In this episode, we break down the aftermath of UFC 326—headlined by a shockingly one-sided performance from Charles Oliveira against Max Holloway for the "Baddest Motherfucker (BMF) Belt"... what a joke. What was billed as a dream matchup between two all-time fan favorites turned into a 50-45 grind, leaving fans frustrated and raising serious questions about the current state of MMA.

Was this domination a testament to Oliveira’s elite grappling—or a glaring indictment of Holloway’s legacy and skillset?

We zoom out and look at a troubling trend across recent high-profile fights, including Islam Makhachev vs. Jack Della Maddalena and Khamzat Chimaev vs. Dricus du Plessis. Are we witnessing the rise of a “control time meta” where fighters can win decisively without ever threatening a finish?

We dig into the core issue: the UFC scoring system’s emphasis on control, and how it may be incentivizing low-risk, high-control performances that neutralize action. Is this evolution… or a problem?

Then we debate a bold idea: a grappling shot clock.
What if fighters had just two minutes after a takedown to secure a finish before being stood back up?

We debate:

• Would this fix “wrestle-heavy” snoozers?
• Or would it undermine the essence of MMA?
• Should referees simply be given more power instead?

From there, we fire off quick takes on a stacked slate of recent fights—highlighting breakout performances, controversial decisions, and rising contenders across every division. From prospects like Kevin Vallejos and Jacobe Smith to chaos matchups and questionable cuts, nothing is off limits.

We also preview a LOADED UFC 327 card, featuring can’t-miss matchups like:

• Jiri Prochazka vs Carlos Ulberg for the Lightweight Heavyweight Championship
• Joshua Van vs Tatsuro Taira for the Flyweight Championship
• Azamat Murzakanov vs Paulo Costa
• Patricio Pitbull vs Aaron Pico

Plus:
Stock Up / Stock Down — who’s rising fast and who’s losing momentum
Favorite Fights — under-the-radar bangers you NEED to watch
Prospect Watchlist — the future champions hiding outside the rankings

If you’re wondering where the sport is headed—and whether the current meta is helping or hurting the UFC—this episode is for you.

Timestamps

0:00 Holloway vs Oliveira

13:13 Shot Clock

43:34 Recent Fights

50:59 Movsar Evloev vs Lerone Murphy

57:06 Rest of Evloev Murphy Card

1:01:58 Previewing Adesanya vs Pyfer

1:03:18 Previewing UFC 317

1:06:42 Looking Ahead

1:14:30 Stock Watch

One from the vault – wrapping up 2025. Your host Brendan Maguire is joined as always to break down the UFC, by Jason Regan. They discuss a wild night in the desert where gold changed hands, legends walked away, and fluke injuries left us with more questions than answers.

On This Episode:

The No-Mercy Return of Petr Yan: Merab Dvalishvili tried to defend the throne for the record fourth time in a year, but Yan had the "cheat code." We analyze how Yan dismantled the machine to become a two-time champ. Plus, where does this leave the Bantamweight GOAT list?

Heartbreak for Pantoja: A 26-second title change. We discuss Joshua Van’s fluke “TKO win”, Pantoja’s gruesome injury, and whether Van’s post-fight celebration crossed a line.

Farewell, Triple C: Henry Cejudo heads for the exit (again) after a gutsy loss to Payton Talbott.

The 2026 "Paramount Era" Announcements: The UFC dropped the 2026 slate and the feelings are… mixed. From the "fugazy" Interim Lightweight Title fight between Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett to the absolute disrespect of the Arman Tsarukyan snub.

The GOAT vs. The Gold Medalist: Why is Nunes vs. Harrison relegated to the co-main? We dive deep into whether the new Skydance/Paramount deal is prioritizing "marketable matchmaking" over the integrity of the sport.

Plus: Early looks at Volkanovski vs. Lopes II, the rise of some hot prospects, and our 2025 Year-End Superlatives.

Is the UFC becoming more "Entertainment" than "Sport"? Let’s get into it.

#UFC323#GamePointsPodcast #PetrYan #MMA #NunesHarrison #PaddyPimblett #UFC2026

Game Points Podcast — UFC 322 & Fight Night Breakdown

Brendan Maguire is joined again by Jason Regan to break down a packed run of fights, headlined by UFC 322 and Arman Tsarukyan’s fight night.

Islam Makhachev delivers a historic, suffocating 50–45 decision over Jack Della Maddalena to become a two-division champion. Nearly 20 minutes of control time, zero escapes, and total dominance. Not flashy, but a true masterclass. GOAT implications are real, and we debate where Islam now sits all-time.

From there, we dig into what’s next for the welterweight division: Ian Machado Garry, Shavkat Rakhmonov, Michael Morales, Kamaru Usman, and Carlos Prates. Who deserves the shot, who doesn’t, and whether the UFC is prioritizing merit or marketability.

We also cover Valentina Shevchenko’s stunningly easy win over Zhang Weili, the size and legacy implications, and what’s next for both champions.

Plus: Morales’ breakout win over Sean Brady, Prates knocking out Leon Edwards, Benoit Saint Denis’ 16-second KO, Bo Nickal’s rebound performance, Arman Tsarukyan submitting Dan Hooker and still being left without a title shot, Garry vs Belal and the eye-poke controversy, and why welterweight might be the most stacked division in the sport.

Available now on Spotify.

00:00 Introduction

01:14 Islam vs JDM

16:01 Legacy Implications

21:26 Welterweight Contenders

23:16 Ian Garry

27:48 Shavkat Rakhmonov

33:08 Michael Morales

40:06 Kamaru Usman

49:35 Carlos Prates

58:44 Shevchenko vs. Zhang Weili

1:03:50 Other fights

1:07:13 Ewing vs Wellmaker

1:09:50 Arman Fight Night 

We couldn't resist talking about the UFC any longer. Your host Brendan Maguire is joined again by Jason Regan to recap, react, and revile in UFC 320 & 321 events.

Alex Pereira (my queen) is back! Merab is machining! Jiri - who is this man! Scary sights in Abu Dhabi as Tom Aspinall dresses as a pirate for Halloween. Throwing punches and complaining your eye was poked...the story of a Brit in the Middle East.

Lots of laughs. A moment of silence. All ball knowledge and yet, and yet, some top shelve analysis. The banter you know and love. "Prelim Patchy". Sources say Aaron Pico is still unconscious in Chicago. We send fighters to the shadow realm.

If you love the UFC, love us, or have recently sustained an eye injury and are in need of auditory content... you've come to the right place! Enjoy!

TIMESTAMPS

(00:00) Intro

(01:25) UFC 320 Pereira vs Ankalaev 2

(04:45) Bigger Legacy Win: Jon Jones or Aspinall?

(13:21) What’s next for Ankalaev

(15:18) Merab vs Sandhagen

(18:13) Moment of Silence

(18:59) Next for Merab?

(21:30) Jiri vs Khalil

(26:01) Prelim Patchy

(27:55) Charles & RDR

(31:29) UFC 321

(33:52) Exile Almeida

(39:51) Other Main Card Fights

(44:17) Horrible Ending & Heavyweight Title Lineage

(49:28) Aspinall vs Gane

(52:22) The Big Question - Did Tom Quit?

(1:09:06) Is the Rematch More/Less Interesting?

(1:16:02) Impact on Tom’s Legacy

(1:21:17) Scheduling Logistics

(1:30:16) Looking Forward to UFC 322

On this episode of the Game Points Podcast, Brendan Maguire and Jason Regan return to settle the UFC GOAT debate with their top 10 all-time fighters. With the criteria already laid out in Part 1, this installment is all about the rankings.

Featuring: Ilia Topuria cracking Jason’s list, disagreements over Anderson Silva’s legacy, debates over the weight of Valentina Shevchenko’s dominance, a shocking fighter above Khabib, varying degrees of love for the Featherweight division, which fighters are prime to be overtaken in time, and the road map for active fighters to climb the ranks . Brendan and Jason bring different perspectives on what makes a fighter great, leading to some very different takes. While they find common ground on certain names, other picks spark adamant disagreement.

UFC GOAT 10-1. Let's Go!

TIMESTAMPS

(00:00) Introduction

(01:10) Recap

(02:41) J10: Ilia Topuria

(09:31) B10: Daniel Cormier

(10:50) J9: Anderson Silva

(18:24) B9: Valentina Shevchenko

(29:12) B8: Amanda Nunes

(30:56) J8: Max Holloway

(37:04) B7: Conor McGregor

(46:07) J7: Khabib Nurmagomedov

(49:36) B7: Khabib Nurmagomedov

(53:33) J6: Merab Dvalishvili

(1:02:20) B5: Islam Makhachev

(1:04:35) J5: Demetrious Johnson

(1:09:46) B4: Demetrious Johnson

(1:11:26) J4: Georges St-Pierre

(1:13:04) B3: Georges St-Pierre

(1:14:51) J3: Alexander Volkanovski

(1:22:07) B2: Anderson Silva

(1:28:28) J2: Islam Makhachev

(1:39:03) Consensus #1 Jon Jones

(1:45:47) Closing Thoughts

On this episode of the Game Points Podcast, host Brendan Maguire is once again joined by Jason Regan to dive into one of the most anticipated topics yet: the UFC GOAT Debate.

