July 24, 2025, marked a somber day for the world of sports and entertainment, as wrestling icon Hulk Hogan passed away at the age of 71. A towering figure of the 1980s wrestling boom, Hogan was instrumental in catapulting WWE into global stardom. For anyone born in that era, Hulk Hogan wasn’t just a wrestler — he was a pop-culture phenomenon. That sentiment was deeply echoed by UFC CEO Dana White. What did the 55-year-old say? That’s what we’ll get into in today’s episode of EssentiallySports’ MMA News Roundup.
Following that, we’ve got some news about Umar Nurmagomedov’s next fight in the UFC and Khabib Nurmagomedov’s reaction to it. And finally, we’ll listen to Dricus Du Plessis as he walks through his UFC debut. So what are we waiting for? Let’s dive right into it!
Dana White gives a humble tribute to Hulk Hogan
During a recent appearance on Fox News, White paid his tributes to Hogan and weighed in on what it was like growing up in the legendary WWE star’s era. He said, “I grew up in that era. That’s my era. And I think that everybody, whatever era they grew up in, is, you know, the best era to them, but the 80’s were incredible. And not just them. Guy like [Sylvester] Stallone, and Arnold [Schwarzenegger], and the list goes on and on of the men of that era… It was the best.”
The UFC head honcho continued, “I say it all the time, I’m really happy that I grew up in the era that I grew up in, the 80’s. And I’m really happy that I’m gonna be leaving the era that I’m gonna be leaving in. I’m very happy with where my time laid out in this world. From Muhammad Ali, you know, Hulk Hogan, Vince [McMahon] and Don King, and all the guys who paved the way for me to where I am today, all had an impact and a lasting impression in my life. And definitely, the way that the UFC is today, and the things that I’ve done to build it, all have a little piece of all those guys and their businesses.”
Now, let’s get back to the present timeline, as Umar Nurmagomedov gets an opportunity to redeem himself in the Octagon. And what did his cousins and coach have to say about it?
Khabib Nurmagomedov hypes up Umar Nurmagomedov’s next fight
Khabib Nurmagomedov felt a severe heartache back when Umar Nurmagomedov lost his battle against Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 311. ‘The Eagle’ was visibly disheartened when Bruce Buffer announced that ‘The Machine’ was still the bantamweight champion of the world. Yes, the older Nurmagomedov was stopped midway from asking Dana White for a chance to wrap the belt around his cousin’s waist. But what hurt more was the fact that Dvalishvili outwrestled Nurmagomedov in the bout. Now, the coach has come forth a with special message for ‘Young Eagle’.
Umar Nurmagomedov is currently slated to fight Mario Bautista. The timeline for the bout is yet to be announced. But the former lightweight champion is already looking forward to the matchup. Taking to his Instagram stories, he shared a picture of himself sitting beside his brother. In the caption, he wrote, “[Umar Nurmagomedov] Main fight of the evening 5 rounds Time to come back junior.”
As the Nurmagomedovs prepare for their next big venture, let’s take a look at the middleweight division. The champion, Dricus Du Plessis, made a big revelation regarding his debut fight against Markus Perez.
Dricus Du Plessis reflects back on his first-ever UFC fight
During a recent conversation with Betway, the middleweight champion said, “It’s crazy. I mean, it’s been five years. It’s crazy how fast the time goes when you’re doing the thing you love. I actually watched my debut fight yesterday. I was literally going through all my fights yesterday, I was watching that fight. You know, the way it looked on the TV, I had ten days’ notice to make that. I was the least prepared I’ve ever been for a fight. And the guy you see on TV, I look so composed, loving and smiling, but inside, I was terrified.
Well, Du Plessis’ hesitance was visible. As Perez kept the pressure on with his punching combos, there came a scary moment when the South African fumbled while stepping away from his opponent. But fortunes favored ‘Stillknocks’, as a strong right forced Perez to back off, letting Du Plessis unleash a barrage of strikes and win via a first-round KO (3:22). Du Plessis continued, “My opponent had a great gameplan, just pressuring me, because he knew the pressure was on me as a debutant. So, got the first round knockout. So, I couldn’t really ask for a better debut.”
Dricus Du Plessis reveals he was the least prepared for his UFC debut than any other fight in his career
“I might have looked composed and smiling on the outside, but inside I was terrified. That fight meant as much to me as a title fight!”
@dricusduplessis pic.twitter.com/U0dS9C5qKS
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) July 25, 2025
What do you think of Dana White’s tribute? Do you think ‘Young Eagle’ can secure a win over Bautista? What do you think of Du Plessis’ UFC debut?
The post MMA News Roundup: Dana White’s Tribute to Late Hulk Hogan, Khabib’s Message to Umar Nurmagomedov, DDP’s Terrifying Confession appeared first on EssentiallySports.