#469 – Anthony Smith, Stefan Struve, Valerie Loureda, Matt Mitrione

While a couple of huge fights in the MMA and boxing world have been announced — with one, in particular crossing over into both sports — the future of another massive fight is still up in the air. Jake Paul and Mike Perry are set for a boxing match on July 20, while Dricus Du Plessis will defend the UFC middleweight title against former champ Israel Adesanya in the main event of UFC 305 in August.  On an all-new edition of Between the Links, the panel reacts to Paul vs. Perry being booked ahead of Paul's November matchup with Mike Tyson, discuss if it's a big risk for Paul, and what Perry would gain with a win. Additionally, they'll discuss the du Plessis vs. Adesanya booking, Adesanya announcing his own fight, where Sean Strickland fits in the title conversation, Saturday's UFC Saudi Arabia card headlined by Robert Whittaker vs. Ikram Aliskerov, Bellator Dublin going head-to-head with the UFC this weekend, the futures of Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler after their UFC 303 matchup got scratched, and more. Host Mike Heck moderates the matchup between MMA Fighting's Jed Meshew and Morning Kombat's Brian Campbell. Follow Mike Heck: @MikeHeck_JR Follow Jed Meshew: @JedKMeshew Follow Brian Campbell: @BCampbell Subscribe to MMA Fighting Check out our full video catalog Like MMA Fighting on Facebook Follow on Twitter Read More: http://www.mmafighting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

20 Juni 20241h 38min

The UFC is heading to Saudi Arabia! This Saturday, the UFC makes its maiden voyage to Saudi Arabia with a Fight Night card headlined by a middleweight matchup between Robert Whittaker and Ikram Aliskerov and the No Bets Barred Boys are here to break it all down. Co-hosts Conner Burks and Jed Meshew kick things off with a brief state of the union discussing both of their winning weeks last week and Conner's return to the great state of Georgia. Then it's on to UFC Saudi Arabia and the late notice change up that saw Aliskerov step in for Khamzat Chimaev against Whittaker this Saturday. Will the short notice hurt Aliskerov's chances? Can Alexander Volkov stand up to the otherworldly power of Sergei Pavlovich? And what about Kelvin Gastelum vs. Daniel Rodriguez? All this and a lot more are discussed on this week's episode. Tune in for episode 92 of No Bets Barred. Follow Conner Burks: @connerburks Follow Jed Meshew: @JedKMeshew Subscribe to MMA Fighting Check out our full video catalog Like MMA Fighting on Facebook Follow on Twitter Read More: http://www.mmafighting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

19 Juni 202455min

Jake Paul is still fighting Mike Tyson in November, but he will still compete on July 20 as originally planned, but Paul will face the dangerous BKFC superstar Mike Perry in an eight-round boxing match in Tampa. How much of a risk is the matchup for Paul with the Tyson fight already on the books, and what would it do for Perry's career if he can get it done this summer? Following the announcement of Paul vs. Perry, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Eric Jackman react to the matchup, discuss why it might be the most compelling fight Paul has had in the boxing ring, the stakes attached for both guys, why Perry is playing with house money, a loss for Paul not being as devastating as some might suggest, and much more. Follow Mike Heck: @MikeHeck_JR Follow Eric Jackman: @NewYorkRic Subscribe to MMA Fighting Check out our full video catalog Like MMA Fighting on Facebook Follow on Twitter Read More: http://www.mmafighting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

18 Juni 202449min

Israel Adesanya is officially back as he'll face Dricus du Plessis for the UFC middleweight championship in the main event of August's UFC 305 event in Perth, Western Australia. With the 185-pound division being as crazy as it is right now, was giving Adesanya an immediate title shot upon his return after losing to Sean Strickland this past September the right call? On an all-new edition of Heck of a Morning, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck reacts to the du Plessis vs. Adesanya booking, and discuss where the division goes depending on the winner, and where Adesanya would go with a loss. Additionally, listener topics include UFC Saudi Arabia, Robert Whittaker vs. Ikram Aliskerov, who Sean Strickland may be rooting for in that fight, other compelling fights on the card, the Boston Celtics winning the NBA title, and more. You can listen live to Heck of a Morning Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10 a.m. ET on the MMA Fighting Twitter Spaces. Follow Mike Heck: @MikeHeck_JR Subscribe to MMA Fighting Check out our full video catalog Like MMA Fighting on Facebook Follow on Twitter Read More: http://www.mmafighting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

