MMA Fighting - Eurobash: Episode 46 (w/ Brendan Loughnane, Nasrat Haqparast)

Episode Date: July 30, 2019

On the latest episode of Eurobash, Brendan Loughnane (10:00) discusses why he signed for the PFL and Nasrat Haqparast (43:00) gives insights into his clash with Joaquim Silva this weekend in Newark. Peter Carroll and Niall McGrath address the latest European headlines. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Support for this show comes from the Audible Original, the downloaded two, ghosts in the machine. The Earth only has a few days left. Rosco Cudulian and the rest of the Phoenix colony have to re-upload their minds into the quantum computer, but a new threat has arisen that could destroy their stored consciousness forever. Listen to Oscar winner Brendan Fraser reprise his role as Rosco Cudulian in this follow-up to the Audible Original Blockbuster. The Downloaded, it's a thought-provoking sci-fi journey where identity, memory, and morality collide. Robert J. Sawyer does it again with this much-anticipated sequel that leaves you asking, What are you willing to lose to save the ones you love?

The Downloaded 2. Ghosts in the Machine. Available now, only from Audible. Welcome back. It's episode 46. We're back in your ears, back in your minds, as always. I'm joined by the beautiful Noel McGrath who's just out of haircoat. He's very clean shave. I had hair cut last week for the wedding. We were wearing a hat.

I was like? Yeah. All right. So you only noticed now. You just told me. You just told me and I didn't get the Marvel and it's spectre. Did I tell you? You did.

Did I? All right. I can't remember really that. Like five seconds ago. That's how good my memory is these days. Well, there you go. Big L weekend of fights. Well, we had Brave on Thursday.

We had UFC 240 on Saturday and then we had Risen on Sunday. I didn't catch Rising now. I did. It was really good, actually. I was up early to watch that, so I only got up for the main card. and I have to catch up on all those fights. We'll talk about that in the second portion of the show.

Excuse me. Let's have a look at the latest news headlines. We need to get a sound effect. We need to get... I can get that sorted. I'll find something next week, don't worry. Brilliant. Like a bugle or something.

But, right, latest news, first of all, of course, Max Holloway. Yes. Max Holloway retains his federal weight title with a dominant win over Frankie Edgar. Big, big news for the... Eurobash fans as Nicholas Dalby has re-signed with the UFC a man who has given us so much time over the last few months and I'm glad to see he has been rewarded with what he deserves really actually after that. What a tweet from Graham Boyle was very emotional watching it was it just shows you what

it means to me. He's a good dude, Nicholas. Oh stop man he's one of the nicest people have ever met in the sport now let's just get Ross Houston on there and we can all be completely content. Yeah, definitely. Yeah, that would be great. Another big one and we're going to hear from him later on. Brendan, Locke 9, signs for the PFL. Big, big move for PFL. I was actually, when I was speaking to Brendan here, as much as Brendan's obviously a great coup for the PFL, it's even bigger for them in the sense that they don't really have someone in the UK

in Ireland that makes people tune in and watch on Thursday night. And, but, um, there he is. Perfect deal. I'll be tuning in when he's fighting. Yeah, well, hopefully they give us in a way to actually tune in and watch it. You can watch on Facebook for free. Cammy. That's great.

That's great news. So, yeah, you know, it's really exciting. side and see Brendan in there. A lot of money. Really good division. We saw Lance Palmer win last week. Yeah. Yeah. He's the man to... Talked about all those guys. Yeah, well, there you go. Yeah. It's official.

Jack Carmanson will take on Jared Cananeer. As we had seen it, we reported, of course, on MMA fighting and a lot of other places already. That's official as the Copenhagen main event. Not quite Kelvin Gasselham. We're hoping to try and get a word with Jack for a next week's show on that, so we'll keep you posted on that. A couple of fights added to the Belator. or Dublin card. Elias Bully at that kickboxer,

everybody's talking about him, and SBG, he's meant to be absolutely brilliant. I think he has something like, like nearly 220. Yeah, mad, yeah. He takes on Vitalik May Barada. I don't know much about him now. I'm not going to lie.

No, I don't either. I just know reputation is huge. But this guy, Vitalik May Barada, he's a striker as well, so you can see, like, Elias really kind of hammering at home. You like that, don't we? Kieran Clark v. George Courtney also as you'll remember George

Courtney he beat Ian Cleary in the February show Kieran Clark will be making his professional debut that's a guy a lot of people talking about on SBG as well a guy who gained their reputation very early on as a teenager because he made the travel he would just put in to train itself I think he's from Dundalk or Drogada and he was trained up to Dublin since he's a very young teenager and well decorated in the OIMAF leagues as well

Joy Herbert Dean Truman and Jack Grant will all compete on CW 109 in October tickets available for that with a 20% discount at the moment. That's some great names for that Cage Warriors card there. Joy Herbert, you'd have to think that if Mason gets a big win on that Welch card, he's the man, the next in line 100% for Joy Herbert. Dean Truman, Fetterweight, former Fedoway champion, really interested to see what his next move is.

And of course, Jack Grant, the man who everybody thought would be signed if he bet Joy Herbert at Noir of the Champions, he'll be back in action. So very interested to see that. And from some Cage Warriors Legends to another, Patty Pimlet will take on Stevie Ray at Polaris in August. Also on that card is Mark Tia Kese

versus Chris Fish Gold. It would be an interesting one. Today it was made official that Mike Grundy will take on Mavsar, Eve Loviev in Shenzhen on August 31st. Venetius Moraya will take on Paul Craig in Mexico on September 21st.

Just getting, yeah, we announced it last week. It was just a bit of news coming through there. Sorry about that. Tony Ferguson, not Connor McGregor next in line for that lightweight title from Dana Hoyt. Do we take that as gospel just yet? No, nothing.

Nothing with Dana. We saw what happened last week with BJ Penn. Like within 10 minutes. Stop. Stop. There was a new line. And listen, I said to you all further a few minutes ago, I think, you know,

I'd love to see Connor fight the winner of Anthony Pettus versus Diaz at 155. Do that as Come in event at MSG and have the winner of Dust Dustin Pore and Habib fight Tony Ferguson the main event is that.

I think that would be an absolutely imagine that card man to break all sorts of records in my opinion. Crazy. Also,

another line of McGregor, he doesn't like that Dana Hoy thinks Jorge Amazvedal is too big for him. Yeah, that's just, Connor's ego,

but he is too big for him. He's too physically strong in my opinion. Yeah, I wouldn't favour Connor in that match up now, but would it be big?

Yeah, it would be huge. I think you need to give Jorge a little bit more time though. I still don't believe he's as big as, you know, the likes of Nate Diaz along the lines of that. He's got momentum. You know, I think a lot of people are going to be picking Anthony Pettis

going into this fight against Diaz. If Diaz loses it, give Diazbollah. Who wouldn't watch that shit, man? You know what I mean? 100%. Another bit of news pertain to Masvital. Dana White says Covington will be next. Has to be.

For the title if he wins this weekend against Robbie Lawler. And that leaves Masvedal at a loose end unless he wants to fight Leon Edwards really, doesn't it? Yeah, and I think that... Listen, Leon, I think Leon deserves the pick of the bunch now at this stage, long overdue. And very interesting. And that's a fight to make. It is, it is the fight.

Do that as a co-main event of, you know, possibly Colby Covington. That's a main event. It probably is, but if you're going to do it on the big card, put it as a co-main event to, obviously, you know, Oosman against whoever he's going to be fighting next. Covington, yeah. You know, that is... If he beats the other. Yeah.

I do expect Cobby to be Lawler I do um final bit here and probably the segue into the first round of the week

BT to charge for UFC 242 in Abu Dhabi we knew it was coming let's be honest yeah of course we did but it doesn't make it any

I'll put out one of those polls again oh my God no but like I mean 7% it wasn't even that it's it's they're getting in undated man

like I mean every time they post BT Sport from the UFC just getting hammered out of it um is the card like

I mean, I know Khabib and Parier is a brilliant fight. Chrome and events very good as well. Paul and Barbosa. That was a great first fight. But outside of that, man, it's not really. It's pretty shallow. Like, it's the fact Habib's on it, you know, for me. You know, I think they're going off the back and looking at Connor and Habib

and thinking Habib is this huge, huge name. Now, which he is in his own rights, but probably more regional than actually in terms of where you're going to actually have the pay-per-view on. And still, I don't know if Habib is a big a draw over this side of the pond as he is in likes of Russia. and they don't pay for pay-per-view in Russia. So I'm not sure it's going to work out too well. Yeah, it's, it is the Thorn and BT's side at the moment, I must say.

