SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACT

In today’s episode, we’re looking at the letter Dana White sent to Donald Trump, the deal TKO struck with Arizona, and Kevin Nash’s crusade against TKO. We also discuss MVP’s bold claims that they’re cutting fighters in for more than 50% of the revenue from the Rousey-Carano card, and Jorge Masvidal’s comments on fighter pay. 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 251 Outline

* Are there any updates to the UFC antitrust cases?

* There have been several instances of boxers and promoters complaining about TKO’s proposed Ali Act amendment, most notably Roy Jones, Jr. and Eddie Hearn. What do you have to say about their arguments?

* It’s being reported by Ring Magazine that Vasiliy Lomachenko is coming out of retirement now that his deal with Top Rank has expired. Where do you think he’ll end up if the report is true?

* WWE legend Kevin Nash has been discussing TKO/WWE’s attempts at getting talent to take 50% pay cuts. Do you think he has a point in saying UFC is hemorrhaging money?

* What about his idea that WWE talent should unionize and join SAG-AFTRA?

* TKO reached an agreement with Arizona on a multi-event deal. What are the details and what do you think of it?

* Dana White sent a letter to Donald Trump asking for relief on gambling legislation. What are the details of that?

* Some state representatives have praised him publicly on this (Dina Titus). How likely is it that we’ll see more support from other state officials?

* Jorge Masvidal discussed fighter pay. What points did he make and do you agree with what he said?

* Nakisa Bidarian told Ariel Helwani that they are paying much more than 50% of the revenue to the fighters. Some were saying this is not a viable business model. Do you agree with them, and do you think MVP is really paying that high of a share?

* Dana White gave a recent interview where he discussed Joe Rogan, and how some sponsors suggested to UFC that they fire him. Dana basically told them to get bent. How important is Joe Rogan to the UFC empire?

* Matt Brown recently replied to a Twitter post about Dana White’s contributions to the UFC. He said, “The way I see it Campbell McLaren and the Gracie’s built a great product but couldn’t get the funding and/or business ability to scale it. Dana seen an opportunity, had the connections to make it happen, and got it done. Have to respect that. Learn from it rather than hate it imo.” There’s a lot of myth to Dana’s legend, so how close did Matt get to the reality of what Dana actually did?

*Search term proposal*

SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACT

In today’s episode, we’re looking at the many comments Dana White has made during interviews and press conferences over the last several days. We discuss his comments on fighters having to work extra jobs and collective bargaining from his interview on the Breakfast Club. We also examine some of his commen…

SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACT

In today’s episode, we’re looking at the latest updates to the UFC antitrust cases, and the latest TKO financials that were revealed in their latest SEC filing. We also discuss TKO’s earnings call where Mark Shapiro fielded questions and discussed their enduring ties to the Saudis. We also look at some wild ways the UFC is maximizing their value extraction of the White House card. 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 249 Outline

* Are there any updates to the UFC antitrust cases?

* TKO’s SEC filings came out this week. What did we learn from them about TKO and UFC’s finances?

* Did it give us any information about Zuffa Boxing?

* Mark Shapiro had some interesting comments during TKO’s earnings call. The first one that really caught my eye was his confirmation that the Saudis will not be pulling up their investment stakes in TKO. Is that mostly due to TKO’s very powerful ties to the Trump administration, or because they invested so much into the Paramount/WB deal?

* Do you see any scenario where they might be forced to dump their stake in Zuffa Boxing?

* Once again, Shapiro reinforced the plan to keep their scheduled events in the Middle East on track. Do you think that’s a wise move?

* CFO Andrew Schleimer said that fighter compensation continues to grow as “we would never turn a blind eye to our most meaningful investment.” He only cited the doubling of the bonus structure, so my question is, have you heard whether they’ve made any increases to regular compensation?

* It was reported that UFC has “partner investment” specialty tickets for the White House event. What do we know of them?

* Shapiro also said that UFC was going to take a $30M loss on the White House event. After seeing the value extraction measures they’re taking with this card ($3500 posters, $5K names on canvas, and $1.5M specialty tickets), do you buy into that theory?

* Shapiro said “we don’t buy it” referring to fan criticisms of card quality, both for UFC and WWE, citing their numbers and saying that there are always ebbs and flows. That’s something you’ve said as well, but you also noted that this seems to be an unusually long ebb. Do you still hold to that thought after seeing their latest finances?

