Andrew Schulz's Flagrant with Akaash Singh - Max Holloway on Fighting Conor McGregor, Beefing with Daniel Cormier, & Staying in Hawaii

Episode Date: August 22, 2023

What up people, today we got the UFC legend Max Holloway in the building. Today he shares what Conor told him while they were fighting, why he DC I’d a fraud, and how he feels about his fight this weekend with Korean Zombie. **NOTE: This episode was filmed before the tragic wildfires fires in Maui. If you’re interested in contributing to the relief effort, you can support the people of Maui by clicking the link below. https://www.hawaiicommunityfoundation.org/maui-strong -- 00:00 Intro 00:49 Waianae can throw down 03:17 Most stars will leave their home 05:30 Matt finding out he could fight 06:55 Hawaiians are kind, sweet and fisty 09:30 Rather fight than pay $35 12:54 The one time Max got ROCKED 16:40 Assessing in the fight 19:04 "Keep fighting, mate" - hurting Conor McGregor 20:47 Teaching Ortega, MID-FIGHT 21:38 Daniel Cormier is a sell-out! 25:25 Commission stopped Max-Khabib due to weight cut 27:21 Max would fight DC in an alley + fighting friends 30:52 Not sparring anymore + Zoom training + LOUDEST Tesla 34:30 Video Games is training + Hawaii is home 38:56 The world doesn't owe you a thing 41:58 Bum friends + Iowa SUCKS + Thiccies 46:35 Filipino gambling + c0ckf1ghting + clout chasers 49:26 Iam Tongi is phenomenal 54:39 Max fighting Korean Zombie + Motivation 58:26 Fighting Volk again + mental strength makes you elite 01:04:02 Pre-fight rituals + venue makes no difference 01:07:29 Hawaii Tourism Authority refusing UFC 01:12:26 Hawaiian v Local + Pidgin Bible 01:15:54 Surfing is MORE dangerous + d1ckdragg3r 01:21:04 Max's true love + Greece & Japan

Bro, Max is one of the few guys I think we've had on that's fought Conor. In that fight, he took me down. I had him in half guard, and I had like his ankle. And right when he didn't pass, I like hit. That's how he hurt his knee in the fight. And he screamed, he went, Ah! Like a hurtful scream.

I'm on the bottom holding him, I was like, Oh, you okay? He's like, yeah, yeah, yeah, keep fighting, mate. No, no, he didn't. You're fired! DC's a sellout. Talk to him! He's the worst, bro.

He's lucky he's the heavyweight champion something in the world, because other than that, you're nothing to me. You think you've got DC with the hands, if it's just hands? Brother, I got him the wrestling, the eating, whatever you want to call it. Drop, DC, wherever you at. The cops probably know my car,

because it's just a loud ass car. Wait, what is it? What's the car? It's like a matte red, but it's shiny. It has like a chrome finish. What kind of car? What kind of car? It's a Tesla X. An electric car? It's the quietest car? It's a Tesla. An electric car? It's the quietest car.

Before we begin and talk so much about, obviously, what you got going on, I know we got a big announcement from you, etc. Can you explain why not to people who have never been to Hawaii, even people who have been to like Honolulu and stuff? Oh, yeah. to Hawaii, even people who have been to Honolulu and stuff. I think it's a very specific part of Hawaii in that I think it's the only part that's not gentrified at all. It's super authentic local.

It's getting scary, though. I mean, it's getting, bro. The whites are coming, bro? The hollies are coming, bro? Are we scooping it up? I know. You're people. What the hell are you doing, bro? With that haircut.

But yeah, bro, I mean, to explain why not eat this way. You're not going to like it, but the coffee gets better. The dessert gets better. They got the good coffee in Hawaii. The cupcakes are solid, dude. The cupcakes get better. Let's just keep everything better on the Honolulu side. They don't even got Wi-Fi over there.

Brother. Okay, okay, so tell me, tell me. Brother, if I had to explain why not, I would be like, it would be a place where a person would literally give you the shirt off their back, or you come there and you just get beaten up. There's only two sides. There's no middle. You're either going to get beaten up or you're going to get a shirt.

You know, it's how you, you know, that side of the island, it's like, a lot of people look at you like this, you know what I mean? And like, people take it wrong because that side of the island

is always sunny. It's just the sun in our eyes. It's the sun in our eyes. It's not you guys. So, just be nice. If you be nice, people are gonna be nice.

They're gonna welcome you. But if you give a little attitude, it's on. Brother, I was telling my guy over here, he was talking to me off-camera about some situation. I told him,

if I was with you, I would have told that guy, back the hell up. I don't give a shit who you are. You're just a slap. That's what it is. Are you still in situations where you've got to throw down even now? Nobody's testing you out there, right?

Everybody's cool, bro. I'd be nice. That's why. You'd be nice to everybody. Yeah. And then he comes back and, no, no. They all love it. You know, I'm like, you can walk around there without getting harassed.

You know what I mean? It's like the best way to explain it is like LeBron in Ohio, you know? Like when he goes out there, everybody's like, that's fucking LeBron. Like they see him all the time at Icon. They see him every time That's just how I am You know what I mean Because they've known you

Since you were a kid A kid They saw me since I went to Wynah Elementary Wynah Intermediate Wynah High School You know what I mean

Two and two you know Born and raised out there So at the end of the day It's just It's the end of the day That's the wildest thing for me Because most people Reach your superstardom and they

will move, right? Especially in MMA. A lot of people will go to one of the big MMA gyms in America. What is it? America Top Team? There's a few of them. What is the one in Denver that I think it's Usman training out of there, Gaethje's training out of there. I don't know

what it is in there, bro. I don't even know the MMA. I'm terrible, bro. I'm so far apart of the MMA. If you ask me about video games, I'm talking about every single gamer. Every streamer, every staff. I'm just saying, you didn't move. And I thought it was an interesting thing. Like, not only did you not move, you didn't even move to a bougie area. No, I still live in Waianae.

And actually, me and my wife right now, we actually just got land. We actually moved deeper into Waianae, toward Makau, where she's from. So we're at the end of it, bro. See how they do. They bring you over there, bro. To slowly drag you out. Bro, he's gentrifying. Bro, never, brother. Never, bro.

My son might go to a private school, but he's still going to be in Waianae. Oh, he's going to go to the private school in Waianae. No, no, he's going to be in a private school. They definitely taking it back off. What's the bougie school? Iolani? Iolani. What's the rich kid's school?

Punahou. Punahou? What's Obama's one? Punahou. Punahou's Obama. Iolani's the, what, is that the rich kid one? That, that rich. I mean, Punahou, Iolani is rich. That's the rich one. Mid-pack mean sounds rich punahou ilani is rich that's the

rich mid-pack rich so would you guys would you like go fuck them up like would you and your boys go fuck them up no i wouldn't i don't do none of that bro i wasn't a fighter in school but then when we when they did when uh when guys would fight they would wasn't those ones it was at the other public schools bro yeah no yeah not none of these uh i think so these these rich guys are pretty smart to stay away from wine guys. Like pretty smart. I mean, the guys are smart, the girls would actually mess with some of the wine guy. That's the only time they would fight. The good dick on that side of the island. Long dick wine guy, that's what they call it.

Okay, so no fighting, man. That's weird. So how do you even find out you're good at fighting? Yeah. Brother, I just, I mean. There's no local scraps? There's nobody like. Bro, I fought one.

I mean, you fight your friends, you know what I mean? That's my friend, you know what I mean? We're fighting over like, you didn't friends, you know what I mean? That's my friend, you know what I mean? We're fighting over, like, you didn't catch that in the end zone or whatever. We're fighting over pogs or jug and a pole, you know? Like, I'll fight them. Fighting over pogs is the dorkiest fight. Bro, we was fighting over, like, Yu-Gi-Oh cards

or Pokemon cards. Remember back in the day when you played it? This is adorable. Brother. He pulls an Exodiac when you're trying to just play for it. Brother, exactly. Or you trade, and then later on on the internet, Exodiac when you're trying to just play for it. Brother, exactly. Or you trade and then later on

on the internet, because internet, you remember, that was dial up when it was coming to us. And you finally get to go on the internet and you found out

that this motherfucker can trade you for this two cards thinking it was great for having three cards but he took your shiny and he's like, bro, you screwed me.

Like, what the hell? And that's my best friend though but I fought one time in the eighth grade and I would have to say I won the fight, only because I landed the only punch in the fight. You know what I mean? Like, my younger brother was a fighter. So, like, you know, long story short, when I started kickboxing or whatever,

my mom then would, like, tell my auntie, oh, you coming to Max's fight? You coming to Max's fight? And my younger brother's name is Clem. They're like, you mean Clem? They're like, no, no, no, Max. They didn't even think it was Max. Yeah, they thought my younger brother was the fighter.

So I ended up becoming the fighter. I have no idea why. Maybe I was smarter. My younger brother was just bronze, I guess, and I guess I was the brain. Bro, there's a thing in Hawaii that's so interesting. It's like the kindest, sweetest, most welcoming people that also will fight. Yeah. Can you explain

how that comes together? Because I've never met a Hawaiian that I thought was pussy, but never once. Every one of them is like the sweetest, kindest guy who's like, oh yeah, my shoulder's fucked up. They're like, why? Oh, I just had to murder this guy who was here. How does that happen? How are you the nicest people

and also fighting is like part of the culture and integral? It's what you said. part of the culture and integral? It's what you said. It's the culture, bro. I think so. Back in the day, you know, with our Hawaiian culture was a lot of it was hand-to-hand combat. We didn't really have weapons until somebody came and colonized us.

Yeah. We brought the meth, too. All the fire shit. Yeah. Yeah. So, you know, at the end of the the day it's just in our blood. It's in our blood. You know we have our own fighting style.

It's called the Lua. You know what I mean? And then like trying sand. It's like a martial art. Yeah, like a martial art. Hawaiian martial art. It's called Lua. So it's pretty sick.

There's a book and stuff but it's like it's very grungy, bro. Like grabbing sand, you know, grabbing testicles and twisting and pulling. No. It's a gangster way. It's funny. It sounds a gangster way of putting it. It's funny how a big Tongan girl used her as a shield or something. It was funny because my older brother

is into the Hawaii culture and everything. I remember telling him one time, oh yeah, my ex at the time, I was like, just leave her at home. Why did you come to fight? You don't bring your wife to a fight.

But Hawaiian warriors, they used to bring, yeah. Girls used to be warriors, too. So they were scrapping. They'd scrap, too. They'd fight front line. So it was kind of. Like Avengers. Yeah, when I figured it out, I was like, that's pretty crazy.

Damn, bro. It's like a WWE brawl. That's dope. Tap your girl in. Be like, take over. Yeah, where are all the female fighters from Hawaii, bro? I have no idea, bro.

I have no idea. They're working at Walmart or whatever. Remember that girl? That girl was serious, bro. That was impressive. She lost her job because of that.

How crazy is that? Yeah, she lost her job. There's a female football league that'll probably hire her, you know what I mean? Dana White hired her. I think Dana White hired her as a security guard for a little while. I don't know if she still is, but he did.

She got fired from Walmart. Oh, Best Buy. It was Best Buy. Because you can't do that. I'm like, can't do what? Stop somebody from stealing your product? What's her job then? Yeah.

There are worse things that could happen than getting fired from Walmart, though. I'll tell you that right now. I think she's going to be okay. She's going to manage it. Did you ever have fights in baseball? Like, there'd be, like, a baseball, like, all the benches clear, and then you just go brawl or what? No, I never did. I never did.

So you never fought. Your little brother's fighting. Why even—I'm trying to understand, like, why even go for it? Why even try it out? Why even seek it? Like, what was this part of you— I mean, there's this thing, you know, when UFC Hawaii, when the UFC gyms came to Hawaii, there's this meme going around.

It's like, this is not the first UFC gym. There's this meme of Wynette High School. The picture of the high school I went to is like, this was the first UFC gym. So I just wanted to be able to protect myself. You know what I mean? Oh, really? I just wanted to know, like, I just wanted to be like, oh, bro, if somebody wanted to test me in school or something, like, it's okay.

You know what I mean? Like, I don't have to, to like call my younger brother you know my little bro will fuck you up you have to take yourself so i was just thinking like bro i just i just want to do this for to protect myself i remember uh in 10th grade i ended up uh one of my good friends this this uh this guy named josh keanu he he was training and he was fighting so he said oh yeah come so after baseball season i remember it was a wednesday i went with him trained did the sparring everything did all right because on thursday i got asked if i wanted to fight on saturday because he was fighting oh so your first day of training yeah and then they asked me you want to fight i was like i was like hell yeah i was like in my mind it made perfect

sense it made perfect sense because i was more scared of asking my grandparents, my grandma, for $35 to go watch the fight. That's how much it cost. But then if I fought in it, it was going to be the first fight. I get in for free. You know what I mean? Like, it is what it is. Win-win.

I get to watch my friend fight. You know what I mean? You love a deal. Hey, Cassie, are you sure you're the brains of your family? I like to think it. I like to think it. You got it for free. Spend $35,000 and get it for free, you know. I didn't even ask my grandma about it anymore.

I just had to go to my mom. And my mom is kind of crazy. And then I told my mom, I'm going to fight. And the only thing that she told me, she was like, So, are you going to win? I was like, I don't know. You better win? I was like, I don't know. You better win. I was like, okay.

Ended up winning. I remember I ended up winning. I wanted to, K-1 was big at the time when I was 10th grade, and I wanted to be a K-1 kickboxer, you know, a bull collie and whatever. I was like, I want to be like this. Two years later, freaking the whole BJ Penn era happened. He was fighting George St. Pierre. I remember his purse leaking was like

30k at the time or 60, something crazy. And I was like, oh, that's a lot of money. Frick this kickboxing stuff. We gotta get into MMA. Only to bamboozle myself thinking 60k was a lot of money, you know. It didn't make a lot more to be living, so. It's good. Damn. Is your younger

brother a fighter? No, no, no, no. He really doesn't fight at all? No, he don't fight at all. He tried to, but yeah, he just didn't fight at all. Do you remember the moment when you were like, oh, I love this? I fucking love this. Was it the first fight or was it something else? Was, uh, well, it had to be the first fight. You know what I mean?

Actually, it was like the first sparring on that Wednesday. That day, I told you, I got hit. And I remember to myself, I got to punch this motherfucker back. And that's the first thing that went through my mind. Like, I got to punch this. And then after my first fight, I got kicked in the face like three times. So how big my nose looked, this thing was like three times bigger. And I remember looking in the mirror being like, oh, my gosh, my nose is huge.

But I remember thinking like, this was fun, oh, my gosh, my nose is huge. But I remember thinking, like, this was fun. Like, I need to do this again. Kind of, I was like, this is fun. This was my time. Have you ever, because that's one of the things people say about you is that you have the best chin in fight sports. Yeah. Have you ever been rocked? Brother, I'd knock on wood.

I mean, probably, I I can't honestly say has there ever been a time where you were like okay the Andre Feely fight I can honestly say like I mean a lot of people would watch

and be like oh the Dustin Poirier fight like I mean even sometimes Dustin says it but then the second Dustin Poirier fight everybody's like

oh yeah he never got dropped and then I hear people like yeah because the fence the fence saved him you know fight everybody's like oh yeah he never got dropped and then I hear people like yeah cause the fence saved him. You know what I mean? Cause I was going back right? But I was like okay. Let's

fucking make make-believes and my wings came out. I started flying against the stuff. We were talking about make-believe land. The cage is there for a reason. You knew the cage was there. Come on. So at the end of the day it's just like that wasn't too much. I know I got hit and I knew the cage was going to have my back sooner or later, so that's why. You know what I mean?

But then with Andre Philly, I remember getting hit one time. He cracked me at something. I don't even know what he hit me with. I remember looking up at the scoreboard. It was in Baltimore. And I was looking at the time, and I was thinking to myself, what the hell am I doing right now? I was like, why am I looking at time? I should be looking at this guy.

So that's probably one of the times ever. Okay, so that's the only time you remember that you actually got caught. I got hit. I was looking up. And you got distracted. Yeah, I was distracted. I was like, why am I looking at the time? I need to be looking at this guy.

So that was the main time. Okay. The kick you took. You took a kick against, what's his name? Fuck. Yair? Yeah, against Yair. The kick you took. You took a kick against... What's his name? Fuck. Yair? Yeah, against Yair.

The head kick. Yeah, yeah. And just ate it. Yeah. I think... Nothing? Brother, no, nothing. I didn't see it tripping out

because I literally... I was literally nose to nose. You see how close we were? Yeah. I was just surprised he got that high. In my mind, I was thinking like, what the... You know when you see those comedy movies

and you just see something like you're looking at him, legs and arms flying. was thinking like, what the, you know when you see those comedy movies and you just see something like, you're looking at him, legs and arms flying. What did he hit me with? I was like, was that a kick? I was just tripping. Tour announcement, Calgary this Sunday, Princess Island Park, 5,000 people. Get your ass

out there. If there's any tickets left, you go to theandrewschultz.com to get them. Canada, we're not done though. I'm also coming to Niagara Falls, September 22nd, and then Windsor, Ontario, September 23rd. So if you couldn't get tickets to the Scotiabank Arena shows, make sure you go grab those. Also, Australia, thank you. Thank you so much, okay?

We chose some ambitious venues in Australia, and you guys blew them out sydney we're adding a show perth we're adding a show uh we're adding more seats in melbourne melbourne we're playing where they do the australian open it's fucking unbelievable amazing arena brisbane another amazing arena we're adding seats there and adelaide there might be a few tickets left theandrewschultz.com uh if you want to get tickets for that. And more dates and more announcements coming soon. The Life Tour. So fucking excited for you guys to see this.

We've been working our ass off on it. So, yeah, it's going to be special. See you guys soon. Let's get back to the show. Also, guys, your boys got some dates. I got a special filming next week in Houston. There are tickets left for one show, but they are going to sell out. So hurry up and buy those before it's too late.

And before that, I'm doing some practice shows. I'm going to be in Louisville, Kentucky, August 24th. I'm going to be in Indianapolis, Indiana, August 23rd. And I'm going to be in Poughkeepsie, August 25th and 26th. Again, that is Poughkeepsie, New York. Guys, get your tickets for that. Oh, before I forget, Stress Factory, Little India, New Jersey. I'm coming to you September 15th and 16th, New Brunswick, New Jersey.

Get your tickets for those shows and more at akashsingh.com. We are still adding dates. We are still updating the website. But in the meantime, go copy your tickets, and I'll skip back to the show. How much of you is assessing what is going on? Bro, a lot. I think a lot. A lot of times I catch myself in there just thinking, bro, what is this and that?

You got to break down. But then sometimes you just ask yourself, really? We were just talking off screen. No, we were talking off screen of when he was saying when you train with someone who's not as good as you and what happens. So I remember fighting Cater. You know what I mean? And he's a beast. Don't get me wrong. But then some of his jabs, when he first threw his first jab

out there, I was like, holy, this jab is... It wasn't fast. I was thinking, it's not that fast. And then he started catching me with it. I was like, what the... I was like, what are you doing, Max? He slipped this jab. I could see it coming at me. And I was watching this hit me. Boom. I was like, bro, what is going on? It's an off-speed pitch.

What do you think it is? It was just timing? It was just, yeah. I was just watching. I was like, God, I can slip this. And, patonk, hit me. I was like, what is going on? So, I can't say what it is.

I just think sometimes it's just you're in there. I probably was over-assessing. And then the whole time with that fight, he was talking the load, man. Really? Yeah. From the build-up? To the build-up.

Not when you were fighting that much? No, to the build-up, bro. I remember he's calling me a freshman and telling me, is this talking so much? They was claiming they was the best boxer ever.

Yeah, you were hyped on that. I was tripping out. You know what I mean? Even my fight with the last fight with Arnold, they was claiming they was the best boxer ever. Yeah, you were hyped on that. I was tripping out, you know what I mean? Like, even my fight with the last fight with Arnold, you know, like, they was claiming there was a better boxer. I was like, are we watching the same film? Like, I don't know what's going on. That's what I'm thinking, you know?

So that's just what I'm thinking in my mind, but that's what it is. What do you think is, like, what do you think is your competitive advantage? Like, what is the strength for you specifically when you're in there? When you're up against another guy, do you know exactly how you're gonna beat them? Do you know why you're better? Is it timing punches? Is it countering? Is it like distance?

I think it's confidence. Yeah, I think it's confidence. I think it's just confidence. It's knowing that anywhere this place go, I know I can compete with you. I'll be fine with you. So that's the main thing I'm thinking. I'm just like, bro, I'm gonna compete with you wherever we go. I don't give a shit what you wanna do, where where we want to go you want to go to the ground?

I'll grab food. So you feel comfortable on the ground anywhere really? Yeah anywhere So there's not like one zone where you go That is where because it seems like when it's striking when it's the hands and you get into that flow. Yeah Yeah, I don't know. It just feels very it's good fun. Yeah. Bro, Max is one of the few guys I think we've had on that's fought Conor. Oh, yeah. Yeah.

Like, could he hit hard? I mean, I... That was at the time when I didn't say anything. Bro, I don't think he has a good chin. He's got a bad memory. Yeah.

He's like, I forget. Maybe he hit so hard I forgot. Who knows? Because that went five. Three. Oh, three or whatever. There, that's right.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, it was funny. We was actually talking off camera about the moment. He's like, three or whatever. Yeah, that's right. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, it was funny. We were actually talking off camera about the moment. He's like, what, is there any funny moments in the fight? Like, in that fight, the funny moment was he took me down. And then I had him in half guard. And he was passing. And I had, like, his ankle.

And right when he didn't pass, I, like, hit. And, like, that's how he hurt his knee in the fight. He hurt his knee. And he screamed. He went, ah! Like a hurtful scream. So I, like, took him. hit and like that's how he hurt his knee in the fight here it is me and he's screaming like a like a hurtful scream I think you can like if you find it I think it's like in. Like, towards the ending of the second round, you can actually see me do this hip movement. It was a funny movement. And then he screamed.

Because you thought that he blew out his knee or something. That he had hurt, because he screamed, bro. That was like a painful scream. So I was like, what the hell? I was like, you okay, bro? He's like, yeah, keep fighting, baby. Keep fighting. Do you have, like, compassion for the guys when you're in there?

I mean, I would like to think not, but I just ask the guy if he's needed. I feel like you kind of like them. You got to like them. You got to respect anybody. Anybody that I think makes the walk to the octagon. And then they're fighting me. In my mind, I think I'm this person, the greatest ever. So they got the balls to fight you.

For you to be here, it's like amazing. It's like respecting, so it's awesome. Okay, the Ortega thing, when you grab the hand and kind of teach him how to block. Yeah, I was just telling him, brother, you know, I don't know who your coach is, but this is where he belongs. And then I threw a punch, and then, see? Alex, do you not know this? Bro, bro, there's a moment where Max grabs his hand and places it here,

and he's like, leave it there so I don't keep punching you in the side. So during fights, you're, like, talking to yourself. Oh, for sure. And so some of the stuff is. Sometimes I'm talking to a guy, too. Or even, like, one fight I talked to the commentary because I could hear DC. That was at, like, Fight Island.

I could hear DC and some guys talking. So I was like, and then what they said, I was like, they was talking about counting it up. So I told them, count it up, count it up. And then I did a combination and told them I was the best boxer in the UFC, baby. Yo, you and DC need a show. Yeah. That would be a fun podcast or something like that. Yeah, you know,

DC's a sellout. DC's a sellout, bro. Talk to us. Bro. Talk to us. The RC and DC, I don't even want a DC show. I wanted the show with RC.

DC, like, actually, before that show happened, hit me up, and he was like, look, look, Max, Ian Spence is coming to me. They have a show idea. You know, and he was like, you like, people let me talk about my best.

He's like, let me see an opening, whatever. I was like, bro, I'm down. But I told him, bro, I'm still fighting, so we got to just figure out a schedule. Let me know. And he's like, yeah, I'll let you know. It goes fucking quiet for weeks and I mean months. Boom, RCDC show. I'm like, okay, DC, I see you.

Wow. Yeah, you know? Wow, DC months, boom, R.C., D.C. show, I'm like, okay, D.C., I see you. Wow. You know? Wow, D.C. D.C. is the worst, bro. He's the worst, bro. He's lucky he's the heavyweight champion, something in the world, because other than that, you're nothing to me. You think you got D.C. with the hands, if it's just hands? Brother, I got him

the wrestling, the eating, whatever you want to call it. I told D.C. I'll fight him at heavyweight. People think I'm crazy. It's a pig roast with D.C., bro? Brother, I got him the wrestling, the eating, whatever you want. I told DC I'll fight him at heavyweight. It's a pig roast with DC, bro. Brother, I'll do whatever he wants. I heard the man is like 200 pounds. We can fight at super heavyweight. I don't care. Just show up. Show up, DC, wherever you at.

Yo, we might have to replace RC, huh? No, no. We replace DC. Yo, RC and you. RC is a great guy. That's fire. You and RC. DC, I told DC, DC, enjoy everything you're having

because I want to fight for at least maybe six more years, five more years, and I'm pushing it. We see where the career goes. But I told DC, you only really have that to have a career outside of fighting because after that, I'm going to take every single job. Whatever job DC has, he wants to be a career outside of fighting because after that I'm gonna take every single job DC has he wants to be a garbage man

What it what it what days is the trash guys Tuesday Thursday, okay, I'm just moving there for that DC knows us comment, bro. Yeah, he'm going to take DC's job. I told him, bro. I don't think DC knows what's coming, bro. He don't. He thinks it's all fun and games. Nah, nah. Until you lose your job, DC. Yeah. Goddamn. See, bro, the game don't stop. I've never seen somebody dislike somebody but do it in a pleasant way.

It's Hawaii, bro. This is it. I love DC, that's why, you know? But you got to pay, you know? Would you have gone to wherever they shoot the show? Would you have, like, lived out of there or worked out of there? I mean, that's the hard thing. So at the end of the day, I think so they would have. But no, it's not because DC does all the show from his house.

Yeah. So what is he doing? DC is a fraud, bro. His background is a TV that he changes any time. Yeah. DC, like, calls me up. Like, yo, Max, one day he's shooting the show. Yo, Max, watch this. I can change my background. Look, I got a gym. I got a bookshelf. And he's Ryan. Yeah. DC, like, calls me up. Like, yo, Max, one day he's shooting the show. Yo, Max, watch this.

I can change my background. Look, I got a gym. I got a bookshelf. I got my belts. I was like, DC, you're a fraud, bro. I hung up the phone. Like, DC, a fraud hung up the phone. Didn't talk to him.

That's just how it is. You know, that's your friendship with DC, bro. You don't want to be friends with him. He's a fraud. The only time he hits up Tim for me is when he needs an interview. I'm like, whoa, DC. Wow. And then he gets all mad because I reached out to him.

Yeah. And I said I wanted to come and do some wrestling with him, right? Yeah. And then he's like, yeah, let me know when it comes. And then it comes to thinking, like, his teammate is Islam, you know what I mean? And, like, one day maybe I want to fight Islam. So I can't be training with the guy. That's true.

So he's, like, all tough with me. Like, bro, you're supposed to come to the house. We had great training. I was like, brother. Don't fall for that trap. You'd be training with the guy. That's true. So he's like, oh, tough on me. Like, bro, you're supposed to come to the house. We had great training. I was like, brother, you'd be a spy for, bro, you'd be a spy for Islam? What's going on, bro? If Islam and you was doing the show, I'm pretty sure you guys would have got him. Would have been DC and Islam. Wow.

You know? Wow. Guy don't know loyalty. DC getting exposed right now, bro. Full exposure. Yeah, DC, bro. So that would be a fight, you and Islam. Oh, bro, I would love to fight that. I would love to fight that.

I mean, we're supposed to fight Khabib here in Brooklyn, so why not, you know? Yeah, what happened? Brother, the commission. The commission is what happened. The athletic commission is what happened. Why? What was it? Bro, I mean, you know, without saying nothing too crazy, it is what they were. There was a at that time.

They were super hard against MMA about MMA coming over. Right. They finally got it, whatever. And then I was freaking, you know, cutting weight. They didn't like the way they didn't like the way I looked. And they said, no, you don't look good. OK, whatever. What?

I'm like, I mean, how are you supposed to look when you're cutting weight? Yeah. I think so. Terrible. Yeah. Pretty sure he's supposed to look cutting weight? Yeah. I think so terrible. Yeah. Sure. Pretty sure you're supposed to look like death. Yeah.

I don't know, you know? It's not very body positive. Yeah. They look to you and they're like, eh. And it doesn't help that I'm like six feet, you know what I mean? Yeah, that's the thing. And I'm a skinny little kid. I look like Pleakley at the end of the day, you know? Yeah, dude.

That's with you especially. When you cut. I look skinny, bro. Bro. Yeah, yeah. Do's, with you especially, when you cut. I look skinny, bro. Yeah, yeah. Do you remember Antonio Morales? Remember the boxer? He used to fight around like 130. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Remember, am I getting it right? Morales, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah, it's Morales. He's a cheat in fight night, bro. My friend would always pick him. Bro, he couldn't get knocked up. Fight night, the video game. Yeah, bro.

He couldn't get knocked up, bro. Not an actual fun night, but he looked, you guys look the same when you're cutting. Oh, just kidding kids, bro. Yeah, but it gets all bone. It's just hollow. Especially my cheeks. I mean, I should start modeling when I'm at that age. That's how strong my cheek is.

Like, bro. Boom. Hit a pose. Is it harder to cut the weight now that you're getting older? I mean, not really. Actually, it actually got easier. Wait, really? Yeah, before I met my wife, I was just like.

Oh, because you weren't dieting and shit. I would just go whatever and do whatever. Now she kind of keep me easy. So it's like, it's much more easier, I would say. Okay. What do you walk around at? Me? I walk around like, maybe like around 60, 65.

Nothing crazy. Oh, you stay in shape. Yeah, I try to. Try to. Because you never know when you get a call. You know what I mean? Before, I'd balloon up, bro. I'd be like.

I'm telling you guys. When I tell you guys, bro, that I would fight DC heavyweight, I'm not joking. I'll fight DC. If the money's right, brother, we can fight in the alley. What would it take? In the alley. Whatever. To fight DC.

What would it take to fight DC? Brother. How much? Whatever. Sounds like about 50 bucks. How much? No, no, no. We need money, bro.

We need money bro How much? 5 mil Oh that's a guarantee brother I think that would be kind of low balling me and him So we'd probably go higher but Bro we in the mills bro DC I love you bro but we're gonna fight each other We can be friends after

We won't be rich You just want to bulk up You just want to eat whatever you want. Oh, yeah, bro. Is there anybody you wouldn't fight? Anybody? Yeah. I don't know, bro.

I'll fight anyone. Why not? There's nobody that you're like, okay, I'm terrified of this person, or I love this person so much, I don't know if I could build myself up to do it. I don't think that's a problem for him. No. You can separate the two things. You can like somebody and fight them. If we're all getting rich, why not?

We should get some money, you know? Yeah. Yeah, like, like, like, like, like if, I mean, it's tough to say because I'm never in the situation, but if my teammate was, was the second best guy in the world and we're fighting for each other, we're fighting, fuck, it sucks. You got to find a new place to train, but bro, at the end of the day, we can get it on, bro. We can fucking set up our both families. Why not, you know? You want to feel

bad, like, cracking your friend in the face? Brother, we used to crack each other for free in sparring. Before, you know, before when I was training, so it's like, now we get to get paid, why not, you know? All right, guys, we're going to take a break real quick because you got to know how to buy tickets that you couldn't otherwise get online.

And the best way to do that is SeatGeek. See what I just had pulled up? Those were tickets to sold out Akash Singh shows. I know your boy's doing his thing. But the point is, if you need tickets, SeatGeek is the best place to go. It's easy to use. It's clear. And most importantly, they have little dots to help you.

A green dot means it's a good price for a ticket. A red dot means it's a bad price for a ticket. A red dot means it's a bad price for a ticket. So you will never be led astray by SeatGeek. It is the best app with which to buy tickets. They put all of them in one place. You just search whatever you want to. It's very easy to use. And each ticket is backed by their buyer's guarantee.

That means SeatGeek, if you get phony tickets, they're going to help you out. Download the app. That's the way to do it. And because we're flagrant and we always hook you up, you're going to get $20 off your first ticket purchase at Seat Geek. So download the app. That's $20 off your first purchase with the promo code flagrant. Again, that is $20 off your first purchase of the promo code flagrant. You're welcome, everybody. Let's get back to the show. What's up, people? We're going to keep this brief. Austin, Texas. That's right. September 7th. Me and Derek Poston are going to be there

at the Vulcan Gas Company. 10 p.m., I think, is the time. You can check it out on my Instagram. See that long-ass foot? You know what that means, ladies. Go on my Instagram. Get the tickets. We're trying to keep it short, Akash. What that mouth do in the words of a little Duval? We'll edit that part out.

And then September 28th, Toronto, Canada. Yes. Right before Derek Post and I are doing Scotiabank Arena with our boy Andrew Schultz, we're going to the comedy bar Danforth. I don't even really think those tickets are announced yet, but I'm telling you guys it's going to happen. I'm going to have the link up on my Instagram. Check it out.

Hey, north of the border. Why don't you go a little bit south of the border on our boy? You know what I'm saying? People brought this up in Brea, and it was honestly uncomfortable. So we're going to cut that out, okay? Let's get back to the show. You don't spar anymore? That's real?

