Keyboard Kimura

It’s a PostMedia Wonder Twins edition of the Keyboard Kimura Podcast as Danny Austin of the Calgary Sun joins The Province’s E. Spencer Kyte to discuss the UFC’s Canadian tour stops for 2017, some of the top regional talents in this country that could find their way into the Octagon this year and share their opinions on some of the big fight announcements to come out in recent weeks. Sit back, relax and enjoy this All-Canadian edition of the show. E. Spencer Kyte covers MMA for The Province and hosts the Keyboard Kimura Podcast. Follow him on social media (@spencerkyte) and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes and Stitcher.

photo credit: Esther Lin / MMAFighting.com World MMA Awards Journalist of the Year nominee Shaheen Al-Shatti (@shaunalshatti) of MMAFighting.com joins E. Spencer Kyte on the inaugural podcast of 2017 to look at some of the potential big stories in the year ahead in the UFC before breaking down Sunday’s UFC Fight Night main event between Yair Rodriguez and the returning legend B.J. Penn. E. Spencer Kyte covers MMA for The Province and hosts the Keyboard Kimura Podcast. Follow him on social media (@spencerkyte) and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes and Stitcher.

It’s the final episode of 2016, but it’s a good one! E. Spencer Kyte and Patrick Cwiklinski set the table for UFC 207 this Friday, discussing the return of Ronda Rousey and the women’s bantamweight title main event before shifting gears to the male side of things, where Dominick Cruz defends his title against Cody Garbrandt. From there, the boys lament the loss of Cain Velasquez from this card and wonder whether the former champion will ever make a complete return prior to picking a sleeper fight they’re keen on from this card. To close things out, ESK and Patrick share their biggest story or talking point from 2016 and how it carries over into the year ahead. ? E. Spencer Kyte covers MMA for The Province and hosts the Keyboard Kimura Podcast. Follow him on social media (@spencerkyte) and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes and Stitcher.

credit: MMAAA On this edition of the show, E. Spencer Kyte is joined by Matthew Wells of MMA Latest News (@MrMWellsArt) to discuss Wednesday’s formation of the Mixed Martial Arts Athletes Association (2:30), Conor McGregor being granted a boxing license in California and what that means going forward (27:00) and this weekend’s Ultimate Fighter 24 Finale featuring flyweight champion Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson (35:00) before the show closes with a discussion about the number of UFC events taking place and the lack of depth given to covering some fighters (49:00). It’s the Keyboard Kimura Podcast on Province Sports Radio and it’s awesome! ? E. Spencer Kyte covers MMA for The Province and hosts the Keyboard Kimura Podcast. Follow him on social media (@spencerkyte) and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes and Stitcher.

On this edition of the show, E. Spencer Kyte and Patrick Cwiklinski look at what comes next in the two divisions where Conor McGregor reigns as champion, trying to forecast future pairings for top contenders at featherweight and lightweight, while doing the same for the middleweight ranks as well. From there, the boys shift into a look at Saturday’s UFC Fight Night event in Melbourne, Australia featuring an exceptional main event between Robert Whittaker and Derek Brunson, adding a couple names to watch out for earlier on the card as well. To close things out, they look ahead to December and highlight the fights they’re most looking forward to in the final month of the year. It’s a compact collection of awesomeness this week on the Keyboard Kimura Podcast! E. Spencer Kyte covers MMA for The Province and hosts the Keyboard Kimura Podcast. Follow him on social media (@spencerkyte) and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes and Stitcher.

Just a couple days before UFC 205, E. Spencer Kyte is joined by UFC commentator John Gooden (@JohnGoodenUK) to discuss the particulars of the most stacked main card in UFC history. Working in the order the contests will hit the Octagon, the transatlantic tandem discuss Miesha Tate’s experience advantage and competitiveness in advance of her bout with Raquel Pennington (2:00); the overall intrigue of the welterweight clash between Kelvin Gastelum and Donald Cerrone (11:00) and the under-the-radar greatness of Saturday’s middleweight contest between former champ Chris Weidman and Yoel Romero (23:00). Then it’s time to get into the championship fights, starting with the strawweight title clash between unbeaten Polish standouts Joanna Jedrzejczyk and Karolina Kowalkiewicz (35:00). A dissection of the welterweight matchup between Tyron Woodley and Stephen Thompson (54:00) follows and then it’s on to the lightweight championship main event between Eddie Alvarez and Conor McGregor (65:00). Just like Saturday’s PPV, this episode is loaded with goodness and it’s here for your enjoyment on Province Sports Radio. Don’t miss an episode of the Keyboard Kimura Podcast – follow our feed or subscribe on iTunes – and don’t forget to Like Us on Facebook and Follow Us on Twitter!

Because this weekend’s fight card at Madison Square Garden is so loaded with entertaining fights and established names, we’re breaking our preview podcasts up to match the construction of the fight card. On this preliminary card portion of the podcast, ESK and Patrick Cwiklinski run through the action heading your way on Fight Pass and FS1/TSN5 Saturday afternoon. The boys go into greater detail on the middleweight debut of Rashad Evans against the returning Tim Kennedy, Khabib Nurmagomedov’s chance to clearly establish himself as the No. 1 contender in the lightweight division and the keys for Frankie Edgar in his fight with “That Guy” Jeremy Stephens. It’s the first of several UFC 205 Fight Week podcasts on Province Sports Radio. (ESK Note: Sorry it sounds like I’m riding in a helicopter at the end of the show; Internet went dicey over the final five minutes…) ? E. Spencer Kyte covers MMA for The Province. Follow him on social media: @spencerkyte. Don’t miss an episode of the Keyboard Kimura Podcast – follow our feed or subscribe on iTunes – and don’t forget to Like Us on Facebook and Follow Us on Twitter!

NEW YORK, NY – SEPTEMBER 27: Stephen Thompson addresses the media during the UFC 205 press conference at The Theater at Madison Square Garden on September 27, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) Prior to challenging for the welterweight title at UFC 205, Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson joins the Keyboard Kimura Podcast. The 33-year-old championship hopeful discusses his journey to facing Tyron Woodley for the welterweight strap in this weekend’s penultimate fight, identifying the pivotal moments of his career, the impact of his work with Chris Weidman and what it means to have his father, Ray, in his corner every step of the way. It’s 30 minutes of goodness with the man who fights for the UFC welterweight title this weekend! Don’t miss an episode of the Keyboard Kimura Podcast – follow our feed or subscribe on iTunes – and don’t forget to Like Us on Facebook and Follow Us on Twitter!

As the return of action to the UFC Octagon draws near, Shaheen Al-Shatti of MMAFighting.com returns to the program to discuss some of the bigger overall subjects floating around the MMA world right now. To kick things off, we look at the lightweight division (3:00) and how Conor McGregor will play a pivotal role in determining where that division goes following UFC 205. That discussion bleeds into a similar conversation about the middleweight ranks (10:00), where champion Michael Bisping has been courting big names, but now has a legitimate challenger ready and waiting to meet him in the cage. Following her appearance on Ellen on Tuesday, we had to talk about the returning Ronda Rousey (19:30) and her “one of my last fights” comment, including how long she might stick around and where we see her career heading after fighting. Lastly, we discuss Shaheen’s recent piece on the efforts of the Professional Fighters Association (PFA) and the strides they’re making in regards to bringing a union to the UFC (41:30). ? Don’t miss an episode of the Keyboard Kimura Podcast – follow our feed or subscribe on iTunes – and don’t forget to Like Us on Facebook and Follow Us on Twitter! E. Spencer Kyte covers MMA for The Province. Follow him on social media: spencerkyte.

On this off-week edition of the show, E. Spencer Kyte and Patrick Cwiklinski talk about the Twitter back-and-forth between Michael Bisping and Georges St-Pierre (2:00) and the featherweight co-main event added to December’s UFC pay-per-view event in Toronto between Max Holloway and Anthony Pettis (15:30). From there, the conversation shifts to retiring star Urijah Faber’s place in the pantheon of all-time greats (30:00) and Jon Jones’ exploits on social media earlier in the week (39:00). It’s a fast and fun romp through the biggest news of the week and it’s all yours right here on Province Sports Radio! Don’t miss an episode of the Keyboard Kimura Podcast – follow our feed or subscribe on iTunes – and don’t forget to Like Us on Facebook and Follow Us on Twitter!

It has already been a busy week in the UFC, so ESK and Patrick Cwiklinski are back to discuss all the news that has come out in the last three days. First up is the return of Ronda Rousey (3:30), who will challenge Amanda Nunes for the women’s bantamweight title at UFC 207 on December 30 in Las Vegas. In addition to discussing the matchup itself, the boys get into Julianna Pena’s complaints about the former champion getting an immediate title shot (9:00) and the growing number of athletes voicing their frustration with the organization (14:30). Along with the news of Rousey’s return, this week also had some Conor McGregor nuggets, as “The Notorious” one was fined $150k by the Nevada Athletic Commission, which prompted him to allegedly tell UFC President Dana White that he never wants to fight in Nevada again. (23:30) To wrap things up, the Punch Drunk Predictions tandem talks about the recently announced UFC on FOX main event between Paige VanZant and Michelle Waterson, wondering if it’s another case of too much, too soon for PVZ and whether or not this is a big enough fight to headline an event on national TV? (30:00) Don’t miss an episode of the Keyboard Kimura Podcast – follow our feed or subscribe on iTunes – and don’t forget to Like Us on Facebook and Follow Us on Twitter! E. Spencer Kyte covers MMA for The Province. Follow him on social media: @spencerkyte.

photo by Esther Lin / MMAFighting.com For the first time in months, E. Spencer Kyte and Paul Chapman reconnect on a brand new edition of the Keyboard Kimura Podcast. This week, ESK and Chappy discuss the light heavyweight championship fight between Daniel Cormier and Anthony Johnson ticketed for December’s return to Toronto and why that market continues to get big fights that never seem to find their way to Vancouver. They also dissect Saturday’s UFC 204 middleweight title fight between Michael Bisping and Dan Henderson, breaking down what they like about the pairing (ESK) and what they don’t like (Chappy, of course), as well as the overall state of the middleweight division before closing out with some rapid fire thoughts on a few of the major names in the news and the obligatory Jon Jones discussion that happens every time Chappy is on the show. It’s an old school edition of the Keyboard Kimura Podcast on Province Sports Radio.

Even though the event has fallen into the shadows, ESK and Patrick Cwiklinski are back to break down Saturday’s UFC Fight Night event at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon. After discussing why fight cards like this occasionally fade to the background, the boys turn their attention to flyweight prospect Louis Smolka and the sophomore Octagon appearance of former Bellator champ Will Brooks. Then, the focus shifts to the main event matchup between John Lineker and John Dodson, with specific attention given to the UFC’s struggles to promote exciting talents like Lineker in the past. Don’t miss an episode of the Keyboard Kimura Podcast – follow our feed or subscribe on iTunes – and don’t forget to Like Us on Facebook and Follow Us on Twitter!

The kickoff to an historic event at Madison Square Garden serves as the backdrop for the historic 100th episode of the Keyboard Kimura Podcast on Province Sports Radio. E. Spencer Kyte and Patrick Cwiklinski dive into Tuesday’s UFC 205 press conference at MSG starting with a look at the final composition of the card (1:00) and the lightweight championship main event between Eddie Alvarez and Conor McGregor (13:00). From there, the conversation shifts to the lack of respect given to welterweight champ Tyron Woodley (28:00) and the obvious star power of Joanna Jedrzejczyk (38:00) before things wrap up with quick thoughts on Chris Weidman (43:00), sneaky good fights that are going to slip under the radar (47:00) and the possibility that this stacked card comes back to bite the UFC down the home stretch (52:00). It’s our centennial show and it’s all for you right here on Province Sports Radio. Don’t miss an episode of the Keyboard Kimura Podcast – follow our feed or subscribe on iTunes – and don’t forget to Like Us on Facebook and Follow Us on Twitter!

