This is the final episode if "Inside the Hexagon," and, unlike Strikeforce, we're going out with a bang! Phil and Josh tick through the biggest highlights in the promotion's run, including selling out the Shark Tank with over 18K fans, Cung Le breaking Frank Shamrock's arm to take the middleweight belt and win "The Battle of San Jose," Fedor's only Strikeforce win, Robbie Lawler getting "Ruthless" against Melvin Manhoef, and so much more! In addition, several special guests drop by to share thei...
Mar 28, 2022•1 hr 17 min
It's our next-to-last episode, and we're closing out our fighter interviews with an intriguing chat with former Strikeforce competitor and current Xtreme Couture CEO Ryan Couture! Ryan talks about what it was like getting into MMA as the son of UFC legend Randy "The Natural" Couture, competing inside the hexagon, and fighting on the final Strikeforce card. We dive deep into Ryan's split-decision win over K.J. Noons, including his strategy coming into it, as well as the lessons he learned during ...
Mar 21, 2022•36 min
It's the end of Strikeforce! On this week's episode, we cover the final promotional event, as a card rumored to contain four title fights gets whittled down to one, as Nate "The Great" Marquardt closes things out with the welterweight title on the line against Tarec Saffiedine. We also see Daniel Cormier and Josh Barnett in glorified mismatches with unheralded opponents, as well as Jacare Souza and Gegard Mousasi proving they were more than ready for the UFC's big stage. Tim Kennedy, Roger Graci...
Mar 14, 2022•1 hr 13 min
Ronda Rousey gets "Rowdy" for the final time in Strikeforce on this week's episode, proving to Dana White and the MMA world once and for all that women should get their shot inside the Octagon! We also see Jacare close out his Strikeforce career with a bang, and OSP turns out the lights on a true MMA journeyman. We're getting close to the end of "Inside the Hexagon"...don't miss this deep dive into all things "Rousey vs. Kaufman"! All our links can be found here: https://podfollow.com/inside-the...
Mar 07, 2022•1 hr 17 min
On this week's episode, the penultimate Strikeforce welterweight champion, Nate "The Great" Marquardt, joins Phil to discuss making his 170-lb. debut inside the hexagon against Tyron Woodley. Nate talks about moving down in weight, returning to the cage after over a year away, his strategy for Woodley, and what set up that memorable knockout. The former champ also delves into what winning the belt meant to him, how he actually pulled his punch on that final uppercut, and what brought him back to...
Feb 28, 2022•43 min
It's GI Joe vs. the surfer dude as Tim Kennedy takes Strikeforce middleweight champ Luke Rockhold to deep waters on this week's episode! In addition, former UFC middleweight title challenger Nate "The Great" Marquardt makes his Strikeforce and 170-lb. debut in a battle with rising star Tyron Woodley for the vacant Strikeforce welterweight crown. We also see an absolute bloodbath between Roger Gracie and "The Dean of Mean" Keith Jardine, and Robbie Lawler looks to get "Ruthless" with the uber-tal...
Feb 21, 2022•1 hr 8 min
In what may be the best episode in the history of this podcast, Gilbert Melendez and Josh Thomson join Phil to dive in deep on their unforgettable trilogy of fights, breaking down their mindset fight by fight, and the two legends argue over who won their final bout! We discuss what went into the preparation for each fight and what they each learned, plus, Gil and Josh even lob a question or two at one another. And "El Nino" has a special surprise for his friend and rival...it gets a big response...
Feb 14, 2022•50 min
Daniel Cormier is remembered today as one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time, but back in 2012, he was still a relative unknown upstart looking to make his mark. However, after dispatching viable heavyweight contenders in Jeff Monson and "Bigfoot" Silva, DC was beginning to build momentum. Standing in his way to stardom was former UFC heavyweight champion Josh Barnett, who most expected to defeat the upstart. It didn't quite go his way, and we break it all down. Plus, lightweight kingpin G...
Feb 07, 2022•1 hr 4 min
It's time for "Tate vs. Rousey," as the Strikeforce women's bantamweight title is on the line in the first high profile women's MMA grudge match! "Rowdy" Ronda Rousey faces Miesha Tate for the belt in the main event, and these two ladies are ready to prove to the other and the world that they are the best at 135 lbs. In addition, Josh Thomson is looking to secure that title trilogy with lightweight champ Gilbert Melendez, while Jacare wants back into title contention. And, finally, is this the e...
Jan 31, 2022•36 min
King Mo joins Phil on this week's episode, and it's a slobberknocker of a chat, as we dive into Mo's formative years in amateur wrestling, how he almost went into pro wrestling rather than MMA, and so much more! Mo delves into winning the Strikeforce title, the ref being too late at stopping his thrashing of Lorenz Larkin, fighting Cro Cop, and what he's up to today (hint: coaching and pro wrestling). It's a great discussion...download and share! All our links can be found here: https://podfollo...
