Hey Not The Face! Podcast

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SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACT

In today’s episode, we’re looking at Zuffa Boxing’s lofty goal of becoming a $20B third arm of TKO’s combat sports empire and how that can be achieved. We also discuss Floyd Mayweather’s legal complaint in detail and whether we think it will be settled. We review the WBC’s latest failings and include Mauricio Sulaiman’s social media faux pas along with those. But in our introductory segment, we walk down Memory Lane with a discussion of the classic movie Taxi Driver which celebrated its 50th anniversary on Feb. 8th. John is a certified cinema nerd, so this was a rare treat for him. There’s a lot more, so make sure to follow along with our outline as you listen:

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Episode 226 Outline

* Taxi Driver 50th anniversary chat

* Are there any updates to the UFC antitrust cases?

* Now that we have Floyd Mayweather’s lawsuit available to look at, what are your initial thoughts after looking it over?

* Does the complaint say how much he did make in his career and how much is unaccountable?

* Is there a reason they are suing Showtime and Espinoza and not Al Haymon?

* Stephen Espinoza seems unbothered by the accusations against him. Do you think he should be worried?

* Do you think it will be settled?

* The sanctioning organizations, specifically the WBC, are under fire again, with Shakur Stevenson declining to pay $100K in fees. What’s going on that we should know about?

* Do you think Mauricio Sulaiman is handling things correctly considering his social media behavior (liking derogatory/demeaning posts about Shakur)?

* An interview was conducted with Mark Shapiro and Ari Emanuel where they discussed the value of UFC and WWE being $20B/each. Do you agree with that valuation?

* Shapiro said there are still ways they can cut costs from UFC and WWE. Are you surprised by that and do you have any ideas how they could possibly achieve that?

* They said they will be announcing some international deals soon. What might those be?

* They also discussed their goal of bringing Zuffa Boxing to that point. Do you think it’s possible, and how fast could they get it to that value?

* Nakisa Bidarian noted in an interview that he felt Zuffa Boxing would be successful thanks to them playing the long game. Thoughts on that?

*Floyd Mayweather’s lawsuit complaint PDF*

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com

SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACT

In today’s episode, we’re looking at both days of the UFC antitrust spoliation hearing. It’s our comprehensive review of Dana White’s testimony, Tracy Long’s, Hunter Campbell’s, and the two assistants tasked with setting up phones, social media and clouds for UFC executives. We discuss Judge Boulware’s interactions, the believability of testimony, possible remedies if UFC is found to have malice with missing discovery and what comes next. There’s a lot more, so make sure to follow along with our outline as you listen:

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Episode 225 Outline

* What stood out most to you from Day 1 proceedings?

* What were the most significant things revealed on Day 1?

* Do you think people should fully invest in the idea that Dana White is no longer part of contract negotiations and matchmaking?

* On the first day’s proceedings, Michael Dell Angelo seemed to irritate the judge on a couple occasions. Is that an accurate statement?

* What was Tracy Long’s demeanor?

* Do you believe the story of Ari Emanuel’s relative stealing crucial evidence?

* What were the most significant things revealed on Day 2?

* Personal assistants and tech advisors to the UFC were brought in to testify about the setting up of phones, social media, etc. Did you find their testimony particularly impactful?

* Were you surprised by anything Hunter Campbell said?

* Do you feel like he was in cleanup mode after Dana’s testimony?

* Judge Boulware stated that the UFC’s failure to produce these messages, phones, et al were sanctionable offenses. What would be the most likely sanction?

* What’s next for UFC; did Boulware issue any orders?

*Chart Exhibit of Missing Data from Employee Devices*

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This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com

SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACT

In today’s episode, we’re looking at boxing’s sanctioning organizations: how they’ve grievously injured themselves, how they lack transparency, how they could do better to protect boxers, and if they’re even worth saving. We also discuss Max Kellerman’s lip service to Dana White’s promoting ability and whe…

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SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACT

In today’s episode, we’re looking at the possible measures UFC might try now that Judge Boulware and the Ninth Circuit have ruled against their emergency motions from last week. We also examine some of the things revealed in Thomas Hauser’s sprawling article about Zuffa Boxing, including the contracts and …

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com

SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACT

In today’s episode, we’re looking at the desperate maneuvering the UFC has done to stop Judge Boulware’s demand for six-and-a-half years of missing messages. We go over the risks the UFC faces if the Ninth Circuit doesn’t rule in their favor, the risks to the Plaintiffs if they do, and more. We also discus…

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SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACT

In today’s episode, we’re looking at the new amendments introduced to the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act bill at the Education and Workforce Committee meeting. We go step by step through all the changes and what they mean for boxing from the top tier all the way down to the club level. We also talk about the emergency ABC meeting that happened right after the committee meeting. There’s also some very significant antitrust updates you won’t want to miss. There’s a lot more, so make sure to follow along with our outline as you listen:

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Episode 221 Outline

* Are there any updates to the UFC antitrust cases?

* Can you explain what took place yesterday in the Education and Workforce Committee?

* What changes were made to the UBO section of the bill?

* Let’s go to Sec 4 Industry Standards. What changes did they introduce for Medical Examinations?

* What did they change about the Insurance coverage?

* Did they change the purse minimums?

* What did they add into the bill about the number of titles?

* What changes did they introduce regarding drug testing?

* What is the concern for club shows from these last few changes?

* The effective date was also changed. What does it say now?

* What were the amendments that Ilhan Omar read off during the hearing?

* Is this the end of it or will there be more changes before they vote on it?

* So what happens next? What is the process before it becomes law, and do you think it will become law?

* You reported that the ABC had an emergency meeting, what was that about?

* So what is the ABC going to do about their concerns over the bill?

* What impact would these changes have to the bill and the industry?

* Do you think this bill is better or worse than it was before?

* What’s your greatest concern about the bill?

* What amendments would you like to see introduced?

* For those that oppose the bill or certain parts of it what do you suggest they do?PDFs of the antitrust case filings & PDFs of the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act amendments

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com

SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACT

In today’s episode, we’re looking at the lawsuit Vergil Ortiz filed against Golden Boy Promotions and how Vergil’s contract illustrates the stark difference in boxing and MMA purses. We also discuss whether there’s cause for alarm over ZUFFA Boxing’s likely monopolization of the sport, Dana White being the centerpiece for the promotion, and the possible proposed changes to the ring and ruleset. Further along, in our final topic, we examine Queensberry Promotions’ latest financial filings in detail. 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 220 Outline

* Have there been any new filings or updates with the UFC antitrust cases?

* The promo for ZUFFA Boxing came out and it was focused solely on Dana White. What did you think of that?

* The belt was also unveiled and it has an octagon shape. What’s your take on that?

* In a recent interview, Dana spoke about possibly changing the ring and the ruleset. How do you see that going down?

* The House Committee on Education and Workforce is going to put the TKO-proposed changes to the Ali Act in markup this week. What does this mean?

* The Sports Lawyers Association will be holding a webinar on January 22nd to discuss litigating the Ali Act and pending changes in Congress via the Revival Act, which you’ll be covering. Can you give us some details on it?

* On social media there have been a lot of people that are nervous that the launch of Zuffa Boxing signals their takeover of the sport, while others seem to be dismissive of them based on the card they’re holding. Should fans be worried or not that they’re going to monopolize the sport?

* Conor McGregor says that his UFC contract is void thanks to the Paramount broadcast deal. We talked about this several months ago. Do you have any additional thoughts?

* Do you think UFC is likely to play ball with him, considering he’s linked himself to the Trump family somewhat through his business dealings?

* Has there been any further developments with the reported San Francisco card and its promoter, Ed Pereira?

* Vergil Ortiz is suing Golden Boy. What is the complaint?

* Do you think he has a case?

* His contract was attached as part of the complaint filing. What were the financial details of his contract with Golden Boy?

* Queensberry Promotions recently filed their finances with Company House. Can you give us a summary of how they’re doing?

* Does it give us any details on where their revenue is coming from or what their expectations are for the future?PDFs of Vergil Ortiz’ suit against Golden Boy Promotions and the financial statements of Queensberry Promotions

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com

SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACT

In today’s episode, we’re looking at the top paid combat sports athletes in 2025 and it should come as no surprise that boxing is king, as it always has been. But the difference was so stark, it even gave us pause. We also take a look at new interview quotes from Dana White, Laura Sanko, and Ed Soares. The…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com

SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACT

In today’s episode, we’re looking at a fresh infusion of cash for ONE Championship, and asking the question, ‘How much money from their massive fundraising efforts is left. We also discuss some of the things Dana White has said over the course of last week’s interview rounds, as well as a lawsuit being bro…