Fitz and a Fighter

Text me a question for the show Paul Felder is a top 10 contender in the UFC lightweight division who also works as part of our UFC broadcast team as an analyst.  Felder's career really started to take off in 2017.  He notched three wins that year, all by TKO, earning a Performance of the Night bonus in two of them.  That's also the year he started commentating on Dana White's Contender Series, an...

Text me a question for the show Laura Sanko is a UFC broadcaster who works as the backstage reporter for UFC broadcasts and has served as the reporter for every episode of Dana White's Contender Series through the first four seasons.  While many reporters in the sideline role come from a broadcasting background, Laura was in the world of MMA long before considering TV work as a possibility.  In th...

Text me a question for the show Max Griffin is a UFC veteran of 10 fights coming off his biggest win, a TKO victory over Ramiz Brahimaj that produced a gruesome ear injury that went viral.  While he's been getting attention because of that, there is, of course, a lot more to his story.  He was into martial arts as a kid before suddenly giving it up at the age of 13.  Years later, he had an epiphan...

Text me a question for the show Casey Kenney is a UFC bantamweight is having quite a year in 2020, winning his last 3 in a row, including two fights in less than a month on Fight Island in October.  Always an athlete, combat sports drew his interest like no other.  He was a judo national champion as a kid and started wrestling at a young age, but after he was bit by the MMA bug, he left a college...

Text me a question for the show Angela Hill is a UFC strawweight contender and has established herself as one of the sport's busiest fighters and friendliest personalities.  It might be surprising to hear she grew up shy and not into sports, but after taking up Muay Thai with her husband Adam in their 20s, she immediately was drawn to combat.  She was a contestant on The Ultimate Fighter, which le...

Text me a question for the show Alex Perez is a UFC flyweight contender and will next fight for the 125-pound title at UFC 255 in November.  At first, he was a boxing fan, but after his older brother experienced success wrestling, it became the family sport.  After his high school career ended, he still wanted to compete and found mixed martial arts.  He was busy on the regional circuit in Califor...

Text me a question for the show Robbie Fox is a blogger at Barstool Sports and the host of the podcast "My Mom's Basement."  He wanted nothing more than to work for Barstool Sports as a young teenager and he made it happen right out of high school.  He frequently interviews Dana White and has interacted with Conor McGregor after he appeared outside the courthouse in support of McGregor in New York...

Text me a question for the show Brandon Royval is the UFC's newest contender in the flyweight division.  He burst onto the scene in May with a submission win over Tim Elliott, followed by another submission win over Kai Kara-France at UFC 253.  He won a Fight of the Night bonus in each of his first two fights! We talk about the whirlwind ride over the last four months and his journey to finding ma...

Text me a question for the show Check out the show on YouTube ! John Morgan is the lead UFC reporter for MMAJunkie.com.  He was awarded the MMA Journalist of the Year award back in 2009 and is nominated basically every year.  Fans know him for seemingly always asking the first question to Dana White at UFC press conferences, and for his noticeable blue polo shirt on press row next to the Octagon....

Text me a question for the show Check out the show on YouTube ! The show is back!  I just could not stay away from the podcast game.  I've been doing a lot of thinking recently about why I wanted to start a podcast originally and what I get out of it.  I truly missed the long form interviews with fighters, coaches and others in this UFC world.  What started as Fitz & A Fighter then turned into...

Text me a question for the show Hey folks... just wanted to upload a quick thank you and goodbye (in this format). The most valuable resource we all have is time.  Time makes us decide what to do with it... and right now, I have other things more important.  As a veteran broadcaster, I love working on high quality productions, and while I'm proud I gave this a go as a solo project, it's not up to...

Text me a question for the show Check out the show on YouTube ! Follow Fitz Twitter: @BrendanFitzTV Instagram: @brendanfitztv I'm back after another UFC broadcast to recap the night that saw plenty of great fights and Derrick Lewis become the UFC's all-time leader in knockouts by a heavyweight.  Shoutouts to other great finishes by Andrew Sanchez, Gavin Tucker, Kevin Holland and Beneil Dariush. Bu...

Text me a question for the show Check out the show on YouTube ! Follow Fitz Twitter: @BrendanFitzTV Instagram: @brendanfitztv After the UFC returned home to Las Vegas and a Fight Night at the Apex, I pull back the curtain with some behind the scenes stories of how the broadcast went, including the wild last minute cancellation of the Trevin Giles - Kevin Holland fight. I also talk about Derek Brun...

Text me a question for the show Check out the show on YouTube ! Follow Fitz Twitter: @BrendanFitzTV Instagram: @brendanfitztv In this episode, I start with the challenges of being a broadcaster (or journalist) and walking the line of opinion vs. information.  The two roles are at odds, so finding that balance can be tricky, especially given the climate on social media (and throw in that it's an el...

Text me a question for the show Check out the show on YouTube ! Follow Fitz Twitter: @BrendanFitzTV Instagram: @brendanfitztv In this episode, I start by paying tribute to Joe Benavidez.  It looks like his goal of winning a UFC title will go unfulfilled, but he will be remembered as a great fighter and better person. I also have to give props where it's due to our new UFC Flyweight Champ Deiveson...

Text me a question for the show Check out the show on YouTube ! Follow Fitz Twitter: @BrendanFitzTV Instagram: @brendanfitztv On this episode, I recap UFC 251 on Fight Island and explain why it reminded me of New Year's Eve. I also give a shoutout to our UFC make-up artist Suzy Friton who is fighting cancer and tell just one story of why she is so special and why we miss having her at our events! ...

Text me a question for the show Check out the show on YouTube ! Follow Fitz Twitter: @BrendanFitzTV Instagram: @brendanfitztv On this episode, Fitz starts with a theme that he's noticed everywhere this past week:  Wins are on the resume, but it's the losses in our lives that truly make us who we are. Fitz also recalls participating in a hot dog eating contest in Wyoming on the 4th of July back in...

Text me a question for the show Check out the show on YouTube ! Follow Fitz Twitter: @BrendanFitzTV Instagram: @brendanfitztv At the halfway point of 2020, Fitz gives his take on the current UFC Fight of the Year after the amazing main event between Dustin Poirier and Dan Hooker.  He also goes into the example Poirier provides not just for fans but for other fighters on how they can make the most...

Text me a question for the show Check out the show on YouTube ! Follow Fitz Twitter: @BrendanFitzTV Instagram: @brendanfitztv With the project going solo, we enter a new era.  It is now the Brendan Fitz Podcast. I grabbed a mic and rambled for 50 minutes about quitting on the stool, Curtis Blaydes, the great co-main event between Josh Emmett and Shane Burgos, the current Fight of the Year, some li...

Text me a question for the show Check out the show on YouTube ! Follow Fitz Twitter: @BrendanFitzTV Instagram: @brendanfitztv It was time to get back on the mic.  The global pandemic has made it so that face-to-face interviews with fighters is not in the cards right now.  But I wanted to podcast and so here I go. I asked for questions on Twitter and Instagram... thanks for the response!  Wound me...

Text me a question for the show Check out the show on YouTube ! Follow Fitz Twitter: @BrendanFitzTV Instagram: @brendanfitztv Rob Font Twitter: @RobSFont Instagram: @rob_font Fitz catches up with Rob Font while he was in Las Vegas to rehab a knee injury at the UFC Performance Institute. Hear about Rob's growing up overseas in a military family, eventually settling in Florida, and discovering MMA w...

Text me a question for the show Check out the show on YouTube ! Follow Fitz Twitter: @BrendanFitzTV Instagram: @brendanfitztv Fitz takes questions through his Instagram and Twitter feed to help shed some light on what it's like to be a sports broadcaster and what aspiring sports announcers can do to reach a higher level. Follow Fitz: Instagram       TikTok

Text me a question for the show Check out the show on YouTube ! Follow Fitz Twitter: @BrendanFitzTV Instagram: @brendanfitztv Ricky Simon Twitter: @RickySimonUFC Instagram: @rickysimonufc It's great to see UFC fighters all over the world, and this episode takes place in the great city of Auckland, New Zealand. Ricky Simon is a UFC bantamweight prospect.  After a couple impressive wins in his first...

Text me a question for the show Check out the show on YouTube ! Follow Fitz Twitter: @BrendanFitzTV Instagram: @BrendanFitzTV Sayif Saud Twitter: @sayif_saud Instagram: @sayifsaud Fitz and Sayif chat about what it takes to be the best you can be, whether it's trying to be a UFC champion or whatever is important to you. Follow Fitz: Instagram       TikTok

Text me a question for the show Check out the show on YouTube ! Follow Fitz Twitter: @BrendanFitzTV Instagram: @brendanfitztv Yair Rodriguez Twitter: @panteraufc Instagram: @panteraufc Quite simply, Yair Rodriguez is one of the UFC's most exciting fighters.  In this episode, he talks about his humble beginnings on a ranch in rural Mexico, finding martial arts, and pursuing a career. His journey in...