The Craic with Petesy Carroll

Ahead of his meeting with Tyson Fury, the boxing world ridiculed Francis Ngannou’s involvement in what they believed was a “gimmick” fight. Now, with the Anthony Joshua clash booked, Gavan Casey of the42.ie returns to discuss how Ngannou’s knockdown of Fury changed everything and how he could become number one contender to the heavyweight title with a win over AJ.  Casey also discusses why boxing...

Following Leon Edwards’ successful title defence against Colby Covington, Petesy is joined by one of the best in the business, Chisanga Malata, who was at T-Mobile Arena to cover UFC 296 on Saturday night.  Chisanga relives shocking remarks made at both UFC press conferences during the week, gives his take on UFC Manchester speculation and how impressed he was by defending UFC champion Leon Edward...

Petesy is joined by UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards ahead of his UFC 296 clash with Colby Covington.  “Rocky” discusses life as a champion, Colby Covington’s last chance at UFC gold, Donald Trump hoping he loses, Ian Garry and the rumoured UFC Manchester card.  Petesy gives his take on the UFC Manchester rumours, talk quietening down on UFC Dublin and the highly anticipated UFC 296 press co...

Petesy Carroll is joined by Donagh Corby, Andy Stevenson and Dylan Tuke at 3 Arena to discuss PFL's inaugural Dublin event.  Corby and Stevenson give their highlights of the night and Tuke talks his successful return to his hometown and being one of the big takeaways from the event. Petesy explains why the rest of the scene, outside of SBG, feel like PFL has become "The SBG Show" and how that may...

Ian Machado Garry and his wife/manager, Layla Anna Lee, have been the subject of a social media circus since mid-November.  Despite their personal life being put under the microscope by sects of the MMA fanbase, Petesy and the king of Irish MMA media, Severe MMA’s Andy Stevenson, discuss whether the online noise could have an impact on his upcoming fight with Vicente Luque, and Garry’s career beyo...

Petesy has been catching a lot of flack for being “negative” about PFL Dublin, so to toast the promotion’s arrival on the Emerald Isle, Petesy is joined by the king of Irish MMA media, Severe MMA’s Andy Stevenson, to discuss what they’re most excited about regarding the 3 Arena event.  The lads discuss a new Finglas hero, Dylan back in Dublin, life changing money on the line for tournament winners...

When Bellator entered the Irish market in 2016, MMA was in a boom period on the back of Conor McGregor’s success in the UFC, which helped the promotion attract the attention of casual sports fans to its 3 Arena events.  With PFL set to enter the Irish market next week, sentiment for MMA in the country is relatively low with Conor McGregor - the main frame of reference for most Irish people when it...

Two days after the tragedy that became the catalyst Dublin riots on Thursday, the atmosphere around Katie Taylor’s second headline clash with Chantelle Cameron felt a bit flat. Yet, when all was said and done, the iconic Irish fighter put a smile back on the nation’s face with a spell-binding performance at 3 Arena.  Leading Irish boxing journalist Gavan Casey of The 42 returns to The Craic to giv...

After his epic promo ahead of their first meeting, legendary Irish journalist Philip O’Connor returns to The Craic to share his feelings on the rematch between Chantelle Cameron and Katie Taylor at Dublin’s 3 Arena on Saturday night.  O’Connor underlines his belief that Taylor’s homecoming has been mismanaged, how he believes she is rightfully the underdog this time around, how this could be the l...

Petesy is joined by fighter/wrestler/actor/podcaster/explorer Chris Bungard ahead of his highly anticipated clash with Perry Goodwin at at the near-sold-out Cage Warriors 164 event, which takes place on Saturday in Newcastle.  Bungard discusses his camp in Las Vegas alongside fellow Leather’d hosts Paul Craig and Ross Cooper, how he feels fighting a week after Craig suffered defeat, taking edibles...

Following on from a massive night for U.K. MMA in New York with Tom Aspinall clinching heavyweight gold, Paul Craig becomes the first Scot to headline a UFC card when he faces Brendan Allen in his second fight at middleweight.  Craig gives insight on the confidence he’s gained from seeing his training partner crowned champion at Madison Square Garden and endorses the growing hopes for U.K. stadium...

A stadium show in the summer of 2024 in the U.K. could give MMA a bigger spotlight than it’s ever had in the U.K. and Ireland, and with both Tom Aspinall and Leon Edwards currently holding titles, there is no better time to do it for the UFC.  Legendary Craic campaigner and a frontrunner for U.K. combat sports media, Chisanga Malata, returns to the show to give us his take on Aspinall’s career def...

