The UFC's return to LA has a new women's bout, as a flyweight clash between Casey O'Neill and Eduarda Moura has reportedly been added to the UFC 331 dance card.
O'Neill enters on a roll, bouncing back from consecutive losses to Jennifer Maia and Ariane Lipski with two straight wins. That includes UFC Seattle's first-round knockout of Gabriella Fernandes in March, snapping a nearly two-year layoff.
The Scot burst onto the scene with four straight victories to open her UFC run. She subsequently hit a skid, though she'll look to keep her momentum going against a game opponent.
Moura brings a 3-2 octagon record into the matchup but arrives with question marks, having missed weight three times in her UFC tenure — most recently in a decision loss to Wang Cong at UFC Vegas 113 in February.
The 32-year-old will aim to right the ship against one of the division's rising names.
UFC 331 is less than two months away. However, still lacks an announced main event.
Hannah Rapp, a boxer with an 8-1 professional record and five knockouts, died Saturday after a vehicle struck her while she was cycling in Brazos County, Texas. She was 26.
Authorities arrested Charles Medina, 31, in connection with the car accident and booked him into the Brazos County Jail on a manslaughter charge.
Charles Medina Charged in Fatal Hannah Rapp Car Accident
According to court documents, Medina passed Rapp and her riding partner at high speed. When her partner raised his hands, Medina allegedly slammed on his brakes, reversed, and backed into Rapp. Emergency workers rushed her to a nearby hospital, where she subsequently died from her injuries.
Before the car accident, Rapp had been building a serious career in women's boxing. The Purdue graduate worked as a fire and life safety inspector at Texas A&M while training at Bryan Boxing Gym.
Just last month, she challenged Tiara Brown for the WBC women's featherweight world title in Orlando, FL.
Women's Sports World Mourns Boxer Hannah Rapp
In the wake of her death, Brown called Rapp the toughest competitor she ever faced.
WBC president Mauricio Sulaimán also paid tribute, praising Rapp's work ethic and spirit.
"The loss of Hannah Rapp leaves us heartbroken," Sulaimán said.
"She was an exceptional boxer, but above all, an invaluable member of our boxing family. We join in the grief that overwhelms her loved ones, her team, and all those who had the privilege of knowing and supporting her throughout her brilliant career."
Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) issued an indefinite ban against two-time Olympic gold medalist and heavyweight champion Claressa Shields following a physical altercation with boxer Alycia Baumgardner on Saturday.
The incident occurred during MVP’s inaugural mixed martial arts event at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. Both athletes attended the card as VIP guests, but tensions escalated inside an exclusive lounge, where a verbal argument quickly turned physical. Video captured online shows Shields striking Baumgardner across the face before security guards separated the pair.
MVP issued a strict statement on Monday evening, emphasizing its zero-tolerance policy regarding hostile or aggressive behavior. Company officials stated that physical violence outside of sanctioned competition is unacceptable.
As a result, Shields cannot attend any future MVP events.
"Effective immediately, Claressa Shields is banned from all MVP events until further notice," the statement reads. "There is a time and a place for fighter tension and banter, but to physically attack a fellow athlete while there as a guest inside a private VIP area is unacceptable."
The promotion thanked venue security for its swift intervention. They also commended Baumgardner for remaining calm and avoiding escalation during the dispute.
Alycia Baumgardner Speaks Out on Claressa Shields Altercation
Meanwhile, the fallout continues online.
Baumgardner released a statement on social media confirming she intends to handle the matter through legal channels. She characterized the physical contact as an unprovoked assault.
"The situation that occurred on Saturday was unprovoked and entirely consistent with the individual involved," Baumgardner wrote on X. "That conduct is unacceptable and should not be tolerated in any professional sport."
This latest confrontation stems from a long-running social media feud between the two stars over their respective boxing status. Shields has not yet issued a formal response to the ban or the potential lawsuit.
Claressa Shields is reinforcing her place at the top of women's boxing — both with her resume and her words.
The undisputed champion recently pushed back against fighters associated with Most Valuable Promotions Women (MVPW), questioning the level of competition and making clear she sees a gap between herself and the rest of the field.
"I have been dominant for 20 years," Shields said on social media. "A girl ain’t never gave me a run for my money, though. Not even close."
But her message didn't stop there, as she directly addressed ongoing comparisons, calling out the Jake Paul-backed organization.
"But what I'm going to say is this, you MVP b—tches, keep Claressa Shields name out your motherf—king mouth. All of ya'll! Ya'll suck."
Shields's frustration lay mostly with MVPW headliner Alycia Baumgardner, following Baumgardner's recent super featherweight win.
