UFC Unfiltered with Jim Norton and Matt Serra

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Belal Muhammad outlines his 2023 path to UFC title, Jimmy Smith on Holloway’s next move Apr 18, 2023

Show notes

On today’s episode of UFC Unfiltered, Jim and Matt are joined by two guest callers in SiriusXM radio host Jimmy Smith and welterweight contender Belal Muhammad.

Jim and Matt kick off the show with a conversation with former MMA fighter turned fight analyst and host Jimmy Smith, who chats with the guys about what it’s like hosting three-hour episodes of his “Unlocking the Cage” show every weekday on SiriusXM channel 156. Smith wraps up his insightful interview with an idea of what steps former featherweight champion Max Holloway can take to fight his way back to a fourth title shot against rival and current titleholder Alexander Volkanovski.

Jim and Matt run through the rest of last Saturday’s UFC Fight Night: Holloway vs. Allen card with analysis on an exciting night of fights in Kansas City before fourth-ranked welterweight Belal Muhammad eventually hops on the call.

Firmly believing that he deserves a title shot as soon as possible, Belal discusses his current eight-fight win streak and teases the possibility of a big-time co-main event against a notable welterweight contender on short notice at UFC 288.

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Arnold Allen, comedian Big Jay Oakerson, UFC middleweight title picture w/ guest co-host Din Thomas Apr 13, 2023

Show notes

Joining Jim Norton on today’s episode of UFC Unfiltered is the one and only Din Thomas, who fills in for Matt Serra on a show that features two guest callers in comedian Big Jay Oakerson and fast-rising featherweight sensation Arnold Allen.

Oakerson discusses his brand new Dog Belly comedy special that just released on YouTube and tells Din about his taste in music before reflecting on his appearance on the roast of Bert Kreischer alongside Jim.

Then, fourth-ranked featherweight Arnold Allen joins the show to discuss his mindset going into the biggest fight of his career against Max Holloway and map out his big picture plans to join training partner Leon Edwards as a British champion in the UFC.

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UFC 287 takeaways w/ Rob Font, Kevin Holland Apr 11, 2023

Show notes

On today’s episode of UFC Unfiltered, Jim and Matt unpack the exciting action from Saturday’s UFC 287 card in Miami alongside bantamweight Rob Font and welterweight Kevin Holland as guest callers, who each discuss the details of their knockout victories.

Fresh off a devastating 1st-round knockout victory over 12th-ranked bantamweight Adrian Yanez, Rob Font discusses his journey back to the win column after his 12-month drought before pitching Jim and Matt on why a fight between him and former flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo makes sense for the Brazilian’s jump to 135 pounds.

While waiting for Kevin Holland to hop on, Jim and Matt react to the biggest storylines from Saturday’s card, with a full breakdown of went wrong for 18-year-old bantamweight prospect Raul Rosas Jr. in his loss to Christian Rodriguez followed by a conversation about what’s next for Israel Adesanya after reclaiming his middleweight title with a statement knockout win over Brazilian rival Alex Pereira.

Finally, Kevin Holland hops in the show for the final interview of the episode, where the 30-year-old Kung Fu specialist explains why he feels confident fighting at both middleweight and welterweight before describing how surreal it felt channeling Mike Tyson in the cage with a textbook left hook to knock out Santiago Ponzinibbio while the legendary heavyweight boxer sat cageside in attendance.

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Christian Rodriguez, UFC 287 picks with country music star Brantley Gilbert Apr 06, 2023

Show notes

With just three days until UFC makes its long awaited return to Miami, Jim and Matt unpack everything from the exciting UFC 287 card in today’s episode with bantamweight Christian Rodriguez and country music star Brantley Gilbert as guest callers.

After beginning the show by reflecting on the untimely loss of Matt Serra’s dear friend, the guys are soon thereafter joined by Dana White’s Contender Series alum Christian Rodriguez — who shares his thoughts on being matched up against prized 18-year-old prospect Raul Rosas Jr. to kick off Saturday’s pay-per-view action.

Using information pulled from their conversation with Rodriguez, Matt and Jim then assess what Rodriguez’s chances of an upset are against Rosas Jr. as they go on to predict the outcomes of the Kevin Holland vs. Santiago Ponzinibbio welterweight scrap and the bantamweight bout between ranked fighters Rob Font and Adrian Yanez.

Finally, the guys are joined by country music star and diehard MMA fan Brantley Gilbert, who follows up his funny stories about raising baby goats and his close encounter with a 500-pound alligator with predictions of his own for the Gilbert Burns vs. Jorge Masvidal welterweight co-main event and the rematch atop the UFC 287 card between newly-crowned middleweight king Alex Pereira and his determined rival Israel Adesanya.

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Gilbert Burns & Chris Curtis preview their fights on UFC 287 card Apr 04, 2023

Show notes

It’s UFC 287 fight week! On today’s episode of UFC Unfiltered, Jim and Matt are joined by welterweight Gilbert Burns and middleweight Chris Curtis five days before both guys make the walk to the cage this Saturday in Miami.

As the guys take a brief look up and down Saturday’s card, Matt dishes his thoughts on where welterweight Jorge Masvidal stands at this point in his career ahead of his high-stakes co-main event against Gilbert Burns.

Jim and Matt are then joined by Burns himself for a chance to dive deeper into Saturday night’s explosive co-main event, with Burns issuing his stance on where he believes he’d stand in the welterweight title picture with a win over Miami’s own Jorge Masvidal.

