In This Corner With Brian Campbell

Brian Campbell and co-host Adam Silverstein decided to roll the balls out with an off-the-cuff show, and the disputes ran hot. BC and The Silver King open up by breaking down why the ongoing Becky Lynch angle is good -- but not great -- and how Ronda Rousey again failed to live up to expectations on the microphone. The guys then discuss the pros and cons of Halftime Heat and Worlds Collide, whether it is worth discussing AEW rumors and if the RKO is actually the best finisher in professional wrestling history. With DM slides and off-topic rants aplenty, Brian and Adam add some life into a rather mundane week in the world of professional wrestling. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brian Campbell welcomes unbeaten junior lightweight champion Gervonta "Tank" Davis to preview Saturday's Showtime tripleheader when he faces Hugo Ruiz. Davis breaks down his goal of becoming the biggest star in boxing by 2020 and talks his former beef with promoter Floyd Mayweather and whether he sees himself fighting pound-for-pound king Vasiliy Lomachenko. Plus, Rafe Bartholomew helps recap big wins from Sergey Kovalev and Teofimo Lopez Jr. over the weekend.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brian Campbell and Brandon Wise preview Saturday's UFC return to Australia and a pair of middleweight bouts as champion Robert Whittaker faces Kelvin Gastelum and rising star Israel Adesanya meets legendary former champion Anderson Silva. Will things end badly for the "Spider?" Just how good would a Whittaker-Adesanya fight be? The guys also recap UFC Fortaleza including breakthrough performances from bantamweight title contender Marlon Moraes and former featherweight king Jose Aldo. Plus, was Khabib Nurmagomedov's Nevada punishment too strict? How much longer should Amanda Nunes fight?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Road to WrestleMania 35 is underway with Brian Campbell and Adam Silverstein along for the ride. The guys open this week's show by getting BC's delayed Royal Rumble take before diving into the expected main events for the show (7:45). Was Seth Rollins winning the men's Royal Rumble and choosing Brock Lesnar too predictable, or does The Silver King have an epic booking scenario that could send this match over the top (17:56)? Plus, women's Royal Rumble winner Becky Lynch went face-to-face with both Ronda Rousey and Charlotte Flair this week (27:27). Is a triple threat the clear direction at 'Mania, and can Rousey actually take us there on the mic? The second part of this week's Main Event deal with news that Dean Ambrose is leaving WWE when his contract expires in April ... unless ... it's all a work (1:00:33). The guys then move into Hero or Zero (1:23:50) where topics include Daniel Bryan's new WWE title, booking for the intercontinental and U.S. championships, turning Elias and Rusev back heel, and the

Brian Campbell and Rafe Bartholomew recap the weekend action including welterweight titleholder Keith Thurman's scare against Josesito Lopez and whether the victory puts him in line for a Manny Pacquiao fight. The guys also debate the merit of rising heavyweight Adam Kownacki's claim that he's ready for Deontay Wilder and update the latest on Anthony Joshua's return. Plus, a weekend preview featuring former light heavyweight king Sergey Kovalev's return in a rematch against Eleider Alvarez that could serve as a crossroads moment in his career.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brian Campbell and Brandon Wise recap Bellator 214 as Ryan Bader knocked out Fedor Emelianenko to become the promotion's first simultaneous two-division champion. The guys also welcome former UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos (40:40) and middleweight title challenger Kelvin Gastelum (1:09:40) to discuss their upcoming fights. Also, a preview of Saturday's UFC Fight Night card in Brazil featuring Jose Aldo's return and a sneaky good bantamweight main event.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Riding solo for this instant analysis, Adam Silverstein breaks down the entire 2019 Royal Rumble and whether WWE delivered with one of its biggest shows of the year. The Road to WrestleMania 35 kicked off with a bang as Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch won their respective Rumble matches, but was that the right call by WWE? Plus, what should we make of Nia Jax’s appearance in the men’s Rumble and the return of Rowan to side with WWE champion Daniel Bryan? The Silver King covers all of that and more in this instant analysis edition of the podcast, so be sure to open those ear holes ahead of another week of WWE action. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brian Campbell and Rafe Bartholomew catch up on a busy two weeks in boxing, headlined by Manny Pacquiao's pay-per-view victory over Adrien Broner. The guys debate future opponents for the 40-year-old "PacMan" and ponder whether Broner is finally out of chances. Plus, a preview of Saturday's Keith Thurman-Josesito Lopez welterweight title fight and reaction to Canelo Alvarez agreeing to face Daniel Jacobs in a May 4 middleweight unification.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bro! In an loaded episode, WWE champion Daniel Bryan and NXT sensation Matt Riddle stop by to discuss the latest developments in their careers. Bryan dives into every facet of his "new" character, explaining how it is an extension of his inner monologue and has provided him improved enthusiasm going forward in WWE (8:30). Riddle then goes deep on what it means to be the "King of Bros," sharing some of his long-held keys to happiness, current thoughts on Dana White and what life is like as a top NXT superstar (1:11:08). Between the big interviews, Brian Campbell and Adam Silverstein break down the entire cards for the 2019 Royal Rumble (31:31) and NXT TakeOver: Phoenix (1:41:20) entering one of WWE's biggest weekends of the year. This is a show you absolutely, positively cannot miss ... bro. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brian Campbell and Brandon Wise catch up on a wild week in mixed martial arts after BC's triumphant return from vacation. The guys recap Henry Cejudo's knockout victory of TJ Dillashaw, former NFL star Greg Hardy's disastrous loss and debate whether UFC's debut on ESPN+ was a success. Plus, a full preview of Saturday's Bellator 214 card from Los Angeles as Russian legend Fedor Emelienenko faces 205-pound champion Ryan Bader for the vacant heavyweight title in the finals of the Bellator Grand Prix.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Following a hot week of WWE programming, Adam Silverstein takes over the main chair as Brian Campbell takes his annual break ahead of the 2019 Royal Rumble. But don't worry, there is plenty for The Silver King to break down this week with Braun Strowman taking a seat to Finn Balor as the new No. 1 contender for the universal championship (6:15). What does this mean for the futures of Balor, Strowman and champion Brock Lesnar, and what direction will WWE go for WrestleMania 35? CBS Sports WWE editor Jack Crosby joins Adam to break down that along with the Ronda Rousey-Sasha Banks angle from Raw to open The Main Event (40:35). Up next, the guys discuss the two lead angles on SmackDown and whether WWE is actually enacting the change it promised the few weeks ago (45:10). Hero or Zero includes a look at the future of Andrade (01:01:02), sneak previews of the new NXT call-ups, the continued introduction of the women's tag team titles, some more adult-themed storylines on WWE TV and new intercontinental champion Bo

Brian Campbell and Brandon Wise get you fired up for Saturday's UFC on ESPN+ debut, headlined by a flyweight superfight between Henry Cejudo and TJ Dillashaw. Hall of Famer Forrest Griffin talks about his new role bettering the health of fighters at the UFC Performance Institute and relives his 2005 brawl with Stephan Bonnar that saved the promotion. Plus, American Top Team coach/founder Dan Lambert talks Amanda Nunes's upset of Cris "Cyborg," his decision to welcome Greg Hardy and how his love of pro wrestling led to a heel manager role with Impact Wrestling in 2017.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a must-listen interview, "The Man" Becky Lynch stops by to accept her CBS Sports Wrestler of the Year award and detail her breakthrough in 2018 that saw her rise to the top of WWE as the most exciting superstar in sports entertainment. Lynch explains her mindset when she was told to cut a promo against the fans that propped her up and tells us whether she was ever actually told that her accent was holding her back. She also breaks down her invasion of Raw, her straight fire social media game, Vince McMahon's reaction to her rise, John Cena's new hair and how the women of WWE have raised their game to take opportunities rather than be handed them by management. After the interview, Brian Campbell and Adam Silverstein go through everything Lynch said and preview her road to WrestleMania 35. This is a can't miss edition of State of Combat!  To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastch

In an extended episode that covers all angles of a massive week in professional wrestling, Brian Campbell and Adam Silverstein convene to determine whether the return of Hulk Hogan to WWE television was well-intentioned or included an ulterior motive (1:06:56). But first, BC and The Silver King react to the formal introduction of All Elite Wrestling (AEW), including the signings of Chris Jericho and Pac, the potential for the company how it needs to set itself part from WWE and the future of Kenny Omega (6:20). The Main Event continues with a breakdown of NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 13 (52:22) before the guys move on to Brock Lesnar's appearance on Raw and whether Braun Strowman can bounce back from a horrendous segment (1:16:46). The guys then debate Daniel Bryan's recent promo work, Sasha Banks's title shot, the top angle on NXT and much more in Hero or Zero (1:20:58) before closing with their Feel Spots. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brian Campbell and Rafe Bartholomew return from an extended break to look back on the year that was in the world of in boxing and hand out their unique awards celebrating the wild and wacky in 2018 (18:54). The guys also go in depth for a preview of the Jan. 19 Showtime pay-per-view bout between Manny Pacquiao and Adrien Broner (1:36:55). BC and Rafe then debate whether Floyd Mayweather's exhibition win in Japan was a work (4:59), if the Charlo Twins took a step back in their Fox debut (10:15) and Amir Khan's decision to chase Terence Crawford (14:05).   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before starting the first show of 2019, Brian Campbell and Adam Silverstein remember the late, great "Mean" Gene Okerlund, who died at age 76. The guys recap Okerlund's career and share their favorite moments from one of the most legendary voices in professional wrestling history. In the Main Event, BC and The Silver King break down all the known details for the newly announced All Elite Wrestling and share their expectations for the upstart promotion (12:25). Up next is a look at the last two weeks of taped WWE action as the company somehow found a way to deliver in a major way despite airing four taped episodes (41:49). Hero or Zero returns with Brian and Adam grading WWE's most impactful booking decisions, including character changes for AJ Styles and Seth Rollins (1:02:58). And last by certainly not least, the guys preview New Japan Pro-Wrestling's Wrestle Kingdom 13 card (1:18:17) before signing off. Start the new year off right with the State of Combat. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.

Brian Campbell and Brandon Wise recap big wins from Amanda Nunes and Jon Jones at UFC 232 and what's next for two of the best fighters in MMA history. The guys also spotlight breakout performances from Alexander Volkanovski, Michael Chiesa and Petr Yan. Plus, a look back on 2018 as a whole and hand out a slew of year-end awards for best fight, fighter and more, as well as reaction to Floyd Mayweather's exhibition boxing win in Japan at RIZIN 14.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this special year-end episode, Brian Campbell and Adam Silverstein bring you the second annual Samson Awards. The final show of 2018 kicks off with BC and The Silver King wrapping up the year that was in professional wrestling, including the highs and lows in WWE and beyond. The guys then hand out awards in a variety of categories. Who won the Katie Vick Award? Did Becky Lynch or Ronda Rousey get some much-deserved honors? Was Omega-Okada IV actually the match of the year? We cover it all as State of Combat wraps up for 2018 and gets ready for the new year and the road to WrestleMania 35. Don't miss it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brian Campbell and Brandon Wise set the stage for Saturday's final pay-per-view of 2018 when Jon Jones makes his return at UFC 232 for a light heavyweight title rematch against Alexander Gustafsson. The guys also preview the co-main event between Cris "Cyborg" Justino and Amanda Nunes, including how their legacies might change with a win. Former featherweight title challenger Chad Mendes stops by to talk Saturday's return, his hopes of facing Max Holloway and how a diet of wild game has changed his preparation. Episode taped before the UFC 232 card was moved from Las Vegas to Los Angeles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's a brand new era both for CBS Sports and the podcast has been reinvented just as Vince McMahon returns to WWE television straight off the company's hottest pay-per-view of 2018. Did McMahon's "shake up" do as it promised to Raw and SmackDown, or was it once again much of the same when it comes to WWE? From new faces -- both those exiled on the main roster and those coming from NXT -- to seemingly adjusted storylines, plenty changed in WWE this week with the holiday season approaching. Whether WWE changed for the better remains to be seen, but there's certainly plenty of talk about and you won't want to miss a moment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices