MMA MATH: Recent Episodes
Roberto Diaz and Joe Soto
MMA MATH is a weekly Podcast featuring real fighters, real fights and real discussions with former Featherweight Bellator Champion of the World and former Bantamweight UFC Title Challenger, Joe Soto.
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
For UFC 239, hosts Roberto Diaz and Joe Soto take a closer look at the main event fight between the light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, and the number two ranked challenger, Thiago Santos. Jon will try to defend his belt and continue with his dominant ways at 205 pounds. Thiago is currently on a three fight knockout streak, and is trying to extend that streak by being the first to stop a seemingly unbeatable, Jon Jones.
In the Aftermath, the Tony Ferguson – Donald Cerrone fight is revisited. Tony’s ways, Cerrone’s disruption.
UFC 239 is scheduled for Saturday July 6, 2019, and will take place in Las Vegas, Nevada. 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:
- Size, reach advantage
- Resume of fighters/Experience
- Endurance
- Styles of fighters
- Speed and power
- Styles/Capoeira
- Athlete vs fighter
- Strategies for fighters
- Who wins
- The Aftermath, Tony’s ways/Cerrone’s disruption
Links and Resources:
- Jon Jones
- Thiago Santos
- Anthony Smith
- Alexander Gustafsson
- Daniel Cornier
- Jimi Manuwa
- Capoeira
- Tony Ferguson
- Donald Cerrone
For UFC 239, hosts Roberto Diaz and Joe Soto take a closer look at the main event worthy fight between the number four ranked Jorge Masvidal, and the fifth-ranked Ben Askren. Jorge is trying to capitalize on his popularity after knocking out the former title challenger, Darren Till. Ben is also coming off a big win after defeating the former champion Robbie Lawler, and is trying to remain undefeated. The stakes are high as the winner will most likely get a shot at the title against the current welterweight champion, Kamaru Usman.
In the Aftermath, the Rafael Dos Anjos – Kevin Lee fight is revisited. Rafael’s solution, Kevin Lee’s dilemma.
UFC 239 is scheduled for Saturday July 6, 2019, and will take place in Las Vegas, Nevada. 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:
- Size advantage, history
- Resume of fighters/Experience
- Endurance
- Styles of fighters
- Speed and power
- Standup fight/Wrestling
- Athlete vs fighter
- Strategies for fighters
- Who wins
- The Aftermath, RDA’ solution/Kevin’s dilemma
Links and Resources:
- Jorge Masvidal
- Ben Askren
- Robbie Lawler
- Darren Till
- One Championship
- Bellator
- Rafael Dos Anjos
- Kevin Lee
In this episode, host Roberto Diaz and his co-host Joe Soto take a closer look at what it takes to become a champion. With Henry Cejudo becoming a simultaneous champion in two weight divisions in the UFC, Joe talks about how difficult it is just to become a wrestling champion, how doubt, negative attitudes and people, obstacles and hardships, and fear play a role, and how they are all part of becoming a champion. Henry’s mindset, his composure, and how wrestling has contributed to the champions of the UFC is explored. What makes Henry Cejudo unique, what makes him a winner, and how he might be the first to defend both belts, or even be the first to win a third title in another division.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS EPISODE:
- Doubt and Fear
- Consistency and Composure
- Difficulties and Sacrifices
- Wrestling, a necessity for MMA
- Henry’s Championship rise
- Defending two titles
- Winning a third title
Links and Resources:
- Henry Cejudo
- Daniel Cornier
- Amanda Nunes
- Conor McGregor
For BKFC 6, hosts Roberto Diaz and Joe Soto take a closer look at what Bareknuckle fighting is all about, what makes this a unique sport, and the differences and similarities in comparison to boxing and MMA. The most anticipated fight in the history of this modern era of Bareknuckle Fighting will also be explored. This fight, between the former two-division boxing champion Pauli Malignaggi and the former UFC fighter Artem Lobov, has taken a personal tenor, as Conor McGregor, a team member and friend of Artem Lobov, has released small video segments of a sparring session casting himself as a superior boxer, humiliating the former champion.
BKFC 6 is scheduled for Saturday June 22, 2019, and will take place in Florida, USA. 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:
- Rule comparison to boxing and MMA
- Fighting with no gloves
- Size advantage, history
- Resume of fighters
- Endurance, five two-minute rounds
- Styles of fighters
- Speed and power
- Athlete vs fighter
- Strategies for fighters
- Who wins
Links and Resources:
- Pauli Malignaggi
- Artem Lobov
- Jason Knight
- John "Jack" Broughton
- Miguel Cotto
- Danny Garcia
- Shawn Porter
- Juan Diaz
- Conor McGregor
For UFC 238, hosts Roberto Diaz and Joe Soto take a closer look at the most anticipated fight on this card. The former interim lightweight champion and current number two ranked Tony Ferguson will take on the number four ranked Donald Cerrone. Tony is trying to keep his contender status, trying to secure a possible matchup with the current champion, and Donald is trying to make his case for another championship title shot.
In the Aftermath, the Rose Namajunas – Jessica Andrade fight is revisited. Rose’s mistake, Jessica’s fortune.
UFC 238 is scheduled for Saturday June 8, 2019, and will take place in Chicago, USA. 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:
- Size advantage, history
- Resume of fighters
- Endurance, three rounds vs five rounds
- Styles of fighters
- Speed and power
- Standup fight/grappling
- Athlete vs fighter
- Strategies for fighters
- Who wins
- The Aftermath, Rose’s mistake/Jessica’s fortune.
Links and Resources:
- Donald Cerrone
- Tony Ferguson
- Anthony Pettis
- Kevin Lee
- Dustin Poirier
- Max Holloway
- Alexander Hernandez
- Mike Perry
- Lando Vannata
- Al Iaquinta
For UFC 238, hosts Roberto Diaz and Joe Soto take a closer look at the main event between the current flyweight champion Henry Cejudo, and the number two ranked bantamweight contender Marlon Moraes. Henry is moving up 10 pounds to try to become a double champion, and Marlon Moraes is trying to cap off his 4 fight win streak by claiming the vacant bantamweight title.
In the Aftermath, the Donald Cerrone – Al Iaquinta fight is revisited. Donald Cerrone’s size, Al Iaquinta’s problem.
