Episode 301: We look back at UFC Fight Night...Michael Morales defeats Gilbert Burns. UFC 317 main and co-main events are announced. Holly Holm returns to boxing. Latest news.
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Email: mmaafterhours@gmail.com
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
What's up everybody? Welcome back to MMA after hours is
Michael Carlile joined his always by Micah Frank. Well, Micah,
how you doing?
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Man? I'm all right. I'm just here trying to think
what will Saturday bring without the UFC. It's one of
those weekends for Saturdays. Why to open? And it leaves
me already bored?
Speaker 1 (00:25):
Why have you got to ruin my holiday weekend? Micah
by reminding me there's no UFC this weekend.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
My holiday weekend is every weekend that there is UFC, exactly.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
And now we've got a holiday weekend and there's a UFC.
Now look, this is what one of the four or
five weekends they take off during the year. I get it.
Still stinks though, kind of make sure long for an
Apex card, doesn't it.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
We've Haaturday Apex card. I got you coverage because it
only feels right to have an Apex card before another
Apex card, before a pay per view.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
Well yeah, yeah, you more bang for your buck? Uh
yeah yeah yeah, double it up. You let it ride.
Micah's Vegas baby.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
All that Apex talk is going to be lovely once
we get into the fight announcements, which we'll have no
APEX talk, and that's why it'll be lovely APEX talk.
But as long as we're talking about the apex, Michael
Morales out here looking like an a X predator. I mean,
you wanted some Randy Horton, he's a legend killer easy.
Speaker 1 (01:35):
Now you're crossing over your TKO properties here, mikeh Easy easy.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
The TKO takeover right here for MNBA after ours. Actually,
if you want to hear more about the pro wrestling,
you do that on a pro wrestling after hours. But
all of the credit and all of the praise to
Michael Morales, who look calm composed, is an absolute doing
it at one hundred and seventy pounds of the KAI
(02:03):
is absolutely massive compared to Gilbert Burns. Showed a lot
of composure and creativity, and that's really without getting to
what he did to get the finish. But just on
those levels, I saw a lot of things that are
really excited about a young prospect that took advantage of
(02:23):
the spotlight and put on a performance that gives a
lot of potential.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
I agree. I thought it was a heck of a performance.
Apparently so did Dana White. He gets a performance of
the night for his went over Gilbert Burns. He just
went out. Look, I definitely want to talk about Gilbert,
but I want to give Morales his due as well.
He went out and just took care of business, did
exactly what he needed to do, made it quick, made
it easy, and when I say easy, he made it
(02:50):
look really easy.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
It was how Morales got it done. We know that
Gilbert Burns is defensively sound. He keeps a really solid
high guard, so you're not able to hit him straight on.
Morales said, well, I have a reach advantage. I'm gonna
get inside and then I'm gonna come around that guard.
I'm not gonna try to smash through it. I'm gonna
(03:13):
find holes in it. And that's what he was doing
really early on the right hand, coming around the guard
kind of towards the back of the head, the side
of the head, which is all legal on the feet
was really effective. And then once he was able to
shut down Gilbert Burns grappling, it all came into fruition.
(03:34):
It seemed like even though he got taken down, Morass
was really quick to get his stance, get his tripod,
pop back up to his feet, attack the hands and
then once he broke the grip immediately, which I love
and I don't see a lot of guys doing. Went
two on one and said, I'm not allowing you to regrip.
I'm not allowing you to reassert that body log. I
(03:56):
am going to focus two on one, and that's how
he was able to peel himself off the cage. And
then we saw in space the constant kind of faking
and playing with his right hand as he was shaking it,
not allowing Burns to get a beat on which direction
it was going, and that boom it snapped with that
upper cut, and from there Burns was in all sorts
(04:17):
of trouble and that's where the overhand came back into play.
Loved the way that morales knew what he was doing,
positionally swimming around on top of Burns and continuing to finish.
So much to love out of that performance of a
guy that had his first opportunity at the spotlight and
flourished in it.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
He took advantage of the opportunity put forth in front
of him. He moves up four spots in the UFC's
rankings to eight, Burns drops two spots to ten. Before
we talk about Gilbert Burns what do you think is
next for Morales?
Speaker 2 (04:52):
You gotta have to give me one second on that one.
I'm just let's catch my breath from how amazing that
performance was. Okay, I'm good. Morales is in an interesting
position because there's so many killers that have put in
so much work. I think that he flew under the
radar until this performance. So well, he's just crashing the party.
(05:17):
Unless you get Leon Edwards next, you're kind of gonna
be fighting down because I don't think he's established himself
to be getting Ian Machado or one of the guys
ahead of him. So what was a quick rise? The
best thing is to get that next veteran name I
think in Leon Edwards.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
Yeah. Now, as far as Gilbert Burns goes, this is
four in a row and five of his last seven
that he's taken the l Are we getting close to
Tony Ferguson territory with Gilbert Burns here?
Speaker 2 (05:53):
Not that I wish any ill will. I love Gilbert
Burns great personality. We've never interviewed him, but we've entered
acted with him at events quite a few times, live
and just before weigh ins and stuff. Really fun guy.
We know the depths of knowledge with his jiu jitsu game,
him and his brother. Where David is coming out of Brazil,
(06:13):
I think he's already hit the pinnacle. He is on
the backslide. And there was a quote previously for where
I had heard that if he didn't believe he could
continue fighting for its a title or making that run,
that he was going to walk away. I expected him
to leave the gloves in the ring after this fight
because I don't see another resurgence coming for Gilbert Burns.
(06:37):
We got to remember he came into the UFC as
a lightweight. His resurgence was this entire welterweight run, and
he's made a lot, got such depth out of what
he was able to produce. I don't see it getting
better for him. Maybe if you're Gilbert, you're looking and saying,
maybe I hang in with the wonder boy Jeff Neil
(06:57):
and there's money to still be made.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
And that's what I was gonna say. It's interesting because
I agree with you ascending to a title shot. I
don't see that happening at this point, But you are
talking about a division and the first two guys ever
get a name, I was gonna name you just said them,
Jeff Neil, Steven Thompson still both in the top twelve.
You got Kolbe Covington right above him in the rankings
(07:20):
at nine. I mean, I think there's still a place
for him in the division, and I think there's still
guys that are at this point in their careers more
on his level. So if he wants to stick around,
and based on what he's posted on social media, it
kind of sounds like he's gonna at least fight again.
I think there's opponents there that he could go out
(07:44):
and be competitive with and maybe get a win. But
I agree with you as far as getting back into
title contention. I hate to say it, but I think
that ship has sailed. I think the.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
Ship is fully sailed. And I don't have the entire
roster in front of me, but it's an interesting conversation
if you wanted to get into it. Covington, Ousman Burns,
and I'll throw MVP in the conress. I is he
a middleweight. There's four guys here in the rankings.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
That, Yeah, Luk's hanging in there at fourteen in the rankings.
MVP's fifteenth in the rankings, And I'm not saying that
Burns would beat any of them, but they'd be much
more competitive fights.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
I think those are all competitive fights, and how much nastier.
I'm like, do we need numbers next to those guys name?
When I see these names, That's where I'm starting to
think I gave quite possibly some shit to an announcer
a couple of weeks ago that said, now is Randy
Brown not ran and Randy Brown and Bryan Battle might
(08:56):
be a lot more deserving than some of these names
we're looking at. Is we're kind of just ringing out
the last couple drops from the sponge with a few
of them.
Speaker 1 (09:05):
I feel like, yeah, yeah, I agree with you on that.
I'm a big Gilbert Burns fan. He's certainly earned the
right to do what he wants. I think there's some
competitive fights for him, But yeah, if it's all about
title contention for him, I just don't see that one happening.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
How far up the title challenger the real prospect rankings, Like, Okay,
we're gonna remove Leon and Ousman from here. We've talked
about already, JDM. We know that Bilel still gets to
hang in for one more fight. You got Shavcot, you
got Ian Gary you got Buckley, Morales comes in right
(09:49):
after them. Do you think he can catch up to
the group. Do you think that he has a chance
to surpass this group? Like, how do you feel about
Morales as our final word on the main event?
Speaker 1 (10:01):
I think he's in a tough spot. He's gonna have
to just because he's gonna have to be patient that
there are guys ahead of him. And I don't know
that he leapfrogs. And well, like you said, he's almost
certainly gonna have to fight down in his next fight.
The ball's gonna hang around at least for a little while.
You got Sean Brady up there. You mentioned Shafcott. Yeah,
(10:24):
I think it's going to be tough Ian Gary. So
we're gonna have to see.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
If you've told me that we're seeing Morales versus Joaquin Buckley,
I think I get it tingly feeling because I'm not
sure which predator knocks out which one in there. If
you tell me he's fighting Gary, I wonder how Gary
handles the power versus how can Morales handle that cardio
and the pace? If you tell me he's fighting Shafcott, Like,
(10:55):
holy shit, Shafcott might get rocked. And I don't like
the Brady matchup, so I I feel like there's some
really exciting matchups for Morales to get into. Should he
get one more win, I think.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
Well, yeah, I was gonna say, and you're right on
that he's gonna need at least one more win before
any of those guys you just mentioned are willing to
take that fight. And that's not a knock on Morales,
that's just the reality of the situation where their position
right now in the rankings, and where he's at. You're
probably and I think you mentioned this a minute ago,
(11:27):
and Edwards kind of sitting there kind of makes sense.
So we'll see.
Speaker 2 (11:35):
I like Edwards as the fight to be made in
less somehow you make the Ian Gary Leon Edwards fight.
Maybe regionally that's a bigger attraction, But if I'm the
Morales camp, I like the Leon Edwards name.
Speaker 1 (11:47):
Did we really lose the Komain event to herpes?
Speaker 2 (11:51):
Herpees the silent killer as it hops up in those
most it's a bit of moments, you know, stress, can
I guess, you know, give a herpes outbreak? I don't know.
Speaker 1 (12:05):
In all seriousness, it has happened before I get it.
I completely understand it. And it makes sense. But how
many times have we seen guys go in there with
big ass splotches on their bodies somewhere with infection and
all that, and then they come out of oh, yeah,
I've been dealing with this blah blah blah. How they
(12:28):
get around it? But the cold sore cost us our
comaine in the Apex.
Speaker 2 (12:33):
Well, scorecards and judging aren't the only things that are interesting.
Decision when it comes down from athletic commissions. That's about
the best I could tell you there. I found it
to be not the wrong decision, but quite interesting that
(12:54):
two judges go thirty twenty seven Maria and Santo's over
Sadiq Yousef, because at least for me, seemed like Yusef
threw about twice as many strikes in the first round.
It was hard for me to get by that, but
I thought the right guy won. Mario Santos I thought
was going to be at a disadvantage up at one
(13:16):
point fifty five. We know about the physique, the muscle
mass from from Yusef. I thought this would be a
benefit for him. That's worries and that now up a
weight class, the speed was an issue for him, where
he kind of got laid out by Diego Lopez. Top
ten in the world seems to have been the ceiling
(13:38):
for Sadiki Yuseph and we'll see how he's able to
readbound from that. Rusie Boyev I like him better at
eighty five. I'm still concerned about his wrestling at some points,
but seeing that first round he only got knocked down
due to a head, but he was able to be
the more meaningful striker for three rounds. Nice decision when
(13:58):
there and Melchai Aziel Costa really slick entertaining stuff, I mean,
busting out the superman punch, bringing in the just leading
with the high kicks. Julian rosa huge credit to him
to making it a dog fight in the third round.
For as pretty as Costa looked, you saw one judge
(14:21):
give the second to Erosa, two judgs give him the third.
So there was a little more confusion from the judges
in this one that I thought I saw.
Speaker 1 (14:31):
Uh yeah, you brought up the USA fight and Santos
and the scoring there. This one I thought was way
more egregious. Now again, the right guy still won. I'm
all about giving Erosa round three if you want. I
don't I have a hard time justifying anyone giving him
(14:53):
rounds one or two.
Speaker 2 (14:55):
Raw one he got work put in on him, and
round two there were again theigger moments, the harder landed strikes.
I thought it showed a great involvement from how comfortable
Costa is now in the octagon Londos punches fly yeah,
and I.
Speaker 1 (15:11):
Thought, and I think they brought this up on the
broadcast as well, But I thought, Juliana Rosa looks slow
in there. I mean, I just almost like lethargic, not
just like Costal was faster, but Erosa almost looked lethargic.
Speaker 2 (15:26):
I wonder if that could been the detriment from we
had said, didn't we just see them fight. I believe
Costa was two or three weeks previous to Arosa. We
had just seen a Rosa beat Darren Alkins, and I
wondered if that short turnaround, that calorie deficit, if it
just hit on the rehydrate two weight cuts within I
(15:48):
believe a two month span, And that just put julian
A Rosa looking like he was out there mud bogging.
For those that aren't understand, he was just stuck in
the mud, couldn't get the legs moving. I don't know
about you. Gave Green all congratulations forgetting the win, but
(16:09):
was a guy moving down in wait getting a finish.
It felt like he was able to weather a hell
of a storm. And is lucky too big of a
statement to say? You were getting beat up by Camillo
in the first he put a welt on you, he
had a triangle slipped in and if he didn't just
overwork himself, which looked to be the case, does this
(16:32):
really turn it out that good of a lightweight debut
for Gab Green?
Speaker 1 (16:36):
Well, you got the win, so you have to say yes.
But to your point, if you don't want to say lucky,
he was very fortunate, Micah, very fortunate because this fight
could have and and maybe should have went the other way.
Speaker 2 (16:53):
This fight was nine minutes long and he lost eight minutes. Yeah,
that's the brutal part about it. On the other side,
color me impressed with Jared Gordon. I thought we might
have seen him also push the bounds of his ceiling.
We wondered if the split decisions were the best nights
of his career, and maybe he styles more left in him.
(17:14):
I was colored shocked that Gordon was like, I'm going
to attack the Taydowns on Thiago Moys's I'm gonna attack
the Lytrics. The two things Moyses did well once Moyses
was starting was stuck standing and trading punches with Gordon.
Unfortunately he took the big bomb, but that was pretty academic.
When he was down to his third best weapon.
Speaker 1 (17:35):
Gordon, I thought, used his aggression to his advantage and
it almost looked like Moyses wasn't expecting that. And yeah,
Gordon was able to finish that in round one, and
good for him, because I'm with you and we might
have even I might have brought this up last week.
Is this going to be the last one in the
USC for Jared Gordon? Jared Gordon obviously has other ideas.
Speaker 2 (18:00):
Might unfortunately be that looking that way for Thiago Boys, Yes,
why Yachty air Bell Valdi. This dude is a physical specimen.
Everything Land did hard the first like king, he was composed,
he was tight, he was coiled like a cobra. And
then when that dude fired that first like kick felt
(18:21):
like it was a belt lashing mark. There I go
again with another pro wrestling reference. But it was that
big of a whip and a crack. He found a
bunch as when he got it to the ground, he
was overwhelming, he was ferocious and then securing that rear
naked choke in en lightning fast fashion. Unfortunate Connor Matthews.
(18:44):
He was so embarrassed to try to run out of
the octagon, and I think that's because he knew, well,
I'm getting my pink slip, my dreams over. This all sucked. Yeah,
that's the unfortunateness really of what he was great on
the regional scene, got the opportunity to make it to
the UFC, and that's several bad performances in a row, unfortunately.
(19:08):
But on the other side, yah here took all advantage
of this showcase and that guy we just continue to
see more prospects come out of one forty five and
there's a lot of bride spots with his physicality. Is
announcing in his aggression that I'm really intrigued to see
how he grows.
Speaker 1 (19:28):
No, I'm with you on that. He speaking of prospects.
The two women's fights that preceded this fight, the banhamweight
fight the Shrowet fight, why were they both better than
our comin event the other week on the pay per
view with shif Shehenko and there, because.
Speaker 2 (19:50):
I think that we want to see damage, we want
to see aggression, and it's hard to say better. Well,
I give up there little blame to that fight last
weekend being not entertaining, And I give very little blame
of that unentertaining this to Valentina Chevchenko met or Fjork
(20:13):
got beat up on the feet and then clinch for
like the two best rounds she had, which made the
fight less entertaining. That was literally a bigger faster or
a bigger athlete trying to slow down a faster athlete.
So I think that here, especially in the one fifteen fight,
Denise Gomes made the most of her speed advantage and
(20:35):
turned that into power and absolutely covered a lease read
And I wonder, looking in between rounds, when you see
the cup man go to apply ice to Reed's left eye,
she visibly winces and like pulls away and I, oh,
that's a bad sign. And the very next punch that lands,
(20:55):
I wonder if there was already a facial break there,
basically because she just crumbled from the next right hand.
I felt bad that she went out on her shield,
but you wonder was there something going on there from
that unnatural reaction.
Speaker 1 (21:13):
There almost had to be right.
Speaker 2 (21:15):
It had to be because she's a tough fighter. We've
seen her go through some battles before, and yeah, credit
to Gome's on her power. On the other side, Alana
Santo's just another level of technique. And Freda Liz Boa
for constantly trying to buck and make this look more
entertaining and not just succumbing to the position and a
(21:40):
crazy thank you Michael Binns being Oh that's not gonna tap. Oh,
look there's a tap. That was a nasty twist of
the elbow on the key lock. Alana Santos, she said
she liked it one thirty five and wants to give
it one more try. I'd suggest that's right. We also
had Hung Sun park Ap absolutely rear naked choke and
(22:02):
rag dog Carlos Hernandez Hernandez I fear this would be
the last time we see him on the octagon and
t Shatres Lulana Pinero probably should have been farther up
on the card. I also thought they were ranked. Torres
the better athlete, kept the distance and even in the
(22:23):
grappling which she was on her back, didn't allow any damage.
Luana Panero seems to have hit a ceiling in her
maturation where the best we saw it to her was
against Michelle Waterson, where it looked like her striking was
starting to match that judo. And now she's regrets to
if she's not able to get you into the pocket
(22:45):
or just right into clinch range, there's not much offense
or threat being offered.
Speaker 1 (22:50):
I'm with you on that look. I enjoyed the fights.
I know people like to rag on the APEX fight nights,
and I get it, but in all I thought this
was pretty fun Carr. As we mentioned, no UFC this weekend.
They're taking the Memorial Day weekend off. They'll be back
with another fight night next week before we get to
UFC three sixteen in Newark.
Speaker 2 (23:11):
The finishes were ferotious. I mean quite possibly. The prelims
were better than the main card in a few aspects,
even though the main card fights weren't really boring, It's
just there were some kick ass finishes. There's something I
think about the Apax setting where instead of being timid
(23:32):
because it's quaint, I think people are finding it comforting
as the gym and allowing themselves to go out there
and be free, because I'm sure you've heard of it before.
There's a lot of fighters that are killers in the gym,
and then you get them under the bright lights, you
get the adrenaline, the walk out the eight thousand people,
and they just dwindle. They can't pull the trigger. This
(23:53):
I think some fighters are getting used to it's just
another day of spar and I can go out there
and be me and that might be another good thought
process to getting those feet wet and ready for that
big stage.
Speaker 1 (24:04):
Yeah, and you don't go from eight hundred and twelve
hundred and fifteen hundred people on the regional scene to
fifteen sixteen thousand in a big arena, you know, it's
more of a gradual development. So for some of those fighters,
I think it's a huge benefit as.
Speaker 2 (24:20):
Well, exactly exactly much like the Road to UFC where
it starts you in the Apex, those guys getting that
introduction where I believe Australia is having a big to
do with the Road to UFC this coming weekend.
Speaker 1 (24:35):
What else did we have this past weekend, Micah?
Speaker 2 (24:38):
You know what, we actually didn't have anything. Everybody was
kind of quiet on the front unless you consider the
continuing news of the PFL dying.
Speaker 1 (24:55):
Oh now they're big free agent signing. No, yeah, they
let Patchee mis go. Oh my god, I don't even
know if I want to screw it. I've brought this
up many times. It would be hypocritical almost not to
bring it up again. Remind me why in the hell
PFL bought Bellatore, Because what they did is they spent money,
(25:19):
they bought the company, they dissolved the company, and they've
basically released any fighter of any value, now some of them.
They got a fighter so out of but but really
from Bellatore that the only person of note that PFL
really has leftist Chris Cyborg.
Speaker 2 (25:42):
If we want to look in a hole. We talked
about it. They paid pennies on the dollar, and I
I was the original price a million one point five million.
Speaker 1 (25:55):
I don't even know that that matters, Mike, because yes,
they paid pennies on the dollar. I don't believe they
got a return on that investment. So so you got
a great deal. But if you didn't take advantage of
that great deal, it still cost you.
Speaker 2 (26:09):
You know, I, well, here's the difference I'm talking about.
You're talking about did they get a return on the
investment of the Bellatore name of a star studded roster.
No no, no, no no no no no, no, no
no no. I'm asking you if they got a return
on a two million dollar investment. And there's a possibility
(26:31):
with what they've done going into Ireland, England and France
with that Ballatour roster that they made enough of a
dent with those names that mattered for the events that
we don't watch that keep selling out overseas that they've
used those Ballatore names in that they might have not
to mention, they got an entire women's band and weight
division in one season out of that, which they needed
(26:54):
for Dakota Ditchieva that they were trying to build her up.
They got an entire bat and weight division and entire
middleweight division, and they did get a Cyborg fight, a
Bator fight. They got one or two, three, four, five fights.
Once you start counting up all these big names that
they got one fight out of, I think they would
say we got our money's worth for two million dollars,
(27:16):
including still having the entire Bellator catalog of fights that
they're able to use. I just don't think they got well,
the rest of us expected them to be able to
leverage it into it, meaning but.
Speaker 1 (27:30):
They could have got all that once Bellatore closed. Nobody
else was going to buy Bellator, so which is why
PFL was able to get it as such a good deal.
You're probably not wrong with a couple of the international card. Technically,
they probably made that two million or whatever it was back.
You are probably right on that. But again, you didn't
(27:52):
have to spend that two million. You just wait for
Bellator to close up shop and then you grab who
you want. It seems to me that the big play
here was the big play here was we're gonna get
the sweet Bellator tape library, and when we release all
these fighters and MVP and Patchie Mix and Aaron Pico
(28:14):
go to UFC, they're gonna have to pay us a
pretty penny so they can get some of those that
video of those fighters for for highlight packages. And I
don't think UFC really gives a fuck that much about
those highlight packages. So if that was your grand play
it again, it was just it was a terrible business move.
You could have just waited Belatorre's closes up shop and
(28:36):
then you grab whoever you want, and you don't have
to go through the whole. All right, We're keeping you around,
but we ain't fighting you, or we'll fight you once
and we're not fighting you again, and eventually you'll complain
until we release you. It just it didn't seem like
a wise business move then, and you look at the
releases and who they have left, it doesn't seem like
a wise business move now. And here's the ultimate how
(29:00):
I think you judge it. Did PFL grow from any
of that? You talked about the international events? And yes,
short term that may have helped there. But is PFL
in a better place now than they were the day
before they bought Bellator? I would tell you no. Now,
maybe it's not significantly worse. But are they in a
(29:21):
better place today? I don't think so.
Speaker 2 (29:23):
I cannot disagree with you in that point. They are
not in a better place. But I can disagree with
you that any one of those free agents should Bellatore
have shut down. You mean all the dudes that left
in droves, that didn't want to negotiate, that didn't want
to hear it, or the guys that they forced to
take pay cuts. They were not going to be able
to match the UFC in a free agent manner. So
(29:45):
they took the guys before free agency try to drive
down their paydays to what they could afford, and when
they couldn't, they released them. This two million dollars that
they spent on Bellatour brought them one hundred and fifty
five that some they got to use once, some they
got to use over and over again. The problem is
(30:06):
is they would have had to use five hundred thousand
to try to sign a pit bull, five hundred thousand
to try to sign a Lima, and before we're know it,
they're out two million dollars on five or six fighters
instead a roster in sending those guys around the world
for PFL Europe kind of things, because they didn't have
the money to pay those guys the four hundred five
(30:29):
hundred thousand dollars contracts anyway, How were they going to
offer that in free agency?
Speaker 1 (30:34):
Right? And I would disagree with that now you are correct,
they wouldn't have been able to sign everybody. UFC would
have almost certainly gone in hard on Aaron Pico then uh,
and there's some others. Fair to say, one or both
of the pit bulls, maybe even Patchy Micks, who's the
latest to leave PFL and sign with UFC. But UFC
(30:56):
what't going to sign them all. Corey Anderson wasn't going
back to UFC. Chris Cyborg wasn't going back to the UFC.
You could have gotten enough? Would you have gotten them all? No?
But but I would tell you or I would argue anyway,
and you may disagree. They didn't get their money's worth
on on the pit bulls. They didn't get their money's
(31:17):
worth on on PATCHI Max. Now they may have got
them for that time for their existing belator contract rather
than having to sign them as a free agent. But
the majority of those fighters, Micah, you wouldn't have been Now,
some you would have, but the majority of them you
wouldn't have been bidding against UFC. You would have been
bidding against Rising in one championship and you could have
(31:40):
fared pretty well in those bidding wars. Yes, if there
was a fighter UFC wanted, I think you're a hundred
percent right they would have offered the money to get
them that. They would have offered the better financial package.
But seriously, five six of them tops that UFC would
have really wanted and really gone after.
Speaker 2 (31:57):
Exactly, And those are the ones that in the free
agency market would have cost that excess money. And those
are the guys that they got one fight out of
which was more than worth that two million dollars, plus
the other one hundred guys, plus the three divisions they have,
plus still sending Paul Houst to sell out Ireland, plus
still having other people that they used in France. I
(32:18):
think that they got enough out of their two million dollars,
especially when you say hit Bull two hundred thousand. Remember
Gayguard Musauc was two hundred thousand, Douglas Limo was two
hundred thousand. We talk about that top ten or twenty
in Bellotore if you wanted to not compete against the UFC,
but you were just competing against Bellatour for their contracts,
(32:41):
you only get twenty fighters. Now you got a lot
more to build with. But you didn't use women.
Speaker 1 (32:47):
But you didn't use that million. No, but but look again,
here's to me, here's the bottom line. How is how
is PFL better today than they were before purchasing a Bellotour?
They're not. So I get what you're saying, and you're
not necessarily wrong, but none of that benefited them. It
may have benefited them for an event or a couple
(33:10):
of events, but now what you're in a worse spot
than you were, and you don't have any of those
fighters anymore. Look, you're not getting in a bidding war
with UFC for Douglas Lima. You could talk about what
he would have gotten on the free agency, no more
than he was already under contract for with Bellatour in
the first place. And I'm not knocking Douglas Lima. I mean,
(33:33):
I'm just using him as an example Corey Anderson, and
I don't know how important they considered Corey Anderson. But again,
you're not getting in a bidding war with Corey Anderson.
With UFC, you don't have to break the bank to
sign I wouldn't have had to have signed a lot
of those guys anyway, because once Bellatore shuts down, their
(33:54):
options are severely limited if they want to fight on
what passes it as a big stage.
Speaker 2 (34:01):
You notice they're not using Corey Anderson. I know he
doesn't sell and he doesn't matter to them, but.
Speaker 1 (34:06):
He's still under contract Micah, and that's the problem. But
that's my entire point. If you didn't want Corey Anderson.
You didn't have to buy fucking Velatore just to keep
him around and not use him. You could have been
a lot smarter with you. It was just there was
nothing to be gained for it other than look at us,
we're a player. We're going to buy another company, a
(34:27):
company that's arguably at least was bigger than us. It
was to me, it was a terrible use of money
and it did them no good whatsoever. And again, I
think by how little we actually talk about PFL unless
it's stuff like this kind of illustrates that point.
Speaker 2 (34:45):
I would gladly go deep into previewing every one of
their events, because they have plenty of deserving athletes throughout
their roster, those people that compete in the cage, the fighters,
The athletes have nothing to do with the lack of promotion,
the lack of financial sense, or anything that stops us
from talking about their events. Here, those guys that we
(35:07):
should be focusing on we never talk about. I don't
know why, but we talked a whole lot about the
business sense. But my thought was, you think that PFL.
I'm gathering that you think PFL wants to promote mma
successfully and wants to rival the UFC, because I don't
think they want to do that at all. I think
(35:27):
they wanted to create a portfolio that looked tantalizing enough
so that there was an entity that wanted to try,
that wanted to try. The UFC seeing this success of
WIMG that they were trying to offload this property and
they failed to last year when they had the biggest,
most bona fide amount of talent they had before, it
(35:49):
was hey, you got to fight us and use us. Well,
now we can't do that because we don't know how
to promote mma. We don't know how to put on
successful events. Their attempt was to offload this metcha a
product that they had and make a profit.
Speaker 1 (36:03):
Two things, if it's all about deserving athletes who should
be talked about that, we should be doing a fucking
Olympic podcast. Two you could very well be right on
your scenario that they were looking to build their portfolio
and sell. But if nobody else wanted Bellator and nobody
really wanted you, Okay, I don't know a better analogy
(36:28):
to use than this, so I'll apologize. If nobody wants
one pile of herd, why does somebody want two piles
of TRD that's pushed together and made into one big
pile of herd. And again, maybe that's crude. I apologize,
but you get my point right.
Speaker 2 (36:46):
I think that they were pretty close to it with
Saudi Arabia Abu Dhabi until the UFC was able to
present a better game plan with less management and they
would just take care of all of it. I think
that they have an endgame and they lost it, because
that would make a lot more sense than anything that
they've done. To fail to promote their product, to fail
(37:09):
to connect with the audience, to fail to make athletes
available for interviews. There's a lot of things that they've
done that look like to me, they feel more just
like an entity that wants to flip another entity rather
than someone that wants to grow what they've invested in.
Speaker 1 (37:27):
And look, you may very well be right on that,
because I would argue even the Francis and Godhu signing. Now, yeah,
they've made money off of him, rinning him out to
Saudi Arabia for boxing and this and that, but as
far as actually using him in their cage, they've gotten
one fight that didn't exactly set the pay per view
world on fire. So I would even argue that was
(37:48):
a dud signing, and that's not knocking Francis at all,
but you've got to have two to tango. You didn't
have a worthy opponent for him, which is why you
were so willing to lend him out and make money
off of him while he did other things. But I honestly,
and I don't want to just sit here and shit
all over PFL. But the reality is I can't think
(38:08):
of that many things at all that they've done right,
So maybe there is something to what you threw out there.
It's not their intention to run an MMA organization long term.
They wanted to build the portfolio and try to sell it,
and nobody's that interested.
Speaker 2 (38:27):
I mean, they've just bought a lot of shiny assets
and they rented a couple out of Saudi Arabia, and
I think they were trying to offload it. To the
point where Clarissa Seones has officially retired from MMA. We
can take her off of the baddest women on the
planet total pole. She's baddest boxer female boxer on the planet.
(38:48):
They're not talking about Jake Paul anymore. I feel like
a lot of these things were just to try to
entice other people and not really done with foresight, and
that's something you want to sell. But PFL also now
this week losing Pachi Mix, and that loss is the
rest of our game, depending on if you think he's
(39:10):
as good as we the rest of us PATCHI Mix
will be debuting at UFC three sixteen June seventh against
Mario Batista. That's replacing Carlos chiza Vera. So right away
it's top ten opposition for Mix. He can make a
run out the belt. That's cool for him. June twenty first,
(39:31):
Koiji Hargucci is out to jied Ulambkov is now going
to be facing osmot Maxim. Then we get to the
good big ones. We have the news we've been waiting
for forever. UFC three seventeen International Fight Week's main event,
a new lightweight champion will be crowned Iliotaporia. Charles la
Vera hold you last week.
Speaker 1 (39:53):
But the debate was interim or real for lack of
a better term, and it will be for a vacant
lightweight title. I think it had to be this way.
You had to have the lightweight title vacated, and that's
what we're gonna get with Mahaschef looking to move up.
(40:15):
I get it, the allure of two division champs and
all that, but as we'll talk about in a minute,
you can't hold up divisions forever. Assuming everything goes well
for Islam, he ain't coming back, So vacate that title.
International Fight Week vacant lightweight title. Your main event, the
(40:36):
Komin event. I don't think we saw coming, at least
not here. We saw it coming eventually, but the Komin
event for three seventeen, I think a little bit of
a surprise. For International Fight.
Speaker 2 (40:49):
Week, we get a second title fight. It's Alessandre Panosia
versus Kai kar Front. This one had been rumored to
actually be taking place earlier in the month in New Jersey.
Was a little surprised that we're seeing both bantamweight title
fights on that card and that we didn't get one
in this spot. But we do get that matchup. Throw
(41:10):
out a couple others, Paulo Acosta, Roman copy Love. I
already asked you veya text, why not throw it out here?
You think we can get a parlay on Costa and
ola Vera both missing weight for this one.
Speaker 1 (41:22):
If we can, I would put money on it.
Speaker 2 (41:25):
Does hanatamay Kanu rescheduled to fight Banil Daryush get back
to back UFC lightweight title fights. I don't see another
replacement here unless they're gonna say, hey, Banil, it's your
turn when Charles Missus Waite.
Speaker 1 (41:44):
If Charles Missus wait is probably more Kano.
Speaker 2 (41:46):
Yeah, all seriousness. I bring this up people because Michael
Carla was like, we can't, we can't. We can't trust
Charles ola Vera in this position. Can we international fight?
We had that discussion last week too, rolling the dice apparently,
unless that's our backup.
Speaker 1 (42:03):
Yeah, Look, I think and the point I was trying
to make with that, you can't headline it with an
interim title fight and then run the risk of one
of those guys missing weight. So what's already seems like
a less than title fight becomes even more less than
when only one guy can win the title. It is
(42:24):
a little bit different when you're vacating the lightweight title.
But my guess is you're still going to have a
backup and either one of these guys if Toporia misses weight,
and I think look, obviously the concern will be more
with Charles because We've seen it happen before. But if
either one of these guys misses weight, I think you
see a backup. I don't think that the fight would
(42:45):
go on as scheduled just because you want to have
both guys have the opportunity to win the time. Look,
maybe I'm wrong on that, but I would be very
surprised should there be a weight miss If we don't
get a replacement, we.
Speaker 2 (43:01):
Can all assume this should have last time. I guess
Hanato moy Kano ends the Rain of Islam Mahashev as
lightweight champion. The tail is done there. How do we
look back at the Rain of Islam considering it was
like a featherweight, a featherweight on short notice, a guy
(43:23):
halfway down the cart on short notice on a couple
hours to take on the Great Islam Mahashev.
Speaker 1 (43:29):
I mean, he beat what was put in front of him,
so you have to give him that. Is it gonna
go down as one of the all time great lightweight rains.
Speaker 2 (43:39):
No, he got the win.
Speaker 1 (43:42):
That was a good one.
Speaker 2 (43:43):
That's the one I'm gonna remember from this and now,
if he does it right, probably the last time we
see my lightweight guys, if you put on the muscle
mass and do what you should do going up fifteen pounds.
I feel like this should be the last time that
we had seen him at lightweight.
Speaker 1 (44:00):
Agree, Yeah, I do. I do that.
Speaker 2 (44:05):
Card also gets Paulo Costa Roman copy Love Jonathan Gadinez
versus Justin Tafa where I didn't Roy fault. Now Camp,
we get a flyweight number one contender fight, and but
now Camp has gotta be best that Kai kar France
got the title shot first.
Speaker 1 (44:19):
Well, again, you're also covering your bases. You've got to
back up already preparing to cut weight should something happen
to Kai Kara France. So you're you're like doubling up
on your insurance there. But yeah, if you're Kpe or
Roi Vall, You're like, damn, really, come on, Kaikr France,
(44:40):
Come on man. But look, I'm not knocking France. Good
for him. I don't have a problem with it. But
if I were either of those two guys, honestly, I'd
be like, what the hell did I do wrong?
Speaker 2 (44:53):
Jack her Manson's gonna take on Gregor Henriguez and Viviani
Ana Lujo versus Tracy will see much hair she has
on her head that day. Cortes, Yeah, I don't have
a problem. I thought I was gonna get you on
that one.
Speaker 1 (45:09):
You do. I was trying to count real quick. I
believe eight fights officially out so far, so we will
get at least four more. I don't have a problem
at all with this card thus far. You're gonna get
two title shots, two title fights at the top of
the card. I wouldn't be surprised if at least one
(45:30):
of the fights added is in a main card fight. Well,
we'll have to see. Also, the fight this past weekend
that was canceled might wind up getting rebooked here, could
wind up being rebooked somewhere else. So we'll see what
they fill out the rest of the card with. But
I think with two title fights, I really like the
(45:53):
Daru sch Mokano fight. Maybe nobody else does, and that's fine,
But Roy Vall and Cape, I think is gonna be phenomenal.
I've got a soft spot in my heart for real Macapulaw.
For some reason, paul A Costa is always entertaining. I
think it's gonna be a fun international fight week I like,
is this going to go down as one of the
(46:13):
great all time International Fight Week cards. I mean, I
guess we'll have to see probably not, but where we
were at last week talking about this, not knowing anything
and throwing out idea. Hell I even suggested bringing back
Holly home and doing a women's BMF title fight because
(46:35):
you had to have something on the top of the card.
I like what they have at the top of this card,
I guess is what I'm trying to say.
Speaker 2 (46:42):
I like the flyweight fights. I like the vacant lightweight
title fight that we assume could have been an interim
lightweight title fight. I don't have a problem with dar
you Schmoykano. I just don't know why I'm not something
about that one and seeing it next to Costo Pasta
versus copy Love. I don't know what I was expecting,
(47:06):
but it somehow didn't meet the expectation meter. Even though
I still like it. I still like it. We might
eventually have it was three sixteen or three seventeen. A
bigger card debate coming up later in the month, guys.
As far as fight announcements, we also get the UFC
returning to Abu Dabi July twenty six, and that headliner
(47:29):
is Robert Whittaker versus Rainier they ridder, so we get
the Dutchman versus the Australian. This one a pivotal and
a huge opportunity for our dr to keep ascending towards
a title shot. And this is the possibility of Whittaker
and the middleweight division to start looking like all of
(47:49):
our favorite the action heroes from the welterweight division.
Speaker 1 (47:53):
Uh that's assuming Whittaker wins.
Speaker 2 (47:56):
Well, no, no, no, no, I mean, he says, and
he starts to look.
Speaker 1 (47:59):
Like, oh I got you, I got got you, I
got you.
Speaker 2 (48:02):
Sorry if I was not clearer on that one. Whitaker's
in that spot, guys, he loses, It's it's down the hill.
Speaker 1 (48:07):
Yeah no, no, no, no, I totally got you.
Speaker 2 (48:09):
Now.
Speaker 1 (48:09):
Yeah, I think you're probably right on that.
Speaker 2 (48:12):
And UC three nineteen August sixteenth, the Windy City, Chicago,
the United Center, Deecris due plus c comzot she might
have the middleweight title fight. My biggest question to you. Now,
we're used to the to the Vegas dates, We're used
to the New Jersey date that pops up every so often,
(48:35):
Chicago and New Orleans getting pay per views and in
a close couple of months, and not to mention that
means we go New Jersey, Vegas, Chicago, New Orleans, four
straight pay per views in the States. With the international expansion,
(48:57):
you're surprised by any of this, like that Abu date,
the way the UFC has muscled that government down to
a fight night where that was a sure fire pay
per view. Bravo to them on that side.
Speaker 1 (49:09):
Fee Yeah, I think more of those are gonna be
fight nights. So you're just taking away from the apex.
Let's be honest, were it not for Poier, you're probably
not going back to New Orleans right now. But we
also shouldn't be surprised with New Orleans or Chicago or
some of these other places, because that's something Data was
(49:32):
talking about last year. With everything open back up, trying
to get back to places you haven't been in a while.
You know, I think we, you and I kind of
got spoiled with pandemic and coming out of the pandemic Houston, Phoenix, Houston,
Glendale and all this. But yeah, now everything's opened back up,
(49:53):
you're trying to get back to these places you haven't
been to in a while that they were in Seattle
a while back, so no, not surprised, but you do
have to wonder, does this just come at the expense
of APEX fights. Is Vegas gonna lose a pay per view?
How are you serving all these masters you try to
(50:15):
get site fees for events and obviously money talks. You know,
you can't be everywhere all the time, so it is
going to get a little interesting the scheduling and the
cities and the states and the countries that UFC is visiting.
Speaker 2 (50:32):
Well, Des Moines, Kansas City, and Seattle were all fight nights.
That was why I did pique my interest that Chicago
and New Orleans have up the anti both to pay
per views. And this is the goodest time is any
to give our heartfelt thanks to mister Miller, the owner
(50:52):
of the Utah Jazz who did do the sweet deal
with the UFC that three straight years made those pay
per views apparent, because it looks like our August trift
to Salt Lake City is not happening, unless that's turning
into a fight night now because the pay per view
for August has been announced.
Speaker 1 (51:10):
Well keep in mind last year it was actually September.
It got bumped. But I agree with you and I
was actually thinking about this the other day. If they're
going to Salt Lake City this year, it's probably gonna
be a fight night.
Speaker 2 (51:24):
And we've had the all the cards, the Perreira cards,
There's been some epic moments there. Leon that is a
market exactly lyon versus who's been one that market served well.
And I just wonder we were debating was it a
three year deal a four year deal. I'm wondering if
it was a three year deal. And maybe now these
(51:46):
other markets have been enticed to get back in the game.
As we're hearing again five that we've mentioned consistently throughout
this episode that are back in the game. Talking about
back in the game. And someone you mentioned a moment
go and someone we mentioned actually earlier ago, Jake Paul
making waves in the boxing game again. He adds to
(52:08):
his cabinet full of the best women's boxers on the planet,
and he has added Holly Home to the roster. She
will be a part of his card. That's the same
weekend as International Fight Week there in Anaheim.
Speaker 1 (52:24):
You know how you felt what I suggested, Hey, let's
just bring Holly back and do a Women's BMF title
fight against Amanda Nunez. If you're that hard up, if
you can't find something for the Comaine for International Fight Week,
you remember how you felt? What I suggested that.
Speaker 2 (52:41):
That's very relieved to hear this news.
Speaker 1 (52:43):
Well that's about how I feel about this. Look good
for Holly. I'm certain on a Jake Paul card, it's
going to be a nice payday. I I don't want
this to sound chauvinistic, so I hope it doesn't come
across that way. But honestly, women's boxing does not excite me.
(53:04):
Now women's MMA does. I'd rather see Holly doing that.
But look, we know how good she is as a boxer.
I'm certain she's gonna do well. But am I like
super excited with this news. Not really.
Speaker 2 (53:20):
I am super excited for Holly home with this news
because I think this is the optimal opportunity for her
to ride out in the sunset with a successful moment.
And I don't think it's going to be this fight.
I told somebody the other day I could see Holly
fighting till she's forty five years old. She's forty two
right now. I have never heard her utter a word
(53:43):
about quitting. I feel like forty five is about pushing
it as far as you could possibly go. I saw
her after sparring this past Thursday at the gym and
she was talking to the guys about technique. Focused still
as leading six pack as ever, comeraded on this upcoming
boxing match, and just judging from the sidelines not talking
(54:06):
to her, there's total focus and commitment still there. Also,
we know from having to talked to bare knockle boxers
that taking away the kicking, the wrestling, the grappling your
health doesn't prove. So all that being said, this is
the best opportunity I think for Holly to get a
victory in a fight is returning to the combat sport
(54:28):
where she had the most success. I am not really
sure about Miss Vega, her opponent, what level of competition
she's jumping right back into.
Speaker 1 (54:37):
Yeah, Look, I don't think being fit and hell even
focus like leading up to a fight has ever been
a problem. It's once you get in the octagon and
following the game plan and all that that I think
is done her in And look, age hasn't done her
any favors as well. But I do think you're one
hundred percent right. This move back to boxing, I think
(55:01):
is good for her. You don't, like you said, and
you said it. You don't have to worry about the kicks,
you don't have to worry about the takedowns. She can
stand there and do her thing, and we know how
good she is at that. I do think this is
a good move for her, But am I super excited
(55:21):
about No, I'm happy for her, like you said, don't
get me wrong, but it is what it is.
Speaker 2 (55:30):
It is what it is. It's good for Holly with
the win here. You can't count out that this could
break the Serrano Taylor's cycle. That one of them with
a win home is a big enough name to get
that women's bat and weight world title fight to go
for the one thirty five crown, and we'd see that
probably for free on Netflix. So there are big opportunities
(55:51):
for her here, regardless of how you feel about women's boxing.
Speaker 1 (55:55):
No, I agreed, and look at that point in time,
I do get excited. So maybe I should be a
little bit more excited about this because this is kind
of that precursor because I agree with it. Should she win,
I think one of those two is probably next for her.
Speaker 2 (56:11):
So yeah, Also many Paki how h forty seven years old,
I believe is gonna return to the boxing ring and
time out, timeout, shit wor old title. I had a
vomit all of it out.
Speaker 1 (56:28):
Yeah time. How many times have we heard this before,
Manny Pakiao returning to the ring fighting for a title?
Because this ain't the first time, it ain't the second time,
and I don't believe it's the third time, Micah.
Speaker 2 (56:41):
It's been many times.
Speaker 1 (56:43):
Yes, many times, Yes, indeed it did.
Speaker 2 (56:48):
Each announcement packs a little less Pakia.
Speaker 1 (56:54):
Look at you all with the puns in the wordplay,
look at you. Good for Manny Paki. How I don't
know if it's good for boxing, but good for him.
Speaker 2 (57:04):
Mike Perry Dirty Boxing two has been announced his company,
and we have a slew of UFC vets. So just
to tell you, guys, because this is MMA after hours,
you'll remember these names. Joinior Rosenstrub, Alex Casaris, Phil Has,
Sasha Platna, Cuff, Boston Salmon, Francisco Chernaldo, Jessica Rose Clark,
(57:27):
and maybe some of you remember Sid you back Hak Harmaninov.
They will all be a part of the June fourteenth card.
Such winners from previous ones included Andrea Rolofski, who if
you didn't here last week, we did announce he has
signed with BKFC, going to debut for that promotion at
the June twenty first card. Also seeing that Pensy Morrison
(57:52):
that we had mentioned, the heavyweight, the son of Jack Morrison,
he will be making his debut on that same card.
So there's a little bit of a dirty boxing, bare
knuckle boxing kind of news thrown in there.
Speaker 1 (58:04):
There you go, Hey, before we wrap up, Micah, I
think there's something that we need to bring up, and
we've himmed and hauled around it for several weeks, especially
trying to figure out a main event for an international
fight week. We don't seem to be any closer to
a John Jones Tom Aspinall heavyweight title fight. John's down
(58:25):
in Thailand. He's gonna do the Russian season of Ultimate Fighter. Honestly,
I don't see us getting this fight before the end
of the year. How long do you hold up the
heavyweight division before you strip John Jones of the title.
I don't know that anybody would get excited about an
Aspinall interim title fight when there's a heavyweight champ who
(58:48):
just doesn't want to fight or has other things he's
doing right now that's more important to him than fighting.
So I don't know that. I know Dana loves John,
even though it's a sometimes content relationship. We've seen Dana
multiple times spend ten minutes arguing with himself over why
John Jones is the pound for pound best fighter. And
(59:09):
I don't dispute any of that. The problem here is
you're holding up the division. I don't care how revered
he is, how much everybody respects what he does inside
the cage. At some point in time, you got to
pull the trigger here, and if John's not gonna fight
when UFC wants him to fight, you're gonna have to
take that title off of him, aren't you.
Speaker 2 (59:31):
Did you see where Yuri Prahaska and I'm gonna get
around to John Jones. Don't worry, don't worry, don't worry,
just take a slight teach work. Did you see that
Uri Prahaska is going to college?
Speaker 1 (59:43):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (59:44):
And that negated him from fighting at UFC three seventeen.
Speaker 1 (59:49):
Now.
Speaker 2 (59:50):
It's also heavily speculated that Alex Ferreira, Maga Man and
Keliah rematch had been being discussed for and then the
UFC brought up UFC three seventeen, and the Pereira camp
kind of did lie on the We've done you so
(01:00:10):
many solids. We are much more comfortable with this timeline.
Speaker 1 (01:00:16):
Do we know?
Speaker 2 (01:00:18):
From Tom Aspittal has been very vocal about saying John
as John Jones is ducking him if he was offered
UFC three seventeen, because John Jones posted something recently that says,
y'all want me stripped, y'all are mad at me. Have
you asked the UFC what's going on? Because we haven't
heard the UFC say John's not doing what we want yet, have.
Speaker 1 (01:00:41):
We I can't imagine he is doing what they want. Uh,
he hasn't fought. So was it January? The Stepe fight December?
Speaker 2 (01:00:52):
So where five months removed?
Speaker 1 (01:00:55):
Yeah, and we're more than five months away. It would appear. Look,
and that's fair, but there's no way UFC's grand plan
is to have John Jones sit on the sidelines and
not have any meaningful heavyweight title fights and say what
(01:01:16):
you want about the heavyweight division right now and all
that's fair game as well, but at some point in
time the division has to move on and oh, by
the way, stripping John Jones aspinall goes out and beats somebody,
maybe has another fight, and then John's ready to come
back and reclaim this title. To me, you want to
(01:01:37):
talk about building a fight and a better storyline to
sell pay per views. That's way better than coming out
this week and Dana on Instagram announcing in November in
Brooklyn as John Jones tom Aspenalf for the heavyweight title.
So and by the way, I don't think that timeline
works either. It would seem to me there's no chance
in hell you'd be getting this fight before the end
(01:01:59):
of the year. Anyway. It will be sometime in twenty
twenty six. So I don't even think it hurts anybody
other than maybe John's ego a little bit and at
least what he says on social media, it wouldn't bother
him if they stripped him, but that might be the
thing to do. It gets the division moving along, and
it just further builds the anticipation for when you do
(01:02:20):
finally get around to you know, John not hanging out
in Thailand, not doing Ultimate Fighter in Russia and actually
focused on fighting himself. It just builds the anticipation for that.
Speaker 2 (01:02:34):
Would you believe me? If I told you twenty eighteen
was the last time the UFC heavyweight title was defended
twice in a year.
Speaker 1 (01:02:47):
Yes, you factor in COVID, you factor in in Ghanu.
Let's see that that probably also ran you. My guess
is that was either DC or and Stepe with those
defenses in twenty eighteen. Maybe I'm a little off on that,
but somewhere, yeah, I believe you.
Speaker 2 (01:03:06):
That was Steep a DC and then DC. No back
Derek Lewis, here's a quick win, so we sell out
in New York. That's how long it's been after that.
It took a year to get the fights. It took
a year to make the gone interim title fights. We
are a little off that John won it in November.
Speaker 1 (01:03:27):
Member, yep, I was looking at it.
Speaker 2 (01:03:28):
I wouldn't be surprised if it takes till November and
the heavyweight title is a once a year title. I
wouldn't be surprised if John's out there saying no, no, no,
We're already talked about it. I'll see you guys right
back here any year in November now where there may
be a phone call or a feeler about Jilla about June,
(01:03:52):
about international fight week. You'd have to be a fool
to not think so. But overall, I wouldn't be so
prize if this is a one year title until we
get it on Tom Aspinall's waist, or not just Tom,
but somebody the better side of thirty five.
Speaker 1 (01:04:11):
You're probably Look, I'm fine with that. I just don't
think we're getting it then either. And maybe I'm wrong,
but based on timelines and what John's got going on
and coming up, I don't know that I see it
being ready for November. Either. But look, maybe it is.
Speaker 2 (01:04:31):
I don't know how long Russian Ultimate Fighter takes because
the only part that surprised me when you told me
that John Jones was filming it is I speared a
couple of months agoys, just hearing about Peter Young versus
Aljamin Sterling, which Sterling had replaced the verab Du Wallas Philly, right,
So I kind of thought that, I don't know if
(01:04:52):
that might only take, you know, eight weeks out of
a schedule. I am still I got more hope John
Jones Aspital November whenever we rechurch in New York Brooklyn area.
I do have seen Connor McGregor back in there. I'm
holding onto this hope for just a little bit longer.
Speaker 1 (01:05:07):
And there's a decent chance, not just New York area,
but you're you're back in MSG then, and what better
place to have a heavyweight title fight than MSG. If
that's the case, I think we can wait. If it
ain't happening, then I think you've got to seriously consider
stripping John Jones in the heavyweight title. And I get
(01:05:31):
if you don't want to do that, but you might
not have a choice.
Speaker 2 (01:05:35):
We'll see what happens by then. I'm still giving a
couple months. Let's get a little deeper into those talks.
Let's hear Tom Ausman all saying dates are being denied,
but this weekend not a lot going on. There's actually
no PFL, no Rising, no UFC, no BKFC, no b YB,
no bk B. But what you do get is some
(01:05:57):
good all time on UFC Fight Pass Saturday night, it's
LFA from Brazil. Seven unbeaten fighters, thirteen fighters with only
one loss on their record, a couple of killers. In
the main event at featherweight four fight rin streak Aglecio
de Laura takes on Bruno rec Henrique, who's on a
seven fight win streak. That's gonna be awesome. The next
(01:06:19):
day on UFC Fight Pass, you get a Fury event,
a triple header of title fights on Sunday. It's a
little bit of regional action to get your MMA Phil.
If you need there, you.
Speaker 1 (01:06:29):
Go uh Micah anything else.
Speaker 2 (01:06:33):
It's Cageminds dot com. Cagemindscombat Sports News on Facebook and YouTube.
We've got a new interview up with Donald Sanchez and
Aiken Harrison ahead of or Harrison Aiken ahead of the
BKFC seventy five event. It's cage Minds Underscore CSN on
your ex, Instagram and TikTok.
Speaker 1 (01:06:54):
Get the show on X at MMA After Hours. You
can find me at Real Mike Carlisle. We will talk
to you next week and join your holiday weekend. We'll
talk to you next week for another episode of m
m A After Hours here on the After Hours podcast network.
Speaker 2 (01:07:13):
Love Combat Sports. I have a website for you, Cageminds
dot com. That's c A G E. D M I
n d S dot com. Fight news from around the world,
in depth interviews, live event coverage covering combat sports for
over a decade. Established in April twenty eleven that's cageminds
(01:07:36):
dot com.
What's up everybody? Welcome back to MMA after hours is
Michael Carlile joined his always by Micah Frank. Well, Micah,
how you doing?
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Man? I'm all right. I'm just here trying to think
what will Saturday bring without the UFC. It's one of
those weekends for Saturdays. Why to open? And it leaves
me already bored?
Speaker 1 (00:25):
Why have you got to ruin my holiday weekend? Micah
by reminding me there's no UFC this weekend.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
My holiday weekend is every weekend that there is UFC, exactly.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
And now we've got a holiday weekend and there's a UFC.
Now look, this is what one of the four or
five weekends they take off during the year. I get it.
Still stinks though, kind of make sure long for an
Apex card, doesn't it.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
We've Haaturday Apex card. I got you coverage because it
only feels right to have an Apex card before another
Apex card, before a pay per view.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
Well yeah, yeah, you more bang for your buck? Uh
yeah yeah yeah, double it up. You let it ride.
Micah's Vegas baby.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
All that Apex talk is going to be lovely once
we get into the fight announcements, which we'll have no
APEX talk, and that's why it'll be lovely APEX talk.
But as long as we're talking about the apex, Michael
Morales out here looking like an a X predator. I mean,
you wanted some Randy Horton, he's a legend killer easy.
Speaker 1 (01:35):
Now you're crossing over your TKO properties here, mikeh Easy easy.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
The TKO takeover right here for MNBA after ours. Actually,
if you want to hear more about the pro wrestling,
you do that on a pro wrestling after hours. But
all of the credit and all of the praise to
Michael Morales, who look calm composed, is an absolute doing
it at one hundred and seventy pounds of the KAI
(02:03):
is absolutely massive compared to Gilbert Burns. Showed a lot
of composure and creativity, and that's really without getting to
what he did to get the finish. But just on
those levels, I saw a lot of things that are
really excited about a young prospect that took advantage of
(02:23):
the spotlight and put on a performance that gives a
lot of potential.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
I agree. I thought it was a heck of a performance.
Apparently so did Dana White. He gets a performance of
the night for his went over Gilbert Burns. He just
went out. Look, I definitely want to talk about Gilbert,
but I want to give Morales his due as well.
He went out and just took care of business, did
exactly what he needed to do, made it quick, made
it easy, and when I say easy, he made it
(02:50):
look really easy.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
It was how Morales got it done. We know that
Gilbert Burns is defensively sound. He keeps a really solid
high guard, so you're not able to hit him straight on.
Morales said, well, I have a reach advantage. I'm gonna
get inside and then I'm gonna come around that guard.
I'm not gonna try to smash through it. I'm gonna
(03:13):
find holes in it. And that's what he was doing
really early on the right hand, coming around the guard
kind of towards the back of the head, the side
of the head, which is all legal on the feet
was really effective. And then once he was able to
shut down Gilbert Burns grappling, it all came into fruition.
(03:34):
It seemed like even though he got taken down, Morass
was really quick to get his stance, get his tripod,
pop back up to his feet, attack the hands and
then once he broke the grip immediately, which I love
and I don't see a lot of guys doing. Went
two on one and said, I'm not allowing you to regrip.
I'm not allowing you to reassert that body log. I
(03:56):
am going to focus two on one, and that's how
he was able to peel himself off the cage. And
then we saw in space the constant kind of faking
and playing with his right hand as he was shaking it,
not allowing Burns to get a beat on which direction
it was going, and that boom it snapped with that
upper cut, and from there Burns was in all sorts
(04:17):
of trouble and that's where the overhand came back into play.
Loved the way that morales knew what he was doing,
positionally swimming around on top of Burns and continuing to finish.
So much to love out of that performance of a
guy that had his first opportunity at the spotlight and
flourished in it.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
He took advantage of the opportunity put forth in front
of him. He moves up four spots in the UFC's
rankings to eight, Burns drops two spots to ten. Before
we talk about Gilbert Burns what do you think is
next for Morales?
Speaker 2 (04:52):
You gotta have to give me one second on that one.
I'm just let's catch my breath from how amazing that
performance was. Okay, I'm good. Morales is in an interesting
position because there's so many killers that have put in
so much work. I think that he flew under the
radar until this performance. So well, he's just crashing the party.
(05:17):
Unless you get Leon Edwards next, you're kind of gonna
be fighting down because I don't think he's established himself
to be getting Ian Machado or one of the guys
ahead of him. So what was a quick rise? The
best thing is to get that next veteran name I
think in Leon Edwards.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
Yeah. Now, as far as Gilbert Burns goes, this is
four in a row and five of his last seven
that he's taken the l Are we getting close to
Tony Ferguson territory with Gilbert Burns here?
Speaker 2 (05:53):
Not that I wish any ill will. I love Gilbert
Burns great personality. We've never interviewed him, but we've entered
acted with him at events quite a few times, live
and just before weigh ins and stuff. Really fun guy.
We know the depths of knowledge with his jiu jitsu game,
him and his brother. Where David is coming out of Brazil,
(06:13):
I think he's already hit the pinnacle. He is on
the backslide. And there was a quote previously for where
I had heard that if he didn't believe he could
continue fighting for its a title or making that run,
that he was going to walk away. I expected him
to leave the gloves in the ring after this fight
because I don't see another resurgence coming for Gilbert Burns.
(06:37):
We got to remember he came into the UFC as
a lightweight. His resurgence was this entire welterweight run, and
he's made a lot, got such depth out of what
he was able to produce. I don't see it getting
better for him. Maybe if you're Gilbert, you're looking and saying,
maybe I hang in with the wonder boy Jeff Neil
(06:57):
and there's money to still be made.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
And that's what I was gonna say. It's interesting because
I agree with you ascending to a title shot. I
don't see that happening at this point, But you are
talking about a division and the first two guys ever
get a name, I was gonna name you just said them,
Jeff Neil, Steven Thompson still both in the top twelve.
You got Kolbe Covington right above him in the rankings
(07:20):
at nine. I mean, I think there's still a place
for him in the division, and I think there's still
guys that are at this point in their careers more
on his level. So if he wants to stick around,
and based on what he's posted on social media, it
kind of sounds like he's gonna at least fight again.
I think there's opponents there that he could go out
(07:44):
and be competitive with and maybe get a win. But
I agree with you as far as getting back into
title contention. I hate to say it, but I think
that ship has sailed. I think the.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
Ship is fully sailed. And I don't have the entire
roster in front of me, but it's an interesting conversation
if you wanted to get into it. Covington, Ousman Burns,
and I'll throw MVP in the conress. I is he
a middleweight. There's four guys here in the rankings.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
That, Yeah, Luk's hanging in there at fourteen in the rankings.
MVP's fifteenth in the rankings, And I'm not saying that
Burns would beat any of them, but they'd be much
more competitive fights.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
I think those are all competitive fights, and how much nastier.
I'm like, do we need numbers next to those guys name?
When I see these names, That's where I'm starting to
think I gave quite possibly some shit to an announcer
a couple of weeks ago that said, now is Randy
Brown not ran and Randy Brown and Bryan Battle might
(08:56):
be a lot more deserving than some of these names
we're looking at. Is we're kind of just ringing out
the last couple drops from the sponge with a few
of them.
Speaker 1 (09:05):
I feel like, yeah, yeah, I agree with you on that.
I'm a big Gilbert Burns fan. He's certainly earned the
right to do what he wants. I think there's some
competitive fights for him, But yeah, if it's all about
title contention for him, I just don't see that one happening.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
How far up the title challenger the real prospect rankings, Like, Okay,
we're gonna remove Leon and Ousman from here. We've talked
about already, JDM. We know that Bilel still gets to
hang in for one more fight. You got Shavcot, you
got Ian Gary you got Buckley, Morales comes in right
(09:49):
after them. Do you think he can catch up to
the group. Do you think that he has a chance
to surpass this group? Like, how do you feel about
Morales as our final word on the main event?
Speaker 1 (10:01):
I think he's in a tough spot. He's gonna have
to just because he's gonna have to be patient that
there are guys ahead of him. And I don't know
that he leapfrogs. And well, like you said, he's almost
certainly gonna have to fight down in his next fight.
The ball's gonna hang around at least for a little while.
You got Sean Brady up there. You mentioned Shafcott. Yeah,
(10:24):
I think it's going to be tough Ian Gary. So
we're gonna have to see.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
If you've told me that we're seeing Morales versus Joaquin Buckley,
I think I get it tingly feeling because I'm not
sure which predator knocks out which one in there. If
you tell me he's fighting Gary, I wonder how Gary
handles the power versus how can Morales handle that cardio
and the pace? If you tell me he's fighting Shafcott, Like,
(10:55):
holy shit, Shafcott might get rocked. And I don't like
the Brady matchup, so I I feel like there's some
really exciting matchups for Morales to get into. Should he
get one more win, I think.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
Well, yeah, I was gonna say, and you're right on
that he's gonna need at least one more win before
any of those guys you just mentioned are willing to
take that fight. And that's not a knock on Morales,
that's just the reality of the situation where their position
right now in the rankings, and where he's at. You're
probably and I think you mentioned this a minute ago,
(11:27):
and Edwards kind of sitting there kind of makes sense.
So we'll see.
Speaker 2 (11:35):
I like Edwards as the fight to be made in
less somehow you make the Ian Gary Leon Edwards fight.
Maybe regionally that's a bigger attraction, But if I'm the
Morales camp, I like the Leon Edwards name.
Speaker 1 (11:47):
Did we really lose the Komain event to herpes?
Speaker 2 (11:51):
Herpees the silent killer as it hops up in those
most it's a bit of moments, you know, stress, can
I guess, you know, give a herpes outbreak? I don't know.
Speaker 1 (12:05):
In all seriousness, it has happened before I get it.
I completely understand it. And it makes sense. But how
many times have we seen guys go in there with
big ass splotches on their bodies somewhere with infection and
all that, and then they come out of oh, yeah,
I've been dealing with this blah blah blah. How they
(12:28):
get around it? But the cold sore cost us our
comaine in the Apex.
Speaker 2 (12:33):
Well, scorecards and judging aren't the only things that are interesting.
Decision when it comes down from athletic commissions. That's about
the best I could tell you there. I found it
to be not the wrong decision, but quite interesting that
(12:54):
two judges go thirty twenty seven Maria and Santo's over
Sadiq Yousef, because at least for me, seemed like Yusef
threw about twice as many strikes in the first round.
It was hard for me to get by that, but
I thought the right guy won. Mario Santos I thought
was going to be at a disadvantage up at one
(13:16):
point fifty five. We know about the physique, the muscle
mass from from Yusef. I thought this would be a
benefit for him. That's worries and that now up a
weight class, the speed was an issue for him, where
he kind of got laid out by Diego Lopez. Top
ten in the world seems to have been the ceiling
(13:38):
for Sadiki Yuseph and we'll see how he's able to
readbound from that. Rusie Boyev I like him better at
eighty five. I'm still concerned about his wrestling at some points,
but seeing that first round he only got knocked down
due to a head, but he was able to be
the more meaningful striker for three rounds. Nice decision when
(13:58):
there and Melchai Aziel Costa really slick entertaining stuff, I mean,
busting out the superman punch, bringing in the just leading
with the high kicks. Julian rosa huge credit to him
to making it a dog fight in the third round.
For as pretty as Costa looked, you saw one judge
(14:21):
give the second to Erosa, two judgs give him the third.
So there was a little more confusion from the judges
in this one that I thought I saw.
Speaker 1 (14:31):
Uh yeah, you brought up the USA fight and Santos
and the scoring there. This one I thought was way
more egregious. Now again, the right guy still won. I'm
all about giving Erosa round three if you want. I
don't I have a hard time justifying anyone giving him
(14:53):
rounds one or two.
Speaker 2 (14:55):
Raw one he got work put in on him, and
round two there were again theigger moments, the harder landed strikes.
I thought it showed a great involvement from how comfortable
Costa is now in the octagon Londos punches fly yeah,
and I.
Speaker 1 (15:11):
Thought, and I think they brought this up on the
broadcast as well, But I thought, Juliana Rosa looks slow
in there. I mean, I just almost like lethargic, not
just like Costal was faster, but Erosa almost looked lethargic.
Speaker 2 (15:26):
I wonder if that could been the detriment from we
had said, didn't we just see them fight. I believe
Costa was two or three weeks previous to Arosa. We
had just seen a Rosa beat Darren Alkins, and I
wondered if that short turnaround, that calorie deficit, if it
just hit on the rehydrate two weight cuts within I
(15:48):
believe a two month span, And that just put julian
A Rosa looking like he was out there mud bogging.
For those that aren't understand, he was just stuck in
the mud, couldn't get the legs moving. I don't know
about you. Gave Green all congratulations forgetting the win, but
(16:09):
was a guy moving down in wait getting a finish.
It felt like he was able to weather a hell
of a storm. And is lucky too big of a
statement to say? You were getting beat up by Camillo
in the first he put a welt on you, he
had a triangle slipped in and if he didn't just
overwork himself, which looked to be the case, does this
(16:32):
really turn it out that good of a lightweight debut
for Gab Green?
Speaker 1 (16:36):
Well, you got the win, so you have to say yes.
But to your point, if you don't want to say lucky,
he was very fortunate, Micah, very fortunate because this fight
could have and and maybe should have went the other way.
Speaker 2 (16:53):
This fight was nine minutes long and he lost eight minutes. Yeah,
that's the brutal part about it. On the other side,
color me impressed with Jared Gordon. I thought we might
have seen him also push the bounds of his ceiling.
We wondered if the split decisions were the best nights
of his career, and maybe he styles more left in him.
(17:14):
I was colored shocked that Gordon was like, I'm going
to attack the Taydowns on Thiago Moys's I'm gonna attack
the Lytrics. The two things Moyses did well once Moyses
was starting was stuck standing and trading punches with Gordon.
Unfortunately he took the big bomb, but that was pretty academic.
When he was down to his third best weapon.
Speaker 1 (17:35):
Gordon, I thought, used his aggression to his advantage and
it almost looked like Moyses wasn't expecting that. And yeah,
Gordon was able to finish that in round one, and
good for him, because I'm with you and we might
have even I might have brought this up last week.
Is this going to be the last one in the
USC for Jared Gordon? Jared Gordon obviously has other ideas.
Speaker 2 (18:00):
Might unfortunately be that looking that way for Thiago Boys, Yes,
why Yachty air Bell Valdi. This dude is a physical specimen.
Everything Land did hard the first like king, he was composed,
he was tight, he was coiled like a cobra. And
then when that dude fired that first like kick felt
(18:21):
like it was a belt lashing mark. There I go
again with another pro wrestling reference. But it was that
big of a whip and a crack. He found a
bunch as when he got it to the ground, he
was overwhelming, he was ferocious and then securing that rear
naked choke in en lightning fast fashion. Unfortunate Connor Matthews.
(18:44):
He was so embarrassed to try to run out of
the octagon, and I think that's because he knew, well,
I'm getting my pink slip, my dreams over. This all sucked. Yeah,
that's the unfortunateness really of what he was great on
the regional scene, got the opportunity to make it to
the UFC, and that's several bad performances in a row, unfortunately.
(19:08):
But on the other side, yah here took all advantage
of this showcase and that guy we just continue to
see more prospects come out of one forty five and
there's a lot of bride spots with his physicality. Is
announcing in his aggression that I'm really intrigued to see
how he grows.
Speaker 1 (19:28):
No, I'm with you on that. He speaking of prospects.
The two women's fights that preceded this fight, the banhamweight
fight the Shrowet fight, why were they both better than
our comin event the other week on the pay per
view with shif Shehenko and there, because.
Speaker 2 (19:50):
I think that we want to see damage, we want
to see aggression, and it's hard to say better. Well,
I give up there little blame to that fight last
weekend being not entertaining, And I give very little blame
of that unentertaining this to Valentina Chevchenko met or Fjork
(20:13):
got beat up on the feet and then clinch for
like the two best rounds she had, which made the
fight less entertaining. That was literally a bigger faster or
a bigger athlete trying to slow down a faster athlete.
So I think that here, especially in the one fifteen fight,
Denise Gomes made the most of her speed advantage and
(20:35):
turned that into power and absolutely covered a lease read
And I wonder, looking in between rounds, when you see
the cup man go to apply ice to Reed's left eye,
she visibly winces and like pulls away and I, oh,
that's a bad sign. And the very next punch that lands,
(20:55):
I wonder if there was already a facial break there,
basically because she just crumbled from the next right hand.
I felt bad that she went out on her shield,
but you wonder was there something going on there from
that unnatural reaction.
Speaker 1 (21:13):
There almost had to be right.
Speaker 2 (21:15):
It had to be because she's a tough fighter. We've
seen her go through some battles before, and yeah, credit
to Gome's on her power. On the other side, Alana
Santo's just another level of technique. And Freda Liz Boa
for constantly trying to buck and make this look more
entertaining and not just succumbing to the position and a
(21:40):
crazy thank you Michael Binns being Oh that's not gonna tap. Oh,
look there's a tap. That was a nasty twist of
the elbow on the key lock. Alana Santos, she said
she liked it one thirty five and wants to give
it one more try. I'd suggest that's right. We also
had Hung Sun park Ap absolutely rear naked choke and
(22:02):
rag dog Carlos Hernandez Hernandez I fear this would be
the last time we see him on the octagon and
t Shatres Lulana Pinero probably should have been farther up
on the card. I also thought they were ranked. Torres
the better athlete, kept the distance and even in the
(22:23):
grappling which she was on her back, didn't allow any damage.
Luana Panero seems to have hit a ceiling in her
maturation where the best we saw it to her was
against Michelle Waterson, where it looked like her striking was
starting to match that judo. And now she's regrets to
if she's not able to get you into the pocket
(22:45):
or just right into clinch range, there's not much offense
or threat being offered.
Speaker 1 (22:50):
I'm with you on that look. I enjoyed the fights.
I know people like to rag on the APEX fight nights,
and I get it, but in all I thought this
was pretty fun Carr. As we mentioned, no UFC this weekend.
They're taking the Memorial Day weekend off. They'll be back
with another fight night next week before we get to
UFC three sixteen in Newark.
Speaker 2 (23:11):
The finishes were ferotious. I mean quite possibly. The prelims
were better than the main card in a few aspects,
even though the main card fights weren't really boring, It's
just there were some kick ass finishes. There's something I
think about the Apax setting where instead of being timid
(23:32):
because it's quaint, I think people are finding it comforting
as the gym and allowing themselves to go out there
and be free, because I'm sure you've heard of it before.
There's a lot of fighters that are killers in the gym,
and then you get them under the bright lights, you
get the adrenaline, the walk out the eight thousand people,
and they just dwindle. They can't pull the trigger. This
(23:53):
I think some fighters are getting used to it's just
another day of spar and I can go out there
and be me and that might be another good thought
process to getting those feet wet and ready for that
big stage.
Speaker 1 (24:04):
Yeah, and you don't go from eight hundred and twelve
hundred and fifteen hundred people on the regional scene to
fifteen sixteen thousand in a big arena, you know, it's
more of a gradual development. So for some of those fighters,
I think it's a huge benefit as.
Speaker 2 (24:20):
Well, exactly exactly much like the Road to UFC where
it starts you in the Apex, those guys getting that
introduction where I believe Australia is having a big to
do with the Road to UFC this coming weekend.
Speaker 1 (24:35):
What else did we have this past weekend, Micah?
Speaker 2 (24:38):
You know what, we actually didn't have anything. Everybody was
kind of quiet on the front unless you consider the
continuing news of the PFL dying.
Speaker 1 (24:55):
Oh now they're big free agent signing. No, yeah, they
let Patchee mis go. Oh my god, I don't even
know if I want to screw it. I've brought this
up many times. It would be hypocritical almost not to
bring it up again. Remind me why in the hell
PFL bought Bellatore, Because what they did is they spent money,
(25:19):
they bought the company, they dissolved the company, and they've
basically released any fighter of any value, now some of them.
They got a fighter so out of but but really
from Bellatore that the only person of note that PFL
really has leftist Chris Cyborg.
Speaker 2 (25:42):
If we want to look in a hole. We talked
about it. They paid pennies on the dollar, and I
I was the original price a million one point five million.
Speaker 1 (25:55):
I don't even know that that matters, Mike, because yes,
they paid pennies on the dollar. I don't believe they
got a return on that investment. So so you got
a great deal. But if you didn't take advantage of
that great deal, it still cost you.
Speaker 2 (26:09):
You know, I, well, here's the difference I'm talking about.
You're talking about did they get a return on the
investment of the Bellatore name of a star studded roster.
No no, no, no no no no no, no, no
no no. I'm asking you if they got a return
on a two million dollar investment. And there's a possibility
(26:31):
with what they've done going into Ireland, England and France
with that Ballatour roster that they made enough of a
dent with those names that mattered for the events that
we don't watch that keep selling out overseas that they've
used those Ballatore names in that they might have not
to mention, they got an entire women's band and weight
division in one season out of that, which they needed
(26:54):
for Dakota Ditchieva that they were trying to build her up.
They got an entire bat and weight division and entire
middleweight division, and they did get a Cyborg fight, a
Bator fight. They got one or two, three, four, five fights.
Once you start counting up all these big names that
they got one fight out of, I think they would
say we got our money's worth for two million dollars,
(27:16):
including still having the entire Bellator catalog of fights that
they're able to use. I just don't think they got well,
the rest of us expected them to be able to
leverage it into it, meaning but.
Speaker 1 (27:30):
They could have got all that once Bellatore closed. Nobody
else was going to buy Bellator, so which is why
PFL was able to get it as such a good deal.
You're probably not wrong with a couple of the international card. Technically,
they probably made that two million or whatever it was back.
You are probably right on that. But again, you didn't
(27:52):
have to spend that two million. You just wait for
Bellator to close up shop and then you grab who
you want. It seems to me that the big play
here was the big play here was we're gonna get
the sweet Bellator tape library, and when we release all
these fighters and MVP and Patchie Mix and Aaron Pico
(28:14):
go to UFC, they're gonna have to pay us a
pretty penny so they can get some of those that
video of those fighters for for highlight packages. And I
don't think UFC really gives a fuck that much about
those highlight packages. So if that was your grand play
it again, it was just it was a terrible business move.
You could have just waited Belatorre's closes up shop and
(28:36):
then you grab whoever you want, and you don't have
to go through the whole. All right, We're keeping you around,
but we ain't fighting you, or we'll fight you once
and we're not fighting you again, and eventually you'll complain
until we release you. It just it didn't seem like
a wise business move then, and you look at the
releases and who they have left, it doesn't seem like
a wise business move now. And here's the ultimate how
(29:00):
I think you judge it. Did PFL grow from any
of that? You talked about the international events? And yes,
short term that may have helped there. But is PFL
in a better place now than they were the day
before they bought Bellator? I would tell you no. Now,
maybe it's not significantly worse. But are they in a
(29:21):
better place today? I don't think so.
Speaker 2 (29:23):
I cannot disagree with you in that point. They are
not in a better place. But I can disagree with
you that any one of those free agents should Bellatore
have shut down. You mean all the dudes that left
in droves, that didn't want to negotiate, that didn't want
to hear it, or the guys that they forced to
take pay cuts. They were not going to be able
to match the UFC in a free agent manner. So
(29:45):
they took the guys before free agency try to drive
down their paydays to what they could afford, and when
they couldn't, they released them. This two million dollars that
they spent on Bellatour brought them one hundred and fifty
five that some they got to use once, some they
got to use over and over again. The problem is
(30:06):
is they would have had to use five hundred thousand
to try to sign a pit bull, five hundred thousand
to try to sign a Lima, and before we're know it,
they're out two million dollars on five or six fighters
instead a roster in sending those guys around the world
for PFL Europe kind of things, because they didn't have
the money to pay those guys the four hundred five
(30:29):
hundred thousand dollars contracts anyway, How were they going to
offer that in free agency?
Speaker 1 (30:34):
Right? And I would disagree with that now you are correct,
they wouldn't have been able to sign everybody. UFC would
have almost certainly gone in hard on Aaron Pico then uh,
and there's some others. Fair to say, one or both
of the pit bulls, maybe even Patchy Micks, who's the
latest to leave PFL and sign with UFC. But UFC
(30:56):
what't going to sign them all. Corey Anderson wasn't going
back to UFC. Chris Cyborg wasn't going back to the UFC.
You could have gotten enough? Would you have gotten them all? No?
But but I would tell you or I would argue anyway,
and you may disagree. They didn't get their money's worth
on on the pit bulls. They didn't get their money's
(31:17):
worth on on PATCHI Max. Now they may have got
them for that time for their existing belator contract rather
than having to sign them as a free agent. But
the majority of those fighters, Micah, you wouldn't have been Now,
some you would have, but the majority of them you
wouldn't have been bidding against UFC. You would have been
bidding against Rising in one championship and you could have
(31:40):
fared pretty well in those bidding wars. Yes, if there
was a fighter UFC wanted, I think you're a hundred
percent right they would have offered the money to get
them that. They would have offered the better financial package.
But seriously, five six of them tops that UFC would
have really wanted and really gone after.
Speaker 2 (31:57):
Exactly, And those are the ones that in the free
agency market would have cost that excess money. And those
are the guys that they got one fight out of
which was more than worth that two million dollars, plus
the other one hundred guys, plus the three divisions they have,
plus still sending Paul Houst to sell out Ireland, plus
still having other people that they used in France. I
(32:18):
think that they got enough out of their two million dollars,
especially when you say hit Bull two hundred thousand. Remember
Gayguard Musauc was two hundred thousand, Douglas Limo was two
hundred thousand. We talk about that top ten or twenty
in Bellotore if you wanted to not compete against the UFC,
but you were just competing against Bellatour for their contracts,
(32:41):
you only get twenty fighters. Now you got a lot
more to build with. But you didn't use women.
Speaker 1 (32:47):
But you didn't use that million. No, but but look again,
here's to me, here's the bottom line. How is how
is PFL better today than they were before purchasing a Bellotour?
They're not. So I get what you're saying, and you're
not necessarily wrong, but none of that benefited them. It
may have benefited them for an event or a couple
(33:10):
of events, but now what you're in a worse spot
than you were, and you don't have any of those
fighters anymore. Look, you're not getting in a bidding war
with UFC for Douglas Lima. You could talk about what
he would have gotten on the free agency, no more
than he was already under contract for with Bellatour in
the first place. And I'm not knocking Douglas Lima. I mean,
(33:33):
I'm just using him as an example Corey Anderson, and
I don't know how important they considered Corey Anderson. But again,
you're not getting in a bidding war with Corey Anderson.
With UFC, you don't have to break the bank to
sign I wouldn't have had to have signed a lot
of those guys anyway, because once Bellatore shuts down, their
(33:54):
options are severely limited if they want to fight on
what passes it as a big stage.
Speaker 2 (34:01):
You notice they're not using Corey Anderson. I know he
doesn't sell and he doesn't matter to them, but.
Speaker 1 (34:06):
He's still under contract Micah, and that's the problem. But
that's my entire point. If you didn't want Corey Anderson.
You didn't have to buy fucking Velatore just to keep
him around and not use him. You could have been
a lot smarter with you. It was just there was
nothing to be gained for it other than look at us,
we're a player. We're going to buy another company, a
(34:27):
company that's arguably at least was bigger than us. It
was to me, it was a terrible use of money
and it did them no good whatsoever. And again, I
think by how little we actually talk about PFL unless
it's stuff like this kind of illustrates that point.
Speaker 2 (34:45):
I would gladly go deep into previewing every one of
their events, because they have plenty of deserving athletes throughout
their roster, those people that compete in the cage, the fighters,
The athletes have nothing to do with the lack of promotion,
the lack of financial sense, or anything that stops us
from talking about their events. Here, those guys that we
(35:07):
should be focusing on we never talk about. I don't
know why, but we talked a whole lot about the
business sense. But my thought was, you think that PFL.
I'm gathering that you think PFL wants to promote mma
successfully and wants to rival the UFC, because I don't
think they want to do that at all. I think
(35:27):
they wanted to create a portfolio that looked tantalizing enough
so that there was an entity that wanted to try,
that wanted to try. The UFC seeing this success of
WIMG that they were trying to offload this property and
they failed to last year when they had the biggest,
most bona fide amount of talent they had before, it
(35:49):
was hey, you got to fight us and use us. Well,
now we can't do that because we don't know how
to promote mma. We don't know how to put on
successful events. Their attempt was to offload this metcha a
product that they had and make a profit.
Speaker 1 (36:03):
Two things, if it's all about deserving athletes who should
be talked about that, we should be doing a fucking
Olympic podcast. Two you could very well be right on
your scenario that they were looking to build their portfolio
and sell. But if nobody else wanted Bellator and nobody
really wanted you, Okay, I don't know a better analogy
(36:28):
to use than this, so I'll apologize. If nobody wants
one pile of herd, why does somebody want two piles
of TRD that's pushed together and made into one big
pile of herd. And again, maybe that's crude. I apologize,
but you get my point right.
Speaker 2 (36:46):
I think that they were pretty close to it with
Saudi Arabia Abu Dhabi until the UFC was able to
present a better game plan with less management and they
would just take care of all of it. I think
that they have an endgame and they lost it, because
that would make a lot more sense than anything that
they've done. To fail to promote their product, to fail
(37:09):
to connect with the audience, to fail to make athletes
available for interviews. There's a lot of things that they've
done that look like to me, they feel more just
like an entity that wants to flip another entity rather
than someone that wants to grow what they've invested in.
Speaker 1 (37:27):
And look, you may very well be right on that,
because I would argue even the Francis and Godhu signing. Now, yeah,
they've made money off of him, rinning him out to
Saudi Arabia for boxing and this and that, but as
far as actually using him in their cage, they've gotten
one fight that didn't exactly set the pay per view
world on fire. So I would even argue that was
(37:48):
a dud signing, and that's not knocking Francis at all,
but you've got to have two to tango. You didn't
have a worthy opponent for him, which is why you
were so willing to lend him out and make money
off of him while he did other things. But I honestly,
and I don't want to just sit here and shit
all over PFL. But the reality is I can't think
(38:08):
of that many things at all that they've done right,
So maybe there is something to what you threw out there.
It's not their intention to run an MMA organization long term.
They wanted to build the portfolio and try to sell it,
and nobody's that interested.
Speaker 2 (38:27):
I mean, they've just bought a lot of shiny assets
and they rented a couple out of Saudi Arabia, and
I think they were trying to offload it. To the
point where Clarissa Seones has officially retired from MMA. We
can take her off of the baddest women on the
planet total pole. She's baddest boxer female boxer on the planet.
(38:48):
They're not talking about Jake Paul anymore. I feel like
a lot of these things were just to try to
entice other people and not really done with foresight, and
that's something you want to sell. But PFL also now
this week losing Pachi Mix, and that loss is the
rest of our game, depending on if you think he's
(39:10):
as good as we the rest of us PATCHI Mix
will be debuting at UFC three sixteen June seventh against
Mario Batista. That's replacing Carlos chiza Vera. So right away
it's top ten opposition for Mix. He can make a
run out the belt. That's cool for him. June twenty first,
(39:31):
Koiji Hargucci is out to jied Ulambkov is now going
to be facing osmot Maxim. Then we get to the
good big ones. We have the news we've been waiting
for forever. UFC three seventeen International Fight Week's main event,
a new lightweight champion will be crowned Iliotaporia. Charles la
Vera hold you last week.
Speaker 1 (39:53):
But the debate was interim or real for lack of
a better term, and it will be for a vacant
lightweight title. I think it had to be this way.
You had to have the lightweight title vacated, and that's
what we're gonna get with Mahaschef looking to move up.
(40:15):
I get it, the allure of two division champs and
all that, but as we'll talk about in a minute,
you can't hold up divisions forever. Assuming everything goes well
for Islam, he ain't coming back, So vacate that title.
International Fight Week vacant lightweight title. Your main event, the
(40:36):
Komin event. I don't think we saw coming, at least
not here. We saw it coming eventually, but the Komin
event for three seventeen, I think a little bit of
a surprise. For International Fight.
Speaker 2 (40:49):
Week, we get a second title fight. It's Alessandre Panosia
versus Kai kar Front. This one had been rumored to
actually be taking place earlier in the month in New Jersey.
Was a little surprised that we're seeing both bantamweight title
fights on that card and that we didn't get one
in this spot. But we do get that matchup. Throw
(41:10):
out a couple others, Paulo Acosta, Roman copy Love. I
already asked you veya text, why not throw it out here?
You think we can get a parlay on Costa and
ola Vera both missing weight for this one.
Speaker 1 (41:22):
If we can, I would put money on it.
Speaker 2 (41:25):
Does hanatamay Kanu rescheduled to fight Banil Daryush get back
to back UFC lightweight title fights. I don't see another
replacement here unless they're gonna say, hey, Banil, it's your
turn when Charles Missus Waite.
Speaker 1 (41:44):
If Charles Missus wait is probably more Kano.
Speaker 2 (41:46):
Yeah, all seriousness. I bring this up people because Michael
Carla was like, we can't, we can't. We can't trust
Charles ola Vera in this position. Can we international fight?
We had that discussion last week too, rolling the dice apparently,
unless that's our backup.
Speaker 1 (42:03):
Yeah, Look, I think and the point I was trying
to make with that, you can't headline it with an
interim title fight and then run the risk of one
of those guys missing weight. So what's already seems like
a less than title fight becomes even more less than
when only one guy can win the title. It is
(42:24):
a little bit different when you're vacating the lightweight title.
But my guess is you're still going to have a
backup and either one of these guys if Toporia misses weight,
and I think look, obviously the concern will be more
with Charles because We've seen it happen before. But if
either one of these guys misses weight, I think you
see a backup. I don't think that the fight would
(42:45):
go on as scheduled just because you want to have
both guys have the opportunity to win the time. Look,
maybe I'm wrong on that, but I would be very
surprised should there be a weight miss If we don't
get a replacement, we.
Speaker 2 (43:01):
Can all assume this should have last time. I guess
Hanato moy Kano ends the Rain of Islam Mahashev as
lightweight champion. The tail is done there. How do we
look back at the Rain of Islam considering it was
like a featherweight, a featherweight on short notice, a guy
(43:23):
halfway down the cart on short notice on a couple
hours to take on the Great Islam Mahashev.
Speaker 1 (43:29):
I mean, he beat what was put in front of him,
so you have to give him that. Is it gonna
go down as one of the all time great lightweight rains.
Speaker 2 (43:39):
No, he got the win.
Speaker 1 (43:42):
That was a good one.
Speaker 2 (43:43):
That's the one I'm gonna remember from this and now,
if he does it right, probably the last time we
see my lightweight guys, if you put on the muscle
mass and do what you should do going up fifteen pounds.
I feel like this should be the last time that
we had seen him at lightweight.
Speaker 1 (44:00):
Agree, Yeah, I do. I do that.
Speaker 2 (44:05):
Card also gets Paulo Costa Roman copy Love Jonathan Gadinez
versus Justin Tafa where I didn't Roy fault. Now Camp,
we get a flyweight number one contender fight, and but
now Camp has gotta be best that Kai kar France
got the title shot first.
Speaker 1 (44:19):
Well, again, you're also covering your bases. You've got to
back up already preparing to cut weight should something happen
to Kai Kara France. So you're you're like doubling up
on your insurance there. But yeah, if you're Kpe or
Roi Vall, You're like, damn, really, come on, Kaikr France,
(44:40):
Come on man. But look, I'm not knocking France. Good
for him. I don't have a problem with it. But
if I were either of those two guys, honestly, I'd
be like, what the hell did I do wrong?
Speaker 2 (44:53):
Jack her Manson's gonna take on Gregor Henriguez and Viviani
Ana Lujo versus Tracy will see much hair she has
on her head that day. Cortes, Yeah, I don't have
a problem. I thought I was gonna get you on
that one.
Speaker 1 (45:09):
You do. I was trying to count real quick. I
believe eight fights officially out so far, so we will
get at least four more. I don't have a problem
at all with this card thus far. You're gonna get
two title shots, two title fights at the top of
the card. I wouldn't be surprised if at least one
(45:30):
of the fights added is in a main card fight. Well,
we'll have to see. Also, the fight this past weekend
that was canceled might wind up getting rebooked here, could
wind up being rebooked somewhere else. So we'll see what
they fill out the rest of the card with. But
I think with two title fights, I really like the
(45:53):
Daru sch Mokano fight. Maybe nobody else does, and that's fine,
But Roy Vall and Cape, I think is gonna be phenomenal.
I've got a soft spot in my heart for real Macapulaw.
For some reason, paul A Costa is always entertaining. I
think it's gonna be a fun international fight week I like,
is this going to go down as one of the
(46:13):
great all time International Fight Week cards. I mean, I
guess we'll have to see probably not, but where we
were at last week talking about this, not knowing anything
and throwing out idea. Hell I even suggested bringing back
Holly home and doing a women's BMF title fight because
(46:35):
you had to have something on the top of the card.
I like what they have at the top of this card,
I guess is what I'm trying to say.
Speaker 2 (46:42):
I like the flyweight fights. I like the vacant lightweight
title fight that we assume could have been an interim
lightweight title fight. I don't have a problem with dar
you Schmoykano. I just don't know why I'm not something
about that one and seeing it next to Costo Pasta
versus copy Love. I don't know what I was expecting,
(47:06):
but it somehow didn't meet the expectation meter. Even though
I still like it. I still like it. We might
eventually have it was three sixteen or three seventeen. A
bigger card debate coming up later in the month, guys.
As far as fight announcements, we also get the UFC
returning to Abu Dabi July twenty six, and that headliner
(47:29):
is Robert Whittaker versus Rainier they ridder, so we get
the Dutchman versus the Australian. This one a pivotal and
a huge opportunity for our dr to keep ascending towards
a title shot. And this is the possibility of Whittaker
and the middleweight division to start looking like all of
(47:49):
our favorite the action heroes from the welterweight division.
Speaker 1 (47:53):
Uh that's assuming Whittaker wins.
Speaker 2 (47:56):
Well, no, no, no, no, I mean, he says, and
he starts to look.
Speaker 1 (47:59):
Like, oh I got you, I got got you, I
got you.
Speaker 2 (48:02):
Sorry if I was not clearer on that one. Whitaker's
in that spot, guys, he loses, It's it's down the hill.
Speaker 1 (48:07):
Yeah no, no, no, no, I totally got you.
Speaker 2 (48:09):
Now.
Speaker 1 (48:09):
Yeah, I think you're probably right on that.
Speaker 2 (48:12):
And UC three nineteen August sixteenth, the Windy City, Chicago,
the United Center, Deecris due plus c comzot she might
have the middleweight title fight. My biggest question to you. Now,
we're used to the to the Vegas dates, We're used
to the New Jersey date that pops up every so often,
(48:35):
Chicago and New Orleans getting pay per views and in
a close couple of months, and not to mention that
means we go New Jersey, Vegas, Chicago, New Orleans, four
straight pay per views in the States. With the international expansion,
(48:57):
you're surprised by any of this, like that Abu date,
the way the UFC has muscled that government down to
a fight night where that was a sure fire pay
per view. Bravo to them on that side.
Speaker 1 (49:09):
Fee Yeah, I think more of those are gonna be
fight nights. So you're just taking away from the apex.
Let's be honest, were it not for Poier, you're probably
not going back to New Orleans right now. But we
also shouldn't be surprised with New Orleans or Chicago or
some of these other places, because that's something Data was
(49:32):
talking about last year. With everything open back up, trying
to get back to places you haven't been in a while.
You know, I think we, you and I kind of
got spoiled with pandemic and coming out of the pandemic Houston, Phoenix, Houston,
Glendale and all this. But yeah, now everything's opened back up,
(49:53):
you're trying to get back to these places you haven't
been to in a while that they were in Seattle
a while back, so no, not surprised, but you do
have to wonder, does this just come at the expense
of APEX fights. Is Vegas gonna lose a pay per view?
How are you serving all these masters you try to
(50:15):
get site fees for events and obviously money talks. You know,
you can't be everywhere all the time, so it is
going to get a little interesting the scheduling and the
cities and the states and the countries that UFC is visiting.
Speaker 2 (50:32):
Well, Des Moines, Kansas City, and Seattle were all fight nights.
That was why I did pique my interest that Chicago
and New Orleans have up the anti both to pay
per views. And this is the goodest time is any
to give our heartfelt thanks to mister Miller, the owner
(50:52):
of the Utah Jazz who did do the sweet deal
with the UFC that three straight years made those pay
per views apparent, because it looks like our August trift
to Salt Lake City is not happening, unless that's turning
into a fight night now because the pay per view
for August has been announced.
Speaker 1 (51:10):
Well keep in mind last year it was actually September.
It got bumped. But I agree with you and I
was actually thinking about this the other day. If they're
going to Salt Lake City this year, it's probably gonna
be a fight night.
Speaker 2 (51:24):
And we've had the all the cards, the Perreira cards,
There's been some epic moments there. Leon that is a
market exactly lyon versus who's been one that market served well.
And I just wonder we were debating was it a
three year deal a four year deal. I'm wondering if
it was a three year deal. And maybe now these
(51:46):
other markets have been enticed to get back in the game.
As we're hearing again five that we've mentioned consistently throughout
this episode that are back in the game. Talking about
back in the game. And someone you mentioned a moment
go and someone we mentioned actually earlier ago, Jake Paul
making waves in the boxing game again. He adds to
(52:08):
his cabinet full of the best women's boxers on the planet,
and he has added Holly Home to the roster. She
will be a part of his card. That's the same
weekend as International Fight Week there in Anaheim.
Speaker 1 (52:24):
You know how you felt what I suggested, Hey, let's
just bring Holly back and do a Women's BMF title
fight against Amanda Nunez. If you're that hard up, if
you can't find something for the Comaine for International Fight Week,
you remember how you felt? What I suggested that.
Speaker 2 (52:41):
That's very relieved to hear this news.
Speaker 1 (52:43):
Well that's about how I feel about this. Look good
for Holly. I'm certain on a Jake Paul card, it's
going to be a nice payday. I I don't want
this to sound chauvinistic, so I hope it doesn't come
across that way. But honestly, women's boxing does not excite me.
(53:04):
Now women's MMA does. I'd rather see Holly doing that.
But look, we know how good she is as a boxer.
I'm certain she's gonna do well. But am I like
super excited with this news. Not really.
Speaker 2 (53:20):
I am super excited for Holly home with this news
because I think this is the optimal opportunity for her
to ride out in the sunset with a successful moment.
And I don't think it's going to be this fight.
I told somebody the other day I could see Holly
fighting till she's forty five years old. She's forty two
right now. I have never heard her utter a word
(53:43):
about quitting. I feel like forty five is about pushing
it as far as you could possibly go. I saw
her after sparring this past Thursday at the gym and
she was talking to the guys about technique. Focused still
as leading six pack as ever, comeraded on this upcoming
boxing match, and just judging from the sidelines not talking
(54:06):
to her, there's total focus and commitment still there. Also,
we know from having to talked to bare knockle boxers
that taking away the kicking, the wrestling, the grappling your
health doesn't prove. So all that being said, this is
the best opportunity I think for Holly to get a
victory in a fight is returning to the combat sport
(54:28):
where she had the most success. I am not really
sure about Miss Vega, her opponent, what level of competition
she's jumping right back into.
Speaker 1 (54:37):
Yeah, Look, I don't think being fit and hell even
focus like leading up to a fight has ever been
a problem. It's once you get in the octagon and
following the game plan and all that that I think
is done her in And look, age hasn't done her
any favors as well. But I do think you're one
hundred percent right. This move back to boxing, I think
(55:01):
is good for her. You don't, like you said, and
you said it. You don't have to worry about the kicks,
you don't have to worry about the takedowns. She can
stand there and do her thing, and we know how
good she is at that. I do think this is
a good move for her, But am I super excited
(55:21):
about No, I'm happy for her, like you said, don't
get me wrong, but it is what it is.
Speaker 2 (55:30):
It is what it is. It's good for Holly with
the win here. You can't count out that this could
break the Serrano Taylor's cycle. That one of them with
a win home is a big enough name to get
that women's bat and weight world title fight to go
for the one thirty five crown, and we'd see that
probably for free on Netflix. So there are big opportunities
(55:51):
for her here, regardless of how you feel about women's boxing.
Speaker 1 (55:55):
No, I agreed, and look at that point in time,
I do get excited. So maybe I should be a
little bit more excited about this because this is kind
of that precursor because I agree with it. Should she win,
I think one of those two is probably next for her.
Speaker 2 (56:11):
So yeah, Also many Paki how h forty seven years old,
I believe is gonna return to the boxing ring and
time out, timeout, shit wor old title. I had a
vomit all of it out.
Speaker 1 (56:28):
Yeah time. How many times have we heard this before,
Manny Pakiao returning to the ring fighting for a title?
Because this ain't the first time, it ain't the second time,
and I don't believe it's the third time, Micah.
Speaker 2 (56:41):
It's been many times.
Speaker 1 (56:43):
Yes, many times, Yes, indeed it did.
Speaker 2 (56:48):
Each announcement packs a little less Pakia.
Speaker 1 (56:54):
Look at you all with the puns in the wordplay,
look at you. Good for Manny Paki. How I don't
know if it's good for boxing, but good for him.
Speaker 2 (57:04):
Mike Perry Dirty Boxing two has been announced his company,
and we have a slew of UFC vets. So just
to tell you, guys, because this is MMA after hours,
you'll remember these names. Joinior Rosenstrub, Alex Casaris, Phil Has,
Sasha Platna, Cuff, Boston Salmon, Francisco Chernaldo, Jessica Rose Clark,
(57:27):
and maybe some of you remember Sid you back Hak Harmaninov.
They will all be a part of the June fourteenth card.
Such winners from previous ones included Andrea Rolofski, who if
you didn't here last week, we did announce he has
signed with BKFC, going to debut for that promotion at
the June twenty first card. Also seeing that Pensy Morrison
(57:52):
that we had mentioned, the heavyweight, the son of Jack Morrison,
he will be making his debut on that same card.
So there's a little bit of a dirty boxing, bare
knuckle boxing kind of news thrown in there.
Speaker 1 (58:04):
There you go, Hey, before we wrap up, Micah, I
think there's something that we need to bring up, and
we've himmed and hauled around it for several weeks, especially
trying to figure out a main event for an international
fight week. We don't seem to be any closer to
a John Jones Tom Aspinall heavyweight title fight. John's down
(58:25):
in Thailand. He's gonna do the Russian season of Ultimate Fighter. Honestly,
I don't see us getting this fight before the end
of the year. How long do you hold up the
heavyweight division before you strip John Jones of the title.
I don't know that anybody would get excited about an
Aspinall interim title fight when there's a heavyweight champ who
(58:48):
just doesn't want to fight or has other things he's
doing right now that's more important to him than fighting.
So I don't know that. I know Dana loves John,
even though it's a sometimes content relationship. We've seen Dana
multiple times spend ten minutes arguing with himself over why
John Jones is the pound for pound best fighter. And
(59:09):
I don't dispute any of that. The problem here is
you're holding up the division. I don't care how revered
he is, how much everybody respects what he does inside
the cage. At some point in time, you got to
pull the trigger here, and if John's not gonna fight
when UFC wants him to fight, you're gonna have to
take that title off of him, aren't you.
Speaker 2 (59:31):
Did you see where Yuri Prahaska and I'm gonna get
around to John Jones. Don't worry, don't worry, don't worry,
just take a slight teach work. Did you see that
Uri Prahaska is going to college?
Speaker 1 (59:43):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (59:44):
And that negated him from fighting at UFC three seventeen.
Speaker 1 (59:49):
Now.
Speaker 2 (59:50):
It's also heavily speculated that Alex Ferreira, Maga Man and
Keliah rematch had been being discussed for and then the
UFC brought up UFC three seventeen, and the Pereira camp
kind of did lie on the We've done you so
(01:00:10):
many solids. We are much more comfortable with this timeline.
Speaker 1 (01:00:16):
Do we know?
Speaker 2 (01:00:18):
From Tom Aspittal has been very vocal about saying John
as John Jones is ducking him if he was offered
UFC three seventeen, because John Jones posted something recently that says,
y'all want me stripped, y'all are mad at me. Have
you asked the UFC what's going on? Because we haven't
heard the UFC say John's not doing what we want yet, have.
Speaker 1 (01:00:41):
We I can't imagine he is doing what they want. Uh,
he hasn't fought. So was it January? The Stepe fight December?
Speaker 2 (01:00:52):
So where five months removed?
Speaker 1 (01:00:55):
Yeah, and we're more than five months away. It would appear. Look,
and that's fair, but there's no way UFC's grand plan
is to have John Jones sit on the sidelines and
not have any meaningful heavyweight title fights and say what
(01:01:16):
you want about the heavyweight division right now and all
that's fair game as well, but at some point in
time the division has to move on and oh, by
the way, stripping John Jones aspinall goes out and beats somebody,
maybe has another fight, and then John's ready to come
back and reclaim this title. To me, you want to
(01:01:37):
talk about building a fight and a better storyline to
sell pay per views. That's way better than coming out
this week and Dana on Instagram announcing in November in
Brooklyn as John Jones tom Aspenalf for the heavyweight title.
So and by the way, I don't think that timeline
works either. It would seem to me there's no chance
in hell you'd be getting this fight before the end
(01:01:59):
of the year. Anyway. It will be sometime in twenty
twenty six. So I don't even think it hurts anybody
other than maybe John's ego a little bit and at
least what he says on social media, it wouldn't bother
him if they stripped him, but that might be the
thing to do. It gets the division moving along, and
it just further builds the anticipation for when you do
(01:02:20):
finally get around to you know, John not hanging out
in Thailand, not doing Ultimate Fighter in Russia and actually
focused on fighting himself. It just builds the anticipation for that.
Speaker 2 (01:02:34):
Would you believe me? If I told you twenty eighteen
was the last time the UFC heavyweight title was defended
twice in a year.
Speaker 1 (01:02:47):
Yes, you factor in COVID, you factor in in Ghanu.
Let's see that that probably also ran you. My guess
is that was either DC or and Stepe with those
defenses in twenty eighteen. Maybe I'm a little off on that,
but somewhere, yeah, I believe you.
Speaker 2 (01:03:06):
That was Steep a DC and then DC. No back
Derek Lewis, here's a quick win, so we sell out
in New York. That's how long it's been after that.
It took a year to get the fights. It took
a year to make the gone interim title fights. We
are a little off that John won it in November.
Speaker 1 (01:03:27):
Member, yep, I was looking at it.
Speaker 2 (01:03:28):
I wouldn't be surprised if it takes till November and
the heavyweight title is a once a year title. I
wouldn't be surprised if John's out there saying no, no, no,
We're already talked about it. I'll see you guys right
back here any year in November now where there may
be a phone call or a feeler about Jilla about June,
(01:03:52):
about international fight week. You'd have to be a fool
to not think so. But overall, I wouldn't be so
prize if this is a one year title until we
get it on Tom Aspinall's waist, or not just Tom,
but somebody the better side of thirty five.
Speaker 1 (01:04:11):
You're probably Look, I'm fine with that. I just don't
think we're getting it then either. And maybe I'm wrong,
but based on timelines and what John's got going on
and coming up, I don't know that I see it
being ready for November. Either. But look, maybe it is.
Speaker 2 (01:04:31):
I don't know how long Russian Ultimate Fighter takes because
the only part that surprised me when you told me
that John Jones was filming it is I speared a
couple of months agoys, just hearing about Peter Young versus
Aljamin Sterling, which Sterling had replaced the verab Du Wallas Philly, right,
So I kind of thought that, I don't know if
(01:04:52):
that might only take, you know, eight weeks out of
a schedule. I am still I got more hope John
Jones Aspital November whenever we rechurch in New York Brooklyn area.
I do have seen Connor McGregor back in there. I'm
holding onto this hope for just a little bit longer.
Speaker 1 (01:05:07):
And there's a decent chance, not just New York area,
but you're you're back in MSG then, and what better
place to have a heavyweight title fight than MSG. If
that's the case, I think we can wait. If it
ain't happening, then I think you've got to seriously consider
stripping John Jones in the heavyweight title. And I get
(01:05:31):
if you don't want to do that, but you might
not have a choice.
Speaker 2 (01:05:35):
We'll see what happens by then. I'm still giving a
couple months. Let's get a little deeper into those talks.
Let's hear Tom Ausman all saying dates are being denied,
but this weekend not a lot going on. There's actually
no PFL, no Rising, no UFC, no BKFC, no b YB,
no bk B. But what you do get is some
(01:05:57):
good all time on UFC Fight Pass Saturday night, it's
LFA from Brazil. Seven unbeaten fighters, thirteen fighters with only
one loss on their record, a couple of killers. In
the main event at featherweight four fight rin streak Aglecio
de Laura takes on Bruno rec Henrique, who's on a
seven fight win streak. That's gonna be awesome. The next
(01:06:19):
day on UFC Fight Pass, you get a Fury event,
a triple header of title fights on Sunday. It's a
little bit of regional action to get your MMA Phil.
If you need there, you.
Speaker 1 (01:06:29):
Go uh Micah anything else.
Speaker 2 (01:06:33):
It's Cageminds dot com. Cagemindscombat Sports News on Facebook and YouTube.
We've got a new interview up with Donald Sanchez and
Aiken Harrison ahead of or Harrison Aiken ahead of the
BKFC seventy five event. It's cage Minds Underscore CSN on
your ex, Instagram and TikTok.
Speaker 1 (01:06:54):
Get the show on X at MMA After Hours. You
can find me at Real Mike Carlisle. We will talk
to you next week and join your holiday weekend. We'll
talk to you next week for another episode of m
m A After Hours here on the After Hours podcast network.
Speaker 2 (01:07:13):
Love Combat Sports. I have a website for you, Cageminds
dot com. That's c A G E. D M I
n d S dot com. Fight news from around the world,
in depth interviews, live event coverage covering combat sports for
over a decade. Established in April twenty eleven that's cageminds
(01:07:36):
dot com.
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