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Cageside with John Morgan is a weekly video podcast that will breakdown and preview everything in the world of Mixed Martial Arts, including hard hitting interviews by some of the biggest stars in the sport. John Morgan is an award winning journalist and is widely regarded as the best MMA insider in the world.
187 Episodes
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On this episode, Eric McMahon and John Morgan look back at UFC Fight Night from Qatar, where Arman Tsarukyan and Ian Machado Garry both made claims of why they each should be next in line for a title in their respective divisions. Also, what are the guys thankful for in the past year of working in MMA? All this and more ...0:00 – Statements made at the top of UFC Qatar1:54 – Ian Machado Garry is undeniable6:47 – Belal Muhammad kept it close, despite 30-27 scores11:13 – Does Garry get the next crack at Islam Makhachev?16:53 – What the heck happened with Garry and Khamzat Chimaev?20:36 – Arman Tsarukyan dominates Dan Hooker23:57 – Tsarukyan, Justin Gaethje or Paddy Pimblett?32:10 – Volkan Oezdemir, Waldo Cortes-Acosta, and UFC Qater’s other big stars38:26 – MMA Thanksgiving, with Eric and John49:43 – Is Conor McGregor really coming back now?
On this episode, Eric McMahon and John Morgan look back at UFC 322 from Madison Square Garden, where Islam Makhachev dominates Jack Della Maddalena to claim the welterweight championship. What’s next for the new champ, and how much does the upcoming fight between Belal Muhammad and Ian Machado Garry play into his plans? What’s next for Valentina Shevchenko, and could a future date with Kayla Harrison be on the horizon? All this and more ...
On this episode, Eric McMahon and John Morgan preview the massive UFC 322 card at Madison Square Garden, where Jack Della Maddalena defends his welterweight title against lightweight champion Islam Makhachev. Will the added weight hurt or help Makhachev, and where could this fight be won or lost? What are some potential “Fight of the Night” bouts on this card, and what is the Underground Main Event? All this and more ...0:00 – Was the Gabriel Bonfim vs. Randy Brown stoppage handled correctly?4:20 – Understanding the challenges officials face8:21 – Breaking down Jack Della Maddalena vs. Islam Makhachev17:16 – The influence of Khabib Nurmagomedov33:43 – Legit women’s superfight on tap with Valentina Shevchenko and Zhang Weili39:39 – Breaking down the rest of a stacked UFC 322 lineup, including Sean Brady vs. Michael Morales, Pat Sabatini vs. Chepe Mariscal53:59 – Weekend preview, and looking ahead to 2026
On this episode, Eric McMahon and John Morgan unpack everything that unfolded at UFC Fight Night 263, where Steve Garcia shined, but the big story centered around Waldo Cortes-Acosta and Ante Delija. Eric had a front row seat for it all and details the process. The guys also look ahead two weeks to a massive UFC 322 lineup at Madison Square Garden. All that, and more ...0:00 – Steve Garcia absolute dominates David Onama5:03 – Outlining a bizarre sequence of events with Cortes-Acosta vs. Delija7:45 – Mark Smith, Herb Dean got it right – here’s why15:31 – John McCarthy’y checklist looms large again18:51 – Eric’s added airtime, and the post-fight briefings32:30 – Looking ahead to UFC 322 and Jack Della Maddalena vs. Islam Makhachev38:23 – CFFC well represented at UFC 32240:39 – Weekend preview, including CFFC 148
On this episode, Eric McMahon and John Morgan recap a disappointing finish to UFC 321. What to do now about the UFC heavyweight division, and when can a Tom Aspinall vs. Ciryl Gane rematch get booked? Jon Jones and Alex Pereira agree to fight at the White House via a back-and-forth on X. Will the UFC agree? All this and more ...0:00 – Jon Jones is the big winner after UFC 3215:25 – Did Tom Aspinall simply quit after being poked in the eye?12:40 – The UFC’s heavyweight division is not in a good place20:23 – Are new gloves the answer to the eye poke issue?21:58 – Mackenzie Dern is a world champion24:36 – Tom Aspinall wants to box?33:38 – Is Conor McGregor really making a comeback?37:58 – Usman Nurmagomedov to UFC, and the state of the PFL44:17 – What will ESPN’s coverage of UFC look like next year?47:25 – Eric puts his foot down when it comes to streaming services52:36 – Looking at Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 263
On this episode, Eric McMahon and John Morgan look back at UFC Vancouver, where Brendan Allen left Reinier de Ridder on the stool heading into round 5. What is next for both men? Referee Dan Miragliotta in a little bit of controversy, but how should it all really have played out? UFC 321 is this weekend. Can Ciryl Gane take Tom Aspinall into the later rounds? All this and more ...0:00 – Did Dan Miragliotta screw up in Kyle Nelson vs. Matt Frevola?10:25 – How should Mike Malott vs. Kevin Holland have been handled?26:04 – Brendan Allen is exactly who we thought he was37:32 – Will Ciryl Gane be able to take Tom Aspinall into deep waters?49:44 – Breaking down Virna Jandiroba vs. Mackenze Dern54:58 – Will Jon Jones play a role at UFC 321?
On this episode, Eric McMahon and John Morgan break down everything that happened at UFC 320 and what it means moving forward. Will Alex Pereira fight Jon Jones at the White House? Will Jiri Prochazka and Carlos Ulberg meet for a vacant light heavyweight title. Plus, who else shined bright at T-Mobile Arena. Meanwhile, Eric might need to relocate to Las Vegas – Power Slap last week, Dana White’s Contender Series this week!! All this and more ...0:00 – Eric believes Power Slap may be the greatest spectator sport around9:49 – Alex Pereira absolutely dominates at UFC 32020:50 – Will “Poatan” face Jon Jones next?30:05 – Would Conor McGregor accept a co-main event at the White House?33:18 – Merab Dvalishvili outguns a game Cory Sandhagen38:05 – Jiri Prochazka is crazy in the best possible way – but what about Carlos Ulberg?43:33 – Joe Pyfer, Ateba Gautier take big steps forward48:59 – Previewing UFC Rio and Charles Oliveira vs. Mateusz Gamrot53:10 – Looking ahead to Dana White’s Contender Series, CFFC 147, and more
On this episode, Eric McMahon and John Morgan dive into the upcoming UFC 320 card. What is the path to victory for former UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira? Can he control the center of the cage in the rematch, or will Magomed Ankaleav prove once again why he is the king of the 205-pound division. Merab Dvalishvili vs. Cory Sandhagen and Jiri Prochazka vs. Khalil Rountree Jr. preview. All this and more ...0:00 – CFFC 146 recap5:53 – Carlos Ulberg earned a title shot at UFC Perth14:21 – Was the right call made in Neil Magny vs. Jake Matthews?20:39 – A quick cameo from Ethan McMahon21:59 – Should Matthews appeal the result?26:26 – Breaking down Magomed Ankaleav vs. Alex Pereira46:11 – Can Jiri Prochazka or Khalil Rountree Jr. steal Carlos Ulberg’s spot51:06 – Just three UFC pay-per-view events left55:33 – What will we see with Merab Dvalishvili vs. Cory Sandhagen?1:01:35 – Weekend preview, including CFFC NextGen 2, Power Slap, Dana White’s Contender Series, more
On this episode, Eric McMahon and John Morgan look back on the past two weeks with Noche UFC and UFC Paris. Diego Lopes delivers a “Knockout of the Year” candidate in a barnburner of a fight. Where does Jean Silva go from here, and did the “L” really hurt him? The Fighting Nerds go 0-3 in the past two weeks. Do some minor changes need to be made in training? Plus, John was on hand for Terence Crawford’s massive win over Canelo Alvarez at Allegiant Stadium. All this and more ...0:00 – An emotional week off1:55 – Boxing debuts at Allegiant Stadium, and the scene was incredible8:39 – Diego Lopes and Jean Silva showed what MMA is all about, but did Silva’s stock drop in defeat?18:27 – What is happening with the Fighting Nerds?24:51 – Kelvin Gastelum’s great win marred by terrible weight miss29:17 – What does the future hold for Noche UFC?32:18 – Final takeaways from Terence Crawford vs. Canelo Alvarez, and what TKO Boxing and UFC ca do in 202641:00 – Looking ahead to UFC Perth and Carlos Ulberg vs. Dominick Reyes48:15 – Counting down to UFC 320 and some big moves in the light heavyweight division52:01 – Previewing Saturday’s CFFC BJJ 1556:14 – Looking ahead to CFFC 146 at 4 Bears Casino & Lodge in North Dakota, and what’s going on with Bilal Hasan?
On this episode, Eric McMahon and John Morgan are joined by a special guest Dustin “Five” Starr, owner of Memphis Wrestling, to give a little more insight as to how an incident like what unfolded with Raja Jackson could even happen. Will Jackson face criminal charges, and what was the level of the wrestling promotion where this took place? In addition, the guys look back at UFC Shanghai. All this and more. 0:00 – Raja Jackson makes national news in an awful way4:54 – Dustin “Five” Starr breaks down the Jackson incident from all angles16:10 – Will Knokx Pro Wrestling be found liable for Jackson’s actions?28:20 – Eric and John react to Dustin’s breakdown38:58 – Looking back at UFC Shanghai, including Johnny Walker and Kyle Daukaus41:50 – What happened to Brian Ortega?46:46 – Did Marc Goddard handle Taiyilake Nueraji’s illegal knee properly, or is Kiefer Crosbie right to complain?1:04:24 – Previewing Saturday’s CFFC 145
On this episode, Eric McMahon and John Morgan look back at UFC 319, where Khamzat Chimaev dominated Dricus Du Plessis over five rounds to become the new middleweight champion of the world. Who is next for the new champ – and why? All this and more ...0:00 – What to make of Khamzat Chimaev’s dominant win over Dricus Du Plessis9:00 – Du Plessis was beaten in the basics15:41 – Eric makes the case for a rematch25:21 – Making the case for Reinier de Ridder, Anthony Hernandez, Nassourdine Imavov, Caio Borralho – and Bo Nickal?!?34:27 – Michael “Venom” Page delivers yet again36:21 – Booking Chimaev’s first title defense42:52 – Aaron Pico suffers another heart breaking setback, while Lerone Murphy gets a title shot48:08 – Singing the praises of Carlos Prates and Tim Elliott49:55 – CFFC champ Eric Nolan steps up against future UFC star Baisangur Susurkaev53:40 – Eric’s tales from the road in Arkansas, and some breaking Danny Barlow news1:02:28 – Weekend preview, including UFC Shanghai
On this episode, recorded just before the news of the UFC’s massive new TV deal was announced, Eric McMahon and John Morgan can’t hold back their excitement in anticipation of UFC 319.Will Khamzat Chimaev be able to get the takedown early or prove he has the cardio to go all five rounds? Or will Dricus Du Plessis be able to sprawl and brawl his way to a defense of his world title? All this and more. 0:00 – Just how good is Anthony Hernandez?7:45 – Breaking down the Herb Dean point deduction some may have missed10:36 – The incredible (and scary) “Knockout of the Year” from Elijah Smith16:03 – Quick highlights from the rest of UFC on ESPN 7217:09 – Fights don’t get much better than Dricus Du Plessis vs. Khamzat Chimaev26:57 – Eric’s breakdown of the UFC 319 headliner37:08 – Should Chimaev break from his normal approach?45:36 – Du Plessis win paves the road to Africa for the UFC50:19 – Don’t sleep on Lerone Murphy vs. Aaron Pico56:38 – Looking at the rest of UFC 319, and the return of Dana White’s Contender Series
Eric McMahon and John Morgan return to look back at Dustins Poirier’s retirement fight at UFC 318. What could the future look like for Max Holloway at 155 pounds, and is Poirier a UFC Hall of Famer? Looking ahead to UFC 319, and can Dricus Du Plessis prove the oddmakers wrong and successfully defend his title vs Khamzat Chimaev? All this and more. 0:00 – WWE did CM Punk dirty4:29 – “WWE: Unreal” on Netflix and lessons from professional wrestling12:13 – Looking back at Dustin Poirier’s retirement fight18:05 – Does Max Holloway deserve a title shot next?21:40 – Does Dustin Poirier belong in the UFC Hall of Fame?27:29 – Looking ahead to Dricus Du Plessis vs. Khamzat Chimaev40:13 – Breaking down Keith Peterson’s between-rounds stoppage at PFL53:11 – Highlights from UFC on ESPN 7155:16 – Looking ahead to UFC on ESPN 72, Dana White’s Contender Series
Marcus Buchecha is widely considered to be one of the greatest Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioners of all time, claiming an incredible 13 IBJJF black belt world titles, along with a pair of ADCC World Championships. On Saturday, July 26, Buchecha makes his UFC debut, facing ranked heavyweight Martin Buday in Abi Dhabi.
On this episode, Eric McMahon and John Morgan look back at UFC on ESPN 70. Was it a bad decision in the Gabriel Bonfim vs. Stephen Thompson co-main event? Derrick Lewis wows the Nashville crowd both with his fight and post-fight antics. Looking ahead to UFC 318 – where do the strengths and weaknesses lie for both men in this highly intriguing retirement fight for Dustin Poirier? All this and more...0:00 – Eric recounts his UFC Nashville experience6:12 – First assignment: Valter Walker with the nasty submission8:21 – Did the judges get it right with Gabriel Bonfim vs. Stephen Thompson?13:25 – Derrick Lewis, bona fide superstar16:42 – Breaking down Jason Herzog’s stoppage26:24 – The greatest post-fight of all time?31:53 – Quick shout out to Fatima Kline and Lauren Murphy33:30 – Breaking dwon Max Holloway vs. Dustin Poirier 343:22 – How will the crowd react for this incredible main event?47:20 – What else to look for at UFC 31849:18 – We told you Jon Jones was going to fight Tom Aspinall at the White House53:21 – Previewing CFFC 144, featuring CM Punk and Michelle Waterson-Gomez
Louisiana’s own Brendan Allen is excited for the chance to compete at UFC 318, which takes place Saturday, July 19 at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, but he’s not giving local legend Dustin Poirier too much love ahead of his retirement fight in the night’s main event – at least not while “The Diamond” is in the same gym as Allen’s opponent, Marvin Vettori.Allen discusses the honor of competing in Louisiana, the importance of a victory, a longstanding beef with Vettori, a move to Chicago to train with Belal Muhammad and Valle Flow Striking, and much more while speaking to Grind City Media’s John Morgan.
