UFC Unfiltered with Jim Norton and Matt Serra

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Evaluating Adesanya’s future w/ Jase Macalpine, Roman Dolidze talks looming rematch vs. Vettori Feb 04, 2025

Show notes

On today’s episode of UFC Unfiltered, Jim Norton and Matt Serra catch up with Roman Dolidze following a chat with first-time caller Jase Macalpine.

A jiu-jitsu purple belt himself, the Australian filmmaker-turned-podcast host sets the scene for his diehard UFC fandom by shedding light on the sneaky rivalry implications for a UFC 312 bout that features Alexander Volkanovski and Ilia Topuria in opposing corners. As Jim and Matt foray into a recap of this past Saturday’s UFC Saudi Arabia card, the guys weigh out some options for Israel Adesanya’s next move.

Finally, Roman Dolidze returns to Unfiltered to discuss his mindset going into his March 15th rematch vs. Marvin Vettori at the UFC APEX.

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Grant Dawson makes bold call-out, Jan Błachowicz talks imminent return at UFC London Jan 30, 2025

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Today’s UFC Unfiltered episode brings the heat from the lightweight and light heavyweight divisions as Matt and Jim are joined by Grant Dawson and Jan Błachowicz!

Fresh off his UFC 311 victory just 11 days ago, 15th-ranked lightweight Grant Dawson checks in to discuss his 3-fight win streak, what it means to be back in the rankings, and which names above him he’s got his eye on. Plus, the American Top Team standout doesn’t hold back as he drops a BOLD callout of a fan-favorite in the stacked 155-pound division.

Then, former UFC light heavyweight champion Jan Błachowicz returns to the show ahead of his March 22nd showdown with Carlos Ulberg at UFC London. After nearly 20 months away due to shoulder injuries, Jan talks about his surgical recoveries, how he’s adjusted training at 42 years old, and whether he feels overlooked in the title picture. He also weighs in on the massive Alex Pereira vs. Magomed Ankalaev fight at UFC 313 — a matchup between two men he’s already shared the cage with.

To close things out, Matt and Jim dive into the UFC Saudi Arabia card, breaking down the biggest matchups and making their picks for Saturday’s action!

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Eric Nicksick looks ahead to UFC 312, catching up w/ Chael Sonnen Jan 28, 2025

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On today’s episode of UFC Unfiltered, Jim and Matt are joined by Coach Eric Nicksick of Xtreme Couture before catching up with the one and only Chael Sonnen.

With just 12 days until UFC 312, Coach Nicksick explains that he is flying to Australia with an “And NEW, Times TWO” mentality for both Sean Strickland and Tatiana Suarez ahead of their respective title shots atop the PPV card in Sydney. With hopes of bringing both belts back to Xtreme Couture, Eric discusses the importance of avoiding a one-size-fits-all approach to coaching and cornering fighters.

Then, Chael Sonnen makes his highly-anticipated return to the show after three years since his last Unfiltered appearance. After Chael takes a stroll down memory lane with Jim, Matt gets a full-fledged lesson in Trash Talking 101 before having the “American Gangster” wrap things up with his thoughts on coaching against Daniel Cormier in the upcoming season of The Ultimate Fighter.

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Fares Ziam & Terrance McKinney discuss showdowns on next week's UFC Saudi Arabia Jan 23, 2025

Show notes

A pair of dynamic strikers in the UFC lightweight division call into today’s show as French rising star Farès Ziam and the ever-exciting Terrance McKinney gear up for their respective fights in Saudi Arabia next week.

While Jim Norton may have missed the last two shows, our beloved co-host simply CAN’T miss when it comes to fight predictions. As such, the episode begins with a quick humble brag from Jimmy, who nailed his UFC 311 picks and is now 12-0 dating back to the end of 2024.

Ziam shares insights on his upcoming clash with Mike Davis in Saudi Arabia, his impressive four-fight win streak, and the influence of his family’s extensive combat sports background..

Jim and Matt wrap up the show by congratulating McKinney on becoming a father for a second time before the veteran lightweight discusses how switching gyms has changed his preparation ahead of his next challenge in Saudi Arabia.

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UFC 311 recap, Merab Dvalishvili joins for a Serra-Longo victory lap w/ guest co-host Ray Longo Jan 21, 2025

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The champ is here! Today’s episode features UFC bantamweight king Merab Dvalishvili joining Matt Serra and guest co-host Ray Longo for a de facto Serra-Longo victory after UFC 311.

The guys begin the show with a brief discussion on Islam Makhachev’s successful title defense against a late replacement in Renato Moicano.

When Merab calls in, the guys celebrate his thrilling title defense against Umar Nurmagomedov and discuss how it could affect his plans for 2025. Merab reflects on his high-energy crowd interactions and shares insights on potential matchups with Sean O’Malley and Petr Yan among others.

Ray and Matt cap off the show by dissecting this past Saturday night’s biggest moments from the UFC 311 main card on down to the prelims.

