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A ranked heavyweight was reportedly removed from the UFC roster after a recent defeat. Meanwhile, Dana White got candid about the division's future and what a fight with Jon Jones would mean for Tom Aspinall.
Here are today's top combat sports updates. Read on to find out more in our daily MMA News Roundup.
UFC removes ranked heavyweight from the roster
Jairzinho Rozenstruik has reportedly been released by the UFC after his loss to Sergei Pavlovich in his last outing. He was No. 9 on the heavyweight rankings, above the likes of Derrick Lewis, Tai Tuivasa, and Shamiel Gaziev.
Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more
The news was reported by UFC Roster Watch on X and confirmed by Alex Behunin.
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Rozenstruik was undefeated when he debuted in the UFC and went on to amass a four-fight winning streak which included a win over Alistair Overeem. However, 'Bigi Boy' could not find his footing back after the 20-second knockout loss to Francis Ngannou in 2020. He has gone 5-5 since then, with his latest defeat coming against the Russian at last weekend's UFC Saudi Arabia.
"Tom Aspinall is not that guy" - Dana White
During a recent appearance on Piers Morgan Uncensored, Dana White was asked to share his thoughts on Tom Aspinall and his long-running goal of fighting Jon Jones. He said:
"I love that - a young, aggressive, talented heavyweight - that he actually wants to fight all the best. The problem with this business is [that] you have guys that say a lot of things publicly but behind the curtains don't mean it, don't really want these fights. Tom Aspinall is not that guy. Tom Aspinall wants to fight all the best in the world and I love that."
The UFC CEO went on to reiterate that they're still in the process of booking Aspinall's fight with 'Bones', a contest that the Brit has been chasing for a while. It would be "life-changing" for the interim heavyweight champion if he manages to beat Jones, White added.
Watch Dana White's comments below (1:01:00):
Megan Olivi expecting her first child
UFC presenter and roving reporter Megan Olivi, who also works extensively in the NFL, announced her pregnancy on social media with a heartwarming post.
The photo featured her husband Joseph Benavidez holding up a newspaper titled 'The Newborn Times' with what seems to be the ultrasound scan on the front page and the expected delivery date - summer of 2025. Olivi sat beside him with their dog on her lap. The caption read:
"We have waited so long to say this - baby Benavidez will debut this summer. We are beyond grateful for this beautiful blessing."
The couple got married in 2015 and celebrated their 9th anniversary in October 2024.
Jake Paul announces next fight date
Jake Paul announced the date and venue of his boxing return in a tweet on Monday.
'The Problem Child' will fight again on July 5 in New York City. However, he did not reveal any details about the potential opponent. Fans speculated in the comment section and threw some names in the mix, including Conor McGregor and Logan Paul.
Meanwhile, a report by Julius Julianis claimed that Paul could be fighting Canelo Alvarez next in May around the time of Cinco de Mayo. Paul has been talking about fighting the Mexican for a while but went back on his word when Alvarez wanted to take revenge on behalf of Mike Tyson.
This has not been confirmed by either party at the time of writing this article.