* When asked about other promotions having big, one-off events, Shapiro said that everything is competition in combat sports with other events, but didn’t seem to have any concerns about those competitors. Should he be concerned with the competitors?

* MMA Junkie had an article written by MMA manager Alex Davis where he talked about how the UFC has MMA in a state of crisis. Do you agree with him?*Defendant’s motions to seal*

SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACT

In today’s episode, we’re looking at the latest updates to the UFC antitrust cases, and the Florida case that’s been moved to Vegas under Judge Boulware’s purview. We also discuss PFL’s finances, including their loan status and international assets. We examine Karate Combat’s awful weekend, and look at some new information on the White House card. 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 248 Outline

* Do we have any updates to the UFC antitrust cases?

* We had a big weekend of boxing and there were plenty of soundbites stemming from it. Mark Kriegel’s comments on the sanctioning bodies saying “at best they’re a hack, at worst, they’re corrupt”. If you were to describe them, which way do you lean, hack or corrupt?

* Kriegel also said that TKO’s Ali Act bill proposal would restore boxing to its former glory by bringing back competition. What do you say to that?

* David Benavidez said the following: “I don’t know why he (Opetaia) went to Zuffa. I’m not gonna go over there and fight for a Zuffa title. I think Dana White has shown he doesn’t wanna do fights with PBC, DAZN. If we can come to an agreement, make a big fight, let’s do it.” Do you think he has a point on Dana’s unwillingness to co-promote?

* Naoya Inoue’s fight was reported to have seen a crowd of 55K and a gate of $31M. How much has his star power increased over the last year or so?

* There are rumors of him vs. Bam in Nagoya under the Riyadh Season banner for early next year. How would that promotional arrangement look?

* The UFC White House event is offering canvas names for $5000. Is this $5K amount just for the name on the canvas alone? No package deal with tickets, no “experience” bundling? They also sold out of 100 signed posters at $3500/each. How much money do you think they could clear on stuff like this?

* PFL uploaded a bunch of information on Company House. What stood out most to you?

* There’s been a lot of negative publicity surrounding Karate Combat again. What’s going on with them and how are they still in business considering all the people they owe money to?

* Dana White was interviewed on Fox and told Lara Trump that 4300 tickets would be available to mostly military members but 85000 free tickets to the park across from the White House would be available after a thorough screening. Do you think White House officials will be using the collected data for anything?*Kajan Johnson motion to transfer and PFL loan information*

SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACT

In today’s episode, we’re looking at the latest updates to the UFC antitrust cases and Nick Khan’s 17-page version of his opening statement from last week’s Senate hearing on the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act. We also discuss the class action suit filed by porn industry talent that could reveal the reasoning behind a very special provision in the contracts of UFC fighters and boxers signed to Zuffa Boxing. 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 247 Outline

* Are there any updates to the UFC antitrust cases?

* There is a big porn industry class action suit that was recently filed. What are the details and can a parallel be drawn between that case and what’s going on with the antitrust cases in combat sports?

* The Senate website for the Commerce Committee posted a 17 page version of Nick Khan’s opening statement from last week. After you had a chance to go over it, what stood out to you?

* Lou DiBella was recently on Ariel Helwani’s show and said the following: “It’s not just hobos that are signing with TKO...It’s not going to be very long before they’re gonna have a roster that compares favorably with every single other promoter.” Do you agree with him?

* The Saudis have withdrawn from LIV Golf. We talked about the probability of them doing that over the last several weeks/months. With their big investment in the Paramount merger, what do you think the odds are of them pulling up stakes in boxing and combat sports completely?

* The Saudis also cancelled their snooker contracts. What does this mean for Eddie Hearn and DAZN?

* There was a Town Hall with Nick Khan recently. Was there anything he said that stood out to you in particular?

* Mark Shapiro recently talked about TKO’s full embrace of AI technology. Do you think this helps or harms TKO’s businesses in the long run?

* Zach Arnold posted a video of Harrison Whitman being introduced as the COO of Zuffa Boxing. Who is Harrison Whitman?

* Once again, a UFC numbered event with a big headliner is experiencing terrible sales. When you look at that and combine it with the downturn in ticket sales they’ve been experiencing overall, how long do you think they’ll keep business as usual before a revamp or focus on building stars, if at all?

