At the end of UFC 283 this past Saturday, Jamahal Hill left the arena in Rio de Janeiro as the UFC light heavyweight champion after beating Glover Teixeira in the main event. With his incredible performance, a divisive conversation began about where he sits in the overall rankings at 205 pounds. On an all-new edition of Between the Links, the panel will discuss Hill's title win, where he ranks in the division, and what could be next for the new champion whether or not Jiri Prochazka is ready to come back for Hill's first defense. Additionally, topics include the reaction to Teixeira retiring and what he meant to the sport, Brandon Moreno stopping Deiveson Figueiredo in the UFC 283 co-main event to regain the flyweight title, Figueiredo's options at 135, other standout performances from the UFC's first PPV event of the year, other news and notes from the past week, and more. Host Mike Heck moderates the matchup between MMA Fighting's Jed Meshew and Morning Kombat's Brian Campbell.

Jamahal Hill is the current UFC light heavyweight champion after defeating Glover Teixeira in the main event of UFC 283 in his best performance to date. Following the victory, Hill has had a chip on his shoulder and feels disrespected by the MMA community. Does he have a point, or is this just a unique situation? On an all-new edition of Heck of a Morning, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck answers listener questions regarding Hill and his championship victory, and how he is being viewed amongst the top fighters in his division. Additionally, topics include the targeted bantamweight title fight between Aljamain Sterling and Henry Cejudo at UFC 287 and the difference between the words "targeted" and "set," a potential Gilbert Burns vs. Belal Muhammad fight, where Colby Covington and Khamzat Chimaev fit, UFC San Antonio on March 25, UFC ticket prices, 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.

Shaun Al-Shatti and Alexander K. Lee are joined by Jed Meshew and Damon Martin to sort through the wreckage of UFC 283 and try to make sense of the light heavyweight division. Does Jamahal Hill's new status as UFC champion mean he should automatically be considered the best 205-pounder in MMA? And does Brandon Moreno's series-clinching win over Deiveson Figueiredo put him over ONE Championship's Demetrious Johnson? That gang hits those topics plus Jailton Almeida's future in two divisions, Jed rocketing Umar Nurmagomedov up the bantamweight ranks, and more.

O UFC 283 entrou para a história do MMA com as aposentadorias de Glover Teixeira e Maurício Shogun, a entrada de José Aldo no Hall da Fama da organização e o desfecho da tetralogia Brandon Moreno x Deiveson Figueiredo, além do batizado de Jailton Malhadinho e a nova geração do MMA brasileiro. O Trocação Franca dessa semana repercute tudo isso e muito mais com Alexandre Pantoja, atleta reserva no UFC Rio e próximo da fila para enfrentar Moreno pelo título dos moscas.

UFC 283 is officially in the books with two new champions in Jamahal Hill and Brandon Moreno. The overall fallout of the card comes from many different directions, which includes whether or not the new light heavyweight champion is getting the credit he deserves. On an all-new Heck of a Morning, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck takes listener questions about Hill's dominant win over Glover Teixeira in Saturday's main event, and how he is being viewed overall in the 205-pound division. Additionally, topics include Brandon Moreno's impressive title win over Deiveson Figueiredo in the co-main event, Figueiredo moving up to 135, Lauren Murphy reacting to critics following her loss to Jessica Andrade, the Bonfim brothers delivering big time at UFC 283, Islam Makhachev vs. Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 284, Aljamain Sterling's potential move to 145, 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.

On the latest episode of The Fighter vs. The Writer, Matt Brown and Damon Martin react to the biggest moments at UFC 283 including Jamahal Hill’s win, Glover Teixeira’s retirement and much more.

As the first UFC pay-per-view event becomes a thing of the past, what's next for the new light heavyweight champion Jamahal Hill after his incredible performance against the now retired Glover Teixeira in the main event of UFC 283 on Saturday night in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil? What about the now undisputed flyweight champion Brandon Moreno after his third-round TKO win in the co-main event, as well as his longtime rival Deiveson Figueiredo? On an all-new edition of On To the Next One, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Alexander K. Lee attempt to answer those questions from a matchmaking perspective. Additionally, future matchups are discussed for Gilbert Burns after his near flawless submission win over Neil Magny in the welterweight featured bout, Jessica Andrade following her dominant decision win over the ultra tough Lauren Murphy, Johnny Walker, and more.

Jamahal Hill and Brandon Moreno played spoiler in a big way at UFC 283, leaving Rio de Janeiro, Brazil with UFC gold wrapped around their waists after impressive performances against the hometown heroes. Following the UFC's first pay-per-view event of 2023, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck, Shaun Al-Shatti, and Jed Meshew react to Hill's unbelievable performance in the main event against Glover Teixeira to win the light heavyweight title, and subsequently end the legendary career of Teixeira as he announced his retirement. Additionally, they discuss Moreno likely ending the rivalry with Devieson Figueiredo after earning a third-round TKO stoppage victory to win the undisputed flyweight title, Gilbert Burns' big win, Jessica Andrade's dominance, Jailton Almeida's incredibly high ceiling, and much more.

The first UFC pay-per-view of 2023 is upon us and two world titles are on the line. Will Glover Teixeira send the fans home from UFC 283 happy, or will Jamahal Hill spoil Teixeira's homecoming and become champion? Ahead of Saturday's event from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck, José Youngs, and Alexander K. Lee discuss the vacant light heavyweight title fight between Teixeira and Hill, where the pressure lies, and if Hill is essentially playing with house money in his first opportunity at a UFC belt. Additionally, the trio talks the fourth meeting for the flyweight title in the co-main event between Devieson Figueiredo and Brandon Moreno, how the rivalry has played out, Mauricio "Shogun" Rua's final fight, under the radar matchups, and much more.

At the end of Saturday's UFC 283 event, hopefully, a new light heavyweight champion will be crowned in either Glover Teixeira or Jamahal Hill. If a champ is crowned, where will that person go next in the UFC's 205-pound division? On an all-new edition of Heck of a Morning, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck discusses the main event of the UFC's return to Brazil this weekend, the stakes, and how the fight could play out. Additionally, listener questions include Jon Jones vs. Ciryl Gane, the low ratings for Dana White's Power Slap League following the series premiere on Wednesday, what title fights could be in play for the UFC's April and May pay-per-view events, ONE Championship's U.S. debut in May, 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.

