The MMA Show with Blaine Henry

Natalia Silva is the UFC Women’s flyweight champion. Wang Cong had a poor showing at UFC 332 and didn’t even deserve the fight.

Chapters:

0:00 Natalia Silva vs Wang Cong breakdown

4:07 They pushed Wang Cong too early

9:56 Wang Cong’s fifth round

11:54 The target on Natalia Silva’s back

📺Watch The MMA Show, our twice weekly show on mixed martial arts: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC6CZbd6NNd0&si=P6R--wJtY3rdsyxd

🎞️Check out Fight Finders, my docuseries! Episode 008 is out now: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLx7TZlIVGhDZ_TpnOtVEVSXmkpr_ViExz&si=J8DZ9G6a-RvTaMOv

🥊 Boxing channel: Youtube.com/@UCFN50W4bPM2xdW78XLyv2fQ

📰 Newsletter: fightlibrary.substack.com

#ufcshow #mmashow #mmapodcast #ufcpodcast #ufc332

Natalia Silva asks the same question of every opponent: how will you deal with my kicks. We laid a path out for Wang Cong in the preview episode. But her approach was not that. All night, until the fifth, Wang Cong struggled to close the distance. There Natalia Silva feasted and kicked for the majority of four rounds.

Wang Cong is a fine fighter. I don’t mean to seem like I’m ragging on her. But she was pushed entirely too fast at UFC 332. The urge to recreate Pereira-Adesanya was too strong and instead of letting Wang Cong become a better fighter, she was rushed to the top and came across a fighter she was not prepared for.

The fifth round of UFC 332 drove me insane. Everything Wang Cong needed to do was there. Pressure Silva, take away the kicks, cover up your own kicks. They were there. But Wang Cong was too late. She handed the title to Natalia Silva.

Now Natalia Silva has a target on her back. She’s gone from trying to win a world title to maintaining it. Valentina Shevchenko is coming back one day. Zhang Weili is still around. Erin Blanchfield. All eyes are on her now. She must maintain it.

Natalia Silva and Wang Cong are fighting in the main event of UFC 332. With such an underwhelming card, we will take a few minutes ri ask ourselves how we got to this point.Chapters:0:00 Why UFC 332 is so weak3:44 Solutions for TKO and promotional strategies7:39 It isn’t Natalia Silva or Cong Wang’s fault8:59 Keys to victory for Cong Wang at UFC 33211:29 What’s at stake 📺Watch The MMA Show, our twice weekly show on mixed martial arts: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC6CZbd6NNd0&si=P6R--wJtY3rdsyxd🎞️Check out Fight Finders, my docuseries! Episode 008 is out now: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLx7TZlIVGhDZ_TpnOtVEVSXmkpr_ViExz&si=J8DZ9G6a-RvTaMOv🥊 Boxing channel: Youtube.com/@UCFN50W4bPM2xdW78XLyv2fQ 📰 Newsletter: fightlibrary.substack.com#ufcshow #mmashow #mmapodcast #ufcpodcast #ufc332UFC 332 is a bad card, and that’s saying a lot. But TKO backed themselves into this corner. Their volume of cards, shortsightedness in booking, and lack of promotional know how has really held them back. Natalia Silva and Wang Cong aren’t the problem, they’re the symptom, of a decaying promotion.The good news is that this issue is not beyond repair for TKO. Scheduling fights farther out, building stars, and holding on to known commodities is the way. Less cards is there too but broadcasting deals are in the way of that. PRIDE Bushido had the same issue and they eventually figured it out. None of this is Wang Cong or Natalia Silva’s fault. Are the supposed to not fight for the title? Just because the UFC had braindead matchmaking practices does not mean we should penalize Wang and Silva.Natalia Silva is a tough fighter to solve. But as pedigreed as Wang Cong is, she has the tools to get the job done. We will also discuss how Wang Cong can get the job done. Despite all of the negativity surrounding the quality of the card, there’s a lot at stake for both Natalia Silva and Wang Cong. Of course there’s the title. But Natalia Silva has to prove she earned her number one contender spot. For Wang Cong, a rematch with an old rival.

