I need to know more about the absolute scenes I witnessed via your twitter account from the Oktagon MMA twitter account. I have to be honest, I never heard of this promotion before your retweet but the atmosphere at the outdoor fights looked incredible...
It looked like a mix between an EDM concert and a MMA fight.. what more can you tell me about this promotion as it looked like they had a highly successful event - full crowds, great atmosphere etc...
As a side note outdoor MMA events just in general look incredible, this one and the gladiator event I believe KSW put on come to me.
Hi brother Ariel! hope all goes well for you on Wednesday.
Wishing Diaz an exceptional win! against his formidable opponent!
Would you kindly be part of manifesting the groundbreaking invention in the field of combat sport cage, which addresses several issues associated with traditional cages including errors made by judges when scoring fights.
This active combat sport cage is the The Game Changer that enhances fighter safety and transforms the way we watch MMA fights, revolutionizing the sport.
my other project aligns perfectly with your passion for thought-provoking and visionary films, "Legacy of Unity" movie script delves deep into the human spirit, sparking a profound spiritual awakening. It challenges the forces of darkness and ignites a revolution of unity and freedom.
Hope to meet you someday in New York.
All the best and thank you and your crew for the hard work you put in the world of MMA.
Hello Ariel & crew, from Sarnia Ontario, Canada! This is my first time on substack (downloaded just to do this.)
Have a question but wanted to say how much I appreciate you guys. For one, you've helped me become such a diehard UFC&MMA fan & have improved my knowledge tenfold (I think at least lol.)
Also wanted to thank you guys for being such an escape for me. I struggle with heavy anxiety & depression especially after my dad's battle with dimentia (he was only 45.) He was the reason I began watching UFC as he used to always watch the PPVs.
My question is, have we entered the unfortunate territory where we could some some of the sports biggest names all retiring in a similar time frame? Gaethje, Poirer, Jones, Stipe, Usman, McGregor all seem to have at most 3 fights left. Not to mention guys/girls like Wonderboy, Cruz, Zombie, RDA, Holm.
Obviously the UFC will keep on keeping on, but those are some huge names. Keep on being & doing you Ariel, same to you NY Rick & GC (even you Frank)! Yall are the best.
Hi Ariel and co. After a crazy weekend of action it’s hard to pick 1 question so I’ll try to make them quick.
Is it legal for the UFC to not pay Stephen Thompson his show money?
Prime Mayweather vs prime Crawford who wins?
With bellator having Horiguchi and Pettis, 2 of the best flyweights in the world what took them so long to make a flyweight division?
Do you think fighters should get punished for trying the sneaky 1 tap Cachoeira used to try and trick Maverick? I don’t wish injuries on anyone so won’t moments like this lead to fighters being more ruthless and not giving their opponent a chance to tap?
Finally don’t you wish more fans were like the ones at 291? Giving every fighter a pop regardless of who they are and for making the prelims feel like a big event as well.
Ariel & Crew - In your opinion, who would you like to see be on the cover of the UFC 5 game? Looking forward, throw out a candidate for UFC 6. Love the show, thanks for all the content. PS - Bobby King Green referred to himself as the "Candy Man" during your interview Monday. I would like to throw out the moniker "King Kandy"! Let's Go Bobby!
In his post-fight presser, when asked what Tony Ferguson should do next in his career, Bobby Green responded "I can't speak for another man, he knows what's in his heart.... But I'm going to keep going until I accomplish MY goals. Until I pay my house off, I'm debt free, I have a few hundred thousand in the bank, then I could be done."
That was a pretty shocking statement to hear coming from somebody that just wrapped up his 22nd fight in the UFC over a 10 year period (27th over 12 years if you count strikeforce). The man isn't asking for generational wealth, he's asking for a few hundred thousand in the bank to live modestly after retirement.
I know you talk about fighter pay often, but this statement made me incredibly sad and has me wondering how many well-known fighters like Green are fighting, not because they want to, but because have to make ends meet. I'd just like your thoughts, please.
This has to change. Bobby Green should want and be able to retire a millionaire after everything he's given to the company.
