Blog - 247 Fighting Championships

Podcast: We Need to Talk About Brawl in the Burgh 16

Brawl in the Burgh 16 is bananas.

Now, we always put a serious amount of time and effort into our shows. We’re proud of the event we produce on fight night.

But Brawl in the Burgh 16 is just different.

Recently Ryan and Hunter hopped into the 247 Studio to explain in detail.

<<< Enjoy the show right now on 247 Live. >>>

Sure, it’s available on any computer or phone, but you can also watch via the 247 Live app on Roku, Apple TV, and iOS.

We recommend the apps. And we also recommend you snag your tickets to April 15’s Brawl in the Burgh 16 NOW.

Seats are rapidly selling out, and the Hollywood Casino at the Meadows Event Center only holds so many people…

You’re not going to want to miss it.

<<< Get tickets here. >>>

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Hunter is not smart sometimes.

Recently, Hunter had Culver Karate Club’s James Stevenson in the 247 Studio for an episode of the Pittsburgh Combat Sports Podcast.

They had an awesome chat.

…and then Hunter realized he isn’t a smart man.

You’ll see what we mean.

<<< Enjoy the show right now on 247 Live. >>>

Sure, it’s available on any computer or phone, but you can also watch via the 247 Live app on Roku, Apple TV, and iOS.

We recommend the apps. And we also recommend you snag your tickets to April 15’s Brawl in the Burgh 16 NOW.

Seats are rapidly selling out, and Stevenson has an insanely fun matchup ahead. You’re not going to want to miss it.

<<< Get tickets here. >>>

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Paul Luc is a sorcerer behind the lens.

One half of 247 Fighting Championships’ fight-night photography team (the great Chris Bermudo being the other half), Luc captures every moment inside and outside the cage (view fight photos here!).

And holy crap there are some incredible moments.

On the latest episode of the Pittsburgh Combat Sports Podcast, 247 FC GM Hunter Homistek chats with Luc, breaking down the backstory behind some of his favorite shots.

Luc, of course, doesn’t just shoot for 247 Fighting Championships. A blue belt at Stout PGH, he’s become the gym’s personal photographer, and he also travels to gyms, competitions, and more to capture the magic in real-time.

Enjoy the show right now on 247 Live.

Sure, it’s available on any computer or phone, but you can also watch via the 247 Live app on Roku, Apple TV, and iOS.

We recommend the apps. We also recommend the video for this one instead of the audio-only version since, you know, we show the pictures. It helps to see them.

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UFC 285: Jones vs. Gane Watch Party | Details, Time, Place

Jon Jones fights Ciryl Gane for the UFC heavyweight title this Saturday, March 4, at UFC 285 inside Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena.

Re-read that sentence.

Jon Jones vs. Ciryl Gane. Heavyweight title. Saturday.

Goodness gracious.

Even better? You’re invited to watch this insane UFC 285 fight card with the 247 Fighting Championships family at the Barstool Sportsbook inside the Hollywood Casino at the Meadows in Washington, PA.

Come meet the 247 Fighting Championships crew, fighters, coaches, ring card girls, fans, and more starting Saturday at 8 PM.

We’ll have a table set up so you can learn more about us and our upcoming show, Brawl in the Burgh 16, taking place Saturday, April 15, at the Hollywood Casino at the Meadows.

If you want to buy tickets, you’ll be able to do that on the spot Saturday night, too. (P.S. They’re selling insanely fast, and we’re still six weeks out from fight night. You might want to jump on that.)

<<< GET BITB16 TICKETS HERE >>>

We’ll also go LIVE with a UFC 285 fight-companion-style podcast at 10 PM, where our team will invite guests onto the table inside the Barstool Sportsbook to discuss the action going down all around us on the big screens.

Here’s why you just can’t miss this UFC 285 fight card:

Jones returns to the historic UFC Octagon for the first time since February 8, 2020, when he defended his UFC light heavyweight title in a close fight against Dominick Reyes. Can he cement his status as not just a GOAT but the GOAT by winning the heavyweight title after a three-year layoff?

