Fight Bananas' Breaking News

  • Top 25 MMA Fighters RIGHT NOW — According to Gemini AI

    February 23, 2026
    As of February 2026, the UFC landscape has shifted significantly with several new champions and “double-champs” emerging. Popularity in the UFC is a mix of high-level skill (Pound-for-Pound rankings) and massive social media reach. Here are the 25 most popular and influential UFC fighters right now, categorized by their current status in the promotion: The “Superstars” (Elite Tier) These fighters lead the pack in terms of pay-per-view draw and global recognition: Ilia Topuria – The […]

R&R (Results and Recaps)

  • Top 25 MMA Fighters RIGHT NOW — According to Gemini AI
    February 23, 2026
    As of February 2026, the UFC landscape has shifted significantly with several new champions and “double-champs” emerging. Popularity in the UFC is a mix of high-level skill (Pound-for-Pound rankings) and massive social media reach. Here are the 25 most popular and influential UFC fighters right now, categorized by their current status in the promotion: The “Superstars” (Elite Tier) These fighters lead the pack in terms of pay-per-view draw and global recognition: Ilia Topuria – The […]
  • Michael Chiesa Announces Retirement Fight with Anik & Florian + Mario Bautista joins the show!
    February 22, 2026
    The Anik & Florian Podcast Is Back — And This Episode Was MUST-WATCH TV 🥊 By Cody Merrow | Fight Bananas WHAT IS UP, Fight Bananas faithful! Buckle up, because the Anik & Florian Podcast — now proudly partnered with All The Smoke Fight, powered by All The Smoke Productions — delivered one of its best episodes in recent memory this past Monday, and if you missed it, I don’t know what you were doing […]
  • The Weekly Rounds 2: UFC Heavyweight Division, Diaz, Ilia vs Islam, and more
    February 13, 2026
    What’s good FB family?! This is the 2nd edition of the Weekly Rounds, where I will give some thoughts on some topics around the world of MMA. The opinions are all mine, would love a good debate! By: Will Brewer  Ok. Glove touch. HERE. WE. GO! Round 1: The State of the UFC Heavyweight Division Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC Let’s just face it, The heavyweight division is in shambles right now. This is perhaps the worst […]
  • Anik & Florian UFC & Super Bowl Recap
    February 9, 2026
    ANIK & FLO BREAK DOWN MARIO BAUTISTA’S STATEMENT WIN AND SUPER BOWL HEARTBREAK 🥊 By Cody Merrow | Fight Bananas WHAT IS UP Fight Bananas family! Monday, February 9th, 2026 — the day AFTER the Super Bowl — should absolutely be a NATIONAL HOLIDAY, and Jon Anik and Kenny Florian aren’t wrong about this one! But while the rest of America was nursing hangovers and Patriots heartbreak (more on that in a minute), the guys […]
  • UFC Fight Night: Bautista vs Oliveira Polymarket Report
    February 7, 2026
    BAUTISTA VS OLIVEIRA: WHERE THE SMART MONEY IS GOING Breaking Down Polymarket vs Sportsbooks for UFC Fight Night By Cody Merrow WHAT IS UP Fight Bananas family! We’ve got a BANGER of a main event this weekend at the UFC Apex with Mario Bautista taking on Vinicius ‘Lock Dog’ Oliveira in a five-round bantamweight scrap. But here’s the thing though… where should YOU be putting your money? Let’s break down what the prediction markets AND […]

R&R (Results and Recaps)

  • Top 25 MMA Fighters RIGHT NOW — According to Gemini AI
    February 23, 2026
    As of February 2026, the UFC landscape has shifted significantly with several new champions and “double-champs” emerging. Popularity in the UFC is a mix of high-level skill (Pound-for-Pound rankings) and massive social media reach. Here are the 25 most popular and influential UFC fighters right now, categorized by their current status in the promotion: The “Superstars” (Elite Tier) These fighters lead the pack in terms of pay-per-view draw and global recognition: Ilia Topuria – The […]
  • Michael Chiesa Announces Retirement Fight with Anik & Florian + Mario Bautista joins the show!
    February 22, 2026
    The Anik & Florian Podcast Is Back — And This Episode Was MUST-WATCH TV 🥊 By Cody Merrow | Fight Bananas WHAT IS UP, Fight Bananas faithful! Buckle up, because the Anik & Florian Podcast — now proudly partnered with All The Smoke Fight, powered by All The Smoke Productions — delivered one of its best episodes in recent memory this past Monday, and if you missed it, I don’t know what you were doing […]
  • The Weekly Rounds 2: UFC Heavyweight Division, Diaz, Ilia vs Islam, and more
    February 13, 2026
    What’s good FB family?! This is the 2nd edition of the Weekly Rounds, where I will give some thoughts on some topics around the world of MMA. The opinions are all mine, would love a good debate! By: Will Brewer  Ok. Glove touch. HERE. WE. GO! Round 1: The State of the UFC Heavyweight Division Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC Let’s just face it, The heavyweight division is in shambles right now. This is perhaps the worst […]
  • Anik & Florian UFC & Super Bowl Recap
    February 9, 2026
    ANIK & FLO BREAK DOWN MARIO BAUTISTA’S STATEMENT WIN AND SUPER BOWL HEARTBREAK 🥊 By Cody Merrow | Fight Bananas WHAT IS UP Fight Bananas family! Monday, February 9th, 2026 — the day AFTER the Super Bowl — should absolutely be a NATIONAL HOLIDAY, and Jon Anik and Kenny Florian aren’t wrong about this one! But while the rest of America was nursing hangovers and Patriots heartbreak (more on that in a minute), the guys […]
  • UFC Fight Night: Bautista vs Oliveira Polymarket Report
    February 7, 2026
    BAUTISTA VS OLIVEIRA: WHERE THE SMART MONEY IS GOING Breaking Down Polymarket vs Sportsbooks for UFC Fight Night By Cody Merrow WHAT IS UP Fight Bananas family! We’ve got a BANGER of a main event this weekend at the UFC Apex with Mario Bautista taking on Vinicius ‘Lock Dog’ Oliveira in a five-round bantamweight scrap. But here’s the thing though… where should YOU be putting your money? Let’s break down what the prediction markets AND […]

R&R (Results and Recaps)

  • Top 25 MMA Fighters RIGHT NOW — According to Gemini AI
    February 23, 2026
    As of February 2026, the UFC landscape has shifted significantly with several new champions and “double-champs” emerging. Popularity in the UFC is a mix of high-level skill (Pound-for-Pound rankings) and massive social media reach. Here are the 25 most popular and influential UFC fighters right now, categorized by their current status in the promotion: The “Superstars” (Elite Tier) These fighters lead the pack in terms of pay-per-view draw and global recognition: Ilia Topuria – The […]
  • Michael Chiesa Announces Retirement Fight with Anik & Florian + Mario Bautista joins the show!
    February 22, 2026
    The Anik & Florian Podcast Is Back — And This Episode Was MUST-WATCH TV 🥊 By Cody Merrow | Fight Bananas WHAT IS UP, Fight Bananas faithful! Buckle up, because the Anik & Florian Podcast — now proudly partnered with All The Smoke Fight, powered by All The Smoke Productions — delivered one of its best episodes in recent memory this past Monday, and if you missed it, I don’t know what you were doing […]
  • The Weekly Rounds 2: UFC Heavyweight Division, Diaz, Ilia vs Islam, and more
    February 13, 2026
    What’s good FB family?! This is the 2nd edition of the Weekly Rounds, where I will give some thoughts on some topics around the world of MMA. The opinions are all mine, would love a good debate! By: Will Brewer  Ok. Glove touch. HERE. WE. GO! Round 1: The State of the UFC Heavyweight Division Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC Let’s just face it, The heavyweight division is in shambles right now. This is perhaps the worst […]
  • Anik & Florian UFC & Super Bowl Recap
    February 9, 2026
    ANIK & FLO BREAK DOWN MARIO BAUTISTA’S STATEMENT WIN AND SUPER BOWL HEARTBREAK 🥊 By Cody Merrow | Fight Bananas WHAT IS UP Fight Bananas family! Monday, February 9th, 2026 — the day AFTER the Super Bowl — should absolutely be a NATIONAL HOLIDAY, and Jon Anik and Kenny Florian aren’t wrong about this one! But while the rest of America was nursing hangovers and Patriots heartbreak (more on that in a minute), the guys […]
  • UFC Fight Night: Bautista vs Oliveira Polymarket Report
    February 7, 2026
    BAUTISTA VS OLIVEIRA: WHERE THE SMART MONEY IS GOING Breaking Down Polymarket vs Sportsbooks for UFC Fight Night By Cody Merrow WHAT IS UP Fight Bananas family! We’ve got a BANGER of a main event this weekend at the UFC Apex with Mario Bautista taking on Vinicius ‘Lock Dog’ Oliveira in a five-round bantamweight scrap. But here’s the thing though… where should YOU be putting your money? Let’s break down what the prediction markets AND […]
January 17, 2025
Published by Dave Van Auken on January 17, 2025

UFC 311 | MAIN CARD PREVIEWS & PREDICTIONS | ARMAN OUT. MOICANO IN! UPDATED ARTICLE!

EDIT – MOICANO IS IN! ARMAN IS OUT!  It’s nearly upon us fight fans. The first PPV of the year and what a PPV she is. A five fight main card that is absolutely stacked top to bottom. There isn’t one fight on this main card that I aren’t absolutely pumped for. If this is Dana’s way of starting the year off on the right foot, I am absolutely here for it. I may even […]
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January 16, 2025
Payton Talbott vs Cameron Saimann
Published by Dave Van Auken on January 16, 2025

Payton Talbott Looks To Continue His Rise To Stardom

The Rise Of Payton Talbott One of the most intruiging prospects on the UFC roster returns to action this weekend as Payton Talbott (9-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) steps into the Octagon to face Raoni Barcellos in the featured preliminary bout at UFC 311. The 26-year-old Reno native has enjoyed a blistering start to life as a UFC fighter since his first introduction to fans when he appeared on Dana White’s Contender Series (DWCS) in August […]
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January 15, 2025
Published by Dave Van Auken on January 15, 2025

PFL RELEASE 2025 SCHEDULE | MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS.

Now then my people. It’s been a strange few weeks if you’re a fan of the PFL brand. Even today’s announcement of the upcoming schedule caused a stir as it confirmed that the prize money has been halved, and they have got rid of their usual “season” format. Which has been replaced by a simple single elimination tournament, featuring 8 fighters, across 8 weight divisions. The winner will receive of each tournament will receive a […]
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January 15, 2025
Published by Dave Van Auken on January 15, 2025

What’s Next for Holy Holm?

What’s Next for Holly Holm? As the MMA world reflects on Holly Holm’s incredible journey through the UFC, fans are left wondering what the future holds for the legendary fighter. Known for her striking skills and fierce determination, Holm has consistently pushed the boundaries of women’s sports.  A future UFC hall of famer, Holm biggest win came at UFC 195 where she shocked the world with Knocking Out previously undefeated Ronda Rousey. With her departure […]
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January 12, 2025
UFC Vegas 101 Biggest Winners
Published by Dave Van Auken on January 12, 2025

5 Biggest Winners From UFC Vegas 101: Dern vs. Ribas 2

The UFC Kicks Off 2025 With A Bang The first UFC event of the new year is officially in the history books, and despite the line-up for UFC Vegas 101: Dern vs. Ribas 2 perhaps not standing up on paper against the massive pay-per-view offering that awaits fans next weekend, the event delivered more than it’s fair share of thrills, spills and dramatic finishes. With nine of the fights being finished inside the distance (including […]
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January 11, 2025
Published by Elle Dawson on January 11, 2025

UFC Vegas 101 Results: Dern v Ribas 2

MAIN CARD: 7pm ET (ESPN+) Women’s Strawweight Main Event: Mackenzie Dern v Amanda Ribas by Submission (armbar) at 4:56 of Round 3 Welterweight: Santiago Ponzinibbio def. Carlston Harris by TKO at 3:13 of Round 3 Middleweight: César Almeida def. Abdul Razak Alhassan by KO at 4:16 of Round 1 Middleweight: Roman Kopylov def. Chris Curtis by TKO (head kick) at 4:59 of Round 3 Featherweight: Christian Rodriguez def. Austin Bashi by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, […]
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January 9, 2025
UFC prospects to watch out for this weekend
Published by Dave Van Auken on January 9, 2025

UFC Prospects To Watch Out For This Weekend

We Are Back! Finally the wait is over!!! The UFC returns to our screens this Saturday after the holiday break and while the fight card at the Apex this weekend may be lacking a little in star power, there are certainly some intersting prospects set to make the walk to the Octagon who could each make waves in their respective divisions in the near future. Let’s take a look at some of the “ones to […]
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January 9, 2025
Published by Dave Van Auken on January 9, 2025

Anything goes for Pearl Gonzalez

Pearl Gonzalez was born in Chicago, Illinois where at the age of 11 years old got into combat sport classes. PG won the Golden Gloves amateur championship in 2008. Pearl has fought for the biggest promotions in combat sports for the past 15 years. While still fighting, Pearl has gracefully transition into being one of the best commentators, podcasters and hosts in all of combat sports. Pearl is one of the biggest influences in the […]
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January 8, 2025
Published by Dave Van Auken on January 8, 2025

UFC VEGAS 101 | RIBAS VS DERN | MAIN CARD PREVIEW & BEST BETS

Well fights we made it. The Xmas lull in violence is officially over. It’s officially fight week and on Saturday night we head to The Apex for the 1st UFC card of 2025. Now this year this article of mine is gonna change up a little. I’m going to preview each fight on the main card, and then for you betting degenerates, I’ll give you my best bets at the end. So let’s get into […]
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January 7, 2025
Published by Dave Van Auken on January 7, 2025

UFC LONDON HAS ITS MAIN EVENT | EDWARDS V JDM | O2 ARENA | 22ND MARCH 2025

We finally got the news UK MMA fans in particular wanted to hear today. As it was confirmed that Leon Edwards will fight Jack Della Maddalena at the O2 in London, on Saturday March 22nd 2025. This absolute fire fight of a main event, gives us the equivalent of “The Ashes” in the MMA world. A heated contest in cricket, between England and Australia. Now we get the UFC version, over 5 rounds, between 2 […]
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