MMA Fighting - BTL | Dana White Announces Title Fights, UFC-Less Weekend Recap, UFC Paris, More

Episode Date: September 4, 2025

While it was a rare weekend off for the UFC, it was a very busy weekend in the combat sports world, with CJI 2, DBX 3, RAF 1, and stealing the headlines, Misfits Boxing 22 — which was capped off by Darren Till brutally knocking out Luke Rockhold. What was the standout moment from this past weekend, and what are the burning questions in the aftermath? On an all-new edition of Between the Links, the panel recaps the weekend that was, and answers your questions about standout moments. Additionally, topics may include Dana White announcing three big title fights for UFC 321 and UFC 322 — including Jack Della Maddalena vs. Islam Makhachev in the main event of UFC 322 at Madison Square Garden — the UFC returning to Paris this weekend for an event headlined by a pivotal middleweight matchup between Nassourdine Imavov and Caio Borralho, Tony Ferguson getting his first win in over six years, and much more. Join MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Jed Meshew as they answer your questions all show long. Follow Mike Heck: ⁠⁠@m_heckjr⁠⁠ Follow Jed Meshew: ⁠⁠@JedKMeshew⁠⁠ Subscribe:⁠⁠ http://goo.gl/dYpsgH⁠⁠ Check out our full video catalog: ⁠⁠http://goo.gl/u8VvLi⁠⁠ Visit our playlists:⁠⁠ http://goo.gl/eFhsvM⁠⁠ Like MMAF on Facebook: ⁠⁠http://goo.gl/uhdg7Z⁠⁠ Follow on Twitter: ⁠⁠http://goo.gl/nOATUI⁠⁠ Read More: ⁠⁠http://www.mmafighting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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When I got a great deal on a great gift at Winners, I started wondering, could I get fabulous gifts for everyone on my list? Like this designer fragrance for my daughter. At just $39.99, how could I resist? This luxurious wool throw for my sister. This gold watch for my partner? A wooden puzzle for my niece? Leather gloves for my boss? Ooh, European chocolate for the crossing guard?

At these prices, could I find something for everyone at Winners? Stop wondering. Start gifting. Winners. list for less. You're listening to the Vox Media Podcast Network. On MMA Fighting Studios, this is Between the Links. And now, your host, come on. The iconic voice of Esther Lynn welcomes you to a brand new edition of BTL.

Happy Thursday to us all. Welcome back to another edition of the program. Yes, I said last week we were going to do the usual BTL matchup style, but I can't I can't lie to you world. I have been on death's door all week. So sick. The virus, the flu that's going around just absolutely sucks. It got the kit first. Then it got me. And now the wife's on the beginning of this road to just this hellacious road. So we figured it didn't want to leave you a no show. So we figure we'll leave the questions up to you guys. We'll discuss whatever it is you want to talk about. And there is a lot to talk about. And joining me to answer

these questions and much more is the hot take kid himself, Mr. Nogriere, the man who compared the UFC Lightway Championship picture to Pokemon. I still think it's one of the greatest comparisons in the history of MMA media, the one and only Jed Mishu from MMAFighting.com. How are you doing, sir? Look, that's why people come here, Mike. They come here for a very topical Pokemon references. That's why the kids are talking about BTL, frankly. And quite frankly, We need to renegotiate my contract because who else is giving you takes like that? Nobody. Nobody, I say.

That's absolutely true. What is that on the board there for? Is this UFC Paris? Is that the official grade for Paris? Well, so that was the official grade for UFC China or Shanghai. Oh. But then I looked at it and I was like, actually, I think that that great stands for UFC Paris as well. You know, if you are in Paris,

probably would go just because. So like we could, I guess, call this a Michoulin star, right? Those the Michoulin stars, they're really reserved for the numbered pay-per-view events, frankly. If I was in Paris, those crowds are lively. The main event, co-main event, are pretty sick. So I'd probably be going if I were in Paris. But for our standard scoring, the rest of this card, I think it will be fun,

but fairly weak as far as, like, massively relevant fights go. And by my estimation, we got four of them on. Saturday. Yeah, I'm looking forward to Paris. I think it's going to be a very fun watch. We get Casey on the ones and twos. So let's go. Let's go to the peeps.

14 fight card, but it is new early day. So love that. You know, that's not that bad in concept, but 14 fights, honestly, four of them are like massively relevant as far as like divisional and sort of the broader picture of the sport. That's really good for UFC Fight Nightcom. UFC fight night card really good.

I mean, it is perfectly fine given what we've been doing these days. 100%. Cases here with the, is that a ghetto boys t-shirt? Oh yeah. That is spectacular. Yeah.

Rep, in Houston, always, always. Third warrant. I'm entirely sure that I knew the ghetto boys were from Houston. My God. They are Houston. Geez.

I mean, that is bonkers. All their songs about the third ward. That's Houston. That was right. Buddy, do you think that I, a person who doesn't live in Houston

and I'm deeply versed in the third ward? I'm not. But we can't be stopped as a dope album. My God. I'm just like, I'm flabbergasted. I, look,

I know a lot of Atlanta-based rapper out-out-cats. Outcast. Outcast. Oh, Georgia. is amazing. I'd say Outcast.

I heard they're from Georgia, right? Yeah, that would be fine. I don't anticipate, I don't expect other people to understand about, you know, the importance of musical acts to the local scene. Oh, my goodness.

Oh, my goodness. All right. I'm just, I'm caught up. I'm caught off guard. Look, mine playing tricks on me, it's a banger, and damn it feels good to be a gangster was my favorite song for like 10 years.

All right. Everyone listen, listen to more Scarface, too, while you're at it. Let's send more Scarface. Don't give up. Don't, yeah. All right, do the questions.

Who should we go to first? Who should go to first? Oh, a good friend, Joe Zoboza. Luke Brockold yesterday went on Ariel's show and called it a career after losing combined six of seven fights overall between MMA, karate combat and boxing. What are some memories of Luke that they will cherish? So did he actually retire?

Like, I listened to that, and I did not come away from that being like, this dude's not fighting again. Not at all. In fact, I actually feel like he's going to fight more than I did three days ago after hearing him say that. So I don't think he's retired at all. He is going to take a fight that we are going to cringe at probably within the next three to six months. But he never said like he definitely, at least in my mind, Jed, and Casey, I don't know if you heard it as well. I certainly was like, this guy's done fighting. you know what I mean? Did you have the same vibe as I do, Jed, that he's just kind of like saying something,

but he was just so not sure about it that you feel like he's still going to fight? I think he's done fighting for the time being, but this feels real MMA retirement-y to me of, you know, he did post on social, I think, before the aerial. Maybe it was during the, you know, it's time to work on my golf game or game, which, you know, obviously a tease towards retirement. And his comments were like to some extent pointed of, can't be taking shots like that anymore.

I'm 40 years old. I've done a lot, but I need to take, you know, I'm going to step back for a bit. But it was not like the statement I am retired was not made. And even in MMA terms, when the statement I am retiring is made, that still don't mean Jack. And the fact that that,

that was not like pointedly said makes me think, sure, you're gonna step back for now, but somebody comes to you with a big bag of money, you're not gonna turn that down. It would be cooler if he did retire, frankly, I think he should, certainly from combat in that regard, but grappling, I think he could absolutely do. And I mean, maybe karate combat just suits

like his particular skill set. He did beat Joe Schilling there. Maybe he could do that, but I would not be holding my breath for Luke Rockhold to actually be done fighting, he just doesn't seem like a guy who's going to go away quietly. Yeah. What do you think, Casey, do you think he fights again? Yeah, sure.

Just fight much weaker competition if you're going to involve punching in the head, if they booked him versus Dylan Danis in a boxing match, would you be like, poor Luke? it's just I think you're just about the opponent that's all obviously anyone on the caliber of dare and till uh me not the best in the world but still obviously a guy they can really hurt you then uh absolutely avoid those if if luke cares about being able to you know have a brain in a couple of years that works so uh yeah dude the dare and till matchup was so bad it was so obvious to anyone like Darren Till can throw

a left hand. Luke Rockhold every time anyone who has ever thrown a left hand at him has done so, it has knocked him out. Like, you just, it was just an absurd matchup. Like, just don't fight a South Paul. Try that at least.