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Jiří Procházka, Payton Talbott, UFC 311 picks w/ guest co-host John Morgan Jan 16, 2025

Show notes

With UFC 311 just days away, today's episode of UFC Unfiltered involves longtime friend of the show John Morgan filling in for Jim Norton on a show that features two fighters from the card calling into the program in Jiří Procházka and Payton Talbott.

Joining first is Procházka, who discusses how training in Japan has helped him get back to basics ahead of his high-stakes scrap against Jamahal Hill in Saturday's de facto light heavyweight title eliminator. The former 205-pound champion clarifies his stance on a potential move to 185 pounds as he breaks down his major points of emphasis following a knockout loss against Alex Pereira in his last outing inside the octagon.

In between interviews, Matt Serra and John Morgan take a look at some of Jim Norton's picks before chiming in with some UFC 311 predictions of their own.

When Payton Talbott calls in, the guys get the rising bantamweight to share his mindset going into his fight against Raoni Barcelos. Impressed by Talbott's confidence in a Spanish-language interview with the UFC, John Morgan gets the unbeaten prospect to explain how testing the limits of his abilities sharpens his ability to succeed in and out of competition.

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Thiago Moises, Cesar Almeida, recapping UFC Fight Night: Dern vs. Ribas 2 Jan 14, 2025

Show notes

Jim Norton and Matt Serra link up with a pair of Brazilian winners from this past Saturday’s card on today’s episode of UFC Unfiltered.

Jim basks in the glory of his perfect 4-0 start to 2025 before inviting Thiago Moises onto the show. After discussing the ramifications of his win on Saturday over Trey Ogden, the Brazilian lightweight looks back on his fight against Islam Makhachev to make a prediction for this weekend’s rematch between Makhachev and Arman Tsarukyan in the UFC 311 main event.

Between interviews, Jim and Matt break down Mackenzie Dern’s dominant performance before finding themselves on opposite ends of a debate surrounding Roman Kopylov’s controversial stoppage win over Chris Curtis.

Finally, Cesar Almeida joins for the first time to talk about his explosive first-round KO win, transitioning from a decorated kickboxing career to MMA, and his ambitions for 2025.

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Santiago Ponzinibbio, UFC Fight Night: Dern vs. Ribas 2 picks Jan 09, 2025

Show notes

On today’s episode, Santiago Ponzinibbio joins the show to share his remarkable journey in MMA.

The fighting pride of Argentina reflects on his early days training in Vale Tudo and how moving to Brazil and immersing himself in a new culture shaped him into the fighter he is today.

A member of the UFC’s Spanish-language broadcast team, the welterweight veteran reflects on his seven-fight win streak and how he has overcome adversity ahead of his upcoming fight against Carlston Harris on this Saturday's UFC Fight Night: Dern vs. Ribas 2 card at the UFC APEX.

Eager to start over with a blank slate, Jim wraps up the show by getting Matt to exchange a few picks from this Saturday's card.

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Welcoming in the 2025 UFC year w/ Joanna Jędrzejczyk, Detroit Lions rookie Christian Mahogany Jan 07, 2025

Show notes

Happy New Year! For the first Unfiltered episode of 2025, Jim Norton and Matt Serra catch up with a UFC Hall of Famer in Joanna Jędrzejczyk before inviting Detroit Lions rookie offensive lineman Christian Mahogany to talk about his MMA fandom ahead of the NFL playoffs.

Calling in live from a vacation in Oman, the former women’s strawweight champion discusses how 2024 found her embarking on a whirlwind of new adventures. Now performing standup alongside some of Poland’s best comics, Joanna candidly compares the thrill of telling jokes on stage in her native tongue to the feeling of stepping into the Octagon for a fight.

Then, Detroit Lions rookie Christian Mahogany joins the show to talk about his team’s recent win that clinched the NFC’s No. 1 seed. A passionate UFC fan himself, Christian reflects on his wrestling background and how it helps him on the football field as an offensive lineman.

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Handing out 2024 UFC awards with Brett Okamoto Dec 31, 2024

Show notes

With the new year around the corner, ESPN's own Brett Okamoto joins today's episode of UFC Unfiltered to lend his opinions to Jim and Matt and to help hand out the highly-coveted, incredibly prestigious UFC Unfiltered Awards for 2024!

Eager to start fresh after falling well behind Matt in fight picks, Jim reflects on his less-than-stellar predictions before his good pal Matt cheers him up by reminding him that he finished the year strong!

When Okamoto hops on the show, the guys each bring their own opinions for various awards — including Newcomer of the Year, Breakthrough Fighter of the Year, and Event of the Year before discussing their favorite stoppages, fights, and standout moments from 2024.

But while the next card isn't until January 11th, we couldn't let Jim and Matt leave without making one last prediction to carry into the new year. With that in mind, the guys each called their shot by naming one current non-champion that they think will touch gold in 2025!

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