What was the first thing U.K. martial-arts O.G. Andy Aspinall taught his son when he began to teach him self defence?  Do. Not. Get. Hit.  The childhood teachings of his father will ring truer than ever on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden when the golden boy of English MMA takes on the thunderous stopping power of Sergei Pavlovich for the interim heavyweight title.  The man who taught Aspin...

Petesy Carroll is joined by journalist John S. Nash who has been at the forefront of the reportage of a class action lawsuit in which over 1200 fighters are suing Zuffa for billions of dollars in wages.  Last week, the ninth circuit court of appeals denied Zuffa’s request to appeal the lawsuit, which means there is one less hurdle for the class action to go to trial on April 8.  Nash sheds light o...

Joining The Craic today is Alex Pattle of the Independent, who broke the news that Ian Garry has been asked not to return to the home of the UFC welterweight champion, Leon Edwards.  Pattle discusses conducting the interview with Garry, how he thinks the Irish welterweight feels about the situation and ponders whether it’s all that shocking considering the two men are in the same division and Garr...

MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn returns to The Craic to give his first hand account of covering Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.  What was it like to see Fury hit the canvas in the third? How did the boxing media react to the fight? Is Francis Ngannou the most valuable commodity in combat sports today and did the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia get what they wanted from the gargantuan event?

Joining the show from Saudi Arabia, MMA media stalwart Mike Bohn of MMA Junkie gives his take on all things Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou. How does Saudi Arabia compare to Las Vegas as a location? Is Ngannou too happy to be there? Does Tyson Fury REALLY think they both have a 50/50 chance and what impact could a quick knockout loss have on Ngannou’s career?  Also on the show, Petesy reacts for th...

Fighting legend Owen Colgan joins The Craic to give his take on one of the biggest crossover boxing bouts in history, Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou. Known for his fighting prowess across the Emerald Isle, Colgan discusses how Ngannou must work Tyson like Ryu used to work a stationary car in Street Fighter and sheds light on how Ngannou must change up his jab to have success in the contest. Colgan...

One of the biggest prospects on the UFC roster, undefeated flyweight and multiple time amateur world champion, Muhammad Mokaev joins the Craic. Mo gives us the lowdown on his UFC 294 clash with Tim Elliott, plots his route to breaking Jones’ record of being the youngest ever UFC champion and sheds light on why he feels Manel Kape is ducking him.

Last week we asked if Cage Warriors Dublin and The Prime Card mattered. Today, The Craic is please to announce that the first winner of the Great Debate, Andy Stevenson, and his adversary Donagh Corby are back. Today we ask, did the events deliver?  Andy Stevenson gives his take on Paul Hughes’ debut at 155 and whether his first round finish will be enough to secure his UFC spot. He also discusses...

There are two huge events attracting the attention of combat sports fans in Europe this weekend, Cage Warriors Dublin, and what Donagh Corby has dubbed as “The Wrestlemania of Influencer Boxing”, The Prime Card featuring KSI vs. Tommy Fury and Dillon Danis vs. Logan Paul.  Petesy drafted in the experts in their respective fields to engage in a high school debate of sorts. Andy Stevenson, the king...

All the talk ahead of Bellator 299 in Dublin was that undefeated Irish prospect, Ciaran Clarke, would be a free agent beyond the 3 Arena date.  Despite talks of UFC and PFL interest, Clarke confirms on this episode of The Craic that he has re-signed for 18 months with Bellator despite the rumours of their fast-approaching sale. The 8-0 submission specialist underlined why he wanted to re-sign with...

Vicente Luque will undoubtedly give Ian Machado Garry the toughest test of his professional career when the former Kill Cliff training partners face off in a battle of ranked welterweights at UFC 296.  Luque discusses his for Ireland and how he drove three kilometres around the country when he came here for his honeymoon. Famed for his violent fighting style, he also shed light on how good it felt...

After last week’s solo show lamenting on what could be the last Bellator Dublin event, Petesy goes solo again to talk about his enthusiasm for the European scene following stellar showcases from both Cage Warriors and PFL Europe over the weekend.  Petesy gives his take on a potential fight of the year between Luke Riley and Alexander Lööf and praises Cage Warriors for regenerating a couple of new...

Everyone on the Irish MMA scene has no idea why Cage Warriors featherweight champion Paul Hughes hasn’t been signed to the UFC.  In November ’22, fresh off back-to-back wins over Morgan Charriere and Jordan Vucenic, it seemed like his signing was all but a formality. Yet, ten months later, his lightweight debut has been announced as the main event for Cage Warriors 161 in Dublin’s RDS on October 1...