Podcast
The Co-Main Event MMA Podcast
Hosted by Chad Dundas and Ben Fowlkes · EN
An irreverent and unscripted look at the week's mixed martial arts news from longtime MMA journalists Ben Fowlkes and Chad Dundas. Topics include the latest happenings in the UFC, Bellator and other promotions.
41episodes
Episodes
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Episode 685: MVP fills out the card + UFC heads to Seattle
Mar 2401:03:35Tap to summarizeMost Valuable Promotions announced eight more bouts on Tuesday to fully flesh out its undercard for Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano on May 16 and … well, hello there, Junior dos Santos. Long time no see. Yeah, a couple of these newly revealed fights actually are of some interest, including JDS vs. Robelis Despaigne and Muhammad Mokaev re-entering the chat against Adriano Moraes. Plus, no sooner does Movsar Evloev defeat Lerone Murphy (“Did he thoooough?”) in a “title eliminator” bout than the UFC seems poised to give the next shot at Alexander Volkanovski to Jean Silva. And the Octagon is off to Seattle and the friendly confines of Climate Pledge Arena this weekend for Israel Adesanya vs. Joe Pyfer. BODYBAGZZZZZZZZZZ. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Episode 684: MVP’s Netflix card is the best story in MMA
Mar 1701:03:42Tap to summarizeThose little rascals at Most Valuable Promotions added another spectacle fight to their big, loud MMA show coming up on Netflix on May 16. Nate Diaz and Mike Perry are set to do the damn thing at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, rounding out a lineup of three featured fights that also includes Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano and Francis Ngannou vs. Philipe Lins. And that, kids, puts us in an unexpected position. Who would’ve thought that by the middle of March, with the UFC fresh off announcing the fight card for its gala event at the White House, the biggest story in the sport would be Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian making their first foray into MMA? Crazy days. This week we ask: Is this a problem for the UFC? If so, how big? And what exactly does MVP want to be in the MMA space? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Episode 683: White House card is UFC’s Gobbledy Gooker
Mar 1001:04:17Tap to summarizeMonths and months. The UFC spent months hyping the release of its White House event fight card. Back in July of last year, Dana White said it would be the “Sphere on steroids.” In December, the President of the United States promised “eight or nine championship fights.” Basically every UFC fighter begged to be involved. Imagine our surprise, then, when the promotion finally released the full list of fights last Saturday and it looked like … just another event? Not BAD by any stretch, but also not the super-mega-MAGA jerkfest we were promised. Now fans are upset, and Jon Jones is having an existential crisis. So we ask: Is this the biggest whiff in UFC history? Did the UFC keep the White House card sealed in a giant egg only to watch it fall flat when it finally hatched at Survivor Series 1990? Also, Charles Oliveira and Max Holloway kinda underwhelmed and Francis Ngannou is fighting on Netflix … against Philipe Lins??? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Episode 682: Alex Pereira, what you doing, baby?
Mar 301:05:26Tap to summarizeAlex Pereira announced last week that he is vacating the UFC light heavyweight title. Why? Well, nobody has said for sure but … we’ve got some ideas. Ya boi Poatan isn’t just going to give up the strap for no reason. He must be chasing something and, honestly, the only thing for Pereira to chase outside of 205 is a heavyweight title fight (probably at the White House) against one of three men: Jon Jones, Cyril Gane or Tom Aspinall. We know Aspinall is still out trying to get his eyes put back in his head, so that leaves Jones and Gane — Jones obviously being the more palatable choice. So, the questions are: Would Poatan have a chance in that fight now that we know Jones’ hip is “covered with arthritis” or whatever? Will the UFC make Jones’ White House dreams come true after all? And, if not, would the UFC really stoop to giving us Pereira vs. Gane? Probably. They probably would. Plus, UFC 326 is this weekend! Yay! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Episode 681: Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano … in this economy?!?
Feb 2501:06:46Tap to summarizeAs is so typical in this sport, they’re going to give us the superfight. They’re just going to give it to us about 10 years too late. Such is the case with Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano, which will go down May 16 (yes, May 16, 2026) at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif. Perhaps the biggest surprise of all is that the people giving it to us aren’t the UFC, but Most Valuable Promotions — and the fight will air on Netflix. Let’s be clear: This seems inadvisable. It likely won’t be competitive. But it’s probably going to be a big, big deal. Guess you can’t say Jake Paul and Nikisa Bidarian don’t swing for the fences. Plus, Zuffa Boxing signed Conor Benn for $15 million for one fight. Hey, UFC fighters, are you paying attention NOW? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Episode 680: Why is heavyweight?
Feb 1001:00:16Tap to summarizeOn the heels of last week’s stinker between Tallison Teixeira and Tai Tuivasa at UFC 325, this weekend brought us Rizvan Kuniev vs. Jailton Almeida and, wow, holy shit did it absolutely suck. Not to beat a dead horse here but: Heavyweight. Still shitty after all these years, huh? In fact, we have to ask the question: Is the heavyweight division shittier now than it has ever been? That’s a scary thought, but one that deserves some of our attention. Plus, the weekend’s Fight Night might have been dogshit, but Mario Bautista looked great in the main event. Plus, lo, there was despair across the land, as the Dark Lord Ben Rothwell lost his BKFC heavyweight title to Andrei Arlovski. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Episode 679: Volkanovski is just too good
Feb 301:05:32Tap to summarizeThey did it again, brother, but when it was over it sort of seemed like they probably didn’t need to go to the trouble. Once again, Alexander Volkanovski defeated Diego Lopes by hard-fought but clear-cut unanimous decision, retaining his men's featherweight title at UFC 325. Somehow, the 37-year-old Volk is aging as gracefully as an MMA fighter can, looking damn near unbeatable with a remarkably versatile attack — the striking, the grappling, the feints, the stance switches, etc. , etc. It all gives you a lot to think about out there, and it was too much for Lopes, who came into this fight looking like he hadn’t made a TON of adjustments from the first fight. Plus, is the UFC’s new deal on Paramount+ a home run so far? And why is heavyweight so ass? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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CME Live Chat: UFC 324 reactions and whatnot
Jan 2801:06:04Tap to summarizeApologies for missing the Proper yesterday, friends. We’re back today with an episode of the Co-Main Event Podcast Patreon Live Chat, which we’re releasing for free to everybody. Seemed like a bad week to miss an episode, what with it being on the heels of the first PLE of the Paramount+ Era and the week before UFC 325. So, here ya go! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Episode 678: Mike Goldberg voice: “Here … we … go!”
Jan 2101:04:49Tap to summarizeIt’s happening. The Paramount+ Era is upon us. What surprises are in store? We’ll find out on Saturday, as UFC 324 goes down, featuring the interim lightweight championship fight between Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett. How does Pimblett (more than a 2-to-1 favorite) beat Gaethje? We’re not totally sure, but maybe that’s why we’re dumb podcast hosts and the oddsmakers are the oddsmakers. Plus, Kayla Harrison’s pile-of-trash neck forced her off this card, which was kind of a big loss. And Conor McGregor says his UFC contract is “void,” since pay-per-view doesn’t exist anymore. Could he be… right? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Episode 677: Are we ready for Paddy Pimblett, UFC champion?
Jan 1301:08:18Tap to summarizeJust about 10 days before UFC 324, and oddsmakers still see Paddy Pimblett as a bit more than a 2-to-1 favorite to win the interim lightweight title over Justin Gaethje. I mean, damn. Does that seem right to you guys? Honestly, it feels super weird to us, but considering how bad we are at betting and how good oddsmakers are at, ahem, making odds, perhaps they are right? And if they are, are we all truly prepared for a world where Pimblett is the (interim) lightweight champ? Plus, Gaethje has got a crater-sized sore on the side of his neck he swears isn’t staph, and Trevor Wittman is saying if they can’t win this one, Gaethje might as well retire. So … uh … is this about to be depressing as hell? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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