Overview of JRE MMA Show #179 with Josh Thompson & “Big” John McCarthy
Joe Rogan, Josh Thomson, and Big John McCarthy spend most of the episode deep-diving on MMA rules, judging, weight cutting, fighter health, and how the sport has evolved. The conversation mixes fight history with current matchups and a strong recurring theme: MMA would be better if commissions, referees, and promotions prioritized transparency, consistency, and athlete safety more aggressively.
Main Topics Discussed
Refereeing, transparency, and rule consistency
- Big John explains why he stepped back from the MMA show when he returned to refereeing, since refs are restricted from publicly criticizing promotions and fighters.
- He and Josh created “McCarthy Mondays” as a workaround so John could still speak openly about rules and officiating.
- The group argues that referees should be able to explain their decisions publicly, because that kind of transparency helps improve the sport.
- They repeatedly criticize the inconsistency of the Unified Rules, especially when commissions interpret them differently from state to state.
Rule changes: elbows, knees, stomps, and “downed opponent” confusion
- The biggest rule rant centers on the absurdity of the 12-to-6 elbow ban, which they view as outdated and arbitrary.
- They also debate:
- knees to the head of a grounded opponent,
- stomps,
- sidekicks to the knee,
- and how cage position changes the danger level compared with a ring.
- Their overall position: the sport should evolve toward common-sense, MMA-specific rules rather than holding onto old, inconsistent bans.
Weight cutting and fighter health
- A major through-line is how damaging extreme weight cutting is.
- They argue fighters are often dehydrated and underfed 24 hours before the most dangerous sport in the world, which makes little sense.
- Possible fixes discussed:
- random weigh-ins,
- stricter weight caps,
- or a broader system change that discourages massive cuts.
- They point to fighters like Conor McGregor, Max Holloway, Alex Pereira, Michael Morales, and others as examples of athletes who were huge for their divisions.
- The consensus: cutting too much weight can reduce durability, damage performance, and shorten careers.
Brain trauma, knockouts, and recovery
- The conversation goes into the importance of giving fighters time to recover after knockouts and concussions.
- Big John stresses that repeated head trauma changes fighters in ways that aren’t always obvious immediately.
- They discuss:
- CTE risk,
- the dangers of fighting too soon after a KO,
- and how even “small” impacts can be career-altering over time.
- They also mention the APOE4 gene as a possible factor that can influence susceptibility to CTE.
Judging, boxing stoppages, and betting issues
- They criticize inconsistent judging and point out how close fights can be distorted by bad scorecards.
- Big John explains how judging is harder than people think, especially when the judge has a poor angle or limited view.
- They debate whether adding more judges would help; John says five judges wouldn’t really solve the core problem.
- They also bring up the risk of corruption and the influence of betting in combat sports.
- A specific example: Rico Verhoeven vs. Oleksandr Usyk, which they felt featured a bad stoppage and questionable handling of the mouthpiece delay.
Fighter and Fight Breakdown Highlights
Legendary heavyweights and striking icons
- They spend a lot of time praising and comparing greats like:
- Fedor Emelianenko
- Mirko Cro Cop
- Shogun Rua
- Andrei Arlovski
- Francis Ngannou
- Fedor is described as unusually fast, explosive, and technically complete.
- Cro Cop’s left kick is repeatedly called one of the best in MMA history.
- Ngannou is framed as a different kind of heavyweight problem entirely: pure nuclear power.
Jose Aldo, Volkanovski, Holloway, and the featherweight conversation
- They revisit Jose Aldo’s takedown defense and overall greatness, arguing he’s often underrated in all-time discussions.
- Alexander Volkanovski is acknowledged as elite, but they stress not to forget Aldo’s prime.
- Max Holloway’s move back up in weight is viewed as the right call, especially after years of cutting too hard.
Ilia Topuria, Justin Gaethje, Islam Makhachev, and the lightweight title picture
- They discuss why people are overlooking Justin Gaethje in his matchup with Ilia Topuria.
- Their take: Gaethje is an elite, dangerous, battle-tested fighter with dangerous leg kicks and real wrestling.
- They also talk about:
- Islam Makhachev’s smothering grappling and improving striking,
- Khabib Nurmagomedov’s discipline and lifestyle,
- and why the Dagestani camp is so hard to replicate.
- They emphasize that styles make fights, and some matchups are much harder for certain fighters than others.
Other fighters and prospects mentioned
- Gable Steveson is described as one of the most dangerous wrestling prospects in the sport.
- Arman Tsarukyan gets praised for his skill and potential at lightweight.
- Sean Brady is highlighted as an elite grappler who can overwhelm opponents.
- Jared Amasov, Jason Jackson, Vadim Nemkov, and other non-UFC talents are mentioned as fighters who could shake up divisions if signed.
Big Takeaways
- MMA still has outdated rules that need clearer, more consistent modernization.
- Weight cutting remains one of the sport’s biggest problems and likely damages performance and careers.
- Fighter health after concussions and knockouts needs more respect, with longer recovery windows and smarter matchmaking.
- Judging and officiating are still major weak points, especially when betting and inconsistent standards enter the picture.
- The sport is in a strong era technically, but the hosts want to see better systems, better commissions, and more accountability to match the quality of the athletes.
Notable Themes in the Episode
- Respect for old-school legends and the evolution of MMA
- Frustration with bureaucracy and politics in combat sports
- Defense of fighters’ rights to explain themselves publicly
- Appreciation for discipline, conditioning, and long-term career management
- Strong belief that the best fighters are often the ones who live the most disciplined lives