Hey Not The Face! Podcast

John S. Nash & Stephie Haynes

A newsletter and podcast covering the business of face-punching! heynottheface.substack.com

  1. Is Eddie Hearn the savior of fighters? | Ep. 234

    34M AGO

    Is Eddie Hearn the savior of fighters? | Ep. 234

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACT In today’s episode, we’re looking at new updates to the antitrust cases, the Congressional report on the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act and its additional views. We’re also discussing the comments of Ronda Rousey and Francis Ngannou regarding fighter pay and legacy, as well as Jon Jones asking for his release and whether that’s a feasible possibility. In our final segment, we ask the question: Is Eddie Hearn the savior fighters are looking for? There’s a lot more, so make sure to follow along with our outline as you listen: *We urge you to pick up a paid subscription, as it helps us keep the show going* Episode 234 Outline * Are there any updates to the UFC antitrust cases? * A congressional report on the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act came out yesterday. What is the purpose of this report? * It had a section called “Additional Views.” What were these “Additional Views?” * Speaking of the Revival Act, what did you think of USA Boxing revoking their support of the bill? * There was a presser for Rousey vs Carano that generated some interesting comments. Ronda Rousey said the UFC doesn’t pay its fighters well, but noted that if Dana White were running the promotion, they’d be paid much better. What do you think of that? * Francis Ngannou discussed legacy at the press conference, saying that legacy doesn’t pay the bills and that it was a construct for UFC to keep fighter pay down. Does legacy matter at all? * Both Jake Paul and Ngannou brought up Jon Jones asking for his release. Paul suggested he come over to get paid what he’s worth, and Ngannou tweeting that they [the UFC] should be rolling out the Red Carpet for him. Is there any chance Jones could be released or get out of his contract? * Jennifer Anderson, wife of Corey Anderson, said that Corey left the UFC at the height of his career to make more money with Bellator, but the media (save a few) care far less about covering him now. What are your thoughts on that? * Malki Kawa discussed how he was negotiating Ilia Topuria’s White House card fight and the focus was on Islam Makhachev, but the number UFC gave was too low so they came back and offered Gaethje instead. What do you think happened there? * Sean O’Malley said he didn’t even discuss his purse when accepting his fight on the White House card. How short-sighted was that? * He also talked about Tom Aspinall signing with Eddie Hearn and said that fighter management should be friendly to the UFC. What do you make of that? * Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian of MVP both spoke favorably of Eddie Hearn’s management skills and said they could see many fighters signing with Hearn in the future. What do you think of that? *Defendant’s opposition to Plaintiff’s request for attorney fees and the Comittee report on the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act*

    42 min
  2. What fighters should do if they're not satisfied with their pay | Ep. 233

    3D AGO

    What fighters should do if they're not satisfied with their pay | Ep. 233

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACT In today’s episode, we’re looking at new updates to the antitrust cases and Dana White’s comments on UFC fighter reactions to Conor Benn’s purse. We also discuss Eddie Hearn’s new talent agency, what fighters can do if they don’t like their pay, and the Zuffa Boxing kerfuffle with the IBF. We weigh in on t…

    47 min
  3. Antitrust experts say UFC engaging in spoliation shenanigans | Ep. 232

    MAR 3

    Antitrust experts say UFC engaging in spoliation shenanigans | Ep. 232

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACT Note: Today’s episode will be our only one this week as John will be leaving Minnesota to fly back to LA this weekend, so he’s going to be busy with personal/family activities. We’ll be back on track next week. In today’s episode, we’re looking at new updates to the antitrust cases including a new filing directed at Dominance MMA. We also discuss topics Mark Shapiro spoke on during the Morgan Stanley Tech Conference, including the White House card and fighter pay. We weigh in on a whistleblower’s claims that Paramount’s president leaked details of the UFC broadcast deal, as well as how important the new WB merger is to TKO. There’s a lot more, so make sure to follow along with our outline as you listen: *We urge you to pick up a paid subscription, as it helps us keep the show going* Episode 232 Outline * Let’s start with updates to the UFC antitrust cases. There were some exhibits attached to the Plaintiff’s motion for sanctions. Was there anything of interest amongst them? * There was also a filing that was directed at Dominance MMA. What was it? * Mark Shapiro spoke at the Morgan Stanley’s Technology, Media, and Telecom Conference and one of the things he discussed was the White House event. Was there any new information there? * He talked about Zuffa Boxing a bit. Did he say anything interesting? * He also brought up UFC fighter pay. What did he have to say? * How important is the pending Paramount-WB merger to TKO? * A whistleblower claims Paramount president Jeff Shell leaked details of the $7.7B UFC deal. What did you think of that? * Do you think we’ll see Zuffa Boxing on a different platform next year, perhaps one of the others from the merger? * What do you think of the Usyk-Verhoeven matchup? * A NY Times piece on Zuffa Boxing came out a few days ago. Was there anything in it that caught your eye? * Don King has launched a lawsuit against TKO and Sela. What do we know about it? * Lucha Lily, a reporter who was present at the Navarette-Nunez card, asked Eddie Hearn why they didn’t air the prelims on Youtube or DAZN and was told that it would depend on the show/location/budget whether or not they’ll have preliminary bout production at all. Do you think that will be the trend for all promoters not named Zuffa Boxing? * Is Eddie Hearn suing TKO? * Aleksei Oleinik revealed that he only made $250 in 2025 for his royalties for the UFC 5 game. Does that sound right to you? * Jon Jones claims he’s in negotiations with the UFC to headline the White House card. What do you make of that? * Lots of active UFC fighters have been appearing on RAF wrestling cards on FOX Nation. How do they get around the UFC to do that? *Expert declarations of spoliation, Proposed order of UFC sanctions, Plaintiffs reply in support of sanctions of Dominance MMA*

    45 min
  4. Finally! Someone is suing the UFC for inferior cards | Ep. 231

    FEB 27

    Finally! Someone is suing the UFC for inferior cards | Ep. 231

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACT In today’s episode, we’re looking at new motions for sanctions filed by the plaintiffs in the UFC antitrust cases, as well as a brand new, unrelated complaint seeking class action on behalf of fans that paid for subpar UFC events. We also discuss TKO’s latest earnings statement and their monthly earnings call. We analyze the available information about Connor Benn vs. Regis Prograis, and we take a listener question. There’s a lot more, so make sure to follow along with our outline as you listen: *We urge you to pick up a paid subscription, as it helps us keep the show going* Episode 231 Outline * Have there been any new filings in the UFC antitrust cases? * Has there been any movement with the Ali Revival Act bill? * A new earnings report was released about TKO’s finances. What did we learn from them? * There was an earnings call where Mark Shapiro discussed site fees and the White House card. What notable things did you derive from it? * They also discussed Zuffa Boxing. What was their take on it? * Why is Frank Warren’s Queensberry promotion exchanging legal letters with TKO and Sela? * News came out yesterday about Connor Benn vs. Regis Prograis as the co-main event for a Tyson Fury fight on Netflix, promoted by Ring. There seems to be some confusion about how this is all happening and if Zuffa Boxing will be promoting. Can you enlighten us about the details? * Terence Crawford was recently on Joe Rogan’s podcast. Was there anything significant that stood out to you? * Listener question from Eric Hamidi: Given the Conor Benn signing, what are starting salaries for the NBA, NFL, MLB, and NHL? Do you know and have the source of that info? *Notice of related cases, Class action complaint, Motion for sanctions*

    33 min
  5. Did Plaintiffs defame Dominance MMA in UFC antitrust case? | Ep. 230

    FEB 25

    Did Plaintiffs defame Dominance MMA in UFC antitrust case? | Ep. 230

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACT In today’s episode, we’re looking at Ronda Rousey’s comments this week regarding how the UFC promotes fights in the current era and the way she plans to go up against them. We also discuss Dana White’s comments at the post-fight presser on a variety of topics including Ronda’s upcoming fight with Gina Carano, Sean Strickland, and Eddie Hearn We weigh in on the Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao II rematch, and we talk about the reported sabotage of Top Rank’s broadcast deal with ESPN. There’s a lot more, so make sure to follow along with our outline as you listen: *We urge you to pick up a paid subscription, as it helps us keep the show going* Episode 230 Outline * Are there any new updates to the UFC antitrust cases? * Puck is reporting that the White House card could cost the UFC $60 million. Do you think that could be accurate? * There has been a lot of talk about Conor Benn signing with Zuffa Boxing for 1-fight and $15 million? What do you think of this signing and the amount? * It seems like a lot of fighters have taken note of how much they are paying Benn. Do you think this means Hearn is right that the boxing purses might cause problems with UFC fighters? * Ronda Rousey was interviewed by Jim Rome and spoke about why she & Gina Carano didn’t end up with their fight promoted by UFC. What did you think of the reason she gave? * She was in a filmed segment with Nikisa Bidarian discussing how she’d be “going hard in the trenches” promoting this fight against UFC. What did you make of her odd statement about the UFC “suffering from a lack of competition”? * When Dana White was asked about the fight, he said he was happy for them but that it just didn’t work out for UFC to promote. Do you have any thoughts on his comments? * After Saturday’s UFC Houston fight night, Dana took questions in the post-fight presser about several other topics. First being about Sean Strickland’s bigoted comments. He replied that it was basically the media’s fault for riling him up. What’s your take on that? * He was also asked about the Conor Benn signing in regards to his “beating up babies” comment where he referenced Eddie Hearn. He responded, ‘Is there a bigger p***y than Eddie Hearn?’ Is he being a little too bold right now, considering their proposed Revival Act bill hasn’t even been passed? * Eddie Hearn talked about how Zuffa Boxing would have to “do some crazy stuff” to land Bam Rodriguez. What did you make of his comment? * Brunch Boxing had a big story yesterday about how ESPN executives sabotaged the TOP Rank deal then left to join Paramount and/or Zuffa Boxing. What are your thoughts on that? * Reports are saying Top Rank is in talks with ESPN currently for a new broadcast deal. Do you think they’ll get a good one? * Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao II was announced yesterday for Netflix in September. Aside from this being way too late in their careers for it to be anything more than a cash grab, what did you make of the available details of the bout? * How do you think it will do? * Do you think Netflix is serious about combat sports or only these big name events? *Dominance opposition to Plaintiff’s motion of contempt*

    50 min
  6. Don't fire Strickland, just don't give him a microphone | Ep. 229

    FEB 20

    Don't fire Strickland, just don't give him a microphone | Ep. 229

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACT In today’s episode, we’re looking at UFC’s Sean Strickland problem ahead of their first on-the-road Fight Night. Considering how Strickland always ramps up hateful commentary ahead of his fights, and how Dana White is staunchly supporting “free speech” among UFC athletes, is there a solution? We also discuss the twists and turns in the Golden Boy lawsuit, the Zuffa Boxing belt, and the WBC championship necklace. We analyze comments on the importance of Rousey vs. Carano, and weigh in on Marquel Martin’s astute observations. There’s a lot more, so make sure to follow along with our outline as you listen: *We urge you to pick up a paid subscription, as it helps us keep the show going* Episode 229 Outline * Do we have any updates in the UFC antitrust cases? * There has been some discussion on social media that Rousey vs Carano is not that big a fight, or would not have been a big fight in the past. Do you agree with this? * Eddie Hearn and Dana White have been going back and forth about Zuffa Boxing. Do you have any thoughts on their feud? * Matchroom and DAZN announced an extension on their deal. Is this good news for Matchroom? * Zuffa Boxing revealed their diamond encrusted belt yesterday. What did you think of it? * WBC also revealed a $40K diamond encrusted necklace. What are your thoughts on that? * Marquel Martin, who acted in an advisory position to Francis Ngannou, has moved on to getting his NFL agent license and had some sharp comments about working in the MMA space. What did you think of his statements? * Sean Strickland has made the headlines again, even bleeding into mainstream news, with incendiary comments about Bad Bunny, about women’s MMA, and women in general. Backlash has been mounting against Paramount and Toyota with calls to remove him from UFC’s roster. What are your thoughts on the situation? * Dana White was asked about the situation and he had this to say: “If you get your feelings hurt that bad you shouldn’t ask these questions when you know the response you’ll get from Strickland. I don’t tell any human what to say or think, there’s no leashes”. Do you think his approach is bad for UFC given how new their relationship with Paramount is? * Graham Boylan gave an interview where he discussed managing/developing fighters while simultaneously promoting them via his Cage Warriors. Did anything stand out to you? * Are there any new updates with the Golden Boy lawsuit? * Listener question from Eric Hamidi: Can PFL differentiate themselves and not be a walled garden by partnering with Rizin? *Golden Boy’s reply in support of restraining order*

    34 min
  7. Will Rousey vs. Carano be the highest paid MMA fight of all time? | Ep. 228

    FEB 18

    Will Rousey vs. Carano be the highest paid MMA fight of all time? | Ep. 228

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACT In today’s episode, we’re looking at UFC antitrust updates regarding a third party vendor to review discovery, and how UFC seemed to dodge a major bullet in the spoliation of required evidence. We also discuss Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano from a business perspective, whether UFC should be worried about the White House card not delivering, how MVP ended up with the fight, and how Ronda and Gina likely got out of their previous contracts. We also analyze Vergil Ortiz’ formal opposition to Golden Boy’s restraining order, and we answer some listener questions. There’s a lot more, so make sure to follow along with our outline as you listen: *We urge you to pick up a paid subscription, as it helps us keep the show going* Episode 228 Outline * Do we have any new updates to the UFC antitrust cases? * Were you surprised that Ali Abdel-Aziz now wants you to include him in your antitrust filing tweets? * The big news today is the announcement of Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano in a featherweight MMA bout for Netflix, promoted by MVP. What do you think of this fight? * Do you think it will outshine the WH card? * Should Dana and company be worried? * How did Ronda and Gina end up out of their contracts since both still had fights on them? * Do you think Ronda is still tied to TKO in any capacity via WWE? * Ronda said that they were in talks with Dana White last year for this match but couldn’t make it happen. Does that sound like it came down to money? * With MVP promoting, how big a purse do you think these women are getting? * Dana White has been making lots of comments about competitors for Zuffa Boxing. Was there anything he said that could possibly be pointed to for Revival Act changes? * Is there any hope this bill gets rejected? * Max Kellerman said he wanted Zuffa Boxing to introduce the BMF belt. What are your thoughts on that? * What in the world is going on with Casey Wasserman and Ari Emanuel? * Are there any new updates in Golden Boy’s lawsuit? * Emilio Destifano from Twitter asks: From your “Deep Dive Into Congress...” episode: Could the plaintiffs have allowed defendants to sneak in that particular clause which essentially guts any Ali Act restrictions in order to expose that tactic, in hopes it gets shot down sooner rather than later? * Emilio also asked this question from that episode: Could Zuffa Boxing have pushed added healthcare regs in order to not only price out competition of other promoters, but to have more control over fighters I.E. more leverage/opportunity to deny fighters? Just demand “testing” until they are able to secure a favorable result? * Eric Hamidi also had a question: Do you or John find it funny, ironic, or hypocritical that TKO staff and supporters talk about them revolutionizing boxing & it needs to be back on TV and yet, their first events are at the Apex on Paramount+? *Vergil Ortiz opposition to Golden Boy restraining order*

    42 min
  8. Why Zuffa Boxing can ignore Ali Act with new belt | Ep. 227

    FEB 13

    Why Zuffa Boxing can ignore Ali Act with new belt | Ep. 227

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACT In today’s episode, we’re looking at major UFC antitrust updates regarding Dominance MMA’s “revolt” and failure to cooperate with agreed upon discovery measures. We also discuss Zuffa Boxing’s ability to ignore current Ali Act protections regarding the creation of their own belt, as well as Stepen Espinoza’s comments on the promotion in a recent interview. We also weigh in on the suit Golden Boy filed against Rick Mirigian and what their future looks like amid obvious financial struggles. In our final segment, we answer listener questions from Eric Hamidi. There’s a lot more, so make sure to follow along with our outline as you listen: *We urge you to pick up a paid subscription, as it helps us keep the show going* Episode 227 Outline * We had some happenings in the UFC antitrust case. First, tell us about filing to hold third party Dominance MMA in contempt? * There was a hearing yesterday. Do we know what happened? * What happens next? * TKO answered questions from Ilhan Omar last month during a hearing about the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act. Did anything stand out to you? * Zuffa Boxing announced a title fight between Jai Opetaia and Brandon Glanton for their inaugural belt, well before the Revival Act has passed. What do you make of this? * Stephen Espinoza gave an interview where he was asked about Zuffa Boxing. Did he say anything that caught your attention? * Golden Boy just sued Vergil Ortiz’ manager, Rick Mirigian for $10M. What do you make of that suit? * It seems that Golden Boy is in serious trouble financially. What kind of future do they have in your opinion? * Social media influencer Adin Ross claims Dana White may pay him $6M a year to cover UFC. What do you make of that? * We had a listener question from Eric Hamidi who asked: Is this the only provision in the original Ali Act that prevents promoters from having their own championship belts?Excerpt states: “No officer or employee of a sanctioning organization may receive any compensation, gift, or benefit, directly or indirectly, from a promoter, boxer, or manager.” * Eric also asks if you’ve heard the same rumors Fred Garvin has, that democratic senators have been contacting people involved with boxing regarding the Revival Act, and how they (dem. senators) don’t support the proposed changes. *Plaintiffs’ request for Dominance MMA to be held in contempt, Golden Boy v. Rick Mirigian, answers to questions posed by Ilhan Omar for the official record*

    33 min
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4.6
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About

A newsletter and podcast covering the business of face-punching! heynottheface.substack.com

Information

  • Creator
    John S. Nash & Stephie Haynes
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    238
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © John S. Nash
  • Show Website
    Hey Not The Face! Podcast

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