Ep 327: UFC 322 Recap - Islam Makhachev Wins Welterweight Title. Shevchenko Takes Down Weili. UFC Fight Night Preview.

Episode 327: UFC 322 Islam Makhachev defeats JDM to win the Welterweight tite. Valentina Shevchenko takes down Zhang Weili. A preview of this weekend's Fight Night in Qatar. All the latest news. 














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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:04):
Hey, everybody, welcome back to MMA after Hours. It's Michael
Carlisle and Micah Frankel. Micah, what's going on, man?

Speaker 2 (00:11):
And there is so much going on. I'm good. We're
coming off a historically important top of the UFC three
twenty two, But somehow I'm still clamoring for a level
of violence that we saw in the crowd before the
main card but didn't get from the main or comain events.

Speaker 1 (00:29):
Best fight of the night might have been in the crowd.
Is that what you're saying?

Speaker 2 (00:33):
Well out of the main in the comain event, I'm
sorry there were a bunch of dudes left on bodies
throughout the prelims. We cannot disrespect those performances, but there
was something left to be desired from the greatness of
our two champions.

Speaker 1 (00:47):
Really interesting. Well, hell, you've piqued my interest. I kind
of want to jump right in right now, Micah. UFC
three twenty two. This past weekend Madison Square Garden, we
crowned a new welterweight champion in the main event, Islam
mahas Chef defeats Jack Della Magdalena by unanimous decision. But

(01:09):
you wanted to see a little more is that what
I'm taking from this.

Speaker 2 (01:12):
Micah Oh, there's a violence, a violence category that was
not checked off that most of the time. It didn't
actually hit me at the point because as we were
doing the live stream shout out to James Romero headlining
Fight World forty one this weekend in Albuquerque, coming through
the studio, sitting here with us, we could only kind

(01:35):
of say, Wow, this is dominant, and then you just
kind of stop and trail off with no words, because
it's hard to describe a man holding half guard for
twenty five minutes. Well, there was a couple, there was
a kamara, there was a Doris choke at one point.

(01:55):
There were two times that it looked like there was
some interesting submissions possibly being said up. But for most
of the time you're like, yep, Jack can't get off
his back. Islam is dominant, and maybe I wouldn't be
so blood thirsty if every one of his friends hadn't
started a ride in the freaking crowd. And like we said,
we got more violence out of the guys that aren't
paid to do it. Maybe that's where my barometer of

(02:18):
grading the violence kind of got swung off, Like your
homies are gonna go balls out in the crowd, but
you're fighting for the biggest prize in the sport and
we're not getting the same level of action. Not to
mention last thing before I let you in, it's probably
a performance that Dana White would have said, kid, you're
not ready for the UFC. If it happens on the
Contender Series, go back and make something interesting happen and

(02:40):
we'll talk to you later.

Speaker 1 (02:41):
All right, couple things. A win's a win. I'll use
a baseball analogy. Whether it's one nothing or twelve two
counts the same thing. The second point you made there,
this wasn't a Data Whites Contender Series match. This was
for the weight title. Islam was controlling everything. He didn't

(03:05):
have to do more. Why would you try to do
more and possibly expose yourself to allowing JDM to get
in and take advantage of a mistake you made. I
get what you're saying. Not all fights are created equal.
Some are more action packed than others, and maybe this
one did lack a little of the action. But I

(03:26):
think Islam realized as this fight was going on, hey
this is going to be easy. I don't see any
point and trying to do anything I don't have to do,
and he didn't in this situation, I don't have a
problem with that. Now, if this is a Contender series fight,
like you threw out and you got to make a
big impression to try to earn a contract, all right,

(03:49):
that's a little bit different situation. I don't blame Islam
for anything he did. He did exactly what he needed
to do. Now, if you want to tell me he
didn't do anything more than that, all right, I hear you.
But I mean he went out and won the title
and did it really easily. I don't have a problem
with that.

Speaker 2 (04:08):
He did not do that very easily. It took twenty
five minutes of blood, sweat, freaking.

Speaker 1 (04:12):
Exhaustion and a lot of hard work.

Speaker 2 (04:14):
Easy was getting Volkanovsky coming off the couch on a
week's notice and just throwing one hit kick and putting
him out. Easy is getting a notl Moaya Kano that's
ten levels below you won twenty four hours notice and
slapping a dars choke on him. Easy was most of
Islam Mahashev's not so illustrious lightweight title reign. This fight
was a lot of effort, because if it was easy.

(04:36):
Jack Della would have been one of those other two
that came in on incredibly short notice, which just shows
you how idiotic it is to try to be forced
into taking on islam Ma Hashev and how that's almost
career malpractice for anybody, because that guy is that good,
he does deserve that kind of a training camp. To

(04:57):
have anybody else do that and think that he going
to win is almost just robbing idiots at the betting
line and people that pay over priced pay per views
and tickets, because you're not beating this man on a whim.
You're not beating him without an incredible effort. He's putting
himself into an echalon of all time greatness. But what
I'm thinking when we talk about that all time greatness

(05:20):
is how many dudes have survived that long under John Jones?
So far, We've never seen anyone survive that position under
John Jones. How did guys usually look when they were
in that position under Habib Normagametov. They were being up
and demoralized. And there's a reason why we put those
guys in the goat category. There's always this reason why

(05:41):
I kind of downgrade GSP in the conversation because he
wasn't able to put that violence factor. He didn't put
guys away, and so far it was just from where
we want to put this victory, in the pedestal of
where Islam's go greatness is. That's where I could have

(06:01):
expected more out of him because grading him on the
all time great scale, not judging him for winning and
winning safely grading him amongst the greatest ever and how
they dominated, because that's his measuring stick right now.

Speaker 1 (06:19):
It's maybe it is, maybe it isn't you left out
on one pretty significant thing that does quantify a fight
as being easy fifty forty five, which is what we
got here. It wasn't easy fight for Islam. No, no, look,
I get what you're saying, and I hear you. There

(06:40):
wasn't the violence maybe you were hoping for. And if
when we look back on Islam's career and where he
ranks is an all time great and you want to
pinpoint this fight and could have done more, maybe should
have done all? All right, His goal was to go out
and not proclaim himself to be the greatest fighter of
all time. This past Saturday, his goal was to go
out and win the welterweight tie, and he did that,

(07:01):
and he did it pretty easy.

Speaker 2 (07:02):
Micah, Well, if he would have set those standards for me,
I judge him on those standards. But because I'm here
to set the standards for myself, I'll put those out
there because we're talking about where it puts them at
all time greatness. If you just want to dissect the performance,
going out there, chewing up Jack's lead leg, being able
to get the takedowns, all that was great and also

(07:23):
just one of those things that when we talk about
how easy it was, it was so easy. I don't
think that we saw enough damage on Jack's face again
to make it sound like it was easy. It seemed
like it was easy for the ref to allow Islam
to stay there and while they grappled in between grabbing

(07:45):
arms and grabbing hands and not punching, they worked and
it was very easy for the judge or the referee
to just allow them to stay there for the whole time.
My assessment of the fight was he controlled it. It
was not easy, because we've seen him in easy fights before.
It did put him into a historical category, and then

(08:06):
I start judging him compared to those historical greats and
this was the least compelling, historical great achievement that we've
seen in that in that echelon.

Speaker 1 (08:18):
So you're expecting a short title reign. If he gets
Usman Usman, he's just going to wipe the mat with
him because.

Speaker 2 (08:25):
He's not very dominant. I didn't say that he might
lay on him. I'm saying that the one thing that
Connor McGregor did was bring in echelon of excitement that
made fans want to watch. I don't know from the
general just how great he is, Like, there's a reason
why Dana White doesn't want to bring a bunch of

(08:47):
wrestlers that implement this style from the Contendent series over
because they want more excitement. So just what I'm saying
is when we look at Islama has Chief as what
pound for pound number one? Possibly we can have that conversation,
but where does he rank up can pound for pound
ticket sellers? He doesn't make you feel like, even though

(09:10):
for a guy that may be an all time great,
do you feel like you really have to be there
Saturday night watching his fights? Do you feel like you're
gonna miss something special if you don't see Islam Mahasha fight.

Speaker 1 (09:23):
Well see. Now we're having two different conversations. Is he
the best pound profound fighter, Is he the most violent,
exciting fighter? Or does he go out and do what
needs to be done? I hear you on that, and
I don't disagree, and fair point. Do I feel like
I have to be there every time he fights? No?

(09:45):
I do not. But that doesn't take away from how
great of a fighter he is. That now does it
ding him when you want to start looking at all
time grades and ranking that, maybe it does. But for
the purposes of Saturday night me personally, none of that
matters because he just went out and did what he
needed to do. Now, again, we all take in the

(10:08):
fights the way we want. If you tell me I
wanted to see more, hey, that's fine, that's your prerogative.
I'm not going to tell you you're wrong at all,
and there's a valid argument to be made there. But
just going out and winning a title he did. To me,
he did exactly what he needed to do. Is this
going to be the fight that builds his legacy when

(10:29):
he hangs it up? You are correct, probably not. This
will not be looked upon. It's the most exciting fight ever.
But did you ever feel like he was in danger.
I didn't.

Speaker 2 (10:42):
That's a different conversation. Again, did I ever.

Speaker 1 (10:44):
Feel like, well, no, I'm aware of that. But I'm
having one conversation and you just trying to have a
different conversation. Which conversation do you want to have? Well,
because I thought we were talking about the fight. If
you just want to talk about his legacy, yeah, he
shpit the bead, fuck him?

Speaker 2 (11:00):
Oh no, No, okay, if you want to talk about
the fight, he dominated, like every wrestler that Dana White
didn't give a contract to has dominated before. I don't
have a problem with what he did. The establishment has
already decided that there is a problem with what he
did because what he did is not good enough to
get a contract, But it's fine to win a world title.
I'm more mad at the hypocrisy of that thought process.

(11:23):
If it's good enough to be considered one of the
greatest performance ever, then it's good enough to have that
style get a contract. That That's where I don't understand
the difference. If we don't want this style of fighter
in the UFC, are we celebrating this style of fighter?
I understand your point. There is nothing wrong with his performance.
My point is the system. If you don't like this style,

(11:47):
then you don't like this style. There's nothing wrong with
the style. You're exactly right. There was a very solid
run of the mail controlling wrestling performance out of Islam Mahasha,
and that could be the other thing. It was just
a regular performance. We've seen a lot of wrestlers do this. Shit,
We're gonna have the same conversation in the co main event. Basically,

(12:09):
it's for a all time great moment. It was an
all time regular wrestling performance. I mean hamsas he might
have just did the same thing three months ago. It's
not like we haven't just seen this this echelon of
wrestling control. So to me, you're right, he did what
he needed to do and he got the job done.

(12:31):
But it doesn't feel like it's more than that because
it's a run of the mill performance.

Speaker 1 (12:44):
Okay, are you upset because everybody's hating on poor bow Nickel,
So now you feel the need to defend every wrestler
out there, and sure they're boring, but they do what
they need to do or they all suck and they
should be gone. Is Bo Nickel really at the root
of all this? Micah and wrestlers like him.

Speaker 2 (13:07):
Just the thought of wrestling not both watch no name
actually came into any mind, not the guy that won
by a head kick, but just that thought process. Where
where where are we going with this? You can't have
it both ways. You can't say can't go back and
do better, be more exciting. Oh, this is the greatest.
This was a world title win. I don't it's one

(13:28):
or the other. It was a great performance for Islam.
He totally nullified Jack. I don't like the thought that
was easy because Jack did everything to escape, Like Dustin Ployer,
Hanato moy Kano, there's at least three to four Charles Olavera.
There are three really high level BJJ black belts on

(13:50):
the resume of Islam mahashev. Jack Dela Magnalena is nowhere
near a BJJ black belt, and that man survived on
the ground better. I don't know if it was a
size difference, if it was a strength leveling out. It
was not an easy fight, but it just it didn't
seem like the kind of fight where Henry Sehudo wins

(14:11):
in dramatic fast and John Jones chokes out to real god.
Daniel Cormier knocks someone out, Amanda Nuney has knocked someone out.
The way that these all time rates have become a
two division champion in nine of the ten cases has
been an earth shattering vibration through the MMA universe of importance.

(14:34):
This one was a slow grind of a wrestling performance
that we've seen many times, and it almost feels like
just the lack of excitement diminishes the enthusiasm for the accomplishment,
not for the performance, but because of the accomplishment and
where it puts him in all time status. I wanted

(14:56):
to bring up does he eclipse Habib Nurma Gametta in
this moment? But I almost feel like when we get
to the All Time Great Conversation, a lack of highlight
moments could be a downfall for Islam Mahasha in that
All Time Great conversation because like a John Jones man,
there's so many highlights you can just start running off

(15:18):
in your head. Anderson Silva, even DJ throwing our poor
friend Ray Borg up in the air and grabbing his arm.
There are so many moments that make those legends legends.
And Islam mahashev for the most part, man I got
him just kind of on top of Charles Olaveri in
my brain. I just got him on top of Jack
Dela Magdalena on my brain. So for the all time

(15:41):
great accomplishment, A bigger conversation is does his lack of
highlights hurt that status?

Speaker 1 (15:46):
Probably? Probably? Yeah, Look that we one hundred percent agree
on me personally right now. I don't care about any
of that. I care about challenging for the welthweight title
and winning it. But yeah, yes, to your point, yeah
it does. But I think there's a time and place
to crown the all time greats and all that, and

(16:08):
we're not there yet with him. You asked it, does
he eclipse Kudbibe with this? Even if it had been
more exciting, I would say no, Kabib got out while
the getting was still good and he had an unblemished record.
Islam does have the l I.

Speaker 2 (16:23):
Dare say, Connor McGregor and a couple other names out there,
the Eye Ala Quinta, the Tony Ferguson whether they actually
stepped in the cage or not.

Speaker 1 (16:33):
There was memorable rivalries and.

Speaker 2 (16:36):
Moments produced by Haabib, Naramagammettov and Islam Mahashev you don't
see that Volkanovsky went on a week's notice for Volkanovsky's
pudgy getting replayed on highlight reels. Everyone kind of accepts
that fight is what it was. It was an events
saver with a guy getting off the couch.

Speaker 1 (16:58):
So it's not that I.

Speaker 2 (17:00):
Want to fully judge where Islam is now. It's that, damn,
I don't know where he's putting these moments or when
he's running them off to get those highlight reels, because
these other guys were building their resume and his highlights
have just never come together yet.

Speaker 1 (17:15):
What's next for Islam? Does he defend the welterweight title?
Does he move down? Does he move up? Does somebody
else move up? Usman's We talked about Kamara Usman last week.
He got brought up again post fight. Does he somehow
get a crack at Islam? But what do you think
UFC does with Mahaschef.

Speaker 2 (17:35):
I'm just gonna go out on a limb here and
assume that Ali a La does. He's actually does manage everyone,
because I in preparation for this weekend in Katar, I
even saw him saying blowing things about armins are Yuki
in and then you know that he represents Usman. We
know that he represents the Khudo, so I'm pretty sure

(17:56):
he I might be wrong. I don't know does he
represent Blalol Mohammet. So the easiest way to put this
is that if you're managing most of the guys in
the welterweight division, I think that well, it doesn't matter
who deserves the title fight. The UFC is giving to
Camero Usman. Dana White told us that two weeks ago,

(18:17):
when he started talking about Usman is the greatest welterweight ever,
he erased his mind of GSB. You start that kind
of media propaganda push because they're just going to give
him this invalid title shot. Islam wants to add that
easy name, that fight will be easy and easy name
to his resume, that will be an all time great
one because these more dangerous ones don't come with the
same kind of all time cache. Even though this one

(18:40):
will also remember Usman, you know, one in three in
his last four one and win in the last three years.
But it's Cameroon Usman. They've given us all the signs
and the manager isn't going to push back because he
manages both fighters.

