The Co-Main Event MMA Podcast

Score one for the grizzled veterans, as Derek Brunson became the first professional fighter to crack the riddle of Edmen Shahbazyan on Saturday night. Plus, chaos ruled at UFC Fight Night 176 and--what's this???--a certified weirdsmobile fight between Derrick Lewis and Aleksei Oleinik is on tap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Robert Whittaker reasserted himself as one of the UFC's elite middleweights--and reminded us he has no qualms about stomping a motherfucker's knee to shreds. Plus, Shogun and Roger Nog didn't make us sad, while Khamzat Chimaev and Tanner Boser arguably emerged as the Pandemic Era's breakout stars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joseph Benavidez likely saw his last, best chance at a UFC title evaporate when he got choked unconscious by new undisputed flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo on Saturday. Plus, what did we miss from Wednesday and -- hoo boy -- the UFC's Yas Island vacay looks to end with a bang. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The legend of Street Jesus collided with the best welterweight in the world at UFC 251 and ... well ... it was a long night in the Bread Game. Plus, Max Holloway maybe got jobbed (or maybe not!) and Petr Yan beat Jose Aldo into a living death there at the end. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gilbert Burns is out and Jorge Masvidal (probably, almost certainly) in against Kamaru Usman in the UFC 251 main event. It was a circuitous route to the fight that should've been headlining this pay-per-view all along, but all's well that ends well, right. RIGHT? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dustin Poirier and Dan Hooker went to battle on Saturday in the main event of UFC on ESPN 12. Did Hooker prove he belongs among the lightweight elite? Did Poirier revive his title aspirations? This week, it's an All Questions Considered episode of the CME. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Curtis Blaydes told us exactly what he was going to do to Alexander Volkov on Saturday night and then he went out and did it. He also warned some of you more punch-and-kick-oriented types that you might not like it. One person who didn't? Dana Frederick White Jr., though in fairness it was likely more Blaydes' comments on fighter pay that set the UFC Prez off. Plus, Emmett vs. Burgos slayed and Poirier vs. Hooker is now on deck. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cynthia Calvillo established herself as a women's flyweight contender with a win over Jessica Eye on Saturday. Would we say she looked ready for Valentina Shevchenko, however? No, we would not. Next up: Curtis Blaydes fights Alexander Volkov, while Dana White says every UFC card is wonderful and if you're a fight fan, you'll watch them all. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amanda Nunes, the female GOAT, continues to be leaps and bounds ahead of any competition the UFC can find for her. What are you gonna do? Meanwhile, Cody Garbs, Aljo and O'Malley make the case against Aldo. Oh, and Conor McGregor also wants more money and is retired again. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jon Jones says he's vacating the light heavyweight title and going on hiatus during a public spat over pay with the UFC. Then he's suddenly out in the streets working as a social activist. Plus, Gilbert Burns finally arrives and UFC 250 takes its best shot on PPV. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apologies from some sound quality issues on this week's show, Co-Mainiacs. Hopefully, you will solider through with us. On this episode, we discuss Conor McGregor continuing to troll the competition, whether Fight Island seems unnecessary now and the UFC scraping together main events like Tyron Woodley vs. Gilbert Burns. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alistair Overeem weathered an early storm to defeat Walt Harris by virtue of his wily, veteran guile on Saturday. We discuss that, plus look back at the UFC's weird week in Jacksonville. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When it finally arrived, UFC 249 weekend served-up a downright unwieldy number of storylines. From Jacare's positive coronavirus test to "The Waiver" to Justin Gaethje's surprise destruction of Tony Ferguson, we discourse. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's here (we think). It's happening (maybe). It's finally going down (in a matter of days). UFC 249 fight week is upon us leading up to Saturday's revamped and (twice) rescheduled fight card. Are you ready? Is the world? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The UFC plans to do three events in Jacksonville, Fla., from May 9-16. Can that be safe? One way or another, we're all going to find out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We discuss reports of Dana White's recent conference call with fighters booked on upcoming UFC cards, what an epidemiologist told Ben about how the UFC could get back to business in a safe way and what classic fights have listeners been watching to pass the time? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With UFC 249 officially postponed after Disney and ESPN bigwigs pulled the plug on Dana White's Grand Plan to Be a Man, we look at what we learned about White, Disney, ESPN, MMA fans, media and managers. Plus, what will the sport look like when it finally comes back? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're told UFC 249 is a go. We're told the main event will be Tony Ferguson vs. Justin Gaethje. We're told it will be for an interim title. We're told the venue you will be ... wait for it ... "somewhere on EARTH." So, yeah. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Khabib Nurmagomedov is "stuck at home" in Dagestan, which makes him a lot like the rest of us, when you think about it. So, he's probably out, but the UFC insists 249 is still on. Plus, Jon Jones in trouble again. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Well, here's something completely different. This week, from self-isolation and without much MMA happening worldwide, we went back and rewatched UFC 1. It was weird. Then we talked about it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Both our families are self isolating this week, which causes a number of challenges for the CME podcast. Still, here we discuss Charles Oliveira's win over Kevin Lee at UFC Brasilia, the UFC's weird declaration it will carry on in the face of the coronavirus pandemic and what will ultimately befall UFC London? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Zhang Weili and Joanna Jedrzejczyk tore the house down in their women's strawweight title fight at UFC 248. Israel Adesanya and Yoel Romero? Weeeeeell, that's a different story. This week, we discuss those two fights and look ahead to a weekend full of MMA action. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Deiveson Figueiredo smashed UFC Norfolk's main event title fight when he missed weight last week. Then he damn near smashed the whole flyweight division by defeating Joseph Benavidez via second-round TKO. What's do be done? Also, we look ahead to UFC 248's two title fights. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What are Dan Hooker's prospects among the lightweight elite after defeating Paul Felder at UFC Auckland? Can Joseph Benavidez finally make good on his flyweight potential? Are we really doing Cejudo vs. Aldo? And did Ben consume too many edibles before the weekend's big boxing match? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan Blachowicz crashes the light heavyweight title picture with his three-minute KO of Corey Anderson, Diego Sanchez mystifies us with an unusual performance against Michel Pereira and, up next week, Paul Felder vs. Dan Hooker. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How about that UFC 247, eh people? Specifically, how about that thriller main event between Jon Jones and Dominick Reyes? On this episode of the CME, we discuss that fight, the judging controversy that has emerged after it and why Valentina Shevchenko is just too damn good. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jonny Bones returns for the fourth time in roughly 13 months on Saturday to take on Dominick Reyes at UFC 247. If he wins, is this the last time we see Jones at light heavyweight? Can Reyes pull off the impossible? Is there anything else of interest on this card? These and other questions await. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Curtis Blaydes looked good en route to second round TKO victory over Junior dos Santos Saturday at UFC: Raleigh. Yet, is there a huge, Francis Ngannou-shaped roadblock between him and the title? Also, Cris Cyborg pulls off the MMA grand slam and Joe Rogan beefs with ... Stephen A. Smith??? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Conor McGregor blew through Donald Cerrone in 40 seconds in the UFC 246 main event, which seemed like exactly what matchmakers and promoters wanted. But with such a top-heavy main card and a $70 price tag, were consumers satisfied with the outcome? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Conor McGregor returns to the cage for the first time since 2018, for a bout against Donald Cerrone at Saturday's UFC 246. What do we expect from Conor and from Cowboy? And what else is worth watching on this card? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're back with an All Questions Considered episode of the podcast, as we wrap-up the action from Bellator 237 and look ahead to what 2020 might bring in MMA. Also, Tyron Woodley got mad at Leon Edwards so he threatened NOT to fight him??? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With Christmas just a couple days away, we went ahead and moved our normal Patreon Live Chat from Wednesday to Monday and opened it up to all listeners. Thanks to everyone who joined us. We hope the rest of you can make it next time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

All three UFC 245 title fights nearly went the distance, pushing the pay-per-view run time up around four hours. Here we talk about how it all went for Usman, Covington, Volko, Holloway, Nunes and GDR. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You wanna talk about painful? How about Jairzinho Rozenstruik destroying Alistair Overeem's lip in the final seconds of a heavyweight main event Overeem was on the verge of winning at UFC on ESPN 7? Also, how about Stefan Struve getting punted in the junk twice by Ben Rothwell and THEN losing via TKO? We talk about that, then look ahead to UFC 245. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Conor McGregor returns from his lengthy, uh, sabbatical to fight Donald The Cowboy Cerrone at UFC 246 in January and, among other things, the CME wants to know: Why now? Why the Cowboy? Why welterweight? And what about these sexual assault investigations? Plus, we discuss the fifth time being the charm for Khabib vs. Tony and this weekend's UFC on ESPN 7. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The dreaded Patreon Power Rankings take over the CME proper for the first time ever! Plus ... uh ... what's going on with Ben's face? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Zabit Magomedsharipov edged Calvin Kattar in the main event of UFC: Moscow on Saturday night, but not without a bit of intrigue. Magomedsharipov seemed to be fading down the stretch of their three-round main event, while Kattar appeared to just be coming on. So, what if it had been five rounds? We discuss that, Volkov vs. Hardy and Jacare Souza's impending move to 205. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Well, we spent part of UFC 244 at Buffalo Wild Wings eating the special one-night-only BMF wings. It didn't go that great for us. We talk about that, plus Jorge Masvidal being crowned the BMF king, Nate Diaz getting stopped on cuts and Darren Till getting an important, if not exactly thrilling, win. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ben returns from England and we attempt to catch up on everything we missed while he was gone. As usual, it was a lot: Nate's "atypical" drug test. Maia vs. Askren. Greg Hardy. Dom Reyes. Douglas Lima. Yair and Jeremy. It's all happening right here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joanna Jędrzejczyk is back and maybe (?) better than ever, but is she "back" enough to coast into an immediate title shot against Zhang Weili? Plus, what to make of Kron Gracie at this point, is "Horizontal Niko Price" one of the most destructive forces in the universe and shouldn't we all be about done with Conor McGregor at this point? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We talk about Israel Adesanya's second round knockout over Robert Whittaker at UFC 243 to unify the middleweight championship. Where do both the new champ and the old go from here? And, damn it, we really gotta start thinking about going to Tampa already next weekend? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ben got up early for us on what was his Thursday morning and Chad's Wednesday afternoon. We catch up with him about what it's like to be on the ground in Australia for UFC 243 and answer some listener mail questions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With Ben traveling to Australia to cover UFC 243 for The Athletic, there won't be a normal CME this Monday. We hope to be able to deliver a long-distance podcast for you later in the week, depending on his schedule and whether the internet with cooperate with us. For now, please accept this latest episode of the CME Movie Club to keep you entertained. If you like it and want to hear more like it, head over to our Patreon page and sign up: https://www.patreon.com/comainevent Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We discuss Yair Rodriguez and Jeremy Stephens' main event fight from UFC: Mexico City ending in a no-contest after just 15 seconds. Due to Ben's travel schedule, we also look ahead to UFC 243's Robert Whittaker vs. Israel Adesanya and try to preview a loaded weekend of MMA action. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We discuss Justin Gaethje's first-round TKO victory over Donald Cerrone and his ensuing call-out of the winner of a championship fight that hasn't even been booked yet. In addition to that, we look at Tristan Connelly's surprise win over Michel Pereira and then turn our attention to UFC: Mexico City. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After Khabib Nurmagomedov tapped-out Dustin Poirier at UFC 242, we all have to give it up for the guy. He remains one of MMA's more complex and polarizing figures, but he's really good at this stuff. We discuss that, plus what one listener refers to as "some real Bellator-ass shit" and Cerrone vs. Gaethje is this weekend! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We discuss Khabib Nurmagomedov's and Dustin Poirier's bout to unify the UFC lightweight title this weekend in Abu Dhabi, plus what Zhang Weili's strawweight title win over Jessica Andrade means for the UFC and why you -- yes, you -- should watch the Bellator featherweight grand prix. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We discuss Conor McGregor's apology and the MMA world's appetite to see him return to the cage, Matt Mitrione's loss via mouthpiece distraction at Bellator 225 and look ahead to UFC on ESPN+ 15. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the wake of Stipe Miocic reclaiming the title from Daniel Cormier at UFC 241, we talk about what's next for the heavyweight division. We also marvel at the return of Nate Diaz and discuss Paulo Costa and Yoel Romero getting weird. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We discuss Mike Perry's terrible broken nose (and his reaction) after his fight with Vicente Luque, the return of Nate Diaz and what Daniel Cormier is going to have to do to beat Stipe Miocic a second time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices