UFC Unfiltered with Jim Norton and Matt Serra

With a fight card to look forward to, Jim and Matt invite a pair of all-action veterans on to the show in Andre Fili and Roman Dolidze. A longtime friend of the show, Andre Fili returns to UFC Unfiltered for the first time as a father in one of his most thoughtful interviews yet. He talks about the life changes since welcoming his son Valor, how fatherhood has shifted his mindset inside and outside the cage, and his upcoming matchup with Christian Rodriguez. Then, Roman Dolidze joins ahead of his middleweight main event against Anthony Hernandez. He talks about rebounding from back-to-back losses to a strong win streak, what’s at stake this weekend, and what it is about the Georgian UFC fighters that keeps them so driven. Stick around as Matt and Jim make their picks for Saturday’s UFC Fight Night card!

Today’s episode of UFC Unfiltered delivers a powerful mix of rising talent and personal triumph as Jim and Matt welcome UFC featherweight prospect Austin Bashi and DWCS hopeful Jimmy Drago. First up is Bashi, fresh off his first UFC victory — a slick first-round submission over John Yannis. He reflects on bouncing back from his debut loss, chasing a dream he’s had since childhood, and what it was like mimicking Alexander Volkanovski in Diego Lopes’ camp. Between guests, Jim and Matt break down highlights from UFC Fight Night: Taira vs. Park — including standout performances from Tatsuro Taira, Chris Duncan, Esteban Ribovics, and more. Then, Jimmy Drago joins ahead of his Dana White’s Contender Series debut on August 12th. The Yonkers native shares his incredible story — from losing his father, a 9/11 first responder, to battling addiction and surviving eight overdoses. With sobriety, discipline, and grit, Drago turned a goal of just winning one pro fight into a legitimate UFC dream — and he’s one win away from making it real when he faces Ty Miller on the first DWCS card of 2025.

RJ Clifford jumps in as a guest co-host for one of those rare UFC Unfiltered episodes where we talk to a pair of fighters days away from fighting each other. Neil Magny drops in to reflect on his 35th UFC bout and what it means to fight another seasoned vet. Then later, Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos makes his Unfiltered debut with the help of a translator to discuss his mindset heading into the matchup and how he plans to overcome Magny’s reach. Between interviews, Jim, Matt, and RJ dive into the recently announced light heavyweight headliner between Dominick Reyes and Carlos Ulberg in Perth. Could it be a #1 contender fight? Reyes is chasing his fourth straight win, while Ulberg looks to solidify his case as the next title challenger after Ankalaev vs. Pereira II.

Jim and Matt kick off the show recapping Saturday’s UFC card in Abu Dhabi, where “Matt-stradamus” Serra stays red hot with another perfect night of picks. They react to Reinier de Ridder’s razor-close win over Robert Whittaker, Petr Yan’s bounce-back performance, and Steven Nguyen’s record-setting knockdown spree before welcoming back Davey Grant to discuss his gritty win over Da’Mon Blackshear and what’s fueling his late-career surge. Finally, inaugural UFC BJJ welterweight champ Andrew Tackett joins ahead of his first title defense this Thursday. The middle Tackett brother reflects on growing up in a grappling-obsessed family and shares why his aggressive style makes him a fan-friendly champion for a UFC BJJ ruleset already designed to deliver action.

It’s a loaded Wednesday on UFC Unfiltered as Jim and Matt welcome two top-10 UFC contenders and gear up for Saturday’s UFC Fight Night card in Abu Dhabi! First, 7th-ranked lightweight Mateusz Gamrot joins the show just two months after his dominant win over Ludovit Klein. The American Top Team standout reflects on teammate Dustin Poirier’s recent retirement before unpacking his place in the stacked lightweight division’s current logjam at the top. Then, 7th-ranked middleweight Jared Cannonier jumps on to preview his August 16th bout with Michael “Venom” Page. Fresh off a 4th-round KO over "RoboCop" that snapped a 2-fight skid, Cannonier compares MVP’s style to prior opponents before ultimately putting on his analyst hat with a pick in this Saturday’s Whittaker vs. de Ridder main event. The guys wrap things up with three fight picks of their own for Saturday’s early-start Fight Night in Abu Dhabi.

