MORNING KOMBAT WITH LUKE THOMAS AND BRIAN CAMPBELL - Volkanovski-Holloway 3 | Sterling vs. Yan 2 | Shobox | Quick Hitters | Ep. 249

Episode Date: January 7, 2022

On Episode 249 of Morning Kombat Luke and Brian break down the recent fights added to UFC 272. Which fight are they more excited for Alexander Volkanovski vs. Max Holloway 3 or Aljamain Sterling vs. Petr Yan 2? Next up the guys preview Shobox's card this weekend which features 6 undefeated fighters. The boys close out the main topics with some quick hitters then move to Dead Wrong and a Homework review of "Almost Famous". You won't want to miss this episode. Morning Kombat’ is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Castbox, Google Podcasts, Bullhorn and wherever else you listen to podcasts.    For more Combat Sports coverage subscribe here: youtube.com/MorningKombat   Follow our hosts on Twitter: @BCampbellCBS, @lthomasnews, @MorningKombat    For Morning Kombat gear visit:morning kombat.store   Follow our hosts on Instagram: @BrianCampbell, @lukethomasnews, @MorningKombat  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Introducing the new McSpicy from McDonald's. It looks like a regular chicken sandwich, but it's actually a spicy chicken sandwich. McSpicy. Consider yourself warned. Limited time only at participating McDonald's in Canada. Reveille, reveille, dogs. Look at us now, tip to tip. This is our life. This is our passion.

That's the spirit we bring to this show. I'm Luke Thomas. I'm Brian Campbell. This is Morning Combat. Well, it really wouldn't be MK if we didn't start 15 minutes late because my equipment fell apart. But we're back. It's Friday, January 7th, 2022,

a day after an anniversary that will live in infamy for most of the world. But it was a celebration for most of our listeners, Luke. It's Morning Combat. My name is Brian Campbell, the big beige one, live and direct from Orlando, Florida, ahead of tonight's Showbox, the new generation card on Showtime, and you know the guy

sitting next to me, at least metaphorically. Certainly not physically. He's an incredible analyst. He's also an old bitch. It's Luke Thomas, everybody. Hey, Luke, how are you? Let's act like I didn't just have a meltdown,

alright? I might be an old bitch, but only one of us can claim to have done the lion's share of complaining this morning. Yeah, sorry to my team, but the only time you see bitch-ass BC come out is when the equipment falls apart. But, Luke, we've got a show filler for you today, getting you set up for a very light weekend in combat sports, looking at the biggest stories, the headlines in MMA and boxing. And what else we got? Oh, the homework assignment this week, Luke. So you saw Almost Famous, Luke. You saw it.

I did. I watched it. We're ready to talk about it. I'm going to be very interested to see if you saw this as the near cinematic classic that the critics did, or you thought this was a bunch of pussy bullshit. We'll find out later today in today's show. Hey, morningcombat.store is a great place. You want to buy this?

You want to see our stuff? We got new merch coming, but right now I'm told, Luke, the final crumbs in the cabinet left over from the holiday season. If you're going to buy that shit, you want to see our face on a pair of draws? Alright? You can buy that right now.combat.store we're cleaning house for the new ideas the new shipments that were coming in similar to what morning combat did in the combat

podcasting and digital show space luke we kicked the others out and uh you know started taking home some big hardware but luke did it stop at the World MMA Awards? Did it stop? It did not. It did not. It continues. Can't stop, won't stop would be the response Luke should have said. Because here's the deal.

They want us to win another major award. And when I say they, it's the critics, it's the fans, it's the people. Head on over to sportspodcastawards.com right now if you care. And I know you do because Morning Combat has been up for consideration with I believe seven or five other prominent global combat sports shows for best combat sports podcast you want to know who we're competing against how about Ariel Helwani how about the MMA hour okay it gets it gets real now. It gets real. No, we ain't dancing on the grave of DC and Helwani, okay?

We put that show out of business and held up the hardwood to end 2021. Now we're going head to head once more. This is Ariel Solo and a bunch of other great shows. Go to sportspodcastawards.com. And Luke, our bosses love this stuff. You know that. So I've been told that we win this award and we're going live in Vegas again this summer.

And it's going to be a big deal. Fans, full live show. I mean, it's going to be an MK experience if we can raise up a second piece of, you know, we can do that thing. Luke, do you care about this at all? Yeah. If it gets us a live show in Vegas, I care about it. Sure. I mean, it's a chance for our Piest of P1 fans to show up,

bring their flowers, drink out of shoes with us, do weird things, take pictures with us. It's an opportunity. SportsPodcastAwards.com. Luke, it'll get to the point where you know what can't morning combat win I mean I don't think we're going to win a Nobel Peace Prize anytime soon Luke but um you know we have something right now called momentum and irrational swagger and that can get that can get dangerous Luke there's nothing like somebody totally convinced of their

own future even when that future is not really promised or even real. You know what I'm saying? Yeah. It's a good place to be until it all falls apart. LT, it's a weird time for combat sports. That's why we do awards and movie reviews. How are you holding up? Are you ready for the fight to come?

Because the calendar is starting to fill up. It's going to get real soon. Yeah. I mean, the good news is I've got a lot of home projects I'm working on, so's not like I'm not busy but yes I am ready for the fights to return and so we can have more things to talk about than me talking about the fact that I have things to do at home all right like the show please subscribe on YouTube if you listen on audio only including Apple podcast Spotify why don't you go over and put a nice review in for us a little five-star review as well it all helps at the end of the day you can follow us on social i'm sure you saw that below and also uh one of the one of

the fine labels that pays us showtime.com you want to go 30 days free oh what's in it for me i don't know how about bellator mma world class action showtime championship boxing uh billions uh how about this new dexter series that people are going nuts over? And how about this tonight, Luke? 9 p.m. Eastern and Pacific. Your boy BC making the debut on Showbox. So a lot of reason to take a free 30-day plunge. And if you like it, you know what's hip. If you don't, you know, there's probably some sand in the desert for you to pound for days on end, right?

That's right. And you're probably going to get COVID tonight if you haven't already had it. So enjoy that. All right. Hey, Luke, I'm in Florida. It's very Florida down here. And thank you, Florida, for having me.

All right. Let's see if this McDonald's Wi-Fi holds up indeed. Luke, we do have a bit of news this week, and it starts right here. UFC 272 looks to be a monster ahead of us. Yes, we know we got Ngannou Gan coming up. We've got Whitaker Adesanya too. But circle the calendar for March 5th. It's going to go down to T-Mobile in Las Vegas. Luke, here are the main and co-main events that, according to Brett Okamoto, who talked to one Dana White,

your main event for a third time, Alexander Volkanovsky defends the featherweight title. The second time he'll be defending it against Max Holloway. We need this fight. We want this fight. It's here. The trilogy, no matter how you scored the first two, no matter how many times you watch their close rematch. And Luke, this co-main event, which we can get to in a delayed second,

but Aljamain Sterling, Peyotre, Jan, Part Deux, two big-time rematches. It's a loaded card beyond that, but your initial reaction, because you are so dialed in on this great rivalry, Alex, Max, we do it a third time. Yeah, I mean, I made this point on Twitter. I think it's worth stating again. This is one of the better title fights in that division's history.

Now, obviously, Aldo's got some really important ones and the division is not that old so we're not talking about a whole lot of title fights but still this is certainly one of the most important title fights that division's history and it's arguably the most important not including Aldo that's sort of the significance here that I would I would point to here I don't think it's on par with like McGregor-Aldo, but it's a big deal because you've got the guys that both beat Aldo to be the new generation of fighter at 145 pounds still kind of duking it out for supremacy.

Who is going to be this guy? People were asking me yesterday, if Max wins, are they going to have to do another one right away? Probably not, but BC, we've seen guys fight four or five times in boxing. We haven't seen a lot of that in high level MMA, but you might end up seeing that with Max if he ends up winning. I think if he loses, that changes the equation. That might push him to lightweight or some other place. Cause I don't know how, I'm not saying you couldn't get a title shot if you lost three times in a row, but, or, you know, three ultimate times, but you know, it's going to be hard. But I

will say, BC, if Max wins, this is one of those questions about, historically, who the dominant heir to Aldo was. And more importantly, I think it might set up a situation where we have these guys just meet over and over again because they are the two best featherweights that we know of, and there's no one else that can really challenge them. You know, it would be nice because, obviously, you obviously you mentioned we don't see it a lot in boxing where you get as high as three four or five fights I mean Pacquiao Marquez is just it was an epic but back in the day in boxing Luke you know think you know Sugar Ray Robinson and Jake LaMotta and all those guys from that era they fought each other four or five six times will we ever see that on the super elite level in MMA? I'm not sure,

but what also makes this unique is this has to be the first time on the title level or really in any major form that somebody's lost to the same guy twice. Sometimes there's a draw, right, in Maynard against Edgar that we see it a few more times, but look, two losses and get the third fight. Obviously, I think Max deserves it, and this is the right way to go, but this is very historically unique. Am I forgetting any major reference to this in MMA where somebody could lose twice and get the third opportunity? Shevchenko, if she gets it against Nunes, would be that case, right? That would be one of those situations if it ends up coming to fruition. Well, that's the thing. Ioana could get a third one at Rose. There's a few of those that are popping up, but have we ever seen it before?

Are you confirmed on this? I don't think we have. I don't know if we've ever... I would be speaking out of turn to say I know for sure. But to your point, it is exceedingly rare. And at the lighter... If it's happened at all, BC, it's happened at like 185 and above or something.

We're talking about the lighter weight classes, which again are newer, but also very, very, very stacked. These are difficult fighters to beat. These are difficult circumstances. This is, in many ways, brave new territory. Yeah. Look, I'm just hoping this whole set holds together. I've got to apologize to Corey for losing my ship before this show, all right? It's okay, dude. It happens,

man. Your set was a disaster. They didn't give you great... Oh, Vanderlei and Rampage. Vanderlei won the first two then lost the third. Yes, that would be an example. That's a good call. It's a good call. It's so rare, but a great reference for the highest level. Luke, we need this rematch. I'm very happy they're doing it.

Volkanovski, I think, is in a different place because of the Ortega fight. Maybe I'm overvaluing that angle, Luke, but the toughness he showed. I feel like Volkanovski kicked the door closed for even the pettiest of criticisms you could have against him as a fighter. Even for me as a pro-Max guy in this rivalry. Yeah, I thought he lost the first fight, but it was very close. But, you know, I thought he won the rematch. I've been the guy saying Max deserves this.

Even from that standpoint, Volkanovski has to come in as the betting favorite, Luke. Has to. Yes, I would agree. I would agree. I think, I mean, the judges have decided that of the 10 rounds these two have fought, Volkanovski has won the majority of them. I think by virtue of that, whether or not you agree or anyone else out there agrees, by virtue of that, that will probably put him in the advantageous betting position, or at least the favorite there. But what I would say to that is, whatever favoritism he gets in terms of the odds

will be very insignificant. This is as close to a pick-em as you can get. The second fight was closer than the first one I expect the third fight to be as equally if not the close but I'll say unpredictable about where it could go and what could happen here this is in many ways the most interesting fight of the three in many ways the the third fight often is but uh yeah it's a big deal it's a huge deal hugely significant fight right out of the gate first quarter it's a big deal. It's a huge deal. Hugely significant fight right out of the gate. First quarter. It's a big deal. Here's what's crazy. When you can beat an all-time great more

than once within their prime, meaning when Frankie Edgar beat BJ Penn twice in a row, or when Max Holloway beat Jose Aldo twice in a row, you're like, that's an, that's a career defining stretch for anybody right there. Volkanovski, who was already right in there, one, two, or three for pound-for-pound in the world, and seems to be getting closer to knocking on the idea of a historical legacy here of an all-time great fighter. Three wins over a prime Max Holloway, no matter how close they were, Luke,

that would be pretty damn incredible. Seriously, that's the good shit right there. That would be super incredible. And by the way, so the judges for the rematch were Mark Collette, David Letheby, and Clemens Werner. The judges for the first fight between Volkanovski and Holloway were Michael Bell, Junichiro Kimijo, and Chris Lee. Why do I bring this up? Because you've got six different names. You might have three more to add to that,

which is a thing I want to point out. If Volkanovski wins, that will have been nine different judges over the course of three fights that thought he did enough work. I am hoping. I don't have a dog in the fight. If Max wins, I think that's great.

If Volkanovski wins, it's great too. What I mean to say, though, is there's a lot of people who believe he's kind of been getting lucky with the judges. I'll just say this. If you have three different fights with nine judges and you win all three, I'm not saying they weren't close or even debatable to an extent, but the right guy didn't lose after three of those if you have those conditions in place. Absolutely.

I hope we get some straight shooters in those judging chairs luke like like alec baldwin you don't know we don't need adelaide bird back here okay i'm making alec baldwin killing a person on set joke that is it too soon if it's too soon i'll move on luke okay all right it's not it's not so much that's too soon more just that i just didn't think it was funny but it did be the arbiter of good taste on this show please kind sir. All right. Hey, Luke, that co-main event is obviously a big deal, and it's a complicated one because, of course, the fallout of the DQ win

for Aljamain Sterling, who was down on the cards, and didn't seem like at the moment he was heading in the right direction against Peyotr Jan. Luke, Jan has gone on to double down on where he stands. I think he's the best man in the world, even though he only has the interim belt. But here's my question heading into this rematch, which we need to cure the bottleneck atop this very loaded and deep division,

probably the deepest in the game. How much are we going to overlook Sterling's chances coming into this because of that narrative that got painted out following the DQ loss? Probably a lot. Folks were asking yesterday, like, oh, what, you know, do you like how he's handled himself since getting the belt? It's like, I'm not really sure with the amount of time that he's had since getting the belt that he really had. Okay. Could he have done things differently? I guess. But did he do things that egregiously? I don't think so. More, it's just folks were upset at the nature of how he was handed the belt to begin with,

which some believe came from malingering in a moment when he shouldn't have, again, allegedly malingered. So that has affected how he has viewed. The question you have to ask yourself is what could he have done in terms of overall skill building between the first and second fight to get a better result? I'm not sure what. In terms of fight approach, dialing it back from that first round he had the last time, I mean, the first round the last time was so overwhelming. Jan didn't have a chance to win, but it also, or at least that round, but it guaranteed that Aljamain would fade, in which case that's terrible against a guy like Jan.

How do you balance that a little more equitably to get a result? I think he can probably do better. I'm just very skeptical of the idea that he can beat Peter Jan. Jan, one of the best defensive wrestlers, one of the best scramblers, much better striker, much better tactician over the course of five rounds. It's just hard to see why he would lose in this one, even if I grant that Sterling is a threat, you certainly could not overlook. Yeah, I wish we weren't here.

I wish we weren't here at this spot having to repair this hole, but let's give Sterling his chance just the same. And, you know, Luke, you wonder, whoever's going to win this fight, if they can close out this calendar year as champion, they're going to be right there in the hunt for fighter of the year because this division is so loaded that there are some cobras poised and ready, Luke. I know you're not watching

Cobra 565. It's just incredible. I know you're not watching it because you're an ageist in some degree. Who could find the lives of American teens interesting? It's like the least interesting people on Earth. Jeffrey Epstein. Yes, I mean, just who could find the lives of American teens interesting? It's like the least interesting people on Earth.

Jeffrey Epstein. Yes, I suppose. But even then, it's their lives he didn't care about. But March 5th. Granted, we have some time between now and then. But you've got Volkanovski Holloway, Sterling Yan. Then you've got Bryce Mitchell versus Edson Barboza. Dude, that's a great fight.

That's fantastic. Sick fight. Jessica, I take it on Manon Fiorot, the French woman I've been sort of hyping up. How about this one between the crazy ladies? Marina Moroz taking on Maria Agapova. These two ladies had beef at ATT. Former teammates, they hate the shit out of each other, Luke. Jan Chauvin taking on Marina Rodriguez.

Winner of that probably gets a title shot. Jalen Turner, the tarantula, taking on one of the better Australian fighters jamie malarkey like there's a lot of really good fighters on this card very good card yeah don't forget uh you know mihal olik shayshak luke who looks just like uh conor mcgregor impersonator al faran and nobody wants to talk about that okay i also have a hard out today so we gotta keep this show moving. Wow. That was like, hey, you're making my family uncomfortable. Can you stop? That was that type of tone, Luke.

Okay? That was great. Hey, let's keep this going, Luke. Also, of course, we have the only real significant live fights this weekend. It's tonight. It's here, my backdrop of Orlando, Florida, the Caridi Bay Royale Resort. It goes down 9 p.m. Eastern and Pacific on Showtime. The 21st season of Showbox, the new generation kicks off. Luke, will you be watching live to support my debut alongside Raul Marquez,

the former junior middleweight champion of the world, and the legend, the Hall of Famer, Barry Tompkins? Probably not because i have to watch something with my wife and that's just a little bit more important however it is again no problem probably probably a content yeah probably in kanto again or i'm gonna watch spanish teams murder each other in elite but uh what i would say is for 1000 i'm gonna watch and it's already set to be recorded and i'm very excited for you. I know you earned this opportunity.

