The Level Change Podcast · Combat Sports news variety show usually previewing or reviewing the latest UFC event while covering the latest news in combat sports.

Saudi Arabia already impacting UFC matchmaking

·55 min

1. The Level Change Podcast episode 277 centers on UFC 297, UFC Vegas 84, and 2024 title predictions. 2. Steffi Haines and Victor Rodriguez host, while Mookie Alexander joins as guest and describes a strong year of picks. 3. The episode asks which UFC champions will still hold belts by December 31, 2024, and which UFC 297 matchups are worth attention. 4. The conversation opens with UFC Vegas 84, where Nicholas Mota’s 63-second knockout of Tom Nolan gets singled out as a pick the hosts missed. 5. Mookie calls Bruno Ferreira’s demolition of Phil Hawes a candidate for “forced retirement,” citing how quickly Hawes goes down when hit hard. 6. Johnny Walker’s knockout loss to Magomed Ankalaev leads Mookie to argue that Ankalaev deserves another crack at the belt. 7. The hosts also discuss John Silva’s win over Westin Wilson, including Silva’s pre-fight walk to the cage and his post-fight antics. 8. Mookie says Marcus McGhee stands out for his calm attitude outside the cage and violent style inside it. 9. The champion-pick segment starts with Jon Jones, where Mookie thinks Jones may beat Stipe Miocic but later lose to Tom Aspinall. 10. Victor also sees Aspinall as the future heavyweight champion if Jones or Miocic cannot carry the division through 2024. 11. At light heavyweight, Victor leans Yuri Prochazka, while Mookie chooses Ankalaev because Jamahal Hill has no clear return timeline. 12. On middleweight, Mookie and Victor split between Dricus du Plessis and Israel Adesanya, with Mookie favoring Adesanya to regain the belt by year’s end. 13. Welterweight becomes a debate over Leon Edwards, Belal Muhammad, and Shavkat Rakhmonov. 14. Mookie picks Rakhmonov to beat Edwards after a likely Edwards-Muhammad rematch. 15. Victor and Steffi both end up backing Rakhmonov too, citing Edwards’ form and Rakhmonov’s durability. 16. Lightweight ends with Islam Makhachev keeping the title, although both hosts say Arman Tsarukyan is the clearest stylistic threat. 17. Featherweight discussion centers on Alexander Volkanovski, Ilia Topuria, and the impact of age and wear on Volkanovski’s title run. 18. The tone is conversational and argumentative, with the hosts interrupting each other, laughing, and revisiting prior picks card by card. 19. Listeners who follow UFC matchmaking, rankings, and title-picture debates will get the most from this. 20. Listeners wanting a tight, event-only breakdown without long predictions may skip it.

As heard by us

A loose UFC 297 conversation that folds in UFC Vegas 84, champion picks, and Mookie Alexander's prediction run.

Level Change Podcast keeps this UFC 297 and UFC Vegas 84 episode moving with Steffi Haines, Victor Rodriguez, and Mookie Alexander at the center.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

Want the clearest take on UFC 297 and the middleweight title logjam?

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify