MMA today, Tuesday, September 8: 15 stories from around the leagues
15 stories from ONE Championship and UFC and the fight-media channels in the last day — each summarised in our own words and linked to its source. Anything this site has already covered in the past week is left out rather than repeated.
ONE Championship
5 Electrifying Reasons To Watch ONE SAMURAI 3 On September 12
The ONE SAMURAI 3 event takes place on Saturday, September 12, at the Yokohama Buntai in Japan. In the headlining bout, ONE Atomweight Muay Thai World Champion Nadaka Yoshinari makes his promotional kickboxing debut against Myanmar's Har Ling Om. The co-main event features a flyweight MMA match between former champion Yuya Wakamatsu and Willie van Rooyen. Additionally, the fight card features flyweight kickboxer Shimon Yoshinari facing Suablack Tor Pran49, and Hyu Iwata taking on promotional debutant Hyuma Hitachi. — Full story: ONEFC.com
'I Want A Decisive Finish' – Yod-IQ Plots Path To Dethrone Rambolek At The Inner Circle 30
On Friday, September 11, Yod-IQ Or Pimolsri will challenge reigning champion Rambolek Chor Ajalaboon for the ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Championship. The five-round title fight will serve as the main event of The Inner Circle 30. The 24-year-old challenger earned his title shot after defeating the previously unbeaten Kiamran Nabati at The Inner Circle 15, which extended his winning streak to 10 fights and brought his overall divisional record to 12-1. Rambolek enters the matchup on a six-fight winning streak and will be making his very first defense of the world title. — Full story: ONEFC.com
'Defend That Belt Together' – Superbon Guides Rambolek Through First ONE World Title Defense Against Yod-IQ
ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion Rambolek Chor Ajalaboon will make his first title defense against Yod-IQ Or Pimolsri on Friday, September 11. The championship bout will headline The Inner Circle 30 at Bangkok's Lumpinee Stadium. Rambolek, who is 23 years old, won his title in March at The Inner Circle 7 by defeating Nabil Anane over five rounds. ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Champion Superbon has been helping Rambolek prepare at the Superbon Training Camp and will coach from his corner during the fight. — Full story: ONEFC.com
'Martial Arts Is In My Blood' – Har Ling Om Draws On Lethwei Roots Ahead Of ONE SAMURAI 3
Myanmarese striker Har Ling Om will headline ONE SAMURAI 3 against reigning ONE Atomweight Muay Thai World Champion Nadaka in an atomweight kickboxing match. The 28-year-old fighter previously secured victories against Haruyuki Tanitsu at ONE Friday Fights 129 and Khunsuk T1 Fight Academy this past April at ONE Friday Fights 149. By winning this upcoming bout, the Phyo Wai Group affiliate aims to secure a 100,000 USD main roster contract with ONE Championship. The event is scheduled to broadcast live on Saturday, September 12, from the Yokohama Buntai in Yokohama, Japan. — Full story: ONEFC.com
‘Massive Spider-Man Fan’ – Willie Van Rooyen Reveals His Lifelong Love For The Marvel Superhero
Two-time EFC Flyweight Champion Willie van Rooyen is scheduled to fight former ONE Flyweight MMA World Champion Yuya Wakamatsu at ONE SAMURAI 3. The event will take place on Saturday, September 12, at Yokohama Buntai in Yokohama, Japan. Ahead of the matchup, the 23-year-old Pretoria native shared his lifelong love for the Marvel superhero Spider-Man, which began with cartoons during his childhood. The South African fighter explained that the character's desire to help others inspired him to be a better person, even while facing his own difficulties. — Full story: ONEFC.com
'I Feel Much Calmer' – Rambolek Reflects On Life As A Monk Before First World Title Defense At The Inner Circle 30
ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion Rambolek Chor Ajalaboon will make his first title defense against Yod-IQ Or Pimolsri on Friday, September 11. The 23-year-old Thai fighter won the belt in March and subsequently spent one month and six days living as a monk. He learned that the matchup with Yod-IQ was officially scheduled while he was out collecting morning alms. The championship bout will serve as the main event of The Inner Circle 30, broadcasting live from Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok. — Full story: ONEFC.com
UFC
Week 5 Preview | Dana White’s Contender Series, Season 10
Dana White’s Contender Series Season 10 continues with Week 5 matchups scheduled for Tuesday night at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas. The final bout of the event features undefeated light heavyweights Quentin Pasley and Arlind Berisha, who both hold perfect professional records consisting entirely of first-round finishes. In the welterweight division, undefeated Texan Isaac Moreno will face Reginaldo Junior, a fighter on a five-fight winning streak representing the Fighting Nerds team. Additionally, Slovakian middleweight Martin Kozak, who has finished all six of his professional opponents, will take on short-notice replacement Christian Echols. — Full story: UFC.com
Official Weigh-In Results | Dana White's Contender Series, Season 10
The tenth season of Dana White’s Contender Series made its debut on Paramount+ on August 11, featuring 10 weeks of five-round events with prospects competing for UFC contracts. During the Week 5 weigh-ins on September 7, 2026, middleweight Christian Echols missed the divisional weight limit by weighing in at 189 pounds for his bout against Martin Kozak. In the Week 5 light heavyweight featured bout, Quentin Pasley weighed in at 204.5 pounds while his opponent Arlind Berisha stepped on the scale at 205.5 pounds. Other Week 5 competitors successfully made weight, including welterweights Isaac Moreno and Reginaldo Junior who both tipped the scales at 170.5 pounds. — Full story: UFC.com
Fight By Fight Preview | Noche UFC
The fourth Noche UFC event takes place this weekend at the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona, and can be watched on Paramount+. In the main event, sixth-ranked Brazilian contender Jean Silva faces unranked Arizona native Jose Miguel Delgado, who stepped in as a short-notice replacement after Yair Rodriguez withdrew due to an injury. The co-main event features former two-time flyweight champion Brandon Moreno taking on TUF 33 winner Joseph Morales. Other main card matchups scheduled for the event include Tommy McMillen versus Marwan Rahiki, Manon Fiorot against Alexa Grasso, Waldo Cortes Acosta versus Curtis Blaydes, and David Martinez against Dan Ige. — Full story: UFC.com
From the fight media
Alex Pereira · Khalil Rountree Jr.
In a new video message, Alex Pereira stated that a rematch with Khalil Rountree Jr. makes sense. Pereira noted that illegal strikes were landed in their last fight, and he wants another opportunity to show what he is capable of achieving. He added that he is eager to work toward winning a third championship belt. — Source: KALUGIN MMA (@kaluginboy)
Oleg Popov · Pouya Rahmani
Oleg Popov previously stated in an interview with Ushatayka that his fight against Pouya Rahmani was canceled. According to Popov, the cancellation was due to Rahmani receiving a doping disqualification. However, the PFL promotion has not released any official comments regarding this matter. — Source: Вестник MMA (@vestnik_mma)
Shavkat Rakhmonov · Islam Makhachev · Kamaru Usman
Shavkat Rakhmonov criticized Islam Makhachev for wanting to fight Kamaru Usman instead of him. Rakhmonov stated that he and Makhachev are the most serious opponents for each other and expressed dislike that Makhachev began choosing his opponents. He added that while Usman is a good fighter who should not be written off, he is not at a championship level right now. — Source: KALUGIN MMA (@kaluginboy)
Michael Page · Ian Machado Garry
According to a social media post by journalist John Morgan, the UFC has sent an email requesting that Michael Page not be selected for the updated fighter rankings. This suggests that the fighter may have been removed from the promotion's roster. Page has been competing in the UFC since March 2024, earning a 5-1 record with his only defeat coming against Ian Machado Garry. — Source: Вестник MMA (@vestnik_mma)
Vadim Nemkov · Renan Ferreira · Valentin Moldavsky
Vadim Nemkov is scheduled to face Sergey Bilostenniy at the PFL Dubai event on November 14. Nemkov won the PFL heavyweight championship in his last fight by submitting Renan Ferreira in the first round. Bilostenniy enters the bout on a two-fight knockout winning streak, with his only defeat in the PFL coming against Valentin Moldavsky. — Source: KALUGIN MMA (@kaluginboy)
Losene Keita · Lerone Murphy
Losene Keita recently called out Lerone Murphy, stating that he is coming for the UFC fighter despite acknowledging he is currently far from his level. Keita pointed out that he likely has more finishes than Murphy and warned him never to doubt him. Murphy responded on social media with a brief warning of his own. — Source: KALUGIN MMA (@kaluginboy)
This digest is compiled once a day from the official feeds of the promotions this site covers and from public fight-media channels, whose Russian-language reporting is translated and summarised here in our own words. On days those sources carry nothing new, no digest appears.
