The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani

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Charles Oliveira, Eddie Alvarez, Luke Rockhold, Fernand Lopez, Dave Feldman, Luciana Andrade, and more Mar 01, 2023

Show notes

In the latest On The Nose around (7:23), Ariel Helwani takes a closer look at the UFC 285 fight card, Jon Jones’ days at light heavyweight, the GOAT debate between Jones and GSP, Jake Paul’s next step, Darren Till’s UFC departure, and more. Also, Michael Rapaport calls in to make his UFC 285 main event prediction.

BKFC founder Dave Feldman around (1:02:40) discusses how free agents Eddie Alvarez and Luke Rockhold ended up on next month’s BKFC 41 fight card, who else will be on that pay-per-view card, how Alvarez and Rockhold ended up at BKFC, free agents Nate Diaz and Francis Ngannou, and more.

Eddie Alvarez around (1:23:55) discusses how ended up at BKFC, training for his first event next month, facing Chad Mendes, if he’s done with mixed martial arts, his ONE departure, the last time he had a street fight, why he didn’t end up facing Michael Chandler again, Chandler vs. Conor McGregor, and more.

Luke Rockhold around (1:45:29) discusses how he ended up at BKFC, his future plans, his BKFC 41 opponent Mike Perry, his training for the event, Francis Ngannou’s free agency, Jake Paul vs. Tommy Fury, if he will return to mixed martial arts, and more.

Luciana Andrade around (2:07:11) discusses her life as an Octagon girl, her legal ambitions, how she learned English, some classic viral moments at weigh-ins, and more.

Charles Oliveira around (2:25:37) discusses his upcoming fight with Beneil Dariush, Islam Makhachev, vs. Alexander Volkanovski, Oliveira’s popularity, his attire, his recent back tattoo, his OnlyFans, if a kid dancing was him, how he lost the belt on the scales, his performance against Makhachev, Michael Chandler vs. Conor McGregor, and more.

Fernand Lopez around (3:00:11), Ciryl Gane’s head coach at UFC 285, discusses Gane’s preparations heading into the event, the lessons Gane learned from this first title fight, which Jon Jones they will see Saturday night, Gane’s training habits, Francis Ngannou’s departure from the UFC, and more.

The parlay pals around (3:17:42) make their pick for UFC 285, and GC around (3:25:10) makes his picks for the upcoming UFC event Saturday night.

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Chael Sonnen in studio, Valentina Shevchenko, Yaroslav Amosov, Phil De Fries, and more Feb 27, 2023

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Ariel Helwani around (2:38) wraps a busy combat sports weekend, including the Jake Paul vs. Tommy Fury showdown Sunday. Helwani discusses the Paul vs. Fury fight, what’s next for both parties, Nate Diaz vs. Logan Paul, and more.

Yaroslav Amosov around (1:02:09) talks about his motivation for his title unifier with Logan Storley, his decision to fight again after defending his Ukranian homeland against Russia, plans to go back to Ukraine as a civilian, whether he's the best welterweight in the world, training in a ring set up in a street in Ukraine, and more.

Phil De Fries around (1:21:49) talks about his big win at KSW 79, dealing with his anxiety, his childhood, the turning point of his career, his friendship with Tom Aspinall, facing Alistair Overeem next, and more.

Valentina Shevchenko around (1:42:16) discusses her extended break before UFC 285, why she decided to train in Japan, if there was talk of a Talia Santos rematch, her upcoming opponent Alexa Grasso, the flyweight division, Erin Blanchfield’s title hopes, a recent trip to Mongolia, and more.

Chael Sonnen around (2:04:22) drops by in studio to discuss Valentina Shevchenko’s place on the UFC 285 fight card, free agents Deontay Wilder, Nate Diaz, and Francis Ngannou, Jake Paul vs. Tommy Fury, Floyd Mayweather, Jon Jones and UFC 285, the UFC lightweight division, how he met his wife, and more.

The parlay pals around (3:23:15) look back at what happened this past weekend. GC also looks back at his picks and the best bets for the weekend.

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Jake Paul, KSI in studio, Yair Rodriguez, Erin Blanchfield, Aaron Chalmers, Jasmine Jasudavicius, and more Feb 23, 2023

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In the latest On the Nose around (12:31), Ariel Helwani discusses missed opportunities in post-fight interviews and who’s next for Islam Makhachev, who else should be in the UFC Hall of Fame, top 3 Montreal crowds, his favorite places to visit, the biggest regret of his career, who’s next for Khamzat Chimaev, a classic Karaoke story, and more.

