Sparring Partners Podcast Coby McKinley and Brad Jones

The 25th episode is here! After a bit of a delay due to vaccine side effects, your hosts return to discuss a slew of MMA hot topics and current events. PFL made their 2021 debut with a night of upsets and really fun fights. Anthony Pettis made his PFL debut against combat sports journeyman Clay Collard, and "Showtime" got shown up over the course of 15 minutes. Collard took the main event via unanimous decision. What does this mean for the future of "Showtime" Pettis in the PFL? Robert Whittaker seems to have been passed over for a shot at regaining the UFC Middleweight Championship. News out of ESPN is that the UFC is working on Israel Adesanya vs. Marvin Vettori 2 for UFC 263. Bobby Knuckles can't catch a break. In addition to all that and more, UFC 261 is upon us! Your hosts discuss the main card and what they'll be watching for. Enjoy! Thank you for watching/listening and we'll see you on the next one!

The boys are back for this 23rd edition of the Sparring Partners MMA Podcast to discuss all the things going on in the wild west town that is the MMA landscape. Coby and Brad discuss the possibilities of a public, share-holder-based fight promotion. How does that work? Your hosts also discuss the ongoing situation with Jon Jones and the UFC. Pay the man! Do the fight! The new Venum fight kits are here along with the new pay structure and it's...just as horrible for the athletes as before! Did we expect anything more or less? Probably not, but we talk about it. Bellator 255 is upon us! Coby previews the main card.

Your hosts sit down for a special UFC 260 reaction show. All the UFC 260 results, plus analysis of the post-fight news and drama. Specifically, what's next for the top-6 fighters from Saturday's UFC 260.

Solo episode this week! Join Coby as he walks you through the fallout from UFC Vegas 22. Did Kevin Holland talk to much in his decision loss to Derek Brunson. I mean, didn't Holland always talk? He did.

UFC 260 is today, and the heavyweight title is up for grabs between heavyweight GOAT Stipe Miocic and current scariest heavyweight Fancis N'Gannou! Coby takes a look at today's card and some of the interesting bouts taking place at the heavyweight-headlined UFC PPV. Other bouts lower on the card include: Sean O'Malley vs. Thomas Almeida is sure to deliver, Alonzo Menifield is back, Tyron Woodley vs. Vicente Luque is going to be super interesting.

In other news, Meisha Tate is back! She's booked, but will she have an impact on the division? In addition, Rizin Fighting Federation announced the Rizin Bantamweight Japan Grand Prix. Really looking forward to that one.

Oh boy! What a week. We had yet another week of fouls messing up what began as fantastic contests. Leon Edwards stabbed Belal Muhammad's eyeball which led to a No Contest. The apparent next in line for welterweight gold is now getting clowned by his peers even worse than before. Your hosts discuss.  Khabib is officially retired! The Arbiter of Retirement Dana White announced via Twitter that the retirement of the UFC Lightweight Champion is official. The promotion now turns to crowning a new champion at 155 in a bout between...not Dustin Poirier vs. literally anyone else? In all seriousness, Michael Chandler takes on Charles Oliveira at UFC 262  Big things are poppin' at 135lbs! In all of the mess of 259, Cory Sandhagen moves on to defend his status of #1 contender against former champion TJ Dillashaw. In another possible bantamweight thriller, it was announced that Rob Font takes on former champion Cody Garbrandt.  In other news, the UFC is back! Or rather, crowds are back! UFC 261 has been announced with a welterweight title rematch between Kamaru Usman vs. Jorge Masvidal, a flyweight title matchup between  Valentina Shevchenko and  Jéssica Andrade, and a strawweight title bout between Zhang Weili vs. Rose Namajunas. Take our money, but give us and everyone else a shot first!

Your hosts discuss the fallout from UFC 259! What is Israel Adesanya's future after his failed title bid? What about Jan Blachowicz? In other news: Amanda Nunes killed a division. The Men's Bantamweight title changed hands in the most unique way ever: Via DQ.  Leon Edwards returns on Saturday against...against...that's right! "Remember the Name" Belal Muhammad. What're the stakes? I mean, Dana White said Edwards gets a title shot with a win at UFC Vegas 21, but it's entirely possible he was just sayin' stuff. Was he? He was.