Yeah, I don't spar. We do movement spar now. But it's never like... You know, like, you ever watch Thai spar? No. Like, Thai people, watch how they spar. It's real speed, but it's not power. You know what I mean? But are you touching each other? Yeah, yeah, yeah. We're touching? Watch how they spar. It's like real, it's real like speed, but it's not power. You know what I mean?

But are you touching each other? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. We're touching each other here and there. I stopped when it was like the whole pandemic because we couldn't see anybody. So I really wasn't sparring for those fights. There's a crazy story about you training during the pandemic. Is this true that you trained on Zoom? Oh, yeah, bro.

100%. Bro, I didn't, because then they was taking, no, they was taking, bro, you know what they was trained on Zoom? Oh, yeah, bro. 100%. Bro, I didn't, because then there was taking, no, there was taking, bro, you know what they was doing? This guy's amazing, bro. No, you know Augie T? You know Augie T?

I'm sure you guys know Augie T. He's like a Hawaiian comedian. What's his name? Augie T. Oh, not Augie T. Not Augie T. It's not Augie T. Lanai?

No, not Lanai. It's Lanai Augie T, but I'm screwing up his name. Tumua? No, not Tumua. It's this other guy. Bro, I just named so many Hawaiian comedians. Yeah, I up his name Tumor no not Tumor it's this other guy bro I just named so many Hawaiian comedians

I know I know it's this other it's this old guy it's this old guy and I'm like he got like put in jail for being out wait really

yeah yeah like they was arresting people if he was out of your house at a certain time and they saw you doing shit whatever like you're not supposed to do like if you go to like

say your building whatever like your job you're not supposed to be there right whatever so that's crazy and I have like the loudest red car there is so they already know that my car Like, if you go to, like, say your building, whatever, your job, you're not supposed to be there, right? Whatever. That's crazy. I have, like, the loudest red car there is. So they already know that my car.

I mean, the cops probably know my car because, you know, they see it. It's just a loud-ass car. So at the end of the day. Wait, what is it? What's the car? It's like a freaking, it's like a matte red, but it's shiny. It's got, like, a chrome finish. What kind of car?

What kind of car? It's a Tesla. An electric car? It's the quietest car. It's the quietest car. But the color is the loudest car in the world. The car is the loudest car ever, bro. It's literally a silent car, bro. It looks like a fucking Christmas ornament.

If you saw the car, it's like, damn, this looks like a Christmas. This belongs on a Christmas tree. Yeah. So it's like, bro, I'm not gonna put, and then it was getting a red. What kind of car is it? It's like a red, like a really, a bright red, like a solo car. You're talking about like a chick, bro. Like a solo car.

You don't know. It's like a pop wheel. And shiny at the same time. Brother, brother. You just say it word by word. I'll show you. I's the same. Brother, brother. You just say it. I'll show you. I'll show you after. But yeah, there was like.

So they arrested him for being outside. But there was a arrest. They arrested him from some Filipino freaking. Gambling ring. Gambling ring. In Y9. Filipino gambling ring in Y9. Yes.

I know exactly what you're talking about. That's my favorite gambling ring. Love the Filipinos. We go right after the cockfight. We go right to the cockfight. We go right to the gambling ring. And then even like some of the freaking UH football players is getting arrested.

They're out. Really? Yeah, they're just getting arrested. I was like, fuck this. I ain't getting arrested. I ain't going to make no news like this. This is some bullshit, you know? So you just stay at the crib.

Yeah, how do you train on Zoom? What's that like? I just was asking for, I actually had a friend that lived with me. So most of my drills, I could do them with him anyway because we had a mat. And then most of the Zoom training was just them telling me, we just was going over certain, like our game plan for certain fighters, you know, and then what drills I need to be doing. And then most of them was just making sure

I was training. A lot of times, they just wanted to see you are not training. Turn on your camera. We tried to get away with not putting the camera on sometimes. So you have a treadmill? How are you getting the cardio in? I was just running outside on the road.

Right in front of my house, just up and down. Just back and forth? Just sprints, trying to. Fuck. Trying to, bro. And we had like a little hill, so we were trying to do that. You like gaming too much, so you'd probably be like, yo, I'm training right now, and then they see you on Twitch just streaming and shit.

Just snitch on yourself. That technically is training, hand-eye coordination, bro. You know, it's not good for my back, because I'm hunching over so much, but it's pretty good. Is it true, I think you were saying that on Rogan, that you use the game to prepare for opponents? Yeah, so no, I didn't use it to prepare for opponents. What happened was when UFC 2 came out, I was playing it, right? I would use Baral and Henin. And, bro, there was like some moves I was pushing together.

I was like, holy shit, this move is actually working. And it would go, and we'd just do it. Me and Dustin Kimura at the time, he was a UFC vet. But me and him, I would hold mitts for him, and hopefully he'd hold mitts for me. I would teach him, because we didn't have a striking coach. So I was like, oh, look, bro, let's do this. So we named a couple Aldo.

We had a combination that was called the Henin. So it was all secret coach. So I was like, oh, look, bro, let's do this. So we named a couple Aldo. We named a couple, like, we had a combination that was called the Henin. So, like, all secret words. So it was pretty cool. Yeah, yeah. So it actually helped. Oh, yeah. I mean, helped me give me ideas of certain striking.

I didn't learn how to throw a one-two from it. It was like, oh, my God, you learned fighting. I'm like, I knew how to fight. I just learned new combinations. How effective were those moves in real fights? Pretty good, yeah. One of them was, like, I used to do this move. It learned new combinations. How effective are those moves in real fights? Pretty good. Yeah, one of them was, like, I used to do this move. It was kind of irritating with Henning in it.

It was, like, a jab and a front kick to the face at the same time. So you jab, and I jab, front kick you in the face at the same time. Same exact time, you know what I mean? So it's, like, that one was pretty good. Aldo one was the regular Aldo, like, a body shot to leg kick. So it's fine. Is there ever a time where you're like,

in your whole career, where you've thought, I'd like to do one training camp at a traditional gym? Like in Florida or in one of these things? Never. You never want to be away

from home ever? Never, bro. Never, because I... The pressure of being home and being that famous and having all these people? No pressure, bro. Nothing. No pressure, no pressure of being home and being that famous and having all these people. No pressure, bro. Nothing.

I feel no pressure, no pressure. Because at the end of the day, was anything I felt, I was like, it was like a big F you to everybody. Because when I told everybody what I wanted to do and how I wanted to do it, they're like, oh, you're going to have to move to the mainland to do that, to hit the level that I want to hit. Because I was telling them what I wanted to do. And I was like, no, you don't. All you need is a good bunch of guys that's willing to train. They don't even have to be the best guys in the world. If you guys all have the same idea, the same stuff, same end goal,

it's going to happen sooner or later. And we did. It was like a big F you to everybody. Because people were like, no, you got to go to the mainland. You got to train with these big guys. You got to fly people in the train and blah, blah, blah, this and that. And then I remember getting flown out by Jeremy Stevens.

He was fighting Anthony Pettis. Yep. So this is a long time ago. He flew me out. And I was thinking like, oh, this is what, this is like, I can't wait to see. He flew you out for sparring?

For sparring, yeah. So I lived with him for like four weeks. Oh, but yeah, that's rough. Yeah, so I was like, I was like, yeah, let's do it. So in my mind, I think like, okay, we're we're gonna see what this gym you know what i mean like what these mainland guys talking about yeah yeah and i'm like brother this is just like any fucking gym in hawaii bro you know what i mean like with we all training everybody training were you fucking

everybody up i was doing all right i was holding my own there was like there was like i was getting taken down a bunch like it was just like i had no wrestling at the time right so everybody was like if i had my way in the feet i started getting taken down and they just like wrote like hold down or rolled up on the ground so but i was thinking like i was waiting for this whole different idea of mainland training you know it's like so much people is instilling this in me like you gotta go do this you do that i feel like i feel like they do that a lot of times and it's not just in hawai, but it's also like if you're from a place that's close to a big city. So, like, if you grow up in, like, Philly, for example, they'll be like, oh, well, you want to go, you know, be in finance, you got to go to New York. And I feel like they do this in Hawaii all the time.

It's like, oh, well, if you really want to go make some of yourself, you got to go to the mainland. So I wonder if there is a little ego about that. Like, no, I could be the greatest in the world and not fucking leave here. Oh, was the ego? Yeah, 100%, bro. I mean, being from Y92, we're the biggest egotistical guys ever. Wait, really? Yeah, bro.

Everybody's just testosterone, bro. You know what I mean? I wanted to make sure I could fight, bro. That's saying something, you know? At the end of the day, I just wanted to prove people wrong. But without feeling bad for myself, I was talking to someone off screen, and I was just saying, like, that's just how it is. Like, I thought so.

You victimize. I victimize myself a lot, you know what I mean? Just being like, I thought I was owed something in this world. Like, I just thought I was owed something in this world. And being from Waianae, I felt like you guys got to give me a little bit more attention because I'm from there. And then when I actually went to the real world and being from Waianae I felt like you guys got to give me a little bit more attention because I'm from there and then when I actually went to the real world and realized that like oh shit I ain't own anything

if you want anything in this life you go work hard for it so that's why I was trying to tell the kids that's coming up right now in Waianae you know right now we're actually working with the UFC hopefully we can do something with the Boys and Girls Club where we're opening where we're trying to open a little gym facility

so somebody can train and stuff and just let people know, you know, like, I'm from here. I remember going back to the intermediate for career day, and I remember going back to when I talked there. They put me in my old science class, and my science teacher stood there, Mr. Smotis. I was an idiot. I was a hothead kid.

I always got into trouble. My freaking best, my favorite chair in the whole seat was next to the vice principal. That's what it was. I told the kids, look, it's not how you start, it's how you finish. If I can do this, why not you guys? I believed in myself and I did it.

I changed my... Ninth grade is where it really mattered. I remember I went to my grandma. I told her, I want to play baseball. I wanted to play baseball. That was my thing. She's like, oh, yeah? How are you going to play baseball?

We have no money to send you to college, so you need a... Scholarship. You need a scholarship, right? And then I was like, okay. So I ended up doing good grades. I ended up graduating with a cool lot. Get out of here. Yeah, it's not a great thing to say because at the end of the day, I just had a lot of help, bro.

Yeah. And I figured out if you sat next to the smartest guy in class and kept asking them questions, they'd get frustrated to the point where they'd grab your paper, bro. So I was like, thank you, my friend, you know? Thank God for the Micronesians, bro. They were next to you the whole time. They're the best, bro. They're the best. And then the Micronesians, bro. They were next to you the whole time. They're the best, bro. They're the best.

And then, I don't know. I had great teachers, bro. My ninth grade teacher, I had a hard time in math. And Mr. Gray, we had this recess where it was like 15 minutes and then a 30-minute lunch. Like, the 15 minutes or the 30-minute lunch, he'd always tell me, I'll just come back. I'll help you with your work. So, he was a super cool teacher.

A bunch of guys. That's really cool. What's up I'll just come back. I'll help you with your work. So he's a super cool teacher and a bunch of guys. That's really cool. What's up, everybody? I hope you're enjoying the episode with Hawaiian legend Max Holloway. I wanted to bring something up. We record this episode before the tragic Maui wildfires, and that's why there's been no mention of them just yet in the episode. If you want to learn more about the wildfires and how you can help, and if you want to donate immediately, I'm sure the people out there would love it. We would love it. You can go to the Hawaii Community Foundation's Maui Strong Fund. We have a link in the description below.

If you have money that you can donate, that would be absolutely amazing. The people there are definitely in need. We will also be donating on behalf of Flagrant and individually. So all of our brothers out there in Hawaii, stay strong. We got your back. And now let's get back to the rest of this interview with Max Holloway. Thank you guys so much for supporting. I'm sure they really appreciate it. Peace.

I'm curious. Do you remember the first time you went to the mainland? First time? Yeah. How old were you? The first time I went to mainland was in Iowa. I was 18. I just graduated school. We went to, there's this town called Crescent, Iowa, bro. I went out there because the opportunity was like,

this guy was telling us, my trainer at the time, my old trainer was like, they were saying like, oh, look, you could, we're going to open up this gym, you guys run it, whatever. And my trainer hit me up. I was just graduating. He was like, I wasn't going to college, that's why, we're going to open up this gym. You guys run it, whatever. And my trainer hit me up. I was just graduating. He was like, I wasn't going to college. That's why, right?

I wanted to fight. And he was like, look, there's this opportunity. They're going to open up a gym. We can run it, blah, blah, blah, this and that. Let's go. Let's go out for a couple of months and see how we like it. We went out there, bro. My trainer ended up not even coming.

You know what I mean? So it was just me. Because he's like, I'll come up a week later. He ended up getting a girlfriend. Never ever a week later He'll get a girlfriend never Never came you got a history of friends letting you brother. What is up with that first DC? I don't pick him, bro Bro, how was the girl though fine, but I I have he named me what I'm saying I'm not even friends with the guy anymore because we had a falling out So yeah, but he ended up naming with him, you know

But I but I ended up staying out there for four months and was for training and stuff so i was i was 17 over there i was we knew the guys who was running the mma stuff so i could lie i was 18 i had my first mma fights out there and was doing like september october november december so i was doing uh september and the guy i was staying with was his friend, you know? And the house we were staying at, bro, they didn't have a heater, so we had like a freaking— Oh, fuck. We had like a snowstorm, too, during it. First time seeing snow? Yeah, fuck, bro.

You know what Ice Palace is in Hawaii? The ice rink? Is that a strip club? No, it's just an ice rink, bro. Ice skating rink, right? Yeah. I had to fucking dress like I was going to the fucking ice skating rink every night because I'm from Hawaii and I'm freezing. We don't have a fucking heater in the house.

And I'm like, what the hell is going on? You know, I remember just thinking like, oh, shit, this is crazy. And then when we went out there in September, the gym was supposed to happen in like October. And then when October came, I was like, oh, the gym is going to happen in November. And it wasn't going to happen. And then December, they asked me, oh, you want to go back home? You want to go back home and see your family? I was like, bro, if you send me back home.

I'm not coming back. I was like, if you send me back home on a return flight, I'm not coming back. He's like, no, no worries, no worries. I'll fly you guys up with this. I was like, brother, I see. His name is Will, our friend's name. I was like, brother Will, I don't know when I see you, but I'm probably going to see you in Hawaii because I ain't never coming back to Iowa.

I'm not going home. I'm not coming back.'t never coming back to Iowa. I ain't never going home without coming back, bro. Was it really culturally different while you were there or did it feel similar? Brother, it's different. It's whole different. I remember October.

We was driving during Halloween and after Halloween, I was driving down the road and I see fucking house teepeed and everything. I was like, holy shit,

I thought this only happened on Disney Channel. I thought this was fake. I thought this only happened in a movie. Who the fuck really fucking teepees a whole fucking house, bro? My friend's house got, like, his parents' house got, like, teepeed the shit out of, bro.

Eggs. I was like, and then kids, like, it was like a Disney Channel, bro. Like, kids, like, arguing about stuff and, like, meeting up. I was just out of high school, right? And you see these kids, these high school kids, like, meeting up, arguing because I made friends with some high schoolers, you know, like, guys who was graduating, like, 12th grade. And, like, I was like, what high school, right? And you see these kids, these high school kids, like, meeting up, because I made friends with some high schoolers, you know, like guys who graduated, like, 12th grade. And, like, I was like, what the hell is this?

This is like Disney Channel. Like, I'm in a Disney Channel movie. I was like, man, this is crazy. Yo, how much is America that we'll just TP your house? Like, a lot of companies don't have toilet paper at all. And we're like, let's just throw that shit in the tree. Egging a house. We're going to waste food to ruin someone's paint.

Like, it's crazy. Crazy, bro. Did you ever get in on it, though? No, I never did. I never did. I never, yeah, like, I didn't think of wasting food or wasting toilet paper. You know what I mean? I was like, bro, toilet paper is meant to wipe my butt.

What the hell is that? And then I was just thinking, like, I was putting myself in there. I was like, you know how hard it is to clean that shit? Holy, bro, like, the trees is hot. Tall. So, at first, I'm thinking, like, you know how much you got to clean? And then I'm thinking, like, whose arm is throwing that shit? Holy, bro, like, the trees is hot. So, like, first, I'm thinking, like, you know how much you gotta clean? And then I'm thinking, like, whose arm is throwing that up?

Get him in the league, baby. Let's go. It's crazy, bro. What about the Midwest girls? Is that the first time you ever, like, hooked up with a girl from the Midwest? With a fat white? Yeah. Brother, I was, I mean, they was in my taste. Oh, yeah, that's right, dude. You probably don't know about thick white women, because we got that, too.

Yeah, I was like, that wasn't my taste. I was just so used to Hawaiian girls, so, like, when I saw that, I was like, what is this, you know? Yeah. This is different. Those are the real pogs you got to fight over. Those are the real ones. Did you get after it? Did you get after it?

No, no, I was chill. I was, bro, I was up there just trying to freaking work and train. I just wanted to fight, bro. I was like. What was the job? We was just going to be trainers, bro. I was going to run a kickboxing class. Yeah, we were going to run a kickboxing class. The gym had never opened.

Yeah, that never, ever happened to today, bro. Okay, so I know that there's no such thing as Filipino gambling rings and wine eye, but if I know that they don't. I know that this is obviously a figment of my imagination and nobody knows about it. Yeah, right. It's a fake world. It's a fake world, right? And I know that there's no cockfights there still to this day.

No, nothing. Definitely. That was so back in the day, bro. I don't know what you're talking about. Only human cockfights. Not chicken. Why would you try to kill a chicken? We have a fight club, bro.

Come on. But was that a thing way back in the day? Was that, like, part of it growing up? Bro, I... I mean... I mean, you're the best, bro. It is... This is hard-hitting journalism, bro.

It is, bro. It is. But it's crazy, bro. It's crazy, bro. I always didn't want to get involved in it because, like, the story that you hear that happens at that thing, I'm like, fuck this. Hey, why?

What is it? Brother, crazy stuff happened, bro. You're in a fucking illegal rink. What do you think is going to happen? Oh, okay. Some illegal shit. Yeah. So I'm like, bro, I'm good.

I ain't trying to get busted. Fair enough. Keep me out of this shit. Fair enough. One of the things that when we were in Hawaii last time that I love that I've used since is when you're at the late night spot after they've stopped serving alcohol, you ask for cold soup at the Korean spot.

Have you ever used that? I have never, ever used that. That's beer. You ask for cold soup even when they stop serving. Oh, for real? You've never used that one? No, I never did.

I'm not out there. Bro, I thought that this was like everybody... No, no. I thought this was some Hawaiian shit. No, after the lights come on and everybody start looking wild and shit, I'm going home. That's a good idea. I am going because, like, bro, when you see your friend after, what, 3 o'clock, 4 o'clock, they close. Anything after that, anything after 12 is crazy.

So when you're at 4 to a spot, it's like, brother, we need to go back to the hotel room because we're going to end up on someone's IG or TikTok. You don't know what somebody dancing in the background. What the fuck? It's Max. You know, come on. Do you ever worry about that?

You ever worry like getting caught up in, you know, you know, I don't know, how do I say it? Like people trying to like get clout off of you back home.

Like people trying to videotape you at the supermarket. People trying to like. Bro, I mean, it comes with a job, but then like there's certain times where like, come on, you don't do this. Like you're with your kid. Yeah, you comes with a job, but then like there's certain times

Come on, like you with your kid and yeah The worst is like to me. I mean I'm sure it happens to you guys all the time It's like you're eating there. I'll sorry sorry to interrupt you, but can we take a picture? I need a dinner I was like no, you're not sorry Thinking of it, yeah, maybe you. Maybe you're a spirit or something. Sorry, but you're not sorry. It's funny, but it comes with the job. I mean, that's the price you pay.

You must get approached all the time because you're a local celebrity in your town. Or they're used to them. Yeah, yeah, yeah. In my town, it's fine. But then when we go out towards the town and people are like flying in and they see us then that's when it's Like I think there's a more famous Hawaiian alive right now That still lives out there no, it's just like here you over the rainbow guys No, no, no

Do you know him do you know him? I don't know I got like emotional. Bro, he's... I'm fucking crying watching this. When you said that, bro... The American Idol dude, the kid who just won. Yeah, the kid. But he is like the reincarnation of Brother Yeats, bro. The way he can...

I haven't heard this before. The way he can... Oh, my. You saw I posted it. Yeah. He was on American Idol. He won. He was a big Hawaiian dude, and he was playing like this parlor guitar, and he sang...

What was the song? Oh, fuck. What was the guy's name? God, what's the fucking song? The most recent one the em sing yeah yeah the one with james blunt james blunt there's james blunt the monsters i think it's called monsters yeah oh my god yeah when he's saying that with his dad it's uh for his dad it's crazy yeah but um i think i think he's the reincarnation i mean i hate when people compare me to another fight or whatever, but, I mean, I, like, I.M., the way, when I listened to him, I didn't hear no one move me the way he does,

just like how Brother Is did. Like, Brother Is, like, Somewhere Over the Rainbow is just amazing, and I think so. I.M. is going to come out with a song that is, like, going to be on that level, I believe, because the way he sings is just, I mean, there's not one song that he did not sing that people didn't cry bro it's crazy he had people crying the whole season yeah the guy's voice is just it's special man it's special every one of the judges i can't believe you didn't see it i need to see this bro it is you

gonna love it oh my god i mean he did then he did that to get on the show, and then he actually did it with James Blunt. Oh, I saw the duet. So he did the live bit with James Blunt, and when he sang, that song was even more crazy because James Blunt put his hand on him to help him because he couldn't sing it. Yeah.

And then James Blunt touched him, and he ended up pulling through to sing it, which is just crazy. So you still feel a lot of pride seeing Hawaiians make it in anything? Oh, for sure, with everything. You might have to play this now, just cry with the boys, which is crazy. So you still feel a lot of pride seeing Hawaiians make it in anything? Oh, for sure, with everything, you know? You might have to play this now, just cry with the boys or something. Yeah, we might have to watch it, bro.

Good old cry with the boys, bro? It's good, dude. Because, yeah, I've never heard this guy. Bro, he's good. Iyum Tongi is his name. Iyum Tongi. Where is he from? He is from Oahu on the opposite side of the island of me.

So I'm in Waianae. He's on the North Shore, Kahuku side. So, there's a mountain that separates us pretty much. You said there's a lot of white people coming to the area. I thought Hawaii has this rule where it's like only Hawaiians can buy. So, we do have a Hawaiian. We do have a, like you said. What is that rule?

It's you got to be a certain amount of Hawaiian to buy on the Hawaiian land or whatever, but it's like- People find a way, bro. It's bullshit, bro. How are people getting around it? It's crazy. It's like you only own, you're leasing the land for 100 years. That's what it is. So the

Hawaiian thing is like you're just leasing that land for 100 years and then you got to give it to somebody else that meet the qualifications of like you'll be a certain part of Hawaiian and then you get it for 100 more years again. But that's just what it is. It's like it's not even yours because they can just come in and just be like, well, we feel like taking it. Yeah, but how are white people buying land? Money, money, man. Money freaking talks, I think. people buying land. Bro, that money, money, man, money freaking

talks, I think. There's that guy, Larry Ellison, who bought the whole island of Lanai. Lanai,

yeah, almost, yeah. Crazy. Almost, bro, it's crazy. And there was

a whole thing with the telescope, too. Yeah, with the telescope. Yeah, yeah, yeah,

with Protect TMT, they was trying to put bigger telescopes on top of it and stuff, but it's crazy, man. It's a wild time

we live in. But yeah, this is EM. Okay EM okay this is his audition before they turn off all the lights oh my god I need a second guys wow he's amazing bro yeah he's amazing bro he's amazing bro

that's crazy he's amazing bro he's he's special bro He's amazing, bro. He's special, bro. He's special. I've been like... It was crazy when he was doing it. He did this tour and stuff, and he's such a young kid, right? And then when he came back, he did the finale stuff, and I was just like, man, this kid's special, man. I hope he's surrounding the right people around him to let him know what is wrong, what is right, and he just stay on that path

because he's going to be somebody special. He's big. He's going to be big, bro. Have you met him in person? I didn't meet him, no. The day they had that concert for him, I flew in later in that night from Japan, so I was like, oh, man, I missed him.

But I'm sure we're going to cross paths. Whenever we cross paths, it happens. I'm not force not to but because I just want to meet him genuinely man that guy is that was unbelievable yeah crazy you gotta you gotta watch the one when he actually sings with James Blunt it's freaking crazy when him and James Blunt sing it together it's like even more insane like I he he just his voice is like way more refined and everything when he did it with James Blunt the second time. So it's just amazing. I mean, that was so raw. Oh, yeah. Wow.

It's beautiful, man. Okay, I don't know how we're going to transition from this into some breaking news, but we have to do it. We have an exclusive right now that maybe by the time this comes out will not be exclusive exclusive but in the moment it is exclusive we have the next fight yes sir and who do we have all right guys we're gonna

take a break real quick because getting wrongfully injured in something like a car accident or whatever sucks you got medical bills you got doctor visits you got to deal with insurance companies all of that shit is really hard but you know know what's not hard? Going to Morgan & Morgan to submit a claim. So if something happens, you can just hit Morgan & Morgan online, file a claim. It's that easy. And Morgan & Morgan is America's largest injury law firm. They have over 100 offices nationwide with over 800 lawyers. That's a lot of lawyers. They have gotten over $15 billion recovered for their clients. Morgan & Morgan has a proven track record. And they've been $15 billion recovered for their clients. Morgan & Morgan has a proven track record, and they've been fighting for the people for over 35 years. They're not

some rinky-dink-ass law office. This is where you need to go. It's so easy. Getting wrongfully injured, hard. Submitting a claim on Morgan & Morgan, so easy. So if you're ever injured, you can check out Morgan & Morgan. Their fee is free unless you win. That's very important to know. Their fee is free unless they win. So if very important to know. Their fee is free unless they win. So if they do a shitty job for you and they lose, they don't take no money. Who cares? You didn't even lose nothing.

So for more information, go to forthepeople.com slash flagrant or dial pound law. That's pound 529 from your cell phone. Again, that is F-O-R-T-H-E-P-E-O-P-L-E.com slash flagrant. You know the spelling bee champ is here. Or pound law, pound 529 from your cell. This is a paid advertisement.

They want me to tell you that because they're lawyers and they be into that kind of jargon. But let's get back to the show. The next fight. Yes, sir. And who do we have? Korean zombie. Korean zombie in Singapore. So I'm excited, bro. I'm excited, bro. I'm excited, sir. And who do we have? Korean Zombie. Korean Zombie in Singapore. So I'm excited, bro.

I'm excited, bro. I'm excited, bro. He been, that's one of the guys that... Sing him that song before the fight. He'll be fucked up. Nothing. We might, but it might be a good idea. I like your mental welfare.

You gotta walk out to that shit. You get it. You walk out with him. I might cry. I gotta actually, if I walk out to that song, I gotta like, I gotta have earphones yeah you gotta lock away for that one that was crazy okay so korean zombie this is there's i think there are very few fights in MMA that are offering guaranteed fireworks like this fight. Insane.

Yeah. Excitement. People don't know yet. Do you need to get up for a fight like this? Do you need to, like, is this something you've looked for for years? Like, how do you get yourself in a position where you're like, you know what, I really want this. You've been fighting for the belt nonstop for the last,

how many years? Forever, it feels like, bro. Right? But it is what it is, bro. At the end of the day, the whole, everybody asks me, oh, where's your mind at?

What is your drive? What is your push? And like, bro, at the end of the day, I'm going to go out there, I'm going to fight in front of potentially millions of people,

so I just want to get my ass kicked in front of millions of people. You know, I don't want to become a meme. I don't want people to be harassing me. So at the end of the day, this is another fight. You know, I've been watching Kareem forever since he's WEC. You know, he was like one of those guys like Aldo. You know, Aldo, I fought Jeremy. You know what I mean?

Crazy, but Ricardo Llamas, you know, Dustin Poirier. So there's all these guys that like, these are the guys I used to watch. So these are the guys that, yeah, if I ever had the shot to fight them, if they stood around, they'd fight them. And he stood around, you know. He's considered one of the best guys in the world, so it makes sense. Yeah. Now that's going to be a crazy fight.

And his last fight was Volk. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And Volk was pretty dominant. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And Volk was pretty dominant. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Do you want another crack at Volk? Oh, 100%, bro. I was telling Tim, bro,

like, it sucks that we, it just keep happening, but, like, if I was, if the roles was reversed, I get it, bro, you know? We're the best in the world. I just want to fight the best guy in the world,

you know? So, I mean, if UFC don't want me to fight Volk, stop giving me these freaking UFC don't want me to fight Vogue, stop giving me these contenders. Give me somebody else or something. Let's go make fun fights. Let's make another belt.

Most talkative motherfucker in the UFC. Give me another belt. I'm going to be there. I'd love to fight him. He's one of the best guys in the world. Being able to share the octagon with him again for however long. What do you think you could have done differently after the last one? I mean, it just happened, bro.

This is his night, bro. There's nothing. I would change nothing, bro. Everything happened. I did a great training camp, but my mental is great. He just went out there. He did his thing, bro. I hate when, like, I remember having my breakout fight in New Jersey, actually, against Cub Swanson. Yeah.

And I hate when people was like, oh, that doesn't look like the Cub Swanson of late. Oh, they try to take away. Right. I hate when guys, even when they say, oh, I didn't feel right. Like, motherfucker, I went in there. We all get injuries. We all have something. We have personal shit going on.

Of course. Yeah. He just went out there. He showed up that night. You know what I mean? I showed up too, but he just fucking did better. I'm not going to stay away from him. At the end of the day, we figured it out.

I'll get back to there, and if we can fight again, we'll fight again. It was interesting, your trilogy, because I feel like each of you made adjustments. Fight one to fight two, you made big adjustments. First two rounds, easy. You're walking around, it was good. I actually had you winning the second fight. I know that was a really close fight. But I had you win the second fight

because you made those adjustments. Then three, it feels like he made those adjustments. And I feel like it's ping pong with you guys. Like, I feel like next... Best in the world, bro. When you're the best in the world, the only thing that separates you is when I tell people everything. The only thing that separates me from someone who next best in the world, but when you're the best in the world The only thing that separates you is what I tell people everything nothing that separates Me from somebody who's not in the UFC is just I know how to put things together a little bit or I know how to

Mentally play that mental game and that's why I tell everybody all the uppercomers. They're like, oh, what is your secret blah blah? I ain't got no secret I was like, well everybody in there and the UFC know how to throw one to know how to block one to yeah It's a fortega at the time. All jokes, all jokes. I just keep telling people, like, bro, everybody know how to do everything. It's just who's going to apply their game

plan first and be constant on it, you know? And that's why I said, like, I'm no different than anybody. The only difference between the top 15 fighters and the rest of the see is they know how to put it together. It's a mind thing, you know. And then you go up to the 10, mind thing. Five, mind thing.

And then the champion, is this a mind thing? You cannot say anybody's, like, we all know how to fight, you know. At the end of the day, it's just who's putting it together. Mind thing, by that you mean game plan? You mean preparation, how to take that person out? Game plan, preparation, and just showing up. You know what I mean? Like, most of the time, half of these guys beat themselves before they even step in knockdown

with someone. Yeah, how so? They just beat themselves. You know what I mean? Like, the moment gets to them. You know what I mean? Like, the moment gets to them. You know?

Like, when I fought- You could tell they're nervous. Yeah. Or something's going on, you know? I remember when I fought Dustin Poirier, the first fight, my UFC event, you know? My first ever UFC event. We was the headline at the time was the FX card. So right before the pay-per-view,

we go there early. I mean, I see people, I see Stephen Thompson was like the second fighter of the night, or third fight, I forget what fight it was, but it was so empty. I remember watching his fight. I was like, oh yeah, they showed a crowd, it's empty. I was like, holy shit, this is like fighting in Hawaii, you know, like there's nothing. I remember I had a

famous boxer, a famous Hawaiian boxer in my corner. His name was Jesus Salute. Yeah, the Hawaiian punch they used to call him. There was another Hawaiian boxer? Yeah, he was the original Hawaiian punch. So Brian got it after him. After Jesus Salute. So look him up, yeah. So Jesus Salute was a man

and he was like, he'd been there. So he's like telling me, Max, when this lights go on, just stay calm, stay calm, stay calm. And I was thinking, God, I got this. No worry. No worry. Fucking lights went on. I was like 200 miles per hour, bro. This is right before the main car.

So every seat was filled in Mandalay Bay. I remember being in there and just thinking when, just thinking when Bruce was introducing me, saying my name, like my knees was weak. I was like, holy fuck. I was like, bro, you can't be fainting, Max. You're on fucking TV. You know what I mean? I was like, what the hell?

So the moment got to me, you know, I had a little bit and then, I remember fight week two, I saw George St. Pierre. I saw Anderson Silva. I saw Jose Aldo, Frankie, like who's who? Like all these guys that I wanted to. And I remember being in the back after I lost

I lost I did I had I looked good in the feet I got to get on he like triangle armbar me and from the top which is crazy I can't triangle on by me from the top. So yeah, I was like what the hell now I remember sitting the back and thinking to myself like Fuck this. Yeah. I was like, why are you acting like me? Why are you acting so starstruck around these guys? Like you're a UFC fighter you belong here if I can act like it I was like, why are you acting like this? Why are you acting so starstruck around these guys? You're a UFC fighter.

You belong here. Fucking act like it. So for now, I don't really ask too much people for pictures or whatever. Because in my mind, I can do that when I'm done. When I can take it in. But right now, it's game time. Even the scene with all the titles. Everybody's like, oh, why don't you have your titles put around the house and blah, blah, blah, this and that. I was like, I stood fighting, that's why.

And they don't understand it. I was like, what do you mean? I was like, I'm stood fighting. Yeah, don't focus on what you did. Yeah, yeah, yeah. What do you want to do? I still want to do this. I'll bring out all the belts and stuff when I retire, and I can celebrate them.

Right now, there's no celebration. It's a freaking grind all the way through, you know? Do you have a specific pre-fight ritual now to keep you in the moment? Bro, the pre-fight ritual, not really. I'm just sitting in the back. And, I mean, I get nervous, bro. If somebody tells you, I mean, I'm sure. Do you get nervous before going on stage

when you're doing a show or something? Depends, but I think the bigger the event, the more anxiety can present itself. Yeah, for sure, you know what I mean? And that's how you're supposed to feel, I think. If you don't feel anything, you don't care. You're not human, bro. You're not human, and you never do the work.

I was like, bro, if you don't feel nothing, I tell them, bro, you didn't do enough work. You didn't know. I sacrificed so much, that's the time I get nervous because I'm like, fuck, what if I let people down? My mind is like, what if I let these guys down? I missed my son's birthday. I missed my wife's birthday. Yeah, this can't be for nothing. Yeah, this can't be nothing.

I got to go out there and fucking give it my all. And then if I do end up on the bad side, at least I can look at myself and look at my loved one and tell them, look, I gave it my all. That guy was just better than me on that night. Yeah. So for sure, I get nervous. But I remember, this is the thing that I always do. I'm in the back.

I'm just in my mind. I'm in my head. And I'm just thinking like, damn, who are you next, Max? Let's go. And I start thinking like, what the? In my mind I said, you know, what the frick am I doing? We here again? I told myself last time I was gonna be here and now I'm and now I'm going like Fuck you can just work in McDonald's on the either Easy life. Yeah, I think like

No, you can't do you can't do that shit the life you want to live cost money It's like yeah go out there and get yourself get yourself out there So that's the little prep talk. I kind of talk to myself I always like I Build I knock myself down that I build myself up a this is time and then by the time we walk I hear my song It's like it's go time. So once you hear the song and you're already walking you're in fight mode Oh, yeah, bro Once the walk out I stay in the back of looking at my my coaches smiling talking to him and telling brother It's another one and then they tell me yeah, go to him. What do you feel as Bruce is calling

your name now? Bro, I'm just stoked, bro. In my mind now, I'm like, Bruce, hurry up. Like, wrap this up, bro. I just want to punch this guy in the face. He's got to do all the sponsors and stuff. Shout out to Spider-Man. Come on, bro. Yeah, yeah, yeah. He's like, you know, like, freaking, yeah. You can just say it's time. You don't have to say time.

What's that about? Exactly, exactly. So nowadays, it's like, come on, Bruce, bro. Let me punch this guy in the face. Let me bang. What's the song? What's the song you always come out to? I walk up to, I do an ad, and then I always end it with Hawaiian kickboxer. Yeah.

There's a guy from Waianae. He made the song, Moki Boy. His name is called Moki Boy. It was funny, because his dad was a janitor at the at the Elementary Yeah, pretty cool. He saw then we have home ties and yeah, he's from our town I'm I'm friends with the with the guy who sings the song so it's great He keep on like telling me I want to change the song max. I want to change the song

I want to make it live it more more popular more hip hoppy. I was like, no, I'm not gonna walk up to it I was like, please do not change this song. It's worked out so far. Yeah, this is the song I want, you know? Wow. Did you fight in the Apex

when it was empty? No, I never fought. I fought a year in the Apex when... But they had some crowd. But when we had the crowd

and these motherfuckers sold those tickets the most expensive. It wasn't even a belt fight and they made those tickets expensive. How crazy is that, yeah? How much is the setting changing for you? Like, fighting in Singapore versus the States?

Bro, I don't care, bro. I just, I'm here to fight. I know what I got to do. Like, even, like, everybody's like, oh, it's going to be weird fighting in front of that. I was like, not really. It's only me and him trying to hit, you know, kill each other, you know what I mean? Knocks our head off. So, it's like, as long as Dana signs the check, so whoever it is signed the check, it's a lot of zeros at the end.

Like I said, I'll fight you in an alleyway, bro. What about at home? What about a fight at home? Brother. Brother. I would love to fight in Hawaii. When is that, bro? I can't believe that hasn't happened.

Bro, it's not even a UFC thing. It's a white thing. I've been telling people. Oh, there's like sanctioned stuff? Bro, it's a Hawaii tourism authority. It's the HTA. And they just refuse to allow it? Yeah, it's funny because they said something. You could do the football stadium.

Bro. Brother, they said. Y'all already fight locally for free. What's the problem? The HTA, we have two sports there. We only have two professional sports in Hawaii, bro. And that's fighting and that's surfing, bro. Yeah.

And the two most problems they give the sports, the two biggest sports they give problems to is fighting and surfing. Wow. We have a freaking Olympian, Carissa Moore. You know what I mean? She's an Olympian, a gold medalist Olympian in surfing. And multiple world champion. We have a John John Florence, multiple world champion in surfing a john john florence multiple world champion surfing and they just give them a hard time i remember during the pandemic it's like really

like you told people they could go to the beach and surf but they wouldn't give them the permits for let them surf during the tour i was like bro this makes no sense you know allowed to be in the water unless it's for an event yeah and then and then and then um even with fighting it's like oh uh i think so. When we actually reached out to the PR team or whatever, and their PR team reached out, like this is a couple years ago, they said, like, we don't want to attract that kind of fan base here. And I was like, wait, I was like, what fan base?

You guys throw the Pro Bowl. They paid, my understanding, UFC was just asking what the Pro Bowl asked for, right? Like the money that they said. And I was like, bro, that's easy. You know what I mean? But you guys throw the Pro Bowl. The actual Pro Bowlers, the NFL guys who's actually playing in the Pro Bowl go out to the clubs and fight. They fight in the club.

I'm like, brother, you're not going to have a fighter fighting in the club down here. Like, fighters is like, we're crazy, but we're not going to fight. We understand this,

but like a pro bowler is going and like, that's the crowd you want to go? Like the actual guy? I can understand. You can say like, oh yeah,

fans might fight this and that, especially certain, but like that's anything. Fans fight at the pro bowl. Also, it's going to be mainly local fans. I don't think people,

that many people are going to fly to Hawaii for a UFC fight. The fan base is there. There's plenty of fights on the mainland. This is some is this some local shit where like someone needs to get greased? Brother I'm sure brother. Did you not do you not see that the rail? Did you come down with the rail yet? No, it's the rail. Oh my god, bro. The rail is like getting rigged. They're They're getting audited right now. Let's just do that. What's the rail like do that they're building a rail bro in Hawaii how crazy is that? to connect what to what? who knows?

I don't even know I don't even know what it was supposed to be this length and now it's smaller and now they're auditing it because it's crazy they're going to find out bro they're going to figure it out it's crazy It's crazy.

But that's the thing that happens when it gets, you know, in tricky situations like this, you have a few people that have a lot of power. And if they're not getting set off. Yeah, it's a little separate. It might not be checked as much. And they can just kind of pull money off. But they're going to get checked now. Oh, yeah. Yeah, when the federal government starts asking questions.

Because it's federal money to build a railway? Yeah, I believe. No, it's the state, bro. The state is doing it, bro. And you know what is more messed up? So the state is doing it, right? And then you get- What could it be?

Is it for traffic? Because there is traffic problems, bro. Brother, they're just doing it. I don't, I have no idea what. They're just doing it for freaking to do it for fun, I think. But they do it. It's a state thing, right? And you know how Oahu and there's different islands, right?

Yeah. The different islanders is getting taxed for that too. The people that can't even use it. How crazy is that, bro? That's insane, right? I'd be tight, bro. I'd be pissed, bro. I'd be tight.

If I was on a different, I'm pissed I'm on the island. Because you know they're not sending it over to Wanda. Brother. You're not going to get a station. It starts in Kapolei. Kapolei is where? On the other side Kapolei. Kapolei is where? On the other side of the mountain. Kapolei is like 20 minutes away from me.

So you still got to drive. 20 minutes just to get on it? Nah, bro. So if you still got to drive, like if I'm driving like 10, 15 minutes already, I'm going to drive the next 15, 20 minutes to wherever I got to go. I'm not going to park my car. 15 minutes subway. It's crazy, bro. What's the island that's only Hawaiians?

Molokai, is it called? No, no, no, no. It's crazy, man. What's the island that's only Hawaiians? Molokai, is it called? No, no, no, no. Niho. Niho. Niho. Niho. Yeah, that doesn't sound like Hawaiian. Yeah, yeah.

But wait, so, and you have to be Hawaiian to go on it, or you need permission or something? You need permission. Yeah, you need permission. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's fire. Have you ever been on it? No, I haven't been on it, no. Kind of wild, though, right?

Yeah, it's cool. That'd be pretty cool to see. That's cool, yeah. I think so you got to, like, go to one of the other islands, and then you boat to that, and then the boat can't even dock. Like, you got to jump off to swim into it. Wait, what? Something like that, yeah.

That's how they weed out the non-Hawaiians. Yeah. You can't swim? You can't swim? That's how they keep black people off the island. They ain't making it. Sorry, Barack. Isn't there a difference between Hawaiian and local?

Isn't there a classification, like people that live in Hawaii a long time might not still be considered Hawaiian or something? Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, it's a local Hawaiian, so there's people that look like Andrew that's talking like me, but they're like, I grew here. No, you didn't. You freaking grew here. Your mom and them just came 20 you know, like 20 years ago. But that pigeon catches up, bro.

There's something so addictive about pigeon. Pigeon is fun, bro. Bro. Are you, if you're just talking to the boys, full pigeon? No, no. Is your pigeon good or no? I mean, it's all right. Hit us off a little something.

Yeah, we all talk pretty well. Especially with interviews and stuff, I kind of had to clean up my speech, which is, I still need to clean it up, but I'm terrible at talking. So if I was talking pigeon, you'd be like, what the fuck is this guy saying? But when you do speak pigeon like it is, you can go full pigeon, full. Oh, yeah, I can talk and we can understand. Even certain sayings, like when people, when I tell Tim something, he's like, what the fuck are Tim something he's like what what for example

I mean, I can't you frick you put him on the spot. Let's go eat. What is it? Let's grind. Yeah, let's grind Yeah, yeah Grind to them is like workout or something Yeah, the pigeon I feel like every white person that moves to Hawaii within like three years is speaking pigeon brother or a little bit But we're there for three days really go talk story brother. Yeah Exactly exactly. So is it just slang or it's a whole different language now pigeon got guys kind of like like Jamaican patois It's like Hawaiian patois, right? Pigeon actually is considered a language now. Yeah, it? Oh, really? Yeah, it's an actual language.

It's that different. I speak two languages. Oh, you're bilingual, dude. Yeah, 100%. You know who's not bilingual? DC, bro. Bro, DC. He speaks one language, bro.

Yeah, bro. And he don't give his friends jobs. That's fucked up, dude. He's like, yeah. Yeah. Yeah, he's building a little railway over there at ESPN. You might need to talk to DC about that. Hand out some checks.

What are you looking up? Bro, my favorite thing back in the day, they would have all these Bible translations when I was in school, and they gave us pigeon Bibles. And so we would, yeah, at my school, there was a Bible translator, so they would have the pigeon Bible,

and then we would read it, and we'd be like, that's not a language. So this is like John 3.16. Hold on, can you read it for us? Yeah. God would get plenty love and allure for the people inside the world that he would send me his one and only boy

so that everybody that trusts me don't get cut off from God but get the real kind life that stayed to the max forever. That's the best Bible, bro. That's the best Bible, bro. That's the best Bible. That is terrible. Is the pigeon weak, though, or what?

Brother, no, that's fucking, that's strong. A little too strong for me. That is really strong. Yeah, bro. That shit is awesome. He's one and only boy, man. really strong. Yeah, bro. That shit is awesome. He's one and only boy,

man. So that everybody that trusts me, they'll get cut off from God. You can't let them get cut off, bro. Oh, dude, it's the best. Every Bible verse, you could look up anything and just do pigeon translation, like Google Translate has it now, and just give it to a pigeon. It's the best. That's crazy, bro.

That's crazy. I didn't know that, but Google. Yeah, dude. Have you ever had to fight anyone at a surf That's crazy, bro. That's crazy. I didn't know that, but Google. Yeah, dude. Have you ever had to fight anyone at a surf spot? No, bro. I ain't have too much street fight. Have you seen fights

like that, though? Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, for sure. What's up with Dahui? Are they still running shit over there? Oh, yeah. They're all North Shore guys.

I think so. They're living more legal now and stuff, but yeah, you used to see them around yeah i remember coming up dahui is i mean how would you describe they're just like a group of dudes that they run they just run whatever they want to run yeah it's their waves bro yeah so it's surfers yeah yeah budget surf so you gotta like earn your you gotta earn your respect and your right to even catch

waves at like like a place like pipeipe. Yeah, for sure, bro. Especially, that wave is already... Packed. It's scary, bro. And it's dangerous. That's the other thing. Yeah, it's dangerous. Yeah, it's super dangerous.

So people give shit to Dahui, right? But I feel like, in a weird way, they're solving a problem and making it safer because... It is making it safer. But then now it's like... But explain it. Explain it to people who don't know Pipe. We're just talking about... Bro, it's to take your life.

It's what, two feet, two, three feet of water over a sharp reef, and the wave is 20 feet, eight feet. Yeah, it's insane. It's like, come on, do the math. Vertical drop. Boom, you know? So think about it. If you have a bunch of guys that are coming from all these different countries, and they're

just snaking people- But you're risking someone's life. Yep. People would die. No, for 100%. And that's what they did. That's what come, I mean on YouTube you type in pipeline beefs. I'm sure you see people getting rolled up, but at the end of the day that's what it is.

But right now it's even a weird time for guys out there. It's like everybody's just trying to, I mean I guess so clout chase and get that one wave and get the wave of the winter or whatever it's called So they're out there cameras doing whatever it is. And it's just like bro. This is so this is people's life It's like yeah people out there die. They actually hit their face in the reef You know, they drown because you can't get to them because there's sets after sets of the set So also the reef down there is kind of gnarly where they're these Pockets you get you get slammed underneath one. And you just,

you're underneath. The current is moving because you're getting holed. Dude, I almost fucking died in Lanai, dude. My leash got caught

on some reef when I was surfing out there. Oh, shit. Dude, it was gnarly. I literally, I couldn't get up.

I had no more breath left and I took a breath of fucking water. Bro, why are you laughing? Come on, bro. We laughed at it. This is a dream. This is a dream.

This is a dream. The white guy dies. Bye, Holly. But somehow this shit popped up. But yeah, I remember even watching surf videos and stuff as a kid and seeing that it was there, these pockets in the reef. So you could go and you could fall into one of the pockets and then you don't know which is up and down.

No, you don't. The sand is moving everywhere. So you can't open your eyes and even one of the pockets, and then you don't know which is up and down. No, you don't, bro. The sand is moving everywhere, so you can't open your eyes to even find it. Ugh, gnarly. It's crazy. Is there like a, like, because I know your girl is a pro surfer. Oh, okay.

So, like, is there like a gender thing where, like, the dudes will run it, or is it like they'll open up for men and women? Oh, no, no, no, no. They got girls out there that can surf surf. But they got to be girls in charge. Yeah, yeah, yeah. What's the girl girl Kayla Kennelly

I think her name is Kayla I think it's Kate Laniere or whatever she's the old school big wave surfer yeah yeah yeah

I know what you're talking about I can't say her name but then right now they got another girl I forget her name too but they call her the queen of pipe

like she just charges bro you gotta be you gotta have some some screws loose to be charging that way bro it's crazy bro has wifey ever uh surf pipe she did pipe she did like before yeah yeah she's yeah it's kind of crazy but you gotta get like it's all about getting ready and training and whatever for it who gets scared for her because for sure she's afraid for you but her job you

could argue way more people die at oh as i tell I tell people like surfers like oh shit Your job is crazy. I was like no it's not Sharks yeah, you get to you get to control somebody you know like if you really want it you could teach someone how to fight in there Mother Nature's gonna slam you be like okay wait timeout timeout no timeout no Slammed and slammed you know so I did day, bro, surfing is crazy, bro. Especially the big wave surfers, bro. That shit is so gnarly.

Bro, and then you're moving so fast on some of the big waves and so much water. It's like almost hitting, like they say, it's like cement. Like you're just skidding, you know? I'm like, bro. Nazare, all that shit. Yeah, even Jaws. Jaws is where off of Maui or something. Maui, yeah.

Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I think so. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. That's what you guys call it. Crazy. Did you meet your girl surfing? No, I didn't. I didn't.

Yeah, I didn't surf before. I did not surf at all. I was a boogie boarder. A dick dragger, they would call it. I had to change. She was like, yeah, I'm not going to be dating a dick dragger. That kind of sounds like a compliment in a way. A dick dragger, bro.

That's funny. That was Al's nickname in a way. A dick dragger, bro. That's funny. That was Al's nickname in high school. It is right now. Oh, man. But yeah, I didn't. I just, we just was from the same, she wouldn't stay from the same side because if you look at it,

it's like Wai'anae, Makah, Maile, Nanakuli, and like every, our whole zip code is 96792. I mean, people is gonna be mad when they see this from our side of the island, but it's like, she's from Makah, and she's like, I'm, Nanakuli, and like every, our whole zip code is 96792. I mean, people is going to be mad when they see this from our side of the island, but I was like, she's from a car and she's like, I'm a car girl, blah, blah. I'm like, yeah, what is your zip code? 96792. Yeah, why not? Last time I checked. So I was giving them a hard time, but yeah, we just, we just kind of knew, I kind of knew of her. She kind of knew me and then, but yeah, we just ended up talking at one point and

the rest of the history. Yeah.. Paid it off. Yep. Now, how did you explain to her your true love, which is video games? How did you break that down to her? Did you let her know she's always going to have to come second? Oh, brother. Oh, brother, yeah. That's a tough one. I don't think she even knows that she's going to come second.

You just got to let her believe whatever she's going to believe. You just got to go with it, bro. You know, happy, what is it? Happy wife, happy life. There you go. Just keep her happy, whatever it is, you know. And just sometimes,

I mean, it's like a job to me too now, you know. Keeping her happy. Because I see the vacations y'all are going on. I'm like, oh, he's keeping her happy. Yeah, so, you know, that's the trade-off, you know.

I play some video games and then you just got to use the money. Got to go to Greece. I guess so. I guess so. But Mykonos is sick, bro. You ever went? No, not yet.

Bro, you got to go, bro. Yeah, I might be going this month. Beautiful, bro. I love Mykonos. We got to stay at Mykonos and, bro, it's cool. Go rent an ATV. You literally drive around the whole island in like 30 minutes on that thing. It's only one part of the island

because they build on only one part of the island because the whole other side is windy. The thing is called a windy, it's called a windy island. Yeah, or the wayward, there's like the wayward side.

I understand what you're saying. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So it's cool. So like, I loved it, bro. I loved that piece. Okay, before you go, last thing. Well, actually, maybe one, two more things. I know that place. Okay, before you go, last thing. Well, actually,

maybe one, two more things. I know you gotta get there. One best, I know you're from the most beautiful place on the planet, so it's hard to probably

be impressed when you go on vacation in other places. Is there one that you guys went to where you're like, no, no, this is crazy? Fuck, we love Japan, bro.

Really? Like, my wife was like, we just came back, and that was the first time. I went a couple times, but my wife is like, I love Japan, the food they food, bro, how cheap it is, the people there. Everybody knows you? Some guy, like when we went to certain places, they were like, oh, Max.

I mean, yeah, they'd be saying Max Max, but then saying Japanese language that I don't understand. Yeah, they'd be being like, yeah, suck a bag of digs. And you're bowing down you know jokes aside i love japan she she's like i would really move here you know like she would like well if she would move anywhere she said she wanted to move to japan like in tokyo or on the coast and well i think so more on the coast the stuff because we actually got to go to like uh kyoto and osaka and stuff and that i always went to tokyo but this is my first

time going out to like um osaka like that and i was like what the hell took me so long bro it's beautiful bro it's like it's just crazy you know so and it's just the culture is cool man that people are so nice it's like that it's like that that that uh cat williams freaking skit of when the white people called the wrong person it's like that's what Japanese are pretty much. The skit of when he was like, hey, you know, I think it is Cat Williams. The one's like, hey, let's figure this out. You know, you just call me back, you know. Yeah, you got the wrong number still, but just call me back.

And we figured that's how Japan is. So common. And then, bro, like five-year-old kids, four-year-old kids walking home. Bro. By themselves. Our boy Ben Uyeda, right? Half Japanese dude. Goes to Japan when he's younger.

Gets absolutely shit-faced. Blacks out. Falls asleep on the street, okay? He just passes on the street. Wakes up. He went pillow and blanket. I'm sure. Bro!

I'm sure of it. They folded his fucking shirt, put it under his head as a pillow, put his socks and his shoes next to him. It was like somebody made the bed. They thought he was a salaryman or something, bro. Brother, I'm telling you, that's how it is, bro. So, like, that's how it was. Like, we was walking out by the stuff, by a nightclub, and one girl was just, like, out sleeping. And a couple guys went there, laid her down, moved her away from the stairs,

and just put her on the ground next to the stairs and left her there. I'm like, yeah, this ain't America. Not America, bro. America would be different, bro. Very different. Guys, Max Holloway. Let's go, baby. My brother, thank you so much, man.

Yo, tell them where they can find you. Tell them where you're gaming. Tell them where we can see this fight. I don't know if we mentioned it was in Singapore yet. Yeah, yeah. In Singapore. I think so. It's going to be on ESPN.

So that's great. Live on ESPN. Yeah. At Bless My Man on all socials. Facebook Gaming. I'm streaming daily. So I'll see you guys there. Amen.

Appreciate you, dog.