June is set to be combat sports biggest month ever

June is set to be an explosive month in the world of combat sports. With the 2024 calendar having exciting events littered all around, there is no month as enticing for fight fans as June. Whilst the month will have exciting events all around, there are some events that just stand out and promise to have this as the craziest 30 days in combat sports. Here are some of the highlights to keep an eye out for in June 2024.

Dmitry Bivol vs. Artur Beterbiev - June 1

The unified light heavyweight titles will be on the line as the month of June in boxing kicks off with an event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev will meet in a possible 12 rounds in a bout where one of their undefeated streaks will come to an end. The card is set to feature six fights including the WBA featherweight title bout between Raymond Ford and Nick Ball. The event is being co-promoted by Bob Arum (Top Rank), Eddie Hearn (Matchroom Boxing, and Frank Warren (Queensberry Promotions). Bivol vs. Beterbiev will take place on Saturday, June 1. This event will be live from the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

UFC 302 - June 1

Following the historic UFC 300 event, the UFC 302 event was announced. Two matches were announced for the event as the main event and the co-headliner. Islam Makhachev is set to make his third defense of the lightweight title, and he does so against a former champion. Dustin Poirier is currently ranked no. 4 in the division and had a stunning second-round knockout at UFC 299, and they will meet in the main event.

The co-main event of the evening will see former middleweight titleholder Sean Strickland going up against Paulo Costa. The rest of the card also features some other prominent names within the UFC. UFC 302 will take place on Saturday, June 1. The event will emanate from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.

Nate Diaz vs. Jorge Masvidal (boxing) - June 1

Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal first met at UFC 244 on November 2, 2019. Taking place at the Madison Square Garden in New York, more than 20,000 people were in attendance to witness the moment that Masvidal defeated Diaz via a third-round doctor stoppage. With Diaz and Masvidal no longer in the sport of mixed martial arts, they both have swapped out the Octagon for the boxing ring. And this opens the door for the two to have a rematch.

Diaz has already had a boxing match, a losing effort against Jake Paul. Following his April 2023 retirement from MMA, this match will be Masvidal's first boxing match. The two will meet in a 10-round light heavyweight bout. This will take place on Saturday, June 1. The event will be held at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California.

Gervonta Davis vs. Frank Martin - June 15

Gervonta Davis will defend his WBA lightweight title against rising contender Frank Martin. As two of the biggest stars on the Premier Boxing Champions roster, this is quite the cannot-miss match. The co-main event will see two-time super middleweight champion David Benavidez make a move up to 175 pounds. He will be welcomed by former champion Oleksandr Govzdyk to the division, and the two will be battling for the WBC interim light heavyweight title. David vs. Martin will take place on Saturday, June 15. The event will be live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Robert Whittaker vs. Khamzat Chimaev - June 22

The UFC is set to make its debut in Saudi Arabia in June. Initially supposed to take place in early March, the event was postponed, and it is now set for late June. The main event of the evening will see a middleweight bout between Robert Whittaker and Khamzat Chimaev. This is a title eliminator for the 185-pound gold. The card will feature at least three other fights that fight fans might be intrigued to tune into. This event will take place on Saturday, June 22. It will be live from the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Bellator Champions Series: Dublin - June 22

The Bellator Champions series continues on and, in June, they make their first trip to Dublin, Ireland since September 2023. This event will be the third in the series, and it will be headlined by a welterweight championship fight. Jason Jackson is set to make his first defense of the welterweight gold, and he does so against Ramazan Kuramagomedov, who is undefeated in his 12-fight career. The co-main event will be a bantamweight title eliminator between Kasum Kasumov and Matheus Mattos. Bellator Champions Series 3 will take place at the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland. The event will take place on Saturday, June 22.

UFC 303 - June 29

With UFC 300 complete, all eyes in the world of MMA turn towards the upcoming UFC International Fight Week. With a myriad of events and experiences set to take place over that week, the primary focus is the pay-per-view that the UFC will have on offer. Serving as the cornerstone to the 2024 International Fight Week, UFC 303 will take place at the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada. Headlining the card will be the heavily anticipated bout between The Ultimate Fighter's season 31 coaches Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler.

This will be McGregor's first match in three years, following a broken tibia sustained during UFC 264 in July 2021. The two will meet in a welterweight bout. UFC 303 takes place on Saturday, June 29. It will serve as the end to the 2024 UFC International Fight Week and will emanate live from the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada.

PFL 2024 Regular Season - June 13, June 21 & June 28

Throughout the month of June, the PFL will put on three events. These will witness the six divisions taking part in the 2024 regular season return to the PFL's Smart Cage for yet another opportunity to gain the necessary points.

Kicking things off will be the heavyweight and women's flyweight divisions, which will take place on Thursday, June 13 live from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. The light heavyweight and lightweight divisions will take center stage on Friday, June 21 live from the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. The welterweights and lightweights are going to be in action on Friday, June 28 live from the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. This will be right before the promotion goes on their break before resuming the season.