18 Juni 20241h 27min

The Fighter vs. The Writer returns with Matt Brown back from his bear hunting expedition in Canada alongside MMA Fighting senior reporter Damon Martin as we react to the news that Conor McGregor is no longer fighting at UFC 303 after suffering an injury. Brown has long maintained that he never believed McGregor was going to fight again after suffering a devastating broken leg back in 2021 but does this news strengthen that belief that the Irish superstar is done or was his comeback so close that perhaps things are different now? We’ll also discuss how this latest setback serves as another gut punch for Chandler, who has now sacrificed nearly two years of his career waiting for the fight against McGregor. We’ll also talk about Khamzat Chimaev falling off the UFC Saudi Arabia card on Saturday and what’s next for Gervonta “Tank” Davis after his brutal knockout over Frank Martin this past weekend. All that and more on the latest episode of The Fighter vs. The Writer! Subscribe to MMA Fighting Check out our full video catalog Like MMA Fighting on Facebook Follow on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

18 Juni 20241h 29min

Tatsuro Taira improved to 16-0 as a pro with the biggest win of his career on Saturday at the UFC APEX with a second-round finish of Alex Perez in the main event of UFC Vegas 93. With many interesting options in front of him, where does the 24-year-old Taira go from the victory? On an all-new edition of On To the Next One, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Alexander K. Lee discuss what could be next for Taira following his first UFC headliner. Additionally, future matchups are discussed for Miles Johns following his co-main event win over Douglas Silva de Andrade, Lucas Almeida after defeating Timmy Cuamba in the featured bout, along with fellow main card winners, Brady Hiestand, Asu Almabayev, Adam Fugitt, and more. Follow Mike Heck: @MikeHeck_JR Follow Alexander K. Lee: @AlexanderKLee Subscribe to MMA Fighting Check out our full video catalog Like MMA Fighting on Facebook Follow on Twitter Read More: http://www.mmafighting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

16 Juni 202448min

Tatsuro Taira and Gervonta Davis ended their respective main event bouts without the need of the judges, with Taira earning a second-round TKO victory in the main event of UFC Vegas 93, while Davis delivered a thunderous knockout of Frank Martin in the eighth round of their boxing match in Las Vegas. Meanwhile, longtime competitive rivals Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen had themselves an underwhelming sparring match in the boxing ring in Brazil. Following a wild trio of events in the combat sports world, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Eric Jackman react to Taira's biggest win to date against Alex Perez, Davis' incredible finish and the options that are ahead for him, Silva and Sonnen's exhibition bout at Spaten Fight Night, other standout performances from Saturday night, and more. Follow Mike Heck: @MikeHeck_JR Follow Eric Jackman: @NewYorkRic Subscribe to MMA Fighting Check out our full video catalog Like MMA Fighting on Facebook Follow on Twitter Read More: http://www.mmafighting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

16 Juni 202453min

The MMA and boxing spaces will be occupied this weekend with UFC Vegas 93 headlined by Alex Perez vs. Tatsuro Taira, along with Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen 3, and Gervonta Davis vs. Frank Martin. As far as Saturday's UFC event is concerned, what does Perez gain from a victory against the undefeated phenom, and where would Taira go from the biggest win of his career? MMA Fighting's Mike Heck, Jed Meshew, and José Youngs preview Saturday's triple-header of action, and discuss the stakes in the UFC's upcoming flyweight main event. Additionally, they'll preview and predict the third combat meeting between Silva and Sonnen, discuss whether or not Sonnen has a chance in the bout, Davis' rising star power and if he'll be able to pick up a finish on Saturday night in Las Vegas, the likelihood of Martin playing spoiler, the chaotic news cycle surrounding the now shuffled-up UFC 303 event, and more. Follow Mike Heck: @MikeHeck_JR Follow Jed Meshew: @JedKMeshew Follow José Youngs: @JoseYoungs Subscribe to MMA Fighting Check out our full video catalog Like MMA Fighting on Facebook Follow on Twitter Read More: http://www.mmafighting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

14 Juni 20241h 40min