MMA Fighting

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

The UFC is back to the world's most famous APEX.This Saturday, the UFC returns Sin City for UFC Vegas 95, headlined by a heavyweight rematch between Marcin Tybura and Serghei Spivac and 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 brief UFc Abu Dhabi and their unfortunate weekends before diving into this Saturday's event. Can "Surging" Serghei Spivac exact revenge on Marcin Tybura? Why is one of the top-15 women's bantamweight matchups buried on the prelims? Was this card truly necessary?All that plus some more Olympics talk on this week's episode.Tune in for episode 97 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

The UFC's annual pay-per-view event in Abu Dhabi has an incredible main event with Ilia Topuria defending his featherweight title against BMF champion Max Holloway at UFC 308. With plans for that matchup expected to take place earlier in October at UFC 307, that leaves a glaring hole in the headline spot for that card.On an all-new edition of Heck of a Morning, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck reacts to Dana White announcing Topuria vs. Holloway as the main event for the Oct. 26 card, Robert Whittaker vs. Khamzat Chimaev as the co-main event, and other bouts announced and confirmed. Additionally, topics include what will now headline UFC 307 on Oct. 5, if the promotion would go to Arman Tsarukyan fighting for the interim lightweight title with Islam Makhachev injured, Dana White's recent comments about Tom Aspinall, and much 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

On the latest episode of The Fighter vs. The Writer, UFC legend Matt Brown and Damon Martin discuss what comes next for Tony Ferguson after an eighth straight loss in the UFC, Sean O’Malley’s head coach Tim Welch getting into a war of words with Merab Dvalishvili, Umar Nurmagomedov’s win over Cory Sandhagen and Brown’s experience working with a four-time Olympic gold medalist from Cuba.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

Umar Nurmagomedov continues to live up to the hype as he added longtime contender Cory Sandhagen to his hit list Saturday in the main event of UFC Abu Dhabi. Despite a stiff challenge from Sandhagen, Nurmagomedov persevered and won a convincing decision on the scorecards, possibly booking his ticket for a title shot. Is he set to face off with the winner of the UFC 306 main event between Sean O’Malley and Merab Dvalishvili?On an all-new edition of On To the Next One, MMA Fighting’s Alexander K. Lee and special guest Jed Meshew discuss what’s next for Nurmagomedov as he ran his record to 18-0. Additionally, future matchups are discussed for Sandhagen after a valiant effort, Shara Magomedov coming off of his first Fight of the Night bonus, Deiveson Figueiredo after he beat Marlon Vera to improve to 3-0 at 135 pounds, as well as Michael Chiesa, Mackenzie Dern, Joel Alvarez, and more. Follow Mike Heck: @MikeHeck_JR Follow Alexander K. Lee: @AlexanderKLee 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

Umar Nurmagomedov delivered the best performance of his career, taking a unanimous decision over Cory Sandhagen at UFC Abu Dhabi to stake his claim for a bantamweight title shot. The MMA Fighting team breaks down Umar's big win and the rest of the Saturday's card, including Deiveson Figueiredo continuing to climb the bantamweight ranks, Shara Magomedov authoring the best performance of his career, Tony Ferguson finally (maybe) calling it quits, and Mackenzie Dern getting back on the winning track. Follow Jed Meshew: @JedKMeshew Follow Eric Jackman: @NewYorkRic Follow José Youngs: @JoseYoungs 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

Cory Sandhagen and Umar Nurmagomedov face off in the main event of UFC AbuDhabi this Saturday and the stakes could hardly be higher.Though not confirmed by UFC officials, the winner of this main event fight figures to be next in line for the #UFC bantamweight title, after Sean O’Malley and Merab Dvalishvili settle their business later this year. Will Sandhagen finally get a shot at the title or will Nurmagomedov prove the hype behind him is real?Ahead of this weekend’s UFC event, MMA Fighting’s Jed Meshew is joined by Alexander K. Lee and Jose Youngs to preview the entire card, including the main event stakes between Sandhagen and Nurmagomedov, the other bantamweight main card fight between Marlon “Chito” Vera and former flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo, the possible last ride of former interim champion Tony Ferguson, and more. Follow Jed Meshew: @JedKMeshew Follow Alexander K. Lee: @AlexanderKLee Follow José Youngs: @JoseYoungs 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

At UFC 304, Belal Muhammad made the MMA world eat crow, upsetting Leon Edwards to claim the welterweight title in the main event. in the co-main event, Tom Aspinall continued to stake his claim as the true best heavyweight on Earth with another 60-second demolition, this time of former foe Curtis Blaydes. Plus the rest of UFC 304 had some wild stuff happen as well.On an all-new edition of Between the Links, the panel discuss Muhammad’s big win, where Edwards goes from here, and whether Tom Aspinall or Jon Jones is the true No. 1 heavyweight in the world. Additionally, topics include Paddy Pimblett getting ranked, Muhammad Mokaev getting let go, and this weekend’s UFC Abu Dhabi card, plus more.Host Mike Heck is out this week so the most decorated combatant in BTL history, Jed Meshew, steps in to moderate the matchup between two of MMA Fighting’s own, Alexander K. Lee and New York Ric. Show goes LIVE Thursday at a special start time of 12 p.m. ET / 9 a.m. PT. Follow Jed Meshew: @JedKMeshew Follow Alexander K. Lee: @AlexanderKLee 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

The UFC is back in Abu Dhabi.This Saturday, the UFC returns to the UAE with a banger of a Fight Night card, headlined by a bantamweight bout between Umar Nurmagomedov and Cory Sandhagen and 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 brief discussion of UFC 304 and both of their winning weeks before diving into UFC Abu Dhabi. Can Nurmagomedov live up to his familial name or will Sandhagen reestablish himself as the top contender at bantamweight? Can Chito Vera rebound with a win against former flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo? Is Shara Bullet actually good?All that plus some boxing talk and even a brief chat about Olympic wrestling on this week's episode.Tune in for episode 96 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