UFC president Dana White revealed this past Saturday that Francis Ngannou is no longer heavyweight champion, is out of the promotion, and is an unrestricted free agent — which Ngannou also confirmed on The MMA Hour earlier this week. After hearing both sides, what are the biggest takeaways from this big news? On an all-new edition of Between the Links, the panel discusses the fallout of Ngannou moving on from the UFC, along with how White laid it all out following UFC Vegas 67. Additionally, topics include the UFC 285 main event between Jon Jones and Ciryl Gane for the vacant heavyweight title, along with the rumored Amanda Nunes vs. Irene Aldana and Valentina Shevchenko vs. Alexa Grasso title fights for the March 4 card, this Saturday's UFC 283 card headlined by Glover Teixeira vs. Jamahal Hill for the light heavyweight title, Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Brandon Moreno 4 for flyweight gold, the best of the rest of the UFC's first pay-per-view of the year, and more. Host Mike Heck will be joined by MMA Fighting's José Youngs to discuss the biggest stories in MMA, plus answer some of your questions on the tail end of the program.

With Francis Ngannou no longer in the UFC, he seems to have many options in play — whether it be in boxing or MMA. Ngannou said on The MMA Hour that he wants to continue competing in MMA, but which promotion would suit him best for what he wants? On an all-new edition of Heck of a Morning, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck answers listener questions about the Ngannou situation, and what promotion he could, or should, sign with moving forward. Additionally, topics include the UFC 283 main event between Glover Teixeira and Jamahal Hill, Usman Nurmagomedov's future and whether or not he could end up in the UFC some day, some of the low-key storylines for Saturday's pay-per-view event, if influencer MMA bouts could be a thing, 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.

DAMN! They Were Good celebrates the careers of the most exciting and influential fighters in MMA history, and on the first episode of 2023, the MMA Fighting crew remembers the best of Mauricio "Shogun" Rua as he prepares to make the final fight of his incredible career.

The UFC is back in Brazil! That's right, the UFC's 2023 PPV season kicks off this weekend with the top MMA promotion in the world making its long-awaited return to Brazil for UFC 283.

While the UFC returned to in-cage action this past Saturday in Las Vegas, the event — and the fallout from it — took a back seat to a bunch of massive news that was revealed by Dana White. On an all-new edition of Heck of a Morning, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck reacts to White's UFC Vegas 67 post-fight press conference when he revealed that Francis Ngannou is no longer the heavyweight champion, or a promotional heavyweight in general after Ngannou turned down their latest contract offer, and that a new champion would be crowned at UFC 285 on March 4 when the returning Jon Jones makes his heavyweight debut against Ciryl Gane in the main event. Additionally, listener topics include whether or not Ngannou leaving the UFC will hurt the promotion long term, where Ngannou could end up, the Jones vs. Gane matchup, 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.

On the latest episode of The Fighter vs. The Writer, Matt Brown and Damon Martin discuss the fallout from Dana White’s latest press conference and react to Francis Ngannou leaving the UFC.

Who will be our 12 UFC champions by the end of 2023? The gang returns to the roundtable to predict the upcoming championship slate and debate the biggest winners and biggest upsets of the next 12 months.

Semana agitada para o Brasil no MMA, com o UFC retornando ao Rio de Janeiro e Cara de Sapato entrando na casa mais vigiada do país para o BBB 23, e o Trocação Franca repercute tudo com a companhia dos jornalistas Luis Fernando Coutinho e Raphael Marinho. O podcast traz, ainda, entrevistas com três atletas do UFC 283: Jailton Malhadinho, Jéssica Bate-Estaca e Melk Costa.

While the UFC returning to action seemed like the MMA community was returning to some sense of normalcy following a chaotic start to 2023, that all changed very quickly before Saturday came to an end as UFC president Dana White announced that Francis Ngannou was no longer the UFC heavyweight champion, or a UFC fighter at all, and that Jon Jones and Ciryl Gane will fight for the vacant heavyweight title in the main event of UFC 285 in March. On an all-new edition of On To the Next One, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Alexander K. Lee discuss Ngannou becoming an unrestricted free agent, predict who his next opponent could be, and promotion he will fight for. Additionally, future matchups are discussed for Sean Strickland following his short notice decision win against Nassourdine Imavov in the main event of UFC Vegas 67. Future matchups are also discussed for Dan Ige, Roman Kopylov, Raquel Pennington, Umar Nurmagomedov, and more.

Francis Ngannou is officially a free agent, and a new heavyweight champion will be crowned on March 4 as Dana White confirmed that Jon Jones will return at UFC 285 to face Ciryl Gane for the vacant title in the main event. Additionally, Sean Strickland went out to the octagon on less than a week's notice and defeated the surging Nassourdine Imavov in the main event of the UFC's first card of 2023. Where does Strickland go from a huge short notice win? Following UFC Vegas 67, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Shaheen Al-Shatti react to the Jones vs. Gane fight, Strickland's victory, Dan Ige's incredible walk-off KO against Damon Jackson, Umar Nurmagomedov's frightening finish of Raoni Barcelos in the main card opener, and more.

Sean Strickland is stepping in on less than a week's notice to compete in his second straight main event in as many UFC cards as he faces the surging Nassourdine Imavov in the main event of UFC Vegas 67. MMA Fighting's Mike Heck, Alexander K. Lee, and Jed Meshew discuss the late changing headliner on the promotion's first card of 2023, the stakes involved, Dan Ige looking to get back on track against the streaking Damon Jackson in the featherweight co-main event, the low-key bangers, and more.

We are less than two months away from the UFC's first U.S. pay-per-view of the year, and as of now, there has not been a main event, or any title fight announced. While the clock is certainly ticking, will the UFC pull a big rabbit out of their hats? On an all-new edition of Heck of a Morning, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck discusses the UFC 285 card — which is scheduled to take place March 4 in Las Vegas — and what could possibly serve as the main event. Additionally, listener topics include Dana White's media scrum ahead of UFC Vegas 67, Beneil Dariush throwing some shade at Dustin Poirier, Jimmy Flick's return to the octagon on Saturday after a short retirement, the importance of the post-fight call out, 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.