An event as wholesome as Dustin Poirier’s farewell fight deserves a show just as impactful — so Jim and Matt bring in two people who know “The Diamond” better than most to help unpack all the emotion and action of UFC 318. First, American Top Team head coach Mike Brown shares what it was like cornering Dustin for the final time, reflecting on their journey together from shared fight cards to title runs — and what made Saturday night in New Orleans so unforgettable despite the loss to Max Holloway. Between interviews, Jim and Matt talk through some of their predictions before Lafayette’s own Alan Jouban hops on to put a bow on UFC 318. Jouban offers his perspective on the crowd, atmosphere, and standout performances throughout the card. It’s a full-circle episode that wraps up UFC 318 the right way.

Jim and Matt are back on UFC Unfiltered with veteran guests Michael Johnson and Jimmy Crute ahead of UFC 318. Michael discusses his resurgence at 39, including a new mindset, stem cell treatments in Cancun, and how he’s embracing the gatekeeper role while aiming for one last title push. Matt, fresh off his own stem cell therapy, is especially curious about the impact ahead of Michael’s fight with Daniel Zellhuber. Later, Aussie light heavyweight Jimmy Crute joins the show — and Matt immediately crowns him a fellow Kimura Savage. Crute opens up about bouncing back from a five-fight winless streak, adjusting to the New Orleans time zone, and what to expect in his bout against veteran Marcin Prachnio. Jim and Matt wrap with their UFC 318 picks — including the BMF title trilogy between Holloway and Poirier, and other must-watch matchups.

On today’s episode of UFC Unfiltered, Jim and Matt are joined by NBA forward Pete Nance and UK-born light heavyweight Tuco Tokkos. Maximizing his Summer League experience in Las Vegas, Nance calls in from the UFC P.I. to discuss his family’s NBA lineage and how attending a UFC event in Newark accelerated his growing fascination with the sport. Between interviews, the guys react to UFC Nashville — including Derrick Lewis’ 35-second KO and whether “The Black Beast” could be closing in on one last title run. Later, Tuco Tokkos hops on for his first-ever Unfiltered appearance following his gutsy win over Junior Tafa. Battling through a shoulder injury in Round 1, Tuco discusses the payoff of his second-round submission — and the light heavyweight’s chemistry with Matt keeps the UFC Hall of Famer laughing the entire way.

On today’s episode of UFC Unfiltered, Jim Norton and Matt Serra welcome back veteran middleweight-turned-welterweight Chris “Action Man” Curtis for his sixth appearance on the show. Energized by no longer having to concede size disadvantages to larger opponents like Roman Kopylov, the 37-year-old Curtis explains why now was the right time to return to 170 pounds. He opens up about uprooting his family to Thailand to live and train overseas ahead of Saturday’s pivotal fight with Max Griffin — a durable opponent who hasn’t been stopped in nearly a decade. Later, Steve Garcia joins us fresh off a four-mile treadmill run to talk about his co-main event showdown with Calvin Kattar at UFC Nashville. Fully aware of the urgency surrounding Kattar’s four-fight skid, Garcia shares his focused mindset and how he’s sharpening his game at Jackson Wink as he aims to steal the show and crack the featherweight rankings. Plus, Jim and Matt preview and predict the UFC Nashville main card, including the Derrick Lewis vs. Tallison Teixeira main event before spotlighting a few other matchups fans shouldn’t sleep on.

Jim and Matt celebrate 900 episodes of UFC Unfiltered with flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja and surging featherweight Chepe Mariscal. Having perfectly predicted Pantoja’s third-round rear-naked choke, Matt heaps praise on the champ — who reflects on his growth at American Top Team as the guys discuss what Joshua Van brings to the table as his next challenger. Fresh off a move from Colorado to Vegas to be closer to the UFC Performance Institute, Mariscal joins in the second half to talk about living the dream he first had as a 9-year-old sneaking into an MMA event. Motivated by his three-month-old baby girl, Chepe shares what might be next as he looks to extend his 8-fight win streak and 5-0 UFC run.

