Episode 52: The Eagle

In this episode, host Roberto Diaz and his co-host Joe Soto look into bad matchups, and why blowouts and uncompetitive fights happen at the top of the divisions. Plus, a look at the Cowboy perspective, as well as the Gaethje point of view will be looked into. The key elements for this fight including pressure tactics and how to stop them, as well as Cowboys game and how he can use it to defeat the Gaethje machine will be analyzed.

UFC Fight Night takes place on Saturday, September 14, 2019. This event will be held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS EPISODE:

• Bad matchups
• Ortega vs Holloway
• Khabib vs McGregor
• Products of the UFC ranking system
• Cowboy’s motivation
• Damage, a motivation
• Cowboy’s KO of Gaethje
• Size, and stopping a pressure fighter

Links and Resources:

• Khabib Nurmagomedov
• Conor McGregor
• Donald Cerrone
• Stephen Thompson
• Bian Ortega
• Darren Till
• Justin Gaethje
• Max Holloway

In this episode, host Roberto Diaz and his co-host Joe Soto look into the destination for UFC 242, Abu Dabhi, and why it matters. Plus, a closer look will be taken at the Khabib and Dustin fighter perspectives, the baggage, and the legitimacy of the belts. The central and key areas of this fight will also be explored.

UFC 242 takes place on Saturday September 7, 2019. This event will be held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS EPISODE:

• The importance of Abu Dhabi
• The evolution of MMA
• Pressures to perform
• Champion legitamacy
• Taking it from the champion
• Going deep with a grappler
• Fight strategy
• Who’s fight is it to lose

Links and Resources:

• Khabib Nurmagomedov
• Dustin Poirier
• Abu Dhabi
• Dubai
• Conor McGregor
• Al Iaquinta
• Korean Zombie
• Justin Gaethje
• Max Holloway

In this episode, host Roberto Diaz and his co-host Joe Soto explore the UFC Rankings, who’s involved, and why it matters. Plus, we’ll take a closer look at women in MMA, their rise, their standing and their outlook. The fight between the 6th ranked Weili Zhang and the women’s strawweight champion Jessica Andrade, will also be explored.

UFC Fight Night takes place on Saturday August 31, 2019. This event will be held in Shenzhen Shi, China.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS EPISODE:

• Who’s in the ranking panel
• Rankings vs matchmakers
• Chris Cyborg
• A growing segment of fighters
• Appealing and boring fights
• What to expect
• Weili Zhang’s case
• Jessica’s pressure

Links and Resources:

• Jessica Andrade
• Weili Zhang
• Chris Cyborg
• Ronda Rousey
• Eddie Pappani
• Kayla Harrison
• Ilima-Lei MacFarlane
• Rose Namajunas
• Valentina Shevchenko
• UFC Rankings Panel

In this episode, host Roberto Diaz and his co-host Joe Soto explore what makes ex-football players viable in MMA, what makes them contenders, and why we watch. Plus, we’ll take a closer look at how these ex-football players have fared, who’s doing well, and who didn’t do well. The redo of the Matt Mitrione and Sergei Kharitonov fight for Bellator 225 will also be explored.

Bellator 225 takes place on Saturday August 24, 2019. This event will be held in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS EPISODE:

• Why Football players
• What make football players unique
• Successful football players in MMA
• Football player failures in MMA
• Backgrounds for success
• Getting hit in the goods
• Football player mentality
• Matts skillset
• Sergei’s game

Links and Resources:

• Matt Mitrione
• Sergei Kharitonov
• Javy Ayala
• Eryk Anders
• Greg Hardy
• Brock Lesnar
• Bob Sapp
• Vitaly Minakov
• Bellator 225

In this episode, host Roberto Diaz and his co-host Joe Soto take a closer look at fighters that are bigger than the champions, and fighters who personify the fight game. The Diaz brand, and who Nate Diaz is will be explored, as well as what to expect in his fight with the former champion Anthony Pettis, and what Nate must overcome to be successful.

UFC 241 takes place on Saturday August 17, 2019. This event will be held in Anaheim, California.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS EPISODE:

• The real main event
• The Ultimate Fighter 5
• Who’s Nate Diaz
• Watchable fighters
• Nate’s absence, Anthony’s road
• Nate’s best friend
• Size, speed, and grit
• What to expect

Links and Resources:

• Nate Diaz
• Anthony Pettis
• Nick Diaz
• Jon Jones
• UFC 241
• Daniel Cormier
• Stipe Miocic
• TUF 5

In this episode, host Roberto Diaz and his co-host Joe Soto take a closer look at PPV cards, and those that are not, and how it can affect the champions fighting on those cards. Retaining the belt, and how difficult it is to defend a title will be explored. Also, the fight between Valentina Shevchenko and Liz Carmouche, does Liz have a chance, and what is it, that can give her the win.

UFC Fight Night takes place on Saturday August 10, 2019. This event will be held in Montevideo, Uruguay.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS EPISODE:

• Fight Night for a Champion
• An opportunity for Liz
• Defending a title
• Not being on/off days
• Being on/Nothing can go wrong
• Last Chance
• Toughness vs skills
• A fight plan

Links and Resources:

• Liz Carmouche
• Valentina Shevchenko
• Jon Jones
• Jessica Eye
• Joanna Jedrzejczyk
• Bohemian Rhapsody
• Ronda Rousey
• Miesha Tate
• Sarah Kaufman
• Marloes Coenen

For UFC Fight Night, host Roberto Diaz and his co-host Joe Soto take a closer look at the main event fight between the number two ranked Colby Covington and the former welterweight champion Robbie Lawler. Colby is trying to regain championship status after being stripped of his interim title, and Robbie tries to get back into the win column after losing two consecutive fights.

In the Aftermath, the Jon Jones – Thiago Santos fight is revisited. Jon’s close fight, Thiago’s one leg loss.

UFC Fight Night is scheduled for Saturday, August 3, 2019, and will take place in Newark, New Jersey here in the states. For this fight, Roberto and Joe will take a closer look at the histories, numbers, sizes, fighting styles and discuss the strengths and weaknesses, and options for these fighters.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS EPISODE:

• Walking the talk
• Size and power
• Resume of fighters/Experience
• Endurance
• Styles of fighters
• Speed/quickness
• Athlete vs fighter
• Strategies for fighters
• Who wins
• The Aftermath, Jon’s close fight, Thiago’s one leg loss

Links and Resources:

• Jon Jones
• Colby Covington
• Robbie Lawler
• Thiago Santos
• Tyron Woodley
• Rafael Dos Anjos
• Ben Askren
• Strikeforce
• UFC 239

In this episode, host Roberto Diaz and his co-host Joe Soto take a closer look at the path of redemption. For the UFC 240 card, the main and co-main events are both headlined by fighters that are coming off big losses. Max will be defending his title after losing to Dustin Poirier, and Cyborg will attempt to win again after a devastating loss to Amanda Nunes. The significance of these losses, what they mean, how they affect the fighters will be discussed. Also, losing by mistakes and losing to better fighters will be explored, as well as how mistakes happen, split-second mistakes, how soon they’re recognized, and if they should be corrected.

UFC 240 takes place on Saturday July 27, 2019. This even will be held in Edmonton, Canada.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS EPISODE:

• Max Holloway defends title after loss
• Cris Cyborg determined to win after loss
• Mindset and expectations
• Mistakes, split-second ones, fight mode
• Losing streaks
• Handling losses
• Skill loss
• Getting back to the cage after a loss
• Particular mistakes, and losing to an equal
• Facing opponents after a defeat

Links and Resources:

• Max Holloway
• Cris Cyborg
• Frankie Edgar
• Felicia Spencer
• UFC 240
• Joe Warren
• Brett Johns
• Dustin Poirier
• Amanda Nunes

In this episode, host Roberto Diaz and his co-host Joe Soto take a closer look at International Fight Week. Both the fan and fighter perspectives will be explored, including the weigh-ins, the UFC Hall of Fame, and the T-Mobile arena experience. Earthquakes, TV omissions and the knockout of Ben Askren will also be discussed.

International Fight week took place in Las Vegas, Nevada from July 3 to July 7, 2019.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS EPISODE:

• Earthquakes
• Weigh-ins
• UFC Hall of Fame
• Meeting the Schmo
• Meeting Tony Ferguson
• Meeting Eryk Anders
• VIP Tables and Lounges
• Ben Askren’s knockout
• Things that are not televised

Links and Resources:

• International Fight Week
• UFC 239
• UFC Hall of Fame
• The Schmo
• Tony Ferguson
• Eryk Anders
• Ben Askren
• Jorge Masvidal

In this episode, host Roberto Diaz and his co-host Joe Soto take a closer look at what it takes to make a comeback. With Urijah Faber coming back from retirement, we’ll look at why someone like Urijah, who seems financially comfortable, puts the gloves back on and tries to resurrect his career. We’ll also look at the difficulties in juggling a fighting career with being a parent, and how Julianna who took time off to become a parent, approaches her fights going forward. We’ll also explore making tough decisions, what it takes to polish up after years of no combat, changing careers, and where Urijah and Julianna fit in the current bantamweight divisions.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS EPISODE:

• Making tough decisions
• Changing careers
• Motivating factors
• Parenting and fighting
• Mindset changes
• Polishing up/Experience
• Making a comeback
• Better fighter, or not

Links and Resources:

• Urijah Faber
• Julianna Pena
• Ricky Simon
• Nicco Montano
• UFC Bantamweight Rankings