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The A-Side – MMA Fighting

MMA Fighting’s senior editor Shaun Al-Shatti and deputy managing editor Marc Raimondi field questions from fight fans and debate the MMA topics of the day in this fun weekly live chat.

Latest Episodes:

Fighter vs. Writer: Matt Brown Fixes the UFC Heavyweight Division, Argues for Kamaru Usman Over Ian Machado Garry for Next Title Shot Feb 17, 2026

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On the latest episode of The Fighter vs. The Writer, UFC legend Matt Brown and Damon Martin discuss the abysmal state of the UFC heavyweight division and what can be done to fix it. Could just a couple of moves actually fix what has become one of the worst weight classes in the sport? Plus we’ll talk about rumors that Islam Makhachev is likely to face Ian Machado Garry next and if that’s the right move for that division? Plus Brown previews his fighter Josiah Harrell making his UFC debut on one week’s notice. All that and more on the latest episode of The Fighter vs. The Writer!

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Between The Links: Jailton Almeida Cut, Ageless Andrei Arlovski, And UFC Vegas 113 Fallout Feb 12, 2026

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There was a full combat sports slate last weekend with UFC Vegas 113, PFL Dubai, and BKFC Knucklemania 6 all going down on Saturday.

In the UFC, Mario Bautista throttled Vinicius Oliveira, Kyoji Horiguchi stamped himself as a legitimate flyweight contender by schooling Amir Albazi, and Rizvan Kuniev and Jailton Almeida had one of the worst fights you'll ever see—leading to Almeida’s release this week. Meanwhile, Usman Nurmagomedov delivered a dominant win over Alfie Davis in PFL, and Andre Arlovski turned back the clock one more time to claim the BKFC heavyweight title.

On an all-new edition of Between the Links, the panel reacts to UFC Vegas 113, PFL Dubai, and Knucklemania 6. Topics discussed include whether this win changes things for Bautista, whether Horiguchi deserves a title shot next, what to make of Almeida’s release and whether the UFC should keep the heavyweight division, where Nurmagomedov ranks in the lightweight division, Arlovski's career longevity, other news and notes, and more.

Join MMA Fighting's Jed Meshew, Alexander K. Lee, and José Youngs as they answer your questions all show long.

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Fighter vs. Writer: Matt Brown Reacts to Dana White’s Testimony in UFC Antitrust Lawsuit Plus What Fight Will Headline UFC White House? Feb 10, 2026

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On the latest episode of The Fighter vs. The Writer, UFC legend Matt Brown and Damon Martin react to Dana White’s testimony in the UFC antitrust lawsuit where he confessed that he no longer deals with any fighter contracts or negotiations and rarely gets involved in matchmaking for the UFC. We’ll also discuss the hype surrounding the UFC White House main event and how fans might be in for a surprise when the final card is announced. All this and more on the latest episode of The Fighter vs. The Writer

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On To the Next One | Matches To Make After UFC Vegas 113 Feb 08, 2026

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Mario Bautista picked up a massive win in his first UFC main event on Saturday, and after dominating and submitting Vinicius Oliveira, Bautista called for a rematch with Cory Sandhagen. Will Bautista get his wish, or will the UFC go in a different direction?

On an all-new edition of On To the Next One, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Alexander K. Lee discuss what could be next for Bautista after running through Oliveira in the main event of UFC Vegas 113. Additionally, future matchups are discussed for Kyoji Horiguchi following his lopsided win over Amir Albazi in the co-main event, Rizvan Kuniev after defeating Jailton Almeida in the heavyweight featured bout, along with fellow main card winners Michal Oleksiejczuk, Farid Basharat, Dustin Jacoby, and more.

Plus, the guys take listener matchmaking suggestions following the UFC's first trip to the Meta Apex in 2026.

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UFC Vegas 113 & BKFC KnuckleMania 6 Post-Fight Show | Reaction To Mario Bautista, Andrei Arlovski's Main Event Finishes Feb 08, 2026

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Mario Bautista delivered the goods in his first UFC main event, while Andrei Arlovski became a BKFC world champion in his first opportunity to capture promotional gold.

Following a very busy Saturday in the combat sports world, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Jed Meshew react to UFC Vegas 113, Bautista's impressive performance against Vinicius Oliveira, where Bautista goes from here, the rough watch that was Rizvan Kuniev vs. Jailton Almeida and the state of the heavyweight division, and more from the UFC's return to the newly-branded Meta Apex.

