Category: Spinning Back Clique

Video: Is PFL making its expected impact for 2024?

On the latest episode of “Spinning Back Clique,” the panel reviews the first half of the 2024 PFL season.

On the latest episode of “Spinning Back Clique,” the panel reviews the first round of the PFL 2024 season – which is the first season since it purchased Bellator.

This is a big year for the PFL given that it bought and absorbed the Bellator roster this past November in a huge moved that vastly changed the MMA industry. Now, with higher profile fighters available and a more stacked roster, the promotion continued its staple season and tournament format.

Now that the first half is in the books after three events, what do we make of the product? Has PFL made the impact it hoped for?

MMA Junkie’s Brian “Goze” Garcia, Danny Segura, Dan Tom, and host “Gorgeous” George Garcia reviewed the new era of the PFL and also dropped their picks to win the whole season.

Watch their discussion in the video above, and also don’t miss this week’s complete episode of “Spinning Back Clique” below on YouTube.

https://youtube.com/live/eCVG1X_wvNY

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Video: How Nate Diaz vs. Jorge Masvidal boxing result could impact MMA

On the latest episode of “Spinning Back Clique,” the panel discusses the success of “The Baddest Tour” promoting Nate Diaz vs. Jorge Masvidal.

On the latest episode of “Spinning Back Clique,” the panel discusses the success of “The Baddest Tour” promoting [autotag]Nate Diaz[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Jorge Masvidal[/autotag], along with their individual comments teasing MMA returns.

The two former UFC stars completed a nearly two-week press conference tour across the U.S., stopping in Las Vegas, New York, Miami, and Los Angeles to promote their upcoming boxing match on June 1. During the media tour, both Diaz and Masvidal teased MMA returns – which would obviously be huge for the sport.

So can the result of the Diaz vs. Masvidal boxing match impact the landscape of MMA? How successful were they in promoting their fight as they go head-to-head with UFC 302?

MMA Junkie’s Brian “Goze” Garcia, Danny Segura, Dan Tom and host “Gorgeous” George Garcia discussed the implications of this massive fight between two of the most well-known MMA fighters today.

Watch their discussion in the video above and also don’t miss this week’s complete episode of “Spinning Back Clique” below on YouTube.

https://youtube.com/live/eCVG1X_wvNY

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For more on the fight, visit MMA Junkie’s hub for Diaz vs. Masvidal 2.

Spinning Back Clique REPLAY: Topuria & Holloway heat up, Diaz-Masvidal press tour, KnuckleMania 4, more

On “Spinning Back Clique,” our panel discusses the back-and-forth between Ilia Topuria and Max Holloway, the Diaz-Masvidal press tour, and more.

Check out this week’s “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly live show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts.

This week’s panel of Brian “Goze” Garcia, Dan Tom and Danny Segura will join host “Gorgeous” George Garcia live at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) to discuss and debate the following topics:

  • Things between [autotag]Ilia Topuria[/autotag] and [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag] are heating up. The UFC featherweight champion responded to Holloway’s callout at UFC 300, sparking a public back-and-forth between the two that’s rapidly turning into a rivalry and potentially a fight. Is this the fight to make? It’s certainly starting to draw a lot of interest.
  • “The Baddest Tour” promoting the upcoming boxing match between [autotag]Nate Diaz[/autotag] and [autotag]Jorge Masvidal[/autotag] has wrapped. The press tour stopped in Las Vegas, New York, Miami, and Los Angeles, with MMA Junkie attending to two of the stops. So was the tour a success? Is there interest around the June 1 matchup? It’s a clash involving two major MMA names going head-to-head against the UFC 302 pay-per-view. 
  • The 2024 PFL season is fully underway, as all six divisions have had their first round bouts for their respective divisions. It’s an important year for the PFL, since this is the first season they host with the addition of the Bellator roster. What to make of the first three PFL events of 2024? Has it made the impact many expected in the MMA industry?
  • This upcoming Saturday, both BKFC’s KnuckleMania 4 and UFC on ESPN 55 will go down. It’s two different sports, but both share a similar crowd. So which event is drawing the most interest? As far as the fights themselves, who will reign supreme between [autotag]Mike Perry[/autotag] and [autotag]Thiago Alves[/autotag]? How important is [autotag]Matheus Nicolau[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Alex Perez[/autotag] for the UFC’s flyweight division? Plenty to preview between both cards.

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Video: Just like that, is Kayla Harrison the world’s best women’s bantamweight?

On the latest episode of “Spinning Back Clique,” the panel reacts to the UFC debut of ex-PFL champ Kayla Harrison.

At UFC 300, the winner who might have made the biggest instant impact on a division was [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag].

