Pound 4 Pound with Kamaru Usman & Henry Cejudo

Latest Episodes:

CORY SANDHAGEN: Umar Fight, Sean O'malley, Journey to UFC || Pound 4 Pound with Kamaru Usman Henry Cejudo Jul 25, 2024

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Cory The Sandman Sandhagen is one of the most likeable dudes in the UFC; known for an approach to MMA rooted in intentionality, thoughtfulness and strategy. He joins the guys ahead of his upcoming bout against Umar Nurmagomedov in Abu Dhabi August 3rd.

The guys discuss Umar's fight style and what makes him dangerous, and why the rankings don't tell his full story. They dig a little bit into Cory's past fights - both victories and defeats - that have shaped him into a well-rounded, universally dangerous MMA fighter rather than a one dimensional killer. And credit to the world class coaches who have embedded champion tactics into The Sandman, who's taken years to polish his grappling after the Aljamain Sterling loss.

We wrap up with a Sean v. Merab breakdown and prediction as well as Cory's vision for his own battle on August 3rd.

Enjoy!

00:00 - Intro

01:30 - Umar Nurmagomedov

02:30 - F*** the Rankings

05:30 - Rob Font with No Tricep

10:15 - Umar Fight Plan: Better Everywhere

13:45 - Underdog Picks

15:10 - From IT to UFC

21:31 - Petr Yan and Song Yadong

23:40 - Great Coaching

27:30 - Sean O'Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili

30:10 - Cory's Fight Prediction

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UFC 304 PREVIEW, Jake Paul, Leon Edwards || Pound 4 Pound with Kamaru Usman and Henry Cejudo Jul 23, 2024

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The buzz around UFC 304 has been surprisingly quiet; Kamaru and Henry are here to help.

Before 304 breakdowns and predictions the guys take a quick 10 minutes reacting to the Jake Paul vs. Mike Perry boxing match that took place this past weekend. Naturally, the guys have slightly different views on the bout, the performances from both men, and that not-so-subtle Pereira callout from Jake. What's a fight between Paul and Pereira actually look like? Let the debate begin.

Alright - time to get into the action of UFC 304: Leon Edwards vs. Belal Muhammad 2. A widely anticipated main and co-main event preceded by some sneaky and not-so-sneaky matchups.

This week's Underdog picks aren't out yet but Henry and Kamaru are ready to tell you who they see with their hand in the air Saturday night in Manchester. Arnold Allen vs. Giga Chikadze is a tale of great striker vs. a great kicker. Can Allen avoid (and survive) enough powerful body kicks from Giga and find the chin? We can count on a standup battle one way or another.

Kamaru has high praise for Gregory Rodrigues' toughness... "you're gonna need a baseball bat and two friends..." but Henry notices a pattern in hometown fighters in England getting favorable matchups by the UFC. The guys have different predictions and equally terrible english accents. Sorry in advance.

Does Paddy have the threshold to survive King Green - a fighter who was able to find 186/319 significant strikes in a decision win over veteran Jim Miller? Paddy has showed resilience against Tony Ferguson, but King Green poses a new challenge for the relatively new fighter in the UFC.

Curtis Blaydes vs. Tom Aspinall hits close to home for Kamaru, a friend of Blaydes. Both men agree that Curtis will have to mix in his wrestling to find success, but Kamaru assures Henry that the striking game of Razor Blaydes is nothing to sleep on. On the flip side both Kamaru and Henry recognize Tom's ability as a heavyweight who has combo speed and consistent movement. It's a split decision for the guys.

Leon Edwards vs. Belal Muhammad is another one that has the Pound 4 Pound studio torn. The freestyle fighter style of Belal has Henry reminiscing about Khabib, and both guys have equally technical, though differentiating reads on the Palestinian. Triple C has a feeling that the current mentality and inspiration of Belal makes him the favorable fighter, but if anyone has a credible read of Leon Edwards, it's Kamaru; and Nightmare is sensing that Rocky is going into the title defense confident and technically sound.

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Rose Namajunas, Next Opponents, Olympics Debate || Pound 4 Pound with Kamaru Usman & Henry Cejudo Jul 18, 2024

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Don't say the boys aren't dedicated...Henry and Kamaru jump online for a quick record during a heavy travel week. On the docket is a walk down memory lane as they both reminisce on their time in USA Wrestling Junior Nationals over in Fargo, ND, where Henry is currently.

Kamaru gives us an insider view straight from his seat at the analysts table during UFC Fight Night in Denver last week. Thug Rose stole the show, Henry's cracking an egg on his head, and Kamaru has been impressed by a relatively new rising star in Montel Jackson, who had met the Nigerian Nightmare years ago.

