MMA Fighting - The A-Side Live Chat w/ Urijah Faber and Andre Fili

Episode Date: April 13, 2020

In this episode, UFC featherweight Andre Fili and UFC Hall of Famer Urijah Faber join José Youngs and Alex K. Lee to discuss some of the top story lines in the world of MMA. We discuss Dana White announcing the postponement of UFC 249, the UFC roster’s reaction, “Fight Island,” Fili and Faber’s upcoming movie, Green Rush, and more. Follow José Youngs: @JoseYoungs Follow Petesy Carroll: @PetesyCarroll Follow  Urijah Faber: @UrijahFaber Andre Fili:  @TouchyFili 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You're listening to the Vox Media Podcast Network. What is up, everyone, Jose Yungseo, the MMAfighting.com here for another Monday episode of the A-side Live chat. I know we've been trying to bring you these, bring you guys these episodes three days a week now. That train is still rolling on. But for this special Monday edition, we are joined by UFC Hall of Fame or Uri Favit making his return. Last time he was on was July. We had a nice conversation. So, Uriah, you're here.

You're here to plug a movie that you've made. I'm sure we'll talk about it as the episode goes on. But first, before we get into the questions, we've talked about a little bit off there, but how's quarantine life been for you? I know your daughter's one years old. You said you've enjoyed time with her, but how has this pandemic been hitting you so far?

Yeah, I mean, we'll see the future is the question. I mean, we don't really see anything like this in the world as far as an economic reaction. And then it's harder to say, like the, you know, how severe everything is out there. It seems like from the numbers they're saying that it's something that is having an effect. People are, the numbers are getting smaller. It seems like a lot of, I know a bunch of people that have had the virus, at least five,

and they said it was a minor flu and having a small fever and then had kind of a lingering cough. people around them didn't get it so it's a scary thing but I feel like you know the show must go on at some point

you know Yariah when did you have to shut down your gym and how did it like how is that affected you know a lot of people you know

the people who attended both fighters and you know anyone else who takes classes at your at your gym how are you been trying to keep in touch

with everyone well we we shut it down you know right when we were asked to or suggested to. And then we've got some online Zoom classes that we're holding, a schedule throughout the week.

And then we've got a lot of our trainers are putting stuff up on Instagram. And a lot of people have their memberships on free. Some people want to continue to pay for the greater good. The fighters are all kind of doing their own thing. Like we had two people possibly that were going to fight. Darren Elkins was scheduled the fight on May 2nd, and then Sarah McMahon they were talking about getting her a fight and one of the May cards as well.

So they were doing their individual workouts with one-on-one people. It's been really strange. I mean, guys are meeting up at the park and just doing their best of the can to stay in shape. Well, you brought up, we've had a lot of fighters on and they've talked about like they've been either, in fight camps or known someone in fight camps or talking about like their families and stuff.

And you bring up the economics of it. And I know you've like, when fans think of you, they think of your title fights, but then they also think of all the business ventures you've kind of pushed forward. You've been one of the more forward-thinking fighters in the game. So when this pandemic first starts to hit, is that you the first thing you're starting to think of like,

how is this going to affect all of my businesses right now? No, not. I mean, my first thought is, okay, let's, I'm going to do some research on how dangerous this is and risk, et cetera. You know, you've got family and friends and everyone that could be at risk, supposedly. And there was a pandemic in 1918 that took out people. Like, that's, that's a scary thing. So you have to take it serious. And so that's the first thought. And then, you know, we have social media these days. We have, you know, news getting thrown at us from all different directions. So I was trying to look at a bunch of different

sides of it and you know it seems like it's serious but it seems like it's it's more common it's more like the flu than it is like the Spanish flu that took out 50 million people so that was the first thing I looked at

you know you have a family that you want to watch out for and then once this thing goes on and he starts to think to get a bigger picture then you start to say okay how it's going to affect people I know a lot of people are going to lose jobs I mean a lot of people without work

and that's a scary thing as well well as you're right you've been on the show before a aka you're on the show every single Monday we of course have fan questions coming in you can leave your question on Twitter or that site or M.AFling.com you can find the post on and say you can leave questions for your eye hopefully Andre Feeley

can join us as this show goes on by Casey our director in the back what's one of our first questions for Mr. Favorite cool all right what we got what we got here we haven't screened these so these are the first time of those movies. These are uncensored. Censored. You're out. Uncensored.

No, no, no. Our readers are so decent. They're so decent, so intellectual. Again, you've been on the same. I believe that, yeah. What? Faber and Feeley Austin. We're still trying to get Andre. I'm sorry. Question for favor. Oh, boy, coming in hot

right off the shit. When you're on a sinking shit, the lightbow only has one space for one person. Who gets it? Dom Cruz or T. Also, how do you like Aldo's chances at Bantamway? So, hot question. Right off the bat. Uriya. Who do you say? Cruz or T.J. Dillishol on a sinking life ship?

You know what? I've actually got some respect for Dom Cruz. I'd take Dom, I think, on this one. And second part of the question, how do you like Aldo's chances at Bantamweight? I think they're great. He looked amazing at the way, and I thought he was going to look

really decrepit. He just looked like a super lean bodybuilder and recovered pretty well. So, you know, he's a force to be reckoned with, no matter what, I think he can do well. If I could just follow up in the Dom thing. You know, I assumed you would say Dom as well because, like, professionally speaking, is it kind of weird, for lack of a better word, how close you guys are? I mean, you've been in the cage for, like, almost a combined hour,

plus all the promotion you guys have done together, plus the ultimate fighter, plus you guys go all the way back to your WC days. Is close the right word? Like, again, just being professionally when you're talking about someone like Dom, to Cruz? Yeah, I mean, he and I can have a conversation. Like, I've, I've had discussions with him before where, you know, I think back of the day, he always had kind of a chip on his shoulder about me, and that's gone.

He's got his own successful career. He's got, you know, world championships and, you know, a job outside of the fight space. And so I feel like I was kind of always fielding a guy that was like a little, little, he had a little animosity for no reason. But at the end of the day, he's actually a decent guy. And he's put a lot of hard work into what has become a great career for him. And so one of the more polarizing, I'll say, commentators in the game. I personally like his.

I'm curious, what, like, you've been around him for so long, is what we see on TV, how he is even behind the cameras. He seems one of these guys that's not, I've seen him at Media Day, interviewing fighters just to understand their mindset going into fight so he can talk about it on air. So is he that meticulous behind the scenes too from the moments you've been around him? I honestly haven't watched any of the, I mean, I'll watch the fights that I want to fight. The fights I'll watch. And I don't go and look at anything else.

So I haven't seen much of it, to be honest. I mean, he seems like he does an okay job when he's actually commentating fights. That's the only thing I ever see. Sure, sure. Well, thanks so much for the question. Casey, we got any other? I'm sure we have a million. I'm also going to call Andre in a few seconds here. I got a notification that he may be ready to hop on to. All right. Let me get another question up. One moment. Do, do, do. It's good. Oh, it kind of answered this one, but it's go in and talk about it a little more. Faber versus Aldo 135 from Rob Holland on the site. First off, big, big California kid fan. Thanks for doing the show both of you guys. We keep having. this idea on line of a certain Bantamweight showdown, Uriah or Mr. Faber, would you be down for a fight with Jose at

Bantamweight? And what would be different this time at this weight? Uriah, we've talked about this a few times on this show. We've tried to fantasy match make a Bantamway Grand Prix with all of this, the drama going on at the top of the division. Dominic Cruz might supposedly

was going to place Josealdo in a title fight. Alzerman Sterling Corey Sanhagan is supposedly going to fight Marlon Marlonarice, Peter Young. We've been kind of trying to fantasy matchmake a possible Bansomwey Grand Prix and we were all in agreement last show that we would love to see you guys run it back at 135 after your first

fight at 145 so would that be a fight you'd be interested in down the road whether there's a title on the line or not? Possibly I mean that's a big fight you know Alta's a tough cookie and you know the last fight where we went to

with the battle he annihilated my leg so I definitely have to take a lesson from that first in that first fight. But, you know, he's a big guy for the weight class. I'm a big guy for the weight class. I always felt like he was a lot bigger than I am, but the fact that he was able to get down to 135,

you know, that's pretty impressive. So that's a good one. Frankie Edgar is a good one. That's another one. There's so many good matchups back there. I mean, unfortunately, I'm not going to be fighting a ton longer, if at all. I mean, I've got, you know, a personal goal when I turn 40 to hit you know, four fights after 40, and I'm too into that.

Could I go more? Sure, absolutely. But do I have to do it either? Not necessarily. So that would be a good match. There's a bunch of good matches. Uriah, are you in favor of, like, you know, it's an idea that's been discussed over in like Belator and things like that, and I don't know if the UFC would ever do it,

but kind of like, you know, the veteran Legends League where they match up, you know, fan favorite guys, fighters with big names that are, you know, outside of title contention, sort of more outside than ranks at this point. Are you ever in favor of the UFC implementing a division like that, like a Legends League? No, I don't think so. I mean, look, if you can't compete as an older athlete, then, you know, too bad. You miss your opportunity. I'm a guy that is in great shape, and I haven't taken too much abuse throughout the years,

and I felt like I could. You know, last fight didn't go my way, but I was having a very good first round, and I got too comfortable and got caught by a really, by a really good. really dangerous guy. But, you know, if you can't compete at the highest level, in the UFC, at least, that's what they're trying to do. They're trying to find out who's the baddest do in the world, then that's kind of the case. I mean, Elthor does a great job putting on some awesome fights also, but, you know, I'm in it for the cream of the crop situation. And, you know, if I can't compete, you can't compete, but at this point, I feel like I could. And I, you know, my last few guys I fought

for 26. I won one or lost one. And one of the guys was in the top 15. The other one was in the top three. So there you have it. Yeah, a lot of guys with your name, I would think wouldn't want to fight like a Peter Yon, you know, might want to angle for

a more well-known guy who's, you know, not as up and coming as him. And yet you've jumped right into that and, you know, obviously we commend you for that. But a lot of us think that's just crazy. Yeah. I see Andre has joined us. Have you seen him, Casey? Yeah, yeah. Let me get on.

Oh, hold on a second. First of all, nice books behind you, sir. Bro, the first thing I was going to say, is that Essex County? Oh, shit. You know it, man. I thought I was looking at my own background. Holy shit. I see that stack of Hellboy's next to you, too.

I was going to. I got a buck in. I've been working hard on that thing, dude. My God. First time I met. First time on bookshelf envy of a guest on the A side. Dude, I got a couple things going. And then I got the omnibis.

I got the omnibuses over here. dude like the coffee table books over here. We'll talk after the show my man. We will talk. We will compare notes. Nerd out after the show, boys. Come on. Sorry. Sorry. Be professional.

This is what all my MMA interviews devolved into. It's just coming to talk, man. Well, thank you so much for joining us, Andre. I know you guys have a movie coming out. Alex. I know had a few questions. Casey, I'm sure, has a million questions considering he's the director, cameraman behind the scenes. I know our own Damon Martin's probably watching.

waiting for us to talk about it. So what's this movie, you guys, the two of you have, coming out. It's case he plugs the air horns. Whoever wants to start, how did this come about? What's the movie about? I know Andre is actually in the movie, so I don't know if he wants to take the lead on this, or I don't know if you're right, you are one of the men behind the scene. But yes, tell us about this movie.

You guys are both tied to. Favor is your producer. You can take the lead on this, dude. No, you know, I've been learned about the entertainment industry for a long time. You know, my longtime manager, Mark Shulman, you know, under him for nine years, I've been learning about how things work. And I put together a team of guys that we've been building up on projects. And this one was actually kind of late to the game. We have a bunch of other scripts and life rights and documentaries and things that we're working on.

And this was an opportunity to have a movie that could kind of. of flex all our muscles and everyone involved made it kind of a passion project. So, you know, there's a lot of high-level actors in there, working actors, that aren't necessarily the bankable international stars that you would see, but have a lot of talent. And then the director, Jared Roxburgh, actually met him through the M.M.A. space and the producer who actually came up with the concepts to do this whole thing, Rick Lee, he's in the M.M.A. space. You know, me as a producer was just putting the pieces together, they're getting guys like Andre Fili, who's had aspirations to act for a long time, an opportunity.

And it was really cool, man, to see the whole thing come together as just not only a great product, but something that can move us forward in the business is pretty awesome. And the movie is about a robbery on a marijuana farm out in Northern California. There's a bunch of twists and turns. It's a slow burn. and it starts out, you know, kind of slow. And next thing you know, it's high action and high intensity. Andre, now you're in this movie as I'm just looking at Diego Beltron, I believe, is the name of your character.

Which I think we'll all pretend is an homage to Ultimate Fighter 1 champion Diego Sanchez and former UFC Heavyweight Joey Beltron. I assume that's some sort of secret shoutout thing. Andre, tell us, how conditional was your casting in this movie on you getting that your eye, favorite tattoo and you're like you can tell us on the you're alive now you can tell us uh i believe sag would you know if you want to send a complaint to sag i think i don't think they would approve if that was in your contract that i don't think that's legal so um yeah some sort of weird like some sort of weird like casting couch type thing where yeah we're not doing the gas got the caskats the casketto shot is better yeah no the tattoo i love the air horns the tattoo uh

sorry my voice is kind of fuck right now my allergies are no joke. The casting couch let me tell you about my how old that's why

I feel is going to get to the movie biz I can't wait to be a producer no

yeah right I got the tattoo without telling anybody I got the tattoo without telling anybody I just like

I had it booked and just I just wanted to get it done I have a couple more spots on

my leg and I was like yeah his face is good as anybody else but the tattoo the movie

was already was already wrapped up so No conditional parts. But I think that the part came pretty naturally for me. I'm growing up in Northern California. You know, like I've grown up around a bunch of, like,

dudes who grew weed as a family business, dude to, you know, like, in the little... I got moved from Seattle to Northern California when I was like 11, and I got moved to this little town where growing weed is like the family business. And, you know, as a kid growing up, it was always like, oh, this guy just got robbed or like, so-and-so's about to crop out. Like, yeah, he's like, he's on edge right now

because everybody knows like, you know, it was like, so it was easy to get into the character because I'd grown up around that type of stuff. And I think it's a real good representation of Northern California and of how the weed market had been here for a long time. And, you know, there's a lot of places who probably, there's a lot of people from places

that's probably not their reality. So it's cool to kind of get to, show that question for both of you you obviously have seen movies that's no that's you've seen a movie what's the biggest

misconception you had going into this like you you had this is your first movies you guys have done together what's something that you thought would be easy that wasn't and what's like some of the challenges that have come up that you weren't expecting and you're in making this movie well for me this

was uh you know we had to make the most of every penny of this thing. We did a great job with that. I wish I could say that I did any of the heavy lifting, but I did, you know, I was kind of the outside guy that got to put things together. You'll see my car in there. I got Beely in there. I got my boy, my boy in there. I helped raise most of the funding and the majority of the funding and, you know, agreed on the project and read the script and enjoyed the script. So, you know, I know that I was there one day And Andre was like, you know, he had something to do with his girl back home and like things are going. Yeah, this is a, this is an ultra, this is a tag film, but we're also working extra long hours.

And so he could probably attest more to like what it was like on set. But I've been on set before. I've been on set on big movies and small movies. And it's just a grind. It's not a grind like you get to get it all over with. It's like a slow, like, process. us. And so that, that I think, is you're just reminded

that. It's a tedious thing. And the director, that's his baby. He's, you know, Jared's there making sure that people are focused and in tune and they're not just walking through the motions. And so I saw a lot of that. The other thing I didn't even predict was, especially

because we had such a tight-knit crew, was there was literally like tension on the set with people like not working well together and and you know like a bunch of stuff that I guess is pretty pretty status quo for the movie industry I mean it makes sense you know all these dramatic people on place but um you know it was it was fun to see all that unfold especially feeling being a uh you know is grounded for for a guy with head

tattoos and and a missing tooth as can be you know yeah I uh I would say the same thing man that's what surprised me is the thing that surprised me about the hard bit the hard part that surprised me that thought would be easy is how long the days are how much work goes into it like I'm used to doing two or three practices a day where I'm fist fighting people so I'm like man I can I can act all day whatever but you're putting in you're putting in 10 12 hour days man like you're grinding for an actual whole fucking day like you you and it's hard because you might have a scene at 9 a.m. and then you might not be needed again until 4 p.m., but you've got to be on set, you got to be a part of it,

you got to be ready when they call you. Like, you got to be ready all day, you know? So it's a long grinding day. It's a tedious day. And especially being the athlete on set, I don't want to be like the fighter guy who came in and couldn't act. So, like, I want to be ready.

I want to do a good job. So it's like, you're basically just like, it's like hurry up and wait, you know? It's like being staged before a fight, but it can be eight hours, you know? Like, and like Faber said, like, there was a, we filmed throughout this week, and a bunch of my friends and my girl and her friends, they all went to go do this, like, they all went to, like, this cannabis cup, this high-times cannabis cup.

They were all going to kick it and, like, have a weekend of it or whatever. And I'm like, oh, cool, like, this is our day off. Like, I'll just go, I'll just drive back home. Like, we're like three hours from Sacramento. And the director was like, no, you can't do that. Like, what the fuck do you mean? Like, I can drive home. It's not a big deal.

He's like, no, because like exactly how you look right now, we need you to look tomorrow for continuity's sake. So like, in case you get in a fight, in case you're a car wreck, and I'm like, I'm like, and I'm really fucking annoyed because I want to go hang out. But I'm like, he's got a good fucking point. He was this. I was there. I was there. I was really annoyed. We've been working like, we've been working like four, 12 hour days in a.

row and then it was like all right cool I'm gonna drive home and be back tomorrow in the morning and they're like no you have to stay in the house in the middle of the woods and do nothing for another 12 hours like I was really fucking annoyed but honestly it's like that's just part of it man it was it was well worth it um the part that was easier than I thought was the actual acting I was like unless I watch them I mean don't get me wrong I could say this now and then we watch the movie tomorrow and I fucking suck don't like there is that chance but from where I'm sitting I felt like it went pretty well and it wasn't it wasn't as hard as i thought like i i didn't know what it was going to be like to try to do an emotional scene in front of 12 people and be vulnerable and try to like

you know i didn't know if i was going to suck or not like i didn't think i was going too but until you really until you really do it you don't know until you really until it's like action and there's lights in your face and there's a girl in front of you and she's teared up and you're trying to be emotional too and you're like that part came easier to me than i than i thought but the actual days were tough, dude. It was, it was long days and it was, it was a lot of work. So something we'll see more down the road from you, I would imagine. I hope so.

I really hope so, man. Like, I really, I plan on it. Like, acting has been something I've always been passionate about. Right, right by the favorite tattoo, I got a Daniel Day Lewis tattoo. Like, I'm a huge, a huge act. I'm a huge movie guy. I'm a huge, like, I have certain actors that I just, like, idolize, man. Like, I really would like to keep acting, yeah, for sure.

Sure. Did you watch that Phantom Thread? I haven't seen Phantom Threat. Oh, it's on Netflix now. Check that up. Okay, dude, because I was trying to get on Amazon Prime, and you could only rent it if you had stars or some bullshit. Dude, I just watched Honeyboy? Holy shit. Oh, that's good. Have you talked to Joseph Benavides about that movie? He'll talk to you about three hours.

Dude, I've been talking to Joseph Benavis every day about it. That movie made me fucking, I'll cry right now, dude. I'll break down right now. What movie is it? It's called Honey Boy. It's like Shia Luff. Shaila Buff wrote it about his own childhood. About his own childhood.

Yeah. And then he plays his own, he plays his own, like, alcoholic, emotionally abusive dad. And it's just like, ooh,

dude, that line where he says, the only thing my father ever gave me of any value was pain. And now you want to take that away from me. Like, I have never, ever felt a movie line the way I felt that in my whole life. Like,

holy shit, dude. Who. Seyla Buff is a national. treasure, dude. So now you guys watch movies with like a different appreciation for the process going into it. Like when you see these movies that move you on the screen, but you probably are now thinking like, wow, you know what goes on behind the scenes to lead up to that, I would imagine. All you go in favor? Yeah, you know, all my favorite movies are just, who is like you said that you feel something, whether you're feeling like laughing the whole

time or you're like just on edge or whatever. So, uh, you're, you know, yeah. You know, it's, like, you're I've always been kind of like that. You know, my favorite movies, a lot of them have some drama in them, you know? And, you know, I know, I know, I know, I hear Phile. We had a big director who's going to, who's signing on to do our next project. And he came to my house,

and we watched our Green Rush movie together with him. And he does big, you know, $100 million films. And, you know, it was fun to see him and Philly chalk and shop, because Bealey is really dorks out on this stuff, you know. I'm more on the backside. I would like to think I would like to think I nerd out about. I don't dork out about it.

Yeah, he'd dork out, man. But I fuck the nerd out about movies and comic books, for sure. You guys, I, you guys, say a funny story. Beely gets a gold tooth one time. He's missing his other tooth. I think it was silver or gold tooth. I can't remember. I go, oh, let me get this for, I think it was.

I got gold fangs. I think it was Twitter at the time. Gold fangs. I don't know if his Instagram or Twitter is a long time. I got to go, oh, let me get this. this. I did a slow-mo, like, a tour of his mouth with the tinslet tooth and the gold fangs, all this thing. And then I just put teeth problems that I put around my social media. He got so pissed. He's like, really? Really? I wasn't pissed. I wasn't pissed as much. I wasn't

pissed as much. I was like, dude, you just posted teeth problems to a million followers. It's like, You're a fucking bad person, dude. Back in the day, if you wore gold teeth, because they, you know, they had cavities, they put those over them, so they didn't hurt their teeth and they chew, you know. Times have changed, times have changed, times have changed. Someone in our comment section wants to know how they can watch the movie during this quarantine times. It's on demand. You can order it through Redbox. you

you know UDH with a high definition you can order it there it's uh anywhere you can rent movies anywhere you can rent movies at like I think I'm sure Amazon

Amazon video as well like all the places you rent movies but tomorrow not today yeah the trailer thing has been available on YouTube for a while Green Rush and yeah that's tomorrow so April

April 14th right that's it yeah we originally before the quarantine we're going to do our our premiere in Seal Beach and went in Sacramento but we're going to do it on

420 but I was going to say like wait a week it's right there branding right there yeah dude the virus killed that one you know is it harder to watch

replays of your fights or watch yourself on camera in a movie that's how the fight went yeah makes sense good answer That's fair. Yeah, I knew how the movie was going to go before I fucking started it. The fight's just chaos, dude.

Nah, I don't know. Probably, probably, I don't know, probably a fight. A bad fight is, it probably goes like a bad fight is the hardest to watch, and then the movie and then a good fight. Because even a good fight, you're still picking your technique apart. And a movie, I'm just like, oh, God, I hope I don't, oh, God, I should have done this different, you know? But I was going to say, because we had Anthony Smith on the show, and he says, no matter what fight he watched, he thinks he thinks he's the worst fighter. Like, he's like, even when I knocked out Shogun, I thought I was the worst fighter I'd ever seen in my life.

So I'm curious if you guys were like that, too. I'm the opposite, man. I'm delusional about stuff. You hear my reaction to Peter Yon fight. I'm like, dude, I had his ass. Mine is somewhere in between. Like I watch my, I watch my fight in Sacramento, which is like my favorite fight memory I have to date. And I watch myself, like, land that cross kick.

And I'm like, damn, that's the, that's the dopest cross kick. Like, I'm the greatest by the weight of all time. And then, but like, everything leading up to that, I'm just like, oh, God, that's like, that's like. Like, why are your legs so skinny? Why are your feet so big? Why is your, why are you moving? You move like a, I watch myself move and I move all, like, slunky and, like, I hate everything about my fights. until I get like a finish.

And then I'm like, who-hoo. I'm like, damn, I'm the best ever. Yeah, Corey Sanhagen's quote was on my own favorite fighter, so you're on the same boat as him. Yeah, hell yeah. Dude, San Hagen.

San Hagen is one of my favorite phantom weights, dude. San Hagen is a fucking dark... I think San Hagan is really underrated. I think he's going to be a problem at that division for a long time, dude. Like, he has some of the best striking. I think he might be...

I think he might be one of the best strikers in the game right now. And then he fought his Sun Tow and outgaffled him, outscramble him. And I was like, okay, dude, this. He, dude, he is a problem. I really love the way Sanhagan fights, dude. Straight up. Faber, what are your thoughts on Mr. Corey Sanhagen, someone in your way class? Yeah, he's good, man.

Nice guy, too. I think he came out and trained with us. I think Philly came out back in the day. I think he might have been trained out before. I invited him recently. He was supposed to come out again at some point this year before this whole apocalypse happened. He came out a long time ago. But, dude, yeah, he's a good fighter.

But I'm going to tell you, dude, this weight class right now, there's so many tough guys. I mean, you take the old guys, you got how many champions do you have, former champions you have, that are still in the mix, like, that are still fighting for titles and stuff, you know? Tom and Frankie and, you know, Al-O and. Well, I'll present it this way. Someone asked Corey Sandhengen this when he was doing. Now that we have you, your eye, I was going to wait for this, but since you brought it up, someone asked Corey Sanhagen how the top five right now,

Bantam weights in the UFC would compare to the top five in the WEC days. If there was a time machine and they could fight, how did the top five of those two weight classes stack up? So you're talking like yourself, Cruz, like Brian Bowles, Wyneland, like those guys. Miguel Torres. Torres, of course, compared to the Sterlings, the Sannhagans, the Yons, the Maurice, Joe B, of course. So looking through the annals of time, how would those two, that top five of those two errors compare? You know, people always talk about the different eras.

Like, go way back to fighting so much different now than it was then. It's really not when it comes to the individual. It's a mental battle in there. I mean, sure, there's maybe some new skills learned, but fundamentals are what women. are winning fights and then really tough dudes with, you know, some genetic gifts and with a mental attitude and everything else. So I don't know. It'd be fun to see. I mean, the fact that I don't know how many of the guys right now that are the up-and-coming guys are going to have as long and successful careers as guys like Dominic and Frankie and Al Gore myself.

Benavides. I mean, we're in title contention. Our whole whole careers, really. So, I mean, well, that's, that's to be said. There's been guys that were, Phil Broney's an example. He was, he was, he was, he was the man at like one point, you know? You remember that, but then there's guys that have been like a Randy Couture that were the man their whole career. Yeah.

So who knows? Well, as always, Casey, we've asked maybe one question and we went on a long answer. For you, we don't be the eighties type of amount of tan. So do you have any other questions? Bring on the trolls. Bring on the trolls. Sure. I love that on the trolls. The trolls are probably having the best time of their life in this quarantine.

Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Oh, they are active. What are you guys? They're probably masturbating and picking on people that can never get back to them. And then, of course, telling Khabib, he's scared to fight Tony Ferguson. Yeah, right. Are you guys? Yeah, Kib's real scared. That sounds like a fucking typical day for me on quarantine. Not the Khabit part. Just the other parts, dude. Yeah.

Not the committee part for all the other stuff. Yeah, dude. All right, Casey, what was that question? You pulled up from at KKD-1-3 on Twitter. Ask your Rai if he thinks Cruz can be champion again or if he's past his prime. So can Dominic Cruz be champion again in 2020?

We don't know when this quarantine will end your eye. I think he probably could, depending on the path. I mean, it just depends on the lineup. Now, could he go through the whole roster of fighters and beat everyone? I wouldn't know, but is there a way to jockey to get it? Yeah, I mean, you got Cody Garband in there.

He's got Cruz's number, and he's re-ignited with his body feeling good, and his spirit and his mind in the right place. You've got guys like Gian, and you've got an Aldo. We never got to see a Frankie or an Aldo fight at Cruz. That'd be a tough fight, you know. I've been calling for Frank Yeager, Donald Cruz, forever. Yeah, that'd be a good one. And same with Aldo, like Aldo, too.

So I think Absolutely, but it just depends on Who's going to get the given path I mean, a lot of people can be champs If they get the opportunity But could, if you lined up everyone in the weight class I don't think now I mean, he couldn't go through everybody

But I think that he could get there With the right matchups and a good day Of performing Do you guys think he has to go through A Jan or Sanhagen To get that title fight Or do you think it's the opposite that he needs to jockey around those guys

and not fight those guys. I don't know about, I think he's actually a horrible, I mean, I think Dominic is a horrible matchup for Yon because he's, I mean, I felt like Yon was too slow in the first round. The only reason he hit me in the second is I got too comfortable, I was like, dude, this guy's too slow.

I think T.J., Cody, and Dominic will all be really bad matchups for Yon. And then I think guys like Marais is a good matchup for him. And I think the guys that stand and duke it out. Yeah. But the guys that are fast and elusive and intelligent, I mean, I'm 40. You know, I was faster than him. I think what's interesting about Dom too is his style.

Like there's certain guys, there's certain guys who style don't age well. Like you see guys who get in there and just are in dog fights every fight or who really, really rely on like their athletic ability or who really rely on being the fastest hardest hitting guy like those guys don't use the age as well as someone like dom who doesn't take damage who basically dom can keep fighting the way he fights for as long as he can keep a really good gas tank like he's so elusive and he's constantly moving as long as he has the gas tank to do that i think he can give people problems like his style isn't like i'm the fastest i'm the most athletic i have like you know he's not barreling through guys he's he's being a lusufely

if he's pot-shotting. He's making sure to not take damage. He's timing the little weird head to the wrong side takedowns. Money shot takedowns. Like, he's he has, I think, the style to age well, for sure.

Yeah, I agree with that. But it put a 10-month. Body falling apart. Yeah. I was going to say constantly falling apart. Yeah. For sure. The boys got, the boys got as a guy with knee problems, that boy's got some knee problems. And it was his

rotator cup, the last injury, too, right? It wasn't even in his knees this time. Something like that. But anyway, thanks for the question. Casey. You got any more for the gentleman here? Yeah, I mean, bring something up. Ask me to save how to save a bunch of money on your car insurance. Oh, it's good.

Ooh, from the seaside. Which fight made you the most emotional and why? I don't know if they're talking about one of your own fights or a fight you were watching. So you can answer this however you want your eye. I'll start with you. What fight made you the most emotional and why? probably my retirement fight was uh you know i just knew that i i didn't have to retire i feel like i had a lot more in the in the tank but i felt like it was a good time and it was the first

fight in the uh in the new arena that's kind of saved our city which we almost lost our Sacramento Kings to a different state and our mayor at the time really rallied up and got that thing built. It was just, I was kind of, at that time I was chasing, like, getting motivated. Not that I have a hard time getting motivated to train or actually getting in there to fight per se, but, like, you know, the hair used to stand up on my neck and I used to get some, you know, butterflies and whatnot. I wasn't able to get that. I would go up and try to fight Frankie at a higher weight class or getting another title fight, but I just wasn't having the

excitement as I had as a younger fighter. So I was kind of chasing that and that retirement fight brought all that back for me. Andre, same question. Which fight made you the most emotional? It doesn't even have to be one of your own fights. It could be any fight out there. It's hard to narrow it down. I'll give you

like a couple quick answers. Of my own fight, of my own fight was a fight in Sacramento. being able to fight in my hometown. I hadn't got to fight in Sacramento in like seven years or six, six years since I'd been in the UFC, and then I got to fight in the new arena in front of everyone.

My dad had just got out of prison after like 17 years, and it was like him and my mom, him and my sister sitting next to each other, like, you know, with really good, like, basically front row seats. I, like, hopped over the cage and, like, the first people I saw, I didn't really have a game plan, I just hopped over the cage because I was losing my mind. And the first people I saw were,

the guy, the wounded vets from Ranger Road. So I just gave him a big hug and got snatched up by the commission security guys and got in trouble, but it was worth it. Sacramento was my favorite fight of mine so far. Faber's retirement fight was really emotional.

Yeah, there have been a couple, man. Cody, Cody beating Cruz. Cody beating Cruz, me and Faber were fucking half drunk hugging each other's screaming. It was like just a, it was, It was just a really cool moment to see my boy manifest something that he'd been working hard on. There's a couple negatives, too. I won't go into him.

But basically, anytime my friends lose a fight, it hurts me for a day straight. I'm just paying him. So, fighting's really, people only talk about it, but fighting's fucking emotional, man. Fighting is really emotional, dude. Fighting you either get to be a hero or you lose and there's no in between. So fighting for me is, I'm a pretty emotional guy, man. Fighting's really emotional for me. You're right. What's been the most emotional you've gotten watching a fight?

Geez. You know, actually, you know, when TJ beat, when TJ won the title, that was a big one for all of us. What Cody beat, Dom. You know, I had, I had, with Joseph Benavides, there's been two fights that Joseph was right there for the title. The first one was against Dominant Cruz. It was just me and Joseph in his room afterwards and just, you know, he in his mind was going to win that fight. And he was just pouring his heart out about all the things he wanted to say afterwards and who he was going to think. And, you know, that was kind of emotional time.

And also when we fought in Sacramento, it was like I had a big win and then Joseph had a big loss in Sacramento against Michael McDonald. He fought Demetrius Johnson. That was another one that was really hard to watch. and I felt like a big up and then a big down because he was right after me but you know all the ones where you're tied close to people and you know how much hard work they put into things

and how monumental it is for the clan you know we've got a bunch of people involved in things and so we've all helped each other and you know you win and lose together you know I think people don't realize how much of a team sport this is like I mean some people it's not There's guys in Vegas who train the PI and they grapple here and they do it in May here and they do boxing sparring here and they have like four or five gyms.

But for guys who do it like, you know, like team like we do at Team Mouthmill or I'm sure at Jackson's or Novo Niao or a team like that where it's like your team, your home team. It's it's a team sport, man. It's emotional. And anytime one of your friends wins or loses, it's fucking big for everybody. Yeah, I think it's crazy that, you're right. you bring up the TJ win when you beat Brow because, you know, obviously so much has changed since then. But it's this amazing frozen moment. Like you bring it up.

And I think a lot of people, when they talk about an emotional moment, a lot of people would mention that. Because, yeah, you guys were so high for the time. It was such a crazy thing that happened. And again, even though things are different now, anyone can go back and kind of watch that moment. And it's just kind of always there. And I wonder, I just can't imagine how surreal it is for you and Joseph and everyone else involved in that camp again at the time. but I can say for the rest of us, that was also really, really something.

It just must be so strange for you whenever that replay comes on because that fight is replayed quite a bit. Yeah, it's kind of weird. And, you know, it's funny because I had actually stepped in on short notice because Dominic Cruz had been injured to fight burrow. So I took it. I had a torn something in my knee. I took it on two weeks notice.

And I can't remember what injury I had. I think maybe a hamstring. I can't remember what the injury was. But I took that short notice. And then it was like the controversial one where I put my thumbs up and her don't stop the fight. I'm like, dude, I have my frigging thumb up. Oh, terrible. And so, and after that fight, I said, hey, guys, instead of being, I want a rematch as blah, blah, I said, hey, guys, here's T.J, you know, whatever.

Then I went to Dana's office and I pitched him on T.J. I told a bunch of T.J. stories and everything else. So I really had a hand in that thing, making the thing happen. And so having it come to fruition was cool. And then, you know, you fast forward to the situation now. And it's like, you know, is what it is. You know, it's the, what is it, the snake and the turtle? The snake and the frog.

The snake and the frog. You ever hear that? Yeah, stick of the frog. But anyway, it's all good. And, Jose, I'll just say my most traumatic fight ever, I'm sorry, emotional, but I'll say it's traumatic. It was probably the first time our producer Casey ever yelled at me. We probably the first time we ever worked together and had some harsh words for me.

So I have not had a fight like these two, but I'll just say we have our own squabbles here at me fighting. And I cried for it. I cried for at least a day. Everyone has their own battles, brother. It's tough. It's tough. Yeah, he's very, he's very mean director back there. But speaking of the mean director, Casey, any more questions?

I know we got about 10 minutes left. All right. One more. Let me pull something. Thanks for the questions, he said. Do, do, do, do, do, do. What is this? From average Joe Art on Twitter.

and I'm going to give this guy a shout out. He has a lot of followers on Twitter. He does a lot of fan art. I know Israel Adisano is wearing one of his shirts at a media day one. So give him a look if you haven't. Actually, Andre does a lot of comic book fan art. So go scoped this guy out. Yeah, he did a fantastic judge dread the other day.

What's his name? Jay Romero at Average Joe Art on Instagram and Twitter. Phenomenal guy to a huge MMA fan. His question, I've always wanted to know why champions don't wear or at least bring their belts out with them to the cage, especially when the modern belt now being replaced by having a jewel inserted for each defense. I've had some casual fans get confused as to who the champ is.

So you're right, you've been champ. How can fighters don't bring out their belts to the octagon? I didn't even notice they don't. I'm not sure. I mean, for me, I would just say when you're about to fight, you're just thinking about everything except for holding a belt, you know? You're thinking about, you know, visualizing your win And you're thinking about like getting warmed up and everything else

It's just, you know, you don't want to have to deal with the belt Yeah Well, the thing that comes to mind is I think John Jones fought Shogun the first time And Shogun walked out with the belt And John Jones said it made him that much more motivated to like kick his ass So maybe it backfired backfire for Shogun right there Yeah, I think I think MMA is just less like You see boxing they do it, I think right?

Like guys walking up behind him holding with the belts I think that MAA's just less theatrical. There's less like there's less like there's less frills and tassels and robes. It's like you we're about to fucking try to kill each other with with basically no gloves on.

Like there's very little like there's very little theater. Like it definitely gets it definitely gets it's definitely like a spectacle. Like it definitely has that entertainment value to it but there's a lot less like theater to it. It's like

let's get right to it, you know, like, it's let's get right to the fight. I think that's the set of the lot of the guys. If I remember correctly, Carmichael Dave brought my build out when I fought, uh, when I fought Jen Spover in Sacramento. Um, he was like my, he's a local Sacramento news,

like sports guy. Yeah, yeah, he might be national now. I don't know. But, uh, he also,

I went to elementary school with him and his sister. And, he came out and carried the belt. I forgot about that. The only reason I thought about that is you're mentioning this right now. So it's happened on occasion. Yeah, Connor, I believe Connor actually had his corner to carry both of his UFC belts out before he fought Mayweather. So if you go watch that replay, you see two UFC gold belts being paraded behind them on his way to the ring.

More of a boxing thing, I think. Yeah. Yeah. I'm going rogue here, guys. I'm going to throw on one more question. I'll have to fight producer Casey again later. fight all the time. It's fine. I know he said that this was the last question, but there was one that was it's from Sean Denny on Twitter at Denny Rance. In honor of Feeley, touchy Feeley,

what are your favorite MMA nicknames and the California kid also a great nickname? So what are some nicknames you guys enjoy? I do. I know there was a little rivalry, but we're actually cool now. So we've been cool for a long time. So I'll say Uncle Creepy is one of them, obviously. Uncle Creepie's a great one. Yeah. Uncle creepy is a great nickname. I can't really think of any other one. Uncle Creepie's a good one. What else want to help me out here?

I've got some gems for you guys after. Go ahead. I got some gems for you. I like, what's the guy? The secret weapon, Pete Spratt, the secret weapon. That was like a sarcastic one. Like, you'd always, like, have the kid that was on the bench be like the secret weapon stuff. Violent Bob Ross is a good one.

Oh, yeah. A good one. Yeah. Does Buffer actually announce him as that? Does he actually say the violent? He does. does he? Yes, he 100% does. I talked to him and he said fans think his real name is Robert because of that. His name is Luis, but people call him Robert in the casinos when they see him.

Bruce Leroy is a good one. Bruce Leroy is a phenomenal one. Especially if you like that movie. If you're shown up, who's the master? All right, I got some gems for you guys. Obviously on the regional scene, you got all kinds of crazy stuff. I don't know if you've heard of these guys. There's a gentleman named Lederius Jackson, who goes by the limitless nuclear bombs Ladarius the limitless nuclear bombs Jackson

It's a mouthful That's incredible, yeah This might be one of the worst Jordan Winski I think he's a friend of Sam Alves He goes by Jordan I'm gonna Winski Jordan

What do you think? You like that? Smiley and Sam's good too Yeah, Sam's all right Bill Algeo He fought in Contended Series last year It goes by Signor Perfecto and

Spike Carlisle He fights out of San Diego You guys might know him He just had a successful UC debut in February He goes by the Alpha Ginger But there's an even better redhead than that Our Canada zone Rick Pfeiffer who goes

And you probably heard of this guy The Ginger with intent to injure That's pretty incredible I just remembered one more There's a fighter I think he's named John Castaneda. He goes by Sexy Mexie Mexie. Yeah.

Sexy, sexy fights for a lot of day. Yeah. Solid. That's all. I've always been a big fan of Dean of Meen, Keith Jardine. That's always my O's one. Dude, dude, that's the worst fucking... That's a good one.

That's the worst fucking... Hey, he's a working actor. He does a lot of them. Yeah. He was actually on-air. He was telling it, you. Andre, you ever read Sweet Tooth? Brett, come on, Brett.

I was about to say, I thought I saw it somewhere up there. I ran into Keith. He was at the UFC Phoenix fight card that you were at. And he was reading Sweet Tooth because he was about to go audition. I don't know if he got the role. I haven't talked to him since. That was in a Netflix show that he wanted to be on. So he was doing research, sitting cross-legged reading Sweet Tooth.

Of course, I had to go chat about Jeff from here. That's a fucking moment in history you got to watch. I know. Are they going to do a sweet two show? Netflix. Oh my God, yes, dude. And Keith, he got to do that, he got to work with Paul Thomas Anderson. He did that Inheron-Vice movie.

So he got to do a scene with like Joaquin Phoenix. And I was like, so Andre, you know, you might make fun of his name, but you might end up, you know, in a movie with him. Oh, no, dude. I have immense respect for him. So as a fighter, I have immense respect for him. What he's done in Hollywood, what he's done in Hollywood, what he's done in Hollywood, what I think him and Jay Haran are the best examples of like guys who just like get in fuck dude Jay Haran and him have both been killing it like I've seen them in some things

but still his nickname is the worst nickname I gotta keep it real you gotta keep it real I see that as a guy named touchy beely and I also say that as a guy who has a met respect for him but holy shit dude the dean of mean oh my gosh one of our comments that sexiama is still the goat nickname Great a day. That's a good one, too. I was going to say Sexyama. But I like Sexyhara better for my boy.

Taruto Ishiara, sexy Hara. I like that one. Yeah, that's cool. Yeah. Casey, I know we're running up any time. We got any more questions for these two gentlemen before we let him go? Yeah, we got one. I think we can get one more in here.

Fight Island. I'm Rob Holland. If Dana White was running a Fight Island tournament as a cover for a drug trade and prostitution, like an enter the dragon, which fighter would you send as an undercover agent? slash fighter to infiltrate this tournament. Someone else than the obvious Bruce Leroy, there you go. Also, who would be a perfect Williams and Roper?

And of course, who is White's right-hand man Bolo? So basically they're asking you to like fantasy matchmake and enter the Dragon tournament with UFC fighters. That's a good question. I think what's his name? the karate guy from from uh what's his name who am i thinking of Thompson no Stephen Thompson

Steven Thompson would be a good guy to infiltrate because I feel like he's got a clean like look but I bet you he's got a little dirty to him too I don't know you know he's single guy he's getting older you know he knows what he's doing yeah I think Bolo if I was going to cast Bolo it'd be If I was going to cast

Bolo it would be Yol Romero Oh my God I didn't even think about that But that is right on the money right there That'd cast Yol Romero I think we got to toss Stylebender somewhere in there He'd be like I feel like he's been in a tournament

A couple one-night tournaments in the past Stylebender's like Stylebender's like the final boss Dude like you have to get past him And you barely survive Sure Yeah You're muted AK

I think I think you guys are missing the obvious secret agent choice, because we all know she's a Russian spy anyway. One Valentina Shepchenko. I think you send her in there. Yeah. She scared the living shit out of me, though. She'd have to be... I'm sure she's a sweet lady, but she's scared to holy hell out of me, dude.

She'd have to be... I'd have to cast her as, like, as, like, a villain. Like, as, like... Femphatal. Yeah, she, like, throws her... She, like, takes her sweat off and throws it through a man's head or something. Speaking of that, she's in an upcoming movie of Hallie Berry, if I'm not mistaken, right?

Yeah. Oh, yeah. I saw them training at Hensos, dude. Hallie Berry can, Hallie Berry can fucking fight, dude. Yeah, she breaks brick. And I know Valentina wants to play like a female James Bond

in the future. So you're not wrong. You're not wrong there, A.K. But I think we're running up on time. So, Uriah and Andre, I know you spoke about your movie earlier, but for those of you that have, for those of the fans that joined since,

then, tell us about the movie one more time and where they can find it. It's Green Rush. Like I said, it's based on the real events, and it's got a robbery at a marijuana farm in Northern California where Andre and I are both reign Supreme. And, you know, you guys, you're going to really love it. It's the type of movie you're going to want to watch twice. There's a lot of twisting turns in there where you're going to catch things the second time. Andre killed it. Guys in Nashville, I mean, he spoke to me a long time a bit ago about wanting to get into the action game, so I've always kept that in my mind. mind and it's a real passion project everyone involved most of the characters in there the the scenes and the characters are written for them specifically which is also really rare so uh go ahead and check it out and enjoy the ride Andre anything you want to add as a man that they're going to see on screen um yeah man support uh support independent wrestling or no.

Oh. No, no. I meant, yeah, I meant rent the movie. Check it out. All you trolls can tweet me if I suck. But if I do a good job, you have to tweet me. I need a good job, too. You have to be fair.

So rent the movie tomorrow. Yep, hit those air horns. Rent the movie tomorrow and let us know what you thought. Well, thank you so much, gentlemen. I'm sure, well, after this, a bunch of people, it's not like they can go anywhere so they can just go to Red Box, find it, bring it back, watch it, pass it on. Go watch it.

Green Rush, everyone. But for Jose, that's Alex, that's Andre, that's Ryan. I don't know where they are on your screen, but I see them on my screens. But until Wednesday, we'll be back at a normal time. You can find out on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, all the podcast networks, and of course, YouTube. But until Wednesday, we're out. You're listening to the Vox Media Podcast Network.