UFC

Aaron Pico is officially a UFC fighter -- and while the featherweight star is pumped -- he says the work is only beginning!

"It's a big day for me, honestly. I'm really happy," 28-year-old Pico told TMZ Sports.

"It's something that I've been working for my whole life. I wanted to be a UFC fighter since the beginning. But I got the job, but now the work isn't done. I have the biggest test ahead of me with these UFC guys. But I'm ready to fight them all."

Days after Henry Cejudo subdued a would-be hit-and-run driver, the MMA star's Arizona studio was burglarized ... and one of his prized UFC belts was stolen, in addition to a bunch of expensive electronics.

Sources tell TMZ Sports that 38-year-old Cejudo's Phoenix-area spot was targeted around 4:30 AM ... and one of his two belts was taken in the haul. Henry's podcast producer also lost valuables ... including multiple cameras, computers, microphones, and even his wallet.

"Everything's gone," Cejudo's collaborator, Dylan Rush, said Tuesday. "It sucks. I want to give up, but I won't. It's terrible."

Henry Cejudo is convinced his actions at a hit-and-run incident last week helped save the suspect's life.

The wild scene, of course, all unfolded on Friday night in the UFC star's Phoenix neighborhood ... when he says he saw a group of young adults in a vehicle careening down his block at around 80 MPH.

Cejudo told TMZ Sports on Monday the car went airborne after it hit one of his neighbor's sprinkler systems ... and then it crashed through one of his other neighbor's houses.

Conor McGregor just copped an insanely expensive Rolls-Royce Phantom ... with an eye-popping price tag of over $1.3 MILLION!!!

The UFC superstar hit up Instagram to show off the new ride this week, and it's sweeeeeeeet!

As for the specs of the whip, we're told the black Rolls-Royce Phantom VIII Diamond Edition features a V12 engine with a whopping 571 horsepower and a max speed of 155 mph.

UFC's Henry Cejudo is a great fighter ... and he is also a great neighbor 'cause he recently helped stop a hit-and-run suspect in his hood.

Here's the deal ... a speeding car crashed into the house right next door to Henry's in Phoenix last night -- and the visuals are wild!

The UFC star gave an interview shortly afterward ... and he said the driver of the car was going to book it after the crash and his neighbor tried to stop him, which is when the dude punched the neighbor.

Raul Rosas Jr. has experienced a lot of success early into his UFC career ... but he's now ready for the next step -- telling TMZ Sports he wants a top-15 opponent!!

We caught up with the 20-year-old bantamweight following his unanimous decision win in Mexico City last Saturday ... a performance he graded quite highly for himself.

"Good control, good everything and especially I push myself to keep staying in the fight," he said. "I'll give it an A because I would like to finish. I'm always looking for the finish, so next time, I'll fix these mistakes to be able to go out there and get the finish next time."

Brandon Moreno's heading into his main event fight, not with anger or aggression ... but instead with gratitude, telling TMZ Sports he's super thankful the UFC has given him the opportunity to fight at home!

"I'm just very grateful with the company, very grateful with the UFC to keep giving me these opportunities to show my skills to my country, you know, to Mexico. So I'm just enjoying the moment. I'm just enjoying the moment," the 31-year-old former Flyweight champ told us days before the scrap against Steve Erceg.

Erceg, 29 years old, is 12-3 as a pro ... and will be across from Moreno Saturday night at Arena CDMX in Mexico City.

Cain Velasquez has just been sentenced to five years in prison for his alleged role in a 2022 attempted murder.

A judge issued the order on Monday afternoon in a Santa Clara, Calif. courtroom ... roughly three years after the UFC legend was accused of trying to kill Harry Goularte, a man who allegedly molested one of Velasquez's close relatives.

Velasquez appeared in person for the hearing ... and wore a collared shirt and a dark-colored blazer. He spoke at the proceedings and expressed remorse -- as did members of his family. Some of Goularte's relatives addressed the court too, and asked the judge for a heftier sentence. Ultimately, Velasquez got five years -- though he was given credit for approximately three years of time served.

The Gracies, Nurmagomedovs, and Diazes have all been super successful families in MMA ... soon there may be another surname to add to the list -- Rosas!

20-year-old rising bantamweight star Raul Rosas Jr., 4-1 in the UFC (and 10-1 overall as a pro), says it's only a matter of time before there's a gang of his family in the world's top MMA promotion.

"I'm pretty sure this year that one or maybe two of my brothers are in the UFC. And next year for sure we see all four, including my sister," Raul told TMZ Sports.

Nate Diaz is off the hook in his nightclub battery case ... according to his attorney, the misdemeanor charge the fighter had been facing was dismissed this week.

The MMA star's lawyer, Ross Goodman, tells TMZ Sports ... after Diaz completed an impulse control class online, prosecutors dropped the battery count against him ahead of Thursday's scheduled trial.

The case, of course, stemmed from a run-in Diaz had with a Las Vegas nightclub employee back in August 2024.

It's officially a St. Patrick's Day party at the White House ... Conor McGregor's arrived!!

The UFC superstar -- and arguably Ireland's most famous native -- hit up 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. on Monday morning to celebrate his nation's big day ... and Donald Trump and Co. welcomed him with open arms.

The 36-year-old fighter fielded some questions from media inside the building's press briefing room ... before he filmed a fun video that White House officials threw up on their X page.

Conor McGregor can be quite the polarizing figure, but he's good in Donald Trump's eyes ... 'cause POTUS just called Notorious one of his favorite Irishmen!!

No. 47 gushed over the UFC superstar with Ireland's Prime Minister Micheal Martin at the White House on Wednesday ... and while they talked some politics, Trump was also asked to name his favorite famous figure to come from the Emerald Isle.

"I do happen to like your fighter," he said. "He's got the best tattoos I've ever seen."

Dana White's catching some flak online after warmly greeting Andrew and Tristan Tate at a Power Slap event ... welcoming them back to the United States.

The president of the UFC was out Power Slap 12 in Las Vegas Friday night ... and, video of him dapping up the controversial brothers is circulating online.

Watch the clip for yourself ... Dana pulls the brothers in for a quick hug before yelling out "Welcome to the States, boys."

Paige VanZant was a star in the UFC, but she says her MMA-fighter husband's debut win with the promotion was sweeter than any moment she had in the Octagon!

TMZ Sports talked to VanZant about hubby Austin Vanderford's UFC Fight Night 252 win against Nikolay Veretennikov by second-round TKO ... a fight AV took on less than one week's notice.

Wifey couldn't be prouder.

Paddy Pimblett is locked in for his co-main event fight against Michael Chandler at UFC 314 in Miami ... but the MMA star can't help but dream about what could come next -- including a potential mega-fight with Conor McGregor!

TMZ Sports caught up with Paddy "The Baddy" ahead of his big-time showdown with the seventh-ranked fighter in the lightweight division ... saying their scrap is what many consider the true main event.

"I don't think anybody has more entertaining fights than Michael Chandler," Paddy said.

FBI Director Kash Patel wants UFC fighters to train his Agents ... and well there's one that is totally down! 🙋🏽 Justin Gaethje.

TMZ Sports spoke to 36-year-old Gaethje, who at the moment is a little tied up preparing for his co-main event scrap with Rafael Fiziev, who was plugged in for an injured Dan Hooker this week.

After the March 8 scrap in Las Vegas, the lightweight contender is down to help the country's top law enforcement agency in any way he can ... training personnel, or just kickin' the ass himself.