JNPO Classic: Jon Anik and UFC’s return to Brazil
On the August 25, 2011, edition of the WGAM MMA Show, we were preparing for Hurricane Irene and for UFC heading to Brazil for the first time in 13 years.
Yours truly and co-host/producer PJ Huot did an extensive look at UFC 134 from Rio, headlined by then-middleweight champion Anderson Silva vs. the recently re-signed Yushin Okami. We then talked about Fox’s announcement of a one-hour debut show and the fights that I thought should be on the show. (Spoiler alert: I was right!)
We then did a long interview with Jon Anik, now of the UFC and then of ESPN as the co-host of MMA Live. We discussed his career and how he got into the business of MMA, what event days were like at Bristol, the MMA vs. boxing debate, and even his difficulty in tweeting and watching fights at the same time.
We then finished up the show with a review of the movie Warrior.
Click below to listen:
Since 2011, Josh has been a contributing editor to Wrestling Observer/F4WOnline.com and also hosts the Punch-Out podcast. He has also written for Fight Magazine, Bloody Elbow, Bleacher Report, and other websites. He's a 2000 graduate of the University of Maine, worked in pro sports, and once was an indie ring announcer.