On this episode, Eric McMahon and John Morgan look back at a wild and crazy International Fight Week, headlined by UFC 317. Eric convinces John to adjust his pound-for-pound rankings, where Ilia Topuria reigns supreme. Will a UFC happen at the White House next year? If it does come to fruition, who is big enough to headline that card? Looking ahead to all the amazing UFC cards in the next two months, and Sean Strickland goes full Sean Strickland. All this and more. 0:00 – Epic International Fight Week ends in frustrating fashion – but it was worth it2:12 – Eric’s experience at Power Slap 137:40 – Ilia Topuria is the UFC’s No. 1-ranked pound-for-pound fighter12:48 – Joshua Van is a star15:15 – Gregory Rodrigues delivers a vicious KO, and the NSAC explains their process19:42 – Donald Trump announces the UFC is coming to the White House23:46 – Who could headline a White House event?30:23 – Eric will be in action at UFC Nashville33:44 – Previewing the UFC’s summer schedule – and it looks good!!41:16 – Sean Strickland and Chris Curtis make headlines at Tuff-N-Uff51:53 – Eric’s big weekend, and a moment for his family
On this episode, Eric McMahon and John Morgan dive deep into UFC 317, where Ilia Topuria takes on Charles Oliveira for the vacant UFC lightweight championship. Will Topuria’s power carry over to lightweight, and can he compete with Oliveira on the ground? Jon Jones retires from MMA, ending any chance with a showdown with Tom Aspinall – at least for now. How much did his new legal troubles impact his decision? All this and more. 0:00 – A brief look back at UFC Baku2:10 – The odd announcement that Jon Jones has retired8:21 – Is Jon Jones the Greatest of All-Time?15:49 – Breaking down Ilia Topuria vs. Charles Oliveira30:20 – Will Alexndre Pantoja roll against Kai Kara-France?31:16 – What to expect from Beneil Dariush vs. Renato Moicano35:34 – Brandon Royval vs. Joshua Van is pure fireworks37:07 – UFC BJJ 1, Power Slap 13, UFC X, and more43:29 – The sad downward spiral of Pat Miletich45:59 – The latest on the UFC’s new broadcast deal53:36 – Frosty beverage preview
Undefeated 2024 PFL women’s flyweight champion “Dangerous” Dakota Ditcheva has quickly become one of the most recognizable faces of the promotion and appears on a path to superstardom. After a brief hiatus, the 26-year-old finisher is set to return to action on Saturday, July 19, where she will take on Sumiko Inaba at the organization’s historic PFL Africa 1 event, which streams live in the United States on the PFL app from Cape Town, South Africa.Ahead of that matchup, Dakota spoke with Grind City Media’s John Morgan.0:00 – Reliving an incredible 2024 title run1:52 – “Bro, we’ve actually done it”2:24 – Shifting from a tournament run to PFL Champions Series5:10 – Breaking down Sumiko Inaba matchup, and full 2025 plans6:57 – Becoming a face of PFL MMA9:38 – Taking inspiration from teammate Kayla Harrison12:06 – “I’m getting in there the same amount of violence, if not 10 times more”
On this episode, Eric McMahon and John Morgan look back at UFC on ESPN 69 from Atlanta, where Kamaru Usman showed the world he is still at the top of the welterweight division. What are some potential upcoming fights for the former champion? Wild scene in the Paul Craig vs. Rodolfo Bellato fight. Real or Fake? Was the No Contest the right call? Eric’s experience in the PFL – and did he mess up? All this and more ...0:00 – Kamaru Usman delivers a vintage performance8:58 – Gauging Joaquin Buckley’s future13:39 – Was Rodolfo Bellator faking his injuries?21:19 – Should Paul Craig have been disqualified?25:57 – Malcolm Wellmaker is a star in the making28:00 – Eric breaks down his wild experience at PFL39:15 – Does the “ref cam” making an official’s job more difficult?46:29 – Looking ahead to a fun lineup at UFC Baku51:04 – Eric and John’s plan for International Fight Week
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