MMA Fighting - Fighter vs. Writer: Matt Brown Responds to Colby Covington, Questions If Dillon Danis Really Cares If Wins or Loses Against Logan Paul

Episode Date: October 10, 2023

This week on The Fighter vs. The Writer, UFC legend Matt Brown and MMA Fighting senior reporter Damon Martin discuss the latest hot topics in combat sports including the Misfits Boxing card on Saturday as well as UFC Vegas 81. While Edson Barboza prepares to battle Sodiq Yusuff in the UFC, a lot of eyes will turn towards the influencer boxing world as KSI clashes with Tommy Fury and Logan Paul battles Dillon Danis. Brown discusses his lack of interest in the actual fights but admits that Danis’ trolling at least has him ready to watch the entire “s*** show” unfold on Saturday. In fact, Brown questions if Danis really cares much about winning or losing as much as he wants to continue gaining followers and attention. Brown also takes time to respond to Colby Covington, who took aim at him after suggesting that the two-time UFC welterweight title challenger might retire if he suffers a loss to Leon Edwards at UFC 296. Plus Brown discusses his views on his children eventually following in his footsteps to become fighters after learning that Matt Hughes’ son is about to make his professional debut this weekend. All this and more on the latest episode of The Fighter vs. The Writer! Subscribe to MMA Fighting Check out our full video catalog Like MMA Fighting on Facebook Follow on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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What are you willing to lose to save the ones you love? The Downloaded 2. Ghosts in the Machine. Available now, only from Audible. Support for this show comes from the Audible original The Downloaded 2. Ghosts in the Machine. The Earth only has a few days left. Rosco Cudullian and the rest of the Phoenix colony have to re-upload their minds into the quantum computer, but a new threat has arisen that could destroy their stored consciousness forever.

Listen to Oscar winner Brendan Fraser reprised his role as Rosco Cudulian in this follow-up to the audible original blockbuster, the downloaded. It's a thought-provoking sci-fi journey where identity, memory, and morality collide. Robert J. Sawyer does it again with this much-anticipated sequel that leaves you asking, what are you willing to lose to save the ones you love? The downloaded two, ghosts in the machine,

available now, only from Audible. Back to the Fighter versus the Writer. I'm your host, as always, Damon Martin. He is UFC legend Matt Brown. Matt, what is going on? It's all going on, bro. We're getting done, man. Hitting the sign all the time.

Keeping that wood burning in there. sweating it out bro loving it you uh it's actually getting a little cooler here at ohio too so you get like that full on like sauna effect step in step out and it's actually a little chillier now oh yeah dude it's so much better too when it cools off like this a little bit even though it takes a little bit long up to step out of sauna and cool off just in the air and i have a little outdoor shower set up so we you know the the water is freezing cold now well water so it gets really cold around this time of year and then yeah it's just the whole atmosphere the ambiance everything is so much better when it's cool off like this yeah i i imagine like it's like it's

almost like like the hot tub thing like when you have a hot tub outside you know what i mean it's like cold out there the cold air and then the hot tub it's like the way to way to do it so i imagine that's gonna be nice for the sauna it will it will definitely get colder here in ohio we got it coming i'm not happy about it but it will happen happens every year whether you like it or not when you're going to come over and do the sauna damon i'm going to do it soon i promise i am i actually was super curious about it because i was like i haven't i haven't actually done a sauna in quite a while i used to have a membership to a gym to have sauna but it's been years since i had because they jack their prices up and i'm like i ain't paying that uh so yeah it's just so different

when you have your own and it's so different when you have like a cold plunge there it's so different when you have a wood burning stove versus, you know, an electric stove is so different, man, you know, having to doing it your way, you know, we're walking in and out soaking wet, you know, from sweat and from the shower, from a cold plunge. We're pouring water all over the rocks, getting it steamy as hell. Of course, Coleman's always over here making a loud noise walking around in his underwear. You're not getting that at the local gym. Yeah, that's true.

you're not going to get that. Yeah, I was actually texting with Coli a couple days ago. He had messaged me and he's just like, what's going on, Damon? And so we were talking. I was like, dude, we got to get you on the podcast. He's like, I know, I'll come on and do it. So we got to get Coleman on the podcast again. We were just texting the other day.

So I can only imagine. You know, if I hit him up, if I just stay on him, he'll do it. You know, it's just a matter of, well, it's a matter of me remembering to do it. That's it. We'll do it. We should, maybe, I don't know if it's probably, there's, I don't think it'd be possible because it's like the steam and the heat, but it's like, it would be funny to do a podcast recording session in the sauna.

You know, so there's people who have done it. There is a way to do it. Well, actually one of my favorite podcasts I ever listened to was Tim Ferriss doing it with Rick Rubin and his sauna. And that was a, it is possible. And I know another guy who done it, has done it a few times. I don't know how easy it is to do, though. And I think you're like kind of putting your equipment at risk, too. And then to be honest, I don't know if I would want to either,

because I kind of thought about that when I first got. I was like, dude, we'll do podcasts in here. That'd be cool. But then when I get the sauna, like, I don't like talking a lot. You know, I talk. I socialize a little bit with the people around, but like, I like to sit in the sauna and, you know, fucking grind it out, man. And then when you get out of the sauna, maybe have a beer,

maybe have a shot of whiskey or a glass, have a cigar or something, and chop it up while you're sitting outside of the sauna afterward. Yeah, that's like your time to reflect, your time to like almost like meditate in a way. Like, you know what I mean? You don't want to really talk during that time.

Yeah, and I'm going to, when I crank that thing up, it's too hot to, you're talking to just an energy expenditure. You don't want to be dealing with it. I get that much. motherfucker cranked up bro. We're looking at plus 190 there easy. I've had it up over 210 before. I remember this isn't a sauna, but I've done interviews in like MMA gyms where they're smaller, like not big gyms and they crank, you know, because you crank up the heat, you know, you get it warm in there. Like you don't, most gyms you walk into aren't with like air conditioning

running and like, you know, you want to like get a sweat moving, right? Like just like it would be like an normal fight. I can't remember where I was. I was at one gym where it was like, I mean, it was unbearably hot in there. And I'm wearing like, you know, I'm wearing like a polo shirt and jeans. You know, I'm dressed to like, you know, like to go to like a media function. And I'm just like, poor and sweat. I'm like, this is the worst experience in the world trying to like talk to people and stay focused. And you're just like, like, yeah.

So I don't know. Maybe the son is not the best place to drop some thoughts on fighting because of about halfway through. I'd be like, fuck this, dude. I'm out of here. This is terrible. Yeah. Yeah. And then now you got to get your equipment back out.

Yeah. It's just too much. Yeah. Yeah, I wouldn't that at my kid, but the, the fucking match gets just slippery, man. That's what I think it sucks. Yeah, you do the post-sana podcast. That's what you call it. The Post-Sanada podcast.

Maybe that's a better idea. That's what I like it a lot better, man. Yeah, we'll go in there, grind it out, get some cold plunge, some hardcore, some hardcore heat. It's been steam going. We call that the, loyly, by the way. You know, so get some good loyally going and then come down the basement and fucking chop it up,

man. Yeah. How do you get, but how do you get Coleman to not? Because Coleman is like the most social dude ever. Like, how do you get him to not chop it up in this on it? Because he, that dude tells stories like in his sleep. Oh, yeah, you can't not talk when Coleman's in there. But I just don't, I just don't respond as much.

I just say, oh, yeah, Coleman. You're right, bro. Yeah, that's it. I don't socialize as much. Coleman, he's basically the same when he's in the sauna. That guy, that guy tells stories in his sleep, dude. I remember I was up, this was, this was, I can't remember what camp was for when I came up there to your gym and I was hanging out with you when Mickey Gall was there and, like, Colman was there.

And like, I, like, I just was like standing there and Coleman just comes over and, you know, starts talking to me and he just starts telling me stories. Like, no, there was no, like, you know, I didn't ask him a question. And I was like, hey, what's going on, Coley? Like, it was just questions. And then, boom. stories. I love it. Like, that's Coleman, dude. Don't start telling you stories. That is a fact. That is a hundred percent Coleman.

It's amazing. He never runs out of him either. He's got stories for fucking days. And he's a good story. He needs his own podcast. Well, we, I still remember when we did the old podcast back in the day with you, me, him, and our buddy Jeremy Loper, like, I still laugh at all the stories he told during that podcast. Like, I remember when he told us the story that he was a member of the Foxcatcher team, the infamous Foxcatcher wrestling team. I had known, I've known Mark Coleman beyond like being, like, I've said this story many, many times. Like, Mark Coleman was my intro into, like, becoming a big mixed martial arts fan because

when he first started fighting at UFC 10 or whatever it was, like, I was like, oh my God, the guy from Ohio State wrestling. I knew who he was. And I was like, oh, my God, that's awesome. And so I became like an even bigger fan of MMA at that point. But when I actually became friends with Mark Coleman, like, I know Mark Coleman, like hung out with Mark Coleman. He would tell stories, but even then I didn't know that story.

And, like, we were talking about it. He's like, oh, yeah, I was on Team Fox Catchers. Like, what the fuck? Where did that come from? And then, like, he tells us a little story about being you're on Yon-Depaunt and all that kind of stuff. Obviously, people are probably very familiar with the movie, the one with Steve Correll and Channing Tatum, which is very much a true story.

But I had no idea he was part of that team. He's telling us the whole story on the podcast. I was like, what's the fault? I was like, how did I never know this? Like, I never even knew this was a thing. yeah yeah that's what I said his stories are always fresh too like he's got a million of them and it's always something fresh or even like he's part of that ohio state you know thing that's been going on you know that terrible shit but it's like he just always ends up there somehow

like whatever the action is happening it's like a story he just ends up there yeah that's colman for you that's cold for you so yeah we got uh it's kind of a weird time right now at m-ma mat because this past weekend we had a UFC card and we had Bellator 300 which was um I don't know did you watch any of the fights this past weekend it's kind of a weird one like I know they were both on but it wasn't like I don't know it didn't feel it didn't feel like a massive fight weekend even though Bellator 300 was like a big event for them but we all kind of know the rumors about Bellator potentially being sold so I don't know it was a weird one did you watch any of the fights this past weekend I did not watch a single fight this weekend I went out to

Harking Hills and went hiking. There you go. A couple good ones, you know. Bobby Green knocking on Grant Dawson in 33 seconds was kind of shocking. Chris Seibord, Beekh Katzangano and Bellator, nothing really surprising there. Usman Nurmogamatov won. It was like I said, it was a weird weekend. And this weekend, we had the UFC event, of course.

Sadiq Yusef and Mabobarosa. And the one I'm really looking forward to is Jonathan Martinez and Adrian Yannes. That's a really fun fight. But this Saturday, Matt, it all finally happens. It all comes down. Logan Paul versus Dylan Dennis and KSI versus Tommy Fury. Is Dylan Danis showing up? So apparently, Dylan is already in England.

He already arrived. He already arrived in England, apparently. Wow, he needs a paycheck, huh? Dude, this lawsuit, man, he might need that money. I like it. I like it. I like it. Well, I mean, yeah, with all these great UFC fights going on,

I mean, nothing compares to Dylan Dennis and Logan Paul. and Kedasai versus who? Tommy Fury. Tommy Fury is the one guy you do know. Yeah, Tommy Fury is the one guy you do know. Yeah, yeah. God, what a shit show, huh? Hey, I'll tell you what, though.

Before you get into that, though, that Yosef versus Barbosa fight, that's a fucking killer fight, bro. It is. That is a legit, really, really good fight. I'm glad it's a main event because it deserves to be. Barbosa's better put it in.

time he deserves a main event every time and uh joseph so dick i think is how he said his last name right yeah yeah yeah dude this is gonna be a great fight i think i'm just i'm really stoked about this fight man i don't necessarily have a pick but uh yeah i think it's gonna be a great fight it's kind of it's kind of like sneaky good because like they don't necessarily i mean edson's been around forever and fought to like main events before but sidique yucef is not as well known but Yeah, it should be a really fun one. Like I said, I really like that Jonathan Martinez-A-N-Jol-S fight. That's a really fun one.

Like, I don't subscribe to Dana White's philosophy that, like, you know, the whole, like, you know, it's the cards you don't know, they end up being the best. But sometimes they do. I do. I do. I do. Like, I appreciate, you know, putting a title fight or a number one contender fight or, like, a ranked guy or a well-known guy at the top of the card. And that sells it. I do.

I understand that. and I appreciate that, and it does draw fan interest. But I do understand sometimes those cards that slip under the radar do end up being fantastic. Like, you know, Yusuf and Barbosa may not be like a title eliminator or anything like that, but it's a really fun fight. Yes, it's a really fun fight. And I think it's going to tell us a lot about where both these guys are. I think it's like a proper fight for both of them.

It really, I mean, Barbose, you know what you're going to get a fun fight no matter what. but he's always got to be one of your top five guys to watch fight at any time. I mean, we just, all of us fight fans just love watching this guy fight. So, you know, but I think it's going to be a huge test for Yosef. And that's what kind of what makes it exciting because I think he's going to live up to the test. Whether he wins or not, I don't know. But I think he's going to be on even footing with Barbosa most of the fight. Yeah, Barbosa has one of my most memorable knockouts.

because I was actually in a hotel in Covington, Kentucky. I was going down for, I think it was a concert or something. I was doing something down there that I was staying in Covington. And I was working the event where he was fighting Binald Darouche. I was working for my hotel room. And I was watching the fights on the TV. And I'm writing on my computer. And I remember he hit the jumping knee.

Do you remember that? Knocked out of it, knocked out of B'Neil Darius, like did the jump in it out of nowhere. And I screamed. like I react. I was like, oh shit. And it was so loud, like in the hotel. Like, I kind of forgot I wasn't at home. And it was like the loudest reaction.

And I'll never forget that because I was like, oh, here comes somebody calling the front desk yelling to me for screaming. Because, I mean, I had like yelled. I full on yelled. It was just like a natural reaction. And I always remember that moment because I was like trying to be quiet in a hotel room at like 10, 30, 11 at night. And then he hits that knee.

And I'm like, holy shit. Dude, he's got some epic knockouts. I mean, you can't talk about Edso Barboza knockouts without talking about him knocking out Terry at him. I mean, that's one of the most legendary knockouts in UFC history. That's one of those knockouts you can watch 30 times and it never gets old. Like you could watch it on repeat 30s. I just spam it. Watch it.

It's still interesting. You're like, how did this happen? And then he does it. He has, I mean, he has a couple of those. He has a couple of those like crazy knockouts out of nowhere. You're just like, holy crap. like barbosa's one of those guys who never quite became a title contender but you know that dude's going to go in there and scrap and he's going to put on an entertaining fight and chances are like

at least one out of every three fights he has you have a chance for like a super highlight real finish yeah and he's one of those guys that has all the qualities and talent and everything to be a champion just you know there's a little bit of luck in this sport right like we can't deny it like like there's an aspect of luck. There's an aspect of being right time, right place. There's a lot more factors than just, you know, the skills that you're bringing in and being able to perform that night. There's just other parts of the puzzle.

Edson, like all the stars just haven't aligned for him to be the champion, but I've always felt like he's got all the tools and quality. And people forget how highly ranked and highly regarded Terry Edom was at that time because he was sort of a short-lived UFC fighter. I don't even know what happened to him. I don't know why he didn't stick with things. But, you know, he was the next big thing at that time. And Edson Barbosa put a stamp on that and they know you're not.

Yeah. And I don't know how much you ever spent, how much time you've ever spent around Edson or you know or not. But Edson's like the nicest guy in the world too. Not that that makes a difference in what he does as a fighter. But like he is legitimately, like one of the nicest people you ever beat in this sport. Yeah, I've spent, I've just been backstage with him a couple of times, you know, I've been passing, seen him at the PI.

Yeah, very, very nice guy. Yeah, yeah, he always came across like, good dude. You know, I wanted to pick his brain at the PI when I was training with beside him one time. I was like, dude, I just, you know, I want to hear a little bit about your style, right? You know, what you're doing, how you're training? Because, again, I think he's, he's so highly skilled. I think, you know, he'd be a journey or other organization, no question. I think, and I think, you know, again, right time, right place.

Like, he's championed in the UFC. It was just, you know, I mean, I think his last opportunity, you know, he ran into Khabib, right? And it's like, you know, you just don't, you can't find a worse matchup for him, right? So there's, you know, his career just seems to have always been like that. Like everything is there, but just not the right time and place. Yeah, you could argue, you could, I don't, I don't, I'm not going to sit here and say, like, number one, but you could argue he's like maybe one of the greatest kickers.

in MMA history. Like not just because like his leg kicks, his head kicks, like just his kicking game in general. Like he redefined leg kicking. Like he was, he was crushing people with his leg kicks. Like his kicks are so fast and so nasty.

Like I don't want to put him like a number and say he's number one. But you could put him like, if there's a list of the 10 greatest kickers in MMA history and some Barbosa is on that list. Yeah, that'd be a pretty cool list to make. We should talk about that sometimes. You definitely got auto. You definitely got Mirko Crocop.

You can't have that list without Mirko Crocop. God, who else? I can't even think of who else would be up there. I mean, definitely Aldo. Yeah, Aldo Crow Cop for the head kicks. Yeah, yeah. Tiago had good leg kicks. I'm trying to think, like, you're right.

Like, it's kind of weird, like, oh, I mean, Justin Gagee, if you want to talk about just leg kicks. Like, I mean, maybe you don't talk about him in general, but his leg kicks are nasty. Yeah, like, he had, because, like, when you start putting together, their resume like I because I listen I love head kick knockouts as much as anybody but I I'm a huge fan of body kick knockouts and when you can get body kick knockouts like those are always fun to watch leg kick knockouts are always fun to watch like just something a little different um yeah like gachie

has really nasty leg kicks um I mean it can't be cowboy he did yeah yeah he did have good kicks yeah it'd be a good it'd be a good list to like break down and like trying to figure out who had like the best kicks because how could you not put Barbosa near the top of that list though? Because he has everything. Like he was not like he didn't just have leg kicks. Like he could do everything. Like if he throws something at you it's going to hurt. Like whether it hits your head,

your neck, your legs, your chest, your midsection, like if he hits you and it lands, it's going to hurt. And I would definitely put him as having the best switch kick in MMA. Like his lead switch kick you know, is bootout style.

You know, it's probably the best. in May, I think. Yeah. Wonder Boy, maybe Wonder Boy's on the list. He's got pretty good kicks. Yeah, I mean, I guess not necessarily like round kicks. He's not necessarily a big round kick guy. But, I mean, you definitely have to put him up on the list.

It's having a dynamic style of kicking. You know, certainly like his side kicks and kicks, and stuff. Like, there's got to be up there. So, yeah, no doubt about that. No. Yeah, I think that's a pretty clear one there. I just had a name.

I was just thinking I was second ago. It's not coming back to me. But yeah, there's a few of them here and there. There are. There are. You go from the greatest, maybe one of the greatest kickers in mixed martial arts history to four of the not best boxers in the world in the KS.

I've stopped fighting against this influencer boxer thing, Matt. Like I was at the beginning. I was just like, this is like it's so low level and like I don't know it just like the skill is not there but at the same time like you don't you don't watch influencer boxing because you think it's going to be high level boxing you watch it because of the buildup of social media and interviews that are like leading you into a fight and because a lot of times you have a couple of people in there who aren't that skilled sometimes you get like a highlight real finish like when Jake Paul knocked out

the basketball player Nate Robinson. Like you get that highlight reel knockout where the guy gets face planted on the canvas, that kind of thing. Like, I don't watch these things. I mean, listen, I watch these things because I'm paid to watch these things because it's my job.

But I've stopped fighting against it, I guess is what I'm saying. Like I've stopped, like, it's the sanctity of the sport and blah, blah, blah. Like, I've just, I don't know, maybe it's just beating me down and I'm just like giving up. But like, I just have fun with it. You know what I mean?

Like, I don't, you know, I don't, I don't, I don't take it for anything more than what it is. Like, we've talked about this on the show before, Matt. Like, when Jake Paul says crazy things like I'll beat Canelo Alvarez, that's where I lose interest. That's where I lose interest because you're not beating Canelo Alvarez. You're not being David de Benavides. You're not being any legitimately good boxer. Stop.

Okay, just stop. But if you want to fight Ney-Diaz, you want to fight Dylan Danish, you want to fight, you know, Connor. You want to fight Ben Ascran, whatever. that's fine have fun with it like i got no problem with them doing that kind of stuff Tommy fury whatever you know just don't make it sound like give a legitimate chance to be like a really good professional boxer and we're cool I don't really care so I've just kind of like stopped fighting against it at this point

dude it's got to be embarrassing to be Tommy Fury right now though right because he was I'm sure everything in his mind was like I'm going to be a you know professionally going out there shirt for a title and stuff and now he's become grouped in with a bunch of influence boxers. Like that's kind of what you think of him as now. Like he fights, he's, he's the step,

I don't know if I say stepping. So he's the litmus test for these influential boxers to see if they're actually good enough to be a bro or not. You know, it's kind of sucks for him. But, you know, when it was like Nate Diaz in there, Tyrone Woodley, Ben Ascran,

guys that, I don't know that I guess, you know, know, we have respect for and have done good things in combat sports, you know, I have at least a moderate interest. But here where it's like, like Logan Paul, who I didn't know a single thing about until he started doing this influencer box. I never heard his name before versus Dylan Danis, who's basically the laughing stock of

the combat sports world. like there's nothing interesting there at all to me and i'm not at all against we've talked about this before i am not at all against the influence of boxing it's like w w fun cool go do it logan paul and dylan dallas does jack shit for me like i would literally rather go watch anybody at my gym spar any day and i don't get off that you know watching my guy's far at all any day right like i have amateurs in there that that suck that i would rather watch like ksi tommy fury i didn't i never i heard the name kSI in my life until he started boxing yeah i uh no interest at all not like i'm i'm actually negative interest in these fights

now to be fair dylan danis you got to give props to him he created some interest in this fight because his Twitter account was one of the funniest things I'd ever seen in my life. Now, more power to, what's her name? Nina? Is that her name? Yeah, Nina Agdonah. Yeah. I feel kind of bad for her

because, you know, who knows how she really is in real life and everything. And Logan, you know, apparently they're in love and all this, but Dylan, like, took trash talk to a fucking another level. Like, he just,

out of the trash dump and just pull it out, you know, the stinkiest most rancid shit he could find. And I'm fucking here for it. I love it. Here's the thing. I agree because I, like, when it came to Dylan Danes, I'd lost interest in Dylan Danes about two and a half three years ago. Like, I just, like, I lost interest in anything he was saying or doing because I was just tired of it. Like, I could be this guy. I could be that guy.

Like, dude, go fight somebody. You have your two and oh against guys who have. like a one and eight record or whatever like go fight and you know actually build your resume and then maybe i'll believe in you but i i was done with i was so done with it and then this buildup has got me interested again like it's got me back on board to like want to see it and like there's legitimate interest now here's the thing that whole like that that whole like fuck around and find out kind of thing like he has to back it up now he actually is going to step into the boxing ring and listen i don't i don't i don't know like is logan paul certainly not a

legitimate boxer like quote unquote like he's boxed but like you know is he really good no um but but dude now it's time to back it up but you better you did you you went out of your way to build this fight and actually get people interested people who probably didn't care like yourself got at least a little interested in this whole thing right now you got to go out and back it up like you got to go out and fight and uh we we have the joke on the show before like you know violence solves everything like now you got to go out and fight this dude and And can you win? And I have no idea.

Like, I can't tell you. I'm not going to, I'm not going to even try to make picks and predictions on this. Like, I'll say here, if Tommy Fury loses to KSI, it would be one of the most embarrassing losses ever. Because, like, he actually tries to be a legitimate boxer. And when I talked to him before the Jake Paul fight, I said, you know, this is this kind of won and done for you? Because, like, he's like, going into Jake Paul fight, he's like, I'm the boxer. I represent boxing. and I'm going to show these influencer guys, they don't belong here.

And he beat Jake Paul and good for him. But then he signs on to KSI. I'm like, hold on now. Weren't you like the serious boxing guy? Like what happened to I represent boxing? And now you're fighting another influencer. To be fair, he didn't beat Jake Paul handedly either, right? He just, he beat Jake Paul.

He didn't destroy Jake Paul. Yeah, he split decisioned him. It wasn't like he went out there and knocked him out inside three rounds or anything crazy like that. So, like that would be incredible. incredibly embarrassing for him and his family. No offense. Tyson Fury does not want to go into his own fight week because Francis and Gano of all people

and hear about his brother got knocked up by KSI. That would be rather embarrassing for a guy who is like selling himself as like a legitimate boxer. But like Logan Paul Dillon Danna is like, I don't know. I have no expectations of what this fight's going to look like. But I do know for Dillon Daneas, you talk to all that shit, you better go in there and like at least make it entertaining. because if you go in there and look terrible

or you get knocked out, dude, like it all comes back around because like that's where it all, but maybe, maybe Dylan, I mean, Dylan was trained with Alex Pereira. Maybe he's legitimately gotten ready. He's going to go out there knock out of Logan Paul. I have no idea. I can't, I can't have no fucking clue what's going to happen.

