Claim OwnershipThe Ariel Helwani Show
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“The Ariel Helwani Show” is the flagship program for Uncrowned. Every episode will feature interviews with the biggest names in combat sports, and analysis from Helwani and The Boys in the Back.
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The Craic is back! Our dynamic trio of Petesy Carroll, Chuck Mindenhall, and Ben Fowlkes return as usual.First up, the crew react to UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria teasing his return on social media (5:18).The trio also weigh in on Justin Gaethje hinting he could face Topuria next, and possibly at the White House (13:14).Attention then turns to Dana White’s appearance in ongoing UFC antitrust lawsuits, where he shed light on the scope of his current role within the company. The guys unpack the key takeaways (31:23).UFC London tickets have just dropped. With fans unhappy about the prices, the trio ask whether UFC event costs will ever come back down (41:17).There’s plenty of MMA on this weekend, too. The boys preview PFL Road to Dubai’s main event between Usman Nurmagomedov and Alfie Davis (46:13), as well as the UFC’s latest Apex fixtures (52:47).To round things out, Ben Fowlkes sheds light on his latest Uncrowned feature: The Tale of ‘Two Ton’ Tony (1:01:54), and the lads close the show with your Super Chats (1:13:07).
The Boys in the Back return with a jam-packed show that begins by chatting with BKFC founder David Feldman about Knucklemania 6 (02:28).They also react to a slew of stories, including:Dana White revealing details about the UFC business during an antitrust evidence spoliation hearing (19:40)Ilia Topuria potentially returning (39:53)Video of Jon Jones talking about his arthritis leaking (51:58)Shavkat Rakhmonov being removed from the rankings (58:57)Michael Morales taking aim at Islam Makhachev (1:02:45)Lone'er Kavanagh stepping in on short notice against Brandon Moreno (1:07:16)Gervonta 'Tank' Davis being issued another warrant (1:17:56)Floyd Mayweather suing Showtime (1:18:43)Deontay Wilder storming out of his interview with Simon Jordan (1:21:52)MVP announcing a new deal with Sky Sports and a stacked London card (1:29:12)Next, The Boys preview UFC Vegas 113 (1:31:33) and PFL Road to Dubai (1:50:26), make picks (1:57:41), listen to your voicemails (2:07:00), and answer your Super Chats (2:39:06).
Ariel Helwani hosts a face-to-face sitdown between Deontay Wilder and Derek Chisora ahead of their April 4 matchup at the O2 Arena in London.In a wide ranging conversation, both heavyweights get deep while discussing their lives, overcoming obstacles throughout their careers, and the stakes for the fight — including potential retirement for one or both.
Ariel Helwani is joined by Uncrowned's Ben Fowlkes, Shaheen Al-Shatti, and NewYorkRic for another dissection of MMA media stories.Topics include: Media's role in stories centered around fighter rights and pay (02:22), whether media should participate in a promotion's rankings panel (24:17), who Islam Makhachev should fight next (33:29), coverage of the UFC White House card (42:37), and more.
Ariel Helwani kicks off the show by reacting to Uncrowned Saturday and a busy weekend in combat sports, starting with appreciation for UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski, discussions about who will challenge next for his belt, and whether he is greater all-time than Khabib Nurmagomedov (08:24).Then, Ariel and the Boys in the Back break down the rest of UFC 325, including Benoit Saint Denis’ big win and what’s next, before touching on the Royal Rumble, the newly announced UFC London card, news of surgery for Shavkat Rakhmonov, and more (15:44).Lerone Murphy joins next to talk about his meeting with Movsar Evloev, his thoughts on the UFC 325 main event, Volkanovski’s insistence on fighting the top contender, his game plan for Evloev, and more (1:06:34).WBC featherweight champion Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington is back in-studio following his massive win at Madison Square Garden, discussing the emotion of the moment, how the event was promoted, believing in Top Rank Boxing as his promoter, Teofimo Lopez’s behavior, Jarrell Miller’s viral hair incident, and more (1:27:27).WBC president Mauricio Sulaimán joins Ariel in-studio to talk about finding Miller’s hairpiece on Saturday, Zuffa Boxing’s entry into the sport and the their mixed messaging, challenges the sanctioning bodies face, and more (2:06:24).Quillan Salkilld returns after another spectacular finish at UFC 325 to review the performance, talk about his rapid ascent at lightweight, staking his claim for a fight against the division’s top 15, and more (3:01:25).Robert Whittaker is our final guest of the day, evaluating Volkanovski’s UFC 325 showing, his interest in the broadcasting realm, potentially moving up to light heavyweight when he returns to action, and more (3:17:13).Finally, Ariel closes the show with your Super Chats (3:38:42).
Ariel Helwani reunites with Petesy Carroll and Chuck Mindenhall to break down UFC 325, starting with Alexander Volkanovski's dominant performance against Diego Lopes in their championship rematch (03:04).After a discussion about who Volkanovski should fight next, they touch on Benoit Saint-Denis' big win over Dan Hooker (26:47), Mauricio Ruffy finishing Rafael Fiziev (34:50), Tai Tuivasa coming up short against Tallison Teixeira (40:57), and another highlight reel win by Quillan Salkilld (46:11).The show closes with a look at the night's prelims (49:15) and Chuck's final thoughts (1:01:44).
The Craic returns with its regular trio of Petesy Carroll, Chuck Mindenhall, and Ben Fowlkes to see you into a stacked combat sports weekend.To get things underway, the lads react to the UFC 325 weigh-ins, including the announcement of the new weigh-in protocols (6:24).Then it’s on to the main event: Alexander Volkanovski vs. Diego Lopes. The trio discuss Volkanovski‘s retirement rumors and what a win would mean for the Australian (16:39).Attention then shifts to the co-main event, where Petesy and the crew break down what promises to be a thrilling clash between Dan Hooker and Benoit Saint-Denis (29:02).They also preview the rest of the main card (35:34) and deliver their official Uncrowned picks for each fight (39:11).In a surprise development, Patchy Mix has been released from the UFC and signed with RIZIN, drawing an immediate reaction from the chaps (48:49).Switching to boxing, the guys discuss Shakur Stevenson vs. Teofimo Lopez ahead of their highly anticipated clash this weekend (54:49).To close the show, the lads preview The Royal Rumble (59:32) and respond to your Super Chats (01:16:00).
The Boys in the Back begin the show with news and notes, including the arrest of Gervonta 'Tank' Davis (02:06), Patchy Mix debuting for RIZIN (03:26), and more (14:05).Next, they preview UFC 325 from top to bottom (19:45), before diving into Shakur Stevenson vs. Teofimo Lopez (1:23:59).Finally, they make picks (1:29:41), deliver their P4P cooks (1:32:18), listen to your voicemails (1:55:00), and answer your Super Chats (2:23:29).
Ariel Helwani starts the show by reacting to breaking news of Tyson Fury’s return to the ring and the implications of it landing on Netflix (06:06).Next, Ariel answers On The Nose questions, with topics including ads running during UFC 324, Justin Gaethje’s thrilling style and Paddy Pimblett’s chin, Alex Honnold’s terrifying climb, Josh Hokit's gimmick, veteran fighters being the last of a dying breed, and more (18:51).The Boys in the Back and Petesy Carroll join Ariel for the annual Royal Rumble lottery (1:09:19).Michael Chiesa returns, discussing his Seattle Seahawks making it to the Super Bowl, his continued broadcasting work, fans’ complaints about broadcast ads, his breakdown of the UFC 324 main event, wanting to fight Colby Covington, being booked for the UFC Seattle card, talks of retirement, surviving childhood abuse, and more (1:31:45).Conor Benn is back, joining Ariel in-studio to talk about the idea of being a role model, wanting to fight Shakur Stevenson, potential options for his next fight, believing Ryan Garcia is a liability as an opponent, Tyson Fury’s return, Zuffa Boxing’s entry into the sport, still not liking Chris Eubank Jr., and more (2:11:51).Jean Silva is our final guest of the day, breaking down his big win over Arnold Allen at UFC 324, discussing the moment when he stepped on Allen’s back, the viral video of him getting emotional while seeing the UFC belt, his prediction for Alexander Volkanovski vs. Diego Lopes 2, and more (3:07:45).Ariel covers more news and notes, before wrapping up with your Super Chats (3:36:15).
Ariel Helwani begins the show with discussions about Rose Namajunas needing eye surgery, PFL debuting rankings and their longterm viability, and UFC 325 fight week (07:05).Josh Hokit joins following his UFC 324 win over Denzel Freeman to talk about the performance, his viral promo after the fight, his current contract status, wanting to fight Tai Tuivasa, and more (31:51).Eddie Hearn is back in-studio to break down stories from the boxing world, including the Zuffa Boxing debut and signing Jai Opetaia, his rivalry with Dana White, how the governing bodies will handle UBOs, UFC fighter pay compared to revenue, Bam Rodriguez’s contract status, whether he believes iVB is viable, Anthony Joshua’s tragic accident, what’s next for Katie Taylor, and more (57:11).Ariel gives an update on the fight between Michael Johnson and Alexander Hernandez being pulled from UFC 324 due to suspicious betting activity and Rose Namajunas undergoing successful surgery (2:14:05).Arman Tsarukyan returns to discuss his recent media tour, his hatred for Paddy Pimblett, Pimblett’s lack of skills, a proposed grappling match against Colby Covington, going down to featherweight if he doesn’t get a lightweight title shot, Dana White’s comments about him, and more (2:27:26).Ariel wraps up the show with more news and notes, before answering your Super Chats (3:10:21).
Ariel Helwani begins the show with a recap of UFC 324. Joined by The Boys in the Back and Petesy Carroll, they cover the night’s main event, how it could tie into Conor McGregor’s return, UFC bonuses increasing, Paramount’s first UFC broadcast, the suspicious betting activity around Michael Johnson vs. Alexander Hernandez, and Cameron Smotherman fainting at weigh-ins, before touching on Zuffa Boxing’s debut (03:03).Alex Perez stops by following his big win over Charles Johnson at UFC 324, talks about the performance, missing weight and not being eligible for bonuses, overcoming difficulties in training camp, being confident about re-signing with the UFC, and more (1:31:17).Sean O’Malley returns, discussing his UFC 324 win over Song Yadong, the feeling of being back in the win column, his daughter being at the fight, landing significant shots to Song’s body, UFC’s increased bonuses, wanting a rematch against Petr Yan next, and more (2:02:03).Dan Hooker is back, breaking down his loss to Arman Tsarukyan, including his nose being broken by the weigh-in head-butt, explaining why he accepted a short turnaround against Benoit Saint Denis, his beef with Paddy Pimblett and their war of words, signing a new contract, the next edition of 1 Minute Scraps, and more (2:33:21).Legendary musician Travis Barker describes his love of combat sports, explains how the UFC promo he recorded came together, then gives his thoughts on UFC 324 and some upcoming fights, and more (3:06:35).Ariel wraps up the show with UFC 324 viewership numbers released by Paramount and some other news and notes, including Dana White’s latest comments about Tom Aspinall, and your Super Chats (3:41:50).
Ariel Helwani and Petesy Carroll react to UFC 324, the promotion's Paramount debut.They kick things off with the thrilling main event between Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett, which saw Gaethje become interim UFC lightweight champion (03:22).Next, they discuss this week's chatter about fighter pay and the increased bonuses announced by Dana White (20:31).After matchmaking for the UFC's lightweight division (23:52), they dive into the co-main event win by Sean O'Malley (29:30) and the rest of the card (34:23).Finally, they touch on news from the night, including referee Mark Smith tearing his ACL and the fight between Michael Johnson and Alexander Hernandez being pulled due to suspicious betting activity (49:02), before giving final thoughts on the Paramount debut (56:14).
The Craic is back! This week, the lads go all in on UFC 324.To open the show, Petesy Carroll is joined by Craic regular Ben Fowlkes and UK MMA journalist Chisanga Malata to break down this weekend’s main event: Justin Gaethje vs. Paddy Pimblett (2:30).One half of that main event, Gaethje, recently voiced his disappointment over not getting more money after the Paramount deal. Petesy and Ben react to his comments, the fallout that followed, and the state of fighter pay in 2026 (31:02).UFC 324 brings plenty of other key storylines. The boys debate whether Arman Tsarukyan should be next for the winner of the main event (46:38).Next, they dig into the fireworks bantamweight matchup between Sean O’Malley and Song Yadong (48:42), and discuss whether Waldo Cortes-Acosta vs. Ciryl Gane could be next up for the heavyweight title (51:01).On the back end of the show, Chuck Mindenhall joins from Las Vegas. Boots on the ground for the Zuffa Boxing debut, Chuck sheds light on how the event is shaping up (53:45).To close up shop, the boys give their UFC 324 picks (1:12:31), and respond to your Super Chats (1:16:45).
1The Boys in the Back kick off the show with a discussion about UFC fighter pay in the Paramount Era, sparked by Justin Gaethje's recent comments (02:35).After touching on Dana White saying he wanted a specific fighter to lose (19:53), they preview the UFC 324 main card (26:59).The Boys react in real time to White's response to Gaethje (54:14), before bringing in Ariel Helwani to talk more about fighter pay and UFC seemingly moving on from Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler (1:26:58).They break down the rest of UFC 324 (1:52:14), make picks (1:59:50), and debut a brand new Fight Feasts, featuring cuisine from the Dominican Republic (2:04:02).Finally, the Boys deliver their P4P convenience store foods and drinks (2:16:11), listen to your voicemails (2:36:14), and answer your Super Chats (3:19:53).
Ariel Helwani begins the show by reacting to Donn Davis’ PFL departure, PFL securing additional funding, and Jake Paul’s PFL partnership coming to an end (03:33).Next, Ariel answers On The Nose questions about Dana White’s recent media tour, including his reaction to the idea of Conor McGregor vs. Jorge Masvidal, Sean O’Malley’s future, UFC’s political influence, Amanda Nunes’ return, and more (16:15).Israel Adesanya is back to break down his UFC Seattle fight against Joe Pyfer, discussing how the fight came together, whether he believes he can fight for the title again, the state of the middleweight division, training with Mauricio Ruffy, his foray into DJing, and more (1:34:36).Cory Sandhagen joins the show, dissecting the UFC bantamweight division, including major UFC 324 matchups and Sean O’Malley potentially getting a title shot, then talks about Justin Gaethje’s chances against Paddy Pimblett, his time jumping rope and climbing mountains, and more (2:05:31).Michael Chandler is our final guest of the day, addressing the buzz around the White House card and giving his thoughts on Dana White’s recent comments about Conor McGregor’s return, why he should be the one to fight McGregor, Jorge Masvidal’s entry into the conversation, Paddy Pimblett vs. Justin Gaethje at UFC 324, and more (2:34:22).Ariel closes the show with an update on the Ali Revival Act, before answering a few more On The Nose questions and Super Chats (3:00:52).
Ariel Helwani kicks off the show by acknowledging Indiana University’s college football national championship (05:26).Ateba Gautier is our first guest, joining ahead of his UFC 324 fight to discuss being considered a top prospect, remaining relentlessly motivated, his game plan for Andrey Pulyaev, believing teammate Lerone Murphy should have gotten a title shot, and more (12:16).Rose Namajunas returns to preview her UFC 324 meeting with Natalia Silva, talking about being one of the most tenured current UFC veterans, what motivates her now, how her style matches up with Silva’s taekwondo, potentially fighting friend and UFC flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko, and more (34:00).Dominick Cruz is back to discuss the launch of his podcast, including the former rivals he’s had as guests, whether he has the itch to fight again, fighter pay in the post-pay-per-view era, his viral social media comment about Alexandre Pantoja’s injury, potentially competing again, Conor McGregor’s potential return, and more (1:04:55).iVB founder Ed Pereira details the company’s background, then talks about working on The Ring’s Times Square boxing event, the public event they’re trying to do in San Francisco, finding a promoter for the event, shooting down rumors of Oleksandr Usyk and Deontay Wilder being booked for the main event, and more (1:51:08).Ariel wraps up the show with some news and notes, including Katie Taylor talking retirement, footage of Gable Steveson training with Jon Jones, Max Holloway’s response to Ariel’s interview with Jorge Masvidal, and more (2:34:25).Finally, your Super Chats (3:27:52).
Ariel Helwani starts the show on a somber note, reflecting on the Buffalo Bills’ season coming to an end, before reacting to a busy weekend that included major reveals from Zuffa Boxing, Paramount’s promotional efforts for UFC 324, Dana White’s recent apathy, Arman Tsarukyan’s world tour, Alex Pereira and Jon Jones exchanging callouts, and more (12:25).Jorge Masvidal returns to talk about rumors of him potentially facing Conor McGregor, wanting to fight on the White House card, not calling in a favor with President Trump to get on the card, and his response to Max Holloway’s stance on the BMF title (1:04:21).Waldo Cortes-Acosta is back, previewing his UFC 324 fight against Derrick Lewis, revealing he wanted to fight Lewis for a long time, looking back at his baseball career, and more (1:35:07).Dustin Poirier is our final guest of the day, joining on his birthday to discuss the birth of his son Kingston, life in retirement, still missing fighting, continuing to seek broadcast opportunities, his breakdown of the UFC 324 main event and Conor McGregor’s potential return, filming the "Road House" sequel, and more (2:00:37).Ariel covers more news and notes, including Conor McGregor talking about his contract status, Alexandre Pantoja being back in the gym, Nick Diaz and Sean Strickland crossing paths in Vegas, and more (2:00:37).Finally, Ariel answers your Super Chats (3:31:59).
The Craic is back with its dynamic trio. Petesy Carroll, Chuck Mindenhall and Ben Fowlkes reunite, kicking things off with a deep dive into how the UFC’s Paramount era will shape up (2:47).Then, the guys react to Kayla Harrison dropping out of UFC 324 (28:13), how it impacts the quality of the UFC’s debut on Paramount, and whether UFC 325 shapes up as the stronger event (36:49).With Dana White at the helm of the UFC’s new deal, the trio break down his recent media appearances and how a lack of promotional push is impacting the hype around upcoming events (46:01).While the UFC prepares for its Paramount debut next week, attention turns to KSW, where rising prospect Salahdine Parnasse is set to face Marcin Held. Petesy breaks down the matchup for the lads (56:32).To round out the show, the chaps flex their dramatic muscles by re-enacting an interaction between a UFC matchmaker and a manager (1:04:05), then answer your Super Chats (1:22:21).
The Boys in the Back bring you another stacked show, starting with reaction to the arrest warrant issued for Gervonta Davis (02:52) and Dana White's recent comments about the White House card (05:12).Ariel Helwani joins, giving his own thoughts on the latest from White and discussing Kayla Harrison's withdrawal from UFC 324, as well as the numerous names volunteering to fight Amanda Nunes as a result (17:05).The Boys cover other news, including Paddy Pimblett calling Arman Tsraukyan's grappling overrated, Sean O'Malley reacting to sliding into the UFC 324 co-main event slot, Khalil Rountree Jr. calling for a Jiri Prochazka rematch, and more (48:17).After looking at some UFC championship futures (1:05:50), The Boys deliver their P4P heartbreaking cancellations (1:28:19), listen to your voicemails (1:49:38), and answer your Super Chats (2:17:25).
Ariel Helwani kicks off the show with On The Nose, answering questions related to Dana White’s announcement of Israel Adesanya vs. Joe Pyfer, Kayla Harrison being out of her UFC 324 bout against Amanda Nunes, Meta getting naming rights to the APEX, and more (04:23).Joe Pyfer is back to discuss the massive opportunity against Adesanya, being the betting favorite, how the fight got made, his respect for Adesanya, training his grappling with Nicky Rod, and more (1:06:12).Anthony "Fluffy" Hernandez returns to preview his UFC Houston main event against Sean Strickland, then talks about his post-MMA plans, expecting a bloody fight from Strickland, not being bothered by trash talk, feeling like he doesn’t get special treatment from the UFC, and more (1:35:25).Old friend Daniel Cormier finally reunites with Ariel to celebrate a few holidays, discuss UFC’s move to Paramount, Harrison being forced out of the Nunes fight, Gable Steveson’s potential to be UFC champion, Jon Jones coaching Steveson, coaching opposite Jones on their reality show, his continued rivalry with Jones, potentially wrestling Jones, and more (2:19:57).Uncrowned’s Chuck Mindenhall, die-hard Denver Broncos fan, joins the show to talk trash to Ariel about his Buffalo Bills before their teams meet in the NFL playoffs (3:10:24).Ariel wraps up the show with your Super Chats (3:45:59).
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Today I have chosen to search for a replacement for this podcast. I got used to skipping "Ariel x Ade" as I am not interested in boxing, but now Ariel throws in boxing on almost every episode he is involved in. Too bad because Boys In The Back is the best part of this pod.
1:14:00 Rico goes from a warm bed to an ice bath. I'm impressed 😮
3:14:30 Respect to Cube for not being pressured into getting the Covid jab.
2:34:00 "talkin about bullsh*t" 🤣
48:30 😂 Well played Ariel.
1:11:00 I love Vitor's fight against Scott Ferozo.
Usually when I subscribe to someone I am in the habit of consuming all their content. But since I rarely watch boxing, and couldn't pick most of these boxers out of a lineup, I'm going to skip Ariel x Ade from now on. ✌️
MMA starts at 1:22:30
I wonder who talks more, Alexander or his wife.
1:58:00 One hundred Ariel's can't beat a gorilla 🤣
That was quite the Eddie Hearn monologue. Reminds me of Mike Swick's interview with Joshua Fabia.
Based on Ariel's comment at 11:00, I wonder what he thinks about the killing of the pre-born (aka abortion).
40:50 Why are you using GoFundMe? GiveSendGo is the one to use.
29:00 Questions I would like to ask Ariel: Is it possible for Israel to do wrong? If yes, is it okay to criticize it?
Ariel needs to talk to a Constitutional scholar, because his understanding of the 1st Amendment is in error.
2:08:00 "They are not my fans, they are haters" 😂
Props to Dana for standing up for free speech, as opposed to those who say "I believe in free speech, BUT...".
Anyone who voices an opinion of Adolf Hitler should have to take a knowledge test about him. I suspect most would fail such a test, including myself.
2:14:30 Props to White for defending free speech. That's what makes the USA different from the UK.