From UFC sensation Bo Nickal’s loss to Joe Rogan’s sobriety, the combat sports universe saw a lot unfold over the past week.
Here is a brief rundown of the most exciting updates from MMA and boxing.
Deiveson Figueiredo Shreds His Knee at UFC Des Moines
Deiveson Figueiredo lost a second fight in a row at UFC Des Moines and injured his knee while at it. “Deus da Guerra” had his knee pop out in a TKO (injury) loss to Cory Sandhagen in the main event of the Fight Night card in Iowa.
Figueiredo’s manager, Alex Davis, told MMA Fighting that the former UFC Flyweight Champion will have an MRI after flying home to Brazil.
He sustained the injury in the second round when Sandhagen attained an upper hand in their ground battle and torqued Figueiredo’s knee till it gave out. He had to be assisted out of the Octagon.
In a statement on Instagram, he later said, “The result is not always what we want, but the fight goes on.”
“Thank you from the heart to God, my family, my team, and all of you who cheer, support, and believe in me. We will come back stronger. I’m a warrior, and this is just another chapter of my story!”
Elsewhere on the card, Bo Nickal had his unbeaten streak broken by Reinier de Ridder.
Dana White to Promote Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford
The much-awaited Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford fight is now official, and Dana White is set to promote it.
The match was announced for Sept. 12 following Alvarez’s title defense win against William Scull.
Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford FIRST FACE-OFF ‼️ pic.twitter.com/ESllrSn3w6
— Ring Magazine (@ringmagazine) May 4, 2025
It will be the first event promoted by TKO Boxing, the newly launched promotion helmed by UFC CEO Dana White and Riyadh Season’s Turki Alalshikh. The latter confirmed the news on X.
The fight, taking place days before Mexican Independence Day at Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium, will be contested at super-middleweight. The Ring, WBA, WBC, IBF, and WBO titles will be on the line.
Francis Ngannou Issues Statement on Alleged Involvement in Accident
Francis Ngannou broke his silence on his alleged involvement in a road accident that led to the demise of a 17-year-old girl.
On Easter weekend in April 2025, the former UFC Heavyweight Champion was reportedly involved in a motorcycle accident in Yaounde, the capital city of Cameroon. The individual was taken to a local hospital where she underwent surgery, reports claimed, but eventually succumbed to her injuries.
In a statement to TMZ Sports, Ngannou said that his heart was “shattered” by the “devastating loss of life.”
“I’ve met with them privately to share in their grief, and I will continue to stand with them every step of the way,” he added. “I carry their pain with me, and my unwavering thoughts and support remain with them as they face this heartbreaking loss.”
As per the report, Ngannou provided financial support for the girl’s medical treatment. The incident is currently under investigation.
Joe Rogan Quit Alcohol
In an Instagram post last week, UFC color commentator and podcaster Joe Rogan revealed that he has quit drinking alcohol.
“I haven’t had a drink in about 2 months and I feel great,” Rogan said. “Almost makes me feel dumb for not quitting a long time ago.”
“I do so many things to stay healthy, only to sabotage it with booze multiple days a week. Glad my dumb ass figured it out eventually.”
Belal Muhammad Trained Through Ramadan
Belal Muhammad did not stop his training even while observing Ramadan.
In the UFC Countdown video for his upcoming title fight against Jack Della Maddalena, “Remember The Name” said, “Training during Ramadan is hard because there is no food or drink. We’re not getting water after the session, so you better tough it out. You don’t know how hard you could push your body.”
“It’s getting comfortable with uncomfortable. And I think that I get a lot stronger during Ramadan. I know Jack’s not going to do that. He’s drinking water after his practice. So that just makes me work that much harder, and I am not going to break in the cage because I’m not breaking in the practice room.”