108 Comments
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Hi Ariel. 😊 No need to read this on air. I just wanted to wish you & your wife & kids a most happy holiday season! I have loved all the content this year. Thanks for all the amazing interviews, The Ringer Show, and everything! You are the best, and your integrity and kindness come through in all you do.😊Happy New Year. I know 2022 will be even better for you!! Blessings!😊😊😊🙏🙏👍🏼👍🏼

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No question this week, just wanted to say thanks for another great year of content, and an even bigger thanks for helping bring together what is in my opinion the best community in all of mixed martial arts. Happy holidays to you and your family, and I hope you get to enjoy a very well deserved rest after the showtime gig this weekend!

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👃🏻

My man, I offer you the opportunity to wipe a fight card from your great memory in order to relive the experience all over again. The event, the fights, the emotion play out with the same impact as before. What card are you choosing?

I wonder if you choose a fight you enjoyed as a fan or one you worked. Keep on killing it my man 💯 (waiting for a comment to say 199..)

Have a great holiday break, enjoy family time. Thank you to all the team for bringing the MMA Hour back in our lives.

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Ariel! Sorry for the late upload you probably won’t get to this but why not try.

Wanted to get your opinion on involving the fans on the end of the year nose award voting?! Could be a separate fan award for the fighters or potentially a tie breaker.

Lastly, I would like you to talk about Pat McAfee’s deal, Dan Le Batard’s deal and how it sets the road for independent Helwani in the future!

Thanks for a great year and letting us fans into your life, much love 🐐👃!

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Last year when you worked the Christmas Day game, What was going through your head when Kyrie said “it was just another sparring session for us”? Had to be cause you’re the MMA guy, right? had you met him before?

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Have a Nice Break and Happy New Year. See you in 2022

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Alex I think you are the most dialled in member of the Helwani-verse. The Tuivasa shoey knowledge on ringer was 🤯. Huge props.

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Hey Ariel, is it frustrating when you are doing an interview and a fighter is multitasking and not paying full attention?

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Not to McBeain the thread but Ariel’s pretty great at calling that kind of thing out. It’s worse when the interviewee doesn’t drop the gimmick or match the energy (Sasha Banks at Survivor Series to name one).

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But you did bro…

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Ariel, what is the most culturally significant event in televised MMA history?

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Connor beating Aldo or Connor beating Alverez. Debatably UFC 1.

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Brock crossing over and winning title was a big moment #McBeaining

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👋 Hola Ariel!!!

Saturday was such a rollercoaster of emotions both for my personal life and my MMA fandom. I started the day by proposing to my girlfriend (she said yes) and was already set to have a day I’d never forget. Then at night we witness one of the greatest upsets in combat history.

Do you have any personal highs or lows that occurred on the same day as a big sports moment? I feel like I won’t ever see highlights of Nunes x Peña without immediately thinking of me proposing.

Bonus question: how did you propose to Mrs. Helwani?

Happy holidays to the entire MMA Hour family (substack included) see y’all in 2022!

Viva Heelwani 🦹🏻‍♂️

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Fun factoid about UFC 269:

UFC 269 is only the second time where a fighter not on the card (Michael Chiesa) Took more damage than any other fighter that was actually on the card. The only other time this happened was UFC 229 when Dillon Danis got his bitch ass bounced by the Khabib team.

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El 🇨🇺 is 🐐

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Congrats !!🎉

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Congrats on the engagement!

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Katie taylor is a confirmed Helwannabe.

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Dear Dear Ariel...

No Questions today.....

A big hug and thanks to you, Rick, GC, Frank, Srinivasan and each and every person over there....

Thanks you so much for making this miraculous game even more enchanting.....

This is sheer appreciation, admiration and salute to one and all...

Ok... Let's have a fun one...

Can we see you, Lord Chael and DC invading WWE roaster in 2022.... 😄😄😄

Have a great holiday season... And can't wait to catch you up in 2022.!!!

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do you think valentina ends her career as the goat over amanda? i kind of had that belief even before 269, wondering what you think

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Ariel, Does Charlie Olives finally get some respect on his name and go into a Gaethje fight as the betting favorite?

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Clearly no respect with the Olives shortening 😂

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Ariel,

Am I the only that wants to see the fight that never happened, Nate Diaz vs Dustin Poirier?

Back when that fight was booked, I had Nate to win. He’s tall, lanky, great cardio and comes forward. I think it’s bad matchup for Dustin. And a win over Dustin only makes the match w/ Conner more interesting in my opinion. Assuming he wins, but a great match nonetheless. Two guys with great boxing.

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Hi Ariel!

I believe it was last week you had said that Conor had only a couple of fights left on his deal and he has also said this well. I thought when he had returned to fight Khabib the UFC/Dana was touting he had signed an 8 fight extension with the UFC? I do remember you also saying on Ariel and the Bad Guy that “this means nothing.” Can you elaborate on this and also there is no chance Conor hits free agency correct?

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Good afternoon Ariel!

Sad to learn this is the last show of 2021 :( I guess I would just like to say thank you for the great MMA content this past year! I have been a casual fan since around Conor's glory days, but have really dove deep into the world of combat sports since the beginning of this year! I really enjoy all the work you do, especially this show and the Ringer MMA Greenroom Podcast!

There is always something to look forward to every single week and I thank you for that! Your knowledge and insight of the sport are unmatched! Thank you for allowing us casual fans to be introduced to new and upcoming fighters, and to help us understand the sport of MMA better! Without you, I don't think I would be as big of an MMA fan as I am today! So thank you again for everything you do!

Happy Holidays & a Happy New Year to you and the crew at the MMA Hour! Cheers to 2022, and all the best in the new year!

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Shalom! Question for Frank (since he missed it last time)…

How does he feel about being the unsung hero of the show and what is his favorite MCU character?

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