MMA Fighting - The MMA Hour - Episode 254

Episode Date: November 3, 2014

Featuring Ronda Rousey, Rory MacDonald in studio, Dustin Poirier, and David Branch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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at O-D-O-D-O-O-com. That's O-D-O-O-O-O-com. It's the Mixed Martial Arts Hour with... For the Mixed Martial Arts Hour, back in your life on this Monday, November 3rd, 2014. Hello again, everyone. I'm Ariel Hawani Inside our New York City studio. If you're watching the show live, I appreciate you joining us an hour earlier than usual. Not a big deal. Next week we'll be at our normal time, but we did that for a very special guest.

I will get to that in a second. A relatively quiet weekend in the world of MMA, but it gets very busy this weekend. and two UFC events, and a whole lot more. We'll be talking about that all show long. So who will be joining us this week on the show? Well, at around 2.45 p.m. Eastern Time will be joined by the World Series of Fighting middleweight champion. David Branch, he faces Yushin Okami on November 15th. That's a three-title fight card for World Series of Fighting, arguably the busiest night in

MMA history, at least North American in MMA history, World Series of Fighting, Bellator, and the UFC, all with big shows on November 15th. At 2 o'clock, we're going to take your questions and comments. As always, hit us up using the hashtag VMMAM hour. Leave a question or comment in the comment section below. 140. We're going inside the vault. This interview this week is related to one of our guests that will be joining us later on in the show.

So I think you'll like this one very much the first time that I ever talked to this particular guest. At 120, we're going to be talking to Dustin Porier, his first interview since he lost to Conan McGregor at UFC 178. As you may know, by following him on Twitter, he was. heartbroken and now he seems to be in a better place. So I'm looking forward to talking to the Diamond at 120. At 1255, we're going to be joined by Rhonda Rousey, the UFC Women's Bantamway Champion. It's been a while since she's been on the show. Of course, it was announced last week that she'll be facing Katzenegano at UFC 184, February 28th in Los Angeles, the Staples Center. And that is a two-title fight card, Ronda Rousey and Chris Wyman defending their belts.

But first, let us welcome into the studio for the very first time. BC Zone, Canada Zone. Now, of course, a member of the TriStar Gym in Montreal, the one and only the number one contender in the UFC's Walthyweight Division, Rory Mac, Roy McDonald. How are you? I'm good. I didn't recognize you. What's this new look? It's a new old look. What happened to the hair? I just woke up one morning. I figured, shaved my head. When was this? A few days ago. Why? I don't know. You were tired of it? I just woke up and I was like, I just don't want hair today. You look like the water boy now You know what I mean

The old school Roy McDonald A lot younger Is it just something Are you gonna let it grow back Or are you done with that? I don't know I'm just gonna I think

I was thinking last night I'm gonna shave the sides of my head Really? Yeah I have like a mohawk or something You don't seem like the Mohawk type I know it's weird Yeah

But I don't know I'm just I just go with how I feel And you're wearing And it's first time someone joins us We're wearing a tank top in studio And it's very cold out No it's not that cold actually I was sweating when I

out in here. Oh, that's why you, but I'm intimidated. Look at these guns. I mean, you do not see 170 right now. No, I'm definitely not. You seem like 200. Yeah, you're a big guy. I didn't realize you get so big.

Yeah, yeah, I balloon up a little bit. That's me know how to control. Especially here in New York with all the food. Yeah, and I'm training hard too. So. Why are you in New York? Training at Hendo Gracie Academy. Because you have the Meta Morse match coming up on November 22nd.

You'll be competing against J.T. Torres. I got to say, I was, I was very surprised when I heard that you'll be a part of medamorous only because we don't usually think of you as a jiu jitsu guy why did you do this why did you agree to this i love jiu jih Tzu i mean i've been doing jih Tutsi since i was 14 years old and it's actually was the martial art that really was stapled in my mind that this is what i want to do you know i want to do martial arts for the rest of my life you know it was the first thing i fell in love with okay and uh you know i i haven't really got to show that in a long time i haven't been able to do a grappling match or a grappling tournament in a long time. I've really focused just on

MMA and, you know, the timing was right after this fight and, you know, I have kind of a layoff between my next fight, so why not? I'm no BJJ expert. You know, I watch, I follow, especially when the MMA guys cross over, but I'm told J.T. Torres, your opponent, this guy's legit. Yeah. He's a real, you know, experienced veteran of B.J. Yeah, he's a world champion. Did you have any say in who you'd be competing against, or did they say, all this is the match we want? You know, they gave me two names, and I texted Fraz. I'm like, oh, these two guys. And Fraz told me J.T., so I was like, I just texted them back. Who was the other one? Do you remember? Do you have any idea why he thought that J.T. was the right guy for you? Um, I wasn't, I didn't really ask. I just said, I'm okay. Did you have to ask him for permission to do this? Not so much permission, but his advice, like, would you do it if?

No, I just told him one day I'm going to do it. Really? And what was his reaction? He said it's awesome. Really? Yeah. I'm worried about this. I'll tell you why. Okay. You're flying high now, right? I mean, you've had such a tremendous year.

You're the number one contender in the UFC's Walter 8 Division, and I'm afraid that you're going to look human in this match. You know, like you seem superhuman these days, especially finishing Tarek Safedine, which was an amazing feat, and we'll get to that. Are you afraid that maybe, you know, you're going to seem a little too normal in this match, and it's going to take away some of that luster? Maybe you'll be pleasantly surprised. Oh, wow.

You're not concerned at all. I'm going to win. You're going to win. You're not going there just to have it. Like, Chale just kind of went. You know, he needed... Oh, I'm going to have fun. Don't get me wrong.

But I'm going to win. I don't go into something with a loser's mindset. Okay. I'm going to beat this guy. I'm going to take his food, you know? Have you been watching him a lot? No. I don't ever watch my opponents.

Even in this world, because I feel like it's so technical. You know, it's not a fight. Yeah, I take the same mindset, though, in anything. You know, I'm just going to do my thing. You know, he's good, but I know I'm good, too. So I just oppose my will on him. When's the last time you competed in any kind of BJJ tournament or one-off, something like that? It's been a while, right?

Since I was like 15, 16 years old, yeah. Pre-UFC? Yeah. Yeah, how old were you when you got into the UFC? Like 18, 19? 19 was my first fight. Yeah, so, and Meta Morris, have you been watching this? Because it's very interesting what they do.

You know, Henzos in the main event, if you want to call it that. Do you really think that it can take the next step, like, be a, household sport, like this is going to be on TV, or do you think it'll always be kind of a niche thing? I think it would be huge. I mean, jihitsu is super popular. It's growing in popularity, and, you know, it's a great sport to just, you know, get into, watch and take part in. So, I mean, I like it. You watch it. Yeah. Like, at home, if you see a clip or something or if you know it's online, you'll watch it. Oh, yeah. You don't think it's boring. No. No. No, not at all. You prefer watching that over MMA? No. You watch M.A.?

Yeah, good fighters. Like, you know, I don't watch every single fight, but, you know, I like watching skilled fighters, yeah, for sure. Who's a fighter that you like to watch? Like, who's someone you admire? There's so many, man. There's so many new guys coming up that really excite me. You know, Connor McGregor. I saw you guys tweeting.

Yeah, I'm really impressed by him. Why? He's on the cutting edge of some stuff, I think. Like what? With his movement and striking, it's got my attention for sure. Really? And I want to emulate some of it for sure. Okay.

You know, I think, yeah. You watch him and you study him? Yeah, I wouldn't say study. I just watch and, you know, I'm like, oh, that's cool. You know, maybe I can try to work that a bit. I was very surprised when I saw you tweet him because he's so different than you are, right? I mean, he's very brash. He's cocky.

You guys dress similar, right? I mean, I'm sure you appreciate his attire. What do you think of his whole package? Like he's really taken the UFC by storm He's one of the biggest stars all of a sudden Do you appreciate that? Yeah, I mean, he's doing the right thing To get noticed quick, you know

I mean, but I think he would have done it Anyway with his skill set I'm more of a fan of his skills You know, you know, the way he talks is the way he talks But, you know, I'm more of a fan of like You know, his work in the cage Can you tell us like what impresses about his actual fighting? Like, is there something in particular?

Wow, this guy does this really well His movement his confidence, you know, and there's a lot of little technical things that he does with the striking that, you know, I think I could use and I like it, you know, it's new. You want to train with them? Yeah, yeah. Would you go to Ireland? Yeah, I would, yeah.

Are you considering it? Maybe. I haven't really put too much thought into it. Well, you have a lull, right, after the metamorous thing, which is in just, you know, three weeks time. Yeah, but I'm going to be busy. What are you going to be doing? I'm going to be going around California, I think, doing some training there too.

Where? I don't know, all around. as many people as possible. A.k.a. Ron does another one I think is really good. Her judo's, you know, really impressive, how she uses it in an M.M.A. And I'm usually not a fan of women's MMA.

Why not? I just don't, I just don't watch it. But she's, like, the only one that I'm like, wow, you know, super skilled. I like watching skilled fighters, and I think that she uses her skill super well. Do you want me to set it up? If you want, sure. You think you can handle it?

Yeah, I'll figure it out, I'm sure. But I'm curious. I've heard, I had fighters, you know, who just said it recently on the show? Oh, Ian McCall last week was talking about women's MMA as well. Do you feel like they're just not up to you guys as far as the talent level, the competition? Why don't you appreciate watching it? Or did you just not like seeing women get punched? I don't know what it is. I finally, they fight with a lot of emotion, you know, and sometimes the technique gets thrown out the back door a lot of the time. Not all the time, but don't get me wrong, I respect them. Right. They fight hard. There's

no joke. But it's not something that I watch a lot. Ronda, would you say there's a big gap between her and the rest, so maybe it's not that interesting? Like, every time she fights, she's such a huge favorite. I watch her fights. Always. Yeah. I wouldn't say like, I wouldn't say always. I mean, I just, when it's on, I'll watch it, you know? Right. So you're coming off, as I mentioned, you're coming off this win over Tarek Safedin, and it was such a great moment for you because it was in Canada, your first main event. They were dangling that title shot and everything. And I know you said all the stuff beforehand and usually say this, but after the fact, honestly, did you feel like you needed to finish him to prove a point that you are the number one contender?

Because it seems like no one complains about this now that you're the number one contender. But I feel like if it would have gone the distance, they would have said, well, you know, I want to see one more. You know how this sport is. People want to see finishes. Right? That's the big criticism. Did you feel like you needed that in the back of your mind? I didn't think about it.

Really? I was in a really good state of mind for that fight and I was just letting things like happen. And I just wanted to be the best I could do that night, you know, and whatever happened happened. I really tried to not think about the title shot, what was next. I was just enjoying the moment. Why were you in such a good state of mind? I don't know.

I just was. I was hungry, you know? I'm so hungry this year. You know, after that Robbie Lollar fight, I mean, just, I feel like another level. Something changed. Yeah. Because it was taken away from you. You were so close and you had to work your way back up?

I don't know what it was. Maybe it was a wake-up call or something. It was something that just triggered me, and I feel like I'm like a lion this year. You know, no one's going to stop me. Did you change anything in your life, in your personal life, in your training after that? I mean, did you do anything drastic, or was it just a mental thing? Mental, mental adjustment. A few things in my training, but, you know, mental was a biggie.

I've talked about this on this show. I kind of feel bad for you in a sense, and I'll tell you why. I mean, I'm not saying that, you know, I sympathize, you know. But here's the thing. You were so close to that title shot, right, against Robbie Lawler. Now you're back. You got the title shot. And it was perfect.

It was perfect timing because George was leaving. And now, he's coming back and he's raining on your parade. And by the way, I think he's coming back. Okay. Do you think he's coming back? I have no idea. But it's like you had to work your way back up and he was gone. And you didn't have to answer the questions.

And now I feel like you have to answer the questions all the time. It's not fair. Yeah, no. Can you tell him to just take a chill for two years, let you get the title shot, secure as. He's not even back. He's just starting martial arts training, so he's got a long road ahead of him, I'm sure. I mean, it's not that long.

He was just cleared. Yeah. The timing, you see what's happening here with the timing? It's going to make your life hell. I feel like you're going to go nuts on the media because they keep asking you. I'm sure it won't be a problem. You don't think it will. No.

Were you there when he came back? Came back to TriStar? Yeah, yeah. I wasn't there that day. I think I came back like the next day or something like that from BC. He told me he felt humiliated because he was so. So, you know, he had regret. I mean, humiliated.

He probably has very high standards, right? But he said it was just, it was like, you know, getting back, you know, trying to ride a bike for the first time after a lot of time. Like his skills were a little, you know, they were a little rusty. Yeah. That's natural, though. Of course. Yeah.

But you, do you sense that there's like a collision about to happen here? No. No. No. But the timing is so strange, right? I mean, all of a sudden you get back to that title shot and then he, oh, guess who's back all of a sudden? We thought we were in the clearing.

Now guess who's back? neither of us is the champ right now that's true and i'm going for the championship i'm going to take that belt and no one's going to stop me you think that he'll he'll he'll let you do your thing i'm sure have you ever had a private conversation with him about all this not really this is just kind of an understanding is it a bit annoying sometimes when dana white always says like you know when push comes to shove they'll do it i don't pay too much attention about it i don't want to talk about it anymore okay it's it's an annoying thing right yeah yeah um so they they they announce that you're getting the type of shot. Yeah. But they haven't said when?

Yeah. They have to fight. Right. But have they given you like a tentative so at least you can plan, okay, March, April. That's, that's kind of the... Yeah, a lot of people think it's going to be March in Montreal, which would be really good timing for me. And great for you because you train in Montreal. Yeah. Yeah. It would be awesome. But, uh, I mean, you got to see when these guys, how the fight goes, right? They might get injured. They might need surgeries. Who knows, right? So, uh, I hope the winner is healthy and they'll be ready to fight in, you know, ASAP. That's the worst, right?

When they give you the title shot and then the champion, the guy who wins the fight gets injured, and then you have to fight someone else. Like, it's happened to Verdoom. It's happened to a bunch of people, right? Yeah. So you're just praying no serious injuries. I'm not praying for anything. I'm just going to take it how it goes.

Will you watch it? Yeah. Live? Yeah. You're interested in that, right? Yeah, I'll be there. You're going to the fight? Yeah, UFC's taking me there for it.

Oh, yeah. Do you think they'll bring you in the cage? I hope not. You don't like that? No. Why? It's part of the promotion If they want me to, I'll do it

You're not going to go out there and ask to do it No Will you try to ramp things up as far as media And your persona leading up Because this is the big payday, right? This is the big deal This is what you've been working for your whole life Yeah

You will do that Oh like ramp it up Yeah No, just be myself man I know but this is this is where you can cash in right The big title fight in Canada and Montreal You cash in when you're the champion And you hold the belt

Right. That's when you're making your money. But what about like your media? I mean, let's be honest, you told me you were coming to this. I feel like you're starting to warm up to the media. I like talking to. Just me. I'll take that.

You don't want to do any other media. That's fine by me. I have to do other. You don't really have to. You could tell the UFC. I could be your guy. Anytime you want to get something out there, a message. Okay.

I have done that in the past. You have and it worked out great, right? Yeah, right. Everyone loves to talk about your persona and stuff, like, that you're in on this. But I kind of feel like you're, you know, this is the thing. Like we have some people, I was talking about this earlier, like Rhonda, this girl, Bechkoheya. You know, Bechkoheya? She's a women's fighter, right?

And she's coming up there. And there's the four horsewoman. You know the four horsewoman? I've heard about it. Yeah. Rhonda, Marina Shafir, Jessamine Duke, and Chana Basler, right? Okay. The problem is they're all losing and she's winning.

Okay. So everyone's picking on them. So this girl keeps winning and she's putting down the numbers. People getting very excited about this. It was four, three, two, one. and she wants to go after Rhonda. Okay. And Rhonda loves this because she's a big pro wrestling fan

and she's talking about how, oh, this is a good storyline. I'm going to now go after her after she beat my teammates and things like that. But I feel like that's breaking down the fourth wall. You get what I'm saying? You can't talk about the storyline. You just have to let the storyline play out.

And that's where I think you're brilliant. Because everyone likes to talk about you, like, oh, Canadian psycho, this and that. But you never acknowledge it. You always kind of like say, like, I don't know what you guys are talking about. And I think that's, I feel like you know,

but you never actually acknowledge it. You know what I'm saying? Like this is all, you all, you planned all this. You know what? Everything else outside of those walls in the cage is just a big illusion. And I try to separate myself as much as possible from it. Why an illusion? Because for me, my personality, I need to separate myself from that social thing for me to

concentrate completely on what I'm doing to be that in that focus, in that mind state of, you know, of hurting someone or taking something from someone. So, yeah, I just, I separate all that in my head, you know, and that's maybe why the look comes out or the personality is. But, yeah, I don't know. I just, not into that stuff. Even when you say hurt someone, it's kind of scary. You know what I mean?

Like, you use certain words that other people don't use. Is that on purpose? Just talking. I don't know. Does it annoy you when people compare you? say you're the Canadian Psycho and all that? I don't like Psycho. You don't like that word?

No. Do you see the similarities? Have you ever seen that movie? Yeah, but I mean, it's just because maybe my hair was the same or something. I don't know. One time you were, I think it was prior to the BJ Pencil. He was very charismatic. Yeah, but you don't have to be exactly him.

Are you trying to say you're not? I don't think so. No, I think you are. I think, but it's a different kind of charisma. Okay, all right. You were getting your hands wrapped while wearing a suit. Yeah. That was unbelievable.

You should do that every time. by the way. I think I did it like once or twice. It gets BJ. It was just the timing of the situation. Who gets their hands wrapped up while wearing a nice suit? I've never seen this before. It just worked out that way.

It's a very... It wasn't a planned thing. But you understood how it came across. Right, yeah. This is like, this is a guy, you know, like you come dressed up for the funeral almost. I like it. Yeah. But you don't plan any of that.

No. Wow. Just go with the flow, man. Do you study things like that? I mean, do you study characters? You don't pay attention to any of that stuff because you have to ignore. I just want to be me. Really?

But you have to acknowledge. that marketing and things of that nature, that helps, right? You have something. You're not just a guy. You're not just a fighter who goes into the cage. Because if you were, I don't think people would be fan of yours. Okay. You get what I'm saying?

Yeah. Like George has this thing. George's guy. Connor has this thing. That's part of the sport as well. Yeah. Do you just let it happen? I let it happen.

Really? Yeah. Do you feel like you've evolved? I've grown more confident with experience, I think. I feel like you are conscious of it in a way because you even changed your nickname. Yeah. You're Aries now. Yeah, I didn't really like people call me Waterboy.

Why is that? Because it was more of like it was a name given to me in a gym. And it was kind of like, you know, like poking fun at me a little bit. It was fine, like on the inner circle. Where did it come from? You know the movie The Waterboy? Sure, sure. Okay, well, I used to like, in their fight training, I used to like remind people of that guy, Adam Sandler.

Because you had like superhuman strength? No, I just like flip out. What do you mean? When someone pissed you off? Yeah. Really? And I would just like flip a switch and they would say, oh, the water boy, you know? You have a bad temper?

Yeah. Really? Yeah. Always still? No, it's getting better. So what pisses you off? I don't know. Oh, you know.

Is there something like when a guy goes too hard in practice or tries to injury? That, I think that is just instinct to win, you know? Right. You know, yeah. It just flips the switch, I guess. But I try to tame that because I think. think if I keep that on the side till I really need it, you know, I let my skill do the work for me. I have a really bad temper too.

I've worked on it as well. Like I play basketball and I'm a total lunatic. So I'm curious how you kind of, you keep it down. Or do you feel like you've been able to conquer that or at least? Martial arts helps me. Really? I mean, yeah. Finding that at 14 really helped me.

I really find it's like an outlet for me. And I don't need to be aggressive in my everyday life. But they still called you the water boy when you were doing martial arts. Yeah. So it took some time. Yeah, I'm still working on it. Right. It is a good nickname, though, I must admit.

It's funny, I guess, yeah. I just got annoyed by it when, like, strangers would come up to me and call me that. Don't look at my Twitter after. Okay. I said the water boys here. Just because you look, you look like, you look like the old Rory again. That's why I was a little shocked when I saw you. Yeah.

I just felt like it changed. Yeah. Maybe I'll change it again. And where'd you come up with the Aries? I don't know. just I was desperate for change it. I was getting like I just wanted to stop you know. What does that mean, Ares? It's a the god of war. God of war. Jesus. That's scary stuff. I guess. It's just like it's like where I like the like the persona or like the mind frame I want to be in when I'm in the cage, you know?

Mm-hmm. Yeah. And you gave it to yourself or? Yeah. That's a thing. You can't give yourself an nickname. Probably. Waterboy was giving to me, but I hated people calling me. So I had to change it. And I wasn't willing to wait around for it. Do you miss home? Yeah, yeah. Would you prefer to be living there? Do you have to live in Montreal and then when it's done, you're going to go back? Yeah, pretty much.

You don't want to be there? Well, I want to be there for the training, the martial arts and, you know, the guys there. But when I retire from the sport, I'll be living in B.C. Why do you feel like you need to be in Montreal? Why can't you get the same close to it in B.C.? You know what? It's the coaching. It's the setup that they have at TriStar and in Montreal that I really like.

The guys are really professional, a high level, skill level. And working with Farahs is priceless. What do you mean by that? Yeah, you know, he's super skilled and really, we've got a good bond now, and he's been able to really teach me and help me evolve as a martial artist. We were talking about this earlier, and I think you've helped change this as of late, but I'm concerned about Canadian MMA. I don't feel like there are enough Rory McDonald's coming up these days.

And my theory is that there aren't any good local shows cultivating this talent. What do you think? Yeah, it's hard for guys to get fights in Canada. And it's hard for guys to get brought up to the states to fight because, you know, the local shows aren't really making as much money, right? So to pay like, you know, $1,000 for this guy's airline ticket and whatnot, it's a little much for these smaller shows for these less experienced guys. There's not enough shows in Canada for them to fight on.

But there's a lot of guys that I think are going to make it big. Fraz's brother, Aman, super skilled. He's trying to make a career out of it. He's really good. Really? I haven't talked about his goals with him, but I think he's very good. What's his record? I don't know.

I always thought that he was just being groomed to be a coach. Because he corners you guys as well. Yeah, yeah, he was in my corner against Typhiard. Ironia. Well, wait. I think he's 45. Yeah, he's smaller, right? Yeah.

So he's one guy that comes to my... That was going to be my next question. Who are some guys that we should look out for? Yeah, him. There's so many guys there, man. It's kind of hard. Do you feel like people treat you differently now that you're the number one contender in the gym? I don't think so.

I'd like to think not. Right. Because when you came in, what was after the Carlos fight, right? Yeah. So it's been a while. Yeah. And also guys have, you know, adjusted to me. me over the years.

