Handing out 2025 UFC Awards, Looking Ahead to 2026, Who Will Be Champ in 2026?
For the final episode of UFC Unfiltered in 2025, Jim Norton and Matt Serra put a bow on the year that was and look ahead to what 2026 might hold.The guys open the show by revisiting their 2025 predictions, breaking down how the season played out after a razor-thin race in their season-long picks competition. Matt finished ahead on total points, while Jim led in correctly predicted winners — setting the stage for plenty of friendly back-and-forth.From there, Jim and Matt hand out eight end-of-year awards, including four official #UFCHonors categories that fans can begin voting on December 27, along with four Unfiltered-only awards the guys add in their own annual tradition. They debate the biggest fights, knockouts, submissions, comebacks, and breakout performances of 2025 — while giving special shine to standout runs that defined the year.The conversation then shifts to the future as the guys roll out their UFC holiday wish list for 2026, discussing everything from potential superfights and divisional clarity to fighters poised for massive breakout years.Jim and Matt wrap things up by calling their shots for 2026, predicting which fighters — including possible first-time champions — could be wearing gold by this time next year, and whether the very top of the women’s divisions could see major shakeups.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Jamey-Lyn Horth joins Matt & Ray Longo; Kape’s case for a flyweight title shot
With Jim Norton out, Ray Longo steps in alongside Matt Serra for a fresh episode of UFC Unfiltered, featuring women’s flyweight Jamey-Lyn Horth.Coming off back-to-back wins to finish 2025 undefeated, Horth talks about transitioning into MMA later than most, her athletic roots, and how early amateur fights against Loopy Godinez turned into a close friendship and training partnership. She also opens up about life in Canada and her love for cold plunges in the lakes and rivers near her home.Matt and Ray then wrap things up by unpacking UFC Fight Night: Royval vs. Kape, giving their thoughts on Manel Kape’s first-round knockout and whether it was enough to punch his ticket to a flyweight title shot against Joshua Van with Alexandre Pantoja sidelined.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Chris Duncan & Mansur Abdul-Malik talk 1st-RD wins, UFC 323 takeaways w/ Din Thomas
With Matt Serra out for the day, Jim is joined by Mr. Reliable himself — Din Thomas — for an episode that opens with lightweight Chris Duncan checking in just days after his impressive first-round anaconda choke of Terrance McKinney at UFC 323. Duncan talks about surviving the early storm, leveling up since moving full-time to American Top Team, and why he believes 2026 is the year he finally breaks into the Top 15.From there, Jim and Din dive into one of the wildest stats of the year: 10 of the UFC’s 11 active champions have been crowned in just the past eight months. The guys give their thoughts on a chaotic UFC 323 card — including two new champions, major shakeups across multiple divisions, and whether the next wave of contenders is arriving faster than anyone expected.The show wraps with unbeaten middleweight prospect Mansur Abdul-Malik, who joins fresh off his standing guillotine finish on Saturday. Mansur discusses the obsessive tape study that fuels him, the positive energy he carries inside and outside the cage, daily training sessions with Sean Strickland at Xtreme Couture, and why he’s pushing for a quick turnaround to keep his momentum rolling.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Jalin Turner, Jan Błachowicz, UFC 323 picks
Jim and Matt open the show with lightweight finisher Jalin Turner, who joins ahead of his return against Edson Barboza at UFC 323. Turner explains how training with Ian Machado Garry and reconnecting with his faith pulled him out of a brief retirement, helping him rediscover balance, purpose, and confidence. He also discusses studying the sport differently, and what he expects when he steps in with a tricky veteran striker like Barboza.The guys then shift into their UFC 323 predictions, breaking down a stacked card — from Merab Dvalishvili’s push for a historic fourth title defense of the year to Pantoja vs. Van, Moreno vs. Taira and more!Later, former light heavyweight champion Jan Błachowicz checks in to talk about making one more run at 205, how he views the danger posed by surging finisher Bogdan Guskov, and what “Legendary Polish Power” looks like in this stage of his career.Finally, Jim and Matt close out the episode with deeper analysis on some of the remaining UFC 323 matchups.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Chris Weidman breaks down Merab's title run & Gaethje-Paddy; Coach John Wood previews Merab–Yan II
Jim and Matt kick off the week with former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman, who checks in ahead of his trip to Las Vegas to support Merab Dvalishvili before the bantamweight champ’s fourth title defense of 2025.Weidman shares what he expects from Merab’s continued dominance, and also weighs in on how Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett match up in next year’s interim lightweight title fight — the first numbered event of the new Paramount deal.Then, Syndicate MMA head coach John Wood joins the show to talk about life inside one of the busiest gyms in the sport. Wood breaks down Merab’s one-of-a-kind approach to fight week and explains whether he foresees anything different in the champ’s rematch with a resurgent Petr Yan in this Saturday’s UFC 323 headliner.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.