Yeah, that's all. Yeah, just. Like, just don't fight a dude who can swing a hard left hook at you because you have never once avoided it and every time it puts you on your ass. Like he was doing fine against Darren Till until literally to until until till just started spamming overhand lefts, which is what you should have done immediately. And Luke was like, oh shit, I'm dead now.

Like it's it's such a wild, wild Achilles heel that he has. Okay. All right. Oh, as far as his favorite memory, uh, I mean, the run to the title was sick, right? Like, I mean, you could talk about the Jacare fight at like his strike force run. And there was some good moments. But like, the run of the title was sick. And I distinctly remember watching the Chris Wyden fight and being like, oh, this guy's probably going to hold the belt forever.

Because like he just beat the shit out of Leoto Machita right before that. And Mike, he both knocked out and submitted Michael Bisping in like a round. And I was just like, oh, my God, he's put it all together now. It's curtains for the division And then I like I still there's a piece of me that still actively believes this I think Lou Grockhold once he is in top position Might be the greatest fighter that's ever lived

Like he may have the most like Murderous top game I've ever seen Because look at like go watch the Chris Wyden Fight Chris Wythman and accomplished grappler in his own right Every single second Luke Rockhold is on top of him Once he gets on top of him It looks like a whole whole horror movie. Like it is, it's not just like a, oh, he's kind of smothering him and then slowly

sucking the life out of him, a la a Habib or a Chamaev. It's like, oh my God, what the fuck is happening? He is murdering this dude from the moment he is on top. It is such, the fact that that wasn't like the focal point of his game was always immensely frustrating. Because if I was Luke Grockold's coach, I'm like, dude, I'm going to teach you how to take people down. Then we're not, I know you want to kick him. I don't give a shit about that. You should just be killing people on top of them. It's unbelievable how good you are there.

Yeah. It would have been him retiring after the Paula Costa fight because that would have been a perfect way to retire. So that would have been one of the best. That would have been the top moment for me if he just never fought again after that. I think that was like my third best fight of 2022. That fight was awesome.

That fight was so, so silly and fun. So yeah, that's a great moment too. Yeah. Yeah, my best memory of Luke was actually back the pre-fight, the buildup for the Jacques Ray fight. So I was doing some behind the scenes work for Strike Force at the time. And Luke, I'm not sure if the odds coming into that fight, but at least Jacques-ray was like at his prime.

And Luke was kind of, I feel like he was an upcoming prospect that he earned that title shot, but no one would expect him to really beat Jacaray. and I remember when we came for the video shoot with Showtime, where they do the promo packages, the crew did not know who Rockhold was, and they kept like, like, who are you fighting? Who are you fighting? Oh, okay.

Like they were, and like Rock, and Luke was just like, just kind of breathing, like, all right, all right, you know, you know, all right. They're going to know me next, you know, he had that chip on his shoulder, you could tell. So it was just, that was kind of my memory of Luke just kind of being with him around that time and just getting, really frustrated. Oh, I have another good memory of Luke when I was doing behind the scenes

work with him when he fought Keith Jardine for him when Keith Tardine made his move to middleweight in Strike Force. I don't know. People forget that error in Keith Jardine's, uh, phytography. But, uh, we were at a, we were at an elevator in Vegas. And in Vegas, everything super dry, everything shocks you when you punch, when you punch, when he touched the buttons. So I kept, I kept getting shocked by the elevator button. I was like, oh, I don't want to do it. And Luke was like, I don't care. And like, I would see the thing shock him.

He'd be like, I could take it. I was like, man, see? Luke, that's why you, Luke Rockold. I was afraid of the static electricity and Luke Rockwood was just jumping in there. That's the difference. He should have been afraid of more things, which probably would have helped his career. Also, Luke Rockhold is one of two fighters that, like, I think made me better understand MMA broadly, him and

specifically him and Nate Diaz, but like a little bit of Islamakov and like since because Luke and Nate were the like the first two dudes that I looked at and was like, oh, I see how this happened. Like, I understand your game and why it came to be. Because Luke Rockhold was like the only AKA dude who wasn't a kickass wrestler. And so he just was training every, like you, look at his game and be like, oh, you look like a dude who spent every day of his life training

against Kane Velazquez and Daniel Cormier in these dudes. And you couldn't out wrestle them. So you just had to learn a whole different way to compete in the gym with them. Like his whole counter wrestling style, his grappling style in general. Like it's just like, oh, yeah, you could never like, you're going to take down Daniel Cormier in the gym. No. So you learned how to like fight off the back foot, back foot, scramble two top. position from failed takedown attempts and stuff as like him and Nate Diaz like Nate is a lot of

Nick but also like the inverse of Nick because he spent his whole life fighting Nick and so it's like okay Nick Diaz wants to come forward Nate can but mostly Nate fights better off the backfoot because he spent countless hours sparring Nick and so like those those were the two dudes and then to some extent Islam because it's very similar with Habib. I was like, oh, I can see how your game developed and why you are the way you are. Is Luca a UFC Hall of Famer? I mean, my sort of default position is every champion should be in the Hall of Fame. Because like, that seems correct to me.

They are literally part of the history of the title. But my guess is no. Yeah, it's too bad. again i'd put him i kind of just think if you're a champion you should get in there but yeah i mean i would like to include his if you include like his his strike force run too i would think yeah same thing and also it kind of depends on like the one of i have a lot of issues with how the hall of fame is built i think a lot of it's very stupid um but like specifically that they induct one fight a year is ludicrous because every year there's a new fight of the year there's a new fight of

the year. And so you will never get ahead for what has already come, right? Like, you can only keep parity for the 20 years before Hall of Fame existed and they started inducting fights. And also, like, multiple fights a year are worthy of that inclusion. But also just like, Bispings upset of a Rockhold is never going to go into the Hall of Fame in like the fight wing. But that's, aside from being like massively significant at the time. That's the second or third biggest upset in the history of the sport. And in like any normal Hall of Fame would be honored as such. And so like then I guess he could get in that way, but he never will.

They need to do a lot of different changes to the Hall of Fame. Mick May or John Shelby, whoever, call me. I'm not even saying like you should induct Frank Shermark, which you obviously should or whatever. But just like there's some real low hanging fruit that you're not doing. That's dumb. Yeah, it's It's the Friends Hall of Fame

You know It's who had the better relationship Like you can't tell me That Donald Seroni Should be in the Hall of Fame Over Luke Rockhold Like it just doesn't Doesn't make sense

Luke's a champion I think you can make that argument I don't know that it's a good one I don't know that's a great argument Well because Donald Serroney does At the time of his retirement held a lot of records And so like that's fair

Like I think Donald Sorony is a Hall of Famer We'll be really clear on that I also think Luke is I think Luke may eventually get there, but he's burned some bridges with the UFC. Exactly. The one title defense is tough. Like,

legitimately, they just need to induct more people into the Hall of Fame every year and more fights. They need to add a performance-slash-knock-highlight wing, as opposed to just fight of the thing wing, and just like celebrate the history more because it costs them nothing. It's not like getting into the Hall of Fame comes with $100,000 check.

Like, to do and they're not doing it. So like, yeah, Luke Rockhold should go in. Maybe he will in a down year if he becomes beloved later. But my guess is there are always more people coming along that need to go in. And so he'll just fall through the cracks. All right. Next question.

20 minutes on Luke Rockhold did not see that coming. Yeah, future Hall of Famer. People love Luke. All right. Thank you, Mr. Boza. What was this about, Jed? Well, that was just my start, you know. I wanted to set the tone.

I wanted to set the tone today. You sure did. You sure did. So you can't always be nice to the chat. Sometimes you got let the chat know how you feel. Look, I'm saying I haven't had to throw the wrench yet. The chat knew. They're like, oh, Jed's in a mood today.

