The Co-Main Event MMA Podcast

With America set to turn 237 years old this week (or 229 years young, for you Treaty of Paris types) the Co-Main Event Podcast celebrated the only way it knows how: By recording the show early so Ben and Chad could spend the rest of the week standing around shirtless at barbecues drinking beer and shouting stuff like “Oh yeah? Let me tell YOU something …,” at people they only sort of know. So, yay...

Ben and Chad pull a fast one on the CME Universe this week, calling an audible and opting to do an All Questions Answered installment of the podcast for Episode 57. Turns out it was a pretty slow news week in the MMA world and rather than spend an entire round (or two) talking about Nick Diaz’s fledgling War MMA promotion the guys decided it would be better to hear from you, the listener. You didn...

One thing to be said for episode 56 of the Co-Main Event Podcast: Everybody was sober for the recording. We think. Hard to tell sometimes with Ben Fowlkes, you know? Anyway, with the decision-heavy UFC 161 still weighing considerably on their minds this week, Ben and Chad take up Rashad Evans’ victory over Dan Henderson, Roy Nelson’s lackluster loss to Stipe (Stipe!) Miocic and Steve Mazzagatti on...

Well, the Co-Main Event Podcast will never do that again. At least, we hope not. The CME unveils its Unofficial Drinking Game this week with Ben, Chad and Sir Nigel spending the hour trying to drink up the Internet beer they were bequeathed by listener Claire Hammond. Was it a “success”? Perhaps if you consider the podcast essentially devolving into 74 minutes of Just Sayin’ Stuff then, yeah, it w...

The groovy, spaced-out beach vibe that accompanies episode 54 of the Co-Main Event Podcast is due largely to the show’s featured music, which comes to us from a CME listener’s surf rock band called – get this – The Testostertones. If you close your eyes, it’ll be almost like you’re right there with Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello as they have the time of their lives during that crazy summer o...

Episode 53 of the Co-Main Event Podcast is so chock full of heavyweight goodness that it barely slips in under the 265-pound weight limit. With UFC 160 still lingering on all our palates like a fine wine, Ben and Chad talk about the prospect of Cain Velasquez vs. Junior dos Santos III, the fates of Bigfoot Silva and Mark Hunt, the reintroduction of Josh Barnett to the division as well as Roy Nelso...

Not going to lie to you, episode 52 of the Co-Main Event Podcast contains a lot of talk about testosterone replacement therapy. But you knew that already, right? After Vitor Belfort knocked out Luke Rockhold with an amazing spinning kick on Saturday at UFC on FX 8 and the internets exploded with TRT-induced vitriol, it didn’t take a genius to figure out the dominant topic of the week. Ben and Chad...

So it turns out some a-hole has been impersonating Ben Fowlkes on the internets, huh? The introduction to episode 51 of the Co-Main Event Podcast is highlighted by Ben and Chad discussing the story of his reverse catfishing, which caused quite a stir over at MMAJunkie.com and the UG early this week. Some of the burning questions that emerged from the ordeal: Just who is lame enough to do this? Wha...

All in all, it was kind of an awkward week for the Co-Main Event Podcast to ring in episode No. 50. Caught in the doldrums between major MMA events and without much really juicy news to sink their toothless grins into, Ben and Chad were left to fend largely for themselves. The result? Well, at least they do something they’ve never done before. You gotta give them credit for that … right? … right?...

Though she does not appear on episode 49 of the Co-Main Event Podcast, the real star of this week’s show may be Ben’s wife, as both he and Chad borrowed her jokes for the broadcast. And really, what can you do in the wake of an event as weird as UFC 159 besides laugh? From Jon Jones’ broken toe, to Chael Sonnen’s near miss at becoming light heavyweight champ, to the gouged eyes and splintered thum...

With less than a week to go before UFC 159 and just a few days removed from UFC on Fox 7, episode 48 of the Co-Main Event Podcast is strictly concerned with the big issues: Did Benson Henderson really beat Gilbert Melendez on Saturday night? Really? Did Daniel Cormier really fail to entertain you during his victory over Frank Mir? Really? And are you really gonna shell out the big bucks to watch J...

If we see your eyes brimming with tears as you listen to this week’s episode of the Co-Main Event Podcast, we’re just going to assume Ben and Chad said something that affected you on a deeply personal basis, and not that your eyes are watering from listening to the hoarse rasp of Ben’s injured voice. Sadly, the poor kid isn’t quite 100 percent for this taping, telling us he got stuck in a “choke”...

Due to some technical difficulties it took two full tries to get episode 46 in the books, but Ben and Chad persevered, took it one round at a time and, God willing, they came out on top. You might notice this installment of the Co-Main Event Podcast sounds particularly smooth, as if the guys had just completed a dress rehearsal only hours beforehand. Either that, or it’ll seem like they’re just go...

Episode 45 of the Co-Main Event Podcast was recorded mere moments before the Wanderlei Silva-Gegard Mousasi April Fool’s Day internet rumor bonanza took the MMA news world by storm, or else you better believe Ben and Chad would’ve had something to say about it. As it stands your dudes had to be content with discussing the previous rumors, about Alexander Gustafsson damn near getting his whole head...

Ugh. Yeah, so the Co-Main Event Podcast lost a bet. Because of the unbelievable drubbing Ben’s and Chad’s beloved University of Montana Grizzlies took at the hands of Ariel Helwani’s hated Syracuse Orange last week in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, the CME has a slightly different soundtrack for this episode. Really, your humble co-hosts have no one to blame but themselves. They should’ve k...

Episode 43 of the Co-Main Event Podcast finds Ben and Chad just trying to wrap their arms around all the awesome happenings of UFC 158 and hug it all so, so tight. Maybe all the excitement goes to their heads, as at one point Ben relates the story of being locked out of his hotel by a “manifestation” in the streets of Montreal and at another, Chad tries out his new Johny Hendricks impression. Once...

Two exciting developments for episode 42 of the Co-Main Event Podcast: 1) The debut of the show’s new logo! and 2) Listener generated music! Both are part of Ben’s and Chad’s ongoing mission to make the CME better and more listener friendly during the two zero one three. Anyhoo, aside from the new accoutrements this episode itself is as you might expect: The guys relive last week’s epic UFC 158 pr...

Episode 41 of the Co-Main Event Podcast comes on the heels of last Saturday’s unpredictable UFC on Fuel TV 8 card from Saitama Super Arena and leaves Ben and Chad with no shortage of things to discuss. From Wanderlei Silva’s upset win over Brian Stann (and what it portends for both their futures) to Mark Hunt’s jaw-breaking KO of Stefan Struve (seen at right) to welterweight champion Georges St. P...

Episodically speaking, the Co-Main Event podcast turns 40 this week, amid the rush that was Saturday night’s UFC 157 and the advance jitters of next weekend’s show at Saitama Super Arena. Ben and Chad celebrate accordingly, talking up Ronda Rousey’s first round armbar victory over Liz Carmouche (and what it might mean for the overall future of women’s MMA), the stinkfest Lyoto Machida and Dan Hend...

Another week, another increasingly jury-rigged episode of the Co-Main Event Podcast somehow finds its way into the light. This week, Ben and Chad had to resort to using the world’s oldest known computer and some free software in order to get this thing out but, damn it, here it is. Imagine Sir Nigel furiously turning a crank to keep the power on while the guys yelled into a series of increasingly...

And so, here it is, the long-awaited episode 38 of the Co-Main Event Podcast, aka CME: The Lost Tapes. The guys got thrown for a loop this week as first the unexpected death of Chad’s computer, then Ben’s family commitments set the podcast back a full two days. Forced into a DefCon One-type scenario, they resorted to booking some time at their pal Nate’s downtown studio to record this ish and – ta...

This week the Co-Main Event Podcast puts a temporary hold on one of its solemn vows in order to discuss the recent kerfuffle caused by the release of the UFC’s first official rankings. Seriously, though, people, don’t get comfortable thinking this talk of rankings will persist. If the guys had their way, all MMA rankings would come with a disclaimer that said something like: WARNING! THESE ARE REA...

Episode 36 of the Co-Main Event Podcast is more sprint than marathon. This week Ben and Chad hit the ground running after the unadulterated awesomeness that was Saturday night’s UFC on FOX 6 card and they never look back. The guys discuss Demetrious Johnson’s transgressions during his successful title defense against John Dodson, contemplate the legacy of Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and try to hash...

Production of the Co-Main Event Podcast moved into the icy basement of Castle Fowlkes during the last two weeks, so if you detect any audio irregularities in episode 35 it may be just be the sound of Ben’s and Chad’s teeth rattling as they struggle to stay alive in the arctic temperatures. On this installment of the show, your co-hosts discuss Vitor Belfort’s upset of Michael Bisping, preview the...

As you certainly know by now, the birth of Ben’s daughter (Willa Jane Fowlkes, who is adorable, by the way) on Monday threw this week’s Co-Main Event schedule into chaos. Just when you thought they’d leave you hanging, though, your dudes got together late Tuesday night to record an impromptu episode of the CME. Maybe they just couldn’t let the opportunity to comment on the end of Strikeforce, the...