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The Fight Library

By Blaine Henry

Welcome to Fight Library! When it comes to combat sports, I love talking about them, weather it be MMA or boxing. News, breakdowns, gossip, and interviews, they're all here! Drop a sub if you enjoy!

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E129 - UFC Fight Island 3 Aftermath: Robert Whittaker’s Statement

The Fight LibraryJul 27, 2020

00:00
18:47
E290 - 125 Rose ain’t it, chief | UFC Vegas 89: Rose Namajunas vs. Amanda Ribas recap

E290 - 125 Rose ain’t it, chief | UFC Vegas 89: Rose Namajunas vs. Amanda Ribas recap

Rose Namajunas notched a win over Amanda Ribas in the main event of UFC Vegas 89 last night. With a win at 125, “Thug” Rose is looking for her way to a title shot in her second division.

Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:10 Rose Namajunas isn’t the same at 125
6:37 Amanda Ribas fought well
11:55 Edmen Shahbazyan REALLY wants to grapple
14:57 Youssef Zalal returns!
19:14 We biting now?

Rose Namajunas is trying to find new life in her new weight class of 125. After going two time champion at 115, she believes women’s flyweight is her new home. I’m not so sure. After her loss to Manon Fiorot in her debut I question has time passed Rose Namajunas by? She’s only 31 but it looks as if she’s slower and relies on her tactics instead of speed. Regardless, Rose Namajunas looked acceptable against Amanda Ribas, a fight which she should have won and did so.

Amanda Ribas, on the other hand, over performed by my own estimation. She wasn’t supposed to look as good as she did but has shown some improvements. That said, her game is too shallow for a fighter like Rose Namajunas, who has a deep tool kit. Amanda Ribas is ranked in two divisions and, being the tweener she is, will keep doing so. This loss to Rose Namajunas was just another bump in the road for Amanda Ribas.

Edmen Shahbazyan and his weird rib cage returned with another win at UFC Vegas 89. He beat AJ Dobson and got hurt in the process. That said, Edmen Shahbazyan really showed that he’s been working on his grappling and really went after that rear naked choke. In the end, he got the finish via submission and all is well. Edmen Shahbazyan doesn’t need to rush his career at only 26. A couple years of these types of fights will do him good.

After he was cut from the UFC, I questioned why they had done so to Youssef Zalal. He’s a great fighter with great hands, the exact type of fighter the UFC enjoys. But after an 0-3-1 run, including a loss to Ilia Topuria, Zalal was cut. Now he’s back after just over a year and a half gone. He choked out Billy Quarantillo to show us that he’s improved in his time away. I think Youssef Zalal has a bright future ahead of him in the UFC’s featherweight division.

Lastly, we will bust out the ole Jaws theme and talk about Igor Severino biting Andre Lima and getting subsequently disqualified and cut from the UFC. GOOD! There’s no place for that blatant type of cheating in the sport.
Mar 25, 202421:32
E287 - Chito Vera is BRAINDEAD | UFC 299: Sean O’Malley vs. Chito Vera 2 full card recap

E287 - Chito Vera is BRAINDEAD | UFC 299: Sean O’Malley vs. Chito Vera 2 full card recap

Sean O’Malley put on a masterclass against Chito Vera in the two’s long awaited rematch. That doesn’t mean Chito Vera didn’t fight like a moron. Let’s talk about his performance for a minute.

Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:10 Chito Vera is braindead
9:17 Dustin Poirier is braindead too
12:55 Welcome to the UFC, MVP
15:58 Jack Della Maddelena is for real
18:58 Petr Yan is back

Sean O’Malley put on for UFC 299. He avenged his loss to Chito Vera from years ago with a near-perfect performance. Sean O’Malley overwhelmed Chito Vera with feints and volumes, the same things we talked about in our Vera film study (XXX). Now, Sean O’Malley, with negative charisma, calls out Ilia Topuria. That’s not a good idea yet. But I can see a future where the two face off and the winner becomes the next superstar for the UFC. I just will put my money on Ilia Topuria. Regardless, Sean O’Malley really looked great and should really face Merab Dvalishvili or Cory Sandhagen next.

In the co-main event of UFC 299, Dustin Poirier took on Benoit Saint-Denis in a close fight that saw Poirier jump the guillotine over and over again only to get smashed by the Frenchman. In the end, Dustin Poirier came through for this fellow Louisianan and knocked Benoit Saint-Denis out in round 2. Despite his flaws, I still very much love Dustin Poirier and he’s probably the best fighter to never win the belt.

Michael “Venom” Page made his UFC debut at UFC 299 as well. He took on Kevin Holland and beat him from pillar to post. Holland could not keep up with Michael “Venom” Page and MVP got off on Kevin Holland all night. He styled with exciting kicks, spinning back elbows, and insanely illusive footwork that had Kevin Holland frustrated by the end of the night. All I can ask for now is Michael “Venom” Page versus Ian Garry and/or Stephen Thompson.

Jack Della Maddelena had his coming out party on the night too! He took on the experienced Gilbert Burns at UFC 299 and really had a testing fight. Gilbert Burns, being as technical as he is on the ground, challenged Jack Della Maddelena in areas we have wondered about since his debut on the Contender Series. Now ranked top five and busting up the wrestler’s club at at the top of 170, what is next for the Australian striker?

Opening the main card, Petr Yan looked to snap his 3 fight losing streak against Yadong Song. Yan has struggled in the past and took some time to get going. But he stayed in the fight and eventually started rolling before Yadong Song could really land any damage. Petr Yan got his hands working and we even got to see some of that clinch work that we love so much from the former Russian champion. The takedown, leg sweep thing was just magnificent. Petr Yan really did his best work and seemingly got back on track at UFC 299.
Mar 11, 202423:14
E286 - Francis Ngannou fraud checked by Anthony Joshua

E286 - Francis Ngannou fraud checked by Anthony Joshua

It took Anthony Joshua two rounds to do what Tyson Fury couldn’t: knock out Francis Ngannou. And in spectacular fashion, he did it in the second round. In this episode we will recap the fight between Anthony Joshua and Francis Ngannou and compare it to Tyson Fury’s body of work against the former UFC champion.

Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:10 Francis Ngannou fraud checked
2:50 Anthony Joshua: still good at boxing
6:10 Tyson Fury in shambles
8:02 Anthony Joshua vs. Tyson Fury?
11:43 Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira?

We start the episode off by calling the fight what it was: a fraud check. Many were riding high on Francis Ngannou’s fight with Tyson Fury despite him losing, and perhaps rightfully so. But when he took the Anthony Joshua fight, we said that if AJ took this fight seriously, he could run through Francis Ngannou. It was also mentioned that Francis Ngannou could have been taken lightly by Tyson Fury. Regardless, Ngannou may want to be done with boxing at 37 years old.

Then I’ll discuss what I liked about Anthony Joshua. He’s still a very talented boxer and after some lackluster performances and then the two losses to Oleksandr Usyk, may thought Joshua was washed. But his fights with Otto Wallin and now Francis Ngannou give me hope that Anthony Joshua is improved and gotten over that hump that’s been hindering him in the past few years.

Tyson Fury’s win over Francis Ngannou has now aged like milk. Having gone to decision with him and being knocked down in the process, Tyson Fury’s stock has plummeted after Anthony Joshua did it in only two rounds. While styles do make fights, it will be impossible to avoid the comparisons now and a fight between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua seems imminent once Fury is done with Oleksandr Usyk.

So does Anthony Joshua beat Tyson Fury? With the last couple performances for both, I’m leaning to yes for now. Of course, that’s always changing and if Tyson Fury beats Oleksandr Usyk, it will dump all that on its head.

What’s next for Francis Ngannou? It’s gotta be an MMA fight with Renan Ferreira in PFL. Ferreira just beat Bellator champion Ryan Bader and is the PFL champion. He’s sitting out of the PFL season and now has his sights set on Francis Ngannou.
Mar 11, 202413:30
E283 - Is Brandon Royval actually Max Holloway?

E283 - Is Brandon Royval actually Max Holloway?

Brandon Royval snagged a sketchy split decision win over former flyweight champion Brandon Moreno this weekend at UFC Mexico. His fight was at elevation and “Raw Dog” put on a torrid pace of volume with a lot of variety. The question now is the following: Is Brandon Royval 125’s Max Holloway?

Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:10 Brandon Royval’s volume
5:55 Brandon Moreno isn’t the same anymore
10:55 Brian Ortega’s big comeback
14:12 Yair Rodriguez doesn’t have a gas tank
16:13 Raoni Barcelos is the best cheater

In this podcast we will be discussing Brandon Royval and how he utilized his length to give the “better boxer” Brandon Moreno trouble. We will also talk about why he didn’t gas at UFC Mexico despite it being at elevation. Hint: Brandon Royval trained at even higher elevation. Now Brandon Royval is the number one contender but will that give him a third fight against Alexandre Pantoja, the champion, despite him losing to Pantoja twice?

Brandon Moreno has changed since his fights with Deiveson Figueiredo. He no longer punches straight and looked for looping shots over the top against Brandon Royval all night at UFC Mexico. Moreno isn’t big enough to go to 135 so he’s unfortunately stuck. That kinda sucks because I really enjoy when Brandon Moreno fights. He’s exciting.

Next, Brian Ortega was back and took on Yair Rodriguez. Ortega isn’t a good wrestler despite needing to wrestle to get to his top level jiu jitsu. He showed that either A: he has been working on his cage wrestling ahead of UFC Mexico, or B: Yair Rodriguez was gassed. Brian Ortega still has many of the same problems he always has like being too comfortable with his hands despite getting hit way too much. But this fight returned a Brian Ortega who is a grappler first, not a reinvented boxer. Keep him away from Ilia Topuria tho.

Yair Rodriguez has the same old problems. He has the gas tank of a weed eater and despite nearly finishing Ortega at UFC Mexico, he gassed himself out, spent round two on the bottom and got promptly choked out in round three. How tired do you have to be to let Brian Ortega take you down? Only Yair Rodriguez knows.

