UFC 2026 Predictions: O’Malley, Usman, and Unwanted Matchups
Dave Simon delivered his most controversial UFC 2026 predictions on Ringside Report MMA: the Paramount era will bring fights nobody wants. Sean O’Malley gets another undeserved title shot after one win over Song Yadong. Islam Makachev’s welterweight debut will be against Kamaru Usman instead of legitimate contenders like Shavkat Rakhmonov. Paddy Pimblett and Justin Gaethje fight for an interim lightweight title that means nothing. Dave, AJ D’Alesio, and Fred Garcia explained why the UFC’s subscription model will prioritize star power over merit, making 2026 “the year the UFC gives us a bunch of fights no one asked for.” Plus Merab Dvalishvili’s fighter-of-the-year debate after his UFC 323 loss, Brandon Royval vs Manel Kape predictions, and the six-week UFC drought before the Paramount deal begins.
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 Shake-Ups: Makhachev’s Quick UFC 311 Win, Merab’s Surge, and Adesanya’s Saudi Showdown
Get the latest on Islam Makhachev’s short-notice win, Merab Dvalishvili’s bantamweight surge, and Yiri Prochazka’s title hopes. We also explore “Dark Side of the Cage” stories about Kimbo Slice and Diego Sanchez, plus a preview of the next UFC show in Saudi Arabia.