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Get all the mixed martial arts fighting news and analysis you need from the award-winning team at MMA Fighting. Produced by MMA Fighting and SB Nation, and part of the Vox Media Podcast Network.

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251
HOAM | Tony Ferguson Working With David Goggins...
Even with the loss of Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic, the UFC 295 title fights are incredibly fascinating with the returning Jiri Prochazka taking on former middleweight champ Alex Pereira, and Sergei Pavlovich and Tom Aspinall battling for the interim heavyweight title — both fights nearly pick 'ems from a betting perspective. On an all-new edition of Heck of a Morning, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck discusses the top-two bouts ahead of this Saturday's UFC 295 event at Madison Square Garden, the intriguing and almost unpredictable nature of them, and Pereira's chance to become a first ballot UFC hall-of-famer in just his 11th pro MMA fight should he capture a second divisional title. Additionally, listener topics include the UFC 297 main event between Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis, Tony Ferguson working with David Goggins ahead of his UFC 296 bout with Paddy Pimblett, and much more. You can listen live to Heck of a Morning Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays at 10 a.m. ET on the MMA Fighting Twitter Spaces.
61 min
252
Daniel Cormier Previews UFC 295, Francis Nganno...
UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier sits down with MMA Fighting senior reporter Damon Martin to preview UFC 295 as well as discuss Francis Ngannou’s options following his fight with Tyson Fury as well as the UFC broadcast team, which now includes Laura Sanko.
37 min
253
No Bets Barred: Who Will Hear 'And New' At UFC ...
The No Bets Barred boys are back this week with a full breakdown of UFC 295 and the promotion's return to Madison Square Garden with two vacant title fights.
82 min
254
HOAM | Reaction To Taila Santos Exiting UFC, St...
Less than 18 months after taking Valentina Shevchenko to the limit in her only opportunity at UFC gold, Taila Santos is no longer on the UFC roster. While the news seems to be surprising to the MMA community, is Santos exiting the promotion actually a good thing for the 30-year-old fighter? On an all-new edition of Heck of a Morning, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck reacts to the news of Santos' release, and makes the case that Santos continuing her career elsewhere may be the best thing for her at this time. Additionally, listener questions include Dana White's three title fights he announced on Monday, including the UFC 297 main event between Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis for the middleweight title, if Sean O'Malley has the most to gain of all the six championship competitors from a star-power perspective, Islam Makhachev getting ranked No. 1 on the UFC's pound-for-pound list, and much more. You can listen live to Heck of a Morning Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays at 10 a.m. ET on the MMA Fighting Twitter Spaces.
85 min
255
Jamahal Hill Updates Return Timeline, Previews ...
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jamahal Hill discusses his return from injury after suffering a torn Achilles while also previewing the upcoming title fight between Jiri Prochazka and Alex Pereira.
27 min
256
Fighter vs. Writer: Matt Brown Makes UFC 295 Pi...
On the latest episode of The Fighter vs. The Writer, we look ahead at the main and co-main events for UFC 295 and react to Dana White’s announcements about three new title fights booked for UFC 297, UFC 298 and UFC 299
50 min
257
Trocação Franca | Alex Poatan fala do cinturão ...
O UFC finalmente voltou a São Paulo — e sete dias depois já tem Alex Poatan disputando cinturão em Nova York. O Trocação Franca repercute o que rolou na Terra da Garoa na companhia do jornalista Laerte Viana, e traz entrevistas exclusivas com alguns destaques do UFC 295: Alex Poatan, Jessica Bate Estaca, Diego Lopes e Tabatha Ricci.
90 min
258
Emergency Reaction: Dana White Announces Three ...
The first quarter of 2024 already has four UFC title fights on the books with Dana White making a blockbuster announcement on Monday afternoon. MMA Fighting’s Mike Heck, Shaun Al-Shatti, and Steven Marrocco react to the UFC CEO announcing that Sean Strickland vs. Dricus Du Plessis for the middleweight title will headline UFC 297 on Jan. 20 in Toronto, Alexander Volkanovski vs. Ilia Topuria for the featherweight championship will serve as the UFC 298 main event in February, and Sean O’Malley vs. Marlon Vera 2 will take place at UFC 299 in March for the 135-pound title. Both UFC 298 and UFC 299 do not have a date, location, or venue announced at this time. Additionally, the panel ranks the three new title fights in order of intrigue and interest, what the announcement could mean for UFC 300, and more.
24 min
259
Jon Anik Talks UFC 295, Reacts To Jon Jones' Wi...
UFC play-by-play voice Jon Anik joins MMA Fighting's Mike Heck to preview Saturday's UFC 295 card, talks Jon Jones' withdrawal, Sergei Pavlovich vs. Tom Aspinall for the interim heavyweight title, Jiri Prochazka vs. Alex Pereira getting promoted to the main event, Francis Ngannou's future after his fight with Tyson Fury, Islam Makhachev and Khamzat Chimaev's wins at UFC 294, and more.
28 min
260
Stephen Thompson: UFC Has 'Settled Everything' ...
UFC welterweight Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson joins MMA Fighting's Mike Heck to preview his UFC 296 matchup with Shavkat Rakhmonov, talks he and the UFC working out an agreement financially following his UFC 291 fight cancellation with Michel Pereira, Leon Edwards vs. Colby Covington, Kamaru Usman's performance against Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 294, and much more.
21 min
261
On To the Next One | Matches To Make After UFC ...
Jailton Almeida controlled and dominated Derrick Lewis for nearly the entire UFC Sao Paulo main event, and as impressive as a feat as that is, the performance still left people with questions about his ceiling in the heavyweight division. Where does Almeida go from here in order to answer those questions? On an all-new edition of On To the Next One, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Alexander K. Lee attempt to predict who Almeida could face next following his unanimous decision win over Lewis in Saturday's headliner. Additionally, future matchups are discussed for Nicolas Dalby after his gritty comeback stoppage win over Gabriel Bonfim in the co-main event, Rodrigo Nascimento following his second victory against Don'Tale Mayes, Caio Barralho after improving to 5-0 in the UFC with his win over Abus Magomedov, along with Rookie of the Year contender Elves Brener, and more.
62 min
262
UFC São Paulo Reaction | How Do You Grade Jailt...
Jailton Almeida dominated Derrick Lewis over 25 minutes in the main event of Saturday's UFC Sao Paulo card, yet, a lot of people seem to have left the event with far more questions than answers, and found Almeida's performance as somewhat of a letdown. What grade does Almeida deserve for his second straight main event win? MMA Fighting's Mike Heck, Alexander K. Lee, and Eric "New York Ric" Jackman react to Almeida's sweep of the scorecards against Lewis, if the surging heavyweight gained anything with the win, if the community actually learned more about Lewis in the loss than Almeida in the win, and where Almeida goes next. Additionally, they discuss Nicolas Dalby's gritty comeback stoppage win against Gabriel Bonfim as the biggest underdog on the main card, Elves Brener's sensational knockout, Angela Hill continuing to pick up victories and her importance to the UFC roster, and more.
61 min
263
Dustin Poirier Details Getting Call For Islam M...
Dustin Poirier joins MMA Fighting's Mike Heck to discuss getting the call to possibly step in to face Islam Makhachev on short notice at UFC 294, finding out Alexander Volkanovski got the title shot, how the UFC 294 main event played out, when he hopes to return, UFC 300 being enticing, Francis Ngannou's performance against Tyson Fury, attending this year's Mr. Olympia event, partnering up with Celcius, their new Essentials line, and more.
11 min
264
UFC Sao Paulo Preview Show | Can Derrick Lewis ...
Jailton Almeida has been unstoppable since making his debut in the UFC, and as the surging heavyweight contender looks to take another step forward towards a title shot, a powerful veteran in Derrick Lewis aims to play spoiler in the main event of UFC Sao Paulo. MMA Fighting's Mike Heck, José Youngs, and Alexander K. Lee preview Saturday's headliner between Almeida and Lewis, what Almeida could gain from a victory, if a Lewis win could shake up the entire division, and more. Additionally, they discuss other interesting matchups on the card, the Ismael Bonfim vs. Vinc Pichel, and Victor Hugo vs. Daniel Marcos bouts being cancelled after Bonfim and Hugo missed weight, the ceiling on Rinat Fakhretdinov at 170 pounds, and more.
57 min
265
HOAM | Will Jon Jones Retire After Potential St...
Jon Jones was supposed to headline UFC 295 next Saturday before tearing his pectoral muscle, thus delaying his matchup with decorated former heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic until sometime in 2024. While it seemed like the Miocic matchup could be the final one for Jones, does the delay change things at all? On an all-new edition of Heck of a Morning, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck discusses Jones' future, and makes the case that "Bones" could stick around after the Miocic fight. Additionally, listener questions include favorite fights of all-time, why a Jones vs. Francis Ngannou fight will never happen, the UFC's monster financials for the first half of 2024, leaked payouts for the likes of Conor McGregor, Ronda Rousey, and more due to the ongoing anti-trust lawsuit, and much more. You can listen live to Heck of a Morning Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays at 10 a.m. ET on the MMA Fighting Twitter Spaces.
53 min
266
BTL | Francis Ngannou's Next Move, Almeida vs. ...
Francis Ngannou shocked the combat sports world by taking lineal boxing heavyweight champion Tyson Fury to the limit this past Saturday in Saudi Arabia, a performance that has opened so many lucrative doors for the former UFC world champion. With so many options in play, what is the most interesting move for Ngannou moving forward? On an all-new edition of Between the Links, the panel discusses Ngannou's performance, whether his next fight should be in boxing or MMA, and if a fight with Jon Jones could ever happen despite being the biggest fight the UFC could take part in at the moment. Additionally, topics include UFC Sao Paulo, the main event between Jailton Almeida and Derrick Lewis and the stakes attached, Lewis' recent arrest ahead of the bout, Khamzat Chimaev's injury update and what that could mean for Sean Strickland, UFC Austin getting two big five-round lightweight bouts, and more. Host Mike Heck moderates the matchup between MMA Fighting's Shaheen Al-Shatti and Alexander K. Lee.
84 min
267
HOAM | Will Sean O'Malley Be Next Fighter To Cr...
Sean O'Malley has expressed interest in crossing over to the boxing world since capturing the UFC bantamweight title, and other big named boxers have reciprocated that interest in wanting to welcome him to the sport. While "Sugar" isn't there quite yet, could a win in his first title defense get him over the hump? On an all-new edition of Heck of a Morning, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck attempts to answer that question, and gives his thoughts about how close O'Malley could be to getting his big money opportunity. Additionally, listener topics include the UFC anti-trust case and the promotion's appeal getting denied, Francis Ngannou's next move, how the PFL needs to capitalize on Ngannou's performance against Tyson Fury, promotional rankings, and much more. You can listen live to Heck of a Morning Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays at 10 a.m. ET on the MMA Fighting Twitter Spaces.
71 min
268
DAMN! They Were Good | Wanderlei Silva, The Mos...
DAMN! They Were Good celebrates the careers of the most exciting and influential fighters in MMA history and on this episode it celebrates the career of Wanderlei Silva, the most intimidating fighter to ever compete in MMA.
158 min
269
No Bets Barred: Does Jailton Almeida Keep Rolli...
The No Bets Barred boys are back this week with a full breakdown of UFC Sao Paulo and the main event matchup between Jailton Almeida and Derrick Lewis.
55 min
270
Trocação Franca | Tudo sobre o UFC São Paulo (c...
Agora o bicho vai pegar: o UFC desembarca em São Paulo pela primeira vez em quase quatro anos, e o Trocação Franca destrincha o card com a ajuda de Román Laurito, comentarista de MMA na Band, faixa-preta de jiu-jitsu e baixista da banda Tihuana. O podcast traz, ainda, entrevistas com Jailton Malhadinho, Vitor Petrino, Ismael Bonfim, Eduarda Ronda, Elves Brener, Kaue Fernandes e Fabrício Andrade.
118 min
271
HOAM | After Shocking the World, Francis Nganno...
Francis Ngannou's combat sports career took another incredible turn on Saturday when he arguably beat the lineal heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury in a 10-round boxing match in Saudi Arabia — even dropping Fury in the third round. Despite not getting the victory on the cards, Ngannou is the fight's big winner in other ways. On an all-new edition of Heck of a Morning, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck reacts to Ngannou's performance against Fury, how Ngannou the boxer is far more intriguing than Ngannou the MMA fighter, and how the only MMA opponent that makes any sense is the fight with current UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones. Additionally, listener topics include potential boxing options for Ngannou moving forward, the "fumbled the bag" critics being humbled, if the UFC lost in the long run with Saturday's result, and much more. You can listen live to Heck of a Morning Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays at 10 a.m. ET on the MMA Fighting Twitter Spaces.
46 min
272
Fighter vs. Writer: Matt Brown Erupts on Tyson ...
On the latest episode of The Fighter vs. The Writer, Matt Brown reacts to Francis Ngannou’s shocking performance against Tyson Fury in his professional boxing debut while blasting the entire heavyweight division in boxing and offering Ngannou advice about what he should do next.
95 min
273
On To the Next One | Ask Mike & AK Anything Ret...
With the UFC having a rare Saturday night without a fight card, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Alexander K. Lee didn't want to leave the listeners hanging, so they decided to turn the programming over to them. On a special "Ask Us Anything" edition of On To the Next One, Mike and AK reunite to answer listener questions, with topics including whether or not Khamzat Chimaev is being judged by the MMA community on a more difficult scale than maybe any other fighter in UFC history. Additionally, questions include building a fantasy RIZIN New Year's Eve card, if 2023 could surpass 2016 as the craziest year in MMA, the best seats to watch a UFC event in an arena, what sport would they cover outside of MMA if asked, the fight that they like that most dislike, and the other way around, the MMA fighter elevator test, and more.
94 min
274
Fury vs. Ngannou Reaction | Was Francis Ngannou...
Francis Ngannou may not have gotten the official victory against Tyson Fury on the scorecards, but he sure feels like Saturday's biggest winner after defying the odds and taking the lineal boxing heavyweight champion to his absolute limit. MMA Fighting's Mike Heck, Shaheen Al-Shatti, and Alexander K. Lee react to Fury edging out a heavily debated split decision over the former UFC heavyweight champion, discuss whether or not Ngannou was robbed by two of the judges, why it doesn't ultimately matter whether he was or not, if Ngannou's next fight will be in the boxing ring, if he'll return to MMA at all, how "The Predator" has been able to silence his many critics — including UFC CEO Dana White — if the targeted Fury vs. Usyk fight is more or less interesting, and so much more following the Battle of the Baddest fight card.
72 min
275
Fury vs. Ngannou Preview Show | Can Francis Nga...
Tyson Fury is the massive favorite to defeat former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou in their 10-round boxing match this Saturday in Saudi Arabia. While the outcome may seem predictable, what if Ngannou actually does defeat Fury? MMA Fighting's Mike Heck, Shaheen Al-Shatti, and Jed Meshew discuss Saturday's main event bout, the interest levels in it, along with the fight week build seemingly falling short. Additionally, they discuss what could've been done differently to generate more interest, a potential world where Ngannou pulls off one of the all-time biggest upsets ever, how it could shake up the combat sports world as we know it, if Ngannou's stock can drop in any way with a loss, and more.
66 min