Podcasts about Sambo

After a six-week wait for live UFC action, Jim Norton and Matt Serra are back and ready to dive in. On today's episode, the guys break down UFC 324 from top to bottom — locking in three official picks each for their first predictions of the year and setting the tone for what promises to be a loaded night of fights for the first card of the Paramount era.Then, former title challenger Alex Perez joins the show ahead of his Saturday matchup against surging flyweight Charles Johnson. Perez opens up about life outside the Octagon, fatherhood, navigating a tough stretch in his career, and why this fight feels like a pivotal opportunity to reassert himself in the men's 125-pound division.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jim Norton and Matt Serra welcome back lightweight contender Paddy Pimblett, who joins the show ahead of his interim title showdown with Justin Gaethje at UFC 324. Paddy breaks down why he believes this is the right moment to make a statement, how he sees the matchup playing out, and what an interim belt could mean with Ilia Topuria's future still unresolved.Between interviews, Jim and Matt also touch on the day's biggest news: Kayla Harrison's neck injury forcing the cancellation of her women's bantamweight title defense against Amanda Nunes.Middleweight standout Caio Borralho stops by to discuss bouncing back from the first UFC loss of his career, what he learned from his Paris main event against Nassourdine Imavov, and why his upcoming clash with Reinier de Ridder at UFC 326 feels like the perfect reset. Caio also weighs in on the crowded middleweight picture, his Fighting Nerds teammates, and what 2026 could present if all goes to plan.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jim Norton and Matt Serra are joined by Urijah Faber for a wide-ranging conversation about his continued impact on the sport — both as a competitor and a coach.Faber talks about still competing at 46 years old, including his upcoming combat jiu-jitsu and wrestling matchups scheduled for January and February of 2026. The UFC Hall of Famer explains how his mindset has evolved at this stage of his career and why staying active continues to fuel his passion for competition.Urijah also dives into his role coaching Song Yadong and explains why Song's upcoming matchup with Sean O'Malley at UFC 324 could be the perfect moment for the best version of Song to emerge. Beyond the bantamweight title picture, Faber lays out how a win over “Suga” could mark a turning point for Song on a global level — and the start of his rise as a true national icon.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jim Norton and Matt Serra welcome a pair of veterans gearing up for key matchups as the UFC schedule ramps up in early 2026.Featherweight Arnold Allen joins the show to talk about how he spent 2025 rebuilding his body and earning his black belt from the coach who first introduced him to MMA. Set to fight for the first time in nearly 18 months, Allen discusses his high-stakes matchup with Jean Silva on the main card of UFC 324.Later, light heavyweight Dustin Jacoby stops by to discuss his second UFC run, life at FactoryX, and preparing for the long journey from Colorado to Sydney for his upcoming fight with Jimmy Crute at UFC 325. Jacoby sheds light on his kickboxing days and how sharing a card with teammate Cody Brundage is huge for the both of them.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jim Norton and Matt Serra kick off 2026 with a pair of rising contenders who have their sights set on big years ahead.First, light heavyweight Modestas Bukauskas joins the show to talk about the momentum he's built during his recent run and what's at stake as he prepares for a crucial matchup against Nikita Krylov at UFC 324. Modestas breaks down the work he's putting in, provides an update on the Tom Aspinall eye injury holding back his close friend and training partner before circling back to why this fight vs. 13th-ranked Krylov is huge for Modestas as he eyes a spot in the 205-pound rankings.Later, middleweight knockout artist Ateba Gautier stops by to discuss his fast start in the UFC, his journey from Cameroon to England, and the mindset shift that followed his lone professional loss. Gautier reflects on his Combat Sambo roots and how he's continuing to sharpen his tools ahead of his first fight of 2026 at UFC 324.Already a little stir-crazy for live UFC action, Jim and Matt also jump the gun with an early look at UFC 324 — even though the 2026 Paramount+ kickoff is still 19 days away… but who's counting?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, we delve into the intricate world of the Chicago Outfit’s informants, featuring insights from my late friend, Cam Robinson, and Paul Whitcomb, a well-respected expert on the mob. This special compilation draws from past interviews and shorts that once highlighted various informants who operated during the notorious 1980s era of organized crime in Chicago. Through a series of concise segments, we explore the lives of key players who chose to turn against the Outfit, revealing the complex motivations and consequences of their decisions. We kick things off by revisiting the tale of Paul “Peanuts” Pansko, an influential figure leading the Polish faction of the Outfit. Pansko's criminal activities, including a racetrack heist, not only placed him in dangerous territory but also set into motion a chain of events that would later link to the infamous Family Secrets trial. It's during this journey that we outline how interconnected the informants’ narratives are, showcasing how Pansko’s actions inadvertently unraveled parts of the organization.   The discussion shifts to more dramatic stories, including Mario Rainone. Rainone's infamous decision to cooperate with the authorities opened the door to significant revelations about Lenny Patrick, one of the highest-ranking Outfit members to switch sides. Rainone's tapes ultimately led to the dismantling of major sections of the Outfit’s operations, including political connections that had long shielded them from legal repercussions.   We also explore the tale of Ken “Tokyo Joe” Eto, a Japanese mobster who thrived within the Outfit’s ranks. His attempts at self-preservation after surviving an assassination effort highlighted the stark realities faced by those who navigated the perilous landscape of organized crime. As he eventually became a witness for the prosecution, Eto’s insights illuminated the internal workings of one of Chicago’s most feared organizations. The episode further examines dramatic betrayals and deadly encounters that shaped the Outfit’s legacy. From the chilling events surrounding the murders of the Spilotro brothers, orchestrated by their own associates for reasons steeped in loyalty and betrayal, to the grim fate that met informants like Al Toco and the impact of domestic discord on organized crime, each tale is a window into the bleak realities faced by both mobsters and informants alike. As we round out the episode, we reflect on the cultural dynamics surrounding informants, particularly how personal relationships and family ties heavily influenced their decisions to cooperate. It becomes clear through the interviews that while fear of retribution often compels loyalty, the specter of betrayal looms large within the mob. This multifaceted examination blends personal stories with historical context, providing a deeper understanding of the Chicago Outfit’s complexity and its operatives. Join us in this retrospective journey through the shadows of organized crime as we pay homage to those who bravely shared their stories, revealing the inner workings of a criminal empire that continues to fascinate and terrify in equal measure. Hit me up on Venmo for a cup of coffee or a shot and a beer @ganglandwire Click here to “buy me a cup of coffee” Subscribe to the website for weekly notifications about updates and other Mob information. To go to the store or make a donation or rent Ballot Theft: Burglary, Murder, Coverup, click here To rent ‘Brothers against Brothers’ or ‘Gangland Wire,’ the documentaries click here.  To purchase one of my books, click here. Transcript [0:00] Well, hey, guys, after listening to Bob Cooley, one of the more damaging sources and witness and informant to the Chicago Outfit outside of the Calabrese family, [0:13] Nick and his nephew, Frank Jr., I got the rest of the Chicago Outfit informants on tap here. No, not really. They’re not coming in. But I did do a story. I did a series of shorts a few years, or I don’t know, two or three years ago, maybe. [0:32] I interviewed my late friend, Cam Robinson, rest in peace, Cam. So you get to hear from him again. And Paul Whitcomb, who is a Chicago outfit expert, he’s been on this. They used to have some kind of a round table show up there. I don’t know if they still have it or not with the Seiferts. But anyhow, I got these guys to sit down with me and talk about all the different informants in Chicago during the, it was during the 80s. So this is just kind of a series of shorts that I put up before. They’re six or eight minutes long, I think, each one of them, that they talk about different informants. This kind of threw it together as another little bonus episode we’ve done. And I went to Chicago, if you notice, after Johnny Russo, which I apologize for in a way, I don’t know. I mean, the guy’s got some crazy-ass stories, doesn’t he? Who am I to say that he didn’t do it? But most people know that he didn’t do most of that stuff. Anyhow, so I threw up another Chicago right away about the guy that had the race wire that they killed, James Reagan. [1:38] Then i had this interview that i’d been doing during those last couple weeks with bob cooley who’s appeared uh out of nowhere and he’ll maybe see him on some other shows now he’s he’s wanting to do shows he tells me so after hearing bob cooley talk i thought well i’m doing do one more i want to just throw it up as an extra uh from some of my old chicago outfit stuff and that’ll finish me off on the Chicago outfit for a while. I hadn’t, I hadn’t been in Chicago, uh, doing shows about Chicago for quite a while. And, and I didn’t want to, uh, neglect you guys. You know, I get a lot of books written about New York and I’ve got all these authors that are wanting to do these books about New York. Uh, not so much about Chicago. So if you got anybody that, you know, wants to, got a book and wants to come on the show, uh, talking about the outfit, why steer them to me. So anyhow, just sit back and relax and enjoy. [2:37] My late, great friend, Cam Robinson. One more look at Cam, for those of you who remember him, and Paul Whitcomb. And we’re going to talk about famous snitches from Chicago. Thanks, guys. Well, let’s move along now to, this is kind of interesting, Paul Peanuts Panczko, who was the leader of the Polish branch of the outfield. Is that what you would call Peanuts Panczko, the leader of the Polish branch? If the Polish branch is the Panczko family, which you could easily say there were three brothers, then yeah, that wouldn’t be right. We haven’t really done a show on them. I don’t know a whole lot about them other than they were released at all. So we said non-Italian, Peckerwood, as we call them at Kansas City, professional criminals who did a lot of business with different outfit people. And he did a robbery of a racetrack. I think it’s the Balmoral Racetrack. It’s the name of it. James Duke Basile and then Panczko was in trouble for that and he convinced Basile to come in and they did some talking remember anything about that situation, you know in a lot of ways you. [3:50] Panczko could be considered one of the first dominoes that eventually led to the Family Secrets trial. Panczko, as you said, led to Dookie Bazile, who they had done robberies together. Bazile led them to Scarpelli, who was a much higher guy. I mean, there’s debate, but he was, because there was a making ceremony at this time, but Scarpelli was pretty highly ranked. I mean, he was a known killer, and he was up there. He was in the wild bunch. But Scarpelli then did tell them about a lot of the things that Frank Calabrese had done. [4:28] He wasn’t known as well as Scarpelli had brought him up to be. And a lot of those things dominoed into what would eventually lead to family secrets years later. [4:42] Scarpelli, I think, did not know so much about Nick, but he did know about Frank. And so a lot of that information sort of filled in the gaps. And even though Frank Calabrese Jr. Led them led them to Nick They A lot of seeds were planted And can be traced back to Pianus Pansico Um. [5:01] So it is kind of an interesting line. Basile, he wore a wire on Scarpelli and not even talking about a lot of these things. It’s not the FBI knew about that. They were in a car together. Right. If I remember right, he even talked about a mob graveyard. They went up there and they found two or three bodies. One of them was connected. It wasn’t anybody really important, but one of them was connected to Harry Aleman. So it was a pretty important wearing of a wire on Scarpelli, who then came at himself for a while. And that’s what led to the family secrets. He talked about Frank Calabrese. Is that what you’re saying? Yeah, that’s right. And some of those bodies in that graveyard were 10 years apart, which was interesting. I’ve got, it’s on the map that I created, but some of those bodies, there was years in between them. So it was something they were going back to and they believed that there were a lot of things there they did not find. Yeah, because they built a health care facility or something. They built some big building over where there would have been bodies. Right. Right. And the fascinating thing about this is Scarpelli, like, just like Cam said, this guy was a serious killer. He was a muscle builder. He was a terrifying guy. I mean, he had almost inhuman physical strength. Yeah. And when he flipped, he was completely debriefed by the FBI and the DOJ and then decided to try and change his mind. [6:27] But before he could do that He hung himself in the bathroom Of the Metropolitan Correctional Center With his hands behind his back And a bag over his head, Who was he in prison with? Who was he in MCC with, Paul? Was it anybody? He did happen to be in the MCC with the German at the time. He bound his hands behind his back and put a bag over his own head. He did. He did. And so the outfit continues to somehow persuade people to take their own lives rather than testify against them. [7:07] It’s a hell of a way to die by suicide it is by suicide at least they didn’t have arrows in his back, not as far as we know yeah it was terrible he cut his own head off I saw a cartoon once that the homicide guy liked to go ahead and maybe real suckle of suicide because then you could just walk away from it so there’s a dead body laying there with a bunch of arrows at his back and a homicide detective standing over him with a hand and pencil and says, hmm, suicide, huh? [7:44] Got the inside joke. It worked homicide. You see how those guys sometimes will try to make something into a suicide that probably is a homicide. On the other hand, we had one, we had a mob guy, he wasn’t really a mob associate, who had gone to Vegas. He lost a lot of money and they found his body in his car at the airport parking lot after coming back from Vegas and they found out later lost a lot of money and the car was parked up against the fence and he was shot in the head and there was no gun in the car you know found so just assume that somebody shot him in his head the car kept going and rolling up against the fence. [8:25] But this one detective, I remember Bob Pence is his name. He was dumb. And he started, he went back over and he dusted that car for prints again. And he got some more evidence out of it. And then he went back to the airport and he looked and started asking questions. And he found out later that somebody who had a pickup truck parked there had a week later, three or four days later, come back and got his truck. When he got home he found a pistol inside the bed of his truck and he called the airport or he called somebody turned it in Pinson found that pistol that was a pistol that that shot the guy so Pinson's theory was he was rolling along in his car he shot himself in the head and then he flipped that pistol out is with a reaction he flipped it out and went in the bed in that pickup and then it rolled on up against the fence and they ruled it a suicide wow damn that’s not that different than Scarpelli I mean the fbi to this day insists it was suicide yeah well, Oh, well, right. All right. Let’s move along to Mario. John, the arm. Rainone. [9:41] Is that correct, Cam? That yeah, that’s Rainone. Yeah. So tell us about that. I know we talked about this, you know, a little bit about this one. [9:50] This is kind of a funny one. He was he was sent to kill a building inspector. Raynaud was with the Grand Avenue crew and so he’s en route to kill this guy and this is one of those mob blunders and he sees a couple guys following him and it’s Rudy Fredo and Willie Messino and he recognizes him when he’s driving over there and it’s important to point out who these guys are, Cam, not to interrupt you Willie Messino, was the right hand man and bodyguard for Tony Accardo for 30 years I mean, he was serious, serious business. Rudy Frayto, you know, the chin, but Massino was serious news. If you saw Willie Massino, you knew he were in for trouble. Yeah, he wasn’t there as backup to do anything except clean up after Rainone, including Rainone. So Rainone saw the writing on the wall. He pulls up and he goes straight to the FBI. [10:54] And he informs, he talks to them and gives them his information. And later on, he sort of regrets doing so, denies that he ever did. Uh, there were, there were, uh, articles written about him. There’s a, there’s a Chicago Tribune writer, John Cass, and Ray Nolan had a back and forth with him writing letters. This is how these mob guys in Chicago operate, talking about, I’m, I ain’t no beefer. And, uh. Once he was out of prison in 2009, he was busted several more times. If you can believe it, he stayed in the criminal life. He was robbing a liquor store with another guy. And the guy he was robbing with, this is why I jump ahead a little bit, was a guy named Vincent Forliano. He claimed that he didn’t even know Fratto or Messino. These were guys he didn’t know, so he never would have informed against them. The guy he was robbing the liquor store with and he was committing other robberies with, Vincent Forliano, was Fredo’s son-in-law. [11:56] So he was committing robberies with a guy related to the guy, but he didn’t know who they were. And to say that somebody didn’t know, as Paul said, Willie Messino, is just ludicrous. Anybody in the criminal atmosphere, period, knew who Willie Messino was because you were probably paying money to it. to exist. And this is extremely important because Rainone, at the time this happened, Rainone cooperated long enough to record conversations with Lenny Patrick. That’s right. That’s right. And that set dominoes in place that would lead to the fall of the outfit. Even though he tried to take back his cooperation, to say he never cooperated, I’ve heard those tapes that were played in trials that I participated in, so I I know better. Uh, and that’s why they call him Mario flip flop Rainone because he, uh, would cooperate and uncooperate and then cooperate. But he is the one who got Lenny Patrick on the hook. Yeah. [13:00] Interesting, interesting. Let’s just continue on with this Lenny Patrick because we weren’t going to talk about him. That’s a good lead hand to talk about another, really one of the most important informants that year who testified. [13:13] Can you talk about the domino that led to the end? Rainone really, really flipped the domino that kicked over. Go ahead, Paul. Well, Lenny Patrick was the highest, and even to this day, remains the highest ranking member of the outfit to ever turn state’s evidence. The guy was a capo in all but name. He had been in charge of Rogers Park, the gambling. He was essentially the head of the Jewish arm of the mafia, kind of the Meyer Lansky figure of Chicago. And when the Lawndale neighborhood moved north to Rogers Park, he moved with them, and he had his own crew. He reported directly to Gus Alex, who was, of course, at the very top, and Sam Carlisi. And he was dealing with Marcello and Carlesi in a number of different outfit ventures, loan sharking. He personally had been staked by Carlesi with a quarter million in cash to put out on the street. And he was involved in extortions Bombings of theaters All these things directly at the command of Sam Carlisi Who was then the boss of bosses of the Chicago outfit So when Rainone got him on tape They set up what was the beginning of the end for the outfit And I think people need to understand who Gus Alex is also For people outside of Chicago Gus Alex was. [14:40] Basically, I guess you could call him the equivalent of maybe the consigliere in Chicago. When you look at Chicago, the triumvirate in the 70s, once a guy like Paul Ricca died and several major outfit leaders died in the early 70s. [14:58] Tony Accardo decided that the outfit would be led by himself, by Joy Iupa, and the political wing and all of the non-Italians and all of the grift and a lot of aspects would be led by Gus Alex. So he was essentially on the same level as Joey Iupa, and he was responsible for much more for things of greater import than Joey Iupa. I mean, controlling the political arm and all the payoffs and all of that is much, much more than the streets and the murders. So all the politics and all the anything that had to do was definitely fell under gus alex and he was part of a ruling triumvirate he was a non-italian part of a ruling triumvirate with iupa and uh acardo so he was the the leader top of the outfit and he had been for years going back to going back to the 30s and the 40s 40 he had come up under, the Murray the Camel Humphreys and had made those connections he was the most connected guy in the Chicago outfit, so for a guy like Lenny Patrick to be. [16:15] Rollover against is essentially the political leader, national political leader and political leader of Chicago. This was absolutely crippling to the outfit. That was he wiped out the entire political arm of the Chicago outfit. After Lenny Patrick brought down Gus Alex, this became a basically a street crime organization. It was that those political contacts. I mean, I think that’s a fair statement, right, Paul? Those political contacts and judges, I mean, that was all but eliminated with Gus Alex going away. You’re absolutely right, Cam. And he not only took out Gus Alex, but he took out the boss of the Italians, too. That’s right, yeah. Both of them at the same time. He wiped out the outfit, and you put it beautifully by saying it became a street crime organization. You think about the division of labor and it started with IUP and IUP and. [17:19] La Pietra, Jackie Cerone, they had all the gambling, a lot of the sports gambling, but they also had the skim from Las Vegas, and they ran all that stuff, while Gus Alex, along with Lenny Patrick, ran all that politics, and you can’t have a mob organization if you don’t have cover politically. That’s why even in Kansas City, we’re pretty clean here, but we still never had any real mob prosecutions. [17:47] And it certainly had very few, if any, little, if any mob prosecutions at Cook County. And you couldn’t even get convicted of a real crime, murder, assault, or something. It’s just a straight-out crime. You weren’t even trying to do a RICO, I think, on anybody. So it was, you know, they just operated with impunity. Well, you took out that whole gambling side. That was all the money coming in. And then shortly thereafter, you take out the political side, who then turns back and gets the new boss on the gambling side and loan sharking and all that. [18:23] I’ll tell you, by 1990, the outfit’s gone. It really is. It still exists to a degree, but Sam Carlisi was the last traditional old line boss of the outfit. you, that, in my opinion, that ever ruled. After that, it was never the same. Yeah, I think a guy like Gus Alex, you know, like you said, Gary, you had Aiuppa who was dealing with gambling, but I think that’s a lot of, there’s a lot of optics to that, you know, and you’ve got all these cities who have got characters who are not Italian, Gus Alex in Chicago, and, you know, as Paul said, Meyer Lansky, who was New York, and you had Mashie Rockman in Cleveland, and these characters not italians so they know when to step back and let and let the italians talk but that doesn’t mean that they’re not running things it’s just for the optics of city to city where the italians have to see that they’re dealing with italians they don’t walk in the room it doesn’t mean that behind the scenes they’re not pulling the levers they just because of of the uh uh criminal um. [19:34] The the criminal view of of non-italians in that world sort of sort of their own prejudices these guys don’t always walk in the room when they’re dealing with other cities gus alex is is sitting down with anybody in chicago but you go to kansas city you go to new york, you know meyer lansky would leave the room when they were when they were talking you know italian to Italian. And the same thing with Gus Alex or Mace Rockman or any of those other guys who are not Italian. It was just an optics city to city. It doesn’t mean that they weren’t pulling the levers. Is it Yehuda or Jehuda, Cam? Jehuda. I’ve always heard of Jehuda. Yeah, Jehuda. So he kind of dealed with the IRS that year. [20:23] He must have had some. The IRS was really strong working the mob in Chicago. I’ve noticed several references to IRS investigations. We did not have that in Kansas City, and the IRS did a little bit, but they were not as strong as they were up in Chicago. [20:38] Yeah, he met with an agent, Tom Moriarty, who’s been around and worked Chicago for a long time. He was a pretty well-known guy up here. But Bill Jehota worked under Ernest Rocco Infelice, who was a real powerhouse going back a long time. And out in Cicero, and his crew, a lot of these crews had their own little names, and they called the good shit Lollipop. He was a huge gambling enterprise, you know. And