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.comDid you know that since 2020, more than 50% of all UFC cards have been held at the Apex? And we all know that every time an event is held there, an angel loses its wings. UFC Vegas 86 is no different, as many already know, simply by looking at the name of the event. These days, having “Vegas” in the title is a signal that the matchmakers did their level…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comUFC Vegas 85 is kind of a mixed bag. The main card is solid—not great, but solid. However, the prelims are a whole other story. From the ultra softball match the promotion is giving Molly McCann to the lack of any name value aside from Molly’s, this undercard is a stinker.Bloody Elbow is fighting for the sport, the fighters and the fans. If you share ou…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comUFC Vegas 85 might not be everyone’s cup of tea but it’s got several ranked fighters and an important main event, even if it’s not really a fight that will hit the casual fan’s radar. And since it’s at the Apex—where only the cameramen will clap, and the lone heckler that paid a small fortune to sit cageside and shout how the athletes are losers—it happ…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comWe were pretty happy with the main card of UFC 297, but the preliminary portion leaves a lot to be desired. We can’t figure out how this undercard was paired with the five fights that will come after it. From the lack of ranked fighters to the dearth of name value, we think it’s kind of a stinker.Bloody Elbow is fighting for the sport, the fighters and …

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comUFC 297 is here to kick off the promotion’s first PPV of the year and they’re doing it in Ontario, Canada. While the main card has an almost weird vibe, it’s a very good lineup of fights. The top two contests are title bouts, but both belts on the line are from two of the three weakest divisions, the third being heavyweight.Bloody Elbow is fighting for …

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comUFC is back, baby! And by “back,” we mean back at the Apex. But, all is not lost, as the prelims are actually kind of good. That said, don’t let the featured prelim fool you, because that fight is very likely going to be bad. It’s a heavyweight fight, after all, and we know how those go when the top of the division isn’t fighting.Bloody Elbow is fightin…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comAfter an entire month away, the UFC is back to the old grindstone, and trust me, the Apex is the old grindstone these days. And what do we get for all these long nights we waited for your return? A rematch nobody ever asked for that a whole bunch of people seem to not care much about.Bloody Elbow is fighting for the sport, the fighters and the fans. If …

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comUFC 296 is how you end a tumultuous year that has seen some of the biggest news in years. From Francis Ngannou making the biggest free agency move the sport has ever seen to the antitrust lawsuit updates, 2023 was jam-packed with headlines, and most were not encouraging.Bloody Elbow is fighting for the sport, the fighters and the fans. If you share our …

We’ve all been wowed by the stellar bout sheet for UFC 296. It’s kind of hard not to. Even the curtain-jerker is a killer match-up. Who wouldn’t want to watch Randy Brown put to the test by Muslim Salikhov? And as you move up from there, the great fights just keep showing up. Bloody Elbow is fighting for the sport, the fighters and the fans. If you share our mission, please consider becoming a paid subscriber today.And when is the last time we didn’t complain about the heavyweights? The weakest of the men’s divisions doesn’t produce enough talent outside the top 10 to really make us sit up and take notice, but pairing 11-0 Gaziev up with 13-1 Buday is genius booking for 265.Eight fights comprise the prelims and all eight are worth checking out. If they don’t provide serious movement in the rankings, they provide potential for what every fan craves, certified bangers. Bryce Mitchell vs. Josh Emmett in the featured prelim spot is also another bit of genius matchmaking. Let’s take a look at the rest of the undercard:UFC 296 Prelims* Josh Emmett  vs.  Bryce Mitchell 145 lbs* Irene Aldana  vs.  Karol Rosa 135 lbs* Cody Garbrandt  vs.  Brian Kelleher 135 lbs* Casey O'Neill  vs.  Ariane Lipski 125 lbs* Alonzo Menifield  vs.  Dustin Jacoby 205 lbs* Tagir Ulanbekov  vs.  Cody Durden 125 lbs* Andre Fili  vs.  Lucas Almeida 145 lbs* Shamil Gaziev  vs.  Martin Buday 265 lbs* Randy Brown  vs.  Muslim Salikhov 170 lbsThat said, there are a few minor annoyances with a couple of the fights but nothing that seriously detracts from the card. We’ll go through those , but again, it’s nothing that impedes or takes away from the event.Don’t forget to check out the bonus section for a great review of the UFC Vegas 83 preliminary card. Make sure to tune in immediately after this weekend’s fights for breakdowns and analysis on our 6th Round Post-Fight Show.Thank you for reading this article and listening to the podcast. Please consider subscribing to the Bloody Elbow Substack to enjoy our daily premium content. Your paid subscriptions are helping build our new site and keeping hope alive that our staff will remain intact. If you haven’t already, please pledge with a paid subscription today. If you have, please share this post far and wide.Follow us as @BloodyElbow on twitter, facebook, instagram, and at BloodyElbow.Substack.com & BloodyElbowPodcast.Substack.com.Thank you for reading and listening to the MMA Vivisection. This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comRising stars sometimes get put in a padded bubble, especially if it’s one the UFC wants to focus their energy on. Tatsuro Taira seems to be just such an athlete. This match-up with Carlos Hernandez certainly feels like those kid gloves were on when Sean Shelby and/or Mick Maynard put names in the sorting hat and pulled Carlos’ name from the depths of th…