Hey Not The Face! Podcast

Thank you for checking out the Hey Not The Face! Podcast, a listener-supported publication. We’d be eternally grateful if you could help us by purchasing a subscription for access to all our paywalled content.In this episode, we’re looking at today’s UFC antitrust status conference hearing for the Johnson v. Zuffa case and the other two cases associated with it (Cirkunovs v. Zuffa, Davis v. Zuffa). Our good friend and field reporter, Ed Vidri, was at the hearing and spoke with John about it at length. In the interest of this material getting to fighters, we’re giving the episode away for free. Make sure to follow along with our outline as you listen, and please share this post across your social media platforms.*We urge you to pick up a paid subscription, as it helps us keep the show going and allows you access to paywalled content* Episode Outline* Who was present in the courtroom?* What was the main crux of the conference?* Discussion on a new phone that Dana White was using for 4 years without revealing it to the court* Why wasn’t the phone revealed, and what was the Defendant’s response?* Judge Boulware’s logic on the preservation of evidence on Defendants’ phones, referencing litigation hold* Rule 37 discussion* Spoliation possibilities clarification* Deleted information and the possibility of a default ruling* Boulware’s frustration with Defense’s roundabout answers* Judge’s end of year deadline * October dates for expert witness testimony* November date for spoliation hearing*PLAINTIFFS’ RESPONSE TO DEFENDANTSZUFFA, LLC AND TKO OPERATINGCOMPANY, LLC’S COUNTERPROPOSALRE: PRODUCTION OF DEVICE ESIRELATING TO SPOLIATIONThanks for stopping by the Hey Not The Face! Podcast, a listener-supported publication. We’d appreciate it if you could help us spread word of this episode by sharing it far and wide.The Hey Not the Face! Podcast is an independent publication. Please consider a paid subscription to keep up with our best work and learn how you can support us. With all forms of news media crumbling, especially in the combat sports space, we could really use your help. Thank you. We appreciate all of you. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit heynottheface.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.comThank you for checking out the Hey Not The Face! Podcast, a listener-supported publication. We’d be eternally grateful if you could help us by purchasing a subscription for access to all our paywalled content.In today’s episode, we’re looking at Dana White’s claim that a Contender Series alumnus has made $11M to date. We look at who that fighter is: Kevin holland, and weigh in on how much he’s made over 29 fights, why he’s the only candidate to fit the criteria, and whether he’s as deserving as other fighters of such high purses. We also discuss how important the Contender Series is to MMA gambling, and in our final topic, we examine Paulo Costa’s criticism of fighters for taking “any crap money” they are offered. There’s a lot more, so make sure to follow along with our outline as you listen:*We urge you to pick up a paid subscription, as it helps us keep the show going and allows you access to paywalled content* Episode 276 Outline* Are there any new filings or updates in the UFC antitrust cases?* We were talking about the Contender Series in our last episode, and we missed something Dana White said about one particular Contender Series alumnus that in Dana’s words, made $11M. We pondered this off air and figured it was Kevin Holland. Kevin gave an interview where he denied it, then came back around and kind of admitted it. What do we know about the accuracy of this figure?* Since we’re discussing the Contender Series again, Bella Mir was a 60-1 favorite going into her Contender Series fight with Alex Apodaca, where she lost. How much of an impact do you think her loss had on the betting community?* How important is the Contender Series to the UFC’s gambling sector?* Paulo Costa said recently that fighters “accept any crap money that’s thrown their way”. What’s your take on his criticism?*Supplemental Document 739*Reply Brief for Zuffa

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.comThank you for checking out the Hey Not The Face! Podcast, a listener-supported publication. We’d be eternally grateful if you could help us by purchasing a subscription for access to all our paywalled content.In today’s episode, we’re looking at UFC fighter pay and how not much has changed, despite claims that the Paramount broadcast rights deal would ensure better pay for UFC fighters. We discuss the payouts from UFC Sacramento, and Stan Dorsainvil’s declaration that he will continue working at Home Depot even though he’s signed to the biggest MMA promotion in the world. In our final segment, we weigh in on Dana White’s claims that he would never work with Jake Paul on a Zuffa Boxing bout. There’s a lot more, so make sure to follow along with our outline as you listen:*We urge you to pick up a paid subscription, as it helps us keep the show going and allows you access to paywalled content* Episode 275 Outline* Are there any new filings or updates to the UFC antitrust cases?* The UFC held its latest event in California, so we got disclosure of athlete pay. What did this batch of purses tell you?* In your opinion, why would a fighter choose to go through the Contender Series rather than just coming straight in where they’d make $2k more per bout?* Stan Dorsainvil, who fought on that card, discussed how he still plans to keep working at Home Depot. What do you think of that?* With the huge Paramount broadcast rights deal UFC via Dana White made a promise that athlete pay would go up. Has it really gone up, aside from the bonus structure?* Dana White was asked if he’d ever have Jake Paul compete in a Zuffa Boxing match, and he said, “No, that’s not what I do. There’s obviously a market for that, but that’s not what I do. I put the best fighters in the world against each other from the minute that they get into the sport, all the way up to world champion. The best fight the best.” Do you believe him considering his involvement with the Brand Risk promotion that’s basically a more mainstream version of Fight Circus?*Motion to Seal Portions*Reply in Support of Defendant’s Motion

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.comThank you for checking out the Hey Not The Face! Podcast, a listener-supported publication. We’d be eternally grateful if you could help us by purchasing a subscription for access to all our paywalled content.In today’s episode, we’re looking at Eddie Hearn’s reported list of demands to keep the boxing match between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury on track for Madison Square Garden. We look at his beef with Zuffa’s involvement and supposed demands of Sela and Riyadh Season. We also discuss Dana White’s reveal of what Contender Series fighters have made in pay since its inception, and how matching clauses work in UFC contracts. There’s a lot more, so make sure to follow along with our outline as you listen:*We urge you to pick up a paid subscription, as it helps us keep the show going and allows you access to paywalled content* Episode 274 Outline* Are there any new filings or updates in the UFC antitrust cases?* You had a brief conversation on Twitter about UFC contract matching clauses. Can you update us on how those work?* Dana White says fighters who earned UFC contracts through the Contender Series have made a combined $225.3M. What are your thoughts on that figure, especially considering fighters like Sean O’Malley have made significantly more than others, and that Contender Series has been around for nearly 10 years and produced many, many fighters?* Edson Barboza, who retired last Saturday night after his fourth, straight loss, gave an interview noting that he was essentially blinded in his right eye after his fight with Lerone Murphy back in 2024, yet fought three more times. Did the UFC exploit him as a stepping stone name for the next crop of fighters? And what about his future, what will he get from the UFC, as far as medical insurance or help since his issue is fight related?* Our good friend Rob Joyner mentioned how PFL’s John Martin called Sudeep Ramnani before meeting with Nakisa Bidarian and merging PFL with MVP. Rob also noted that Ramnani is believed to have kept the PFL afloat and funneled in cash to seal the merger. Do we have any other details on this?* What’s the latest news on Fury vs Joshua? What is the current negotiation hangup between Hearn and Zuffa Boxing?*Joint Proposed Scheduling Order*Defendant Proposed Protocol for Production*Motion to Seal Exhibit 2

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.comThank you for checking out the Hey Not The Face! Podcast, a listener-supported publication. We’d be eternally grateful if you could help us by purchasing a subscription for access to all our paywalled content.In today’s episode, we’re looking at a possible conflict of interest between WME clients Pat McAfee and Joe Rogan. We examine their fanbases, who exactly represents them, their political leanings and affiliations, and current projects. We also discuss Dana White’s UFC profit payouts over the years, as well as the investment the Fertittas put into the UFC before they went supernova. There’s a lot more, so make sure to follow along with our outline as you listen:*We urge you to pick up a paid subscription, as it helps us keep the show going and allows you access to paywalled content* Episode 273 Outline* Are there any new filings or updates in the UFC antitrust cases?* Are there any new updates to TKO’s proposed Ali Act amendment bill?* If you had the opportunity to add or subtract one thing from that bill proposal, what would that singular thing be?* Recently, Dana White gave an interview where he discussed making his first $million with the UFC. Do we have information on other payouts he received?* Do we have information about what the Fertittas invested into the UFC?* Pat McAfee is in contract renewal talks and the reported offers are sky high. Is Pat’s show now the direct competition of the Joe Rogan Experience?* What do you think of him entangling himself with MAGA and Trump?* With Ari representing him, is there any sort of conflict of interest, since Rogan is essentially a major star for the UFC, and McAfee has much broader horizons as the biggest, most influential talking head in sports?* What do you think of his recently released music?* Do you think Ari Emanuel and Mark Shapiro are doing a good job as his agents?*Respective Party Statements*Plaintiff’s Opposition to Motion to Compel

Thanks for stopping by the Hey Not The Face! Podcast, a listener-supported publication. We’d appreciate it if you could help us spread word of this episode by sharing it far and wide.In today’s episode, John does a deep dive on Dana White’s claims that UFC has to offer fighters three bouts per year. He examines current situations with shelved fighters (Paulo Costa and Nassourdine Imavov), what other UFC execs say, and what the contract language says. He also makes comparisons between a boxing contract and a UFC contract, and gives a thorough explainer on how UFC contracts really work and what the remedy is for a breach of contract. There’s a lot more, so make sure to follow along with our outline as you listen:*We urge you to pick up a paid subscription, as it helps us keep the show going and allows you access to paywalled content*Episode 273 Outline* Intro* Nassourdine Imavov and Paulo Costa situations* What Dana White says about “3 fights a year”* What other UFC execs and Judge Boulware say* What UFC contracts say* What boxing promotional agreements say* How UFC contracts really work* Medical examinations and visa requirements* When do the terms of a contract start?* How long do the terms of a contract last, and when do they have to offer a fight?* How to remedy a breach of contract* What leads to the tolling of contract terms?* Comparing the changes in sunset clauses* For what reasons can the UFC terminate the agreement?* Examples of extreme scenarios* Comparison of MMA promotional agreements to boxingThe Hey Not the Face! Podcast is an independent publication. Please consider a paid subscription to keep up with our best work and learn how you can support us. With all forms of news media crumbling, especially in the combat sports space, we could really use your help. Thank you. We appreciate all of you.Thank you for checking out the Hey Not The Face! Podcast, a listener-supported publication. We’d be eternally grateful if you could help us by purchasing a subscription for access to all our paywalled content. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit heynottheface.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACTIn today’s episode, we’re looking at the comments Sean Strickland made regarding what he calls the UFC’s “predatory pay” tactics, and his take on working with “the guy everyone hates working with”, Sean Shelby. We also discuss Congressional Black Caucus’ possible effect on the Ali Revival Act bill, as well as the recent interview of Matchroom Boxing’s CEO. There’s a lot more, so make sure to follow along with our outline as you listen:*We urge you to pick up a paid subscription, as it helps us keep the show going and allows you access to paywalled content* Episode 272 Outline* Are there any new filings or updates to the UFC antitrust cases?* What is the Protect College Sports Act, and how can it affect the Ali Revival Act?* You had a conversation on Twitter about possible violations to the Ali Act regarding undisclosed offers. Explain what the current rule (or lack thereof) is.* Matchroom Boxing’s CEO was on the Business of Sport Podcast. Was there anything particularly interesting he discussed?* PBC and DAZN have both made good signings recently. Do you think Zuffa Boxing has forced other promoters to step it up?* Sean Strickland recently attacked UFC’s “predatory pay”. What did you think of what he had to say?* Sean also mentioned the difficulties of working with Sean Shelby saying “everybody hates dealing with him”. What did you think of his complaints?* Jessica Andrade, former UFC champion, is having to do a side hustle of delivery driving to make her ends meet while sidelined with an injury. What do you think of that?* Recently, Kenny Florian made a good argument for retiring while in your prime. Did you agree with what he had to say?*Johnson v. Zuffa Status Report

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACTIn today’s episode, we’re looking at the newly released TKO financials and discussing their quarterly earnings call. We discuss whether they actually lost money on UFC Freedom 250, and how long we think Dana White can continue being the face of the UFC. We weigh in on DAZN’s big moves in sports, as well as how well Zuffa Boxing is doing. There’s a lot more, so make sure to follow along with our outline as you listen:*We urge you to pick up a paid subscription, as it helps us keep the show going and allows you access to paywalled content* Episode 271 Outline* Are there any new filings or updates to the UFC antitrust cases?* Has any other news come out about the Ali Revival Act since last week’s unveiling of the new Senate version?* Paramount’s Q2 streaming profit jumped up 44% to $366M. “That growth was primarily fueled by Paramount+, which added 2 million subscribers for a total of 81.6 million globally” ...sports programming, including UFC, cited as a driver. Considering all their other sports programming, how big a part did UFC have in your estimation?* TKO’s finances came out this week. What are the main takeaways?* They mentioned a $30 million dollar loss from the UFC Freedom 250 event. Does this seem accurate?* TKO’s Mark Shapiro was recently quoted thusly: Our reputation is that we know how to stage big events. We know how to build property and assets like this. We know how to create attention and set the stage for these fighters. And, Dana White has a reputation of always putting fighters and fans first. So, one of the reasons our plan has accelerated the way it has is because fighters want to fight underneath a business being run by Dana White.’ How long do you think a nearly 60-year-old Dana White can keep being the front man for UFC in the capacity he’s in now–its major star?* Shapiro, when asked about the PFL/MVP merger: ‘I would say that clearly on an individual, standalone basis, these promotions, both MVP and PFL were not necessarily sustainable. Now they’ve come together and we’ll see what they can conjure up. What we know is that competition’s always made us stronger and a rising tide lifts all boats.’ Is he right?* Shapiro also stated since the start of the year, 20M subscriber households have watched more than 200M hours of UFC programming on Paramount+ delivering viewership more than 23x the average UFC PPV event over the past 2 years. How much of that do you think was the White House event and how much was Conor’s July event?* TKO exec. Andrew Schleimer had this to say about Zuffa Boxing: ‘This is low risk, but allows us to have our finger prints on a third combat sport vertical with a path for meaningful equity ownership that will ultimately enhance our firm value. We’re here to build something, but we have no funding obligations and we don’t take financial risks...what you see, so far, is a product that’s ahead of schedule.’ What exactly is he saying here?* Do we have any idea how Zuffa Boxing is doing based on their filings?* DAZN has been making some very big moves in sports. What’s going on there?* Keshawn Davis rejected a $2.13M purse bid to fight Devon Haney. What are your thoughts on that amid complaints of “We can’t have nice things in boxing”?*Stipulation_Proposed_Extend

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACTIn today’s episode, we’re looking at the newly revised Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act and the MVP-PFL merger as our primary topics. We discuss whether Nico Ali-Walsh got the wool pulled over his eyes, what meaningful changes (if any) have been introduced to the new revision, and what comes next. We also weigh in on the freshly announced MVP-PFL merger that took the combat sports community by surprise. There’s a lot more, so make sure to follow along with our outline as you listen:*We urge you to pick up a paid subscription, as it helps us keep the show going and allows you access to paywalled content* Episode 270 Outline* Are there any new filings or updates to the UFC antitrust cases?* Senators Cruz and Rosen introduced the latest version of the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act today. What is different about it from previous versions?* What is your opinion of this version of the bill?* Did the things Nico Ali-Walsh spoke about wanting to change show up in this new version?* Do you think they managed to swindle Nico without him realizing it, and that is why this is being rushed to the table?* What happens next?* MVP MMA and PFL sent out a press release that they’re merging to form one entity. What details are we aware of right now?* Why do you think they did this merger?* Do you think this is a benefit to the MMA space?* Do you think they can be successful?* Do you think they can give meaningful competition to the UFC?*Joint status report for Constantino v. Zuffa*MAABRA-Senate-Intro

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACTIn today’s episode, we’re looking at boxing as our primary topic. We discuss last weekend’s fights, the full weekend Nico Ali-Walsh had, and the Zuffa Boxing card. We weigh in on answers Dana White gave during the post-event press conference, and we discuss the Saudi’s burning empire. There’s a lot more, so make sure to follow along with our outline as you listen:*We urge you to pick up a paid subscription, as it helps us keep the show going and allows you access to paywalled content* Episode 269 Outline* Are there any new filings or updates to the UFC antitrust cases?* Nico Ali Walsh had a meeting with Nick Khan over the weekend and even guested on a Zuffa Boxing broadcast. Afterward, he praised the positive outcome, but didn’t say what that outcome was. What are we to make of that?* Nico also appeared on Ariel Helwani’s show and went over some of the items that both sides may have agreed to. What did you make of this?* How important would it be to have Nico on their side for their quest to amend the Ali Act?* Jai Opetai is suing the IBF. What is his complaint?* Boxing’s biggest earners, Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury, had fights over the weekend, and both looked pretty shopworn. What did you think of their fights and what do you think their window of opportunity for future big bouts looks like right now?* Ryan Garcia is being paraded around by TKO at a number of events. At a recent one, he gave some comments in an interview with Ariel Helwani where he said “If I ever signed with Zuffa, I will make sure that I never wear a Zuffa outfit. I’m wearing my own outfits, doing my own thing. If you don’t like it, then I’ll never sign with you... I’m not about to be a robot, I don’t care how much money you offer me.” Do you think that’s possible for him, and do you think it’s doable for other boxers who don’t have as big a footprint as Ryan?* After this past weekend’s Zuffa Boxing event, Dana White answered questions and gave some surprising answers. The first being how it would work in the future with Zuffa fighters vs Devin Haney or Teofimo Lopez since they recently signed with DAZN. His answer, in a nutshell was “If you look at what Turki has done over the last several years in boxing is to put on the biggest and the best fights that we can. Whatever it takes to achieve that we’ll try to do.” That doesn’t sound like things he’s said in the past, right?* When asked about Zuffa boxers competing for belts from major sanctioning organizations, he said, “Zuffa boxers will be able to fight for the major four titles on a case-by-case basis depending on what fighters want and what their goals are. We will try to figure out...whatever we can do to make those type of fights happen.” That also sounds different from past statements with a much less friendly vibe towards the sanctioning bodies. Why do you think he’s changed his tune?* When asked about getting Shakur Stevenson big bouts, and that people were saying he wouldn’t get them with Zuffa Boxing, Dana gave a non-answer by saying, “People have been talking a lot of s**t, but we’re six months in and I feel like we’re two years ahead of where I thought we would be. People keep talking and talking, but like I keep saying, ‘Judge us on Jan. 1, 2027 on what we do this year.’” What did you think of him skirting the question like that?* Our good friend Kurt Emhoff was at the event and said the atmosphere “absolutely sucked” and that the fights were “mediocre at best”. He ended his Twitter rant with “F**k Zuffa Boxing and the horse they rode in on. I want my $80 back”. Do you think boxing’s audiences are as easy a target as UFC audiences?* Yemen’s recent attacks on Saudi Arabia’s $21B Aramco refinery has left it burning for days with the most recent reports saying they’ve shut down operations. How big an impact do you think this could have on their sports budget?*Zuffa and TKO response to Plaintiff statement*Zuffa and TKO motion to seal*Opetai v. IBF

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACTIn today’s episode, we’re looking at the latest UFC antitrust case(s) updates. In our main topic, we discuss how a purse bid works, and why it’s so very important to boxers. We also examine why free agency is the single most important mechanism to the health of a sport, and how Salahdine Parnasse is in the very enviable position of having three promotions vying for him because of it. There’s a lot more, so make sure to follow along with our outline as you listen:*We urge you to pick up a paid subscription, as it helps us keep the show going and allows you access to paywalled content* Episode 268 Outline* Are there any new filings or updates to the UFC antitrust cases?* Nico Ali Walsh made a tweet yesterday saying he’d spoken to senators and “changes were coming” to the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act. What changes would you like to see?* Haney-Keyshawn purse bid will be live streamed on WBO socials July 27th. Explain what a purse bid is, how it works, and why it’s so important to boxers.* With DAZN directly signing boxers, is there anything a promoter can do for them that DAZN can’t?* It looks like Eddie Hearn is going to sign Paulo Costa to his talent agency. I saw a NY Times article about Eddie possibly dipping his toes into MMA promotion, with him being quoted thusly: “It gives me the opportunity to learn the industry, understand the sport before we inevitably move into that space. But I’m not going to move into MMA knowing nothing about it. I don’t think that’s right because it’s just like, again, I’ve got to stop having pops, and a lot of my pops are sarcastic”. How do you think that plays out?* Nassourdine Imavov hasn’t been offered a fight since his last one which was in September of 2025. He’s on a 5-fight win streak. What do you think is going on there?* Dana White told Barstool Sports that the producers of the ultra-popular crime drama, Mobland, wanted to get Paddy Pimblett on the show. Is Paddy’s star rising faster than we at first anticipated?* Salahdine Parnasse is being sought by three different promotions (UFC, MVP, PRIME). He’s one of, if not the most sought after free agent in MMA right now. Is free agency the most important tool an athlete can have?* Parnasse’s management said that they will choose the offer that has the “best deal possible for Salahdine’s future”. Of those three entities, which one do you think that would be?* Scott Coker announced his PRIME promotion will hold its first event in early 2027 and it will be in France. Why do you think he chose France?*Johnson v. Zuffa order*Endeavor motion to seal*Zuffa TKO motion to seal

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACTIn today’s episode, we’re looking at the latest UFC antitrust case(s) updates. In our main topic, we discuss boxing. We examine the latest revealed financial filings of Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury, as well as Chris Eubank, Jr. and Conor Benn. We weigh in on Shakur Stevenson’s signing with Zuffa Boxing, and the recent announcement of Ryan Garcia vs. Conor Benn. There’s a lot more, so make sure to follow along with our outline as you listen:*We urge you to pick up a paid subscription, as it helps us keep the show going and allows you access to paywalled content* Episode 267 Outline* Are there any new filings or updates to the UFC antitrust cases?* Last week Zuffa Boxing announced the signing of Shakur Stevenson. How big a signing is this for them?* What do you think is the biggest pitfall Shakur could face with this signing?* Ryan Garcia vs. Conor Benn is official for September 12th. Who is promoting this fight?* Is DAZN still a major player here?* Do we know how much longer Garcia is signed to Golden Boy?* What are your thoughts on Zuffa Boxing counter-programming the UFC Noche event?* Our friend @mindofb on Twitter alerted us to Anthony Joshua’s Sparta Promotions Ltd’s financial filings, something you’d been keeping an eye on yourself. What did those filings reveal?* Is Sparta Promotions Ltd the only filing we need to look at to see Joshua’s finances?* Tyson Fury Ltd also recently filed with Companies House UK, what did that say about his finances?* Are there any other high profile boxers that filed in the UK?* With the Ali Act amendment presently on the back burner, what do you think the odds are of it passing next year?* Listener question from our friend Eric Hamidi: In your best estimation, why do you think Lonnie Ali supports the Revival Act?*Johnson v. Zuffa order*Dominance motion for leave*Sparta Promotions 2025*Tyson Fury Ltd. 2025

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACTIn today’s episode, we’re looking at the latest UFC antitrust case(s) updates. In our main topic, we discuss Conor McGregor’s disastrous return at UFC 329. We analyze what his future prospects look like now, his new energy drink, and John’s theory that maybe Conor didn’t have a sunset clause in his contract. We also weigh in on Paulo Costa’s contract dilemma, Mayhem Miller’s comments about how the “UFC wellness Program” works, and Cody Garbrandt’s call for the UFC to help with post-career transition for fighters. There’s a lot more, so make sure to follow along with our outline as you listen:*We urge you to pick up a paid subscription, as it helps us keep the show going and allows you access to paywalled content* Episode 266 Outline* Are there any new filings or updates to the UFC antitrust cases?* Our friend Rob Joyner sent us an interview with Miles Jury where he broke down his antitrust settlement payout. Was there anything noteworthy in that?* UFC 329 is in the books and Conor McGregor embarrassed himself and probably the company too. We discussed what his future would look like in the event he lost, but this was way outside what we considered. What do you think it looks like now?* I couldn’t help but notice a stark difference in the week leading up to his fight and the last time he was supposed to fight. There were no chants in the audience at weigh-ins and pressers. No chants in the arena, no Irish flags. As a matter of fact, it was a very muted audience. Is Conor going to be able to draw anywhere near his previous outings for his final fight?* The gate was set to make $52M on paper but only did half that. What are we to make of that?* Conor released his new energy drink this week. Do you think it will make a profit?* Did you find it odd that Ryan Garcia is in the commercial for it?* I saw some discourse on Twitter that suggested the UFC might buy out Conor’s contract and not bother having him fight it out. What do you think of that premise?* What do you think of the UFC paywalling McGregor’s 69-second fight replay?* Paddy Pimblett was the one that got the biggest pop in the arena, both before and after his fight. Is he the next big star?* Jason “Mayhem” Miller told Ariel Helwani the UFC’s wellness program for retired fighters was like the WWE’s and was basically a card to get pain pills. What did you think of his comments?* Cody Garbrandt spoke to media last week about the need for UFC to help fighters with post-career transition. What did you think of that?* Paulo Costa revealed the UFC’s tolling provisions kicked in regarding his last fight. Can you explain what happened here?* Does he have any options other than to take whatever they offer him, no questions asked?*Plaintiff’s statement of missing material from the Defendant’s production*

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACTIn today’s episode, we’re looking at the latest UFC antitrust case(s) updates and a new case that was filed by a former employee. In our main discussion topic, we look at Conor McGregor’s career, including how much money he’s made both in and out of the octagon, his Kinahan cartel connection, and how his businesses have fared. We also weigh in on him being found civilly liable for the brutal rape of Nikita Hand, and how that’s affected his fanbase in Ireland, Europe, and the United States, as well as how it has been covered by the media in the weeks leading up to UFC 329. There’s a lot more, so make sure to follow along with our outline as you listen:*We urge you to pick up a paid subscription, as it helps us keep the show going and allows you access to our paywalled content* Episode 265 Outline* Are there any new filings or updates to the UFC antitrust cases?* Do you have any additional thoughts about Eric Wedin’s work in this case?* Are you surprised by the efforts of MMA media at large to sanitize Conor McGregor’s image?* How much of an impact do you think his rape case and subsequent civil liability affected his image with fans, both here and in Europe?* Bet US has a graphic showing that most of the USA’s fans support Conor McGregor’s return to fighting and are rooting for him. Did that graphic properly illustrate his fandom or is it just a gimmick to get people betting either on him or against him?* Our good friend, Fred Garvin, did some investigating into the ticket sales for this weekend’s card. I was surprised to learn it hasn’t sold out. What else did Fred’s investigation find?* Audie Attar, Conor’s manager, talked about his contract details recently in an interview. Did he reveal anything in the interview and do you have any guesses as to how his payout for this fight will compare to his other matches?* McGregor says he is happy to campaign for fighter pay. Do you think he does anything to raise fighter pay?* Conor made a hefty sum off the antitrust settlement. How much did he make?* Can you give us a summary of what you think McGregor has made during his career? * Is there any risk that he’s on the path to becoming another Mayweather?* Do you think his public ties with the Kinahan gang could be depleting his wealth?* Conor was recently ranting about how Khabib needs to come out of retirement and have a rematch against him. Why do you think he’s calling for that specific fight?* What do you think happens to Conor’s financial legacy after Saturday in both scenarios (wins fight/loses fight)?*PLAINTIFFS’ RESPONSE TO DEFENDANTS’ NOTICE OF INTENT AND OPPOSITION TO PRODUCTION OF DOCUMENTS, ECF No. 82*COMPLAINT FOR DAMAGES, DEMAND FOR JURY TRIAL

SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACTIn today’s episode, John flew solo to break down the three days of the spoliation hearings in the UFC antitrust cases. There was a major bombshell revealed when Judge Boulware struck from the record all testimony from the expert witness. There was also more sworn testimony from matchmakers. The Defendants really lucked out, and John explains why. There’s a lot more, so make sure to follow along with our outline as you listen:*Today’s show is free, but we urge you to pick up a paid subscription, as it helps us keep the show going, and allows you access to paywalled content* Episode 264 Outline* Overview of the 3 days of hearings* Maynard uses Dana White as a “CYA”* Maynard asked about deleted messages with managers* Maynard asking White for input on fighter pay* How post fight bonuses are now handled* Maynard knows nothing about arbitration agreements or class action waivers* Court appointed expert, Eric Wedin, apparently wiped Dana White’s phone* Wedin left mistakes in his final reports and maybe didn’t even read it* Court struck Wedin from the record* How they could ask Apple if a kill code was sent to the phone* Sean Shelby’s testimony* Matchmakers have no guidelines with regards to how much a fighter can be paid* Shelby also doesn’t discuss matchmaking or contracts with Dana White* Shelby too doesn’t know anything about arbitration agreements and class action waivers* What comes next?* Why the Defendants really lucked out*ECF 287 MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS*The Hey Not the Face! Podcast is an independent publication. Please consider a paid subscription to keep up with our best work and learn how you can support us. With all forms of news media crumbling, especially in the combat sports space, we could really use your help. Thank you. We appreciate all of you.Thank you for checking out the Hey Not The Face! Podcast, a listener-supported publication. We’d be eternally grateful if you could help us by purchasing a subscription and spreading word of this episode by sharing it far and wide. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit heynottheface.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACTIn today’s episode, we’re looking at the latest UFC antitrust case(s) updates. We also discuss which promotions can actually compete with the UFC, and if traditional stick-and-ball sports view the UFC as competition. We analyze Paulo Costa’s contract situation, and the damage to Alex Pereira’s brand in the fallout from his loss to Cyril Gane. There’s a lot more, so make sure to follow along with our outline as you listen:*We urge you to pick up a paid subscription, as it helps us keep the show going* Episode 263 Outline* Are there any new updates or filings in the UFC antitrust cases?* UFC self-reported 34M global views and 126B social media views for the White House card. Do you believe those estimates?* Speaking of the White House card, Alex Pereira lost a bit of his shine in that loss to Cyril Gane. Since then, he’s been on a run of bad PR between continuing reports of sexual assault against his ex girlfriend, a concentrated attack on Herb Dean, and weird exchanges with fans on social media. What’s your take on his antics, and do you think he should dial it back?* Dana White seemed very concerned over Floyd Mayweather’s legal troubles, commenting the following, “I’ve talked to him about him. When somebody works as hard as he did, amasses the type of wealth he had, and then they lose it or it’s stolen, it’s horrible. Who knows, anything is possible, maybe we can do something to figure it out for him.” What do you think he meant by ‘maybe we can do something to figure it out for him’?* Dana recently commented, “We are not the same” in regards to a question about Eddie Hearn being competition to Zuffa Boxing. He noted that nobody is viewed as competition on either the boxing or MMA side, saying only the stick-and-ball sports were viewed as competition. Is he right?* What do you think of Paulo Costa’s contract situation right now?* PFL San Diego salaries were released, revealing a main event fighter only got $10K to show. What do you think of that?* What do you make of Rizin’s self reported PPV numbers a few weeks back?* BONUS: Does John have zucchini envy?*Minutes of the Court*

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACTIn today’s episode, we’re looking at the latest UFC antitrust case(s) updates. We also discuss what fighters think managers actually do for them, Sean O’Malley’s purse dip, and Ian Machado Garry’s new representation. We weigh in on the UFC’s auctions from the White House card, and whether Paramount paid too much for their broadcast rights. There’s a lot more, so make sure to follow along with our outline as you listen:*We urge you to pick up a paid subscription, as it helps us keep the show going* Episode 262 Outline* Are there any updates in the UFC antitrust cases?* During an interview on One Night With Steiny, Sean O’Malley confirmed he was getting paid around $600,000, which Eddie Hearn picked up on and called out fighters like O’Malley for accepting it. What do you make of this drama?* Georgio Poullas had a video were he asked Aljamain Sterling and Joshua Van what a manager does. What did you think of their answers?* Eddie Hearn is apparently now representing Ian Machado Garry. What can he do for him?* Des Barry gave us an update on the collectible auction prices from UFC Freedom 250. No questions, just want to point out how insane those prices are.* There was some discussion on X between Rob Joyner and Dave Meltzer regarding whether or not Paramount overpaid for the broadcast rights for the UFC. What’s your take on the argument?* Johnny Fisher said Zuffa Boxing offered him 6 or 7 times as much as what Matchroom was offering him. Hearn’s response was to tell him to run to this offer. What do you make of Zuffa Boxing offering so much more?* October Red Media had an interview with DAZN VP Alfie Sharman discussing boxing on their platform. What do you think of what he had to say?* What’s going on with Floyd Mayweather? Can you give us an update on what’s going on with his finances and lawsuits?*PLAINTIFFS’ REPLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF MOTION FOR AN ORDER COMPELLING SUBPOENA COMPLIANCE*