UFC 238 is scheduled for Saturday June 8, 2019, and will take place in Chicago, USA. 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:
- Size advantage, history
- Resume of fighters
- Endurance, Olympic champion
- Styles of fighters
- Speed and power
- Standup fight/wrestling
- Athlete vs fighter
- Strategies for fighters
- Who wins
- The Aftermath, Cerrone’s size/Iaquinta’s problem
Links and Resources:
- Henry Cejudo
- Marlon Moraes
- TJ Dillashaw
- Demetrious Johnson
- Raphael Assunçao
- Donald Cerrone
- Al Iaquinta
For UFC 233*, hosts Roberto Diaz and Joe Soto take a closer look at the main event and main attraction of this past month. The Joe Rogan Summit is in the works, and with the addition of an undercover investigator, Conor McGregor’s conundrum is deciphered. Brendan has fun at a park and meets a former champion. Another president steps in and the time for the summit is re-scheduled. Luke Thomas is going beyond the transitive property and Harvey Levin's reputation is endangered. The intricacies of the Joe Rogan Summit, the members of the summit, and the historical perspective will be discussed.
In the Aftermath, the show will be revealed in context of what was discussed.
UFC 233* was scheduled for Saturday January 26, but took place in April. This fight occurred on social media, at a park, and at the Joe Rogan studios here in the states. For this fight, Roberto and Joe will take a closer look at the activities of the Summit members, William Shakespeare, and Joe Rogan’s plan.
*Yes, this entire episode is a spoof.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS EPISODE:
- Helwani joins the summit
- MMA Junkie's Tailspin
- Conor’s code talk/inspiration
- New Summit Plans
- Brendan undercover
- Joanna can’t find her belt
- Luke’s 13 days
- Plagiarism/Imposter
- The Aftermath, revelations
Links and Resources:
- Luke Thomas
- Dana White
- Harvey Levin
- Conor McGregor
- William Shakespeare
- Joanna Jedrzejczyk
- Rose Namajunas
- Joe Rogan
- MMA Junkie
- Theodosius III
- Ariel Helwani
- TJ Dillashaw
- Brendan Shaub
- ENRON
For UFC Fight Night, hosts Roberto Diaz and Joe Soto take a closer look at the main event between the former lightweight champion Rafael Dos Anjos, and the number 6th ranked Kevin Lee. Rafael Dos Anjos is trying to cement his ranking as a top five contender, while Kevin Lee is attempting to move up in weight, and take a stand as a competitor in the welterweight division.
In the Aftermath, the Kelvin Gastelum – Israel Adesanya fight is revisited. A durable Adesanya, Gastelum’s mistake, and what about Robert Whittaker.
UFC Fight Night is scheduled for Saturday May 18, 2019, and will take place in Rochester, New York. 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:
- Size advantage, history
- Resume of fighters
- Endurance, championship rounds
- Styles of fighters
- The Kamaru Usman/Colby Covington blue print
- Wrestler/Jiu-jitsu
- Youth vs experience
- Strategies for fighters
- Who wins
- The Aftermath, Adesanya’s revelation/Gastelum’s mistake
Links and Resources:
- Rafael Dos Anjos
- Kevin Lee
- Al Iaquinta
- Kamaru Usman
- Colby Covington
- Eddie Alvarez
- Tony Ferguson
- Donald Cerrone
- Khabib Nurmagomedov
- Nate Diaz
- Robbie Lawler
- Israel Adesanya
- Kelvin Gastelum
For UFC 237, hosts Roberto Diaz and Joe Soto take a closer look at the main event between the defending strawweight champion Rose Namajunas, and the number one ranked contender Jessica Andrade. Rose is trying to defend her title for the second time, and Jessica is trying to capture the title for her second time.
In the Aftermath, the Max Holloway – Dustin Poirier fight is revisited. What happened to Max, a 145er vs a 155er.
UFC 237 is scheduled for Saturday May 11, 2019, and will take place in Brazil. 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:
- Size advantage, history
- Resume of fighters
- Endurance, championship rounds
- Styles of fighters
- Speed and athleticism
- Standup fight/grappling
- Athlete vs fighter
- Strategies for fighters
- Who wins
- The Aftermath, Dustin’s size/Max’s problem
Links and Resources:
- Rose Namajunas
- Jessica Andrade
- Joanna Jedrzejczyk
- Claudia Gadelha
- Karolina Kowalkiewicz
- Tecia Torres
- Raquel Pennington
- Marion Reneau
- Liz Carmouche
- Paige Vanzant
- Mike Tyson
- Max Holloway
- Dustin Poirier
- Amanda Nunes
For UFC Fight Night, hosts Roberto Diaz and Joe Soto take a closer look at the main event between the number 4 ranked Al Iaquinta, and the 7th ranked Donald Cerrone. Al Iaquinta is trying to make the case for a rematch with the champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, while Donald Cerrone is trying to extend his win streak to three, and get a top 5 ranking.
In the Aftermath, the Justin Gaethje – Edson Barboza fight is revisited. The path to Khabib, what’s next for Edson.
UFC Fight Night is scheduled for Saturday May 4, 2019, and will take place in Ottawa, Canada. 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:
- Size advantage vs youth
- Resume of fighters
- Endurance, championship rounds
- Styles of fighters
- Speed and athleticism
- Standup fight/wrestling
- Athlete vs fighter
- Strategies for fighters
- Who wins
- The Aftermath, Justin’s case/Edson’s problem
Links and Resources:
- Edson Barboza
- Justin Gaethje
- Khabib Nurmagomedov
- Paul Felder
- Joe Lauzon
- Jorge Masvidal
- Diego Sanchez
- Mike Perry
- Alexander Hernandez
- Rafael Dos Anjos
- Jamie Varner
- Benson Henderson
- Leon Edwards
For UFC 233*, hosts Roberto Diaz and Joe Soto take a closer look at the main event and main attraction of this past month. The championship fight between Conor McGregor and Dana White will be re-visited. The stakes were high in this fight, as the soft spoken and quiet champion imposed his popularity on the UFC, retired, and signed a unique contract with the UFC. The intricacies of his retirement, the response of Luke Thomas, MMA Junkie, Dana White, Joe Rogan, Brendan Shaub, and Ariel Helwani will be discussed, as well as the historical perspective of Conor’s career.
In the Aftermath, the show will be revealed in context of what was discussed.
UFC 233* was scheduled for Saturday January 26, but took place in March. This fight occurred on social media, and the Luke Thomas and Joe Rogan studios here in the states. For this fight, Roberto and Joe will take a closer look at the retirement, Luke’s Response, MMA Junkie’s response, Theodosius III, Brendan Shaub's pursuit, a historical context, Joe Rogan’s plan and Ariel Helwani’s grievance.
*Yes, this entire episode is a spoof.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS EPISODE:
- Leverage/upper hand
- Conor’s new deal
- Retirement
- Proper 12
- New BJJ Black Belt added to UFC roster
- Luke’s assessment
- Dana White response/conclusion
- The Byzantine Emperor
- Conor’s demeanor/phone smashing
- Joe Rogan’s Summit
- Ariel Helwani goes beyond the transitive property
- The Grassy Knoll and Brendan Shaub
- The Aftermath, revelations
Links and Resources:
- Luke Thomas
- Dana White
- Conor McGregor
- Joe Rogan
- MMA Junkie
- TMZ
- CNN
- Theodosius III
- Ariel Helwani
- Canada
- Katy Perry
- TJ Dillashaw
- UFC
- Chris Pratt
- Gracie Jiu-jitsu
- Dave Terrell
- Brendan Shaub
For this episode, host Roberto Diaz goes one on one with his co-host Joe Soto. Joe shares his thoughts on when he first heard TJ Dillashaw was caught using Performance Enhancing Drugs, what it was like to fight TJ, what surprised him in the late rounds, his thoughts on rewarding PED users, what he knew of TJ Dillashaw and when he knew of his PED usage, and if TJ should be banned from the sport.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS EPISODE:
- Improvements with EPO
- TJ Dillashaw’s strongest attribute, and EPO
- Joe Soto vs TJ Dillashaw
- Fighters on EPO
- Fighting on EPO
- Rewarding PED users
- Get out of Jail Free Card
Links and Resources:
- TJ Dillashaw
- Cody Garbrandt
- MMA MATH Episode 17
- EPO
- Renan Barao
- John Lineker
- Dominick Cruz
- Raphael Assuncao
- Henry Cejudo
- Chael Sonnen
- Lance Armstrong
For UFC 236, hosts Roberto Diaz and Joe Soto take a closer look at the co-main event between the number four ranked Kelvin Gastelum, and the number 5 ranked Israel Adesanya. This is a championship fight for the interim middleweight title. The stakes are high in this fight, as the winner will most likely position himself to unify the middleweight title against Robert Whittaker.
In the Aftermath, the Anthony Pettis – Stephen Thompson fight is revisited. Mind games, muscle memory, speed, and a life changing knockout.
UFC 236 is scheduled for Saturday April 13, and will take place in Atlanta, Georgia. For this fight, Roberto and Joe will take a closer look at their past fight, their resumes, numbers, sizes, fighting styles and discuss the strengths and weaknesses, and options for these fighters.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS EPISODE:
- Resumes
- Size, height and reach
- Notable opponents vs undefeated record
- Rising to the occasion, pressure
- Endurance
- Stylistic comparison, Brunson vs Adesanya
- Explosiveness/speed
- Strategies for fighters
- Who wins
- The Aftermath, Superman Anthony, Thompson’s knockout
Links and Resources:
- Israel Adesanya
- Kelvin Gastelum
- Ronaldo Souza
- Tyron Woodley
- Chris Weidman
- Robert Whittaker
- Anderson Silva
- Michael Bisping
- Johnny Hendricks
- Derek Brunson
For UFC 236, hosts Roberto Diaz and Joe Soto take a closer look at the main event between the featherweight champion Max Holloway and the number 3 ranked lightweight Dustin Poirier. This is a championship fight for the interim lightweight title, and Max will be moving up 10 pounds to try to become a double champion. The stakes are high in this fight, as the winner will most likely position himself to unify the lightweight title against Khabib Nurmagomedov.
For UFC 236, hosts Roberto Diaz and Joe Soto take a closer look at the main event between the featherweight champion Max Holloway and the number 3 ranked lightweight Dustin Poirier. This is a championship fight for the interim lightweight title, and Max will be moving up 10 pounds to try to become a double champion. The stakes are high in this fight, as the winner will most likely position himself to unify the lightweight title against Khabib Nurmagomedov.
In the Aftermath, the Jorge Masvidal – Darren Till fight is revisited. Weight cutting, drained, a soda, and what’s next for each fighter.
UFC 236 is scheduled for Saturday April 13, and will take place in Atlanta, Georgia. For this fight, Roberto and Joe will take a closer look at their past fight, their resumes, numbers, sizes, fighting styles and discuss the strengths and weaknesses, and options for these fighters.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS EPISODE:
- Holloway vs Poirier I
- Resumes
- Size and endurance
- Styles of fighters, strengths
- Athlete vs Fighter
- Standup fight/ground fight
- Strategies for fighters
- Who wins
- The Aftermath, Till’s weight cut/Jorge’s soda
Links and Resources:
- Max Holloway
- Dustin Poirier
- Justin Gaethje
- Anthony Pettis
- Khabib Nurmagomedov
- Jose Aldo
- Brian Ortega
- Cub Swanson
- Eddie Alvarez
- Conor McGregor
- Michael Johnson
- Leon Edwards
- Jeremy Stephens
For UFC Fight Night, hosts Roberto Diaz and Joe Soto take a closer look at the main event between the number 6 ranked Edson Barboza, and the 7th ranked former World Series of Fight Champion, Justin Gaethje. The stakes are high in this fight, as the winner will most likely position himself within a fight for a shot at the title. This is also an even matchup, and a stylistic match where fireworks should be expected.
In the Aftermath, the Robbie Lawler – Ben Askren fight is revisited. Durability, madness, and what’s next for each fighter.
UFC Fight Night is scheduled for Saturday March 30, and will take place in Philadelphia 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:
- Resumes of fighters
- Size, a rare occasion
- Power, consistency, and volume
- Endurance, championship rounds
- Styles of fighters, boxing/kicking range
- Speed and athleticism
- Standup fight/wrestling
- Athlete vs fighter
- Strategies for fighters
- Who wins
- The Aftermath, Askren’s chin/Robbie’s madness
Links and Resources:
- Edson Barboza
- Justin Gaethje
- Anthony Pettis
- Khabib Nurmagomedov
- Kevin Lee
- Paul Felder
- Dan Hooker
- Michael Johnson
- Eddie Alvarez
- Robbie Lawler
- Ben Askren
- Beneil Dariush
- Gilbert Melendez
For UFC Fight Night, hosts Roberto Diaz and Joe Soto take a closer look at the main event between the number four ranked former title challenger Stephen Thompson, and the 8th ranked former champion Anthony Pettis. After trying to fight at lower weight divisions and being unsuccessful, Anthony will attempt to go up this time, all the way to 170 to try to regain glory. Stephen will also be attempting to regain glory after losing his last fight to Darren Till.
UFC Fight Night is scheduled for Saturday March 23, and will take place in Nashville, Tennessee. 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:
- Size discrepancy
- Resumes of fighters
- Size/power vs speed
- Experience/Age
- Endurance
- Styles of fighters, technical martial arts fight
- Speed and athleticism
- Strategies for fighters
- Who wins
- Looking back at UFC 235, Woodley vs Usman
Links and Resources:
- Darren Till
- Anthony Pettis
- Jorge Masvidal
- Tyron Woodley
- Donald Cerrone
- UFC 235
- Stephen Thompson
- Tony Ferguson
- Kamaru Usman
- Raphael Dos Anjos
For UFC Fight Night, hosts Roberto Diaz and Joe Soto take a closer look at the main event between the number three ranked former title challenger Darren Till, and the 11th ranked veteran Jorge Masvidal. Darren will attempt to get back into the win column after being stopped by the former champion Tyron Woodley, while Jorge returns to the cage for the first time in almost a year and a half.
UFC Fight Night is scheduled for Saturday March 16, and will take place in London. 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 how this fight might play out.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS EPISODE:
• Time off implications/cage rust
• Resumes of fighters
• Size/power vs speed
• Experience, quality of opponents
• Endurance
• Styles of fighters, technical/slugfest
• Speed and athleticism
• Strategies for fighters
• Who wins
• Looking back at UFC 235, Jones vs Smith
Links and Resources:
• Darren Till
• Jorge Masvidal
• Tyron Woodley
• Donald Cerrone
• UFC 235
• Jon Jones
• Anthony Smith
• Bellator
• Stephen Thompson
• Al Iaquinta
• Raphael Assuncao
For UFC Fight Night, hosts Roberto Diaz and Joe Soto take a closer look at the main event between the number 3 ranked Derrick Lewis, and the 8th ranked former champion Junior Dos Santos. Junior is trying to keep his winning fight streak alive and possibly earn another title shot, while Derrick is trying to rebound from his last loss at the hands of the reigning champion, Daniel Cormier.
UFC Fight Night is scheduled for Saturday March 9, and will take place in Wichita, Kansas. For this fight, Roberto and Joe will take a closer look at the histories, numbers, sizes, fighting styles and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of these two champions coming into this possible title eliminator.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS EPISODE:
- Championship implications
- Resumes of fighters
- Size/power vs speed
- Experience, rankings/quality of wins
- Endurance
- Styles of fighters, standup or slugfest
- Speed and athleticism
- Strategies for fighters
- Who wins
- Joe answers, time frame to earn a Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt
Links and Resources:
- Derrick Lewis
- Junior Dos Santos
- Daniel Cormier
- Tai Tuivasa
- Cain Velasquez
- Alexander Volkov
- Francis Ngannou
- Mark Hunt
- Roy Nelson
- Matt Mitrione
- Travis Browne
- Alistair Overeem
- Shane Carwin
- Stipe Miocic
- Fabricio Werdum
For UFC 235, hosts Roberto Diaz and Joe Soto take a closer look at the main event between the former champion Robbie Lawler and undefeated recently acquired fighter, Ben Askren.
UFC 235 is scheduled for Saturday March 2, 2019 and will take place in Las Vegas, Nevada. For this fight, Roberto and Joe will look at the histories, numbers, sizes and styles and discuss the strengths and weaknesses and possible strategies for each of these fighters.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS EPISODE:
- Robbie’s two year inactivity, cage rust
- Resumes, and experience
- Quality of opponents
- Fighting styles, background/fighting base
- Size, history
- Endurance and age
- Strategies for fighters, standup/wrestling
- Athlete/Fighter
- Who wins
- Joe answers, Ngannou vs Velasquez fallout
Links and Resources:
- Robbie Lawler
- Ben Askren
- Elite XC
- Strikeforce
- Nick Diaz
- Rory McDonald
- Tyron Woodley
- Douglas Lima
- Andrey Koreshkov
- Johnny Hendricks
- Cain Velasquez
- Francis Ngannou
For UFC 235, hosts Roberto Diaz and Joe Soto take a closer look at the main event between the defending champion Jon Jones and the number 2 ranked challenger, Anthony Smith.
UFC 235 is scheduled for Saturday March 2, 2019 and will take place in Las Vegas, Nevada. For this fight, Roberto and Joe will look at the histories, numbers, sizes and styles and discuss the strengths and weaknesses and possible strategies for each of these fighters.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS EPISODE:
- Jon’s resume, activity, and win streak
- Anthony’s resume, number of fights
- Experience, quality of opponents
- Fighting styles
- Speed and endurance
- Athleticism and height
- Strategies for fighters, taking the fight to Jon
- Who wins
- Joe answers, thoughts on Adesanya vs Silva
Links and Resources:
- Jon Jones
- Anthony Smith
- Alexander Gustafsson
- Rashad Evans
- Mauricio Rua
- Volkan Oezdemir
- Stephan Bonnar
- Daniel Cormier
- Anderson Silva
- Israel Adesanya
For UFC 235, hosts Roberto Diaz and Joe Soto take a closer look at the co-main event between the defending champion Tyron Woodley and the number 2 ranked Kamaru Usman.
UFC 235 is scheduled for Saturday March 2, 2019 and will take place in Las Vegas, Nevada. For this fight, Roberto and Joe will look at the histories, numbers, sizes and styles and discuss the strengths and weaknesses and possible strategies for each of these fighters.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS EPISODE:
- Woodley’s title defense record, and win streak
- Usman’s resume
- Size and age factors, do they play a role
- Skill vs Athleticism
- Speed, explosiveness
- Endurance, strength in the championship rounds
- Wrestling match-up, take-down defense
- Athlete vs Fighter
- Strategies for fighters, taking chances
- Who wins
- Joe answers, kicks vs punches
Links and Resources:
- Tyron Woodley
- Kamaru Usman
- Darren Till
- Damian Maia
- Stephen Thompson
- Rory McDonald
- Raphael Dos Anjos
- Max Holloway
For UFC Fight Night, hosts Roberto Diaz and Joe Soto take a closer look at the main event between the former heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez and the number 3 ranked Francis Ngannou. This is the first fight for Cain after a two and half year layoff. For Francis, this will be an attempt to get his second consecutive win since losing to Derrick Lewis.
UFC Fight Night is scheduled for Sunday February 17, and will take place in Phoenix, Arizona. For this fight, Roberto and Joe will look at their resumes, numbers, sizes, fighting styles and discuss the strengths and weaknesses coming into this fight.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS EPISODE:
- Long layoff, inactivity for Cain
- Resumes of fighters
- Size and speed
- Is age a factor, cage rust, experience
- Superiority in endurance
- Styles of fighters, will this fight go to the ground
- Athlete vs Fighter
- Strategies for fighters
- Who wins
- Joe answers, a fighter that he wished he had the chance to fight
Links and Resources:
- Cain Velasquez
- Francis Ngannou
- Travis Browne
- Junior Dos Santos
- Fabricio Werdum
- Brock Lesner
- Antonio Silva
- Derrick Lewis
- Curtis Blaydes
- Minotauro Nogueira
- Cheick Kongo
- Andrei Arlovski
- Alistair Overeem
- Stipe Miocic
For UFC 234, hosts Roberto Diaz and Joe Soto take a closer look at the co-main event between the former champion Anderson Silva, and the undefeated number 6 ranked Israel Adesanya.
UFC 234 is scheduled for Saturday February 9, and will take place in Melbourne, Australia. For this fight, Roberto and Joe will look at the histories, numbers, sizes and styles and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of these two fighters.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS EPISODE:
- Andersons historic record
- Adesanya’s undefeated resume and combat history
- Fighting styles and fighting IQ
- Size and age factors, do they play a role
- Strength and weakness’s of fighters
- Endurance, three round fight
- Experience vs youth
- Technique, ground game and standup
- Athlete vs Fighter
- Strategies for fighters
- Who wins
- Joe answers, what happened in Fedor vs Bader
Links and Resources:
- Anderson Silva
- Israel Adesanya
- Fedor Emelianenko
- Chris Weidman
- Nick Diaz
- Daniel Cormier
- Derek Brunson
- Rich Franklin
- Michael Bisping
- Dan Henderson
- Marvin Vettori
- Brad Tavares
- Vitor Belfort
For UFC 234, hosts Roberto Diaz and Joe Soto take a closer look at the main event between the defending middleweight champion Robert Whittaker, and the number 4 ranked challenger Kelvin Gastelum.
UFC 234 is scheduled for Saturday February 9, and will take place in Melbourne, Australia. For this fight, Roberto and Joe will look at the histories, numbers, sizes and styles to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of these two fighters.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS EPISODE:
- Robert has only fought one opponent in a year and a half
- Kelvin’s inconsistent record
- Robert is 3 inches taller than Kelvin
- Weight division changes for each fighter
- Endurance and speed
- Pressure to perform, who handles it better
- Fighting styles, wrestling and standup
- Athlete vs Fighter
- Strategies for fighters
- Are we going to see a finish, or is this another grueling 5 round
fight * Who wins * Joe answers, what happened in Dillashaw vs Cejudo
Links and Resources:
- Robert Whittaker
- Kelvin Gastelum
- TJ Dillashaw
- Henry Cejudo
- Yoel Romero
- Ronaldo Sauza
- Derek Brunson
- Uriah Hall
- Brad Tavares
- Michael Bisping
- Johnny Hendricks
- Jake Ellenberger
- Neil Magny
For UFC Fight Night, hosts Roberto Diaz and Joe Soto take a closer look at the main event between the number 3 ranked Raphael Assuncao and the 4th ranked Marlon Moraes. This is a rematch of the fight that took place in June of 2017. Assuncao edged out Moraes in that first fight; however, this one is scheduled for 5 rounds.
UFC Fight Night is scheduled for Saturday February 2, and will take place in Fortaleza, Brazil. For this fight, Roberto and Joe will look back at their first fight, look at the histories, numbers, sizes, fighting styles and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each fighter.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS EPISODE:
- Circumstances for this rematch
- Resumes of fighters
- Is age a factor
- Pressure for fighters to perform
- Who has the edge in endurance
- Styles of fighters, will this fight go to the ground
- Athlete vs Fighter
- Strategies for fighters
- Who wins
- Joe answers, does the blood of an opponent bother him during a fight
Links and Resources:
- TJ Dillashaw
- Jorge Masdival
- Joe Lauzon
- Pedro Munhoz
- Bryan Caraway
- Aljamain Sterling
- Miguel Angel Torres
- Jimmie Rivera
- World Series of Fighting
- Frankie Edgar
- Raphael Assuncao
For Bellator 214, hosts Roberto Diaz and Joe Soto take a closer look at the main event between the living legend, Fedor Emelianenko and the light heavyweight Bellator champion, Ryan Bader. This is the finale of the Bellator heavyweight grand prix and the winner will be crowned heavyweight champion.
Bellator 214 is scheduled for Saturday January 26, and will take place in Los Angeles, California. For this fight, Roberto and Joe will look at the histories, numbers, sizes, fighting styles and discuss the strengths and weaknesses and the challenges they each face.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS EPISODE:
- Fedor’s historical record
- History of fighting divisions for fighters
- Size and age factors
- Experience
- Styles of fighters, options for each
- Who has an easier task, pressure
- Possible short or long fight
- Strategies for fighters
- Who wins
- Joe answers, which type of fighter/style gave him the most problems
Links and Resources:
- Fedor Emelianenko
- Ryan Bader
- Matt Mitrione
- Frank Mir
- Chael Sonnen
- King Mo Lawal
- Sambo
- Phil Davis
- Ovince Saint Preux
For UFC Fight Night, hosts Roberto Diaz and Joe Soto take a closer look at the main event between the bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw and the flyweight champion Henry Cejudo. TJ Dillashaw will go down a weight division to try to become a two division champion, and Henry will try to make his first title defense.
UFC Fight Night is scheduled for Saturday January 19, and will take place in Brooklyn, New York. For this fight, Roberto and Joe will look at the histories, numbers, sizes, fighting styles and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of these two champions.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS EPISODE:
- Uniqueness of event, champion vs champion
- History of weight divisions for fighters, size
- Effects of dropping weight
- Joe’s experience in fighting TJ, what he experienced
- Who has the edge in endurance
- Styles of fighters, options for each and limitations
- Who has an easier task, pressure of fighting at a lower weight
division * Athlete vs Fighter * Strategies for fighters * Who wins * Joe answers, preference of winning by knockout or winning by decision
Links and Resources:
- TJ Dillashaw
- Henry Cejudo
- Amanda Nunes
- Chris Cyborg
- Daniel Cormier
- Stipe Miocic
- Conor McGregor
- Eddie Alvarez
- John Dodson
- Cody Garbrandt
- John Lineker
- Raphael Assuncao
- Dominic Cruz
- Renan Barao
- Dave Terrell
- Demetrious Johnson
- Joseph Benavidez
For this episode, hosts Roberto Diaz and Joe Soto take a closer look at the 2018 fights that were discussed as part of this show. Roberto and Joe will talk about what went wrong with their picks, what went right, and what’s next for these fighters. They will also talk about some of the issues that arose during some of the fights.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS EPISODE:
- Conor vs Khabib
- Ferguson vs Pettis
- Oezdemir vs Smith
- Cormier vs Lewis
- Adensanya vs Brunson
- El Panterra vs the Korean Zombie
- Magny vs Ponzinibbio
- Dos Anjos vs Usman
- Dos Santos vs Tuivasa
- Holloway vs Ortega
- Jedrzejczyzk vs Shevchenko
- Lee vs Iaquinta 2
- Cyborg vs Nunes
- Jones vs Gustafsson 2
Links and Resources:
- UFC 229
- UFC Fight Night – Oezdemir vs Smith
- UFC 230
- UFC Fight Night – El Pantera vs The Korean Zombie
- UFC Fight Night – Magny vs Ponzinibbio
- UFC TUF Finale – Dos Anjos vs Usman
- UFC Fight Night – Dos Santos vs Tuivasa
- UFC 231
- UFC Fight Night – Lee vs Iaquinta 2
- UFC 232
For this episode hosts Roberto Diaz and Joe Soto take a closer look at MMA in 2018. Roberto and Joe will talk about the biggest developments in MMA and will talk about what they’re looking forward to in 2019.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS EPISODE:
- Emerging promotions including Bellator, PFL, One Championship, Rizin
- Trades, Ben Askren for Demetrious Johnson
- New signings for One Championship
- Status of the flyweight division
- Possible new weight division
- PPV and DAZN
- Crossover fights, Bellator champ fighting for Rizin Title
- Looking ahead at the sport in 2019
- Joe answers, what was his toughest fight
Links and Resources:
- PFL
- Rizin
- DAZN
- Golden Boy Promotions
- Matchroom Boxing
- Combate Americas
- World Boxing Super Series
- Ben Askren
- Demetrious Johnson
- Justin Gaethje
- Marlon Moraes
- Sage Northcutt
- Darrion Caldwell
- Kyoji Horiguchi
For UFC 232, hosts Roberto Diaz and Joe Soto take a closer look at the fight between the featherweight champion Chris Cyborg and the bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes. Amanda will be going up in weight to try to become the first women in history to hold two belts.
UFC 232 is scheduled for Saturday December 29, and will take place in Las Vegas, Nevada. For this fight, Roberto and Joe will look at the histories, numbers, sizes and styles and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of these two champions.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS EPISODE:
- Cyborg has not lost in 13 years, fighters that have gone the distance with her
- Amanda's 7 fight win streak, her resume
- Amanda going up in weight, size differences
- Endurance, will it play a role, who has the edge
- Power versus volume
- Amanda's options, are they limited
- Is Amanda a good enough athlete to outdo Cyborg
- What can Amanda do that Holly Holm did right
- Strategies for fighters
- Are we going to see the championship rounds
- Who wins
- Joe answers, what is it like to be in a bloody fight
Links and Resources:
- Chris Cyborg
- Amanda Nunes
- Mike Tyson
- Ronda Rousey
- Elite XC
- Strikeforce
- Invicta FC
- Holly Holm
- Cat Zingano
- Raquel Pennington
- Miesha Tate
- Sara McMann
- Valentina Shevchenko
- Marloes Coenen
- Rani Yahya
For UFC 232, hosts Roberto Diaz and Joe Soto take a closer look at the rematch between the former champion Jon Jones and the number 2 ranked Alexander Gustafsson.
UFC 232 is scheduled for Saturday December 29, and will take place in Las Vegas, Nevada. For this fight, Roberto and Joe will look at the histories, numbers, sizes and styles and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of these two fighters, as well as the original match that took place just over 5 years ago.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS EPISODE:
- Both fighters have not fought in a year and a half, will it play a
role * Jones was stripped due to USADA testing, what pressure if any is he
in * Gustafsson is returning after an injury, is this relevant * Did size play a role in the first fight, is the height of Alexander a
factor * Resumes since their original match * Endurance, did it play a role, will it play a role * Fighters are 5 years older, who was quicker, who is quicker now * Will this fight be any different than the first one * Styles, did they play a role, will they play a role * Strategies for fighters, anything different * Are we going to see a finish, or is this another grueling 5 round
fight * Who wins * Joe answers, what is his favorite technique
Links and Resources:
- Jon Jones
- Alexander Gustafsson
- Daniel Cormier
- Anthony Johnson
- Glover Teixeira
- Jimi Manuwa
- Dana White
For UFC Fight Night, hosts Roberto Diaz and Joe Soto take a closer look at the rematch between the number 4 ranked Kevin Lee and the number 8th ranked Al Iaquinta.
UFC Fight Night is scheduled for Saturday December 15, and will take place in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. For this fight, Roberto and Joe will look at the histories, numbers, sizes and styles and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of these two combatants, as well as the original match that took place nearly 5 years ago.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS EPISODE:
- Al Iaquinta coming off a loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov, will it play a role
- Kevin’s original loss to Al Iaquinta, does it matter
- Did size play a role in the first fight
- Experience, then and now
- Endurance, will it play a role
- Experience, debut fight vs a 5 year tenure
- Will this fight be any different than the first one
- Styles, did they play a role, will they play a role
- Strategies for fighters, anything different
- Are we going to see a 4th or 5th round
- Who wins
- Joe answers, how much training does it take to become a fighter,
hours per week
Links and Resources:
- Kevin Lee
- Al Iaquinta
- Khabib Nurmagomedov
- Diego Sanchez
- Joe Lauzon
- Ross Pearson
- Jorge Masdival
- Edson Barboza
- Tony Ferguson
- Paul Felder
UFC 231 is scheduled for Saturday December 8, and will take place in Canada. In the first part of this double feature, Roberto Diaz and Joe Soto will take a closer look at the main event between Max Holloway and Brian Ortega. In the second part, the co-main event between Joanna Jedrzejczyk and Valentina Shevchenko will be discussed. The discussion will be based on a historical review of their resumes, numbers, sizes, and styles of each of the fighters. Strengths and weaknesses, as well as strategies and endurance will be analyzed.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS EPISODE:
Max Holloway vs Brian Ortega
- Champions health scare, will it play a role
- Distraction, challengers disagreement with the UFC
- Max is the taller fighter, and has fought at lightweight
- Brian’s Undefeated record
- Will endurance play a role
- Stylistic matchup, fireworks in standup, or does Ortega play it smart
- Strategies for each fighter
- Are we going to see the championship rounds
- Who wins, will we see a finish
Joanna Jedrzejczyk vs Valentina Shevchenko
- Mindset of the fighters
- Similar resumes, difference in type of opponents
- Size difference, Joanna going up in weight and Valentina going down
- A Muay Thai fight, or will Valentina utilize her ground game
- Athlete vs fighter, who has the better gas tank
- Limited options for the former strawweight champion
- Is Valentina too strong
- Strategies for each fighter
- Who wins, type of finish
Meet the Fans
- Joe answers, which arena/country was the best to fight in
Links and Resources:
- Max Holloway
- Brian Ortega
- Khabib Nurmagomedov
- Frankie Edgar
- Cub Swanson
- Jose Aldo
- Andre Filli
- Joanna Jedrzejczyk
- Valentina Shevchenko
- Rose Namajunas
- Tecia Torres
- Holly Holm
- Juliana Pena
For UFC Fight Night, hosts Roberto Diaz and Joe Soto take a closer look at the main event between the Number 7 ranked former champion Junior Dos Santos, and the Number 11th ranked Tai Tuivasa.