Matt Serra and guest co-host Ben “The Bane” Davis hold it down on today’s UFC Unfiltered, starting with MMA media veteran RJ Clifford. The guys bring RJ on to unpack Ilia Topuria’s three-fight run to superstardom before analyzing what it might take for someone to beat the promotion’s newest two-division champion. Clifford also dishes on Pantoja’s dominance and whether Joshua Van has the formula to dethrone the Brazilian flyweight king. Later, Paddy “The Baddy” Pimblett joins to address rumors about a matchup with Justin Gaethje in August and speaks candidly about the history of his rivalry with Topuria. He walks through the lightweight Top 10 to explain why he’s worthy of the next title shot, then reiterates he’s ready to take on whoever if the promotion decides he needs one more win. Matt wraps up the interview with some girl-dad advice to Paddy the…Daddy — who is now a father of twin daughters himself. With no fights this weekend, Ben and Matt close things out with some laughs to send the Unfiltered Army into the Fourth of July weekend with a smile.

UFC 317 delivered in a big way with highlight-reel finishes, breakout performances, and a star-making moment for Ilia Topuria — and guest co-host Kevin Iole is on the mic with Matt Serra (while Jim Norton is out) to break it all down. The episode kicks off with featherweight knockout artist Jose Miguel Delgado, fresh off a 26-second finish of Hyder Amil. The Arizona native talks about training with elite teammates at MMA Lab and explains why he’s calling his shot for a clash with William Gomis at September’s Noche UFC card. Matt and Kevin then react to Topuria’s viral knockout of Charles Oliveira and what it means for the future of the lightweight division. Later, undefeated welterweight Jacobe Smith joins the show to break down his submission win over veteran Niko Price — the first of his career. The 29-year-old reflects on his All-American wrestling days at Oklahoma State and how Coach Sayif Saud has helped mold him into a complete mixed martial artist. To close it out, the guys share their biggest takeaways from UFC 317 — including Beneil Dariush’s bounce-back win and the record-setting flyweight war between Joshua Van and Brandon Royval before Kevin reflects on officially retiring from writing after an extraordinary 46-year run covering combat sports.

Jim and Matt gear up for UFC 317 with a pair of lightweight contenders from Saturday’s card joining the show. First, Beneil Dariush returns for his 12th Unfiltered appearance to reflect on his 18-month layoff and the road back after a tough 2023. He opens up about how fatherhood and a reset in training helped center him, and why the Moicano matchup feels like the right fight at the right time. In between guests, Matt reveals what might be the greatest honor of his post-fighting life — leaving Jim to question whether anything in his own career can even come close (sarcasm may or may not be involved). Then, fan-favorite Terrance McKinney stops by to talk about life after recently getting married, evolving under new coaches at Fusion X-Cel, and what a win over Viacheslav Borschev could mean for his momentum. He also shares thoughts on teammate Phil Rowe and how he’s balancing his trademark explosiveness with a new focus on patience. Finally, the guys break down the UFC 317 main card, headlined by a can’t-miss title fight between Ilia Topuria and Charles Oliveira, and lock in their predictions for the weekend.

On today’s episode of UFC Unfiltered, Jim Norton and Matt Serra are joined by this past Saturday’s biggest winner in Nazim Sadykhov and heavyweight contender Ciryl Gane in the wake of Jon Jones’ retirement. Fresh off his acting debut in the new Netflix film K.O., Gane reflects on the surreal experience of being a movie star — and how choreographed fight scenes compare to the real violence of the Octagon. He also weighs in on Jon Jones’ legacy and what the future holds for Ciryl now that Tom Aspinall has been elevated to undisputed heavyweight champion. Jim and Matt begin to unpack the action from this past Saturday’s UFC Fight Night card before the fighting pride of Azerbaijan himself, Nazim Sadykhov calls in to reflect on the surreal feeling of winning in front of a roaring hometown crowd in Baku.

Jim and Matt start today's show two hours earlier than usual to accomodate two exciting guests fighting on this Saturday's UFC Azerbaijan card: heavyweight Mohammed Usman and women's bantamweight Melissa Mullins. Looking to bookend a second straight win from an Usman brother following Kamaru's victorious main event in Atlanta, younger brother Mohammed Usman talks about how he draws inspiration from his legendary brother’s success ahead of an explosive matchup against Hamdy Abdelwahab. Mohammed also sheds light on the Hall-of-Fame guidance he’s receiving from Rashad Evans — who is now in charge of leading his corner. Melissa uses her first time on the show to discuss her journey into the world of professional martial arts. Mullins sets the table for her upcoming rematch with Daria Zhelezniakova by breaking down what she respects from her veteran opponent in Saturday's second go-around. Finally, Jim and Matt wrap things up with a pair of fight picks each from the UFC Azerbaijan card headlined by Jamahal Hill and Khalil Rountree Jr.

Jim Norton and Matt Serra open today’s UFC Unfiltered with a full breakdown of UFC Atlanta, starting with Kamaru Usman’s bounce-back win over Joaquin Buckley and what it means for the future of a stacked welterweight division. Plus, Jim and Matt debate Rodolfo Bellato’s controversial no contest against Paul Craig and whether the backlash heading his way is fair. Plus, they spotlight strong performances from Malcolm Wellmaker, Edmen Shahbazyan, and others. Then, Rose Namajunas joins the show to reflect on her win over Miranda Maverick and the personal dynamic of facing a former teammate. She also shares her thoughts on the idea of rematches vs. flyweights she lost to before ultimately assessing who she thinks realistically could be next and ideal for her. Toward the end of the interview, Rose’s husband and coach Pat Barry hops on to talk about how they unwind after a fight — with gardening, good food, and catching up on their favorite shows.

Longtime friend of the show Phoenix Carnevale reprises her esteemed guest co-host duties in Matt Serra’s absence, joining Jim Norton for an episode that features two fighters from this Saturday’s UFC Atlanta card: welterweight contender Joaquin Buckley and light heavyweight veteran Paul Craig. The show opens with Jim and Phoenix reacting to UFC 316 — including Sean O’Malley’s response to his loss to Merab — before Joaquin calls in mid-track workout to discuss his mindset ahead of his main event clash against Kamaru Usman. Later, Paul Craig reflects on his rocky run at middleweight, what he learned about himself through after going through more demanding weight cuts, and how he's channeling those lessons ahead of his 20th UFC appearance and a return to light heavyweight in Saturday’s featured prelim bout against Rodolfo Bellato. While Jim and Phoenix don't make any predictions of their own, the two set the table for UFC Atlanta by previewing some of this Saturday's dynamic matchups.

Jim Norton and guest co-host Din Thomas are joined by MMA legend Bas Rutten for a lively recap of UFC 316. Din gives props to Bas for his unique insight into both the streetfighting mindset and high-level martial arts, setting the stage for Bas to break down what stood out most on the card — including how Joshua Van reminds him of a young Max Holloway. Bas has so much fun he sticks around when UFC bantamweight champ Kayla Harrison calls in. She reflects on her Olympic roots, the emotions behind her recent victory, and whether a showdown with Amanda Nunes might be on the horizon.

With UFC 316 just days away, Matt and Jim welcome two fighters making their second appearances on Unfiltered: rising flyweight Joshua Van and heavy-hitting welterweight Khaos Williams. Kicking things off, Matt finally gets to meet 23-year-old prospect Joshua Van after missing his debut episode — and wastes no time bonding over Bruce Lee movies before breaking down Van’s upcoming clash with veteran Bruno Silva. Focused and self-aware, Joshua explains why he’s preparing for the best version of Silva — knowing how dangerous a fighter can be coming off a loss. In the middle of the show, the guys dive into the UFC 316 card — sharing thoughts on the title fights between Merab Dvalishvili and Sean O’Malley, and Julianna Peña vs. Kayla Harrison — plus Kelvin Gastelum’s return, Patchy Mix’s Octagon debut, and Kevin Holland’s wild schedule. Matt and Jim each make three official fight picks heading into Saturday’s stacked show. Then it’s time to catch up with Khaos Williams, who joins ahead of his short-notice bout against UFC newcomer Andreas Gustafsson. The welterweight striker reflects on his turbulent path — from getting jumped and stabbed in his younger years to a life-changing entry into MMA. Now 31, Khaos talks about staying grounded by embracing risk, investing in real estate, and focusing on long-term growth both in and out of the cage.

It’s Matt Serra’s 51st birthday — and what better way to celebrate than with a few surprise guests? Matt correctly guesses Din Thomas as part one of his birthday surprise — but it’s the unexpected call from bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili that really makes his day. Merab joins ahead of his highly anticipated rematch against Sean O’Malley at UFC 316 in Newark. Din sticks around to co-host with Jim and Matt, as the guys share plenty of laughs before welcoming welterweight Ramiz Brahimaj. Fresh off a 1st-round submission win, Brahimaj opens up about his mindset heading into the fight and what’s next for him in the division. Later, the crew breaks down the highlights from last weekend’s card and weighs in on how Erin Blanchfield’s scratched bout with Maycee Barber could affect the title picture for Valentina Shevchenko.