Category: Radio Highlight

Coach John Wood reflects on Khalil Rountree’s long road to UFC title shot: ‘He’s paid his dues’

John Wood remembers having to talk Khalil Rountree out of ending his career before it started. Nearly a decade later, they’re preparing for a UFC title fight.

Syndicate MMA head coach John Wood recalls when [autotag]Khalil Rountree[/autotag] gave serious consideration to ending his career before it even began.

“When I first started coaching him, he was on the verge of – really not even knowing if he wanted to fight,” Wood told MMA Junkie Radio. “I remember having a conversation with him. He was talking about retiring and going into construction because he had a good construction job that was gonna pay him a lot. I kind of begged and pleaded with him and said, ‘Hey, man, give me six months, and we can have you where you need to be.'”

Nearly a decade later, Rountree (13-5 MMA, 9-5 UFC) is on the verge of reaching the pinnacle of his career as he gets set for his first title shot against light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira on Oct. 5 at UFC 307 in Salt Lake City.

“He’s paid his dues and hitting his stride,” Wood said.

True as that statement might be, Rountree’s title shot hasn’t exactly been met with open arms. While he’s on a five-fight winning streak, Rountree, 34, is ranked just No. 8 in the official UFC light heavyweight rankings.

There’s also the fact that he’s coming off a failed drug test that forced him out of UFC 303, which was later attributed to a supplement company’s “massive oversight” by UFC anti-doping program Combat Sports Anti-Doping.

For Wood, Rountree’s title shot is not only a longtime coming, but it carries extra special weight given their relationship. Wood acknowledged that he and Rountree had “ups and downs” prior to Rountree leaving Syndicate to train in Thailand for a few years.

Ever since Rountree returned “five or six fights ago,” it’s been exactly what Wood hoped for.

“When he left originally, it did hurt,” Wood said. “I love the guy. Anytime a fighter leaves it’s an emotional thing. But he came back, and it’s way better than I think it ever could’ve been. He grew into himself. He’s matured as a man. He looks at things different – the way he speaks, the way he talks. It’s just different now. …

“He just really came back as a whole new person. You could see that the focus, the energy, everything was different. His mentality, he just grew up a lot. He’s really kind of came into his own. The mindset is he’s ready for this, and he’s been ready for this now for the last couple years. We’re really starting to see everything play out. We’re starting to see the talent and the mindset come together, the work ethic and everything, and that’s why we’re here where we’re at, on the verge of winning a title.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 307.

UFC 305: Du Plessis vs. Adesanya watch-along live stream with MMA Junkie Radio

Join MMA Junkie Radio’s “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” for a live-streamed watch-along of UFC 305 in Perth, Australia.

The UFC returns Down Under with UFC 305, headlined by a middleweight title fight, and MMA Junkie Radio’s “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” will host a live-streamed watch-along right here, which kicks off at 8 p.m. ET.

In the main event, bitter rivals will finally get their hands on each other as middleweight champion [autotag]Dricus Du Plessis[/autotag] (21-2 MMA, 7-0 UFC) makes his first title defense against former champ [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag] (24-3 MMA, 13-3 UFC). In the co-main event, former title challengers [autotag]Steve Erceg[/autotag] (12-2 MMA, 3-1 UFC) and [autotag]Kai Kara-France[/autotag] (24-11 MMA, 7-4 UFC) meet in a critical flyweight bout.

UFC 305 (pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+) takes place Saturday (Sunday locally) at RAC Arena in Perth, Australia.

Below is the lineup of fights included in the watch-along:

MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)

  • Champ Dricus Du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya – for middleweight title
  • Steve Erceg vs. Kai Kara-France
  • Mateusz Gamrot vs. Dan Hooker
  • Jairzinho Rozenstruik vs. Tai Tuivasa
  • Li Jingliang vs. Carlos Prates

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN2/ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET)

  • Junior Tafa vs. Valter Walker
  • Josh Culibao vs. Ricardo Ramos
  • Casey O’Neill vs. Luana Santos
  • Herbert Burns vs. Jack Jenkins

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 305.

After ‘missing the hunt’ last year, Impa Kasanganay plans on finishing Josh Silveira at 2024 PFL Playoffs 2

Impa Kasanganay has a job to finish with Josh Silveira at 2024 PFL Playoffs 2.

[autotag]Impa Kasanganay[/autotag]’s goal is to beat [autotag]Josh Silveira[/autotag] in more emphatic fashion at 2024 PFL Playoffs 2.

Kasanganay (17-4) runs things back with Silveira (13-3) in Friday’s main event (ESPN/ESPN+) at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Fla. Kasanganay meets the man he dominated to claim the 2023 PFL light heavyweight title last November. Kasanganay wasn’t able to finish Silveira but hopes he can close their chapter by keeping the judges out of it.

“My faith and my confidence, they’re dialed in,” Kasanganay told MMA Junkie Radio. “I know what I’m here to do. I’m here to claim victory. I respect Josh, for sure. Nothing disrespectful to say about the guy. Last year I missed the hunt. I know Josh is better than he was last year, and so am I.

“I’m going to show that I’m going to dominate. I have a job to do, I have to finish that, and no matter if I fought the guy 10 times or if I fought the guy twice or once or never before, my focus is dominate, claim this victory and move forward and finish this guy.”

Kasanganay finished Alex Polizzi and Jakob Nedoh to kick off his 2024 PFL campaign. He aims to keep his finishing rate intact by becoming the first fighter to stop Silveira.

“I don’t see it as a continuation of the last fight,” Kasanganay said. “More so I consider it the continuation of the same hunt. Last year I missed the hunt. He’s wounded, he’s hurt, I beat him up, all those good things. We claimed the victory. I didn’t finish him. This year I get to finish. This year I claim that victory. This year I move forward with my team. It’s the third finish in a row this year and then get the finish in the title fight.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for 2024 PFL Playoffs 2.

Paddy Pimblett manager: ‘The Baddy’ is UFC’s biggest U.K. star – ‘nobody is even close’

Well before Paddy Pimblett got his new UFC deal wrapped up earlier this week, his manager knew big things were on the way.

Well before [autotag]Paddy Pimblett[/autotag] got his new UFC deal wrapped up earlier this week, his manager and former promoter knew big things were on the way.

Graham Boylan, who promoted “The Baddy” when he fought under his Cage Warriors banner and became featherweight champion, manages him now, and ahead of his Saturday fight at UFC 304 (pay-per-view, ESPN2, ESPN+) in Manchester, England, presumably was instrumental in wrapping up the new contract.

In June, Boylan told MMA Junkie Radio he thinks Pimblett is the biggest star from the United Kingdom on the UFC’s roster.

“There is nobody – nobody – in the U.K. that even comes close to his popularity,” Boylan said. “There isn’t a single U.K.-signed UFC athlete that comes close to Paddy “The Baddy’s” popularity, and it’s that simple. There’ll be screaming and shouting of all sorts, and it’s this and it’s that (about who’s the most popular). I’m telling you, it’s just fact: Nobody is even close to his popularity, good and bad, love and hate it. It’s just phenomenal – the interactions, the social media numbers, the stats, the analytics we see.”

Pimblett (21-3 MMA, 5-0 UFC) on Saturday has arguably the biggest fight of his UFC career so far when he takes on lightweight slugger King Green (32-15-1 MMA, 13-10-1 UFC). The tension between the two has been palpable during fight week.

Pimblett has been the betting favorite in all five of his UFC fights – until now. Against Green, he started as a slight underdog, and the fight is nearly a coin toss down the stretch.

But if Pimblett pulls off an impressive win, the UFC will look smart to have signed him up to a new contract. Boylan said as his career progresses, they will be trying to not rush things.

“The matchmaking and the development of Paddy in the UFC has been great,” Boylan said. “The fights have been the right fights at the right time. They’ve been steps up at the right time. People keep forgetting: Paddy is still young and he has more fights than some guys who have retired. He’s still young. He’s still in his late 20s. There’s no rush for Paddy. Paddy could have another four fights taking a small step up for the next three or four fights. What’s the rush with him?

“But at the same time, I personally have to thank the UFC and Sean (Shelby) for how they’ve developed him and how they’ve worked with us on fights that are exciting, that get Paddy going, as well – they get Paddy excited. If Paddy had his way, he’d be fighting for the belt tomorrow. He’d take all the tough fights. But sometimes you just need to take a step back and develop a little bit, too.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 304.

UFC 304’s Nathaniel Wood proud to embrace anti-anxiety help to stay out of dark places

Nathaniel Wood has been open about how his mental health struggles have impacted his career.

[autotag]Nathaniel Wood[/autotag] has been open about how his mental health struggles have impacted his career.

Now he’s just as open about how anti-anxiety medication has helped him keep from going to what he called a “dark place,” and he hopes that message might help other people, too.

“I have suffered with OCD and anxiety for as long as I can remember,” Wood told MMA Junkie Radio. “I know I had it when I was a child, but I didn’t know it at the time. I’ve been on my medication now for, on and off, probably nine years. There was one time where I would be on and off, and your dark cloud days come.