I mean, they're just getting such bad PR from all this. Yeah, without a doubt. We're at the Bellator Media Day last week. It was good to see everybody there. The great Sean Sheehan was in the house. I saw, I saw Andreas there. I was kind of, me. Yeah, I haven't seen Andreas, no one.

I saw Balfi. We saw everybody. I saw a lot of the media guys were in the house that day. Great to see them all. Jerry McCarty, of course. Yeah, John Calvin was there as well,

very gracious with his time. He stuck around for literally about an hour after the media day ended. It was a good event, Richard putting himself out there, selling himself, getting a little bit of spotlight behind the fight. I had a very mixed reaction to that.

Like, I had people getting onto me, oh, this is a load of show. I was like, this is how you sell a fight. This is why they've made this fight. This will just continue, continue to pour out kind of viral moments like that, up until the fight. I had people and you had it as well

and we put stuff up online and people were going, Richard Cudy's cringe. No, listen, lads, you don't get it. It is the era of cringe. Yeah, it is the era of cringe. And listen, he's more than got me more interested than I was going into that room last week about that fight. And it feels like he got on their MVP's skin to a certain extent. He did, man. The guy

was playing with his phone because he didn't want. You could tell he was getting heated. Does that make it any easier of a fight? I do not think so. No, I don't think so. Yeah. I feel like they both did very well at that press conference. You know what I mean? Like they both nailed it. Michael's a lovely lot as well He's always been respectful

He is, he's huge I don't know how he makes 170 To be honest He's mental He looked like a 2-0-5 When I was interviewed on him earlier day, mental Yeah, so it was a great day

Great to see everybody Sorry I couldn't hang around With Mr Shane for an L point Yeah, he asked me as well I had the car for our lines I mean, I have to go and pick her up from the airport nearly straight after it So, I had to scoot off, I did

And my fight need to get me a company car And But yeah, that will lead us on to our first interview of the day and we had to get a word one of them is Mr. Brendan Locknown after his signing to the PFL. As Brendan says, he's going to be fighting twice before the tournament season kicks off again in 2020, but he believes those fights will take place at the MGM and Madison Square Garden. So huge bucket list fights for Brendan. I can't wait to see him in there, and I can't wait to see the interest that provokes on this side of the pond.

So we're going to be talking to Brendan. We'll back about 15. And now it is the man that you've all been waiting on. Mr Brendan Lachnain, who seems to be going through some type of air tunnel at the moment as he's speaking to us. But of course most of you will have seen that Ariel Hulani broke the news of Brendan signing for the PFL. Huge news for European MMA. And we wanted to get his take on how it went down. Brendan, how are you?

And how good is it feel to finally have a contract under you? Basically, life's good, mate. I finally put pens of people with somebody. and I've got my next 18 months planned out and I'm going to earn good money and get great exposure and that's the planning it in what we're doing. Yes, absolutely. And I see that they have already booked an October debut

that seems to be slated for you at the moment. How happy are you to be getting back in action now in a few months' time? I'll actually be fighting twice before the end of this year. And yeah, so I've got two this year and I guaranteed at least two. Probably five though. Hopefully five, but at least two again early next year. So, yeah, I can't complain me.

At least I'm going to get nice and active. Yes, absolutely. Like, I mean, I guess one of the things that was being talked about was where is he going to go? I'm sure you had many suitors that were coming after your name. Like, we heard a lot of whispers that different promotions were interested. And then, of course, we see the PFL deal. What was it about the PFL that appeal to you? A couple of things, really.

I mean, I had Bellator, one championship. KSW, a couple of different ones and obviously I had more than one manager hitting me up and I had like my phone just went mental

after what went down let's just put it that way so I kind of sat back I kind of sat back I think it's all because he all ran I don't know about that there was some pretty big hitters coming in

back in you during that time so I couldn't take any credit for that now and we'll say oh mate that was the most incredible thing I've ever seen even took me back But anyway, no, I had loads of great offers And then I basically said, listen,

he's going to give me the most money And he's going to give me the most fights And that's what it came down to. PFL said, well, guarantee you this many fights. I'm going to give you this much money. Give me a great signing bonus. They're going to fight me in MGM, Madison Square Guard And all these arenas, come on, what more do you want?

Well, that's incredible. Two of the most iconic venues in combat sports, of course. But I mean, are you looking at, like, getting these two fights going and then obviously competing in that fed away tournament that's how everyone kind of sees that is that the way you're going next season's fed away tournament yeah that's what i signed up for basically i was only signed to do the next season really but you know my new manager now malkey was like listen he said we want him active this year too you know we want as many fights as possible so they've actually put it in the contract they're

going to get me out twice this year and then um obviously the tournament next year so yeah super exciting. A lot of people like when they think about that PFL bracket, they're thinking a soiler, they're thinking of Lance Palmer, like, is there any name that's really appealing to you in terms of a fight that you really, really would like to get from a guy underneath the PFL banner? PIC, I was watching it last night. Listen to this. What's he called? Andre Harrison versus

Kabul of 21 and 1, verse 14 and 0. The next one, that Louis Falunino, 33 and 1 versus Lance Palmer, the champion. Like, there's no easy fights in this tournament, mate. If anything, this could be just as hard as the UFC, if not harder, unless you get to that top 10, where you've got Zippy and, you know, the killers. These are top 10 fights UFC. Like, some of the guys I was watching last night, there's no walk in the park.

And it's a sort of, this is why they're paying me for, and also I want the highest level competition possible. I want to see how good I actually am. Am I that good? Let's see. We're going to find out next year. It seems to be like, I mean, a lot of people will be looking at, like, you know, how will you do for the promotion? But I see this is a huge deal for PFL because one thing I think they're missing is getting a big name from Europe across there that will stimulate the interest over here.

So they have people tuning on a Thursday night. I think you are the ideal candidate to make people do that because of the amount of interest you generate. Do you think they're aware of that that you could open them up to a whole new market? Yeah, I mean, I sat on the phone with the CEO. me, the CEO, my manager, and we talked about all this, and they really want to do branch out to Europe. So, you know, we had a good talk about that, and that situation, you know, about my following.

And there was already an offer from the PFL for the last tournament and the first tournament. So fair play to them, you know, they weren't bitter about anything. They let me go from a dream with the UFC. That didn't work out. And they were open arms. Let's do this now, Brendan. And you know what?

Thank you to them. Yes, yes, of course. Like, I mean, Dana Hoyt made a lot of enemies in Europe, by the way he kind of talked about your situation there and has continued to you know he basically compelled people oh well if he's that good you go ahead and sign him i mean do you feel like true this contract because i certainly do i feel like you can prove him wrong you can show him look mate uh you didn't think i was wordy but watch what i do here now is there any kind of feeling inside of you with that because i always feel like you do well when you have a bit of a chip on

your shoulder brendan yeah i mean you know what else is incredible that girl that didn't get signed that night. She just got signed too. So that means everybody got signed. That means everybody on that show got signed apart from me. Now, how incredible is that? It's mental. Let's let's take that into consideration now. Like what is going on there? Seriously like, so in terms of the chip on my show, I couldn't give a fuck about what happened there. Now, I'm just about making money from my family. I'm about fighting in the most iconic arenas on the globe and staying on my journey. And if I was in the UFC, let's get it right. What would it take six years to earn a million, years if you look here if you if you fucking look here i can earn it in six i can earn it in six months so

even if you don't win it you come out with what 400 000 so you know it's not all about the money but at the end of the day i've got miles to feed down it's it's it's time for me to to get get my worth out of the sport as to say and especially fighting that higher level competition you won't compensating correctly and pfell is just a great outfit at the minute for me yeah and i mean oh you can even hear it in your voice here you're in a way better situation than you were the last time I spoke to you. You seemed very down-trodden and I didn't want to hear you like that after such an amazing performance. But that has got to be a serious cherry on top, that million dollars if you win the Fedaway tournament. That must be an

unbelievable incentive. Because as you said to me, like this is, this is your career. You're a professional. Money is important at this stage. Yeah, I mean, well, like I say, when I last spoke to you, I was down, I was like, you know, and then I heard that the other girl got signed fair play to her and I was like, geez, there really is something going on here. What have I done here. What have you done? What have you done? Christ and then he gives out five the next week,

four the week after. I'm like, whoa. Like something, geez, it's hard to me. Do you know anything? I definitely think something is up. I don't know if you're pissed on his corn flakes that morning. I don't know what you did to the guy. But it seems outrageous.

But it seemed like because of the amount of backlash he was getting because of it, the old Dana Hoyt used to do a 180 in those situations. Well, if this is what the fans want, let's make it happen whereas we're all kind of waiting for that to happen and instead he kind of turned against everyone that was saying please sign this guy which i think is absolutely crazy because the ufc was built on the fans deciding what was meant to happen right yep yeah i don't well i mean like i say

the dominant cruz had a word with me before the show he said look we're not in the ufc right now this is they know why it's show so i don't really know what to tell you he's like just go for it and you know and that's what i did in the fight and guess what it got me millions or more fans. It got me more money than I could ever imagine at another promotion. So in a way, he's done me a favour. Like I say, I'm not better to force them or the decision.

That's very, that's very kind of, it's very noble of you, not to hold any grudges like that. Like, I mean, are you in a situation where you wouldn't completely rule out fighting for the UFC in the future? I mean, do you still feel as though that's a door that hasn't been completely shut on you?

Listen, I've got every single door open still. I'm not a bridge burner and the end of the day Dana White didn't choose me that night no hard feel you know what I swear down I've always liked him even though he did what he did I still like him I don't know

I don't know why me I don't know why I just whenever I watch him talk whatever I don't bear any grudges to him and I just don't know I think he's a funny guy and I just like whatever it is whatever it is it is because there's something but I don't know what it is

hopefully one day when I'm an old man I bump into him when I walk you through the MGM and he tells me But, you know, whatever it is. But I don't know. Be a millionaire anyway, so I'll give a fuck. I got to ask, yeah. Like, I mean, is this a big kind of moilstone for you fighting in those big venues, like

you said, MSG and was it the MGM, you said? Like, I mean, surely they must be bucketless situations for yourself. Like I said, there was plenty of offers on the table. I mean, I didn't want to be fighting in Birmingham Arena anymore. I just didn't want to do it. No disrespect to anybody, but I just thought, I'm at stage in my career now where I've done all that. And I want big fucking fights, big arenas against big level opponents.

And when PFL come and said, well, do you want to fight 11 foot to up the MGM and a New Year's Eve at Madison Square Guard? And I went, listen, send me the contract right now. Because, like you say, that's bucket list off in it. It is indeed, man. But mainly, are you happy now? Do you feel good? Are you feeling good about this next move?

Because I can see it generating so much excitement. I hope you feel as though we're right back on track here. because that's how it feels to me. Yeah, I mean, I'm back in the gym. I'm a little bit heavy. I'm getting the weight off now and playtime's over. And like I say, if a million dollars wasn't going to kick me up the ass and put a fire under me, then nothing was ever going to do it.

So at this stage, I know in 18 months I could be a millionaire. And listen, what more motivation does a man need than that? Tell me. Absolutely, no. That would do me. I might even start fighting if someone going to offer me. How are you getting on the sun, by the way? because you seem to take the sun better to me.

I'm a very freckly gentleman, but you seem to do quite well in it, and this heat wave is really messing up my life, to be honest with you. Listen, my fucking back's burnt, everything's burned. I'm sweating. I'm Irish at heart. You know that piece of it. Yeah, I'm burning, I'm burning, to be honest. Well, you're going to get the weight off in this kind of weather, right?

You only have to walk to the shops and you lose about five pounds. Well, I don't know, it's a bit cloudy today. I think the best of it's over. You know what English weather's like. You get one day, and it's over, so. that's it everyone goes out and buys barbecues and buys sun creamers

and it's raining the next day well listen Brendan I really appreciate you getting on to me I can't wait to see you fighting under this banner and as I said before I think it's a huge deal

for PFL and a huge deal for you so I think it's a mutually beneficial situation and I can't wait to see your debut man it's going to be electric yeah I'm excited like I say MGM October the 11th I'll bring a massive support over there again

Listen, I was supposed to have four people in the day of the White Contender series. I think there's about 25, but it's just sneaking. I don't know if that didn't be any favors. But, you know, like I say, I'll be bringing a nice travelling support, and I'm sure if you'd have checked how many people in England subscribed to that channel, and also was sat around at 2 in the morning on a school night, sat around watching that fight. If you checked the spike in their numbers, it would be insane.

And now I found a new platform now where I'm going to get appreciated for the numbers that I bring and the attraction that I'm going to bring to this event. They've recognized that they paid me for it. We're going to have great fights for them. And I hope it's a great of a start of a great relationship. And they're on Facebook, right? So I think Zuckerberg should give you a separate contract, to be honest. I think the lad who owns Facebook needs to get onto you and sort you out with a few shillings too. That's just my advice for them.

I actually didn't even know they were on Facebook. Are they really? Yeah, yeah. Well, for European, I think we can tune in and watch them live on Facebook. That used to be the way it was. And then obviously they have a TV deal in the US and stuff like that. So it's ideal if that still is the situation because you know, as you said, everybody's going to be up during the night waiting for your fight to come on.

Yeah, and like I say, it's a Thursday night, isn't it, really? Is it Thursday night? Yeah, we do Thursday night to fight. So yeah, school nights again for everyone. Whoop, whoop. Yeah. Listen, Brendan, it's great to speak to you. I'll let you get back to it.

Go and get yourself an ice pop. and then go back to the gym and have a great brilliant. Thanks, pizza. All the best. Bye-bye. Take care, bye-bye.

Bye-bye. And always a pleasure to speak to Mr. Brendan Locknais. Can't wait to see it. Man, I think that's a huge, huge get for them. That PFL, I think they've done so well.

Yeah, definitely. Really good signs. I mean, yeah, okay, crackheads like, go start tuning in to watch these fights on Thursday night, but nobody, like, generally is, you know, casual fans and have the interest, and Brendan, 100% is going to bring that to pay them.

I still think the table. I think the UFC dropped the ball big time with the momentum he was bringing on. They signed every single winner of that. I know. I know. Off the last Dana White Contender series. Yeah. No, no.

Off the one he competed on. They have now signed every single winning fighter apart from him. Wow. Yeah, because the girl... That's mental. The woman who won the fight that night, and she fought very well to our credit. She got called in on a late night.

Yeah, yeah. Fucking hell, man. Unbelievable stuff from Mr. White. It's unbelievable. Now, from one featherweight to a couple of legendary ones, Max Holloway was inspired at the weekend I had him winning every round I know Frankie

bit down the gum shield and gave it socks in the last round but I didn't think it was close I thought Max owned him Yeah yeah You know maybe Was it the second round possibly for Frankie Maybe the first even

That's it Yeah I had it very much Lobsided scorecard towards Max A couple of areas Maybe he looked You know Frankie maybe ran out of gas for once. He doesn't know.

He looked good in the 15th? No, I just think Max Holloway is way better than him. Yeah, no, Max is way better. I think we have to now consider Max as being the greatest fighter of all time. It's the talk of M.MA, isn't it, at the moment? People making the case for McGregor and stuff like that, I don't really see it. McGregor's run was far more spectacular than any of these guys' runs. He

put a spotway on that division that nobody else ever has. 100%. I agree. Like, I mean, I can understand why people are looking at them, like, in terms of what he did to the Federalweight Division, but based on performance. And the names, too, against Aldo. You know, what he did to Brian Ortei

against such a spectacular fashion. Obviously, you know, the lost to Porier, you know, close fight, whatever, that was at 155 pounds. You don't take that in consideration. And then bounces back with a performance like that against arguably, you know, UFC Future Hall of Famer and Frankie Egger.

Yeah. The phenomenal performance. The one thing I have an issue we're here is, we were all told, like, oh, it's fine, because he's going to fight Frankie at this event in July and then he's going to be free to fight Volcanovsky in October and next of all and fair play to Max because he's only fought

Porre in that war five rounds and he has another five rounds and he's saying well maybe October doesn't suit me like and this was a situation to UFC they forged this you can't blame Max Holloway like if oh yeah you know what I mean so I think it's a massive massive I think it's a big miss if they don't get that

fight on that stadium show because yes Israel Adasania and Calvin got and I'm sorry Robert Whitaker's a huge fight but Volcanozky and Holloway on that same car and Volcanozky if you do look at him man he does have the tools to give Max an awful awful awful headache well anyone anyone and he's a really really good far we saw he did the Chad Mendez um you know he's put up his hand he came out and you know fair

plate to him what he did last week as well went there and made weight and travel he'd never be ready in time traveled his absolute ars off to get there you know on bang on 145 pounds uh as a first reserve just in case that is shows you how ready, how willing this guy is to go. But it's up to max now whether he's going to be ready to turn around in time. What's going to happen with Chris Seiborg? Because that's the contract open. And, yeah, it seems to be mixed messages again.

Dana White suggests that Chris Seiburg may want to leave the UFC for easier fights was the headline on Jed Meshew's morning report today. That's crazy. Why do we keep getting these mixed messages? It's kind of weird. I don't know. It is weird. She's wearing a Shevchenko.

I mean, sorry, Anunez Ves Soybork. shirt at the post for your press conference. Come on, lad. And then she's tweeting again this morning, I want my rematch. I don't know. I don't know who's... Seems to be an open and closed case there to me. It does. You know, it could be Dana White.

It could be the UFC. You know, we don't want to match what you're looking for it to fight. It seems very strange to me that they wouldn't entertain the Cyborg versus Nunes rematch. It's the only fight really, I think, you know, there for Amanda Nunes at the moment. There's very, very little else. There's no point keeping the belt if there's, this fight isn't going to be made.

Exactly. Exactly. So it's either that or probably just shit or get off the pot. I don't know what Cyberg's going to do outside the UFC anyway.

Unless, you know, the only thing I would say related on our performance. Julia Bud and Bellator, that's an obvious point. Yeah, yeah. Okay, right. But, you know,

who, everyone wants to see the Soyebor rematch, I think, but newness. You feel as though maybe she, you feel as though Fed away division,

wasn't at our best. There's nothing else. Yeah. I don't feel as though Soriburg wasn't on our best. I don't, I don't, I don't feel like that at all.

I feel that she just got beaten. Like, it's, it's this unbelievable invincibility. She probably has cultivated over so many years of being... Do you know, I think the fight against theuna? She came out far too fast, far too reckless, and far too emotional. Nah, not as, not as quick as that. I think, you know, even the other...

She has on the past, though. Even the other night, I think she came out and she didn't look herself. She looked tired. I think the weight is obviously, you know, it obviously is an issue. Even 45 now at this point. I think Felicia Spencer's just a great.

trainer. Yeah, Spencer's a tough girl. Yeah, don't get me wrong. but I was a bit disappointed by Sauer again, I have to say. She's aging too, like, you know? I know. She's probably not going to improve, you know, at this stage.

I agree with you, yeah, but I was a bit disappointed. Roy, let's move through the rest of the card. Jeff Neal got a great K-over and Nico Price. It might be slightly controversial to finish that fight, but whatever. Sariukian got a great win over Oliver Obamerset. Probably not the most spectacular thing to watch, but that kid's wrestling is really good. And I noticed that in his debut.

It was a close enough scrap. again. Yeah, it was close. And then we had Jocko, another European would win there, split decision, his specialty. To open the main card, yeah. Arrucho, that was a great fight with David. She looks really good, man.

She does look really good. Hakeem got a sweet head kick A-O. Call him on the volley. Yeah, he sort of sat in his arse. A bit of early stoppage again, maybe. Maybe giving him another dig in the head. You know, I don't know. Yeah, it was, you know, the inevitable was probably going to happen, but it was, it was a lovely,

big moment. Ahead kick in the third, yeah. Gavin Tucker looked really good against Sung-Wu-Choi. And we said to watch Dawoodoo last week. Yeah, yeah. There you go. There you go. Let's not go back now.

Fugge. Oh, Giverido. Unbelievable got going to watch, man. That, like, and look, I know everybody said it already, but if there was ever an advertisement of the Hoy, we have to keep the flyweight division around. There it is. Brandon Moreno got re-signed. Yeah, I saw that, yeah.

Danny Tweeter. I don't know what. I don't know what. FECR. But that was a great fight, wasn't it? Yeah. Figuero and Pantosia, that was unbelievable. I think they won't fight. Pantosia's always a cracker to watch, regardless of he wins or leaves us. He's one of those guys. But this guy, Figueroido,

has just come out of nowhere. He's, he's so good, man. He just looks he looks like he packs so much power into his small frame, man. It's unbelievable. Devisson. Yeah, he's very, very good. They love their names. They're brilliant. So it looks like it's coming back, which is going to be very good in years for a lot of fledgling

Floyds around the world. I just find it strange, though, you know, there's obviously been no real thought behind what they're doing with it, obviously not getting an answer from Dana White. And then we've, you know, guys like Shorty Torres being released, you know, really good, young, open-coming fighters and there is with the UFC now. I don't know, man. I think it's a fucking mess, be honest you. Yeah, it's not great.

Gillian Robertson got a finish against Sarah Frotta and Eric Cote started off the night with the unanimous decision win over Kyle Stewart. Now, Brave CF, what an experience this was on Thursday night? I mean, look, we basically said it off. last week. You know, they seem to be spending so much money on ceremony and spectacle rather than, well, I don't know, but I'm sure the pain the guys very well. But, you know, for everything that was there, for all these things about this is going to

be a groundbreaking moment, you know, even today I'm getting emails about how enchanted their BAPs where with the event. Like, it's just so, it's so hyperbolic. Like, I mean, Jesus Christ, nobody was talking about this event, apart from people in the UK in Ireland and even then I didn't feel like there was lots of people watching Man they look at the armament they're coming out now and they're saying like the

master of ceremonies the guy who calls out the names he's saying it's the second biggest promotion in the world now they're saying it's this groundbreaking moment look Bubba Jenkins was great in the main event Gersuski and Cowley put on a great fight Cameron L's got a great KO but to say that that was a groundbreaking

event is absolutely ridiculous it's pure bollocks like it's really what it is like I mean look and the thing I don't like about it as well. Like, we were trying to get Karim's Adan to come on and speak to us about this because this is a specialty area. He is going to join us on holidays. All right.

So, um, you know, the thing that was so noticeable about it is and this is something he's wrote about for a long time is this is clearly, um, you know, being used as a political kind of, um, kind of a way to spread propaganda propaganda because there's this 10 minute VT of the, of the, of the sheik who owns the promotion and halfway through it. And really, like, you know, there's Kalidov appeared on the, Kataroff appeared on the broadcast, like one of these VTs. And, you know, look, look at what's happened to the different promotions that are associated with these.

It's very hard for you to break into the Western culture of MMA with this kind of stuff going on. I know it's not just brave, you know, I know what happens a lot in Russia, but, you know, the connection there to IMF and everything like that, it just feels like it's unraveling itself. And, I mean, these are quite, these are things that we have to point out. And it's our job to do that. And I think really,

OMath need to be separating themselves for that kind of stuff. I was saying that to you. We did a good conversation about it the day after the fights and we were talking about, obviously, the political unrest in Bahrain and what was going on there.

And then we related that back off to what we consider to be propaganda in the videos. And it clearly is, even some of the messages, some of the framing. Well, there's massive human rights issues going on over there. Massif. They're killing people.

They're trending reporters. People are going to jail for tweets and things like that. You know, that's the kind of. society Bahrain is. And in that VT, the clip you sent me from voice news, they were saying that journalists are getting

threatened with rape. Yeah. It's crazy. You can go online and watch there's so much stuff about it and, you know, where, again, is the real transparency with, you know, IMAF being involved with them. We're not getting any answers. It's just our job to say, listen, lads, that's not true. And basically, that's how I felt like,

I mean, I can pull up any of these press releases about the enchanting night. It's more like... My friend, Roderie from the Body Lock wrote a great article about it like just people playing trumpets to bring these guys in they're all wearing tuxedos like i mean what are we doing here yeah you know strange is a word i think we use a lot in mixed martial arts but that was beyond um almost sort of well what's the word it was arrogant even to put that on i think in in in in this side of the market burying the head in the sand and they're

going to say how it is and hopefully we'll all just go oh yeah that's how it is people who are associating themselves as well and turn up at these events they should really be answering questions as well let's be honest about it mate you know a lot of high profile the only person I saw from the media who was there that night that wrote about the situation there was Roger um from the body lock

yeah we were invited over we got an email and about going over obviously we weren't going to attend and that was no political it's no political yeah it's no puny and Prince Nile wasn't heading over on a tour today no I can't yeah but like that's you know questions and need to be asked

and we need answers and I don't think we're going to get any to be honest to you because obviously there is I'd speculate here but there is some kind of relationship financially I don't care if that guy's

like putting his money behind this promotion but don't start doing that in your face trying it in our face we're going to have to dispute it like I mean that's like if the UFC we're putting a VT together every week

of how great Dana White was and him like meeting bunches of people would be saying the same thing yeah yeah come on It's, look, right, that's ridiculous. Let's talk about the fights. Bubba Jenkins was very, very good. Great win over Lucas Martins.

He looked very, very dominant. Got that win. Gersuski, after really a master class from King Cowley in that first round, he looked brilliant, Kane. He separated him from Cendez with that big, big shot there in the second round. Did he get it a bit a bit? He got it a bit. I felt like he was quite respectful in the fight because he was,

he talked to the guy at the end of the round, like, that was a good round. I didn't think there was any bollocks olig to him. That's the way I looked at maybe there was a little bit of cocky. But Magic made a huge adjustment there as well because he was only throwing three shots and then he completely changed. He kept following up as a tax to clip him at the end. Brad Wharton made the point to me online that he sort of switched over. Yeah, yeah.

He went with the left. Wow, it was just beautiful, man, that connection and just floored King Cowley. It's one of the best knockouts you'll probably see this year. Yeah, Cameron Ells got another sweet one. Oh, believe. Aidan James, another underfeet prospect. Cameron else is making a habit of that. Just pops up out of nowhere.

Doesn't he? The odd time he just pops up and takes him's head off. Yeah. he's a nice bloke look at that oh come on Cameron what else are we going to see yeah I did I see Rami Hammett decision over

John Robinson I don't know I only saw the main card mate it was a bit of a that wasn't the main card mate I was it alright sorry I watched it anyway because I tuned in and it took me twice to log in

I think everyone was the same but got in there eventually online but Louis Seneuticus got a win over James Brum referred to as James Brum what does Keen Cowley do now you know all the expectations of his career coming in after his, you know,

his Mai Tai backgrounds. Cocktails, is he? Background on cocktails? Muay. Moitoy. My toy. Fuck, man. Yeah, it's a strange one for him now,

you know, he's got a couple of losses and you wonder where the momentum's going to come from. It must be very tough for a guy like that making the transition over and, you know, so confident the young lot as well and obviously performed very well in the first round and then got stopped. Yeah, it's tough. Still very air. on in his career.

You know, he's two and three now. The one thing I will say for Keen is he provokes more interest than anyone on that card. He does. Like, when he was fighting, you don't know, everybody suddenly was online. Yeah, I agree. So I think that's very valuable. In this day and age now, man, it's.

It's probably better than an undefeited record, to be honest with you. Like, just in terms of someone who has traction, he's the guy that has traction there. I'm actually, you know, it's like doing a podcast with a pig. No, sorry. You know what? No, it's not.

You know who I am burping because I was bloody outside. there earlier on cutting the grass and I'm all congested from the bloody pollen. People always burping when they're cutting grass. Sorry, yeah. Gamsat, Magamatov, Oimaf World Champion, got the decision win off Ian Cleary. Ian Cleary looked to go bombs away there in the last few seconds of that fight. That was a really entertaining scrap. Yeah, the last round in particular was mental.

And at the start of the card, Hussein Mackey gets a triangle choke win over Mitchell Johnson. So I think that was all the action. Well, well, Reisen, sorry, excuse me. Jesus Christ. We had some wins on Rising For the Europeans It was a very great main event Top three fights in this card were unbelievable

Sakura v. Yaki Ishiwatari v. Sasaki And Ogikubo versus Motoyah Where do you watch it? Fight TV Yeah All right okay Really really good Them three top fights were excellent man Ivan Sheterkov got a win over Han Kim

Shetakov representing Russia, of course, he's undefeated, 17, and now he has a win over Bobby Knuckles also. Interesting note I picked up from Copposa on the day. Johnny Case got a win over Satari Kitoka, Legend of Sport. Kawajiri, got a win over Ali Abdul Kalakoff. I thought you're saying, I'm going to say Ali Abdelaziz there, made a comeback, did he?

No, no. That was a loss of the Russian. Then Jake Hjohn got a win over Vitali Shematov. and then opening the card Stephanie Eger of Switzerland got a win over Queen Rainey or King Raina do they call it? I think they do call her King Raina.

They do. I call her Queen because she's a woman you know, I got confused. But yeah, great, love Brave man. Sorry, I love Reison. It's just that time when it starts as soon as the UFC stops at 6 a.m. It's rough, man.

It's too much. too much. No amount of spectacle in the world can make me excited at that time. You know what I mean when you've been up? Yeah. It's like, oh. Here we go again. Got a nice old there.

A couple coffee into. Got a coffee and some Super Queen sausages into me watching that shit. Super Queen sausages. An Irish tradition. It is indeed. So let's get on with our second interview of the day. It is Nazrat Hakperast who's got a big, big fight this weekend. He is taking him.

on Joaquin Silva. It was very interesting to talk to Nazrat about Afghanistan and the Middle East in general with this Abu Dhabi card coming up because we keep on getting told that Khabib means so much to the Muslim states around there. And it's just something that we don't have, we don't live there.

It's very hard to tell. But as we knew, we could feel the interest of the kind of Muslim people getting behind Kibibb during the buildup to that 229. Like even, as I say to Nazareth, I have a friend of mine who's an Irish Muslim and after that drinking situation happened

where he offered Khabib the drink he was huge McGregor fan and literally that was the moment the next day the next day and he went to the mosque and he was saying

like the lads there are livid about it yeah because I remember I did a piece I was on speaking about the fight the day after that and there was a lot of reaction online to the actual offering of the alcohol so listen yeah

I mean it's It's probably not surprising, but it's good to actually have someone that, you know, is in the culture. Yeah, 100%. Nasda's a great lad. I haven't spoke to him since Hamburg that time. He blocked me for some reason. I'd block you too. I think I did an interview with Mark G.K. C.

He had a fight. I don't know why he blocked me. I didn't say anything about him. I just tweeted up to Mark. I don't worry about it. Right, so let's talk to Nazarat now and we'll be back in about 15 minutes. And now we are joined by a man who German fans have been playing. lagging me to get on the show. I have been trying and I've finally succeeded. It is Nazrat Haq Pras.

How are you, my friend? Thank you. Thank you. I'm good. How are you? I'm really, really good. And I've got to say, you have quite the following in Germany, Nazareth. Every week we've had the show on, guys are trying to contact us. Would you get on to Nazrat? And finally, we have you. I mean, I knew. I saw the fans in Hamburg when you fought D.A. Kese this time. But it feels like it's gone to another level. Yes, man. It feels nice. that they have great support you know it's nice yes i always remember that fight in hamburg because so many people were thinking oh dear case is way too experienced for a guy like this it was

i think you were nine and one at the time and then you came in eight and two eight and two yes and two and you came in and you got this fantastic one-sided win and then afterwards uh you did an interview it was like a media scrum and we had faraz sahbi there as well and faraz said straight after that win, he said, this guy is going to be a future world champion. Was that the first time you had heard him say that? Or is that something you've heard from him a lot since you joined Troy Star? Honestly, I heard this a lot from him, you know. For us, a guy, he doesn't compliment a lot of guys too much.

You know, he don't want to make people like cocky, you know. But if it's something like true, you know, what he thinks. And yeah, he tells me a lot, you're going to be a world champion, you know, just stick to the plan like you are doing now just because he knows how I live, you know, my life said everything. He says the work, work, the dedication, my life say, you know, the talent and his loud knowledge, you know, we saw it with George St. Pierre. You know, we're going to continue.

We're going to do repeat this, man. Yes, amazing, amazing. And I mean, does that give you a whole new confidence when, you know, a few years ago you traveled there and then you kind of realized, well, one of the best coaches in the world is saying I'm a future world champion. That must be massive for your confidence as well. Yeah, for sure, man. But to be honest, what boosts my confidence.

confidence is that I work so hard, you know. Like I mentioned before, my whole lifestyle is based on this sport, you know. I don't make any shortcuts, you know. I have the best coach in the game, and this gives me a lot of confidence. Of course, if my head coach tells me you're going to be world champion, also feels nice, you know. Yes. But we don't rest on success, you know. We don't rest on like nice words and, you know, all these people are telling you, oh, you're a big, big future.

You're going to be championed, this and that. Some people, you know, they go crazy. you know if you tell people some guys too many like compliments you know they get too cocky they lose their focus and whatever you know and you try to you know stay humble keep working hard you know and everything going to happen yes and i mean you were a well-traveled man i mean correct me if i'm wrong but i believe you were born in afghanistan you moved to hamburg and now you're all the way in Montreal what how do you find it out there is it a good place actually i'm born in germany 30 years ago my parents

Yes Yes 30 years ago my parents They came as refugees to Germany And we are born in Germany And yes it was quite a travel You know I train in so many places

I picked up the best things And this gave me so much experience You know I started traveling when I was I was 17 years old When I did my first travel to the USA You know I went to bus route in the gym

To Eddie Bravo Wow Yeah to wildcat That was 2013 team because my uncle he lives in Los Angeles and you know and this happened and then went to Sweden to

Allstas you know I'm thankful for they helped me a lot you know for my progress went there a lot of times me and my brother we were all together then to Kings M.A you know and finally at Trisa and yeah we're splitting the camps now between Kings and Trisa but

basically we are doing like the whole training cap at Trisor which Fara Sabia as my head coach and it feels really good to have the best mind and maybe behind you, you know. Yes, and I've seen some fantastic pictures of you training with GSP. And, you know, I guess that's a dream situation.

Guys, I know lots of guys who have gone from Ireland and the UK to train a Troy Star and they never got the chance to train with GSP or guys like Rory MacDonald. What is that like to be around these fantastic ambassadors for the sport? It's the best feeling, you know, you see why they became like some of the greatest in the sport, you know? Like for example, George, he's retired. He's still trained so much. He's training, and he's in a better shape than so many fighters are, you know.

Some fighters, I know, they only train like six or seven weeks before a fight to get in shape, fight, and after they get back lazy, you know, enjoy life. George, he's retired. He's, in my opinion, the greatest of our time, and he's still training like he's, like, competing, you know. And this is, in my opinion, a big role model for the sport, you know. And how good George's mindset for us and Rory. it's crazy, you know, and being in this facility, you know, in this energy, it's such a big motivation, you know, and the progress, the improvement, you know, is for real.

Like, people, they talk, let's say, coach, I'm going to make you a war champion, you know, but for us, he made the greatest of all the times, you know, and he never, and, like, you know what I mean? Like, some people, they just know, yeah, we're going to make you champion, whatever, you know, but for us, the results speak for itself, you know? Absolutely, and I mean, do you see, like, you speak so highly of George, do you, do you gain a lot from him? Do you, does he give you a lot of time when he is training? Yeah, for sure. Whenever I have a question, George is there to help me for us there to help

me. It's crazy. For example, I have basic questions. You know, George, like 20 minutes, 30 minutes, he's telling me, he's showing me what he's thinking about this and that, you know, and picking the best things for your own game, you know, I don't try to change my style. nobody like let's say for us never tried to change my style you know he he knows what my what my strengths are and he's working on my strengths and put new things you know and that's how we improve so fast yes yes i was going to we're going to talk about your fight with wakim silver later on the interview but what i wanted to ask you about is you know the upcoming card in the abu dabbi like i mean this seems to be such a huge moment for the middle east and mma in the middle east and i know

even though you weren't born in afghanistan you're quite close to the the gulf there right i mean um you're very close to the to abu dhabi and things like this would you have wanted to compete on that card because um it feels like a very very big card for that that part of the world at the moment yeah for sure but when they told me it's in september for me it was too long you know my last fight was end of october then it was supposed to fight in march the small injury forced me out and then i was waiting for a fight you know and uh september abadabia sound amazing you know but For me, I just want to stay as active as possible. You know, God willing, we're going to make a great fight next week and then just stay busy.

If I can fight two or three times this year, it would be amazing. You know, we always stay in shape, always training. And it's not the last time that UFC is coming to Abu Dhabi, you know. And we're going to be a good ambassador also in Abu Dhabi, you know. I think it's going to come. Yeah, man, I think the UFC signed a five or four years contract with Abu Dhabi, so they're going to come next year. and for me to be honest it's not so important where i fight on which card how big the event is me i just love to fight you know i just love the competition and i just want to stay as active as possible

right right i just wanted to ask you um i know you're a devout Muslim and um as as kabib is going over there it seems like everybody keeps talking about he's going to be worshipped like a hero when he goes over there and i can tell you personally from his last fight in ireland i have some Irish Muslim friends and when Connor began kind of jousting that with the drink, remember he was kind of trying to get Khabib to have a glass of whiskey. After that moment, that was game over. Nobody was supporting Ireland. All the Irish Muslims completely went over to Khabib side and they, they worship him like a hero now. Do you feel as though he will get that hometown welcome in Abu Dhabi, even though of course he's from Russia just because of the amount of strength he commands in that

part of the world at the moment. Yeah, for sure, man, for sure. And in my opinion, you know, what Connor did there was not good because you should never attack family or religion, you know. Of course, trash shock promote the fight, you know, it's important. Whatever, it's Connor's style to make trash shock, you know, but family and religion, it's a line you don't, you should not cross, you know. And Habib, he stayed calm, you know, and that, his reaction on his action, you know,

I think that's what really impressed me, you know, how many people can become in this situation, you know, because me, I'm also a really religious man. Yes. Yeah, like you say, Abu Dhabi is going to be a superstar, you know. We have a lot of support, like, it's amazing. From those countries, you know, people, they are really passionate, you know. Let's say Afghanistan, for example.

I represent Afghanistan in my fights because they don't have any success of sportmen, especially in the EFCO or, like, combat sports, you know. and that's why I want to be a role model for our people for everybody first of all but then for the people who are poor who don't think they have a big chance in life and whatever even if they can just motivate five people out of millions I'm happy you know

he did something good in his world and yeah for sure Habib is going to be a super son Abu Dhabi it's going to be an amazing atmosphere I look forward to it you should get over there they should bring you as a guest foyer over there as well because you have a bond with the people there, as you said. I think that would be a really good idea. Yeah, I think so too. Whatever the UFC decides, you know,

anyways, I'm going to be there in Abu Dhabi to support my friends and to support, especially Ahmedazata for his training camp after my fight. You're going to go prepare him for his fight and, yeah, going to get some good actions. Brilliant, brilliant. And I wanted to ask you a chorus about Joachim Silva. This feels like another step up for me, Nazrat. Like, when I look at, I knew, like, I had a strong feeling that you'd beat Goatee to. I feel like after I saw what you did with D.K.

Say I was like this guy is really serious, you know. But I feel like Joaquin Silva is another step up. He's been in the promotions since 2015. He's been on tough. Are you happy with this level of opponent? Do you feel like this is a good challenge? I really like this matchup, you know, because first of all, stylistically, it's a really nice matchup.

Jock himself. Silva is a brawley. He's coming forward, you know. He's coming to fight. And that's from me, it's important. Like my first JFC fight, the guy he didn't want to come to fight he dropped guard you know

he pulled guard whatever I like guys you know who come forward to who really like to to bang it out you know and Jackim Silva of course his experience he has a good record in the UFC

but I feel like I don't underestimate him you know everybody in UFC is strong everybody's good but I know we train harder we train better than him and just confidence you know that's going to be a nice

I think for sure it's going to be a bonus next week nice the only thing I don't never give predictions, gonna knock him out, whatever. I don't like to talk like this, but the only thing I know, the only thing I know is that we're gonna be victorious. And yeah, next week is time. I gotta ask you, does it feel good to be on that main card because there's so much attention on the main event with Colby Covington and Robbie Lawler? A lot of people believe that this is the

fight that could determine, you know, the next, the next Welterway title challenger. And I feel you're in a very prominent place on the main card. Do you feel like this will spread your brand even more being on such a prominent place? Yeah, for sure. The UFC, you know, they like my fighting style, you know. They like people with good striking, you know, good defense, whatever. And it's going to be on the main cart. And the exposure is nice, you know, but for me, it's more important just a fight.

Even if I get the first fight on a prelims, I don't care if I fight. The main event, I don't care. For me, a fight is a fight, you know. The focus is always the same. The motivation is always the same, and we're hungry. Based on what you told me earlier, it feels like you're a guy that has a target in mind. Like, I want to fight this many times in a year.

I mean, do you feel like this is the last time we'll see you in the Octagon in 2019? Or do you have plans to fight again? For sure or not. First of all, next week is the focus, you know. If we get injury-free, everything falls into place. I want to fight one or two times more, whatever my management in the UFC besides, you know, they know the best. And for me, if it comes to me, I would fight three or four times a year. But sometimes not everything falls into...

it's like you want you know so you just need to adapt and improve improve because this sport is crazy one fight can put you on top you know we years of hard work just for one fight you see with horace amazvidal this this was his breakout year you know yes but you don't see the hard work behind how many fights he had how many years of training he had you know and it's not luck you know it's that's that's what i believe in like george of russ tells me always the most important thing is improvement, you know. And even if you have the biggest hype, you need to bag it up, right? If you get the match-up, let's say, for example, Connor, now we get exposed in the stars

fights, you know? And imagine what I work hard the last years, maybe he wouldn't get exposed, you know? Some fighters, they get exposed because maybe they get lazy in training, they don't work on their weaknesses, whatever. And one day, you know, everybody going to see always not the real thing what we talked, you know? So the most important thing is improve and then fight as much as possible. absolutely. I feel like I just wanted to finish on this, Nasrat. I feel like I was so proud that I was there to watch you, show us all, shut all of our mouths, thinking that Dia Ksay was the favorite back then in Hamburg.

But I'm thinking in the future, you go back after putting these wins together. I mean, if you get another win here and possibly another win, they bring you back to Hamburg and you get that, even though you already got a huge hometown welcome in Hamburg. But if they did that again now, it would be massive, right? Like, I mean, if you can continue with this momentum and you go back to Germany, it will be crazy. 100%, man. One or two fights, they should put me on main event, man, next year in Germany. Because, first of all, fighting style, you know, I think if I would be a wrestler, just, you know, hug, lay and pray, you know, I think people would not be excited.

But if you have a good striker, you know, and, yeah, man, Germany, the market is not really, the market is there, but we don't have the, like, let's say a star, you know. We just need to make some more action and then bring the UFC back to your Hamburg or Germany next year. You think you can be that star, Nazrat? For sure, man, I don't think about being a star, this and that. My fighting style is, I think it's what people like, you know. I work hard, I win fights, and then you're going to be a star, right? Absolutely, man, and I can't wait to see that Afghani flag once again flowing in the octagon.

I love that flag. It's a beautiful, beautiful flag. It's a beautiful flag, man. It's awesome. You know how many people. Just kids in Afghanistan, they, you know, just they text me and say, we are so proud of you. We are so proud of you. Give us. And just, you know, one guy, you know, one guy can make so many people that's happy.

Of course, I also fight the Bruce Buffer, if you announced, I'm fighting out of Hamburg, Germany. I'm born there, you know, I'm growing there, my family is there, this and that. But even if I can make just a few, a few poor people in Afghanistan happy with this flag or just by the name of Afghanistan, you know, why I shouldn't do it? Why not representing two countries? if it's possible. It is possible, you know. You're making it possible, my friend. And thank you so much for coming on and speaking to us.

It was an absolute pleasure to speak to you, and I can't wait to see a fight again. Thank you very much. All the best. I will, Nasra. Thank you so much, my friend. All the best. All the best. Okay, see you, mate.

And it was lovely to speak to Mr. Nasrat Hakperast. Really interesting stuff there from him. Great to give us a kind of a take on how the Middle East is gearing up to that UFC. Abu Dhabi card on September 7 which I will be attending really good I think really good talent there yeah he's very good you know he's a guy

that's you know let's be honest a future potential champion if he keeps going well that's on the way he is were you in Hamburg with me when he fought D'S yeah I called him I think he was like gaslement or something yeah yeah one point no but were you at that event

no I didn't do the Hamburg that one at that event and I asked him at the start about it Farazahab he just walked straight up to all the media people and he's like he's a future world champion he just kept saying it I'd well believe it I've never seen it I've never seen Farras like that before just blatantly kind of...

He's very... Carras... Farras is very cool in situations like that. He would never... You're dead, right? He'd never come out and say something like that. But I think he just has that ability to absolutely smother his opponents and dominate fights.

And that's what's been so impressive, especially with his age as well. Watch he 24, 25. So young, so impressive. And just putting together a streak now that's really going to be starting knocking on the door, I think, next year. And I think we're looking at it,

as I just said there, know, future world champion, incredible talents. Yes, so let's take a look at this card that's going down this weekend. It's a very tasty one. Main event's great. Yeah, well, I mean, this guy is selling the whole thing, isn't he? Covey Covington, who has been told that he will be next in line for a title with a win against Robbie Lawler, a legend.

One of the great fighters to watch, win, lose, or draw. Always amazing to watch Robbie Lawler. Absolute pleasure to have been to some of his fights and watch them unbelievable. It's the greatest one of all time in my eyes. People are overlooking him a bit here, I feel. Yeah, possibly, you know, two guys is obviously trained with each other for quite a long time. You know, Colby's a guy,

I think almost nearly getting to the points, whatever the relationship was between him and Dana White, as if he was becoming the next Tony Ferguson of the welterweight division, you know, keep knocking on the door, keep knocking on the door, not getting a title shot. Being mistreated, I think, by the UFC, says that relationship is healed up.

So I'm absolutely intrigued to see this one plays out. but you are right to a certain degree. People are overlooking Robbie Lauder. We saw the ruthless one. The rootless one in absolutely scorching form at the start of his last fight against Ben Ascran, nearly finishing Ben Ascran. So it's going to be very, very interesting in this fight,

but I think you just have to favour Covington on what we've seen from Colby in his last couple of fights. He's been so brilliant. I know that performance against Jafelda Sanias was, you know, it was really, really impressive and dominant for me. It's funny enough, the last man who beat it Rafael de Sanyos, Leon Edwards

I was watching an interview with Colby Covington on submission radio there today. They're like, what did you think of Leon Edwards win? Never heard of him. That's what he does. He knows well, you know, Calby knows well what he's doing. But he is, like, Edwards is becoming the guy. Nobody wants to fight in that division

and it's not because he's not as famous. It's because he's a nightmare to fight. But, yeah, to a certain way, I don't think Calby should be looking at Leon. No, yeah, he has to be looking at the title. Calby has to be looking at the title. I think he deserves it. It deserves her quite some time. But yeah, listen, who the fuck wants to fight Leon Edwards?

Look at the win streak he's putting together. He's like what Calby's done. Like, Calby's unbeaten since he lost to Wari-Alves at UFC 194 back in 2015, put together six straight, give the guy a title shot. He's beaten, you know, Damien Maya and, you know, unbelievable fashion. Haffia Alessianos and the same. The guy is next in line. And he's risking at all.

He's risking at all. It's not end of. If he loses that fight, it's gone. It's gone. Of course it's gone. And you got to credit, Colby Coventon, for... You love Colby. No, I don't love Colby.

I'll get on with Calby because I think he talks a lot of sense. And I know he takes the pace and stuff, but a lot of the stuff he does take sense. And I didn't like the way the UFC treated him after that fight against Hafiel de Sanyas when they wanted them to fight Tyrim Woodley about a month later. Like, why should the guy fight a month later after a five-round war

against half the Al-Disanias? Absolutely bullshit. So I think they've screwed him over a little bit, and now I think it is redemption time and on um yeah listen I do I think it's gonna be a really good fight but I do ultimately see him getting over over Robbie Clay Gita takes on

who have you got in this fight Covington I've got Covington but I don't I think it's a lot closer than people think it is um I agree Clay Gita and uh Jim Miller in the Coim Main event the Antiques Road Show and it's a Ballotor fight isn't it

Oh absolutely but then uh the the turret fight from the top um we have European interest good old Nazareth there taking on Joaquin Silva, that's a really high level fight, man,

and that's, I mean, if Nasra wins that, he's one and three. You know, he only has that loss in his debut when he went in on a week's

note against Marcy and Held. Yakin is the first guy to finish, you know, Jared Gordon coming off that, you know, knockout performance, incredible, finish from him there,

I think it was the third round. Really interesting. It's not an easy task, like, yeah, it's not, but, you know, I think we look at Nazrat and he's looked so comfortable,

really everywhere, and his last couple of fights to the GK he fought was other dominance. And we've yet to see the thing that's going to put him on the map, like is his knockout power, like, you know, and I think he's just been fighting very

intelligently. Yes, and we've seen all his grappling, we've seen all this, you know, strong wrestling, obviously the comparisons came with Calvin Gasland, but yeah, I'd love to see a bit of that this weekend, and I think we might, I think we might. You know, Hannah Goldie and Miranda Granger will be on just before Nasrad, and then

we have Darkosthosich, a man who suffered his first UFC, lost in his last fight, I believe was in Sweden. I was there to see it. And he's taken on Kennedy and Joku, who you guys will know from, he fought Paul Craig. Paul Cree got a late submission against him.

So, yeah, I had fancy Darko on this. I think Darko's real problem in his last fight was he ran out of esteem after the first round. But as we saw against Craig and Juku didn't really have much going on in the third round either. So I think this could be a fast, fast fight, like a very quick one or else a very slow

on the targic one depending on. if someone can get the early finish Mickey Gal The New Jersey's Mickey Gal is back He is indeed And he's taking on another European Salim Tari

Which You know, I don't know a lot about him To be honest Do you know a lot about Sale? No I don't I'm not going to lie I don't

But he's fought twice in the UFC He's lost to Wairley Alves And Keda Nakamura And Mickey Gal is in desperate Needable win though Let's be honest indeed. He's five and two.

Diego Sanchez, if you remember. Oh, yes. It's the last man to beat him. So, yeah, it is a big moment for Mickey. I think there's a lot of people on this, even if you look at the fight below that one, Ptzi, Antonio Shavchenko. And Stolina.

Lucy Pudilova. Of the Czech Republic. Coming off that loss to our Swedish friend. What's her name? I can't believe. I've just forgotten her name. What's her name? Who you talking about?

Liz Carmoo, should I say. Our Swedish friend Liz Carmooch. I'm not talking absolutely shy here. Jesus Christ. Roxanne. Oh, Jesus Christ. Roxanne. On a ferry, but Anna Chavchenko.

Yes, that's what I'm saying. So they're both in desperate need of a win. There we go. I should have just said that and left it at that. Put that bow on that shit and move on. Yeah. So, Gerald Mereshart, Trevor Joel, Trevon Joel's even. Scott Holtzman, Dong Jung Ma.

Claudio Silva of London, taking on Cole Williams So that's, Jesus That's really low on the card Claudio's been on it He's only fought once in about Four years though I think Yeah but he's got those 13 wins in a row

You know is what I'm kind of thinking about No, no he's actually a two Sorry, the Taleb fight And then he had Danny Roberts last time out Really impressive We talked about this place for long time And who was the win before that? Brian Edwards

Leon Edwards And Brad's got the forehand I remember him Claudio's coming in to take all the Jews He's going to call out the winner The main event And it's game over He's back in there

He just needs like he's Like he's just being very unfortunate with that horrible couple of injuries he had with his knee and then, you know, not obviously being an action for what, four years at one point? He's very, very good, man. Very good, man. He's good everywhere on a class on the ground. He's a London shoot fighters or he's the own gym now, is he? He has his own gym in London, yeah.

He lives around Canary Warfare. We usually stay. That's right, yeah. He lives across the way from, he can see the arena from his house, as he always tells us. Yeah, listen, that's a great story. If he could, you know, get a way in there, kick on, get a couple of more. fights in three, four, an extra. You never know, man. He is old enough, but I'll give you that. He's 36, I believe.

Jesus, imagine me an old. Yeah, he is. Imagine me not old. Imagine me not old. Matchnell v. Jordan Espinoza. Listen, Vee. You'll feel that old next week, son. I will. Let's get to that in a minute now. Mara Romero-Barrella takes on, Italy's Mara Romero-Ramara Borella takes on Lauren Murphy in the first fight on a night there.

So plenty of your vain action, really. I'm going to be trying to watch this from Prague, though. As we know, I'm going on my first stag nights ever. I can't believe it's your first bloody style. Well, I tell you, the thing with... I've been a hundred to them.

No, well, the thing in Blanchetown is we tend to have kids very young and never get married. So that's the way it's been in my group of friends. I have about, you know, four or five friends with 14 year old kids.

This is true. But, yeah, so they tend to get married. Like, do you know what? I was telling me friends this, and it's getting a bit annoying now. It's because, you know, you're the second chair here. You get a bit more time

to talk. well, I have to get through the agenda of the day. And they're like, why can't we just bring Noel instead of Petey? I'm like, what the fuck? There you go. They love me, man. They love me. You know what they call me in the last stag was at?

I wasn't even the best man. The wedding I was on a couple of weeks ago. The stag was before that. I was the enforcer on the stag. What the fuck does that mean? That means I fuck up the groom. I'm ex-win. No, we fucking shut up.

Sorry, I've never been on before. You just get them in obnoxiously drunk, fuck them up, do nasty shit to them. and, you know, shave their eyebrows or some shit like that. Can't be shaving eyebrows because we got a wedding to go to like a week later. Oh, is it that? Is it a turnaround that quick? Oh, that's a nasty one if that is.

We're back on the first. Your mate is screwed you, big time if he's doing that. Well, it's the 16th. It's the 16th of August. What a horrible man, are you serious? Yeah. It wasn't him. It was Tom O'Brien.

Just say for me that Tomo, what the fuck is this all about? It's too close. What the fuck is this all about? It's way too close. You need to get some southside consigular areas on board when you're organizing this thing in future. Oh, these northside lads. I guarantee you put me in a pub with my drink them under the fapkin table. All the lads be there with their Adidas track suits on, their brand new runners.

You know, me and my Guinness, it's like soup and breakfast, pizza. It is. Like, I mean, I'm afraid of this. I wish you were going instead of me, too. I'll tell you what, though. Great city. Lovely beer. Nice people.

Great spot. Really enjoyable. Yeah, but we're going to be horrible people. I can imagine it's going to be absolutely disgraceful. I'm genuinely having anxiety about what's going to happen over there. Jesus. it's a fierce group of people and it's I feel like I'm going onto the beach like in saving private run I'll tell you one thing though it's probably be hot over there make sure you

get loads of water into it and make sure tell you one thing you often forget in the stag to do is eat oh no I won't forget that that's a oh you just look up food all day yeah yeah I didn't even know where we're staying we don't even know anything I'll tell you there's these restaurants there are sort of a little little group there's about five or six around they're called locale and they do a lovely sort of goulash and you can get your ass hasn't you as well. It's like... Porknuckle? It's like breaded cheese. And they give you sort of a dip with it. It's really good.

And they do really good actually a shank of lamb in certain restaurants around there. Excellent. And there's a really good burger bar as well. Anywhere you can go for a bit of cuddle? No, I don't think you get coddled there. Can't eat a bit of coddle though. It's nice. A bit of coddle's nice. I'm going to be septic. I know we're going to have to record the day I'm home. So that's going to be an event.

Yeah, probably be like, ah, you'd be all right. The day you're home. yeah oh jesus you don't get on with monday yeah oh we know i'm in sunday i'll you'll be all right you'd be you'd be you'd be rough you'd be as if to where i want to the end but we're working on two big guests for next week anyway so hopefully we'll be able to give them to us um i personally if any of you guys know how to watch the u s.e when you're in um Czech republics please let me know uh because i want it i'll probably want to watch it i'll probably wake at that hour i'll check the geo blocking for you i think you'll be able to be all right

bring a laptop around. You'd be able to be watching your phone. Yeah. If not, there is channels that show it over there. So you probably have to ask in a bar, and there's a lot of bars are 24-hour. Oh, right there, yeah? So you'll get, yeah, you'll get it on somewhere if you really, really want, I'm sure. Fabulous, fabulous.

Well, look, that's all we've got. Just don't know. Come back alive. That's all I'm worried about. I can't even know if I can promise that, man. I'm very worried about my mortality. But, yeah, hopefully it will be okay, and we'll come back and we'll give you another rousing show next week.

and yeah, I'm just too preoccupied with the fear. I think we're going to have big news this week as well. Oh, yeah? I just have a feeling. I think we've been so starved of a massive fight being announced that something must be on the horizon soon. I have that feeling. What about Bubba Jenkins and Lucas Martinez?

Groundbaking moment last Thursday, man. Groundbreaking. How many ground-breaking moments are you wanted a month, man? Groundbreaking. Jesus. No, it's normally about this time of the year the UFC pipe up with something in the month of August. and that's going to tickle our fancy

for the next three to four months and do our fucking heads in. Don't rule it out. The Prince of Gladiars and Heroes could come up with some big announcement for Brave soon. Oh, ha ha ha ha.

Prince of Gladiators and Heroes. They'll be riding in their horses and shit. Man, I don't know. Lad's playing bugles all over the place. Unbelievable. Absolute pipe. I kind of wish I was there just to see how mental it was.

I wish I was sitting out there at a table drink a pint of Guinness. It would be great. This is just having the crack. Not getting me in a tucks. but um right look let's cap it off there we love his loads i'll see us next week i'll probably have aged about 10 years but um i'll do it because i do everything for you people because i love his load shut up