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There's a lot cooking on the road to UFC 331 and beyond, from Topuria's next move to a hotel lobby near-brawl in Arizona. Here's everything worth knowing today.

Topuria Cleared For Round Two

Dana White says Ilia Topuria is ready to get back in the cage, and he's floated two very different paths forward. Justin Gaethje has shut down the idea of a rematch with Ilia Topuria, stating that Arman Tsarukyan deserves the next shot. A fresh matchup with Paddy Pimblett, which would give Topuria a totally different kind of test to reset his momentum, is also a possibility.

Gaethje's Film Study On Topuria

Gaethje isn't just moving on from the win, he's breaking down exactly why it happened. He told MMA Mania that Topuria's feet never change rhythm, which is why everyone ends up running from his right hand once they clock it. Gaethje was even more pointed about the mental side of it, saying Topuria made emotional mistakes in the twelve weeks of camp because he never expected an opponent to stay with him that long into a fight. In Gaethje's words, that miscalculation in preparation was on Topuria, not bad luck.

Noche UFC's Chaotic Build

Jose Delgado described a surreal reaction to getting the call to replace an injured Yair Rodriguez and headline Noche UFC against Jean Silva, a main event landing this Saturday in his hometown of Arizona. We're hearing that Sean O'Malley's teammate Tommy McMillen clashed with his opponent in a hotel lobby before their fight even happens. McMillen didn't hold back, telling Bloody Elbow the other guy had been running his mouth and wrongly assumed they'd end up friendly.

Flyweight Stakes And MVP's Next Stop

Manon Fiorot says her upcoming fight with Alexa Grasso isn't just another bout, the UFC has told her it will decide the next title challenger, which raises the temperature on that matchup considerably. Meanwhile Michael Page is taking his UFC release in stride, joking about the fan backlash that followed the news he wasn't re-signed. Jake Paul wants to scoop him up for Most Valuable Promotions, pitching it simply as bringing MVP to MVP. Separately, Islam Makhachev says he thinks there's a ninety percent chance his teammate Usman Nurmagomedov ends up in the UFC.

Money Talk And Locker Room Noise

Roberto Soldic says his UFC paychecks aren't even close to what he was making in One Championship, though he still wants to stay put and build in the promotion. Gaethje's own money story got real too, recalling a stretch where he had eighty cents to his name before eventually reaching a title purse he couldn't bring himself to touch. Add in King Green's claim that plenty of UFC fighters are still using banned substances, and Justin Gaethje publicly questioning whether Arman Tsarukyan's UFC 311 injury excuse holds up, and it's clear the drama outside the cage is just as loud as what's happening inside it right now.

From the community

Over on @mmamania, fans are talking about this: Dana White reveals Ilia Topuria is ‘ready to fight,’ open to Justin Gaethje rematch (or Paddy grudge match), ‘Sounds good to me’ https://t.co/91ANYeT9On.

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 84 for September 10th, 2026, your daily look at what's happening now and next across the world of MMA and UFC. DUKE: Nora, we've got Dana White on record saying Ilia Topuria is ready to fight again, and he's floating two names: Justin Gaethje in a rematch, or Paddy Pimblett.
NORA: Those are the two options White named himself, so that's not speculation, that's the boss talking.
DUKE: Okay, my gut says run it back with Gaethje first.
NORA: Makes sense given how that first one ended.
DUKE: But come on, Paddy versus Topuria? That's a pay per view on its own.
NORA: It would sell itself, no argument there.
DUKE: I'm just saying, Baddy fans, manifest this one.
NORA: And speaking of that first fight, Gaethje just broke down exactly how he did it.
DUKE: Remind people what happened at that White House card.
NORA: We're hearing that Gaethje beat Topuria by TKO (corner retirement) at 0:00 of Round 4 at UFC Freedom 250, held at the White House on June 14-15, 2026.
DUKE: Brutal.
NORA: And Gaethje's explanation is almost clinical. Quote, "I guess the best explanation for you to understand is his feet never change rhythm," end quote. He also said, quote, "Everyone's always running away from his right hand," end quote, meaning Gaethje wasn't scared of it, he walked right through it.
DUKE: And he didn't stop there.
NORA: No, he went after the preparation too. Quote, "He made terrible mistakes emotionally when it comes to understanding what we're doing here, and he paid for it," end quote.
DUKE: That's a fighter basically saying Topuria got outworked in camp before the fight even started.
NORA: And the fans on X are already fired up about White's comments, plenty of them just saying they're on board with whichever one happens first.
DUKE: Same. Let's move to the other Gaethje thread this week, because he's also stirring the pot on Arman Tsarukyan.
NORA: Gaethje is reportedly questioning Tsarukyan's injury claim from his UFC 311 title opportunity.
DUKE: That's a shot at a guy who's about to be on a massive stage again.
NORA: Which we'll get to, because Tsarukyan's actually fighting soon.
DUKE: Let's stay on the injury and replacement beat, because Noche UFC got a huge short notice change.
NORA: Jose Delgado is stepping in for an injured Yair Rodriguez to face Jean Silva.
DUKE: And that's not just any fight, that's the main event.
NORA: Noche UFC, Silva versus Delgado, this Saturday the twelfth, and get this, Delgado said the whole thing felt supernatural because it's happening in his home state of Arizona.
DUKE: Fighting for the main event in your own backyard on short notice, that's a story in itself.
NORA: Flyweight fans have a real reason to watch too, with some interesting matchups reportedly being discussed for the card.
DUKE: Alright, let's get into the beefs, because there's a hotel lobby scuffle we need to talk about.
NORA: Tommy McMillen, Sean O'Malley's teammate, got into it face to face with his Noche UFC opponent this week.
DUKE: And he wasn't holding back.
NORA: He told Bloody Elbow, quote, "You thought we'd be friends? You're running your mouth," end quote.
DUKE: That's not laughing it off, that's a guy who actually wants to hurt somebody Saturday.
NORA: Fights that start with real heat in the lobby tend to bring it in the cage too.
DUKE: Next beef, King Green, and this one's a lot heavier than trash talk.
NORA: Green claims plenty of UFC athletes are still using banned substances, and he's tying it to his own experience competing at Islam Makhachev's level.
DUKE: That's a serious accusation with zero specifics attached.
NORA: Which is exactly why it'll get talked about for days and probably go nowhere regulation wise.
DUKE: Let's move to roster and business moves, starting with Michael Page.
NORA: MVP is out of the UFC, they declined to re-sign him, and he's just joking about the backlash instead of getting bitter about it.
DUKE: And Jake Paul wasted zero time.
NORA: He's openly recruiting Page, his pitch being, quote, "Bring MVP to MVP," end quote, Most Valuable Promotions.
DUKE: That's a slick line, but is it actually a fight business for him?
NORA: Page brings a highlight reel style that draws eyeballs, so for Paul's promotion it's a pickup that makes sense on paper.
DUKE: Meanwhile Roberto Soldic is staying in the UFC, but he's not happy about the money.
NORA: He straight up said UFC pay isn't even close to what he was making at One Championship, yet he wants to stay anyway.
DUKE: That tells you the UFC brand still means more to some guys than the paycheck does.
NORA: For now. That calculation can change fast if he keeps losing money on it.
DUKE: Big one from the lightweight pipeline too, Islam Makhachev thinks his teammate is coming.
NORA: He's putting a ninety percent chance on Usman Nurmagomedov joining the UFC.
DUKE: If that happens, that's a legit dangerous addition to a stacked one seventy division.
NORA: And it says a lot that Makhachev's that confident about it publicly.
DUKE: Over on the women's side, Manon Fiorot is calling her shot.
NORA: She says the UFC has told her that beating Alexa Grasso decides the next title challenger, flat out.
DUKE: So that's not just a good win anymore, that's a title eliminator with the label attached.
NORA: Exactly, and Fiorot's been knocking on that door for a while, so this is her chance to kick it open.
DUKE: Last one on this beat, Pablo Sucupira breaking down Mauricio Ruffy ahead of UFC 331.
NORA: Sucupira, who's coached Ruffy, thinks he wins by knockout.
DUKE: That's a bold prediction for a guy stepping in against a former title challenger.
NORA: It is, but Ruffy's power has been legit, so it's not crazy talk either.
DUKE: Okay, before we get to the pick, I need five minutes on something ridiculous, Justin Gaethje's money story.
NORA: This is the eighty cents one, right?
DUKE: Yeah, apparently he went from having eighty cents to his name to finally landing a real paycheck as champion, and then he couldn't even bring himself to spend it.
NORA: Couldn't touch it. Like it wasn't real money to him yet.
DUKE: I get that, honestly, when you've been broke, that first big check feels fake.
NORA: It's a good reminder how close to the bone some of these guys were living before they blew up.
DUKE: It does.
NORA: It does.
DUKE: Alright, Nora, give me the pick.
NORA: We've got Steveson, and it's not close, ninety one percent.
DUKE: Ninety one. What's the betting line saying?
NORA: Line's at negative thirteen fifty, which implies around eighty nine percent, so we're actually a touch higher than the market on this one.
DUKE: Small gap, but still a gap. Why?
NORA: The wrestling. Steveson's background suggests dominant control, ground and pound, maybe even a finish if he wants to grind it out.
DUKE: And his opponent?
NORA: That's the other side of it, his finishing threat and his durability are basically unknown at this level.
DUKE: So it's not that he's proven bad, it's that nobody knows what he is yet.
NORA: Right, and against a guy with Steveson's engine, that uncertainty favors the wrestler.
DUKE: I'll ride with it. Steveson.
NORA: Strong confidence from us on this one.
DUKE: Let's look ahead, because the schedule's absolutely loaded. Noche UFC hits this Saturday the twelfth with Silva versus Delgado.
NORA: Then Monday the fifteenth, Dana White's Contender Series rolls.
DUKE: Contender Series is always worth a look, that's where the next wave gets discovered.
NORA: Alexandre Pantoja defends against Joshua Van.
DUKE: Pantoja's flyweight run is no joke, and Van's a live threat.
NORA: After that it's UFC Fight Night on the twenty sixth, Raoni Barcelos against Raul Rosas Junior.
DUKE: Rosas Junior's still building that resume, this is a real step up test for him.
NORA: And just past that, UFC 332 lands October third, Natalia Silva versus Wang.
DUKE: That's basically a month of nonstop fight nights, we're not gonna have a slow week for a while.
NORA: Not one.
DUKE: Alright, that's what we've got today.
NORA: Topuria's back on the table, Gaethje's talking, and Steveson's the play.
DUKE: We'll see you next time on Open Scoring MMA.
Our call is Gable Steveson. If you're fading that, what do you see that we don't? 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.