Fighter vs. Writer Reacts to Jon Jones’ Win Over Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 and a Possible Conspiracy Theory About His Future in the Sport

Tom Aspinall laid out a path to the UFC heavyweight title and a potential "dream" matchup with Jon Jones following his incredible return to the octagon at UFC London by targeting the winner of the upcoming September headliner at UFC Paris between Ciryl Gane and Serghei Spivac. But is that the correct path following his successful main event victory over Marcin Tybura? On an all-new edition of On To the Next One, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and the returning Alexander K. Lee discuss what could be next for the ultra-talented Aspinall after sending the O2 Arena into a frenzy. Additionally, future matchups are discussed for Julija Stoliarenko following her first-round submission win over Molly McCann in the co-main event, Nathaniel Wood after his decision win over Andre Fili, Paul Craig after his successful middleweight debut stoppage win over Andre Muniz, along with fellow scheduled main card winners Fares Ziam, Lerone Murphy, and more. Follow Mike Heck: @MikeHeck_JR Follow Alexander K. Lee: @AlexanderKLee Subscribe: http://goo.gl/dYpsgH Check out our full video catalog: http://goo.gl/u8VvLi Visit our playlists: http://goo.gl/eFhsvM Like MMAF on Facebook: http://goo.gl/uhdg7Z Follow on Twitter: http://goo.gl/nOATUI Read More: http://www.mmafighting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

23 Jul 20231h 10min

Tom Aspinall couldn't have written a better story for his return to the octagon in front of a home crowd at UFC London, and to top it off, he even got the attention of the heavyweight champion of the world in Jon Jones. MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Eric "New York Ric" Jackman react to Aspinall's 73-second finish of Marcin Tybura in the main event of Saturday's card at the O2 Arena after a year away due to injury, his callout for the winner upcoming UFC Paris headliner between Ciryl Gane and Serghei Spivac before wanting his shot at Jones, Molly McCann's upset submission loss to Julija Stoliarenko and what her future now looks like, Stoliarenko's potential at her new weight class, Paul Craig's exceptional debut at middleweight, and much more. Follow Mike Heck: @MikeHeck_JR Follow Eric Jackman: @NewYorkRic Subscribe: http://goo.gl/dYpsgH Check out our full video catalog: http://goo.gl/u8VvLi Visit our playlists: http://goo.gl/eFhsvM Like MMAF on Facebook: http://goo.gl/uhdg7Z Follow on Twitter: http://goo.gl/nOATUI Read More: http://www.mmafighting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

23 Jul 20231h 15min

The UFC is heading back across the pond for UFC London on Saturday, and the next title contender will be revealed at heavyweight when hometown hero Tom Aspinall battles the surging Marcin Tybura in the main event. While the winner will certainly move up the ladder, how close will he be to getting to a title shot, and perhaps, a huge fight with Jon Jones or Stipe Miocic? MMA Fighting's Mike Heck, Shaheen Al-Shatti, and José Youngs discuss Saturday's headliner, Aspinall's return from a nasty injury, whether or not Tybura is getting slept on, and the stakes in the matchup. Additionally, they'll talk to overall quality of the card compared to the promotion's three recent visits to the O2 Arena, Molly McCann looking to bounce back in the co-main event, other intriguing matchups on the slate, and more. Follow Mike Heck: @MikeHeck_JR Follow Shaun Al-Shatti: @ShaunAlShatti Follow José Youngs: @JoseYoungs Subscribe: http://goo.gl/dYpsgH Check out our full video catalog: http://goo.gl/u8VvLi Visit our playlists: http://goo.gl/eFhsvM Like MMAF on Facebook: http://goo.gl/uhdg7Z Follow on Twitter: http://goo.gl/nOATUI Read More: http://www.mmafighting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

21 Jul 20231h 7min

Both UFC President Dana White and Colby Covington have suggested that Leon Edwards' next title defense will take place at UFC 295 in November, which serves as the promotion's annual trip to Madison Square Garden. With so many unknowns in the final couple of months of 2023, would that fight be best served as the co-main event for that card, or be a headliner in December? On an all-new edition of Heck of a Morning, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck gives his thoughts on the Edwards vs. Covington matchup, and where and when it could take place. Additionally, listener topics include Rob Font stepping in to face Cory Sandhagen in the main event of UFC Nashville, divisional litmus tests for the UFC, comparing future stocks of Bo Nickal, Erin Blanchfield, and Jailton Almeida, UFC 292, UFC London, Jake Paul vs. Nate Diaz, and much more. You can listen live to Heck of a Morning Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays at 10 a.m. ET on the MMA Fighting Twitter Spaces. Follow Mike Heck: @MikeHeck_JR Subscribe: http://goo.gl/dYpsgH Check out our full video catalog: http://goo.gl/u8VvLi Visit our playlists: http://goo.gl/eFhsvM Like MMAF on Facebook: http://goo.gl/uhdg7Z Follow on Twitter: http://goo.gl/nOATUI Read More: http://www.mmafighting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

21 Jul 20231h 9min

DAMN! They Were Good celebrates the careers of the most exciting and influential fighters in MMA history. On this episode, the MMA Fighting crew looks back on the legendary career of Robbie Lawler, the most exciting fighter ever to step into a cage. Lawler began his MMA career in 2001 and for the next 22 years, "Ruthless" made it his mission to provide as much entertainment as humanly possible for anyone watching. On top of his numerous other accolades, most notably holding the UFC welterweight title from 2014 to 2016, Lawler is the only person in history to win Fight of the Year three times (consecutively, no less). On top of that, two of those bouts - his fights with Carlos Condit and Rory MacDonald - are widely viewed as the two greatest bouts in MMA history. That would be more than enough for any fighter but Lawler added one final cherry to the top of his peerless resume, authoring the best retirement in UFC history with his 38-second knockout of Niko Price in his final bout at UFC 290. There is no single fighter that better speaks to what DAMN is all about, and so in honor of his recent retirement and induction into the UFC Hall of Fame, MMA Fighting's Jed Meshew, Shaheen Al-Shatti, and Steven Marrocco look back on the career of the most exciting fighter to ever live. Follow Jed Meshew: @JedKMeshew Follow Shaun Al-Shatti: @ShaunAlShatti Follow Steven Marrocco: @MMAFightingSM Subscribe: http://goo.gl/dYpsgH Check out our full video catalog: http://goo.gl/u8VvLi Visit our playlists: http://goo.gl/eFhsvM Like MMAF on Facebook: http://goo.gl/uhdg7Z Follow on Twitter: http://goo.gl/nOATUI Read More: http://www.mmafighting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

20 Jul 20231h 58min

With so much going on in the UFC, and the MMA space in general, including Jamahal Hill getting injured and vacating the UFC light heavyweight title, MMA Fighting is turning the programming over to the live viewers this week. On an all-new episode of Between the Links, the panel will answer fan questions from start to finish, and debate topics such as Hill vacating and what it could mean for the division moving forward, Dana White announcing Islam Makhachev vs. Charles Oliveira 2 and Khamzat Chimaev vs. Paulo Costa for UFC 294 in October, Michael Page entering free agency, Michael Page entering free agency, UFC London this Saturday, Mayra Bueno Silva's big win over Holly Holm at UFC Vegas 77, UFC 291, Jake Paul vs. Nate Diaz, Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou, and other news items in the combat sports world. This week, the panel features MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Jed Meshew. Follow Mike Heck: @MikeHeck_JR Follow Jed Meshew: @JedKMeshew Subscribe: http://goo.gl/dYpsgH Check out our full video catalog: http://goo.gl/u8VvLi Visit our playlists: http://goo.gl/eFhsvM Like MMAF on Facebook: http://goo.gl/uhdg7Z Follow on Twitter: http://goo.gl/nOATUI Read More: http://www.mmafighting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

20 Jul 20231h 19min

Wednesday's news day in the MMA world was a busy one, which included UFC President Dana White announcing the first three bouts for the promotion's return to Abu Dhabi, featuring Islam Makhachev vs. Charles Oliveira 2 for the lightweight title, and the return of Khamzat Chimaev against Paulo Costa. On an all-new edition of Heck of a Morning, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck reacts to those announced UFC 294 matchups, and if they were the right bouts to make. Additionally, topics include Umar Nurmagomedov's injury leading to his UFC Nashville headliner scratch against Cory Sandhagen, who Sandhagen could fight instead on the Aug. 5 card, Israel Adesanya announcing Dricus Du Plessis likely won't be ready for UFC 293 in September and him offering the middleweight title fight to Sean Strickland, the UFC's heavyweight division, and much more. You can listen live to Heck of a Morning Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays at 10 a.m. ET on the MMA Fighting Twitter Spaces. Follow Mike Heck: @MikeHeck_JR Subscribe: http://goo.gl/dYpsgH Check out our full video catalog: http://goo.gl/u8VvLi Visit our playlists: http://goo.gl/eFhsvM Like MMAF on Facebook: http://goo.gl/uhdg7Z Follow on Twitter: http://goo.gl/nOATUI Read More: http://www.mmafighting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

20 Jul 20231h 10min

Still in the thick of its summer run, the UFC returns both to television screens and the O2 Arena this Saturday for the latest UFC London event. Headlined by the return of heavyweight dynamo Tom Aspinall, UFC London features 15 total fights and so the No Bets Barred boys are back to break them all down. Co-hosts Conner Burks and Jed Meshew kick things off with a brief recap of last week before diving headfirst into the robust UFC London card. Topics discussed include Aspinall's return from his knee injury and year-long layoff, whether or not Molly McCann will even get the chance to fight this weekend, which British fighter are the boys not backing, and Pannie Kianzad's chances to upset Ketlen Vieira in the suddenly wide open women's bantamweight division. Tune in for episode 54 of No Bets Barred. Follow Conner Burks: @connerburks Follow Jed Meshew: @JedKMeshew Subscribe: http://goo.gl/dYpsgH Check out our full video catalog: http://goo.gl/u8VvLi Visit our playlists: http://goo.gl/eFhsvM Like MMAF on Facebook: http://goo.gl/uhdg7Z Follow on Twitter: http://goo.gl/nOATUI Read More: http://www.mmafighting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

19 Jul 20231h 10min