Boxing Sees Title Upsets, MMA Takes a Breather in Mid-January

The professional combat sports world delivered a mix of thrilling upsets and quiet anticipation over the past week, roughly spanning January 12th to 18th, 2026. Boxing fans witnessed a significant championship change, while the mixed martial arts scene saw no major promotions holding events.

In a major boxing upset, Dalton Smith (19-0) delivered a stunning performance on January 10th, stopping champion Subriel Matias (23-3) in the fifth round to claim the WBC Super Lightweight title. This highly anticipated bout took place in Brooklyn, New York, with Smith overcoming the odds to secure his first world title. The fight saw Smith confidently land jabs and combinations, forcing Matias into a brawl and ultimately securing a fifth-round stoppage.

Also on January 10th, Agit Kabayel (27-0) successfully defended his WBC interim heavyweight title in Oberhausen, Germany, defeating Damian Knyba (17-1) via a controversial third-round technical knockout. The stoppage sparked discussion among boxing analysts, adding intrigue to Kabayel's standing in the heavyweight division. In other title action from the same card, Jadier Herrera (18-0) secured the vacant WBC interim lightweight title by stopping Ricardo Nunez (26-8) in the eighth round, and Petar Milas (20-1) halted Granit Shala (18-2) in the tenth round for the IBF International heavyweight title.

Further boxing action occurred on January 17th. Gabriel Jimenez defeated Daniel Sanchez via unanimous decision. Albert Gonzalez secured a TKO victory over Franklin Gonzalez in the seventh round. Additionally, Dainier Pero stopped Mario Aguilar in the second round. A notable fight on January 16th saw Nikita Tszyu's bout against Michael Zerafa end in a no-contest due to a cut.

The mixed martial arts landscape was relatively quiet for major organizations during this period. The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) had no numbered events or major fight nights scheduled, with UFC 324 and UFC 325 slated for later in January. However, the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) did hold an event, BKFC 86, on January 18th at the Mohegan Sun Arena, marking its 2026 premiere. While specific results from BKFC 86 were not immediately detailed, the event was reported as sold out. Smaller regional MMA promotions also held events, though specific outcomes from these were not widely reported in major news outlets.