So I think the bond is still the same. What about the way they treat you like when they train with you? Because, you know, there's this epidemic going on in MMA. Everyone's getting injured. Right. You know, so you're holding on to the lottery ticket now. You got the title shot. You got what everyone wants, right?

You tell them to this, you're like, no, let's not go too hard. Let's not, you know, like, no one. It's a problem, though, right? I mean, guys are getting so close to their dreams. Right. Look at Kane Velasquez. I mean, he's champion. He can't fight.

He's getting injured all the time. Right. And you think it's from sparring partners going too hard or something? I think, well, I have many theories. But one of them is I almost feel like the MMA gym's setup is not ideal for you guys, for the pros. Okay. You know, they're banging into each other. People are, you know, getting knocked over.

They're enrolling into, you know, like you guys are all training and saying it's, it's not like that in boxing. You don't have like eight guys in a ring and bumping into each other. That's the first problem, right? Yeah. The second problem, I feel like, is that there's just so much at stake. And especially when you become champion, you can't really. Look what happened when Kane, you know, he first. fought with a bum knee got knocked out in 61 seconds or something like that.

There's just so much at stake and you know you guys have this thing in the back of your mind or hanging in the bout seats. It's like two fights are gone from the UFC. No professional athlete, in my opinion, has the pressure that you guys have. You know, you know, like to make it to the NFL, I know that the shelf life of an NFL player is pretty short compared to other sports, but when you're there, you make a lot of money. You guys, it takes a long time to make that money. Yeah.

And if you go on a, you know, two, three, five losing streak, you're gone. it's too much pressure there's a lot of pressure for sure I try to not to think about them you never think about it oh I do think about it but like when I'm training the gym or when I'm

fighting money is so far away from where my mind is right you know it's that's for another time when I'm at home thinking about that specifically you know and I have to manage that but yeah when I'm at martial arts or I'm in a fight

it's strictly focus on that In this day and age, I commend and I look up and without you guys, I wouldn't have a job, right? But I wonder sometimes what's the incentive to become an MMA fighter? Because it's so hard to actually make it, right? It is. It's getting harder and harder. The more popular it gets, the more people want to be a part of it. Right.

You know, they notice it, right? My incentive, I just love it. I love martial arts and I love competing. At what point did you say this is what I want to do? 14, my first day of Jiu Jitsu. Really? Yeah. You said you wanted to be an MMA fighter?

Yeah. When you first did Jiu-Dit-Soo, you didn't even do any striking or anything. Yeah, I was like hitting the bag. Did some kickboxing after, too. It was an MMA gym, Dishito. So, yeah, I pretty much told my dad when I got in the car, this is what I wanted to do, and I wanted to quit hockey. What year was this? I don't know what year it was.

I was 14. How old are you now? 25. When were you born? July. No, no, what year? Oh, 89. 89.

So if you were 14, that was 2003. Yeah, probably. So right before the big... 2002, 2003. Right before the boom of the ultimate fight, the UFC wasn't as popular as it is today, but you still... Was that the goal I want to be a UFC fighter?

Was it just an MMA fighter? I pretty much knew right away that I was going to do something great. Really? It was just like a feeling I had inside. Great in MMA or great in life? In MMA. Hmm. After one day?

Yeah. I pretty much just had a feeling inside of that I was going to do this. An epiphany? Yeah. Exactly. Before going to the gym, did you have this feeling? Or was it only after leaving the gym? No, after leaving the gym.

Before I was just talking with my dad and my brother, we always talked about UFC and like Tito Ortiz and how awesome these guys were. Because I'd been watching this since I was like five years old, right? Okay. And who introduced you to it? My dad. He was a fan. Yeah, and he did martial arts.

Okay. What do you do? Like kung fu and boxing. Okay. Yeah. So he said, son, I want you to watch this stuff? Yeah. Okay.

So you're watching it from five years old? Yeah, five or six years old. Okay. And then when you decide that, okay, this is actually something I want to do because that's eight, nine years later. Well, like, I never really thought I would be able to do it, you know? I was always, like, focused on hockey. You know, I was like, where do you even train for this?

I had no education that people, like, trained. I thought it was like, you know, guys just fought or whatever. But my brother did a PE class at Toshito. when he was in high school and he told me and my dad about it I went to this MMA gym they do UFC type stuff

Yeah Older brother? Yeah and then I was like I want to do that Where's that? And my dad basically Turned the car around And my brother told him

Where it was We went to train And they told us all about it I came back an hour later For class and never left Wow Yeah So it's all thanks to your brother

Yep And my dad Are you still close to your brother Yeah yeah So your dad So your dad, you said he trained in kung fu and things of that nature. So how didn't he not know, okay, you have to go to a gym? Like, he's been around this before.

So why didn't he lead you down that road earlier than 14? He got caught up with, like, work. You know, he had, you know, me and my brother at an early age, and, you know, he had to support us with work. And I think he got, he's a very hardworking guy. So he drilled that into our heads more. Okay. You know, but school work and things like that. Yeah.

But he also, you know, kind of on the side. told us, you know, follow our passions, things like that, and, you know, work hard at those things. And, you know, once he's seen my love for it, my passion for martial arts, he, you know, he was, like, my first believer, you know, that believed in me, you know, that I could do this. And he was a big supporter. Did he watch? Everyone else was like, you're skinny kids, you're an idiot. Stop doing martial arts. Really?

Who's saying this? Everyone. Everyone. Even your brother? Oh, yeah. Really? He's like, I remember one thing we were fighting and he was grabbing me by my throat and he was like, no matter how, no, how long you do martial arts and never be able to beat me. Wow. I beat him. You beat him. Yeah. Then or it took a while?

It took a while. How many years older? Three. Two. What's he doing now? He's, he is, what would I say? Like a carpenter and, yeah. In D.C.? Yeah. So when you grew up, was your father a single dad? Yeah. Okay, so it was just you three. Yeah, my mom lived with my stepdad in another city at the time. But you lived with your dad? Yeah, at that time.

Was that your choice? Yeah. So he's the guy who's supported you from day one. What did your mom say? Was she one of those who said? She was mad. She was mad. Yeah.

Why? Because she knew that she couldn't stop me. But did she think that you're going to get hurt or you didn't have it in you? Yeah, she was worried, you know, she's a mom, right? But I met you. She goes to all her. whites now. Yeah. And at the time, you know, I was her youngest son. Well, I guess not youngest, but yeah, I was her baby, you know, so it was hard for her to get into it at first. But then she's

seen the passion as well. It's all good now. So in that, you walk out the day and you say, I'm not only going to do this for a living, I'm going to be something special. I'm going to do something special. You envision being Tito Ortiz, champion, all that stuff. Wow. And then when you make your UFC debut, you said? 19. Did you think it would be that quick? That's not very common. Yeah, my goal was to be in there before it was 20. Really? Yeah. And did that come on the first day as well? Did you already lay up? No, it was more like time to think about it. I just had like a feeling that I would do something good, you know? What were your friends saying about this? Were they laughing at you as well? Yeah, they thought,

a lot of them thought I was lying, especially when I started actually fighting until I got on TV. Really? Yeah. And then they believe me. How old were you in your, debut? 16. So, wow, so you're still in high school. Yeah, yeah. Did you graduate high school? Yeah.

So you must have been the coolest kid by that point, right? You weren't? No. You're fighting in a cage in high school. What grade is 16? 16 is probably, uh, was it like 10th grade? 10th or 9th or something. And people, wait, were you kind of an outlaw by doing that?

I don't know. I didn't pay attention to high school life. I just kind of got through it. I didn't. Were you bullied? as much as anyone else like I wasn't like I wasn't bullied bullied you know like I wasn't tormented too badly but everyone goes through it right sure well I don't know I was kind of a cool you know I was a big deal I sympathize but believe it or not um so you're 16 years old and

and and you remember the first fight like you remember the moments before like were you saying like holy crap um the first fight yeah yeah it was so weird why the light the light the light the light it was so weird Why? The lights and the people watching me And it was like I was paying attention to all the things I shouldn't have been paying attention to The exact thing we were talking about earlier Yes, yes You know?

I was so like, this isn't so foreign to me, you know? Overwhelmed? Yeah, and then I got in there and the lights were hot. Oh, man. It was just like everything's crazy and then it went ding ding, ding, and the guy came out And I stood there. I didn't even move my feet at all. Wow.

And he just went, pop, pop, pop, pop, pop. And after that, I was, and after that, I never looked back. I ended up beating him like a couple minutes later. Really? Yeah. So you almost had to be like the switch had to be turned on, right? Yeah.

Wow. Is that fight online? I don't think so. You never found it? I think my mom has all my fights. What promotion was that? Was that King of the Cage? XFC, Prince George.

In BC? Who was the guy that you fought? Terry Tierra. Were you nervous before the fight? Yeah. Yeah, big time. Most nervous you've ever. ever been? Yeah. Like, have you ever had that feeling since then where you're noticing all the

stuff getting overwhelmed or did you get it out of your system? That one was the worst. Really? Yeah. I still got nervous for my other fights, you know, my second fight and it still get that somewhat that nerves, but not that bad. Did you think before what the hell, what the hell am I doing? Why am I doing this? Like, did you even doubt yourself? No, I knew what I was doing for sure. It's just I didn't know what to expect. I didn't know the lead up. I didn't know what it was going to feel to walk out and all that experience, you know, so. It's pretty intense for a 16-year-old. Yeah.

In hindsight, would you say you were too young? No, I was ready. Really? Yeah. Is that a special thing, though? Like, would you not recommend that for all 16-year-olds? No, yeah. It was, you know, I had a, I think I probably had a different mindset.

I was training with men, you know, and they weren't going easy on me. How much did you weigh? 160. That was the fight? No, I fought at 155. 155. Died it a little bit. Right.

Did you feel like it was so good for you because you had this sort of, you know, we're talking about your temper and all that. It was a way for you to release that and not take it out in day-to-day life. You know, like this was your outlet. Did it help you in that sense? Yeah. And just the martial arts training too, because we trained pretty hard at that time. And this was back in BC and you're no longer training with those guys.

I still do. You do? Yeah, when I go back to corner. Okay. And do they come in your corner? At first, he's still in your corner? Yeah, he was in my last corner. Probably, me and my next fight corner too.

Why probably? And not for sure. Well, you never know if he's busy. Sure, sure. I mean, it's a big deal. I'm sure it'll happen. The same guy who was there on that first day. Was he at the gym?

Yeah, Dave. Yeah. What's his last name? Lee. So he was there the first day you came in at 14 years old. Yeah, he's a gym owner and the coach. And now he sees you fighting for the UFC belt. I'm pretty sure he's going to be free that night.

Yeah. I mean, he hasn't had a chance. champion, right, coming out of the gym? Not you have seen, no. Right. Was it a weird conversation when you told them that you wanted to go to Montreal? Yeah, for sure. It's tough.

Tough on both of us, for sure. Like, how do you handle it? You know, as good as anyone could handle it. You know, it's tough. You know, I was his guy. You know, we're best friends, too, you know? So it was a tough... Still best friends?

Yeah. Really? Oh, yeah. Very close. Did he take it personally? I would have taken it personally. I'm sure I did, you know. but I think he understands now in the long run, but it was a tough choice.

Does he ever come to Montreal to go to the gym? Yeah, he has, yeah. Are there guys coming up from that gym? From Tashito, yeah. Matt Dwyer was on the same card as me. Sarah Morris, who was on the ultimate fighter. And then there's other guys too coming up. So was it like a bit awkward afterwards when you were telling him you needed to go,

or did you get over it pretty quickly? It was a long period of adjustment time, right? Okay. Did you ever think when you got to TriStar that this was a mistake? No. You knew right away. Yeah. I had to do it.

You had to. Yeah. And why was it TriStar? Did you go around, shopping around, and you talked to other people? No, not really. I mean, I kind of, I poked around a bit, but like I've been to TriStar a handful of times, trained there, and I kind of had a feeling. You know that feeling I was telling you?

Yeah. I just kind of go with my gut. You have these feelings. a lot yeah I just kind of go with the flow you know if I want to do something I'm gonna do it right then like the first day you knew was the right place for you yeah was George there yeah he was a big help for me too Mike Ricci I brought me out once George brought me out a few times I can't the first time I went there it was on my own though met the guys and yeah when did you first meet George the first

time I was up there on my training just to go up there and see what it was all about and he's champion at the time right yeah so it's like this is the of the king of the sport. Yeah, yeah. That's got to be a big part of the cell as well, right? You can actually train every day with the best guy in the sport. Yeah, but there was so many guys. I mean, David Loazzo, Dennis King.

I mean, there was so many guys in the gym and so many guys coming out from other places to train with George and all the guys and Faraz. So, I mean, I had, there was so many real professionals there to work with and what I wanted to be and who I wanted to work with. It was a pretty clear-cut decision that I had to go. here. If you beat Carlos Condit at 115, do you think you don't move? Probably not. Really? Yeah. That's amazing. Yeah, but maybe. I don't know. It's hard to say. You were like what, eight seconds away or something, 10 seconds away? Well, yeah, I don't know. I don't know how that decision would have done it. I was still, even if I won that decision, I probably still would have been bitter with myself, you know, like I would have been upset with myself. Why? About your performance? Yeah. So I don't know.

I don't know how that would go. Where my mind would be in that case? I haven't thought about it. Did the idea to go to TriStar only come into your mind after the fight? No, it was a little bit before because I'd trained there before. What was the first? Twice. When did you start thinking I need to get out of BC?

Around the second training trip when I was, I came up with Mike. Because Mike was actually, we were talking on Facebook at the time. And he's like, you should come up. We're fighting on like the same day basically in June, you know? He was fighting Pat Curran. I was fighting Conda. Yeah. So he's like, stay with my house, my family.

And, you know, after that, the whole experience is like, you know, I probably start thinking about something here, you know. I know we were talking about this. I know we were talking about this off camera before, but since you guys are so closely linked, have you had a chance to talk to Mike? It's not, it hasn't been a great weekend for him. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's an unfortunate thing, you know. Yeah. His opponent dropped out the day of the fight.

And yeah, it sucks because he probably would have got back in the UFC after that. You think so? I would assume so because of, you know, what he's done to the last two UFC veterans he fought since he got cut. But, you know, he's on the right track. I'm sure he'll bounce back in a positive way. I feel like you're officially over the Condit thing. Like for a while, you would bring it up in interviews, you called them out. I mean, of course you got the title shots.

So what do you have to worry about? But I feel like it's not as big a deal in your mind anymore. No, yeah. I think I grew up a little bit about. you know losing in mixed martial arts right but you know obviously i want to fight him again i i think me and him are like one and two you know sure so uh i'm i'm sure our paths are going to cross again in a title fight how did you get over it was it just a progression and maturation or do you remember just going to yeah just growing you know changing my views on a few things you know

at first i was like okay i'm gonna i was undefeated at the time sure i was like i'm gonna i'm gonna my whole career without losing, you know, that's a goal I have. And then the more fights I had and the more experience in martial arts, you know, I've learned that, you know, it's, losing isn't the worst thing possible for martial arts. It's sometimes an eye-opener in a positive way. And both my losses in my career have been very positive in the long run for me and things that I've needed to grow as a person and a martial artist. But I feel like, you know, like you don't care if it's Hendricks or Lala, right? We've talked about that. But the old Rory would want Lawler so you could avenge that loss.

For sure. It's interesting. Yeah. You have no desire to pay him back. No. It'd be a whole new experience if I fought him again. Right. Have you started thinking about that, title fight, potentially in Canada, I'm much like, are you?

It's a fight. I mean, yeah, like sometimes I sit back and I'm like, wow, I'm here. I'm right where, you know, it's like, I can't believe it happened so fast, you know? Sometimes I have moments like that, but most of the time, and I know the time when it's time to fight, it's just a fight. I've been there many times and, you know, sure there'll be maybe a piece of goal waiting for me at the end of the road, but, you know, when those cage door closed,

I'm just going to go in there and I'm going to fight. And you were legit concern you might not get the time. I mean, you put out this tweet, you're holding a sign, you're saying, like, were you worried? Like, did you say, I have to do something to try to, you know? We and Farahas were goofing around a little bit. Okay. Sent out some stuff on social media,

but I was pretty confident I was going to get it, but yeah. How does that work? Do they call you up and say, Roy, you're getting or you just find out online? I heard my manager texted me. I think Dana made it official on an interview with Canadian press. Right. So I think that's how I found out. That was a big thing because I almost feel like you had to almost convince him.

Because remember the Ellenberger fight, he was very critical of you. He didn't like that fight. Did that bother you? A little bit. I felt that I did pretty good, you know. Like, why are you so critical? I think a lot of people expected bloodbath because of the Twitter thing. that went on. He was talking so much.

Right. So some people were like, you know, and especially Ellenberger's style, usually, you know, he's like a train. Sure, sure. Just burns through people. So a lot of people expected this is going to be just like a Carlos, like when I fought Carlos Condit, just a, you know, crazy fight. But, you know, I did the right techniques and I, you know, completely dominated it.

Did you take it personally when you was so critical of it? No, it's just his opinion. That's your boss, right? you have to, there's a sense of you, like, I need to impress this guy to a degree, right? Yeah, for sure, for sure. You know, you don't want to, you don't want to, you know, you want to be in the doghouse. For sure, yeah, but, uh, I knew it would come in time. You would see that, uh, you know, the good things. What was that feeling like when you finished Tarik Safedine in front of the crowd there?

Great crowd. Yeah, I was pumped up. That was a great feeling. Yeah. Because the last time you finished someone was at Chey Mills? Yeah, probably. So it'd have been a while. Yeah, yeah. That's, it's different than winning a decision. way different way better of course were you expecting that

yeah every fight I expect it like you know you expect like there you know like later on like did you expect the fight to play out that way yeah I guess I mean that's where I'm always going for right right it's hard to say you have to just kind of go with it and see what your opponent brings you know you could change in a second right

you could just start throwing punches like crazy so you have to adapt and what was the feeling like when you got the text that you got that title shot I was happy. How'd you celebrate? I didn't. You just sat on your couch and took a nap.

Yeah, pretty much. Have you envisioned November 22nd? You know, I'm always thinking about fighting, yeah. So sometimes when I'm daydreaming, yeah. Do you think about anything else? For sure, yeah. Like, what's the main thing that occupies your mind other than fighting? Yeah, I don't know, family hunting.

Ladies. Yeah. Sometimes. My girlfriend. Your girlfriend, of course. Yeah. Yeah. You guys live together?

No, not right now. Really? Yeah, she's back in BC at the moment. She's a beat, you knew, you knew her from back then? High school. Oh my gosh. How many years? I was about 15 when I met.

I've known my wife since we were 12. So I respect that. Wow, nice. Congratulations. Well, thank you. Do you think you'll get married? Probably. It's good because she knew you before you were Roy McDonald, UFC star.

Yeah. So she's not a Johnny come lately, you know? Yeah. She's not jumping on the bandway. She's all good. She's cool. When is she going to move. can't it's a Montreal she she did for a bit but it was hard for me with training camps and

stuff you send her back yeah wow yeah I'm a bit cut through like that look at you so I feel like before your fight like you it's not good to be friends with you right like like in the week before it's tough yeah it's I'm a little bit I'm a hard guy to be around yeah cut your hand cutting avocados like you're intense problem yeah are you afraid you're gonna have to pull out I yeah I was worried that the commission was going to make me pull it Like they were going to cut me or whatever. You just didn't tell them? Yeah.

Good job. But eventually you want to get married, right? Yeah. How are you going to balance that? I don't know. Maybe I'll be done fighting. Who knows? Oh, okay.

Do you know when you'll be done? You don't have it in your mind. Do you know what you want to do when you're done? Somewhat, kind of. What? You know, have a family. But as far as a job? Yeah, I don't know what I'm going to do.

Maybe I'll have an MMA school or something. I'm just going to go with, what I'm feeling, you know, my passion at the moment. And how about your brother saying you couldn't beat him up? Yeah. Look at you now. I know. Guns out.

Number one contender. Has he ever fought? No. He's like a blue belt and jiu-jitsu though. What it was? He's tough. He could probably take you. He probably could.

But I mean, I feel it's a great story. He didn't even think that you could beat him. And now look at you, beating everyone in the UFC. Yeah. Yeah. And does your dad go to all your fights? Not all of them. He works pretty hard.

So it's hard for him to get to help. Well, be there in March or April? I'm sure. That's a big one. Yeah, it is. Okay, we ran out of time, but I enjoyed this greatly. Went by really fast. What did you think? Yeah, went by quick. Did you enjoy it? Yeah, man. All right. There he is. Rory MacDonald. November 22nd,

he'll be competing against J.T. Torres at Meta Morris. It's in Los Angeles. You can get tickets now at Metamoros.com. And then the big one for us, he'll be getting a title shot. He'll be facing the winner of Johnny Hendricks versus Robbie Loller. That's number two for those guys. The rematch, December 6th, UFC., UFC 181 in Las Vegas. Official pick, who are you picking? I know you don't care, but who do you think is going to win the fight? I don't know.

I was asking about Henzho versus Sakarava, by the way. I don't care about the title shot. Hensow. Of course. Yeah. You're going there in a minute. But you don't have a gut about Hendricks and Mahler? That one no.

No. You're just going to be sitting there and enjoying it. Yeah. All right. There he is. Rory McDonald. Also, follow him on Twitter. Rory underscore McDonald.

He loves social media. Thank you very much, Roy. All the best to you. We're going to take a break now. In a minute, we're going to be joined by Ronda Rousey. For now, you know, Meta Morris, they put on these amazing preview clips, these countdown shows. Have you seen them? Yeah.

The production value is fantastic. It's awesome. Really impressive. Here's a look at Hanzo v. Sakharaba. We had Hensu on the show a few weeks back. Tremendous stuff, and we'll be back in a minute right here on the MMA hour. I was raising Rio, and I had an unbelievable childhood. And I believed childhood.

My teen years were amazing. If you cut my legs and my arm, and you lock me to inside a black cell that I'll be fed only enough to survive 20 years for 20 years 20 years from now you're going to open the door you're going to see a smile on my face I say a man who has the memories that I have

who live the life that I live can never be sad. You know I'm never alone it's like I'm always even when I'm by myself I have great company you know and this was this amazing lifestyle that I chose to live You know, the Jiu-Jitsu that I embraced and gave me that. And it's like I had a very rich experience in what we call life.

Welcome to the Gracie Residence. Very unique like my wife, all her taste. If it was up to me, everything would be mats. Every time I see open space, I see a mat on the floor. This is the entertainment room where my kids play chess and I play backgam and I love backgallon. We have a bar here for the guest. And everywhere you go, here. you're gonna find a fighting book.

My old teacher, they used to say that fighting wouldn't take me nowhere. This is my first pride that I won, pride number two. I fought a 51-minute battle with a guy 60 pounds heavier than me. You know, in the end, that's when I create the guillotine with the arm inside. A nice pool table. We always bring the friends and always have to have

have fun here. You know, it's right. It sounds a great time to cherish the friends and interact with them. And luckily I'm good on this, so I always beat them, which makes the experience more enjoyable every time. This is the elevator that the dog used when his paws are sore, he barks at the door, so he bring him up and down in the house on this elevator. And this elevator is going to be waiting for me as I grow old that I cannot go up in the stairs anymore.

This is the basement. I always laughed. My basement is now. It's actually better. than many houses that I live into it. It has 4,500 square feet. It has a movie theater right here. We watch all the fights and all the metamores

and all the UFCs we watch right here. We have a very nice gym that we work out at home. On this room, it used to be mats. We pulled them out this week. And there's new mats arriving. Forest Griffin one time said to me, like, you know, many people talk about how nice he Henzu is.

I said, nobody can be that nice all the time. You have to understand one thing. I'm from the mindset. If I'm not nice to you, I'm hitting you. It's black and white. There's no, and I would do it if I think you deserve it. You know, I won't hold it back. And I'll tell you why I did after, you know, if the insult is too big.

So in reality, he met me and we had an opportunity. I want to help him to do a footage, a shooting for a TV show here in New York. And after he looked at me, he goes, man, you are a really nice guy. He goes, I really thought you were a fake. I think you do that. When you really believe Jiu-Jitsu is in you, you become fearless. It's like I'm not, so I'm not afraid to show who I am, to be who I am. You know, like I said, if I just met you, for sure, I'm going to have a smile in my face and I would stand my hand to.

If you decides to insult me, I will hit you. There's no halfway and I'll show you how I am and you're going to know. And if I have to move a mountain to help a guy who I never met before, I'll do it too. It's part of being a jiu-suitzman, to be honest with yourself and to be confident on yourself, you know. All right, back on the mixed martial arts hour. Great stuff with Roy McDonald. It's always a pleasure when the guests are. in studio. You get a whole different kind of interview and you get to interact a little more and

really try to dig a little deeper. You get more time with them, of course. So we really appreciate him stopping by and wish him the best of luck, November 22nd. That was part of the countdown to Sakaraba versus Gracie 2. Of course, on this show a few weeks back, we had Henzel Gracie in studio talking about that very match in his rivalry with Sakuraba. Metamore is doing some great stuff on the mat, so to speak, in the arenas. And also with those promotional videos, just tremendous stuff. So we wish him the best of luck as he faces J.T. Torres

on November 22nd in Los Angeles. You can get tickets now at metamoros.com. All right. So Rohr-McDonald, a huge guest, and now we move along to one of the biggest names in mixed martial arts, arguably the face of the UFC.

Joining us for the first time in a very long time is the UFC's Women's Bantamway champion, the one and only Rhonda Rousey on the phone right now. Rhonda, how are you? I'm good.

How are you doing? Is that really you? Wow. I can't believe you're actually on the show. I feel like it was almost easier to get Barack Obama on this show than Rhonda Rousey herself. Yeah. Wait, doesn't it? You're still, you know, it's amazing. And on this show, we have a segment called Inside the Vault. Every week I play old clips. And I'm playing that clip this week because I feel like you're still holding onto this grudge. No, no, you're out of the penalty box and I was holding onto it. I wouldn't be on the show. Wow. But, yeah, I have a grudge-holding problem, definitely.

Could we air it out right now? Could we fix this problem right here and now? Okay, so for everybody listening, this is what happened. Back in my strike force day before I even, I think it was before the Julia Bud fight, I was being brought downstairs to, it was one of the UFC events I was out of being brought down to the media room where they have catering and stuff like that for the media. And now I'm kind of nervous, and I feel a little out of place,

I'm just starting getting to do media and stuff like that. And it's easy to feel like, you know, a little embarrassed, like the new kids, the cafeteria doesn't have anywhere to sit. And so Ryan Grabb was one of the – he was handling the Strike Force CR at the time, brings me over into the press room, and I already feel awkward. And I'm right behind him, and he goes in post Ariel, who's in the media room, and, you know, buy the catering and all that. And he was like, hey, you know, Rhonda's here.

Ronda Rogers, she's one of our Strike Force fighters. and then area goes, yeah, have her wait, five, ten minutes until I'm done eating this. And I'll see if I can give her some time. I did say that. I did not say that. Oh, wait a phone minute, okay? It's not like we're at an immediate lunch where the purpose is for everyone to sit down and eat today and I suddenly interrupted your lunch.

No, you're at a UC event where you're there to cover fighters and it happens to be catering. you make me go and sit and wait for 10 minutes while you finish nibbling on your catering before you'd give me in your time so I'm like, all right, do you want me to wait five to 10 minutes? There will come a day or I will make you wait six to 12 months.

Wow. This is what just happened. Even more than that. I think it's been two years since you've been on the show, so I really paid the price. But by the way, I just want to make it clear. I mean, A, I've never done that since

because you've made me feel very bad. And B, I don't think I ever did that before. I had done interviews all that, and I don't think I said it quite, like that, to be fair to myself. I remember having a Caesar salad. I'll never forget it. I remember it was UFC 137. It was, it was BJ versus Nick Diaz. It was in the Manley Bay. Oh, yeah, my first U.S.C. event ever. There you go. Yeah, my first one ever I met you. I don't forget these things. And you were a big star. I know, I mean, I remember the first time I

heard about you all that stuff. And I just wanted to just get something in so that, you know, I'd have something in my belly. That was it. I don't think I was that rude. You remember your salad? but you don't remember what you said to me? No, that's how of little importance with a dialogue between me and you was below Cedar salad in your book? Did you say,

Ariel, it's not helping your case. Do you recall saying yourself, F this guy and I will make him pay? Like, do you actually remember that? Yeah, I remember feeling embarrassed. Wow, I'm sorry. That I was made to wait. What an asshole.

I was like I just did wait one day. Wow. So I have approached, I mean, you have, in my opinion, one of the greatest agents in sports, Brat Slater. Cudos to him and his team over there for doing such a great job with your career and others as well, The Rock, etc., Chris Wyven with him.

But I've approached him so many times to have you on the show, and I keep getting turned down. So now I know it's you, you're the one who was saying, screw that guy, I'm not going to do his show for X amount of months because of what he did to me. In November of 2011, October of 2011, because he wanted to have a couple of strands of lettuce. Yeah, exactly that.

Okay, fair enough. You would imagine how well I remember the people that really genuinely flighted me. You know, that was just unintentional. Wow. I told you, I have a grudge problem. That's my mother. Yeah, but I feel like that fuels you into the person you are today, right? I mean, I feel like you keep thinking about this.

Oh, yes, yes. Give you credit for everything, Ariel. No, no, no. Not me. I'm saying you're a quote-unquote problem holding out to grudges. That made you like you remind me of, you know, those basketball players who get invited to New York and the NBA draft and they don't get picked in the top 10 and they say, screw all those teams.

When I play them, I'm going to kick their ass. I'm going to prove them wrong. They should have picked me. You know what I mean? I feel like you're that kind of person. It's a good attitude to have, you know? It's not always popular, but it's always extremely productive. Well, again, one more time, I'm sorry.

And by the way, how did I get out of the penalty box? It was just my time was up. We expired here and we're good? Yeah, yeah, I was over it. It's not good to hold. I was like, okay, I'm over it. I've become over it. And why didn't you ever say something in person?

I mean, it's not the first time I talked to you since. were you just going to leave it hanging? Were you being passive-aggressive? I mean, why not just confront it face-to-face? I think I did tell you before. Yeah, you did. You were aware. I make sure you are aware.

All right. Well, I'm happy that you're on the show. I don't want to spend too much time on that because the interview will be over and we'll just be talking about Caesar Salad. Thank you very much for coming back. And there's so much going on your life. First things first.

Just last week, it was announced that you signed a deal. You're the new women's face of Buffalo. David Bitole. pro for the active person out there, the athletes, they've done stuff with Chandler Parsons of the Mavs and other athletes as well, Eric Decker. How did this come about? Because this is not your typical

MMA sponsorship deal. No, no, and it was very intentionally I've been getting for an A person for a while. But I felt like apparel is so important

that I really wanted to try and get outside of the MMA space. for it and I held out for a lot of and I turned down some very deals that a lot of people doubted me for a lot of the decision and it ended up really paying off I wanted to where I finally signed with an apparel deal it'd be something different and unprecedented and this is the first ever fashion deal that any anime fighter has ever had we're looking at some of the the images from your photo shoot and whatnot courtesy of buffalo by the way that's a Canadian company I believe they're actually based in Montreal so

Kudos. Cool. I love Montreal. One of my favorite all-time cities. I used to live there. You used to live in Montreal? Yeah, there was a time with USA Judo that I was like, I just hated all of the U.S.A. Judo and all of their team and all their coaches.

So I went and trained in Montreal and I lived at the dorms of like Van Nuke College. Wow. And, yeah, I was in Steylor-on, and I would take the bus, sitting the bus stop and the blizzards to go to the gym and all that stuff. I lived out there for about like four months. or something like that. Now, was that part of USA Judo, or is that your own thing? No, that was my own thing.

I wouldn't go trade the Shido Khan, which is, like, the Olympic Training Center for the Canadian Judoka there, and the Canadian team was always so cool and awesome to me. And, you know, they brought me in when we train there. They couldn't coach me because I was taught the girls, but because I always beat their girls, they weren't against having me there, so the girls would get used to fighting me, and they could, like, you know what I mean? So that was like my runaway place. I ran away to Canada at one point.

And that was actually amazing. I love it in Montreal. I wish I had a car. Yeah. But Montreal is a special place, especially, you know what I mean? The people there are so nice, canes are so nice. So I'm not surprised to hear you say that. But back to the Buffalo thing.

I mean, we're looking at these images. And, you know, you've talked about, you know, issues with your self-image and weight and things of that nature. How big of a deal is just for you to show people that, you know, you don't have to look a certain way? Because, I mean, the stuff is pretty provocative. And I would imagine at some point in your life, you never, you know, you never ever in your wildest dream. thought you'd have a photo shoot like that with another guy and you're wearing all this stuff. I mean, that has to be a pretty amazing sort of thing to cross off your list, right? You actually conquered this thing.

You're from beginning to end, you officially conquered whatever fear, whatever issue that you had with your body, right? There's definitely a lot of fears, yeah, coming into that. I didn't even know there was a male model until we landed. And then when I actually saw the concept of the shoot, I was like, well, this is like Love Scene 101. I'm like, I'm going to have to, like, do something like this in a movie at some point, right? So it's kind of a different setting where I don't have dialogue and it's just still pictures and stuff like that. But, yeah, I remember when we first got in that, I felt so awkward and out of place. And I sat down on the bed with the photographer guy was there.

And Arthur was the model name. He had no ass name. He was just author. Arthur, the holistic twist sailor. And so I just sort of sat down in bed, it was like, so, Arthur, what do you do? It was so awkward You had to go from like just meeting this person They're like, okay, spend raw time

Like, oh shit It was sorry enough I'm allowed to swear on this at all But how did you get over it? I just tried to not let it show Like I felt pretty out of place and awkward and dumb And a lot of times it's just like People think I look super confident What I'm doing and I'm actually just trying to stifle my own embarrassment

Because I'm willing to embarrass myself over and over and over again, as many times it takes in order for me to get that one good shot. And it doesn't matter. I'm willing to be embarrassed. So that's kind of how I got over it was I just embraced being embarrassed for a whole day. And at the end of the day, we end up with some pretty cool stuff. Yeah, so when you watch it now, is it mind-blowing to you? That's me. I conquered this. I was able to not feel awkward, at least not portray that I'm awkward. What's it like watching it? I just I thought the results to be good

and I wanted to do a good job and I wanted it to be like you know to be very obviously a fashion shooting something very classy and stuff like that and I think it really came across really well and that it looked more like one of those like a perfume ad

than if you just buddy like in the maximum shoot you know I really did look very high fashion to me when I saw it and so and the whole production was just way more than anything that I'd ever dealt with before. I mean, these people are very, very professional, and they're very serious about what they do.

They did everything possible and made me comfortable the whole time. I mean, they brought in everybody that does the hair and makeup and styling for the Victoria Secret Shoots for that. So I felt like very well taken care of. You know, we just had Roy McDonald's in studio, who, by the way, he's a big fan of yours, and he'd like to train with you in L.A. What do you think of that?

Yeah? Yeah. Oh, my coach is sitting right here. It sounds cool to me. Well, I'll have to ask him. He's the boss. All right. Well, I told him I put in a good word. He's going to be there after November 22nd when he does Meta Morris. But he was telling us about how the first time he trained, the very first time, when he's 14 years old, he knew he'd be special.

He knew he'd be some kind of UFC champion. He just like he walked out of the gym as a 14-year-old and said, I'm going to be special. Did you have the same kind of epiphany or did it take you some time to even think about UFC champion, MMA champion? Was it other things in between? And even when it was judo in Olympics, did it take you some time to believe? that you would be special? No. It was always just kind of ingrained in me.

Like when I was a little kid and I started swimming, my dad just said, okay, you're going to win the Olympics and swimming. And I just figured he was right about everything. I was like, yeah, I'm going to win the Olympics and swimming. And then when I switched to swimming in the Judo, I was like, okay, well, I guess I'm still win the Olympics in this now. And then when I pushed down there, I'm like, okay, well, there's no Olympics, so I'll be the best of the world.

Never won a title of Ness. And in my family, there's no doing something just to do it. just do it. My mom always said, you can do anything in the world you guys wanted to. You just have to be the best in the world of that. When you thought about all that stuff, did you, like, the idea of movies and these kind of sponsorships and all the other ancillary stuff that you've received early in your career, did that, you know, was that part of the equation? Was that part of the thought process as well? Or is this all, you know, very much gravy to you? You know what? I had some pretty ridiculous high aspirations when I started. The fact that

I'm starting to top them is, I never could have seen that coming because when standing at the base of the mountain, how high I imagine the peak to be was pretty damn high. But as soon as I got there, it was like, I realized I'm on the edge of this whole mountain range where there's a bunch of peaks all around, even higher than one I'm standing on. But the thing is, I have to be willing to dip down into the valley in between and go down and start over again and come back up. you know so when I started doing judo it's like oh the Olympics and I got to one peak and I saw it up over there and I'm like oh okay so you know you go and you took at it for a little while and then he climbed up to the next week and then I got that one I was like oh wow there's all traction and the Hollywood and all that stuff and I'm willing to go back into the valley and be in the office again and stop all over again and come right back up to the next peak

and I just think a lot of people get straight at their first piece because they're not willing to start over again and and the students all over again it's hard, it's hard process. What's the one thing that you thought about, I recall thinking about that you still haven't accomplished? I want to have a franchise. A franchise?

Yes, I want to have a movie franchise. A movie franchise? Like a sequel, a trilogy, something like that? Yeah. So I want to find, like, the Indiana Jones to my Harrison Ford or the Rocky to much alone or the Terminator to My Fort Snager or the Resident Evil to Marvin Yolozovich.

I'm surprised to hear you say that. It has nothing to do with athletics. Do you feel like you've accomplished everything athletic-wise? Well, you said something that I haven't done yet. I mean, I still want to retire undefeated, but I don't want to retire now. Right. And, you know, the main goal that I have more than anything else is the 11-0, and I'm going to beat Cat-Mano, and that is the next thing on my plate.

but, you know, something that I haven't done, like entirely unique that I haven't done yet, then I would probably say more towards outside the sports thing. I mean, what would you suggest to be a new goal for me? Well, I don't know. Who am I to tell you what your goals should be? I mean, I'm just a lowly MMA reporter here. I mean, look at, look. Well, I mean, let's be honest.

From that day, I mean, I'm pretty much in the same spot when we met back at UFC 137. Look at you now. I mean, one person has gone all the way here, and I'm pretty much staying here, so I shouldn't be the one to tell you about your goals. But let's talk about Katzegano, because you wanted to fight on January 3rd. That's what we were originally told. But now you're fighting February 28th. Are you annoyed that it got pushed back almost two months? Well, I wasn't happy about it, but there's really nothing I can do about it.

I just show up and fight. I want to tell me to show up and find, and I show up and win, and that's it. And who it is or what it is, it's outside of my control, so I can't really invest too much of my happiness. in it. But, yeah, I was planning on doing other things at that time, but now that the fight's push back, you know, I could take some more meetings and really try to figure out more of what I want to do after that fight and what the new schedule is. And that's the thing with having dual career is I just have to be able to roll with whatever comes by way and find a way for everything to work together. Is the silver lining that you get to fight essentially home? You've

never had that experience as an MMA fighter, certainly not the point you are now. Is that is that, and I don't consider Anaheim, I mean, I feel like you're more of an L.A. girl. Well, it always has been a dream of mind to be able to fight at the Stable Center. And so that is

a silver lining. It definitely is. I've always wanted to be in the stable center. I make you think of the days I was cocktail waitressing and I was watching the Lakers play on TV being like, man, I wonder if things would be different if even like, if Lue Walton walking here and asked me out and I would never at the cocktail waitress again.

You know, and I was like sitting there in like a shady bar in Crenshaw thinking like, oh, of like the third string player on the Lakers team asked me out. My life would be different. No. I'm like going to be one of the headliners at the table center. It's pretty ridiculous. And I'll look at you, yeah. It's special.

It really does because, yeah, I remember sitting in that bar and what. watching plenty of Lakers games with the Stable Center and being like, dang, that seems like a lot cooler than we're on that right now. Are you a little annoyed, though, that you're not the main event? I mean, I feel like you've earned that opportunity, especially in your hometown. Does it bother you at all? Oh, no, not at all. If I could be the co-mains for rest of my life, I love that.

You know how much less work I have to do with the combing event? And me and Chris, we have great luck together. That's true. Whenever we fight hard, we kill it. And so, no, I'm happy to be out of car with Chris. Even when we said after the last file, we've got to try and stick together because we've got a good string of letting them.

They just came out with the line for the fight. You're a gigantic favorite. Does that surprise you? I don't know. I guess so. I mean, not really. I don't really put that much thought into it. What is it?

Well, right now I'm looking at a few of the lines. I see a minus 1050, and she's a plus, what is that, 600, minus 750. I mean, I didn't think, I mean, this early. What's that? I mean, it's better than Alexis. Well, sure, yeah. But not a big Sarah McMahon.

Are you a little disappointed that it's not Gina Krono next? It seems like that's what you really want. It seems like that's kind of dead at this point. I mean, I think Gina's off making some movies or something right now, and it's one of those fights that I always will want, and I'll always understand whether she wants to do it or not. And Gina's already done so much for the sport and done so much to change my life for the better

that I can't expect more out of her, demand more out of her, but I would like more out of her, but that's entirely her decision. Can I tell you my theory on that? I mean, I have the utmost respect for Gina, and she was very kind to me, or that I've talked about her many times on this show, but I feel like it was just all kind of a PR ploy to get in the news and sell that movie and all that. I mean, it took so damn long for the whole thing to materialize and finally die that I just didn't really believe at the end of the day that they wanted that fight. What do you think? I don't know.

Yeah, I don't particularly know Gina that well. I mean, we're on good terms, but I don't like call her up and fire over my house on Saturdays. I don't know her like that, so I can't really see anything about her motivations for anything. I would like to think that they weren't disingenuous and it wasn't just getting jerked around. I don't think she would do that. I think that she did want to fight or does. I don't know, but I don't think it was just publicity set now. It was just announced on Saturday that Chris Cyborg suffered a serious injury,

and she's not going to be making her bantamweight debut next month. Speaking of, you know, super fights that might not ever happen. At this point, do you even think about her? Do you feel like this is just never going to happen, and there's no point of even entertaining the idea? I mean, I just wait for fights. I really am not. Oh, my God, my mom.

My mom actually wrote me something really, really cool about that. What she said? Oh, man, I'm looking through my text messages right now. I'm trying to find what my mom said to me about. about her injury, but... Oh, I love your mom. She's been on the show. She actually comes on the show more than you.

Yeah, I think she does, right? I can't find it, damn. Oh. But she said something like, if injured is another word for Royed out and can't make weight, then she must be supposed to be pretty fucking injured. Wow. I know, I'm like, I love you, Mom.

This is where I get it from. That's why I don't care to say all the crazy stuff that I want, because I know my mom would say something 10 times more nuts. I'm like, wow, my mom's cool of it. Through you guys. I got impressed me, random guy of the internet. My mommy loves me. But when you found out that news, were you a little disappointed? Because that is going to be such a big fight.

I mean, there's so much buzz and interest in that fight, and this just delays it, and who knows if it ever happens. A part of you just like, you know, I know you appreciate that, because I see the way you talk about Bech-Go-Hia and storylines and things of that nature. This is a great storyline. So does a part of you just want to see it happen so that we can all, you know, actually enjoy

the making of this fight, you know, coming together, the build-up, all that stuff? Well, in my eyes, Betch Koea is a real athlete and an honorable fighter, and Cyborg is just a fraud and a cheat. If that fight ever happens or not, if she ever has the courage to actually step in front of me, I'll be happy to give her the athlete with that she deserves the whole time. But, I mean, honestly, I don't know the thing that she deserves that much. If it's happened to not, whatever. I'll do it.

I'll beat her. I'll prove it to everybody. issue? I mean, that girl in my eyes should be charged with, like, attempted negligent homicide. Stuff like that. Coming into the cage with performance-enhancing drugs is the equivalent of locking in them with a weapon. It's not about who hits the ball farther or something like that. It's about the only reason why we're allowed to do MMA is because the human potential

of how it is right now, we can say that it's safe. But if you keep putting PEDs and people, it's going to become less and less safe. And the day that somebody dies in that op-the-gun and the other person tests positive for steroids, they're going to have your first murder case involved in M&A. And that is the kind of thing that's going to destroy the sport. It could destroy the sport forever. And one fucking headline, whatever, that does extremely well isn't worth it. And I'm happy to put her out of her misery and put her out of the sport,

and so no one else will have a deal with her ever again because it's something that needs to be done. but do I think that having a big pay-per-view card is worth risking that kind of fate for the sport that I've worked so hard to develop, then no, I don't think it's worth it. If they're going to put in front of me, I'll put her out. But do I think she deserves to be there? No. You mentioned something before I let you go. I have to commend you on something because you said, you know, I don't need to listen to what these people say. You said something a few months back that you never read your mentions on Twitter.

And I've thought about that. I've gone on a few rants on Twitter these days because it can be overwhelming and it can literally depress you if you let it. Is that true? Do you really not look at your Twitter mentions because it's right there in front of you? How do you avoid that? Yeah, I haven't looked at my Twitter mentions since we still know the ultimate fighter. So, yeah, it's been over a year. I haven't looked at them once.

And I'm much happier for it, to be honest. I mean, the thing is I just realized that I can put the information out there. I can put as much as I want out there for the fans, but receiving the feedback is not anything that I need to do. I don't need to take that. And a lot of people, they have lives that they're very, very unhappy with, and the only time of day that they really get to let any kind of aggression out or to let anything verbally out, you know, they have to sit in traffic all day, and they have to let people honk at them,

and cut them off, and then they have a job that they hate and their bosses mean to them, their coworkers are jerks, and they can't speak up. at the end of the day, all the only outlet they have is to go online and be mean to people. And that does something good for them. It makes them feel better, but I don't have to absorb that negativity from them. They can go and blow it off all they want, but absorbing it is not my responsibility. So I'm sorry that for the good fans, I can't read what they have to say so much. But, you know, for my own self-preservation, I just can't allow myself to be the, you know,

the sanitation department for other people's shitty lives. And was there a moment where you said, like, was there a tweet? Was there something said to you or you were like, screw this? Never again. I'm never looking at this. No, it was after we filmed the Ultimate Fighter and I knew how they were going to edit together and how it was received. And I was like, look, I know what happened. I was there.

And I don't need to spend any of my time or energy worrying about people's misconceptions about the version they were shown. So I'm done with a shit. And I never looked again. And you're never tempted to check it. Let's just see what people are saying. Never. Never. No, it's just become not a habit.

Wow. I stopped looking. Like, on Instagram, I'll look because it's easier to, like, I think people are just much more positive on Instagram. I get a lot more positive, like, feedback on there. And Twitter, it's just like, people just go on. And I feel like people go on Instagram because they want to show you what they had for lunch. That is true. Okay, last thing.

What's it like having Travis Brown at the gym, and what's it like having your gym, which at one point wasn't, you know, on the map as far as a destination. It feels like, you know, I have Rory saying it. You see other guys coming through now, big names. It feels like it's all of a sudden

become one of these Tri-Star, you know, Greg Jackson-type gyms where guys are coming, guys and women as well, coming from all over to come train with you and your coach and the other people there. What's that like?

It's actually hilarious. It's like a lot of coming there It was like an all Armenian men box in here. Yeah. And everyone's like, it's your fault, Rhonda. I'm like, wow, I'm sorry. Like, everyone gives me, like, my secret weapon. And then he has this thing where if he sees someone doing something wrong,

he, like, has to correct it. Like, it has to be done. And he correct something on someone once, and they were just hooked. And I think that's what happened was, like, with what date was he, we were training J-Jitsu a day, and Edmond did the Shadha-Locked by the Jiu-Suzzi. So my hands, they lose.

And then Jake was like, well, I'm in a shadow box, so then Edmund just is compelled to correct people. So he just jumped up and correct something, and then Jake was like hooked from that moment on. And I don't know, it's just, it's funny that it's become an MMA gym and a women's gym. Edmund hated MMA, and he didn't have any women in the gym when I got there.

And it's good that he at least is kind of coming out and getting more respect. But we have more secret weapons in there. I mean, my wrestling coach, Margin, is a freaking genius. He is an absolute, he's the only person that I can grapple with, like, standing, and he can actually outsmart me. There's people that can be stronger as me or can be quicker than me or more exposed to me than me.

But he is the only one that actually pushes me intellectually when I'm grappling and makes me so much better. And he's just, you know, one of the many people, are straight conditioning guy, Jesse is unbelievable. But we keep a lot of these things. We lay low a lot, and we don't do. too much press for the gym and people just find out through word of mouth. That's the only reason why we've had so many people come and some recommendation from fighter to fighter. Well, Rhonda,

I'm so happy that we buried the hatchet. I'm so happy our beef is over. Thank you so much for forgiving me. And congratulations on everything. Congratulations on the Buffalo deal and all the success. And I know you have two movies coming out at least two next year and you got the big title fight on February 28. So I really want to appreciate or I really want to thank you for your time and appreciate it very much. And don't be a stranger. You know, remember we had you and Nishon at the same time? That was a great moment.

You know, we can have some moments here. So don't forget about the little people, all right? I didn't forget. I came back, didn't I? Yes, you did. Ariel, really. I appreciate you how respectful you've been in your persistence. So that's the only reason why I'm here.

All right. Well, I appreciate it. Thank you very much. All the best to you and continued success. Thank you. That's a good one. Bye. There she is.

Rhonda Rousey, the UFC's, Women's Bantamweight Champion stopping by. Great stuff from her, and she's got that fight coming up on February the 28th in Los Angeles, the Staples Center dual title fight, a legit co-main event. Chris Wyman versus Vitor Belfort and Ronda Rousey versus Katzenegano. All right, let's move along. I've been wanting to have this man on the show for a long time. Last time we saw him in action, UFC 178, it did not go his way,

but really curious to hear his thoughts on where he goes from here and what happened on that night. So I want to welcome in Dustin Porriere to the show right now. Dustin, how are you? Doing good, man. How are you, Ariel? I'm doing great. Thank you very much for joining us.

And, you know, it's great to see. One of the good things about social media is you can really get an insight into someone's mind and their current moods and whatnot. And, you know, after that fight against Connor, it was some pretty intense stuff coming out of you on social media. Now you seem like you're in a great. place, you're happy. Are you officially over the fight or do you not think you'll get over it for quite some time?

Oh, man, you know, I don't know if I'm ever going to be over it. You know, it's a loss on my record and it hurt me, you know? But I've accepted it and I'm moving on and it's just part of the journey. What was that like? I mean, because you really put your heart out there, right? I mean, that's a pretty intense thing to do. Why did you feel compelled to do that? And what was the feedback that you got? I just put what I felt You know And

You know Of course obviously Some people are going to talk shit And then some people appreciated it So But it's all good You know That's what I was feeling at the moment

And it's what I feel about to fight In that moment Like I know you've You've had some losses Before you've had some ups and downs Have you never felt anything like that In your athletic career Or even in your personal life

Like you said you were truly heartbroken And you don't hear Fighters You know these alpha male types using words like that. Have you ever felt anything like that? You know, every time I lose, it hurts, man. And, you know, but this one really hurt.

I was very prepared and, you know, I didn't, like I said before, I might, you know, say this often, but I didn't cut any corners, you know. I pushed myself harder than I ever have in the gym. And, you know, I was very prepared to fight and perform well and it just didn't go my way that night, man. And that's what hurt is I didn't get to show who I, am. But, you know, you have to fight another day, and there's lots more fights coming. Have you watched the fight?

Yeah, it took me a couple weeks, man. I didn't want to see it. But I watched it. And, you know, in the fight, I kind of pretty much knew what happened. I was never, like, knocked out bad to where I have, like, memory loss or anything like that, you know, like people talk about. But I pretty much knew what went down. And what is that? Like, what's your theory as to why? it ended the way he did? You know, he hurt me, and did his job and

jumped on me quick whenever I hit the ground and didn't give me a chance to recover, and, you know, he did a great job, and, you know, that's the fight game. Did it, you know, looking back, you said all the right things going into the fight, but the issues that you guys had, the back and forth, did you feel like you let that

get you at all? Were you too emotional going into the fight? I don't know, man, that's hard to say. You know, I'm always really emotional, and, you know, I care about this a lot. And I always fight, you know, get into the ring and fight prep very emotionally, man. It's more than just to fight to me every time I fight. But I don't think it got to me, man.

I just think I got caught. How long did it take for you to get back into the gym? Or are you even back in the gym? Yeah, yeah, man. I'm training full-time now. Eve Edwards is here at my house, and, you know, we're trying to, you know, we're training together.

He's getting ready for his fight and trying to help him out. And I've been back in the gym. I took a solid week off and then, you know, started going back in here and there. And now I'm full-time back in the gym. I know you love the junk food. Did you just load up on that afterwards? Yeah, man. Always.

Always. More so now, like, this time around than usual? No, I'm probably about the same, man. I always think it's going to be great, you know, I can finally eat whatever I want and drink beer. And then I do it for a week, and I'm like, man, this is disgusting every time. So, you know, I kind of pull off a little bit after I do it for a couple days. But I'm back training, man, and, you know, not too far from being in great shape.

And, you know, looking forward to the next challenge and what's going to be next in my career. Looking back, was he better than you thought he would be? No. No, no. You know, I never, going into the fight, never thought he was going to be an easy fight or thought that he wasn't good. I knew he was a good fighter, and he's here for a reason, but I still think I can beat him, you know. That night just wasn't my night, and I didn't get a chance to fight him. And, you know, I got hurt early, and he put me away quick, and it sucks because I really trained and was prepared to fight and beat him.

and I still think I can, but, you know. Did you say anything to each other after the fight in the cage or even afterwards? No, I didn't see him afterwards, but in the cage I told him congratulations, and that was it, you know. You know, after he said some, I thought some pretty respectful stuff, you know, like he never had anything against you and wished you the best, and even his coach reached out to you via Twitter, I don't know if you saw it, saying that you're always welcome to train with him. Are you surprised by the way they handled it afterwards?

Like, did you think that, you know, they try to, you know, rub it in or continue trash-tie, things of that nature? Were you surprised at all? No, man. I'm not surprised. Do you have any interest in that in ever training with him or going there? No, not at all. No. Are you surprised?

Don't get it twisted, man. He is still the enemy. Okay. You'd like maybe a rematch? Of course. Of course. I love it. So when you say that he is still the enemy, like, you know, you know, you'd like, you're not.

you haven't buried that hatchet in your mind. Like, not so much buried the hatchet, but at least put it on the back burner. I have to, you know, go on this new journey to eventually get to this guy, or is he still very fresh in your mind? No, of course, I've moved past it, but at the same time, you know, he's still in this weight class with me, and we're both still young, and, you know, we're probably going to fight again one day. You envision that? Do you envision sooner rather than later that you'll cross-pass again? 100%. Yeah, man.

are you we were talking about this on the show last week and uh i'm a little surprised that they gave him Dennis seever next after you uh because you know his his whole career as he's had this trajectory and you know you were in top five so it made sense are you surprised that they're going a little backwards in his next fight uh you know it seems like a very you know Dennis Siever's getting to uh I want to you know I don't want to talk sure about the guy but his last few fights probably you know He's slowing down, and, you know, it's a very favorable fight for Connor. I think they're just putting him in there, getting him more experience, and, you know, giving him a favorable fight. Yeah, to eventually probably, you know, fight for the title.

Did you watch the Aldo Mendez fight? Yeah, definitely, man, amazing fight. Man, both guys are warriors. Awesome play. Now that you've been in the cage with him, do you think he has a chance against the champion? You know, everybody has a chance. He can punch. He's a good punch.

puncher, and he has a weird style and a weird timing. It's a little bit different timing he has, and angles he throws punches. He can catch anybody, I think, and will he do it? I don't think so. I don't think he'll beat Aldo, but, you know, if Aldo makes a mistake and he lands a good shot, I'm sure Aldo will go down. So recently I saw, speaking of social media, you were tweeting that you had this encounter with a homeless man, right?

Is that the proper way to describe him, homeless man? Yeah, yeah. And it seemed like you were talking to him for hours. What exactly happened there? Not much, man. I can't know to do a photo shooting stuff up there. And I was walking back to my hotel. We were down the street hanging out, and I was walking back to the hotel.

And this guy, I think for change. And I was like, nah, brother, I'm not giving you any money, but he was in front of a store. And I was like, I'll go in there and get you whenever you want, you know, if you're hungry. And I bought him some donuts and the coffee. And we just kind of talked for a little while, and it was kind of cool.

he was a cool guy he told you about his story how he got to that point yeah pretty much pretty much and you know told me about a lot of stuff man a lot of stuff

and I just kind of sat and listened to him why did you feel compelled to do that I mean it's not often that we sit and talk to people out on the street was there anything about this man or just the point in your life that you're at that you felt like you wanted to talk to someone like that yeah I don't know

just kind of happened, you know. I definitely implanted and see this guy and think I'm going to talk to him and try to change his way of thinking or anything like that. He just kind of started talking. And, you know, obviously when we went in the store and I let him pick the food and whatever he wanted, we were talking and then we went outside. I would just continued talking and it lasted long enough. I thought it would.

But, you know, I really hope this guy pulls it together. You think he'll see him again? You will you keep in touch? No, probably never seen him again in my life. you know, in a weird way, and you said you were, you know, you were heartbroken, you were down, did it make you almost appreciate it like, yeah, you know, you lost this fight and it meant the world to you, but there's a bigger thing out there. You have your health and your family and all that, and, you know, you have a roof over your head.

Did it make you think about your situation, especially coming off that fight? Not really, man, but a funny story is on my way back through the airport after the fight, I met this lady who was like 72 years old, man, and she was in Las Vegas. and she was on her way home. And she was telling me she just came to Las Vegas to celebrate life. You know, she beat cancer. Wow. And that was kind of touching.

You know, I was like, wow. You know, I need to do that more, man. I need to celebrate life because I'm in a good spot. I work hard. You know, and I am happy who I am and happy what I do for a living. And sometimes I just focus and overwhelm myself so much with the fights and getting better that I just need to slow it down and enjoy life and enjoy training. And, you know, that's what I'm doing right now.

I'm working on the small things on my game and tightening stuff up and just having fun again. So that's the silver lining in all of this, right? I mean, it's not always bad. Good things can come out of losses as well, you're learning. Oh, yeah. For sure. For sure. It's not over, you know?

No, not at all. Do you feel like you're handling it different than, you know, zombie? I know you were very emotional that time and you went on a run and all that. Do you feel like you're dealing with it a little differently this time? Yeah, just, you know, maybe more mature. I'm a fighter and a person. You know, I just got back home and, you know, like I said, we live by the sword and we die by the sword.

You know, I got caught. It could have easily been the other way around, but I'm back in the gym and I'm back home with my wife and my friends and I'm having a good time and I'm getting better. And I'm going to win the next fight and it's just how life goes. Speaking of which, do you know when your next fight will be? No, man. You know, when I got back home from that fight, I was like, I got to get back in there this year.

I want to fight again before I'm 26. And but then I thought about it, you know, I think that might have been just emotions and stuff, wanting to get back in there and get a win and show everybody that how much better I really am. And but I sat back and I'm probably going to fight in January or February. I'm not going to fight and rush it off of emotions. So I'm going to sit back and get better and just be prepared to fight. And I think that's the right thing to do. So like I said, January or February, I'm looking, and, you know, I'll fight anybody.

Have they talked about anyone yet? Not really, man, but, you know, it's been a month, over a month since the fight. I'd like to hear some names, you know. I'm ready. Anyone come to mind for you? You have a wish list? Well, you know, I wanted a top ten guy. Whoever.

I don't really have a wish list. You know, of course, I always want to avenge my losses. but zombies and I can be able to fight for a couple years now I see and Cubs Swanson's got his hands full coming up so you know whoever man I'm ready and it's gonna be awesome you know what I'm thinking I'm thinking you know there's a fight coming up in two weeks Lamas versus Bermudez two top ten guys top five guys I mean maybe you know the winner of that might be in the title picture right away but maybe the loser of that since you're both coming off losses what do you think of that

let's go I'll sign the papers today no matter I'm right we made a fight I'm gonna tell Sean Shelby that you're in Okay, let him know Yeah Well, you know The last thing I wanted to ask you about Was just going back to what we talked about at the top of the social media I mean

You were talking to Rhonda about not looking at the mentions But I scrolled through some of your mentions after the fight And it was amazing how supportive of your fans were And the things that they were saying to you Did you look at any of that stuff And did it help you feel better at all in the moment? You know, not that night or anything like that But the next few days I definitely

You know Reply to everybody that I could and, you know, it's good to see people supporting me, and they know I'll be back, and I know I'll be back, and it's good, man, good positive energy. I even saw some of your fans dressed up as you for Halloween. That's pretty surreal, right? Right, man, that's crazy.

Me and my wife are talking about that, man, that's nuts, you know? Crazy, bro. And it's not like, you know, it's not like you have long hair, like your collie gree, I mean, you have a pretty, you know, it's a hard look to recreate, but they had the shirt and everything. I mean, I was like, wow, Dustin Poyer has some. tattoo sleeves and stuff I had like the

That's pretty dope You have some very loyal fans So sometimes Social media could be a burden But in times like that If you have the right kind of fans around you I think you could almost help to a degree Yeah for sure man

It's all positive energy All right well I wish you the best of luck dust And appreciate you coming on talking about it I know it's not the best You know subject these days But it seems like you're in a great place moving on And really looking forward to your next fight And wish you all the best

Yeah, man, I appreciate it, man. Just sit back and watch what I do next, man. Looking forward to that as well. Thank you very much, Dustin. All the best. Yep, thanks, man. There he is. Dustin Porier stopping by.

Still a top contender in the UFC's featherweight division right now, according to their rankings on UFC.com, and we've waxed poetic on the ranking for quite some time and how we feel about them. But still, you know, people were asking me about that because we were talking about the rankings on the BIT, on the MMA beat. They're kind of a mess. And the theory, the idea to use rankings, I think, is brilliant,

and it should be done. And I think it's a big part of the sport, obviously, because it's the perfect kind of sport to use rankings, much like boxing. But how they get to these rankings is a bit of a mess. In any event, these are the ones that are used and promoted, so we have to use them. People ask me, well, why do you even mention them if they're bad? because these are the official rankings, good or bad, you have to still acknowledge them.

So right now, as far as the UFC rankings are concerned, he's ranked 6. Mendez 1, Swanson 2, Edgar 3, Lamas 4, Connor 5, Porier 6, Bermuda 7. So still very much in the mix. I kind of feel like they got it right there. Mendez should still be number 1. Swanson 2, Frankie 3. I think Lamas and McGregor are kind of interchangeable at this point, but still good. over Porier. The one that they kind of screwed up on

was putting Dennis Seaver over Nick Lentz. That's 8 and 9. Sometimes I feel like they have a self-fulfilling prophecy, these rankers, where the UFC will put out a fight and like, ooh, we got to put some more stock into this guy. Well, this guy is big time. Because Seaver was 10 when that

fight against McGregor was announced. January 18th in Boston. They moved him up. He didn't fight. They moved him up over a guy, Nick Lent, who in my opinion, has more impressive wins. at 1.45, and somehow he went down, Cever went up. Weird. But anyway, great stuff there from Dustin Porier,

and we don't usually do this on the show where we usually have all the interviews in one block and then we'll do the other stuff. But in around 65 minutes from now, we're going to be joined by David Branch as he prepares for November 15th, Yushin Okami World Series of Fighting. Number 15, three title fights on that card as well.

For now, let us go inside the vault. and I gave it away earlier. Rhonda Rousey was on the show. Talked about the first time we ever did an interview with Ronda Rousey. It was UFC 137, Las Vegas, Nevada, October of 2011. And, you know, honestly, it wasn't what she said it was. You know, we were doing a lot of interviews before the fight. And I do recall Ryan Grabb coming up, he said,

we have Ronda Rousey here. She was about to fight Julia Budd. And I was very excited to talk to Ronda. You know, we talked about in the interview about Rowdy Piper and, you know, her relationship with him and getting the nickname and she was a big prospect. I recall the first time I ever found out about Ronda Rousey. I was in Dallas. It was before the Strike Force Grand Prix and I was sitting next to Sean Shelby. And he, of course, is the UFC matchmaker, former WC matchmaker.

He matchmakes the fights at 145, 135, 135, 125, 125, and Women's 135. At the time, he was doing Strike Force. and he pulled out his phone, he said, this is going to be next star at 135 for the women. Actually, she was going to 145 in Strike Force and later moved down to 135 when she fought for the belt. And that's the first time. You know, there was some talk about her getting out of this fight in Canada, I think it was. And, you know, going to be like, this is the first time. I was like, wow, they are high on this girl.

And people forget sometimes, Ronda is a product of the Zufa Strike Force. She's not the Scott Koker Strike Force, the pre-ZUFA Strike Force. That was Sean Shelby bringing her into the mix in Zufa. So he deserves a lot of credit for that. I don't usually like to give him credit, especially being a Patriots fan, but I have to give him credit on that one. And that was a few months prior,

so I had already heard of her, there was buzz, she was undefeated, Olympia, and all that stuff. So I probably said, you know, one minute, two minutes? I mean, I did not sit there and eat while she was standing right next to me. That did not happen. I will go to my grave feeling that. But it's amazing to, or believing that,

It's amazing to see how she has used this as not a grudge or motivation. I don't know what to call it, but she held it against me for a long time. I'm glad that's over with. But we were sitting there eating, and she was, you'll see, she was somewhat nervous. The moment, first UFC, wide-eyed, but you had a sense. This person has a lot of confidence, and she's a future star in the making. So let's go back. Let's relive that moment.

after I finished my Caesar Sal. In fact, I didn't finish my seizure style. I didn't have time because she was standing there. I don't want to be rude. I was conscious of this. I did not want to be rude to Rhonda Rousey, future UFC champion. Former Olympic champion, I mean, I did not want to leave her hanging. So I scarfed it down just a couple of, you know, a piece of lettuce.

And then we had this great interview right before UFC 137. Here it is my very first interview with the future UFC women's champion, Rowdy, Ronda Rousey. Ariel Hawani in Las Vegas being joined by Rowdy, Rhonda Rousey, who faces Julia Budd at Strike Force Challengers on November 18th. And Rhonda, it's good to see you in person for the first time. Something I've always wanted to ask you before we get into all the fight talk. The Rowdy, your nickname. Does that come from Rowdy, Roddy Piper? Yeah, it does, actually.

He was one of my favorite wrestlers back a while ago. He still is, but he's a good friend of Jean LaBelle, who is one of my corners, and I actually got to ask him personally if it'd be okay to borrow his name. so he said he's cool with it, so I wear it proudly. So you actually came up with your own nickname? Well, we kept trying to come up with nicknames for forever, and Rowdy was always the first one everyone came up with, and then we tried thinking of, like, other ones, like,

but what else goes? Nothing, just rowdy and rowdy just go together. It was just natural, so we stuck with it. And in a weird way, it sort of fits your personality, right? Are you saying I'm rowdy? Well, I mean, you've sort of shaken up the women's MMMA scene in a sense. That's sort of rowdy in a sense, no? Yeah, okay. Okay with you on that one.

Now, maybe for your next fight, you come out in the kill, bagpipes, all that, or are you going to leave the Irish gimmick to him? I'm actually not the least, but Irish. I'm like half Venezuelan and like a quarter English and quarter Polish, so I think that would kind of piss off some Irish if I was, you know, pretending to be. Do you know his son? His son is also an MMA fighter. Not personally, no, but I knew of that.

Okay. All right, enough on Rowdy Piper. Let's talk about this fight. You are climbing the ladder rather quickly in strike force, and it's kind of one of the good things about being, the Strike Force Women's Division because I think the division is still developing and you're able to climb the ladder if you sort of, you know, make some noise. You're fighting Julia Budge, she's a tough fighter, sort of at the same, you know, experience level as you. Where do you think

that you have the edge over her? Well, I actually completely disagree with you. I don't think she has anywhere near the same experience level as me. I mean, she's 7-1 Muay, two in old boxing and two-in-one and one and M-MA, so she's competed 13 times in her life or has competed thousands sometimes in my life. I mean, when I was a kid, I was competing in three divisions a weekend, you know, just doing match after a match after a match. So I feel like my experience is a big advantage that I have over her. I guess I was more referring to MMA experience, but you make a good point. Of course, your judo background and whatnot. Are you even impressed with her? Are you impressed with what she's done in M.A.? I'm impressed with everybody. I take everybody completely

seriously. I think it's stupid for you not to take a match series regardless of the person is. You could always, you know, trip on the tape and, you know, fall on your face. So you never know. I'm giving my full attention at a time. Have you watched your last fight, and are you certain that the right call was made, that the refs should have stopped the fight, even though she didn't technically tap? Well, she was screaming, and I could actually feel her arm popping out, and if you dislocate someone's arm, it's actually in the most sensitive area of your body. So if you're implying that I'm imagining sensations in that area,

then we have another argument on her hands. Right. Well, I wasn't implying that. I was just wondering if you thought, because there seems to be this weird thing going on now where referees are saying that if you scream, that sort of constitute a tap. I thought she was yelling tap, tap as loud as she could, you know, and other people told me they heard that too, and she said she was just yelling out. But they tell you right before you walk in, if anything verbal during a submission is count as a verbal submission, it counted as tapping. I thought she couldn't tap because she was falling forward and using her arm to catch herself.

So I think if she could have tapped, she would. Strike force is an interesting spot now because maybe if we would have talked a week ago, we would have said there's a good chance you'd have to look for a job elsewhere come February. but it sounds like things are going very well. Dana White talked about how he's now sort of taking control. It appears as though Strike Force has a future on Showtime, and that means women's MMA probably has a future as well. Are you hearing anything about next year and what the landscape will be like in Strike Force

and especially for the women? No, MMA is one of those sports that people are constantly saying a million things and gossiping, and I'm just going to keep doing my job and fighting as well as I can and putting on a good show, and if I keep bringing them spectators and money, then I'm sure they'll keep us around. It seems as though Strike Force really,

likes you. They're pushing you very hard. Do you get that sense? I hope so. I like them. Right. But they, you know, they've sort of been hot and cold with women, but they're putting a lot of videos out about you, you know, they're bringing you to do media. They don't do that with a lot of other women. Why do you think that is? Well, I'm doing the best I can to be as marketable as possible, and I think they kind of agree with me in that sense. So we're trying to work together and bring women's MMA to the limelight and, you know, make it look just as exciting and interesting as a men.

What are you doing specifically to be marketable? Well, I'm training as hard as possible, and I want to have a very exciting style, not just to win matches, but to win them impressively. And, you know, I took the time to do my nails and hair and makeup today. You know, you have to do everything that you can to make it interesting. Speaking of which, you've been putting out some YouTube videos lately and your titles, and I'm not clicking on them for this reason, but your titles are very deceiving. Are you aware of this?

You know what? I don't think of it at first, but then I'm not. I read them later, I'm like, oh, yeah, but I just kind of think if I, you know, if an unedited sex video comes out later, then people just won't believe the title and they won't click on it, so then I'll get away with it. So is that something that you're trying to hide? No, I'm just saying it's a possibility I'm prepared for. Right.

Just in case. Yeah. And what about the rest of the women's MMAP community? Do you feel as though they've embraced you and welcomed you in, you know, with open arms? Some girls do. Some girls don't, you know. Everyone's their own person. They have their own opinions.

But mostly, a lot of the girls I've actually already. thought have been very, very cool and supportive, you know, and, you know, I see some other girls, like, on Twitter or whatever, you know, talking smack, but I mean, that's good. You want to see, like, you know, conflict and conflicting personalities and that kind of thing. People, you know, talk about sports like it's its own TV show. So if they have their favorite characters and say, oh, this person doesn't like that other person, you know, that makes it fun. Within their respective communities, it seems to me that MMA, women's MMA is embraced more as opposed to women's boxing, if you know what I'm saying. Like, like, you know, mainstream media, the MMMA,

media they cover women's a women's a women's a may like they do men's mama but women's boxing has has has really not broken through why do you think that is um you know what i don't really know because i know a couple of women's boxers who are very cool and very pretty and um i i think this boxing in general is kind of just going through a general decline you know and i think that uh women the women are being affected like by that just as much as the men you mentioned being pretty do you think you need to be pretty and it's not your fault but it's just the way people perceive you and the way people are interested in women's sports to become a star. Do you think that's one of the troubles that you have to sort of break through in order to become a star and one of the things you have to deal with

when you are a women combat sportsman? I think that if you want to bring in new fans, you have to really play up that entertainment aspect. And, you know, if the fans are already there, they're going to start to appreciate, you know, the actual skill and athleticism that goes into fighting. But if you want to bring those new people in, you got to show them something bright and shiny first to get them to look. And then I think, you know, just true skill in sportsmanship is what gets them to stay. All right, so what's the sort of time frame that you're looking at here? You've got this fight on November 18th.

Finally, Cyborg is coming back in December. We haven't seen her in a very long time. How many fights away? Because the 145-pound division in Strike Force, you know, a couple fights away, and you're in the mix all of a sudden. So how many fights away do you think you are from really being a contender? You know what? I've only been doing MMA for one year.

I've had six fights in 12 months. I thought you had all this experience. I have all this experience, you know, in competition, not in MMA. but I would like to have like five or six professional fights before I went for a title, and Misha Tate did kind of call me out on Twitter, so I'm considering getting some extra fights down on 135 and slapping that title out of her hand first, and then grab me another one second and hopefully unifying the two divisions.

What did she say? She said someone was like, you guys should fight it, and he was like, yeah, I don't see why not. And I count that as if you're willing to fight me, then you're willing to fight me, and I should take it up. Wow. You consider that a callout? Yeah.

That was just her responding to someone on Twitter, no? Or you think it's personal? Well, no, I think if you say you're down to fight somebody, then you think that you can beat them. I never say I'm down to fight anyone unless I think I could beat them. So if she thinks that, I have to prove her wrong. Would you want to even go down to 135? I think it would be a nice move to have two belts. I think that would be awesome.

I think a good move for you, and correct me if I'm wrong, Gina hasn't fought in a long time, but there are rumblings that she's coming back. Would you feel comfortable at this stage of your career fighting someone like her? I would fight her today, for sure. but I don't think she'd want to find me right away. I think we'd both be better off. She came back and had a couple, you know, really good, impressive-looking wins first and then let me beat her later.

And also impressive. You're nominated for women's MMA Fighter of the Year at the World MMA Awards. Going up against Misha, you're probably the two top contenders. Why should fans vote for you? Yeah, I was actually really surprised that I was nominated. But I think they should vote for me because my entire MMA career was within that one-year span. I fought six times, and I think she fought once. And I just think I did more work and, you know, put out a better performance in that time than she did.

All right. How's the fight going to end on November 18th? Me like this. Specific way? You know what? I always try to improvise. If you have a plan, there's a chance that your plan could go wrong. My last fight that Arm Bar I did, I never practiced it once in my life.

I just made it up on the spot. So I always leave myself open to improvisation because anything can happen in the match. All right. Well, good luck. Nice to meet you again. Sorry for the sweaty. It's a little hot here in Las Vegas. You have your hand cold.

Oh, it is. All right. I don't know what that means. But good luck, and we look forward to the fight on the 18th. I was raising, Rio, and I had an unbelievable childhood. And I believed in childhood. My 10 years were amazing. If you cut my legs and my arm and you lock me inside a black cell that I'll be fed,

only enough to survive. For 20 years, 20 years from now, you're going to open the door. You're going to see a smile. eye on my face. I said, a man who has the members that I have. All right, back on the MMA hour. Did we, did I, did I, was I in the bathroom too long there? How long was I there for? Based on the time, it was about a minute. Like a minute over? You don't know what I was. The thing was, I was talking about the Knicks and I got cut up, I lost, but I was actually wondering, you know, I was wondering, like,

why didn't you just, you know, welcome us back? Oh, I was wondering if you were going to do it. No, take it. I'm ready for it next time. Why wouldn't you do it? Welcome back. Ariel's caught up. He's just talking about the Knicks outside.

You know, let's get into it. Why wouldn't you take it over? Here's the question. Who are you talking to about the Knicks? Old Man Mike, former member of the team. Nix, uh. Nicks on a roll. I think they be, but did they be?

Who are we talking about? Listen, don't ruin. But yeah? Listen, I hit the game winner on our game. You did. How about that night? Wow. And I was expecting, I was like, we're going to the, we're going to the sports spot.

We're going to see the calves pound the Knicks out. It's going to be the perfect basketball night. Didn't go that way. It was the perfect basketball night for me. I didn't hit the game winner, but. That was a big win for us. Big win for the expos, yeah, our basketball team. But yeah, I mean, feel free.

If, like, if I go outside and someone, you know, takes me hostage, The show must go on. I'm not that vain to think that the whole show is going to just go down without me. So say, you know, welcome back. He'll be with you in a second. He's busy attending to things. How about, you know, hey, Mike, I got a show to do. Well, you know, I don't want to be rude.

You know, we're talking about the Knicks. They had a big win last night against the Hornets. I lost track of time. But anyhow, one other thing I want to say about the Ronda interview there, I obviously screwed up, kilts and all that stuff. That's Scottish. Of course, these days I would never make that mistake. But I just wanted to acknowledge that I know the difference.

I also wanted to say one other thing before we get into the questions. Oh, yes. It's a big weekend for MMA, as I said at the top of the show. There's two UFCs and a whole bunch of what else is going on? There's something else. Glory on Friday, but that's not MMA. Yeah, I wasn't referring to that. Wow.

No, it is the return of glory. When's the last time there was a glory event, June? It was last June, yeah. Geez. The Glory 17 card and then the pay-per-view. And now it's coming back from Oklahoma this Friday. Yes. New, you know, new day of the week, Friday rather than Saturday.

Is this a thing? Is this going to be the new day? This will be the day going forward. I guess I like that when there's no Bellator. Yes. It's a good night for Spike. Yeah, people, you know, people are expecting combat sports on a Friday and now they got it. Going up against Rockhold Bisping, though.

Well, not exactly. What's the timing on the actual? Rockwell-Bisping is at 10 p.m. Eastern, which is a little weird that it's happening Saturday morning in Australia because we were always told that FightPass is to cater to the local audience. But they're doing Saturday morning in Australia, which feels like they're catering to the North American audience. Or you could say that the Australians are just used to watching UFC early in the morning. You know, when I was there, UFC 127, it was Sunday morning super early. Like 8 a.m. we were there. But it is a busy weekend in combat sports. We've got one FC on Friday, RFA on Friday, UFC on Friday, UFC on Saturday, UFC on Saturday, and many others.

But for me personally, it's a big weekend because I'm going back to Syracuse on Friday. So I wanted to mention this. I've talked about it on the show before. 3.30 p.m., my return to Syracuse University. first time there in over 10 years I will be at the I-3 Center which I believe is Newhouse 3 on the campus

Room 432 NH3 so that would be Newhouse 3 Room 432 Newhouse 3 Friday this Friday November 7 3.30 p.m. And it's open to the public not just students. Anyone can come talk about careers all that stuff

So I hope to see you there if you're in the area. This Friday, Newhouse 3, I-3 Center, room 432. A huge honor for me. As I said, a few weeks back, when I left that place in a very different state, I was such a broken man when I left Syracuse. I was so down. I was happy that I was gone, but I was just so down. Two days after leaving, I broke my ankle, which really changed the course of my entire life

because I was supposed to go to the Olympics. I was supposed to go work for NBC as an intern in Greece. the Athens Olympics in 2004. I was going to be a runner, and I couldn't do that job anymore because I was on crutches. Broke my ankle. No surgery, but I obviously still broke it. So I decided to

take a job in New York working at HBO Sports as an intern. My wife and I, you know, that's where we rekindled our love affair. Now we have two kids, yada, yada, yada. Who knows if I would have gone to Athens, maybe none of that would have happened. So I feel like I was in a weak state

And that's why I broke my ankle Because they never suffered an injury like that before Two days after leaving after being a free man Playing basketball I go up for a lip guy pushes me from the back I land and That's what it felt like It's horrible You broke your ankle right

I did not I've never broken anything Oh really? I tore every ligament in my ankle But the bone stayed strong But everything else was shredded.

Actually, I feel like it's worse. It was worse. The doctor told me if I had broken it, it would have been better. It would have healed faster. But instead, I was sidelined for quite a while. It was much harder to overcome it mentally than physically. Benson Henderson, who's posting Instagram photo. Do you see that?

I did not see it. You don't follow him on Instagram? I'm not a big Instagrammer, period. Well, he posted this video of him. He got a net. He got a net in back of his house. He's posting these videos of him shooting around. I got to tell you.

Not bad. And he said, where are you at? Getting nervous? Oh, he actually called you up in the video. Yeah, he called me out. Yeah, he called me out. It was impressive. So how are you feeling about that matchup? Well, I got to tell you, I pretty much moved on.

I'm looking for someone else. I think we can make this a big thing. UFC Fan Expo, you know, maybe donate the proceeds to charity, something like that. I mean, we put out a challenge, and Benson's taking too long. And he's fighting. He's doing other things. as important. He's...

J.J. competitions. What a slacker. Yeah. But I'm ready. Anyway, back to Friday. I'll be there. And you know what?

You know, I haven't really... I sent out an email quickly about this before the show, but if anyone, you know, any students or something, you know, how about that? If a student or something watching Fight Pass on Friday,

maybe we can watch together. I'm looking for a place to watch some fights. How about in their dorm? Yeah. We could have a dorm party. Do you have to ask the RA? How does that work?

You know, am I allowed to come up? How does that work? Maybe there's a frat house where you won't have to ask an RA or something. I was never much of a frat guy, to be honest. No time like the president. Start it up. That's true. Go play some beer pond, go watch some UFC.

Any S.U. Students out there. Can we watch the fights? Get some pizza, you know? Some soda pop. Have a good time. So I'm throwing it out there. Entice me.

Give me a reason to come watch the fights with you. If not, it's going to be tough because the fight is 10 p.m. as the main card. I'm in a hotel room with my kids. It's going to be tough to watch. You know, I'm going to watch on my phone probably, but it's not going to be very exciting. I'll probably have to fall asleep. You know, the lights be shining. It's just going to be...

The kids are there. The kids. I mean, it's a whole mess. Yeah. So anyway, I'm throwing it out there. If anyone's interested in watching the fights on Friday in Syracuse, I will be there. Saturday. That card has been hit, decimated. We'll get to that, but you know, I'm very curious about

Luke Rockwell versus Michael Bisping. For now, Let us go to the questions. Let us. Our first one, hey Ariel and Rick. What did you think of Invicta 9 this weekend? I personally am really enjoying watching their organization improve in its production little by little and how they are building their fighters slash characters

through social media and spots on the pay-per-view. However, for me, the commentary of Julie Kedzi makes the whole viewing experience at least 50% less enjoyable to watch as she awkwardly and uncomfortably describes the action. So moving forward, this is definitely something that I would like to see improve for the organization. What do you think Invicta needs to do to solidify itself as an elite level women's MMA organization

on par with the likes of the USC in Bellator? All right. Well, first things first, I actually think Julie is great at her job. I think she is a very insightful, intelligent, well-spoken broadcaster. I mean, this is someone who hasn't done it very often. I mean, how many times has she done it? Five, six, seven times? Less than 10, I would imagine.

She's also the matchmaker at Invicta, but, As far as her broadcasting skills are concerned, I think she does a great job. She was the star, the broadcast team as far as the play-by-play team, is concerned. I also think that Laura Sanko, who is doing the post-fight interviews in the cage and the way they were using her backstage, she's a tremendous job. And I think she could be a real star as far as that role is concerned because she's a fighter. And, you know, you don't see that a lot, especially, you know, in that role.

You don't see someone who's either an active fighter or a retired fighter doing that. So I think she has a great future, and I'm curious to see how far she takes this. But back to Julie Kedzi. I have no problem with her? Now, I do think that, and I feel like have we talked about this on this show, or maybe it was off air. It can put her in some, there's positives and negatives to that, you know, position and putting her in that position because she's the matchmaker.

So she can give you insight into why this fight is happening, why she put it together. I mean, that's fascinating stuff. That's why we'd love to talk to Sean Shelby and Joe Silva. You don't get to do that often in MMA. But it can also put her in a tough spot because she does work for the promotion. So will she be critical of a matchup? Will she be critical of a fighter?

She has relationships. It can be a bit awkward. But for the most part, I'm okay with it. And I like hearing from a female voice. I like someone who's accomplished, who's been around the block doing that. So I really have no problem with her. And as far as Invicta is concerned on the whole, to me on Saturday,

it was more evident than ever that, you know, they've really been decimated by the fact that the UFC essentially stripped them of their two best divisions. You know, the 115-pound division is essentially tough 20. And, you know, there's a few others that didn't go on the show, but they're in the UFC. And then the 135-pound division, I mean, they don't have a champion now in Vita.

Lauren Murphy was the champion. She's gone. Nakamoto, you know, coming back from an injury, but there's not much going on there. And this felt like one of the thinner cards for Invicta in a very long time, if ever. and there were a lot of decisions, I think just one finish on the card. So, you know, they unfortunately announced that Cyborg is injured, and that was a very big deal.

Her debut at 135, and obviously she's the biggest name in Invicta without a doubt. That was going to be a huge deal for them in December, and that's not happening. And they put Michelle Waterson in there, which is great. You know, she's kind of become the face of Invicta, and, you know, she's coming off a big win, and she's very marketable, and people seem to like her very much, and she's, you know, coming from a great camp and all that stuff. But, you know, I don't love having her turn around so quickly. It reminds me of the old days in WC when Uriah Faber.

It felt like he was fighting, you know, every two, three months. To me, having Michelle Waterson come back is good for all those reasons I mentioned. But it also really, you know, signals the fact that, all right, this roster is maybe, you know, thinner than we had thought. And the UFC really did a number. So, yeah, I do believe that they're, you know, they're going to develop and they do a good job of, you know, pinpointing talent, and there's a lot of young talent on their roster. But right now, it's very much a transitional period for Invicta. And I don't think we can almost, you know, I think it's fair to compare it to the early days of

Invicta, if you want to call it that, because they really had the best of the best. And now they're in this period where they have to cultivate talent and give them some fights. There's no real outlet, great outlet to get these fights. So it has to happen before our eyes on the biggest stage for women's MMA. So it's a weird thing. And I think we just have to give them a little time personally. Yeah, and I mean there are up-and-coming fighters on the horizon. Like, for example, the two girls who fought on the last card are Rene Aldana and Alexa Grasso are very talented, very young, and they're coming up.

And what you said is accurate. There has to be a period where fighters are developed and the transition is going to happen. Michelle Waterson's opponent, Herica, is young. I think she's 22, I believe. and, you know, she's hungry for the fight with Michelle, who's unquestionably a star at this point. So I don't think there's any cause for concern in terms of that. Certainly, I mean, there's no two ways about it

that a lot of the top fighters in Invicta went to the UFC from the Strawweight Division most recently, but, you know, this sport is very fluid, and the talent is being cultivated. Julie Kedzi does a great job of that, of, you know, finding fights for existing athletes and finding fights for athletes who want to fight in Invicta. And as far as jumping back for a second to her commentary,

I think Julie is fantastic. I have no problem with Julie. That's what she's there for is to provide the kind of insight that you might not get from a different duo. She has, as you said, she has that intimate knowledge of why this fight's taking place and all that. So, yeah. And by the way, I think there's...

By the way, I like the fact that she's a little goofy. That's cool. I like that. I think that makes her endearing. That makes her different. I don't need someone who's, you know, this straight lace, polish, you know, she's an ex-a-allie. And that's always been her thing. She's a little goofy.

She's a little different. That's great. Be yourself. I'm all about that. You know, one thing that I really think in Victor needs to think about is, you know, they have this show coming up on, it's what, it's December 6th? Is it December 6th? December 5th.

On the Friday. On the 5th, excuse me. Yeah. December 6 is UFC 181. That's a perfect, perfect, you know, example of a show that, in my opinion, should be in Las Vegas. Because not only are you going to have all this media on a Friday night

that's already there for a big UFC event attend, who probably wouldn't attend otherwise, you'll have a lot of fans looking for something to do. You'll have luminaries from the MMA world around. I mean, Friday night, that's been, you know, a great success for Joe Rogan. He does those Friday night shows before a big UFC event, when there's really nothing else.

else to do. You finally arrived. You're in Vegas. You're looking for something fun. You're there with your buddies. You want to do something MMA related for a good portion of the night. There's an Invicta fight at the hard rock, at the palm, something like that. Don't you think that would be a perfect thing for Invicta? Try to, you know, couple up with those UFC events, particularly in Las Vegas to get the media, to get the fans, to get the fighters there. I think that would do wonders for them. Yeah, I mean, something to think about, but... You don't seem sold. I'm not swayed one way or the other. I think that's an interesting thing.

It could be something to look for potentially, but the next fight is going to be in Houston. No, I know. But my thing is like the fight is on December 5th. UFC's December 6th. I kind of wish they were having that show in Las Vegas because there's going to be all this media there. You know, because any major media is going to be in Vegas for that fight, that weekend.

So you're only going to get local media or maybe someone who has. happens to live in the area. So, you know, they're very young. They almost had to press the reset button on the organization after signing, you know, the fight past deal because they lost a lot of talent. I think we need to give them some time. There might be some growing pains. And I don't think it's fair anymore to compare them to the old Invicta. It's a different organization. And, you know, maybe they are going to be more of a feeder league now because they have that relationship for, you know, with the UFC. And, you know, clearly they're willing to engage in those

kind of talk. So it's going to be interesting to see what happens. Like Cyborg, everyone thought, she's going to fight once, twice, and, you know, if it's all good at 135, she's going to go to the UFC. So it's a tricky thing to be viewed that way and still be successful. So we'll see. As long as there's a few divisions like 105 and 125, Barbara Honchak, still the champion there, as long as there's a few divisions that aren't in the UFC, I think they could be successful. If the UFC happens to take all those divisions, it's going to be hard for them, in my opinion, to thrive. Our next question, Titan FC 31. Did you watch the event from this past weekend?

What did you make of the Ritchie Yoshita situation? Is Titan FC on the right track under Jeff Aronson? Wow, this is a great question. We don't get a lot of questions about Titan, so I'm excited about this one. I did watch it. You know, I think that I think it's great to be on CBS Sports Network. I don't think they get a lot of, you know, promotion out of CBS, and that's probably, you know, the deal that they have.

But I think it's great. It's great to be associated with the eye and all that stuff. I'd love to see them up the production value a little bit. It's very dark in that arena. And maybe it was because there weren't a lot of people there. But just everything about it just feels very dark. You know, the cage feels dark, the mat feels dark. Everything just screams dark and not very lively.

You know, it was very unfortunate because I thought that was the legit main event. It was a great fight for both Yoshida and Mike Gritchie. If you don't know, Mike Grichie missed weight. He came in two pounds over, so $1.15. for a title fight. It was supposed to be a title fight at 155, lightweight. And then apparently they agreed to a catchweight, 157. All good. They both weigh in, all good. And then the next morning, as Rory talked about on the show earlier, Yoshida refused to fight. And apparently they tried to convince him, refused to fight, and then they cut him.

And all of a sudden, the heat then went on him. But, you know, they're saying that he didn't want to fight. I mean, to me, my thoughts on it are you got to make the weight. and I'd like to think that if Ritchie made the weight that Yashita would have fought because that was the deal and he had already gone there. I mean, the guy travels all the way to, you know, Tampa Bay. You think that he is interested in fighting.

So, you know, I kind of have to put the blame on Ritchie on this one. He missed the weight, you know. That's the first thing that triggered this. And he's in a spot where, you know, he's trying to get back into UFC and, you know, he's saying he wants to finish guys and all that and impress. That's, that's going to take him a few steps back. So very unfortunate. And you know what? I'm surprised, you know, this is where things get a little tricky because let's be honest.

You know, I have a lot of respect for those guys. But, you know, Lex McMahon, Jeff Aronson, they are part of, you know, alchemist management. And this is where things can get tricky because Mike Ritchie is an alchemist guy. And, you know, Yoshita refused to fight. They cut him. I don't know if that's fair, to be honest. You know, yes, he's going back on his word. But look, the deal was 155. So he had a change of heart, and that's, you know, you can't excuse that. If you agreed afterwards to the catch weight, yes, but let's go back to the original deal. It was 155. So he slept on it for whatever reason he didn't want to take the fight. Do you give both guys, I mean, does Ritchie get cut?

No. Why does Rishita get cut? He didn't have to accept it. He did, but, you know, Ritchie accepted 155 and then he missed weight. So I don't know if it was fair to cut him. Now, who knows what went on behind the scenes and all that. I think Jeff has done a great job. I think he brought in some great guys.

You know, the main event, the new main event was Desmond Green, you know, after getting cut from Belator, starching, and now he's going to fight for the title against Steven Sala. They brought in some ex-guides. They're giving the opportunity to guys to revamp their careers, regroup, and they're pretty much giving anyone an out if the UFC comes calling. I think it's great that they're involved, but sometimes you have to distinguish between, you know, your management stuff and your promotional stuff. and obviously sometimes it's hard to do that. So I didn't agree with the decision to cut Yoshida. And, you know, I think he kind of got the raw end of the deal, if you asked me.

Our next question, what is the most important fight this weekend? Two options are presented. The grudge match between Bisbing versus Rockhold or the number one contender fight with Ian McCall versus John Lineker. I mean, is this a serious question? The most important fight? I mean, I guess McCall Lineker is, Look, I was on the show last week saying that this fight deserves more love.

And by the way, it's now the co-main event because Manoa got injured and OSP got bumped to the main event. And what a bummer that is because Manawah Shogun, OSP Shogun, two very different fights. I was excited for Mano Shogun. So does that mean you're not excited for OSP Shogun? Not the same. Are you? I think it might be, I think it will be a very different fight. Oh, it'll certainly be a different fight. I don't know if that's necessarily a bad thing.

I fear it won't be as exciting. Maybe. Just given the styles. I mean, what do you think he's going to do? Who are we talking about OSP? Yeah. Well, he's going to try and get it to the ground. Yeah.

And at this point in my, like in Shogun's career, I don't want to see that, you know? Yeah. I liked it as a bounce back fight for Manoa as well. But, you know, it is a bounce back fight for OSP. He wins this fight. You know, he's on the map again coming off the beta loss. Anyway, it has to be Bissping Rock. I mean, the grudge, it's a legit fight between two top guys, the grudge.

You know, let's be honest, I essentially made the fight happen without my work. This fight wouldn't even be happening. So, of course, it's Bissping Rockhold. That's a gigantic fight. That's one of the best fights of the year. Of course it's Bissping Rockhold. I'm going to go, McCall, Linear. I just think the what's at stake is more important in that fight.

Of course. Well, wait for a minute. Rockhold, a few wins. That's one half of the equation, though. You don't think Bispig wins, he's there? I don't think... If he beats Rookold? I don't think if he beats Rockhold, he's getting a title shot.

Not a title shot, maybe one more. I think whoever wins between Linnaker and McCall is getting a title shot. But which fight are you actually more excited to watch? Forget about what's at stake, just the fight. It has to be Bissping Rockhold. I think it... And I hate that I have to put down McCall Linnaker, but you're asking you to pick here. Just from a...

X's and O's perspective. In a vacuum, I think I'd rather see McCall Lineker. No disrespect to either Bisping and Rockhold, who I like watch fighting as well. I think McCall and Lindegar is going to be very exciting. Really? You don't think it's going to be an exciting fight? Of course it's going to be exciting,

but I just can't believe that you're picking that over. I'm saying in a vacuum. Yeah, yeah. As a fight on paper, we're removing the grudge match part of Bisbing Rockhold, and we're removing the stakes from McCall Lineker. I think McCall Linneker is, has the potential to be a more explosive and fast-paced and exciting fight.

Yeah. You know, I got to say, it's probably the second. I mean, number one is Rocco Obisping, but if that was a fight card, then this was the coming event. If you combine the two cards, both tremendous fights, but if I had to pick one, it's Rockold Bisping. Our next question is, do you think 2014 has been the UFC's worst year forever for injuries? 2012 is the only other year that sticks out as being anywhere near close to this one in terms of injuries.

By the way, side note, I was talking about the whole Alchemist and a Titan thing just moments ago. Sam Kaplan, who was, of course, on this show, former matchmaker for Bellator. He wrote a thing on his website, Sam Kaplan, MMA.com. The headline is, is there such a term as, quote, conflict of interest in MMA? And he talks about this, you know, how there's no Muhammad Ali Act in MMA. and this exact subject. So if you're interested in more on that, Sam is a great writer, I would suggest going over to Sam Kaplan, mMA.com,

to read that blog post. Now, back to the question. Is this the worst year ever? Man, 2012 was bad. Yeah. It's down, I mean... It's those two years, so it really comes down to... I saw some crazy stat about the amount of main events that they lost this year.

Something crazy. But let's go back to 2012. 2012 was pretty darn bad. Now, this has been a tough year, especially because, well, A, there are more fights. So I think it gets magnified. Or does it? Well, yeah, because there are more fights. A lot of guys getting injured, it just looks thinner.

You know, everything just feels thinner. That's fair, but also with more fights comes the expectation that there will be more injuries. True. Whereas in 2012, you know, when these guys were getting hurt, it was like, what the hell, where is this coming from? Now it's, you know, with so many cards and so many fighters to keep healthy, it becomes a little more expected. Not that you want anything like that to happen, obviously, but you increase the number of fights. You're going to increase the number of injuries. So you agree that 2012 was the worst year?

I think it seemed the worst. But this has not been... Let's talk about big fights that happened in 2012. Evans Davis was big. It was the second Foxvemy at Chale versus Bispig. That was hit by injuries as well. well. I remember Munoz was supposed to fight chale, right? And then everything got bumped up. It was supposed to be Bisping versus Maya. Diaz Condit, but that also was, you know, as a result of injury.

We had Edgar Henderson, which was solid. Jones Evans, gigantic, right? Everyone was looking forward to that. The big Dos Santos mere fight, which kind of got screwed because it was supposed to be Dos Santos opening. But that wasn't because of injury. Oh, Silva Sun and 2 happened in 2012. 2012. Favorite bra, UFC 149, was just killed, and that Fox Show was just killed. They had to cancel 151. Jones Belfort. Oh, St. Pierre Cond had happened in 2012. So now I'm going, okay, do Samos Velasquez 2 was gigantic 2012. So now I'm going to 2014. I kind of feel like there were bigger fights in 2012. So what's the biggest fight early in 2014? Rousie McMahon? Hendricks Lawler, but that kind of had the GSP cloud hanging over it.

Man, 2012 was a better year. So I think the combination of the injuries plus, you know, more vents, which makes everything a lot more shallow, would say that even though 2012 had more injuries, it was actually a better year. Right? Yeah. I mean, first and also...

Also, 2013 was so awesome that it felt like it went like, whoop. You know, 2013 benefited from the fact that 2013 benefited from the fact that 20, 2012 was hit by injuries, but now 2014 is suffering because of how good it goes. But if you look at the actual fights in 2012, there were better, bigger names fighting against each other in 2012. So I guess 2014 is worse. I mean, neither is good. You want to see all these guys healthy. It's very unfortunate.

It is very. Next question. What are your thoughts on the NSAC randomly drug testing VTor after saying drug testing responsibilities would be past the California? No. Any ideas what brought on the change of heart? Do you think it's possible? They're trying to catch Vitor off guard. They seem to be acting very inconsistently. Well, look, you know, here are the facts.

I called Bob Bennett up, who I have a lot of respect for. I think he's doing a great job. Called him up and I said, hey, and this was maybe two weeks ago. I said, so how many times has Vitor been tested since, you know, July 23rd when he got that license? And they said the fight was going to happen December 6th. He goes, oh, we haven't tested him yet. We haven't tested him once. And I said, why? He said, well, the UFC told us that the fight was being moved to California.

And then I said, well, what about when you guys said that he was going to, you know, be tested all these times until the end of his career, they're going to be in his face, all that stuff. Look, I have no interest, he said, of testing a guy who's not going to fight in our state next. The fight was moved. It was supposed to happen December 6th. It was moved to California. It's not my problem. Now, I'm confident that Andy Foster, the head honcho in California, is going to do the right thing and test him because he's on board with drug testing and all that. they're increasing their budget, but we're not doing it.

He told me that. On the record, point blank. I put out that story. Wydenne complains. What the F? It's been three months since the fight was announced, and he hasn't been tested once. And for the longest time, we thought, I mean, it was two months that the fight was happening in Las Vegas. He pulled out. Weidman did, you know, September 22nd.

So it was essentially two months later that they figured out the fight wasn't happening. So why wasn't he tested in those first two months? And even after, when the fight was in limbo, you know, we didn't know where it was going to happen. And then all of a sudden, Kevin Ioli writes a story on Saturday that they tested Vitor Belfort in Florida. Nevada did, which is somewhat unprecedented because why would a state typically test a guy who's not going to be fighting in their state next? Well, they did it because they were on the record saying that we're going to do this until the end and we care about the safety of the sport and all this stuff. Well, for a while, or at least those two weeks since they told me that, it seemed like they only cared to do it if the fight was happening in Nevada, which is what a lot of journalists. said, right? A lot of people said that. Well, we're going to give you this license because

you're telling us you're fighting in Nevada and we're going to make money off this. But once we're not making money off it, once we realize that, well, when we have no interest in, you know, making the sport better and cleaning the sport up. And I think that once that was put out there, they realized how bad it looked. So what I think is most interesting, now I felt in the back of my mind after everyone realized that they hadn't tested them yet, they were going to do it. And they were going to be sure to tell the media, by the way. They were going to be sure to tell the media. Let everyone know. And in fact, Kevin wrote in his story that Bob Bennett always planned on testing now. That would suggest two things. A, he lied to me or B, well, that's pretty much it.

Right? Because he told me. So what do you mean? You were always planning on it. You told me you weren't planning on it anymore. So they were going to tell the media they did. Now, here's the most interesting thing. A, how many times are they going to test them again? Is it just one and done for PR's sake, I'll monitor that. And B, what's California going to do? Well, I think they're in good hands with Andy Foster. He told me that they're going to have to, Vitor Belford is going to have to hand in a clean test in order to get a license, and he's going to be tested three to five times leaning up to the fight, all random, fight night as well. So this is good stuff. And it's important to know that Vitor has been very compliant. He, according to the people I spoke to, every time he

go somewhere, vacation, travel, whatever, he gives them, you know, addresses, phone numbers, all that stuff. He is down. So this is no knock on him. It's a knock on the Nevada commission saying, we are going to give you a license if you do X, Y, and Z. The fight gets taken away from Nevada, and then they're just like, all right, we're done with this.

It shouldn't work that way. If you truly care about the good of the sport, by keeping the sport safe and healthy, you should do what you say you were going to do, regardless of whether or not the fight is happening here. So they're in a tough spot having to invest this money and testing a guy who's not going be fighting in their state next, but it's the right thing to do. Now let's see how many times they do it leading up to the fight. Our next question about the odds of the upcoming title fight is Kat Zengano, an underrated fighter. She seems incredibly tough mentally as well as physically. Do you think

Rhonda being the favorite by, not by, but at minus 1,300 is justified. I know it may change by fight time, but this seems unreasonable to me. Well, you're the guy. You're the odds guy. What do you got. I've explained this before, but I'll quickly do it again. The odds are not established to represent the outcome of a fight. They're not a predictory in the sense that if a guy is 20 to 1, you know, Fighter X is 20 to 1 favorite and Fighter Z is a 12 to 1 favorite in a separate fight, it doesn't necessarily mean that that person is that is the difference is how much better they are or how much more of a favorite they should be. The lines are established to get equal betting action on both sides

so that the people who are accepting the bets, whether it be a casino, a sportsbook, whatever it is, get the most money, no matter the outcome. So in this case, what's happening is Ronda Rousey is a very, very dominant champion. And therefore, in order to entice action for Kat Zangano, the line has to be higher than, you know, it might be for somebody else who has more of a following or, you know, people know more. There are many factors outside of just how they match up on paper that affect the line. Now, having said that, I think that Rondarousie is going to win, but I think that there could be some value betting on Katzegano.

The problem is Katzangano is, so far in the UFC, has had rough first rounds. and nobody is a better first round finisher than Rondarousie. So I could see where that would be a problem. I mean, Katzangano has toughed out a first round and then just completely obliterated the opponent after that. But the problem is Rondarousi is the very, very best at finishing people in the first round. So I...

Are you going out on limb here? I'm saying first time finish? There's by no means is Katzengano out of this. fight. It's not a squash match. Katzengano has a legitimate chance to beat Rondarousie, but she's going to have to bring it early. Otherwise, are you surprised, though? I mean, I know you just said what you said about the lines, but, you know, I'm not surprised at all. I think they did that on purpose, you're saying. They did it because people, you know, if the line was closer, people are not going to bet on Katzangano. So they want us to have this reaction. They want you to, they want

this reaction. They want people to say, wow, I can get this for Katzangano. And, you know, it could have been plus 1,000, it could have been plus 1,200. It doesn't really matter. But there's a big difference between throwing out plus 1,000 and plus 200. Oh, yeah, that's what I'm saying, though. At plus 200, nobody's taking that. There's no reason to. Ronda Rousey has proven herself to be super, super dominant. At plus 200, you're not getting any value there. Right. You'd bet you'd bet the other side, Rousey, at whatever, minus, you know, 500. Would you make a bet on this, given these odds? Is there anything intriguing here? I think there could be something intriguing here,

but I would probably just not play it. It would be underdog or pass for me, for sure. Do you think it moves drastically? No, not drastically. I don't. So that means people won't bite. Or it means people will, you know, some will take it, some will push it the other way and it'll go back and forth,

which is what ideally the people who set the lines want. They want equal play on both sides. It's not, you know, they don't want everybody to be slain. slamming Ronda Rousey and they don't want everybody to be slamming Katzangano because they have to account for the fact that either one of these fighters could win and I do think as I said Katzangano was a legitimate threat to Ronda Rousey. There you go. But you know chips on the table. I'm picking Rousie in this one. You explain that way better than I could so good. Next question.

Did you like Vanderle calling out Chale even though there's a 99% chance that Chale would turn down? down the callout because he is loyal to the USC and would honor his word to the NSAC because it now promotes a metamorphous match. It's actually not metamorphous. It was, I believe, what was it, XFC or something like that? Yeah. And what are the odds that it actually happens? Well, we have the whole story up on MMA fighting. Our man on the scene, Guillermo Cruz has a story on it. Honestly, I don't really care about this. It's not happening. Vanderlea still has a contract. Chale still has a contract. What is this? Sillliness. It's not going to happen.

Why waste your time? If I'm reporting it, I mean, it's out there. He said what he had to say. And then apparently he sent out a tweet about Dana, kind of saying like, oh, you can't stop me. You're not my boss. I mean, we've seen this happen countless times. Just because you, quote, unquote, retire. It doesn't mean that you're out of your contract.

There is an actual legal contract stating that you have to fulfill X amount of fights. You sign this, and you're not doing that. So it's going to be very hard to get out of that. Just ask Randy Couture. So to me, this is all just nonsense. I mean, I guess, you know, it would be interesting. The closest shot they have at competing against each other is metamorous, right? But would the UFC stop that?

I feel like they would have to, right? Yeah, this is a fight that was, you know, that Rory, J.T. Tori, is not a fight that could happen in the UFC and they're stealing their thunder, you know, and that's the case of, you know, Brendan Schaub competing, Josh Barnett. That's why I think they're okay with it. It only helps promote their guys. But here, you're stealing their thunder, so it's not going to happen. And until all their issues, first of all, Chile can't fight. the UFC would never allow him to fight outside Nevada while he's suspended for two years.

And Van der Leigh is, you know, I mean, he's banned for life. So it's not happening. UFC would never let it happen. Silliness. Here's a curveball one. Yeah. Ariel, if you were a fighter in the UFC, what would your walkout song be? You know, it's funny.

I've thought about this a lot only because I've been asked, not because I sit, you know, in my bed at night, dreaming of what my walkout song will be. and I got to say someone currently uses my walkout song. What is it? For the longest time, I thought it was going to be, you know, I was a big fan of Tupac and Wu-Tang and things like that, but it's actually this. I'll play it for you.

No, it's not that, but that would be a cool one. That would actually be really cool. Why doesn't anyone ever come out to Frank Sinatra? Okay, I'm going to play you the song. You have to tell me the name, and then you have to tell me who uses it, all right? I'm going to just turn my mic. Is this Bob Marley?

I don't know. What is this? Is that your answer? I don't know. A lot of things. And we've had the guest song in the last. Did we? Yeah.

That's incorrect. The singing, don't worry. He's never been on the show. Because every little thing's going to be all right. I rise up this morning. No, no guesses, really? That was my guess. I don't know.

Bob Marley, three little birds. Oh, so it was Bob Marley. Yeah, but you weren't confident in your pick. Yeah, I don't know. You know me, I don't listen to music. You don't listen to music. It's wrong with you. I have no MP3s.

I don't download music, no. iPod? I have an iPhone, but I only listen to podcasts. I don't listen to music. Nothing to get psyched? No. Geez. I don't have any records.

I don't have any songs from iTunes or anything like that. Well, I'm not surprised to hear you say you don't have any records because... I think people still call them records. I wasn't referring to a physical vinyl record. Yeah, no, I was talking about. Okay, so who comes out to the song? And I'm curious to hear who Will thinks comes out to the song that's been on the show. Yeah, who will?

Who did you think about about this song? Maybe Ariel was saying, oh, this is something. I love this. So Talas Ladies comes out to this song, and I love it. So this song, my son can sing the whole song. We've never had Talas on the show? I don't think so. Wow.

I feel like I remember you saying. I thought we did. Maybe not. Yeah, maybe that's what you're thinking. My son, he loves this song, and we sing it almost every night. And before he was born, we used to listen to the song a lot. And, like, when I put him to bed. So it just reminds me my son.

And the fact that he could sing it as a two-and-a-half-year-old is the cutest thing in the world. And it just, honestly, because I'm such a nervous. Now, why is this the walk-out song? Because I'm such a nervous person, listen to what he's saying. Don't worry about a thing. Everything's going to be all right. Like, it'll be all right. And I feel like I'll need to listen.

to that before like I don't want to get too amp because then I'll just go crazy so I'll need to be subdued and then go out and do my thing and then when I saw Talis ladies do it and by the way ever since he's been doing it he's been kicking ass in the UFC so if it works for him it'll work for me there you go I'd love to ask him I think I actually did ask him maybe I didn't

anyway this is my pick what's your pick as I said I'm not not quite a connoisseur so I'd have to think on this a little bit let's see well you can get back anyone back there anyone have a pick Will's gonna choose like some like Mega death

Is that what you're I don't even know Was some Mega death well No not mega death I don't even know what I was trying to say You know what I'm trying to say I don't

Like three strands to November Or something like that I don't even know what that is Will just looked at me With the most confused look on his face Nothing Kid Rock People come out to that. Cowboy Soroni.

Yeah. Every time I die, is that the one that we talked about with Josh Barnett? Yeah. Yeah. There you go. What about Alex? Alex, what's your walkout song? Oh, God.

You guys are a mess. Okay, here's your homework. Between now and the end of the show, you've got to give me an answer. Mine might be Rick Astley. Never going to give you up? Really? Just troll them and also I'm Rick. By the way, oh, that's true.

That's actually a good one. Like together forever? Together forever. No, not that one. Oh, no. Never going to give you up. Never going to let you down. What is with the head bobbing back and forth?

Never going to run around and desert you. Is that the song that you do when you get Rick rolled? Yes, that's it. Yeah, that's great. Maybe that. That's a good one. I got to say that's a great one. I like when people come out the funny stuff.

Don't take yourself so serious. Oh, you know, actually we talked about it already. I was just going to say, I forgot to ask Roy about the walkouts on. We had a whole interview about that. Yeah, we talked about that. last time he was on before this. That's right. That's right. Okay, let's move to Twitter.

Okay. Maybe people can send us suggestions of my walkout song, my walkout song. No, no, no, no. I'm not open to suggestions. I got my pick. Okay, okay. Our first one from Twitter.

If Bisping loses to Rockhold, will that be his last chance at getting a title shot? Now, you know my answer for this. Hmm. Hmm. I mean, Bisping has a great ability to come back, you know? But it's going to be tough. to Kennedy and then Rockholds. Oh my God.

What? Every single time he fights, we've said this. Look, I'm not coming, listen, listen, wait a second. I'm not coming out there and throwing this out there as like, this is the, I know you didn't like that

going into the other fight, but I thought that was the case because he's coming off a loss. But I'm not throwing it out there as a stipulation or as a storyline even going into this fight. To me, this fight has nothing to do with title shots, really.

It's a grudge match, and that's why I'm okay with it. But if you're going to ask me, I think it's going to be hard to rebound because there's going to be so many guys ahead of him who have already beaten them now. But how many times has a guy gotten injured and somebody steps in and then they get a new shot?

Bisping seems to be immune to all that. I mean, this is a guy who's never stepped in crap. Yeah, so if somebody above him gets hurt in a potential number one contender fight, Bisbing steps right in, he cuts the line. It's just there's too many factors here to ever proclaim somebody out of title shot. And especially a guy who, as you said, is so durable. I'm saying definitively. You're saying maybe.

You're saying it could happen. Well, I'm telling you, I'm looking into my crystal ball. Definitively, I am saying, no, this is not his last chance. Okay. Because he's that guy who's always there. He's so durable. He's so reliable. He's really good.

And if somebody falls out, Bisbon can step right in, get that, you know, win that fight, get that next contender shot, and then make the most of it. It's going to be tough. I just, it's too unpredictable. and Bisbing is predictably solid and predictably always there, always in the conversation. And we've been saying this forever. Every single fight of his was... Look, I'm not throwing it out there as one of the stories to watch, but I'm just saying if he loses the Rockland and he lost to Kennedy,

there's going to be a lot of guys ahead of him. I don't disagree, but I think... Has... Let's... Do you have the... Can you open the rankings and see who is in front of him? right now musasi kennedy romero rockhold machida belfort jacqueray anderson

so there's quite a few that he hasn't fought as well yeah but there's quite a few people period so let's say let's say he gets matched up with some of those guys he hasn't fought that could be there's a big drop-off after him you know okay cb if he beats machita holy crap he's right there right yeah yeah but it's cb talus ladies wow tells lees 11 think of if if if it was uh bisbing yeah facing machita Would we be talking about him as a potential title contender? I think so. If he was in CB's place in that fight,

I think we'd be talking about him for a title shot soon. I mean, I don't know. I think Rockhold has huge cachet right now, and if he wins this, one more? Yeah, one more. I don't know. He's never out of it. Also, you have to consider his age, what he's been through.

There's a lot. There's a lot. I just can't imagine an MMA world without Bisbing being a contender. Well, guess what? It's going to happen at some point. Yeah, I guess. I mean, that'll let me know that...

Nothing lasts forever. The sport is passing me by. But I think the answer is no. Bisbing is still very relevant. Do you think... Okay, here's the question. Do you think, by the time it's all said and done, Michael Bisping fights for the belt?

Hmm. I do. Really? Wow. I think he will get a shot at it. Wow. But you don't think he beats Rockold. I don't know.

I think, I got to think about the odds on that, but I also, I think he has the tools to beat Rockhold. I'll say that. I think if my gut reaction, I think Rockhold wins. Now, the fight with Kennedy was not really indicative of what Michael Bisbin can do, so I need to, you know, I need to see something a lot more impressive. But I think he has the tools to mix up his grappling and mix up his grappling and, and make. picks up his strikes and keep Rockhold a little bit off balance. But I also think that Rockhold is similar to Bisbing in the sense that he has that cardio to keep the pressure on for an entire fight. And I could see him overwhelming Bisbing as well.

I think it's a super interesting stylistic matchup. But I do think if one guy has more of an opportunity to finish, it's going to be Rockhold for sure. So I don't know if he, I think he can beat Rockhold. But at this moment, I'm thinking Rockhold will win. All right. But as I said, Bisbing, he's always there. So this is the final Twitter question. Then we'll start looking for Dave Branch.

There's only two Twitter questions? Yeah, it was a slower day on Twitter. I think the time change affected things. Two time changes. We had the clocks, and we had the early start for the MMA hour. Well, some people asked me because, well, just recently they asked me because we were talking questions. So maybe I'll grab a couple before we get to Dave. Okay.

Is UFC 181? Is it going to be the biggest card of the year? There are great fights on it, and the only stack card to challenge it is UFC 178. What do you think? I still lean towards 178. That might surprise you because, of course, two title fights versus one,

and the title fight at 178 wasn't the most interesting one, but there was some legit, interesting stories going into 178. I mean, the return of Dominic crew, the return of Katzenegano, loved Kennedy Romero, of course, the beef between Connor and Dustin Porre, the debut of Eddie Alvarez, by the way. Eddie Alvarez, we called it, the Benson-Henderson fight. It happened. Of course, I don't know.

You think I throw that stuff out without knowing something? I'll just throw that out, you know? He knew that, of course. Anyway, and, you know, Demetrius fighting in the main event. Now, 181 is great because two title fights. Great rematch. I think that was the fight of the year. Loller Hendricks won.

Pettus Melinda is tremendous. The debut of Holly Home, I'm going off top of my head here. I know Brendan Shaw versus Travis Brown. I mean, it's a great card. Tony Ferguson, Abel Trujillo. Great fight. Faber Rivera. Great fight.

Even tough winner, Eddie Gordon versus Josh Simon. Yeah. I still lean towards one. Return of Todd Duffy. I just, ooh, yes. I got to say, though, I just, there's Sergio Pettis, Alex White. I don't want to put down one anyway. So this is kind of like that question.

with the email call. I'm all putting it down, but if you're asking me to pick one or the other, I'm going with 178 because I just love those. Comic book art poster. That was good. I mean, 181's got it all. You're picking 181. Yeah, I think so. But also because it has the element of the unknown, which is alluring at this point. We've already seen 178, and now 181 is coming up and it feels fresh. Well, that's what I'm saying. I mean, that's part of why. I like 181. I really do. That's, That's my pick. Really?

Yeah. Hmm. I mean, they're both great. They're both great. But if I had to pick one. And also the year-end card always has that feel of being huge. But it's not quite year-end. No.

Almost. There's like eight shows after that. That stretch in Vegas, December 6th and then December 13. December 5th is 25th. December 5 is in Vegas, the UFC. In December, what's 6th? days later. December 12th is the tough 20 finale in Vegas, then December 13

you have Fox and then December 20th you have UFC I mean, I'm exhausted just thinking about it. But that is the year end show. Yeah, I guess. Well, I consider January 3rd to be the year end show because Fight Week and all that will start. Fight Week and all that will start

I think it was smart to do it after New Year's because people will come to Las Vegas on December 31st and then stick around as opposed to doing it before. right after Christmas. So I consider that the year and show, to be honest. All right, maybe you answer a few on your own.

Okay. Should JDS get a chance at the title considering the interim title is up for grabs? No, because I'd like to see... I'd like to see the winner of Hunt Fabricio fight Kane Velasquez. How about Halfel Dosangos writing to me right now? MMA media shows me no love.

I keep beating top guys. I guess I need to talk. more. I guess he's got a point. I mean, I feel like we gave him love after the win over Benton Henderson. I do guess he's, I mean, you know, there's something to talking, putting yourself out there, doing interviews. His English has gotten better, so I think that's good. He's got a big fight coming up against Nate Diaz on December 13. I think if he beats Nate Diaz, that will certainly put him on everyone's radar. But I don't necessarily agree that no one gives him any love.

Whoops. I think people give him the respect that he deserves these days. I mean, let's look at the rankings. Three. Come on. You get love. But there is something to be said for putting yourself out there and getting people talking about you and excited about you.

And I think he's got some time. He's got it a little over a month before the Diaz fight. There's going to be a lot of interest in that fight, especially because Diaz is coming back. So I think Dosagos shouldn't worry about that. All right, let's move along. Let's go to our last guest of the day. He is the World Series of Fighting middleweight champion on November 15th.

He faces Yushin Okami. He'll be defending his title for the very first time. A great card for World Series of Fighting. Three titles will be defended on that card, and it's a great night for mixed martial arts in general. World Series of Fighting, Bellator and the UFC all having events that night. So it's going to be a lot of fun if you're a fan sitting at home. Of course, I'm talking about David Branch, New York's own David Branch,

joining us on the MAA. David, how are you? I'm okay. How's it going, guys? I'm doing great. Thank you so much for joining us. Is a part of you a little annoyed that there's also a Belator and UFC show?

I mean, you're thinking like a big main event, you should know Kamia. Like, can I get the spotlight to myself? Well, I mean, I'm not really thinking like that because, you know, on November 15th, I will have the spotlight for myself. I know that there'll be some people watching, and there'll be a lot.

there's actually be a lot of people watching and I'm not really concerned about like, you know, what else is there and stuff like that I'm just really focused on what I got to do.

Would you agree that this is the biggest fight of your career even bigger than when you fought for the belt the first time? Nah, I don't think so. I mean, I think

maybe. I can say yeah. I can honestly say yeah. I don't think that it's the most dangerous guy of that fault but I can agree that it is I can agree that it is the biggest one

because I'm defending my title for the first time and you know, they say that you don't really become a champion until you defend your title. So that's true. I'm taking that to heart, especially against a tough guy like Yuschen Okami. You know, Japanese fighters have always proven to be very tough.

But initially you said nah. I mean, it seemed like you weren't actually thinking that just a few minutes ago. What's that? This is the biggest fight of your career. What's bigger than this? Your first title defense? Well, I was thinking like dangerous. I was thinking like the most toughest guy.

That's what I was thinking. You know, definitely the biggest as far as prestige and, you know, how it's going to affect my career, definitely. How has life changed since becoming champ? I mean, you got the fur coats, the ladies coming up to you, the ladies coming up to you. How's life changing since becoming champion? Absolutely not. No fur coats, no ladies. It has changed a little bit because your confidence level goes up.

And I've been training, like, I stepped up the level of intensity in my training, the level of intelligence in my training, you know, I'm a lot older now, so more experience. So I know what my body needs. I know what I need to work on in my game. I focus on certain things more sometimes in certain fights with fighters, as well as polish everything else. But I tend to like really hone in on a specific thing if I feel like that's my opponent's weakness. So, you know, I'm just more knowledgeable when it comes to preparation. I think I'm definitely becoming a master of preparation.

and I've just been training much harder since I've become the champion. I feel like, and correct me from wrong, I feel like you're getting a little more respect because, you know, whatever, that comes to that. But you went out there and to defeat someone like Jesse Taylor in just a minute and 41 seconds, a great finish. You know, a lot of people didn't think you could do that. It's like, wow, okay, David Branch, this is not the same guy from a few years ago in the UFC. Do you feel like people view you and talk about you a little differently now after that fight?

Definitely. I mean, I definitely think that people talk about me and view me differently. And it's rightfully so. You know, when I got into UFC, people failed to realize that. I was only six-by-ton, no amateur experience. I had very little boxing experience. My wrestling, I was just starting to pick up on that. And I was just getting comfortable inside the cage.

You know, I was a kid. I wasn't training properly. I was out, you know, chasing girls and, like, arguing with my girlfriend and, you know, going out partying. You know, I didn't take it serious. I was a kid. I was a kid, you know. There's no more, there's no more of that.

I mean, I'm a much more mature person. You know, I have a much better character. And I take the training very serious now. And it's a completely different story. Does a part of you wish, man, I wish they didn't come calling that soon? Not that you blew your shot, but it was just a little too soon for you. Do you regret that you took that opportunity? Because there have been some people who have said no to the UFC when they came calling a little too soon.

I don't regret it because it gave me experience working with people in Zupa. It gave me the experience working on such a high level that, like, you know, let's just say if I go back, I'm not speaking, you know, I'm just saying like, yeah, yeah, yeah. I would be completely comfortable in there. It would be a completely different story, like the way I view the fights before, you know, to be honest, area, like, when I was out there when I was in the UFC, the fight, every time I got the fight, it felt like it was like on a death sentence. It felt like, oh, my God. I had a million things racing through my head. Now, you know, when I go into the cage, you know, I still have, like, the nerves that every other fighter has,

but when I'm backstage and the guys, you know, announced that I'm next, it's like a switch goes off. And I just can't wait to go out there to just embarrass the guy in front of the world. It's just like a complete offensive switch. It's like I'm no longer worried about what bloggers were saying, what people were saying. It's just that I know what I'm going to do. Everything else doesn't even matter, you know.

Is that still a goal of yours? to get back to the UFC, to write that wrong that happened a few years back? My goal right now is to obviously defeat Okami and retain my belt with authority. And then anything that happens from there, we'll see. But I don't want to look past this guy right now because, you know, he's proven to be very tough. He's a veteran. He's got 38 fights. You know, so I have my hands full with him right now, and I'm going to deal with him first

and then see what happens to this. I love that you said that it was like a death sentence when you, when you, when you got your fight because I feel like that's the way most normal people or, you know, normal people who are average Joe's would view it. I mean, holy crap, I'm going into a cage, I'm going to fight another man. I would be scared out of my mind.

Yeah, because, you know, a few years before, I actually fought inside the affidavit. I was sitting down, you know, watching TV with my friends joking around, drinking and I was just a fan. And to finally hear Bruce Buffer announce my name, it was just like so surreal.

You know, I had a few regional MMA fights. And I did well, but I didn't see myself going to the top, and I didn't take it serious. I didn't see myself being in the position that I am now. So that's why it was such a big mental adjustment for me to make that I wasn't ready for at that time because of the maturity level. And when did you get that confidence? How did you get that confidence that you belong? I think it was definitely after the Apollo field fight, and then after I talked to a few people, I had a couple of talks with Hendra Gracie, had a talk with him.

Dan Gable had to talk with a lot of my coaches. And pretty much they were telling me, you know, like, you know, you're going to start believing in your abilities, but just leave this game alone. And I talked to my dad. And, you know, the people around me were just like, they see me train every day in the gym, and they're like, you know, you have the ability to compete with

and beat anybody in the world in your division. You know, you have to really go out there and believe in yourself. And, you know, I just sat down and I took some time, and, you know, took some time off. And, you know, I really thought about what it was that I wanted to do. And I said, you know, I'm going to give this another shot. that and that's where my whole mental, you know, my attitude mentally just changed. I wanted to go out there and prove to myself that it wasn't a death sentence.

It was something that I can sit back when I'm older and look back and say, look what I did to my kids and stuff like that and other people and inspire other people. For me, it's bigger than just me going out there and winning now because, you know, you hear a lot of fighters that come from like Division I schools and they're a Division I wrestler or they were a football player and stuff like that. I came from the street, you know, like, and I had a really hard upbringing, and I want to be able to inspire somebody else that was in the same situation that I was in, you know. MMA really saved my life, martial arts saved my life.

So now it's about me going out there and putting on dominant performances so that people can really hear my story and I can go out there and maybe change somebody else's life. It's bigger than me, you know, I want to inspire my children, you know, other children, people, guys, emails, everybody. I just want to be an inspiration to people now. My attitude is just completely different. What was so hard about your upbringing? Oh, man, everything.

I mean, like, you know, just grew up poor, you know, no food, very, you know, very little to eat, you know, wearing the same clothes being picked on sometimes, you know, no dad, mom, you know, raising four kids on our own, you know, just having to go out and spend for myself being out on my own since I was 15. You know, I've just been through a lot, you know, I've been through a lot. It's a little bit too much For phone call now But a whole lot And out of jail

Why were you in jail? For a few different reasons You know, Robin selling drugs A couple of drug drugs and stuff like that I was in the group homes You know Spotford Division for Youth

Youth Authority Rikers Island You know prison So When I came across When I came across martial arts and saved my life, man. I wanted to do something different with my life. Who introduced you to it?

Actually, a crackhead on a hundred and fifty-seven street in Cretona Avenue. You're kidding. I'm dead serious. I bought a UFC 3 tape from a crackhead in a chicken store, and I bought it for him for $8, six, six bucks, something like that. And I went home and I watched it with my brother, and I said that this is what I want to do. And I started to change my life from there. You didn't know about the UFC before that? I did not know about the UFC. So why'd you buy the tape? Because it was something that, you know, I seemed like guys on the cover of fighting in a cage.

I was like, man, this looks like blood sport. That's the first thing that came to my mind, you know? And it was an old UFC tape. You know, when I first seen the tape or heard about the UFC, I think it was, I believe it was like in 1990. I think that was like 99 or 2000 or 98. And that's when I got the tape and it changed my life. Wow.

That's unbelievable. I've heard a lot of stories about how people have been introduced to MMA. Never a crackhead in a chicken store. A crackhead and a chicken store. And then I went home to get a six pack of beer. And I sat down and watched the UFC with my brother and we're smoking a joint. And I said, you know, I want to do this. And he looked at me, he said, get the hell out of here, man.

Stop being weird. And, you know, it was like six years later. I was inside the octagon and the MGM grant. So you remember watching that that night and saying to yourself, I want to do this? I remember just like it was yesterday. a lot. I am not BSing you. And did you have any martial arts training, any athletic background at all? Only played basketball. That was it.

Wow. Never did any kind of martial art, karate, whatever. Nothing. So what about it? Interest you? Well, I mean, I just seen two guys, you know, when I was a kid and you watched John Club, Van Damme and Bloodsport, everybody wanted to be like, you know, Frank Dukes or what was his name Frank Dukes, I think? Yeah, yeah. Yeah, so everybody wanted to be John Club, Van Damme, and Bloodsport.

You know, and that's what I thought it was. It was, like, different styles. That's what the UFC portrayed it as. It was like different styles, different techniques, different backgrounds, all get together in one arena. So it was just like blood sport to me, but the only thing was it was inside of a cage. So I was like, man, this was like blood sport and Mad Max. And it's combined, you know, and I always like fighting.

I used to fight in the street all the time. But it was just a street brawler, you know. I used to just ball my fist up, you know, tackle guys to the ground, swing wild and stuff like that, you know. So I figured that I'd give it a shot since I like to fight, and I fought so much I got into so many fights for kids. So that's what I wanted to do. But it's one thing to sit on your couch, you know, smoking a joint and watching.

It's another thing to go out there, go to the gym, and then keep coming back. I mean, how did you actually get off the couch and make this into a reality? Well, I looked for a school because when the names of the disciplines came up, I seen G2. But I didn't really know too much about it, so I went to a school that said, that was like traditional jiu j i tsu and it was j u j i uh tsu so that's more like wrist locks and japanese karate and stuff like that so i was in a school like that for about two years before i realized that i wasn't doing brazilian jihitsu oh wow and then my instructor yeah yeah

so then my instructor he um i did like a bunch of karate tournaments and i was like you know i'm kind of like kicking and stuff like that and punching and doing point fighting and and i was like man this is kind of like not what i wanted to do so he found the school for me in the Bronx because I was living in the Bronx at that time and it was the help from Gracie satellite school and I went there and I just kept going I kept going so even when you were in the gym and actually having to compete against other people you still felt like this is something you wanted to do because again it's very you know fascinating to watch it and intriguing on TV but then when you're actually in there rolling with guys you might think otherwise

no it was still something that I was going to do I went there and I got my butt kicked of course yeah but like the smallest guys I was was trying to muscle everybody, and I was getting tapped out left and right. And I was just excited. I was like, man, I got to come back again. I was like a fiend. I was addicted to it. I was like, I'm learning how to do this stuff that I've seen on TV.

I'm getting closer to being able to fight inside of the UFC, you know, or inside of the cage or whatever it was. You know, I wanted to do what always great you did. I wanted to, like, take people down, beat them up and submit them. You know, I thought that was fascinating to be such a small man to be able to do that to people back then. do you recall a point where you felt like you hit rock bottom and I must do something with my life like this is not what I was supposed to do this is not how it was supposed to go do you recall that moment definitely I think that was the last time I was actually sitting at Rikers Island and you know it was uh I caught up in some stuff and and you know I had I made a promise to myself and made a promise to my mom that I'd never be back in there again and then I was back in there and I think at that time I was maybe a purple belt in jiu-jitsu and you know, a couple of the officers, actually, I had trained with that were correctional offices in the holding facility, post-central bookings in New York City, and they seen me, they were like,

what the hell are you doing here? And I was just like, man, I just, you know, I had a bad day, man. And then from that day on, I was just like, you know, I can't do this anymore, man. I really got a, really got to shape up. And, you know, I slowly started getting out of bad things that I was involved in. And, you know, I was working a steady job, and I just kept training. I was competing all over the United States winning tournaments. I won the Pan American Championship twice. I won a bunch of other prestigious tournaments, competed in the Abu Dhabi trials,

and made it all the way to that level until I decided to take my first MMA fight. And when you, so that's amazing that that happened after you started following this dream. Do you recall telling you, like, almost getting, were you mad at yourself that you let this happen after telling your mom that you wouldn't be back there? I was definitely mad at myself because I felt like, you know, They almost felt to a point where it was like my destiny to like be this. And then, you know, I just looked at myself and I was like, oh, no, I was like, I control my own destiny.

It's what I want to do. And, you know, most of my friends were already in that road. Most of my friends were dead. Most of them were like had life sentences in prison. Wow. Most of them were strung out on drugs because who were off in the street, you know, like they were, you know, dropping out of school. Some of them had kids, no jobs. So I just didn't want to be like that, man.

I didn't want to be another statistic, you know, grow up. have all of these dreams and nothing came of it and just be a waste. I didn't want that. So, okay, so you finally get clean and you're on your path. When you make it to the UFC, were you kind of shocked it happened so quickly? I was shocked that it happened really quickly. It actually happened after I caught a guy named Derek Meeman and Bellator. Yeah.

And I got a call from there. Belator actually wanted to sign me to the middleweight tournament. But, you know, my manager at the time, my manager, he, he said that you know, I think it's better if you go into the UFC. And that's when I fought Gerald Hurricane Harris.

Yeah. A guy who's, you know, very serious competitive. And once again, not to take anything away from him, but at that time, I just was not taking the sport serious. And I went in there with the wrong guy

to have that attitude, and I lost in a really bad way. And that was a wake-up call. Yeah, what was it like? Because that was the K-O-Slam, right? I mean, it was all over... It was a 4th of July weekend. It was all over a sports center.

It was it tough to deal with? I mean, like, did you almost feel embarrassed that this is how it went down your UFC debut? I was more so than embarrassed. I was devastated because, you know, I had never lost a fight, you know, in MMA, let alone to be knocked out in that fashion. I didn't even remember how I lost when they were announcing

he was the victim. I thought that I won because, you know, I never. tasted defeat so I couldn't conceive myself losing. I was just beating guys off pure talent. And when I realized that I lost, I sat back and I watched the fight over

and over and over and over again. And I just got so frustrated and frustrated, and I was just like, you know, I picked the fight apart and I was like, I wasn't doing this law. I recalled the fight. You know, as I was in the cage and I said, you know, I remember when I was uncomfortable here. I remember this position

I wasn't strong enough here. My rest wasn't good enough here. And I just went back and I just started working on all those things. And, you know, I had switched some coaches and I started working with Danair, and he started giving me a more technical viewpoint of approaching the fight. And people were saying that my fights were boring, but, you know, I was just recovering off of, you know, being devastated and, you know, going to being gun shy and not wanting to pull a trigger the same.

You know, if you get knocked out, things change, people don't realize that because they're not in their fighting, but you know, you get knocked out and things change a little bit. Now all of a sudden you're not as, you know, easy to pull a trigger on a right hand like you were, or you're not easily easily, you don't easily let your hands fly or your legs go or your techniques go because you're worried about that thing happens in the back of your mind. And it takes a little while for you to get rid of it, you know? Now, when you got into the UFC, you mentioned that city job.

That was the iron. How do you actually describe the title? iron worker or what's the right way? I was a union local 580 iron worker of New York City and I worked on some of the toll of those in New York. Now, were you doing that when you were in the UFC? I was still doing it when I was in the UFC.

I was still an iron worker. Wow. What buildings are... No, no, no. Actually, that is incorrect. That's a false statement. My last day working as an iron worker was my first fight in Belvoir, and that was my last. Then I started teaching jihih Tjitsu.

Which buildings did you work on here? Any famous ones that we would know? Yes. I worked on the Bank of America building. I worked on Beekman Towers. Wow. I worked in MoMA. I worked in a bunch of schools, you know, a bunch of tall high rises that they have in the city.

But the tallest one that I've ever been on was the Bank of America building. That was, like, really big. How difficult is that job? It's very difficult. It's very dangerous. You always have to pay attention. It's very noisy. It's very, you know, it builds up your stress levels.

So it's a lot. It's a lot. And, you know, when you look down at the ground, people look like ants. And if you fall, you can forget about it. And you've seen some tragedies, right? I've seen tragedies, yes. Wasn't one in particular the reason why you left that job? Yes.

What happened? A kid named Kevin Kelly. He was, I believe he was 24, about to be 25 years old. and we went on lunch break. We came back from lunch break, and he went to go, you know, work on the heading on the outside of the window. I believe it was the 27th floor,

and he fell out. His safety, a harness system, it failed, and it ripped his growing apart, and he hit his head on a setback. He fell on the 15th floor, and he banged his head on a setback, and he was dead immediately. His head was split wide open,

and his growing area was ripped wide. open. And you witnessed this? I witnessed him fall. I'll be opening. You know, and I just turned around and I started screaming and then I threw up. You threw up on the spot? Yeah, did I throw up on the spot?

Yeah, that's what you just said? Yeah, I turned around, started screaming no, and then I threw up. Wow. And was that the first and only time you've seen someone die? Like in that job? Because what I read about it, this, unfortunately, this has, happens quite a bit, right? It happens quite a bit.

That was the first time that I've seen somebody die. I've seen people get injured really badly, but that was the first fatality that I've seen. Gosh. And you just went to lunch with the young man? I just went to lunch with the guy who were looking at girls, you know, cat, all like all construction workers do. Yeah. Just have a good time joking around, you know, snapping on each other, and then he was gone.

How did you handle it? Like you went home that night? How did you process that? I had nightmares, you man. I had nightmares, you know. It was like, you know, I thought about that kid for a long time. You know, I thought about his face. I remember his face.

I remember him trying to reach back and grab onto something, and there was nothing to grab, you know, and I just picture myself in that situation, and it just made me say I really can't do this anymore. So were you done after that? Did you even go back to work? I did go back to work. I took a week off because I was having nightmares about it.

And then I went back maybe after, like, a week, and a half. I started work back again. But I was working for the checks. I really wasn't into it. I wasn't into the work. I wasn't having fun the same. It wasn't the same. And then when did you say enough is enough? After my first fight in Bellator, I think that was it. How long after this unfortunate accident? Oh, maybe about like a year. I did like maybe about a year to nine months. you were able to stick around for that long.

I was able to stick around for that long. I mean, you know, you've got bills to pay. You got to, you got to keep doing what you have to do. But, you know, it didn't really hit me until, like, about a nine months to a year later. Well, I was like, I can't do this. And that was relatively early in your career. Even after experiencing that, you still weren't able to, you know, say, okay, I'm nervous. I don't, but, like, this isn't life or death.

This is just, you know, a sporting competition. Like, I'm wondering if you were able to use that as a way to calm down before your fights, but apparently not. No, no, no. Some of my fights I was able to use the fact that I was an ironwork and I experienced danger on a regular basis. But, you know, the UFC was different from other regional fights just because of the capacity of the audience and the energy of the crowd, the way they rev the show up. I wasn't used to that, you know. I didn't, like, you know, come from a sport where, you know, I was always used to having thousands of fans all the time and used to competing in front of that. You know, I'm a pretty, you know, low-key guy.

And then when you go out there and you hear a guy saying, kill him, kill him. And it's just like thousands of people in the MGM Graham. And every time you kick or every time you punch, you can hear the echoes of everybody going, oh! It was like, it was crazy. You know, I wasn't used to that. Now I live for that. Do you think it's a little unfair, though, that, you know, you went two and two. You didn't even have a losing record.

Did you think it was unfair that they'd let you go? I mean, it was their choice. I think that, you know, I think it was a little soon because I was just starting to get, you know, my, my, my, my, my, my, my, my, my, my, my, my, uh, my, uh, my, uh, after those two, after I strung together those two victories, I was like, all right, this is not so bad. I started getting the routine down. I got used to Bert Watson because it's not, it's not the, it's not the UFC jitters that, that, that, that, that, that people need to be worried about. It's not called the UFC judges. It's called the Burt Washington.

You know what I mean? When he gets back then, he starts yelling at time to go, baby, let's go, let's go. A lot of guys aren't used to that. So if it's your first time, you get so revved up that, you know, it's not really the UFC that's on this first. That's true, yeah.

It's intense, man. It's intimidating, right? It was. It was. Not anymore. You get into it and you, and it's a part of the routine, and it's a part of the process,

you learn to love it. You see the great fighters. You see, guys like John Jones, they embrace it. You know, when it's time for him to go out there, he's not looking at it like it's that sentence. He's jumping up and down and he's screaming, let's go, you know, because he's ready to go.

He's ready to perform and put on a good show in front of all of his fans and everybody in the world and everybody in attendance watching. Your first fight out of the UFC, you finished your opponent, Jeremy May, but afterwards leading up to the Jesse Taylor fight, a bunch of fights, they all went the distance. Were you at least, I know you talked about this earlier, but were you at least cognizant to the fact that, all right, people are saying that I'm not exciting. I'm not finishing guys. I need to do something to get people to stop talking about this, going into the title fight.

If I'm going to be treated as a real champion, I need to do something spectacular. Were you thinking of that at all? Definitely, definitely. I want to people, yeah, I wanted people to stop saying that because, you know, I knew my abilities, you know, when I first started fighting, and I knew my abilities then. And I was just like, man, you know, like, these guys don't know what they're talking about. just to hear people saying, oh, yeah, you're just going to try to take the guy down, lay on him and stuff like that. Yeah, it's going to be the same old thing that branch is always going to do.

I was just like, ah, man, you know, like, these guys don't know. So I was like, you know, let me prove to myself, and then the world will be able to see what it is that I can do. Yeah. And when I fought, I remember when I fought fall off field, everybody kept saying it depends on which one who shows up. And I was just saying to myself, it doesn't fucking matter who shows up. I'm going to beat the hell out of the guy. Follow Fields, Paul O'Field. It's like, what do you think?

It's like two different human beings. I mean, we all go through our things. You know, we all go through stuff. And, you know, it's going to be him. And whether he shows up to the same guy that he was in pride in Japan or whether he shows up talking to himself in the ring, it doesn't matter. I'm going to do my thing. And I think that at that fight, I was so mean to him.

But he was so tough, you know, and I was so mean to him that I think that I prove to myself that, all right, this is not so bad. He's a big name. you got over the fact that you're fighting a big name guy and you just went out there and did what you had to do. Now we can do this to anybody. Now let's just keep going with this. And then it was Gila for that fight.

You know, I wasn't able to be as active. But then again, you know, people don't realize how hard it is. I dominated the fight for every round of every minute. You know what I mean? So it was like there was not one part of the fight where I was losing. And then with Jesse Taylor, it just happened so fast. you know, so... That must have been the best feeling, right?

It was a really good feeling because it was a good way to win. It would have been different, like, if I would have been finishing all those other fights and then won the championship fight by decision, you know what I mean? It was like winning the championship fight by a finish was like a good way to put the cherry on top. Any concern at all? Because let's be honest, Okami has that reputation. You know, he can really grind one out and sometimes it's not the most exciting fight.

Any concern that now you're going to be stuck in one of those fights after coming off such a great win? No, no, no, it's not, it's no concern at all. I mean, I'm very, very aware of the things that Okami is going to try to bring. I think that he's a very similar style to Jesse Taylor because Jesse Taylor was a notorious grinder. Yeah. And I think even more growing than Okami because he has more ways to take you down. Okami is more so the body lock, trip kind of guy, a guy who likes to take you down off the fence.

He's not really too sophisticated in leg attacks and going from different attacks and chain, wrestling on the leg, which is more dangerous and more effective in the MMA, I believe, in the middle of the cage. And Taylor was more sophisticated than that and had a better wrestling pedigree, and I just shut him down. And people were saying, oh, you know, Taylor's going to put Branch on his back, but I put him on his back, you know, so, you know, I'll be able to show the world, you know, when it's time for me to defend my title against Okami.

You know, people say, oh, you know, I can see Branch being on his back and stuff like that. But, you know, I'm going to put Okami on his back when I'm ready. if it happens, if it makes it for that. Well, if you pull off a finish like that against a guy like Okami, such a tough fighter, if they're not paying attention to you now, they will certainly be doing so come November 15th. This is fascinating stuff, David. Really great having you on the show and appreciate you being so open with your past

and your stories leading up to this point. Congratulations on all your success. As of late and best of luck on November 15th, a great night for World Series of Fighting, a great night for MMA, three title fights, USF Sundome, it airs, on the NBC Sports Network, NBCSN. The main event is David Branch

versus Yushin Okami for the WSOF middleweight title. I wish you the best of luck. Keep rep in Brooklyn and New York. Very well, David, and all the best to you in this fight and beyond. Thank you so much, Aaron. All right, there he is. The World Series of Fighting Middleweight Champion, David Branch.

Tremendous stuff. Wow. Learned about MMA was exposed to MMA by a crackhead in a chicken store. that's certainly a first. Also fascinating the different stories that we've heard today from, you know, Rory, how he was introduced to M. And Ronda saying what she said about, you know, envisioning greatness. Here's a guy who was smoking a joint with his brother after getting a tape from a crackhead in a chicken store.

Just amazing. Jail, all that stuff, witnessing a death. And really, he has been able to turn things around. And it's a tremendous story. You know, a few years back, I had one of those viewing parties at, what was it, Brother Jimmy's. It was for Gustafson Silva, right before I became a father, so I didn't go to that event. That was back when there were less UFC events, so I was trying to go to all of them. And some pro fighters showed up.

It was great. I'd love to do one of those again. Over 100 people showed up, I think. And we had John Cholish there, Nate Quarry was there, David Branch was there as well. Charlie Brennamen was there. Always appreciated that. And he certainly turned things around, yes? New York Rick was there.

Yeah. Come on. I was talking about fighters. Oh, I thought we were talking about the main event. The luminaries. I mean, I thought we were talking about the main attraction. Well, I got to say, that was pretty amazing stuff. Dave Branch's stories?

Yeah. That was incredible. Jeremy May, he defeated after, you know, he lost to Husseymar Paul Harris in March of 2011. Since then, he's defeated Jeremy May, Dominic Steele. He had the loss to Anthony Johnson, 195 pounds. said Titan, which I think Anthony Johnson missed wait for, and then they said afterwards, but whatever. Then he defeated Dustin Jacoby,

Palofilio, Danilovilla Ford, and then this past June he became champion after defeating Jesse Taylor in just a minute and 41 seconds. Less than two weeks from now, biggest fight of his career, in my opinion, Yushin Okami. Really great stuff from David Branch. Wish him the best of luck. Also, in case you don't know, the other two title fights on that card.

Next weekend is an insane weekend for MMA. UFC Bellator World Series fighting all in the same Justin Gaichie versus Melvin Galard. Great lightweight title fight, the co-main event, and also Jessica Aguilar versus Kalindra Faria for the 115 pound title for World Series of Fighting. Of course, the Bellator show is the one headline by Bonner v. Ortiz

and Melvin Manhoff versus Joe Schilling and Will Brooks versus Michael Chandler. They just announced King Moe. Yesterday, Tom DeBlass tweeted out that he suffered a bad cuts, So now King Mo is fighting former UFC fighter Joe Vedapo. There's some fights in history that just will never happen. How many times have they announced that King Mo with the blast fight? It just never happens.

Anyhow, great stuff. Appreciate everyone. Stopping by the guests today, really enjoyed those interviews, some wide-ranging stuff. Before we go, it's kind of tripping me out that it's only 320. I keep forgetting that we started earlier. I'm like, what am I forgetting something? but no, we've done it all.

Let's just take a look at the odds. Let's run through this. We have a fan call. Oh, yes, we do that first. There we go. We've got Dan and Oregon on line one. Dan, are you there? Yeah, how's it going, Ariel?

Hey, buddy. How are you? Pretty good. It's been a while. It has. Where you been? Round and about. Okay.

I'm still, though. So go figure you're going to hear a crackhead changing somebody's life for the better, huh? Well, I mean, it's nice. story? Why are you trying to hate on it? No, I'm not. I'm just saying, you know, usually the only thing you hear bad about crackhead, so

I'm just saying, he changed the guy's life for the better, so... Yeah, no, it's great. It's like a good crackhead story. I guess, yes, crackheads can be impactful in a positive way. Who would have thought? Only on the MMA hour. Have you ever met a good crackhead? No. I haven't even

actually made a good drug addict before, so... Well, there you go. What's your question? So I got a question. Yes. Have you seen the last two Bobby Lashley's life? Wait, say that again? Bobby Lashley?

Is that who you said? Yeah. Yes, I have, Belator. Yes. Now, I know because of the wrestling background, a lot of people question his legitimacy and everything. Yes. But those last two fights, I'm really,

and I'm actually a fan of Lashley. I personally, I'd rather see Brock Lerner and Lashley, then Brock Lesnar and Mirr are over him again. I think that would be a fun matchup, but the first one when he had that choke out, it kind of looked like he just started getting it in and the guys already tapping out. And then, I mean, I don't know. What do you think? I mean, I think the jury's still out. I appreciate the fact that he's dedicating himself to MMA.

It seemed like he took some time off and he's fighting, you know, rather quickly. bought September 5th and came back October 24th. I mean, the opponents that he's fighting aren't, you know, it's not top-notch opponents, Josh Burns, Carl Etherton, so, I mean, great finishes. He did what he had to do. I wasn't overly impressed with the debut in Bellator. I thought the return obviously was a quicker fight.

It was just in a minute, 31 seconds, so that was dominant. But I think the jury's still out. Here's the thing with Bobby Lashley. He's a name. He's got, you know, that platform on TNA on Spike TV, so it makes sense to push him. I think that he could probably make a run at the title just because their heavyweight division is very shallow.

I don't know if he can actually be champion or hold that belt for a long time. But overall, I don't think we can put him in the cat. He kind of came after Brock and the career hasn't gone the same way. Now he stuck around and he didn't give up on it and he deserves some credit for that. But it hasn't gone the way I think a lot of people

thought it would go or at least he wanted it to go. Remember, he got a lot of favorable matchups. in Strike Force and then lost to Chad Griggs, which was a fight that everyone thought he was going to win. Who knew who Chad Griggs was? And even since then, he lost to James Thompson. But after the James Thompson fight, he's gone on a little bit of a run. Interesting to note, as I'm looking at his record here,

none of his wins after James Thompson has a Wikipedia page. So, not the biggest names. I'm talking more about the legitimacy of what? the actual of the outcome of the fights like if they were really fights

they're like some fight type fight. Oh, that's what you're asking about?

If the fights were thrown, get out of air. No way. Look, I have a lot of respect

for Rich Chow and and Scott Koker. They're not throwing fights. Silliness. I don't like that talk. It's wrong with you.

Honestly, why? Because he's a pro wrestler? Because he's a pro wrestler? No, honestly, because I I love Brock Lesnar, and I'm a fan of Lashley's,

but I think maybe the TNA struggle, it helps him having some legitimacy in Vellator and being successful in Delo Tor. I don't understand what your point is. I don't think that fight was legitimate. I think that guy just tapped because that was his payday. No, we've seen other guys tap in weird spots like Josh Barnett and Brett Rogers. That choke wasn't really, you know, fully applied.

Of course, James Tony, that was a weird one. So, no, I'm not buying that. I don't think it's fair to say that to Lashley, to Bellator, or Josh Burns. I don't think it's fair. Anyhow, got to go, Dan. Appreciate the call. All right, how's going. There he is.

Dan in Oregon. Implying that Josh Burns threw a fight? What is that? Weird. I got a question for you, New York, Rick. What's up? When Dan and Oregon calls and says that this is his question, or does that conversation even happen?

It happens, but some, you know, may not be that. They could say anything. Yeah, but what did he say to you? This is a crazy question to ask two months later, no? Yeah, I mean, he said he wanted to talk about Bobby Lashley. He wanted to talk about the USC schedule for the rest of the year. So I cut him off? Maybe.

Maybe he had a second follow-up. I asked him to ask that. You did, yeah. Silly question. Because sometimes you say I go too long with the caller, so I was trying to make it quick. Is that wrong? No.

I mean, you got to feel it out. Yeah, I mean, come on. I just don't like implying that people are throwing fights. It's just, you know, if you don't have any evidence, and it's just, it's defamatory. Get at it. Okay, let's look at it. odds before we go. Um, so two fights. Uh, weirdly enough, what the heck is going on? Best

Fight odds. Doesn't even have any odds for the Saturday show, but they've got Radoom Hunt and isn't that weird? A little bit. I would have expected odds for the Saturday show. Not even the main event. Maybe it was taken away after, uh, Manuel. Well, that, yeah, I think that had odds at some point, but would have had to change for sure. Right. Okay, here we go. Uh, Brimage against um, jumbake. Tursune No No

No Isn't it like Tertsoran I messed up I know how to Actually pronounce The name It's just

You know Three and a half hours Marcus Brimidge Jumabek Tursun That's it I did a pop-up on him

Before his last fight Yeah Juma Beck Brimage Yeah Big favorite By the way Did you see

that video of Brimich showing off Where he lived A couple years ago I think there was I think I came across the link

But I didn't watch it yet Oh God It's pretty shocking stuff. Brimidge, minus $450,000. That doesn't surprise me. Plus 3.55. I mean, this is his first fight back, though, yeah?

No. Brimich, he fought UFC 175. Oh, that's right. He lost to Russell Don't. Yeah. I thought he... Was that controversial? I feel like... Not really. No? I feel like that was one that I thought maybe he won.

I don't know. Either way. Yeah, I mean, it's got to be Brimidge, right? I'd say so. Luke Zackridge versus Daniel Kelly. Hmm. Kelly. These are going to be some tough ones. I've got to be honest.

Kelly has the background, but I think he lost on the finale, right? Daniel Kelly. I think it'll be Kelly. No. Zach Rich minus 260. Oh, wow. Plus 215. Let's go to Walt Harris versus Soap Palleli.

Isn't that on the main card? Yeah, I'm skipping some. I will go with Sulla. Close one. Minus 162 plus 148. Actually, no, plus 150. Clint Hester versus Robert Whitaker. I feel like Clint Hester is so much bigger than Robert Wittaker.

Headbussah. Headbuss, great nickname. Yeah. I feel like people... I think it's close. And I think, I think Whitaker may edge it? No. Clint's the favorite.

That's interesting. That's interesting. I feel like people are much higher in terms of hype and support for Whitaker, which, that's surprising me a little bit. I think there may be some value on Whitaker there, although, you know, you could make the case that size would be a factor. Here's another tough one. Clint Hester on quite a role.

Yeah. That's pretty good. Ally Quinto Ross Pearson. I think Pearson is going to be the favorite. But I think Quinta is going to give him problems. 172, minus 172 for Pearson plus 160 for Alla. Quinta, are you picking the New Yorker? Wouldn't be a bad pick.

You know what? I'm picking out. Oh, yeah, fan of the show. Shout out to Al. Shout out to Al. Long Island's own. And then, of course, Luke Rockhold, Michael Bisping. Wait, so there was nothing else on the undercard?

No, no, I'm skipping some. I'll explain why later. But Luke Rockhold versus... Rockhold's going to be the favorite. Yeah, minus 407 plus 358. Some other notable ones. Guto Innocentch versus Anthony Perroche. Oh, there's odds for it?

Yeah. Guto. Guto. Close. Wow. Minus 181 plus 171. Well, I mean, Guto didn't win. I know, but I feel like...

He has the... Bigger prospect now. Sam Alvey, Dylan Andrews. I'll say Dylan. But, I mean... Close. Another close one. Minus 162, Dylan, plus 150, Sam, Jake Matthews, Wagner, Hoshah.

Matthews. Yes. Minus 351 plus 310. Sam Alvi. That could be an interesting one. Who should be the favorite in the Shogun OSP fight? Shogun. Yeah?

Yeah. I mean, the style matchup matters, but only to a certain extent. I mean, granted, Shogun's take down defense is not great, but I think that, there will be scrambles where Shogun can capitalize on some deficiencies in OSP's game and in the stand-up it's not really close at all Shogun has the advantage there. I think I mean I can't see any reason why OSP would be the favorite

and if he is I could see a lot of betting action going on Shogun. Well we'll see what those odds are. Like I said, a lot of action this weekend so check it out. UFC Fight Pass has the action on Friday night, preliminary card 7.30 p.m. Eastern Time. And then main card 10 p.m. Eastern Time. All of it's on Fight Pass, which I think is great because you can watch it on your phone.

And then the Saturday night action is in Brazil. Urbelangia, Uberlangea, which is kind of, it sounds like a Brazilian... Yes? Odds just posted. What? Shogun Hua, minus 140. That's it. Plus 120.

Wow. So you're right. Because we were talking about it? No, I doubt it. But I think you're right about, you know, the styles being a factor on the line. That could be interesting. Look at me. I know the odds.

730. Wait, wait. No, I'm looking at the wrong one. Saturday, Uberlanja, which I was saying, it reminds me of a Brazilian fantasy world, like an amusement park. Uberlangea. That starts at 8 p.m. Oh, actually, it starts 730 flight pass. Then we've got APM Fox Sports Chish.

prelimbs. Our boy, Charlie Brennam on the prelims. Diego Lima as well, among others. And then Maincar, 1030, Fox Sports 1. 1030, interesting. So that is Saturday and then the other fights that we mentioned earlier. All right, we're good.

Anything else? I think that's it, right? MMA beat back on Thursday. I'm going to Syracuse on Friday if you're in the area. Please do come by and say, hello. You can hit my music. By the way, next week's show is back at its normal time.

1 p.m. Eastern and Monday. And then I go to Mexico. UFC 180. It's still happening. Mark Hunt versus Fabricio Verdume, by Cavallo, the UFC heavyweight title. Our good friend,

Irrelevant Ant wants you to know New York, Rick, that WWE Network is free for the month of November. He says, you should know. Interesting. Why should you know? Because mine, remember,

I got it for the rest of, Salmanian thing and then it ran out. So I would do it again if it's free. I'd watch some WWB. All right. Maybe I'll check it out as well. I've never checked it out. It's interesting that they're doing that and they got rid of the six-month thing.

That's very interesting. How about our good friend Jonathan Obramovichee giving props to Ally Quinta for you saying that he was the upset pick? Word spreads. Anyhow, I want to thank Roy McDonald for stopping by, especially coming in studio. Also, shout out to Cajun Johnson, who is with him here in New York City training at Hensow Gracie's. Best of luck to Roy McDonald as he competes against J.T. Torres on November 22nd at Meta Morris in Los Angeles. Great stuff out of him. Really appreciate him stopping by. Thank you very much to Rhonda Rousey. Congratulations on the Buffalo deal.

Good luck to her, February 28th in Los Angeles as well against Katzengano, UFC Women's Bantamweight title. Thank you very much to Dustin Porier. Best of luck to him. And thank you very much to David Branch. Good luck to him as he does. defense's title on November 15th. We're back next Monday. If you missed anything, iTunes, Stitcher, SoundCloud, all the good stuff. Until they say, Poo. Shot Maddie. Support for this show comes from Odu.

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