Better be on point. All right. Yeah, this question should take a little bit. to answer. Here we go. Forrest Daniels. Can you make a quick five-fight main card for that first Paramount Plus event? So this is actually going to be the question of the day, as a matter of fact. Oh, is it? Terrific. That's a pretty good one. Yeah. So I'm still pondering this. Okay. I don't, so I have a broad theory, but I don't have an answer. But real quick, so this is going to be like mid-January about the first? Yeah. It was almost.

certainly mid-January. Okay. So the way I'm doing this question is the numbered one. Yeah. Not the fucking. Oh, you're viewing it as the numbered one. Okay. Yeah.

I'm not viewing it as the bullshit apex card that we're going to get. That's going to be horrific. Like, it's going to be real bad. That's what I'm, I'm not focusing on that. I'm focusing on like the first major card they're going to promote. So I don't know what the schedule looks like.

Maybe they'll come out with the numbered event like right away. to like set the tone, which wouldn't be a bad idea. But usually the UFC will take like their Christmas to New Year's break, then come back like mid-January with an apex event,

then it's a pay-per-view. And then, you know, apex, apex, apex, pay-per-view. So I mean, if we're going to do, if we're doing the apex one, it's going to be Jared Canaanier versus fucking Roman Coppulov

as the main event. And then we just load up under series guys I don't think we're doing the apex one first because like so look

think back to 2019 I think it was 2019 that was when the ESPN deal started right the first event was I mean I know that normally the first event of the year is that

let's ease back into it but that first event was the first of the ESPN deal and that was Dilashal Sehudo that like and they did that in I think that was in New York yeah it's in New York and

And so like I think it won't be a numbered event. And so like if you still want to do like what's the first numbered event, I totally get that. I bet that their first event is not some Garbo apex card. I bet their January opener is a fight night on the road somewhere. Maybe not New York or whatever. Frank would probably be wherever pays for them. Right. Like I don't know, maybe Miami or some shit.

But I bet we get something that's like like a real title fight to put. put on there. And then the question to me is, because it's not going to be a mega title fight, right? It's not going to be Tuporia Patty. That's, to me, Teporia Patty is, that's the number of event. That's what's going to happen. I still believe that. I'll believe that until I'm told otherwise. Or maybe Harrison Nunes, right? Or maybe both of them. Like that would be for that. But like, what is another non-meagestar but still feels significant to put on a road show? If Pantosia gets past Van, when's that fight booked for? It's not booked.

That fight is not broke yet. Oh, there's the rumors that it's in December. Is that right? Rumors. It seems like that's the direction, but it ain't done yet. Yeah, the last pay-per-view is, the scheduled pay-per-view is December, sorry, December 6th, right, at 323, which has no. Oh, I'll tell you what it is. I got it right now.

It's a, wait, well, hold on. to check something first i don't i don't i know that we're not um you know this is not officially uh onto the next one but i still don't want to do do do so let me let me investigate that i'm not all the way wrong on this but i do not believe i am oh yeah no no this one's it uh we're going be talking marad vallisvili peyote ron too that will be uh headlining marab is already saying like i want to beat corey and then fight again in december u ssie's going to be like you're not going to do that but I'll tell you what Marab, you get past Corey, which I think he's going to,

though I am very excited about that matchup. They'll be like, hey, man, you will be the main event of the first fight of the Paramount Plus era. You, Piotrion 2, I don't know where they'll put it. Maybe, you know, Miami somewhere. That will be my official prediction

for our first Paramount Plus main card, main event. Amanda Nunes, Kayla Harrison's my pick. for for numbered event or just event it depends on what they're doing if we're doing title fight it's going to be that one I mean that would be pretty mega form timing seems to line up and it's an easy sell so is Amanda back in the pool yet

I don't know but it's the UFC's I mean I know they can I know they can work around that but like god it would be so stupid why even have it the rest of that card though probably won't be great because like I just pulled up the UF the ESPN opener and Suhudo Della Shaw do you know what the co-main event to that fight was? Oh, I know.

Oh, it was Don. No. That was like Greg Hardy. It was Greg Hardy. Alan Crowder. The fight Greg Hardy lost because of his illegal need, EQ. That was also the drop Donald Seroni, Alex Hernandez headkick. Some good fighters on this, but like that main card was, you know, Joseph Benavides, Dustin Ortiz,

I was a pretty big fight at the time. But sort of a weirdo card in retrospect, I don't know that they would stack it, but I'm still sticking my money on Peoriaean, Marad de Vallechevili, too. That's our opener. I can't. I almost forgot how much Dana was pushing the whole Greg Hardy thing. Like if everything was perfect in the Dana White world, like Greg Hardy would be. like the biggest pay-per-view start ever for it. That's what Dana saw in him.

That's, yeah, being a co-main event on that versus Crowder. Like, oh, man, guy. Very famous person. Let's put him on ESPN. MMA fans just dodged an incredibly stupid bullet by Greg Hardy failing has a UFC fighter. That's a high-level UFC fighter, at least. Yeah, that was the same thing with, because Rachel Ostevic is fighting on that same card.

And that was like an even bigger D.L. Was that. Was that Ostevich PVZ? Who was she fighting? I got rid of it already. It was page. Oh, it was PVZ. Ostevich.

Yeah, just, the comments on that one, the worst. It's only gotten worse. All right. Oh, do we make the five fight main card? You want to just, we didn't answer the question. Is that just too much right now?

Five is a lot. Yeah. I've spent like an hour on mine and I didn't even come up with five yet. Five is a lot to pull off the top of my head. I gave you the main event. The rest of it will be middling some high-end contender series prospects that they want to get over. Shit, who's my boy? Malcolm Wellmaker.

They're still like dudes like that to fill it out. Maybe one other. The co-main event will be somebody big, somebody fairly big-ish. you know shit maybe the co-main event is like chavcott shan brady or whatever the hell it is something like that and then fill it out yeah and i expect one like contender series type prospect they're gonna really push and you think well at least at least one like i mean shit we might get like bo nico i know bo nickle is rumored to be fighting at all fo vienna um but like somebody like that you know i think we'll get a few of those tucked in there maybe some namesish

All right. Jim Miller. Some guys like that, you know. Thank you, Forrest Daniels. I got some super chats. Thrill House. Kicked an elbow inspiring today. I'm dying.

That sucks shit. That sucks. It's really not fun. Toughing up than shin bones, brough. Oh, no, it's usually your toes. Like when you hit, you know, it's all. Yeah. Top of the foot.

Top of the foot. And there's just injuries just, they just don't go away. You just like, you just hurt like that. It just hurts like that. It just hurts forever. Just forever. Like,

I think I've had a broken foot for like three years now. I feel like, just like, nothing. What? Just don't throw, don't throw kicks higher than legs. And the first leg kick that gets checked quit.

It's not going to do it anymore. That sucks. Not going to do that anymore. Uh, I feel for you throw out. I feel for you. Thank you for the Super Chat. Thank you for the ice coffee donation.

RS40. What's the stake for BSD and Rufi? Also, what's your low-key bang or mine is Renaud versus Gustafson? Don't know why that fight is that low on the card. What are the stakes in this. What a great fight. Lightweight best division in the sport, Jed. Fight rocks.

It's so good. What is that state for the other job? I'm talking about to call me of that, man. That fight is going to be a banger. probably i'll tell you what's actually at stake the winner of that fight that guy is going to be the heir apparent to justin gaecie's crown of most exciting fighter in the sport there are a lot of really exciting fighters in the sport uh gaichi's almost done and he'll have to cede the crown to somebody bSD has already been trying to put that work in ruffy obviously is thrilling uh the winner of

this fight, that's going to be our future violence weight champion. For Ruffy, I mean, he beats BSD. They're going to strap the rockets to his ass. Because like, while lightweight is the best division in the sport, there's still like a lot of the same names at the top. And so it's like, all right, Ruffy might be somebody. Like he goes out here and does something incredible against BSD.

People are very quickly going to be like, you know, I know that the only fight that matters at all in the whole sport is iliot teporea islamakachev and basically iliad tipporia shouldn't fight anybody that's not islamakchev because he'll just beat the shit out of them i know that that's a pervasive feeling but if ruffie does something spectacular like all right let's see him fight like max holloway because if he does it again then i really want to see him fight ilia teporea if bsd wins i won't be quite the same because we have seen him lose right but it'll be like okay he's he's back on track and now maybe we can start building him back up the ladder as opposed to.

They tried to throw him up there against Porre. It didn't quite work. And then he sort of fell off. Now they can try and rebuild him if BSD wins. So basically, like, who is the UFC going to get behind? But much more importantly, who would be the violence king in waiting? If BSD loses this fight, are you done of seeing BSD as a future? title contender or is he just an exciting exciting middleweight he's not a middleweight i mean i'm sorry

an exciting lightweight he's really super not an exciting middleweight i don't think he'd do very well at middle weight the one time we saw him at walter he got killed he got killed against leic's dissentos so bsd versus luke rock old bsd versus luke rock code who you got that's what i'm asking yeah probably luke rockhold but i don't know what that um i won't totally write him off because the other thing about b sd like he's not young right He's not like 26. I think he's, I think he's 30. 30. Yeah, he's 30.

But he's like super young in MMA. He's only been doing this for like five years. And so like the fact that he's reached this level in such a short time and that he's still young enough to improve and get better, I won't I won't totally write him off. It would certainly be a fairly major stepback for him. But I wouldn't totally throw him out. Though the, should he lose? the most likely outcome. But probably even if he wins, the most likely outcome is he's not really a title contender.

He's just awesome, you know? Yeah. That's kind of where I'm at with him already. I mean, the, the fight to Porreier, the Porre fight was my fight of the year that year, even though it was like a round and a half. It was so good. Like, he's just going to be. Dude, every BSD fight is fun as shit.

They're all fun. He was a little conservative. in his last fight, but he definitely needed a win and he was fighting a dude on like three days notice. Yeah, who fought him on three days notice, choked his ass out. Still fun. Yeah.

Yeah, it was fun for you because you cash the over one and a half and I missed the under one and a half. Yeah. Also, that was electric because it was by two seconds or whatever it was. What an awful, awful time that was. Oh, man, that was so good. What's the low-key banger for UFC Paris, gentlemen? Oh, he nailed it.

It's big Burley Gustafin versus or not. There's two dudes. I mean, I think there are honestly a bunch of really fun fights going on here. Belagiochi Mason Jones is a heater. That's a main card fight. I don't know if it's really low key. Modestis Paul Craig. That's going to be chaotic because both of those two dudes just only fight one way.

Again, like the four farts is not that this. This card's going to be fun. Most of these matchups are going to be fun. But it's like, to what extent does Gustafsson Fakhradinov matter, right? Like, that's not really making huge headweight in the division either way. It's just a really fun fight. Omar C. Brinson Habero is probably going to be balling two. But yeah, like if I was picking one, I would have picked Gustafsson, Renot, because I think that...

Gustafsson is just wild man. and Renauts down to clown. I'll say Sam Patterson, Trey Waters. Yeah, that's low key. That's real low key. Yeah. That's very low key. It'd be fun.

I think all these fights are fun. I think the UFC needs to make a very important decision right now. They need to adjust their lineup. And the first fight of the night, which I think Casey would approve, should be marching Tybor versus anti-Delijah. Yeah, start off the fights. So you can watch it. Start the card of the main event.

Start the card of the main event. Turn up with the main event. So we're clear. A half will hit and it's going to be incredible once they get tired and headed into round three. It's going to be awesome. So we're clear. That is one of the four fights above replacement on this card.

Of course it is. I'm surprised it didn't get two on its own. That is two top 15 heavyweights. That's a double fart. Yeah. At least a fart and a half. The way with this division, the way it looks. No, we should start like.

Maybe Robert Brodgechek can make it fun. Brad Tavarro's has a history of making slogs happen. That should be the first fight of the evening. Just bank on Brad Tavarro's making something be not that interesting. Although I think they kind of nailed it with the first fight, Shauna Bannon versus Sam Hughes. Sam Page, let's go. Yeah, I feel pretty good about Sam Page getting a win here, but who knows.

Yeah. And I'm just super interested in, I don't mean how to say his name. I just don't know anything about him. I just know he's got a lot of hype behind him and he's facing he bangs. Yeah, you're gonna have a good time. I'm just I'm just excited. It's really it's like a really good matchmaking if you don't give a shit about pit bull at all, which I think the UFC doesn't because like people can win this fight but like there is very much a world where this dude just obliterates pit bull and you're like oh well all that investment in the former belt in the bellator goat didn't really go anywhere but Kate is cool so I think it's a great matchmaking and it's really fun

fight has any as I mean has anyone steamrolled pit bull like just like like wow I'm trying to uh no but uh well didn't he get murdered in rising he got murdered in rising yeah he tried to drop to bannam weight too that didn't go great yeah the bannam weight then i'm not counting that but and the rising thing i think he came on like two days notice and went up yeah he can't I'm in like two days notice. And he was literally and someone else's corner and I can never

hey you want to fight? Yeah, okay. Yeah. It was a real pride matchmaking. I respected the shit out of it. Yeah. All right. Cool.

Thank you, R.S. 40. You're going to like Kada, dude. You're going to like it. Yeah, yeah. I'm excited. There's a lot of, there's a lot of Picoishness

to him with his striking. A lot of rips to the body. He's got like a bunch of body shot KOs. He's a big fan of a man who works the ribs. And KTA. Yeah, he's pretty nasty. He's pretty nasty. The fires of roasters.

I forgot that AJ McKee did in fact trounce Pitbull the first time they fought because the second fight was not remotely that. And so I just totally forgot. I just pulled up Pitbull's resume. It was like, oh, yeah, I forgot. Yeah, as I say, yeah. Mommy didn't in that first one. Yep.

Also very excited about Robert Rushallah making his UFC debut against William Comey. So that's, UFC's doing a good job. Like, bringing the right, they're bringing dudes over. Like, they're bringing like a bunch of KSW champs over. they're bringing a bunch of Octagon champs over. They're doing the right thing. Yeah, those are two very good organizations. You should just keep doing that.

Yes. Where is Tedric Gumbe? Is he injured right now? Not fighting in PFL because they don't let their fighters fight apparently. All right. I guess that's the answer. I don't know. Honest to God, I don't know.

That's what that G wants to fight. They should be in Paris every three months with that dude fighting and make sure they're on splinters in the cage. Yeah. Dumbay versus Thad Gene is like terrific matchmaking. Like that should be the main event on the next Paris card without question. That'd be big. All right. Thank you, RS 40.

One more, one more 99 super chat from our wonderful, loyal friend, Chase. We love Chase. Oh. I bet you're Chase. This is Paris Fight Week. You rewatch Gone versus Ty. Once Ty clipped him, Gone fought with an aggression he rarely has. Are people overlooking his chances versus Tom if the fight stays on the feet?

No, because the core concept is not that the fight will stay on the feet. Don't be wrong. I think Tom could knock out, Cyril, if that's what happened. Tom's just not dumb. He's going to tackle this dude and tap him. Almost immediately would be my best guess. It's like we've seen Tom do this when an occasion called for. it. And then Tom's just going to be like, well, John scored an immediate takedown and finished

him. I bet I could do that. And he's going to do that. This is what the fight's going to be. Over under four and a half minutes. Ooh, I thought if you were going to give me the round and a half was going to smash the under. I'll still say under four and a half though. I think I'm with you. I like honest to God, it's just going to, I assumed heading into the John fight. I was like, Like, Zero Gone might actually be a contest for John because he's super athletic. He moves well. And like John hasn't been like a super focused take down artist in a long time in his career.

And ostensibly, Cyril Gond will have worked on it. He'll be like, man, Francis took me down a bunch. I'll just get better at wrestling. And then I'm going to be a real problem. And then he was insta tackled and tapped. So I just assume he can't learn to wrestle that he's because I'm sure he's just trying. It's not like he doesn't try to get better at it. He's just one of those dudes

you probably can't really figure out how to do it that well. So you're going to get tackled and tapped. Yep. All right. Thank you, Chase. And everyone's going to be saying it should have been Derek Lewis. And I'll say you're right. You're absolutely right.

