The Brit Pack MMA Podcast
by Simon Head
Veteran sports writer and combat sports reporter Simon Head shares updates, behind-the-scenes content, and conversations with fighters, media colleagues, and other figures from the world of combat sports and beyond. simonheadsport.substack.com
Episodes
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UFC London Preview: Can Leon Edwards bounce back?
Simon Head and Abbey Subhan get behind the mic for a special impromptu episode of The Brit Pack MMA Podcast, as they share their thoughts ahead of UFC Fight Night: Edwards vs. Brady in London. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to…
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United Nations: The Big UFC 276 Preview Show
With just over one week to go to UFC International Fight Week 2022, Simon Head is joined by MMA Junkie Radio's "Gorgeous George" and "Goze," plus Phone Booth Fighting's Richard Hunter, to preview an absolutely stacked card at UFC 276. On a packed episode of United Nations, the lads run through…
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United Nations: UFC 275 reaction, Vegas recommendations & one epic true-crime tale
This week's United Nations pod has a little something for everyone: * Looking for reaction to last weekend's amazing UFC 275 title fights? We've got those. * Want recommendations for places to check out in Vegas during International Fight Week? We've got you covered. * And if you want to hear an...
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UFC 199 retrospective: The story of Michael Bisping's historic title win
Saturday, June 4, 2016 was a red-letter day in the history of UK mixed martial arts, as England’s Michael Bisping stepped off a movie set on just 17 days’ notice and stunned Luke Rockhold to capture the undisputed UFC middleweight champion at UFC 199. The event was the culmination of Bisping’s...
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United Nations: Mirko Cro Cop, walkout tunes and classic comebacks
I’m back in the saddle after a week in Croatia, and the topic of Mirko Cro Cop was already underway when The Brit Pack: United Nations went on air for the latest episode. On a show that covered a LOT of bases, Gorgeous George, Goze and I chat about a host of topics, including our approval (or...
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The Rundown: Finishes aplenty at Cage Warriors 137/138
There may not have been any MMA action from the UFC, Bellator or the PFL this past weekend, but that didn’t mean MMA fans had a gap week. No siree. While the global promotions took a weekend off, Cage Warriors stepped up and hosted a double-header of events from Charter Hall in Colchester, Essex...
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Bellator 281: Simon's 'Morning After' reaction special
Bellator 281 in London saw a host of Brits return to action on home soil on a night that saw mixed fortunes for the local heroes at Wembley Arena. The main event saw Michael “Venom” Page lose out on the scorecards as Logan Storley picked up the split-decision win to capture the interim Bellator...
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United Nations: Michael Chandler and the greatest knockouts in UFC history
Everybody loves knockouts. They’re one of the main reasons why people are perched on the edge of their seats, or simply standing up, whenever the big fights take place. Michael Chandler certainly had the fans up and out of their seats at UFC 274 as his stunning front-kick finish of Tony Ferguson...
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UFC 274 recap: Statement wins, huge KOs and one bizarre title fight
UFC 274 sent us on a rollercoaster of emotions as the main card served up a real mixed bag of fights from the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona. Charles Oliveira was stripped of his title for missing weight before his bout with Justin Gaethje, but he made sure the belt remained vacant with a...
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UFC 274: England's Danny 'Hot Chocolate' Roberts is ready to bring the heat in Arizona
Danny Roberts is all set to make his 12th UFC appearance on Saturday night when he faces Brazilian veteran Francisco Trinaldo at UFC 274 in Phoenix, Arizona. It’s a bout that offers “Hot Chocolate” the chance to kick-start his 2022 in style as he faces a tough, durable opponent on one of the...
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United Nations: The big UFC 274 preview show
UFC 274 brings an absolutely stacked card of fights to Phoenix, Arizona, as the Footprint Center plays host to the UFC’s latest pay-per-view offering. The card features a double-header of championship action, with Brazil’s Charles Oliveira putting his undisputed UFC lightweight title on the line...
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United Nations: Fantasy MMA Draft Special
NFL Draft fever had the sporting world gripped on Thursday night as the first round of the draft took place in Las Vegas. Not wanting to miss out on the fun, we at The Brit Pack United Nations gathered together to conduct a draft of our own – The Brit Pack United Nations Fantasy MMA Draft. The...
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The Rundown: Harrison's Singapore stunner, Stots' gold rush in Hawaii
Could it be possible that a British fighter just locked up 2022’s Fight of the Year, Round of the Year AND Comeback of the Year honours in the space of just one round? Liam Harrison’s incredible comeback against the “Elbow Zombie” Muangthai at ONE 156 was one of the highlights from an absolutely...
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United Nations: Who will win the Bellator bantamweight grand prix?
Welcome to the first episode of a new spin-off pod, “United Nations,” as MMA Junkie Radio’s Gorgeous George and Goze join me to shoot the breeze on everything from upcoming MMA events to other sports and pop culture. On the inaugural show, the trio chat about the upcoming Bellator double header…
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UFC 273 review, plus a fond farewell...
UFC 273 was another stellar pay-per-view, with two enthralling title fights that saw both champions retain their titles, while the welterweight bout between Khamzat Chimaev and Gilbert Burns delivered a Fight of the Year contender. On this week’s show, Simon looks back at the big fights, and the...
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UFC 273 preview: The deck is stacked in Jacksonville!
After a relatively quiet week for MMA last week (check UFC Fight Pass to catch up on two stellar Cage Warriors cards, if you missed them) the UFC is back with a bang as it brings two title fights to the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena for UFC 273. Reigning featherweight champion Alexander...
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ONE X recap: 'Mighty Mouse' defeats 'Iron Man' at Singapore spectacular
It’s not often we talk about ONE Championship on this show, but this week, it was more than justified, as Asia’s biggest martial arts promotion put on a bumper card of fights to celebrate its 10th anniversary. ONE X was a 10-hour, 20-bout marathon of fight action that would have tested even the...
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The Brit Pack's bumper UFC London recap show
Oh, what a night! After three years away, the UFC returned to London, where a card packed with the cream of British fighting talent, backed by 18,000 raucous fans, blew the roof off the O2 Arena on a memorable night in the English capital. The Brit Pack was on the ground at UFC London, with…
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UFC London preview show
We’ve been waiting for three long years, but finally the UFC octagon has returned to the UK. UFC London is all set to go down on Saturday night, with a capacity crowd of 20,000 fans expected to pack the O2 Arena for a fight card stacked with the cream of the UK’s fighting talent. Both Simon and...
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UFC 272 preview: Covington, Masvidal, and the grudge match we all needed
It takes something a little bit special to headline a UFC pay-per-view. Usually, that something special is a UFC championship bout. But sometimes, very rarely, there’s a fight that captures the imagination to such an extent that a belt isn’t even needed. Colby Covington vs. Jorge Masvidal is one…
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Sweet KO from 'Sweet Dreams'
Jamahal Hill’s fighting moniker is “Sweet Dreams,” but his punch power was anything but sweet for his light heavyweight rival Johnny Walker this past weekend. Hill delivered a stunning one-punch knockout at UFC Fight Night 201 to announce his arrival as a legitimate threat to the division’s top...
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Israel Adesanya distances himself from the pack at UFC 271
Israel Adesanya once again proved that he’s one of the best pound-for-pound athletes in MMA when he outpointed former champion Robert Whittaker to retain his undisputed UFC middleweight title at UFC 271. Adesanya’s performance in Houston was as clean as it was classy as he remained one step ahead...
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UFC 271 preview: Will it be repeat or revenge in Houston?
The UFC’s second pay-per-view event of 2022 features a battle between two of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the UFC. Reigning middleweight champion Israel Adesanya and former champ Robert Whittaker have proved their worth inside the octagon with some memorable performances over the years…
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Bellator, Royal Rumble and IMMAF, oh my!
Both Simon and Sandhu have been out on the road this past week, and the two lads recap their experiences on this week’s episode of the show. Sandhu was in St. Louis to witness two former UFC champions – Brock Lesnar and Ronda Rousey – win the men’s and women’s WWE Royal Rumble matchups, while…
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UFC 270 recap: What next for Francis Ngannou?
Francis Ngannou turned back the challenge of Ciryl Gane in the main event of UFC 270, but there was still some controversy after his hard-earned and well-deserved victory over his former training partner. Ngannou showed real improvement in his all-around MMA game as he turned to his wrestling to...
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UFC 270: Previewing Ngannou vs. Gane and Moreno vs. Figueiredo 3
The UFC’s first pay-per-view event of 2022 is upon us, and it’s serving up two top-grade title fights that will likely serve up very different matchups on fight night. The main event has captured the imagination of hardcore MMA fans, with reigning UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou set to...
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The UFC's 2022 'season' starts here!
After a few weeks off, MMA is well and truly back, and the UFC is kicking off the 2022 schedule with a banger of a fight in the featherweight division. Calvin Kattar and Giga Chikadze could be as little as two wins away from a shot at the 145-pound title, and on this week’s show, we take a look…
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The Nando's-inspired 2022 MMA 'Hot Takes' special
Happy New Year from The Brit Pack! We hope you enjoyed the holiday season and are launching into the new year with gusto and optimism. We’re kicking off 2022 with our annual hot takes special as we offer up our outlandish predictions for the upcoming year in MMA. Last year, we gathered behind our...
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Jake Paul KO's Tyron Woodley PLUS Derrick Lewis breaks UFC KO record
The final weekend of combat sports for 2021 served up a smorgasbord of pugilistic action, with a little something for everyone across three shows that delivered memorable moments aplenty. The headlines were generated by YouTuber-turned-pro boxer Jake Paul, who faced off against late replacement...
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Did UFC 269 see the biggest shock in UFC history?
What a night! UFC 269 delivered a spectacular final pay-per-view event for 2021 as the UFC’s final premium offering served up one of the most unforgettable performances in UFC championship history. That performance came in the co-main event, as Julianna Pena, almost universally considered a huge...
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UFC 269 preview PLUS Jake Paul vs Tyron Woodley 2 is GO!
The UFC brings the curtain down on a stellar 2021 with a huge pay-per-view offering from Las Vegas, as two champions get set to put their titles on the line at UFC 269. In the main event, newly-crowned lightweight world champion Charles Oliveira takes on former interim champ Dustin Poirier in a...
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Who should Conor McGregor face on his return?
Conor McGregor has set his timeline for a return to the octagon, but who should “The Notorious” face on his return? That’s just one of the questions we ponder on this week’s episode of The Brit Pack MMA Podcast as MMA returns to full speed after something of a “gap week” last weekend. Before we...
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Ketlen Vieira edges Miesha Tate PLUS Conor McGregor demands title shot return
It’s been a quiet week in MMA, so it perhaps makes sense that one of the quiet contenders in the UFC’s women’s bantamweight division came to the fore with one of the most important wins of her career. Brazil’s Ketlen Vieira battled Miesha Tate – and, perhaps, her own confidence issues – to claim…
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UFC Fight Night 197: Holloway takes it to the Max in Vegas
Just when you thought the UFC had hit the ceiling for outstanding fights in 2021, Max Holloway and Yair Rodriguez collectively said, “Hold my beer,” and served up yet another Fight of the Year contender. Former featherweight champion Holloway and high-flying contender Rodriguez – who was…
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UFC 268 recap: A huge night in the Big Apple
The biggest card of the year delivered the biggest thrills as UFC 268 served up a night to remember at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night. The main event between Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington produced another super-competitive title fight, with Usman getting the nod on the scorecards…
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UFC 268: Will it be repeat or revenge at Madison Square Garden?
In a packed year of MMA, our cup runneth over this week as we bring you an absolutely stacked episode of The Brit Pack MMA Podcast. On this week’s show, we look back at a superb event in Abu Dhabi as UFC 267 delivered stunning action, brilliant individual performances, a touch of controversy and...
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UFC 267: Return to 'Fight Island'
Two titles are on the line at the top of a stacked main card as the UFC returns to “Fight Island,” Abu Dhabi for UFC 267. Topping the bill at the Etihad Arena on Saturday, October 30 is a battle for the undisputed light heavyweight title as reigning champion Jan Blachowicz looks to turn back the...
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Fedor Emelianenko: One more title run for 'The Last Emperor?'
Fedor Emelianenko may be on the retirement tour portion of his MMA career, but there could be one more championship left to claim before he eventually hangs up the four-ounce gloves for good. “The Last Emperor” returns to action in the main event of Bellator 269 in Moscow, Russia, with Fedor set…
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Fury vs. Wilder 3 serves up a classic PLUS Masvidal vs. Edwards is ON!
