

MMA Fighting
MMA Fighting
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.
Episodes
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May 2, 2023 • 1h 13min
HOAM | Which UFC Fighters Would Do Best In The BKFC Ring?
It’s BKFC’s world, we’re just living in it.Yes, UFC Vegas 72 happened and Song Yadong shined, but it was hard to beat the star power of BKFC 42, which featured Mike Perry, Luke Rockhold, Eddie Alvarez, Chad Mendes and, somehow, Conor McGregor! What’s next for the leading bare-knuckle promotion?On an all-new edition of Heck of a Morning, guest host Alexander K. Lee ponders what other MMA stars would be an ideal fit for the BKFC and whether Gamebred Promotions’ upcoming event this Friday can benefit from the bare-knuckle buzz. Additionally, topics include where Kamaru Usman now stands in the contender line, whether Israel Adesanya reclaiming his throne takes the air out of the middleweight division, thoughts on the main event and potential sleeper fight at UFC 288, Paul Craig moving to 185, Amanda Lemos in the title picture, what’s going on with Francis Ngannou, media row randos, 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.Follow Mike Heck: @MikeHeck_JRFollow Alexander K. Lee: @alexanderkleeSubscribe: http://goo.gl/dYpsgHCheck out our full video catalog: http://goo.gl/u8VvLiVisit our playlists: http://goo.gl/eFhsvMLike MMAF on Facebook: http://goo.gl/uhdg7ZFollow on Twitter: http://goo.gl/nOATUIRead More: http://www.mmafighting.comLearn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 2, 2023 • 1h 49min
Fighter vs. Writer: Aljamain Sterling Talks Bantamweight Future, Gilbert Burns & Belal Muhammad On Short-Notice Fight
With UFC 288 just days away, reigning bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling and co-main event fighters Gilbert Burns and Belal Muhammad join The Fighter vs. The Writer.Sterling will address his upcoming fight against Henry Cejudo while revealing that he is “very likely” done at bantamweight with two more fights as he plans to move up to 145 pounds with hopes that his friend and teammate Merab Dvalishvili will get a shot at the bantamweight title once he’s gone.Meanwhile, Burns and Muhammad will document how they ended up in the co-main event on less than two weeks’ notice after UFC 288 lost the fight between Beneil Dariush and Charles Oliveira.Burns details his decision to fight again after just recently stating that he was only interested in a title shot for his next bout while Muhammad talks Colby Covington and his hope to earn his own opportunity to compete for UFC gold with a win on Saturday.All this and much more on the latest episode of The Fighter vs. The Writer.Subscribe: Apple PodcastsSubscribe: SpotifyRead More: MMA Fighting Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 30, 2023 • 1h 27min
On To the Next One | Matches To Make After UFC Vegas 72, BKFC 41
Song Yadong made a statement on Saturday, putting on a commanding performance to deny the surging Ricky Simon a jump up in the rankings. Where does Song go after UFC Vegas 72 as he looks to make his own moves in the loaded bantamweight division? Also, the BKFC may have stolen the show with their Mike Perry vs. Luke Rockhold main event, which included a post-fight appearance from the one and only Conor McGregor.On an all-new edition of On To the Next One, MMA Fighting's Alexander K. Lee and special guest Jed Meshew discuss what should be next for Song and whether he may have earned the fight everyone else is afraid to take. Plus where does Mike Perry after BKFC 41 as he continues his unbeaten bare-knuckle run. Additionally, future matchups are discussed for Caio Borralho, Rodolfo Vieira, Fernando Padilla, Marcos Rogerio de Lima, Trey Waters, and more following the promotion's latest card at the APEX.
Follow Mike Heck: @MikeHeck_JR
Follow Alexander K. Lee: @AlexanderKLee
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Apr 30, 2023 • 44min
BKFC 41 & UFC Vegas 72 Post-FIght Show: Did BKFC Have the Best Fight Card Of the Weekend?
