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The Craic with Petesy Carroll

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Rating
★★★★★
5
from
23 reviews
This podcast has
221 episodes
Language
English
Date created
2023/06/19
Latest episode
2026/04/18
Average duration
79 min.
Release period
9 days

Description

Irish MMA journalist Petesy Carroll talks to the biggest names in UFC, PFL, Bellator, Cage Warriors, boxing, and more. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday morning.

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Check latest episodes from The Craic with Petesy Carroll podcast


UFC White House Card Not Political, Saudi Arabia Pulls Sports Funding, More
2026/04/18
The Craic returns with Petesy Carroll, Chuck Mindenhall, and Ben Fowlkes back together as usual. After catching up, the lads react to Dana White’s comments insisting the UFC’s White House event is not political (8:48). Following reports that Saudi Arabia has pulled its funding from LIV Golf, the boys explore what it could mean for combat sports’ ties to the country and its boxing figurehead, Turki Al-Sheikh (38:23). Paddy Pimblett also stirred interest by revealing he’ll be fighting at International Fight Week, which is rumored to feature Conor McGregor’s return. The trio map out what that card could look like (46:59). Another UFC star making headlines was Arman Tsarukyan, after a viral video surfaced showing him being kicked off a flight, which prompts a reaction on the show (51:01). Ronda Rousey’s return to MMA has also sparked debate, with her comments on the UFC and Kayla Harrison giving the lads plenty to unpack (55:18). The trio preview this weekend’s combat sports fixtures, including UFC Winnipeg headlined by Gilbert Burns vs. Mike Malott (01:04:30), before answering your Super Chats (01:07:58).
Israel Adesanya's future, Arman Tsarukyan picks Conor McGregor to beat Max Holloway, Bellator lives? | The Craic
2026/04/02
The Craic is back for a special Wednesday edition, with Petesy Carroll, Chuck Mindenhall, and Ben Fowlkes as usual. The lads kick things off by reacting to Israel Adesanya’s loss to Joe Pyfer and what it could mean for the next phase of his career (05:00). From MMA to wrestling, the guys discuss Arman Tsarukyan vs. Uriah Faber being booked in RAF (20:15). Tsarukyan also made some bold comments on The Ariel Helwani Show, suggesting Max Holloway would get knocked out by Conor McGregor in their rumoured bout, which the trio dig into (31:27). Petesy then gets Chuck and Ben’s take on Alexa Grasso’s highlight-reel knockout-to-submission sequence (38:49), before the conversation turns to Khabib Nurmagomedov’s comments on women in MMA nearly simultaneous to Grasso’s stunning finish (44:06). Attention then shifts to the PFL, with the promotion reportedly considering a rebrand, including a potential return to the Bellator name. The boys brainstorm their own ideas (51:00). To close, the lads preview Derek Chisora vs. Deontay Wilder (01:02:07), then get to your Spring Break Super Chats (01:08:00).
Massive Weekend Preview: UFC Seattle, PFL Pittsburgh, RAF 7, boxing, more
2026/03/28
The Craic is back with it’s familiar trio of Petesy Carroll, Chuck Mindenhall, and Ben Fowlkes. First up, the lads dive deep into UFC Fight Night: Adesanya vs. Pyfer (3:45). There’s PFL action this weekend too. Chuck sheds light on his chat with promotional newcomer Bryan Battle ahead of his bout against Johnny Eblen (27:55). Another promotion making noise is RAF. The trio look ahead to the upcoming wrestling match between UFC lightweight Arman Tsarukyan and Georgio Poullas (50:01). After previewing this weekend’s boxing fixtures (01:04:00), they round things off by answering your Super Chats (01:12:35).
White House vs. Netflix: Which card wins? UFC London & PFL Madrid previews, more
2026/03/20
The Craic is back! This time, it’s the duo of Petesy Carroll and Ben Fowlkes. To start things off, the lads react to the passing of martial arts icon Chuck Norris (02:21). Then, they size up UFC's White House event against Netflix’s Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano card (13:05). Another fight on the Netflix card is Nate Diaz vs. Mike Perry. Petesy provides an update on Conor McGregor’s return now that Diaz has been ruled out as an opponent (30:51). Amid ongoing unrest around fighter pay, several retired UFC veterans have spoken out against the promotion’s model, giving the guys plenty to dig into (50:02). There’s fights this weekend too. Petesy and Ben break down PFL’s big media push for their Friday night Madrid card (55:36), and preview UFC London’s main event: Lerone Murphy vs. Mosvar Evloev (01:02:42).
Conor McGregor comeback, major UFC fight announcements, MVP MMA viability
2026/03/13
