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UFC 318 gave us lots of tremendous moments, starting with six finishes. That’s right, folks, the first six fights were all finishes. As a matter of fact, they would be the only finishes, too, as the next eight went to decision. We had some real bangers though, leading from the top with Poirier-Holloway. What a scrap, but it would be Holloway leaving with his arm raised. The tribute to Dustin was well-done and had many in the arena crying, and even some outside the arena.Other notable bouts were Kevin Holland’s battle with Daniel Rodriguez, which saw both men nearly finished, but it would be D-Rod clinching the victory. Paulo Costa looked great against Kopylov, which wasn’t hard to do since Roman seemed to get his gameplan from his mom, because he looked awful and didn’t come alive until late in the third. Patricio Pitbull captured his first victory inside the octagon with a solid win over Dan Ige. Wish he could’ve gotten to the UFC before his prime was spent, but he got the W, and that’s what counts. Now, let

UFC 318 might have the hallmarks of a solid PPV—four ranked fights and 10 ranked fighters—but when you get to the alternative stats, that’s when the whole thing falls apart. Fifteen fighters are coming off losses! And a 16th went to a draw. Fifteen fighters hail from the Contender Series. This seems an unacceptable sendoff for the Diamond, even if it is happening in his back yard.We have a genuinely great trilogy match between Dustin Poirier and Max Holloway. Max looks better than ever against recent competition (unless your name is Ilia Topuria), and Dustin has been alternating wins and losses for the last several years, but sniping the up and coming competition along the way. While Paulo Costa vs. Roman Kopylov seems like a fun fight, it just doesn’t seem like a proper co-main event, considering how Costa has looked in his last couple outings. Now, let’s take a look at all the fights from the main card and the alternative stats.UFC 318 Main Card* Max Holloway vs. Dustin Poirier 155 lbs* Paulo Costa vs. Roma

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comUFC Nashville has the distinct odor of the glue factory, and the stench of forced rankings. Being that this event is an on-the-road Fight Night, it tracks that they’d want to fluff out the card in some way. Does this show have a hidden gem here and there to break up the monotony of a below-mid card? Sure, but the fine folks of Nashville got shafted, in …

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comUFC is taking another break, this time for Independence Day. Our analysts are all together again, though, and that is what counts. Phil being out for the last two of these left Zane and Connor to their own devices and they got up to all sorts of mischief without our staunch Brit to keep them in line—and by keep them in line, I mean join in the hijinx.We…

UFC 317 looked great on paper and delivered in practice, as well. Ilia Topuria became the tenth man in UFC history to claim a title in a second division, and he did it in devastating fashion, knocking Charles Oliveira out cold. And he did it inside the first round, as he predicted. The brass has a rare opportunity here with Topuria and they should get behind him with every ounce of their marketing heft. This guy will be selling out arenas and making PPVs soar. And the way he torched Paddy Pimblett during their in-cage faceoff was hilarious.Alexandre Pantoja put an end to Kai Kara-France’s title hopes with a third round submission, setting the UFC flyweight record for most finishes. After Joshua Van’s terrific win over Brandon Royval in a fight of the year performance, Van and Pantoja also faced off in the cage, confirming they will be battling for Pantoja’s belt next. Tonight gave us the kind of performances fight fans have been craving. It’s about time. Now, let’s check out the rest of the results and bonuse

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comUFC 317 is a solid pay-per-view event. In this current era, the promotion puts forth very little into their shows, but this particular one seems to have been crafted with at least some level of care. The main card is obviously where most of the meat is centered, and four of the five ranked fights are crammed in there. We get two title fights and some re…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comUFC Baku seems to still be on, despite the conflict that rages on in the Middle East. Looking at the card on paper, it leaves a lot to be desired. Lots of fighters coming off losses and just a single ranked fight for this on-the-road Fight Night. There are some match-ups that look promising from an action standpoint, but Fiziev being on a three-fight sk…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comUFC Atlanta started with one helluva bang but went out on a whimper. With three spectacular knockouts on the prelims, it looked like the show was going to be a great one. There was even an illegal upkick stoppage controversy in the featured prelim, but the main card was a bit of a snoozer. Let me explain.Of our three former champions, two would emerge v…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comUFC Atlanta is not as bad as the alternative stats would suggest. Let me tell you why. We have three former champs on the main portion. It doesn’t matter that none the trio is likely to end up with a strap again, but we do have some recognizable talent for this on-the-road card. The other, more obvious reason is that we’ve become so used to digesting th…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comUFC 316 was a solid card on paper that managed to deliver some big moments in its application. We got a terrific performance out of Merab Dvalishvili, who had his way with Sean O’Malley and ended up ultimately submitting him. O’Malley’s lifestyle changes did nothing—in fact, Sean seemed even less competitive than their first fight.Kayla Harrison blessed…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comUFC 316 is blessed relief from the constant grind of the Apex and lackluster Fight Nights that happen outside of it. If one thing has been driven home, it’s that UFC is going to give us slop and somehow, people still love it. This weekend doesn’t have a wealth of great fights, but it has two titles on the line and some solidly decent contests. 10 years …

UFC Vegas 107 looked absolutely awful on paper, but in practice, we did have some exciting moments. The ladies’ fights were somewhat underwhelming, though. Alice Ardelean defeated Rayanne dos Santos, which wasn’t a terrible watch and even won FOTN. However, Macy Chiasson vs. Ketlen Vieira was a complete slog of a contest that saw Vieira victorious. Side note: Chris Leben turned in an awful score card for that fight.Dusko Todorovic was bested by Zachary Reese in another ho-hum bout of no consequence. On the prelims, we were treated to just one finish, courtesy of Jordan Leavitt. The main card saw more action with finishes from Dustin Jacoby and an incredibly violent one from Ramiz Brahimaj, who looked like he was trying to rip Billy Ray Goff’s head off his body. If you’re wondering about Blanchfield vs. Barber, that fight got canceled due to a medical issue with Maycee Barber. That’s right, folks, the main event got scratched mere moments before Barber’s walkout (Blanchfield made the walk). Hopefully, Maycee m

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comUFC Vegas 107 is not giving what it needs to give, stat-wise. A whopping 12 fighters are coming off losses—on a card that only has 11 fights. Fourteen of the athletes hail from the Contender Series. Could it provide a bunch of action? Sure. Will it matter to the advancement and growth of the competitors outside the two ranked bouts? All movement here is…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comUFC is taking another break, just a month after its last one, because of Memorial Day. Not that we’re complaining, just making note of the situation. Our analysts are without their man across the pond, though. Phil is likely battling crime or doing some other civic duty that aids and benefits the public, but Zane and Connor have done a swell job of com…

UFC Vegas 106, much like last weekend’s UFC 315, looks okay on paper. It’s got a couple ranked fights—which is amazing for an Apex card—as well as fairly low stats for fighters coming off losses. There is a downside because a lot of the fighters with losses have some problematic losing streaks. Gilbert Burns is on a three-fight skid and he’s sitting at the top of the card. Ditto for Paul Craig. In the immortal words of somebody I cannot name, it is what it is. Now, let’s take a look at the fights and the alternative stats.UFC Vegas 106 Main Card* Gilbert Burns vs. Michael Morales 170 lbs* Paul Craig vs. Rodolfo Bellato 205 lbs* Sodiq Yusuff vs. Mairon Santos 155 lbs* Nursulton Ruziboev vs. Dustin Stoltzfus 185 lbs* Julian Erosa vs. Melquizael Costa 145 lbs* Matheus Camilo vs. Gabe Green 155 lbsUFC Vegas 106 Alternative Facts* Ranked Fights: 2* Ranked Fighters: 4* Fighters coming off losses: 8* Contender Series Alumni: 10* TUF Alumni: 2* Road to UFC Alumni: 1* Debuting Fighters: 2Don’t forget to check out the

UFC 315 delivered some terrific finishes and good fights on the undercard. We saw Bruno Silva felled for the first time in a terrifying finish that left him with a dented skull (think Cyborg Santos vs. MVP). Silva left the arena on a stretcher. We also bore witness to Jessica Andrade being swarmed and finished in under three minutes, and without ever landing a shot on Jasmine Jasudavicius. And Mike Malott destroyed Charles Radtke destroyed in the second round, bouncing his head off the canvas.The main card opened with Benoit St. Denis struggling to finish Kyle Prepolec, despite overwhelming odds in his favor. BSD did get it done, but Prepolec acquitted himself well. Natalia Silva gave a masterclass, defeating Alexa Grasso 30-27 across the board and showing that she is very much ready for the next title shot. Jose Aldo looked fantastic in the early goings of the fight, but his cardio left him in the third, and Aiemann Zahabi mounted him and rained down punches for more than half the round, cutting Jose open an

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comUFC 315 has great stats and two title fights, but the big PPV feel of it all is severely lacking. And if ticket sales are a true indicator, the Canadian fans aren’t feeling that big card vibe either. Or maybe they’re showing the UFC that they don’t appreciate the close affiliation with the Trump administration on the heels of POTUS trying to annex their…

UFC Des Moines looked like a glue factory convention on paper and it delivered that same energy in practice. Were there a few good fights? Sure, and we got a few finishes, but by and large, this was an Apex level event that the poor folks in Iowa paid prime rates for. Shameful promoting by UFC. There was a moment that brought almost all MMA fans together, though. That was when Reinier de Ridder stopped Bo Nickal with a vicious knee after softening him up for the entirety of the fight to that point. Rejoice! Now, let’s check out the results and bonuses while we’re here.MMA Vivisection & 6th Round is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.UFC Des Moines ResultsCory Sandhagen def. Deiveson Figueiredo via second-round TKO (4:08) (injury)Reinier de Ridder def. Bo Nickal via second-round TKO (1:53) Daniel Rodriguez def. Santiago Ponzinibbio via third-round TKO (1:12)Montel Jackson def. Daniel Marcos via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comUFC Des Moines is the ghost of Christmas past. They’ve gone and drafted Jeremy Stephens back into the comforting embrace of the octagon, fresh off his success at BKFC, but not very mindful of his MMA bouts outside the promotion where he went just 2-1 in the PFL. There are other picked-over, near-demise oldsters on the card, as well, but we’ll get to tho…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit themmadrawpodcast.substack.comUFC Kansas City looked like a mixed bag on paper, but in practice, it ended up being a pretty good event. The card started off strong with several finishes right from Jump Street, but it would level out with some decisions, albeit good ones with the exception of Pereira-Magomedov. Carlos Prates found out the hard way why you don’t play the counterstriki…