Episode 662: Is boxing Dana White’s idea of a cushy retirement gig?
You know how, after they retire, some older guys go out and get, like, part-time jobs at the United Way or Ace Hardware or some shit? Not necessarily because they need the money — they just need to keep themselves busy, and maybe they like talking to people about paint colors and nail sizes and the best brands of epoxy spackle.
Is that what Dana White is doing with boxing?
Dana was at the big boxing match on Saturday, sitting at ringside next to Turki Alalshikh and Mark Wahlberg. After Terence Crawford whooped up on Canelo Alvarez, Dana wrapped the Ring Magazine belt around Crawford’s waist. Aside from that, we’re not totally sure what his job was there. So, as TKO reportedly plots its takeover of the sweet science, is Dana effectively using boxing like some guys join the country club? Does he want to fade out of the UFC, kick back and spend a few hours a day destroying the Muhammad Ali Act and looking for young, white, Irish fighters to promote? Cuz those are the vibes.
Meanwhile, at Dana’s real job, they put on an event the same night, where Diego Lopes knocked all kinds of blood out of Jean Silva’s head during UFC Noche.
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Episode 661: Remember UFC: Noche? Neither does the UFC, apparently
Remember last year, when for about six months the UFC tried to pretend like UFC: Noche was a big deal — mostly because Dana White had to prove to the (almost entirely nonexistent) haters that he could pull off a fighting event at Sphere? Those times are gone now. This weekend’s UFC: Noche card (yes, it is this weekend) is pretty much being left in the dust by the UFC’s part in co-promoting the Canelo Alvarez-Terence Crawford boxing match on Netflix.
In fact, UFC: Noche has been relegated to regular-ass FIght Night status, with Diego Lopes vs. Jean Silva serving as main event from the Frost Center in San Antonio (grandaddy of them all). Sad, man, sad— though Lopes vs. Silva will probably be a pretty cool fight.
Plus, come for Ronda Rousey saying she “ain’t fighting at the fucking White House,” stay for Ben Fowlkes’ five-minute pro wrestling promo about how bad Jon Jones messed up his six-month “retirement.”
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Episode 660: Who the Hell Is Nassourdine Imavov?
Honestly, Nassourdine Imavov is pretty legit. He’s 16-4 (1) overall, riding a three-fight win streak and heads into Saturday’s UFC Fight Night main event against Caio Borralho fresh off a February victory over Israel Adesanya. He was the UFC’s No. 1 middleweight contender until voters recently had to make room for Dricus Du Plessis. So, why does nobody seem to know (or care) who he is?
Good news for Imavov: if he beats Borralho this weekend, he’ll likely be one of only two men in line for a shot at newly crowned champ Khamzat Chimaev. Would a highlight-reel finish in Paris finally be enough to make fans remember his name?
Also on this episode: you guys go hard on Luke Rockhold for getting folded up like a lawn chair by Darren Till, the Bigi Boy wins Dirty Boxing’s pizza box-ass belt and Jon Jones is [checks notes] legally vindicated! For now.
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Episode 659: Raja Jackson goes nuts at pro wrestling show
So, Quinton Jackson’s son went on a crazy, uh, rampage at an independent pro wrestling event over the weekend. Raja Jackson — a person we’d barely ever heard of before — got into a backstage beef with a wrestler named Syko Stu and then jumped in the ring during the guy’s match and damn near beat him to death. It was bizarre and, honestly, it made us feel a little sick to watch it. Now, the whole thing has gone viral, due in part to Jackson livestreaming it on his own channel. So, ugh.
Also, we take listener questions about Johnny Walker weirding his way to victory over Zhang Mingyang, Aljo beating up the ghost of Brian Ortega and some extended fallout from Khamzat Chimaev being your new UFC middleweight champ.
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Episode 658: Khamzat smesh? Or Khamzat smush?
He done did it. Khamzat Chimaev basically pitched a perfect game against Dricus du Plessis at UFC 319, making it look EASY en route to one of the more lopsided decision wins you will ever witness in a championship fight. DDP showed up looking uniquely ill-equipped to stop Chimaev’s all-out takedown assault. And Ya Boi Borz? He looked so dominant people got mad at him for not doing more.
So, now that the long-heralded Chimaev Era is finally underway at 185 pounds ... shouldn’t we be more excited?
Plus, how does Michael Page keep doing this? And where are we at with Aaron Pico now?
Also, what do you get when you cross one of light heavyweight’s most dangerous knockout artists with the guy who routinely gets knocked out in the funniest possible way? You get UFC Fight Night: Johnny Walker vs. Zhang Mingyang.
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An irreverent and unscripted look at the week's mixed martial arts news from longtime MMA journalists Ben Fowlkes and Chad Dundas. Topics include the latest happenings in the UFC, Bellator and other promotions.
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