Kicking off this UFC Abu Dhabi edition of TTP is our interview with Dana White’s Contender Series featherweight, Tom Pagliarulo. Pagliarulo discusses getting his call to fight for his UFC contract this August. He’ll fight on week one against Ananias Mulumba. He gives us a quick breakdown of that fight and a prediction. Plus, he also talks about his move out to Colorado and what prompted moving his training camp there. He now works out of the brand new Tiger Beetle Martial Arts with Cory Sandhagen and Carrington Banks.

Fights, Dogs and Parlays: UFC Abu Dhabi (17:24)

After a few domestic fights, the UFC heads overseas for UFC Abu Dhabi. Headlining the card is former light heavyweight champion Magomed Ankalaev. He’ll face a late replacement, Bogdan Guskov, who steps in for an injured Khalil Rountree Jr. Plus, in the co-main event, former flyweight title challenger Steve Erceg faces Ramazan Temirov. We’ll break down those fights as well as some of our other favorite fights on the main card. Plus, as always, we’re hitting you with an underdog and a plus-money parlay that we think will make your wallet fat this weekend. For this segment, all odds via FanDuel Sportsbook.

Lex Ludlow Interview (24:08)

Closing out this UFC Abu Dhabi edition of TTP is our interview with BKFC cruiserweight contender, Lex Ludlow. The most hated man in combat sports discusses where his microphone abilities originate from. Between studying some of his favorite MMA fighters to idolizing the best trash talkers of professional wrestling history. He also digs into what went into his recent nine second knockout win at BKFC Liberty Brawl. Then he digs into what the future holds for him. Will it be a title shot in the cruiserweight division? Will it be a super fight with the biggest name in BKFC? He tells his preference.

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Her chance came quickly. Just a couple months removed from that contest, she was asked if she wanted to step in against Fatima Kline after her original opponent, Amanda Ribas fell out. The spot seemed as good as any for Ricci.

“Yeah it was a little rushed. Of course I was already in shape. I had a really hard camp with Virna. It wasn’t that long ago, the fight,” Ricci said. “So I was in shape and then I want to fight. I got the offer – like of course anybody anytime. I just want to get back to the octagon as soon as possible. Then, actually, I had to move a lot of things around and then get together with the team quick – I think it was perfect.”

In fact, she prefers that a camp be short everytime. While longer camps are more traditional, she feels the mental grind of those can take some of the joy away from fighting.

“You know sometimes when you have a long camp you’re like thinking of the fight like for so long,” she said. “Sometimes it gets boring, it’s hard. When you have a short camp, it’s just like right away – specific tuning, hard sparring. It’s actually pretty fun.”

Now with the hard work done, she’s ready to prove herself in the cage once again. And she’s not planning on just beating the prospect, but she’s planning on making a statement.

“She probably wants to try to keep the distance. I mean if she watches other fights too and then she’s probably expecting me to grapple her. I think who does their thing best is going to win the fight,” Ricci said. “I really want to get the finish against her and get my way back to being next for the title shot.”

You can catch her bout with Fatima Kline as part of the UFC Oklahoma City main card. The fight card begins at 5pm EST and airs on Paramount+.

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Following his first win in the octagon, Bashi has been sidelined for 13 months. Some of that was recovering from a minor injury in the fall that pulled him from a bout with Jamall Emmers. However, the rest of the time has been spent improving himself – which can be vital at this early stage of his career.

“I’ve been working just all parts of my game, from the stand-up game to the ground game, wall game, every single part of it,” Bashi said. “So even though I’ve been at this long layoff, it gave me enough time to grow and get better and better this last year. It was still good that it happened.”

That growth has been accelerated by work with two-time featherweight title challenger, Diego Lopes. The two have worked together for a year and a half, which has been big for his development as a fighter.

“I went out for his first [Volkanovski] fight, and then the Jean Silva fight, and then his last [Volkanovski] fight as well,” he explained. “So, I’ve known him for a couple years now, and it’s really good training, great training. Obviously, he’s one of the best in the world, so being able to spar with him when I’m out there and train with him and learn things from him is pretty big for me.”

And it’s not just the work inside the cage that has seen growth. Bashi notes that seeing Lopes carry himself outside of the cage has helped him as well.

“[He’s also helped outside of the cage] for sure. A hundred percent. The thing I like about him most is how humble he is,” Bashi explained. “He obviously has a very, very big name, but he’s super humble and he never shows off or nothing like that. Just a real nice guy, humble guy.”

With all of that training under his belt, Bashi is ready to show the world just what the new version looks like. He’ll get his first chance to at UFC Oklahoma City this Saturday. He fights Jose Miguel Delgado as part of the prelims. They air on Paramount+ starting at 5pm EST.

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Starting with a chance encounter at one of his former schools, he found something that would become a huge part of his life.

“I went to a school that I attended when I was younger and it was an [Emotional and Behavioral Disorder] room – the same room that I was in – and I shared my story. But I didn’t know really how to yet. Through all the mumbling and the stuttering I said something just right to this young man where he believed in himself again,” Hines recalled. “He sat there talking for like 15 minutes when the teachers came and took him away and he had to go to his next class, the teacher comes up to me and says, that kid hasn’t said a word in two months. That hit me hard.”

It didn’t stop there for ‘Goozie’. He chased that feeling with another of his former stomping grounds and found that this was something important – and not just for him.

“That same week I went down to the county jail, another place that I attended when I was younger and I was talking to full grown men. Again, I was trying to share my story, but I didn’t know how to put it into words – I didn’t know how to put it to make sense,” he said “But I said just enough to where I saw that same look, but in a full grown man’s eyes and then that’s when I knew that my story mattered, my message mattered, my message could help people.”

And it was then the Hines knew he had to act. He signed up for public speaking courses and began to work on his craft.

“I made the move and went to a public speaking seminar where I met my speaking coach, where I met many other amazing people that have changed my life,” Hines said. “Everybody has a story that they can share, that can help somebody.”

While public speaking has been huge for him on a personal level, it’s also helped him in terms of his fight game. Having something outside of the cage, he said, allows him to focus on the things that really matter when he’s in there. And that has made him a dangerous fighter.

“I meet a lot of these guys that are so focused on winning, not for winning or not for bettering themselves, but to pay bills or to fix other problems in life. When you find yourself outside of the cage, when you find what really makes you happy, like public speaking, bro, that if I’m not fighting, I want to be public speaking. And that is me,” he explained. “But it creates so many other opportunities as well. Just learning who you are beyond what you do is so big. It gives me the confidence to where I when I’m in training camp now, I focus on getting better, exactly what I need to do.”

You can see the new and improved version this Saturday at UFC Oklahoma City. Hines fights RJ Harris on the prelim portion of the card, which begins at 5pm EST.

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Kicking off this UFC Oklahoma City edition of TTP is our interview with UFC strawweight contender, Tabatha Ricci. Ricci starts by giving us the lowdown on the progress of her new farm. She and Callum Walsh have added some new animals to the mix and gotten into plenty of hijinks – she details it all. Plus, we get into the growth from her most recent fight and the prep work for her short notice fight with Fatima Kline this weekend.

Fights, Dogs and Parlays: UFC Oklahoma City (11:42)

After a big numbered event in Vegas, the UFC heads back on the road for UFC Oklahoma City. The card is headlined by a pair of former champions when Dricus du Plessis faces Kamaru Usman. Plus, in the co-main event, another pair of middleweights look to stake their claim to a top spot when Jared Cannonier faces Christian Leroy Duncan. We’ll break down those fights as well as some of our other favorite fights on the main card. Plus, as always, we’re hitting you with an underdog and a plus-money parlay that we think will make your wallet fat this weekend. For this segment, all odds via FanDuel Sportsbook.

Alvin Hines Interview (18:14)

Next up on this UFC Oklahoma City edition of TTP is our interview with UFC heavyweight, Alvin Hines. Hines discusses his year outside the cage and his intro into the world of public speaking. He feels that it has not only helped him in life, but has influenced his work inside of the cage. Then we dig into his fight with RJ Harris on Saturday.

