The Ringer MMA Show

Latest Episodes:

Ilia Topuria’s Shot at Superstardom, Merab’s Big Moment, and Ian Garry’s Return. And Will Leon Edwards Vs. Khamzat Chimaev Happen at UFC 300? | UFC 298 Preview Feb 14, 2024

Show notes

It’s fight week! And this card is STACKED—just like today’s UFC 298 preview episode. But before Ariel, Chuck, and Petesy look ahead to Saturday’s card in Anaheim, they begin with the topic that will never die: UFC 300. Here’s what’s on the docket today:

Intro (00:00)
Gauging interest in Leon Edwards vs. Khamzat Chimaev for the UFC 300 main event (05:12)
Other options for the main event (11:15)
Why Ilia Topuria could become “the biggest star in Europe since Conor McGregor” with a UFC 298 win over Alexander Volkanovski (24:02)
Whom the UFC is rooting for in Saturday night’s main event (30:10)
Predictions for the main event (35:04)
The massive stakes attached to Merab Dvalishvili vs. Henry Cejudo (42:41)
Ian Garry’s highly anticipated return against Geoff Neal (51:53)
Robert Whittaker vs. Paulo Costa (59:12)
Other fights that 3PAC is excited for at UFC 298 (01:04:54)
Discord questions (01:08:02)

If you want in on the conversation Saturday night, join our Discord here.

Hosts: Ariel Helwani, Petesy Carroll, and Chuck Mindenhall

Producer: Troy Farkas

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Has Dana White Delayed Michael Chandler-Conor McGregor Fight (Again)?—How Long Should Chandler Wait? Plus, Ilia Topuria Raises the Stakes for UFC 298. Feb 08, 2024

Show notes

Yesterday, UFC CEO Dana White told Pat McAfee that Michael Chandler vs. Conor McGregor will likely take place in the fall, thus further delaying the highly anticipated return of MMA’s biggest star. Ariel Helwani, Petesy Carroll, and Chuck Mindenhall weigh in on that story and a whole lot more on today’s episode. Here’s what to expect:

Intro (00:00)
White’s statement on ‘The Pat McAfee Show’ (03:37)
Is the UFC punishing McGregor for announcing the fight date too early? (08:37)
When Ariel believes Chandler vs. McGregor will actually take place (14:28)
Chandler’s bad luck and whether he should continue to hold out for McGregor (28:44)
Ilia Topuria’s brash confidence heading into UFC 298 next weekend (35:14)
Some clarity on last week’s Dustin Poirier situation (39:28)
Is Paddy Pimblett a logical next opponent for Renato Moicano? (44:34)
Ariel’s advice to Tom Aspinall (51:02)
Discord questions (54:53)
Predictions for Saturday’s Jack Hermansson vs. Joe Pyfer fight (01:20:00)

Hosts: Ariel Helwani, Petesy Carroll, Chuck Mindenhall

Producer: Troy Farkas

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Dustin Poirier’s Public Negotiation, the UFC’s Bully Tactics, and Petesy’s Delightful Tales From Visiting Leon Edwards Feb 01, 2024

Show notes

Earlier today, Dustin Poirier posted on X that his UFC 299 fight with top French prospect Benoit Saint-Denis was off. Several hours later, Poirier posted that the fight was back on. What happened in those intervening hours, exactly? Ariel Helwani kicks off the show by giving you all the details (00:00).

Then, he’s joined by Petesy Carroll and Chuck Mindenhall to discuss the UFC’s classic practice of announcing fights before contracts are signed (07:34), and whether this practice will ever end. Petesy then shares his tales from an afternoon spent at Team Renegade this week (40:25) before the guys take some Discord questions about the UFC-ESPN deal, the future of the Apex, favorite fight venues, TST’s evolution, and more (58:02).

Hosts: Ariel Helwani, Petesy Carroll, and Chuck Mindenhall

Producer: Troy Farkas

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Was It a Good Idea for Kayla Harrison to Sign With the UFC? Plus, Should DDP Vs. Izzy Headline UFC 300? And Making Sense of a Weird Media Week. Jan 26, 2024

Show notes

Should Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya headline UFC 300, and what's up with the battle between UFC fans and the media?

Hosts: Ariel Helwani, Petesy Carroll, and Chuck Mindenhall

Producer: Stefan Anderson

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Dricus Du Plessis Outlasts Sean Strickland to Become South Africa’s First UFC Champion! Plus, Raquel Pennington Finally Wins UFC Gold and Neil Magny Stuns Canada | UFC 297 Reaction Jan 21, 2024

Show notes

Following a (very) long night in Toronto, Ariel Helwani, Petesy Carroll, and Chuck Mindenhall are back to save the day and provide you with some real entertainment. In this special UFC 297 reaction episode, the lads discuss the following:

Immediate reaction to Dricus du Plessis’s bloody win over Sean Strickland (00:00)
What this loss means for Strickland’s newfound superstardom (06:36)
Who will du Plessis fight for the belt next? (16:17)
There was also a co-main event that happened (20:40)
Neil Magny’s shocking win over Mike Malott (27:13)
The controversial moment that derailed Arnold Allen’s chances of beating Movsar Evloev (32:46)

Go Bills.

Hosts: Ariel Helwani, Petesy Carroll, and Chuck Mindenhall

Producer: Troy Farkas

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Dana White Announces BMF Title Fight for UFC 300! Instant Reactions, Stakes, and Ripple Effects. Jan 17, 2024

Show notes

Last night, UFC CEO Dana White announced two more fights for UFC 300. Because they couldn’t possibly leave you hanging, Petesy Carroll, Chuck Mindenhall, and TST are here to offer some instant reactions!

The guys discuss the booking of Justin Gaethje and Max Holloway for the BMF title fight, the big risk each guy is taking in accepting this fight, how the outcome of this fight could dramatically shake up the featherweight and lightweight title pictures, whether the UFC made this fight in a desperate attempt to bolster UFC 300, predictions for the fight, and more. Plus, the guys talk about the Bobby Green-Jim Miller matchup and whether this is the right fight for each guy to take at this stage in their careers.

Hosts: Petesy Carroll and Chuck Mindenhall

Producer: Troy Farkas

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UFC 297 Preview: Has Dricus Du Plessis Gotten Into Sean Strickland’s Head? Plus, UFC’s Saudi Problems, and PFL-Bellator Supercard Announced Jan 17, 2024

Show notes

With UFC 297 fight week upon us, MMA journalists (and psychologists?) Ariel Helwani, Petesy Carroll, and Chuck Mindenhall are here to give you all the craic. But first, a little breaking news! And a whole lot more:

Intro (00:00)
Whether PFL got it right with the first PFL-Bellator supercard (03:20)
The power move that Saudi Arabia pulled with UFC on Monday (11:03)
Reaction to the Anthony Joshua-Francis Ngannou press conference (14:44)
The UFC 297 main event, and why Sean Strickland’s legacy is at stake (23:32)
Why Dricus Du Plessis’s trash talk could be messing with Strickland’s mind (28:46)
UFC 297 main event predictions (44:28)
What could happen next for the winner of the main event (45:52)
The best result for the UFC in the co-main event between Raquel Pennington and Mayra Bueno Silva (58:39)
Ariel gives us the state of Canadian MMA (01:04:06)
Discord questions (01:14:20)
Petesy gives the latest on the status of Ryan Curtis, an Irish fighter who sustained a very serious injury last week (01:23:12)

For more info on Curtis’s injury and how you can help support his recovery, please visit this link.

Hosts: Ariel Helwani, Petesy Carroll, and Chuck Mindenhall

Producer: Troy Farkas

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Managing Expectations for UFC 300, Dustin Poirier and Charles Oliveira Take Risky Fights, and Francis Ngannou’s MMA Approach to Boxing Jan 11, 2024

Show notes

WHAT’S UP EVERYBODY! A lot of MMA news has unfolded in the last week and, to get you up to speed, aspiring boxing journalist Ariel Helwani is joined by Petesy Carroll and casual MMA fan TST to break it all down. The lads discuss:

Intro (00:00)
The negative reaction toward Zhang Weili vs. Yan Xiaonan for the strawweight title at UFC 300 (06:28)
Why fans need to temper their expectations for UFC 300 (09:42)
Two massive lightweight fights announced by Dana White earlier this week (24:00)
Islam Makhachev’s ambitious 2024 plans (29:35)
Tom Aspinall’s online feud with Jon Jones and whether the two will fight this year (39:15)
Francis Ngannou’s boxing fight with Anthony Joshua and the positive reaction its received (46:24)
Will Ngannou ever fight for PFL? (57:52)
Our thoughts on Ariel's interview with Ian Garry on Monday (01:02:44)

And more.

Hosts: Ariel Helwani and Petesy Carroll

Producer: Troy Farkas

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2024 MMA Mega-Preview Show: Fighter of the Year Picks, Must-See Fights, Story Lines to Watch, and Bold Predictions! Jan 04, 2024

Show notes

It’s the most anticipated show of the year, folks! Ariel Helwani, Chuck Mindenhall, Petesy Carroll, and producer TST are refreshed from the holiday break and ready to look ahead to the coming year in MMA. After laughing at their choices from last year, the guys run through the following categories on today’s episode:

Intro (00:00)
Most interesting story lines to monitor (18:26)
The fights we HAVE to see in 2024 (43:48)
The fighter who could have a breakout year similar to Sean Strickland’s 2023 (01:03:04)
Female Fighter of the Year prediction (01:15:50)
Male Fighter of the Year prediction (01:18:42)
How many new champions the UFC will have by 2024’s end (01:24:37)
A classic game of MMA True or False (01:29:13)
Bold predictions (01:48:04)

And a whole lot more.

Hosts: Ariel Helwani, Chuck Mindenhall, and Petesy Carroll

Producer: Troy Farkas

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2023 MMA Year in Review: Biggest Stories, Favorite Moments, Shockers, and More Dec 20, 2023

Show notes

To look back on one of the most unforgettable and unpredictable years in MMA history, Ariel, Chuck, Petesy, and TST dedicate the final episode of 2023 to reminiscing about some of their favorite stories of the year (00:00). In this episode, the guys make their selections in the following categories:

One word we’d use to describe MMA in 2023 (05:55)
Biggest story of the year (21:53)
Feel-good moment of the year (37:34)
Shocker of the year (50:07)
A moment that reminded us why we love MMA (01:27:41)

In between all of that, they go off on many tangents. 3PAC also answer the final Discord questions of the year.

Thank you to every one of you who listened, streamed, and/or followed 'The Ringer MMA Show' this year. We are extremely grateful, and we can’t wait to talk to you all again next year.

Hosts: Ariel Helwani, Petesy Carroll, and Chuck Mindenhall

Producer: Troy Farkas

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