The MMA Vivisection Shows: 'Main Card Preview' & 'Prelims Card Preview'

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comUFC Vegas 79 isn’t too bad. No, really, we mean it. Let’s start with the fact that we got THREE ranked fights on an Apex show. They aren’t fights that are going to set the world on fire, but they’re solid and more importantly, they’re inside the Top 15. It’s also an event that seems to not have been ravaged by injury cancellations and bout reshuffling, …

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comWe’re kind of having a hard time believing this is even an Apex card. We have three ranked fights and tons of recognizable names on the bout sheet—even across the prelims. This is the exact opposite of what we’ve been getting. Is this the beginning of a new era? One where the matchmakers show that they appreciate the insane amounts of money we fans dump…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comThat’s right, folks, a UFC title will be contested on TV with no PPV purchase required. Valentina Shevchenko will attempt to reclaim her belt from Mexico’s Alexa Grasso this Saturday night and we are pumped! Even Connor has begrudgingly admitted an admiration for Valentina aka the object of his ire and disdain for several years now.Bloody Elbow is fight…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comNow before you get upset, we want to preface this with the fact that this card was positively ravaged with cancellations and late replacements, hence the title. And to be fair, there are still some interesting bouts at play here. Tracy Cortez vs. Jasmine Jasudavicius is an amazing matchup between two tough-as-nails women. Lupita Godinez vs. Elise Reed i…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.com*Note: Due to a technical issue, the first 39 seconds of the episode are missing. The issue has since been resolved. Thank you for your understanding.UFC 293 is here and from the looks of things, it’s not the best card. Sure, there’s definitely a few fun fights but you wouldn’t know which end is up by looking at the bout sheet order. Did we really need …

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comFor a quick minute or so earlier this summer, we were lulled into a sense of security by the UFC. Just hear us out for a second before you get out the butterfly nets. We already know Apex cards are the “it’s okay to miss” events, but we knew when a show was targeted for anywhere else, it would end up with better matchmaking. Yet here we are, in Paris, w…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comYep, UFC is treating Paris to an almost good card. Fight cancellations and reshuffling definitely wreaked havoc on this event but there are still some bright spots worth noting. Rose Namajunas vs. Manon Fiorot is one of them. Namajunas will present the toughest challenge to date for Fiorot and the winner here could end up facing the champ or possibly go…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comUFC Singapore is a top-loaded event with the majority of the “good fights” happening on the main card. What’s left to the prelims is a spate of barely recognizable names, and in some cases, completely unrecognizable. Not to us, of course. We know every fighter in existence, their full backgrounds, their 3rd grade report card scores—we know EVERYTHING. B…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comUFC Singapore had the chance to be great, but they chose a squash match to headline the card and now we must all worry about the Korean Zombie’s future health after his contest with Max Holloway. We would prefer that Chan Sung Jung face off against Cub Swanson but no, we have to bear witness to what will likely be a rout. And for us, that kind of kills …

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comMake no mistake, UFC 292 is a really good card. That said, Chris Weidman’s return makes all of us a little angsty. To be honest, that angst is tinged with a healthy dose of pity. If we could count the amount of times we’ve heard or read someone ask “Why?”, well, let’s just say it would be a lot. Brad Tavares isn’t exactly a spring chicken either, and ha…