Why UFC Fighters Must Be Influencers Now | TFATK Ep. 1174
The Fighter & The Kid
Thiccc Boy Studios | PodcastOne
4.2 • 17.4K Ratings
🗓️ 24 March 2026
⏱️ 78 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
On this episode of The Fighter and The Kid, Brendan Schaub and Bryan Callen break down how the UFC and MMA landscape has completely changed — and why being a great fighter is no longer enough to succeed.
Schaub explains how today’s UFC fighters must build a brand, master social media, and promote themselves just to stay relevant. From Dana White’s evolving business model to the pressure fighters face outside the octagon, the conversation dives into why some talented fighters never make it.
They also touch on the changing entertainment industry, audience fatigue with political content, and how competition has never been higher across MMA, comedy, and media. Plus, the guys react to viral trends, influencer culture, and the rise of “alpha” courses and online personalities.
If you follow UFC, MMA news, fighter careers, or want insight into how the fight game really works today — this episode gives you the real behind-the-scenes perspective.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Yes, we did, because we back at it again. |
| 0:02.1 | It's the fighter and the kid. This is really the fighter and the kid. Come on, baby. Just go ahead. Yeah, it's tough. He just on. Let's go. What's up, pal? What's up, dudes? What's the special occasion? You got a colored shirt? I was out. I didn't get a chance to do laundry, so now I'm wearing my church clothes. You look like you look for Ally Quinta doing real estate. That's a great call. I wore my best Tim Dillon outfit. Ally Aquenta. You're looking juicy. I'm like that. Yeah. Yeah, you look pretty jagged. I'm not sure. I decided to just, I know people hate the fitness, but I decided to stop cutting for a little bit. |
| 0:38.7 | It's too early. I don't know why you cut. You look good when you're fucking fat. Wait for the summer to cut. I know. It's bulking season, baby. Well, I have this thing called body dysmorphia. As soon as I get a little chubby, I'm like, I just look in the mirror. I'm like, you fat. I don't think you look bad at it. |
| 0:54.1 | You never look fat. |
| 0:54.7 | You just look big. |
| 0:56.2 | I just wish I, body just look in the mirror. I'm like, you fat, fuck. I don't think you look bad. You never look fat. |
| 0:54.7 | You just look big. |
| 0:56.2 | I just wish I, body this morphie is a bitch. |
| 0:59.4 | Yeah. |
| 0:59.7 | What do you think he comes from? |
| 1:07.7 | My son definitely has it because of me. Your son does? From wrestling. For sure. T. He has it. Because in wrestling, I would, I just, our wrestling coach was also the football coach. So during football season, he'd make us bulk and I'd weigh 205. |
| 1:12.6 | And he'd make us fucking and I'd weigh 205. |
| 1:12.4 | And he'd make us fucking gain all the weight and eat all the pasta. And then as soon as football season was done, he'd be like, why are you so fat? Because I'd have to cut down to 160. You're like, wait, what? You're the one. Yeah, I'm like, you did this to me. He's all figured out. He was also hilarious because he was colorblind with red and |
| 1:28.1 | green, which I think is like the most common colorblindness, which also is the two wrist bracelets you get in wrestling. So there was times where he'd be like, he didn't know what was happening. And he'd be like, what are you doing? I'm like, I'm winning. Yeah. So you know, You know our boy Jimmy Burke? |
| 1:42.7 | Yeah. |
| 1:43.1 | He, uh, we didn't know what the fuck was going on with him, but he had, uh, some, he had some lung issue. |
| 1:47.9 | At least four. winning. Yeah. So you know, you know our boy, Jimmy Burke? Yeah. He, uh, |
| 1:45.7 | we didn't know what the fuck was going on with him, but he had, |
| 1:46.2 | uh, |
| 1:46.5 | some, |
| 1:47.0 | he had some lung issue. |
| 1:47.9 | You're fired. |
... |
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