Finally, 14th-ranked middleweight Chris Curtis hops on the show to talk about how he feels about the matchup between him and Kelvin Gastelum on the last fight of Saturday’s prelims.

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Jonathan Martinez shares what’s next, Jeremy Piven on his acting & stand-up career Mar 30, 2023

Show notes

Jim and Matt are joined by rising bantamweight Jonathan Martinez and actor Jeremy Piven on today’s episode of UFC Unfiltered!

Jeremy Piven kicks off the show by sharing a story about the time he tried a takedown on Rashad Evans.

He then loops the guys in on all the details surrounding his starring role in the inspiring new film called Sweetwater that’s set to hit theaters on April 14th before wrapping up his interview with what Dave Chappelle taught him about the world of stand-up comedy.

The guys are then joined by 14th-ranked bantamweight Jonathan Martinez, who discusses what’s next for his career after an impressive upset win over Said Nurmagomedov earlier in March at UFC Fight Night: Yan vs. Dvalishvili in Las Vegas.

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Guest co-host Chris Weidman talks grueling road back from injury, Sandhagen & Holm’s statement wins Mar 28, 2023

Show notes

On today’s episode of UFC Unfiltered, Jim and Matt have the pleasure of recording the show with former middleweight champion Chris Weidman!

Weidman explains how his solo radio show on SiriusXM’s Fight Nation has fulfilled him as he nears the tail end of his recovery from the gruesome right leg injury he suffered in April of 2021 against Uriah Hall.

As Weidman reflects on the comforting injury advice he received from future UFC Hall of Fame middleweight Anderson Silva, the New York native discusses how competing in a recent submission grappling event in England gets him one step closer towards his goal of returning to the cage this summer during International Fight Week.

The guys then shift the conversation to a recap of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night: Vera vs. Sandhagen action in San Antonio, where Chris offers his praise for male and female bantamweights Cory Sandhagen and Holly Holm following each of their decisive wins atop the card.

The trio also discuss Colby Covington’s standing in the welterweight division, lightweight Paddy Pimblett’s decision to call out Jared Gordon for a rematch, and the problem with bad scorecards in MMA.

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Holly Holm previews her fight Saturday, reality TV star Chase DeMoor talks combat sports Mar 23, 2023

Show notes

On today’s episode of UFC Unfiltered, Jim and Matt are joined by a combat sports legend in women’s bantamweight Holly Holm and a burgeoning social media star in Chase DeMoor.

Fresh off signing a brand new six-fight deal with the UFC, the 41-year-old Holm shares why she believes that her constant evolution as a martial artist has her feeling more confident than ever that a co-main event win against Yana Santos on Saturday’s UFC Fight Night: Vera vs. Sandhagen card keeps her in a great position to recapture a UFC title.

The guys are then joined by reality TV star Chase DeMoor, who talks about how playing defensive end at the college and professional ranks led him to his current place in life starring in reality shows and fighting fellow influencers with large social media followings.

Jim and Matt wrap up the show by plugging Saturday’s card set to take place in San Antonio.

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UFC 286 recap, welterweight title picture with guest co-hosts John & Joanne Wood Mar 21, 2023

Show notes

Fresh off Saturday’s massive UFC 286 pay-per-view in London, Matt and Jim return for today’s episode of UFC Unfiltered with plenty to talk about as the MMA power couple of coach John Wood and women’s flyweight Joanne Wood join as guest co-hosts.

Returning to the cage in the United Kingdom for the first time since 2017, Joanne shares how it felt to end her 1-year layoff with a win over Luana Carolina.

Alongside his Scottish wife, Syndicate MMA owner John Wood shares the perspective of what it’s like serving two important roles as both Joanne’s husband and head coach.

As Jim shifts the talk to the rest of Saturday’s fights from UFC 286, Matt and John use their coaching experience to dissect the game plans utilized by both Kamaru Usman and Leon Edwards in their welterweight title fight before ultimately working their way through the rest of the fights from Saturday’s main card.

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Rafael Fiziev, Malcolm Gordon, UFC 286 preview & picks w/ guest co-host Phoenix Carnevale Mar 16, 2023

Show notes

Friend of the show Phoenix Carnevale fills in for Matt Serra as a guest co-host alongside Jim Norton for today’s UFC 286 heavy episode of UFC Unfiltered!

Jim and Phoenix begin the show debating whether Jon Jones’ three-year hiatus should’ve been more thoroughly considered when making the decision to place him atop the male pound-for-pound list over more active fighters in lightweight champion Islam Makhachev and featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski.

Canadian flyweight Malcolm Gordon then joins the show to talk about how his days of playing goaltender on the ice rink as a youth hockey player created transferrable skills that allowed him to develop nicely into a mixed martial artist. Gordon makes a strong case for why he prefers to let his coaches watch film of all of his opponents as he discusses the stakes of his upcoming matchup against Jake Hadley on Saturday’s UFC 286 early prelims.

Jim and Phoenix then discuss whether they think there is more pressure on Leon Edwards or Kamaru Usman going into their highly-anticipated trilogy fight for the welterweight title in London.

As Rafael Fiziev joins the show, the Azerbaijani lightweight contender reflects on how his upbringing led him to Thailand to develop a strong Muay Thai skillset that ultimately became the base for his foray into his career as a mixed martial artist. Fiziev discusses how riding a six-fight winning streak shapes his mindset going into a high-stakes co-main event against Justin Gaethje.

Finally, Jim and Phoenix go up and down the UFC 286 card for fight predictions before Jim wraps up the show with special news about a recurring segment set to return to UFC Unfiltered episodes starting next week!

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