So from what I’ve seen in a lot of interviews Bobby green likes to spend a lot of money on material things he also has a lot of kids I think. If he gets a bonus he spends it on expensive jewellery instead of banking most of it. I’m a big fan of the guy but he’s never really been a main event fighter and till recently spent a lot of time on prelims. That being said when your near the top for so long you should be able to buy nice things I suppose
I get it, but he's been willing to get hit in the head for up to 15 minutes a total of 22 times for one company. That means, he's agreed to spend up to 5.5 hours getting his head and body destroyed for a company that's worth billions. He's provided numerous memorable moments for fans and created value for the UFC.
He deserves to make million to spend on his kids and stupid, material things. But instead, he's working to secure a few hundred thousand to spend on stupid things. A.I. blew his money, but he deserved every penny.
Hey I’m not disagreeing the ufc brass are greedy and he deserves more than he’s earned over the years. Im just saying he could have paid those things off and probably could have earned a bit more money if he stayed more focused in his fights. Eg the Moises loss. If someone is one of the best in the world at what they do they shouldn’t have to worry about occasionally splashing out but if Dana got asked this question he would use the answer I gave to “defend the pay structure” I remember Green being ranked nearly 10 years ago and him giving fizziev all he could handle a couple of years ago. He should be able to buy those things. He seems like someone who would make a lot more money outside of the ufc
If you had it your way like BK how would you organize a show to find the best new mma prospects? Youve mentioned how TUF has lost its luster and how contender series is a better format, but i feel like you might have an idea you would like to bring to fruition. Finally, What would you name it?
Moderator Louis, I swear this is a good one, please skim as needed I know the quotes are long. Was so excited to actually have a good question that I posted on last week's thread by mistake in my rush.
Long time listener, first time joining in from Spokane WA.
Anyway...
After recently reading the MMA judges guidelines, Ive come to the conclusion that we don't see enough 10-8s for grappling displays. Truly there aren't enough 10-8s to begin with, but I have a specific bone to pick.
Bare with me through some long quotes, yada yada as you will:
"Effective Striking/Grappling
“Legal blows that have immediate or cumulative impact with the potential to contribute towards the end of the match with the IMMEDIATE weighing in more heavily than the cumulative impact. Successful execution of takedowns, submission attempts, reversals and the achievement of advantageous positions that produce immediate or cumulative impact with the potential to contribute to the end of the match, with the IMMEDIATE weighing more heavily than the cumulative impact.” It shall be noted that a successful takedown is not merely a changing of position, but the establishment of an attack from the use of the takedown. Top and bottom position fighters are assessed more on the impactful/effective result of their actions, more so than their position. This criterion will be the deciding factor in a high majority of decisions when scoring a round. The next two criteria must be treated as a backup and used ONLY when Effective Striking/Grappling is 100% equal for the round."
And then later on it says, "... Judges shall ALWAYS give a score of 10 – 8 when the judge has established that one fighter has dominated the action of the round,"
Sorry I know the first one is a lot, but basically, I think Jan dominated round 1 with grappling, constantly looking to finish while doing so, and should've earned a 10-8 on at least one scorecard.
I feel like there isn't enough dialogue on judges not adopting to the 2017 unification, but simultaneously, enough have changed their scoring that it creates an impossible inconsistency for fighters to gameplan.
With Wonderboy taking a stance last week with Michel Pereiras weight cut issue, do you think it’s time for the UFC and other major promotions to introduce new weight divisions in between weight classes with a wider gap, I.e 155-170, 170-185 & 185-205.
I think the UFC are missing a huge opportunity to introduce new belts with three of their biggest stars fighting for the inaugural belts (Conor, Khamzat & Izzy)
Alternatively TNT sports own Nick Peet makes a good suggestion of being deducted a point at the start of the fight if you miss weight by 2 pounds or more. Thoughts?
Is Nate's no sell on the promotion of this fight good promotion? Does he really not care or is this a work? A man's gotta have a code, does his ring true or hollow?
Hallo Ariel,
Derrick Lewis has had the last fight on his contract, do you think there’s a possibility that he joins the PFL?
Would there be a huge interest in Francis vs Lewis 2 considering how the first fight went ?
But this would be the biggest fight the PFL could make, do you agree ?
Greetings from Germany my man
Good Afternoon Ariel!
Does Nate Diaz return to the UFC after this fight regardless of the result?
& is the crew going out for some infamous Texas BBQ while you guys are in Dallas?
Thank you! & i hope this road trip is one for the books.
Hi Ariel,
I need to know more about the absolute scenes I witnessed via your twitter account from the Oktagon MMA twitter account. I have to be honest, I never heard of this promotion before your retweet but the atmosphere at the outdoor fights looked incredible...
It looked like a mix between an EDM concert and a MMA fight.. what more can you tell me about this promotion as it looked like they had a highly successful event - full crowds, great atmosphere etc...
As a side note outdoor MMA events just in general look incredible, this one and the gladiator event I believe KSW put on come to me.
Thank you,
Matt
Hi brother Ariel! hope all goes well for you on Wednesday.
Wishing Diaz an exceptional win! against his formidable opponent!
Would you kindly be part of manifesting the groundbreaking invention in the field of combat sport cage, which addresses several issues associated with traditional cages including errors made by judges when scoring fights.
This active combat sport cage is the The Game Changer that enhances fighter safety and transforms the way we watch MMA fights, revolutionizing the sport.
my other project aligns perfectly with your passion for thought-provoking and visionary films, "Legacy of Unity" movie script delves deep into the human spirit, sparking a profound spiritual awakening. It challenges the forces of darkness and ignites a revolution of unity and freedom.
Hope to meet you someday in New York.
All the best and thank you and your crew for the hard work you put in the world of MMA.
Hello Ariel & crew, from Sarnia Ontario, Canada! This is my first time on substack (downloaded just to do this.)
Have a question but wanted to say how much I appreciate you guys. For one, you've helped me become such a diehard UFC&MMA fan & have improved my knowledge tenfold (I think at least lol.)
Also wanted to thank you guys for being such an escape for me. I struggle with heavy anxiety & depression especially after my dad's battle with dimentia (he was only 45.) He was the reason I began watching UFC as he used to always watch the PPVs.
My question is, have we entered the unfortunate territory where we could some some of the sports biggest names all retiring in a similar time frame? Gaethje, Poirer, Jones, Stipe, Usman, McGregor all seem to have at most 3 fights left. Not to mention guys/girls like Wonderboy, Cruz, Zombie, RDA, Holm.
Obviously the UFC will keep on keeping on, but those are some huge names. Keep on being & doing you Ariel, same to you NY Rick & GC (even you Frank)! Yall are the best.
Hi Ariel and co. After a crazy weekend of action it’s hard to pick 1 question so I’ll try to make them quick.
Is it legal for the UFC to not pay Stephen Thompson his show money?
Prime Mayweather vs prime Crawford who wins?
With bellator having Horiguchi and Pettis, 2 of the best flyweights in the world what took them so long to make a flyweight division?
Do you think fighters should get punished for trying the sneaky 1 tap Cachoeira used to try and trick Maverick? I don’t wish injuries on anyone so won’t moments like this lead to fighters being more ruthless and not giving their opponent a chance to tap?
Finally don’t you wish more fans were like the ones at 291? Giving every fighter a pop regardless of who they are and for making the prelims feel like a big event as well.
I hope you guys have a blast on the road trip.
Ariel & Crew - In your opinion, who would you like to see be on the cover of the UFC 5 game? Looking forward, throw out a candidate for UFC 6. Love the show, thanks for all the content. PS - Bobby King Green referred to himself as the "Candy Man" during your interview Monday. I would like to throw out the moniker "King Kandy"! Let's Go Bobby!
Hi Ariel,
In his post-fight presser, when asked what Tony Ferguson should do next in his career, Bobby Green responded "I can't speak for another man, he knows what's in his heart.... But I'm going to keep going until I accomplish MY goals. Until I pay my house off, I'm debt free, I have a few hundred thousand in the bank, then I could be done."
That was a pretty shocking statement to hear coming from somebody that just wrapped up his 22nd fight in the UFC over a 10 year period (27th over 12 years if you count strikeforce). The man isn't asking for generational wealth, he's asking for a few hundred thousand in the bank to live modestly after retirement.
I know you talk about fighter pay often, but this statement made me incredibly sad and has me wondering how many well-known fighters like Green are fighting, not because they want to, but because have to make ends meet. I'd just like your thoughts, please.
This has to change. Bobby Green should want and be able to retire a millionaire after everything he's given to the company.
So from what I’ve seen in a lot of interviews Bobby green likes to spend a lot of money on material things he also has a lot of kids I think. If he gets a bonus he spends it on expensive jewellery instead of banking most of it. I’m a big fan of the guy but he’s never really been a main event fighter and till recently spent a lot of time on prelims. That being said when your near the top for so long you should be able to buy nice things I suppose
I get it, but he's been willing to get hit in the head for up to 15 minutes a total of 22 times for one company. That means, he's agreed to spend up to 5.5 hours getting his head and body destroyed for a company that's worth billions. He's provided numerous memorable moments for fans and created value for the UFC.
He deserves to make million to spend on his kids and stupid, material things. But instead, he's working to secure a few hundred thousand to spend on stupid things. A.I. blew his money, but he deserved every penny.
Hey I’m not disagreeing the ufc brass are greedy and he deserves more than he’s earned over the years. Im just saying he could have paid those things off and probably could have earned a bit more money if he stayed more focused in his fights. Eg the Moises loss. If someone is one of the best in the world at what they do they shouldn’t have to worry about occasionally splashing out but if Dana got asked this question he would use the answer I gave to “defend the pay structure” I remember Green being ranked nearly 10 years ago and him giving fizziev all he could handle a couple of years ago. He should be able to buy those things. He seems like someone who would make a lot more money outside of the ufc
Hi Ariel,
If Chandler Mcgregror doesnt get announced at 292 (The Tuf finale, where you would assume both are in attendance) is the fight not happening?
Hello Ariel,
If you had it your way like BK how would you organize a show to find the best new mma prospects? Youve mentioned how TUF has lost its luster and how contender series is a better format, but i feel like you might have an idea you would like to bring to fruition. Finally, What would you name it?
Much love and buttslaps
Why doesn’t the UFC come to Chicago?
238 was the last time they was there, is that right?
Post-Wednesday show gang. The mayhem of the live show meant OTN had to be flexible. Sorry to any that missed out. Maybe we'll do a mop up, stay tune.
Hey guys!
Moderator Louis, I swear this is a good one, please skim as needed I know the quotes are long. Was so excited to actually have a good question that I posted on last week's thread by mistake in my rush.
Long time listener, first time joining in from Spokane WA.
Anyway...
After recently reading the MMA judges guidelines, Ive come to the conclusion that we don't see enough 10-8s for grappling displays. Truly there aren't enough 10-8s to begin with, but I have a specific bone to pick.
Bare with me through some long quotes, yada yada as you will:
"Effective Striking/Grappling
“Legal blows that have immediate or cumulative impact with the potential to contribute towards the end of the match with the IMMEDIATE weighing in more heavily than the cumulative impact. Successful execution of takedowns, submission attempts, reversals and the achievement of advantageous positions that produce immediate or cumulative impact with the potential to contribute to the end of the match, with the IMMEDIATE weighing more heavily than the cumulative impact.” It shall be noted that a successful takedown is not merely a changing of position, but the establishment of an attack from the use of the takedown. Top and bottom position fighters are assessed more on the impactful/effective result of their actions, more so than their position. This criterion will be the deciding factor in a high majority of decisions when scoring a round. The next two criteria must be treated as a backup and used ONLY when Effective Striking/Grappling is 100% equal for the round."
And then later on it says, "... Judges shall ALWAYS give a score of 10 – 8 when the judge has established that one fighter has dominated the action of the round,"
Sorry I know the first one is a lot, but basically, I think Jan dominated round 1 with grappling, constantly looking to finish while doing so, and should've earned a 10-8 on at least one scorecard.
I feel like there isn't enough dialogue on judges not adopting to the 2017 unification, but simultaneously, enough have changed their scoring that it creates an impossible inconsistency for fighters to gameplan.
What do you think?
Ariel,
HOT TAG ALERT: Can you 10-7 Jamahal Hill and MMAGuru real quick? Drop the receipts
Hi Ariel,
With Wonderboy taking a stance last week with Michel Pereiras weight cut issue, do you think it’s time for the UFC and other major promotions to introduce new weight divisions in between weight classes with a wider gap, I.e 155-170, 170-185 & 185-205.
I think the UFC are missing a huge opportunity to introduce new belts with three of their biggest stars fighting for the inaugural belts (Conor, Khamzat & Izzy)
Alternatively TNT sports own Nick Peet makes a good suggestion of being deducted a point at the start of the fight if you miss weight by 2 pounds or more. Thoughts?
Is Nate's no sell on the promotion of this fight good promotion? Does he really not care or is this a work? A man's gotta have a code, does his ring true or hollow?