MMA Fighting - Eurobash: Episode 82 (w/ Marvin Vettori, Brian Kelleher, Roberto Soldic, José Youngs)

Episode Date: May 12, 2020

On the latest episode of Eurobash, MMA Fighting's José Youngs (24:00) joins the podcast to give a  view from the ground in Jacksonville for UFC 249. Ahead of Wednesday's event, Marvin Vettori (1:15:30) highlights how he want to send a message of perseverance home to Italy when he takes on Karl Roberson. Set to fight undefeated Hunter Azure earlier in the night, Brian Kelleher (1:40:00) underlines how he relishes the thoughts of facing Contender Series graduates. One of the hottest European properties outside of the UFC, KSW welterweight champion Roberto Soldic (2:10:00) stops by to discuss his latest four-fight deal and the UFC's interest in him. As always, hosts Petesy Carroll and Niall McGrath discuss the latest headlines in MMA.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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So download the app today and get $0 delivery fees on your first three orders. Instacart, groceries that over-deliver. Service fees exclusions in terms apply. Hello, hello and welcome back. It is the 82nd episode of Eurobash on MMAFighting.com. We're still here. The fights are back. Sanity has been restored, or maybe it hasn't at all.

The debate will go on for a long, long time. But how are you, normal ground? Was it good to have some violence back in your love last weekend? It was, yeah. It was good fun, good cards. Buzing, obviously, for some form of live sport, well, sport in some countries. So now I was happy, man.

It was good. late night didn't get better i think it was jesus 8 30 a i'm here local time so tired one on sunday but uh yeah it was a fun fun card and uh poor el tonia oh my god we're gonna talk about it later but i mean i guess our worst fears were imagined in the most um amazing way for justing gaitie or the performance of his life i thought it was i thought he was magic i thought he was magic from the first bell and and to recover the way he did after that big show shot at the end of the second round that Opper could of Tony Farrison. I think he was

absolutely brilliant. I think it's safe to say it's the best performance of his life. Easily the best performance on him. He's really sort of put it together. You didn't really know obviously we know in WSOF what Justin was but when he came to the UFC obviously you know that a loss and a couple of losses I think was it two

losses he has in the UFC? Obviously we talked about it later but yeah Justin Boree and Eddie Alvers yeah so since then he's really sort of just got a shit together and he's just looked so fluent man and that was clearly I think without any stretch of the imagination easily the best performance of

his career and just dismantling poor L Tony yeah man my heart goes out to Tony it was our worst fear we'll talk about it more later tell you what let's just hit up the headlines very quickly and we'll be able to talk whatever shite we want to after that

Justin Gaiti possibly will face Habib this summer according to Dana White after capturing the interim lightweight title with a fifth round stoppage of Tony Ferguson, snapping a 12-foy win streak for El Cuckooey. Conor McGregor interested in a summer bout on Foyd-Eyde Island, according to Dana White. Piotr Yan to compete for the vacant Bantamweight title following Henry Sehudo's impromptu retirement on Saturday night following victory over Dominic Cruz.

Blago Ivano Ivanov will face Augusto Sakai on May 23rd, and Czech Congo, our friend from France, has re-signed with Bellator for one year. Now, I guess first of all, Sehudo's retirement. Like, I mean, again, we can talk about how genuine that is later on, but good news for Piotr Yan, right? Oh, yeah, really good news.

I listened to all the post-fight media stuff, and, you know, he was asked Henry what he thinks the FC should do in terms of the belts now that he has obviously vacated it with his retirements. And the first thing he said was have a four-man tournament with Peter Jan, Al Jermaine Sterling, Marlon Marais and Corey Sandhagen. So that was an interesting line of thought from me.

Best four candidates for me. Sorry? Best four candidates. They're the best four candidates, I think, for a tournament. I think so, yeah. No, listen, I don't think you can disagree with that. Maybe Jose Aldo might. but we'll see what the case is

with his fight obviously we don't know what's happening with that so that's going to be interesting to see yeah a bit of a surprise but I think he's come out again today in a report I'm not sure he the report was from I should have jotted that down earlier on but he said Dana White knows what the figure is so he said that at the press conference

at the press conference wasn't sorry Jesus Christ so yeah like man you don't know with this guy he's a little annoying young gentleman I think we've seen that over the last couple of years with his behaviour. Do you think that it will be Jan next?

Do you believe that it will be at least one fight where he has vacated the title and we will see Piotr Yan fight for that title? Well, I think behind the scenes, he's probably, you know, when he said that about the money, he's probably going to negotiate with the UFC and speak to Dana White and if they can't come to terms, Dana White will just go, no, see you later.

So yeah, you know, why not Peter Yan? I think he might fight for the title if that is the case. Yeah. Worrying things, let's talk about the context of this event on Saturday because it's far from, you know, a dreamlike sequence. You know, Jackeray's failed test on Friday was huge. A lot of video emerged of them being around other fighters. You know, it's obviously scary stuff.

I was very concerned for the people I know on the ground there, to be honest, when this happened. But I didn't for a second think it was going to be cancelled. I'll tell you that much. I didn't even cross my mind. I think once the UFC have tests in place there, they've, they realized that there could be a positive one.

Like, I mean, it's not like they're testing everyone to, to, you know, to underline the fact that everyone's testing negative here. Like, in a situation like this, I think they were definitely, like, you know, they were definitely aware that someone could fail. So I didn't think, you know, I mean, what's the point doing tests at all if you're going to close the whole thing down as soon as someone tests positive? Like that was my, that was me trying to look through the UFC is always at the situation. So it never even, it never even crossed my mind that they cancel it. Like, I thought they'd anticipate that.

But there was a lot of cries for it on Friday. I mean, it seems like it's just constant. I think the only ones that were ever going to potentially cancel the event with the Florida Commission, and that was cleared up pretty much within two hours of the announcement that Jackarade test positive. I think Adam Hill from the Las Vegas Journal Review was the one to speak to the commission, and they dispelled that. They were happy enough with the procedures the UFC had in place. Yeah, like you're dead, right?

The UFC were never going to call it, you know. I think, as you said there, when you're, have this structure in place of the testing, that they're anticipating something bad or a positive result is going to happen. So I think, you know, once that happens, it was only down to Florida. And Florida were happy with it to go ahead. They obviously had their head in in the UFC hotel

and the commission where obviously their presence. They were happy. So, yeah, the fight was never going to go by the wayside with the Florida commission, mate. It was, I mean, look at Dana, the post-fight press conference. Like, what would you recommend to other sports? Come to Florida. it. Well, that's it.

Like, you know, there's golf back on in Florida this week as well. It's a PGA Tour Skinns event. So that's where I think everyone's going to be going to get their sport back on. But, you know, the interesting thing for me, and, you know, if the report that came out from Antioe Smith was true, if Jack Aray was speaking to the medical staff before. Stephen A. Smith. Sorry. Was speaking to the medics, the Jackeray speaking to the medics beforehand.

when he arrived in and he said he was in contact or thought he was in contact with family members who had contracted the virus. I just don't get what the UFC just didn't lock him in his room just to be safe and, you know, even bring a scales up to his room and set it at him, you know, run around backstage and we saw that. And obviously with the video that Frizzio Verdeum put up, it was just a bit odd in my opinion, you know, taking that risk. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. And I mean, it's like, you know, they can say it was a great success. Dana seems to think it was a great success. but realistically, we're not going to know if it was a great success until two or three weeks from now when, you know, as we'll hear from Jose Young's later on, like, I mean, people are still pouring into this hotel.

Like, I mean, we have fights on Wednesday. We have fights on Saturday. There's a lot that could go wrong in hindsight. You know, I mean, after the fact of the actual events here in terms of the spreading of coronavirus, knowing that we did have three positive tests on the ground there, right? Yeah, no, 100%. And as I said there, you know, Shakuray, I think,

you know, I noticed I text you and, you know, obviously he went into Way in and he touched Dane and then Dana touched Michelle Waters. It was just like, man, it was just very uncomfortable to watch back, especially after we found out. And everyone's so hyper-sensitive, right? Yeah. Everyone's so hyper-sensitive about these, you know, obviously because of the situation, you have to be, but, I mean, and even at the event, right?

Like, the social distancing wasn't really, I mean, Joe Rogan was basically on the backup every fighter when he was interviewing them. Dana White, no need for a man. handshake and everyone. I kind of expected that. I'm going to be honest. I mean, I knew we wouldn't get

an impeccable social distancing performance from Dana Hoyt, the man who asked would not show no quarter to coronavoirs whatsoever. Yeah, it was just a bit weird even on fighting out. You had guys corner man wearing masks, then other corner man not wearing masks. It was just a bit of a cluster fuck

sort of looking around and you're going, oh, should he don't have a mask on? Should this guy not be wearing this or that? But yeah, like the thing is why take the fucking risk? with Jacaray, I just don't get that. I really don't get it. Like, they're just clearly you know, causing problems to themselves in situations like that. The minute he said that he should

been thrown up to his room and fucking locked in there and that's basically the bottom line. And he wasn't. So why? I just, we're not getting an answer for that. That's what's really annoying. We, like, I mean, we keep on talking about this social responsibility for the UFC. But if the

first thing Jackerais Souza is saying to people is I might have it when he arrives there. He probably shouldn't have traveled, you know? Like, I mean, that's a red flag for me. If you think you have it, stay the fuck home. Big time. You know what I mean? Like, it's not, it's so, uh, I look, I understand the man has to make money. And I understand I'm speaking in hindsight after the effect.

It's just the way Stephen A described as this was his opening remark to the medic's. Like, I'm like, Jesus. Maybe you shouldn't have went. Lock him to his room straight away. That's what we should have done. idiotic stuff from the, and especially when guys are cutting weight as well and your immune system's down,

you feel like shit. You're more, 10 times is probably more likely to pick up any sort of virus. It's just, it's crazy. I don't get it, but apparently there was, the emails were sent out for the guys traveling in today or yesterday,

whenever they arrived in for the cards, they were told to just let us know in advance if you've any symptoms. There was an email, amended email sent out by the UFC, apparently today. So, who knows

it just imagine you're six months behind it you're six months behind on your rent you need a fight to pay for that and you get that email on the fucking flight I don't think you're looking at it you're going oh well yeah of course you're oh I didn't see that one yeah like that's it

it is it's bonkers shit in the UFC it's madness it really is crazy and they need to just like they're things they're just such basic things PT is it's annoying like but but I mean I feel like this event had to happen for them to learn from anyway like I mean of course I think we were all saying you know we prefer um if we knew a bit more

about this before people were doing these events and but I guess each event will be an improvement on the last or at least in theory right yeah well I think we saw that today with the amendments that were made um to the process and the procedure coming into the host hotel and coming into jacksonville so yeah thankfully they've amended that to some description and let's just hope we don't of any other cases which I wouldn't be surprised if we do let's be honest about it we could very well have another case we could have two cases

that's the nature of this virus so I'm just praying that we don't but I'm sure we'll see in the next couple of days obviously tomorrow with the Wayans or today sorry today you mind of listening for Wednesday night oh yeah

Justin Gagchi battered Tony Ferguson there's no other way around the claim the interim title but, you know, before we get into nitty-gritty of the fights in the next section of this podcast, the reality is, which we've been saying for weeks, is Habib and Tony is dead now. That is the mythological fight

that we will never see now, or really will never have the value or importance that it could have had. Even the first time it was matched, it won't mean as much as that if it happens now. I mean, was it all worth it to chase away the unicorn of the lightweight division, which was... Well, no, no. No, obviously not for Tony.

Tony, you know, he's a guy, he said he doesn't any regrets, but I guarantee he woke up on Sunday morning and said, shit, you know, why did I put myself in this position and take that fight? Listen, everything's great in hindsight, but it is. It's a crying shame. We're never going to see this fight. Tony looked old on Saturday night and I've never sort of seen a guy go from that to that in such a short

amount of time. He didn't, he didn't really have anything Pete's he didn't really off. I think he landed one shot that sort of half hurt Justin Gachey I think was an upper cut in the first or second rounds and that was pretty much it during the fight. At the end of the second round. And that was it. There was nothing really else that bothered Gathe

We'll talk about the fights later. Yeah, but yeah, I think that's it. I think you can draw a line under that fight now And there's people, three or four people now that are going to skip ahead of Tony Ferguson. Yeah. Okay. There's just so much shit to talk about. It's hard to get through it all. But Donald Trump, in the introduction of this, I mean, this is something that we've never seen before.

You are talking about the mainstream ramifications of this event taking place with no other sports are on. I don't think anything brought that crashing home to me as much as Trump being at the start of that broadcast. I mean, I don't know, I was tweeting or I was looking at something. And then next of all, I see that furious crown of yellow slash gray slash white hair and that beautiful orange face. And I was going, Jesus Christ, this is a moment. This is a sporting moment that we're witnessing right now, you know? Don't drink disinfectant. Yeah, I hope you can say that.

I had him on mute. But I mean, in terms of a president showing up at the start of a broadcast, it's pretty fucking crazy. Of course it is. He was there a few months ago, and he's obviously a great relationship with Dana White over the years. And, you know, of course, it's a big night for the UFC,

and it's a big night for America. And it had Trump's backing. It was always going to be, you know, I sort of felt, I didn't even really think about it that much, but I always sort of felt there be some ink-link of Trump being involved in that broadcast because he's talked openly about sport.

He's met with all the organizations in the United States, all the leading figures. So to me, it was like Vince McMahon and Dana White. Yeah, two was best pals, mate. So he's going to give them a... Chairman of the board. He's going to give them a glowing endorsement.

And that was the case. And, you know, that is big for the United States. And it's big for the UFC. And it's a big moment. I'm intrigued to see the numbers now and see what the UFC pay-per-view results will be from this because there was no sport on. And let's be honest, there was a lot more people

than general talking about a pay-per-view. And I noticed it here at my... friends. I noticed it going over to the shops and stuff like that. There's a couple of big fans down here in Church Town. They're always asking me stuff. And they were talking about it all week, really excited. You know, lads that would watch the odds card here and there, the Connor McGregor be involved in there, they were watching this fight because they were eager to see live sports. Yeah, we saw all the stars. You'll hear Jose Young's talk about that. He has a bit of better understanding of NBA, NFL and all that business. But we saw them commenting throughout the broadcast

along with huge names like my own. And then, you know, what I wanted to know was, was, you know, I know it's still too hard to tell, right? But this is the thing that keeps going through my head. And I'm wondering, does this give the UFC a push in the right direction or does it pull it in the opposite direction? Because if all goes according to plan, and we are dealing with no massive outbreak in Jacksonville,

and everyone gets home and we find it, out that Jackeray and his family are all well and good. I think it will have great ramifications for the UFC's name. But the potential disaster that is lingering in the background here could maybe ruin the sport, maybe ruin the UFC. I can't help but think that as well. Yeah, obviously it could. But I think that's the risk that they were willing to take and they took.

And from what we've learned so far from the cards that's just gone down, it was thankfully only Jackeray but you know that could be passed on to a number of other people that were there that we're unaware of yet I'm sure that will come out if it does so yeah the UFC have openly taking this risk and it could be very very detrimental

to the sport because we've seen you know obviously the Bundes League was supposed to come back it is coming back this weekend as far as I'm aware the 15th I believe it is but they've put it back two or three times because they didn't feel that structures were in place in the

community in relation to where they were with the coronavirus and how the government were dealing with it. So I think it's going to go from there. So yeah, of course, if this turns to a big outbreak, the UFC are in a lot of trouble. If anything happens this week, it's not going to be a good look for mixed martial arts to the sport. And I think, you know, a lot of the outlets, even here, for example, who very rarely cover positive stories or news in mixed martial arts obviously jumped on the negative aspects. I heard the Jacaree incident was run every hour on the news bulletins here in Ireland and Saturday.

And the same again on Sunday when we obviously learned about the stipulation or sorry, the stipulation, the UFC contracts in relation to the fighters had to. And media. On media. We're told they weren't allowed to speak about, you know, did they ever feel their safety was in danger? So that was ran literally from first thing in the morning

and Saturday and Sunday about those stories here in Ireland and no surprise they pick up in those stories but that's very detrimental in its own sense to the mainstream promotion of the sports across the board

and anywhere really. I saw you you know kind of saying the you know you know the only say the negative stuff and look that you definitely have a point there without doubt

but I feel like you got to cover that like you got it no no no yeah yeah my point it was. I have no problem with them covering that piece. Zero problem. But, you know, are they really covering them if they're not, you know, covering the sport across the broader scale

and the positive stories? That was my point of view that it's always the negatives. It's always the negatives. And yeah, I totally understand why they've covered it. It's a big story. But cover the good ones as well. Or, you know, big fight was announced. Why do they just pick up in the shock and all stories? That's all that we get here in Ireland. And it's a fact and it's a lot of bullshit.

And, you know, it's just like, do your job. But this is world news. It is world news. But this is world, like this is, yeah, but this is one of the rare occasions where MMA is world news.

Like that's what I'm kind of, that's what I'm worried about, to be honest, Noel, like we, we have this big spotlight as the only sport back now. And if we fall on our faces now,

it's going to be fucking biblical, you know? It is, it is. And other sports are coming back this week as well. They don't, they don't like MMA anyway. They don't like MMI,

but you just mentioned there. You said, you know, it's a big, big story. but they neglect other world stories and such as, you know, McGregor fights,

Habib fights, stuff like that. They are world's stories when they're announced. They are. They'll mention a Tyson Fury fight. So why not mention the MA fight? It's just about balance, Psy.

That's what I'm talking about there. But yes, you're dead right. If anything happens this week, we will look like a bunch of fields or if there's any knock-on effect from last weekend's card. Of course we will. But I think now the fact of the matter is

that there is other sports, you know, resuming, coming back into a spot like Germany's back this week and said the Bundesliga there's talk of the Premier League announcing a date very, very soon

to get back in the golf is back so it mightn't look so bad if they have some cases here and there as well and I think it was announced as well La Liga in Spain have had six more players

test positive between the first and second divisions there so it's going to be very, very interesting to see if these leagues do resume as well I guess like we talked about it last week with the Bundesliga thing

and we were unaware of what way the UFC we're going to do it of that stage. But I guess in hindsight, like, I mean, the one thing that is pretty obvious, like, the way the Bundes League is they tested them the week before, found out there was 10 players who were

positive, and then we're like, let's call it off. I guess in a perfect world, I think it would have been best in the UFC test these people last week, you know, and then see who's coming to this hotel at all. But, you know, Captain Hindsight, once again, Peter Carroll, can't really do much about that

now. I feel like we need to talk to someone on the ground, a media member on the ground, there has been lots of talk about these waivers, that the media and the fighters were asked to sign. And throughout this episode, you'll hear from a media member, the beautiful Jose Youngs,

and you'll hear from a fighter of Brian Keller speaking about this waiver. Let's have a listen to what Jose has to say. It was great to have him on, his second appearance ever on Eurobash. And beautiful to say, not an ill word spoke about Noel McGrath here. I feel like we're in the middle of the people. peace process here. That's what I feel like. I feel like I'll finally bring these two worlds together

amicably. He rang me and apologized and begged for mercy, so I've let him, I've let him off. I've pardoned him. Yeah, no, I've pardoned him. Yeah, he's rang me and apologized and he sent me over a box of chocolates as well, saying he's very, very sorry for mentioning my name in vain. So I've pardoned the fool. I heard he was crying and everything down the phone. Is that true? Absolutely bawling. FaceTime me and, you know, you could see the two. years streaming down his face. So I demanded he cut his hair. It was actually two weeks ago before he cut the hair.

Oh, well. Shit. That was the apology. Apology. So you got a box of chocolates as well. He was begging. He was crying. So yeah, I've pardoned him.

I've pardoned him. He's a lucky boy. And there's no better way to show that the Olive Ranch has been been, what is that phrase? Extended. Extended. Sorry. The Olive French has been extended that to have, Jose,

Young's once again on the Eurobash. So here he is. I'm very worried about him, to be quite honest, when I heard the news on Friday. I hope he stays safe. I'm sure it's an incredibly nervous situation. And yeah, he gives us everything he has on this. And by all accounts, I do not think Jose Young is afraid to criticize the UFC after signing that waiver. So we'll be back in about 20 minutes to talk about the fights. And now he has returned to the Eurobash. It is the least leader of the Crystal team over on the A side, my good friend and the most beautiful man in MMA, Jose Youngs. How are you, sir? I'm pretty exhausted, man. I'm still in Jacksonville. It's, I wouldn't know what's it.

Monday, it's Monday. Another virtual media day when we're recording this. So I'm pretty exhausted, but still got two more shows to do. I didn't know how much I loved you until the positive test kind of came out on Friday, I believe it was. It was Friday for me when I woke up to the news anyway. And suddenly, I was like, holy shit. You know, this is, this is crazy, right? Like, I mean, when that, when that news breaks over there, are you kind of, I mean, does it change the dynamic of the situation quite rapidly when something like that happens? Well, I'll tell you what, it was, I was sitting downstairs, like, because there's one restaurant open in this entire area and it's in the bottom of the hotel.

Like, nothing exists. There's no life outside of this hotel. You could tell me, I'm in. Jacksonville and I would have to believe you. Like nothing is happening around here. So me, our good friend Oscar Willis and Adam Hill of the Las Vegas Review Journal were just eating

dinner downstairs. Everyone made way. Everyone had weighed in. It was late at night. So we were like, let's just go eat. It's the only place around. And then the news breaks. And I'm not saying fighters were being like a little more cavalier, but fighters had made way. They were kind of outside getting

some fresh air, talking in their coaches down in the lobby. No one was like, there weren't large groups, but there were maybe like groups with like one or two people. And then the news breaks and you could absolutely tell, I'd see a change in like the vibe of the room. Everyone's starting to leave, like not in a mad panic or a rush. People just started to really go back up to their rooms. And I, as you know, I didn't, when you're Friday night and you go out to you, you don't bring your computer or nothing because works over. I run up to my room to get my computer to start work. I mean Oscar,

because Oscar's computer was in my room too. We get in the elevator with Greg Hardy who's just been cleared. He's like, I'm all good. And we go, did you hear the news? He's like, what news? I'm like, jockey rates is positive, and his eyes bugged out. Oh, my shit. We basically broke the news to Greg Hardy, who, if you remember from Virtual Media Day, said he was very stressed given the fact that

he has severe asthma. So he already has like a, he's probably more susceptible to this. Underlying issue. So he got a little, so yeah, he looked a little stressed, but he said he got cleared. So the next day he said it was fine. But you could absolutely 100% feel like the vibe of the room just kind of turn downstairs. It wasn't a panic. No one ran, no one screamed, but everyone just went back to their rooms.

Yeah, well, yeah. And I mean, just for you, I mean, you were speaking to me earlier. You said your flight was packed over on the way over. Oh, my God. I mean, it sounds like a pretty stressful situation, to be honest. Dude, I don't even, it's so from like Phoenix, because I had a layover in Dallas. So Phoenix to Dallas, it was about 75% full. There was someone sitting next to me, like right next to me in the middle seat with no mask.

And I was like, I'm not sleeping on this flight. Like, I'm going to be stressed the whole time. And then Dallas to Jacksonville was completely full. There were no empty seats. Like Daniel Cormier, Dan Henderson, and Laura Sanker, they were all on my flight, too. I didn't see a single empty seat. A lot more embass on this flight, but all of these rumors and talks of people not selling that middle seat, that wasn't true because every single middle seat was filled. It was the most, I was tense the whole time.

Our muscles were just clenched the entire flight. So, yeah, worst flight of my life. Smooth flight, no bumps, but real, real stressful. So how many times with you, are you going to be, I heard you speaking about, like, you get a new wristband every day after I tested? I mean, is that the full, you know, swab down the nose job every day? No. So I got the swab down the nose, temp check, and then the antibody test the day I got here. Like within minutes of getting to this hotel, they don't even let you check in yet.

You have to go and take medicals. And then every single morning, there's like a window where you go down to this table and they just check your temperature with this gun. They put it up to your, yeah, they put up to your Ford and click. and then they go 97.9, which means you're obviously normal. And then they switch out your wristband every single day. So every day is a new color or pattern. And that just shows people in the hospital that you have been tested. And everyone wears masks.

I was wearing a mask from, I brought a mask from Arizona on the flight and everything. Mine ripped. I don't know how. And I just asked the USC for some. And they gave me a bag of like two or three. So they're giving away masks and gloves too. There's antibacterial dispensers everywhere. People are, like I was telling you before we started,

there are people fighting Wednesday are arriving like yesterday and today, maybe even Saturday. So you're seeing more people get the nasal swab right now. But if you look at the floors, there's, like, you get in the elevator, there's footprints everywhere that's like stand here, stand here, stand here, stand here. And then when you, there's like one marketplace to get like waters and sodas and whatever, there's markings on where to stand. all over the hotel.

We had to get another attempt check to even enter the arena. So I had two temp checks on Saturday. One in the hotel, one in the arena. We had assigned seating everywhere in the media room and at official lanes. We each had our workstations. We were separated six feet. All the fighters were super far away. During the media stuff, the UFC staff was disinfecting the mic for the fighters, every single fighter.

And we each had our own microphone, so we wouldn't have to pass it around. So we had our own table, our own microphone, our own power station. It was impressive. It was very productive because we felt like we each had our own workstation to work at. So outside of the pandemic kind of causing chaos, it was actually a pretty well-organized, a weld-oil machine security had gone in terms of making sure everyone was clear. Yeah, I was going to ask you about that. Obviously, we spoke a lot about it on the A side with Casey and the various furiders we have on,

but we all expressed concerns about these events going ahead, I suppose. And after you being there, does it seem less daunting being there? Or does it seem more daunting being there? It's more daunting the fact that they have to do it two more times. The first night, I think, went pretty smoothly. I don't know if you saw, but I shot this video between fights, like, between fights, like, after the first Sam Al-Qa's, like, I went out for the first

fight and then went back into the back to do all the press conferences, they went out again for the main event. After the first Sam Alvey-Rion's fan fight, the UFC staff was, like, spraying the canvas down with, like, disinfected. And they were wiping, they were wiping the poles and everything. So everyone was not only spread out, like, all the staff, but like Bruce Buffer was sitting further away like all and all the usual faces you see behind

the scenes at UFC each pretty much had their own table and they were all masked up. There was, it was eerily quiet. It went smooth. I just wanted, do they have to do it two more times. I don't know if more media is showing up now that they, they, maybe they feel safer. But I tell you what, I'm not leaving this hotel or this room much at all. I'm just sitting here. But yeah, it's not as daunting.

It's just a little more. They have to do two more times. So that's a little, that's just, that's a little stressful. Of course, more buddies, the multiplier effect. The thing is the big thing, of course. Exactly. But, you know, a huge amount has been made of this waiver. You know, this is one of the things I wanted to get you on about most because I feel like, you know, the IOLI article went out on Yahoo Sports.

and you know Dana White has answered the kind of accusation by Espinosa in the report but then there's more today I saw Karim Zadan writing something for the Guardian earlier today and I'm sure it's impossible for you to keep up with all this critique that's going on but can you explain to me

the process by which media members had to sign the waiver and what was your immediate reaction to it so I got there and I signed like just and I was talking to like Brian and Stephen about this our boss Yeah. It was like we get I there is no part of me that thought I wouldn't sign a waiver at least a health waiver like you have like you can't be coming to this situation and not expect to sign something and be like yes I am aware of the risk I am taking. So that's what that's pretty much the one I signed when I arrived. It was like this thought it was a health one. It was like I can't remember the exact name of it. But it wasn't the event one that's under under question right now. It was basically just the medical one saying like hey you're waving like.

Like, we get it. You're here. You're risking. And I was like, yeah, I'm here. If I get it, I know the risk I'm taking. And then the UFC goes, you have to sign this one to get into the, like, to just cover the event. Like, to get into the arena, you got to sign this. And I was like, ah.

After some back and forth with my bosses, we were like, well, I think we have to sign it. Because, like, I'm here to report with the facts. I'm not going to just make things up. I'm not going to, like, Dana White didn't. People are saying, like, oh, you can't speak ill. about the UFC now. I can say Dana White didn't wear a mask, and I think that was absolutely stupid

all week that he wasn't wearing a mask. I'm comfortable saying that. I think it was foolish that he fistpumps the fighters. I think it was dumb that he stood between the fighters, but I feel comfortable I can say that after speaking with our bosses. I don't think that is preventing me from, quote, unquote, speaking out.

I'm just talking about what I'm seeing. Dana White didn't wear a mask. that's stupid. I saw it. We have the video of it. I'm just a part of the facts. I understand the situation of everyone is upset, but after speaking with our bosses, I feel, I don't like it. I wish I didn't have to sign it, but I signed it to get into the arena, and I got to do my job pretty much. Look, man, the way I was looking at this is, like, you're after putting yourself in harm's way all the way here, you know, on the Floyd, as you said, probably so, stressful. You eventually get there, a lot of travel. There's a lot of people there. You've probably

gone through health checks, et cetera. And then you get this thing to say, oh, you got to sign this, blah, blah, blah. There's no way you're not signing at that stage as well. You know what I mean? I know you're going to do your job. You always do. So I mean, signing this thing, I'm sure, you know, although you did probably have to speak to Brian and Stephen a lot, like, there was no way. You get me like, I mean, there was no way that you got into Brian and Stephen, you were like, oh, I'm going to be on a flight tomorrow going home. No way. No, and I had like, yeah, I agree.

I was talking with our bosses pretty much the whole way, like the whole, even before I landed. So it wasn't like I just signed it and not knowing. Like, I spoke with the people that needed to know. They spoke with people that needed to know. And then they told me, like, we might have to sign this just to do you. Like, you flew out there. We need this kind of like, we talked about this on the A side. We have a million questions and about how this event is going to be.

going to go down. The only way to get these answers is for someone to get inside. I'm not, I wish I didn't have to sign this in a perfect world. They didn't have to sign it. But I signed it. I entered the arena. I did my best. I got all the, like, no one stopped me from taking footage of disinfectant or there was

a ring. One of the Octagon girls was here. She wasn't even doing the rounds on the cage. She was just standing up. I was taking photos behind the scene. No one stopped me. And again, I feel comfortable in saying like, yeah, the UFC did a as good as they can.

Dana White was probably a little probably like, no, Dana White definitely should have been wearing a mask, definitely should have a fist bumps the stare downs. If we didn't have staredowns, wouldn't have blamed them. I think no stare downs would have been safer. I don't know exactly the timeline of the Jacqueray

news. I really don't. Because I wasn't there. I checked in with Laura, Dan, Cormier, Henderson, and a few other people. And they all got cleared. I saw them. I saw them get thumbs up. Daniel Cormier was absolutely shaking during that testing. It would be too, man.

Was it horrific the thing up the nose? Yeah, it didn't bother me. I've had my nose pierced enough times. It just doesn't hurt at all. It just tickles and you just immediately your eyes starts watering because it's your tear duct. But Dan Henderson was like talking trashed at Cormier the whole time. He's like, you got this. He's like, don't be a bitch.

Don't be a bitch and stuff like that. It was pretty funny. But yeah, at the waiver, I wish in the perfect world I didn't have to sign. it. I understand everyone's upset. But I flew out here to cover the events and I had to do it. I waited as long as I could until they said, we need you to turn this in. And I did. Is it getting to you at all seeing the reaction to it and seeing people's criticisms of the media? It was. It was a little bit just because I'm here in this quarantined hotel. And I was like, I'm just trying to do my job. And it's very easy to come after someone when you're quarantined far away and you're not in this environment right now.

But the people that we report to, like our superiors and the people that know, like, they have my back. So I'm comfortable with that. And no one's come at me directly. Not a single person's come in me directly. Everyone's been more like, oh, reporters are doing like, you sold your soul. And I was like, ah, that's, that's a bummer to read. But the people that have my back, that I need to have, have my back, have my back. So I appreciate them.

Again, I wish they didn't have to sign it. And I understand. And some people, like, ESPN wrote a report about it, too. And it was our old colleague, Mark. And people were like, are you mad at Mark? I was like, no, not even a little bit. He just did his job. Like, I'm not even, like, I don't blame Mark.

I don't blame Kareem. I like these guys. Like, these guys are my colleagues. and friends. I completely understand what they're coming from. So no, I'm not mad at them at all. I'm not even, like, they're just doing their job. I'm also trying to do my job. And unfortunately, it came down to this. Exceptional times lead to exceptional circumstances, as they say. You're not wrong. You're not wrong.

Can I just ask you about the crowd, Jose? Like, I mean, was there any moments, like, you know, I think I heard Brett Okamoto speak about, you know, when Suuot or retired, that probably would have been a big crowd moment, right? like a huge moment in the crowd. Was any other things like that? He liked. Henderson Hoodle kind of likes not having a crowd during his retirement. I asked him that. Like at the press there,

I was like, was it bittersweet having no crowd? He goes, absolutely not. He could see Halee and all. Yeah, I saw him. Right.

He was like, I got to look at the actual employees that I see every day and like thank them rather than being drowned out. So he actually, I thought when he retired, I was like, ah, it would have been great to retire for a huge crowd,

maybe in Las Vegas, maybe in L.A. or Arizona, but after hearing him talk, I was like, oh, props to you, man, like, you know what you wanted to, how you know how you wanted to retire and you got it. It was very bizarre. You could hear both corners. You could hear the commentary from the side. Like, I wish you could hear what.

Tony Ferguson talks so much between rounds. He was, like, yelling at Herb, like, after he dropped Gagee after round two, he was yelling at Herb Dean. He's like, I don't need it. I don't need 60 seconds. I don't need a full minute. get him off the stool let's go he was he was doing that like he got

what really stood out to me is when he actually hit gait you with a lobelo and i've seen a million loboes in m mb a but it's usually drowned out by booze of the crowd but when it happens you just hear gait you just go like oh my god jesus christ and he's like walking around like trying to shake it out so it's like the sounds of agony are just exactly like amplified and then while he's like

trying to shake out after eating a loblow tony ferkinson's like you pokes me me in the eye in the first round let's get back in here and he's like screaming at gaecie too uh so it was super fascinating i was right behind gachie's corner so i could hear everything trevor whitman was saying uh and i was also right near tony's corner during the fight because you know how they both sit off the side and then when they answer they run to another corner so i was behind tony ferguson's corner during the fight but between rounds i was in i was behind gajie's corner while whitman was talking to him and i'm i can say i think trevor woodman completely outcoached

Ferguson's corner. Trevor Whitman was unbelievable. That was like a moment where Gaito was like Smiley Island. And he was like, this is so much fun. It's like, this is such a fun fight. And he's like looking around, like just like pumping himself up. And Whitman is like, look at me. Look at me.

And then Gatio just snaps out of it. And he's looking at his coach. And he goes, the last time you said this, you got knocked out. And Gage's like, it happened twice. And he goes, knock it off. And then he starts telling him what to do. So Trevor Whitman was pretty much, pretty unbelievable that entire fight, keeping his, not just his himself focused, but he was,

I could hear everything. Like, when he comes in with the left, I want you to come out, hit him with a right, hit him with a low kick. If it's not there, come up high with an uppercut. It was pretty unbelievable to see, like, like, we've, I've been a contender series fights so I can hear the corners. But the fact that this was not only a title fight, but two of the best fighters of all time, it was super fascinating to hear them coach, like elite fighters.

writers in such a personal saying. So it was an experience I'm never going to forget. That's for sure. Finally, Jose, I just wanted to ask about, you know, what UFC currently means in the United States. Yeah. You know, we saw this huge outpouring of emotion from athletes from all different sports, from a lot of different people for this event going down, for Dana White bringing back sports, Donald Trump at the top of the broadcast. This is insane. This is this is, this is a terrible. we have not seen before in MMA. Is Dana White currently a hero in America? Or is it still

as polarizing as it was before the event? I'm sure. I think Dana White is still as polarizing as ever. The president himself is a polarizing man, so the fact that he's even on the broadcast, probably whether you like the UFC or like I personally, say someone doesn't like

Donald Trump, they like the UFC, I'm sure that ruffled some feathers and vice versa. Maybe you might not like the UFC, but you you like Donald Trump. So Donald Trump's appearance himself is going to make this a polarizing event because he's like giving the approval of this event. I don't know if Dan is a hero, but I can tell you what, like backstage, it felt like a normal fight week.

And I was telling Esther and Casey this. Like when I was at May Mac, the Mayweather-McFighter fight, I was by fight night, I couldn't wait for it to be over. I was like, I can't wait for this week to be over. I'm so burnt out from thinking about these two fighters. And then like a month later, I was like, I really started to set in how historic that was. So I feel like it's going to be the same thing because backstage,

it just felt like normal fight week. And then you know, you see all the tweets that are going up on the screen? Like, I saw yourself pop up a few times. Yeah, I was making hot dogs when I popped up. I wasn't even aware of it.

That's hilarious. I saw you pop up like once or twice. But like I was seeing like Patrick Mahomes pop up who's like the NFL MVP, Super Bowl champion. Nearly his famous as me. Like he's watching this. Yeah. Like exactly.

Like our good friends. W.W. Superstar Gentleman Jack Galaher, like he was tweeting about it. Like, people that, like Carl's Correa, who was a,

who's a World Series champion on the Astros, he was talking about it. Action Bronson was talking about it. So you're not wrong. Like non-MMA, like this really, I felt like non-MMA fans watch this.

And it felt after seeing all those things on the screen, I was like, wow, this is, this is the only sport in town right now. I know, The fighters didn't show like it had any pressure, I think. Being stuck in this hotel, maybe it felt like there was kind of a bubble around us.

It was very intimate feeling after seeing the same people all day. But yeah, you're not wrong. Fight week. Fight night itself felt like a big deal after a while after seeing all those big names pop up on the screen. Finally, finally. Is it too early to say that this was a success based on the fact that we had Jacaray there with the positive test? And then we might not find out if it spread for maybe two weeks. So I'm hearing that you can become symptomatic after a very long period of time.

Is it too wary to say that this was a success for the UFC? It is because there's still two fights to go. Like, for all we know, Wednesday could be a nightmare. Like, Saturday could be a nightmare. In terms of this most recent event, I don't think, I think if Dana White in his mind formulated a perfect card to come back with in terms of how the actual fights play out, I think that was a home run.

I don't think there was a bad fight. There was stoppages. There was crazy grappling. There was a war at the end. Henry Sohudo made history. Greg Hardy was on the show. Cowboy Pettis, like, put on a banger. The actual card itself was a home run.

That is exactly what the UFC wanted. Imagine if they got, like, 12 snoozers. Like, and everyone was, like, all, like, it's the only sport in town. people never watch them and may in their life tune in and it's like 12 snoozers and no one is finishing anybody like that would be like the worst case scenario is a fighter competes and then later test positive for the coronavirus that would be worst case scenario but in terms of the actual fights 12 boring decisions is not what the u.s. you would need so uh i think 249 was a success

i just they have to do it two more times if they can pull that same energy from these two cards then we'll then we can talk later and i'll have a better hand but it's a little, it's too soon to answer that question. Because we thought, like, on Friday, we were like, wow, no one's positive. Like, everyone is walking around interacting on Friday night Jacques-or-ray test positive. Like, who's to say that won't happen again? I have no idea if fighters are from Wednesday or next Saturday will test positive. And that's a whole other can of worms we have to open.

So, yes, too early at this point. Jose, I love you very much. And thank you for getting on and speaking to us again, my friend. I guess it will be Wednesday on the A-side the next time I speak to you, but I hope you continue to be very, very safe over there and continue to do a great job. Thanks, man. Hopefully I make it to Wednesday, but that's the plan. All right, man.

I'll talk to you soon, right? Face. All the best. Great to speak to the great Jose Young's, the Captain Crystal of the Aisard, of course, the captain of our team. I got to say, man, with those waivers, I mean, from what Jose is saying there, like, people are saying these guys aren't me. media members, these guys are blah, blah, blah. I think it's fucking crazy. I mean, the situation we're in is so extraordinary.

Circumstances are extraordinary. And to be honest, I would have signed that waiver and said anything I wanted. And I feel like that's what we're at here. These guys have traveled across the country to be at this event. And then you're like, oh, don't sign that and go home. Come on me. Like, I'd have signed it and talked as much shit as possible afterwards. I mean, I just, I think I think everyone is getting very dramatic about everything here.

And I know, I understand that a journalist waving his right to criticize seems mental on paper. But, I mean, I don't think the media are afraid to criticize the UFC in any way, shape, or form coming off this. And yeah, that's how we feel about it. I don't think we should drag these lads through the coals because they're after doing that. What, there's six people there. I mean, how else are we to know what the fuck is going on there at all? Yeah, I would have signed it and told them to probably wipe their arse with it. But yeah, you know, you got to ask questions.

You got asked the tough questions. I'm surprised Bellator have been throwing me out of a few press conferences. But listen, it's your job. It's what you do. And listen, they did. There was some very provocative questions asked. I think Oscar threw one into Dana, asked him about that as well. which was good to hear.

So yeah, like it's your job. These guys are trying to get paid. You can't land that on someone when you're flying in, you know, a five, four hour flight to cover an event and demand they respect these bloody last minute contracts they've drawn up because they're probably not worth the paper they're written on anyway, in my opinion. I'm not an legal guy, but to pull up something that quick and that short space of time and expect a media member to sign us, I question the validity of it. So, yeah, go fuck yourself. as far as I be concerned, yeah. This is how the conversation would have went with me and all. Whoever it is, or a UFC person.

And guys... I'm not signing off. You're going to have to sign. Yeah, what do you mean? What do you mean? That we'd sign it and then be like immediately doing a fucking emergency podcast to call them a bunch of wakry. Yeah.

No, that's what you got to do, man. It's bullshit. And, like, you know, we've noticed that with Dana White over the last number of weeks, especially since the COVID's pandemic has erupted. and hit across the world that even he's been so unforecoming with giving away information. We saw that obviously with, you know, Jacksonville.

I ain't telling the media, nothing. There you go, exactly that. And he said that not once, not twice, not about 12 times he said that. So that says to me that the UFC, especially I think under Endeavour, have become a closer Nick group in dealing with their host broadcasters,

releasing, you know, a lot of fights to them. really hear a lot of fights released from other people anymore outside of the home broadcasters. And they've kept a lot of the media and who Dana talks to their different international partners as well, I've noticed. And that's sort of the way the UFC have gone. So it shows they want to control things on a certain level their point. And obviously the people outside want to sort of stir the pot like you and me, you not stir the pot, just ask the questions that need to be asked. And I think that's very much the way UFC are going to be going. going forward there's going to be a lot more censorship in what they're doing definitely well try to censor

yeah well let's have a word about the fights i mean you mentioned tony earlier and you mentioned gauged the best performance of his life he was absolutely stunning his left hand with beautiful the low kicks were great um do you feel we we said we could only answer the question properly after the fight do you feel that weight cut uh three weeks ago or two weeks ago um had a had an impact on the way Tony fought. Yeah, I think Tony looked extremely flat, ran out of ideas, didn't even look as though he had an idea.

Maybe it's just, yeah, I think flatness is probably the word you could use for Tony. Maybe, you know, he was so worked up to fight Habib for the fifth time, then that was pulled, then he made the weight cut, maybe he felt as though he had to do that to maybe get out of a system and it didn't work right. But he just looked old.

Tony looked old. Tony looked old. Tony looked like a 30-6. six-year-old. We've never said that before about Tony Ferguson. He looked his age on Saturday night. And, you know, maybe this is a defining fight for Tony where there's always that one fight of feel in the fighter's career when you see them slope down. And I think maybe the cavump, that boom, the boom is gone from Tony now. And I hope it isn't gone. I hope it was a blip and he comes back. But it was a fruitless performance, Pizzi. There was no tactics. There was no game plan. It was just very, very stale. But listen, all credit to Justin Gage, as you mentioned

there. That left hand was, you know, he's known for his leg kicks with that left hand, man. It was uncomfortable actually listening to the thuds that Tony was taken from that left hand. It was like just a baseball back going off a leather bag, man. It was absolutely disgusting. But phenomenal performance from Justin Gatchie, really just sensational. And, you know, fair play to him, two decent fellows as well. But wishing Tony all the best. He was in hospital as well, I think, stayed overnight there in Jacksonville. So yeah, tough time for the guy you do. You have to feel sorry for Tony.

I think you're a sociopath if you don't. Yeah, dancing already on Instagram, which is always a good sign. But yeah, you're right. Like, he had no mustard on his shots. It didn't seem like he was hurting Gaiji as much as he absolutely bludgeon's guys just months ago. Look, this is the thing about Tony. He didn't need to take that fight. He could have sat out and waited for a beep fight knowing that he was going to fight the title,

knowing that he was going to fight the guy, everybody wanted him to fight. And as much as his behavior has led him to a loss now and a loss of the greatest fight, fathomable for most MMA fans, he put it all in the line, and he has done every single step of the way. And the guy's a legend.

And when you talk about someone, the best fighters to never win an undisputed UFC title, I mean, he's won the interim title, but in terms of the guys who have never won an understudent UFC title, never won an undisputed UFC title. He's got to be right up there

with the very best of him. He is. He is the guy. The best fighter probably never to win an undisputed title. And it is. It's just unfortunate.

It's going to be interesting where he goes from here now as well. Maybe he might just go fuck it and call it a day because he seems as he's been in this position ten times. And it's surely that takes his toll and that's what I was saying,

you know, leading into the fight, everything that happens in the buildup over the last two months and taking that fight. Shows what a warrior and what a legend the guy is. he'll fight anyone but yeah i think maybe this might have a detrimental effect on tony ferguson going forward it's going to be very interesting to see he's i guess like look he hasn't lost in a long time so i can't really compare it to anything else but the fact that this loss is coming at 36 it just

makes it very hard to believe he'll be able to climb to that mountain again right like i mean look at how much shit he had going for him and he still didn't get that opportunity yeah no what would he have to do with his time to get the opportunity, you know? You know, I think he's going to have to go back. I don't think Connor McGregor is going to be there. I don't think, you know, obviously Habib's not going to be there that fight. You know, Gachie's leapfrogged him. He's probably going to go back to, slide back to rankings about you.

You have the likes of Paul Felder there. Paul openly talked about on our show last week that he'd be looking at the loser of that fight is a potential opponent. So he is him, you know, Andy Pettis was looking for a rematch. after he said he wanted the loser that fight as well and in the post-fight media scrum the other night so he is going to have to go back a little bit

but the only thing is as well Pete's he may you know with the whole epidemic and what's going on how are the European fighters going to fight and we haven't heard anything about a fight island since Dana's hardly bloody mentioned it still and he's still teasing us and doing all this shite so we don't know if that's going to happen so the European fighters in terms of what they're going to do

we just don't know yet and I think a few guys are going to skip cues here, as Paul mentioned as well last week. You know, that's very, very probable case. So it's going to be interesting to see what they do. And, you know, I like that fight. I wouldn't say no to Paul Felder and Tony Ferguson, but listen, Tony's obviously going to take a bit of time out first and see what happens.

So who's clearly bargaining to me, the way he retired there. And look, I see a lot of people saying, oh, yeah, it's great. I'm sick of that guy, blah, blah, blah. But he is a huge loss, man. No, I mean, he's a huge. Like, look what he did.

He's phenomenal. I mean, look at the back to back to back wins he has. Like, I mean, I know people don't like the cheese and the fact he's doing it with the cushions. But when it comes down to brass tacks, what he does in the Octagon, he is unbelievable. He's an unbelievable talent. He is also, he has an opportunity to be a star, a Hispanic star in the UFC, a 135 champion, a 125 champion, an Olympian. Like, look, it's clear this whole. thing he did was exactly like Colby Covington did. He said he decided to be a character for

people to give their attention to people to elicit emotion from people. And he is 100% done that. You can't stand the man. But what I'm saying is, this is a guy that's bet. Demetius Johnson, T.J. Dillishaw on like, and then Dominic Cruz. And he did it in a different way every fucking time. Even the fight against Marlon Roy is unbelievable. This time was the leg kick was something that I didn't even know he could do. As I heard him say in the post, in the post-fight press comments, I flattened the tires before I went for the head.

That is fucking genius. He's a huge loss to the Bantamate Division. And I feel as though, even though Piotr Yan will finally get his shot, he's amazing. You know, I think he's the guy to get his shot. Him and Aljo's the perfect fight. But the one thing I will say is,

at some point, they're going to need to Hudo back to verify them. Yeah. If it's just these guys playing out the division boy themselves, Pejota Jan, Sandhagen, Marois, Al Jermaine Sterling, either of those fighters could beat the other three and there would still be question marks. Is he as good as blah, blah, blah.

The only way you can prove that is to bring Sehudo, a guy who has beaten, Dominic Cruz, the best, the best bantam weight ever, Demetrius Johnson, the best Floyd weight ever. The only way to verify these guys properly is to bring Sehudo back. So I think he probably will end up getting that money and I do believe it's only a matter of time before we see him back in there.

Yeah, listen, first of all, yeah, look, phenomenal. The guy is unbelievable, and I think, you know, it was a big, big shock when he said that after the fight deal and I don't think anyone was expecting it. Yeah, the guy he was just at the peak. We've seen him take out, the guys he's taken out, 33 years of age. But can I ask you something on the other hand, though,

would it not be a beautiful story for him to go out like this? We see it so often in mixed martial arts where guys don't just go out. and, you know, leave it. They come back, fight time and time again, BJ Penn being obviously the classic example. It would be great. I love if he just retired and pissed off.

But yes, I understand what you mean. There's definitely something there where I think he's obviously pitching for more money. He's probably a little bit, right? Yeah, that's what he's doing. He's pitching, he's playing for himself. And, you know, I think we have to be honest, for a lot of fighters, it's not really about the titles anymore to get to a certain point.

It's obviously that what Henry now where he wants money. And I think, as you said, going forward if this tournament that he has proposed does happen what is the magic thing to do Henry to get back on Twitter

start calling these guys bitches UFC bringing back in paying a shitload of money and we see a great fight I could see that happening but I would love to see him just call it a day fuck it why not we don't see it an often lot and I think the guys he's beaten

he got in as a legend already but yes there is so much more I feel as though he has to give as well Cruz tells ESPN after the fight that Keith Peterson smell like booze and cigarettes. This is very uncharacteristic of

Dominic Cruz, a man who we've seen face the music in such emphatic ways before. Soul destroying ways, even to watch, like, I mean, people have admired the way this man has taken losses throughout his career. I mean, not to say he's had a lot,

but this is a real different reaction we've seen from. He was clearly incensed in the octagon I completely get that you're fighting at the pinnacle of the sport you feel like you go on

I don't have a problem with the stoppage but are you surprised to hear this smelling like booze and cigarettes thing yeah I don't know am I surprised

yeah you wouldn't expect you know any officials to be thinking of booze and cigarettes and for it to come out with that it's totally

mentally insane and I presume there's going to be an investigation into that but yeah like he even said i think beforehand you know the minute he saw keith peterson or smelt him before the fight that he immediately didn't want him refereeing the fight so he was pissed off right from the get-go but yeah like man i don't know i don't know i was shocked when i saw him say that the

or not it was like holy shit that's a serious accusation dominic so i presume they're going to look into it there's going to be an investigation um you know if if you're making accusations like that there is but just mental man absolutely crazy um we obviously can't say say anything else because we don't know anything else. Borrow what Dominic has said. But yeah, he just, you know, first round, Henry got us and then, was there a clash of heads at one point in the second rounds? Yeah, I think it might have been the first round.

Obviously, the white cruise moves an awful lot. I think you're right. There probably was a clash of heads when he was drifting off to the side. Henry dipped the same way as he's trying to land an overhand right. If you look at Dominique, it must be very frustrating as well, you know, three and a half years out again. I think he's only four of the calendar years in the last

10 years, which is absolutely insane. So yeah, like, it's, maybe it's a build up of emotion. I don't know. I think we'll know more, obviously, in the coming weeks. If this investigation gets launched. God help, whoever has to fight Francis and Gaddao. I mean, Jesus Christ. I mean,

it actually, it actually, it scared me. Like, it scared me. Oh, I don't know. I'm nightmares. He is a high level striker man like look what he did to over him for fuck's sake and i know you're going to say look what frances did to over him which is absolutely spectacular as well don't get me wrong but i mean what a statement um absolutely mental like jerseino knocked dead slumped against the fence and then dc comes out and he says i want to retire after the steep fight but if someone's frightened francis and ganu for a title

it's going to be me you have balls like a bengal tiger mr dc that it is. If I was his advisor, if I was his manager, I'd be saying, listen, mate, just hang them up. It's Grant. Let this lad at it. We don't have to do this. Don't want to see him fight. Listen, I think if DC was to fight in Gano, I think in Gano would catch him and knock him out in probably similar fashion. I don't think that we're going to see that anyway. That's what I fear as well. I think I think Steepay is going to handle DC again. And I think it'll probably be a rematch between Stipe and in Gano at some point going into line. I think Francis was quite complimentary. to the, you know, I was on the media call on Saturday night, the virtual

media day or whatever, so I listened to Francis afterwards and he said he blames the UFC for not giving him the next shot, he said, not Steve Amy Oacher, so he was respectful to Stepey in fairness to him and I would like to get on the wrong side of France, but man, holy shit, like that left hands.

I was sort of looking, and you look at something, you go, shit, has he done it again? Just like, it's just literally just like taking the head off a fucking pump it was just mental. The guy's a fucking colossus. And I think he's looked better as well. I think he learned a lot from that first fight with Steepay.

And I'd be a very worried man now if I was Steeper M. E. Ochich. I was good to ask you that. Do you think it's a different situation here? I mean, you picked Steepay. A lot of people didn't. The first time they fought, I thought in Ghana was going to steamroll him. And he didn't. He got battered. But do you think it's much of a different situation? here because what I'm thinking about, I'm like,

well, we knew we could do that before the first D-Pay fight. It's not like we've seen Jersey and shoot a takedown on him and he stuffed it and then knocked him out there. He just fucking came out like a man on fire and blitzkrieg him. So I mean, is it that much, can we call it that much of a different Francis we're actually

going to see here? I think so, and I'll tell you why I think so. I think Francis has got a little bit nastier. You know, even outside of the octagon, his media duties, he says things that he might have said before that first loss to Steepay. I think it's lit a fire underneath them. You know, he's basically living in Vegas now in the PI.

He's changed up a lot of things. He's not back in Europe as much as he used to be. It definitely lit a fire in him. And you see that, you know, even what he was saying the other night, given out to the UFC and so we didn't see that from Francis and Ghana beforehand. You know, so he's realized now, I think, what it takes to beat the best. And it's a very, very, very dangerous and scary man, what we've seen from him since that loss.

since the two losses. And it's listening, we always say, Pete, it's the best thing that can ever happen to a fighter is get a couple of losses and rejuvenates you. The earlier, the better, I think it happens in your MMA career in a lot of cases. Unless you're CM Punk. Unless, yes.

I wanted to say, look, we were already saying that Calvin Cater could be a future Fedorway champion based on his lost to Zabee. me Magal Med Sharapov. But after that Jeremy Stevens fight, how crispy is when he

lets them hands go. Of course, an elbow finished it. But fuck me, man. He is a talent, isn't he? He's got his hands are immense, man. He's class. And, you know, I remember I was at the Brooklyn cards, obviously was supposed to be Tony Habebe and he was fighting, Mikeano and that scrap.

And it was one of the fights the night. The two, them literally just stood there and banged, threw down, technical masterclass it was. And that's the kind of guy he is. And I think now he realizes um sorry he's he's finally getting the respect maybe he deserves and i think that was underlining that against jeremy stevens to put away a guy like jeremy stevens and to put on performance like that was was pretty sensational a lot of people don't do that to

jeremy stevens man and uh phenomenal stuff i i think this guy is going to be right up there within the next year he is already right up there now after that win but i think we're looking a potential title shot in the next 12 months you can keep going and i think he wants to get back in there again he said before the end of the summer so that'll, if you can win that fight, get a good opponent, get someone who gets them up there. You know, absolute stud, definitely.

Yorgand de Castro gave us a good one round and then Greg Hardy took control of his fight. I will agree with you that he does look like he improved a little bit. No doubt about it. I think the big moment in the fight, though, was Yorgina injuring his foot, if I'm completely honest. But what I wanted to ask you about, Noel, is Donald Seroni, right?

An incredibly, you know, competitive three rounds with a former champion, Anthony Pettis. Is this simply Donald Soroni showing up, or is Conner McGregor that good? That's what I wanted to ask you. I think it's Donald's showing up, and I think, you know, we spoke about this last week on the show. There's been numerous cases in big fights when the spotlight's been on him. There's been a lot of pressure on him that he hasn't showed up. and I think Donald's, when he takes a fight and short notice, you'll always get a better result from Donald

because his head's in that space, he wants to do it there and then he doesn't have an awful lot of time to think about it. He'd way too much time to think about those RDA and Connor McGregor fights didn't show up, wanted to show up on Saturday night and he showed up. He didn't have much time to think about it. Very much so the case, and I think Anthony Pettis is a guy he's fought before as well. Obviously a great fight the first time as well. So that would obviously factor into the equation as well.

but yeah, that's totally the case with Donald. And I just wonder now, you know, like, it's, what is it, eight, nine losses in his last 12 or something like that. You know, you said one or two more fights. You know, I'm at the point now where I think maybe Donald should step away. Yeah, I think a lot of people are there. Boy, I do feel as though McGregor, in a way, was a low-key winner on the night, even though he wasn't there.

Just the fact that Dana White was talking about him so much, the fact that so many people seem to be talking about, the possibility of Justin fighting Connor in the future I feel like he did get a little bit of a win that night

and Soroni you know being competitive against a former champion like Pettus I feel like McGregor kind of comes away

with it looking a bit better but we had one European in action on the night it was Alexi Olenik and it was by far as

most aggressive performance I suppose over the first two rounds so much in fact that he had to lie down between rounds in one of the most bizarre corner situations.

Feet up on the on the cage. It was odd like it was very odd but yeah a good performance gone. Like I mean

I feel like with Olinick he always thinks like my advantage is going to be on the ground here and when you're up against someone like Fabrizio over doom

you're not going to have a fucking advantage on the ground and I was like well that's him fucked but I have to say his aggression was really impressive and it wasn't the most technical thing

in the world but with them go go gadget arm man. He must have the longest arms I've ever seen. It was like they were wrapping around Verdun and hit them in the back of the end when he was throwing that overhand right. But I don't think Redoom looked himself, but I mean overall, that's got to be one of the biggest wins of all the next career, right?

Oh, the biggest, hands down. Forbitsy Overdome, former UFC heavyweight champion. Yeah, 100%. And he did, yeah, he looked good. And I think the factor in this fight was, as you mentioned, the aggression. I don't think Verdoin was expecting that. And that's really what caught him off guard in this fight. you know, lying down between rounds as well. Let's show you how much you tuck out of him

on a physical manner in a physical sense. And that's really what's offset Verdeum on this fight. And yeah, listen, huge, huge win for him. That's going to put him right up there now just outside the top two or three. So a big, big win for Europe and a big big win for Olnik. You're dead right about Verdun. And I guess it's been a long time since I've saw him fight. So, you know, but I remember when he did fight,

I mean, he's obviously got such a good ground game. just set a tone with his jab immediately, standing very square, that toy stands from Cardero, and just belting lads with short, short, straight shots, and he just never seemed to get Olinick backing up, and he couldn't employ his game, right? Yeah, no,

100% and I think with Fordham, obviously, having a prolonged period of time out, and you know, once you're not doing... He's no spring chicken eater, yeah, yeah, you know, once you're doing that the whole time, and, you know, I've always sort of, I've wonder that with Fordham, like, why doesn't he

take sort of more advantage of his ground game and his skills there and we see him stand it's like justin gaughey to a certain extent like we know he's such a good wrestler but we never see it because he's built so many other skills and put so many other weapons in his repertoire it's the same thing with for doom and i think you know that time out he's what 40 years of age now 41 he's looking like an old man and yeah a disappointing performance on his behalf and his case but very much so um an excellent performance from allick and you know hats off him i didn't really expect him to did I call him to win? Maybe I did. I don't know. I don't know.

But yeah. Who knows? Decent scrap. Decent scrap. Carla As far as I got the split decision not over. I actually scored for Watersham, but certainly not even close to one of the exciting fights of the night. The fight before that was, though. I described it as a religious experience. Vicente Leuke versus Nico Price.

Holy shit. It was a sleeper all week. People weren't talking about. we mentioned it last week. I was around. It was class. It was absolutely brilliant. And, man, Lucke is a bloody savage. The guy's, the guy's just so underrated. I remember seeing him years ago. I think it was on one of the McGregor cards. And that's when he first sort of really stood out to me. And I love watching the guy fight. Like, look a price as well, man. Two warriors.

It is. It looks really fucking torturous fighting that guy. I mean, he checks every fucking leg kick. Like, it just everything seems sore. Even when you're hitting him, it seems sore. That's what I was like, oh, Nico Price, man, he's trying to dig and he's coming out of it with a black guy. I don't even know how the fuck that happens, but that's what it seems to be with Lukey. He's just a very violent man, a very bloody violent man every time. I think he might be low-key taking over Tony Ferguson as a bloodmaker, the man who cuts people open, you know? He's class, man. Like, when you look at, like we're sort of talking about people who might make a push, I think he's a guy, you know, if he can get a consistent run, a wins together. It could be a big,

big threat for anyone. And like, who wants to? Who's going to want to fight that guy? I think he's one of those guys that he were going to look at go, oh shit. Fuck, no. Sean, I'm okay. I don't want that fight. I don't want to take it.

Offer to someone else. I'm not going to do. I'm going to hammy. No, honestly, I do. I think he's one of these guys. And, you know, that was flying under the radar all week for me. There was a number of people talking about online, but it was one that was really sticking out.

And I think he, and I surprised him with his call out as well. I think he realized that it's a process of a marathon. He called out Jeff Neal. I thought he would have called for a bigger name than Jeff Neal after a performance like that. But, you know, maybe he understands that it's a marathon, not a sprint. Very happy with his English as well, I have to say. He speaks beautiful English for a second language. We better not go anywhere without praising Bryce Mitchell.

Holy Jesus. One of the most impressive of grappling performances I can remember. I've never seen someone move into submissions as well against the black belt. a celebrated black belt in Charles Rosal. I mean, he had him in arm triangles. How many twister attempts in one fight? I mean, absolutely unbelievable. I can't wait to see more of this guy.

Unbeaten as well. Huge future. Listen, you've got to give it to Charles Rosa as well for not, you know, he's stuck in there, hung in there. Oh, the fence was incredible. Unreal stuff on it. Yeah, Price Mitchell, like, he's a funny dude as well. Listen to him afterwards, he was disappointed.

He didn't break. Rose's neck. He goes, that guy is tough. Mentler, absolutely. mental and he was pissed off he didn't get to twister he wants to be the first ever guy to get to um but man yeah what a talent on the ground but a fair play to rosa really really impressive as well um excellent heart what a warrior well there is no stoppage to the fights and the ufc in jacksonville so um let's talk to one of the fighters who was on the main card uh on wednesday it is marvin vittori the fighting

pride of italy who takes on carl robinson you'll remember that marvin vittori was meant to fight darren Stewart in London. Darren then went on to lose a fight against Bartos Fabinski at Cage Warriors in Manchester. It's been quite an adventure Marvin's been on and great to speak to him again. Obviously devastating the toll of coronavirus in Italy. So it's grew up to pick his mind about that. He seems to be clearly motivated by the struggle his nation is going through at the moment. Always great to speak to Marvin. We'll be back in about 20 minutes. And once again, he is back. It is the fighting pride of Italy, Marvin Vittori. Marvin, this has been a very

stressful few weeks or months I imagine for you. I'd say you are very happy to be fighting Carl Robertson in just two days' time. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. It's been pretty crazy. Yeah, I was supposed to fight 21st of March,

flew to London. Then the fight looked like it wasn't happening. And in fact, the UFC itself didn't happen. So I flew back. Then comes out, Darren Stewart that was supposed to be my opponent

actually fought that that weekend in the Cage Warrior. Yes. And that was pretty disappointing and then came back, kept training and stuff. And then I go schedule

for like the 25th of April. That didn't happen also. And then it was pretty crazy because we had to prepare with a lot of uncertainty all the time you know. I didn't know because obviously like this one also was

like I mean it looked like it was short but you never know since so many times it actually didn't happen but yeah I did a good job man I'm happy I'm ready and here we are just two days out tomorrow is going to be Wayne's

and yeah man I'm super happy to be able to fight and smash another guy and keep going with my winning streak. Yes, indeed. You mentioned it there about Darren Stewart. Was there ever a possibility that you could have fought him on Cage Warriors, or was that ever offered to you? Well, the thing is like it all happened in a way that it was impossible for me to make it,

because the moment they put up this travel ban, everybody kind of freaked out. They're like, oh, man, we've got to leave. Otherwise, we don't know how we're going to get. back to U.S. And I'm like, well, chill. I mean, let's see. But then everybody kind of freaked out.

And I was like, if anything, they're going to try to move the UFC to U.S. And so I was like, all right, well, I mean, my only chance to fight is actually to go back to U.S. anyway. And so I'm like, all right, I'll go. Then we went. I actually asked because I knew part of it was obviously bringing the main event there. They're flying out Leonados over there too, and they're like, yeah, yeah, he's actually on a fly right now, which wasn't. And about that, and also, like, so they're flying him out too,

and they're like, yeah, I'm pretty sure they're looking for it. So I went on the flight thinking that if anything would have happened, it would have been happening in the U.S. and not in that. I would have never thought. It never happened in history that, and then the UFC moved a couple of fights in Cajor. So you could never have thought that that that could have happened. So I didn't know until then I came back and they're like maybe they're actually moving a couple of fights to Cagewater. So it was an option for me.

Obviously, they would have told me like, oh, maybe it's actually happening. You want to stay in London and father of Caineworthy. I would say yes, I'm sure. But that was never an option until I was there. You know, it's crazy to me, Marvin. I'm looking at the situation. You know, you have had two fights canceled. On top of that, there is a huge crisis in Italy.

we know, it was one of the hardest hit countries in all of Europe by coronavirus. Has this made this one of the most stressful camps of your career? Definitely, man. Definitely. And some other stuff that I don't want to mention happen. But, you know, like, I learned how to turn, how to turn adversities into strength. I did it before, you know, like, if you look from a, From a point of view in my career, I had a lot of unlocked situation.

But, you know, it's all about how you react to them more than them happening because they will happen. Life is long and life will bring you challenges. That's the fact. So it's all how you react to them and I learned. So I'm super motivated. And when they lock that cage, man, there'd be nothing that can save that guy, honestly. Like, my mindset is a bulletproof and my, um, my, my, my, my, my, my,

My physique is bulletproof and there's nothing. My technique is ready and, yeah, I mean, I'm just ready to go, man. I'm really, I'm really, I'm ready to go. I saw that you spoke to my colleague, Damon Martin, that you wanted to send a message of resilience to the Italian people. Have you heard messages from back home about how much this means to them to see you fighting on Wednesday? Yeah, no, that's it. Yeah, I mean, it's very true what I said there.

I do want to send them a message of resilience and that, you know, giving up is never an option. And we should really never even think about it or if we think we just have to switch that thought and something else and find another way. You know, like there is multiple ways to find new ways to keep going. and we just have to not give up trying to find them.

So that's it, man. Like, I mean, like, media can be very weird sometimes, but in Italy, like, nowhere else in the world businesses, and the whole state has been shut down for basically 60 days where, like, 95% of the business were completely close and people couldn't leave their house. Like, something that it's, like, it's close to be a, dictatorship kind of like

a like dealing like a way of dealing with things and people are hurt like people are very hurt like not even that much from the coronavirus right now

but like from the consequences of how it's been being locked away how they dealt with it yeah so it's definitely it's definitely important to send a message and just

to, you know, to kind of show them that no matter what happens, we're not going to give up. So, yeah, I'm looking forward to it, and I know I will bring all that energy on top of my shoulders Wednesday when I fight. It sounds like you have been motivated by the nation's struggle. Yeah, I mean, honestly, like, all the struggles, man, I learn how to not give up to them, like not not not not just like uh you know like there there there must be ownership like even it's not about oh it's my fault or somebody's else's fault like that most of the time in life don't don't don't matter like it doesn't like nobody gives a fuck whose fault is like

that thing happened you have to deal with it and um that's it man like we we could i mean we would have the right we could have the right to give the to to to to do that's it man and um we could to blame a lot of people for a lot of things that happens. But at the end of the day, if we don't pick ourselves out from the mud, nobody will. So we have to do it, man. And there is always a way. So that's it.

I mean, this is fuel. This is fuel to adversity or fuel for my will, you know, for my will to succeed. So, um, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm filled up by adversity. So I have a lot of energy for this fight. And I know how to channel it in good one. You know, it's obviously, it's a huge, made huge headlines on Friday when Jack Array tested positive.

Did you fear that, like, I mean, were you like, oh, no, this better not be canceled again when you saw this report? I was. I have to be honest. That was my last, that was my last thing. I was like, fuck, man, if that happens, that'd be, that's bad, you know. So I was a little bit. I was a little bit because you can never, you can't, you don't know.

It's really like, you don't, like, probably want, but it is always a possibility. So, so there was a little bit, yes. So you must be very happy that the UFC are pressing ahead with this. Yeah, yeah. I mean, honestly, like, touch food, but like, I, I, the antibody. test came out negative and it's so negative but the other one still has to come so I'm like you know like we don't want to be like

negative and everything but like it's still there's still a super little chance but it's like they still like the other like the one that the anti body came out negative but the other one the nasal test is still is still out there so we'll

have it in a couple of hours I think but it's fine I think I'm pretty sure like it's going to be good but yeah I'm happy they're doing all this to to prevent the spreading and stuff. Do you feel safe? You're happy with the decision you've made to go there and everything. You're happy with the level of safety with the UFC?

Man, I, if anything, it's for others. I've never been scared of this thing. And I mean, I, this is a little thing that just adds up to all the rest. Like, it's not a thing that would stop me for anything. But, like, obviously, you have to be, you have to, you can't just be selfish and just do whatever the hell. you want without thinking about the population that could be hurt by this, you know? So for me, it's good. I mean, it's definitely great that they did. They took all these

precautions and stuff. But for my own health, I don't really, I wasn't really scared. Good, good. And it's good news that you've got the one test has come through already. And fingers crossed, everything will be good with the nasal check as well. I wanted to ask you, Marvin, and you, it's not just you, this was a lot of fighters. When the events were cancelled in April and in March, there was some kind of blowback on the media, the MMA media. People felt as though they had maybe taken their criticism too far. Do you still feel that way? Oh, I devise something about it.

I understand, though, because, I mean, you guys are trying to make money, right? Like, I understand it's a lot more personal to you than it is other people, right? Yeah, but there's a thing like, you know, like, you know the EOC is not going to really listen to it. It's going to happen. Yeah. So it is going to happen. So if anything, by doing that, you're just going to hurt the fighters that might. And again, I wasn't that stupid to think that the media can really control everything, but they do play a big role to these things all the time.

They do play a big role. So I was like, man, if like, because I could see. like a week out they were started bombing this the events and the USC they they they would be quiet the whole time like kind of quiet and then the week a week out they started bombing and I'm like man you're like you're letting kind of like you're letting the photos getting ready until they're almost good to go and then the last week you're trying to talk shit about it and then maybe kind of like trying to kind of stop the event to happen you know yes and you guys have to make money

right? You're going to hurt the fighters because you're going to let them get ready until then going through all the problems that a fighter have to get ready for and then and then maybe kind of like

this thing doesn't happen like the event doesn't happen anymore so the one that the one who get hurt the most is actually the fighters so it's like you know if you're trying to help the fighters there's definitely not the case. Yes I understand I just wanted to make sure I asked you about that but um

You have a newer opponent, as we mentioned, in Carl Robertson. I think this is a really good opponent. Do you think this is an even better opponent than Darren Stewart, maybe? I think he's a little bit better than him, yeah. But it doesn't make much difference, honestly. But I think he's a little bit stronger. He actually beat him, I think. He actually, this guy beat Darren Stewart.

So, yeah, but, I mean, you know, new opponent, new challenge. I'm looking to be number one. He's just another challenge. That's it. Is there a big difference in the, in the stoils you had to prepare for? I mean, he does, he's a little bit different in the way they box,

but like, obviously Salpo, Darren was orthodox. But yeah, I mean, overall, not really. I mean, actually Darren might have been a little bit more powerful,

maybe a little bit slower. Overall, it's, the bow striker, though. I mean, overall, they're,

to be similar, but obviously I changed a lot because, like, one guy is self or the other guy, Darren, was orthodox, but overall in the game plan didn't change much. And I'm ready, man. When I'm ready, it doesn't matter who I have in front of me. Like, I really focus on myself. I'm ahead of these guys because, like, they're going to think, oh, what he's going to do, because I'm prepared and I'm,

better than them everywhere. So they'll be like, oh, fuck, what if it takes me down? Oh, fuck. What if he punches me? Oh, fuck. What if it's like, grinds me out? And I'm like, yeah, I'm going to do all that to you. So you better be prepared for all of it.

But guess what? If you prepare for everything, you're not ready for anything. So, and they're a step behind trying to figure out what I'm going to do to them. And I'm just working on myself. You had that amazing fight with Israel-A-Dassania two years ago. and sometimes I see you talk about this online and people in the comments are acting like you didn't give him an amazing fight.

It's an incredibly close fight. Some people even scored the fight for you. Are you hoping when you get out there to show people that you are ready, you are ready for another go at Stoilbender. You are ready to take on the toughest challenges at middleweight. Yes, yes, yes. It's about putting them on notice, yes.

It's about giving me their respect that I deserve, yes. It's about all of this. It's about representing my country is the people who believe in me every from day one, you know, and they really won the best for me,

and they know what I went through for this. I owe it to myself, too. Like, I know what I've done for this, for this fight. For this sport in general, man. Like, no many people did what I did. I give out everything, basically, for this.

and when I'm in that case I'll bring it all with me and I definitely deserve to be up there there's and I'm and I truly believe that I will beat him again

when I see him when I see him in that cage again I'm sure he's improved but I'm a different guy too so people seem to forget very quickly Marvin in this sport don't they

I mean this is a very clearly clearly close fight you had with him right? Yeah but Listen, they, nobody talked about that fight. That's the funny thing. Nobody ever talked about this fight.

You'll see no highlights. You'll see nobody ever talked about that fight. Because they didn't look good. And they wanted him to look good all the way through. But now that I'm, I had to make, I will have to make a good name out of myself before they start to talk about it. But they wouldn't give me credit before, even though the credit is there. I was 15 minutes with him and faced him for 15 minutes and put up that fight with him. So they should be talking about it, but they don't.

He's the A side. But it will switch, you know. But like I said, I will have to make an email for myself, and I will. I'm completely willing to. And I'm really confident. I'm really confident. Every time I train, every time I put in work, every time I go spar with somebody. My confidence keep going up, going up, going up.

And it's not just about physical skills, it's about mental skills. I have mental skills that a lot of people don't possess. And this is going to be the big difference. Marvin, thank you so much for joining us again. An absolute pleasure to speak to you. All the best to your family in Italy. And I hope you stay safe. and I hope that second test comes through

so we can see you back in action again, my friend. Thank you very much, man. Thank you very much, Peter. All the best. And I'll look you soon. Bye-bye. Thank you so much to Martin Vittori. Big fight against Carl Robertson on the main card of UFC Jacksonville this Wednesday.

Probably not the star-studded affair that UFC 249 was. Anthony Smithy Glawyer to chair in the main event, not quite getting the same traction as Justin Gage. you v Tony Ferguson, believe it or not. No, listen, it's one of those fights. It's a gay keeper fight in my opinion. They've both obviously

had John Jones in the past. It's a good fight. It's a big night for the UFC first fight under the current climate around the world. On cable television, it's not pay-per-view. It's obviously going to be on ESPN and live, obviously, on UFC fight pass as well, I think, here

in this side of the pond. So it's a big night in terms of that to see how much numbers they draw and it's going to be a good indication, I presume, of how many people are going to be tuning into live sports that's, you know, on cable TV or free to air. So that's the main interest for this card for me. But in terms of the fight, it's an interesting one and probably the way things are going at the moment for Anthony Smith, I'd have to give him the nod. But it's, you know, a couple of heavyweight fights in the card. There's some good up and coming talents. It's decent. It's a good card. There's a couple of fights there, I think, flying under the radar as well.

Same Prue, obviously, going to heavyweight against Rotwell, not really. Rotwell obviously got back to action with that win over, Stefan Strove. Not really dying to see that one, but I'm really liking Dober v. Hernandez, to be honest. Yeah. I think Dober is so underrated, man. Dober is ridiculous the underrated. He knocked the man dead on that Connor McGregor undercard when I was over there in Vegas. Nasraud Hackperast, of all people.

Like, a guy we had marked as a future potential champion from Europe. obviously fighting out of Germany. His parents are from Afghanistan as far as I know. So, yeah, I mean, that was really fucking impressive to me. Like two left crosses, I believe, one against Polaroz and one against Hackparas now. I think that's a bad fight for Alexander Hernandez based on how he fights. Yeah, man, I love it.

I think Dover's a guy that's always been underrated. I think is he married to Nick Hines' sister, I believe. He is. Yeah, something like that, yeah. So yeah, like unbelievable talent and progression the way he's came on. He's up with Justin Gagey now with Trevor Whitman. He's trained up there. He was talking a lot about that and how good his wrestling has come on working with Justin Gachi.

He says Justin shows off a lot more of his wrestling and training and stuff like that. But you know, you've Alex Hernandez, that lost to Soroni, then impressively went out and got a decision victory over the fucking nightmare that is Francisco. Trinaldo trying to fight against, as we all were saying in this show, we said for years. So for a guy who's relatively young and Alex Hernandez to come out and bounce back after that loss to Soroni

and get a win over Trinolo, that'll stand to him as well. But yeah, it's a fascinating fight. As I said there earlier on, it's one of the fights that you're sort of flying under the radar a bit coming into this. But yeah, I really like it. And they've Ray Borg, Ricky Simone as well, and that's a really, really good fight. Ricky

shaved off his mullet as well. Remember that beautiful mullet rots tail that's gone pete's sake so ray borga obviously you know that's a big mistake it's a big mistake making a big change like that before a very important fight you know what I mean I think that's a great little fight as well I have to say I'm really

looking forward to Martin Vittori we're going to be speaking in a few minutes as well against Carl Robertson andrea Rolovsky I think we'll just push that to the side a little bit you know how I feel about watching him these days but the one I think sort of sticks out for me as well is Michael Johnson against Tiago I'm always I think it's a really really

go fight and looking forward to that two guys who always bring it. I love watching Michael Johnson fight and then further down the card there is Chase Sherman is returning I think he's the first guy that must be signed back from BKB is he? I'm not 100% sure he was

obviously with BKB for a while and he's back in the UFC and then we've Sejari UBanks against Sarah Marice and now sticks out for you there Brian Keller obviously as well your crystal buddy you know I like watching Brian fight he's fighting the Hunter isorei so that's that's a good scrap as well a big test for him

yeah well you're going to hear barron speak about it now in a few minutes the hunter isore fight is his ideal kind of fight he loves fighting these unbeaten guys with a lot of hype and we saw back in january that he can capitalize on that he's he's calling himself the contender series hunter now he's after that fight with sean o'malley and if he keeps dispatching these guys who are undefeated who have a lot of hype from these contender series things i mean the storyline writes itself as he explains later. I just want to say about Marvin as well. I know we just

had him on. I think he's very underrated fighter. I think the whole Usada business that happened to O'Malley as well. Yeah, yeah, joke. Stop them dead in his tracks and then you know. A lot of Sanya fight? He puts out of Sanya fucking well. Better than anyone, man.

He really, really did. Better than anyone. It doesn't get an awful lot of credit for that. Doesn't at all. And yeah, I totally agree with you. Like, you know, that was touch our bloody go. one point in that fight. I think it was in the third round when... Did he hurt?

Carl Robertson... Yeah. I can't remember particularly what happened. I remember being extremely close, though, because I was big on the Stoylbender

bandwagon when he came in. And I was his most disappointing... It was, sorry, it was his most disappointing performance at Asana and there was obviously a reason behind that and the reason was Martin Vortory

was so bloody good. Yeah. I do think Robertson's very good, though, as well. He's real slick, fighter. It's a tough challenge but I think if he gets a win here he's going to start getting the respect he deserves

and with Ali Hibdel Azizan in his corner it's always a good side. Oh yeah, well you will make his way up those rankings. You value, you can get a title shot if you're 15th ranked if you really want. I'm taking the piss. But obviously, yeah, I know what you mean. But yeah. So let's go on to our interview of

Brian Keller. We have to come back and talk about Saturday's card still. We're sick of it. It's only back two days. we want it, we want it rid of it again. Fucking hell, two cards in a week, lads. Jesus. I know, I know, man. I do like Saturday's card though.

But here, hey, let's talk to the Brian Keller. He's our Irish man on Wednesday's card. We need to get behind this dude. So let's talk to Brian. I've asked him about Kelvin Gasselom's second doping violation for marijuana. He has a few thoughts on that. He talked about the waiver also that the fighters had to sign. A lot going on for Brian.

Always a pleasure to speak to him. one of the good guys in this sport. We're back in about 20 minutes. debut on the Eurobash. It is none of the other than Brian Boom Keller, one of the Crystal Crew, one of my good homies from this game, and sometimes co-host of the wonderful

A-side with Jose Youngs. Brian, how are you, first of all, my friend? I'm doing great, man. I got my tiger's eye hanging from my neck right now and never felt better. That's beautiful news. That is beautiful news, my friend. What a weird situation we're in here,

right? I mean, is this the most unique experience you've had as a UFC fighter? Is that putting it lightly? Oh, yeah. I mean, it's definitely different, but I kind of like it. It's like real quiet, you know, there's not much interviews. There's not much distraction going on over here. You know, the nose swab was a little bit weird.

It wasn't as bad as I thought, though, I'll be honest. But yeah, we just got to take safety precautions and then, you know, I'm just trying to focus on the fight though. Yeah, I'd say that is the hardest thing to do, right? With everything so weird, I mean, nothing. is as you probably visualize everything going to be at a UFC event. I mean, is it hard to stay kind of focused on the task at hand with all this stuff going on? For me, not so much.

You know, I think I kind of tuned everything out. You know, as soon as I heard, I had a fight. I know, you know, I got to buckle down and get into like that mental space that I need to focus. So for me, I tuned everything out as soon as that happened. And so far, so good. I think, you know, the main thing is like no crowd at the arrival. arena and when we show up at the arena it's like go time like you literally get there they wrap your hands up the referee comes in you warm up and you go fight like everything's kind of like rushed so that

might feel a little different i won't be able to tell you till after the fight but uh i anticipate it being a little bit different did did you have any reservations i guess of going out here we're hearing like you know the looks of royne hall saying oh i don't want to do this until everything is calm down Did you have any reservations personally about heading out to Jacksonville? No, not really. You know, for me, I always want to stay active. And, you know, coming off a big win, I want to roll off with some momentum. So I was, you know, eager to fight.

I just knew it was hard to get every single training session that I needed in these times, you know, with the gyms closed and everything. So I wasn't going to be able to make 135. But fortunately, I got an offer to fight at featherweight against another Bannam weight, which you don't hear a lot of times. So I'm thankful the UFC made that happen, gave us both an opportunity to make some money and keep working, you know, while this crisis is going on. So I'm happy with the overall situation. I'm just trying to stay cautious. Yeah, I guess I was speaking to Marvin Vittori, he was fighting on the same card earlier. And he said when the news broke on Friday about Jackery, he was worried that everything was going to be called.

Did you get that feeling as well after preparing for a fight and being ready to go? and then suddenly that news comes in, were you fearing the worst? Yeah, I was a little bit on edge after I heard that. I was like, man, I hope, you know, this doesn't have a trickle-down effect, and I hope, you know, it keeps things under wraps, and they're able to still proceed with the show. I just knew, like, you got to be safe, you got to be, you know, cautious, but also, you know, hope for the best.

You know, I know with the January 18th card falling through, I know anything's possible last minute, you know, things can fall apart. So I was, I'm mentally prepared for everything, you know, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I know I'm going to fight in my head, but I'm also like, hey, whatever happens, happens. Does it give you that extra level of comfort? You mentioned earlier the fact that you're fighting a weight class up. You know, a lot of people are kind of talking about, I think we talked about it on the A side, the fact that you guys would have such low immune systems kind of weighing in and stuff and with this virus going around, does it kind of give you that extra bit of comfort knowing that you don't have to completely deteriorate yourself, so to speak, to make that weight? Oh, dude, I got tigers, I got the vaccine. There's nothing, nothing can get to my system right now with this shit on my neck. No.

Even though that's completely true, please continue. Yes, yes, 100%. If you're looking for the vaccine, come to me. I have it for sale. Yeah, no, I don't feel any threat really. You know, I think the UFC is doing a great job, too, with keeping things safe as much as possible. They got all these professionals here.

They got everything under wraps with, like, distance. And I'm not a big fan of the mask thing, but, you know, we're trying to wear them as much as possible when we're around other people, you know, going through the elevator, stuff like that. So, you know, I'm not too worried about it. I feel like, you know, they're doing their best. I'm just really focused on the fight, and I think everything's going to go through.

It was really nice to see UFC 249 come to a conclusion because that gave me a little bit more clarity. So I feel better now. Did that motivate you seeing that theater or not? Like, I mean, it also obviously gives you the opportunity to kind of visualize the environment you're going to be in. But, I mean, when you're watching that, you're like, holy shit, I'm into this. This is going to be fun. Yeah, I get, like, so attached to these fights because I, you know, You know, I'm about to go do the same thing.

So I almost can feel myself doing it. And, like, it was, like, hard to fall asleep after those fights. Like, I had a lot of adrenaline. I had a little bit of nerves. Like, oh, man, like, this is going to be me in, like, you know, four or five days. So, you know, I was really tuned into the fights. And it was definitely a different atmosphere with Joe Rogan and Anik and D.C., like separate around the cage.

And then, you know, just the eerie, like, quietness of the arena. And you see, like, Dana White's going live on Instagram. like showing all these things so it was just a different feel but i think um you just got to kind of focus on the task at hand and almost pretend it's like going into the gym you know there's no people in the gym when you go spar it's not like it's not like there's crazy amount of people watching you and stuff so i just pretend it's going to be like that yeah no i was speaking to a friend hosea yungs earlier and he was kind of saying you know it it kind of feels like maymac when he was covering a maymack he said, you know, it was only a couple of weeks later that he realized he was kind of in the midst

of history when he was there. But he said this certainly feels like that, that you guys, everyone that's there on the ground in Jacksonville is part of history. And I guess we don't know what side of history we're going to be on. Yes. But is that, is that what it feels like to you as well? Like this is a kind of a very unique and possibly historic moment in the promotion's history. Yeah, I didn't really think of it like that. But now that you say, yeah, it's kind of true it's definitely different you know to be a part of this uh i think as well as you know if the whole fight island thing comes to fruition like that's another thing that's part of history that i would love to be a part of you know uh the first card on there or maybe even whatever if they have multiple cards

i'd love to participate in that um but yeah this is definitely uh different and like unprecedented times with the ufc and how they're running things and how uh you know the fighters have to go through the whole system. So yeah, it's, it's an interesting change. But like I said, you know, I think psychologically it's best to kind of tune it out and just focus as if it's the same kind of thing. You're just going into a fight. You got to perform it and fight your best. You know, as well, when I was talking to Jose, you would understand the context he's speaking about a lot more. Obviously, I'm not really up on my US sports that much. But he said it really was a mark to how many, how significant this was

on Saturday night when he saw athletes from the NFL, NBA, all tweeting about the event. Like, what do you feel like the UFC means in America now? Just, just in terms of them being the first sport back, Dana Hoyt being more visible than ever,

the sport, yourselves being more visible than ever. What does it really mean for the UFC? How is it viewed in America at the moment? Yeah, I think this is a good thing, man. I think this is bringing, you know, good eyes to the sport. I think more eyes to the sport, especially, you know, people at home, you know, losing their minds, you know, the mental health aspect, wanting something to be excited for.

I think this plays a big role in that. And, you know, I'm thankful Dana and the UFC and all them, you know, put the work in to get this done with all the safety precautions that they needed to make sure that it didn't look like a just an egotistical move, you know, just like a crazy, wild. you know, long shot at trying to get an event done. I think they did the right things. And I think, you know, the word is getting out there to people. Like, look, the UFC is able to do this.

They, you know, they prepared really well to keep it as safe as possible. I think other sports are going to take the, you know, the outlook on this thing and be like, we could do it too now. And maybe things are going to start moving into a more normal direction for everybody's lives. And I think that's a good thing. Oh, yeah. Believe me. I think a bit of normality is what everybody wants at the moment.

And Brian, I wanted to just ask you about this waiver thing. People are going crazy about it. The media members have to sign it. The fighters have to sign it. Do you feel like this is a storm and a teacup? Do you feel like people are getting maybe, you know, being a bit more dramatic than it is about this situation? Like, I mean, did you bat an eyelid when you were asked to sign this thing? Was it a big crisis of confidence you had before you did it or was it just, you know, a signature and move on with your life?

No, it was more just, you know, it's pretty much either sign this or you ain't going to fight. You know what I mean? So for the fighters, like, I don't even know if we have an option to not sign that thing. That's the problem, you know, it's like you just, it is what it is. I understand it, you know, the UFC is trying to cover their side of things, you know. The problem with the whole situation is that, you know, there's no guarantees. And so as much as they're taking the safety precautions they are, like we still got to fly home, you know, And that's on us.

You know, they're not going to hold our hands at the airport and make sure we don't touch our face or make sure we don't, you know, walk without a mask and someone, you know, that has it. Maybe we come across, you know, so it's possible we get home from the event and, you know, we contract the virus and they just want to make sure like, hey, you're not going to come here and go through all the safety stuff and then leave and then say it's our fault. So I get it, but it's one of those things. You just sign it, you know, and you got to just keep moving forward. I think you're going to be particularly excited about this opponent. He's an unbeaten guy, and I know you love fighting unbeaten guys. Are you happy with this matchup? Oh, yeah, exactly.

You said it right there. I mean, before I was ever in the UFC, that was like my goal, my vision was like, hey, it's now or never. Let's fight the best prospects around and all the guys that the UFC are talking about being the next guy to get into the UFC. Let's go fight that guy. So that was my mindset before I was ever even in the UFC. And so I've kind of kept that mindset, and I like to be a guy that, you know, can challenge another guy who's never lost, never tasted defeat.

And it excites me to display, you know, I have a lot more experience than this guy. And I'm very confident myself, you know, I think people look at your losses or they look at your whole resume and they kind of write you off. Like, oh, that guy has a lot of losses. Like, he's nothing. But, I mean, I'm not going to compare myself to, you know, Jorge Mazvedal or like Nate Diaz. But, you know, those are guys that have been through the ups and downs and the sport and look where they got, you know. So you can never count someone like me out. I feel like I have that ability to bounce back no matter what happens.

And I still have the same confidence, you know, coming off that last win that I had, you know, first getting into the UFC. The goal is to be the best. And that's where I'm striving for. And that's where I'm heading for this year. You know, we had Sean O'Malley on the show. You know him, which I like that fight with you and him. I've told you in person. I think it's great.

for it to happen in Dublin, we, you two guys with such close toys to Ireland with those second names, every single Irish person sees those second names. It goes, hang on a second. He's one of us.

I mean, I thought that was a brilliant fight for Dublin. I know Sean wasn't too intrigued by it, but I mean, do you feel if you put a marker down here against Azura, you could go on and maybe,

you know, voice your interest in that fight again and maybe it won't fall on deaf ears? Oh, yeah, for sure. I think this fight, I think also I'm building a storyline here, you know, defending O'Day Osborne, contender series guy, now Hunter is your, you know, another contender series guy. You know, I can, you know, definitely voice something after this and set myself up for a big

fight. I think, you know, if I put on a really good performance here and then say some things, you know, they're definitely going to hear me in the quiet arena. So I plan on doing that and calling my shots. I understand how the sport works. I'm not like the biggest guy into, you know, trillions. trash talk, but I'm, you know, this is my personality. I really never jump outside of who I am.

I like to have fun with it. So I'm definitely going to ask for what I want. You know, that's how things work. So I'll do that. And I think I have a good chance at, you know, getting myself closer to that fight. Just as much as he doesn't really like to acknowledge me or say anything, I think the UFC will, show more acknowledgement with a big win here. You are the contender series, Hunter.

Is that what you're telling me? I'm the fucking Hunter. It's hunting season, baby. I love it. And come here. You've got to tell me. Is it okay if we support you as Irish people, you know, and call you Irish and stuff? Because we don't got a lot of guys in there at the moment.

We got Connor. We have Joe Duffy, who has no fight booked at the moment. Connor's always, you know, in the middle of negotiating, I'd say. But we need a guy to get behind. Is it okay if the Irish people jump on the Brian Keller or bandwagon? Of course you could jump on the Brian Keller or a bandwagon. You're fucking kidding me, right? I deserve that.

No, but I mean, would that have meant something that meant a lot to you to come to Dublin and fight that time? I know it was something you were buzzing about. It doesn't seem like that event's going to happen. Although we have no official confirmation, we're having no gatherings in Ireland over 5,000 people until September. So, I mean, that seems to be off the cards. But is that something you'd like to do in the future? Oh, yeah, 100%. I think the Irish fans are so fun.

And I think they got a lot of passion, you know. And I would love to experience that I've never been over to Ireland. So I definitely was looking forward to that as a potential potential fight in August. But yeah, like you said, I don't think with the crowds, it might be a lot longer until we get to that point. But definitely in the future, I got to get one in an island for sure. I have one more thing to ask you about, Brian.

And I don't want to be making you too emotional at this stage in the fight camp. But I've got to ask you about Calvin Gasolum. He's just got his second dope and violation for marijuana. What do you think of this? And as a foyer, is it ridiculous that Usada are testing for this? Yeah, you know, the way that people get caught, it's very unfortunate because, you know, it's like, you know, I can drink alcohol, you know, last night and whatever. And it's out of your system, you know, the next day. It's not like you're drunk the next day or whatever.

Same thing where marijuana is like I could have smoked, you know, two weeks ago for whatever, recovery or sleep or whatever you use it for. And then, you know, it's out of your system. It has zero performance enhancement any time moving forward, you know, and then you still get punished for it as a fighter. I don't agree with that, you know. I think, you know, PEDs is, of course, you know, the performance enhancers that you need to look for. But, you know, with the marijuana, I think they're just not up with the times.

You know, I think they got CBD legal and that's part of the plant. And I know it doesn't get, you know, high or whatever. But, like, you know, everyone knows the way the plant works and the way it happens, you know, you feel something for an hour or whatever, however amount of time and then it's over. Like, there's no performance enhancement moving forward. So I don't really agree with the rules with how they punish people. But, you know, they have it at a threshold, I believe, that is pretty high.

And but in some, some commissions don't have it as high. Like Texas, I believe, New York, it's a little bit lower. So if you had smoked and you have a little bit more fat on your body, it attaches to the fat cells and you can fail the test when meanwhile you know it's not even active in your system at that moment so it's unfortunate for kelvin yeah it feels like to me that like the CBD properties would be the PED in it you know what I mean like as in there the thing yeah gaining things from and if that's legal I don't understand what the THC part is illegal you know yeah right like the CBD is you know giving you those recovery benefits the anti-inflammation the sleep you know

properties that it can have, you know, stress relieving. Like, well, I mean, it's a natural thing and it's way better than taking any kind of pills with side effects and stuff like that. But like you said, like those are some kind of enhancements and, you know, they have nothing to say about that side of things. Are we expecting you hands behind the back, Jorge Masvedal, Stoyle, at the start of this point? Is that a new staple of your game? I was thinking about that, actually. It might be. I have like, I have a feeling that that that kind of throws people off a little bit.

You know, just doing that little enactment is kind of like, well, all right, what's this guy doing? I know what that is. I've seen that before. Is he going to come running at me? It kind of gets your opponent thinking a little bit.

So that's what's behind that. You think you can put this going away? Are we expecting another quick finish on this night? Or is that too hard to predict at this stage? No, I mean, that's my vision. My vision is always, you know, finishing the fight. So I'm going to look for it.

You know, I'm going to fight smart, but I'm going to look for the finish. Anything that he presents, I'm going to go for, you know, I really can't say until I'm in the fight how I'm going to feel. You know, I did the best that I can to prepare for this fight on the two weeks notice that I had. You know, it was a crammed fight camp, but I kind of like that, you know, I don't have to deal with the stress of the hard weight cut, which really helps me. I feel strong. Today is, you know, essentially weight cut day, and I kind of feel pretty regular. I feel like, all right, I don't feel like I usually feel where I'm kind of drained and sucked out and dehydrated. So maybe those things are going to benefit me come Wednesday.

You know, it's all really the Tigers either, right? Let's be honest. I know, I wish I could wear this in the cage, you know what I'm saying? Yeah, okay. You're going to hide it somewhere. Put it in your gum shield. Yeah. But, Brian, thanks so much for-

Yeah, yes. Thanks so much for joining us, Brian. It's a real pleasure. to speak to you. Best of luck. I hope all the tests come back negative, and I hope you have a great performance. And make sure to watch your crystals around Jose Youngs,

because he is lurking around there in Jacksonville, my friend. All right. I'll keep an eye on him, man. If anything, I'll just, I'll sneeze or something. He won't come near him. That's the spirit, my friend. I'll talk to you soon and enjoy the fight. All right, man.

Thanks. All the best. Have a good luck. Great to speak to Brian Keller. Another undefeated opponent in his wife. way here. Let's see how he gets on. I'm excited to see him back in action. I don't know if I'm going to tune

out of that whole card live, but I'll definitely watch Brian and Marvin's group. You get out of here, you're fucking lightways. What to mean you're going? What else you'd be fecking doing? At home, bloody, playing with yourself. Get it great. Is that such a problem? Is that such a bad call

in these desperate times? Oh, Jesus. Of course you'll be watching it. Fucking hell. I'm trying to be watching tomorrow. What else is there to bloody do? I'm sick of the fights Yeah well that that is try I'll be sick I'll be sick of my bloody Saturday

Jesus Christ Yeah Let's have a look at that Saturday for you Obviously a European god In the main event It is Alistair Overeux against Walt Harris Who of course And very tragically lost

His stepdaughter Late last year I believe it was And Alistair fighting for the first time Coming off that Jersey Rosenstruck loss And every time we write this man off though he seems to come back

in emphatic ways do you have him over Walt Harris here or do you feel like the recent tragedy in Walt Harris's life probably hasn't more focused on a motive than ever yeah that's you know that's obviously going to be a very tough one to see and and really

know and I think we'll speak to Walt probably on on Wednesday or a Thursday believe it is and the media day is on it's going to be interested to see where his mind's at and I think it's either one way or the other, these sort of things go in situations like that with fighters and it's obviously, you know,

just unbelievable circumstances and what happened to his stepdaughter and tragic. But yeah, I think with Alistair, this is, you know, in terms of a technical striker, this is the toughest test of Walt Harris's career by a long shot. So, yeah, it's going to be interesting to see what Walt does. We saw the fight against Alenik that he won, you know, very, very impressively.

but it's been a long time you know it's been over a year it's gonna be very interesting to see hey bounces back and allister for that you know thought because he's not getting on the older and remember that lip man against Rosenstruck as well it was hanging off his face both guys there's a lot here mentally

for both guys to adjust to going into this fight and I think it's going to be very very interesting I'm finding quite hard Pete's to call a winner in this fight and you know maybe Walt has the advantage with the wins behind them but it's going to be interesting to see how he he bounced back from that, from that terrible tragedy that he's had in his personal life.

Absolutely, absolutely. We have Angela Hill in the Coimane event, I believe Esther and Casey were down filming and with her today. A big, big fight there with Claudia Goddaela. And I feel like for Angela, it's a good time to be fighting, Gadella, to be quite honest. She's a bit more all over the place

than she has been known to be over the last number of fights. I know she's changed her camp a couple of times. Yeah, I mean, you know, you're coming two and two from a person we thought would be a perennial title contender there at Strawweight. It's a good time for Angela, isn't it? Oh, definitely.

She's momentum behind her, momentum. As we always say, and I think everyone knows in mixed martial arts is key, and that's the one thing. Claudia Goodellia has absolutely zero of, obviously, you know, changing her camps. She was down, I know, with Greg Jackson at one point, then she was in Vegas,

you know, multiple changes to her. New Mexico as well. You know, three canceled fights, the loss to run, the win over Randemarcus before that, the answer I'll fight, then losing to Andrage. It's just been such a nightmare. And Angela Hill is, you know,

obviously since the time we saw her in the Ultimate Fighter, she's just got better, better, better, working up in alliance with Dominic Cruz and Eric Delfiero. The UFC let her go back to Invicta for a while. She's come out of Invicta, hugely improved and better, better fighter. She's three on the bounce.

Now, this could be an unbecky unbelievable time for her to get her. And we see the way Claudia likes to stand in her feet as well. Andrew's a fantastic kickboxer. She really seems to be able to put things together now. I think we could have an upset in the cards here. And if you're a betting person, which I amant on the fights, that is probably a sleeper and an underdog that you might be worth a punt on.

Edson Barbosa moves to featherweight against Dan Igay, certainly not an easy fight by any stretch of the imagination. Ege completely blew us out of the water with his last performance against Mirsad Bechtich. unbelievable hands I really like this fight man I think Barbosa Fedorweight

we were speaking to Jose Shorty Torres about this recently he said he looks unbelievable a Federer he's very lean he is incredibly fast in training like when a flyweight is complimenting a lightweight moving to Fedorweight on his speed

it's a pretty exceptional thing but I don't know who do you favor here I mean when Barbosa shows up he looks like a world biter when he doesn't show up he really doesn't show up he really doesn't show up.

It's going to be... I'm finding this hard with the call. It's going to be interesting. I think the weight cut as well is something to probably look out for in terms of Edson Barbosa. You know, he's a big enough

he's a big enough lightweight at the best of times. Dan I get really impressive, as you said there. It is a tough one. I think a lot's going to depend on where Edson's heads at as well. I think there's a lot of fighters like that in here where there's a lot of sort of demons

maybe going on in their head in terms where they are in their career, their personal life. There seems to be a lot of chopping and changing with these guys. He was obviously with Mark Henry for a while. He's back down in Florida now at the Black Zillions. This guy's like this. So, yeah, Dan I get coming off that win. I got to go up momentum here again.

I don't like Edson going to 1.45. I think he's going to have problems this week, potentially make him wait. And I think that could be a big, big hindrance in his performance on Saturday. But, you know, some other cracking fights in the card as well, Pete, we've, you know, Poland's, Christof, Jocco's, two wins, I believe, on the against your boy Eric Anders

seems to fight on every single bloody card that's known to man these days it's your favorite name isn't yeah boy

your boy worst nickname fucking ever mate get rid of it it's brutal but he's coming off two straight wins as well

most recently against Gerald Mershard it's a good scrap and Jock obviously with the momentum as we said as well two straight wins something's got to give

I do like um yeah boy in this fight I think he might have a little bit too much for Jocko then we you know we looked down further down in the car repeat to be your dong from your boy to yeah down we use this segue please yeah from your boy to your dong how are you feeling about that featherweight fight

with marlin Vera I feck and love that scrap against marlin Vera man love watching marlin veron obviously song you don what we've seen from him has been absolutely phenomenal nothing short of you know one guy I think we're going to have to seriously keep her eyes on in the next two years and that stacked anti-weight division. Looking forward to this

man, I think this is going to be fighting in the night. Serious potential for those honours most definitely. And I know you're excited about it as well. Yeah, man. I fucking think Song Yadong is unbelievable and I think Marilyn Vera has been unbelievable lately. Nice to see that one taking

place at featherweight as well. I'm all for that in light of this pandemic. I know I want to see anyone in court weight. Brian Keller also competing a featherweight against Azurae, usually the fights at Bantamweight. But Matt Brown as well on this undercard. Matt who rarely fails to deliver in fights.

That's a nice little fight there against an unbeaten opponent. Is that Miguel's first fight in the UFC? Because if it is, what a fucking baptism of war. We're going to give you one of the most violent men who's ever lived. It's a second fight in the promotion. So we saw him against Haq. Al-Dana, yeah. So, yeah, like, from what I remember of him,

I haven't seen an awful lot of them. I'm not going to lie. He was in a contender series as well, if I'm not mistaken. I was pretty impressed with him. Matt Brown, who basically announced his retirement about three fights back, but didn't stick to it for more than, I think, two months. Yeah, it's going to be interesting to see what Matt's going to throw down here. You know, in my opinion, one of the all-time greats in terms of how impressive

and exciting some of his fights were, as we well know, in that well-to-weight division, you know, two straight wins since that potential retirement against, I think, Seroni it was against Diego Sanchez and coming off that win against Ben Saunders. So yeah, interesting fight. Go to sea. And yeah, it is, man. It's a lot.

This card gets the blood raising a little bit more than I think tomorrow nights or Wednesday. Tomorrow night's card. And yeah, I'm excited. Some of those fights are cracking fights. They really are. They're flying under a later. Elkins.

Yeah. Elkins buried on the undercard there. Second fight in. Morrow Romero Barrella from Italy. cut the large of her as if she doesn't do something with Courtney Casey. It seems incredibly stern and disciplined to cut someone if they're going to fight under these circumstances.

But when you start hitting that kind of three losses on a bounce and you haven't been to the high watermarks that the likes of Donald Seroni has reached, I mean, the writing's on the wall as far as I'm concerned. And then you have Giga Chikaze fighting Mike Davis as well from a European point of view. That's a very interesting fight. of course, Giga with King's MMA. Yeah, it's a good card.

There is a few very decent fights spot it around the place, but I don't think Wednesday's card and Saturday's card could combine to generate the kind of interest that initial card in Jacksonville with Gathe and Ferguson made. Yeah, yeah, not close, but as we've said, such little live action on it's essential for the UFC. I think it's always been their plan. it was their target to get back before anyone to get the ball rolling again in terms of fights. And it's going to be very interesting. I'm sure they'll pick up a lot of traction this week with these two fight cards being on.

Yes, yes. Well, let's go to our final interview of the day. It's one of the great talents in European MMA, one of the most talked about fighters outside of the UFC, which we'll hear about in a second. It is Mr. Robocop, the KSW Welterweight champion, Roberto Solich, the fighting pride of Croatia. He returns. Let's have a chat with Roberto and we'll be back in about 15 minutes. You have asked for him and he has returned. It is the KSW Welterweight Champion and one of the most talked about prospects in World MMA.

Roberto Solditch, Roberto, thank you so much for joining us again, my friend. How are you? Hello, hello. Thank you. I'm fine and you? Good. Well, I wish I could go outside a little bit more. But other than that, I'm okay.

How is, are you in Germany at the moment? Yes, yes, I'm in Germany. I still train and outside, you know, but in Germany, life is again, you know, it's, he is good now. Now he's going better because now today it's restaurants open, cafe, you know, so we can go outside. But still still one meter, you know, space from another guy. And so we must put the mask. We have to wear masks if we go in the supermarket, you know. Right.

But what we can do, you know, it's a world pandemic, you know. It's not only in Europe, you know. It's everywhere like this. Yes, yes. And I heard in Germany they were getting ready to put sports back on. they were going to put on the football Bundesliga, is that correct? Yes, yes, correct. I think 16 May.

Right. It's almost, yeah. And do you think around that time maybe gyms will be back open as well? Yes, and 31 May. Right, right. So we can start. I think first June, we are in gym. But I still train, you know, I have some gym in my home.

So I'm in shape. not so good shape for the fight, but I'm in shape. I hit the pads, you know, I go wrestling, strength condition I do. So all the time I'm busy with training. Are you still a welterweight? Yeah, yeah, yeah. But now, like, I don't know, 195 pounds.

That's good. That's pretty good, right? Yeah, yeah. I eat a lot. because of people nobody wants to join in the coffee you know it's people got

afraid the first yeah first three weeks like you know they was afraid of this corona but now it's

now it's better going better that's good how sad were you when you couldn't fight Maria Saramskus on May on March 21st

when you found out I think the event was cancelled maybe 10 days before it was meant to happen? Was this a big blow for you? Oh man, that's what... I had 12 weeks of preparation.

I was so ready six weeks in Canada with coach Firas. And then here like six weeks with Coach Hippala and my box coach, True Cruise. So I was so ready, so prepared, good weight. Everything was on the play. perfect and then they called me and just say it's cancel you know they offer me something in without public you know so in some some studio but uh it's not happened you know it's so now now it's i was a little bit sad you know i was disappointed but also on the of the new contract

i had you know so everything was on the perfect you know i never i never dream that can't happen In that time, when I need to sign new contract, good opponent, everything was on the perfect, you know, and then this. You signed a new contract. How many more fights with KSW? I have still four. So I wait. I wait what is planned for me now. So we'll see, you know, so I'm still in KSW.

I'm good with KSW but this I don't know how to I was so sad I was so ready for the fight for title defense and now pandemic I hope

I hope September maybe August September for the fight again Is this what KSW are telling you that's when they could realistically have a fight card in August September and would not be behind closed doors

No, no, but I think behind closed doors, that's 100% will be because I think no one want to put a big event, you know, of many people. So I think it's without public, but I don't have any information. I hoped, you know, September, October, I don't know. I hope, I hope one fight in this year because I'm 25, so I want a fight, you know. Yes. and a little bit sad because of this it's not good for me

I wanted to ask you I know you have fought above Welterweight before and before all of this craziness happened a lot of people seem to be talking about you and Scott Ascombe maybe you going up to middleweight the challenge for his title do you think you will ever do that while you're with KSW maybe challenge

for another title as well because it feels as though you've nearly cleaned out the welterweight division. Yeah, I spoke to my manager, so I have also, when I want to eat, I can gain a lot of weight, you know. So it's a, I don't know, it's a good question now, you know. I need to put myself what I want, you know. In that time, I was ready for everything, for good challenges now.

is a little bit, this put me back for one year, you know. So I need to prepare a little, again, to gain, again, a confidence, you know. So we'll see. But in the future for sure, you know, I'm a little bit bigger now. For middleweight, I think it's good, but I will see when I start training, you know, when I lose weight. So I'm like 187, 188. So still small for middleweight, you know. Yes, yes.

Scott is very big as well. Yeah, very big. Yeah, he has a long reach too. Also, South Pole. It's a champion. He beat everybody in case every also. Materla, you know, Mahmed, two times Materla, Mamet.

So it's a good challenge for me. But I think he's going to move to Narcun. I think he writes something on Instagram. Yes, he's trying to get Narcun. Yes, yes, indeed. But I think you v. him is one of the biggest fights KSW could make. I think people would go crazy for that fight. Yeah, I think because Polish people like superfights.

You know, they like all, yeah. So do Irish people. We like them too. Yeah. I see many people say, hey, go fight, Scott. You know, you don't have any opponent in World. rate but I want to see what can boss offer me, Levantoski, what his plan is.

Zeromskis is a good opponent though, right? The guy is a legend. Would you want to fight Marius still? Yeah, yeah, but I think maybe KSW don't bring him again. Maybe, you know, because they want to put me this other guy, Polish guy, I don't know name. But I see many Polish guys, they call me out. So, you know, I never choose opponent. I go always to fight.

So I need something from this opponent. You know, I need some ranking, some name, you know. Zarromsky's was good, you know. He was in a strike force. He was in, I think, Belator. Yeah, Belator pride the Welterweight champion. So he was big name, legend, you know. He fought with Nick Diaz, with Nordin Taleb,

many, many guys. You know, Sakuraba, he beat Sakuraba too. So this kind of fighters make me to work hard, you know, make me good motivation. So, you know, Polish guys, I think I beat all of them, you know. so maybe if I go middleweight will be good challenge, you know. This is also good motivation for me. I need something what push me forward, you know.

Yes. Do you realize that you are one of the most talked about fighters outside of the UFC? I mean, I can remember the first time I saw you fought Liu Long, I knew you was going to be huge. I was like, this guy is incredible. and more and more people have been talking about you every time you fight. Are you aware of that? And how do you deal with that expectation that's now on you as one of the great fighters outside of the UFC?

I deal good. I want to be more, you know. I want more in action. I want good names, you know. I want to fight good guys. Like, I don't know who called me out. Paul Daly, yeah, Powell Daly. Wow.

Yeah, Paul Daly, no. That's a crazy fight. That is an incredible fight. Yeah, something like this, you know, some fighters like this. So I really is good. I'm good with, how to say, with, with, with fans, yeah, with fans, with people. So I'm still on the, on the floor. I don't fly.

like other fighters, you know, they won two fights and they think I'm the superhero, you know. I'm not like that guy, so I was in Triester Gym. I spar with many, many good guys, Kevin Lee, Andrei Sanchez, Nordin Talib. So I see, I see myself, I'm good, you know, so I'm confident. So we will see what KSW give for me, you know. Tell me what you think would happen if you fought Paul Daly. I forgot all about this. So many people were talking about this.

And thank you for reminding me. I love this fight. What do you think of this fight? It's a good fight. I like too, man. It's good. Both strikers. So this is a big challenge for me.

Serious name. Legend in M.M.A. You know, he fought everyone. so will be good if KSW made this but squad cooker

must amass from country yeah agree you think you could knock him out? Yeah for everyone I believe everyone

when I also with the big lows when I spar I don't want sparring is sparring but fight is fight that's different, different story. But when I see on the good boxers and when I see good MMA fighters,

so when I put my pressure, I think nobody can handle it with this, you know. So I believe in myself, you know. I have also one lose, big lose, that this lose learned me a lot, you know. I learn a lot from this lose. So I'm, I guess, you pressure, but I'm secure.

So I'm trouble for everyone. That's what I think. I agree. I believe you are trouble for everyone too, my friend. I heard that the UFC are very interested in signing you.

Have you heard this? Have they inquired about you? Because from what I've heard from different managers in the sport, you are one of the guys they really, really want. Yeah, that's true. That's true. So my manager told to me every day Sean Shelby called him. Every day.

Yeah, like every day, he says, hey, what about Robocop? I'm ready for everything, you know. But still I have contract with KSW, so I have to stay. I don't want to, I don't know. I don't want to talk a lot because I need finish first with KSW. and what they can give for me. So I'm championed there. They respect me a lot.

I like Polish guys, Polish people, Polish fans, you know. So they give me a lot of respect. Everything, if I need doctors, I don't know if I need some help. So they care about me. I think KSW is amazing. Without a doubt, I think it's one of the best promotions in the world. world. And without them, they have given you a huge stage, a huge platform, and they have made you a star as well. But could this be your last contract with KSW? You said earlier, you were four

fights. That's a long time. Could this be the last one? I need to speak again with manager. No, we have to talk after this pandemic, you know, this corona make me make me a lot of trouble. because, yeah, this made a lot of, I don't know how to say, a lot of shit. A lot of complications. Yeah, so I think, I hope one fight in this year, so we'll see. I cannot talk a lot because I don't know what's going to happen in the future with Corona and with KSW. We'll see. Maybe no, no, no, no, no, all the year, no fight, you know.

Yes, maybe, maybe. I wanted to ask you one more question, Roberto, and thank you so much for speaking to me today. Always. What did you think of that Mike Tyson clip? I saw you did the same combination, but holy shit, right? This is pretty exciting. Bro, I put the, I don't want, how to say in English. I don't want

to compare, you know. Oh, yes, yes. It's a tribute. It's a tribute. Yeah, it's just, I just do combination. I'm not, and the people say,

hey, Mike is better. Of course, Mike is better. Boxer legend, you know. I don't want to compare. I like the, I like the combination. I like the move. I like the punches, you know.

So it's good. Sometimes one day I want to be Mike Tyson, second day, I want to be another boxer, you know, third day I want to be a good wrestler. Yes.

So always I put something what gives me motivation, you know. You think, would you like to see him fight again? No, man. It's all. Let's finish. This

is he a big name, huge name, legend, why you need fight? Just be smart. The best, the best, the best, the guy for this is George Sampier. It's the best idol for me, you know. So it's a good picture. I see, when I see George Sampier, what he does.

So I like this, you know. Walking away at the right time? Yeah, he's a very smart guy. So it's good to learn from GSP. Absolutely. Roberto, thank you so much, my friend. It's always a pleasure to speak to you. Your English is incredible.

You've done amazing. Yeah, going better. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you. It's improved so much, champ. Thank you so much. I cannot wait to see you fight before the end of the year.

We will all be watching. I can't wait, my friend. Thank you so much. Thank you and see you. And there he was, Mr. Roberto Solich. Wow, I was very impressed with how much his English has improved, man. Like, I mean, from the first time he was on the show, go back and listen to that to the way he's speaking there.

It's really impressive. Yeah, no. very interesting and a guy who's obviously very highly sought after by the UFC so yeah fair play to him wants to learn the language for a future push in the UFC

is a step ahead of people again it definitely is a thing it definitely is a thing there's no doubt about it I wanted to ask you Noel there was lots of talk about will the fighters be as conditioned as they usually are etc ahead of those fights on Saturday but what I wanted to ask you

was, were you conditioned for the late nights the way he used to be? Because I certainly wasn't. I put on five pounds. I put on five pounds on Saturday alone by just eating myself awake while that fucking fight was on. I put on half a stone, nearly. That's impressive. That is good. Yeah, you are a pig. It's amazing that you're not. I was disgusting. No, it's, yeah, it's amazing. You're not a big, large thing like me, but, um, yeah. You're not that large. Will I tell you what I got through though? Well, can I tell you my, what I went through? I had, I had three cans flashed that 8%

rocket fuel, I four, sorry, at four of them, I had six hot dogs with two Frankfurters on each, on each.

Swine. I ate, right, this is what happened. I was telling me that about today. I ate two at about midnight. The fight's finished

at about half six. So I had two at midnight. And then about two o'clock I was drifting off to sleep and I was like, oh, you know what I'll do. I'll make food. Made two more hot dogs.

Then half four. Before, just after in Gano sparked Gersino, I made another two. And by the time the main event finished, I was actually stationary on the couch, unable to move. I was just sitting there holding my stomach going, what the fuck have I just done? But without that agony, I don't think I would have been able to stay awake. That's the genuine truth. Jesus. I was fucking in bits.

Because of going, you know, in our game, you know, you're covering MMA, you're watching it every week, you're up to. fucking order. It fucks you up all week and the hours I generally work and I noticed, that's one thing I've noticed, I'm actually going to bed at reasonable hours now and last Saturday was the first time of day and I did struggle, man. I was doing, you know, I was on the conference calls

listening as well, or not the conference, the virtual media calls, post-fight as well, is listening to into all that watching on my laptop. So yeah, I've definitely struggled in terms of that, like keeping awake late at night and stuff. Like, I'm literally in bed. Like, last night it was in bed at 11 o'clock.

I think you text me a message from you this morning when I woke up, sent to half 11 that last night. So it just shows you that I'm not on social media and shit as much. And just chilling the fuck out. Like, it's nice.

It's nice. And it was tough on Saturday. It was fucking struggling at one point. I drank a shitload of cans of coke and I had a four, I think of four beers churned the day on Saturday. That was it like,

and then went in. But yeah, man, Jesus Christ. It's not getting, not getting easier with this fucking pandemic. motherfuckers. Yeah, I mean, it's making us all healthy and shit. It's disgusting, really.

I don't know about that. I'm not, I'm still a fat fuck, but I wouldn't say, man, I wouldn't say I'm very healthy. But, yeah,

it was worth staying up for it. It was a great car, fairness. My jogging career has taken a serious knock. Jogging. I've injured my arse. I've injured my arse.

My right arse. Is that from a lame whipping you? or actually running? It might be. We've yet to get to the bottom of what the problem is, but I've pulled the severe muscle in my arse, and one of my friends stay

is sending me some stretches. But the problem is, when I pull a muscle in my lower body, I'm so flexible, I can't stretch it properly. Like, there's no stretch you can give me that will actually stretch the fucking thing properly. Like, I don't even think my head,

my legs behind me head basically is trying to stretch this out. It's ridiculous. Cross your legs. Two legs. You're left over your right. I know. I push down on the...

Yeah. Go left and right. You should be able to stretch. It doesn't do shit, man. I'm so flexible. Jesus. That's bad. We were saying,

we were saying there just before this segment. Yeah. Believe it or not, Connor McGregor had something to say about Justin Gagee, Khadabee and Habeememaga Madoff and Tony Ferguson. I'm going to go through these and I'll probably read these terribly, but here we go. This was only

an hour ago on Monday. The fans make the sport. Watching the other night, I was against going in without them, but it will be my fucking pleasure to display the power I possessed with zero backdrop noise for them. Background noise, excuse me. It's me and Justin Next, as Habib is

the biggest bottle fighter in the game. Guarantee it. I love Tony. We represented him amazingly at paradigm sports and were betrayed for a promise of a baseball contract. But frame and preparation here was just embarrassing. His methods and conversation are humorous, enjoyable, but he was never the level perceived, although tough.

It's Dustin Tony next when Tony heals. If he does. Dustin will beat him also if changes are not made, which they won't. Dustin, although game and in the mix, will be fed to the floor again. Couple wins here, there, then fold and half. Rinse and repeat, Dustin Carrere. Justin, as in Gagey, there is no danger in a man that hugs legs, we all know. Try and dance around what the real threat is here all you want.

I'm going to fucking butcher you. Your teeth, I'm going to put them on a fucking necklace. Speak on my skills as a father. You are fucking dead. Don't ever say you represent the great nation of the United States of America ever again. No true American would speak so highly of or a left. a convicted member of a jihadi terror cell represent them. Never forget, you are a fucking blind fool, and I'm going to finish the job.

Habib, you absolute embarrassment, scurrying, hiding, rat as usual. As I have said many times, as has been seen many times, through the pain of glass, it was confirmed that was what was always known. No comment, L-O-L, an embarrassment to real fighting. After this division demolition job, it is £170. A few words there for the honor Yeah

Yeah Where do you start with all that Yeah Like the Gachi one I didn't I didn't hear on The Gachi question his Abilities as a father

Or has in the past I don't know I haven't seen it yet Obviously He said He said He said something Around the time

And I can't remember It was one of the the controversial situations McGregor was involved in. He talked to TMZ, I believe it was at the time. Yeah, well, look. Look, yeah, there's lots of appetite for that fight, let's be honest.

Yeah, and I think it is the interesting one. I think you have to take into consideration as well, and I know someone actually mentioned to me last night that who, Marlon Maris and Henry fought before. They were about Ali's guys, but I don't really remember an awful lot of times where two of Ali's fighters have fought against each other,

that being one of the rare occasions. So I'm a little bit skeptical, if their UFC are going to put on Habib and Justin and I think Ali's going to have a big saying that and I think also if you're looking at Habib

wants to come back, I think what did he say? August maybe I think Gaethe was saying August, September at the end as well I think the UFC might really get behind this fight in terms of having Justin Gauching and Connor McGregor if they can do that because I'm not

I'm just a little bit edgy when Ali's two of his guys are together. I don't think we've seen an awful lot and I think that could be very much the case and it doesn't suit his interests either really. It's better if they stay apart for a while. That's interesting. So I think Connor's seen an angle there to possibly sell a big fight and get himself

right back in the picture because I think Ababa said numerous times that he's not going to give him a rematch straight away. He's going to have to fight once more time, one more time at least. So I look at that being the case and it's going to be an interesting one because I saw a lot of people and, you know, fans,

and I know they're probably McGregor fans, you're saying he's a horror, you know, Connor's a great matchup for Gage. I don't really go along with that, to be honest to you. I think, from what we saw with Justin Gates today, I'd be very, very worried if I was anyone fighting that guy in that division. Yeah, I mean, look, I completely get it. If you're a Connor McGregor fan,

you know that Connor can stand and bang with the very best of him. He's going to hit Justin a lot harder than Tony hit the other night, that's for sure. I don't think there's any doubt about that. And it's the fact that, you know, it's a different, different look completely. Like, you know, was that a lead left hook that Justin was landing? Or was he in a South Boston?

I don't have a clue. But, I mean, it's a very different fight. I believe, anyway. I think there's not, I think there's an appetite for it. Do you think that's the way to go? Yeah, I do think it's the way to go. Like, if, you know, if McGregor wants it, you know, I was sort of in the illusion that they might do, you know,

him and Usman and McConnell sort of, wanting to claim a title in every division. But yeah, I think with him coming out saying that, and he tends to have done that this year after most lightweights in the division fight there in the upper echelon of the division, he's come out and make comments, and that was a pretty scathing attack, to say the least.

I don't think he's been that nasty in a long time on Twitter towards another lightweight than we've just seen there. So maybe that shows you the desire of Connor to throw the end against Justin Gates. and yeah and I mean if this is a new kind of impetus for Connor like we saw you know when Habib's family was brought into it what it did to him it's a different thing and and I just found that headline and it's Justin Gates you ripps Connor McGregor you are a

shit human father and husband and that was in September of 2019 and I felt as though I said it earlier, Conner was a big winner, just by proxy of what happened here and I, but I feel like this is the fight, as you say, which is very likely at the moment. That's unless, of course, Habib kind of steps in and says, I am fighting gaichi.

Yeah, exactly, but for the UFC, financially it makes sense as well. There's a story there. He's won all these guys again. It builds even a stronger narrative of this path back for Connor McGregor to the UFC title, which the UFC want, they totally want that, let's not talk shit. The UFC want Conn

McGregor, if he is to fight Justin Gage, they would want Conner McGregor to win to really force through that rematch with Habib and sell millions and millions and pay-per-views. That's what they want. They don't care about how nasty the narrative gets if it gets like it, it did the last time, and I'm sure would escalate above that, that would suit them because they know there'd be more people interested in it. So yeah, I think there's a path there, there's a narrative, there's a storyline, he's one of all these guys, he's friends with Habib.

Ali Abdelaziz doesn't want Justin and him matched up straight away, obviously financial interests. I would believe so that is... Be a joke of me. The amount of money he'd make off Gaichi and fucking Habib

fighting he's right now. Yeah, he'd make more though if, you know, if they went the longer route in my opinion. But sure, yeah, that's the way I think of it.

Well, if one of them's going to end up fighting Connor anyway, I don't think he gives a shit. Like, I mean, it's going to be a big pay pay. two of them to fight Connor again.

It's Dublin. So there you go. Yeah, that's a lot more, isn't I? So I'm sure you like the longer route. But yeah. And some other skating attacks as well and on Porre and on Tony Ferguson as well. So but that was probably the most, most, um, he wasn't. Yeah.

Um, I tell you what, man. Um, we've given Connor his fair share of criticism on this show. Um, but if he managed to come. back and be gaugie and then be some story made of it would be the most exceptional comeback in the history of mixed martial arts and I said it as soon as he lost the beep I said I am doubting him now and I know

he'll love to shut me the fuck up and I wasn't the only one I mean everybody was let's be honest it's not what he used to be he'll never be what he was if he came back and did this and I'm still down if he came back and did this it's the greatest one of the most exceptional feats in mixed martial arts history as far as I'm concerned. Yeah, of course it will.

Listen, I was at the Habib fight, and I think it was a very, very poor version of Connor McGregor. I think it was obviously a lot gone on outside the octagon, well documented reports. I think that had obviously a lot to do. I think Connor's a lot, you know, you see him now. He's obviously since the Serroney fight before

the Serony fight, he's got back into sort of a rhythm. But it's very, very hard, again, as we said a number of months ago, to see where he is from that Soroni fight. You know, I believe it probably should have been Anthony Pettis who got that shot Connor McGregor, not Donald Serroney, because it's where Seroni's at in his career,

Soroni shows up at certain times. So yeah, we don't really know. But in terms of Connor's mindset, he seems to be in a better place from what we've seen over the last six to seven months. Interesting, all the same. But yeah, it probably will be right up there if he goes out and if he was to get that Gaichi,

he fight and spark Gauchy and set up a world title fight against Abbe. It would be the greatest redemption story probably ever in mixed martial arts. Indeed, indeed. And I think that's all we have for this week. The fucking long one. Stay tuned. Yeah, it's a very long one.

And I haven't eaten. I've had two slices of toast today, Psyt for fuck's sake. And it's 10 o'clock. Jesus Christ. The world in peril and Noel McGrath worried about his dinner. There's no more south side gesture we can give you before the end of this show. Just to let you guys know,

the terrain of this show will have changed very dramatically before next week's episode. So make sure you just tune in. We'll have a lot to talk about. We love your loads. Enjoy the two fight nights and stay safe. Wash your fucking hands. And don't be breathing on people. Love you's loads.

Love you.