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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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326
UFC Vegas 80 & Bellator 300 Post-Fight Show | D...
Bobby Green knocked out Grant Dawson in just over 30 seconds at the UFC APEX on Saturday, which may have overshadowed a historic night for Bellator that featured three world championship bouts. MMA Fighting’s Mike Heck, Shaheen Al-Shatti, and José Youngs react to UFC Vegas 80 and Bellator 300, and discuss which promotion won the weekend. Additionally, they discuss Green’s massive finish of Grant Dawson to pull off the big upset, where “King” goes from here, Joe Pyfer’s future at 185, and more. Also, the panel talks Usman Nurmagomedov’s complete dominance of Brent Primus to retain the Bellator lightweight title in the main event, Cris Cyborg’s destruction of Cat Zingano and Leah McCourt appearing to be next in line for the featherweight title, the lackluster flyweight title fight between Liz Carmouche and Ilima-Lei Macfarlane, and more.
42 min
327
UFC Vegas 80 & Bellator 300 Preview Show | What...
Usman Nurmagomedov and Grant Dawson have extremely high ceilings at 155 pounds, and both fighters will be featured in main events as the UFC and Bellator go head-to-head on Saturday. But is Nurmagomedov’s title fight against Brent Primus at Bellator 300 more intriguing than Dawson facing Bobby Green at UFC Vegas 80? MMA Fighting’s Mike Heck, Shaheen Al-Shatti, and José Youngs preview both events, and discuss the excitement surrounding the 26-year-old Nurmagomedov, his incredibly bright future, and what they would like to see for the lightweight phenom if this is his final Bellator fight with rumors of a sale. They also discuss Cris Cyborg’s return to MMA action against Cat Zingano, and Ilima-Lei Macfarlane badly missing weight for her championship opportunity against Liz Carmouche. Additionally, the panel previews the Dawson vs. Green headliner at the UFC APEX, the low-key banger for the event, and more.
52 min
328
BTL | Tony Ferguson Speaks, UFC Vegas 80, Bella...
Tony Ferguson joined Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour this week to discuss his upcoming fight with Paddy Pimblett at UFC 296 in December, and the interview created a lot of buzz due to the fact that Ferguson was quite reflective on the matchmaking, and where he is at in his career. On an all-new edition of Between the Links, the panel is turning the programming over to the live viewers with a Q&A edition of the show. Viewers can ask questions about Ferguson's conversation on The MMA Hour, UFC Vegas 80 coming up this weekend headlined by a lightweight bout between Grant Dawson and Bobby Green, Bellator 300, featuring three world title fights, including Usman Nurmagomedov vs. Brent Primus for the lightweight title in the main event, the future of Bellator, and whatever else is on your mind in the world of combat sports. This week, the panel consists of MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Jed Meshew.
70 min
329
HOAM | Would Potential Colby Covington vs. Isla...
It appears as if lightweight champion Islam Makhachev and upcoming welterweight title challenger Colby Covington are planting seeds for a future fight should both be successful in their next bouts. If it happens, would it be more intriguing to see Makhachev move up to welterweight, or Covington move down to lightweight? On an all-new edition of Heck of a Morning, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck discusses the back-and-forth between Makhachev and Covington, what weight class would be more interesting to host it, and how it might go. Additionally, listener questions include fighter pay, contracts in ONE Championship, the star power of Sean O'Malley, if Dustin Poirier could find his way into a welterweight title shot if Covington defeats Leon Edwards at UFC 296, Alexander Volkanovski's future at featherweight, the loaded UFC bantamweight division, where Michael Page could end up in free agency, and 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.
58 min
330
DAMN! They Were Good | Khabib Nurmagomedov And ...
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 Khabib Nurmagomedov, the lightweight GOAT and possibly the best fighter in history.
168 min
331
No Bets Barred: Grant Dawson And The Magic 8-Ba...
The No Bets Barred boys are back this week with a full breakdown of UFC Vegas 80 and Bellator 300, including a pile of gimmick bets.
42 min
332
Trocação Franca | Vicente Luque e a luta entre ...
Vicente Luque vai protagonizar uma luta diferente no fim do ano, enfrentando o ex-parceiro de treinos Ian Garry, e fala ao podcast como eram os treinos entre os dois, futuro da divisão, e muito mais. O Trocação Franca recebe também Larissa Pacheco, que comenta a possibilidade de enfrentar Cris Cyborg em 2024. Rickson Zenidim, que participa do Contender Series, conta como circo e telecatch moldaram o estilo de luta da família.
55 min
333
HOAM | Tony Ferguson's Interview With Ariel Hel...
Tony Ferguson joined Ariel Helwani on Monday's edition of The MMA Hour to discuss his highly debated UFC 296 matchup with Paddy Pimblett, and it seemed like Ferguson was a lot more realistic and reflective than we have been used to seeing as of late. On an all-new edition of Heck of a Morning, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck discusses his takeaways from Ferguson's interview ahead of his bout with Pimblett, where "El Cucuy" would go depending on the result of the fight, and why all of the pressure is on Pimblett to win. Additionally, listener topics include rumored matchups, Matt Brown's comments about Colby Covington should he lose to Leon Edwards at UFC 296, Canelo Alvarez's outstanding performance on Saturday, Cedric Doumbe's viral finish at PFL Europe this past Saturday, why ONE Championship needs to focus on being themselves and not how they stack up against the UFC, and 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.
69 min
334
Fighter vs. Writer: Matt Brown Loves Tony Fergu...
On the latest episode of The Fighter vs. The Writer, Matt Brown and Damon Martin react to the latest fight announcements including Tony Ferguson vs. Paddy Pimblett, Leon Edwards vs. Colby Covington plus the latest with Tyson Fury and Francis Ngannou plus much more
94 min
335
Canelo Álvarez vs. Jermell Charlo Preview Show:...
MMA Fighting's José Youngs, Eric Jackman, Jed K. Meshew, and E. Casey Leydon join forces to preview the super middleweight title fight between undisputed kingpin Canelo Alvarez and the surging Jermell Charlo. Is the Charlo moving up two weight classes going to play a factor against the hard hitting Alvarez? Is the Mexican superstar really on the decline or are fans looking too much into his last performance? These are just some of the questions the three will answer for you ahead of the catchweight fight inside the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
50 min
336
HOAM | What Is Going On With Conor McGregor? Pl...
Conor McGregor is the biggest star in the history of the sport, and is part of the most meteoric rises we've seen in the UFC. But lately, the feelings of greatness that have surrounded "The Notorious" has shifted to frustration among MMA fans, and have left them wondering: How have we gotten to this point? On an all-new edition of Heck of a Morning, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck takes listener questions about the reactions towards McGregor these days, why they may feel this way, his impact on the sport, and how McGregor was part of one of the all-time great octagon performances. Additionally, listener questions include Leon Edwards vs. Colby Covington, what the division would look like if Covington were to capture the welterweight title, if 2023 is the most chaotic year in UFC history, the PFL not airing Saturday's card in the U.S., and more. Also, an instant reaction to the reports of Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk. You can listen live to Heck of a Morning Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays at 10 a.m. ET on the MMA Fighting Twitter Spaces.
73 min
337
BTL | Paddy Pimblett vs. Tony Ferguson, Francis...
UFC CEO Dana White kept very busy this past weekend announcing big fights, most notably for UFC 296 at the end of the year, including a matchup that has gotten a lot of reaction between Paddy Pimblett and Tony Ferguson. On an all-new edition of Between the Links, the panel reacts to the announcement of Pimblett vs. Ferguson and if it was the right booking, along with other notable bouts for the UFC's December slate, including Stephen Thompson vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov, Vicente Luque vs. Ian Machado Garry, Rob Font vs. Deiveson Figueiredo, and more. Additionally, they'll discuss the fallout of UFC Vegas 79, Mateusz Gamrot's injury TKO win over Rafael Fiziev in the main event, Bryce Mitchell's massive win, the overall MVP of the event, Johnny Eblen's case for being best middleweight in the world following his Bellator 299 stoppage win over Fabian Edwards, Francis Ngannou's open workout ahead of his fight with Tyson Fury next month, Israel Adesanya being charged with drunk driving prior to his UFC 293 loss to Sean Strickland and more. Host Mike Heck will moderate the matchup between MMA Fighting's Jed Meshew and Alexander K. Lee.
65 min
338
HOAM | Is UFC 296 the Best Of Loaded Year-End P...
The UFC's fourth quarter pay-per-view schedule is loaded up with UFC 294, UFC 295, and UFC 296 bringing big title fights, intriguing matchups, and high stakes. As great as all three lineups are, if you could only watch one of these cards, which one would it be? On an all-new edition of Heck of a Morning, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck gives his thoughts on which card stands out the most, which card will be the biggest, and much more. Additionally, listener topics include Khamzat Chimaev's future should he defeat Paulo Costa at UFC 294 in October, Michael Chandler potentially waiting for Conor McGregor, Dana White's Contender Series card this week, Sean O'Malley vs. Marlon Vera, the UFC reportedly heading to China in December, Rob Font vs. Deiveson Figueiredo, and 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.
