The MMA Hour Is Back

Aljamain Sterling around (3:14) discusses his UFC 292 performance, why he plans to take a break, his sense of relief after the title loss, who should Sean O’Malley fight next, if he would fight at featherweight, Dana White’s recent comments, Mike Grundy at Polaris, and more. In the latest On the Nose around (47:42), Ariel Helwani agrees with almost everything Dana White had to say at the DWCS post-fight press conference, the UFC welterweight division, the possibility of an all-female UFC event, and more. Raul Rosas Jr. around (1:29:35) breaks down his Noche UFC win, high school life, if he felt pressure to bounce back, how he dealt with his first loss, Conor McGregor’s tweet, his hobbies, if his next fight will be in Mexico, who he wants to fight next, and more. Loopy Godinez around (1:48:32) discusses her Noche UFC win, how her new team has helped, why she changed teams, if she was shocked Elise Reed didn’t tap, what Noche UFC fight week was like, her reaction to the main event, her tough amateur career, when she wants to fight again, and more. Jessica Rose-Clark around (2:12;42) discusses her upcoming bout at Lion Fights, her plans for a bus, her childhood, how she got into fighting, why she isn’t fighting in the UFC anymore, calling out Paige VanZant for a boxing fight, why she wants to fight for Jake Paul and MVP, a recent tweet, and more. Jared Cannonier around (2:43:33) discusses life as a backup fighter for UFC 293, if he’s close to a title shot, how close he was to filling in for Sean Strickland at UFC 293, Strickland’s upset of Israel Adesanya, where Khamzat Chimaev is a true contender, makes his case to be the next title contender, and more. Anthony Smith around (3:11:34) discusses his issues with Ariel, his recent win over Ryan Spain at UFC Singapore, why he wanted to fight in Singapore, fickle MMA fans, who he wants to fight next, Alex Pereira’s recent comments, next light heavyweight title fight, the 10-8 score in Noche UFC main event, and more. The parlay boys around (4:04:36) make their latest pick, and GC makes his picks for a busy combat sports weekend. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/MI/NJ/PA/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 1-877-770-STOP (7867) (LA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), call/text TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/LA/MI/NH/NJ/NY/OR/ PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. New customers only. Min. $5 deposit required. Eligibility restrictions apply. See http://draftkings.com/sportsbook for details. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

20 Sep 20234h 36min

Ariel Helwani around (10:02) recaps Noche UFC and discusses why Mike Bell’s 10-8 in Grasso vs. Shevchenko 2 is one of the worst scorecards in MMA history, where the division goes from here, whether a trilogy fight has to be next, whether Erin Blanchfield or Manon Fiorot has a stronger case, and more. Tracy Cortez around (46:09) discusses her big win over Jasmine Jasudavicius at Noche UFC, her long layoff before Saturday, why she traveled to Brazil to train with the Pitbull brothers, the vibe in T-Mobile Arena, why she was on the prelims, Jasudavicius pulling her hair mid-fight, her rise in popularity, the story behind her infamous photo with Paulo Costa, the passing of Gloria Cejudo, how far she is from title contention, and more. Charlie Campbell around (1:12:42) discusses his win over Alex Reyes at Noche UFC and memorable post-fight promo, how he rebounded from his loss on UFC’s Contender Series, how Al Iaquinta helped him get his start, the unique origin of his nickname “The Cannibal,” his The Rock inspired interaction with Daniel Cormier, The Rock’s response, potentially fighting at Madison Square Garden, and more. Valentina Shevchenko around (1:30:52) discusses her split draw with Alexa Grasso at Noche UFC, her reaction to Mike Bell’s 10-8 scorecard, her breakdown of the fight, why she expected a split decision, her injured hand, what she wants next, who should get next title shot, and more. The parlay boys around (2:14:11) recap their big week, and GC looks back at his memorable bets from this past weekend. Amanda Serrano around (2:33:50) previews her WBO title defense against Danila Ramos, the longer rounds for the title fight, why she isn’t defending all her belts, Alycia Baumgardner’s positive drug test, her return to mixed martial arts, the Katie Taylor rematch, and more. Ciryl Gane around (3:01:45) discusses being robbed during one of his fights, his performance in the UFC Paris main event, not getting the Jon Jones fight, how his mindset has changed, who he wants next, who will win Jones vs. Miocic, Ngannou vs. Fury, and more. NFL legend J.J. Watt around (3:26:04) joins us during the final minutes of the Burnley and Nottingham Forest match, if he enjoys watching soccer or football more, how he became a soccer fan, watching UFC events, and more. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/MI/NJ/PA/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 1-877-770-STOP (7867) (LA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), call/text TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/LA/MI/NH/NJ/NY/OR/ PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. New customers only. Min. $5 deposit required. Eligibility restrictions apply. See http://draftkings.com/sportsbook for details. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

18 Sep 20234h 7min

Ariel Helwani on the latest edition of On The Nose around (9:23) discusses Sean Strickland’s rise and comparisons to Stone Cold Steven Austin, Eric Nicksick’s cornerwork, CM Punk’s future, MVP’s free agency, next UFC middleweight title shot, and more. Kayla Harrison around (36:03) discusses her upcoming fight against Julia Budd, working at Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA as a commentator, her lengthy absence, if she thought of retirement, if this will be her final PFL fight, Bellator’s reported sale, Amanda Nunes’ retirement, and more. Dricus Du Plessis around (1:13:40) discusses the massive upset at UFC 293, Chael Sonnen’s comments in his last fight, if he was promised a title fight after the Robert Whittaker fight, Israel Adesanya’s performance in the cage, Dana White’s comments, if he regrets his decision to pass up a title shot, what he wants next, and more. Eric Nicksick around (1:36:53) discusses Sean Strickland’s upset win at UFC 293, how long it took to make the fight official, what fight week was like, why he thought Sean Strickland might get pulled from the UFC 293 fight week, how he ended up with a bodyguard, the gameplan, Israel Adesanya’s traps, corner advice, who they want next, why he defended Eugene Bareman, and more. Sergio Pettis around (2:21:24) discusses his upcoming fight against Patchy Mix at Bellator 301, his training partners, if Bellator 301 will be the final Bellator event, a possible merger with the PFL, the best bantamweight in the world, the giant fish he caught in Thailand, and more. Chris Eubank Jr. around (2:58:37) discusses his rematch win over Liam Smith, how he likes mixed martial arts, Jake Paul’s rise in boxing, how Dana White has impacted MMA, if Francis Ngannou can keep up with Tyson Fury, who he wants next, and more. Robert Whittaker around (3:30:02) discusses the UFC 293 main event, what happened against DDP at UFC 290, why he didn’t fight in Australia, DDP’s decision to skip title fight with injury, Sean Strickland’s performance against Israel Adesanya, the middleweight division, if Adesanya should get an immediate rematch, and more. The parlay boys around (4:02:03) make their latest selection, and GC makes his picks for Noche UFC. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (tel:18004262537) (IL/IN/MI/NJ/PA/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), tel:18005224700 (CO/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 1-877-770-STOP (7867) (LA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit http://OPGR.org (OR), call/text TN REDLINE tel:18008899789 (TN), or tel:18885323500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/LA/MI/NH/NJ/NY/OR/ PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. New customers only. Min. $5 deposit required. Eligibility restrictions apply. See http://draftkings.com/sportsbook for details. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

13 Sep 20234h 35min

Ariel Helwani around (7:57) reflects on a memorable UFC 293 main event, whether it’s one of the biggest upsets in UFC history, if champion Sean Strickland is good for the UFC, what’s next for the middleweight champion, and more. The team around (25:34) discusses the magnitude of the Sean Strickland's upset over Israel Adesanya, what really happened with Adesanya, the reaction to Strickland in Australia, whether there should be an immediate rematch, and more. Chris Curtis around (58:03) reacts to his teammate and podcast co-host Sean Strickland's incredible win over Adesanya, why he was confident that Strickland would win, how Strickland trained for the fight, Strickland's demeanor going into the fight, the presence of Strickland's girlfriend on fight week, his reaction to Strickland dropping Adesanya in the first round, Eric Nicksick's coaching during the fight, Strickland's unusual style and how he surprised Adesanya, how Strickland will celebrate his win, being 100 percent confident Strickland will spar tomorrow, his rib injury and clarifying Ian Machado Garry's role in it, and more. Chael Sonnen (1:22:35) discusses UFC 293, Sean Strickland’s big upset win, how Alex Pereira loss helped Strickland, if there will be an immediate rematch for Israel Adesanya, if DDP should regret his decision, if Izzy is the greatest middleweight champion of all-time, a classic story about Anderson Silva, how a rematch would go between Strickland and Adesanya, the biggest upsets in UFC history, Alexa Grasso vs. Valentina Shevcheno rematch, and more. Ian Machado Garry around (2:05:50) discusses the UFC 293 main event, why Israel Adesanya came up short, his UFC 292 performance, his Friday workout before the fight, why he wants Wonderboy next, possibly facing with Colby Covington next year, training with Conor McGregor, and more. Casey O’Neill around (2:39:57) discusses missing out on UFC 293 with an injury, what Sean Strickland is like as a teammate, the UFC 293 main event, what Eric Nicksick is like as a coach, why Israel Adesanya and Strickland are polarizing, when she might return, Alexa Grasso vs. Valentina Shevchenko, and more. Ariel Helwani around (3:09:30) recaps the rest of the UFC 293 fight card and other combat sports this past weekend. The parlay pals around (3:17:14) recap their latest selections, and GC looks back at his most recent selections. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/MI/NJ/PA/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 1-877-770-STOP (7867) (LA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), call/text TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/LA/MI/NH/NJ/NY/OR/ PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. New customers only. Min. $5 deposit required. Eligibility restrictions apply. See http://draftkings.com/sportsbook for details. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

11 Sep 20234h 7min

Ariel Helwani around (4:59) returns and catches us up on the latest news with ‘The MMA Hour is on Fire’ song. In the latest On the Nose around (20:56), Ariel Helwani discusses Dana White’s issues with Merab Dvalishvili, Izzy vs. DDP, Izzy vs. Khamzat Chimaev, what’s next for Max Holloway, recent deaths in WWE, CM Punk’s ousting from AEW, what’s next for Tom Aspinall, Laura Sanko’s PPV debut, and more. Jorge Masvidal around (41:48) discusses booking Junior dos Santos and Fabricio Werdum in Friday’s main event, if Masvidal would like to box again, how Nate Diaz did against Jake Paul, how Masvidal would do against Jake Paul, the ‘BMF’ title fight, and more. Sean O’Malley around (1:01:53) discusses life on the farm and as a champion, his rough training camp, his walkout song, the UFC 292 finish, the post-fight celebrations, Gervonta Davis, when he would like to return, Chito Vera, Vitor Belfort’s recent comments, his new tattoos, and more. Marlon Vera around (1:32:32) discusses his new look, if he was bummed not to face Henry Cejudo, his performance against Pedro Munhoz at UFC 292, the UFC 292 main event, Sean O’Malley, what’s next, surfing with Kelly Slater, being on stage with Zach Bryan, the futures of Merab Dvalishvili and Aljamain Sterling, and more. Mike Perry around (2:01:59) discusses how he ended up backing up Dillon Danis next month, his next BKFC fight, if Danis has crossed the line in pre-fight trash talk, why he stayed with BKFC, the Misfits press conference, Jake Paul vs. Nate Diaz, his issues with Darren Till, and more. Korean Zombie around (2:37:36) discusses his retirement fight against Max Holloway, why he decided to retire right now, the return of “classic” Zombie in third round, the walkout, putting the gloves down in cage, the walk to locker room, losing his retirement glove, why he is so beloved, the message from Max Holloway after the fight, his favorite fight, how he wants to be remembered, why he decided to use ‘Zombie’ song, and more. The parlay boys around (3:41:24) make their pick for this week, and GC makes his selections for the upcoming weekend. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (tel:18004262537) (IL/IN/MI/NJ/PA/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), tel:18005224700 (CO/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 1-877-770-STOP (7867) (LA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit http://OPGR.org (OR), call/text TN REDLINE tel:18008899789 (TN), or tel:18885323500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/LA/MI/NH/NJ/NY/OR/ PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. New customers only. Min. $5 deposit required. Eligibility restrictions apply. See http://draftkings.com/sportsbook for details. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

6 Sep 20234h

Conner Burks and Eric Jackman around (2:16) kick things off with some big news from NYRic. Ariel Helwani around (5:04) hops on the program to give his quick thoughts about UFC 292, including what’s next for Sean O’Malley, Aljamain Sterling, and Chris Weidman. Conner and NYRic around (28:59) then give their detailed thoughts about UFC 292, what’s next for the top stars, and more. The parlay pals around (1:31:55) recap their latest selection, and GC looks backs at this recent picks from a busy combat sports weekend. GC and NYRic around (1:39:33) then answer questions from the YT chat. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/MI/NJ/PA/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 1-877-770-STOP (7867) (LA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), call/text TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/LA/MI/NH/NJ/NY/OR/ PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. New customers only. Min. $5 deposit required. Eligibility restrictions apply. See http://draftkings.com/sportsbook for details. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

21 Aug 20232h 19min

Andre Petroski around (4:36) discusses his upcoming UFC 292 fight, how close he came to the wall of fame, his unique hairstyle, why he called out Gerald Meerschaert, how Jared Gordon interview helped him kick his drug habit, when he hit rock bottom, how he beat his addiction, why he is willing to face Bo Nickal next, and more. Shane Burgos around (31:36) discusses how he reacted to finding out how he was still alive in the PFL playoffs, if the PFL made the right decision, his fight next week, his biggest food vice, if the PFL bought Bellator, and more. Sean O’Malley’s coach Tim Welch around (50:55) discusses O’Malley’s title fight at UFC 292, the threats Aljamain Sterling pose, the takedown bet, training camp comparisons, his keys to living a happy life, how O’Malley will be facing adversity, sleep, if Sterling will be done at bantamweight, Marlon Vera rematch, his prediction, and more. The parlay boys around (1:13:32) make their selection for UFC 292, and GC makes his picks for this weekend. Demetrious Johnson around (1:31:17) discusses MMA fighters making more money in boxing, what Jake Paul and Nate Diaz did wrong in their fight, Terrence Crawford’s viral wrestling clip, competing in a grappling tournament, a potential Bradley Martin fight, Aljamain Sterling vs. Sean O’Malley, Sterling’s recent comments about Johnson, when he might call it quits, and more. In the latest edition of On The Nose around (2:27:04), Ariel Helwani discusses the class-action lawsuit against the UFC, the two new MMA rules, Chris Weidman’s return, a recent mistake on graphic during UFC event, Derrick Lewis free agency, Brian Ortega’s next fight, when Conor McGregor will fight again, and more. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/MI/NJ/PA/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 1-877-770-STOP (7867) (LA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), call/text TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/LA/MI/NH/NJ/NY/OR/ PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. New customers only. Min. $5 deposit required. Eligibility restrictions apply. See http://draftkings.com/sportsbook for details. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

16 Aug 20233h 42min

Aljamain Sterling around (2:46) joins us to discuss his upcoming title defense against Sean O’Malley at UFC 292, if he’s nervous, how he ended up fighting in Boston, the announcement of the fight, his bet with O’Malley, who the UFC wants to win, if this is his last fight at 135 pounds, his prediction, and more. The team around (26:01) discusses whether UFC 292 is really Aljamain Sterling's last fight at bantamweight, what happens next in the division, whether the UFC will give Aljo the chance to be champ-champ, Ariel's dislike of rum raisin ice cream, the UFC 292 fight card, Bellator 298, Anthony Joshua's knockout of Robert Helenius, Conor McGregor's appearance at the boxing card, McGregor's bare-knuckle callout of KSI and whether any of his other callouts are realistic, whether McGregor will fight in December as promised, Bryce Hall's BKFC appearance, the latest in the Elon Musk vs. Mark Zuckerberg saga, and more. Terrance McKinney around (1:07:31) talks about his rebound win at UFC Vegas 78, dealing with his haters, appealing his UFC Vegas 77 loss to Nazim Sadykhov, forgetting UFC 292's date in his post-fight interview, having his next fight already booked, his friendship with Kevin Holland, possibly fighting at UFC Paris, doing the X-chop after his win, his teammates Holland and Michael Chiesa fighting each other, and more. Ian Machado Garry around (1:28:48) discusses facing Neil Magny at UFC 292, why he feels like he is carrying the card, why he thought Geoff Neal pulled out of the fight, his controversial T-shirt of Neal, how the Magny fight will finish, training and having acas in Brazil, if he really was going to fight Wonderboy, tattoos before fights, injuring Chris Curtis in training , his official prediction, and more. Eddie Hearn around (1:58:00) discusses Anthony Joshua’s latest win, if Joshua was close to dropping out of the fight, if Hearn was getting nervous, if the Deontay Wilder fight is next, when Conner Benn will fight again, Conor McGregor’s callout of KSI, KSI vs. Tommy Fury, the Jake Paul vs. Nate Diaz fight, Francis Ngannou vs. Tyson Fury, Katie Taylor’s next fight, and more. The parlay boys around (2:43:18) look back at their most recent selection, and GC recaps his UFC Vegas 78 picks. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/MI/NJ/PA/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 1-877-770-STOP (7867) (LA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), call/text TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/LA/MI/NH/NJ/NY/OR/ PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. New customers only. Min. $5 deposit required. Eligibility restrictions apply. See http://draftkings.com/sportsbook for details. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

14 Aug 20233h 4min