Showtime Sports Launches New Digital Talk Show Below The Belt

Showtime Sports continues to expand its position at the intersection of combat sports and culture with a first-of-its-kind, sports talk show, Below The Belt hosted by Brendan Schaub. The twice-monthly, 30-minute show, and produced by Embassy Row, debuts on Feb. 28 on Showtime Sports digital platforms, three days before Deontay Wilder defends his WBC heavyweight title against Luis Ortiz. The announcement was made by Stephen Espinoza, President, Sports and Event Programming, Showtime Networks Inc.

Below The Belt premieres each new show on the its YouTube channel and Facebook page. The program explores the latest news in combat sports and pop culture, with Schaub delivering candid thoughts in his unique and unfiltered style. Below The Belt features interviews with the biggest names in combat sports and entertainment, road trips, fight camp visits, sketches, animation and pop-culture spoofs. The initial guest list of combat sports athletes and entertainers scheduled to appear on Below The Belt includes Stone Cold Steve Austin, Paulie Malignaggi and Joe Rogan.

“Brendan brings an edge that resonates with today’s fight fans,” says Espinoza.

“He has a fresh voice that is equal parts knowledgeable, funny and opinionated. Below The Belt will complement Showtime Sports programming to a broad audience on our digital platforms.”

This multi-platform program is unique in that it includes a weekly podcast and a composite program that airs once per month on Showtime Extreme. Following the digital debut on Feb. 28, new shows will launch on March 14 and 28, April 11 and 18, May 2 and May 16. The Below The Belt podcast premieres on March 6 and the composite program premieres on March 29 on Showtime Extreme.

Schaub is a multi-platform entertainer, best known for his career in the UFC and as a personality in podcasting and comedy. Following his successful fighting career, where he was the runner-up on season 10 of The Ultimate Fighter, Schaub has served as an expert analyst and currently co-hosts the popular podcast The Fighter and The Kid averaging over nine million downloads per month. His “Big Brown Breakdown” podcast, averaging over four million downloads per month, transitions under the Below The Belt franchise.

Parlaying his hosting talent from podcasts to television, Schaub was named a correspondent on “After Party” for the E! Network, and co-hosted this year’s Golden Globes and Grammy Awards after-shows. Schaub is set to reprise his role in the upcoming Academy Awards after-show. Additionally, Schaub performs sold-out live comedy shows across North America as well as Australia, London and Dublin, including regular solo stand-up sets at the world-famous Comedy Store, Hollywood Improv and The Laugh Factory.