Episode 656: Every UFC fighter, ranked? What could go wrong?

Episode 656: Every UFC fighter, ranked? What could go wrong?

Author: Chad Dundas and Ben Fowlkes August 6, 2025 Duration: 1:05:04
The big homies at Tapology this month revealed their own new computerized ranking system for MMA fighters — and, friends, they went big. The new Tapology rankings don’t just break down the Top 10 like your standard media rankings or the Top 15 like the UFC “rankings” do. Nope, they rank EVERY UFC FIGHTER IN EVERY WEIGHT CLASS. Can you imagine the potentially hilarious implications? Anyway, Very Serious Journalist Ben Fowlkes caught up with Tapology’s Gregory Saks to talk about developing the new system (sounds like it was not easy) for an article on the Uncrowned. This week on the CME, we discuss. Plus, it sucks to get cut from the UFC after a win (sorry, Martin Buday), Hector Lombard vs. Cheick Kongo in pillow fighting, and what’s with WWE bringing back Brock Lesnar not too long after he was named in the Vince McMahon sex trafficking lawsuit? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There’s no shortage of opinions in mixed martial arts, but there’s a distinct difference between hot takes and informed conversation built on years of watching fights from press row. That’s what you’ll find each week on The Co-Main Event MMA Podcast. Hosts Chad Dundas and Ben Fowlkes, both veteran journalists who have covered the sport for more than a decade, break down the latest news without the filter of corporate hype or predictable fanboy reactions. Their discussions feel like the post-event analysis you’d have with the most knowledgeable person you know-if that person also had a sharp sense of humor and a healthy skepticism for the industry’s usual narratives. This isn’t a scripted recap show; it’s an irreverent, meandering, and deeply insightful dialogue that covers everything from the UFC and Bellator to the broader landscape of combat sports. You’ll hear them debate fight outcomes, analyze promotional politics, and question the week’s biggest stories with a perspective that only comes from having seen it all before. The chemistry between Dundas and Fowlkes turns each episode into a compelling conversation, making this podcast a staple for fans who prefer substance over shouting. It’s the kind of listen that doesn’t just tell you what happened, but makes you think about why it matters.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The Co-Main Event MMA Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Episode 622: MMA eats our heroes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:11
What a strange mix of emotions we felt watching UFC 308. On one hand, it was cool to see guys like Ilia Topuria and Khamzat Chimaev score big wins to solidify themselves among the next wave of MMA’s great fighters. But w…
Episode 621: Big Fran back! UFC 308 next! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:37
There are a lot of lean times in MMA. A lot of times where it feels like, for lack of a better term, ain’t shit goin’ on. This is not one of them. With Francis Ngannou making his return to MMA last Saturday with a first-…
Episode 620: Can Francis Ngannou come up big for PFL? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:20
This Saturday in Saudi Arabia, Francis Ngannou returns to the cage for the first time since January 2022. A lot has transpired since then, as we all know: Big Fran left the UFC amid a bitter contract dispute, he made a l…
Episode 619: Alex Pereira saves the day (again!) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:21
UFC 307 was not one for the record books. In fact, right up to the point that Alex Pereira and Khalil Rountree Jr. took the cage for the light heavyweight title fight main event, it was sort of a stinker. But then Pereir…
Episode 618: Alex Pereira tempts the gods at UFC 307 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:27
Alex Pereira sure fights a lot. Saturday’s light heavyweight title defense against Khalil Rountree Jr. at UFC 307 will be Poatan’s fourth fight in the last calendar year and also his 10th in the UFC since his promotional…
Episode 617: We came, we Sphered, we conquered [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:12:21
The UFC’s long-awaited, much hyped debut at Sphere in Las Vegas finally went down Saturday and – you know what? – it was actually pretty cool. The visuals were stunning, the atmosphere was unique and it was refreshing to…
Episode 616: UFC 306 at Sphere! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:41
Well, Main-iacs, the time is finally here. This is the week the UFC heads across town to (the) Sphere for UFC 306. Dana White has convinced himself that the dummies on the internet said he couldn’t do it, so a lot is rid…
CME Patreon Live Chat for 9/4/24 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:45
Since we missed the Proper yesterday, we thought we'd go ahead and put this episode of the Live Chat out on the regular free CME podcast feed. For you free listeners, think of it as a view behind the curtain at what's go…
Episode 615: All hail the Fighting Nerds! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:23
Caio Borralho and Jared Cannonier actually had themselves an entertaining scrap on Saturday in the main event of the UFC's latest offering on ESPN. In the end, it was Borralho notching the unanimous decision win … after…
Episode 614: Don’t doubt Dricus [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:46
How does Dricus du Plessis keep doing this shit, man? This is a guy who fights like he’s in PRIDE in like 2005. He rushes in, throwing them haymakers, seemingly just hoping for the best — and somehow it’s still working f…