I know you're going to do great in this opportunity. Just please don't try to masturbate on air. That's just the one thing I think I will question you against. Wow. Just don't do that. I know you want to do that. It's not the bus stop, and you just got to watch yourself, okay? Steve Farhood has been so caring, loving, welcoming me in this transition.

He's still going to score from home, but, Luke, I think he had been there for 20 years every single episode. Such a staple and backbone of that product. And if you haven't watched a lot of Showbox, look, it's about matching the unbeaten guys of tomorrow against typically fellow unbeatens or somebody that's right at that point to find out who is coming and who's going from the standpoint of future contendership. Luke, this tripleheader, whether these guys are household names for you or not,

all six are undefeated heading into tonight. So you love that to kick off a showbox season. Luis Nunez looking like a good Dominican young prospect, promoted by Samson Lukowicz against Carlos Arrieta, a lightweight bout in the main event, I'm sorry, a junior lightweight bout in the main event, 130 pounds. This should be interesting.

Nunez looks to be like he could be the brighter prospect. Arrieta hasn't fought the same level of talent. I expect action. But Luke, when you rewatch this, I'm going to need you to check out that co-main event. Undefeated Starling Castro, 16-0, 12 KOs from the Dominican. He's going to step in there against Otar

Aranosian from Georgia, and I'm not talking about old Marietta, Luke, and he gets inside on you. One of those guys who has been matched extremely tough through his 12-13 pro fights. He's looking to become something right now. He's going to get up

and startling Castillo's kitchen, and we're going to see action in this fight, Luke. Are these all 10-rounders? The main event's 10-round, 8 rounds in the co-main, 8 rounds to kick it off the triple header between Edwin De Los Santos, a big-time slugger,

and his opponent, William Foster III, out of my backyard in there, Connecticut. So, Luke, you're looking at hungry guys looking to break through and BC join the banter. It should be worth it for your travels. 9 p.m. Eastern and Pacific this evening from Orlando. I'm fired up, Luke. I'm fired up.

Because you know, Luke. It should be first event of the year. Being that close to the action, being able to paint the picture and the soundtrack, I'm ready,, Luke. I'm fired up. Because you know, Luke. It should be. First event of the year. It's a good one. Being that close to the action, being able to paint the picture and the soundtrack, I'm ready, Luke. Okay? Dude, I was about to say, I hope you've done your prep because the opportunities don't come a whole lot nicer than this one. So congrats. And again, keep your pants on.

Thank you. Thank you, Luke. The serious side of BC, you know? The Luther Vandross side, right? The side that only a few select people get to see in real life, Luke. The serious side of BC, you know? The Luther Vandross side, right? The side that only a few select people get to see in real life, Luke. Okay? Okay, that side's coming out. All right?

The least interesting side. All right. Yeah. Okay. All right, Luke, we got some quick hitters before we get into Dead Wrong movie review. All the filler time so we can get you out of here, Luke, for your hard out. I don't know. You got another job?

You got a.... You got to. No, I told you my housekeeper got COVID and we all got exposed. And so now there's no one for where my kid is stuck here. So now I have to watch my kid and my wife has to work. So that's. I was hoping it was your annual prostate exam. Look, I was hoping. No, no.

I can tell you about the results of that at some point later. But no, I got to watch my kid. There's no one to watch. I'm more interested in the experience, Luke, about the results of that at some point later but no i gotta watch my kid there's no one to watch more interested in the experience like not the results it's um it's invasive to say the least luke okay three needles i mean did you see that video of that claudia gadella put up that's out there that was going around this week luke i did yeah that was interesting that was very we want to talk about that? Yeah, that was very, check that out if you're into that stuff. She pleads the case, I'm going to say this as nicely as I can. She pleads the case that most young women should at least entertain the idea that sometimes when they go home, BC, they can enter through the back door and not so much the front.

Wow, that was so eloquent of you to say that without saying it. Wow. Okay, Luke. And listen, I'm not here to say what door is best. Certainly they're both doors. She's talking about the road less traveled there. Luke, okay, all right. The poets know.

The poets know, Luke, all right. Hey, Luke, leading off quick hitters is a big time news item. You saw a lot of fans, journalists, and anyone, John S. Nash is going nuts on this on Twitter. It has been announced that ESPN and the UFC will be raising pay-per-view prices to kick off this new year, another $5 higher to $74.99.

Now, the built-in controversy is this. Two years ago, was it, Dana White said the pay-per-view price will never rise within this ESPN package, which has been ridiculously handsome financially for them. This is now the second time, I believe, it's been raised since he made those comments. And this is also out of time, Luke, where the company is making money, rightfully so. Congratulations. Hand over fist. Should this announcement be tied into the greater fighter pay debate at the level that it is, Luke? Or is it enough of a topic just to say the average fan is going to be paying out their ass to watch this stuff now?

Yeah, this is so funny. I mean, I can remember back as late as 2009, Dana White being like, pay-per-view prices will never go up. Mark my words. That's on the record. Fuck you if you ever doubt me. And then here we are, according to John Nash, to your point, from 59.99 back in 2010, that's a 25% increase over three years, which is to say almost triple the rate of inflation

during that time, which is sitting at a whopping 9%. And we're still, what, three times that almost? Yeah, I'm not sure what to say about this, except two things. One, if you think the fighters are going to see any bit of this, I mean, you know, comically, you're only kidding yourself. There is a question about to what extent ESPN pushed this as opposed to UFC, since they're the ones in control of their own pay-per-view services. But the point being is this one, which is, aside from the fighter thing, and aside from just bleeding fans dry, which is what most fans are expecting,

here's actually what I would say, which is, if you think that they did this in a way where like they're worried about losing money on this you are very confused not you bc but like the proverbial you out there which is fans complain about this every time they raise and then every time they raise people just keep going along with it they know yeah you might see you might see online and it might lead to an appreciable amount of uh growing privacy but do I think, sorry, not privacy, do I think piracy? Do I think that they're going to lose money by doing this, or they're going to make more money no matter what, even if they lose a few subscribers along the way, and all the fans immediately being like, I'm never going to pay for this. Yeah,

some of them might try piracy, that's probably true, but in general, the vast majority are just going to keep paying. I have seen people complain since UFC pay-per-views were $45. They used to be $44.99. I remember that distinctly. And now we're sitting in a place where they're $75. They're doing this because they know they can get away with it, not because they think it will hurt their business. I mean, this is straight up, dear audience, we know you're addicted.

We know we have the best product. We know we're coming off our best stretch ever. You're going to do this, and you're going to like this. And, Luke, I respect your honesty. I don't expect anything less. You're a straight shooter in the same mold as former Nets all-star center Jason Williams, so I can respect that. But, Luke, do you respect the game of the arrogance in this case

where the UFC, you know, they're not here to talk about fighter pay or care about it. They're not here to do anything but be successful businessmen. Is there an eventual line or ceiling where it goes beyond good taste, or is this just capitalism at its finest, the American dream playing out in front of you one day after January 6th? Yes, it's the latter. It's just them sticking it to you as a customer because they can.

They can get away with it. I mean, this is why you need competition in the marketplace, right? Even with competition, you're still going to get pay-per-view prices that are pushed higher by virtue of the state of that kind of entertainment product, where pay-per-view kind of is. I get that. I don't think if it was more competition, we would never see $75 pay-per-views. You would. You would see them. But they would probably be more infrequent,

and they would be centered around different kinds of content. It's not that I'm wishing PFL to take over Bellator, or Bellator to take over UFC, or any of those things. But in general, if you had more promoters at a relatively equal strength-ish, you know, vying for the combat sports fans dollar, I have a feeling that some of the prices around this place might go down a little bit, or at a bare minimum, you might get some more interesting offerings along the way. But dude, they have 80, 85% of high-end MMA. They can just do what the fuck they want. And fans and media, they can say,

I'm never buying this, blah, blah, blah. And there are a handful, as I mentioned, who will try the piracy angle. But BC, they're doing it because they can do it. Fuck you, pay me, is really the whole modus operandi here. And the last thing I'll say on this is, some of that might make its way back to UFC. And people say, well, as UFC makes more money,

fighters make more money. And that is generally true. But here's a pretty clear case where, where like it's not their money to spend if you're going to raise was it five bucks onto this and I'm assuming fighters will get no cut of that right the argument falls apart here about fighter pay because let's say that they use this incremental five bucks extra from every pay-per-view sold in the upcoming year to build a performance institute in Canada or something to really reinvigorate that market, that might be a great use of money. That actually might be a very important thing to spend. It's not

frivolously spent on parties and new cars and stuff like that. This is really good money for the industry. But it's not your money to spend. I can say that the money is not spent in a wasteful manner. That is true, but you don't get the choice over it to begin with. That money should go in pretty big parts to the fighters, and it won't, and so forth. I mean, look, the people that should get paid first are the celebrity investors, first of all, Luke, okay? Yeah, they're the most important ones. Let's make sure Tom Brady and Guy Fieri are well.

Luke, even if it was an empty PR, get off my back gesture, would this be the time for the UFC to say, okay, we're making $5 per, you know, per show more, but $2.50 of that is going to go into a special pension fund for legendary fighters. I mean, even if that was looked at at luke as the most hollow sort of you know we recognize that we should be doing a little bit more so here's a little bit more would that be received well is that the right move or just say fuck it we're we're swinging corporate raiders and you know we know yeah it's not it wouldn't be the right move because here's what i would say it would certainly be a better move than what we

have i would agree and i would imagine that a better move than what we have. I would agree. And I would imagine that the fighters who are largely silent on this and or have Stockholm syndrome would react to it very favorably. They would probably react to it like, oh, great. This is awesome. Now we don't have to fall on our sword to get some kind of whatever it is, additional monies. Now someone will do it for us. Isn't this great? But the reality is, who would you like to be in charge of any kind of pension fund?

The UFC on behalf of the fighters? Or some kind of entity who could force the UFC's hand? What would get you ultimately more rewards? I'm going to bet that on balance, the UFC's hand being forced versus the UFC electing to do things would result in a greater pot of money or wins or whatever you want to call it, whatever it would be there for the fighters. So yes, it would certainly be a better situation over the current one to have that. But the best kind of situation is going to be one where people whose sole job it is to advocate on the interest of fighters en masse than creating that process not being the beneficiary of the king's largesse very fair take luke you're a very you know accurate straight

shooter you know like you are you ordering something off uber eats while i talk no i was listening to you i you know you're here you're here, you're, you know, you're like Marvin Gaye's father, just straight, straight. Uh, okay. We've exhausted that line of thinking. Uh, let's, let's, uh, let's rotate into the next topic. Apropos, uh, BKFC's knuckle mania to Luke, which we announced last show will be Mike Perry against let me bang fames, Julian lane. Luke, it's going to be a loaded pay-per-view for Dave Feldman and company because

Chet Mendes, former UFC interim title and full challenger, will be making his bare-knuckle debut on this card. Also, Britton Beltran, FKA Britton Hart, Luke. She's an effing feeling for sure.

She'll be fighting, Luke, I believe for a vacant women's title. So, has this spiced the flavor enough for you to be like, not only will I make sure I see what happens, but I might watch live? No. No, I'm

not watching BKFC. I'll watch that on Twitter after the fact but I will say I it's interesting who they pull and who they don't you know it's interesting how like some of these names you think oh they're destined for MMA and blah blah blah BKFC has found interesting ways to recruit folks didn't so much work out in the Paige Van Zandt thing although I sort of understand why they did it in certain ways I suppose Chad Mendes is a much more interesting one. He's not totally done. He got out of the game a little bit early.

He has big power. He's fast. He may have been on the juice, depending on one's perspective. Certainly not a thing I care about, but imagine some others might. Florida probably not being one of them. So if they fight in Florida, he can go back to that without much issue, if that's the thing he's been doing. Either way, it's a great signing for them.

I actually like it a lot. I think they could do a lot of good things for him. So I think that is something worth paying attention to. But am I a BKFC P1 customer? No, Brian Campbell. No, I'm not. I know that, but they're adding enough assorted pieces of meat rolled up into bread on the rollers in front of you

as you go to get gas, Luke, and consider buying scratch-offs that eventually... Luke, I mean, it's going to... I'm watching this live. I'm in. I'm in. Thank you. Luke, Tyson Fury heard the call-out, heard the want of UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou to do something big in boxing. Here's Tyson Fury's offer. I'll box you in four-ounce UFC gloves. Would that be enough, based on the recent tweet by Fury, to get you to care about this?

Or is this still just a very bad idea for Ngannou, although you get his ambition to make a monster payday? Well, let me flip it. What of the possible scenarios that they could invent or follow would be the most exciting to you and why? So including the four-ounce gloves here? So like any possibility is on the table. They could box. They could do MMA.

They could do boxing. Okay. They're never going to do MMA. Okay. They're never going to do MMA. Okay? They're never going to do that. If it was a straight boxing match, very few of us would really get behind that because it feels like Ngannou's just getting set up. You know, if it was Ngannou against a much smaller fighter,

it could bridge the gap, but Fury 6'9 and that quick, he's going to get handled. The idea of going to the four-ounce gloves here is closing the gap in the same way that Triller Triad is attempting to, Luke. I got to say, the four ounce gloves here is closing the gap in the same way that Schroeder triad is attempting to Luke I gotta say the four ounce element I would care suddenly I would care because Nganou has freaking scary power Luke I wouldn't want this for either guy I think stay in your own lane and keep making your own history here

but that's an attraction Luke that's an attraction luke that's an attraction people will care uh yeah i think if they did the four ounce boxing gloves that actually might produce something kind of interesting the other one i mean all of them would be big which makes which means all of them would be rare um but you know if francis can get out of his deal and go to bellator is it that crazy to think about at that point? I don't think it is. I just don't see how that would be in all... We're living in a new world. We're living in a new world where crossover is much likelier. It's been done before. People are trying to figure out new ways. It won't happen as long as he's with UFC, but it could very much happen beyond that, especially if

like what... You know, Tyson Fury is talking about like two three more fights total in boxing but if he could take a MMA one or you know whatever against an MMA opponent that might extend his career as well because I probably think it's an easy payday so like there are ways this could happen for sure that's um yeah I mean if Ngannou straight up got out of the deal could you size yourself up to the idea of him facing the current crop of Bellator heavyweights? I mean, Luke, could you be moved by old Rumble against Ngannou, Bader against Ngannou, Moldavsky, hopefully not Fedor? I mean, could that get you to care, Luke? Care about what? The idea that, okay, Ngannou's not with the UFC,

but there are enough matchups here to keep his career and momentum going and to keep my interest going. Or would you... Interest in what? Like in them doing something? I guess competition, entertainment, Luke. Hey, I'm just hoping my dogs can keep barking

without someone outside telling them to stop You know what I mean? Just let them bark You know? Let them get it out, Luke, right? Just let them breathe, bro, you know what I mean? Let them do what dogs do They're great for podcasting Anyway, I'm just not that interested

In whatever they could do Oh, please keep bringing the doorbell That's the most important part I really just hope that they can you know what they should just do we should just i should just do this in the living room there's really no effective difference at this point you know anyway um i don't know what we're talking about but i'm now angry at the state of my podcasting career because there's someone ringing the doorbell and no one i'm doing this show from a cell phone luke so i couldn't't be. I'm right there with you, Luke, okay? I'm right there.

We are just, you know, what are we doing here? What does my skin look like, Luke? Is it pureed lobster soup? I mean, how would you really, you know? You know those bags that hold those giant, uneaten, gross dill pickles? Your skin is like that bag. All right. You know, Leon. pickles your skin is like that bag all right you know leon but do you really care about these fuckers fighting in four ounce gloves like would i watch and try to make money off of it because i'm a hypocrite yes of course but like you know do you really care i mean is it oh man i'm just i

just can't wait to see what happens like i don't have that feeling about it no i agree i don't want either of them to go this way please all. All right. Fight the best. Keep going. Build your legacy. All right, Luke. We've said a few accurate things in this show, but from time to time, we tend to get things wrong. Luckily for our cynics, our critics, we have a receipt, okay? And for you attempt to approach the throne and tell this award-winning duo that they are dead wrong. Dead wrong. All right, Luke. I have a feeling that there's probably still some dead wrongs lingering from that one solo show I did where there was a few incorrect facts.

Sorry, guys. I was feeling it in the moment. I was going for it, right? Yeah. All right. We start off with this, Luke. It's from Harry and Tim. Monday's episode 245, BC going solo on that ass.

Here we go. At 2455, BC says he didn't watch one minute of the World Series between the Chicago White Sox and the Houston Astros in 2004. Damn right you didn't, BC, because that was the 2005 World Series between the Chicago White Sox and the Houston Astros in 2004. Damn right you didn't, BC, because that was the 2005 World Series. BC then says he was a baseball fan at the time. I was. This is also questionable because why wouldn't a baseball fan watch that series? It was the White Sox's first World Series appearance since 1959 and would become their first since 1917.

The White Sox are a club who's used to playing second field with the Cubs, but regardless, they keep grinding. Hey, that's cute. They are from a factory town. If ever there was one, love you to bloated beefcakes. Luke, I'll explain it like this. I think baseball is the sport, and I was hardcore from 86 through, you know, 08. It's the sport where you are most because of the ridiculously long 162 game schedule, the most dialed into your own team to the point where you don't even care about

the rest of the league with the exception of their very close division rivals at times. Now that doesn't mean I haven't been a national baseball fan who was obsessed and got fired up and excited for anyone in the World Series. But by 05, Luke, when it's suddenly Astros-White Sox, that ain't the sexy matchup that you can't miss once your team gets eliminated. It's just not, Luke, okay? So I stand up to that. I ain't dead wrong with anything except for the year, bro.

Okay. I think baseball's okay you're like anything to get me out of here okay this is great uh look let's keep it going early 2000s basketball they want to call me out my name is drew out here in california huge fan of the show during the prince of connecticut solo show on on December 27th at the 2540 mark, he mentioned that the 2000 Western Conference Finals was rigged for the Lakers to win over the Trailblazers. It was actually game six of the 0-2 Western Finals between the Lakers and Kings that Tim Donahue came out later and said was rigged in favor of the Lakers. BC also mentions Brian Shaw's bank shot three pointer to end the third

quarter in game seven of those 2000 Western conference finals. I believe he is referencing Robert or his game winning three in game four of 2002. I mean, who cares? Who solo show my BC anyway, but a diehard Lakers fan. I had to correct the record.

Here's the thing, guys. I know NBA. I wasn't wrong on either account Brian Shaw banked in a three to end the third quarter of game seven when the Trailblazers had pulled that big lead on the Lakers I was referencing the tail end of the Lakers game where Steve Smith particularly trying to cut the lead down from three got drove the lane and got hammered and no call it played into a stream of slight calls that played in the Lakers' favor and allowed

them to win, which left some beginning the drum roll of, is the NBA trying to manipulate to avoid a final series like the Astros versus the White Sox in 05 in baseball, where you don't have a, now that's tough to say because Chicago is a big market, but where you don't have a big, sexy team. 2000 would have been Portland versus Indiana, but I get the reference that they're talking about. This is when that story, that line of thinking, went full bloom in 2002 because throughout that series, and particularly Game 6, people feel the referees allowed the Lakers a huge chance to get in.

So I didn't get the three-pointer wrong or the year. I was referencing an earlier reference to the same thing, Luke. I know you don't care. Can we keep going? Yeah, we can keep going for sure. Yeah, all right, here we go. Mikey Danger says, at around three minutes of what?

Of BC's solo episode? I don't know. BC quotes all apologies by Nirvana incorrectly. The lyrics are married, buried, not Mary as in the woman's name. I would like to sincerely thank BC for mercifully keeping his nauseatingly pedestrian musical takes mostly to himself

for the most part as of late. I'm not trying to be a music snob, but I'm a lifelong musician and DJ as well as having run multiple record stores and nothing grates on my nerves more than a Johnny come lately like BC get all arrogant about their quote taste, even though they actually don't have a clue what they're talking about. This is an undressing.

Wow. Keep up the great work and congrats on the award. I'm a day one and longtime fan of Luke since the promotional malpractice days, deuces, bitches, Mikey danger. Hey Mikey, first of all, I'm a day one and longtime fan of Luke since the promotional malpractice days. Deuces, bitches. Mikey Danger. Hey, Mikey.

First of all, why don't you get bent? Because this is another category that whether I had a word wrong in the in the Nirvana lyrics of that 90s classic or not, that I know my shit. OK, so you're, you know, as a old record store head and a wannabe musician on the side, it's similar, Luke, to, oh, you didn't box, so why are you talking about it? Oh, Luke, you didn't fight professionally. Do you see him as comic book guy from The Simpsons? I do. I do, Luke. Yes. Yes. Yeah, that's probably pretty fair.

Yeah. All right. There you go. All right. I mean, if I didn't know what I was talking about, Luke, like, you know, MMA, I just started watching last year. So that's, you know, that's obviously a topic where I'm just like, guys, I, you know, I've never I have. Yeah. OK. Look, this one's from Joe. I don't even need to be mentioned here in Dead Wrong. Just please pass on how his hilariously ridiculous their attempt at correctly pronouncing Edinburgh, the capital city of Scotland, was, I give Factory Town, B.C. a pass. He was too busy doing tabs of burger fat to pay attention in school. God.

Wow. But I thought Luke was supposed to be cultured. Happy New Year to the team. Thanks for the great con. Yeah, we don't care anymore. Shout out from Leeds in northern England. What is the proper pronunciation? I've forgotten. I don't know.

Edinburgh? I don't know. You think I care? You sent a YouTube link, Luke. I'm not going to click on it. proper pronunciation I've forgotten Edinburgh I don't know you think I care you sent a YouTube link Luke I'm not gonna click on it well maybe I will you want me to get spam you want me to get yeah you want me to get a Russian wife you know what are you doing here alright I'll click on it Luke let's see what's going on

let's see what they say I gotta wait through this commercial there we go how to pronounce Edinburgh We'll see what they say. I've got to wait through this commercial. There we go. How to pronounce Edinburgh. Edinburgh. Edinburgh. Edinburgh.

Edinburgh. Edinburgh. Edinburgh. Non-native English speakers say Edinburgh. Edinburgh. Okay, that's cool. That's cool. All right. By the way, I was watching when Ori banked in that shot.

All right, come on. Edinburgh. When Shaw banked in the shot. All right, come on. Ed and Burra. When Shaw banked in the shot, Ori hit the three and came to four. Come on. I know this shit. All right, Ed and Burra. You think we care, Luke? No, we definitely don't care.

That part is true. All right. Look, maybe right now with the UFC and ESPN just being like, fuck y'all, $5 more. Maybe this is that moment for us on MK where we're like, you know what? We're an award-winning podcast. You think we need to get things right?

You think we care about that? We care enough to get murdered by our own audience for it. Yeah. I mean, look at our technical production quality. You think we care about anything, Luke, but cashing these checks? We just had our $74.99 moment right there. All right.

All right, Michael says, on the January 3rd show, Luke was unsurprisingly dead wrong. His know-it-all ass tried to say Dustin Poirier's KO edition hot sauce doesn't have ghost pepper in it when it clearly says it on the front of the bottle. What are we doing here, guys? Tell Luke to get more sleep in some

alpha brain in his washed 42-year-old life. Damn, Luke. They're coming to Joan of Arc our ass. They are. Coming hard. Coming hard. They're coming like Leon Chogolos.

We should have some next week in New Jersey. We should have some ghost pepper, you and me. Okay. That's going to end badly, Luke. That's the setup. For you. For you. Okay.

We have a lot of people taking a chance. Four different people wrote in. Hi, guys. Happy New Year. Big fan of the show. But reaching out to call both Luke and BC out for being dead wrong on January 5th. They both said that Sergio Pettis KO'd Horiguchi in the fifth round several times when discussing their upset of the year segment. In fact, the knockout came at 3 24 of

round four i don't have the exact time stamps that they said it because they repeated it several times but they're dead wrong here cheers to a happy new year all right fair enough we're wrong i don't think i said the fifth round but you know you probably i definitely did so i'm dead wrong i mean luke was dead wrong on his take too but that but that's fine. Jose says, what's up? At 36.55 of episode 247, when referring to Michaela Mayer's Fight of the Year contender, BC says it was against, quote, Mama Douche. Is that an escort we don't know about, Mr. Campbell? Is that your masseuse? I believe her name is Hama Douche.

Also, for Comeback of the year, no disrespect, but is Aljo beating Jan a legit contender? He was handedly losing the first fight, and even though unintentionally kneeling down, he made Jan fumble the win away. Is Jose pronounced the Cambodian way? Luke, Jose is using his dead wrong opening opportunity here to actually ask you a real question.

Okay. What do you think? I didn't hear the question. Yeah, I'm sure you'd stop listening instantly. Is Aljo beating Jan this year make him a legit contender for comeback of the year? Ooh. So what's the comeback from, Luke? Being a bitch? I'm not saying that. Well, having those surgeries. um so we're coming back from Luke being a

bitch I'm not saying that well having that sir having those surgeries yeah I don't think that no uh no but it would certainly be a big triumph yes but I don't know if it would qualify for that all right uh Luke Jimmy is here and he thinks he's cute as if I didn't realize I said Alvarez a lot, Luke.

