Level Change Podcast

We would love it if you would become a paid subscriber to our show. This helps us keep the lights on! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.com/subscribe

We cover UFC London, NCAA Men's tournament, Afroman's trial, The Bachelorette, Project Hail Mary and more. It's the Jack of All Episodes, Master of None!We would love it if you would become a paid subscriber to our show. This helps us keep the lights on! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.com/subscribe

We cover UFC London, NCAA Men's tournament, Afroman's trial, The Bachelorette, Project Hail Mary and more. It's the Jack of All Episodes, Master of None!We would love it if you would become a paid subscriber to our show. This helps us keep the lights on! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.com/subscribe

We cover UFC London, NCAA Men's tournament, Afroman's trial, The Bachelorette, Project Hail Mary and more. It's the Jack of All Episodes, Master of None!We would love it if you would become a paid subscriber to our show. This helps us keep the lights on! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.com/subscribe

We cover UFC London, NCAA Men's tournament, Afroman's trial, The Bachelorette, Project Hail Mary and more. It's the Jack of All Episodes, Master of None!We would love it if you would become a paid subscriber to our show. This helps us keep the lights on! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.com/subscribe

We cover UFC London, NCAA Men's tournament, Afroman's trial, The Bachelorette, Project Hail Mary and more. It's the Jack of All Episodes, Master of None!We would love it if you would become a paid subscriber to our show. This helps us keep the lights on! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.com/subscribe

Well, it's all starting. Major MMA in 2026 has officially begun and it's looking rocky. But we're not giving up on hope. We've got a lot to be concerned about, but we've got some great stuff to look forward to.This is a solo ep this week, kids. Stephie's unavailable but we'll be trudging through the forest with a machete to try to make some sense of this mess. And maybe, just maybe, you'll have a little more hope in your hearts with this weird-ass sport.Please consider becoming a paid member for bonus content and other fun perks. We need some ice cream money, because we love ice cream. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.com/subscribe

Well, it's all starting. Major MMA in 2026 has officially begun and it's looking rocky. But we're not giving up on hope. We've got a lot to be concerned about, but we've got some great stuff to look forward to.This is a solo ep this week, kids. Stephie's unavailable but we'll be trudging through the forest with a machete to try to make some sense of this mess. And maybe, just maybe, you'll have a little more hope in your hearts with this weird-ass sport.Please consider becoming a paid member for bonus content and other fun perks. We need some ice cream money, because we love ice cream. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.com/subscribe

Well, it's all starting. Major MMA in 2026 has officially begun and it's looking rocky. But we're not giving up on hope. We've got a lot to be concerned about, but we've got some great stuff to look forward to.This is a solo ep this week, kids. Stephie's unavailable but we'll be trudging through the forest with a machete to try to make some sense of this mess. And maybe, just maybe, you'll have a little more hope in your hearts with this weird-ass sport.Please consider becoming a paid member for bonus content and other fun perks. We need some ice cream money, because we love ice cream. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.com/subscribe

Well, it's all starting. Major MMA in 2026 has officially begun and it's looking rocky. But we're not giving up on hope. We've got a lot to be concerned about, but we've got some great stuff to look forward to.This is a solo ep this week, kids. Stephie's unavailable but we'll be trudging through the forest with a machete to try to make some sense of this mess. And maybe, just maybe, you'll have a little more hope in your hearts with this weird-ass sport.Please consider becoming a paid member for bonus content and other fun perks. We need some ice cream money, because we love ice cream. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.com/subscribe

Well, it's all starting. Major MMA in 2026 has officially begun and it's looking rocky. But we're not giving up on hope. We've got a lot to be concerned about, but we've got some great stuff to look forward to.This is a solo ep this week, kids. Stephie's unavailable but we'll be trudging through the forest with a machete to try to make some sense of this mess. And maybe, just maybe, you'll have a little more hope in your hearts with this weird-ass sport.Please consider becoming a paid member for bonus content and other fun perks. We need some ice cream money, because we love ice cream. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.com/subscribe