After saying the show was going on hiatus for a couple of weeks, UFC 203 was too chaotic and crazy to not address so ESK and Patrick Cwiklinski are back with a surprise recap edition of the Keyboard Kimura Podcast. They discuss Stipe Miocic’s title win and what comes next for the heavyweight champion (1:00) and Fabricio Werdum’s victory over Travis Browne and the nonsense that followed (12:00) before diving into Mickey Gall’s two-minute destruction of CM Punk (22:00). Before wrapping up, the boys discuss what the future might hold for Urijah Faber in the wake of his loss to Jimmie Rivera (30:30) and sing the praises of new strawweight contender Jessica Andrade (40:00) who started the main card in impressive fashion. It’s a pre-vacation post-fight show and it’s all yours here on Province Sports Radio.

With UFC 203 hitting the Octagon on Saturday evening, E. Spencer Kyte and Patrick Cwiklinski are back on the airwaves to preview the action set to jump off at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. They start the show with a lengthy discussion about the merits of former WWE superstar CM Punk making his UFC debut (1:00) and how his fight with Mickey Gall will play out, before shifting their attention to the heavyweight championship main event between Stipe Miocic and Alistair Overeem (26:00). From there, it’s a quick tour through the remaining main card fights (34:00) and a shout out to a couple of preliminary card scraps that catch their eye (42:00) before the boys sign off for the next two weeks as ESK and Mrs. Kyte head overseas for a little vacation. Don’t miss an episode of the Keyboard Kimura Podcast – follow our feed or subscribe on iTunes – and don’t forget to Like Us on Facebook and Follow Us on Twitter!

On this edition of the show, E. Spencer Kyte and Patrick Cwiklinski pick apart Saturday’s UFC Fight Night event in Hamburg, Germany. Where do the main event veterans go from here? What’s next for Alexander Gustafsson? Does the UFC need to create a women’s flyweight division or use Invicta FC more? Who else impressed? It’s an earlier-than-normal edition of the Keyboard Kimura Podcast on Province Sports Radio!

On this edition of the show, E. Spencer Kyte and Patrick Cwiklinski put last weekend’s UFC event in Vancouver to bed, running through the victorious performances by Demian Maia, Anthony Pettis and Paige VanZant, trying to forecast what might come next for that talented triumvirate. From there, it’s on to Bellator and the signing of British Columbia’s own Rory MacDonald. While Patrick is sold on the matter, ESK is a little more hesitant. To close things out, it’s a quick tour around this Saturday’s fight card from Hamburg, Germany, headlined by Andrei Arlovski and Josh Barnett with important appearances for Alexander Gustafsson and Ilir Latifi. It’s a tightly-packed edition of the Keyboard Kimura Podcast on Province Sports Radio.

With the UFC in town for Saturday’s FOX event, this week’s Keyboard Kimura Podcast not only previews the local action about to go down at Rogers Arena, but it’s also the triumphant return of Paul Chapman to the show! E. Spencer Kyte and Patrick Cwiklinski join Chappy in studio to discuss the lack of buzz surrounding this weekend’s event and how to potentially remedy that both locally and nationally before dissecting the key talking points of Saturday’s main card matchups. And after a nine-month hiatus, it wouldn’t be right to end the show without letting Chappy share his thoughts on Daniel Cormier, Jon Jones and how to proceed in the light heavyweight division. It’s a UFC Vancouver Fight Week edition of the Keyboard Kimura Podcast on Province Sports Radio.

PostMedia’s MMA dynamic duo of E. Spencer Kyte of The Province and Danny Austin of the Calgary Sun connect to discuss all things Conor McGregor and UFC 202 in the wake of Saturday night’s instant classic in Las Vegas. The boys break down McGregor’s main event win over Nate Diaz and forecast what comes next for the Irish superstar before working their way through some of the other special performances from the event. From Anthony Johnson and Donald Cerrone to Cody Garbrandt and Colby Covington, no strong showing goes without recognition, but it all circles back to “The Notorious” one in the end. It’s a PostMedia twin bill on the latest edition of the Keyboard Kimura Podcast on Province Sports Radio. Don’t miss an episode of the Keyboard Kimura Podcast – follow our feed or subscribe on iTunes – and don’t forget to Like Us on Facebook and Follow Us on Twitter!