UFC 324 Justin Gaethje vs. Paddy Pimblett Full Card Breakdown | Zuffa Boxing 01 Preview

Really readily, docs, we'll go the snow tip to tip. This is all wine, this is our passion. I'm Luk Thomas. I'm this this morning combat.

I can never get over that. I can never get over that. Welcome on this good it's amazing on this twenty third day of January twenty twenty six. Because ladies and gentlemen, finally your long national drought, international drought, I suppose, is over. The fights are back and we are here to get you ready. Hello everyone, I'm nearly one half of your hosting duo. My name is Luke Thomas. I am joined by better call y'all himself defrocked this barred

Bitch to be disbarred? I had to have been barred in the first place, so I don't bring that nonsense here.

You've never passed the bar, You've never taken the bar.

No, I actually did, but I never I never got I passed the bar when I got out, and then I did my I forget what they call it your service shit, but because I didn't want to pay the dues since I wasn't going to be an attorney. I never got a bar guard, so I can't be disbarred because I never technically was barred, but I did pass the bar, which is important.

All right, Very good, Well, welcome here. Nice to see you, Jed, Jed of course from MMA fighting dot Com. Now let me give a one bit of a disclaimer up front. It might be like, hey, aren't you guys supposed to be boozing in studio, Well we will be, just not for this month. There was a bit of a miscommunication such that. Don't worry. The Quervo deal has been renewed for the rest of the calendar year. Everything is full steam ahead, but it doesn't actually start until next month,

Honestly, it kind of worked out, what with the terrible weather that's coming exactly York. So because I was like planning to do this and then this sort of feels a lot better to me. Frankly, what is.

The weather expectation in Georgia. We're in the eight to twelve inches of snow kind of place.

North George is gonna get some Luke. I know that there's nothing that the MK chat loves more than talking politics.

Yes, but I gotta.

Tell you it's been pretty tough to have a confidence in the weather forecasting, what with the changes that came, because it has shifted every day. At the beginning of this week, I thought that I wasn't going to be able to do the MMA Fighting watch party because we were just going to die with snow and ice. And now it's like it's probably gonna snow Saturday night a

Yeah. I don't think we're gonna get it too too bad in terms of the storm itself, but I think afterwards all next week it's gonna be in the teens and twenties so it's just all gonna freeze and turn into concrete. So that's not being fun, But who cares. The fights are back UFC three twenty four.

It is.

It is finally upon us, the Paramount Era. So let's get things started. If you want to follow us on social, here you go. You can follow me, and there's Jet as well. Jet is on both Twitter or x or whatever and Instagram, and then of course you can follow all of mine as well as the Morning Combat account accounts on YouTube or TikTok or whatever your heart may fancy. Let's not forget the Stranger Danger merch Morningcombat Dot Shop Morningcombat Dot Shop, you can go and get the January exclusive.

They are sold out as well, oh they sold out. Blisters are sold out.

Yes, thank wow, very good. All right, so we'll get those to you here as soon as the weather permits. And let's bring in the third member of our family here. It is the son of a horned off Australian. He is my friend in yours. He is nothing if not a Long Island flag bearer. It's Long Island. Look what's up, my friend? How are you?

What's up? Dude? Thank you for calling me family. That was very honorable here against the honorable Jed Michu. You know, the lawyer, so good, so honorable Jed. I would hire you. You know, normally lawyers make me nervous and make me stay comfortable, you know, yeah, that's how it goes. But boys, UFC's back this weekend. I'm fucking hyped. Got Jose Young's versus Gaff Pierre airing after this on prop Quoy.

Wonder that's gonna go.

Twenty dollars on the line. You know, you never know. Gaff did pull up the upset in the tournament, could pull it again. LT I heard you're going to be on prop Quiz against Jed.

You definitely did not hear that.

Oh oh, I thought I heard that.

I definitely you heard the opposite of that.

That's any plus Work Island.

Listen that you gotta have non podcast brain to do that, and I just don't have that kind of a thing. So Jed very grey quickly before we get going. How are things at MMA Fighting? What do you got going on this weekend?

I mean, we're back, baby, like it's it. This is one of the very few times this year probably i'll be like genuinely super stoked about a fight card, both because this fight card's awesome and we just haven't had any for so long. Yeah, so, like you know, it's our standard fair. We got wayns going on now or soon. We'll have a preview show today and tomorrow, me and the Honorable Mike kech we'll be doing our watch along that we always do, so chut, you know, stop in,

Brother.

It trusts me when I tell you I am. I told my wife this morning, I was like, I cannot wait for this earlier freaking star Time. With that in mind, you know we should do. Let's just get the show started, because this is all part of it and I really want to get into it. So let's let's kick things

That's a great question. The answer is going to be they're not going to do anything because this is the UFC. They are a finely tuned machine that is going to be the machine that it is. I would love to see. I mean, when they moved over to ESPN from Fox, and even when they moved to Fox. You know, I know you and I have been here that long, but

I mostly agree. I mean, on the one hand, right, here's the issue. You definitely do want to jazz this up a little bit. As you indicated, Kate Abdo is going to be there. As we've already talked about previously, the earlier start time, the lack of the pay per view, So you definitely have a few things already in motion, but at the same time, you don't want to go so different that the public is like, what are we

Dude, I didn't even get I've muted myself, Dude, I didn't even consider that. It's a really good point, I got it. Have you how much of you time have you spent on the new Paramount like that. It's not a new that their apps the same, but the UFC stuff on.

It is new.

And I've watched some Champions League.

I have found the UFC stuff to be terrific because it's all there. It is. My biggest issue with fight Pass was always it was hard to find fights like you like you would have to put in the right like break the Da Vinci code to get to certain fights. Everything is pretty clean. It could it could work right, like they they they could use some new things because

Longnan Luke, you say you've had issues with NFL games on Paramount Plus.

Yeah, Like, I'm not the biggest NFL fan, So I'll just like play a game, you know, walk around and do whatever around the house, and I come back and half the time it's frozen or audio is playing it's frozen like shit like that, and I'm like, well, this isn't great. But personally, dude, I use vit pass to watch a lot of my shit. I have an account from like a previous job so I don't even use ESPN Like, I haven't even used ESPN Plus really this whole time. So I'm not too worried about it as

Gotta be again, I've watched live sports with Champions League and have and again, to my experience, whatever that is worth has been great, has been just fine, and has looked amazing and has been pretty great. But advancing the conversation, if I may about three twenty four in the UFC this Paramount era, when we think big picture and you think about what the UFC can or should do with this Paramount venture right now that it's kicking off and

Well, what their core mission is and what their core mission should be very different because their core mission is to generate wealth. I think we both know that's true. Like they are just this is a money they are making, their printing money, and so like that's what their core mission is. I think as a ancillary product of that, and maybe as like a secondary goal, it will be to grow the sport more broadly, which I do believe this deal will do. Right, Like I, we have talked

Sorry, my bad. I opened up my can of a and w root beer. It's nice, all right. Let's talk about the card itself here and before we get to the individual matchups themselves that we did lose. Obviously, the co main event from was going to be Kayla versus Amanda. Nevertheless, with that out of the picture, there is still there are complaints about next week's card that I think are a lot more valid. I gotta tell you, I like this card. Whether it's the one that should have been

I'm right there. Nine if this still had Harrison noon as this is easy like nine to nine point five here, because that is the best fight on the card and we lost that. But even so, this is still a very good card and more importantly, and what I said in the last little bit there, this is an exciting card. Like I looking at this card top to bottom, and certainly the big fights right the main card and the middle prelim section, it is hard for me to imagine

What kind of numbership or of viewership are you expecting what do you think I have?

I genuinely have no concept for what like how that works.

Because Okay, so the NFL game can get thirty million or more and that's the way. Are you doing that? Yeah, they're not doing that, But can they get ten, fifteen million something like that.

I'll go lower than ten because my biggest issue with this card is a thing that we shouldn't frankly care about at all, and it is very stupid. But it's like they haven't promoted it. They have broadly promoted that the UFC is on paramount now like at NFL games, those commercials are run, but there was no like it

Are?

They?

Are they both a question that's a great See NFL schedule.

They're both Sunday, so there's nothing Saturday, basically, I mean, there'll be hockey and whatever. But in basketball, ten feels like an ambitious goal. But let's say ten. Let's say they crack into double digits.

I think that ten is fifteen seems high, especially if you don't have like a huge star on here. But I think ten with no paywall with you said, I haven't promoted it, but and Dana, I know we've had some questions about the degree to which he has promoted this card, and I think that that in terms of his enthusiasm. However, I have seen him kind of everywhere.

It's true, I honestly, because he has felt so ever present. Maybe I just missed that part of it, But like this week. They have done much more in general, right like they have been and especially the UFC on Paramount team has put out a lot of stuff. But it felt like that this could have been built up to over the you know, all of the NFL Playoffs, when

Yeah, okay, well that didn't do much.

I mean's got a lot of people interested.

Man, Before we talk about the main event itself here, which we're about to in just a moment, I think

No?

No, this is yeah, the one hundred percent, because he is the best bet they have, maybe not the best, but one of the very few bets the UFC has for like a real star. And I know the company at this point is so insulated from even needing like super big stars anymore, but it's still nice to have, Like it is a good thing to have people that people care about. And justin Gaegee is awesome and I love him like a family member, but he ain't that.

Do you think he can be a big star in North America? Again, we're we're not in the pay per view business anymore, so how they measured that is a little bit different. What is your sense of his star potential?

I assume so, because if you're a big star somewhere you can that sort of translates. And like he is infectiously fun, or at least the energy around him from the people who love him is he has already travels pretty well. You know, Patty the Battie is a fun ass song man, and that's sometimes that's all you need for a gimmick, Like, you don't need that much to have a gimmick that gets over. You need something that

I saw he did some crossover. I don't know how much soccer you watch, but he did a crossover with the CBS Sports Golazo, people like Kate Abdo and Jamie Kriger and Big Meeks and dude. It did like big numbers on social, Like I don't know, I didn't see any other UFC fighter this week. Do any social that came anywhere close to what Patty was getting at least with some of those other Again, that's a little more eurocentric than North American centric, but just in terms of

So dude, he was on a fucking battlefield or whatever one of those video games with I'm trying to remember who all the people were where. He was one of the four dudes in that video game commercial. Like, uh, there's the fucking guy from high school musical. See I'm not old.

And washed high school musical.

No, but he's super famous. Some people like him, and he was also in Baywatch, and I just can't think of his goddamn name right now. I am also old and washed and my brain doesn't work anymore. Zach Efron, like zac Efron and a bunch of other folks in like a battlefield commercial. That's that ain't happening for anybody else on roster. He's he has the potential to really get over and they want him to and this is the best way to do it. There's a reason Patty's

How many fights within a weight class so we're not talking weight class jumping, so I'm not talking about Ilia versus Islam for example. How many fights in the UFC are bigger than Ilia Taporia versus Patty Pimblet within the weight class itself?

None. I don't like their fights. I might like more or that are better. I don't think there's a bigger fight in the sport outside of maybe a couple of, like you said, weight class jumping fights, right, Like, yes, you know, do we count Alex Peiro moving up to heavyweight as weight class jumping because maybe him.

Versus yes, because he's the champion at two of five so yeah, but if Buddy actually just like bails to move up, like yeah, No, as far as intra divisional, it's the I think it's the biggest fight that the sport has. Interesting, all right, let's talk about the fight itself. We're going to get to the gay chee equation here. I know we've been kind of parting on Patty, but I think it's important. So let's start with Patty here

I think it is unequivocally true that he has not faced good opposition. I don't think that that matters at all. Right, Like, it can be a factor in all I mean, it can be a factor in your holistic view of how the fight goes. But like, you don't fight good OPO until you fight good OPO. You know he can't. He could, I guess, have helped it, But like, I don't think that it is a significant bearing on him because he's fought a lot. He has fought people over the balance

I'm okay, So I did this exercise. One of the things I love about five passes. Sometimes you can't do this, Like if you're trying to do this, for example, with like Robbie Lawler, it's it would take forever. But in the case of someone like Patty Pimblet, you can just watch their whole much of their entire career, soay again,

He is. I was rewatching stuff this week in prep for, you know, the various things he is. Just like, he was so cartoonishly bigger than Michael Chandler in that fight and he did the Honestly kind of thought it was a pretty good gimmick from him when they did their first face off and he he slouched and got himself real small. And then they did their face off yesterday and justin Gator's like, holy shit, did you grow three inches? Happened? Like he's a big, big man and I think that

And I'm gonna say one last thing on this before we talk about Gai Chee for me personally, you know, all the belly aching. Oh, the UFC gave him all these extra opportunities against guys that were too weak, just to build them up. Yeah, they did, they did. Here's

That's just called development like that is, it's just prospect development. It happens in boxing because specific orgs own specific fighters, so they are developing these guys. The UFC just owns everybody, and so their broad plan has been throw them all together. Whoever comes out on top, that'll be fine, but that doesn't like this is way better way to do it.

All right, Let's talk about justin Gaegee for a moment here. First of all, where are you on the very basic question of where his physical health is? Talking about the barbecue sauce that he had right and then also he made these fighter pay comments. He's clearly agitated about it. Yesterday he shut down Jose Young's when he followed up on it, and so he doesn't want to deal with it now, but it's on the back of his mind.

I mean sort of, but like, I don't I'm with you. I don't think that's gonna matter because the issues swirling around him aren't like they don't seem to be the kind that might permeate when you are in fight or flight mode. And that's what will come tomorrow night, Like justin Gagi'll lock in, He're get in a fist fight, and at no point during that is he going to be like, oh man, I shouldn't have said that about

On Saturday, we.

Have a clip of Patty talking about what appears to be just engage you's staff. Let's see what he says.

Did you see rumors of just having staff on his neck?

Yeah?

Seen it. It's one of them what it'll be meant to do, you know what I mean? Who's got staff? Like he's got staff, doesn't matter that he's got staff on I'm still gonna smash his head in both there's lads in our Jim move forward staff enough people out in the first round, so that doesn't affect that bad. That'll be another excuse for everyone went a wain.

That'll be like, oh, just engage your stuff as well.

You know what I mean.

So it's one of them.

I get on with it.

I'm gonna be turning up in the cage and alls. That matters is if I tearing up, nobody beats me.

I mean, I think that's about right. What else is he supposed to say? Here?

Look, he's that was nails. He absolutely nails, Like, dude, I don't really care and beat him anyway. And it is true because there will be people not me, I think if Patty wins, unless it's like I'm trying to think of a scenario where a Patty victory would make me be like, actually, Justin probably would have beat him if he didn't have staff. But they're gonna be people who will just be like, yeah, you fought an old and compromise gae chee hooray. And that's fair for him

Frankly, all right, So let's talk about the matchup itself. If I had to ask, what would you say for each fighter is their number one objective? And I don't mean just win, I mean in terms of like what you what what does the fight need to look like in either direction for you to have confidence that one fighter or the other is winning. So, for example, I personally believe just all one side of the equation. I

Man, I wish you hadn't said that, because now Chad's gonna be like Jed's just copying Luke.

Uh.

I think I think the fault lines for both like you could broadly say keep it standing and take him down and be a dipshit loser who's not providing anything real.

Uh.

I think that is the same fault line for both dudes. I think both men need to be coming forward. I think both men need to be pressuring. Whoever is moving back is going to lose this fight, in my opinion, because Justin Gaigie is just frankly not that good fighting backwards in general, but stylistically it is. It certainly behooves him to your point to take away the range that Patty will have to put Patty on the back foot

Can Patty pimmelet win without getting a takedown or getting to the back Yes.

I think he has also one of the like as I was breaking this down, a thing that really jumped out of me. I don't think he would be favored. I want to be super super clear here about that. But he can crack a little bit. Geechee is not the same person he has been. I think that Gechee can take a shot from Patty just fine. But I think,

Yeah, I mean, I'm of the belief that it could happen. You mentioned the uppercut that uppercut right hook is or excuse me, the uppercut left hook. I think that's right. The uppercut hook from Patty is one of his favorite combos and he's actually he used to just kind of lunge into it and now he actually sets it up pretty well. So to me, that's pretty potent. What I would say is, I know we need to move on

Two or three? If this goes the distance, I feel pretty good that it. Justin Gegee has won this fight because Patty has been mostly durable in his career and.

Els sorcerers don't get knocked out.

As yeah sorcers. Sorcerers do not get knocked out. Who said Cody uh Dardarah?

No, it was the guar brand Cody Garbran.

Yeah, yeah, man, Like he's been fairly durable and so to me, if this fight goes to the distance, like to the cards, it is. Gechee mostly kept it standing. Patty was durable enough, and Geechee didn't like really force the issue. He was just very comfortable beating his ass with a jab that he never uses. But like, if this goes because if this ever, if he gets takedowns, he's it's over. I have no confidence in Justin Geechee to like spend twenty minutes on bottom not getting tapped.

Yeah, that I agree with, Or if he gets to ount or something like that. I think, and there's time if he gets mount, let's say, and there's two minutes left in the round, that's that's a bad sign for him. We do have a clip of Justin who reasserts his ability that eating ko anybody.

Patty has said from day one and have come into the UFC, scousers can't get knocked out. How much are you're looking forward to prove you not wrong?

Yeah, you don't have to be a doctor to know that.

If you have a brain, you can get shut off if I just shake it. And so I'll show him, you know, if I could shake his head and make his brain touch his skull, he's gonna go to sleep. The only thing appeals to me right now is knocking a scouser out and representing America.

And that's what I'm here to do. Dude, that's such a cold fucking line. Doesn't take a doctor to make his to know, make his brain touch his skull. It's just like, all right, you're a different kind of dude than I am. Just engaging.

He has thought long and hard about it, as you can tell, all right, And if you would care to hazard or prediction again, I do these for fun because I have no fucking idea who's gonna win. But what do you think, Jed.

I'm wanna be very clear, this is not smart. This is lizard brain, Jed. They're inside every man there too. Man One is a rational actor and the other is a lizard and lizard brain. Jed has taken the wheel and he'll be picking Justin Gaigie. Not for any technical or logical reasons, but because if Justin Gachie loses to Patty Pimblet, He's probably going to retire and I am simply not prepared for that. He's the most exciting fighter in the history of the sport and I would like

I'm gonna go Patty. I'm gonna go Patty. Now, this is the this is the rub. I don't know. I don't know. I've just feel like one way or the other, he's going to be able to get it done. So I'll say t KO. But that's maybe not be right because he could his ground and pound wasn't bad against Chandler, but Chandler was squirmy underneath, so it's a little harder to you know, I'll say sub.

I think I think sub is a much better choice than.

I'll think he'll sub. All right, long Island prediction from the main event.

I did no bets barred earlier this week with Jed, and he convinced me, Man, we gotta go justin Gaigie here, justin gaechie Ko. I agree with Jed. I think round two or three, I'll say round two. H One thing I want to just bring up is everyone's all up in arms about Paddy vaping in this video here, and they're like, what the fuck? I bet on Patty and he's vaping. But like people forget man, Justin Goichie. My man rips that damn I mean iron lung justin Goichie here, I'm taking it's.

Just lung training.

All that is.

Where did he get this bong?

What?

Other than this is an oil rig?

This is not a bong technically, you know.

What the fuck is an oil rig?

You put like hashill wax butter, you know, shit like that.

And it and goddamn spaceship.

Yeah.

Bro, this guy's like, oh, yeah, this is where you know. It's not a it's not a bong, it's an oil rig. This is where you smoke things like gee, these guys are out here smoking alternative butters and then being like, how can you not know it's called an oil rig? I don't know because I have a mortgage in a family. What do you mean, what kind of a question is that.

Don't act like you didn't do sativa or whatever.

All right, let's go talk about our comin event now, which again, originally it was scheduled scheduled to be Amanda Nunez taking on Kayla Harrison, that is postponed for the foreseeable future. So in steps a man who we all left on the side of the at least the title shot road. But here he is back in a fight that by itself, you would just look out on paper and you would say, oh, I don't know if this is gonna put him back in a title shot, but

Not?

Yeah, man, this is like, this is the fight where I'm way more concerned about, like the level of competition because Song has has fought good fighters and hasn't beaten them, and so it's like, Okay, we feel like we have a ceiling on you. And the question is is Sean a good fighter? Because he's also had a weird up and down run, but like he is a good fighter. The eyeballs show you that he's a good fighter, and uh,

Why has okay? Obviously, Song your Dong's never been a champion. He has worked extensively on his English, but it's not his native language. By the way, credit to Sean O'Malley. The orcs on social media went after him for it when he apologized for the COVID mask, but actually thought it was a decent gesture that he apologized. Okay, putting that aside, though, why, in your estimation is the entire conversation about O'Malley and there let me let me, let

That's a really good question. Look at you big brain on Luke over there, because.

I have struggle with this because I just just did you see, for example, someone brought us up to me in my life chat and I hadn't seen it when they brought it up, but I went and I looked afterwards. Corey Sandhagen put out a big video on like basically why I mean, he didn't say it this way, but that why Song You Dong has like very little chance of beating Sean just based on how they fight and their styles and whatnot. And you know, taking that for what it is worth, Let's say that it is true.

I think the answer is a combination of factors, one being people don't think he's gonna win and spoiler alert, I'm kind of with him. I think the other is like, because he has had he's had stepbacks, like the worst moments right where he started to build momentum, got a big opportunity and then lost it, and it's very tough for people to stay current on you. And then like his last fight, the weirdness within and there was beating Suto's ass like that was an opportunity to get over

Did you see him in meeting Bangham? You just doing the whole bit.

Look, I mean he probably wouldn't choose to do that with me, but did you see him a media day? That man has like effortless swag to him. And I don't know if you know this. He's Chinese and that's a fairly big market of people. And right now the best Chinese stars they have are Jeangweili, who is a billion years old, and they tried to make the Mountain Tiger a thing and then he just got gods like it might have been a better idea for the UC to give him a little more push, but it's not

Here's the I mean, they it's heads heads, you know, they win tails they I mean, this is not the phrase, but they kind of also went here twenty eight years old. Song it on as you mentioned Chinese. Uh, the thing I've been looking at this is they keep trying to

He's getting dumped.

He was getting thumped a little bit. Then he beats Simone knocks him out quickly. He reads gutierres You're like, okay, So he's clearly a step up beyond, kind of like the ten to fifteen maybe even like seven to fifteen kind of guy. But then loses to Yond, then faces Shudo and then wins that one technically but under a cloud of scrutiny. This would be by or, I should say controversy. This would be by far his biggest win. It would be the most high profile win I would argue,

I want to say something on this because, like, as you're going through it, I wanted to make sure I was right about this, and I looked at it. There's a little bit of Michael bisping here, and bear with me as as I try and lay in this plane. The opportunities he's had, they have not been hey, too much, too soon. It has not been like, oh here's Corey Sandagan,

For him, though I do think it's gonna be a tough fight. Form Okay, same kind of question I know by For example, I know Song You Dong has been working with Justin Flores, who also is the judo coach previously of ron A Rausi but currently Patty Pimblet. And I've seen Song You Doong working with him quite extensively if he has to stand at range with Sean O'Malley in a three round fight. I just don't like his chances. Is it takedown or bust for Song? You do on?

Uh, it's not takedown or bust, but he needs needs to mix them like they need to be part of a holistic game plan to attack Shawn Amalley because I mean the range is a huge issue. Shawnamalley is a little bit taller I don't know how much, and thin a couple of inches. Uh, pretty significant reach advantage and just fights long much more like, much more long than Songy Dong does. Song's best weapon. You know, they are his his mits and so like he doesn't even have like a super.

Sorry, guys, I got to interrupt with breaking news. Cameron Smotherman just weighs in one hundred and thirty five and a half, immediately walks off the scale. You know you're supposed to stand there for five seconds in flex, immediately walks off the scale, face plants on the fucking stage. They're helping him now that fight's gonna get canceled.

So can you get video of this?

Yeah?

Fuck dude, I hope he's okay, yeah, I'm looking up my notes here. Cameron was set to face uh, let's see here, Ricky. Yes, the second fight on the card. I hope he's okay.

We're trying to see if there's of it up yet. But nobody's got it dropped yet. Man, that is wild.

Yeah, and obviously the commissions.

Has that ever happened.

I've definitely seen them.

I've seen fighters get like and get help. I've never seen somebody face playing.

I've seen them vomit. I've seen them vomit too. I don't know. I don't know if I've seen face planting like that. That is. I guess we'll see.

I hope he's all right because that sucks.

Yeah.

Yeah, fight's got to be off.

Yeah, so that's going to be a so again, I guess the prelims are going to start at five point thirty as opposed to five at this point.

So it seems like, well.

We get a video of this, we'll let you guys see it here. Just to wrap up on this particular conversation, is there a world where Sean O'Malley wins and then people are like, Okay, I know he got the win, but I don't want to see him fight yond Is there a way in which he could fuck this up even by getting the dub.

Yes, I think it's pretty small because the idea of him fighting peodri On is just not really tethered to reality or merit. It's tethered to they had a fight and people like Sean, and that's the most important part of all of this. But like, I think Song and Dong is going to be a tough fight, not in the I think this, This to me lines up for like a fight where Sean Omalley wins comprehensively and not dominantly, right,

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Right, I mean, yeah, Stafford and I went to UGA at the exact same time, right like he we started UJA in the same time. You seem around campus.

Wow.

And I like him a lot more diverged. Huh. Yeah. I it's hard to say which of us is doing better right now. It's really a toss up. As far as Zaches, I did not. I liked him fine, but he was a little douchey in college because we all were. We were eighteen and stupid, and he was eight and you know, projected to be the number one pick since he was five years old or whatever. What has grown up he went? I think he was a Texas kid somewhere,

All right. So the Los Angeles Rams are playing the Seattle Seahawks. That'll be Sunday at six thirty PM.

Game bangs two.

Hundred and fifty four and a half passing yards. You're taking more or less on fellow alumnus Matt Stafford.

I'm gonna take more because I think they're even though, like they've played obviously in the same division, they played twice. In the first game, the Rams won, but Stafford threw like one hundred yards is something insane. And the second game they went to overtime and it was a shootout and Stafford had like five hundred yards. So I'm gonna take the over here because he's got DeVante Adams and Puca, and I think they're gonna be forced to be more aggressive. So give me the over.

Okay, So Drake may playing a quarterback, but he's got That's not what I'm curious about him. Curious about Stefan Diggs. Of course. This is New England at Denver Sunday at three pm, Truck Bendenhalls game. They've got him at forty six and a half yards. You're taking more or less less.

Uh, He's gonna give the Patrick Surtain shadow, I assume, because I don't think they're gonna put certain on booty. So like Patrick Surtan's gonna be in his hip pocket and I'm gonna guess under on that.

We shall see. I appreciate your perspective. All right, here's how it's gonna go, folks, new customers. This is your playoff bonus. You're gonna get fifty dollars in Pick six credits when you make your first Pick six entry for just five dollars. So download the DraftKings Pick six app right now and use code combat that's combat with a K Just five dollars gets you fifty dollars and Pick six credits. Ride the upside in partnership with DraftKings Pick six.

Just saw this.

Dude.

It's like a full on flare flop, like he's in my head when like.

Yeah, it was really bad and by the way, the whole way and has been like delayed because of it. They were just helping him on stage. The next fighter is just swinging now and Alex Perez miiss wait too worth, Oh great dude.

Long Island. When you said he felt like in my head it just did like I don't know what I was visualizing, but the fact that even leaving the scale, he very obviously is just nobody's home, and it's just like, how did nobody see this coming and get to him? Like damn that?

In the moment I thought it was, I was like, whoa is he pissed off about something? He just left it.

Because he kind of walks forcefully forward, but it's because he can't keep his balance.

He's walking forward because that's gravity taking his legs to the.

One more time. I want to walk the audio listeners one more time. He walks off with it. He walks off and he's like stomping and he literally lands chest and chin first, not on his hands, which is always a bad fucking sign if they don't brace themselves with their hands. I uh, that was not great.

Not this is like a train wreck.

Man.

He gets his hands up just at the very end, So maybe it didn't like he didn't take it on the face.

I know he did. He injured his face.

At all like he looked okay. They were rehydrating him. Everyone seemed really concerned. There were a bunch of people around him. They walked him off stage, and then he was just sitting nearby. He had like Mark Ratner and everyone around him. But I don't really know what's going on.

Wow, way cutting what a wonderful part of this sport.

I hope he's okay. It's unfortunate that that's the place that we're in. Who else we have here? Someone else just made way to two of four? Oh, Modesta Sbukowskis made it a two of four. Man, that video is sketchy. Here, I'll have a wider angle on the camera smother in one. Oh, he does get his you're right.

Yeah, he gets right at the very end. So it's not as bad. But man, that is that's one of the scarier things I've ever seen a way.

In that is. I don't see that very often.

No, the positive is he won't be fighting and taking head trauma tomorrow.

Okay, well yeah, but the other the downside is not gonna make any fucking money.

He's not gonna make any money.

That's also it's like you got to go through all of that and then there's no financial return. It's unfortunate. All right, let's talk about the rest of this card if we can the parts that we don't have a way in situation yet. For any of these, we'll give it to you as we get it. Heavyweights, this is a fun little one. If I do say so myself,

It is shockingly important for the heavyweight division, which is wild. Like, if you had told me that this was going to be not just significant, but potentially a title conversation fight, if you told me this last year, if you like in January year ago, it'd have been like, what what are you talking about? What are you smoking? You're on that justin Gaechee oil rig, whatever the shit that was. And yet it's true because WCA had a great twenty

I'm looking as you mentioned at the rankings, as you indicated, kortes a Costa sitting at five, and it's the spot he has absolutely earned. Lewis at eight. But how far, as you indicated, is Trump's favorite fighter or one of them anyway, how far away could he be from a title shot or at a bare minimum jet a placement on the White House card? Right you really, I would

If Ben folks said that I'm I'm gonna fight him, because I've been saying that for like five years. Okay, the the US, he can't build stars in general. We talk about this all the time. We don't have to harp on it, like the single best way to build stardom in this sport is to fight a lot. Because look at what has happened to Shavkar Rokmanov. They forget that that motherfucker exists this for the last four years he was the the guy. He has come, he will

Is this matchup being made, Yes, of course it's a great pairing in terms of knockout potential. Obviously, is it also being made because their matchmakers are looking at Lewis at forty years of age and being like, he's definitely not done. But it's a little Neil Magne ish where this is just going to tell us one way or the other what we have in Corteza Costa.

I'm sorry, repeat that you dropped out from my audio for a minute.

No worries. So the point the question is clearly they are putting these two guys together because it's a fun fight and it's got a good like they're putting this on the main card of the first show on Paramount, like obviously knockout potential is going to be a premium in terms of the matchmaking, of course, But is part of it also that they're kind of looking at Lewis even though he's still coming off two wins in a row, as something like a Neil Magni type where it's like,

Yeah, maybe not about like what he can do, but what what sort of how over he can get? Because like, I think we're past the point where Derek Lewis is a great gauge of talent in the heavyweight division. He is about to be forty two years old. He is a good gatekeeper to the top ten, but like Cortez Coost is already in the top ten. So I think this is more like a This is just a win win for them, right, because Derek Lewis is tremendously popular, and if he goes and gets a knockout over the

I think you're right this is one of the few fights on the card where I'm like, I'm not saying the UFC doesn't care who wins. They might have some preferences, particularly again for that White House card and Derek, but they'll be happy either way. If Derek gets a knockout, great, there's a lot you can do with that. If Corteza Costa gets a knockout, great, there's a lot you can do with that. And this is the case where you know, this isn't co promotion between two different rivals, and so

Jet I got well coast winning speed, right. I mean, he's he's just a more technical dude. He's faster, he's got better defense. I think Derek's a little bit washed Derek. I would be interested if Derek does maybe something different, if he goes for some takedowns, because Corteza Coasta has been pretty good at keeping it up. Derek Lewis is a demon if he's on top of you, which like he rarely ever is. And the real difference maker for

Okay, I'm getting breaking news here from Long Island. What can you tell us, Jesus age Christ.

Figure it out. Just missed weight two and a half pounds, in addition to Alex Perez also missing weight two and a half pounds, in addition to Cameron Smotherman face planning after making weight, So there's a potential three bouts that could get canceled. Maybe we just got two fines and maybe just the smotherman cancelation.

But can no chance the figure bout gets canceled, right.

I don't think they'll cancel it. But I did not have high hopes for him in this contest anyway.

And this, I think this is I think this is a great move on his part.

Front.

Dude, you know you're gonna lose. Take it. You didn't take a fine and try it a little bit a jet.

It didn't look like an advantage an advantage weight miss. And it's like I took everything out of my body and still can't cut anymore yet.

So I guess.

I guess the media day when he was saying I was never actually a flyweight, I was just killing myself to make it I've always been abandon weight. That was true.

Uh what a mess? All right for me? I'll go Cortes a Coasta. By the way, I think the speed a little more technical. Louis Lewis tends to feast more on not always, not always, but he tends to feast more on guys who are Cortesa coast is a little bit of a donk, but not really, whereas Lewis kind of feats more on guys who are just really out of their element. And I don't think I don't think Cortes Coast is that guy. All right. It brings us now to the women's fight on this main card and

Just pause for one moment to acknowledge that this is a ship show of a start for the USC. It's incredible. One dude almost dies, two guys sweat bangers.

Also, lt. John Silva Arnold Allen is the first fight.

So yeah, I just I just said it under my breath. Yeah, yeah, fair enough. All right, let's talk about the women's fight on this card. Uh, it was supposed to be Alexa Grosso. She falls out and so in steps in Natalia Silva and she takes on Rose Nama Unis. Now, before I even ask you one question about this jet, I want to play a clip of hers about what she understands as her title shot potential in the event of a win. Let's roll it roast.

Did I see you say that you are told if you win this fight, you will get a title shot.

Yeah, even though I try and you know, wasn't gonna worry about that. And I'm still not too worried about you know, definitely like looking past this or anything, because you know, we got to stay one step ahead of you know, one step at a time. But it's definitely more motivating. It is more and I don't need any more motivation. I just want to win. And I'm also very excited to face somebody like Natalia, who's very exciting and she has I know she's got She's definitely got

She's three and three in her last six, she has won two of her last three. To the extent that this is relevant to you, are Miranda Maverick being the last of those in June twenty twenty four. Baby, that's right, Oh, that's right, that's right. She is thirty three years of age. Do you agree with the UFC giving her a title shot in the event of a win?

Undred percent? This is very obvious Natalia Silva should be fighting for well, like, she's done everything that needs to be done to do it. She's she stepped in to take this fight. I frankly, I think very wisely because Who's Rose Long Islan Luke, Who's Rose? Originally supposed to fight here Alexa Grossa Grosso Lagrossa's right, And I think there was like a I think on the table. Maybe it wouldn't have happened, but it was very possible that if Rose beat Grosso, she was going to jump past

Natalia Silva hasn't lost since twenty seventeen. Of course, that pre dates her time. Even inside the UFC, she is coming off of a win over Alexa Grosso, which was fairly one sided back at UC three fifteen. This was the Blah Mohammad and JDM card in twenty twenty five.

I don't hate she wins in a row. If she beats the Silva, okay, well she'll be in the UFC rank if she beats Look if they gave her one now it would be stupid. And if they gave her one if she had beat Alexa Grosso, would be stupid, but very possible. She beats Nathalia Silva, she will either be number two or number three in the rankings. It will depend on whether the UFC ranking people or AI I don't remember if they've done that or not, put Aaron Blanchfield, who has a victory over her, above her.

Man. Yeah, that's certainly a fair point. Where do you think Rose is as a fighter, clearly still capable enough to win, capable enough to beat good names by but it does seem like the gap in the lead she had on the division, it's clearly not there anymore. How do you assess that and in particular, how that matches up with Silva.

I think Rose is the same fighter she's always been, because she's always been mercurial, right, and like her highs are as high as anybody who's ever competed at women's MMA realistically, but her floor is pretty low and is also like equally as likely to occur. And so the move up because if you really want to get you know, down to it. She's three and two since moving up

By the way, again, I'm sorry to do this, but I'm just trying to get these breaking news. Smotherman Tercios officially canceled Cameron Smotherman. According to Alex Bhuonan is being transported to the hospital. The Perez and Figi bouts remain on so we've only lost one bout hopefully that's all that is there. And by the way, I think just Gaechee and cortez A Costa are the only two haven't waiting yet. Cortez Costa coming in too fat to make two sixty five would absolutely make this perfect. Can I

That would be My god'd be that would be great. It's waiting while doesn't.

Yeah, I mean, brock Lester had to cut to two sixty five, but you know, for very different reasons than Cortez Costa.

Uh.

The last thing I'll say on this is there's not a lot of chatter about Silva. And she plays like Monica Sellis played tennis, or she fights like Monica Selli's played tennis, where she kias like Holly Holm, you know what I mean. Like yeah, and it's sort of the sort of a distinctive style of competition. But dude, she's fucking good.

Let me tell you, I'm so excited that despite BC leaving, you're still going to keep old man references that none of your fucking viewers will get chat. Tell me if any of you know who the Monica Sells is, so.

None of you know, Okay, let's bring it long. Ond Luke, do you know who Monica sell Us is?

No idea? So I know it's Monica seller something, right.

Are you not aware of a tennis player who was stabbed on the court by a crazed fan.

I'm a big Johnny McEnroe guy. You know that's New Yorker's got to stick together. It's the only time.

Look, I know who Monica sellis. I know the name. I could not pick her out of a crowd of two.

When I was on Serious XM had an she was an intern but then eventually became a producer when they hired her full time. And this was twenty I'm gonna say circa twenty seventeen, so I'm thirty seven at the time, and she was I guess twenty one or twenty two, like right at the end of college, so somewhere around there, and Star Wars had just or one of the Star warses had come out, like the new New Ones. Yeah, and I was like, oh, you know, Harrison Ford is

You're more old in washed than I am. Can I tell you a very brief old wash story. Yeah, I'll keep it as very very brief because this was like genuinely one of my first, oh my fucking god, I'm old moments. And it happened last year. I met this girl. I went on a date with her. She's a little younger than me, she's thirty, and we were talking. Long story short. She was telling me about going paddleboarding down the river and getting stuck because she got too tired

Pretty out mapquist, bitch. I used to buy the books where you would have to like to like to go Yes Beltway.

I had a map of Georgia in my car for a long time.

The thing is, map quest would like give you directions like turn left here, turn right at the circle, whatever. But with the old way was you have to open the book, look at the map. You have to memorize, Okay, I'm taking the third lane to the right on exit twenty four B. You'd have to have that whole thing mema fucking memorized behind the wheel of a car. And now'd be like, what could you do without GPS? Use your brain power, you fucking idiots out there, Just old

One undred percent. These are bout like this and the WCA Derek Lues they're both win wins, the two top end fights. I think there's a clear side. Do us you prefer both of these? No wrong way to eat that? Reesus?

I do love Reesi's Reesus is the king of candies. People are like, oh, the King of candies is like Snickers. If you're a fucking trader, it is Reese's peanut butter cups. Fuck heads. All right, Last, but not least for this main card. This fight to me was going under the radar, But I feel like this week things have really, I don't know, they've definitely come to life for this bout. Arnold Allen takes on Jayon Silva in one hundred and

Not Arnold Allen?

Oh? What am I saying? What are my Jesus brain just not working?

All right?

Let's start here if we can, Arnold Allen, let's use this clip. I'm going to play a clip for you about Silva insinuating why he even took this fight to begin with, and I want you to tell me what that tells you about the matchmaking go ahead.

Well, what happened was this fight had been scheduled before he was Indoca, but he had to pull out because something some sort of injury in one of the shoulders, or you need to move move up in division or something of the sort.

So we don't know.

But he was also set up to fight Aaron Pico and he kind of backed that last minute, and you know that Short notices and take it. So is it that he took the fight against me or did the UFC make him ticket?

Arnold has not been super busy, and that's been true for some time, but it's been especially true now and you realize he's still just thirty two. He should still be in his athletic prime. What do you make of what Silva says here?

I mean, I doubt that the UFC made Onold Allen take this fight because I don't like, why would on it all and not want to take this fight. This is a great fight for Rod Allen. He might lose, I want to be really clear on that. But like John Silva's, guy's got juice Like these are the kind of fights you want if you are, especially a guy who's been forgotten because you haven't fought in eighteen months. And so John Silva says stuff. He is my boy, and I love him because I loved him for a

We pull up my notes here. I apologize. Alan spoke to our friend Brian Campbell about some of his motivation coming into this contest. I want to play it and get your reaction.

Do you feel like there's a motivation within you that like people kind of kind of forgot about that.

Yeah, one hundred percent, you know. I want I'm pissed off right. I want to go and show how good I am. I want to remind people how good I am, with no questions, no asterixies. I want to go out and show you what I can do because I know how good I am, and I think a lot of people do, but definitely being written off in this fight, and that's that's cool.

He's twenty and three is his official record, as I indicated, thirty two years of age. He is coming off the gig at Chakazi win over back to back losses and once in twenty twenty three of Max Holloway and then once in twenty twenty four of most are vloye of although both of those ended up having a pretty interesting degree of competitiveness. Are people sleeping on Arnold Allen has his absence and sort of quiet demeanor relative to Jayon Silva,

One undred percent? Dude, I told Jordan they forgot about shove Gut. This is Arnt Allen. Arnt Allen didn't finish every dude he ever fought, and he's been out for eighteen months instead of just a year. Like, I love Arnt Allen. I have been a huge arn and alland supporter for a very long time. He's like he is. He's that weird nexus where like especially your media like more like me, less like you, though still some were like you want fighters to say quotes so you can

What I love about this contest is you got a guy in Silva who's a lot of offense, not much defense. And then you've got a guy in Allen who's a lot of defense. I'm not gonna say not much offense, but it's certainly defensively oriented. And then the question is, well, which one gives here? And Silva, Okay, he is coming off of a bad loss where he had some inspired moments, but you know, in general has been on a pretty good run. But again, I think there's a question of

I mean, some of it will be how he wins, right Like, if he wins a sort of classic Arnold Allen good, not very memorable fight, it's not going to prove a lot. It's just going to be like, oh, Arnold Allen is still he's still dude. If he could ever find a way to fight more than once a year, people might care about him. If he Dan hookers him, you know, like people forget about the Dan Hooker fight

Franklin Saturday also not for nothing. But they're clearly also giving some opportunities here. I mean, the Brazilians always make themselves available for high level fights because they're very, very good. But also of note, like the UFC is still making sure that they're nurturing that market, putting Silvia in a fight that maybe he hasn't necessarily earned, although I do like the pairing Italia Silva getting a huge opportunity as well.

My head says John Silva, My heart kind of says right, Allen. Frankly, despite Jean Silva being my boy, activity matters a lot on the sport in general, John Silva. My hope for John Silva is he is coming off that Diego Lopez fight that he lost, and I think people, because of how it unfolded, I think people maybe don't remember that

Luke, what are the odds on this particular contest from our friends of DraftKings.

I got Arnold Allen earlier in the week at plus two forty and John Silva was minus three twenty five. Right now, Arnold Allen is plus two to ten, John Silva minus two fifty eight.

A little bit of money coming in on Arnold Allen. I gotta say, I love I'm torn right because the reality is in mma and this change is obviously the higher you go. But as a general rule, offense is more important than defense. But of course it is the higher up you get. You know, you can't really play with that, but you know, if you had to weigh which one is more important for winning fights? And I'm made,

You know, dude, it is entirely possible that he in fact, Dan Hooker's him, that John Silva just runs it recklessly and he just throws the right hand, and that's the ballgame. Like that's very much in play, And would honestly be kind of sick because I think if Johan Silva lost two in a row, he would have to be an adult, Like you'd have to go back his camp and be like, hey man, we want to control your psychosis and just spurts like you just it's not you don't build the

We shall see. All I know is it's a I'm a little surprised that the heavyweight fight isn't opening the card, but doesn't really matter. It's a great fight to open the card just the same, right.

I think. I think the idea is there's just no way this fight is boring because John Silva is like allergic to being in boring fights. And while it's unlikely Derek Lewis and waldokutz A Coasta could be boring because that's sort of always an option with heavyweight fights. Sometimes they can get big and heavyweight and just not do a lot.

Let's go to Long Island, Luke. Here, it turns out we're only waiting for Justin gat you to weigh in. Is that right? Yeah?

And I mean as time he's got fifteen minutes, but as time swindling down and getting a little nervous here is.

He usually late? When I say late, I mean like later in the window.

Yeah. I don't know.

He's never missed weight, so but at least because but I was going to say, like, you know, if you don't have staff and just have an in coron air, maybe your weight fluctuates. I don't know that would be categorical disaster. Frankly, so knock on wood.

All right, well, no, okay, so hold on, let's talk about this. If he misses weight, then the bout would I'm assuming, like by a couple of pounds, not by some astronomical amount. If he were to misweight, again we were talking in hypotheticals, the interim title would still be

I don't think it's actually the worst case scenario as long as because this is just a number one contender fight essentially for who fights Ilia? So who cares if the interim title isn't there. If wins, I gotta tell you Bill gets Ilia next. Arguably, no, I gotta tell you you know who.

This is just terrific news for If Justin Geichie does miss waight armand Serukian just moved to the head of the line, baby. If if Gechie misses wait and beats. Patty Zukin might just jump the line.

Arm is gonna be like like that. You know that that jiff from Shannon Sharp.

Yeah, he's going to be posting today if that happens.

Before we talk about the prelims here very quickly, let's do some DK pick six here on the UFC side of things. We talked about it a little bit earlier on the NFL side, but we can do it for the UFC side. It's all available right now, and by the way, presented by DraftKings, the crown is yours. Let's do a little bit of this here. So on the MMA side, Jed, we got all these different fighters and

I want to say under, but five round fights are just tough, especially like six on the ground like that and lean under on that, but I have not a lot of confidence in that pick.

So for Patty Pemblet, if you go to UFC stats Fight Metric, he averages per minute strikes landed five point one point nine, so he would have to be let's see, that would be a little bit over twenty five round so we're talking about three rounds that would cover if he does his average. That's kind of the question here is like what you think Justin is going to take away from him? You know what I mean?

Yeah, maybe I might. Honestly, over might be right. It it's it also then that's so volatile because again it's back to our analysis. I think if Patty gets two takedowns, fight's probably over. Like he's probably going to beat the shit out of Justice on the ground.

I'm so glad you mentioned that. So for Patty on the takedowns more or less ready they got you right, they got you right in the middle two and a half, two and a half.

Yeah, uh to me, that's one Like, if you think Patty's winning, and take the over, if you think he's taking, if you think he's losing, take the under. And maybe he gets two and he just finishes them immediately, and so you still lose that way.

But I feel like, obviously there's probably not as much to make on it, given the state of the odds, but gaechee at point five takedowns, I'm taking the under on that.

He's gonna go smash the under on that smash the under right, dude, Like, because go back to the Michael Chandler fight. Patty didn't take Michael Chandler down. Michael Chandler shot a takedown and Patty scrambled. If Justin shoots a takedown, which he doesn't do anyway, that he started to mix in it would be disastrously stupid to try and take Patty down.

Mashave rematch just for you know, just to play levels.

But yeah, and that's Phizzy, that's fine. Like Patty's best takedowns are in transition in scrambling anyway, So like it would be incredibly dumb for him to shoot a take down on Patty unless it is purely the last ten seconds of a round or something like, it would just be so stupid.

Fight time here we go, ready, fight time for Patty. Twelve and a half minutes, so less than three rounds. I take the over, take the over.

I think that I think that line is good though, because I can totally see it being under. But I'll take the over.

We're gonna talk about the prelimbs here in just a second. But they've got that dude a table. A table got a very quickly for four and a half minutes. On the over under, I don't know a great deal about his opponent. I'll be honest, I know a little bit. I'm taking the under. I'm taking the under on that one. I don't think that one's gonna go four minutes.

A death touch he does. I love a table Paul I have been like kind of durable in his career. But if it goes over, it's just over. Like he's not making it to the third round.

Yeah, PELAIAV has beaten or excuse me, lost to I should say forgive me. Christian Leroy Duncan which is actually turning out to be a pretty good fighter. And then he beat Nkline pretty easily, so maybe he can go more. I suppose. I guess we'll have to see last for me on this one, if I can let me do. Oh, this is interesting one. Control time control time. So now again, control time is not just on top. People don't misunderstand this.

I'll go over, but I don't I'll go over, and I'll because of the fence stuff. But like if he gets on top of Justin, I think the clock is way less than three minutes before he finds a finish.

Yeah, and then last but not least, they've got one more time. Umar number got made off nine and a half minutes of control. I'm taking the over.

Yeah. The only way that doesn't hit is if Umar taps him early.

Right, right? Is it short of that?

No?

I don't know. Maybe fat Figi's got some juice to him.

Yeah. True, I'm still I'm still taking the I'm still taking it, all right. And as I was always presented by DraftKings, the crown is yours. Let's talk quickly if we can about these prelims, which again this car to me. People can beelly ache about the the whether or not Armine should be in here, whether there should be an interim title, all that stuff. But let's talk about some of these prelims. I gotta tell you one of the ones people are sleeping on Michael Johnson taking on Alexander Hernandez.

As it real quick. Justin gage, he made weight one hundred and fifty five pounds. Look, he looks great, he looks fu very good.

He was just making people wait for funies for funies.

Yeah, all right, So let's talk about a table Gatier taken on Andre Pulaev Gotier. Well, let's see this Brian Campbell out there doing hard hitting journalism. Let's let's look at this clip I heard.

Man, your diet consists of a lot of bugs? Is this a true fact? Which ones taste the best? I gotta know this.

It's like my dad doesn't a lot of bugs, but I do eight bugs, you know, because yeah I do. Yeah, so it is good to me, and it's like you have to try it before like, you know, people can judge, but yeah, they netly try it.

Okay, but I'm afraid of spiders. I could never imagine putting one inside.

Oh, like their white spice and everything.

It would be good.

Okay, good, truly. Brian Campbell's calling to talk about eating bugs.

That's so great. Nevertheless, this guy loves cats. He has built like fucking prime Evander Holyfield. I love this guy middleweight and I you know, maybe Pulley apple A is a decent test, but I'm all aboard the go to a hype train. I'll just say that.

I loved him coming off Contender series. It's like he's twenty three and a murderer. Like if he gets if he even just kind of gets better. Ever, like consistently, he's just gonna be incredible. Uh, he rocks. Good for him eating bugs. I've eaten some bugs.

You know, it's Columbia. I'm not I'm not not for me.

Come on, you didn't like like a I've had cricket. Cricket's fine. The bugs don't taste like shit. They're just crunchy. Mostly.

Yeah, I'm not. I'd rather just star nice. Yeah. Uh. Niki de Krilov, who was kind of fall off a little bit taking on I would argue some somewhat resurgent Bodestas Bukowskis. I would not have said this fight would be a competitive three years ago for Bukowskis, but I actually think it's very competitive for him now.

Yeah, Bucock is gonna win because Nikita Krillov is super washed and he's on like a five fight win streak.

Yeah, Alex Perez uh missed wait taking on maybe one of the most underrated fighters on this roster, Charles Energy Johnson. Love this fight for Johnson, and I think he wins US one walking Away very much.

Agree Odds Long Island Luke. I think are actually still fairly close this one, which is interesting given the run Alex Prez has been on. He's won like one of his last seven fights or something.

Plus way forty five Perez minus one seventy five inner.

G Yeah, I would really think Johnson should be a bigger favorite than that in general, but doesn't take that many takedowns malex Prez, which could happen. But yeah, I think Charles John's gonna win this one.

Michael Johnson's thirty nine, however, three wins in a row if you can believe it, the last of those over Daniel zel Huber, which is a pretty nice one taking on Alexander Hernandez, who himself, by the way, thirty three years of age. Four wins in a row. It's the longest UFC win streak he's had, and some decent names certainly closer to the top of that one, Digo Faherta

Yeah. When we when Long Island and I did no bets barred this week, I was stunned to realize that this is not just like a throwaway light waight fight. It kind of matters like they got two guys on good winning streak, which is insane to think of that for basically either of them, and feels like good matchmaking. So I can think, I think alex is gonna win, but I don't know. I thought daniezelle Heuber would kill Michael Johnson shows what I know.

I just want to say a lot of money has obviously come in on Michael Johnson because I don't remember what he was earlier in the week. But I know Alexander Hernandez was like minus one sixty five is he's minus one twenty now Michael Johnson plus one hundred.

So interesting. Okay, that is our preview of the card. And with that we now moved to well, bitch, I'll bring Long Yeah skits some bits here. I'll bring in Long Island Luke here, because what I said was when BC left the show, what I said was, you know, listen, Long, Ale's got a lot of ideas. We're just going to turn him loose here. So tell us about your ideas here Long as well.

Naturally, naturally I ripped off one of BC's ideas. This will be similar to something we've done Orangetois, which is BC's thing where you rank three random things. This will just be all about's card, though we're gonna call it rank that card. That card.

It sucks creative.

I don't know who that was, but what a creative name, guys. So first thing ranked that card. Who will be the Brazilian with the best chance to win a UFC title in twenty twenty six, John Silva, Davison Figaredo or Natalias? This is natal who I know Who's third come first, second.

Third, Luke Oh Silva one, Natalia Silva. Excuse me, Natalia Silva one. I'll say jay On two because I think Figaredo is.

Figi is very obviously.

Three is just the third Brazilian.

I'm gonna go Jean Silva over Natalia Silva because if he beats Nold Allen, they might throw him in there. And I think I kind of think folks are gonna lose to Diego Lopez this time around. But like, even if he's not, he's just he's old, and if Diego fights him again, maybe Jean beats it. Mainly, the idea is, I don't know if you know this, Luke. The current women's flyweight champion is a woman named Valentino Shipchenko. She ever lose, so I'm just not gonna assume that Tali Silva's gonna do that.

That's a good point too.

They never lose until they do, you understand that.

Yeah, but she lost and then she came back and stopped losing again.

It's true, all right. Second fighters undefeated in the UFC with the biggest chance of losing tomorrow, Natalia Silva or Patty pimblet.

I put Gotier three?

Agree?

Uh, Pimblet's got to have a bigger chance at losing, so I put him one silva to Gotier three.

I mean, odds wise, that's correct. I might flip it just because I think Rose has a really good chance of beating Hutolia, so I think that that is a fight that may line up very well for her. And you know, I'm picking Gai Chee. But in my in my head, I leave Patty has a much better chance of winning that fight, so I think I'd swap them. But you're probably objectively correct.

Luca is going by the odds, you know, not purpose.

I mean, I wasn't looking at you out on purpose, you know.

What I mean? Thirty eight plus year olds who will have more UFC fights after UFC three twenty four Davison FIGUREDO, Derek Lewis, Michael Johnson, Meaning are you.

Asking how many fights they would have from after this day? Correct?

Not like how many fights they have in their career just after Saturday? Who continues fighting the most after that?

I'll say Lewis one. He's the oldest by the way I know, but it's heavyweight, so he's really not.

That's a good argument.

That's a tough one. After these two. I'm gonna say Johnson too, FIGUREDO three. I actually feel like Figarreedo's gonna like try and linger a little bit, dude.

At media day, Figure was like, I'm not close to retiring. Yeah, so I kind of I think I agree?

All right? Fair enough? Uh? For fighters whose stock will drop the most with a loss on Saturday, Josh Hokit, Sean O'Malley or Umar Nomaga Medov, who's the most to lose with a loss.

Well, it's definitely not hok It.

Yeah, he's number three for sure.

I feel like a norma Ga Madov losing in the UFC would be a big fucking deal.

And he already has lost to Morob.

Okay, I mean yeah, and it was a very competitive, really good fight, but him losing like outside of a title thing would be I mean, that's a top I mean no, it has to be madoff. Sean Omalley is coming off to fucking loss. Here's the thing though, here's the thing we're talking about. Sean O'Malley, Like, oh, here's a chance at resurgence. So if he loses, is his stock going to tank? Because we all thought he had a new lease on life and then that now the

Ye, I'm it's nurmi one. Because one people are already ready to bury him, like he he lost to Morob and then the win over Mario Batista was not like thrilling. And if he loses, I think he would be the biggest favorite loss in the history of the UFC, because he's like minus eighteen hundred at places or whatever right now. So I think that would be pretty devastating.

True, all right, fair enough? Up next, underdog with the best chance of winning Rose Noamber Unis, Derek Lewis or Arnold Allen.

I think Arnold Allen probably has the best chance both odds wise and just like realistically. I'll go, I'll go Arnold Rose, Derek.

Lt.

Underdog with the best chance of winning. I'll go I think, yeah, yeah, I'll go Derek one. No, I'll go, I'll go in order Rose, Derek Arnold.

Okay, so opposite jed.

Up.

Next former champion with the best chance to regain a title Davidson Figuredo Rose down the Unis or Sean O'Malley.

One, yeah, in in reverse order. O'Malley, I'm a unice figure.

You guys are so confident. He's still gotta beat Yan or whoever's the champion at that time. You know, like.

Has to beat one dude, bro, But like Figaredo had his knee destroyed by sand.

Think he were just again. He's just thrown in because he's the only other former champions. But like Rose, Bro, you don't think like all you got to do win tomorrow and then beat Val. That's not that crazy. If she wins tomorrow, I think she's not crazy.

But and the beating Val part pretty tough.

O'Malley. I know it's controversial, but O'Malley did beat Yan yeah three round five, twenty two, but still all right?

All right, up next, we got most entertaining fighter on the car, John Silva, justin Geechee or Derek Lewis.

What the fuck are we doing here? Man?

I want to be in the cage you get you can factor it all in together.

Jeed just engaged most exciting fighters ever fucking lived.

All right, well, who's your number two?

Uh?

John Silva? But if you want to put Derek Luis. That's fine.

Yeah, the thing is Silva is very, very fun, but he's a little annoying too.

Oh he's super annoying.

So I'm gonna go gae Chie one Abby, and then I'll go Lewis too and Silva three.

All right, all right, up next, we got most likely to avoid a third straight loss. Well, Cameron Smotherman, I mean, I guess he's he's the most likely to avoid a third trip did avoid that? Nikita Krilov or Alex Perez. I guess we'll just.

Carez would be one, Krilov two.

Yeah, I'm with him. I Carlos look so bad lately.

See, I'm gonna go opposite on that. I feel like Actually no, I do like Alex present. I don't take that naming duo with the best chance of both fighters winning. So both both Johnson's gonna win, Michael Johnson and Charles Johnson, Alex Perez and Alex Hernandez or John Silva and Natalia Silva.

The Silvas have to be number one.

I'm the Johnson's who was number one. Yeah, Well, I think Charles Johnson's gonna win outright, and I think Mike's got a pretty good Michael Johnson's got a pretty good chance.

It's not crazy. I'm gonna go Silva's. I mean they are both favored to win outright, and you know Johnson's two, the Alex's are certainly third, alright.

Fair enough and then last, but not least, most likely to win by finish Medesta spukowskis Tibo Gautier or Johnson.

Dude, they might put handcuffs on Gotier after he sends that motherfucker's head into orbit. I mean, what are we talking.

About, number one?

Because probably because I bet the under one and a half, I bet caught by ko all this ship. I have such a feeling that fight's going to go the distance and he's gonna like lose and we're all going to be so I'm getting like Malcolm well Maker.

I'll be honest, I'm a little bit on Yeah, it's a fair point you bring up. I'm a little bit on autopilot in terms of like my support for him. Yeah, you could be right, you could be.

Right fine to be an autopilot there.

But who you guys got two and three here? John silver.

Bukowskis, Arnold's never been stopped, and uh nik K has been stopped a lot.

Yeah, Krilov is a dunk, so bis got to be two silver, three.

All right, all right, Well that does it for that guys. That was rank that card.

All right.

We could do that for every card if we want, you know, if we got ship to do. But next up is going to be a segment that we've kind of been workshopping. There's a few different ideas for it. And one of the ideas our producer Matt Snyder came up with, which was essentially putting two fighters names or figures in combat sports into like chat GBT or an AI generator, and then it's spit out a dialogue between these two people. So we haven't told Luke or Jed

Okay, this is a weird one. So how do I do this?

I just read a A and I just start reading it and say.

Here we go, Jed, ready, ready, here we go.

Let's get trying stuff.

We're trying stuff here. I just wanted to clear the air. I know I've made some declaratives and the timing of everything may appear convenient. Okay, that wasn't about fear or avoidance. It was about timing. And since then, I've been doing a lot of reflecting, and I recognize that I may have had things more complicated than they needed to be.

Huh.

I want to be clear. I'm not done. I'm just selective.

So what do you want?

You know what I want?

Well, you know, I got to drag this out as long as I can.

Right, I'll take whatever you give me except for that one guy. I won't take.

What the fuck is And I can give you guys hints.

Yeah, am I iliot ta Poria?

You are not Iliopia? Uh?

Is Luke? John Jones? Yes?

Lt was John Jones and Jed Do you know who you were?

I'm assuming Dana White.

Correct Jed. I'm impressed.

All right, I'll be totally honest. I was completely lost until the I'll take whatever you give me, except that one guy. I was like, that sounds a lot like John Jones to me.

Right, you know what Eliott was playing like, I'm not gonna fight this guy. I'm not gonna fight that guy. That's why I thought, all right, here we go. This is number two. All right, Well that was fun.

Yeah, man, great time, appreciate you coming on it flew by. Hey can I tell you something something important?

Sure? Yeah, of course, keep this between us. Okay, you have my word.

Do you know that m M A is high level problem solving with dire physical consequences?

Okay, so you're obviously Joe Rogan, right, yes, okay, and I am.

I have no idea who you are?

Who?

The Rogan thing was a great bit.

Anybody you are you Luke, It's what said to you after your podcast together.

The problem with mine in this case was it's so generic that it's really hard to Yeah.

Yeah, it was tough.

But but the dude, the chat has been begging for you to give what happened, and now they know. Now they know what happened after the Rogan piety.

It wasn't like that. It wasn't like that. All right, here we go. Number three? Uh oh wow, long time, huh yeah, good to see you. Kind of crazy how things circle back in this sport, They sure do. It's been how long since we fought?

Sixteen hundred and fifty eight days? Awkward silence, keep going, Oh, I'm sorry, I never forgot what you said to me.

I think about it a lot. Is it? Uh? Is it uh? Who had a fight? Oh? Is it?

My hint to you is it's not someone who's currently scheduled for a rematch. I feel like it kind of implies that in the dialogue, like they're they're reminiscing like they're going to fight again, but they're just reminiscing on the first time they thought.

Is it Nunez and Chivchenko or something?

No, Jad, you have any guesses.

Who had a big break between their fights.

Again, it's not a break between fights. It's just they're reminiscing on the one time they fought, which just happens.

Yeah, I had nothing on this.

This is too generic.

It's tough. It's a Greg Hardy and Tai to Avasa. Reflecting on their intimate words exchanged.

We were definitely gonna get that.

They should have had something about them having sex, because that would have been the giveaway.

All right, Well, I mean LT the next one is a solo read for you. So my hint for you before you read it is you're a combat sports figure endorsing a product. So those are going to be the two guesses. Guess the product, and guess who you are.

Okay, here we go. This podcast is brought to you by Focus, not the app, the feeling. I've been experimenting with a more direct approach to productivity, less meditation, more momentum. You don't need instructions, you just need confidence and curiosity. Is it legal? I'm not really sure anymore? Is it natural? Well emotionally yes? Anyway, if you're tired of slow mornings and moral hesitations, maybe wellness isn't about less, Maybe it's about more. Am I Dana White? No, Jed, am I Chail?

Is this Sean o'malen his more well? Whatever the hell thing he's been pumping out.

It was Craig Jones endorsing cocaine.

Oh, very wellness focused.

Right, So now that we know that this product, this podcast is brought to you by Focus, not the app the feeling. I've been experimenting with a more direct approach to productivity, less meditation, more momentum. You don't need instructions, you just need confidence and curiosity. Is it legal? I'm not really sure anymore. Is it natural emotionally yes? That's hilarious. Okay, very good.

All right, Wait, and we got to give you a hint on the last one too, because it's tough. It's a media member and someone close to them.

Okay, here we go, jed you ready, I've been watching? Yeah, what do you think? They were? Fine? Like technically fine, very professional? But is a certain warmth missing?

They seem happy?

Give a time.

I have a theory.

Okay, what is it?

I I'm not entirely sure who the people discussing are, but I feel like maybe it's uh, I'm trying to think who this might be. Is this is this discussing the the the MK changes without Brian Campbell?

You're you're yes, it's discussing m K two point zero.

Then who would the people be though?

The donks?

No, dude, the donks wouldn't use a word like professional. Come on, what the fuck are you talking about? There's a certain warmth missing. Do you think that sentence has ever been put in your chat?

I don't, I don't know. I mean, is it.

Brian Campbell talking to you Long Island Luke about what's what's his absence?

You're very close, You're fifty percent there, and it's it's probably just too hard, but you are Brian Campbell talking to his wife about the.

New m K.

I was really close.

Then I like this segment it needs a little work.

Yeah, needs a little work.

I didn't I didn't even know if it was gonna go. It's god, you know, Jed guess the first one. I was like, oh, all right, this is going great.

But I think there's I think there's some juice to this segment. It but it you know, maybe some more AI prompt work.

Yeah, I think the prompting needs a little help, but not not not bad, not bad for the Verson one, well done, Long Island. I appreciate these two segments. Thank you very much.

Arnold was all mad. You gotta give Snyder credit for that one.

Oh, fair enough. Yeah, we'll give it to Snyder verse. Uh, Jed, thank you so much for joining me. Watch tell folks what you've got going on for coverage as it pertains to UFC three twenty four.

We've got a preview show coming up in a couple hours at inmayfind dot com YouTube. Most of you donks in the chat are already over there or we'll be over there, but if you're not, come join us.

Uh.

Traditional coverage Josey Young's Boots on the Ground in Vegas right now, you know, all that same stuff, and a watch party tomorrow night at the MMA Fighting YouTube as well. So hop on in. We're going early, We're going We're kicking things off right at the start of the middle prelim section. Should be fun, mess around, watch some fistfights.

All right, very good for me. A couple of things. I want to sort of let everyone know I'm going to be watching and do a full main card watch along on my YouTube channel, plus a post fight show, and then right after this MK you can join me if you are on my substack and I'm going to do a Patty the Battie tape study, a live tape study, you can join me right after this show for that.

I got Jose Young's versus GAF Pierre Aaron in fifteen minutes over on main carmin at YouTube prop Quiz doing a full card watch along tomorrow even the early prelims come on, Jeed Stepy game up five pm starts I'll see you guys then and yeah, I guess that's it for me.

There it is, Jed, thank you so much for joining me here. I really appreciate it. We'll get you, We'll get you in studio here very soon. We'll do some drinking with our good friends at Quervo and it'll be a lot of fun.

Yeah, that sounds terrific. I look, if you know, eagle eyed people can see over my shoulder. I got beef with Mendenhall, so we can settle it.

Very good. I look forward to seeing.

It, not fistfighting. I don't think i'd feel very well in that either way.

I look forward to seeing it. One more reminder on our Merch Morningcombat Dot shop you can go get the posters will sold out as we're told, but the Stranger Danger shirts are still available for the rest of this month. We are out of here today, boys and girls, ladies and gentlemen, children of all ages. The fights are back. Congratulations. Let's have a good time. Watch Zuva Boxing tonight and then of course UFC through twenty four and we're going