Longtime friend of the show Phoenix Carnevale reprises her esteemed guest co-host duties in Matt Serra’s absence, joining Jim Norton for an episode that features two fighters from this Saturday’s UFC Atlanta card: welterweight contender Joaquin Buckley and light heavyweight veteran Paul Craig.

The show opens with Jim and Phoenix reacting to UFC 316 — including Sean O’Malley’s response to his loss to Merab — before Joaquin calls in mid-track workout to discuss his mindset ahead of his main event clash against Kamaru Usman.

Later, Paul Craig reflects on his rocky run at middleweight, what he learned about himself through after going through more demanding weight cuts, and how he's channeling those lessons ahead of his 20th UFC appearance and a return to light heavyweight in Saturday’s featured prelim bout against Rodolfo Bellato.

While Jim and Phoenix don't make any predictions of their own, the two set the table for UFC Atlanta by previewing some of this Saturday's dynamic matchups.

Jim Norton and guest co-host Din Thomas are joined by MMA legend Bas Rutten for a lively recap of UFC 316. Din gives props to Bas for his unique insight into both the streetfighting mindset and high-level martial arts, setting the stage for Bas to break down what stood out most on the card — including how Joshua Van reminds him of a young Max Holloway.

Bas has so much fun he sticks around when UFC bantamweight champ Kayla Harrison calls in. She reflects on her Olympic roots, the emotions behind her recent victory, and whether a showdown with Amanda Nunes might be on the horizon.

With UFC 316 just days away, Matt and Jim welcome two fighters making their second appearances on Unfiltered: rising flyweight Joshua Van and heavy-hitting welterweight Khaos Williams.

Kicking things off, Matt finally gets to meet 23-year-old prospect Joshua Van after missing his debut episode — and wastes no time bonding over Bruce Lee movies before breaking down Van’s upcoming clash with veteran Bruno Silva. Focused and self-aware, Joshua explains why he’s preparing for the best version of Silva — knowing how dangerous a fighter can be coming off a loss.

In the middle of the show, the guys dive into the UFC 316 card — sharing thoughts on the title fights between Merab Dvalishvili and Sean O’Malley, and Julianna Peña vs. Kayla Harrison — plus Kelvin Gastelum’s return, Patchy Mix’s Octagon debut, and Kevin Holland’s wild schedule. Matt and Jim each make three official fight picks heading into Saturday’s stacked show.

Then it’s time to catch up with Khaos Williams, who joins ahead of his short-notice bout against UFC newcomer Andreas Gustafsson. The welterweight striker reflects on his turbulent path — from getting jumped and stabbed in his younger years to a life-changing entry into MMA. Now 31, Khaos talks about staying grounded by embracing risk, investing in real estate, and focusing on long-term growth both in and out of the cage.

It’s Matt Serra’s 51st birthday — and what better way to celebrate than with a few surprise guests?

Matt correctly guesses Din Thomas as part one of his birthday surprise — but it’s the unexpected call from bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili that really makes his day. Merab joins ahead of his highly anticipated rematch against Sean O’Malley at UFC 316 in Newark.

Din sticks around to co-host with Jim and Matt, as the guys share plenty of laughs before welcoming welterweight Ramiz Brahimaj. Fresh off a 1st-round submission win, Brahimaj opens up about his mindset heading into the fight and what’s next for him in the division.

Later, the crew breaks down the highlights from last weekend’s card and weighs in on how Erin Blanchfield’s scratched bout with Maycee Barber could affect the title picture for Valentina Shevchenko.

After taking Monday off in observance of Memorial Day, Jim and Matt dive right into Wednesday’s episode of UFC Unfiltered with two returning guests: 4th-ranked flyweight contender Erin Blanchfield and middleweight finisher Zachary Reese.

Erin reflects on bouncing back from her first UFC loss to Manon Fiorot, shares how she’s grown more comfortable in five-round bouts, and breaks down her matchup this Saturday against fellow contender Maycee Barber — a fight with major title implications.

Later, Jim and Matt offer their picks for the UFC Fight Night card before welcoming Zachary Reese, who talks about life in small-town Shiner, Texas, his plans to deliver another first-round finish, and why Dusko Todorovic is the perfect dance partner for a crowd-pleasing scrap.

It’s a jiu-jitsu kind of show today! Matt and his jiu-jitsu buddy Jimmy welcome a pair of elite grapplers for their first-ever appearances on UFC Unfiltered in Ffion Davies and William Tackett.

Set to headline next Thursday’s UFC Fight Pass Invitational 11, Ffion shares her journey into submission grappling and what it means to ink an exclusive deal with the UFC. With her Australian rival Adele Fornarino looking to even the score after a 2022 loss, Ffion breaks down her mindset heading into their rematch.

Later, William Tackett joins the show to talk about growing up in a family that eats, sleeps, and breathes jiu-jitsu — and how that led to marrying a fellow grappler. He previews his upcoming clash with 18-year-old phenom Achilles Rocha and reflects on life, love, and grappling under pressure.

On today’s episode of UFC Unfiltered, Jim Norton and Matt Serra are joined by two familiar friends of the show: lightweight Jared Gordon and women’s bantamweight champion Julianna Peña.

Fresh off a decisive first-round stoppage win, Jared breaks down the finish and reflects on how his recovery journey has strengthened his mindset inside the cage. After revealing he's now a proud girl dad to a 4-month-old daughter, Jared gets a laugh out of Matt’s hilarious (and slightly scathing) story about a young YouTuber who kicked off their interview by asking Matt what it’s like to be the same height as a kid — prompting Matt to jokingly offer up his daughter for a grappling match with the young content creator.

Shortly after, Jim and Matt’s interview with Julianna Peña kicks off with some sparks, as she joins mid-sentence — just as the guys are in the middle of complimenting her, saying she’s not getting the respect she deserves ahead of UFC 316.

Once they clear up the misunderstanding, the conversation shifts into an engaging breakdown of her matchup with Kayla Harrison. Julianna talks about being an underdog throughout her career, staying focused through the noise, and how she’s preparing for Kayla’s unique skill set. Plus, she weighs in on the looming possibility of a high-stakes trilogy with Amanda Nunes.

Jim and Matt are joined by two fighters slated for action at this Saturday’s UFC APEX card.

They kick off the show reacting to the just-announced, stacked UFC 317 lineup.

Next, Cuban featherweight Yadier Del Valle drops in to share how watching old UFC VHS tapes in Cuba inspired his martial arts journey. He talks about earning his UFC shot on Dana White’s Contender Series and previews his debut matchup against Connor Matthews.

Later, featherweight veteran Julian Erosa joins the show to explain why he took a quick turnaround just 35 days after his most recent first-round finish. Now in his third UFC stint, Erosa reflects on his mindset shift and prepares for a showdown with Melquizael Costa—a clash of fighters riding three-fight win streaks.

Finally, Jim and Matt close out the episode with their picks for Saturday’s UFC Fight Night: Burns vs. Morales.