Pimblett Rips Tsarukyan, Gaethje's ESPY Nod, Aspinall Back

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:

• Paddy Pimblett Rips Arman Tsarukyan Over Rejected Mateusz Gamrot Rematch (MiddleEasy)
• Paddy Pimblett admits regret over Justin Gaethje loss after discovering injury he fought through (Bloody Elbow)
• Justin Gaethje lone MMA fighter nominated for 2026 ESPY award (MMA Fighting)
• Asadula Imangazaliev (12-0) vs. Aslamjon Ortikov (25-0) for the ONE Flyweight Muay Thai Championship on today’s The Inner Circle 20 (r/MMA)
• UFC Baku weigh-in results: All fighters on point (MMA Weekly)
• Paddy Pimblett: ‘I don’t think Ilia Topuria ever comes back the same’ (Yahoo Sports MMA)
• Paddy Pimblett looks ahead to exciting Benoit Saint Denis clash at UFC 329 (LowKick MMA)
• Aspinall back in ‘full training,’ in talks to fight Gane (ESPN MMA)
• Sean Strickland reveals return timeline, targets third fight in 2026 (MMA Mania)
• Why did Prates get much better fights than MVP after losses to Garry? (r/MMA)
• Official Weigh-In Results | UFC Baku (UFC News)
• UFC Baku early weigh ins results | Fiziev vs. Torres (MMA Mania)
• Charles Oliveira Says Conor McGregor Picked Max Holloway Because He Ran From Him (MiddleEasy)
• Daniel Cormier Says Arman Tsarukyan Has To Get Justin Gaethje Title Shot Before Charles Oliveira (MiddleEasy)

Welcome to Open Scoring MMA. This is episode nine for June twenty-eighth, two thousand twenty-six, your daily look at what’s happening now and next across the world of MMA and UFC.

Alright fight fans, let’s dive straight into the latest from the world of mixed martial arts. We’ve got some spicy takes, big fight news, and a look ahead at what’s coming up. And you know we’ve gotta start with our boy, Paddy the Baddy.

Paddy Pimblett is not holding back, folks. He’s out here ripping Arman Tsarukyan for allegedly turning down a rematch with Mateusz Gamrot. According to MiddleEasy, Pimblett argues that this decision could seriously hurt Tsarukyan’s chances at the next lightweight title shot. It seems like Paddy is keeping a close eye on the lightweight landscape, and he’s not afraid to call out what he sees as strategic missteps from other contenders. He’s always been vocal, and this is just another example of him stirring the pot a little, keeping things lively in the division.

And speaking of Paddy, Bloody Elbow reported that our man just found out he’d been dealing with an injury after his first UFC loss. He’s targeting a rematch with Justin Gaethje, which is a huge statement. It’s always tough for a fighter to discover they weren’t at one hundred percent, but it also gives them a mental boost, knowing they can perform even better. This adds another layer to his drive, especially with the Gaethje rematch on his mind.

Over in the lightweight division, there’s some chatter about the title picture. Daniel Cormier, according to MiddleEasy, isn’t buying the idea that Charles Oliveira can jump Arman Tsarukyan for the next crack at Justin Gaethje. The lightweight title picture is getting noisy again after Gaethje’s UFC Freedom two hundred fifty win over Ilia Topuria, and Oliveira is definitely trying to force his way back into the front of the line. Cormier sees Tsarukyan as the more deserving contender, which aligns with a lot of the sentiment out there. It’s a stacked division, and everyone wants a piece of that gold.

And speaking of Charles Oliveira, he’s got some strong opinions about Conor McGregor. MiddleEasy also reported that Oliveira believes McGregor picked Max Holloway for their upcoming rematch at UFC three hundred twenty-nine because he ran from a fight with Oliveira. McGregor versus Holloway is a huge name-value rematch, and it definitely has a cleaner promotional path than an Oliveira fight. But Oliveira, speaking in Portuguese, made it clear he thinks McGregor avoided him. It’s a classic case of fighters calling each other out and trying to stake their claim in the pecking order. The lightweight division is just a shark tank right now, and everyone’s trying to get to the top.

Switching gears to the heavyweight division, we’re hearing that Tom Aspinall is back in full training and in talks to fight Ciryl Gane. Aspinall, who holds a UFC heavyweight belt, confirmed he’s been medically cleared to resume contact, which is fantastic news for fight fans. Reportedly, a potential fight with Ciryl Gane is being discussed, and that would be a massive bout for the heavyweight division. That’s a fight everyone wants to see, and it’s great to hear Aspinall is healthy and ready to go.

Now, let’s talk about Sean Strickland. MMA Mania revealed his return timeline, and he’s targeting a third fight in two thousand twenty-six. Strickland revealed a significant shoulder injury, which is a testament to his toughness that he fought through that. He’s a true warrior, and we’re looking forward to seeing him back in the cage, hopefully fully healed and ready to continue his wild ride.

Now, let’s shift our focus to some upcoming action. MMA Weekly and UFC News both confirmed that all fighters made weight, so we’re good to go. The event takes place at the National Gymnastics Arena in Baku, Azerbaijan. The main event, as reported by MMA Weekly, is a lightweight bout between the number eleven ranked Rafael Fiziev and the number fifteen ranked Manuel Torres. Both Fiziev and Torres are known for their exciting styles, so this has the potential to be an absolute war. It’s always great to see the UFC expanding its global reach, bringing high-level MMA to new audiences. For those of us stateside, MMA Mania pointed out that Baku is eight hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time, so we’ll be catching the early weigh-ins while most of us are still asleep. But hey, that’s the dedication of a true fight fan, right?

And for our OSM Pick of the day, we’re looking at the fight between Levan Chokheli and Leon Shahbazyan. Our system is calling for Levan Chokheli to win, with an approximately eighty-two percent chance. The betting line implies about seventy-six percent, so we’re actually higher than the market on this one. We’ve got strong confidence in this pick. The top reasons are that form heavily favors Chokheli, and his finishing ability is also a significant advantage. This is a value pick for us; we like it more than the line does, so keep an eye on that one.

Finally, the MMA community on Reddit is having a field day discussing why Prates has been getting much better fights than MVP after their respective losses to Ian Garry. It’s an interesting point, as both are elite-level strikers who put up good fights against Garry, their only loss. Yet, Prates went on to face Leon Edwards and then JDM to become a legitimate contender, while MVP seems to be getting less challenging matchups. It’s a conversation about matchmaking philosophy and how the UFC builds up its talent, especially after a loss to a rising star like Garry. The fans are definitely weighing in on the perceived disparity.

That’s all for today’s Open Scoring MMA. We’ll be back tomorrow with more news and analysis. Until then, keep those hands up and your chins down!

Before you go, two quick things. Check out our free Fight Tracker at tracker dot open scoring m m a dot com, with every upcoming UFC and PFL card, live odds, and where to watch, all in one place. And follow us on YouTube, just search Open Scoring MMA, for breaking news alerts, fight breakdowns, and videos you won’t get here on the feed. That’s it for today’s Open Scoring MMA. Keep your hands up, and we’ll see you next time.