Yair Rodriguez around (1:09:10) discusses his recent interim title win at UFC 284, how he felt when got the belt, if he thinks he will face Alexander Volkanovski next, when he would like to return, a recent mural, his UFC belt necklace, the future of MMA In Mexico, and more.

KSI around (1:35:00) discusses his new song and recent documentary, his feud with Jake Paul, his thoughts on Paul vs. Tommy Fury, his fighting plan for 2023, when he would like a potential Paul fight to happen, why he almost pulled out of Prime drinks before it started, if he would ever compete in MMA, and more.

Aaron Chalmers around (2:36:57) discusses how he ended up fighting Floyd Mayweather in an exhibition this weekend, the health of his young son, why he left MMA to go to boxing, his talks with the PFL, his fighting future, and more.

Erin Blanchfield around (2:59:12) discusses her big win over Jessica Andrade at UFC Vegas 69 this past weekend, what fight could be next, if she will be UFC champion by the end of the year, and more.

Jasmine Jasudavicius around (3:17:24) discusses her upcoming fight against Gabriella Fernandes at UFC Vegas 70, her social media success, how she got into mixed martial arts, having her boyfriend as a coach, and more. She also competes in a trivia contest with Ariel.

Jake Paul around (3:43:25) discusses his upcoming fight with Tommy Fury on Sunday, a potential clash with KSI, who KSI should fight next, if Fury will show up Sunday, if he feels if he’s under pressure for the clash, why he signed with the PFL, if he’ll be able to land Francis Ngannou, the bigger fight between Nate Diaz and KSI, working with Logan Paul in the WWE, and more.

The parlay pals around (4:14:39) make their selection for a busy combat sports weekend.

GC around (4:22:31) makes his picks for the upcoming UFC and Bellator cards on Saturday.

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Weekend recap, Ariel Helwani talks WWE experience & responds to Tony Khan Feb 20, 2023

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On this special edition of the program, the boys talk about Erin Blanchfield's massive win over Jessica Andrade and whether she can be the one to beat Valentina Shevchenko. They also discuss the latest Conor McGregor-TUF drama, IV-gate and get a full breakdown of Ariel's once-in-a-lifetime WWE experience in Montreal, which included some drama with AEW founder Tony Khan, who figured out a way to 10-7 himself.

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Bo Nickal, Jack Della Maddalena, Eugene Bareman, Modestas Bukauskas, and more Feb 15, 2023

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Bo Nickal around (6:16) discusses his upcoming UFC debut next month, his new haircut, his injury, some haters on social media, if MMA will be in the Olympics, if he feels pressure for a finish against Jamie Pickett, his chances against Alex Pereira, who is No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter, and more.

In the latest edition of On the Nose around (43:34), Ariel Helwani discusses what’s next for Dustin Poirier, how Alexander Volkanovski won the contest but not the fight, his pound-for-pound rankings, which top prospects are close to a title shot, if Bo Nickal will fight for a title next year, Elimination Chamber, and more.

Modestas Bukauskas around (1:48:27) talks about his big win at UFC 284, how he found out he was cut by the UFC, his brutal knee injury suffered at UFC Vegas 46, his tough road back to the UFC, the influence of his father, his “mystical” white board, and more.

City Kickboxing coach Eugene Bareman around (2:18:59) breaks down Alexander Volkanovski’s performance at UFC 284, how he scored the main event, what Volkanovski could have done different, what division Volkanovski should do next, the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world, if Israel Adesanya took rematch too soon with Alex Pereira, if Pereira surprised him in title fight, Dan Hooker’s IV allegations, and more.

The parlay pals around (3:04:29) then make their pick for the upcoming combat sports weekend.

Jack Della Maddalena around (3:11:55) discusses his big win over Randy Brown at UFC 284, the tension with Brown before the fight, having his young son at the fight, being ranked for the first time, his first finish in the UFC, Leon Edwards vs. Kamaru Usman 3, and more.

GC around (3:39:41) makes his picks for UFC Vegas 69 on Saturday night.

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UFC 284 reaction, Alexander Volkanovski, Cody Rhodes in studio, Jens Pulver, Arnold Allen, and more Feb 13, 2023

Show notes

The team around (13:15) discusses the pound-for-pound implications of UFC 284’s Islam Makhachev vs. Alexander Volkanovski, how P4P should be defined, how Makhachev stacks up against Khabib Nurmagomedov, Dan Hooker's accusation against Makhachev, whether Beneil Dariush vs. Charles Oliveira should be happening, Jon Jones jumping back into the top of the pound-for-pound list with a win over Ciryl Gane, and more.

Arnold Allen around (1:02:35) gives his thoughts on the Makhachev vs. Volkanovski scoring, whether IVs should be allowed in MMA, why he couldn't fight on the upcoming UFC London card, his reaction to fighting Max Holloway, his thoughts on Yair Rodriguez's win over Josh Emmett, his t-shirt memes, whether Holloway's best days are behind him, and more.

Jens Pulver around (1:34:11) talks about how he became analyst on Twitch for the UFC, how the UFC surprised him with the HOF induction, his feelings about joining the HOF after lobbying for it earlier in his career, why he's glad he was inducted when he was, how he would have rejected an induction earlier in his career, how his streaming work and analyst work made him love MMA again, his advice to people for finding their passion, and more.

Alexander Volkanovski around (2:13:24) discusses his performance at UFC 284, why he thought he won and which rounds, what he told Islam Makhachev during the fight, how much he weighed on fight night, how close he was to a finish in the fifth round, who is the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter on the planet, when he wants to return, and more.

Cody Rhodes around (3:12:03) discusses winning the 2023 Men's Royal Rumble, his return to WWE, the road to WrestleMania, having his late father as part of the storyline, what it’s like working with Triple H, when he started to think about leaving AEW for WWE, the CM Punk backstage brawl, and more.

The parlay pals around (3:55:11) look back at their most recent parlay at UFC 284 and GC recaps his picks for Saturday’s event.

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Chael Sonnen, Anthony Pettis, Mike Perry, Sodiq Yusuff, and more Feb 08, 2023

Show notes

In the latest On the Nose around (10:30), Ariel Helwani reacts to LeBron James’ record, what happens if Alexander Volkanovski wins at UFC 284, which UFC fighter deserves a 30 for 30 treatment, how would you rank UFC's next four pay-per-views, favorite YouTube channels, Kevin Lee returning to the UFC, Tim Simpson’s new management firm, and more.

Sodiq Yusuff around (1:16:59) discusses his new social media fame around his UFC event breakdowns, his recent back injury, how Keith Lee is his inspiration, how he started in MMA, why he didn’t end up fighting Giga Chikadze, and more.

Anthony Pettis around (1:49:06) discusses how he’s facing Roy Jones Jr. in his first pro boxing bout, if he’s sticking with PFL, if he’s done fighting at 155 pounds, what weight he’s competing against Roy Jones Jr. for the Jones Jr. vs. Mike Tyson fight, his hand injuries, how Sergio Pettis is doing, what’s harder manager or promoter, if he would rule out MMA return if boxing goes well, and more.

Mike Perry around (2:12:03) discusses his return to BKFC, how he ended up being the backup for Jake Paul fight, his response for the critics, if he’s headed to Saudi Arabia anytime soon, his career, a recent trip to a WWE event, and more.

Chael Sonnen around (2:43:32) discusses why it’s time to cut ties with Tommy Fury for the latest Jake Paul fight, the future of Dillon Danis, if Jon Jones will beat Ciryl Gane, the Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler fight, the new season of TUF, his issues with Jim Gray, what happened with judge Douglas Crosby, Dana White’s promotion of UFC 284, and more.

GC and crew around (3:42:31) make their latest parlay and GC makes his picks for UFC 284 this weekend.

The crew then around (4:00:32) take a closer look at the UFC 284 main event between Alexander Volkanovski and Islam Makhachev.

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Jorge Masvidal, Michael Chandler, Chris Weidman, Ryan Bader, Johnny Eblen, Brennan Ward, and more Feb 07, 2023

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Ariel Helwani discusses Conor McGregor’s return fight against Michael Chandler and them both being coach for TUF, Tim Simpson’s new management group, and more.

Michael Chandler around (31:20) discusses facing Conor McGregor in his return and coaching against him on TUF, how it all happened, why he got the shot against McGregor, his relationship with McGregor, who might the coaches be, and more.

Jorge Masvidal around (1:02:43) talks about the UFC’s return to Miami, if he will retire after this fight in his hometown, the Chandler vs. McGregor announcement, Johnny Eblen, Gamebred 4 boxing event headlined by Anthony Pettis vs. Roy Jones Jr., how it came together, and more.

Ryan Bader around (1:37:33) discusses his win over Fedor Emelianenko at Bellator 290, how he ended up with a rematch with Fedor, after the fight, tenure as Bellator heavyweight champion, why he won’t fight at light heavyweight anymore, his disclosed Bellator salary, how long he will fight for, who might be next, Francis Ngannou, and more.