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACTIn today’s episode, we’re looking back at the latest UFC antitrust case(s) updates. We discuss how managers swore under threat of perjury that Dana White doesn’t negotiate contracts, as well as the Defendant’s response to Plaintiff’s spoliation claims. We also weigh in on Justin Gaethje’s call for equity, the new UFC rankings system, and the ongoing feud with Dana White and Eddie Hearn. There’s a lot more, so make sure to follow along with our outline as you listen:*We urge you to pick up a paid subscription, as it helps us keep the show going* Episode 261 Outline* Are there any updates in the UFC antitrust cases?* Viewer numbers for the White House event have been a point of contention with Dana White commenting that ⅓ of Paramount subscribers tuned in. Is Dana just bad at math or did that feel like an intentional misrepresentation?* Justin Gaethje feels he deserves to be rewarded with equity for everything he’s done for the UFC, saying the following: “I’m in a place where I feel like I deserve to be compensated for what I have done, not for what I’m going to do. The UFC should create a company and give me equity in that company so I can build passive income.” What do you say to that?* Speaking of Gaethje, GSP says that he thinks Justin should retire. Do you agree with that sentiment?* Islam Makhachev said that the reason negotiations with Ilia Topuria went south after an initial agreement was made, was because the day after they agreed, Ilia came back with a demand for somewhere in the neighborhood of $20M. Do you think Ilia had enough standing to legitimately demand that amount?* Demetrious Johnson talked about the perils of losing a championship bout (or any fight), and how people tend to forget their expected purse is cut in half. Is there anything else that could be added to that conversation?* The UFC is introducing their new AI rankings system this week. Does this signify a further move away from being a true sport?* The feud between Dana White and Eddie Hearn keeps going, with Dana making fun of Eddie because Anthony Joshua signed a deal with CAA. What do you make of that?* Speaking of Hearn, he discussed DAZN’s new deal with TNT sports. Do you think that relationship will keep DAZN alive and thriving?* Do you think Turki Alalshikh will be able to broker the peace he hopes for among all the promoters?* What are your thoughts on the WBO refusing to allow ZUFFA Boxing to submit a purse bid on the Keshawn Davis-Devin Haney bout because ZB isn’t an officially licensed promoter?*Latest filings from the UFC antitrust cases*

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACTWe’re discussing viewership numbers from UFC Freedom 250 and why the estimates were so inflated compared to what they were in reality. We also look at the backlash to Conor McGregor’s media appearances, and the lingering effect of Josh Hokit’s comment on Michelle Obama. We weigh in on Floyd Mayweather’s ma…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACTIn today’s episode, we’re looking back at the White House card now that it’s happened. We discuss the sponsors, the political motivations, the questionable actions of in-fight officiating, and the hiring of the ABC to oversee the event. We also analyze the latest filings in the antitrust cases, which are very spicy, indeed. There’s a lot more, so make sure to follow along with our outline as you listen:*We urge you to pick up a paid subscription, as it helps us keep the show going* Episode 259 Outline* Are there any new filings or updates to the UFC antitrust cases?* What did you think of the White House card as a whole?* What did you think of the ABC being hired to regulate the event?* What did you think of the sponsors?* What did you think of the crypto bonuses?* What did you think of boxers being there but only 1 UFC superstar retiree in GSP, and that was only because he was cornering Aiemann Zahabi?* UFC commentary referred to Pereira as the biggest mixed martial arts star in the world about 15 minutes after a weird taped segment with Mcgregor and Holloway. Their hard launch of their next massive star failed in real time, and Ilia Topuria, as well. Can Justin Gaethje fill the shoes of either man?* White said the event merchandise sales doubled the next best event. He also said that it was a monstrous night. Do you think they lost a single nickel on that event?* White said this event had no political agenda and was simply to celebrate the 250th anniversary of America and further said the president trusted him to deliver a one-of-a-kind event. He said that he discussed the event on platforms of many different political leanings. Do you believe him?* How do you think the event was viewed by the public?* Do you have any thoughts on that Daniel Cormier post with the Eric Trump screengrab?* What did you think of all the UFC brass being there front and center, as well as old brass like Frank Fertitta?* Lots of politicians, including Corey Booker and Gavin Newsom were tweeting about the corruption of the event. Do you think there’s enough momentum to stop the Revival Act from passing?*Many new filings from the UFC antitrust cases*

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACTIn today’s episode, we’re looking at the latest details of the lawsuit filed against the Trump administration that allege a “volcano of corruption” among other complaints. We discuss the new merchandise UFC will be selling online, as well as the on-site shops, and the way the sponsor packages may have been designed when the negotiations were underway before the Paramount broadcast rights deal was even signed. There’s a lot more, so make sure to follow along with our outline as you listen:*We urge you to pick up a paid subscription, as it helps us keep the show going* Episode 258 Outline* Are there any new filings or updates to the UFC antitrust cases?* In our last show, we discussed the lawsuit filed against the Trump Administration. Since then, there’s been a flurry of activity in those cases. Explain what’s been happening over the last couple days.* In a reply brief, Public Integrity Project attorneys say the UFC White House event is a “volcano of corruption” that will “mark an inflection point in American history.” POTUS’s “allies at the UFC will profit from the first private, for-profit sporting event ever held on WH grounds.” Would you agree with that sentiment?* They also stated the government “concealed the true nature of the event for months”. Did they?* Zach Arnold noted an item from the DOJ response regarding UFC White House card. There is a contract between UFC & the Feds to put on this event. Does that surprise you at all?* Can you lay out the deal that the govt. will have with the UFC that was recently announced by Marco Rubio.* The UFC dropped its UFC Freedom 250 merchandise shop on their website. Now that you’ve seen it, does their claim that they will lose money on this event hold any water when you tally up all the other revenue streams for this event?* The Washington Post is reporting that the White House will be closed to reporters during the UFC event - unless the UFC lets them in. The White House is ceding control of who gets into the fight event on the South Lawn, in a break with tradition. Is this another critical detail in the UFC’s growing political power?* In the grand scheme of things, do you think the White House card will have any significant impact on sports as a whole, outside the MMA landscape?* Dana White was named to TIME Magazine’s inaugural Top 100 Sports list that recognizes 100 of the most influential sports figures reshaping the sports landscape. Do you think he has a claim to be on that list?*COMPLAINT FOR DECLARATORY AND INJUNCTIVE RELIEF*

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACTWe’re discussing the lawsuit filed against the Trump administration that looks to stop the UFC White House event from moving forward. We analyze the complaints and the odds that the Plaintiffs can prove and win their case. We also break down why the A-List celebrities that were invited by Dana White have d…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACTIn today’s episode, we’re looking at how the White House card could end up backfiring for the UFC. We discuss Donald Trump’s investment in TKO, as well as the military troops the Pentagon is seeking to fill seats at the White House card, and if the UFC could theoretically afford to pay for their travel expenses and still stay in the black. We examine the significance of Zuffa Boxing’s signing of Shakur Stevenson, and GSP’s claims that he made great strides in fighting the UFC’s tyranny. There’s a lot more, so make sure to follow along with our outline as you listen:*We urge you to pick up a paid subscription, as it helps us keep the show going* Episode 255 Outline* Are there any new updates or filings to the UFC antitrust cases?* Late last week, it was revealed that Donald Trump invested in TKO. Why is that a problem?* Internal memos show the pentagon is trying to recruit a certain type of military troop to attend the White House card. Further, they want those troops to pay for their own travel to the card. Could UFC eat those costs and still stay in the black?* Is the UFC not telling the whole story with revenue streams for the WH card?* Eddie Hearn says that he wants to get Tom Aspinall out of his UFC contract and he uses some of Dana White’s ideology. “Dana said, ‘Eddie should want fighters to earn as much money as possible. He should be happy for Conor Benn that he’s making more money.’ ... Dana White should be happy for Tom Aspinall to receive that deal.” What do you make of that?* Speaking of Eddie Hearn, he is reporting that Shakur Stevenson has already signed with Zuffa Boxing. How significant is this signing?* GSP recently went on Demetrious Johnson’s podcast where he discussed why the bigger name stars in the UFC carry a responsibility to help other fighters get better pay, the way he says he did, himself. What are your thoughts on his comments?* Dana White quipped on the Pat McAfee show last week that TKO was “like the mafia, they’ve got a piece of everything” in regards to a question on whether TKO has a stake in Power Slap. What did you think of that statement?*Motion to seal exhibits, declaration of Lorraine Moise*

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACTIn today’s episode, we’re looking Dana White’s latest media rounds. We discuss his comments on comparisons to WNBA base pay, and his false claim that UFC offers three fights per year. We provide a thorough breakdown of tolling provisions and why Dana’s claims are untrue with citations directly from UFC contracts. There’s a lot more, so make sure to follow along with our outline as you listen:*We urge you to pick up a paid subscription, as it helps us keep the show going* Episode 254 Outline* Are there any updates to the UFC antitrust cases?* We talked last week about possible match-ups MVP could do to maximize a second card. After watching Rico Verhoeven vs. Oleksandr Usyk, what are your thoughts on that now?* Ronda Rousey is angling for a rematch with Holly Holm. How well do you think that fight would do as a main event on MVP’s next MMA event?* How is Netflix positioned, as far as MVP is concerned?* TKO is affiliated with Brand Risk, a celebrity influencer-based promotion that is under fire for fight-fixing. What are your thoughts on Brand Risk?* It’s been reported that Conor McGregor wanted to fight Michael Chandler, but UFC said it didn’t make sense for them. Has Conor’s leverage with the company evaporated?* The UFC 329 VIP packages are insanely priced, with some as high as $20K, and they’re completely sold out. What do you make of Conor’s drawing power?* Dana White has been making the interview rounds ahead of the White House card. What do you make of all the media he is doing and coverage he is getting?* When asked about the WNBA increasing their base pay minimum, he said it was ridiculous to compare salaries with the WNBA and that fighter pay has gone up every single year. Has it?* He also spoke about having to offer fighters 3 bouts per year. What part of his talking points in that conversation did you find issue with?*Minutes of proceedings from status conference, dated 5/18/26*

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACTIn today’s episode, we’re looking at the news of Scott Coker’s re-entry to MMA as a promoter with seed money for a new promotion. We also discuss MVP MMA’s big numbers in viewership and at the gate and Nakisa Bidarian’s idea that they can help Conor McGregor maximize his value in free agency There’s a lot …

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACTIn today’s episode, we’re looking at the status conference held for the UFC antitrust cases regarding the possible spoliation by UFC officials. We’re also discussing the MVP MMA card in detail. We go over the payouts, Jon Jones’ comments about getting out of his contract, the proposed second event by year’s end, Nate Diaz’ intent to keep fighting, and Dana White’s timing on announcing Conor McGregor’s return fight. There’s a lot more, so make sure to follow along with our outline as you listen:*We urge you to pick up a paid subscription, as it helps us keep the show going* Episode 252 Outline* Today, the status conference for the UFC antitrust cases took place. What did we learn from the proceedings?* What’s next in these cases?* The Rousey vs. Carano Netflix card went down, and by all accounts, was a roaring success. What did you think of it?* The house was about 90% full (as reported by Casey Leydon, Alex Behunin and Josh Gross) by the time Gina and Ronda took to the cage. Does that sound like it might’ve been profitable?* What did you think of the timing of Dana White’s Conor McGregor fight announcement via his personal instagram (rather than a UFC channel or during an event)?* Nakisa Bidarian says that MVP has plans to do another MMA event by year’s end. What are your thoughts on that?* Nate Diaz is still ready to keep fighting. Do you think he still has value to extract by the promotion?* Francis Ngannou donated his $100K bonus to his opponent. What did you think of that?* The purses were released, and looked great for a debut event, but were the key players compensated well enough?* Jon Jones was on the desk and spoke about how great the production was and that he thought MVP did a better job than UFC. Do you agree with him?* He also spoke about wanting to get out of his contract so he could fight Ngannou. Nakisa Bidarian said he didn’t think that could happen. What did you think of what he said?* It seemed that Jake Paul was very much trying to sus out more fights, especially with Mike Perry and Francis Ngannou. How successful do you think fights with those guys would be?*Plaintiff’s renewed application for enforcement*

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACTIn today’s episode, we’re looking at the letter Dana White sent to Donald Trump, the deal TKO struck with Arizona, and Kevin Nash’s crusade against TKO. We also discuss MVP’s bold claims that they’re cutting fighters in for more than 50% of the revenue from the Rousey-Carano card, and Jorge Masvidal’s comments on fighter pay. There’s a lot more, so make sure to follow along with our outline as you listen:*We urge you to pick up a paid subscription, as it helps us keep the show going* Episode 251 Outline* Are there any updates to the UFC antitrust cases?* There have been several instances of boxers and promoters complaining about TKO’s proposed Ali Act amendment, most notably Roy Jones, Jr. and Eddie Hearn. What do you have to say about their arguments?* It’s being reported by Ring Magazine that Vasiliy Lomachenko is coming out of retirement now that his deal with Top Rank has expired. Where do you think he’ll end up if the report is true?* WWE legend Kevin Nash has been discussing TKO/WWE’s attempts at getting talent to take 50% pay cuts. Do you think he has a point in saying UFC is hemorrhaging money?* What about his idea that WWE talent should unionize and join SAG-AFTRA?* TKO reached an agreement with Arizona on a multi-event deal. What are the details and what do you think of it?* Dana White sent a letter to Donald Trump asking for relief on gambling legislation. What are the details of that?* Some state representatives have praised him publicly on this (Dina Titus). How likely is it that we’ll see more support from other state officials?* Jorge Masvidal discussed fighter pay. What points did he make and do you agree with what he said?* Nakisa Bidarian told Ariel Helwani that they are paying much more than 50% of the revenue to the fighters. Some were saying this is not a viable business model. Do you agree with them, and do you think MVP is really paying that high of a share?* Dana White gave a recent interview where he discussed Joe Rogan, and how some sponsors suggested to UFC that they fire him. Dana basically told them to get bent. How important is Joe Rogan to the UFC empire?* Matt Brown recently replied to a Twitter post about Dana White’s contributions to the UFC. He said, “The way I see it Campbell McLaren and the Gracie’s built a great product but couldn’t get the funding and/or business ability to scale it. Dana seen an opportunity, had the connections to make it happen, and got it done. Have to respect that. Learn from it rather than hate it imo.” There’s a lot of myth to Dana’s legend, so how close did Matt get to the reality of what Dana actually did?*Search term proposal*

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACTIn today’s episode, we’re looking at the many comments Dana White has made during interviews and press conferences over the last several days. We discuss his comments on fighters having to work extra jobs and collective bargaining from his interview on the Breakfast Club. We also examine some of his commen…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACTIn today’s episode, we’re looking at the latest updates to the UFC antitrust cases, and the latest TKO financials that were revealed in their latest SEC filing. We also discuss TKO’s earnings call where Mark Shapiro fielded questions and discussed their enduring ties to the Saudis. We also look at some wild ways the UFC is maximizing their value extraction of the White House card. There’s a lot more, so make sure to follow along with our outline as you listen:*We urge you to pick up a paid subscription, as it helps us keep the show going* Episode 249 Outline* Are there any updates to the UFC antitrust cases?* TKO’s SEC filings came out this week. What did we learn from them about TKO and UFC’s finances?* Did it give us any information about Zuffa Boxing?* Mark Shapiro had some interesting comments during TKO’s earnings call. The first one that really caught my eye was his confirmation that the Saudis will not be pulling up their investment stakes in TKO. Is that mostly due to TKO’s very powerful ties to the Trump administration, or because they invested so much into the Paramount/WB deal?* Do you see any scenario where they might be forced to dump their stake in Zuffa Boxing?* Once again, Shapiro reinforced the plan to keep their scheduled events in the Middle East on track. Do you think that’s a wise move?* CFO Andrew Schleimer said that fighter compensation continues to grow as “we would never turn a blind eye to our most meaningful investment.” He only cited the doubling of the bonus structure, so my question is, have you heard whether they’ve made any increases to regular compensation?* It was reported that UFC has “partner investment” specialty tickets for the White House event. What do we know of them?* Shapiro also said that UFC was going to take a $30M loss on the White House event. After seeing the value extraction measures they’re taking with this card ($3500 posters, $5K names on canvas, and $1.5M specialty tickets), do you buy into that theory?* Shapiro said “we don’t buy it” referring to fan criticisms of card quality, both for UFC and WWE, citing their numbers and saying that there are always ebbs and flows. That’s something you’ve said as well, but you also noted that this seems to be an unusually long ebb. Do you still hold to that thought after seeing their latest finances?* When asked about other promotions having big, one-off events, Shapiro said that everything is competition in combat sports with other events, but didn’t seem to have any concerns about those competitors. Should he be concerned with the competitors?* MMA Junkie had an article written by MMA manager Alex Davis where he talked about how the UFC has MMA in a state of crisis. Do you agree with him?*Defendant’s motions to seal*

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACTIn today’s episode, we’re looking at the latest updates to the UFC antitrust cases, and the Florida case that’s been moved to Vegas under Judge Boulware’s purview. We also discuss PFL’s finances, including their loan status and international assets. We examine Karate Combat’s awful weekend, and look at some new information on the White House card. There’s a lot more, so make sure to follow along with our outline as you listen:*We urge you to pick up a paid subscription, as it helps us keep the show going* Episode 248 Outline* Do we have any updates to the UFC antitrust cases?* We had a big weekend of boxing and there were plenty of soundbites stemming from it. Mark Kriegel’s comments on the sanctioning bodies saying “at best they’re a hack, at worst, they’re corrupt”. If you were to describe them, which way do you lean, hack or corrupt?* Kriegel also said that TKO’s Ali Act bill proposal would restore boxing to its former glory by bringing back competition. What do you say to that?* David Benavidez said the following: “I don’t know why he (Opetaia) went to Zuffa. I’m not gonna go over there and fight for a Zuffa title. I think Dana White has shown he doesn’t wanna do fights with PBC, DAZN. If we can come to an agreement, make a big fight, let’s do it.” Do you think he has a point on Dana’s unwillingness to co-promote?* Naoya Inoue’s fight was reported to have seen a crowd of 55K and a gate of $31M. How much has his star power increased over the last year or so?* There are rumors of him vs. Bam in Nagoya under the Riyadh Season banner for early next year. How would that promotional arrangement look?* The UFC White House event is offering canvas names for $5000. Is this $5K amount just for the name on the canvas alone? No package deal with tickets, no “experience” bundling? They also sold out of 100 signed posters at $3500/each. How much money do you think they could clear on stuff like this?* PFL uploaded a bunch of information on Company House. What stood out most to you?* There’s been a lot of negative publicity surrounding Karate Combat again. What’s going on with them and how are they still in business considering all the people they owe money to?* Dana White was interviewed on Fox and told Lara Trump that 4300 tickets would be available to mostly military members but 85000 free tickets to the park across from the White House would be available after a thorough screening. Do you think White House officials will be using the collected data for anything?*Kajan Johnson motion to transfer and PFL loan information*

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACTIn today’s episode, we’re looking at the latest updates to the UFC antitrust cases and Nick Khan’s 17-page version of his opening statement from last week’s Senate hearing on the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act. We also discuss the class action suit filed by porn industry talent that could reveal the reasoning behind a very special provision in the contracts of UFC fighters and boxers signed to Zuffa Boxing. There’s a lot more, so make sure to follow along with our outline as you listen:*We urge you to pick up a paid subscription, as it helps us keep the show going* Episode 247 Outline* Are there any updates to the UFC antitrust cases?* There is a big porn industry class action suit that was recently filed. What are the details and can a parallel be drawn between that case and what’s going on with the antitrust cases in combat sports?* The Senate website for the Commerce Committee posted a 17 page version of Nick Khan’s opening statement from last week. After you had a chance to go over it, what stood out to you?* Lou DiBella was recently on Ariel Helwani’s show and said the following: “It’s not just hobos that are signing with TKO...It’s not going to be very long before they’re gonna have a roster that compares favorably with every single other promoter.” Do you agree with him?* The Saudis have withdrawn from LIV Golf. We talked about the probability of them doing that over the last several weeks/months. With their big investment in the Paramount merger, what do you think the odds are of them pulling up stakes in boxing and combat sports completely?* The Saudis also cancelled their snooker contracts. What does this mean for Eddie Hearn and DAZN?* There was a Town Hall with Nick Khan recently. Was there anything he said that stood out to you in particular?* Mark Shapiro recently talked about TKO’s full embrace of AI technology. Do you think this helps or harms TKO’s businesses in the long run?* Zach Arnold posted a video of Harrison Whitman being introduced as the COO of Zuffa Boxing. Who is Harrison Whitman?* Once again, a UFC numbered event with a big headliner is experiencing terrible sales. When you look at that and combine it with the downturn in ticket sales they’ve been experiencing overall, how long do you think they’ll keep business as usual before a revamp or focus on building stars, if at all?* Recently, Ronda Rousey said she wanted to become MVP’s “Dana White” figure. We speculated on this a while back. Do you think she’s equipped to handle that role?*Instructions for court-appointed digital forensic analyst*

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACTIn today’s episode, we’re looking at the latest updates to the UFC antitrust cases surrounding the feud between the Plaintiffs and Dominance MMA. We also discuss WWE’s plethora of issues surrounding Wrestlemania 42, and what the future may hold for the company. In our final section, we discuss the curious case of Aljamain Sterling’s Funk Harbor rum, and his latest contract signing with the UFC. There’s a lot more, so make sure to follow along with our outline as you listen:*We urge you to pick up a paid subscription, as it helps us keep the show going* Episode 246 Outline* Do we have any updates to the UFC antitrust cases?* Last week, some TKO financials came out that detailed the 2025 salaries of TKO’s highest ranking officials. What did they look like?* There was a report stating that the White House card will have “Super Bowl level security” handled by federal agencies. Who eats the cost of that?* There was a lot of uproar over Wrestlemania 42 last weekend that ranged from ESPN’s Andreas Hale being denied credentials to flagging ticket sales. The event also drew tons of scorn and criticism for the content. Does this forebode of darker times ahead for WWE?* They also released a large swathe of talent a few days after the event. Does that signal anything to you?* Speaking of talent, Mark Shapiro told a University of Alabama class that TKO has full control over WWE creative and defended the use of celebrities like Pat McAfee, Mark Wahlberg and Logan Paul as a growth strategy. Are we at the point where they will no longer build stars, and instead will use Endeavor talent, Dana White (for UFC), etc to try and draw in viewers/subscribers/ticket purchasers?* One final story to round out our pro-wrestling coverage is that the Make-A-Wish Foundation had to purchase their own tickets, as WWE didn’t comp them. Doesn’t this seem like really bad optics?* Paddy Pimblett weighed in on Dana White and Eddie Hearn trying to box each other: “The funniest thing about it all. If they fought each other, they’d get paid well more than what the fighters are getting paid. $30 million each? No boxer’s getting that under Eddie and no UFC fighter’s getting it under Dana. But that’s just the way the world works.” What do you make of that?* Aljamain Sterling tried to do a big promotional push of his Funk Harbor rum at a pre-fight presser for last weekend’s Apex card but was shot down by UFC officials. What did you think of that whole situation?* Apparently, there are a lot of fighters, Aljo included, that have cigar brands too. That’s something that doesn’t get a lot of media or fan attention. Are these the “opportunities” Dana White says fighters should be thinking about rather than a UFC “career”?* What did you make of Aljo’s comments on his contract discussion with Hunter Campbell?*Plaintiff’s reply in support of attorney fees and Exhibits A-C*

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACTIn today’s episode, we’re looking at the latest updates to the UFC antitrust cases and the Senate hearing for the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act. We discuss how the witnesses fared in their statements and questioning, who ended up being the better spokesperson for their arguments, and even break down how Ted Cruz did in his role today. We also get John’s wish list of questions and topics. There’s a lot more, so make sure to follow along with our outline as you listen:*We urge you to pick up a paid subscription, as it helps us keep the show going* Episode 244 Outline* What happened at yesterday’s UFC antitrust status conference?* There was a senate hearing concerning the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act. What was your first gut reaction after watching it?* What was your opinion of the Senator’s questions?* How do you think each of the witnesses did?* Let’s go over some of the subjects raised in the questions and see what you thought of the witnesses answers and how you would have perhaps answered different. First, they asked about the Health and Safety aspects of the bill. What was the witnesses response to this?* There was some discussion about disclosure and transparency, with Nick Khan holding a completely different view from Oscar De La Hoya and Nico Ali Walsh. Who was right?* Nick Khan went after the sanctioning organizations, while Oscar defended them. Whose opinion do you think is closer to the truth?* Regarding the UBO system, what was the case Khan made for it and what was the case Walsh and De La Hoya made against it? Who was more effective?* Did they bring up the argument that a UBO is just another option? Did anyone contest this?* Ted Cruz brought up the current NCAA situation and mentioned that if the UBOs could negotiate collectively, they would extract much higher revenues. Is that argument right?* Did anyone raise any particular interesting points that you thought flew under the radar?* Is there any particular question or point you wished was raised?*Senate hearing witness statements*

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACTIn today’s episode, we’re looking at the latest updates to the UFC antitrust cases and the Senate hearing for the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act. We also discuss the possibility of the Saudis pulling up most of their sports investments, starting with LIV Golf and possibly extending through combat sports. We also examine Ronda Rousey’s comments about fighter pay, as well as all the principal fighters on that Netflix card appearing united in their message of being “free” and making lots of money with MVP. There’s a lot more, so make sure to follow along with our outline as you listen:*We urge you to pick up a paid subscription, as it helps us keep the show going* Episode 243 Outline* Are there any new updates or filings to the UFC antitrust cases?* What’s going on with the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act?* There’s a lot of chatter swirling around that suggests the Saudis are about to pull out of their LIV Golf investments. What does this mean for the athletes they signed?* Could we see them pull out of their boxing and MMA investments?* What would that mean for Zuffa Boxing if they did, because doesn’t Sela own 60% of the promotion?* MVP’s Rousey-Carano card is doing a press run with the principal fighters and Ronda Rousey has been scorching all the earth around her. What did you think of her comments about UFC pay, specifically regarding Kayla Harrison, and that the minimum purse on the card would be $40K?* She invited Paddy Pimblett to “come talk to me when your contract is up”. Is she possibly serving another role within MVP?* What did you think of Francis Ngannou’s “free fighter” comments?* Postwrestling released an overview of the revenue share of WWE with its talent. What did that look like?*Joint status report*

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACTIn today’s episode, we’re looking at the latest filings for Matchroom’s finances, UFC’s rough night at the Miami gate, and POTUS’ UFC pep rallies. We also discuss Dana White being the face of MAGA in sports, the gambling skullduggery that continues to happen around UFC events, and Conor Benn’s free agency. There’s a lot more, so make sure to follow along with our outline as you listen:*We urge you to pick up a paid subscription, as it helps us keep the show going* Episode 242 Outline* Are there any updates to the UFC antitrust cases?* Judge Boulware has been staying busy, though. What else has he been up to?* What did you think of Trump and Marco Rubio’s presence at UFC 327 and Dana White’s comments that he’s not political?* What did you think of the announcements regarding the White House card?* Do you think Ilia might be reconsidering headlining the White House card since Trump and Rubio made threats to Spain?* Ilia Topuria’s promotion, WOW, is doing big numbers in Spain. Do you see UFC possibly trying to buy it from him?* UFC 327 went down as the worst card at the gate in their history in Miami. What do you make of that?* There was quite a bit of betting hijinx that went on around UFC 327 including Kalshi changing their rules on the fly to avoid paying out bettors and UFC changing the result of a fight 30 minutes after the initial result which led to all the betting issues, and also saw a bettor make $250K off a $500 bet. Are we possibly going to see some blowback from all this?* Conor Benn fought out his Zuffa Boxing contract. Is there anything we should take away from that?* You got some new filings on Matchroom’s finances. What did you learn from them?* What are your thoughts on a possible Fury-Joshua match?* We talked about Floyd Mayweather’s money problems a couple weeks back. Now it’s been reported he owes the IRS $7.3M in back taxes. Could this jeopardize his purse from the Pacquiao fight, assuming it happens?*Matchroom finances*

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACTIn today’s episode, we’re looking at the Ali Act Preservation Alliance, the announcement that DAZN and TNT have formed a broadcast partnership for boxing, and the effects that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East is having on combat sports. We also discuss Donald Trump’s upcoming appearance at UFC 327, and MVP’s intent to take a serious stab at promoting MMA. There’s a lot more, so make sure to follow along with our outline as you listen:*We urge you to pick up a paid subscription, as it helps us keep the show going* Episode 241 Outline* Are there new updates or filings to the UFC antitrust cases?* What is the Ali Act Preservation Alliance?* Is it too late for something like this to impact TKO’s efforts to push the Revival Act through?* TNT Sports and DAZN Boxing have forged an alliance. What details do we have on it?* Do you think this could provide meaningful competition to Zuffa Boxing?* With the Saudi connection to DAZN, isn’t this counterproductive to Zuffa Boxing?* There are folks that think the Saudis may be ready to pull the plug on their boxing interests. Do you think that’s possible?* Ryan Garcia and Arman Tsarukyan discussed UFC and boxing pay. Did anything stand out to you?* Dana White announced that Donald Trump will be in attendance at Saturday night’s UFC 327 card. Why do you think that is considering the war and other political turmoil happening right now?* PFL announced they’ve postponed their May 8 Saudi Arabia card. They noted they will refund any purchased tickets and just keep moving along with their schedule. That sounds more like a cancellation than a postponement, right?* Do you think UFC will change their tune on postponing or cancelling their Middle East events?* It looks like MVP is serious about getting into the MMA business long term if next month’s Rousey-Carano card is a success. Do you think the way they established themselves over the last several years with influencer boxing has set them up better for success than upstart promotions just diving in with no buildup?*Exhibits A, B, C, D, E, and F regarding Plaintiff’s request for Dominance MMA to pay attorney fees*

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACTIn today’s episode, John interviews longtime sports pundit, Luke Thomas, who has recently entered the political commentary landscape. There was a wide range of topics including: the UFC’s hard pivot to the right, the threat of Zuffa Boxing to the sport of boxing, if the Left hurts its own causes, and why Luke started covering politics. We have also included the latest filing in the Cirkunovs v. Zuffa antitrust case in our written post here. There’s a lot more, so make sure to follow along with our outline as you listen or watch:*We urge you to pick up a paid subscription, as it helps us keep the show going* Episode 240 Outline* Why has the UFC pivoted towards the Right?* How much of the UFC’s support for Trump is transactional?* Does the UFC antitrust case represent the public’s view of monopolies overall?* Do boxing’s stakeholders understand the threat posed by Zuffa Boxing?* Why are so many overlooking what the Ali Act protections do?* 5.What have we gotten wrong in the past?* Why did Luke Thomas also start covering politics?* Does the Left sometimes hurt its own causes?* Does the Left take the threat of Trump seriously enough?* Should we be more optimistic or pessimistic?*PLAINTIFFS’ MOTION FOR ATTORNEYS’ FEES AND EXPENSES AS TO DOMINANCE MMA PER COURT ORDER ECF NO. 471*

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACTIn today’s episode, we’re looking at the latest UFC antitrust updates, including why about 10% of the Le v. Zuffa settlement hasn’t yet been paid out. We’re also discussing Floyd Mayweather’s reported breach of contract, and how PFL’s viewership numbers are faring. In our final section, we examine ONE’s latest filings, their current financial health, and what their future could end up being. There’s a lot more, so make sure to follow along with our outline as you listen:*We urge you to pick up a paid subscription, as it helps us keep the show going* Episode 239 Outline* Are there any new filings or updates in the current UFC antitrust cases?* You reported that there was some new information on the settled Le v. Zuffa case. What was it?* Floyd Mayweather is reported to be in breach of his contract regarding his upcoming fight with Manny Pacquiao. What are the details around this?* Some PFL viewership numbers came out for their Pittsburgh show from last weekend. Is there anything that says they’re doing better, or is it still trending the same or worse, downward?* What did you think of the reports that PFL is looking to rebrand and that going back to the Bellator name could be in consideration?* You got ONE’s latest filings. What do their basic finances look like?* Can we determine how much they are paying fighters?* Is this the entire company? What about all the other ONE ventures, like the Talent Agency?* How much total money have they raised and how much do they have left?* What does their future look like in your opinion?*ONE Championship 2024 partial financial statement*

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACTIn today’s episode, we’re looking at the PPV estimates posted by the Wrestling Observer, whether UFC has a star power problem, and the UFC antitrust updates, as well as emerging information on why the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act passed the House so quickly. We also discuss MVP’s latest moves in MMA, ONE’s infusion of cash, PFL’s chances of survival and GFL’s latest attempts to get their promotion off the ground. There’s a lot more, so make sure to follow along with our outline as you listen:*We urge you to pick up a paid subscription, as it helps us keep the show going* Episode 238 Outline* Are there any updates to the UFC antitrust cases?* Are there any updates or new information for the Revival Act bill?* We saw some UFC PPV estimates provided by the Wrestling Observer. What information were you able to glean from those?* After last night’s event, many were discussing how Israel Adesanya losing a fourth, straight fight indicates the UFC is losing another bankable star (sold out arena and $4.2M gate). How important is star power to them considering they haven’t been selling out their on-the-road cards?* Dana White took questions at the post-event presser and discussed Jon Jones’ contract negotiations, specifically regarding the White House card. What do you think happened there?* He also said negotiations were ongoing for Conor McGregor’s return, which they’re hoping to secure for July, although he did say they weren’t close yet. What do you think of that?* Shu Hirata broke some news that MVP poached a UFC TUF staffer for the launch of their MMA-themed TV show. They’re hosting women from the Atomweight division through the Featherweight division and men from the Lightweight division through the Light Heavyweight division. The show is apparently going to be on a major platform and aims to rival TUF. Do you think MVP can really make a run at the UFC and be successful?* What’s going on with Floyd Mayweather’s lawsuit?* PFL is under new management but still experiencing significant pains in reaching their target audience. What do you think of their regime change and their chance of survival in the space?* ONE Championship has made significant changes to their roster, basically eliminating the MMA sector. What are we to make of that and their new infusion of cash?* Mike Russell sent me a new GFL pitch deck regarding their latest attempt to lure in investors. What exactly are they trying to do?*Joint status report for antitrust cases and Third party Plaintiff Showtime*

SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACTIn today’s episode, John interviews UFC antitrust litigant Jon Fitch. The sprawling conversation covers a variety of questions with topics like AKA’s image rights, when he decided to sign on to the antitrust lawsuit, his thoughts on the new lawsuits, and his take on current fighters’ complaints about their pay. There’s a lot more, so make sure to follow along with our outline as you listen:*We urge you to pick up a paid subscription, as it helps us keep the show going* Episode 237 Outline* What he has been up to lately* His feelings about the lawsuit settlement* Fighter’s reaction/did anyone thank him?* Earlier reactions to first settlement* Reaction to earlier information* His career before becoming a top contender* The AKA image rights situation* Why didn’t fighters stand up at that time/why didn’t he sign up with the MMAFA then?* When did he decide to sign on to the class action lawsuit?* What was it like being a named plaintiff?* Thoughts on the new lawsuits* Thoughts on fighters reactions to the new lawsuits* Thoughts on fighters reactions to Zuffa boxing pay?* Thoughts on the new American Boxing Revival Act?* Do you think boxing underestimates the risk?* Reasons for wanting to expand Ali Act to MMA?* What would he like to see happen in the sport?* Why do you think it’s so hard for fighters to work together?The Hey Not the Face! Podcast is an independent publication. Please consider a paid subscription to keep up with our best work and learn how you can support us. With all forms of news media crumbling, especially in the combat sports space, we could really use your help. Thank you. We appreciate all of you.Thank you for checking out the Hey Not The Face! Podcast, a listener-supported publication. We’d be eternally grateful if you could help us by purchasing a subscription and spreading word of this episode by sharing it far and wide. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit heynottheface.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACTIn today’s episode, we’re looking at all the suspect actions of TKO and Ari Emanuel, and trust that there are quite a few to go over. We weigh in on the way they’ve got their thumb on the scale in regards to the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act, the White House card’s oversight, and Ari Emanuel’s well-placed calls to the Trump Administration about Live Nation-Ticketmaster. We also discuss the UFC’s possible hard line on fight purses, and Gina Carano’s interview where she discussed Zuffa’s willingness to interfere with her legal and binding Strikeforce contract. There’s a lot more, so make sure to follow along with our outline as you listen:*We urge you to pick up a paid subscription, as it helps us keep the show going* Episode 236 Outline* Are there any updates to the UFC antitrust cases?* You reported that a new version of the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act will be put forth for a vote this week. What day are they voting and is it a done deal that it passes?* What are the changes you noticed from the previous version?* What comes next?* The UFC has announced that the DC Athletic Commission won’t be overseeing the White House card. Instead, the Association of Boxing Commissions (ABC) will provide oversight in an advisory capacity. That wording sounds suspect. Does it mean anything different, by definition, than the duties the DC commission would perform?* Does this seem like a conflict of interest?* Dana White was asked if the UFC would be canceling any of its shows in the Middle East and he said there were no plans to move scheduled events from there. That can’t be a wise move, right?* Jon Jones said the UFC refused to budge on their offer of $15 million for him to fight on the White House card while Dana White says Jones was never going to fight on the card. Who do you think is telling the truth here?* Dana also said he met with Nate Diaz to talk about a UFC return but MVP made Nate an offer he couldn’t refuse. Considering the reports that they lowballed Ilia Topuria and Jon Jones, as well, what does this say about UFC’s future offerings?* Gina Carano talked about the offers UFC made to her while she was under contract with Strikeforce, noting that not only did they offer to help extricate her from her contract, they offered to help her sue the promotion, as well. Would this information have helped any of the class action suits against the UFC?* The Trump Administration intervened on behalf of Live Nation-Ticketmaster after Ari Emanuel made some well placed phone calls. Just how much power and influence does Ari wield?*Amended protective order and HR4624 amended bill *

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACTIn today’s episode, we’re looking at new updates to the antitrust cases, things people are missing about the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act, and Top Rank’s new deal with ESPN. We’re also discussing the comments of Sean O’Malley and Jorge Masvidal saying that the UFC ‘made’ Ronda Rousey, and O’Malley predictably walking back his annoyance with TKO/Zuffa Boxing’s $15M purse to Conor Benn. We examine the latest addition of Nate Diaz vs. Mike Perry to the MVP Rousey vs. Carano card, Anderson Silva’s offer to be on it, and Alex Pereira’s new, 8-fight UFC contract. There’s a lot more, so make sure to follow along with our outline as you listen:*We urge you to pick up a paid subscription, as it helps us keep the show going* Episode 235 Outline* Are there any updates to the UFC antitrust cases?* The Revival Act bill is inching closer to getting passed. What do you think is the most significant thing that people are getting wrong about it?* Top Rank and ESPN have reached a new broadcast rights deal. What do you think of it?* Is it the kind of deal that will save them?* Gareth Davies reported that Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua has been verbally agreed upon and will air on Netflix. Considering Netflix’ comments about wanting to be the home for the biggest combat sports events around the world, do they pose any threat to TKO?* Speaking of Netflix, Nate Diaz vs. Mike Perry will be on the Rousey-Carano card. What’s your take on that?* What do you think of Ronda waging war with Hunter Campbell?* What do you think about Colby Covington’s comments on Hunter giving no options to fighters in who they fight?* What about what he said in regards to fighters not making “a dime” off the UFC games?* Sean O’Malley and Jorge Masvidal both opined that UFC made Ronda Rousey. What do you make of their comments?* Sean kind of insinuated that the UFC makes all its stars including Conor McGregor, sort of walking back his previous annoyances over Conor Benn’s $15M purse. You predicted he would do this. Do you have any additional thoughts on it?* Anderson Silva said Nakisa Bidarian offered him a fight on the Rousey-Carano card but he turned it down, saying he only has a couple fights left in him and they would be boxing matches. Do you have thoughts on that?* Alex Pereira just signed a new, 8-fight deal with the UFC, and said they treated him so good that he just left it open for them to do whatever they wanted with his contract. Considering he was just complaining last year about pay, what do you make of this?* * How much help have MMA managers given to the UFC that contributed to their near complete dominance of the sport, whether intentionally or inadvertently?*Parties’ disputed instructions*

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACTIn today’s episode, we’re looking at new updates to the antitrust cases, the Congressional report on the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act and its additional views. We’re also discussing the comments of Ronda Rousey and Francis Ngannou regarding fighter pay and legacy, as well as Jon Jones asking for his release and whether that’s a feasible possibility. In our final segment, we ask the question: Is Eddie Hearn the savior fighters are looking for? There’s a lot more, so make sure to follow along with our outline as you listen:*We urge you to pick up a paid subscription, as it helps us keep the show going* Episode 234 Outline* Are there any updates to the UFC antitrust cases?* A congressional report on the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act came out yesterday. What is the purpose of this report?* It had a section called “Additional Views.” What were these “Additional Views?”* Speaking of the Revival Act, what did you think of USA Boxing revoking their support of the bill?* There was a presser for Rousey vs Carano that generated some interesting comments. Ronda Rousey said the UFC doesn’t pay its fighters well, but noted that if Dana White were running the promotion, they’d be paid much better. What do you think of that?* Francis Ngannou discussed legacy at the press conference, saying that legacy doesn’t pay the bills and that it was a construct for UFC to keep fighter pay down. Does legacy matter at all?* Both Jake Paul and Ngannou brought up Jon Jones asking for his release. Paul suggested he come over to get paid what he’s worth, and Ngannou tweeting that they [the UFC] should be rolling out the Red Carpet for him. Is there any chance Jones could be released or get out of his contract?* Jennifer Anderson, wife of Corey Anderson, said that Corey left the UFC at the height of his career to make more money with Bellator, but the media (save a few) care far less about covering him now. What are your thoughts on that?* Malki Kawa discussed how he was negotiating Ilia Topuria’s White House card fight and the focus was on Islam Makhachev, but the number UFC gave was too low so they came back and offered Gaethje instead. What do you think happened there?* Sean O’Malley said he didn’t even discuss his purse when accepting his fight on the White House card. How short-sighted was that?* He also talked about Tom Aspinall signing with Eddie Hearn and said that fighter management should be friendly to the UFC. What do you make of that?* Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian of MVP both spoke favorably of Eddie Hearn’s management skills and said they could see many fighters signing with Hearn in the future. What do you think of that?*Defendant’s opposition to Plaintiff’s request for attorney fees and the Comittee report on the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act*

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACTIn today’s episode, we’re looking at new updates to the antitrust cases and Dana White’s comments on UFC fighter reactions to Conor Benn’s purse. We also discuss Eddie Hearn’s new talent agency, what fighters can do if they don’t like their pay, and the Zuffa Boxing kerfuffle with the IBF. We weigh in on t…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACTNote: Today’s episode will be our only one this week as John will be leaving Minnesota to fly back to LA this weekend, so he’s going to be busy with personal/family activities. We’ll be back on track next week.In today’s episode, we’re looking at new updates to the antitrust cases including a new filing directed at Dominance MMA. We also discuss topics Mark Shapiro spoke on during the Morgan Stanley Tech Conference, including the White House card and fighter pay. We weigh in on a whistleblower’s claims that Paramount’s president leaked details of the UFC broadcast deal, as well as how important the new WB merger is to TKO. There’s a lot more, so make sure to follow along with our outline as you listen:*We urge you to pick up a paid subscription, as it helps us keep the show going* Episode 232 Outline* Let’s start with updates to the UFC antitrust cases. There were some exhibits attached to the Plaintiff’s motion for sanctions. Was there anything of interest amongst them?* There was also a filing that was directed at Dominance MMA. What was it?* Mark Shapiro spoke at the Morgan Stanley’s Technology, Media, and Telecom Conference and one of the things he discussed was the White House event. Was there any new information there?* He talked about Zuffa Boxing a bit. Did he say anything interesting?* He also brought up UFC fighter pay. What did he have to say?* How important is the pending Paramount-WB merger to TKO?* A whistleblower claims Paramount president Jeff Shell leaked details of the $7.7B UFC deal. What did you think of that?* Do you think we’ll see Zuffa Boxing on a different platform next year, perhaps one of the others from the merger?* What do you think of the Usyk-Verhoeven matchup?* A NY Times piece on Zuffa Boxing came out a few days ago. Was there anything in it that caught your eye?* Don King has launched a lawsuit against TKO and Sela. What do we know about it?* Lucha Lily, a reporter who was present at the Navarette-Nunez card, asked Eddie Hearn why they didn’t air the prelims on Youtube or DAZN and was told that it would depend on the show/location/budget whether or not they’ll have preliminary bout production at all. Do you think that will be the trend for all promoters not named Zuffa Boxing?* Is Eddie Hearn suing TKO?* Aleksei Oleinik revealed that he only made $250 in 2025 for his royalties for the UFC 5 game. Does that sound right to you?* Jon Jones claims he’s in negotiations with the UFC to headline the White House card. What do you make of that?* Lots of active UFC fighters have been appearing on RAF wrestling cards on FOX Nation. How do they get around the UFC to do that?*Expert declarations of spoliation, Proposed order of UFC sanctions, Plaintiffs reply in support of sanctions of Dominance MMA*

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACTIn today’s episode, we’re looking at new motions for sanctions filed by the plaintiffs in the UFC antitrust cases, as well as a brand new, unrelated complaint seeking class action on behalf of fans that paid for subpar UFC events. We also discuss TKO’s latest earnings statement and their monthly earnings call. We analyze the available information about Connor Benn vs. Regis Prograis, and we take a listener question. There’s a lot more, so make sure to follow along with our outline as you listen:*We urge you to pick up a paid subscription, as it helps us keep the show going* Episode 231 Outline* Have there been any new filings in the UFC antitrust cases?* Has there been any movement with the Ali Revival Act bill?* A new earnings report was released about TKO’s finances. What did we learn from them?* There was an earnings call where Mark Shapiro discussed site fees and the White House card. What notable things did you derive from it?* They also discussed Zuffa Boxing. What was their take on it?* Why is Frank Warren’s Queensberry promotion exchanging legal letters with TKO and Sela?* News came out yesterday about Connor Benn vs. Regis Prograis as the co-main event for a Tyson Fury fight on Netflix, promoted by Ring. There seems to be some confusion about how this is all happening and if Zuffa Boxing will be promoting. Can you enlighten us about the details?* Terence Crawford was recently on Joe Rogan’s podcast. Was there anything significant that stood out to you?* Listener question from Eric Hamidi: Given the Conor Benn signing, what are starting salaries for the NBA, NFL, MLB, and NHL? Do you know and have the source of that info?*Notice of related cases, Class action complaint, Motion for sanctions*

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACTIn today’s episode, we’re looking at Ronda Rousey’s comments this week regarding how the UFC promotes fights in the current era and the way she plans to go up against them. We also discuss Dana White’s comments at the post-fight presser on a variety of topics including Ronda’s upcoming fight with Gina Carano, Sean Strickland, and Eddie Hearn We weigh in on the Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao II rematch, and we talk about the reported sabotage of Top Rank’s broadcast deal with ESPN. There’s a lot more, so make sure to follow along with our outline as you listen:*We urge you to pick up a paid subscription, as it helps us keep the show going* Episode 230 Outline* Are there any new updates to the UFC antitrust cases?* Puck is reporting that the White House card could cost the UFC $60 million. Do you think that could be accurate?* There has been a lot of talk about Conor Benn signing with Zuffa Boxing for 1-fight and $15 million? What do you think of this signing and the amount?* It seems like a lot of fighters have taken note of how much they are paying Benn. Do you think this means Hearn is right that the boxing purses might cause problems with UFC fighters?* Ronda Rousey was interviewed by Jim Rome and spoke about why she & Gina Carano didn’t end up with their fight promoted by UFC. What did you think of the reason she gave?* She was in a filmed segment with Nikisa Bidarian discussing how she’d be “going hard in the trenches” promoting this fight against UFC. What did you make of her odd statement about the UFC “suffering from a lack of competition”?* When Dana White was asked about the fight, he said he was happy for them but that it just didn’t work out for UFC to promote. Do you have any thoughts on his comments?* After Saturday’s UFC Houston fight night, Dana took questions in the post-fight presser about several other topics. First being about Sean Strickland’s bigoted comments. He replied that it was basically the media’s fault for riling him up. What’s your take on that?* He was also asked about the Conor Benn signing in regards to his “beating up babies” comment where he referenced Eddie Hearn. He responded, ‘Is there a bigger pussy than Eddie Hearn?’ Is he being a little too bold right now, considering their proposed Revival Act bill hasn’t even been passed?* Eddie Hearn talked about how Zuffa Boxing would have to “do some crazy stuff” to land Bam Rodriguez. What did you make of his comment?* Brunch Boxing had a big story yesterday about how ESPN executives sabotaged the TOP Rank deal then left to join Paramount and/or Zuffa Boxing. What are your thoughts on that?* Reports are saying Top Rank is in talks with ESPN currently for a new broadcast deal. Do you think they’ll get a good one?* Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao II was announced yesterday for Netflix in September. Aside from this being way too late in their careers for it to be anything more than a cash grab, what did you make of the available details of the bout?* How do you think it will do?* Do you think Netflix is serious about combat sports or only these big name events?*Dominance opposition to Plaintiff’s motion of contempt*

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACTIn today’s episode, we’re looking at UFC’s Sean Strickland problem ahead of their first on-the-road Fight Night. Considering how Strickland always ramps up hateful commentary ahead of his fights, and how Dana White is staunchly supporting “free speech” among UFC athletes, is there a solution? We also discuss the twists and turns in the Golden Boy lawsuit, the Zuffa Boxing belt, and the WBC championship necklace. We analyze comments on the importance of Rousey vs. Carano, and weigh in on Marquel Martin’s astute observations. There’s a lot more, so make sure to follow along with our outline as you listen:*We urge you to pick up a paid subscription, as it helps us keep the show going* Episode 229 Outline* Do we have any updates in the UFC antitrust cases?* There has been some discussion on social media that Rousey vs Carano is not that big a fight, or would not have been a big fight in the past. Do you agree with this?* Eddie Hearn and Dana White have been going back and forth about Zuffa Boxing. Do you have any thoughts on their feud?* Matchroom and DAZN announced an extension on their deal. Is this good news for Matchroom?* Zuffa Boxing revealed their diamond encrusted belt yesterday. What did you think of it?* WBC also revealed a $40K diamond encrusted necklace. What are your thoughts on that?* Marquel Martin, who acted in an advisory position to Francis Ngannou, has moved on to getting his NFL agent license and had some sharp comments about working in the MMA space. What did you think of his statements?* Sean Strickland has made the headlines again, even bleeding into mainstream news, with incendiary comments about Bad Bunny, about women’s MMA, and women in general. Backlash has been mounting against Paramount and Toyota with calls to remove him from UFC’s roster. What are your thoughts on the situation?* Dana White was asked about the situation and he had this to say: “If you get your feelings hurt that bad you shouldn’t ask these questions when you know the response you’ll get from Strickland. I don’t tell any human what to say or think, there’s no leashes”. Do you think his approach is bad for UFC given how new their relationship with Paramount is?* Graham Boylan gave an interview where he discussed managing/developing fighters while simultaneously promoting them via his Cage Warriors. Did anything stand out to you?* Are there any new updates with the Golden Boy lawsuit?* Listener question from Eric Hamidi: Can PFL differentiate themselves and not be a walled garden by partnering with Rizin?*Golden Boy’s reply in support of restraining order*

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACTIn today’s episode, we’re looking at UFC antitrust updates regarding a third party vendor to review discovery, and how UFC seemed to dodge a major bullet in the spoliation of required evidence. We also discuss Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano from a business perspective, whether UFC should be worried about the White House card not delivering, how MVP ended up with the fight, and how Ronda and Gina likely got out of their previous contracts. We also analyze Vergil Ortiz’ formal opposition to Golden Boy’s restraining order, and we answer some listener questions. There’s a lot more, so make sure to follow along with our outline as you listen:*We urge you to pick up a paid subscription, as it helps us keep the show going* Episode 228 Outline* Do we have any new updates to the UFC antitrust cases?* Were you surprised that Ali Abdel-Aziz now wants you to include him in your antitrust filing tweets?* The big news today is the announcement of Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano in a featherweight MMA bout for Netflix, promoted by MVP. What do you think of this fight?* Do you think it will outshine the WH card?* Should Dana and company be worried?* How did Ronda and Gina end up out of their contracts since both still had fights on them?* Do you think Ronda is still tied to TKO in any capacity via WWE?* Ronda said that they were in talks with Dana White last year for this match but couldn’t make it happen. Does that sound like it came down to money?* With MVP promoting, how big a purse do you think these women are getting?* Dana White has been making lots of comments about competitors for Zuffa Boxing. Was there anything he said that could possibly be pointed to for Revival Act changes?* Is there any hope this bill gets rejected?* Max Kellerman said he wanted Zuffa Boxing to introduce the BMF belt. What are your thoughts on that?* What in the world is going on with Casey Wasserman and Ari Emanuel?* Are there any new updates in Golden Boy’s lawsuit?* Emilio Destifano from Twitter asks: From your “Deep Dive Into Congress...” episode: Could the plaintiffs have allowed defendants to sneak in that particular clause which essentially guts any Ali Act restrictions in order to expose that tactic, in hopes it gets shot down sooner rather than later?* Emilio also asked this question from that episode: Could Zuffa Boxing have pushed added healthcare regs in order to not only price out competition of other promoters, but to have more control over fighters I.E. more leverage/opportunity to deny fighters? Just demand “testing” until they are able to secure a favorable result?* Eric Hamidi also had a question: Do you or John find it funny, ironic, or hypocritical that TKO staff and supporters talk about them revolutionizing boxing & it needs to be back on TV and yet, their first events are at the Apex on Paramount+?*Vergil Ortiz opposition to Golden Boy restraining order*

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit heynottheface.substack.com SUPPORT EXPANDING THE ALI ACTIn today’s episode, we’re looking at major UFC antitrust updates regarding Dominance MMA’s “revolt” and failure to cooperate with agreed upon discovery measures. We also discuss Zuffa Boxing’s ability to ignore current Ali Act protections regarding the creation of their own belt, as well as Stepen Espinoza’s comments on the promotion in a recent interview. We also weigh in on the suit Golden Boy filed against Rick Mirigian and what their future looks like amid obvious financial struggles. In our final segment, we answer listener questions from Eric Hamidi. There’s a lot more, so make sure to follow along with our outline as you listen:*We urge you to pick up a paid subscription, as it helps us keep the show going* Episode 227 Outline* We had some happenings in the UFC antitrust case. First, tell us about filing to hold third party Dominance MMA in contempt?* There was a hearing yesterday. Do we know what happened?* What happens next?* TKO answered questions from Ilhan Omar last month during a hearing about the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act. Did anything stand out to you?* Zuffa Boxing announced a title fight between Jai Opetaia and Brandon Glanton for their inaugural belt, well before the Revival Act has passed. What do you make of this?* Stephen Espinoza gave an interview where he was asked about Zuffa Boxing. Did he say anything that caught your attention?* Golden Boy just sued Vergil Ortiz’ manager, Rick Mirigian for $10M. What do you make of that suit?* It seems that Golden Boy is in serious trouble financially. What kind of future do they have in your opinion?* Social media influencer Adin Ross claims Dana White may pay him $6M a year to cover UFC. What do you make of that?* We had a listener question from Eric Hamidi who asked: Is this the only provision in the original Ali Act that prevents promoters from having their own championship belts?Excerpt states: “No officer or employee of a sanctioning organization may receive any compensation, gift, or benefit, directly or indirectly, from a promoter, boxer, or manager.”* Eric also asks if you’ve heard the same rumors Fred Garvin has, that democratic senators have been contacting people involved with boxing regarding the Revival Act, and how they (dem. senators) don’t support the proposed changes.*Plaintiffs’ request for Dominance MMA to be held in contempt, Golden Boy v. Rick Mirigian, answers to questions posed by Ilhan Omar for the official record*