Last for UFC Mexico, we talk about Raoni Barcelos’ cheating spree against Christian Quinonez. A fence grab, a wedgie, and downed knee were all on display. But Raoni Barcelos is still the man and got the finish so I’m happy!
Feb 27, 202417:54
E282 - Ilia Topuria is your new 145 king | UFC 298: Ilia Topuria vs. Alexander Volkanovski recap

E282 - Ilia Topuria is your new 145 king | UFC 298: Ilia Topuria vs. Alexander Volkanovski recap

Ilia Topuria is your new king of the featherweight division. He knocked out the long-reigning champion Alexander Volkanovski in round two to take home the title to his native country of Spain. Let's talk about the fights!

Chapters
0:00 Intro
0:57 Ilia Topuria is the king of 145
11:37 Bobby Knuckles violence
15:10 Ian Garry stunk up the joint
18:46 Merab the machine!
20:17 Other outs and ins

Ilia Topuria absolutely stole the show at UFC 298. Knocking out a fighter the calibre of Alexander Volkanovski is phenomenal in it's own right. To see that made my jaw drop. So what is next for Ilia Topuria? Max Holloway? Movsar Evloev? Volkanovski 2? You be the judge.

Robert Whittaker and Paulo Costa had a fantastic fight. Costa almost put Robert Whittaker away with a spinning heel kick but Whittaker, who has done this time and time again, survived and dominated the rest of the fight. This means we need to get Robert Whittaker and Sean Strickland next, right? Former champion vs. former champion!

Ian Machado Garry stunk up the place. He allowed Geoff Neal to get him to the fence and clinch up with him for extended periods of the night. What happens if Colby Covington or Shavkat Rakhmonov get you there? You die. Ian Machado Garry is a fantastic fighter but this fight was just underwhelming and I need to see more from a fighter with the talent he has.

Merab Dvalishvili defeated Henry Cejudo by doing exactly what Cejudo does best: wrestling. Cejudo hung up the gloves again and gave a good account of himself. But he is 37. It's time to be done. He showed that he can still do things but these young guns, Merab Dvalishvili specifically, are not who he can keep up with anymore.

We also get into the weeds on Fluffy Hernandez, Amanda Lemos vs. Mackenzie Dern, Rinya Nakamura and more from UFC 298.
Feb 19, 202426:54
E281 - Is Volk too old? | UFC 298 Preview: Alexander Volkanovski vs. Ilia Topuria

E281 - Is Volk too old? | UFC 298 Preview: Alexander Volkanovski vs. Ilia Topuria

Alexander Volkanovski must be what, 80 by now? The talk going into UFC 298 has been that Volkanovski is too old. He’s over 35, the curse for champions. He faces Ilia Topuria this weekend and the matchup couldn’t be tougher.

Chapters
0:00 Intro

Alexander Volkanovski is a master at switching from southpaw to orthodox. In this video we will look at a few examples of how he does just that in the middle of the cage, going backwards and coming forwards. We will talk about Alexander Volkanovski and his age and past loss to Islam Makhachev just four months ago. Will Alexander Volkanovski remain champion at UFC 298?

Ilia Topuria, on the other hand, is looking for destiny at UFC 298. He will look to keep his undefeated record on the line against Alexander The Great. Topuria boasts a fantastic striking game with incredible footwork, combination work, and head movement. He is among the best in boxing. We will look at some of the combinations Ilia Topuria utilizes, specifically from the Bryce Mitchell and Josh Emmett fight. We will also talk about Ilia Topuria’s use of the shoulder roll and his holes. He’s not a perfect fighter.

Who wins the main event of UFC 298: Alexander Volkanovski or Ilia Topuria?
Feb 16, 202419:07
E280 - Joe Pyfer was not fraud checked | UFC Vegas 86: Jack Hermansson vs. Joe Pyfer recap podcast

E280 - Joe Pyfer was not fraud checked | UFC Vegas 86: Jack Hermansson vs. Joe Pyfer recap podcast

Jack Hermansson is a tough fight for anyone. Some come and rise to the occasion (Sean Strickland, Jared Cannonier) and some fall short (Kelvin Gastelum, Chris Curtis). Joe Pyfer fell short. 0:00 Intro 0:17 Joe Pyfer was not fraud checked 4:34 Jack Hermansson is a trap fight 8:16 Dan Ige earns his 50K 10:14 Loma Lookboonmee is always fun Jack Hermansson came out and boxed Joe Pyfer's head off at UFC Vegas 86. He showed that he may not have power but he does make up for it with smart volume. After surviving the initial onslaught, Jack Hermansson really started to put Joe Pyfer on the back foot and get his work in. A late takedown in round five really sealed the deal. Joe Pyfer is the odd man out. He wasn't fraud checked but after talking all the trash in the world on the Joe Rogan Experience, he was surely humbled. This was a learning fight for him and Joe Pyfer will come back better (hopefully.) Dan Ige also showed out at UFC Vegas 86. He beat Andre Fili with a fantastic knockout. So is he ready for an actual good fight that he can win? Lastly, I struggle to say "Lookboonmee" like Dominick Cruz wants me to say it.


Feb 14, 202412:48
E279 - Teofimo Lopez is so frustrating | Teofimo Lopez vs. Jamaine Ortiz recap

E279 - Teofimo Lopez is so frustrating | Teofimo Lopez vs. Jamaine Ortiz recap

Teofimo Lopez is good until he's not. For such a talented fighter, he consistently under performs against lesser competition, especially that loss to George Kambosos Jr. His win over Jamaine Ortiz last

Thursday was exactly that: under performing. 0:00 Intro 0:13 Teofimo Lopez has a focus problem 7:51 Will Jamaine Ortiz ever be champion? 11:24 Keep Teofimo Lopez away from Crawford 14:52 Is Keyshawn Davis ready for 135 elite? While I thought Teofimo Lopez won the fight, I can understand the scorecards for Jamaine Ortiz. But to call it a robbery is silly. With all that said, Teofimo Lopez did consistently struggle with Jamaine Ortiz when it came to hand speed and size. He bullied Vasyl Lomachenko around. He was faster than Josh Taylor. Jamaine Ortiz took those advantages away. I do believe that Jamaine Ortiz will be champion one day. Looking at the state of 140, it's possible he gets the fight with Rolly Romero and Isaac Cruz' winner. But after that loss it may take a win or two. We will discuss how Ortiz really used his size to not let Teofimo Lopez bully him around as he's done to other southpaws in the past. Should Teofimo Lopez fight Terence Crawford? Absolutely not. He couldn't handle the slight technical work from Jamaine Ortiz. You mean to tell me he would do fine against a tactician bigger than him? Should Terence Crawford fight Teofimo Lopez? Absolutely. That's an easy body. Lastly, we talk about Keyshawn Davis. He took on Jose Pedraza and looked fantastic. Keyshawn Davis is fast, aggressive, and puts his combinations together well. He's also very good in the pocket with those sick uppercuts. But I do not believe that Keyshawn Davis is ready for the top of the 135 division yet. Vasyl Lomachenko, Gervonta Davis and Shakur Stevenson all make him look like what he is: inexperienced.

Feb 10, 202420:55
E276 - Dricus Du Plessis defeats Sean Strickland, what’s next? | UFC 297 recap podcast

E276 - Dricus Du Plessis defeats Sean Strickland, what’s next? | UFC 297 recap podcast

UFC 297 was a card that happened. It wasn't a great card, really not even a good card. But it happened. The main event saw Dricus Du Plessis edges Sean Strickland over five rounds and take the UFC middleweight title. This sets up that long(ish)-awaited matchup with two time former champion Israel Adesanya. Dricus Du Plessis is the second fighter born in Africa to win a UFC title after Francis Ngannou. His run in the UFC has been meteoric. At 7-0, he is now the middleweight king. Who do you want to see Dricus Du Plessis to fight after UFC 297?

Next on the card was Raquel Pennington's win over Myra Bueno Silva for the vacant women's bantamweight title. If there was a fight that encompassed UFC 297, this was it: a stinker. But at the end of the day, Raquel Pennington became champion and has big crosshairs on her back.

Neil Magny also showed up in rare form at UFC 297. He took on Mike Malott, the surging up and comer, who really gave Magny a hard time. But the 29-11 experience came through as Neil Magny pounded out Mike Malott as time expired in the third round to win the fight via TKO.

Chris Curtis, teammate of Sean Strickland, also returned. He took on Marc-Andre Barriault in a relatively fun fight. We talk about Curtis hitting the body and how I don't get why fans hate him. I find Chris Curtis to be quite an entertaining fighter.

Speaking of entertaining, Movsar Evloev is not that. He defeated Arnold Allen via unanimous decision but it wasn't an exciting one. If it wasn't for Myra Bueno Silva and Raquel Pennington, this would have been stinker of the night. Regardless, Movsar Evloev snagged the win at UFC 297 and will now see a top five berth.

Other fights we talk about are Sean Woodson beating Charles Jourdain, Gillian Robertson being awesome and knocking out Polyana Viana, and Jasmine Jasudavicius defeating number one cheater Priscila Cachoeira.

What did you think about UFC 297? Is Dricus Du Plessis long as the middleweight champion? Will Ronda Rousey return to claim the title from Raquel Pennington?
Jan 22, 202427:07
E273 - Ismael Barroso KOs Ohara Davies in one | Vergil Ortiz vs. Fredrick Lawson recap

E273 - Ismael Barroso KOs Ohara Davies in one | Vergil Ortiz vs. Fredrick Lawson recap

Ismael Barroso is the old man we all want! This weekend, he took on Ohara Davies and put him away in the first round. He reminded everyone that he may be 40, ancient in the sport of boxing, but he's got the mythical old man strength. With the win, Ismael Barroso captured the interim WBA World Super Lightweight title and possibly a rematch with Rolando Romero. Of course that is possibly up to whatever Ryan Garcia decides to do. Regardless, Ismael Barroso had a spectacular performance and it was fantastic to see.

In the main event, we had Vergil Oritz returning, this time at 156 against Fredrick Lawson. It showed us that not all first round knockouts were created equal and his was disappointing. After hurting Fredrick Lawson, Vergil Ortiz pounced on Lawson and referee Tony Weeks called the fight off. Fair or foul? Weeks responded on social media that he saw that Fredrick Lawson had two scans tell them he had a brain aneurysm. Then a third doc was brought in to change all that. Now we're looking down the barrel of Vergil Ortiz vs. Tim Tzyu, and that's a fight we all can appreciate.

What did you think of Vergil Ortiz and Ismael Barroso on DAZN?

Fight Finders 002 is out now on YouTube now:
youtu.be/bdR36vvPADs

Check out my latest article, The Art of the Ninth Limb: How the headbutt changes a fight. It includes interviews with Dave LeDuc, Bas Rutten, Phil Dunlap and Mark Kerr on the topic: fight-library.com/2023/12/20/the-art-of-the-ninth-limb-how-the-headbutt-changes-a-fight/

Follow me on X and reach out about Fight Finders! Let me know what you thought.

Twitter: x.com/@BlaineHenryTFL

Subscribe to the free Substack newsletter where I do fight analysis on a weekly basis!
Substack: fightlibrary.Substack.com (free!)

Fight-library.com

Thanks for listening!
Jan 09, 202410:20
E270 - Joseph Parker defeats Deontay Wilder, ruins Christmas

E270 - Joseph Parker defeats Deontay Wilder, ruins Christmas

Joseph Parker defeated Deontay Wilder and ruined everyone’s most wanted Christmas present that is Anthony Joshua vs. Deontay Wilder. The performance from Joseph Parker was nothing short of fantastic and Parker deserves all the praise and big name fights he gets going forward. Not to take away from Jospeh Parker but Deontay Wilder looked like HOT GARBAGE! It also makes sense that Joseph Parker trains with Tyson Fury, the only other man to beat Deontay Wilder.

In addition to Deontay Wilder losing to Joseph Parker, we will talk about Anthony Joshua beating Otto Wallin better than Tyson Fury did. Anthony Joshua has got much criticism for looking bad since the Andy Ruiz loss. But this fight marked a return of sorts. But I won’t be so quick to say AJ is “back” per se. I want to see that from him in his next couple fights before I can say that he’s back. Regardless, it was a throwback performance from Anthony Joshua with the fifth round finish of Otto Wallin. What’s next for the former heavyweight champ?

Lastly, we talk everyone’s favorite decision merchant: Dmitry Bivol. He took on Lyndon Arthur and looked great. Dmitry Bivol dominated the fight from bell to bell but lacked that killer instinct that we all love from him. Bivol is great but what did it cost us? All 12 rounds of 1-2’s and 1-1-2’s. Does Dmitry Bivol face Artur Beterbiev next?

What did you think of Joseph Parker defeating Deontay Wilder, Anthony Joshua returning to form and Dmitry Bivol cruising to the win?

Fight Finders 002 is out now on YouTube now:
youtu.be/bdR36vvPADs

Check out my latest article, The Art of the Ninth Limb: How the headbutt changes a fight. It includes interviews with Dave LeDuc, Bas Rutten, Phil Dunlap and Mark Kerr on the topic: fight-library.com/2023/12/20/the-art-of-the-ninth-limb-how-the-headbutt-changes-a-fight/

Follow me on X and reach out about Fight Finders! Let me know what you thought.

Twitter: x.com/@BlaineHenryTFL

Subscribe to the free Substack newsletter where I do fight analysis on a weekly basis!
Substack: fightlibrary.Substack.com (free!)

Fight-library.com
Dec 26, 202320:32
E269 - Colby Covington is a FRAUD

E269 - Colby Covington is a FRAUD

UFC 296 featured two title fights in Leon Edwards vs. Colby Covington and Alexandre Pantoja vs. Brandon Royval as well as the return of Shavkat Rakhmonov. We will discuss all this on today's episode.

In the main event of UFC 296, Leon Edwards cruised to a decision over perennial number 2 Colby Covington. We will talk about why Leon Edwards was so effective over Colby Covington including a lot of his anti-wrestling techniques. As good as Edwards looked, I will pick at some gripes I had near the end of the fight. All in all, Leon Edwards dominated his second title defense and Colby Covington had nothing for him.

In the co-main event, Alexandre Pantoja defeated Brandon Royval. That fight was an entertaining five rounder with Pantoja defending his newly captured flyweight title. Brandon Royval did have a good showing and proved that he's a force to be reckoned with.

Shavkat Rakhmonov cometh. The Kazakh fighter took on Stephen Wonderboy Thompson at UFC 296 and dominated. We will discuss Shavkat Rakhmonov's gameplanning and why he had to grapple with Wonderboy.

Paddy Pimblett defeated Tony Ferguson and that was depressing. Josh Emmett murdered Bryce Mitchell. Cody Garbrandt won his second straight.

All that and more on this episode! Enjoy.

Dec 17, 202319:18
E268 - Jesse Rodriguez is must watch boxing!

E268 - Jesse Rodriguez is must watch boxing!

Jesse Bam Rodriguez is the best boxer that most of you don't know. The casual boxing fan tends to ignore the smaller fighters. But Jesse Rodriguez is one you have to hop on now! Last night on DAZN, he dominated Sunny Edwards with a ninth round RTD that unified his reign at flyweight. Now the next challenge may be back at his higher weight class against Junto Nakatani. Jesse Rodriguez put his WBO belt on the line to Sunny Edwards' IBF title. Rodriguez put him away in round nine. The fight was a masterpiece of Rodriguez winning, having trouble with Sunny Edwards switching to southpaw, and working that out to give him nowhere to run. At the end of the day, Jesse Rodriguez remained undefeated and could be eyeing a move back up to super flyweight. Fight Finders 002 is out now on YouTube now: https://youtu.be/bdR36vvPADs Check out my latest article on the the anti-wrestling of Leon Edwards: https://fight-library.com/2023/12/13/leon-edwards-anti-wrestling-technique/ Follow me on Twitter and reach out about Fight Finders! Let me know what you thought. Twitter: x.com/@BlaineHenryTFL Subscribe to the free Substack newsletter where I do fight analysis on a weekly basis! Substack: fightlibrary.Substack.com (free!) Fight-library.com Thanks for watching!