You would. When was the last time they competed in anything? Like four years ago? Yeah, so he's going to have, well, I would call it ring rust, but like it's got to be metal to rust. and I'm not sure he was ever like a blade of metal to start with. So I don't know if you call rust or just, you know,

not used to be, I don't know a better way to say it. But, you know, like, there's going to be a lot of eyeballs out there. And if you're not mentally prepared for that, again, regardless of the skill set, like, you have to be mentally prepared for that. Like, this is, he put the pressure on himself, you know. So again, and more power to him. right like fucking good for him he sold it he got us emotionally a little bit into this fight because now i don't necessarily want to watch because of well i'm certainly not watching because of the skill of

fight but now i don't want to watch because i really even care who wins but after one of them wins like there's going to be a shit show go on right like like there's going to be some shit go down like they might take off the glove and fight there might be fucking uh riots or you know corners fighting like this could get really exciting if that is the real interesting part here not the fucking fight let me ask you Matt like you've never been like a big trash talker in your career like you'll you'll talk about a fight and you'll give your honest opinion and just like when we talk about on the podcast but you've never been like in your own career you're the guy that goes out there and you're a savage in the cage like you've never been much into the

trash talk thing and i know you really haven't gotten into that too much with opponents either. Like, that's never really been your thing. But I'm curious the guy who's been around the sport as long as you have, like, guys, because we've seen it, guys like trash talk and they get the attention. How big, like, how bigger, how big or small is this for Dylan to go out there and, like, win or at least make a good showing for himself after all this? Like, he got you emotionally, like, a little bit emotionally invested in to want to watch this or at least see what's going to, like, when I say watch this, I mean, like, we all want

to see what actually happens. Like, what all unfolds, as you just said, right? but like all the stuff he did a lawsuit filed against him restraining orders all this kind of crazy shit like does he have to go out there and at least like make it interesting to like live up to all the shit he's talked like or do we care like it just like do we even care at this point so i think some fighters do put like some external pressure on themselves with that like a you know like a colbyington who's talking trash about me this week i don't even know if you don't call it trash talk, but, you know, saying some awkward shit that didn't make sense.

I think some guys do put that pressure on themselves. But, like, I don't know what, I don't know if Dylan feels that pressure because I don't even get a fuck. I don't know if he's just liking the attention. Because this guy is, like, so used to just, he's got to be, he has to be so used to just being the laughing stock. Like, like, when you look back on his post, I haven't followed him for a long time, but every now and then, like, you know, Gordon would talk shit about him or something. Then you would look and he, like, this dude, like, brings it on himself. It's almost like he embraces, you know, being a fucking the clown of the sport. You know, so I don't know if he's going to feel that pressure or if he doesn't even care if he goes in there and gets knocked out looking like a fucking idiot.

I don't know if he will. You get, you know what I'm saying? Like, I don't know. I do. And, you know, it's funny you say that because. I don't know if he has, like, I don't know if he has that respect for himself. It's funny you say that. And obviously skill level wise, like, it's not comparable.

But, like, his mentor, whatever we want to call it, is his friend, Connor McGregor, like, Connor, now, Connor's, of course, legitimately a good fighter. Let me be clear about that. Like, he's not Dylan Dennis. But even Connor, like, when he went out there and got, like, you know, he got dog walked by Habib, like, Habib, like, he's, like, he's, like, he's, like, he's, like, that was like epic trash talk to the point where it got uncomfortable. Like where he was saying stuff about his wife and stuff.

And it just like it almost crossed the line of like where it stopped being funny. It just went like whatever. Anyways, Khabib went out there and demolished him and beat him, you know, knocked him down on the feet, choked him out. I mean, it was one way traffic from start to finish.

And after that you think like that would be it, right? Like he just absolutely just demolished Connor McGregor. But about a month later, Connor started talking shit again. and now to this day, Conner's like, oh, he retired to avoid fighting me again. Now, is that true? Absolutely not. Kabib was never scared of Connor.

If they fought tomorrow and Kabib hasn't really trained and Conner's doing whatever he's doing, I still would pick Kabib to dogwalk him a second time, a third time, a fourth time. Connor's not beating Kabib to my mouth. I don't think that's ever going to happen. But he kind of spun the narratives then, right? Like he's like, oh, he's avoiding me. He's this. So I, Garrett, you're absolutely right.

If Logan Paul goes out, let's say he knocks out Dylan Dennis. He's going to, afterwards, he's going to make, I was gone for four years. I slipped on the ring. I had a bad weight cut. I ate some bad shellfish the night before the fight. Let's do it again, you bitch. Like, it's almost like he's impervious to like, you know, the reality of who he is. Like, he's talking, like, he was talking last week or whatever talking about he's going to beat Leon Edwards and Colby Covington.

and I'm like, uh, dude, you have two MMA wins and neither one is that impressive. Like, let's slow down on this. But that just seems to be who he is. Like, he just seems to not care that people look at him as a joke and he just runs with it. Like, he just, like, it's just like he accepts it and embraces it. Yeah, that's kind of what I was saying. So I don't know if he actually gives a fuck if he wins or loses this fight or not. Like, he's, like, used to be in the, he's comfortable with being the laughing stock.

He's comfortable with people, you know, not thinking. anything of him and he kind of embraces it and he has a huge like you seen him on aerial show on aero Hawaiian show like Ariel saying the shit to him and kind of talking down to him a little bit and he's like like Dylan was like bringing it on himself like embracing it and it's so strange to me like he has no dignity or self-respect for himself and you know maybe maybe he's getting making good money doing and maybe just kind of you know embracing. that character for that but um you know i wasn't brought up that way man like you fucking respect yourself and you hold your your head up high and you know you fight for who you are and

i think he's just brought up different man so yeah it's it kind of makes you a little bit in the fight because it makes you think like logan's probably just going to go fuck this dude up and um you know and then what's logan gonna do he's like oh i fucked you up so you're like oh i fucked you up so you know, you can't be talking shit about my wife. And then Dylan's going to go back and post more shit about his wife. You know what I mean? Like, this isn't, this is actually solving this fucking narrative that they've built up about, like, you know,

you know, we hate each other, we're going to fight each other. And like, there's not going to be any, that's one of the big differences in, I think, you know, particularly in the UFC when you look at the trash talk, you know, these guys say all this shit before the fight. But after the fight, I say 90, 90, each of the time, that guys are hugging and saying, I respect you. That's what's kind of lost here in a fight like this is, you know, I don't think that's going to happen, right?

Like, there is no mutual respect. There is no, like, honor. There's no martial dignity going on here. It's just a shit. It makes me lose interest. Yeah. Well, on the reverse, though, we talk about Logan, like, we talk about Dylan Danes not really caring. Dude, you're Logan Paul.

You cannot lose to Dylan Danis. You cannot lose to Dylan Dennis. That would be the worst thing in the world to happen to that guy. Yeah, right. Like, dude just shit all over your wife and you're suing him and then he beats your ass. Yeah. Yeah, that's a bad look right there. Boarding for flight 246 to Toronto is delayed 50 minutes.

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Obviously, we talked about Colby last week, and then Colby loses his mind. You know what's funny? If you actually listen to our show and you read the actual article, like, listen, I know people get mad about headlines and they're like, well, you didn't say, you can't fit everything in a headline. You can't. You can't fit everything said into an hour and a half podcast into one headline. But the funny thing is, if Kobe had actually taken five minutes to just read the article and or listen to the podcast, I would say 90% of what you said about Colby Covington was positive. He's a bad matchup for Leon Edwards. I think he's got a great chance to win this fight.

We just talked about the reality is if he didn't win, you know, is he going to be willing to climb that ladder again for a fourth title shot? And you said, and I tended to agree with you when you said it. Like, I don't know if he'll ever fight again. And I was like, you know what? You're probably right. Because like, you know, I don't see him going through the Shabats of the world to get back to a title shot. But what's funny is, is he lost his mind because he obviously saw the headline. But the funny thing is, if he actually read it, he'd probably be like, oh, Matt Brown, that's my guy.

he had my son because you actually said mostly positive things about him in terms of the fight itself so always cracks me up because it's like dude you're like cutting off your nose you're cutting off your own nose and spite your own face like that kind of thing like dude like this is a guy who actually had your back in terms like the matchup like he actually said you're a bad matchup for leon edwards but you just saw the one headline and you freaked out and i'm like that's how you know he didn't actually read or listen to what was said he just saw a headline and it's like oh i'm going to react to the headline without actually knowing what was said.

Well, I'm guessing it was an interview and probably what I'm guessing it was. I don't know the context. I just seen, you know, a little bit of him talking about me, but they were probably asking him, probably setting it up too, I'm guessing. But, well, no, he actually brought it up. He actually brought it up on his own. I watched the interviews. I was curious.

He's the one who actually brought it up. Oh, interesting. Why didn't he bring you up and call you trailer trash? I don't know. because nobody knows who I am. They don't care about me. You know, he cares about me. I know.

I just play. I just play it. But the, the problem was also, like, he wasn't even really offensive towards me. Like, like, Connor's really good at firing guys up because he says,

like, even if they're, like, half truth, like, there's some truth to it in there. Like, Kobe basically just made shit up.

Like, like, I'm trailer trap. Actually, like, I'm not. So it's like, am I supposed to take offense to that? Like you can call anybody,

trailer trash or he said somebody like my wife or something. It's like, well, I'm not married. So like, I don't know if I'm supposed to take offense to that. You know what I mean? So I wasn't really sure what to even think about it because I just didn't even really feel offended.

Other than, you know, I think if he hears like a name, someone like speak his name and they may or like, I don't know, if someone speaks his name out loud, it's like, okay, my character talks shit, so I have to talk shit right now.

That dude said me. So, yeah, it didn't really offend me. But to be fair, yeah, I mean, I'd love to fight the motherfucker if he's really got a problem with me. So if he's really got a problem, like, let's settle in the cage, motherfucker. I'm down. Let's go.

Yeah, it's funny. Like, it's almost like he can't, he can't accept a compliment because that would be out of character, right? Like, he has to be offended. He has to talk shit. Like, he can't let, he can't, like, accept. Like, there was actually, like, compliments paid to him and his potential performance against Leon.

I was the one who said I thought Leon Edwards would win. I actually said that. I was like, I think Leon Edwards, you know. That's what I said. Why didn't he talk trash about you? But, like, I don't think he could, but I also, like, I respect. I think. I think also to be fair, well, you've got to compare the two of us here.

Who is closer to trailer trash? Me or you? I mean, you have a bigger house to me. I guess that counts. I guess that's true. So we both grew up in, we both grew up in small town, Ohio. And I don't think either one of us are like racing to go back there necessarily. Well, no, that's what I'm saying.

So like, okay, we both, like, who grew up more trailer trash? Oh, I definitely grew up more trailer trash. 100% I know I did. I didn't live in a trailer, but I definitely. Oh, yeah, dude. My family was poor as hell, man. We were on welfare growing up. Oh, yeah.

Yeah, we were living on government cheese. I wasn't sure. I wasn't saying to me to you. I was legitimately curious. Like, which one of us would actually be closer? Probably. Because he didn't say nothing about you. I was like, I was like, dude, Damon probably said worse things than I did.

I just, I, I, oh, but. You know you under the bus here, Dave. Throw me, throw me right under. Yeah, I don't, like I said, but like here's the weird thing. Like, I don't, like, I've gotten to know Colby not the character. And when people hear me say this, they're always like, you know, whatever. But I'm just like, Colby's actually like legitimately kind of a nice guy. Like when I've talked to him when he's not being Colby Covington on camera, Colby Covington,

he's like actually like a nice dude. Like he's, you know, and I get it. It's a character. I get it. I don't fault him for making. that character. Like, whatever gets you attention. And, hey, he's getting a third title fight when he really didn't necessarily earn it. Do I care? No, I don't care. Good for him. Like, I don't care. Whatever. But he's getting it because of the character. He's not getting it because he went in there

beat Gilbert Burns' ass and he beat Bill Al-Mohamed's ass and he beat Shapkat Rechmanov. Like, he's getting it because Colby's one of the biggest names in the sport. And good for him. Whatever. I don't care. Like, that's fine. And I'll say this legitimately. He's actually, like, off off camera, Colvin is actually a pretty nice guy. He's playing a character and good for him. I don't care. It doesn't bother me. But like I said, I think that you zero in on when someone says something slightly negative,

but you can't take the compliment and actually spin that. Because if he had come on and said, you know, Matt Brown had my back, he said I'm a very, you know, bad fight for Leon Edwards and I have a great chance to win this fight. That doesn't sell his character. That doesn't say, that didn't get clicks. That didn't get people to click on the headline. it's when he says, you know, trailer trash and whatever else. That's, you know, that's, like, it's just like the way of the world.

Like, negative stories always get more attention than positive. Like, I, like, I've written a lot of positive stories about guys who have turned their lives around or, you know, guys who were in the military or guys who, like, you know, guys who have, like, really positive affirmation kind of stories. They never do as well as the guy who is, like, shit talking an opponent or saying some crazy shit. That's just the way of the work. Like, that's just the nature of humanity.

Um, so Colby can't take a compliment and say, man, Matt Brown, man, you really had my back. Thanks, dude. I appreciate that. Because that's not his character. He can't do that. Right. You know, the, the problem he has there is, you know, the character that he built up. Well, the man, Kobe Covington has to go in there and fight the motherfuckers.

So, you know, again, he can talk all the shit that he wants, you know, and, again, that man don't have to live up to that. And, you know, so if he wants to talk that shit about me, like, I'll just fight him. Like, I'm very, very comfortable with that. You know, and that's why I retired anybody really in the past, right? Like, I've never really been a trash talking guy. I'm like, you know, you can say whatever you want, but we have to fight. And that's when the truth is going to come out.

And, you know, that's just the way I've always lived my life. And even like when I was in high school and I would get in brawls or whatever, like, I got a lot of fights in high school. But these guys would talk shit. And I wouldn't say anything. I'd be like, like, with the moment you cross the line,

like, we're just fighting. Like, I'm not, I'm not going to mention it to you that we're fighting. I'm not going to, you know, talk shit about your mom or,

you know, the pants you're wearing. It's like, no, you cross the line. Like, we're just fighting. That's all there is to it.

And when I've always been. So here's, I'm kind of scared now. You keep inviting me over to go to the sauna. Are you, like, secretly setting up, up a fight because I make fun of you for golfing?

Is that like what you're doing right now? Like you're setting me up to get my ass kicked. Is that what you're doing right now, Matt? Well, that's what I might hit you with the golf club then. I mean, I get the feeling that, see, you're a good speaker, Davis. I feel like you'd be able to talk your way out of it before I got to. You come over here. You know, you'd say, you know, look, you actually have a better golf swing than I thought.

I just I I listen yeah thank you damon I know I know a lot I know a lot of people who golf I just never picture Matt Brown as a golfer I just like I can like I see you is like the Viking guy who's like holding like a you know a meat slaughter backyard party you know we're gonna cook up meat on the barbecue and like have it going to a slayer concert I just never picture you golfing it's still I still to this day cannot wrap my head around it I have no problem with it. I'm just saying, like, it still boggles my mind because I'm used to like, Matt Brown the metal badass, and I'm like golf?

Matt Brown, the golfer. All right. Well, trust me, Damon. It fucking boggles my own goddamn mind. I've been out there on the golf course with my son and I'm like, how the fuck did my life get to this? Like, I was in a fucking cage in front of a million people a couple months ago. Here, what am I doing at here on this fucking course?

Oh, my God. Yeah, I don't, I don't, like I said, those are the things that we do for our kids, bro. That's true. That's true. The next generation for the youth. I'll do anything. I'll even go golfing.

Speaking of the next generation, real quick, I want to mention this to you. I did an interview today. This weekend, beyond the fights we've talked about, Pat Militzh is returning against Mike Jackson. They're fighting this weekend. And one of the other guys who's debut in that card is a kid named Brandon Mills. And that name probably doesn't mean anything to a lot of people.

But Brandon Mills is the son of UFC Hall of Famer Matt Hughes. And he's actually making his pro debut this weekend. I talked to him today. And yeah, he's like 21, 22 trains on American Top Team. You know, his dad's going to be in his corner for this weekend. So yeah, Matt Hughes' son is making his debut this weekend. Oh, fucking cool. Why is his last name Mills?

That's weird. His mom's last name. I mean, yeah, it's just his mom's last name for like, you know, they were split up or whatever. Yeah, but yeah, that's fucking, uh, that is cool, man. That is very cool. It's cool to see Matt Hughes up and move in. That's cool that he'll be in his corner. Uh, wow.

You know, it's cool to see, you know, I hope Militich, his life is doing good, but, you know, I think it's cool to see him out there fighting, man, you know, and, and he's fighting, uh, Mike fucking Jackson. But yeah, that's, I think that's pretty cool, you know, like Matt, Matt, Matt, Matt, Militich is a fucking legend, man. So I think that's pretty cool, man. I'm very, I think it's very cool to see. Where is, is that in Iowa?

Yeah, it's in Iowa, yeah. That's best. There's a guy coming out of my gym that's going to be fighting on that card, I believe. Oh, really? Caged aggression, I think is what it's called. Yes, that's what it is. Okay, yeah, my guy's going to be fighting on that. And he's from Militich's gym, he was saying, you know, he didn't ask any of us to

corner him or anything because it's like a second amateur fight or something he's like you know you you guys don't have to come drive eight hours for my fucking second amateur fight but he used to train it out in iowa so yeah yeah that's pretty cool man that's very cool to hear especially about my huge it's very cool i love seeing him do yeah i was actually telling a story to his son today because like when i covered matt during his career matt was like the most super serious stoic dude during fight week Like he didn't crack a smile It was business Always business

And like he was like Almost to the point where you're like Almost afraid to approach him Because he always looked like He's just so focused And almost like irritated To have to deal with like media and stuff You know what I mean?

Like he's like he's Matt Hughes I'll never forget A couple years ago When the UFC was doing their 20th anniversary thing They did a thing at the Cleveland Clinic Up here in Ohio And they invited me to go along on the tour And it was it was Steipay

Jessica I and Matt Hughes were the fighters, and they invited me to come along his media to cover the Cleveland Clinic or whatever. And I'd never really been around Matt Hughes when it wasn't like fighting Matt Hughes, like when he wasn't like getting ready for a fight. And dude, he was one of the funniest, like told jokes

and like he was cracking jokes all day. And then I think that was right before he was going in the UFC Hall of Fame. And so we were at dinner, we went to lunch. And we were finishing up. I was like, hey Matt, I'd love to grab some time with you. And I was like waiting for him to be like, you know, disinterested. He's like, oh, dude, of course. We talked for like 30 minutes.

It was like the nicest guy. It was just so weird for me because I had never been around Matt when he wasn't fighting. And so it was just like, he was just in his own element. Funniest dude making jokes, like down to earth. He was cracking jokes all day. Just absolutely cracking me up. And I was telling his son that. He's like, that's my dad.

He's like, that's exactly who he is. He's like, he is like focused, serious man when it's fight time. But when you get him outside of that, he's funny jokes. Like, he just, it was so funny to me because I'd never been around in when it wasn't a fight week. And when it wasn't, like, dude, he was just like the funniest. Like, he cracked jokes and he's just having a good old time. And, uh, yeah, I was like, this is not the Matt Hughes I was used to knowing during his

fight career, but he's like the nicest, funniest guy ever. That's awesome, man. I love Matt Hughes. So, and still, to this day, probably the best walkout song in history of the UFC. I can't think of a better one, man. Like, it was just epic. specific to perfect for him. I'm not sure if there's a better one.

Yeah, the only one that comes to mind only because of the nickname and everything was when Yariah Faber used California love. I always like that one. Is the California kid walking out to the California love song? I always thought that was a good one too, but you're right.

Matt Hughes had an epic one with the country boy. That was his song and he stuck to it. And I like when fighters stick to their walkout song. You know, maybe some of them have Jamie Jasta from Haybreed make them a walkout song. But I appreciate when fighters have a, a signature walkout song. I thought you were going to say

Anderson Silva because his was fucking epic too. You know, a perfect song for his personality and everything. But I just can't think of a more fitting song for Matt Hughes than that song. And maybe it's also a little bit of retro anywhere, just that time of the

UFC when there was a fight every three and four months. And when Matt Hughes was fighting, it was a big fucking thing. And like when he fought BJ PIN specifically. You know, those, I think it was the second fight that I'm thinking, it just sit chills

down and respond, you know, watching those two guys walk out there and you're like, dude, this is the baddest dude on the fucking planet right now. Do you remember when he fought Hyatomach Sakurai? Do you remember that fight back in the day? Oh, yeah. He was, that was, dude just pumbled him. Dude, it was like, Hughes was just mauled him. I was like, God damn.

Yeah, yeah. So, yeah. Croix was my dude. I was my dude. I used to, yeah, I remember. Yeah, Hyatto Mac Soccer. That's like one of those.

That's like one of those names people today don't remember Hayato Mak Sakurai, but like he was, he was a badass. Like he was an absolute badass. Oh, yeah, yeah, he was a fucking stud, man. You know, with BJ the second time. That's when, at least what I remember from my circle

here in Columbus where I was, you know, it was kind of the beginning of my career. fighting and stuff. But I felt like it was around that time where the wrestlers had come into the UFC and kind of start dominating. And then there was the jih Tzu guys that were kind of the outliers. And it was to me, it was kind of the epitome of the wrestler versus jihitsu, you know, and I don't know. It just really stuck out to me. Like, because it was still, it was one, right at the tail end of sort of that martial art. versus martial art thing.

Yeah, and then I think the third member may just knock them out, you know, and it didn't, you know, it wasn't either one of it, but I felt like it was still kind of that, you know, wrestler versus jih Tzu thing. And that was, to me, that was a really special time in history.

And it felt extra special back then. Because I remember I watched that fight with a bunch of jih Tzu guys. And I was like, dude, the fucking jih Tijitoo ain't going to do shit against them. Wrestling, you know, I don't know if it was like that for other people, but I feel like that.

I've felt that since at that time 100%. Yeah, and I remember, like, those fighting, you know, what's funny about that is, is that, like, BJ Pitt and Matt Hughes had, like, a really crazy, kind of, I'm almost like, when I say rivalry, like, just competition-wise. But now they're, like, great friends. Like, BJ's going to be, like, his son told me that he knew his dad was,

like, he knew his dad was a fighter when he was a kid, but it was, like, he was, like, 12 years old, and his dad took him to Hawaii because BJ was opening a new gym, and Matt was there as, like, a guess because Matt and BJ became like really close friends after they fought and he flew out there meeting BJ Penn like he started to understand like who his dad was like the fame and everything like how good he was as a fighter and uh and he met BJ and like BJ is going to be there commentating the fight this weekend in Iowa and he's like super excited because Matt's going to be in his corner

and then BJ's going to be commentating and he's known DJ's entire life so like BJ and Matt Hughes have become like super close friends like over the years like they're like super close now which I think is Awesome. So that's so funny said. So I fought on the card, the third fight. I was on, I don't remember who I fought. I don't remember where it was at or anything. It was Auburn Hills, Michigan, Matt Brown, because I was there.

Okay, okay, yeah. So I fought on that card. And I still remember, so after the way in, you know, Dana brings all the fighters backstage and gives them a pump-up speech. It tells them about the fight at the night, tells you not to cuss on TV and not to, you know, not to jump over the cage, you know, all the standard stuff, right? And I remember BJ and Matt were having a legit conversation. Like they're about to fight the next night.

And I remember BJ something to Matt about, you know, how's the beans doing this year, Matt? You know, like talking about his farming. And I was just so thrown off. Like, these guys were legit friends just sitting there getting ready to fight the next day. And, you know, coming from, the two of them come from such different worlds, too, you know, really threw you off. Especially, not only just them, the fact that they're fighting the next night, but they're, you know, they seem like two very, very different people. So it kind of was an eye-opener for me in the sense that, you know, you can do this and you can be cool with your opponent. and you can go out there and look her out

and then have a drink afterward and then be great friends later. Yeah, it's funny. The last time I saw Matt was at the UFC event in Detroit when Alistroving fought Francis Inganu and Max Holloway fought Josie Aldo. And I was backstage in the media room and Matt came back there with BJ and Dan Lambert

from American Top Team. And they sat down right across from me because I knew, I've known BJ for me, for, I mean, many, many, many years. Like, I know Matt, too. Like, I've known Matt, and I've been around Matt a lot, but I've been around BJ more. Like, I was in Hawaii for Rumble on the Rock.

Like, I've known BJ forever. And so BJ saw me, and BJ came over. And I was like, hey, Damon, what's going on? Like, we shook hands. And so they ended up sitting right across from me. It's like a, almost like a cafeteria style sitting, you know what I mean? So, like, they sat right across from me. And, of course, everyone flocks over to BJ Penn and Matt Hughes.

And they're just sitting there chilling and talking. And I'm, like, you know, hanging out. But it was just, like, really cool to see, like, like how close they still are to this day. Like they just came in together. Like they were there at the event. And they came backstage. They were just like chilling and hanging out.

It was just so cool to see them together. I took a photo. You can probably find on my Instagram from years ago. But yeah, I took a photo of them sitting there together. And yeah, like that's the last time I saw them. That was like 2018. And I saw them together. And they were just best of friends, man, just hanging out together.

Yep. And then Matt Hughes has accident. And now it looks like he's doing pretty well now. At least getting back to a little. see so I'm really happy to see him back out there moving around and speaking a little bit better now and the fact that he's going to be in his son's corner that's pretty cool to see man yeah I was excited like I said his son was super excited he's going to be there in his corner and everything I was like that's awesome because he trains an American top team uh down in Florida and his dad's going to be in his

corner I was like that's awesome man in Iowa you know kind of like going home I mean you know that's kind of a cool idea so yeah cage digression this weekend another fight going on this weekend and yeah it'll be interesting I think it'll be fun Brandon seemed like a good kid I never talked to him before, but he seemed like a good dude and had his head on his shoulders. And it's like two weeks in a row because like two weeks ago I spoke to Biaggio Ali Walsh, the kid who fights in PFL who's Muhammad Ali's grandson. And they had similar perspectives because like, you know, he's got a, he's got, like, Brandon Mills doesn't have his dad's last name, so he doesn't quite have the spotlight.

But, you know, Beajio was saying like, yeah, like some people look at me and like they only see my grandfather. And I get it. Like he's like the most, I would argue Muhammad. Muhammad Ali is like the most famous combat sports athlete ever, you know, across any combat sport. And when you have the name Ali in your name, like, you know, and he's like, yeah, he's like, it's, you know, it's difficult. But, you know, I understand what my grandfather did and I appreciate it. And, you know, now it's my time to honor the family name and, you know, carry on the legacy. And like, it's big, man.

Like, it's big. Like, when you have the name, when you're Muhammad Ali's grandson or your Matthew's son, like, that means something. Yeah, there's a big shoes to fill. And it's, I'd be interested to talk to those guys someday because I, like my own son wants to be a fighter, you know, and he does a lot of tournaments. Like, Jiu-Jitsu so far mainly, but he's starting to wrestle this year. And I feel like he kind of feels a lot of that pressure, you know, and obviously not on the level Lee or anything. But, yeah, being interested to pick their brains on, you know, what that was that like being a kid, you know, having those shoes to fill? Yeah, it's interesting because, and I said this to Brandon when it's,

spoke to him today, like, we're just, like, we're just, like, because MMA's still such a young sport. Like, it just started, like, the first year of season 93. So we're just now kind of in that era where fighters who have been around are having their kids fight in MMA, like, of the age now, you know what I mean? Like, obviously, Matt, he's been retired for a long time. So his son is, like, at that age, like, obviously your kid's not going to fight, you know, tomorrow.

Like, it's going to be several years down the road. But, like, we're getting to that point where fighters of that earlier era, like before your era are having kids coming into the sport and obviously the next generation will be like your kids like you know if they fight but it is weird because like in football it's just regular like football like I see it all the time like kids who you know who had dads played in the NFL and they play in the NFL their granddad's played in the NFL like it's been around that way for years and MMA and the UFC we're just now starting to get to that point where fighters kids are old enough to follow in their father or eventually maybe even in their mother's footsteps right now only. fathers. But yeah, it's a weird thing because, like, we're just, it's different. Like, we're not really used to that in this sport. Like, it's just now getting to that point where there's, like, 18, 19, 20-year-old kids who can follow what their dad did as, like, a UFC legend or whatever, a pride legend

or whatever, you know what I mean? So it's kind of like it's a different thing. Like, it's not something we've really experienced a lot. Yeah. Has there been any kids so far? I can't think of any. I can't think of any. I mean, usually it's always been siblings.

It's always been brothers, you know, or sisters. You know what I mean? Like we see that a lot. But yeah, I don't, I can't think of any that I can think of like fathers and sons. Um, off top of my head anyways, I can't think of any. So yeah, we're just now like starting to see where that might be a thing. Like we're actually going to see some because like Frank Mears daughter is a total badass and she's fighting. Like she's a like, good Lord man.

That girl's going to be a champion one day. Um, she's one who's doing it. And then, and then obviously. Yeah, he's doing boxing. Gabe Silva. He's doing it. So, yeah, we're starting to see it more and more. But yeah, we haven't really, it's just now kind of like happening.

You know what I mean? Like we're actually seeing kids of that age do it. Yeah, I was trying to think. I feel like there's some that have been good wrestlers, but haven't really went to M.A. yet. But I don't know. Yeah, there would actually be one. You know, I mean, we've been around long enough there could be one,

but I can't even think one. I can't even. I mean my son will be the first. There you go. Let me ask you this, Matt. real quick because I asked I asked Brandon this and I said did your dad like how was he about you becoming a fighter and he laughed and he's like no no he didn't want me he didn't want me to fight he didn't want me to get into fighting he said if you do it I'll support you and I'll help you like I'll make sure you get the

right path you get the right people blah blah blah but he didn't want him to fight he wanted him to go to college and become a doctor lawyer whatever you know that kind of thing how are you like because your son's still pretty young obviously like are you okay with him being a fighter or are you like in the back your head or like I kind of hope he doesn't become a fighter because I understand like it's it's a difficult life like there's no guarantees in the sport like you

don't you don't just get to the UFC and make hundreds of thousands of dollars like there's no guarantee of that so like I know a lot of the parents like I don't want my like Frank Mears said that Frank's like I didn't want my daughter to fight I discouraged her from fighting I thought maybe going to wrestling or whatever but

you know she wanted to do it and so now I support her for me I encourage my kids to be martial artist. That's the part that I actually encourage. And I say, look, if you'd like to test your martial art and fighting, again, that's up to you. So I'm kind of on the same thing. But I also look at my job and my role in my respondent adult as a father,

is to build strong, durable, resilient, responsible adults. I'm in the adult making business. I don't like any parent that, that tries to kind of manipulate or force or force fee, either towards one direction or another, unless they have like a real affluence for that, you know. So like my son, for instance, is pretty good. I don't know if he has the talent to be like a world champion.

So I wouldn't never like push him that way. But in the same way, you know, I would let him, I, I'm not going to do anything else either. Again, my job is to make them responsible, resilient, durable, strong adults and have honor and respect and learn how to treat women and things like that. So I don't look at it as my responsibility by any stretch to decide their faith.

But again, I encourage the martial arts and the lessons from them. and I encourage them to test themselves and push themselves in everything that they do. My son just happens to like fighting. He's only 12 years old. So I think that could obviously change any day also. So going out and competing, I love going out pushing himself. And I support that fully in the martial arts. If he decides, you know, when he's 18 that he wants to be a fighter, I will support it.

But I'll also be very, very clear about the downfall. and the pitfalls of this sport and let him know very clearly what he's getting. Like for instance, we have a kid at my gym right now who's 16 and this kid wants nothing more than to be a fighter. He's born of the hardest working kids I know. He's going to be a fucking prodigy. Like I'd put him up against Rosas Jr. right now.

Like, I think he would beat him today. He just did his first kickboxing. a match for the weekend. He won. He's done multiple grappling championships, one multiple grappling championships at local level like Naga and grappling industries, things like that. He went to states for wrestling. He beat the state champion during the season. Like he could have been a state champion. I didn't end up winning. Anyway, like a kid like that that has that much talent and has a legit chance of being like a world champion, you know, if my son ends up in a situation like that, you know, I think it would also be, you know,

it would be a poor decision not that, right? Like if that's what they're gravitating towards it, and that's where all their talent lies, right? My other son, for instance, is a huge golfer. That's why I golf now. I help him out all I can, support them all I can for golfing. my daughter has wants nothing to do with none of that right so I support her you know in that right so that's a long answer but hopefully that makes sense no it does no it does and I'm sure like I said I'm sure your daughter comes to you one day and says you know I want to be a you know I want to go

to college and become an engineer yeah I'm sure you'd be just as proud of her as you are your son who wants to be a fighter like that's the goal as a parent like support them I don't have kids but like I understand the mentality you want to support them you want to support them to do what they want to love. You're not forcing them. You're not telling your son, like, you have to follow my footsteps. You're just supporting what he wants. And if he did, and maybe, like, you say, he's 12.

By the time he's 17, he might say, you know what, I want to go to college and become a, I don't know, like, he wants to go to college and then, you know, become a history professor. Who knows? Like, I have no idea. But, like, I'm sure you're going to support them in whatever they want to do. You know what I mean? You're not forcing him.

You got to follow my footsteps, kids. No, no, I'm totally getting sad. because the only thing that I asked him to follow in my footsteps is to go is to reach for big things, be ambitious and go for big things. You know, the only thing that I don't want them to do in life is a slave worker and, you know, end up in a factory or working behind some office job that they hate, right? Like go big or go home and I'll always have your back. And if you go big and fail, then, you know, I got your back.

If you go small and fail, then, you know, you can, it's easy. easy to go back and go small again. So I'm always going to be pushing them to go from it. If that happens to be fighting, which my one son looks like it's going to be, of course I'm going to support that. Yeah, absolutely. No, like I said, that's the reality of being a parent, right? Like you want to support them and what they want to do.

Like, see, your daughter has no interest in it. So it's not like, you're like, all right, you got to take jihitsu class. No, it's not, you know, she doesn't have interest. So that's it. She didn't even want to come to my fight here in Columbus. She has no interest in. Like I had, I mean, it's ridiculous. Like, I was like, you know, you can, I think, I think,

I'm trying to think of who it was. Like, oh, yeah, like, Chase Young, he was in town recently, right? You know, the pro football player, you know, she didn't even want to meet him, you know? And like, my boys are going crazy. And it's like, you know, she's, you know, she's into her own thing. And it brings out a.

part of me that most people probably aren't used to seeing, but, you know, it brings out, you know, different side of this. And that's part of being a parent, man. You got to be the middle. So here's the question, Matt. Here's the real test. So your one son, you know, your one son trains and maybe he'll be a fighter. Your other son loves golf.

So you've gotten into golfing for your son. Now, here's the real, here's the real test of a parent, Matt. If your daughter comes to you one day and says, dad, I want to go to a Taylor Swift concert, Are you going to go to a Taylor Swift concert with your daughter? No. No. I draw the line somewhere. Well, okay, if you want to,

I know that there's kind of a, you know, a little bit of humor and I question, but if you wanted to hear the serious answer, the answer is because I do not support them a line of sheep. And that's what you're doing when you're going to a Taylor Swift concert. like there's these garbage music you know so you're like I have to draw the line somewhere okay and that's where I draw the line all right if you're going to listen I can't support Taylor Swift I can't I can't but if but then you know yeah I can't I don't take a little bit I

fucking yeah I say that now but when she's a teenager and wanting to go to this type of shit like she's just too young now Lord knows what kind of thing I might get involved in like I was close to having to go to the Barbie movie with her you know it's like her mom in the going thing Lord knows what I'll be getting jagged into

yeah that's that's life of apparently like you like I said I joke like I obviously I don't like I it's cool that you're into golfing especially your sport and your kid like that's awesome I joke because I could never like I've known you for a lot of years,

I could just not picture you on a golf course. Like, it's just weird to me. But, like, you're saying that now about your daughter. Who knows? Like, you might be doing some shit in a couple of years that you would never imagine yourself being involved in because you want to support your daughter. Yeah, I mean, I can say I never anticipating myself, you know,

um, sitting in her room and girls' room playing house, you know, while, you know, putting on a fucking, chef's hat and cooking brownies on a what they call them the little fake kitchens yeah you know i never uh imagine that but there i was doing it last week so it's like yeah you do shit that you would never think i part of why i keep my hair so short is because my daughter loves to do ponytail and braids in my hair so i'm like i'm just i'm just fucking cutting it all off. She still tries to do it.

Yeah, maybe your daughter don't want to be a musician. You'll be getting her on a label with Taylor Swift. You never know. Like kids are kids are, you know, you never know. Maybe that's where it's going to go.

You never know. Or maybe she'll, what's a girl metal band? Maybe she should be with them. Oh, yeah, that's true. You know what I will say, though? Talking about Taylor Swift, completely upset what you want to say

because, you know, you're talking about Taylor's Swet. I don't know if you saw this story. I'm sure you didn't because it was not like a super relevant story. But one reason I have a ton of respect for Taylor Swift, she did this big tour. Everyone knows the tour, like all the sold out dates and everything. She played Ohio Stadium here in Columbus. When the tour was finishing here in America, she paid all of her people bonuses, like truck drivers and like the people who do like behind the scene stuff.

And apparently she paid them a ridiculous like bonus at the end of the tour, like hundreds of thousands of dollars beyond what they were. supposed to get paid, like just their normal working rate. She gave them all like, I don't want to make up the number, but I want to say it's like two, three hundred thousand dollar bonuses above what they were supposed to get paid at the end of the tour. Like the truck drivers, the grips, the people who put together the stages, like all the, you know, the people you don't see do the shit. She paid all of them.

Like she ended up paying out like $40 million in bonuses or something ridiculous like that. And I was like, now that, that makes me have so much respect for it. That's awesome. Like I love seeing that kind of a story because those are the people who, you know, they bust their ass to make sure she can go on stage and we don't really think about them but like that's we think about like the technicians who get the guitars ready and things like that to people you see on stage but like somebody had to build that stage somebody had to haul that stage from Chicago to Columbus or Columbus to New York or whatever like and the fact that she went out of her way like not contracted nothing

and the only reason people knew about it was because the truck drivers the people who did it started talking about like she didn't publicize it like look at this good deed I'm doing like people People were like, holy shit. She just paid us like $300,000 in a bonus that we didn't ask for, wasn't contracted, like whatever. That I think is awesome. Damn, good for her. Yeah, that's pretty cool.

Yeah. Yeah, she's probably a cool person. I mean, she's got a lot of boyfriends, right? She's dating a football player. Maybe one day it's a UFC fight. You never know. Yeah. Well, that's why I never got with the one dude.

calling out Miley Cyrus and I was like not even hot bro like call out Taylor Swift. It worked for the guy. It worked for the guy in the NFL. He joked. He's like, I wanted to meet. I wanted to meet Taylor Swift. Now they're dating. Like, dude, shoot your shot.

Yeah, that's what I'm saying. Like, go for the stars, man. I took so much heat from Miley fans. I figured who that was that even said that about her. But I was like, I was like, Miley. She's not that hot, bro. Dude, I made a joke Because

No, well, no So like I made a joke Justin Bieber Was at a UFC event? And somebody said They ran past him like You know like there's a tunnel At the UFC event

Like to go backstage There's always like a tunnel To get back to like Where backstage is They had passed him in the tunnel And I jokingly said on Twitter If you see him again Make sure you trip him make him fall

Because you know I don't yeah Justin Bieber seems like a dick. And dude, the amount of hate I got on Twitter, like, it was six months later and I was still getting these random Justa Beaver fans sending me messages about like how I need to fuck off and die because I said he should trip and fall backstage. Like, dude, it was so ridiculous.

I mean, it wasn't even like a, I responded to the person. So it's like, like you had to follow. You know what I mean? Like you had to like go searching for that comment. It wasn't like I posted it on my tape on my Twitter page. and like I was getting hate messages for months because I jokingly said he should go trip Justin Bieber and the Bieber fans were they were out for my blood like I don't know where these people come from like it doesn't like when I did that about

my it was the same thing bro there was like I was getting death threats from people I'm just like you can't be serious like you're a Miley fan like what do you mean you're going to kill me dude it's weird man yeah like dude I listen to a lot of bands and like when someone tells me the band I listen to sucks so they don't like them like oh that's cool everyone's got their own taste like whatever

and we're also metal heads like we're so used to that everybody like your music sucks and we're like all right yeah you don't agree we've been hearing that for since day day one like why his bands to begin with because everybody said they sucked yeah dude I'm going to I'm driving

in three hours to Detroit in November to go see Metallica and Pantera and Ice Stand Kills. Like, I don't care. You don't like them in Metallica? That's cool. Whatever. It's, your own boat.

I like them. Yeah. That's going to be a kill. A show, bro. It's cool. Yeah, I'm excited. It should be a good show. So, yeah.

All right. Enough Miley talked. I don't know how we ended up on Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus to all things for this podcast. Just never know what you're going to get on the show. We were from Logan Paul, Dillon, Dillon, Dannis to Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift. That's how we roll in this podcast, Matt.

Well, you brought up to Swift because you love talking about the pop stars. I do. I do. Well, I just wanted to know. I want to know how far your devotion is a father goes. And apparently it stops at Taylor Swift. Well, I'll tell you, it stops way before Taylor Swift.

Stop last time at the Barbie movie. But you were going to go. you were going to go. Well, I told her I would go. Whether I would have actually went, I don't know. I might have dropped her off and, like, sat outside the movie theater or something. Actually, I remember what it was. I was trying to find a friend.

I was, okay, if you can find one of your friends, I'll take you. That way I can, you know, do my own thing sitting there with you, then you're going to be like, you know, talking to me about the movie the whole time. But if you got your friend. I'm dropping you off. That's hilarious, dude. That's hilarious. Yeah, we're going to get you like a Barbie shirt.

You can wear a Barbie shirt for your kid. That'll be the next Matt Brown T-shirt collaboration with Barbie. It's over the low. Fine, David. Oh, man. All right. That's the show for this week. Matt,

where can people find you when they want to support you? Not Taylor Swift fans and apparently not Miley Cyrus fans. But everybody else, if they want to support you, what you got going on. All the Swipdies and my lilies, they can say, hey, over to

I'm the Immortal on Twitter and Instagram, the Immortal Matt Brown on Facebook. You know, I love hearing from them. I love hearing the death threats. And they can, they can fuel up on Immortal Coffee to come talk shit. Yeah, at the Immortal Coffee, yeah.

You know, that's why they can't kill me because I'm going to some Cuban espresso from the immortal coffee. There you go. Get jacked up on Immortal Coffee and come talk shit to Matt Brown. He welcomes it. That is our podcast for this week, folks.

We'll be back next week. Obviously, next week is a good show, Matt, because we're going to be going into UFC 294, Islam Makachev against Charles Oliver. That's a great fight. Big fight next week. Of course, Hamzaa Chima, Paula Costa. So you and I will break those fights down next week and make our picks for predictions. Maybe make a bet.

I don't know. Maybe make a bet. You can start chipping away at that mountain of debt you owe me. We'll see, maybe. And we'll talk about that next week and then come out of obviously what's going on this week. And we'll talk about the UFC 294 preview next week. As always, I want to say a big thank you to everyone that tunes into the podcast. Make sure you check us on all your favorite podcast platforms, Apple Podcast, Spotify,

and, of course, over on the best website in the world. MMAFighting.com. For Matt Brown, I'm Damon Martin. We'll see you guys next week for another edition of the Fighter versus the Writer. See you then.