Each host has built a list wholly their own—with individual criteria—and neither saw the other’s rankings before hitting record. The result? Fascinating differences in perspective, genuine live reactions, heated arguments, and some incredibly hot takes.

This is Part 1 of a two-part special. In today’s episode, Brendan and Jason lay out their criteria, reveal honorable mentions, and debate their picks from 20 through 11. Part 2 will cover the all-important top 10.

Expect massive discrepancies, emphatic defenses, and a clash between Jason’s “ball knowledge” and Brendan’s “data doesn’t lie” approach. This one was an absolute blast to prep, record, and edit. Enjoy!

TIMESTAMPS

(00:00) Introduction

(03:01) Jason’s Criteria

(09:41) Brendan’s Criteria

(19:37) Honorable Mention Info

(20:57) Jason’s Honorable Mentions

(21:42) Brendan’s Honorable Mentions

(28:12) J20: Alexandre Pantoja

(31:28) B20: Jose Aldo

(37:50) J19: Matt Hughes

(40:20) B19: Max Holloway

(52:38) J18: Khamzat Chimaev

(56:07) B18: Ilia Topuria

(59:14) J17: Dominick Cruz

(1:01:35) B17: Henry Cejudo

(1:06:26) J16: Israel Adesanya

(1:08:10) B16: Stipe Miocic

(1:09:37) J15: Jose Aldo

(1:10:45) B15: Alexandre Pantoja

(1:12:25) J14: Alex Pereira

(1:16:09) B14: Alexander Volkanovski

(1:22:39) J13: Kamaru Usman

(1:24:00) B13: Karmaru Usman

(1:26:36) J12: Daniel Cormier

(1:28:13) B12: Israel Adesanya

(1:35:06) J11: Stipe Miocic

(1:36:27) B11: Matt Hughes

(1:41:03) Recap

Game Points Podcast – UFC 319 Recap & What’s Next for Khamzat, DDP, and the Fall Cards

This week on the Game Points Podcast, Brendan Maguire is joined once again by Jason Regan to break down all things UFC. From the fallout of UFC 319 to the huge fights coming this fall, the guys cover it all with their mix of insight and banter.

We kick things off with a full recap of UFC 319, including Khamzat Chimaev’s dominant title win over Dricus Du Plessis, Lerone Murphy’s highlight-reel KO of Aaron Pico, and Carlos Prates’ emphatic finish of Geoff Neal. From there, the conversation turns to what’s next:

• Khamzat’s future at middleweight – Who deserves the next title shot? Will it be Caio Borralho, Nassourdine Imavov, Reinier de Ridder, or Anthony “Fluffy” Hernandez?

• Dricus Du Plessis’ rebound path – Which contender could he face next, and how does the UFC keep him in the mix?

• Best team in the UFC debate – Are the “Fighting Nerds” taking over, or does Khabib’s Dagestani crew still reign supreme?

We also dive into the Stock Watch, highlighting fighters on the rise like Joshua Van, Louis Lee Scott, Lerone Murphy, Reinier de Ridder, etc. —while also taking a hard look at those slipping down the ranks, including Aaron Pico, Chase Hooper, Robert Whittaker, etc.

Finally, Brendan and Jason preview the stacked fall schedule, including:

• UFC 320: Pereira vs. Ankalaev 2 and Merab vs. Sandhagen

• UFC 321: Tom Aspinall vs. Ciryl Gane for heavyweight title

• UFC 322: Islam Makhachev vs. Jack Della Maddalena and Valentina Shevchenko vs. Zhang Weili

  Even some time discussing the Tank Davis vs. Jake Paul fight rumors.

Timestamps:

(00:00) Introduction

(02:42) UFC 319 Recap & Reactions

(11:04) Who's Next for Khamzat?

(17:47) Best UFC Team?

(23:06) Islam over Khabib All Time?!

(28:22) Stock Up

(37:23) Stock Down

(52:16) Upcoming Non PPV

(1:01:22) UFC 320

(1:01:25) Pereira vs Ankalaev 2

(1:09:01) Merab vs Sandhagen

(1:14:41) Jiri vs Khalil

(1:22:33) UFC 321 - Aspinall

(1:27:51) UFC 322 - Islam

(1:40:15) Tank vs Paul

(Please excuse the first five seconds of silence) For the first time ever on the Game Points Podcast, we've got video! Today's episode offers a small look behind the curtain at my approach to sports analysis. We dive into excel to uncover data-driven strategies that win fantasy football leagues. Whether it is fantasy football, the NFL draft, or any other sports topic, this episode give you a window in my process.

This podcast offers insights into many things, but most importantly: which position to draft, when. (Spoiler, do NOT employ a "Zero-RB" approach to your draft!)

Timestamps in description. In this episode of The Game Points Podcast, your fantasy football hosts Brendan Maguire and Ian McCallum break down fantasy football’s top two positions: running backs and wide receivers. They highlight the best offensive lines, RBs to target / fade, and rookie upside. At WR, they cover players to target/fade, breakout candidates, undervalued players. The episode wraps with draft strategy tips for balancing stability, upside, and maximizing roster value—perfect for dominating your 2025 fantasy draft.

Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro & Episode Setup

(01:30) Offensive Line Rankings & Impact on RBs

(13:13) RB Tiers Overview

(16:49) RBs to Target

(16:41) Saquon Barkley - centerpiece of Eagles O.

(28:14) JK Dobbins & RJ Harvey

(32:01) DeAndre Swift: Bears OL investment boosts upside.

(36:23) Alvin Kamara: Cheap ADP despite workload security.

(38:42 ) RBs to Fade

• (38:47) David Montgomery: Injuries, Gibbs taking lead role.

• (39:40) Jets RBs: QB rushing vulture, low volume.

• (43:19) Devon Achane: elite but durability concerns.

(47:52) Other RB Thoughts

• (47:52) Jonathan Taylor: talented but health risk.

• (49:05) Chase Brown: flashed upside, but Moss returning.

• (50:11) Derrick Henry: still elite, but age/regression looming.

(54:22) | General RB Strategy

• (54:22) Target rookie RBs in mid/late rounds.

• (57:28) Don’t discount the “old guard”

• (58:39) Know the purpose of each round

(1:07:23) WR to Target

• (1:07:23) Jaxon Smith-Njigba (clear WR1 now).

  (1:09:38) Ladd McConkey (Herbert’s top option).

  (1:12:43) Stefon Diggs (undervalued at current ADP).

  (1:14:49) Brandon Aiyuk (IR stash).

  (1:15:51) Wide Receiver's going too late.

Timestamps in description. It’s draft season, and we’re breaking down two of the trickiest positions in fantasy football: quarterbacks and tight ends. On this episode of The Game Points Podcast , your hosts Brendan Maguire and Ian McCallum dig into who you should be targeting, who you should fade, and how to build a winning draft strategy.

We cover everything from Patrick Mahomes’ bounce-back potential, Justin Herbert’s hidden rushing upside, and whether Dak Prescott's Cowboys are this year's 2024 Bengals — to why Brock Bowers and Trey McBride could lead the way at tight end. Plus, we talk regression candidates like Baker Mayfield and Jalen Hurts, the value of punting QB or TE in your draft, and which late-round flyers could swing your season.

If you’re looking for sharp insights, bold takes, and draft-day strategy you can actually use, this episode is for you.

Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro

(01:10) Episode Roadmap

How the show will flow: tiers → players to target → players to fade → draft strategy.

(01:54) QB Rankings: The S-Tier

Josh Allen in a tier of his own — MVP case, rushing upside, and why he should be the first QB drafted.

(04:18) Tier 2 QBs: Premium Targets

Lamar Jackson & Jayden Daniels – rushing QBs as premium targets, ceilings vs. risks.

(07:28) Tier 3 QBs: Upper Class QBs

Joe Burrow, Patrick Mahomes, Jalen Hurts – why Mahomes is undervalued, and concerns about Hurts’ regression.

(08:15) Tier 4 QBs: Good Fantasy Starters

Dak Prescott, Justin Herbert, Kyler Murray, Bo Nix – Brendan and Ian highlight late-round value and why Herbert could be this year’s league winner.

(08:49) Tier 5 QBs: Zero-QB strategy Targets

Caleb Williams, Baker Mayfield, Justin Fields, Jared Goff, CJ Stroud.

(10:51) Tier 6: Draftable & Tier 7: Do-Not-Draft QBs

Brock Purdy, Jordan Love, Tua, Michael Penix Jr., Anthony Richardson, JJ McCarthy, Trevor Lawrence, Bryce Young, Sam Darnold – and the “do not draft” list (Stafford, Rodgers, etc.).

(15:11) Players to Target (QBs)

(46:28) Players to Fade (QBs)

(1:06:03) Other QB Thoughts

Quick takes on Caleb Williams, Bo Nix, Jared Goff, Justin Fields, Anthony Richardson, Tua Tagovailoa, Michael Penix Jr., Jordan Love, and rookie QBs.

(1:25:40) – Transition to Tight Ends

Shifting to TE rankings and strategy.

(1:26:21) – TEs to Target

(1:34:04) TEs to Fade

(1:39:22) Draft Strategy: QB & TE Combined

• Early QB + late TE vs. early TE + late QB

• Why roster construction matters more than reaching

• Brendan & Ian’s preferred 2025 approach: early TE, late QB

(1:47:51) Outro

Final tips, reminders, and sign-off.