The MMA Draw Podcast

The MMA Draw Podcast
The MMA Draw Podcast
  • 3.4 (200)
  • Sports
  • Updated Weekly

Nate Wilcox, the founder of Bloody Elbow and Zach Arnold, the founder of Fight Opinion explain the game behind the fights, covering the business of MMA, combat sports and a little bit of pro wrestling. www.themmadraw.com

  1. 3d ago

    UFC 329 week TKO'd Conor McGregor & boxing as we know it

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.themmadraw.com It’s not your fault if you got sucked into the Conor McGregor vortex. At least it wasn’t on PPV. Besides, Benoit Saint Denis’ performance against Paddy Pimblett was far more depressing. This week’s edition of The MMA Draw podcast focuses on the current state of affairs for the UFC Lightweight division after UFC 329’s fight results. Are you interested in Paddy Pimblett vs. Ilia Topuria? How about Max Holloway vs. Arman Tsarukyan? There are lots of unresolved questions from UFC 329 week to answer. We want your feedback to this week’s podcast. Leave us a comment and tell us what you think of this week’s show. For our paid subscribers, we talk all about TKO’s all-in strategy on Zuffa Boxing as a growth story. Mark Shapiro needs this talking point on Wall Street because the value extraction of WWE fans for Summerslam in Minneapolis is not reportedly going according to plan. Thanks to the fountain of (mis)information known as ChatGPT, take a look at the last four weeks of Netflix ratings numbers for WWE RAW. With WWE business softening, TKO’s timeline to take over boxing has plenty of incentive for acceleration. Dana White asked the public to judge Zuffa Boxing at the end of the year by who they sign and how many cards they produce. Right on cue, there is significant consolidation in the boxing industry with both Turki Alalshikh/TKO and DAZN. Some of the big questions we address on this week’s MMA Draw podcast: * Why the Shakur Stevenson signing and Netflix confirmation of Anthony Joshua vs. Tyson Fury is a big credibility boost, especially if that fight happens in Las Vegas * What is happening behind the scenes with the various delays in announcing Ryan Garcia vs. Conor Benn and how a certain boxing Twitter account may have revealed a much bigger story regarding Paramount’s potential involvement * Is DAZN being positioned as TKO’s boxing version of Fight Pass? Will DAZN end up being a permanent boxing subcontractor for all other major streaming media platforms? * Why Zuffa Boxing is able to continue with their consolidation plans regardless as to whether or not the US Senate passes the Ali Revival Act When it comes to TKO, you can’t simply talk about one piece of their combat sports portfolio. They are constantly tying WWE, UFC, and Zuffa Boxing business headlines into one consolidated, corporate package. Synergy. Important News For our paid subscribers — please update your podcast feeds so that you never miss the latest edition of The MMA Draw podcast. You can check out The MMA Draw Podcast on Substack via the following feeds: * The MMA Draw Substack Podcast on Apple * The MMA Draw Substack Podcast on Spotify * The MMA Draw Substack Podcast RSS feed Nate Wilcox is Editor-in-Chief of The MMA Draw. He founded BloodyElbow.com in 2007 and sold it in 2024. Zach Arnold is a lead opinion writer for The MMA Draw on Substack. His archives can be read at FightOpinion.com. Contact Zach: fightopinion at protonmail dot com.

  2. Jul 7

    How Conor McGregor's UFC legacy is tied to Floyd Mayweather

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.themmadraw.com Everyone is holding their breath to see if Conor McGregor will, in fact, make his long-awaited return to the Octagon to fight Max Holloway at UFC 329 this weekend in Las Vegas, Nevada at T-Mobile Arena. In 2026, the two biggest stars in boxing & MMA remain Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor. Both men’s legacies are strangely connected to each other when it comes to business and legal issues. Ari Emanuel’s decision to take the money from their 2017 boxing match instead of changing UFC fighter pay calculations is what has led us down this rather crazy world of fight sport economics. It’s why there is still ongoing UFC antitrust litigation. This week’s edition of The MMA Draw Podcast is one of our best shows to update. If you have not already subscribed, sign up and give us a try for a month for $8. For our current subscribers or those of you considering a paid subscription, $69 a year is the best bargain for the kind of combat sports news and information we provide. There’s a reason industry leaders are all-in on following our content. The MMA Draw Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. Your paid subscription provides access to news on fights, predictions, politics, lawsuits, and scandals you simply will not find out anywhere else. This week’s podcast menu of topics for our listeners includes: * The future of Conor McGregor and how his legacy inevitably is tied to Floyd Mayweather’s misfortunes. Will Conor be able to emerge from a better financial and legal position than Floyd is currently in? * Why Ari Emanuel’s decision to allow Conor McGregor to box Floyd Mayweather permanently changed the trajectory of both boxing and UFC for better and for worse. * What realistic expectations fans should have for Conor McGregor vs. Max Holloway at UFC 329, including our estimates on how big the T-Mobile Arena gate will likely be. * A blockbuster development in UFC antitrust evidence spoliation hearings regarding Dana White’s iPhone 11 Pro phone potentially getting erased. Who did what and when? We separate fact from fiction in regards to what it means for ongoing UFC litigation as far as a timetable and likely outcome, either in settlement or if the case goes to trial. Paid subscribers have access to Zach’s full article on what happened in the courtroom last week. * The growing role of Big Law firm Latham & Watkins in the UFC antitrust lawsuit with long-time UFC attorney Colby Williams leaving to join his old bosses at Red Rock Casino. * How Latham & Watkins became Ari Emanuel’s most trusted legal advisors. How does Ari view his Big Law partners in regards to their role in US Government affairs? Nate & Zach play newly released audio by a Delaware court (obtained by Brandon Thurston of POST Wrestling + Wrestlenomics) regarding Ari Emanuel & Vince McMahon voice messages communicating behind-the-scenes chicanery to sell WWE to Endeavor. Did Janel Grant help Ari Emanuel become a billionaire? * What the future of UFC & WWE could look like once current US President Donald Trump is out of office. If you like your fight news hot, intense, and in-depth, The MMA Draw is the place to sign up and become a full-time subscriber. Important News For our paid subscribers — please update your podcast feeds so that you never miss the latest edition of The MMA Draw podcast. You can check out The MMA Draw Podcast on Substack via the following feeds: * The MMA Draw Substack Podcast on Apple * The MMA Draw Substack Podcast on Spotify * The MMA Draw Substack Podcast RSS feed Nate Wilcox is Editor-in-Chief of The MMA Draw. He founded BloodyElbow.com in 2007 and sold it in 2024. Zach Arnold is a lead opinion writer for The MMA Draw on Substack. His archives can be read at FightOpinion.com. Contact Zach: fightopinion at protonmail dot com.

  3. Jun 21

    Ari Emanuel's political & business legacy with UFC Freedom 250

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.themmadraw.com Last week’s UFC White House event drew a reported 8.2M viewers on Paramount Plus. The upcoming Conor McGregor fight in Las Vegas against Max Holloway could draw just many viewers. Michael Tasner at Inc Magazine argued that whatever money TKO lost on the UFC White House event would be more than made up for by the wave of earned media before and after the event and a permanent elevation of the promotion’s profile. Is he right? This week’s super-sized podcast from The MMA Draw analyzes every single angle from the UFC Freedom 250 event including the historical juxtaposition of TKO throwing an 80th birthday bash for President Donald J. Trump, only to see him surrendering hours later to the Iranian government by signing the Treaty of Versailles 2.0. President Trump isn’t the only one making political history. Ari Emanuel is one of the key unelected power brokers in this current US Presidential administration and he is preparing for Life After Trump. That framing explains why the US State Department recently signed a deal with UFC in the name of diplomacy. Thought being a fight fan meant you could escape politics? Not any longer. Ari Emanuel enabled, produced, and orchestrated the process behind the UFC White House event. Dana White and Craig Borsari put in the elbow grease but it was The King of Hollywood who President Trump made a beeline towards for the first handshake at UFC Freedom 250. The tabloids and Hollywood press took notice. Everyone involved — including the mainstream political media — would rather not focus on mentioning Ari Emanuel’s name… or if they have to, categorize it in a minimal fashion. On the menu for this week’s MMA Draw podcast: * Why the Paramount Plus media strategy in maximizing UFC visibility for recruiting new subscribers seems chaotic. If you same-day subscribed to the UFC Freedom 250 event, you also will receive Conor McGregor’s return fight in the same billing cycle. Nevermind the Summer campaigns advertising “get two months for 99 cents.” * How much bigger (or smaller) will Conor McGregor’s fight draw in Paramount viewership versus UFC White House? The trends indicate it will draw a monster number. * The huge tax dilemma UFC fighters receiving Freedom 250 crypto bonuses from the White House event are about to face. Nerd alert: We break down how multiple silos of taxation regarding Fair Market Value, ordinary income, and capital gains/losses could hypothetically end up costing fighters tens if not hundreds of thousands of dollars. * Thanks to Twitter user DeepDarkRock, we now apparently know the name of the doctor who tried to stop the Ilia Topuria/Justin Gaethje fight after round three but was reversed by referee Marc Goddard. UFC’s medical director, Dr. Jeff Davidson, was the other doctor present. What exactly happened and how much more punishment did Topuria unnecessarily absorb? Is Justin Gaethje when he says that Topuria will never be the same fighter ever again? * How Ilia Topuria and Alex Pereira losing in lopsided fashion will create future hesitancy in fighters jumping up multiple weight classes to chase “money fights” instead of sticking to a more natural weight class. * Why Zach Arnold initially interpreted The New York Times article on Conor McGregor and Dr. Neal ElAttrache as a hit piece on the doctor as a larger sports story rather than as a direct hit on UFC or Conor himself. There’s a reason Conor dismissed having a bullseye on his back from The Times during his recent Ariel Helwani interview. A jam-packed 80 minute podcast covering the most politically sensitive issues in combat sports and geopolitics. You simply won’t find this kind of discussion anywhere else in fight sport. Important News For our paid subscribers — please update your podcast feeds so that you never miss the latest edition of The MMA Draw podcast. You can check out The MMA Draw Podcast on Substack via the following feeds: * The MMA Draw Substack Podcast on Apple * The MMA Draw Substack Podcast on Spotify * The MMA Draw Substack Podcast RSS feed Nate Wilcox is Editor-in-Chief of The MMA Draw. He founded BloodyElbow.com in 2007 and sold it in 2024. Zach Arnold is a lead opinion writer for The MMA Draw on Substack. His archives can be read at FightOpinion.com. Contact Zach: fightopinion at protonmail dot com.

  4. Jun 10

    The Sick, Twisted, Corrupt Relationship Between UFC and Donald Trump

    This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.themmadraw.com/subscribe

    The Sick, Twisted, Corrupt Relationship Between UFC and Donald Trump

  5. Jun 4

    The dirty secrets on UFC White House & WWE Delaware sanctions

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.themmadraw.com NEWS ALERT: Las Vegas Federal Judge Richard Boulware is expected to order UFC matchmakers Sean Shelby + Mick Maynard to testify in his courtroom at the end of June regarding Rule 37(e) evidence spoliation hearings. This is regarding missing and erased phones, e-mails, and other discovery not produced by TKO & Endeavor in current UFC antitrust litigation. These court hearings are anticipated to be in a similar format to the hearings both Dana White & Hunter Campbell participated in several months ago. Additionally, TKO CEO Ari Emanuel and TKO COO Mark Shapiro are expected to be ordered to testify in July. Today’s court hearing with Judge Boulware is extremely timely given the subject matter of today’s MMA Draw podcast. If you find yourself bewildered by the bromance behind UFC White House organizers, you’re not alone. This week’s edition of The MMA Draw podcast is all about piercing through the Hollywood constructs to fill you in on what is happening behind the scenes. The political angles, marketing, and questionable decisions as to why UFC has focused so little on promoting an actual fight card. Stories like President Trump’s no fat soldiers policy for UFC White House, Trump acquiring TKO stock and his profit motives, and the new Zuffa Myth about how Dana White & President Trump are lifelong business partners responsible for the rise of UFC from the ashes. What are the true motives by Ari Emanuel & Mark Shapiro in regards to risk/reward calculations for UFC’s brand moving forward in the rest of President Trump’s second term? For our paid subscribers, we have analysis of recent Delaware sanctions against TKO regarding Endeavor’s acquisition of WWE. Brandon Thurston has done an excellent job reporting on this story. Access his Substack articles right here. Delaware judge J. Travis Laster issued an amazing 40-page opinion outlining the history of Endeavor’s acquisition of WWE and the timeline of evidence destruction. This legal opinion, which you can read here, is truly a piece of history. It is extremely easy-to-understand and digest. Go read it. However, the media and legal analysis of this opinion has been limited in appreciating the size of scope of the revelations. In other words, the full legal impact of this opinion is not being properly explained. Most of the public comments are cynical in nature and follow the logic that if you have to pay a % of the billions of dollars made, then that’s just part of doing business for the rich & elite. It’s the wrong way to look at J. Travis Laster’s court opinion and we explain, on this week’s MMA Draw podcast, how you should be looking at his pre-trial ruling. First, burden shifting. The judge in this case ruled on Rule 37(e) Delaware sanctions for evidence spoliation. It’s similar to Rule 37(e) sanctions under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Judge Laster’s opinion even cites recent Federal case law on the subject matter. Because of Judge Laster’s sanctions, the burden has shifted from the plaintiffs in the WWE acquisition lawsuit having to prove their claims by a preponderance of evidence to now the defendants having to disprove the plaintiff’s allegations by a clear-and-convincing (75%) standard. Second, Judge Laster has asserted five facts to be true-until-proven-otherwise. Read his court opinion to see those factual assertions. There are some unstated ramifications regarding these established facts. Because the lawsuit has causes of actions including breach of fiduciary duty & breach of loyalty, these COAs could be considered intentional (equitable) torts. It means that the defendants could be personally liable for damages not covered by liability insurance or indemnification agreements. Guess what else is considered an intentional tort? Antitrust violations. What is overlooked by most media outlets: Vince McMahon, Nick Khan, and other key players violated demands to preserve evidence after receiving litigation hold letters from their own attorneys. That’s a key issue at the heart of the current UFC antitrust litigation. Furthermore, a key claim asserted by Judge Laster deals with how the WWE acquisition process outcome was rigged from the start. What caught our eye was the judge’s assertions about how the Strategic Review Process to oversee Endeavor’s acquisition was an inside job. How so? A consultancy and deal-making firm called The Raine Group was involved in the process. As The New York Times reported in 2016, The Raine Group was an investment firm that Ari Emanuel both co-founded and invested in. Ari Emanuel was the agent for both Vince McMahon and Donald Trump. He was a co-founder of The Raine Group. He was literally on all-sides of the deal regarding Endeavor acquiring WWE. Endeavor’s corporate history of Strategic Review Process groups is at the heart of the current Altshares ETF lawsuit in Los Angeles Federal Court regarding Endeavor’s take-private action last year. This disclosure, along with other secrets that have not been reviewed by various media outlets, makes this week’s edition of The MMA Draw podcast a must-listen. Important News For our paid subscribers — please update your podcast feeds so that you never miss the latest edition of The MMA Draw podcast. You can check out The MMA Draw Podcast on Substack via the following feeds: * The MMA Draw Substack Podcast on Apple * The MMA Draw Substack Podcast on Spotify * The MMA Draw Substack Podcast RSS feed Nate Wilcox is Editor-in-Chief of The MMA Draw. He founded BloodyElbow.com in 2007 and sold it in 2024. Zach Arnold is a lead opinion writer for The MMA Draw on Substack. His archives can be read at FightOpinion.com. Contact Zach: fightopinion at protonmail dot com.

  6. May 26

    The six dos and don'ts for new MMA & boxing promoters

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.themmadraw.com Like everyone else, we watched the Oleksandr Usyk vs. Rico Verhoeven fight… but we came away with a bunch of positives rather than negatives. The UFC wanted Rico Verhoeven but for a much lower price than Turki Alalshikh paid for the famous GLORY kickboxer to fight at the Pyramids in Egypt. With Verhoeven’s outstanding showing against the lineal boxing heavyweight champion, he now has several boxing and MMA opportunities in 2026 and 2027 should he choose to pursue them. Like a major fight against the lineal Heavyweight MMA champion, Francis Ngannou. This week’s edition of The MMA Draw podcast is all about non-UFC options opening up in the combat sports landscape. It’s not about competing with UFC — it’s about grabbing a % of the market share without copying the Donn Davis PFL playbook. It’s about snatching the easy money that Mark Shapiro and TKO management is leaving on the table. There is money to be made. It requires some creativity. Avoid overthinking and laziness and there’s room to grab some cash. MVP’s entry into MMA on Netflix plus the return of Scott Coker means that the PFL has some assets that could prove to be valuable to a non-UFC entity. Who wants to make a deal first? Our podcast reviews the current state of affairs. Is Scott Coker simply collecting another paycheck like his industry detractors on Twitter claim? Is there room for a tournament format in 2027? Can RIZIN grow American market share with a co-promotional venture with Scott Coker? For our paid subscribers, we have a list of six dos — and don’ts — that all new boxing and MMA promoters should pay close attention to. We’re not rocket scientists at fight promotion but we do observe clear mistakes that can be easily be avoided and pathways for opportunity in building new relationships. Remember the golden days of MMA fandom which felt more like a community rather than a networking transaction with Crypto Bros and Korean stock day-traders? If anything, recent industry developments are interesting and that’s what we really care about. So should you. Now is not the time for fatalism and learned helplessness. Important News For our paid subscribers — please update your podcast feeds so that you never miss the latest edition of The MMA Draw podcast. You can check out The MMA Draw Podcast on Substack via the following feeds: * The MMA Draw Substack Podcast on Apple * The MMA Draw Substack Podcast on Spotify * The MMA Draw Substack Podcast RSS feed Nate Wilcox is Editor-in-Chief of The MMA Draw. He founded BloodyElbow.com in 2007 and sold it in 2024. Zach Arnold is a lead opinion writer for The MMA Draw on Substack. His archives can be read at FightOpinion.com.

  7. May 21

    What's the TKO flywheel that powers UFC & WWE?

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.themmadraw.com Why is TKO concentrating so much power, not only in the fight industry but general sports business as well? We wanted to answer that question on this week’s edition of The MMA Draw podcast. Building off of our TKO Top 10 Power Players in 2026 podcast, this week’s podcast is all about the mechanics and financing that powers the TKO multi-monopoly machine behind UFC & WWE. We earlier identified who is behind TKO. Now we want to identify the parts of the flywheel that act as multipliers to feed this financial monster. Here’s a short preview of what is covered on this week’s podcast: * What are the different components of TKO? (e.g., WME Group, IMG, OnLocation, Everpass, etc.) * Who are the key financiers that cycle capital in and out of TKO and help refinance debt? We take a special look at the role of Goldman Sachs, Redbird Capital, and Silver Lake. * How TKO utilizes conflicts of interest to sideline the competition and be on all sides at the negotiating table * How one monopoly feeds other monopolies and concentrates ownership wealth. A prime example of this is Egon Durban’s rapid expansion as minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders football. The news of Ari Emanuel & Mark Shapiro getting ownership slivers of the Raiders broke after our podcast recording. Disgruntled fans of both UFC & WWE have a right to complain. They should also understand that they are guinea pigs for the Kings of Hollywood who want to redirect combat sports cash into more lucrative and prestigious ventures like the NFL. It’s a lot easier to sell NFL ownership at a cocktail party in the Hamptons than to hype yourself up as a combat sports carnival barker. Important News For our paid subscribers — please update your podcast feeds so that you never miss the latest edition of The MMA Draw podcast. You can check out The MMA Draw Podcast on Substack via the following feeds: * The MMA Draw Substack Podcast on Apple * The MMA Draw Substack Podcast on Spotify * The MMA Draw Substack Podcast RSS feed Nate Wilcox is Editor-in-Chief of The MMA Draw. He founded BloodyElbow.com in 2007 and sold it in 2024. Zach Arnold is a lead opinion writer for The MMA Draw on Substack. His archives can be read at FightOpinion.com.

  8. May 7

    TKO's Free Cash Flow monster faces four big headwinds

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.themmadraw.com Fantasy vs. reality. Wall Street vs. Main Street. The contrast between TKO’s Q1 2026 record-breaking revenue figures and the economic pain that most Americans are feeling couldn’t be starker. Meanwhile, Ariel Helwani is reporting that TKO is marketing a pitch deck to high rollers for $1.5 million Willy Wonka golden tickets. These “partner investment” packages include access to UFC White House & UFC 329 on July 11th, 2026, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. This week’s MMA Draw podcast is a direct rebuttal to Wednesday’s TKO Wall Street call. Mark Shapiro pushed back against critics of UFC matchmaking, WWE presentation, and unlimited advertising campaigns. “Change takes getting used to.” Markets love investing in stability, certainty, and monopolies. That’s what many investors are looking for with TKO. But despite record-breaking revenues, TKO faces four significant headwinds going into the second quarter of 2026: * Economic challenges/oil shocks from the US/Iran war * Complete and total American fan fatigue with the politicization of the UFC * The degradation of UFC matchmaking and the decline in WWE’s in-ring product * Negative branding and customer satisfaction with both Paramount & ESPN, and executive obsession with AI. Mark Shapiro was completely dismissive of these challenges on Wednesday’s TKO Wall Street call and doubled down on an aggressive Middle Eastern event schedule for the second half of 2026 in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Azerbaijan. We will discuss the four major headwinds on this week’s paid portion of The MMA Draw podcast. There is a reason we believe the inflationary impact of upcoming oil shocks is going to impact the global economy, especially late-Summer travel. For the free portion of this week’s podcast, we focus on the Hollywood politics permeating TKO’s attitude towards fans. There is a reason Mark Shapiro, Nick Khan, and Ari Emanuel see themselves as the star of this multi-billion-dollar show. The executives are bigger than the talent. The system is bigger than the superstars. AI is a mandatory part of the fan experience. Stress testing of both talent and customers is necessary to push boundaries. “Change takes getting used to.” There is a reason Mark Shapiro always falls back on Hollywood principles when defending TKO business principles and customer experiences. In the world of Hollywood, the poors are not the hardcores. Important News For our paid subscribers — please update your podcast feeds so that you never miss the latest edition of The MMA Draw podcast. You can check out The MMA Draw Podcast on Substack via the following feeds: * The MMA Draw Substack Podcast on Apple * The MMA Draw Substack Podcast on Spotify * The MMA Draw Substack Podcast RSS feed Nate Wilcox is Editor-in-Chief of The MMA Draw. He founded BloodyElbow.com in 2007 and sold it in 2024. Zach Arnold is a lead opinion writer for The MMA Draw on Substack. His archives can be read at FightOpinion.com.

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Nate Wilcox, the founder of Bloody Elbow and Zach Arnold, the founder of Fight Opinion explain the game behind the fights, covering the business of MMA, combat sports and a little bit of pro wrestling. www.themmadraw.com

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