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McGregor's Injury Update, Pimblett's Rise, and a Welterweight Title Shockwave

Conor McGregor's injury update, Paddy Pimblett's climb in the rankings, and a look at potential welterweight title shake-ups.

McGregor's Injury Update, Pimblett's Rise, and a Welterweight Title Shockwave

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It’s been a busy week in the MMA world, with updates on some of the sport’s biggest names and rising stars. From injury comebacks to significant ranking shifts, there’s plenty to discuss as we look ahead.

McGregor’s Comeback Trail

Conor McGregor recently shared a video message, his first since sustaining an injury at UFC 329, where he stated, “We’ll be back.” This update has been met with positive analysis from medical professionals, suggesting a potential return to the octagon. Despite the setback, McGregor continues to make headlines, even taking a jab at Khabib Nurmagomedov by claiming he “did nothing in the sport.” Israel Adesanya has also weighed in, suggesting an ideal opponent for McGregor if he does make his UFC return.

Pimblett’s Ascent and Future Fights

Paddy Pimblett is making significant moves in the lightweight division, climbing in the USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings after his impressive submission victory over Benoit Saint Denis at UFC 329. His performance even led to a playful exchange with Dana White about fighting Max Holloway, followed by an embrace with Holloway himself. However, Michael Bisping speculates that Ilia Topuria might now be less inclined to fight Pimblett after seeing his dominant showing at UFC 329, which could impact future matchups for “The Baddy.”

Welterweight Title Picture

The welterweight division is always a hot topic, and recent comments shed light on potential future matchups. Khabib Nurmagomedov has predicted a challenging fight for Islam Makhachev if he were to face Ian Garry, indicating a high level of respect for Garry’s skills. Meanwhile, Kamaru Usman recalled sparring with Dricus du Plessis years ago, noting that du Plessis’ power was “not the cleanest” even then. These insights suggest that the welterweight landscape could see some exciting and unpredictable title contention in the near future.

Fighter Movements and Momentum

Beyond the top contenders, there’s been some notable news regarding other fighters. Michel Pereira has been released from the UFC following his loss to ‘Shara Bullet,’ marking a significant roster change. On the other hand, Kai Asakura is building momentum and will have his skills tested at UFC Shanghai. These developments highlight the constant evolution of the UFC roster and the opportunities for fighters to make their mark or face new challenges.

From the community

Over on r/MMA, fans are talking about this: Most Followed MMA Fighters on Instagram.

Sources

Every source behind today's roundup (14)

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:

Open Scoring MMA is a daily AI-produced MMA and UFC news podcast. Listen to today’s episode, read the full Feed, or get every episode by email.

Episode transcript

Read the full episode transcript

Welcome to Open Scoring MMA. This is episode 26 for July 15, 2026, your daily look at what’s happening now and next across the world of MMA and UFC.

Conor McGregor is doubling down on his return, despite the recent injury at UFC 329. He’s released a new video, and a doctor who analyzed it, Sutterer, has some positive takeaways. Sutterer told Bloody Elbow, quote, “Lack of a brace (assuming he didn’t just take it off for the video) means no high grade collateral ligament injury (MCL/LCL),” end quote. That’s good news for the “Notorious” one. McGregor himself, in that same video, was defiant, quote, “We’ll be back. Come on. Come on. In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, amen. We’ll be back,” end quote. Sutterer also added, quote, “Means nothing about ACL and meniscus. Range of motion being at least 90 degrees of flexion and looking relatively comfortable is good,” end quote. So, while it doesn’t rule out everything, it’s certainly not the worst-case scenario. This comes after his last victory in the UFC Octagon was against Donald Cerrone at UFC 246 on January 18, 2020, which lasted 40 seconds. It left millions of fans frustrated, and his future uncertain. But McGregor is clearly not ready to hang up the gloves. He’s also reignited his long-running feud with Khabib Nurmagomedov, dismissing the retired UFC champion’s achievements. McGregor stated that Khabib, quote, “Did Nothing in the Sport,” end quote. It seems even an injury can’t keep McGregor from stirring the pot. And speaking of McGregor, Israel Adesanya has already pointed out an ideal opponent for him. My take? You can never count out Conor. He’s a showman, a fighter, and he’ll be back to prove everyone wrong, just like he always tries to do. The man is a master of narrative, and this injury is just another chapter in his story.