Tyson Fury proved that he isn’t just the best heavyweight in the world. “The Gypsy King” proved that he’s the best heavyweight of his era as he knocked out longtime rival Deontay Wilder in the 11th round of their epic trilogy fight in Las Vegas to retain his WBC and The Ring heavyweight world...
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Looking ahead to Fury-Wilder 3, PLUS Bellator 267 reaction, UFC Vegas 39 preview
One of the biggest fight nights of 2021 is set to go down in Las Vegas on Saturday, October 9, and The Brit Pack will have boots on the ground in Sin City for Tyson Fury vs. Deontay Wilder 3. Sandhu will be making the trip down from Toronto, Canada to Las Vegas, Nevada for the huge WBC…
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Alexander 'The Great' Volkanovski lives up to his name in UFC 266 instant classic
To borrow the famous tagline of Australian former Formula 1 ace Mark Webber, UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski showed true “Aussie grit” as he retained his undisputed title in the main event of UFC 266. Volkanovski claimed a landslide decision on the scorecards after his bout with...
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Anderson Silva's still got the power
He may be 46 years of age, but Anderson Silva showed the combat sports world that he is still more than capable of putting people away, with his clinical knockout of fellow former UFC champion Tito Ortiz the highlight of the Triller Fight Club: Legends II event last weekend. On this week’s show…
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UFC Vegas 36: Paddy Pimblett arrives in style as Brits steal the show in Vegas
UFC Vegas 36 (or UFC Fight Night 191, if you prefer) was supposed to take place in London, England. But some of U.K.’s top rising stars made the UFC Apex a home away from home as they served up impressive performances in Las Vegas on Saturday night. Things may not have gone Darren Till’s way in…
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Giga Chikadze makes his move PLUS Jake Paul vs. Tyron Woodley reaction
The Brit Pack is back to recap a packed weekend of MMA action and look ahead to a pivotal event for a host of British fighters at the UFC Apex. First, we look back at the final round of PFL Playoffs, as England’s Brendan Loughnane agonisingly lost out on a place in the final via split decision to...
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Gegard Mousasi shows his class at Bellator 264, while controversy reigns at the PFL Playoffs
With no UFC card at the weekend, the attention of the MMA-watching world was on Bellator and PFL, who went head to head with solid cards of action last Friday night. Bellator 264 saw middleweight champion Gegard Mousasi retain his 185-pound title with victory over No. 1 contender John Salter…
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UFC 265 review: Ciryl Gane reaches the heavyweight summit
UFC 265 may have been denied the added value of an Amanda Nunes title fight, but the event still delivered plenty of superb action, with France’s Ciryl Gane coming of age by capturing the interim UFC heavyweight title in only his 10th professional fight. “Bon Gamin” produced a near-flawless…
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Bellator 263 review: Is A.J. McKee the best featherweight in the world?
On a packed weekend of MMA, Bellator took centre stage with a huge card at The Forum in Inglewood, California as A.J. McKee rose to the featherweight summit at Bellator 263. McKee finished two-division champion Patricio Pitbull in less than two minutes in the final of the Bellator featherweight...
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T.J. Dillashaw's back in the mix PLUS Usman vs Covington 2 is GO!
The already stacked UFC bantamweight division was bolstered by the return of former undisputed champ T.J. Dillashaw after he defeated top contender Cory Sandhagen in the main event of UFC Vegas 32. Dillashaw returned from a two-year USADA suspension to defeat Sandhagen via split decision after…
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Conor McGregor's recovery starts here! PLUS Miesha Tate returns in style, Makhachev makes his move
On paper, this weekend’s UFC Vegas 31 event at the UFC Apex was a fight card that offered a couple of bouts of interest to the hard-core MMA fan. But, as is often the case with underestimated fight cards, the bouts delivered in spades as the Apex saw a night packed with finishes. The main event…
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Conor McGregor breaks his leg as Dustin Poirier claims trilogy at UFC 264
We all knew there would be drama at UFC 264, but nobody could have predicted what we witnessed on a wild night in Las Vegas as crowds returned to the T-Mobile Arena for Poirier vs. McGregor III. We had a wild opening round between the two main event stars, with Poirier looking outstanding after a...
About this show
Veteran sports writer and combat sports reporter Simon Head shares updates, behind-the-scenes content, and conversations with fighters, media colleagues, and other figures from the world of combat sports and beyond.
simonheadsport.substack.com
Hosted by
Simon Head