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Valentina Shevchenko joins us to preview her upcoming title defense on August 10th in Uruguay against Liz Carmouche. Following her sensational KO victory against Jessica Eye at UFC 238, Shevchenko hopes to keep that momentum and deliver another finish for the South American fans. We’ll get Valentina’s thoughts on Liz as an opponent, and the importance of nullifying a doctor stoppage loss to Carmouche from earlier in their respective careers. We’ll also hear Shevchenko’s assessment of the division, and her enthusiasm to help the UFC break into yet another new market. 

Arjan Bhullar previews his ONE Championship debut this Friday in Manila at Dawn of Heroes. What came as a surprise to many, Arjan decided to leave the UFC riding a two-fight win streak and now looks to start a new chapter of his career with ONE. We’ll get the rundown of factors that led to his UFC departure, and why he believes that ONE Championship will help him realize his full superstar potential with Indian MMA fans. Plus, a full breakdown of his upcoming fight agains Mauro Cirelli, and Arjan’s assessment of the heavyweight landscape in the promotion.

Zoila Frausto previews her sophomore appearance with Combate Americas on Friday in her hometown of Fresno, California, as she faces Reina Cordoba. A true pioneer for women in combat sports, Zoila has finally overcome injuries and hurdles in her personal life that have led to a rejuvenation of a life-long passion for competition. We’ll discuss her goals to capture yet another championship, hear a breakdown of her opponent, and why this homecoming event is special for “The Warrior Princess.”

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Jorge Masvidal returns to the show following what many are calling the greatest knockout in UFC history. With all the animosity built up between Masvidal and Ben Askren leading into fight week at UFC 239, there was no question that “Gamebred” had bad intentions for his opponent. However, the spectacular result of a record-breaking flying knee was above and beyond expectation. Smashing his way into the history books and exemplifying the warrior spirit throughout his combat sports tenure, Masvidal is finally becoming the superstar this sport deserves. In this impromptu chat with Jorge, we’ll recap the knee heard round the world, his reaction to becoming a record holder, where things stand with Ben Askren, and what’s next for the American Top Team staple. From back yards to bright lights, the meteoric rise of “Gamebred” is only getting started. 

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Colby Covington returns following the announcement that he will face former teammate Robbie Lawler in the main event of UFC FN 156 in Newark, New Jersey on August 3rd. “Chaos” explains why he agreed to take this bout after several failed campaigns to fight Tyron Woodley and Kamaru Usman for the welterweight title. Widely considered the right No. 1 contender, this scrap came as a surprise to many, but Covington is very happy with the caliber of opponent. We’ll hear Colby’s thoughts on the stylistically matchup against Lawler, why he believes a win over Robbie is essential to further cementing his legacy, and how he plans to defeat his former ATT stablemate. 

Dan Lambert joins us to give his perspective on the Covington vs Lawler matchup and explain why he felt like one of his star athletes was backed into a corner with the negotiations for the bout. Having been promised a title fight on more than one occasion and verbally agreeing to several fights that never came to fruition, Lambert expresses frustration for Covington’s string of bad luck. With so much incredible talent coming out of American Top Team, we’ll also get Dan’s take on some fast-approaching marquee fights featuring ATT athletes.  

Juan Archuleta closes out this episode with a recap of his sensational walk-off KO victory over Eduardo Dantas. Seeming to the textbook definition of a ‘super prospect,’ Archuleta has lofty goals for his Bellator tenure and he’s maintained that vision all along. We’ll hear his plans to compete for 3 titles in the coming year, how “The Spaniard” believes he matches up against Bellator’s best, and how he intends to start building an unrivaled legacy in MMA.

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Valentina Shevchenko returns to recap her incredible performance at UFC 238 against Jessica Eye. With what many consider a front-runner for KO of the Year, the “Bullet” further cemented her place as one of the pound-for-pound best. We’ll discuss the victory in depth, hear Valentina’s reaction to receiving a congratulatory phone call from the president of her native Kyrgyzstan, and discuss the possibility of Shevchenko bringing the UFC to her home country. With rumblings that the UFC wants to book Valentina against Liz Carmouche for July 20th in San Antonio, Texas, we’ll also get Shevchenko’s thoughts on the potential matchup and the likelihood of the bout coming to fruition.

Jorge Masvidal is back to give us another classic “Gamebred” interview. Have your lunch trays ready as Masvidal serves up a fantastic combo meal for all our listeners. We’ll review all the drama backstage in London with Leon Edwards, recap Jorge’s sensational KO win against Darren Till, and discuss all the popularity he’s gained since then. The grappling match against Anthony Pettis to benefit a charity close to Masvidal’s heart, and the looming showdown against Ben Askren at UFC 239 on July 6th, “Gamebred” pulls no punches and breaks it all down for us before he “glides up on out of here.” 

Eddie Alvarez joins us to preview his upcoming scrap against former champion Eduard Foloyang on August 2nd in Manila. “The Underground King” is no stranger to setbacks and overcoming the odds both in and out of competition, and Alvarez views this opportunity against Foloyang as a chance to prove his doubters wrong yet again. We’ll get the inside scoop on the horrific eye injury Eddie sustained back in March for his ONE Championship debut, and why he believes the loss is just a typical pattern on his path to another title.

Alexander Volkanovski closes out this episode with a recap of his performance against legendary featherweight Jose Aldo last month and detail the scary blood infection that almost led to an amputation. With that near-tragedy behind him, Alex is now solely focused on the being next in line for the 145 pound title. We’ll get his thoughts on being snubbed for the title shot in favor of Frankie Edgar, and how Alex expects Edgar to do against Max Holloway. Volkanovski also plans to be ready should either Edgar or Holloway succumb to injury before the fight, and the UFC has officially put him on standby. 

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Colby Covington is back to bring some ‘Chaos’ and discuss a plethora of topics. He’ll give us the latest developments on the inevitable showdown against Kamaru Usman and detail why he believes Kamaru is taking a page out of Tyron Woodley’s playbook. We’ll also hear Colby’s thoughts on some big upcoming fights at welterweight, what conditions he would fight longtime teammate Jorge Masvidal, and Covington issues a challenge to Mike Perry. Plus, a side of Colby you’ve never heard as he discusses his upbringing and clears the air of some common misconceptions. 

Gilbert Burns returns to the show to recap his win at UFC Sunrise a few weeks back and discusses his frustrations of finding a top-ranked opponent willing to sign a contract against him. We’ll also hear Gilbert’s thoughts on some of his teammates upcoming fights, and who exactly ‘Durinho’ would hand pick for his next fight.

Lance Palmer joins us to discuss the second PFL season and breakdown the biggest challengers in the bracket, as well as preview his fight for the opening round. We’ll also recap his success in the inaugural PFL season and why he believes that was the first of many championships he’ll be capturing. We’ll also discuss Palmer’s move to New Jersey to work with Mark Henry, Frankie Edgar, and company. 

Angela Magana gives us the details of the scary situation she faced months ago when the UFC veteran went into a coma during a much needed surgery, and how she plans to bounce back. While she does intend to return to MMA this year, Magana also has Olympic ambitions with the Puerto Rico wrestling team. We’ll discuss all that and more with ‘Her Highness.’

Jeremy Kennedy breaks down his PFL debut and discusses the chain of events that led the UFC veteran to become a better martial artist and seek different opportunities for his career. With his sights now set on a PFL title and the million dollar prize, we’ll get Jeremy’s thoughts on the competition in his bracket and why he believes this season is his for the taking.

Juan Adams returns following the announcement that he’ll be facing Greg Hardy in San Antonio, Texas on July 20th. Juan has been campaigning for a shot at the controversial Hardy, and even went so far as to rally his fanbase to get a hashtag trending that was less than flattering to the former Dallas Cowboy. Now with the fight finally booked, we’ll discuss the matchup in depth and get to the bottom of ‘The Kraken’s’ detest for Greg. 

Bobby Moffett is back to recap his disappointing loss to Bryce Mitchell at UFC Nashville and discuss the adjustments he’s making to ensure he never leaves a fight in the hands of the judges going forward. Although ‘The Wolfman’ did receive a bonus for his efforts that night, the large stack of cash doesn’t make up for his first loss in the promotion, and he looks to get back in the win column as soon as possible.

Rich Franklin returns following the announcement that the former UFC middleweight champion will be inducted to the UFC Hall of Fame for 2019. ‘Ace’ joins legendary athletes such as Royce Gracie, Randy Couture, and Bas Rutten in the HOF’s pioneer wing. Rightfully so as Franklin was ahead of the curve with his approach to training and a well-rounded arsenal displayed during his UFC tenure. However, Franklin’s contribution to MMA did not end with his retirement from competition in 2015. The Ohio native has been an integral part in the success of ONE Championship and his keen eye for talent has led to Rich at the helm of the promotions talent acquisition in the form of ONE Warrior Series. Rich talks shop regarding all things ONE Championship with the continued success and global expansion of the company. We’ll also take an in-depth look back on his combat career and discuss everything from Franklin’s proudest moments, to his hardest setbacks, and the legacy he hopes to leave.

Ray Cooper III and Zane Kamaka are both top of the food chain in Hawaii’s MMA landscape, and now the two compete for supremacy in the opening round of the 2019 PFL season. Cooper of course making it to the final last season, leaving a path of destruction in his wake before coming up short against Magomed Magomedkerimov. Kamaka on the other hand is incredibly hungry to prove his worth and feed his family in this promotional debut against Cooper on May 9th in Long Island, New York. As if that’s not enough reason to watch them collide, Ray and Zane are actually cousins cut from the same cloth . You’ll hear why Ray specifically asked to fight Zane in the opening round, why Zane believes he’ll prove to be the superior fighter, and how the bad blood began between the two. 

John ‘Doomsday’ Howard returns to close out this episode and preview his return for a second PFL season. Howard was unsuccessful last year at 185 pounds, but now moving back down to welterweight, ‘Doomsday’ is confident that he’ll be this seasons champion and cash in on the million dollar prize. We’ll Bostonian veteran’s  thoughts on competing against last years champion, the previously mentioned Magomedkerimov, and why he believes that not a single welterweight is willing to take a risk against his power. We’ll also look back on the unfortunate situation that unfolded last season against Louis Taylor, the PFL’s success in it’s first year, and what fans can expect from Howard on May 9th in Long Island. 

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Al Iaquinta returns to catch up and preview his upcoming showdown against Donald Cerrone on May 4th in Ottawa. In his last appearance on the show, ‘Ragin’ Al was still vocally upset with the UFC and the direction of his MMA career. Since then of course, the Long Island real estate mogul has settled his differences with the company and put together a string of impressive performances. We’re going to get Iaquinta’s take on how his relationship with the UFC has grown into a positive one, and why he believes they recognize his value as a combat athlete. Now booked against Cerrone in what many believe could be a FOTY candidate, Iaquinta feels that a dominant win over ‘Cowboy’ will put him right in the mix of title contenders. We’ll preview the matchup in-depth with Al, get his take on the state of the division, what adjustments he’d make in a rematch with Khabib, and much more.

Josh Emmett is back to recap his sensational third round KO against Michael Johnson over the weekend in Philadelphia. Following a year-long hiatus from competition, the Team Alpha Male staple was eager to return in style and re-stake his claim as one the elite at 145 pounds yet again. He did just that finishing Johnson in the final minute of the fight, so we’ll be hearing Emmett’s thoughts on his performance and why he believes that UFC gold is not far from his grasp. What opponent might be next, how quickly he’d like to jump back into competition, and why he is baffled by his inability to receive a post-fight bonus, we’ll cover it all with Josh.

Juan Adams closes out this episode to preview his upcoming fight against Arjan Bhullar which is also featured at the May 4th event in Ottawa. As he looks to remain undefeated and continue to show why he is the future of the division, we’ll get his thoughts on the matchup with Arjan and why ‘The Kraken’ believes his Canadian counterpart offers no real challenge. Always confident in his athleticism and skill, Adams has also been very outspoken regarding controversial fellow heavyweight prospect, Greg Hardy. Adamant that Hardy doesn’t even belong in the UFC, let alone be receiving a push from the company, Juan has plenty to say about the situation.

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Artem Lobov returns to preview his upcoming bareknuckle boxing debut against Jason Knight at BKFC5 on April 6th. Lobov requested his release from the UFC earlier this year after receiving some lucrative offers from other promotions and not being able to get the matchups he was hoping for with the company. Subsequently, BKFC made Artem a six-figure contract offer and the SBG staple felt it was a no-brainer to sign up for the next chapter of his combat sports career. 'The Russian Hammer' gives us the details on negotiations with BKFC, his thoughts on transitioning to bareknuckle and how it compliments his fighting style. We’ll also hear Lobov’s prediction for his debut against Knight, his anticipation of a showdown with Paulie Malignaggi, and clear up some rumors about Conor McGregor leaving the Straight Blast Gym in Ireland.

 

Dominick Reyes joins us to recap his decision victory over Volkan Oezdemir in London last weekend. While Volkan protested the judges scorecards, Reyes is confident in his performance and believes that the matchup truly tested his resolve as a fighter. Now looking to learn and evolve from the experience on his continued campaign for light-heavyweight gold, 'The Devastator' believes that one more impressive win over a top-tier opponent puts him next in line to face Jon Jones. We’ll breakdown the fight against Volkan in depth, and get his reaction to Oezdemir claiming that Dominick's own corner told Volkan they felt he lost the bout. Reyes also details his time in London exploring the city, what opponent he has in mind going forward on his march towards the title, and when he might make a return to action.

 

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Colby Covington returns to recap his eventful weekend in Las Vegas at UFC 235. Many agree that Covington stole the show in usual “Chaos” fashion. From crashing Kamaru Usman’s open workout, to harassing Dana White, causing a ruckus cage side, and almost getting into a brawl in the casino buffet line after the fight, we’re going to cover all that and much more with Colby, including his thoughts on a now looming matchup with Kamaru.

 

Alexander Volkanovski returns following the announcement that he will be facing former featherweight kingpin Jose Aldo at UFC 237 in Rio on May 11th. Volkanovski has seemed indestructible in his last few outings, most recently as he finished Chad Mendes, sending Chad into retirement. We’re going to discuss the importance of this matchup with Aldo as it pertains to Volkanovski’s title aspirations and more.

 

Dan Lambert closes out this episode in his first appearance on BJPENN.COM Radio. The founder and owner of American Top Team has helped groom countless of the top combat athletes in MMA, and we’ll be discussing the gambit with Dan in this lengthy but enjoyable conversation. From the rise of Colby Covington, to the future of Amanda Nunes, and the upcoming title shot for Dustin Porier. Plus everything in between.

 

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We kick things off with the surging UFC welterweight coming off a fight of year candidate in his win over Bryan Barberena at UFC Phoenix, “The Silent Assassin” Vicente Luque. We’ll recap the sensational win over Barberena, discuss what’s next for him, and hear why he chose to call out Neil Magny and Jorge Masvidal.

 

Next up, following a year long layoff from competition, Josh Emmett is finally slated to make his return on March 30th in Philadelphia against Michael Johnson. We’re going to catch up with Josh about the time away, the surgery he underwent and the subsequent recovery. We’ll be previewing the matchup against Johnson, and get Josh’s take on the current landscape at 145 pounds in the UFC.

 

Then we are joined by another featherweight who looks to continue racking up the wins in the UFC as he faces Bryce Mitchell on March 23rd in Nashville, that man of course being Bobby “The Wolfman” Moffett. We’ll get his thoughts on the matchup with Bryce and what should be next for Bobby following a big win in Tennessee.

 

Our good friend Dom Reyes returns to the show to get schwifty with us yet again. "The Devastator" will help us preview his upcoming showdown against VOlkan Oezdemir in London on March 16th. And of course we’ll be discussing the title picture at light heavyweight and why Dom believes he should be next in line for a crack at UFC gold.

 

And finally closing out this episode is another hungry future title challenger in the UFC’s heavyweight division, Curtis “Razor” Blaydes. Curtis is set to face Justin Willis in Nashville on March 23rd as well, so we will get his thoughts on the matchup, where a big win puts him in regards to fighting for the title, and a potential third fight with Francis Ngannou.

 

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