Now, let’s talk about a fighter who’s absolutely on fire right now: Paddy “The Baddy” Pimblett. He stole the show at International Fight Week, co-headlining UFC 329, and the USA Today Sports and MMA Junkie rankings for July 14th show him climbing at lightweight. He’s making waves, and everyone’s talking about him. Michael Bisping even suggested that Ilia Topuria might not want a fight with Paddy after what he did at UFC 329. That’s high praise, coming from a former champion like Bisping. Paddy himself has named his slick submission of Benoit Saint Denis at UFC 329. He’s calling it his own, and it was a thing of beauty. And get this, Paddy embraced Max Holloway backstage after jokingly telling Dana White he’d fight him at UFC 329. That’s the kind of personality that makes “The Baddy” so compelling. He’s got that blend of humor, skill, and pure fighting spirit. He’s a superstar in the making, and it’s awesome to see him getting the recognition he deserves. The man is pure entertainment, and his fighting skills are catching up to his charisma.

Moving on to some big news in the welterweight division. We’re hearing that Islam Makhachev’s anticipated first welterweight title defense already has a date and a location. Word is, he’s scheduled to headline UFC 330. Khabib Nurmagomedov, a man who knows a thing or two about tough fights, is predicting a really tough one for Islam against his rumored opponent. He believes this confrontation promises to test the Russian’s limits in a way we haven’t seen before. That’s a huge statement from Khabib, and it tells you just how highly he rates the potential challenger. This is not just another title defense; this is a serious challenge for Makhachev.

In other news, Kamaru Usman has been talking about Dricus du Plessis’ punching power. Reportedly, he felt it years before their upcoming middleweight main event. Usman recalled a sparring session, telling LowKick MMA, quote, “He’s not the cleanest, but there is, there’s gotta be power, I remember,” end quote. He added, quote, “I always remembered, I knew he hit hard, he swings hard, but now I feel like he’s confident in that power,” end quote. Usman also clarified, quote, “It’s been a while, it’s been a few years but I sparred him way back in the day,” end quote. So, Usman knows what he’s up against, and he’s clearly got a healthy respect for du Plessis’ power. This main event is shaping up to be a real barnburner.

We’ve also got some roster changes to report. We’re hearing that Michel Pereira has been released from the UFC following his decision loss to Sharabutdin Magomedov at UFC Baku. That’s a tough break for Pereira, who always brought an exciting style to the cage. It just goes to show how quickly things can change in this sport.

And speaking of rivalries, Cris Cyborg believes her rivalry with Ronda Rousey stemmed from Rousey’s reluctance to face her at the height of their careers. It’s a fight that never happened in the UFC, and it’s one of those what-ifs that fans still talk about. It’s a shame we never got to see those two titans clash.

Looking ahead to some upcoming action, Kai Asakura finally has some momentum, and UFC Shanghai will test it. A matchup pitting the former Rizin Fighting Federation champion from Japan against a Chinese 135-pounder is confirmed for the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s upcoming visit to Shanghai. That’s going to be an exciting fight, and it’s great to see Asakura getting a chance to shine on the big stage.

Now, let’s get to our OSM Pick for today.

DUKE: Nora, what’s the model saying for Andrea Vazquez versus Aleksandra Savicheva? I’ve got a feeling about this one, but I want to hear the numbers.

NORA: Duke, our system is picking Aleksandra Savicheva to win. We’re giving her approximately 75 percent chance of victory.

DUKE: Seventy-five percent, huh? That’s a pretty strong lean. What’s driving that confidence?

NORA: The top reasons are that form heavily favors Savicheva, and her style is also a significant advantage in this matchup. This is definitely a value pick for us; we like it more than the current line suggests.

DUKE: So, we’re saying Savicheva is a strong play here, and the market might be underestimating her. I like it. Sometimes the eye test and the numbers align perfectly.

NORA: Indeed. Our model is confident in this one.

DUKE: Alright, there you have it, folks. Our system, the OSM Pick, is on Aleksandra Savicheva to get the win.

And finally, the MMA community on Reddit is having a field day with the discussion around the most followed MMA fighters on Instagram. It’s always interesting to see who’s got the biggest reach outside the cage.

That’s all for today’s Open Scoring MMA. Thanks for tuning in, and we’ll catch you next time.

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