Jan 24, 2022•27 min
Happy MLK Day! Phil is down (with COVID) but not out, as he and Josh get the band back together to discuss..."Rockhold vs. Jardine"! On the card, Robbie Lawler gets "Ruthless" once again, while Tyron Woodley stakes his claim to a shot at vacant welterweight gold. Meanwhile, King Mo does damage to both his opponent and his credibility, while Luke Rockhold shuts up some of the naysayers with a solid win over a quality opponent in his first defense of his middleweight crown. It's a shorter still ac...
Jan 18, 2022•48 min
On this week's episode, we delve into "Melendez vs. Masvidal"! This is a momentous time for Strikeforce, as the promotion renews its deal with Showtime, but also loses a marquee weight class and is forced to reduce its number of events. Despite all the questions surrounding the promotion, there are still fights to feature, and we've got some good ones on this card, including Gegard Mousasi vs. OSP, KJ Noons vs. Billy Evangelista, Cris Cyborg vs. Hiroko Yamanaka, and "El Nino" Gilbert Melendez pu...
Jan 10, 2022•45 min
Christmas is now in our rear-view mirror, and we hope you got all you wanted this year! For our latest episode, Phil & Josh break down the 12 gifts Strikeforce gave us during the promotion's run, including the resurgence of Frank Shamrock, the introduction of Cung Le, Ronda Rousey, and others, as well as some of the craziest moments in MMA history. So, sit down, grab some eggnog, get that fire blazing, and enjoy! All our links can be found here: https://podfollow.com/inside-the-hexagon/view....
Dec 27, 2021•40 min
DC shows he's a force to be reckoned with on this week's episode! We see the finals of the Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix come to fruition as Daniel Cormier and Josh Barnett advance, and both do it in style. In addition, we have a new Strikeforce middleweight champion in Luke Rockhold, and King Mo rebounds from his title loss to knock a Gracie off his perch. This is a fun one...don't miss it! All our links can be found here: https://podfollow.com/inside-the-hexagon/view. Download and subscri...
Dec 20, 2021•1 hr 2 min
We're changing things up a bit this week, as Josh steps in for Phil (who's on vacation) and chats with good friend and well-respected former MMA journalist Erik Fontanez! Formerly with Bleacher Report, Yahoo! Sports, and Gracie Mag, while mostly being known for his time with MMA Weekly, Fontanez saw it all during his time in MMA. On this episode, Josh and Erik dive into MMA journalism, Strikeforce, women's MMA, Ronda Rousey's feud with Miesha Tate, Scott Coker, and more. It's an intriguing chat....
Dec 13, 2021•55 min
This week, Josh and I are breaking down the top five female fighters in Strikeforce history! While there isn't a sizable list of fighters that competed in the women's divisions, the ones that did tended to make a big impact...not just on the promotion at that time, but on the future of the sport. Marloes Coenen, Sarah Kaufman, Miesha Tate, Cris Cyborg, Ronda Rousey...we break them all down, chatting through their accomplishments and impact both in and out of the cage. Finally, we battle over who...
Dec 06, 2021•32 min
It's truly the end of an era as Fedor competes for the final time under the Strikeforce banner, facing Dan Henderson in a highly-anticipated iteration of USA vs. Russia. The bout ends in controversy, leaving questions that were never answered. In addition, Miesha Tate tastes Strikeforce gold, Tim Kennedy out-strategizes Robby Lawler, and we have a couple new contenders for the now-vacant welterweight title. Lots to get to on this packed episode! All our links can be found here: https://podfollow...
Nov 29, 2021•1 hr 12 min
On this week's episode, we're running through the biggest moments in Strikeforce history...so far. As of this episode, we're in June of 2011...what are the biggest moments that have taken place? We have Shamrock-Gracie, Shamrock-Baroni, Shamrock-Le, Shamrock-Diaz (seeing a trend yet?), Melendez-Thomson, Carano-Cyborg, Fedor, Hendo, and so much more. We run through them all! All our links can be found here: https://podfollow.com/inside-the-hexagon/view. Download and subscribe, and connect with us...
Nov 22, 2021•26 min
On this week's episode it's the 2nd leg of the Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix, as we see some big men look to brutalize each other! "The Gravedigger" looks to neutralize "The Python," Daniel Cormier takes a big step up in competition against a former UFC heavyweight title challenger, "Gamebred" tangles with "King Karl," "The Babyfaced Assassin" looks to down "The Grim," and "The Demolition Man" seeks revenge against the Fedor killer. Lots of interesting tidbits to get to...check it out! All ...
Nov 15, 2021•40 min
The MMA landscape is forever altered as the news is revealed that Strikeforce has been acquired by Zuffa, the parent company of the UFC! But, hey, we've still got a fight to put on, and Nick Diaz will lay his welterweight title on the line against feared British slugger Paul "Semtex" Daley. In addition, Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert returns to battle Japanese superstar Tatsuya Kawajiri, while Gegard Mousasi is also back to take on "The Dean of Mean" Keith Jardine. We also get an appea...
Nov 08, 2021•43 min
Strikeforce experienced many big moments, but few were bigger than when the promotion was purchased by the UFC's then-parent company, Zuffa! Former MMA Journalist of the Year John Morgan joins us to discuss why the purchase came about, how it affected the fighters, how the MMA world responded, and more! It was truly the end of an era in MMA, and we break it all down on this week's episode...make sure to check it out! All our links can be found here: https://podfollow.com/inside-the-hexagon/view....
Nov 01, 2021•39 min
It's been over a year in the making, but we finally came to the right time to have the one and only Tim Kennedy on "Inside the Hexagon"! We go over what got him started in MMA, his early run in the sport, climbing the ranks in Strikeforce, and what he misses about the promotion. We also key in on his win over the always-dangerous Melvin Manhoef at "Strikeforce: Feijao vs. Henderson," discussing Tim's strategy, as well as the dream he had before the fight that told him he'd win in a very specific...
Oct 25, 2021•30 min
Dan Henderson is truly one of MMA's legends, and on March 5, 2011, "Hendo" proved it once again when he vanquished the bigger Brazilian champion, Feijao Cavalcante, to win the Strikeforce light heavyweight championship. It was a signature KO brought on by Henderson's "H-bomb" right hand. Also on the card, Liz Carmouche established herself as a fighter to watch in Strikeforce's women's bantamweight division. And, Tim Kennedy teaches Melvin Manhoef a lesson. Enjoy this episode as we break it all d...
Oct 18, 2021•59 min
Rich Chou has done it all in the sport of MMA. A Scott Coker protégé, he oversaw the booking of so many big fights in Rumble on the Rock, EliteXC, Strikeforce, and Bellator. On this week's show, Chou discusses his formative years, including his lone MMA fight, his crossover to the operations side of the sport, working with the Penn Family, what goes into making the matches fans want to see and so much more. We dive into his run with Strikeforce, reminiscing on what made the promotion so very spe...
Oct 11, 2021•59 min
We're back from our short break, and on this week's episode we're discussing the kickoff of 2011's Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix tournament! At the inaugural event, there are three alternate bouts, with all three fights ending in first round finishes. Then, in the co-main event, Russian slugger Sergei Kharitonov makes his Strikeforce debut against former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski. And, in the main event, "The Last Emperor" Fedor Emelianenko tries to rebound from the first leg...
Oct 04, 2021•1 hr 5 min
Extending our break by one week...will be back next week! All our links can be found here: https://podfollow.com/inside-the-hexagon/view. Download and subscribe, and connect with us on Instagram and Twitter...@TheHexagonPod. Make sure you check out Evergreen Podcasts at www.evergreenpodcasts.com. Also, please don't forget to rate and review! We appreciate your support! Sources: Tapology, Sherdog, MMA Weekly, MMA Junkie, Figure Four Weekly Special thanks to Joseph McDade for our theme song: www.j...
Sep 27, 2021•2 min
We're taking a quick one-week break...we'll be back next week! All our links can be found here: https://podfollow.com/inside-the-hexagon/view. Download and subscribe, and connect with us on Instagram and Twitter...@TheHexagonPod. Make sure you check out Evergreen Podcasts at www.evergreenpodcasts.com. Also, please don't forget to rate and review! We appreciate your support! Sources: Tapology, Sherdog, MMA Weekly, MMA Junkie, Figure Four Weekly Special thanks to Joseph McDade for our theme song: ...
Sep 20, 2021•3 min
We're doing something different this week, as Phil walks through the story of his time in MMA, including Strikeforce, as well as what made him want to create "Inside the Hexagon!" Here how Phil got started in MMA, including some of his experiences while working in the sport, how Josh got involved with the show, and more! It's a quick, interesting look at how we've gotten to where we're at...tune in! All our links can be found here: https://podfollow.com/inside-the-hexagon/view. Download and subs...
Sep 13, 2021•20 min
It's another Strikeforce event full of finishes as we're covering "Diaz vs. Cyborg" this week! The welterweight title is on the line in the main event as Nick Diaz further establishes his genius inside the cage with a masterful performance against a very game, tough Evangelista "Cyborg" Santos. While the champ looked to be in trouble in the first round, it was all part of his game plan...it's a great fight! We also see "Jacare" Souza defend his middleweight belt for the first time against "Ruthl...
Sep 06, 2021•1 hr 11 min
Former Bodog Fights matchmaker Miguel Iturrate joins us this week to discuss his long career in MMA, which included booking the first all-female fight card, handling Bodog Fight's incredible roster of fighters (which included Jorge Masvidal, Eddie Alvarez, and many others), putting some of Strikeforce's first Playboy Mansion fights together, how he almost put on Fedor-Couture, and more! Some really cool stories for hardcore MMA history fans...check it out! All our links can be found here: https:...
Aug 30, 2021•34 min
