What is the story about?
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will be taking this week off, presumably because nobody in upper management wants to work during Thanksgiving. Sadly, those fighters competing at UFC 323 on Dec. 5 will still be cutting weight on Turkey day, so remember to mourn them when you go back for seconds (and thirds).
Fight fans who still want their combat sports fix this weekend can check out some other live events, or catch up on replays from previous cards. Multiple disciplines will be on display later
this week, most notably in boxing where Ben Whittaker collides with Benjamin Gavazi for the vacant WBC Silver Light Heavyweight title.
Have a look:
Boxing Events
- Ben Whittaker vs. Benjamin Gavazi (Light Heavyweight, 10 Rounds)
Date: Saturday, November 29, 2025
Location: National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham, England
Details: Headlining a DAZN card with undercards including Frazer Clarke vs. Jeamie “TKV” Tshikeva (Heavyweight) and Hughie Fury’s return bout.
How to Watch: DAZN - ProBox TV: The Fight For Dignity
Date: Saturday, November 29, 2025 (4:30 PM ET)
Location: Save Mart Center, Fresno, CA
Details: A prospect-heavy card with multiple welterweight and lightweight bouts, focusing on up-and-coming talent.
How to Watch: ProBox TV (streaming on app/website). - Manny Pacquiao Promotions: An Evening of Championship Fights
Date: Saturday, November 29, 2025 (6:00 PM PT)
Location: Pechanga Resort Casino, Temecula, CA
Details: Features title eliminators and regional championships in super featherweight and junior middleweight divisions, promoted by the legend”Pac Man” himself.
How to Watch: Local PPV or streaming via promoter channels. - Reymart Soledad vs. Apinun Khongsong (Super Bantamweight)
Date: Saturday, November 29, 2025 (2:00 AM ET)
Location: Bangkok, Thailand
Details: A TrillerTV international bout with knockout potential, part of a card blending Thai and Filipino strikers.
How to Watch: TrillerTV (PPV stream). - Guns N’ Hoses Charity Boxing Event
Date: Saturday, November 29, 2025
Location: Enterprise Center, St. Louis, MO, USA
Details: Exhibition-style charity fights featuring first responders vs. pros.
How to Watch: Local broadcast
Kickboxing Events
- Kunlun Fight World Championship
Date: Saturday, November 29, 2025 (12:00 AM ET)
Location: Juzhuang, Shandong Province, China
Details: Features lightweight and middleweight tournament semis with Chinese and international kickboxers known for their knockouts.
How to Watch: Kunlun Fight YouTube or app - K-1 World MAX Europe – Oktagon Roma
Date: Saturday, November 29, 2025
Location: Rome, Italy
Details: Co-promoted tournament with cruiserweight title (Liu Ce vs. Thian de Vries) and super welterweight title (Ouyang Feng vs. Darryl Verdonk), plus 70kg qualifiers.
How to Watch: K-1/Oktagon PPV (Europe-focused streaming). - WKO Awards Ceremony & Kickboxing Expo
Date: Saturday, November 29, 2025
Location: Metrodome Arena, Sheffield, England
Details: Combines awards for top fighters with demo bouts and amateur finals in point-sparring and full-contact divisions.
How to Watch: WKO live stream (limited free access).
MMA Events
- MCC 74: Thanksgiving Throwdown 2025
Date: Wednesday, November 26, 2025 (8:30 PM ET)
Location: Horizon Center in Cleve, Iowa
Details: Midwest regional card with bantamweight and welterweight title fights, known for grappler vs. striker matchups.
How to Watch: MCC YouTube or FITE TV - ONE Friday Fights 135
Date: Friday, Nov. 28 (7:30 AM EST)
Location: Lumpinee Stadium, Bangkok
Details: This event brings an army of Muay Thai, MMA and Kickboxing athletes from around the world to compete for unity, according to the ONE website.
How to watch: live.onefc.com
Grappling Events
- UWW Grappling World Championships (U15/U17/U20/Veteran)
Dates: Ongoing through November 4, but finals and highlights available via replay/stream for weekend binge.
Location: Loutraki, Greece
Details: GI and No-Gi divisions across age groups, with world medals in freestyle grappling. Features elite youth and masters.
How to Watch: UWW.org - Grappling Industries Tournaments
Various dates around November 29-30 (e.g., Saratoga Springs, NY on Nov 15 spillover)
Details: Round-robin BJJ/Grappling events with adult/kids divisions. High match volume.
How to Watch: Smoothcomp YouTube
Other Combat Sports
- Shoot Boxing 40th Anniversary S-Cup x GZT 2025 (Hybrid Kickboxing/MMA)
Date: Early November (Tokyo, Japan) – Replays available.
Details: Features Kotaro Yamada vs. Josué Absalon in a striking/grappling hybrid tournament.
How to Watch: iPPV via Shoot Boxing site.
We only have two more UFC events before the end of the year (see them here and here) and the promotion has yet to announce its 2026 schedule, which switches over from ESPN and ESPN+ to Paramount+ and CBS, thanks to the billion-dollar deal UFC reached with Paramount earlier this year.
Until then … happy holidays!
