MMA Fighting - The A-Side Live Chat: UFC Fight Island fallout, Dustin Poirier, Conor McGregor, Michael Chandler, more

Episode Date: January 27, 2021

For this episode, The Sun reporter Chisanga Malata joins José Youngs and E. Casey Leydon to break down some of the biggest storylines in MMA. Some topics include fallout from the UFC’s return to Fight Island​, including Dustin Poirier’s TKO win over Conor McGregor at UFC 257​, Michael Chandler’s violent debut in the UFC​, Max Holloway’s epic performance against Calvin Kattar, and more. Follow José Youngs: @JoseYoungs Follow E. Casey Leydon: @ekc Follow Chisanga Malata: @Chisanga_Malata Subscribe: http://goo.gl/dYpsgH Check out our full video catalog: http://goo.gl/u8VvLi Visit our playlists: http://goo.gl/eFhsvM Like MMAF on Facebook: http://goo.gl/uhdg7Z Follow on Twitter: http://goo.gl/nOATUI Read More: http://www.mmafighting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Welcome back, everyone, to the A-Side Live show here on MAMAFighting.com. It's been, I think, two weeks since the last time we did this, because I've obviously been in Fight Island traveling, and we've had Wayans, Media Days, fights, you name it, when we're supposed to be doing this. So we took about a two-week break, but we're back now. I hope everyone, I hope everyone missed us. But if you didn't, why?

Anyway, to get to the point, you guys know the drill, questions, answers, all that. Same format as always joining us this week. I was hoping to get someone on that was on Fight Island with me. So I turned to the man who I sat next to at every single media day and sat in front of at every single way. And to Senga of the sun? Am I saying? Am I remember that correctly? That's correct.

Thanks for having me on guys. It's an honor. Yeah, just saying a lot of course, one of the top UK journalists in the MMA scene. He's done great work all week. Sat next to him, picked his brain, saw him write stories, all kinds of stuff. We shared iPhone chargers. We shared camera charges, you name it. We probably had to share it this week.

The last two weeks said, on Flight Island. And of course, Casey Lydon, producers Jordan Aeronerons and two is Casey. How's Englewood? Engwood is very good. It's very cold. I woke up this morning. It was 49 degrees. I was like, oh, boy.

What's that in Celsius? What? What's that in Celsius? What's that? So that's not real Celsius. Come on. This is America. We believe in freedom in Fahrenheit.

Come on. I had to get used to saying things in Celsius and all that kind of and meters and everything, speaking with all the European journalists and stuff. Or coaches, too, they'd ask me like, oh, what's the weather in Arizona? I'd say like, oh, I guess up to 118. and they would just look at me like I was like. They're like, what does that even mean? And I had to like conversion and everything.

But saying how's the weather in the UK? Because Casey says it's cold. 49 is not even freezing if you're not aware. So how's the weather in the UK? On the day that we got back on, I've even lost track of what day. It was Sunday night. It got back and there was just snow everywhere, like just cover it. And as soon as they opened the aircraft door, I could just feed the chill coming through.

And I just like, this is just not. what I was used to because I was wearing shorts and everything still, like, because I packed in a rush because I still had deadlines to me when I got back to the hotel. So literally I just chucked on shorts and then I just went and then the door opened when we arrived and it was just cold as hell. I knew you were going to say that because I saw like the raptors from the full reptile team. They posted they were walking through snow and when they got off. I had to drive through an ice storm between Vegas and Phoenix. So that was fun on the way back. Like 16 hour flight, it's a four hour through the snow, I survived.

Saw a bunch of car crashes, though, up in the mountains. It is what it is. No one wants to hear about that. But you guys know the drill. You can ask us any questions you watch, saying if you haven't seen the show before, we just answer fan questions about pretty much anything the fight fans want to watch. We talk mostly about fighting, but every now and then we get the random

tangent. We had Mike Hesel once on and he spoke for about 45 minutes on Bigfoot and the lure behind that. So, yeah, we get all kinds of weird questions. So, Casey, without further ado, what's our first question. First question. Get out of here, Jessica.

Oh, shout out to Jessica Crystal Crew. Longtime comment. All right. We're going to go first. Let's start. Start for the big questions. People, when you submit questions online to us, make each question a post because now we have these giant questions. I didn't feel like breaking up. We have giant blob. So from Tristan Gordette on the site, I knew he, to his credit, tweeted us this morning and said, just a heads, or last night, just a heads up, I'm going to have a bunch of questions.

So I woke up this morning expecting a million questions. I'm sure Tristan. Anyway, McGregor's status as a contender, does his place in UC history, and Pena's call out of Nunez. So this is three different questions. So we'll start at the top. After reading A.K. Lee's article about McGregor, do you think his days as a legitimate UFC contender are behind them? So yes, of course, after we finished this episode, of the A side, go to M.A.fighting.com and read

my our colleague Alex K. Lee's article on it. Well written, but just saying, I'll start with you. You and I were in attendance. We saw the Dustin Porreis, TKO of Conrader live and in person. This is now his second loss at 155. He's, of course,

beat Donald Serroney and sandwiched between that was his loss to Habib and his loss to Dustin Poirier. So, are McGregor's days as a legitimate UFC contender behind him after seeing last Saturday's performance? No, I don't think so by any stretch of the imagination. I think I don't want to say that that's a casual question

or a casual notion that's being perpetuated, but that is what I've been seeing from people who aren't really familiar and immersed in the sport. I mean, let's not forget, Connor won the first round, and he looked good in the first round. I mean, that left hand was landing early, early doors and in the clinches as well. He reversed position very well, and he landed some good knees in the clinch.

So I don't think by any stretch of the imagination that he's no longer a legit in the lightweight contender or title contender in any division. I think that's a grave disservice to Dustin Porrier for people to be saying that, because I think people are forgetting that Dustin Porrier prior to fighting Connor. He'd beaten four former world champions, Anthony Pettis, Justin Gagee, Eddie Alvarez, and who's the fifth one? Max Holloway. So I think Connor is still a world-class fighter. Obviously, the questions about him being a legitimate, lightweight contender are, I think there were somewhat answered with the performance in the first round,

but I think he needs an emphatic victory in his next fight to truly silence those people that are asking those questions. Yeah, and I saw a question that I'm sure we're going to talk about later on about, oh, actually, it's this one right here. So as it stands today, can we say that Dustin Porre is the second greatest lightweight fighter in UFC history? Is there any other fighter in the division that present or past that has a better resume than he does? The man has fought nothing but killers in the division. So going off of that, we actually were speaking of this in the airport a little bit amongst the media.

A lot of us didn't really have a problem if you put Dustin Porier number two, probably behind Habib, in terms of greatest lightweights of all time. So if Connor, if this is what we're going off of, if we put Dustin Pori's second greatest behind Habib, That means the only people Conner's lost to a lightweight in the UFC are the first and second greatest lightweights of all time. So it's nothing to hang your head out, man. It's not like you're losing to bums. And of course, he beat Eddie Alvers,

who we all agree to probably be top five lightweights of all time in all of MMA. And then Donald Serroney, of course, has pretty much every UFC record out there. But Casey, where is our, a two-part question, are Conner's days as a contended behind him? And where do you slot Porre in the annals of great lightweights in MMA history? Did you see those paper view sells that Connor got? That's all that matters right now.

Yeah, it's all that matters. He could lose 30 times in a row. As long as he's selling a million paper views, he will always be a lightweight title contender. I don't care. That's just how the business works. Now, will he win the belt ever again? I seriously doubt that,

but he's still a very exciting, exciting, entertaining fighter. So, yeah, we're going to see him in, title number one contender fights probably another title fight just you know just because he beats you know someone outside the top 10 like but he'll we'll we'll see him there that the idea that he's not going to be a top contender is kind of ridiculous now being a champion that's on the story um man my conne dust and portier the second greatest uh lightweight ever well in ufc history okay ufc history i don't have a problem with it like he's interim champ and he's like look at He's beating Eddie.

He's being Pettis. He's being Gachy. He's being in Gahue. He's being in Holloway twice. He has the draw. He's beating Jim Miller. But he has lost to Michael Johnson and all that kind of stuff. But I mean, he's rattled.

He's like, but just like he's lost. And then he's bounced back and ran through a string of killer. So how you bounce back, I think, plays a major factor too. But I have no problem if you put him number two and maybe Tony Ferguson number three. Yeah. I'm incomplete. Yeah, I'm not, I feel, I feel all those can bounce around. I think, I think the only one we know is one, but I think, I think the story is still,

I think the story isn't finished yet for Porre and Ferguson, so, and Connor, in fact. So, and, and Chandler, freaking, it's like, there's still, there's still many, there's so many stories that are still haven't gone to their final act yet as far as their career. So, I, like, and if, if Eddie wins the one, if Eddie Alvers wins one championship title, then he has Bellator title, UFC title, one championship title, where I saw a question that I'm sure it's coming up. RDA is probably somewhere in there. And I pulled out, we got the numbers right here on pay-per-view buys ever.

So the highest selling pay-per-view of all times, UFC-229, Habib Conner did $2.4 million, and then Pori McGregor did $1.6, Diaz-McGregor 2 did $1.6, McGregor-Sor-Mor-Sorone-3, McGregor-Dez did 1.3, then Alvarez-Maggare did 1.3. and then Uzman Mazudal did 1.3 and Lesnar Meir did 1.3. So pretty much the top six to five slots are all involved in Connor McGregor. So as long as that trend continues, he's going to be in the top of the division no matter what. Yeah, I'm going to agree with you and that. And then the final question from Tristan, did Juliana's call out of Nunes make sense?

Don't think she was being realistic. It sounded like she was making excuses on her losses. at the press conference. So for those of you who didn't watch the press conferences that are all on our YouTube channel, Gion Lepena, beat Sarah McMahon, tapped her, and then immediately called out Amanda Nunes.

A lot of people laughed. I didn't have a problem with the call-out because you're not going to get what you don't ask for. Does the fight make sense? But I don't have a problem with any... I think Chal Sondon said it best, like, you should be calling out the champ. I don't have a problem if anyone calls out the champ.

She is coming off losses. She's had a bunch of losses. Amanda Nunes clapped back. I need to answer off, clapped back. Samuel, what did you make of Juliana Payne's call out of the champ Amanda Nunes? Like everyone else in attendance at the A Hadrina, I was a bit perplexed, to be honest. But as you said there, you quote Jail Sun and that you don't get what you don't ask for. And you should be calling out the champion.

But I struggle to see what claim to a title show that she can have. obviously she's uh well she's she's two and two in our last four and then she had the lengthy layoff between was that between the chefchenko fight and the montana fight so she's not been that active so but don't get me wrong would it be an entertaining fight yes but i was perplexed but not as perplexed as amanda who as you said clapped back with a tweet that banged pretty much and like was retweeted loads and liked loads of times i think she said something along the lines of you can't even make yourself a contender so i mean and you know a nearer's on it with twice because apparently like Juliana lost to Valentina and then she lost to

Germain de Randomy. I would assume if she won out of those fights, she probably would have got the title fight. Yeah, that's true. A hundred percent. Especially the, the, randomie, I'm butchering her name right now at the end of her a former world champion. That would have definitely got her the title shot. But I think she needs another win at least to be campaigning seriously for Amanda Nune's shot and having a claim to a title show. I don't have a problem if they do give her a title shot, mostly because Holly Holm and GDR have lost to Amanda, and they seem to be one, two right there.

So if you want fresh matchups and you want eyes on the division, June Lompany is outspoken. They've been, like any sort of beef they have is going to sell. So I don't have an issue if they give it to her. I do get people being confused, considering she's lost to, she's lost two number one contender fights. But also, let's not forget,

she's on a four-fight win streak, beat Katzangano, U.S.C. the only person that had beaten Amanda Nunes in a long time. And the only reason she didn't get the title shot was because Ronda Rousey returns. They put her to the side to give Rhonda the title. And then she ended up fighting Valentina a month later was winning until she got submitted. So I don't have a problem if they give Giuliana the title fight just because it's a new matchup and they'll sell the hell out of that fight. But I get why people were a little perplexed by the call.

I don't have a problem with it. Casey, you looked like you had something to say. Oh, I thought her calling out Nunes for the title was perfect because I actually think it is a good callout. Like you said, UFC doesn't like doing rematches, so I doubt we're going to see Nunes Holly Home.

I doubt we're going to see Nunes J.D. Nunes is 2 and O against GDR. That fight's not happening. Yeah, I know. So that's not going to happen. And the UFC, for some reason, booked Holly Home and Arena Al-Audana. Adana should have got that fight,

but Adana lost the home, so Adana's out of the running. I don't think Caitlin Vieira has a fight coming up, like next week or something. Who does that leave? If Nune is, that's why, I don't understand champs who go like, how dare you call out the champ? Like, I don't get that. You know, like, Nune is the champ. She should be like, yeah, every single woman that weighs 135 pounds in the world should be calling me out. That's what being the champ is about.

So I know everyone's like, oh, Nunez got her. But to me, it's like, no, you're the champ. you you don't you don't you don't get to decide you know maybe you don't want to fight pain you because oh no one knows right I ain't going to make enough money if you want to go that route that's something but as far as Julia Payne being a credible competition yeah she's earned that shot and the way the UFC has done their matchmaking he is kind of the only one caught up to them yeah it caught up to them yeah so actually um I think it's a great call out now when Julia Payne and called out megan Anderson for getting a title fight that made

zero sense. Right? That just made zero sense. I don't know if Julie Payne didn't realize that was a different weight class or something, but that one made no sense at all. So I think that Megan Anderson part kind of confused everyone,

so it kind of added to the weirdness of it because just Pena calling for a title shot was kind of news enough, but then she added the Megan Anderson part, which was just weird. Yeah, I don't, again, I don't have, like they should have done Juliana and Irenne for the no-long-old.

on the last fight island because that would that would have been two whoever won that was a fresh matchup for the champ and then you could have done gdr and holly in a three round rematch you know because they had the first time they fall was at 145 but uh usc be dumb and making dumb things making dumb decisions i know i see people in the comment saying they want valentina amanda i think the uc's really gung-ho on valentina and way lee so if that's the route they're taking fine but i don't think we're going to see valentina Amanda anytime soon.

I mean, there is an appetite for it because obviously, when did they fight? September 2017, wasn't it? And that was a close fight. I mean, I personally... I had Valentina winning. Yeah, exactly. So I think there is...

Yeah, there are people clamoring for it, and you could sell it, especially because Valentina, she's on like a six-fight win streak since then, defended the belt four times, I believe. Dominant defenses, too, not just... Yeah. Not even competitive, yeah. I also stylistically,

Giuliana Pena versus Amanda is a fun fight without the trash talk because Amanda, we haven't really seen her off her back a whole lot, and Juliana is very much a wrestling, a heavy wrestler. Everyone was expecting that again, the Felicia Spencer fight. It didn't play out like that,

but I think at 135 with Amanda depleting her body from 145 to 135 again, I just like that fight as a fight, even without the trash talk of the title. But regardless, I hope that fight happens. uh down the next for both women but who knows with the ufc all right thank you for the questions tristan i hope we answer them here we go from another question from terence this time on twitter

wokenowski has been on a twitter sneak-dissing max this past week i know he feels disrespected because max is the people's champ the perception is a point fighter which is frowned upon in m m m a do you think alex should just just let his hands do the talking like Steepay. Yeah, so obviously Max Holloway had one of the greatest performances in the history of UFC main events while we were on Fight Island when he just decimated Calvin Cater to the point where Dana White even said it reminded him of a fight where he was afraid Calvin might die apparently, which was, I think, a little over the top.

But I think it definitely hurts Alex's perception with the fans, just because he had two close fights a lot of people thought max won both and then max just goes on to crush calvin cater in the first fight after that so it doesn't help but valkinovsky is just gonna i think his sneak dizzing is funny i would like to see a third fight but saying what did you make of valkynoski's comments the past few weeks i mean let let the champ say what he wants you know do you know what i mean i i have i have no qualms with it but i understand i understand why he's coming out i don't I'm going to say guns blazing because that's a bit over the top. But I understand why he's saying the things that you're saying.

Because obviously there's still this narrative that Max won both of the fights. And I think he still wants some of the, well, yeah, I don't want to say clout that Max has. But he wants to take some of the fan base that Max had and the respect. Because as, as Tennis put there, a lot of people still see him as a points fire. So I have no qualms with it, to be honest, but I'm just looking forward to seeing him get in there with Ortega, and I think that's in March, isn't it? If I'm correct.

Yeah, it's the co-main-in-vana, Steepa and Francis, too. Yeah, that's going to be a really, really good fight. And if he wins, I believe that's going to be his 20th consecutive win. Which is insane. But 20 overall, which is crazy, man. And I can't, he won both fights. won both fights. At the end of the day, no matter how we score it or how the people score it, in the record books, in 20 years from now, people will just see the ES2 wins over

Max Holloway. So let him talk how he wants to talk. And if he wants to go down the route of doing it, let his hands during the talking, yeah, I don't think that's going to work for him, especially in this day and age where people like to see outspoken champions. But let him do what he wants. I have no qualms with it. I like Volcanozky too. The guy wrote a children's book is a champion of the biggest fight promotion in the world. And we're out here talking about why he can't sell fights. I wish he was, he's a funny cat too.

His social media is funny. I can't remember while our colleague Alex Savis refers to. She groups like Volcanowski and Whitker and Jan Blahovich into like a group of fighters where there's just, there's no issues with them. They're just like good, funny people who just happen to be really high-level. level martial artists. But Casey, what do you make of

the Volcanowski Holloway banter the past few weeks? Volkanowski is a champ. Actually, I think it's a, I think it doesn't make Volcanowski look too.

Volcanowski just, just, just, he just needs to make, do screenshots of like, UFC.com like, hey, look who's at the top. Me.

That's me. That's my name. There I am right there. Post a photo of his belt. Yeah, like, hey, look at this. Hey, hey,

what do you? This is mine. That's all. This is him being a prize fighter, him laying down the groundwork for, you know, future promotions when I assume he thinks he's going to be Brian Ortega and then he'll face Max. So, you know, they have more, you know, beef to talk about. Maybe this is kind of, maybe he just needs that motivation in the gym. Jesus, I mean, he's fought 15 minutes with Max Holloway. That's a lot of, I can see, I can see him just being tired of Max Holloway.

That's just, I'm just tired of it. But that's, hey, until you knock Max Holloway out. or something like that or, no, definitively beat him, it's always going to be out there, you know. Yeah, and Max's performance against Calvin has just satiated that, the need for that trilogy. Yeah. Just because Max looked unbelievable.

So Max looks like the best featherweight in the world against Calvin Cater. Obviously, styles make match, like fights, and if Volcanox just has the game plan to beat Max, it is what it is. Maybe Max will never be Volcanowski. But Max Holloway pitched a prox. perfect game against Calvin Cater. And that's just people want that trilogy.

I don't have a problem if they do it. I don't have a problem if they never do it because Max can always jump up to 155, too. He's a pretty big featherweight and throw down at 155, which I would be fun with. I'd be fine with two. But Alex is the chant. Can't take that away from him. Yeah. I think.

Thank you for another question, Terran. Don't worry, Volk. You'll make, you're making all this, all this trash dog, you're just going to be more money in your bank account later. So you're, you're, your friends, sir. Yeah. All right, let's go to the YouTubers. This is the big question coming out of Fight Island.

You ready? Irabi Elmecchi, apologies, if I mispronounce your name. What is in Atman Azatar's bag? So yes, for those of you who aren't aware, Admin Azatar is no longer in the UFC because apparently he cut off his wristbands. So, Casey, on Fight Island, every few days, you have to take a COVID test,

and then when you get your results, which apparently just saying it had a little bit of an issue with. I think what, the second or third test results? Didn't they come in late or something like that? Yeah. So I went downstairs to get them to begin with. And the guy said, oh, yeah, we'll bring them to your room. And then a few hours later, like literally a couple hours to be getting the bus.

There was no letter under the door. So then I was panicking. I went downstairs. And then I asked the guy, oh, do you have my results? And he's like, oh, I don't know where they are. And whatever. basically one of his colleagues put it in the wrong drawer or whatever but obviously i was thinking i was i was thinking oh what have i tested positive and this is their way of like trying to tell me but

luckily that wasn't the case so yes uh if there is if in a in a world where everything works perfectly and you're not just saying it and that you lose your test results you take a test every few days and then when you get a new wristband the following day if you test negative and you get your physical copy stating negative just in case the airport like requests that you provide proof that you test a negative so i'm and they change the colors of the wristband every single time every single changing so ottoman azatar apparently cut his wristbands off and gave them to someone who then came into the hotel i've heard a few stories some people say he gave them the wristband before some people say they gave him after i'm not quite sure but he basically let someone inside the

bubble gave him his wristband and this person brought a bag in with unknown with whatever with some unknown something i don't know what it was and then ran away from security got caught ottman is atar obviously got in trouble and he's no longer than the ufc and everyone was thrown out of the bubble uh we asked dana white he had absolutely no idea uh i was if dan hooker had one apparently well Dan Hooker apparently his room was across the way from Ottoman so he heard everything go down we didn't

get an opportunity to speak with him after because of course he lost to Michael Chandler but I've heard a bunch of theories some people thought it was IVs some people thought it was banned substances some people thought some crazy stuff that he was going to attack Connor with which I which I think is the least likely scenario

not quite sure but whatever it is it cost him his job in the UFC but yeah that was a weird that was a real weird situation i still think it was a PlayStation i think PlayStation 5 that's what i think it was it's like the guys get bored man it's nothing to do in fight island you think if ian's cool but you're just stuck in a hotel room so PlayStation 5 that's what it was yeah i wish i brought uh the PlayStation with me one of my colleagues uh well works for the same parent company that he was also in fire

island as well but he brought his PlayStation with himself as he joined the first two days when we're quarantined in our room he was totally fine. He was just playing on the PlayStation, start from the inning at the big white screen TV and what have you. But yeah, here I was scratching the walls, just trying to get, because I didn't have a balcony as well unfortunately. So

the, yeah, Casey, in the hotel we stay at, there's some rooms that have balconies and some that don't. Now, normally that's, that normally the room should be the exact same, just minus a balcony. The ones without the balcony are substantially

smaller than the ones with with the balcony. It's like you're in a prison cell. It's very bizarre. It's a five-star prison because you can't open the windows. You can't walk outside. It's like old boy? Like, you know, that room that he was stuck in, an old boy kind of like this. Not, sort of. Like, pretty much my room was double the size of just saying this. Like, I had a room. Like, I could do, like, if I want to, I could jump rope in my room. I don't think just saying it could jump rope in his room. Your room is that small. I actually bring a Scipienta and Rook with me as well, but as, like you said, there was not enough space.

That sucks. That sucks. Because every time I've gone Abu Dhabi, I say at the W where the fighters stay at. And, like, usually I go with Esther, so we get, like, the big room. Yeah, we get, like the big room. So I'm like, ah, Abu Dhabi is great. Man, I didn't realize to you. Yuck.

Now, to be fair, it's still a really nice room. Oh, yeah, of course. Like, yeah. Like, hopefully the best bet I've ever, like, Like every single room, Have you been into any of the rooms in the Crown? Because we stay at the Crown Plaza. Every single room has a,

has like a CEO style desk attached to the wall that, like, wraps around. And it's like next to the television. So it's still a phenomenal room. It's just small. And mine's bigger. Shout out to Oscar Willis for the MacLife. We've got a suite. He had like a living room.

He had like a living room, like a 10-foot desk. balcony, everything. Like him and John Morgan of Chunky, got the sweets. When the receptionist say, oh, this guy's from the, he lives the Mac life. We have to give him the best room.

It's the Mac life. I missed this comment earlier, but I like this, I like this comment. Did Jose just say it is what it is for car crashes? Yeah, dog, I was driving back. So, yeah, I landed in,

when I landed in Vegas, I drove back. And when the drive between Vegas and Phoenix, you have to go through the mountains. So like you go through Kingman, Arizona, Flagstaff. And it's, it's, it's, the elevation is very high. And apparently it snowed in Las Vegas in general, but it was like wet snow. And then parts of northern Phoenix in the, the Peoria area also had a little bit of light snow. But driving back down was on, like there, you couldn't see the roads. You couldn't see the lines on the road. The snow was everywhere. Ice was everywhere. Cars are

just like spinning out of control going into ditches. It was insane. So I'm like sitting there. My jaw hurts after that because I was like clenching my jaw the whole time driving, just like trying to focus. I did like 20 miles an hour down a 75 mile an hour strip of road while my hazards were flashing because I couldn't even see like five feet in front of me. It's the most stressed I've ever been driving a car. It's drizzling right now in L.A., so I feel you. Oh, yeah. I feel you, man. It's the same thing I hear, man.

It's dangerous out there. Thank you for the question. is what it is for car crashes son thank you for your comment this there a be back babakak. All right. So kukukogagi long time commenter do you believe Dana's story about how he stopped one person from illegally streaming UFC 257? Yeah that was weird we heard about this all week. This had been a story with the media for a long time we were kind of trying to figure out how to ask it.

I don't know if you watched oscar's interview with dana where he was interviewing dana and he asked about it and then dana white said something Oscar turned to the camera and he goes, because that's illegal, like the same friend of me. Yeah, yeah. So shout out to Oscar for landing that one. But yeah, so this, and then we all knew we were going to have to ask it. Dana knew we were going to ask it, and he was ready for it. I don't know how true it was.

A very bizarre situation, but yeah, Dana White apparently had the FBI monitoring someone's house. Apparently, and this is what I heard from a few people there, that the new, law or whatever was kind of buried in the what do you call it the stimulus packages so there is language in the stimulus package all the way at the bottom in tiny lettering that basically makes the streaming thing of federal

crime now so now the FBI can get involved I don't know all the details of us or don't ask me about it I'm the wrong person asked this is just all what I was told so yeah Dana White was ready so apparently he wanted to put the fear of God into people so if anyone is streaming they're like am I the next person that's caught? Someone made a joke that the thing in Otman-Azantar's bag was a streaming device so they could stream the device live.

But yeah, to say, what did you make of this whole? Because obviously in the UK, I don't know the laws and stuff over there or what the paperview system is in 2021. But when Dana White is talking about how he has the FBI involved and they're spying on someone's house, what's going through your mind? Well, initially, I didn't know that he had the FBI on the case because initially he just said, we've got people watching his house, blah, blah, blah, watching his every move.

So I thought, all right, this is probably as illegal as the broadcasting of the product. But look, I mean, the UFC, they lose a lot, a lot of money. So for, well, how many people bought the corner five? 1.6 million. Now think of how many people steam that as well. So let's be conservative and let's just say maybe half that amount of people streamed the fight. That's a lot, a lot of money. And pay-per-view buys in America, are they like $60?

If I'm correct. They're usually 55 for standard, 65 for HD, but for this Connor one, it was like 75 just because it's Connor. Wow. Gosh. So, yeah, that's a lot of revenue you're missing out on it. People are streaming. But I mean, I found it funny. Like, initially I thought that, oh, yeah, he's just being playful with this.

But as the week progressed and he kept getting asked about it more and more, like, he just kept on revealing more. And it's like, yeah, we're going to get this guy. And in particular, when he was talking about scrolling through the Instagram comments, And he was like, that's the guy I want. I told my team, that's the guy. I found it funny. But, I mean, fair play to him. The man has a business to run and what have you.

And, I mean, at the end of the day, fighters who are getting paper viewpoints are also missing out on money if people are streaming it. Someone brought an idea to my Twitter mentions. They go, I wonder if Dana White knows how VPNs work because then they could just geo-tag themselves at Dana White's house. and then Dana White was like, they're streaming from inside my house. And then he goes and kicks out to find no one there.

Well, that's what I think happened. I think hackers tricked him and they set the VPN to route to wherever the ESBM plus servers are. Because when they crash. Oh, yeah. Did you see all that just saying of the ESPN plus subscriptions, the streams for the pay-per-view? We're not working on the West Coast. Yeah, I saw that.

And obviously, that was the main market that they catered to. with having the flight start at 4 a.m. So, I mean, how frustrating must that be? Like, did you guys see Kevin Lee's tweet? He was frustrated. He was like, Dana, I'm streaming this thing. You know where I'm at. I thought that was hilarious.

Just take that much. Imagine spending, like, what, the equivalent of that is probably close to, like, maybe 50 pounds or something over here. But I'd be hella annoyed if I spent that type of money and I couldn't even get the stream. I think the waiting line to get your refund was like at one point like 900 people deep. Yeah, like you had to wait in the line. Our own Stephen Morocco tweeted a photo over. There was like 700 people in front of him.

But yeah, that was a nightmare. Another question from Terrence Leverett this time on Twitter. Connor looked uncharacteristically nervous walk to the case. You didn't seem as light on his feet. Do you think Connor viewed this is more of a boxing match warmup coming in, not an MMA fight? Also, he said his sparring partner doesn't hit partners doesn't hit him hard. Does he need new looks in sparring? Well, I know for a fact, I've heard from a few people that they think the Conner's for it into boxing just do his flow off because he isn't.

It's striking. He doesn't throw as many kicks. He's very, it's kind of a hybrid of like boxing and MMA striking right now. And this question that Terrence has bring up about his opponent, his sparring partner is not hitting him hard. Casey, you train right now. I don't know if you're saying if you train or have trained. You can't really hit calf kicks as hard as you can without pads. in camp. You can't. You'll mess your leg

up. You can wear pads, but you're not going to be able to feel it. So when Connor said, I've never felt that before, and people are like, what do you mean, your professional fighter? I believed it. Because you can't train those. It's not like you can unload on people's legs in camp. Because you're getting, like, you saw it happen in a fight. Imagine that

damage accruing over weeks and weeks and weeks leading up to a fight. So I believe Connor when he said that. I do think Connor's four into boxing, threw him off for for sure. He just was very boxing heavy. He didn't though like his snap front kick that we've seen a million times, a spinning back kick to the body.

We've seen a million times that he famously hit on Chad Mendez. You didn't see that. But just saying, what did you make of Connor's stylistic approach to his matchup against Porre? Yeah, he seemed, obviously he brought in his old boxing coach, Phil Sutcliffe, a very well-respected boxing coach in Ireland. And it just seems that, as you said, he took a very boxing heavy approach.

And he even said it in the buildup to, the fight that he was treating this as a warm-up for a Mani Pachiav fight. And I mean, adopting that approach against Porey in hindsight was a terrible idea. I mean, I don't think none of us envisaged Porier going to the well of Calfquake so often. But Conner, he's just not the same. He's not as light in his feet. He's not, he doesn't hand fight as well. That was a key thing in his fights with Eddie Alvarez in particular, the hand-fighting he was doing and the pawing out was beautiful and it was key to his flawless victory that night. But he's very, very heavy on his lead leg now.

And I think that's a lot of people were saying in the buildup, oh, yeah, Porriet could make use of that. However, I didn't pay too much attention to it because I thought, oh, he's still somewhat light in his feet and whatsoever, and he'll be able to check the kicks, but that didn't happen. So I think he's kind of got to revert back to his old ways. obviously take the lessons that you've learned from reuniting with your boxing coach and try and implement them to a certain extent, but do what got you to the dance.

I can't remember which fight it was for. Maybe it was for the Aldo fight. Maybe it was for the Mendez fight. It was one of his fights at Featherweight. And he was going to this guy. He was like stretching his leg. The guy was doing crazy stretches on his hamstrings to make Connor hyper flexible. Because Connor wanted to use his kicks as punches.

Like he's like, I want people to be as afraid. Like, I think they can be as close as I can. They can and that they should still fear my kicks because that's how flexible I am. You don't really see that Connor right now. He's obviously, we've seen it all flat on his feet, this and that. Doesn't pour it also hit him really hard. So take that. You can't take that.

But Casey, as someone who trains, what did you make of Connor's approach to the fight? Well, back to the calf kicks. Yeah, you're right. And sparring is really difficult. I mean, if you're sparring with your own training partners, like you don't want to break your own, you don't want to break your toys, as they say. So it's hard to throw calf kicks with the same velocity. You would throw it.

You would throw in a real fight. They're kind of like standing elbows and elbows in general. It's hard to throw elbows when you're sparring because... When Ascreen and Woodley were flowing, they would like air throw elbows but not actually connect. Yeah, you have to be really careful of elbows, especially in sparring because, you know, one little cut, you know, suddenly everything's all screwed up.

But I think, I just think Connor's coaches got severely out game planned by Dustin. Dustin's coach, which is his main coach is Mike Brown. There was a really good video, actually. I was very impressed. I think BJJ Scout put comparing Dustin's calf kick, his road to victory with calf kicks, very similar to just a couple weeks ago with Mike Brown's other very high-level student, Kiyoji Horaguchi. Yeah.

Kiyo-Jor-Gucci just won a main event, and he did, and it was a rematch. Another vengeance, yeah. Yeah. against the guy, Kirozeguji got dominated, got knocked out by Kai Asakur, the first time they fought. They rematched a New Year's Eve.

And Horguchi just knelt Ossacura with calf kicks. And so, like, the game plan was already out there as far as Mike, as far as the coach, Mike Brown. And so Conner's coaches, you got, you got, Connor's coaches need to see what Dustin's coaches are planning. And it was out there.

And I think Connor's lack of just, this cage time really hurt him because Dustin mentioned this in the postpressor. He took a bunch of calf kicks from Jim Miller. And if I thought he won. USC 204, I believe. And even though Dustin won that fight, but still had to go to the hospital afterward because his legs were so messed up, even in victory. So Dustin Poria had that real in cage experience knowing, oh, those suck.

and I can kick even harder than Jim Miller can. And obviously Connor wasn't ready for them, and he didn't adjust. And yeah, it got him. It got him. I mean, I think there were a lot of factors why Connor lost. That was one of the main ones. Yeah.

And it's, remember when Connor was coming up, and he would talk about Joseo, he would always be like, oh, he would always bring up his tie boxing stance, I mean, flat on his feet. And I remember there was, we talked to, some of the media talked about, about it on Fight Island.

There was some interview, and I can't remember what it was a scrum, I think. And basically, Connor McGregor recited every single person ranked above him. He knew their reach off the top of his head. And I don't know if that's the same Connor McGregor were getting anymore. That is so obsessed with MMA. Like he'd be like Korean zombie, so-and-so reach inches in reach. Like maybe it's just not the same Connor. I have literally no idea.

But yeah, Mike Brown 100% out-coached John Kavanaugh with that. And also someone on Reddit brought up like a four or five-year-old interview with Boss Routon. And he said exactly what Dustin Porre did five years ago. He goes, this is I'd be Conrader Greger. Calf kicks because of his wide stance, heavy on his lead foot, blah, blah, blah. And so finished him in the second round. That is what Dustin Poria did. And I think she was John Posterone for recognizing that like five years ago.

Yeah. Yeah, I actually spoke to Buster in Fight Week, and he said the same thing when I asked him for prediction. But again, I still was of the school of thought. Oh, yeah, Connor still somewhat light in his feet or whatever, but evidently, I mean, we saw from the first couple exchanges, you saw how heavy he was leading on that right leg. And then it was there to be hit. And once Connor's cardio goes just a little bit down past 100%, so let's say it's like 70%, he's a little bit heavier on that foot and then he just can't get out of the way

and it only takes one good calf kick and then I mean the guy who blew everyone away in the co-main event Michael Chandler that's how lost his last losses got a cat cat yeah he got a calf kick and it was just like

and then we and same as Sean O'Malley a couple months ago yeah so like those things can like you can just train your butt off but you take one wrong kick on the calf and obviously suddenly just your game's gone yeah and uh just

yeah exactly and remember didn't uh didn't uh see hoodo landed one on uh demetre's johnson right am i correct or i think yeah i think it was like one really hard one that made a buckled uh DJs no it was all the way around sorry it was other way around it was other it was it was demetrius it landed it because i'm remembering it right now and sehudo like literally his ankle was like wobbing like that he was the drop yeah yeah yeah yeah some Randy from Randy at Bunch Flood on Twitter

what would make the least amount of sense for the UFC to do with the lightweight belt I've seen people talking about Dustin v. Diaz for the belt and make zero sense so it's probably going to happen yeah Dustin v. Diaz for the championship for the UFC Lightweight Championship would not make any sense so it will probably happen but

oh man so Casey I'll start with you which fight would make the least amount of sense but let's try to keep it semi realistic so don't say Clay Guida versus Body Green The Lightweight title Let's actually keep it Like this could happen

But it would make the least amount of sense Connor McGregor versus Joe Duffy Out of retirement for the title Yeah That's the fight we want to see man Revenge No Actually I think I think

Randy got it right I think Dustin versus Diaz Is a fight that makes zero sense Makes a lot of money for the UFC It's a fight that Dustin wants it's a fight that Nate wants. Putting a belt on the line just seems absolutely ridiculous. If those guys

want to fight, cool. It really delegitimizes any worthiness to the UFC championship belt if they put a title on that. That's what I'm very... This is a little side note, side part, whatever. I'm kind of confused on Destin's angle on this because sometimes he goes, he goes,

I want to fight Diaz. I want to fight. I want to fight, you know, Charles, you know, I don't want to fight Michael Chandler, you know, or I'll fight Connor again. But then at the time, but even mentioning Diaz, you know that's just strictly a money fight. It's a grudge match and money fight. But then the other side of his mouth, he kind of talks about, I just want to be a champion. I just want to tell my wife, I'm a champion. Well, you're not going to be a champion if you fight Nate Diaz.

You have to fight Oliver or like a Chandler, if the UFC decides that way. So I was just confused on Nate Diaz thing. But Dustin, yeah, Poirier versus Nate Diaz for the Bell. makes zero sense and I think yeah Randy's right there's a good chance it will happen I don't have any problem if they do Chandler versus

if they want to do Dustin versus Diaz for just a fight I don't have a problem with that and if they do Chandler versus Olivera I have no problem with that too and then like because if right now Dustin Porre is the number one lightweight

on the rankings Khabib is still for some reason still the champion we just had this big conversation that Dustin might be the second greatest lightweight ever if Nate Diaz goes out there and beats Dustin.

I don't have a problem if they want to throw him into a title fight because you just beat the number one guy. So if you beat the number one guy, go fight for a title, have at it, don't care. If they want to do Chandler versus Olivera or Gaichi Oliver and then Diaz, Porriere and the winners fight each other,

I don't have a problem with that either. Tony Ferguson's out there, Justin Gaethe's out there. But yeah, Dustin Diaz shouldn't make any sense. Justanga, if you are booking, so I'll all flip this question around. If you have full control, what are the next few fights for the top of the lightweight division? That actually makes sense to you. That actually makes sense. I mean, Dustin wants to be a champion. He's got to face the most informed lightweight there is other than

Habib, and that's Charles Olivera. And for me, I'd do Chandler versus Gaichi. That would be my second fight. And then I'd also try to do Connor versus Tony. But there's some legs to this. Nate Diaz thing. I mean, just the way that when the trilogy fight with Connor was kept being put to Dustin, he kept mentioning Nate. And I wouldn't be surprised. And there is precedent for a Diaz brother getting a title shot on the back of a loss. But remember, Nick Diaz lost to Carlos Condit for the interim lightweight, lightweight,

wealth-to-weight title. And then he fought George St. Pierre in his next fight for the undisputed titles. So, I mean, people were saying that, oh, yeah, Jose Aldo getting the title shot. Bantam wave was the president for this, but this president was set a long, long time ago. And given the amount of money that the fight would make, I wouldn't be surprised if they did that. I liked your setup of Poreer, Oliveira, Gae, Chandler,

and I don't have any problem with that. The Tony Connor fight, I think, is the one that the UFC wouldn't want to get to me, because maybe they look at Tony as like past his prime. Maybe they think Connor can beat him. He's still a big name, top five greatest lightweight ever, so on and so forth. So I don't have a problem with that either. Someone in the comment section said Holloway versus Connor 2 at 155, probably not going to happen, but it would still be a fun fight. I just don't.

If the UFC wants Connor to win, I just, I think Ferguson is a bad matchup. I just don't think Connor has the cardio to beat Tony Ferguson. Yeah, he has the power to hurt him, but I don't think he has a, I don't think he's, I don't think at 55, he necessarily has the cardio to actually to finish Tony Ferguson. I think Tony Ferguson will actually end up defeating Connor in the later rounds. But it's still a cool fight, but this is only if the UFC wants Connor to win, which I think they do because that makes him more money. I think Ferguson is a bad idea.

I think the Nate trilogy would be a good one for Connor too. Yes. Yeah, it seems perfect right now. But yeah. Yeah, a good point you make about Ferguson's cardio because I remember watching the, who did you fight at 229, when he fought Anthony Pettis and just his work rate

just kept increasing and increasing, like with these past around. Like, I've never seen anybody put that amount of pressure on somebody like so late into the fight. Like as the fight's getting on, the pressure just keeps an increasing. And I mean, Tony Ferguson's cardiovascular freaks. So that's a very salient point that you make about a potential fight with Connor.

I mean, with Connor, I think you've got weather like the first eight to nine minutes and then that's where it gets a bit dicey from. And I mean, that's when Tony kicks on from. So it could be a tough one. I'll ask you guys this. I know it wasn't asked in the anything. Is Dustin the favorite to be the lightweight champion moving forward now if Habib is officially retired? Well, Habib is retired. would you say that Dustin is now the best lightweight in the world because if he rematches Connor I favor Dustin I would also favor Dustin against Charles Olivera I'd also favor Dustin against Michael Chandler

I just think Dustin's better I just think he's peaking perfectly right now yeah undoubtedly he's the best lightweight in the world other than Habib but we need we need some clarity of what the hell is going on like I was expecting some sort of dramatic change today because obviously not today yesterday Tuesday was a ranking day.

So I thought, are they finally going to get rid of Habib from the rankings? And then we'll have a bit more clarity. But lo and behold, that's not happened. And I think Dana just needs to stop pestering. Stop pestering Habib and his mother probably. It's probably, I was about to say, Slifin and Habib's mother's DMs or whatever. But he's probably communicating with her somehow. I don't know.

But that needs to stop. Like, I mean, just let the man. Then he say he wants to go back to university and like 10 to his farm. or whatever. Yeah, just let him go and do that. He's giving you some big fights. You've made a lot of money from him. Just let him right off into the sunset.

That's not how Dana works. Yeah, he's made a lot of money, but Dana can make more money. What's better than a lot of money is more money. This is very true. Yeah. And Habib, man, Habib versus Dustin too. It's trending bigger than Habib versus Connor, man. It's trending, man.

I'm just saying, I'm just saying. Unreal. Um, we have a luck. Okay, now we're going to start going through speed rounds, speed questions. But I've thrown this out there. And man, I love this fight, but I don't think it would happen, but I freaking love it. That's what we just said, like, a few minutes ago. I love it.

It's not going to, yeah, I said Connor Holloway, too, lightweight. Love it. Probably not going to happen. Absolutely love it. Who's favor in that fight, though? Holloway. That's the thing. As much as like we still say, Conno,

is still an elite guy, but then like, ah, but I would pick Gaichi over Connor. I'll pick Ferguson over Connor. I'll pick Halloway over Connor. I'm picking all these guys over Connor. And so I still think obviously Connor's a top A-level lightweight, just not A-plus, I guess. Yeah. So rapid fire right now, Casey. Last question from Terence.

The Paul said they would box M.A. fighters and take an anime fight with real boxers. It seems like a variation of a boxing model where it's advised to handpick your matchups. Belator does this. Do you think U.S.C. should as well to build stars? So I've said this. I like, I don't, for all of the flack we give the UFC for like matchmaking and not

making sense and this and that, I don't have a problem with a lot of the matchups they do because they can build big stars because I've, I've said this few times on the A side, just saying again, to put this into perspective, one of the big. biggest stars that should be around in your part of the world is Michael Venom page. He has everything. He has all of the tools to be a massive star in the UFC. And the Bellator keeps giving him these fights that he should win. And every single fight we're saying, all right, the next fight should be a step up.

Next fight should be a step up. I actually had him winning, like I'm not winning, but he looked good against Lima until he got knocked out. He was doing a good job off his back, controlling the wrist and everything. And he himself said when he got knocked down, he was. so confident on his feet after the first round that he made a mistake and went forward rather than backwards.

It was one mistake. That's all that matters on L as an L. MVP started fighting, I think, before Corey Sannaghanagan. And Corey Sanhagen is out here of wheel kicking number one Bannon weights in the world. Main eventing fight nights, fighting former champions.

And he's like getting number one contendant fights. Michael Vennam Page should, could have that if he was in the UFC. So I don't have a problem with a lot of the UFC's match meetings because they do build up guys. Look at Holloway. Just win, win, win, win, and all of a sudden he's cleaned out the division right away.

I wish Bellator would give these fights that the fans want to see. I do like their Grand Prix because you can't argue with tournaments. You can't. But I also like, I want to see MVP fight Lark and I want to see MVP fight Lima again. I want to see all these top welterweights fight a bunch of saying, what are your thoughts? Because I could go, I could ramble on about it. about this forever.

Do I think the UFC should get in the poll business or whatever? No, no, no, no, no. I don't like the idea. And I don't like the, like, like, when I saw the announcement for the Ben Ascgren fight yesterday, I kind of, I don't want to say my heart sank, but there was a bit of a side despair because I, I mean, Ben's legacy in mixed martial arts is already cemented. but I think now obviously he was got knocked out by Horace but all that was there'll be two years in the summer that's actually not

not yeah that's gone by very very quickly and I think now he's in danger in terms of the casual perception he's he's in I think he's in danger of being knocked out by by Jake Paul I I know a lot of people are going to come at me for saying this or whatever but I I truly believe that and let's not forget I think there's a 13 year age difference between between them. I think Ben's 36 and Jake Paul's like 23 years or something like that. 30s coming off major hip surgery. Yeah. That's yeah. And and and he hasn't been he hasn't been he well he hasn't been trained. I think he's only been resumed training late

last year if I if I'm correct or if I'm wrong I'm wrong but he hasn't been immersing himself in the sweet science as well that that's that's another thing. That's all that these Paul brothers have been doing. So I don't. I like the Ben Ascran matchup for that. And the polls fighting, taking M&A fights against real boxer, nah, come on, man, I don't want to see this stuff. I get it. There's kind of a market for it with these younger fans.

I say this now because I'm like in my 30s, I can get away with saying the younger kids or what have you. But I, for one, I'm glad the UFC, they kind of went down that route with, with CM Punk. Obviously, C.M. Punk, he took it seriously. He immersed himself in mixed martial arts for a good two years before

he actually fought Mickey Goal, and then he fought Mike Jackson. Obviously, he didn't go the way that the UFC would have hoped or what have you. But I'm glad that they've shied away from the show business side of things. And I don't want them to go anywhere near that side of the fight game.

It can work out. Brock Lesnar worked out. he became a champion, one of the biggest stars in the history of combat sports. And then you get guys like Kimbo, where they gave a legitimate chance to on the ultimate fighter, gave him like, Houston Alexander was a bad dude. Yeah, exactly. It works out sometimes, but the UFC throws them in there with, like, legitimate killers. They're not picking fights for these guys. What are you saying, Casey?

They made Kimbo fight Roy Nelson in his first fight. Well, I think they didn't make them. The coaches picked. Because for whatever reason, if you remember season 10, Rampage, They go, do you want to pick first fighter or first fight? And he's like, fighter, Kimbo. And I was like, stupid, stupid. They're going to match with Roy Nelson immediately.

Yeah, so that's what happened. You change, it's a reality show. Everything is fake. There's no reality and reality TV. So they, I can't believe they did. That's, I don't know, I'm going back, I'm going back a decade now. Now I'm still annoyed at how the UFC handled that. But they got good ratings, whatever.

And they still gave him fights after. Like, he got the fight against Houston, Alexander. He got the fight against Mad Matrione. So, like, those are big, those are very, talented fighters. They're not just fighting YouTube stars. Matt Madreel and knock down, Vador.

Yeah, so he did. Double knockdown, man. That was crazy. I remember, yeah. But going back to your point, he had a much large background with wrestling, though. Yeah.

I think that was Logan that had the bat, the, like, Logan was a legitimate wrestler. Yeah. Because did you see him that video, like, I've loved, with him Apollo? Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah, some of the scrambles were, it looked good, and you could tell that obviously he's well-versed in wrestling. But, I mean, I just want those guys nowhere near MMA because we've had some circuses in an MMA. Obviously, Floyd Mayweather, fighting Connor, obviously, obviously that wasn't boxing, but it was a crossover thing. But the less circuses, the better. I know it puts new eyes in the sport, and there's an argument for that. But at the same time, I don't want to see the legitimacy of a. And I really enjoy amateur wrestling and I really enjoy boxing.

But our own colleague, Damon Martin, who works on our site, he is so much more ingrained in the amateur wrestling world than me. And he also lives in Ohio. He said Logan has a very legitimate background in amateur wrestling. So he would have not, he would have not a problem transitioning to MMA. He would have it would be easier for him than boxing. And then Andreus Hall, who was on the A side a few weeks ago, he covers he works for disown two he covers box he's been covering boxes for like 10 15 years he is much more uh has much more of a vast knowledge about boxing than me he's people in his world say jake paul has a very good jab in boxing and he's taking it very seriously so i believe those guys because they've been doing this for so long i actually do think jake paul has a very good shot at beating ben ascgris especially coming off major hip surgery

surgery for surgery. Yeah. Yeah. The hip surgery is life changing. Andy M in the YouTube comments saying MVP in the UFC, bunch of laughing emojis,

land to the slaughter. Maybe. Maybe. We don't know. We don't know. That's the point. We don't know. We just did every single.

The one constant in all the years I've been working in MMA, it's the same thing. When someone goes to UFC, they're going to get slaughtered. When Justin Gage, he goes to UFC,

he's going to get slaughtered. When Michael Chandler goes to the UFC, he's going to get slaughtered. You know, when Eddie Arvitz goes to the UFC, he's going to get slaughtered. I hear that so many freaking times. It's just like, dude, just because they fought their entire career is in a cage without eight sides, doesn't mean it somehow it doesn't count. All that matters is the guy across from them. And Michael, and Michael Vindam Page has fought tough dudes. And he's lost to some tough.

He's lost to very tough. He's lost to one. He's lost to one. He's lost to one. He's, Doug is Lima, who I consider probably the number two, Welcherweight in the first. freaking world. Yeah. So,

so I just, this is more of a hate post I put up there. I don't, I believe nothing about this. I will never forgive Belator for making MVP versus Paul Daly in Connecticut, though. That was foolish.

That should have been in the United. Yeah. And Mirko, wasn't Mirko in the Co-Maine? Like, why is Mirko and then the two biggest stars, two of the biggest stars in the UK fighting in Connecticut? All of that should have been in the UK.

I guarantee they, I guarantee Cocher wanted it that way, but I'm sure just, you know, things can't just don't happen that way. Yeah. And that's not talking about MVP versus daily ever again because I was, because we watched that together, Jose. That was very. Oh, yeah.

I forgot. We were, you were in Phoenix for that. That was the same week. We were so excited. We were like, oh, man, they're fighting. I can't wait for this fight. I was like, oh, no, why did I get excited for this? I wrote three articles for about the UFC card in the span it took for that fight to be over.

Oh, wow, that's cool. But yeah, MVP in the UFC, maybe he gets destroyed. I still want to see it. Like, you're telling me you wouldn't want to watch MVP fight anyone at the top of senior. Brock Lesnar got destroyed when he came to the UFC. It didn't make it. But he still, you know what I mean? Like, it's just, I don't know.

Will Brooks came to the UFC and won his first fight, and that didn't turn out. So, like, I don't know. It was just, you don't know. And he lost his first fight, like, it happens. Yeah, it happens, man. Yeah, exactly. but yeah who did it 84 donald serone's first fight if I'm correct yeah yeah all right from eve edwards casual from at casual eve in 2020 we saw so many gruees to tire how likely is it that 2021 is the year of a lot of dominant champions lose like boozman john jose and izzie well john jones isn't a champion right now so he can't lose his title he gave it up but yeah so fun stat i brought this to dana's attention on the last paper view 2020 saw no defending champions lose their title the only Only new champions were vacant title fights or interim title fights or stuff like that.

No reigning champion entering their fight lost in 2020. So history would show we would probably get maybe one in 2021. Izzy maybe I think Jan could also lose, but he's not a dominant champion yet. I think Usman has a real tough fight in Burns and a bunch of fights. The Colby Covington fights no guarantee to win either. Steepa could lose two. I would like Angano could touch you when you die But yeah

What do you think? Chisanga Any of these dominant champions losing? I think out of all the ones you mentioned there I think Gilbert Burns poses the biggest threat To Kamara Usman in terms of the opponents I think the skill set I mean it's striking has just got so much better

And I mean Multiple world time jiu jihitsa champion Usman is not going to want to take it to the floor So I think I think Uzman out of those ones mentioned it's probably the most likely to be dethroned. But Steve

Stipe Francis, I don't see drastic improvements in Francis has made me confidently. Are you knowing? I asked Francis, I brought this case you were there when I interview it. I go, Francis, do you think you've shown enough improvements in between? Because this was right

after he knocked out, I think it was after he knocked out JDS. I can't quite remember. I go, have you, you think you've showing improvements since your last fight he goes i don't know i've knocked a bunch of guys out in like 40 seconds what else you want to you do but then but then again like he's just a victim of his own success in in in in that regard but we want to see if one if you pace himself because i don't know if you there's still this clip going around of um francis absolutely swinging for the fences and

steepay just showing excellent uh excellent evasive skills but i think he's got to obviously we we know that he has to negate the wrestling as well. But we haven't seen anybody try to take him down. So we don't know if there's been any marked improvements in that area. He beat Curtis Blades twice. One was a knockout. I'll say, no, one was a TKO? Might have been a doctor stoppage.

I can't remember. Anyway, I'll say, he beat the crap out of Curse Blades. I will say two things, two words, two words that I think favors Francis heavily in the rematch. Tiny Cage. Because if that fight is in the apex, that's the tiny...

Yeah. You think, like, Francis has such a long reach. You can just reach over and swing. That's like he, like the smaller, like the smaller the octagon, the bigger I favor Francis. If that fight is in the apex, man, Steve-Base is not going to have a lot of places to run away from those lunchboxes. Yeah, that's, that's something I didn't actually factor in. And I know a lot of people, before the Adisania, Costa fight was confirmed by Island,

a lot of people were wondering, oh, yeah, how will the smaller cage will favor Palo? But I think more so that will favor, yeah, Francis, against Steve, because as you say, he's just gone. The Izzy Palo fight was on a big octagon, actually. It ended up being in the big octagon, which did not favor.

Well, Powell's game plan was also ridiculous, too. No, yeah. Anyway, any more questions, Casey. I know we're running up on time. We took two weeks off. We had a media day. This is the first non-UFC week we've had in a long time. Yeah, okay. Ford was built on the belief that the world doesn't get to decide what you're

capable of. You do. So ask yourself, can you or can't you? Can you load up a Ford F-150 and build your dream with sweat and steel? Can you chase thrills? and conquer curves in a mustache. Can you take a Bronco to where the map ends and adventure begins? Whether you think you can or think you can't,

you're right. Ready, set, Ford. Do we answer this one? Oh yeah, sorry. Yes. Oh, man, it's a lot of ones. Three questions. Jose said Abu Dhabi is dark.

Flag through. FMG, Duke, 20 on the site. Three questions and a comment. Jose Young said Abu Dhabi is dark in my soul. What that happened to you there? Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Yeah, I don't want to be a Debbie Downer because Abu Dhabi is obviously, it is, you do get burnt out quickly, especially with the time zone and everything.

Shazanga, I think, can agree there were some colleagues there that didn't take their jobs as seriously as people who cover the sport all of the time. And it really bothered me because we're all taking time away from our families and friends and relatives. And we're flying 8,000 miles away to cover a sport that we love. And I just think some people there were not actual journalists, and it kind of, it really bothered me. And it, it generally, like, I left some fights, like, with a very sour taste in my mouth, witnessing some of the things I saw from our colleagues in the media. So I don't know if just saying it had the same way, that was my perspective. And I know if Casey saw it, he would also be pulling out his mustache hair. That's just, but all at all, all in all, Fight Island, all in all, Fight Island is great.

It's just nonstop work. I never got used to the time zone. But yeah, I'll go as much as the, I'm never going to say no to going. Just got a little annoyed with some people behind the scenes. Dustin dismissed Chandlin, the post-fight presser and spoke about Diaz and McGregor for the belt. It makes zero sense.

If Dustin wants to fight for the title, it has to be all his very channel. If you wants McGregor or Diaz, it cannot be for the title. Your views. Chazanga, you obviously, this is pretty much what you said verbatim. So you obviously agree. You agree. I agree.

I agree. I agree. I agree. I agree. Number three, what's next? Mr. McGregor, I personally, he has two fights left in him, and there are Diaz and Pori Triloges. D.S. seems like the more winnable fight for him, and he definitely needs to win. Porey seems like a bad idea right now as the great Luke Thomas set. Luke Thomas says

immediate rematches are never a good idea for someone who just got c-oed. Don't want to see the immediate, any of three of us quickly. Do you honestly see the immediate rematch between Poria and McGregor? No. No. We all agree. I think the Diaz fight is great, or the Tony fight. I think those are the two that Connor should take. Zanga, yes or no? Yeah, I'm completely agreeance with you that. Connor versus Diego Sanchez. Don't even put that into the ether.

And then for my comment, for my comment, he says, from MMG 2K20 on the site, for my comment with the Invictive card, Casey referenced on the Laura Sanko post show where he wanted to interview the losers featured Carlos Sparza, Rekyll Pennington, Amanda Nunes, Joanne Caldewood, Rose Namayunas, Tisha Torres, and Paige Van Zandt. Wow, yeah, honestly, we've talked about this a few times on the show,

but not in a while. If you want to look at stacked cards, like historically stacked in retrospect, those early invicted cards were insanely stacked, if you look at it retrospectively. I think I look, UFC won 60s is the same. I think there's a major name in every single fight from the first fight, it's the last fight.

But yeah, go look at those early invictor cards. There are some phenomenal fights on those. I think Rose was like two and one or something crazy like that. When people ask me, like, what's your favorite things you've ever done in MMA? And I always say covering those early invictor cards in Kansas City. And I didn't know any of these women were. And I was just watching a fight, watching a warm up, seeing them all week. I was like, I was like, holy crap, these women are awesome.

These are stars. And like just no one knows. and they were fighting in front of like 200 people in Kansas City. And I was in the cage. I'm doing interviews behind the scenes backstage. I mean, in the cage, you know, I'm in the cage right before the fight, right after the fight. So as far as just me and my MMA experience working in it,

that was easily the coolest thing. And I was there for Laura Sanko's very first fight when she, her one and only fight when she defeated Cassie Robb. I was like, oh. Zango, who's the biggest female star in UK MMA right now? biggest female star in UKMMA or Europe I'll just group Europe in general

Europe well if you're going Europe I'd still say it's undoubtedly Joanna she's still the most popular but if if we're going in the UK it's got to be my girl Molly McCann my favorite scouser

I've got to give her a shout out and she fights in I think about 10 days I think those on in Vegas she's a very good friend of the show she's been on once before one of the more popular episodes we've had She's great.

Oh, she's phenomenal, man. And she's fighting that, is it Lara Prophs? I can't even say her name. I'm going to put it on her. Yeah, Norah Procepio. Yeah, I'm not sure. Yeah. Am I right?

Yeah. Oh, is that next? Oh, wow. Yeah, that's come around quickly. But am I right in thinking that she's come off like a suspension? I think she has. I'm not sure. I have no idea off the top.

Yeah. Anyway. anyway. But that's going to be good. I'll probably say Mully is probably the most popular female in the UK. And then just below her, Joanne Calderwood, who put on like a virtuoso performance against Jessica. I just watched, rewatch the fight yesterday.

And yes, she looked very, very good. And I love the way that when they were breaking from the clinch, she was always throwing a strike at the end, whether it be a kick or whether it be a need. She looked fantastic. And I think she's probably going to be next for Valentina, to be honest. Laura Procopio I had a sixth month you saw a suspension but she's already cleared to fight

I'm sorry and she's coming off of a coronavirus too so she did have a fight cancel she was supposed to fight earlier this year she got the virus and in May in May she was supposed to fight in Jacksonville actually that's what I'm saying so you probably yeah

so suspension and coronavirus but yeah I would say for Valentina I bet they do on Drodd first and then I think Jojo could fight Lauren Murphy for the No More Contender would have a problem with that because I think And Drod's done enough. Finishing the Cowan-Cagin was very

impressive in her debut. And even Lauren Murphy said in that real heated press conference, she's like, I don't have a problem if they get on Drodge the title fight. So even Lauren Murphy agrees I think Dana's very much gung-ho on it. So JoJo Murphy for the No-One contender, I like that. On the same

card, too. I hope it's on the same card. Any more, Casey? What about RDA from Bruno Vietta on the site? Do you think RDA is being overlooked, former lightweight champion, 100%. Just saying, are you in agreement? 100%, man. I don't think people are giving him enough credit for the performance against Paul Feller.

I think people are just thinking, oh, well, he fought the guy on five days notice and what have you. But RDA's resume, people forget some of the people that he's beaten just is, I still think he's a world-class lightweight. I really do. And to be honest, his name should be in the conversations in five. by Connor right now as well. I mean, if ever the time, I mean, he's missed out on that fight twice, once through injury, and then remember they were going to do that, like, interim well-to-weight title in Brazil.

Yeah. I forgot about that. Until the Connor's antics of the UFC media days. So I'd love to see that fight. I mean, so, like, that was a great fight, I think. So, yeah, he should be in the conversation, definitely. and RDA, I'm a big fan of his. If RDA, if he really can make 155 pounds and still maintain, you know, maximum fighting ability, absolutely.

He actually can win the title. He's that good. It's just, is he too big for 155? I mean, that's, I mean, not saying Eddie Alvers beats him every day, like the way he beat him, but that wasn't a good weight cut by RDA, and that's why, you know, Eddie Alvers looked like he had such an easy time defeating him when Eddie won the title. But the RDA that destroyed Pettus, that crazy cardio that he had, like, just, like, who's next?

Who do you give him next? Who do you give him next? I think it's Connor or the Islam fight. I think Islam. I think you keep him very far away from Connor. I say this only from the UFC's money-making perspective. And just terms of competitive matchups, I want to see. yeah, of course I want to see Connor versus R.J.

Is Islam fighting, is Islam fighting Drew Dover? Yes. I think so. The winner of that. I don't have a winner of that, right? Yeah. Yeah. It's so weird when you go, should this guy fight Connor?

And I always go, yeah, but it's not going to happen because Connor is going to, Connor may lose. And that's not what the UFC want. So it's, I'm always answering this from a UFC perspective. That's, that's kind of important to note. Of course. RDA, RDA and Hooker shouldn't happen. because I think I would heavily favor RDA

and that would be three losses in a row for Hooker, which no one wants. Yeah. But we don't know if he was going to fight again. I mean, like, remember he threw the bottom of it. Yeah. I don't want it. I don't like RDA Hooker.

Me neither. Hooker needs to take time off. Me neither. Hooker. Talk about game plans, phenomenal game plan for Michael Chandler. That lead jab, like three times in a row that Hooker basically had to block down

and then jab into the overhand was just perfectly set up. So all those people saying that Hooker lost before the fight happened are completely overlooking Michael Chandler's gameplan and that because that was perfection. Yeah. And we were talking about calf kicks. Hooker was trying to land those calf kicks early doors on Michael Chandler.

And I mean, it could have been a completely different story if you connected with the soft part of the muscle there. And that would have been, well, obviously we've seen, we talked about it before in the Belator in New York when Brim Primis landed that calf kick and remember afterwards in the corner as well during the break that the was it the official took away the stool and then chanelah ended up don't don't bring that up oh i still i still felt so bad for michael chandler in that moment that was so cool yeah yeah you're listening at home google chandler stool gate i don't know like it was it was it was it was it was probably one the most humiliating

experiences i've ever seen a high-level fighter have to go through in math and square garden it's like Losing your title to a relatively unknown guy like that. And then they still hoop. Oh, man. Speaking of European lady. Oh, yeah. Is that her? How do you pronounce her last name?

Ferreiro. Fior. Fior. I skip French class in school, so my pronunciation. I apologize. I mispronounce her name. She looked unbelievable. first female to get a stoppage win in 2021.

I don't know if she's a title contender right now, but she's laid the seeds at least that we're talking about it, which is all you can ask it. So yeah, Europe and specifically France has a legitimate fighter on their hands. And I'm not even going to try and pronounce her last thing. I'm very sorry. But yes, go look up her win.

Yeah, and I think that's her on how many five win streak now? Well, she has a super extensive amateur crew. career. She was a champion the IMMAAF. And she even said like, fighters need to go do that because her pro record is not indicative of the number of Kate on the amount of cage time she's had. Anyway, she kind of went the Lomachinko route, which she thought like, yeah, just so many amateurs. So when she came as a pro, she was basically ready for elite competition. 100%. It's the same.

The same as that, Muhammad Makayev as well. I mean, he's an extensive experience. I think, what how many 23 or 24 amateur fights and then obviously now he's four no i believe shorty torres a good friend of the show same way i think he was a champion the i'm m a f and he had like this long amateur career before he hopped over and became a champ champ and titan uh rockos slatic in the youtube comments whittaker versus costa till versus vittoria your thoughts about the matchups absolutely hate them i think they should do whittaker versus vittori and till versus costa just because if costa wins he's not getting a title for fight anytime soon. Till Vittori, I get because Vittori beat the guy that Till was supposed to fight,

but Whitaker, Vittori, two guys coming off wins, Till versus Coss, and two guys coming off losses. Just my perspective, like the fights in general, don't like the matchmaking, just saying of your thoughts. Yeah, I'm in agreement with you and that. I mean, if Costa beats Whitaker, there's, he's going to have to do something sucks for the division. Yeah, he's going to have to do something absolutely spectacular. I'd, like, I mean, spinning wheel kick, Robert Whitaker into a different dimension in like five seconds to we even get the, get the juices flowing for that rematch.

But I like the Till versus Vittori matchup. It's kind of a battle of the best European middle weights. But again, I think it should be, should have been Till versus Costa in terms of obviously they're both coming off losses and whatever. And Vittori's on like a

is he on a four-fight win streak? I think he's on a four-fight win streak. He hasn't lost since losing the Izzy. Yeah. So I think it's So it's at least four or five fights that he's had in between then, and he's won all of them. So, I mean, he really should be fighting the former champion in the number one contender matchup. But I don't know. Maybe he's been promised a title shot if he beats Till, but that, I don't know.

I don't think that would get in it. I think there are, I will champion this man through, through rain or shine or whatever. But obviously he's. Yeah. I'm trying to think how many. So he beat Gastelin and then he lost to Whitaker. Yeah, so he's one in one in the divisions. What he does have going for them is Izzy really wants to fight Darren Till solely for the striking matchup.

I think the UFC is hoping Darren Till wins because if Darren Till wins, I think they just give him a title shot right away because they want the Izzy Till fight because of these four names, Izzy's beaten three of them already. So if Till wins, I think they give him the title shot, but it is what it is. I just wish it was Whitaker, Victoria. Because Victoria being Whitaker, no argument he gets a title fight. Whitaker already deserves a title fight,

and then cost to two is just fun. My, yeah, I agree with everything you said Jose, but the matchups is weird. I mean, obviously, they're elite middleweights, but them facing each other this time is odd. Yes. But the only way I see this makes sense

is if the UFC feels that if Izzy beats Jan and wins the two of five belt, he might be tied up at 205 or little bit. Even the John Jones thing is out there too, maybe just a random whatever fight versus John Jones. So my thinking is the matchmakers are thinking, even if Costa beats Whitaker and whoever wins between Till and Vittory, those guys could fight for an interim middleweight belt.

That's my, that's my... Or vacant. Or vacant. Or vacant. You're right. Either way. So that's my only logic I see in these matches. is the, is the, you

might be just gone for a while. And of course, we have Kevin Holland and Brunson coming up, too. Can't forget that fight. And then Brad Tavares is no back in the middleweight division, too. So a lot of, a lot of fun scraps.

Who does can in there fight next? Well, he broke his arm. Assuming he's healthy coming back at regular time, maybe he would have Fars. Yeah, that's a good fight. I don't hate it. I don't hate it.

Maybe the loser or winner, or winner of the Brunson Holland fight too. Chalkeray is out there too. He just got knocked out. He's coming off and L. A lot of fun fights. Ian Hinesh and Widenen and Yerai Hahl are also going to fight soon.

Ian Hines and Asylum's coming up. So there's a lot of, there's a lot of middle-way fights coming up. Oh, yeah, yeah. If Uriah Hall can put a weapon on Wythman, man, man, that's just... Uriah Hall versus... Uriah Hall has sold me, saying if you haven't watched it,

go watch Uriahaw's interview with Mike Heck. Oh, man. It's different. Have you interviewed Uriah Hall before at Chazanga? I have. I have interviewed you out before. It's like it can be brutal at times. Yeah.

Yeah. It's the word I like to use. This was a Yariah Hall that I've never seen before. He was engaging. He was witty. He was funny. He was like, he was like, it was a great, it was like a 30 minute interview. And it's the best.

No, no, 45 minute. It's a 45 minute interview with Uriah Hall. And I was captivated the entire time. So, and he's like, it was a great interview. sold me on a fight against dizzy he's like i want to fight that guy i don't care it's all about competitiveness with me so i'm down for that too but you sure you're right the canne rivers the winner of wyven hall i also like yeah we're a little past time casey oh we're way past time but um i didn't i didn't get i lost the question but um i want to talk about um what did you think about

what do you think about marina i lost the question but i want to talk about her marina marina Marina Rodriguez. Awesome. Yeah. She's incredible. Phenomenal. I was still shocked at the betting line. Even though Maria Rodriguez is actually ranked ahead of her, Amanda Hebas was like a three-to-one favorite or something like that. What to me was a pick-em fight at best.

And I picked Marine O'Riguez. I thought, I mean, I love Amanda Hebas. I think she's just a great personality. But I just think Marina Rodriguez is a fighter. It's just so good. And I thought, I think she's got kind of screwed and kind of some very close decisions. But I just love Marine-Mariega. Yeah.

Marina Rodriguez has beaten a lot of the top straw weights in the world or fought. And I love Amanda and the Strawaway Division is the most stacked film. But like there's a difference from fighting Paige, Rand Marcos, McKenzie, Dernley Whitmire. And then Marina fighting like Tisha Torres, Cynthia Calvillo, Carlos Barzo. Like she went through Murderers Row right away. So, yeah, shocked at the bed in line. I want to see her versus Yowanna. It's not going to happen, though.

Yoanna sat up until she gets a title show. Or fans are back. That's fair enough. Fair enough. I get that for Yonah. I think she's earned that kind of sit back and wait, you know. Yeah, that's true. I know to see the way of the fight.

The winner of, the winner of, is it Dern versus Nina? Are they fighting? Dern and Nina. The winner of that, I like that fight. Or Tantianas Suarez comes back, that's a fun fight too. Oh, where is Tatiana? She's been teasing summer. Oh, where is Tatiana?

Yeah, we good. All right, we good. So, Shazang, I don't know if you haven't watched before, the guest of honor gets to plug whatever they want. You can tell us where to find your work. You can say, you don't even have to talk about M.M. You can talk about whatever you want. Chazen gave me a great lesson on European football

that I had learning new things every day. So plug whatever you want. My man, floor is yours. Thanks for having me on, guys, first and foremost. And if you like some of my crazy takes, you can get me on Twitter and Instagram at Chisanga underscore Malah. And I wish you all a good week to people. There you go. Enjoy your non-USC fight week because we're not going to have, I think, what, eight or nine weeks in a row?

Casey, what do you got to say? Thanks everyone for watching. Thank you, Jose, for all your hard work in Abu Dhabi with the crazy times. And I was there for you. I was waking up at 2 a.m. It was strange, man. It was great, dude, it was. Yeah.

I had no idea. I didn't know what day of the week it was. It was like, it was. Shout to Alex Savage. Shout to Alex Savage, too. She worked every single day with us, too. Yeah, just, yeah, we just, Alex out behind the scenes.

You know, fortunately, you don't get to see her face. You get to see mine. But, uh, but, uh, but yeah, just thanks a lot for everyone. And I know there's no, no UFC or Bellator this weekend, but there's a great, Glory pay-per-view. It's $20. Watch it. It starts at, at least on West Coast, it's thing. It starts at noon or 11 a.m. So some afternoon, high, high, high, high, super high-level kickboxing. $20 on glory, I think three title fights, Alex Burr's fighting, Rikos fighting,

a whole bunch of other people. For those of you aren't aware, Alex Pereira's, had that knocked out Izzy, Israel out of Sanya in his kickboxing. So he's a big name to watch out for, too. He's also making his, and chopping on to the MMA world too. So yes. But you can find this on YouTube, Stitcher, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, all the podcast networks. Just saying, well, 100% be back in the future, hopefully,

especially when a UK or European fighter is about to make the Walks of the Octagon because I love getting that perspective across the pond. But until then, we're out. Peace.