The Craic returns with its regular trio: Petesy Carroll, Chuck Mindenhall, and Ben Fowlkes. The boys get straight into the recent wave of fight announcements, including Khamzat Chimaev vs. Sean Strickland for the UFC middleweight title (02:45). At the press conference for the Netflix superfight between Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano, Rousey weighed in on the state of the UFC and its matchmaking. The lads share their thoughts on her comments (19:40). Another superstar potentially nearing a comeback is Conor McGregor, raising the question of whether recent fan discontent has pushed the UFC to move on his return (31:27). With the UFC’s White House card approaching, concerns have begun to surface over the stability and security of the event amid the current political climate, giving the guys plenty to unpack (44:45). That leads to another question: which event looms larger, UFC’s White House card or Netflix’s Rousey vs. Carano? The lads make their cases (49:21). To round things out, Chuck shares details from his recent conversation with UFC Apex headliner Kevin Vallejos ahead of his fight this weekend (1:07:00), before the boys answer your Super Chats (1:14:21).
Francis Ngannou Released, Tom Aspinall and Eddie Hearn Unite, BMF Legitimacy
2026/03/07
The Craic is back! Petesy Carroll is joined, as always, by Chuck Mindenhall and Ben Fowlkes. To kick things off, the lads dig into the surprise partnership between Tom Aspinall and Eddie Hearn (3:36). One partnership that hasn’t lasted is Francis Ngannou and the PFL. The boys react to the news of Ngannou’s release (32:56). With the White House card fast approaching, the crew then discuss which fights could headline the historic event (47:36). UFC 326 is this weekend too. The trio preview Max Holloway vs. Charles Oliveira and debate the legitimacy of the BMF belt up for grabs (52:01). To close the show, the lads give their Uncrowned UFC 326 picks (01:17:00), and answer your Super Chats (01:19:22).
UFC Fighter Revolt? Ilia Topuria Speaks, White House Update, Combat Chaos
2026/02/28
The Craic is back! Petesy Carroll, Chuck Mindenhall, and Ben Fowlkes return as usual. First up, they take a deep dive into Zuffa Boxing’s recent signing of Conor Benn for a record $15 million, and what it means for TKO’s first move into boxing (0:14). That eye-catching payday didn’t go unnoticed in the UFC. The trio explore the growing rumblings of discontent among fighters (44:51). Then, breaking news lands mid-show, as the lads react live to the announcement that Oleksandr Usyk is set to defend his WBC heavyweight title against Rico Verhoeven (53:00). From there, they get into Ilia Topuria and Jake Paul’s war of words (59:41), before discussing fighters speaking out about not wanting to compete at the UFC’s proposed White House event (1:03:20). There’s UFC action this weekend as well, with Petesy and the lads previewing Brandon Moreno vs. late-notice replacement Lone’er Kavanagh (1:12:54). They wrap things up by answering your Super Chats (1:19:06).
Dana White vs Eddie Hearn Beef, Ronda Rousey vs Gina Carano on Netlfix, More
2026/02/21
The Craic is back! This time, it’s dynamic duo Petesy Carroll and Chuck MIndenhall holding it down. To kick things off, they react to the ongoing feud between Dana White and Eddie Hearn (5:29). Then, attention turns to Netflix stepping into the MMA space with Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano (32:41). They also discuss Gable Steveson’s latest first-round win and whether the UFC should make a move to sign him next (48:20). With fights on deck this weekend, Petesy and Chuck preview UFC Fight Night: Sean Strickland vs. Anthony Hernandez (55:49), and Ryan Garcia taking on Mario Barrios in the boxing (01:05:01). To close the show, the lads answer your Super Chats (01:10:03).
Inside Tom Aspinall's 108-Day Nightmare, State of UFC's Heavyweight Division
2026/02/14
On this week’s Craic, Petesy Carroll returns alongside Chuck Mindenhall and Ben Fowlkes as usual.  To kick things off, Petesy discusses his latest Uncrowned feature, offering an inside look at Tom Aspinall’s recent eye surgery, which he attended (2:52).  With Aspinall sidelined and news of Jailton Almeida’s recent release, the UFC heavyweight division suddenly looks thin. The trio assess just how shaky the state of what was once the promotion’s premier division has become (28:02).  Then, Fresh from the 2026 Combat Sports Officials Summit, Ben Fowlkes shares what officials are working on to help prevent incidents like Aspinall’s eye poke and how they’re approaching MMA scoring moving forward (43:22). To round out the show, Petesy and the gang answer your Super Chats (1:07:18). 
Ilia Topuria Is Back! White House Fight Against Justin Gaethje? UFC Testimony
2026/02/07
The Craic is back! Our dynamic trio of Petesy Carroll, Chuck Mindenhall, and Ben Fowlkes return as usual. First up, the crew react to UFC Lightweight champion Ilia Topuria teasing his return on social media (5:18).  The trio also weigh in on Justin Gaethje hinting he could face Topuria next, and possibly at the White House (13:14). Attention then turns to Dana White’s appearance in the UFC antitrust lawsuit, where he shed light on the scope of his current role within the company. The guys unpack the key takeaways (31:23).  UFC London tickets have just dropped, and with fans unhappy about the prices, the trio ask whether UFC event costs will ever come back down (41:17). There’s plenty of MMA on this weekend, too. The boys preview PFL Dubai’s main event between Usman Nurmagomedov and Alfie Davis (46:13), as well as the UFC’s latest Apex fixtures (52:47). To round things out, Ben Fowlkes sheds light on his latest Uncrowned feature: The Tale of ‘Two Ton’ Tony (1:01:54), and the lads close the show with your Super Chats (1:13:07). 
STACKED Combat Weekend: UFC 325, WWE Royal Rumble, Stevenson vs Lopez, More
2026/01/31
The Craic returns with its regular trio of Petesy Carroll, Chuck Mindenhall, and Ben Fowlkes to see you into a stacked combat sports weekend.  To get things underway, the lads react to the UFC 325 weigh ins, including the announcement of the new weigh-in protocols (6:24).  Then it’s on to the main event: Alexander Volkanovski vs. Diego Lopes. The trio discuss Volkanovski retirement rumours and what a win would mean for the Australian (16:39). Attention then shifts to the co-main event, where Petesy and the crew break down what promises to be a thrilling clash between Dan Hooker and Benoit Saint-Denis (29:02).  They also preview the rest of the main card (35:34) and deliver their official Uncrowned picks for each fight (39:11).  Also, in a surprise development, Patchy Mix has been released from the UFC and signed with Rizin, drawing an immediate reaction from the chaps (48:49). Switching to boxing, the guys discuss Shakur Stevenson vs. Teofimo Lopez ahead of their highly anticipated clash this weekend (54:49). To close the show, the lads preview The Royal Rumble (59:32) and respond to your Super Chats (01:16:00). 
Dana White Battles Justin Gaethje On Fighter Pay, Paddy Pimblett's Star Power
2026/01/24
The Craic is back! This week, the lads go all in on UFC 324. To open the show, Petesy Carroll is joined by Craic regular Ben Fowlkes and UK MMA journalist Chisanga Malata to break down this weekend’s main event: Justin Gaethje vs. Paddy Pimblett (2:30). One half of that main event, Justin Gaethje, recently voiced his disappointment over the lack of a pay rise in the new UFC Paramount deal. Petesy and Ben react to his comments, the fallout that followed, and the state of fighter pay in 2026 (31:02). UFC 324 brings plenty of other key storylines. The boys debate whether Arman Tsarukyan should be next for the winner of the main event (46:38). Next, they dig into the fireworks bantamweight matchup between Sean O’Malley and Song Yadong (48:42), and discuss whether Waldo Cortes-Acosta vs. Ciryl Gane could be next up for the heavyweight title (51:01). On the back end of the show, Chuck Mindenhall joins from Las Vegas. Boots on the ground for the Zuffa Boxing debut, Chuck sheds light on how the event is shaping up (53:45). To close up shop, the boys give their UFC 324 picks (1:12:31), and respond to your Super Chats (1:16:45). 
Dawn Of The Paramount Era, Better Card: UFC 324 or UFC 325? White House Latest
2026/01/17
The Craic is back with its dynamic trio. Petesy Carroll, Chuck Mindenhall and Ben Fowlkes reunite, kicking things off with a deep dive into how the UFC’s Paramount era will shape up (2:47). Then, the guys react to Kayla Harrison dropping out of UFC 324 (28:13), how it impacts the quality of the UFC’s debut Paramount card, and whether its follow-up, UFC 325, shapes up as the stronger event (36:49). With Dana White at the helm of the UFC’s new deal, the trio break down his recent media appearances and how a lack of promotional push is impacting the hype around upcoming events (46:01). While the UFC prepares for its Paramount debut next week, attention turns to KSW, where rising prospect Salahdine Parnasse is set to face Marcin Held. Petesy breaks down the matchup for the lads (56:32). To round out the show, the chaps flex their dramatic muscles by re-enacting a controversial interaction between a UFC matchmaker and a fighter (1:04:05) then answer your Super Chats (1:22:21).
Ilia Topuria's Fighting Future, Jon Jones & Daniel Cormier Renew Rivalry, More
2026/01/10
The Craic is back! Petesy Carroll kicks off the new year alongside Uncrowned’s finest, Chuck Mindenhall and Shaheen Al-Shatti. First up, they discuss how concerned we should be about Ilia Topuria’s fighting future following the UFC lightweight champ’s recent court proceedings (5:20). Another UFC lightweight with no title-fight news is Arman Tsarukyan. The trio react to Dana White’s interview with Robbie Fox, where he shed light on why (17:30). The 155lbs division continues to make headlines, this time with title contenders Paddy Pimblett and Dan Hooker clashing in a social media war of words. The lads break it down (28:31). From one feud to another, Petesy and the boys dissect the latest developments in the Jon Jones vs. Daniel Cormier rivalry (48:45). Finally, the guys highlight their biggest stories to watch in 2026 (55:54), and answer your Super Chats (1:16:18).
Tom Aspinall Hits Back, Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua Arrives, Merab x Zuck
2025/12/19
For the final Craic of 2025, Petesy Carroll is joined by Chuck Mindenhall to round out the combat sports year. They open by previewing this weekend’s crossover fight between Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua on Netflix (04:38). Shifting back to MMA, the duo discuss Tom “Bully” Aspinall’s message to Ciryl Gane and how the buildup to their rematch is shaping up compared to the first meeting (28:45). Then it’s over to the PFL, where news of Movlid Khaybulaev’s positive drug tests has caused ripples. The guys react to what it means for the PFL titleholder (41:35). Finally, Petesy and Chuck react to the latest Mark Zuckerberg MMA training footage, this time alongside Merab Dvalishvili (49:30). To close out the show and the year, they answer your Super Chats (55:00).

Podcast reviews

Read The Craic with Petesy Carroll podcast reviews


5 out of 5
23 reviews
★★★★★
Blakexolotl 2025/11/18
Magic Trio
Petesy, Chuck, and Ben are the best couple combination of voices in the whole space.
★★★★★
Haydes55 2025/05/10
Ben
Love that Ben Fowlkes have joined Petesy and Chuck on the pod at times. Some of the best MMA journalists out there. Nuff said.
★★★★★
Troy Farkas 2024/07/26
Craic is Crack 💉
INJECT THIS INTO MY VEINS! Unparalleled insights from the top names in European MMA and beyond. It’s amazing how Petesy knows all of his guests person...
★★★★★
EugeneSimmons 2023/12/21
5/5 podcast easily
Petesy is the man. He has a great sense of humor and a very conversational interview style He’s also passionate and a certified blancharddamus He’s...
★★★★★
HeliosRSOP 2023/07/28
Wonderful show with a great perspective
Petesy gives a voice and perspective to an often underrepresented region in American MMA media. The podcast is entertaining and paints the perfect pic...
★★★★★
Heugatron22 2023/07/25
Awesome content, Learning a lot
As an American MMA fan, this podcast is a great look into European MMA. Love the interviews. Petesy does an awesome job of threading European MMA na...
★★★★★
heheheheheuheheue 2023/07/19
Petesy is objectively better than Ariel
Petesy has dignity, doesn't start race wars, and isn't a lowly rat.
★★★★★
shake milton 2023/07/08
Love this lad
Good stuff
★★★★★
Ian Kevin 2023/07/03
Genius
Petesy is the MMA mastermind of his generation, asking the tough questions and getting the right answers. Mad craic, has a laugh with his guests as we...
★★★★★
MaxWarhawk 2023/06/28
The Craic is back
Top notch journalism mate!
check all reviews on apple podcasts

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