I mean, Derek can get tackle and tapped too, but Derek also doesn't believe in jiu-jitsu and it rules. More fighters should simply not believe in jiu-jitsu because it's kind of the best. All right. You answer that one. This is an interesting one. Mr. Boza.

What women's strawaway fighter could be on standby for UFC 321 in case Fairner and McKenzie can't make it to the cage fight night? Jose taught me nothing as official to that door closes. I mean, that is a good policy to have. Is there a backup? Yes, there is nobody. They will just delay this fight.

Yeah. The problem is there's one name that would make sense in the top five, except for given the context. Like, theoretically, it should be Tatiana Suarez, as she just lost to the champ, right? The champ is neither of the two women competing. But also, do you want Tatiana Suarez to be your backup fighter? Then you need a backup for your backup fighter. It's like the exhibit thing. Like, oh, I heard you like thing.

I heard you like backup fighters. we put a backup fighter and your backup fighter. Other than that, like, I don't, there's, I'm with you. I think they just, they put it on pause. Theoretically, I guess you could go loopy. She's coming off the Androge win. Yeah, maybe. Like, if you just lost McKenzie like less than a year ago.

Yeah, I know. Like, that's the other problem is like the other women in line all lost to. one of the two competitors recently. So they're not like ideal backup fighters. So it's like Tatiana who has their own problems being a backup fighter or you push it. I think it's just they push it. Yeah, they'll push it for as long as it takes because this fight is not selling a single pay-per-view. It's not the main event too.

This other thing. You think this fight is selling a pay-per-view? This fight is just like it's a, it's a chair. I know you like it. I like it too. People like McKee's like McKee's. I like the fight. Yeah.

But this is not a draw. The McKinsey Dern High will not be silenced, Mike. Me and Chahina Oshaddy never gave up on this dream. Hey. We are about to be paid off. It's a good fight. And me and five other people are on the Verna train. So we're good.

So we got like 10 paper views between me and Jed. So how dare you say it doesn't sell? I'm never wrong. I'm just early. Pinsie Dern's about to do it. Right. So it's not the end of the world If they lose this fight off the card

It would stick a little bit It's the co-mate event, so they'll just push it Yeah, yeah, they don't do back up for comains Yeah I mean, yeah, they would But just there's no need for it here If it's like, okay, we'll push it to the First Paramount card, okay

Like big deal Honestly, that that might in fact be the move It's like oh, well this fell apart Let's put McKinsey Dern on the poster For the first Paramount thing That'll that there are a lot of worse promotional moves than that, frankly. Actually, I'm kind of looking at this 321 lineup.

It ain't great. Dude, I mean, you got asshole. Volkov Almeida, Rackich, Mirzikhanov. I mean, the Umar Batista fight is obviously interesting. Oh, yeah. Dude, is there an Abu Dhabi. Every Abu Dhabi car is shit.

But they're supposed to be like loaded. Like, and then, no, they're just, they're putting regional dudes on, but like those regional dudes aren't, we're not getting Hamzot and Co-Mains anymore he's the main events. It's just like us. We have Osamot Mersikanaf.

Who's fun? I like him. But like, is anyone pumped about it? Ah, Jacket, Max and Mitzraposso. Chris Barnett is fighting Hamdi,

Amdi-Dhabelahab. That's the Err heavyweight fight. just two fat dudes that's gonna be the best I can't wait for that one that should be the co-main event that should be the main event but ranking wise for 321 is pretty awesome

I know but the paper the paper view portion like you've got Umar Mario I don't know that fight's official I am not honestly just have no idea is it okay so yeah you I mean you've got five five quality fights you've got a pay per view

main card that that hits and that's all the goal is for them one of those will probably fall off it'll still be fine I like it can we answer this question oh yeah thank you Mr.

The good news is early day MMA we love early day MMA we love an early day PPV yep yeah I mean I guess we'll watch party

that'll just be all different I'll have to head down early yeah we'll figure that out come October yes it's been the night come that before you know cry crash on the couch

yeah yeah we'll figure it out we've got time yeah I actually think I'll be coming to that from a golf trip so oh sweet

Kiowa baby oh oh you go on the island hell yeah got a friend who has a house there I'm actually going to play um as a house fancy I'm playing Lake Nona

his parents his parents have houses there I'm actually playing Lake Nona on September 16th with my father. I'm very excited about that. You should be. Hopefully, that's, oh, that's two weeks. She'll be over your cold by then. Oh, yeah, I'll be, I'll be fine.

I got to get some swings in. You should be, that'd be fun. I've lost like six pounds this week. But yeah, Lake Nona, very excited in Orlando. My dad volunteered for like an LPGA tournament. And they don't pay you, but they just give you around on a random day to play that course. He's playing Bay Hill as well. He tried to get me on Bay Hill. It did not work out. But he actually played both last year and he said Lake Oana was better than Bay Hill. So I mean,

I'm very pumped. Can't wait to lose my 25 year old father on the best course I've ever played. It's going to be great. That's the thing. I'm pretty pumped to play the island course of Kiowa and shoot like a 110 because it's apparently impossible to do. Yeah. Can't wait for it. Going to be a fun time. Yes. All right, what else we got? Lazy bed. Excuse me. Mike Jed Casey, not asked for confirmation,

but if it happens, how fun and silly will Paula Costa versus Sharra bullet be? That fight will rock. Dude, when Costa started tweeting last night, I was like, yeah, they should do this. Like, it's, you know, like, theoretically you want to put Costa in there against Shemayev. It's just so hard.

given the glut of like real contenders at middleweight right now. And like that fight's just kind of, there's no bad outcome. If Shaw wins, that's kind of what the UFC's been wanting for a hot minute anyway. And most importantly, the fight will be fun. Costa will do a lot of problematic to problematic adjacent memes in the buildup. He's already started. And then the fight will just be fun. and either dude could win it and there's not a bad outcome if it happens.

Like that is, to me, that's a prime matchup. Like that's a perfect co-main event for, you know, anywhere you want to go, frankly. I actually really like the fight. So it's being reported as the co-main event. And again, we have not confirmed that this is real or not. The co-main event for UFC. For the car. Oh, honestly, that's like exactly perfect.

It's the main event, though. Yeah. But what's the main event to be for that card? I don't know. That would be a perfectly fine main event as well. 100%. This feels like main event for, yeah, the guitar card. Yeah, especially seeing five rounds, tired Costa and see if Sharbole can go five rounds.

So, yeah, that's great. I mean, what is the main event for that card? Do you do, is he Sean Strickland, too? Is that the main event? Sean Strickland and guitar? I mean, what, Jesus. What a time that would be. I don't, that doesn't feel like that's what you do.

Also, when is he eligible if he does anger management? Is it November or is it December? I think it's November. Three months, right? When was this? I thought anger management was six months and it was nine without it. Oh, six months without it. Six months without it?

Okay. Then I don't know. Then yeah, probably by November then surely, right? Yeah. Yeah. You can't take Sean Strickland to Qatar. You just can't do that. I don't I just that you can't do that

the whole America stick doesn't really play yeah I don't think you can do that one oh they then they definitely do it yeah that's all I want to see now I mean it would be undeniably funny that would be a perfectly fine main event for that card like a perfectly fine main event for that card we'll see we should probably find out sooner rather than later

I mean I would say Umar but they'd put Umar versus Mario on 3. So if Sean Strickland does anger management, the suspension will end mid-October. I'm sure he could do it. It'll be bumped to four and a half months. That'll make it mid-October. If he doesn't, December 29th. And he's going to do it. So it could happen.

He certainly has been tweeting about doing it. All right. Dude, what about honestly, like, let's just keep up the bit. Robert Whitaker's last three fights have been in Saudi, the UAE and the UAE. Let's just have Robert Whitaker the adopted Muslim fighter functionally. Just have him fighting Qatar. Again, Sean Shickland? Sure.

I mean, that fight makes perfect sense. I just think we shouldn't take Sean Shickland to Qatar, but you do what you're going to do, I guess. It is super weird that Robert Wittaker's last three fights. have been in Muslim countries. Even though they've gone to Australia. Yeah, they keep going to Australia. They go to Australia once a year and he doesn't get to fight there. They're like, no, bro.

You're going to you're going to Abdubby. Okay. Guess so. All right. Jeez. All right. Thank you. Lazybed.

What else we got here? Costa Shara Bullitt has fight of the year potential. like in a cost of rock. It'll be funny as hell for sure. Yeah. Especially if it's five rounds. Especially fiber. I like,

all right. This is an interesting question. Is there anything Tom Aspinall can do to Cyril Gahn to move him up to number one pound for pound? Bro, y'all know that I've been beating this drum, right? Like on the rankings pods, I am repeatedly posing to Casey. bruh, he's beating the best guys in the world in 60 seconds and you've got him maxed at 10.

What can any heavyweight do? It was like legitimately. Even out so like if he does the same thing to gone, I'll think about it. I won't do it ultimately because heavyweight's garbage. And so it just is one of those situations where the only way a heavyweight can be at the top is if everybody else just loses a bunch and he wins forever. a la like Fador, I guess, or whatever.

Well, like, the division is just so bad that he can't. But he is doing everything possible to, like, again, you cannot ask for more from him. He's beaten every top contender that he's faced in like two minutes or less. And I think I might have him the highest and I have him at like five, I think in my rankings. It's just not really possible. he needs to fight a lot he just has to rain for like six years and then people be like I guess screw it man

no I mean if he just fights I mean it's not his fault that he was waiting for John but he hasn't he hasn't fought in a year and a half since July of last year so 14 months it'll be almost a year and a half by the time he actually fights like he just needs to fight like Casey rolls up three wins in six months like he's

get to the top. He won't get to the top, but he'll get closer. Casey, here's my question. How many title defenses will Tom need to break into the top three? Assuming that like everybody currently above him doesn't also rattle off six title defenses or whatever, but like you just have the normal sort of changeover. You get a top things. How many consecutive title defenses will Tom need before you're like, I mean, I guess he's

the three best fighters in the world it sucks because the problem of long title runs and this is what fans complain about after tom wins two or three of them then we're getting to the the the the Travis looter type of title defenses you know for anderson or who is he's just gonna run up he's just gonna run them all back is what yeah oh so yeah i have to fight sergey a second time again yeah that's let's go if he gets four title offenses and sets the heavyweight record sets the heavyweight record and and not one competitive fight and just non-competitive fights and he does it yeah i mean i think that's fair i think that's i'm not not criticizing i think that's fair right like it's it is just

the nature of the game heavyweight used to have most of the best or most famous and exciting fighters now it has not. That's putting it very bluntly. If John had fought him and Tom tomed him, he still probably wouldn't have been number one, but a lot more people would have him in the top three. But John denied him that, and that's John's right. Yeah. Yeah, so I guess that answer is the question.

Lim. So nothing is the answer to be nothing. Yeah, it's unfortunate. All right. I don't think we've talked about this at all, so let's get into it. Oh, God. Thoughts on Rampage saying it was at work and his son should go to jail for a few days, not prison. Jed is a lawyer.

Is there a chance he's not arrested? Yeah, first of all, yeah, the whole thing rubbed me the wrong way. Just giving him a platform at all, it rubs me the wrong way. It really does because you knew what he was going to say and how he was going to say it. The whole situation is just ridiculous. But should he go to jail, Jed? Is there a chance he's not arrested for this? I would say it's extremely unlikely that he is not arrested for this.

I am very reticent. Quick question before we get into this. To get charged with assault or whatever, does the victim have to press charges or can you just beat someone up and they still press charges. I mean, you don't, the victim in general, the victim is the one who's pressing charges, but there are instances where that's not necessary, specifically, if you're on videotape assaulting someone. Like, that's.

Okay. I just want, I just want to get that out there. Yeah. If the victim doesn't actually press charges, can charges be pressed. But, okay. Like, usually if the victim, yeah, usually if he doesn't, like, they'll probably just, like, if psychos do is just like, I'm not going to do anything about this, then they may still, just because this got so high profile, right?

Like this was everywhere. It's on TMZ and everything, you know? Like random, I feel like maybe I saw like a daily show bit talk about it or something like that. Like this, it was so broad that like the DA may feel some level of compulsion to treat this seriously. But my guess is if ultimately Sego's like, I'm let it be, they would let it go. but that is wildly speculative on my part.

He probably should go to jail. I would be okay with him going to jail, not prison, frankly. I am personally always extremely reticent to send people to prison because if you, I mean, you don't have like, I spent a fair amount of time in law school, like working around prisons and doing stuff like that, and they're just the worst place on earth. And in this country, they are not rehabilitative,

almost to any degree. That's the key. And like, if you just read about it, it's very evident. But rehabilitation is not a primary focus for our penal system whatsoever, which is why we have such high recidivism rates. So like I'm, I would never get put under jury for a number of reasons. One of the big ones being like the bar to make me be like, yes, that guy should go to prison is pretty high. but like a 30 day in jail run I'm a little more open to that he needs like he can't do what he did I suspect that something will he'll spend some time behind bars they're probably not like an

extensive amount mostly my thoughts beyond what we've we've already talked about this it's all horrible and stupid and really really dumb I don't I don't I don't know who rampage has telling him what to do but i thought he was doing right because the his first inclination when this first happened and he's still on kick like live streaming his life is like not going to talk too much about this i'll address like here's some things stayed very like unopinionated on the matter and it was like legal process play out and then he just goes out and is like i mean rajah's bad but also psychos do what the F dude is just like you're not helping you're not helping um you know i all of

it was really bad and uh sometimes you just got no one to shut the fuck up and rampage wasn't shutting the fuck up and he probably should have been next all right uh thank you trevalin this is the just lastly this is one of those situations where you can't uh you know both sides it right you can't be like but uh we're like you can't be like well my son was in the wrong but also kind of shitty that psycho stew didn't even apologize i should investigate him like what are you talking about why isn't psychos stew sending out like a statement about this because i'm getting racist death threats in my dms like i don't think that that's his job right i'm not saying those people are well-balanced or good

that's terrible they shouldn't do it I don't think the guy who was in the hospital for three days and nearly put in a coma I'm gonna go ahead and say he doesn't have the owners to do shit here half his teeth missing yeah yeah

it's horrible I would say it's extremely likely he is at least arrested whether he spends actual time in jail no idea all right thank you Trayvon what else we got here I've almost got an hour here.

Oh, by the way, Vitor Belfort is out of the Vandale-Silver boxing match. I don't know if you saw that. Oh, good. Maybe that fight will go away quietly. Or, or I know a guy who said he's retired, but. I'm thinking that too. Oh, God. Vandale can throw a left hook.

Three weeks after getting knocked out by there. No way. Apparently, there is a replacement. and it's supposed to be announced on Sunday. And if it's who I think, if it's who I am to believe it is, I don't think people are going to like it. I can't imagine.

Oh my God. Oh, my God. Please tell me it's Chuck Lel. Holy shit. Don't say. God, that's it. Is it a boxing match, correct? Boxing?

It's a boxing match. Yes. Boxing match. Anderson. Yes. Let's go, Anderson. Silvas versus. What if it was like, someone like Tito?

Tito. Oh, God. We'll see. We'll find it on Sunday. All right. Lazy bed. This one's for Jed, I think. Referee Keith Peterson has now gotten into the seminar business,

teaching his techniques to hopeful MMA officials. That's a joke. Who would be the worst referee to offer training courses? This is a terrific question. Yeah, I like this. The question is obvious. Is Gary Copeland. He is actively the worst ref.

It's not. He's been awful, but like he's cemented it. This past contender series, Mike, you were watching at least parts of it. Casey, were you? Oh, yeah, I was watching it all. Yeah. Like, it was cartoonishly bad.

It was so bad. Like, they even kind of said it on the broadcast without like, because they didn't want to say it. But like, Gary Copeland effed up so bad, and Jason Herzog, page side had to tell him how to do it right. And then the broadcast just like, yeah, Jason Herzog called the fight functionally because that's what happened. Like, he is bad at his job.

