The MMA Vivisection Shows: 'Main Card Preview' & 'Prelims Card Preview'

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comUFC Des Moines is the ghost of Christmas past. They've gone and drafted Jeremy Stephens back into the comforting embrace of the octagon, fresh off his success at BKFC, but not very mindful of his MMA bouts outside the promotion where he went just 2-1 in the PFL. There are other picked-over, near-demise oldsters on the card, as well, but we'll get to tho…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comUFC Kansas City is what I like to call a good, old-fashioned mixed bag. It has a terrific main event and some fun matchups overall. So where's the problem? That lies in the stats, and there's one that's really putting a wet blanket on the whole event: 15 fighters are coming off losses. If this were an Apex card, that would be an easier pill to swallow,…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comUFC 314 is a terrific card, full stop. It's got all the elements we hope for: ranked fights, plenty of ranked fighters, and we're not overrun with fighters coming off losses or from the Contender Series. The bouts are matched well and are compelling, with plenty of room for advancement. The main card is quite top heavy, with a concentration of top tier …

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comUFC Vegas 105 happens to be another one of those cards that looks absolutely awful on paper, and while it may deliver some action, what sets it on a troubling path is the recycling of fighters coming off strings of losses. It's one thing to have a dearth of ranked talent, but quite another to feature an athlete coming off four straight losses while faci…

UFC Mexico is so bad that it broke Connor's internet. That's right fam, Zane and Connor set out yesterday to record the main card episode but were unable to complete it due to an internet outage. We view this as a sign from the fight gods to abandon ship. There was about 16 minutes of uninterrupted content, so we decided to go ahead and host it, then give it away for free. Let's take a look at the event's main portion and the alternative stats:MMA Vivisection & 6th Round is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.UFC Mexico Main Card* Brandon Moreno vs. Steve Erceg 125 lbs* Manuel Torres vs. Drew Dober 155 lbs* Kelvin Gastelum vs. Joe Pyfer 185 lbs* Raul Rosas Jr. vs. Vince Morales 135 lbs* David Martinez vs. Saimon Oliveira 135 lbs* Ronaldo Rodríguez vs. Kevin Borjas 125 lbsUFC Mexico Alternative Facts* Ranked Fights: 1* Ranked Fighters: 3* Fighters coming off losses: 15* Contender Series Alumni: 16* TUF Alumni: 3* Road to UFC Alumni: 0* Debuting Fighters: 2Don't forget to check out the bonus section for a great review of the UFC London card. Make sure to tune in immediately after this Saturday's fights for breakdowns and analysis on our 6th Round Post-Fight Show.Thank you for reading this article and listening to the podcast. Please consider subscribing to The MMA Vivisection & 6th Round Post-fight Show podcast Substack to enjoy our premium content. Your paid subscriptions are keeping hope alive that we can continue on with our shows. If you haven't already, please pledge with a paid subscription today. If you have, please share this post far and wide.Thanks for reading MMA Vivisection & 6th Round! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

UFC Mexico is an ugly, ugly card. The alternative facts tell a very grim tale. But before you dive in and listen to our guys analyze these bouts, I'd like to draw your attention to the fact that you're getting the prelims early and the main card late. There was a technical glitch, and to make a long story short, it didn't get recorded. So, you'll get that one tomorrow, but today, you get the prelims, and they're FREE.Now, let's take a look at the event's preliminary bouts and the alternative stats:MMA Vivisection & 6th Round is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.UFC Mexico Preliminary Card* Edgar Cháirez vs. CJ Vergara 125 lbs* Ateba Gautier vs. José Medina 185 lbs* Melquizael Costa vs. Christian Rodriguez 145 lbs* Julia Polastri vs. Lupita Godinez 115 lbs* Rafa García vs. Vinc Pichel 155 lbs* Jamall Emmers vs. Gabriel Miranda 145 lbs* Austin Hubbard vs. Marquel Mederos 155 lbsUFC Mexico Alternative Facts* Ranked Fights: 1* Ranked Fighters: 3* Fighters coming off losses: 15* Contender Series Alumni: 16* TUF Alumni: 3* Road to UFC Alumni: 0* Debuting Fighters: 2Don't forget to check out the companion episode for this card right here. Make sure to tune in immediately after this Saturday's fights for breakdowns and analysis on our 6th Round Post-Fight Show.Thank you for reading this article and listening to the podcast. Please consider subscribing to The MMA Vivisection & 6th Round Post-fight Show podcast Substack to enjoy our premium content. Your paid subscriptions are keeping hope alive that we can continue on with our shows. If you haven't already, please pledge with a paid subscription today. If you have, please share this post far and wide.Thanks for reading MMA Vivisection & 6th Round! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comUFC London has some good looking fights on the card, as should be the case when we get an on-the-road events. The alternative stats don't look terrible, and the action quotient looks like it could present us with a banger of a show. Will Sean Brady be able to best the former champ or will Leon Edwards return to form and shut him down. And for those of y…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comUFC Vegas 104 has a deceptively decent alternative facts list, but don't let that fool you. We have a more than healthy dose of Contender Series, TUF and Road to UFC alumni here—17 in total, or more than half the card. There's just a single ranked fight on a card with 13 bouts total. Are ya picking up what I'm putting down yet?Now, bearing all that in m…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comUFC 313 has a solid main card that looks like it has all the ingredients for an action-packed night. At the top of the event is a title fight to be contested at light-heavyweight between reigning champion Alex Pereira and Number 1 contender Magomed Ankalaev—a real wrestling vs. striking bout that will test the grappling of Poatan and the chin of Ank. We…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comWe're back at the Apex for another watery card. After last weekend's Seattle event, it's hard to look at this bout roster and think that it holds much promise, but lest we forget, for the 18 people that will watch this card, it will probably be gangbusters for them, thanks to being loyal enough to want to spend a Saturday night with a bunch of fighters …

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comAnother weekend, another UFC card—this time, we get an on-the-road show in Seattle. It's not terrible, but the accursed injury bug ravaged this event to the point of being unrecognizable. That said, there are some good contender bouts and some well-matched prospect contests that could give us a glimpse of the next crop of contenders. At the top of the c…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comDid you guys think because we got a dismal PPV card last week, that UFC would somehow reward you with a better card this week? If you did, you'd be a gullible soul and I might possibly have a bridge to sell you. That's right, kids, we're back at the Apex and back to a spate of ugly upcoming cards. This one features Jared Cannonier facing off against hou…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comJesus Christ on a pair of rollerskates! I cannot believe this is the slop the UFC is serving Australia and then charging for it. Very likely the site fee is still stinging their government wallet, but that's the price of doing business with MMA's big bad. Sitting atop the card is the title rematch between Dricus Du Plessis and Sean Strickland. Ho hum. T…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comAfter a brief respite to recover from the inauguration, the UFC is back in action this week with a solid event for the folks in attendance in Riyadh and those watching around the world. At the top of the card is a middleweight bout between Israel Adesanya and Nassourdine Imavov. Will Issy be able to rebound from his two-fight losing skid or will Imavov …

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comA UFC PPV is pretty much always welcome (almost!), but when you've got a truly loaded card, that's just the cherry on top of the cake. UFC 311 is a really good card. Two title fights and what looks like a title eliminator between Prochazka and Hill says that the main card looks like a winner. Will the challengers take the belts or will the champs still …

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comUFC is back after a month of down time and we kind of wish they'd go back to the down time considering the poor offering they've given to us in the form of another miserable Apex card. And sitting atop this heap is a rematch that absolutely nobody asked for. Why? Because UFC is filling a quota. A whole month away and we get a 14-fight event that has ju…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.com*Note: There were some technical difficulties with this episode, specifically with mic feedback. We addressed it as best we could. At around the 23 minute mark we managed to correct it to a much more significant degree. Our apologies for the mishap.UFC Tampa is a clear indicator that UFC is ready to be done with 2024 and they've gifted their fans with a…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comUFC 310 is a great card from top to bottom with only a couple fights that may end up not delivering the action we once got from them—looking at you Chris Weidman vs. Eryk Anders. But that's a little further down the card. We're focusing on the main card action and there's plenty of it.At the top of the bout sheet is the title fight between reigning cham…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comUFC Macau is what a card looks like when some effort is applied. There is a wide variety of upside points to be appreciative of. From the debuts to the fact we get to watch Cong Wang and everything in between, the event is matched to deliver fireworks.At the top of the bout sheet in the main event spot is the terrific pairing of Petr Yan and Deiveson Fi…

The preliminary portion of the event is serviceable, but again, it's not the best either. It would make one helluva on-the-road card, but we must be grateful for the scraps we receive. At the top of the undercard in the featured prelim spot is a great pairing of Jonathan Martinez and the powerhouse that is Marcus McGhee. The rest is a mix-mash of veterans with a single debut nestled among them.Let's take a look at the event's prelims and the alternative stats:MMA Vivisection & 6th Round is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.UFC 309 Prelims* Jonathan Martinez  vs.  Marcus McGhee 135 lbs* Chris Weidman  vs.  Eryk Anders 185 lbs* Jim Miller  vs.  Damon Jackson 155 lbs* Roberto Romero  vs.  David Onama 145 lbs* Marcin Tybura  vs.  Jhonata Diniz 265 lbs* Mickey Gall  vs.  Ramiz Brahimaj 170 lbs* Oban Elliott  vs.  Bassil Hafez 170 lbs* Veronica Hardy  vs.  Eduarda Moura 125 lbsUFC 309 Fun Factoids* Ranked fights: 3* Ranked fighters: 7* Fighters coming off losses: 13* Contender Series alumni: 7* TUF alumni: 0* Debuting fighters: 1Don't forget to check out the companion episode for our predictions and analysis of the main card. Make sure to tune in immediately after this weekend's fights for breakdowns and analysis on our 6th Round Post-Fight Show.Thank you for reading this article and listening to the podcast. Please consider subscribing to The MMA Vivisection & 6th Round Post-fight Show podcast Substack to enjoy our premium content. Your paid subscriptions are keeping hope alive that we can continue on with our shows. If you haven't already, please pledge with a paid subscription today. If you have, please share this post far and wide.Thanks for reading MMA Vivisection & 6th Round! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comMadison Square Garden is the location of what could be Jon Jones' last stint at heavyweight. To hear him tell it, the fans really want him to fight the likes of Derrick Lewis or Jamahal Hill rather than the heavyweight interim belt holder. It's not like that belt wasn't basically set up to mark the next person to challenge for the undisputed belt or any…

Hard to believe there have been 99 events held at the Apex because we can't remember most of them. This particular card is especially bad considering the momentous occasion of hosting 100 shows under its roof. 14 fighters coming off losses for a 12-fight card is shameful. As the title suggests, it truly is a new apex of suck. Let's take a look at the event's main portion and the alternative stats. Of note: The bout order was changed from yesterday, with Kowalkiewicz vs. Gomes moving to the featured prelim spot.MMA Vivisection & 6th Round is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.UFC Vegas 100 Prelims* Karolina Kowalkiewicz  vs.  Denise Gomes 115 lbs* Cortavious Romious  vs.  Gaston Bolaños 135 lbs* Elizeu Zaleski  vs.  Zach Scroggin 170 lbs* Charles Radtke  vs.  M. Semelsberger 170 lbs* Cody Stamann  vs.  D. Blackshear 135 lbs* Tresean Gore  vs.  Antonio Trócoli 185 lbs* Melissa Mullins  vs.  Klaudia Syguła 135 lbsUFC Vegas 100 Alternative Facts* Ranked fights: 1* Ranked fighters: 3* Fighters coming off losses: 14* Contender Series alumni: 6* TUF alumni: 4* Debuting fighters: 4Don't forget to check out the companion episode for our predictions and analysis of the main card. Make sure to tune in immediately after this weekend's fights for breakdowns and analysis on our 6th Round Post-Fight Show.Thank you for reading this article and listening to the podcast. Please consider subscribing to The MMA Vivisection & 6th Round Post-fight Show podcast Substack to enjoy our premium content. Your paid subscriptions are keeping hope alive that we can continue on with our shows. If you haven't already, please pledge with a paid subscription today. If you have, please share this post far and wide.Thanks for reading MMA Vivisection & 6th Round! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

The Apex will celebrate its 100th UFC event this Saturday night and they did absolutely nothing to celebrate the milestone. Instead, the promotion decided they would present the worst Apex card of the year, perhaps the worst one ever—a feat hard to achieve with 99 bare-minimum cards under their belt already.We do slightly lament the loss of Garbrandt-Johns, but aside from the main event, there's a plethora of going-nowhere fights. Lateral movement is everywhere you look. But the main event is a juicy one and Zane's favor is shining upon Prates despite his Fighting Nerds home. Let's take a look at the event's main portion and the alternative stats:MMA Vivisection & 6th Round is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.UFC Vegas 100 Main Card* Neil Magny  vs.  Carlos Prates 170 lbs* Karolina Kowalkiewicz  vs.  Denise Gomes 115 lbs* Ricky Turcios  vs.  Benardo Sopaj 135 lbs* G. Meerschaert  vs.  Reinier de Ridder 185 lbs* Luana Pinheiro  vs.  Gillian Robertson 115 lbsUFC Vegas 100 Alternative Facts* Ranked fights: 1* Ranked fighters: 3* Fighters coming off losses: 14* Contender Series alumni: 6* TUF alumni: 4* Debuting fighters: 4There's no bonus section this week as Zane was in Mexico and wasn't able to watch the card, but they will return to form next week. Make sure to tune in immediately after this Saturday's fights for breakdowns and analysis on our 6th Round Post-Fight Show.Thank you for reading this article and listening to the podcast. Please consider subscribing to The MMA Vivisection & 6th Round Post-fight Show podcast Substack to enjoy our premium content. Your paid subscriptions are keeping hope alive that we can continue on with our shows. If you haven't already, please pledge with a paid subscription today. If you have, please share this post far and wide.Thanks for reading MMA Vivisection & 6th Round! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comCanada is getting the rough treatment from UFC this weekend. A 14-fight event where 13 of the featured athletes are coming off losses seems like a hard sell, even with four ranked bouts. Sitting atop the heap is a great flyweight matchup between Brandon Moreno and Amir Albazi. Is it the kind of fight you put atop an on0the0road card? Probably not, but b…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comUFC 308 is finally here and with it, one of the better PPV main cards of the year. At the top of the event is the featherweight title bout between reigning king Ilia Topuria and the challenger, one Jerome Max Holloway. Straight up banger, full stop. The co-main event of Bobby Knuckles and Khamzat Chimaev is a fight we've all looked forward to for a hot …

You guys and gals aren't going to believe this, but a mythical entity is afoot. The ultra-rare decent Apex card. That's right kids, we're getting a pretty solid event with UFC Vegas 99. Not only do we get three ranked fights, we have some really good matchmaking at play, as well. Charles Johnson vs. Sumudaerji is certified fresh. The main event is good, too. Middleweight doesn't look completely barren these days. It's not robust, by any means, but it's got potential, and it's been awhile since we've been able to say that. Let's take a look at the bouts of the main portion as well as some alternative stats:MMA Vivisection & 6th Round is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.UFC Vegas 99 Main Card* Michel Pereira  vs.  Anthony Hernandez 185 lbs* Rob Font  vs.  Kyler Phillips 135 lbs* Sumudaerji  vs.  Charles Johnson 125 lbs* Jake Hadley  vs.  Cameron Smotherman 135 lbs* Darren Elkins  vs.  Daniel Pineda 145 lbsUFC Vegas 99 Alternative Stats* Ranked fights: 3 * Ranked fighters: 6 * Fighters coming off losses: 12 * Contender Series alumni: 5 * TUF alumni: 4 * Debuting fighters: 1 (Smotherman)Don't forget to check out the bonus section for a great review of the UFC Vegas 98 card. Make sure to tune in immediately after this weekend's fights for breakdowns and analysis on our 6th Round Post-Fight Show.Thank you for reading this article and listening to the podcast. Please consider subscribing to The MMA Vivisection & 6th Round Post-fight Show podcast Substack to enjoy our premium content. Your paid subscriptions are keeping hope alive that we can continue on with our shows. If you haven't already, please pledge with a paid subscription today. If you have, please share this post far and wide.Thanks for reading MMA Vivisection & 6th Round! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comUFC is back in business this weekend with their 98th Vegas themed Apex card, and much as one would expect, it's kind of miserable. Okay, it's a lot of miserable. If you don't believe it, just scroll down to the alternative stats and feast your eyes on those. Outside the main event, there isn't another truly intriguing fight. There are plenty of interest…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comRED ALERT! UFC is giving us a card with SEVEN ranked fights! Of course it's a PPV, but we can admit when the promotion is churning out solid content, and for the last few weeks, we've gotten some good matchmaking. This week features much of the same—although we're not overly thrilled with the two dinosaur matches on the undercard. Means vs. McGee and OS…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comUFC Paris has arrived for 2024 and as you probably guessed, it's a decent card, as they tend to be when on the road. Have to make sure those seats are sold at a premium, right? At the top of the card is an excellent bout between Number 11 ranked Renato Moicano (Moicano wants MONEY!) and Number 12 ranked Benoit St. Denis. Will Moicano continue to surpris…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comUFC 306 week is finally here and with it, a solid card. Is it worth all the hype and huge production budget the promotion has invested in it? Absolutely not. Will it be a fun watch considering the match-ups? Yes it will. Maybe we see Sean O'Malley be the one to stop the Dvalishvili juggernaut, or maybe the Georgian ends Sugar's title run.And if the boys…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comUFC Vegas 97 isn't where all the action is happening, or even part of it, but it does have a fight here and there that is worth the watch. It gives that deja vu feeling, though, like we've already seen it before. Such is the way of all Apex cards. Who knows, maybe we'll get better quality cards once the expansion is done. We won't hold our breath, thoug…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comUFC 96 isn't just a raggedy Apex card. This time around, it also bears the distinction of being a TUF finale event, as well. And before you ask, yes, TUF is still a thing. The show is headlined by a middleweight contender matchup between Jared Cannonier and Zane's favorite fighter, Caio Borralho. Will the leader of the Fighting Nerds be able get the W? …

We're just a day away from a pretty solid PPV with UFC 305, and even the undercard has a little razzle dazzle. Once again, I can't help but laugh to myself when I stop to think what you all are guessing the title means. It would be pretty great to see some of you came up with before you listened to the show. The comments are right there, just in case you want to share. MMA Vivisection & 6th Round is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.But right now, let's see what's shaking with the prelims. We're getting a heavyweight bout as the featured prelim, and for that, I will offer up a rare bit of gratitude in keeping unranked heavies on the undercard. Junior Tafa is a crowd favorite and willing to get right in the pocket, so Valter Walker should prepare for that. It's decent placement for this event. Let's take a look at the rest of the bouts and some alternative stats:UFC 305 Undercard* Junior Tafa  vs.  Valter Walker 265 lbs* Josh Culibao  vs.  Ricardo Ramos 145 lbs* Casey O'Neill  vs.  Luana Santos 125 lbs* Jack Jenkins  vs.  Herbert Burns 145 lbs* Tom Nolan  vs.  Alex Reyes 155 lbs* Kenan Song  vs.  Ricky Glenn 170 lbs* Stewart Nicoll  vs.  Jesus Aguilar 125 lbsUFC 305 Alternative Stats* Ranked fights: 4* Ranked fighters: 9* Fighters coming off losses: 15* Contender Series alumni: 5* TUF alumni: 1* Debuting fighters: 1 (Nicoll)Don't forget to check out the companion episode for our predictions and analysis of the main card. Remember, we're off this weekend so there won't be a 6th Round Post-fight Show, but we'll return next week, as usual. Until then, enjoy this week's bonus content on the house. We appreciate you all.Thank you for reading this article and listening to the podcast. Please consider subscribing to The MMA Vivisection & 6th Round Post-fight Show podcast Substack to enjoy our premium content. Your paid subscriptions are keeping hope alive that we can continue on with our shows. If you haven't already, please pledge with a paid subscription today. If you have, please share this post far and wide.Thanks for reading MMA Vivisection & 6th Round! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

I bet you guys are wondering what the title means and it tickles me to death to tell you to listen to the show to understand why. Also, quick reminder that this week's Vivisections will be FREE in their entirety. One of our hosts has a family obligation this weekend, so there won't be a 6th Round Post-fight Show. To make it up to you, our loyal listeners, we've decided to make our bonus content for this week on the house. MMA Vivisection & 6th Round is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Now, on to the card, which is a very decent one. We've got the battle for middleweight gold in the main event, an absolute grudge match between the reigning champion, Dricus du Plessis and Israel Adesanya. We've also got a possible title eliminator bout in the co-main event when Kai Kara-France takes on Steve Erceg. Let's take a look at the contests and some alternative stats:UFC 305 Main Card* Dricus Du Plessis  vs.  Israel Adesanya 185 lbs* Kai Kara-France  vs.  Steve Erceg 125 lbs* Mateusz Gamrot  vs.  Dan Hooker 155 lbs* Tai Tuivasa  vs.  Jairzinho Rozenstruik 265 lbs* Jingliang Li  vs.  Carlos Prates 170 lbsUFC 305 Alternative Stats* Ranked fights: 4 * Ranked fighters: 9 * Fighters coming off losses: 15 * Contender Series alumni: 5 * TUF alumni: 1 * Debuting fighters: 1 (Nicoll)Don't forget to check out the bonus section for a great review of the UFC Vegas 95 card. Make sure to tune in immediately after this weekend's fights for breakdowns and analysis on our 6th Round Post-Fight Show.Thank you for reading this article and listening to the podcast. Please consider subscribing to The MMA Vivisection & 6th Round Post-fight Show podcast Substack to enjoy our premium content. Your paid subscriptions are keeping hope alive that we can continue on with our shows. If you haven't already, please pledge with a paid subscription today. If you have, please share this post far and wide.Thanks for reading MMA Vivisection & 6th Round! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comUFC Vegas 95 is terrible. Full stop. We don't think we've seen a worse card in the history of the sport, and if there was, it's escaped our memory. It's like the UFC threw darts at their roster and wherever the dart landed is how the matches were made. Just an absolute mess. Don't let the alternative stats fool you. When you peel back the layers of the …

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comUFC Abu Dhabi is here and surprise, surprise, it's a good card. Generally, the on-the-road fight night events usually are pretty good. UFC wants to make sure they maximize their gates by saving the better fights for these shows and it appears to be working. That and jacking up the rates of the tickets, but don't let me get caught up in that. Let's inste…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comHold onto your hats! The UFC has given us a very solid card with this coming Saturday's offering. UFC 304 bears all the hallmarks of a great event. Not one, but two title fights, name value, ranked talent…it has it all. Thank you matchmaking brass for finally getting on the ball. We are most definitely worthy, considering how much we sink into the ever-…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comUFC Vegas 94 is almost here and boy is it a really meager card. We're sure the old platitudes of “these crappy-on-paper cards always deliver” will be there, but it's about getting the butt in the seat first. How are we to do that if only the hardcores are the ones willing to watch, and they aren't always paying subscribers? It certainly isn't going to b…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comThe UFC is back to business after a brief, one-week respite. We return with a card on the road, to the mile-high city where Tracy Cortez will be able to let us all know if two days really is enough time to acclimate to that altitude. And Thug Rose will be able to answer the question of where her flyweight ceiling is. MMA Vivisection & 6th Round is a rea…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comUFC 303 is here, sans Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler headling. In their place, we get a rematch between the two dynamos known as Alex Pereira and Jiri Prochazka—not a bad replacement at all. As a matter of fact, there's quite a few matches we like on this card. All in all, it's a very solid card, and it will be just fine without McGregor. The UFC, …

