Fitz and a Fighter

Text me a question for the show Frank Camacho has fought at both lightweight and welterweight in the UFC.  No matter where or when he fights, it's proven to be exciting as evidenced by his 3 straight Fight of the Night bonuses to start his UFC career. A native of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, he talks about his island upbringing, why he became a fighter instead of a golfer and what it mea...

Text me a question for the show Marlon "Chito" Vera is a UFC bantamweight contender and proudly represents his native Ecuador.  In this episode, he talks about what life was like growing up in Ecuador, discovering mixed martial arts, and ultimately chasing it as a career. He also talks about going all in, taking risks and appreciating what you have... things that everyone can take from! The Book o...

Text me a question for the show Alan Jouban just recently retired after being a UFC welterweight contender for the last 10 years.  Just fighting in the UFC was quite an accomplishment, as he had no training or experience in martial arts until well into his 20s. Alan talks about his upbringing in Lafayette, Louisiana, trying to find a passion and then discovering martial arts.  Fight fans will cont...

Text me a question for the show Dominick Cruz is widely regarded as one of the best, if not the greatest, bantamweight fighters in MMA history.  He won and defended the WEC championship before becoming the inaugural UFC bantamweight champion. The injuries he has had to deal with over the course of his career makes his journey even more impressive, as do his humble beginnings. In this episode, we t...

Text me a question for the show Gerald Meerschaert is a veteran UFC middleweight and always delivers on fight night!  His most recent win over Bartosz Fabinski in April came by submission in the first round, making him the all-time leader in UFC middleweight submission victories. Quite a story considering he grew up on a horse farm, found his way to music school and had plans to be a music teacher...

Text me a question for the show What can you say about Michael Bisping?  Many things... from his journey from humble beginnings to becoming a UFC Champion... to his one-of-a-kind personality as a fan favorite since his days on The Ultimate Fighter... to becoming more than just a fighter, but a big part of the UFC broadcast team over the years and a fight game figure that so many fans want to hear...

Text me a question for the show Megan Olivi is one of the most experienced and prominent members of the UFC broadcast team, starting to cover the UFC and MMA about 10 years ago.  She has done major interviews over the years with UFC president Dana White, as well as some of the biggest stars like Brock Lesnar, Ronda Rousey, Conor McGregor and many more.  She is also married to UFC title challenger...

Text me a question for the show Eric Nicksick is the head coach of UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou and was named co-coach of the year by MMA Junkie in 2020 (along with Tyson Chartier).  A standout high school football player, he thought his athletic future was in college football and eventually the pros.  But after that didn't pan out, he found MMA and hasn't looked back.  His ability and...

Text me a question for the show Adrian Yanez is a UFC bantamweight prospect after winning a contract on Dana White's Contender Series.  He became a name to watch with a blistering knockout win on the Contender Series, and has followed it up with two more KO wins in the Octagon.  His relationship with his late father Andres and promise to make it to the UFC has been a storyline fans have come to fo...

Text me a question for the show Belal Muhammad is a UFC welterweight who is coming off his first main event in the UFC.  It ended with a sour taste after Belal was poked in the eye by Leon Edwards, leading to a No Contest.  But Belal is undeterred by the misfortune and ready to keep climbing as a UFC contender to watch!  A devout Muslim, proud of his Palestinian heritage, a comedic personality and...

Text me a question for the show Grant Dawson is a UFC lightweight contender who has yet to lose during his time in the UFC.  After growing up on a farm, being home-schooled until junior high school, and then wrestling in a small Nebraska town of under 2,000 people, Grant set his sights on UFC greatness. Grant talks about his small town upbringing, finding mixed martial arts, and the journey it has...

Text me a question for the show Chris Daukaus is the new UFC heavyweight contender on the block.  He sits at #10 after his recent KO win over Aleksei Oleinik.  He is also a Philadelphia police officer and has been for the last ten years, but that's about the change.  The goal from the beginning was to be a full-time fighter, and once he hits 10 years in just a few months, he will make the leap. We...

Text me a question for the show Drew Dober is a UFC lightweight contender and always delivers a fun performance to watch.  Originally from Nebraska, Dober opens up and talks about the change he made in his life to move toward positivity and chasing his dream of being a UFC fighter. He has won 6 of his last 7 fights as he readies for a big fight at UFC 259! 📺 Check out FITZ NATION on YouTube 👉🏻...

Text me a question for the show Brad Tavares is a top-15 middleweight contender and UFC veteran.  He returned to action at UFC 257 on Fight Island after a lengthy layoff due to a knee injury.  Fully healthy and with much more to accomplish in fighting, he's excited to see regular action going forward as he looks to climb back up the rankings. Fitz and Brad chat about growing up in Hawaii, always b...

Text me a question for the show Julian Marquez is a UFC middleweight fresh off a big win at UFC 258 on February 13, '21.  The return to the Octagon marked his first fight since July of 2018 after suffering a major shoulder injury.  A proud Cuban-American, Julian talks about his upbringing in Kansas City and the support his family provided for Cuban immigrants.  We also discuss why he was drawn to...

Text me a question for the show James Krause is a UFC welterweight, MMA coach, entrepreneur, real estate mogul and stock trader.  His hustle is undeniable in both his fighting style inside the Octagon, and business pursuits outside of it.  Krause has been on a tear recently, winning 7 of his last 8 fights in the UFC, with the lone loss when he made headlines by stepping up to fight Trevin Giles at...

Text me a question for the show Michael Chiesa is a UFC welterweight contender.  His recent main event win over Neil Magny has made him the 6th-ranked contender as he mounts a run for a UFC championship.  Chiesa has been a mainstay on the UFC roster and a popular fighter with fans after he won season 15 of The Ultimate Fighter.  In this episode, Fitz and Chiesa take a detailed look at his UFC care...

Text me a question for the show Heidi Androl is a UFC reporter, interviewing fighters, coaches and UFC president Dana White on UFC broadcasts.  While she has enjoyed a successful career in broadcasting there's a lot more to the story of how she became a sports reporter!  Originally from rural Michigan, Heidi found her way to California, lived on a boat, sold helicopter parts for big money, was a c...

Text me a question for the show Gilbert Burns is a UFC welterweight contender who will headline UFC in February.  "Durinho" was in the lightweight division of the UFC for a handful of years, but has given himself a title shot after moving up to welterweight and reeling off four straight wins.  A decorated jiu jitsu blackbelt, the former world BJJ champion talks about his humble beginnings outside...

Text me a question for the show Kevin Holland is a UFC middleweight contender coming off a big year in 2020.  "Trailblazer" went 5-0 from May to December, putting himself in the top 10 and setting him up for his first UFC main event vs. Derek Brunson.  Always a trash-talker, Holland discusses his upbringing and unique relationship with his parents, finding martial arts and why he needed it, and be...

Text me a question for the show Calvin Kattar is a top-10 featherweight contender in the UFC and fights Max Holloway in the main event on January 16th on Fight Island, Abu Dhabi to help the UFC kick off 2021!  After two big wins in 2020, Kattar is positioned for a run at the title in '21. For Calvin's previous appearance on the show, go here . For New England Cartel merchandise, go here . Check ou...

Text me a question for the show As promised, here are the 2020 Fitzy Awards. A couple years ago at the end of 2018, I reflected on my new job of traveling the globe and calling fights.  As the MMA world started giving out their year-end superlatives, I thought about my unique experience in relation to calling the fights and also experiencing many different places and cultures I would otherwise not...

Text me a question for the show Adam Hunter is a stand-up comedian who is well known by UFC fans.  He also was a decorated prep school wrestler and then wrestled very briefly in college.  After his college experience and wrestling career didn't go according to plan, he found comedy and here he is all these years later still making it happen. Follow Adam below and look for his comedy special on UFC...

Text me a question for the show Anthony Smith is a UFC Light Heavyweight contender who fought for a world title vs. Jon Jones in 2019.  "Lionheart" is as tough as they come, and is now up to 50 pro fights!  After being a middleweight for the first part of his UFC career, he has blossomed after moving up to 205-pounds.  It started with 1st round knockouts of Rashad Evans and Shogun Rua.  He also no...

Text me a question for the show Brandon Moreno is ready to challenge for the UFC Flyweight title!  He has earned his stripes as a contender in the UFC after fun fights and some great wins since he appeared on The Ultimate Fighter. Proudly representing Mexico, he looks to be the first Mexican born, raised and trained in Mexico to win a UFC title. Check out FITZ NATION on YouTube ! Brandon Moreno Tw...