Date: Saturday, April 5, 2025
Venue: Co-op Live Arena, Manchester, UK
Broadcast: DAZN, Main Card at 2:00 PM ET
More Info: DAZN Event Page

Heavyweight rivals Joe Joyce and Filip Hrgovic reignite their amateur rivalry from the 2013 European Championships, where Joyce scored a victory. Now as professionals, both men are at career crossroads. Joyce (16-2, 15 KOs) was once considered the most durable heavyweight on the planet before back-to-back losses to Zhilei Zhang. Hrgovic (17-0, 14 KOs) has been less than dominant lately, narrowly edging past Zhang and Demsey McKean.

This 10-rounder could determine a future challenger for the IBF or WBO heavyweight belts. Hrgovic is ranked #1 by the IBF, while Joyce is desperate to regain relevance.

Undercard highlights include:

• David Adeleye vs. Jeamie Tshikeva: Both heavyweights enter undefeated with a combined 18 knockouts.
• Jack Rafferty vs. Cory O'Regan: Rafferty looks to defend his Commonwealth super lightweight title and extend his 21-fight unbeaten streak.

Date: Friday, April 4, 2025
Venue: Lumpinee Boxing Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand
Broadcast: Amazon Prime Video, Main Card at 8:00 PM ET
More Info: ONE Championship Official Site

ONE Championship brings two title fights and elite striking to Bangkok’s iconic Lumpinee Stadium.

Main Event:

• Roman Kryklia vs. Lyndon Knowles – Kryklia, with a 4-fight winning streak and 95% KO rate, defends his ONE Heavyweight Muay Thai title. Knowles, a WBC world champ, steps in as a heavy underdog but has knockout power and years of experience with Jonathan Haggerty’s team.

Co-Main Event:

• Regian Eersel vs. Alexis Nicolas III – Tied 1–1 in previous bouts, both men are known for their technical kickboxing. Eersel has defended the title five times, while Nicolas comes in with a 21-2 record and a reputation for granite toughness.

Also featured:

Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong vs. Nico Carrillo – Sitthichai is a former Glory champ with over 170 professional fights. Carrillo, the Scottish wrecking ball, is undefeated in ONE and moving up to test himself against a Muay Thai legend.

March 31, 2025

By Chris Cannon, M2MMA General Manager

There’s a moment in every fight where time seems to slow. A strike lands clean. The crowd erupts. One fighter rises. The other stumbles or falls. It’s the drama we’re conditioned to celebrate: the moment that makes a highlight reel, earns a bonus, or ignites a social media clip. But beneath the surface, something more serious may already be happening. Brain trauma doesn’t always wait until retirement. It can take hold in real time, during a fight, in the locker room, or in the hours and days that follow. Fighters have collapsed after bouts, suffered seizures, and in some tragic cases, lost their lives. The damage is not just long-term. It’s immediate, and it’s real.

The truth is, we don’t talk about that side of combat sports often enough. But it’s there. It’s in the slurred words during a podcast interview. It’s in the anxiety and depression behind retirement. It’s in the athletes who tell you they “just feel off” but can’t explain why. It’s in the blank stares and the moments of forgotten names, forgotten roads home, forgotten timelines. It’s Traumatic Brain Injury, and it’s the hidden epidemic across combat sports. And we’ve all silently accepted it as part of the price of doing business.

We’ve seen TBI steal legends from boxing: fighters like Muhammad Ali, whose battle with Parkinson’s became a very public symbol of repeated head trauma’s toll. Gerald McClellan, once one of the most feared punchers in the sport, now lives blind and in need of full-time care following a brutal fight with Nigel Benn in 1995. More recently, boxers like Prichard Colón suffered life-altering brain injuries after repeated blows to the back of the head while the fight continued. We’ve seen similar symptoms emerge in retired MMA athletes too: fighters who speak slower than they once did, forget names, or deal with emotional volatility they can't explain. Even in kickboxing, Muay Thai, bare-knuckle boxing, anywhere strikes are thrown to the head, the pattern repeats.

While there is growing awareness about the risks of brain trauma in combat sports, the truth is we still don’t know the full scope of the issue. Studies like the 2017 JAMA report on CTE in football players and the Cleveland Clinic’s ongoing Professional Fighters Brain Health Study suggest that repetitive head trauma is clearly linked to long-term cognitive decline, but combat sports remain dramatically under-studied by comparison.

Some data points exist, such as findings from smaller clinical studies and surveys, but they’re often based on limited sample sizes or self-reporting. For example, a 2022 analysis in the Journal of Physical Fitness and Sports Medicine showed that concussion rates are higher among fighters with a history of multiple knockouts. These findings reinforce what many fighters, coaches, and physicians have already observed anecdotally, but the sport still lacks the robust, longitudinal research needed to define the true depth of the problem.

What we do know is that combat athletes suffer higher exposure to repetitive brain trauma than nearly any other class of athlete. And we’ve seen the consequences play out in the lives of real fighters: from Muhammad Ali to Prichard Colón, and tragically, in the deaths of fighters like Maxim Dadashev and more recently, Irish boxer John Cooney who died a week after fighting in Belfast. Each of these athletes suffered fatal brain injuries sustained during sanctioned professional matches. These are not isolated tragedies. They are part of a wider pattern. Behind every high-profile case, there are countless others whose names don’t make headlines, whose symptoms develop slowly, and whose suffering often goes unseen. The physical, emotional, and financial toll is undeniable.

Some organizations have made efforts. For example, the UFC conducts baseline neurocognitive testing for its athletes and has partnered with the Cleveland Clinic to study long-term brain health. Major boxing commissions such as the Nevada State Athletic Commission require pre-fight medical exams and suspensions after knockouts. However, these protocols are inconsistent across jurisdictions and vary significantly in enforcement. There is still no industry-wide standard for baseline brain scans, no integrated system for real-time impact monitoring, and no comprehensive recovery or post-career health program. Too often, fighters are told to rest, shake it off, and get ready for the next bout.

It’s not just outdated. It’s dangerous.

That’s exactly why we built M2MMA.

We love this world. We respect it. We understand the power of fighting: how it changes lives, inspires nations, builds character. But we also believe in evolution. We believe in fighting smarter. That’s why we’re designing M2MMA not just as a promotion, but as a platform for athlete-first innovation to address the issues facing Combat Sports Athletes on a wider scale. We're developing a technology ecosystem focused on protecting fighters before, during, and after the fight. Today, advancements in AI allow us to collect powerful data at scale and develop new tools to prevent, mitigate, and treat TBI. And M2Assist: a digital support system to help fighters manage mental health, financial literacy, and long-term career planning. Our mission is clear. Build a safer, smarter future for combat athletes.

Because the truth is, a fighter’s career is short. But their life shouldn’t be. They deserve to compete at the highest level with the support to minimize risk to their health and maximize performance, both during and after their career.

At M2MMA, that’s what we’re fighting for.

April 2, 2025

By Chris Cannon, General Manager, M2MMA

Today the UFC announced a major new sponsorship deal with Meta, marking one of the clearest signs yet that Big Tech is officially entering the fight game. It’s a landmark partnership, one that brings with it financial backing, global visibility, and likely a push toward immersive fan experiences. But beneath the surface, it tells a much bigger story: the business of combat sports is evolving, and fast.

For those of us building the future of the sport, this moment feels like confirmation. Tech companies, data giants, and innovation-driven investors are no longer sitting on the sidelines. They’re stepping into the cage and realizing that these great sports and incredible athletes are worth investing in.

For years, the UFC has operated with a model that prioritized match-making, brand control, and short-term star power. But as I discussed in my recent article on the decline in UFC’s breakout athletes, the landscape is shifting. Fewer fighters are becoming household names and that matters more than ever in today’s attention economy. As I explored in my article on the decline of star power in the UFC, and in my article about this issue in sorts in general, sports today compete not just in the cage or the ring, but across screens, timelines, and algorithms. In an era where attention is currency, promotions need more than hype, they need systems that sustain visibility, connect with fans meaningfully, and keep athletes in the spotlight beyond just fight night.

It’s also perhaps no coincidence that this news is breaking on the back of seeing Dana White begin to shift his attention into boxing, suggesting a broader strategic pivot. The UFC’s traditional promotional model, reliant on star-building and narrative control, may no longer be enough to capture attention and maintain momentum in a changing media landscape. This new partnership with Meta could be a step toward decentralizing that model. Rather than relying solely on promoter-driven hype. The UFC may be looking to future-proof itself through immersive fan engagement technologies, data-driven experiences, and platform-scale amplification. With Meta’s ecosystem behind it, UFC content can now live and thrive in environments where the algorithm does much of the heavy lifting. That’s a big shift, and a smart one.

The fact that this latest partnership is with Meta—led by Mark Zuckerberg, a known MMA enthusiast who’s publicly trained in jiu-jitsu and competed in tournaments, adds another layer of potential. This isn’t just a corporate play; it’s a collaboration with someone who understands the culture and values of the community. And with Meta behind the UFC, the potential for expanded social media reach is enormous. With platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Threads all under the Meta umbrella, MMA is now positioned to reach even wider global audiences, deepen fan engagement, and attract new demographics. That kind of visibility benefits everyone, athletes, promotions, sponsors, and fans alike.

The influx of Big Tech and corporate investment into MMA isn't just about branding, it’s a turning point. It signals that combat sports are being taken seriously by some of the world’s most forward-thinking companies. That’s good news not just for promotions, but especially for athletes. When tech and capital flow into a sport, history shows that standards tend to rise. We see improved infrastructure, better compensation models, and broader support systems. More investment can mean better medical care, smarter contracts, and expanded financial opportunities for fighters both inside and outside the cage - an issue I recently discussed in my article Chasing the Dream and Counting the cost.

And perhaps most importantly, it reflects a larger shift in how combat sports are viewed. Once seen as fringe or brutal, MMA is now being embraced as a dynamic, data-rich, and commercially viable industry. It’s evolving fast.

That’s why M2MMA was built. We’re here to redefine what a combat sports promotion can be one that puts athlete wellbeing, ethical innovation, and long-term vision at the core of its model. Our goal is to create a platform where fighters are empowered, supported, and given the tools to thrive both in and beyond their careers.

M2MMA is a revolutionary combat sports promotion that transforms the industry through cutting-edge innovation, advanced technology, and a steadfast commitment to athlete welfare. By integrating artificial intelligence, data-driven insights, and forward-thinking strategies, M2MMA enhances athlete safety, optimizes performance, and redefines the fan experience. Focusing on community engagement and fostering a dynamic future for combat sports, M2MMA stands at the intersection of technology and tradition, driving progress while honoring the sport's rich heritage.

The company is publicly traded on the Over-the-Counter Bulletin Board (OTCBB) of NASDAQ under the ticker symbol "RLAB." 

RLAB/M2MMA is majority controlled by M2Bio Sciences, which is also publicly traded on the Over-the-Counter market under the ticker symbol (OTC Pink: MRES)