Podcasts about ufc unfiltered

After taking Monday off in observance of Memorial Day, Jim and Matt dive right into Wednesday's episode of UFC Unfiltered with two returning guests: 4th-ranked flyweight contender Erin Blanchfield and middleweight finisher Zachary Reese. Erin reflects on bouncing back from her first UFC loss to Manon Fiorot, shares how she's grown more comfortable in five-round bouts, and breaks down her matchup this Saturday against fellow contender Maycee Barber — a fight with major title implications. Later, Jim and Matt offer their picks for the UFC Fight Night card before welcoming Zachary Reese, who talks about life in small-town Shiner, Texas, his plans to deliver another first-round finish, and why Dusko Todorovic is the perfect dance partner for a crowd-pleasing scrap.

It's a jiu-jitsu kind of show today! Matt and his jiu-jitsu buddy Jimmy welcome a pair of elite grapplers for their first-ever appearances on UFC Unfiltered in Ffion Davies and William Tackett. Set to headline next Thursday's UFC Fight Pass Invitational 11, Ffion shares her journey into submission grappling and what it means to ink an exclusive deal with the UFC. With her Australian rival Adele Fornarino looking to even the score after a 2022 loss, Ffion breaks down her mindset heading into their rematch. Later, William Tackett joins the show to talk about growing up in a family that eats, sleeps, and breathes jiu-jitsu — and how that led to marrying a fellow grappler. He previews his upcoming clash with 18-year-old phenom Achilles Rocha and reflects on life, love, and grappling under pressure.

On today's episode of UFC Unfiltered, Jim Norton and Matt Serra are joined by two familiar friends of the show: lightweight Jared Gordon and women's bantamweight champion Julianna Peña. Fresh off a decisive first-round stoppage win, Jared breaks down the finish and reflects on how his recovery journey has strengthened his mindset inside the cage. After revealing he's now a proud girl dad to a 4-month-old daughter, Jared gets a laugh out of Matt's hilarious (and slightly scathing) story about a young YouTuber who kicked off their interview by asking Matt what it's like to be the same height as a kid — prompting Matt to jokingly offer up his daughter for a grappling match with the young content creator. Shortly after, Jim and Matt's interview with Julianna Peña kicks off with some sparks, as she joins mid-sentence — just as the guys are in the middle of complimenting her, saying she's not getting the respect she deserves ahead of UFC 316. Once they clear up the misunderstanding, the conversation shifts into an engaging breakdown of her matchup with Kayla Harrison. Julianna talks about being an underdog throughout her career, staying focused through the noise, and how she's preparing for Kayla's unique skill set. Plus, she weighs in on the looming possibility of a high-stakes trilogy with Amanda Nunes.

With UFC 315 in the books, Jim Norton is joined by by guest co-host Ben “The Bane” Davis for an episode of UFC Unfiltered that invites Aiemann Zahabi and Reinier de Ridder on as guest callers. Up first is Zahabi — who calls in just days removed from his impressive unanimous decision win over legend Jose Aldo in Montreal. Aiemann shares how the last-minute weight change affected his mindset, what it meant to perform in front of Canadian fans, and how guidance from GSP has shaped him into the surging fighter he is today riding a six-fight win streak. Jim and Ben dish out some more takeaways from UFC 315 before bringing Reinier de Ridder on for a chat. The Dutch middleweight discusses the role of punishing body work in his statement win over Bo Nickal before explaining why he's confident heading into his next fight — a quick turnaround against Robert Whittaker in July's main event in Abu Dhabi.

Jim Norton and Matt Serra get you ready for UFC with a pair of fighters from this Saturday's card joining the show. First up is undefeated light heavyweight prospect Navajo Stirling, making his UFC Unfiltered debut. Stirling shares how his journey from warehouse work to the UFC took shape, and what it's been like sharpening his game at City Kickboxing alongside some of the best in the world as he prepares for a fight against Ivan Erslan on Saturday's prelims. Between interviews, Jim and Matt offer their takes and make a few predictions for UFC 315. Then, 9th-ranked flyweight Jasmine Jasudavicius returns to the show to preview her pivotal bout against former champion Jessica Andrade. Jasmine opens up about her current four-fight win streak, representing Niagara Top Team, and what a win in Montreal would mean for her continued climb up the rankings.

Today's episode of UFC Unfiltered sees Jim Norton and Matt Serra kick off a Monday full of fight talk with bantamweight contender Cory Sandhagen and featherweight standout Yair Rodriguez. First up, Sandhagen joins the show just days removed from his dominant second-round TKO over Deiveson Figueiredo. He breaks down his performance, shares what clicked in the cage, and explains why he's ready to step in as a title challenger following June's Merab Dvalishvili vs. Sean O'Malley rematch. Between interviews, Jim and Matt react to the weekend's biggest upset: Bo Nickal suffering his first professional loss at the hands of Reinier de Ridder. The guys break down what went wrong and what could be next for the highly touted prospect. Later, Yair Rodriguez stops by to reflect on his rebound win over Patricio Pitbull and to lay out his vision for the featherweight division. Focused more on avenging his loss to Alexander Volkanovski than chasing a grudge match with Diego Lopes, Yair also gives his take on the evolution of his training partner Belal Muhammad, who defends his welterweight title this weekend at UFC 315. To wrap up the show, Jim and Matt dish out shoutouts to the standout performances from UFC Des Moines and look ahead to a stacked week of MMA action.

Miesha Tate and Bo Nickal drop in for a stacked Wednesday edition of UFC Unfiltered — with UFC Hall of Famer Forrest Griffin joining midway through to take the reins on Bo's interview. Miesha opens up about what it's like balancing motherhood with life in the Octagon during her second UFC stint after stepping away from the sport for nearly five years. She breaks down her upcoming fight against fellow longtime vet Yana Santos and reflects on what keeps her motivated after nearly two decades in MMA. Then it's Bo Nickal time, and Forrest Griffin couldn't resist hopping on to steer the conversation. Bo shares what he learned from going the distance for the first time in his career against Paul Craig, his take on Reinier de Ridder's ground game, and how he feels his skillset has developed since his amateur MMA debut. Forrest sticks around through the end of the show to hear Jim and Matt's picks for UFC Fight Night: Des Moines — chiming in on matchups as an observer without predictions of his own.

Jim and Matt are back with a stacked midweek episode featuring two UFC vets and one of Hollywood's finest behind the camera. First up, Danish welterweight Nicolas Dalby makes his UFC Unfiltered debut to reflect on his razor-thin split decision loss, the secret to staying fight-ready at 40, and his thoughts heading into a striker's showdown with Randy Brown. Next, Gavin O'Connor — the acclaimed director behind The Accountant and Warrior — joins in a pre-recorded chat ahead of this Friday's theatrical release of The Accountant 2. Gavin and Matt swap Long Island stories before diving into how he fell in love with MMA and what makes fight storytelling so cinematic. Wrapping things up is Matt Schnell, back from a brief retirement and ready to go this Saturday. Schnell revisits his legendary comeback win over Sumudaerji and explains his motivation to return to the Octagon after previously laying down his gloves in his most recent loss to Cody Durden. With matchmaking on his post-career radar, Schnell also shares his take on the perfect sendoff for fellow Louisianan Dustin Poirier. Plus: Jim and Matt give their picks for this weekend's UFC Fight Night in Kansas City!

On today's episode of UFC Unfiltered, Jim and Matt are joined by two fighters representing different eras of Brazilian greatness. First, surging featherweight Jean Silva drops in for his Unfiltered debut to discuss his standing as a 145-pound title contender after beginning his unblemished 5-0 UFC tenure with each win coming via stoppage. Silva reflects on his statement victory over Bryce Mitchell, how Muay Thai turned his life around, and why he channels an alter ego called “Lord Assassin” every time he fights. Later, UFC legend Amanda Nunes returns for her 14th appearance on the show. Nearly two years removed from retiring on top with a win over Irene Aldana, the soon-to-be UFC Hall of Famer opens up about life outside the Octagon, balancing family and fitness, and what it would mean to dust off her gloves for a title shot against the winner of UFC 316's co-main event between Julianna Peña and Kayla Harrison.

Join Nick Lamagna on The A Game Podcast with our guest Benson "Smooth" Henderson a UFC Legend, athlete, entrepreneur, trainer and family man fighting out of The MMA Lab in Arizona by way of Colorado!  Initially thinking he would grow up to fight crime as a cop locking people in cages he ended up getting locked in cages himself as a professional fighter who has fought the biggest names in fighting.  He has thrown fists in every major promotion including Karate Combat, multiple high level Jiu Jitsu competitions against such high level grapplers as Demain Maia and Ben Saunders.  He fought In Bellator Fighting Championship and even became the lightweight champion of the WEC and of course won the belt in the world renowned UFC where he Is known as one of the greatest lightweights of all time tying Franke Edgar, BJ Penn and Khabib Nurmagomedov for the 2nd most lightweight title defenses of all time.  He earned Fight of the Night and Fight of the Year honors in some of his past battles, choking out some of your favorite UFC fighters.  After taking a temporary retirement from mma he jumped back into combat sports and earned a recent victory in the boxing ring and he has recently signed to the Global Fight League aka GFL and is scheduled to have another fight with Anthony Pettis this summer.  He walks the walk of a true martial artist and role model as he is faith based and all natural never having tried drugs or alcohol building his reputation on hard work, a strong mindset and ethics.  You can find him and his MMA Fighter wife teaching Jiu Jitsu and women's self defense at the MMA Lab in Glendale Arizona every week!  Topics for this episode include: ✅ The key to achieving your long-term vision ✅ Why risks and failure help to master anything you love ✅ The difference between Jiu Jitsu in a fight or in a sport ✅ Staying true to yourself for success in life ✅ Discover the lifelong benefits of martial arts training ✅ Present and future for Benson Henderson + More See the show notes to connect with all things Benson!   Connect with Benson: Benson Henderson on Instagram Benson Henderson on Facebook Benson Henderson on Twitter   Connect with The MMA Lab: The MMA Lab on Instagram The MMA Lab on Twitter The MMA Lab on Youtube The MMA Lab on Facebook The MMA Lab on Tiktok --- Connect with Nick Lamagna www.nicknicknick.com Text Nick (516)540-5733 Connect on ALL Social Media and Podcast Platforms Here FREE Checklist on how to bring more value to your buyers    

Jim and Matt ride the momentum of Saturday's UFC 314 featherweight fireworks into this Monday edition of UFC Unfiltered with two intriguing 145-pound guest callers rounding out the episode. First, Lerone Murphy makes his UFC Unfiltered debut just one week after extending his unbeaten record with a statement win over Josh Emmett. The former soccer phenom opens up about how surviving a near-fatal shooting changed the trajectory of his life, ultimately leading him to MMA — and now, an eight-fight win streak. Later, fan favorite Dan Ige calls in to reflect on his walk-off KO of Sean Woodson, respond to the online debate about the stoppage, and share where his head's at as he eyes a big second half of 2025. Plus, don't miss Matt and Jim's breakdown of all the key moments from UFC 314—Paddy Pimblett's huge finish, Jean Silva's fifth straight stoppage, and Volkanovski making history with a title-winning bounce-back performance.

Today's UFC Unfiltered episode peels back the layers of UFC 314 with two guests from Saturday's card in light heavyweight Dominick Reyes and lightweight Chase Hooper. Joining first is Reyes — whose eighth time on the show gets the veteran to reflect on his resurgence after snapping a four-fight skid with back-to-back wins. Dominick discusses the stakes of this Saturday's matchup against Nikita Krylov before chopping it up with Matt and Jim about how being family-oriented keeps him grounded. Later, rising lightweight Chase Hooper checks in — and the baby-faced 25-year-old explains how his “dad strength” has been the key to unlocking the power fueling his current four-fight winning streak. Coming off a win over Clay Guida, Hooper discusses what he's expecting from yet another veteran in Jim Miller. Finally, Matt and Jim look at Miami's stacked lineup of fights before picking winners up and down the UFC 314 card.

It's a featherweight double feature on today's episode of UFC Unfiltered as Jim and Matt welcome Brian “T-City” Ortega and Pat Sabatini! Returning for his tenth appearance, Ortega shows off his new-look hair style after donating his famous long locks before discussing how being called out by a victorious Lerone Murphy fits into Brian's options at both 145 and 155 pounds. Stick around as Ortega weighs in on this Saturday's UFC 314 main event by reflecting on his two fights against Diego Lopes and Alexander Volkanovski. The guys then chop it up about this past weekend's fights before inviting Philly's own Pat Sabatini on the show to discuss what powered his completely dominant performance on the ground in his win over Joanderson Brito.

On today's episode of UFC Unfiltered, Matt and Jim welcome first-time guest Brad Tavares and returning favorite Ode' Osbourne ahead of their bouts at UFC Vegas. Jim gets Brad to break down his upcoming matchup against Gerald Meerschaert before discussing the journey that has taken a kid from Hawaii to a record-breaking career. Ode' sheds light on how he approaches his role as a veteran tasked with fighting an undefeated newcomer like Luis Gurule. Plus, don't miss as Jim and Matt react to Dana's Tuesday night announcements of the Merab vs. O'Malley rematch at UFC 316 and the Kansas City main event shakeup with welterweights Carlos Prates and Ian Machado Garry.

On today's episode of UFC Unfiltered, lightweight up-and-comer MarQuel Mederos joins the show first to break down his dominant win over Austin Hubbard in Mexico City. The guys dive into how MarQuel's past shaped his fighting mindset, his shift from FactoryX to MMA Lab, and why staying in the gym year-round beats a traditional fight camp. Later in the show, women's strawweight contender Loopy Godinez returns for her fourth appearance following a much-needed win over Julia Polastri. Loopy talks about what it means to get back on track after two tough losses before joining Matt in a lighthearted, brutally honest assessment of the stomach issues that sparked a viral moment with her corner during the fight. Between interviews, Jim and Matt weigh in on Brandon Moreno's bounce-back performance, Raul Rosas Jr.'s rapid rise, and all the standout moments from UFC Mexico City!

Two fighters from this Saturday's card in Mexico City join Jim and Matt on today's episode of UFC Unfiltered! Matt saves his best “Chiwiwis” entrance for rising bantamweight Raul Rosas Jr., who opens up about the small changes in his diet and how sharpening his boxing with Canelo's coach, Eddy Reynoso, has reignited his mission to break Jon Jones' record as the UFC's youngest champion. After making their fight picks, Jim and Matt welcome Australian flyweight Steve Erceg. He previews his main event clash with Brandon Moreno and drops a brutally honest take on which celebrity lookalike he gets compared to the most.

Jim and Matt are joined by victorious welterweight contender Sean Brady and former two-division UFC champion Henry Cejudo for this Monday edition of UFC Unfiltered! Joining first is Brady — and Matt praises the Philly native's high-level jiu-jitsu as the guys break down what Brady did to successfully outclass Leon Edwards in this past Saturday's UFC London main event. Motivated by the idea of avenging his loss to Belal Muhammad, Sean unpacks the welterweight landscape before wrapping up his interview by sharing his thoughts on teammate Joe Pyfer's upcoming clash with Kelvin Gastelum in Mexico City. Jim and Matt share their reactions to Carlos Ulberg's rise, Kevin Holland's return to form, and Molly McCann's retirement after UFC London before inviting Henry Cejudo on to the program. The former Olympic gold medalist gets candid on his current standing in the bantamweight division after a tough stretch before outlining his plans for what's next in his UFC career.

On today's episode of UFC Unfiltered, Matt Serra and Jim Norton are joined by two exciting fighters fresh off major wins! First, undefeated Irish boxing sensation Callum Walsh (13-0, 11 KOs) stops by to talk about his statement-making first-round KO on St. Patrick's Day weekend. As if his rising stardom wasn't already clear, fans on the street interrupt his interview just to get a moment with him — proving he's quickly becoming one of boxing's must-watch prospects. After outlining his goals inside the ring, the Freddie Roach protégé iterates his desire to step into the Octagon one day. Then, Da'Mon Blackshear joins the show fresh off a submission victory over Cody Gibson. When he breaks down his second-round Kimura finish, Matt (aka the “Kimura Savage”) can't contain his excitement! A BJJ black belt himself, Blackshear uses his Unfiltered debut to introduce himself to listeners as a surfing fighter ready to take on any challengers in the UFC's bantamweight top-15. Plus, Jim and Matt recap the action from this past Saturday's explosive card filled with NINE stoppages.

Jim returns alongside Matt for an episode of UFC Unfiltered that welcomes two fighters from Saturday's main and co-main events in welterweight striker Chidi Njokuani and middleweight contender Marvin Vettori. Stopping by first is Njokuani, who discusses his career resurgence at 170 pounds and the sacrifices he's made to make the weight cut with the help of the UFC P.I. Chidi also shares how his brother and former UFC fighter Anthony Njokuani has shaped his fighting style. Then, top-10 middleweight contender Marvin Vettori breaks down the hilarious backstory that resulted in him signing up for a rematch against Roman Dolidze. The Italian veteran discusses his return from a string of injuries and how a second win over Dolidze can put him right into the mix in a stacked division. Finally, Jim and Matt wrap up the show with three picks from this Saturday's card — with Matt finding himself just 5.5 points away from Jim's lead in their head-to-head standings.

Today's episode of UFC Unfiltered brings the dynamic duo of Matt Serra and Ray Longo together for an engaging chat with surging lightweight Ignacio Bahamondes mixed in with a recap of UFC 313! Matt and Ray unpack their main takeaways from Saturday's card before bringing Bahamondes in for his first appearance on the pod! The guys quickly learn about how Ignacio's family ties to Kenpo Karate guided him on his journey from his native Chile to the UFC. He then reflects on his current three-fight winning streak and how working alongside teammate Belal Muhammad has helped his personal and athletic growth.

Today's episode of UFC Unfiltered takes a unique look at fight week through two different lenses, as Curtis Blaydes prepares for his featured prelim bout at UFC 313 while Caio Borralho steps into a coaching role, cornering his Fighting Nerds teammate Mauricio Ruffy on the main card. Blaydes talks about his upcoming fight against UFC debutant Rizvan Kuniev, admitting he had to Google his opponent when the matchup was announced. He shares his thoughts on Kuniev's background, what he expects from him, and whether he feels like he's in a no-win situation fighting a newcomer. While Borralho isn't fighting this weekend, the Fighting Nerds captain heaps praise on Mauricio Ruffy and explains how he's locked into his role as a cornerman for his 28-year-old teammate's upcoming battle against King Green. Plus, Borralho reflects on his own recent success, including his 16-fight win streak, his grappling win over Brendan Allen, and his recent callout of middleweight legend Robert Whittaker. Finally, Jim and Matt wrap up the show with three of their own predictions for this Saturday's UFC 313 card.

On today's episode of UFC Unfiltered, Jim Norton and Matt Serra are joined by former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker and undefeated featherweight Hyder Amil! Eager to showcase what he's picked up since his loss to Khamzat Chimaev, Whittaker identifies the specific highly-ranked middleweight veteran that he'd like to fight next. Don't miss as Bobby Knuckles discusses the 180º turn in his relationship with Israel Adesanya before ultimately breaking down what he thinks of this weekend's Alex Pereira vs. Magomed Ankalaev main event at UFC 313. Then, Hyder Amil joins the show fresh off his hard-fought win over William Gomis. He shares the incredible story of battling through multiple injuries during training camp, how his journey from the Philippines to the U.S. shaped his mentality, and what it's like being coached by MMA legend Gilbert Melendez. As the show shifts to recapping this past Saturday's card, Matt wraps up the show by patting himself on the back for a perfect 3-0 showing in his fight picks — enough to erase 12.5 points off Jimmy's early lead in their year-long, head-to-head battle.

On today's episode of UFC Unfiltered, Jim and Matt welcome in fighters from this Saturday's main and co-main events as middleweight Cody Brundage and flyweight contender Manel Kape join the show! Joining first is Brundage, who reflects on what he learned about himself after fighting six times in a 14-month span. The guys get Cody to discusses the stakes of Saturday's crossroads fight against a former training partner in Julian Marquez before our two bald co-hosts get their middleweight guest to wax poetic about his successful hair transplant. In between guests, Jim and Matt discuss what Dan Hooker's injury withdrawal means for UFC 313's PPV co-main event. When the guys invite Manel Kape on to the show, the ever-confident flyweight known as “Starboy” breaks down his five-round main event vs. Asu Almabayev before explaining how his unique skillset is why he doesn't get too caught up with watching film on how his opponents look against other fighters. Finally, Jim looks to extend his surprising lead in the 2025 fight pick standings as he and Matt wrap up the episode with predictions for this Saturday's card.

UFC Unfiltered welcomes back bantamweight brawler Ricky Simon and featherweight veteran Andre Fili ahead of UFC's long-awaited return to Seattle! Simon breaks down his matchup with Javid Basharat and talks about shaking off a tough losing streak in front of a home crowd before discussing his approach to preserving his body with cryotherapy and his at-home sauna. In between interviews, Jim and Matt take a look at this Saturday's UFC Seattle card before making some picks of their own. Finally, Fili calls in to reflect on his UFC journey and discuss how the expectant father feels more grounded as he approaches his 12th year with the promotion and a fight in his home state against Melquizael Costa.

With Jim Norton out for the day, John Morgan fills in for his 10th appearance as a UFC Unfiltered co-host for an episode that features Angela Hill and Kelvin Gastelum calling in separately. Joining first is Hill, who discusses her mindset three days ahead of her fight against Ketlen Souza. The 40-year-old veteran puts on her MMA analyst hat by unpacking Zhang Weili's dominant UFC 312 title defense and stating whether it was impressive enough to warrant calling her the UFC's pound-for-pound #1 female fighter. Then, Kelvin Gastelum calls in days removed from the announcement that his five-round war with Israel Adesanya would be immortalized in the UFC Hall of Fame's Fight Wing. The TUF 17 winner reflects on his relationship with Chael Sonnen after discussing his upcoming fight and divulging his weight class plans for the foreseeable future.

On today's episode of UFC Unfiltered, Jim and Matt break down all the action from UFC 312 and welcome two explosive guests to the show! First, light heavyweight Johnny Walker joins to give an update on his recovery after an injury forced him out of UFC 311. Now settled into his new home in Las Vegas, Walker reflects on his incredible time training in Ireland as he explains the logistical factors behind his move to Xtreme Couture. Looking to get back into contention, Walker discuses his optimistic outlook for his career moving forward. Fresh off his big win at UFC Saudi Arabia, Michael “Venom” Page stops by to discuss his impressive debut at middleweight, the possibility of future fights at both 170 and 185, and his acting ambitions. Plus, the guys dive into the dominant performances from both Dricus Du Plessis and Zhang Weili from atop this past Saturday's UFC 312 PPV card.

On today's episode of UFC Unfiltered, welterweight champion Belal Muhammad and NFL great Gerald McCoy call in to catch up with Jim and Matt ahead of UFC 312. After briefly contemplating amputation (yes, seriously) to deal with an infected pinky toe, Belal Muhammad details his battle with a severe bone infection that forced him out of his first-ever title defense at UFC 310. Now eyeing a return after Ramadan in May, the champ opens up about how fasting and hydration challenges push his mental game to new levels. Later, six-time NFL Pro Bowler and UFC diehard Gerald McCoy joins from media row at Super Bowl LIX to talk all things UFC 312. From breaking down the rematch between Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis to making his own bold prediction for Saturday's flyweight title fight, Gerald holds his ground—even as Jim and Matt aren't seeing eye to eye with him on his co-main event prediction. The guys wrap up the show with more UFC 312 picks and a look ahead at what's next in the MMA landscape.

On today's episode of UFC Unfiltered, Jim Norton and Matt Serra catch up with Roman Dolidze following a chat with first-time caller Jase Macalpine. A jiu-jitsu purple belt himself, the Australian filmmaker-turned-podcast host sets the scene for his diehard UFC fandom by shedding light on the sneaky rivalry implications for a UFC 312 bout that features Alexander Volkanovski and Ilia Topuria in opposing corners. As Jim and Matt foray into a recap of this past Saturday's UFC Saudi Arabia card, the guys weigh out some options for Israel Adesanya's next move. Finally, Roman Dolidze returns to Unfiltered to discuss his mindset going into his March 15th rematch vs. Marvin Vettori at the UFC APEX.

Today's UFC Unfiltered episode brings the heat from the lightweight and light heavyweight divisions as Matt and Jim are joined by Grant Dawson and Jan Błachowicz! Fresh off his UFC 311 victory just 11 days ago, 15th-ranked lightweight Grant Dawson checks in to discuss his 3-fight win streak, what it means to be back in the rankings, and which names above him he's got his eye on. Plus, the American Top Team standout doesn't hold back as he drops a BOLD callout of a fan-favorite in the stacked 155-pound division. Then, former UFC light heavyweight champion Jan Błachowicz returns to the show ahead of his March 22nd showdown with Carlos Ulberg at UFC London. After nearly 20 months away due to shoulder injuries, Jan talks about his surgical recoveries, how he's adjusted training at 42 years old, and whether he feels overlooked in the title picture. He also weighs in on the massive Alex Pereira vs. Magomed Ankalaev fight at UFC 313 — a matchup between two men he's already shared the cage with. To close things out, Matt and Jim dive into the UFC Saudi Arabia card, breaking down the biggest matchups and making their picks for Saturday's action!

On today's episode of UFC Unfiltered, Jim and Matt are joined by Coach Eric Nicksick of Xtreme Couture before catching up with the one and only Chael Sonnen. With just 12 days until UFC 312, Coach Nicksick explains that he is flying to Australia with an “And NEW, Times TWO” mentality for both Sean Strickland and Tatiana Suarez ahead of their respective title shots atop the PPV card in Sydney. With hopes of bringing both belts back to Xtreme Couture, Eric discusses the importance of avoiding a one-size-fits-all approach to coaching and cornering fighters. Then, Chael Sonnen makes his highly-anticipated return to the show after three years since his last Unfiltered appearance. After Chael takes a stroll down memory lane with Jim, Matt gets a full-fledged lesson in Trash Talking 101 before having the “American Gangster” wrap things up with his thoughts on coaching against Daniel Cormier in the upcoming season of The Ultimate Fighter.

With UFC 311 just days away, today's episode of UFC Unfiltered involves longtime friend of the show John Morgan filling in for Jim Norton on a show that features two fighters from the card calling into the program in Jiří Procházka and Payton Talbott. Joining first is Procházka, who discusses how training in Japan has helped him get back to basics ahead of his high-stakes scrap against Jamahal Hill in Saturday's de facto light heavyweight title eliminator. The former 205-pound champion clarifies his stance on a potential move to 185 pounds as he breaks down his major points of emphasis following a knockout loss against Alex Pereira in his last outing inside the octagon. In between interviews, Matt Serra and John Morgan take a look at some of Jim Norton's picks before chiming in with some UFC 311 predictions of their own. When Payton Talbott calls in, the guys get the rising bantamweight to share his mindset going into his fight against Raoni Barcelos. Impressed by Talbott's confidence in a Spanish-language interview with the UFC, John Morgan gets the unbeaten prospect to explain how testing the limits of his abilities sharpens his ability to succeed in and out of competition.

Jim Norton and Matt Serra link up with a pair of Brazilian winners from this past Saturday's card on today's episode of UFC Unfiltered. Jim basks in the glory of his perfect 4-0 start to 2025 before inviting Thiago Moises onto the show. After discussing the ramifications of his win on Saturday over Trey Ogden, the Brazilian lightweight looks back on his fight against Islam Makhachev to make a prediction for this weekend's rematch between Makhachev and Arman Tsarukyan in the UFC 311 main event. Between interviews, Jim and Matt break down Mackenzie Dern's dominant performance before finding themselves on opposite ends of a debate surrounding Roman Kopylov's controversial stoppage win over Chris Curtis. Finally, Cesar Almeida joins for the first time to talk about his explosive first-round KO win, transitioning from a decorated kickboxing career to MMA, and his ambitions for 2025.

Join Nick Lamagna on The A Game Podcast with our guest Chris "Lights Out" Lytle!  A former firefighter, UFC veteran, politician, author, podcast host and Bare Knuckle fighter and commentator as well as liquor connoisseur. Fighting out of Indiana he has spent time bringing people TO consciousness as a firefighter and spent many nights also knocking them unconscious in the ring and the cage for years earning himself the nickname "Lights Out!" He has hit the highest levels in the sport becoming a finalist on the The ultimate fighter and has gone toe to toe with the biggest names to fight in the UFC as well as being the first fighter to win all three bonuses including  Fight of the Night five times and Submission of the Night: three times and he holds the record for the most post-fight bonuses in UFC Welterweight history. He went on after his UFC career to fight and win in the Bare knuckle Fighting Championship and you can find him ringside commentating at BKFC events on most weekends for one of the fastest growing combat sports in the world today. He used his good name, reputation and desire to bring change to the world in different rings over the years including a run at Indiana State Senate trying to bring some authenticity back to politics  and even has  The Chris Lytle Foundation helping stop and reduce bullying, The Lytles Out Podcast covering incredible MMA history with legends of the sport and even his own Lytles Out Bourbon  We get a special addition to the podcast this episode as Matt Serra jumps on to surprise Chris and catch up on their fights and reflect on the Ultimate Fighter experience and catch up on past and present fighters!  Check out Geeking Out with Matt Serra on Youtube as well! Topics for this episode include: ✅ How to get better at anything? Guarantee too fail bc if this ✅ Conor McGregors role in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship ✅ How to train smarter as you age and avoid injuries ✅ Matt Serra talks about their past fights and The Ultimate Fighter Experience ✅ How to train smarter as you age and avoid injuries ✅ Ways to stay calm and control fear in stressful situations ✅ How to train for a bare knuckle boxing fight ✅ How dangerous is bare knuckle fighting + More See the show notes to connect with all things Chris and Matt! Connect with Chris: Chris Lytle on Facebook Chris Lytle on Instagram Chris Lytle on Twitter Lights Out Boubon Chris Lytle Foundation The Chris Lytle Foundation On Instagram   Connect with Lytes Out Pocast: Lytes Out MMA History Podcast Lytes Out Podcast on Facebook Lytes Out Podcast on Twitter Lytes Out Podcast on Instagram Lytes Out Podcast on Youtube   Connect with Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship: www.bkfc.com/ Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship on Facebook BKFC on Twitter BKFC on TikTok BKFC on Instagram BKFC on Youtube   Connect with Matt Serra serrabjjacademy.com Matt Serra on Facebook Matt Serra on Instagram Geeking Out with Matt Serra on Youtube   --- Connect with Nick Lamagna www.nicknicknick.com Text Nick (516)540-5733 Connect on ALL Social Media and Podcast Platforms Here FREE Checklist on how to bring more value to your buyers

With the new year around the corner, ESPN's own Brett Okamoto joins today's episode of UFC Unfiltered to lend his opinions to Jim and Matt and to help hand out the highly-coveted, incredibly prestigious UFC Unfiltered Awards for 2024! Eager to start fresh after falling well behind Matt in fight picks, Jim reflects on his less-than-stellar predictions before his good pal Matt cheers him up by reminding him that he finished the year strong! When Okamoto hops on the show, the guys each bring their own opinions for various awards — including Newcomer of the Year, Breakthrough Fighter of the Year, and Event of the Year before discussing their favorite stoppages, fights, and standout moments from 2024. But while the next card isn't until January 11th, we couldn't let Jim and Matt leave without making one last prediction to carry into the new year. With that in mind, the guys each called their shot by naming one current non-champion that they think will touch gold in 2025!

Jim Norton and Matt Serra are joined by #1 ranked women's strawweight Tatiana Suarez and newly-signed UFC prospect Matheus Camilo on today's episode of UFC Unfiltered. One day before her 34th birthday, the unbeaten Suarez reflects on her transition from a year of inactivity to securing a co-main event slot against Zhang Weili at UFC 312 in Australia for the strawweight title. She dives into her strategies for adapting her training to the Australian time zone. Fresh off of securing a UFC contract on a card promoted by “The Korean Zombie” in South Korea, Matheus Camilo joins the guys to discuss how a kid who fell in love with MMA in Brazil found his way to the highly competitive Xtreme Couture gym.

It's victory Monday on UFC Unfiltered! Days removed from the final card of the 2024 slate, Jim and Matt are joined by a pair of winners from last Saturday's UFC Tampa card in featherweight Cub Swanson and light heavyweight Dustin Jacoby. Returning to the show for a tenth time, fan favorite Cub Swanson kicks off his interview by reflecting on his decades of experience as a professional MMA fighter. With retirement on the table for the 41-year-old veteran, Swanson provides some clarity on where he stands regarding his future. Between interviews, Jim gets a taste of a Tampa, Florida version of Storytime with Matt Serra before ultimately inviting Dustin Jacoby onto the show for his UFC Unfiltered debut. Jacoby peels back the curtain of what went into finding the perfect moment for a third-round knockout that made him $50k richer upon receiving a post-fight bonus from the UFC.