* Recently, Ronda Rousey said she wanted to become MVP’s “Dana White” figure. We speculated on this a while back. Do you think she’s equipped to handle that role?*Instructions for court-appointed digital forensic analyst*

SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACT

In today’s episode, we’re looking at the latest updates to the UFC antitrust cases surrounding the feud between the Plaintiffs and Dominance MMA. We also discuss WWE’s plethora of issues surrounding Wrestlemania 42, and what the future may hold for the company. In our final section, we discuss the curious case of Aljamain Sterling’s Funk Harbor rum, and his latest contract signing with the UFC. 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 246 Outline

* Do we have any updates to the UFC antitrust cases?

* Last week, some TKO financials came out that detailed the 2025 salaries of TKO’s highest ranking officials. What did they look like?

* There was a report stating that the White House card will have “Super Bowl level security” handled by federal agencies. Who eats the cost of that?

* There was a lot of uproar over Wrestlemania 42 last weekend that ranged from ESPN’s Andreas Hale being denied credentials to flagging ticket sales. The event also drew tons of scorn and criticism for the content. Does this forebode of darker times ahead for WWE?

* They also released a large swathe of talent a few days after the event. Does that signal anything to you?

* Speaking of talent, Mark Shapiro told a University of Alabama class that TKO has full control over WWE creative and defended the use of celebrities like Pat McAfee, Mark Wahlberg and Logan Paul as a growth strategy. Are we at the point where they will no longer build stars, and instead will use Endeavor talent, Dana White (for UFC), etc to try and draw in viewers/subscribers/ticket purchasers?

* One final story to round out our pro-wrestling coverage is that the Make-A-Wish Foundation had to purchase their own tickets, as WWE didn’t comp them. Doesn’t this seem like really bad optics?

* Paddy Pimblett weighed in on Dana White and Eddie Hearn trying to box each other: “The funniest thing about it all. If they fought each other, they’d get paid well more than what the fighters are getting paid. $30 million each? No boxer’s getting that under Eddie and no UFC fighter’s getting it under Dana. But that’s just the way the world works.” What do you make of that?

* Aljamain Sterling tried to do a big promotional push of his Funk Harbor rum at a pre-fight presser for last weekend’s Apex card but was shot down by UFC officials. What did you think of that whole situation?

* Apparently, there are a lot of fighters, Aljo included, that have cigar brands too. That’s something that doesn’t get a lot of media or fan attention. Are these the “opportunities” Dana White says fighters should be thinking about rather than a UFC “career”?

* What did you make of Aljo’s comments on his contract discussion with Hunter Campbell?*Plaintiff’s reply in support of attorney fees and Exhibits A-C*

SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACT

In today’s episode, we’re looking at the latest updates to the UFC antitrust cases and the Senate hearing for the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act. We discuss how the witnesses fared in their statements and questioning, who ended up being the better spokesperson for their arguments, and even break down how Ted Cruz did in his role today. We also get John’s wish list of questions and topics. 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 244 Outline

* What happened at yesterday’s UFC antitrust status conference?

* There was a senate hearing concerning the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act. What was your first gut reaction after watching it?

* What was your opinion of the Senator’s questions?

* How do you think each of the witnesses did?

* Let’s go over some of the subjects raised in the questions and see what you thought of the witnesses answers and how you would have perhaps answered different. First, they asked about the Health and Safety aspects of the bill. What was the witnesses response to this?

* There was some discussion about disclosure and transparency, with Nick Khan holding a completely different view from Oscar De La Hoya and Nico Ali Walsh. Who was right?

* Nick Khan went after the sanctioning organizations, while Oscar defended them. Whose opinion do you think is closer to the truth?

* Regarding the UBO system, what was the case Khan made for it and what was the case Walsh and De La Hoya made against it? Who was more effective?

* Did they bring up the argument that a UBO is just another option? Did anyone contest this?

* Ted Cruz brought up the current NCAA situation and mentioned that if the UBOs could negotiate collectively, they would extract much higher revenues. Is that argument right?

* Did anyone raise any particular interesting points that you thought flew under the radar?

* Is there any particular question or point you wished was raised?*Senate hearing witness statements*

SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACT

In today’s episode, we’re looking at the latest updates to the UFC antitrust cases and the Senate hearing for the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act. We also discuss the possibility of the Saudis pulling up most of their sports investments, starting with LIV Golf and possibly extending through combat sports. We also examine Ronda Rousey’s comments about fighter pay, as well as all the principal fighters on that Netflix card appearing united in their message of being “free” and making lots of money with MVP. 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 243 Outline

* Are there any new updates or filings to the UFC antitrust cases?

* What’s going on with the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act?

* There’s a lot of chatter swirling around that suggests the Saudis are about to pull out of their LIV Golf investments. What does this mean for the athletes they signed?

* Could we see them pull out of their boxing and MMA investments?

* What would that mean for Zuffa Boxing if they did, because doesn’t Sela own 60% of the promotion?

* MVP’s Rousey-Carano card is doing a press run with the principal fighters and Ronda Rousey has been scorching all the earth around her. What did you think of her comments about UFC pay, specifically regarding Kayla Harrison, and that the minimum purse on the card would be $40K?

* She invited Paddy Pimblett to “come talk to me when your contract is up”. Is she possibly serving another role within MVP?

* What did you think of Francis Ngannou’s “free fighter” comments?

* Postwrestling released an overview of the revenue share of WWE with its talent. What did that look like?*Joint status report*

SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACT

In today’s episode, we’re looking at the latest filings for Matchroom’s finances, UFC’s rough night at the Miami gate, and POTUS’ UFC pep rallies. We also discuss Dana White being the face of MAGA in sports, the gambling skullduggery that continues to happen around UFC events, and Conor Benn’s free agency. 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 242 Outline

* Are there any updates to the UFC antitrust cases?

* Judge Boulware has been staying busy, though. What else has he been up to?

* What did you think of Trump and Marco Rubio’s presence at UFC 327 and Dana White’s comments that he’s not political?

* What did you think of the announcements regarding the White House card?

* Do you think Ilia might be reconsidering headlining the White House card since Trump and Rubio made threats to Spain?

* Ilia Topuria’s promotion, WOW, is doing big numbers in Spain. Do you see UFC possibly trying to buy it from him?

* UFC 327 went down as the worst card at the gate in their history in Miami. What do you make of that?

* There was quite a bit of betting hijinx that went on around UFC 327 including Kalshi changing their rules on the fly to avoid paying out bettors and UFC changing the result of a fight 30 minutes after the initial result which led to all the betting issues, and also saw a bettor make $250K off a $500 bet. Are we possibly going to see some blowback from all this?

* Conor Benn fought out his Zuffa Boxing contract. Is there anything we should take away from that?

* You got some new filings on Matchroom’s finances. What did you learn from them?

* What are your thoughts on a possible Fury-Joshua match?

* We talked about Floyd Mayweather’s money problems a couple weeks back. Now it’s been reported he owes the IRS $7.3M in back taxes. Could this jeopardize his purse from the Pacquiao fight, assuming it happens?*Matchroom finances*

SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACT

In today’s episode, we’re looking at the Ali Act Preservation Alliance, the announcement that DAZN and TNT have formed a broadcast partnership for boxing, and the effects that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East is having on combat sports. We also discuss Donald Trump’s upcoming appearance at UFC 327, and MVP’s intent to take a serious stab at promoting MMA. 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 241 Outline

* Are there new updates or filings to the UFC antitrust cases?

* What is the Ali Act Preservation Alliance?

* Is it too late for something like this to impact TKO’s efforts to push the Revival Act through?

* TNT Sports and DAZN Boxing have forged an alliance. What details do we have on it?

* Do you think this could provide meaningful competition to Zuffa Boxing?

* With the Saudi connection to DAZN, isn’t this counterproductive to Zuffa Boxing?

* There are folks that think the Saudis may be ready to pull the plug on their boxing interests. Do you think that’s possible?

* Ryan Garcia and Arman Tsarukyan discussed UFC and boxing pay. Did anything stand out to you?

* Dana White announced that Donald Trump will be in attendance at Saturday night’s UFC 327 card. Why do you think that is considering the war and other political turmoil happening right now?

* PFL announced they’ve postponed their May 8 Saudi Arabia card. They noted they will refund any purchased tickets and just keep moving along with their schedule. That sounds more like a cancellation than a postponement, right?

* Do you think UFC will change their tune on postponing or cancelling their Middle East events?

* It looks like MVP is serious about getting into the MMA business long term if next month’s Rousey-Carano card is a success. Do you think the way they established themselves over the last several years with influencer boxing has set them up better for success than upstart promotions just diving in with no buildup?*Exhibits A, B, C, D, E, and F regarding Plaintiff’s request for Dominance MMA to pay attorney fees*