Austin Bashi Interview (30:29)

Closing out this UFC Oklahoma City edition of TTP is our interview with UFC featherweight, Austin Bashi. Bashi discusses his work alongside of Diego Lopes. He shares how it’s guided him inside and outside of the cage. Now he looks to show all of that hard work when he faces Jose Miguel Delgado.

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“It was kind of weird, I’m not gonna lie because I wasn’t supposed to be on the show originally. I didn’t want to be on the show – a lot of people don’t know that,” Franklin said. “Me and my manager were talking and I was having a hard time getting fights. Then LFA came around and was like we have a title shot for you, you could fight this guy for the belt. And my manager is like okay well do I want to do this? I do want to do that? I was like yeah, let’s do LFA.”

The LFA title fight was a done deal. He signed to fight Micaias Ureña at LFA 230 and then something came up. Being that it didn’t seem like it would happen, he decided to go for it.

“We signed [the LFA title fight] and everything is set to go there. My manager was like well, they’re asking if you want to do the TUF interview,” he recalled. “I mean every slot is pretty much full, but they just want to see if you want to. I would say [do it] just so you have more options.”

However, shortly after meeting with the Ultimate Fighter casting team, he got an answer back.

“I did the interview, and then literally like that day or the next day they’re like, we want him like you’re like you’re in,” Franklin said. “My manager is like, ‘so are you going to do the TUF or are you going to fight for the belt?”

The rest, they say, is history. Franklin decided to go into the house against his hatred for reality TV and, to his surprise, he has been the guy with the most airtime by a mile.

“I know a lot of people think I’m like a super big camera guy – I just was not into the reality TV thing. I was like, bro, I’m not about to be on here like Love Island. I’m not trying to do that,” he said. “Even the cast members are like ‘yeah, I’m not gonna lie you might be the star of the show.”

You can catch all of his talking heads and his upcoming fight with the aforementioned Micaias Ureña on the remaining episodes of TUF 34. Episodes drop each Tuesday on Paramount+.

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Kicking off this UFC 329 edition of TTP is our interview with the Ultimate Fighter’s bantamweight cast memeber, Xavier Franklin. Franklin discusses how, despite being a fan of the show, he never really wanted to be on it. With an LFA title shot lined up, a phone call led him into the house. He shares his thoughts on that journey as well as what it was like to be in the house. Plus, he discusses how odd it is to see himself on TV – especially given the airtime he’s getting. We did through all of that good stuff, plus the biggest thing he learned while being in the TUF house.

Fights, Dogs and Parlays: UFC 329 (19:22)

The UFC is back and so is one of the very biggest names the sport has ever seen. Conor McGregor returns for the main event of UFC 329 against Max Holloway in a rematch of their 2013 tilt. In the co-main event, we have former title challenger, Paddy Pimblett, looking to get back to the top when he faces Benoit Saint Denis. We’ll break down those fights as well as some of our other favorite fights on the main card. Plus, as always, we’re hitting you with an underdog and a plus-money parlay that we think will make your wallet fat this weekend. For this segment, all odds via FanDuel Sportsbook.

Jackson Ross Interview (27:42)

Closing out this UFC 329 edition of TTP is our interview with Oktagon heavyweight, Jackson Ross. Being one of the few Americans to sign with the European promotion, Ross explains how his contract with Oktagon came to be. Plus, he talks about what he knew about the company in the first place and why he was drawn towards it. All of that and he also gives a break down of his fight at Oktagon 91 this weekend.

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Kicking off this Ultimate Fighter edition of TTP is our interview with The Ultimate Fighter’s strawweight cast member, Mackenzie Stiller. Although Stiller couldn’t give any details about the inside of the house or her fights on the show, she gives her thoughts on the show as she watches it. She talks about seeing herself on television and how she feels about it. Plus, she talks about what some of the best parts of the Ultimate Fighter house were as well as some of the very worst. As we wait for the results of the show, you can catch her every Tuesday on Paramount+.

Combat Countdown: Top 5 Favorite “Weird” Submissions (13:52)

The UFC takes a week off as it gets ready for all of the craziness of International Fight Week. With Conor McGregor’s return just a week away, we turn our attention to our favorite segment on the show – the Combat Countdown. This week, we’re looking at our favorite “weird” submissions in the world of MMA. There has been plenty lately to inspire this list, including one that happened just this past weekend. Be sure to turn in and check out whether you agree or disagree with this list. For this segment, all odds via FanDuel Sportsbook.

Logan Paxton Interview (23:58)

Closing out this Ultimate Fighter edition of TTP is our interview with Dana White’s Contender Series lightweight, Logan Paxton. Paxton discusses his recent wins on Anthony Pettis Fighting Championships and the momentum he built on that show. Then he digs into the emotions that came along with getting the call to be on this season of Contender Series. After that, he breaks down the action that will be coming on August 18th. He fights on week two of the show against returning Cristian Pérez and he gives his prediction for that one.

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While missing out on a big win is never ideal, he feels that he walked away with something even more important in that fight – a lesson.

“I think that the biggest takeaway for me from that fight was for one, there’s no substitute for time under tension and experience,” Walker explained. “DJ has been doing this at the highest level for a very, very, very long time. At the end of the day, he was more prepared than I was and he was the better man on that night. I think that I learned a lot from the fight.”

The specific of that veteran presence had to do with composure more than anything. Both in and out of the cage, Jacoby gave him plenty to grow from.

“I think that he almost showed me firsthand what veteran presence in the octagon is. Because one thing that he said in some of his interviews and whenever I spoke to him after the fight was that he was very exhausted after the fight, right? You wouldn’t have known it being in there with him. If I had known that he was real exhausted, I probably would have gone one, two, double leg,” he said with a laugh. “But DJ had that veteran presence and I think I learned a lot from being in there with him.”

As a result, he’s begun taking those pieces and adding them to his own game.

“I think the biggest thing is not showing your cards,” Walker said. “If you are feeling fatigued, if you get hit with something that hurts – being able to not be shaken by the ups and the downs of not even just the fight itself, but a fight week of the preparation of everything that goes into this and being able to show up and be professional and lock in and do what you need to do to claim victory.”

Now, halfway across the world in Baku, Azerbaijan, Walker is ready to show those things in the cage. He faces Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev in a battle between light heavyweight prospects.

“You’re going to see Julius ‘Juicebox’ Walker getting his hand raised within the distance, baby,” he said. “I’m very excited to get in there and show what I’ve learned and show how much I’ve improved. My mindset is the best that it’s ever been, I’m honored for this opportunity and I’m ready to make the most of it.”

That fight with Yakhyaev takes place on the UFC Baku main card. The fight card begins at 9am EST this Saturday on Paramount+.

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Her training situation has always been a unique one. She trains in a gym full of policemen in her home of Lethbridge, Alberta. However, for this training camp, she stretched her wings a bit to get some new looks.

“I’m still training with the police boys. They’re still my number one team, but actually I leave for New Jersey. I found a gym out there and I’m training,” Clark explained. “I got eight days [at CULTR Fight Club] training. So I went out there in January to try it out, see what I like about the gym and fell in love – did not want to leave.”

A big part of that love for her new home-away-from-home was having some training partners who are the same size as her. Not only that, but the intensity that the gym brought helped to bring out a new level in her as well.

“It was a really cool experience to go to a gym that had people my size that had actual fighters like it was just just a completely different look,” she said. “[Ana Martinez] just won [the Fury FC flyweight title] and she’s a badass. She trains really hard, which is not something I’m exactly used to, so it’s really awesome.”

As the fight neared, CULTR also brought in some UFC level talent to work with Clark. She closed up camp with some solid rounds, which you would think would bring a new level of confidence to the most modest fighter in MMA. If you do think that, though, you don’t really know Shannon Clark.

“Hopefully [it ends] with a win,” she said with a nervous laugh. “That’s all. I don’t know how, but I just hope I win.”

You can catch the fruits of Clark’s new labors as part of the PFL San Diego prelims as she faces Ilara Joanne. The fight card begins at 7pm EST this Saturday.

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