MMA News

Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC Jackson McVey will debut on a UFC pay-per-view card after all. Multiple people with knowledge of the promotion’s plans confirmed to MMA Fighting that McVey will step in on less than two weeks notice to face Brunno Ferreira at UFC 318. The event takes place July 19 at Smoothie King Arena in New Orleans. Laerte Viana first reported the booking. McVey steps in for Ikram Aliskerov, who shared on Instagram that he suffered a broken toe in training camp preparing for Ferreira. The undefeated middleweight was slated to face Christopher Ewert this past weekend at UFC 317, but the fight was cancelled after Ewert was unable to make the middleweight limit. “The Moose” recently competed in June at LFA 210, stopping his opponent in 98 seconds. Ferreira makes his seventh octagon appearance, and seeks his fifth UFC victory. In his most recent bout, “The Hulk” submitted Armen Petrosyan with a nasty armbar in the second round at UFC 313. UFC 318 is headlined by the final fight of Dustin Poirier’s career as he challenges Max Holloway for the BMF title in a trilogy bout. Guilherme Cruz contributed to this report.

Godofredo Pepey Former UFC fighter Godofredo Pepey remains in custody after he was arrested in Florida on a multitude of charges including kidnapping and domestic violence. The 37-year-old Brazilian is currently under an immigration hold, which means he could potentially face deportation out of the United States. Online court records obtained by MMA Fighting show Pepey was arrested on four separate charges, including kidnapping with the intent to inflict bodily harm or terrorize victim. Under Florida statutes, that felony carries with it the possibility of life in prison if convicted. Pepey was also charged with domestic battery by strangulation, tampering with/hindering/delaying with communications and touch or strike battery/domestic violence. While bail was set at $120,000, Pepey is being detained by immigration officials so he won’t leave custody for now. Combate initially reported Pepey’s arrest. Following news of his arrest, Pepey’s wife posted a statement on Instagram addressing the allegations against the 22-fight veteran. “My name is Samara Mello, I’m the wife of Godofredo Pepey, and I’m also a domestic violence survivor,” Mello wrote on Instagram. “I want to say what many will never: domestic violence is real in the sports world, and it’s still a taboo that few have the courage to mention in the combat sports community. We can’t pretend it doesn’t exist. Domestic violence comes in many different forms: physical, emotional, mental, sexual and financial, and none of them is acceptable. “Today, I’m getting myself back up and I’m incredibly thankful for having survived to be able to now make the difference in other women’s lives. When the violence happens inside your home it doesn’t only destroy one family, it impacts the entire community. We need to stop treating that as a secret. It’s in silence that violence grows. I hope the authorities in Brazil and the world understand that the blood in my face and my body drips on the hands of those who still sees femicide as a statistic and don’t do enough to change that. The next generations depend on our decisions now. This is not a problem to be treated, it needs to be abolished. I’m thankful to the fight community and for the support or organizations led by Rose Gracie, who takes it seriously and supports those who think there’s no way out.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Samara Castro (@samaramelllocastro) Pepey last fought in the UFC in 2018 when the promotion opted not to renew his contract following back-to-back losses. He amassed a 5-6 record overall with the promotion. Since then, Pepey has only fought three times with his most recent appearance coming in a loss for Ares FC in 2022. Guilherme Cruz contributed to this report

Dustin Poirier | Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images Dustin Poirier has big plans once his UFC career is over. Later this month, Poirier will make the walk to the cage for the final time when he takes on Max Holloway for the ‘BMF’ title in the main event of UFC 318. The event was built around Poirier’s impending retirement, with the promotion heading to New Orleans specifically for “The Diamond,” and he admits he’s got a lot of emotions as he prepares to make his last walk. “I’m scared of it,” Poirier told ESPN. “It’s bittersweet. I’ve done this longer than I haven’t. And really, I beat myself up — I don’t want to say beat myself up, I spin my wheels. I think about it all the time. I know I have a lot more to give. I’m leaving a lot of money on the table, I’m leaving great fights on the table, but it’s like, that’s the reason I’m walking away. Am I going to be the world champion? To get another title shot? I’ve had three. “To get another one is going to be tough, and I don’t know if I have it in me to put together that win streak. But I have great fights left in me. So I’m walking away when I think I’m at my best right now. I just fought Islam tooth and nail, had a great fight, and I feel like I can still beat him. I can beat him, I think. But it’s just time. “I’m a father. I want to have another kid. And I want to do things outside of the octagon. If I’m not going to be the world champion, then I’m just showing up for a paycheck, and that’s not who I want to be.” But while Poirier will be sad to leave the sport, it’s not all bad news, because once he officially retires from MMA, Poirier has big plans on exactly who he wants to be; namely, swoll. “This will be the last time I’m ever 155 pounds in my life,” Poirier joked. “I can promise you that. Listen, I’m getting on steroids. Once USADA stops knocking on my door, and I lay the gloves down, I’m getting jacked and tan. “That’s the truth. My wife’s like, ‘No, you’re not.’ I’m getting on it. That’s the honest truth.” Poirier is not the only fighter who was ready to embrace performance-enhancing drugs once they were out of competition, as Donald Cerrone famously did just that. But that’s not all Poirier intends to do in retirement, because while he’s stepping away from competition, he’s not leaving MMA. “I love the sport. I watch every fight,” Poirier said. “Not just UFC, every organization. I watch everything. I’m a huge fan of the sport and I love it, and always have been. I want to stay connected to it somehow. Hopefully, keep getting on with ESPN or working the desk, just to stay around the sport and be a voice in it, because it’s created the life I have. All I know is this. I don’t have any other — so speaking about it and being connected is something that’s important to me. “I don’t know if I’m ever going to open a gym or anything like that. That’s not a passion of mine. But I would love to help fighters. I’ll still go back to American Top Team and help guys with fights, local guys in Louisiana, their upcoming fights, I try to help out as much as I can, because fighting was a vehicle to become who I am now, and to get me out of where I was. I know it can be that for other people, so I want to support them in that journey into the unknown of fighting. It’s beautiful when it works out, and it’s beautiful when it doesn’t, if you embrace it all.” UFC 318 takes place on July 19 at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans.

Photo by Cris Esqueda/Golden Boy/Getty Images Just days after his boxing match against Jake Paul ended, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. has been arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and he’s set for deportation from the United States. The Department of Homeland Security(DHS) announced the news Thursday after Chavez was detained. Chavez is a Mexican citizen with the government claiming he has an “active arrest warrant in Mexico for his involvement in organized crime and trafficking firearms, ammunition, and explosives.” In the press release regarding Chavez’s arrest, DHS stated that the boxer is “believed to be an affiliate of the Sinaloa Cartel, a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization.” He was arrested on July 2 in California. On July 2, ICE arrested Mexican boxer and criminal illegal alien Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.He is now being processed for expedited removal from the United States. This Sinaloa Cartel affiliate has an active arrest warrant in Mexico for his involvement in organized crime and… pic.twitter.com/c4QeRVpCEr— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) July 3, 2025 DHS stated that Chavez filed for permanent resident status back in April 2024 and his application was based “on his marriage to a U.S. citizen, who is connected to the Sinaloa Cartel through a prior relationship with the now-deceased son of the infamous cartel leader Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman.” In December 2025, DHS claims that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services “made a referral to ICE that Chavez is an egregious public safety threat” but the previous administration under President Joe Biden said that the boxer “was not an immigration enforcement priority.” In January 2025, Chavez was allowed to re-enter the United States but now ICE has arrested him “following multiple fraudulent statements on his application to become a Lawful Permanent Resident, he was determined to be in the country illegally and removable on June 27, 2025.” He is currently being expedited for removal from the U.S. “This Sinaloa Cartel affiliate with an active arrest warrant for trafficking guns, ammunition, and explosives was arrested by ICE,” DHS assistant aecretary Tricia McLaughlin It is shocking the previous administration flagged this criminal illegal alien as a public safety threat, but chose to not prioritize his removal and let him leave and COME BACK into our country. “Under President [Donald] Trump, no one is above the law—including world-famous athletes. Our message to any cartel affiliates in the U.S. is clear: We will find you and you will face consequences. The days of unchecked cartel violence are over.” Prior to his arrest, Chavez suffered a unanimous decision loss to Paul this past Saturday in Anaheim. He remains in custody pending his deportation to Mexico. **Update** Video of Chavez’s arrest was obtained by reporter Matthew Seedorff. NEW; Through federal sources, I have obtained video of ICE arresting Mexican boxer Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Wednesday in Studio City, CA. The boxer is accused of being affiliated with the Sinaloa Cartel. pic.twitter.com/FpD0v4aTta— Matthew Seedorff (@MattSeedorff) July 3, 2025

Jean Silva | Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images Jean Silva and Diego Lopes will collide in a Brazilian featherweight war to top the Noche UFC card on Sept. 13, but Silva is making sure to build a rivalry with the Mexico-based star. After taking on social media to bet his fight purse that Lopes won’t take him down, a message to which Lopes didn’t respond, Silva sat down with MMA Fighting’s Jose Youngs during UFC 317 week in Las Vegas to take it up a notch. “Diego hasn’t been able to look at my face,” Silva said through a translator. “He hasn’t looked at me in the eye, ever. You know what, regardless of the rivalry or what’s been said at the fight, every athlete there is going to be representing Mexico and the independence of Mexico. I mean, even more so than me beating him up.” Noche UFC will take place in San Antonio on the same night Canelo Alvarez and battles Terence Crawford in a highly-anticipated boxing showdown at the Allegiant stadium, and Silva vows to show that his hands are not far from Canelo’s. “They’re gonna watch MMA at the highest level on a great night,” Silva said when asked why fans should watch his fight instead of Canelo-Crawford. “And also, they’re going to see someone who boxes like Canelo beating up on a fighter that doesn’t know whether he’s Mexican or Brazilian.” Silva is on a roll in the UFC after five straight stoppages in a span of 15 months, capped off by a flawless victory over Bryce Mitchell hours before Lopes came up short in his attempt to win the featherweight title versus Alexander Volkanovski. Silva called for a shot at the belt after that night in April, but needs to get past Lopes first. The other request made that night could become a reality, though, as Silva and his partner Carol said that UFC CEO Dana White has agreed to pay for popular Brazilian singer Belo to perform on his wedding. “Dana’s gonna pay for it,” Carol said. “He’s gonna cover it. All it’s missing right now is a date.” “The boss is gonna pay for the wedding, he’s gonna pay for the singer,” Silva doubled down. “God willing, it’s going to be in Las Vegas at the UFC PI.” The couple had the opportunity to attend a Belo concert after the UFC 314 victory and were invited on stage by Belo in May. The UFC fighter said he would take a page out of Carla Esparza’s book and walk to the altar wearing the UFC belt after he wins it, and have Bruce Buffer introduce them like he did in the past for Michael Bisping. “I want the same, Jean,” Carol said. Com o coração acelerado, ainda tentando entender o que vivemos: @cantorbelo realizou nosso maior sonho. Nos chamou ao palco, nos homenageou com palavras que marcaram nossa história. Um momento eterno. Obrigado por tudo, Belo! pic.twitter.com/deUoP9vEdw— Jean de Lord Silva (@Jeansilvamma96) May 3, 2025