Episode 690: Can JDM recapture … whatever he had?

Episode 690: Can JDM recapture … whatever he had?

Author: Chad Dundas and Ben Fowlkes April 29, 2026 Duration: 1:05:57
A little less than a year ago, Jack Della Maddalena was riding high, fresh off scoring the UFC welterweight title from Belal Muhammad at UFC 315. Unfortunately, like they used to say in VH1’s Behind the Music: it was all about to come crashing down. After getting summarily handled by Islam Makhachev in his first title defense at UFC 322, Della Maddalena heads home to the Land of Oz this weekend for a Fight Night main event in what promises to be a good-ass scrap with Carlos Prates. If you’re Jackie Flat Nose here, this seems like one you want to win in order to preserve … your status as an elite welterweight? Your good name? Any chance of ever working your way back into a title fight? Something or other. Plus, Aljamain Sterling refuses to give the UFC what it wants. And Tai Tuivasa is *rubs eyes in disbelief* a FAVORITE this weekend?!?! 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 671: Islam Makhachev left JDM with no plan B [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:17
Yeah, so, Islam Makhachev is your new UFC welterweight champion. Not a huge surprise, considering the former lightweight titlist was a solid favorite to dethrone Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322 over the weekend. What we…
Episode 670: UFC 322 is the big banana [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:41
It’s November in the UFC, and you know what that means! We’re headed out to Madison Square Garden with a fairly stacked card. UFC 322 features a pair of championship fights in its main and co-main events, where two reign…
Episode 669: The UFC & combat sports enter ‘Plato’s Cave’ [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:26
What’s even real anymore? That’s the question we ended up asking ourselves after last weekend’s slate of combat sports chaos. For starters, Isaac Dulgarian’s first-round submission loss to Yadier del Valle at Saturday’s…
Episode 668: UFC 321: It doesn’t get any more heavyweight than that! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:38
How does Tom Aspinall still have an eyeball right now? Dude, Ciryl Gane went two-knuckles deep in Aspinall’s left eye (while pulling off the rare double-eye poke!) during their heavyweight championship fight at UFC 321 o…
Episode 667: UFC 321 is a must-win for Aspinall, the UFC & the world [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:20
Let’s be honest, if the current version of the UFC heavyweight title is going to maintain any shred of credibility, Tom Aspinall pretty much has to win this weekend at UFC 321. Even if that happens, we’ll still only real…
Episode 666: Charles Oliveira is the new king of Rio! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:21
Chucky Olives pretty much wore Mateusz Gamrot around like a button during their main event fight at last weekend’s UFC Fight Night in Rio de Janeiro. It didn’t feel like there was a single second where Gamrot was winning…
Episode 665: Chama lives! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:30
Well, that was just disrespectful. Alex Pereira went out there at UFC 320 on Saturday with absolutely no regard whatsoever for Magomed Ankalaev. Bullied him. Dropped him. Pounded him out. Then did the “look at you now” h…
Episode 664: UFC 320 preview + Wanderlei gets KTFOed [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:17
The PPV era is (maybe!) winding down, and on Saturday, we’ll all celebrate by (maybe!) shelling out our hard-earned dollars to watch UFC 320, where Magomed Ankalaev will defend his light heavyweight title in a rematch ag…
Episode 662: Is boxing Dana White’s idea of a cushy retirement gig? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:52
You know how, after they retire, some older guys go out and get, like, part-time jobs at the United Way or Ace Hardware or some shit? Not necessarily because they need the money — they just need to keep themselves busy,…