they bought a house up in Lake County, which is north of the city. It’s funny, this house they bought was actually the family that had lived in it. The son had murdered the family. It was a murder house before the outfit bought it. and uh they bought it used it as a as a gambling den and and after that moved out they used it for prostitution and they would park cars at a nearby motel that they ran and then then have a uh a, valet service that drove him to this this gambling house and there was also quite a few uh murders that uhJahoda witnessed i’m sure he took no part in it he just happened to be standing outside of the house when they when they these murders were committed there was a uh was it hal smith and um. [21:57] Oh i can’t remember the they killed somebody else in this home and they burnt these were guys who didn’t want to pay his tree tags, and they were gamblers who refused to give in. And he brought down this entire crew. I mean, Rocco and Felice was… There’s a famous picture of the day after the Spolatros were killed. And it was really the upper echelon of the up that you’ve got. You’ve got little Jimmy Marcello. You’ve got the boss, Sam Wings-Carlesi. You’ve got the street boss, Joe Ferriola. And you’ve got Rocco and Felice, who’s right there. These are the four top guys, basically, in the outfit as far as at this time, the Cicero crew had risen to the top. That was the powerhouse crew. And so he was involved in those discussions because he was such a powerhouse out there with Ferriola being the street boss. So he was, it really can’t be thatJahodatestimony that eventually brought down this crew was really, it really crippled that crew for a long time. Well, those people that went down in that trial have only in the last five years come out of prison. Yeah, we’ve actually had been talking to somebody. We’ve had the… [23:13] Opportunity to meet he brought down uh uh robert um to go beat um bellavia and another guy who doesn’t like to be mentioned who runs a pretty successful pizza pizza chain up in lake county and uh these guys went down for a long time the beat was down for 25 years and he just came out. [23:39] So and billJahoda have if you read his testimony it is kind of kind of odd that he was standing outside of the building and just looked in the window and they were committing a murder and he just he he places himself outside of the house witnessing a murder through the window which is convenient when you’re the one testifying against murderers it certainly is yeah. [24:03] So so that was he was involved in the gambling so that makes sense then the irs got him and millions of dollars millions of dollars a month they were bringing and he met uh, i don’t remember paul and you did he he contacted moriarty right or did moriarty reach out to him because he was under investigation i i thought Jahoda was was worried about himself so he reached out to them i can’t remember the details i think you’re right yeah i i think he was worried about his own his own safety gary and he reached out to moriarty and they met up at a hotel just outside the city on the uh up in the northwest and uh they talked about things i actually found the location and on the little map you can find where where they met each other but he they met each other in disgust and they would meet different locations and and jahuda wore a wire and some of those some of those wiretaps are they really make for that. [25:05] That those conversations come right out of the movie just i love what we’re doing out here and i love my job and and you actually where i’m going to make you trunk music i mean you really hear these things that that you see it right in the movies i mean you you can’t write the dialogue that these guys are actually using it’s it’s it’s you know it it comes straight out of a book i mean You’ve got, you’ve got, uh, this is the toughest dialogue you’ll ever hear. Interesting. How’d you buy it? Where’d you find that at? Is that, uh, it’s probably not the audio in probably anywhere. No book or something. Yeah. You can, if you look up, if you look up different, different, you know, you go on newspapers.com or you go in different, uh, I believe, uh, I’ve got, um, uh, mob textbook by, um, Howard Abedinsky. I’ve got a couple of copies of his, of his textbook, organized crime. And he’s got some clips of it. This guy who owns a pizza shop up north is talking about how he loves his job. He loves what he does. And it’s funny to hear he talk about smashing somebody and loving what you do. Really? I’ve heard a few conversations like that back at the station house. [26:25] I don’t care. It’s on both sides. Is that what you’re saying? When you live in that world. Those guys can go either direction. [26:37] Well, let’s talk about ex-Chicago cops. Speaking of cops, let’s talk about, Vince Rizza, his daughter actually appeared on that Chicago Mob Housewives, or they tried to do a show. And Frank Schweiss’ daughter was on it. And Pia Rizza, who has gotten some notoriety as a model or something, I can’t remember. And she really, she was tight. She would not talk about her dad at all. I read an interview of her. She would just talk about her dad at all. But he came in and he testified against Harry Aleman, of all people, and linked him to the murder of this bookie, Anthony Ritlinger. Remember that one? [27:22] Go ahead, Paul. No, that one I’m not very up on, Cam. I’m sorry. So, Ritlinger, I believe he didn’t want to pay his street tax, if I’m right, Gary. Yeah, you’re right. He had been warned. Rattlinger had been warned that he needs to pay, he needs to pay, and he was making a good deal of money. And Ratlinger was he was brought in just the normal course of action with the wild bunch because he was a wild bunch murder I’m a little rusty but here it comes so he was a wild bunch killing, he was brought in he was warned it was the typical Harry Ailerman and if I’m remembering correctly and people correct me if I’m not it was Butch Petruccelli they sat him down. [28:11] Usually it would be Butch and, um, uh, Borsellino who would do the talking, uh, Tony Borsellino, and they would do the talking. And then afterwards, Butch Petruccelli would just sit down and glare. So he was a pretty scary guy. And he had that, uh, uh, Malocchio, the, the evil eye, and he would just glare at people. And that would send the message and Rattlinger didn’t, didn’t listen. He was making too much money, he’s not going to pay any damn Degos, that kind of line. And so he, of course, fell victim to these guys. And I believe he may have been trunk music. I think I remember this one, Matt, but I can’t remember. Yeah, I got this one. He went to a restaurant. That’s right. That’s right. And he had already, his daughter lived with him. I’m not sure about the wife, but he had warned his family to take all kinds of extra cautious. He knew something was coming. And it was, you know, after reading that thing, it’s, It’s kind of like, well, we talked about Spilotro taking off their jewelry. Ken Eto did this similar kind of a thing and told his wife he may not be coming back. [29:22] I tell you, another guy that did the same thing was Sonny Black. That’s right. It came out about Joe Pistone, the Donnie Brasco story. He did the same thing. He went to a sit-down or a meeting, and he took off his jewelry, I believe left his billfold, when he went to the meeting. this. Ken Eto was the same way. Ken Eto, I think, thought he could talk his way out. I think all of them thought they could talk their way out of it. So Rettlinger went out by himself and sat in a prominent place in this local restaurant that was really well known up there in the north side. It’s north of downtown Chicago, and I can’t remember the name of it. [30:02] And he just sat there and pretty soon a car pulls up and two guys run in kind of like a Richard Cain kind of a deal and just start popping. And that was a Harry Aleman deal. That’s right. He did, I believe. There’s an old guy who married the girlfriend of Felix Adlericio, I believe. He and this woman are sitting out in front of their brownstone, and Aleman and some other dude pull out and get out when guys walk up to him and shoot him and kill him. [30:31] And so that was – Yeah, that was Petrocelli and Aleman walked up, And he had been, he had been dating, uh, uh, Aldericio’s, Alderico’s girlfriend. Now that’s the famous hit from beyond the grave. Because we’re going to go on the old Samuel’s just sitting in the lawn chair thinking he’d got it made. That’s right. You know, Gary, you and I did the show on the outfit, uh, a long time ago. No, I’m sorry. On the wild bunch, a long time ago. So a lot of those, and they did so much work back in the day. A lot of those run together, but yeah, you’re now, uh, now that you’re right, writing her was he was eating in a restaurant. I’m, Uh, I can’t remember the name. It may have been, been Luna’s, but he was, went out in public. He thought he’d be safe. And like you said, a lot of these guys have a six cents because they come up on the street and they know these things. And, uh, like a guy like Sammy and Reno knew it was coming. He was dodging them for a long time, but they, they know that their time is coming. Eventually they just, they stay ahead of it for a while and figure they can fight their way out or talk their way out. And yeah, they, he was blown away right in public. Like it was similar to the, I remember it being similar to the, to the Richard Cain murder. And this was in, it was right around the same time. It was, it was in the mid seventies, 75, 74, 75, 76. It might’ve been 75 that writing or happened right, right in the middle of the restaurant. [31:58] I’ve been a lot cheaper to pay the street tax, I reckon. You know, and it wasn’t, I don’t recall that they’re asking for so much, but once these murder started happening yeah i think it was it wasn’t like it was half or 75 i think they just wanted it was you know it might have been a quarter it might have just been a flat fee across the board but once that street tax was was instituted i mean we’ve talked about this before gary that was when the wild bunch was out there that was that was they really didn’t play around When Ferriola told these guys, get everybody in line, [32:31] they really cracked down and they weren’t playing at all. You pay or you die. And guys like Alem and Patrick Shelley, whether it was right in public or whatever, in the outfit in the 70s, Paul, you know this from Richard Cain and several others. They just write in public would just blow you away. and writing her was just was almost textbook just like the Richard Cain it was it was right in the right in the restaurant yeah I’ll tell you I’ll tell. [33:05] I was conflating him with Hal Smith. Okay. I’ll tell you something about those mob hits. When they kill somebody in public like that in a public way, more than likely it’s because whoever the victim is has been alerted, and they can’t get anybody to get close to them. They will already try to send somebody around to get them isolated, and when they can’t get them isolated, then they want them bad enough. They’ll just lay, as Frank Calabrese, I heard him say once, well, lay on them. And I thought, oh, that’s interesting. Well, lay on them. I read that somewhere else. They use that term when you’re following somebody and you’re trying to set them up, or yet they lay on them. Calabrese even said, you know, you’re like, get an empty refrigerator box and hide inside of it. I mean, it’s just like the kind of stuff we used to do at the intelligence unit to run surveillances on people. And so they’ll lay on them for a while until they can get you somewhat isolated. And if they can’t, then they’ll just take you out in public. It might be to send a message, but I don’t think so because it’s so risky to get somebody in public. You can have a young, all-fitty cop in there that you didn’t even notice, and he comes out blazing. And, you know, it’s just not worth it. Even if you take him out, he’s probably got to get you. [34:21] So it’s kind of a last resort. A desperation. Yeah, it’s desperation because they can’t get you isolated. [34:28] You look at some of these public murderers, guys like Richard Cain or Ridinger, like you said, who was on the watch. Sam Annarino, who was right on Cicero. [34:39] A guy like Chris Carty, who was years later. I mean, these are guys who would have been smart enough and street smart enough to be on the watch, to watch their step, to know what was going on. With the exception of a guy like Michael Cagnoni, who just happened to be difficult to get, and he probably might have had an idea that something was happening, but I think just he was a family guy, and so it was hard to isolate. They blew him up on the interstate, but I think that in general, that’s a good point, Gary. These guys, if they just run up and blow away, it’s just a last resort. That’s an excellent point. I have always been in that camp of, oh, that must be sending a message. But you, with your experience, I think you’re exactly right. One thing, guys, I think we’re mixing up Sambo Cesario with Sam Annarino. I was thinking when they – yeah, you’re right, Paul. I was thinking, though, when they blew away Sam Annarino in the parking lot with his family, though, they had been trying to get him for several months. And they finally just went after him in the parking lot, called in a robbery, and blew him away in the furniture store parking lot. That was what I meant. Yeah, Gary was referring to Sambo earlier. I just meant they had been trying to get Sam Annarino for a long time, and when they couldn’t, they just got him in the parking lot. [36:08] Well, interesting. You know, no matter how much terror these guys strike in the heart of their underlings, in the end, they still will turn once in a while. And I think people don’t really not turn because they’re afraid of getting killed so much if they don’t turn because they don’t want to have their family suffering the disgrace of them being a rat or a snitch. I think that’s more important to be a man and go out like a man in this subculture and believe me I’ve lived in a subculture where being a man and being a tough guy is more important than anything else, I think that’s the most important thing that keeps people from coming in you’re like a wimp you’re a puss, you can’t take it, can’t handle it you know what I mean you can’t handle five years I could do five years standing on my head or a tray like the dude told me so uh you know but even even with all that and still there’s a certain percentage that will end up coming in sure and usually there are people that either don’t care about their family like lenny patrick yeah or that don’t have close family so that they don’t have it so much of that pressure that you’re talking about gary because you make a really valid point that that that cultural value is so strong yeah yeah it’s it’s. [37:36] In a lot of these small towns, you see in Detroit where they’re all family tied in and everything, you don’t see informants. I think they’ve had one. Kansas City, as you said, Gary, you don’t see. But then you look at a place like Rochester where they’re all just lower tier mob guys. Everybody was informing on everybody because they really weren’t as upper echelon sort of mob guys. So I think that, like you said, once you get that culture seeped in, you’ve got those families and all, there’s a lot of factors. But if it’s a deep-rooted mob town, you really don’t see a lot of real informants. [38:11] So, guys, now we’ve got one that I did a show on. I did a couple of shows on him. I talked to the FBI agent who brought him in and dealt with him for quite a while. Ken Tokiojo Eto. He survived a murder attempt. When that didn’t happen for him with the outfit, what happened after that? [38:32] I believe his attempted assassins got killed themselves. So tell me a little bit about Tokyo Joe Eto. There’s a photograph I have from the late 50s, early 60s And it shows Joe Ferriola And a couple of other heavyweights Hanging around with a young Ken Eto, And a lot of people didn’t know who Ken Eto was But he ran the Japanese game, Gambling, Bolita And lots of money Poured into the outfit through Tokyo Joe As they called him And there was a rumor that perhaps Tokyo Joe was going to turn under a little bit of pressure. And so Jasper Campisi put three slugs in the back of his head. [39:22] Miraculously, he survived three slugs at point blank range. And if he wasn’t going to turn state’s evidence before, he certainly had a powerful incentive to do so now. He seems to insist As I’ve heard that he was not His intention was not It’s hard to say at this point But he says he had no intention Of flipping and that he’s not sure What the evidence was against him But he was not going to flip until, It was Yeah. [39:55] I’m drawing a blank, Paul. Who was it that sent? It wasn’t the saint. It was Vincent Solano. He was kind of Vincent Solano, who was a union guy and a made guy up there. He kind of had which one. [40:11] He was a capo. And which crew was it? Do you remember? He was on the north side. North side crew. North side crew. And actually, Ken went to Vince Solano and had a talk with him. Said you know what i can do this he was looking at a tray i had a dude tell me what’s that pressure and tried to get him to talk and he said uh he said what am i gonna get out of this a tray he said man i can do a tray standing on my head and i threw him right then that’s right gotta talk to me so uh and that’s all he had to do but solano for some reason uh who knows what was in his head because uh ken Eto had made him a lot of money a lot of money and he was a tough little dude he had he had survived he had been put in the uh concentration camps if you will during the internment camps yeah internment camps and then came as a young man up chicago and been around for a long time by the time this all came down he’d been with him for a long time and made him a lot of money and all kinds of different gambling operations but particularly the bolita. [41:13] So uh it just didn’t make sense i heard one thing that these guys in chicago got the idea Yeah, to keep the noise down, they were loading their own rounds with lighter loads of powder. I don’t know. They had like a hit car up there. The guys in Chicago were pretty sophisticated or tried to be. And so they used these lighter loads. And when it went into his head, it just didn’t penetrate his skull. I remember I was at the hospital once, and there was a young guy who had gotten shot in the head. And they said that the bullet was not a good bullet because it went in under his skin and then went under his scalp, along his skull, and then lodged up on his forehead. [41:56] Wow. And so Eto was kind of the same way. Those bullets were probably lodged up underneath his scalp. He pulled himself to a neighboring, I believe it was a pharmacy that was right there, a corner store. And then that guy went to help him. I think he had to dial a call of 911 or whatever. 911 was in place then. He had to call for help for himself from a phone booth. You know, he saved his own life by being smart and playing dead. Yeah, that’s right. And you look at Chicago, it’s a city of neighborhoods, and you’ve got the Mexican town, and you’ve got the different towns, and you’ve got Chinatown where there’s so much money and so much gambling. And while Haneda was Japanese and there’s obviously division between Japanese and Chinese, it would be much easier for him to go in and then some of these outfit guys and because of different things going on back in the 50s, 60s, and 70s. But he could go into neighborhoods and represent the outfit in ways in different communities that the outfit wouldn’t go into or a lot of these made guys. [43:12] And that gave him entry into a lot of communities. In the Asian community, there’s a lot of gambling that he was able to tap into. He was smart enough to see that as a route that maybe the Italian guys didn’t, just like Lenny Patrick, who we’ve talked about in other episodes, had that access into the Jewish communities and other Jewish gangsters. There’s a lot of gambling there. If you can get somebody who has an in to different communities, that’s really a way to go and that’s part of why he made so much money. A game like BolEto wouldn’t normally be and that’s huge in the Hispanic communities and huge with Asians also. You know in kansas city that’s interesting that you should point that out camp we had a um large vietnamese community moved in after the the boat peoples when it started and they moved in through the same church uh. [44:09] Sacred Heart Church and Don Bosco Center that the Italians moved in, the Sicilians moved into back in the turn of the century, the same neighborhoods. And Italians are getting successful and they’re moving out the suburbs and the Vietnamese are moving in and creating the Vietnamese restaurants and Vietnamese shops. And they brought, they have a love for gambling. Like you said, they have huge love for gambling. They don’t drink so much or do so many drugs, but they do love to gamble, it seemed to me like. [44:36] And so they had their own book. he was called the king a guy a friend of mine told me a story uh there’s a mob book he got on the periphery that neighborhood’s got a joint and he he was running a sports book and he had a lot of action going in and out of his joint so this one vietnamese guy had a big debt owed to the king so he goes down and talks to this guy’s name was Larry Strada, he ends up getting killed by some other uh mobsters in a deal they thought he was going to testify but i just needed to hear are there, this young, middle-aged Vietnamese guy goes down to the Caddyshack, Larry Strada’s bar. And he starts telling him about the king. He said, man, he said, the king, you take all your business. He said, he got all business down here. He take all your business. He said, you know, you need to do something about the king. He said, you know, we’re close to the river here. And then he made a motion across his throat like he was cutting his throat. So he was trying to get out of his gambling debt to convince this Italian, La Cosa Nostra bookie to go back and kill me yeah king piano. [45:42] You know i’ve heard a lot of stories and some of them are true some are not that one had to ring a truth to it it had a definite ring of truth that that got to do that playing them against each other yeah you bet and you know another thing about tokyo joe and you know he could testify But Ben Solano had Campizé and Gattuso killed right away. Found them in the trunk of their car, I think. Maybe at the airport, even. [46:09] Chicago trunk music, but they have some saying like that. And so Solano knew that they could testify against him, and they didn’t want to go down for attempted murder, more than likely, and he just didn’t take a chance. So he had them killed, and I can’t remember if he went down behind this or not. But another thing Tokyo Joe was able to do, I mean, he certainly could expose all the inner workings of what he knew about to the FBI, which gives you a lot of tips on where to go, who to work on, and maybe where to throw up microphones or some wiretaps. But he also traveled around he came to Kansas City during the skimming trial because they’re working on the Chicago hierarchy. So they just fly him into town. They show him that picture, the last separate picture where everybody’s in the picture. And they say, now, who’s that? Oh, that’s Aiuppa. Okay, then who’s that? Oh, that’s Vince Solano. Yeah, he reports to Aiuppa. You know, and who’s that guy? I can’t remember the other people at all. So the nation said that Joe is up hard. Oh, yeah, he reports to this guy. So to show the organization of the mob in Chicago and that it is an organization that gives orders to have other people carry it to make the RICO case, that he was a storyteller for that. And he didn’t know anything about the skim at all. But he was a storyteller on getting the mob name and the organization in front of a jury. That’s huge, as you know, Paul. [47:35] Absolutely. We had a similar arrangement during the Carlesi trial about how [47:40] the Carlesi crew operated and who was who, and to tell the story. Yeah. You have to make it a story. Let’s take a look at Betty Toco, which, uh, this is pretty interesting. There was a, um, I’m not sure. Albert Toco was your husband. Remind me what his position was at the outfit at that time. So Al Toco was, there’s sort of a division on who was the leadership of, who was the central leader of Chicago Heights. There’s Dominic Tuts Palermo and Al Toco, who was really a powerhouse in Chicago Heights. And Tuts Palermo was definitely highly connected and across the pond too, also in Italy. But uh Toco was involved in the in the chop shop wars really really heavily involved and he had a lot of connections in chicago too he was involved with lombardo and a lot of these chop shops throughout chicago he had a lot of partnerships and so this was a 30 million dollar a year racket stolen cars chop shops international car rings uh car rings throughout stolen car rings throughout the country. Toco was responsible for burying the Spolatro brothers. It was very sectioned off. Each crew had a part in their murder. And then Chicago Heights was responsible for the burial. [49:02] And they were down in Enos, Indiana. They got kind of turned around a little bit. They were down a farm road. They were burying them in a freshly tilled field. And the road where they’re on, there’s a little side road that you would drive down. There’s very little down there. I’ve, I’ve seen it, but a car happened to come down middle of night and they were in a, there’s a, there were a couple of feet off of a wooded area and they see this car coming down and they sort of all panicked and before they had a chance to cover the area or really do anything, it just looked like a freshly dug, it really just looked like freshly dug mound. And so they all fled and three of Toco’s guys went one way and he went the other. They had the car in both radios. [49:46] He’s wandering around barefoot, and he calls his wife finally. She shows up, and he’s screaming and yelling. And he runs to Florida, and he’s waiting for permission to come back from Joe Ferriola. He’s worried he’s going to get killed because they find the Spallachos immediately because the farmer sees his field all messed up, freshly tilled ground, and it looks really suspicious, like somebody had been poaching deer and burying the carcass. Uh but Toco was a tyrant to his wife he was he was horrible to her he was he was when you think of what a mob guy was that was Toco you know tipping the guy who mows his lawn the kid who mows his lawn hundred bucks and wandered around town everybody knows him but he’d come home and unlike a lot of these guys he was he was a real you know a real. [50:36] Real bastard to his wife you know and for years she put up with this sort of abuse and finally after this this happened and it was in the news and all he finally pushed her too far and she began informing on him and and he was arrested later on he was in his jail cell talking about all the murders he had committed and and this and that about his wife and uh his his uh uh A cellmate repeated everything that he said to try and lessen his sentence. So really, Toco got buried by his big mouth and his terrible behavior. He initially fled to Greece before he was arrested, and they extradited him back from Greece. So this is, I mean, Toco is like deep in mob behavior. [51:22] I mean, fleeing the country and all. I mean, it doesn’t get much more mafia than Al Toco. I hesitate to use that word with Chicago, but that was, Al Toco was running deep. and that Betty Tocco’s testimony eventually led to the trial of Al Tocco. And that was really a blow to the Chicago Heights crew that nowadays, I mean, they continued on and had a few rackets, but after the eventual trial that stemmed from that, it really wasn’t, there’s not much activity now. I’m in that area and there’s just, there’s really nothing here. [51:59] Interesting. Now, so Tony and Michael Spilotro had been lured to somebody’s house on the promise that Michael was going to be made. It’s my understanding. I believe that’s what Frank Collada had reported. And some other people, not part of the Chicago Heights crew, killed him. How did that go down? And how did they pass off the body? You guys, is there anything out there about that? Wasn’t that the family secrets trial, maybe? It was. And, of course, it’s been popularly portrayed in the movie Casino. And it’s surprisingly accurate Except for the fact That where they were beaten But what happened was Little Jimmy Marcello called them. [52:41] And said Sam, meaning Sam Carlisi, the boss, wanted to see them. And they knew that that was ominous because of what was going on beyond the scope of this show. But they took off the jewelry. They left. They told their wives, if we’re not back by 930, it’s not good. They really did not suspect that it was to make Michael. That’s what Collada said. You’re absolutely right about that, Gary. But I don’t think that’s correct at all. They knew that it was bad. And they went. He took a pistol, which was against the rules. They hit him a pistol. Tony hit a pistol on his brother, which you do not do when you go to see the boss. And they were picked up by, by Marcello and taken to a house. I, uh, was it Bensonville? Yeah. Up in Bensonville. Uh, in, in the basement, they walked down the stairs and all of a sudden they looked into the eyes of Carlici and, uh, DeFranzo and everybody, the whole, all the couples were there to spread the, the, uh, liability around and they were beaten to death with, with fists and feet, uh, in, in that basement and then transported to that burial ground, which coincidentally was just maybe a couple hundred yards away from Joey Aupa’s farm. [54:00] Right. So I guess that they must have had, uh, Toco standing by, because I don’t believe he was in that basement. I like that. He must have had him standing by to go grab the bodies and take them out. Really interesting. He should have had the old Doug before he got there. You know, that’s what they always say. First you dig the hole then you go do the murder right and i don’t think he had it done before he got there yeah i don’t i really that’s a good that’s a good point gary i really don’t know and nobody’s ever come forward to say what the status of the hole was beforehand uh you know it was a deep it was a deep it was it was a pretty deep hole uh but they may have had a dug ahead of Tom, but, but, uh, cause they knew the location and it’s pretty obscure location. So they had clearly been there before. And, and, you know, everybody knew that that was, I, I hope was, I got it right. Farm. And, uh, So they may have had it dug, and they just did a shoddy job covering it up. [55:05] But I also haven’t heard the specific details about how they handed it off to Toco. I don’t recall seeing that in Calabrese’s testimony. Yeah, it was Nick Calabrese that testified about that. It brought up the light. He named the killer. So he may not have gone that far, probably having Toco and having his wife testify that he did do this. that she picked him up out there. It was just a piece of the entire prosecution on the spot, which it really never was a trial or anything on that. I don’t believe. Another odd thing is he, I believe he ranted and raved the entire car ride back. And from where he was, you would run up with, It’s now turns into Indianapolis. So it’s a good car ride from where they were to Chicago Heights. I believe he ranted and raved about the guys and his crew and the burial and everything, the entire car ride, which was not something most guys would do in front of their wives. But I really, especially when he treated like that. Right. And complained about how long it took her to get there and everything. So she was able to verify a lot of what Calabrese was saying from the final end of it. Interesting. A friend of mine was in the penitentiary, and he said, there’s a guy in there who called himself a verifier. He said, what do you mean? He said, I’m a professional verifier. What he was, he was an informant. That’s what he was, but he called himself a verifier. [56:33] A girl would come to him and say, well, I heard this, this, and this. Is that true or not? He’d say, well, that’s true. That’s not true. [56:40] I guess that’s a more preferable term. Yeah, she was a verifier. Well, that was great. I really appreciate having that on there and Paul. And I really, I still miss Cam. Every time I get ready to do a Chicago show, I think, oh, I want to get Cam or Rochester. [56:58] We did one about Rochester. We did one about Utica. I did several other shows about other families. And he was a good guy and a real great researcher and a real expert on the outfit and other mafia families. So rest in peace, Cam and Paul. I hope to talk to you again one of these days. Guys, don’t forget, I got stuff to sell out there. Just go to my website or just search on my name for Amazon. I can rent my movies about the skim in Las Vegas, about the big mob war between the Savella brothers and the Spiro brothers in Kansas City. Then one about the great 1946 ballot theft in which the mob… Rigged election, helped Harry Truman rig an election. It’s a little harder to find than mine. You need to put ballot theft and Gary Jenkins. I think you’ll find it then. The other two, Gangland Wire and Brothers Against Brothers, Sabella Spiro, were a little bit easier to find. Had to put it up a different way because Amazon changed the rules, but I got them up there. So thanks a lot, guys.

Send us a textIs competition the only measure of skill in martial arts—or is there more to the journey?In this episode, we break down the competitor vs hobbyist debate and challenge the idea that titles define standards. Drawing from years of competition, coaching, and running a Judo club, we explore how effort, consistency, and mindset matter more than medals. Whether you train to compete, train for life, or train to grow, this conversation is about respecting different paths while holding high standards on and off the mat.This episode sets the tone for the New Year—focused on growth, humility, and what it truly means to walk the martial arts path.“Today's episode is brought to you by Sambo Nation — the home of world-class Sambo right here in the United States.Sambo Nation has clubs worldwide, with active athletes competing at every level of Sambo, from beginners all the way to elite international competitors. They've produced multiple Regional, National, and International Champions, raising the standard for American Sambo.They've also hosted the largest Sambo Training Camp This episode is sponsored by South Texas Judo — now officially partnered with Sambo Nation as South Texas Judo / Sambo Nation San Antonio.We're building one of the strongest grappling communities in Texas with programs for everyone.We offer traditional Judo classes, dedicated Women's-Only Judo, high-energy Kids Judo, and our dynamic No-Gi Judo program.And now — we've added Sambo classes through our collaboration with Looking for a smartwatch that's built for a warrior's life?I've been rocking the Raptor Pro by ALPHA GEAR, and I can honestly say—it works awesome. It's not just another smartwatch. It's a durable tactical beast designed to handle everything from training to the grind of daily life.What I love most is that ALPHA GEAR doesn't cut corners—they've got multiple models, each with features built for real-world tacSupport the show

For the final episode of UFC Unfiltered in 2025, Jim Norton and Matt Serra put a bow on the year that was and look ahead to what 2026 might hold.The guys open the show by revisiting their 2025 predictions, breaking down how the season played out after a razor-thin race in their season-long picks competition. Matt finished ahead on total points, while Jim led in correctly predicted winners — setting the stage for plenty of friendly back-and-forth.From there, Jim and Matt hand out eight end-of-year awards, including four official #UFCHonors categories that fans can begin voting on December 27, along with four Unfiltered-only awards the guys add in their own annual tradition. They debate the biggest fights, knockouts, submissions, comebacks, and breakout performances of 2025 — while giving special shine to standout runs that defined the year.The conversation then shifts to the future as the guys roll out their UFC holiday wish list for 2026, discussing everything from potential superfights and divisional clarity to fighters poised for massive breakout years.Jim and Matt wrap things up by calling their shots for 2026, predicting which fighters — including possible first-time champions — could be wearing gold by this time next year, and whether the very top of the women's divisions could see major shakeups.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

With Jim Norton out, Ray Longo steps in alongside Matt Serra for a fresh episode of UFC Unfiltered, featuring women's flyweight Jamey-Lyn Horth.Coming off back-to-back wins to finish 2025 undefeated, Horth talks about transitioning into MMA later than most, her athletic roots, and how early amateur fights against Loopy Godinez turned into a close friendship and training partnership. She also opens up about life in Canada and her love for cold plunges in the lakes and rivers near her home.Matt and Ray then wrap things up by unpacking UFC Fight Night: Royval vs. Kape, giving their thoughts on Manel Kape's first-round knockout and whether it was enough to punch his ticket to a flyweight title shot against Joshua Van with Alexandre Pantoja sidelined.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Send us a textwe Talk about what we had done from this year in 2025 . talked about the judo club and the changes that are coming. we talk about 2026 and where the judo club is going . fell free to message us and tell us you're favorite episode.“Today's episode is brought to you by Sambo Nation — the home of world-class Sambo right here in the United States.Sambo Nation has clubs worldwide, with active athletes competing at every level of Sambo, from beginners all the way to elite international competitors. They've produced multiple Regional, National, and International Champions, raising the standard for American Sambo.They've also hosted the largest Sambo Training Camp This episode is sponsored by South Texas Judo — now officially partnered with Sambo Nation as South Texas Judo / Sambo Nation San Antonio.We're building one of the strongest grappling communities in Texas with programs for everyone.We offer traditional Judo classes, dedicated Women's-Only Judo, high-energy Kids Judo, and our dynamic No-Gi Judo program.And now — we've added Sambo classes through our collaboration with Looking for a smartwatch that's built for a warrior's life?I've been rocking the Raptor Pro by ALPHA GEAR, and I can honestly say—it works awesome. It's not just another smartwatch. It's a durable tactical beast designed to handle everything from training to the grind of daily life.What I love most is that ALPHA GEAR doesn't cut corners—they've got multiple models, each with features built for real-world tacSupport the show

Vad hade du gjort om din sambo konstant skröt om din egen farfar? Eller om din kompis insisterade på att ni skulle dela på en parkeringsbot, trots att det var uppenbart att det var din kompis fel att ni fått boten? Skicka in era frågor till oss på Instagram, så kanske de kommer med i framtida avsnitt!

With Matt Serra out for the day, Jim is joined by Mr. Reliable himself — Din Thomas — for an episode that opens with lightweight Chris Duncan checking in just days after his impressive first-round anaconda choke of Terrance McKinney at UFC 323. Duncan talks about surviving the early storm, leveling up since moving full-time to American Top Team, and why he believes 2026 is the year he finally breaks into the Top 15.From there, Jim and Din dive into one of the wildest stats of the year: 10 of the UFC's 11 active champions have been crowned in just the past eight months. The guys give their thoughts on a chaotic UFC 323 card — including two new champions, major shakeups across multiple divisions, and whether the next wave of contenders is arriving faster than anyone expected.The show wraps with unbeaten middleweight prospect Mansur Abdul-Malik, who joins fresh off his standing guillotine finish on Saturday. Mansur discusses the obsessive tape study that fuels him, the positive energy he carries inside and outside the cage, daily training sessions with Sean Strickland at Xtreme Couture, and why he's pushing for a quick turnaround to keep his momentum rolling.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode I chat with Kristian Casaneda, and we explore various forms of grappling from Wrestling, Judo, Sambo, Sumo, Jiu Jitsu and more. Kristian is a Nidan in Judo (2nd degree black belt), jiu jitsu purple belt, sambo instructor and has competed in sumo, beach wrestling, freestyle, combat wrestling, jiu jitsu, judo, and catch wrestling. We explore a lot of grappling ideas here, hope you enjoy! Download Sherpa, the free AI-powered journaling app for athletes. Join the convo with Josh on Discord here. Use the code "BJJHELP" for 50% off your first month on Jake's Outlier Database to study match footage, get links to resources, and more.Use code “BJJHELP” at submeta.io to try your first month for only $8!

Jim and Matt open the show with lightweight finisher Jalin Turner, who joins ahead of his return against Edson Barboza at UFC 323. Turner explains how training with Ian Machado Garry and reconnecting with his faith pulled him out of a brief retirement, helping him rediscover balance, purpose, and confidence. He also discusses studying the sport differently, and what he expects when he steps in with a tricky veteran striker like Barboza.The guys then shift into their UFC 323 predictions, breaking down a stacked card — from Merab Dvalishvili's push for a historic fourth title defense of the year to Pantoja vs. Van, Moreno vs. Taira and more!Later, former light heavyweight champion Jan Błachowicz checks in to talk about making one more run at 205, how he views the danger posed by surging finisher Bogdan Guskov, and what “Legendary Polish Power” looks like in this stage of his career.Finally, Jim and Matt close out the episode with deeper analysis on some of the remaining UFC 323 matchups.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jim and Matt kick off the week with former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman, who checks in ahead of his trip to Las Vegas to support Merab Dvalishvili before the bantamweight champ's fourth title defense of 2025.Weidman shares what he expects from Merab's continued dominance, and also weighs in on how Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett match up in next year's interim lightweight title fight — the first numbered event of the new Paramount deal.Then, Syndicate MMA head coach John Wood joins the show to talk about life inside one of the busiest gyms in the sport. Wood breaks down Merab's one-of-a-kind approach to fight week and explains whether he foresees anything different in the champ's rematch with a resurgent Petr Yan in this Saturday's UFC 323 headliner.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jim and Matt kick off the show with British bantamweight Davey Grant, who joins live from the UFC Performance Institute as a brand-new Las Vegas resident. Fresh off rehabbing a torn bicep and injured nose, Davey talks about settling into life stateside, training his kids at Syndicate MMA, and why moving to America has changed the way he studies the sport — including watching fights live with a pen and paper to stay sharp on evolving MMA trends.The guys then unpack all the biggest storylines from UFC Qatar, where Matt takes a well-earned victory lap after going 2–0 in his picks — correctly calling Arman Tsarukyan's arm-triangle finish and Volkan Oezdemir's stoppage win.Later, women's flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko joins the show to discuss balancing her pursuit of all-time greatness with her creative “side quests,” from acting roles to drawing on her degree in film direction. With several options in front of her, Valentina reveals she's keeping a close eye on a potential trilogy with Amanda Nunes — especially now that the Lioness has expressed interest in meeting her again, this time at 125 pounds.Finally, in the wake of Ian Machado Garry's statement decision win, which capped off two straight weeks of top-flight welterweight action, Jim and Matt close the show by debating which 170-pound contender has earned the next shot at Islam Makhachev's welterweight title.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In deze aflevering van De Voetbalkantine van 21 november ontvangen presentatoren Milan van Dongen en Yordi Yamali de gasten Vicente Besuijen, Anco Jansen, Kees Luijckx en Kees Kwakman. Ook wordt er gebeld met Shurandy Sambo, die historie schreef met Curaçao door zich te plaatsen voor het WK van 2026. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jim and Matt kick off today's episode with rising featherweight Ethyn Ewing, who checks in after a memorable short-notice UFC debut win at Madison Square Garden vs. Malcolm Wellmaker. The soon-to-be father talks about his MMA journey, how camping, hiking, and spearfishing help keep him grounded, and how he balances training with his demanding day job as a safety professional.With Ethyn's call wrapped, Jim and Matt turn their attention to this weekend's UFC Qatar event — a Fight Night so stacked with ranked talent that they can't believe it isn't a pay-per-view. And with their head-to-head prediction battle coming down to the wire, the guys go fight-by-fight and make their picks for this absolutely loaded card.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

With Islam Makhachev dethroning Jack Della Maddalena on a historic night stamped by show-stealing wins from rising welterweight contenders, Jim and Matt have plenty to unpack on today's UFC 322 recap show. The guys break down the championship shakeup at 170, Valentina Shevchenko's flawless title defense, and all the biggest moments from Saturday's card.They're then joined by Johnny Walker, who hops on the show to talk fatherhood, his recent knockout win in China, and where he fits in the suddenly chaotic light heavyweight picture.After Johnny's interview wraps, Jim and Matt take a deep dive into Makhachev's future at welterweight — debating where Ilia Topuria stands among contenders vying for the first crack at the newest double champion's 170-pound UFC crown.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

With The Schmo filling in for Jim Norton, Matt Serra kicks off the show with undefeated bantamweight Malcolm Wellmaker ahead of his Madison Square Garden debut. “The Machine” talks managing expectations after two first-round UFC finishes, adjusting to a late opponent change, and how nine years as a welder shaped the discipline behind his undefeated rise.Matt and The Schmo then dive deep into UFC 322 — breaking down Bo Nickal vs. Rodolfo Vieira and every fight thereafter on the PPV main card. The duo debate who's primed for their big “Schmo-ment” on Saturday and who may keep their “Schmo-mentum” rolling in the night's two championship bouts.Finally, Tracy Cortez joins the show to preview her high-stakes rematch with Erin Blanchfield. The #8 flyweight contender reflects on what she remembers from her razor-thin win over Blanchfield years ago before unpacking how a victory at Madison Square Garden could vault her into the title mix.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jim Norton and Matt Serra kick off UFC 322 fight week with a pair of recent winners — UFC strawweight champion Mackenzie Dern and rising middleweight Zachary Reese.First, Mackenzie joins the show fresh off winning UFC gold to discuss the emotion of celebrating with her daughter cageside, her evolution under coach Jason Parillo, and her readiness for whoever comes next — whether that be Tatiana Suarez or Zhang Weili after Saturday's co-main vs. Valentina Shevchenko.Then, Zachary Reese calls in just days after his wild short-notice victory in Las Vegas. The Texas native breaks down how the fight came together, how sparring five rounds with Sean Strickland boosted his confidence, and what he plans to do with his $50K bonus.Plus, Jim and Matt react to this past weekend's APEX card headlined by Gabriel Bonfim and Randy Brown.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jim Norton and Matt Serra return for Wednesday's episode of UFC Unfiltered ahead of this weekend's UFC Fight Night: Bonfim vs. Brown card at the APEX.Accompanied by the great Fabiano Buskei as a Portuguese translator, 14th-ranked welterweight Gabriel Bonfim joins the show to discuss his main event matchup against Randy Brown, the importance of fighting alongside his brother Ismael, and how he's balancing patience and hunger in pursuit of a Top 10 ranking.Then, Christian Leroy Duncan stops by to preview his main card bout against Marco Tulio. The British middleweight uses his Unfiltered debut to discuss how the end of his collegiate basketball career sparked his MMA journey. As Matt asks CLD about the influence of ex-UFC fighter Mark Weir on his life, Duncan shifts the camera towards his longtime coach to catch up with Matt.Don't miss as Jim and Matt make their picks for this weekend's card!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jim Norton and Matt Serra are back to kick off fight week with two guests who've both made major statements inside the Octagon in recent weeks.On the heels of yet another heel hook submission, heavyweight submission specialist Valter Walker uses his UFC Unfiltered debut to talk through his UFC 321 victory in Abu Dhabi, reflect on his MMA journey, and break down what's next as he looks to heal up from a leg injury sustained in his fight.Then, lightweight Quillan Salkilld stays up late in his native Perth, Australia to talk about his scintillating head kick knockout that instantly went viral as a leading contender for KO of the year. The Australian prospect reflects on taking the fight vs. Nasrat Haqparast on short notice and how he went from playing the UFC video game to putting himself in one.Plus, Jim and Matt dish their thoughts on this past weekend's fights, with room for a chat on where Steve Garcia fits in among the featherweight division's best after a statement performance in the main event.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Two days removed from their chat with David Onama, Jim Norton and Matt Serra return for a Wednesday episode with his opponent in Saturday's main event — 12th-ranked featherweight Steve Garcia.The Albuquerque native joins the show to discuss his six-fight win streak, his ongoing callout, and why this matchup with Onama feels like the biggest moment of his career.Then, Jeremiah Wells stops by ahead of his first fight in nearly 20 months to talk about his comeback, training alongside Sean Brady at Marquez MMA, and how he approaches watching film before his matchup with Themba Gorimbo.Plus, Jim and Matt each make a few picks from this weekend's card as they look to create some separation in their hotly contested prediction battle.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jim Norton and Matt Serra kick off the show reacting to the wild ending of UFC 321's main event — sharing their thoughts on Ciryl Gane's dominant first round against Tom Aspinall before the anticlimactic finish via accidental eye poke. Both hosts agree they want to see that fight run back — and while Jim pulled ahead of Matt in the week's win-loss standings, he still trails by 13.5 points overall.Then, fresh off a first-round submission win over Davey Grant in Vancouver, Charles Jourdain discusses his perfect 2-0 start since moving down to bantamweight, what it's been like finding success at 135 lbs., and the pride of watching his younger brother Louis earn a UFC contract on Dana White's Contender Series.Finally, David Onama joins the show to preview his first UFC main event against Steve Garcia. The Factory X featherweight opens up about his journey from Uganda to Kansas City, his growth under Marc Montoya, and his mindset heading into the biggest fight of his career.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Raymi Sambo is acteur, presentator en regisseur. Hij speelde in televisieprogramma's zoals ‘Spangas' en ‘All stars' en in theaterproducties als ‘The Legendary Children'. Sambo heeft zijn eigen gezelschap opgericht ‘Raymi Sambo Maakt', waarmee hij voorstellingen, podcasts, films en talkshows creëert die hun wortels vinden in de interculturele- en queer samenleving. Nu komt Sambo met zijn nieuwe voorstelling ‘Wie is er bang voor Sylvana'. Het is een politieke thriller over moed, identiteit en waarheid. De voorstelling gaat over Sylvana Simons, de eerste zwarte fractievoorzitter voor BIJ1 in de Tweede Kamer en voormalig televisie- en radiopresentatrice. De voorstelling speelt zich af in een futuristische setting waarin Sylvana niet alleen strijdt tegen politieke tegenstanders, maar ook tegen de verwachtingen van ogenschijnlijke bondgenoten. Femke van der Laan gaat met Raymi Sambo in gesprek.