Gane, meanwhile, strolls into the fight with a huge knockout win in his back pocket. He wiped out Tai Tuivasa in an instant classic back at UFC Fight Night 209 in September.

It’s one of the best possible matchups in the UFC right now on all levels, and it’s happening this Saturday at UFC 285. Get hyped.

Now, here’s the thing…

The rest of the card is STACKED, too!

One fight before Jones vs. Gane, longtime UFC women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko puts her title on the line against Alexa Grasso. Shevchenko’s won a billion fights in a row (OK, nine), but Grasso’s on a nice four-fight winning streak of her own. No doubt Shevchenko enters this one as a massive favorite, but anything can happen in this wild sport of MMA.
Bo Nickal makes his UFC debut. Bo. Freaking. Nickal. The three-time National Champion wrestler out of Penn State faces Jamie Pickett to kick off the main-card portion of UFC 285. Besides Jones’ move to heavyweight, this fight has me the most hyped.
Cody Garbrandt is back, baby! While Garbrandt is from Ohio and currently lives/trains in Vegas, he’s a massive part of Pittsburgh MMA lore and culture. Garbrandt used to train at Fight Club Pittsburgh, and he comprised one half of the biggest fight in Pittsburgh MMA history when he took on Dominic Mazzotta back at Gladiators of the Cage: North Shore’s Rise to Power 4. A former UFC champ with dynamite fists, Garbrandt always brings the heat when the cage door closes.

All that and more goes down Saturday, March 4, at UFC 285, friends.

We’ll see you at the Barstool Sportsbook.

247 Fighting Championships almost didn’t make it.

First came the general challenges of a startup.

Then came some haters.

Then came COVID.

Then came COVID –– again.

It was insane. And 247 Fighting Championships as you know it today almost didn’t last.

On the latest episode of the Pittsburgh Combat Sports Podcast, 247 FC Owner Ryan Middleton joins GM Hunter Homistek to break it all down.

They don’t hold back.

Enjoy the show on 247 Live.

Sure, it’s available on any computer or phone, but you can also watch via the 247 Live app on Roku, Apple TV, and iOS.

We recommend the apps.

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Ken Burrs understands the assignment.

The Indio Dojo product sits at 1-0 in his amateur MMA career, and he’s already looking to test himself.

Big time.

Some amateurs want to dip their toes into the shallow waters to get a feel for things to come. Not Burrs.

Burrs adjusts his goggles, takes a deep breath, and dives in.

He fights Pitt wrestler and 1-0 Stout PGH product James Lledo Saturday, April 15, at Brawl in the Burgh 16 inside the Hollywood Casino at the Meadows Events Center.

TICKETS ARE MOVING FAST! GET THEM NOW!

That fight is madness. It’s beast vs. beast, wrestler vs. wrestler, top prospect vs. top prospect. However you slice it, it rules.

Now, Burrs joins 247 Fighting Championships in studio to break down that matchup and the windy road that led him to where he is today.

It’s a good one.

You should watch it now on 247 Live.

Sure, it’s available on any computer or phone, but you can also watch via the 247 Live app on Roku, Apple TV, and iOS.

We recommend the apps.

Enjoy the show.

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Pittsburgh vs. Pittsburgh?

Yep. And this fight is actually way better than that, too. A crosstown rivalry always adds a little heat, but with these two?

Buckle up.

Saturday, April 15, at the Hollywood Casino at the Meadows, top amateur middleweight prospects Ken Burrs (Indio Dojo) and James Lledo (Stout PGH) throw down during 247 Fighting Championships: Brawl in the Burgh 16.

<<< GET BITB16 TICKETS NOW! >>>

Burrs and Lledo both enter the bout at 1-0. They both boast the lethal combo of high-level collegiate wrestling plus elite MMA training.

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Their first fights? Yeah, both guys dominated their opponents.

(Don’t believe me? Watch Burrs’ fight right here and watch Lledo’s right here.)

Now, Burrs and Lledo meet in the center of the cage to decide who’s the baddest in the ‘Burgh.

Like I said… Buckle up.

Making this fight even better, both fighters recently joined Luke Payson on MMA Fancast to break down the fight, this unique Pittsburgh vs. Pittsburgh dynamic, their futures, and much more.

Get hyped for this one, friends. April 15 will be here before you know –– and tickets are moving quickly. You don’t want to miss these two monsters throwing down, do you?

<<< GET BITB16 TICKETS NOW! >>>

Burrs interview:

Lledo interview:

P.S. If you can’t make it to the Hollywood Casino at the Meadows, you can catch Burrs vs. Lledo and this entire stacked fight card LIVE exclusively on our live-streaming platform, 247 Live.

You can watch online right here –– or you can download the 247 Live app, available now on Roku, Apple TV, and iOS. We personally recommend the apps, but any way you can catch these fights is a win in our books.

Enjoy the show.

ORDER BITB16 PPV

Drew Landefeld might have a screw loose.

Hey, he said it, not us. Just listen to the podcast!

Landefeld, now 2-2 in his budding amateur MMA career, finds himself at a turning point as a fighter.

With a plan to go pro in 2024, this year becomes ultra-important for Landefeld –– and he’s not taking the opportunity lightly.

He joins Hunter in studio to:

provide an exciting injury update
call his shot for his next fight
talk about getting punched by Josh Visokey (😂)
Rank his top-three horror movies
and more

It’s a good one, folks.

You should watch this now on 247 Live.

Sure, it’s available on any computer or phone, but you can also watch via the 247 Live app on Roku, Apple TV, and iOS.

We recommend the apps.

Buckle up and enjoy.

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Ethan Goss has been around.

Settle down. He’s a married man. We mean as a fighter.

Goss, now 9-6 as a pro and riding a four-fight winning streak, strolls into his main-event title defense against Calvin Harbaugh Saturday, April 15, at the Hollywood Casino at the Meadows with plenty of pressure…

…and plenty of opportunity.

Win that one, and everything might change for Goss overnight.

It’s a moment he cherishes, and he doesn’t plan to let it slip through the cracks.

<<< GET BITB16 TICKETS NOW! >>>

Goss joins Hunter live in studio to break down his upcoming fight, to share advice to young fights, and to talk about the best damn potato chips on earth. You should watch this now on 247 Live.

Sure, it’s available on any computer or phone, but you can also watch via the 247 Live app on Roku, Apple TV, and iOS.

We recommend the apps.

Buckle up and enjoy.

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Brawl in the Burgh 16 is NUTS!

And we mean that in the best possible way.

Ethan Goss defends his 247 FC pro featherweight title vs. Calvin “Hero” Harbaugh in the main event. Two stud collegiate wrestlers (who both happen to be 1-0 in MMA as well) collide, as Stout PGH’s James Lledo takes on Indio Dojo’s Ken Burrs.

That’s a fraction of the fun going down Saturday, April 15, at the Hollywood Casino at the Meadows.

<<< GET BITB16 TICKETS NOW! >>>

Ryan and Hunter reveal EVERY local fighter currently signed to fight during this full show now on 247 Live!

Sure, it’s available on any computer or phone, but you can also watch via the 247 Live app on Roku, Apple TV, and iOS.

We recommend the apps.

Buckle up and enjoy.

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Stout PGH coaches Mike Wilkins and Will Morrill ask the important questions.

How many unarmed, trained men would it take to kill a grizzly bear?

Could Wilkins win states if he entered today?

What’s the smallest animal that could kill you (without venom, bacteria, etc.)?

See? These questions matter –– and we’re here to answer them.

Watch the full show now on 247 Live, or listen to the audio-only version below.

Sure, it’s available on any computer or phone, but you can also watch via the 247 Live app on Roku, Apple TV, and iOS.

We recommend the apps.

Buckle up and enjoy.

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Stout PGH’s Mike Wilkins & Will Morrill know a thing or two about fighting.

I mean, there’s a reason the Stout PGH fight team went 13-1 with 247 Fighting Championships in 2022. And a reason Wilkins and Morrill won Coaches of the Year.

And a reason their fighter, Josh Visokey, had the knockout of the year.

And a reason Stout PGH won Gym of the Year, too.

You saw the awards show, right? Riggggghhhht? (Watch it here if you haven’t, you heathen.)

Fresh off their impressive performance at the 2022 247 FC Awards, Wilkins and Morrill stopped into the 247 Live studio to discuss their coaching methods, the growth of Stout PGH, and so, so much more.

This one is awesome, ladies and gentlemen.

Watch the full show now on 247 Live, or listen to the audio-only version below.

Sure, it’s available on any computer or phone, but you can also watch via the 247 Live app on Roku, Apple TV, and iOS.

We recommend the apps.

Buckle up and enjoy the show.

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The first-annual 247 Fighting Championships Awards show is a wrap!

And Pittsburgh MMA’s finest took home some serious hardware to kick off 2023 in style.

From Pro Fighter of the Year to New Gym of the Year to Coaches of the Year and everywhere in between, over 1,000 fan votes and 247 Fighting Championships staff votes crowned the best of the best for 2022.

Want to know who won?

Of course you do. That’s why you’re here.

Watch the full show now, shot live in-studio Thursday, Jan. 5 on 247 Live, or listen to the audio-only version below.

Sure, it’s available on any computer or phone, but you can also watch via the 247 Live app on Roku, Apple TV, and iOS.

We recommend the apps.

Buckle up and enjoy the show.

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Ferdaws Nayimi is undefeated inside the cage –– and now he’s turning pro.

Of course, none of that means Nayimi never doubted himself. In fact, he’s done that plenty –– and he still does it on a regular basis.

But it’s managing those emotions –– conquering the “inner b****,” as Nayimi put it –– that changed everything for him.

The Mat Factory Wrestling Club product joins 247 Fighting Championships General Manager Hunter Homistek live in studio to break down that dynamic, his amateur career to this point, his future plans, and everything in between.

Watch the full podcast now on 247 Live. Sure, it’s available on any computer or phone, but you can also watch via the 247 Live app on Roku, Apple TV, and iOS.

We recommend the apps.

Buckle up and enjoy the show.

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Mason DeLess reminded everyone what he can do at Brawl in the Burgh 15.

The Stout PGH fighter established himself as one of the nation’s best amateur flyweights long ago, but he’s been out of action for over a year and out of action in Pittsburgh since 2019.

That all changed at BitB15 –– and what a homecoming it was for DeLess.

<<< WATCH BITB15 FULL EVENT REPLAY >>>

Facing another top-ranked amateur flyweight in Jalen McIntyre, DeLess put on a show, eventually winning via third-round submission in a Fight of the Night-worthy performance from both men.

So how did it feel getting back in there?

Maybe more importantly, what’s next for DeLess?

We discuss all that and more on the latest episode of the Pittsburgh Combat Sports Podcast.

Spoiler alert: He’s going pro… but he has a little business to handle first.

Watch the full video right here on 247 Live or listen below.

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Let’s vote on the best of the best in Pittsburgh MMA, shall we?

Which gym was the Steel City’s best in 2022? Who was the most impressive amateur fighter? What about pro?

All that and more will be decided during the 2022 247 FC Awards show, taking place LIVE Thursday, Jan. 5, at 7 PM on 247 Live.

<<< WATCH THE AWARDS SHOW HERE! >>>

And remember: If you need to refresh your memory on any of these fights or fighters, fire up your 247 Live app –– now available on Roku, iOS, and Apple TV –– or visit stream247live.com and re-watch EVERY fight in 247 FC history.

Hey, if you’re going to vote, you might as well be informed, right? ‘Merica.

Let’s get to voting:

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