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comUFC Riyadh is here and while it's not terrible, it's nothing to write home about either. But it is infinitely better than the originally planned March card that was ultimately postponed to this weekend. That card was so bad the Saudis sent it back. This current iteration was so much better before it was ravaged by cancellations, some coming within the l…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comIf you thought UFC might reward you this week for making it through last weekend's UFC Louisville card, you've got another thing coming. If it is even possible, this Apex event is worse than the last one and that's saying something. You'll understand when you get to the alternative stats portion. MMA Vivisection & 6th Round is a reader-supported publica…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comUFC Louisville is such a bad card. It's like the matchmaking brass threw darts to set the bout sheet. At the top we have a nothingburger middleweight bout—our only ranked fight on an “away card”—between No. 4 ranked Jared Cannonier and No. 7 ranked Nassourdine Imavov. There's nothing wrong with this fight other than the fact it shouldn't headline an eve…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comIt's UFC 302 fight week and perhaps the last hurrah for lightweight living legend Dustin Poirier. It's hard to believe the longtime fan favorite has been in the promotion for nearly 14 years, the vast majority of his adult life. As Zane so aptly put it, “He's been fighting his whole adult life. It's all he knows and he's very good at it”, fighting is hi…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comHi. Stephie, the producer here. Just wanted to drop a quick note that this week's written portion is going to be super brief, consisting of just the bout sheet and the alternative stats. Since I just got in from the airport a couple hours ago, this seemed like the best plan. Hope you all enjoy the shows and have a happy fight weekend.MMA Vivisection & 6…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comUFC St. Louis is here and unsurprisingly, it's a decent enough card. Why did I say ‘unsurprisingly'? Well, that's because it's not being held in the Apex Center. Of course it's going to be better. Are we getting a fairly meaningless heavyweight main event? You bet your caboose we are. Derrick Lewis will be sharing center stage with Rodrigo Nascimento an…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comUFC 301 is here, and while it's not a terrible card, it's certainly not worthy of the PPV moniker, nor the hefty price tag associated with the promotion's numbered events. There is a title fight resting atop the main card, but it's not the type of scrap that's going to encourage new eyeballs to settle on televisions across the world. If anyone but the h…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comUFC Vegas 91 is almost here and with it, we return to the doldrums that are associated with Apex cards. This one at least has a solid enough main event between Matheus Nicolau and Alex Perez. Nicolau had looked pretty, pretty, pretty good over six fights and then Brandon Royval decided to put a stop to that run with a gnarly knockout. Perez couldn't get…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comIt's here! It's finally here! After what seems like an eternity of terrible cards (we're looking directly at the Apex), we've finally arrived at a worthwhile event. Is it “00” quality? For the most part, yes. The main event could've been a little juicier, but we're here and we're excited. With 2.5 title fights, and a card rife with intriguing bouts, who…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comUFC Vegas 90 just wrapped and Brendon Allen has taken his revenge. Chris Curtis, in true Chris Curtis fashion, ended up writhing in pain at the end of the fight and will no doubt have a detailed dissertation on why he lost. Allen somehow received a 49-46 score, completely undeserved, but the fight was by no means a robbery. It was that close, as the spl…

UFC Atlantic City's main card is a pretty good offfering even if that portion only has a single ranked fight on it. The same can be said for the prelims, as they carry the only other ranked fight on the card, and it is also a women's bout, this time between Virna Jandiroba and Lupita Godinez. Both women have been enjoying successful runs over their last few fights, so it gets no complaints from us. MMA Draw Podcast is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.In the featured prelim spot, Jamall Emmers will be taking on the uber-tough Nate Landwehr. Emmers has begun to take on the Andre Fili “win-one-lose-one” vibe, having alternated wins and losses over his last seven fights. Landwehr is coming off a loss to Dan Ige last June. It will be interesting to see who comes out on top here, as both men are insanely tough and durable. UFC Atlantic City Prelims* Nate Landwehr  vs.  Jamall Emmers 145 lbs* Virna Jandiroba  vs.  Lupita Godinez 115 lbs* Julio Arce  vs.  Herbert Burns 145 lbs* Connor Matthews  vs.  Dennis Buzukja 145 lbs* Ibo Aslan  vs.  Anton Turkalj 205 lbs* Melissa Gatto  vs.  Viktoria Dudakova 125 lbs* Andre Petroski  vs.  Jacob Malkoun 185 lbs* Angel Pacheco  vs.  Caolán Loughran 135 lbsUFC Atlantic City Fun Factoids* Ranked fights: 2* Ranked fighters: 5* Fighters coming off losses: 14* Contender Series alumni: 10* Fighters coming direct from Contender Series: 2* TUF alumni: 2* Debuting fighters: 2Thank you for reading this article and listening to the podcast. Please consider subscribing to The MMA Draw Substack to enjoy our daily premium content. Your paid subscriptions are helping build our new site and keeping hope alive that our staff will remain intact. If you haven't already, please pledge with a paid subscription today. If you have, please share this post far and wide.Thank you for reading MMA Draw Podcast. This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.com/subscribe