This weekend is another sneaky good card... more than a couple fights have the guys excited. Bias aside, Mohammed Usman opening the Prelims with a heavyweight bout sets the stage for an eventful evening. Some old favorites are resurfacing... read: The Korean Superboy is back in action. Bruno Silva vs. Cody Durden is another one to keep an eye on. And in the very same night, Jake Paul vs. Mike Perry step inside the ring.

Beyond Saturday's UFC and Boxing events, there are a few distant and not-yet official matchups that, despite both those adjectives, are worth a quick word... and best of all, Kamaru gives us his take on what a potential WW opponent looks like for his return.

To close out the call the guys debate their Olympic matchups in a randomized Decathlon of sports outside of wrestling; Shot Put, 100m Sprint, Gymnastics, 100m Freestyle, Beach Volleyball, Ping Pong, Tennis, Breakdancing, Diving and Golf. Kamaru leaves as heavy favorite...

Enjoy.

00:00 Intro

00:30 - Wrestling Nationals, Fargo

03:40 - Last Weekend's Fight Night

04:25 - Thug Rose

08:00 - Montel Jackson

10:00 - UFC Fight Night: Lemos v. Jandiroba

15:01 - Underdog Picks

16:15 - Paul vs. Perry, Quick Thoughts

18:05 - Kamaru's Potential Next Opponents

20:45 - Olympic Showdowns

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Questionable Fashion, Alex Pereira Drama, Artist Advice, Rose Namajunas v. Tracy Cortez || Pound 4 Pound with Kamaru Usman and Henry Cejudo Jul 11, 2024

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Before the guys get into it this week, there are a couple of recent outfits that needed to be addressed... Frozone and a nude captain America make their cases.

Then, Kamaru and Henry offer some insight into the artist's struggle, commenting in particular on Alex Pereira and Shakur Stevenson. How frustrating is it to succeed in the cage only to be met with criticism and doubt outside of it? Triple C is a master at ignoring the hate, but not everyone copes so naturally. Case in point: the hate that Kamaru got for his "30%" statement back in the day, which caused him to stay offline for a few days.

Not everyone takes a break from the internet though... enter: Shakur Stevenson's Twitter. The guys stumbled upon an "It Is What It Is" segment where hosts Mase and Cam'ron fired seven straight minutes of damage at the WBO Super Featherweight, in response to a few tweets Shakur posted earlier in the week. Kamaru and Henry offer sage words to Shakur, from the fighter's perspective. Criticism is inevitable, knowing how to ignore it, and even use it, is essential to success.

Okay - time to address Saturday Night Fight Night in Denver Colorado. Tracy Cortez is taking on Rose Namajunas and this one hits close to home.

Kamaru and Rose are old teammates, and he's seen enough power from the former UFC champion to know she can beat nearly anybody. On the flip side of that coin, Henry trains every day with Tracy Cortez out in AZ, the young star is even living with his brother as she trains for Saturday's matchup. In other words: the P4P podcast is split on Namajunas vs. Cortez.

Net Net: SOMEONE'S CRACKING AN EGG ON THEIR HEAD.

Yes, it's true. Kamaru backs Namajunas, Henry backs Cortez, and loser takes an egg to the dome.

There are plenty of other fights to be excited about this week, too. The guys break down a few of the other matchups they're excited about. And, even a few that never happened. Stay tuned until the end to hear about Kamaru and Henry's top "Fight That Never Was."

Enjoy!

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00:00 - Intro

00:30 - The Blue Suit

01:45 - The Birthday Suit

04:00 - It's OK To Care

06:05 - Addressing Pereira Drama

07:15 - BTS of Kamaru's 30% Drama

10:40 - Words for Shakur Stevenson

16:35 - UFC FIGHT NIGHT

16:40 - Debating Rose Namajunas vs. Tracy Cortez

23:15 - SOMEONE'S GETTING EGGED

24:00 - Jean Silva vs. Drew Dober

25:00 - Gabriel Bonfim vs. Ange Loosa

26:15 - UNDERDOG PICKS

27:51 - Best Fights That Never Happened

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Masvidal vs. Diaz, Anthony Pettis, Shakur Stevenson || Pound 4 Pound with Kamaru Usman Henry Cejudo Jul 08, 2024

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Kamaru Usman and Henry Cejudo jump into the studio to react to an exciting professional boxing bout that hosted a ton of impressive names, inside and outside the ring.

Five years ago, Masvidal bested Diaz in the octagon and a beef was born. After an increasingly tense promotional tour that included a street brawl between Diaz and Masvidal crews, the former UFC stars, known for their striking and ability to endure pain, squared up for 10 rounds in the ring. When the final bell rang, Diaz got the nod after what many viewers felt was a neck and neck fight, with Masvidal landing some hard-hitting blows but Diaz taking them in stride and playing the numbers game to out-strike his way to victory.

The headliner wasn't the only bout that delivered; the undercard had multiple stars at all places in their career. The Co-Main Event matched up Daniel Jacobs and Shane Mosley Jr., where the son of Sugar Shane Mosley pulled off a dominant win over the former Middleweight Champion. Also on the card was former champion Anthony Pettis and rising star Curmel Moton, who is backed by Floyd Mayweather.

00:30 - Masvidal vs. Diaz, First Takes

03:20 - Underrated Undercard

08:30 - What's Next for Nate

15:00 - Masvidal vs. Jake Paul

18:10 - Anthony Pettis

21:30 - Shane Mosley Jr.

23:30 - Shakur Stevenson

25:50 - Triple C's Words for Shakur

29:20 - Nate Diaz the Promoter?

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Masvidal vs. Diaz, Anthony Pettis, Shakur Stevenson || Pound 4 Pound with Kamaru Usman Henry Cejudo Jul 08, 2024

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Kamaru Usman and Henry Cejudo jump into the studio to react to an exciting professional boxing bout that hosted a ton of impressive names, inside and outside the ring.

00:30 - Masvidal vs. Diaz, First Takes

03:20 - Underrated Undercard

08:30 - What's Next for Nate

15:00 - Masvidal vs. Jake Paul

18:10 - Anthony Pettis

21:30 - Shane Mosley Jr.

23:30 - Shakur Stevenson

25:50 - Triple C's Words for Shakur

29:20 - Nate Diaz the Promoter?

The Official Pound 4 Pound Newsletter is HERE. Stay up to date with everything Combat Sports once per week in your inbox. Subscribe today - it’s completely free: https://pound4poundpodcast.com/

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Masvidal vs. Diaz, Anthony Pettis, Shakur Stevenson || Pound 4 Pound with Kamaru Usman Henry Cejudo Jul 08, 2024

Show notes

Kamaru Usman and Henry Cejudo jump into the studio to react to an exciting professional boxing bout that hosted a ton of impressive names, inside and outside the ring.

00:30 - Masvidal vs. Diaz, First Takes

03:20 - Underrated Undercard

08:30 - What's Next for Nate

15:00 - Masvidal vs. Jake Paul

18:10 - Anthony Pettis

21:30 - Shane Mosley Jr.

23:30 - Shakur Stevenson

25:50 - Triple C's Words for Shakur

29:20 - Nate Diaz the Promoter?

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UFC 303 REACTION: Alex Pereira KNOCKOUT || Pound 4 Pound Kamaru Usman Henry Cejudo Jul 01, 2024

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A ton of changes leading into International Fight Week had the war room over at UFC working overtime to make sure 303 stood up to the hype, and while the main card looked different, it certainly didn't disappoint Kamaru and Henry.

Alex Pereira continued to prove to the world that...he is THAT GUY. But Kamaru and Henry have words for the Light Heavyweight division contenders, who seem to continuously fall into a striking trap with one of the most lethal left hands in the cage. What do you do with a man who is 3 years into a UFC career with wins over 5 former champions, two division belts and objectively the best 12-fight run in history? Henry has one more LH opponent in mind for Alex before he makes the jump to Heavyweight, and the guys discuss how Pereira would fair in the division above.

Is Dan Ige a certified badass? His DM's say so. Not many people on the planet plead for the green light with just FOUR HOURS to prepare. Diego's performance calls for a bit of debate between the guys. One thing was easy to agree on - the experienced 50k Ige deserves respect for his showing, especially for the 3rd round effort. And a wise reminder from the Nigerian Nightmare: Styles. Make. Fights.

To that point, Ian Machado Garry's fight IQ showed up on Saturday night as he gets the UD over MVP in what was an extremely even statistical score minus one thing: 7+ minutes of control for Machado. Top control wins fights (even when it doesn't win fans) and Ian Garry didn't leave room for the judges, or Kamaru and Henry, to debate. Also, it caught the attention of Shavkat Rakhmonov. Despite the loss, Michael Venom Page showed his confidence and comfortability in the octagon continues to evolve.

A good ol' Underdog Fantasy Sports competition closes the recap - Kamaru and Henry are ready to up the stakes on their next round of picks...whose got thoughts on what they should bet? 🙋‍♂️🙋‍♂️

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00:00 - Intro

00:20 - Debating Alex Pereira

08:40 - Ige's Badass DM

09:40 - Diego Lopes, Doubts?

13:10 - Ian Machado Garry

16:10 - Welterweight Rundown

17:45 - Wrestling...Necessary?

21:30 - Harder Tests for Talbott

24:10 - Underdog Picks Get Competitive

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UFC 303 PREVIEW, Arman Tsarukyan Suspension, Ryan Garcia || Pound 4 Pound Kamaru Usman Henry Cejudo Jun 27, 2024

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Kamaru finally gets his win of Georges St. Pierre as the Florida Panthers pulls off a win in Game Seven of the NHL Stanley Cup against Edmonton Oilers. Keep and eye out for GSP's pushup video in Kamaru's Panthers jersey.

Henry and Kamaru have their eyes on some prelim and early prelim bouts that are worth the early tune in... including Ricky Simon, the return of Michelle Waterson-Gomez, and the young gun Payton Talbott, whose got even the likes of Triple C on his toes (from the champ's mouth himself). The Andre Fili vs. Cub Swanson matchup has got Kamaru praising Sean Shelby's match-making skills, and Joe Pyfer gets back on the horse against an extremely durable opponent in Marc-André Barriault.

Then, the Main Card is looking stacked. Ian Machado Garry vs. Michael Page opening the card is an exciting thing for all UFC fans. Can a title-hungry MVP dodge enough of Ian Garry's lethal leg kicks to find success? He seems to think so, and Kamaru responds LIVE to MVP's recent tweet about a matchup with our very own world-ranked number one Welterweight himself.

There was a lot for Jiří to learn from his loss against Pereira last time the two titans stepped into the cage, but the Czech Samurai is one of the best students of the game... case in point: the guys aren't too sure the bookmakers got this one right. And, records don't tell the whole story. Jiří was able to put Alex on his heels before he took one of the champion's patented left hooks. This fight is sure to fire on all levels as the two light heavyweights square up for another historic night.

After a UFC 303 preview the guys jump into weekly news, commenting on Arman Tsarukyan's 9-month suspension for striking a fan at UFC 300, which may have cost him a quick-turn fight against Islam Makhachev. Also in headlines was, of course, Conor McGregor's injury that cost him his 303 title shot. The guys break down the decision that goes into pushing a fight due to injury - not something the Conor of years past would have been quick to do. What happens next?

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04:10 - Prelims

08:55 - MAIN CARD

09:00 - Ian Garry vs. Michael Page

14:45 - Mayra Bueno Silva vs. Macy Chiasson

17:10 - Anthony Smith vs. Roman Dolidze

18:50 - CO-MAIN: Brian Ortega vs. Diego Lopez

25:20 - Alex Pereira vs. Jiří Procházka

32:30 - Underdog Picks

34:00 - WEEKLY NEWS

34:10 - Arman Tsarukyan's Fine

40:30 - What Happens with Conor McGregor

43:45 - Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney

48:10 - Triple C's Challenge

50:10 - Octagon Proposals; a Tossup

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JORGE MASVIDAL: Usman Fights, Kimbo Slice Backyard Brawls || Pound 4 Pound Kamaru Usman Henry Cejudo Jun 20, 2024

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Jorge Masvidal!!!

Kamaru and Jorge reunite outside the octagon to chop it up on the P4P pod. The guys reflect on growing up as childhood immigrants, and the light at the end of that tunnel for Masvidal: scrapping.

A lot happens on the journey from flunking ESL courses to becoming the UFC BMF champion and a multimillionaire fighter, promoter, and...reality TV star??? The multi-hyphenate Masvidal tells us all about it.

Jorge and Kamaru take us behind-the-scenes for their historic bouts - one of which is still regarded as the top selling PPV event for the UFC. Spoiler alert - the Nigerian Nightmare and Gamebred are two brawlers that know how to stand on business. They discuss the Flying Knee heard around the world, and how the events leading up to, and following, that moment that perfectly symbolize the ethos of UFC: anything can happen.

Jorge gives us a fist-hand account of the UFC's development in Miami - going all the way back to his experience at UFC 42 as a wide-eyed 17-year-old. Then, of course, flashbacks to his bouts with Nate Diaz, and a taste of what's to come in July, where Masvidal will leave behind his lethal head kicks (and, obviously, knees) for a straight up boxing match with Diaz. He's confident.

You don't need to be a die-hard to know this one is big.

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0:00 - Intro

0:30 - Go Panthers

02:50 - Izzy Announces

9:30 - Jake’s New Mike

14:40 - Underdog Picks

16:40 - START: MASVIDAL INTERVIEW

23:15 - Growing Up in ESL

30:00 - UFC: Universal Language

32:40 - Backyard Brawler is Born

36:30 - Ponytail

41:00 - Masvidal’s UFC Start

44:40 - Masvidal: Reality Star