Dec 17, 202316:20
E267 - Is Jake Paul finally a REAL boxer? | Jake Paul vs Andre August fight recap
Dec 17, 202306:34
E266 - Song Yadong out hustles Chris Gutierrez
Dec 11, 202318:33
E265 - Devin Haney is Teofimo Lopez’ NIGHTMARE
Dec 11, 202316:22
E264 - Arman Tsarukyan is Islam Makhachev’s hardest fight
Dec 04, 202317:53
E263 - Ryan Garcia is UNCOACHABLE
Dec 03, 202314:56
E262 - Jake Paul, Logan Paul and KSI are changing the sport of boxing
Dec 01, 202311:52
E261 - David Benavidez is NOT beating Canelo Alvarez

E261 - David Benavidez is NOT beating Canelo Alvarez

David Benavidez put on a fantastic performance against Demetrius Andrade this past weekend. But what worries me is the false confidence this gives Canelo haters. Benavidez looked good but Demetrius Andrade managed to get the best of him a lot. Don’t think that this performance is indicative of what would happen if David Benavidez took on Canelo.

In addition to David Benavidez vs. Demetrius Andrade, we will discuss Jermall Charlo returning to form against Jose Benavidez Jr. We will also discuss Subriel Matias, the boogeyman of 140.
Nov 27, 202320:29
E260 - PFL buying Bellator was a MISTAKE

E260 - PFL buying Bellator was a MISTAKE

Today we are talking PFL’s 2023 tournament championships. While fights like Olivier Aubin-Mercier vs. Clay Collard and Kayla Harrison vs. Aspen Ladd were fun, sitting through the broadcast was mind numbing at best. We will talk about what PFL can do to make the production of their event better. But we can’t talk about just that. We have to talk about fights! PFL put on six title fights and we talk about the best on the night.

Olivier Aubin-Mercier has won ten straight fights and beat some of the best in the world all while earning $2 million in the process. If you missed it, his fight with Clay Collard was the best on the night and an absolute pleasure to watch. We will also go into depth on why Aspen Ladd gave Kayla Harrison such trouble on the ground despite Harrison being the better fighter there. There’s Derek Brunson’s fight IQ against Ray Cooper III we discuss, Biaggio Ali Walsh, and Khai Wu vs. Phil Caracappa as well.

What do you think of the 2023 PFL Championships? Good fights? Bad production? Sound off in the comments!

Fight Finders 002 is out now on YouTube now:
youtu.be/bdR36vvPADs

Check out my latest article on the lineage of Miyamoto Musashi: fight-library.com/2023/11/11/miyamoto-musashi-and-niten-ichi-ryus-continued-lineage/

Follow me on Twitter and reach out about Fight Finders! Let me know what you thought.

Twitter: @BlaineHenryTFL

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Substack: fightlibrary.Substack.com (free!)

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Fight-library.com

Thanks for watching!
Nov 25, 202323:43
E254 - Edson Barboza’s big comeback

E254 - Edson Barboza’s big comeback

Today’s podcast goes over Edson Barboza’s win over Sodiq Yusuff at UFC Vegas 81, Janibek Alimkhanuly, and this weekend’s rematch with Islam Makhachev and Alexander Volkanovski.
Oct 17, 202317:30
E253 - Bobby Green’s big gadoosh

E253 - Bobby Green’s big gadoosh

In today’s episode we talk Bobby Green’s win over Grant Dawson and Leigh Wood’s win over Josh Warrington.
Oct 09, 202316:44
E252 - Is Canelo Alvarez back after beating Jermell Charlo?

E252 - Is Canelo Alvarez back after beating Jermell Charlo?

In today’s podcast episode we discuss Canelo Alvarez defeating Jermell Charlo via unanimous decision.
Oct 02, 202321:52
E251.5 - The Pula Arena: Arena For The Modern Day Gladiators

E251.5 - The Pula Arena: Arena For The Modern Day Gladiators

Some history on the Pula Arena which hosted FNC 12 last weekend!
Sep 05, 202312:28
E251 - ONE Championship beat the UFC last weekend + Canelo vs. Ryder

E251 - ONE Championship beat the UFC last weekend + Canelo vs. Ryder

Fights galore. Today we discuss UFC 288, ONE Championship and Canelo vs. John Ryder.
May 12, 202330:23
E250 - Chris Curtis | UFC Vegas 57 Interview

E250 - Chris Curtis | UFC Vegas 57 Interview

In today’s interview we take a little bit of time and talk to Chris Curtis who fights at UFC Vegas 57 on June 25, 2022.
Jun 24, 202223:38
E249 - Jay Pettry of Sherdog.com explains the Askar Mozharov record debacle | UFC Vegas 56
Jun 08, 202231:04
E248 - Niclas Larsen | ONE 158 Interview for MyMMANews.com

E248 - Niclas Larsen | ONE 158 Interview for MyMMANews.com

On today’s interview we are talking with ONE Championship’s Niclas Larsen! In this interview with Larsen, we talk his return to kickboxing, fighting for ONE against Tawanchai, and much more.
Jun 02, 202218:59
E247 - Vince Morales | UFC Vegas 55 Interview

E247 - Vince Morales | UFC Vegas 55 Interview

A new interview with UFC bantamweight contender Vince Morales ahead of his fight at UFC Vegas 55.
May 21, 202216:08
E246 - Garry Tonon Interview | ONE 157

E246 - Garry Tonon Interview | ONE 157

Garry Tonon takes some time to talk with me today about his loss to Thanh Le and his upcoming Jiu Jitsu matchup with Tye Ruotolo at ONE 157.
May 12, 202225:12
E245 - Nico Ali Walsh, 4-0 (3 KO’s) Pro Boxing Middleweight

E245 - Nico Ali Walsh, 4-0 (3 KO’s) Pro Boxing Middleweight

An interview with Nico Ali Walsh, a pro boxer with a 4-0 record with three knockouts and also the grandson of Muhammad Ali.

Apr 27, 202211:35
E244 - Liam Harrison, Muay Thai World Champion

E244 - Liam Harrison, Muay Thai World Champion

Liam Harrison joins the show today ahead of his bout with Thanousin at ONE 156 on April 22nd.
Apr 21, 202210:21
E243 - Jarred Brooks, ONE Championship Flyweight Contender

E243 - Jarred Brooks, ONE Championship Flyweight Contender

Jarred Brooks, a ONE Championship flyweight contender joins the show to talk about his upcoming fight at ONE 156.
Follow me on Twitter: @BlaineHenryTFL
Apr 20, 202215:54
E242 - Michael DeAugustino | 2x Northwestern All-American

E242 - Michael DeAugustino | 2x Northwestern All-American

An interview with Michael DeAugustino, 2x Northwestern All-American at 125 pounds.
Apr 13, 202212:10
E241 - Stanislav Horuna | Ukrainian Olympic Karate Bronze Medalist

E241 - Stanislav Horuna | Ukrainian Olympic Karate Bronze Medalist

Stanislav Horuna, a Ukrainian who won bronze in karate at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, sits down to talk about the war between his home country of Ukraine and Russia.
Apr 04, 202223:43
E240 - Patrick McKee | Minnesota 125 pound All-American

E240 - Patrick McKee | Minnesota 125 pound All-American

On today’s podcast 2x Minnesota All-American Patrick McKee joins the show.
Mar 28, 202217:49
E239 - UFC London, Glory 80, Mountain vs. Eddie Hall, NCAA D1 Championships

E239 - UFC London, Glory 80, Mountain vs. Eddie Hall, NCAA D1 Championships

Little bit of everything this episode!
Mar 21, 202225:55
E238 - Thanh Le | ONE Championship Lightweight Champion

E238 - Thanh Le | ONE Championship Lightweight Champion

Here is an interview with Thanh Le ahead of his fight with Garry Tonon at ONE Championship: Lights Out. In this chat, we talk with Thanh Le about his upbringing, fighting a specialist like Garry Tonon, and more. Thanh Le takes on Tonon on March 11th at ONE Championship: Lights Out.
Mar 10, 202218:08
E237 - Garry Tonon, ONE Championship Lightweight Contender

E237 - Garry Tonon, ONE Championship Lightweight Contender

An interview with Garry Tonon who fights Thanh Le for the lightweight title at ONE Championship: Lights Out
Mar 10, 202223:50
E236 - UFC 272 Breakdown and Thiago Santos vs. Magomed Ankalaev Preview

E236 - UFC 272 Breakdown and Thiago Santos vs. Magomed Ankalaev Preview

On today’s podcast we’re switching things up. First, we’re live on YouTube and TikTok answering your questions. We get to chat UFC 272 which saw Colby Covington defeat Jorge Masvidal in a dominant fashion. Colby Covington controlled the wrestling and took the fight to Masvidal. In addition to the main event, we talk several other fights from UFC 272.

After our UFC 272 breakdown, we look at UFC Vegas 50 which features Thiago Santos and Magomed Ankalaev facing off in a light heavyweight match that has title implications. UFC Vegas 50 takes place this Saturday. Don’t miss out!

What were your thoughts on UFC 272 and the upcoming UFC Vegas 50 fights?
Mar 07, 202227:08
E235 - UFC 272 with Tom Tomlinson

E235 - UFC 272 with Tom Tomlinson

Late podcast because of life but today Tom Tomlinson joins us again and chats UFC 272!
Mar 04, 202227:22
E234 - UFC Vegas 49 and ONE Championship: Full Circle Post Fight Podcast

E234 - UFC Vegas 49 and ONE Championship: Full Circle Post Fight Podcast

Time for a new podcast episode! Today we are discussing UFC Vegas 49 and  ONE Championship: Full Circle.  

First up is ONE Championship: Full Circle. In this episode we talk about  the pair of title fights from the card. First is the light heavyweight  kickboxing match between Roman Kryklya and Murat Aygun. Then, we get on  to the best middleweight not in the UFC: Reiner De Ridder as he defended  his middleweight belt against Kiamrian Abbasov.   

After that, we get on to UFC Vegas 49 which featured the return of Islam  Makhachev as he faced Bobby Green on ten days notice. While the fight  wasn’t that great, it did show how good Makhachev truly was. In addition  to Makhachev vs. Green, I’ll also chat about Arman Tsarukyan performing  a blood sacrifice on Joel Alvarez. Then there is also Ignacio  Bahamondes beating Zhu Rong and Terrance McKinney’s slick grappling  skills!  

What was your favorite fight from UFC Vegas 49 and ONE Championship:  Full Circle?

Feb 27, 202224:48
E233 - Darks Stosic: Never Returning to the UFC | KSW 67

E233 - Darks Stosic: Never Returning to the UFC | KSW 67

In this interview, I'm talking with KSW's Darko Stosic. Stosic is fighting Phil De Fries for the heavyweight title at KSW 67 and he talks that fight, never returning to the UFC and more!
Feb 26, 202211:40
VIDEO: Phil De Fries: “I kind of despised fighting” | KSW 67

VIDEO: Phil De Fries: “I kind of despised fighting” | KSW 67

Going into KSW 67, Phil De Fries is at home with himself and who he is as a fighter. After years of anxiety which led to drug and alcohol abuse, he’s become whole again. Now, the champ in KSW, Phil De Fries is looking for his next title defense versus Darko Stosic at KSW 67. In this interview, we chat about that fight, his mental health struggle and more. Enjoy!

Who do you think wins between Phil De Fries and Darko Stosic at KSW 67?

Feb 24, 202208:59
E232 - Phil De Fries: “I kind of despised fighting” | KSW 67

E232 - Phil De Fries: “I kind of despised fighting” | KSW 67

Going into KSW 67, Phil De Fries is at home with himself and who he is as a fighter. After years of anxiety which led to drug and alcohol abuse, he’s become whole again. Now, the champ in KSW, Phil De Fries is looking for his next title defense versus Darko Stosic at KSW 67. In this interview, we chat about that fight, his mental health struggle and more. Enjoy! 

Who do you think wins between Phil De Fries and Darko Stosic at KSW 67?

Feb 23, 202210:14
E231 - UFC Vegas 48: Hill vs. Walker, Knucklemania 2, and Kell Brook vs. Amir Khan

E231 - UFC Vegas 48: Hill vs. Walker, Knucklemania 2, and Kell Brook vs. Amir Khan

New episode is here! In today's triple header, were talking UFC Vegas 48: Jamahal Hill vs. Johnny Walker, BKFC: Knucklemania 2, and Kell Brook vs. Amir Khan!
Feb 21, 202224:05
E230 - UFC 271 and ONE Championship: Bad Blood Post Fight Podcast

E230 - UFC 271 and ONE Championship: Bad Blood Post Fight Podcast

On episode 230, I’m chatting about UFC 271 and ONE Championship: Bad Blood.

For UFC 271, I break down in detail each fight on the card. From Israel down to Bobby.

Israel Adesanya retained his belt against Robert Whittaker in the rematch. Tai Tuivasa broke the world by knocking out Derrick Lewis. Jared Cannonier is likely next for Izzy, Hernandez sucks and Bobby Green is awesome. UFC 271 was awesome as well.

(14:20) For ONE Championship: Bad Blood, we get to talk about the banger of a Muay Thai bout between Jonathan Haggerty and Mongkolpetch. Then we talk Malykhin and Grishenko fighting for the interim belt. ONE Championship: Bad Blood was also a fun card.

If you’d like to support the channel and podcast and get in on the exclusive Patreon content, get at me on there.
Feb 16, 202223:24
E229 - UFC 271: How does Robert Whittaker Beat Israel Adesanya?

E229 - UFC 271: How does Robert Whittaker Beat Israel Adesanya?

Today’s podcast we are talking about UFC 271’s fight card. Has Robert Whittaker the chops to bear Israel Adesanya in the rematch? Derrick Lewis and Tai Tuivasa are back as well. UFC 271 is here and we gotta talk it down!

Who wins at UFC 271? Sound off in the comments.

If you enjoy the video, subscribe and like the video! We cover fights every week and have interviews with fighters from many different combat sports.

If you’d like to support the channel and podcast and get in on the exclusive Patreon content, get at me on there.

Follow me on Twitter: @BlaineHenryTFL
Feb 09, 202222:12
E228 - UFC Vegas 47: How is Sean Strickland so boring?!

E228 - UFC Vegas 47: How is Sean Strickland so boring?!

Sean Strickland came away with a win at UFC Vegas 47 and it couldn’t be more boring. So it’s time we chat about it. While Sean Strickland is absolutely psycho, he wins. So he’s inching closer to a title shot.

What did you think of Sean Strickland beating Jack Hermansson at UFC Vegas 47?

If you enjoy the video, subscribe and like the video! We cover fights every week and have interviews with fighters from many different combat sports.

If you’d like to support the channel and podcast and get in on the exclusive Patreon content, get at me on there.
Feb 07, 202214:26