September 2, 2025 • 58 mins
Episode 316: UFC heads to Paris for a Fight Night this weekend, We've got a lot of fight announcements. Plus, all the latest news.
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Hit up the show:
X (formerly Twitter): @MMAafterhours @RealMikeCarlyle @FranklMika @CagedMindsMMA
Email: mmaafterhours@gmail.com
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
What's up everybody? Welcome back. It is MMA after hours.
I'm Michael Carlisle, joined as always by Micah frankl Micah.
How you doing, man?
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Surviving so I can go get a back treatment. But
other than that, you know, doing well?
Speaker 1 (00:16):
What did you do to you back this time? Or
just same old, same.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Old, same old, same old, Just that normal every six
to eight weeks where I gotta go get injections to
calm down all the gnats in the back.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
Ah, it's rough, man, that's rough.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Yeah, yeah, just normal, actually as rough as it sounds.
But heck, I'm doing fine. Not as good though as
Andrey Rolovski. So I'm gonna be real. I did not
have on my bingo card Andrey Rolovsky being the heavyweight
number one contender in two different promotions in the third
quarter of twenty twenty five just some shocking to me.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
And what two promotions would that be?
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Well, apparently BKFC wanted to throw him right in there
with his old friend Ben rothwell because that sounds like
a Nostalgicceller to the fans, and for some reason they're
really hesitant to put Leonardo Perdomo in that number one
contender position. The other one took me a bit by surprise,
(01:17):
basically because Andre had just fought bare knuckle. But his
fight before BKFC was an introduction to pure striking. It
was a foray into dirty boxing where he had stuck
his elbow into a Chap's eyeball, devastating ko. This past
weekend we had Dirty Boxing three and due to a
(01:39):
late injury, Raqim Cleveland is jumping in there to take
on Jaino Rosenstroup. And I don't know how you guys
feel about Rosenstroup from his UFC days, but this is
one of the ones I got to push back on
the UFC. We might have wanted to keep this guy
on the roster. Rosenstroop just absolutely annihilates Cleveland, coming inside
(02:01):
some beautiful counter punching a quick four punches land Cleveland
goes down, knocked out, and then Jayrniar Rosenstruk is at
the end of the night not facing off with the
Massacusetts pit Bullpedes, who we thought was supposed to fight
on this night, who got injured. He was told he
lost his opportunity. Andrea Rolofsky is in the DBX ring,
(02:25):
apparently now the heavyweight number one contender in two different promotions.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
You kept saying Cleveland going down. I thought you were
talking about the NFL for a second.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
There, No, that'll that'll be really close for all the
brands fans, they'll get used to hearing that. But yeah,
we're clean. Cleveland went down in a nasty way much,
you know, props to a guy for jumping in with
rosenstroke on like four days five days notice, but it
was not a good showing for him. And then you
get Andrea Alfsky in there, and that just took me
(02:57):
by surprise. Didn't have that on my bingo. Didn't really
think that dirty boxing would be as alluring as bare knuckle.
I don't know if it was the whole hands thing.
Andrea Ilofsky wanted to test out what it felt like
to go without the gloves. But andre I Loski with
a huge resurgence now and he didn't even fight.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
Yeah, see, that's why I'm hesitant to call it a
huge resurgence. He didn't fight, But I mean, hell I look,
maybe maybe that makes it all the more huger resurgence. Right,
You did all this without having to do anything.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
You know, some of the biggest names that we talk
about on this show, Francis, John Connor, they don't really
fight either, so welcome to the party, Andre Orlowski.
Speaker 1 (03:45):
None of them. Well, Francis, I guess is a champion,
but Connor and John do you got Connor especially anybody
talking about him for for title contention either?
Speaker 2 (03:58):
Yeah? So huge for Andrey Arlovsky. Did not see that
one coming. And does this speak deeper? Do you think
this is a bad look for BKFC, A good look
for dirty Boxing? I'm not sure what to make of
Junia Rosenstruch and Andre Rolovsky facing Golf at the end,
(04:21):
and it was a very cordial face off that wasn't
as forced as the Rothwell Arlovsky face off. But I
feel like there's a whole bigger narrative that we could
draw just from Arlovsky being at the dirty boxing event.
Speaker 1 (04:35):
Are you asking me if it's a bad look that
a forty six year old man is a number one
contender in two different organizations.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
I've done not so much.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
Okay, well then never mind.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
Do you think it is?
Speaker 1 (04:51):
Yeah? Short term, no look, name recognition for sure, and
you're trying to draw eyeballs to you. Probably even BKFC,
which has been around a little longer, you're still trying
to draw eyeballs. So from that standpoint, maybe not. But
it's a respectfully, it's a forty six year old man
(05:13):
whose best fighting days are behind him. So like, long term,
I don't think this is a good thing, But I
mean for short term, it's gonna get eyeballs on both
companies or wherever he winds up fighting next, right, so
that that can't be bad.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
The bad from my perspective was we recently had a
conversation where depending on what boxing promotions you want to
talk about, BKFC was either first tier or second tier
relevant in combat sports landscape. Now thirty Boxing owned by
Mike Perry, invested in by John Jones Melchikawa, they have
(05:54):
some star power, two of them, but this is a
promotion on its third event and upstar that also has
its own obscure rules set. I feel like that's a
huge blow to BKFC, that there's enough allure, cashe or
money on the table from DBX that that could pull
away one of your number one contenders, where quite possibly
(06:17):
we talked about BKFC being the second most well known
name in combat sports unless you really consider re odd
Season a combat sport where it's not just a festival,
it doesn't just promote and sponsor everything that's entertainment. I mean,
that's the value where DBX on the same level as
(06:37):
BKFC is shocking.
Speaker 1 (06:45):
It's probably not if you think about it, because I'm
trying to think of to say this to articulate my
point and not sound disrespectful. I think it shows despite
the success BKFC has had, and they've had success, they're
(07:08):
not that far up the chain. An upstart on like
you said, their third event can come in and have
enough backing to be able to make a play like this.
I think that's probably the first thing that sticks out
to me, and then we can get into the other stuff.
But it's for all that they've accomplished, it's was, at
(07:32):
least in this case, not that difficult for an upstart
to come in and all of a sudden seemingly lure
our Lasky away.
Speaker 2 (07:42):
There's guys like Jane Rosenstroup. There were eleven UFC events,
thirteen UFC vts excuse me on the fifteen fight card
for the Dirty boxincageminds dot com for the full results
if you guys are interested. I was a little surprised
to see that they had that kind of pull over all.
I know, not every UFC of that is going to
(08:03):
be treated the same, but Alex Casaris, Junior Rosenstrut, some
of these names, I think in a previous landscape we
would have seen them in bellatour. So I wonder, do
you think the fact that we didn't hear them talking
about PFL, do you think that's more about the shortcomings
of PFL or maybe also I was thinking a change
(08:26):
in trajectory and thought process from the PFL, where they
really are just going to start looking to build the
international names and the younger names and not really try
to go after every UFC out there, And they might
have learned something from the Francis and Gano mistake.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
Well, a couple things. Name off those financial backers in
Dirty Boxing again, the people you you had just named
off that had contributed money.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
Front Row Management, Malki Cowa, the Cower Brothers, John Jones,
Mike Perry.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
You can stop right there. First of all, if you
follow who manages who and who's contributed money, it ain't
that hard to figure that some of these out, not
all of them, but some of these out the second,
and I don't remember what the hell you were actually
asking me while I was looking that up. If you
could ask that again about my apologies, But but that's
part of it.
Speaker 2 (09:18):
Oh, oh, it was PFL change a strategy from them possibly?
Or do you think this is just a shortcoming of
them not bringing in some of these more well known
USC events, even if it's just for a one off
to green some eyes.
Speaker 1 (09:30):
I think it's probably a change in strategy. And if
that's the case, I think it's smart. If it was
just if you tried and just missed the boat, well,
if it was somebody you wanted, you should have been
able to go out and get them, regardless of who
their manager is and what company he might be funding
it in some way. But my guess would be, and it's
(09:52):
purely speculation, it's probably more of a changing strategy.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
I felt like, a it's a really in interesting time
where DBX is able to pull in these names, and
like you said, some of them might be management related.
Like Brian Battle gets cut from the UFC for missing
weight and within ten days he's fighting for DBX. I'm
(10:18):
not sure who his manager is. I don't really want
to waste the energy to look it up, but I
don't think it would be hard to see if it
is front Row management, if it is Malkikawa, where if
it is someone that's really near and dear to their
hearts and adjacent that was just able to give them
a fight, because it looks like if you guys saw
the fight, that's how it played out.
Speaker 1 (10:40):
Rosenstrug is definitely front Row. Arlovsky is not Brian Battle.
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (10:47):
There also is the I think there's the relationship of
literally geographical nature. Yeah, they're doing all their shows at
the Hangar in Miami. Arlovsky is att Coconut Creek, Florida,
just down the road. It's not going to be that
hard to get in contact with him. And that's the
other part. Like Alex Casaris, a Florida guy, a lot
(11:07):
of these were Florida guys.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
Look, let's be clear. I don't want to make it
sound like that's a bad thing. If you're pulling in
name talent that's going to draw eyeballs, you probably it's
a good thing. But as it relates to how did
you outfenable BKFC, how did you keep pfl away from
some of these guys? My point on raw that was
(11:31):
with some of them. It ain't that hard to figure out.
Speaker 2 (11:36):
Do you think this will be a good platform to
take fighters to another level? I don't know if DBX
itself grows to this magnanimous proportion, but I wonder does
it become Hey, these guys make their way to prominent
BKFC roles. Hey, maybe they do get back to the
(11:56):
UFC from this format. Do you think that is a possibility?
Speaker 1 (12:01):
Battle Maybe are Lasky or rosenstruk well, just.
Speaker 2 (12:06):
In general like the concept, Sorry, not them, Oh I
got you, I got you, I got you, but the
company trajectory.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
Possibly, And look it's look, I don't think UFC is
sweating any any of these companies, but that doesn't mean
they can't be successful and stand on their own and
have their I was gonna say have their niche, but
that almost sounds like I'm underselling you. I don't mean
it that way. But carve out their place in the
(12:34):
M M A world. Could could Could this lead to
some of these guys get getting back to to UFC
or getting to UFC? Sure it could, but I you know,
as far as the companies go, that they're trying to
carve out their niche and whether it's b KFC, who
certainly has a head start on that, whether it's Dirty Boxing,
I think that there is room for these companies to grow.
Speaker 2 (12:58):
I think the best highlight from the card was James
Cannon putting Hector Lumbard down some nasty overhand lefts. That
one was a viral moment across social media. I know
that you were busy this week and you got some
other things going on. Were you able to see any
of the highlights from the Dirty Boxing from what it
looked like?
Speaker 1 (13:19):
Yes, I actually watched way more stuff than I thought
I was going to highlights dirty Boxing. I managed to
get sucked into real American freestyle way more. Not that
I watched the whole show or anything, because I didn't,
but I caught way more of that than I thought
(13:41):
I would have as well. So so yeah, yeah, college
football season, I do some work for a D one
college football team. That kind of took up a big
chunk of my holiday weekend. But yeah, I was able
to check out some highlights and like I said, part
of the real American freestyle. I like what I saw
from the Dirty Boxing highlights. Again, in the grand scheme
(14:05):
of things, I don't know how big it can be,
but I certainly think that they can carve out their spot.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
I want to get to the real American freestyle in
just a second. When you said you got sucked in
and watched way more of it than you thought you
were going through somehow, I thought you were going to
bring a misfits boxing. I saw Dylan Dennis guillotine this
weekend and poor Luke Rockol. Can someone just give him
(14:31):
like a full time role next to TJ Dillashaw on
The Jackson's podcast so he can stop having to go
out there and do these kind of things. I don't
feel good about the mileage that Luke Rockol has put
on his body. Well, on the other hand, congratulations to
Darren Till, the next most dramatic celebrity boxer to fight
(14:58):
out of the UK. I don't know ks I is
a real opportunity for him, but good on you Darren
Till for trying to box former MMA fighters now that
you don't want to do MMA. But he got a
win streak going in the boxing ring, so good on Till.
Speaker 3 (15:13):
Yeah, I mean, I guess I don't you started out
talking about Luke Rockold, isn't he wasn't he a fairly
successful model at one point.
Speaker 2 (15:26):
I thought so, wasn't there something?
Speaker 1 (15:27):
Yeah, I unless it's just for the love of the
game at forty years of age. I don't know why
he continues to do this.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
It's a really good point and the durability doesn't seem
to be there. We saw that in his MMA days.
We definitely saw that in his foray and a bare knuckle,
and I thought there was a possibility that this could
have been a better outcome for him. The bigger gloves
that turned out to not be evident, and got zapp
(15:57):
with some over end lefts and this gustingly knocked out
And how the fuck was that ref actually counting? I
don't know if you saw the highlight, rock Holds basically
bent backwards, his left legs touching his shoulder, and the
ref's like standing over him counting. I'm like, dude, save
the fighter. What the fuck are you doing?
Speaker 1 (16:19):
Yeah? I saw it.
Speaker 2 (16:24):
Real American Freestyle Wrestling. I thought you had a busy weekend.
Fuck that. Shout out to Chiles Sudden the man is
everywhere on Combat Sports, the Ultimate Fighter Jumping on Real
American Freestyle broadcast. Heck he's cutting a promo for the
maintenin event I believe for the second event. Oh shit,
(16:44):
and then quick, let me replace Gable Stevens and I'll
jump on over to the Craig Jones Invitational. I don't know,
to be fair.
Speaker 1 (16:53):
He was able to get a couple of naps in,
so I mean, yes, it was busy, but he was
able to stay fresh.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
I really need to go to a gym and I
need to hear the breakdown of the mechanics on how
that submission that Craig Jones applied works. Shout out to
that funky shit that was like a buggy choke inverted
or something, and I just I, you know, the mechanics
on how you squeeze somebody's own shoulder into putting them
to sleep. That was crazy. Shout out to Craig Jones
(17:24):
for being innovation innovational promoter. Day one of this tournament,
I was reading on Insta on X excuse me, I
want to say Twitter, and I was trying to get
the right word X that it wasn't going so well.
So day two he's like, hey, guys, we're throwing out
bonus money for finishes because no one was going for
it in day one, and then it was a much
(17:44):
more exciting day two, so Cji and Chel Sunnon jumping
in to save the day. But the real story we
wanted to get to was the real American freestyle. Hendrickson
in the main event, bulldozing over Holly Holme, a mystery opponent.
Eric Bischoff already throwing out the pro wrestling verbiage for
(18:07):
us on the first show, not to mention Real Woods,
who does have some roots, not just because he's Woods,
but roots from the area that we are in, takes
out Darien Caldwell, four champions crowned in all. You kind
of see why that platform is dangerous and why the
UFC went with the bull But real American freestyle. You
(18:29):
said you got sucked in. What were the thoughts, what
were the feelings?
Speaker 1 (18:35):
I don't I kind of liked what I saw. I
don't know. I think if it's an uphill battle, first
of all, I think you're going to have to be
into amateur wrestling to really like it. Combat sports fans
I think are gonna be like, there's not the action
(18:56):
here I see from some of the other places. Now, again,
that's not something that can't be overcome. But I think
you're gonna have to overcome it. I think there's a
stigma leading up to it, because I know Eric Beschoff
had brought this up in a couple of interviews that
I had seen. Leading up to it, people wonder what
is it real? You know, because technically it is pro wrestling,
(19:17):
but it's not pro wrestling like we think of sports
entertainment WWE, AEW, etcetera, etcetera. It is legitimate, but when
you add some of the pro wrestling elements to it,
I think it does make it more entertaining. But if
you're on the fence about how legitimate it was, or
(19:38):
how it's going to be true to amateur wrestling and
things like that, maybe you don't like some of that.
When they brought out Holly Home to fill in last
minute and all, I don't think you see something like
that at a regular wrestling tournament. You know that mystery
(20:00):
opponent is named and walks out to the match and
participates just like at the drop of a hat.
Speaker 2 (20:07):
Like that, now, I don't think you're gonna see that.
And I believe I saw there was close to five
thousand people with comp tickets and all they're in attendance
you and I have speculated besides the Midwest and areas
of the country that are real wrestling crazy, I still
(20:31):
wonder how viable of a cell this is gonna be.
Even as I mentioned looking up earlier this weekend with
the Craig Jones Invitational Day one, there was some issues
with excitement with people wanting finishes. I'm not sure off
the top of my head from the real style how
(20:51):
many pins there actually were, but I know from what
I saw real Woods, Darien Caldwell was one of the
few that I saw really getting publicized on social media
as a pin, so that going the distance point element. Also,
if you're bringing over MMA fans, with wrestling being so
(21:14):
much different than jiu jitsu, you're like, why aren't they
doing this? Versus that I questioned the long term success
it's gonna have. But they came out hard for the
first one. They had some exciting moments. You crown champions,
you start to tell their stories. I'm not saying it's impossible.
(21:36):
I'm just not sure about how much it's gonna do
and how well it's gonna do, especially on a busy weekend.
This was a great weekend for them to debut. We
didn't have any big MMA. We didn't even have a
big time BKFC event for them to compete with. If
there's a UFC BJJ, that's a bigger deal than having
(21:57):
a compete with Craig Jones. That was just th'sree on YouTube.
Speaker 1 (22:01):
Yeah, look that they picked a good weekend. I thought
all in all, the production values and things like that
were really good. I know they've been pretty active on
their x accounts with stuff, but their website has not
(22:22):
been updated. It's still promoting the first event August thirtieth.
You go to the event, it still lists all the fights,
but it doesn't have results or anything. Maybe the social
media is more important, Maybe it's not. I don't know,
but I think you should probably do a better job
updating the website. People who are like, oh I missed this,
(22:43):
I wonder what happened. Let me catch some highlights, let
me see who beat who, and whatever, you know, to
try to get them interested in the next one. Well,
if they're going to the website to do that, you're
losing those people, because at that point, I don't know
that they hop on other social media platforms to try
to find out this info. They might just move on
to something else. But like I said, I thought the
(23:06):
production values were good. I again, I think wrestling like
that is going to be a little bit harder sell
than a dirty boxing or a BKFC or certainly MMA.
Doesn't mean it can't be done, but I think it's
going to be an uphill battle for them for sure.
Speaker 2 (23:28):
Right because where we might say there's almost a vulgarity
to the violence of power slap, there's zero violence effect
to the pro wrestling game, to the freestyle wrestling game.
So you wonder how that is going to apply an
(23:48):
appeal to an adrenaline crazed audience. Like we love knockouts,
there's not many knockouts here. You really got to hold
someone down. Even in the pins that you see. It's
not a clean, quick movement, it's a forced thing. So
and it's two battles of wills. And if you're into
that for every moment, like watching too an offensive lineman
(24:10):
and a defensive lineman struggle for position, you're gonna love it.
I just don't know how much a general audience is
gonna find the appeal that will be the battle for Obviously,
someone that's a great promoter and Eric Bischoff and Izy Martinez,
who definitely knows everything about wrestling for.
Speaker 1 (24:26):
Sure, for sure, I think, and I know I'll say
this for them. I thought they did a real good
job leading up to this trying to put together packages
on some of these wrestlers and getting them out on
social media. But because it's a new startup, you kind
of had to go out and seek those things out,
(24:47):
so a lot of people probably didn't see them, but
they were putting forth the effort. Honestly, the biggest feather
in their cap from a casual fan perspective was probably
having Bo on this card, someone that people were familiar
with from UFC, and then he goes out and wins
and captures their light heavyweight title. I'm not by any
(25:11):
stretch saying he's the best wrestler there or anything like that,
but from a name recognition standpoint, that was probably huge
for them. Obviously, you know it was last minute, so
you couldn't promote it, but Holly Holmes stepping in like
that probably helps them after the fact a little bit
(25:33):
as well. And again that's not being disrespectful to any
of the other wrestlers. I think Wyatt Hendrickson is phenomenal,
But I don't know how many people unless you're a
hardcore amateur wrestling person, I don't know how many people
knew who he was before this event.
Speaker 2 (25:53):
All great points from when I was really paying attention
to collegiate wrestling, as it felt like the pipeline to
mixed martial arts. Seeing Kyle Dake on the match and
the Dake bomb that he'd lasted lunch with, the multiple
throws and slams, that was exciting. We'll see what they
do this weekend. There was one other event I wanted
(26:16):
to get to real quick, and I gotta tell you
the story. So BKFC was in Butva and unexpectedly, yeah,
bad weather moved in and at one point I get
an email, hey, don't forget the fightser today. Watched on
(26:36):
the BKFC app. Like an hour later, I get inclement
weather broadcast is not happening. Wait for further details. Then
that's put up also on social media. A couple hours
five six hours later, you do hear that the event
was uploaded then to the website. You're able to watch
(26:56):
it now on the BKFC app to find out that
because that inclement weather turns so bad, the comain event
and main event were unable to proceed as planned, so
you had a nine fight card there from Budva, mostly
debuters making their first foray into the BKAFC. There were
(27:19):
some highlights, there were some knockouts. No hate to the fighters.
But this might be the example of why Dana White
says he doesn't want to go outdoors.
Speaker 1 (27:31):
The issue with going outdoors is there some things you
can't control. The weather.
Speaker 2 (27:37):
Shit moves in.
Speaker 1 (27:38):
Yeah, I mean you can put up a tarp or
something over the ring or over the cage or whatever.
You still can't control the weather. You can't control humidity,
making the matt slick. You can't control rain, you can't
control wind, you can't control dust. And look when you
(27:59):
pull it off, I think it looks great. I think
it's a spectacle. I would disagree a little bit with
Dana on the reasons why he doesn't like the look,
but yeah, that is the risk you run when you
run something outdoors like that. The weather moves in. At
that point you were at the mercy of mother nature
(28:21):
and she wasn't cooperating this weekend.
Speaker 2 (28:24):
I'm mad at the look, Like you said, the weather,
the heat, the brain, the humidity. There's so many different
elements that could hit you outdoors. This was unfortunate. It
was a beautiful backdrop and set up.
Speaker 1 (28:36):
Yeah, and look, to be fair, I think Dana's point
is more the in stadium experience and it being hard
to see on TV. Look, you can cover a lot
of that because you got cameras right there. I like
the way it looks on TV. But but yeah, if
his point's more of the in stadium experience, I can
(28:57):
absolutely understand that. But yeah, the weather move in and
you're at the mercy of the weather at that point.
Speaker 2 (29:05):
So totally unfortunate. First Foray for BKFC there into Budvah
definitely will be memorable. We didn't even get to see
a couple of the names that we were really excited
to on a weekend it was, and a.
Speaker 1 (29:21):
Weekend with no UFC. We just spent roughly thirty minutes
talking about everything that happened to this weekend and UFC
had the weekend off with the Labor Day holiday.
Speaker 2 (29:34):
That shows a healthy economy for combat sports and I'm
really happy to see that. When we have the Dirty
Box and the BKFC, the BKAV. When you're able to
have a Real American Freestyle of Craig Jones Invitational. It's beautiful.
Speaker 1 (29:48):
It is look to be fair. If there had been
UFC more other than a quick mention, a lot of
that stuff we probably aren't talking about. And some of
the stuff we would have talked about we're still not
talking about as much as we did. But that gets
back to the point. You know, specifically, I think you
brought it up with the Real American Freestyle, but the
(30:09):
other events as well. You take advantage when UFC's off
and you don't have to battle with them, at least
for eyeballs. Certainly that worked out great, I guess for
Real American Freestyle, and knowing you didn't have UFC, probably
(30:31):
more people sought out the dirty boxing.
Speaker 2 (30:35):
That's what I would expect, So I think each company
did a really good job of taking advantage. And from
the dirty boxing perspective, you had the heavyweight title fight.
We know that the heavyweights are a marquee in almost
every kind of combat sport. It wasn't a bad idea
for the Real American Freestyle. You're going with every big
name you have for world title fights. I believe it
(30:57):
was so you're able to just get out there make
a boom. I think they all did a really good opportunity,
a really good planning to take advantage of the opportunity
that the UC gave them in the calendar to really
pull in people, not just p with an event, but
with events that had consequences of meaning.
Speaker 1 (31:18):
All right, Micah, before we get to everything going on
this weekend, you got some fight announcements for us.
Speaker 2 (31:23):
Of course we got fight announcements, and of course we
got to start out with I guess we'll go in
slightly chronological order and we'll go with the big one, right, like,
why not with a massive one and October when the
UFC is in Abu Dhabi UFC three twenty one, we're
(31:44):
now all of a sudden looking at a championship double
header because Veena Janjoroba versus Mackenzie Dern is going to
crown a new women's strawweight champion. Took me by surprise,
left Field, What was your instant reaction because I was
just surprised to hear undisputed title fight? Like what?
Speaker 1 (32:08):
Umm, well, we kind of brought this up last week
on the show. Why didn't you do Wayley's Chefshenko when
you were in Shanghai make that announcement and they didn't,
so I kind of thought, well, maybe we're not as
close to it as we thought. So we find out
(32:30):
that way Lee has vacated the shahweight title the week
after all that, So it was just the timing was
a little odd, but yeah, not surprising.
Speaker 3 (32:41):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (32:43):
I like that she's vacating the title to focus on
challenging for the Flyway title as opposed to holding up
the shaweight division while she goes off and tries another
weight class.
Speaker 2 (32:56):
Unquestionably, Veena jen Jeroba was next in line. Wailey her
win streak put it together. Marketability will leave that aside,
but we know she had earned this on the Maritaka
Sea level. On the other side, Mackenzie Dern has long
been a darling to the promotion and a five fight
win streak versus a two fight win streak for Dern
(33:18):
where depending on how you want to play these numbers,
we could say two and two in her last four,
we could say something like two and four in her
last six. I think we get to like eight and
four in her last twelve. There's some numbers in there
that don't make sense. The marketability does, and when you
look at the rankings, I think you do see how
this fight came together because each one has beat people
(33:41):
around them. A little bit surprised though to see this
is the direction that the UFC went in. But it's
dern jan Jeroba to crown a new women's strawweight champion.
That car because we're on the three twenty one card,
also gains the return of Umar and Nurma gon Metov.
It's nice to be the champion and take the whole year.
Oh wait, he's not the champion and still took the
(34:03):
whole year off taking on Mario Batista. This is Mario
Batista's biggest opportunity. Les Heralded abdul Kareem Alseawadi versus Matthias
Camillo is also on that card. Well, that was a
giant announcement. Let's get even bigger. November fifteenth, the Mecca
Madison Square Garden the UFC for their yearly trip to
(34:25):
New York. We get Jack Della Magdalena Islam Mahashav, Valentina
Chevchenko will defend against Shangwei Lee. That's why she's vacating.
Leon Edwards, Carlos Practez, Aaron Blanchefield, Tracy Cortes back to
the top though, welterweight title fight. What do you think
(34:46):
we finally get Islam versus JDM. I like it.
Speaker 1 (34:50):
I like it. That's that's a pretty damn strong card
at MSG.
Speaker 2 (34:55):
This is stupid strong. I mean, we already know what
is behind the implications, the legendary status that can be
pushed even further if Islam Mahashev is able to complete
this champshamp status. We already know that JDM, with the
help of Craig Jones, has already once started that Augus
Dandy wrestling system, the Llamahamma. Will say I did not
(35:15):
stick to the game plan enough. Will Islam ma Hashev
be able to or is jdm's boxing that much better.
It's a first defense for JDM, and you don't get
many first title defenses where you have a guy that
am I pushing it? When I say Islam has reached
all time great statuses for defenses of the lightweight title.
Speaker 1 (35:39):
He's certainly up there.
Speaker 2 (35:41):
It's a hard one to put in perspective, right, it's
a really really good I don't know if all time
great is pushing it and the other side, Jangwei Lee
can become only the second ever woman to hold titles
in two divisions in the UFC. If she beats Valentina Chevchenko,
I'll even be guilty of it, which is a lot
closer than I once thought where I felt like Wayey's
(36:03):
youth may be on her side. It's really outside of
what I feel like is outside of the Yanni and
j Chick fight. I feel like there's less mileage on
jong Wailey. It's actually like thirty four to thirty seven.
I thought Wayley was probably just thirty. Little surprise. I
think it's a lot closer in age than we expected.
Speaker 1 (36:27):
Yeah, you said she could be the second woman, Nunia
as being the other.
Speaker 2 (36:33):
Yeah, isn't nuon as one thirty five? One forty five?
Speaker 1 (36:35):
Do we have another one?
Speaker 2 (36:36):
I'm forgetting well, I was trying to.
Speaker 1 (36:38):
I was thinking Cyborg at one point I had the
one thirty five pound belt and then later had the
one forty five. I could be very off on that.
Speaker 2 (36:45):
No, I don't think we ever got Cyborg actually down
to thirty five. I think forty that catchweight five was
for only one and then she's forty five all the
way around. So yeah, only the second woman ever to
join the elusive two champion club in the UFC.
Speaker 1 (37:00):
Interesting.
Speaker 2 (37:02):
I wonder like how that fight plays out. I give
a speed advantage to Waylee. We know that the grappling,
the size of the strength is going to be on
Yoanna's side. But way Lee's grappling has really come along
in a big way. We saw which he was able
to do against Tatiana Suarez defending all those takedowns. I
(37:23):
wouldn't be surprised if Waylee comes in as a slight
betting favorite when we get to fight time.
Speaker 1 (37:28):
Uh, you may be right on that sitting here right
now and we've still got time, but I'd probably lean Shivchenko.
Speaker 2 (37:39):
See I'm going the other way on you with this one.
I just feel like Chevchenko, we saw a little bit
of the decline in the trilogy. Not to mention the
manner the ort fight will. It had dominant moments, it
had other moments where again you still think this isn't
the best Schevchenko. I'm just the and that time is
(38:00):
going to catch up with her where I don't think
we've seen a decline yet in Wayley. I could be
totally wrong because I still think it's a really close fight,
but it's the slight.
Speaker 1 (38:08):
Well, and I get where you're coming from. But I
think the second Grosso fight, the Farroh fight, I thought
she looked good. But we'll see, We'll see.
Speaker 2 (38:24):
So so many incredible fight announcements not to mention on
that card at Also, I need to spend this a
second on it. Carlos pratt does Leon Edwards. Back against
the wall for Leon Edwards. Yeah, and Bro, this is
your fight. Carlos Prattice is not trying to take you down.
You want to show off your striking. This is the
guy you get to do it with, and this is
(38:45):
the guy that will allow you to from that stylistic perspective.
I love that fight. Huge opportunity for Pratt does. And
this is the do or die moment for Leon Edwards
as a top contender.
Speaker 1 (38:56):
Yeah, Edwards, if he wants to get back and title
continued again, he's got to win here for sure.
Speaker 2 (39:02):
Is there a chance that the co main event winner
will already know who their number one contender is after
we see Aaron Blanchefield fight Tracy Cortes. Maybe it's a
real possibility. There's some high stakes and big consequences to
that fight, so don't let that one fly under the radar,
that it has a whole shit ton of meaning to it.
(39:26):
Some other big announcements that happened this week. The final
fight night of the year, December thirteenth, That's what I'm
being told, the final fight night of the year in
the Apex. We have a main event Brandon Royval Manel Camp.
Is the UFC a little too brave putting Maniel Camp
in a main event?
Speaker 1 (39:48):
Well, it is an Apex main event.
Speaker 2 (39:52):
I'm gonna you know what, I'm gonna say, No, No,
the stakes of the fight, the hype of both at fleets,
where they're at in their careers, it all makes a
lot of sense. Just injury bug has bit Menel Camp
a couple times to where him and Amir al Bosi
it's a it's not the John Jones, it's just still
you take it with the grain of salt. Will they
(40:12):
be able to make it to the octagon in the
shape that you want to see them perform? At Raoul
Rosas Junior, biggest opportunity of his career against Rob Font,
that is no longer happening. He has had to pull out,
And I'm a little surprised that this name Rob Font
is now going to be fighting David Martinez, another Mexican fighter.
(40:34):
He did a lot of great things in Capata America,
not a lot of resume here yet in the UFC,
making this an interesting name, and it went from I
thought this was a great opportunity from Rosa. Now I
think Rob font is going to be a pretty solid
favorite heading into that one. The September thirteenth card also
gains a man that called to be on this card.
(40:55):
Alexander Hernandez gets to return home to San Antonio take
on Carlos Diego. I had that one. Two guys that
are explosive, ruthless finishers, not guys at the top of
the division, but that shit will definitely be explosive. The
October eleventh card in Rio, we got some big announcements
for that one. Gabriel bonb Theme versus Randy Brown that
(41:15):
matters to the bottom of the ranked welterweights. We also
get Walter Walker versus Mohammed Ousman. It's the battle of
the Little Brothers.
Speaker 1 (41:25):
I like it.
Speaker 2 (41:27):
Ricardo Ramos is going to take on Knyie Offley, also
on the card. Then we move on to November first,
where Kevin Christian makes his UFC debut against Billy al Kana,
Alan Nasimanto versus Rafael Steven, Timmy Kumba versus Chang Ho
Lee Mara Buinnesoza versus Jacqueline Calla Conte has been rebooked
(41:49):
for November eighth. We also have Adul rockmand No not
the former heavyweight champion of the world in boxing, Yaziov.
He's gonna be making his UFC debut against Rafael Securia.
That's in Qatar November twenty third. That rounds out our
fight announcements. Busy end of the year. Really stoked about
(42:13):
two twenty two, about three twenty one, three twenty two,
and then if we really get that roy Val Camp
fight that those are all going to be banger main events.
Speaker 1 (42:23):
Yep, looking forward to it. UFC. After taking the holiday
weekend off, they are back in action this weekend. They
are in Paris, France. Your main event top ten middleweights
Nazardine and Mavav versus Kyle Bihalo. What do you think
about that main event?
Speaker 2 (42:42):
I think that with a spectacular enough performance that we
get the next challenger or the first challenger, dur I
should say to Hamzat Chimayav. The stakes are that big.
The consequences are that Syria. Both guys with their win streaks,
but what they've done have earned this opportunity, and this
(43:05):
is the biggest version of Dana White's Contender Series that
there could be because it's not a UFC contract, it's
earning the title fight and you have to put the
best foot forward. I really do think that with the
quick announcement of Renner der Ritter versus Anthony Hernandez in
Vancouver in September or October, that if there's not a
(43:28):
spectacular enough showing here from a mavl Baholio, you really
could see somebody jump in there and steal this opportunity.
We've seen long win streaks from both guys in mavov
In a lot of people's opinion, should he even have
to have this fight right now? He beat Israel Atosaanya,
it feels like in a stepping stone process, in an
imaturation of a fighter, a title eliminator or a former
(43:52):
world champion who's still hanging around, that was a massive win.
So I wonder, from the mentality perspective of a Mava,
what kind of thought process are you going through heading
into this one when you probably feel like you already
should have earned a title fight, and now it's being
taken from you. We're on the other side, Beholio. This
is almost a social media darling at the moment. Not
(44:14):
to mention he's one of the fighting nerves nerds. The
way that they have taken over social media, the way
that they have grabbed the attention of fans, incredible Brazilian
jiu jitsu. When he gets on your back, you're in
a lot of trouble. Where this one gets interesting to
me is how it plays out on the feet. Imavov
is the bigger puncher. We know how he walks down guys,
how he's able to use his frame. He's a big
one eighty five or where Baholio will. He looks to
(44:37):
be more thought out and plan on the feet than
he was before. He still looks to me to be
a little more flailing, and he has went through some
fights where he showed us, hey, I can play on
the feet for fifteen minutes. But I just don't know
if he's showed us that he's dangerous enough to back
off Imavov in those fifteen minutes. What do you feel
about that analysis?
Speaker 1 (44:56):
I would agree with you on that. I don't think
h a Baholio win. It would have to be absolutely
spectacular for him to be next in line. Obviously, a
win keeps him on the same trajectory in Mavov. With
the win, it would be hard to deny him unless
it's like the ugliest win on the face of the earth.
(45:17):
So certainly a lot on the line for both these guys.
I do kind of agree with your assessment of the fight.
Speaker 2 (45:25):
If the biggest if for me is if Baholio's able
to get a Mavov on the ground, I think we're
gonna see the biggest difference in their scale sets will
be in that grappling on the mat. That's the biggest
question in the fight. Does Baholio have the wrestling to
be able to get a mov off to the ground.
It's not a position that we've seen him vulnerable in.
I think through his UFC career we've seen Imavav be
(45:47):
more of the taking down er than the taken down
e in that equation. So yeah, I was trying to
pull those words together somehow. I know it didn't work,
but I'm interested to see how it plays out because
I do get Imalvov the slight advantage if we're going
on the feet, I didn't see betting odds. Do you
see betting odds yet for this one?
Speaker 1 (46:07):
I have not even looked for betting odds.
Speaker 2 (46:11):
Number two versus seven in the world such high stakes.
Really a submission artist in Bijolio versus a French power
puncher with the Russian roots in Amavov in front of
the French country. I wonder how much, and this really
does matter, how much that home field advantage plays into it,
just because the time zone change and everything.
Speaker 1 (46:32):
Imavov is plus one fifteen Biholio minus one thirty five.
Speaker 2 (46:38):
My eyes are wide open. I honestly would have had
that switched. Yeah. Well, the ADASNJA victory would have given
me the way to say, now, this has got to
be the favorite. As much as we all love Kyle Bihalio,
I mean, I've had one of the best conversations I've
ever had with a fighter with him. He's done great
and brilliant on commentary in Brazil, and he's also put
(46:59):
his person out out there in a way to make
him a star. But maybe they are maybe the better
odds makers are playing on everything.
Speaker 1 (47:06):
I just said, Yeah, I don't think the uh out
of Sagna. Win carries the weight with a lot of
with the odds makers anyway that it does with you,
Does it.
Speaker 2 (47:17):
Carry that way with you? No, lout Asgna that far
over the hill.
Speaker 1 (47:23):
Yes, look you can't take away. Look it's still a
way against former champion. You can't take that away. But ye,
I don't think it means quite the same as it
would have two or three fights sooner.
Speaker 2 (47:40):
I don't want to start picking on Kyo Baholio because
I really like him, but are you that much more
impressed with his recent wins? I that that's the problem
for me. I slightly like a move more because he's
been in this main event trajectory for a couple more fights.
Speaker 1 (47:57):
And that's where I do agree with you on set
aside Sognia, what it meant, what it didn't mean. I
like MV OFV where he's at right now his trajectory.
I just think he's a little further ahead of Bohalio,
and yeah, I would actually lean in mov off here.
Speaker 2 (48:16):
Now. In the kmain event, Mauricio Rufi fellow Fighting Nerd
team made of Kyle Bihalio can break in to the
rankings when he takes on Ben Wa Saint Deny French
fighter there at home, Saint Denis. This is a guy
that it looked like was on the cuff of some
(48:39):
really big things in his career, came out of the
gate hut even though he lost his debut at welterweight
once he got to lightweight. His physicality, his presence, a determination,
a great just ferociousness. He was aggressive in such a
ruthless tenure that has turned around on him after getting
stopped by dust Employer and Hanatamwayan Kano kind of worry
(49:05):
that the lack of tactical philosophy is really going to
come out to bite. Ben was Saint Deny in this
fight where maurusio Ruffi. I think he is a free
spirit and he does put some risky techniques out there.
He is a constant student of the game, which gives
me a little more faith that he will have a
(49:28):
more complete performance and have closed up some of the
holes where I don't know if Ben was Saint Deni
is capable of this that of closing up some of
his defensive lopses at this point in his career.
Speaker 1 (49:38):
If I'm RUFFI, I'm very excited to be taking on
Ben was saintany here.
Speaker 2 (49:44):
You had a strange look on your face a moment ago.
I thought it was something I said, Was it Ruffi's.
Speaker 1 (49:48):
Already in the top fifteen, He's fifteen.
Speaker 2 (49:52):
You know what's really funny? Are you looking at the
rankings or at the UFC event page, the both event page.
I'm not seeing him with a number on his name.
Speaker 1 (50:02):
Amaz He's got a fifteen on the event page, and yes,
in the rankings he's listed as fifteen.
Speaker 2 (50:10):
Huh, my bad. Excuse me, everybody on that. That's literally
gonna have to screenshot and suns and send that to you. Okay,
we get light heavyweights. Paul Craig returns to two h
five to take on with Usus Bokowskis. Lukowskis has had
an up and down career overall, but after being released
from the UFC, he's really found a consistency to his
game put his boxing together. A much better second run here,
(50:34):
Paul Craig, he did not have the chin at one
eighty five. The weight cut was depleting. We know that
he is not a striker. He needs to really incorporate
his grappling to be successful. I really like my destus
Bokowskis in this position, what about you?
Speaker 1 (50:51):
I do as well. Bokowskis, by the way, minus three
thirty favorite, Craigs a plus two forty underdog, real quick,
ruffy minus two of five favorite against the plus one
Ben was Saint Deny in that one. But yeah, I
don't think this goes well for Paul Craig.
Speaker 2 (51:08):
You come back to the UFC. You sour the debut
the return of Jeremy Stevens in front of his home state.
Mason Jones now has to deal with Balagio Oki, a
fellow top prospect, a killer athlete. That one is going
to be something interesting. Alexa Sola, a regional champion. He's
(51:33):
going to be making his debut on short notice. This
fight just getting together last week against Rise McKee, who
was first well known just for being the first guy
that hamzat team if ran through in his stent of
like two wins in thirteen days when he debuted with
the UFC. Well, Rise McKee has put it back together,
nice little run for himself. LUs Nay Kita, the octagon
(51:59):
two division champion from Belgium, is going to be making
his debut against Patricio Pitbull. This is some exciting shit.
Speaker 1 (52:08):
Pitbull a plus one seventy underdog.
Speaker 2 (52:10):
By the way, he's a little bit older, a little
bit longer in the tooth. We have not seen the
same precision and use of the jab. I think that
there has to be a much more return to his
bellator comfortability for us to see success out of Pitbull
and Kimta. This is a guy who's been fighting five
rounds for a couple of years now, been begging for
(52:30):
this opportunity. I don't think he lets it go lightly.
Speaker 1 (52:34):
Hey, real quick, you like a good conspiracy theory, right,
let's go Okay, Well, while you're talking about Ruffy not
showing up on the events page on your computer's top fifteen,
I'm just sitting here thinking, refresh your goddamn screen, Mike,
it's just hit refresh, hit refresh. So I'm sitting here
and I'm like, mah, screw it, let me hit refresh
on mine. On the events page. When I hit refresh,
(52:56):
he's no longer listed as ranked fifteenth. He still is
in the rankings. Positive he's ranked fifteenth. But I am
now seeing what you're seeing on the events page, So
I get the confusion. It's a conspiracy Micah. It's a
conspiracy man.
Speaker 2 (53:12):
The French. There is a bunch of French on this card.
Omar C light heavyweight prospect taking on Brentson Ribero. You
gotta like the French fighter there. William Gomes versus Polish
fighter Robert Ruchla. Ruchela is gonna be making his UFC
debut coming off having the ks W featherweight title. Man
(53:38):
has his last three wins. There's a knockout, there's bodykick knockout,
there's a knockout from elbows. William Gomes versus Robert Ruchela,
this one is gonna be fun. These are two guys
that want to strike and are gonna put one on
for the fans. So look forward to that fight. Possibly
find under the radar the former And here's the thing.
(54:00):
We want to disrespect the PFL, but heck the UFC
giving the former PFL heavyweight tournament ruiner Ante Julia a
huge debut as he will take on the number seven
ranked Marccene Tiberia. Even though this is a huge opportunity
for Jillian, I kind of like Tarry Bora the higher
level experience. He's been there, he's done that. I don't
(54:21):
think he's so old that he's over the hill, and
Julia is not coming in as a young man. I
kind of think he's a finished product, so that one
has some stakes on it. It's interesting, man. I really
like this fight card. They loaded it up for the friends.
For Ozi and versus Keanu Fernandi's someone's getting knocked out
in that fight. They both like to strike. I can
say the same thing for Sam Patterson versus Trey Waters Waters.
(54:44):
I'm excited to see him and he had some great
wins on the regional scene and I want to see
how his UFC career progresses. And Brad Tavares been around forever.
Don't feel like this is a swansong for him because
they're doing it all the way in the U. Okay,
his last fight will probably be at T Mobile or
the Apex for the Ninth Island Original, taking on a
(55:06):
Robert Burchik, who, again and a lot of hype coming
over from Poland had a regional title belt to his
credit in that area. We'll see what he can do
against a real veteran of the sport.
Speaker 1 (55:18):
For sure. Prelims get underway at noon Eastern time on
ESPN plus Your main card at three pm Eastern also
on ESPN Plus. And again they are in Paris, France
this weekend for UFC Fight Night, Fight Afternoon back here
in the States. What else have we got this weekend?
Speaker 2 (55:34):
Micah LFA on Saturday Night, So after the UFC, Yes,
after the UFC, you can jump on over to fight
Pass because the UFC is in Korchiba, Brazil. We have
the women's strawweight title on the line in the main
event seven to one Lanni Silva defending against Azia Bristolo
(55:56):
who is six and oh you really can see the
winner there that look at the UFC Marcelo Marquez at
lightweight and seven to zero unbeaten prospect. You also have
what looks like a number one contenders bout between Natalie
Alvis seven and zero and Alessandra Kashevv who is six
(56:16):
and one. The winner there most likely getting the next
opportunity at the strawweight title. So that's for your MMA
this weekend. You also have BKB Bristol Brawl in the UK.
This card had a totally be restructured late due to
(56:37):
Polymalinanji about a week or two ago suffering a shoulder injury.
Gonna push back his fight with Tyler good John to
BKB forty seven, so instead here the former world champion
James Canally is going to take on Martin Ruffle in
the main event, and Daniel Lirell, former also BKB champion,
(57:01):
He's gonna be taking on ufcve Jack Marshman in the
comin event. You can check out the Try Gone action
over on Vice this weekend.
Speaker 1 (57:12):
Anything else we need to hit on before we get
out of here, Micah, I don't think so.
Speaker 2 (57:18):
Uh do? BKB News Bunch of news over on Cageminds
dot com. This week, we'll have an interview up with
Baroka featherweight champion. The former Bellatour Rising Champion, Juan Archiletta
xFC and Baroka teaming together for a Las Vegas card,
(57:39):
and we're gonna be talking to him about that headliner.
It's Cage Minds Combat Sports News on YouTube and Facebook,
Cage Minds Underscore CSN on TikTok x Instagram.
Speaker 1 (57:55):
To keep up with us, get the show on X
at MMA After Hours. You can get me at Real
Mike Carlisle, We will talk to you next week for
another episode of m m A After Hours here on
the After Hours podcast network.
Speaker 2 (58:13):
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
(58:36):
dot com.
What's up everybody? Welcome back. It is MMA after hours.
I'm Michael Carlisle, joined as always by Micah frankl Micah.
How you doing, man?
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Surviving so I can go get a back treatment. But
other than that, you know, doing well?
Speaker 1 (00:16):
What did you do to you back this time? Or
just same old, same.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Old, same old, same old, Just that normal every six
to eight weeks where I gotta go get injections to
calm down all the gnats in the back.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
Ah, it's rough, man, that's rough.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Yeah, yeah, just normal, actually as rough as it sounds.
But heck, I'm doing fine. Not as good though as
Andrey Rolovski. So I'm gonna be real. I did not
have on my bingo card Andrey Rolovsky being the heavyweight
number one contender in two different promotions in the third
quarter of twenty twenty five just some shocking to me.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
And what two promotions would that be?
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Well, apparently BKFC wanted to throw him right in there
with his old friend Ben rothwell because that sounds like
a Nostalgicceller to the fans, and for some reason they're
really hesitant to put Leonardo Perdomo in that number one
contender position. The other one took me a bit by surprise,
(01:17):
basically because Andre had just fought bare knuckle. But his
fight before BKFC was an introduction to pure striking. It
was a foray into dirty boxing where he had stuck
his elbow into a Chap's eyeball, devastating ko. This past
weekend we had Dirty Boxing three and due to a
(01:39):
late injury, Raqim Cleveland is jumping in there to take
on Jaino Rosenstroup. And I don't know how you guys
feel about Rosenstroup from his UFC days, but this is
one of the ones I got to push back on
the UFC. We might have wanted to keep this guy
on the roster. Rosenstroop just absolutely annihilates Cleveland, coming inside
(02:01):
some beautiful counter punching a quick four punches land Cleveland
goes down, knocked out, and then Jayrniar Rosenstruk is at
the end of the night not facing off with the
Massacusetts pit Bullpedes, who we thought was supposed to fight
on this night, who got injured. He was told he
lost his opportunity. Andrea Rolofsky is in the DBX ring,
(02:25):
apparently now the heavyweight number one contender in two different promotions.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
You kept saying Cleveland going down. I thought you were
talking about the NFL for a second.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
There, No, that'll that'll be really close for all the
brands fans, they'll get used to hearing that. But yeah,
we're clean. Cleveland went down in a nasty way much,
you know, props to a guy for jumping in with
rosenstroke on like four days five days notice, but it
was not a good showing for him. And then you
get Andrea Alfsky in there, and that just took me
(02:57):
by surprise. Didn't have that on my bingo. Didn't really
think that dirty boxing would be as alluring as bare knuckle.
I don't know if it was the whole hands thing.
Andrea Ilofsky wanted to test out what it felt like
to go without the gloves. But andre I Loski with
a huge resurgence now and he didn't even fight.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
Yeah, see, that's why I'm hesitant to call it a
huge resurgence. He didn't fight, But I mean, hell I look,
maybe maybe that makes it all the more huger resurgence. Right,
You did all this without having to do anything.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
You know, some of the biggest names that we talk
about on this show, Francis, John Connor, they don't really
fight either, so welcome to the party, Andre Orlowski.
Speaker 1 (03:45):
None of them. Well, Francis, I guess is a champion,
but Connor and John do you got Connor especially anybody
talking about him for for title contention either?
Speaker 2 (03:58):
Yeah? So huge for Andrey Arlovsky. Did not see that
one coming. And does this speak deeper? Do you think
this is a bad look for BKFC, A good look
for dirty Boxing? I'm not sure what to make of
Junia Rosenstruch and Andre Rolovsky facing Golf at the end,
(04:21):
and it was a very cordial face off that wasn't
as forced as the Rothwell Arlovsky face off. But I
feel like there's a whole bigger narrative that we could
draw just from Arlovsky being at the dirty boxing event.
Speaker 1 (04:35):
Are you asking me if it's a bad look that
a forty six year old man is a number one
contender in two different organizations.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
I've done not so much.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
Okay, well then never mind.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
Do you think it is?
Speaker 1 (04:51):
Yeah? Short term, no look, name recognition for sure, and
you're trying to draw eyeballs to you. Probably even BKFC,
which has been around a little longer, you're still trying
to draw eyeballs. So from that standpoint, maybe not. But
it's a respectfully, it's a forty six year old man
(05:13):
whose best fighting days are behind him. So like, long term,
I don't think this is a good thing, But I
mean for short term, it's gonna get eyeballs on both
companies or wherever he winds up fighting next, right, so
that that can't be bad.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
The bad from my perspective was we recently had a
conversation where depending on what boxing promotions you want to
talk about, BKFC was either first tier or second tier
relevant in combat sports landscape. Now thirty Boxing owned by
Mike Perry, invested in by John Jones Melchikawa, they have
(05:54):
some star power, two of them, but this is a
promotion on its third event and upstar that also has
its own obscure rules set. I feel like that's a
huge blow to BKFC, that there's enough allure, cashe or
money on the table from DBX that that could pull
away one of your number one contenders, where quite possibly
(06:17):
we talked about BKFC being the second most well known
name in combat sports unless you really consider re odd
Season a combat sport where it's not just a festival,
it doesn't just promote and sponsor everything that's entertainment. I mean,
that's the value where DBX on the same level as
(06:37):
BKFC is shocking.
Speaker 1 (06:45):
It's probably not if you think about it, because I'm
trying to think of to say this to articulate my
point and not sound disrespectful. I think it shows despite
the success BKFC has had, and they've had success, they're
(07:08):
not that far up the chain. An upstart on like
you said, their third event can come in and have
enough backing to be able to make a play like this.
I think that's probably the first thing that sticks out
to me, and then we can get into the other stuff.
But it's for all that they've accomplished, it's was, at
(07:32):
least in this case, not that difficult for an upstart
to come in and all of a sudden seemingly lure
our Lasky away.
Speaker 2 (07:42):
There's guys like Jane Rosenstroup. There were eleven UFC events,
thirteen UFC vts excuse me on the fifteen fight card
for the Dirty boxincageminds dot com for the full results
if you guys are interested. I was a little surprised
to see that they had that kind of pull over all.
I know, not every UFC of that is going to
(08:03):
be treated the same, but Alex Casaris, Junior Rosenstrut, some
of these names, I think in a previous landscape we
would have seen them in bellatour. So I wonder, do
you think the fact that we didn't hear them talking
about PFL, do you think that's more about the shortcomings
of PFL or maybe also I was thinking a change
(08:26):
in trajectory and thought process from the PFL, where they
really are just going to start looking to build the
international names and the younger names and not really try
to go after every UFC out there, And they might
have learned something from the Francis and Gano mistake.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
Well, a couple things. Name off those financial backers in
Dirty Boxing again, the people you you had just named
off that had contributed money.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
Front Row Management, Malki Cowa, the Cower Brothers, John Jones,
Mike Perry.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
You can stop right there. First of all, if you
follow who manages who and who's contributed money, it ain't
that hard to figure that some of these out, not
all of them, but some of these out the second,
and I don't remember what the hell you were actually
asking me while I was looking that up. If you
could ask that again about my apologies, But but that's
part of it.
Speaker 2 (09:18):
Oh, oh, it was PFL change a strategy from them possibly?
Or do you think this is just a shortcoming of
them not bringing in some of these more well known
USC events, even if it's just for a one off
to green some eyes.
Speaker 1 (09:30):
I think it's probably a change in strategy. And if
that's the case, I think it's smart. If it was
just if you tried and just missed the boat, well,
if it was somebody you wanted, you should have been
able to go out and get them, regardless of who
their manager is and what company he might be funding
it in some way. But my guess would be, and it's
(09:52):
purely speculation, it's probably more of a changing strategy.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
I felt like, a it's a really in interesting time
where DBX is able to pull in these names, and
like you said, some of them might be management related.
Like Brian Battle gets cut from the UFC for missing
weight and within ten days he's fighting for DBX. I'm
(10:18):
not sure who his manager is. I don't really want
to waste the energy to look it up, but I
don't think it would be hard to see if it
is front Row management, if it is Malkikawa, where if
it is someone that's really near and dear to their
hearts and adjacent that was just able to give them
a fight, because it looks like if you guys saw
the fight, that's how it played out.
Speaker 1 (10:40):
Rosenstrug is definitely front Row. Arlovsky is not Brian Battle.
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (10:47):
There also is the I think there's the relationship of
literally geographical nature. Yeah, they're doing all their shows at
the Hangar in Miami. Arlovsky is att Coconut Creek, Florida,
just down the road. It's not going to be that
hard to get in contact with him. And that's the
other part. Like Alex Casaris, a Florida guy, a lot
(11:07):
of these were Florida guys.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
Look, let's be clear. I don't want to make it
sound like that's a bad thing. If you're pulling in
name talent that's going to draw eyeballs, you probably it's
a good thing. But as it relates to how did
you outfenable BKFC, how did you keep pfl away from
some of these guys? My point on raw that was
(11:31):
with some of them. It ain't that hard to figure out.
Speaker 2 (11:36):
Do you think this will be a good platform to
take fighters to another level? I don't know if DBX
itself grows to this magnanimous proportion, but I wonder does
it become Hey, these guys make their way to prominent
BKFC roles. Hey, maybe they do get back to the
(11:56):
UFC from this format. Do you think that is a possibility?
Speaker 1 (12:01):
Battle Maybe are Lasky or rosenstruk well, just.
Speaker 2 (12:06):
In general like the concept, Sorry, not them, Oh I
got you, I got you, I got you, but the
company trajectory.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
Possibly, And look it's look, I don't think UFC is
sweating any any of these companies, but that doesn't mean
they can't be successful and stand on their own and
have their I was gonna say have their niche, but
that almost sounds like I'm underselling you. I don't mean
it that way. But carve out their place in the
(12:34):
M M A world. Could could Could this lead to
some of these guys get getting back to to UFC
or getting to UFC? Sure it could, but I you know,
as far as the companies go, that they're trying to
carve out their niche and whether it's b KFC, who
certainly has a head start on that, whether it's Dirty Boxing,
I think that there is room for these companies to grow.
Speaker 2 (12:58):
I think the best highlight from the card was James
Cannon putting Hector Lumbard down some nasty overhand lefts. That
one was a viral moment across social media. I know
that you were busy this week and you got some
other things going on. Were you able to see any
of the highlights from the Dirty Boxing from what it
looked like?
Speaker 1 (13:19):
Yes, I actually watched way more stuff than I thought
I was going to highlights dirty Boxing. I managed to
get sucked into real American freestyle way more. Not that
I watched the whole show or anything, because I didn't,
but I caught way more of that than I thought
(13:41):
I would have as well. So so yeah, yeah, college
football season, I do some work for a D one
college football team. That kind of took up a big
chunk of my holiday weekend. But yeah, I was able
to check out some highlights and like I said, part
of the real American freestyle. I like what I saw
from the Dirty Boxing highlights. Again, in the grand scheme
(14:05):
of things, I don't know how big it can be,
but I certainly think that they can carve out their spot.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
I want to get to the real American freestyle in
just a second. When you said you got sucked in
and watched way more of it than you thought you
were going through somehow, I thought you were going to
bring a misfits boxing. I saw Dylan Dennis guillotine this
weekend and poor Luke Rockol. Can someone just give him
(14:31):
like a full time role next to TJ Dillashaw on
The Jackson's podcast so he can stop having to go
out there and do these kind of things. I don't
feel good about the mileage that Luke Rockol has put
on his body. Well, on the other hand, congratulations to
Darren Till, the next most dramatic celebrity boxer to fight
(14:58):
out of the UK. I don't know ks I is
a real opportunity for him, but good on you Darren
Till for trying to box former MMA fighters now that
you don't want to do MMA. But he got a
win streak going in the boxing ring, so good on Till.
Speaker 3 (15:13):
Yeah, I mean, I guess I don't you started out
talking about Luke Rockold, isn't he wasn't he a fairly
successful model at one point.
Speaker 2 (15:26):
I thought so, wasn't there something?
Speaker 1 (15:27):
Yeah, I unless it's just for the love of the
game at forty years of age. I don't know why
he continues to do this.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
It's a really good point and the durability doesn't seem
to be there. We saw that in his MMA days.
We definitely saw that in his foray and a bare knuckle,
and I thought there was a possibility that this could
have been a better outcome for him. The bigger gloves
that turned out to not be evident, and got zapp
(15:57):
with some over end lefts and this gustingly knocked out
And how the fuck was that ref actually counting? I
don't know if you saw the highlight, rock Holds basically
bent backwards, his left legs touching his shoulder, and the
ref's like standing over him counting. I'm like, dude, save
the fighter. What the fuck are you doing?
Speaker 1 (16:19):
Yeah? I saw it.
Speaker 2 (16:24):
Real American Freestyle Wrestling. I thought you had a busy weekend.
Fuck that. Shout out to Chiles Sudden the man is
everywhere on Combat Sports, the Ultimate Fighter Jumping on Real
American Freestyle broadcast. Heck he's cutting a promo for the
maintenin event I believe for the second event. Oh shit,
(16:44):
and then quick, let me replace Gable Stevens and I'll
jump on over to the Craig Jones Invitational. I don't know,
to be fair.
Speaker 1 (16:53):
He was able to get a couple of naps in,
so I mean, yes, it was busy, but he was
able to stay fresh.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
I really need to go to a gym and I
need to hear the breakdown of the mechanics on how
that submission that Craig Jones applied works. Shout out to
that funky shit that was like a buggy choke inverted
or something, and I just I, you know, the mechanics
on how you squeeze somebody's own shoulder into putting them
to sleep. That was crazy. Shout out to Craig Jones
(17:24):
for being innovation innovational promoter. Day one of this tournament,
I was reading on Insta on X excuse me, I
want to say Twitter, and I was trying to get
the right word X that it wasn't going so well.
So day two he's like, hey, guys, we're throwing out
bonus money for finishes because no one was going for
it in day one, and then it was a much
(17:44):
more exciting day two, so Cji and Chel Sunnon jumping
in to save the day. But the real story we
wanted to get to was the real American freestyle. Hendrickson
in the main event, bulldozing over Holly Holme, a mystery opponent.
Eric Bischoff already throwing out the pro wrestling verbiage for
(18:07):
us on the first show, not to mention Real Woods,
who does have some roots, not just because he's Woods,
but roots from the area that we are in, takes
out Darien Caldwell, four champions crowned in all. You kind
of see why that platform is dangerous and why the
UFC went with the bull But real American freestyle. You
(18:29):
said you got sucked in. What were the thoughts, what
were the feelings?
Speaker 1 (18:35):
I don't I kind of liked what I saw. I
don't know. I think if it's an uphill battle, first
of all, I think you're going to have to be
into amateur wrestling to really like it. Combat sports fans
I think are gonna be like, there's not the action
(18:56):
here I see from some of the other places. Now, again,
that's not something that can't be overcome. But I think
you're gonna have to overcome it. I think there's a
stigma leading up to it, because I know Eric Beschoff
had brought this up in a couple of interviews that
I had seen. Leading up to it, people wonder what
is it real? You know, because technically it is pro wrestling,
(19:17):
but it's not pro wrestling like we think of sports
entertainment WWE, AEW, etcetera, etcetera. It is legitimate, but when
you add some of the pro wrestling elements to it,
I think it does make it more entertaining. But if
you're on the fence about how legitimate it was, or
(19:38):
how it's going to be true to amateur wrestling and
things like that, maybe you don't like some of that.
When they brought out Holly Home to fill in last
minute and all, I don't think you see something like
that at a regular wrestling tournament. You know that mystery
(20:00):
opponent is named and walks out to the match and
participates just like at the drop of a hat.
Speaker 2 (20:07):
Like that, now, I don't think you're gonna see that.
And I believe I saw there was close to five
thousand people with comp tickets and all they're in attendance
you and I have speculated besides the Midwest and areas
of the country that are real wrestling crazy, I still
(20:31):
wonder how viable of a cell this is gonna be.
Even as I mentioned looking up earlier this weekend with
the Craig Jones Invitational Day one, there was some issues
with excitement with people wanting finishes. I'm not sure off
the top of my head from the real style how
(20:51):
many pins there actually were, but I know from what
I saw real Woods, Darien Caldwell was one of the
few that I saw really getting publicized on social media
as a pin, so that going the distance point element. Also,
if you're bringing over MMA fans, with wrestling being so
(21:14):
much different than jiu jitsu, you're like, why aren't they
doing this? Versus that I questioned the long term success
it's gonna have. But they came out hard for the
first one. They had some exciting moments. You crown champions,
you start to tell their stories. I'm not saying it's impossible.
(21:36):
I'm just not sure about how much it's gonna do
and how well it's gonna do, especially on a busy weekend.
This was a great weekend for them to debut. We
didn't have any big MMA. We didn't even have a
big time BKFC event for them to compete with. If
there's a UFC BJJ, that's a bigger deal than having
(21:57):
a compete with Craig Jones. That was just th'sree on YouTube.
Speaker 1 (22:01):
Yeah, look that they picked a good weekend. I thought
all in all, the production values and things like that
were really good. I know they've been pretty active on
their x accounts with stuff, but their website has not
(22:22):
been updated. It's still promoting the first event August thirtieth.
You go to the event, it still lists all the fights,
but it doesn't have results or anything. Maybe the social
media is more important, Maybe it's not. I don't know,
but I think you should probably do a better job
updating the website. People who are like, oh I missed this,
(22:43):
I wonder what happened. Let me catch some highlights, let
me see who beat who, and whatever, you know, to
try to get them interested in the next one. Well,
if they're going to the website to do that, you're
losing those people, because at that point, I don't know
that they hop on other social media platforms to try
to find out this info. They might just move on
to something else. But like I said, I thought the
(23:06):
production values were good. I again, I think wrestling like
that is going to be a little bit harder sell
than a dirty boxing or a BKFC or certainly MMA.
Doesn't mean it can't be done, but I think it's
going to be an uphill battle for them for sure.
Speaker 2 (23:28):
Right because where we might say there's almost a vulgarity
to the violence of power slap, there's zero violence effect
to the pro wrestling game, to the freestyle wrestling game.
So you wonder how that is going to apply an
(23:48):
appeal to an adrenaline crazed audience. Like we love knockouts,
there's not many knockouts here. You really got to hold
someone down. Even in the pins that you see. It's
not a clean, quick movement, it's a forced thing. So
and it's two battles of wills. And if you're into
that for every moment, like watching too an offensive lineman
(24:10):
and a defensive lineman struggle for position, you're gonna love it.
I just don't know how much a general audience is
gonna find the appeal that will be the battle for Obviously,
someone that's a great promoter and Eric Bischoff and Izy Martinez,
who definitely knows everything about wrestling for.
Speaker 1 (24:26):
Sure, for sure, I think, and I know I'll say
this for them. I thought they did a real good
job leading up to this trying to put together packages
on some of these wrestlers and getting them out on
social media. But because it's a new startup, you kind
of had to go out and seek those things out,
(24:47):
so a lot of people probably didn't see them, but
they were putting forth the effort. Honestly, the biggest feather
in their cap from a casual fan perspective was probably
having Bo on this card, someone that people were familiar
with from UFC, and then he goes out and wins
and captures their light heavyweight title. I'm not by any
(25:11):
stretch saying he's the best wrestler there or anything like that,
but from a name recognition standpoint, that was probably huge
for them. Obviously, you know it was last minute, so
you couldn't promote it, but Holly Holmes stepping in like
that probably helps them after the fact a little bit
(25:33):
as well. And again that's not being disrespectful to any
of the other wrestlers. I think Wyatt Hendrickson is phenomenal,
But I don't know how many people unless you're a
hardcore amateur wrestling person, I don't know how many people
knew who he was before this event.
Speaker 2 (25:53):
All great points from when I was really paying attention
to collegiate wrestling, as it felt like the pipeline to
mixed martial arts. Seeing Kyle Dake on the match and
the Dake bomb that he'd lasted lunch with, the multiple
throws and slams, that was exciting. We'll see what they
do this weekend. There was one other event I wanted
(26:16):
to get to real quick, and I gotta tell you
the story. So BKFC was in Butva and unexpectedly, yeah,
bad weather moved in and at one point I get
an email, hey, don't forget the fightser today. Watched on
(26:36):
the BKFC app. Like an hour later, I get inclement
weather broadcast is not happening. Wait for further details. Then
that's put up also on social media. A couple hours
five six hours later, you do hear that the event
was uploaded then to the website. You're able to watch
(26:56):
it now on the BKFC app to find out that
because that inclement weather turns so bad, the comain event
and main event were unable to proceed as planned, so
you had a nine fight card there from Budva, mostly
debuters making their first foray into the BKAFC. There were
(27:19):
some highlights, there were some knockouts. No hate to the fighters.
But this might be the example of why Dana White
says he doesn't want to go outdoors.
Speaker 1 (27:31):
The issue with going outdoors is there some things you
can't control. The weather.
Speaker 2 (27:37):
Shit moves in.
Speaker 1 (27:38):
Yeah, I mean you can put up a tarp or
something over the ring or over the cage or whatever.
You still can't control the weather. You can't control humidity,
making the matt slick. You can't control rain, you can't
control wind, you can't control dust. And look when you
(27:59):
pull it off, I think it looks great. I think
it's a spectacle. I would disagree a little bit with
Dana on the reasons why he doesn't like the look,
but yeah, that is the risk you run when you
run something outdoors like that. The weather moves in. At
that point you were at the mercy of mother nature
(28:21):
and she wasn't cooperating this weekend.
Speaker 2 (28:24):
I'm mad at the look, Like you said, the weather,
the heat, the brain, the humidity. There's so many different
elements that could hit you outdoors. This was unfortunate. It
was a beautiful backdrop and set up.
Speaker 1 (28:36):
Yeah, and look, to be fair, I think Dana's point
is more the in stadium experience and it being hard
to see on TV. Look, you can cover a lot
of that because you got cameras right there. I like
the way it looks on TV. But but yeah, if
his point's more of the in stadium experience, I can
(28:57):
absolutely understand that. But yeah, the weather move in and
you're at the mercy of the weather at that point.
Speaker 2 (29:05):
So totally unfortunate. First Foray for BKFC there into Budvah
definitely will be memorable. We didn't even get to see
a couple of the names that we were really excited
to on a weekend it was, and a.
Speaker 1 (29:21):
Weekend with no UFC. We just spent roughly thirty minutes
talking about everything that happened to this weekend and UFC
had the weekend off with the Labor Day holiday.
Speaker 2 (29:34):
That shows a healthy economy for combat sports and I'm
really happy to see that. When we have the Dirty
Box and the BKFC, the BKAV. When you're able to
have a Real American Freestyle of Craig Jones Invitational. It's beautiful.
Speaker 1 (29:48):
It is look to be fair. If there had been
UFC more other than a quick mention, a lot of
that stuff we probably aren't talking about. And some of
the stuff we would have talked about we're still not
talking about as much as we did. But that gets
back to the point. You know, specifically, I think you
brought it up with the Real American Freestyle, but the
(30:09):
other events as well. You take advantage when UFC's off
and you don't have to battle with them, at least
for eyeballs. Certainly that worked out great, I guess for
Real American Freestyle, and knowing you didn't have UFC, probably
(30:31):
more people sought out the dirty boxing.
Speaker 2 (30:35):
That's what I would expect, So I think each company
did a really good job of taking advantage. And from
the dirty boxing perspective, you had the heavyweight title fight.
We know that the heavyweights are a marquee in almost
every kind of combat sport. It wasn't a bad idea
for the Real American Freestyle. You're going with every big
name you have for world title fights. I believe it
(30:57):
was so you're able to just get out there make
a boom. I think they all did a really good opportunity,
a really good planning to take advantage of the opportunity
that the UC gave them in the calendar to really
pull in people, not just p with an event, but
with events that had consequences of meaning.
Speaker 1 (31:18):
All right, Micah, before we get to everything going on
this weekend, you got some fight announcements for us.
Speaker 2 (31:23):
Of course we got fight announcements, and of course we
got to start out with I guess we'll go in
slightly chronological order and we'll go with the big one, right, like,
why not with a massive one and October when the
UFC is in Abu Dhabi UFC three twenty one, we're
(31:44):
now all of a sudden looking at a championship double
header because Veena Janjoroba versus Mackenzie Dern is going to
crown a new women's strawweight champion. Took me by surprise,
left Field, What was your instant reaction because I was
just surprised to hear undisputed title fight? Like what?
Speaker 1 (32:08):
Umm, well, we kind of brought this up last week
on the show. Why didn't you do Wayley's Chefshenko when
you were in Shanghai make that announcement and they didn't,
so I kind of thought, well, maybe we're not as
close to it as we thought. So we find out
(32:30):
that way Lee has vacated the shahweight title the week
after all that, So it was just the timing was
a little odd, but yeah, not surprising.
Speaker 3 (32:41):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (32:43):
I like that she's vacating the title to focus on
challenging for the Flyway title as opposed to holding up
the shaweight division while she goes off and tries another
weight class.
Speaker 2 (32:56):
Unquestionably, Veena jen Jeroba was next in line. Wailey her
win streak put it together. Marketability will leave that aside,
but we know she had earned this on the Maritaka
Sea level. On the other side, Mackenzie Dern has long
been a darling to the promotion and a five fight
win streak versus a two fight win streak for Dern
(33:18):
where depending on how you want to play these numbers,
we could say two and two in her last four,
we could say something like two and four in her
last six. I think we get to like eight and
four in her last twelve. There's some numbers in there
that don't make sense. The marketability does, and when you
look at the rankings, I think you do see how
this fight came together because each one has beat people
(33:41):
around them. A little bit surprised though to see this
is the direction that the UFC went in. But it's
dern jan Jeroba to crown a new women's strawweight champion.
That car because we're on the three twenty one card,
also gains the return of Umar and Nurma gon Metov.
It's nice to be the champion and take the whole year.
Oh wait, he's not the champion and still took the
(34:03):
whole year off taking on Mario Batista. This is Mario
Batista's biggest opportunity. Les Heralded abdul Kareem Alseawadi versus Matthias
Camillo is also on that card. Well, that was a
giant announcement. Let's get even bigger. November fifteenth, the Mecca
Madison Square Garden the UFC for their yearly trip to
(34:25):
New York. We get Jack Della Magdalena Islam Mahashav, Valentina
Chevchenko will defend against Shangwei Lee. That's why she's vacating.
Leon Edwards, Carlos Practez, Aaron Blanchefield, Tracy Cortes back to
the top though, welterweight title fight. What do you think
(34:46):
we finally get Islam versus JDM. I like it.
Speaker 1 (34:50):
I like it. That's that's a pretty damn strong card
at MSG.
Speaker 2 (34:55):
This is stupid strong. I mean, we already know what
is behind the implications, the legendary status that can be
pushed even further if Islam Mahashev is able to complete
this champshamp status. We already know that JDM, with the
help of Craig Jones, has already once started that Augus
Dandy wrestling system, the Llamahamma. Will say I did not
(35:15):
stick to the game plan enough. Will Islam ma Hashev
be able to or is jdm's boxing that much better.
It's a first defense for JDM, and you don't get
many first title defenses where you have a guy that
am I pushing it? When I say Islam has reached
all time great statuses for defenses of the lightweight title.
Speaker 1 (35:39):
He's certainly up there.
Speaker 2 (35:41):
It's a hard one to put in perspective, right, it's
a really really good I don't know if all time
great is pushing it and the other side, Jangwei Lee
can become only the second ever woman to hold titles
in two divisions in the UFC. If she beats Valentina Chevchenko,
I'll even be guilty of it, which is a lot
closer than I once thought where I felt like Wayey's
(36:03):
youth may be on her side. It's really outside of
what I feel like is outside of the Yanni and
j Chick fight. I feel like there's less mileage on
jong Wailey. It's actually like thirty four to thirty seven.
I thought Wayley was probably just thirty. Little surprise. I
think it's a lot closer in age than we expected.
Speaker 1 (36:27):
Yeah, you said she could be the second woman, Nunia
as being the other.
Speaker 2 (36:33):
Yeah, isn't nuon as one thirty five? One forty five?
Speaker 1 (36:35):
Do we have another one?
Speaker 2 (36:36):
I'm forgetting well, I was trying to.
Speaker 1 (36:38):
I was thinking Cyborg at one point I had the
one thirty five pound belt and then later had the
one forty five. I could be very off on that.
Speaker 2 (36:45):
No, I don't think we ever got Cyborg actually down
to thirty five. I think forty that catchweight five was
for only one and then she's forty five all the
way around. So yeah, only the second woman ever to
join the elusive two champion club in the UFC.
Speaker 1 (37:00):
Interesting.
Speaker 2 (37:02):
I wonder like how that fight plays out. I give
a speed advantage to Waylee. We know that the grappling,
the size of the strength is going to be on
Yoanna's side. But way Lee's grappling has really come along
in a big way. We saw which he was able
to do against Tatiana Suarez defending all those takedowns. I
(37:23):
wouldn't be surprised if Waylee comes in as a slight
betting favorite when we get to fight time.
Speaker 1 (37:28):
Uh, you may be right on that sitting here right
now and we've still got time, but I'd probably lean Shivchenko.
Speaker 2 (37:39):
See I'm going the other way on you with this one.
I just feel like Chevchenko, we saw a little bit
of the decline in the trilogy. Not to mention the
manner the ort fight will. It had dominant moments, it
had other moments where again you still think this isn't
the best Schevchenko. I'm just the and that time is
(38:00):
going to catch up with her where I don't think
we've seen a decline yet in Wayley. I could be
totally wrong because I still think it's a really close fight,
but it's the slight.
Speaker 1 (38:08):
Well, and I get where you're coming from. But I
think the second Grosso fight, the Farroh fight, I thought
she looked good. But we'll see, We'll see.
Speaker 2 (38:24):
So so many incredible fight announcements not to mention on
that card at Also, I need to spend this a
second on it. Carlos pratt does Leon Edwards. Back against
the wall for Leon Edwards. Yeah, and Bro, this is
your fight. Carlos Prattice is not trying to take you down.
You want to show off your striking. This is the
guy you get to do it with, and this is
(38:45):
the guy that will allow you to from that stylistic perspective.
I love that fight. Huge opportunity for Pratt does. And
this is the do or die moment for Leon Edwards
as a top contender.
Speaker 1 (38:56):
Yeah, Edwards, if he wants to get back and title
continued again, he's got to win here for sure.
Speaker 2 (39:02):
Is there a chance that the co main event winner
will already know who their number one contender is after
we see Aaron Blanchefield fight Tracy Cortes. Maybe it's a
real possibility. There's some high stakes and big consequences to
that fight, so don't let that one fly under the radar,
that it has a whole shit ton of meaning to it.
(39:26):
Some other big announcements that happened this week. The final
fight night of the year, December thirteenth, That's what I'm
being told, the final fight night of the year in
the Apex. We have a main event Brandon Royval Manel Camp.
Is the UFC a little too brave putting Maniel Camp
in a main event?
Speaker 1 (39:48):
Well, it is an Apex main event.
Speaker 2 (39:52):
I'm gonna you know what, I'm gonna say, No, No,
the stakes of the fight, the hype of both at fleets,
where they're at in their careers, it all makes a
lot of sense. Just injury bug has bit Menel Camp
a couple times to where him and Amir al Bosi
it's a it's not the John Jones, it's just still
you take it with the grain of salt. Will they
(40:12):
be able to make it to the octagon in the
shape that you want to see them perform? At Raoul
Rosas Junior, biggest opportunity of his career against Rob Font,
that is no longer happening. He has had to pull out,
And I'm a little surprised that this name Rob Font
is now going to be fighting David Martinez, another Mexican fighter.
(40:34):
He did a lot of great things in Capata America,
not a lot of resume here yet in the UFC,
making this an interesting name, and it went from I
thought this was a great opportunity from Rosa. Now I
think Rob font is going to be a pretty solid
favorite heading into that one. The September thirteenth card also
gains a man that called to be on this card.
(40:55):
Alexander Hernandez gets to return home to San Antonio take
on Carlos Diego. I had that one. Two guys that
are explosive, ruthless finishers, not guys at the top of
the division, but that shit will definitely be explosive. The
October eleventh card in Rio, we got some big announcements
for that one. Gabriel bonb Theme versus Randy Brown that
(41:15):
matters to the bottom of the ranked welterweights. We also
get Walter Walker versus Mohammed Ousman. It's the battle of
the Little Brothers.
Speaker 1 (41:25):
I like it.
Speaker 2 (41:27):
Ricardo Ramos is going to take on Knyie Offley, also
on the card. Then we move on to November first,
where Kevin Christian makes his UFC debut against Billy al Kana,
Alan Nasimanto versus Rafael Steven, Timmy Kumba versus Chang Ho
Lee Mara Buinnesoza versus Jacqueline Calla Conte has been rebooked
(41:49):
for November eighth. We also have Adul rockmand No not
the former heavyweight champion of the world in boxing, Yaziov.
He's gonna be making his UFC debut against Rafael Securia.
That's in Qatar November twenty third. That rounds out our
fight announcements. Busy end of the year. Really stoked about
(42:13):
two twenty two, about three twenty one, three twenty two,
and then if we really get that roy Val Camp
fight that those are all going to be banger main events.
Speaker 1 (42:23):
Yep, looking forward to it. UFC. After taking the holiday
weekend off, they are back in action this weekend. They
are in Paris, France. Your main event top ten middleweights
Nazardine and Mavav versus Kyle Bihalo. What do you think
about that main event?
Speaker 2 (42:42):
I think that with a spectacular enough performance that we
get the next challenger or the first challenger, dur I
should say to Hamzat Chimayav. The stakes are that big.
The consequences are that Syria. Both guys with their win streaks,
but what they've done have earned this opportunity, and this
(43:05):
is the biggest version of Dana White's Contender Series that
there could be because it's not a UFC contract, it's
earning the title fight and you have to put the
best foot forward. I really do think that with the
quick announcement of Renner der Ritter versus Anthony Hernandez in
Vancouver in September or October, that if there's not a
(43:28):
spectacular enough showing here from a mavl Baholio, you really
could see somebody jump in there and steal this opportunity.
We've seen long win streaks from both guys in mavov
In a lot of people's opinion, should he even have
to have this fight right now? He beat Israel Atosaanya,
it feels like in a stepping stone process, in an
imaturation of a fighter, a title eliminator or a former
(43:52):
world champion who's still hanging around, that was a massive win.