Let’s not beat around the bush: Raoni Barcelos almost died. We have to confront that fact that this could be the end of a fighter’s life on any given night.Chapters: 0:00 Raoni Barcelos nearly died against Raul Rosas2:41 Historical tragedies and fatalities in combat sports6:41 The lust for violence by the fan12:07 The future should be clear doe Raoni Barcelos📺Watch The MMA Show, our twice weekly show on mixed martial arts: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC6CZbd6NNd0&si=P6R--wJtY3rdsyxd🎞️Check out Fight Finders, my docuseries! Episode 008 is out now: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLx7TZlIVGhDZ_TpnOtVEVSXmkpr_ViExz&si=J8DZ9G6a-RvTaMOv🥊 Boxing channel: Youtube.com/@UCFN50W4bPM2xdW78XLyv2fQ 📰 Newsletter: fightlibrary.substack.com#ufcshow #mmashow #mmapodcast #ufcpodcastUFC Vegas 121 ended prematurely. Raoni Barcelos was in the middle of a masterclass in old man tricks and grit against Raul Rosas Jr. Then in the fifth round, he fell over and seemingly seized up. Unable to fight, the scene was grim. It really looked like the worst case scenario. Luckily it wasn’t. Combat sports are brutal. History is littered with tragedies dating back to Ancient Greece. From 500 BC to today, fighting all too often comes with death. Arrichion, Andy Bowen, Duk-koo Kim, and more are all names etched in the stone as someone who gave their lives trying to entertain fans. And the fans lust for that violence, close as possible to death without actually seeing it. But Raoni Barcelos was too close for fans comfort. We often make fun of fighters for not being violent enough. “All he does is lay and pray! He very goes for the finish,” fans cry. I’m guilty of it as well. But we often turn a blind eye to what’s truly at risk. Raoni Barcelos needs to retire. After such a scare, there’s no reason to see him in a fist fight again. While retirement can be scary for a fighter, his health is more important. For him and his family.

It is now undeniable that Joshua Van is the true flyweight king. After beating Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 331 for real this time, the future is fresh at 125.📺Watch The MMA Show, our twice weekly show on mixed martial arts: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC6CZbd6NNd0&si=P6R--wJtY3rdsyxd🎞️Check out Fight Finders, my docuseries! Episode 008 is out now: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLx7TZlIVGhDZ_TpnOtVEVSXmkpr_ViExz&si=J8DZ9G6a-RvTaMOv🥊 Boxing channel: Youtube.com/@UCFN50W4bPM2xdW78XLyv2fQ 📰 Newsletter: fightlibrary.substack.com#ufcshow #mmashow #mmapodcast #ufcpodcastChapters:0:00 Joshua Van beats Alexandre Pantoja0:57 Joshua Van’s standup5:22 The defensive grappling of Joshua Van11:19 Alexandre Pantoja’s onslaught15:04 The future of a Joshua Van flyweight divisionJoshua Van beating Alexandre Pantoja put to bed the doubt many MMA casuals had about his abilities. Just because the first fight was flukeish in nature doesn’t mean he wasn’t in that fight. Now, post UFC 331, it’s clear: Joshua Van is the best flyweight in the world. The bread and butter of Joshua Van is obviously the striking. After getting drawn into a brawl with Pantoja early, Van settled in and worked his game. This culminated with the fifth round knockdown that sealed the deal for Joshua Van. UFC 331 featured the new flyweight king at his best. The most exciting part, however, was Joshua Van’s defensive grappling. Outside of the first round which was almost exclusively controlled by Pantoja, Van was prepared and able to get up from under the suffocating pressure of Alexandre Pantoja. To discount what Alexandre Pantoja did would be disservice for Joshua Van’s UFC 331 performance. Alexandre Pantoja fought a good fight. He asked questions of Van that had not been asked before.Now there’s a new crop of contenders at 125. Manel Kape, Lone’er Kavanagh, and Asu Almabayev are all in the running for who could be next for Joshua Van. Whatever comes next, flyweight is in a great spot.