MMA Fighting's José Youngs, Steven Marracco, and E. Casey Leydon react to Eddie Alvarez's thrilling split decision win in his BKFC debut, Chad Mendes' retirement, Mike Perry's strange TKO win over Luke Rockhold, Conor McGregor's appearance inside the BKFC, and more. The three also look back on Song Yadong's fifth-round KO win over Ricky Simón in the main event of UFC Vegas 72.
Follow José Youngs: @JoseYoungs
Follow Steven Marrocco: @MMAFightingSM
Follow E. Casey Leydon: @ekc
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Apr 28, 2023 • 1h 22min
BKFC 41: Perry vs. Rockhold & UFC Vegas 72 Preview Show: Attack of the Boogermen!
With Mike Perry and Luke Rockhold running wild and enchanting hearts and minds, is this the rare weekend where the UFC doesn’t have the best event of the combat sports slate?MMA Fighting’s Shaun Al-Shatti, Alexander K. Lee, and Jed Meshew discuss Saturday’s BKFC 41 offering, the hilarity of Mike Perry vs. Luke Rockhold, plus the rest of a surprisingly compelling card that features Chad Mendes vs. Eddie Alvarez, the return of “Big” Ben Rothwell, and much more. The crew also hits upon UFC Vegas 72, the stakes in Song Yadong vs. Ricky Simon, what’s next for the winner, Caio Borralho’s continued existence in UFC co-main events, any low-key bangers from the card, and more.
Follow Shaun Al-Shatti: @ShaunAlShatti
Follow Alexander K. Lee: @AlexanderKLee
Follow Jed Meshew: @JedKMeshew
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Apr 28, 2023 • 1h 16min
HOAM | What Can Gilbert Burns & Belal Muhammad Do At UFC 288 To Guarantee A Title Shot?
It sounds like the people have decided: Mike Perry vs. Luke Rockhold at BKFC 42 is the fight of the weekend. The UFC veterans have engaged in some truly hilarious shenanigans in the lead-up to their bare-knuckle battle and all that’s left to see is if this freak show fight turns out as freaky as advertised.That’s a fitting discussion for this Free-For-All-Friday edition of Heck of a Morning with guest host Alexander K. Lee, who answers questions not only about BKFC 42 and UFC Vegas 72, but a slew of random topics including how the remainder of the NBA Playoffs is likely to play out (and who you’ll see in the Finals), adventures in vegetarian cooking, and the brilliance of Paul Thomas Anderson, as well as fighting business like whether a Gilbert Burns vs. Belal Muhammad stinker will remove both men from the UFC welterweight title picture, what pair of friends do we wish we’d seen meet inside the cage, 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.Follow Mike Heck: @MikeHeck_JRFollow Alexander K. Lee: @alexanderkleeSubscribe: http://goo.gl/dYpsgHCheck out our full video catalog: http://goo.gl/u8VvLiVisit our playlists: http://goo.gl/eFhsvMLike MMAF on Facebook: http://goo.gl/uhdg7ZFollow on Twitter: http://goo.gl/nOATUIRead More: http://www.mmafighting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 27, 2023 • 1h 22min
BTL | Nate Diaz Brawls, Sergei Pavlovich Arrives, Gervonta Davis Dazzles, BKFC 41, And UFC Vegas 72
Nate Diaz made headlines yet again this weekend when the Stockton native found himself in a Bourbon Street Brawl that resulted in one would-be influencer getting choked out in the streets.Mike Heck is off this week so Jed Meshew steps in to host an all-new edition of Between the Links, where the panel discusses Nate Diaz’s street fighting and pending arrest, plus, does this put Nate’s fight with Jake Paul in jeopardy? Additionally, the crew debates Sergei Pavlovich’s big win at UFC Vegas 71, Patchy Mix’s place in the bantamweight hierarchy, Gervonta Davis' big win over Ryan Garcia, and the weekend ahead with BKFC 41 and UFC Vegas 72, and more.Guest host Jed Meshew moderates the matchup between MMAFighting’s José Youngs and Morning Kombat’s Brian Campbell.
Follow Jed Meshew: @JedKMeshew
Follow José Youngs: @JoseYoungs
Follow Brian Campbell: @BCampbell
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Apr 27, 2023 • 1h 5min
HOAM | Is Mike Perry vs. Luke Rockhold The Most Compelling Fight Of The Week?
The biggest fight this weekend might not be happening inside the octagon. With respect to UFC Vegas 72 headliners Song Yadong and Ricky Simon, the BKFC is presenting a buzzworthy main event of its own pitting Mike Perry against Luke Rockhold on Saturday.On an all-new edition of Heck of a Morning, guest host Alexander K. Lee looks ahead at a busy combat sports weekend that includes the UFC, the BKFC, Cage Warriors, RIZIN, and more. Additionally, topics include what is the one main event you must watch on Saturday, why the UFC is putting Dricus Du Plessis' title shot at risk in a matchup with Robert Whittaker, breaking UFC Vegas 72 down in the most positive light possible, the BKFC 42 co-main event between Chad Mendes and Eddie Alvarez, the meteoric rise of Salt Papi, whether Rose Namajunas and Israel Adesanya make for the more compelling title chaser, 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.Follow Mike Heck: @MikeHeck_JRFollow Alexander K. Lee: @alexanderkleeSubscribe: http://goo.gl/dYpsgHCheck out our full video catalog: http://goo.gl/u8VvLiVisit our playlists: http://goo.gl/eFhsvMLike MMAF on Facebook: http://goo.gl/uhdg7ZFollow on Twitter: http://goo.gl/nOATUIRead More: http://www.mmafighting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 27, 2023 • 43min
Trocação Franca | O drama de Deiveson Figueiredo (+ Rodolfo Vieira e Marcos Pezão)
Deiveson Figueiredo mudou os planos, mas nem tudo saiu como ele esperava. Se antes subiria de categoria, agora fica nos moscas, mas não poderá enfrentar Manel Kape no dia 8 de julho. O podcast Trocação Franca dessa semana recebe o “Deus da Guerra” para entender melhor essa história, e entrevista a dupla Rodolfo Vieira e Marcos Pezão antes de suas lutas nesse sábado, pelo UFC Vegas 72.O melhor do MMA brasileiro no Trocação Franca, toda semana, com o jornalista Guilherme Cruz e convidados.Deiveson Figueiredo's plans have changed — but not everything went as expected. Figueiredo was moving up to bantamweight, and then he was not, and now he can’t even fight Manel Kape on July 8. Trocação Franca welcomes Figueiredo to understand the situation, and also chats with Rodolfo Vieira and Marcos Rogerio de Lima ahead of Saturday’s UFC Vegas 72 card.Listen to Trocação Franca with Guilherme Cruz every week to hear from the biggest names on the hottest topics in the Brazilian combat sports world.Follow Guilherme Cruz @Guicruzzz
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Apr 26, 2023 • 1h 3min
No Bets Barred: Song Yadong Or Ricky Simon — Which Bantamweight Prospect Rises At UFC Vegas 72?
The UFC keeps right on rolling this Saturday with another return to the Apex, headlined by a bantamweight prospect matchup between Song Yadong and Ricky Simon, so the No Bets Barred boys are back to break down their best bets.Co-hosts Conner Burks and Jed Meshew begin the show by recapping UFC Vegas 71 as both guys are starting to build a little momentum after a tough start to the year. Then it's right into UFC Vegas 72 talk with Conner keeping things tight this weekend, while Jed has a whole pile of gimmick bets including ChatGPT's first ever underdog play, plus a Cheaters Always Win parlay.Tune in for Episode 43 of No Bets Barred.
Follow Conner Burks: @connerburks
Follow Jed Meshew: @JedKMeshew
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