Ariel Helwani

“Israel Adesanya will not be Eugene Bareman's final UFC champion.”

“If you didn't watch Cris Cyborg vs. Felicia Spencer and just saw the 30-27 scorecards, you probably are thinking it wasn't a very close and/or entertaining fight. Wrong. Very wrong. I loved every second of that fight.”

“Usually, you become a star and then a champion.”

“I'm not trying to steal anyone's shine.”

“Sometimes when a champ wins, there's a debate about who should be next for him or her.”

“I've often felt that it was important to have an MMA media association, not so much to fight battles and things of that nature but also to teach a lot of the younger journalists.”

“The MMA world is a much better place when the Diaz brothers are fighting and thriving, isn't it?”

“Aspen Ladd is quite the enigma. She looks and acts like a Girl Scout out of the cage, but in there she is an absolute beast.”

“That's my role, I go get news.”

“I've said this before, but I need to repeat it again: Nothing impresses me more than when MMA fighters handle a particularly tough defeat with grace and class.”

“When the UFC visits Canada, the card is usually filled up with a bunch of Canadians.”

“The record books might not indicate it, but if you ask me, Chael is a former WEC light heavyweight champion.”

“I can understand why people have a hard time separating their feelings on Covington the man and Covington the fighter. He certainly doesn't make it easy. He's extremely polarizing on his tamest day. But it's important to note that he wants the world to hate him.”

“I don't love the term gatekeeper because it feels like there's a negative connotation attached to it, so I prefer to go with litmus test.”

“I know he's not an MMA fighter, but can we just talk about how great Deontay Wilder is? He's must-see TV. Not since Mike Tyson has boxing had an American heavyweight who could hit like him... and talk like him, too. I love his interviews, his demeanor, his fighting style... the whole package.”

“Henry Cejudo actually saved the flyweights. Like, an entire division. I feel like this should be a bigger deal.”

“Lord knows we've been guilty of getting too excited about a title reign only to see it last one or two fights.”

“I love journalism.”

“Never a dull moment in MMA, right?”

“I don't think we can fully understand just how much pressure is on these fighters' shoulders once they win the UFC title. It's a grind just to get to the title fight. You're not earning a lot of money, and the sport takes a real toll on your body. And then once you get the belt, you've got an army of fighters coming for you right away.”