You know what I mean? It was like, yeah, okay, Lopez, right? He says, hi, BC and Luke Rockhold. I mean, Luke Thomas. You almost fooled me there. The two look so similar. This guy's got jokes, Luke. At 2348 of episode 247 during fight of the year, BC had a stroke.

Multiple times he called Gaethje Chandler Alvarez Chandler or even Gaethje Alvarez. He mentioned Alvarez three times. Please hook a brother up and tell me where you get your edibles. Wow. Definitely not Delta 8s at the gas station, Luke. I'm not that low class. Your local DC BBL hit me up, Luke.

It's Jimmy. I think that was him slyly petitioning you for me up, Luke. It's Jimmy. I think that was him slyly petitioning you for possible sex, Luke. Probably. But that's okay. I'm into that thing. Yeah, I said Alvarez a lot, Luke. Because he fought all those guys

and he made damn near fight of the years against each one, Luke, okay? He did. He did. But you fucked that up royally look i've never seen you this uncomfortable to do morning combat i'm fine it's just dude my kid is i i've got a world of work as soon as this is over so you know my brain is elsewhere are you slowly transitioning beads in and out of your anal hole luke what's going on i mean the faces you're making you're just

sort of like fuck this is where my career's going? This is not. I'm just seeing what's in front of me, and I'm like, well, my weekend is now over, so whatever. Okay, our final one, Luke, is from Kevin. Hi, Luke in BC. I'm a big fan of the show, but I'm also a big fan of getting the date right. At 36 seconds of your

January 5th show, Luke said it was December 5th. Fuck you, unless you're a time-traveling bitch. Love the show. Luke said it was December 5th. Fuck you unless you're a time-traveling bitch. Love the show. Congrats on the award. Beast. Your best, Kevin. That's funny. That's funny. Okay, fair enough.

Fair enough. Okay, fair enough. Let's get out of here, says Luke. Are you going to ask on your contract after this show, Luke? I feel like no no no dude seriously it's like you know everyone's lives in one way or the other have been disrupted by COVID mine certainly much less than many other people's but it's enough now

where I've got a ton of shit I have to do as soon as the show is over I mean look you ever been a dirtbag in your 20s in a tenuous relationship and you know you probably deserve to get dumped because you're just a dirt hole in like every conversation you're like oh is that a tone that's taking me to that conversation

I don't think I have that issue exactly but I've got my own yeah I can imagine that'd be pretty tough for someone if they were in that spot yeah alright Luke I guess we're gonna close this aborted sadly forgettable episode of Morning Combat by dipping into the homework. Well, the fights start next week.

I mean, what are we doing? I mean, have I been canceled? And you're like slowly just like, I'm just going to let everybody know I'm kind of done with BC right now. I mean, this is a little bit weird, Luke. No, I'm all in on BC. All in on the BC business. Homework review, homework assignment. We don't have like a package to throw to you, right?

Like a graphic? We don't do that shit. Oh, we do. Homework review. Look at this. Luke, what kind of homework do you think David A. in France gives his students? Working on their gag reflex and shit. All right. So, Luke, you had never seen

the 2000 Cameron Crowe-inspired, directed film, Almost Famous. And I thought that was a little bit absurd. I saw a large level of dismissal feedback from people saying, I saw that movie. Okay, it's not that good. Why are we doing homework on it?

Maybe people like me just think it's a really damn great seminal film that looks back on the 1970s through the lens of a music journalist, which co-aligns Luke with Cameron Crowe's journey as a teenage Rolling Stone writer following the Allman Brothers, similar to the main character in this movie following the fake band Stillwater. Now, Luke, what did you actually know about this movie following the fake band Stillwater. Now, Luke, what did you actually know about this movie heading in? Because it does have not only big stars, but it's got even bigger cameo star drops, you know, an ensemble cast across the board. I mean, I remember when the movie came out. It came out when I was in the middle of college, I think the year 2000, if I'm not mistaken. So I remember everyone seeing it, people raving about it.

You can see here Kate Hudson. I don't know if she's still married, but at the time she was dating the lead singer or married to the lead singer of the Black Crows. Chris Robinson, yeah. Chris Robinson, yeah. And so she was like the it girl at the time. It was Cameron Crowe was a much bigger director then than he is now. There was just a lot of it that was well-reviewed.

I mean, I don't know what... Here's the problem. than he is now. There was just a lot of it that was well-reviewed. Here's the problem. The problem was I didn't see movies usually during the school year because I just wasn't really available. And then in the summers, I always had temporary active duty, so I never really had a lot of time. And so I didn't see American Pie

until after college and stuff like that because I missed it being at boot camp and everything. I never got a chance to see it. This is another one of those. Up until this homework assignment. Stars of course Jason Lee and Billy Crudup. As the lead singer and guitar player.

Of this fake band Stillwater. Kate Hudson as the groupie Luke. But not a groupie. Because she only does BJ's apparently. And of course the, the nerd bomber, Patrick Fugate as the lead role, Francis McDermott as the mom. You got a lot of celebrity drop-ins from Mark Maron to Jimmy Fallon and

Philip Seymour Hoffman and beyond. Luke, let's tee it up to you right away. You watch this, this shit. I called it a, a seminal classic with many, many sort of big time moments that have have crossed into our language, our generation, our people.

What do you think after watching it? I liked it. I didn't love it quite like you loved it. But I think there's probably some good reasons for that. The first thing I would say is i mean this is a really well-made movie it is the script is excellent the acting uh i think i read francis mcdermott and kate hudson both got oscar nominations for their roles which i completely understand francis mcdermott plays this sort of neurotic but loving mother at a time when people

were kind of worried this was pre-satanic panic of the 1980otic but loving mother at a time when people were kind of worried this was pre-Satanic Panic of the 1980s but you could tell a lot of parents were kind of worried about the direction of society's youth with the explosion of drug culture and everything at that time so that was great uh Penny Lane is the character sort of so to speak that Kate Hudson plays she's just magical she looks so young in this movie she at the time I thought she looked kind of old and now I look back and I'm like, no, she looked really young. She plays this character full of nuance and, frankly, for what she does, wholesomeness, right? A little bit. it takes place in 1973 you know i can understand why it came out in 2000s bc when we were kids the thing that you wanted to be if you were famous if it wasn't a ball player it was certainly a rock musician i mean maybe if you were a rap depending on your your upbringing but for a lot of us of our

era you know we talked about it before on this show dude rock stations used to be i mean these were local gods in your market and then still still, of course, summer tours are still big and touring is still big. But when we were kids, that rock icons being bigger than life, I mean, rock music is almost dead now, which was funny because they were talking about it. Philip Seymour Hoffman jokes about it being dead in the movie. And that, of course, was 1973.

Here we are 40 plus years later and it's not quite true. But I guess what I would say is the period piece is interesting. The acting is great. The script is great. And that archetype of what it meant for rock stars to be bigger than life and rock music. Over the Rolling Stone. Yeah. Yeah.

I mean, all these things were so big when we grew up. And it's the early stage version of that. I just don't find that story a about rock and roll it's it's very much a period piece now because rock and roll simply has not endured at and quite the way that it once was culturally prominent um and some of the love stories were a little bit less interesting to me about like the guy is kind of in love with the groupie and treats her bad and so he kind of has to learn through this kid to be better to people it's a little bit of a weird muddled story in that sense but for a period piece for the acting for the script for the runtime and for

just how well a sweet story is ultimately delivered because that's what this is a sweet story about innocent people trying to do big things um and getting lost a little bit along the way, but then finding themselves afterwards, it's good. It's really good. It's just not great for me. So I'm going to give it four and a half stars. That's my official rating. Let me just give that out.

Four and a half, excuse me, four out of five stars is my official rating. Well, hold your number, because we closed the segment with our ratings, plus we do one to 100, or no, one to 10. We do eight. 8.0 is fine eight out of ten okay just just announce it now that's fine luke um look it won the academy award for best original screenplay from cameron crowe that's fair that's fair some of these ensemble performances are just incredible zoe deschanel as the older sister i mean there's some great

performances as you mentioned right there jim Jimmy Fallon is the crazy new manager. I think it's the, I'm a big classic rock guy. We grew up, Luke, and growing up in the 80s and 90s, this era from 1967 through like 1975 was like, it could not have been more romanticized in our youth. So to have this sort of time period piece, looking at what you mentioned, sort of the coolest occupation you could have and an inside look on the road from this young kid's perspective as a what, 14, 15 year old, that's who we kind of were anyway at that age, even though when this movie came out, you and I were certainly 20, 21, 22 around that area. But you could relate to that. And that's such a romanticized, nostalgic glory period

to see this band go out on the road and, you know, it's open for Led Zeppelin and all that kind of stuff. There's a cool factor in there, Luke, that you get sucked into. The soundtrack's fantastic. The right songs hit at the right moment. But I also say it's not without criticism

or the idea that for as great as it was in the foundation they built, it could have been better. Luke, my biggest holdup, and upon rewatching it again last night, and I'd watched it about a month ago for the first time in a while as well, the lead actor who plays the quasi young Cameron Crowe, he's just not likable, Luke. And that's a big stumbling block that even with him fighting to show Penny Lane that she doesn't have to be a whore and show the lead singers of this band that they don't have to be jerks to people.

This is Russell Hammond you're talking about? What? Russell Hammond you're talking about? Yeah, the kid who plays the writer. Oh, no. The kid who plays the writer is William Miller is the character's name. i don't think he's likable luke i get that they're the they're pushing hard naivety to try to put put across

this wholesome message that these non-wholesome but still young rock stars could could bite on but i cheer for him early when he's when he's trying hard to act the part but i think he becomes uh irritable i become irritable watching him. Is that overblown, Luke? I'm not sure what that word means, but irritable, you mean. I mean, he becomes... He becomes irritating to cheer for.

He is in a position in this movie where he's the hero, Luke, and following his journey at some point becomes a little bit lame. What does that say about me? Yeah, I didn't like his story so much either. I mean, he was young and nerdy and ambitious, and he was kind of everything that rock and roll was supposed to not be, which is why he was the way he was, which means that his growth is certainly possible in the story and does happen.

He appears to be a centering force for everyone um which is a which is an interesting place that he plays but he's otherwise not that interesting like you don't read anything he writes in the story people tell you that it's good but you don't ever actually see it so you just kind of have to take everyone's word for it that he's the sort of dynamic viewer of things because the questions he asked the band like can you write a love song when you're sad it's like okay i mean this is the guy who got the front cover of rolling stone this fucking zero you know like what were they putting on rolling stone back then you know yeah i mean the story is a huge under why don't you go work for the mac life with oscar willis and ask bad questions like that all the time i just feel like

it comes down to casting in a way this is is a very sharp, you know, inside baseball criticism, but it's Cameron Crowe presenting his own real life story and making it as cool as it can possibly be. Yet I think he overplayed his hand in trying to get this relatable, wholesome figure. I don't know if he was trying to represent that as himself or if he thought it would hit better, but I need, William Miller is just not cool, Luke.

And I need a little bit of that, of something to grasp onto. I mean, why do, you know, films of the 70s succeed, these film noir classics that I'm watching right now, neo-noir, these dirty, grimy films that have these, you know, taxi driver that has this Travis Bickle guy that they somehow make you cheer for at the end, even though he's completely, ridiculously unredeemable in so many ways. I still find a way

to cheer for him because it's so well done william miller sucks luke all right yeah he's like he's a boring american teen who hasn't done anything with his like that nerd in days and confused who always does this mitch mitch you know and and the guy that you're supposed to cheer for that you know hey man you have a you know yeah it'd be a lot cooler if you did, right? I mean, that kid sucked too, Luke, okay? Wow. But here's why it wins, Luke. It captures this period perfectly.

It captures cool perfectly. And I felt coming in the challenge for you from my vantage point, part of what makes this movie so great to me is I think Stillwater kicks some ass as a cool fake band. You get to see the inside of their head in this rise from something they love to do to possible crossover fame. And I look at the inside camera view that we got of this fake band's travels and dealing with all of that as completely interesting and enjoyable and entertaining. but if you don't have that same feeling about that band luke you may exit this movie going okay it was cool it was wholesome but it's kind of lame in the end did you have those steel water uh still water super fan vibes like i think they're cooler than the black crows luke no i didn't care about their music at all

it didn't do anything for me and i thought their stupid battle over merch was boring um this is one of the low parts of the movie it's like dude their sound wasn't interesting to me at all it didn't do anything for me and i thought their stupid battle over merch was boring um this is one of the low parts of the movie it's like dude their sound wasn't interesting to me at all wow you don't like that roots rock blues based but yet like there's almost an allman brother vibe mixed with sort of the black crows which i've been to an allman brothers concert i saw i saw drive-by truckers open for them i didn't't like the people in attendance, and I don't like that music very much. No, it doesn't do shit for me. Like, the Black Crows type music, which is a little more upbeat than what you're talking about,

but still high tempo. So, Luke, did you feel at any point during this movie, once you got to the meat, once you got to, okay, this is what BC talked up and teased up, that you felt misled or oversold or you felt, damn, my co-host is a bitch. No, they made a good movie here. I've been very clear about that. They made a good movie.

When this was over, I was like, that was a good movie. That was really well. It was well done. And again, the acting performances to me, like what's the strongest overall part of this movie? The cast and the acting performances. Dude, even someone as minimal as Lester Bangs, who is this film critic, or sorry, movie critic. What am I saying? Music critic.

He's the editor of Cream Magazine. Cream Magazine. And he played by Philip Seymour Hoffman. Dude, he kills it in this movie too. And he's not in it for very much. Even those phone calls he would have with William on the road were, dude, they were just great. Like the acting performances is what sells this.

The story is nice. The direction is good. The moral lessons are a little bit simple and whatnot. So that's why I can't give it a great review. But every piece of it is well made just enough where i can see why um it's so well liked by so many people including by the way my wife loves this movie i told her i was okay i told her i was watching this for homework and she was like oh man this is a great movie you'll love it so so you're saying this is a chick movie that bc got caught up in the roots rock cool factor but luke i think the reason why i did is it has three iconic sort of crossover

viral moments i think in it am i overplaying it can you name the three luke viral crossover moments or just moments it has three in my eyes three indelible moments where you're like instantly people know that's that scene. That's what happened. It became part of our lexicon. Am I overplaying this, Luke? Here they are. You want me to tell you? So let me see if I can guess one of them.

One of them is when he tries to get in the first time with the band aides backstage, but gets in with Stillwater. Is that one of them? No, I was thinking. No, I wasn't thinking that. But that's a cool ass moment okay i was thinking luke the i am a golden god standing upon atop of the pool house and diving in is is a highly referenced great moment and the other two come from the plane ride luke first off is the the sing-along to tiny dancer by ellen john luke i won't say that every time you watch that scene upon rewatch you get the same feels but you

gotta admit that's a great scene that takes a wait but that's not in the hold on but that's not in the plane they sing tiny dancer on the bus in the bus correct great great dead wrong in the moment right there they sing that in the bus you're right luke that instantly became like tiny dancer had it do you remember do you remember in 2000 tiny dancer had a resurgence as a song on the chart? Because of this. Because of the movie, that's right. So it's not that people didn't know about that Elton John song, but it was not considered in that upper core of his instant recognizable greatest hits.

So this is a moment that just, they did that song great. I mean, they made that song look as cool as it possibly could. The other one, of course, Luke, is the plane ride from hell and the around the horn deathbed confessions from each person, including Jimmy Fallon's character admitting he had killed the man. And one guy saying that he was gay and then the other guy saying that they cheated on the other guy's wife. I mean, it got pretty crazy there, Luke. Once they realized they weren't going to die, that's a hell of a movie moment right there. Yes, that was a nice moment. It was all very artificial,

but they made it work in the end, actually. I thought that that was a good part. Although he didn't admit he killed the guy, he admitted he didn't know if he was dead or alive. He just left. So that's how I'm going to leave this show. I don't know if BC's alive or not, but I'm out of here.

All right. Well, Luke, you already showed your hand. You give it an 8.0 out of 10. I think that's solid. I think that's a solid B. Yeah, from the things that you don't like about it, for you to retain an 8, that's pretty solid. That means that you got the flavor, the formula that they were cooking up.

And I appreciate that. Here's the thing. I enjoyed it. I would watch it again. Strong performances performances i just can't complain about it did it move me in the way that it has moved you no i can't say that i had that experience but it's too good of a movie to give three three and a half it's just better than that and i acknowledge it luke i gave it a 9.1 i think it's insanely rewatchable but yet close enough to being a great, great movie, meaning it won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. Like it was as close to being perfect in terms of just watchability, but also well done.

It didn't quite get there. You heard my beefs about some parts of it, but there's just it's so damn iconic. It just captures that period perfectly across the board you and you feel something luke you feel like you were there and um it does it does if and you you you get why you get the way in which uh popular cultural figures were ordered at that time in society um but i've just sort of moved on from that it's's such a, such a long ago thing. You know, I'm still living it. Luke is still real life to me. So,

uh, insanely rewatchable. I enjoyed it each time, but, maybe we can get a cooler lead. I don't know if that guy's ever acted again, Luke. I hope I don't ever see him again.

William Fuggett. Yeah. I mean, William Miller, William Fuggett. I mean, no, Patrick Fuggett.

Fuck. You ever seen all those, all those signs when you enter Jersey? Forget about it. Yeah. That's this guy's last name. Forget about this episode, too. What a shit stain, Luke, on the great pair of underwear that has been our two-plus years

of morning combat. Well, listen, they can't all be. We knew they'd be bad during this period. The fight's starting next week. We'll be all right. My skin looks horrible in this light. I mean, ultimately, I blame Jay Aaron, Luke, because I'm still using the travel.

Hey, why don't you wear a white hat and then a midlife crisis... No, excuse me, a white shirt and a midlife crisis hat. That way we can make your face look fatter. Luke, there's been a lot of talk about BC's eyebrows being gone, and this seems to be a topic, Luke.

Are they gone? Did you trim them up? I don't have thick eyebrows to begin with or dark eyebrows. It's very light hair. That's true. And the guy that cut my hair the other day. And by the way, again, I don't think this is a good-looking haircut. It's an asshole haircut.

I had to get it to match my lack of a beard so I didn't look horrific. Oh, so he did he did the bit so here's for young men in their 20s he goes do you want me to do your eyebrows and i'm just i thought he meant the unibrow you know if there was a if there was even a a chance luke that there was a hair growing there and he he took off the color okay well i mean they're supposed to trim your eyebrows because you're an old man but you're supposed to pluck the hair in the middle. You don't want to shave the one in the middle. No, I shave that all the time.

You don't pluck your unibrow? I don't need a unibrow. I don't, you know, air hair, I get that shit out of there, Luke, okay? Yeah, you got to trim your ear hair and you got to get the, when you're an old man, you have to tell the ladies or whoever cuts your hair, yo, I got to, I'm old. Please give me the old man treatment. And then they might just get the lawnmower and cut your disgusting balls you never know you just never know how it's gonna

go uh luke today's friday show box tonight thank you everyone for the great support and well wishes uh are you going to the morning combat brand new jersey city studio on monday are you gonna meet me there you i'm pretty confident i'm gonna make it i don I don't have any symptoms. I'm playing it safe. Overly safe, just to be cautious, but I think I'll be there. I think I'll be fine. There's rumors of a resume review that will be filmed that could shake the course of MMA history.

I had a conversation with our boss last night. He called me. I have an idea. I want to run past you. I think it's good. I think you'll like it. Which boss? You talked to Sam? Sam. Sam called me last night. With Sam B, it's a guarantee, Luke. That's right. That's right. It certainly is.

Okay. I'll be there then, Luke. I want to do Nganou, but you're like, no, we ain't doing Nganou. Here's the problem. Here's the problem. If folks want us to do the Nganou resume review, we can. And, of course, it would feed the curse because i think that gone is going to win but here's the problem and i mean this genuinely this is his

first title defense it's a pivotal fight it's a huge fight but it's his first title defense it's like i don't know if this is the right time for it but if you want to do it we'll do it we'll do i do well i think he has enough exciting fights. There are enough fights, and most of them have been super exciting, that we've seen enough of him, and we've seen some highs and lows of him that that's the point of this to talk about how somebody grew from that to get to this point. I would have a different amount of reason for not wanting to do him.

It's just that I think he showed so much advancement against Stipe in the rematch that I kind of want to see if it's going to get even more first. You know what I mean? I kind of want to see if he can show us even more new tricks. We'll probably do it, and it will feed the curse because I do think that

I think Gon's going to win. So, we'll see how it goes. I still need to see Gon take big-time strikes to the chin and keep coming. I don't think – listen, if Francis lands on him clean, then it's over. I don't think that there's anybody who can take a Francis punch clean. The question is, will he take one clean? I'm guessing not, but we'll see. You're right.

The margin of error is not high. It is super low is not high at all by the way and if you and by the way folks folks folks should send us at morningcomment at gmail.com if you want to see a hot sauce review or whatever else you want us to do in studio let us know i have an idea i want to run it past you but um is this an in-studio idea for this yes yes in-studio idea that's right i would can we talk about it now on air or we don't let that we can't do only fans i have a couple of different methods to make it work and i want to see which one you like better so we need to do that behind the scenes hey um canadian friend

erin um erin bronstetter best you know great guy i have met in luke send me a nice care package of uh of vinyl what a great guy right he doesn't send me shit perfectly curated to my interest what a nice guy you know happy holidays what i mean you know yeah are you gonna watch are you gonna watch incanto this week no and i think that says a lot about what he thinks about you luke so you know probably does fuck that guy all right uh luke anything else you want to tell a story what do you got uh sydney poitier sydney poitier who is the first black man to win an oscar for best actor he has died at the age of 94 if you have never seen a million things he's done he and he and i uh was a big thing he did as well. But to me, the most impressive performance of his career,

which is saying something, is A Raisin in the Sun, which you can watch on YouTube. If you've never seen, which is a famous play, obviously, but his acting in it is next fucking level. Would you say, guess who's coming to dinner? That's him, right?

That's his most iconic role? Is that right? Is he that guy? I think so. In 67? Was that Sidney Poitier? Yes, it was. I would still say Raisin in the Sun is bigger in terms of what he's done.

But yeah, he's done some big fucking things. And now he's gone, Luke. And now he's dead. And that's the part that you focus on. Well, Luke, over his career in life, he was dead and that's the part that you focus on well Luke over his over his career in life he was dead right you know what I'm saying

yes you won't see him showing up in our seconds alright no you certainly won't uh shouts to him and his family

there you go alright can we end this yeah that got awkward real fast right alright yeah sorry Uber driver I don't really want to hear about your family alright can you just All right, can we end this? Yeah, that got awkward real fast, right? All right, yeah. Sorry, Uber driver. I don't really want to hear about your family.

All right, can you just take me to the finish line? Okay. Thanks. For our staff. Dude, I will point out on my Uber app, like, quiet preferred when I book my car. And they'll be like, how's your day going? I'm like, quiet preferred. Yeah, yeah. For our great staff at Malka who dealt with my anger over my failing technological advancing

to Showtime CBS Sports, our great team, to the vast, expansive audience of donks out there who can actually help us out by going to sportspod. What is it? Sport podcast. Sportspodcastawards.com. Sportspodcastawards.com, in which Morning Combat is up for best combat sports podcast. Some heavy hitters. Oh, we're up against Chris Jericho, Luke. We're up against Ariel Helwani.

This is a fight, right? We're up against some big UK boxing ones. But you want to help our future stay profitable and and uh in live and direct do a live show this summer we can get there if we keep if we keep winning this hardware so there you go that's all i got to say buy our merch morningcombat.store you can look as pasty as i do with this great t-shirt on first of all i will say this watch bc on showbox tonight either either like me catch it on dvr or watch it live but either way watch it watch that shit i can't wait

to see how you look on that uh probably stupid but you will sound good because you do no boxing so that will be blotchy and bloated it's brian campbell here we go just don't make any uh might as well be walking on the sun here, Raul Marquez, if you know what I'm saying. 90s, huh? Showtime.com. And your 30-day free trial. Hey, do it for BC, right?

Now's the time. Sign on. You got nothing. What are you risking, right? Nothing. So watch BC there. Get Showtime. And we'll talk about that on Monday.

And I will also say to the audience, yes, the last couple of episodes of the show have just been the worst pieces of shit ever. However, what I will also say is the fights start next week. We're going to be in studio next week. The show of, this is the hangover period. By the way, in Columbia, do you know people don't work between Christmas and January 10th?

That's great. They just have off. That's great. Isn't that nuts? That's how you keep a family happy. It's how you recharge and are in our society luke they're all god um yeah that's uh hey well you've got you've got preparations to get ready for so i know that we've been this is my final point i know that you know

i've been a bit crazy to think we could put a my face on a hawaiian shirt and sell out that we can put a drug rug out there and sell out if we did bc midlife crisis randy couture fidel castro hats with like an mk logo am i crazy or that shit move luke it would move i would like to tell you that it wouldn't move because it's dumb but it would move because it's dumb you know what i'm saying another sellout just waiting to happen yep all right dude seriously can we end this shit i gotta go sorry for luke thomas i'm brian campbell um thank you for your patronage two words for you on the way out uh we out