Harrison (17-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC), a two-time $1 million winner in the PFL and a two-time Olympic gold medalist in judo, took out former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Holly Holm (15-7 MMA, 8-7 UFC) with absolute ease. She outstruck her 68-7, had nearly a full round of control time, and submitted Holm in the second round.

Considering Harrison never had fought at 135 pounds and had only been down as low as 145 once, the result was a massive one for a division that recently saw longtime champ Amanda Nunes retire. Harrison predicted a UFC title before the end of the year, and once 135-pound champion Raquel Pennington returns, likely against former champ Julianna Peña, the dust could settle with Harrison waiting in the wings.

MMA Junkie’s Brian “Goze” Garcia, Danny Segura, Mike Bohn and host “Gorgeous” George Garcia discussed Harrison’s basically perfect UFC debut on “Spinning Back Clique”? What do they think?

Watch their discussion in the video above, and also don’t miss this week’s complete episode of “Spinning Back Clique” below on YouTube or in podcast form.

https://youtube.com/live/DfQNA0RgoK8

Video: Should Max Holloway go back to 145 or stay at 155 after BMF title win?

On the latest episode of “Spinning Back Clique”, the panel reacts to Max Holloway’s insane KO win over Justin Gaethje at UFC 300.

On the latest episode of “Spinning Back Clique,” the panel reacts to [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag]’s insane KO win over Justin Gaethje at UFC 300.

Holloway arguably made the biggest statement on Saturday night, as the former UFC featherweight champion moved up a weight class and knocked out Gaethje in brutal fashion, with one second remaining in the fight, to win the BMF title. It was a massive victory for the Hawaiian and one that opens up many possibilities.

So, should Holloway drop back down to featherweight and look to challenge champion Ilia Topiria? Or should he stay at lightweight and chase his second division title?

MMA Junkie’s Brian “Goze” Garcia, Danny Segura, Mike Bohn, and host “Gorgeous” George Garcia discuss Holloway’s big win and where he should go next.

Watch their discussion in the video above, and also don’t miss this week’s complete episode of “Spinning Back Clique” below on YouTube or in podcast form.

https://youtube.com/live/DfQNA0RgoK8

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Spinning Back Clique REPLAY: UFC 300 review, Holloway wins BMF title, Makhachev & McGregor return, more

On “Spinning Back Clique,” our panel discusses the fallout of UFC 300 including, Holloway’s BMF win, McGregor’s return, and more.

Check out this week’s “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly live show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts.

This week’s panel of Brian “Goze” Garcia, Mike Bohn and Danny Segura will join host “Gorgeous” George Garcia live at 11:30 a.m. ET (8:30 a.m. PT) to discuss and debate everything around UFC 300:

  • The UFC reached its 300th pay-per-view event, a big milestone for the Las Vegas-based promotion. Where does this massive event rank in UFC history? On paper, it was a great card, and it delivered as promised.
  • [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag] arguably made the biggest statement on Saturday night. The former UFC featherweight champion knocked out [autotag]Justin Gaethje[/autotag] in brutal fashion with one second remaining in the fight for the BMF title. So what’s next for Holloway? Should he stay at 155 pounds or go back to 145? Holloway has many options after this career-defining win.
  • On top of Holloway’s win, there were several other important lightweight bouts, as well as other lightweight bookings announced: [autotag]Arman Tsarukyan[/autotag] defeated former champion [autotag]Charles Oliveira[/autotag], [autotag]Renato Moicano[/autotag] stopped Jalin Turner and [autotag]Bobby Green[/autotag] picked apart Jim Miller. Additionally, the [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] title defense vs. [autotag]Dutin Poirier[/autotag] was made official, along with the return of [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag], who faces lightweight standout [autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag] in a welterweight bout. Big news and results that heavily impact the UFC lightweight division.
  • In the main event of UFC 300, [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag] successfully defended his light heavyweight belt for the very first time, knocking out [autotag]Jamahal Hill[/autotag]. It was a huge win for the Brazilian, who requested a heavyweight fight in a quick turnaround at UFC 301 in Brazil next month.
  • In the other undisputed title fight, [autotag]Zhang Weili[/autotag] defended her UFC strawweight belt against fellow Chinese fighter [autotag]Yan Xiaonan[/autotag]. It was a solid showing by Weili, who logged the second title defense of her second championship reign.
  • [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] made a huge splash on Saturday night. In a dominant showing, she submitted former champion [autotag]Holly Holm[/autotag], a victory that even caught the attention of former two-division UFC champion [autotag]Amanda Nunes[/autotag]. What’s next for Harrison? Is she a future UFC champion? We unpack it all.
  • Lastly, several other big storylines went down at UFC 300. The panel quickly reviews [autotag]Aljamain Sterling[/autotag]’s featherweight debut, [autotag]Bo Nickal[/autotag]’s submission win, [autotag]Diego Lopes[/autotag]’ most recent first-round finish and more.

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Video: Can Aljamain Sterling thrive in the UFC featherweight division?

A former UFC bantamweight champion, will Aljamain Sterling find similar success a weight class higher? We discuss on “Spinning Back Clique.”

On the latest episode of “Spinning Back Clique,” the panel discusses [autotag]Aljamain Sterling[/autotag]’s move to the featherweight division.

This Saturday, the former UFC bantamweight champion goes up to 145 pounds to take on veteran [autotag]Calvin Kattar[/autotag] on the preliminary card of UFC 300 in Las Vegas. It’s a big addition to the featherweight division, given Sterling’s status in the sport. But can he find success just like he did a weight class below?

MMA Junkie’s Brian “Goze” Garcia, Danny Segura, Nolan King, and host “Gorgeous” George Garcia discuss Sterling’s decision to move up and his potential in this new division.

Watch their discussion in the video above, and also don’t miss this week’s complete episode of “Spinning Back Clique” below on YouTube.

https://youtube.com/live/fSjkR02NKpM

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 300.

Video: Future Champion? Breaking down Bo Nickal’s UFC 300 fight against Cody Brundage

On this week’s episode of “Spinning Back Clique,” the panel discusses everything around Bo Nickal’s fight at UFC 300.

On the latest episode of “Spinning Back Clique,” the panel discusses [autotag]Bo Nickal[/autotag]’s fight at UFC 300.

The 2019 Dan Hodge Trophy winner competes for the third time in the octagon Saturday against Cody Brundage. In addition to being a one of the biggest prospects in MMA, Nickal enters UFC 300 with elevated attention, as he serves as the pay-per-view main card opener.

Is this spot deserved? Is Nickal a future star and champion?

MMA Junkie’s Brian “Goze” Garcia, Danny Segura, Dan Tom, and host “Gorgeous” George Garcia discussed everything about Nickal’s return to the octagon.

Watch their discussion in the video above, and also don’t miss this week’s complete episode of “Spinning Back Clique” below on YouTube.

https://youtube.com/live/fSjkR02NKpM

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 300.

Video: What to expect from Kayla Harrison’s debut vs. Holly Holm at UFC 300

Kayla Harrison’s UFC moment has finally arrived. We break down what to expect in this week’s “Spinning Back Clique.”

On the latest episode of “Spinning Back Clique,” the panel discusses [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag]’s highly-anticipated UFC debut.

Harrison, two-time Olympic judo gold medalist and former two-time PFL champion, steps in the octagon for the very first time this Saturday at UFC 300. She takes on former UFC bantamweight champion [autotag]Holly Holm[/autotag] on the preliminary card. Apart from being her UFC debut, Harrison will also fight at 135 pounds for the first time.

So what can fans expect from Harrison’s UFC debut?

MMA Junkie’s Brian “Goze” Garcia, Danny Segura, Farah Hannoun, and host “Gorgeous” George Garcia break it all down.

Watch their discussion in the video above, and also don’t miss this week’s complete episode of “Spinning Back Clique” below on YouTube.

https://youtube.com/live/fSjkR02NKpM

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 300.

Video: How UFC 300 affects the lightweight title picture – Gaethje vs. Holloway, Oliveira vs. Tsarukyan, more

On this week’s episode of “Spinning Back Clique,” the panel discusses the UFC 300 lightweight action and how it affects the division’s title picture.

On the latest episode of “Spinning Back Clique,” the panel discusses and breaks down all the lightweight bouts featured at UFC 300.

This Saturday, the historic UFC pay-per-view features many prominent 155-pound matchups that could vastly change the title picture in the division. This includes the BMF title defense, as belt holder [autotag]Justin Gaethje[/autotag] welcomes back [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag] to the division,[autotag] Charles Oliveira[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Arman Tsarukyan[/autotag] – which has been labeled as a No. 1 contender bout.

In addition, a pair of bouts featuring veterans [autotag]Jalin Turner[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Renato Moicano[/autotag], and [autotag]Bobby Green[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Jim Miller[/autotag] also take place.

MMA Junkie’s Brian “Goze” Garcia, Danny Segura, Mike Bohn, and host “Gorgeous” George Garcia discussed all the lightweight action that will be on display at UFC 300.

Watch their discussion in the video above, and also don’t miss this week’s complete episode of “Spinning Back Clique” below on YouTube.

https://youtube.com/live/fSjkR02NKpM

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 300.