322 and defended it against Ian Machado Garry in August; Prates has won three straight, including a knockout of Della Maddalena. Makhachev had said he wants to fight before Ramadan begins in early February.

Why it matters: It would line up the pound-for-pound king against a feared knockout artist and set the UFC's first numbered card of 2027.

Procházka vs. Stirling headlines UFC's Doha return on Nov. 21

The UFC made official a Nov. 21 card at Doha's ABHA Arena headlined by No. 2 light heavyweight Jiří Procházka against undefeated No. 5 Navajo Stirling, who has stopped all three opponents in 2026, most recently finishing Jan Błachowicz in the first round. Ex-bantamweight champ Aljamain Sterling meets red-hot Kevin Vallejos in the featherweight co-main, with Dan Hooker-Brian Ortega and Jared Cannonier-Ikram Aliskerov also on the bill.

Why it matters: The winner likely positions himself for champion Carlos Ulberg, out until 2027 with a knee injury — and a Stirling win would bag a second former champion in a row.

Julianna Peña trades the Octagon for the wrestling mat at RAF Abu Dhabi

Former two-time UFC bantamweight champ Julianna Peña will make her Real American Freestyle debut Nov. 14 against Bellator and PFL veteran Diana Avsaragova at Etihad Arena — her first competition since losing the belt to Kayla Harrison at UFC 316 in June 2025. The freestyle bout, not a title match, falls the same night as UFC 334, where Harrison defends against Amanda Nunes; Peña famously beat Nunes at UFC 269. RAF Abu Dhabi is headlined by Khamzat Chimaev vs. Colby Covington for the cruiserweight crossover title.

Why it matters: RAF keeps luring recognizable MMA names onto the mat, and booking Peña opposite the Harrison-Nunes title fight she's linked to is pointed counter-programming.

Pereira accuses UFC of manufacturing fan support for Gane-Hokit

Passed over for a heavyweight title shot, Alex Pereira claimed the UFC and commentator Daniel Cormier 'manipulated' public opinion to sell Ciryl Gane's Nov. 14 defense against Josh Hokit, alleging influencers were encouraged to praise the matchup before its announcement and citing a fan poll he was told about but never saw. Pereira, stopped by Gane in June, instead meets Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 335 on Dec. 12.

Why it matters: It's a rare public airing of how the UFC massages matchmaking narratives — and a reminder Pereira is one win from forcing the rematch he wanted all along.

Harrison recounts neck-surgery doubts ahead of Nunes title fight

UFC women's bantamweight champion Kayla Harrison, out since submitting Peña at UFC 316, detailed the two-level cervical fusion for five herniated discs that scuttled her first booking with Amanda Nunes and left her wondering if she'd 'ever be OK again.' Now healthy, the -195 favorite defends against Nunes in the UFC 334 co-main on Nov. 14 at Madison Square Garden, and hinted retirement isn't far off: 'not much longer.'

Why it matters: One of women's MMA's most decorated athletes returns from a career-threatening injury for a legacy fight — and is already eyeing the exit.

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