60 min
339
Trocação Franca | A nova vida de Deiveson Figue...
Tudo mudou para Deiveson Figueiredo. Após anos brigando contra a balança, o ex-campeão dos moscas do UFC parte rumo a um desafio diferente nos galos, e encara o duríssimo Rob Font logo na estreia. Em um papo exclusivo, Deiveson fala dos planos futuros, sua data de aposentadoria, a previsão de três cinturões brasileiros no UFC até o fim do ano, e muito mais. O podcast traz ainda um papo com o embalado Philipe Lins, que encara Ion Cutelaba no UFC.
48 min
340
HOAM | Reaction To Paddy Pimblett vs. Tony Ferg...
Dana White and the UFC matchmakers have been busy announcing a slew of championship bouts, fights with high divisional stakes, as well as a lightweight bout that left the MMA community reacting in a fiery way between Paddy Pimblett and Tony Ferguson for UFC 296. On an all-new edition of Heck of a Morning, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck reacts to the Pimblett vs. Ferguson matchmaking, along with Michael Bisping's thoughts about the fight being a "lose-lose" for Pimblett, and more. Additionally, listener questions include the Dec. 2 Fight Night card that alreadt has Rob Font vs. Deiveson Figueiredo, Jared Cannonier vs. Roman Dolidze, and Sean Brady vs. Kelvin Gastelum, when the vacant UFC women's bantamweight fight could take place, what the Leon Edwards vs. Colby Covington main event for UFC 296 could mean for Belal Muhammad, Stephen Thompson vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov, and Vicente Luque vs. Ian Machado Garry also announced for the UFC's December pay-per-view, and 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
341
On To the Next One | Matches To Make After UFC ...
Mateusz Gamrot picked up the biggest win of his UFC career in the main event of UFC Vegas 79 on Saturday, but it certainly didn't happen the way he would've liked it to with Fiziev suffering a knee injury throwing a kick in the second round. Regardless, Gamrot got the victory, and then called for a fight with a former lightweight champion next. Will he get his wish? On an all-new edition of On To the Next One, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Alexander K. Lee discuss what could be next to Gamrot following his victory over Fiziev at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas. Additionally, future matchups are discussed for Bryce Mitchell following his unanimous decision win over Dan Ige, Marina Rodriguez after her dominant finish in the rematch against Michelle Waterson-Gomez, along with fellow main card winners Bryan Battle, Charles Jourdain, and more in the capper event of a 17 week stretch for the UFC.
73 min
342
UFC Vegas 79 Post-Fight Show | Reaction To Rafa...
Mateusz Gamrot wins again, but at what cost with opponent Rafael Fiziev suffering an unfortunate injury? Plus what to make of Bryce Mitchell's impressive bounce-back performance and Marina Rodriguez's dominant win over Michelle Waterson-Gomez.
50 min
343
UFC Vegas 79 Preview Show | Who Needs The Win M...
The UFC is back in the cozy confines of the APEX, which hosts a banger of a lightweight contender fight between Rafael Fiziev and Mateusz Gamrot. Will a win lead to a breakthrough into the top 5? And will the loser find themselves a long way from contention?
71 min
344
BTL | Was Valentina Shevchenko Robbed? Dana Whi...
The MMA community is still scratching their heads following the main event of Noche UFC this past Saturday between Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko. The fight was a classic, but it will go down as the night Mike Bell scored the fifth round 10-8 for Grasso to lead to a split draw, costing Shevchenko a second reign as UFC champ. On an all-new edition of Between the Links, the panel will discuss the fallout of the flyweight title fight between Grasso and Shevchenko days later, if opinions changed in any way since Saturday night, what the next move will be at 125, and more. Additionally, they'll discuss Dana White's reaction to the result, and the themed event as a whole, other standout fighters and moments from the card, the announcements of Jiri Prochazka vs. Alex Pereira at UFC 295, and Leon Edwards vs. Colby Covington at UFC 296, and more. Plus, the second half of the show, the panel answers your questions about UFC Vegas 79, and other news in the world of MMA. Host Mike Heck will be joined by MMA Fighting's Jed Meshew to discuss the biggest stories of the week in the space.
80 min
345
HOAM | Reaction To Jiri Prochazka vs. Alex Pere...
UFC CEO Dana White gave the MMA community and UFC fans a lot to talk about after making some massive fight announcements on Wednesday night, including a championship co-main event for UFC 295 at Madison Square Garden, and two more title fights for the promotion's year-end pay-per-view in December. On an all-new edition of Heck of a Morning, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck reacts to White announcing that Jiri Prochazka and Alex Pereira will fight for the vacant light heavyweight title on the Nov. 11 card in New York to lead into the Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic heavyweight championship headliner, the UFC 296 main event between Leon Edwards and Colby Covington for the welterweight belt, and the flyweight championship co-headliner between Alexandre Pantoja and Brandon Royval. Additionally, listener questions include Israel Adesanya breaking his silence following his UFC 293 title loss to Sean Strickland, Ciryl Gane's recent comments about what he wants next at heavyweight, and 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.
56 min
346
No Bets Barred: Can Rafael Fiziev Stop The Rele...
The No Bets Barred boys are back this week with a full breakdown of UFC Vegas 79 and the lightweight main event between Rafael Fiziev and Mateusz Gamrot.
69 min
347
Trocação Franca | Fim do Bellator + Pitbull rum...
Onde há fumaça há fogo, e os rumores sobre a possível compra do Bellator pela PFL mexem com o mundo da luta. O Trocação Franca dessa semana repercute as possibilidades com Patrício Pitbull, campeão do Bellator, que vê nas mudanças uma janela para negociar com o UFC. O podcast fala também com Gabriel Braga, finalista do GP da PFL, além de Pedro Carvalho e Tamires Vidal, que lutam este final de semana no Bellator e UFC.
54 min
348
HOAM | Was the Grasso vs. Shevchenko 10-8 the M...
Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko put on one of 2023's best fights in the main event of Noche UFC this past Saturday, and while the fight was so great, the story is about Mike Bell's 10-8 scorecard for the fifth round, a score that cost Shevchenko the flyweight title. Was Bell's fifth-round score the worst in the history of the UFC? On an all-new edition of Heck of a Morning, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck reacts to the incredible rematch between Grasso and Shevchenko, the egregious nature of Bell's scorecard, and whether or not the trilogy should be next. Additionally, listener topics include Israel Adesanya's silence following his UFC 293 loss to Sean Strickland, Raul Rosas Jr.'s next step after his quick win this past Saturday, Kevin Holland's performance in a split decision loss to Jack Della Maddalena, Tracy Cortez's flyweight title hopes after her win over Jasmine Jasudavicius, the top of the UFC welterweight division being completely stagnant, 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
349
On To the Next One | Matches To Make After Noch...
Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko battled it out in an instant classic over 25 minutes on Saturday night in Las Vegas, and while Grasso did leave T-Mobile Arena still the UFC flyweight champion, the bout was scored a split draw, which adds to the craziness of a chaotic 2023 in the sport. After the Noche UFC main event, should they run it back again, or will the division move forward for the time being? On an all-new edition of On To the Next One, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Alexander K. Lee discuss the fallout of Grasso vs. Shevchenko 2 from a matchmaking perspective, and where both ladies go from Saturday night. Additionally, future matchups are discussed for Jack Della Maddalena following his split decision win over Kevin Holland in the co-main event, Raul Rosas Jr. after dismantling Terrence Mitchell in under a minute, along with fellow main card winners Daniel Zellhuber, Kyle Nelson, and more.
63 min
350
Noche UFC Post-Fight Show | Reaction To Grasso ...
Alexa Grasso is still the UFC women's flyweight champion after Saturday's Noche UFC event, but she didn't defeat Valentina Shevchenko in their intriguing rematch. In fact, one judge stunningly scoring the fifth round a 10-8 for Grasso may have cost Shevchenko the chance to reclaim the title. MMA Fighting's Mike Heck, Shaheen Al-Shatti, and Jed Meshew react to Grasso and Shevchenko's incredible battle, it being scored a split draw thanks to Mike Bell's head-scratching scorecard in Round 5, discuss whether or not the trilogy is the way to go, and who in the division may have lost the most due to the result. Additionally, topics include Jack Della Maddalena's split decision win over Kevin Holland in the co-main event, Raul Rosas Jr. getting back on track with a quick TKO win over Terrence Mitchell, Lupita Godinez and Tracy Cortez's big wins, and much more.
86 min