UFC 295 Reaction, Tom Aspinall, plus John Kavanagh, Diego Lopes, and Loopy Godinez all in studio
Podcast:The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani Rating: Explicit Published On: Mon Nov 13 2023 Description: Ariel Helwani around (3:04) wraps up UFC 295 this past Saturday night and believes Tom Aspinall should face Jon Jones next. The panel then weighs in if this is the right path for the interim UFC heavyweight champion. John Kavanagh around (26:40) talks about the challenges of traveling to fights around the world, watching UFC 295 live with Royce Gracie, getting recognized by fans over Gracie, Johnny Walker's position in the light heavyweight and the stoppage in his fight with Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 294, Johnny Walker's rematch with Magomed Ankalaev on Jan. 13, the state of Irish MMA, the impact of a potential merger between Bellator and PFL, Conor McGregor's potential return and work with PFL star Brendan Loughnan, the changing timeline for McGregor fighting in the UFC, Conor's situation with USADA, his thoughts on McGregor fighting Michael Chandler, the possibility of Conor returning to lightweight, reuniting with Dillon Danis, the possibility of Danis in the UFC, Ian Machado Garry's career trajectory, the controversy surrounding Garry's exit from Leon Edwards' gym, dealing with big personalities in the gym, how much longer he'll stay in the sport as a coach, his strongest memories from Conor McGregor's career, Katie Taylor's rematch with Chantelle Cameron, and more. Loopy Godinez around (1:33:43) discusses her big win at UFC 295, what it was like fighting at Madison Square Garden, the judges’ scores, if her sisters will follow her to MMA, why she didn’t like team sports, how Ronda Rousey inspired her, if she is ready for a title shot, how the camp change helped her, and more. Diego Lopes around (1:59:42) discusses his big 2023, breaks down his big win at UFC 295, the inspiration behind his unique haircut, if he enjoys being a coach or a fighter more, why there’s so much team success right now, how he ended up in Mexico, why he wants Bryce Mitchell next, the growing fan support, and more. Tom Aspinall around (2:22:06) discusses winning the UFC interim heavyweight title at UFC 295, his place among the top heavyweights Jon Jones and Francis Ngannou in the world today, his injury before UFC 295, his emotions heading into the fight, why he hugged Sergei Pavlovich before the fight, how he celebrated with his father after the fight, what’s next, and more. The panel then around (2:51:17) discusses Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall, Ariel’s pound-for-pound rankings, the next fight for Alex Pereira, and more. The parlay pals around (3:06:55) look back at their most recent selection, and GC recaps his picks for UFC 295. The panel also discusses more UFC 295 storylines, and more. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/MI/NJ/PA/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 1-877-770-STOP (7867) (LA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), call/text TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/LA/MI/NH/NJ/NY/OR/ PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. New customers only. Min. $5 deposit required. Eligibility restrictions apply. See http://draftkings.com/sportsbook for details. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices