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Controversy & discipline

32 stories on this topic, newest first.

Anthony Smith's wife calls felony arrest a 'mental health crisis'

Days after Anthony Smith was arrested in Nebraska on three felonies, including attempted first-degree domestic assault and terroristic threats, his wife Mikhala broke her silence, saying she was 'always safe,' that Smith 'would never hurt me,' and that she 'called for help to protect him from himself.' Manager Brian Butler urged the public not to rush to judgment. Dana White, in Belgrade, called it a situation that 'can happen to anybody.' Smith is due in court Aug. 17.

Why it matters: The statements reframe a case that could carry up to 20 years, but the felony charges stand, and the UFC's hands-off response keeps the fighter-welfare question in play.

Prosecutors: Smith tried to run down his wife, threatened to kill her

New details from Anthony Smith's bond hearing allege the retired light heavyweight threatened to kill his wife, forced her into his vehicle after a July 26 altercation at a Gretna, Neb. bar, and then repeatedly tried to strike her with the car at their home; she avoided injury. LowKick's account adds that witnesses reported gunshots inside the home and that Smith threatened self-harm if police entered. Smith, 38, was released on $500,000 bond with a no-contact order and cannot leave Nebraska; he waived his preliminary hearing and is due in Sarpy County District Court on Aug. 17. He faces attempted first-degree domestic assault, terroristic threats and first-degree false imprisonment, and is presumed innocent.

Why it matters: The specifics turn a one-line arrest report into some of the most serious allegations ever leveled at a former UFC title challenger and current broadcast analyst, and neither Smith nor the UFC has commented.

Anthony Smith arrested in Nebraska on three felonies, faces up to 20 years

Former UFC light heavyweight title challenger and current Paramount+ analyst Anthony Smith, 38, was booked into Sarpy County Jail in Nebraska on Monday night on charges of domestic violence causing serious bodily injury, terroristic threats and first-degree false imprisonment. The domestic violence count alone carries a maximum of 20 years. Details of the incident have not been released, and Smith remains in custody with no court date set. He retired from the UFC in 2025 and won a bare-knuckle MMA bout earlier this year.

Why it matters: Smith is a prominent broadcast voice for the promotion, not just a former fighter, which makes the felony charges an immediate problem for the UFC's Paramount+ desk. The allegations are serious and unresolved.

Jon Jones again denies steroid use: 'That was proven'

In an interview with ALF Global, Jon Jones once more rejected the doping accusations that shadow his legacy, insisting he 'never took steroids' and blaming his failed tests on a tainted supplement with 'zero performance-enhancing effects.' Jones (28-1) referenced the picogram turinabol findings and the tainted-supplement rulings, arguing fans ignore the documented conclusions. In the same conversation he claimed he would have submitted Alex Pereira 'pretty quickly' and outwrestled Daniel Cormier.

Why it matters: The steroid asterisk is the crux of the Jones GOAT debate, and his retirement hasn't dulled his need to relitigate it. It's talk, not news, but it's the framing he wants attached to his career.

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.

Boxer Hannah Rapp killed in Texas road-rage crash at 26

Hannah Rapp, who challenged Tiara Brown for the WBC women's featherweight title in June on Jake Paul's MVP card, died Saturday after a driver allegedly passed her on a Texas highway, stopped, reversed and struck her as she rode her bicycle. She was 26. Brazos County deputies arrested and charged 31-year-old Charles Medina with manslaughter. WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman and MVP led an outpouring of tributes for the 8-0-1 prospect.

Why it matters: A rising fighter's death months after her first world-title shot stunned the combat-sports community.

Muhammad kicks Covington at RAF 11 presser as RAF 12 grudge match is booked

The RAF 11 post-fight press conference dissolved into chaos when Belal Muhammad charged the stage and kicked at Colby Covington after a barrage of insults from both men. Security separated them, and RAF officials announced that Covington vs. Muhammad will co-headline RAF 12. Covington dismissed the matchup as "easy money," while Muhammad, who has feuded with him for years, needed to be restrained.

Why it matters: It gives RAF Wrestling its next marquee grudge match and channels a long-running UFC rivalry onto the mats, though it remains a wrestling booking rather than an MMA fight.

Volkan Oezdemir accepts 16-month ban after EPO positive

Former light heavyweight title challenger Volkan Oezdemir (21-8), ranked No. 8 at 205 pounds, revealed he tested positive for EPO in out-of-competition tests on Feb. 16 and March 5 and accepted a 16-month CSAD suspension, backdated to Feb. 16 and running through June 17, 2027. In a lengthy statement he said a self-described healthcare professional he met on Instagram after ankle surgery handed him a vial he called safe and undetectable; Oezdemir injected it and took full responsibility. He last fought in November 2025, stopping Alonzo Menifield in Qatar.

Why it matters: EPO is a serious endurance-booster — the same drug that ended T.J. Dillashaw's title reign — and losing a top-10 light heavyweight until mid-2027 thins an already shallow 205-pound contender pool.

UFC releases Michel Pereira, sparking Alex Pereira's fury over Herb Dean

The UFC removed Michel Pereira from its roster after his unanimous-decision loss to Shara Magomedov at UFC Baku on June 27, ending a six-year run in which the Brazilian went 10-6 and won seven post-fight bonuses. Pereira had only been re-signed to a one-fight deal for the Baku bout and lost four of his last five. He publicly ripped referee Herb Dean for not deducting a point despite warnings for hair-pulling and an apparent eye poke. Alex Pereira blasted the release as an unjust price to pay for a refereeing failure.

Why it matters: A losing veteran being cut is routine, but the pairing of a botched officiating job with an immediate roster cut — and no accountability for Dean — feeds real fighter anxiety about job security.

Dvalishvili punches Umar fan, brawl erupts at RAF Georgia

At the RAF Georgia press conference in Tbilisi, former UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili punched a Umar Nurmagomedov supporter who approached him about his comments, touching off a mass scuffle involving members of Abdulrashid Sadulaev's camp. Asked about a possible RAF wrestling match with Umar, Dvalishvili said 'No, never, f--- that guy,' while insisting he'll wrestle anyone else the promotion picks. Nurmagomedov responded on social media invoking Caucasus honor. Dvalishvili continues to reject a UFC rematch, citing a promised title rematch with champion Petr Yan; the card was headlined by his wrestling rematch with Henry Cejudo.

Why it matters: The bad blood only fuels demand for a Dvalishvili-Nurmagomedov rematch the champ keeps refusing, and it further tangles an already crowded 135-pound title picture behind Petr Yan.

Poirier apologizes for airport arrest, ties it to his homeless father

Retired former interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier addressed his June 19 public-intoxication arrest at Atlanta's airport, saying thoughts of his homeless father on Father's Day led him to drink heavily during a work trip. He apologized to the desk agents and police, and spoke of struggling to find purpose since his 2025 retirement. Colby Covington mocked the arrest to promote his beer brand, drawing a sharp rebuke from PFL/Bellator middleweight Johnny Eblen, who called the remarks 'tasteless.'

Why it matters: A candid glimpse of a beloved retiree wrestling with post-career purpose, and another flashpoint in Covington's serial feuds.

Strickland apologizes to Poirier after mocking his depression

Sean Strickland drew heavy backlash for dismissing Dustin Poirier's admission of depression following Poirier's July 4-weekend arrest for public intoxication at an Atlanta airport, saying a rich, successful man has no right to be depressed. After speaking with Poirier, the middleweight walked it back: 'I spoke to Dustin and he is legitimately messed up by his actions... I repent and I am sorry.' Strickland also urged sponsor Bud Light not to drop the retired former interim champion.

Why it matters: A rare public apology from Strickland, and a window into Poirier's post-retirement struggles — who has said he remains under UFC contract and would be open to a McGregor fight.

Poirier addresses airport arrest, opens up on depression and a possible return

Dustin Poirier gave his first interview since his June 21 arrest for public drunkenness at the Atlanta airport, where body-cam footage showed him threatening a police officer. Poirier apologized to airport staff and police, said he still refuses to watch the video, and disclosed a long battle with depression tied to his alcoholic, now-homeless father, adding that the arrest has already cost him sponsorships. He also revealed that brain scarring and behavioral changes flagged by his wife and neurologists factored into his 2025 retirement, yet said he remains under UFC contract and would return for the right fight — naming a fourth bout with McGregor or a long-sought clash with Nate Diaz. Sean Strickland drew backlash by telling Poirier he is 'not allowed to be depressed.'

Why it matters: One of the era's most respected lightweights airing a public reckoning with mental health, CTE fears and a possible comeback is a sobering counterweight to fight-week hype — and Strickland's response reopened the sport's uglier debate around it.

Herb Dean officiating draws mounting fighter criticism after Pereira loss

Charles Oliveira became the latest fighter to question referee Herb Dean, saying Dean should have stepped in over illegal back-of-the-head shots during Ciryl Gane's TKO of Alex Pereira at UFC White House, though Oliveira stopped short of Pereira's call to bar Dean from his fights. Henry Cejudo called the idea of Dean as the officiating gold standard a 'joke,' also citing Dean's non-action in the Michel Pereira–Shara Magomedov bout in Baku. Veteran referee John McCarthy defended Dean while arguing Pereira's continued social-media campaign is damaging his own stoic image.

Why it matters: A wave of high-profile complaints is turning individual controversies into a broader accountability debate for UFC officiating and the commissions that oversee it.

Poirier opens up on airport arrest and father's homelessness

Retired former interim champion Dustin Poirier addressed his June 21 arrest for public intoxication after being removed from a flight in Atlanta on Father's Day. In a lengthy interview, Poirier revealed his father is an alcoholic currently homeless, and said dwelling on that situation led him to drink at the airport during a bout of depression. He said he has returned to therapy and acknowledged he 'knew better in the moment.'

Why it matters: A candid look at a beloved recently retired star's mental-health struggles, a reminder that life after fighting can be its own fight.

Cejudo and Cruz pile on Herb Dean over Pereira-Gane finish

The disputed finish of Alex Pereira's interim heavyweight title loss to Ciryl Gane at UFC Freedom 250 on June 14 has grown into a wider argument about referee accountability. Pereira says he absorbed illegal blows to the back of the head during the second-round stoppage; Henry Cejudo and Dominick Cruz publicly criticized Herb Dean and the lack of consequences for officials, while Dean has defended his read of the rule with a doctor. Andre Fili raised a near-identical complaint days later after his TKO loss to Vinicius Oliveira at UFC Vegas 119.

Why it matters: It's less about one call than whether MMA has any mechanism to hold referees accountable when a mistake costs a fighter a purse, ranking or title.

Cejudo calls for Herb Dean's suspension as officiating backlash mounts

Henry Cejudo demanded accountability for veteran referee Herb Dean, arguing that missed foul deductions cost fighters both eyes and paychecks. The criticism follows Dean's non-calls on Ciryl Gane's back-of-the-head strikes against Alex Pereira at UFC Freedom 250 and his handling of Shara Magomedov's hair-pulling and eye poke against Michel Pereira at UFC Baku. A former teammate says Magomedov was actually praised for hair-pulling in training.

Why it matters: Referee reluctance to deduct points is a long-running structural problem, and with a growing chorus of fighters saying they don't want Dean assigned to their bouts, the pressure on commissions — and the UFC, which assigns officials for its non-commission events — is real.

BKFC boss Feldman shoves fighter who nearly launched rival off weigh-in stage

At weigh-ins for Friday's BKFC Liberty Brawl in Philadelphia, welterweight Pat Sullivan shoved opponent Ruben Arroyo hard enough to nearly send him off the stage, prompting BKFC president David Feldman to physically shove Sullivan and berate him as a 'f-ing punk.' The card is headlined by title fights: Austin Trout vs. Ben Bonner for the vacant lightweight belt and Britain Hart defending her strawweight crown against Sarah Shell.

Why it matters: A promoter getting physical with his own fighter is a rare sight, but Feldman's anger was warranted — a careless stage shove can injure a fighter and blow up a card, as Jeremy Stephens vs. Drakkar Klose once showed.

Peers rally around Poirier after post-retirement arrest

Following Dustin Poirier's arrest for public drunkenness after an altercation at Atlanta's airport, the retired interim lightweight champion admitted he's struggling and needs help. Matt Brown urged fans not to let one night define Poirier and offered advice on adjusting to life after fighting, while American Top Team's Dalton Rosta suggested CTE could be a factor and cautioned against piling on. Poirier posted that he is working on himself.

Why it matters: A beloved veteran's public struggle reopens the conversation about fighter mental health and the difficult transition out of the sport.

Poirier addresses airport arrest: 'I need some help'

Retired former interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier was arrested for misdemeanor public drunkenness at Atlanta's airport after being denied boarding a Delta flight, with bodycam footage showing him challenging an officer to a fight. Poirier, 37, owned the incident in an Instagram statement, saying retirement has been hard and that alcohol 'isn't the answer,' adding it 'ruined my father's life and I will not allow it to ruin mine.' Jon Jones publicly urged Poirier to forgive himself.

Why it matters: One of the sport's most respected fighters speaking candidly about post-retirement struggle and drinking is a reminder of how rough the transition out of competition can be.

Officiating becomes the story after UFC Baku

The UFC's second trip to Baku produced a wave of stoppage controversy. Ray Longo went on a profane tirade against MMA referees on the Anik & Florian podcast — calling them 'scumbags' before apologizing — over the 91-second stoppage of his fighter Nazim Sadykhov against Matheus Camilo. Separately, Azerbaijani newcomer Tahir Abdullayev's third-round TKO of Jefferson Nascimento drew accusations of an ear bite and hometown reffing, while Alex Pereira circulated a petition to have Herb Dean removed.

Why it matters: Refereeing consistency is a recurring fighter-safety flashpoint, and a card full of disputed stoppages keeps the pressure on the UFC and athletic commissions.

Herb Dean draws Pereira, Aspinall fire for Baku non-calls

Referee Herb Dean repeatedly warned Shara Magomedov for hair-pulling and an eye poke during his decision win over Michel Pereira but never deducted a point, the third straight event in which Dean's officiating drew controversy. Alex Pereira branded Dean a 'coward' and posted a petition calling for his removal, while Tom Aspinall wrote that 'MMA doesn't have rules anymore, it's just suggestions.' Critics noted a point deduction would have turned Pereira's 28-29 loss into a draw.

Why it matters: The growing star-driven backlash over uncalled fouls is putting real pressure on referees and athletic commissions to actually enforce deductions.

Herb Dean back in the crosshairs after unpenalized fouls in Baku co-main

Referee Herb Dean drew widespread criticism for declining to deduct a point from Shara Magomedov despite warning him twice for hair-pulling in the first round and an apparent intentional eye poke in the third of his win over Michel Pereira. Had a point been taken, the unanimous decision would have been a draw. Both Pereira and Alex Pereira — who has feuded with Dean since the official's handling of his loss to Ciryl Gane at UFC Freedom 250 — blasted him, with Alex calling Dean a 'coward' and heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall adding that 'MMA doesn't have rules anymore.'

Why it matters: It's the third straight week Dean has been at the center of a foul controversy, fueling a broader complaint that referees won't enforce point deductions even when fouls are reviewed on replay — a real integrity issue for the sport.

Poirier admits he needs help after volatile airport arrest

Bodycam footage released by Atlanta police showed retired former interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier in an aggressive, profane confrontation with officers after being denied boarding a Delta flight on June 21; he was charged with public intoxication. Poirier, who retired after losing to Max Holloway at UFC 318 in July 2025, issued a statement saying 'I'm at the point where I need some help' and that 'alcohol isn't the answer,' adding it 'ruined my father's life.' Peers reacted across the spectrum, with King Green defending him and longtime rival Colby Covington mocking him.

Why it matters: One of the sport's most respected fighters publicly acknowledging a post-retirement struggle puts a spotlight on the well-documented difficulty MMA fighters face when they stop competing.

Volkanovski and Rogan back Pereira's back-of-the-head complaint against Gane

The controversy from Ciryl Gane's second-round TKO of Alex Pereira for the interim heavyweight title at UFC Freedom 250 keeps growing. Reviewing the sequence, Alexander Volkanovski said he counted more than 10 illegal back-of-the-head shots and faulted referee Herb Dean for never warning Gane during the finishing flurry. Joe Rogan agreed a couple of shots clearly landed illegally but attributed most to the movement and chaos of the scramble rather than intent. Pereira, who has floated retirement and an appeal, has since backed off the appeal while his future stays uncertain.

Why it matters: Gane is now set for a unification rematch with Tom Aspinall, so whether the title-winning finish was tainted feeds directly into how the heavyweight picture is judged — and revives the long-running officiating debate around Dean.

Dustin Poirier admits he needs help after airport arrest video surfaces

Atlanta police released body-cam footage of Dustin Poirier's Father's Day arrest at Hartsfield-Jackson Airport, showing the retired former interim lightweight champion, removed from a Delta flight, cursing at gate agents and threatening to fight a responding officer before submitting to arrest on a public intoxication charge. He was booked into Clayton County Jail and bonded out hours later. In an Instagram statement, Poirier wrote, 'I'm at the point where I need some help,' saying alcohol 'isn't the answer' and that walking away from fighting hasn't been easy.

Why it matters: One of the most respected fighters of his era openly struggling in retirement is a sobering reminder of the post-career void the sport rarely addresses.

Dana White rips Hokit's Michelle Obama remark as 'absolutely stupid'

Backlash continued over Josh Hokit's post-fight comment at the White House card, where the 10-0 heavyweight repeated a false claim about Michelle Obama after his second-round TKO of Derrick Lewis. UFC CEO Dana White called the remark 'nasty and false' and 'absolutely stupid,' frustrated that it stepped on a night he framed as unifying, while still defending Hokit's right to say it. Dricus du Plessis praised Hokit's fighting but called the persona 'too much,' advising him to dial it back somewhere 'between a Covington and a Chael Sonnen.'

Why it matters: Hokit is one win or two from a heavyweight title shot; the question is whether his manufactured-villain act helps or eventually costs a fighter whose results already speak loudly.

UFC scraps media rankings for Meta AI system, debut riddled with errors

The UFC officially launched its Meta-powered rankings on Monday, an algorithm weighing outcome probability, win type, finishes, recency and inactivity rather than a media vote, with the pound-for-pound list eliminated entirely. The rollout was glitchy: international viewers briefly saw Kevin Borjas and Navajo Stirling listed as champions, and Alex Pereira debuted at No. 4 at heavyweight despite an 0-1 record in the division. A reported 27 fighters fell out of the top 15, including former champions Robert Whittaker and Jessica Andrade, plus Saturday's Baku headliner Rafael Fiziev. Media rankings remain visible during a transition phase.

Why it matters: Rankings drive title shots and contract leverage, so handing them to an opaque data model rewrites how contenders are made — and the early bugs and oddities suggest the system isn't ready to be trusted yet.

Back-of-the-head controversy spreads as Pereira teases retirement, Fili protests loss

The officiating fallout from the White House card widened. Alex Pereira, who lost his interim heavyweight bid to Ciryl Gane and has accused referee Herb Dean of allowing illegal shots to the back of his head, wrote he's 'afraid to go back to fighting' and feels he's 'already done my part,' hinting at retirement and calling for the UFC to part with Dean. Days later, featherweight Andre Fili lodged the same complaint after his UFC Vegas 119 TKO loss to Vinicius Oliveira, posting photos of a bloodied scalp and arguing an illegal elbow ended the fight before the bell. Dana White has publicly sided with Pereira's grievance.

Why it matters: Two illegal-blow complaints in two weeks, plus a champion-caliber name flirting with walking away, turn a one-off gripe into a real officiating-standards problem the UFC can't keep waving off.

Dustin Poirier arrested for public drunkenness in Georgia

Retired former interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier was arrested in Georgia on Sunday and booked on a misdemeanor public-drunkenness charge, released after roughly three hours and appearing in court Monday morning. Details of the incident remain unclear, though Ben Askren claimed Poirier was 'having a good time' and wrestling people at the Atlanta airport. Poirier, 30-10 (1 NC) and retired since his July 2025 loss to Max Holloway at UFC 318, posted only: 'Love you all. I'm working on myself.'

Why it matters: One of the most beloved fighters of his era stumbling shortly into retirement is a reminder of how hard the post-career transition can be, even for a fighter who walked away on his own terms.

Herb Dean back under fire as back-of-the-head shots end another fight

Veteran referee Herb Dean drew fresh criticism at UFC Vegas 119 when Vinicius Oliveira finished Andre Fili with what looked like illegal elbows and strikes to the back of the head; Fili, bleeding heavily, confronted Dean afterward and the referee reviewed replays with the commission. It came a week after Alex Pereira blamed Dean for missing illegal shots in his interim-heavyweight loss to Ciryl Gane, with Pereira reposting the Fili sequence and saying "we need to retire this ref." Dana White backed Pereira's frustration as legitimate — "Alex Pereira is not a whiner" — while noting no officiating is perfect.

Why it matters: Two contested back-of-the-head stoppages in eight days, plus a champion calling for a referee's removal, put real pressure on how the commissions handle Dean and illegal-strike enforcement.

$100 million asking price sank Wittman's eye-poke glove deal, says White

Dana White revealed that talks to bring Trevor Wittman's ONX gloves — a curved design meant to keep the hand in a fist and reduce eye pokes — to the UFC collapsed over a roughly $100 million asking price. "You know how many gloves you gotta sell to make $100 million? It's impossible," White said, while insisting he wanted the deal done. Wittman, Justin Gaethje's coach, says he's stepped back from the business side and that UFC exec Hunter Campbell reignited talks weeks ago. Gaethje added that the UFC Freedom 250 gloves felt different — thicker and easier to close into a fist.

Why it matters: Eye pokes that produced a no-contest in a Tom Aspinall title fight have made glove design a safety and potential legal liability, raising the stakes on whether the UFC finally licenses a fix.