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UFC fans love to be in the know. We’re here to help.

Derek Brunson shined this weekend against Darren Till, but despite Brunson’s incredible run and dominant finish over a legitimate contender, a title shot may not be coming as quickly as Brunson hopes. Someone who is likely to get a title shot next, Dustin Poirier, might make his last walk to the Octagon on the night of that title fight. We’ll also explain why Contender Series will be different in 2021 and just how big a threat Alexandre Pantoja could be to Brandon Moreno if they were to meet again.

As we look ahead to a busy few months inside the Octagon, Marc Raimondi, Brett Okamoto, Jeff Wagenheim and Carlos Contreras Legaspi want to make sure that you won’t be shocked if some surprising headlines show up on the site. Here’s what you need to know.

Don’t be surprised if … Brunson has to fight again before title shot

Raimondi: Derek Brunson has done more than enough to earn a title shot in the UFC’s middleweight division. He has won five straight, and he really put a stamp on things Saturday afternoon with a third-round submission victory over a popular fighter in Darren Till.

Few have the résumé of Brunson, who has fought just about all the best fighters at 185 pounds over the last nine years, including champion Israel Adesanya, current top contender Robert Whittaker, legend Anderson Silva, stalwart Yoel Romero and more. Brunson lost those bouts, but at 37 years old he is in his prime right now — and deserving of that recognition in the form of a chance at the belt.

However, there’s a solid shot that timing is going to be Brunson’s enemy in this situation. Adesanya is likely to defend against Whittaker, the man who Adesanya took the belt from in 2019, in early 2021. At minimum, that’s four months away. Add in time to recover for the winner of that fight, and if Brunson waits around — which he said he was willing to do — that could put his title shot sometime closer to the halfway point of 2022.

That’s a long time from now. And there’s another factor: Jared Cannonier. Two weeks ago, Cannonier looked strong in beating Kelvin Gastelum, and he has won four of his last five. Brunson might be on a slightly better run, but it’s close enough. Cannonier is surely in the title conversation, too. In a situation like this, it seems like the most logical answer is to just have Brunson and Cannonier fight it out. Maybe put that fight on the Adesanya vs. Whittaker undercard. If something goes wrong with Adesanya or Whittaker, Brunson or Cannonier can step in. And even if not, the two winners will be on the same timeline and can face off in a mini-tournament final.

Brunson clearly wants the title shot and is willing to wait until next spring to get it. I understand that perspective. He’s closer to 40 now than he is 30. His window of opportunity during his peak years won’t be open forever. But with the way the schedule works out now, it sure feels like Brunson will have to extend his impressive winning streak to six straight to get his second shot at the UFC middleweight championship.

Don’t be surprised if… Dustin Poirier retires if he wins a UFC championship

Okamoto: I decided to go bold here. If Poirier were to dethrone Charles Oliveira (that fight might happen in December, but it’s not official), what if he were to walk away? He’d be the second lightweight champion to do so — in his prime — in the last two years. For the record, I’m not predicting this will happen, I’m only saying, don’t be surprised if it does.

The one thing that has eluded Poirier over his 12-year professional career is an undisputed title. It’s the only box he has left to check. He’s described how important that is to him in multiple interviews. If he were to finally get it done in his next fight … would he be all that motivated to stick around and defend it against Justin Gaethje, Michael Chandler, Beneil Dariush or Islam Makhachev?

Honestly, I’m not too sure. Of course, there are also two potential fights out there for Poirier in which titles aren’t the central focus: Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz. The paychecks for those fights would be tough to walk away from, but is it possible Poirier would leave them on the table if he’s accomplished everything he wanted in his career? I think it’s entirely possible.

Don’t be surprised if … Contender Series yields more UFC contracts this season than ever before

Wagenheim: We have only one episode to go on, but what a start: five contracts awarded after just four fights. But it’s not the numbers alone that bode well for those who’ll be vying for UFC deals in Season 5’s nine remaining weekly episodes. What also stood out in Week 1 was the types of performances that caught the eye of the UFC brass.

Two of the contracts went to purveyors of knockouts, and that’s a no-brainer. But another fighter was rewarded with a UFC deal after he’d ended his bout by fouling his opponent and being deducted a point. The two other contracts went to both fighters in a close bout. That’s a new one — getting in off a loss. Now, this is not to suggest that any of these five fighters didn’t deserve a ticket to the Octagon. They all fought really well. It’s just that in past seasons it took more than that to get you in the door.

The most famous no-deal example is Brendan Loughnane, who was passed over after an outstanding victory in 2019 (and ended up in the PFL, where he fell one win short of this year’s $1 million championship fight). But he is not alone in showing off skills at least on par with a UFC prelim fighter, only to be turned away. Over the show’s first four seasons, it was mostly knockouts and submissions that were a key to the front door. Others did go the distance and still were chosen for entry, but only after explosive or dominant performances.

Last year’s Season 4 saw 37 contracts awarded, more than any other season. Season 5 is off to a great start in terms of beating that pace, although there’s a long way to go. We’re not likely to see five contacts handed out each week, but something tells me the entrance exam will remain looser. The past 18 months have been difficult for us all, but among the hardest hit are small, regional MMA promotions that are the breeding ground for future major-league talent. With the feeder system not yet back up and running at full speed, the UFC has to find its fighters somewhere.

Don’t be surprised if… Brandon Moreno cruises past Alexandre Pantoja in their third fight

Legaspi: Pantoja was right in his post-fight interview after defeating Brandon Royval on Aug. 21. He claimed that he made Brandon Moreno a better fighter with both of his victories over the current flyweight champion — in 2016, on The Ultimate Fighter, and again in May 2018.

After the dominant performance he had over Moreno in their second fight three years ago in Chile, Moreno learned the extent of his weaknesses in boxing.

Unlike many Mexican fighters, Moreno found success with his jiu-jitsu and wrestling, which is comparable to almost everyone in the division he’s faced since he arrived in the UFC. He proved that by submitting two ranked opponents in his first three fights, right after being eliminated from The Ultimate Fighter by Pantoja.

But that 2018 fight was crucial. Moreno was cut from the UFC after that loss, and the 125-pound division as a whole was in jeopardy.

Pantoja pushed Moreno to add tools to his set, and Moreno started building his boxing skills from scratch. Training in his native Tijuana with Javier “Drift” Cortez — who was part of Antonio Margarito’s corner, and worked with amateurs at Erik Morales’ gym — changed Brandon’s approach to the game and made him a very confident fighter on his feet. He improved his head movement and combinations, which helped him beat dangerous strikers like Kai Kara-France and former champion Deiveson Figueiredo.

Moreno’s confidence has grown as he’s built his undefeated streak to seven fights since the second Pantoja loss.

Pantoja looked explosive against Royval, and he will put pressure on Moreno, who wants to leave those two losses in the past. If Pantoja gets cleared from a left knee injury to fight before the end of the year, he will be a dangerous contender. But when it comes to improvement, the current champion looks like a completely different fighter than the one he dismantled three years ago.

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Stanley Cup playoff watch: Matchups to monitor Wednesday

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April 9, 2025

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Stanley Cup playoff watch: Matchups to monitor Wednesday

Following a busy, 10-game Tuesday night in the NHL, it’s a relatively quiet five-game evening on Wednesday.

Nevertheless, there are playoff and draft lottery ramifications aplenty, so let’s hit all five matchups rapid fire:

Toronto Maple Leafs at Tampa Bay Lightning
7 p.m. (ESPN+)

While the Leafs appear destined for a top two spot in the Atlantic, they can still be caught by the Lightning for the No. 1 seed. If the Lightning are going to do it, a game like this is a prime opportunity to make up ground with a regulation win.

Philadelphia Flyers at New York Rangers
7:30 p.m. (TNT)

The Rangers lost their two most recent games by a combined score of 9-1, and their playoff hopes are dwindling quickly. A win over the Flyers would be a good step in potentially climbing back into the playoffs. Philly is fourth in the draft lottery order heading into this matchup — and bear in mind they also own the first-round picks of the Colorado Avalanche and Edmonton Oilers.

San Jose Sharks at Minnesota Wild
8 p.m. (ESPN+)

Speaking of occupying a great place in the draft lottery order, the Sharks are No. 1, and are four points clear of the Chicago Blackhawks for that spot. The Wild are holding on to the second Western wild-card spot, and enter the evening four points up on the Flames.

St. Louis Blues at Edmonton Oilers
10 p.m. (TNT)

The Blues’ 12-game winning streak came to a halt on Monday at the hands of the Winnipeg Jets, and they’ll be looking to start another one here against the Oilers. St. Louis is in the first wild-card position, two points ahead of the Wild. The Oilers appear to be a lock for the No. 3 spot in the Pacific, bringing on a first-round matchup with the Los Angeles Kings for the fourth straight postseason.

Calgary Flames at Anaheim Ducks
10 p.m. (ESPN+)

Calgary’s chances to jump into wild-card position have faded recently, so getting two points out of this game is crucial. As noted above, they are four points back of the Wild for that final spot. The Ducks enter the contest in the No. 8 spot in the lottery order, right in a jumble of teams between 73 and 76 points, so they can move up pretty easily based on their performance in the final five games.

With the regular season ending April 17, we’ll help you track it all with the NHL playoff watch. As we traverse the final stretch, we’ll provide details on all the playoff races, along with the teams jockeying for position in the 2025 NHL draft lottery.

Note: Playoff chances are via Stathletes.

Jump ahead:
Current playoff matchups
Today’s schedule
Yesterday’s scores
Expanded standings
Race for No. 1 pick

Current playoff matchups

Eastern Conference

A1 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. WC1 Ottawa Senators
A2 Tampa Bay Lightning vs. A3 Florida Panthers
M1 Washington Capitals vs. WC2 Montreal Canadiens
M2 Carolina Hurricanes vs. M3 New Jersey Devils

Western Conference

C1 Winnipeg Jets vs. WC2 Minnesota Wild
C2 Dallas Stars vs. C3 Colorado Avalanche
P1 Vegas Golden Knights vs. WC1 St. Louis Blues
P2 Los Angeles Kings vs. P3 Edmonton Oilers

Wednesday’s games

Note: All times ET. All games not on TNT or NHL Network are available to stream on ESPN+ (local blackout restrictions apply).

Toronto Maple Leafs at Tampa Bay Lightning, 7 p.m.
Philadelphia Flyers at New York Rangers, 7:30 p.m. (TNT)
San Jose Sharks at Minnesota Wild, 8 p.m.
St. Louis Blues at Edmonton Oilers, 10 p.m. (TNT)
Calgary Flames at Anaheim Ducks, 10 p.m.

Tuesday’s scoreboard

Buffalo Sabres 3, Carolina Hurricanes 0
Montreal Canadiens 4, Detroit Red Wings 1
Florida Panthers 3, Toronto Maple Leafs 1
Boston Bruins 7, New Jersey Devils 2
Columbus Blue Jackets 5, Ottawa Senators 2
Pittsburgh Penguins 5, Chicago Blackhawks 0
Nashville Predators 7, New York Islanders 6 (OT)
Vancouver Canucks 6, Dallas Stars 5 (OT)
Utah Hockey Club 7, Seattle Kraken 1
Colorado Avalanche 3, Vegas Golden Knights 2 (SO)

Expanded standings

Atlantic Division

Points: 98
Regulation wins: 39
Playoff position: A1
Games left: 5
Points pace: 104.4
Next game: @ TB (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 96
Regulation wins: 39
Playoff position: A2
Games left: 5
Points pace: 102.2
Next game: vs. TOR (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 94
Regulation wins: 36
Playoff position: A3
Games left: 4
Points pace: 98.8
Next game: vs. DET (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 90
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 4
Points pace: 94.6
Next game: vs. MTL (Friday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 87
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 4
Points pace: 91.5
Next game: @ OTT (Friday)
Playoff chances: 89.2%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 79
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 5
Points pace: 84.1
Next game: @ FLA (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 5.5%
Tragic number: 2

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 5
Points pace: 80.9
Next game: @ CBJ (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: E

Points: 73
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 3
Points pace: 75.8
Next game: vs. CHI (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Metro Division

Points: 107
Regulation wins: 42
Playoff position: M1
Games left: 5
Points pace: 114.0
Next game: vs. CAR (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 96
Regulation wins: 41
Playoff position: M2
Games left: 5
Points pace: 102.2
Next game: @ WSH (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 89
Regulation wins: 36
Playoff position: M3
Games left: 4
Points pace: 93.6
Next game: vs. PIT (Friday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 79
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 5
Points pace: 84.1
Next game: vs. PHI (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 1.9%
Tragic number: 3

Points: 79
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 5
Points pace: 84.1
Next game: vs. NYR (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 3%
Tragic number: 2

Points: 79
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 5
Points pace: 84.1
Next game: vs. BUF (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0.5%
Tragic number: 2

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 3
Points pace: 78.9
Next game: @ NJ (Friday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Points: 71
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 5
Points pace: 75.6
Next game: @ NYR (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Central Division

Points: 110
Regulation wins: 42
Playoff position: C1
Games left: 4
Points pace: 115.6
Next game: @ DAL (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 106
Regulation wins: 41
Playoff position: C2
Games left: 4
Points pace: 111.4
Next game: vs. WPG (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 100
Regulation wins: 39
Playoff position: C3
Games left: 3
Points pace: 103.8
Next game: vs. VAN (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 93
Regulation wins: 31
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 3
Points pace: 96.5
Next game: @ EDM (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 97.3%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 91
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 4
Points pace: 95.7
Next game: vs. SJ (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 92.1%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 84
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 4
Points pace: 88.3
Next game: vs. NSH (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 1

Points: 64
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 4
Points pace: 67.3
Next game: @ UTA (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Points: 54
Regulation wins: 19
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 4
Points pace: 56.8
Next game: @ BOS (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Pacific Division

Points: 103
Regulation wins: 43
Playoff position: P1
Games left: 4
Points pace: 108.3
Next game: vs. SEA (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 97
Regulation wins: 39
Playoff position: P3
Games left: 5
Points pace: 103.3
Next game: vs. ANA (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 93
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: P2
Games left: 5
Points pace: 99.0
Next game: vs. STL (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 99.6%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 87
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 5
Points pace: 92.7
Next game: @ ANA (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 10.9%
Tragic number: 6

Points: 85
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 4
Points pace: 89.4
Next game: @ COL (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 2

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 5
Points pace: 80.9
Next game: vs. CGY (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Points: 74
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 3
Points pace: 76.8
Next game: @ VGK (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Points: 50
Regulation wins: 14
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 5
Points pace: 53.3
Next game: @ MIN (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Note: A “y” means that the team has clinched the division title. An “x” means that the team has clinched a playoff berth. An “e” means that the team has been eliminated from playoff contention.

Race for the No. 1 pick

The NHL uses a draft lottery to determine the order of the first round, so the team that finishes in last place is not guaranteed the No. 1 selection. As of 2021, a team can move up a maximum of 10 spots if it wins the lottery, so only 11 teams are eligible for the No. 1 pick. Full details on the process are here. Matthew Schaefer, a defenseman for the OHL’s Erie Otters, is No. 1 on the draft board.

Points: 50
Regulation wins: 14

Points: 54
Regulation wins: 19

Points: 64
Regulation wins: 23

Points: 71
Regulation wins: 20

Points: 73
Regulation wins: 25

Points: 74
Regulation wins: 28

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 22

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 24

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 28

Points: 79
Regulation wins: 25

Points: 79
Regulation wins: 27

Points: 79
Regulation wins: 28

Points: 79
Regulation wins: 32

Points: 84
Regulation wins: 28

Points: 85
Regulation wins: 27

Points: 87
Regulation wins: 28

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Sabres’ postseason drought reaches 14 seasons

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April 9, 2025

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Sabres' postseason drought reaches 14 seasons

  • Associated Press

Apr 9, 2025, 12:14 AM ET

BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Sabres were officially eliminated from Stanley Cup playoff contention for the 14th straight season Tuesday night.

The Sabres extended their playoff drought, which is the longest in NHL history and ties them with the NFL’s New York Jets for the longest current run of seasons since qualifying for the postseason.

Buffalo initially set the record after the 2021-22 season when they missed the postseason for the 11th straight time.

“We know where we’re at,” Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said. “I’m disappointed where we’re at and we can’t do anything with that, but we can work on our game and we’re going to continue to work on our game until it’s over.”

Ruff is in his second stint as coach of the Sabres. He was hired in May to replace Don Granato. Ruff was the last person to coach Buffalo to the playoffs in 2011 before he was fired in 2013.

The Sabres beat the Carolina Hurricanes 3-0 on Tuesday night to keep a shred of hope alive, but the Montreal Canadiens‘ 4-1 win at home against the Detroit Red Wings left Buffalo 11 points behind with five games remaining.

“It’s mixed emotions, for sure,” Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin said. “I mean, (ticked) that we started to play good now. It’s too late. But also, it’s good we can see that we can play good hockey, and we can beat any team in this league.”

The Sabres were able to stave off elimination until their 77th game thanks to winning 10 of their last 13 games, including five straight. However, a staggering 13-game losing streak in November and December in which they went 0-10-3 doomed the season.

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Comeback Canucks make history with furious finish

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April 9, 2025

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Comeback Canucks make history with furious finish

  • ESPN News Services

Apr 9, 2025, 12:00 AM ET

DALLAS — Kiefer Sherwood scored with 1:16 left in overtime after Pius Suter scored two of Vancouver’s three 6-on-5 goals in the final minute of regulation, and the Canucks made NHL history by stunning the Dallas Stars 6-5 on Tuesday night.

Suter’s second goal tied the score 5-5 with 5.2 seconds remaining and sent Vancouver into the record books. According to ESPN Research, the Canucks are the first team in NHL history to overcome a three-goal deficit in the final minute of regulation.

“It was not easy, but we stuck with it,” Suter said in his postgame interview for Vancouver’s official website. “We had a couple of nice power-play goals, and then at the end, we were just battling and believing until the end.”

Aatu Raty began the late rally by scoring with exactly a minute left in the third period, while Jake DeBrusk and Victor Mancini scored power-play goals early in the third for the Canucks, who preserved their slim playoff hopes. Thatcher Demko made 23 saves for Vancouver.

“Obviously, it was a fun game for us,” Suter said. “There’s a lot of excitement, and we’re just glad to get one of those, especially because that was a really good team over there.”

Sherwood concurred.

“Says a lot about the group,” Sherwood said in the Canucks locker room. “When adversity hits, we just dig in. Guys were able to execute and make stuff happen.”

With the win, Vancouver is six points behind the Minnesota Wild for the Western Conference’s No. 2 wild-card slot.

Mikko Rantanen, Mason Marchment and Matt Duchene scored power-play goals for the Stars during the first two periods, while Mavrik Bourque and Mikael Granlund scored in the final three minutes. Casey DeSmith stopped 26 shots for Dallas, which is four points behind first-place Winnipeg in the Central Division and will host the Jets on Thursday.

Granlund, whose goal was an empty-netter, also had two assists for the Stars. Duchene became Dallas’ fourth 30-goal scorer; the Stars and the Tampa Bay Lightning are the only NHL clubs in that category this season.

But the home team wasn’t in the mood to talk about statistics after this one.

“I’ve won and lost a lot of games in this league,” Stars coach Peter DeBoer said. “I don’t think I’ve ever lost one in that fashion before.”

Stars captain Jamie Benn, who grew up about 70 miles west of Vancouver, in Victoria, British Columbia, called the loss “unacceptable.”

“That game should have been wrapped up,” Benn said. “We should have found a way to get it done there.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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