Johnny Eblen around (1:57:08) discusses his title defense at Bellator 290, what surprised him, how he would do against Alex Pereira, his talented coaches, when he wants to return, and more.

Chris Weidman around (2:12:40) discusses his grappling return at Polaris 23, what it’s like to battle Gordon Ryan, the latest on his leg injury, when he might be able to return, who he might want to fight in return, what he thinks about Alex Pereira, a past dog attack training video, cornhole event, and more.

Brennan Ward around (2:50:40) discusses his win at Bellator 290, if it’s his best career moment, his key to victory, why he took a break from Bellator, when he hit rock bottom, his battle, his construction job, what he wants next, and more.

Ariel Helwani, GC, and NYRic around (3:26:29) discuss their latest parlay and the bets from the past weekend. They also take another look at Bellator 290 and the upcoming Amanda Serrano vs. Katie Taylor boxing rematch.

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Alexander Volkanovski, Fedor Emelianenko, Eddie Hearn in studio, Scott Coker, and more Feb 01, 2023

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Scott Coker around (5:24) discusses Bellator 290, Fedor’s last fight, his favorite Fedor fight, the legends that will come out for the fight, what happens if Fedor wins HW title, talking with Francis Ngannou, and more.

In the latest edition of On the Nose around (30:38), Ariel Helwani discusses Max Holloway vs. Arnold Allen and what it means, favorite memories of Fedor, Joe Rogan’s recent comments, the UFC’s biggest baby face, fighter health care, the Royal Rumble ending, his conversation with Pat McAfee, Laura Sanko’s big news, and more.

Fedor Emelianenko around (1:06:37) discusses his emotions heading into his final fight, why he wanted to return, if Bellator gave him the choice of his final opponent, what does he want his legacy to be, if he wished he had just one UFC fight, his one meeting with Dana White, if he ever considered pro boxing, if his children will do MMA, if he feels he’s the GOAT, his favorite fight, and more.

Eddie Hearn around (1:30:36) discusses the growing sport of darts, fighters building their brand, the struggle of getting fights at Croke Park, his lawsuit against Jake Paul, Jake Paul vs. Tommy Fury, Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano rematch, Dmitry Bivol vs. Canelo Alvarez, recent talks with Francis Ngannou and Nate Diaz, his tough week with Conor Benn, and more.

Alexander Volkanovski around (2:32:47) discusses training for his lightweight title fight at UFC 284, his experience at UFC 280, Islam Makhachev’s recent comments, Khabib not being in Makhachev’s corner, Israel Adesanya losing his belt, Makhachev’s paths to victory, snorkeling with sharks, and more.

The parlay pals around (3:46:12) make their selection, and GC around (3:53:28) announces his best bets for a busy Saturday night.

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Leon Edwards, Jorge Masvidal, Tyron Woodley, Skye Nicolson in studio, and more Jan 30, 2023

Show notes

Ariel Helwani and the crew around (8:47) discuss the Royal Rumble and who won the lottery. They then discuss Dana White's big fight announcement this past Friday, Conor McGregor's potential return on The Ultimate Fighter, McGregor's recent bike accident, Jake Paul's faceoff with Tommy Fury, and more.

Jorge Masvidal around (49:01) talks about how the Gilbert Burns fight came together, the issues that have been keeping him out of the cage, where things stand in his legal fight with Colby Covington, his split from his longtime management firm, how he's been negotiating his own contracts, whether Miami will host his fight with Burns, what happened to his potential fight with Conor McGregor, and more.

Tyron Woodley around (1:20:44) discusses what happened with the KSI fight, if he has ruled out a fight with him in the future, if he’s done with MMA, his “perfect” fight, when he might return, Jake Paul vs. Tommy Fury, Leon Edwards vs. Kamaru Usman rematch, and more.

Leon Edwards around (1:50:31) discusses his upcoming trilogy fight against Kamaru Usman at UFC 286, how his life has changed as champion, how often does he see the knockout of Usman, his WWE fandom, Arnold Allen not at UFC 286, Usman’s possible strategy, what happened at UFC 287, and more.

Boxer Skye Nicolson around (2:19:08) talks about her upcoming fight at the Hulu Theater at MSG on Saturday night, why she decided to go pro, if she will make another run at Olympics, her tough defeat at her last Olympics, being compared to her late brother in the ring, why she got into boxing, and more.

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