“There was one time where I was really, really, really bad for a solid month. When I went back on (Sertraline), I just said to myself I’m not coming off them – not for a long time. … I’m still on it now. I’m still happy to take it. I’m still proud to say I’m taking it because if potentially coming off it will put me in a dark place again, then I’d rather just stay on it.”

Wood (20-6 MMA, 7-3 UFC) on Saturday takes on Daniel Pineda (28-15 MMA, 5-6 UFC) in a featherweight bout to close out the prelims at UFC 304 (pay-per-view, ESPN2, ESPN+) at Co-op Live in Manchester, England.

He’ll be trying to break back into the win column after an October 2023 decision loss in Abu Dhabi to Muhammad Naimov. That snapped a three-fight winning streak of decisions since he moved up to featherweight from bantamweight.

Absent the meds, things might be different for someone who suffers with anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

“I have intrusive thoughts. I have a headache. Instantly, I might think, ‘Could it be brain cancer?’ So instead of just going, ‘I’m gonna move on, I will obsess over that – all day, potentially all night, without realizing until I put myself in a really anxious state.

“… It’s a very unexplained illness. A lot of people just think (OCD) is about being tidy or it’s about washing your hands. But there’s so much more to it that people don’t understand. Even I didn’t understand it until I eventually went and got medical help and realized that it’s a lot more complex than people think.”

Check out the full interview with Wood in the video above.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 304.

Jon Anik has an idea about UFC interim titles that makes a whole lot of sense

Jon Anik thinks a color change might be in order for some pieces of UFC hardware, but can’t knock the need for interim belts.

The numbers won’t play out that the UFC has had as many interim champions as traditional champs the past decade or so, but it seems to feel that way sometimes.

In recent months, the interim title that has been at the forefront of most conversations about such things is the one held by heavyweight Tom Aspinall. He has the interim title while champ Jon Jones continues to recover from shoulder surgery.

Normally, the champ would fight the interim titleholder to unify the belts. In this case, that won’t happen immediately. Instead, Aspinall (14-3 MMA, 7-1 UFC) will put the interim belt on the line next week in the UFC 304 (pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+) co-main event in Manchester, England, against Curtis Blaydes (18-4 MMA, 13-4 UFC).

And that fight is taking place because Jones (27-1 MMA, 21-1 UFC) is being kept in a coveted title defense against former champ Stipe Miocic (20-4 MMA, 14-4 UFC), which is projected for Madison Square Garden in November.

The fight most heavyweight fans want to see is Jones vs. Aspinall, but there exists a real possibility it won’t happen given things need to line up on multiple sides. And UFC lead play-by-play voice Jon Anik finds himself in a position to have to remain optimistic, even with a lot of reasons to be cynical.

“Certainly a 25 minute war between Curtis Blaydes and Tom Aspinall that results in six months of recovery time wouldn’t be ideal for either party, nor would it be for MMA fans who want to see things expedited in this heavyweight division,” Anik recently told MMA Junkie Radio. “It really is crazy to think about a Stipe Miocic who was 38 years old competing in there, and we’ll next see him when he’s 42. He’s sort of the least talked about. Component of this bracket right now, but that seems crazy to me. And what kind of version is he going to present to Jon Jones? We all get down and pray that that fight actually happens in November.”

Until there’s a date reserved on the calendar for Jones-Miocic, though, Anik virtually is forced to stay in the current reality, which is a heavyweight title fight – regardless of interim status – in England.

And he doesn’t think that asterisk next to Aspinall’s name for his interim belt should be held against him.

“As far as I’m concerned, we have two undisputed UFC heavyweight champions right now,” Anik said. “Interim belts materialize for myriad reasons, Even if in one breath, I would say the belt should be silver in color to differentiate. (But) the interim belt is there because the undisputed title can’t be contested for whatever reason. So as far as I’m concerned, Tom Aspinall is defending the heavyweight championship against a very capable and unheralded Curtis Blaydes, and that’s the fight that I am focused on.

“I certainly am hopeful that the winner of that fight emerges relatively unscathed, not just because my car’s waiting outside and the run Round 1 knockout is a broadcaster’s dream, but also because I’d like to see some pressure on this heavyweight division to move forward.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 304.

Jon Anik still hopeful for Conor McGregor UFC return but ‘exhausted’ over inactivity

A couple weeks ago at the UFC Hall of Fame red carpet, lead play-by-play voice Jon Anik said he was “hopeful” for a Conor McGregor return in 2024.

A couple weeks ago at the UFC Hall of Fame red carpet, lead play-by-play voice [autotag]Jon Anik[/autotag] said he was “hopeful” for a [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] return in 2024.

Not only that, but Anik said he expected McGregor to fight a couple times in about eight months once he finally does return. But until then, as long as McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) continues to say on the sidelines in a layoff that now has reached three years, Anik said he’s growing tired of waiting and wondering.

“I’m just exhausted,” Anik told MMA Junkie Radio. “It doesn’t mean I dislike him or I’m hating on him. I’m just exhausted. I guess I’m frustrated – that’s probably the right verb when it comes to some of Conor McGregor’s inactivity. But largely, I think a lot of this has been out of his control. It’s not always easy being the biggest superstar in mixed martial arts. It certainly isn’t easy when you snap your leg in half, and then obviously he had a setback in this most recent training camp.”

McGregor was training for the UFC 303 main event vs. Michael Chandler, a long-discussed fight that finally came to fruition about 18 months after it first was known.

Anik thinks once McGregor, 35, has his next fight scheduled, he’ll suddenly become a more frequent fighter. It might seem unrealistic, but Anik maintains a high degree of hope about what’s on the horizon for the brash Irishman.

“I’ve got to stay consistent in terms of my thesis statement on Conor: Tt’s that he’s going to enjoy the yacht life a whole lot more with a couple more MMA (wins), or at the very least fights – high-profile fights and the mixed martial artists in there.

“The professional athlete in there, the competitor in there, is such that I expect him to try to come back and fight a couple of times here in short order. I’ve been very wrong before. … There’s no recreational activity or boxing ring that is going to do for him, what a win over Michael Chandler and some of these other guys can do.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 303.

Jon Anik leaning ‘337’ or King of Diamonds for next tattoo if Dustin Poirier beats Nate Diaz in dream fight

It’s been eight years Jon Anik said he’d get a Nate Diaz tattoo if he upset Conor McGregor at UFC 196 – and then had to follow through.

It’s been a bit since [autotag]Jon Anik[/autotag] playfully suggested he’d get a [autotag]Nate Diaz[/autotag] tattoo if he upset Conor McGregor at UFC 196.

Now about eight years into the now semi-famous “209” ink on Anik’s arm, he’s throwing out potential for a second fighter-themed tattoo. If [autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag] got matched up with Diaz in the UFC and beat him, Anik said he’d pay tribute to Poirier, as well, after a Poirier suggestion of it.

He even said before he hosted the UFC Hall of Fame induction ceremony, he thought about getting a surprise tattoo to honor inductee Frankie Edgar, a former lightweight champion.

“Certainly, the 209 tattoo will not be the last fighter tattoo or fighter tributary tattoo that I get,” Anik told MMA Junkie Radio. “If you really want to know, I was trying to find a really good fine-line tattoo artist in Vegas the week of the Hall of Fame (induction) to get my Fe Iron element symbol in honor of the great Frankie Edgar right here on the inside of my arm that also dons the 209, incidentally.

“But for Dustin, I’ve always wanted a neck tattoo. Part of me wants to mimic his tattoo with the King of diamonds right behind the ear or just a diamond emoji. We could go 337 – you know, I’m not looking to be ludicrous with different area codes with numbers all over my body, necessarily. But yeah, we would go 337.”

Anik said he thinks the odds for that fight likely would highly favor Poirier, but the longtime fighter and former interim lightweight champion from Lafayette, La., still would be worthy of some ink – and risk irking his wife, even just temporarily.

He said when he got his 209 tattoo in 2016 that it took her a minute to be on board.

“Certainly Dustin Poirier is a fighter I would have no problem immortalizing on my skin forever, even if he’s trying to get me to do it in a fight in which he might be a -400 favorite,” Anik said.

Poirier is coming off a fifth-round submission loss to lightweight champion Islam Makhachev at UFC 302 in June. Diaz beat Jorge Masvidal in a boxing match this past Saturday in California. It’s been nearly two years since his last fight in the UFC, a submission of Tony Ferguson in September 2022.

Rose Namajunas starting to have thoughts of a second title ahead of UFC Denver

Rose Namajunas is hopeful a win Saturday will put her in position to go after something she once barely dared to dream about.

[autotag]Rose Namajunas[/autotag] is hopeful a win Saturday will put her in position to go after something she once barely dared to dream about.

Namajunas (13-6 MMA, 10-5 UFC) takes on late replacement Tracy Cortez (11-1 MMA, 5-0 UFC) in the UFC on ESPN 59 main event in front of her home fans in Denver. Cortez stepped up for Maycee Barber, who had to pull out in late June.

The fight will be Namajunas’ third at flyweight in the UFC, and the former women’s strawweight champ already can see the potential to go after a belt at 125 pounds, too – which would put her in rarefied air if she was to become a two-division titleholder.

“When I first started my career in the UFC, that was my vision that I had in mind. It wasn’t super solid, but I definitely wanted to become champion,” Namajunas told MMA Junkie Radio. “And then, somewhere in the back of my mind, I thought to become champion in two divisions, as well.

“But that was so far in the distance, I wasn’t sure if I could make that happen. But now I know that I can.”

Namajunas lost the strawweight belt to Carla Esparza in her second reign as champion. She moved up to flyweight, but lost to Manon Fiorot. She got back on track against Amanda Ribas in March, though, and a win over Cortez, who has yet to lose in the UFC and is unbeaten since a loss in her pro debut, might be enough for her to jump the line – especially given her accolades one division down.

Cortez won’t be an easy task, though Namajunas is more than a 2-1 betting favorite. She said she had to switch some things up after spending so much time prepping for Barber, but not to the point she seems concerned.

“It’s not like night and day difference,” Namajunas said. “My approach is the same as far as what I’m going to do, and it pretty much is the same every time. As far as defense goes, I just have to watch out for a little bit of different things. I think that Tracy has better back control when she gets on the ground. She’s great on the top. … With Tracy, there are less dynamics and she’s kind of coming at you a little more. But she’s got great fundamentals, and I’m looking to make sure my fundamentals are better than hers and also have that extra flair, as well. I could beat her everywhere, so that’s my goal.”

Namajunas is No. 6 in the UFC’s official women’s flyweight rankings. Barber is No. 4, so a win over her would’ve gone a long way in helping her distinguish herself from former champ Valentina Shevchenko, Fiorot and Erin Blanchfield.

Cortez is ranked No. 11, but Namajunas doesn’t think she’s in a lose-lose situation taking a risk against a lower-ranked opponent.

“I’d say I’m right in that title contention talks (with a win),” Namajunas said. “God willing, I’m healthy, I’m in shape and I’m ready to go with a win and whatever opportunities they want to give me. I could see myself fighting for the belt really soon. It’s just a matter of doing my job and fighting to the best of my abilities. Anything’s possible.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 59.

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Amir Albazi gives update on UFC return, willing to face Tatsuro Taira

UFC flyweight contender Amir Albazi has been frustrated sitting on the sidelines but is nearing his return.

UFC flyweight contender [autotag]Amir Albazi[/autotag] has been frustrated sitting on the sidelines but is nearing his return.

Albazi (17-1 MMA, 5-0 UFC) hasn’t competed since edging out Kai Kara-France in his first UFC main event last June. The win positioned him into title contention, but the 30-year-old has been forced to take a step back after two surgeries.

Albazi withdrew from his UFC Fight Night 237 main event vs. Brandon Moreno in February due to a neck injury, which required surgery. He is gearing for a comeback this fall.

“I’ll be ready to go in September, so that’s the plan,” Albazi told MMA Junkie Radio. “I’m almost fully healed. I would say I’m 85 percent, 90 percent back to fighting. So, I can’t wait. It’s been a tough journey so far. I had two surgeries back to back. I’m just excited, motivated, and ready to come back in the cage and do what I do best.”

With rising contenders such as Muhammad Mokaev, Manel Kape and [autotag]Tatsuro Taira[/autotag] emerging, Albazi feels like the forgotten contender.

“It’s been so, so hard to deal with this,” Albazi said. “I had a heart surgery back in November actually, so imagine coming out of a heart surgery, start training, getting into a camp, fighting Moreno for the next title contender, and then I get this, and I have to do another surgery for my neck.

“So, I was feeling like it was hitting me everywhere where I see guys just fighting and fighting and fighting. But this just motivates me to get back in and actually be more active than ever.”

With Mokaev facing Kape at UFC 304 and Kara-France taking on Steve Erceg at UFC 305, Albazi is open to undefeated Taira (16-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) next.

“I haven’t been in the cage for a long time, so of course people are not going to think about me just yet until I fight again,” Albazi said. “But I think he (Taira) needs one more fight with someone in the top five, top six.

Maybe the winner of Mokaev and Manel Kape, or if they give him Moreno, Royval, anyone that’s kind of battle tested. So then after that fight, yeah sure, why not? The guy keeps winning, the guy is good so – or put him against me. I’m ready for that challenge, too.”

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