Speaker 1 (18:57):
The co main event, and if you didn't like the
main event, Micah, I'm guessing you didn't like the comine
event either of women's flightweight title. Valentina Chefshenko successfully defends
her title against Jeanga Lee. What'd you think about this one?

Speaker 2 (19:14):
It was a fine performance from Valentina Chefchenko during the
live stream. So Robbie Guterrez, photographer for Cage, minds the
dude has some side jobs where he works on golf cards,
he fixes cars.

Speaker 1 (19:30):
The guy.

Speaker 2 (19:31):
I've been to his garage. He has like thirty thousand
tools on the wall, like every tool. Valentina Chefchenko is
the person that only owns like a screwdriver, a hammer,
and a ratchet, and she's like, don't worry, I fix
everything with these tools. Because she throws a left kick,
she throws her left hook. She really only does four
things right now, but she does them to a high

(19:51):
level of effectivenessy and that level of effectacy suffocated out
the much smaller Jiangwai Lee. The size difference was more
evident than we all imagined, and it just rendered Joan
Wailee unable to get up. And once Valentinashevchenko saw that

(20:12):
she could get that takedown. She decided to not play
around on the feed after that first right had touched her.

Speaker 1 (20:22):
Here's where I become a hypocrite, Micah, because everything that
I think you felt about the main event, and I
disagreed with you. I felt what you felt in the
Komain event. I do think I know why the difference is.
It probably doesn't validate it. I think for me, with
the main event, it was the challenger doing what they

(20:44):
needed to do, and so I had a better appreciation
for it in this comain event here, I didn't enjoy
this fight at all, but I think I would have
if it had been just reversed. If it had been
way Lee the challenger doing what Valentine did, I think
I'd have a greater appreciation. I think, in my flawed logic,
I expect more from the champ. That's not to take

(21:07):
anything away from Valentina, because much like I said with
Mahashaf in the main event, she did what she needed
to do. But I think it's more exciting if it's
the challenge you're doing that than it is that the champion,
because I think in your mind, you're like, well, you're
the champ for a reason. You should be doing more,
which maybe is what you were expecting out of Islam

(21:28):
in the main event. But yeah, look, way Lee had
no answer. And you know, despite some of our conversations
last week about the way way Lee was looking coming in,
she was grossly undersized that there is no doubt about
that this was not a good fight for her. I
would be shocked if she doesn't immediately drop back down

(21:48):
to Strawway. But yes, look, Valentina went out and did
exactly what she needed to do. And I mean outside
of moving up, really know what's left to really timp Valentina.

Speaker 2 (22:05):
I had a it's the same feeling for Valentina, what
does this kind of do? Okay, you held down a
smaller person. I think the less vitriol in my voice
possibly towards Valentina is because we consider her a little
bit diminished. They consider her taking on lesser competition in

(22:29):
the flyweight division than what you're seeing in a welterweight
division pound for pound. So I also, I just wasn't
surprised because it kind of felt like that was gonna
be the end all be all, the grappling, the size difference,
and could you get mad at it? Now you're just
bored at it. Same thing I got to the the

(22:50):
main event because unlike I did, have your thought process,
just in a different way. Yeah, because I went to
our friends at Draft Duel and Fan Kings and and
MCM and they all had the Dougistani as the favorite.
So my expectation then came from what will the favorites do?
Because we all knew it would take another level performance

(23:14):
from way Lee and JDM to walk out of there.
We already kind of know the goods of a Valentina.

Speaker 1 (23:21):
And I kind of didn't.

Speaker 2 (23:23):
You've been a Valentina fights you've told me about. I'm
so sorry. Fuck, I love MMA, how boring they can be.
So I was not surprised about the ten year the
nature it was. Both fighters did really well to defend
off their backs, and I think that if the rest
of the card hadn't been so damn exciting, maybe these

(23:45):
two freaking fights wouldn't be highlighted for being so methodical,
Like you bring up bout Nickel. Overall, these two motherfuckers,
like you didn't follow the game plan, You didn't put
them asleep before us.

Speaker 1 (23:58):
Yeah, that's what I was gonna ask you would your
view of the main event be different if you didn't
sit through five rounds in the co main event of
relatively uninteresting fighting. Maybe maybe not, But you're right, and
maybe that does skew all of our views on this.
The card up to the top two fights was very exciting,

(24:22):
regardless of my thoughts on the main event. Look, yes,
it was not the most exciting thing ever, I do
agree with you on that, and maybe that is highlighted
more because of the excitement we saw early on and
didn't get that we thought we were going to, Like,
I think a lot of people thought, oh, Valentina and
way Lee, we're gonna get the way Lee that we
saw in the two Johanna fights, and she's gonna beat

(24:44):
the hell out of somebody, and somebody's face is gonna
be all fed up, and this and that, and hey,
I don't really think that's way Lee and b we
didn't get anything close to that.

Speaker 2 (24:56):
Do you remember Valentina versus Yuanna. That was the striking
battle that we all enjoyed. Do you remember Yoana versus
way Lee. We all fucking knew that was the greatest
moment's fight we've ever seen. That shit set us up
for an expectation that we did not get here. No
one expected this to turn into the nightmare version of

(25:16):
way Lee versus Suarez, Like we already saw that fight
and we thought we got past that. There were magnanimous
expectations put on the fight, but at least for me,
those are very easily dampened in the first like two minutes,
once Waylee was on her back, I'm like, oh crap,
this is this is not good. And I wonder though,

(25:39):
because I think on commentary they brought it up. We
didn't have the volume up obviously not trying to get
the copyright hit. Was there a conversation starting to form
about is this this win put Valentina back in the
goat conversation We've grasp been at straws here. Did that
really happen?

Speaker 1 (25:56):
I think it has to put her in the conversation.
It doesn't mean you have to like it or you
have to keep her there, but it's probably worth a
brief conversation, which I'm gonna piggyback on too, because I
want to add to that what is next for Valentino?
What we know? Kayla Harrison had mentioned, Hey, after I
get rid of Amanda Nuniez, I'd like to fight Valentina

(26:18):
at the White House. Valentina said she'd be open to that,
but she wasn't necessarily lobbying for it. Either you think
it's Natalie Silva, you think it's staying in the division,
or do you think maybe she's got her eye on
a move back up to bantam way and maybe taking
on the winner of Harrison and Nuniez.

Speaker 2 (26:36):
To me, the thing that makes the most sense is
the Silva fight. But there was something very interesting said
throughout the week, and Valentina brought it up. Why is
Valentina speculating does a Mando want to fight? Because it
seemed like to us just speaking out there bringing this

(26:57):
up one more time. Guys, we sit in the middle
of June. The UFC has like three events left with ESPN,
maybe four. I think we got Katar, We're going to
be out for a pay per view, and then I
believe there's back at the Apex.

Speaker 1 (27:10):
YEP. The year is.

Speaker 2 (27:11):
Rapidly rinding down. You can't tell me that January February
isn't booked and we're just waiting to announce. So you
got to think that there's probably four to six events
that the UFC already kind of has booked out. We're
just waiting for the announcement press conference, guessing will be
there to see it. At the very latest, that announcement

(27:31):
press conference could be December fourteenth, I'm guessing like two
days after the ESPN contract is done. But with that
in mind, Valentina's bringing up that she's not hearing about
Amanda taking a fight. If you're talking about Kayla, I'm
guessing where there's smoke, there's fire. I would say to
tell ya Selva. But if we're talking Kayla Harrison, we're
probably doing it for a reason.

Speaker 1 (27:54):
Possibly and the reason I wanted to add this here
and now I'll go back to your Are we really
talking about Valentina in the goat status? I think Win's
loss is wise. The worst thing for Valentina right now
is to go back to bantamweight. I think she really
found her groove with the flyweight division. I wouldn't mess

(28:19):
with that. That being said, if Kayla Harrison wants to
fight you and there's money to be made there, you'd
be foolish to just turn that down without at least
considering it. I like the Silver fight for Valentina better.
And this is why when you talk about goat talk.
I still have Valentina behind Rousey, behind Nunez. You give

(28:43):
Harrison another couple of wins maybe there as well. I don't.
I would have Valentina on the outside of that, and
part of that is to me, she was just another
bandam weight, but she really hit her stride as a
women's flyweight. I gotta go.

Speaker 2 (29:05):
Amanda won two division champion, dominance the knockouts.

Speaker 1 (29:10):
I didn't even make you, Cyborg. I'd have cyborga above Valentina. Sorry,
Cyborg is a good one.

Speaker 2 (29:16):
It's probably the only other one I would have because
as a fighter and just what she's accomplished with their reign,
Valentina has to pass Rondo and title defenses. She's done
it in two different weight classes, being top echelon and
then being all time great. That to me has her
above Ronda because the sport was so raw for when

(29:36):
Rondo was around, the skill sets were so limited. I
would probably have Ronda at four with Amanda. I just
don't see Valentina passing Amanda, even if we want to
go back at all. The first fight or the second fight,
one of them was scored badly. Blah blah blah blah,
blah blah blah. I cannot get that title that I
believe Robbie Lawler lost to Carlos. Content around Carlos is

(29:59):
way I cannot get John Dotson the title that he
should have taken from DJ. So get the fuck off
the goddamn Valentina beat a Manda train because that wasn't
even a split decision.

Speaker 1 (30:09):
I mean, come on, here's the other thing, Micah. One
of the two worst UFC fights I've ever seen in
my life in person involve Valentina Shushenko. Now, to be fair,
Aman in Nunez is on the other side of it.
But Amanda, look now that Valentina hasn't had a great

(30:31):
career as well. But yeah, I just I can't put
Valentina that look. Certainly right above the tippy top or
right below the tippy top, sure, but in that conversation
with the absolute goats, I can't do that. I just can't.

Speaker 2 (30:49):
Valentina dictates Wayley's future. If Valentina wants to remain at flyweight,
I believe that it's in the best interest of China,
it's in the best interest of the UFC, it's in
the best interest of Venom to have way Lee go
back down to one point fifteen and go against Mackenzie Dirk. Yep, yeah,
Valentina is gonna jump up to thirty five and want

(31:11):
to go for Anunyaz trilogy fight and jump in there
with the bear that is Kayla Harrison. Maybe you keep
way Lee there as the person that fights Natalia Silva
for the vacant title. So I think Waylee's future is
dictated by Valentina.

Speaker 1 (31:29):
I bet you don't make Valentina give up the belt
to go up to fight Harrison and now she wins. Maybe,
but I bet you don't. But you could be right
on that, and maybe Waylee just becomes a surreal gune
of the women's flyweight division. I'm always there. Hey, you
need somebody, Hey, look at me, look at me? Yeah? Maybe,
but I assuming she's staying in the divisions Silva makes all.

(31:53):
I can't imagine it's anybody other than Silva.

Speaker 2 (31:58):
Well, I don't think so. I don't think so. Natalia
Silva she has Mexico on her side right now or
she resilient. Either way, she has a fan base that
has adorned to her.

Speaker 1 (32:10):
At this time.

Speaker 2 (32:10):
I believe it's Brazil and she has started to turn around.
She was there in the crowd. I think there's a
good opportunity that she's fighting for a flyweight title in
her next fight. Not sure if it's world or interim,
but that would probably be the most likely destination. Heck,
also on the card, we start talking about the welterweight division,

(32:33):
and this is why I'm about to hate the welterweight division.
But Michael Morales, let's first all, give a real spirit
and I'm not even trying to be tongue in cheek,
a real golf collap strong Sean Brady, the dude risked
it all. Some people sit around all year just assuming

(32:53):
they get a title shot because of their manager, and
other dudes fucking go out there and do their job.
They fight, They bring entertainment to the fans, and they
go out there to make their case why they actually
are the number one contender. And for poor Sean Brady,
all those great intentions did.

Speaker 1 (33:08):
Not work out.

Speaker 2 (33:09):
As Michael Morales is the biggest welterweight I think I've
ever damn seen.

Speaker 1 (33:15):
Very impressive performance for him. It moves him up to
third in the UFC's welterweight rankings, and in a different world,
that's who we're talking about being next for Islam, but
I don't think there's a chance in hell that Islam's
next fight is against Morales. Now, maybe it's possible Morales's
next fight is a title fight, but I think mahat

(33:38):
Chef's fighting someone else first, and which probably means Morales
is going to have to as well. But damn, that
was a heck of a fight.

Speaker 2 (33:46):
Sean Brady couldn't get close enough for us to see
if morales Is takedown defense is sturdy or not. And
the hands are so heavy, those hammers who goes right
over hand, left hook, right upper cup. My god, it
was a nasty combination. Morales is a devastating and nasty individual.
I don't know if he is the rightful number one contender.

(34:07):
Shaffcott Rockmanovshit, We've got a weldweight title fight to talk
about coming up. It just feels very abrupt, ignorant, fucking
like I'm a crash test dummy. When you tell me
that camera Usman is the rightful number one contender, it
so boggles my mind in ways that I can't compare
it to anything besides that, joangwe Lee is the number

(34:28):
two rank strawweight contender under Tatiana Storrez, the girl she
just housed earlier in the year. Things that don't make sense.

Speaker 1 (34:36):
Yeah, speaking of the welterweights and impressive performances, Carlos Prattez
also gets a performance of the night with his second
round TKO of Leon Edwards.

Speaker 2 (34:48):
I want to love the performance, but Leon Edwards took
you back and was on your neck for like a
good three minutes in the first round. You survived it,
but uh better wrap like that's Sean Brady. That's a
whole lot worse on Carlos practice. So the fact that
he gave it up is still alarming. But he is
who he is. He's a lot of fun. He destroyed

(35:09):
the body, the knees going for the gas tank of
Leon Edwards. Early I think paid off dividends. And then
Leon never even saw that straight left coming and unfortunate
that his eyes were still open for him because he
was knocked down, knocked out on the way down, woken
up by the ground, no consciousness at all, and then

(35:31):
really nastily puts a sleep that's not good for the brain.
That's what happens when when the referee lets one more
happen that's nothing against Carlos Pratts. It felt like UFC
media members live in attendance UFC a lot of the
narrative after that. When a prattess Morales, I don't know
what that does for Morales. He just beat the number

(35:55):
two contender, but I guess it's a fun fight to
continue to build him up. Morales trying to bust out
the colorful hair, the pink fur coat, sweater.

Speaker 1 (36:07):
Earlier in the.

Speaker 2 (36:08):
Week, he's walking around with no shirt on.

Speaker 1 (36:11):
He is begging, look at me, give me.

Speaker 2 (36:13):
More social media followers so I can fight for the title.

Speaker 1 (36:16):
Morales in protests would be a heck of a fun fight,
but it probably eliminates one from ever getting a title shot.

Speaker 2 (36:24):
I think we know what Carlos protest is a lot
in UFC is he's a fun guy. He's an entertaining guy.
He's a hard hitting guy. Those grappling deficiencies, we more
than likely believe that islam shavcop below. Some of these
guys are gonna get him with that, as Ian Gary
was able to. So I think he's a really fun
fighter that's gonna make a lot of money. I don't

(36:46):
know who I compare a Protests to. He's gonna be
almost a Nick Nate Diaz like kind of but not
as irritating to the promotion.

Speaker 1 (36:57):
Maybe maybe we open up the pay per view with
a lightweights Ben Was Saint Denis gets to win over
Benil dary USh. Daryush now dropped three of his last four.
Correct me if I'm wrong? Did he not miss weight
here as well? By Is this the end of the
line for Banil Daryush?

Speaker 2 (37:16):
End of the line? Missing weight? Didn't look good? Look lethargic,
looked like he had a rough warm up, was totally cold,
got hit with the first shot and was not able
to absorb it at all.

Speaker 1 (37:28):
Yeah, look impressive for ben Was Saint Denis. Let's not
take away from that. But Darry Jusch. You know, at
one point in time Was had got up to third
in the lightweight rankings, and yeah, recent times has not
been kind to him and this may be all in.
Although Micah, despite our differences and opinions on the main

(37:51):
and Co Maine events respectively, I enjoyed USC three twenty two.

Speaker 2 (37:56):
The whole event was fun, it was historical. Islam is
number ten. I saw someone reporting number eleven, but I
believe he's number ten for the two division champions, right.

Speaker 1 (38:08):
I believe, Oh yes, yeah, we don't have to go off.

Speaker 2 (38:11):
I just saw both numbers being thrown out there. We
don't need to give you all ten names. You guys
know the names by now. Welterweight division, welterweight moving night.
So from my opinion, we're inevitably getting Usman Islam all
of the enthusiasm. I can muster to say that one
after that. I don't even know if this weekend matters,

(38:35):
because I'll tell you well, everyone is saying Prates versus Morales.
I'm much more statistic than that. I don't care what
happens this weekend. I want Morales versus I and Gary. Well,
they're both huge ass welterweights. They're both strikers. One wants
to get in close to the other, one wants to
keep distance. I think that it shit is tantalizing, because again,

(38:56):
I don't care what happens this weekend. I think Balmahama
Shavcott Rock Bonov is a fight to make.

Speaker 1 (39:05):
I don't hate ja, Yeah, I'm sorry, I don't hate
either of those. I think, however, and I know you
said you don't care about this weekend. If Ian Machio
Gary wins, I think, and I'm not saying he'll get it.
I think he's looking at title shot and not looking
at someone who might could take him out. But we'll
see on that. But I don't hate those fights. I
think they'd both be bangers.

Speaker 2 (39:26):
Oh no, I'm pretty sure you're right. Whoever I and
Gary Machado Blow Mohammed basically call both of them cameroon
ousman after this because they're setting it out just like
he did, as long as it takes. Because you don't
actually got a fight in the UFC to get a
title shot or to move up, you just got to
watch what the other guys don't do, apparently, And for

(39:47):
me to keep JDM relevant, this is where we're giving
him a nightmare. This is where, Okay, you can't rustle,
can you strike? Because Leon Edwards could not strike Carlos
Prattez JDM in Australia. Prattes has been begging to go
to Australia to see his daughter JDM a fight night

(40:10):
rebounding in the new year in a country that the
UFC seems to be increasingly going to. I want that
as a fight night main event. And I got one
more for the welter Bate division. They didn't fight this weekend,
but I think a kind of process of elimination bond
theme Buckley happened somewhere.

Speaker 1 (40:33):
Has there in recent times that you can think of
off the top of your head been a champ who
loses and like almost has no shot of getting a
rematch at least anytime soon, more so than JDM.

Speaker 2 (40:48):
Yeah, his name is bellew He is like grasp big
at straws. To try to get back in this shit,
he has to knock out Ian Gary, hope that Michael
Morales becomes boring, and wait out the Camero Usman Islam fight.
So yeah, i'd say jdm's in a bad spot, but
him and Belloa are like, well, shit sucks to be
both of us right.

Speaker 1 (41:09):
Now, Hey, real quick, before we move on completely from
three twenty two the prelimbs, I did want to touch
on bon Nickel because it felt like he needed to
make a statement and kind of went out and did
that in the feature fight.

Speaker 2 (41:23):
On the prelims, they reduced the level of competition to
something that was handleble. They gave him on the athletic
level someone that was much slower than him, much more
a a product of who he's going to be. I
don't think we're going to see much more out of
Hodulfo Vieira. He is still learning how to strike, but
I just don't think at his age we're going to

(41:45):
see much more coming together out of him. We needed
to see more out of bon Nickel. We were able to.
He mixed things together. The headkick is coming along. He
is still a work in progress, even though with his pedigree,
his wrestling. People know what the upper echelon limits of
a athlete like this is. But you have to realize

(42:08):
Islam Mahashev habib nurmagam metof twenty fights. Both of them
have twenty seven wins when they're in main events. Boe Nickel,
he's still in the single digits. We need to measure
our expectations with a athlete of this caliber. Also, he
could do a little bit to pick a lane. Does
he want to be cheered or hated by the fans.

(42:30):
The fans are always going to be fickle. You kind
of got to pick a lane in who you are.
Because I've seen his comments go from heel to face,
from love Jesus and let's respect everybody to I love Jesus,
but screw you guys. If he could just pick a lane,
I think that could do better for him, not his fighting,
but his business.

Speaker 1 (42:51):
I'm here. Anything else on the prelims really stand out
to you, man.

Speaker 2 (42:54):
There were a ton of knockouts. Shout out to all
of them. Roman Copy Love is sit that range where
we know who he is. That's unfortunate for him, and
there were a lot of great finishes. I think that's Soskaia.
You got to pump the brakes on that. Eric mcconago
was not supposed to put up that kind of challenge,
So I think that's Kaiah. He needs a bit more

(43:17):
seasoning on that chicken before he's really gone to be
served as an entree, even though they are trying to
push him hard. Do we want to touch on that
other fight that did or didn't happen. Sure it was
probably the right move by now from the UFC to
ban Dylan Danis from a UFC event. Dylan Danni's from

(43:40):
a lot of the speculation I've seen because everything is
an allegation at this point besides the videos, because I
haven't seen videos, but apparently he was moving throughout the arena,
stealing other people's seats, and when he got in range
of Team Norma gum Mata, he was yelling some things,
maybe showing some images off his phone. He was doing
things to rate the masses. It is probably better that

(44:03):
they remove him.

Speaker 1 (44:05):
It is also.

Speaker 2 (44:07):
Unbecoming from the company to not punish the athletes at all.
I'm not sure how you do, but it's just it's
not a great look for the There's a reason why
Dana Whites like these guys are not refined scholars. I
don't know what he says. They're fighters and that's what happens,
but there just feels like there has to be more

(44:29):
repercussion for sucker punching somebody in a crowd, starting a melee.
Forty people stomp and you guys just get set back
to your hotel room. I'm not impressed with Team Nurmagam Meta,
and I've never have been as far as their gang mentality, antics,
those kind of echelon of things. It's not like this
is the first story. It started with Arnhem Lobov. They

(44:52):
like to go large numbers on small numbers.

Speaker 1 (44:54):
They do look Dylan Dana should have never been there.
And I fought the USC for that, and I think
Dana maybe kind of even acknowledged that at his postfight
press conference. But that's issue number one B. You do
have to take a hard stance, even if nobody likes
Dylan Danis and you kind of get why they went

(45:15):
after him and all that, because somebody can get seriously hurt.
And I'm not talking about fighters here in the crowd,
I'm talking about actual fans. And then you got lawsuits,
you got bad publicity, you've got injured spectators, and nobody
needs any of that. I'm all about spectacles and things
like that, but there is no place in this sport

(45:36):
for what we saw in the crowd on Saturday, none whatsoever.

Speaker 2 (45:41):
Chongo uh John Pork as they're calling him on social media,
probably lucky that he's becoming that much of a darling,
because he should be fired from the UFC for what
he did. You started a melee. You literally were involved
in criminal activity. You walked up to someone and sucker
punch them just out of nowhere, multiple cameras, and then

(46:03):
you celebrated the fact on social media. Hopefully, Dylan Dannis,
I don't know if I have a leg to stand on,
But you just wonder does he go the Colby Covington route.
Does Jorge Mosmadal and John pork soon have more in
common than just a photo?

Speaker 1 (46:22):
I guess we shall see. Micah, speaking of we shall see,
we talked about this a little last week and kind
of chuckled at it, and God damn it if it
ain't actually happening, Netflix announces on Monday, Yes it will happen.
Jake Paul taking on Anthony Joshua that is set for

(46:42):
December nineteenth on Netflix from Miami. What in the actual fudge?

Speaker 2 (46:51):
How did you feel about Chris you bangs Junior Connor,
Ben too from this past weekend?

Speaker 1 (46:56):
You want to talk about boxing?

Speaker 2 (46:58):
That was a ring event that was Turkey as Turkey
gets and I'm not talking Thanksgiving. That was on Diszone.
It was a mega event. I'll give you a couple
minutes on Jake fall at a moment if you tell
me what you thought of Ben Ubanks too didn't care well,
I think I can match your energy.

Speaker 1 (47:18):
I figured it much really really quick.

Speaker 2 (47:19):
Here.

Speaker 1 (47:20):
I'm will give you this one. Yep.

Speaker 2 (47:21):
When they first said it was happening, I was like,
no way. When they said it was happening. I was like,
I might be intrigued. It took me all of three
minutes to learn that there will be a rehydration clause
on Anthony Joshua where he has to weigh in at
two hundred and forty five pounds and must maintain that weight.
This is someone that's been constantly weighing over two hundred

(47:42):
and fifty pounds in his boxing career. I don't care
about this fight because the more stipulations that needed to
be added for Jake's safety, the less I care about
this fight. It was supposed to be heavyweight boxing. We've
seen Tyson Fury at three hundred pounds and it didn't
make a difference. There are no weight restrictions in heavyweight boxing.

Speaker 1 (48:03):
This is a sham and the fact that this is
an actually, this is not an exhibition. This is an actual, real,
honest to goodness fight supposedly, but I mean again, it's
not an exhibition. But yes, you have all these restrictions,
like you mentioned, Joshua can't weigh more than two hundred
and forty five pounds. They're doing the ten ounced gloves,

(48:26):
three eight minute rounds. If you've got to have all
these stipulations. How can it be a real fight if
you want to do it as an exhibition. Fine, I
take exception when it becomes a real fight, but you
put all these caveats on it.

Speaker 2 (48:42):
I've seen a couple photos of the two of them together,
look like they shot paintball guns or something, maybe did
a social media video. It doesn't impress me. When two
friends are going to get in and have a sparring match,
you can call it a real fight. You can say
it's not fixed, that there might be a gentleman's agreement
not go so hard. It doesn't impress me.

Speaker 1 (49:05):
I hope Anthony Joshua was getting a really big payday,
and I'm sure he is. Yeah. I don't mean yeah.
It has to be brought up because of the sheer
spectacle of it, but it doesn't mean we have to
like it.

Speaker 2 (49:26):
It's just it's it's combative entertainment garbage.

Speaker 1 (49:32):
I guess I guess what ouse you got, Micah.

Speaker 2 (49:36):
You know what I brang up earlier, the lack of
our knowledge of the new calendar for the UFC uh huh,
because we have no fight announcements this week, like last week.
Everything was for the December twelfth events, so your money.
Do you think the pay per view week is there

(49:58):
a press conference or do you think, yeah, we're totally
waiting for the relationship to sizzle before there's an announcement
press conference.

Speaker 1 (50:07):
Oh no, I'm the leading up to twenty three. Yeah,
I have no doubt they'll be a press conference. They'll
roll out first quarter of twenty twenty six. Uh, stuff
and all that. Yeah, one hundred percent.

Speaker 2 (50:21):
Okay, just wondering because it is a full week without financement.
So that's where I started thinking, there have to be
people in camp right now. It's November. You have to
be in camp. You've got a pay per view. January February,
you've got a pay per view.

Speaker 1 (50:33):
You got to sell in January. Yeah. Uh, if we
don't hear about it before, certainly two twenty three fight week,
one hundred percent, no doubt about it. Do we still
call them pay per views at this moment?

Speaker 2 (50:45):
Do we?

Speaker 1 (50:46):
Probably? Not?

Speaker 2 (50:46):
Like tampole event numbered event.

Speaker 1 (50:50):
They probably become pls like like ww E. Does premium
live events.

Speaker 2 (50:56):
Really a stretch there to differentiate them?

Speaker 1 (50:59):
Well, I don't think there's the reason they're the same
thing as far as it's a pay per view, but
it's not a pay per view, so it's a premium
live event. I mean, you know, you don't have to
reinvent the wheel.

Speaker 2 (51:14):
We had just brang up that sport that I swear
is kind of dead. I mean, this weekend, do you
haven't any interest in the four Kings? You have David
Benevitez thirty and oh versus Demitrius Jarde twenty seven and
three WBC light heavyweight titles on the line, Devin Haney
thirty two and oh Brian Norman Junior twenty eight to

(51:34):
zero WBO welterweight title on that one, abdul Mason Sam
Snokes WBO lightweight title. Both of them are unbeaten prospects.
This is gonna be big test for both Jesse Ben
Rodriguez Fernando Martinez, Like eight of Rodriguez's belts are on
the line in this one. Any interest from you on

(51:59):
what on paper? If boxing has any kind of fucking pulse,
this should matter because these are dare I say, real
pugilists in their prime, who are pugilists and not focused
on being influencers, slursayers, leged abusers and women like there's

(52:23):
so many other things that boxers are trying to do
besides box. For the most part, these eight dudes are
all boxers.

Speaker 1 (52:29):
Uh, this is intriguing, but you have to put boxing
in its place in twenty twenty five, and quite honestly,
it gets overshadowed by the UFC fight night in Katar.

Speaker 2 (52:42):
At least you have Qatar in the day. I believe
this is in the evening, so they separate themselves in this.
DeAndre again, this is a ring event, so Turkey boxing
is all that matters. We've been told by now this
is one of his events. And for Bena Vetez, he
has already given up easily and rightfully on that fantasy

(53:02):
of a Canela Alvarez fight. Canelo does not want to
smoke from the massive Mexican monster, and instead this could
be a very nice audition to get Bivol or better BF.

Speaker 1 (53:14):
No, I'm with you, but yes, it does get overshadowed
by the fight night. But we'll see how they do,
and good luck to them.

Speaker 2 (53:23):
And you said it fight night, fight morning. I believe
it's like ten a m. On the east, so we're
talking about like seven o'clock, like chasing the sun. If
you're in the Pacific, the UFC in Qatar for the
first time.

Speaker 1 (53:43):
Yep prelims ten am Eastern on Plus and one pm
Eastern for the main card, also on ESPN Plus.

Speaker 2 (53:51):
Just off the top, what letter grade on paper do
you give to this card? Because correct me if I'm
wrong that this ship kind of rivals the New Orleans
pay per view that we got. I mean, it's it's
almost that damn good. I mean, maybe Max Holloway was
a bigger star, but all at all, this is this

(54:12):
is pretty hafty.

Speaker 1 (54:13):
I think for a fight night, this main card is
really loaded. You got a lot of guys with numbers
by their names, a lot of both guys in the
same fight with numbers by their I think on the
main card there's only one fight where both guys aren't ranked,
and that's the the Hermanson fight. This is a really

(54:34):
good fight night card, really good.

Speaker 2 (54:38):
What on a storyline basis intrigues you the most, because
I think that for me, the storylines come out of
the co main event might even top that of the
main event.

Speaker 1 (54:50):
Well from the main event, Armin Serukian, if he beats
Stan Hooker in ten seconds, he's still getting a title shot,
So that's kind of a bummer for him. Yeah, I
think there's much more intrigue out of the Komain Blah
Mohammad and Iam Machado Gary h for sure, But I mean,
I get if we're gonna play the game. I guess

(55:11):
maybe there's some implications with Hooker and Serukian, but I
don't think Tapori is fighting either one of them. Next.

Speaker 2 (55:22):
Can someone earn a title shot off of a win here?
Is there a possibility of a big enough performance in
the Komain event to earn a title shot? That's what's
most intriguing to me, because well, there's speculation of Dana
White privilege. I could tell you data doghouse is a
real thing, and Arminsar Yukian might as well, like start

(55:44):
digging dirt in there so he could get his plot
of where he wants to be buried, because I don't
know if he's ever getting out of there.

Speaker 1 (55:51):
He's grappled healthy.

Speaker 2 (55:53):
On three major platforms this year since his back injury, Like, hey,
I got my back figured out, Hey we're good to go.
Dana is doubled down on you didn't want to fight
for the UFC lightweight titled Like you said, I don't
know if he can do something to get himself in
position for a title fight that I think is already

(56:14):
booked anyway.

Speaker 1 (56:16):
Yeah, no, I don't think Seruki in anytime soon is
digging himself out of By the way, since we're talking
about a challenger for Taporia, I want to go back
real quick. It is eleven champ Champs, so we were
we had that conversation a second ago. Is at ten
or is at eleven? It is actually eleven? But no,

(56:36):
you know who I did not have on that list exactly. Yeah.
I don't see Seruki and getting a title shot with
a win here for him. That's unfortunate. I don't see
it happen. You asked about the Komain event, cause one
of these guys work their way into a title shot.
If something happens to Kamara Usman in training or something
and he's hurt and can't fight, I still think they

(56:58):
probably wait, But I mean I could. I guess I
can see a scenario with a Mohammed win that he
works his way in. I don't know about Ian Gary maybe,
but at that point in time, I think protest Rochmanov morales,
They're all like, hold on, hold on, what about me.

(57:23):
So to answer your question, maybe Muhammed, but I think
that's a bit of a stretch. I'm gonna go no,
how about that.

Speaker 2 (57:30):
I'll just answer your question no, over Ali's dead body.
Either one of them makes enough of a case to
get past Oustsman and Islam. He has found a golden
payday for himself. I don't think he's letting that one go.
Whether that's fair to anyone in the division, to any
of us who might be subscribing to Paramount or not.

(57:53):
Hopefully that one's not a pay per view.

Speaker 1 (57:58):
Look that being said, I like both these fights, your
Maine and your Comaine. Serukian and Hooker should be good.
Mohammad and Gary should be really good as well. But
I think definitely that Comaine, you're kind of stuck in
a holding pattern. I mean, if no one else is ready,

(58:20):
maybe Dan, it just has to say fuck it, Arman,
go out there and you're asked, better show up, you
better make weight, and you're back. Better be fine, or
we're gonna wheel you out there and dump your ass
in the octagon. But I think that's probably kind of
far fetched as well.

Speaker 2 (58:34):
I'm assuming justin gay chie versus Iliot Saporia is already
getting ready in the wings. I haven't looked at the
betting odds. I don't know if you want to pull
those up. But Armin's are Yukian Dan Hooker, we kind
of all understand where this one goes. We understand where
they're both going to be effective. It's can Hooker shut
downs a Yukean's wrestling and force them into a striking battle.

(58:58):
So Yukan's strength, his his grappling, his ability to change train,
be able to chain it together. He has a double
leg a single leg. He can get the trips. He
is great at taking your back, returning you to the mat.
His control has been overwhelming. We saw it against Charles
olvera constantly improving on the feet. I don't know if

(59:19):
you're overtly concerned about Sir Yukian on the feet, but
you know he does throw with real intentions. So all
of those are his bright spots. On the other side,
Dan Hooker, he does have striking power. Not an overwhelming
knockout artist, but the guy will hit you hard. He's
an underrated finisher who creates angles. It really his best

(59:40):
attributes come from his experience, his fight iq, his durability
and his warrior mentality. We've seen him, I believe with
Paul Felder Dust Employer. Those were two Fight of the
Year caliber hell razors in the APEX during COVID, the
guy jumps into fire and laughs fire. It's just he's

(01:00:01):
been on the sideline even longer than sar Yuki In.
He's fallen out of favor of the UFC himself. There's
a lot to be gained. I just think from those
promotional credits, like we could easily say, damn, didn't you
see Renner dear Ryder fight a lot this year? You
know who you didn't fight see fight this year? These
two guys Dana doghouse a for real thing that one

(01:00:24):
of them can climb out of, and it's Dan Hooker
has all the opportunity in the world to do it
if he can create scrambles and stay off his back.
But it's the question does the chain wrestling of sar
yuki in eventually wear down Hooker? You would most likely
think decisions sar Yuki in late TKO Hooker needs an

(01:00:44):
early knockout if he gets the victory.

Speaker 1 (01:00:48):
Dan Hooker is a underdog uh anywhere from plus three
seventy five to plus four to ten Serukian pretty solid
U minus five fifty favorite.

Speaker 2 (01:01:05):
And I'd hate to speculate because I don't really have
any leg to stand on with this theory, but I'll
say it. I feel like there's probably whatever financial entity
brought the UFC, because we know that they're into financial
entities taking them to places. Now, whoever did that is
the one that said we want Armins r.

Speaker 1 (01:01:23):
Yukian in the main.

Speaker 2 (01:01:24):
Event rather than the former world champion below Mohammed just me,
I would think that the welterweights would have been in
the main event in this scenario, former champion Ian Gary Stardom,
the two dudes who are in the main event have
kind of been in the doghouse all year. It would
have just made more sense for me for the welterweights
to have been in the main event. No hates for

(01:01:45):
the lightweights, just a conspiracy theory that I wanted to
bounce off you.

Speaker 1 (01:01:50):
How about, oh no, they're not in the doghouse. See
they're in the main event. How could they be in
the doghouse if we put them in the main event.
That's just crazy.

Speaker 2 (01:02:00):
In the comaine event, Bealel Mohammad. Both of these guys
can strike and wrestle. The difference is Belale Mohammad wants
to use his leg kicks really as an accouterment to
his boxing arsenal. He wants to mix in the boxing
with the wrestling. Ian Matero. Gary wants to use his
leg kicks keep a long distance and wants to be

(01:02:22):
able to point fight you slow down the fight. He
needs to become a more serious finisher. The interesting part
is Gary has become more confident with his grappling in
recent years and elevating his jiu jitsu training with the
Shoot the Box team and Charles Olavera. So you wonder
what it looks like when that grappling comes into play.
We've seen how the Dagistani wrestling style, that's the style

(01:02:44):
that Islam uses. Bellell also has that system in his
training routs. How that will come into play against the
jiu jitsu. It didn't fare well for Jack Della. I
also bring up this, does it make a difference or not?
I believe Belell has been in Tatar acclimating Ian Gary
was in New York for the UFC event. I wonder

(01:03:06):
if that is a detriment or is his inevitable aura
in confidence able to overcome this because we haven't seen
somebody talk things into fruition like Ian Gary does. Really
since Connor McGregor.

Speaker 1 (01:03:21):
Yeah, this one's gonna be interesting. I like both of
these fighters, but I do like Below Mohammad a little
bit more. He's coming in as the underdog. He's a
plus two hundred underdog, Gary the favorite at minus two
point fifty, which I totally get. But I do like
Below Mohammad just a little bit more. In this side.

Speaker 2 (01:03:40):
I think the concern is does Below Mohammed get old
at a point? Is it experience or is there gonna
be some rust out of point developing? Was there just
a bad game plan or are there some chinks in
the armor developing? Where Ian Gary guy feels to be

(01:04:00):
like he's on an upward trajectory and constantly adding elements
to his game each time we see him out, whether
he's been successful or not, You're like, there's improvements, there's
a different Ian Gary. That's why I almost feel like
the safe bed is Gary's gonna be a improved version.

Speaker 1 (01:04:17):
So you might as well risk that.

Speaker 2 (01:04:20):
But I don't feel like you can be secure in
either one of Muhammad or Gary. It's a straight toss
up for me in that fight. I think it's also
a toss up in the feature fight. I have that
down as the light heavyweights. I don't know if that's
changed at all. Vulcan Uzdemir Alonzo Menefield, This one could
end in a first round knockout, or we could see

(01:04:41):
two really guess that motherfucker's getting to the end of
the fifteen minutes. They both have big power in their hands.
Uzdemir a more technical kickboxer who has had the bigger
moments in his career. He's made it to the echelon
a fighting for the UFC title, but he's lost a
lot of that magic.

Speaker 1 (01:04:59):
He's been more hit.

Speaker 2 (01:05:00):
He is the more defensively responsible party in this equation.
Alonzo Menifield a bit of a resurgence. He's put away
well put in the bank, two decision victories over a
pair of prospects. They were supposed to make their bones
and take out. Menifield, the thirty eight year old showing
a bit of resurgence now that he's left Denver went

(01:05:20):
back to fordass Mma. He is the better wrestler. He's
going to have to mix the game up to be
successful against Uzdemir. If Menifield can make Uzdaemir waste some
energy against defense having to push Menifield off, you can.

Speaker 1 (01:05:34):
See Menifield feeling an upset.