So let's break you down. So there was the two situations. It was the in the chop, chopper lane fight, the illegal knee. I swear to God, I've never seen that happen before. And I, like, this is like, I want transparent. with the referees and officials at all points in time. Like, I think they should have to answer questions from reporters. I think the commission should, like, be required to,

honestly, just do their follow-up. I have never, I watched it six times. I can't say with absolute certainty, because you're catching a lot of different audio. I am 90% certain that one of the most blatantly illegal needs you'll ever see happens, Gary Copeland notices it, looks to a ring-side. official says grounded fighter and the fight continues as if it's fucking soccer and it just play on advantage only super not advantage and like and then at the break he goes up to the offending

fighter and I was like that was illegal don't you do it again I've never seen honest to God I think he called that a foul but let the fight continue for reasons that I do not get what Like, that is way worse than the other one, even though the other one feels worse because of how silly it looked. Yeah. So what about if Gary Copeland teamed up with the referee from Misfits Boxing and they did a dual referee technique course? That guy was also really, really bad. That guy was really bad. Man, it was not a banner week for refin.

No. Seven days. I forgot. I had already forgotten how bad that dude was. and then the second Gary Copeland one that one is I think that it's poorly handled but I that one I have a little bit more tolerance

end results the same and I do have a little more tolerance for that because the situation is trickier because of how the rules are are functional right like it's the Olexeychik is firing hammer fist in dude's head turns he catches maybe one on the back of it Gary Copeland stops the fight and then you're in that sort of awkward like this back of the head rule is kind of stupid already.

And in situations like this, it really makes things more complicated than it probably should be. He stops the fight, goes to replay, sees that the dude was out, and Jason Herzog has to be like, yeah, bro, you can't restart it. The fights over, this guy wins. Andresol was the same,

and it just looked silly. And that is a tough call, right? Like, if you think, honestly, per the rules, that dude got hit in the back of the head, that's illegal. You're supposed to stop the action and proceed accordingly. So like I have some grace for him on that one. The I swear to God, I think he saw it as a foul, knew it was a foul and just let the fight continue and then went back at the break to be like, don't do it again.

Not even that's a foul. We're going to continue. I'll take a point after, which is a thing you can do if the foul occurs and a fighter has an advantage, right? So like if there is an egregious cage grab and the dude still gets to take down, you don't want to stop the back. out and take a point because like that the the winning the guy who the foul adversely affected is in a good position so you can then retroactively take a point at the next you know optimal break but he was just like fight continues except for the dude who got a lead need in the head illegally was jacked up and then didn't even take the point like I honest to God like I cannot understand

what happened there I don't it's so wild to make it worse I don't know if you heard the full commentary from what Herzog said afterward to the commentary team. So Copeland basically told both fighters, oh yeah, by the way, that was illegal. Are you okay? Whatever. But Herzog said the judges were not informed. That was an illegal strike.

Now, I don't think it affected the total decision. But for the judges, for the judges, they were still under the premise that was illegal need of the head. Because he didn't stop the bout for a foul. And yeah. Yeah. So it's like, you know, sometimes there's headbuts and they, you know, after the round ends, they tell the rest that cut is from a accidental headbut, something like that.

That's where you're expecting, but none of that either. So, yeah, it seems like a contender series are just trying out things to just, you know. But like, but Casey, that's a really good point because like it ended up being 3027, so it didn't matter. But because he didn't notify the officials and because he didn't stop action, the, like the default position. from judges has to be that that is a legal maneuver. That was a legal strike. And so there's a world where, you know, they split the other two rounds and that first round then gets decided by an illegal strike that Gary Copeland just totally fucked up.

Like it's the it ultimately didn't end up being that bad. But also like legitimately it may have cost that dude his contender series shot. I don't, I think that that is like a thing that I don't care about as much. but like people often say that to me about stuff. As these things are happening, like, well, kind of, it was like, yeah, I don't think the ref should concern himself with that. But it does just sort of speak to why you want professionals who are good at their jobs in these positions because like it may have cost, homie a shot because like Dana White

afterwards was like, hey man, that was a good performance. It's not your fault that the ref was weird. But like you didn't stand out or jump off the page. and because the overarching takeaway from that fight was, man, Gary Copeland sucks at this, not like, oh, shit, he's winning a competitive good fight against a good fighter. Very odd. But overall, fun contingency series episode. That was the first episode I've watched beginning to end.

And base season is the Bow-Nickle experiment. My belief is it's the best one of the season because the fights weren't, like last week, there were a bunch of first-round finishes, but all those fights were huge squash matches, with like minus 600 favorites. There was one squash match. It was the main event last week. The rest of them were competitive fights. You got three good finishes and two, one really good fight.

And then another fight that was a bit marred by the refing, but was still like high level dudes going at it. I think it was the best sort of all around. Like that is my what I want contender series to be is something like that. Yeah. And I just want to compliment. Was that KS's first time in the at the, at the desk.

It was. I mean, not desk at the booth or whatever. Cajod. Yeah. I thought him and Sanko and Fitzgerald.

Great. And you, oh my God. You get, you're right. Outside of one thing of of the

fighting for round three being a 10A for McMillan. Oh, that was still ludicrous. All right. The first round, if you want to score 108 round one,

I'm totally with you. Multiple knockdowns. I actually did. I did. I did score a lot. I thought the fight was a draw, correct? Yeah. But giving round three a 10-8 for Tommy McMillan

and really fighting for it was a little outrageous. I'm not going to hate on that. But overall, just the way they were kind of flown. More the way they were flown of each other and just kind of. Oh, it was. And the fact that you can tell they do research, you can tell they watch fights from these guys. They don't kind of just, because you have to,

because it's not like these are, you know, are they fun. You'll see twice. So I'm just kind of going from my memory. Like they have to sit down and watch their fights. And I thought they did a great job. So, yeah, I've been fighting for Kiesa to be doing color for years now. He's very good at it.

He's been doing it for LFA for a long time. He's good. Mixed Dean Thomas in there was a great call. He was fantastic when he was on the broadcast doing Contender Series. Like, it's just nice to see those voices mixed in there outside of D.C. and Bisbing, which we hear on every freaking card anyways. Like, it's nice. to see they brought DC into this card too so they brought DC in oh yeah well he was part of it yeah yeah um yeah uh I thought

he was fine he didn't jump out at me um give him a few more times to develop some more chemistry and I'll make a better judge uh like the first time I Felder did it I was like oh Felder's really good like literally the first time he did I was like Paul Felder is quite good at this I did not have their reaction with Kays I didn't think he was bad um And so I'd like him to get some more reps and see if it's, you know, he's a guy that I think is really good at it. But yeah, not quite the same as like, Felder was the dude when he first did. I was like, oh, he should do this a lot. He's really quite talented as a broadcaster.

Yeah, this is the second one. He did the road to UFC card right before UFC Shanghai. And he did a great job. It's him and John Good and just the two of them. They did great. Road to UFC is nonsense. I don't know what that's about. They actually had like actual UFC fights on there.

The Bosniani looks like the most UFC ready seems to have the total package. I don't know if I agree with that. I mean, I think he is going to have a long and productive career in the UFC. And I do think he is the total package. I actually thought Mendo Nalo looked the most like UFC ready traditionally because he is. He is a fully finished product. I forgot about Nalo. Yeah, that's a 36-year-old prospect.

I love it. I love it. Yeah, he's not a prospect. He's just a UFC caliber dude. He is a fully finished product. And he won't have nearly the career in the UFC that La Boisneum will have. But, like, I mean, we also, the boys named just ran over that dude and didn't really, like, show a lot. He showed a head kick that he's done many times regionally as well, like a Leoto-Machita switch front head kick.

And the knockout was sick. It's honestly one of the cooler knockouts of the year. But I think Nalo showed like a better game. We had more. I mean, the J.P.'s fight was only, what, 35 seconds. Yeah. That's, yeah. It was 60 seconds or whatever.

Yeah. But like, no, the Boysnian is going to be around for a while. I think he's a really good prospect. I think Nala will be fun. I don't know what to make of Oleg Seych. He looks like his brother only like a little bit better. And Bikel Lik Cichick's been in the U.C. Like, that's honest to God.

He looks like a slightly more. technically refined Olexeychuk. And McHale's been in the UFC for 20 fights or whatever. So he's probably going to be okay. And, you know, middleweight's Garbo. So like the top of middleweight is good. The not top of middleweight is not good. It's better.

Oh, sorry. Go. And I'll tell you, he didn't get a contract. I thought he should have had the draw with McMillan. McGowan, that kid, that kid rules. he is he's my Kevin Vallejos guy this season like two years ago

Kevin Vallejos lost to John Silva in an awesome fight and then John's literally he has been the most competitive human against John Silva in his career functionally and now Kevin Valleos he came back the next season

got a contract I think McGorian's the same way like he lost a very competitive fight with the mill that I frankly thought should have been a draw he's 21 and he's a he's a weird like he's the best kind of weird yeah he is his game is like a little honey a

little a hundred pantosia and he's dude give him a like i'm glad he didn't get signed they weren't like given one because i want him to fight five times on the regional circuit this year and just like develop because he rules he is going to be one of my boys for sure yeah he's just he's a wild man like so like he was So effective striking, but it looked so bizarre watching his strike. It looks like I know I love that. You know I love that. It's my favorite thing.

It was like, I'm going to move around my arms. It's like I'm on 6th Street in Austin and I'm just going to throw shit as hard as I can. But it was effective. He hurt McMillan multiple times in the first round. But McMill had just kind of like out. Dude, he almost killed him. Yeah. I genuinely thought I was like, oh my God, I'm going to see a man rip a dude's head off with that like,

guillotine the mid-Millian. Like, I was like, holy shit, he's going to snap his own neck in this thing. It was insane.

What a great fight. And then like, you, McGoyan, he's, he's super creative. Like, he's not like the best athlete,

which is a problem. Like, he's, he's the exact fighter I fall in love with and I fell in love watching him. Because like he's also,

he's 21 and was making like clear mid-round adjustments. Because McMillan kept just ducking his head, like wildly. And McGillian picked up on and was like, like, okay, I will start timing shots towards your knee

because that's where your head's going to end up in the next two seconds. He's, I love that kid. I cannot wait to see him in the UFC in two years. Very fun fight. All right. And our last question and a super chat before we get out to out to Jack Kong Don.

He'll be back. Tough times for New England regional MMA right now. Jed, how you hitched your ice pick? That was a tough knockout. Yowser. Have you hitched your ice pick? to a climb bet for UFC Paris. Great question.

I haven't. I just am not doing No Bet's Bard this week because some other stuff came up and I just didn't get around to it. I've been looking and the problem is I'm going to pull it up right now on my phone because I was looking at it. I've looked at it every day this week

and waiting for something to be like, yeah, that's it. That's the one. And nothing is jumping out as like, here's how we want to start. Because this is climb number eight. Eight's my lucky. number. This is the one we're taking all the way to the top, baby. But, like, I don't want to,

I don't think I want to climb with Omar C, right, even though he's probably going to kill Brinson Habero. And the rest of these are like pretty tightly lined fights here, you know. Like Sam Hughes, I think she's going to win. Do I really want to climb with Sam Hughes and the curtain jerker? I do not. I haven't taken enough of a look at some of the over-unders. My belief is that Modestis Pekowskis is going to beat Paul Craig. And so that's probably like if I climb this week, that would be the one. But I just, I don't know. I just don't know, boys.

Well, I mean, excitement personified. Hopefully we come up with something. Main event, like, what's made event like over one and a half? Let me take a look at some, some opportunities here. I kind of feel like the main event's going to go a little. Well, this thing, the over one and a half is minus 900. And over two and a half is like minus 475. And I don't, I think that that would hit, but I don't want to sweat that.

How many stages are you at right now? Zero. This would be the start of a brand new one. But it's number eight. And number eight is my lucky number. This is the one we're going all the way to the top, baby. Wait, did you lose on your initial climb last week? Sure did.

You lost back to, wow. It was Mountain Tiger. I climbed with Mountain Tiger. freaking jangmy yang who i thought was like very clearly looked like he was doing it and then suddenly boom boom goes the calf kick and we're like oh shit well it's over yep uh shana bannon samuys over two and a half minus 475 is is kind of tasty i mean that that's pretty honest to god i wanted i was going to climb with darren till but he was way too big a favorite he was like minus a thousand I was like, oh, I'll climb with Darren Till because he will win.

And it was like, minus 1,000. Oh, okay. Well, poop. The Huffy BSD fight, like, doesn't. What could I look at here? Doesn't go. Sorry, Ruffy. Where is it doesn't?

Where is it doesn't go to decision on this one? Man. Ends inside the distance is what I'm looking for. Why can't I see this? Jesus. There's so many odds up. Doesn't go is minus, fight to go the distance. Yes, plus 200, no minus 275. I mean, I really like that.

I don't hate that at all, frankly, but that's not the price point you want. You want to feel more confident. Like, UR.C. is going to kill Brinson Hibero, so I probably should just climb with that. Foucascus, Paul Craig, doesn't go minus 275. I mean, that's just, that just has to go, right? Like that fight, I don't know the business. I mean, it's a Paul Craig fight. Or he gets knocked out.

It is a Paul Craig fight. The answer, Slito, is no, I will be posting it on the socials should I come to one. But as things currently stand, nothing, there's just nothing that I super loved. Go see. I'm here. This is the time. If you're going to just gamble on the, or not gamble. you know, just take a chance on your initial climb.

The first step is the best one, right? I mean, yes, but I want this one to go. And I don't know. Well, if you skip this next week, if you skip this week, you're going to be in the same point next week. You're still starting? No, because next week there will just be better things that I'll want to be at, you know? Like next week we've got.

Terrence Crawford. Yeah, next week we're going to be climbing a lot. Actually, I haven't even looked at the boxing odds. What are the Crawford-Canello odds? let's take again there he's only minus 200 is that real wow minus 205 for canello

yeah I'm gonna bet that I don't know if I mean I honestly that might be the start of the climb is is a Canelo Canelo action next week along with I mean there's plenty of stuff on Calum Walsh Calum Walsh minus 295

and we know how they match me for Calum Walsh they give him name. I don't have any concept about, I haven't looked at the Kalam Walsh fight at all, but like. He's fighting Fernando Vargas Jr. John Silva. Look, John Silva's my boy. He should not be a minus 300 over Diego Lopez. John Silva is my boy, but he should not be minus 300.

That's a big number. Oh, Tatiana Suarez, minus 400 against Amanda Limoush. Check please. Yeah, that seems. Check please. That is one of the climbs. We may be, we're going to be double climbing with Tatiana and Canelo next week

is what we going to be doing. So we may just wait. But I'm going to dive into it in a little bit here and check my social slito. Or check MMAFide.com. I'll throw it up on the feed as well if I get one going. Dude, Tatiana at minus 400 might be the best value play of 2025. I got to, I mean, this was literally the first time I looked at it.

And I was like, that is, that, that looks like a thing I'm interested in. I thought Suarez would be like minus 575 or something. That looks like a thing I'm interested in. Mandelimo is not the best defensive wrestler in history. Nope. It's going to be a tough knife for it. Yeah, that's going to be a hard one. And hey, look, maybe if Tatiana gets this, then she can be the backup fighter.

Maybe, I mean, this would be her first time fighting twice in a year and forever. So. Well, I think we're done. Hit the music. We out. We did it. We sure did. Thank you all very much. Back next week, we'll obviously a ton of stuff to talk about. Maybe we'll get BC back on. Talk some boxing, talk some MMA. Who knows? We shall see. But thank you all very much for Casey for Jed. I am Mike Heck. Appreciate you. Have a great rest of your week. We'll see you tomorrow for the UFC Paris preview show. The iconic voice of Esknoon, please go home. Good night. Love y'all. It's been Between the Links, an MMAT fighting production on the Vox Media Network.