MMA Fighting - No Bets Barred: Can Israel Adesanya Make History At UFC 305 And Beat Dricus Du Plessis To Reclaim The Middleweight Title?

Episode Date: August 14, 2024

UFC 305 takes place this Saturday in Perth, Australia headlined by a middleweight title matchup between Dricus du Plessis and Israel Adesanya, so the No Bets Barred boys are back with a full breakdown of the event. Co-hosts Conner Burks and Jed Meshew kick things off with a wide-ranging discussion on the Olympics, UFC Vegas 95, and some other topics before diving into UFC 305. Can du Plessis defend his title or will Adensanya become only the second person in history to win a title three times in the UFC? Will Steve Erceg or Kai Kara-France reinsert themselves in the flyweight title picture? Can Tai Tuivasa finally bring back the shoey celebration? All that and more on this week's episode. Tune in for episode 98 of No Bets Barred. Follow Conner Burks: @connerburks Follow Jed Meshew: @JedKMeshew Subscribe to MMA Fighting Check out our full video catalog Like MMA Fighting on Facebook Follow on Twitter Read More: http://www.mmafighting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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But first, there, the last one. Enjoy a Coca-Cola for a pause that refreshes. You're listening to the Vox Media Podcast Network. What is going on, y'all? We are back another edition of No Betts Barred this time. UFC 305. The promotion returns to Perth, Australia. I've been waiting on this one, Jed.

Driecus B-plus B taking on Israel Adasanya. I've been waiting on this fight for like two years. This card, we'll get into it. You know, not a bad card. Certainly some high watermarks here, some other fights happening. Main card is exciting. But this is a one-fight card as far as I'm concerned, and I ain't got no issues with it,

because this is the fight I wanted a year and a half ago. I've wanted this fight last summer when we were going to do the, Oh, now DDP is going to step in and fight Rob Whitaker. And then he's not going to have enough time to turn around. I was like, no, let's just, let's just fire him in. Obviously, you know what happened. I've been won this fight for a long time.

Weird vibes. Vives are pretty quiet this week thus far. I suspect things business will pick up as we move into the, you know, press conference media day stuff. But a little quieter than that, but still, I mean, this fight is worth it. This was my most anticipated fight of the year after January, basically. And it's probably not that anymore. We got that Elliott-Deporia Max Holloways.

That's going to be a big one. But certainly a top three most anticipated fight for me on the schedule right now. So pretty pumped about this weekend. Yeah, no doubt, man. I mean, I'm with you, too. Like, it kind of feels like it's all quiet on the Western front right now. I mean, you know, you got the countdown, people tweeting about it, stuff like that. But it doesn't feel like it's front and.

center like it's like getting ready to explode i mean it's uh how can you i mean kind of we're still just kind of marinating washing over uvc vegas 95 just soaking that all in how could we be excited when that's still so fresh in our minds true circle here circle of trust no judgment free zone we never judgment here it's just you and me and 10 000 of our best friends i made the conscious decision. I didn't watch a single fight. Conscious decision? That was a, you made a choice.

I made a choice. I was sitting in front of a television. And I didn't watch. I mean, the restraint, the discipline. I was with family. I was with friends. I was enjoying my Saturday. I knew it was happening.

I was watching, like I was checking topology, keeping up with who was winning and everything. But yeah, I watched a couple highlights. I saw that, you know, Spivok got it done quickly. So now we're going to have to get Spivok-Tibera 3. Obviously, we need the rubber match in that series. But I mean, yeah, I just people were tweeting at me. They were like, is this card worse than we could have possibly expected?

And I was like, I don't know. Freed from the shackles of tyranny of the UFC Apex. I didn't watch. I'm so proud of you. I tell people all the time on our preview shows and between the links, all sorts of stuff, I'll tell you, if the card's not good, you don't have to watch it. You know, there's nothing wrong with taking some time with your family, your friends. Bank those hours.

You know, that's where I always tell them. Like, you know, this isn't one of the cards that you need to have a fight with your significant other about, because I got to stay up and watch this when you want to go to dinner with our friends or game night. Bank those hours. Go apple picking. Go to the pumpkin patch. Do whatever it is you got to do. So when, you know, UFC 305 comes around or more appropriately, UFC 306, U.S.C. 308, when those come around,

you'd be like, hey, I got to put in my time earlier, I get this one. We got to watch this one. Last weekend was 100% one of those cards. And I'm proud of you. I'm proud of you for prioritizing. Prioritize yourself. It felt freeing, man. It really did.

It felt good. It felt good. There's nothing else to say. It doesn't mean I love the sport any less. Doesn't mean I'm not going to be locked in from prelim to main event this weekend. But it felt good, man. I cannot lie. It felt good.

Buddy, you don't even know how good it felt. Because you only know how good it felt. You don't know how good it, how bad it would have felt if you were locked in. And you're watching decision after decision, after meaningless decision. and just roll one into the other and thinking... You watched the whole card, yeah? I was working, it had to. I just want to throw this out there.

One of my biggest bets of the year, actually, ended up being the over one and a half in all three of the women's fights. Now I saw that they all went to a decision. Was that the easiest bet in the history of ever? I mean, it was fairly easy. There were some moments in a couple of the fights where something could have gotten squirrely,

but never so much so. that it really looked like a problem. Yeah, because I went back and checked. I was like, oh, they all just went to a decision. That's just about as easy as it gets. They just needed to make it halfway for me. And they just did the whole thing. In terms of bets, yeah, I mean, making money, passive income is what they call it.

When you're not sitting there watching the fights, I've finished up five units at UFC 8-95. Maybe you should just watch fights less. I was just like, you know, I went to bed with speed. This is how checked out I was on Saturday. I went to bed with Spivak-Tibera getting ready to start. And I acknowledged it. I was like, oh, main event's about to start. Don't care, going to sleep.

And I was just like, if I wake up and it doesn't go to, if it finishes under three and a half, big week for your boy. Big week for your boy, wake up in the morning. Oh, it ended in 90 seconds. That was a great week for your boy. That was an early night for you if you went to bed before the main event. I've been going to bed early lately, man. getting up, been getting in the gym?

I mean, I can see it. Yeah, these paper view nights do me dirty. Yeah. I'll say, if you're going to bed before Spivak, Tyboro 2, man, the Michoulin Mansion coming up on Saturday is going to be tough for you, kid. All right, so I'll make the argument here. My parents go to bed incredibly early. They're both in their late 60s.

So, like, while I'm at their house right now, it's a much different vibe when they're like, all right, I'm going to bed, and then I'm sitting there. and they're like their room is right next to their large TV and they're just like, you should keep the TV down if you're going to keep watching it. I'm just like, this is not the vibe. This is not the vibe. So when I'm with you and Mike,

it's much easier to stay up, you know? I mean, fair. I also, this is, again, this is judgment-free zone. I love going to judge. I love going to bed early. I'm a big, big fan of just being like, you know what? Nothing good happens after midnight anyway. Let's wake up early.

You know, hit the gym. All I'm going to do is watch stuff. That's, that is what I do at night. I'm not, I'm not studying to become a better person. I'm not making the world a better place. I am loathing on my couch. A, watching stuff, B, eating shitty food. So when I go to bed early, neither of those things happen. And it just works out well for me. Sounds like we need to work on your nightly activities. Why aren't you out there just nose to the grindstone solving world peace? Yeah. No. You could be doing that. said you're watching the challenge. Yes. And the worst part is lately, I haven't been been in a show for a while. Like, you know, like when I get into a show, I'll get into it and I'll just bend it out. It'll be, it'll be, it'll like motivate me through the day because I'll be like, God, I can't wait

to get home and just watch more of whatever show I'm into. And I haven't done that a minute, dude, like, like eight, 10 months. So then if I sit down and watch stuff at night, I end up just watching the most almighty bullshit. Like I'm talking cable television sitcom rerun with A 20 minute, how I met your mother episode with 10 minutes of commercials. It's just like, it's crazy because I go on a streaming service and I get 30 seconds of commercials and I'm irate. I want to punch through a wall. I sit and watch cable of a show that I didn't even select and there is a six minute commercial break. And I'm just like, that's life.

That's how it goes. I don't even know how we got on to this, but how did you do at Apex 95, my friend? We lost a little bit because I took a live bet during the card because the card was so bad. They can't explain to you. The vibes were terrible, Connor. This felt like the one to miss. People were legitimately tweeting at me like, this is the worst fucking card I've ever watched.

100% of all the events that have happened, like this was the worst viewing experience of the year. And everything was going to a decision. I was like, all right, we're going to bring back heavyweight over because everything's going to the cards. It just feels like it's destined. So it took a live bet on that,

which ended up putting me down for the weekend. But, Conner, I mean, I'll be also very clear. I bet a ton of, like, my dudes, almost none of them worked out. Shout out to Stephanie Luciano. Big Pauls and a puppy. The group chat was popping off, continue to make moves with 13 and 1 now. It's a dominant. Tom Nolan fighting this weekend.

I was going to that. I was going to say, we got another big pause on a puppy going this weekend. And he's a slight favorite, I think I saw. I think he saw it. Just a small favorite. but it would have been a really bad week, Connor, except for just the little sprinkle, just a little splash, the little feather dusting on Spivak by submission. Oh, that's beautiful.

That's beautiful. Baby, just coming through, not how I envisioned that happening at all, but it saved me from having a truly terrible week. And I also lost some money on my Olympic wrestling. The American Olympic wrestling team did not. they didn't win a lot of golds this year, Connor, and kind of took me with them. Shout out to USA Basketball.

My 25% ROI investment comes through in spades for me. A little bit worried against Serbia, but it worked out. And then shout out to the gold medal holders in men's handball. Denmark, the redeemed team comes through, baby. Plus 200 on them was just downright disrespectful. Blue Germany out in the gold medal match. It was never even close.

By the time I turned it on, they were already up like eight goals, and it was just a complete runaway. So shout out to both of them. So to both of them. Shout out to USA basketball, because you could get them still at like a reasonable price deep into the tournament. Oh, yeah. Yeah.

Took a minus 400 pre through enough money. Had they lost, it would have been very disappointing. But I was so sure that they weren't going to lose. How are you feeling about how was that Serbia game treating you? Hell. And I was watching my mom. mom was sitting on the couch watching with me, so I, like, had to kind of keep it in check that I wasn't, like, destined for financial ruin if they didn't pull off that comeback.

You already live with her, though, so it's fine. What more can they do? Exactly. I was like, oh, this is not looking good. So that comeback was incredible. And then Steph Curry, obviously, was even more incredible. You know, while we're on the subject of weird betting before we dive into 305 here, just wanted to come out and make a big announcement.

I think I alluded to it on the MMA hour at one point. I will be riding with Arsenal this year in the Premier League. I'm officially a gooner and supporting the gunners. Time for the reign of Man City to end. Placed a very substantial future on Arsenal to bring it in. So yeah, man, I'm a gooner for life. And by for life, I mean, until May 25th, 2025 when the season ends. But yeah, Arsenal got me on a season-long contract.

I'm really excited to come out with that information. Man, that's just a great, great pickup from Arsenal right there, you know. Just it's a one-year-prove-it kind of deal. Yep. You know, just it's not long-term, but we all know what we're getting into here. So I've done this before in different sports, you know, placed futures and gone all in on a team for a season. And it goes one of two ways. They either get it done and they win the championship and they'll always hold a special place in my heart or they don't get it done.

And they just, they're dead to me from there on out. So it's one-in-two ways. That's how one-year-proof-it deal is, you know? Like either are you going to resign for a long-term executive? extension, stay with the team, probably for the end of your career, retire, banner in the rafters. Or, you know, all right, this didn't work out. Let's try and work our way under the practice squad somewhere else. So I wish you all the best for the finish one. Thanks, man. Got a got a hat on the way working on the jersey. Thinking 0506, Thierry the 100 year anniversary.

Oh, you know, a little throwback action. Okay. Gold O2 on the front. I mean, it's absolute class. Yeah, got that on the way. Scouted it out, found the Premier League bar I'll be watching on Saturday mornings, you know, hopefully make some new friends there and find some fellow gooners. And yeah, it's going to be a great season. But we're not here to talk Premier League. We're here to talk EOC 305.

And that will be headlined by 1. Israel, Adasania, Dreykis duplasi, the champ, the reigning, defending, middleweight champion of the world, Dreecus duplasee. Never thought we were going to get this fight under these circumstances. But here we are.

right now. Go ahead and flip that coin, my man. Draft Kings, Israel, Adasania, minus 118, DDP, minus 102. What say you about this main event? I love this main event. I love this main event. So very, very much. Some shorts. They hate each other. It doesn't get much better. Again, my only real issue with this main event is we've had too long of a buildup, I think, honestly. I think that's part of why it's so quiet because these two dudes a year and some change ago, I mean, they just despised each other. And they clearly still don't care for each other. Certainly, Izzy seems to dislike Drixus more than Drixus really dislikes Izzy.

But it just kind of feels like it's hard to hate that long, you know, it's just hard to keep that level of hate going. And so, like I said, I think it'll get rekindled. Certainly they share a oppressor this week. Something will fly. But outside of even how they don't, you know, the personal. animosity, the fraught true African stuff. It's just a banger of a fight.

Drickus DuPus C. I love the man. I've been riding with Drickus for a very long time. I picked him to be Bobby Knuckles, picked him to be Sean Strickland. Been on the Drickus Duplicee is the funniest champion because like he has some pretty clear liabilities but it just doesn't matter

because he's just out there yellowing just being an absolute hoss of a human being, swinging big old haymaker punches. is breathing just once he got his nose fixed game changer that's just game changed and i think israelidicina is i mean i could be wrong i'm happy to be wrong here always could be the case he's old man 35 a lot of miles on him like i wrote about this this week in the mailbag column talking about this fight and i'll have a primer for the fight coming up later this week but 35 doesn't

sound that old. It sounds a little old, but it's not like ancient old. Do you have any, do you know how many fights Israel Adasanya has had in his career? MMA? Fights. Two hundred twelve. It's not 200, but it is like one thirty something. And that's official. Like that's sanctioned fights. That's not including the gym wars, the legendary spider drill and the gym wars they do at city kickboxing. That's not include his street fights and sort of scuff bar fights and scuffles. Like this dude just has so many fights under his belt. And the human bodies can't do that forever. It just doesn't do that as long as he's been doing it. I think part of what happened in the Sean Strickland fight is I think Sean Strickland rocked him with that punch

that dropped him early. And I don't think is he ever recovered because I don't think Izzy can recover as well. I think he is slowing down. And so stylistically, I think Izzy is going to have plenty of opportunities against DDP, but I also think DDP has some style opportunities himself, certainly at the grappling just sort of physically hawcing Izzy down and dominating from top. But mostly, I'm just going to bet the young dude who is a physical monster against the guy who has been off for a long time, did not look good his last time out, and is old. So I am back my boy, I continue to ride the DDP train. And I'm going to keep riding this train until the wheels fall off.

I got DDP. I got them a plus money. So nice about that. If you wait around, you might be able to get it more, kind of see this sort of fluctuating up and down from the pick of mod. So I got him plus 100. And that's where I'm at. What about you?

Yeah, I actually have in my notes. So I said Jet is going to be on DDP. 100%. I mean, I rode with DDP for a while. Whitaker was when I switched up. I don't think I bet on the main event when he fought Sean Strickland. But yeah, we rode DDP for a while, but I turned on the Robert Whitaker fight. All credit to you for continuing that train.

I knew you'd be on DDP. I got a ride with my guy, Israel-Aad of Sonia. I mean, I've been a fan of him since he got into the UFC. He's one of like my first favorite fighters. Obviously, I'm a newer fan to this sport of martial arts. He's given me some of my favorite moments, especially last year in Miami. The fight itself, yes. the age, everything that you said is a concern of mine. The age, 35 years old, the miles that he has on him, and then obviously the last performance. I mean, he did not look like himself against Sean Strickland. I'm going to chalk it up in my head, how I get to the window on it, that he wildly underestimated Sean Strickland. He thought it was going to be a walk in the park. It was going to be one of his easiest fights to date. He was just going to roll for five rounds and be done with it.

And then he got rocked. And then like you said, he could not recover. And yeah, he was in over his head from that point on. So I'm going to go with that. He had an off night, underestimated John Strickland. And we see the Izzy that we saw in Miami of April last year, taking a year off. When was the last time the dude took a year off?

Never. I honestly do not know. I'm going to hope that helped them. I'm really just talking myself into this bet. Hey, sometimes that's what you got to do to support your voice. Israel out of Sonny money line, minus 115. I'm trying to look through his resume right now and figure out when the last time he did not. So that's an MMA though, so it's 12 to 13, do one.

I mean. You said 12 to 13? But that was an M. He was still kickboxing. He would likely only fight once this year. The last time he fought once in a year. 2009 is the best guess I can make because that's just not. anything recorded for 2009.

Dude was like really, really fighting a lot back in the day. I mean, he's got that kickboxing mentality. They fight all the time. And you see it with Alex Pereira. He's doing the same thing. 2016 was crazy, dude. Like he went, his 2015 to 2016 run is absolutely insane. He's building up to being 7 and O in MMA while also taking 13 total fights.

in 2016. A kickboxing fight like every other weekend. He fought once a month in 2016 plus one. Man, he fought Kanan's song in his third MMA fight. I mean,

they're bringing it back together. Look at them. Yeah, I know, I know. They're both on this car. That just like, that just like doesn't feel like they should even be close

to the same weight class. Yeah, he did. I mean, he fought, he fought an MMA on August 8th, then again on September 5th, this is all 2015,

then again on September 19th, And then he took three, I guess he entered a tournament. He did three kickboxing fights on Halloween of 2015 and then turned around into two more kickboxing fights on November 3rd. That is just a lot of miles, man. A lot of miles, dude. A lot of miles. So, yeah, like 80 kickboxing fights are like recorded here.

I'm sure there are frankly more that aren't recorded. 27 MMA fights, like five or six boxing matches. is a dude's well over a hundred fist fights at a professional level. Crazy. Yeah, so let's call it over a decade. This is the longest time he's taken off. I think that it is undeniably over a decade. Yeah, that's great.

It is probably closer to 15 years than it is 10. This is going to be wild if he can get the boat back. If he can, and if this was, you know, I won't be stunned because we're talking about the second greatest middleweight of all time, one of the 15 greatest fighters. who has ever stepped in a cage. If he comes out and shows that, hey, there's some clear advantages for me, he's going to just run headlong into my offense,

and I just needed some time. Awesome. Be an incredible story. If he wins, what do you do next? He goes up to 205 or Pereira comes down to 185. I think it's a one, I said this at something last week. I think it is a 100% certainty

that if he wins, he is going up 205. the all maybe not a hundred maybe it's 99.9. The only way I could see him staying at 185 is if somehow Hamzat does actually make it to the fight with Robert Whitaker and then he beats Robert Whitaker because I honestly just don't think is he cares about fighting Sean Strickland again. I could be wrong.

Maybe he wants to get that back, but to me it doesn't feel like that's something that haunts him if he reclaims the belt in this fashion where instead he can try and go up and, and do the Pereira thing because that feels, you know, that's bigger. It's a more grand a moment. So I would say strong likelihood he goes up if he gets the dub. Crazy.

Crazy. I mean, that'll be massive. Oh, that's big business right there. Are you kidding me? Big business. One of if not the biggest stars in the UFC like right now. And Izzy is obviously a star as well. Would that be a trilogy in M&A?

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There it is. Co-main event, Kai Kara, France. Erseg. Right now, Steve Versaeg, minus 166, Kaukara, France, plus 140. Someone on Twitter, I think it's Magic MMA. He always calls Kai Kara France Steve. And ever since I saw that, I can't help but think that. He looks like a Steve.

So this is a Steve versus Steve matchup. No, no, no. That's where you're incorrect. You're still calling him by Steve Urseg. His name is Vincenzo. It's Vincenzo, Erseg, aka Vinny Siggs. he has forfeited the name Steve to Kai. Why does he not go by Vincenzo?

God only knows. My grandfather's name was Ramsey, and my parents considered naming me that. Yeah, and I'm just like, why? They should have named you Ramsey. That's such a cooler name. Connor is not cool at all. That's just like generic white dude. I love this coming because I saw earlier you tweeting the white dudes just be out here

named Connor. I saw you retweet. Why guys be like, hey, what's up? I'm Connor. Yeah, it's just like, it's just nothing. Ramsey's a sick name too. Sick name. I've never met a Ramsey other than my grandfather.

How different do you think you'd be if you were named Ramsey? I'd probably have a full head of hair. I can tell you that much. I mean, have you ever seen a Ramsey who didn't, you know? That's, I mean, my grandfather had a full head of hair when he was 78. I bet it was luscious, too, just like vibran. He was the man, just chain smoked sick. Rip it up.

I'm like 13 on, dude. I mean, it's eventually what got. I'm resting peace, you know, but I mean, dude was, yeah, hitting a heater every chance he got. Yeah, shout to Ramsey. Shout out to Ramsey and Vinnie Six. And Vinny Six, yeah, Vincenzo. Yeah, Aussie versus Kiwi.

I mean, these are two exciting flyweights. I think this is a great fight, man. I think it's going to be a good one. But, I mean, Kai Girofranz, kind of like the main event. I'm not really going to give you a real breakdown. Yeah. Care of France, one of my guys. I know where you were going in these two.

He's an underdog. I took him last week at plus 185. I like to see the price come down. But yeah, man, I'm just blindly riding with Steve. And by Steve, I mean Kai Carrey, France, not Vincenzo. So, yeah, the bet is Steve and it's plus 185. I like that bet a lot, man. I don't have any action on this one because I, because Vincenzo is my boy.

You know, I adopted him. I dubbed him Vincenzo. and I don't want to bet against him. I can totally see him winning, but also this feels like a coin flip to me, and so it should be dogged pass. Like, I, you know, Kai coming off a tough performance,

but this is going to be primarily a striking affair. And I think I like a lot of what Steve Arsig's boxing looks like, old Vinnie Siggs, but Kai Carra France is, I think he's a little bit faster. I think he's got some opportunities out there. I just I think the smart bet is is on Steve

aka Kai I can't do it because I can't not support my boy so I've just passed can we just appreciate that since the last time Kai Kara France fought just one week later Steve Versick made his debut against David DeVorek one

fought Alessandro Costa one fought match now one and then fought a very valiant decision loss against Alejandro Pantoja in the flyweight championship fight back in May. Man made quick moves. It's just crazy. That's just crazy. Since Skycarra France fought Amir al-Bazi last June, just wow.

Absolutely nuts. When I heard that split decision being read, I did not even know Steve Versaig existed. Now, here we are. This guy wasn't even in the, this guy had not even debuted in the UFC and now he is a fair-sized favorite against guy care friends that's just why reasonable favorite not not an unreasonable for him to be

a favorite either I don't think I mean he's looked great in all of his fights I do I do wish this was five like three rounds is just so different like I because I could see this still being just nip tuck and so at the end of three like okay maybe one guys won it but you don't really

feel like you know who the better guy is I do wish that this co-main event got the special five round treatment but still Love the fight, big fan of what's happening in the co-main. Let's go to the featured about of the evening. Matej Gamrod taking on Dan Hooker. Right now, Mattage Gamrod is a sizable favorite at minus 325.

Hooker coming back at plus 260. Matej Gamrott is an excellent mixed martial artist, 24 and 2, KSWW double champ, went over Armin Saruki and went over Raphael Fiziv. He has been in there with the best. but yeah i'm just not laying minus 325 against a madman like dan hooker uh solely because i think gamron's going to win but man it's just it we could have some tight butt cheeks throughout this thing it could get uh it could get sweaty gamron has been dropped in four of his last five fights uh and just for that reason after watching the jelan turner dan hooker fight back and remembering

having a bet on Jalen Turner, I don't think Gamron is going to put this guy away. So yeah, I'm just staying away. I'm just staying away. Got dropped, never got finished. Never got finished. That's a good point. But man, you've got to think, though,

like we're getting dropped almost every fight, Gamron. What's going on? I'm a huge Matush Gamrod, dude. And a big piece of my heart was like, this is the world's easiest parlay. You take the KSW double champ, you parlay him up with former KSW. you welterweight champ DDP,

Bob's your uncle, you've got yourself a parlay. That's a parley right there. It's a parley. I'm not going to talk myself into it because one simple reason, I hate this fight. I hate this fight so much, Connor, because I was so ready.

You can't understand how prepared I was coming off the Jalen Turner fight. I saw it. I saw time. I saw through the future. And I was like, that was an unbelievable. performance from Dan Hooker.

Unbelievable. I don't know how he survived and then turned it around in the fashion. He just heart everything you want to see. And I could see his entire future and was like, that's the fight that ends in right there. That's the Carlos Condit, Robbie Lawler. A piece of his soul left him to stay in that fight. The only way he survived and battled through was by losing something. and the next time he comes out, his chin is going to be gone.

He just won't have it anymore in the same way that these kind of world, epic, historic wars have taken it out of people. And I was so ready to fade him his next time out. Then it's Matush Gamrot. And Gamrod's not going to punch him in the face at all. Gamrot's going to be chain wrestling his ass up and down. And so this is like the perfect fight for Dan Hooker's cut to be able to scrap through that. And frankly, I think Dan Hooker can give him a hell of a lot. fight here. Dan Hooker is a very good defensive wrestler. He's not perfect. Certainly Islam got him

down and made short work of him, but Matush is not the same at kind of controlling once he gets to the floor. He's a shot chain wrestler, scramble. I think Dan Hooker knows what's coming. I think he might lose this fight, but he's going to make it damn hard on Matush Gamrot. And so given that, and how big the number is, I just bet Dan Hooker plus 275. Like, I love it. I love it. I love it. I Love it. I love it. I, if Matush Gamrot punches him once, Dan Hooker might fold because I truly do not believe he will be able to take punishment anymore, such was the war he went through with Jalen Turner. But this is a great style matchup for him in that he is a much better striker, longer,

kind of can put shots down range and defend takedowns. As long as Gamrot doesn't move to the back and kind of consolidate a position quickly, then Cooker can scramble and kind of make hay. So I think this fight is much close in the odds, and I'm on him. Let's do it. Let's go. Let's go. And it's an awesome fight, dude.

It's an awesome. The main card might not be like the highest stakes or the most star studded. But dude, it's just such a great. It's such a great main card. I have a feeling all five of these fights have a high potential to just be fantastic. It's very good. The thing about the main card is it's missing one. The final fight, which we'll talk.

about in a second i'll let you intro it if if that weren't the the opening if instead you know one of these other fights is the opening and instead our co-main event is another title fight this card is unbelievable if the co-main event is a flyway title fight between you know uh alexandia and mahama khyb or whoever it is you know if there's just one more belt on the line then this is a five-star full-bore card. Without it, it's still a very good main card, but we're kind of won away from like peak peak quality here. All right, let's keep rolling. We actually have two more fights to discuss here on the main card. First up being Taitoie Vasa versus Jizino Rosenstrike. And right now, you can get Rosenstrike minus 225. Taitoivasa coming back at plus 185.

Come on, man. Tell me. One last ride. One last ride. It's all or nothing here. I mean, less than two years ago, this man, Taitoivasa had Cyril gone wobbled and was on the verge of a heavyweight title shot. Fortunately, it doesn't work out for him. He ends up getting finished later on in that fight, and now we are sitting on four straight losses.

bookmakers think it's going to be five. Not me. Not me. Backs against the wall. You got to have it in the home country, taking on a guy who has zero takedowns across a lengthy UFC career. It's time to stand and bang.

Someone's going to fall. And I'm going to say it's going to be Jersey and your Rosen Strike. Ride and tie to Evasa plus 185. We're getting a shooey up on the cage. Don't talk me out of it. Already bet it. Shui Vasa time. go. Does this mean

will you be shooing in my, in my house? If he gets a knockout, the time, damn, time for the shooey. Okay. Well, that's terrific because bottoms up, baby, I'll be right there with you. Let's go. Let's go.

I mean, you just got to do it. Even if it loses, you got to stand for something, have some principles in your life. Yeah, believe in something. Have fun. Have fun. have fun and as fun as Gior Junior Road and Strike has been at moments he hadn't been nearly as fun as

Tai to Ivasa and frankly I do think that this is a real good time if Ty can't win this fight it feels really weird to be like he's cooked I think he's getting cut I don't even think he's getting cut but he's still popular and it's heavyweight but like it will be weird if he loses and all of his losses are to you know top 15

dudes and be like he can't hang anymore but this is this is the fight that he should win this is the fight that he wants a guy who is never going to take him down who was just going to stand and bang and you know Derek lewis couldn't stand and bang with him somehow jiazina rosin strikes going to do that i remain skeptical i think you know tie is going to uh he's down to get down in his words and i believe he's going to get down plus 185 i'll make sure i've got some shoes ready for us

some shoes and some brews shoot a couple of boots on saturday uh as we continue to enjoy this wonderful Perth card. I will bring my own shoe. I guess I yeah, I guess I didn't pack my own Shui Vasa. I actually have the control. I know that you have the Shui Vasa. If you don't have it with you, that's, I mean, that would be better. But we'll make, we'll make, yeah, we'll make, it. Yeah, we'll make it. We'll figure it out. We'll figure it out. So yeah, Taitoivasa's the play. Come on. All right, let's keep it rolling. The Leach is back. Lee Jingleang taking on Carlos Prates. Prates. I believe it's Prates, but I'm not 100% on that. Either way, he is your favorite sitting at minus 340. The Leach coming back at plus 270.

I think this is a bang. I really do. Yeah, I mean, Carlos brought this almost exclusively wins by K.O. And I know that the Leach is always down for a scrap. I really wanted to bet the Leach. I love the guy. I think the line is kind of blown out of proportion. Yeah, I mean, Prattis just wins by a scrap. by knockout, so like he's going to be hyped up. The thing about it, the first time we're seeing him in two years, he's 36 years old now.

He's coming back after a neck and spinal injury, which is just, it's just sketchy. He's going to be at a six inch reach disadvantage. Obviously going up against the killer. I mean, eight straight wins by knockout in round one or two for Carlos Bratis. Like, it's a tall task. So I'm just going to stay away from a side, but I really do think. I think you and I might be in the same spot here then. I think it's going to be a bangor.

So I'm going under two and a half minus 145. Correct. Right there with you. Yeah, man. I mean, Prattis isn't in threat. 19 of his last 21 have gone under the two and a half. On the flip side of that, Leach can get knockouts. Five of his last seven haven't gone to a decision.

And Prattice has a 39% striking defense. So, yeah, he could get his get back here. But yeah, I think it's going to be a great fight. I think someone's going to get knocked out. It's 100% going to be a banger. Protest was one of those dudes on Contender Series last season that I liked a lot, but he's a little older. He's like 30 and just not particularly defensively sound to be like,

yeah, that guy's going to be a bell cow for years to come. But super fun, dude. A lot of offenses he's shown in his UFC fights as far. And getting a big name, you know, Lee ranked once. They're just going to come chuck them. Like they're just going to come fire and one of them's going to fall down. That under two and a half is also where I'm at. So yeah, that's a got the same read on this one.

It's a great main card opener, even if maybe it's not quite like main card material. Still going to be really fun fight, I'm pretty sure. Yes, sir. Let's go to the prelims. Junior Taffa taking on Walter Walker, the brother of Johnny Walker. And right now, Junior Tuffa.

This is the Battle of the Brothers. it sure is junior justin walter johnny uh minus one thirty four junior tafa plus one 10 for walter walker uh i don't have a bet on this one but uh walter walker gonna be be a bit bigger in there uh three inches height nine inches reach um and if he's getting takedowns like he has an ability to just lay on you then he's going to win the fight go back and watch the tafa versus us um i

could see it going that exact same way but if he doesn't I think he's going to get outclassed on the feet. I lean that he's going to get the takedowns, but it's not something that I want to put my money on. You're just a smarter man than I am, and I'll be honest with you. I'm on Volta Valker. Also, shout out to you because I just did it by accident again.

Every time I see it, I call him Volter Volker. I can't do the Walker. I can't do VW. I can't Volkswagen this. Walter Walker. It's so tough. I'm on Volter Walker. mainly, honestly, just straight up,

because I don't have a lot of action this week. And I was like, I do think he's going to get it. Everybody who has ever taken Mr. Taffa down has beaten him. Walter, big, big man, going to just kind of, all he has to do is run into him and tip him over. Yeah, he just needs to one. And so he's there. But like, this is not a bet that I feel great about.

It says, I felt like I was really light on action this week. And I don't feel that bad about him getting him as an underdog. I'm on... I won't lie to you if you did feel great about it, I'd be a good word. You should. I'm on the big VW. The Volkswagen Beetle coming through. Love that for us.

The Volkswagen boss, man. I mean, it's true. The Volkswagen buzz. You're going to do big things for the Walker family name. And yeah, that's all. That's my full breakdown of this fight. Love it. Next up, Josh Coolabout taking on Hikardo Hamos right now.

Closely line fight. Cool about is your favorite sitting at minus one. 148, Hacardo Ramos, coming back at plus 124. Yeah, both guys riding two fight losing streak. I think it is a very close fight. I think Ramos can get takedowns. I don't know if he can hold cool about down. I feel like both guys are going to have moments throughout this thing.

It just smells like a 29, 28 either way. So I'm just going to stay away. I'm just, don't have a bet here. You and I have the exact same read. This just, I think this will be a decently fun, but won't, like, blow your socks off. how exciting it is. But you're just talking about two dudes who maybe Ricardo Ramos has a slight advantage

because he also has the grappling to kind of lean on in points. But I just think this is going to be fairly nip-tuck. And I don't want to have my action down here in this regard. So pass if I'm just picking one, I think I actually might pick Ramos, but I don't feel great either end of it. All right. Next up, Casey, King Casey O'Neill taking on the one. of Santos right now.

Santos is your favorite sitting at minus 162. Casey O'Neill plus 136. I'm not sold on Santos. Quick turnaround for her. This is your toughest test as well. O'Neill, back against the wall. Been struggling of late at home in Australia. Plus, I mean, it's kind of like KKF and the boys.

King Casey, a friend of the program. I'm tight with old Casey O'Neill. So got a supporter. plus for getting her out of dog price. Casey O'Neill, that's the bet. Well, I learned to regret it, maybe. I feel like this is almost cheating because I just, I knew you were going to better.

And so, and I'm not sure this even counts as a wolf pack because it was just so obvious. But I'm a wolf pack. Then it's a wolf pack. As I'm on Casey O'Neill, I won't be stunned if Luana Santos comes out here and beats her. I'm a little more sold than you, sounds like. Mostly, though, she's very young and can make kind of big improvements.

We bit concerned about where Casey's heads at because super high on her and then, you know, losing to Jennifer Maya, no shame in that. Jennifer Maya has been very good for a very long time. The Lipsky loss, a little tougher pill to swallow. And this is one of those feels like a make or break fight for her, even though she's so young still, Casey O'Neill. Like she loses this one kind of feels like she's in free fall. So I'm hoping back against the wall she gets her done.

And, you know, I support your friends because I'm a good friend myself. Let's do it. Let's keep it rolling. Jack Jenkins taking on. Herbert Burns. A lot of brothers on this card, man. A lot of brothers on this card. And Jack Jenkins, the second biggest favorite on the card at minus 800.

Herbert Burns going back. That's sizable. Sizable. Yeah, Herbert Burns. isn't good, man. I've seen him quitting there a couple times. He's got terrible cardio. He doesn't want him four years. He's been finished in his last three losses. To me,

feels like a setup fight for old Jackie Jay in Australia. Not playing them. Not at minus 800. But I did throw the under two and a half in a parley at minus 320. I mean, I can't argue with anything. You just said, I don't have the under

as a piece here. I will just recount that I have long stated that the U.S. should pay to me to every event because every event I attend something really cool happens. Case in point, the one time Herbert Burns was ever cool, his U.S. debut against Nate Landre where he knocks him out in the first round, I was sitting Cajside for that and talk to him afterwards. And everyone was like, oh, maybe he's going to be dope because his brother's pretty cool. Turns out not at all. But the one time he was cool, I was there. So he's probably not going to be cool

this weekend because I'm not in Perth unless I catch a flight very soon. So yeah, I don't think he's going to win. Couldn't possibly lay minus a billion on Jack Jenkins. No shot. Let's keep it rolling to another fight with a sizable favor. Tom Nolan, big pause on a puppy Tom Nolan taking on Alex Reyes. And right now you can get Tom Nolan for the small price minus 1350. Alex Reyes coming back at plus 800. I mean, this is you. This is you. is your this is your breakdown it's a big number on the big number man this fellow here here's how big this number is connor because god knows look if you're new to the program love to have you thanks for being here um hope you stick around with us tom nolan was my favorite prospect coming off the

contender series his last season um since then like if i was redrafting probably wouldn't go number one overall he is one of the few losses that my favorite prospects have had but also in his very slight defense. He didn't get the same softball. Some of these people did for their U.S. debut. I mean, Nicholas Motta, that dude's a scrapper.

That dude's been around the block, good fighter. But he still has a ton of promise, a ton of ability. He's going to win this fight. But you know what? He's not, Connor? He shouldn't be minus 500

for a K.O. prop. Like, it's just insane. And so as much as I want to support him, I don't even think I can throw him. in a part like I briefly thought about putting him in a parlay just just to support my boy but the price is simply too big yes he's going to go out here yes he is going to knock out Alex Reyes is Alex Reyes the brother of Dom Reyes god I hope it is he is the executioner because then we could

have a brothers I need now now a brother's dog I'm saying now I'm going to pull up Instagram Alex Reyes Erber Burns uh Walter Walker all on I'm not confident this is true, but I want to, I mean, it just feels like a thing that could be true, you know. You just kind of put it in my head with the whole brother thing, but looking at his Instagram, I'm not seeing a lot of that right now that would suggest to me that this is the case. He's with a lot of people, though. Anyway, I, he's going to lose. And when he loses, he tends to get knocked out.

So Tom Nolan's probably going to knee him in the face and finish him. but I can't bet it and so I'll just be supporting my boy in spirit as the Big Pause group chat continues to pop off we continue to celebrate all our accomplishments and get ready for a new class contender series we're recording on Tuesday, new season Contender Series starts tonight

so we'll have a new class of Big Pause puppies coming soon. I love it, I love it, yeah I mean this fight's essentially unplayable. Maybe throw the under one and a half in a parlay, I don't know, but yeah it's just too blown out for me especially on a guy that's one-on-one in the UFC all right let's keep it rolling kanan song former opponent of israel a sonya we learned earlier in the program taking on ricky glen right now canaan song is your favorite minus one ninety two ricky

glynn coming back at plus 160 um yeah like i like canonsong here man i know he's one and three in his last four but he's got some power and he's he's durable in a battle of durability I'm going to trust him over Ricky Glenn's Chen any day. I think he gets the CO here. I would agree with that in principle. I don't have any action on the fight. I just, I don't feel like I can trust Sonkanon just because of kind of where he's been career-wise lately.

But, you know, if I'm just picking straight up, I'll pick him to win. Awesome. Let's go to the last fight. Of our breakdown, the first fight on the card, Stuart Nichol taking on Jesus, Aguilier in the flyweight division. And right now, Stuart Nichol is your favorite at minus 225.

Jesus Aguilier plus 185. Yeah, I think Nickel gets the takedowns, man. I mean, he's skilled at it. And Aguilar has a 40% takedown defense. And I think once he gets on top, he doesn't be able to just win minutes or potentially get a finish. So, yeah, Stuart Nicol is my pick. I won't pretend that I went and watched tape on Stuart Nicol.

And so I just looked at this. I'm just not going to go back and watch the tape. Dude making his debut, I don't, even if he looks great, I'm not sure I want to be laying the price on him as a sizable favorite over a dude who's a very respectable fighter. So I'll trust you're correct. And I believe every word you say always. I have no action on this fight.

All right. That's that. UFC 305 in the books. Trio 5. Can we talk about, like I know. that this is not a major thing and most people won't care. I said this at USC 209, saying at UFC 305,

how this was not in Miami, how this event wasn't in Miami. I thought about that this week. I'm just like, dude. Jorge Moss would all fighting somebody in Miami. I like, what are we doing right now? What are we doing? Like Jorge Moss for all, Leon Edwards.

I know the turnaround would have been insane. What was Leon just losing? We'd be like, Leon, fly to Miami, fight. Hey, let's do it. Has there ever been a UFC that coordinated with the area code? Not to my knowledge. Because, you know, there's not that many opportunities for that, but... 307, we're getting close.

Wyoming. I think it's reasonable that they don't go to Wyoming. 3.08, you think they can move from Abu Dhabi to Western Nebraska? I don't think that that's going to work for them. Where's 310? I do we know. L.A.? L.A.

So, but that's going to be in Nevada, though. That's because that's the December card. You, uh, 3-1-1, nope, that's not an area. 3-12. I'm just looking through area. Chicago. 3-12 in Chicago. Dude, sign me up.

You could 100% do that too with B'L. Oh my God. We've solved it, Connor. Somebody, somebody link this. Oh, and CM Punk makes his return. CM Punk in the Come in. Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.

I mean, 312 is booked. We are now getting. more opportunities to do that i mean um 320s like minnesota um like uh twin city stuff so you know it's looking at for next year you can make some of these things happen and they should have eight years from now ufc 404 i know where to put that one i know where to put that one that'll be a big one for us buddy um before we get out of here though there's something else happening this weekend you have any pfl action well pfo friday i have no i have no None. Do you? Do you have any action on the Craig Jones Invitational as well?

No, because I have no idea where the betting lines are for that. They're not up at my book at this moment in time. I'm going to see if that online has any of them. But no, no PFL action for me as of later. What about you? Anything you can sell me on? Get me to throw in? So I don't feel like amazing about this, but Impa Kisanganae minus 500 in a rematch with Josh Levera, Silviera. I can't ever do Conan's kid's name. Yeah, I don't know if you remember last PFL championships he fought, Josh Silveria, in the championship. And I bet Josh, because I was like, Josh is the truth.

That's what they're telling me. It's what the camp is telling me. He's going to be the next guy. And then I watched Impa just beat the soul out of that man, just batter him around the ring like a beach ball. And he's only minus 500 for this rematch. where Impa has still looked very good. I mean, arguably beat Johnny Eblen didn't,

but, you know, very competitive. I think he's going to win again. He was too good of a parlay piece. And then just to keep it tidy, just to keep it simple. A little 205 pfl parlay. Love me some Rob Wilkinson. You know, the PFL champ. Dude has been just absolutely delivering heaters in the PFL.

And he's fighting a Dovlet, I guess I'm a Radov, who's fine, but not great. And I like Rob's chances. So just paired the two of them together, thought about maybe getting in on clay collard, may still get on clay collard to get Brint Primus. But, you know, just a little baby parlay for some fun on Friday night. Danny Salvatelo making his PFO debut. DSA's big favorite, like minus a billion or something, yeah.

I might get on, get in on some Rob Wilkins in action. Well, the PFL, I like the PFL, I like the PFO. NFL, it's not great, but I tend to enjoy it at this point in time. Mainly, I'm just too used to it now. I've been to too many of them, follow it too much. And when we get in the playoffs, it matters more. It sounds silly, but like, I don't care that much about the regular seasons because whatever we get here, this fight has stakes, you know.

People are trying to win a million dollars. Rob Wogan's trying to back-to-back, Impo trying to back-to-back a milly. Like, let's see how this goes, you know? I did get some lines on the Craig Jones Invitational. Craig Jones versus Gabby Garcia, Craig Jones a minus 10,000. Yes, that sounds accurate. Fion Davies against McKenzie Dern, Davies minus 1,000. Luke Rockhold, minus 280 against Pat Downey.

I don't know about that. Tyra Tolo against Jason Nolfe. Ties minus 1,000. Oh, I actually, that is maybe even worth a little flyer. on no. Cade Ritolo, minus 225

against Matthias Denise. Yeah. Looks like they got every match that's taking place, all 18 of them. So,

shout out. Shout out. Should be a great week in a comment, sports. That obviously going down on Friday,

I believe. That sounds right. Jason Nolfe. I'm like maybe just take a flyer there. I mean, Ty Rotolo. A little sprinkle

on, on Nolfe plus 700? I mean, Tyrotol probably should win, obviously, but, you know, Jason Nolfe is an exceptional, um, world and collegiate and world caliber wrestler. Um, you know, talking about a dude who missed the Olympics because he lost to Kyle Dake this past year, like Kyle Dake bronze medalist and they're like,

Nolp can grapple his ass off. It's not the same, but, I don't know, a thousand for a, whatever, what's Kyle, what's tie like 20? He's a young man, so maybe. By the way, shout out to Craig Jones. That should be a great event. Big event.

And shout out to you all for listening. We appreciate it. Mine is, or UFC 305. 305. 305. Shout out and we'll talk soon. Love y'all.