Jim Norton and Matt Serra are joined by reigning UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili, who returns for his 15th appearance on Unfiltered — just weeks after a whirlwind stretch that saw him defend his title on a Saturday and celebrate Aljamain Sterling's wedding the very next day.Merab discusses staying hungry now that he's beaten nearly everyone in his division, eyeing a UFC-record fourth title defense of 2025 at UFC 323, and his thoughts on Petr Yan's resurgence, Umar Nurmagomedov vs. Mario Bautista, and whether a featherweight move is viable in the near future.Then, former light heavyweight champion Glover Teixeira joins the show to reflect on Alex Pereira surprising him with a brand-new blue pickup truck, how proud he was seeing Pereira show class after his latest win, and what he thinks of his potential in the heavyweight division.Plus, Jim and Matt look ahead to UFC 321 fight week and share which upcoming matchups have them the most excited.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Aubrey Masango is joined by Phumudzo Sambo, a Coach and Mentor & Author to discuss her book “How Purpose Found Me”. She speaks about the inspiration behind the book, raising awareness about abuse, mental wellness, corporate culture, work‑life balance, and spirituality. Tags: 702, Aubrey Masangos show, Aubrey Masango, Bra Aubrey, Phumudzo Sambo, How Purpose Found Me. GBV, Sexual assault, Forgiveness, Healing, Mental health, Spirituality The Aubrey Masango Show is presented by late night radio broadcaster Aubrey Masango. Aubrey hosts in-depth interviews on controversial political issues and chats to experts offering life advice and guidance in areas of psychology, personal finance and more. All Aubrey’s interviews are podcasted for you to catch-up and listen. Thank you for listening to this podcast from The Aubrey Masango Show. Listen live on weekdays between 20:00 and 24:00 (SA Time) to The Aubrey Masango Show broadcast on 702 https://buff.ly/gk3y0Kj and on CapeTalk between 20:00 and 21:00 (SA Time) https://buff.ly/NnFM3Nk Find out more about the show here https://buff.ly/lzyKCv0 and get all the catch-up podcasts https://buff.ly/rT6znsn Subscribe to the 702 and CapeTalk Daily and Weekly Newsletters https://buff.ly/v5mfet Follow us on social media: 702 on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TalkRadio702 702 on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talkradio702 702 on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkradio702/ 702 on X: https://x.com/Radio702 702 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@radio702 CapeTalk on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@capetalk CapeTalk on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ CapeTalk on X: https://x.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CapeTalk567 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jim Norton and Matt Serra are joined by lightweight knockout artist Drew Dober fresh off his record-setting 10th UFC lightweight KO — a win that came the same weekend he turned 37 years old.Dober opens up about balancing the pressures of a three-fight skid with life as a father to a two-year-old daughter, celebrating the victory with Krispy Kreme, and why sharpening his ground game is his next focus as he continues to evolve as a martial artist.Then, Melissa Croden makes her first appearance on the show — joined by her friend's rabbit, Eddie, in the first official rabbit cameo in UFC Unfiltered history. After reflecting on the thrill of winning her UFC debut in front of home fans, the Canadian bantamweight shares how a spontaneous three-month break from her paramedic job to train in Thailand helped her realize she had what it takes to pursue MMA at the highest level — while still dabbling in the profession she loves in the way Stipe Miocic did as a firefighter.Plus, Jim and Matt break down what they got right (and wrong) from their UFC Vancouver picks.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jim Norton and Matt Serra are joined by both sides of UFC Vancouver's co-main event — Kevin Holland and Mike Malott — just days before the welterweights step into the Octagon.Mike Malott stops by first to talk about representing Canada once again on home soil. Well aware of the danger Holland presents, he breaks down their matchup and shares what a win would mean for a Malott family riding its own athletic high — with younger brother Jeff making noise in the NHL with the Los Angeles Kings.Then, Kevin Holland calls in ahead of his fifth fight of 2025 to explain his approach to fighting Malott and reveal which highly-respected veteran he's chasing for fight number SIX of the year if all goes to plan in Vancouver on Saturday.Plus, Jim and Matt break down the UFC Vancouver card headlined by Reinier de Ridder vs. Brendan Allen with some picks of their own.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jim Norton and Matt Serra return for a stacked Monday edition of UFC Unfiltered with two guests and plenty to unpack after UFC Rio.First, Houston's own Michael Aswell Jr. joins the show fresh off his first UFC win — a first-round knockout in Rio — to talk about what it felt like silencing the Brazilian crowd, cutting down from 210 pounds in high school football to 145 today, and how his friendship with fellow featherweight teammate Joshua Van keeps him motivated as “The Texas Kid” builds his name in the UFC.Then, the one and only Bas Rutten stops by to reflect on his experience as an actor portraying himself in The Smashing Machine, whether Alex Pereira vs. Jon Jones should happen next at heavyweight, and more!Plus, Jim and Matt unpack their UFC Rio picks from Wednesday's episode — including Charles Oliveira's submission win over Mateusz Gamrot in the main event!Control Body Odor ANYWHERE with @shop.mando and get 20% off + free shipping with promo code UNFILTERED at shopmando.com! #mandopodSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jim Norton and Matt Serra return for a new Wednesday edition of UFC Unfiltered with bantamweight contender #15 Montel Jackson, who joins the show ahead of his co-main event bout against former flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC Rio.Reflecting on his journey from wrestling to the world of mixed martial arts, Montel discusses how watching Anderson Silva highlights in school first sparked his passion for MMA. He shares his mindset heading into a fight against a Brazilian legend in hostile territory and explains how patience and precision have become key parts of his evolution inside the Octagon.Plus, Matt geeks out with Montel over Marvel characters and Wolverine, before he and Jim close out the show with their official UFC Rio picks, including Charles Oliveira vs. Mateusz Gamrot and some of the other highly-anticipated fights on Saturday's card.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jim Norton and Matt Serra kick off the week with a pair of middleweights at very different points in their UFC journeys.First, Edmen Shahbazyan joins the show fresh off his third win of 2025 to break down his first-round knockout at UFC 320, share what's changed in his mindset since joining Xtreme Couture, and explain why he believes his best days are still ahead — now fueled by newfound dad strength and fatherly motivation.Then, longtime kickboxing standout Yousri Belgaroui stops by two weeks out from his long-awaited UFC debut in Vancouver to discuss training alongside Alex Pereira and Glover Teixeira, how a once-bitter trilogy rivalry with Pereira evolved into a brother-like bond that extends to Alex's own family, and what he hopes to prove when he finally makes his first walk to the Octagon.Plus, Jim and Matt recap all the action from UFC 320, including Alex Pereira's record-setting knockout of Magomed Ankalaev and Merab Dvalishvili's third title defense of the year.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Veckans tisdagsavsnitt är ett "Mathilda och Andrea svarar". I dagens avsnitt läser vi upp ett mejl från en lyssnare som är beklämd över att hennes kille inte verkar vilja bli sambo med henne trots att de varit tillsammans i över fem år, hur hanterar man det när man själv vill flytta ihop? Nästa lyssnarmejl handlar om vänskap, hur skaffar man sig trygga vänskapsrelationer och hur tänker vi kring vänskap, krav och vardagspusslet? Välkomna till avsnitt 570!Vill du mejla oss?Du når oss på: mathildaochandrea@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jim and Matt are back with a midweek edition of UFC Unfiltered featuring two top contenders with massive fights on the horizon.First, bantamweight standout Cory Sandhagen stops by ahead of his second shot at the 135-pound title to preview his clash with Merab Dvalishvili. Cory breaks down Merab's relentless style, and reflects on his growth in the four years since his first crack at bantamweight gold.Then, featherweight veteran Josh Emmett joins the show ahead of his UFC 320 matchup with Youssef Zalal. Emmett explains how he plans to use his trademark knockout power against a surging opponent, why his experience gives him the edge, and how he remains confident and motivated in proving himself at 40 years old.Tune in as Jim and Matt each make three picks for this Saturday's UFC 320 card!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jim and Matt return with a stacked Monday episode of UFC Unfiltered. Middleweight contender Brendan Allen joins the show to preview his short-notice showdown with Reinier de Ridder in Vancouver, explain why he's confident he'll score a knockout by Round 3, and weigh in on the wide-open middleweight title picture.Then, flyweight contender Manel Kape stops by to discuss finally locking in a fight with Brandon Royval to close out 2025. Unfazed by the string of injuries that canceled their first two scheduled bouts, Kape breaks down how the two match up and what a victory over Royval could mean for his title chances.Plus, Jim and Matt recap all the action from UFC Perth, including Carlos Ulberg's impressive first-round knockout of Dominick Reyes in Saturday night's main event.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Matt Serra and Jim Norton return for a midweek edition of UFC Unfiltered with a pair of No. 8–ranked contenders, bantamweight Mario Bautista and lightweight Mateusz Gamrot, as both men prepare to embrace the road-dog role against fan favorites.Bautista joins the show to reflect on his eight-fight winning streak and preview next month's bantamweight clash with Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 321 in Abu Dhabi. Then, Gamrot stops by to break down his short-notice matchup with Charles Oliveira in Rio and share how he's adjusting on just 2½ weeks' notice.Plus, Matt and Jim give their thoughts and picks for this Saturday's UFC Perth card, headlined by a pivotal light heavyweight showdown between Carlos Ulberg and Dominick Reyes.