MMA Fighting - On To the Next One | What's Next For Brandon Moreno After UFC Edmonton?

Episode Date: November 3, 2024

Brandon Moreno needed a bounce-back win badly at UFC Edmonton, and he delivered an absolute masterpiece of a performance as he dominated Amir Albazi for five rounds in the main event. The two-time champion would love to get back to a title fight, but was the outstanding showing enough to get him the winner of the UFC 310 fight between three-time opponent Alexandre Pantoja and Kai Asakura? 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 Moreno after his lopsided victory over Albazi. Additionally, future matchups are discussed for Erin Blanchfield following her decision win over Rose Namajunas in the co-main event, Brendson Ribeiro after his decision win against Caio Machado, Jasmine Jasudavicius following her third-round submission victory over Ariane da Silva, along with fellow main card winners Dustin Stoltzfus and Mike Malott, and more. Follow Mike Heck: @MikeHeck_JR Follow Alexander K. Lee: @AlexanderKLee 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

You're listening to the Vox Media Podcast Network. Well, hello there, everybody, and welcome to a brand new edition of On to the Next one. The Matchmaking Crowns have returned after UFC Edmonton. Is UFC Edmonton over? I don't even really know at this point, because that card seemed like the longest fight card in the history of the sport. But in total, in terms of Octagon Time, it was only the third longest in the history of the UFC. And we'll discuss the fallout of that event from a series of the sport. matchmaking perspective on today's program.

I and Mike Heck. And joining me as always, the co-host, the co-matchmaker, the Prince of Positivity. And boy, I think we need his positivity after UFC Edmonton. And he's my best friend as well, Mr. Alexander Cayley, AK, how we doing? Has Brandon Moreno and Mir al-Bossey started yet? Knowing that we are going to do the show and get to, I get to listen to your picks, We get to listen to the listeners, great picks, is what really got me through the third hour of NKJ action.

I was like, we're so close. We're one fight closer to a lot, no. We're one fight closer to a lot, no. That's what I kept telling myself, you know. I was like Dorothy and, in Oz, you know, there's no place like home. That's what I had to keep repeating to myself. Because this was tough.

This is a tough watch. Not even like a terrible cart. Not even like, oh, oh, these fights are horrible. Yeah, there's a couple stinkers maybe. but that's almost every card now as you're going to get a couple of sinkers so in this ufc edmonton was not unique but definitely the sheer amount of fights the pacing was fine like the ufc they do their best they've said flight ended they trot someone out they cut off some people didn't even get speeches it's just a lot of fights a lot of fights that went to a decision so that's how it's going to be

um it's it's tough out here in canada man i mean i think the crowd did their best there's definitely times that they were cast but you can't blame them um some of these fights were just a drag i think the crowd did what they could to stay interested, some political chance, you know, what have you. That's your cup of tea. Good for you. But yes, the Canadian fighters, you know, recently just not lighting the octagon on fire, as it were, at least six and three, six and three on Saturday. So that's fine. Way better than UFC 297 in Toronto.

All the men lost that night, five men lost, and Jasmine Yostovic and Gillian Roberts at one. So two and five that night. not quite as good as was a Vancouver that pay-per-view where all the Canadians won. So we're okay. We're getting there in the contender series recently. 0-0-0-0-5 or 0-6. I think all the Canadians that were on this season. So it's tough.

How did you feel about it, my best friend? Not having the benefit of Canadian pride that was swelling within me and carrying me through. This to me felt like watching an AEW pay-review. And I'm not saying, because again, like, I'm not. I'm not saying that AEW pay reviews are bad because usually you go through them and if you watch certain matches, you're like, wow, that was pretty wild and crazy and cool. But they last forever. You're just like, oh, I don't know, like emotionally, I don't think I can handle much more. And then you look at the clock and you realize there's four more matches left.

And you're just like, how the hell am I supposed to get through this? And that's how I felt watching this card because you got the crazy knockout from Dustin Stoltzvist. You had a great performance from Jazz and Jazz DeVezias. And then we got middle weighty middle weights, middle wading all over the Great White North. And I'm just like, oh my God. I'm like, and we still have two five rounders left. And we know both of them probably going to the cards. We still have 50 minutes of fighting left to go here.

Not to mention the promos and the walkouts and the one minute respite periods between and the post-fight interviews and all of that. It was insane. It just took forever. 13 fights is crazy. And if we had Derek Lewis still, we would have had another fight. There would have been another fight. Not that it would probably would last that long, but we would add it probably another,

the way I saw the fight playing out, another eight or nine minutes of Octagon time on top of that ridiculous number that we got. So just throwing it out there. Ten fights. Let's just call it a day. Ten fights. No more six-fight main cards.

You want to do that at the world's most famous apex? Fine. I don't care. But it's just it's too much of a slog that what time did that card end close to midnight right? And the main card started at 8 p.m. Eastern time. Yeah. That's too much, man. It's just too much. I said in the slack, I think just in a moment of exhaustion, like I don't want to watch any I don't want to watch MMA anymore. Like not qual I didn't even qualify. Like I don't want to watch any more MMA tonight. I don't want to watch any more in May right now. I just had to watch any more. MMA right now. I just had. this feeling washed over me that I just don't want to watch MMA. And it passed. It came through. It passed. I just want to type it out loud for my friends that's in our Slack to see. And I felt better after. So something you just have to say it. I love MMA. Of course, it's our job. I love MMA. But it was

exhausting. I saw some people, I shouldn't say some people, one person in the Post-Fite show chat was asking like, oh, is it the new gloves? The new gloves that's reduced the amount of knockouts. You know, you can question the quality of the gloves, that's fine. I think I saw someone put out a statistic, you know, it's still a small sample size, but like, yeah, there's been a certain percentage,

lower amount of knockouts. So there's some, you could draw some connection there, but I would also question the quality of the fighters. With the usual, you know, disclaimer of respect to anyone who steps in there, especially at the UFC level, very hard to do. Win or lose, hats off to you guys.

But again, some people are just not ready to perform. at the level that the UFC standard once was. And I say once was. I'm talking about like six years ago. So, yeah, it could be the gloves. But again, it could be also, you're getting that mix of fighters who are just good enough to get in there,

but not... Sorry, let me put it this way. Actually, just poor enough that we can criticize the cards, but not so poor that, like, it's regional scene level where guys are just knocking the crap out of each other,

getting highlights, weird submissions you've never seen before, Or, like, I think that's the ideal. That would be the ideal for your prelims as you get those crazy finishes. Maybe, you know, fighters people haven't heard of. But, like, the defense is so low level that they take each other out. That's not the case with, like, for Cody Gibson, Chad and Hellinger. That's not the case with Ramanov and Nassimento.

That's not the case with what's another fight to, I mean, amazingly, Hebero and Machado. These are, like, fighters who, like, aren't great fighters, but they're good enough that they're probably not going to get knocked out. They're probably not going to get submitted. And that leads to this, that leads to, like, decisions on decisions, on decisions on decisions. And that's how you get these weird, like, smushy cards.

So it sounds bad, but I'm almost telling the matchmakers, like, book more squash matches. I know people complain about those. But that's how you get, you want highlights. That's how you get them. So I don't know what the solution is. It's just too many cards in general, right? Yeah. And, you know, sometimes we ask for stakes and we get them.

And you are left with fighters who need to win. And more importantly, they need to not lose. And we see some of that in some of these fights as well. And one last thing I'll say about this, and I think this is an important thing that Jed and I have been saying forever. There should be no UFC event the Saturday after a pay-per-view. There should not be an event. You got to give it a week to breathe.

And 308 could have used another week to breathe. Honestly, we were still talking about it to the point where this card, even on paper was very solid. Nobody cared. nobody cared we're still on the the high of ufc 308 we had a almost like force ourselves to get into this one and then of course you're sandwiching that in between 308 and the highly anticipated ufc Vegas 100

card coming up at the world's most famous apex this saturday and then leading into john jones versus stepe the following saturday you need to let it breathe a little bit and i think that that was a part of it too because 308 rocked like that was a great card so many storylines last two fights just ended in spectacular fashion. And then we kind of went to Decision City through a lot of this. But not everybody went to a decision. Some did. And even going to a decision, Brandon Moreno looked better than ever. He looked friggin phenomenal against Amir al-Bazi. Of course, Amir al-Bossey returning to the cage for the first time since this controversial win over

Kai Kar-Franz. And we were wondering, what's Brandon Moreno going to look like after losing to Alexander Pantosia for the third time after losing to Brandon Royval earlier in the year in Mexico City and Brandon Miranda, which kept saying all week, was not myself, was not in the right mindset, wasn't feeling great, this week's different,

feel like everything in camp went perfectly and he's going to show it all on Saturday. And boy did he, this was a pillar to post asswopin from the assassin baby. One judge gave him Mier al-Bazi around. I'm not sure what fight he was watching. I honestly don't know, because this was 50-45 across

the board. I thought it was a no-brainer, but huge win for Brandon Moreno. AK, I'm going to lead this off with you because I got to be honest with you and I got to be honest with America and I got to be honest with the entire listening world. I have no idea what to do with Brandon Moreno after this performance. We got the title fight coming up at 310. Royval just beat Tetsuro Tira. They fought twice already. So you could go there.

Kai Kar, France. Moreno's already beat him twice. Tetsu or Tira just lost. I don't know what to do here, A. Help me out. I can't lie to you, my best friend. I don't have a great answer. I'll explain my thought process behind the pick I did land on.

One quick counter to you and Jed saying they should skip an event after USC the 100. Sorry, after UFC, pay for you, excuse me. 2.6 million highest gate in North American history, right? Yes, that's important. They have no reason to stop. They have no reason to stop packing the schedule. You're correct. 100% correct.

People are not clearly it's oversaturated, like clearly from a fan and quality perspective, but people are paying tickets, site fees. We don't on top of the site fee that Edmund probably paid to have to have a Canada come in. So the UFC come in. So gosh, the money just keeps rolling. It's ridiculous. But I mean, your guys' idea is like makes sense in theory because, yeah, we would get better cards in the long, you know, over a period of time. But they don't care about card quality.

And I guess the feel of mine tickets don't care either. Okay. So I ended up weirdly, Mike, on Bruno Bulldog Silva after he beats Minnell Cop. I'm predicting a Manel Cop win. I'm predicting a Bruno Silva win. Guys, I can't talk to sport. I'm predicting a Bruno Silva win over Cop. UFC Tampa, December 14th.

This goes along with another pick I made. I think I said cop should fight. What did I say? We had a card recently. We had a card recently. Oh, Charles Johnson. I was like Charles Johnson, Manel Cop, and I said after Cop loses. So I'm doubling down now.

I have two episodes in on saying Manel Cop will lose to Bruno Silva. I'm not amazingly confident with that prediction, but I'm certainly on the record. People can roast me if Cop just smokes Bulldog. But I'm going with that. There's no perfect pick for Marina right now. It's a lot of rematches in the top 10. Bruno Silva's knocking on that door. He's on a great, great run.

I think Cop's a pretty significant step up in competition. but we'll see copp is also disappointed i think it's fair to say in his ufc run so uh if bullduck gets that he earns a big fight marano said himself he knows he probably needs to fight someone again to get a title shot it's possible he just sits on the shelf and falls backwards into a title shot i think that that could actually absolutely happen for marino so whoever's championed by next summer whether it's mantotia asakura or someone else maybe if marano's ready then he just slides in but if he does have to fight again, it'll be against,

I don't think it'll be against top seven, top eight guy, it'll be someone creeping up on that spot. So him and Bulldogs, really fun fight, but yeah, I don't know how likely it actually is. Man,

I mean, I'll cop. I feel like if he loses in Tampa, he's out. Like, I think they let him go, honestly. I think so.

It's tough to say that, but I think he's fighting, I honestly believe he's fighting for his job. Yep. Against Bruno Silva. So we'll see how that goes. I, I still don't.

know because if kai if kaius occur beats pantosia i could see a whirl where they slot morano in there i could see it happening and i don't think that's the way to go because i actually think bernan roi ball probably deserves it more but this division is just such a mess so what i will land on is the trilogy fight we battle the true battle the brandons both guys have one win and the loser has to change their name to to brian and we just do that best of three brandon on brandon have have we had a have we ever had a ufc trilogy with two guys with the same first name ever this is historic this would be a historic fight so let's just go ahead and do that ufc's rumoring there's rumors floating around that they're going to go back to to mexico maybe

in February. Do a little Moreno-Royvall 3, back-to-back, Mexico fight-night cards in the main event. This time, full camps for both guys. Winter gets a title shot. Stakes very high. Maybe we put a contract on top of the ladder. We do a ladder match. You just created a $3 million gate for the UFC.

You just broke the North American gate record. Again, amazing stuff. I don't know how you did you do it. I don't know how you just did Brandon versus Brandon, the first all Brandon Chile in the history. Yeah, you've done it. I mean, that's, I think people know, normally we wouldn't, we wouldn't, we wouldn't suggest, like, that guys fight in a rematch, much less a third fight so close to the most recent meeting. Like, if someone, there's previous episodes where if someone has suggested something like this, and on the listener's suggestion, we would have been like, oh, that's due, dude, they just fought, like, one fight ago.

But this is, flyweight isn't a very weird spot now. There's no division like it. There's no set of contenders like it. So is he taking into account the results, like how close some of these fights have been between. the top guys. So yeah, you would rarely see something like this happen, but it does make sense in a weird way. It does make sense because Brandon Royval is also not getting the title shot next. He probably has to fight someone. So I'm in for Brandon on Brandon three. I hope the OSC does it. I don't either probably like, again, most people thinking it's too weird, it's too soon.

But I think both Brandon should angle for it. I think it makes a lot of sense. Yeah, Marino just keeps fighting the same dudes over and over again. Like it was nice to see him fight not somebody named Britton Roybal or Davis Avigrator or Kaigar, France, or Alzano, or Panso, he just fights the same dudes over and over again. So great performance from him.

Mirabazi will see where he goes. I think his title hopes are probably dashed at this point, although they do go to the Middle East a lot. So if he goes and wins like four or five more in a row, maybe he gets back in there, but his road is going to be much longer now. But I'm glad to see him back in there.

He just kind of got outclassed. And it's the way the sport goes sometimes. Let's go to the co-main event, AK. I thought through 10 minutes of the co-main event that Rosammy Unis was going to 50-45 Aaron Blanchfield. I did not think this fight was even going to be competitive after the second round. I was almost disappointed in watching Aaron Blanchfield fight because everything she did was wrong. Everything she did was wrong. I'm watching this all unfold and I'm just like, what is she doing?

She is never going to win a fight like this. and then Rosamah Yunus does what Rose Namu Yunus does in fights. She makes a big mistake and she knows she made said mistake. And then once she realizes it and she just can't get it out of her brain and she is just not the same fight or the rest of the way. So credit to Aaron Blanchfield, who battles back 25 years old on the cusp of getting skunked. Like that takedown thing doesn't happen in round three. She's getting shut out of this fight. but she ends up on top

steals all the momentum you could see the confidence growing as this fight went on and then even in round five Blanchfield fought came out hurt rose quick with the nice little blitzing flurry

got the takedown got she clearly won the fight round four was close but she won this was at a roller coaster ride AK because I went from disappointment to wow okay to disappointment again

because here's why Why first two rounds happen. I'm just like, what the hell is happening? Then she wins the next three. And I'm like, okay, great. And then she gets on the mic and calls out Alexa Grasso. And I'm like, this is great. A plus, beautifully done.

