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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
MMA Junkie Staff

Spinning Back Clique: Conor McGregor returns as ‘TUF’ coach, Dana White downplays Fedor, more

Check out this week’s “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly live show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts. This week’s panel of Nolan King, Brian “Goze” Garcia and Danny Segura will join host “Gorgeous” George Garcia live at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) to discuss and debate:

  • Fedor Emelianenko retired from MMA competition with his loss to Ryan Bader at Bellator 290. Afterward, Bellator president hailed him as the greatest heavyweight in the sport’s history, while UFC president Dana White offered a less complimentary view on where “The Last Emperor” fits in history.
  • Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler are confirmed as coaches on Season 31 of “The Ultimate Fighter” and are expected to fight later this year. Did the UFC make the right call on the matchup for McGregor’s return? Can his unmatched star power revive the reality series?
  • Undefeated champ Johnny Eblen claimed he’s the No. 1 middleweight in the world after a dominant title defense over Anatoly Tokov in the Bellator 290 co-headliner. Is Eblen’s statement fact or fiction?
  • Bantamweight star Sean O'Malley revealed he’s signed a new eight-fight contract with the UFC and is more than pleased with the pay he negotiated with the promotion. Did O’Malley make a mistake for his future by signing such a long-term deal?
  • UFC 284 on Saturday marks the seventh champion-vs-champion fight in company history, with featherweight king Alexander Volkanovski set to move up a division to challenge lightweight champ Islam Makhachev. What would a win do for each man’s legacy going forward?

“Spinning Back Clique” is released each Monday LIVE on MMA Junkie’s YouTube channel. You can watch this week’s episode in the video above.

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