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Din Thomas jumps in as guest co-host alongside Matt Serra for a jam-packed Monday edition of UFC Unfiltered!First up, 9th-ranked featherweight Youssef Zalal stops by ahead his UFC 320 showdown with Josh Emmett. Riding a four-fight UFC winning streak, Youssef shares stories from his long-awaited trip back to Morocco before shifting his focus to his matchup against the hard-hitting veteran.Then, newly signed welterweight Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani makes his first appearance after earning his UFC contract with a spectacular first-round knockout on DWCS. The Hermosa Beach native talks about growing up in a martial arts family, balancing ADD/ADHD with training, and what it means to be realizing his lifelong UFC dreams.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Matt brings the heat with a brand new microphone as he teams up with guest co-host John Morgan for a midweek edition of UFC Unfiltered!Nearly a month removed from his UFC Shanghai win over Brian Ortega, Aljamain Sterling returns to the show to discuss Ortega's weight-cut struggles, his recent back-and-forth with Lerone Murphy, and what's next in his pursuit of a featherweight title shot. With training partner Merab Dvalishvili set to face Cory Sandhagen just one day before his wedding, Aljo also opens up about balancing fight prep with personal life.Later, Australia's own Aly Mac stops by to share her journey into the world of MMA broadcasting before shedding light on the Aussie fighters she's most excited to see in action on next weekend's Perth card.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Guest co-host RJ Clifford joins Jim and Matt for a packed Monday show after a huge week for fight fans!Flyweight Alden Coria kicks things off by discussing his journey from preparing for a Contender Series shot to making a successful short-notice UFC debut at Noche UFC. He also shares how training alongside Joshua Van at 4oz Fight Club has elevated his game.The guys then break down all the action from Noche UFC in San Antonio, including Diego Lopes' statement victory in the main event.Finally, legendary trainer and ESPN analyst Teddy Atlas makes his first appearance on the show to reflect on his remarkable life journey, give his take on Terence Crawford's legacy-defining win over Canelo Alvarez, and explain how he's grown to truly appreciate the UFC.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Matt Serra and Jim Norton look ahead to this Saturday's Noche UFC card in San Antonio with two fighters set to compete: Rob Font and Tatiana Suarez.First up, bantamweight veteran Rob Font joins the show to discuss preparing for yet another short-notice opponent change and how training in Texas with Gordon Ryan has sharpened his ground game. He also sheds light on his improving golf game and where he stacks ups with teammate Calvin Kattar on the green.Then, strawweight contender Tatiana Suarez stops by to talk about rebounding from her first career loss, breaking down her matchup with Amanda Lemos, and sharing some time on the mic with her fiancé, Patchy Mix.Plus, Matt and Jim make their picks for Saturday's Noche UFC card and weigh in on what's at stake.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jim Norton and Matt Serra return for another episode of UFC Unfiltered! Fresh off his biggest career win in Paris, light heavyweight Modestas Bukauskas reflects on his successful second stint and the father-son dynamics in play for both he and training partner Tom Aspinall.Later, retired combat sports journalist Kevin Iole joins to recap UFC Paris with Jim and Matt and help put Saturday's Canelo-Crawford super fight in historical context. Kevin reflects on his 46-year career covering combat sports and breaks down what TKO's foray into boxing could mean for combat sports fans looking to see the best fight the best.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jim and Matt return from the Labor Day break with recent Dana White's Contender Series standout Donte Johnson and the great Jon Anik for today's episode of UFC Unfiltered.Fresh off a short-notice first-round knockout that secured his UFC contract, Johnson reflects on his rapid rise. Noticeably slimmer than the 297-pound collegiate defensive lineman who first walked into an MMA gym, the undefeated 6-0 prospect explains how the best version of himself may be found at light heavyweight or even middleweight.Between interviews, Jim and Matt trade picks for this Saturday's UFC Paris card before welcoming Jon Anik. The voice of the Octagon discusses the middleweight title picture, reflects on his hilarious cameo with Michael Bisping in The Naked Gun (2025), and shares what it means to call TKO's splashy entry into boxing with the Canelo vs. Crawford megafight — live on Netflix September 13.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On today's UFC Unfiltered, the one and only Din Thomas fills in for Matt Serra for an episode with Jim Norton that invites welterweight contender Sean Brady and French lightweight Benoît Saint Denis on as guests.Frustrated by two fight dates falling through, Brady outlines two specific opponents he's ready to fight on a minute's notice — preferably on November's UFC 322 card at Madison Square Garden. Plus, Sean dishes his thoughts on how Jack Della Maddalena and Islam Makhachev match up.Then, Saint Denis joins ahead of his UFC Paris co-main event against Ruffy. The “God of War” reflects on bouncing back from back-to-back losses, what it means to fight at home in front of his French fans, and his involvement in an upcoming Netflix MMA reality series.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On today's UFC Unfiltered, Matt Serra and Jim Norton welcome middleweight veteran Brad Tavares and flyweight contender Charles Johnson. Two weeks out from UFC Paris, Tavares explains how he's keeping his 37-year-old body primed to break his tie with Michael Bisping for the most middleweight wins in UFC history. Fresh off a $50K bonus knockout in Shanghai, Johnson recaps his win over Lone'er Kavanagh, the story behind his “skullet” haircut, and the decision to speak directly to Chinese fans in their own language during his Octagon interview. Plus, Jim and Matt share their takeaways from UFC Shanghai — including celebrating Aljamain Sterling's co-main event victory.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Matt Serra and Jim Norton welcome top middleweight contenders Anthony Hernandez and Caio Borralho to discuss the 185-pound title picture after Khamzat Chimaev's win. Hernandez recaps his submission victory over Roman Dolidze, previews his recently announced UFC Vancouver bout vs. Reinier de Ridder, and shares a laugh with Matt about their mutual appreciation for certain… ‘plant-based' recovery methods. As someone also there in Chicago for Chimaev's win, Borralho assesses his place in the title queue and what it might take from him in September's UFC Paris headliner against Nassourdine Imavov to seal his place as Khamzat's rightful challenger. Plus, Matt shares his excitement to wake up early for UFC Shanghai's sneakily action-packed card — including a high-stakes grappler's delight set between Brian Ortega and Serra-Longo's own Aljamain Sterling.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Matt and Jim unpack the action of UFC 319 on an episode of UFC Unfiltered that invites two victorious fighters from the card in Drakkar Klose and Loopy Godinez. Joining first is Klose, and the lightweight calls in to discuss the keys to his unanimous decision win over a tricky veteran like Edson Barboza. Drakkar touches on the memory of his deceased brother and how honoring him in victory helps him stay grounded. Between guests, the guys dish out some of their takeaways from UFC 319 and play matchmaker before finally bringing in Loopy Godinez for a chat. Matt sings the praises of Loopy's striking as the 11th-ranked strawweight details what a victory over a former champion like Jéssica Andrade does for her confidence.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

There is no replacing Matt Serra. But when the champ can't make the show, it's never a bad idea to get another champ to fill in — and that's exactly what today's Unfiltered episode delivers with Forrest Griffin talking UFC 319 w/ guest callers Geoff Neal and Chase Hooper. First up, 11th-ranked welterweight Geoff Neal reflects on his inspiring journey from a life-threatening ICU stay in 2020 to competing at the highest level in the UFC. He breaks down his upcoming matchup with Carlos Prates and weighs in on whether “MMA math” applies when comparing each of their recent losses to Ian Machado Garry. Then, Chase Hooper — just 25 years old and already entering his 12th UFC fight — talks about taking on Alexander Hernandez, a dangerous striker with only one submission loss in 24 pro bouts. Usually on dad duty 50+ weeks a year, Chase shares how his locked-in fight-week mentality has brought out his best performances since moving up to 155 pounds. Having seen many of UFC 319's fighters up close in his role at the UFC Performance Institute, Forrest offers sharp analysis for a comprehensive breakdown of the sneaky-good matchups that round out Saturday's stacked card.

On today's episode of UFC Unfiltered, we break down the massive Paramount + TKO deal — a jaw-dropping 7-year, $7.7 BILLION U.S. rights agreement starting in 2026. First, Jim and Matt catch up with middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis — gearing up for his fourth straight title fight and third defense. Dricus weighs in on Saturday's epic UFC 319 title showdown against Khamzat Chimaev and shares whether he thinks his unique style is finally getting the respect it deserves. Next, the guys chat with viral slam KO artist Elijah Smith. Now $50K richer after sending a message to the bantamweight division, the 22-year-old talks about his journey from football to MMA. In the back half of the interview, Elijah's ex-UFC fighter dad joins in to share his perspective as Elijah's trainer and mentor. Listen in as the guys break down the wild action from last weekend's UFC Fight Night and make their picks for Saturday's UFC 319 card!