Joshua Van is going to beat Alexandre Pantoja. The new king won his title on a fluke and will go out to prove that he is, as Max Holloway would say, him. Chapters:0:00 Joshua Van vs Alexandre Pantoja 2 preview & analysis3:49 Key factors for UFC 3317:12 How Joshua Van wins the rematch 9:32 Legacy, Division impact, and predictions📺Watch The MMA Show, our twice weekly show on mixed martial arts: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC6CZbd6NNd0&si=P6R--wJtY3rdsyxd🎞️Check out Fight Finders, my docuseries! Episode 008 is out now: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLx7TZlIVGhDZ_TpnOtVEVSXmkpr_ViExz&si=J8DZ9G6a-RvTaMOv🥊 Boxing channel: Youtube.com/@UCFN50W4bPM2xdW78XLyv2fQ 📰 Newsletter: fightlibrary.substack.com#ufcshow #mmashow #mmapodcast #ufcpodcastJoshua Van is going to be the man of the hour this weekend. He needs to dispatch Alexandre Pantoja. The first fight ended controversially and Van sets out to make that right. On the other hand, Alexandre Pantoja looks to reclaim the throne that had fans claiming him to be the 125 GOAT over Demetrious Johnson.My main hangup for Alexandre Pantoja is that arm injury. He's coming back rather quick. Is it recovered fully? Is it strong enough? Will he still be effective? Joshua Van hasn't been invincible on his rise to the throne. He's lost, he's been held down. To think Pantoja *can't* win is silly. But at his age, how much is left?Ultimately I think the arm is going to be too much. Alexandre Pantoja tends to get tired as well. That's exactly when Joshua Van gets going. The rematch will be one that confirms a suspicion we all have: was Alexandre Pantoja going to lose to Joshua Van anyway? We finally get to find out.

Jean Silva was supposed to fight Yair Rodriguez in the main event of Noche UFC. Instead, Rodriguez pulled out and now Jean Silva is fighting 15th ranked Jose Delgado. No offense to him, Jose Delgado is a fine fighter. But he is not the kind of matchmaking we expect for Jean Silva at this point in his career. 📺Watch The MMA Show, our twice weekly show on mixed martial arts: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC6CZbd6NNd0&si=P6R--wJtY3rdsyxd🎞️Check out Fight Finders, my docuseries! Episode 008 is out now: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLx7TZlIVGhDZ_TpnOtVEVSXmkpr_ViExz&si=J8DZ9G6a-RvTaMOv🥊 Boxing channel: Youtube.com/@UCFN50W4bPM2xdW78XLyv2fQ 📰 Newsletter: fightlibrary.substack.com#ufcshow #mmashow #mmapodcast #ufcpodcast

Salahdine Parnasse ran through Dan Hooker and announced himself to the UFC's lightweight division. Now we look at Salahdine Parnasse's performance, how he dismantled Dan Hooker and how he fares against the shark tank that is 155. Chapters: 0:00 Salahdine Parnasse's Debut to the 155 Lightweight division3:30 Fight Breakdown: Salahdine Parnasse vs. Dan Hooker6:53 Dan Hooker's Role as the Gatekeeper9:50 Salahdine Parnasse's Potential Opponents: Fiziev, Moicano, and Gamrot📺Watch The MMA Show, our twice weekly show on mixed martial arts: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC6CZbd6NNd0&si=P6R--wJtY3rdsyxd🎞️Check out Fight Finders, my docuseries! Episode 008 is out now: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLx7TZlIVGhDZ_TpnOtVEVSXmkpr_ViExz&si=J8DZ9G6a-RvTaMOv🥊 Boxing channel: Youtube.com/@UCFN50W4bPM2xdW78XLyv2fQ 📰 Newsletter: fightlibrary.substack.comSalahdine Parnasse has thrown his name into the UFC's lightweight division. 155 has long been the UFC's top division. Now with the roles changing over, Charles Oliveira, Max Holloway and the rest of the old guard, are now being hunted by these young and hungry fighters. Salahdine Parnasse is just the latest in that regard. 155 is better with Quillian Salkilld, Ilia Topuria, Paddy Pimblett, and now Salahdine Parnasse.Salahdine Parnasse dominated Dan Hooker. It couldn't have been a more perfect UFC debut. In front of the Paris crowd, rabid for their fellow country man, Parnasse showed that he belongs. He didn't debut, he arrived. We mentioned this in our preview show. Dan Hooker attempted the kicks but Salahdine Parnasse had the answer to that. And when he finally cornered Dan Hooker, Salahdine Parnasse executed. We can't read too much into this fight, however. Dan Hooker is a perennial gate keeper for 155. He wins some that he should win. Then he loses to who he should. We know exactly what Dan Hooker brings to the table. He was the perfect springboard for introducing the UFC casual audience to Salahdine Parnasse. Going forward, Salahdine Parnasse has some great options. Rafael Fiziev offers an all-standup affair. A stand and bang, if you will. But Fiziev crumbles under power punchers. Renato Moicano is my favorite option. Moicano can ask the questions of Parnasse that we need to know before he faces a Paddy Pimblett or Arman Tsarukyan. But the most likely next fight is a KSW vs KSW matchup between Salahdine Parnasse and Mateusz Gamrot. #ufcshow #mmashow #mmapodcast #ufcpodcast #ufcparis

Salahdine Parnasse isn’t making his UFC debut this weekend. He’s simply arriving. Being thrown straight into the mix with Dan Hooker shows just how highly the UFC brass thinks of Salahdine Parnasse. Put him in front of the Paris crowd ar UFC Paris, we don’t have a debut. We have a coronation.Chapters:0:00 Salahdine Parnasse arriving to the UFC5:37 The technical aspects of Salahdine Parnasse9:14 The danger of Dan Hooker11:08 The future with Salahdine Parnasse📺Watch The MMA Show, our twice weekly show on mixed martial arts: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC6CZbd6NNd0&si=P6R--wJtY3rdsyxd🎞️Check out Fight Finders, my docuseries! Episode 008 is out now: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLx7TZlIVGhDZ_TpnOtVEVSXmkpr_ViExz&si=J8DZ9G6a-RvTaMOv🥊 Boxing channel: Youtube.com/@UCFN50W4bPM2xdW78XLyv2fQ 📰 Newsletter: fightlibrary.substack.comA UFC debut is always fun, especially one as high profile as Salahdine Parnasse. But putting him as the man event in his home country at UFC Paris is a different level. The confidence the UFC has in Salahdine Parnasse as part of the lightweight division is sky high. It’s easy to see why. Salahdine Parnasse is supremely talented. But on this stage, he is more than simply debuting. He’s arriving. Finally.Salahdine Parnasse mixes the martial arts. I know, novel concept. But he can do it all. And his approach plays into his advantage. Salahdine Parnasse doesn’t just knock people out. He fights in the clinch, has superb ground and pound, submissions are there. He is the complete package. Against Dan Hooker, Salahdine Parnasse SHOULD shine.Should. There is danger in fighting Dan Hooker. He’s fought the best in the world. He’s no stranger to being in the cage with heavily favored opponents. Salahdine Parnasse is no exception. Dan Hooker will go into UFC Paris looking to play the spoiler to Salahdine Parnasse’s arrival.#ufcpodcast #mmapodcast #ufcshow #mmashow

Song Yadong shocked the world and Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC Shanghai. With a spectacular second round knockout, we will take a look at how Song knocked out Umar and what’s next for the Chinese and Russian fighter.

Chapters:

0:00 Song Yadong Umar Nurmagomedov knockout reaction

4:15 The scramble of Song Yadong

8:04 The left dip read

10:59 One off or a new Song Yadong

15:33 How does Umar Nurmagomedov recover

📺Watch The MMA Show, our twice weekly show on mixed martial arts: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC6CZbd6NNd0&si=P6R--wJtY3rdsyxd

🎞️Check out Fight Finders, my docuseries! Episode 008 is out now: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLx7TZlIVGhDZ_TpnOtVEVSXmkpr_ViExz&si=J8DZ9G6a-RvTaMOv

🥊 Boxing channel: Youtube.com/@UCFN50W4bPM2xdW78XLyv2fQ

📰 Newsletter: fightlibrary.substack.com

Jumping out of my chair, I yelled at 6am as Song Yadong did what we thought was impossible. But instead of UFC Shanghai being a war drug into later rounds, Song Yadong put Umar Nurmagomedov’s lights out early in round 2. In a spectacular read, Song Yadong went from being a perennial gate keeper to a top 3 contender in the UFC’s deepest division.

But before the knockout, Song Yadong masterfully dealt with the wrestling of Umar Nurmagomedov. In our preview to the fight, we talked about making wrestling expensive within the energy economy. Song Yadong laid the groundwork for that. After being taken down, Yadong scooped the deep half guard from the lockdown and managed to wrestle up in open space. It seemed like the tides against the Dagestani dominance had turned.

Then there was the knockout. Song Yadong read the left dip of Umar Nurmagomedov perfectly. He even threw the exact knockout punch the exchange before. They were looking for it, they knew Umar Nurmagomedov had this tendency. Bezkat Almakhan and Mario Bautista paved the way. Song Yadong finished it.

Now Song Yadong is a title contender. With Petr Yan and Merab Dvalishvili having a trilogy bout, whoever wins will determine what happens to Song Yadong. He needs to prove that beating Umar Nurmagomedov wasn’t a fluke and that he can prepare for different opponents and styles.

Now Umar Nurmagomedov will have to rebuild. Standing between the giants that are Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev and the young guns behind him like his brother Usman, he will need to spend the time to find his place within team Khabib. But Khabib and company have reinvented themselves before. It’s not impossible for Umar Nurmagomedov to turn things around.

#ufcpodcast #mmapodcast #mmashow #ufcshow #ufcshanghai

Umar Nurmadomedov and Song Yadong face off in the main event of UFC Shanghai this weekend. In this episode of the MMA Show we look ar the Dagestani approach, Song Yadong’s shortcomings and advantages, as well as the wrestling system of Umar Nurmagomedov.Chapters:0:00 Umar Nurmagomedov's Legacy and Pressure4:25 Analyzing Song Yadong vs Umar Nurmagomedov11:24 Tactics, Stakes, and Fight Prediction🎞️Check out Fight Finders, my docuseries! Episode 008 is out now: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLx7TZlIVGhDZ_TpnOtVEVSXmkpr_ViExz&si=J8DZ9G6a-RvTaMOv🥊 Boxing channel: Youtube.com/@UCFN50W4bPM2xdW78XLyv2fQ 📰 Newsletter: fightlibrary.substack.comComing off the heels of Islam Makhachev’s historic win over Ian Garry, all eyes are on Umar Nurmagomedov. Now he must put forth the Dagestani blueprint tha Khabib and Islam have proved worked. That comes with pressure. But the rewards for Umar Nurmagomedov will be massive.Song Yadong has his drawbacks. While he’s well rounded, he’s not exceptional in one area or another. This doesn’t mean he can’t win. Umar Nurmagomedov is a flawed fighter in his own right. But he is truly exceptional at wrestling in MMA. This will give Song Yadong fits and will give Umar Nurmagomedov the upper hand.A lot is at stake for both Umar and Song. A second title shot for Umar Nurmagomedov seems imminent. But a loss would be catastrophic for those hopes. Song Yadong looks to prove he belongs. Having lost to every good fighter he’s faced, a win over Umar Nurmagomedov would be thr one win Song Yadong needs to prove he belongs among the bantamweights’ best.#ufcpodcast #mmapodcast #ufcshow #mmashow