Justin Gaethje is nearing a return to action in the UFC, but likely won’t fight until sometime in 2025.

While no exact date has been revealed yet, Gaethje’s longtime manager Ali Abdelaziz revealed that the former “BMF” champion is still taking the necessary time to recover from his knockout loss to Max Holloway at UFC 300 this past April before booking his next fight. Gaethje has always been adamant about allowing his brain and body to heal after a hard fight, which is why fans probably won’t see him back in action this year.

“Justin Gaethje’s going to fight in March,” Abdelaziz told MMA Fighting. “Against who, I have no idea.”

Arguably the most exciting fighter in the UFC, Gaethje seems to find a way to make all of his appearances entertaining, which is why he’s never been picky when it comes to a list of potential opponents.

Abdelaziz admitted there are a few names at the top of the list, but Gaethje has never shied away from anybody the UFC has offered him in the past and that’s highly unlikely to change now.

“It can be [Dan] Hooker. It can be Dustin Poirier. It can be [Renato] Moicano,” Abdelaziz said. “Whatever it is. I don’t know but I would like to see Justin fight in March. He needs a little bit of time to recover after his last fight. He deserves that.”

Following a stunning knockout of Dustin Poirier in July 2023, Gaethje returned with a marquee fight booked against Holloway at UFC 300 in April.

Unfortunately for Gaethje, that fight didn’t go his way after he suffered a brutal broken nose in the first round when Holloway caught him with a perfectly timed spin kick. In the end, Gaethje battled it out with Holloway until the final second when he threw down with the former featherweight champion in a wild exchange that saw Holloway catch Gaethje with a punch that ended his night at 4:59 in the fifth round.

Now, as Gaethje looks to bounce back and return to the win column, Abdelaziz says he is happy to fight whoever the UFC throws at him once he’s ready to fight.

“I think he’ll be ready in March to fight,” Abdelaziz said. “Against who? Justin Gaethje doesn’t pick opponents.”

FOX Sports’ Bucky Brooks recently outlined the challenges the Las Vegas Raiders might have in trading Davante Adams, their unhappy star receiver who is nonetheless in decline and carrying an expensive contract. It turns out that these issues might actually prevent a deal.

ESPN reported on Sunday morning that Adams could end up staying with the Raiders, citing sources as saying while there is interest in Adams, it is not “phone-is-ringing-off-the-hook” interest. 

Peter Schrager explained on “FOX NFL Kickoff” on Sunday morning that the Raiders’ asking price was an issue.

“The asking price seems to be too high,” he said. “A second-round pick and the Raiders apparently want whoever takes him on to take on the entire contract. That does not seem normal or reasonable at this stage of the season.”

Adams, 32, still has $11.8 million remaining on his contract. He is a two-time All-Pro with five 1,000-yard seasons and 96 receiving touchdowns across 10-plus seasons, but he has just 18 catches for 209 yards in three games this season.

[Related: Davante Adams is on the decline, but these 5 teams could make a trade work]

Schrager said that Adams might be changing his stance on a trade.

“So it seems like Davante Adams has changed his tune — that there is a chance he returns to the Raiders when he gets back from that hamstring injury,” he said. “And from what I’ve been told, in the building, he’s been great, and he actually gets along with Aidan O’Connell, and maybe the quarterback change from [Gardner] Minshew to O’Connell could help bring him back in the fold.”

There has been some thought that Adams would like to rejoin Aaron Rodgers with the New York Jets, as the pair were highly productive together across eight seasons with the Packers.

Schrager said on Sunday that the New York Jets “are still interested in that trade.” 

Get more from National Football League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more

Conor McGregor last fought in July 2021. He’s been on the comeback trail since then.

And in that time, after presumably healing a broken leg he suffered in a second straight TKO loss to Dustin Poirier, McGregor has promised his return seemingly countless times. A fight against Michael Chandler had been presumed for the better part of two years – including a booked headliner that led to the UFC’s new all-time gate record, only for McGregor to pull out.

Now they’ve both moved on, it seems … but McGregor still is teasing a return. Saturday after a BKFC event in Spain, the promotion’s new part-owner, while making a hasty exit down a back alley, told Bloody Elbow he’s fighting Dan Hooker in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 1.

And Hooker told Submission Radio he and McGregor spoke in person at Saturday’s BKFC event in Spain, and that they just need the UFC to line it up.

“I’m on board. He’s on board. We just need to get the UFC on board and we’ll get this thing across the line,” Hooker told the show.

Hooker has mentioned wanting a McGregor fight in the recent past. McGregor has said he still wants to fight Chandler, but will fight someone else in the meantime. UFC CEO Dana White has said he expects McGregor to fight in 2025.

McGregor said in the past few weeks he’s “out of the loop” with the UFC in terms of getting a fight booked. Chandler moved on to a matchup with Charles Oliveira at UFC 309 next month.

Brandon Royval held on to his top contender spot. And now he wants what’s his.

“Raw Dawg” made it two straight wins on Saturday with a thrilling split decision victory over Tatsuro Taira in the main event of UFC Vegas 98. The top-10 flyweights went back and forth for 25 minutes, with the more experienced Royval gutting out the victory.

Since losing to UFC flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja in February, Royval has scored wins over the previously unbeaten Taira and two-time titleholder Brandon Moreno, so another championship opportunity is within reach. Should Royval grasp it, he vows to put on a more spirited effort this time around.

“I’m going balls to the wall,” Royval said at the evening’s post-fight press conference. “I trust my pace, I trust my cardio. A fifth-round Raw Dawg is a dangerous Raw Dawg. I trust myself. I think if I ever fought Pantoja again—maybe I shouldn’t be telling my secrets—but I’m going straight after him. I think I played it too safe, I was a little too worried. That being said, I’m going forward, I’m going guns a blazing and that’s what I’m going to do.”

When Royval fought Pantoja eight months ago, he came out on the wrong end of a unanimous decision following a fight in which he was uncharacteristically timid. Prior to that fight, Royval was known for his intensity and aggression, scoring 12 of his first 16 wins by knockout or submission and earning three Fight of the Night bonuses (he collected another Saturday for his fight with Taira).

Royval is also known for fighting only the best competition, having shared the octagon with ranked opposition since making his UFC debut in 2020. Add it all up and he doesn’t see how the matchmakers can deny him another shot at gold.

“I see a title shot next, there’s no way about it,” Royval said. “I have a win over the whole top 5 of the division. I’m all about rematches, but that being said, I earned my way to a title shot. I took a short-notice against the No. 1, I just took out the hottest prospect in the division, I think a title shot is what’s next for me and I’ll be the backup for the title fight Dec. 7.”

That Dec. 7 title fight features Pantoja defending his flyweight championship against UFC newcomer Kai Asakura in the co-main event of UFC 310. The Japanese star made a name for himself in his native country’s RIZIN promotion and holds notable wins over Kyoji Horiguchi, Manel Kape (who avenged his loss to Asakura in 2019) and, most recently, Bellator standout Juan Archuleta.

Royval is a fan and thinks Asakura has a chance of dethroning Pantoja, but he won’t be surprised if Pantoja retains and ends up fighting Royval a third time.

“I’ve been watching Kai Asakura for a while,” Royval said. “I think he’s sick. I think there’s a lot of cool things. He’s yet to make flyweight, so I’ll be there and I’ll be ready just in case he doesn’t. That being said, I’ll give that man his roses. I think that he brings a lot of excitement to the division, I think he could take out Pantoja. I think if Pantoja grapples him at all, it’s going to be over. That being said, the fight starts on the feet.”

Eilidh Adams scored a hat-trick as Hibernian beat Spartans 4-0 to move within three points of second place in the SWPL.

Penalties bookended Adams’ treble, with her second coming from open play and Michaela McAlonie scoring Hibs’ third of the day.

At Links Park, Montrose led Partick Thistle through Neve Guthrie’s goal before Carla Boyce brought the visitors level to secure a 1-1 draw.

There are three more fixtures on Sunday – Queen’s Park v Aberdeen (15:00), Motherwell v Dundee United (16:00) and Hearts v Celtic (16:10). Hearts’ meeting with Celtic is live on BBC Alba and iPlayer.

On Saturday, leaders Rangers recovered from a goal down to draw 1-1 at home to Glasgow City to stay top of the division. Rio Hardy netted for Rangers after Emily Whelan’s opener for second-placed City.

LAS VEGAS – Brandon Royval made sure to let his intentions known.

The former UFC title challenger wants his next career move to involve UFC gold, and he feels he’s done enough to demand that from the promotion. Royval (17-7 MMA, 7-3 UFC) defeated previously unbeaten prospect Tatsuro Taira (16-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) in a hard-fought split decision in the main event of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 244 at the UFC Apex.

This was his second straight win after losing to champion Alexandre Pantoja last December, and he feels he’s deserving of his next fight being for the title as well as the chance to be the official backup role for the next 125-pound championship fight.

“I see a title shot next. There’s no other way about it,” Royval told reporters following his win. “I have a win over the whole top five of the division. I’m all about rematches, but with that being said, I earned my way to a title shot. I took a short notice against the No. 1, I just took out the hottest prospect in the division. I think a title shot is what’s next for me, and I’ll be the backup for the title fight in December.”

Pantoja defends his flyweight belt against Japanese star Kai Asakura in the co-main event of UFC 310 on Dec. 7 in Las Vegas. Asakura, a former Rizin FF champion, is getting a title shot in his promotional debut.

Royval has no problem with Asakura getting the shot and, in fact, likes his addition to the UFC flyweight roster.

“I’ve been watching Kai Asakura for a while, I think he’s sick.” Royval said. “I think there’s a clot of cool things. He’s yet to make flyweight, so I’ll be there, and I’ll be ready just in case he doesn’t. That being said, I’ll give that man his roses. I think he brings a lot of excitement to the division, and I think he could take out Pantoja. If Pantoja grapples him, it’s going to be over. That being said, the fight starts on the feet.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 244.