Well, it's all starting. Major MMA in 2026 has officially begun and it's looking rocky. But we're not giving up on hope. We've got a lot to be concerned about, but we've got some great stuff to look forward to.This is a solo ep this week, kids. Stephie's unavailable but we'll be trudging through the forest with a machete to try to make some sense of this mess. And maybe, just maybe, you'll have a little more hope in your hearts with this weird-ass sport.Please consider becoming a paid member for bonus content and other fun perks. We need some ice cream money, because we love ice cream. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.com/subscribe

The Hatsu Basho just wrapped up this past Sunday and it was a terrific tourney. I mean, what a way to kick off 2026! That’s why we have our good friend, Tim Bissell of Sumo Stomp joining us for all the analysis, updates, and big storylines. Tim takes us through all the best moments of the tournament, including critiques of the leaders’ performances, how the other wrestlers fared, and even gave us some awards (most improved, second brightest star, etc). Tim has his awesome storefront up and running where paid subscribers get a discount, but it’s only for non-U.S. customers currently. He’ll get us an update if/when that changes. He also has a Youtube channel, so do check him out there, as well: Sumo Stomp on YoutubeWe sincerely hope you enjoy listening and that you'll give us your patronage with a paid subscription. If you have questions, comments or suggestions, please feel free to reach out. Thank you all so very much. We appreciate every one of you.We would love it if you would become a paid subscriber to our show. This will give you access to our bonus content and it also helps us keep the lights on! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.com/subscribe

Well, it's all starting. Major MMA in 2026 has officially begun and it's looking rocky. But we're not giving up on hope. We've got a lot to be concerned about, but we've got some great stuff to look forward to.This is a solo ep this week, kids. Stephie's unavailable but we'll be trudging through the forest with a machete to try to make some sense of this mess. And maybe, just maybe, you'll have a little more hope in your hearts with this weird-ass sport.Please consider becoming a paid member for bonus content and other fun perks. We need some ice cream money, because we love ice cream. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.com/subscribe

Well, it's all starting. Major MMA in 2026 has officially begun and it's looking rocky. But we're not giving up on hope. We've got a lot to be concerned about, but we've got some great stuff to look forward to.This is a solo ep this week, kids. Stephie's unavailable but we'll be trudging through the forest with a machete to try to make some sense of this mess. And maybe, just maybe, you'll have a little more hope in your hearts with this weird-ass sport.Please consider becoming a paid member for bonus content and other fun perks. We need some ice cream money, because we love ice cream. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to the new year, kids. Glad to be back after some turbulence and hardship, but we’ve got you this week. Tracy Cortez and Alex Pereira were in a “grand opening, grand closing“ situation, making us question where all the love in the world truly is.Also, Ilia Topuria’s divorce proceedings are kind of messing up the championship picture. Dan Hooker and Paddy Pimblett engage in a race to the bottom on social media and Dana White is about to be as ubiquitous as Kevin Hart for some reason.Fun times. Or something.Please consider becoming a paid member for bonus content and other fun perks. We need some ice cream money, because we love ice cream. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.com/subscribe

This holiday season, we look forward to seeing Jake Paul being sacrificed upon the altar of Dionysus. It’s the biggest turkey possible, and it is our strongest desire that it be cooked in the most violent way possible. Amen.Also, some awful news from the world of Karate Combat, where structural and financial problems have led to fighters and staff in revolt over non-payment issues. Seems like the milk’s gone bad over there. Check out this excellent article by Timothy Wheaton for a full accounting of the issues plaguing the promotion.Finally, we talk a little bit of TV and gaming at the end. Turns out Stephie has a small army at her disposal to waste people in PvP. Be safe, kids.We sincerely hope you enjoy listening and that you'll give us your patronage with a subscription. If you have questions, comments or suggestions, please feel free to reach out. Thank you all so very much. We appreciate every one of you.Please consider becoming a paid member for bonus content and other fun perks. We need some ice cream money, because we love ice cream. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.com/subscribe

We’re ending the year with another good card that isn’t a PPV, and isn’t perfect. But there’s some great action and real consequences for a few divisions. Obviously we’ve got a potentially (like, very likely) awful heavyweight fight and a potentially good middleweight showcase.We do also get to talk a bit of TV and film, and that reminds me that I really need to watch Predator: Badlands and The Running Man. As a major fan of both originals, I need to see where things are going with these. Anyway, enjoy the fights. They should be fun!UFC Vegas 112* Brandon Royval vs. Manel Kape 125 lbs* Giga Chikadze vs. Kevin Vallejos 145 lbs* César Almeida vs. Cezary Oleksiejczuk 185 lbs* Morgan Charrière vs. Melquizael Costa 145 lbs* Kennedy Nzechukwu vs. Marcus Buchecha 265 lbs* King Green vs. Lance Gibson Jr. 160 lbsUFC 323 * Amanda Lemos vs. Gillian Robertson 115 lbs* Joanderson Brito vs. Isaac Thomson 145 lbs* Neil Magny vs. Yaroslav Amosov 170 lbs* Sean Sharaf vs. Steven Asplund 265 lbs* Luana Santos vs. Melissa Croden 135 lbs* Allen Frye vs. Guilherme Pat 265 lbs* Tereza Bledá vs. Jamey-Lyn Horth 125 lbsUFC Vegas 112 Fun Factoids* Ranked Fights: 2* Ranked Fighters: 5* Fighters coming off losses: 8* Contender Series Alumni: 7* TUF Alumni: 2* Road to UFC Alumni: 0* Debut: 7We sincerely hope you enjoy listening and that you'll give us your patronage with a subscription. If you have questions, comments or suggestions, please feel free to reach out. Thank you all so very much. We appreciate every one of you.Please consider becoming a paid member for bonus content and other fun perks. We need some ice cream money, because we love ice cream. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.com/subscribe

The Kyushu Basho wrapped up this past Sunday putting the excitement of 2025 to bed officially. We saw our two Yokozuna battle for supremacy and a third competitor that ended up besting them both to take the tournament. That’s why we have our good friend, Tim Bissell of Sumo Stomp joining us to provide all the analysis and big storylines from the 15-day event. Tim takes us through all the best moments of the tournament, including critiques of the leaders’ performances, how the other wrestlers did, and we even got him to tell us the matches he’s most thankful for over the course of the year. One last note, Tim has a brand new contest for a super dope sweatshirt running for this month, courtesy of Cheeky Sumo, but if you’re not a paid subscriber, you really need to remedy that so you can be entered into the contest. He also has a Youtube channel, so do check him out there, as well: Sumo Stomp on YoutubeWe would love it if you could subscribe to our show. This will give you access to our bonus content and it also helps us keep the lights on!We sincerely hope you enjoy listening and that you'll give us your patronage with a subscription. If you have questions, comments or suggestions, please feel free to reach out. Thank you all so very much. We appreciate every one of you.Please consider becoming a paid member for bonus content and other fun perks. We need some ice cream money, because we love ice cream. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.comDoha plays host to this week’s UFC event, and it’s a solid action card. Not too many top names, but certainly some reliable action fighters and a lot to look forward to. Dan Hooker and Arman Tsarukyan always deliver, and after their little tiff at the weigh-ins, tempers may be flared here. Belal Muhammad and Ian Machado Garry will tussle at welterweight…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.comRemember how events like this were something we’d get every other month? Or maybe every three months? Man, those were great times. We were spoiled, so spoiled. But we have a great event here with two title fights and a bunch of absolute bangers. Very little waste on this one, so we break down almost all of it while also making a detour to talk about The…

Alright, kids. Stephie is taking the week off, so she left me the keys to the place. And I wish the circumstances were more fun, but we gotta talk about this rotten gambling scandal.Then there’s this card this weekend, and it’s not looking great. Not much on name value, but here’s hoping there’s some decent action on it. Otherwise, Mick Maynard needs another thorough roasting on social media. UFC Vegas 111 Card* Gabriel Bonfim vs Randy Brown 170lbs* Matt Schnell vs Joseph Morales 125lbs* Muslim Salikhov vs Uros Medic 170lbs* Ismael Bonfim vs Chris Padilla 155lbs* Marco Tulio vs Christian Leroy Duncan 185lbs* Jamall Emmers vs Hyder Amil 145lbs* Ricky Simón vs Raoni Barcelos 135lbs* Mayra Bueno Silva vs Jacqueline Cavalcanti 135lbs* Josh Hokit vs Max Gimenis 265lbs* Tecia Pennington vs Denise Gomes 115lbs* Miles Johns vs Daniel Marcos 135lbs* Jackson McVey vs Zach Reese 195lbsUFC Vegas 111 Fun Factoids* Some of these will be fun* Some are gonna suck* Randy Brown is Jamaican, probably says “bumbaclot“ a bunch* No Sedriques DumasWe sincerely hope you enjoy listening and that you'll give us your patronage with a subscription. If you have questions, comments or suggestions, please feel free to reach out. Thank you all so very much. We appreciate every one of you.Please consider becoming a paid member for bonus content and other fun perks. We need some ice cream money, because we love ice cream. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.comSee, it wasn’t until we stopped recording that we remembered this card was an early one in Abu Dhabi. And it makes all the sense in the world, since this is an actually great card. Like, top to bottom? It’s not bad at all and has some absolute bangers and topped by two title fights. Listen as we agonize in making the tough choices and then the surprisin…

So here’s what we’ve got: Stephie’s backing most of the underdogs, which is very rare. She’s also down on the card, while I’m not. I actually like it! Lots of disagreement on where this card is going or how good it actually is, but we had some fun breaking it down.And yeah, we’ve got hard times. No TV or film talk this week, but we do start off with a bit of things that are bumming us out. And if you’re bummed out, we’ll hold your hand, too. We’re all we’ve got, so let’s make the most of it.UFC Vancouver Card* Reinier de Ridder vs. Brendan Allen 185 lbs* Kevin Holland vs. Mike Malott 170 lbs* Marlon Vera vs. Aiemann Zahabi 135 lbs* Manon Fiorot vs. Jasmine Jasudavicius 125 lbs* Cody Gibson vs. Aoriqileng 135 lbs* Kyle Nelson vs. Matt Frevola 155 lbs* Charles Jourdain vs. Davey Grant 135 lbs* Bruno Silva vs. Hyun Sung Park 125 lbs* Danny Barlow vs. Djorden Santos 185 lbs* Kyle Prepolec vs. Drew Dober 155 lbs* Stephanie Luciano vs. Ravena Oliveira 115 lbs* Azamat Bekoev vs. Yousri Belgaroui 185 lbs* Melissa Croden vs. Tainara Lisboa 135 lbsUFC Vancouver Fun Factoids* Ranked Fights: 3* Ranked Fighters: 8* Fighters coming off losses: 16* Contender Series Alumni: 9* TUF Alumni: 3* Road to UFC Alumni: 1* Debut: 2We sincerely hope you enjoy listening and that you'll give us your patronage with a subscription. If you have questions, comments or suggestions, please feel free to reach out. Thank you all so very much. We appreciate every one of you.Please consider becoming a paid member for bonus content and other fun perks. We need some ice cream money, because we love ice cream. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.comUFC 320 is here, and it’s a great card. That’s it. No snark, no sarcasm. It’s good, and has a fair amount of promise. Sure, there’s some nitpicking to do here and there. But we breaks it down to the bone gristle to ensure you have the proper perspective on this one. With two title fights and some rather consequential bouts, there’s a good amount of meat…

The Aki Basho is in full swing—Day 13 to be exact—but we’re not gonna let it get completely away from us this time. That’s why we have our good friend, Tim Bissell of Sumo Stomp joining us for all the analysis, updates, and big storylines. Tim takes us through all the best moments of the tournament, including critiques of the leaders’ performances, how the other wrestlers are faring, and some predictions. Tim also has his storefront up and running where paid subscribers get a discount, but there’s an update that U.S. customers need to look out for. One last note, Tim has a brand new contest for a super dope sweatshirt running for this month, courtesy of Cheeky Sumo, but if you’re not a paid subscriber, you really need to remedy that so you can be entered into the contest. He also has a Youtube channel, so do check him out there, as well: Sumo Stomp on YoutubeWe would love it if you could subscribe to our show. This will give you access to our bonus content and it also helps us keep the lights on!We sincerely hope you enjoy listening and that you'll give us your patronage with a subscription. If you have questions, comments or suggestions, please feel free to reach out. Thank you all so very much. We appreciate every one of you.Please consider becoming a paid member for bonus content and other fun perks. We need some ice cream money, because we love ice cream. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.comIs UFC Noche 2025 good? Is it bad? Is it just in a weird place to the point where the UFC doesn’t even care about the branding already? Man, listen… it’s just there. You got an event series kickstarted from the premise of celebrating Mexican fighters near Mexican Independence Day and both main eventers are Brazilian. So, there’s that.Other than that, there’s some fun to be had but we can’t get away from how odd this all is. But we do get to talk a little more about great TV!Side note: We could really use some paid subscriptions. It’s been really tough keeping the ship afloat, so if you could find it in your heart to throw one our way, that would be great. Thank you so much.UFC Noche Main Card* Diego Lopes vs. Jean Silva 145 lbs* Rob Font vs. David Martinez 135 lbs* Jared Gordon vs. Rafa García 155 lbs* Kelvin Gastelum vs. Dustin Stoltzfus 185 lbs* Alexander Hernandez vs. Diego Ferreira 155 lbs* Santiago Luna vs. Quang Le 135 lbs* José Medina vs. Dusko Todorović 185 lbs* Claudio Puelles vs. Joaquim Silva 155 lbs* Tatiana Suarez vs. Amanda Lemos 115 lbs* Jesus Aguilar vs. Luis Gurule 125 lbs* Zach Reese vs. Sedriques Dumas 185 lbs* Alessandro Costa vs. Alden Coria 125 lbs* Alice Pereira vs. Montserrat Rendon 135 lbs* Rodrigo Sezinando vs. Daniil Donchenko 170 lbs

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.comA good Fight Night event? Yes! In fact, it might even be a great Fight Night event. The UFC heads to Paris and brings not only the a smattering of European standouts, but they’ve assembled some absolute bangers and some other pretty fun bouts. Plus, we talk so much about shows on Apple TV that it’s a shame they don’t sponsor us. There’s so much good stu…

The Nagoya Basho ended last month, and finally, after a few weeks of scheduling conflicts (on my part), we have a thorough review of all the action with our awesome friend, Tim Bissell of Sumo Stomp. Tim takes us through all the best moments of the tournament, including critiques of the winner’s performances, how the other wrestlers did, and the awards handed out. Tim also has his storefront up and running where paid subscribers get a discount, so make sure you subscribe to his site with your dollars to partake in that. One last note, Tim has a Youtube channel, so do check him out there, as well: Sumo Stomp on YoutubeWe would love it if you could subscribe to our show. This will give you access to our bonus content and it also helps us keep the lights on!We sincerely hope you enjoy listening and that you'll give us your patronage with a subscription. If you have questions, comments or suggestions, please feel free to reach out. Thank you all so very much. We appreciate every one of you.Please consider becoming a paid member for bonus content and other fun perks. We need some ice cream money, because we love ice cream. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.comOK, so Chicago gets a really good event this time. Look, we mean that. It’s got a bunch of names we don’t really recognize or are intrigued by, but the action potential is choice over here.Will Dricus Du Plessis find a Looney Tunes way to win this one and keep his gold, or will Chimaev finally reach the pinnacle as he’s been expected to for years now? W…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.comDid you know Slow Horses is being renewed for another two seasons? Have you played the Korean sleeper hit Lies of P? Both are better uses of your time than half of this card coming up this week.As far as the rest is concerned? Actually quite good! There’s some fun here in this one, but it’s a very lopsided event in terms of quality. Also, Gina Carano go…

Yes, the streets are correct. Victor is back, and he’s starving. Despite a not-so-great vacation, he’s somewhat rested and talking in third person for some reason. And we are here to discuss a flatly not-good Apex card, which is now our lot in life. But at least the headliner promises to be fun. There’s some meat on this bone, but it’s a small bone to peck at.But hey, we had some fun on the way back in. Witnessing the continued downfall of one Conor McGregor is nice, and we can’t wait to see how much worse things are about to get for him.UFC Vegas 108 Card* Tatsuro Taira vs. Hyun Sung Park 125 lbs* Chris Duncan vs. Mateusz Rębecki 155 lbs* Esteban Ribovics vs. Elves Brener 155 lbs* Karol Rosa vs. Nora Cornolle 135 lbs* Neil Magny vs. Elizeu Zaleski 170 lbs* Danny Silva vs. Kevin Vallejos 145 lbs* Nick Klein vs. Andrey Pulyaev 185 lbs* Rinya Nakamura vs. Nathan Fletcher 135 lbs* Rodolfo Vieira vs. Tresean Gore 185 lbs* Felipe Bunes vs. Rafael Estevam 125 lbs* Pieira Rodriguez vs. Ketlen Souza 115 lbs* Austin Bashi vs. John Yannis 145 lbsUFC Vegas 108 Fun Factoids* Ranked Fights: 1* Ranked Fighters: 3* Fighters coming off losses: 14* Contender Series Alumni: 9* TUF Alumni: 3* Road to UFC Alumni: 2* Debuting Fighters: 1Please consider becoming a paid member for bonus content and other fun perks. We need some ice cream money, because we love ice cream. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.com/subscribe

Since Victor is still on vacation on the beautiful sands of the Dominican Republic, Tim Bissell of Sumo Stomp joining me for double duty, first to help me break down the best fights from UFC Abu Dhabi, then to give us all the highs and lows of the Nagoya Basho through day 13. We look at who’s riding high, and who’s in the trenches. It’s can’t-miss content for sumo fans both new and old. Tim will be back next week to go over the tournament, look at who won and how they did, and who ended up being the best and worst performer of the Basho.Today’s 2-hour episode is free, but we urge you to subscribe with your wallets if you can. The economy being what it is has put tremendous hardships on everyone, ourselves included. If you have some spare change in your swear jars or couch cushions, please consider a paid subscription. Thank you so much for your patronage.UFC Abu Dhabi Selected Fights* Robert Whittaker vs. Reinier de Ridder 185 lbs* Petr Yan vs. Marcus McGhee 135 lbs* Shara Magomedov vs. Marc-Andre Barriault 185 lbs* Asu Almabayev vs. Jose Ochoa 125 lbs* Nikita Krylov vs. Bogdan Guskov 205 lbs* Bryce Mitchell vs. Said Nurmagomedov 135 lbs* Amanda Ribas vs. Tabatha Ricci 115 lbs* Martin Buday vs. Marcus Buchecha 265 lbsUFC Abu Dhabi Fun Facts* Ranked Fights: 4* Ranked Fighters: 11* Fighters coming off losses: 12* Contender Series Alumni: 3* TUF Alumni: 3* Road to UFC Alumni: 0* Debuting Fighters: 1Please consider becoming a paid member for bonus content and other fun perks. We need some ice cream money, because we love ice cream. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.com/subscribe

Since Victor is on vacation on the beautiful sands of the Dominican Republic, I decided I needed to pull out all the stops. We have our brother from another timeline, Mookie Alexander, now of The Soap Box Score (and still SBNation), joining me to break down select fights from UFC 318. Why only select fights? Because this card is a travesty. Dustin Poirier’s swan song deserved a better card than this, but beggars can’t be choosers, so we’re only breaking down the handful of contests that matter.In our second segment, Tim Bissell of Sumo Stomp stops in to give us all the highlights of the Nagoya Basho. We are into the seventh day of the tournament, so the first six days are broken down to their atoms. We look at who’s riding high, and who’s in the trenches. It’s can’t-miss content for sumo fans both new and old.Today’s 2-hour episode is free, but we urge you to subscribe with your wallets if you can. The economy being what it is has put tremendous hardships on everyone, ourselves included. If you have some spare change in your swear jars or couch cushions, please consider a paid subscription. Thank you so much for your patronage.One last thing; at the end of my segment with Mookie, I talked about a video clip of a cold-as-ice Dricus Du Plessis talking about what it takes to be a champion. This is that clip:Dricus Du Plessis is a cold mofoUFC 318 Selected Fights* Max Holloway vs. Dustin Poirier 155 lbs* Paulo Costa vs. Roman Kopylov 185 lbs* Kevin Holland vs. Daniel Rodriguez 170 lbs* Dan Ige vs. Patricio Pitbull 145 lbs* Kyler Phillips vs. Vinicius Oliveira 135 lbs* Marvin Vettori vs. Brendan Allen 185 lbsUFC 318 Fun Facts* Ranked Fights: 4* Ranked Fighters: 10* Fighters coming off losses: 15 + 1 draw* Contender Series Alumni: 15* TUF Alumni: 3* Road to UFC Alumni: 0* Debuting Fighters: 2Please consider becoming a paid member for bonus content and other fun perks. We need some ice cream money, because we love ice cream. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.comDog’s breakfast is on the menu in Nashville, because the UFC clearly doesn’t care about quality when it comes to shoveling out content above all else. So while there are some fun fighters, some of these matchups aren’t great. But we did have a bit of fun talking about it, as well as Jon Jones thirsting for likability in retirement, as well as Conor McGr…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.comFirst off, you should watch Murderbot. It’s good. So good. Secondly, our very own pal Mookie Alexander is back! We discuss Jon Jones’ retirement, what his legacy is, and how fickle the combat sports gods can be. Then we delve into UFC 317 with its two title fights along with some of the better matchups on the card.Also, we take a bit of time to discuss …

