MMA Fighting - The A-Side Live Chat: UFC 255 fallout, Figueiredo, Shevchenko, Fight Circus, Tyson vs. Jones, more

Episode Date: November 25, 2020

For this episode, MMA Fighting’s José Youngs, Jed Meshew and E. Casey Leydon react to some of the biggest storylines in MMA. Some topics include: Fallout from UFC 255, headlined by Deiveson Figueiredo and Valentina Shevchenko’s successful title defenses; Bellator 253, headlined by A.J. McKee’s ‘Submission of the Year’ candidate; and the chaos surrounding Fight Circus. The three will also look ahead of this weekend’s UFC Vegas 15, featuring Curtis Blaydes vs. Derrick Lewis, and Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr. Follow José Youngs: @JoseYoungs Follow E. Casey Leydon : @ekc Follow Jed Meshew: @JedKMeshw 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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No, not that music, not that music. Strong start. Yeah. Are we live, pal? We are live, pal. Hey, we're live, pal. Welcome everyone to another episode of the A-Side Live chat. I am, of course, your host, Jose Young's,

the rightful winner of this week's episode of Between the Length, but we can talk about that late. because Jed and Casey, Jed, of course, spoiler alert, is... Oh, no. That's champion. Oh, man, I guess this is just the A-side live chat with Jed Machu now. I'm sorry that you were anticipating coming to a much worse show, and they just got a lot better for you. Okay.

The feedback from the gods were like, yes, Jose won. We'll give Jed a little more time to talk because his time in the spotlight is coming to an end, but you know what, go watch this week's episode between the links after this, in that time frame between this episode of the A side and UFC Vegas 15 Media Day, go watch Between the Links with Mike Heck, and you can see what I'm talking about. Casey is very anti-Everyone everyone dying. And well, he's very pro everyone dying from this pandemic. Jed apparently doesn't believe this pandemic is a big deal because Fight Circus is all of the headlines,

but I digress. Go watch this later. But Jed, how's life down in the South? You know, it's spectacular when you're coming off a big W like I am. Sometimes we don't need to focus on the sad thing, Jose. Sometimes we can just celebrate the stupid and the amazing, which is why we're all in the sport in the first place. Right.

So to paraphrase, don't talk about the sad, talk about the stupid. Sounds like mixed martial arts. Casey, how's life in Anglewood? Yeah. Yeah. To paraphrase, it's a fart noise. All right. Anyway, you guys know the drill, Jed.

This is your first time on the A side, if I'm not mistaken. Were you on any other past iteration? Well, welcome. This is my first thing, so thank you for having me. Anytime, man. Well, if someone is going to have a Roe-Shembo leg-kicking contest and someone has to talk about it, you're the man to do it. So anyway, hit us with the first question, Casey.

First question. From Jessica Crystal Cruz says yay. Okay. I agree. Yay. Okay. Next question. This is technically a question.

Yo, what's up? Dad, do you want to answer this one? Say it like they were. Say it like they typed it. I'll say, I need a little more. That's more of that like old seven up commercial. What's a. right there.

I think that was a mudline commercial. Was it? Could be. I don't remember. It was the frog one. Was it? Yo, was up. Because they put a lot of S's.

It should be a lot of A's because it was. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. But, you know, nothing is up. We're here to talk about, I'm here to talk about fight circus and I guess maybe I'll have to throw my opinion about some other things as well.

Don't worry, Jed. If people don't talk about fight circus for whatever reason, we'll give you all the time in the world at the end to cut a promo. In fact, I won't even cut a promo. I'll give you my time to talk about it. Oh, perfect. That's all I want to talk about Fight Circus. So I'm happy to talk about whatever before then, Valentina, Demetka Johnson. Some people are fighting this weekend, I think.

We can talk about that. Those are rumors, rumors. Those are big. True. We have not got confirmation. There's actually a UFC card this weekend. Oh, I was talking about the boxing. Oh. Again, not whatever. There's a UFC. Cool. Have you guys heard, Mike Tyson is going to fight again. I'm pretty excited. Is it a fight or an exhibition? It's always a fight. It's, you know, anytime they put on the gloves, you got to respect your opponent, even if you, by rule, aren't allowed to hurt them or get hurt yourself.

skull dougar i say Casey what is our second third question I don't know this question means but it was written to you Jose who's your favorite Akatsky member well they're asking that because I'm wearing on a

Kotsky shirt from the hit anime series now or so I would probably have to say Madeira or Payne Obito's cool Itachi's cool Kabuto's cool but I probably say Madera

but I feel like that's everyone's answer so there's your answer I could go into great detail, but no one cares, especially Jed and Casey. We can talk about it on another episode or a way in show. We're all big Madeira fans here. Madeira with an A. Yeah. Pain is cool, too.

Sharpen up. The Akatsky are in this land, of course. You watched Avatar last Air Ben. Do you watch any sort of TV shows, Jed, that I can reference? I mean, probably not. Not a huge television guy. Neither am I. But I watched like a very small amount.

So I'm trying to put this into words that I could explain to, I don't know. In Avatar, you know how they have all the lands, Casey? It's similar in Naruto, but they're villages. And they're not like very specific. Like there's not like earth and water and everything. They have very specific names. And all of these characters or ninjas have broken free from their duties to, become like their own person, which is why

Izzy is a big fan. If you see, he wears shirts like this a lot. I've seen that shirt. Because he is his own man. All right. I mean, it's just a good looking shirt. I don't need to know anything about the background to appreciate fine clothing. Hey, man. You got, you need fashion advice,

anime fighting. Come to me. You want to talk about Tomfoolery. You go to Jed. That's my brand. I'm totally okay with it. Next question. from Joseph Bose, a longtime commenter in the YouTube comments. Valentina was minus 2,000 favorites to win versus Jennifer Maya. To me, she didn't fight like that at all. Did the pressure get to her of ESPN all week,

building the narrative that she didn't care about Maya? Jed, I would be remiss to say you're probably the biggest proponent of Valentina's skills on the site. I feel like you, well, to all of us, you can do no wrong inside the octagon. But you are by far the most vocal, so I'll let you lead this answer. did quote the pressure get to Valentina Shepchenko

ahead of her fight against Jennifer Maya? So no is the answer to that. I think it's important to remember that fighters don't have any influence over the odds. Like being a minus 2,000 favorite doesn't mean anything to the fighters. That's completely separate. And Valentina fought mostly like she always fights.

So I think that saying what pressure got to her is really missing the point. I think Jennifer Maya was a little more prepared than we, most of us anticipated. But at the same time, Shevchenko won four rounds very clearly, was never at risk of losing the fight ever. I mean, it wasn't the dominant performance that kind of, we thought wasn't the head kick, K.O. That, you know, maybe they had been building. But I've mentioned this a ton about Chfchenko. I think her best analog is Anderson Silva, just because the way she fights, she is purely a counterfighter.

She is only going to take what is given. and if you don't give her a lot to work with, she's just going to win. It might not be impressively. Or if you give her a lot to work with, she's going to style on you. Maya mostly didn't give her a lot to work with, and so she ended up winning the fight that she did. I certainly wasn't Wondershupchenko's best performances ever. I don't think anyone's here to claim that. But, I mean, she did what she needed to do.

Everyone's going to have an off night every now and again. And if you're off nights, are you winning four rounds decisively and clearly retaining your title, you're doing something okay. Do you think it has anything to do the fact that did Jennifer and Maya do anything well? Or was it just Valentina? No, I think, I mean, I think Maya clearly came in pretty school to what she thought was a good game plan. She wanted to crowd her and sort of match physicality with her. You talked about this on VTL this week, you know.

Maya was much stronger than I think most of Shevchenko's opponents have been. and in that second round that she, I think, pretty clearly won, she used that physicality a lot to kind of neuter what Shevchenko could do. Now, again, Maya didn't work her over or really dominate her or kind of pile of damage, but she did control her. I think that was her, a large portion of her game plan coming in was to cut the cage off or clench grappling, and it worked for a little bit. Shevchenko had to adjust, and she did as it kind of developed.

But yeah, I don't, in general, I think you should rarely ever take something or blame the winning fighter or the champion. You should always give credit to the challenger because they're giving looks that are making the champion not get to do their favorite things. Well said. Well said. Casey, you train. So you've obviously, you watched fights probably a little different than we do. Do you think Jennifer might put any sort of blueprint out for how a path to victory over Valentina could possibly be? Yeah, you have to hold her down. I mean, I don't think there's a 25er that can match her for 25 minutes in the stand-up at 1-25. And hopefully you can just score three rounds on her out of five and just, you know, maybe Valentino just, I don't want to say be lazy, but just give away rounds and not take any damage. I mean, I think when Valentina does lose, it'll be like, like, if my, if my, if, if, you know, if,

Maya was able to do that two more times where Shevchenko would lose a decision but yet not have one bruise in her face and probably her opponent was all beat up. I think that was Maya's path of victory and she got one third of the way there. That's about it. Yeah. She stopped at step one. Yeah.

Which is, I mean, I mean, I guess I'm a weirdo because I thought that was a decent performance from Valentina and a really good performance from Maya. And that's what you got. You still got a four. one dominant victory for Shavchenko. I don't really see the narrative of Valentina looked bad or

I don't know, I just yeah, I thought it was a... I don't see it was bad, but... Was it similar to the... What's questionable tactics. Well, we also learned about her knee injury that, you know, so she said she had just had surgery.

So if you're going to do a primarily grappling match and she just didn't want her knee to blow out during the, during any of the stand-up, if you take it grapple, it's less likely your knee is going to, you know, slip or, I mean, I have a torn MCL or ACL, one of those. One side is messed up. So every once in a while when I'm standing, you know, if I go a lateral movement, it was just slip. And I can see why she just didn't want to take that risk.

Sure, sure, sure. So going off of Jed's comparison to Anderson Silva, this was sort of not in terms of excitement. or dominance, but the paths to victory is what Chale Sondon did to Anderson. Just got to hold them down and control them on the ground for so long. So continue on that narrative. Excellent. Go ahead. Was this, was Sajenko Maya equivalent to Anderson Silva versus maybe Lachis, Taurus, Lachis?

Is it, was it? Um, I think it's not bad, honestly. I'm sorry? Yeah. I think that's not a bad comparison. Yeah, around there. It's just, it's just going to be one of those fights that, in her. rain.

Everyone has a bad fight. People forget John Jones' fight against Oven St. Peru happened to. You're not going to blow everyone out of the water every time. All right. Do, do, do. Next question. Thank you,

Mr. Boza. From Leszik, is that an eye or now? Leszik on the site, on the site, Tony versus Oliver, a non-title fight, question mark? Abed will not be the lightweight goat until he beats all at least a grapple until he at least beats a grappler he has fought only favorable

stylistic matches for him and his record is very padded okay i i cannot believe he is number one pound for pounds so uh this is a weird question for me uh casey we'll start with you we'll start with you a there's a few things to unpack from this question uh is can habib really be considered the lightweight goat until he beats a grappler has he only fought for favorable stylistic matchup and can you believe he is number one pound for pound? Yes.

So the first question, what was the first? No, okay. He said he cannot be the lightweight go until he beats a grappler. No, he's, what does that mean? That he has to win a submission underground? This is mixed martial arts. I don't understand. He's 29 and 0. He hasn't fought one. He hasn't fought one person that understands any

grappling. I wish you would just say it and just say A good point is a BJJ black belt. Like what type of I mean I don't I think no that's just

this isn't true. I wish I would like you want to see Habib versus Ferguson that if you just say Habib isn't Habib isn't the real deal until he fights Ferguson

I think that's what the commenter just wants to say I would like to add that Alex Keeley has notified me that this commenter is an own troll on the site so Alex Kaley apologizes for not warning us

okay Fair. Yeah, I mean, this is pretty obviously like a troll comment. Yeah. It is, it is, he's unquestionably the lightweight goat. And I, and the same, with the same love I have for Valentina, I have been one of the world's biggest BJ Penn supporters forever. And he is the only person who maybe could have ever had a claim to it over a beam. It's just, this is not a question. He's, I agree with the BN. BJ Penn assessment. For me, he was just like the greatest by default. As at the point of his, at the height of his run, a lightweight, he was so dominant. And then everyone, the belt has bounced around so much.

We're like, Benson Henderson is another good answer. He's like, there's legitimate arguments that he lost to Gilbert. He lost both to Frankie. But a win is a win. So I think he was in the conversation. And then there just hasn't been enough activity at the top of that division. So for me, BJ was just the default go. But Habib passed him with that win over Gagee.

I thought I thought he passed him before he won't ever get it to I thought he passed him I thought there was an argument with the Connor win and I thought once he beat Dustin that he was the lightweight goat and then at that point we were trending towards a fight with Tony obviously that didn't happen I thought if he had beaten Tony given the run Tony was on that then he would have had a really really good argument for like overall goat status

that never happened and I as much as I respect Gagie I think beating gaichi even after gaecchi beating tony is not quite the same as it would have been if he had just beaten tony when tony was you know tony has like a really good argument to being the second greatest light weight of all time 100% like it's a really good argument if you just take titles out of it like the run of wins he put together over the quality of competition so i'm habib is it uh i think it's hilarious that you want to see him fight a grappler troll person because he's he is he is the grappler, like he's the endgame. Like, yeah.

The Tony probably never made sense to me as like something fun. Like it made sense competitively because that should have happened. But I always thought he was going to roll through Tony because Tony's not that great of a defensive wrestler. And if your game plan is you're going to outgrapple Habib, good luck, bro. Like, okay, have fun with that. So, I mean, cool. Charles will get that work, too.

Like, it would be the same thing. I do think if the Habib Tony fight at its peak, especially at the fifth time before it fell out because of the pandemic, that fight was for the title and the greatest lightweight ever. Whoever would have won that probably would have been the best because if Tony hadn't, because this is before Tony lost to Gagey. You're still on that massive win streak. Because if Tony had beaten Habib, which we all agree, probably wouldn't have happened. But if by some miracle Tony beat Habib, there's no argument he would have been the best ever. But I actually do put Tony Ferguson number two, greatest. lightweight ever and then probably BJ third maybe no I'm a I'm a weirdo I'm just not I'm not as

I'm not as high on Tony as everyone else is I think he's I'm not saying he's this I'm not saying he's the second most talented I'm saying just based off of what he's done he's probably the second best lightweight dude I've been a known Tony Ferguson Hater forever like for the last two years I've thought the top five guys in the division would beat him and I still think that's true like I thought Gaichi was going to beat him. I always thought Habib would beat him. I think Conner, everyone really seemed to think that Tony was a bad matcher for Connor, and I always thought that was really wrong.

I think Poet would beat him. But who he beat, who he won over, like, that's an incredible run. And the merits kind of warrant him. I think putting him in number two is totally a very legit argument. I have actually, I have Gaichi, whatever. Back to the question. Okay, it's a troll question He could be the second one pound fighter

Like that's yeah, I'm sorry? 100%. Yeah, he's beaten all the best people in by far the best division He should obviously be the number one pound for pound fighter Yeah From Terrence Levrette. This cat posted like five foot questions today. I'm glad we got at least one of them in From Terence Levereux on Twitter, apologies if I mispronounce your name

Besides Aljo, no one is talking about Figgie, Blaine, fix grabs. I'm assuming it's fence grabs. What are your thoughts on how this gave him an unfair position? He should have been taken near the fence. Instead, he was taken down in the open. Jed, your thoughts on Davidson Figuero's fence grabs against Alex Perez this weekend at UFC 255? I didn't notice him in real time. I didn't notice him until Aljo, like, was shouting about it.

