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Get all the mixed martial arts fighting news and analysis you need from the award-winning team at MMA Fighting. Produced by MMA Fighting and SB Nation, and part of the Vox Media Podcast Network.
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Alexander Volkanovski not only convincingly beat Diego Lopes for a second time, he did it in an even more dominant fashion in the main event of UFC 325, delivering a lopsided title defense in front of his home crowd in Sydney. The biggest fear in booking the rematch so quickly came to light, leaving most in the MMA space to ask, why did the UFC go back to this well?
Following Saturday's numbered event, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Jed Meshew react to Volkanovski's dominant victory over Lopes, what "The Great" gained by defeating Lopes in back-to-back fights, and where he sits in the featherweight GOAT conversation. Additionally, they discuss Benoit Saint Denis and Mauricio Ruffy's statement stoppage wins in the co-main event and featured bouts respectively, Tallison Teixeira vs. Tai Tuivasa being way more fun than expected, Quillan Salkilld's quick finish, and much more.
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The UFC is back in Australia.
On Saturday, UFC 325 goes down at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, the second numbered event in as many weeks as the promotion kicks off its new TV rights deal in style. Headlining UFC 325 is a featherweight title rematch between Alexander Volkanovski and the man he won the vacant belt over just 10 months again, Diego Lopes. It’s a bout that’s drawn a lot of criticism for being booked in the first place, but can Lopes change his stars this time around, and if not, what does a a win mean for Volkanovski’s legacy?
Ahead of Saturday’s big event, MMA Fighting’s Jed Meshew and Alexander K. Lee preview UFC 325 and what this win would mean for both Volkanovski and Lopes. Additionally, Meshew and Lee discuss the co-main event banger between Dan Hooker and Benoir Saint Denis, the lightweight feature bout between Rafael Fiziev and Mauricio Ruffy, the weigh-in shenanigans of Aaron Tau, answer fan questions, and more.
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Justin Gaethje captured the interim lightweight title in a wild UFC 324 main event matchup with Paddy Pimblett to kick off the UFC's new deal with Paramount. What was the No. 1 takeaway from the Gaethje vs. Pimblett main event, and the UFC 324 broadcast?
On an all-new edition of Between the Links, the panel discusses how UFC 324 came off on Paramount+, Gaethje's dominant win over Pimblett, if Ilia Topuria should be next, and where Pimblett goes from his first UFC loss. Additionally, topics may include Saturday's UFC 325 event, the quality of the card as a whole, Alexander Volkanovski facing Diego Lopes again in a featherweight championship main event, Tyson Fury's comeback fight on Netflix, and much more.
Join MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Jed Meshew as they answer your questions all show long.
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For the first time since 2021, the UFC is giving us back-to-back numbered events.
This Saturday, the UFC returns to Australia for UFC 325, the immediate follow-up to last week's UFC 324. Looking to make an impression at the start of their new Paramount deal, the UFC is bringing another fight that figures to provide big action as featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski rematches Diego Lopes for the title, and No Bets Barred is here to break it all down.
This week, host Jed Meshew is joined by the Action Network's Billy Ward to dive into all things UFC 325. Topics discussed include what has changed from the first fight between Volkanovski and Lopes just 10 months ago, if Benoit Saint Denis can keep rolling against Dan Hooker, whether Tai Tuivasa has anything left in the tank, the four Road to UFC fights that start off the prelims, the continuation of The Climb, and more.
Tune in for episode 147 of No Bets Barred.
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On the latest episode of The Fighter vs. The Writer, UFC legend Matt Brown and Damon Martin discuss the fallout from UFC 324 including Justin Gaethje’s win over Paddy Pimblett. Brown explains his criticism about the fight and why he wasn’t blown away by the performances he witnessed on Saturday night. We’ll also discuss Gaethje’s chances against Ilia Topuria, if Pimblett got fraud-checked in his loss plus we look ahead at Alexander Volkanovski vs. Diego Lopes 2 at UFC 325 and more …
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1Justin Gaethje capped off the first UFC on Paramount event with an incredible performance to upset Paddy Pimblett to capture the UFC interim lightweight title in the main event of UFC 324. Following the chaotic main event, what's next for Gaethje in Pimblett in the always-interesting UFC lightweight division?
On an all-new edition of On To the Next One, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Alexander K. Lee discuss where the UFC 324 headliners go following their Fight of the Night clash at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Additionally, future matchups are discussed for Sean O'Malley following his co-main event win over Song Yadong, Waldo Cortes-Acosta after stopping Derrick Lewis in the heavyweight featured bout, along with fellow main card winners Natalia Silva, Jean Silva, and more.
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Justin Gaethje was counted out by many heading into his last opportunity to capture a UFC title belt, and he proved all of the doubters wrong, hurting and knocking down Paddy Pimblett several times to capture the interim lightweight title in the main event of UFC 324.
Following the first UFC event of 2026, and of the new UFC on Paramount era, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Jed Meshew react to Gaethje's punishing performance, discuss what they learned about both fighters, Pimblett's eye-opening toughness, Gaethje likely facing Ilia Topuria next, and where Arman Tsarukyan stands. Additionally, they react to Sean O'Malley's bounce-back win over Song Yadong in the co-main event, how the first Paramount event came across, bonus winners, and much more.
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The UFC is back, and not only is it the start of 2026, it’s the start of a new era.
On Saturday, UFC 324 goes down at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, headlined by an interim lightweight title fight between Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett. The card is not just the first of 2026, but the first of the UFC’s new broadcast deal with Paramount, including a new, earlier start time. Will Gaethje and Pimblett put the UFC’s best foot forward for their new deal? And what about the rest of the card?
Ahead of Saturday’s big event, MMA Fighting’s Jed Meshew and Alexander K. Lee preview UFC 324 and interim title fight between Gaethje and Pimblett, and what it means for the lightweight division as a whole. Additionally, Meshew and Lee discuss the co-main event bout between Sean O’Malley and Song Yadong and whether O’Malley is fighting for a title shot, the stakes in the feature bout between Waldo Cortes-Acosta and Derrick Lewis, the title eliminator bout between Natalia Silva and Rose Namajunas, answer fan questions, and more.
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The UFC is officially back this Saturday for UFC 324 — the first event for the promotion under the new Paramount deal. In the main event, Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett battle for interim lightweight title, while Sean O'Malley looks to get on track against Song Yadong. What's the excitement level for the numbered event?
On an all-new edition of Between the Links, the panel discusses the hype levels for UFC 324, the main event between Gaethje and Pimblett, what other fights stand out, and other big storylines. Additionally, topics may include Dana White shutting down Conor McGregor bouts at the White House with Michael Chandler and now Jorge Masvidal, Donn Davis stepping down from his role for the PFL, other news and notes in and around the sport of MMA, and much more.
Join MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Jed Meshew as they answer your questions all show long.
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The UFC is finally back!
This Saturday, the world's leading MMA promotion returns from a six-week hiatus, kicking off 2026 with UFC 324. Headlined by an interim lightweight title fight between Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett, UFC 324 is the first event of the UFC's new Paramount broadcast deal, and sets the tone for the next era of MMA. So, of course, No Bets Barred is here to break it all down.
This week, host Jed Meshew is joined by Morning Kombat's Luke Noseda to discuss UFC 324, and predict the year-end champions for 2026. Topics discussed include whether Paddy Pimblett can complete his UFC title journey, how much Justin Gaethje has left in the tank, if Sean O'Malley will get a title shot with a win over Song Yadong, if Jean Silva is also fighting for a title shot, the start of a brand new Climb, and more.
Tune in for episode 146 of No Bets Barred.
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In the latest episode of The Fighter vs. The Writer, UFC legend Matt Brown and Damon Martin look ahead to UFC 324, Kayla Harrison’s injury and if Amanda Nunes should consider taking another fight while the champion is sidelined. Plus we’ll discuss Justin Gaethje vs. Paddy Pimblett and how much this fight really matters to the lightweight division and Arman Tsarukyan being stuck on the outside looking in despite being the clear cut No. 1 contender. We’ll also discuss Dana White saying he’s no longer interested in Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler and much more.
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The MMA Fighting team is back with Season 4 of its fantasy league!
Who is set to star inside the octagon over the next six months? Will Islam Makhachev put together a real title reign at 170 pounds? Will Alex Pereira get to fight Jon Jones at UFC White House? Is Conor McGregor returning?
Plus, which under-the-radar standouts could fight more than once and produce the kinds of finishes that make the difference between winning and losing the league?
Join the MMA Fighting staff as they select the 72 fighters they think are best poised to start 2026 off with a bang.
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The UFC has been in the news quite a bit on their final off-week ahead of UFC 324, but the first event on Paramount+ took a hit with Kayla Harrison being forced out of her title defense against the returning Amanda Nunes. How big of a hit to the card is the loss?
On an all-new edition of Between the Links, the panel discusses Harrison being scratched due to a reported neck injury, where Nunes goes, and more. Additionally, topics include Dana White announcing the return of Israel Adesanya as he faces Joe Pyfer in the main event of UFC Seattle, RAF 5 this past Saturday highlighted by Colby Covington and Arman Tsarukyan's tech fall victories, Bo Nickal's callout of Covington for the White House card, PFL heading to Pittsburgh headlined by Johnny Eblen vs. Bryan Battle, and more.
Join MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Jed Meshew as they answer your questions all show long.
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The UFC's debut on Paramount+ has taken a hit with Kayla Harrison suffering a reported injury that has scratched her from her scheduled title defense against Amanda Nunes at UFC324. Following the breaking news, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Jed Meshew react, discuss if Nunes should remain on the card against a new opponent, and much more.
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On the latest episode of The Fighter vs. The Writer, UFC legend Matt Brown and Damon Martin give their predictions for the UFC in 2026 including the most vulnerable champion on the roster, the champion most likely to hold onto their title for the whole year, one must see fight and our boldest predictions for the year ahead. All this and more on the latest episode of The Fighter vs. The Writer.
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The calendar officially reads 2026, and the UFC is about to kick off their new era on Paramount and a pay-per-view-less world. With UFC 324 just a couple of weeks away, what are the biggest questions you have about the new deal, for Dana White, and others?
On an all-new edition of Between the Links, the panel discusses some of those burning questions, if White will be a focal point for the year, or continue to take steps back publicly. Additionally, topics may include the 2026 outlook for UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria, light heavyweight champ Alex Pereira and if he'll remain in the division throughout the year, Islam Makhachev and the welterweight title, what moves the PFL needs to make to have a big year, and much more.
Join MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Jed Meshew as they answer your questions on a special Tuesday edition of the program.
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Following a chaotic and unpredictable 2025 in the world of MMA, 2026 is shaping up to be even crazier — both in and out of the cage. Could this be a year that will see Conor McGregor actually fight in the UFC? Does Jon Jones return? Will Khamzat Chimaev keep his hands on UFC gold?
On a very special edition of On To the Next One, those questions — and a lot more — are presented during the 2026 predictions extravaganza. Hosts Mike Heck and Alexander K. Lee will go through a slew of buy/sell questions presented by listeners about a variety of topics, including McGregor, Jones, Chimaev, Ilia Topuria, Francis Ngannou, Dana White, Tom Aspinall, Israel Adesanya, Nate Diaz, and much more.
Additionally, they will make their choices for who will end the year as UFC champions in each division, along with their bold and spicy predictions for the world of MMA in 2026.
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With 2025 being such a crazy year in the world of mixed martial arts, we felt it was important to look back at the predictions that were made heading into a memorable year for the sport.
In part one of our two-part predictions extravaganza, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Alexander K. Lee look back on some of the responses they had to listener questions in regards to what 2025 was going to bring. Topics include Khamzat Chimaev's championship hopes, whether or not Nate Diaz would return to the UFC, if Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal would compete in a rematch, the UFC's TV deal, if PFL fighters and champions would find homes elsewhere, if the GFL would host any events, UFC champ-champ fights, and much more.
In addition, we will need you help for part two: Our 2026 predictions extravaganza episode. Submit your "buy or sell" questions the same way you send your matchmaking suggestions to Mike or AK on Twitter, Instagram, or email by Friday, Jan. 2 — and, please, be as creative as you'd like.
The On To the Next One 2026 Predictions Extravaganza goes live on the MMA Fighting YouTube channel on Jan. 4 at Noon ET / 9 a.m. PT.
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The MMA world will remember 2025 for a number of crazy moments and breakout stars — as well as one of the most controversial voting moments in MMA awards history.
Join the MMA Fighting staff as we look back at the biggest highs, surprises, and most unbelievable moments of 2025 in a special year-end retrospective. We’re honoring all the nights that defined a rollercoaster of a year this sport has seen in quite some time — and handing out plenty of hardware in celebration of the knockouts, submissions, fights, fighters, and breakthrough competitors who made sure 2025 was a year that will be remembered.
This year, the categories seemed tougher than ever in regards to determining a winner, along with figuring out who belonged in the top-five overall. We invite you to stick around for the final award, which features controversy like never before in the history of MMA Fighting award shows.
Check out MMA Fighting’s 2025 year-end award show above, hosted by our own Mike Heck and featuring a panel of Alexander K. Lee and Jed Meshew.
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With just a couple of days left in the year, it’s almost time to say goodbye to 2025, and hello to 2026. In the sport of MMA, there was certainly a lot to like this past year — and a lot that needs to be improved upon, from the UFC, to PFL, and beyond.
On an all-new edition of Between the Links, MMA Fighting’s Mike Heck and Jed Meshew bring you the fourth annual BTL Promotional Festivus — where they grade the UFC for their 2025 performance, both in and out of the octagon, along with their airing of grievances for things that happened negatively throughout the course of the year.
Additionally, the duo do the same for PFL, BKFC, and give their thoughts on things they did better from the year prior, other ideas to bring into 2026, and what could be the breakout promotion in the space for the upcoming year.
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48:00 Sorry Jed. People should be free to say whatever they desire, even if it's stupid. If it is stupid feel free to refute it.
42:00 Gotta disagree with Matt over the headline spot. I think the larger weight class will headline for that and the attached name value.
16:00 MMA talk starts.
11:00 Laughing at Matt denying he is a liberal.
these trumpers can accept the fact that colby looked slow and fought terribly, they're actually criticizing Leon. wow the Trump dick riding is real folks
mike needs to rewatch the first 20 seconds of the Almeida vs shamill fight. Almeida ate a massive shot. he's got a chin.
nice editing
Leon Edwards takes the rat to school.
mcgregor bash
The volume on this Podcast was a nightmare!
What the hell happened at the end? Silence for like 30 mins
Great Pod,not sure how I stumbled upon your show but I'm glad I have. You've taken away all the annoying stuff from other shows and kept the good stuff . Win/Win. 😁
Man, you guys were wrong on a lot of fronts.
wow, good show but I would've expected the guy to know which way the microphone is to be positioned
A lovely episode presented by lovely lads. Lovely!
cool. I'll only be a watching a side and MMA beat. now I don't have to use the gosh darn awful MMA fighting website.
Luke listen to me... Valerie NEVER again, she was entitled and self-centered. Really annoying. Seriously had to turn it off.
why is this so inconsistent
let's