UFC president Dana White began the UFC Vegas 67 media day on Wednesday by speaking with reporters about the video showing him slapping his wife during an altercation on New Year's Eve. While White is being open, is it sending the right message overall? On an all-new edition of Between the Links, the panel will discuss White's media day scrum, him asking people not to defend him, and how the promotion and Endeavor continue to remain silent. Additionally, they'll discuss Khabib Nurmagomedov stepping away from MMA and how that could effect Islam Makahchev ahead of his upcoming lightweight title fight against Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 284, A.J. McKee re-signing with Bellator and the official reveal of the lightweight grand prix, Saturday's UFC Vegas 67 event headlined by Sean Strickland and Nassourdine Imavov, and more. Host Mike Heck and MMA Fighting's Jed Meshew will discuss those topics, plus take some of your questions at the end of the show.

Dana White spoke with reporters on Wednesday during the UFC Vegas 67 media day to discuss the video of him being shown slapping his wife on New Year's Eve. While White took ownership for a lot of things, one thing the UFC president said that stuck out was that the promotion, the fighters, and the business of the UFC would all suffer if White were to be suspended, or ousted from his position. Is that true? On an all-new edition of Heck of a Morning, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck gives further reaction to White's scrum, and that comment in particular – arguing that the UFC would be just fine without him in that position. Additionally, listeners give their thoughts on how this situation continues to be handled, while also asking about Francis Ngannou, ONE Championship, Islam Makhachev vs. Alexander Volkanovski, Khamzat Chimaev, UFC Vegas 67, 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.

UFC president Dana White unexpectedly showed up at Wednesday's UFC Vegas 67 media day to address the video release that showed him slapping his wife Anne on New Year's Eve. White reiterated his wrongdoing, said multiple times that nobody should be defending him, and also revealed he will not face any repercussions from the promotion, or parent company Endeavor. MMA Fighting's Mike Heck, Alexander K. Lee, and Damon Martin react to White's scrum, how he's handled everything better than everyone else involved, what he did well, what was a miss, if there were any surprises, and if there's any expectations that more will be said in the future from those involved.

2023 is upon us and the UFC is back, baby! That's right, this weekend kicks off the UFC's 2023 campaign and as such the No Bets Barred Boys are back with a full gambling breakdown of UFC Vegas 67.

Dana White foi filmado agredindo a esposa na noite de réveillon e os proprietários do UFC seguem em silêncio sobre isso. O Trocação Franca dessa semana recebe o streamer e jornalista Tarso Doria para repercutir essa e outras polêmicas que mexeram com o MMA no início de 2023. O podcast também traz entrevistas com Ketlen Vieira, Raoni Barcelos e Claudio Ribeiro, que lutam sábado no UFC Vegas, e o influencer paulista FaZe Temperrr, que luta boxe com o youtuber KSI em Londres, sábado.

What will be next for current UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou? On an all-new edition of Heck of a Morning, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck answers multiple questions involving Ngannou, if he's a free agent as some have reported, status of a potential fight with Jon Jones, if Ngannou signing with the PFL would have a huge impact, and more. Additionally, listener topics include Dana White, the promotion and parent company Endeavor continuing with their silence, Sean Strickland stepping in to fight Nassourdine Imavov in the main event of Saturday's UFC Vegas 67 for Kelvin Gastelum, a rumored lightweight matchup between Justin Gaethje and Rafael Fiziev, 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.

On the latest episode of The Fighter vs. The Writer, Paul Felder joins the show to preview the biggest stories in the UFC coming in 2023 plus Kevin Lee addresses his free agency and why the PFL is most likely his next home.

Could 2023 be a year that features both Conor McGregor and Jon Jones competing inside the UFC octagon? Will Khamzat Chimaev find his way to a UFC title fight? On a very special edition of On To the Next One, those questions — and a lot more — are presented during the 2023 predictions extravaganza. Hosts Mike Heck and Alexander K. Lee will go through a slew of buy/sell questions presented by listeners about a variety of topics — including Dana White, Nate Diaz, Nick Diaz, Paddy Pimblett, Dillon Danis, Francis Ngannou, Amanda Nunes, Jake Paul, Bellator, the PFL, and much more. Additionally, they will make their choices for who will end the year as UFC champions in each division, along with their bold and spicy predictions for the world of MMA in 2023.

It appears the Dana White's Power Slap League is still going to air on TBS in January, but is that the right decision considering what has happened to begin the new year? On an all-new Heck of a Morning, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck reacts to TBS putting the Power Slap program back on their schedule despite video being released of White slapping his wife during a dispute on New Year's Eve. Additionally, listeners give their thoughts on the situation involving White, what an appropriate response and punishment should be, what could be next for Jorge Masvidal and Dustin Poirier in 2023, the UFC division that could have the most shakeup this year, 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.

We're only five days into 2023, and the year in MMA is already off to a very dark start — including UFC president Dana White being shown on video slapping his wife during a New Year's Eve party in Cabo San Lucas. On an all-new edition of Between the Links, the panel will discuss their reactions to the video of the incident involving White, and the silence from the promotion, parent company Endeavor, and others. Additionally, topics include Jake Paul signing with the PFL, Dillon Danis no longer fighting KSI in a boxing match on Jan. 14, the Bellator vs. RIZIN card this past Saturday in Japan, and more. If time allows, we'll also take some questions from the viewers. Host Mike Heck will be joined by MMA Fighting's Jed Meshew to discuss these topics.

Since the release of a video showing UFC president Dana White slapping his wife, many have asked and wondered what the response will be from the promotion, parent company Endeavor, and anybody else in business with White. Thus far, the response has been silence — but is that a surprise? On an all-new edition of Heck of a Morning, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck discusses the deafening silence from all involved in regards to the New Year's Eve video in Cabo San Lucas, and if there will be any response at all from those involved. Additionally, topics include Jake Paul signing a deal with the PFL to compete, the developing story regarding former UFC fighter Phil Baroni, Jorge Masvidal's chances to get a title shot against Leon Edwards if Kamaru Usman is unable to compete in March, under the radar fights that could be made, 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.

The annual Airing of Grievances is back! The gang kicks of 2023 by retaking their seats around the roundtable and demanding answers for the worst calls and most puzzling decisions by their fellow rankers in 2022. Consider it our own secret Santa gift exchange to close out the holiday season — only instead of gifts, we're handing out another heaping helping of accountability.

After taking a few weeks off for the holidays, the No Bets Barred boys are back and ready to kick things off for 2023!

Crise? O Brasil segue o único país a ter mais de um cinturão no UFC apesar das derrotas de Charles do Bronx e Glover Teixeira — e ainda pode chegar a cinco, caso Glover e Deiveson vençam no UFC Rio. O Trocação Franca recebe o narrador André Azevedo, voz do UFC Fight Pass Brasil, para apontar quem mais tem chances de trazer títulos em 2023. O podcast entrevista também Quemuel Ottoni, único algoz de Alex Poatan no MMA, e Lucas Hulk, ícone do jiu-jítsu, que lutam no PFL Challenger Series. Brazil remains the only country currently holding more than a UFC belt despite Charles Oliveira and Glover Teixeira past defeats — and can get to five titles simultaneously if Teixeira and Deiveson Figueiredo are victorious at UFC 283. Trocação Franca welcomes UFC Fight Pass commentator Andre Azevedo to look at who else can bring titles to the country in 2023. The podcast also features interviews with PFL Challenger Series fighters Quemuel Ottoni, the only man to beat Alex Pereira in MMA, and jiu-jitsu ace Lucas Barbosa.

On Monday evening, a video of a physical altercation involving Dana White was released that showed the UFC president slap his wife on New Year's Eve. White subsequently spoke to TMZ to discuss what happened and that he and his wife both apologized to one another, but other big questions loom in the aftermath. On an all-new edition of Heck of a Morning, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck reacts to the video of the incident in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico and asks what will be done in response from a UFC and Endeavor perspective moving forward, and what impact there would be if White were to step down, or be removed from his position. Additionally, listener topics include Damir Ismagulov retiring, the horrifying moment during Monday Night Football with Demar Hamlin, the future of the featherweight division should Alexander Volkanovski defeat Islam Makhachev at UFC 283, Ilia Topuria's ceiling, 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.

On the latest episode of The Fighter vs. The Writer, Matt Brown and Damon Martin look ahead at 2023 in the UFC and give their picks for the biggest threats to each champion and who will have the title by the end of the year.

The Bellator MMA vs. RIZIN co-promotional event is in the books, and there was a lot to unpack from the New Year's Eve extravaganza, including a hint of rich irony. On an all-new bonus edition of Heck of a Morning, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck hits record and gives his overall reaction to the card, which took place at the iconic Saitama Super Arena in Japan. Topics include the grade for the event — and why the marks were skewed a bit higher — the matchups, A.J. McKee stealing the show for his main event fight against Roberto de Souza and potentially becoming the face of the promotion, the tape delay misstep, and how it led to an interesting discovery in the overall fallout of the event, thoughts on doing the concept again, other ideas on how it could be shaped together, how the build to the event got out of hand at times by taking focus off of what was important, 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.

With 2022 being such a crazy year in the world of mixed martial arts, we felt it was important to look back at the predictions that were made heading into a memorable year for the sport. In part one of our two-part predictions extravaganza, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Alexander K. Lee look back on some of the responses they had to listener questions in regards to what 2022 was going to bring. Topics include Conor McGregor's activity for the year, whether or not Jon Jones would fight Francis Ngannou for the heavyweight title, or at all in 2022, Nick Diaz and Nate Diaz competing, Kayla Harrison, Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal's rivalry, Kamaru Usman's championship status, Khamzat Chimaev, Jake Paul, UFC champions in each division, bold predictions for the year, and more. In addition, we will need you help for part two: our 2023 predictions extravaganza episode. Submit your "buy or sell" questions the same way you send your matchmaking suggestions to Mike or AK on Twitter, Instagram, or email by Thursday, Jan. 5 — and, please, be as creative as you'd like.

Whether Khamzat Chimaev stays at welterweight, or makes the permanent move to middleweight, most would believe that one more victory would set Chimaev up for a title fight in either division. But will the timing work out for "Borz" to get his shot in 2023? On an all-new edition of Heck of a Morning, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck discusses Chimaev's title prospects in 2023, and answers whether or not he'll get a crack at UFC gold before featherweight Ilia Topuria. Additionally, listener questions include Bellator vs. RIZIN and which promotion has the better chance to sweep, Jamahal Hill's chances against Glover Teixeria, fights to look forward to in 2023, some of the best moments of this year, 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.

With just a couple of days left in the year, it's almost time to say goodbye to 2022, and hello to 2023. In the sport of MMA, there was certainly a lot to like, and a lot that needs to be improved upon — from the UFC, to Bellator, and beyond. On an all-new edition of Between the Links, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Jed Meshew bring you the second annual BTL Promotional Festivus — where they will grade the UFC for their 2022 performance, both in and out of the octagon, along with their airing of grievances for things that happened negatively throughout the course of the year. Additionally, the panel does the same for Bellator MMA, PFL, and ONE Championship, and give their thoughts on things they did better from the year prior, and other ideas to bring into 2023.

Stephan Bonnar sadly passed away at the age of 45 recently, but the impact he had on the UFC — most notably with his incredible battle on the finale of the inaugural season of The Ultimate Fighter — will be remembered forever. On an all-new edition of Heck of a Morning, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck reacts to the news of Bonnar's unfortunate passing, his legacy, Bonnar's incredible battle with Forrest Griffin at the TUF 1 Finale and its importance for the UFC, and much more. Additionally, listener questions include MMA Fighting's year-end awards, Bellator MMA vs. RIZIN and the card not airing live in the U.S., Derek Brunson vs. Dricus Du Plessis added to UFC 285, Brandon Moreno's new team ahead of UFC 283, Glover Teixeira vs. Jamahal Hill for the light heavyweight title, Khamzat Chimaev, 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.

O UFC já encerrou seu calendário em 2022 e já tem muita gente fazendo suas listas de melhores do ano, mas ainda tem muita luta boa pra acontecer antes do réveillon. No último Trocação Franca do ano, o podcast recebe os três brasileiros escalados para o aguardado cross promotion entre Bellator e RIZIN no Japão, os campeões Patrício Pitbull, Kleber Koike e Roberto Satoshi.

When it came to MMA, 2022 was one heck of a wild ride. Join the MMA Fighting staff as we look back at the biggest highs, breakout stars, and most jaw-rattling moments of 2022 in a special year-end retrospective.

As the year winds down, MMA Fighting will be giving out its 2022 awards celebrating the best the sport of mixed martial arts had to offer throughout the year. On an all-new edition of Between the Links, the panel brings you the annual 2022 year-end awards preview, as MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Alexander K. Lee give their top-five rankings for all of the categories that will be awarded beginning Sunday, Dec. 25 — which includes knockout of the year, fight of the year, rookie of the year, submission of the year, and fighter of the year. Additionally, they react to the news of the UFC's pay-per-view prices being raised to $79.99 in 2023, beginning with UFC 283 on Jan. 21.

The UFC ended their 2022 calendar year this past Saturday with UFC Vegas 66, but on Wednesday, it was revealed that it will be a little bit more expensive to watch their pay-per-view events in 2023. On an all-new edition of Heck of a Morning, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck reacts to the news that UFC pay-per-views will now cost $79.99 — a $5 increase from 2022 — beginning with UFC 283 on Jan. 21. Additionally, listener topics include Dillon Danis' recent interview with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, Arman Tsarukyan's win over Damir Ismagulov at UFC Vegas 66, Bellator vs. RIZIN, Taila Santos vs. Erin Blanchfield at the UFC's Feb. 18 event, Alexander Volkanovski, 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.

On the latest episode of The Fighter vs. The Writer, Matt Brown and Damon Martin give their picks for the Fighter of the Year and Fight of the Year for 2022 and Brown details the time he fought with a broken jaw in his professional debut.

The UFC closed out its year with a mixed bag of a card on Saturday, as Jared Cannonier walked out of the UFC APEX with a workmanlike - and controversial - win over Sean Strickland in the UFC Vegas 66 main event. How much did the fight affect either man's stock and does either still have an outside shot of fighting for a UFC title someday?

The UFC's 2022 schedule is officially at an end — and Jared Cannonier and Sean Strickland couldn't have closed it out with a weirder fight.

MMA Fighting's Shaun Al-Shatti, Alexander K. Lee, and José Youngs break down the final UFC card of 2022.

Paddy Pimblett's UFC 282 heavily debated victory over Jared Gordon has caused quite the uproar in the MMA space. Following Pimblett's fourth straight octagon win in as many tries, is it possible "The Baddy" has reached his ceiling, or is there more to come? On an all-new edition of Between the Links, the panel discusses Pimblett's win, and what should be next for him in 2023. Additionally, topics include the fallout of the main event from this past Saturday between Magomed Ankalaev and Jan Blachowicz, along with Dana White immediately booking Glover Teixeira vs. Jamahal Hill for the vacant light heavyweight title at UFC 283, other standout performances from the final UFC pay-per-view of 2022, Bellator 289 — which included more controversial judging in the main event between Raufeon Stots and Danny Sabatello, and Patchy Mix's impressive submission win — UFC Vegas 66 this Saturday headlined by Jared Cannonier and Sean Strickland, and more. Host Mike Heck is be joined by MMA Fighting's Jed Meshew for another roundtable episode of the program.

While 2022 has produced rising stars, incredible fights, and exciting finishes, it has also provided a shining light on the holes in judging in the sport of mixed martial arts. The big question remains: What can be done to improve it? On an all-new edition of Heck of a Morning, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck gives his thoughts on what it could take to improve judging, or at least get more competent people sitting in those very important seats during fight nights. Additionally, listener questions include UFC Vegas 66, Arman Tsarukyan's ceiling at 155, the UFC's lightweight division as a whole and who could emerge as the next new face, Paddy Pimblett's next opponent, Glover Teixeira vs. Jamahal Hill, 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.

Coming off an up-and-down week at UFC 282, the No Bets Barred boys are back to discuss the final UFC event of the year, UFC Vegas 66.

Glover Teixeira sorri por último no UFC

UFC 282 is in the books, and while controversy filled the T-Mobile Arena in the final two fights of the evening, Glover Teixeira ended the night by getting exactly what he wanted without even having to compete. On an all-new edition of Heck of a Morning, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck recaps the top storylines of UFC 282, including Teixeira finding his way into a light heavyweight title fight against Jamahal Hill at UFC 283 after the main event between Jan Blachowicz and Magomed Ankalaev ended in a draw. Additionally, listener questions include the judging in the Paddy Pimblett vs. Jared Gordon fight, Darren Till's future after losing to Dricus Du Plessis, the judging in the final two fights of the card, 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.

Paddy Pimblett isn't a top-15 lightweight. That much is clear after his controversial win over Jared Gordon. But just how far down the 155-pound ladder do you have to drop to find his place in the global lightweight ranks? That plus much more on the latest edition of the MMA Fighting Rankings Show.

On the latest episode of The Fighter vs. The Writer, Matt Brown and Damon Martin talk about Paddy Pimblett’s controversial win over Jared Gordon at UFC 282 and the lack of accountability for judges making bad calls in fights.

After a finish-filled 10-fight start at UFC 282, the final two bouts were the only to go to the judges' scorecards where controversy reigned supreme — leading to a light heavyweight division still not having an official UFC champion. With Dana White putting a new championship bout on the books for UFC 283, where do Jan Blachowicz and Magomed Ankalaev go from here? On an all-new edition of On To the Next One, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Alexander K. Lee attempt to answer that question from a matchmaking perspective. Additionally, future matchups are discussed for Paddy Pimblett following his heavily debated decision win over Jared Gordon in the co-main event, Santiago Ponzinibbio, Dricus Du Plessis after his stoppage win over Darren Till, breakout star Ilia Topuria, and more.

Paddy Pimblett improved to 4-0 in the UFC on Saturday, but it has been met with quite a bit of controversy following UFC 282. MMA Fighting's Mike Heck, Jose Youngs, Shaun Al-Shatti, and Jed Meshew react to Pimblett's heavily debated decision win over Jared Gordon in the co-main event of the UFC's final pay-per-view of the year. Additionally, they discuss the main event between Jan Blachowicz and Magomed Anakaleav being scored a draw, Dana White revealing the Glover Teixeira will fight Jamahal Hill to crown a new champion at UFC 283, Dricus Du Plessis' finish of Darren Till, the breakout performance for Ilia Topuria, Raul Rosas Jr. impressing in his octagon debut, and more.

Jan Blachowicz and Magomed Ankalaev are set to battle it out for the vacant light heavyweight title in the main event of UFC 282, while Paddy Pimblett and Jared Gordon will compete in the lightweight co-main event to cap off the UFC's pay-per-view year. MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Alexander K. Lee preview those matchups, Saturday's card as a whole, discuss the other big storylines, and more.

Darren Till returns to the octagon for the first time in well over a year when he faces Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 282. With just one victory in five appearances, is Till in a must-win situation on Saturday night in Las Vegas? On an all-new edition of Heck of a Morning, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck discusses what is at stake for Till against Du Plessis, and how the one-time title challenger matches up. Additionally, listener questions include Paddy Pimblett at the UFC 282 press conference, if a fight between Pimblett and Ilia Topuria would make sense next regardless of what happens on Saturday, where the winner of the matchup between Topuria and Bryce Mitchell could go at 145, the Bellator 289 main card compared to the UFC's, 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.

The UFC is heading into their final pay-per-view event of 2022, and a new light heavyweight champion will be crowned in the main event. On an all-new edition of Between the Links, the panel will discuss Saturday's main event between Jan Blachowicz and Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 282 along with what could be next for the winner. Additionally, they'll talk Paddy Pimblett facing Jared Gordon in the co-main event, how the rest of the card shapes up, the fallout of # UFC Orlando and Stephen Thompson's main event win against Kevin Holland, the UFC betting scandal and the promotion's response to James Krause and his fighters, Bellator 289 this Friday headlined by the interim bantamweight title rivalry fight between Raufeon Stots and Danny Sabatello, and more. This week, host Mike Heck will be joined by MMA Fighting's Jed Meshew for a talking heads discussion about the biggest stories in MMA.

Paddy Pimblett has his toughest test to date when he faces Jared Gordon in the co-main event of Saturday's UFC 282 fight card. Should Pimblett improve to 4-0 inside the octagon, what should be next for him? On an all-new edition of Heck of a Morning, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck gives his thoughts on how he would matchmake "The Baddy" if victorious on Saturday, and gives his thoughts on Pimblett's podcast with Dana White. Additionally, listener questions include the UFC 282 main event between Jan Blachowicz and Magomed Ankalaev, Bryce Mitchell vs. Ilia Topuria, Friday's Bellator 289 fight card, the must-win spot for Darren Till, 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.

After an up-and-down week for UFC Orlando, the No Bets Barred boys are back to break down the final PPV event of 2022, UFC 282.

Trocação Franca | Resenha sobre Copa do Mundo e UFC 282 com o “Argentino Gente Boa”

The ongoing story regarding James Krause and UFC gambling seems as if it's only going to get worse before it gets better. On an all-new edition of Heck of a Morning, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck discusses the UFC's response in regards to Krause's suspension in Nevada, and no longer allowing fighters who even train with Krause to compete for the promotion pending the results of investigations. Additionally, listener topics include the retirement of T.J. Dillashaw, whether or not a Stephen Thompson vs. Conor McGregor fight makes sense following an entertaining victory for "Wonderboy" at UFC Orlando, Sergei Pavlovich's ceiling at heavyweight, Bellator 289, 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.

UFC commentator joins MMA Fighting’s José Youngs on episode 2 of Anything But Fighting. The Boston native opens up his lifelong love of the sports, reflects on some of his favorite memories from the Boston Red Sox, New England Patriots, and Boston Celtics, looks back on the infamous 'Tuck Rule' game from 2001, breaks down the greatest Boston athletes, and more. He also tries his hand at the mysterious Bucket of Questions to close out the episode.

On the latest episode of The Fighter vs. The Writer, Matt Brown and Damon Martin discuss the latest news in MMA including the betting scandal surrounding James Krause, UFC Orlando and preview UFC 282

Stephen Thompson looked fantastic in his return to the octagon as he stopped Kevin Holland in the fourth round via TKO. Does "Wonderboy" have one last title run left in him, and if so, what's the next step he needs to take to get there? On an all-new edition of On To the Next One, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Alexander K. Lee attempt to answer that question from a matchmaking perspective following Thompson's main event victory at UFC Orlando this past Saturday. Additionally, future matchups are discussed for Rafael dos Anjos after his dominant submission win over Bryan Barberena in the co-main event, Matheus Nicolau following his stoppage of Matt Schnell on the final fight of his contract, Sergei Pavlovich after his eye-opening finish of Tai Tuivasa, along with fellow victors Roman Dolidze, Eryk Anders, and more.

Stephen Thompson accomplished his mission of proving to UFC fans that he's still got it on Saturday night at UFC Orlando. Following a fourth-round corner stoppage TKO win for "Wonderboy" against the incredibly tough Kevin Holland, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and E. Casey Leydon react to the exciting battle, and Thomson's turn-back-the-clock performance. Additionally, they discuss Rafael dos Anjos' dominant performance in the co-main event, his overall resumé, and the callout of Conor McGregor, Sergei Pavlovich's devastating finish of Tai Tuivasa, Roman Dolidze's stoppage win against Jack Hermansson and callout of Khamzat Chimaev, and more.

Following the UFC's statement regarding James Krause being suspended by Nevada, and any fighters that choose to be coached by Krause will no longer be permitted to participate in UFC events pending the results of an ongoing investigation, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Alexander K. Lee react to the news.

Ahead of Stephen Thompson and Kevin Holland's main event matchup, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck, Alexander K. Lee, and Jed Meshew preview the welterweight headliner, along with other top storylines heading into Saturday's UFC Orlando event.

On Thursday, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario announced a ban on gambling on UFC fights over "integrity requirements." Is this news a one-spot thing, or is it the beginning of a massive snowball rolling downhill in regards to the continuously growing world of MMA gambling? On an all-new edition of Heck of a Morning, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck gives his reaction to the province of Ontario's decision and where things could go from there. Additionally, listener questions include Aljamain Sterling confirming he'll defend his title against Henry Cejudo next, Conor McGregor's potential comeback, Stephen Thompson's future if he loses to Kevin Holland in the main event of UFC Orlando, ONE Championship, 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.

The final UFC pay-per-view of 2022 will be capped off by the crowning of a brand new light heavyweight champion now that Jiri Prochazka is out of the picture for the time being. On an all-new edition of Between the Links, the panel discusses Prochazka's decision to vacate the light heavyweight title after an injury forced him out of the UFC 282 main event, Jan Blachowicz vs. Magomed Ankalaev fighting for the vacant title, and whether or not it was the right choice. Additionally, topics include the PFL World Championship pay-per-view event this past Friday, grading the promotion on how it all went, what's next for Kayla Harrison following her loss to Larissa Pacheco, the new feud between UFC champ Alex Pereira and Khamzat Chimaev, UFC Orlando headlined by Stephen Thompson vs. Kevin Holland, and more. Host Mike Heck moderates the matchup between MMA Fighting's Jed Meshew and Eric "New York Ric" Jackman.

