Level Change Podcast

Well, it's all starting. Major MMA in 2026 has officially begun and it's looking rocky. But we're not giving up on hope. We've got a lot to be concerned about, but we've got some great stuff to look forward to.This is a solo ep this week, kids. Stephie's unavailable but we'll be trudging through the forest with a machete to try to make some sense of this mess. And maybe, just maybe, you'll have a little more hope in your hearts with this weird-ass sport.Please consider becoming a paid member...

Well, it's all starting. Major MMA in 2026 has officially begun and it's looking rocky. But we're not giving up on hope. We've got a lot to be concerned about, but we've got some great stuff to look forward to.This is a solo ep this week, kids. Stephie's unavailable but we'll be trudging through the forest with a machete to try to make some sense of this mess. And maybe, just maybe, you'll have a little more hope in your hearts with this weird-ass sport.Please consider becoming a paid member...

Welcome to the new year, kids. Glad to be back after some turbulence and hardship, but we’ve got you this week. Tracy Cortez and Alex Pereira were in a “grand opening, grand closing“ situation, making us question where all the love in the world truly is.Also, Ilia Topuria’s divorce proceedings are kind of messing up the championship picture. Dan Hooker and Paddy Pimblett engage in a race to the bottom on social media and Dana White is about to be as ubiquitous as Kevin Hart for some reason.Fun times. Or something....

This holiday season, we look forward to seeing Jake Paul being sacrificed upon the altar of Dionysus. It’s the biggest turkey possible, and it is our strongest desire that it be cooked in the most violent way possible. Amen.Also, some awful news from the world of Karate Combat, where structural and financial problems have led to fighters and staff in revolt over non-payment issues. Seems like the milk’s gone bad over there. Check out this excellent article by Timothy Wheaton for a full accounting of the issues plaguing the promotion.Finally, we talk...

We’re ending the year with another good card that isn’t a PPV, and isn’t perfect. But there’s some great action and real consequences for a few divisions. Obviously we’ve got a potentially (like, very likely) awful heavyweight fight and a potentially good middleweight showcase.We do also get to talk a bit of TV and film, and that reminds me that I really need to watch Predator: Badlands and The Running Man. As a major fan of both originals, I need to see where things are going with these. Anyway, enjoy the...

The Kyushu Basho wrapped up this past Sunday putting the excitement of 2025 to bed officially. We saw our two Yokozuna battle for supremacy and a third competitor that ended up besting them both to take the tournament. That’s why we have our good friend, Tim Bissell of Sumo Stomp joining us to provide all the analysis and big storylines from the 15-day event. Tim takes us through all the best moments of the tournament, including critiques of the leaders’ performances, how the other wrestlers did, and we even got him to tell us the matches he’s most thankf...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.comDoha plays host to this week’s UFC event, and it’s a solid action card. Not too many top names, but certainly some reliable action fighters and a lot to look forward to. Dan Hooker and Arman Tsarukyan always deliver, and after their little tiff at the weigh-ins, tempers may be flared here. Belal Muhammad and Ian Machado Garry will tussle at welterweight…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.comRemember how events like this were something we’d get every other month? Or maybe every three months? Man, those were great times. We were spoiled, so spoiled. But we have a great event here with two title fights and a bunch of absolute bangers. Very little waste on this one, so we break down almost all of it while also making a detour to talk about The…

Alright, kids. Stephie is taking the week off, so she left me the keys to the place. And I wish the circumstances were more fun, but we gotta talk about this rotten gambling scandal.Then there’s this card this weekend, and it’s not looking great. Not much on name value, but here’s hoping there’s some decent action on it. Otherwise, Mick Maynard needs another thorough roasting on social media. UFC Vegas 111 Card* Gabriel Bonfim vs Randy Brown 170lbs* Matt Schnell vs Joseph Morales 125lbs* Muslim Salikhov...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.comSee, it wasn’t until we stopped recording that we remembered this card was an early one in Abu Dhabi. And it makes all the sense in the world, since this is an actually great card. Like, top to bottom? It’s not bad at all and has some absolute bangers and topped by two title fights. Listen as we agonize in making the tough choices and then the surprisin…

So here’s what we’ve got: Stephie’s backing most of the underdogs, which is very rare. She’s also down on the card, while I’m not. I actually like it! Lots of disagreement on where this card is going or how good it actually is, but we had some fun breaking it down.And yeah, we’ve got hard times. No TV or film talk this week, but we do start off with a bit of things that are bumming us out. And if you’re bummed out, we’ll hold your hand, too. We’re all we’ve...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.comUFC 320 is here, and it’s a great card. That’s it. No snark, no sarcasm. It’s good, and has a fair amount of promise. Sure, there’s some nitpicking to do here and there. But we breaks it down to the bone gristle to ensure you have the proper perspective on this one. With two title fights and some rather consequential bouts, there’s a good amount of meat…

The Aki Basho is in full swing—Day 13 to be exact—but we’re not gonna let it get completely away from us this time. That’s why we have our good friend, Tim Bissell of Sumo Stomp joining us for all the analysis, updates, and big storylines. Tim takes us through all the best moments of the tournament, including critiques of the leaders’ performances, how the other wrestlers are faring, and some predictions. Tim also has his storefront up and running where paid subscribers get a discount, but there’s an update that U.S. customers need to look...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.comIs UFC Noche 2025 good? Is it bad? Is it just in a weird place to the point where the UFC doesn’t even care about the branding already? Man, listen… it’s just there. You got an event series kickstarted from the premise of celebrating Mexican fighters near Mexican Independence Day and both main eventers are Brazilian. So, there’s that.Other than that, there’s some fun to be had but we can’t get away from how odd...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.comA good Fight Night event? Yes! In fact, it might even be a great Fight Night event. The UFC heads to Paris and brings not only the a smattering of European standouts, but they’ve assembled some absolute bangers and some other pretty fun bouts. Plus, we talk so much about shows on Apple TV that it’s a shame they don’t sponsor us. There’s so much good stu…

The Nagoya Basho ended last month, and finally, after a few weeks of scheduling conflicts (on my part), we have a thorough review of all the action with our awesome friend, Tim Bissell of Sumo Stomp. Tim takes us through all the best moments of the tournament, including critiques of the winner’s performances, how the other wrestlers did, and the awards handed out. Tim also has his storefront up and running where paid subscribers get a discount, so make sure you subscribe to his site with your dollars to partake in that. One last note, Tim ha...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.comOK, so Chicago gets a really good event this time. Look, we mean that. It’s got a bunch of names we don’t really recognize or are intrigued by, but the action potential is choice over here.Will Dricus Du Plessis find a Looney Tunes way to win this one and keep his gold, or will Chimaev finally reach the pinnacle as he’s been expected to for years now? W…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit levelchangepodcast.substack.comDid you know Slow Horses is being renewed for another two seasons? Have you played the Korean sleeper hit Lies of P? Both are better uses of your time than half of this card coming up this week.As far as the rest is concerned? Actually quite good! There’s some fun here in this one, but it’s a very lopsided event in terms of quality. Also, Gina Carano go…

Yes, the streets are correct. Victor is back, and he’s starving. Despite a not-so-great vacation, he’s somewhat rested and talking in third person for some reason. And we are here to discuss a flatly not-good Apex card, which is now our lot in life. But at least the headliner promises to be fun. There’s some meat on this bone, but it’s a small bone to peck at.But hey, we had some fun on the way back in. Witnessing the continued downfall of one Conor McGregor is nice, and we can’t wait to see how...

Since Victor is still on vacation on the beautiful sands of the Dominican Republic, Tim Bissell of Sumo Stomp joining me for double duty, first to help me break down the best fights from UFC Abu Dhabi, then to give us all the highs and lows of the Nagoya Basho through day 13. We look at who’s riding high, and who’s in the trenches. It’s can’t-miss content for sumo fans both new and old. Tim will be back next week to go over the tournament, look at who won and how they did, and who ended up being...