Then she goes to the Post-Fy press conference. And she's asked about Alexa Grasso and says that she likes the fight, says that she has heard that Alexa Grosso also likes the fight. And then Aaron Blanchfield has asked, hey, there's talks the UFC might be going to Mexico in February, would you be okay fighting Alexa Grasso in Mexico? And she says, well, I don't know about Mexico, but we'll see. What the hell are you doing? You just are, you're not, here's the thing, Aaron Blanchfield.

You're fighting Alexa Grasso in Mexico or you're not fighting her. End of discussion. Unless Alexa is just not fighting on that card, she's taking a significant amount of time off. You're not fighting Alexa Grasso unless you fight her in Mexico. So you should probably get on social media and change your answer because I was just like, oh my gosh. I felt very Joaquin Buckleyish about the situation, although Joaquin has turned things around. I still think she's going to fight Alexa Grasso. I think it's going to happen in Mexico, especially if they go in February.

And I don't think she's going to have a choice in the matter. Or she's going to have to fight like Natty Ice or something. She's going to be disappointed in this decision. So A plus for a minute. And then it went to like kind of a B minus for Aaron Blanche. It's like Sagrassau and I don't think she's going to have a choice in the locale here. Well, I mean, she didn't know that she could possibly be fighting as the co-main event to Brandon on Brandon 3. In fairness. In fairness. I think if that's true, I think if someone had presented that possibility there, she'd like, Brandon, Brandon on Brandon 3, part of history, I'm there.

I'll fight for free. Sign me up. So she didn't know. She didn't have all the facts at the time. Let's be fair. She didn't have all the facts. That's true. That's a very, that's a very good pick. I wish. people could have seen our Slack discussion during that fight because, I mean, it's no secret. Anyone who follows Jed on social media and the live blog on M.A.Fighting.com wasn't too pleased with old Aaron Blanchfield. He had like, his criticism was getting so severe. It was like just short of saying like, I hope she gets released after this fight. Like that's where I thought he was going because he's kind of like, she's not going to win a world title like this. Like just this version of her can't be a champion. And then I thought he was going to say like, I hope she doesn't

fight in the UFC again. He didn't. not say that he did not say that uh i think casey and i were trying to be a little more like soft about it you guys since watching the post fight show i tried to do my best to defend young erin you're 25 year old there in flanchfield she's so got plenty of time uh i agree i think grouse makes sense i think i think she will go to mexico city i don't think it's like she's like oh there's no way i'm going to go there you know she's not answering affirmatively right after the fight but i went with another uh tough veteran test well either uh the winner of this fight either a veteran test or another fighter on the come-up.

I kind of want to see your fight either Viviana, Arujo, or Karini Silva. Those two are fighting at U.S. 309 in a couple of weeks. And again, I'm a believer in Blanchefield still. I still see a future world champion. I really do. I think the fact that she gutted out a win over Namajunis with either a bad strategy or just was not her best night, that's in some ways encouraging to me. I'm seeing the cup half slightly just over half full.

So let's give her another tough test. Crane and Silva, maybe they have something with her too. I mean, I'd be very impressed if she beat Aaron Blanchfield. And, you know, then you're creating a new narrative there. So I'm going with the winner of that, but I think you're right. The Grasso call it was really good. And once her team, you know, once they sit down and actually start hashing things out, it'll be a Mexico City.

Yeah. There's just so much potential on Aaron Blanchfield. And she's nowhere near her finished product. and I think I would pick her to beat Alexa Grasso I'd pick her right now I would pick her if the fight was happening this Saturday I would pick Blanchield to win because the the the grass the she just tackled yeah I guess she would just tackle Lexa Grasso yeah that's her she is a clear path to victory in this fight just tackle her and stay on top of her and you'll win she wins 100% I mean there might be a submission opportunity there but Aaron Blanchfield is

crafty on the ground she's very knowledge in the jujitsu game she knows everything that's coming her way and it's a very winnable fight for her so just go to mexico and do it erin that's a big fight money eyeballs all the all the things yeah you should probably uh go back and figure that out and say yeah you know what i will go to mexico uh brensen hibero aka uh are you are you making a pick here we were having an internal discussion. I'm just going to do this. That fight, I will say this. I don't think, I don't blame him for this fight. Fully. I think Kyle Machado fought like poo. Really, he was just not good. Not that Habera was a world beater at all in Edmonton on Saturday,

but I think more of the blame for that fight goes on Kayo. And so I'm going to spend a lot of time with this with this this is very middle lady i didn't i thought the middle weighty middleweight title was retired for good until i watched this fight um even though this light heavyway fight i don't know i i i don't know what to do because there's just so terrible how dare you how it's that's an attack that is an attack on on all of us who are looking for usla urslan wow oh my a week later i'm sorry what that is well sometimes sometimes you have to sacrifice for the greater good we We need Hibera to be fun again. And Ibo Azlod will at least make him fun,

or at least put him in a position where he's going to have to be fun. Did you think I was kidding last night when I was like, we're not doing this fight? I was not joking. That's fine. We can move on. We are going to move on. I'll just really say that fight was horrible.

I know both guys are doing their best. This sounds worse. This sounds so condescending. It's better if I just shellacked them than try to say like, oh, both guys are, you know, and it's fine. you prepare for fight, sometimes it doesn't go your way. Once you step in there, all the training, all the stuff goes out the window. But it was just a bad fight.

It's really bad. Maybe both guys, better days ahead. I mean, they certainly can't be worse after that showing. And yeah, I think going forward, if we have a, and it happens rarely, but if we have a stink bomb like this in the main card, my best friend, I'm not making, I'm not matching them out. I'm not, especially since, honestly, I don't know if how many fights these guys have left in their contract. Like, this is one of those fights where you could see. both the names pop up on roster watch this week. I'm not I'm not kidding I'm not you if this was the last fight on their contract probably not because I think it's three for

both of them right in standard we think is four I could see them just not being resigned it was it was that bad so guys I Bebero Machado I hope you guys are okay I hope your next fights are better wherever they happen to be I wish you nothing but victories and success in life but that stunk you're not getting out no pick okay should I strike my Ivo Aslan pick from the record I'm I I'm striking it from my mental record. I'm going to pretend you to say that. Okay.

We shall move on to a fight that actually took place. It was in the Women's Flyway Division. Jasmine, Jazz DeVizzius gets the Edmonton crowd roaring, even drops a little Derek Lewis nugget of my balls is hot. After the win, doing the post fight with Daniel Cormier. And she's on a nice run, three in a row for Jazz and Jazz DeVizius. Another finish gets the submission. What are we doing here, AK, for your fellow Canadian?

Yeah, I forgot about the extra significance of the Derek Lewis, you know, a little gag there because she did, technically, her and Ariani did take the main card spot right after Derek Lewis dropped out. So that was a great moment for her. I thought that was really nice. She's a hard, like, prospect to gauge because I think her fights are so predictable. It's if it looks, if she can take the opponent down, if it looks like she can bully them, she looks like the best fighter in the world. if she can't, then she's, you know, middle of the division. So she's trending in the right direction. I think that's key here.

Three straight wins. This was legit, too. I mean, you can kind of go, ah, Priscilla Ketruera, whatever. You can go for Tima Klein, whatever. But, you know, Miranda Maverick earlier, that was a nice one. And then Arne and DeSilva, I actually thought Silva was a nice upset pick. But Jasmine took care of this. It was pretty one-sided and then just finish it off.

I think it's time. she's not in the top 10 yet let me see where I have her in my this is my UFC rankings not the hell I put them yeah I can't find them great job by me anyway she'd be somewhere outside the top she's not I close it for some reason she's not in the top 10 probably hovering around like 13 14 I think was she already she was already in the UFC's rankings right I believe going in yes she was right what does she like okay so I have her four yes if you're doing UFC rankings that makes sense I have her 14 might be time for her to see if she can overcome what was once called a Chukagianing,

but is now a Serminaraing. Caitlin Serminara, the former Kamaicayana, has, you know, a bitch has been chilling on the sidelines for a while, coming off a couple of losses, but I think she's due for a fight sometime soon, and she should have a higher number than Jasmine. So that's all Jasmine wanted, didn't have a specific name. She said, just give me someone with the highest number possible. I don't know if she can get a lot higher than that.

I don't want to see in there with like, and some of these names, maybe look, Jessica Androge, Natty Ice, Aaron Blanchefield. I don't want to see those, frankly,

not right now. And Macy Barber is a wild card because, you know, we just hope she gets her health right. I'm not making any matches for Macy Barber, though she'd make sense for some of the names

on this card. But yeah, I landed on the seminar. I'm going with one of the names you just mentioned, AK. I'm going with one of the names you just mentioned.

I'm going with Jessica Andrage here. I think, look, Natty Ice got the Jessica Andrage fight. Natty Ice delivered. And I think it's time for Jasmine Jazz DeVizzi's to get that opportunity. Just it's not a fight that everyone's going to be like, oh, this is way too much of a step up for Jasmine. I think there are people who would probably pick Jasmine in that fight.

She is just a brute. I am one of those people saying it's, I think it's a big step up. But then again, if she never fights these people, she's going to have to fight these people eventually. That's fine. Yeah. I don't. I don't know. I just don't know.

Maybe I need to see it. Maybe I need to see it. Maybe I just think Andrage just. beats her, but I don't know. A lot of people thought she was going to be Natty Ice. And she didn't. So I would like to see it. Not us.

Not you and me. No. I'm, I pick Natty Ice against frigging Francis and Ghana right now. Everybody knows how I feel about Natty Ice as a prospect in this division. But yeah, let's, let's give her Jessica and drugs. Let's see what she's got. Let's see what she can do.

Look, Jasmine isn't 25. She's in her 30s. She is obviously very good. She's got some potential in terms of not just her fighting style because she's just she is just mauling people and she's done this her entire career But the window is not as wide open for her as it is for a lot of other up-incomeers in this division And it's kind of we're kind of at this point where if she is going to make a title run We need to find out if she could do it right now We can't just have her

Fight You know, I just beat the number 12 fighter let's give her number 11 number 10 number nine number eight like they're in there with and if she goes in there and loses cool then we know where she's at she's at best her ceiling's top 10 which is a very very good place to be if she beats jesska andraj then we could start talking about a barber or rose namba unis or something like that and then she's suddenly a win or two away from a title shot as opposed to being like six wins away from a title shot which is where she would be if we just kind of keep her on the same trajectory. So shit or get off the pot time. This is Molly McCann territory for Jasmine

Jas de Vizzias and let's give her Jessica Andrudge see if she can sink or swim. Speaking of sink or swim we get Dustin Stoltzvus aka and the man's a swimmer. The man is a freaking swimmer goes in there with Mark Andre burial as a two to one dog which I still can't believe. Dustin almost submits Mark Andre Barrio and Mab got a little push from the Canadian crowd. He gets back to his feet and then MAB snapped into, you know what?

We're in Edmonton. Let's have a hockey fight. Which is a terrible idea because Dutson Stoltzvus absolutely sleeps him. And Stolzis gets the win, a much needed one. And after losing his first three UFC fights, D'Sfusses, his won three of five. He's getting an exciting scraps. King of Getter-Gick-Got fights.

and to me, this was an easy pick, AK. This is an easy pick. This guy's not fighting for a belt. It's not going to be a ranked fighter. So at this point, let's just give him fun scraps. Let's give him a fun scrap with a guy who is very tough to finish, but we'll get in the kind of fight that we would like to see Dustin Solstice gets. So we do Dustin Solstice versus Mikhail Olegzechek.

Oh, there you go. See, that's just, you're guaranteeing and finish. You're guaranteeing you finish. Someone's getting choked out or someone's getting knocked out like we saw. that's good stuff. I like that, my best friend. I just, I don't mean to beat a dead horse here, but the Mark Andre Vacquillo being such a big favorite was so befuddling. I'm looking at his history of odds here. And I guess like it's not that crazy when he's a, if people look over, when he's a favorite, typically he wins. When he's an underdog, typically he loses. So it's not like,

it's not like he has a history of totally, you know, subverting expectations, whether positively or negatively, but I don't know. Like, I just couldn't believe. So he was an almost a three to one underdog to Joe Pfeffer. And he goes from that to being a two to one favorite over Stoltzvus. Like huge gap in opposition, I understand. But like,

people just not seen him fight before. Is that a terrible thing to say? Because Mark, listen, Buckhill is a warrior. The dude is a warrior. No question. He's super tough. Like I said, he went for it on Saturday. Sometimes it goes your way. Sometimes it doesn't got cracked. You got knocked out. It happens. It's no shame in it.

But he does have a history of sort of like weird, wanty performances that are, you know, not the most inspiring. And like, I just feel like he should never be a two to one favorite over anyone. I think that's so crazy. And I've seen this guy fighting personally a couple of times. And the last time he was favored two to one, Jordan Wright. And that's fine. Jordan Wright also, you know, it's kind of a weird guy. I don't know, man.

I just hope people didn't lose money on this, Benning on Bakrio, because, yeah, sometimes crazy stuff like this happens. Before I ramble on further, I'll say. I had to check because I know these are both Pennsylvania boys, but I don't think they're training partners or that they've trained together extensively unless I'm wrong unless you know something. Andre Petroski, that can happen, right? Stolt's plus Petrosky? Yeah. Yeah. No. Yeah.

Yeah. Sure. I kind of, if that fight were to happen, I hope Andre Petrosky hops into a Dolorian and goes back to like two years ago. Because we miss, we kind of miss that guy who just scraps it out. Yeah. He's winning. And it's obviously it's better for his career and his resume and his bank account if he wins. But he's getting a little middleweighty himself. Can't lie. A little middle lady. Little middle lady. Let's stop that, though. Probably. Yeah. So you're right. You're right.

Speaking of guys who looked very middle lady, let's go to Mike Malot, AK. I got to tell you, as a man who thought he stole the draft by drafting Mike Malott in our fantasy draft, I was feeling real good heading into this Trevin Giles fight. I was like, he's going to go in there. He's going to do Mike Malat things. He's going to get shot out of a cannon. And he's going to go finish this man. That didn't happen. Mike Malat won, but this was not fun to watch.

And if Habero and Machado did not happen, this by far would have been the worst fight of the card. It would have been the worst fight of the card. It would have been the worst fight of UFC Edmonton, and nobody had that on their bingo cards. Mike Ballot has finished all of his opponents heading into this fight with victory. Trevin Giles lost all of his fights by finish. And then we get just a sparring match for 15 minutes. And Mike Blot wins a decision in a fight.

Not a single soul will go back and rewatch. Not even Mike Belot's next opponent. coaching staff will go back and rewatch this fight trying to learn tendencies or anything else because they need to stay sharp and focused on preparing their athlete to fight mike blot mike was at least just very honest with himself and with with the world and said look i just needed to get a win this i i wasn't going to go out there and do anything crazy i needed to get a win but that's not why the edmonton crowd paid their hard earned money to help out the highest gate in the history of fight nights in North America.

They want to see Mike Malat go out there and smash this dude. And he didn't. He won. So now, AK, what are we doing Mike Blot? Because I have an idea, and I think it's a necessary one.

I just want to say, this really speaks to what you said being a show where, like, what should have been guaranteed fireworks? We got two guys who are Mike Malot, knowing he needs a win. Trevin Giles just probably very aware that, oh, owed. Well, I'm just going to put myself in probably fighting for his job if we're being honest.

And the thing that sucks is just because he lost, this might be the last VC of Trevin Giles, but you can't blame him for self-preservation. He's, he knows if he's getting knocked out or sub, that he's definitely getting released. So he's like, okay, well, let me at least keep this fight going as long as I can. Maybe I find a way to win. If I don't, at least I didn't get my friggin, you know, my head blasted in. So this is, this is why we, you know, we wish we just got paid more show money. We wish, like, the, the contracts were more concrete. creet like trevin giles knew he was guaranteed two two more fights or something but that's not how the fight business works i'm not just criticizing the ufc here this is again this is combat sports um it's it's

it's very harsh for the fighters uh so i just randomly kind of landed mike on carlston harris i want an opponent who i have ahead of mike malot but not too far ahead a guy who i think should we said there's what trevin giles too but should produce a finish either way should be like a good good uh we get a highlight um but i don't feel strongly about it and i And I don't think anyone's feeling too strongly about Mike Malas' next matchup. But W is a W, so congrats to proper. Yeah. Congratulations to Mike Malott.

He got me, at least he got me 100 points in fantasy, which Jose Aldo should have gotten me. But I'm not going to go down that path. It's not Jose's fault because he won that fight. Mike Malat wins. And I think people just kind of miss Mike Belot in there just with chaos. Mike Malott in the chaos that he brings to these fights. So sometimes after a performance like this, you got to bring the chaos to him. And that's what we're going to do, AK.

We're going to bring Chaos Williams to Mike Malott. And we're going to have those two scrap. I think that's fun as hell. I think it makes sense. Both guys are in kind of similar spots. I have Chaos Williams ranked a little bit higher, but not much. Maybe like five or six spots. But at Welterweight, most of these guys are kind of in the same place outside of the top 15.

So yeah, so Mike Malott versus Chaos Williams and maybe early 2025 for that one. No, it'll have to, you remember, I brought this up last episode. It has to be May. He only fights in May. There you go, in May. In May. He's right now just dormant. He is sleeping in a cave somewhere on a pile of gold and treasure waiting to be called upon for his May fight with Mike Malant.

So it could happen. Yes. Let's go to the wild card round. We'll select one fighter we have not matched made for, and we will matchmake for them right now. I let my wild card pick out to the world after Yusuf Salal got the win. I said Yusuf Salah versus Nate Landware. So I've come up with another AK that I think would be fun. But I'll let you go first, per usual on this program.

What is your wild card selection for UFC Edmonton? Yeah, we won't have to keep. We won't queue up the ban here. I didn't have Nate Landware, but I did go with Zalal. I really want to move him up the rankings, though I don't know. Maybe I'm doing this too quickly. I have him now. I have Zalal.

I think in the top 20. I think it was because of the Billy Q win. So maybe I'm overrating that win now. But I think Billy Q was around there. So Zal is just right at the edge of the top 20. And I want to push him to the top 15. We got a guy who's coming off a couple of losses. Always a tough out.

Always a tough test. Danny Gay. Can you get Danny Gay? Do you think he can get that fight, Mike? Or is that, do you think that's too far off the cards right now? I don't know. It didn't feel great when I picked it. I didn't have that Aslan Ursulaan moment of like,

nailed it, shut the laptop. I'm just like, he needs to get some. Edson Barbosa is an option, I guess, but there's names. I think you, Sudik used it,

but I think I'd mess him up in a previous show. Bryce Mitchell, whenever Bryce Mitchell comes back, we don't know what that deal is unless he's booked. But on that, I don't want to see him fight backwards. I think there's names ahead of him that he deserves to get. So it's got it.

Yeah. Yeah, something name like that. I saw people. So here's, here's, I think, something that's very important here. Yusuf Salal has looked fantastic. I think he's living up to the expectations people had for him when he first signed with the UFC. When him and Brennan Royval came in right around the same time, we're like, watch these two guys.

They train together. They're absolute monsters. They're fun as hell to watch. And Brian Royval, I think lived up to that early. Yusuf Salal was living up to that now. better late than never, right? We also have to keep it into perspective. This division is insane.

Like, this is an insane division. And I saw people who have been covering this board for a long time just immediately jump on and be like, this dude needs to fight a ranked guy. I think that's an absolutely insane take. It's too quick. And let's be honest, of the guys who are surging in this division, I put currently use of Zalal behind all of them.

And not in a disrespect to, way. Like, Chepe Mariscall, have we forgot about what this guy has put together since dropping down to 145? Stopping Jack Jenkins, beating Morgan Sherriere, beating Damon Jackson. Like, these are all very good wins. These are all excellent wins. And then we look at Sean Woodson, who holds a victory over Yusuf Salal.

He's on a nice little run right now. He's getting wins. We're talking about, you know, the Nate Lambers of the world. William Gomi is on a tremendous run right now. He's winning good fights. He just beat Joe Anderson freaking Brito. And I have Joe Anderson Brito ranked higher than Yusuf Salal as well. And lest we forget, Felipe Lima, less we forget Gian Freaking Silva, we're just going to have

Yusuf Salal jump over all of these guys? That's insane. That is absolutely nuts. Having said that, as I say all the time, availability is your best friend. So if something occurs and he needs to step in on short notice, cool. He has the opportunity to do that. But I think to just be like, oh, yeah, automatically,

let's throw him in there with the ranked fighter. And maybe the deepest division in the sport right now is crazy. It's crazy. Billy Q is a good win. Jack Shore, I don't think this win is going to age as well as I thought it might. I don't think Jack Shore. I think Jack Shore is just kind of coming back to Earth. I think Ricky Simone kind of stole his soul.

But it was a great performance. The dude is in there and he's impressing. And the fact that we're talking about him in this position is awesome. But to have him leap over these other guys is just, it's a little too soon. He's going to be around for a while. There are fun fights for him. He can get there. But I just think to immediately jump out and be like, oh, yeah, we got to throw him in there with the rank, dude.

It's a little crazy. So, sorry, if I heard your feelings. But the other wild card selection that I will throw out there, Rosemunis versus Natty Ice. This is what we're doing. Natty Ice deserves this fight. She ain't getting a title shot. I think she lost out on the Olexagrasso sweepstakes after Aaron Blanchfield won.

So she's going to need somebody to fight. She's going to have to fight backwards. And at this point, we just got to give her a name. And I think she should fight Rosemannis. That could be a real. come to Jesus moment for I mean she's any better phrase in there because she's a very religious person but it could be a real moment for Rose Navajunis because I think if she fights the way she's been fighting against Natty Ice it's going to end really bad before like I think she could

get really hurt I think now I think Natty ice is a minus 200 favorite in that fight and she should be she is not going to let Rose Navajunis dictate the pace uh as some of Rose's opponents have a 125 for whatever reason and I could see Nettie I was actually finishing that fight. So it could very well happen. And I feel like we've suggested this on a previous episode maybe, or maybe listeners have.

But it's in the air. It's in the air tonight. Yes. Well, play in little Phil Collins. Little Phil Collins. Nice. When I got a great deal on a great gift at winners, I started wondering, could I get fabulous

gifts for everyone on my list? Like this designer fragrance for my daughter. It's just $39.99. How could I resist? This luxurious wool throw for my sister. This gold watch for my partner. A wooden puzzle for my niece? Leather gloves for my boss? Ooh, European chocolate for the crossing guard?

At these prices, could I find something for everyone at winners? Stop wondering. Start gifting. Winners find fabulous for less. Let's go to the peeps. I got to be honest. I think the peeps were just so worn out by this card that they're just like, eh, I don't even care.

I'm not even submitting picks. I got one selection. You get most of them anyways, because they know if they send them to you, it's going to get read on this program. And I got to be honest and frank with the people. That's not always the case you send them to me. Sometimes they get lost in the sauce, and I don't see them for like three extra days. And that's kind of what happens here. Michael.

I don't, it's not that I mean to. I look for them. And then sometimes they just get buried in it's unfortunate. But John Ray always comes through, always knows when to send it. As soon as the fight card is over, I know I'm going to get his list. And here's what it looks like. Jamie Lin-Horth versus Deoni Barboza. Cody Gibson versus the DeMond Blackshare-Cody Stamen winner.

Cadi versus Brady Highstand. Alexander Romanov versus Marcos Ruggiero de Lima. Don't hate that. Yusuf Zalaav versus Sudec Usef. I don't mind that fight because I don't think Sadiq is ranked anymore because he's lost two in a row and hasn't looked really that great. Jordan versus Douglas Silva-Dandraj. Sahabi versus the winner of Cody Gar-Brant versus Miles Johns.

I think Amon deserves a little better than that, doesn't he? Yeah, definitely. He's like creeping on the, he's like in the top 1718, I think. Yeah. Beating Pedro Munoz is a good, is a very solid win. So I would like to see him get something a little bit better than that. If we're going to talk about a guy who should get a ranked opponent, it's Amon's a hobby. Like a solidly ranked dude.

So that's what I would do with him. Mike Ballot versus the Nicholas Dalby-Zaleski rematch winner. Stoltz versus Christian Leroy Duncan. That's fun. Okay. Jas and Jasda Vizzi versus the Viviani Araujo, Karinez Silva, loser. Rivera versus Aslan. There you go.

Namibunis versus Barber. And then in parentheses, he writes, they'll make the Andrade's trilogy about the same time they make Lewis versus Rosenstrike. I think you're probably right. I've given up on that at this point. Blanchefield versus Grasso. And he also likes Brandon versus Brandon three. A fine set of, who was this again? John Ray.

John Ray, a fine set of picks. What was the Romano pick again? Marcos Ruggiero delima. Two. Oh, no. Oh, no. John Ray, you were so. Oh, no.

Nine, nine out of ten picks. Like nine of ten, your quality of picks. So, so good. You were right there. You forgot. How could you forget? UFC and ESPN, Santos versus to share. November 7th, 2020.

Four-arm choked for you. Do-do. Forearm choked by Alexander Romanov. Performance of the night winning finish, his only performance the night he ever won. So there you go. How could you disrespect the Romanov? Because I was like, that sounds so familiar. I've seen those big boys in there.

Sure enough. So that's a two. So it happens, guys. It happens. But let's remember. Let's look back. You got to look back a little bit. Mike, I got so many picks.

I got so many picks. I will, I have not vetted them. So I will have to, I will be doing some live vetting here. If you hear any do-do, Mike, let me know. Tristan. What is up, Tristan? Charles Jordan versus Taylor Lapilus. Sure.

Okay. I don't mind that. So Hobby versus, again, Zahby versus Garbred Miles John's winner. No, I don't know. I'm with you. Mike, I just don't. Like the name, I get it. If Cody Garberman like knocks out Miles Johns,

incredibly unlikely, but if that happens, the name value would be there, and I'm sure as a hobby would jump on it. But, oh, it's just the ways that I expect this fight to go whether Garberant or Johns wins, I just don't think it's a fight that he needs to take it right now. I should be moving more upward. Jay Donaggie, Moreno and Sohudo.

We're kind of giving up on this, right? I just don't think they're going to do this, right? Mike. they it's it's it's it's so far gone that i don't even want to see it anymore it's like it's it's sucks man like in marino had lost to albazi like i would have done it but i just don't even know if henry suhudo was going to fight it all anymore i don't know yeah yeah i don't i don't care but i think morano has just kind of surpassed that whole idea at this point that i don't know it just doesn't doesn't have the same vibe that it did like a year and a half two years ago

Mike, I'm going to help him with this one. Hibero and undefeated contender series freak D.R. Nergozai. Is that a thing? Sure. I know you're not the

Contender Series guy anymore, but Jed is more of the contender series guy. I thought no you paid more attention to the season than I did. The name sounds familiar. I just don't know. Maybe the spelling's not there, but sure. Contender series. That's fine. Sure.

Yeah. That's the kind of fights that we're at right now. Jay is with you on Stoltz-F. Alexeychuk, someone will get got, and he's with me on Malat and Carlson Harris. So there you go. That's a fun line. There you guys, that's from the emails. Let's go to the Twitter machine. Oh, boy, what do we got here, guys?

Braden O'Neill, Hibero versus Erslan. I am not reading any Erslan fix, guys. We're getting Aslan-Urcelon, Ursula, and y'all need to shut up. Dustin Stultzvist versus Tuthor II champion, Ryan Loder. Oh, that's good. How did I not think of that? Wow. That is good.

lot versus McGee oh court McGee um yeah yeah I actually don't hate that I don't hate that I want him to fight a bit he won't finish him you're not getting a finish oh he finishes him pretty impressive but you're probably court McGee might finish Mike he is a he is a finishing machine

now his first submit what he got his first submission in like 12 years yeah I don't know Zalal Kika Chakatsi I like Romanov versus Mick Parker oh I like that's a good one oh Zal Zalal one oh but he gets ranked 12 that I'm sorry Sorry. If we're going to do a rank guy, it's that.

Giga, Chicago, no, I say this, and I've been saying this forever. Giga Chikaze is not the 12th best featherweight in the UFC. He's not. He's like the 19th or 20th best. I think Yusuf Zalaan Giga are like right around the same spot. I think, I don't think, I just don't think, I just don't see it. So, okay. So I, I apologize for my rant earlier.

If there is one ranked guy, it's Giga. nobody else in my eyes makes sense because giga should not be the 12th ranked fighter in the division sorry well there you go brain you crack you cracked that nut yeah that might be the answer um uh shoot what was that guy sorry i lost my sputney oh romanov versus mc parkin i love uh surrey city cameron smotherman why why why oh it's the best that's a great i love it's so bad it's good it's it'd be the main card that is the main card that is the main card that is the that is the the most electric fight I've ever heard on this program. Albaazi and Tyra.

Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. Both guys coming off high profile losses for sure. Rose versus the Arrujo, Karine, a Silva winner. Yeah, I don't think that's going to get her out of, that's going to get out of bed right now. Nassimento and Zichukwu. Okay. Armfield, John Castaneda. Oh, I like that.

And Jack Shore, Jamal Emmer. Okay. Marcus McGee, the War Horth edition. Horth, the very famous play. Well done, Marcus. City versus Heaston, Rome. I'm only reading Romanov picks from now on.

Romanov and Salsa Boy, Walda Cortez-A-Costa. Love it. Oh, my Lord. Zahavi versus Farid Bosharat, just to complete the set. I don't mind that, but I still think. I think it's funny.

Like, I think Amon should fight like Kyler Phillips. that I think like a guy coming he just lost to Rob Fon he's ranked number 12 I don't have a problem with that if they want to do is a hobby versus Montel Jackson Montel Jackson ranked number 15 no issue with that either like he should get a rank dude after this win like I think you're gonna hate this Blanchfield and Natty Ice Sure I think that I would pick Natty Ice in that fight and I'm not just saying that as a Natty Ice stand I think Natty Ice would win that fight I think she is very good on the ground Very underrated. She's got really good take down defense. And she will beat the hell out of Aaron Blancheville on the feet.

But aren't you like, don't you want to keep them away from each other right now? I don't want to. I don't know. I don't know. I don't think that's the fight they make. But if that's the fight that has like Aaron Blanchfield might have just talked herself into that fight by not by saying she doesn't think she's going to go to Mexico to fight Alexa Grasso, which is redonculus to say into a live microphone. So it might happen. Natty Ice.

I would, uh, I'd go get it. It's possible. I just don't want to see it. Yeah, you're right. It's a great matchup. I just don't want to see it yet. Good stuff, but Marcus. Tack MMA, just a couple of picks here.

Thug Rose and Lamoche. Back to Strawweight. The flyweight party is over. Yeah, we kind of, we all kind of agree we'd like to see Rose drop back down. But, you know, again, it just might not be in the car. Yeah, I don't think she's gone, though. I would be very surprised if her next fight is a won't team. Unless they give her something really, really choosy, like a top two, top three opponent,

which, I mean, given her reputation they could. I just don't see it happening. She's, she likes to be. writing 125. Like we've never heard her once say like, oh, it's not what I thought it would be or it's tough when I thought. She's, she's, she felt good in the Monop fight, she said. She hurt her hand. Like, she's never, she has no regrets when we have to 125 so far. So, Toby Kinsella, lucky, a lot of the same pictures seen already. He's with me on Stol's, but Trotsky. I dig, a lot of him a lot in Harris. Some of the other guys have Malat and Harris too.

Ooh, I don't know about this. Zahavi, a good matchup, but not, I mean, Zahavi, like he said, should need, should be going up there. rankings but I like as a hobby and lov dog I think that's I think that'd be an amazing fight I just don't think it's gonna happen next yeah give even a man rank guy he loses then you do it this is an interesting one uh Jordan you know his first fight at 135 against the slumping Ricky Simone oh that's kind of fun that's not bad that's not that I like that yeah that's pretty good pretty pretty good I said I'd be reading all Romano picks

That's the only reason I'm doing this Ramonov versus Gazeve loser has to fast for 24 hours Come on Come on Who put that in there? Who put that in there? Gaziv is teasing a fight

Like the world is just Sitting on the edge of their seats waiting for this announcement I don't know who it's going to be But that's pretty good though That's pretty good Barry also wants Jamie Lennhorth versus Andrea

Lee if Andrew Lee she is still in the OCEM no yes no no um hold on I have I think she's out I believe she I still have her on my list in my rankings um but I don't know if that means that just I can't remember if she popped up one again one of those roster watched no maybe maybe she didn't right maybe she didn't recall her she just hasn't fought in a while I don't recall her being really when did she last fight it wasn't that one did she last fight it wasn't that this year wow this june i don't remember this was that 301 delirosa delirosa too yeah oh no that was a fight night card she's lost five in a row holy shit that's why i think all people think like she's just not but i think you kind of need her who we match it jimmel and hoarse

maybe that's that's not bad i would pick and julie to win that fight uh i don't like this fight but it is coincidentally i actually have these guys right next to each other my rankings right now Cody Gibson and Raul Rosas Jr. Barry says a risky fight, a risky fight as the UFC gains, nothing at all from a Gibson win. But Rosa can beat a vet. He can get a bigger name next and he's young enough to bounce back if he loses again. This is true.

This is true. I actually, I don't think that's going to happen next, but it wouldn't like, I wouldn't scream if they made that matchup. I wouldn't scream. Zala will and Gomi. Yes, I like that. Let me keep going down here. Malat and Tembo Grimbo.

I did this match up a long time ago. I just feel like they're not going to make it. I think it made a lot of sense before, maybe now, not so much, probably down the road. Yeah, I don't think Tembo, I don't think that fight goes well for Temba. And I think they want to kind of keep him winning at this point. So, yeah, I mean, it makes sense. I would like to see it for Temba, just to see if he could beat a guy like Mike Malott. I don't know if he can.

This is interesting. We'll say. Stoltzvus Piper 2. rematch Oh series both coming off wins over Barrio makes too much sense Piper got injured

in the injured right the first fight or something or that's how we lost was some sort of injury or something is his arm was it Joe who got injured or is it yeah it was Joe got injured

yeah because then he came back two fights later and then that was the that was the Bjo Piper moment Bajer yes and this would be interesting four years ago that'd be interesting

that's I don't know he just I mean he just well I mean can be a battle of the two guys who highlight real Mark Andre Barry all. That's what Barry saying. Okay.

Sure. Heberro and Vacatav. No, because I'm not super familiar with Vacatav's kickbox group with what I'm told and for what I've seen. He's not like a balls to the law like striker, right? I feel like this is asking for another like 15 minutes of like nothing, right? And it's a very good chance. All right. Anyway, thanks, Barry.

For corner sports, Moreno versus Kauff. If he loses to Pantosia, I could definitely see that. Blanchefield Barber. Yes, if Macy Barber is healthy enough to fight within the next four or five months, I would like to see that matchup too, but we're just kind of got prayers up for Macy that, you know, she figures out what's going on with the health because it's still a mystery apparently. Mike Mollat, Jake Matthews in Australia, February 2025. I really, really like that.

Sure. I think it could happen. I think it could happen. Why would Mike Malat go to Australia? Why not? It's cool. It's fun. He doesn't need to.

He just fighting Canada the rest of his career. Wouldn't you like to go to Australia? I would like to go to Australia. I mean, if he wants to travel the world and go to Australia, then sure. But he could just fight at home and not have to travel to Australia. But yeah, if that's something Mike would like to do, then it could happen. If he doesn't, then it won't. All right.

Last week here on Instagram, Jared Biaghan, Mike Malatli, Ling Liang. I like that. Amund Zahabi, Kyler Phillips. I think he kind of jumped over, Carla. with this win and with Kyler's loss to, to font, Yusuf Salal, Chepéé Mariscal 2.

What was the first fight? What was the first? When was this? Where am I here? Where's my Yusuf Salal history, guys? I don't recall. That is that? Was that on the regional scene?

Hold on. Did I read? Yes, it was. LFA. January 2019. Chepe de Mariscoll won a unanimousal. one a unanimous decision. Man, these guys, our listeners are crazy, man.

I didn't know with this stuff. Sure. A good, good picture art, well researched. And also, thank you, Ramanov, the Lima, to UFC effects. Thank you, Gerard. See, this is the guy who does research.

Caleb Stevenson, Moreno versus Kai Asikoro with a loss to Pentogia if Asikuro wins. Moreno versus Kai Kar, France, three, Abazi versus Steve Versa. Sorry, that was a little bit of a jumble for me. Hibero Bellato

Stultz was Edmund Shabazian I actually thought about that but like I just thought Stultz was just taking him down at some point and just annihilating him so I don't I just I don't know Every time Edmund Shabazian's name comes up

on the show it's just I'm just a lot of A lot of Zalal Yusuf I forgot that I think I'd recommended this on a previous show for the whole Yusif versus Yusuf thing Robbie Ryan Gooday gentlemen that I'd give A.K. some love this week in celebration of views.

Edmonton, despite your tips on all bets bar. I had some good tips. I had some good tips. How dare you? My brother also lives in Canada. Shout out to your brother. I probably know him. Abazi versus Alex Perez. Hebero Modestis Bukascus. Why, there's so many Hibero. You know what people are just doing their jobs. Whoa. What the F? Oh, Robbie.

We're getting along so well. let me show I'm looking at my best friend's face when I say this Zahabi versus Charles Johnson Who is this? Robbie Ryan

Robbie Do we have to suspend you for a week Like I'm a little more forgiving Because UFC Edmonton took 10 years off of all of our lives But come on man Like we're not even in the same

We're not in the same weight class Are we trying to rush this on UFC Tampa So Charles Johnson could try to go five and oh and you just think amos is going to hop back in there like i i don't i don't i don't get it i don't understand where you're where you're coming is there's no little mini blurb as to why he went in this direction was that would have made sense i could have like bought that if he said oh let's get charles johnson and then to go five and oh is charles moving up to 35 did he say that did a man say he's moving to 25 did i miss all of this what is happening right now i mean charles johnson

just he's four and oh this year all at flyway he's one of the hottest fires is the in the flyweight division right now very clearly. Amon just beat the man with the most UFC bantamweight appearances ever. I don't see how you could make this mistake weight class-wise. Robbie, you know, again, like you said, it happens, and we're all a bit lesser

after Saturday's card. Jason Dernay, Romanov versus Salispoi, parentheses, heavyweight overs. Okay, people are just trying to make money now at this point that's big of these matchups. Jamie Lynn Horth, Luana, Santos, Cody Gibson, Javid, Basharot. Mike, what do you think of Zalal and Brito,

two guys just coming off winds overshore? Yes, I like that, but okay. That's a good one. It's always interesting when I see if they consider something of that. Sorry, a lot of that we already seen before. Thank you, Jason. And Tino Alvarez, you get the last word, lucky you. Cody Gibson, Farid, Bashirat, Surrey, City, Taylor Lapilus.

Ooh, that's a big step up for Surrey. He didn't even beat Garrett Armfield. Even he said he lost that fight. That's. Cheesh. Sink or swim? Is that what we're doing here? This is a really good pick.

Charles Rodin and Chris Gutierrez. I'm really interested to see what they do with Jodendan at 135 because he's fought so many times with featherweight. He's not really starting over in a new division. Like you have some idea of how good he is. So you do kind of want to give him like top 30, like top 20 guys sooner rather than later. So Chris Gutierrez is, I think, right in that sweet spot. That's not bad.

Is Chris fighting? I don't think so. I'll look at that check right now. Oh, no. Am I getting him confused with something? Yeah, I don't think he is. Because I sure I was looking at some recently. Oh, he had a fight that got canceled recently.

So we don't know. No, but he ended up fighting on that card. Oh, he did. I'm sorry, he fight a Kwong Lee. That was the Kwang Lee fight. That wasn't that long ago. Okay. Um, I hate this pick.

Mike Malott, Brian Battle. No. No. Why do you hate that? Brian Battle. should be fighting guys better than Mike Moulat right now. Mike Mollat. It sounds weird to say has to earn the Brian battle fight at this point.

I don't know. Don't like it. Don't like it for him. I don't want, I don't want a competitive. Oh, that's not I shouldn't say that because I picked some veteran guys for, I think I picked Carlson Harris, which I guess would be a competitive fight.

I don't know. I don't like it. I feel that on different paths. Hate it, Mike. I hate it. You don't. Fair. Eh, it's fine if they book it.

I can't remember if I got your take on this. because a few people said it. What do you think of Moreno and Alamabayev? No. Hard no. No. Come on. Why?

You want to talk? You don't think Mike Malat has earned the right to fight Brian Battle, but Osu Al-Mabayev has earned the right to fight Brandon Moreno? Yes. How short and far are your bridges right now? Is it just dependent on the division? It depends on my fancy team. I think it's really the...

Oh. There it is. The truth comes out. I mean, because I feel like you could, you could slot that, you know, this fight could even happen before the end of the year. I mean, I'm just, you know, I'm just saying. Let's do Elamaya versus Alessandra Costa. Let's do that before the end of the year.

Nobody wants that. Nobody wants that. I don't know why you bring that up. Nobody wants that. There's like 200 points I would have gotten for that one, too. So who fought instead? Who got the fight instead? who the hell was it?

It was supposed to be Matt. So it was match now. It was the opponent. How do I not know this? Not Charles? No. I'm so mad. Oh, Cody.

No. Oh, Cody Darden. Cody Darden. Yes, yes, yes, yes, is, yes. Cody Darden. swooped in there with a... And got like 230 points. If someone had drafted him, yes.

Golly. That was painful to see. I heard for you there. I'm like, those were, those were mics. points. That was a cost of finish right there. Oh, and Cody Durden did get a performance bonus. So that was saying. Yep, all the points I have lost in this draft. That was rough. We are back next week, I think, right, Mike? So if people want, oh, I might, I'll be available. I might not watch the show. I am taking that day off. But people, if you want to send us picks,

remember, I'm on Instagram at Alexander KK. Lee on Twitter at Alexander K. Lee, email Alex Stutley at sbnation.com. Yeah, I mean, look, if Jed wants to hop on, he can. We'll figure it out. Okay, if you need a day off, you take the day off. Send Jedd's a day off. Yeah, send Jedd some picks or just send him my way and it'll be the shortest listener segment in the history of the program.

But guys, you should get ready and send your picks at now. You should already be doing your research because we are heading into UFC Vegas 100 at the world's most famous apex. and a main event that is so apex worthy, it tickles me. Neil Magni versus Carlos Pratchez, the main event of UFC Vegas 100. The co-main event, Cody Garbrandt versus Miles Johns. The featured bout, as of right the second, I had no idea this fight was even happening until I just pulled this up.

Carolina Kovalkavich versus Denisi Gomes. We have Ricky Terseos versus Bernardo Sopage. That is a main. card fight. Okay. Not Gerald Mirschar versus Rennier de Ritter.

I'm very much looking forward to that fight. What a way to debut former one star Ryder to Ritter, who's fought in front of some pretty big crowds for his previous promotion. You chuck them into the apex in a fight that I have to look at the betting odds

for that fight. Renier to Ritter is a minus 300 favorite. I might have to pull the trigger on a GM3 bet right now at plus 240. I figured it would be pretty disrespectful to Gerald. I thought it would be. I think Gerald, I have a feeling Gerald's got beat him. But we'll see.

I'm able to trigger on this. We have Luana Pinheiro versus Julian Roberts. It's a pretty solid main card. The Ricky Terseos fight is kind of don't know why it's there. Nicholas Dalby. Is he though, AK? Is he? Uh, in theory.

In theory. He can be. So hopefully he is, he is fun there. We have Nichols-Dalby, Elizusolev, Part 2. Mancer Abdul-Malike versus Dusko Tadourovich. I think Tadouravich is in there to do the old Jabaroo. I think that's what the UFC is hoping for anyways. Charles Ratke versus Matthew Semelsberger.

We have Cody Stamen versus Demand-Blakshare, AK, believe it or not, women's Banimate fight on this card. Melissa Mullins versus Claudia Segula. We have Cortavius Ramius versus Gaston Bologios and middleweights. Trayshon Gore back against Antonio Tricoli. That is the curtain jerker for UFC Vegas 100. 13 of these fights, okay? 13 fights.

I believe it is a 4 p.m. Eastern main prelims start God I hope so if this is a this is a 10 p.m. or I'm gonna lose my gosh darn mind all right 7 p.m. main card thank goodness I'll tell you though a lot I'm just looking at this on paper a lot of these could go the distance a lot of this could be us this could be a long and and the good news on my second thing I was it Gaston Gaston Valanos and Cortavius Romius is one of the best like name matchups I think of the year that those are just great names those are true

So good. It's terrific. Luckily, there's two things. One, I think the main event is going to end in a finish one way or the other. And two, there's only one five round fight on this card. So we'll be a little bit easier. There'll be a lot of, there's got to be so many John Jones, steep A. Mietch teaser promos.

It's got to be unbelievable. So that is, that is next week. So normal show next week. Are you and Jed doing a watch party for the Vegas 100? Apex God, I hope not. Come on. It's only, it's only, it happens once, unless they build another apex, which is, you know, actually entirely possible.

Isn't there construction happening, Apex 2.0? Yeah, and then that'll be, perhaps. UFC Apex 2.01, UFC 2.0. I can't even say it. Even Dave Shaw, even Dave Shaw is like, do you think, are we going to live in a world where there's no apex cards? Probably not. And then.

Just Dave Shaw, by the, why wasn't Dana at the presser? He's there. He was in Edmontonton. I just felt like going, I guess, I think. think he just showed up for the ceremonial wayans that he left wow okay i mean this a dude is ready to get out of Vegas for a few hours but that's what happened so we'll be back to talk matchmaking following ufc Vegas 100 and then we'll be officially on the road to ufc 309 john jones versus

stepe miachich charles olivara versus michael chanler two watch party etc but until next week everybody always remember don't take this stuff too seriously am a supposed to be fun well more fun after UFC Vegas 100 right here. And on to the next one, the podcast. You're listening to the Vox Media Podcast Network.