MMA Fighting - On To the Next One | Matches To Make After UFC Vegas 113

Episode Date: February 8, 2026

Mario Bautista picked up a massive win in his first UFC main event on Saturday, and after dominating and submitting Vinicius Oliveira, Bautista called for a rematch with Cory Sandhagen. Will Bautista get his wish, or will the UFC go in a different direction? On an all-new edition of On To the Next One, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Alexander K. Lee discuss what could be next for Bautista after running through Oliveira in the main event of UFC Vegas 113. Additionally, future matchups are discussed for Kyoji Horiguchi following his lopsided win over Amir Albazi in the co-main event, Rizvan Kuniev after defeating Jailton Almeida in the heavyweight featured bout, along with fellow main card winners Michal Oleksiejczuk, Farid Basharat, Dustin Jacoby, and more. Plus, the guys take listener matchmaking suggestions following the UFC's first trip to the Meta Apex in 2026. Follow Mike Heck: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MikeHeck_JR⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Alexander K. Lee: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@AlexanderKLee⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ http://goo.gl/dYpsgH⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Check out our full video catalog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://goo.gl/u8VvLi⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Visit our playlists:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ http://goo.gl/eFhsvM⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Like MMAF on Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://goo.gl/uhdg7Z⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow on Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://goo.gl/nOATUI⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Read More: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.mmafighting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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If you have questions or concerns about your gambling or the gambling of someone close to you, please go to conicsontera.ca. Network. Hello there, everybody, and welcome to a brand new edition of On to the Next one. And yes, the matchmaking crowns are back on. And for the first time in 2026, in just audio only form, just on the podcast network, because we were coming off of a fight night event. We're coming off of the UFC's 2026 debut at the newly branded meta apex, which was so loud. You could not even hear the commentary throughout the card. Definitely a different vibe. I enjoyed it much more, seeing a lot more energy, a lot more vibes in that building.

Vibes seems to be like the theme coming out of UFC Vegas 113, whether the vibes are high or low or mid, depending on who you're talking about. But UFC Vegas 113 is in the books. We're getting ready for a weekend off from the UFC. So it's time to matchmake following a UFC fight night event. I am Ike. And joining me to do exactly that and much more is the co-host, the co-matchmaker, the Prince of positivity.

and my bestest darn friend on planet Earth, the one and only Alexander Cayley. A.K. How we doing? Oh, what's up, my best friend? I'm doing great. Why is Kogi Horo Gucci fighting in a warehouse? Why? Oh, sorry. We're not that far yet. Yeah, no, I'm doing great. I thought the meta-apex slash, you know,

first Paramount Fight Night, pretty solid, man, pretty solid. It's an action-packed day. I did not cover PFL Dubai or watch PFL Dubai because I'm in Canada, and we can't, and I would never pirate a product like that. So, PFL, I heard it was a pretty okay show. Sorry, we weren't able to watch it up here. And then, of course, there's a BKFC that you were covering. What I forget, I feel like I'm forgetting something.

There was another, some other combat sports event. Anyway, yeah, it was a lot going on. I was fully locked into Vegas 113 to this meta-Apex card, and it was a pretty good time. I should clarify a tweet I sent out last night. So I'm like, I was annoyed by the booing of Javid Basharat, and I tweeted something like, oh, they shouldn't have left people in the apex. I was also mostly joking. And some people who were there just responding like, no, man, it ruled and no, you know, what are you talking about?

And obviously, again, I just, I said, I think booing Javid was silly. I thought that fight with John Matsumoto was great. And I always hate when people boo close decisions like that. I always think it's a bit silly. But overall, like, of course, of course, happy when the apex is a good thing. And it felt, it was the right vibe, too, because I don't know what the ticket prices are for these things. But I think they got the right people. And I was worried it would be some VIP because I think they're called.

VIPs, right? Isn't that not what the there's like Apex VIPs system or whatever? Anyway, but whoever they got in there, it felt like they were real fans, like because they were booing, they were cheering, they were telling fighters to break it out when there was too much grappling. You mentioned one fight, particularly where that happened. So yeah, the vibe was on point. I had to imagine being there was even better. But it did come off across,

it did come across a bit on television, right? There was a noticeable difference, of course, between, you know, the apex before when it was a few dozen people, and now however people they have been there now. So not too bad. I hope everyone who's there had fun. A lot of people who went there. And I hope it was a good time. Yeah, same.

And this is all we kind of wanted from all of this. Like, people are just like, oh, you poo on the apex. You're so negative. But then all we said was like, do you remember when Marab fought Peotryon the first time? They just went to like some random stage in a Vegas casino that fit like 1,100 people. And the vibe was just so much better because people were into it and they were cheering and there was energy. There was noise. in the building outside of hey ah hey great job oh you won that round like all of that stuff and

and this just felt better it just felt so much better and hopefully that energy continues on as we get into some of the not or not greater events because in terms of like apex events on paper and how we thought they might go this is up there like this is a pretty from top to bottom This is a pretty solid card on paper, and I think for the most part it delivered. And I think a lot of it has to do with what Mario Batista did. Let's just get right at two. The main event, he goes out there. He just beat six shades of crap out of poor Venetius Olivera,

who has come out and said that he broke his arm, 51 days before this fight, and just battled through it and apparently battled a 50-pound weight cut. All sorts of 50s going on when it comes to Venetius Oliver. Loke Dog, not to take anything away from Marri Batista, but you could tell there was something off about Loak Dog and didn't look completely like himself. We thought it might have been the way cut. We thought maybe he was an injury. We weren't really sure.

He clarified a little bit, but man, even if that is the case, if we were to fully believe this, this is what you do. If you're fighting a guy like that, you just run his ass over. And that's exactly what Mara Batista did, did what he had to do. one of the best performances of his career. You got a bonus and a main event win. Mario Batista fully gets his name back, Alexander K. Lee, for everybody's bingo cards.

Caldow Corey Sanhagen for the rematch. Is this what he's going to get in your opinion, or are we going a different direction? I'm not going that way. Huge props to Mario, by the way, because yes, loch dog looks bad. Mario looked very, very, very, very, very good. This is probably the last time we see Venetio Levera at Bantamway.

Again, not to blame the weight cut and not to make excuses to say maybe it was more of the injury. I don't know. But either way, yeah, something was off. When you're cutting 50 pounds, I'm going to camp, 30 pounds at the beginning of the week, according to him, according to a video he put out 30 pounds, like six days ago. It can't be good. It can't be good. And he looks big at 135. I think he'd be very competitive at feather weight.

Maybe somewhere down the road, they get the weight cut down better or the diet better, and he can return to bantam weight. But take a few fights at 145, look, docks, see how that goes. But Batista is not going nowhere. He's staying at 135. He's saying in the bantamate title mix. And Mike, we're not going to have friends forever moment here because I was watching the show. Of course, the post-fight show last night with you and Jed.

And I fully agree with your pick. So I am going with the great Canadian. I mean, this is the fight. Oh, man. He ain't getting, he's just not going to get Corey Sanhagan. Like, Corey is not going to. I'm sure Corey was not overly thrilled that he was getting the call. He was just like, dude, I could probably fight Sean O'Malley at the White House right now.

Corey has options. Yeah, I'm out fighting Mario Batista. I mean, honestly, I think Corey would probably fight Amin Zahabi before I fought Mario Batista right now because of the wind streak that Amin's on. But I think Batista's a hobby is just an interesting fight, man.

Like, I think that's the kind of fight where we will learn how good Aman Zahby actually is. Like, is he a legit title contender? If he goes out there beats Mario Batista, whether it's a close decision or not, we will find out everything we need to know we will know and if he wins he should probably get a title shot so i like the matchup they've given mario opportunities to to get a title shot if he had beat umar he was

getting a title shot he was definitely getting it i mean he might have got hosed a little bit by peyoteerian beating marab but he wouldn't be he wouldn't have probably had to fight venice's oliva he would have been a really good position right now so yeah i like batista versus a hobby i mean if they do sandhagen i'm not going to be mad at it but i think Bautista Sahabia is the way to go. I was surprised to see Zahubi is ranked higher than Bautista and probably still will be after they have Zahby number six in the official U.C.

rankings just outside the top five. And we don't mean to slag my fellow Canadian. Like, no, I should be rooting for him, honestly, in the best interest of the scene up here, frankly, because you could, I know even up, listen, even up here in Canada, Zahby's not like a household name. So I'm not selling him as like a GSP

or even like a Vora McDonald type guy. I understand that. He's not that level of stuff. are. I do think I mean, you could do it even without him. The UFC brand is just so strong and it's been so long since they've been to the Bell Center. I do think if you could get him in a teleshot in the Bell Center, that would be such a great moment. I'm trying to say the last time. Oh, it wasn't that? Sorry. I forgot. I forgot. What did they get? What was the title fight last year?

Muhammad and J.D.M. Mohamed and Jadiam. I'm sorry. So they're, right, they've been there. But before that, it was 10 years before they had been to Montreal. So let's keep those shows going and get a headliner from that area. I mean, God, that would be so fun. So I want to see the fight for all the reasons we listed. I think if the Batista that showed up on Saturday shows up against Aman, I think Batista would be favored considerably, and I think he just clears Aman. But like you said, Mike, we can criticize all I want.

Amon keeps winning, and that is a win that certainly would get him a title shot. Some people would complain that he wouldn't have to jump over any of the top like three or four guys. Listen, that's the fight game. And again, we know the U.S. He's based on timing and location. So if they could plan for a Montreal show coming up the second half of the year, I mean, you bet they would love to have Aeman there. Yeah.

Avan's won seven in a row. I mean, look, he broke Javid Bachelat. Yeah. But he beat him. He went out there and beat him. Hand him his first loss. He's never been the same since. I mean, that's just what happens when he's a hobby.

Pedro Munoz. Has Pedro fought since fighting Amman's hobby? I don't think so. Jose Aldo certainly hasn't fought. What's happening right now? And Mara and Mara Mara. I mean, we may never see him again. We may never see him again.

I mean, when you share the octagon with A. With A. Zahavi, you're never the same. I can't believe you're doing this. He's the Bannon Way Justin Gagey. I can't feel you doing it. Let's move on to the flyweight division. Kiojuju, Rugguchi fought in a warehouse, okay?

The man was so electric, just in random places in the world. And you know what? You were the talk of the town. What was it? A Bakk? What was it? Qatar, UFC Qatar? Yeah, he's on that card.

He blew the roof off the building in UFC Qatar. And you're like, you know what you should do now? We should put you in the apex. And boy, they were into him. No doubt about it. Keoggi or Gucci fights Amir al-Bazi just runs them. Doesn't finish him because Amir al-Bazi is really, really durable and really, really tough. This is a no-doubter.

Kiyoji was never in any danger in this fight. And he gets a big win. And then he gets on the mic and does, Kiyoji does and I love it. Just, I want the belt. I don't care who it is. Let's go. Unfortunately, A.K., he's not getting the belt.

But what we should do is Joshua Van versus Minal Cop. That should be the next title fight. And who knows? Maybe that's the mystery TBD versus TBD for March 7th in UFC 326. We don't know. We don't know what's going on with that. Maybe it's in Miami. Maybe it's somewhere else.

but this both of these fights that I'm about to mention should happen in Japan. I don't think either of them are going to happen in Japan because the UFC just is in no rush unless Japan wants to pay the UFC

a bunch of money to go there. They're not just not going to rush over there to go. So whatever event, Josh Van versus Minal Cop happens, Kiyoji Horaguchi versus Tatsura Taira also has to happen. And either way,

Keogu versus Taira, this is the fight to make. And I'm very much looking forward to that one. And the winner gets the winner of Van versus. versus cop or I mean obviously Pantosha's in there too but the winner of that fight puts themselves in a great position would say you love the idea of Kyogi versus Tara either again Kyoji wins and he keeps the title of ring go title hopes going or you do a little passing of the torch moment right

it's it's great it's beautiful poetic fight I just want to see Kyoji fight for the title so like I'm kind of skipping over the tire matchup the the timing just isn't it really does feel like it's not going to rock up for Kyoji to just wait it feels like if he said like I'm going to wait which he sounds like he has no interest in doing by the way he sounds like he wants he wants to get back in there like next week he's just so excited to be fighting but if if by some chance you know he was like oh you know I'm I'm of a certain age and can I just wait and is there a chance I can wait it would be like gosh what like nine months it feels like he wouldn't fight again until like the last quarter of the year or something so

you just have to wait so long considering um the possible permutations and in the championship pickers so they're cop is there there's a pentosier rematch which I think if he was healthy enough people would want to see that too um yeah there's just a lot going on so you you're probably right, he has to fight again. I'm more like waving a magic wand and hoping like either Kioji somehow gets the title shot against Van next, which seems doubtful unless again something happens to cop or something happens to other contenders in front of Kioji right now, or that that fight gets booked if not for the White House a little bit sooner so that, you know, Kioji can fight the winner in like June, July, or August or something. I don't know. I want to

see Kioji forever the title. I think there's a part of me that's paranoid that he loses it and we never get to see him fight for the title again. But that's really not how he's the UFC works. They don't, they don't, they wait for no one. They certainly do not, okay. They certainly do not. Are we going to, do you have to get away for the heavyweight division? Here we go. What is happening? This is, I had so much fun. Jet and I were probably the only two people who had fun watching Talasin to Cher versus Tai Tia to Ivasa. I had fun. Okay. Oh, oh, I thought I was going to say Saturday. Okay, I'm sorry. Yeah. It doesn't seem like anybody enjoyed Rizvvvon Kunev versus Jelton Almeida. And I was dealing with like,

BKFC pacing issues like what are we doing here? Let's let's let's move this thing along like you guys always do. And then as I'm waiting for BKFC to move along, this fight is happening. And I'm just like, man, I can't catch a break right now watching two screens. But this was a fight, AK. I mean, this will go down in history as a fight that took place. Jail's Adela Meda, not doing himself any favors in his last two outings. And then had the, the gall, I guess I should say.

to say, well, the only reason people didn't enjoy the Volkov ice because I'm Brazilian. I don't care what weight class, where you're from, who your parents are. I don't care. It does not matter. Nobody enjoyed this last night. And there are people saying, like, caught Jailton, like, just be done with him. I don't know if that's fair or not. But in the end, it's all about just ripping on Jelton Almeida.

But should we be celebrating the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the go-getiveness of Rizvon Kudiev? Probably not, but this man is going to be a top 10 heavyweight in the freaking world, AK, after this fight and this win against Jailton-Almeida. So I ask you, my best friend, where does Rizvon Kudiev go from here? I don't know what to do with this man. I think I have an answer, but this was probably the toughest one to pick. First off, shout out to the feed on M.A. fighting, immediately almost following that fight.

We had two threads open up. The Floundarian 2 started a thread called Johnson Lameda is the least intimidating heavyweight of all time. Question mark. At least it was a question mark, Mike. It wasn't a statement. It was a question mark. He was leaving it open for discussion. And then shortly after Great Night of Fight Seven wrote, fighters you've had to give up on threat, which, yes, he started.

So people are talking about it, Mike. I mean, you know, he's getting a conversation started. Yeah, that was tough to watch, man. people have heard me on previous shows saying I thought J. Larson could have been a world champion. I want to see him fight John Jones. I think this is in print and in audio and video. So I have a lot of explaining to do.

I don't think he's going to be the UFC heavyweight champion now. I don't think he would have, it would have gone well against John Jones if they had ever fought. So I'll backtrack on that. I don't think he's going to get cut yet, but would not surprise me. Riz van Cuniev, top 10 fighter.

very good. And on paper, even though I picked Almeida, if anyone has seen Cooney's previous fights, like, he has a really good take down defense and is like pretty, it's a lot like quicker, I think, than you think if you looked at him. Like, you've kind of watched, he's surprisingly quick. So I should have known. I should have known this wasn't going to go well for Jalton. I found this so hard to matchmake Mike. I, because he will be, so Jalton was six. So at, like, assuming Cooniev just takes his spot

because he'll probably, so Sergey Spivaback. a second to burrow is eight Derek Lewis is nine I don't think they have any problem jumping cooony have over all those guys so Kunio could legitimately just be number six by the time uh the rankings official rankings are updated on tuesday so above him is waldo blades who he already fought pavlovitch volkov gone tom ashenol i don't think he's fighting any of those guys but that's the only way to go up so uh i went sort of with a strange choice here like could could he be could he be derrick lewis's opponent at the white house No.

No. Oh my God, no. A hard? No. Why? You think Donald Trump watched that fight? It was like, we have to have this guy on the car. Donald Trump didn't watch that.

He's pretty hardcore U.C. fan. He's well aware of what happened in that fight last night. It was not good. If Derek Lewis is fighting on the White House, he's fighting like Ty To Ivasa. Like we're going to get in there and throw some hammers. We're not going to watch Derek Lewis's back against defense for 15 minutes. minutes. We're not going to do it. He'll throw hands with them. He'll throw hands with them. I don't know. This is not probably not. I didn't know where to go with it. I'm

fascinated to know where you went with this. I don't know who this is good for, AK. This is obviously good for the name that I'm going to suggest. And this is also good for you and your fantasy team. I think you just throw Josh Hokkaid in there of them. Oh, no. Oh, God. Like, let's just do it. Or you throw Hocan in there with Almeida. Like he should be fighting one of those two guys next. But I would just give him Kooniev and just see. I have thought about it.

I did very for a moment. Like just just see. Like would you pick, would you confidently pick Rizvon Kunev to beat Josh Hoket right now? I would not. I would not. I'd probably make Hockett to win. So if we're going to do this thing,

we're trying to revamp this division. Just throw Hokin there and then Gable Steeveson. can fight on the White House card against like, I mean, just, just give Gable a bunch of, just find the five, the three to five worst heavyweights in the world and throw them in the octagon with Gable Steven. Just let him run them over. At once, at once. Sure. I'm okay with that.

Goldberg style. And then you hold up the sign like, oh, now he's, now he's six and oh. Yeah, do it do a BKFC fight club style where it's just like one round and he just runs over everybody. Yeah. But for now, like, until Gable is there and you're ready to. just strap the rockets to him. Even though a lot of people may disagree with this because they just don't want to see this guy get a bigger platform.

And I get that. Yeah, of course. He is probably outside of Waldo Cortez-A-Costa, he's probably the most interesting guy in this division right now. And obviously Tom Asmodal, but like, he is like the most intriguing thing they have in just a horrific division. It's so bad. It's just so bad.

And when you have any kind of spark that brings a motion to the table, whether good or bad, and he just kind of have to run with it at this point. If Josh goes out there beats Rizvvvv, then you could do whatever you want with him at that point. So just do that. And if he loses, Kudiav might be celebrated. I don't know. And if he if hope it wins, he can cut a terrible promo and maybe get a bigger fight. I don't know.

But just do it. This is a low bar, but that would be like one of the most highly anticipated. UFC heavyweight fights of this year. If that match. 100%. It's so, that's a sad thing. It really would be.

It'd be a co-main event on a fight night card. Like, without question. Apex Maine easily. Apex Maine like, now we're talking. O'Hesh. All right.

Let's move on to the middleweight division, AK. The middle weights. I'll just, I'm just basically going to get out of your way here because you already know where I'm going with this. Mikhail O'Ezekich Defeats Mark on your burial. No one really expected.

that to be fight of the night. They thought maybe a performance bonus would be coming Mikhail O'Ele-Ele-Echuk's way, but, oh, Canada, how tough are thee? Mark Andre Barra just going in there and battling, getting an extra 100K for his efforts. But like I said, after UFC 324, I'm throwing a Taba goatee in there with Mikhail Olegzechek's win or lose in this fight, and Oleg-Ze-Chic just happened to win, and I still want to see it. So that's what I'm going with him, sticking to it, would say you. Wait, if Mark Andre had won, would he have had to fight a Teba? No, no, no, no. Oh, okay. A Tabea still would have.

Yeah. We're still, we're doing, we're doing all this age. When lose or draw. When lose your draw. Yeah. Because for, for, uh, Mark Andre, just, uh, too tough for his own good, man. This guy, I don't know. Sometimes he's had some fights where he gets knocked down in the first round.

He's had other fights. I put it this way in the slack to Jed because this was a jed's, one of Jed's climb legs on Saturday. Like, sorry, man. Sometimes, uh, maybe he just forgets to die. Like he just forgets. Like he just gets hit in the head. Sometimes he gets hit once, knocked out first round.

So now he just gets battered for three rounds. and entertaining fight 100K for the man probably saved his job too by getting that bonus because I have to think this is like Bakrio's fifth loss has passed six fights I have to think they'd be considering letting him go if you had lost but rarely I think do they let guys go off fights tonight probably more frequently in the contender series era

but I think we see him again great listen they got to come up to Canada again sometime we love we love our Mark Andre up here I went upward for Alexegic. I didn't, you know, you're going, using him for a Tava. I'm like, well, he called for a top of Dene person. I'm not giving him top of dean.

But what about, and I don't know where this guy is right now. Like, what about Iqram Alaskarov? Oh, okay. Where is he? Is he booked? I don't think so. I feel like there's some injury in there somewhere. Like, did he fight last year?

He did, right? He fought the summer? Maybe. He fought, I mean, he beat, he fought twice last year. What? He finished Andre Monez. Oh, he fought October. And then he beat the Iron Turtle UFC 321.

I like that matchup. I just think it'd be fun. Yeah, he's not booked right now. He should probably be getting a top 12 guy. I get it. Like, you know, it's probably time to start moving back up again. But I don't know. I want to see one more fun fight.

Like, one more fight with Olexeychuk, and then, yes, we can go top 15, top 10 with Ikram. If he wins, maybe, maybe Michael pulls off that upset. If Olegcichick-Wins bad, if he goes out there beats Icarat, then definitely give him a rank guy. Yeah. Like that would be such an impressive win to me. Let's go to the bantam weight division.

We mentioned Fareed Basharat, loses a split decision to John Matsumoto. I thought Matsumoto won, but like it wasn't, I didn't come out of it being like, oh, it's a no doubter. It was a very close fight.

I edged Matsumoto. I, jet on the post fight show was like he should be undefeated. I thought he clearly, I might say clearly, but I thought he lost to Rob Font. And this is not me being a homer either. This is just me saying I thought he lost that fight.

I think he's a better case for this one. But again, it's not a robbery or super close fight. Free basher, I mean, it's undefeated. I didn't really know where to go here, AK. We got to do something to make this guy like somewhat appealing to the fan base. And it's not really his fault because I think he's really fun to watch. Like if you were just into like high level MMA, this guy has it all. Eric Nixig used to, we used to talk about like free just being such a student

the game and I know he's not with Extreme Cotority Moors over at ATT with his brother who also got a win on this card but like we got to do something to like get people to watch him fight it can't like they just keep chucking him on the apex and he's just like a forgotten guy in all of this and he's undefeated and probably should have been fighting ranked competition all along I'm still not giving him a ranked guy yet here okay but the original guy I booked this individual next is booked already he got to fight booked against somebody else. So how can we put eyeballs on this guy in a different way? Maybe he'll be a heel to some, and maybe things could get ugly along the way.

But maybe he gets a baby face reaction if he wins and certainly will if he gets a finish. I'm going Fried Bacherat versus Bryce Mitchell. Pull that card. Wow. I did not see that coming. I don't know why. I'm doing it. Did not see that coming.

I wanted David Martinez to get that fight, but David's fighting Cheevera. So, and I know it's not a name that you typically throw out very often on this program, but I kind of think this is the fight they have to make for, for both guys, honestly. Like, I think this makes sense for both guys. And it could get real ugly and nasty along the way, but I think, I think this is what we have to do. Oh, boy. I was not prepared. Mike was that,

you caught me off guard. Did not expect to, you pulled a Bryce card. Boy, I went a different way. I went a very different way. I am, I do want to give him a top,

top 10 guy. I'm going with someone who had matched up on a previous show and, well, that's stuff that's not possible anymore. So can he get Sangia Dong? I guess.

Outside of the apex, please. I mean, I guess he could. I don't, I don't just like it. I think it makes a lot of sense. I think Frida's so good.

I think he's so good. I understand the lack of finishes is, you know, again, the eyes of the matchmakers. It's just, it's, look, we've seen it with Mozart. We've seen it with Arlvan. We've seen it a lot of Lauren Murphy until they got that Nakapuriko. They like finishes. They like finishers, right? They like finishers.

They like style. They like a bit of personality. And Farid is, like you said. He's just known as this really great all-around fighter, like a, like a B-plus to an A in every, like, category you can have of a MA besides like power but I consider power more of like a you know as much a talent a talent thing as it is a skill thing you can certainly learn power but you also have some you know some natural ability for it so but other than that all the things you can learn he's just so good at it you just watch him he's a very high level professional

enemy fighter and unfortunately that is not much of a needle mover in today's society so I want to give a top 10 guy I want to kind of make it undeniable he's a top 10 fighter I would favor him against song yadong and I think song is great but I just think free just that damn good um So yeah, we're just kind of moving things up. I want to, oh, I want to mention, like, the closeness of the fight. I've made decisions. Nine people had it for Bajarat. Five for Matsumoto, very close.

Very very, very close. Everyone 29, 28, obviously. So narrow, just like it could have gone out of their way. Yeah, Sean Matsum. I wish we were making for John Matamato as well. Great fight. It was a really good fight. Don't boo great fights, people.

Even if you don't like freed Basharat, don't boo great fights. Come on. Yeah, I know you guys who are booing. You're in Vegas ship. You place bets on Matsumoto. you saw the line, which is a great bet, by the way. I told everybody on the People's Free Fight show, like, take a shot on Matsumoto. Like, this line just seems way too wide.

Yeah. For me, like, I think there's just a ton of betting value on Matsumoto. Like, I wasn't picking him to win, but he will fight for that money for certain. And he did. On Fandul, Matsumoto by points, I think, just before the fight started was like plus 360. Yeah. So people were that, like, you were really, if you had, if you had that, you were like, oh, you were right there. Like, you easily could have gotten that call to go.

I wonder what the point spread bet was. Oh, yeah. For Matsumoto, because that would have been, I don't think you would get, like, maybe would have got a little bit of plus money. I don't know. Don't bet on M. A. people, unless you're betting overs on women's manton weight fights, then.

I'll tell you what free brashrod should do. He should be like, hey, when I listened on to the next one with heck and AK, and they suggested that Mario Batista fight aim and Sahavi, allow me to be the backup fighter in case something happens with one of those guys. I'm putting my name in the hat. He should absolutely do that. Because, I mean, he's bright. He is cut from the same cloth right now in terms of like how the fan base views him

and views those other two guys. Like he could step right in there and just and just be a workman like Banimate that with high level skills. I just had this hilarious image of Batista and Amon getting like books like the headliner of like UFC Vegas 118 just like at the apex. and then them actually having a backup for an Apex Made event, I think it was so funny. Just do it. It'd be incredible. I'd love to watch a podcast between the three of those guys.

It was a hobby. We just get up to do a lot of heavy lifting, I think, to get the personalities going there. Because Aiman does have like a pretty bubbly personality. Yeah, you know, he does a lot of broadcasting work up here for us. He does. But let's move on to the light heavyweight division. Speaking of great divisions, AK, Dustin Jacoby was thrown in there with Julius Walker. He just did what most of us.

expected them to do. The other one that had just like insane betting value was Dustin Jacoby a minus 166 in this fight. I was what is happening? He should have been like a minus. I was like, I'm like, how was, in my mind, I was like, how does Julius Walker win this fight? Are we just saying like Jacobi's old or something? But he's been old for years. It's not like he just became and he wins fights still. Like he's been winning fights for a long time. I was shocked that. I should have taken that. I should have just taken it, just single bet because he should have been like minus 400. I mean, the only way Julius Walker is going to win was doing what he did in the first round and just like trying to tackle him.

Yeah, but instead. How many times did Jacoby lose like that, though? Like, who just tackles Jacoby for like 15 minutes and just, like, that's not a thing. Like, that's really not how Jacobi loses fights. Yeah. But him just, it was impressive watching him just carry Dustin Jacoby across the Octagon in the first round multiple times and just chuck him to the floor. But you can only do that for so long before Dustin gets you.

And boy, did he get him. Where are we going here with Dustin? Kobe, AK, because what a roller coaster ride. This second UFC run has been for him. He's been up. He's been down. We give him ranked fighters. Then he gets knocked out and they gets knocked out again.

And then we're like, oh, are we done with him? Like, is he just, is he aging out? And now he's won, what, three in a row again? He's getting finishes. Three KOs. Yeah. I mean, he's doing work. I mean, just he wants to play golf with Donald Trump.

From what I understand, he is truly and legitimately the best golfer in the UFC. Like, he's better. than Justin Gachy. That's what I hear from like literally everybody that Jacoby is the real deal. But as far as his fighting career goes, AK, where do we go with him? I like briefly considered an Alonzo

Menafield rematch. I just feel like it wasn't that long ago. I guess it was 24. So it was sometime. But I don't know. It didn't excite me. And then I tried to look in the top 15-ish. I don't think he's quite there yet

with jumping against one of those names. Probably one more win. so I had to give him someone coming off a loss who I still have ranked above him let's see let's see how Modestis Bukovskis bounces back from that recent disappointing loss let's see I'm going with Modestis versus Jacobi

it's a good pick I almost went there we almost had a friend's for a moment and I was like you know what we're not doing that because we got a gift okay and I'm very excited because I want this fight so badly and we have if Jacobi

is willing to wait just a just a couple of months we could get this because this guy is just going to run laps around Austin lane who's dropping to 205 at UFC London and after he does that Iwo Baranuski versus Dustin Jacoby let's just have a great time wow would you do win-lose or draw let's say by some chance he will loses would you still want to storm in there with Jacoby? Yeah. Why not? He's not going to lose.

Well, no. I'm sorry. If he loses, and I mean this with all due respect. If he loses to Austin Lane, I'm not giving him Dustin Jacoby. I'm sorry. Okay.

I can't do it. There are conditions to that. Maybe Austin, maybe for you, my friend, maybe you get the Dustin Jacoby fight if you pull off this upset. So, but I would just be,

I would be stunned if that happened. But I will go EWO versus Jacobi. after he most likely wins the UFC London. Mike, did you say dropping to 205? Yes. Did you mention something about dropping to 205? Oh. Is it time for, why?

Is it a wild card? Because I think he says something about dropping to 205. I'm so excited, Ake. I'm so glad you brought that up. What a segue. Yes, it is time for the wild card. If you were listening to this program for the first time, AK and I are going to matchmake for fighters.

We have not match made for yet. So it could be Venetius Oliveira. It could be somebody who won in the prelims. It could be somebody. It could be Jakub Wicklaks. It could be Muyn Gafferov, whoever we want. Could be someone who lost in the main card, for example. Yes, the world is our oyster.

We can pick wherever we want who competed on Saturday at the meta apics. So, AK, I assume... Did you say dropping it to 205? Yes, I did. Oh, you did. Please, jump in here. You know, there's a guy who had kind of a rough night on Saturday. This name's Jals on the Mado.

And he should probably drop to 205. That was not why he lost doing a run. That's not why he lost the Volkov fight. That's not why he lost the Kunae fight. These are like stylistic and like technical things he needs to work on because he can, he can beat some of these guys at Haywe. And listen, we've seen him when fights at Hayweigh. It's not like the size is an issue.

So driving 205 is not going to be some solved that like fixes him and makes him an instant contender. But it certainly feels like he's just run his course in this division. I don't know what it is. He's fought as light as, excuse me, guys. Sorry. He's fought as light as. He did fight light heavyweight, I think. His very first UFC fight, his very first UFC fight against Danilo Marquez, was it light heavyweight.

Then he took a catchweight bout against the pleasure man, and then went all the way up to heavyweight and never look back. So I think it's time to look back. I still want to give him a ranked guy. I just think he's that good still. And this fight could be super ass ugly, but give me J.L.L.L. Almeida and Nikita Krelov. Oh. Let him be the man who welcomes the future light hipweight

champion to the division. Wow. I almost put Jacobi and Kralov too. I was very close to that. I thought you were going to do Jacoby and Almeida. I thought that's what you were hinting at. Oh, no, no, no, no, no. Okay.

No, no, no, no. I mean, honestly, if I see the roster watch bot, say that fighter removed Jailton Almeida, I would not surprise me. Oh, no. Both of them. Like, honestly, both of them. If they did that to both guys, it would not shock me.

Cuneev? Sure. What did he do wrong? He just, he competed in a fight that no one will ever watch again. Yeah. I'm going to take this opportunity to shine some light on a young man. And yes, I know A.K., I'm breaking the rules here.

But if Paul Felder himself is willing to give this guy a pass, one of the hardest critics on missing weight for fights, no matter what the excuse is, Paul Felder said into a live microphone, you get a pass here. I'm giving him a pass. I've never thought I would see the day. So on this program, because Paul Felder,

who I think so highly of is giving this guy a pass, I'm giving Gianni Vasquez a pass as well. Wow. Johnny Vasquez gets a pass. You have a connection with Johnny. I like this kid. Yeah. His attitude is unbelievable.

I still to this day, don't think he got his shoulder fixed from that night. I really don't. I just think he kept fighting and kept winning. Basically, he's fighting with, like one shoulder. He is an absolute animal. And in the in Diaz rules, if this is Nate Diaz rules, Gianni Vasquez beat Farid Farahar, or Javid Basharad. He beat him. He beat him. He was definitely the guy that people cheering for at the end of that fight. There's no doubt about it. He went in there

40 hours note like literally 40 hours notice goes in there and fights. And yes, he missed weight. And he was talking some smack and like having a moment. and Jabee Bashar, I thought he's being very disrespectful, all that. But I'm a matchmaking for Bashar. I'm matchmaking for Vasquez. And now we can do it, AK. We can do it. We can give Gianni Vasquez and this man what they both asked for when I did that feature

about the unruly Fury FC incident. Now we can do it for real, AK. We could do it for more money. And let's not forget, this guy missed weight. the fight with Gianni Vasquez as well. Johnny Vasquez, Edgar Shira's two in the ultimate fighting championship. Both guys wanted it. Both guys asked for it.

And now we can do it, okay? Now we can freaking do it. And I'm so pumped. Let's do this the right way in the UFC Octagon. That's really good. Damn, I had not even thought about that. That's right. I always joke about, you know, when people make the UFC makes like weird rematches.

And I always go like, oh, unanswered questions. unanswered question. Like this is literally unanswered question. This is literally like, we really will like, they need to close the door on this. Because yes, if you guys don't know about MAPFling.com, just Google, Agriere's Chiraz, Google, Johnny Vasquez. Mike did a great deep dive into it. This is a crazy story. It's a crazy story.

And yeah, I think like this would be very healing for both fighters to get this done. Now, does it happen at what's shyness? Is Chirre still competing at flyweight? He is, right? Yes, as far as I know. Yes, he's booked. He's booked and he's fighting. He's fighting Felipe Bunes, though, Mike. We should note, apparently. I don't know if we confirmed this.

Okay. Yeah, I mean, look, I know people are probably this is like, you want to chuck a big bag of doo-do at me. I don't care. I truly do not care how that fight goes. Okay. I don't care if, I don't care if Chiras wins or loses in one second. That is the fight we're making next.

Yeah, and I'm confident, again, Johnny, because before this fight, he had made flyweight multiple times, including championship weight, I believe, for some. Yeah, he used to champ at up next fighting, yeah. Yeah, yeah. So, guys, this was, yeah, this was a weird case. You can still criticize them. You sign the contract.

You should make the wait. But again, I just wish they'd negotiate further. This should have been a catch weight. Like, it's so stupid that he even had to try and cut down there. So I love that. I love that. I did not know Gianni had beaten David Martinez once upon time. Yeah.

I think he's the only one. His only loss. Damn. Okay, yeah. Let's get Gianni back in there quick. Let's get Chiris back in there quick after UFC Mexico. And let's make this happen. Yeah.

Or just like if Shires, I believe, is fighting in Mexico. So if, you know, if something happens and Gianni can go in a couple weeks. possible well no then he'll probably miss me again so we'll hold up of the no j ufcc make an abandon way fight make it a bandit fight who cares just do it at no j September we'll do it in nocha anyway yes why all right let's go to the peace i got to tell you okay as expected i didn't get i didn't get a whole lot here i only got two oh let me get two people his dms are open please they are open but i mean look uh it's been so long since they've had to submit picks and we've actually read them It's true.

It's been two months, right? It's been eight weeks. Yeah. Eight weeks as we've done this. This is our fault, guys. Yeah. What was it? The Minel Kopp?

Brandon Roy Valcar. That was the last time we actually took in Red Off Lissiter Picks. So it's been quite some time. So it's good to have you back. We'll start with Jimmy Lloyd here. Jimmy says, Batista versus Figgie. Let Mario build some momentum before rematching Sanhagen.

I think that's a little. little that's kind of a waste a little disrespectful I just feel like at this stage of their careers as as as competitive as figgy can be that's patis has to be a minus like 300 favor in that fight so just say it feels like a waste of time yeah I mean this yeah I mean they threw omar in there with them but that was a bad fight it was a bad it was a bad it was a bad fight and and figgy is boh 50 figgy's a lot to blame there but it was a bad fight so I don't love that that pick, Jimmy. I appreciate you submitting. There's a logical

behind it. I just don't. No, I get it. I get it. Yeah. How about this, A.K. Venetius Olivera versus Giga Chikaze. Relatively soft landing into a new division for Olivera, and it should be fun.

Right. I hadn't even thought about like, I know we both agreed he should maybe consider moving up. I had not thought about any potential match. I was too fixated on Jocelamata matchups, I guess. It's actually really good. I like this pick. Damn, and that's, man, that's a, that's a winner you're out for Giga. I mean, yeah. Damn, that's it.

Yeah, and that might be. Look, Decater would be interesting. Somebody in that, in that ilk. Yeah, respectfully, where Giga is at his career, that's probably how the UFC's going to use him, whether it's to welcome someone to the division or face just like an upcoming, 145 or, oof. Yeah, smart.

Jimmy likes Horaguchi versus Van. Gucci is the best fly in the world. Give him the belt. Who are you picking that fight, Mike? Probably Horaguchi. I think so, too. I think today. if they fought or in the next 30 days

and had the same amount of preparation, I think Cori Gucci would be. Of like all the potential opponents right now, I don't know if I'd pick Van against any of them. I don't know if I pick him. Tyra maybe. I was telling Tyra because I would probably pick him to beat. But even then, like after what I saw in the Moreno fight,

like that dude's, he's turning into a man like real quick. He's a big, strong dude. Pop is so tough. And I would pick, I would also pick Pentosier to win a rematch. Damn. This is so just, Joshua Van, prove us wrong, my friend. Yeah.

Sainly talented. You're on a run. Prove all of us wrong. But I mean, but again, like if it's like, which fighter would I want to watch for the next five years? It's probably Van. Overall, he's good for business, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Like, this is just today.

Like in 2028, Josh Van is going to be like the pound for pound best fighter in the world. Whoa. It's just right now. You know what I mean? He's still so young. He's barely, he's not even close to how good he's going to be. So definitely somebody to watch. But right now, like, I would have a hard time picking fan against any of those guys.

Let's keep a go of Kudia v. Pavlovich. Olegzecich versus Marvin Vittori. Wow. We could test the toughness. That's for sure. Let's go. Freed Basra versus Montel Jackson. Dustin Jacoby versus Alexeiter Rackich.

Wong Tong versus Tracy Cortez, AK. It might be time. I actually like that fight. It's actually not really good because, like, I can. keep, I've been very critical of Wang Tong. I'm not sure why. Maybe, I think because I think there was a little bit of overhype when she knocked out Victoria Leonardo, which I thought was so funny.

You're like, oh, man, the flyway division's got a killer. And I'm like, guys, it's Victoria Leonardo. Tough as hell. God bless her. She's there to get knocked out or submitted or that's what she does. She is the persia parislechature of the flyway. She is. But three straight Ws, three straight Ws in a division that is not like, you know,

it's not the hard to climb up, right? It's not a deep division. So, yeah, that probably makes sense, quite time. Yeah, she battled through at the end there and got it done. So good honor. And like I said, a new trip, one half of the trend setting fight of two people who's just like, let's just both miss weight and then no penalty. Please let us be a trend going for it.

If you guys are in the same sauna 24 hours for a way and just talk it out, talk it out how much you want to lose. Okay. Like I don't think Javid Basharad is a guy. It's like, no, I'm just going to make what like bashire. I just like, no, I'm making weight. Like I don't care how much, how much you would get me or what it means for the fight. like he's not going to do that but I mean for the most part we could we could do it. And the last one is Jacob Wicklax versus Kyler Phillips.

I like that fight. That would be wacky and weird. I don't know what to make of Wicklachs because it's funny when he was brought over from like he was a champion in KSW but I know people were like we're not touting him as like one of the bigger names from there. Like it was so weird. It was such a weird vibe because I thought like KSW was a great promotion. So I think like most of the guys who come from there are legit pretty competitive.

when they come to the O.C. But he didn't have this hype around him, maybe because there was still some expectation for Patchy. And even after he beat Patchy, it wasn't like the, it wasn't there was like, oh, this guy's like,

you know, this guy's a future contender. Because I have him now, like in my top, 25, I think. I have my top 20. Look at the placement.

They put him on a pay per view against Patchy. He makes buried him on like the fight past prelims. Yeah. And now, and then they buried him at an apex card. Like, he was like the third fight of the night. At least he got a bonus.

100 Gs. He did get a bonus. Good for him. But yeah, I don't know where to place him right now. I have him in the top 20 of my UFC rankings right now, but I don't know. I don't know how the UFC views him at all. Yeah.

Or fan. I don't know how fans are you. He's got like more fun than, but Matsamoto vibes. Where it's like he's just going to be a really hard out for everybody. But probably not a guy. It's going to like be in the top 10 or fight for a title or anything. But still, just like it's real fun. Yeah, real fun and a tough out for everybody.

Well, end with John Ray. Segula versus the Rendon Bia Mosquita winner Wicklax versus Daniel Marcos Tongwang versus Corine Silva

Javid versus Jonathan Martinez Veritnikov versus Adam Fugit Donchenko versus Max Griffin Wow this is actually pretty good

I'm gonna save that one for the end Fareed Basharov versus Venetius Olivera Olegs versus Edmund Shabazi and just good clean fun and do-do. Edmonds booked. First reported by MMA Fighting's UFC 324 watch party.

Jun Young Park, April 4th. Got to drop the doo-doo bomb. It's on the website. Golden rule. Cootia versus Pavich again. Either he'll be fun or he'll be unconscious. That's a great, that's a great view of the fight. Batista versus a hobby.

And let's see, since I believe cop will get van next and pants will get the of that. I don't think Hora Gucci can wait. So in a title eliminator, Horaguchi versus Tira at Saitama, Super Arena. That'd be sick and awesome. It makes so much sense. It makes so much sense. Lastly, Seahawks versus Patriots three in a rubber match when we beat you 27 to 14.

Go Hawks. Okay. But here's... He thinks the Hawks are having 27 points on your team. It's a lot of points. I'll tell you what, man. The Seahawks drop 27 on the Patriots, they're winning. Yeah, yeah, absolutely.

But I think we're going way under. I think so. I think it was like 46.5 is the last I looked. It's going way under that. Going way under. But here's the one, AK. He's got a date, a location, and everything. May 30th, Dustin Jacoby versus Min Yang Zhang in Macau.

Wow. I actually really like that fight. I can even main event. It could be. I think it's a great fight. I didn't even think of that. The Zhang headlines. Where'd they go last time with Johnny Walker?

Where was that? Shanghai. Shanghai. Yeah. Yeah. We could do that. And there you go. Those are the two I got. Tough fights for Zhang, man.

Tough fights for Zhang. Like he's, I get they gave him the hard push. Exciting guy. It's like heavyweight, you know. But boy, he's a tough, some tough matchups. Johnny Walker and then going into that to Dustin Jacoby. That'd be tough. There was some good matchups in there, too.

What was the, oh, I liked Donchenko, just like, we're just going to hand him like these, the older Welterweight. It's so weird. I had to place them in a weird way in my rankings. And like, he's, I have him now above. like veterans like a court McGee, Tim Means I have a lot of a lot of more experienced guy which sounds crazy

but damn I guess that's the nature of this business I guess the young eat the old what was the Kunev? Oh Kunev and Pavlovich that's a popular one it's crazy because like if he wins that where do you go then? Is he just getting a title shot? Give him

Josh Ok, I don't know. Where else is there to go? Like that's probably the only reason I didn't make that fight like because like I said I was I was having trouble just like putting it above anyone that's in the rankings. But if he gets anyone in that top five, it probably would be Sergey. I mean, you can feed him to Waldo, because Waldo will just fight anywhere anytime. I can't remember what I made for. Didn't we want Waldo to be the, oh, no, what did we want to do with Waldo?

I can't remember who I'm actually for Waldo last time. Waldo should do nothing and just wait for a title fight. Let me go to emails first. Let's go to our palis. Tristan Gordon. What's up, Tristan. He likes Wicklash and Adrian Yannes and Veritenekov on Trinikov on Trin. Graeus Gustavs, yeah, big KO for Veritenecob.

I was a little surprised he didn't get one of these special bonuses. But hey, you know, 25K, 25K. Yeah, but I mean, he beat the ghost of Nico Price. It was the saddest thing ever. That was so nasty. Nico, I don't know. The young prospect. I hope you are set up for life, my friend, and can take a step back from competition

because it's just like Nico Price and it's hard. Stuff seem in there sometimes. Eli Haitala, what is that? Welcome back, my friend, Eli Hattelah. Batista Song Yadong. Sure. I'm sure. Yeah, yeah.

I like that fight. I'm surprised he turned that down at the post-fight press conference. Yeah. He's like, nah, dude. And like, he really trashed him. Yeah. Like he, well, I mean, to be fair, his teammate and friend just fought him.

Yeah. And, you know, it is what it is. But yeah, that was a weird just, like, shutdown. Like, you might just get that fight. Like, that might be. like your best that might be his best option is song you dong but i don't know venous olivera and uh Peyton talbot uh boy i don't know the the version of again the version of oliver we saw in that case just did not look good but hey maybe is the way cut maybe it was the uh injury i don't know

but i i think talbot would be monstrously favorite at this what about talbot versus one of the basharats maybe javid i mean javid yes i think for real he well he's he well he He's now. I forgot he beats So he's like ranked 10. He's ranked. This is crazy. Because Sehudo was ranked for no reason. Kooniev and Volkov. Yeah, that's probably the other guy he can get in the top five. But I think, I feel like Volkov should get a bigger fight than that. Though I guess Kuniyev is a big fight.

God, can you remember? Poor Volkov, man. He got like the worst Cyril Gahn we've ever seen in a fight. Then he gets the worst jilt and, well, the second worst jilted Almeida we've seen in a fight. And then he gets the guy who fought the worst jilted Almeida in a fight. in three straight, boy, what a, what a gauntlet for Alexander Volkov, man. This guy should have been fighting for the belt before Zero God. He's had to be part of the three toughies in a row. That poor guy.

Not fun fights either. No. It's just not enjoyable fights. Daniel Donchenko Andreas Gustav. Man, another Gustavs is mentioned. If you want to see this guy back in there. Farid versus Rob Font, win-luser draw versus Robert Roses Jr. I would like him just get the winner of that matchup.

Why not Farid and Roel? Hmm. That'd be interesting, I think. There's just no chance the OCS is making that fight. No? No. No, no, no. No, no.

I mean, I get the Rob font booking. I'm picking Rob to beat Roche, Jr. I just don't think he's there yet. But, I mean... I'm wondering. I think Farid wins that fight, man. Like, I would pick Freed pretty confidently against Roel, but I don't know, maybe I'm wrong.

We haven't seen him in a while, so maybe he is just, he has hulked up and it leveled up in such a massive way. I don't know. Jay Donagy, he throwing out Kooniev and Shemil Gadsiev and then in parentheses,

ew. So I'm really looking forward to that one. Free Bacherat, Daniel Marcos, Jacobi and Krilov, Wiklash and Davy Grant. Both guys never out of a fight. Yes, that is where we are with Wiclash. Yeah.

right now that would be so fun oh my goodness that fight would be fun bantamwait's showing out by the way on on saturday maria bata bataataataata was fun even the women the katay sagulia claudia sagula and priscilla catrera i thought got the card uh not the most technically amazing fight but nice nice little scrap nice little scrap so um 135 man just the best uh gerard bioggin on instagram bartista sangia dong olivera marcus mcgee i thought about it um horaguchi cop two uh mike does this happen if if uh like tyra or pentosia comes back and gets the title shot do you think that they book horoguchi cop two or do you think they keep these guys away from each other for now um i mean that fight rocks so i just don't yeah i don't i wouldn't see that

for a title though you know i mean i would love to see them have really much with a title on the if it's if it's in japan sure Like that fight, that fight's huge in Japan. It is. It is. Super over there too. So the, the, everything has to like line up beautifully for that to happen. Like if you're just chucking as an apex main event, then it's one of the worst

ideas ever. Man, UFC, go to Japan. Just go to Japan. I know, I know, I know that Japan has to pay up and they probably just don't care for that right now. Like, listen, they're running their own events. They're doing fine. But, guys, work something out.

UFC, work something out, man. What's it out. other than I don't think UFC's handing out any freebies after this White House card which again I don't know how much UFC's footing the bill like Dana White says 100%.

I doubt that's true but they're definitely it's definitely cost them something is definitely cost to the UFC a pretty penny so they're probably going to want to play it safe the rest of the year and go to places that you know pay the site fee

um uh Gerard also wants Alexei Chik Nursultan Rizoboyev I like that and another vote for Jacoby and Zhang all right let's end with the Twitter monsters here. Quite a few actually. DGB.

Ooh, Vicklosh versus Font Roses Loser. Wow. I think that's pretty good. Yeah, Fonter makes lots sense, right? Jacobi versus Jan Blakovitz. Where is Jan? I feel like I ask us every show. Where is Yon? He just fought. And it had a draw with Bogdan Gusekoff.

Oh, gosh, right. What a reaction. What a reaction, right? Where's Von Hokit? People are talking about it. Batista is a hobby. That's the way to go, guys. That's the way to go. Braden O'Neill, quite a few have seen here. He's okay, Batista Sanhagen, sure.

Olivera Haunni Barcelos. Yeah, Oliver could literally fight anywhere right now. Again, that was such a dispiriting loss. If he stays at 135, he could fight a top 10 guy or they could push him all the way out of the top 10 and have him fight. Like you said, like people are suggesting, top 20, top 25 guy. Yeah, he won't be picky. He pretty much anyone they tell him the fight he's going to sign up for, which makes sense. Horacucci versus Royval

I'd like to see it someday I just don't think it makes sense for the Gucci right now What else we got here? Oh, he messed me for a lot of the losers too Almeda versus Talas and Tashara Oh my goodness If we are staying at heavyweight Mike what do you think?

I don't know if the world can take that Oh my gosh Ameta can win that fight Like he could take this guy down right I don't know what's worse that or Albeda versus Tait to Evasa. I don't know. He'd be tied to Avasa.

Go to him there with a Tava brothers. I don't know, man. I dare you. This is where we are. God, he might get released. He honestly might just get released. Yeah. Listen, I'm trying fresh massups here.

Sousa versus Julia Pallastri. Is this the first Ketland Sousa matchup we got? That fight totally has just gone from my brain. I'm sorry. Javid and Brady Heastand. Vicklach Ricky Simone. Okay, listen, people got some ideas. And Claudi Seguia and Melissa Croden.

Thank you, Braden. Deep cuts here, deep cuts from brain. I love it. That's fun, man. That's a fun fight. Speezy 32, seeing little friends forever at the beginning of their message. I wish we could have this episode. We're not there.

We haven't had our first friends forever of technically. We haven't had the first one of 2026 yet. It'll come. It'll come. Batista versus Marabian-Loser. Okay, so assuming they run that one back, getting one of those guys. I don't think he gets one of those names yet.

I would like to see it. I would like to see it. I don't think he gets out of those names yet. Man, Montel Jackson getting thrown to the Farid Basharat a lot. This is we are with Montel, huh? It's over, right? It's over. Donchenko versus Veritanok.

Yeah, maybe we just throw him back in there against each other. Sousa, Mizuki Inouye, Wangtan, Kranes Silva. Okay, some of these have already had. Thank you, guys. Thank you, Speasy 32. Let me go to Thomas Collins, Batista Sanhagen, Olivera, Farid. I would definitely favor Farid right now. Javid versus Victor Henry 2.

No contest in their first fight. Was that from a low blow? Yes. Oh, we're pretty far away. We're like well over two years from that fight now. All right. I don't hate that. I don't hate that.

I actually kind of like stuff like that. Cunia versus Ante Delicia, Sergei. Spivots winner. Sure. Okay. Sure. Why not? Four corner sports, a few more to go here.

Mario Batista Amon's a hobby. He could fight Corey, but I can see Hunter putting Mario to put an end to the Amon's Ahby experience. I don't know, man. Amin might win. Kioji, Alex Perez. I don't think Kioji needs to take that fight.

But if he wants to fight soon, Alex Perez, definitely ready. Yeah, why in the world would Kioji take that? Unless he's fighting like next week in Houston. That makes it be an awful idea. Oh, look, Staic, Jun-Yong Park. Do-Doo! People, did you not watch the lot? Are you not watching the watch parties?

It's on the website. It's on the website. Come on, Four Corners, sports. It's 2026, which we're starting on a new leaf here. Both Almeida and Kunev need to be cut because what the F was that? Apex sound a bit louder. Not a good look for the new partners to hear on Light to be the loud boost from the Apex of all places. Yeah, true.

But at least the fans are being honest. I give them that. This was not like a bunch of sycophants. They just threw into the apex. This was like real fans reacting in a real way. That's great. Don't boo up, but don't boo free. Picks by F-Rod.

Kioji and Steve Urseg? No. No. Why? Why? Kogi smoked Steve at this point. I'm sorry. It'll go to decision, but I think that.

Free versus Pedro Munoz. I mean, assuming he's still fighting, Mike, like I said, assuming his career wasn't ended by Eamon. Jean Matsumoto Alexandre Toporia. Oh. Wow. That's good. I would love to see this.

though that fight split decision another splitie oh you know what what i thought i put david martinez in there with brice mitchell i actually put alexander deporia in there with brice mitchell you did but i stand i stand by i stand by your chivore my choice okay i still stand by my choice okay dustin jacobald hill i thought about this too i just feel like what's jamaal status injured what's going on with this guy i i yeah he's he's he's recovering and he's not fighting until he's like close to 100%. He's banged up all the time. Kel and Sousa, Jessica Andrage.

What could we get out of what's left of Jessica Andrash, right? And Bruno Brazil and Jasmine Hadeghie. Barry O'Reilly will close us out. Yes, welcome back, Sir. Claudia Seguya, Michelle Montague, Jacob Bicklash, Saeed, Normagl Madov. Yeah, I don't know why Saeed had to get pulled from this car. It was just a visa thing.

Wang and Cortez, Shore, Javid. Oh, he wants Javid and Alexandria, yeah. Not as interested in that. Ketland Suza, Toledo, Alonkar, Veritanokov, Andrei Kuzov, Andrei Kuzov, Donchenko, Oben, Eliot. Oh, giving him, uh, he says, he says, uh, this would give Donchenko a shine over a solid vet. Do we consider Oban of vets? He said like three UFC fights, maybe four. I don't know.

I guess this is a vet in total. Well, it's not even that much of a vet. He turned pro. He's only been a pro for, maybe I read the message wrong. What do you say? Hold on. Give Oban a fight. Most like stay in the feet.

Well, this would give it to Neil even more shine. Oh, sorry. After beating a solid bet. Sorry, he just, sorry, Barry. I like the fight. I think the fight makes sense. Yeah, actually, yeah. I actually kind of like that more than this,

this trying to turn to Neil into like the legend killer. Dustin Jekulbi Zhang, yep, people love it. Someone will go to sleep. And Farid, Fried Venetius Oliver, Olochek, Roman Coppola. Actually, I have a few people send this. Cuniav, Walter. Romans book.

Romans book? I didn't even know this. Who's Roman fighting? Christian Leroy Duncan in London. Oh, that's so good. How did I know that? Barry, I'm sorry. It's a little bit doo-do there, my friend.

Rizvancunia, Walter Walker. Volta Walker is also booked in a grappling match. God, I still can't believe. Is he booked to the UFC? Did you get booked to the UFC fight yet? I don't think so. Okay. Kyoji, Tatsuro, many different fights available.

Kioji, I like the deal of this headlining fight in Japan. And he also wants Mario and Davidson. Another Brazilian former champ, another chance for Mario to redeem himself for the Aldo fight. This could look like the Aldo fight, so I don't know if I... Walter Walker is booked, by the way. Who is Walter Walker fighting? he's fighting in because no one there's no when you think Walter Walker you think Seattle AK you think Seattle Washington and when you think a Marcheen Tybor you also think Seattle

and that's why they're fighting at UFC Seattle on March 28th great yeah that is yeah you know Seattle fans are lining up for that one they've been waiting for that one for years they've been calling why is this you see not brought this fight to our 10 that's it but yeah there you go guys thank you everyone who sent in yeah our first apex card is in the books, Mike, of 2026. And guess what? We're going to do it again, twice more. Not next week, but we got UFC Houston.

We got UFC Mexico, which will lead us into UFC 327, where we'll be live. But let's take a look at this UFC Houston card, because, boy, this, you can make a pretty compelling case that UFC Vegas 113. Top to bottom is a better card than this one. although the main event here is way more high stakes. I grant you that. But top to bottom in terms of like good solid fights for a fight night card, this isn't the best work for a road show. Obviously, the main event is Sean Strickland versus Anthony Hernandez.

You'd have to think the winner is in a really good spot for a title shot, especially if you're fluffy Hernandez. Co-main is Jeff Neal versus Euros Medich, fine fight. The featured bout is Zach Reese versus Michelle Pereira. Yes. We have Jacoby Smith versus TBD. Okay. Yo-Kyung-Co is out.

That's what I thought. I'm still seeing this fight on some databases. But the graphic they showed on screen said TBD last night. It is TBD. Okay. So he's out. He's out. Yeah, there were reports that they're just going to rebook that fight.

I was told the plan was keeping Jacoby on the card. I don't know who against, but I think they probably want to keep him at this point. Sergeus Spivak anti-Delijah. Yes. Of course it's on the main card. It has to be. But the main card opener is an absolute slapper. Danny Gay versus Belke Costa.

I really liked that fight. And then here we go. O'Day Osborne versus Alibi Idris. Aiden Correa versus Luis Garulei. Nora Cornole versus Jocelyn Edwards. Yadir Del Valle versus Jordan Levitt. cheating jokawani versus carlos leal could be really fun uh but that could also end up being real rough uh if we get because welterweight cheetah has not been middleweight cheetah we'll leave it at that

uh we have carly judice taking on juliana miller i think we know how that fight's gonna go uh we have remise brahimage versus punasoriano that's actually a pretty solid fight and we have john paul les uh leboz noiani i will get the I will get my fantasy team get it right he's on my fantasy team might get it right uh was supposed to fight austin vanderford and a just a terrifically great stylistic matchup for him arguably is a way tougher fight against phil row on this one i still like it i still like it for jean paul i still like by the way um because if there's like anybody in this division who can like match stature with jpl it is phil row that dude is a frigging monster

I saw him at RIF 5 during the meet and greet. The fact that this dude, if he fought a middleweight, I'd be like, dude, you're not a middle weight. He should be a light heavy weight. I'm not even just saying this like, just to say it, he is probably like 230 pounds right now or 220 or something. He's huge. He has missed weight several times too. I don't know how he makes what's ever. It's not even like he's getting away with it because he has missed weights several times.

He has, but I think he's made it the last, he's made it the last four fights. But he's lost three of those fights, Mike. So whatever he's doing, it might not be helping. But I mean, it was to Neil Magdi and Jake Matthews and Seokionko, who's about to fight Jacoby Smith, but no longer. So yeah, that's UFC Houston and that is a card. This card actually, like, I actually love the prelims, I think.

Did you mention Julianna Miller and Curly Judis? Yes, that is going to be an absolute massacre. It is, but that could be like a... I think Julianna Miller is still kind of... I think a classicism fighter, obviously talented, who has been thrown to the wolves with very little actual pro experience. Like, you can be as talents as you want. She is fighting, and you can question the depth of these divisions all you want.

She is fighting relative to her division, like very high-level competition with not even 10 fights to her name. So I think, yeah, I think do things she'd be a big favor. but I think that could be a fun fight. I like Levitt. Del Valle. De Valle actually gained a fight an opponent who maybe is trying to win. Honestly, as far as women's

Mantomade fights go, like Norconoli, Jocelyn is not a bad fight. Again, relative, relative. Right, went out there, jumps on me. I'm saying relative. Jocelyn's been winning, man. She's been winning. She's been winning. I don't hate this undercard, like these prelims at all. Jeff Neal, yours, Medici.

Is that happening? Yeah, right. That's the co-main event. Oh, that's right. I keep making the graphic. that because we thought didn't we think for the longest time the co-main event was going to be like oh no I'm thinking of a different card I was thinking of the Ileine Perez uh Macy Chasin thing that's another card um yeah that's a common event this is like I I'm okay I'm optimistic about this card I'm I'm very optimistic this is this is like a really good apex card it's a it's a good apex card can Alex Marano get on this card I mean if anybody

can come back from what he bat and dealt with and compete it and use it it's it's him i don't know you throw him in there against because that shouldn't be the like it's where why why did i we always say this all the time like when someone fights like could have fought in their hometown and instead end up fighting like the apex like two or three weeks earlier again it's a time it's a timing thing sometimes they should do they should have booked josh van versus somebody is the main event of this card there is when you won the belt they should have done that immediately i i don't understand it stupid so stupid so stupid listen there's five welterry fights in this card and none of them have alks moron

for some reason um but maybe he fights jacobi smith we had to chuck him in the apex the card before it um maybe he fights jacobby smith oh god no i can't i can't i can't i can't watch i can't watch that that'd be too i like Alex i like Alex a lot uh i would like to see i would like to see Alex i would like to see Alex Baroto uh get his shot on the analyst desk someday yeah that dude is sharp as hell you're sure he'd be really really good man i should he should i don't want that to be his last. I hope that's not his last fight in the OCE lane put that way. It should have been in front of a crowd. It should have been in Houston. Actually, that fight, that fight was like pretty like.

You could have thrown on a Houston card. If you would have loved, they would hate to see him lose. But listen, he would have went out. Pretty, but not finished, but when he was one in a shield, bloodied up, bruised, putting over your guy. Yeah, could have retired in his home in Houston. Anyway. But yeah, so that's the FTC Houston. We'll match make following that event.

And you guys are the best. AKA I'm off for the next week. I'm very excited. So I will miss you. I will miss everybody with MMA fighting and the staff, at least for the week, and miss all of you guys. So you won't see me on BTL or anything else,

but I will be ready to go after a week with family and golf and just fun in the sun in Florida. Go Patriots. Thank you. We'll see you back in two weeks right here. I'm on to the next one, the podcast. You're listening to the Vox Media Podcast Network. Thank you.