Gaethje's Pay Frustration and UFC 329 Shake-Ups

We summarize the day’s news in our own words. Full credit to the outlets below for the original reporting, click through to read their work:

• Gable Steveson’s UFC debut falls off main card for Conor McGregor’s comeback event and replaced (Bloody Elbow)
• Justin Gaethje Fed Up: Shares UFC Pay Frustration After White House Title Victory “I deserve to be compensated.” (LowKick MMA)
• Look back at Conor McGregor annihilating Eddie Alvarez to become champ-champ (MMA Weekly)
• Is the Betting Market Backing Robert Whittaker in His Light Heavyweight Debut at UFC 329? (LowKick MMA)
• Dana White Refuses to Talk Tom Aspinall as Heavyweight Rift Deepens (LowKick MMA)
• Fun (?) fact: Aleksandar Rakić had a cancelled MMA fight in 2015 due to telephone threats towards him and his family (r/MMA)
• Shara Magomedov Rips “Hypocrite” Michel Pereira Over Israel Support Before UFC Baku (LowKick MMA)
• Liam Pitts FINISHES opponent in the FIRST round | Oktagon 87 (r/MMA)
• Dana White addresses Alex Pereira’s complaints toward UFC White House officiating (Sherdog)
• Look back at Conor McGregor annihilating Eddie Alvarez to become champ-champ (Yahoo Sports MMA)
• Jamahal Hill says his confrontation with Alex Pereira at the UFC PI in December 2024 was scripted: “We planned that, that was for us to try to hype up a fight between the two of us. I was trying to jump the line over Magomed.” (r/MMA)
• King Green vs Terrance McKinney has been moved to the UFC 329 main card. Gable Steveson’s UFC debut against Elisha Ellison moves down to the prelims. (r/MMA)
• Ian Machado Garry breaks down why he will stop Islam Makhachev making history at UFC 330 (Bloody Elbow)
• Javid Basharat has joined the PFL (r/MMA)

Welcome to Open Scoring MMA. This is episode 4, your daily look at what’s happening now and next across the world of MMA and UFC.

We’re diving straight into some big news for UFC 329, Conor McGregor’s highly anticipated comeback event. It looks like Gable Steveson’s UFC debut has been bumped from the main card. Bloody Elbow reported that Steveson is still set to face Elisha Ellison, but their fight will now be on the prelims. This is a pretty significant change, especially for a debut that’s been so talked about. It’s always a bit of a letdown when a highly anticipated fight gets moved, but it also opens up a spot.

Speaking of UFC 329, let’s talk about Robert Whittaker’s light heavyweight debut. LowKick MMA is reporting that Whittaker is being priced as an underdog for this fight. That’s a pretty telling sign from the betting market when a former middleweight champion moves up a division. It shows that the oddsmakers, and likely many fans, are cautious about how he’ll perform against bigger opponents. It’s a huge test for Whittaker, and the betting line reflects that uncertainty.

Now, let’s shift gears to some fighter frustrations and behind-the-scenes drama. Justin Gaethje is fed up, and he’s not holding back about UFC pay. LowKick MMA reported that Gaethje shared his frustration after his White House title victory, stating, “I deserve to be compensated.” Gaethje has been one of the most consistently exciting fighters in the UFC for years, always delivering incredible performances. He’s the kind of fighter the UFC can always rely on to bring the chaos and get the crowd on their feet. It’s understandable that he feels he should be paid commensurate with the value he brings to the organization. This isn’t the first time we’ve heard fighters voice concerns about pay, and it certainly won’t be the last. It’s a recurring theme in the sport, and Gaethje’s comments just highlight that ongoing tension between fighter compensation and the UFC’s business model.

In other news, there’s been some interesting chatter about Jamahal Hill and Alex Pereira. Jamahal Hill recently said that his confrontation with Alex Pereira at the UFC Performance Institute in December 2024 was actually scripted. He admitted, “We planned that, that was for us to try to hype up a fight between the two of us. I was trying to jump the line over Magomed.” This is a fascinating revelation, showing how much of the “beef” we see in MMA can sometimes be manufactured for promotional purposes. It’s a reminder that not everything we see is entirely organic, and fighters are often playing a role to build interest in potential matchups. It’s a smart move if it works, but it also pulls back the curtain a bit on the theatrics of the sport.

Speaking of beefs, we’re hearing that Sharaputdin Magomedov is ripping into Michel Pereira, calling him a “hypocrite” over his Israel support ahead of their scheduled UFC Baku meeting. Word is that Magomedov used a Red Corner interview to make his accusations. This is a pretty intense personal attack, and it adds a whole new layer of animosity to their upcoming fight. When fighters start bringing in political or personal issues outside of the cage, it always ratchets up the tension and makes the fight even more compelling. It’ll be interesting to see how Pereira responds to these accusations and if it affects the fight itself.

We’ve also got some roster moves to report. Javid Basharat has joined the PFL. This is a notable move, as Basharat is a talented fighter, and his departure from the UFC to the PFL shows that the PFL is continuing to attract high-level talent. It’s a competitive landscape out there for fighters, and the PFL is clearly making moves to strengthen its roster. It’ll be exciting to see how Basharat performs in his new promotion.

And in some international fight news, Liam Pitts finished his opponent in the first round at Oktagon 87! That’s a dominant performance and a great win for Pitts. It’s always impressive to see a fighter get a quick finish, and it definitely puts him on the radar for future events. The European scene is producing some serious talent, and Pitts is clearly one to watch.

Now, let’s talk about some future matchups. Ian Machado Garry is reportedly looking ahead to UFC 330 and believes he will stop Islam Makhachev, preventing him from making history. The word is that Garry thinks his style will offer something unique that Makhachev hasn’t seen in his twenty-nine previous fights, aside from one freak knockout. That’s a bold claim from Garry, and it shows his confidence. Makhachev is a dominant champion, and Garry is clearly trying to get into his head and build hype for a potential super fight. It’s a classic callout, and it’s exciting to imagine that matchup down the line.

Let’s do an Odds Watch for an upcoming fight. We’re looking at Bekzat Almakhan versus Jean Matsumoto. We’ll wait and see how the betting lines develop for this one. It’s always interesting to see how these lines develop, but for now, we’ll keep an eye on the markets.

And speaking of things that are not going well, Dana White is refusing to talk about Tom Aspinall. LowKick MMA reported that White drew a firm line after UFC 317 when Aspinall’s name came up, and the silence was pretty deafening. This deepening rift in the heavyweight division is a real concern. Aspinall is the interim champion, and the lack of communication or clear path forward for him is frustrating for fans and, I’m sure, for Aspinall himself. It’s a strange situation when you have an interim champion who isn’t being discussed by the head of the organization. It leaves a lot of questions about the future of the heavyweight title picture.

Let’s take a quick look back at a classic. There are pieces out there looking back at Conor McGregor annihilating Eddie Alvarez to become a champ-champ. This was back in November 2016, at UFC 205. McGregor, who was already the featherweight champion after avenging his loss to Nate Diaz, fought then-lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez. McGregor put on an absolute clinic, finishing Alvarez in the second round to make history as the first simultaneous two-division champion in UFC history. It was a truly iconic performance, showcasing McGregor at his absolute peak, and it’s a great reminder of just how dominant he can be when he’s on his game. As we look forward to his return, it’s good to remember the kind of magic he’s capable of.

And finally, a fun fact from the r/MMA community. It turns out Aleksandar Rakić had a cancelled MMA fight in 2015 due to telephone threats towards him and his family. That’s a pretty wild and disturbing piece of information. It just goes to show you the kind of intense and sometimes dark side that can exist in the world of professional fighting, extending beyond the cage itself. It’s a stark reminder of the pressures and dangers these athletes can face.

Alright, that’s all for today. Catch you next time.

Before you go, check out our free Fight Tracker at tracker dot open scoring m m a dot com. Every upcoming UFC and PFL card, full fight cards, live odds, and where to watch, all in one place, and you can install it like an app. That’s it for today’s Open Scoring MMA. Keep your hands up, and we’ll see you next time.