Happy New Year! Jim and Matt are back from the holiday break for UFC Unfiltered’s first episode of 2023 alongside guests Sam Tripoli and Forrest Griffin.

First, Sam Tripoli talks about how Krav Maga, Jeet Kune Do, and jiu jitsu formulated the comedian’s passion for mixed martial arts. He puts on his tin foil hat for the guys as he lists some of his favorite conspiracy theories that he discusses on his many podcasts.

Then, UFC Hall of Famer Forrest Griffin joins the show. The former light heavyweight champion takes a stroll down memory lane while recounting his legendary three-round fight against Stephan Bonnar in the finale of The Ultimate Fighter’s first season. While reliving a fight that changed the trajectory of mixed martial arts altogether, Forrest shares his favorite heartfelt stories about his friend Stephan after his untimely passing at the age of 45 just two weeks ago.

Forrest then goes on to talk about his transition to his current role as Vice President of Athlete Development at the UFC Performance Institute and Matt asks Forrest how he became a walking Snapple can full of fun facts that are shared on Fridays on Griffin’s Instagram account.

Forrest Griffin shares Stephan Bonnar stories and comedian Sam Tripoli joins

UFC Unfiltered with Jim Norton and Matt Serra is the must-listen podcast for fight fans. Edgy veteran comedian Jim Norton and former UFC welterweight champion Matt Serra push the boundaries in the UFC's first audio series. “Unfiltered” delivers everything, including pre- and post-fight analysis, industry stories, observations, opinions and interviews with UFC sources, fighters and celebrity fans.

Comedy

News

Sports

Stand-Up

Sports News

Jim and Matt use today’s episode of UFC Unfiltered to welcome on a pair of first-time callers in UFC women’s bantamweight Kayla Harrison and comedian Che Durena.

Shortly after the show begins, Harrison candidly reflects on her judo beginnings and how the ups and downs of her earliest days in the sport helped shape her into the woman she is today. Later on, Kayla hilariously forgives Matt as he admits to mistakenly picking against the two-time Olympic gold medalist in her UFC debut against Holly Holm at UFC 300.

When Che Durena calls in, the comedian and UFC diehard looks back at his early days in stand-up performing in front of tourists in Cancún and how stitching together his own reactions to assorted clips on social media helped him make a name for himself as a comedian during the pandemic.

Kayla Harrison, comedian Che Durena

On today’s episode of UFC Unfiltered, UFC welterweight Themba Gorimbo joins the show following his third straight win after Matt and Jim talk to WOWfc’s Arturo Guillén about his vision for Spain’s upstart MMA promotion.

Joining first is Guillén, who serves as Executive Chairman in addition to co-founding WOW in his native country of Spain after decades of entertainment experience in the movie industry. While promoting the promotion’s upcoming fight card in Madrid, Arturo shares how his country’s burgeoning interest in martial arts after illustrating the details of the company’s international broadcasting partnership with the UFC and UFC Fight Pass.

Fresh off a win over Ramiz Brahimaj on Saturday’s card, Themba Gorimbo calls in to explain why even his dominant unanimous decision win didn’t quite meet the high standards he has set for himself in just his fourth fight since entering the UFC.  Hoping to get back to his knockout ways, Themba explains why he’d be all in on a short turnaround against a dangerous opponent on short notice.

Finally, Jim and Matt wrap up the show by recapping last Saturday’s fights and delivering their main takeaways from the action at the UFC APEX.

Themba Gorimbo, Arturo Guillén, UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Murphy takeaways

On today’s episode of UFC Unfiltered, Jim Norton and Matt Serra invite welterweight Khaos Williams and women’s strawweight Piera Rodriguez on the show ahead of their fights on this Saturday’s UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Murphy card.

Joining the show first is Khaos Williams, who explains how MMA steered his life in the right direction after being incarcerated early on. A firm believer in fighting fully healthy over taking fights too soon, Williams shares his mindset going into Saturday’s co-main event while reflecting on how he’s been able to successfully rebound from the two losses in his UFC career.

Jim and Matt then sneak in some fight picks from this Saturday’s card in Las Vegas before inviting Piera Rodriguez into the mix ahead of her fight against Ariane Carnelossi.

Feeling rejuvenated in the 13 months since losing her most recent fight via submission, Rodriguez shares her honest thoughts on a referee stoppage that she maintains was premature. Nevertheless, Rodriguez iterates how her first career loss has served as a great learning experience and how it’ll help her moving forward.

Khaos Williams, Piera Rodriguez, UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Murphy picks

On today’s episode of UFC Unfiltered, Jim Norton and Matt Serra recap UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Nascimento with a pair of winners from the card in welterweight Trey Waters and featherweight Sean Woodson.

Now $50,000 richer after winning Saturday’s “Fight of the Night” bonus in an exciting win over Billy Ray Goff, Waters talks about how his 6-foot-5 stature shapes his fighting style as a relative newcomer to the UFC and its welterweight division.

Jim and Matt then work their way up and down this past Saturday’s main card while listing their key takeaways from the exciting card in St. Louis.

Sean Woodson then joins the show for an honest reflection on the pros and cons involved with fighting in front of hometown fans, friends, and family. With a win over a tricky veteran like Alex Caceres in the books, Woodson wraps up his interview by calling out a polarizing featherweight whose style would make for an interesting clash in the Octagon.

Trey Waters, Sean Woodson, recap of UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Nascimento

Jim and Matt are joined by a pair of fighters on this Saturday’s card in St. Louis with lightweight Chase Hooper and light heavyweight Carlos Ulberg as guests on UFC Unfiltered.

First, Hooper opens up about the laser focus it’s taken from him to prepare for Viacheslav Borshchev knowing that Chase and his wife are set to become first-time parents in a month’s time.

While waiting for Carlos Ulberg to join the show, Jim and Matt take a look at the main and co-main events of this Saturday’s UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Nascimento card before offering up predictions of their own.

When Ulberg hops on, Matt gets the New Zealander to explain how a career in combat sports superseded legitimate offers by reality TV executives to star in his country’s version of The Bachelor.

Carlos discusses the stakes of Saturday’s fight against 11th-ranked light heavyweight Alonzo Menifield and how a win on the main card can propel him into the top 15.

Having saved their predictions for after Ulberg’s interview, Jim and Matt ponder the outcome of one last fight to give fans their third fight pick of the show as a way to wrap up the episode.

Forrest Griffin shares Stephan Bonnar stories and comedian Sam Tripoli joins

Download our free app to listen on your phone