UFC Fighter Safety Crisis: Three More Hospitalizations Expose the Real Problem
Three fighters hospitalized at UFC 323, and suddenly everyone’s a combat sports safety expert demanding rule changes. Come on – this is cage fighting. But here’s the thing: this conversation matters because Isaac Johnson died the same weekend at an Eagle FC event, exposing the divide between major promotion safety protocols and regional MMA’s regulatory failures. UFC’s system worked – immediate CT scans and evaluation. Johnson didn’t get that. The real UFC fighter safety crisis isn’t referee stoppages – it’s weight cutting, inadequate regional oversight, and economic forces creating fatal consequences. The UFC will announce cosmetic changes that fix nothing. Meanwhile, fighters keep entering cages under compromised conditions, trusting a system that’s failed too many warriors.
UFC 323 Results: Why Our Merab Pick Was Dead Wrong (And AJ Called Van)
UFC 323 closed out 2025 with two title changes that will reshape the bantamweight and flyweight divisions. Petr Yan reclaimed the championship he lost four years ago with a decisive decision over Merab Dvalishvili — a result that proved the Ringside Report crew wrong on their biggest pick of the night. Meanwhile, Joshua Van became the second-youngest UFC champion in history after Alexandre Pantoja suffered a devastating arm injury just 26 seconds into their fight — a result AJ D’Alesio called on Thursday’s preview. Here’s the full breakdown plus our predictions report card.
UFC 323: Merab’s Historic Fourth Title Defense Against Undefeated Umar
UFC 323 goes down tomorrow night with Merab Dvalishvili attempting something no UFC champion has ever done – defending his title four times in a single calendar year. The Georgian champion faces former champion Petr Yan in a highly anticipated rematch at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, marking the UFC’s last pay-per-view event before the new Paramount+ deal takes effect in 2026.
The co-main event features Alexandre Pantoja defending his flyweight championship against 24-year-old rising star Joshua Van. Plus Brandon Moreno vs Tatsuro Taira, Henry Cejudo’s potential retirement fight, and Jan Błachowicz vs Bogdan “The Goose” Guskov.
Ringside Report MMA hosts Dave Simon and AJ D’Alesio provide expert predictions including Dave’s three-fight parlay: Merab, Payton Talbott, and “The Goose” Guskov.