Radio Highlight – Page 46 – Syndication Server

Which title challenger – and underdog – has the best chance at UFC 261?

With three title bouts to go around, there is no shortage of fights to look forward to Saturday at UFC 261.

All three challengers also are the betting underdogs at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+.

Welterweight champion Kamaru Usman (18-1 MMA, 13-0 UFC) meets [autotag]Jorge Masvidal[/autotag] (35-14 MMA, 12-7 UFC) in a rematch. Usman is a -400 favorite at BetMGM.

Women’s strawweight champ Zhang Weili (21-1 MMA, 5-0 UFC) nearly is a 2-1 favorite over former champ [autotag]Rose Namajunas[/autotag] (9-4 MMA, 7-3 UFC) in the co-feature. And women’s flyweight champ Valentina Shevchenko (20-3 MMA, 9-2 UFC) is a 4-1 favorite against challenger [autotag]Jessica Andrade[/autotag] (21-8 MMA, 12-6 UFC).

But which challenger – and underdog – has the best chance of leaving Jacksonville with a title? Our “Spinning Back Clique” panel of “Gorgeous” George Garcia, Brian “Goze” Garcia and Danny Segura broke it down with host John Morgan.

You can watch their discussion in the video above, or check out this week’s full episode below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9ngSXxYeUo

Video: What we learned from Jake Paul vs. Ben Askren

Now that it’s over, what – if any – lessons did the “Spinning Back Clique” panel take away from Jake Paul’s TKO of Ben Askren?

Well, it happened. [autotag]Jake Paul[/autotag] did what he said he would and finished [autotag]Ben Askren[/autotag] in the first round of their Triller Fight Club boxing match this past Saturday after months of trash talk leading up to the fight.

However it makes you feel inside, there’s no question this was the most talked about fight in combat sports this past week, and it was every bit the spectacle we anticipated. This event was chaos from start to finish.

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What was one lesson learned from this fight, whether it be about Askren, Paul or the sport itself – what was one thing you walked away learning from this fight? Our “Spinning Back Clique” panel of “Gorgeous” George Garcia, Brian “Goze” Garcia, Danny Segura, and host John Morgan weighed in.

You can watch their discussion in the video above or this week’s full episode below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9ngSXxYeUo

Video: No, the UFC shouldn’t strip Aljamain Sterling of his bantamweight title

The “Spinning Back Clique” panel agrees that a bad precedent would be set if the UFC actually did this.

The UFC bantamweight title picture got murky after it was was revealed that champion [autotag]Aljamain Sterling[/autotag]’s neck surgery will keep him out of action until October at the earliest.

After Petr Yan was disqualified for an illegal knee in the title fight with Sterling at UFC 259, UFC president Dana White said he wanted to book an immediate rematch. That, however, is on hold for at least six months. Given the unsatisfactory nature of the title exchanging hands due to a DQ, there’s been some noise – particularly from Yan – about stripping Sterling.

Simple question: Should the UFC actually do this? Our “Spinning Back Clique” panel of “Gorgeous” George Garcia, Brian “Goze” Garcia, Nolan King, and host John Morgan answer.

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You can watch their discussion in the video above, and this week’s full episode below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5c9imTwPio

Video: Tougher to watch Demetrious Johnson KO’d or Eddie Alvarez DQ’d?

Both former UFC champions suffered heartache in their long-awaited returns at ONE on TNT I but in different ways.

ONE on TNT I last week saw the returns of [autotag]Demetrious Johnson[/autotag] and [autotag]Eddie Alvarez[/autotag] in their first fights since well before the COVID-19 pandemic, and it was a tough night to say the least.

In the main event, Johnson was finished for the first time in his career when he was knocked out by flyweight champion Adriano Moraes with a vicious grounded knee. And in the co-main event, Alvarez was hastily disqualified in his fight Iuri Lapicus for landing illegal punches that the referee deemed were to the back of the head just 1:02 into the first round.

Long waits to get back in action for both Johnson and Alvarez – 18 and 20 months, respectively – only to see the former UFC champions suffer heartache but in different ways. Alvarez was visibly distraught after his fight.

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And so, we ask: Was it more difficult to watch Johnson KO’d or Alvarez DQ’d? Our “Spinning Back Clique” panel of “Gorgeous” George Garcia, Brian “Goze” Garcia, Nolan King, and host John Morgan answer.

You can watch their discussion in the video above, and this week’s full episode below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5c9imTwPio

Video: Patricio ‘Pitbull’-A.J. McKee winner will be world’s best featherweight. Yes or no?

The Bellator featherweight grand prix final everyone wanted could decide more than just the promotion’s championship.

The Bellator featherweight grand prix final is set, and it’s the matchup everyone wants to see as champion [autotag]Patricio Freire[/autotag] will defend his title against undefeated [autotag]A.J. McKee[/autotag] later this summer.

Traditionally, UFC fighters are considered the “best in the world” because of the reputation that’s attached to mixed martial arts’ biggest and most successful promotion, but at 145 pounds, at least, there’s a sincere debate to be had when you consider the rise and recent performances of both Freire and McKee.

Freire, who’s ranked No. 3 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie featherweight rankings, is also the Bellator lightweight champion and the owner of a seven-fight winning streak, with three of his past four by first-round finish. McKee, meanwhile, has climbed all the way to No. 5 as he’s run his record to a perfect 17-0, all with Bellator. UFC fighters Alexander Volkanovski (champ, No. 1), Max Holloway (No. 2) and Brian Ortega (No. 4) round out or top five. The two champions, Volkanovski and Freire, have engaged in a bit of trash talk over who’s truly No. 1.

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With that in mind, our question on this week’s episode of “Spinning Back Clique”: Can the “Pitbull”-McKee winner be considered the best featherweight in the world? John Morgan, Mike Bohn, Danny Segura, and Brian “Goze” Garcia weighed in.

You can watch their discussion in the video above, as well as the full episode below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NijdP7eIe7I

UFC’s Randy Costa continues to angle for Adrian Yanez fight: ‘We can put on a sick show together’

Randy Costa’s campaign to fight Adrian Yanez continues, but he’s now raising the stakes.

[autotag]Randy Costa[/autotag]’s campaign to fight [autotag]Adrian Yanez[/autotag] continues, but this time the stakes are even higher.

Two of the brightest surging contenders in the UFC, Costa (6-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) and Yanez (13-3 MMA, 2-0 UFC) have been exchanging in an amicable back-and-forth on social media, angling for a fight at UFC 262 in Houston.

Though the UFC is often tentative to pit two prospects against each other, Costa thinks a fight would be guaranteed fireworks. Both are coming off two highlight-reel finishes in the octagon and never fail to deliver.

“I’m sure you guys see all the stuff going back and forth on Twitter with Adrian Yanez,” Costa told MMA Junkie. “I don’t dislike Adrian Yanez at all. In fact, it’s the complete opposite. I started following him and what he was doing right after his (Dana White’s Contender Series) fight. I like him. He’s like me in the regard that we’re not really here to talk sh*t, we’re just trying to engage and talk with people and be friendly and then we can go out there and get into a fight. I would like to fight Adrian Yanez, and Adrian Yanez has expressed that he would like to fight me. I think that fight is a lot of f***kin fun. I’m a huge fan of his style and what he brings, and I think we can put on a sick show together.

“We’re campaigning to get on the UFC Houston card. As a realist, I probably realize that that fight is probably not gonna happen on that night. But maybe shortly thereafter we can get it done, but we’ll see. I think that fight is a lot of fun. I think if we can put it on a main event prelim-type deal or opening up a pay-per-view or something like that, I think we can really get things going. I think that’s a really exciting fight. We both have head kick knockouts; we both have right hand knockouts. It’s very clear what we’re trying to do. I think it’s a fun fight.”

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But winning streaks won’t be the only thing on the line for this potential barnburner. The loser will have to provide the other a month’s supply of their favorite craving, and Costa is confident that he has what it takes to get his hand raised.

“I’m gonna go out there ,and I’m gonna try and knock him out, and I’m sure he’s gonna do the same,” Costa said. “I don’t have any ill will towards Adrian Yanez. I like Adrian Yanez, I like what he’s about, I like his story, I like how he fights. I just want to compete against him. I think I’m too tricky, I’m too lengthy and I can hit too hard for him, and I’m sure he could say his counters are too good, his movements are too good, and he’s too fast for me. Great, let’s fight and let’s see. I know we could put on a good fight. My prediction for that fight would be somebody getting knocked out at some point during the fight.”

He continued, “The loser buys the winner a month’s supply of whatever. So if I beat Adrian, Adrian buys me a month’s supply of Reese’s. If Adrian beats me, I buy him a month’s supply of Dr. Pepper. It’s a no-brainer. We both win. We’re both getting more exposure for Reese’s and Dr Pepper, both more exposure for ourselves, a sick fight. What am I missing?”

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Video: Does Jon Jones, Francis Ngannou or UFC need superfight the most?

Everyone wants to see Francis Ngannou make his first UFC heavyweight title defense against Jon Jones, but it’s not looking good.

Everybody wants to see UFC heavyweight champion [autotag]Francis Ngannou[/autotag] fight [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] for his first title defense, but it’s not looking likely to happen.

That’s because Jones, the former light heavyweight champ, has made it very clear that he wants to be paid accordingly for the superfight. And the UFC … well, Dana White and Co. don’t appear keen to negotiate. For that matter, Ngannou agrees with Jones and himself has said he’d appreciate a raise to fight Jones given how much the fight is expected to sell.

With all that being said, it appears we could be left with an Ngannou vs. Derrick Lewis rematch instead.

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Our question on this week’s episode of “Spinning Back Clique”: Who needs this superfight to happen the most – Jones, Ngannou or the UFC? John Morgan, Mike Bohn, Danny Segura, and Brian “Goze” Garcia weighed in.

You can watch their discussion in the video above, as well as the full episode below.

https://youtu.be/NijdP7eIe7I

Video: Will Dustin Poirier vs. Conor McGregor 3 outcome be similar to rematch?

It’s on Conor McGregor to show Dustin Poirier something different six months removed from being finished in their rematch.

The trilogy is set: [autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag] and [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] will run it back for a third time on July 10 at UFC 264.

This past January, Poirier won by second-round TKO to avenge a 2014 first-round TKO loss to McGregor at UFC 178. Between their first fight (at featherweight) and rematch, more than six years elapsed. This time for the trilogy, it will have been be a short six months since they threw down at UFC 257.

Can McGregor show Poirier anything different in that time span, or should we expect to see a similar result for this third go-round? John Morgan, Mike Bohn, Danny Segura, and Brian “Goze” Garcia weighed in during this week’s edition of “Spinning Back Clique.”

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You can watch their discussion in the video above, as well as the full episode below.

https://youtu.be/NijdP7eIe7I

Rob Font excited for ‘fireworks’ matchup with Cody Garbrandt: We’re both trying to knock each other out

Rob Font couldn’t help but get excited when he drew former champion Cody Garbrandt.

[autotag]Rob Font[/autotag] couldn’t help but get excited when he drew former UFC bantamweight champion [autotag]Cody Garbrandt[/autotag].

Font meets Garbrandt in the main event of a UFC Fight Night event on May 22, and the bout represents an opportunity for him to enter the title discussion in a stacked 135-pound division.

The New England Cartel member shined in his biggest spot to date, when he took out former title challenger Marlon Moraes in the first round in December. In his first headlining assignment, Font will look to continue riding that momentum when he faces ex-champ Garbrandt.

“I’m excited,” Font told MMA Junkie Radio. “This is going to be fireworks. He always brings the fight. Like you said, he’s a former champ, huge name, main event – I can’t complain.”

Both Font (18-4 MMA, 8-3 UFC) and Garbrandt (12-3 MMA, 7-3 UFC) come from a boxing background and have displayed their fight-ending abilities on numerous occasions. But Font thinks Garbrandt’s wars have taken a toll on him, and he’s looking to exploit that in the fight.

“The first thing I think is how much damage he’s taken,” Font said. “My length, my footwork and then just being super confident with my jab and knowing that if I touch him at will, I’ll be able to find the crosses and hooks once I get my jab established.”

He continued, “You know exactly what you’re getting yourself into with a guy like Cody. He’s looking for the knockout, he’s throwing big punches, he’ll mix in some kicks and occasionally throwing a takedown, but it’s big punches, so you know exactly what you’re getting into. I’m always prepared to take it to the ground if they shoot or if I get the opportunity to take it there, but it’s pretty straight forward. He’s trying to knock me out, I’m trying to knock him out.”

Garbrandt currently sits at No. 6 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie bantamweight rankings, with Font at No. 10. With former two-time bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw facing Cory Sandhagen in a pivotal clash just a couple of weeks before, Font knows a win over Garbrandt may not be enough to cement himself as a top contender in the division, but he’s not too worried about it.

“A guy like Sandhagen wins, I can see him getting a title shot over me,” Font said. “Depending on how boring the fight is, but I doubt it’s going to be boring or a dud. I can see that happening, I can see me waiting a little longer. I personally wouldn’t be that butt-hurt. You saw what a guy like Sandhagen has been doing so in a perfect world, he goes out there, he wins, I win – I would love to get a title shot first, but I could see how he would get it. But yeah, I feel like I’m two behind.”

To see the full interview with Font, check out the video below.

https://youtu.be/pXd9VZjUlvY

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Make no mistake, Eddie Alvarez will be bothered if he doesn’t win ONE Championship title

Former UFC and Bellator champion Eddie Alvarez won’t be satisfied until he adds one more major MMA title to his collection.

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[autotag]Eddie Alvarez[/autotag] says he won’t be fulfilled with his career unless he adds one more title belt to his collection.

Alvarez (30-7), who’s won prominent championships across various MMA organizations, including Bellator and the UFC, is looking to chase after one more before calling it quits. He takes on former title challenger Iuri Lapicus (14-1) on April 7 at ONE on TNT I in a bout he expects will earn him a title shot if he’s able to have a standout performance.

It’s an opponent Alvarez admits is still a bit of a mystery to him.

“I haven’t gotten much tape. If you guys got any tape, I’d love to get it off you,” Alvarez recently quipped with MMA Junkie Radio. “The only tape I’ve really seen was Christian Lee. I know this much: I know he’s from a judo background, so he’s well-versed in grappling. He’s training with Giorgio Petrosyan, who I always considered one of the best strikers in the world.

“So I know he has good guidance, and coming off the first loss of his career, I’d imagine he’s going to be hungrier than ever. That being said, for me, I’m chasing history and he’s in my way. So it’s important to get him out of there, and get him out of there in a decent fashion that kind of warrants a title fight.”

With wins over the likes of Michael Chandler, Anthony Pettis, Rafael dos Anjos and Justin Gaethje, the 37-year-old Alvarez has beaten a who’s who in MMA. But despite his championship-filled accolades, Alvarez thinks one more major achievement would prove quite historical.

“I have to win this title,” Alvarez said. “I have to. That’ll bug me. There’s a lot of things that bug me, but this’ll bug me. I think it’s a part of history. Very few people are going to have the opportunity to make this history, so in a sense I’m lucky, and in another sense I’m obligated to put forth my best effort to do it. I just don’t think a lot of people will be in this position ever, and I’m in it, and I’m fortunate enough to be in it. So I have to do this for myself, yes.”

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