About once a year we get a weekend in combat sports and entertainment like the one we are about to have this Saturday — a jam-packed morning-to-night marathon with major events in the three realms of MMA, boxing and pro wrestling. Here at Uncrowned, you already know that triumvirate happens to be our area of unbiased expertise and coverage.
This weekend is right in our wheelhouse, and — as you look at the below buffet of events — our advice is to make sure you have multiple screens set up to handle scheduling overlap.
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It all kicks off with a big-time championship boxing bout between undefeated Russian knockout artist Bakhram Murtazaliev taking on the U.K.’s Josh Kelly in Newcastle, England, in what promises to get things started with a bang.
Then, right after the lunch hour on the East Coast, it’s time for the WWE Royal Rumble live from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This is of course one of wrestling’s great gifts to fans — a Hieronymus Bosch scene full of bombastic humanity in eye-popping colors, with no end to the possibilities. What can be better than 30 wrestlers showing up in 90-second intervals to a 20-foot-by-20-foot ring, crowding well past the point of a fire hazard, many with vendettas or friendships to set up masterful betrayals, being tossed over the top rope one by one?
The answer is nothing.
To move from the storylines to the literal, the UFC is back with its second big event of the Paramount+ era — UFC 325 — which goes down in Sydney, Australia. The hero of Oceania, Alexander Volkanovski, will rematch Diego Lopes for the featherweight title, while two crucial lightweight battles take place on the main card — Dan Hooker vs. France’s Benoit Saint Denis, and the heavy-handed Mauricio Ruffy going up against perennial contender Rafael Fiziev.
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The dual screen will be necessary, as 23-year-old Xander Zayas takes on former sparring partners Abass Baraou in a super welterweight unification bout in Puerto Rico at the same time. As the second-youngest boxing world champion going, Zayas is a phenom facing the toughest challenge to date. Vegas doesn’t love his odds, either, as he’s a 4-to-1 underdog against the WBA champ Baraou.
Finally, it’s time to resolve the bad blood, as Brooklyn’s Teofimo Lopez Jr. at long last stands in against Shakur Stevenson in one of boxing’s premiere bouts of 2026. Two superstars. MSG. They don’t get much bigger.
Below is a guide to this whopper of a day. Uncrowned has you covered from the first fights in Newcastle all the way through the super lightweight showdown between Lopez and Stevenson on DAZN.
THE BIG THREE
Brock Lesnar is just one of 30 WWE stars who will enter this year’s Royal Rumble.
(WWE via Getty Images)
WWE Royal Rumble 2026
What: Two Royal Rumbles (men’s and women’s), plus Drew McIntyre vs. Sami Zayn for the Undisputed WWE Championship and AJ Styles vs. Gunther with Styles’ WWE career on the line
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When: 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT on ESPN app (ESPN Unlimited)
Where: King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Why: This is like Carnival for pro wrestling — a free-for-all of 30 men and 30 women, all in survival mode to outlast their 29 other counterparts to be the last one standing at the end. The stakes are high. Each of those winners will then earn title matches of their choosing at WrestleMania 42, which takes place the weekend of April 18-19 in Las Vegas. The inimitable Roman Reigns makes his return, as does Brock Lesnar and up-and-coming superstar Oba Femi. Will we see Powerhouse Hobbs? Bad Bunny? Chris freakin’ Jericho? Will the members of Paul Heyman’s faction The Vision — Logan Paul, Austin Theory, Bronson Reed and Bron Breakker — turn on each other? Safe to say, plenty of surprises are in store.
Everything you need to know:
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The rehabilitation of Charlotte Flair. After a tumultuous comeback in 2025, one of wrestling’s greatest-ever performers has reinvented herself within the WWE landscape in a way few expected.
Alexander Volkanovski defends his featherweight title in a rematch against Diego Lopes at UFC 325.
(Chris Unger via Getty Images)
UFC 325: Volkanovski vs. Lopes 2
What: Alexander Volkanovski vs. Diego Lopes 2 for the UFC featherweight title
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When: 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT, Paramount+
Where: Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia
Why: Alexander Volkanovski is considered one of — if not the — greatest featherweights in UFC history, and if there’s one thing we know about him, it’s this: He rules with an iron fist. In his first reign with the title, he defended the 145-pound belt five times. Up until losing that title against Ilia Topuria in 2024, his record in the division was 13-0. Lopes, on the other hand, has stormed the division and is looking to avenge the loss he took against Volkanovski this past April. Many believe it’s his time, and that we’ll be ushering in a new era at featherweight. The beautiful thing about this setup? There are super-dangerous contenders waiting in the wings with both Movsar Evloev and England’s Lerone Murphy.
Bonus: The two lightweight fights — Dan Hooker vs. Benoit Saint Denis and Mauricio Ruffy vs. Rafael Fiziev. Four elite contenders, all of whom bring the action.
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Everything you need to know:
Teofimo Lopez vs. Shakur Stevenson (pictured) is a blockbuster meeting of two of U.S. boxing’s biggest stars.
(Cris Esqueda/Golden Boy via Getty Images)
Lopez Jr. vs Stevenson
What: Teofimo Lopez Jr. vs Shakur Stevenson for the WBO super lightweight title
When: 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT, streaming on DAZN
Where: Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York
Why: If we know one thing about Teofimo Lopez, it’s that he doesn’t shy away from the spotlight. His 2020 victory over Vasiliy Lomachenko put him on the map in a big way as he unified the lightweight titles, and he’s only gained bigger stardom since his lone loss against George Kambosos Jr. Nobody got as big of a pop as Lopez did when he fought on the novel Times Square card last May against Arnold Barboza Jr., and MSG will be rocking come fight night — yet who will carry the more passionate fan base? Newark’s Stevenson is just beginning to reach his peak, as he showed in defending the WBC lightweight title against William Zepeda his last time out. This is two of boxing’s most brilliant stars coming together on the sacred ground of Madison Square Garden, and it’s a hell of a way to bring the curtain down on one of the greatest days of combat action we’ll see this year!
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Bonus: Keyshawn Davis vs. Jamaine Ortiz — can Davis reclaim his footing as one of U.S. boxing’s brightest up-and-coming talents after a difficult end to 2025?
Everything you need to know:
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Inside the Lopez war room before Shakur Stevenson. Once teenage sparring partners, now two of the best fighters of their generation, Lopez and Stevenson finally meet with years of resentment, pride and unfinished business on the line Saturday night in New York.
WHAT ELSE?
Murtazaliev vs. Kelly
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What: Bakhram Murtazaliev vs. Josh Kelly for the IBF super welterweight title
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When: 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT, streaming live on DAZN
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Where: Utilita Arena Newcastle in Newcastle, England
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Why: Murtazaliev, the IBF super welterweight champion, is hoping to pick up where he left off in 2024, as he makes his return after 15 months away. With an undefeated record of 23-0, he showcased in his last appearance against Tim Tszyu, scoring a stunning TKO in the third round to defend his title. Now he travels to enemy territory — to the very heart of England — to face “Pretty Boy” Kelly. For Kelly, this is the biggest challenge he’s had since standing in against David Avanesyan in 2021. Fireworks expected.
Zayas vs. Baraou
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What: Xander Zayas vs. Abass Baraou for the WBO/WBA unified super welterweight titles
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When: 5:30 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT, streaming on Top Rank Classics channel or Roku Channel
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Where: Coliseo de Puerto Rico in San Juan, Puerto Rico
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Why: Zayas is a 23-year-old wunderkind who is stepping up into what will be the biggest fight of his young career against the WBA super welterweight titleholder Baraou. The German Baraou is coming off a decision over the Cuban fighter Yoenis Tellez, and has won eight straight overall, while Zayas is a perfect 22-0. This is definitely a leap up in competition for Puerto Rico’s own Zayas, whose biggest victory to date came in his last fight against Jorge Garcia to win the WBO belt. How does he perform in front of thousands of throaty partisans, all there to coronate him as the next big thing? See, that’s part of the sweet, sweet drama.
