On today’s episode of UFC Unfiltered, Jim Norton and Matt Serra welcome back veteran middleweight-turned-welterweight Chris “Action Man” Curtis for his sixth appearance on the show. Energized by no longer having to concede size disadvantages to larger opponents like Roman Kopylov, the 37-year-old Curtis explains why now was the right time to return to 170 pounds. He opens up about uprooting his family to Thailand to live and train overseas ahead of Saturday’s pivotal fight with Max Griffin — a durable opponent who hasn’t been stopped in nearly a decade. Later, Steve Garcia joins us fresh off a four-mile treadmill run to talk about his co-main event showdown with Calvin Kattar at UFC Nashville. Fully aware of the urgency surrounding Kattar’s four-fight skid, Garcia shares his focused mindset and how he’s sharpening his game at Jackson Wink as he aims to steal the show and crack the featherweight rankings. Plus, Jim and Matt preview and predict the UFC Nashville main card, including the Derrick Lewis vs. Tallison Teixeira main event before spotlighting a few other matchups fans shouldn’t sleep on.
Jim and Matt celebrate 900 episodes of UFC Unfiltered with flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja and surging featherweight Chepe Mariscal. Having perfectly predicted Pantoja’s third-round rear-naked choke, Matt heaps praise on the champ — who reflects on his growth at American Top Team as the guys discuss what Joshua Van brings to the table as his next challenger. Fresh off a move from Colorado to Vegas to be closer to the UFC Performance Institute, Mariscal joins in the second half to talk about living the dream he first had as a 9-year-old sneaking into an MMA event. Motivated by his three-month-old baby girl, Chepe shares what might be next as he looks to extend his 8-fight win streak and 5-0 UFC run.
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RJ Clifford on Topuria’s stardom, Paddy Pimblett talks title stakes w/ guest co-host Ben “The Bane” Davis
Matt Serra and guest co-host Ben “The Bane” Davis hold it down on today’s UFC Unfiltered, starting with MMA media veteran RJ Clifford. The guys bring RJ on to unpack Ilia Topuria’s three-fight run to superstardom before analyzing what it might take for someone to beat the promotion’s newest two-division champion. Clifford also dishes on Pantoja’s dominance and whether Joshua Van has the formula to dethrone the Brazilian flyweight king. Later, Paddy “The Baddy” Pimblett joins to address rumors about a matchup with Justin Gaethje in August and speaks candidly about the history of his rivalry with Topuria. He walks through the lightweight Top 10 to explain why he’s worthy of the next title shot, then reiterates he’s ready to take on whoever if the promotion decides he needs one more win. Matt wraps up the interview with some girl-dad advice to Paddy the…Daddy — who is now a father of twin daughters himself. With no fights this weekend, Ben and Matt close things out with some laughs to send the Unfiltered Army into the Fourth of July weekend with a smile.
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Matt Serra & Kevin Iole recap UFC 317 w/ big winners Jose Miguel Delgado & Jacobe Smith
UFC 317 delivered in a big way with highlight-reel finishes, breakout performances, and a star-making moment for Ilia Topuria — and guest co-host Kevin Iole is on the mic with Matt Serra (while Jim Norton is out) to break it all down. The episode kicks off with featherweight knockout artist Jose Miguel Delgado, fresh off a 26-second finish of Hyder Amil. The Arizona native talks about training with elite teammates at MMA Lab and explains why he’s calling his shot for a clash with William Gomis at September’s Noche UFC card. Matt and Kevin then react to Topuria’s viral knockout of Charles Oliveira and what it means for the future of the lightweight division. Later, undefeated welterweight Jacobe Smith joins the show to break down his submission win over veteran Niko Price — the first of his career. The 29-year-old reflects on his All-American wrestling days at Oklahoma State and how Coach Sayif Saud has helped mold him into a complete mixed martial artist. To close it out, the guys share their biggest takeaways from UFC 317 — including Beneil Dariush’s bounce-back win and the record-setting flyweight war between Joshua Van and Brandon Royval before Kevin reflects on officially retiring from writing after an extraordinary 46-year run covering combat sports.
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Beneil Dariush, Terrance McKinney, UFC 317 picks
Jim and Matt gear up for UFC 317 with a pair of lightweight contenders from Saturday’s card joining the show. First, Beneil Dariush returns for his 12th Unfiltered appearance to reflect on his 18-month layoff and the road back after a tough 2023. He opens up about how fatherhood and a reset in training helped center him, and why the Moicano matchup feels like the right fight at the right time. In between guests, Matt reveals what might be the greatest honor of his post-fighting life — leaving Jim to question whether anything in his own career can even come close (sarcasm may or may not be involved). Then, fan-favorite Terrance McKinney stops by to talk about life after recently getting married, evolving under new coaches at Fusion X-Cel, and what a win over Viacheslav Borschev could mean for his momentum. He also shares thoughts on teammate Phil Rowe and how he’s balancing his trademark explosiveness with a new focus on patience. Finally, the guys break down the UFC 317 main card, headlined by a can’t-miss title fight between Ilia Topuria and Charles Oliveira, and lock in their predictions for the weekend.
About UFC Unfiltered with Jim Norton and Matt Serra
UFC Unfiltered with Jim Norton and Matt Serra is the must-listen podcast for fight fans. Edgy veteran comedian Jim Norton and former UFC welterweight champion Matt Serra push the boundaries in the UFC's first audio series. “Unfiltered” delivers everything, including pre- and post-fight analysis, industry stories, observations, opinions and interviews with UFC sources, fighters and celebrity fans.
Listen to UFC Unfiltered with Jim Norton and Matt Serra, Anele and the Club on 947 and many other podcasts from around the world with the radio.net app
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