The Head Line with Simon Head

We say it every week, but boy do we have a packed show for you!

Of course, the majority of this week’s episode of “The Brit Pack” is dedicated to the huge trilogy fight between Stipe Miocic and Daniel Cormer, who dance one final time for all the marbles – and possibly the mantle of the greatest MMA heavyweight of all time – in the main event of UFC 252 this weekend.

But that’s only part of what we have on this week’s show.

There’s a full main card recap of UFC on ESPN+ 32 last weekend, as Derrick Lewis scored a huge win, Chris Weidman breathed life into his UFC career and Darren Stewart proved he’s MUCH more than just another British striker.

We also unpack the news that broke just before we hit record, as Paige VanZant announced that she had signed with Bare Knuckle FC. Smart move or a baffling choice? We offer our respective takes. There’s also a quick word for the events of midweek, where Dana White handed out FIVE UFC contracts at the Contender Series, including one to 21-year-old Welsh strawweight Cory McKenna, who put on a brilliant display to earn herself a shot at the big time.

There’s also the usual fight reaction, early predictions and midweek matchmaking as we try to plot the course for key names in the sport.

Check out the show via the player above, or via the pod-catcher of your choice. We’re available pretty much everywhere these days. We’d also LOVE it if you could hit us up on social media, leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and generally help us spread the word about our little show. And if you’re not a subscriber, just hit the button and enter your email address below and you’ll get notified every time we put out a new episode.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thebritpack.substack.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simonheadsport.substack.com

It feels like a quiet week this week, but we STILL have a double-header of UFC and Bellator action this coming weekend.

It meant we still had plenty to chew over on this week’s episode of “The Brit Pack” podcast as we recapped the action from UFC on ESPN+ 31 in Las Vegas, as longtime middleweight rankings resident Derek Brunson proved to Edmen Shahbazyan that there are levels to this game at 185 pounds with a third-round TKO victory.

We unpacked that result, plus the other eye-catching fight outcomes of the night, including Joanne Calderwood’s heartbreaking loss to Jennifer Maia as the Scot took a fight on short notice and lost her likely title shot with Valentina Shevchenko in the process.

We also looked ahead to Bellator 243, where former Bellator champ Michael Chandler and ex-WEC and UFC champ Benson Henderson will run it back for a potential shot at the promotion’s 155-pound strap.

We discussed the UFC’s next event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, as “The Black Beast” meets “The Boa Constrictor” in a real throwback fight in the UFC’s heavyweight division.

And we also looked ahead to the return to the UFC of England’s Darren “The Dentist” Stewart, after his last assignment saw him compete under the Cage Warriors banner during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Check out the show above and don’t forget to drop us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts, or hit us up on social media @TheBritPackMMA.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thebritpack.substack.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simonheadsport.substack.com

“UFC Fight Island’s” four-event run ended with a bang as UFC on ESPN 14 delivered a spectacular night of fights that had a little bit of everything for MMA fans, including some good, old-fashioned controversy.

When Dan Hardy raised his voice in Herb Dean’s direction and we saw Dean gesture to Hardy, we knew this wasn’t going to be just a spur-of-the-moment incident, and the fallout and discussion has rolled on ever since. Dean put out a video statement backing his decision to let Jai Herbert take more punishment from Francisco Trinaldo before eventually stopping their featured preliminary fight, while Hardy has fired back with a one-hour YouTube video laying out his thoughts and concerns about that finish, as well as a host of prior questionable finishes from Dean down the years.

We hit record on this week’s episode of “The Brit Pack” before Hardy dropped his epic YouTube response, as we offered our personal takes on what happened on fight night, and where we think the issues truly lie.

Of course, it shouldn’t be forgotten that the stacked fight card delivered some fantastic action, too, and we ran through the big fights, and big performances, that mattered on Yas Island as the UFC’s first run of events on “Fight Island” shows came to a close in fine style.

We also took a moment to look ahead to this weekend’s two fight cards, with ONE Championship making their return from the pandemic in Bangkok on Friday, and the UFC returning to Las Vegas on Saturday.

It’s possibly our most packed episode of “The Brit Pack” yet, and it’s all yours right here. If you’re not already a subscriber, we’d love it if you supported us and signed up via this website (hit the button below). It’s free!

It’s also free to share your support via social media (we’re @TheBritPackMMA, @simonhead and @SandhuMMA on Twitter) and via Apple Podcasts, where you can leave us a review. All your support helps us grow the show, so it’s hugely appreciated.

Enjoy the show, it’s a biggie this week!

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thebritpack.substack.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simonheadsport.substack.com

After a packed double-header of events on “UFC Fight Island” last week, the UFC is getting set for its fourth and final show on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, with a British star ready to shine in the main event.

England’s Darren Till will take on former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker in the headline fight of UFC Fight Island 3 on Saturday, July 25, knowing that an impressive win could see him catapulted to the top of the middleweight rankings and into a title fight with the winner of UFC 253’s title scrap between champ Israel Adesanya and challenger Paulo Costa.

The Whittaker-Till matchup heads up a superb card of fights to round off the UFC’s stay on “Fight Island” and on this week’s show, we take a look at the key fights on the card.

We also look back at the biggest performances from the two “UFC Fight Island” fight night events, including some standout performances from a few British stars.

Check out the show via the player above, or head to your podcast player of choice and enjoy! If you haven’t already, don’t forget to subscribe, too.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thebritpack.substack.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simonheadsport.substack.com

UFC 251 was a momentous night for the world’s biggest MMA organization, as three titles were contested on a stacked card in the first-ever “UFC Fight Island” event.

It was a huge achievement just to be able to put on a show of that scale, with the level of preparation involved behind the scenes to host a massive pay-per-view event during the COVID-19 pandemic.

On this week’s episode of The Brit Pack, we take a look back at a fight card that delivered a little bit of everything in Abu Dhabi, as fans were treated to spectacular knockouts, stunning submissions, three huge title fights and a little sprinkling of controversy for good measure.

We deep-dive into the fight card on Yas Island, as we run through the big fights, and the big talking points, on a big night at UFC 251. Then we take a quickfire run through the two UFC Fight Night events set to take place this week, with Wednesday’s midweek card leading us into the weekend, where the UFC flyweight title will (hopefully) be decided when Deiveson Figueiredo and Joseph Benavidez throw down for a second time.

It’s another jam-packed episode of “The Brit Pack.” We hope you enjoy it! And if you do, please do head to Apple Podcasts and leave us a review, or hit up the show on social media. We’re @TheBritPackMMA on Twitter.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thebritpack.substack.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simonheadsport.substack.com

Simon catches up with ONE Championship commentator Michael Schiavello, who lifts the lid on his experience of commentating on the first major MMA event of the "coronavirus era" as he called the fights at "ONE Championship 109: King of the Jungle" behind closed doors at Singapore Indoor Stadium. Michael also plays fantasy matchmaker as he books some of the big fights HE'D like to see in ONE Championship, and offers up a couple dynamite cross-promotional fights involving champions from both ONE and the UFC.

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Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/simonhead/message

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simonheadsport.substack.com

The wait is finally over! UFC Fight Island is here, it’s happening and it all goes down on Saturday night, July 11 (July 12 in Abu Dhabi) as the UFC puts on arguably its biggest card of the year, UFC 251.

On this week’s packed episode of the show, we take a deep dive into the main card of one of the most historically significant events the UFC has ever staged as the promotion puts on three UFC title fights amid unprecedented circumstances on Yas Island, which has been transformed into “UFC Fight Island” for the promotion’s four-event, 14-day run at the venue.

There’s plenty of discussion about the new, humungous main event as Kamaru Usman and Jorge Masvidal get set to face off in the welterweight title fight the world wanted to see in the first place.

The co-main offers plenty of intrigue, as Australia’s newly-crowned featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski gets set to take on the man he defeated to win the belt last December, former champion Max Holloway, in a 145-pound title rematch.

And there’s a battle of generations for the vacant UFC bantamweight strap, as Brazilian MMA legend and former two-time UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo takes on surging Russian star Petr Yan.

We break down all three title fights and offer our predictions for each one, before taking a look at the other two fights on the main card, both of which have major significance for the four female fighters involved.

It’s another packed show, and we’d be honoured if you’d join us. Give us a listen, give us a sub, and spread the word on social media!

Enjoy the pod, and enjoy the fights!

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thebritpack.substack.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simonheadsport.substack.com

Has any sporting organization adapted better to the COVID-19 pandemic than the UFC? And has any sport done a better job than MMA of managing to maintain its authenticity and appeal despite the lack fans in attendance?

To be honest, we don’t think so.

Fans are the lifeblood of any sport, but when it comes to the television coverage of specific sports, certain events are able to adapt and still be compelling without fans in the stands, while others have struggled.

On this week’s episode of The Brit Pack, MMA journalist Simon Head and MMA social media specialist Chamatkar Sandhu discuss how different sports have adapted to lockdown life, and how the UFC has led the way in how to host a successful behind-closed-doors event.

The pair also look back at the fifth and final event of the UFC’s five-event run at their UFC Apex facility, as Dustin Poirier and Dan Hooker threw leather for five thrilling rounds in a Fight of the Year contender. Simon and Sandhu also discussed the other crackerjack matchups that are on that way-too-early Fights of the Year list, six months in.

It’s a gap week in the world MMA calendar, with no UFC, Bellator or ONE Championship events set for the coming weekend, but there’s plenty to digest after a packed weekend last weekend, so check out the show and get bang up to date with the Brits as they wrap up all UFC Apex matters ahead of the UFC’s switch to Fight Island next week.

Check out the show via the player above, and don’t forget to subscribe!

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thebritpack.substack.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simonheadsport.substack.com

The UFC’s purpose-built “Apex” facility in Las Vegas was always intended to host live fight events, but even UFC president Dana White wouldn’t have expected to have held so many big events at the state-of-the-art venue by the summer of 2020.

The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we have to think and operate, however, and the new facility has become the Las Vegas home of live fights for the UFC, with a ton of exciting matchups already in the books in the venue’s short history.

This past weekend’s event, #UFCVegas3, delivered talking points aplenty, and Simon Head and Chamatkar Sandhu, AKA “The Brit Pack”, unpack it all on this week’s show.

Whether it was Curtis Blaydes’ strong, yet underwhelming, performance in the main event, Josh Emmett’s Ironman performance in the co-main event, or the contrasting (and, in Max Rohskopf’s case, controversial) debuts of two UFC newcomers, there was plenty for the lads to get their teeth into as they looked back at another eventful show.

Simon and Sandhu also take a look ahead to UFC on ESPN 12, as lightweight contenders Dustin Poirier and Dan Hooker get ready to face off in the main event, and also run through a host of British fighters set for action on UFC “Fight Island” at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi.

It’s another jam-packed show of MMA chat. Check it out above and, if you haven’t already, join our subscriber list and be a part of it!

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thebritpack.substack.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simonheadsport.substack.com

It wasn’t all that long ago that Anderson Silva was the biggest name in MMA. As the UFC’s all-conquering middleweight champion, “The Spider” demolished almost everyone in his path, and even jumped up to light heavyweight and added to his highlight reel at 205 pounds.

But now, after losing his title and picking up just one win in the last seven years, Silva has just two fights remaining on his UFC contract, and UFC president Dana White admitted he’s unsure how to book the Brazilian legend for his final two fights.

On this week’s episode of The Brit Pack, Simon Head and Chamatkar Sandhu mull over the possible (and highly unlikely) options for Silva’s final two fights, and also discuss what might happen if Silva’s compatriot, UFC women’s “champ champ” Amanda Nunes, decided to hang up her four-ounce gloves in the near future.

The two Brits also take a look back at UFC on ESPN 10 (aka #UFCVegas2) as Cynthia Calvillo announced her arrival as a top contender in her new weight class, while a host of up-and-coming prospects delivered a fistful of spectacular performances to kick off the card.

Finally, the pair look ahead to UFC on ESPN 11 (aka #UFCVegas3) as heavyweight contenders Curtis Blaydes and Alexander Volkov face off in the main event.

Enjoy the show, then enjoy the fights!

[Photo credit: Per Haljestam]

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thebritpack.substack.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simonheadsport.substack.com