Matt Serra makes his triumphant return to the show for an episode of UFC Unfiltered that features two dynamic fighters preparing for this weekend's UFC Tampa card in Joaquin Buckley and Billy Quarantillo. First, 9th-ranked welterweight Joaquin Buckley stops by to share his excitement about headlining his first UFC main event, a grappler-striker clash against Colby Covington. Buckley dives into his training camp, the adjustments he's made for his first five-round fight, and how his wrestling roots shaped his path in MMA. Next, hometown hero Billy Quarantillo, fighting in Tampa just minutes from where he lives, previews his co-main event showdown against UFC veteran Cub Swanson. Billy reflects on his game plan, the importance of leaving a legacy, and his dream of delivering a Hall of Fame-worthy performance in front of his local crowd. Finally able to share his thoughts on UFC 310 after missing Monday's episode, Matt joins Jim in analyzing the fallout from UFC 310 before wrapping up the show with some thoughts on this Saturday's final UFC card of 2024.

With Matt Serra out for the day, Jim Norton teams up with UFC Hall of Famer Forrest Griffin, who steps in as co-host for an exciting episode of UFC Unfiltered. This episode features two standout winners from Saturday's UFC 310 card: flyweight Joshua Van and welterweight Bryan Battle. First up is Van, who shares his inspiring journey from Myanmar to the UFC. He reflects on how defending himself from childhood bullies turned a love of Bruce Lee into a passion for martial arts, eventually leading him to a successful career as a professional fighter. Jim and Forrest also break down the biggest moments from UFC 310, including Alexandre Pantoja and Shavkat Rakhmonov's victories, and discuss what could be next for these fighters. Later, Bryan Battle joins the show, bringing plenty of laughs as he chats with Jim and Forrest. He takes a thoughtful look back at his split-decision victory, opening up about how a challenging fight camp impacted his preparation and led to his weight miss.

UFC Unfiltered welcomes back fan-favorite Ben “The Bane” Davis for his second appearance — this time filling in for Jim Norton as a guest co-host for a show that features two fighters from UFC 310 in Anthony Smith and Aljamain Sterling. First up, 13th-ranked light heavyweight Anthony Smith joins to discuss his UFC 310 clash with Dominick Reyes. “Lionheart” discusses his longevity in the sport and how training sessions with Jamahal Hill have been mutually beneficial. Between interviews, Matt and Ben discuss whether Shavkat Rakhmonov is out of bounds for sharing the outcome of his sparring session with Ian Machado Garry in sparring. Matt turns into the ultimate hype man when his Serra-Longo protege and 9th-ranked featherweight Aljamain Sterling joins the show. Feeling settled in at 145 pounds, Aljo discusses the stakes of Saturday's matchup with Movsar Evloev while examining the landscape of the featherweight division. At the end of the show, Matt gets Ben to join in on the fun of pre-fight predictions for UFC 310!

Back from Thanksgiving break, hosts Jim Norton and Matt Serra welcome two incredible guests onto today's episode of UFC Unfiltered: legendary in-octagaon announcer Bruce Buffer and former UFC light heavyweight champion Jamahal Hill! With the last pay-per-view card of the year set for Las Vegas, Bruce Buffer reflects on some of the UFC's most unforgettable moments of 2024 before looking ahead to some fights he'd love to see next. Bruce caps off his interview by reflecting on the unique experience of getting to co-announce the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix with his brother, Michael Buffer. Later, Jamahal Hill joins the show to discuss his recently announced fight against Jiří Procházka at UFC 311. The former light heavyweight champion opens up about his journey back from his most recent loss to Alex Pereira before explaining why he thinks a win over Procházka will solidify his position as next in line for a title shot at 205 pounds. With Jim Norton set to miss Wednesday's show, Matt invites his fellow co-host to share some of his picks from this Saturday's explosive UFC 310 pay-per-view card in Las Vegas.

Jim Norton and Matt Serra recap the action from Saturday's early-morning UFC Macau card on an episode of UFC Unfiltered that features an interview with lightweight Nikolas Motta. Jim and Matt waste no time by diving straight into Petr Yan's main event win over Deiveson Figueiredo and how it potentially impacts the matchmaking in a stacked men's bantamweight division. Impressed with Carlos Ulberg's victory over Volkan Oezdemir, Matt endorses Ulberg's desire to take on Khalil Rountree Jr. now that the City Kickboxing up-and-comer has rebounded from losing his UFC debut with seven straight wins. Excited to join the show for the first time, Motta explains how getting away from the distractions of Las Vegas for a full fight camp in Thailand proved beneficial both logistically and holistically for the 31-year-old Brazilian in his most recent win against a dynamic striker in Maheshate.

With Matt Serra out for the day, John Morgan steps in as a guest co-host alongside Jim Norton for an episode of UFC Unfiltered that features two callers in Jasmine Jasudavicius and Carlos Prates. Jim and John start things off by talking about the UFC 310 matchup between a pair of young, unbeaten fighters in Shavkat Rakhmonov and Ian Machado Garry before inviting Jasudavicius on for a chat. A few days removed from the announcement of her fight in February vs. Mayra Bueno Silva in Saudi Arabia, Jasmine discusses how her displeasure with the verdict against Tracy Cortez has fueled her current three-fight winning streak. While waiting for Carlos Prates, Jim and John unpack a few of the matchups from this Saturday's UFC Macau card. When Prates hops on, the Brazilian welterweight from the fast-rising Fighting Nerds stable discusses how living and training in Thailand steered his then-fledgling MMA career into the right direction.

On today's action-packed episode of UFC Unfiltered, hosts Matt Serra and Jim Norton are joined by Reinier de Ridder fresh off his victorious UFC debut and actor Frank Grillo ahead of this Sunday's Tulsa King season finale. De Ridder reflects on his journey to the Octagon, recounting his early days in mixed martial arts before discussing how familiarity with Gerald Meerschaert played a factor in Saturday's win over Meerschaert. As someone who walks around at 210 pounds, "DDR" explains how he ultimately settled on competing at 185 pounds despite previous success at 205. Next, actor and fight enthusiast Frank Grillo joins the show to talk about his role in Tulsa King and delve into UFC talk. Known for staying in shape by boxing at gyms nationwide, Grillo reveals firsthand stories of Jon Jones dominating training partners in sparring. As excitement builds for UFC 309's main event between Jones and Miocic, Grillo and the guys break down what fans can expect from these legendary heavyweights at Madison Square Garden.

On today's episode of UFC Unfiltered, Jim and Matt are joined by UFC bantamweight Cody Stamann and 15th-ranked welterweight Neil Magny. Joining first is Stamann, who dives into his extensive experience against high-level fighters and how it gives him an edge against Da'Mon going into this Saturday's fight on the prelims of the 100th UFC Fight Night card at the APEX. Shortly thereafter, the guys bring Neil Magny on. With Neil set to take on Carlos Prates in this weekend's main event, Matt gets the veteran welterweight to share why he has no issue with being matched up with dangerous up-and-comers like Carlos — all while Jim gets Neil to assess the keys to his longevity in a sport that  sees him well entrenched into the UFC record books.

On today's episode of UFC Unfiltered, Jim Norton and Matt Serra are joined by featherweight Youssef Zalal and women's flyweight Veronica Hardy in a show that unpacks the action from this past Saturday's UFC Edmonton card. Fresh off his fourth straight submission win, Youssef Zalal uses his interview to discuss what's changed with him in his second stint in the UFC. Reflecting on what he's learned from his first go-around with the promotion, Zalal explains how his loss to current champion Ilia Topuria keeps him locked in on his goals for 2025 and beyond. As Jim and Matt shift their attention to Saturday's card in Edmonton, the guys particularly focus on matchups that make sense for both Erin Blanchfield and Brandon Moreno following their respective wins. To round off the episode, flyweight contender Veronica Hardy reflects on her MMA journey and the insights she's gained from her self-imposed three-year hiatus. Hardy also previews her upcoming matchup on the UFC 309 early prelims against Eduarda Moura.

On today's episode of UFC Unfiltered, Jim Norton and Matt Serra welcome two dynamic guests ready for Saturday's fight card in Edmonton in welterweight Mike Malott and heavyweight Derrick Lewis. Looking to bounce back from his first-ever loss in the UFC, Mike Malott shares how a decade of assistance from a mental coach helps shape his fight game before giving insight into his upcoming showdown against Trevin Giles. The guys then unpack some of the matchups from Saturday's UFC Edmonton card before inviting heavyweight fan-favorite Derrick Lewis on to the show to chat about his fight against undefeated rising prospect, Jhonata Diniz.

On today's episode of UFC Unfiltered, Jim Norton and Matt Serra unpack the major storylines from UFC 308 with three special guests. First up is Syndicate MMA's head coach John Wood, who is joined by his wife and former UFC flyweight contender Joanne Wood to share insights on the standout performances from the weekend. Quite familiar with the UFC's light heavyweight division as the head coach for Khalil Rountree Jr., John Wood offers his perspective on Magomed Ankalaev's performance and whether or not his win on Saturday showed that he could be a formidable challenger to Alex Pereira's 205-pound throne. Then, MMA personality Ben “The Bane” Davis joins the show for his UFC Unfiltered debut. Known for his wit and presence in the MMA community, Davis talks about his own combat sports journey before stating his case for Khamzat Chimaev to get the next middleweight title shot following his statement 1st-round win over Robert Whittaker.

On today's episode of UFC Unfiltered, Jim Norton and Matt Serra welcome UFC legends Frankie Edgar and Forrest Griffin for a show packed with laughs, insights, and fight talk. With a combined 25 appearances on Unfiltered, these Hall of Famers bring their unique perspectives on life in and out of the cage. Frankie Edgar kicks things off, reflecting on his final fight and his new venture as a coach at Frankie Edgar's Iron Academy — which has its grand opening this Saturday, October 26th. Frankie looks back on his career and his matchups against guys like Rafael Dos Anjos and Max Holloway before explaining what it is that contributes to the longevity of guys like those as they each prepare for fights on this Saturday's UFC 308 card. Forrest Griffin joins next to catch up with the guys and discuss his work at the UFC Performance Institute. Before wrapping up, Forrest probes Jim and Matt for their UFC 308 picks before offering some insightful breakdowns of his own.

At long, at last… Jim Norton is back! After doing super cool actor stuff, Matt's comedic partner in crime makes his glorious return to the show for an episode of UFC Unfiltered that invites middleweight Anthony “Fluffy” Hernandez and women's bantamweight Kayla Harrison on for a pair of chats. Fresh off a dominant win over Michel Pereira in his first-ever UFC main event, Hernandez explains how his even-keeled demeanor allows him to shake off the pressure. What's more: a big-name contender surprises Jim and Matt by barging in on the call to vouch for Hernandez's work ethic! When Jim and Matt catch up with Kayla Harrison, the 2nd-ranked women's bantamweight reiterates her full-fledged confidence in the way she matches up against Julianna Peña — so much so that Kayla fires some shots at the newly-crowned champion for dodging the smoke.

Joe is joined by mixed martial artists John Rallo, Matt Serra, and Din Thomas. John owns Shogun Fights and also serves as the owner and head coach at Ground Control Mixed Martial Arts Academy. Matt is the host of the "UFC Unfiltered" podcast with Jim Norton and is the owner and lead instructor at Serra BJJ. Din is a host on "SiriusXM Fight Nation," "Josh Cohen & the Home Team" on ESPN West Palm, and "Fight Court." www.groundcontrolbaltimore.com www.serrabjj.com www.ufc.com/athlete/din-thomas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices