MMA Fighting - No Bets Barred: UFC 300 Is Finally Here And It Is Spectacular!

Episode Date: April 10, 2024

UFC 300 is finally here! Arguably the greatest fight card ever assembled on paper, UFC 300 is headlined by a light heavyweight title fight between Alex Pereira and Jamahal Hill, and also features a st...rawweight title bout between Weili Zhang and Yan Xiaonan, AND a "BMF" title bout between Justin Gaethje and Max Holloway. On top of that, there are SEVEN other former UFC champions on the card, and a two-time Olympic gold medalist. This is the weekend everyone has been waiting for all year and so the No Bets Barred boys are ready for a deep dive into every one of the amazing fights this Saturday in Las Vegas. Conner Burks and Jed Meshew open the show with a brief recap of UFC Vegas 90 before diving into this one in a lifetime card. Is Jamahal Hill rushing back too soon for this fight or is Alex Pereira in for a world of trouble? Can Weili Zhang keep rolling against her countrywoman or will Yan Xiaonan level up? Who will survive the war between Justin Gaethje and Max Holloway. All this and a lot more are discussed on this week's episode. Tune in for episode 85 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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Starting point is 00:02:02 We're at T-Mobile Arena. The card is stacked from top to bottom. Every single fight I am thoroughly interested in. I am thoroughly intrigued in some of my favorite fighters on this card. Feels good, man. Spring is in the air. It's also Masters Week. I mean, I don't know how he can be complaining at a time like this.
Starting point is 00:02:23 It's the weather's turning. I mean, how are we feeling, Jed? Life is good. I mean, this is what we've been waiting for, buddy. This is it. Master's Week on top of UFC 300. We come on here a lot, you know. I mean, we're here, what, 42, 43 times a year?
Starting point is 00:02:39 We're logging the hours, man. We're clocking them, baby. And we don't lie to our listeners. We're a family. We would never lie to them. And so when you get something like you're, of C Vegas 90. We're going to tell you,
Starting point is 00:02:51 hey, man, it's not that good. It's not that good. We're doing it. It's not that good. None of that this week, man. These are the moments you live for as a fan. These are the moments you stay invested through all the long apex cards. It all leads to this.
Starting point is 00:03:06 The best card I have ever seen put together on paper. I can't imagine it won't at least deliver something great. Maybe it doesn't become the greatest thing that's ever happened in the history of humanity. but man I am excited buddy I cannot wait for Saturday night I cannot wait and now I actually feel the inverse you know when we're just like yeah UFC apex 90 like might not be the best card and like people come at come at our throats and are just like what do you mean you're not chomping at the bit for Lucas Bretzky versus Walter Walker like what are you talking about
Starting point is 00:03:41 this week I like I have seen a couple people complaining about this card and I just I can't wrap my head around it. Like, I cannot fathom it. Like, this is, like, 13 fights, and I am interested in all 13 of them. And some of them I am like, like, I, you could make this, the prelims. You could make the early prelims, the main card of a fight night. And people would be like, this is, this is a solid fight night. This is a good fight night.
Starting point is 00:04:10 And then you just get into the main card and the later prelims. Like, it's just so stacked. It's just so stacked. It's so beautiful. I mean, it's truly ridiculous. And, you know, it's been to the detriment of a bunch of cards before it. But this is the payoff. It is, it's too much.
Starting point is 00:04:29 There's too many good things happening. We've talked about it kind of in editorial meetings, how to cover this many good things in one week. And it's not a problem we ever have, Connor. We never have the issue that we're facing here. This might be a six-hour episode of No Bet's part. I don't know. Maybe it is because all the fights started to have gotten. I'm going to just be salivating, man, for real.
Starting point is 00:04:49 I mean, maybe, like, the one thing that I could give you is maybe it's not, no, no. I was going to say maybe it doesn't have that splash, like, star power. But then, like, you have Charles Olivaire, Justin Gachimax, Holloway, Alex Pereira, Yuri Prahachalj. I mean, like, there is star power on this card. Just, um, I wrote about it on the site actually this week. We did a, uh, it just dropped this morning. We did a five burning questions ahead of UC300 with me, Alexander Kaylee, Sheenau Shade. And one of those questions was, is this going to break a million pay-per-view buys?
Starting point is 00:05:22 And to your point about Star Power, I said no, because it doesn't have like the one transcendent superstar. But the reason that it would, if it does, is because everything else is B plus A minus level stars. Just a million of those. There's, I mean, we've got what? I had the number. I don't have it off top of my head anymore. It's like 12 champions. You know, not even including the title fight.
Starting point is 00:05:49 Like if you take out the title fights, you're still looking at seven or eight former champions. It is absurd what is happening. It's absurd, man. And some of these fights are just guaranteed bangers. Like, it's not like we just have big names on it. Like, these fights are going to be absolutely sick. I mean, if I'm not working this card, you just, I'm strapping in for just an unbelievable weekend. might kick it off Friday night with a little PFL, might just hang, get ready for the big weekend.
Starting point is 00:06:21 And then Saturday you wake up. Maybe you do Masters, PFL on a side TV is the Masters end. Maybe you make the Switch over. Saturday you wake up, you watch the Masters all day with the boys. You have a good time. Maybe you grill out. Maybe the weather's nice enough to grill out. You ride that straight into UFC 300, which you ride straight into waking up on Sunday morning,
Starting point is 00:06:41 maybe a little brunch, maybe a little something fancy, a little brunch, straight. to Sunday at the Masters and he just got weekend sorted. Weekend is sorted. I already got my plans. It's going to be great. I will be watching PFL Friday because I'm working PFL Friday. Not going to lie to you boys. Probably wouldn't be if it weren't for the whole working thing. Not even a bad PFL card. Not here to trash PFL's effort this weekend. I think they've been doing pretty damn well this year. And there are some storylines, some fights that matter. I thought about last night hitting you up and being like, hey, I know we're recording a little earlier. you got any PFL bets?
Starting point is 00:07:15 And I was like, nope, because I'm not going to do that. I'm not even going to waste my time. The attention is all on this. Yeah, we've got the 300 happening. Kind of honestly, maybe a bad promotional choice to even have a PFL event this week. But that's, you know, the only thing that's smart about is doing it in Vegas. I mean, that is very smart. Like, I like that idea.
Starting point is 00:07:34 That is very smart. So it's not awful. I, you know, we dive into that, but we just simply don't have the time, Connor. We're going to, I'm going to rock PFL Friday. Saturday morning. I've got a brunch a brunch crawl on the Atlanta Beltline.
Starting point is 00:07:48 It's going to be delightful. On Saturday morning. Saturday morning. Saturday's going to be a marathon for you. My best friend's coming into town. So me, his family, a couple of friends are going to go hang out, just chill on the belt line all morning,
Starting point is 00:08:03 settle in, get home a little early, maybe take a pre-event nap, because you know we got a little bit of time. Just pre-event nap, wake up, get dinner going, ready and then then it's all all systems go with with figgy smalls versus cody garbrent kicking us off it's going to be a time baby it's going to be a time i mean i can't wait i can't wait me and mike heck shout at the big heck uh we will be in los vegas and we will be streaming the entire card
Starting point is 00:08:31 uh so i i'm pretty heavy on this card you're going to get to watch me live and breathe every single bet every single fight uh it's going to be a great time it's going to be a great time this This time next week, I don't even know if I'm going to know my name. Like, thank goodness that we don't have to do no bets barred next week. It's going to be like, oh, man, I just got to get to the finish line. But it's going to be amazing the whole way through. I am stoked to the max about it. Last week, yeah, I tried the small amount of bets way, and I got reverse swept.
Starting point is 00:09:01 Three bets, oh, and three. Thought the last pirate got it done. I thought we were going to get the scorecards there, lost a splitie. Shout to Melissa Dixon, Mullen. Tanya, whatever. Damn it. Yeah. I do respect that you were so sensible last week.
Starting point is 00:09:19 Like, I'm just going to keep it tight. Not going to overextend. We got 300 coming up. And then so 0.3. Like, I am so ridiculously cold right now. This is the coldest I've ever been in my life since the Mexico City card where I was just cruising. I mean, we were on cloud nine after that Mexico City card.
Starting point is 00:09:40 I am down. down 29 units. That's that Mexico City card. I'm getting slaughtered. It's gotten so bad. It's gotten to the point where, like, a fight is starting, and I'm just like, yeah, I'm going to lose this bed. I'm going to lose this bed.
Starting point is 00:09:54 I don't know how I'm going to lose it, but I'm like, yeah, I'm going to lose this bed. But that changes this week. Changes this week. I'm hoping. So winning week last week up a little over a unit. I mean, this year has not been what we've been. call fun. It's been small losses, small wins.
Starting point is 00:10:14 Chipping away. We are so close to getting back in the black counter. I'm down 1.75 units on the year. We're going to get there. That's nothing. That's nothing. You'll be up 10 minutes in no time. I got a large mountain to climb. I've got a lot of bets this weekend. I got a lot of bets on underdog. So I don't have to hit even 50% this week. Do I like hearing that? I don't think I even have to hit 50%. Oh, because if I could hit a chalk soup. Donkey Connor is not around this week. I can tell you. There's a lot of plus money plays getting thrown around.
Starting point is 00:10:46 I think if I go like 40% this week, I can still make money and maybe get myself to black for the year. So, uh, you got a long time to go, man. You got eight, nine months. I just want to get there immediately. You know, I'm, I like now. Me too.
Starting point is 00:11:03 Me too. Uh, someone that was actually fairly healthily in the back. You were doing great. now is now deep in the red. The climb starts this weekend. And, you know, it's not even going to be a climb. You're just going to, you're going to vault up and clear it out.
Starting point is 00:11:20 If we're going to hit all these bets, I'll be honest, Connor, I don't even have all the bets I'm going to have because I just, I left some blank spaces. Love it. That as we talk through, I'm sure, I'm sure I'll add some because I have very few props. I'm on a lot of straight action this week. A couple of props sprinkled in, a lot of straight action. Betts on every fight on the car. already ready to add more ready to just empty the bank account this weekend there's a couple
Starting point is 00:11:44 fights that i don't have bets on but i am i'm i went fairly heavy like i got i got quite a few like unit and a half plays on like fair-sized underdogs i got i got big plays on some parley's i mean there is no one unit bets here there's no point five sprinkles for me like i'm going fairly heavy uh and i'm betting with my heart so i mean go ahead and rip it out i'm going to be a shell of myself in the Vegas airport on Sunday morning or I mean we're riding high and we just we just go and put it all on black after after 300's over but let's dive in man let's dive in a lot to get into here and let's start with the main event of the evening UFC light heavyweight championship Alex Pereira taking on Jamal Hill this fight is essentially a pickum at this point can get
Starting point is 00:12:34 Alex Pereira for minus 130 Jamal Hill plus 110 so short dog odds on Jamal Hill, your thoughts on this fight? So this fight, I'll just come out and say it right at the top. I'm on Alex Pereira, right? I've taken Alex. I'll just come out and just back here, right there. I'm also on Alex Pereira. Kind of knew you were going to be on Poetown.
Starting point is 00:12:53 Listen, man. There's a lot of guys that I'm riding with my guys. I really like Poetan. He's the man. I'm riding with Alex Pereira. I figured I'm riding with Alex Pereira just because I do think that this is a terrific fight for him. I got one major caveat to that statement. And I'll give that at the end. Everything in my head says that this lines up for Alex Pereira, right?
Starting point is 00:13:13 Like, well, we're just talking about a glory kickboxing world champion, one of the greatest strikers, you know, in the history of striking arts at this point in time, a guy who walks in the light who is speed running a UFC Hall of Fame career. I wrote about him this week saying he has done in literally done in months what other people have failed to achieve over a lifetime of their career inside the UFC. see, he is just a super unique dude, and the way he gets down really lines up super well with what Jamal Hill brings to the table.
Starting point is 00:13:46 I mean, Jamal Hill is not a guy who's, the way you beat Alex Pereira is you're Israel disin you, and you're also one of the greatest strikers alive, or you're going to take him down and you're going to try and win the game that way. Jamal Hill is not a dude who takes people down. I don't actually know if he has ever shot a takedown in the U.S. He has maybe attempted one, but I don't even, I didn't actually pull that up. I know he has a 0% rate because he does not shoot them. He wants to stand and bang.
Starting point is 00:14:17 I got to tell you, if you're going to stand and bang with Alex Breyer, you're going to have bad time. Like, that's just historically what we have seen. That's not even factoring in the fact that I don't think Jamal Hill's 100%. I don't think that Achilles is ready to come back. He himself sort of admitted he was looking at 301 a little bit of extra time. the UFC came to him, he said, okay. You know, it's just maybe you'll come back fine, but Achilles a tricky injury. We'll see how that rolls for him, and this is a bad style matchup.
Starting point is 00:14:47 The major caveat I have, Connor, and I just want to get this out there, I have no idea what to make a Jamal Hill. Because prior to the Glover to share a fight, Jamal Hill was, I think, ranked like number 10 in our heavyweight rankings. Wasn't that impressive of a fighter. It wasn't not impressive. Has good wins, certainly in his career. But the Jamal Hill performance against Glover to Cher was so much better than, you know, fighting nip-tuck with Tiago Santos for three rounds before knocking him out and losing to Paul Craig pretty dominantly.
Starting point is 00:15:23 That he comes in and has that performance. I don't know what to make of him. Is he a guy who put it all together and now he's one of the best fighters in the world? Could be. It's totally in play. Is he Cody Garbrand? who just has the night of his life against Dominic Cruz and can never quite get back to there.
Starting point is 00:15:41 Could be. We just don't know. And the fact of following the best performance of his career, he blew out as Achilles and we haven't seen him. He's coming in off the injury. Way too many question marks for this fight to be lying this close. I love the value on Pereira. I love Pereira's dude.
Starting point is 00:15:54 I'm on Pereira. Poetan, let's go. Let's go, Poetan. Everything that you just said, I won a second. And then the Achilles is a big thing for me, man. He ruptured his Achilles. He made the announcement. It's going to be nine months ago on fight night.
Starting point is 00:16:11 I mean, just any normal person, it takes like six months just to get back to light activity. So I don't know how much he's been training. I mean, I guess if he's been going hard for the last three months. I just don't know where he is at with that Achilles. Like, of course, he's going to say that he's doing great. Obviously, he's been given an incredible opportunity to headline. UFC 300 and get his belt back. And I have no doubt that he has the highest of self-belief that he's going to do that, but I just don't know where he's at with that injury. Another thing,
Starting point is 00:16:42 I like the leg kicks of Alex Praer. I think that's going to come into play here as well, especially when you talk about the injury, everything like that. I mean, Alex Prair is going to start chopping at those legs. And I like that he can do that. And then just lastly, like I do want a second, like Jamal Hill before that Glover to Cherify, which was something, thing that came together in very odd circumstances. His wins were like Tiago Santos, older, was tied, no, down two to one going into that fourth round before you got the knockout. Johnny Walker, obviously great knockout, same thing with Jimmy Crute. I mean, Alex Pereira's last five fights have been Sean Strickland champion, Israel Adasana champion, Israel out of Sonia champion, Israel out of Sonia champion,
Starting point is 00:17:24 Jan Belhovic champion, Yuri Prohashka champion. His last five fights have been all against champions and he now has two belts and two weight classes. It's going to be a striking match. I'm going to go with the world-class, ridiculously high-level striker with insane knockout power, and I'm going to go with Alex Brerara. I love it.
Starting point is 00:17:45 One for one, we're together. Let's go. I love it. I wonder how many we're going to keep going. I could see a lot of this lining up. That is the main event for UFC 300. Let's go to the co-main event. Wiley Zhang taking on Yan, Zhao, Nan,
Starting point is 00:17:58 in a China versus China, championship. Right now, Wiley Zhang, a massive favorite. Minus 485, Yan, Jan Jan, coming back at plus 370. I like, I like Zhang to get it done here. I mean, I don't think that's crazy being by the odds, but after watching the Lemos performance, I just think Zhang is going to go to the takedowns and just be dominant once she gets them. If you go back and watch the Carla Spars a fight for Yan Jan Janan, three for three on takedowns, just got dominated when she got put on the mat. I mean, she let McKenzie Dern
Starting point is 00:18:33 take her down twice. I mean, I know she didn't get subbed or anything, but like McKenzie Duren's takedown accuracy is, is abysmal. I think, I think, Zhang is going to have the success in the takedowns and she's going to dominate once she gets her down. Firm agree. We have the same same read. I just can't look
Starting point is 00:18:49 at that Carlos Spars a fight and not see that, like, okay, Spars is maybe a little bit better of a wrestle than Wiley, sure. Certainly not nearly the physical force. Wiley. I was going to say like the viciousness of Wiley is yeah the physicality is not even triple that yeah not even the same ballpark and so if if crawler can get you down and and elbow you into extinction what the hell is jang going to do to her like I think she can't
Starting point is 00:19:15 kill her granted you know again I'm I'm going to give a lot of caveats because I have strong feelings for all these fights and most of them like they're really strong but there's like I see one way that I could be wrong and this is this is the caveat for this one uh I I never anticipated a performance like Yon did, had against Jessica Androj. That was, Jessica Androge is also a physical monster. Granted, she fought terribly. She charged in with her chin down a bunch. But we've really never seen Jan look that good.
Starting point is 00:19:45 Like that was the best performance of her career to be able to take advantage of that. And so, you know, like Jamal Hill, maybe she's just putting it all together. She's going to present more resistance. But I got to see that. to believe that at this point. I have seen Wiley Zhang fight. I know what she's about, and what she's about is giving the business to Jan Jan Janan.
Starting point is 00:20:08 It's kind of crazy looking at Jan Janon's record, who I did bet on her in both of those McKenzie Derns and Jessica O'Draudge fights. It's kind of crazy that she's two and two in her last four. Yeah, it's, I mean, all the women's weight classes are a bit weird right now, straw weight, very weird. I mean, Zhang is three and two. Yeah, exactly.
Starting point is 00:20:29 John's like it's just super super odd situation also I didn't say my bet I've got Zhang inside the distance plus 110 okay all right as someone that had Zhang inside the distance against Amanda Lemoche I wish you nothing but success yeah I mean you know it can always go wrong you can be frustrating uh I do have Zhang in a parley I took her at minus 360 last week the second leg of that we will get to uh later on in the card But next up, do you have anything else on that fight? I do not. Then let's roll on to the third and final championship bout, and that is for the BMF title, Justin Gachie taking on Max blessed Holloway.
Starting point is 00:21:13 Right now, Justin Gagee minus 175. Holloway coming back at plus 145. Oh, man. Oh, man, oh, man. I mean, this is a doozy. this is a dozer your thoughts on this fight please so this is i mean this is this is the fight of the weekend um it's not it might be the fight of the year i i've been saying for basically since the day this was announced that this is frontrunner for a fight of the year uh without it even happening you know
Starting point is 00:21:45 stuff can always occur but uh to me in my mind it was this and it was dustin porre versus bin was Sondini, that was one A and one B. For the probable fight of the year front runners. Porie binwasandini was terrific. Probably not actually a fight of the year even contender with how it shook out. I'd be astonished if this fight doesn't end up as, just legitimately like, I would, I bet minus 200 right now on this to be fight of the year in the dark. Like, I just am so confident.
Starting point is 00:22:13 I was wondering if anyone had like a fight of the night line set. So some books used to do a bonus prop. things and I haven't found one in years those were the most fun to do it. I mean that would be amazing. I wish that they would bring those back because those were super fun to do be like, oh, submission of the night props and stuff.
Starting point is 00:22:34 This would be a massive favorite for fight of the night. I don't even think it'd be close. It would have to be. I love everything about this fight. I've got a full breakdown of this and some other stuff happening this week. But not to bury the lead here, I'm betting Max Holloway. I'm betting
Starting point is 00:22:51 Is this a wolf packer? Let's go. Let's go. I've been on Max Holloway for a couple weeks now. A couple weeks now. I saw that line get to two to one at one point and I had to strike. I had to. It hurts me emotionally because they're very few fighters I like as much as I like Justin
Starting point is 00:23:15 Gaci. I mean, he is the most exciting fighter. If he's not the most exciting fighter in my history, he's number two. and I don't think that's up for debate he, every time he goes out there, it is electric. I want him to get his title fight. I thought he deserved it. Like, fighting against Hafeelph was even doing that.
Starting point is 00:23:36 He deserved his day, another day in court. And then this happened. And when it was announced, my first thought was, I can't believe they did it. That fight's such a banger. My second thought was, oh no, this is so tough. Justin Gates, you can win this fight. Make no mistake.
Starting point is 00:23:51 The leg kicks are a huge weaponing. It's Max Holloway. We've seen Alexander Volcanovsky, basically that being a cornerstone of his game plan, three fights with Max and really being effective. Justin, like Justin Gage, one of the best leg kickers in the sport. And the way he kicks legs is so much more violent
Starting point is 00:24:08 than what, like, Volcan offer at Featherweight. He's ostensibly the bigger dude. Max look a little big. Max look a little big out there these days. I look and swallow. I actually really like it, man. He's been putting the weights up out in Hawaii. Clanking that iron.
Starting point is 00:24:22 up um you know but we've seen max when he went up to lightweight against dust and poriay straight up just pori's power uh really made him pause at spots like where at featherweight max can just kind of errantly walk through shots his chin is still unbelievable but he would pori started to get him to reset or back off because he just was a naturally bigger dude with more power gaiji i think is a pound for pound a more powerful puncher than Porre. Certainly not the defensive excellence that Porre has, but I do think he hits harder. He's got avenues to win, but
Starting point is 00:25:00 this just comes down to me that Max is going to stay in his face the whole time, and Gaichi will do dumb things. He has really been improved about mitigating that portion of his game after the
Starting point is 00:25:16 losses to Porre and Eddie Alvarez and becoming like a more sensible fighter, but there are still just large fights where he forgets to jab. Like Michael Chandler, the first round is so electric because Gage is just not jabbing. He's just like, I don't need it. And then when he's like, oh, I can just jab and I'll kill this man, suddenly he starts putting the wood to freaking Michael Chandler. He sort of gets away from his best weapons because he likes to be in the heat of the battle.
Starting point is 00:25:44 Max Holloway is a dude who can get in that fire right there with you, man, an unbreakable chin thus far. And I think he's just going to be able to be. It's been knocking on wood. Yeah, I think he's going to be able to compete in all phases of this game. And so this fight is going to be electric. And to me, it's a straight up coin flip. It's just a straight up coin flip.
Starting point is 00:26:04 And so you're getting value on Holloway, you know, in this situation. So I've taken the bet on Max and we'll see if it pays off. Everything you just said. I like the volume of Max. I like that he's going to stay on the front foot, just stay on the gas, going at Gagee the entire time. And I just want Max Holloway to win. You're going to hear the fandom come out a lot this week?
Starting point is 00:26:26 I just want, I want Max Hollow to win. That would be incredible. Whoever is coming forward is winning this fight. Because when Justin Gachie has been put on the back foot, which is pretty rare in his career, like he is the guy who creates the car crash as he comes forward. That's the fight he wants. He is winning that portion. But when you can get him backing up, that's when you have success.
Starting point is 00:26:46 And Max is a guy who's going to get him. you backing up too so uh they're just going to meet in the middle this this fight is going to be the 10 seconds of holloway uh ricardo lama lamas where he just points to the ground like all right let's just go only it's going to be for 25 minutes or less like it's it's the best fight you can ever ask for yeah i mean this is a pens-and-needle type fight and it's can't take your eye off the television the entire time uh but yeah max holloway that's what i'm going with Boom. So we're three for three here, baby. Just keep it rolling. Let's see if we can keep it rolling next up.
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Starting point is 00:29:00 That's B-E-T-E-R-M-E-N-T-com. Investing involves risk, performance not guaranteed. Charles Dubranks Olivera taking on Armin, Sarukian. and right now, Sarukian, a sizable favor, minus 225, Charles Olivaura coming back at plus 185. I'm keeping the dog train rolling. Wow, I like it. Okay. I'm going with the King of Chaos through Bronx, just at this price, at this price tag.
Starting point is 00:29:36 I mean, if it's a minus 110, minus 110 fight, I don't know. Probably not, but at 2 to 1 for Charles Oliverar, arguably the most dangerous dude in the history of this division. They're both coming off the first round knockout of Benio. We haven't seen Oliver in a minute, obviously, because of the injury almost been a year. But I just love how dangerous he is. He can get it done with the striking. He can get it done on the mat. I know Armin is likely going to take this to the ground, I think, but like I don't know, honestly, because like when you just sit there and talk yourself through it, I mean, Charles Lavera welcomes people taking him to the mat. Like, I just can't decide if this is going to look like the Islam fight or if Charles Levera is going to make this
Starting point is 00:30:21 crazy and bring Armin Sarukian into his world. I just don't know. But at two to one, I'm willing to take the chance on Oliver making it crazy. I think a lot of people are in that. I've heard a lot of comments just backing it. And I understand the inclination. I just don't believe in Charles Oliver. I never have. That's been, it's been a blind spot of mine historically. I got burnt with Oliver against gaichy got burnt with olivera against porre. Pick both to beat him, bet both to beat him. Totally lost. I mean, hell, I don't remember if I was on Olivera or Benny Daryush.
Starting point is 00:30:57 I want to say I was on Daryush, actually. But I'd have to go back and look through the record. He was an underdog in that fight. He was. He was, which is the only reason I might have been on him. Against Gaichi, against Poria, against Ferguson, against Kevin Lee. I mean, obviously against this long, but he did lose that.
Starting point is 00:31:15 But I mean, one, two, three, four. The only fight that he was a favorite in that he's won recently is the Michael Chandler fight and he was a minus one 30 in that. Yeah. He just is a kind of fighter I have a blind spot for because he's obviously exceptional. He is so, he has such a clear and obvious weakness that it is hard for me to ever believe in him because I will believe that the people who are going to do the good things will succeed.
Starting point is 00:31:43 So, like, against Poria and Gaichi was the exact same thing. It was like, they're going to hit him and he's going to fall over because he gets hit. His defense on the feet is not particularly good. And he just gets hit a bunch. But he kind of hacked MMA where he realized if he just falls over, people will be too afraid to go to the mat with him because he's such a submission threat that he can get kind of a standing 10 count. And he just did that a bunch.
Starting point is 00:32:06 And so every time Gaichi or Poe would hit him, he'd fall over. They'd wave him up. They'd do it again. and he's getting this recovery time, whereas he hits them once and they get hurt, there's no recovery time. He's going to jump all after them. It didn't work against Zemakchev
Starting point is 00:32:20 because Zizamakchev was like, oh, I hit you. I'm super happy to just dropping your guard, bro, and I'll choke you the fuck out. Same thing's about to have with Armand. Like, that's it. Like, Armand's not afraid to play on the floor with them. Wouldn't shock me if Armand's just shooting takedowns cleanly,
Starting point is 00:32:34 but in the last couple of fights, we've seen Armand develop the hands. He's still so young, so impressive, so good. I think Oliver can have success. I'm not saying he's going to get blank. This is going to be a one-way traffic. But the straw that stirs the drink for him is that when he gets hurt, people let him off the hook because they are afraid of him. And if you are simply not afraid to contest in those zones, you're going to do well.
Starting point is 00:32:59 And I think Armin is not going to be afraid at all to contest in those zones. He'll hit him and he'll go. If Oliver draws him first, terrific. But then we're banking on something that I've never seen. I've never seen Armand Sarukian get finished, and that's how Charles Oliver wants to get down. I've seen Charles Oliver get finished a lot, and that's how he loses fights. So I can't support him. I'm on Armand Syrucian.
Starting point is 00:33:25 Joaquin Silva, had him on some skates. Skates is not dead. Skates is not dead. I trust Charles Oliverer's finishing capability. I rate it just one tiny tick higher than Joaquin Silva. I mean, they're right next to each other. Pretty close. I mean, just right next to you. I don't blame you for betting Armin. I mean, he is on a rocket ship. He's an absolute beast. But again, it comes down to I just know I'm going to be cheering for Charles Oliva. I am using the fight doesn't go to a
Starting point is 00:33:53 piece. If Charles Olavera is entering the octagon, I'm going to be betting the under fight doesn't go to decision. Going to be betting that in some way, shape, or form. Yeah, Armin has been to more decisions than Charles O'Olever, but still four of his last six have knocked on the distance. And then Charles DeBron's Levera. 19, 19 of his last 20 have not gone to a decision. I mean, he is, he is the king of chaos. That is the only way to put it. You said we've seen him finished. We sure have seen him finished in almost every one of his losses. He ends up getting finished, eight of nine. And then when he wins, it is almost exclusively by finish. 31 of his 34 professional victories have come by way of finish. So I will be using five dozen little decision. Minus two 80s.
Starting point is 00:34:44 Only thing I'll dispute there. This is a very small quibble. I don't think he's the king of chaos because I believe the king of chaos is, he's coming a little later in this card. But a Duke, an archduke. I'm not, I don't really, I don't know, I don't know the, I don't know really how the monarchy
Starting point is 00:35:02 tiering works, whether Earl or Duke or whatever's up there. But he's high, he's high on the list. Prince, could even be Prince. He's high up there. The Queen of Chaos is definitely later on this card, and we'll get into that in a minute. Yes, is it true. But the King of Chaos is a little bit later, I believe.
Starting point is 00:35:18 But yeah, he's a get-or-get-God, All-Star, for sure. Oh, he's a get-or-get-God, All-Star. All-Star. All-Star. All-Star. All-American, Bo-Nicle taking on Cody Brundage right now. Bo-Nickle, short-oddus, coin-flip, minus 2100, Cody, Bundage, plus...
Starting point is 00:35:38 A lot. Plus 1,100. So, yeah, I mean, obviously can't play that. I mean, you can. I mean, yeah, you can, but it's not going to add much to your parlay or whatever. Or you can just play it straight, I guess, 2100 to win 100. Get a free Benji if that's how you're feeling. The way that I did this one, I used Charles Oliveira. If he doesn't go to decision, added bone nickel under two and a half, just the under two and a half in this fight. And I forgot to mention the third leg of this prop parlay is Holloway Gaetchi starts round two. That parlay pays out, I think, at minus 110 for me. But yeah, I just don't see this one going long.
Starting point is 00:36:20 I mean, I really, I think Bo Nicol is going to dominate and just finish him in the very first round. But if some fluky things do happen, Cody Brundage is no stranger to a finish himself. 11 of his fights have not gone to a decision And he's only at 15th So I think someone's getting got here And I'm gonna lean that it's gonna be Cody Brundage And I think I think Bo Nickel is going to submit it I almost zigged here
Starting point is 00:36:51 I wanted I wanted to pull the swerve Because everyone is everyone is universally in agreement I wanted to castanza this and be like What if Bo Nickel just wins a decision like a wrestling heavy decision I love that. Nothing was ever going to lose. We were real clear. It was never that Cody Brunge is going to pull off the upset.
Starting point is 00:37:07 Like, what if he comes in there and, you know, he's still a young fighter, still developing Cody Brundage. Not the best fighter in the world, but a guy who, you know, has been around the block. Like, serviceable vet can maybe make, make it just a little tougher than Bo Neckle having his way. And then I was like, that's just not what's going to happen. So Booneuckle round one is the bet. I don't think we need much of breakdown here. everyone understands what's happening. It's still a big price.
Starting point is 00:37:35 It's minus, minus 270. Minus 270. Yeah, still feel okay with it. I just, this is a bet that I would not be making under any circumstances, but this was the one fight on the card I didn't have any action on. And so, oh, those are the best. I got a fire one. Yeah, forcing bets that you would never take of it is just the absolute best.
Starting point is 00:37:56 I also, on top of the under two and a half, I took fight ends by submission minus 105. Bo-Nichael by submission was plus 100 at the time. So I figured, you know what, I'll pay the five cents just in case Cody Brundage gets something up. Yeah, I think that's reasonable. I'm just saying, Bo-Nichl's
Starting point is 00:38:15 100% first-round win rate. So if you're, like, I'm just betting on something that is 100% success rate thus far, which I think is a good wager. Mikhail Olegs-Sachic, finished Cody Brundage in the first round. I got to imagine Bo Nichols better than Michaela Lixatrick, you know.
Starting point is 00:38:34 William Knight, he's definitely better than William Knight. First round finishes, we can do this. So minus 2.75, Boe-Nichle first round. Minus 2.75. That is a thing of beauty right there. All right, let's keep it rolling to the featured pre-Linum of the Knight-Yeary Prohashka taking on Alexander Rockich right now. Rockich is your slight, slight favorite at minus 120-year-y Prohashka.
Starting point is 00:39:01 back at plus 100. What say you on this fight? I say that this is the true king of chaos. Charles Oliver has gone to four. What I thought you were going for was big year. I'm saying Charles Oliver has gone to four decisions in his career. Yere's not a man who does that. Got two of them.
Starting point is 00:39:20 Just two. He wins. He loses. Oh, yes, yes. I forgot the draw. The draw's decision. But that was also like in Risen. So it's also like a little bit weird or two.
Starting point is 00:39:34 I think it was in Rising. We're at the time and like how that breaks down. This man knocks you out or gets knocked out. Very occasionally, he'll submit you if you're Glover to share. That's just how he gets down. It's the only way that this goes. He burns the boats as soon as the cage door closes. He's coming back.
Starting point is 00:39:52 He's going out out there and he's coming back on his shielder with it, one or the other. It's terrific. I love him so very, very much. I really do. I'm just such a Yuri fan. Who isn't a freaking Yerry fan, man? And this is with the heart. I think there are a lot of good reasons to believe Alexander Rackich can have success.
Starting point is 00:40:10 I mean, pretty defensively sound fighter. Mr. Rackich is a guy who's had sort of a weird career, but been good, just kind of tough. Like the Blahovich weirdness injury situation, part of that had been looking good. But I'm not not betting on Yerry. I'm not betting on a boy. That's all I needed to hear. getting it done i've got you perhaps got them in an underdog so we are oh again plus 105 uh let's go sitting on plus 114 big yeary i mean listen we can sit here and talk about it we haven't seen
Starting point is 00:40:44 rock it in two years he's not really a power puncher he's only got two knockouts at the ufc level i know what i know here he gets hit i think he's going to be able to walk him down and i think he's going to be able to finish him uh we can talk about all that but i mean it really just comes down to him. I'm not betting on my guy, Yuri. It's just that, I mean, really support the guy. I mean, the big one, though, is what you said. He's just not a big power puncher.
Starting point is 00:41:07 And, like, the way you beat Yeri is that Yeri is a reckless demon of violence. And if you're Alex Pereira and you can knock it taken down, you can jaw him because he, his chin is going to be there. If you hit real hard, it's a problem. Like, that's not because he is real tough. Like, he'll get
Starting point is 00:41:23 hit. Like, I was going to say, let's not act like he's like some, like, glass can He's tough as hell. But he can be finit. He just gets hit a lot. But asked Dominic Gray as how hitting him worked out. Just made him mad.
Starting point is 00:41:36 He was half conscious and spinning shit and killing him. Go over to Sherry. Hit him a bunch. He just keeps coming. You got to... Over to Sherry. Hit him over a hundred times. Vulcan Hosdemir hit the shit out of him.
Starting point is 00:41:48 You've got to be able to hit him and hit him hard and kill him. You got to be able to double tap, put him down. And Rackets really have. hasn't shown that a lot. And so he's just going to be in there with a crazy person. And you don't ever want to fight a crazy person, man. You just don't want to do that, man. Because you don't go to the places they'll go to. I mean, listen, his last four fights, I know the
Starting point is 00:42:12 weird TKO against Jan Blahovich, but I mean, the three before that were all decisions. I mean, he hasn't logged a chaos since 2019 in almost five years. And it was against Jimmy Manua and manna wise. Jimmy, Jimmy Minua. I'm reading his resume, Gary. Jimmy Manua, yeah, come here. I'm reading his resume very quickly.
Starting point is 00:42:39 Jimmy Minua. As I'm trying to talk into this into this microphone. Yeah, man. I'm back in year. And like you talk about how crazy he is. Medman person, he's 100% that. I mean, he was in New York City office.
Starting point is 00:42:56 And he was just staring out the window. And he just turns back to me. He's just like, big city. I'm just like, yeah. First time hearing. He's just like, yeah. I'm just like, all right, man. There are people you know that like they're putting on an act or maybe they're,
Starting point is 00:43:13 they're putting on an act. They might just be dialing up their personality a little bit because that's what is demanded in the profession. I got no questions about who he is what he's about. Like none. No, this guy is 100%. sent through and through. You don't need a camera in front of him. You don't need him to fight or anything like that. I mean, he is who he is. And I love it. I love it, man. Big, big year.
Starting point is 00:43:35 I call BJP. Yeah, let's go, VJP. I love it, man. I mean, let's get it done. And that's that. That's that. Sorted. We're riding with Yuri. Let's keep it rolling. We're on five of six thus far. We do disagree on there, Serochian, at least betting wise. I had a feeling we were, we might. I hate him. I hate him so much. Yeah, yeah. But yeah, I mean, let's see where we go. Actually, I have a bet on the next fight. I'm excited to see where we go here. I have a little break. I could see there being some dissension here.
Starting point is 00:44:10 But let's dive it to a 145, the debut at Featherweight for Al Jermaine Sterly taking on Calvin Cater right now. Al Jermaine Sterling, your favorite, minus 170. Calvin Cater coming back at plus 142. I want to see who you got. Yeah, I am on Aljo. I am on Aljo for this reason. Your face, I can't tell if that's a let's go or that's a you're on Calvin Cater. I've got good news and bad news for you. Let's put it down.
Starting point is 00:44:40 Okay, all right. Let's see how this goes. The bad news is I'm on Calvin Cater. The good news is for you, this is one of those where I'm like, I don't understand. What the fuck's going on? I knew this is coming. I knew this was coming. I don't fucking get it, man.
Starting point is 00:45:00 Yes. Is this not the least even money, if not a favor of Calvin Cater? I don't get it. So that's good news. I've never won one of those bets in my whole life. I knew this was coming. I can never win a bet that I don't understand where the line is. Obviously, you understand where the line is.
Starting point is 00:45:17 So please enlighten me. Because to me, I look at this and I say, hey, Al Jermaine Sterling, first time up at Featherweight. We'll be like, undersized because he is a big Bannon weight, but he will be a little undersized in general. This is just his first time at the weight class. Calvin Cater is not a small featherweight. Certainly a taller dude. I think he's got a longer reach, not 100% certain on that.
Starting point is 00:45:40 Mostly it's just like, hey, Calvin Cater is, I think, objectively a better striker. Everyone probably agrees on this as a very good boxer, high-level striker, and an elite defender of takedowns. Al Jermaine Sterling, if he spins this whole fight on the feet, that's probably going to go bad for him. And I have no confidence he can take Calvin Cater down. So to me, it's just like Calvin Cater should be the favorite, not like a huge favorite, certainly, just should be the favorite. Certainly shouldn't be plus 150.
Starting point is 00:46:11 I don't understand what the hell is going on. You obviously do. You understand what's happening. So tell me, tell me why I'm dumb. I'm a bit surprised that, I mean, no, minus one, 70 now for Algemeet Sterling. So I took this, this opened at minus 110, minus 110. That's fine. I took Al Jermaine Sterling at minus 115.
Starting point is 00:46:28 I don't have any issues with that. Minus 170 seems nuts to me. Might close minus 140 or something like that. All right. So for everything that you just said about Calvin Cater being a more prolific striker than Al Jermaine Sterling, he's making his debut at 145, you say everybody knows that. Everybody agrees that Calvin Cater is probably a better striker. I think not only does everybody know that, I think Al Jermaine Sterling. is also aware of this fact.
Starting point is 00:46:55 He is also coming off of a knockout loss where he lost his belt at 135 and essentially ended his time down in the Bantamweight Division. I don't think his plan here is going to be to go out and try to attempt to strike with Calvin Cater. I think he is going to stick to his game plan of forcing the wrestling, of forcing the takings,
Starting point is 00:47:18 of forcing trying to take Calvin Cater's back. And he's going to do it at essentially any cost. Yes, Calvin Cater, 91% takedown defense is terrific. He is going to be larger than him. That does give me some cause for concern. Piotrion, much smaller, but still had elite takedown defense. Two of 22 for Al Jermaine Sterling. I understand that's a terrible rate, but that's all he needed. All he needed was the two takedowns to come up victorious. I also believe that once he gets it to the ground, if he does get it to the ground, he is going to have a major advantages there as well. So it's going be one of those fights, man. Also, just another side note, not that I dislike Calvin Cater,
Starting point is 00:47:56 but I am, I am an Aljo guy. I do support Al Jemaine Sterling. I think he got a lot of, a lot of unrightful hate surrounding the whole Piotrion incident. So I like Al Jermaine Sterling. I wish him the best at 145, so I am going to be supporting him here. This is going to be one of those fights, though. I'm going to take about three minutes, maybe four minutes to know how this one's going to go. I mean, Al Jermaine Sterling either comes out and just strikes with Calvin Cater and it's like, we're doing this, we're going, we're going to strike around, or he attempts like five takedowns, gets every single one of them stuffed, gets thrown off, has no chance of getting it to the ground. And then it's also like, oh, damn, like this is just not going to go his way. Or he goes out,
Starting point is 00:48:44 attempts a couple takedowns, gets one to the mat. And then once it gets to the mat, man, I like Aljo's chances. So yeah, this is kind of a, you're going to figure it out quickly how this one is going to go. I agree with that. My one rebuttal for the listeners here, two men have landed takedowns on Calvin Cater. One of those is a beat. Chris Fishgold is the other. We don't really, that. Chris Fishgold legend.
Starting point is 00:49:11 Aljo is better than Chris Fishgold. I think we can all agree. Zabit managed to get a takedown. And on four attempts, one for four. so, you know, 25%. If Aljo shoots 30 and it shoots at the same rate of success, Zabit also had a whopping 50 seconds
Starting point is 00:49:28 of control time off of all of the wrestling focus. I would probably say Aljo is better grappler than Zabit, like, holistically. But smaller, I just don't think he's going to get the takedowns. And even if he does,
Starting point is 00:49:46 unless he immediately gets to the back, which he certainly has a pension for, I don't think he's going to even be able to hold Calvin Cater down that much. By the same token that I do agree, Aljo's going to come in and know takedowns or bust. And Calvin Cater's going to come in and know if he's not shooting takedowns, I'm winning the shit out of this fight. I just need to keep my feet and I'll box his ears.
Starting point is 00:50:08 Again, you should be happy. You're going to win the bet because I've never won, ever, ever won a bet. I don't know what the hell is going on. And I don't know what the hell's going on here. one more rebuttal to your rebuttal like I understand he's a very good defensive wrestler but also a lot of these fights
Starting point is 00:50:27 these guys just aren't shooting any takedowns on him like I know Josh Hammett went for a couple Arnold Allen that was obviously a shortened fight but like Giga went for none I think Max may have went for one like I don't know why I would have done that because he was just absolutely
Starting point is 00:50:43 just boxing his entire face off like Jeremy Stevens didn't you know, Moikano, Burgos didn't. I mean, there's... Josh I'm it's over for, though. And I think Josh Schmidt is about the level of wrestler, not the level of control grappler, certainly, level of wrestler. And then he abandoned it because he wasn't getting anywhere with it.
Starting point is 00:51:02 And it was like, all right, this just isn't going to work. Yeah. I mean, he only went for one in the first three rounds. It just all depends. I'm banking on Al Jemate Sterling sticking to this gameplay. I'm trusting in Al Jaljimate Sterling. Could it backfire me? Absolutely.
Starting point is 00:51:19 I mean, absolutely. In his most recent fight, he did not stick to this game plan. That actually makes me more confident that he's going to stick to this game plan because that was mental. In the biggest fight of his career, he walked into the one punch that he was like, I'll never get hit by this punch. I'm trusting Ray Longo to be like, Al Joe. He'll be a dummy. Have a seat. man. Just to sit down.
Starting point is 00:51:48 You want to give me some water. Yeah, we're going to shoot for takedowns, man. We're going to shoot for a lot of them. And if we don't get them, we're going to pen them up against the cage, and we're going to lock the hands, and we're just going to stick to them like glue, all right? Let's do that. All right, break it. Yeah, I mean, it's going to be, I don't know.
Starting point is 00:52:07 It's also just me and an excuse, giving me an excuse to back out of me. Congratulations on your winning bet. You know at least you will not get blanked this week. What if Aljo closes at like minus 200? I don't, I will still, I just, I thought this would be a pick-em fight. The fact that it was a pick-um fight for like four weeks, I will say that. That makes sense to me.
Starting point is 00:52:29 Totally understand that line. No issue with you bet in either side of it. I think you would be nuts to lay Aljo at like minus 175 or whatever the hell it was yesterday. Minus 160 now. So there's definitely some money coming back in on Calvin Cater. All right, let's keep it rolling to the next. fight of the evening, another person making their debut. But this time in the UFC and at 135, it's Kayla Harrison taking on Holly Home right now. Kayla Harrison, a monster favorite.
Starting point is 00:53:01 Minus 425, Holly Home plus 330. I have nothing on this fight. This is one of the few fights I have nothing on. I just, I'm not, I, this is another fight. I'm, this is another fight. I'm I'm going to be cheering for Kayla Harrison. I think that that storyline can be really, really interesting if she gets going and ends up getting a title shot and she's able to make weight consistently. I think that can be really interesting. So I am going to be cheering for Kayla Harrison, but I just don't know about laying minus 425 when she's cutting down to 135 and she's taken on a wily vet and Holly home. And she's making her UFC debut. There's just a lot of factors that I don't love the idea of parlaying her up.
Starting point is 00:53:45 And I mean, like, Holly Holmes fairly durable. Like, I don't, I mean, Kayla Harrison as well, like, has been, like, the finishing in 60 seconds has not been as prevalent lately. I mean, three of her last five have gone to a decision. I don't know. I don't know. I just, I would be very nervous going into the fight if I had, if I had Kayla Harrison. Just, it's just a lot of question marks for me. I won't say that this is the best bet I've made this week.
Starting point is 00:54:11 but I'm manifesting the reality I want to live in Connor and I want to live in a reality where women's ban on weight is not the worst fucking weight class it's ever been because legitimately right now there's like we made this argument not that long ago that this is the worst weight class in the history of the modern UFC like historically featherweight well featherway we don't count as real like that
Starting point is 00:54:39 that was a fictitious that was a fraudulent It's not real. Okay. But the worst weight class in the history, like even dating back to the pre-ZUFA era, heavy weights are just a rancid weight class. And what it needs, it needs Kayla Harrison. It needs Kayla Harrison to come in and be a star, set the tone and send a message. And I am choosing to live in that world where she is going to make weight. Not only is she going to make weight, Connor, I think she's coming in and she's going to send a message.
Starting point is 00:55:08 She's going to make one three five on the day. God. Championship weight. Get up there and say, all of you who doubted me, I was among them. When this fight was first down, she can't make it. I've come around. She's going to set championship weight. She's going to come out on Saturday. She is going to run over Hollyholm. She is going to complete her career arc of being way better Rhonda Rousey. She's going to demolish Holly home, win one for judo, submit her, I think. You're just going to take an arm with her. get on the mic and say, you all doubted me, look at me now. I'm here to be the best in the world. There's a woman out there saying she's that she's got the belt.
Starting point is 00:55:49 I'm going to beat her ass. And then when I'm done with that, Amanda Nunes, you're coming out of retirement and we're doing this damn thing because that's who I am. That's what I'm about. That's what's happening Saturday. I am on Karen Harrison inside the distance at plus 115. We're sending a message. Women's Batman with his back, baby.
Starting point is 00:56:08 Selling it. make women's bansom weight great again, and Jed has just made the pitch for that. I mean, I'm hyped up. I'm hyped up. Like I said, I'm going to be cheering for Kayla Harrison. I'm going to be cheering for her. Dude, if she goes out there, finishes holiday home,
Starting point is 00:56:23 gets on the mic, calls out Rocky Pennington, and then lays the foundation for Amanda Nunes to come out of retirement and do the fight we thought we might have been headed towards until Giuliana Pena wrecked that. She's going to steal the show. Like, that's all we're going to be talking about, even with all the rest of the chaos happening. Sunday morning headlines
Starting point is 00:56:41 were going to be like, did Kayla Harrison just make Bannon Wake great again? Did she just do it? That's what's happening. Yes. I mean, you sold me. You sold me. I don't know what you sold me on
Starting point is 00:56:55 because I'm still cheering for the same person and my excitement is around the same. But I mean, the storylines around me. Let's go. Finish would be sick. Finish would be sick. I mean, that would really set the tone. You come out at 135 and you get the finish.
Starting point is 00:57:06 I like that. I like the masterpiece that you just painted. Kayla Harrison. Let's go. Let's go. Come on. Make women's band and wait great again. Let's keep a roll in it.
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Starting point is 00:57:45 Support for this show comes from Volkswagen. As the U.S. gets ready to host soccer's biggest moment on a worldwide stage, Volkswagen is helping people discover new turfs and new ways to play the beautiful game right here in the U.S. From deaf and power wheelchair soccer to beach and futsal, Volkswagen is actively supporting all the communities and teams within the U.S. soccer ecosystem. They're supporting talent from across the U.S. soccer extended national teams and are focused on helping to give these less widely known forms of soccer a platform moving forward.
Starting point is 00:58:17 From the pitch to the sand and everything in between, welcome to our turf. To another, very interesting fights. It just keep coming. There's just a little pile of great fights. We have five fights to go. This could easily, easily, easily be a banger. main card for a fight. Dude, this is the first five nights. This is the part of the show and we're like, all right, so I just, I was like, F it. Why not? It's a heavyweight fight. It took an over just,
Starting point is 00:58:52 just to feel alive or, oh, this contender series guy I'm pretty high on. No, no, not at all was happening now. It's ridiculous. Yeah. Love it. Sadie Kuse have taken on Diego Lopez. Right now, Diego Lopez, your favorite minus 135. Sadiq Uis has come back at plus 114. This is actually another fight. These next couple of fights, I don't have any action on. I get a little breather, a little breather here. Your thoughts? I'm on Sadiq Yusuf. Another underdog bet from me.
Starting point is 00:59:23 Deidio Lopez is the hot commodity. Everyone's super pumped on him. Fan favorite, but man, you can't dislike Sadiq Yusif. He just seems like a genuine lad. Which is super fun, the breakdowns. Who doesn't love the use of breakdowns? It's terrific. Diego Lopez, though, was our breakout or breakthrough, whatever, rookie of the year.
Starting point is 00:59:43 We changed the name of it a bunch last year coming in, just coming in hot and looking like a pile of awesome. Like, he's super fun guy. Totally get enjoying Diego Lopez, the fighter. I think he's a very good fighter. I just think Sidic Yusuf deserves to be the favorite in this one. He's obviously proven a little bit more. Diego Lopez's best win is a long. is a competitive loss to Mavsoor Evluev, whereas, you know,
Starting point is 01:00:12 Csicuse got good wins on us. He has competitive losses to Arnold Allen, but he's also beaten Alex Cazars, beaten Andre Fili, beaten like real dudes in this weight class, and had a really fun competitive fight with Detson Barbosa, one of the best fights of last year, honestly. My issues are just fundamentally how this fight plays out. Diego Lopez, I would certainly say has the advantage on the floor. Doesn't really shoot a lot of takedowns,
Starting point is 01:00:36 just kind of lets fights play out into the floor. And I don't think Yusuf's going to engage him. And that's we're looking at a striking affair where Yusuf is just the more consistent entity at this point. And nobody's going to offer just pretty solid all around, can mix things up. Not like a major hitter or finisher. I think Lopez has the advantage in that area. But Lopez also is just a little bit of a mercurial fighter at times.
Starting point is 01:01:02 So I've chosen to back the more proven known commodity. in Sadiq Yousuf and as and kind of fade the action coming in on the beloved but maybe a touch over hype Diego Lopez. I don't mind it man and that's what you said at the very end there like he is a big fan favorite and I would expect money is going to come on in in because of that because a lot of people like to support this guy. Yeah if you just in general if you just bet against the people that fans like really like you're probably going to end up finding more values than not, you know, just because you're getting that bump.
Starting point is 01:01:42 You're getting a little bit of extra monies coming in just because they like him, not because it's the smart action. I think that this might be one of those situations. So I'm on Super Sadiq. Shout out. Shout out to Super Sadiq. Let's keep it rolling to another great fight. 155 Hanato Moikano taking on Jalen Turner. And right now Moikano minus, I'm sorry, Jalen Turner, minus.
Starting point is 01:02:03 I'm sorry, Jalen Turner, minus 238. Moycano coming back at plus 195. Man, on Draft Kings right now, minus 238, on Fandle minus 280. That is crazy juice to pay, where Moikano's only a 15 cent difference. Sorry, just noticing that on old fight odds.io. But this is another fight. This is my last fight of the night that I don't have any action on. I love Money Moikano.
Starting point is 01:02:29 He's the man. I also love Jalen Turner. but man, this feels like a decent matchup for Jalen Turner. I mean, he's always going to be the bigger guy, but again, he will be the bigger guy here. I love the finishing capabilities of him. He's a tough, durable dude. If it goes to the ground, I trust him there, striking.
Starting point is 01:02:47 I really like him there. I feel like this is a very winnable fight for Jalen Turner. So do I. That's why I bet him. You know, I'm not quitting my boy. Jalen Turner's my boy. I've been. We've been on Jalen Turner for a long time.
Starting point is 01:03:00 I've been on Jalen Turner forever. just look, I'm a simple man. I like big fellas. I like big fellas in small weight classes. They're always going to make me think that guy's got the goods. Because look at him. He's enormous. Look at him.
Starting point is 01:03:12 He's 6'3. He's got 7.7 in the street. This John Jones fighting lightweight. Why the hell wouldn't I be in support of him? He's also an electric fighter. Can grapple, can strike his ass off. Dan Hooker had an incredible sensational performance. Shout out.
Starting point is 01:03:26 Absolutely nothing taken away from just what I think is one of the most impressive efforts I've seen in a long time out of Dan Hooker. Jalen Turner took that loss. He lost a fun, competitive fight against Matush Camrod and a tough tougher style matchup. Another very close fight. And here's the kicker. He's 28 years old, man.
Starting point is 01:03:46 He's still so young. He's still so improving. If he can continue to keep making this weight class, which thus far, he hasn't really shown that he can't do it, the sky's still the limit. And I like Nato Moikano. We're talking about Jailenturn, who's probably like truly a welterweight versus is Moikano who fought it featherweight. Shouldn't have ever fought a featherway, but still, it's the bigger dude.
Starting point is 01:04:06 And Moikano, while a fun striker, it's not nearly the level of striker. I don't think he's going to have the success with takedowns he would need to succeed. And even if he does, Jalen Turner is not like some fish out of water on the floor. Absolutely. I'm saying this lines up really well for the tarantula. And I'm always going to back my boy. He's just one of those dudes. I'm going to bet on him every time.
Starting point is 01:04:27 It hadn't paid off a lot the last year or so, but I think we're going to going to get a dub this weekend. All right, let's keep it rolling on to a women's strawweight bout. Jessica Andrage taking on Marina, Rodriguez, right now. Andrade's your favorite. Minus 135, Rodriguez plus 114. Man, this is a nasty game, man. I mean, Jess Conradge was just dead in the water after losing three in a row.
Starting point is 01:04:54 And then she comes back, gets a knockout win over McKenzie Dern. I mean, it's a wild game. and now she's a favorite here over Marina Rodriguez. I'm not taking a side. I mentioned it earlier. She's the queen of chaos. I'm just going to be taking the under two and a half at plus 135. Drage, 11 of her last 13 have gone under the two and a half.
Starting point is 01:05:15 I actually think all 11 of those ended in the first or second round. And then Marina Rodriguez, two of her last three have gone under the two and a half. I know she goes to decisions much more often, but she does have the ability to finish people. Jessica And Dresge gets finished. And we've also seen her get finished. I just know that Jessica Androge is going to make this a dog fight. And I think Marina Rodriguez is going to be willing to engage. And I think someone gets got here.
Starting point is 01:05:38 I think someone gets finished. If someone's getting finished, it's going to be Marine Hadriguez. I'm on Jessica and Drudge. This is just, again, another fire where I'm not sure that I'm seeing the same things the bookmakers are seeing. I know Jessica and Josh had a tough last year. Like, that is not lost on me, right? But also, when you go back, I would understand this line if this was coming off Tatiana Suarez, right? If it's off that fight, she's lost three in a row pretty badly, tough.
Starting point is 01:06:10 And you can sell yourself on it of, okay, well, you know, Aaron Blanchfield is the second coming and she's at Flatway. And Janjan had the greatest performance of his career. And everyone believes in Tatiana Soror, still three in a row is a lot. Then she comes out and she just lays the wood on McKinsey Dern. Lay the wood. That fight wasn't because I was on Dern because I was like, all right, Androge's falling off. We're out here.
Starting point is 01:06:35 Wasn't competitive. It was a deeply uncompetitive fight. And so like now I'm just, we can all just be back to where Andrage was. And we can look at that three fight losing streak for what it was. Janjan, maybe he's better than we thought and certainly performed really well. And And Androge fought one of the worst fights of her career. The other two fights are reasonable losses.
Starting point is 01:06:55 Marina Rodriguez is just, geez, she's not that woman. right like jessica and drudge is so much more physically imposing so can take her down and beat the shit out of her on the floor i mean marina hadriguez is giving a bunch of takedowns of vina jangiroba i'm pretty confident jessica and drudge can just hoss her down and on the feet she could just if marina wants to get going on the feet androge is packing the nuclear option the marina isn't really doing i think this favors are in all phases uh i think this is a this is a bit of a y'all must have forgot line that we're getting because i think if we get this fight a year
Starting point is 01:07:30 and a half ago, right? Like if we get this fight pre-Aren Blanchfield when Androge is coming off of just clubbing. I mean, do you remember the beating she put on Lauren Murphy? Just ping ponging her around the cage. If we get
Starting point is 01:07:46 that fight where that's happened, whereas Marina Rodriguez is coming off, you know, getting knocked out by a mandolamosh or whatever, this would be a minus $3.50 for just to get And Raj. Like, I think that That's where this should be. So I'm on Jessica and Josh.
Starting point is 01:08:01 I'm on the former champion. I think she can have a great Saturday. I love it, man. I love the conviction, the confidence there. I mean, I think if she gets it done, it's going to be inside the distance. So we can both cash our tickets on this one. Next up, Jim fucking Miller, baby. Taking on Bobby King Green in maybe the most anticipated fight of the evening.
Starting point is 01:08:28 for me. I mean, this one is, we're just kicking off of the bang. These first, what am I even saying? All 13 fights. These first 13 fights are stag. Yeah, these first 13 fights are great. Right now, Bobby Green, minus 185, Jim Miller plus 154. Yeah, man, breaking news, I'm betting on Jim Miller. Just, it's just something you have to do. It's just something you have to do. If you're not betting on Jim Miller on Saturday, stop listening to the. podcast. I just, I just don't care. Like he's, we're going for history here. He's such a likable guy. He's been around the game forever. Dub it 100, dub it 200, dub it 300, dub it 300. And I think he win the fight, man. I think he win the fight. Nine wins, nine of all nine of his last wins,
Starting point is 01:09:19 because like obviously his losses mixed in, all come by finish. Bobby Green, been cha-oed in his last three losses. I think it's a big advantage on the ground for Jim Miller. He's tough. He's going to come forward. I like Jim Miller. Give me him. Yeah, if you think we're betting against Jim Fawke Miller, a UFC 300, you were just outside of your God-given mind.
Starting point is 01:09:43 Like this is... You are outside of it. This was the bet that was made the moment... I mean, if it was possible to bet on a fight before it ever got announced, just bet blindly on Jim Miller, just an open bet Jim Miller at 300 opponent TBD. we're all taking it. We're all taking it. They held it.
Starting point is 01:10:00 So this doesn't need a breakdown, but I do agree with you. I think Jim Miller actually can win this fight. Outside of 300, probably would favor Bobby Green. Like, I don't think it's ridiculous for him to be the betting favorite here, just because his run and form
Starting point is 01:10:14 has come against better competition, the Grant Dawson fight, obviously being sort of the big one. But it's not like Bobby Green has been beating or competing in, like, a vastly different tier than Jim Miller.
Starting point is 01:10:27 and I do think Jim Miller can compete enough on the feet and be dangerous enough on the feet. We've seen him be a better striker in this back end of his career, a more committed, dangerous knockout striker instead of just a sort of wrestle boxer. If he gets to the floor, this Jim Miller all day, I think Bobby Green is a very confident crap, but don't get me wrong, but Jim Miller makes his money down there. I think he compete in all phases, his UFC 300. He won at 100. He won at 200.
Starting point is 01:10:53 You think he's going to lose at 300? You've lost your mind. If you lost your mind, this man is going to win at 4002, and that's what Saturday is. Other people are out here telling you, through the greatest fight card ever assembled. I agree, it is. But what UFC 300 is more than anything else, it's the beginning of the road to UFC 400 and Jim Miller's incredible tort of force performance that comes then. That's what's starting on Saturday. It's not the end of the line.
Starting point is 01:11:23 It's the beginning of the next phase. and we're going to go into that phase with the wind. Jim Miller, baby, let's go. I mean, you painted the picture just beautifully there. I have nothing else to add, and that brings us to our final fight of the evening. It'll be the first fight of the night. Davidson Figurato, Dice de Gera,
Starting point is 01:11:46 taking on Cody No Love Garbrandt right now, Davidson Figurato, your favorite, sitting at minus 310. Cody Garbrant. coming back at plus 250. I mean, the fight, I asked for it. You asked for it. We all asked for it.
Starting point is 01:12:05 I mean, and the UFC delivered. And here we are, Davidson Figuerold, Cody Garbrandt, Bantam-Wa-Divison-Figuero. How are we feeling about this one? Hose me down, Connor. This, I've been won this fight for like four years. True story. I think it was the actual first time I ever went on between the links with Mike Heck.
Starting point is 01:12:25 on M8Fa.com, great website, great YouTube channel. Gross. I think that, I think it was the very first episode where I then had like a four-minute speech about watching Davidson Figurato fight Cody Garberant and how it's the only thing I ever wanted to see in this world. We're finally getting it, Connor. I'm finally getting it. It's not the same weight class we originally talked about.
Starting point is 01:12:45 It's up at Bandon Weight. It's open in this card. It's going to be a banger. It's going to be the best thing we've ever seen. These two dudes don't know how to be boring. and let me tell you. I'm not a huge fan of Cody Garvin. I don't hate him, but I do find it deeply funny the way he fights.
Starting point is 01:13:00 He can have legitimately one of the greatest performances I've ever seen against Dominic Cruz, one of the best performances of all time in a UFC title fight, bar none. And then he can go out there and he can lose to Pedro Munoz because Pedro hits him one time and is like, screw this, I'm about to charge at you. And Cody Garbin gets hit and he's like, okay, you and I can just do this hook. despite the fact that I don't have the chin to do this hook and thing and he gets knocked out. Cody Garbrandt is the exact kind of genius who has all the tools but can be drawn into a fight that is super detrimental to his performance and his long-term well-being.
Starting point is 01:13:39 And Davis and Figurato is the dude who has all the tools to draw him into that fight and to succeed in that fight where Cody Garbrandt doesn't. If Cody comes out here and fights a super like super responsible clinic performance, it'll be unbelievable to watch him kind of get back to that level. And if he doesn't, instead he does the Cody Garbin thing where he looks good early, Biggie hits him, and he's like, all right, it's time to rock him, sock him, baby. And then it's got, which I think is the more likely outcome, that will also be delightful. I think that is the most likely outcome.
Starting point is 01:14:09 I think eventually in the first round somewhere, they'll just start chucking them. It'll just be, all right, we're brawling now. And when that starts happening, Biggie Smalls, he's got the chin, he's got the speed, he's got the power. Cody Garbrant can't hang up to that kind of artillery. I'm on Davis & Figuero by KOTKO plus 175. I am also on Davis and Figurato, not by KOTKO, though I do like that bet a lot. Just straight up, parlayed him up with Wiley Zhang. Reasonable.
Starting point is 01:14:37 Everything you just said. I still cannot get over the trust factor when it comes to Cody Garbrant's chin against the guy in Davidson Figueroeroero. You need to trust it. It's convicted. It's not a suspect chin. It is convicted. felony murder. I mean, I understand that we've won the last two fights,
Starting point is 01:14:57 one against Trevin Jones in the snoozer of the century. That Trevor Jones fight was tough, too. There was some moments in it. It was not great. It was not great. And then, okay, yes, he looked great against Brian Keller. I was going to say, felt like sort of a tailor-made fight for him to go in there and get a W. I just don't think Davis and Figuero.
Starting point is 01:15:20 was rating the same as Brian Keller. If you just go back and watch me, Kai Care of France, knocks him out in the first round, Pedro Munoz, knocks him out in the first round, T.J. Dillishaw, knocks him out in the first round after knocking him out in the second round. The very fight before it,
Starting point is 01:15:34 he is three and five. It's so funny. He knocked out four times. The Dillishaw fight is the one that really seals it. Because he fought the first one, and sure, that is a hot, like an intense, personal animosity going on there. You get drawn into a kind of a brawl and you lose.
Starting point is 01:15:50 Okay, but going into the second fight, your entire team is going to be around. You're being like, all right, we can win this fight. We can't do that. That's the bad thing. Can't do the bad thing. We already lost that way. We know how that goes. Immediately does the bad thing faster.
Starting point is 01:16:08 It happens faster than it did the first time. And then he falls out and does the bad thing again against Munoz. He can't help himself. If you are the kind of fighter who is going to draw him in. into the kind of fight that is bad for him, he will oblige you. If you're Hafele-Sonsau, and you are trying to do a different kind of game
Starting point is 01:16:28 and trying to just be like, all right, let's play a more technical, striking-based game. He's going to get out there and cook, but if you ain't, if you're kind of care of France and you're rough, rugged, and raw, you're ready to rumble,
Starting point is 01:16:39 you are a rough-and-tumble kind of dude. It's curtains for him. And Figgie is that dude. I feel so good about this opening fight. I cannot wait to watch it go down. And Figgi, even when he doesn't get knockouts, he's got 11 knocked downs over the course of the year. I mean, he knocked down Brandon Moreno three times. Brennan Moreno is like ironclad. I think he's been knocked down, knocked down one time other than that in his career, maybe twice over the course of his
Starting point is 01:17:08 entire career. He got knocked down three times against Davis and Figuero. I just don't think this is a great matchup for Cody Garber. And I think Davidson's going to bring the fight to him, like you just said. And I do think he's going to find that shit. And man, and like I said, if he doesn't, if this is a transcendent Cody Garbrand performance, then that's still okay. I lose this bet and that always want to win your bets. But this fight will still be fun even if that doesn't happen because it means we get prime Cody Garbrand. You know, I doubt it, it won't be forever. I just don't think you can ever think he's going to be the guy who was against Dominic Cruz for a sustained period.
Starting point is 01:17:42 But if we get it one time, like that's just a cool, it's a cool throwback to be like, holy shit, look at him in there dancing, move in, stick, their fast hands getting going, that will still be an awesome way to kick off this event. Connor, we've done it. And I can't stress to you enough how fucking excited I had for Saturday. 10 out of 10. 10. And it only makes me more excited going through all the fights. Every single one of them has intrigue. Every single one of them. I mean, this is the pinnacle. If you are not excited for this, if you're sitting there like, well, it's not the main event that we want it. It's just like, I don't know what to tell you. I do not know what to tell you. And please for the love of God, if you're going to complain about this card, never, ever, ever, ever, ever,
Starting point is 01:18:21 defend the apex ever again in front of me. Please, God, because this card is pinnacle. This is Beek. This is, it will be cinema on Saturday night. This is the apex. This is the apex. This is, yes. Think about this kind.
Starting point is 01:18:34 Think about how many times we do these shows, 42 a year. Oh, my God. And at the end of the episode, you and I, we, in the recording, we're like, man, I was a slog. That was a tough one. All right, let's try and get this done in 30 minutes. We're not here because it's just like, ah, I don't even look forward to Saturday.
Starting point is 01:18:50 We just finished an episode where I am now physically excited. Like I am, I have energy through me talking about this car. I'm being like, yeah, let's go. I get, ooh, you live for this. I love to see it. I love to see it. And one of the best moves here, no card next week. I mean, you just get to marinate on the results of this incredible card for two full weeks.
Starting point is 01:19:13 I don't even know what the next card is after that. It's Vegas 91. I mean, I'm not thinking. about that right now. UFC 300, that's what we're focused on. Nicola Alex Perez is two weeks from now. Oh my God,
Starting point is 01:19:23 I'm not thinking about that until. You got to tell you, if you look at the card, you won't be happy. Focus on the now. The present is a gift. That's why the call it the present and our present is the greatest gift
Starting point is 01:19:35 potential in history. There is no next card. There is no next card. There is this card. That's all there is right here, right now. UFC 300, enjoy it. Enjoy it.
Starting point is 01:19:45 Enjoy it because it is going to be incredible. We're going to look back on this. one is going to be fantastic. No show next week. We'll see you when we see you. I don't even know what the next UFC card is because there's only UFC 300. See you there. Support for this show comes from Chase.
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