UFC Fight Night is scheduled for Saturday December 1, and will take place in Australia. For this fight, Roberto and Joe will look at the histories, numbers, sizes and styles and discuss the strengths and weaknesses these two heavyweights.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS EPISODE:
- Mindsets of the young Tuivasa and the former champion
- Spotted record for the former champion in the last 5 years
- Undefeated record, with only one notable name win
- Taller Dos Santos but heavier challenger
- Endurance questions for the young fighter
- Experience vs youth
- Who’s facing the bigger challenge
- Stylistic matchup, fireworks in standup, or does Junior play it smart
- Strategies for fighters
- Are we going to see a 4th or 5th round
- Who wins
- Joe answers, biggest accomplishment, what mattered the most
Links and Resources:
- Junior Dos Santos
- Tai Tuivasa
- Cain Velaszuez
- Andrei Arlovski
- Blagoy Ivanov
For The Ultimate Fighter Finale, hosts Roberto Diaz and Joe Soto take a closer look at the main event between the Number 3 ranked former champion Rafael Dos Anjos and the Number 6th ranked Kamaru Usman.
The Ultimate Fighter Finale is scheduled for Friday, November 30 and will take place in Las Vegas, Nevada. For this fight, Roberto and Joe will look at the histories, numbers, sizes, and styles and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of this main attraction.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS EPISODE:
- Mindset of fighters coming into this fight
- Kamaru is the bigger fighter with a 6 inch reach advantage
- Endurance, Dos Anjos has seen the 5th round more, Kamaru is a wrestler
- Who has the bigger challenge
- Is the 14 fight win streak a factor
- Style matchup, Dos Anjos’ history against wrestlers
- Are we going to the ground, or is this a standup fight
- Fighter vs Athlete
- Strategies for fighters
- Are we going to see a finish
- Who wins
- Joe answers, which discipline had the largest impact on his career
Links and Resources:
- Rafael Dos Anjos
- Kamaru Usman
- Colby Covington
- Robbie Lawler
- Neil Magny
- Donald Cerrone
- Anthony Pettis
- Benson Henderson
- Nate Diaz
- Demian Maia
- Eddie Alvarez
- Khabib Nurmagomedov
- Tony Ferguson
For UFC Fight Night, hosts Roberto Diaz and Joe Soto take a closer look at the main event between the number 8th ranked Neil Magny and number 10th ranked Santiago Ponzinibbio.
UFC Fight Night is scheduled for Saturday November 17, and will take place in Buenos Aires, Argentina. For this fight, Roberto and Joe will look at the histories, numbers, sizes and styles and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of this high stakes match in the welterweight division.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS EPISODE:
- Mindset of fighters coming into this fight
- Neil is taller with a large reach advantage
- Endurance, who has the edge
- Santiago’s six fight win streak, does it play a role
- Resumes of fighters, training partners
- Style matchup, can Magny keep Santiago at bay
- Who’s the athlete, who’s the fighter
- Strategies for fighters
- Short or long fight, are we going 5 rounds
- Who wins
- Joe answers, inspiration to become a fighter
Links and Resources:
- Neil Magny
- Santiago Ponzinibbio
- Carlos Condit
- Rafael Dos Anjos
- Johny Hendricks
- Hector Lombard
- Kevin Gastelum
- Demian Maia
- Mike Perry
- Gunnar Nelson
- BJ Penn
- Nick Diaz
For UFC Fight Night, hosts Roberto Diaz and Joe Soto take a closer look at the main event between Chan Sung Jung and Yair Rodriguez.
UFC Fight Night is scheduled for November 10, and will take place in Denver Colorado. For this fight, Roberto and Joe will look at the histories, numbers, sizes and styles and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of this high caliber match.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS EPISODE:
- Short notice, will it play a role for Yair
- Long layoff for both fighters, who has the edge
- Outside factors for this fight, distractions
- Options and strengths for fighters
- Will the Korean Zombie walk through Yair
- Will El Pantera execute a standup fight at distance
- Will the fight take place on the ground
- Endurance, will this fight go 5 rounds
- Who wins
- Fan Interview, meet Jim in Porterville
Links and Resources:
- Yair Rodriguez
- Chan Sung Jung
- Frankie Edgar
- Dennis Bermudez
- Jose Aldo
- Leonard Garcia
- Alex Caceres
- Marco Beltran
- Javy Ayala
- TJ Dillashaw
UFC 230 is scheduled for November 3, and will take place in New York. In the first part of this double feature, Roberto and Joe will look at the histories, numbers, sizes and styles and discuss the clash between Daniel Cormier vs Derrick Lewis. In the second part, the discussion will focus on number sixth ranked Derek Brunson vs number nine ranked prospect, Israel Adesanya.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS EPISODE:
Daniel Cormier vs Derrick Lewis
- Short notice, will it play a role
- Training regimen, and injuries
- Second to last fight for Daniel Cormier
- Options for Derrick Lewis
- Going to the ground with an Olympian
- Who wins
Derek Brunson vs Isarael Adensanya
- Experience in MMA and Kickboxing
- Swarming wrestler vs a calculating standup fighter
- Advantages for fighters
- Will Adesanya get tested
- Who wins
Links and Resources:
- Daniel Cormier
- Derrick Lewis
- Cormier vs. Lewis
- Stipe Miocic
- Alexander Gustafsson
- Jon Jones
- Mark Hunt
- Francis Ngannou
- Derek Brunson
- Israel Adesanya
- Lyoto Machida
- Rani Yahya
Ready to talk about some upcoming fights? Specifically, about the main event where two fighters are set to clash?
Roberto Diaz and Joe Soto take a closer look at the upcoming fight card for Oct. 27 between Anthony Smith and Volkan Oezdemir. They review numbers and details that may influence the outcome of the fight.
Highlights of this Episode:
- Volkan comes from Switzerland, while Anthony makes his way from Texas
- Size and weight advantages between the two fighters
- Endurance critical for slated five rounds; could be a short or long
war * Each fighter’s game plan for victory; standup vs. takedown * Athlete (Smith - fast and agile) vs. fighter (Oezdemir - size) match
up * Predicted Winner?
Links and Resources:
- Anthony Smith
- Volkan Oezdemir
- Oezdemir vs. Smith
- Fedor Emelianenko
- Mirko Cro Cop
- Khabib Nurmagomedov
- Robert Whittaker vs. Yoel Romero
What’s it like to be a regional fighter? How can you transition to the big show? How does that compare to the UFC?
Host Roberto Diaz continues his discussion with co-host Joe Soto about the ups and downs of being a fighter.
Highlights of this Episode:
- Joe’s transition from being a wrestler to going into MMA
- Joe’s first fight came about because of his coach’s connections with
promoters; after multiple wins, he was approached by a manager and
got a Bellator contract * He could not make a living off it initially; needed to have a job or
support from friends, family, and sponsors * Friends and family, not fans, made up the biggest portion of the
audience * Larger events attracted more people and unfamiliar faces, but that
didn’t affect Joe’s fighting * Joe’s pay and perks increased significantly as he did more fights and
signed with various organizations * How shape and size of cage affects Joe’s fighting and movements * After losing a match, suffering an injury, and losing again, Joe was
released, won fights, got a new manager, and ended up in the UFC * Organizations usually pay for medical costs for injuries that occur
during fights * USADA’s random urine and blood testing process for fighters
Links and Resources:
- UFC
- Bellator
- TJ Dillashaw
- USADA
- Nate Diaz
Are you a fan of MMA? Do you enjoy watching one fighter gain dominance over another through striking, control,and other tactics? Ever dream of leaving the stands to actually enter the cage as a fighter? What’s it like to be a fighter? What does it take? What are the ins and outs of this combat sport?
In this episode of MMA Math, host Roberto Diaz asks co-host Joe Soto, former featherweight champion, to share his experience and advice on what it’s like to be a fighter.
Highlights of this Episode:
- To prepare for a fight, Joe’s routine involves across-the-board
training * Joe focuses more on himself, rather than watching his opponent’s past
fights * Measurements (height, weight, etc.) are taken when fighters join an
organization - but how accurate are the measurements? * What happens after weigh-in? Are fighters relieved they got through
it or go and pig out on food? * Right before walking out for the fight, fighters tend to think about
anything and everything - fear of getting hurt, focusing on the
positive, and money involved * After the fight, a fighter’s routine probably depends on the outcome
of the fight; you’re ready to just go home or ready to go eat and
celebrate * Most fighters go into a fight with an injury - some that they
disclose or not * Fighters can be surprised at their abilities, especially early on in
their career; get past your doubt Would Joe have done anything
differently?
Links and Resources:
- Manny Pacquiao
- Conor Mcgregor in Cage Warriors
- UFC
- Burt Watson on Twitter
- Chris Levine
- Michelle Waterson
- Rory MacDonald
- Robbie Lawler
Coming up this Saturday is an exciting event when Pettis squares off against Ferguson. On the surface, this looks to be a very even match, so things like mentality will come into play big time.
Ferguson has recently been stripped, so he may have something to prove in this first match back since losing his title. From the looks of it on his Instagram channel, you can tell he's training hard and will be ready for the fight on Saturday.
He's also coming back from a knee injury, so it will be interesting to see if he's coming back fully healthy or if that knee is still affecting things like his kicks.
Pettis has been on a rough streak, so he needs to turn things around after losing 5 of his last 8 matches.
Ferguson is coming into this match as the bigger fighter, so he should have the advantage there. However, finesse comes into play too and may be an even bigger deciding factor which could give Pettis the edge. Pettis is a very creative fighter and has landed some amazing kicks, but is that enough to overcome the recent troubles that he's faced.
Roberto and Joe agree that Pettis doesn't want to make this a slug-it-out kind of fight with Ferguson because the size advantage may be too much to overcome. Pettis has an advantage if the fight stays technical.
This week our fan interview is Marissa from Long Beach, California. Marissa likes Michelle Waterson and Rory MacDonald. She's also a fan of submissions over knockouts as submissions require a lot more skill and technique instead of the pure strength of a knockout.
In the first episode of brand new podcast series MMA Math, co-hosts Roberto Diaz and Joe Soto discuss the upcoming clash that UFC fans have been waiting for all year: the meeting between undefeated current Lightweight Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov and former Featherweight and Lightweight titleholder Conor McGregor, who returns to the octagon for the first time in almost two years.
As well as being a match-up between two of the biggest names in the business - both with immense technical skills - the fight has raised some big questions about these very different but well-matched combatants. How will Conor respond if he’s forced to the floor against a man whose groundwork is up there with the best? What happens if Khabib is left with no choice but to stand up to Conor, a striker with a deadly left hand who rarely leaves his opponents standing for more than two rounds? These are just some of the topics that Roberto and Joe discuss in detail before delivering their own verdict on who will come out on top in this headline bout of UFC 229.
Episode highlights:
• It’s a battle of two contrasting styles, but who could have the winning strategy?
• Khabib holds the longest current undefeated streak in MMA with 26 wins. Conor has lost three times now, but has defied the odds many times in the past. Can he do it again?
• A look at Khabib’s background across wrestling, judo, hand-to-hand and sambo.
• How will each fighter have prepared? What can they do to counter each other’s strengths?
• A look back at some of their past bouts. Could they give us clues as to how this fight could pan out?
• What makes Khabib such a good grappler and Conor a lethal striker?
• Who will be more comfortable with a quick fight, and who will have more of an advantage if it goes the distance?
• The verdict! Roberto and Joe give their predictions on which way they think the fight will go.
• Fan segment: Roberto meets Diego from Lancaster, California to ask him about his favorite fighters, why he prefers a submission finish and why he loves a bloody fight!