"Quit saying my name," she continued. "Quit hating on me to make you look better because when you get in the ring and you fight, you don't look better… When you want to be on my level, you need to work a little bit harder."
Shields's confidence likely draws on her status atop the ESPN rankings.
Shields remains the No. 1 pound-for-pound women's boxer, a position she has held via dominance across multiple divisions. Her resume includes world titles in five weight classes and a historic run as the only boxer — men's or women's — to be undisputed in three divisions in the four-belt era.
Riding a 17-0 record, she's additionally topped the heavyweight charts for years.
While MVPW and other promotional companies add to the women's boxing space by bringing in new audiences and building stars, Shields — a two-time Olympic gold medalist — still views herself as the sport's standard.
Junior flyweight boxer Isis Sio remains in a medically induced coma after suffering serious injuries during a first-round knockout loss on Saturday night.
Sio, 19, faced Jocelyn Camarillo in the opening bout of ProBoxTV's card in San Bernadino, California. Camarillo knocked Sio unconscious with a series of head shots just over a minute into the fight.
Medical personnel attended to Sio immediately after the fight ended with Sio seen convulsing as staff stretchered her out of the arena. Doctors subsequently transported her to Loma Linda University Health medical center for further treatment.
"On behalf of CEO Garry Jonas and the entire ProBox family we are praying for a speedy recovery for Isis Sio," ProBoxTV posted on social media Sunday.
"Ms. Sio is currently in a medically induced coma. Our thoughts are with her and her family at this very difficult time."
The knockout marked Sio's second consecutive loss by stoppage, after she suffered a knockout loss to body punches in January.
Camarillo (6-0) had never scored a knockout before stopping Sio in the first round. The loss dropped the teenage fighter's professional record to 1-3 after turning professional in September 2025.
Sio faced an undefeated opponent despite coming off a knockout loss and having limited pro experience.
ProBoxTV has not provided additional updates on Sio's condition since Sunday's announcement.
Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano made their first public appearance together on Tuesday, promoting their May 16th comeback fight — marking a historic return for both MMA pioneers.
Speaking to the press, Rousey declared the upcoming Netflix matchup the biggest fight in mixed martial arts today.
"There are no two people in this sport with more international name recognition than me and Gina — except Conor [McGregor], but no one is going to sanction that," she said.
Carano, who turns 44 next month, hasn't competed since 2009. The former Strikeforce star became the first major women's MMA celebrity in the 2000s before transitioning to an entertainment career.
Rousey last fought in 2016 before having two children, with the 39-year-old proposing the matchup over a year ago while still pregnant. "This is the only fight I wanted to come back for, the only fight that can inspire me like that," she said.
Both fighters moved beyond the ring as the sport continued to accelerate, as Rousey convinced UFC to create women's divisions in the 2010s after Carano proved female fighters could draw audiences.
At the press conference, Rousey sharply criticized the UFC for offering far less money than she'll receive for May's MMA fight. She said she initially wanted to return on a UFC pay-per-view card, but rejected their proposal.
How to Watch the Gina Carano vs Ronda Rousey MMA Fight on Netflix
Jake Paul's Most Valuable Promotions is behind the May 15th Netflix fight, set to run in five five-minute rounds. Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou also appears on the card against Philipe Lins.
The Claressa Shields fight against Franchon Crews-Dezurn delivered on Sunday, as Shields retained her undisputed heavyweight title with a unanimous decision victory (100-90, 100-90, 100-90).
The fight came just one day after a viral brawl erupted at the weigh-in, as years of bad blood between the two fighters carried into the rematch.
In the ring, Crews-Dezurn opened with an aggressive onslaught in the early rounds, backing Shields into the ropes and attacked relentlessly. However, Shields adjusted to the pace and seized control of the bout.
The fight later shifted dramatically, as Crews-Dezurn's punches lost their power following her early blitz. She occupied the middle of the ring after abandoning movement and emptying her tank in the first half.
Shields showcased her undeniable speed and technical precision throughout the fight. She pitched a shutout on all three scorecards, improving her record to 18-0 with three knockouts. Crews-Dezurn fell to 10-3.
"I haven't seen a fight that exciting in women's boxing in a very long time, and I haven't been in one where a girl could rumble like that," Shields said afterwards. "I know the scorecards was 90 to 100, but I think she got me two rounds. I just don't know which two."
What's Next for Heavyweight Fighter Claressa Shields
Following this week's win, the champion targeted three potential opponents for her next bout.
She expressed willingness to drop to super middleweight to face Crews-Dezurn in a trilogy, while also mentioning taking on WBO and IBF champion Shadasia Green or unified super welterweight champion Mikaela Mayer.
Also on the agenda? A family.
"And then after that — what are we in 2026 right now?" she added, hugging her niece after the fight. "Like I said, this is my niece, this is not my child. But I want to have my own kids. So, in 2027, I think I want to take some time off and have my own kids."
Gina Carano is returning to MMA action after a 17-year absence, Most Valuable Promotions confirmed Tuesday, as Carano gears up to face Ronda Rousey live on Netflix on May 16th.
The bout marks Rousey's first MMA appearance since 2016 and Carano's first since 2009. Both fighters date back to the early days of women's MMA, helping to build the sport's mainstream audience. Carano competed from 2006 to 2009 before transitioning to an acting career that included roles in Haywire, Fast & Furious 6, Deadpool, and The Mandalorian.
Rousey became the first woman signed to the UFC in 2012. She went on to hold the women's bantamweight title with six consecutive defenses — still a UFC record. After losses to Holly Holm in 2015 and Amanda Nunes in 2016, Rousey stepped away from the ring, becoming a three-time WWE champion from 2018 to 2022.
"Ronda came to me and said there is only one person she would make a comeback for," Carano said. "This is an honor. I believe I will walk out of this fight with the win."
Rousey framed the matchup as a major milestone. "Me and Gina Carano are gonna throw down in the biggest super fight in women's combat sport history," she said.
How to watch the Gina Carano vs Ronda Rousey MMA fight on Netflix
Using four-ounce gloves inside a hexagon cage, the May 16th bout will subsequently span five five-minute rounds under the Unified Rules of MMA. Most Valuable Promotions — co-founded by Jake Paul — is behind the event, broadcast live on Netflix.
A kickoff press conference is scheduled for March 5th in Los Angeles, with additional fights to be added at a later date.
US boxer Claressa Shields continues to stand alone, after the two-time Olympic gold medalist successfully defended her undisputed heavyweight crown with a dominant win over New Zealand fighter Lani Daniels by unanimous decision on Saturday.
"I hit Lani with some big shots," said Shields following the win. "I broke her to the body, I broke her down to the head — I mixed it up on her."
"Lani is just very, very tough, and I knew she would be tough just from watching her fights and I could tell she worked on her speed," Shields acknowledged afterwards. "She fought a hard fight."
With a 17-0 record, including three knockouts, Shields is the first boxer — man or woman — to achieve undisputed status in three weight classes.
"I'm ready for anyone. I want the biggest and best fights out there," said Shields. "I'm going to stay at heavyweight and hopefully get the big fights with Franchon Crews, Che Kenneally."
Even more, the ambitious 30-year-old is next targeting a fight with the undefeated Laila Ali, hoping to lure the 47-year-old out of retirement by putting up $15 million for the clash.
"Hopefully [Ali] saw the fight tonight and says, 'You know what? I think I can take her,'" said Shields. "So, hopefully she saw it tonight and tells us yes, but I just want to make the best fights and the biggest fights, and that's against whoever."
Undisputed super lightweight champion Katie Taylor defeated Amanda Serrano in the boxing legends' third-straight fight on Friday, winning the highly-anticipated rematch by majority decision.
In front of 19,721 fans in Madison Square Garden, Taylor capped the pair's rivalry just over three years after meeting in the first-ever women's headliner fight at the iconic New York venue.
"I can't believe that this is my life," said Taylor after the clash. "I'm headlining the show at Madison Square Garden. I'm looking back on the whole journey. What an absolute, what an amazing life. These are nights that I dreamed of as a kid and sitting here again as a winner. I'm so happy, so grateful."
While the 39-year-old Irishwoman retained her world championship titles in the bout, Taylor had to battle as the 36-year-old Puerto Rican, who holds world titles in over four weight classes, kept the 30 rounds tight.
While Taylor ultimately took home top honors, Most Valuable Promotions co-founder and CEO Nakisa Bidarian, whose company presented the Friday event, made it clear that "Nobody lost tonight."
The night's biggest winner was the sport itself, as Taylor and Serrano's third and final contest led an all-women's card with 17 world titles on the table — a historic moment that Taylor does not take for granted.
"We created history together three times," Taylor said about Serrano. "My name will always be embedded with hers forever. I'm very, very happy about that."
"What we've been able to create over these last few years has been unbelievable," she continued. "It's amazing to have a rival like that in the sport. And this has brought [the world to] an event like this tonight, an all-female card, because of what myself and Amanda have been able to do to produce over the last few years."