Additionally, they discuss BKFC's KnuckleMania 6, Arlovski's dominant title win over Ben Rothwell, the good and the bad from the promotion's annual bare-knuckle extravaganza, and much more.

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UFC Vegas 113 Preview Show: What’s At Stake For Mario Bautista And Vinicius Oliveira? Feb 06, 2026

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For the first time in 2026, the UFC is heading to the APEX.

On Saturday, UFC Vegas 113 goes down in the fight capital of the world, headlined by a Top-15 bantamweight matchup between Mario Bautista and Vinicius Oliveira. It’s a bit of a comedown for the UFC after kicking off 2026 with back-to-back numbered events, but can Bautista and Lok Dog give the fans the excitement that was missing from last weekend’s event?

MMA Fighting’s Jed Meshew and Alexander K. Lee preview UFC Vegas 113 and what’s at stake between Bautista and Oliveira. Additionally, Meshew and Lee discuss the significance of the co-main event between Kyoji Horiguchi and Amir Albazi, the numerous weight misses for undercard bouts, what fights are likely to steal the show on Saturday, PFL Dubai, BKFC’s Knucklemania, and more.

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No Bets Barred: Bets Bets For UFC Vegas 113 Feb 05, 2026

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The UFC is finally in the new and improved APEX.

This Saturday, the UFC returns to its flagship venue, the Meta APEX, for UFC Vegas 113, headlined by a ranked bantamweight matchup between Mario Bautista and Vinicius Oliveira. It’s the UFC’s first event in the APEX in nearly two months, and the first since the venue got overhauled to add more seats, and No Bets Barred is here to break the action down.

This week, host Jed Meshew flies solo to discuss the biggest fights at UFC Vegas 113. Topics discussed include a brief recap of UFC 325, the nip-tuck main event between Super Mario and Lok Dog, Kyoji Horiguchi and Amir Albazi trying to put themselves into the thick of the 125 title picture, whether Jailton Almeida can get his aura back, the continuation of The Climb, and more.

Tune in for episode 148 of No Bets Barred.

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BTL | Ilia Topuria Back? Dana White Testifies, Volkanovski's Greatness, More Feb 05, 2026

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Alexander Volkanovski delivered a one-sided performance in his UFC 325 main event rematch with Diego Lopes, leaving fans wondering why the fight was made in the first place. Now that the event has quietly come and gone, what will be the thing UFC 325 will be remembered for at the end of the year?

On an all-new edition of Between the Links, the panel reacts to UFC 325, Volkanovski's dominance over Lopes for a second time, where he sits all-time, and if the UFC London headliner between Movsar Evloev and Lerone Murphy will determine the next challenger. Additionally, topics may include this weekend's trio of events from the UFC, PFL, and BKFC, which card is better overall, Brandon Moreno getting a new opponent for UFC Mexico, other news and notes, and more.

Join MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Jed Meshew as they answer your questions all show long.

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Fighter vs. Writer: UFC 325 Reactions, Matt Brown Explains Why Paddy Pimblett Should Fight Benoit Saint Denis Next Feb 03, 2026

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On the latest episode of The Fighter vs. The Writer, UFC legend Matt Brown and Damon Martin discuss the fallout from UFC 325 where Alexander Volkanovski dispatched Diego Lopes in even more impressive fashion than their first fight and where he now ranks among the featherweight GOATs. Plus Benoit Saint Denis took out Dan Hooker but Brown argues it’s Paddy Pimblett who should be calling for that fight now after his loss at UFC 324. Plus we’ll talk about Shavkat Rakhmonov’s latest injury setback and much more…

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On To the Next One | Matches To Make After UFC 325 Feb 01, 2026

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Alexander Volkanovski put it on Diego Lopes for 25 minutes in their rematch for the featherweight title at UFC 325 to pick up his eighth UFC championship victory. Following their second meeting, what's next for the champ Volkanovski, and Lopes — who falls to 0-2 in title fights in less than a year?

On an all-new edition of On To the Next One, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Alexander K. Lee discuss what could be awaiting both headliners following Volkanovski's one-sided win in Saturday's main event in Sydney. Additionally, future matchups are discussed for Benoit Saint Denis after stopping Dan Hooker in the co-main event, Mauricio Ruffy following his statement knockout win against Rafael Fiziev in the lightweight featured bout, along with fellow main card winners Tallison Teixeira, Quillan Salkilld, and more.

Plus, matchmaking suggestions from the listeners.

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