I was live blogging and didn't catch my eye because I was too focused on that. that dope-ass, scissors-sweep he tried to go for. I mean, sure, I haven't rewatch the fight to, like, notice. If you grab the fence, that sucks, but whatever. This happens all the time in fighting. Just they're never going to punish it. If you're not cheating, you're not trying. I still don't know why we don't have, like, a plexiglass surrounding that you can't grab,

but we use a fence and the referees are never going to deduct a point or stop it from happening. So you should cheat. If you are a fighter, cheat until they take points away because it may well help you defend your lightweight championship. So cheat. Good for you, Davidson. Has Alex Perez mentioned anything on it? No, thanks.

Knowledge. Yeah, until he said something, like my stance is always when fans have complaints about anything, especially like this was the big conversation when if Habib had made weight or not, he did, obviously, according to what the guy at the scale said, right, in air quotes, because we didn't see it. But I remember Casey was all, he didn't make weight, he didn't make weight,

this is a big deal. I don't think it's a big deal until Justin Gagie said something because he's the one fist fighting because obviously he would get more money, but he never said anything, so I didn't comment on it. That's my take on this until Alex Perez says something. I don't think it's the end of the world. I'm just pro cheating So if you cheat

That's fine As long as you don't get caught You've won Congratulations There you go I just don't think Casey I just don't think

This is a type of file Where you go You know what If Figgie didn't grab Because he still got the Takedown He just didn't get the takedown Or Perez wanted to get the takedown

But I don't think There's anything To suggest that if Perez Had gotten that takedown Right along the cage Perez dominates And now he's the 125 champ I just don't see that

that. But I've always said, too, like, I think I'm not quite in the same, not quite as Adam as Jed is, but fence grabs, groin shots, eye pokes, they're all legal. The first one is always legal. I've never. Your first two are legal. Well, I'm being generous. I mean, I mean, I've been working in MMA 13 years now. I've never seen a fence grab or an eye poke or a groin shot be deducted a point on the first one. I've seen DQs, like, because the I poke's so bad or the groin shot is so bad, but I've never seen a guy get deducted a point on the first one. Never.

Have you? The scrobes are a weird thing, too, because, like, that one has the most obvious fix to it. Like, deducting a point in the way the fights their score is kind of, like, a really big deal. So I can at least understand the implicit, like, why refs might not want to do it. But, like, if the fence grab should be a really easy thing to, okay, well, you grab the fence. We're just going to start you on the ground. You have given upstanding position here. Like, there'd be a really easy fixed implement.

But I also just don't care. So whatever, it's fine. The most egregious fence grabs still the Joseo against Chad Mendes won. That seems to be the one of everyone who brings up. Right. Right. Don't know what you're talking about.

Sure. Anyway. Is that the fight where Chad Mendes just got his head blown off by me? Yeah. Sure did. When he broke away? Right. You don't remember Josie.

No, you don't. You remember when he ran into the, you definitely remember Jose Aldo running into the crowd and security just swarming. Oh, yeah, the king of Rio. Sure. Yeah, yeah. You recall that. Yeah. Anything else, not sure what you're talking about.

Sure. From Enid Saranga, a policy, if I miss your name again. Who's going to be the first to fight T.J. Dillishaw. Do you guys think he can beat you on? Sure. I mean, T.J. Dillishaw was the Bannonweight champion at one point in time, whether that was because of extracurricular activities or not. We don't know because he obviously failed his USADA test

after his flyway debut against Henry Suhudo. But I called for him to fight Corey Sanhagen after Corey Sanhagen beat Marlon. I think a lot of us were in agreement at the time that that would be a really fun scrap. My opinion hasn't changed. T.J. can obviously fight in January. Corey Sanhagen wants the fight.

I don't know if T.J. Dillishel wants the fight. Unless they want to run it back with Dominic Cruz, we do Cruz Dillishaw too because I was at that fight and that fight absolutely ruled. It's also really close. A lot of people think T.J. won. But Casey, who should T.J. Dillishaw fight first when he returns to the UFC. If I was Corey Sanhagen, I would want the T.J. Dillishaw match. I think the UFC will most likely want T.J. versus Cruz, because I think that's the biggest match.

I'm still kind of unhappy if the cruise stoppage of SaHudo, but that's the, another story. But to answer the second part, do you guys think he can beat Jan? We're going to have to see what this post you saw to TJ is, to be honest. If he goes out there and defeats San Hagen or Cruz convincingly, sure. I don't think, I don't, I don't, I don't, I don't, we're, Jan's a champion, but I don't think we're at the point where he's unbeatable. We just think, oh, he's clearly the best guy right now.

He's on a good run. And that's why I see yon. I don't know Jed. I had to coach you, Ed. Jed. Where do you see Yon? I'm sorry? I mean, I don't know that Yon.

He has the belt. Well, I guess clearly is not the right word. I think he, the way to describe Yon is he has the belt at the moment. But let's not forget, he beat your eye favorite and then beat Josealdo. Like he hasn't beat in San Hagan, Sterling, any of these prime bantampton. way it's in the peak of their careers right now. So that's why the Alamede Sterling for five guys. 100%. The Sterling fight would have answered a ton of questions. Like, fighting a guy longer than

him, fighting an incredible grappler, fighting a guy in the prime of his career like that. Like the Jimmy Rivera fight was obviously impressive, but Jimmy Rivera himself said he didn't really take yon that seriously and kind of gave it away. So yeah, the the fight against Sterling would have answered so many questions. I hope they book it. If they want to make that, the main event and makes TJ in the co-main event wouldn't hate it would not hate it so we have a little bantamway final four going on right there because if tj wins beats corey sanhagen or corey beats tj i think the winner of that rightfully deserves a title the crack at the winner of sterling and yon just my opinion jad what are your thoughts on this whole tj situation who would

you like seeing him fight first i don't hate your ideas um i frankly would actually like to see him not by Corey Sandhagen just because it's a really long layoff and as you know a lot of people the idea of ring rust is controversial at this point but I would just like to see him two years is really long time away from the sport and I'd like to see where he's at

and then I'll fold this into and he beat Yan I think the answer is no and I don't think we really have a great concept on who Peter Yan is or will be as a fighter slash champion at this point but T.J. Dillashaw will be 35, if I'm not mistaken, by the time he fights again. And the lower weight classes, they just don't age as well. Like, you can be a good heavyweight into your 50s damn near.

Like lower weight classes, people age like bread. So he's, I just don't anticipate him doing super well at 35 coming off of our potentially a lack of assistance in that. category. Two years off, like, I think it's going to be a really tough road to hoe for him. So in that regard, I'd kind of like to see him not fight Corey Sandhagen. I do think a Dominant

Cruz or Frankie Edgar fight would be something that maybe gives him, lets him wet his feet a little more that is still a high value, highly interesting bout for people to, but if you throw him in there with Sandhagen, all right, I mean, I'd certainly watch it because if Dillishaw is

you know, if he's same guy, that's a, that's a banger of a fight. And if he's the same dude, I think he can still certainly be competitive with anybody in the division. So I'm cool with what you're throwing out there. Make that the co-main event for Jan Aljo when that happens. Yeah, sign me up. I selfishly want Cruz versus Edgar, so I don't want to sacrifice that fight.

TJ, I know you know your eye favorite would probably want that fight because they have some beef. I don't think anyone wants to watch that fight in 2021. We do have Marlon versus Rob Font coming up. He could fight the winner of that because Marlon, T.J, I think at one point, they were the two best Bannam weights in the world. If Rob Fott beats Marlon, that's a massive win. Obviously, Cheeto Vera is supposed to fade Jose Al.

Cheetah and Jose are fighting. They're in December, the December 19th card, the winner of that would be a lot of fun. Do that. That's Chikishon is out there. So, yeah, Bannamweight is a lot of fun. So take your pick. Actually, you know what? You change your mind.

I disagree. Actually, now I do want to see for the first fight back to be T.J. versus your eye of favor. Because I think this is a because if T.J. is smart, he should have some ring rust.

And this will be a quote unquote tune up match against someone like Faber. And if Faber ever wants to fight T.J, this is basically the best opportunity. Huh? This would be the best opportunity. Oh. Yeah. Well.

Yeah. If he doesn't fight him now, he never will get to. That's what I mean. So for Faber, if Faber wants the best version, the easiest version to beat is probably the T.J. right when he comes back. And for T.J., it's a much easier fight

than, say, fighting someone like San Hagen. So that's why I said for Sanhagen, I would love to fight T.J. Right when he comes back, because that would be the biggest name. It would be lots of press. And the potential victory would look maybe more impressive than what it actually is.

So, uh, Maybe throw that one. Maybe not in January, because I don't know if favor is even remotely in fight shape, because he just had his second kid or is having a second kid. I can't quite remember. He had the kid. He did. Yeah, he did.

It's a miracle. So maybe when they come back from Fight Island, let him get back in shape, because I don't think they want to throw both of those two cats on Fight Island. All right. Who wins Goku versus Naruto? Oh, man, I've had this argument. a million times probably Goku because he's a god and Naruto's

I'll leave it at that because we don't have to get I mean I could talk about this for hours but we don't have enough time in the day Jed looks bored already Casey's laughing I don't know who Naruto is like I know in concept but I've never once watched that at all but based on your assessment

if Goku's a god and the other one isn't then I'm going to take the one who's a god well go Naruto has a demon sealed inside of him so he does have some untapped, literally untapped potential. Yeah, I would agree. Both of the, I just think Naruto's power, I mean, Goku's power level is infinite.

And Naruto, we kind of seen. Yeah, well over 9,000. Yeah, come on. Dork. Naruto, we've seen, I think, his peak, and while he is the most powerful ninja from this time frame ever, Goku's died and come back maybe seven or eight times

and each and it's to the point where like now they're on like Dragon Ball Super where his power he's literally like his he's like God level Super Sand so yeah Goku wins that 10 of 10 times All right you got your answer so fun fun tangent

there's the current Dragon Ball run is there's this character who can like absorb people and like become them so he's trying to fight Goku and I can't remember the exact exactly what happened, but he basically eats the Earth. He eats the Earth so he becomes the planet and he has like a face on it.

So it's like planet Earth with like a face on it. He's like laughing. Like how do we beat this guy? So naturally, Vegeta just starts punching the ground really hard with his fist. And the planet's like, ah, my head. It is quite ridiculous. I'm kind of in on that storyline.

Yeah, dude. So the planet's like, ha, ha, ha, you can't defeat me. Fiji's like, well, forget this. It just starts punching the ground really hard. Oh, 10 out of 10 good times. So if you can beat up a planet, you could probably beat up Nardzo. Thank you for your question.

Here's a fun one. Rich P. Top Tire, new commenter from I've seen. What unbooked fight do you make first thing 2021 for the betterment of the division and the UFC? So I'm saying which fight that we previously had that fell out for whatever reason, whether it be the pandemic, injuries, visa issues, which fight would you book first? Rebook first. Jed, you look like you're deep in thought. So Casey, I'll start with you.

Well, he's not coming back. But if he did, obviously, Habib Ferguson, we just got to see that. That was a canceled pandemic fight. What's going off Steepay? Is he just injured? Is that, is, are there, is there a half? Is there a heavyweight title? And I've...

If Francis, Stipe, originally the plan was March, but that was just like a targeted date, we don't really know. I just want to see the heavyweight division move again, either make an interim Francis versus John Jones or something weird like that. I just, I'm, I want the top guys

of the heavyweight divisions to start fighting. I'm tired. We've seen lots of heavyweight fights, just not the guys at the top. So that's basically why I won't. Jed, which fight do you rebook ASAP from all the fights that fell out this year? I think you just do Aljo Jan. I mean, I'm with Casey as far as heavyweight just because Curtis Blade deserves a title shot.

Francis Ngano deserves a title shot. Stipe might fight John Jones or retire or whatever. I'm really not confident what Stipe is doing. We spent so much damn time on Stipe, D.C. trilogy. it's been three years at this point or something damn near to it and just feels like that division is held hostage. But I just don't know, like, I don't know that that's getting clarity super quickly, whereas we just get this Aljo-Yon fight done because Bannam-Wate,

Bain-O-Wate has a little more clarity, but Bannon-Wa-W-s just sick. It's an awesome division. There are a lot of really, like you mentioned just a minute ago, like if Yon beats Al-Jo, that'll really be the first top-level guy he's actually beaten the division, like, because you're out of favor and Jose Alder or not, they're just not that. So, like, I'd love to see that fight and then see who comes next. Corey Sandhagen against Yan would be something new if T.J. Delosha comes back and gets a win. Like, I don't want the Bannonweight Division to end up in the same place the heavyweight division is,

and it really could, especially given House of Hudo kind of just bailed on it. So, yeah, I run that back as quickly as you can. Yeah, I think The answer is Sterling Yan, but just because we've already had that, I wouldn't hate, I don't know, I don't know if it makes sense,

but Makachev RDA, just because I really want to see Mokachev against an elite fighter. He's been out for more than a year, and he's had, what, is he supposed to fight Alexander Hernandez, which, again, that wouldn't be a bad fight either, but I think he's kind of past that right now.

This was a fight in Brooklyn, then it got pushed, and then RDA fell out of the fight-Illand-fight-out-on-fight, and then Makkahchev fell out of their next fight. I would like to see those two fight five rounds. Want to see Machchev against five rounds? Want to see him against RDA, who's, I think, one of the more unheralded fighters

in terms of like we talk about best fighters on the planet. Not many people bring him up, but he's been around forever. So that is my answer, Macchiev versus RDA, because there's a lot of questions I think that would answer. And I just, oh, sorry, it's not in my top two, but I still want to see Amanda Nunes versus Megan Anderson. I just like, yeah. Megan Anderson has earned that ass whoopin.

and let's make it happen Gilbert Burns Usman obviously because that's fight has fallen off like what twice not because I want

like there are other fights of Welto I want to see but if that's the fight that has to happen we get past that there's a lot more fights that can happen so that's kind of like

a door to open the rest of the Worldterweight Division um uh yeah million fights million million fights I want to see

wait Lee back in the mix I feel like I'm I assume it's because of the coronavirus we just haven't even heard her name really talked about since her fight of the year. But let's get her back out there. Man, I feel like all that momentum is completely gone now.

So there are your answer. Good question, by the way. Terrence Leverett, again, thoughts on Dana saying he's been talking about doing the atom weight division. Wouldn't this be a perfect opportunity for him to make a division on tough? That way people can learn who they are, kind of like how they did for women's flyweight and women's straw weight. let's not that that's a that that was actually a really good tournament i think we were talking about doing tournaments and grand prix on between the links but lately the only tournaments we get for a title is when they introduce new weight classes on the ultimate fighter actually the the flyweight

season was the last full season of tough i watched just because i knew all those uh women from invicta and they were like rose tisha torres beck wrongs at the time like they were the best straw weights in the world obviously cloudy and yawanna uh didn't do tough or whatever. I can't quite remember. Claudia didn't do it because it was. No, no, it was weight cutting. Weight cutting.

Weight cut thing? That makes a lot more sense. Which is why Carla did so dang well because Carla is an atom weight who fights a straw weight. Yeah. And that's why Rose did well too because it's not like she cuts a lot of weight either. And then they obviously did with a fly weight. Didn't really work out too well because Nico Montaño ended up fighting. It was like a whole lot of injuries.

Like St. R.U.Banks had weight cut issues. Roxanne got another fight. Nico Montanio won and it got stripped when she fell off the Valentina fight. So, Jed, do you like the idea of an atom weight division and would you like to see it on tough if this is the case? Yes and sure. I've always felt that tough is a stale format. We've talked about that ad nauseum elsewhere. But the one thing that it is really good for is helping to develop new divisions.

I thought forever ago that they should have just made a women's featherweight tough. like to build that division because that's still they still even have rankings because they don't have that many women's featherweight fighters in the UFC and I think if you're going to do Adam weight you should should absolutely just lead that division off with a season of tough to crown the champion too that's fine like I didn't love when they did that for for straw weight just because I don't know I the whole time I really felt like Joanna and Claudia were probably that actual to, you know, when they, because they were fighting outside of the tough bubble.

And the sort of feeling was that that was the true champion. And then ultimately they ended up winning that that kind of came to fruition. But I think you still just do that. And that's, that's the best way to introduce it and at least build a division kind of from scratch. So yeah, if they want to do the atom weight, I think they're way worse ways to do it than doing it through tough. They did do a featherweight tournament on tough. you know who the finals are

Macy Chazid and Pansi Pani Kianzid who are both Bannam weights now after they won they dropped it down to Bannamweight which Megan Anderson took a lot of I've been watching Tuff in the last few years And Panny was always a Bantan Weight

At least Macy was a featherweight who actually didn't come down So like Like Casey said with Carla Carla is basically an Adam White fighting a strawway So she did so well on Tuff Bacy and Panny

were Bannamweight fighting at featherway and when they won they immediately dropped back down and megan anison took a lot of issue with that uh considering they were billed as like oh we're going to build the featherweight division and then the two finalists didn't even fight in the division i think uh bea malecki was on that turn season she's now banamway um at least with adam way you wouldn't get that because there's nowhere to drop back down but the problem is you're not going to go down anymore why like i i i really wish uh ufc or bellator um had um Bant, I had, sorry, atom weights, I do not want to see it on tough because all that's going to happen, you're going to get very dangerous weight cuts again.

And because that's the whole problem of tough is the whole lots of fights, lots of weight cuts. And these atom weights have to cut a lot of weight. And especially, I mean, we need a kind of woman up here because the way the schedules are, there's going to be some lady problems with all these really close fights to make that 105 weight class. and it's just going to happen and I just don't feel like we're going to get the because of that we're going to get

we're going to get the finals are going to be the two best roommates the two best people who can live in a tough house rather than the two best fighters so yes and Adam waits no for tough

I would like just a regular tournament doesn't have to be able to fire just do a regular tournament do we adjust the contender series where the contender series is a tournament for I don't know just don't do tough

I just don't need I don't need to see the Adam weights pick what bunk bed they want. Who would, uh, Carla, if she wants to, it's ultimately her decision. Probably Loma would probably, I would imagine. She's, she's pretty short. So, so who else? You have a lot, but you have a lot of Asian ones. You have like, so we ham, Osaka.

I know there's a few more I can't think of, but, you know, Daniel Taylor. She's actually a real. She's actually Oh, she's real short. She's a shorty. Yeah. Obviously, in the past, Michelle Waters is not going back down to Adam Williams.

She's not going to do. She's a legit. She's built, she's built herself up to be a legitimate straw weight at this point. Maybe Jessica Penny gets, I know she's still training at Jessica Penny back. She was the original. Adam Wake champion.

The OG, yeah. Yeah. So. We just get Cyborg to be cut down. I think it'll be fine. Cyborg can take that weight. It'll be. her leg

stop ducking whoever maybe lauren sanke will come out of maybe laura sanke will come out of retirement oh yeah june you fry she was an atomweight champion yeah june you fry yep

but she got stripped for missing weight yeah she already got see would you think they bring back uh who's it uh... seal ham she on she in rison right now she um she got released hamderleigh hamderley she um she uh is released from riszum because I think because of the coronavirus

that she couldn't get into fights. So either she's reached or she vacated her 105 belt because she hasn't fought since New Year's. Angela Lee would be fun, but I think she has a pretty good setup at one championship, so I don't think she's making that jump. Or she's having a kid not. I can't quite remember.

We got to find out. We can make a trade. We just need to make another trade. Like, let's just get rid of Davidson Figurato. They, it's fine. Make that soft. Uh, I like, wait, I just like, I like this comment real quick. Oh, I can get there.

I did it. I did go to law school. I went to law school. I'm not actually sure which of the ones. Oh, it's the one. It's, it's this one right here, wherever my finger is. That one. That's, that's the law school diploma.

Law school. Law school. What's in your, so you have, you have legitimate degrees. Casey has championship belts and a cozy fireplace, and I have a bunch of comic books behind me. I take the comic books. That seems like the best. Don't you have,

you used to have, you have comic books in the back, don't you? Mine are all over, my bookshelts are on a separate wall, but yeah. I keep forgetting, you're one of the comic book fans on the site.

I am. Like legitimate, you have blankets, right? I think I saw that one. Yeah. Yeah, see,

you're, you're, I hate to say, your view of comic books is much more online with my view of copybooks. I hate to agree with you, Jed. Did you guys just think of my friends? I would absolutely defer to you as the true comic book person, but I dabble. I'm in.

Yeah, Damon. Damon reads a lot of comic books, too, but I think he's much more into the colorful tights and superheroes, which is fine. I like those too. Yeah, I don't have a lot of those. I have some. There's some good ones in college. Yeah. I have far too many.

took a couple of graphic novel classes in college. The best. That would be, I would always want it to. There's definitely a casual show. Thank you, Shiger Tark. Excellent name. I agree.

Spike did not expect a Spike Carlisle question from Suzanne on YouTube comments. Will Spike Carlisle wait for the bell this time round or not? Jed, I don't know if you remember, but Spike Carlisle when he fought Billy Quarantillo decided he was done fighting that round with like seven seconds left and just took a hook. to the face. I actually thought that fight deserved fight in the night because that fight was a lot of fun.

Dana White himself, I asked him at the press conference. I literally, I have never seen that before. So, yeah, not even Dana White knew what to make about that. So hopefully. Sometimes you're done. Sometimes you're going. If you like big jacked dudes with orange cornrows that likes to do the Joker laugh, Spike Carlisle is your kind of fighter.

Yeah, yeah, he is. I mean, great nickname. What's his nickname? The Alpha Ginger. Like, it's exactly the nickname you would think for a guy like Spike Carly. You looked at him and said, that's the guy who thinks this would be a great nickname. What's the, from Brendan, Adrian, and the YouTube comments. What's the delay on Michael Chandler?

They say because he needs more time after the weight cut, but look at the flyweight's U.C. 256. I don't know if you've ever met Michael Chandler, Brandon Adrian. is a thick boy. It doesn't cut to 155 very easily. I would say his weight cut is going to be one of the harder ones. And lightweight, you're not going to get a lot of last minute fights with him. I think he's going to fight Justin Gagee, just a hunch with Tony Ferguson tied up with Charles Olivera, Connor McGregor tied up with Dustin Porier, Habib's a mystery, Dan Hooker's a mystery. So RDAs will probably fight someone, but I have a feeling it's going to be Michael Chandler versus Justin Gage, World Series of Fighting versus Bellator.

inside a UFC Octagon. Jedd, your thoughts? So two things. First, I think that you, that makes sense to me. I think he is going to fight Justin Gagey. And if you follow him on social media this morning or last night, he posted that he was beginning his training camp Monday. Yep. So he's going to be coming in soon. The second thing, really important for fans who apparently don't know this, fighters don't owe you a damn thing.

so if they want to not fight because they've spent the last eight weeks or eight months in a series of training camps and they want to take some time off to let their body heal, spend time with their family, that's totally okay. And that's fine. So him, oh, look, the flyweight's turned around quickly. Like, whatever, dude. Like, that's what Davis and Figurato did. People are not the same.

They have lived very different lives and are working towards different goals and have different incentive structure. So he's taking his time for whatever reason that may be, and that's totally okay, because whoever he does fight, the fight's going to be awesome. I'm not even a big microchamber guy, but he's just a top lightweight

and he's going to fight another top lightweight sometime before next summer, certainly. So it'll be an awesome fight. And you just kind of got to hold your horses until it happens. I've heard a few rumors and rumblings, but none of this is confirmed whatsoever, but I've heard a few people say that they're hearing rumors of Saturday, Wednesday, Saturday, Fight Island thing, kind of like they did in Jacksonville. So Fight Card Saturday, Fight Card, Wednesday, Fight Card Saturday.

Which would be a lot of work. If that is the case, I would assume, and this is all assumptions, Connor, Poy would be the first Saturday, because they would want a whole week of media. They don't want to break it all up with the Wednesday card. The Wednesday, I would love, if Chandler is fighting Gagey, Chandler-Gachie, five rounds on the Wednesday or Saturday, either one, because that would mean those four are still sort of on the same timeline. Tony was only like a month ahead. So all those top lightweights would be like a month apart in terms of time frame.

And then I don't know who the other main event would be. Don't really care because it'll be a fun fight probably. But that's, if that's the case, stick Chandler versus, I want to see Chandler. I saw some of the comments section saying co-made event, USC 257. I want Chandler Gachie five rounds If they do want to fight in January I would like it to be on them But they are both very pro

US of A So if they want to stick those two guys In the Middle East to fight Might be a little weird But it's not like they have to do a lot of media And fans would get to watch that fight So it would be a lot of fun Hopefully it's five rounds

Casey your thoughts I'm not actually in love of Chandler Gachey I just want to see the I just want to see both of those gentlemen fight if they fight each other cool I'm just kind of tired of talking about Michael Chandler and potential matchups, honestly. I'm just, I'm just like, all right, let's do it.

I'm like, I'm just like, he can buy RDA, he could buy a hooker. I'm like, cool, cool, cool, you know, I don't care, honestly. No. I just think at this point, it's just process of elimination. All the other lightweights are booked up. Gage doesn't have a fight. Chandler was there for his fight. They both cut weight the exact same time.

The timelines are there. I saw them chatting on the plane on the way back from Abu Dhabi. make it happen. Okay. But I like to point out, but you said, look at the fly weights at UFC 256. That hasn't happened yet. They have made weight.

That is, yeah, very true. Which goes into their next question. From Tristan Gordette with the weight cut from the YouTube comments. So the weight cut being a possible issue from Figuerino versus Moreno, champions gets top villain, heading into headlining UFC 256. Why not just do a N-T? What is a non title fight? Esmerman event. El Cucui versus El L. Avera.

They've done it before. Well, it's a pay-per-view. I don't think, like, Tony Ferguson, Charles Olivera, as awesome as that fight is, is going to be enough to people that shell out $65. We just had this conversation with the UFC 255. A, if you have a championship, I know we all disagree on, like, the championship, a title is just basically, like, employee of the month. The UFC doesn't necessarily mean you are the best fighter. you just happen to have the belt.

Sometimes it works out, like Habib, John Jones, Valentina. They are the best fighter and they happen to have the belt. If you have a belt, you should headline a co-main event. I just think it's the right thing to do. If they are all four, these two fights are still on the same card, Tony Ferguson versus Charles Oliver in a three-round fight, headlining over a five-round title fight would be a little bizarre. Jed, your thoughts.

The issue here, and we talked about this on Between the Links, I'm a company man, you should go watch that. is that this is this shouldn't be the pay-per-view when this was originally you know this started as two title fights and it was Amanda Nunes on there and it was the Usman Burns and that was going to be a sick event definitely the pay-per-view now both of those fights are gone we're replacing it with a flyway title fight and the co-main event is pretty decent like it's a it's a really fun fight but it's not like the most important or a fight that's really going to get fans super jacked for Ferguson versus Olivera.

I think that's more of a hardcore fan delight. This just shouldn't be the pay-per-view. They should make the December 19th card that fight night that's headlined by Hamzaa Chamea, the new hot shit on the block versus Leon Edwards, the guy who frankly deserves a welterweight title fight over Gilbert Burns. So they should just do that swap. And then, yeah, Davis and Figurato can headline a fight night card. That'll be great.

That totally fits with kind of where he's at in his career. He's still the headliner. as he should be, because I totally agree with you on that. But like I said, we talked about this in between the links. 256 is going to sell like 100,000 pay-per-view as currently constructed. And if they just put the December 19th card instead on pay-per-view, I think that thing does two to 300,000 buys and makes a lot more sense because the December 19th card is hot fire.

So, yeah, that's where I stand. Yeah. Okay, so your thoughts? Yeah, what Jed said. You see 256 has a lot of fun undercard fights There is a good chance that figure I think Moreno is going to be fine But figurato seriously might not make weight for 256

And that's gonna suck because Yeah but then it's gonna be that whole Oh, Figurato sucks, he can't make way He's not the real champ It's like well he got put into position And obviously throwing some money And he's going for it But it might not happen so

I'm Until literally until they walk into the KGV he does make weight because then we have to worry about the rehydration process. There's a lot of things that could go wrong for 256. He has said all Fight Week when I was there that he has spent a large amount of the money he's gotten on his nutrition and weight cutting. So he said that's the biggest thing he's done.

So I feel much more confident of Figurato making weight in December 2020 than I did, well, back in February when he fought Joe B the first time. So I think he will make weight. I think that fight's going to be awesome. There are a lot of fun fights on the prelims in the undercard. Looks like a real good ESPN card, if I do say so myself. Like JDS Serial Gons, awesome.

Dern Janderoba's awesome. Oh, yes. Quintillo and Gavin Tucker have some sort of issue with each other. I'm not quite 100% sure what that's about. Tisha Torres, Angela Hill. Lys Moikano and Fiziv is finally coming back. Sounds like a good ESPN card, though. Yeah, it's a pretty solid ESPN card, and they should just swap them.

I don't think they're going to do it because they won't. They can't ever think outside the box like that, but they should just swap these vets. They did it for when Kane Verdome 2 fell out. They made, of the main event, can't remember the year. And Hendrix Wonderboy became the new main event because it was elevated. They just made that a fight night. Yeah. And that was kind of the emergence of Wonderboy because I think that was...

They didn't have a title to put atop it. At least this time they have a title so they can still think it out. Hmm, a strong Pokemon. Okay. Nautro's power level is equal to a strong Pokemon. That's, well, my Pokemon knowledge ends at number 150 or 151 if you want to, you know, whatever. We don't get into it, but so I don't know. Mew or like...

No, Mew is the original Pokemon. He's a Pokemon one That all they're kind of awesome And now there's like all this other lore And you can like upgrade and everything I'm not quite I'm not 100% sure I would have to have my brother's much more into it

So yeah I you could be right I just don't want to give out In incorrect information without all of the details Again Same person Strong Pokemon Will trash anyone from the knowledge universe

You may be right I just don't know because I don't really consume Pokemon. But I, so my knowledge ends at 150. So all those ones, no way. That still makes you the Pokemon expert on this particular broadcast. That's true. That's true.

Oh, me and Sean Al Shadi got into a little argument on Twitter about it because he was giving out incorrect information to fans on the original 150 Pokemon. After Han, Sean, exactly, our son, our son, Sean. from after hasmat, so this man means Hamzot, Louis, Louelli, Louis, Louis, Louis, after hazmat runs through Edwards, if the UFC continues this two-division contender gimmick going, who should he fight a middleweight to break into the top ten as well? Well, if he beats Leon Edwards, I guarantee he's going to get a welterweight title shot. But for the sake of this question, Jed, who would be the equivalent of beating Leon Edwards in middleweight? I mean, the equivalent would be beating Robert Whitaker

just because both he and Leon Edwards have been very successful in the division and deserve a title fight and are not getting the title fight that they deserve. I mean, sure, if you want to run that, I guess do that, why not? I think if he was going to go back to middleweight, though, they probably give him like, Darren Till or maybe Canaanee or, you know, top five guy there.

But I think the closest comp would be Whitaker. Also, I think the idea that he's going to run through Leon Edwards is questionable at best. Well, Leon Edwards is sitting number three welterweight. The number three middleway apparently is Jared Cannon. He's coming off an arm break against Robert Whitaker. Paulo Koss is coming off a loss. Joel Romero, I think he's going to go to light heavyweight. Darren Till's injured.

I honestly think that Derek Brunson, comparison would be a good one too because Derek Brunson has been calling for to fight everyone in the top 10 and no one's answering he called out Paulo Costa he called out Hamzaa Shamaiov he called out Kananer he's down to fight anyone he called out Robert Whitaker again so I actually think Derek Brunson's a good one umzat versus Brunson I think would be a scrap uh case of your thoughts I already have an opinion on this it's just this is a little too many ifs to me for me sure I just if I just I'm that writing their head words is that's let's get let's get there first and well yeah this is leant this is I've said this a thousand times on like every show we've done this is the first real welterweight that Hamzathemaev has fought he fought two middle weights and a light weight yeah he fought two middle weights and then a lightweight that went up to welterweight this is the first welterweight he's fought okay because mr. McKeys awesome I think he's I think what's up? it's the first good fighter he's fought

Reese McKee is a good fighter he's just a prospect he will be fine but he's not like a good fighter sure sure sure sure I think is a good to great fighter like if Reese McKee and Hamza Ashimae have rematch like five years from now

wouldn't surprise me because I have I think Reese but I'd also think Reese McKee is lightweight and that's where he should be also one of Hamza Ashemaya's is a victim is no longer in the UFC. I can't remember his name off the top of my head.

The guy he beat first. White Mike Tyson? Tom Phillips? Yes. There he is. Yeah. You, a fine fighter, John Phillips. Is he?

I don't know. I'm just being... Fight circus. All right, finally. A need... As we run out of time. Aeneid Seranga. Fight circus 20-30 main event.

DJ and Figurino versus Francis and Gano, who you guys think would win, who wins, and how. So, Jed, you... We're going to... use this opportunity to give you all the time in the world you want to talk fight circus that just happens. For those of you in our comment section who don't know what it is, I'm

sure Jed will fill you in. And then you can answer this man's question that you want. If there any other possible fights you want to see, but let's not forget this man's specific question is Fight Circus 2030. Jed, floor is yours. Let me just address the question out of the gate here

because this past weekend at Fight Circus which is a collaboration between Full Metal Dojo and Cam and is one of the most majestic things that's entered to mix. Before, don't search cam soda at work. Yeah, don't do that. Absolutely. Don't search fight circus at work either, frankly.

Incognito mode. But it doesn't take itself seriously at all because it's not. It can only loosely be described as mixed martial arts, but it can be entirely described as awesome. and in it this past weekend their first event they did a two-on-one-fight. It went exactly how you would anticipate a two-on-one fight going. This weekend, they had another two-on-one fight that was far more competitive, featuring the same two guys from the first two-on-one fight against this different opponent

who was just way better at fighting, apparently. And then they up the ante and did a three-on-one fight, and there were some special stipulations in there as well. But the short answer is, I have my entire life just assume that the two people will always beat the one person, even given a huge size disparity, because really, if you have any kind of tactics or thoughts, all you have to do is get one, one of the guys just has to, like, restrict a limb or movement on the solo fighter, and then that frees up the other guy to just do whatever he pleases, usually just grabbing a throat or a neck or something like that. But this, now I'm, now I'm questioning it because it's such for the competitive nature of these fights that I don't know, maybe Francis Ngano, who is clearly a much better fighter than either of the lone gentleman who competed this past weekend, maybe he can just like jaw myty mouse right out of the gate. And then if that happens, it's just one-on-one figurato versus Inganu. And I got to say, I'm going to favor Ingano in those circumstances.

So I would still lean towards the two fighters versus the one fighter, but Francis Ngano is basically a Martian who hits people harder than anyone in the history of the world. So he's got a chance. But beyond that, fight circus is amazing. It does a lot of really weird and stupid things. Sometimes it doesn't work. Frankly, many times it doesn't work. But they also just do a lot of things that do work or are,

low-key really interesting, even though you think that they're ridiculous. Like, they did a leg-kicking contest this past weekend. It was just Rochambeau of leg kicks. Like, two guys kicked each other, like, back and forth until one quit. And it was honestly frigging captivating. Like, it's the stupidest thing. It is the sort of thing that you would do if you got drunk with your buddies and we're bored, and maybe you filmed it to put it on YouTube.

They just made a fight promotion out of it. and I'm really here for that and I hope you guys are too and pretty soon they're going to put that event up on YouTube for you to go watch this past weekend and spoiler Bob Sapp shows up at the end of it

and who's not here for Bob Sapp in 2020? Oh my gosh. Well said Jen. I do have a question because I haven't got to watch it yet. I obviously got the press release about it and I was reading it and I was like this just and I'm like

why do I have to work when this is on right? now. Me and Oscar Willis for the MacLife. We're just like, oh, can we just reschedule this paper? Why don't I have to watch the two best fly weights in the world? Steve made me live while the damn event while I was trying to watch fight circuits.

What was women what was women's Indian leg wrestling? Oh, it is. So did you ever do that? To put it into context, the press release said that they're two fitness models who will show up in the best of five Indian leg wrestling tournament.

And verbatim, the press release says, what is Indian leg wrestling? Find out soon only at fight circus. So I'm like, well, I have absolutely no idea what that is. So, Jed, what was Indian leg wrestling? I had no idea either. So do you ever do that stupid game when you're kids and you sit parallel to each other but facing the opposite way? So like, this is you and your legs are here.

and then you lift up the leg and then you come across and try and leverage the other one over there's just that does that make sense so they did that like five rounds of it until somebody won

but that's not like a cut like after the first one happens you know how the rest of them are going to go yeah yeah yeah it's not like it's better tactics like the person who won the first one just rolled stayed for another couple of times it should be uh do you know who's the qualm barclays

yeah yeah Of course I know. The winner. He was making fantasy this year. Hey, me too. Hey, me too. High five on sadness. Yeah.

No, it should be a, it should be a, like, you win, you stay. And the end game is you have to do Indian leg wrestling against Sequan Barclay. Dude, I like, so I would, I would watch the absolute shit out of Kayuan versus Nick Chubb in Indian leg wrestling. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Who's that cat on? on the Redskins. He was the number two pick. Oh, my God,

out of Ohio State. Yeah, man. I watched, for whatever reason, I'm weird and I just watch, I watched football highlights, like, daily during football season.

I don't think that makes you weird. I kind of think that makes you probably more normal than most of all. Yeah, you watch, you watch American. You're American. Yeah, and I'm like,

this man is a freak of nature. Miles Garrett, too, would be fun. Anyway. Before we let you go, Jed, any other fights that you want to see on Fight Circus, any ideas you have that we haven't got to see yet. Who would win?

We'd answer the actual question. Who would win? I think the two best flyweights in the world would beat France. I agree. I agree. The question is can work together, though, because what if there's a low-key simmering beef there? And then, like, because what would really be the funniest thing in the world is if, like, very quietly, Figgy Small just, like, hated Demetri.

or whatever he is. He was like, all right, you take left, I'll take right. And then he just doesn't go and let's mighty mouse just run into Bracconi. Or better yet, Davidson Figurato just planks real hard because he has abs are insane. And Francis got to pick him up like a weapon. It's right. I could see if it was, if it was Figy and Ceuto or anyone in Sehudo. I can see any flyweight like, yeah, Henry, you do that and I'll do this.

Yeah. Yeah. It would be awesome. I'm so here for it. Beyond that, though, so they've already gotten, they're doing a fight circus three. What's it called? They've thrown out ridiculous ideas that I would be here for. A fight in a bouncy castle was one of them that I heard John Cutt say.

And I, a long time ago in the missed fist column that me and A.K. Lee do, I argue very strong. for doing a fight on a slip and slide. And I were, just because that would be hilarious, like, it's not going to be good, but it will be funny. I really, really like to see that happen. That'd just be excellent. Kicks only, kicks only, though. Slip and skis only.

Legitimately, like, so all nonsense aside, the kicking only fights that they've had in two fights services have been awesome. Like, they have been really interesting, fun fights to watch. granted, we're not talking about like elite-level competitors here, but it is very different if you're just like, oh, yeah, they can't punch each other. All they can do is kick each other because there's enough diversity in attacks. Like, they did a spinning attacks only,

and it didn't work out super well because you can just back away when someone starts spinning. So it's hard to get offense generated. They need to do it in a smaller area to like make it so you just sort of have to take it or defend. But the kick-only fight, like there's such a diversity to it. it's been awesome and like every time the kick only fight they call it human cockfighting it's it's the best like i can't wait for a kick fight only league it's gonna be awesome i think they should do i'm sure you guys have heard seen all the means of uh when joe rogan talks about mixed martial arts like they should fight in a football field with no time limit no hands no i mean no glove

wrap so no hands make it happen make it happen fight circus have two people fight on a football field with no time limit and no gloves. I'm in. I'm in. You only win by picking. You win by throwing the other person through the field goal post. Who would win an all-kicking fight?

D.C. versus Edson Barbosa. Edson-Barboza. Oh, my God. That is such a good fight. Edson-Barbosa. Oh, my God. That's such a good fight. You don't answer me.

Just think about it all week. We'll return to it. Kicking fight, Edson Barbosa or Stefan Struth? Edson Barbosa versus Stefan Struth kicking contest. I mean, I'm still just going to take Barbosa, but that's... Me too. That's fun. Like, this is the kind of insane nonsense you get a fight circus.

That's why I'm here for it. Because they don't have the same toys to play with. They don't have Edson Barbosa, but they can just sit around and say, all right, what if we just had a really tall guy, I find a really short guy, but he was never allowed to get off of his knees. Like, they can just do that. And that's probably what happened. You love to see it.

Yeah, I like that idea. Like Edson Barbosa versus D.C., but Edson Barbosa can only spin. DC versus Edson Barbosa. Edson Barbosa can only wrestle and D.C. can only throw leg kicks. there you go. Oh, my God. What a fight. What of Edson Barbosa's wrestling

versus D.C.'s leg kicks would be a scrap. Just to see Edson Barbosa shoot a double on D.C. Oh, my God. Anyway, we've gone 10 minutes overtime, and that's what happens when we get on Fight Circus Talk. Any other questions we have before we call it a week, Casey? I know we have... You know, actually, we had media day coming.

We have one... Oh, yeah, I got it. Yeah, actually one question about Saturday's fights. It's actually to answer one question. Stephen Austas, why do people believe, on the YouTube comments, why do people believe UFC wants Lewis to K.O. Curtis? More times or not, the grappler will beat him. Also, Lewis has the clout from his hot balls run,

and he could rub them on Curtis. Well, I see what you did there. I think for sure the UFC does not want Curtis Blades to win, because Derek Lewis is way more marketable and way more popular. Curse Blades after his last performance against Volkov. Dana White was not happy whatsoever because Curse Blades talked to all that greasiness, but I'm not caring about what fans say.

It just wants the win. And he went out there and just Ben Ashman. Dominated. Volkov. Had no issues with it. Obviously, it was the most exciting fight, but a win is a win. Absolutely dominated. And him and Derek Lewis have a lot of beef, a lot of greasiness.

Derek Lewis actually scored the fight, 5-0 for Volkov. If you had it, if you weren't aware. Hey, fighters should be judges, man. That's what I keep saying. Fighters should be judges. They know what it's like to be in there. So, Jed, does the UFC want Derek Lewis to knock out Curtis Blades? Of course.

For all the reasons you said. That's pretty obvious. They tolerate Curtis Blades. They like Derek Lewis. Plus, you know, Curtis Blades is like very, very quietly just winning enough to demand a title shot. And he's not going to get one because of where he's. it's behind France and Ghanu. So a Lewis win would kind of tidy that situation up right there for them,

but they don't always get what they want. They're not getting what they want this weekend. I agree. I agree. Also, Curtis Blades is Owen 2 versus France and Gano. So Francis is anywhere near a title shot. Curtis Blades is not going to be anywhere near a title shot. And saying he's Owen 2 against Nagano is putting it very positive.

That's the most positive because those elves are bad Owen 2. Like he took. Yeah, he got crushed and then he wasn't the first fight of decision. Oh, did he make it? Oh, no. It was a doctor stoppage. It was a doctor stoppage. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. In Croatia. Who did they, like, Camara thing on? What was that? Yeah, it was early on, back when he had the coroner was still. Yeah.

Anthony Hamilton, which is exactly who I thought it would be. Before we go, because I want, I want to clarify two things. Someone says, despite Carlislew. It was a fight about this weekend as he's fighting this weekend and Suzanne longtime commenter says we haven't asked Jed the most important question We always ask new guests Jed I'm sure you've heard the question before every time we have a new guess we we get this question asked If you have in a hypothetical world a hand cannon a la Megaman's met you know who Mega Man is right? Yeah, sure do Yeah, allah Mega Man style and you can have one flavor of ice cream shoot out of the hand cannon and

to solve world hunger what flavor are you picking and keep in mind it is not a continuous stream it is one it's like boom do scoop yeah so it's not soft serve it's scoop it's a scoop canned can it's important what flavor of ice cream are you picking

uh I had I thought I hadn't I thought I had the correct answer and then Israel Adisanya and Brad Riddell changed my mind when we were on Fight Fight Island Can I just clarify you ask this question to literally everybody who's first time every new guest every new guest every new guest

I can honestly say I have never once given this particular set of circumstances a thought and I'm the goal is to cure world hunger yes that's that's the target here that is the end goal then I guess I want to be as like do I have to pick like an actual ice cream flavor

and I pick something yeah no you can't it has to be an actual flavor ice cream you can go to your local store and buy I mean, I'm just going to go with vanilla. That's boring. You sound like Pizza Carol. It's the most mundane of the choices. So I feel like that.

The answer, for a long time, I thought the answer would have to be something with a lot of, like, pieces in it. Because it would obviously, you'd fill up faster, like cookies and cream or, like, the Reesey peanut butter one or chocolate fudge brownie. And that was my answer for a long time. And then Israel-Azani and Brad Riddell was like, why not make it Napoliton? because that's three flavors and one scoop. You get vanilla, you get chocolate, and you get strawberry. I'm a big fan of strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate together. So I think that is my new answer.

Because you get three flavors, one scoop. I changed my mind. It's Reese's peanut butter cup. That's a good answer, too. Mainly, you see, like, world hunger. I need, like, peanut butter is at least a protein that you can give to people. So it feels like that might be the right now.

See, when you think about it, you do. have the answer. Vanilla's the incorrect answer. You got the Casey, didn't you say like pistachio or something? I enjoy chocolate chip mint. Because I don't, I don't care about hunger. I just want to, I want to see, it's like the little mint chips are like shrapnel and I'm just like give you cuts and everything, you know, so you could also use it to defend yourself. That's smart. I feel like Casey. I mean,

I get to use that as a weapon regardless of what I'm shooting out of it though. That's that four, that's that 40 chest thinking. Anyway, this has been Jose. That's Jed. That's Case. You can find us on Spotify, YouTube, Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, all that fun stuff. We'll see you next Wednesday. Stick around.

Go watch Jed Mishu, lose on between the links. And then we'll be back next week on the A-side. Peace. Rude. You're listening to the Vox Media Podcast Network.