UFC Unfiltered with Jim Norton and Matt Serra

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.

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.

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.

On today’s episode of UFC Unfiltered, Jim Norton and Matt Serra are joined by this past Saturday’s biggest winner in Nazim Sadykhov and heavyweight contender Ciryl Gane in the wake of Jon Jones’ retirement.   Fresh off his acting debut in the new Netflix film K.O., Gane reflects on the surreal experience of being a movie star — and how choreographed fight scenes compare to the real violence of the Octagon.   He also weighs in on Jon Jones’ legacy and what the future holds for Ciryl now that Tom Aspinall has been elevated to undisputed heavyweight champion.   Jim and Matt begin to unpack the action from this past Saturday’s UFC Fight Night card before the fighting pride of Azerbaijan himself, Nazim Sadykhov calls in to reflect on the surreal feeling of winning in front of a roaring hometown crowd in Baku.

Jim and Matt start today's show two hours earlier than usual to accomodate two exciting guests fighting on this Saturday's UFC Azerbaijan card: heavyweight Mohammed Usman and women's bantamweight Melissa Mullins.   Looking to bookend a second straight win from an Usman brother following Kamaru's victorious main event in Atlanta, younger brother Mohammed Usman talks about how he draws inspiration from his legendary brother’s success ahead of an explosive matchup against Hamdy Abdelwahab. Mohammed also sheds light on the Hall-of-Fame guidance he’s receiving from Rashad Evans — who is now in charge of leading his corner.   Melissa uses her first time on the show to discuss her journey into the world of professional martial arts. Mullins sets the table for her upcoming rematch with Daria Zhelezniakova by breaking down what she respects from her veteran opponent in Saturday's second go-around.   Finally, Jim and Matt wrap things up with a pair of fight picks each from the UFC Azerbaijan card headlined by Jamahal Hill and Khalil Rountree Jr.