Spinning Back Clique REPLAY: Clock ticking on UFC 300, more McGregor non-news, UFC 298 preview, more

Check out this week’s “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly live show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts.

This week’s panel of Farah Hannoun, Brian “Goze” Garcia and Danny Segura will join host “Gorgeous” George Garcia live at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) to discuss and debate:

• We’re still trying to figure out UFC 300, huh? Yup. Heavyweight champion Jon Jones said the UFC offered him the main event – and he turned it down since he’s still recovering from surgery. And UFC CEO Dana White, who has been burned in the recent past announcing fights that weren’t fully signed yet, said the company has been struggling to nail down the headliner on a card that already is very healthy. Tickets are on sale in 10 days. What’s our realistic expectation?
• One of the thoughts for UFC 300 was that Conor McGregor finally would make his return – ahead of when he teased it would be, which was late June. But now White said not only is McGregor not on UFC 300, he’s also apparently not on International Fight Week – and won’t be back until the fall. It’s coming up on a year since McGregor coached opposite Michael Chandler on “The Ultimate Fighter,” so just what is going on with this McGregor situation, and who’s to blame? How much is enough, already?
• Featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski seems to be embracing the questions about how much time he’s got left as champion ahead of his next title defense Saturday against Ilia Topuria at UFC 298. He cut a funny promo video mocking people who think he’s too old. But the fact is: The odds are even with him and unbeaten challenger Topuria. We’ll break down all the layers of the 145-pound title fight and the division’s future starting with the Anaheim main event.
• Volkanovski vs. Topuria is a great main event for UFC 298 in Anaheim, but the rest of the main card has a lot going on, too. Ex-middleweight champion Robert Whittaker will try to stay relevant in the division against Paulo Costa. There should be plenty of heat on lightning rod for controversy Ian Machado Garry and Geoff Neal. Ex-dual champ Henry Cejudo meets Merab Dvalishvili at bantamweight. And Mackenzie Dern and Amanda Lemos will try to make women’s strawweight statements. What’s standing out to all of us on the rest of UFC 298?
• Jack Hermansson has more than twice as many fights as Joe Pyfer and had three previous five-round main events in the UFC. But the solid underdog let Pyfer have a solid start, then took over the final three in the UFC Fight Night 236 main event to halt Pyfer’s quick rise in the middleweight division. We’ll break down Pyfer’s ball drop and Hermansson rising to the occasion when it mattered.