Spinning Back Clique LIVE (noon ET): Mackenzie Dern avenges loss, PFL's major changes, UFC 311 preview, more
Check out this week’s “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly live show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts.
This week’s panel of Brian “Goze” Garcia, Dan Tom and Danny Segura will join host “Gorgeous” George Garcia live at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) to discuss and debate the following topics:
- The first UFC event for 2025 is in the books. UFC Fight Night 249 saw Mackenzie Dern avenge her first professional loss to Amanda Ribas in the main event. We break down the strawweight bout, along with other highlights from the card.
- Two legends of the game have booked their returns to the octagon, as former UFC bantamweight champions Henry Cejudo and Dominick Cruz will fight – but not against each other – at UFC Fight Night 252. Cruz takes on Rob Font in the co-main event, and Cejudo fights Song Yadong in the main. We discuss the two matchups and the careers of the bantamweight legends.
- PFL is making some changes. The promotion will no longer host its signature season-format tournaments, signaling a big shift for the company. The tournaments will not have a season, and they will be prospect-based, rather than having their marquee names. This is on top of the allowance of elbows, which were announced last week by PFL owner Donn Davis. We react to the changes and discuss PFL’s potential year in 2025.
- It’s fight week for UFC 311. The first UFC pay-per-view of the year goes down Saturday in Southern California. This card features two title fights, with Islam Nurmagomedov defending his lightweight belt against Armar Tsarukyan in a rematch, and Merab Dvalishvili defending his bantamweight title against Umar Nurmagomedov. We analyze the two championship fights, along with other key matchups on the card.