The A-Side Live Chat: UFC Bantamweight Title Picture, Jon Jones' Future, Edson Barboza's Featherweight Run, Carla Esparza's Win, Tatiana Suarez's Return, More

May 26, 20210 comments♥ 0
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01:16We're live, everyone.Welcome everyone to another episode of the Aiside Live chat here on mampighting.com.I am, of course, your host, Jose Young's.It has officially been two years since I took this podcast over from Sean Elshadie and Mark Remandie.We don't have to talk about them, though,because I don't even know where they're working anymore.I think Mark's working at ESPN.I think that's like a biweekly newsletter or something.
01:42And who knows where Sean is these days.But that's probably here nor there.Thank you, everyone, for two years here on the A-side Live chat.Joining us this week, he has a little book that just came out.So I had to get him on.Anytime anyone has a very fascinating project on their hands in the worldof mixed martial arts or here or stuff I want to talk about in general,I like to get them on.
02:00But he just happens to be an M.A. journalist.He has to be a fantastic artist.He just wrote a book.We will talk about that.I am sure at the end of the episodewe're going to give him all the timehe wants to plug his work.But joining us is Chris Reney out in New York.
02:13Chris, how are you doing?Excellent, man.Thank you so much for having me on.It's great to be here.Of course we're going to have you on.You've always DMs me a handful of your fantastic art.We've chat.I think our comic book preferences align very well.
02:29We've had a couple back and forth on Twitterabout some non-superhero books,which I always appreciate when people want to talk about.that. I think you were a big fan of Berlin, which isyou're a big fan of Berlin by JasonLuth. You are already high up on mypecking order of comic book fandom.So again, thank you so much
02:45for joining us and welcome to the A Side Live chat.Thank you so much. Again, yeah, Berlin, killer.Killer stuff. Best comic bookon Planet Earth and on the ones and twos.Casey Lydden, how's life in Englewood?Englewood's doing good.It's, yeah, it rhymes.Englewood is doing good. Yeah.
03:04I just made it upRinglewood is fairAnd there, yeahYeah, you knowIt's all fairInglewood airLet's uhGive me a haiku
03:14Okay, I was gonna sayNo hacuses, not yetWe gotta get the peopleKnow the usersSure sure sureViewers knowBuild upThen we break out the hikus
03:24I just want to show offMy awesome Chris Rini artLook at thisHow long ago did I get this Chris20142014Who can...For the viewers out there,
03:40who can name the fighters in this photo?You recognize them?It's based on an Esterlin photo.Yeah, I'm going to let the people in the comment sections,though, their guess is out.We're not going to be A.K.I just start answering the questions.I'll see if anyone guesses it.
04:01Yeah.Well, that's just a taste of Chris's fantastic work.He has a new book that just came out.We'll plug that, of course, down the road.But you guys know the drill.We're here to talk about.fist fighting mixed martial arts or whatever else you want to talk about you can leave your commentsin the youtube we're also live on twitter and facebook so for those of you who have never watched
04:19the show because you don't go on youtube welcome everyone from the twitter and facebook worldsleave your comments in the comment section if you have my cell phone number you can probablyjust text me i know my good buddy matt wells has done that a few times he's called me off guardor you can leave your comments you mean mma junkies matt well i was going to say that i was like i wasgoing to say i doubt he's going to do that anymore because now he's working for m mhm a junkie which isagain, I think it's like a bi-monthly newsletter that's delivered by like a local, you know,newspaper boy.But anyway, you say today, what even is that?
04:50But you can leave your comments on the site.You can leave them on Twitter.Casey will see them mostly in the YouTube or Twitter or Facebook comments.But without further ado, Casey, what is our first question for our lovely listeners?All right.First question.Let's go.do do do
05:07are you brokenyeah a little bitum man just so many good questionswe started we had a lot of questions today guysyou did a good job this is like more questionswe've done a long time from four corner sportsand whyfrom Chris's part of the world
05:25so the UFC go with an interim title for the bantamie divisionand who should be included in that fightif al Jermaine sterling can't returnby the end of the year like he said so yesof course we've hadthe fantastic performance from rob fontlast weekend in the main event.He put on an absolute clinic against Cody Garbrand kind of cemented himself as a title contender.
05:45The problem is we have T. T. DeLissela versus Corey Sanhagen coming up.A lot of people just assume that is done one contender fight.And of course, you need to run it back between Piotr I and current champ Al Jamein Sterling afterPeter Yon lost his title at UFC 260, if I remember correctly, by disqualification.So, Chris, do we need interim belts at 135 pounds?In this case, yes.I want to see Rob Font versus Petter Jan.You know, put the gold back on Jan, put the gold on font, whatever.
06:18I would love to see it again.I would love to see Jan and Aljo like super friction, super hot, super intense.More gold, the better.Both of them will have a fake gold belt.That's what I want.Casey, do we need interim titles in the most stacked division in MMA?Yes.I don't know, Yon versus somebody.
06:40I'm not sure if it's font, but I am completely down with interim belt.I'm not one of those people that hate interim belts, actually.I think they're very, they're fine as long as you're justified.The problem is the UFC should start to throw them out there for marketing purposes,for promotional reasons just to sell more tickets.But this is actually a legitimate reason.Sterling is the champion.He's injured for who knows how long.
07:06Run it back.I mean, not run it back.run it with Yon versus whoever.If the timing works outwith the winner of San Hagan Dillishaw, cool.If the timing doesn't work out, then do fontwith Yon, I would assume.I think font is behind
07:19though, unfortunately for him, the winnerof San Hagan Dillishaw.Is that date beneficial yet? Is that an official date?Yeah, it's inJune, I believe, if I remember correctly.Okay, so it's right on the corner.Somewhere around there.So if the winner
07:35that gets out relatively unscathed,And I would hope, you know, in a couple months, three months past that date, we can have an interim belt.Is that unfair?Correct.UFC 259 is also the fight that he lost this title.USC 260 was Inganu and Stepe, or Stepe and Inganu.I will like to say that I saw Al Jaleman Strong post a comment.I think it was on ESPN MMA's Instagram that he was hinting at a fight in November,
08:03which if the UFC is back to full capacity would mean that would be the Madison Square Garden.card, which is, that's usually their stop for November card.So Al's remains obviously from New York.If they want to throw Peter Yan on the New York card, too, I think obviously there's a bigRussian population and a big part in a part of New York.I think that's the fight to make.If it is in MSG, it's a good co-main event.And I have no idea what the main event is going to be.
08:27But if Aljo is hitting at it, then maybe we hold off.And then San Hagen, the win, like the problem is San Hagan, Dillishaw, probably theone contender and that meansthat sucks for Rob Font because he just has to waitRob Fon's kind of in that Francis and Ghanuarea for like a yearand a half or he's who else is he going tofight maybe the loser of Sanhagen
08:47Dillishaw but again I have no ideacoolwe have big newsbig newsthat is correctCynthia Vance Travis Brown versusChad Griggs do I get a prizewhere's my prize damn it Chris
09:08sendCynthia Vance.You know, I want to say a little secret.Cynthia Vance has a little something in the book.She's got, I got a little something from her.She does.And Casey, you know, I've been keeping a secret from you,and I guess I'm just going to have to keep keeping it a secret.
09:27You guys are going to get a little something when I send you.They don't.They don't know.You haven't told them?Nothing.They don't know nothing.Wow.I'm really glad I didn't say anything at the beginning of the show.
09:37I just assumed.I just assumed they knew, or like, Casey knew, so I was going to plug it.But I was like, I'm going to like, I'm going to like, Chris talk about it.Man, thank God, I'm going to do that.I can't tell you.I can't tell you, you know.That's right.And Cynthia made the cut.
09:54You know, some people are in there.You know who let me down?I'm going to say this.I feel bad saying him.Luke Thomas, man.Luke Thomas.I tried getting him in there.I tried.
10:07Maybe next time.All right. Hold on. I got someone text me. Matthew Wells. Hi, Jose. M.M.A junkies, Matthew Wells here. No questions today. Just shoutouts to you, EKC, and Chris Rini for being awesome. So thank you, Matt. I hope you enjoy your time at whatever newsletter you joined over USA today.I've been following his art for yearsYeahMatt is Matt is fanHe's also a good friend of the showHe's been on a few timesHe's also been one of my victims on
10:37Between the Links soHe was a good friend of the showHe wasHe has really good art tooGo buy his artAll rightDo doHere we go
10:52Next questionLong one from Muff DaddyI don't believeThis person has ever commentedReal quick. Hey, Chris, sorry, real quick. Chris, is there, you're a little low, the volume?Is there, can you get your mic closer to your mouthful?I can hold it here. Yeah, yeah. Is that better?That is better. Yeah.
11:10Nice way clear, yeah. Cool. Thank you. Crystal clear.All right. Edson Barbosa, close decisions from Muff Daddy on the site. Is there a bigger victim of close split decisions than Edson Barbosa?Looking at a split decision loss as to Paul Felder and Dan Ike, I personally scored both of them for Barbosa.I know Mazur is known as the King of Split decision, but it's just crazy to think about Barbosa.it could be today if those decisions went his way.Since 2016, his only losses outside of those two are Habib Gaging and Kevin Lee,even as impressive wins over guys currently at the top of the lightweight division in Darius and Hooker.I honestly think he's most underrated, most underappreciated fighter in the sport.
11:45So, Chris, I'll start with you.Off the top of your head, can you think of anyone that has been the victim of split decisionsmore than Edson Barbosa?100%.Everybody who fought Benson Henderson at his peak, was it, Gilbert,Melendez, Frankie Edgar, Josh Thompson.Those are the big three I could think of.Oh, yeah, yeah, that dude, he was a murderer.
12:06He's like a career derailer.So Barbose is like the anti-Bin Henderson, where he just loses every split decision.Yeah.I know good friend of the show, Angela Hill has been a victim of some rough decisions.I believe Courtney Casey has been the victim of a few very close split decisions.and Dennis Bermudez, I believe at one point, lost three straight split decisions.He could have been out of three-fight win streak.I believe it was to Darren Elkins, Rick Glenn, and Andre Feeley.
12:39Those are the three, his three losses coming off the Korean zombie loss.And then he finished it off with a decision over T. Edwards for calling it a career.So, yeah, I think at one point, Dennis Bollinger does, if he goes, he even said, I think after his loss to Phile, he goes, if he goes to a decision, I'm probably going to lose by split decision.But Dennis Bermud has been a very, has been a very.victim too. He did take one though from Max Holloway. Yeah, he got he got it against Max. Yeah, he did.USC 160 if I remember correctly. That was on the bike to early prelims. Yeah, yeah. Since we're going back tospit decision, spit decision history, did didn't Max get a, he got a, didn't he get a lucky one againstLeonard Garcia? Was it Linda Garcia? I can't remember. I know Leonard Garcia got that gift again,
13:25was a decision over zombie at WEC.Right.You can't even count it because that was like fight of the century.So is that?Yeah, that was.You can't even blame on that one.Is that even Korean zombie's best fight?Oh,
13:38is that better than the Porre fight?I don't think so.That's my favorite fight ever, though.That was the main event, right?The Poirier.Yeah.That was,and he got the flying knee into Porrier's own choke at the end.
13:50I think the Korean zombie,Linna Garcia one was special because it was on the WC.Paperview, right?It was a WC pay-per-view.And it was kind of a mid-card fight.It was like, there wasn't no real high expectations for it.It was like, Korean Zombie had kind of a name, but we didn't know who he was.And Lenny Garcia was kind of this, you know, mid-level, no, brawling vet.
14:11And it just kind of, this kind of fight is like, oh, it looks good on paper.It just turned out to be just one of the best fights ever.So I think that's why that fight kind of sticks out because it just exceeded expectationsjust beyond anyone's thought.Yeah.Yeah, that was the Sacramento.That was the Sacramento card when Aldo just beat the legs off of your eye of favor.That was the non-promotional pay-per-view.
14:32Remember, it didn't say WC anywhere.That's right.Yeah.That's right.It was weird.It was weird.I remember I was working with Eric all the time.And he asked Dana that's like, it doesn't say WC in the cage and say in the gloves?
14:45Is that in purpose?You're like, I don't know.It's obviously it didn't in purpose.Yeah.The posters, I just looked up the poster to remind.It says W.It says USC presents.Will Featherway Championship, Aldo versus Favor.
14:56And then at the bottom, in massive letters, it does say WEC,but the first thing you see is at the top is UFC Presents.Yeah, and Dana, like, promoted that one.Like, he did the press commerce,which is the thing is pretty much the only time.Yeah, they tried to, basically they try to sell WC as a ZC product.This is the Wikipedia entry for it.UFC Presents, Aldo versus Faber, is also sometimes referred to as WEC48.
15:20Yeah.Okay, but.Back to the question.The very last comment, is he the most underappreciated fighter in their sports?I don't think so.I don't.I think he's like.I think he's up there.
15:37He's got a pretty, yeah?Well, I mean, the UFC almost let him go just a little bit ago.And I had the temerity to ask for money, though.Yeah.And I mentioned this on Twitter a few days ago talking about, I always thought Cubbs Swanson was the,at least modern in the modernMMA, the best fighter neverto even fight for
16:00a title for any major organization.And now I actually think it's Barbosa.Maybe the bestfighter who's never fought for a title in any organization,any major organization, maybe like a regional one,but as far as like no, Strike Force,you know, PFL, World Series of Fight,those type of organizations.
16:16Yeah, Cub Swanson and Barbosahaven't. So I just think that'snot necessarily a categoryyou want to be part of, but I just thinkBarboza is justjust yeahlike he was justhe was one punch away
16:30one one oneumsimple opinionthat wouldn't have rocked any boatsyou know if one judge gave him a fight this wayand no one would have gonethat's a robbery no one would have said thatand yeah that's that sucks for Barbosa
16:44yeah I hope he canhe can make some make a title run at145 I didn't see that coming at allthere's a lot ofthere's a lot of fun scraps in 145 isspecifically because the top of the division doesn't have a ton of wrestlers.Like, they're just going to take him off his feet.So I think stylistically, there's a ton of exciting matchups at 145.
17:03He probably would have fought for the title if he hadn't had that stumbling blocking against Jamie Varner really early in his career.Because remember Varner came out of nowhere?Like he did the USC didn't bring.Yeah.Didn't even speaking at WC, Jamie Varner was one of those guys like they didn't bring him in from the WC.and they even lost on the regional scene.Signed him last minute to fight Edson Barbosa,who was still undefeated.
17:28This was the first fight after the spinning back kick on Terry Adam,and then knocks him out in the first round.And, yeah, shout out to Jamie Varner, Arizona's finest.But then who is Barbosa lost who since then?Serroney, Ferguson.That was like Peek-Sorone.Peak Cerrone at 55, yeah.That was when Soroni won like 12 in a row,
17:50and then he fought RDA.One of the most all-time favorite club and subs.True story.And then he lost to Michael Johnson, right, on that Brazil card.That was when Michael Johnson was, like, beating, like, Porre, Barbosa, Ferguson.This was when Michael, like, the weirdest career, the absolute weirdest career.Yeah.Yeah.
18:12And then he gets mauled by Habib, Kevin Lee.Well, and to be fair, with Kevin Lee, Kevin, I believe Kevin Lee missed weight,and he got put on Bambi legs by that spinning back kick, remember.You've seen that a million times.And then Justin Gachie stabbed him in the eye in their fight in Philadelphia.Is Barbosa going to fight for the UFC featherweight title?Yes.I hope so.
18:40I certainly hope so.I believe he has a skill set to do it.It really depends on, I hate saying this, timing and what the UFC wants.It's not really up to Barbosa.sense. I mean, he can, I think he can win. I think he's good enough, obviously, but it's,does the UFC think they can sell enough tickets, sell enough pay-per-views of Barbosa, potentiallyas a champion or in a main event for a title fight? So, yeah, going back to timing, if they could gooverseas and, you know, take him to, you know, face Volcanovsky on his home turf. Like,
19:16that might be, uh, just like a tipping point, but I don't know. I, I, I would love to see that.I'd love to see.Like, they're two completely different frames, body shapes.I like, I really love seeing fights like that.I hope we get to see Holloway Barbosa at some point.Yeah.I just, I don't know when they're going to fight.I just hope we get to see it before, like, they're kind of past their primes.
19:40That's all.I think Barbosa Cater would be a scrap, too, because I asked Barbosa this.Like, because Barbosa has a ton of finishes that he starts with his boxing.Like, everyone talks about his kicks, but I've interviewed a handful of fighters.and they said that they were surprised at how good Barbosa's inside boxing was.So Cater versus Barbossa would be obviously great.Yair is a beat, zombie, Josh Emmett, whenever he returns.Like, featherweight is awesome.
20:07Featherweight is such good fights.Yeah, I never noticed how good Barbosa's boxing was until he fought Anthony Pettis.And I felt like that was the fight where people were like, oh, Pettus finally, he's going to fight a striker, he's going to shine again.And he just ate his lunch with his left foot hook all day.Mm-hmm.Barbos is a terrifying human being.One of the 10 most violent fighters in U.S.C. history.I think I said that after his fighting as Burgos, would you agree?
20:33Like, every fight he's in.Whether he wins or loses is just violent.Oh, yeah, he's on the all-violence team, like every year.100%.I think he's on the all-violence team, but at the same time,if you listen to him in interviews or just, just man, like, you have no idea.He just seems like the nicest guy.Like, it's just, it's just wild.
20:51and like he was just chop your head off in your legs with an animal i got in i got in an elevator withhim when i had to go get my covid wrist man on uh friday and it was right after he had weighed init was pre-officially it was pre- ceremonial lanes i he did not look great in the elevatorlike it's obviously like when he's doing media day and get on the scale he's like full of energybut i was like you okay man he goes oh man this is just never gets easy and he was likemoving real slow after his way in.So, yeah.If he could keep making the weight, though,
21:25all power to him.I don't know.How much body fat do you think he has when he weighs in?Negative something.It's got to be at least negative five.Yeah, I don't know how it works,but yeah, it's in the negatives.Have you noticed this?
21:41Mark Callig,why do commenters always say Barbosa's gas?His last two fights,the commentary has said that in the first round,maybe commentary bias against some fightersis for another day.Did they say this against Burgos?Because I couldn't hear it in the back
21:56because we had it muted.I didn't notice it.I don't remember.Although I think when I hear Rogan say the fighter's gas,I just kind of laugh it off.It's like, oh, there he goes again.So, yeah.I think the problem of Barbosa, though,
22:16is like, I think I've talked about this beforeof other fighters like Corey Anderson,and extremely good fighters,but for some reason,we only remember their big losses.And I think even though Barbos has had big wins,he's kind of been on the big loss too.Like, like, unfortunately, he went,
22:34he survived 15 minutes of Habib.Did he survive?Yes, he did he survive?Yeah, but he got pretty much 10-4 to every round.And it's one of those fights,like if he wouldn't have to say submitted in the first four minutes,we wouldn't have gone, oh, okay, whatever.But for some reason, like, I feel like we have that memory.
22:50That's just stuck in.And Habib's like talking to, is that the bite of what Habib was talking to?No, that was Michael John.That was Michael John.Okay.But it had that similar vibe, you know?Yeah.I think when writers are noted for having like a blueprint, it makes people biased against them in terms of their perception.
23:09They're like, oh, well, if you can do X, Y, Z, and in Barbosa's case, it's pressure and take down, like, people then to maybe overstate their shortcomings because they're recognizable.and quantifiable.Sorry.I think of you sound as smart, Chris.Here's a,get out of here.Get out of here.Wrong show for this.
23:30Wrong show for that.Habibibi Etton Barbosa,3025, 3025, 3024.It wasn't 3224.Yeah.That was me.I thought I was making a joke.He got smacked up.
23:46And then he got,and then he lost to Kevin Lee.And then he beat the,tar out of Dan Hooker.That was the one whereeveryone in the backstagebecause I was there.Casey, like this was Chris,
23:56I don't know if you remember.This was in the middle of Decemberand they asked me go,do you want to go coverUSC Milwaukee in the middle of December?I was like, yeah, absolutely.And they're like,Casey and Esther are going to go to Hawaii
24:07to cover Belletra.I was like,oh, that's a little better.So I was there in Milwaukeeand Dan Hooker was,we all agreed backstage.Like Dan Hooker was way too toughfor his own good in that fight
24:19because his body,it was like a burgowhere his body just shut down after a while.Yeah, that was a hard one to watch.That really was.That was when Dan Hooker was tearing people apart, too,so a lot of people picked him to win.And Barboso was on that two-fight losing streak.
24:33Man, lightweight is bananas, too.Mm-hmm.What?Oh, yeah, was that fight out lightweight?Yeah, yeah, yeah.Yes.Yeah, yeah.Because then he lost to Gaichi and Felder,
24:44and then he dropped to 145.All right.Rassling women from MMG 2K20 on the site,A couple questions.How are the UFC not pushing Carlos Sparza?She's an amazing fighter with a backstory with both Yawanna champion and Rose Nama Yunus.She should definitely get one of these fights next,especially after the Habib-like performance.
25:05Should the UFC start getting behind her more?So that's the first question.We'll answer that before we move on to the second one.Casey, I'll start with you because you've talked about this few times on various shows on the site.Why is the U.S. not pushing Carlos Sparza after her big win over Jan Jaun-Nan last weekend?I have no effing clue.It's the fight to make.It's the fight of the storyline.
25:28She's earned the fight.She deserves a fight.She's, you know,Carla's now kind of, you know,sending those little tweets out there,you know, trying to up her trash talk gamebecause I think that's not her style,but I think that she knows that's what the brass wants.
25:45I think they're not pushing Carlabecause Carla simply doesn't look the part.And that's, I mean, I mean,not that Rose looks apart,but they've invested in Rose so we know who Rose is.what do we know about Carla?We know she's a wrestler.We know she's like,
26:01she might be the smallest,she might be the smallest straw weight in the division.That's insane.I really believe she probably is the smallest straw weight.Maybe her in Loma.Loma.Yeah, Loma's the only one I can take those.Maybe Loma.
26:13But they are small straw weights.And I just don't think the UFCwants a fighter like Carla to have the belt.That's why.Yeah, I hate to agree.with you. There's like a real subtle thing.No, no, no.But there's something as subtle
26:33as like they won't fight to get herwalkout music, you know?Yeah. You know, likelittle things like that is likeyou can tell like there are people who areon the back burner. AndI think that if they would justlike you're saying,
26:49there is a narrative there. It'sso easy to put thistitle fight in context.It's so like, you can literally close the circle from the inception of the strawweight division.And straw weight is the equivalent of men's lightweight.I mean, it's a shark tank.And to get as many wins as she has in a row is notable and just remarkable.And, I mean, man, their booking strategy is very transparent, you know, given how heavyweight is going right now.
27:26It's not merit-based at the moment.Merit-based will make a comeback one day when it's convenient, but it ain't happening today.I think we were just talking about fighters who pull off or get robbed of split decisions.I don't think it helps Carla's case that she won three in a row that I think a lot of people thought she might have lost against Marina, Michelle Waterson, Alexa Grosso.I actually thought she lost the Grasso fight personally.I don't remember how I scored that fight, but that fight was awesome.Yeah, it was super good, yeah.Super good.
28:02I scored it for-You kind of ruined the narrative of a boring Carla fight because that was not boring.No.But that fight is overshadowed because Jeremy Stevens got stabbed in the eye against the Ayer.Oh, yeah.Like in the main event.So no, like everyone thought Stevens and Rodriguez would be the fight of the night.And then they just gave it.
28:21It was like, I feel like people view.Raso is spars as like the default because like the main,but they were robbed in the main event.And then I scored it for Carla against Michelle Waterson and I scored it forMarina on fight island.Was a fight island?Yeah.So a couple of fights I thought she won.
28:38A couple of fights I thought she lost and also her,Rose and Whaley all have the same manager.So it's not like they're all going to talk trash to one another.It's not like they could build it that way.Like Rose, the Carla did go about it the way I think a good way of kind of saying like,hey, we have unfinished business, not like, hey, you suck.I hate your face.Just, yeah, I beat you once.
29:00Yeah, I beat you once.Let's do it again.But you know the U.S. you probably wants to give the Zhang Wiley rematch.I feel like that's the direction they're leaning.I just, you know, and even though I also, we talk about, you know,Carlos, all our split decisions before her dominant, or extremely impressive dominant win over Yonlast week, even though I thought she lost a few of those spit decisions.It doesn't really matter because she was, even if I thought she lost, the fact that she was super, super, super competitive with those women.
29:32So it's not like it was a robbery, you know.It was just a close fight and, you know, coin flipped heads three times in a row for her.You know, that's it really is.It's not, I don't hold that against Carla at all.And coming into that, um, yon fight, I was like, well, she has to do something big if she wants a title fight.And she did, she did everything perfect.She did absolutely what I said she had to do to get that title fight.So I don't know what's going on.
29:57I don't know.We don't need every single thing to be completely crystal clear for it to be completely valid at this point.Like Eddie Alvarez got his title shot off of like a bunch of like really grindy wall install decisions.And that's set up a fantastic knockout of RDA.And then the double championship win for.Connor. Like, it's just one domino.You know, it doesn't need to be like,you don't need to be securing Chinese media rights
30:29with every fight just because there are Chinese fightersin the top five.The UFC'sis the PI in China done?Like, I know a lot of the fighters have been training there,but is it, like, physically have builtor is it still being built at this time?Because someone, like, posted the stat, like, the Chinese
30:46fighters, like the last few fights,cards have not done well.Like, they're, like, they've been in goodfights but they've constantly been coming out on the on the losing side and i feel like they've alllooked really good right away like early in the fight and then they've just faded obviously yon jonathandidn't even get an opportunity to even put on offense carla just kind of took it to her rightbut the only fighters that carla has like casey says she's looked competitive in the only fightersthat have absolutely smacked her up have been tautiana suarez and yawanna yawanna and jicic which will go
31:22into the second part of MMG 2K20's questionwhen Tatiana Suarez destroys gatekeeperChikagan you know the UFC will still want to book this onehow do you see her versus Valentina goingcould this be now the toughest test for the bulletso yes for those of who you weren't awareTatiana Suarez announced she was medically clearedto return to competition and she is playing to return
31:42at flyweight I don't care which weightclass she returns to if she did sayshe felt she'd be more explosive and strong at flyweightwhich I would imagine would becase she is she was for a long time one of the taller straw weights in the division so if shewas the last time she fought was valentina beat jess guy she got head she had she had kickedjess guy in that chicago card uh so chris and sure's fought when she beat up asparza yes wowno no no no no no no she beat up nina she beat up nina i'll be it yeah nina because nina they
32:16both because when nina nuna nina has just returned against um who did she just lose to umNina just lost to, man, I forgot.Dern, McKenzie, McKenzie.When Nina lost to McKenzie, she had the before that, her last fighters against Tatiana.So Nina thought, had a baby and came back before Tatiana Suarez.Because, of course, she had the hurt neck.You don't want to mess around with a hurt neck, especially with the wrestling because you can't do those blast double, like takedowns like she normally does.But maybe Tatiana, I saw someone ask why did, why is Tatiana returning a flyweight?
32:51There's clearly a shorter path to the title at flyweight.And if in the back of her mind,maybe she can always go back down to straw weightif her experiment at flyweight doesn't go the way she wants it to.So Chris, what do you think of Tatiana Suarez's chances at flyweightagainst the elite competition of 125?Oh, man, I see her steamrolling everybody outside the champ.I don't know, just by virtue of like the division not being nearly as deep.
33:21I'm not going to shit on an individual fighter, you know, but just from the way she abs, Tatiana Suarez,absolutely destroyed, you know, a dynamic striker like Grasso and a solid wrestler like a Sparza,I really don't see.I don't see her having a lot of trouble getting to the title fight.How do I see her versus Valentina going?I see Valentina testing the limits of Suarez's ability.Like, you know, maybe Swaros could handle her on the ground, but it's up to her, it's up to Valentina whether or not she allows that to happen, you know, whether she chooses to engage with her.I think that Valentina's, I would love to see them grapple. I'd love to see them clinch. That's really what I would like to see, because Valentina's takedowns from the clinch. And that's probably one of the most exciting parts of her game, actually. It's like that transitional space. It's half striking, half grappling.
34:21where she kind of dictates where the fight goes.And I really want to see her get tested that way.Casey, would you favor Tatiana against everyone in the top 15 outside of Valentina?If she fights this, if the same straw weight,Tantana Suarez shows up and can dominate in the same way she can,10 pounds heavier, I would pick her over Valentina too.I think she's the woman that can take Valentina down.and I don't know if she can finish Valentina,
34:57but she can hold her down.Valentina off her back isn't she's,of all the aspects of MMA,I feel like Valentina off her back is the least dangerousand of all the positions,and that's where Suarez can put Valentina.So I would actually pick Suarez over Valentinaif she can say, like, roll through Chiquan,
35:19she looks really good at flyweight.She's been out for a long time.I don't know.Personally, I don't like,putting Tatiana Suarez against someone like Chican.I love tune up fights.I love the idea of tuna fights.I love the idea to remind fans, you know, who she is.
35:34And I don't want to, I just don't like fights that high in caliber after such a big break.But that's how the UFC runs.You know, fighters have big egos.They think they can, you know, face Godzilla, you know, right when they roll out of bed.So they're not going to, they always say, yeah, give me the toughest fight ever.You know, like, no, don't get that.That's silly.But whatever.
35:53If Suarez looks good against Chicagian, which I assume that's a booking that makes sense.No, judging my UFC's no past.Yeah, I would pick over every flyway in the world, including Valentina.Mm-hmm.Go ahead.I'm sorry, man.I would like to see.I can't stop thinking about that fight.
36:13I would like to see Tatiana versus, like, I'm not saying that I would favor these two fighters against her,but like Miranda Maverick and Macy Barber are very strong.wrong at 1.25. Like me like when when macy barber foughtAlexa Grasso, I picked Alexa Grosso to win just because I thought she was a better likeshe was a better boxer and like all around a better fighter. But every time Macy Barberlike connected with a punch like Alexa Grasso like kind of fell back and she was like a goodpoker face and she kept it going also and when she would clinch she would like shove her away likelike Macy Barber is physically a strong fighter. Miranda Maver is a physically strong fighter. I want to
36:52see Tatyana Suarez like can she even take these women down because at 115 is one thing but125 those are some strong powerful women in there and then uh man i don't know like Lauren murphyjojo will probably obviously get the winner that fight should get the next title shot rightfullyso right but yeah i'm looking at the top 15 right now i would probably favorite tautian againstalmost all these women and then the champion would be very interesting yeah the champion would be realinteresting. Let Andragechew some people up, lower in the rankingsget Suarez a title shot.
37:29If Swaras can take it,I want to see her versus Andrash then.Did Androis...Tos is a good fighter, too?Did I...Is Andraj going to make the straw weight? Do we know?Or she's staying at Flyweight?I don't think she's saying anything. I think she's down to fight
37:43wherever. 15, 125, 135. I'm sureshe'll even fight at 145 if they ask her to.Honestly, she should make her...She should, I mean, I wish the UFC was open-minded enough to be like,a person like Jessica Andraj is like action, money fight, no matter where she goes.She should just be like the women's Ronan, you know, just roaming from from weight class to weight class,just like wrecking shop, action fights, you know.The utility fighter.
38:13Wherever you need a fighter, just call Andrade.Real quick question.Chris, you mentioned earlier.you know, how, you know, the flyweight division isn't, you know,necessarily the deepest division.Right.How long are we going to keep saying that for?Because I think we can, I think we all agree that straw weight,
38:32without a doubt, straw weight is the, the deepest division across the world,women's straw weight.But I honestly think that flyweight is now a better division than bantam weight,at least in the UFC.I think, so, I mean, we always kind of crap on flyweight.And women's flyweight says, oh, there's no one, there's just Valentina.but I honestly think the flightweight division is better overall than the Bantonweight division right now.I think it will be too for a foreseeable future.
38:58I just think it's an old story.I think we've kind of passed that.I understand at first when the flyweight came about, you know, there weren't that many,but I think we're there now.I think you got to go.You make a good point.I am definitely like digging up an old, an old trope.I got to be honest, though, part of it is presentation.
39:19You know, I'm no grand objective eye, you know.I can definitely be swayed by the narratives that I hear, you know.And sometimes I even watch fights with just music and no commentary, you know.I have to do that sometimes to just, like, form my own narrative.And then you hear it back later and you're like, amazing, you know?I didn't see or hear any of that shit, you know?You know, you got a good point.that part of it is presentation the way the UFC presents the division and unfortunately
39:57that involves respecting the fighters acknowledging their accomplishmentsacknowledging their personalities you have to do those things for the audience tobecome invested in that division outside of the champ Jose has is women's isValentina at Flyway ever headlined the pay-per-view is that the only divisionthat's never headlined the pay-per-view I don'tthink strawweight's headlined a pay-per-view.You want to never headlinethe paper? She's headlined like
40:27cards, but she's always been like co-main event.I don't think she's ever headlined a pay-per-view.She's headlinedagainst, like,on those ESPN Plusor like FS1 cards or whatever,but she's never headlined likethe Straw-Wade title has never been at the top
40:45of a pay-per-view. Ah, I think you're right.Not even, I'm thinking like,what about the one where she won it versusAsparza? I'll look at it. I'll look at it.That was co-main event.The main event was Pettus and RDA.Yeah.Yeah, that's coming.
40:56185.Yeah.And, like, Andre, Androge versus Wei Lee.That was, um, fight night.That was a fight night.So those don't count.Like, Valentina's fought, like, main events and like, Uruguay on fight nights.Oh, I know.
41:09Strawway, Strawway did.Rose and And Androd headlined in the Brazil card.Okay.Okay.Because that, but that wasn't the original, like, everyone assumed there would be anotherpay-per-view.I mean, another main event on that.Yeah.
41:21And then that just happened.to be the minute that was the one she got dropped on her head that was the main event that was that wasthe main event and i think i was that one always escapes my mind because that same exact day pit bullknocked out michael chanelair and douglas lemma knocked out MVP so i was in chicago for thatso i missed like cannoneer silva goita bj pen uh r rose on drives so that one did have mine and then rosedidn't fight until the rematch like a year later we were talking about presentation though and sorryChris, and so that goes a lot into why we think less of the women's flyweightbecause the UFC doesn't even have faith in that division to headline a pay-per-view.
42:00The only division of all divisions in the UFC that has a headline paper view, so.Yeah.There you go.Even featherway his headline pay-per-view.Yeah, multiple, multiple times, multiple times.Yeah, yeah.Let me see here.Yeah, not that I can think of, but five, yeah.
42:20Valentina has always been.She was the co-main event in the Chicago card.She wasn't even, and we talk about how usually, like,the heavier fights always get top billing,unless you're like Con McGregor or Ronda or whatever.They put the strawweight fight above Valentina and Draja flyweight.So they even put 115 above 125 in Jackson.Yeah.
42:42So, yeah, it's, I don't know.She's going to need a dance partner, like a rival,someone that can, like, talk all that greetsiness.That'll really sell the fight.same as like we said that forever amina nunes should be like a star but she hasn't had the chel soninto the anderson sova she hasn't had the daniel cornet to the john jones i think juliana pinia couldbe that because she talks a lot of trash uh but i don't know i would like that'll be like thatthat's why juliana is in that title fight i agree i mean i did everything right i think
43:10merit alone it's justifiable but the fact that she will say i am going to eff am manna nuna is upI don't think there's a flyweight right nowbecause I know the UFC loves thatbut like Suarez isn't going likeValentina Shepchangoyou've taken everything from meyou know I just don't see thatI think they're actually going to have to sell
43:31that flyweight title fight on meritand like the two best martial artist fightingwhich is going to be a tough sellfor the UFCyeahbecause who cares about thatwho cares about the best versus the bestwe just want to eat beef
43:44yeah man that's like till 2005you knowtake that take that to take that the pflall rightyeah and thatI was looking at the rest of that Brazil card toothat felt like a pay-per-view builtfor the Brazilian market
44:01like specifically for fans in attendanceand for people to tune inso Andrade Rose was a good headlinerbut like Aldo Volcanowski was on that cardAnderson Silva Canaaner was on that cardLil Nog versus Ryan Span was on that cardso that was a Brazilcard. But the main event was still great.
44:19All right. People are telling us to move on.Here we go.Terrence Leverett, longtime commenter on Twitter.Should a fighter be allowed out of the division ranking if they want to take a stepback in competition? Example would be Tony.Second question. Oh, let's answer the first question before we go on the second one.So the fighter wants a step back. Should they be allowed out of the rankings?Casey I'll start with you because you don't really like the rankings anyway.
44:51So give me an example of that.What does that mean?I'm not, I'm not.So if Tony wants, you know how you always say like, like, for example, Edmund Shabazzian just lost to Jack Cermanston.You want him to return against someone.You and Mike Hector always like, we want someone ranked way low down, like outside of the top 40.You want a tune up fight.But Edmund Shabazzian is clearly a top 15 fighter.
45:13Should the, if Edmund goes to the UFC and be like, I want.and fight someone way back just to get confidence back.But I get you can't book a fight if I'm like the 13th ranked fighter in my division.I can't fight the 16th ranked fighter.Should the UFC then take them out of the rankings in order to make a matchup?I think they should just make the matchup and keep the ranking.Yeah, I don't think they need to change any ranking.But yeah, like Suarez, I believe I'm big in tune up fights.
45:42but the thing is like no dude how many how many fight nights do we watch the first fight of the nightyou know biz being these guys are real fighters these guys are toughest stuff they fought their waythey're in the ufc now like if you're in the ufc there's no tune-up fights anyway so if youfight someone i mean tony fighting any lightweight the worst lightweight in the ufc he is still a ufc caliberfighter and that in that's in itself is always going to be an accomplishment to defeat someone like thatSo I have no, I don't think you got to take my other rankings.I think you just book, book it.I don't know.
46:17As long as the commission, I guess, allows it.Yeah.Yeah, I agree 100%.I think that they really do a disservice to fighters.And fighters do a disservice to themselves by remaining.I think there's like, you know, these like greatest of all time level fighters.But then there are elite fighters who stay fighting other elite fighters and end up with these 500 records, you know, for thelast maybe quarter of their career.
46:43And I think they take an unbelievable amount of damage.And sometimes that feeds into the fan kind of like trashing of them.Like they eat it.Like I think of like a Carlos Condit who's like, you know, like his, what's the last,his last 15 fights.I bet he's something like eight and seven, you know,or something like that.I think about moments where fighters do exactly what you're saying.
47:02It's so rare.But whenever it happens, you end up with a vicious highlight, like,like example of like there's levels to this.like Neil Magni when he fought that guy, Craig White.He was like a last minute replacement.He came and then he just sliced through him like butter.You know what's a really great one is Chad Mendez versus Cody McKenzie.You're watching like the best of the best get in there.
47:22He's like, I saw this guy on tough get hit with like hurt with body shots.He goes in there, boom, once of the gut puts him down.Like it's okay to do that.Like if anything, the UFC would benefit from these fighters, number one,getting some like low damage wins where they could get.back in there again. And on topof that, I hate to say it, but then you come upwith this Rocky story, should anything
47:45come awry. You end up with the Landauvinatasituation where like, boom, that guy droppedTony, that guy pushed him to the limit.Now people know his name. The UFCworks so, no, they don't work that hard.To get people to know someone's name,you know, like let the fighter do it in the cage.You know, we're going to talk about it if
48:01it happens.I'm glad you brought up the Cody McKenziefight because that was,if Chad Mendes wanted to get back into the windcalling an oppressive way, booking him against CodyMcKenzie on a massive pay-per-view, becausethat was Sun and Silva too.Cody McKenzie was coming off that
48:17win over Marcus Levesser, which Istill remember that fight because that wasthe zombie Poirot card. I can't believe you won thatfight, but it was again, again, with hiscrazy guillotine, he always did, and thenCody made him this big point wherehe was trained with the Diaz brothers and he wouldn't shakeChad Mendes his hands, and there was like meat
48:32mugging him the whole time, and thenChad Mendes, like, ripped his liver out with a body punch.But I'm looking at ranking MMA.com,which, in case I don't know if you've been on the site, they do like a top 60 to 75, 50 rankings of all MMA.And they say what promotion they're in and their last three fights and if they have a fight lined up next.So this is kind of what I use for my rankings.The lowest ranked, they do a top 50 lightweights on planet Earth.The number 50th ranked fighter is Alex Martinez.
49:01He's 8 and 0 in PFL.He's the one fighting Anthony Pettis.The highest, the lowest ranked lightweight in the UFC.is Otman Azatar at 47.That is still not an easy fightif you're trying to go that low.There.Like Vince Pichel, Joe Selecki, Scott Haltzman,
49:21Nazareth, Hasprat, Bobby Green, and Dracar closeare all 40 to 50.Those are all really tough fights.So you have to go outside of the top 100to get an easy fight of lightweight in the UFC.Like Shinye Yoki is the 36 best lightweight in the LvC.lightweight in the way.Dude, Tony Ferguson versus Shinneioki were freaking
49:42rule.As soon as I said it,I was like, don't get me started.As soon as I said that,like Guram isthe 30th ranked lightweight.And Fiziv is 29.Like,
49:56like you're not going to get an easy fight at 155.That's what I mean.That's why I rather, I mean,now is Tony Ferguson versus Vince Pichelan easier fight than Tony versusI don't know who Dan Hooker that they fought Tony Dan Hooker no yeah I mean Tony versus Dan Hookeris a fight that makes sense but I don't want to see that for Tony I'd rather see Tony by someone likeVince Michelle you know what about uh Alexander Hernandez you know the blueprints the blueprint's
50:26kind of out there he's two and he's one and two in his last few fights he's been uh smacked upby dover he got kind of dominated by tag on moises and then like chris good smocker was comingoff that long layoff and he just kind of ran into Alex and Hernandez.I think that would be a fun scrap.Like he's high ranks, but it's a very winnable fight.I don't mind that because from a promotional standpoint, if Axe Hernandez does beat Tony Ferguson,the UFC has put some promotional push behind Hernandez.So it would, it's beneficial for good matchmaking for a promoter is if either guy wins
51:00or women lose it, wins, if either women or male, oh my God, if either one or a male, if eitherone wins. It's good for promoter.But yeah, I like that. Alex Randis. Book it.Boom. I'm going to text Sean Shelby.Second question from it.Second question from Mr. Lev Red.Jane Waley said, lost the belt due to booze.Said she lost the belt due to boots all other times.
51:25Besides Carla versus Yawanna, a straw white champ lost the belt. It was in enemy territory.Your thoughts. That is very interesting.What quote is this from? I didn't hear about this.She said the booze got to herShe wasn't expecting the boozeAnd then I believe her coach saidIt kind of threw her offLike she wasn't expecting to be that big of a heel
51:45In JacksonvilleBut I could have told you going into JacksonvilleAnyone not AmericanEspecially the Chinese fighterHe's going to get a booed unfortunatelyI tweeted that like stop booing herLike why are you booing herAnd everyone got mad at me
51:57I was like whateverBut yeah interesting questionI hadn't thought aboutThe Strawway champs tend to loseOn enemy territory outside of the YonahalaYou know I think that'spart of the game, it's part of the psychologicalpreparation and in a way
52:11you have to think aboutwhatyou know like who's a good personwho knew where they were going, knewwhat they were doing and embraced it as like a MattSarah versus GSP too. You know, he waslike, screw you, I'm coming to your house, I'm going tomess up your boy, you know.
52:28And not that she has to come out likethat, but at least Sarah knew where he wasgoing, he knew the audience that he was going tobe in front of and he like embraced it.And I think that it's part ofit's part of the game, you know.It's at least worth considering it's part of your fight prep.Yeah, for Zang stuff and the booze,
52:51actually I kind of blame her manager and her coach is a bit on that one.Her manager, especially just because, I mean,I get Zang not maybe not understanding the culture of MMA fans in Texas.So I understand her being surprised.Florida.Florida.Same thing.Same thing.
53:11Oh, yeah.Lower Texas.Yeah, Texas.Same thing.So I kind of blame her manager for not preparing her for that.So I get the shock because, you know, you know, Wailie's all like, martial arts, martial arts, martial arts.And obviously, you suck.Like, what?
53:28Well, I'm sure it doesn't, it doesn't help that Rose was saying what she was saying in the lead up.Because Rose is so popular.Rose is one of the more popularwomen's fighters ever.And she's saying all this,like, Chris, I told the storya few times, like every lift driverI had in Jacksonville,
53:47I can't saya lot of what they were saying on livepodcast. But I was like, God,Florida is just another worldto me because they were justnot hiding their disdain forAsian fighters or AsianAmericans in general. I was,
54:03I knew Florida was,I knew Florida had a certainswayto it.Yeah,a certain rep,but the fact that they were just so open about it,like I had a lift driver
54:18who kept telling me his son was in the Navyworking on like a nuclear submarineand he was proud of his sonbecause he was going to make China glow.That is what he was saying.I'm just like, wow, that's where we're now.And then so when Wayley came outand the booze happened,
54:34I'm like, this doesn't surprise me.But it's not great.No, man.It's rough out there.It's rough out there for anybody who doesn't look like what's supposed to look like an American, you know?Let's put it that way.Yeah.Florida is the only place that me and Esther have really received like up front in our face just open racism.
54:56So it was just like, whoa, you're just saying this in my face.I guess we have to fight now.I don't know how this works.Oh, man.Yeah.But I do agree.I'm from Florida.I'm from Florida.
55:07I do agree with the case ago that her manager and coach probably should have got it prepared for this.Yeah, that's all.Because fighting in Las Vegas, Las Vegas is such a, like, especially on fight nights, you get every, like, a ton of people not from Las Vegas.So that's kind of where people flock to fights.And then before that, she fought in China, where she, like, she was clearly the fan favorite.And she got that massive standing ovation when she won.So to go from that to fight of the decade in Las Vegas to then.being a bad guy.
55:36I get that she might have been caught off guard,but her coach probably should have,especially your manager,probably should have got it prepared a little bit.That's all.Yeah.All right.This one,
55:46there's multiple questions ones,so we'll try to get through this.MMA from Azon Zaman.I like the subject.So we're going to rapid fire these.Next move for Edmund.How can he fix holes in his gamewhile staying at the top?
56:04Chris,if you could book a fight,for Edmund Shabazzin, who you booking him against.Man, I am booking him against somebody who's on, like, tough, you know, somebody who is, who is, like, greener than green.You put him on a prelim.Give, get the spotlight off of him.I think the amount of press and the spotlight is as detrimental to him as the booking itself.Get him and suck.
56:27You know what I mean?Get him, get him a grappling event, you know, let him, just let him, let him rebuild.How can you do it while staying at the top?can't. All right. I'm beingbrutally honest here. Likelet the man breathe.Casey?Edmund versus
56:45I got a few ideas, but I want to hearwhat you have to say. I just founda name. Someone likeCowadoccus, around that level.A Cowadoccus. CowellDawkins who just lost toPhil Haas. SomeoneYeah, yeah. Cowell
57:02Daucus, clearly UFC caliber,butI'll be shocked if he fights for a middleweight title anytime soon.So Edmund versus Cowdog is around that level.And how can he fix holes in his game?He needs just lower level competition so he can execute what he's working on in the gym and the cage.That's all.Unfortunately, fighting guys like Hermanson and Brunson, you got your butt kicked by Brunson?
57:30That sucks.So they basically made a lateral move one step down, like maybe a fighter of one degree,less better, less is less good than Brunson with Jack Hermanson.And Jack Armanson on the right day is better than Brunson probably.So it's not like he got to step down after getting his butt kicked by Brunson.So Caldokis would be a step back.And that's what Edmund needs.At the only at the age of 23, at the age of 23, he cannot take another just horrible, horrible beating.
57:58His next fight would be probably the most, maybe the most crucial fight of his UFC career.Yeah.I would like to see him face either Carl Roberson,a striker who's just coming off an L to Brandon Allenand Carl, remember the heel hook,and Carl Robbins is more of a striker anyway.Tom Breeze, who's coming off a loss.I know he has a fight coming out,
58:20so maybe the winner of Arroyo Breezeor Sam Alvey, who's, you know, a middle way, actually.You know, Sam Alvey is a guy.He can be an exciting, but he's one of those fighters.He's in exciting fights,or he gets finished spectacular.I know he's on a bit of a losing streak where he's had two losses and a draw in his last three fights,but his last fight against Julian Marquez was a fight of the night.
58:44So if the UFC is going to want to use him before parting ways and they give him Edmund Shabazzian,then I think that would be a good fight too.And he's a counterpuncher.You know, he's going to give Shabazzian the space to showcase the skills he has instead of closing the distance and, you know, getting him on his back.I agree.Boom.Or Ben one via, or Ben Rothel won via Go-Go-Go Chokewhere Bruce said it was via guillotine.
59:12Isn't the ref Mark Smith's duty to get the method right?Not really.I mean, not really.He could have just said winner by submission.Sorry.The difference in go-go and guillotine is just whatever the grip is.I'm not even sure what, what he's gripping under that guillotine.So no big deal.
59:33And most importantly, what is John?Jones giving birth to I'm sure you guys saw the tweets I believe John Jones just announced hewas joining Richard Schaefer was going to be his uh represent he was going to be representing himmoving forward so I maybe that's what he was talking about for those of you who don't knowwho Richard Schaefer is he's the former CEO of a golden boy boxing he promoted like Ortizand Mayweather and all that kind of stuff so he's been in the game for quite a long timespecifically the combat sports world.But you know how Dana White likes dealing with these boxing agents and managers?
01:00:11He just has glowing things to say about Holly Holmes management.Yeah, yeah.Poor Lenny.You know what?Good.Let John Jones honestly, like, be a heel to the UFC, not to the fans, you know?Like dig your heels in and like, I don't know, man.That dude's got to make a stand for what his legacy is going to be, you know?
01:00:31and if it can't, it's fighting is, speaks for itself, you know, I would love to see somebody,uh, I don't know.I got my own opinion about fighter unions and whatnot like that, but I'll save it for another day.There you go.That's annoying.What?You're a muffler.You don't hear it?
01:00:49Oh, I don't even notice it.I usually drown it out with the radio.How's this?Oh, yeah.Way better.Save on insurance by switching to Bel Air Direct and use the money to fix your car.Bel Air Direct, insurance simplified.Conditions apply.
01:01:01question from Four Corner Sports, NYC, or NY.John Joe is saying he's comfortable if he doesn't fight until 2022.Is this smart of him or not?And if France is still champ by the time John returns, how big of an interest will the fight lookor France is potentially having two title defense as well?The more title defenses a fighter racks up is going to make him a bigger, make the fighta bigger deal.I was, I said it for a long time when before the last Tony Habib fight fell apart, I thought
01:01:30all of that history leading up to that fightjust made that fight a bigger deal. Because the firstfew times they were supposed to fight, neither one waschampion. Neither one had fought for a belt yet.Neither one had an interim title.And then the next time they were supposed to, the next time,a few times they were supposed to fight, I believethey were going to be the co-main event, the co-main event
01:01:47of Tyne Woodley, Stephen Thompsonbefore that fight fell apart. And thenobviously the New York City thingand then Habib and Connor just madeHabib a bigger global star.I think if they had fought in Brooklyn, it wasit was all of going through allthat chaos just led to a bigger fight.
01:02:03Maybe this is the same thing, but Chris,obviously we all agree,the more title defense is Francis racks upbefore he fights John Jones,it's going to be a bigger deal.But is it smart for John Jones to waituntil 20, 22 to fight again?Man, that he is rolling the dice.
01:02:20He's, I don't trust John Jonesto manage his life outside the cage.So you know what, if I was going to gamble,I'd be like, no, it's not.It's not smart.The greatest moments in his career have come when he has had a busy schedule.And I have trouble believing that, you know, that a man can change profoundly,especially when they're comfortable, you know.
01:02:46He has, you know, if you're not worried about food in your belly,if you're not worried about a roof over your head,then you have to find that internal motivation.And unless he has something truly profound that he's working on,that he believes in, that motivates him, I've serious doubts.I think the deck is stacked against him.I think the UFC is too big with a schedule that is too overwhelming.Yes, he could come back, he could fight, and the more Francis wins, you're right.
01:03:14That would be better for John, the more Francis wins.But his track record speaks for himself, for itself.I don't trust him on his own.He needs an opponent.He needs another man across the cage to keep him shit.straight.Casey?I don't believe it when John Jones saying that he's comfortable not fighting to 2020.
01:03:39I don't believe that.But you know what, though?If once it gets in your brain that you are getting screwed by whoever's paying you,once you get once against in your brain that I can fight, but I don't like this guy I'mfighting for.I'm making him money and why I should be making the money.Once that gets in your brain,unless John Joan gets a good deal that he's happy with,
01:04:09it is a smart move because he won't be able to,like, he'd be fighting out of vindictiveness.Like, I don't know, like, I'm fighting for, you know,he's just saying he's fighting for $1 million, but he goes,I should be getting $10 million, you know?That's 10 times less than when you should,he believes he should be making.Imagine, you know, you're doing your job, whatever you do.
01:04:30And, you know, you sell a piece of art for 100,dollars like but yeah but normally it sells for no a thousand bucks i feel kind of you know i don't knowyeah it is hard it just it gets into because are you are you going to make this are you goingare you going to make for chris for are you going to make the same piece of art with the samethe same passion for 100 bucks then for what you think it's worth it's you can you can't i mean youcould but i think difficult i think and that's why i think john's in that situation to me i thinkfrom the outside looking in, because I have a few friends in the art scene back home Rhode Islandhere, I can just tell that when they start and you ask that question, Casey, would you put the same
01:05:11care in as if you got $10 or $100?00 in their career?Early in, they 100% would.But after a while, you're like, all right, I put the time in.I need to get paid what I'm worth, you know?So John Jones is at this point right now.Like early in his career, he probably would have fought for a million dollars.But now that he's the...Dana White calls you the greatest of all time.
01:05:30How many times? That's all Dana-Way says.Then he wants to get paid like it.So I think that's...But the man is flawed.That's the problem.Yeah. He's not like this perfect person.Yeah.Yeah, yeah.
01:05:42I'm in a vacuum.You're right.In context, you know, the deck is stacked against the phones.Is Francis Ngano versus John Jones the biggest fight in any division the U.S. you can make right now?That makes sense.I'm not saying like, oh, Connor versus this guy.Like that makes sense.It makes sense.
01:06:06If the UFC promotes it properly, yes.Promoted properly?Yes.Like a prime time, you know.This is a story with John's story.John's ups and downs.His problems outside of the cage.You know, you know, just obviously it's the biggest fight the UFC maybe could ever just based on merit alone.
01:06:25Like you have a, you have just an amazing fight based on merit.That fight's even bigger if you, if you, if,If Francis, say, gets one more win,defends it, beats Depey, beats Lewis,obviously then it'll be even bigger.But, yeah, if promoted property.But then I say that, then John's going to be like,okay, then I should be, I should get the most money
01:06:49that a title fight's ever gotten for a challenger.Right.But he ain't getting that.No, he ain't.This, I think the worst case,scenario for the UFC is, I don't know, Cyril Gahn ends up with the title before John Jonesreturns.Yeah, just some not random guy, but yeah, it's just the heavy time.
01:07:15Not someone that's going to move the meal.Yeah.I think Cyril Gond versus Francis is a big fight over in France because they used to be teammatesand they split unceremoniously and everything.But like this just reminds you, like, do you remember when the Bellator did like thatdynamite, like one-night tournament?And then like the winner of the co-main event would fight the.the winner the main event was leon mcgary tito ortees and then the co-main event was the the finals and
01:07:37like the winners would then fight each other and i think francis carmong got like a buy or gotgot added in like last minute i'm like no francis come on because king mo was supposed to fight but kingwon his fight but then he got injured in his fight and he couldn't fight the second time right rightright that's why francis so i was like and like the main event was migari ortees i'm like so you'retelling me we could have the the bell atords title between tito artis and francis carmontCould be for the Bellator Light Heavyweight title.It's just like worst case like that.Like this is just like worst case scenario.
01:08:08Like what would it be is just like this guy coming in.But then we saw like everyone wanted over in Fedor in the Strike Force Grand Prix.Right.And then this alternate named Daniel Kormier hopped in and just became a star.So it works both ways.Yeah.And some chubby Brazilian took out Fedor in the tournament, right?Yeah.
01:08:30Yeah, and Josh Burnett got dropped on his head in the main event, and Bigfoot got knocked dead.What a great tournament.What a good tournament.We went a little over time, Casey.What we got any more?Yeah, yeah.We want to allow Chris to plug his book.Yeah, what can I plug his book?
01:08:51Okay, we got good questions.Real quick.I just like this question.McGregor, comma, just a regular fighter from Terence Squaredadet on the site.you're in a MMA fighting? Do you agree with Kamar Usman's statement about Connor McGregor being just aregular fighter? You say that Connor now is just a regular fighter with a lot of money and a lot ofhype and a lot of recognition. Well, they're prize fighters. And if you take those last threethings that Tristan Gordet just said, Connor is not just a regular fighter because he brings more
01:09:21eyeballs than anyone in the history of MMA. So if you're a prize, if you're saying I'm apride fighter, make as much money as possible, Connor's the guy. If Kamar Usman wants totest himself against high-level martial artists,Connor's probably further down the chain.But Chris, is Connor now, quote, just a regular fighter?I think Camaro is talking about what happens once the cage door closes.Yeah.And in that regard, I'll cut Connor some slack and just say he's not even in the cage
01:09:55often enough for people to make a valid assessment.because watching him fight Porre, I was on the edge of my seat.I was like, every single exchange, you know.So in a way, I would say no.You know, I'm still pretty much captivated by the fighter.I'm still still on the hook.I think that he might be, might believe himself to be Mr. 2016 and when in 2021.You know, we're now at a point where he's been, you know, off the pedestal longer than he's been on the pedestal.
01:10:36It's really, he's a different man now.The dynamism is there, you know, like it was wonderful watching him stun Poirier with a right hand instead of a left.But it's obvious that his head is not completely there, you know.That was part of his whole shtick at the end, you know, saying, I was planning on fighting Pachial later.so I was only boxing.You know, that's a guy admitting that his head's not in the game.And, you know, the fighter, he might be there, but he's not all there right now.Casey?
01:11:12When you say regular fighter, yeah, I'm assuming that just means when that door shutsand it's just you're looking at that guy.Yeah, I mean, I don't believe Conner's, I believe he's top 10.but right now he's booked against the number one guy in the world,which I think the best lightweight in the world is Dustin Poirier,not Charles de Bronx, unfortunately.So regardless of who he's a regular fighter,that regular fighter is still getting matched up with the best fighter in the world.
01:11:41So that takes a lot of, you know,that doesn't make him a regular fighter in that sense.But yeah, yeah, Kamar Usman.I don't know what Karamazza is trying to say.I don't know what he's trying to say.I don't, I'm not sure.I think he's,he was on, he was on, he was on, I can't remember if it was with Brett or Ariel.
01:12:02This is an ESPN interview and obviously Connor gets brought up.And I think obviously, like Charles Oliverer just did an interview with their ownGuillermo Cruz as well.And he, Gierme asked him, like, who would you rather fight Connor or Dustin?And he said, I don't really care.They're both good fighters, but obviously Connor brings more attention.So maybe, Usman's talking about like, will it bring more attention 100%?but is he more dangerous than Leon Edwards?
01:12:27Probably not.Like Leon Edwards is a high caliber fighter right now.So I assume I agree with both of what you're saying.Like in terms of martial arts competition,Connor's mystique isn't there anymore unless you're...But I say that.And Connor has this uncanny ability to...Like, he got smashed by Habib.
01:12:45Like, he got smashed.And Connor spun it that Habib is a coward for shooting him.He spun it that Dustin Ford.didn't meet him in the center and kicked his legs like a coward.Like, and his fans are like, yeah, he's right.I'm like, God, you guys are dumb, man.Like, Connor has that ability to just, like, his, I say the mystique is gone, but then it's not.When he fights again, people are going to be tuning in.
01:13:08I love that.I love what you said because, yeah, oh, look at, Dustin, he kicked my legs.What a jerk.And then when he loses the Mayweather, oh, Mayweather, you did, I could have kicked him.I could have kicked his legs if I wanted to, but we're just punching each other.It's like, it's like, it's like, it's like, what?It's amazing.Conner's amazing how he can spend losses.
01:13:25That's actually 100%.It's unbelievable.I've never seen a fighter like it more where he could get one shotcaoed in three seconds.He's like, if I had seven seconds, I would have won.And then the question's there.Like, what if he didn't get caught?But what we can all agree is?
01:13:43What about 13 minutes available?Exactly.Everyone, a lot of people think Conner's living in the Rocky Three lifestyle.The money just got to him.The train is not there.a lot of one of the it's almost as though his his uh verbal acumen is like an undoing like he'sable to convince people he's able to convince himself like you know you get people like uh you knowlike vitor belpour he's like i would have won if he didn't kick me in the face you know like
01:14:09their rationalizations are so um ham-fisted that you're like ah you knowgo on with yourself you know he's almost good the phoenix sons would have won if time didn't run outexactly that's pretty much what people say so what we need now is to complete what we need now is to completethe rocky three saga and connor's just going to have to go train with nate dyes in stockton in old schooldungeon like rocky and they're going to run on the beach and then hug at the end we ever going tosee that nat and connor like hell no hell no hell no they have they have to fight a third time firstthe most stacked division in the sportAndy Burton
01:14:52two contenders emerged last weekendfrom arguably the most stackedmen and women's divisionswhich one was more impressiveDern's sub over answer ofGrant and Nina had a long layoffor Marina's win over Michelleand who would you pick to
01:15:06well this is a lot of questions sowe're gonnaconfusedand who would you pick to win that fightso all right Chriswhat's more impressive real rapid firewhat's more impressiveDern's win over answer of
01:15:17or Marina's win over Michelle WattersonOh, Marina's over Waterson.Not to denigrate, Dern, it was a stunning performance,but sometimes when you win exactly the way you're expected to win against somebody who's been off on a layoff,you know, it takes a tiny bit of the shine off.And Marina, I mean, I got shades of like Diaz Daily with the way she was laying intoWaterson against the cage.I just felt like it was a, you know, a level of dynamism that I'm looking for.
01:15:47It was also last minuteAnd it was over five roundsSo the main eventOn the last minute fight for both layAnd Michelle was in thereShe didn't get like smashed in any timeBut Casey what's more impressive for you?I say it's pretty much equal honestly
01:16:02Because Dern was so dominantOver Nunez, Nina NunesSo I was incredibly impressedBy Dern's progression as a fighterBecause her coming to the UFCI thought you know she's mid-tierBut she has without a doubtimproved and so I'll give all the credit the world I don't know if she'll
01:16:21win the title but she will fight for a title eventually and I love marinaarugas fuck oh sorry green oregas versus durn I want to see it what's next for wellmackenzie is going to be fighting oh yeah that's the fight's gonna happen if I'm not mistakenbut uh anyway what's next for cloudy good daylight Michelle watersin and Tisha torresyeah I think that was what Dana white had said durn oh oh so what's next for these three ladiesand I will say, interestingly enough,Angela Hills fought both two of these ladiesand has been tied to...
01:16:51She's fought all three.She's fought all three.And she's lost two all three.And two of them were splits,and it's Cloudy and Michelle.And Tisha Torres was like, what?Long time ago.Third fight ever in her career.
01:17:06And they were supposed to rematchbefore I fell apart, remember.So what's next for all three of these ladiesin case?They'll start with you.all of them have toI don't knowthey're in a bad position
01:17:18they're kind of likeI think all three of themare kind of past their athletic primebut they're still very goodtop 10top 10 top 15 at worst straw weightsso I feel the UFCwill use these three ladies
01:17:33to build up the next generationof straw weightsthat's basically itChrisI really want to see a Dahlia fighthonestly I'd like to see Angela Hillrematch any of these people uh that's really what should happen i i don't even want to i'm a i'm a bigfan of hers uh i love watching godalia and waterson fight anyone anytime i'd like to see
01:17:59godalia and waterson fight actually um that and i don't know torres i feel like i thought she waskind of like having second thoughts about continuing her career but maybe i'm misremembering she tookShe was taking some time off.I think I can't because she was supposed to fight Angela and then I think Angela got COVID.And then it came up.So yeah.But yeah, now that you mentioned it, oddly enough, Cloudy Adelaia has never fought Michelle Waterson.Yeah.
01:18:27Oh, a quick shout out to the original kind of the OG Invicta FC crew,Gadalia, Waterson, Torres, and then Carla Sparza and Rosamianz, maybe fine for the title.That same, like, early Invicta FC crew are like still.running the division.So, man,props to Shannon Knapp for finding that talent way before UFC did in recognizing itand giving him a platform.Because, yeah, I just realized that, man, I've seen,
01:18:57I realized, oh, God, I saw all these ladies fight, like,in a small, like, no warehouse or wherever it was in Kansas City years ago.I was like, wow.Like, anytime the UFC absorbs an organization,which they kind of did for Invicta,strike force, pride,see other people can spot talent.There's never been a time that they absorb another organization,
01:19:20and those people don't go on to win championshipsand become elite top five fighters.It happens every time.Tisha Torres is the only one of these two ladies coming off a win, too.So I think she would have, I don't know who she's going to fight next.She did beat Tisha, beat Michelle Waters.These ladies have all fought each other outside of Michelle and Claudia.So maybe match those ladies up,
01:19:41and then Tisha can get someone maybe yon.Shaanan, she hasn't fought her yet.Yeah.Fun scrap.This is not a good matchups for.All right.Outside of Edgar Cruz and Aldo, who do you believe is most likely to get another title shot?Aldo.
01:19:58Of these three names first, which one gets it first?Aldo, because he's the one that's being active.I would say, honestly, Cruz, because he seems to have leverage with the UFC in terms of, like, being in their favor.I think Aldo, the beating he took against Yan,was too,brutal.And I think Yon'sgoing to be champ again.
01:20:21I will go Cruz.I will go Cruz.Yeah, it's one of those two.I think Aldo's just been really active.And that Yon fight was awesomeuntil Aldo just took over.It was a competitive till it wasn't.Competitive and high level.
01:20:37I think,I just want to see activity from Cruzbecause I don't want,like, if Frank Edgar picks up two more winsbefore Dominic Cruz returns,I think that's what you want to see.Anyway,what's next for Marrott.
01:20:46Rob, the Marab de Valishvili, who everyone apparently has deemed the future champion of this division.What's next to him is a bunch of fighters who are above him saying, I don't want to fight him.Yeah.He's essentially he's the 135 Islam Makachchev.Incredibly good.He'll rind you and just rustle the heck out of you for 15 minutes, maybe finish you.And, yeah, it's going to be a hell of a training camp, a hell of a fight to beat that man.And, yeah, I don't see.
01:21:16here the most saddest realistic thing he's going to smash marlin mareshe that's what's going tohappen i'm looking at the top 10 i'm like who is going to take a fight against this guy and marlinhas the you know he's got the losing he's on a skid he might he might have lost some leverage of theufc and matchmakers that in the top 10 i can't picture anybody and wanting to fight him andhaving the ability to say no.I think Jimmy Rivera might be one too.He kind of, he's in that position.Yeah, that's another good choice.
01:21:51It's going to be one of those, like, what Chris says,it's going to be one of those fighters that they just can't say no.It's like when Jacques-Rae fought Muniz in Houston,he admits he's like, why I'm like, why are you taking this fight?He goes, I'm at a point in my career.I can't say no because I'm on a losing streak.So it's going to be something like that.Yeah, and that's the problem of Mara.
01:22:08So say Mara beats Jimmy Rivera or whatever,where then the other fighters are going to be like,he just beat some guy coming, like,Merva's no good, he's coming off a losing streak,beat someone that, beat someone off a winning streak.But he's just never going to get an opportunityto fight someone above him on a win streak,unless the UFC can, you know,
01:22:25sweeten the pot for the other fighter,but they rarely do that.So, yeah, bad news for Mara.I don't know.Sure, Jimmy Rivera has only lost to Marl Morey'sformer Toddoo Contender,former World Series of Fighting Champion.And that was a 30-second head kick.
01:22:41Yeah.Alza Man Sterling, current champ, Peter Ian, former champ, Pedro Munoz, one of the stalwarts of the division, has been Faber, Almeida, Dotson, Stamen, Alcantara, beat Munoz too, so he's one-on-one on that.So I went over Jim Rivera.I still kind of hold in high regard, but obviously it's not the same Jim Rivera.Yeah.Well, I think it is the same Jim Rivera.I just don't think the fans.No, that's what I'm saying.
01:23:06Recognition in terms of the fans.Yeah, yeah.Because, freaking Jim Rivera is a fantastic fight.Yes, he is.No, he had real money up until the Maraisch fight.Yeah, maybe the winner of Grant and Chito Vera,just because I think that would be a fun fight,but they're a little too low ranked.
01:23:24Yeah.I just think that's because Marlon,Chito Vera is a guy that's going to talk a lot of trash.Once again, Rob, I have to fight someone behind him in the line, most likely.Sure.So that's just, right.He just obviously is stuck.Okay, cool.
01:23:36One last one,before wetalked about Chris Rini'snew bookMatt BradburySo farWho is the best femaleSlash Male Fighter of the Year
01:23:49So farChrisBest female and male fighterOh my GodYou're killing meYeah I knowThis is a toughDude I follow all these things
01:23:57I'm likeI'm likeJesusOkayI'm gonna go with FrancisFighter of the YearSo farJust because he
01:24:06you know everybody makes the joke six months of sprawl training oh if this guy would just do thatthen there would be a world beater that dude did everything he needed to do he sprawled he threw ahead kick he he he knocked people out with like technical punches that's it that's it that's itthat's what does it for me he beat the guy who beat him he beat him by performing exceptionally differentthan any of his previous wins uh just transformative both in terms of performance uh technical abilityand overcoming a past loss that did psychological damage to him.Female fighter.Man, it's going to be Amanda Nunes later.
01:24:51It's going to be, it's Balantinocheton.It's Balantino Shevchenko.I have not seen like a wavering in her at all.I think she's doing the Mighty Mouse thing, you know.We're starting to take her for granted.And I think it needs to be acknowledged.She is still exceptional, you know.Her dominance is boring.
01:25:12Yes, yes, yes.Rose, like the terror in her.Like, I wonder if she's going to perform.You know, like, it's a different kind of exhalation when she wins.But Valentina, just like, just steel, cold steel.When Valentina loses a round, you're like, oh, my God.She must suck now.Oh, my God.
01:25:33Yeah.I know you make that.Casey, male and female fighter of the year.Uh, Ballantina, female male fighter.Oh, man.Um, it's easy to pick champs, but, um, I'm gonna, I'm gonna go yury.Ooh.I'm gonna go yery.
01:25:54I'm gonna go non-champ, but guys who's just kind of making a statement.That's why.I'm a big storyline guy.I'm gonna pick Rose for female because she made history as the first female fighter torecapture a UFC title.Uh, and then male fighter, Usman.Uh, uh,One and answered, answered every question we had against Mazvidal.
01:26:15He's also the only champ that's 2-0.Stops Gilbert Burns and stopped Tori Mazvedal.The story with Gilbert Burns is a former training partner,and he has his number, and the story with Mazvigal isMazadal will full training camp, and Usman answered both of them.He also said if Leon Edwards beats Nate Diaz,you hard to argue against him,and I think that is very refreshing in a champion to fight contenders.
01:26:36Knock out of the air, Chris.Oh, Yeri.Yeri versus Reyes, 100%.You know, that's like that, you know, the joke,you want to see a dead body?You know?I mean, I was actually really upset and terrified when I saw that,but that was it.
01:26:53That was the one.Casey?I'm not going to go of year.I'm actually going to go if Uzman's knockout of Asfordal.Yeah.I think there's a 1A and 1B, to be honest.I think it's Uzman with Sanhagen Edgar this year.Yeah, sure.
01:27:10end to last year.That's this year.That was walk officer fun.And it was so non-chalant about it.And even Dominic Cruz, who's former champ,it was like title shot.Boom, give it to him.And then I think Francis isn't up for me
01:27:27because Francis does that against everyone.So it wasn't shocking to me.Submission of the year, Casey.Oh, go back to me.I know this one.Hold on.I wrote it down.Chris, submission of the air.
01:27:38You know, I like Dern's arm bar on Nina Nunes.I like watching her work for it.I liked her watching her like methodically be in that tangle of limbs, you know, from an artistic perspective.That's like one of my favorite things to focus on right now.Mniz Jarkeret.Is it?Munis, did you say it?Yeah, Mniz Zonkewai, yeah.
01:28:04Just the level of competition, the level of competition.That's why.Level competition, all that matters.For me, it's Fluffy Hernandez and Vieira then.Vierrez, like, has more gold medals than anyone.And he got submitted by Alex Hernandez, who doesn't even watch Jiu-Jitsu.And I, he was 30 to one underdog.I will.
01:28:25If Jacques-Rae had taken, like, you know, 10 minutes of a beat down and then got submitted,I wouldn't pick my knees.But that's why I don't put Fluffy Renanagan.Because I, you know, I put that, that was the credit to, like,who is he beat?Vieira.Vieira was likeYeah, Adolfo Vieira
01:28:38By the time he choked himYou know, just in the beating he tookSo but that's a good choice tooWoodleyGot Lucke tapping Woodley's a good one tooI think with the DarsAndAspinall submitting Arlovsky
01:28:51I think is an underrated oneBecause even Arlofsky was just likeDamn it at the endPerformance of the year so farCaseyPerformance in the yearOh manMine's Max Holloway
01:29:04Pitched a perfect gameThat fight wasIt was bananas.Okay.It's hammer porier for me because that was bananas.Yeah.No, no.Max, by far, just the one-sided masterpiece.
01:29:18Oh, Casey?Sorry, completely overlooked submission in the year?Way overlooked.Nunes over Megan Anderson.Absolutely.It's incredibly incredible submission.That was completely over-dick because of how dominant we see a man of Nunes is.So performance of the year.
01:29:36Man, oh, man.Oh, you got, I don't know.You have to throw some at me.I can't, I'm kind of going to get blank.I'm trying to think of like.Holloway, Porier, because these are like perfect games.I think Rose's game plan against Wei Lee was spot on because I talked about how like,if you watch the Rose, the, the, the Wayley, Yawanna fight every time she would, Doc, go ahead.
01:30:01Performs in the year.No, actually, I'm going to go Shevchenko over Androj.I'm gonna go to thatbecause I picked AndrogeI thought Androge was the woman that couldCould be a force against ValentinaBut I was wrongSo I was incredibly shocked
01:30:17To how bad she made Androge lookSo unless Andrade had like the worstPerformance of a careerLike came in of like you knowFood poisoning or somethingIf that was best AndradeI can't I can't I'm justI don't understand how Valentina
01:30:30Just dominated her so easilySo yeah I'll pick that onecould I ask you guys a favor and I feel terrible asking thisafter this could we plug because I have to leave and pick my kid up from schoolhit it do it nowfight of the air real rapid fire fight of the airoh olivera chandlerboom just all all energy all energy back and forth swings
01:30:55what five minutes 17 seconds of uh all action all tensioni i agreeCasey agrees tooAll the way here.Chris, the floor is yours.Plug it and make your big announcementand surprise everyone with what you got to say.Everyone, thank you so much for having me on.
01:31:13My name is Chris Rini.I publish a book every year.I address the tragic hamster wheelthat is the MMA schedule.What I did was I picked a couple of bookends,January 1st to December 31st.I watch all the fights.I draw all the fights.
01:31:30I hired two amazing artists,Gorilla the Bear, aka Adam Nelson,Edward Cowell, famous for illustrating Sean Al-Shadi's long-form journalism pieces on fighters.I had seven artists, I mean writers writing essays, Chuck Mindenhall, Sean Al-Shadi, Fernando Prattis,Julie Kedzie, Eugene S. Robinson, Josh Rosenblatt, and Schwann Humes.This is a 100-page book of art and essays chronicling the year 2020.in MMA.You can get the book at Chris Reney.com.
01:32:06C-H-R-I-S-R-I-N-I.Catch me over at Twitter at Rini M-M-A.This is a book series.This is Volume 2.I'll be putting this out every year until I die.This is my legacy.It's a great piece of artwork.The essays are amazing.
01:32:25The artists that worked with me are fantastic.I can't even think of what else to saybecause I got to go ride my bike four miles for my kid,you know,it doesn't get stranded out in the middle of the street.And I miss anything.I'm going to get,you want to know what Sean Al Shaddy's been?
01:32:40He's been working with me,you said, SOB.I was going to say.Casey, I've read the book.Chris gave me a little sneak preview of it.It is fantastic.Chris,are you going to tell Casey the big surprise
01:32:51and do you want him to find out the old-fashioned way?I told him.I said,give me your address.I'm going to mail it to you.You find out the surprise when you get it.I can't believe no one's told him.So I'm going to say,
01:33:00kudos go find his workgo get his book Chris you'll be back100% maybe you'll eat shootevery on fight nightgo to Twitter find me I sketchall the fights as they're happening like alike a like apage fighting court reporter
01:33:14it's a lot of fun we make some jokesdo what we got to doMMA's got themselves a regular JoeSacko on our hand so butthat is about as a bigger complimentas I can give a human being so anywaygo find his workRini MMA you'll find all his
01:33:30Hardware, Casey.Have fun at Englewood.We got more interviews to work on.Chris, you will 100% be back on the show,and maybe even you'll be on mics between the links.Moving forward.Oh, wonderful.Thank you so much.
01:33:42Enjoy.Go pick up your son.Thanks, Chris.Thanks a lot.Take care.Bye.You're listening to the Vox Media Podcast Network.