The Cornermen: Recent Episodes
Owen Reynolds
Owen Reynolds, Conner Hepting, and Aidan Thomas bring you topics, analysis, and reactions on all things UFC.
We're back! Its been a couple of months but the boys are back to preview UFC 276. This fight card is absolutely stacked and has potential to be one of the best in the history of the sport.
Sean O'Malley kicks off the Pay-Per-View once again against Pedro Munhoz. This will be O'Malley's first fight as a ranked bantamweight and a win could catapult him into the top 10 of one of the toughest divisions in the UFC.
4 middleweight contender Sean Strickland will look to extend his 6 fight win streak against former GLORY kickboxing champion Alex Pereira. This fight could very well be a title eliminator with Strickland's run of success and Pereira's history with current champion Israel Adesanya.
The co-main event features a trilogy fight between featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski and former champ Max Holloway. The first two fights were close decision wins for Volkanovski, but a third fight seemed necessary to determine who is the best at 145 pounds. Volkanovski carries a 21 fight win streak into this matchup while Holloway should be extra motivated to regain the title.
Finally, middleweight gold is on the line as Israel Adesanya welcomes Jared Cannonier to the main event. Izzy looks to remain unbeaten at 185 pounds and for his 5th successful title defense. Cannonier is coming off an incredible knockout of Derek Brunson and will look to pull off the major upset on Saturday night.
Thanks for tuning in! This should be an incredible night of fights and we hope you enjoy the show as well as all the action this weekend. See you next time!
The boys are back to preview UFC 273, which should bring another fantastic night of fights this Saturday April 9th.
First up in today's episode, we break down Khamzat Chimaev's return to the Octagon as he will face former welterweight title challenger Gilbert Burns. This will be Chimaev's toughest test in his young UFC career but he remains a massive betting favorite heading into Saturday.
The co-main event features a rematch between Aljamain Sterling and Petr Yan for the undisputed bantamweight title. Sterling won the first fight after Yan was disqualified for an illegal knee. Their rivalry and the anticipation for the rematch as only intensified since last May. Yan looked great in his last fight, while Sterling has yet to enter the octagon since the first matchup.
Finally, the main event pits featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski against longtime contender, Chan Sung Jung, better known as "The Korean Zombie." Volkanovski will look to extend his winning streak to an incredible 22 fights in a row, including a 3rd title defense. Zombie finds himself with another opportunity to attain UFC gold, his first coming back in 2013 against Jose Aldo. The long time UFC veteran will look to pull off a huge upset and become the new featherweight champ.
Our predictions come at the end of today's episode. No spoilers, take a listen to find out. They will be posted to Twitter on fight day (@Cornermen_Pod). Enjoy the episode, enjoy the fight card on Saturday and we'll be back to recap everything next week.
UFC 272 went down in Las Vegas, Nevada and was headlined by Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington. Here is our recap.
Greg Hardy suffered another defeat at the hands of Sergei Spivac. Spivac made quick work of the former football star and finished him in the first round. News has recently come out that Greg Hardy has been released by the UFC.
Kevin Holland made his welterweight debut against Alex "Cowboy" Oliveira and overcame some early adversity to secure a second round finish. After a rough first round, Holland rebounded nicely to open the second, landing a big right hand which led to the stoppage. All the guys love Holland's move to welterweight and think it will suit his fighting style well going forward.
Bryce "Thug Nasty" Mitchell made his long awaited return to the octagon, fighting for the first time since October 2020. He took on Edson Barboza, what many thought would be his toughest test to date. Mitchell dominated from start to finish, using his superior wrestling and grappling skills to secure 4 takedowns and accumulate 11:28 of control time. His wrestling ability presents a tough test for any featherweight contender. This performance has Bryce poised to keep climbing the rankings at featherweight and make a run for the title.
The co-main event saw Rafael Dos Anjos take on late replacement Renato Moicano who stepped in on five days notice to keep this fight together. Dos Anjos dominated Moicano in a rare non main event, non title 5 round bout using his wrestling to secure 5 takedowns and over 13 minutes of control time. Many people argue that the damage Moicano took in this fight warranted a stoppage but to his credit he displayed great heart and ended up winning the fifth round. Dos Anjos earned his 20th UFC victory and made a statement to the lightweight division with a fantastic performance.
Finally, the main event between Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal was the culmination of a friendship turned bitter rivalry. The fight itself was very one sided, Covington using, you guessed it, dominant wrestling to wear down Masvidal. Colby even outstruck the dangerous Masvidal, who did land a big right hand in the 4th round that wobbled Covington. However, he couldn't capitalize on it and was once again faced with Covington's relentless pace and pressure for the remainder of the fight. A whopping 16 minutes of control time from 6 takedowns told the story in this one.
After the recap, the guys touch on this weekend's (3/19) UFC London card which features English stars such as Arnold Allen, Paddy Pimblett, and Tom Aspinall.
We will be back in the next few weeks to preview UFC 273, headlined by the featherweight title fight between Alexander Volkanovski and "The Korean Zombie" Chan Sung Jung.
After missing last week's show due to technical difficulties, The Cornermen are back to recap UFC 271.
Jared Cannonier got a huge win over Derek Brunson, knocking him out in the second round. With this victory, Cannonier sets himself up for a title fight with middleweight champ Israel Adesanya.
In the co-main event, Tai Tuivasa pulled off the upset with an emphatic win over Derrick Lewis. After such an impressive performance over a top 5 contender, Tuivasa has moved to #3 in the heavyweight rankings.
The main event at UFC 271 saw Israel Adesanya defeat Robert Whittaker via unanimous decision. In a rematch of a fight from 2019, Whittaker proved to be much more effective but could not dethrone the champion as Adesanya did enough to retain his belt.
To finish off today's show, the guys discuss this weekend's main event between Islam Makhachev and Bobby Green. After Beneil Dariush dropped out with a leg injury, Bobby Green stepped in to face Makhachev just a few days after his win at UFC 271. Makhachev will look to continue his push towards the lightweight title while Green will look to shock the world and earn the biggest win of his career.
Thanks for listening everybody! We'll be back next week to preview UFC 272.
UFC 270 in Anaheim, California played host to two incredible title fights. The first saw Brandon Moreno and Deveison Figueiredo in a trilogy fight for the flyweight title. Figueiredo avenged his loss to Moreno last June to reclaim the belt with a unanimous decision victory. The guys discuss why they think the judges sided with Figgy as well as the potential for a fourth fight between these two.
The main event featured one of the most anticipated UFC heavyweight title fights in recent memory. Knockout sensation Francis Ngannou put his belt on the line against undefeated former teammate Ciryl Gane. For the first time in his career, Ngannou won a decision, using an incredible combination of grappling and ground control time to tire out Gane and retain the championship. The guys discuss just how unlikely this outcome truly was and how Francis has shown his evolution into a complete martial artist. In addition, they guys debate Ngannou's future with the UFC due to his contract disputes with the company as well as an overall discussion about fighter pay. Is the UFC willing to lose one of its biggest PPV stars? Will this spark change for UFC fighters and the way they are compensated? Lots of interesting topics to discuss and debate as we see this clash play out in the public eye.
On next week's show, the guys will preview UFC 271 and the rematch between middleweight champion Israel Adesanya and former champ Robert Whittaker. Conner went 2-0 in his UFC 270 predictions, Aidan went 1-1 and Owen went 0-2 to start off 2022. Enjoy the episode and we'll see you next week!
Happy New Year everybody! The Cornermen are back for season 2 of the podcast. In today's episode, the guys discuss Calvin Kattar's dominant victory over Giga Chikadze, which has put him right back in the title picture at 145 pounds.
In addition, we preview the first PPV of the year, UFC 270, which will feature two title fights. Francis Ngannou puts his heavyweight belt on the line against Ciryl Gane and Brandon Moreno will face Deiveson Figueiredo in a trilogy fight for the flyweight world title. These fights will take place this weekend in Anaheim, California
Finally, we finished the show with a super fun segment, giving our predictions for 2022. All three of the guys give some of their boldest predictions as well as which fighters in each weight class will hold the belt at the end of this year.
Super fun way to kick off 2022 for The Cornermen podcast. We are super pumped for the fights this weekend, and all of the exciting matchups that we will see this year. Enjoy the fights and enjoy the show!
Episode 22 of The Cornermen podcast brings you a recap of UFC 269, the final Pay-Per-View event of 2021. This card had so many awesome fights up and down the card, proving to be one of the most balanced cards in recent memory.
Fan favorite Tai Tuivasa delivered another iconic performance for the Las Vegas fans, knocking out Augusto Sakai followed up by his signature Shoey celebration. He moves to #11 in the heavyweight rankings with this win.
Dominick Cruz showed his championship heart against Pedro Munhoz on Saturday, dominating the final two rounds after being hurt badly in the opening 5 minutes. Cruz is now ranked #7 at bantamweight, setting up some very interesting potential matchups atop the division.
“Suga” Sean O’Malley knocked out Raulian Paiva in the first round to move into second place all time for knockouts among UFC bantamweights. He also moved into the top 15 for the first time in his career. The guys discuss what might be next for the Suga Show.
Kai Kara France stole the show with an epic 1st round KO over Cody Garbrandt. The City Kickboxing Product says it’s now title shot or bust, while Garbrandt will be searching for answers after falling well short in his flyweight debut.
Geoff Neal got back in the win column with a split decision victory over Santiago Ponzinibbio. All the guys agree that Neal has the potential to be dangerous at the top of the welterweight division but he needs to be more aggressive and look to finish fights.
The unthinkable happened in the co-main event as Julianna Peña submitted Amanda Nunes in the 2nd round, handing Nunes her first loss since 2014. The challenger went toe to toe with the GOAT and shocked the world becoming bantamweight champion. An immediate rematch is expected.
And finally, Charles Oliveira successfully defended his title against Dustin Porier with a 3rd round submission. Porier looked good early, but like so many of Oliveira’s opponents, he couldn’t withstand the champions grappling and jiu-jitsu. Oliveira is now tied with Donald Cerrone for most finishes in UFC history, while Porier will have some tough decisions to make regarding his fighting future.
Pay Per View season is officially over for 2021 but there will be a few more fight cards to wrap up the year. We’ll be back soon to recap our favorite moments from this year and make some predictions for 2022. Thanks for listening this year everybody!
We are back after an extended break to preview UFC 269! Conner and Owen discuss each fight on Saturday's main card and give their thoughts on the final PPV of 2021.
Sean O'Malley returns to the Octagon in a matchup with #15 ranked Raulian Paiva. O'Malley once again will kick off the main card and look to jump into the top 15 with another victory.
Cody Garbrandt will make his flyweight debut as he faces #6 ranked Kai Kara-France. After a tumultuous last few years, the former bantamweight champion will look to start fresh with a win in his new weight class.
Top 15 welterweights clash as Geoff Neal and Santiago Ponzinibbio will meet. Neal has lost his last two fights against stiff competition while Ponzinibbio is 1-1 since returning from a 3 year layoff earlier this year.
Amanda Nunes will put her 13 fight win streak on the line as she will defend her Bantamweight title for the 6th time, this time against Julianna Pena. Pena has been outspoken in the buildup to this fight that she feels she can expose Nunes' weaknesses. The guys debate wether she is the one to finally dethrone the greatest women's fighter of all time.
Finally, an awesome main event between Charles Oliveira and Dustin Porier will determine supremacy in the lightweight division. Two men who have done it all in the UFC will meet as Oliveira will defend his title for the first time. Dustin Porier has another chance to become the undisputed champ and finally cement his legacy as an all time great in the UFC.
Enjoy the fights everyone, we'll be back next week to recap all the action!
Episode 20! Can’t believe it’s been that many but here we are. On today’s show we recap the madness at UFC 268. The card delivered and then some. Tune in to hear the guys talk about 6 straight knockouts to finish the prelims, fight of the year candidate between Chandler vs Gaethje, and both champions retaining their belts.
It’s also Max Holloway fight week. Max fights this Saturday (November 13th) against Yair Rodriguez. Rodriguez is coming off of a two year lay off while Holloway looks to backup his record break performance in January against Calvin Kattar. The former featherweight champ comes in as a massive favorite and will mostly like get a third shot at Alexander Volkanovski with a win.
We touch on some other UFC news to wrap things up and put a bow on a run of awesome PPV events. Thanks for listening for the past 20 episodes everybody. We can’t wait for the next 20!
It’s Episode 19 of The Cornermen podcast and it’s one of our biggest yet. In today’s show we recap last weekend’s action at UFC 267 as well as preview one of the most anticipated cards in UFC history, UFC 268 at Madison Square Garden.
Khamzat Chimaev stole the show at UFC 267 with his dominant submission victory over Li Jiagliang. With his impressive performance, he has catapulted into the title picture at 170 pounds. The guys discuss a possible next opponent and how close he is to fighting for the title.
Petr Yan reminded everyone just how dominant he can be with a decision victory over Cory Sandhagen to claim the interim Bamtamweight title. Sandhagen performed well but Yan proved to be on another level. The guys break down his mid-fight adjustments and look ahead to his rematch with Aljamain Sterling.
Finally Glover Teixiera become the oldest first time UFC champion with a submission victory over Jan Blachowicz. Seven years after this first and only other title shot, Glover gets the belt.
UFC 268 this weekend has the potential to be one of the greatest fight cards in recent memory. Two title fight rematches, a fan favorite fight, and plenty of other exciting matchups
We start with Justin Gaethje vs Micheal Chandler which will act as a number 1 contender fight at Lightweight. Both of these men love to finish fights so this one should be exciting. The guys discuss who has the edge, which guys is under more pressure, and make their predictions.
The first title fight features Rose Namajunas and Zhang Weili who will face off in a rematch after Namajunas won the title in spectacular fashion back in April. On paper, this is as even as a matchup can get in the UFC. Can Zhang bounce back after her 21 fight win streak was broken? Will Rose make it two in a row against her new rival?
Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington will matchup yet again in the main event. After defeating Covington by TKO in November 2019, Usman has defended his welterweight title 3 more times since then. Meanwhile, Covington has been itching for a rematch since that night. The guys debate if Usman can be beaten given his improved striking, outstanding wrestling, and championship experience. Will Covington finally be the one to take over the division? Tune in to hear our thoughts.
Thanks for listening everyone! We’re pumped for these fights and can’t wait to recap all the action in our next show! Till then, enjoy the fights!
On today's episode, The Cornermen look ahead to this weekend's (Oct. 30) card which features two title fights and some big time contenders in action.
To start the show, we discuss Marvin Vettori's victory over Paulo Costa. In a week that started off with a middleweight (185lbs) main event, issues with Costa's weight pushed this fight all the way up to a light heavyweight (205lbs) fight. Lots of props to Vettori who didn't let the drama bother him and put on a great performance on fight night.
UFC 267 kicks off a string of PPV events that all feature incredibly stacked fight cards. As always, we focus on top 3 fight on the main card and give our thoughts and predictions. To kick things off, we discuss a fan favorite matchup between Dan Hooker and Islam Makhachev. Hooker will be fighting in his second fight in just over a month, stepping in for Rafael dos Anjos. Makhachev brings a 20-1 record into this fight as he moves closer to a title shot with each victory.
The first of two title fights features Petr Yan and Cory Sandhagen who will fight for the Interim bantamweight title as Aljamain Sterling recovers from injury. Yan will fight for the first time since his bout with Sterling where he was DQ'd after an illegal knee. Sandhagen enters off a loss to TJ Dillashaw but many believe he is just as deserving of this Interim title shot after a razor thin decision loss against the former two time champ.
Finally, the light heavyweight title is on the line as champion Jan Blachowicz defends his belt against Glover Teixeira. Blachowicz looks to make his second successful title defense after defeating Israel Adesanya in March. On the other hand, Teixeira will fight for the belt for the first time since April of 2014. Both men enter on 5 fight win streaks in what should be a firefight from the opening bell.
Enjoy the fights this weekend everybody. If you have an ESPN+ account, they are free to watch. We'll be back to break it all down next week and preview the UFC's return to Madison Square Garden for UFC 268.
Welcome back to Episode 17! On today's show, we recap the crazy action from UFC 266. The guys discuss Nick Diaz's return to the Octagon after more than six years to face an old foe, Robbie Lawler. Even with such a long layoff, Diaz looked pretty good and kept the fight competitive through two rounds. However, Lawler's power and speed proved to be too much, earning him an early 3rd round TKO.
Valentina Schevchenko continued her run of dominance with an impressive TKO victory over Lauren Murphy. The guys debate wether she should stay at 125 pounds and take on the next group of challengers, or face Amanda Nunes in what would be an epic trilogy fight.
Finally, the main event between Alexander Volkanovski and Brian Ortega for the featherweight title did not disappoint. A back and forth battle which saw Volkanovski nearly submitted not once but twice, Ortega nearly finished late in the third, and a slugfest in the fifth between two incredible fighters. All the guys agree this should be on the short list for fight of the year. Featherweights come through once again.
To wrap things up, we take a look ahead to the rest of 2021 and outline the upcoming fight cards. The next few PPV events are incredibly stacked from top to bottom. Former main event fighters and title challengers have been pushed back to the prelims because of how many good fights there are. As always we'll bring you our previews and predictions for these fights as they come along. We can't wait for what should be an exciting last couple months of the year. See ya next time.
The Cornermen are back!! Our first episode in nearly a month looks at UFC 266, which takes place Saturday September 25th in Las Vegas. As always, we preview the PPV event focusing on the top 3 fights on the card.
Nick Diaz makes his long awaited return to the Octagon after more than 6 years away from the sport. He will face former welterweight champion Robbie Lawler in a rematch more than 17 years after their first fight. Anytime a Diaz brother enters the Octagon, it is must see TV.
Valentina Shevchenko looks for her 6th consecutive title defense as she faces Lauren Murphy for the women's flyweight championship. She will look to add another highlight to her impressive career as she chases Amanda Nunes for GOAT status.
Finally, the featherweight title is on the line as champion Alexander Volkanovski meets former title challenger Brian Ortega for the 145 pound strap. An interesting matchup and clash of styles should provide an exciting fight. The two also bring some animosity to the cage after coaching on The Ultimate Fighter this summer.
We're so happy to be back discussing another stacked PPV card. We hope you all enjoy the episode and the fights on Saturday. We'll be back real soon to recap the action and see what next in the UFC.
THIS IS PART 1. SOME TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES FORCED TODAY'S EPISODE TO BE SPLIT INTO TWO PARTS. STAY TUNED FOR PART 2.
Can't believe this is our 15th episode but here we are! The Cornermen are back to discuss last weekend's main event between Kelvin Gastelum and Jared Cannonier as well as to preview this weekend's featherweight bout between Giga Chikadze and Edson Barboza.
To begin today's show, the guys recapped Jared Cannonier's unanimous decision victory over Kelvin Gastelum. An entertaining fight from start to finish, Cannonier used effective footwork and impressive takedown defense to get the better of Gastelum. As always, the guys debated what could be next for both of these fighters. With the majority of the top 10 middleweights already scheduled to fight, #3 contender Cannonier might have to wait until things play out at the top of the division or fight a lower ranked fighter to stay active. For Gastelum, his record does not necessarily reflect his ability. He has consistently fought fighters in the top 5, and has had many close decision losses. Perhaps a fight with an up and coming prospect could get him back to winning ways.
The main focus of today's show is the featherweight main event between #10 Giga Chikadze and #9 Edson Barboza. which takes place this Saturday (28th) All three of the guys have been eagerly awaiting this fight and agree that it has fight of the year potential. Once again, the styles make the fight. Both men are world class strikers who are not afraid to stand and trade. In addition, both fighters have highlight reel knockouts with their kicks, meaning either man could go to sleep at any point. This fight epitomizes the skill of the featherweight division. The guys have discussed on many episodes why featherweights are so exciting and a matchup like this is certain to prove that.
The expectations for an all-time fight are high but we believe these guys are the ones to deliver. Hope you enjoy the show and all of the fights on Saturday. Until next time.
Episode 14 of The Cornermen podcast is here and the guys break down all the exciting action from UFC 265 in Houston, Texas. Like with our preview episode, this week's show focuses on the top 3 fights from the main card.
We start things off with Vincente Luque's surprise submission win over Michael Chiesa. The guys discuss how Luque was able to secure the win, and just how well rounded of a fighter he is. Of course, we look ahead at possible matchups for both fighters, with Luque inching closer to a title shot with every win.
Up next, we look at a vintage performance from Jose Aldo in his win over Pedro Munhoz. The guys break down Aldo's slick boxing work, his incredible speed, and agree that he has cemented himself as a true bantamweight contender. A potential matchup against Cory Sandhagen has the guys very excited.
Finally, the guys talk about Ciryl Gane's KO victory over Derrick Lewis to become the Interim Heavyweight Champion and set up a unification fight with Francis Ngannou. Lots of talk about what makes Gane such a difficult opponent at Heavyweight and if he has a chance to become the undisputed champ in just his 11th professional fight.
Thanks for listening. See ya next time.
UFC 265 is this Saturday in Houston which means the Cornermen are back to preview another stacked Pay-Per-View event. As always, the guys will focus on the main card, give their thoughts on the various matchups, and predict a winner for each fight.
To kick things off, the guys discuss an intriguing welterweight matchup between submission artist Michael Chiesa and Brazilian finisher Vincente Luque. This classic striker vs grappler matchup has huge title implications at 170 pounds. The winner of this fight could need only one more victory to fight for UFC gold.
In the co-main event, former featherweight champ José Aldo makes his 4th appearance at bantamweight as he takes on #9 Pedro Munhoz. Both men bring elite striking to the table, making this fight a potential fight of the night candidate. Another top 10 matchup in the UFC means both fighters are looking to catapult themselves into the title picture.
Finally, the UFC Interim Heavyweight Championship is on the line as hometown favorite Derrick Lewis will take on undefeated prospect Ciryl Gane. The guys give their thoughts on the interim title situation, which fighter has the advantage in this matchup, and who they would rather see take on Francis Ngannou for the undisputed title. Also, Stipe Miocic’s name comes up as the guys give their takes on where Stipe fits in at the top of the heavyweight division.
Thanks for listening everyone! We hope you enjoy the episode and the fights on Saturday!
Welcome back to The Cornermen podcast Episode 12! We know it's been a while since our last episode but we are back to recap the last 3 fight cards in the UFC.
We start off with our takes on Islam Makhachev and his impressive submission win over Thiago Moises. Aidan and Owen break down Islam's fighting style, how he has become Khabib's protege, and his emergence in the top 5 in the lightweight rankings. Lots of discussion on Islam's potential next opponent as well. Both Dan Hooker and Rafael dos Anjos have been active on Twitter calling out the young Russian. The guys discuss those matchups along with a potential fight with #3 Beneil Dariush. Former title challenger Michael Chandler was also brought up as a potential opponent for Makhachev but he has been scheduled to fight former Interim Champion Justin Gaethje in November.
Moving right along, the guys discuss TJ Dillashaw's return to the Octagon after his 2 year suspension for PEDs. Even after such a long lay-off, Dillashaw looked super impressive, earning a split decision win against #2 bantamweight contender Cory Sandhagen. This fight provided non-stop action from start to finish, leaving the judges with an extremely tough decision to decide the winner. The guys both agreed that Sandhagen's stock has not dropped even with a loss and that he remains one fight away from a title shot. On the other hand, Dillashaw has jumped to #2 in the rankings and will most likely fight for the title in his next fight.
Finally, the guys recap this past weekend's main event between Sean Strickland and Uriah Hall. Strickland set a middleweight record for strikes landed, along with 4 takedowns, earning him a unanimous decision victory. This is Strickland's 5th victory in a row, and extends his record to 4-0 since his move up to middleweight last year. He will most likely move into the top 10 and have a long list of potential opponents that could catapult him closer to the title.
Thanks for listening everyone! We will be back very soon with another episode to preview this Saturday's Pay Per View event headlined by the Interim Heavyweight Championship between Derrick Lewis and Ciryl Gane. Lots to discuss and lots to look forward to as always. See you soon.
Welcome back everyone! It's been a while since we've posted a new episode, but we are back to recap UFC 264 and the madness that unfolded during the UFC's return to T-Mobile Arena.
In today's show, we give our thoughts on all five fights from last Saturday's main card. We discuss Sean O'Malley's record breaking performance as well as Kris Moutinho's superhuman chin during his UFC debut.
We also talk about Irene Aldana's impressive knockout win, Tai "Bam Bam" Tuivasa's early finish, the best celebration in sports, and our opinions on Greg Hardy.
Unfortunately, the co-main event between Gilbert Burns and Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson did not play out the way many expected. Both fighters seemed tentative to throw big strikes and Burns was able to secure the victory with takedowns and ground control.
The bulk of this week's episode obviously focuses on the trilogy fight between Dustin Porier and Conor McGregor. We all had plenty of thoughts on numerous aspects of this fight, including our takes on the first round, how each fighter looked, and of course the disappointing way in which the fight finished. We also talked about what point during the fight McGregor might have first damaged his ankle/leg and what the rest of the fight might have looked like had it continued.
To wrap it up, we looked at what's next for both Porier and McGregor. It looks like Porier will now fight Charles Oliveira for the Lightweight Championship while McGregor will have to heal up and regroup. We each give our thoughts on McGregor's commitment to fighting, wether he can fight consistently against championship level competition, and the possibility of a 4th fight with Porier or a trilogy with Nate Diaz.
All in all another great night of fights and some more great topics of discussion for our show. Thanks to everyone who listened to our preview show and we hope you all enjoy this one as well. Stay tuned for Episode 12 coming soon!
Episode 10! Our biggest episode yet! The Cornermen are back in studio to preview the UFC"s next Pay-Per-View event, which will be headlined by the trilogy fight between Dustin Porier and Conor McGregor. The guys have been looking forward to this fight for months and are super excited to preview it in this week's show.
Once again, the focus of this episode is the main card, with a specific interest in the 3 most high profile fights:
Sean O'Malley vs Louis Smolka
Gilbert Burns vs Stephen Thompson
Dustin Porier vs Conor McGregor
"Suga" Sean O'Malley comes into his fight with Louis Smolka as one of the biggest names in the UFC, even without a ranking in the top 15 at bantamweight. The guys discuss his unique, exciting fighting style and his potential to reach superstar status if he continues to put on impressive performances. The guys also look ahead to which ranked opponent O'Malley might face if he defeats Smolka on July 10th.
The co-main event features an extremely intriguing stylistic matchup between top 5 welterweights Gilbert Burns and Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson. Burns will look to rebound after his loss to Kamaru Usman earlier this year while Thompson will look to complete a second run at the title after his 2 championship fights with former champion Tyron Woodley back in 2016 and 2017. Thompson's karate style gives many of his opponents problems but he will have to be sharp against Burns' power and skills on the ground.
Finally, the main event between Dustin Porier and Conor McGregor will cap off an incredible trilogy between the two men. With the score at 1-1, this fight will prove who is the better fighter and worthy of a shot at the lightweight title. The guys breakdown their thoughts on the fight back in January and what adjustments both men need to make in order to have the edge in July. The guys also debate which fighter has more to lose and how this trilogy will impact both men's legacy.
We cannot wait for this fight card to take place! We hope you enjoy the show and are as pumped up about these fights as we are! We'll be back soon to give our predictions on these fights and a few others that have the potential to be electrifying matchups. See you all soon.
The Cornermen are back again this week to recap UFC 263 in our 9th episode! This past weekend's Pay-Per-View delivered in a major way all throughout the fight card. As we did in last week's episode, the guys put their focus on recapping the final three fights of the main card.
Nate Diaz vs Leon Edwards went how many expected: a unanimous decision victory for Edwards. However, Diaz grabbed every headline as he made a near-miracle comeback in the 5th round after getting outclassed for over 20 minutes. The guys give their thoughts on this crazy sequence as well as which fighter's stock rose more after their respective performance.
In the co-main event we saw the flyweight belt change hands as Brandon Moreno submitted Deveison Figueiredo to become the UFC's first Mexican born champion. The guys really focused on Moreno's aggressiveness in this rematch, noting that he seemed supremely confident he could dethrone the champion. In addition, the guys break down how big of a star Moreno could become, potentially bringing in an entire new fanbase while displaying his massive talent on a worldwide stage. Finally, a potential trilogy fight is discussed amongst The Cornermen and the further development of this flyweight rivalry.
Our final topic this week dealt with the main event, which saw Israel Adesanya beat Marvin Vettori to retain his middleweight title. This fight also played out similar to many's expectations, as Izzy made Vettori look foolish on the feet with the Italian marching forward looking to take Adesanya to the ground at every opportunity. Adesanya did a great job of staying composed under Vettori's pressure and stuffed 10 of Marvin's 14 takedowns. Some fiery takes and debate went down on today's show regarding this fight (no spoilers here). After the recap, the guys looked ahead to a potential rematch between Adesanya and Robert Whittaker.
Another awesome weekend of fights in the UFC. Spectacular moments, new champions, and legends developing before our very eyes. We can't wait for the next event and another chance to talk to you all about it. Thanks for listening, see you soon for #10.
The boys are back with another episode! A milestone show this week as all three Cornermen are in studio together for the first time. And what a week to do it! On today's show, the guys discuss UFC 263, the upcoming PPV event which takes place this Saturday June 12th in Arizona. The main focus of today's episode is the top three fights on the main card:
Nate Diaz vs Leon Edwards (welterweight bout)
Deiveson Figueiredo vs Brandon Moreno (flyweight title fight)
Israel Adesanya vs Marvin Vettori (middleweight title fight)
To get things started, the guys discuss Nate Diaz's return to the Octagon after another long layoff. Lots of talk about Nate's star power in the UFC, why he is such a big draw and if he still has what it takes to beat the top names in the division. For Leon, the guys note his impressive win streak and applaud the UFC for finally giving him a big name after so many years. To wrap up this fight, the boys argue wether a shot at the 170 pound title is on the line and if either one of these fighters can jump ahead of Colby Covington to face Kamaru Usman.
In the co-main event, a flyweight rematch will take place between Deiveson Figueiredo and Brandon Moreno after an epic fight in December. The guys break down what makes this fight so difficult to predict and wether a trilogy is likely no matter the outcome.
Finally, another rematch will determine the UFC's middleweight champion. After fighting three years ago, Israel Adesanya and Marvin Vettori will run it back with the belt on the line. Coming off his first career loss in his middle for double champ status, Adesanya will look to continue his dominance at 185 pounds. Vettori has been on an impressive run since his loss to Izzy and has made it all the way to a title fight. The Cornermen discuss the tactics both fighters are likely to use and whose set of skills will win out.
We're super excited for this card and hop you all are as well. Thanks for listening and we'll be back next week to break down all the action!
Welcome back everybody! This week, we're back at full strength to bring the 7th episode of The Cornermen podcast. With no event this past weekend and a few weeks until the next PPV event, the boys talk about some of the recently booked fights within the UFC. Former UFC Featherweight champion Max "Blessed" Holloway has agreed to fight Yair Rodriguez in the main event on July 17th. In the Middleweight division, top 10 contenders will headline back-to-back events as Darren Till will face Derek Brunson on August 14th and Paulo Costa will square off against Jared Cannonier on August 21st.
The guys also discuss a potential Lightweight showdown between Michael Chandler and Justin Gaethje. A little Jon Jones talk and some excitement on the return of The Ultimate Fighter finish off this week's show.
Thanks for listening everybody and we'll be back real soon!
Episode 6! We won't stop! Welcome everyone to another episode of The Cornermen podcast. On this week's show Owen and Aidan break down the UFC's latest Pay-Per-View event, UFC 262. To start off, the guys discuss Charles Oliveira's TKO win over Michael Chandler, which gave him the undisputed lightweight title. The boys break down his numerous UFC records and his potential to become one of the greatest lightweights of all time. A little matchmaking ensues as potential opponents for both Oliveira and Chandler are discussed. The co-main event saw Beneil Dariush claim a decision victory of fan favorite Tony Ferguson. The guys debate his next moves as he has jumped all the way to #3 in the lightweight rankings. The guys also talk about the rest of the main card, which included an impressive performance from Katlyn Chookagian and a hightlight reel show from Edson Barboza.To finish things off, the boys break down this weekend's bantamweight main event between Rob Font and Cody Garbrandt. Thanks for listening everyone, Conner will be back next time so don't you worry. Peace.
Fight fans are you readyyy? Episode 5 is live!!! This week we bring all the good stuff as we preview what's sure to be another epic Pay-Per-View event. UFC 262 goes down this Saturday May 15th in front of a packed house in Texas. The fellas preview the most anticipated fights, including the bout for the vacant Lightweight Championship between Charles Oliveira and Michael Chandler. In addition, former Interim Lightweight champ Tony Ferguson fights in the co-headliner against Beneil Dariush. The guys discuss how these lightweight fights will affect the future of the 155 pound division as well as who the next title challenger should be. Other topics include the future of Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone, Neil Magny's stunning consistency, and some fight predictions from the Cornermen themselves. Five Episodes in the books! Hard to believe. Consider that our first five rounds. You be the judge on how we did. All we can say is we'll be back no matter what to bring some more entertaining UFC content very soon! Thanks for listening, enjoy the show!
We are back! Episode 4 is here and the whole crew is back again. In this week's episode, Owen, Aidan, and Conner break down the jaw dropping and heart wrenching results of the most recent UFC Pay-Per-View event. The guys discuss a couple of freak injuries that kicked off the main card as well as the three title fights, which lived up to all the hype. Some of the topics in today's episode include: Chris Weidman's road to recovery, Valentina Shevchenko's push to become the female GOAT, a possible rematch between Rose and Weili, and if there is any human being on the planet earth that can beat Kamaru Usman.Later in the show, the guys talk about this past weekend's card which featured Dominick Reyes vs Jiri Prochazka as the main event. A couple of really exciting fights peaked the boys' interest as well one of nastiest spinning KO's you'll ever see. Things in the UFC keep getting more exciting. The fights coming up in the next few months are an MMA fan's dream and the possible matchups that could come out of the two most recent events make it even better. We hope you all enjoy Episode 4, we certainly had a blast breaking it all down. See everybody for the next one!
Episode 3 of The Cornermen podcast is here! The gang is back together this week as Conner Hepting returns from his absence last week. Lots of exciting topics as always but the guys focused on a couple major storylines in this episode. First, they...
The Cornermen are back with episode 2! Owen and Aidan break down the madness of UFC 260, including Francis Ngannou's incredible victory of Stipe Miocic, Tyron Woodley's last stand, and Sean O'Malley's masterpiece KO. The guys also discuss the stalled...
Welcome to The Cornermen Podcast! We are a brand new podcast hosted by Owen Reynolds, Conner Hepting, and Aidan Thomas. The guys bring their takes, analysis, and reactions to all things UFC! In our first episode, the guys recap UFC Fight Night: Brunson...