Although there are alleged legal ramifications surrounding their current relationship, but hypothetically speaking, if the UFC could somehow put together a fight between seemingly former friends Conor McGregor and Artem Lobov, could that be a massive drawing fight for the promotion? On an all-new edition of Heck of a Morning, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck takes listener questions, which includes the potential box office appeal for a McGregor vs. Lobov matchup if it could somehow get made in 2023. Additionally, topics include Jorge Masvidal's recent interview with MMA Fighting, Glover Teixeira's spot in the light heavyweight title picture, the UFC Orlando main event between Stephen Thompson and Kevin Holland, Tracy Cortez vs. Amanda Ribas matchup on Saturday's card, 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.

After taking a week off for Thanksgiving, the UFC is back with a vengeance with UFC Orlando, headlined by a welterweight scrap between Stephen Thompson and Kevin Holland, and the No Bets Barred boys are back to cover all the betting action.

Two-time UFC title challenger Jorge Masvidal speaks with MMA Fighting's Mike Heck to preview Friday's iKON FC 6 event in Orlando, talks Gilbert Burns, Leon Edwards saying he'll settle the score in or out of the octagon, Michael Chandler's callout for a BMF title shot, why he believes Chandler shouldn't be in the BMF discussion, teammate Kayla Harrison suffering her first loss at the PFL World Championship event, goals as a promoter in 2023, and more.

With Jiri Prochazka making the decision to vacate the light heavyweight title after suffering an injury that knocked him out of the UFC 282 event with Glover Teixeira, did the UFC make the right call going with Jan Blachowicz vs. Magomed Ankalaev for the vacant championship? On an all-new edition of Heck of a Morning, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck reacts to the UFC 282 shakeup, the new main event for the card, and Teixeira being the odd man out after asking for a second bout with Blachowicz and getting denied. Additionally, listener questions include whether or not the UFC 282 card is worth a $75 purchase with all of the movement, Larissa Pacheco defeating Kayla Harrison at the PFL World Championship card this past Friday, Alex Pereira vs. Khamzat Chimaev, the momentum the PFL has following their first pay-per-view event, Francis Ngannou vs. Jon Jones, what could be next for Jorge Masvidal with Gilbert Burns fighting Neil Magny at UFC 283, 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.

On the latest episode of The Fighter vs. The Writer, Matt Brown reacts to Conor McGregor’s current status with USADA and Kayla Harrison’s loss plus Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson joins the show.

Following Larissa Pacheco's upset win over Kayla Harrison in the main event of the PFL World Championship, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Jed Meshew react to the shocking conclusion of the PFL's first pay-per-view event.

After a chaotic weekend in the world of combat sports, a lot of news, and perhaps speculation came out of it. But what storyline stood out the most? On an all-new edition of Between the Links, the panel of MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Jed Meshew discuss Vadim Nemkov's upset win over Corey Anderson to retain the light heavyweight title, Usman Nurmagomedov dominating Patricky Pitbull in the co-main event to win the lightweight title, Bellator 290 heading to CBS — which includes Fedor Emelianenko challenging Ryan Bader for the heavyweight title in his final fight — the James Krause fallout following UFC Vegas 65, the PFL World Championship pay-per-view card on Friday, Khamzat Chimaev calling for a middleweight title fight against Alex Pereira, reveal some of the things they are thankful for in the world of MMA, and more.

There's not UFC event this weekend but that doesn't mean there isn't some serious fight action as the PFL hosts their 2022 Championships at Madison Square Garden in New York City, and so you know the No Bets Barred boys had to get some bets down.

MMA Fighting's Mike Heck, José Youngs, and Jed Meshew react to the news that an injury to Jiri Prochazka has forced him out of the UFC 282 main event with Glover Teixeira, that Prochazka has vacated the light heavyweight title, and that Jan Blachowicz will face Magomed Ankalaev for the now-vacant title in it's place.

Alex Poatan é o novo campeão dos médios do UFC, mas ele está pronto para reinar absoluto após nocautear Israel Adesanya? O Trocação Franca está de volta e recebe Murilo Bustamante, primeiro brasileiro a conquistar o título do UFC, para analisar a luta e próximos passos de Poatan. O podcast ainda bate um papo com Larissa Pacheco e Matheus Buffa, que disputam títulos na PFL nesta sexta-feira, e traz a resposta de Rodolfo Vieira à pergunta: Gordon Ryan já é o maior da história do grappling? Alex Pereira is the new UFC middleweight champion, but is he ready for a long reign after knocking out Israel Adesanya? Trocação Franca is back, and we welcome Murilo Bustamante, the first Brazilian to hold a UFC title, to break down the fight and Pereira’s next steps. The podcast also chats with PFL title hopefuls Larissa Pacheco and Matheus Scheffel, and asks Rodolfo Vieira if Gordon Ryan has already made the case to be called the grappling GOAT. Listen to Trocação Franca with Guilherme Cruz every Wednesday to hear from the biggest names on the hottest topics in the Brazilian combat sports world.

Khamzat Chimaev plans to have a very busy several months, with his plans of wanting to fight Alex Pereira for the UFC middleweight title, and then fighting Colby Covington at welterweight a few months later. But is this something that could actually happen? On an all-new edition of Heck of a Morning, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck discusses Chimaev's big hopes for these two massive fights, and how they could go. Additionally, listener topics include what we know about the James Krause situation from UFC Vegas 65, Dillon Danis being scheduled to face KSI in a boxing match in January, Hasim Rahman Jr. potentially dodging a big bullet not fighting Jake Paul earlier this year, the PFL World Championship event on Friday, what fans are thankful for this year in MMA, 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.

In the latest episode of The Fighter vs. The Writer, Matt Brown discusses Khabib Nurmagomedov as a coach and offers advice to Michael Chandler while Kenny Florian joins the show to talk PFL, fighter pay, Kayla Harrison and more.

Although Derrick Lewis and Serghei Spivac were unable to battle it out in the main event of UFC Vegas 65, Kennedy Nzechukwu and Ion Cutelaba got the bump up, with Nzechukwu coming through with a vicious finish to cap off the card. On an all-new edition of On To the Next One, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Alexander K. Lee put on the matchmaking hats and attempt to figure out what is next for Nzechukwu following the biggest win of his career in the short notice main event of Saturday's card at the APEX following Derrick Lewis being forced to withdraw from the card due to an illness. Additionally, future matchups are discussed for Muslim Salikhov following his brutal stoppage win over Andre Fialho, along with fellow winners Waldo Cortes-Acosta, welterweight standout Jack Della Maddalena, Charles Johnson, and more.

Prior to the main card of the UFC's return to the APEX beginning, it was revealed that an illness to Derrick Lewis led to the cancellation of his scheduled main event with Serghei Spivac — which considering the weirdness of the lineup as a whole, it almost made sense in some ways. MMA Fighting's Mike Heck, Jed Meshew, and E. Casey Leydon react to Saturday's UFC Vegas 65 event, the news of Lewis' withdrawal and the light heavyweight bout between Kennedy Nzechukwu and Ion Cutelaba getting bumped up to the main event spot, Nzechukwu's second-round finish and post-fight interview, Jack Della Maddalena's sensational performance, Muslim Salikhov's nasty finish of Andre Fialho, Natalia Silva's spinning kick to the face of her opponent to kick off the card, and much more.

Popular UFC heavyweight Derrick Lewis admits he has his back against the wall ahead of his UFC Vegas 65 main event bout with Serghei Spivak, but is it a do-or-die fight for "The Black Beast" in terms of being a contender in the division? MMA Fighting's Mike Heck, Alexander K. Lee, and E. Casey Leydon discuss the stakes for Lewis in Saturday's bout and what a win would do for the career of Spivak in the contender conversation. Additionally, topics include the new calmer Ion Cutelaba at the post weigh-in faceoffs ahead of his co-main event bout with Kennedy Nzechukwu, Jack Della Maddalena's ceiling in the welterweight division, the under the radar bouts on the card, and more.

With Colby Covington keeping the next move of his fighting career close to the vest, it appears the UFC is hoping to book a huge fight between the former interim champion and Khamzat Chimaev. In the current state of the welterweight division, does Covington need that fight to earn that third crack at undisputed gold? On an all-new edition of Heck of a Morning, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck attempts to answer whether or not Covington needs a win over Chimaev to get to a championship opportunity, or if another Leon Edwards win over Kamaru Usman in 2023 could potentially slot "Chaos" right in there. Additionally, listener topics include the UFC's bantamweight division, where Michael Chandler goes from his UFC 281 loss to Dustin Poirier, what could be next for Arnold Allen now that an interim featherweight title fight is booked at UFC 284, Derrick Lewis' chances to get back on track in the main event of UFC Vegas 65, 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.

UFC commentator Jon Anik sits down with MMA Fighting's Mike Heck to recap Saturday's incredible UFC 281 event, Alex Pereira's stunning comeback finish of Israel Adesanya to win the middleweight title in the main event, Zhang Weili regaining the strawweight title, talks the fan reaction to Carla Esparza throughout the week, Dustin Poirier's third-round submission win against Michael Chandler and how "The Diamond" might be on the short list of fighters who don't need a world title, Renato Moicano's incredible promo, signing a new multi-fight deal with the UFC, and more. Additionally, Anik remembers two-time UFC title challenger Anthony Johnson.

Alex Pereira added to the list of 2022 UFC title challengers who were down on the scorecards heading into the fifth and final round only to come through with a shocking finish to become a world champion. On an all-new edition of Between the Links, the panel will recap Pereira's stunning fifth-round comeback TKO win over Israel Adesanya in the main event of UFC 281, what the middleweight division now looks like with Pereira on top, and if the promotion should do the immediate rematch with Adesanya. Additionally, topics include Zhang Weili's finish of Carla Esparza to regain the strawweight title, Dustin Poirier's incredible win over Michael Chandler and other storylines from this past Saturday's event, this weekend's Bellator 288 event with two title fights, Derrick Lewis' return to action at UFC Vegas 65, and more. Host Mike Heck moderates the matchup between MMA Fighting's Jed Meshew and José Youngs.

After a chaotic battle with Michael Chandler in the featured bout of UFC 281 this past Saturday at Madison Square Garden, what could be next for Dustin Poirier in the lightweight division? On an all-new edition of Heck of a Morning, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck discusses potential options for Poirier and how close he could be to getting another chance to fight for the UFC lightweight title. Additionally, topics include the PFL announcing that the PFL World Championship pay-per-view will cost $49.99, the potential for an Alex Pereira vs. Israel Adesanya immediate rematch, if Derrick Lewis could make another heavyweight championship run if he's victorious in the UFC Vegas 65 main event, Erin Blanchfield's ceiling after stopping Molly McCann, 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.

UFC 281 has come and gone but that doesn't mean the MMA world can rest because it's a major MMA double-header this weekend with the UFC returning for UFC Vegas 65 in Las Vegas, and Bellator offering up Bellator 288 in Chicago. So with two marquee events going down, as always, the No Bets Barred boys are here to cover all the betting angles.

Alex Pereira beating Israel Adesanya shakes up the pound-for-pound rankings plus where does Dominick Reyes' latest loss rank him among the cruelest reversals of fortune in MMA history?

The UFC middleweight champion has a name, and it's Alex Pereira after a stunning fifth-round, come-from-behind knockout win over Israel Adesanya in the main event of UFC 281. While Pereira's win opens up the door to some interesting and fresh matchups, a rematch between the new champ and Adesanya would be massive, but is it the fight to make in the immediate aftermath of the UFC's return to Madison Square Garden? On an all-new edition of Heck of a Morning, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck attempts to answer that question from a matchmaking perspective and explains why a rematch makes sense in multiple ways. Additionally, listener questions include the sad news of Anthony Johnson's passing on Sunday, Dustin Poirier's win over Michael Chandler and where he goes from UFC 281, the matchmaking of Erin Blanchfield vs. Molly McCann and why it was the right call even in hindsight, Frankie Edgar's tough retirement fight against Chris Gutierrez, 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.

Following an incredible UFC 281 card on Saturday, The Fighter vs. The Writer is back as Matt Brown and Damon Martin react to the biggest moments on the card and pay tribute to the late, great Anthony “Rumble” Johnson.