So I wonder, from the mentality perspective of a Mava,
what kind of thought process are you going through heading
into this one when you probably feel like you already
should have earned a title fight, and now it's being
taken from you. We're on the other side, Beholio. This
is almost a social media darling at the moment. Not
(44:14):
to mention he's one of the fighting nerves nerds. The
way that they have taken over social media, the way
that they have grabbed the attention of fans, incredible Brazilian
jiu jitsu. When he gets on your back, you're in
a lot of trouble. Where this one gets interesting to
me is how it plays out on the feet. Imavov
is the bigger puncher. We know how he walks down guys,
how he's able to use his frame. He's a big
one eighty five or where Baholio will. He looks to
(44:37):
be more thought out and plan on the feet than
he was before. He still looks to me to be
a little more flailing, and he has went through some
fights where he showed us, hey, I can play on
the feet for fifteen minutes. But I just don't know
if he's showed us that he's dangerous enough to back
off Imavov in those fifteen minutes. What do you feel
about that analysis?
Speaker 1 (44:56):
I would agree with you on that. I don't think
h a Baholio win. It would have to be absolutely
spectacular for him to be next in line. Obviously, a
win keeps him on the same trajectory in Mavov. With
the win, it would be hard to deny him unless
it's like the ugliest win on the face of the earth.
(45:17):
So certainly a lot on the line for both these guys.
I do kind of agree with your assessment of the fight.
Speaker 2 (45:25):
If the biggest if for me is if Baholio's able
to get a Mavov on the ground, I think we're
gonna see the biggest difference in their scale sets will
be in that grappling on the mat. That's the biggest
question in the fight. Does Baholio have the wrestling to
be able to get a mov off to the ground.
It's not a position that we've seen him vulnerable in.
I think through his UFC career we've seen Imavav be
(45:47):
more of the taking down er than the taken down
e in that equation. So yeah, I was trying to
pull those words together somehow. I know it didn't work,
but I'm interested to see how it plays out because
I do get Imalvov the slight advantage if we're going
on the feet, I didn't see betting odds. Do you
see betting odds yet for this one?
Speaker 1 (46:07):
I have not even looked for betting odds.
Speaker 2 (46:11):
Number two versus seven in the world such high stakes.
Really a submission artist in Bijolio versus a French power
puncher with the Russian roots in Amavov in front of
the French country. I wonder how much, and this really
does matter, how much that home field advantage plays into it,
just because the time zone change and everything.
Speaker 1 (46:32):
Imavov is plus one fifteen Biholio minus one thirty five.
Speaker 2 (46:38):
My eyes are wide open. I honestly would have had
that switched. Yeah. Well, the ADASNJA victory would have given
me the way to say, now, this has got to
be the favorite. As much as we all love Kyle Bihalio,
I mean, I've had one of the best conversations I've
ever had with a fighter with him. He's done great
and brilliant on commentary in Brazil, and he's also put
(46:59):
his person out out there in a way to make
him a star. But maybe they are maybe the better
odds makers are playing on everything.
Speaker 1 (47:06):
I just said, Yeah, I don't think the uh out
of Sagna. Win carries the weight with a lot of
with the odds makers anyway that it does with you,
Does it.
Speaker 2 (47:17):
Carry that way with you? No, lout Asgna that far
over the hill.
Speaker 1 (47:23):
Yes, look you can't take away. Look it's still a
way against former champion. You can't take that away. But ye,
I don't think it means quite the same as it
would have two or three fights sooner.
Speaker 2 (47:40):
I don't want to start picking on Kyo Baholio because
I really like him, but are you that much more
impressed with his recent wins? I that that's the problem
for me. I slightly like a move more because he's
been in this main event trajectory for a couple more fights.
Speaker 1 (47:57):
And that's where I do agree with you on set
aside Sognia, what it meant, what it didn't mean. I
like MV OFV where he's at right now his trajectory.
I just think he's a little further ahead of Bohalio,
and yeah, I would actually lean in mov off here.
Speaker 2 (48:16):
Now. In the kmain event, Mauricio Rufi fellow Fighting Nerd
team made of Kyle Bihalio can break in to the
rankings when he takes on Ben Wa Saint Deny French
fighter there at home, Saint Denis. This is a guy
that it looked like was on the cuff of some
(48:39):
really big things in his career, came out of the
gate hut even though he lost his debut at welterweight
once he got to lightweight. His physicality, his presence, a determination,
a great just ferociousness. He was aggressive in such a
ruthless tenure that has turned around on him after getting
stopped by dust Employer and Hanatamwayan Kano kind of worry
(49:05):
that the lack of tactical philosophy is really going to
come out to bite. Ben was Saint Deny in this
fight where maurusio Ruffi. I think he is a free
spirit and he does put some risky techniques out there.
He is a constant student of the game, which gives
me a little more faith that he will have a
(49:28):
more complete performance and have closed up some of the
holes where I don't know if Ben was Saint Deni
is capable of this that of closing up some of
his defensive lopses at this point in his career.
Speaker 1 (49:38):
If I'm RUFFI, I'm very excited to be taking on
Ben was saintany here.
Speaker 2 (49:44):
You had a strange look on your face a moment ago.
I thought it was something I said, Was it Ruffi's.
Speaker 1 (49:48):
Already in the top fifteen, He's fifteen.
Speaker 2 (49:52):
You know what's really funny? Are you looking at the
rankings or at the UFC event page, the both event page.
I'm not seeing him with a number on his name.
Speaker 1 (50:02):
Amaz He's got a fifteen on the event page, and yes,
in the rankings he's listed as fifteen.
Speaker 2 (50:10):
Huh, my bad. Excuse me, everybody on that. That's literally
gonna have to screenshot and suns and send that to you. Okay,
we get light heavyweights. Paul Craig returns to two h
five to take on with Usus Bokowskis. Lukowskis has had
an up and down career overall, but after being released
from the UFC, he's really found a consistency to his
game put his boxing together. A much better second run here,
(50:34):
Paul Craig, he did not have the chin at one
eighty five. The weight cut was depleting. We know that
he is not a striker. He needs to really incorporate
his grappling to be successful. I really like my destus
Bokowskis in this position, what about you?
Speaker 1 (50:51):
I do as well. Bokowskis, by the way, minus three
thirty favorite, Craigs a plus two forty underdog, real quick,
ruffy minus two of five favorite against the plus one
Ben was Saint Deny in that one. But yeah, I
don't think this goes well for Paul Craig.
Speaker 2 (51:08):
You come back to the UFC. You sour the debut
the return of Jeremy Stevens in front of his home state.
Mason Jones now has to deal with Balagio Oki, a
fellow top prospect, a killer athlete. That one is going
to be something interesting. Alexa Sola, a regional champion. He's
(51:33):
going to be making his debut on short notice. This
fight just getting together last week against Rise McKee, who
was first well known just for being the first guy
that hamzat team if ran through in his stent of
like two wins in thirteen days when he debuted with
the UFC. Well, Rise McKee has put it back together,
nice little run for himself. LUs Nay Kita, the octagon
(51:59):
two division champion from Belgium, is going to be making
his debut against Patricio Pitbull. This is some exciting shit.
Speaker 1 (52:08):
Pitbull a plus one seventy underdog.
Speaker 2 (52:10):
By the way, he's a little bit older, a little
bit longer in the tooth. We have not seen the
same precision and use of the jab. I think that
there has to be a much more return to his
bellator comfortability for us to see success out of Pitbull
and Kimta. This is a guy who's been fighting five
rounds for a couple of years now, been begging for
(52:30):
this opportunity. I don't think he lets it go lightly.
Speaker 1 (52:34):
Hey, real quick, you like a good conspiracy theory, right,
let's go Okay, Well, while you're talking about Ruffy not
showing up on the events page on your computer's top fifteen,
I'm just sitting here thinking, refresh your goddamn screen, Mike,
it's just hit refresh, hit refresh. So I'm sitting here
and I'm like, mah, screw it, let me hit refresh
on mine. On the events page. When I hit refresh,
(52:56):
he's no longer listed as ranked fifteenth. He still is
in the rankings. Positive he's ranked fifteenth. But I am
now seeing what you're seeing on the events page, So
I get the confusion. It's a conspiracy Micah. It's a
conspiracy man.
Speaker 2 (53:12):
The French. There is a bunch of French on this card.
Omar C light heavyweight prospect taking on Brentson Ribero. You
gotta like the French fighter there. William Gomes versus Polish
fighter Robert Ruchla. Ruchela is gonna be making his UFC
debut coming off having the ks W featherweight title. Man
(53:38):
has his last three wins. There's a knockout, there's bodykick knockout,
there's a knockout from elbows. William Gomes versus Robert Ruchela,
this one is gonna be fun. These are two guys
that want to strike and are gonna put one on
for the fans. So look forward to that fight. Possibly
find under the radar the former And here's the thing.
(54:00):
We want to disrespect the PFL, but heck the UFC
giving the former PFL heavyweight tournament ruiner Ante Julia a
huge debut as he will take on the number seven
ranked Marccene Tiberia. Even though this is a huge opportunity
for Jillian, I kind of like Tarry Bora the higher
level experience. He's been there, he's done that. I don't
(54:21):
think he's so old that he's over the hill, and
Julia is not coming in as a young man. I
kind of think he's a finished product, so that one
has some stakes on it. It's interesting, man. I really
like this fight card. They loaded it up for the friends.
For Ozi and versus Keanu Fernandi's someone's getting knocked out
in that fight. They both like to strike. I can
say the same thing for Sam Patterson versus Trey Waters Waters.
(54:44):
I'm excited to see him and he had some great
wins on the regional scene and I want to see
how his UFC career progresses. And Brad Tavares been around forever.
Don't feel like this is a swansong for him because
they're doing it all the way in the U. Okay,
his last fight will probably be at T Mobile or
the Apex for the Ninth Island Original, taking on a
(55:06):
Robert Burchik, who, again and a lot of hype coming
over from Poland had a regional title belt to his
credit in that area. We'll see what he can do
against a real veteran of the sport.
Speaker 1 (55:18):
For sure. Prelims get underway at noon Eastern time on
ESPN plus Your main card at three pm Eastern also
on ESPN Plus. And again they are in Paris, France
this weekend for UFC Fight Night, Fight Afternoon back here
in the States. What else have we got this weekend?
Speaker 2 (55:34):
Micah LFA on Saturday Night, So after the UFC, Yes,
after the UFC, you can jump on over to fight
Pass because the UFC is in Korchiba, Brazil. We have
the women's strawweight title on the line in the main
event seven to one Lanni Silva defending against Azia Bristolo
(55:56):
who is six and oh you really can see the
winner there that look at the UFC Marcelo Marquez at
lightweight and seven to zero unbeaten prospect. You also have
what looks like a number one contenders bout between Natalie
Alvis seven and zero and Alessandra Kashevv who is six
(56:16):
and one. The winner there most likely getting the next
opportunity at the strawweight title. So that's for your MMA
this weekend. You also have BKB Bristol Brawl in the UK.
This card had a totally be restructured late due to
(56:37):
Polymalinanji about a week or two ago suffering a shoulder injury.
Gonna push back his fight with Tyler good John to
BKB forty seven, so instead here the former world champion
James Canally is going to take on Martin Ruffle in
the main event, and Daniel Lirell, former also BKB champion,
(57:01):
He's gonna be taking on ufcve Jack Marshman in the
comin event. You can check out the Try Gone action
over on Vice this weekend.
Speaker 1 (57:12):
Anything else we need to hit on before we get
out of here, Micah, I don't think so.
Speaker 2 (57:18):
Uh do? BKB News Bunch of news over on Cageminds
dot com. This week, we'll have an interview up with
Baroka featherweight champion. The former Bellatour Rising Champion, Juan Archiletta
xFC and Baroka teaming together for a Las Vegas card,
(57:39):
and we're gonna be talking to him about that headliner.
It's Cage Minds Combat Sports News on YouTube and Facebook,
Cage Minds Underscore CSN on TikTok x Instagram.
Speaker 1 (57:55):
To keep up with us, get the show on X
at MMA After Hours. You can get me at Real
Mike Carlisle, We will talk to you next week for
another episode of m m A After Hours here on
the After Hours podcast network.
Speaker 2 (58:13):
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
(58:36):
dot com.
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