MMA Fighting

Israel Adesanya has a chance to etch his name in history against Dricus du Plessis this weekend.On Saturday, du Plessis defends his middleweight title against Adesanya in the main event of UFC 305 in Perth, Australia, and in a bout that has been building for over a year with bad blood. On top of that, if Adesanya wins, he will become only the second fighter in history to win an undisputed title in one weight class three times. Can Adesanya join Randy Couture in the pantheon of MMA greats, or will du Plessis establish firm control over the 185 pound division?Ahead of this weekend's UFC pay-per-view, MMA Fighting’s Jed Meshew is joined by Mike Heck to preview the big event down in Perth, including the co-main event flyweight tilt between Kai Kara-France and Steve Erceg, the lightweight scrap between Mateusz Gamrot and Dan Hooker, the heavyweight slugfest betwween Tai Tuivasa and Jairzinho Rozenstruik, and more. Follow Jed Meshew: @JedKMeshew Follow Mike Heck: @MikeHeck_JR Subscribe to MMA FightingCheck out our full video catalogLike MMA Fighting on FacebookFollow on TwitterRead More: http://www.mmafighting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The UFC returns to pay-per-view this Saturday in Perth, Western Australia, and brings a highly anticipated title fight between Dricus du Plessis and Israel Adesanya to cap off UFC 305. What is at stake for both fighters overall, and why does it feel like the heated rivalry fight is flying under the radar? On an all-new edition of Between the Links, the panel discusses this weekend's card, the main event between du Plessis and Adesanya, and where both guys go with a title win. Additionally, topics include other storylines at UFC 305, the fallout of a lackluster UFC Vegas 95 card, Dana White's latest update on the return of Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler's response, the PFL returning this week, big fights confirmed, and much more. Host Mike Heck is joined by MMA Fighting's Jed Meshew to answer your questions about those topics, and the biggest stories in the MMA world. Follow Mike Heck: @MikeHeck_JR Follow Jed Meshew: @JedKMeshew Subscribe to MMA FightingCheck out our full video catalogLike MMA Fighting on FacebookFollow on TwitterRead More: http://www.mmafighting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

UFC 305 takes place this Saturday in Perth, Australia headlined by a middleweight title matchup between Dricus du Plessis and Israel Adesanya, so the No Bets Barred boys are back with a full breakdown of the event.Co-hosts Conner Burks and Jed Meshew kick things off with a wide-ranging discussion on the Olympics, UFC Vegas 95, and some other topics before diving into UFC 305. Can du Plessis defend his title or will Adensanya become only the second person in history to win a title three times in the UFC? Will Steve Erceg or Kai Kara-France reinsert themselves in the flyweight title picture? Can Tai Tuivasa finally bring back the shoey celebration?All that and more on this week's episode.Tune in for episode 98 of No Bets Barred. Follow Conner Burks: @connerburks Follow Jed Meshew: @JedKMeshew Subscribe to MMA FightingCheck out our full video catalogLike MMA Fighting on FacebookFollow on TwitterRead More: http://www.mmafighting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

UFC lead commentator Jon Anik joins MMA Fighting's Mike Heck to preview Saturday's UFC 305 event, the main event between Dricus du Plessis and Israel Adesanya for the middleweight title, discusses who has the most to gain and lose on the card, reacts to Belal Muhammad's welterweight title win against Leon Edwards at UFC 304, along with criticism he received from some fans about the call of the fight, talks if Shavkat Rakhmonov or Kamaru Usman is next, and much more. Follow Mike Heck: @MikeHeck_JR Subscribe to MMA FightingCheck out our full video catalogLike MMA Fighting on FacebookFollow on TwitterRead More: http://www.mmafighting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

UFC Hall of Famer and two-time Olympian Daniel Cormier joins The Fighter vs. The Writer this week to look back at an up and down week for the U.S. men's freestyle wrestling team, which went to Paris with expectations to break records but instead returned home without any gold medals. Cormier also speaks about the huge achievements by the women’s wrestling team and we look ahead at UFC 305, where Dricus du Plessis defends his title against Israel Adesanya in the main event.Subscribe to MMA FightingCheck out our full video catalogLike MMA Fighting on FacebookFollow on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Serghei Spivac made quick work of the durable veteran Marcin Tybura in the main event of UFC Vegas 95 this past Saturday night at the UFC APEX. After the win, Spivac didn't have a specific name in mind, but called for someone ranked higher, and then Jailton Almeida issued a callout of his own to Spivac. Is that the way to go for "Polar Bear" after a bounce back win?On an all-new edition of On To the Next One, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Alexander K. Lee discuss what could be next for Spivac after becoming the first fighter to submit Tybura. Additionally, future matchups are discussed for Chepe Mariscal after his dominant decision win over Damon Jackson in the co-main event, Danny Barlow after defeating Nikolay Veretennikov, along with fellow main card winners Chris Gutierrez, Yana Santos, Toshiomi Kazama, and more. Follow Mike Heck: @MikeHeck_JR Follow Alexander K. Lee: @AlexanderKLee Subscribe to MMA FightingCheck out our full video catalogLike MMA Fighting on FacebookFollow on TwitterRead More: http://www.mmafighting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Serghei Spivac bounced back in the win column impressively as he became the first fighter to ever submit Marcin Tybura in the main event of UFC Vegas 95 — while getting back one of his early UFC losses in the process. Following the quick submission win, where does Spivac go, and was it enough to save one of the toughest-to-watch fight cards of the year?MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Eric Jackman react to Saturday's Fight Night event at the APEX, Spivac's tremendous performance, and Jailton Almeida calling him out post-fight. Additionally, topics include whether or not the event was the UFC's worst of the year, the bright spots on the card including Youssef Zalal, the awful scorecard in Danny Barlow's split decision win over Nikolay Veretennikov, and much more. Follow Mike Heck: @MikeHeck_JR Follow Eric Jackman: @NewYorkRic Subscribe to MMA FightingCheck out our full video catalogLike MMA Fighting on FacebookFollow on TwitterRead More: http://www.mmafighting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A UFC heavyweight rematch tops the bill of Saturday's UFC Vegas 95 as Marcin Tybura looks to go 2-0 in the series against Serghei Spivac at the APEX. With that bout topping the 10-card slate, is this a satisfying lead-in card for next weekend's UFC 305 event in Perth?Ahead of the card, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Eric Jackman preview the latest UFC Fight Night card, the main event between Tybura and Spivac, give their predictions for the contest, and discuss the stakes. Additionally, they'll talk multiple fighters missing weight for their bouts, the co-main event between the surging Chepe Mariscal and featherweight veteran Damon Jackson, look to some of the low-key bangers on the card, and much more. Follow Mike Heck: @MikeHeck_JR Follow Eric Jackman: @NewYorkRic Subscribe to MMA FightingCheck out our full video catalogLike MMA Fighting on FacebookFollow on TwitterRead More: http://www.mmafighting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

MMA Fighting's Mike Heck talks the welterweight division's title picture in the UFC, the talk of Kamaru Usman getting the first shot at Belal Muhammad over Shavat Rakhmonov, Francis Ngannou's MMA return being announced, Arman Tsarukyan potentially fighting for an interim lightweight title, and more.You can listen live to Heck of a Morning Tuesdays and Fridays at 10 a.m. ET on the MMA Fighting Twitter Spaces.Follow Mike Heck: @MikeHeck_JR Subscribe to MMA FightingCheck out our full video catalogLike MMA Fighting on FacebookFollow on TwitterRead More: http://www.mmafighting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A slew of massive MMA bouts were announced for both the UFC and PFL featuring some of the sport's biggest and rising stars. In the main event of UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi, Ilia Topuria defends the featherweight title against BMF champ Max Holloway, while Robert Whittaker and Khamzat Chimaev have been rebooked for the co-main event. On an all-new edition of Between the Links, the panel reacts to the current UFC 308 lineup, the top-two fights, and where that now leaves UFC307 — which is slated to take place three weeks earlier. Additionally, topics include Francis Ngannou's MMA return announced vs. Renan Ferreira at PFL's superfight pay-per-view in October with Cris Cyborg and Larissa Pacheco serving as the co-main event, Umar Nurmagomedov defeating Cory Sandhagen in the main event of UFC Abu Dhabi, and where that puts his stock at 135 pounds, and much more. Host Mike Heck moderates the matchup between MMA Fighting's Jed Meshew and the Co-Main Event Podcast's Ben Fowlkes. Follow Mike Heck: @MikeHeck_JR Follow Jed Meshew: @JedKMeshew Follow Ben Fowlkes: @benfowlkesMMA Subscribe to MMA FightingCheck out our full video catalogLike MMA Fighting on FacebookFollow on TwitterRead More: http://www.mmafighting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices