AldanaOnAir Aaron Tocabens interview on Gane and fighter pay

The AldanaOnAir Aaron Tocabens interview covered why AldanaOnAir would skip a Madison Square Garden UFC card, why she thinks Cyril Gane could beat Josh Hockett, and why amateur Muay Thai and kickboxing bouts often stay with her longer than professional fights. She also told Tocabens that Israel Adesanya should retire if he loses his next fight and that fighters face too much injury risk for too little pay.

How did AldanaOnAir get into MMA journalism and Spanish-language commentary?

AldanaOnAir got into MMA journalism after watching UFC fights while bartending at sports bars, then posting so much about the sport that people urged her to make a separate page. She now interviews fighters and produces Spanish-language interviews and live commentary for Flex Fight Series, while remaining clear that she is a media figure, not a fighter.

From soccer posts to fight-night interviews

Soccer came first. AldanaOnAir grew up between New York and Jersey City, is from Argentina, and had long posted about soccer. MMA caught her attention on the televisions at work; she began watching on her own and posting about it regularly. When her Instagram stories became a long run of fight posts, friends suggested giving that interest its own outlet.

She approached promotions with an offer to interview their fighters and show what she could produce. That meant taking time off from a Saturday bartending shift, arriving with questions and a camera operator, and delivering interviews afterward. Media days, she said, give her more room for playful conversations than weigh-ins, when fighters can be tired.

Spanish commentary and learning to train

Flex Fight Series also gave her a way to work in Spanish. AldanaOnAir said she produces full interviews and live commentary in the language following the promotion’s rights deal with the Argentine broadcaster Telefilms. Her videos often focus on culture, psychology or health rather than technical breakdowns. She is in nursing school and said medical questions particularly interest her.

That distinction matters to her because she does not claim firsthand knowledge of competing. She broke her foot after repeatedly kicking a bag incorrectly in Muay Thai training and later returning to a kickboxing class. The experience taught her to value coaches who can spot and correct mistakes rather than leave students unseen in a large class. She said she had signed up to begin training again, partly because practicing a sport can deepen what a commentator understands about its participants.

Why does AldanaOnAir rate amateur Muay Thai and kickboxing fights so highly?

AldanaOnAir thinks amateur Muay Thai and kickboxing bouts often deliver the most memorable fights on the cards she covers, and that amateur fighters can give the liveliest interviews. She does not apply that judgment as firmly to MMA, where she said professional bouts might have the edge.

Dylan Bear and Ray J’s close fight

One bout she kept returning to involved Dylan Bear and Ray J. AldanaOnAir recalled a split decision for Bear, although she thought Ray J had won. What stayed with her was that both fighters had made an impression: she remembered both names, discussed the contest with friends and wanted to hear them talk about a rematch.

Bear also stood by the way he won when she interviewed him afterward. As she recounted it, he was content to go the distance rather than chase an earlier finish. For AldanaOnAir, that exchange was more useful than treating the amateur label as a warning about quality.

She said she had received feedback not to emphasize whether fighters were amateurs, out of concern that viewers might dismiss a card. Her experience was the opposite: the amateur kickboxing and Muay Thai contests she watched could be close, go to decisions and draw a strong response from the crowd. She also found amateur fighters more willing to discuss their gyms, their lives and potential opponents.

What did AldanaOnAir say about Merab Dvalishvili and Usman Nurmagomedov?

AldanaOnAir said the altercation involving Merab Dvalishvili and Usman Nurmagomedov in Abu Dhabi went beyond useful fight promotion. Her concern was that an incident outside a sanctioned bout could damage how combat sports are viewed and make hosts less willing to bring back events.

She distinguished an attention-grabbing interview or callout from a physical confrontation. In her view, fighters can try to sell a matchup without making the contest unfair or putting themselves and others at risk. She also worried that conduct at an event could become a problem for organizers who want to return to the same location.

The discussion turned to how professional fighters handle interviews. AldanaOnAir suggested that some might hold back because they want attention but do not want an ill-judged remark to hurt their prospects. She contrasted that caution with the amateur fighters she meets, who can seem more comfortable calling out an opponent or sharing an unexpected story.

Why does AldanaOnAir think Cyril Gane could beat Josh Hockett?

AldanaOnAir thinks Cyril Gane has a real chance against Josh Hockett and expects a competitive fight rather than the quick Hockett finish some of her friends predicted. She was much less enthusiastic about the Madison Square Garden card around the matchup, saying she would not pay to attend it.

The Madison Square Garden ticket question

She compared the proposed card with a previous Madison Square Garden visit for which she paid about $2,200 for a floor seat as a birthday gift. Even from there, she said, she watched much of the action on a screen because the cage was far away. She nevertheless cared about the fights that night; this time, she did not think the wider lineup justified the expense.

Gane’s chance against Hockett

On the main event itself, AldanaOnAir rejected the idea that Hockett would necessarily end it in the first round. She acknowledged criticism of Gane’s path to title contention and of eye pokes in a previous fight, but said neither made him as poor an opponent as some viewers suggested. Heavyweight fights can end quickly, she noted, yet she expected this matchup to be close for as long as it lasted.

Why did AldanaOnAir say Israel Adesanya should consider retirement?

AldanaOnAir said Israel Adesanya should retire if he loses his next fight. She would welcome a return to winning, but after watching his recent struggles, she would rather see him enjoy life and continue the podcast appearances and fight reactions she already finds entertaining than watch him keep losing.

Her position was not a rejection of Adesanya as a personality. She recalled enjoying his appearance on Theo Von’s podcast and said she likes hearing him discuss and react to fights. She also made clear that a win would change how she feels about watching him compete again.

For the matchup they discussed, AldanaOnAir was concerned about Adesanya facing a grappling threat and predicted he could be finished on the ground. Her broader point was personal rather than technical: she does not want another fight simply because a familiar name can still draw viewers.

What did AldanaOnAir say about UFC fighter pay and injury risk?

AldanaOnAir believes fighters are underpaid relative to the injuries and financial uncertainty they take on, particularly before reaching the top of the sport. Discussing Aaron Tocabens’s plans to pursue an amateur fight, she said the dangers feel different when the person taking them is a partner or family member.

Her boyfriend’s father has tried to discourage him from entering MMA, she said, and she has done the same. She can appreciate the sport while still worrying about someone close to her getting hurt. An injury, she noted, can also prevent a fighter from returning to an ordinary job, extending the financial cost beyond the bout itself.

AldanaOnAir put her concern about that risk plainly:

“You get hurt. You can't even go back to your normal job. You're out of a job.”

She hopes fighter compensation improves but did not offer a simple fix. Asked about unionization, she said she did not know how fighters could make it work, particularly when people still want the opportunity to sign with the UFC. She also questioned the value of creating confrontations for attention when the fighter may not receive an immediate financial return.

Who is AldanaOnAir?

AldanaOnAir is a bilingual English- and Spanish-language media personality whose work covers combat sports, soccer and podcasts. Her profile identifies her with Argentina and the New York City–New Jersey area.