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Signings, releases & free agency

22 stories on this topic, newest first.

Abdelaziz says PFL never offered Usman a new deal, 90-day window now running

Manager Ali Abdelaziz told MMA Junkie that PFL had a chance to re-sign lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov (22-0) before his July 31 first-round knockout of Archie Colgan but did not, so the unbeaten champ 'gambled on himself' by fighting out his contract. PFL now holds a 90-day exclusive negotiating window before Abdelaziz talks to other suitors, and he cautioned a UFC move is not certain — Khabib Nurmagomedov has to sign off. Islam Makhachev called it 'a dream for our team' for Usman to join the UFC and floated debut opponents like Ilia Topuria or Arman Tsarukyan.

Why it matters: The most coveted free agent in MMA won't hit the open market for three months, tempering the UFC hype — and the family veto means Usman's landing spot is still genuinely open.

Aspen Ladd signs with BKB, debuts bare-knuckle Aug. 29

Former UFC and PFL bantamweight contender Aspen Ladd (12-5 in MMA) has signed with BKB Bare Knuckle Boxing and will debut against Brazil's Bianca Daimoni at BKB 58 on Aug. 29 at Miami's James L. Knight Center. Ladd, who reached No. 2 in the UFC rankings and shared the cage with Kayla Harrison, Germaine de Randamie and Raquel Pennington, went 1-0 in a BKFC appearance last November. The card is headlined by heavyweight champ Gustavo Trujillo's title defense against Mark O'Neil and features Olympic gold medalist Yuriorkis Gamboa's bare-knuckle debut.

Why it matters: Another established MMA name crossing into bare-knuckle underscores BKB's aggressive roster-building and the growing pull of the format for fighters seeking a second act.

Khabib sets Usman's free-agency clock: talks next month, decision 'very soon'

Khabib Nurmagomedov said negotiations over cousin Usman's future will open next month with an answer expected 'very soon,' a day after Dana White grinned 'sure' when asked about signing him. Usman (22-0) fought out his PFL contract Friday with a first-round knockout of Archie Colgan and is now the sport's biggest free agent. Coach Javier Mendez named Arman Tsarukyan and Ilia Topuria as dream matchups but expects a top-five debut opponent such as Paddy Pimblett or Max Holloway. PFL CEO John Martin says he wants to keep his lightweight champion.

Why it matters: With Makhachev now campaigning at welterweight, the logjam that kept Usman out of the UFC is gone — his signing would instantly reshape a lightweight division now headed by Justin Gaethje.

Dana White grins at the prospect of signing free agent Usman Nurmagomedov

Asked at the UFC Belgrade press conference whether the promotion is interested in newly minted free agent Usman Nurmagomedov, Dana White answered with a smiling 'Sure' and later reposted the clip with a grinning emoji. The 22-0 PFL lightweight champion fought out his contract Friday and has UFC ties through brother Umar, cousin Khabib and teammate Islam Makhachev. Makhachev, however, has publicly doubted the UFC will match the money Nurmagomedov earns as the PFL's highest-paid fighter.

Why it matters: MMA's hottest free agent choosing between a UFC legacy run and PFL money is the sport's most consequential contract fight, and White just signaled the bidding is on.

Usman Nurmagomedov flattens Colgan in a round, enters free agency 22-0

Usman Nurmagomedov retained the PFL lightweight title by first-round TKO over previously undefeated Archie Colgan (13-1) in the PFL New York main event at UBS Arena, dropping him with a question-mark kick and finishing with uppercuts and ground strikes at 3:42. It was the final bout of his PFL contract, leaving the 22-0, 1 NC champion a free agent. Post-fight he said he'll see what Dana White offers while daring new PFL co-owner Jake Paul to pay him what he's worth. Khabib, Islam Makhachev, Justin Gaethje and Kamaru Usman were cageside.

Why it matters: The best lightweight outside the UFC is now on the open market just as the MVP-PFL merger gives the PFL money to keep him, setting up a real bidding war for a fighter who could contend for UFC gold quickly.

MVP and PFL merge into one company, and Jake Paul wants the UFC's throne

Most Valuable Promotions and the Professional Fighters League announced a merger that will operate under the MVP banner, led by co-founders Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian, with outgoing PFL CEO John Martin staying on as CEO and board member. The combined outfit claims roughly 400 fighters across MMA and boxing and five events in August, with a full relaunch targeted for early 2027. Paul framed the play bluntly: 'We don't wanna just pick a fight, we wanna win the fight' against the UFC.

Why it matters: PFL already absorbed Bellator; folding in Paul's promotional and media muscle is the most serious attempt in years to build a No. 2 that can actually bid for talent. Whether it survives where Affliction, EliteXC and Strikeforce failed is the question that shapes the non-UFC market for the rest of the decade.

UFC signs Raul Rosas Jr.'s brother, adds two bouts to prop up thin Vegas card

Jessie Rosas (8-1), the older brother of bantamweight Raul Rosas Jr., has signed with the UFC and debuts Aug. 8 at UFC Vegas 120 (Meta Apex), facing veteran Miles Johns, who is riding a three-fight losing streak. The 23-year-old UWC bantamweight champ carries a 75-percent finish rate. The UFC also added Manoel Sousa vs. LFA champion Richie Miranda, fleshing out a card that had been down to only eight or nine bouts a week and a half out. The Gamrot vs. Salkilld lightweight main event now has 11 fights.

Why it matters: Two short-notice signings to save an anemic Apex card underline how thin the mid-tier schedule has gotten, while the Rosas name gives a regional prospect instant profile.

UFC hands KSW champ Parnasse a Paris main event against Hooker

Two-division former KSW champion Salahdine Parnasse, signed after his win on May's MVP Netflix card, will make his Octagon debut in the main event of UFC Paris on Sept. 5 against No. 12 lightweight Dan Hooker. Hooker says it's the biggest payday of his career 'by a country mile' and openly acknowledges the UFC is fast-tracking the 28-year-old Frenchman toward the top of a lucrative market. One analysis calls Parnasse potentially the UFC's most important signing of 2026, arguing the promotion has been too slow to raid outside talent.

Why it matters: It's a rare high-profile external signing at a time fans are grumbling about roster staleness, and a live test of whether the UFC can build a homegrown French star by feeding him a ranked veteran.

Parnasse signs with UFC, lands Paris headliner vs. Hooker

Per Ariel Helwani, longtime free agent Salahdine Parnasse has signed with the UFC and will make his debut in the UFC Paris main event opposite Dan Hooker on Sept. 5. The 28-year-old former KSW two-division champion turned down the UFC in 2024 over a richer KSW deal, but his stock spiked after a first-round knockout on the Rousey vs. Carano Netflix card. Hooker enters on back-to-back losses to Arman Tsarukyan and Benoit Saint Denis.

Why it matters: One of the best non-UFC talents of the past half-decade finally crosses over, and the promotion handed him a main-event slot on home soil — an immediate test that reshapes the 155-pound depth chart.

Despaigne re-signs with UFC after knockout tear elsewhere

First Round Management announced that Cuban heavyweight Robelis Despaigne (6-2) has re-signed with the UFC nearly two years after being cut following losses to Waldo Cortes-Acosta and Austen Lane. The 6-foot-7 ex-taekwondo Olympic bronze medalist went 7-0 in Karate Combat, won its heavyweight title over Sam Alvey, then knocked out Junior dos Santos on the MVP MMA Netflix card in May. No date or opponent has been set, and the move takes him off a rumored Francis Ngannou matchup.

Why it matters: The UFC's thin heavyweight division gets back a genuine finisher — all six of Despaigne's MMA wins are knockouts — though his first stint showed the hype outpaced the results.

UFC Belgrade: Brave CF champ Nikolic signs on a week's notice

Ahead of the UFC's first event in Serbia on Aug. 1, Brave CF bantamweight champion Borislav Nikolic (16-2) has signed and stepped in on roughly a week's notice to face Mark Vologdin, replacing Josias Musasa. The Belgrade Arena card is headlined by hometown welterweight Uros Medic against Daniel Rodriguez, who returns for the first time since his release from prison, and features Jan Blachowicz vs. Navajo Stirling.

Why it matters: The debut Serbia card leans heavily on regional prospects and short-notice signings — Nikolic, on a six-fight win streak, is one of the more credible newcomers on it.

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.

Reug Reug leaves ONE as a free agent, teases an August fight

Former ONE heavyweight champion Oumar 'Reug Reug' Kane confirmed his release from ONE Championship after five years, citing fallout from his fourth-round KO loss in the May rematch with Anatoly Malykhin, which spilled into a post-fight brawl between corners. Kane says he is ready to fight in August with an opponent to be announced Friday. His exit adds to a steady drain of MMA talent from ONE as the promotion leans into striking, and fans immediately floated a UFC move or crossover bouts with Francis Ngannou or PFL's Vadim Nemkov.

Why it matters: A title-winning heavyweight hitting the open market is rare, and where Kane lands is a live read on the UFC-PFL-MVP tug-of-war for big men.

Irene Aldana retires and is removed from the UFC roster

Former women's bantamweight title challenger Irene Aldana (15-8) has retired at 38 and been taken off the UFC roster, MMA Fighting reported and ESPN Deportes confirmed. Ranked No. 12 at the time, she hadn't fought since a bloody September 2024 decision loss to Norma Dumont at Noche UFC, a bout that left a severe cut requiring multiple surgeries. Aldana challenged Amanda Nunes for the belt in 2023 and banked five UFC bonuses. Lightweight Victor Martinez was also cut.

Why it matters: Losing a durable, action-first top-15 name — amid speculation the UFC is quietly winding down 135 — further hollows out the women's bantamweight division.

LFA light heavyweight champ Lucas Fernando signs, booked for UFC 330 debut

Reigning LFA 205-pound champion Lucas Fernando (13-3) has signed with the UFC and will debut against Rafael 'Bipolar' Tobias (14-2) at UFC 330 on Aug. 15 in Philadelphia. Fernando, a former DWCS competitor riding a four-fight streak with back-to-back first-round knockouts, gets his second crack at the promotion; Tobias is seeking his first UFC win after dropping his debut to Diyar Nurgozhay. UFC 330 is topped by Islam Makhachev vs. Ian Machado Garry and Mackenzie Dern vs. Gillian Robertson.

Why it matters: A finish-heavy regional champion adds fresh blood to a light heavyweight division suddenly crowded with middleweights moving up.

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.

Basharat-Garza booked on six days' notice to complete UFC 329

UFC newcomer John Garza (6-1) stepped in on less than a week's notice to face unbeaten bantamweight Farid Basharat (15-0) at UFC 329, after Ethyn Ewing withdrew with a 'detrimental injury,' rounding the card out to 14 fights. Basharat revealed he is fighting on the final bout of his current UFC deal and will be a free agent afterward, calling the situation 'a gamble.' He pointed to brother Javid Basharat, who went 4-2-1 but was not re-signed, as a cautionary tale about winning not always being enough.

Why it matters: The scramble shows how thin the margins are for roster fighters, where a 6-0 UFC record still doesn't guarantee a new contract without finishes and stakes.

Loik Radzhabov turns down UFC renewal to fight in Russia

Lightweight Loik Radzhabov says he rejected a new UFC offer and is leaving the promotion to pursue fights closer to home. The 32-year-old, 18-6-1, went 2-2 across four UFC bouts after debuting in 2023 and says the UFC offered a comeback path but he'd rather compete in Russian leagues. He's in negotiations with ACA and eyeing an October or November return, potentially on an ACA card in Tajikistan.

Why it matters: It's a rare case of a fighter choosing regional stability over the UFC banner, a reminder that ACA and European promotions are viable landing spots for fighters with roots outside the U.S.

Jordan Burroughs to face UFC's Sean Brady in RAF 12 main event

Olympic gold medalist and six-time world champion Jordan Burroughs will make his Real American Freestyle debut against UFC welterweight Sean Brady in a catchweight main event at RAF 12 on Aug. 22 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, streaming on Fox Nation. Brady, the No. 5-ranked UFC welterweight and a BJJ black belt, is coming off a lopsided decision win over Joaquin Buckley but never wrestled in high school or college. The card lands a month after RAF Georgia's Merab Dvalishvili vs. Henry Cejudo bout on July 11.

Why it matters: It's another example of RAF poaching name UFC fighters for freestyle wrestling crossovers — a heavy underdog spot for Brady against arguably the greatest freestyler ever.

Joe Lauzon gets UFC's blessing for BKFC debut at Fenway Park

Longtime UFC lightweight Joe Lauzon (28-15), who hasn't fought since 2019 but was never released, secured permission from the UFC to make his BKFC debut on Aug. 29 at Fenway Park in Boston. Lauzon said Hunter Campbell even offered financial help, but insisted the draw is the venue, not money. He remains unsure whether the UFC has fully released him or simply approved this one bout; an opponent is TBD.

Why it matters: It's a window into how the UFC handles dormant contracts of respected veterans, and continues BKFC's run of landing recognizable MMA names — Darren Till and now Lauzon — as it stages a first-of-its-kind card at a Major League Baseball park.

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.

Ian Garry signs commercial deal with Eddie Hearn ahead of UFC 330 title shot

Welterweight contender Ian Machado Garry announced he has joined Eddie Hearn's Matchroom Talent Agency for a marketing and commercial deal, while remaining with Vayner Sports for management and UFC fight negotiations. Garry (10-1 in the UFC, off wins over Belal Muhammad and Carlos Prates) challenges Islam Makhachev for the title at UFC 330 on Aug. 15 in Philadelphia. He becomes the second UFC star with Hearn after heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall, whose deal covers all aspects of his career.

Why it matters: Hearn's deepening reach into the UFC roster fuels his escalating feud with Dana White and the broader Zuffa Boxing–Matchroom rivalry, just as one of his clients prepares to challenge the pound-for-pound king.