UFC Unfiltered with Jim Norton and Matt Serra

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.

After taking Monday off in observance of Memorial Day, Jim and Matt dive right into Wednesday’s episode of UFC Unfiltered with two returning guests: 4th-ranked flyweight contender Erin Blanchfield and middleweight finisher Zachary Reese. Erin reflects on bouncing back from her first UFC loss to Manon Fiorot, shares how she’s grown more comfortable in five-round bouts, and breaks down her matchup this Saturday against fellow contender Maycee Barber — a fight with major title implications. Later, Jim and Matt offer their picks for the UFC Fight Night card before welcoming Zachary Reese, who talks about life in small-town Shiner, Texas, his plans to deliver another first-round finish, and why Dusko Todorovic is the perfect dance partner for a crowd-pleasing scrap.

It’s a jiu-jitsu kind of show today! Matt and his jiu-jitsu buddy Jimmy welcome a pair of elite grapplers for their first-ever appearances on UFC Unfiltered in Ffion Davies and William Tackett. Set to headline next Thursday’s UFC Fight Pass Invitational 11, Ffion shares her journey into submission grappling and what it means to ink an exclusive deal with the UFC. With her Australian rival Adele Fornarino looking to even the score after a 2022 loss, Ffion breaks down her mindset heading into their rematch. Later, William Tackett joins the show to talk about growing up in a family that eats, sleeps, and breathes jiu-jitsu — and how that led to marrying a fellow grappler. He previews his upcoming clash with 18-year-old phenom Achilles Rocha and reflects on life, love, and grappling under pressure.

On today’s episode of UFC Unfiltered, Jim Norton and Matt Serra are joined by two familiar friends of the show: lightweight Jared Gordon and women’s bantamweight champion Julianna Peña. Fresh off a decisive first-round stoppage win, Jared breaks down the finish and reflects on how his recovery journey has strengthened his mindset inside the cage. After revealing he's now a proud girl dad to a 4-month-old daughter, Jared gets a laugh out of Matt’s hilarious (and slightly scathing) story about a young YouTuber who kicked off their interview by asking Matt what it’s like to be the same height as a kid — prompting Matt to jokingly offer up his daughter for a grappling match with the young content creator. Shortly after, Jim and Matt’s interview with Julianna Peña kicks off with some sparks, as she joins mid-sentence — just as the guys are in the middle of complimenting her, saying she’s not getting the respect she deserves ahead of UFC 316. Once they clear up the misunderstanding, the conversation shifts into an engaging breakdown of her matchup with Kayla Harrison. Julianna talks about being an underdog throughout her career, staying focused through the noise, and how she’s preparing for Kayla’s unique skill set. Plus, she weighs in on the looming possibility of a high-stakes trilogy with Amanda Nunes.

Jim and Matt are joined by two fighters slated for action at this Saturday’s UFC APEX card. They kick off the show reacting to the just-announced, stacked UFC 317 lineup. Next, Cuban featherweight Yadier Del Valle drops in to share how watching old UFC VHS tapes in Cuba inspired his martial arts journey. He talks about earning his UFC shot on Dana White’s Contender Series and previews his debut matchup against Connor Matthews. Later, featherweight veteran Julian Erosa joins the show to explain why he took a quick turnaround just 35 days after his most recent first-round finish. Now in his third UFC stint, Erosa reflects on his mindset shift and prepares for a showdown with Melquizael Costa—a clash of fighters riding three-fight win streaks. Finally, Jim and Matt close out the episode with their picks for Saturday’s UFC Fight Night: Burns vs. Morales.

With UFC 315 in the books, Jim Norton is joined by by guest co-host Ben “The Bane” Davis for an episode of UFC Unfiltered that invites Aiemann Zahabi and Reinier de Ridder on as guest callers. Up first is Zahabi — who calls in just days removed from his impressive unanimous decision win over legend Jose Aldo in Montreal. Aiemann shares how the last-minute weight change affected his mindset, what it meant to perform in front of Canadian fans, and how guidance from GSP has shaped him into the surging fighter he is today riding a six-fight win streak. Jim and Ben dish out some more takeaways from UFC 315 before bringing Reinier de Ridder on for a chat. The Dutch middleweight discusses the role of punishing body work in his statement win over Bo Nickal before explaining why he's confident heading into his next fight — a quick turnaround against Robert Whittaker in July’s main event in Abu Dhabi.

Jim Norton and Matt Serra get you ready for UFC with a pair of fighters from this Saturday’s card joining the show. First up is undefeated light heavyweight prospect Navajo Stirling, making his UFC Unfiltered debut. Stirling shares how his journey from warehouse work to the UFC took shape, and what it’s been like sharpening his game at City Kickboxing alongside some of the best in the world as he prepares for a fight against Ivan Erslan on Saturday’s prelims. Between interviews, Jim and Matt offer their takes and make a few predictions for UFC 315. Then, 9th-ranked flyweight Jasmine Jasudavicius returns to the show to preview her pivotal bout against former champion Jessica Andrade. Jasmine opens up about her current four-fight win streak, representing Niagara Top Team, and what a win in Montreal would mean for her continued climb up the rankings.

Today’s episode of UFC Unfiltered sees Jim Norton and Matt Serra kick off a Monday full of fight talk with bantamweight contender Cory Sandhagen and featherweight standout Yair Rodriguez. First up, Sandhagen joins the show just days removed from his dominant second-round TKO over Deiveson Figueiredo. He breaks down his performance, shares what clicked in the cage, and explains why he's ready to step in as a title challenger following June’s Merab Dvalishvili vs. Sean O’Malley rematch. Between interviews, Jim and Matt react to the weekend's biggest upset: Bo Nickal suffering his first professional loss at the hands of Reinier de Ridder. The guys break down what went wrong and what could be next for the highly touted prospect. Later, Yair Rodriguez stops by to reflect on his rebound win over Patricio Pitbull and to lay out his vision for the featherweight division. Focused more on avenging his loss to Alexander Volkanovski than chasing a grudge match with Diego Lopes, Yair also gives his take on the evolution of his training partner Belal Muhammad, who defends his welterweight title this weekend at UFC 315. To wrap up the show, Jim and Matt dish out shoutouts to the standout performances from UFC Des Moines and look ahead to a stacked week of MMA action.

Miesha Tate and Bo Nickal drop in for a stacked Wednesday edition of UFC Unfiltered — with UFC Hall of Famer Forrest Griffin joining midway through to take the reins on Bo’s interview. Miesha opens up about what it's like balancing motherhood with life in the Octagon during her second UFC stint after stepping away from the sport for nearly five years. She breaks down her upcoming fight against fellow longtime vet Yana Santos and reflects on what keeps her motivated after nearly two decades in MMA. Then it’s Bo Nickal time, and Forrest Griffin couldn’t resist hopping on to steer the conversation. Bo shares what he learned from going the distance for the first time in his career against Paul Craig, his take on Reinier de Ridder’s ground game, and how he feels his skillset has developed since his amateur MMA debut. Forrest sticks around through the end of the show to hear Jim and Matt’s picks for UFC Fight Night: Des Moines — chiming in on matchups as an observer without predictions of his own.

On today’s episode of UFC Unfilfered, Jim and Matt are joined by two victorious bantamweights with very different but equally compelling stories. When Gutierrez hops on, Matt heaps praise on the veteran’s poised jiu-jitsu in in this past Saturday’s split decision win over John Castaneda in Kansas City. Having fought through a broken hand, Chris outlines a timetable for his subsequent return after banking two straight wins. In between interviews, Jim and Matt debate whether a victory over Carlos Prates puts Ian Machado Garry in prime position for a No. 1 contender fight against Sean Brady. Finally, undefeated Malcolm Wellmaker makes his first-ever appearance on the show fresh off a viral one-punch KO in his UFC debut. Malcolm reflects on the moment he earned a $50k bonus and what it would mean for the Augusta, Georgia native to fight on this June’s upcoming Atlanta card headlined by Kamaru Usman vs. Joaquin Buckley.

Jim and Matt are back with a stacked midweek episode featuring two UFC vets and one of Hollywood’s finest behind the camera. First up, Danish welterweight Nicolas Dalby makes his UFC Unfiltered debut to reflect on his razor-thin split decision loss, the secret to staying fight-ready at 40, and his thoughts heading into a striker’s showdown with Randy Brown. Next, Gavin O’Connor — the acclaimed director behind The Accountant and Warrior — joins in a pre-recorded chat ahead of this Friday’s theatrical release of The Accountant 2. Gavin and Matt swap Long Island stories before diving into how he fell in love with MMA and what makes fight storytelling so cinematic. Wrapping things up is Matt Schnell, back from a brief retirement and ready to go this Saturday. Schnell revisits his legendary comeback win over Sumudaerji and explains his motivation to return to the Octagon after previously laying down his gloves in his most recent loss to Cody Durden. With matchmaking on his post-career radar, Schnell also shares his take on the perfect sendoff for fellow Louisianan Dustin Poirier. Plus: Jim and Matt give their picks for this weekend’s UFC Fight Night in Kansas City!

On today’s episode of UFC Unfiltered, Jim and Matt are joined by two fighters representing different eras of Brazilian greatness. First, surging featherweight Jean Silva drops in for his Unfiltered debut to discuss his standing as a 145-pound title contender after beginning his unblemished 5-0 UFC tenure with each win coming via stoppage. Silva reflects on his statement victory over Bryce Mitchell, how Muay Thai turned his life around, and why he channels an alter ego called “Lord Assassin” every time he fights. Later, UFC legend Amanda Nunes returns for her 14th appearance on the show. Nearly two years removed from retiring on top with a win over Irene Aldana, the soon-to-be UFC Hall of Famer opens up about life outside the Octagon, balancing family and fitness, and what it would mean to dust off her gloves for a title shot against the winner of UFC 316’s co-main event between Julianna Peña and Kayla Harrison.

Jim and Matt welcome a pair of first-time callers from California as featherweight newcomer Aaron Pico and welterweight veteran Daniel Rodriguez join the show. To kick things off, the highly-touted Pico discusses his wrestling and boxing roots, early career setbacks, and how the weight of his family’s historic name shapes the fighter—and man—he is today. Jim and Matt also throw on their matchmaking hats to help fantasy-book his long-awaited UFC debut. Later, D-Rod checks in to talk about snapping a losing streak with a gritty win over Alex Morono, and why his May 3rd showdown with Santiago Ponzinibbio has Fight of the Night written all over it. He also shares stories from his tough upbringing in L.A. and breaks down how he’s preparing for this high-stakes clash in Des Moines.

Jim and Matt ride the momentum of Saturday’s UFC 314 featherweight fireworks into this Monday edition of UFC Unfiltered with two intriguing 145-pound guest callers rounding out the episode. First, Lerone Murphy makes his UFC Unfiltered debut just one week after extending his unbeaten record with a statement win over Josh Emmett. The former soccer phenom opens up about how surviving a near-fatal shooting changed the trajectory of his life, ultimately leading him to MMA — and now, an eight-fight win streak. Later, fan favorite Dan Ige calls in to reflect on his walk-off KO of Sean Woodson, respond to the online debate about the stoppage, and share where his head’s at as he eyes a big second half of 2025. Plus, don’t miss Matt and Jim’s breakdown of all the key moments from UFC 314—Paddy Pimblett’s huge finish, Jean Silva’s fifth straight stoppage, and Volkanovski making history with a title-winning bounce-back performance.

Today’s UFC Unfiltered episode peels back the layers of UFC 314 with two guests from Saturday’s card in light heavyweight Dominick Reyes and lightweight Chase Hooper. Joining first is Reyes — whose eighth time on the show gets the veteran to reflect on his resurgence after snapping a four-fight skid with back-to-back wins. Dominick discusses the stakes of this Saturday’s matchup against Nikita Krylov before chopping it up with Matt and Jim about how being family-oriented keeps him grounded. Later, rising lightweight Chase Hooper checks in — and the baby-faced 25-year-old explains how his “dad strength” has been the key to unlocking the power fueling his current four-fight winning streak. Coming off a win over Clay Guida, Hooper discusses what he’s expecting from yet another veteran in Jim Miller. Finally, Matt and Jim look at Miami’s stacked lineup of fights before picking winners up and down the UFC 314 card.

It’s a featherweight double feature on today’s episode of UFC Unfiltered as Jim and Matt welcome Brian “T-City” Ortega and Pat Sabatini! Returning for his tenth appearance, Ortega shows off his new-look hair style after donating his famous long locks before discussing how being called out by a victorious Lerone Murphy fits into Brian’s options at both 145 and 155 pounds. Stick around as Ortega weighs in on this Saturday’s UFC 314 main event by reflecting on his two fights against Diego Lopes and Alexander Volkanovski. The guys then chop it up about this past weekend’s fights before inviting Philly’s own Pat Sabatini on the show to discuss what powered his completely dominant performance on the ground in his win over Joanderson Brito.

On today’s episode of UFC Unfiltered, Matt and Jim welcome first-time guest Brad Tavares and returning favorite Ode’ Osbourne ahead of their bouts at UFC Vegas. Jim gets Brad to break down his upcoming matchup against Gerald Meerschaert before discussing the journey that has taken a kid from Hawaii to a record-breaking career. Ode’ sheds light on how he approaches his role as a veteran tasked with fighting an undefeated newcomer like Luis Gurule. Plus, don’t miss as Jim and Matt react to Dana’s Tuesday night announcements of the Merab vs. O'Malley rematch at UFC 316 and the Kansas City main event shakeup with welterweights Carlos Prates and Ian Machado Garry.

On today’s episode of UFC Unfiltered, lightweight up-and-comer MarQuel Mederos joins the show first to break down his dominant win over Austin Hubbard in Mexico City. The guys dive into how MarQuel’s past shaped his fighting mindset, his shift from FactoryX to MMA Lab, and why staying in the gym year-round beats a traditional fight camp. Later in the show, women’s strawweight contender Loopy Godinez returns for her fourth appearance following a much-needed win over Julia Polastri. Loopy talks about what it means to get back on track after two tough losses before joining Matt in a lighthearted, brutally honest assessment of the stomach issues that sparked a viral moment with her corner during the fight. Between interviews, Jim and Matt weigh in on Brandon Moreno’s bounce-back performance, Raul Rosas Jr.’s rapid rise, and all the standout moments from UFC Mexico City!

Two fighters from this Saturday’s card in Mexico City join Jim and Matt on today’s episode of UFC Unfiltered! Matt saves his best “Chiwiwis” entrance for rising bantamweight Raul Rosas Jr., who opens up about the small changes in his diet and how sharpening his boxing with Canelo’s coach, Eddy Reynoso, has reignited his mission to break Jon Jones’ record as the UFC’s youngest champion. After making their fight picks, Jim and Matt welcome Australian flyweight Steve Erceg. He previews his main event clash with Brandon Moreno and drops a brutally honest take on which celebrity lookalike he gets compared to the most.