
The Future of the UFC: Andy Stumpf & UFC Matchmaker Mick Maynard
From Change Agents with Andy Stumpf by IRONCLAD
April 16, 2026 · 39 min
About this episode
Andy Stumpf interviews UFC matchmaker Mick Maynard about the future of the UFC and the impact of teaching Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to children.
Mick Maynard is UFC's Senior Vice President of Talent Relations and matchmaker. He is also the founder of Lions Youth Foundation, a group dedicated to bringing Jiu-Jitsu to schools and communities. In this episode of Change Agents, he and Andy talk about the state of the UFC, its growth, and why believes that training kids in BJJ could change the world. NOTE: This interview was recorded prior to UFC’s debut on Paramount+ Chapters (00:47) Becoming UFC’s Matchmaker (02:27) What Makes for a Good Fight (04:55) What People Get Wrong About UFC (10:06) Misconceptions about the Business of MMA (25:03) Why Schools Need to Teach BJJ (30:11) Learning to Lose (33:30) Working with Renzo Gracie Sponsors: Firecracker Farm Use code IRONCLAD to get 15% off your first order at https://firecracker.farm/ GHOSTBED: Go to https://www.GhostBed.com/IRONCLAD and use code IRONCLAD for an extra 15% off sitewide. Norwood Sawmills: Learn more about Norwood Sawmills and how you can start milling your own lumber at https://norwoodsawmills.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=ironclad&utm_campaign=ironclad Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
People in this episode
Host: Andy Stumpf
Guest: Mick Maynard
Topics covered
- UFC
- BJJ
- youth training
- sports business
- talent relations
Keywords
- UFC
- MMA
- matchmaker
- BJJ
- youth training
- sports growth
- talent relations
Sponsors
Firecracker Farm, GHOSTBED, Norwood Sawmills
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: UFC, Lions Youth Foundation
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