Teddy Atlas is the ultimate boxing diehard — a man who’s trained 18 world champions and lives by the simplest of codes: “Boxing is life, ” he says in that raw Staten Island accent.

Then why is Atlas suddenly giving so much love to a sport that’s viewed as boxing’s arch-nemesis? Yes, the UFC.

“I don’t know jack-diddly-squat about jiu-jitsu,” Atlas said. “And I know enough to say that a guillotine doesn’t look too comfortable. But I also know boxing and MMA are the same thing. They’re both fighting. They’re just different forms.”

Atlas’ passion for MMA — specifically, UFC fighters — is on full display during his weekly podcast, “THE FIGHT with Teddy Atlas,” where he breaks down UFC matchups, interviews mixed-martial artists and picks winners of upcoming bouts.  

And the lofty language Atlas once lavished upon the likes of Marciano and Ali he now heaps onto UFC fighters. “These warriors, these samurais, these titans of the octagon,” Atlas said, “that’s what brought me to UFC. It’s the great respect I have for these guys.”

The respect is apparently mutual. Some MMA fighters have inquired about Atlas’ training services, especially with so many big punchers dominating the UFC. Atlas said he’s declined the offers because he doesn’t “want to go back into the cauldron.” (Atlas, 64, hasn’t trained a fighter since light heavyweight Oleksandr Gvozdyk’s title victory in December 2018.)

“Without getting into names, people have asked me about training them in the UFC,” Atlas said. “They say, ‘Hey Teddy, would you think about training me?’ At the end of the day, I feel that there’s a connection with what I’ve done and what they do.”

That connection can be seen in a YouTube video showing Atlas inside the octagon schooling then-UFC heavyweight contender Francis Ngannou on how to cut angles to setup knockout shots. A couple months later, Ngannou won the heavyweight crown on March 27, beating Stipe Miocic by knockout.

It’s not just Atlas’ genius boxing IQ that MMA fighters admire — it’s also his gift to inspire with words that are blunt but honest, says former UFC lightweight champ Dustin Poirier.

“Teddy is one of the best minds in combat sports,” Poirier said, “and he has an amazing ability to explain the feelings and emotions of fighting. He’s special, and I’m happy he’s taken an interest in MMA.”

Two years ago, Poirier gave Atlas a shoutout in his post-fight interview after beating Max Holloway, saying: "In the words of Teddy Atlas, I knew I had 25 minutes to make life fair tonight."

Coincidentally, Poirier’s shoutout was Atlas’ trigger into the world of UFC. Atlas soon invited Poirier onto his podcast, and Teddy Atlas the UFC fan was born. Following Poirier’s appearance, Atlas’ podcast has featured more and more UFC content, with Poirier appearing two more times.

Ken Rideout, the co-host of “THE FIGHT,” said Atlas has embraced the switch from a boxing-only podcast to a combat-sports show.

“What Teddy brings is an understanding of combat sports,” Rideout said. “He always connected the dots between life and boxing, and now he’s doing that with the UFC.”

Atlas’ path to podcaster can be traced to his fallout with ESPN. The sports network benched Atlas — an International Boxing Hall of Fame broadcaster — from calling live fights after Atlas’ on-air attack of controversial judging that led to Australian Jeff Horn’s decision win over Manny Pacquiao in July 2017 in Brisbane.

With no platform for Atlas’ voice, his business partner Rob Mohr suggested a podcast, but Atlas was reluctant. Then, everything changed in September 2018 when Atlas appeared on “The Joe Rogan Experience” — the most popular podcast on the planet — and he saw the power of the medium firsthand.

“Had Teddy not had that experience with Joe, I don’t think he would have given any consideration of doing a podcast,” said Mohr, the producer of “THE FIGHT,” and founder of publicity company Hit Hard Media.

Atlas agreed to Mohr’s podcast plan with one twist: He agreed to co-host the show with Rideout, a knowledgeable fight fan but an unknown in the boxing world. “It looks like I was taking a chance to do this with Ken,” Atlas said. “But I was really going with somebody who comes at this with fresh ideas. Both Ken and Rob have helped me find something that’s been in hibernation. They’ve awoken something in me with their freshness. And I couldn’t be more thankful.”

Rideout, a marathon runner and a president of a financial firm, credits Atlas for the popularity of the show, which has grown to 174,000 subscribers on YouTube after launching in January 2019. “Teddy is super entertaining and brings a level of honesty that’s very rarely heard. And that’s what fans respect,” Rideout said.

Mohr said that Atlas’ interest in the UFC has bridged the divide between MMA fans and boxing fans, making it possible to have two audiences enjoy one podcast. Mohr also said that Atlas “is still very much an advocate and a true lover of the sport of boxing,” and that’s why so much of the podcast still zeroes in on the sweet science. (The podcast’s Mike Tyson-Roy Jones Jr. Fight Plan was a must-see, showcasing Atlas’ blend of brilliance and humor.)

In the meantime, Atlas said he has no pressing urge to return to training. But he does wonder what his mentor, the legendary Cus D’Amato, would say if he ever saw him coaching a UFC fighter.

Atlas said: “If Cus saw me in the octagon, he’d say, ‘Atlas, what the hell are ya doing in there?’ But after getting past the initial shock, Cus would give me a pass and say, ‘You can make them better,’ and then I’d say, ‘I love you, Cus.’”

And, unquestionably, Altas could make any fighter better — whether it’s in the ring or the cage.