Speaker 2 (01:05:35):
But I feel like when I haven't looked at the odds, Uzdemir,
with his experience, with his natural power, with his more
technical striking, should be the favorite going in.

Speaker 1 (01:05:44):
And he is. I don't have a good feeling for
this fight either way. Osdemir minus two thirty favorite, Minifield
plus one ninety underdog. Honestly, I could see this on
Wie either way.

Speaker 2 (01:05:56):
Jack Hermanson, he was kind of a long, gangly, big figure,
didn't look to have much body fat on him. At
one eighty five, he's gonna cut down a one seventy
if he can make the weight. If he can make
the weight, it's a true question of how he's gonna perform,
what his punch resistance is gonna be like in where

(01:06:18):
his gas tank is gonna be at one seventy. You
can try to imagine Superman, but I don't know if
we're gonna get that from a guy who's striking. Is
it's applicable it's not great. He hits hard and on
the other side he's taking on what the beck orl

(01:06:39):
biam So we got a we got a.

Speaker 1 (01:06:42):
Middleweight coming down.

Speaker 2 (01:06:43):
And we've got a lightweight going up. Here's the thing, though,
Jalen Turner, who's gonna be fighting for the APFC welterweight
title this weekend. He fought oral Bio. Oral Biov has
been a welterweight before LFA level, so this isn't like
a completely foreign weight cut. I believe that oral Bia
was just trying to be a massive weight bully in
the UFC. Going down one seventy, he's gonna be in

(01:07:07):
good shape. The catch wrestling is gonna be interesting because
they're both strong in the same areas. I think that
the submission game of her Manson with his chokes versus
the iron will of oral Baiev, who is just able
to facilitate, I feel more violence on the feet. That's
the breaking point between this one. Whose gas tank is

(01:07:29):
gonna last longer? Kind of can Orlbia put the damage
on that takes away her Manson's gas tank or does
he gas himself out trying to get her Manson down
so much that her Manson could slap in a choke.
I find that one to not be like the highest
level of fight. But this should be sloppy, stupid, exciting.

Speaker 1 (01:07:47):
I think it'll be exciting. I don't like her Manson's
chances here though, I really don't. He is a plus
two hundred underdog just for those interested in such things,
or by a minus two fifty favorite. We'll see how
it plays out. I don't expect good things for Jacker
Manson in this fight, though.

Speaker 2 (01:08:05):
Alex petees this is a guy that's underrated, but you
never know what to make because he's had Jekyl and
high performances. The foundation is wrestling. He has a lot
of kickbocketing experience by now for being in the UFC
alsome A la Bayev similar experience from the records when
you look at them number wise, but he has not

(01:08:26):
been on the same level of competition. So this is
again another test of has pets finally finally kind of
went over the hill? And I don't know what to
make of Sergey Spivac versus Seville Gazayev also on the
main card. The two heavyweights or that one get moved
now from the main card.

Speaker 1 (01:08:45):
No, it's still on the main card. Can you imagine
the nightmare scenario where one of them is challenging for
the heavyweight title.

Speaker 2 (01:08:53):
No, I can't imagine that some real gun will beat
one of them before that.

Speaker 1 (01:08:57):
We know what's real.

Speaker 2 (01:08:58):
God is good for.

Speaker 1 (01:09:01):
Gasie, you're right even that or Derek Lewis, Yeah, yeah, yeah,
we know.

Speaker 2 (01:09:09):
What Gaziev does. He applies pressure. He's got okay wrestling,
but he's hitable. Spivac better wrestler than striking. They're both
really hittable. They both got good strengths, but they're both
really hittable, and they both have bad cardio. I'm not
sure what to make in this fight because each time
I want to believe that Spivak is putting his game together,
he falters, and Ghaziev has just felt like he's kind

(01:09:32):
of like chugging along, climbing up this mountain, just like
digging his hands in there. He doesn't have a harness,
there's nothing to say, but but he's just climbing up
this mountain.

Speaker 1 (01:09:41):
I guess.

Speaker 2 (01:09:44):
Koiti Harragucci, there's a once upon a time where we
were really excited that he was returning to the UFC.
This was a guy that conquered Rise, and this was
a guy that can make a difference in the flyweight division.
This is a guy not even in the featured pre
limb anymore to take to Jared ulan Beckoff Ulan beckof
a tricky grappler. He's beat two prospects. The UFC really

(01:10:06):
wanted to make this matchup for some reason. Can Horgucci
handle a grappler on this level? That is the most
intriguing aspect of this fight. Horagucci, we know he's a
flashy striker. We remember him back in the day just
getting pancaked by DJ. He went to Japan, he conquered it.
He's a refined version. This is like an all in

(01:10:28):
move for Hora Gucci. So it's an intriguing fight. I
just feel like being buried down as like the third
prelim from the top. The UFC has ran out of
real faith of what this could be for Hora Gucci.

Speaker 1 (01:10:43):
Some of the odds makers. By the way, he's a
plus one sixty five hunderdog.

Speaker 2 (01:10:48):
Yeah, levels to this, we're being told those levels to this. Also,
there might be Kaiasi Kara fatigue. That guy might have
scared everybody away from the betting gods. So there's a
lot I feel for Horagucci as far as prospects. Neuralo
Oliev ten to zero second fight in the UFC great
one on the Contender Series. He did not falter in

(01:11:10):
his debut. He gets Shaq Rock. We'll see what the
twelve one on one fighter has to offer. I have
not looked at Rock really that well. I've seen a
few highlights from Nordyev. Interested to see what he does
or Oliev. Excuse me, also Luke Riley eleven and oh
UFC debut, Abdul rockmand yaka Iev his debut, he crushed

(01:11:33):
it on the Contender Series, and Raphael Securia is a
very nice landing spot for your UFC debut. The thirty
five year old Brazilian has not proved to have been
at this level, so I could see Hawkeyev making a
statement here in his debut.

Speaker 1 (01:11:52):
I'm with you on that again. They are in Quitar
for Fight Night, your main card, one pm Eastern on
ESPN Plus. The prelims get underway at ten am Eastern.

Speaker 2 (01:12:07):
How much of the narrative this week in the media
will be once we get to fight week not about
this event, but iliots Aporia's desire to go up to welterweight.

Speaker 1 (01:12:21):
Uh, it'll be quite a bit, don't forget guys.

Speaker 2 (01:12:25):
Also on the prelims, Alexander Taporia. Why is he bringing
up Eliot sa Poria right because baby brother is on
the card?

Speaker 1 (01:12:31):
Yep.

Speaker 2 (01:12:32):
That means the other brother gonna be on the card,
and that means we're gonna be talking mostly about Iliot
Saporia and wondering if it's right for him to try
to Jong Way leave this shit. I don't think one's
seventy is a real weight class that we should be
contemplating for Ilia Taporia right now. I think he should
be there and be talking about Sarryuki and Hooker Gaichie.

Speaker 1 (01:12:53):
I agree with you, but I'll say this, if Usman
ain't next for Islam, my money would be on Taporia.
I could see them wanting to negotiate it that way.

Speaker 2 (01:13:06):
That a very Jake Paul move of them. This looks
like the most winnable, easy fight. Kidding me, Michael Morales
is a freaking tank exactly.

Speaker 1 (01:13:13):
Micah. Tell everybody how then keep up with you man.

Speaker 2 (01:13:16):
Go over to cageminds dot com. It's Cageminds Combat Sports. News,
YouTube and Facebook. We'll be live on both of those
from my fight show. This evening got Jess Martinez Diego
Bran Dao a grappling announcement for the local scene all
coming up here later. We'll get into the bare knuckle
in the regional scene over on that show. It's at

(01:13:37):
Cage Minds Underscore, CSN TikTok x. I went down the
hole and made of threads, Instagram and all that good stuff.

Speaker 1 (01:13:45):
Awesome. Get the show on ex at MMA After Hours.
You can find me at Real Mike Carlisle. We will
talk to you next week for another episode of MMA
After Hours here on the After Hours podcast network. Love
combat Sports.

Speaker 2 (01:14:05):
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 dot com.