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.comFrom Chappell Roan to a bunch of TV talk, we parse this week’s UFC Atlanta Fight Night event headlined by welterweight dynamo Joaquin Buckley and former champ Kamaru Usman.How’s the card? Not bad! Not great, either. It’s a nice little action card, after all. Not much in the way of divisional relevance here, and sometimes, that’s fine. We explore goofy w…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.comDamn, a whole lot of stuff has been happening. Francis Ngannou might actually be angling for a UFC return? And Jon Jones got something sassy to say about it? And would you believe Greg Hardy got arrested again?We then look ahead to the joys of UFC 316, because there’s some real joys to be found here. Unfortunately, Ariane Lipski didn’t make weight due t…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.comThe Natsu Basho ended ended a few days ago, so we decided that in light of the terrible, miserable UFC card this week, we would treat our listeners to a thorough review of all the action with our awesome friend, Tim Bissell of Sumo Stomp. Tim takes us through all the best moments of the tournament, including critiques of the winner’s performances, how t…

FREE EPISODE!! FREE EPISODE!!No fights this week, kids. But that’s good! We get a chance to change the pace for a bit and catch up with Stephie’s adventures on the road and talk a bunch of movie and TV stuff. After the niceties of it all, we delve into the odd timing for Ilia Topuria to split from his gym to make a new home for himself in Madrid. We also address the recent fracas in Russia involving Nate Diaz, and end it with what in the world is going on with Jon Jones. Is he gonna actually fight Tom Aspinall, and if so, does he finally have the leverage he needs and wants over the UFC brass?Stay hydrated, kids. Enjoy the show!Please consider becoming a paid member for bonus content and other fun perks. We need some ice cream money, because we love ice cream. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.comUFC 315 kicks off from Montreal this week, and it’s a good card! It really is! But the hype? It’s just not there. There’s multiple factors as to why, and it’s a shame. It doesn’t have to be that way. And that’s why we’re here to tell you why you should be invested. Jose Aldo is on a card with two title fights, and Charles Radtke fights Mike Malott in a …

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.comWell, this is an odd predicament. Stephie isn’t feeling this card too much, Victor is kinda liking the vibe. Where does this lead? I dunno, we just break down the card and address how some of the old-timers are being fed into the woodchipper here. Also, Victor’s forays into aging and mortality continue in new and terrifying ways. Stephie mocks him merci…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.comOK, this is a mixed bag. But it’s a fun mixed bag! Well, kinda. See, we’ve got some great matchups, some clear squashes, and some odd bits and ends from fighters that have gotten very little exposure. Should you be excited? Maybe?We break down most of it and grapple with the upcoming retirement fight of one Dustin Poirier being on the horizon. But at le…

Hey, kids! No UFC event this weekend. We do have PFL and some other shows, but more than anything we focus on what was (as predicted) a very good event, the ramifications from it, and the interminable glazing of a fascist fan club masquerading as a government.But don’t worry, we also touched on Jake Paul looking to fight Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., as well as the announcement of Kevin Holland vs Vicente Luque. Also, Paddy Pimblett being a gentleman. It’s nice, and we like nice. We sincerely hope you enjoy listening and that you'll give us your patronage with a subscription. If you have questions, comments or suggestions, please feel free to reach out. Thank you all so very much. We appreciate every one of you.Please consider becoming a paid member for bonus content and other fun perks. We need some ice cream money, because we love ice cream. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.comWhat a difference a week makes. From a drab and ho-hum card last week to a card that has some of the best and most exciting matchmaking we’ve seen in what feels like eons? This is the kind of card that reminds you of the good old days where you’d consistently get some consistently elite quality.Featherweight gold currently has no owner now that Ilia Top…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.comAwful. This upcoming UFC event is utterly awful, full stop. Great main event, though. We manage to talk about why it’s so bad but also celebrate the life of the great Val Kilmer and all the joy he brought us.But! We manage to discuss the latest on Conor McGregor’s antics and aspirations, plus a quick word on Cain Velasquez and his possible future predic…

The Haru Basho ended yesterday and we already have a thorough review of all the action with our awesome friend, Tim Bissell of Sumo Stomp. Tim takes us through all the highs and lows of the tournament, including critiques of the winner’s performances, how the other wrestlers did and why our lone yokozuna pulled out of the basho. Tim also has a great contest running, so make sure you subscribe to his site to be entered into the drawing.Today’s episode is free, but we would love it if you could subscribe. This will give you access to our bonus content and helps us keep the lights on!We sincerely hope you enjoy listening and that you'll give us your patronage with a subscription. If you have questions, comments or suggestions, please feel free to reach out. Thank you all so very much. We appreciate every one of you.Please consider becoming a paid member for bonus content and other fun perks. We need some ice cream money, because we love ice cream. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.comFormer welterweight champ takes on tough Philly talent Sean Brady in a lovely little card that starts midday for those of us on the East Coast, stateside. There’s a lot to love on this one with compelling matches that cater largely to the local crowd, but in a good way!Also, Conor McGregor is running for president of Ireland. Or at least that’s what he’…

Hope you all got the fun you hoped for last week, because this one’s a dog’s breakfast of an event. Yes, even for an Apex card. Not much excitement here, as we’ve disowned Waldo. But Jeremy Stephens is coming back? Oh, and the potential BKFC drama is leaving us with a ton of questions. Enjoy the weekend and don’t forget to shake your fist at Mick Maynard.UFC Vegas 104 Main Card* Marvin Vettori vs. Roman Dolidze 185 lbs* Elizeu Zaleski vs. Chidi Njokuani 170 lbs* Alexander Hernandez vs. Kurt Holobaugh 155 lbs* Da’Mon Blackshear vs. Cody Gibson 135 lbs* Diyar Nurgozhay vs. Brendson Ribeiro 205 lbs* Kevin Vallejos vs. Seung Woo Choi 145 lbs* Waldo Cortes-Acosta vs. Ryan Spann 265 lbs* Su Young You vs. AJ Cunningham 135 lbs* Josias Musasa vs. Carlos Vera 135 lbs* Sam Hughes vs. Stephanie Luciano 115 lbs* André Lima vs. Daniel Barez 125 lbs* Josiane Nunes vs. Priscila Cachoeira 135 lbs* Yuneisy Duben vs. Carli Judice 125 lbsUFC Vegas 104 Alternative Facts* Ranked Fights: 1* Ranked Fighters: 3* Fighters coming off losses: 7* Contender Series Alumni: 13* TUF Alumni: 3* Road to UFC Alumni: 1* Debuting Fighters: 2We sincerely hope you enjoy listening and that you'll give us your patronage with a subscription. If you have questions, comments or suggestions, please feel free to reach out. Thank you all so very much. We appreciate every one of you.Please consider becoming a paid member for bonus content and other fun perks. We need some ice cream money, because we love ice cream. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.comNot much to complain about this one here, kids. Alex Pereira aims to continue his dominant run as light heavyweight champion against a very eager Magomed Ankalaev in a great main event. Justin Gaethje may not get the fight he wanted against Dan Hooker, but instead gets a very good replacement in Rafael Fiziev in what is sure to be a great rematch, regar…