MMA Fighting - The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani - Episode 420

Episode Date: February 6, 2018

Ariel Helwani speaks to Valentina Shevchenko (00:08:41), Quinton Jackson (00:29:59), Derrick Lewis (00:51:32), John Dodson (01:13:46), James Vick (01:34:16), Alex Volkanovski (01:53:23), Sage Northcutt (02:13:20), Fabricio Werdum (02:32:22), Cody Garbrandt (02:50:50), Robert Whittaker (03:16:02), Ali Abdelaziz (03:37:26), and NewYorkRic for The MMA [After] Hour featuring Ric's Picks (04:19:39) and the answers to your questions (04:59:01). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Boarding for flight 246 to Toronto is delayed 50 minutes. Ugh, what? Sounds like Ojo time. Play Ojo? Great idea. Feel the fun with all the latest slots in live casino games and with no wagering requirements. What you win is yours to keep groovy. Hey, I won! Feel the fun!

The meeting will begin when passenger Fisher is done celebrating. 19 plus Ontario only. Please play responsibly. Concerned by your gambling or that if someone close, you call 18665330 or visitcomex Ontario.ca. You're listening to the Vox Media Podcast Network. It's the mixed martial arts hour with... No, mixed martial arts hour back in your life. On this Monday, February 5th, 2018. Hello, good everyone.

I'm Mario Hawani back inside our New York City studio. So very great to be here with all of you on a frigid Monday afternoon in New York City. So that means I'm spending at least eight hours in this. studio because it's way too cold out there. Way too cold. Hope you enjoyed the Super Bowl. Great game last night. Amazing game. I've had this love-hate relationship with American football over the last few years, but I feel like I'm regaining that love as of late, and I thoroughly enjoyed the game. I watched it with my kids. My oldest son was into it for the first time, the commercials, the pageantry. We both were rooting for the same team, which is a very rare occurrence in our household, so

It was a lot of fun. I want to congratulate the great people of Philadelphia. I want to congratulate the entire state of Pennsylvania. I want to congratulate notable Eagle fans in the world of MMA, the likes of Brian Stan and Paul Felder, Eddie Alvarez. I mean, Brian Stan is a lifelong Eagles fan, lifelong. In fact, he even married a former Eagles cheerleader. His wife is a former Eagles cheerleader.

He proposed to her when she was still working as an Eagles cheerleader. So this is a big deal for Brian Stan, Paul Feldar, Eddie Alvarez, all the great people of Philadelphia. Congratulations. I am jealous that you finally got that Super Bowl championship. And I'm very happy to see Philadelphia reign supreme. I will say, though, my heart weeps for the good people of New England, Boston. I bleed for them. I really do.

I feel so sad for them. That was a heartbreaker. So close, you have it in the hands of Tom Brady and you think you're going to get it done. I feel very bad. I don't know, are there any notable Patriots fans from the world of MMA? I was trying to think on my way to the studio, but I couldn't think of one. Like a Brian Stan type who lives and dies by the Patriots is always wearing their paraphernalia. I was trying to think of one who would be bummed out about yesterday,

but none really came to mind, a notable Patriots fan from the world of mixed martial arts. I mean, great people, all of them, great cities. you know, they really deserve this one. And my heart weeps for them. I bleed for them. I really do. I think they'll get back on the horse. But I couldn't think of one. Anyway, I'm sorry, Boston.

I'm sorry, New England. I'm sorry that you couldn't get it done. Hopefully next year you get that elusive title. And again, congratulations to the good people of Philadelphia. All right, so much to discuss. There's a ton going on to the world of mixed martial arts. There is a lot going on, as always. And we have a lot to discuss on this program. The big news, of course, we found out on Saturday afternoon.

UFC 222 is in shambles, my friends. Max Holloway versus Frankie Edgar is no more. It is not happening on March 3rd. Max Holloway suffered an ankle injury early last week, tried to fight through it, was ruled out of the fight late last week, and now Frankie Edgar is left without an opponent. The latest as we sit here today is

they are trying to book Frankie Edgar versus Brian Ortega. It's at the goal line to steal a phrase from the world of American football. it is oh so close to being a touchdown, so to speak. However, there's a couple of hurdles. The first one being Brian Ortega is on the last fight of his contract, so they have to sign him to a new deal. They expect to get that done.

The other hurdle is that can't be a pay-per-view main event. And it's not going to be as of now for an interim title. So they need a main event. The problem is if you go through the entire roster, everyone is either booked, has just fought, injured, or has something on the horizon. in the case of Connor McGregor, just sort of, you know,

on the sidelines dealing with contract stuff. There isn't much going on. There was talk of T.J. Dillshaw versus Cody Garbrandt. That's not happening. As of right now, T.J. Dillshaw put out a statement via ESPN saying he's not interested. Cody wants the rematch. That's pretty much the first direction they went in.

But as of right now, there's a major hurdle there. T.J. Dillshaw doesn't want to fight in less than a month. There has been some talk of trying to get Chris Cyborg back, in a month, no deal there yet, and right now it seems like a long shot. As I noted on Twitter, Nate Diaz is available. He's the only non-champion headliner who you can headline a pay-per-view with,

and I feel like he is the kind of guy who would take a fight on short notice. We've seen him do that before, although you've got to pay the guy. Lance Pugmeyer of the LA Times came out yesterday and said that he would be down. I mean, I think we all know he would be down. I don't know if there's much more to that.

It's the right kind of opponent. it's the right kind of payday that he's looking for. And oh, by the way, I'm being told right now, Eddie Alvarez just isn't that guy for him for various reasons. So if you're holding out hope for that one, it doesn't appear like it's going to happen. So right now, UFC 222 is in flux. Last resort is to cancel it.

Second of the last resort is to move it to an FS1 card. They don't like doing either of those things. And so they are trying very hard to get a title fight to headline that card in less than a month. But again, if you just look at heavyweight all the way down to women's straw weight, there's no one available. So they got to pull a rabbit out of their hat

and they don't want to do an interim title. If they do get that title fight, Ortega Edgar would be the co-main event in a non-title fight. If they can't get the title fight and move it to FS1 or some kind of cable TV option, they would just bump

Ortega, Edgar, to the main event, five-round fight. This is why not all co-main events are created equally. This is why Stefan Strew versus Andrea Olofsky isn't a co-main event. and didn't really, you know, earn its spot on the poster.

This is why you need to have deeper cards. This is why you need to have less cards. So that's the status of 222. We'll talk more about that as the show goes on. There was also a UFC event in Belém, Brazil. A few notable things happened there. Hold that thought. Let me quickly run down the lineup.

And then we're going to get to our first guest of the day, who I thought was the star of the weekend and the biggest news story coming out of Saturday night in Brazil. We're going to be talking to a who's who once again. I'll run down the lineup. Manager to the stars, Ali Abdel Aziz will be on at 425. So much going on in his world,

including Frankie Edgar. So we'll get an update there. 405, we'll hear from Robert Whitaker, the middleweight champion. The interim belt is on the line this Saturday, UFC 21, in case you forgot. We'll get an update from Robert Whitaker in his first official interview

since pulling out of 21. 345. We'll talk to Cody Garbrand about what's going on with T.J. Dillishaw. So stay tuned for that. For B. Surve Redoom, accepted a fight against Alexander Volkov. he is going to be headlining the UFC's return to London on March 17th.

We'll talk to Viikavalo at 325. 305 Sage Northcutt. He returns to action in less than two weeks in Austin. So we'll talk to him. 245. Alex Volcanowski will stop by. He meets Jeremy Kennedy at UFC 221 this Saturday on the prelims. James Vic is back in less than two weeks.

He's not in the main event in Austin. That's Saroni Maderos. But he is fighting Francisco Trinaldo and he's fired up and we're going to talked to him about all that at 225. 205, John Dodson was supposed to fight this Saturday in Brazil against Pedro Muno's fight fell through. We'll talk to him about that. At 205, 145,

Derek Lewis will be on, talk about his fight against Marchin Taibura in Austin in less than two weeks. And at 125, we'll talk to Quentin Jackson about his loss to Chal Sunnan and where he goes from here. It's a star-studded show, but like I said, the big star of the weekend, in my opinion, was Valentina Shevchenko. She was absolutely dominant, one of the most dominant

performances in the history of the UFC. She outstruck her opponent by more than 200 strikes. In fact, her opponent, Priscilla Kachewara, only landed three strikes in a fight that was one-sided from the get-go. It was one-sided before it actually started. And there's been a ton of criticism as far as UFC matchmaking is concerned. Mario's Yamasaki is concerned. Kashiwara's corner is concerned.

She comes out afterwards, tells us that she has suffered a torn ACL and meniscus. There's a lot to digest here, but make no mistake. about it. Valentina Shofchenko is the best women's flyweight fighter in the world and I think that she further cemented that point on Saturday night. It is a pleasure to be joined by her via the magic of Skype

and she is so kind to be joining us because she just landed just a couple hours ago I do believe from a pretty hellacious travel day. Is that not right, Valentina? It's... Hello, Ariel. It's totally right. We just landed to Houston, Texas and I'm really happy to speak today right now with you.

Well, the pleasure is all ours. We really appreciate the time. And I know, like, how can you tell us how bad was it? You left Sunday morning Brazil, right? And then you tell us what happened. Because it took you, like, more than 24 hours to get home, right? Yes, it's true. And it was like all the night after the flight, it's out sleeping.

But the flight changing hours and everything. But I used to do it every time and I knew that every travel is difficult, but it doesn't matter when you have a victory. It doesn't matter nothing. It feels good. Absolutely. I want to actually start before the fight happened. You're in Brazil. I was told that you were a big star there, that the fans were really taking to you.

We're really excited that you were fighting there. What was it like fighting in Bel-M, which is a great fight town the first time they've held a UFC event? your experience just leading up to fight night what was it like being there for you it was very beautiful and more i was enjoying all this day staying in belam because i knew exactly where i'm going and because we was in belam few years ago exactly it was five years ago we visited belam and we did our trip by board from belam to all by all amazon river to manaus and then to peru in Akitos, it took about 20 days traveling in a boat in Hamas. So I was very familiar with the city, Bel-M. And I really enjoyed to stay there because the fans, Brazilian fans,

they were supporting me and it doesn't matter where we was going to the restaurant or just walking by the street. Everyone knew that the Saturday's three of February will be fighting. And everyone was wishing, like, wanted to show their support for me. you appear to be in phenomenal shape and this was your first time going down to 125 at least in the UFC what was it like you know with the weight cut

you know you famously don't really need to cut when you fight at 135 this time having to cut to 125 what was that like for you it was totally easy I didn't suffer at all because with my training cap I did a little bit diet a little bit like food discipline and I already was 130 and for the last day

of the weight cut. I had just five pounds, six pounds to cut, and I think it's totally nothing if compared with 10, 15 pounds, and usually fighters cutting in the last day. That's why I just, I feeling good. I feel totally great in good shape because it's very right, like you say, I never cut it for 135 because 135 is my normal walk weight. And 125, I just feel like it's my weight class. It's very natural for me and I feel me there like very comfortable. It's as strong as same. I was in 135 but double faster if I can say like something like this. And just feeling me there totally natural. There were some reports that the hot water in the hotel wasn't working and that led to some issues cutting weight. Did that affect you at all?

it affect me in the in plan of changing our plans because i was expecting like to do one kind of routine for my waiting for my cutting weight in the day of the vein but when i figure out that there is no hot water and it will take like few few hours to fix it maybe more i just realized that i don't want to just wait and lose my time and I just put my sauna suit and went to do my regular regular training and it was easy for me because I didn't tired. I didn't feel like just a little bit change of plans. Okay. Much has been made after the fight that this was a mismatch that Priscilla Keshawara had no business being in the cage with you. How much did you know about her when you were offered

this fight? Did it ever cross her mind as well that, you know, she is not on your level? You know, no, because I saw her fight and eight wins, zero loses, more but TKO and it speaks something. And people was like, if they, they was thinking that if they didn't hurt her name yet, it's something like mismatching. But 125, it's totally right. It just forms the weight class for females. And we will see more names that was not fighting yet in UFC, and it doesn't mean that they are weak. And I was seeing the fights of Priscilla, and what I see is that she has very, like, good character on the fight, very strong hands and very strong head. Because it doesn't matter how other girls was hitting her, she never was quitting.

and I knew that she will give everything from her more than she was fighting in her home country with all supports from all sides and it will give her extra motivation and that's why I was training and I was prepared me as usual for each my fights I didn't like do I didn't do nothing less than I was doing for my fights before and I prepared me good to make my fight more easy. You look phenomenal from the get-go. You were tagging her on the feet and then, of course, you took her down. I mean, you can make the case that that first round was a 10-7.

Did you think at any point in the first round that the fight should have been stopped, that you were just beating her up and there was no sense in continuing? Did you think that Mario Yamasaki was actually going to step in in the first round? You know, in first round, I think it should be continued after the first round. Yes, from the very beginning, from the very, very first my punch, I felt that this is it. And when I feel that my punch was exactly right there and in the right moment, in the right place, I just like focus on the to end the fight. And I was going there without stop, without nothing.

In the same time, in every moment of the first round, I was feeling that Priscilla, she didn't want to quit. And she was, like, trying to do to defend. She was, like, grabbing my hands and doing everything to defend herself to do more time and go to the second round. And I think, yes, of course, it was some very hard and very good strikes in the first round. But I did, I think that. it's like continue like it continues for the second round and it was right.

The second round, there were points in that second round, I will be honest that were hard to watch just because you were beating her up, you know, so dominantly it was very one-sided. In the second round, did you think at all, okay, this should end? I don't really enjoy doing this anymore. You know, it's so difficult to say for me because I'm a fighter. Yeah. And when I'm inside of the uptagon, I go there and I will not stop before someone's stopping. And if I feel that I have to continue, I will continue with all my power.

And of course, I was feeling that this is a moment. It will end soon. And when Mario, he said, like, if you, for Priscilla, he said, if you not move, I will stop the fight. And this moment she's starting like trying to escape and do everything. She in the same time was trying to, before the last minute, last second she was trying to escape. And doesn't matter she was receiving her, but she was trying to do something. And that moment I was thinking like, okay, if it's not stopped with just a punching. And I went for submission and I was continued because in my mind like a fire.

I have to do everything to finish my fight. Could you tell that her knee was injured? Apparently she's come out. She's talked about ACL meniscus injury. She needs surgery. Could you tell that she was dealing with that? No, exactly on the fight. I was not seeing nothing like this.

I got after, I don't remember one of the first time. She's going to be something like this. I was like my punch, it came right through. and to her face and she was like for a little bit losing her losing her and this is what this this this is what like patient I think this is work this it's after the fight or already analyzing I was thinking that maybe this was caution like that she maybe like step something on she did bad step on her feet or something like this but It's everything if it's happened in this moment it was by causing from my strike

I know you've been obviously busy traveling but I'm wondering have you had a chance to rewatch the fight yet not yet not okay I really was was focused on just to relax and rest after the fight because for me it was the same concentration the same preparation nothing that that sounds something that I was like just, just knew that it will be easy fight. No, it was not. It was the same hard fight like everyone. There's been a big debate since this fight, and it comes up every few months in MMA,

that cornermen should throw in the towel more often. It's a very rare thing in MMA. It's a lot more common in the world of boxing. How do you feel about that? Do you think in this case her corner should have stopped the fight? As a fighter, are you in favor of the cornerman doing something? be like that? You know, it's all about the team and the fighter and her team or his team.

It's not what I was thinking because like if I see from my point of view, I will fight till the end. I will fight till the end and doesn't, if my corner will be saying like we will throw the towel, I will say no, no, I don't want. because this is, I think, this is the nature of the fighter because he or she we want to show, to live from us everything to the very, very end point. And, you know, it's difficult for me to say

what they have or has to do during the fight because it's already their own deal. I understand. Afterwards, as you may have seen, Dana White was very critical of Mario Yamaseki and said that he doesn't want him to ref UFC fights. Do you know about his past and do you agree with Dana White? Do you think that he should not be refereeing UFC fights?

The same, like, I'm a fighter. I'm not a referee. I'm not a judge. I do my job. And the referees and judges do their job. And like, for example, before the fight, Mario, he said, like he came to all. our changing room and explain the rules what he will do in case like and he said like when you're receiving a strike while you are moving and trying to protect protect you i will keep

keep fight going and this is what i think it was on the fight because priscilla she didn't she she has good character and she didn't want to quit and she she was not like laying there and saying someone please help me no she was trying to do something something every every time point. And from other side, I also thinking maybe like some kind of because in Brazil, I was

watching during my stay in Brazil and Belém during 10 days, I was watching a lot of fights of what they are doing in Rio de Janeiro or whatever. And they have their style, like they will not stop the fight till the end. When it will be really, really

end. And maybe this This point also was like affecting and that's why we was fighting like more and more time. But the same, like I was saying, I'm a fighter. I am doing my job. I go to the octagon to destroy my opponent. And my opponent, when she go to the octagon, she goes to destroy me. And if I will not be like this go with all my power and all my heart like every scene, it will be some kind of risk to receive the same for me.

That's why I don't want it. And I will, I will not stop before referee will stop me. Have you now been told that you are going to fight for the belt next? That your next fight will be against Nico Montanio for the 125 pound title? We didn't speak yet because it's a. I guess we just came back from the travel and everybody just came back. And it should pass like some days, I guess, to make things calm and think everything with good mind. But I hope it will be next fight with Nico.

It will be my next fight. I saw a lot of people online afterwards saying like, oh, my, you know, Nico wants nothing to do with Valentina. This would be another mismatch. She's just not on Valentina's level. Are you at all concerned that she will try not to fight you? I don't know. I don't know. Let's see how she will act because until now, no one is heard nothing about her.

She's not saying nothing until now. Let's see what she responds. But my opinion, if she is holding the belt, she have to defend it. And she cannot just escape and she cannot just find another reason to not fight or find in another opponent and she cannot do it now she cannot say that i could not make like 125 she's not only in 125 and no one know what is the way to yes i did fight in 125 i did my job i did everything so she just don't have reason to decline the fight do you think she's on your level uh she holding the belt this is say everything right right fair enough that's a that's a diplomatic

answer. I appreciate that. By the way, what's it like having Priscilla's blood all over your hair like that? That's kind of gross, right? I mean, you were wearing it well, but I mean, it was all over your hair. Did you get bothered by that? It was all over, not just hair. It was all over me everywhere. Oh my gosh. Everything in my face. And, you know, the one thing that I was thinking during the fight, I was glad that this is not my blood. Yeah, that's true. That is very true. Did you say something to her after the fight? Yes, I do say.

And I just wish her very good luck in her in the MMA career. I knew that this is very first fight in UFC for her, and she has very talented future. So with a lot more dedication and more training, she will have a lot of success in her future in UFC. And just continue fight, continue training and do things what she has to do and just keep going forward. In a perfect world, when do you want to return, Valentina? How long a break do you want to take now?

I want to have a rest like a few months because I'm not injured. I'm feeling good, totally good. I won't just maybe recover a little bit my energy that I was spending on my. my training camp and then I'm ready. I'm ready. But it's more like not about me because I, you know, that I'm ready every time. I every time ready to go and fight. It's all more like about my opponent, all about Nico.

All right. We shall see if she. Go ahead. I hope she will recover, like sooner. Sooner, the better. And if we will do it just, she was like finding. in some reason to decline the fight, and she will accept like it is,

and we will have our agreement and go to the actagon and to like to make all point in their places. All right, I can't wait to see it. I think a lot of people consider you the uncrowned champion at 125, and that's no knock on her. But, I mean, you can make the case that you're the best female fighter in the world regardless of weight class now. So I think you further proved that point on Saturday night.

Congratulations on a very dominant and impressive win, Valentina. and I can't thank you and your team enough for making this happen for coming on the show after a very long day of travel. Really appreciate it. Thank you so much. Enjoy the victory and get some rest. Thank you very much. It's every time pleasure to speak with you. Now I will go sleep, I guess, 24 hours.

Okay, enjoy that. You deserve it. There she is. Valentina Shevchenko, thank you so much to her for stopping by a long and hellacious day of travel for her. But she is kind enough and gracious enough to be joyful. joining us on this Monday morning. I wanted to start with her Monday afternoon. Yeah, it is still Monday afternoon in Houston

where she is central time. What a performance, what dominance from the get-go completely mauling Priscilla, Casua. And no knock on Priscilla, she's just not at her level. And, you know, it's kind of this perfect storm. You know, there's not one person at fault here. It was a mismatch. And you'll probably going to see more of those at 125 as we see.

I mean, she, you can make the case that she's the bat. and way champion. I mean, there's some people who thought she beat a mandanunas, right? I mean, she is a very, very, very good fighter. You can make a strong case that she's the best female fighter in the world. So she goes down to 125. She looks absolutely incredible at at 125. She beat someone who doesn't have her experience, not only in MMA, but in combat sports, in Muay Thai, etc., kickboxing. And so it was a mismatch from the get-go. Yamasaki has been proving for years that he's inept that he should not be refereeing anyone. He shouldn't be refereeing local Brazilian shows and he shouldn't be referring UFC shows. He shouldn't be

referring Beltaire. He shouldn't be referring any of these shows. He's just not capable of doing it. He's not a good referee. He's not good at his job. How many chances could the guy get? And I'm sorry, you can go on Instagram. Dana White can complain all he wants. If the UFC told CABMMA the commission in Brazil that they don't want him, they wouldn't, they wouldn't hire him anymore. Trust me, they wouldn't. They would not hire him in Oklahoma City if the UFC didn't recommend him. It just wouldn't happen. So stop recommending him. Stop putting him on your list. stop when you're overseas, stop bringing him on board.

That's it. It's been done with Mazagati. It's been done with Kim Winslow. Just stop. And yeah, the corner should be stepping in. But guess what? As I mentioned on Twitter yesterday, there's the win and show bonus system. And these fighters aren't going to let their corners take away money from them.

They're going to say, I've seen comebacks. I've seen Congo Barry. I've seen all these fights. And you're not going to take that away from me. And so I'm going to fight till the death. and there's a problem there. So you can't blame any singular entity. Certainly can't blame Valentina. She did her job and very well.

But yeah, that was just like a perfect storm of, you know, of a lot of bad luck, I guess, for Priscilla Cashware, who now has a meniscus and ACL injury and need surgery. All right, let's move along. Let's welcome in our next guest. I thought he was going to be joining us via Skype, but he is not. He's on the phone, which is a bit of a bummer. We've had some great conversations on the phone. and quite frankly, it's a pleasure

just to hear his voice. My good friend, Quentin Rampage Jackson, is standing by. Quentin, are you there? Yeah, I'm here, man. How are you doing? Sorry about the Skype thing. I don't know what's going on. Okay, no problem. It's just great to hear your voice. Can I ask you, and thank you so much for joining us, Quentin. Can I ask you about this whole thing?

I don't know how much you pay attention, but there's a big debate in MMA these days about throwing in the towel, should corners throw in the towel, and we don't see it, and the fighters say that, let me fight to the death, but also they're getting, you know, beat up for no reason. As someone who's been around the game, you know, longer than most who are still active, how do you feel, do you feel like corners should throw in the towel more?

Well, all I say is somebody's getting fucked up really bad, pulling the towel. Come on, you know, a lot of people have a big heart and stuff like that, but people don't realize the effect they can take on you later in your life. And, like, one ass weapon can affect you later on in life. So, you know, I don't see nothing wrong with throwing in a towel if the guy is getting, suck up as bad. But like 24-year-old Quentin Jackson, let's say you're in a fight,

you're getting beat up. You wouldn't have wanted your corner to throw in the towel, right? Well, I'm not to be honest and say, when I fall Shogun, you know, my coaches and my team knew I went into that fight, injured already, and he kind of like hurt me right away. I didn't want

to tap out, but I knew I was hurt. I wouldn't have cut my my coaches out as they were throwing the towel. I wouldn't have said, and I'm like, oh, yeah, for a game. But, you know, sometimes when I feel like I think I can come back, I can weather the storm, or I think the guy is going to get tired. I would have been mad. For example, when Van der Leigh need me in the States, like 15 times when I fought that tournament against him and Chuck Medell, if my corner would have thrown in the towel, that I would have been upset. So I guess, you know, different fights, different people that, yeah, they can get upset.

But at the end of the day, like, the fighter can go back and watch the footage and say, and the coach can say, look, man, you can be in. stunked up. I had to throw in the town. They can't get mad at there. One thing that I think is a big problem. Last thing on this is the show win pay structure in the UFC. It's not as common in Belator, but I feel like a fighter, especially one who's making like

10 and 10, 15 and 15, says, you just robbed me a 15,000, just let me fight. I remember you were at the Congo Barry fight. We were sitting together on the versus set, and we saw that comeback. Every fighter thinks they could come back, and because of that system, as opposed to just getting paid to show up and fight a full

amount, fighters are going to say, no, don't take that money away from me, right? Right, I agree with that. See, I haven't been on that type of contract. I can't remember. I don't think I've ever since pride, maybe. I think that's one thing that I don't like about MMA. Like, we all do our job. We all train hard and we get in a cage and a fight.

Like, we should make the same type of money where we win and lose. Yeah, sometimes when I lose, I think I should get paid more money. Yes, I couldn't agree more. That system is antiquated. You deserve more respect. You deserve to know how much you're getting paid by the end of the night, regardless of performance. And no other line of work do you get paid like that? And I think it's crazy that we're still doing that.

It makes you guys feel like show ponies. And I feel like you're pro athletes who deserve to know how much you're getting paid regardless of outcome. So that's my take on that. But we're here to talk about you, Quentin. I appreciate the time. So we're just a couple of weeks removed from your fight against Chal Sun. And I know you were frustrated afterwards. Two weeks later, how do you feel about the fight?

well i i watched the fight a week later with my coaches and um i felt like i won rounds one and three i know round one was really close because he um he surprised the word by standing up with me and he he threw some good john john's leg kicks and he had some good stand up but it was no power on any of that you know and um he just he just called a really smart fight took me down at the end of the around. I thought my wrestling was great. It's just those trips. He kind of, like, surprised me with those trips. And he did what he had to do and got to fight to the ground.

But when we was on the ground, I think, I remember one at times. I did more damage on my back than he did on top of me. And I just felt like, you know, the judge just going high for wrestlers. So it seemed like after the fight, you were kind of at peace. But then you went on Twitter and said that he fought like the B word. So how did you feel like Chill fought? honestly I felt this

a chair father on smart fight but you know I still feel like he fell like a bitch he felt like a bitch I thought he did great standing up

so you know I was like come on let's stand up this fight come to the to the ring and he was running around

and you know what I'm like he was hugging me the whole time like I don't know I thought he wanted to make out I wanted to fight what did you say to him after the fight in the cage

what did I say to him Yeah, do you remember? I don't remember that. He's going to big garage, the little garage. I don't remember what I said to him. Okay. But I think I said something like since he's beating, I want him to win the tournament,

because, you know, whatever you lose to a guy, you want that guy to keep winning. Right. You weighed 31 pounds more than him. You weighed 253 officially. How did you feel in there as a heavyweight? Do you like this weight for you Or do you feel like now

You need to go back to 205 Honestly This is the best shape I've been in a long time I'll always wear about my cardio On my fight That's the only thing I normally like You know, have my doubts about

And worry about But this fight My cardio was great I didn't even get tired You know I trained really hard For this fight I had I wanted this fight with less injuries

Than I've you know Fall within a while And I feel great I like this weight and stuff like that. I just don't want to fight anymore people that's afraid of me. I feel like

I want to fight guys who, you know what I'm saying? Want to get out there and mix it up and have an M-M-A fight. I don't mind fighting wrestlers. I just like when people try to try to finish me.

That's the way I can do my thing. Like, try to finish me. I think it's harder to fight people just want to lay on you and hold you. Like, in a fight I tell you, like, when you're training, it's like almost impossible

to get back to your feet when the guy don't give you any opening and just laying on top of you and holding you down. So I felt really great. I was proud of my shape and everything. I was disappointed that I let the fight go to the judges. You sort of had, and it's no secret, you've been open about this, this kind of like love-hate relationship with MMA over the last few years.

The build-up to this fight, the fight itself, how do you feel about the sport and your future in the sport after, you know, this whole camp finished and the fight itself? it didn't go your way. You said you felt you felt great in their best shape. Like right now, early February 2018, you know, what's your, what's your take on your place in the sport and your future in the sport? How are you feeling about it these days? Well, what I can tell you this is this is the first time I've done it since pride. I took a week off on one of the vacation and I landed back on the Monday and Tuesday I was back in the gym. I've been training. I went for a three-mile run

this morning. My body haven't been this good in a long time until I feel good. I'm excited to see how I feel my next fight. You know, I don't mind even being an alternate in this tournament. You know, I'm back, I'm already back in the gym, lifting, training.

I'm doing everything now. I'm suffering. I'm working on a lot of wrestling, working on those leg trips. I'm working on my ground game. I figure you know what I'm saying, it's time that I get better and I just, you know, cover everything. You know, and I I've been working on a lot of different stuff.

I work on a lot of stuff for this camp as well. But it's just like I just see. I got more stuff to work on there. And it's still motivating me to go and try to see it be one of the best fighters out there. I just, I was a little disappointed in my performance, my last fight. But, you know, I just feel like Shell fought a really smart fight. Like once I had thought about it over and over,

I think he fought like a really smart fight. So it's time for me to stop being so much of a brawler And for me to know these guys coming out with these crazy game plans And I have to set my game up and fight a little bit smarter as well Wow, I love this rampage This is the evolution of rampage right here You're positive, you're taking a positive approach to the future You're saying you want to evolve a little bit

But you're giving props your opponent This is a breath of fresh air This is beautiful to hear I hear listen I was mad I was chridden I was mad that night because, you know, I am. I want to excite my fans and everything, but when you think about it,

this was a damn tournament, it was for the belt. Like, people were going to do what they got to do to win. And, you know, I grew up a little bit, and you know what I'm saying? You know, you can't get mad of a guy for having, like, a strong game plan and to take away all your, you know what I'm saying?

You know what I'm saying? You know what I'm saying? You can't really get mad at the guy. But I just, I just, I was guilty because I thought, because I thought I had that win. I thought I had to win. I didn't overlook,

Chab, I wasn't worried about him at all. And I think I got to go on to the fight with a different outlook. I got to be worried about their game plans or something. I got to figure that out. In a perfect world,

you mentioned being an alternate, but if you could pick opponent, like what's the perfect opponent for you at this stage of your career? There's a perfect opponent. I owe Banderlay another ass whipping. I can tell you that. Oh, wow.

I know he's not a heavyweight. And the last time I fought him, I knocked him out of the weight class. But, you know, he beat me twice. I only beat him once. I think I owe him another ass with him. Round four. I like it. Yeah.

You throw that, Belator's way? Did you ask them what they thought of that? No, I didn't tell you. You just actually right now, so I just put it up there. Okay. That would be the ideal scenario for your next fight, if you had your way. If I had my way, but, you know, like I said, it's not a heavy weight. I probably could get the 205 now that I got my nutritionist. Eric Weta on my side, and my thyroid is getting better and stuff like that.

I probably could get down a 205, but I don't know, man. I'm walking around two-eight, two-sixth of this. That's a big one. I love the gold tights at the Wands. That was a good look. Do you usually wear those, or was that something special for the way-ins? Are you hitting on me, area?

No, no, I'm just giving props. Why are you talking about my way-in shorts, man? Why are you asking me what kind of underwear I wear on a daily basis? I did this interview was going great until you start hitting on me, though. What the fuck is going on here, Erie? Listen, I have no problem. I'm comfortable giving props when it's due, and I thought they were a nice color on you, that's all.

Man, you don't give props to a dude on his damn underwear, though. I've never gave props to a dude. Like, ooh, dude, you look good those underwear, man. Do you wear those often? Come on, Harry. I thought we were boys, man. We are boys. That's why I'm giving you props.

I feel like we've reached. No? Okay. Good to know. No, you can't give me props on my underwear, though. No. No. What I weigh in, and that's my business.

And for me and my fans, you know, I like to make people laugh and stuff sometimes with my way in underwe. But that's not for your, you know, that's not for you coming on. It's not for your pleasure and your imagination to ask me, what do I be, how often do I wear those? I'll take the picture down from my bedroom. I framed it, but I'll take it down tonight. I promise you that. Shit, area.

I bet you put your big nose all up in the picture and shit, like smelling the crack of the ass and stuff. What just fuck around with you, Eric? What about that running with Rashad Evans at a club? Where were you when that happened? Yeah, my mom's in Miami. me, I didn't realize that Rashad, you know, lives near there and stuff like that. I come back from the bathroom and dudes at my table.

Like we buddies. He's at my table like we buddies. And what happened? I was like to talk to him like, you know, saying, like, what's up, man? What's going on? What the fuck you're doing at my table? Trying to get there on my drinks or something? I had a bunch of girls with me and stuff like that. So I don't know. I think he was just trying to see what was going on at my table.

Oh, okay. So you guys didn't like, dare I say, squash any beef or anything like that? You kind of went in your separate ways? No, actually, Rashad is kind of cool and stuff like that. What? We had, yeah, Richard's kind of cool. We had our word and stuff like that, but all right, we so respectful each other and stuff like that,

you know what I'm saying? But every time we see each other for the first time, we still, like, alpha up and try to see who the biggest alpha. Even though he gets the W on me, he knows I'm the bigger house. Yeah, yeah, yeah, for real. If that was a five-round fight, like they do now, I feel like that fight would have went a little differently.

By the way, do you feel like the bell tournament? Like, do you feel like if that fight against Chale was five rounds, you would have eventually won it? What do you think? Oh, go back and watch the fight. Chale was getting tired in the third round. I could have went. I could have went two more rounds, easy.

You guys have no idea how hard I trained. And I started back doing this air chamber thing. What's the name of that thing? In the feedback, I saw it back doing that thing. Like, once you send that little AirPod, man, like you do it, I did it for like six weeks. My cardio was great. So do you want to see them finally do that?

Like the UFC does, five-round main events across the board? I wouldn't be mad at this five-round main event. Okay. By the way, I was on your Instagram stories. I always check out your Instagram stories. I'm always making sure that I'm up to date with what you're doing. were you driving one of your fancy cars and it ran out of gas in the middle of the street?

Yeah, my new, my newest toy ran out of gas on me. What happened? I was just trying to, you know, play in and get you sure than, and it got different gas gauges than other cars. It's like a custom car and stuff, right? So it's not like the little gas gauge with the little meter thing on there. It's like numbers and stuff and I was having so much fun and I didn't pay attention to it. I ran a gas.

I went to get some gas and put it in there, but I think I might have messed something up. So I just, I didn't chance. The car is so expensive. I just towed it home. Damn. Getting to take care of it. What kind of car was that?

It's a, it's a beef alpha, just like me. Oh, wow. Is that, that's what it's called? That's why I got it. That's what it's called. It's called Reservantes D alpha, and that's why I got the car. And because I like to where the door is opened on it.

Man. So life is good. good for Quentin Jackson. You know, I'm blessed, man. I worked hard in the sport over the years, and my manager, Tiki, Godkin got me the best contract ever had in my life with Delooglio,

and I'm, you know, so I'm happy. You know, I'm happy. I just wish I would have had that W to go with everything else. I'd have started. In a way, though, isn't it good to be out of the tournament so that you can kind of do whatever you want now? You don't have to be beholden to it? No, no, my motivation is still,

that heavyweight belt, you know what I'm saying? Even, even, you know, I'm having to tournament, whoever went that belt, I'm going to challenge them for it right away. Okay. And have you told them that you, have you told them that you want to be an alternate, that if someone gets injured along the way that you'd like to step in? I could see that happening. Yeah, no, I haven't said anything yet, but I'm sure Mr. Scott Coker has been to your interview because he told me he's a big fan of yours, and he told me he wanted to ride your nose like a rodeo clown. You is a huge fan.

You know what they do? Anytime that there's a Belator fighter on this program, they put it on in the office is there, and they all watch it. It's like required viewing. So this is a big deal. Yeah, they love you, man. I don't know why, but they love you.

When are we going to get one of these rampage bobbleheads? They've got one for Hoyce. They've got one for Randy Couture. He hasn't ever even fought for Bellator, Randy Couture. I mean, you know, hoist fought once. When are they going to give you one of them? Where's the love? I don't know.

They said I already looked like a bar. So they mean they weren't really worried about making one. That's what they told me. Shaked my face. Wow. That is cool. So you said this is the best contract. Is this the last one for you?

Do you think you're never going to sign another one after this one? It doesn't get any better than this? Well, you know, I still have the dream of doing one box and match before I get too old and retire. I really want to do it. Even if I fight do a box and match with charity or something, I still just want to have one box and match. Wow. Who's the dream opponent?

I don't know. I don't know. I don't know who that opponent is. You know, I'll fight you. Could you imagine? Could you imagine what we would do? Paperview-wise, we would outdraw any UFC pay-per-view. I guarantee it.

Me versus you, no other fights on the card. All proceeds to charity. What do you say? I say we do it. I think that would be a good fight, but just to keep a fair, you ought to get like a nose protector. Do you think you could last three rounds with me? I don't think you can handle my speed.

I will fuck you up. You couldn't even hurt me. The skin-ass arms you got, you couldn't even hurt me. All right. Well, it's deceiving. You know, the speed, the nose, the body, you become fixated on the nose, and then you don't pay attention to everything else.

I hit you with the uppercut. Boom, just like that. You're looking at the nose. It's shiny. It's big. It's pointy. Bam, left hook to the face. You know what I'm talking about?

I don't know. I don't know. I don't see none of that happened at all, man. I see like a little skinny, bone-ass kid, and some fucking two big shorts with a tank top on and the big-ass headgears getting in the ring, bouncing around trying to fight me. Have you ever even a boxing fort?

You ever train? Absolutely. And don't forget about my farmer's 10. My farmer's 10 is second to none. Yeah, that's a bad. They have to be embarrassing. All right. So, you know, tell your super agent, Tiki, to call my,

to call my crew, and maybe we could set this up. I think it would be huge for you. I mean, at this stage, you know, you can't beat the chails of the world. Maybe you could beat up me. Yeah, yeah. You know, anything's possible. You know, I need to win. You know, so I'm coming out two losses.

Two lay company as wrestlers. I need me a damn stand-up fight, man. What the fuck of this world coming to? And was the last thing, was Mariah at the fight? Did she come support you because it was a local fight for you? No, Mariah wasn't at the fight. And her and I, I barely, we're barely talking. It's dead?

It's dead. It's pretty much dead. I asked her for some, some sexy videos other day, and I think that was the wrong move, because I hadn't talked to it for a long time. Yeah. So I thought it was going to need some jack-out footage. Can I say it on your show? Questionable.

Yeah, I'm sorry. Yeah, so I think that was, I kind of think that was the wrong move. Yeah. I should have went, hey, how are you doing? How has things going? You live and you learn. Yeah, anyone, anyone right now that you're like exclusive with? Well, you know what?

I've met a few, three women that I really like. And when I was in Miami, I met this girl and I call her my vacation boo. Okay. And look at me, she lives in L.A., so it's kind of been seen. I've taken out on a few dates and stuff like that, and she's really nice. Do you need me to call her, put in a good word, a text, a message? No, hell no, hell no. Hell no, you can't

You can't, no, I don't need you to talk nothing I don't need your help on shit Quinton, it's great to hear from you I'm so happy to hear you're in a good place You're positive, you're moving forward This is great news I'm sorry I didn't go your way a couple weeks ago But I appreciate you coming on and talking about it all

And let's see if we can make this boxing match happen That sounds good, man, take care of man Good to hear from you, man, I hope all as well All right, we'll talk to you soon, all right, all the best All right, all the best All right, there he is Quentin Jackson, great to hear from him. Turning the page, positive outlook.

How about that? Great stuff there from Quentin. And a fourth fight against Vanderle Silva. We were talking about Vandrelay recently. Maybe that's the one. Maybe that is the one. But you can tell he's in a good place. He's happy.

He's positive. This is all very good. All right, let's move along. Less than two weeks away. You can keep UFC 221. Quite frankly, you look at the next week's card, the one in Austin. That's a better card. That card is infinitely better than UFC 221.

It's got personalities galore. It's got the return of James Vic, Sage Northcutt, Yancey Medeiros versus Donald Soroni. But the one I'm really looking forward to, at least as of right now, it's the return of the Black Beast. It's the return of Derek Lewis fighting in his home state. And we all know he deserves that after they sent them all over the world. He's fighting Marcheen Taibura. Black Beast joins us right now via the magicist Skype. It has been a while.

There he is. No? Not feeling Quentin? Oh, hey. Sorry, sorry. Yeah. What's it going on? You on that someone diet? I was going to say someone, but I didn't want to get in trouble.

This is my last week of cutting weight, so I got to do anything I can to cut weight. For real. It's a crunch time right now. So I got to do that. then yeah, I got to cut away. Okay. Well, thank you. Thank you for joining us, and sorry to interrupt, Derek.

This is a big deal, right? Fighting close to home? I mean, how far is Austin from Houston? About two and a half hours away. Wow. After they sent you all over the world, this is amazing, right? You're probably just going to drive there.

Yeah, I'm going to drive. You know, I was going to fly, but take an hour. Got to be there at the airport, an hour, really. then probably like a 45-hour trip there, then it's another hour of trying to get out the airport. What's the point? So I just drive there.

Last time we spoke to you, Derek, you know, you were coming off the back injury and it was a little bit up in the air when you could return, what you're going to have to go through. Here we are less than two weeks away. How is the back? The back is good. I've been taking some magnesium shots.

Oh. once a week and it's been a lot. Magnesium shots. What does that do? It's supposed to take down the flame material. My back get all flamed up, so it's supposed to take all that away.

Okay, and it's working? Yes, yes. Like scale of 1 to 10. How are you now? Right now, I'm a 10. Oh, wow. Especially just a little bump right now. I'm really at 12 right now.

We'll see how this goes. When's the last time you felt this good? I never felt this good because I always had that back problem since 2011. Wow. I never had a fight out my back problem. And no surgery, right? No surgery, yeah. I think one of the keys to your success going into this fight,

I was on your Instagram, and you're inviting like random people off the street to come spar you, right? Like tomorrow you even gave them the address. the time 11 a.m. anyone off the street could come spar you. Yeah, come spore me. If the thanks on a week about your boy, we'll see them all. Tomorrow you live.

Do you usually do this? No, I don't. I really haven't spoiled in a long time, but I've just really been moving around the last couple of weeks for one of my guys, David. But I just wanted to switch things up a little bit.

So anybody out there, thanks on a week about your boy. Come on. Come on down to Houston. Moodytide, 11 o'clock, a.m. tomorrow, Central time. Any takers? Google.

Yeah. Anyone write to you saying, like, I'll be there? Any interest thus far? It got over 30,000 views. I believe I'm the two guys that are coming tomorrow, so we'll see. Oh, is it, like, are people talking smack to you and saying that you're not looking good,

so you're just inviting the world? Yeah, of course. It's whoever. They always talk smack, but I just want them to know how it feels to get inside a cage against a real fighter, you know. You think anyone shows up, really? If they don't, that's cool. If they do, that's cool. So we'll see. I'll let you know. Maybe it'll be a video. Maybe I even go live, so it won't be no editing and anything like that. Yes, that would be great. That will probably be the most anticipated sparring video since, Pauli Malinaghi versus Connor McGregor. Yeah, okay.

By the way, just a couple of weeks ago, I've been dying to get your thoughts on this. There was a heavyweight title fight, Steve Miochich against your buddy, Francis and Ghanu. What did you make of Francis and his performance in that fight? I didn't watch the fight. I just seen the highlights, like the post fight from the highlights and stuff like that

because I didn't want to get Francis, none of my money. I didn't want to pay for the USC fight at all. Really? Just in case they decided giving Francis a piece of the percentage

of the portion of the fight and so, no. Wow. I didn't watch it. Then I didn't even watch the post fight on my TV. A friend of mine is

FaceTime me and FaceTime the TV so I could see the highlights. So I wasn't even really watching. I was really watching Martin. reruns of Martin. Yeah, I love Martin.

That's a great show. But why is your disdain for him so deep? Why did, I mean... You know, it used to always be like that. You know, whenever I first met the guy, seen him fighting, you know, I was... People asked me about him. I was saying, yeah, he's good.

One to Oop. Went to Oop. And now every time somebody asks him a question about me, he always talking crap. He don't never say nothing good about me. So fuck that guy. But didn't you call him, a booty snatcher or something like that?

I mean... Yeah, this is all after the fact. Okay. Yeah, he still is a stretch. You know, if everything goes good next week or whatever, everything goes good, I'm going to say, I'm going to grab that mic, and I'm going to be like what France is tired as said.

So that's the one, right? Yeah, see, we can make that fight happen this year. I want it on Fabrice Hill, but it seemed like he's a book. and, you know, I want anyone and don't matter. I'll fight Kane next if that's possible, but I'm not looking past Tabora at all.

You know, this guy, he's a tough guy. You know, he's good, his mission. He's Fabricio, not the Fabricio. You know, he's good everywhere. Standing or whatever, you know, the condition guy, durable. And I'm not underestimated him at all. But if you do get past him,

you're going to call it Francis. Yeah, I'm calling it Francis. You know, I call out Francis right now, you know. This is another thing about Francis. You know, he sit there and talk shit about me to all the journalists and this and that. But he never calls me out. You know, he never wants to say, oh, yeah, I'm going to fight there. But he always just sit there and talk shit about me.

But he wants to fight everybody else, though. But he don't want to fight me. Say he wants to fight me. Fuck the motherfucker. That's the one. We can fight for green cops. Fight for green cards Yeah

You'll give yours up You'll put your citizenship on the line Yeah I put my citizenship on the line You know I'll go back to New Orleans You know they can keep it out from all the Texas I go back to New Orleans That is some kind of stipulation That would be a first

I'm totally down with that But Stepe you give them props though I mean you know breaking the record Yeah Yeah, that's good for Steve, but that's good. You know, if he could do a shit, anybody could do it. What is that supposed to mean? I know he's going to say that.

You know, I'm just saying, hey, I'm just saying Steve A could do, anybody could do it. Okay. I'm just leaving like that. What about this Steep A versus Daniel Cormier fight? Are you down with that? Yeah, that's good that that's happening because no one else in the headway division been consistent, you know. Whenever it's time, like a guy,

like a fight away from fighting for the belt, he end up losing, you know, like myself. And I believe it's the smart move to do because all the other guys that's in the top 10, the top five, he already fought and he beat already. You know, and by him fighting Cormier, I believe that's the best bang for your buck right now for the paper review sales.

Who do you like that point? I don't want to see. I don't know, man. You know, shit, that'll be a fight to watch, you know. Probably Cormier, you know, he might come in and get it, you know. I don't know. I'll see. It'll be a tough fight to pick on that one.

Are you kind of hoping that Cormier doesn't win so that it doesn't tie up the division? Oh, I don't care. So I don't care if I never fight for the belt, you know, as long as they pay me good, that's all I care about. So they can do whatever we are with it. Yeah, and they're paying you good, right? You're happy. Yeah, I'm good right now.

You know, yeah, I'm good right now. You have to pause that for a second. Yeah, it's always could be more. I could always get paid more, you know. But I'm happy with my contract here right now, though. Did you see Ronda Rousey debut in WWE? Did you see this clip? and if so, what do you make of this?

Yeah, of course. I got to record it on my TV right now. Actually, it's on repeat right now. What do you think? You think she's going to do well? Yeah, she's going to do good. Of course, I'm always going to support her. Oh, I thought you were done with her when she kind of, you know, she snubbed you a bit.

I thought you were done. Now you're back? Man, it's an off and on thing. You know how love is. It's crazy. Yeah, I feel you. I feel you. But now you're on.

Yeah, I'm on right. now. Could you imagine for her debut a resume? She lost a weight again. I'm on right now. Imagine her debut, WrestleMania. You come out as her,

like, manager accompanying her to the ring. No Travis Brown. Can you imagine the swerve there? You know, I could be just even a bodyguard, you know, like guiding it through the crowd,

put my hand on the back, you know, just making sure she's all safe. Right. And I can beat her bodyguard. Her bodyguard. I take a bullet for it. All right.

Wow. That's amazing. What about that clip you posted last week? You're in the car with some guy with the heavy metal and you're crying. Who is that guy? That's my strength of conditioning coach. Man. My business partner.

He rocks out. Yeah. Yeah, he's really like that. He's crazy, man. Crazy crazy. Your business partner, what business is? The salon? No, we're coming out with a sales.

supplement line. It's a pre-workout. It's strictly really for fighters, but anyone could take it, though. And it's in the lab right now. It should be ready in a few months. Is it Yusada approved? Most of it is,

but some of us not. Isn't that? It's different. We got different things that's coming out. We got supplements pre-workout. And, like, I mean the assets or stuff like that.

Just about, just by everything, but some of the stuff is not you side of approved. So how are you going to take it? It is. It's actually, you saw to say it is approved, but they told us to take it at our own risk because it's not on a list of banning substance. Oh, thanks we got in there. Will you take it? Oh, shit. Yeah, I'll take it, but I'm going to have to take it the next day after you decided to leave my house.

Like everyone else is doing it. Sure. And you don't recommend like regular Joe Schmo's like myself taking this. It's just for fighters. Yeah, we got like some Viagra stuff too coming out. So, you know. Okay. That's cool.

If that nose ain't doing the truth. Damn. You know, if they nose is getting in and we can do something else with. My nose is taking a beating today. Jeez, Louise. It's a good thing, you know. It's up on a mic, man. I know it is.

It's all up in there. Look at that thing. It's gigantic. I know. I know. By the way, yesterday the Eagles won the Super Bowl. It reminded me of you. You're on the show, the Houston Astros finally gave your city a championship not that long ago.

I haven't talked to you since. How did you celebrate? What was that like for you? I know you're a diehard Houston Astros fan, right? Yeah. We just went out and had a couple of drinks. We got a headache the next day, but still, we had fun. You celebrated?

No, it was a cool experience. Yeah. Cool experience. I went to some club with Lance McCullen afterwards. Really? And we, yeah. Your boys with him? Yeah, we are.

I didn't know that. Yeah. How are things in Houston these days? As far as, like, the recovery, is it starting to get back to normal? Yeah, things are, people houses are still tow up. You know, they're still doing the renovation and stuff like that. people still need help. But on the outside, it looks good.

But like they done in the rough for cities, city parts, and still, everyone still need helps in those areas. I'm sure the Astros winning sort of like uplifted the people, at least for a night or so it doesn't bring back their homes. Rockets are doing great as well. What are you thinking there? Jay Hardin, Chris Paul, killing it. Like I told you last year, we just needed to get rid of,

soft as Dwight Howard, man. Yeah. Now he's threatening Tyron Woodley. You see this? He's trying to knock him out. Oh, but he ain't, what... He ain't heard what I say about him?

No. He didn't hear what I say to about him? Maybe that's him. What's this amp hat that you're wearing? What's this amp hat that you're wearing? That's the name of my own, the company. Oh, why didn't you say that before when I asked you about it? There's a perfect opportunity.

I didn't even look at my head. I didn't even look at it. See what the hell I got on. I'm all in my head. I ain't even really know why that. That's the name of the company right there. Yeah. So you're your own sponsor.

Yeah. A few months I'll be sponsoring my own fighters. That's going to be a crazy feeling too. To see my logos on certain fights. Obviously not UFC fighters because of the Reebok deal. No, U.S.C. But Bellator, though. Belator, you're going to put them on?

You're going to put that logo on them? Yeah. Wow. What a story that would be. You're an entrepreneur. Yeah. And in three weeks, I'm coming out of my own podcast. Oh, really?

Yeah. You know, at first I like doing all this talking and stuff, too. Look at you now. You know, I think, yeah. just trying to knock you off the block, you know, get you out of here. Yeah. You know, in Canada anyway. We don't know.

I don't know why you got the American flag on your desk. You know, you don't like America. Well, you know, I'm trying to. Taxis. No, no. Thanks for asking. I'm not sure about this new tax reform. You know, your guy Donald, he's running amuck.

That's another thing you and Francis disagree on. He doesn't seem like a big Donald fan. You're a big Donald fan. Yeah. I'm not a big Donald. fan. Don't go in if Brian and say that, man. Yeah, I've got a of hate mail already, man.

I don't get some of hate mail. I ain't a big dime of fame, man. You're wearing the hat? I'm in a different class. Just put that. I'm in a different bracket now, and so things are a little different now. Look at you. Just put it like that. You got a podcast. Who's on the podcast? Is it just you

or do you have a co-host? Yeah, it's the guy that you've seen with the beer. Oh. James. Okay. Yeah. My fishing coach, yeah. And my first guest might be,

Tyrone, the guy from Wanna Fuck Your Wife guy, that guy. What? What are you talking about? Who? I'm trying to be my first guest on the show. Which guy? Tyrone Woodley? No, it's a guy that goes around on Instagram. Yeah? Hi, I'm Tyrone.

And I'm here to fuck your wife. What? I've never seen this. Yeah, I know you from Canada, man. I know. But in America, it's a guy going around doing that. Like legit? I'm going to have a long of my show and discuss. Yeah.

Wow. And does he have success doing this? Yeah, I guess, I guess, I'm sure he's got a million followers. Damn. Did he try doing this to you? That's all. No, not yet. Wow.

Have you reached out to him? He's a black guy. He's a black guy. He's a black guy. guy so he ain't tried it yet. I'm sure you will. You know how the black folks is. Well, not really, but I'll take your, I'll take your word for it. But like, like, like, have you reached out to him? Have you gone in contact with him? Yeah, I just finished on texting him a few minutes about on. Wow. Damn. Was that the guy who just texted you?

No, so much do, man. Okay. No, that's all, that's all I get who call and text me a bunch of dudes. I'm married now. Yeah. That's all that. I texted my wife. She called her and on them. But other than that, I get a bunch of dudes. Well, I got to say, this is very exciting.

You're healthy. You feel great. You're 12 out of 10, you just said. You've got this company. You got a podcast coming out. You're fighting close to home. I mean, things are really looking up for you, Derek Lewis. Yeah, we'll see, man. After the fight, then, you can say things looking at. I just needed, that's a must win for me.

Okay. I have to win. You feel like you have to win. A lot of things right. Well, yeah, I got a lot of things right behind scenes that, for me, the win this fight. Okay. Things outside of the cage? Yes.

All right? Like the things you were talking about, right? Yeah, of course, yeah. And then you get the Francis fight, if all goes well. If all goes well, you know, get him. But I know you want some time off too, I heard. But if I can't get him, came

anybody that's in front of me rematch the mark the one out of him or Blaze or what Volkov Verdun no any one of them guys over in

anyone it really don't matter man whoever sign the contract first let's stick with Francis that's the one that's the one I'm dying to see

yeah but I'm not going to wait too long man sure I got bills to pay fair enough I respect that Well, I have to say, things are very exciting for you right now. They're looking up, as I said, you've got a lot going on. It's just great to hear that you're good health, good spirits.

And I love this card. I think it's a better card than 221, which is a paper view card this weekend in Perth, Australia. So there's a lot of great personalities like yourself in Sage Northcut. Like I said, Yancey Mederos and James Vic is on the card. It's a great card, and it represents Texas very well as well. So I'm excited February 18th on FS1, UFC and Austin, the return of the Black Beast, Derek Lewis, will be all up in that. Can't wait. Thank you, Derek. Good to catch up. I'm glad that the UFC put the UFC 3 video game. I'm glad they put out of my shit in there.

Oh, they did it? My post-fight celebration and all that. Yeah. How much you get paid for that? I holl at you next time my own area. I'll like you. Thank you, Derek. All the best, my man. I appreciate it. There he is. The Black Beast. Derek Lewis stopping by. Always great to hear. from him and like I said great to hear that he is

that he's feeling good these days I've missed them remember his last fight he had to pull out the day of the fight because of his back but he said he's been taking some magnesium shots and he says he's feeling a lot better these days

so how about that? Great stuff there from the Black Beast. Okay let us move along one of the big fights that we were expecting to see this past weekend in in Belém was John Dodson versus Pedro Munoz. Unfortunately, that fight got canceled after Pedro Munoz missed weight. A whole bunch of stuff happened.

In the end, the fight never materialized. And we thought John Dotson wasn't going to get paid a cent, even though he successfully weighed in. Then we found out he's going to be paid a portion of his show money, all kinds of confusion, all kinds of reports. They sent on Fox. They couldn't reach him. Then he tweets at them saying,

You can reach me on my iPad. I said, you know what? Let's hear from the magician himself. Let's get down to the brass tacks here and figure out what exactly happened. Let's get the nitty gritty. So he is kind enough to be joining us right now via the magic of Skype. There he is, the one and only John Dodson. John, how are you?

I'm doing good. How are you, man? I'm doing great. Thank you very much for joining us. Let's start at the beginning. Did you have any kind of premonition, any kind of heads up that Pedro wouldn't make weight that this was going to be a problem? No, he came in.

I assumed that he was just a bubbly dude, just excited to be there just like I was. I was like, hey, me and you're going to fight. Let's go ahead and do this. That's why I made him giggle while we're doing the stay-arounds at the pretty much media day. So it was all good, no problem. No, I thought he's going to come in real professional, and that's what I really assumed. So you make the weight.

It's all good for you, and he misses, right? He missed by five pounds, correct? yeah well they originally told me that he was 140 something and i was like 140 something but it's with his pants on so that doesn't really count so we can't get a real estimate i was like whatever like if he's that far overweight then i'm that's perfectly fine and then this is the last fight of my contract my management team decided to go ahead and a full power play it's like hey if you want to go ahead and take this fight let's see if we can go ahead and renegotiate a contract that we told them that we'll take the fight,

we want to do a contract, and then it was like a misunderstanding. They didn't want to go ahead and do it, and they just turned it down immediately. They shut that one down. So I told him, okay, well, then I'll still fight him, but he can't be more than 142 the day of the fight. So when we go checking at the venue,

it can be more than 142 pounds, and I'll take it then. I'll just go ahead and fight him right there. Because I made weight. He doesn't get to go ahead and rehydrate because he didn't make weight. Right. And so then what happened?

And that was shut down too. Oh, it was. And that was shut down too. So, yeah, so I was like, all right, then I'm not going to fight. Like, this is a, I want to guarantee another fight for in the UFC. And I want to make sure that I can go ahead and show everybody what I can get, what I can do. Like, the last time I did this, I fought with Leniker. He missed weight.

Put on a five-round fight that everyone saw me win. And then they told me in the back that, oh, that was fighted. the night. But since he didn't make weight, you guys couldn't make the bonus. Oh. So they gave out and then two more performance of the nights. So in my mind, if this happens again, I don't want to go out there, go fight a guy that's overweight, and I can't make a bonus. It's not Boston. Right.

All for two. Sure. So this was, as you just mentioned, the last fight on your deal, did they try to resign you before the fight happened, before the, you know, before you went, you know, to Brazil? Was, were there any talks of that? We were trying, we were trying to negotiate beforehand and think kept on coming up. There was bigger fight, like bigger fight cars coming up. Sean was really busy, and then we finally got down to the nitty gritty and really want to sit down and talk about it. There was very little on what they wanted to do because they, again, I kept on jumping.

I kept on taking all the fights that they want me to take. I fight all the guys that they need me to. and I come out with questionable decisions and then they're like, hey, those are still counts of losses. So if those counts as losses, I'm going to make sure I can guarantee a win and play it in my favor

so I can renegotiate far higher. Right. And my understanding was that you volunteered to fight Jimmy Rivera at 219 as well, right, on like a week's notice. I was jumping on that one and if that fight would have been at whatever weight class he wanted.

He said he missed his honeymoon, miss Thanksgiving, miss Christmas, miss all these things. I said, I'll fight you with whatever weight class you want. Just tell me what weight you want to fight at, and I'll do it. Because I'll fight you at 35s.

I'll make the weight in a week. I'll fight you at 45s. I can do that too. I'll definitely fight you at 55s because I was extra fat. Christmas, you know how you do. Right, right, right, right. But of course, that fight never materialized.

But for the Pedro Muno's fight, you wanted to put your foot down and it never materialized. How difficult was it for you to say, all right, this is just not going to happen. You travel from Albuquerque all the way to Belém. I mean, that's a freaking far trip. You go all the way there and you don't get to actually fight.

You must have been kind of weighing a lot in your mind, right, to make that call? Yeah, I made a lot. It was a lot of my mind because I sat there and realized I've all the way out here. I should just go ahead of fight. That's what I'm paid. That's what I get paid to do. But at the same time, I feel disrespectful, not only by him and the organization, by them trying to tell me that I need to go ahead and just do it.

it's getting to the point where now they're telling us you have to go out and win and that's the only way you can stay in but I want to make sure I can go win on a fair advantage something that I know that's the scales and even playing field and it makes a better a better proposition for myself

if this wasn't the last fight on your deal do you think you would have had a different approach oh yeah of course I would have been able to go oh yeah let's go ahead just do it and let's go take this fight right like I'm already out here I can lose this one or go out there and just finish this dude and not get a bonus.

It plays out really weird for me. And did it get far at all, like the talks of the new deal before you pulled the plug on the fight? Was there any improvement, any advancement in the talks? Tell you true, I couldn't even really let you know on that.

I don't know how that discussion went with Sean and my manager and they just kept on talking. I just got like the tail ends of everything like hey that didn't work all right so what do you want to do do you want to go ahead accept the fight at whatever weight they're telling you to or just go home was like well i accepted the fight to be a band-a-way if you can't be a band-weight then i'm not going to fight a band-a-were versus a feather weight because then that goes to defeats a part of no money yep and and uh we've seen

wait right uh we've seen time and again guys missing weight continue to win we saw that on uh saturday with Michelle Pazaris and Desmond Green, he ended up winning the fight, Prezaris did after missing weight. Then there was a report that the UFCPR said that you were not going to receive any money. Were you told that initially as well? Actually, I wasn't told anything.

I started finding out more information off from Twitter and Instagram versus anything else. I was like the person that's kept coming through for any type of heads up. Like, I just found, like, my management team didn't even tell me anything and I was trying to get a hold of Sean

and Dan. and both of them were just like kind of just in the dark with me and that was the first thing that I heard was hey John Dodds is not getting anything I was like oh my Brandon Gibson was sitting there saying oh man this sucks like I can't believe you travel all the way out here for you not to go and get anything so so then when you found that out whatever you do I just kind of just tugged in the gut it's like frustrated because what's the point of having show money like they tell you to show up and that's the money that they negotiate for the weight class, and then you make that weight, and your opponent misses,

and then you take 20% of that show money. So for me, technically, when they sell me to show, I think it's to show the way in so that you can go prepare for a fight. Right. And then they're in something that it's no money no more. It's just whatever money. Like, if that's the case, then I can just go in at whatever weight class,

take the penalty, and then go beat up somebody in the design weight class that I said I was going to be it. Right. So as we sit here today and talk on this Monday afternoon, have you been told that you're getting anything? As lately, I haven't been told anything. Like, social media still says that I'm getting paid a portion, but I've not received any type of confirmation that I'm getting compensated. No, whatsoever. Period.

Whether it's no compensation, portion, nothing. You haven't been told anything, you haven't received anything. nah like everyone's been saying all like a bunch of fancy stuff to all media outlets but I still haven't seen anything and I haven't heard anything either

like nobody's contact me and we'll contact my management team nothing and you said also maybe I had my coach yeah they also said that I was gonna I was gonna get the Reebok money too for for being outfitted

for the week and I was like oh that's cool well wait see and just so the viewers know when you fight do you get paid immediately in the back no now we get a wire transfer to our account so they'll wire that money and it'll be in there by tomorrow like either tomorrow or Wednesday okay so there was a time though that they would give you a check right yeah I remember those days they just write you two checks and then you get to walk on with it okay um so it's not uncommon it's so like now

the procedure is that you fight and then like a couple days later you get paid yeah so i guess maybe like tomorrow or something you could receive that quote unquote portion right that that that people are reporting well yeah i can possibly see it but at the same time i still want to know if they if they are going to do it like just give me some type of confirmation leisure it's sitting in the dark waiting to see if someone's going to shine the light on me it's like hey i found you right right I hear where else is talking about it goes, but I'm still like in the dark. Have you tried to reach out to, go ahead, sorry? Oh, I was like, I just hope that the USC goes out and does the right thing.

Like, I went out there to go to a job and there's a professional sport, so we should be treated as professional athletes. Yeah, I couldn't agree more. Have you tried to reach out to Sean Shelby or Dana White to get some clarification? I texted Dana and I stopped him got back. He just sent got back to me yet, so we'll see. I know he's a busy man, so I'll see what he has planned and see what he's negotiating with his people. Okay. But fair to say, you feel like you deserve your entire show money, correct?

I came to do a job, and he didn't want to do it. So, I mean, I was willing to fight at a weight, any weight class that I desired. Like, I wasn't going to be penalized. I was making sure that he was because he's one of the missed weight. I didn't. I've been saying for a while. Right. I've been saying for a while I feel like they should do away with the whole.

show win money system that you guys should just get paid a flat amount to fight, you should know what you're making as you step foot in that cage, like any other professional athlete. How do you feel about that? Oh, that'd be nice because then now it's no longer, hey, you get this desired amount when you show

up to fight, and then this is what you can possibly win. Just give us like one flat rate and it'd be awesome. That's what boxers do. They give you one and there's no questions asked. Right. In the future, if you do sign a new deal. Another thing that's come up, because

this has been a common thing in the new era. I feel like in the old era, prior to the sale, they would pay the show money rather quickly. For whatever reason, times have changed. Do you feel like it should be stated in the contract that if you make weight, your opponent doesn't, you should be given your show money?

I would like it to be because at least that you went out there and you made your contractual obligation duty. Like, our days to go out there and make weight, and that's the hardest everybody knows. Right. The hardest part of fighting isn't walking into the oxygen, and it's making the few cuts,

that last five pounds that they got to do to make your body suffer to make that my weight class. So where do you stand now on your future with the UFC? Do you want to resign with them? I want to resign with the UFC

because I want to live out with the rest of my career in that. But if I have to dip out, I'm probably going to have to do that too. Okay. I would love to be a part of it. But if another opportunity comes on my way, that's better.

I'll probably have to take that. that. And just to be clear, before the fight, they did offer you a new deal, but it just wasn't the number that you were looking for? No, because it wasn't the number I was looking for because I have already beat up DJ Delishat. He's the current champion and everybody else in the top division that's in the top of the division. It doesn't keep on avoiding me like I was at front of the plague. And the only people that I continue to get to fight or people that are underneath me or just right out in the same ranks with me. Like I had to take Marlon Morris because they sat there and said he was the only one will to sign the contract and they kind of just

cornered him into fighting me so I appreciate the U.S. he gave me a fight but I want to fight for opponents and I want to fight them all the time like I'm at the top 10 and I can't move up if he wants to move up like move down right right um we've seen also when this happens that guys get rebooked rather quickly um have you been told that you're going to get put on you know the card in march or you know uh you know the the payper view or some other card like it you do you know that things will turn around quickly or no, you don't know? They keep on saying that they want to rebook it from March 3rd. I'm excited because if that's the case, I go on that one.

And I heard that TJ and Cody want to fight for that rematch on that one. The DJ just told Cody that he didn't want to do it. If they want to do an interim title, I'm definitely willing to fight Cody for that interim title. Wow, yeah. And if not, well. Right, just fight him in a non-title fight. You're just down to fight. You want to fight.

I'm just down to fight. Like if they gave me Jim Rivera as a replacement to fight him in four weeks, I'd be do that too. Like, oh, hey, Pedro's not going to be able to do it. We have a last minute replacement. It'd be Jimmy Rivera, will you take it? And I'll be like, yes. He skipped off on me twice,

and let's go ahead on the third time and be my choice. Did Pedro reach out to you, by the way? Did he say anything to you about all this? Oh, yeah, he came to me. He actually came in not to my door, like my hotel room and just said, he apologized to, hey, there was no hot water. I usually cut all the way

the hot tub and this and that. And I was like, oh, yeah, like, there's always complications. Like, I was understanding. Everybody cuts the weight their own way, and he said that he can just do it that day of. But shoot, I come down from 168 pounds to go down to 35, and I made sure I was on weight. I made sure I did everything possible to make sure I would make weight because I was going to a foreign country. I didn't know if they were going to have PDLA.

I didn't know if they were going to have anything that I need to go ahead and make weight. So I used my knowledge of how to cut weight the best I could. Did the hot water thing disrupt your weight cut at all? Not for me because I sat there. We had hot everywhere. There's like pretty much the workout room was sauna. So if you walked in there, you immediately started sweating. And so it's high humidity levels.

Everybody was just sweating. Like you could just sweat by walking outside. So for me and him saying the hot water, I was just laughing. So it was like, eh. Like you want to take a bath? You want to do this. like you're finding excuses. If you wanted to fight, you would just fight.

You'd find a way to go ahead and make that way. If they call you up and say, all right, we've booked you against Pedro for next month, do you want to fight or do you want to move on? No, I'll take that fight. Okay. I think it'd be fun. Give me a reason to face and be able to smile about it.

He seemed like a nice dude, and I want to see how well his jiu-jitsu ability is. Can you really snatch a guite on me? It's a real test. Okay. care if it's going to down the rankings. But at the same time, I feel like I owe it to myself and I owe it to

him. And all that, I owe it to the fans to go ahead and see if he can beat me and I can go ahead and knock him out. Okay. All right. I mean, that's a good setup right there. And do you not expect to get a new deal on the table before your last fight? Do you think it's going to just ride out and then you're going to have to play the free agency

game? If it comes to that, it's going to suck. But at the same time, I'm not going to be, have my fingers crossed for it. I know that I'm not going to try to sign a new contract right now because my last four fights on 500, so I'm two and two with two questionable decisions. Technically, in my eyes, I'm four and all. Right, right. By the way, what was that flight like to go all the way back home from Brazil without getting the release of fighting? What was that like for you? It was sad because I was like, man, I didn't go out and go do what I wanted to do. I like I love fighting.

I love going out, being in front of the crowd. I love entertaining. I just love being right there in the center of attention where all eyes are on me, no matter what's going to happen, good, bad, whatever. I just wanted to sit there and do it. It's upsetting and frustrating for me. Because as a competitor and athlete, I just feel devastated. I didn't get to go out there and go do what I like to do.

But then I'm running my mouth off saying I'm going to knock him out, and here I didn't get a chance to do it. I feel like a giant disappointment. Right, yeah. I could certainly sympathize with that. I'm sorry to hear this happen. It was one of the best fights on the card, and I'm sorry that there's all this confusion with the pay.

Hopefully you get what you deserve, which I do believe is all the money, the show and win, because that was allocated to someone. Someone was getting that money, and he didn't show up, so you might as well get the whole darn thing. That's my opinion. I don't run the company, unfortunately,

and it's not my money, but, you know, I don't think anyone gave back their tickets on 24 hours notice. as a result of this fight falling through. So it was going to someone and the tickets were already sold. It was profited. So that would be my argument,

but who the hell am I? I appreciate you coming on, John, and clearing this up. And I wish you the best. With this situation, getting that next fight, and of course the new contract talks coming up as well.

Thanks for doing this. Oh, no problem. Thank you. And I'd just like to tell my side of the story since everyone thinks I just bailed because I wanted to bail on five pounds. Appreciate it. Thank you, John.

John. All right, there is. John Dotson, the magician, a tough spot for him, no doubt about that. And we'll see what happens. Interesting that he didn't get any sort of confirmation, no money, portion of the money, show money, the whole darn thing, Reebok money. Interesting. Very interesting. And I'm fortunate. And I know that there was some talk of giving 20% of the show money if they took the fight to John. on 20% of the win money if he lost the fight. But in the end, you know, when you consider the fact that it's the last fight on the deal, we've seen time and again, including on Saturday night, the guy who misses weight is winning these days, that's a big risk because then they look at the L and they say, oh, you know, you're coming off a loss,

your value's down. So there's a lot to, there's a lot to, there's a lot to consider. It's a tough spot for everyone involved. All right. let us move along. Let's go back to UFC in Austin on February 18th because I think it's a really good card and it's interesting. As I said, Saturday's card

is on pay-per-view. Obviously not one of the best pay-per-view offerings. The following week is a free card on a Sunday night on FS1 and I think it's a great one. It's, you know, there's been some, it's weird. Like the FS1 cards are better than the Fox cards. Like the one in St. Louis I thought was was better than the one in Charlotte.

this one is better than the pay-per-view. I don't know. I don't know if there's any rhyme or reason to all of this, but one of the interesting fights on the card involves our next guest. James Vick is going up against Francisco Trinaldo, and you'll recall after his big win over Joseph Duffy

at MSG, James Vick was in this studio pushing very hard to fight on this card, this Austin card, and wanting to headline it, wanting to get that big spot, that big push, that big fight, sort of like the Darren Till Cowboy Soroni situation in Poland

in October. Well, he got on the card, but he didn't get the big fight that he was looking for. He didn't get the main event fight that he was looking for. So I wanted to see how he feels about all of that and check in with James Vic. He is kind enough to be joining us right now. Via the magic of Skype. Let's go back to it and say hello to James Vic. There he is.

James, how are you? What's up, man? I'm good. Happy to be back. It's good to talk to you, as always, James. So you got the fight card that you wanted. And it's rare for someone to say like, hey, put me on this FS1 card. You know, it's not a pay-per-view. It's not one of like, you know, the numbered events. But I want to fight on this particular card. You're in MSG, but you say, I want to go to Austin in February. Like,

you have your site set specifically on one card. So that's rare. And I thought, all right, they're definitely going to oblige. They're definitely going to put them on that card. And they did, but they didn't put you in the main event that you wanted. What was your reaction when you got the news that you were on the car, but not in the main event? I was pissed. I was pissed. I was pissed and I was more pissed about the way the whole deal was approached to me. When I asked to be the main event, and I talked to Sean Shelby, he didn't tell me who the main event was. He said, oh, we're looking at someone else who's already headlined before, so you're not

going to get the main event spot. And I was thinking it was Derek Lewis, and then he said it wasn't Eric Lewis, so I didn't know who it was, right? and then when I find out, then people start tagging my name and Soroni's post, Soroni posted on Instagram, talking about,

I'm looking for an opponent at 155 or 170 and, you know, basically asking who wanted to fight or whatever, people started tagging my name. So I immediately went on, on Twitter and said, yeah, I'll fight him. And then I text Sean Shobie,

and I said, I'll fight Soroni at either way. It doesn't matter. And then he didn't even reply. He didn't answer any. and then three days later, they announced Soroni and Yancey Baderis is the main event, which pissed me off because I offered to take the fight at either weight class, and also he was acting like it was some, you know, for all I knew, the way he was acting, I thought maybe it was a 185 pounder or a heavyweight or whatever that was headlined in the card.

I didn't know what happened to be somebody that fought in my weight class, you know, or that was asking to fight in my weight class. and then it played out that way I thought that was kind of shady how that was done. At that point, did you know you'd be fighting against Trinaldo? Basically, okay, so the situation was this. Well, no, so I didn't know until after the main event was already booked, then Sean messaged me back and gives me options.

And he said he was going to try Kevin Lee and Kiesa. First of all, he's like, these guys won't know part of you. He's like, this is going to be harder to get these fights done. he said, basically this is what he said. He said, you know, back when guys, he's like, these guys are just willing to set now. He's like back when guys used to make two and two, they'd have to take the fight.

You'd say, oh, okay, if you don't fight Vic, then you're going to be on the shelf for four months. And then they'd be forced to take the fight. Now, he says, you know, we do that. And guys are like, okay, that's cool. I'll set out because they have money. And basically, that's what Kevin Lee and Kiesa did. He said he was going to try to get one of them two to fight me.

They wanted to do Kiesa with a rinketka. with a rematch from the Ultimate Fighter, and Sean really wanted that fight, and then, of course, he didn't want it. So then he tells me, okay, well, my options are probably Trinaldo and Paul Felder. And I said, okay, well, I'll fight either one of them. And then he gets back to me, and he says,

Paul Felder, I said, I would rather fight Trinaldo because Trinold was ranked power, and he already beat Paul Felder. I said, but I'll fight either one. Then he gets back to me and said, well, Paul Felder can't fight until later. So we're going to offer Trinolo the fight And he's like, I'm pretty sure he'll take it

Because, you know, Chernobyl doesn't turn down fights And that's how the fight came about So as far as like advancing your career And wanting to take that step, you're very anxious to do that, You're hungry to do that Forget about the main event, the actual fight itself. Does this satisfy those needs? Or are you kind of like, geez, you know,

this is not exactly the jump that I was looking for? Well, when I, when we initially said, signed the fight and agreed to the fight, Chinaldo was ranked above me. He was ranked, I believe, 13th, and I was ranked 14th, or I was 15th, and he was 14th or something like that. So at least it wasn't a step back for me.

Which, but then, but then they redid all the rankings and everything. Now I'm ranked above him. But at least he still, at least it's better, it's better a top, better guy on the top of theme than someone outside of it when I've already eaten

eight other guys, you know, and all these other guys. It's not like I'm a, a 500 guy or even a two or three and no guy. asking to be a top contender, you know, I have the record and at least, at least it's not a step back. Being on this card, but not the main event, does that, like, now, are you kind of annoyed that you're on the card?

Would you have rather than just been put on a different card so that you're not in Texas, you're not on the card you asked for and sort of, you know, below, you know, two guys that I think you believe you should be headlining over? Yeah, no, but I still want to fight at home. Of course I want to fight in Texas. The venue is three hours from my house. I mean, it's not super close, but, you know, Texas three hours is decently close as big as the state is. And I'll have all my friends and family there and tons of fans there.

Of course, I still want to be on the card. It really just kind of pisses me off to the point that I'm like, well, you know, I just wanted to say, well, fuck y'all. I'll be on the card, but just put me as the fucking fight past card. I don't even give a shit anymore, you know? That's kind of, you know, how I felt about it. But, you know, I am on the main card. and I'm fighting at home, so I'm happy to fight at home, of course. But I do think I should be the main event.

And I would have, I agreed to fight, and I said I would fight Soroni in either weight class. And everyone wants to act like the dudes, you know, oh, you're not a real wealth of the way. How the fuck is he? You know, he's fought more fights of lightweight than I have. And then the guy I'm fighting, Trinold will beat the other guy in the main event, Madaris. So it's not like, it wasn't, it's not like it was just a different weight class, a heavyweight or something main eventing or something like that and it wasn't a possibility.

It was a possibility for me to get to main event spot and I'm kind of pissed about it. Were you given a reason as to why they didn't go with you in the main event? No, Sean didn't even acknowledge the fact that I called out Seroni. I messaged him. I messaged him and told him I'd take the fight

at either weight class and I mean, I would rather, I mean, this is what I don't get. You see all these guys, they talk about, oh, well, this person's moving up, but they're moving up and they're fighting another lightweight. So you're really just moving up

and fighting your two lightweights agreeing to fight in a heavier weights. Of course, I walk around heaviness wrong because I guarantee you I do. I would gladly fight him at 170 pounds and not have to cut all this weight. So is it fair to say that James Vick is going into this fight on February 18th with a pretty big chip on his shoulder? A little bit.

You know, I'm pretty, I've gotten over it a lot. I guess you got me amped up a little bit, but I've gotten over it. You know, I don't even care. You know, it's just annoying, you know, I get annoyed of, you know, the fact that I'm still getting annoyed about not being promoted the right way and stuff like that. But I don't even care. I'm just going to keep winning fights and demand more money, you know. What would you like to be done as far as promotion? Like, how would you promote yourself? How do you want them to push you? I mean, okay, here's a prime example. What was the last fight night? It was a jockey, Derek Brunson.

Yeah. They had Jordan Rinaldi and Gregor Gillespie got a feature on the the countdown show. You know what I'm saying? And they weren't the main or the co-main event. Here I am.

I'm the third fight from the two fights from the main event. So I'm in that same pecking order on the system here. No one's came and filmed me. I've never been on a countdown show. I've never been on it. I've never been featured on any show except maybe UFC Unleased for knocking someone out or finishing somewhere or something like that.

I've never been promoted that way. I've never had any of that stuff. I have one of the best records in the organization. None of that's ever happened to me. You know, they, they, they, they, after I complained in Dallas about not being promoted, I got, um, uh, I got, I got, I got, I got, I got, I got, I got, I got to Oklahoma, because I, it was a three hour drive, you know, so I did a little appearance there. And then I got thrown out for international fight week. So those were two good things that they did for me and, and, um, uh, and promoted me and gave me, you know, some publicity and stuff. But after that in the last few months, I haven't got anything, you know, that. Even with, you know, I felt in the built up to the Joe Duffy fight, you know, they obviously thought he was going to win. They had him as damn near a two-to-one favorites. And I felt like he was getting more of a push than me. And, you know, that's, I'm done. I'm done with talking about it. To be honest, with you, I don't even care anymore.

I'm just going to, I'm going to fight this contract and I'm going to demand more money. And I'm going to keep winning. How many more fights left? I have three after this one. I'll have two. Okay. So we're getting close. Yeah, in my opinion, by the time this deal is over, I'm going to be in line for a world title.

And then I'm going to demand a crazy amount of money at that point. If I'm in line next for a title or one of the top three contenders in the world, yeah, assuming I win this thing out in my mind, I'm going to, I will be, well, I'll be 11 and 1 or 12 in the UFC. If I win these next three fights out, and then, you know, it's time to get paid. Is it fair to say that you want to fight those three fights out this year? You want to get those done in 2018? Yeah, for sure.

I'm hearing, you know, I heard a rumor that the UFC is coming to Dallas again, maybe in May. Okay. If that's the case, I would love to be on that card. I would love to be on that card after, you know, to turn around and fight. I'm, but that's, you know, 30 minutes from my house, I'd love to be on that card. And then after that, I don't have one fight left. Sure. What's, like, what's the best, like, okay, Trinaldo, do you have it lined up?

Trinaldo than this guy than this guy? Yeah, but I don't know who. I mean, honestly, I don't even really look at who I would want to fight next because, first of all, the guys won't even agree to fight me. Second of all, half of them are already booked. Half the top 10 is already booked in April and the other half thing in fighting. You know, so it's, it's, you know, you got Kabib, Tony Ferguson booked. You got Chiesa book now.

I acquaintant a book now. you got Nate Diaz ain't fighting until he's talking maybe June. You got a Kevin Lee who won't dare fight me. So, I mean, that's, I don't know who the hell I'm going to get, you know, honestly. What do you make of this whole situation with the belt in your division? Are, you know, Ferguson and Habib, are they fighting for the real title, in your opinion? I do. I do.

I do think so in my mind. I mean, McGregor hasn't lost the title, but, I mean, he is, you know, he's not fighting and he's not coming to the table with a date. of when he's going to fight. So, I mean, I guess something has to be done, but I guess they officially didn't officially strip him. Like, they're not really saying that they stripped him, so I don't know. But, I mean, I think that, in my opinion,

it should be the real belt for sure that they're fighting for. Who's your picking that fight, by the way? I got Kabib. I think Khabib's going to win. I think Tony Ferguson, he gets too comfortable being on his back. He accepts being on his back too much. and he's good with his elbows and his guard attack is good and stuff,

but he, I think in certain positions, he doesn't try to get up. He just tries to stay on bottom too long, and I think that that's going to cost him in this fight. Are you the kind of fighter who fights better or well when you're fired? Like, obviously, I remember when this fight was announced, you were clearly frustrated on Twitter,

and that was, you know, over a month ago, so you've obviously calmed down, and I'm sorry if I riled you up a little bit here less than two weeks before the fight, But that's why I didn't want to have you on Monday of Fight Week next week, give you a little break to then calm down again. But are you the kind of guy who fights well when you're emotional? Or do you need to not think about these things as you approach the fight?

You know, I don't, it's funny as I won't, I won't be emotional until right after I win. And then I'll just go crazy. I'll probably be in the back with y'all, you know, talk about shit, be on the microphone and they're in the cage talking all types of shit. But before the fight, I was, I'm 100% tunnel vision. focused on winning and after then it'll just hit me and then I'll just go crazy

okay yeah your your mic game as of late for the last couple has been very strong so I'm expecting something strong here in this one oh I got a good one I got something good

oh yeah what do you got can you give us a hint can you give us a taste I mean baby well I'll tell you what I'm gonna say I mean it'll probably sound better when I say it live but basically you know I'm tired of these guys

I'm tired of these guys and I'm just I'm fixing to try to do like these motherfuckers didn't just skip the ladder. I'm sick of it. You know, I'm Kiesa, Kevin Lee, don't want to fight me. You know, Kiyas said, man, I mean, these dudes, first of all, where's the dignity of a man? Like, you're supposed to be a fighter and you don't have the balls to fight somebody. You want to say, you want to say that you don't want to fight me because I'm ranked below you. Okay, that's understandable. But then you're, you sit here and try to call Evan Dunham, who's

ranked below me now. And now you're agreeing to fight Anthony Pettis, who is ranked below me now, too. So that argument goes out the window. Anthony Pettis is two and five. in his last seven fights, and you want to call him out, and you're agreeing to fight him, and now he's ranked below me. So, and fuck these guys, they've lost their chance. I'm not thinking to Kevin Lee and Kiesz anymore. They're fighting. That ship is motherfucking sell for them.

They ain't get an opportunity anymore, because pretty soon, and I text Sean, show me this a while back when I was trying to make a KS of fight. I said, soon, I'm going to be ranked above him. And when I am ranked above him, then fuck him. Because I've begged and practically called this guy out for six years in a row now, and he won't fucking fight me. well fuck you dude you're you did this ship itself buddy uh you you should have jumped on board when you had a chance so i'm i'm thinking cabib i'm thinking tony ferguson i'm thinking mcgregor i'm thinking

i'm thinking i'm thinking world title fights you know what i'm saying i'm done with these clans if they agree the sign they do but if not then i don't care i'm i'm done with them man i mean i'm in my opinion i'm about to go in here and i mean trinogel's no joke he can fight and i'm taking this guy very serious but i'm going to win this fight and i'm going to smoke them and I'm going to beat them a lot easier than Kevin Lee beat him where I'm not going to take a beating the whole first round and almost get finished and get dropped with a body shot and shit like he did. I mean, basically, Trunaldo beat the shit out of him for the whole round and then he got lucky and landed a head kick and finished him, but after he took a beating, I plan on making it look

way easier than that. And then he turned around and beat one guy and got a world title shot. I'm thinking world title shot. I'm done with these clowns. They don't want to fight me to fuck them. They lost their chance. Yes. Yes.

preach James Vick that was great stuff I hope you say that all on the mic on February 18th I'm going I'm going hard I may go even harder I I I don't hold my tongue on the cussing though because I always I do catch myself uh that's why I need to get on a pay-per-view card so I can so I can't cuss as far as I'm get to get a ticket and I don't want to get fined and stuff so I'm uh I'll hold the tongue there but that's pretty much what I'm going to say is I'm done I'm done calling I mean how many times I've been calling these guys out for a year now Kevin Lee's already turned down two fights with me back when Joe went when

when when uh and I in for if he sees this and denies that like I said I still have all these text messages and proof of this saved so either either the massmakers lying on me or they're lying one you know and I when I went back when I fought um when I've lost my

only fight with Benil the only fight I've lost um I uh Kevin Lee turned down the fight with me his camp didn't want to take the fight with me and then just just this recently they were trying to make the fight Sean was trying to make the fight he didn't want to fight so his ship is sell too he's done he'll even get opportunity at least you're on the main card this time right

yeah last time I was on the main card on a fight night because I took the fight with remember I took the fight with Abel Chirillo on two weeks notice that's only why they put me on the main card if not that damn prelands in my home state damn no respect

you're the Rodney danger field of the lightweight division no respect but you keep doing your thing you continue to beat guys up and hey look you got this opportunity let's see what it goes down and I do think that the more vocal you are the more people are going to know

I know that it's a pain in the butt and I know you were disappointed but keep doing your thing man I think things are going to start turning in your favor this year I really do feel that way yeah for sure and you know like I said

I'm gonna I plan on fighting this thing out I plan on winning these if I resign a contract before these three fights are up it's because they offer me a shitload of money that's the only reason why and you know what

I mean, if this continues at this pace and I'm winning and I'm not getting the things that I feel like I deserve, then, you know, I'm going to play the field. You know, I'm going to go where I'm celebrated, not where I'm tolerated. So, you know, I'm going to play the field and see what's up, you know? That is good stuff. Celebrated, not tolerated. Damn. James Vic. Great stuff, man.

Absolutely great stuff. Thanks for doing this, James. Great to catch up with you. I love the fire. I love the passion. Looking forward to your return in your home state, February 18th on FS1 against Francisco. Trinaldo. Rankings-wise, one of the most important fights on this card. So it may not be the main event, but as far as stakes, it's tough to find a fight on that card that's bigger than yours. So

keep it up by man, and best of luck to you in less than two weeks. Yes, sir. Thank you. I appreciate it, man. All right. We'll talk to you soon. There he is. James Vic, absolutely spinning fire. That was amazing stuff. Holy smokes. He is fired up. I love it. That's great stuff. He wants to be celebrated, not tolerated. Listen up. Respect the man. Should be in the main event. You fight an MSG and you say, you know what?

You can keep 218. You can keep 219. You can keep all these fights, these, you know, these numbered fights, these cards on pay-per-view. I want to fight on FS1 on February 18th on a Sunday night and I want to fight on my home state. Give the guy the main event spot. He deserves it. All right, that's a great card that's coming up next weekend. This weekend, it's UFC 221.

It's the UFC's debut in Perth, Western Australia, and it's on pay-per-view. The main card is, of course, the headlining act is Y'all Romero against Luke Rockhold. One of the interesting fights on the prelims, though, is a battle between the undefeated Jeremy Kennedy, 11 and O, hailing from Canada, and the 16-1, Alex Volcanovsky.

Alex is on his way to Perth in just a matter of moments. He lives and resides. in Sydney, but he's kind enough to be joining us via the magic of Skype. It is 6.53 a.m. I do believe on Tuesday morning over there. Is that not true? Is that, is it 653 right now, Alex, for you? Yeah, it is. Yeah, mate. 653. I'm up early, mate. I've got kids. I'm always up early. Got my coffee ready. We sweet. You are a beast. And what time is your flight? Flight's out. We leave. I'm going to leave around 8 o'clock. So in an hour or so. I'm going to head off to the airport. But my, my air flight's at 10 o'clock, I think.

Okay, well, I appreciate... 10.55, I think. All right, okay, so you got some time. I appreciate you squeezing us in. I know it's always hectic before you fly out. So thank you very much for doing this, especially early. Actually, some news this morning. TSN in Canada reported a story.

They spoke to Jeremy Kennedy, and he was very upset about the weigh-in procedures in Australia, saying that there isn't going to be the early way-ins, no IV, of course, so he doesn't get enough time to rehydrate it. I'm wondering, I know you just woke up, but I'm wondering if you read his, his comments and if so or if not, how do you feel about

the way they're doing it for this Perth card? No early Wayne, it's just one Wayne and it's 24 hours before the card. I haven't seen what he wrote, but yeah, it is a bit funny. Like, you know, I think 11 o'clock there we won't be fighting, we'll be fighting early in the morning like 9, 9.30 in the morning so we don't even get the 24 hours. But, you know, it's a good thing for me.

You know, I'll make weight pretty easy. I'm one of the smaller guys in the division. So if he's going to struggle, then, you know, that's sort of on him. But, you know, it is a bit tough. You know, obviously we all like to get in a few meals before we fight. Yeah. You know, I guess, you know, I'll make some Australia, Sydney and Perth,

they make it difficult. I swear they do. Yeah. Why? Did they give a reason as to why they're doing it differently over there? I have no idea. All I know is just there's always, always issues. Always issues.

I really don't know what it is, but there's always something going on. you are of Australian descent but would you prefer not to fight in Australia because of these issues? No, no, no, no, no, I'm fine fighting there. Just sometimes just little difficulties like that. Something that could be easily handled by an earlier way in.

No, no, we need it at this time and it's just, you know, they buy the book, I guess, I don't know, but I love fighting in Australia. It's got nothing to do with it, but again, I'll make weight easy. Sure. What do you walk around at? I walk around reasonably every around 75 or something. fight around 74, 75 kilograms, I reckon, but I just, yeah, I just make weight easy. I get down easy and I blow it up pretty easy. I wonder if one of the reasons why they don't want to do the

quote-unquote early wands because you guys are fighting early in the morning. So like the earlier wands would have to be at a weird time if we're going to go with the, you know, the amount of time that the fighters here in the United States get. How do you feel about, like you say 930 or so a.m., that's to accommodate the North American television audience. How do you feel about fighting that early? I don't mind. I trained at that time every day. So I'm all right with it. I'm easy. I'll fight at 3 o'clock in the morning if I have to. I'll make it work. It's a part of the job. I understand how it works. And I want to put on the show for the Americans anyway. So be it. You are a model employee. That's what they would call you. Yeah. I'm one of the good guys. I'm one of the good guys.

Yes. You are on this mission to rid the UFC of the quote-unquote bad guys. Who are these bad guys that you're talking about? Why do you have an issue with them? Look, it's just, you know, everyone's doing the whole talking shit type of thing. And I know, I just, it just balls me now, I think. Like, I know I get it, it's entertaining. Some of the guys are really good at it. But everyone's trying to do it. Now I just, I literally cringe every time I see someone trying to, you know, trash talk. And, you know, some people just don't have it.

And they just try. And I just find it funny. And I've always been, you know, a respectful type of guy. And, you know, no one's really playing the good guy. I know there's a lot of good guys out there, but, you know, if you just want to play the bad guy here, I'm ready to play the superhero. I'll go to take these bad guys out. It's funny to say that. We've got to Jeremy, you know, I don't want to offend anyone with saying this, but I know Canadians are mentally nice from what I gather.

And he's playing in his hashtag and bad guy and all this. And, you know, he's got his little innocent smile and stuff like that. And I just like, yeah, I'm like, come on, man, you ain't no bad guy. If he wants to play the bad guy, I'll be happy to put one. I'll be happy to put one on his chin. So he's heard what you said and he's trying to kind of throw it back at you. All right, here's the bad guy. Yeah, yeah, he's done a couple times.

Hashtag bad guy. But I'll find it. It's funny. But again, I'll look at him. You look too nice. I don't know, mate. You look too nice. Are you impressed with him, 11 and 0, obviously undefeated thus far?

What do you make of him at this point in his career? He's good. He's a grinder. You know, they're always a tough fight. I think myself as a grinder, so I know I can mentally break people, and that's what he likes to do, but that's why I'm a bad match-up for him.

So I think that's his only sort of option. I wouldn't say that's all he's got, but I know he likes to cling. Once he hangs on, you know, drag you down, hold you down, and just try and wear you down. But, mate, he's going to have a hard time getting me down, and if he does, I'm going to get back up, and then, you know, I'm known to have pretty heavy hands,

so then he's got to worry about a lot more tools than just the fact of having a good game. gas tank and try and hold someone down. I don't mean that any disrespect, but I just believe I got way too many tools. And this is the second time that you were supposed to fight him. Prior to your last fight, you actually had three opponent changes. That's crazy. This time, no opponent changes.

So this has to feel like a walk in the park, this training camp for you. Yeah, definitely. Well, you know, I've had like one and a half camps for him. Yeah. And I've had a good camp this camp. You know, people, I know what happens. Injuries happen, and I understand that. I remember, obviously, after my last fight, I wasn't say I was upset, but I almost missed out on fighting, and I needed to fight.

I had two bulging discs last fight. Two bulging discs, I had a broken fragment all on my sciatic nerve. So I had about 10, 12 weeks of, yeah, it was pretty serious. It was looking like surgery and everything for about 10, 12 weeks, and until about, I know, six weeks to go, I was able to start training. So I only had like a six-week camp, but let's remember, the 12 weeks before, I done next to nothing. So I was in pretty bad Nick, you know, and he ended up getting injured from herniated disc in his neck. And I totally understand, look, but I was in a position where I needed a fight. I've got a family to look after, and, you know, I needed to fight.

So that's how I looked at it. And then I had that opponent change, and then I had Humberto, you know, he ended up pulling out from a broken wrist I got told. So then I end up fighting Shane Young. I've got the win, and then the next day I've got both of them calling me out, wanting to fight me again, same as a Humberto, pulls out 10 days before, but from a broken wrist, so I'm told,

and tells me I'm 100% recovered, let's fight in January or something like this. I'm like, whoa, whoa, what's going on here, mate? Didn't you have a broken wrist? You know, me, you know, he must have heard an apple or something or, you know, fingernail and he's pulled out.

So, you know, that sort of, you know, it happens. Again, injuries happen, but maybe it wasn't as serious as he thought, but I've been, I've had a good camp in the UFC yet. I've had nothing but terrible camps and I'm fighting and I'm winning. So the bulging discs, you didn't go under the knife, right? You didn't have them

surgically repaired. No, it was looking like that. I had a surgery, like, you know, had specialists telling me that it's a good chance you're going to do, need to cut it out, especially with the broken fragment. But it all just come back in by itself. I got lucky. So, you know, I was trying to train, you know, in that 12-week period, I was trying to train here and there, you know what I mean, and I just kept re-injuring it. And that's when we got the MRI and we seen that it was a bit more serious than we thought. So one was out a lot more than we thought, and we thought that was going to need to be shaven off. But at end, obviously, that broken fragment was going to get taken out.

But I got lucky. It got a suck back in. And, you know, I'm sweet. Now it doesn't give me grief at all. So I'm laughing. But, you know, that really didn't leave me of a good camp. And the fight before that with Mazuda Herota, the last two weeks before that fight was a nightmare. Because I went to the UFC retreat.

And this was two and a half weeks before my fight. I was in Vegas. And I was from Thailand, traveled to Vegas for four days, traveled back home. And it just rocked me. My immune system was shot. And I end up getting like, oh, my, I got everything. I got the flu the first, like two weeks out. So I didn't get to train that whole week.

And then that last week, fight week, I got a. bad staff infection. Oh no. I end up getting rid of it. Yes, I got rid of it like the day before the way in. I finished my antibiotics and I was gone and then had to fight. But, you know what I mean? That's why it's just I haven't had a good camp, but I've had a good camp this time.

Knock on wood, things stay good the way they are and you're going to see, you're going to see, you're going to see me put on a performance. Now, the disc issue and all that stuff, any chance that that is as a result of your previous profession used to be a rugby, rugby, player, correct? Yeah, it used to be Rugby League. I used to a concrete as well. I used to be a concreter. So I've had her back issues from there.

Obviously, everyone gets herniated discs and stuff like that. It's very common. But yeah, it's just, I don't know, whether I was trying to train for it for the fight or whatnot, I don't know, but, you know, like I said, it was an ongoing sort of thing, but it's better. Rugby League

was, I never really heard it in Rugby League, to be honest, but really? It's something that, yeah, it used to be 97, I used to be 97 kilograms. You could imagine that, what, 5'6, yeah, 5'6, if I'm lucky, and I was about 97 KG, and you could, well, what's that in pounds? Like, 210, is it, or is it more?

I don't know, but it's big. My head was massive, but wouldn't fit on this screen with the head I had. Yeah, that's 213 pounds, 97 kilograms. That is insane. There you go. 5 foot 6. What is the difference? Can you explain rugby league and, like, I don't know,

Aussie rules. What is rugby league? Is that not pro? Rugby league. Yeah, no, no. Rugby league and Aussie rules, two different sports. AFL, sorry, Ozzy Rules. Yeah, yeah.

Ozzy Rules is they do more kicking and they got to kick it through and stuff like that, where rugby league is pretty much hold the ball and just run straight out at people. So that was my position. I used to be a front rower. So I was just a ball. You can imagine there, 97 kilograms, just pretty, pretty fat and just round. massive head. And I just used to run straight.

That was my position, just run straight at mountains or men. And yeah, that was a position I played. So, yeah, it made me tough. It made me who I am today. Tougher sport, rugby league or MMA? You would have to say MMA.

Just, you know, obviously, like I said, running straight, you know, I get out or don't want to offend anyone, but, you know, we didn't use no padding or nothing like that, you know, just literally run straight. brickwall so that can be that can be pretty crazy sometimes but but mMA is just all year around you know with the mental side of things physical you know what i mean the ups and downs

i always tell people it's like a rollercoaster you know the emotions everything you know you get injuries and it's just a such a crazy sport so when it comes to what's tough i reckon mama definitely because you've got to really then some of the trainings mate to be be ready for a fight you need to be really fit and some of the hardest training in the world world, I believe. And you said you also were a concreter. That's someone who pours concrete, like cement and stuff. That's what you're doing, construction sites?

Yeah, yeah, construction sites. Shovel and concrete and concrete and, you know, Will Barron, yeah, a lot of that sort of stuff. So you can see why I used to have the back problems. Just my dad didn't believe in a concrete pump. So we used to just willbar at everything. Wow. That must be fixed.

Will Barrow. Sorry, my Aussie accent might not be clear. No, no, no, no. I understand. And that has to be physically taxing as well. Yeah, yeah, it was a tough job. But, you know, that's all I know, I guess. Now you're living the dream as an MMA fighter.

Wow, you must really hate your body. Geez, Louise, those three jobs together are just completely brutal. When you were a rugby league player, did someone, is that, like, did someone introduce you to martial arts? Or were you, like, were you someone who did martial arts as a kid and were always interested in an MMA, and then you just decided to go into it full time? Yeah, I just always loved any martial arts. martial arts. Okay.

Boxing, kickboxing, MMA. And I just, I always loved it. And I remember playing football. I wasn't even training in MMA. And I used to watch the UFC and think, oh, yeah,

I'm going to be a champion one day. And I wasn't even training at the time. And you know what I mean? It was just, it's just fun. I used to listen to music and just imagine to me in the octagon fighting. And again,

I wasn't even training. Wow. It's something that I always wanted to do. And my last year of rugby league, you know, had a couple of fights. They went well. I got a player of the year

I scored a try in the grand final and we finished on a really good year and I just made the decision you know what I'm going to just do MMA and people thought I was mad I was actually pretty good at rugby league so a lot of people thought I was mad to actually change and like what are you doing

but I knew I was never going to make it to to NRL which is the right at the top and I was like I'm a competitive type of guy so I was like you know what MMA I think I can do it took it on and five or five or six years late i'm in the ufc so i've only been in the sport i'm still new to this sport yeah she's max better money in m m mary right now or a rugby league

oh yeah m m now okay now it's a you know i was i was playing more of a you know i'm made rep sides and all that sort of stuff that you know the money wasn't massive in rugby league and obviously and you know in the sort of a pro circuit around australia and that the money wasn't big either. So chasing the dream was a real struggle. And it still is a bit of a struggle. But it's definitely starting to look a lot better. You know, starting, you know, I've got a family to look after.

That's why I need a fight. Like I said, last fight, you know, most people wouldn't have fought with the injuries they had. There's no way they would have even probably even thought of fighting. But it's just something I needed to do. I was running out of money. I needed to fight. Maybe that, maybe that injury. See, I like to stay positive.

Maybe that injury from Jeremy was a blessing in disguise. Maybe I wasn't ready for that, but maybe I wasn't fit enough. Sure, sure. And now I am, and now he's going to have me at full force. How, you have one child, right? I got two. Two, okay. How old are they?

Two year old and a five-month-old. Oh, my. Three-year-old and a five-month-old. It is chaotic at your house, right? Yeah, we think, we think MMA's hard. Yeah, yeah, that's right. That is right. And of course, UFC 221, it took a bit of a hit without, you know, your countrymate, Robert Whitaker pulling out.

Like, I know you're not in Perth yet, but did you sense that people were really bummed? I mean, this was a big deal. First Australian champion. What was the reaction when people found out that he wouldn't be fighting? Oh, yeah, 100% people are devastated. Everyone loves to watch Rob Whitaker, you know. You know, he was about to defend his belt, you know. Yeah, yeah.

properly fight for the title for the first time. And, you know, the support from the Aussies is incredible. So you can obviously see that a lot of people were a bit upset about it. But at the same time, you know, we've got a lot of Aussies. You know, some will say they're not the biggest names, but I know we're going to bring it. I know it's going to be a good car to watch. There's going to be a lot of crazy fights and expect a lot of finishes as well. I definitely think it's going to be a crazy card.

Okay. People should tune in. Wow. All right. That's a great sell job. for UFC 221. Well done. I appreciate it.

No worries. Last thing for you, Alex, do you feel okay? Now, three and own the UFC, correct? What are you? Yeah. 16 and 1. This would be your 14 straight victory, correct? I mean, it's been a while since you lost the fight.

Yeah. Do you feel like, okay, I do something impressive here? I'm going to take that next step. Is this the one? And if so, how do you get it done on Saturday? Or Sunday morning, I should say, in Perth. Yeah, 100%. That's why I think this fight, you know, we're both friend on the UFC.

I think the winner really moves forward, you know what I mean? So I think that's exactly what's happening. Yeah, 13, you know, wins on the truck. I fought at middleweight, my first few fires were middleweight, the welterweight. So my loss was that, actually. So I haven't lost in the lower divisions. My only loss was in Welterweight against a pound for pound number one in South East Asia, Australia at the time. So I was, you know, it just wasn't ready for that fight.

So in my eyes, I still believe I'm undefeated, but, you know, obviously I'm not. But it's just, you know, it's definitely, I get a big win here. I'm getting a ranked opponent. So, and hopefully, you know, I know I'm putting a performance, so I reckon these people are going to try and duck me, but, you know, I'm going to, I might have to call someone out. I promise something to be a nice guy and I don't call people out, but I'm going to have to call someone out.

One of these bad guys, because they ain't no one going to call me out. I don't believe. That's right. You have a name? Do you have a name ready? A name ready. Uh, I don't know. Maybe I don't know.

You leave. You're good. You're good. There's a couple. Let's a couple. We'll say. Okay. One of the bad guys are up there anyway.

Okay. You should say like, yeah, stay tuned. Watch my fight. You'll hear me call it, that's a tease. You know what I'm saying? You have to keep us wanting more. There, there you go. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

That's right. Well, there you go. You're on the money. That's exactly right. Alex, I appreciate you doing this. Great to talk to you for the first time. And best of luck to you on the weekend. I'm looking forward to your fight.

It's an important one in your division. Looking forward to seeing if you take that next step. Thanks for squeezing us in and safe travels to Perth. No worries at all. Thanks for having me. Big fan. Champion. All right.

There he is. Alex Volcanowski. He fights Jeremy Kennedy this Saturday. 16 and 1 is Alex and Jeremy is 11 and O. An important fight that's on the FS1 prelims on Saturday. It is Sunday morning in Perth, Western Australia. All right. Let us move along.

And of course, the main event, as I said, is your memory. against Luke Rockhold for the interim middleweight title and the co-main event if you will and I think this one is fair to call a co-main event. It's Mark Hunt against Curtis Blades. An important fight for Mark Hunt, a big fight for

Curtis Blades as well. He's never fought this high up on the card. Let us move along. Let's go back one more time to that Austin card because I really do like it. I think it's a solid card as I said. Donald Toron against Yancey Medeiros, Derek Lewis, Marchine Tibera. We've talked about that fight, Francisco Trinaldo against James

Vic, Tiago Alvis is also on the card. Jessica Aguilar against Livia, Henato, Suza. That's an important fight in the 115 pound division as well, the women's strawweight division. One fight I'm really looking forward to that is kicking off the main card. It's the Frenchman Tibo

Gouti going up against the one and only Super Sage Northcut. Our friend Sage, he's back. He's standing by. Let's not keep him waiting any longer. He's joining us via the Magica Skype. There he is. Mr. Northcutt. How are you? What's up, Mr. Halwani? It's great to see you.

It's great to see you. It's great to talk to you. Where are you right now, Sage? You're in Sacramento? Yes, sir. I'm in Sacramento. So, wow, you are really adjusting well to life over there in Northern California. You looked phenomenal in your last fight.

I believe that was your best performance, your most well-rounded performance in the UFC, the one back in November with the team alpha-mel guys in your corner. Do you agree with that? Yes, sir. I agree. And I think from this point, forward they'll keep getting better and better, too. why do you think you've you've sort of adapted so well to the team there why have you looked so good over there with those guys

you know what mr. favor if you ever been to his gym mr. favorite puts time in with me every single day that goes by pretty much and then he's so hands-on so every single day he's getting out there helping all the team out and we're kind of like a family so one person gets better than the other person gets better so every day that goes by we're always improving is is your eye favor going to be in your corner for this fight as well Yes, sir, he will be. Wow.

What a team you guys are. I mean, you are two of the most positive human beings that I've ever met. Together, you know, no one can stop us. I feel like you should be, you guys should be running for office. You're so positive. Just always smiling, so happy, go lucky. It's a beautiful thing seeing you two together. I like that.

Thanks. Who else will be in your corner? Will the rest of the team Alpha male coaches be in your corner as well? You know what? I have, I had Mr. Paper in my corner. I have my dad as one of my coaches always. And then I also have my boxing coach that I've had come up from Texas. It's been in training with me for like a little bit over a month now.

His name's Alex. So it'll be my corner too. Was this a card that you wanted to be on because it's close to home in Austin, Texas? You know what? Absolutely. It's kind of like, it's only a few hours away from home. So I've been messaged with all my friends and they're like, man, we're coming and watch you. So it pumps me up.

I'm super excited. Yeah. It's a big. But you know what I like? I kind of feel like, you know, early on, they were definitely behind you. They were pushing you fast and making you fight very often. I feel like we've kind of taken a step back here and they're putting you in the right kind of fights and building you up properly now. Do you agree with that assessment as well?

Like we're kind of doing it the way we should have done it originally. Are you on the same page as me? Oh, thank you. I appreciate that. Yes, sir. You know what? I think the biggest thing is before, I know I had multiple fights in a short period of time. But I guess the part I made a mistake was I was in school at the same time,

and I wasn't training at an actual camp. So now that school is out of the way, I went through from school, I'm able to train an actual camp, Team Alpha Mel. I'm getting so better and so much faster, too, that every single day that goes by pretty much, I'm improving. And I have so much potential. I'm so young that even years down the line, I'll still be getting better and better. So it's great.

Was that a tough decision for you to withdraw from school? You know what? I thought about it for a little bit. and you can always go back to school. So it was pretty tough because A&M's the number one school in a nation, I believe, for petroleum engineering. So that was kind of tough to the sideways. But you know what?

You only get one chance to get over to fight for the UFC right now. So I'm going to take advantage of that and try to make myself the best. I become the UFC champion. All right. And you are planning at some point? Do you think you'll ever go back to school and pursue that career? I can see that in the future, maybe for fun. And that's always definitely an option for sure.

Yeah, petroleum engineer. That's amazing. Like, what would you do with that degree? What, like, what kind of, like, what's the dream job? When you said that, that one, I want that to be my major. What did you, what did you envision? You know what? So the petroleum engineer has to do a lot with oil and gas. Yeah. And I mean, the market was up, then it was down and up. But if you think about it, there's, there's oil and everything. Like, you take a piece of plastic and the plastic has a certain percentage of oil in it. So Texas is huge for, for engineering and, you know, oil and gas too, and then there's always a possibility for that in the future. But really, right now, I guess, focused on the UFC 5. That's the big name for me. And then making movies in the future, too. Yeah. Well, actually, last time you were on the show, you said that you audition for the Ivan Drago part. Ivan Drago Jr., his son, right, for the upcoming Rocky. Did you get it? Can you give us an update? No, sir. I did not get the part, unfortunately. But that's all good. It would have been super cool to get that, but I think things work out the way they work out in, and hopefully we'll see

something big coming maybe as a main part or main role in the future. Wow. What can you tell us? It seems like you're trying to say something, but you don't want to really say it. What can you say? I can't say much, but maybe there's a, maybe there's something in the works. Wow. I guess we'll see what happens. This is big. A theatrical release, like a big Hollywood blockbuster? You know, not too sure. I'm not too sure. I'm not. too much information about it yet, but we're going to see. I don't want to get you in trouble. Yes.

Thanks. Were you upset when you didn't get the Ivan Drago Jr. part? Because you were perfect for that, the hair, the look, you looked exactly like him. It was amazing. Thanks. You know what? Yeah. I mean, I thought, a lot of my fans, too, and friends thought that looked just like him.

You know what? I wasn't upset at all. I mean, I guess what happens is supposed to happen? I'm still going to go see the movie. I'm excited to see it. Yeah, that would have been cool to get it, of course. But there's always things in the future. I look forward to.

What a nice guy you are. You're still going to support the movie even though they turned you down. That's amazing. I would not go. I would tell all my friends not to go just to spite them. That's the kind of guy I am, though. That's funny. The one problem I had with that, though, you're too nice.

Like, you can't play a bad guy, right? Like, were you worried about that? Were you conflicted? Like, do you have that in you? Oh, you can't be. No, I definitely could. Really? Even when you get out there to fight, I mean, I'm not like,

sure. I guess, like, I'm a stone-called killer or something, but it is acting. So, I mean, you can play a part in, when I get out there, I am serious when I go out there and fight, even though I'm having fun, I might smile occasionally or something. Right. But if you're acting and it's not really like real life, and I guess if you had some coach and you can do whatever you like. That's true.

That's a good point. I saw a picture of you. We actually showed it on the show last week. You were on, like, some big truck shirtless, some, like, some huge monster. truck. You posted this. What was that all about? Oh, yeah. I was just kind of messing around. I was making a phone call and I thought it was fun. Yeah. You look like a baller. You look like a player. Oh, that's funny. Thanks.

Whose car is that? Is that your car? Yes, sir. It's a, it's a Ford Raptor. I just got it pretty recently, actually. Wow. Is it one of those with the big wheels, like the massive wheels, the pickup trucks? You know, it's kind of big. It's more like an off-roading vehicle. So, like, I take it off-roading and jump in. Wow. That's what I've been doing. I got stuck up in, but I was in Lake Tahoe, like, last week, actually, with my sister. And we got stuck up in the mountains for about 45 minutes in the snow. And then we busted out of the snow, so it was pretty fun. You guys were off-roading and you got stuck.

We were. I was like, I told my sister, I was like, hey, Colby, I was like, give my phone a video this. So I started doing all these donuts in the snow. And then, like, I drifted off this, like, quarters. What? And the snow was literally up to my knees. And, like, my tires just were spinning and I got stuck. Oh, my. Were you nervous?

A little bit. You know what I was nervous about? I was getting hungry. So I was like, oh, if I'm out here for like two more hours, I'm going to be started. So how did you get out? That's what I was nervous about. Oh, we actually, I actually kind of lucked out. I had a saw in my car.

So I had to go saw down some, like, tree bark and some little tree branches, unfortunately, and stick them into tires and use those as, like, drip. So like I try to get some grip going forward and then put the tree branches underneath it and then get back forward back and then finally got out. Wow. That's unbelievable. I'm looking forward to like, yeah, it is. I'm looking forward to doing some fun stuff with it later. I'll probably post some videos after my fight and me jumping it or something. Oh, no.

Please don't do that. That makes me nervous. I don't want to. I mean, I would be, I would be freaking out. How did you learn to, like, how did you come up with doing all that with the branches? I would have no idea what to do. Oh, you know what? I had no idea.

We were just kind of like brainstorming. I was like, well, I could use my tennis shoe. I was like, I can use my tennis shoe, but I was like, well, if my tennis shoe gets stuck around the wheel, like, how am I going to get out? So I was like, man, maybe I can use like a tree branch or something because that's all there was out there like rocks and tree branches, but the rocks were like submerged in the snow and like covered with ice so you couldn't use that. So tree branches it was.

How long, like from the moment that you got stuck to getting out, how long were you out there for? Oh, I was, so like, when I got stuck, I was stuck for about 45 minutes. Funny thing was, I got out and then I was like, here, this time I'm not going to get stuck. I gave my sister my phone the video. I started doing like a drifting donut again, and then I got stuck again. Oh, my God. But then I got out really quick.

That was like five minutes. Man, all for the Instagram. Did you get any kind of video here? Did you post it? No, I didn't post it, but, no, it was fun, though. Okay. By the way, how is your sister doing? She had her fight in June.

Is she planning on coming back? Yeah, you know what? Yes, sir. She's doing good. She really did train for her fight that she had, unfortunately. So she had lots of stuff going on. She just finished during school and stuff. So I can definitely see her coming back.

I don't know if it's going to be kickboxing or if it would be boxing or if it would be MMA. I'm not sure. But I guess when she figures it out, I'll probably post about it. She will definitely. Okay. And she'll be training definitely, training super hard. wherever it's at. It's Team Alpha Mail or it's in Los Angeles or wherever it is. I know she'll train hard.

And you're all over the place. I see you on these Metro PCS commercials with Demetrius Johnson. Did you enjoy doing that? Oh, you kidding me? That was fun. Hey, Demetius Johnson is so strong. For the commercial, I like fake to shot on him and then we had to shoot it on each other and he had to pick me up and slam me on the ground. Man, he had some strength because he'd pick me up like, like, like, drag on just put me down. And I was like, wow. Wow. I thought maybe that was like, you know, the magic of editing. He actually legit picked you up. 125 pound Demetrius Johnson. He did. He did. He's so fast, too. Wow. How many takes to that whole thing, that whole commercial? How many takes did you guys do? You know what? That one part, I think we did, I think we probably did like 10 takes. Wow. So it was fun, like, just like different, different variations. Like, one time, he picked me up, like, showing, like, the force of, like,

new sports like how much it takes like you slim, stage in the ground that weighs 170 pounds and then, and then like me faking out on the shot or me like messing with them saying something back like we did different things. So it was definitely fun. Have you filmed any other commercials with,

with Metro PCS or anyone else that are coming out? Oh, you know, I filmed one of, I think you just came out. I filmed one for the UFC store. So like the girl for UFC. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. That was cool. That came out like, I think a few months ago,

me, Cynthia, and then Francis. Francis Nagano. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. You guys were all together filming that? That was fun. Yes, sir. We actually filmed at the UFC headquarters. Right, right, right, right. UFCPI. Yep. You ever pinch yourself sometimes, Sage? Like, look at me. How old are you now? 22, 23?

Oh, close. 21. It's unbelievable. Like, look at me. I'm 21. I'm living my dream as a fighter. I'm auditioning for big time movies. I mean commercials. national, like you ever pinch yourself? How lucky am I? What a life I have. When I was 21, I was just like some schmuck kid in college. Oh, thank you. You know what? Definitely. Like some people say it's luck. I think I'm blessed for sure to beat the point where I'm at and then have so many opportunities too. So, if you think about it, it's, I mean, for me,

it's a huge deal because I'd be in school right now trying to get my degree as an engineer, but now I'm getting to have fun fighting for the UFC, which is a huge privilege, especially being so young. And then I'm getting to have fun training. non-famil with your riot paper and the whole team getting to go do auditions and commercials and movies in the future. It's so much fun. Yeah. It's definitely blessing and honor. Is it hard to relate to your friends who are still in school because you're out like doing all these cool things and they're like studying for tests and stuff like that? Oh, you know what? I kind of sometimes I kind of miss school. Like, like I mean studying, it doesn't sound, it doesn't sound,

it sounds kind of funny like, hey, like studying for tests. You wouldn't think it's fun, but but I kind of miss doing like engineering sometimes because it was fun. even though it was a lot of work and it wasn't, sometimes it wasn't fun, sometimes it was. But I don't think it's that hard to relate because I guess my friends that I've known, they're happy for like what I'm doing and we kind of get to share it together.

So like in the future they're going to my UFC fighters and I'm pumping them up for their test. Yeah. It's pretty cool actually. So how many people do you expect to have in attendance on February 18th? You know what? I'm not sure, actually.

I mean, I know it's a few hours from my home, so I'm expecting to have a blast out there. I believe there's going to be a lot of fans out there watching and tuning in for sure. If they can't actually make it to the fight because they're out of town doing something, then I know they'll be tuning in for sure. So I think it's going to be awesome. Since your last fight in November, is there a part of your game that you felt okay in this training camp I want to work on? I want to be better at this. And if so, could you tell us what it is?

I mean, like I said, that was your most well-rounded performance, in my opinion. but was there something that you really focused on for this training camp? Thanks. You know, I mean, I'm always focusing on making every part of my game better, which is great because there's such a variety of training partners, team Alpha male. Everybody's like the best, the best wrestlers. Olympians are there.

You have great kick boxers, people from Russia or Ireland that are the key boxing champions, the boxing champions. So there's so many different variety of stuff. It's like every single day or every other day you're doing one thing or another thing, and your game's always improving. So my striking's improving, my wrestling's improving, my grappling, the transitions, like how to strike to take down or how to defend at the same time or submit them as they're shooting on me, maybe.

Just, it's all improving, I guess. So you can't really pick out one thing, but, I mean, obviously, you do watch your opponent's tendencies and see what he has tendencies to do, maybe what he's good at, what he's not good at, and kind of go from there. So that's what I've been doing. What do you think of Tebow? What kind of tendencies have you learned from watching and studying him? You know, me, Mr. Faber, my coaches, Alex, my dad, we've watched this footage,

and that's what we do for our fights, of course, kind of break it down and check it out for sure. You know what? It looks like he's pretty well-rounded. He fought for the ultimate fighter, I believe, if that's correct, and had, I'm not sure how many fights he had, but I believe actually, your right, Faber was one of the coaches for one of the teams during that time. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So he knows him well. Yeah, it looks.

Oh, I don't know if he knows him well from the older five, but from us watching the tape, yes, sir. Sure, sure, sure. What a great resource to have him in your corner. You two are great. Do you guys hang out, like, outside of the gym as well? Yeah, we do, actually. Like, the other day, something funny was the other day I walked out to my truck, and I'm walking outside, and I hear, hey, Sage, I'm looking around, like, the whole street's empty.

I'm like, who's calling my name? I was like, maybe I'm hearing stuff. So I don't open my door here. Yo, Sage. And I'm looking around. Like, who is that? I started looking up. Like, it was coming from like the sky or something.

I see your right at favor on his roof next to his solar panels. I'm like, wait, Mr. Faber? He's like, come here. So like I came over there to say what's up to him and we hung out. Like got some sun up on the roof. It was pretty cool. Wow. Just you two hanging out on his roof getting sun?

Just hanging out. Yes, sir. Wow. Amazing. To be able to pick his brain a legend like that at this stage of your career. What a privilege for you, right? Yes, sir, definitely. He's so smart.

He has so much knowledge. It's amazing. Sage, I wish I can clone you. I wish I could put 500 sages in this world. We need more people like you in this world. Keep doing your thing, my man. Congratulations on the win back in November. What a great performance.

Everything about it was just phenomenal. And I'm very much looking forward to your return. In your home state in less than two weeks. Thanks for doing this, Sage. Great to talk to you and we'll talk to you soon. Absolutely. Thank you, Mr. Owani. I appreciate it.

all the best to you absolutely anytime there he is the one and only sage north cut stopping by great to hear from him always positive always a smile on his face i mean if we could all be as happy as that man right unbelievable him and him and him and your eye favor together what a duo too happy go lucky guys just loving life uh not a an evil bone in their body and he returns to action And I do believe that they're taking the right approach with them now. It's the right kind of push against the right kind of opponents, the right kind of matchups. They're doing it right with him now. Initially, it was a little too quick.

It was a little too soon. We saw what happened. Now they're taking a step back. You know, they're doing things right. And I like that very much. So he's got a fight on February 18th against Thibault Guti of France. And that's on that FS1 card that I'm excited about. We've had three guests from that show on this particular episode.

All right. let us move along. One of the big stories last week, everyone was wondering, who is going to headline the UFC's return to London, England, right? March 17th. Everyone was very concerned about this.

Was it going to be Darren Till? Was it going to be Michael Bisping? Was it going to be someone else? Was it going to be Jimmy Manoa against Jan Blachowitz? Who was going to headline? And then Thursday, late morning, early afternoon, out of nowhere comes the man who often saves the day for the UFC and doesn't get enough credit for this.

Vy Cavallo himself. Fabrizio Verduim saves the day once again. And who's he fighting? Alexander Volkov, a very important fight in the heavyweight division. So I wanted to talk to Fabricio himself about how this all went down. He is kind enough to be joining us. Be the magical Skype. Hey, there he is.

Vycavallo himself. How are you, my friend? Everything is good, man. Thank you for having me again, then. It is a pleasure, as always, Fabricio. So I want to start last Monday. Last Monday, I saw on Instagram. you were in Las Vegas.

You went to UFC headquarters to meet with Dana Way, right? Yes, yes, yes. Very good meeting, man. You know, sometimes it's good. You talk with the boss, you know, and everything's good. Me and Dana White and the Arles is there. And I stay within like 40 minutes, talking everything about everything, you know, for 2018. You know, it's good, man.

Everything is positive. So you got on the same page, you cleared the air, your friends again. Yes. The same page for sure, man. You know, it's very important you understand the business, you know. It's like sometimes the Brazilian guys go like a different way, but this is a business. You know, it's like I worked for UFC for a long time. And I mean, I like when I'm saying, I'm a company guy.

This is very important. Yeah. You help the company too, you know? Because it may happen. It's much better. It's a lot of good things for me in UFC. Sometimes you fight for your wife, too. I have a fight with my wife.

I have a fight with friends. You have a fight with your normal life. And sometimes you have a fight with your job too. But it's not true very important. It's like a little fight, you know. It's happened. But this is a pass, you know? Sure, sure.

So does this mean you're going to get your TV job back? the Spanish TV job. Are they going to give it back to you? Yes, I'm happy about this because, you know, I love this job. It's not just about money. For sure, for money, too, because it might work, you know, but I love this work. You know, the first time I go to the TV job for a commentary, I don't like because I have a fight coming up.

I don't want to do that. But now I love this. I love TV, you know, you love too. I love TV. I love it because it's in Spanish for all activities. America for USA and focus the port is and I'm fluent in Spanish you know I'm very comfortable that I love this but I love this for after that I stopped the fight maybe in three years or four years I have a good job sure no job for the just job for

money no you love this is much better you know so did you get the job back yes yeah I was next yeah yes yes yes I start next yeah I start I start maybe February 10. February 10, I start again. Wow, congratulations. Yes. Hey, I have in my Instagram, I have a lot of followers, and I think I have a lot of Brazilian followers too,

but in America, I have a lot, man. I love the guys, you guys love me there too. It's good, all Latin America. So I was told from your manager, Alia Bda-Ziz, that you were told that you were going to be on the ultimate fighter as a coach, and then they decided to go with Daniel Kormier. It was going to be you and Steve Miochich. Is that true?

Yes. No 100%, but almost as I did the ultimate fight. I did in Brazil in Portuguese. I did in Spanish too, you know, for Latin America versus King Velazquez. This is English. I think it's so hard, you know. Yeah. English.

Imagine it. It's so hard. Like, for me, it's a hard one in English, no. But I think it's very excited fight too, For sure, 100% I want to fight for the title shot. I don't want to fight just for a fight. No, I want to fight for it, be a champ again. When the guys say, Berdum, you're in the next one, I'm very happy.

You did the ultimate fire force, and after then you fight to Stimot's Teach. I say, for sure, I love the idea. But defense is very important. The fans love the idea, different division, you know, Daniel Krumier versus Stimot Teach. I want to see this fight, too. You know, for sure, I want to go forth, but. For the business, for the UFC, for the fans is much better.

You know, it's like, I understand this part to you. I understand, you know. I mean, for sure, I've been sad before, but now I understand. I talk with Dana White, everything. I understand like a business for the company is much better. I understand. I hope the next one after my fight, you know. Wow.

You're a company guy. You're understanding. You're not upset. Wow. I love this, Fabrice Hvardium. Who knew? I like. Who do you like in that fight, by the way?

Miochich or Kormier? Hey, man, I love Kournir, my good friend for a long time, you know, for a long time. Like, I know Kourn Mier, when he hit just a wrestling guy, you know? Yeah.

A lot of times I talk about I take it down three times his hand, the first training with the hand, I take it down, he said that all the time too. Wow. You don't believe when I take it down here for eight years ago, you know?

But just a wrestling guy this time. Now he's very complete guy. He's a good boss. in good rest in Jiu-Jits, much better too, you know. But I think the fight, I still have each bit between him. I like points, I think four points, you know? Oh, okay.

St. McIntych win. Are you hoping that Cormier wins because you've never fought him before, so that's a fresh matchup, or do you not care? Yeah, man. Today is so different, you know, for sure, my good friend, you're asking to him, he won a fight for sure, you know, just like a professional. just inside the octagon and after then go to the dinner after fight for sure you know but

I think yes I think Stimiotich because I wanted to rematch you know I like to rematch versus Stimiotich you know because this time when I lost my belt two years ago I'm for sure Stimotich very well he's a champion but I'm very excited me too excited this time you know you know it's so different I lose my focus it's everything Things change this time, you know, but I've, I learned a lot too. I learned a lot after this fight. I learned a lot, man. You know?

Now, for sure, I believe 100%, I got it two times the belt. Yeah. Versus Mark Hunt, Ken Velasquez. There's a matter as an interim belt, but I got it two times. I have a two belts to my home. Yeah, I believe a lot. 100% I got again. Just the opportunity come, I show for everybody again.

And so then when, when and how did the fight against Volkov in London come about. Did he offer you that? Dana White offered you that in your meeting? Or was it a couple of days later? Because it only came out on Thursday. Yes, man. I know Ali asked him about this.

Ali asking for me, for my coach, Rafael Cordero. I say, yes, man. It's okay. I don't have an opportunity for the belt. I want to fight because I don't want to wait too much, you know? Yeah. Stimel teach versus Cormier July 7. I'm waiting for a long time to there.

It's a long time. and when the guys fight again and the year is like one year no fight I don't like this I want to fight more I want to fight four years old I want to fight 2018

maybe three or four times I don't know I want to fight more I want to I mean I'm excited for fight again and what do you think of Volkov are you impressed he just had a win in September

over Stefan Strouv how much do you know about him and if you know about him are you impressed with him Yeah, man, for sure, he's a good fighter, you know, he's a UFC 3-0. He got a two, three matches like a win. And he's a big guy, you know, he has a good Muay Thai guy. And in the ground, I don't know, he's like, I think it's a blue belt.

He's good, too. He's a good defense. He has a triangle too. But his special is a Muay Thai, you know? He's very dangerous for sure, man. Like, all the time I say that the heavyweight divisions have a very dangerous. You know, just one punch, one kick, something is finished the fight, you know. For sure, it's danger.

I go like a very, like a focus, this fight, because I wanted the opportunity for the next one. But now, I think just spoke off. Just broke off my mind now for March 17. One more win for the next one, the next step. Did you pay attention to all the people who were complaining the English fans were very upset about the card? And then it seemed like when they put you on the card, they became happy. They're like, all right, this is a good main event. We're content now.

this is worth, did you see those comments like that? I mean, I said you saved the day for them. They had nothing else. You did them a solid. So did you see that? And did that make you feel good? No, I don't see that. I don't see, but I'm very famous in Europe.

You are, you are. No, everyone, now I'm a joke, but I live in a long time in Spain. I live in 10 years in Spain. Yeah. I just come back to Europe too. I know my sister living there too. I know a lot of guys there. I teach a lot of seminars in Europe.

I think I have a lot of fans there. I like a followers in Europe. For sure, I'm happy when the guys say, Hey, Verdun is good. Verdun fight here. I'm happy, too, man. For sure, after then, I visit my mom. My mom may be going to the fight.

Oh, wow. Yes, I love Europe. I love Europe. This is what I feel like should happen. You fight this fight. It all goes well. And then July 7th, they put you on that card against Kane Velasquez.

Finally, we get to see it. What do you think? It's a good idea I like too You know I just fight this one now Yeah 17

Maybe the guys go Don't you want to fight July 7 Yes for sure I want to fight too And maybe Versus came last I don't know

I just asking to Ali Forst for my coach It's not just my decision I say that's it No no no I have my coach My brother Bavalu

For bringing all things Ali to the Opinia Alia opinion is very important to And I want to fight the same card because sometimes happen, maybe have an injury, I hope you know,

but sometimes it's happening in injury, you know, maybe during Crimea or Stimiotich, I go in for sure. I did a lot of times the fight versus Harris in Vegas, you remember? Yeah, yeah. The last hour,

the Australia fight, you know, I go, you know? Yeah. Sometimes it's happening. Injuries, I'm going to happen something. I just there. I'm waiting for fight, I go in, that's it, easy. Yeah, you've had a couple of camps where there's all kinds of drama and stuff. You mentioned Australia. What happened

with the Kobe Covington thing now? Is it over? Is it done? Has it been cleared up? Yes, it's done, man. You know, I think this guy, I think it's a little crazy guy. I don't know why he said that. I never saw him before.

I'm in the lobby, in the hotel. I'm very happy. I have a demand event. happy when he is there. I never see, I never see see him before in my life. I like a close like this. And the one I just go out to the hotel. He's there. He looks at his phone.

He looked at me and he say Brazilian animals. I say what? I don't believe when he said that. I just slap his phone. You know, just his phone. And he kicked my leg. He is very, he kicked my leg. What? The guy's in the middle. But before this

somebody, I like a fan. given the boomerang. But amen, it's a boomerang, it's like a gift boomerang. It's not real boomerang. Just the boomerang you put in the wall. It's very, it's light. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

It's not like a real one. Sure. And I just strove because the guy's staying in the middle. I want to punch his face. I want to slap his face. Amen. But this is his past, you know? I pay like, he goes,

he, imagine he's a fighter. He goes to the police. He said, Berdun, he'll be a bit. Berdon trope the boomerang. He's like almost cry. You know?

Wow. I don't know, man. He's a fighter or he's a kid? Yeah, yeah, yeah. He's a kid guy, you know? Yeah, like a baby. Hey, please help me. But I don't want to punch my face.

You didn't have to go to court, though, right? You didn't have to go afterwards, correct? No, no, no. Hey, UFC, they get everything. UFC, I need you help. Okay. You have to see. They get everything.

I paid $600,600, $600,000. Everything is done. Everything is finished. Who does that money go to? Yes, my packet, but for sure I paid. No, but to who? To him or to Australia? Who gets that money, the $600?

It's like, I don't say it's a fine. But it's a for finish everything. It's like, do you pay for that for eight? Now it's finished everything. Okay. But you don't know who gets the money? Like, who does that money go to? Does it go to Colby or does it go to?

I don't know, man. I don't know. I don't know. The council. I don't know who. Wow. Crazy. Crazy.

And what happens if you see him? Like, if you would see him, you know, at the gym or at an event, what would happen? No, I don't say, I don't want to say not to him. I hope one day I got a hidden inside the gym, maybe training with the hand. Oh. I'm like pride the rules. You know, pride the rules. You know, pride the rules.

You know? No rules. No rules. No rules. No rules. Old school. Old school, yes. Because he maybe after, he don't want, you know why?

Because after training, for sure, he goes to cops again. He goes, hey, Berth, do, Amy, please, he want to punch me again? You heard about what he said. Right? You heard about what he said. Like a beach, you know, like a beach. Sure, sure, sure. You heard about what he said after the Maya fight, right?

You found it offensive, what he said on the microphone to the crowd? Yeah, he said a lot of things because he, like, a scared guy, you know? He's very scared guy. He said a lot of things. He's not good fighter, man. He's like a normal fighter, you know? Why he having his career? Nothing, you know? That's it. But he's

like a normally fighter. He says a lot of bad things. But the Colonel McGregor say a lot of bad things, or say a lot of things, he's smart. You know, you remember, Shal Swarney, Chal Swanin, say a lot of bad

good, like a lot of things. But the guys like, he's funny guy. Bruno McGregor, he's funny guy, but he's smart guy. But this Kobe guy, he's a lot of, for my, my country, he said a lot of all-Brazilian guy, this is not good. It's like a different way. This is like a bad way.

He's like a stupid. He's a stupid. Who would you rather in the gym, Pride Rules? Colby Covington or Luke Rockhold? Which would you prefer? Maybe both, you know? Both is good. Every time, I like, I don't know, man.

You got no rules. And I keep going, you know, step in the head. No, no, no, no time. It's good, no time. Like 10 minutes, five minutes, no, no, no, no. It's no time. Wow. Just one guy said, me, please, no more.

When a guy's that, what about that? That's right. When a guy say, maybe it's a stop, you know? And the event that you're back at work is Luke Rockhold this weekend. You're going back and he's the main event. How about that? This part is different part, you know, because this is a professional part. I want to say to him about him.

I say I like a real thing about him because I'm a professional. I don't go like a personal thing. There is my work professional. That's it. Yes. Same thing, Kobe. If I'm there, I'm working, I just say a lot of professional things. That's it.

You're a pro. This is the new Fabricio, company guy, professional, call it down the middle. I like this. Things have changed. You're 40 years old now, right? You got to do it the right way. It's a Verdun 2018. Yes, I like it.

Hashtag. Hey. That's right. Fabricio, thank you so much. It's always great to talk to you, my friend. I'm happy to hear that everything's doing well with Dana White now. Now, next time you speak to him, put in a good word for me, all right? Okay, yes, for sure.

Yes, yeah. 100%. I mean, I just say, thank for everything. Yeah. I'm happy you have a big night show. Your show, for sure, is the best show. everybody watch your show. I know you are like a long time.

All the time I say the same thing for you because I like you, too, man. I appreciate. You're very, very professional guy. Thank you. Thank you. That means a lot to me, Fabricio. I'm happy everything's good.

I'm happy you got your job back. And good luck to you March 17th in London. I'm happy to see that all the fans appreciated the fact that you, you stepped up and you took this fight on relatively short notice. Okay, I appreciate you. Ahmad Silla. Yes, yes. There he is.

Fabricio Verdoom stopping by. Valo himself. Joining us, he is headlining that show on March 17th against Alexander Volkov at the O2 Arena in London, England. How about that? Meets with Dana White, and he's back on track. Must be nice. Okay, great stuff there from Fabrice O Verdoom. Let us move along now. As I said at the top of the show, there was some news regarding UFC 222, and we got it this weekend. Max Hallway out, Frankie Edgar, awaiting an opponent.

It's close to Brian Ortega, but they need a title fight main event. They try or are trying to do T.J. Dilloshavre versus Cody Garbrand number two. Some hurdles there. But if I'm being honest, I have been trying to have Cody Garbrand on this program for months. And there was a time.

I would call him up. No problem. But now he's a big time star. He's with body armor. He's got a lot of handlers. It's very hard to get this guy on the phone. but finally we have gotten Cody Garbrandt on the phone. Wow.

This is very exciting. For months, I've been trying to have him on the program. He is kind enough. Finally, after all these months, to finally join us and talk to us. This is very exciting stuff. Cody, are you there? I'm here, man. Thanks for having me.

There is. It has. But I'm glad to be on here at the MMA hour Monday. Starting off right. Yes, thank you, Cody. I appreciate it. It's great to talk to you. So, okay, let's kind of.

to go backwards here. When did you get the call that they were considering doing this rematch in a month? How did this all go down from your perspective? I think it was Wednesday or Thursday that I got the call from my manager Ali. You know, he's, hey, what? I want you to fight March 3rd against T.J. And no questions, ask, no hesitations. You know, I took the fight. Accepted that, you know, I looked up at my wife and we're expecting a child, you know, any day, you know, so asked her, you know,

what her thoughts on it was, and what she said was she just won't be going to the after party. So that's what I needed to hear. And, you know, went from there, then it went into, you know, TJ's, TJ's court, falls in his court with, you know,

the matchmakers and the UFC. And from my understanding that, it was almost done. It was almost a done deal there. It was pretty promising from what I was hearing from the UFC brass to, from Ali that it was going to happen. He had some stipulations that he wanted an automatic rematch if I were to beat him.

Without a question, you know, definitely for sure. I was willing to do whatever. The UFC College wanted a main event. You know, they were going to compensate us well. You know, they needed that on March 3rd. I stepped up. T.J. didn't want to. I don't know, man.

It was, it was confusing to me. It was almost done deal and had stipulations. I don't know if this coach talked him out of it. So he listens, you know, he listens to, he's Dween's puppet. So he listens to him. It's all right. He made all the excuses.

You can't make a guy fight you. You know, the UFC call, I accepted. But what are you going to do? So as we sit here today and talk on this Monday afternoon, in your mind, is the fight officially dead, or is there still a chance that it might happen? Yeah, no, I spoke with Hunter. Hunter Campbell, the vice president of the UFC,

and he told me that he's still trying to make the fight happen. So still in the gym, still training, still, you know, I haven't been trained either. You know, I want to teach you the excuses that he hasn't been training at the five-week-old baby. His camps in California, he was living in Colorado,

which is funny because his coach is right out of the street from him. He's been training. My coach is in Ohio, ready to take a flip. at any moment. You know what I mean? He has a two-month-old baby at the house, you know, and he's ready to come, ready to sacrifice. It's called life, you know, it's going to take opportunities, you know, but whatever. He doesn't feel, you know, he wants to sit on the title shot. He wants to wait for Mighty Mouse. You know, he thinks they're going to get paid

for that fight. But is what it is. You know, I think he's so competitive that he would rather turn down money than, you know, didn't, then to lose a fight on short notice. I don't know. It's bothering me. I'm so staying optimistic that it'll, you know, happen. I hope that he would have grew up here in that set over the weekend and then, you know, change his mind. But I still haven't got the call yet. Correct me if I'm wrong here.

As far as what I understand, you injured your hand in that fight in November. If so, if that's true, how is the hand feeling now? And what happened to it? Yeah, I went to three or four. different specialists in Las Vegas and Sacramento area. They wanted to do surgery, you know, do some, a couple, one of the fuse of bones together, take out the hardware. My hands a little jacked up, but I was able to get some shots in it, you know what I mean?

It was time to go. I spent 11 months out last year, you know, and I wasn't able to fight, wasn't able to do something that I love to do. You know, so it was a very trying year for me. I, you know, pushed myself to be able to fight. on the, you know, November 4th card, you know, being the champion, and it's about getting the money and, you know, no excuses. I went out there and fought, you know, without a, you know, without a camp, you know, without

coaches and stuff. But we were able to do what we had to do. You know, I was very, you know, happy with the work that was done, be able to go in the November 4th fight with T.J., you know, seconds away from winning the fight. Hats off of T. He capitalized in the second stayed focused and took me out. With that being said, T.J. and Duane know that lighting doesn't strike twice, and that's why they won't take the fight.

They want to be prepared, which I don't blame them. But I haven't been training. I haven't been able to just my hand, you know, having to have hit pads, you know, really even spar. But when the UFC calls and gives you an opportunity like that, you jump all over it. So, yeah, I don't know. I mean, he wants to make a lot of excuses and, you know, bring the fatherhood into it. It's the same thing, man. I can understand, you know, whatever.

But you're going to sit there and tell me that you can't train because you've got a kid, you know what I mean? I don't know. There's people that go back to work, you know, the wife's, you know, the mother of the child goes to work, you know, after having the baby, you know, it's like being champion, you got to stay ready at all the times. That's something that I wasn't able to do last year with my back injuries, you know, so that was, that sucks, you know, he's healthy, he can be training.

You know, I mean, that's life. You have a kid, you work around. it, you know. And so as far as what you were told, they were actually willing to like compensate you even more to take this fight on short notice, like they were going to try to sweeten the pot for you guys?

Of course. You know, they needed a man-in-a-vent. They needed a paper-view draw. It's something that people would get behind. You know, that would, you know, for sure that T. I'm sure that T. You didn't even go down that. He wants to cry and bitch and say that he, it took them how many years or how many fights to get back

to the top, you know, get back to the title shop. you know, if Dominic Cruz took his, you know, his fight on four weeks notice and beat T.J. You know, so what's the excuse? You know, I think that's what T.J. has in his mind, you know, two, it's four weeks. Don beat me in four weeks. And, you know, T.J. is one of those guys that has to mentally and physically get prepared, you know, I think fighters fight. And that's, at the end of the day, that's where I am. I'm healthy. You know, my back's good. You know, I'm healthy as I, you know, as I've been in the recent year.

and like I said, I lost the whole year last year and a UFC call is like that just about buckling down and taking the opportunity and working with it. Do you regret taking that fight in November considering what you were dealing with in hindsight? Not at all. Not at all. I mean, you know, not at all.

Not at all. Yeah, I lost my world title, but I learned so many life lessons that are going to only have made me grow own, you know, since that, you know, for I'm more motivated than ever. I'm more motivated than I ever did once I won the world title. Losing something I don't like to do. I know that wasn't myself, and I'm not one here.

I'm not one to make excuses and say this and say that, you know. But, no, I don't regret taking the fight. You know, I was able to get compensated very well. I was in a tough fight. It was right there. this fight game's you know inches and seconds away you know from being on the upper hand or losing hand that's that's how it goes you know I'm going to win more fights I'm going to lose and uh that's the tie stay positive you know and have a short memory in in this game you know it'll be too high off a win it'll be too low off a loss and I've been able to get back to the gym

and work around my injuries, you know, and make up that last time for last year. And I'm excited for this year. I'm excited for 2018 and, you know, to getting the title back. You know, I feel like I never really got to enjoy it last year after I won the title. I dealt with injuries and an alternate fighter and, you know, a very fast-paced life, but the injuries are really what left me, I wouldn't say unmotivated, but it was hard to be hungry all the time

when I'm trying to focus on a fight that it was trying to be made because I was just focusing on getting healthy and being in the gym and having those rips and those sparring rounds and that grind. I love the grind

and I feel good when I'm in there working towards a goal and I wasn't able to do that last year with the injuries. But I'll never regret anything that I do in my life because I always either I learned,

from it. I learned a valuable lesson. And so here I am in 2018, ready to tackle it, get the world title back. You know, the UFC called, and that's what they want. They wanted to the fight, and they were upset that T.J. Turner down and said, no, he's not taking the fight. He wants to wait on, I'll wait on Mighty Mouse. You know, I can't make a guy fight me at all, but I'm want to stay ready for the calls when they want me to call or when they want me to fight. That's what I'm doing. That's what I learned last year was staying ready. You know, I was unable to be ready now that I have this opportunity.

It's like I'm the contender again. I'm on the comeback and you just got to always be ready for that call. So 24-7, I feel like I can get a call anytime. Okay, you're going to fight here and you take the call and you go with it and hopefully that you're prepared. We're professional athletes. There's no off-season in this sport. you know, we're always fighting, we're always training, we're always getting better. And the sports evolving, you have to evolve with it or you've got to become extinct.

And that's what I want to do is keep evolving and then staying ready for those fights and getting back to the top where I know I belong and in where I'm going to be. That fight in November at MSG, that was obviously a big one for you because it was your first title defense. You just signed that deal with body armor. You found out that you were becoming a dad. It was your rival, T.J. Dillishaw. in like the day or so afterwards, how did you handle the fact that you suffered your first loss? Like looking back now, how was that for you emotionally,

you know, that it didn't go your way that night, such a big deal for you? Man, I've been here. I've been there a lot of times in my life, you know, where I had to pick myself up. Luckily, I have a good head of my shoulders. I have a good team support system, loving wife, caring family.

A lot of blessings. along the way that are coming to me. And I look at it as this is the worst thing that happens in my life, I lose a world, so I don't want the big stages in the sport. You know, that's fine. I'm 26 years old. I'm young.

I'm hungry. I'm healthy. You know, I have a lot of fight left in me, a lot to learn. And that's what it is about learning experience and keep evolving. And that's, you know,

that positivity that we have out here on the team, you know, is huge. So it wasn't, you know, I don't like losing. I'm not going to be ever okay with losing. but I'm not going to sit there and just, you know, count my sorrows or be depressed about losing a title fight. I know that I'll get back there. It took me, you know, one year to go from unranked

to world title to the throne one of the best band and weights of all the time. And you saw that. You know, I battled with injuries that, that fight, that camp, the whole year as well. It just wore down on me, the wear and tear, you know, four fight camps and finishing out the year in a world title. So it was hard for my body to sustain that. I learned a lot from that year. That's going to help me out to have longevity in my career. And I'm excited to know what I can do in the future. I know that I'm 100% no one can beat me.

When I'm healthy, there's no one in that octave on. No one in this world in my weight class that can stand with me. I can even, I'm just another level. And so I'm excited to get back to and show the world that I am the real deal. And I am the future champion. And that's something I have a goal for. I didn't have a goal last year. My goal was to get healthy.

And then I was kind of started feeling good and then I were fighting. So I was never really going to have that mindset of visualization and manifestation of, you know, way in the world that I was just getting healthy, getting into the camp and trying to get in shape for this fight. So now I have goals. I have goals in life and in my career. And, you know, I'm very excited, like I said, for this year. for the next years to come until I'm done fighting. You know, I went on, that's the first time I lost in five years.

I actually was knocked out as an amateur, one of my last amateur fights. And so I sit back, and I look back from five years ago where I was at in Cleveland, Ohio getting knocked out. And I was an amateur, and I was supposed to go, I was supposed to do my last amateur fight. And I'm sitting there, and then downstairs, like, man, I can't believe that happened. Like, what I'm going to do? I'm 18 years old. what I'm going to do, go to the coal mines, go work on, or what?

Is it a dream, you know, they get knocked out of the amateur? You know, you have aspirations to be a world champion and go to the UFC, you know, and here you are, you're getting knocked out of the amateur. It's kind of, you know, you don't know, but I kept to my dream, I kept to my hard work, I believed in myself, I didn't give up. And in five years, I was able to win the world title from getting knocked out, you know, from that knockout, that's where I won the world title. So I'm excited to see what happened with this loss.

I learned so much for my losses, you know, it motivates me more than ever. Like I said, I was motivated and happy and thankful that I won the world title over Cruz in December. But more motivated than ever, I look at my belt different, you know, I have it in the room. So I see it a lot. I look at it different. I value it more. I value every day being able to train with my teammates and my friends. and, you know, being healthy, I value my health more than anything, I would say, from last year.

And that's what I'm excited I do if I just had to keep evolving. And getting that world title back, no matter how many people have to knock out to get back to that title, T.J, you know, that's why T.J. after the fight was going into me and say, oh, Coe's going to have a long shot back. He's going to have a long shot back because he doesn't want to fight. And he's already putting out there, even him and Duane Laro, he's going to have a long, hard road back. why? Why am I? I'm going to go, whoever you put me against him to knock him out. So you're going to, you can maybe, you know, run from a fight. I always say run. I'm not going to say run to you and not run. He just don't want to take the fight because he knows what it is.

He wants to go down there and try to fight Mighty Mouse. But it's fine. I'm going to stay ready. I'm going to stay down on weight. If they're supposed to fight in July, that's fine that I'll be an alternate. And I'll go down the 125 in case why we'll get her or pull out of the fight, and that's fine. We can fight at 125 either one of us, you know. That's cool, but I like to fight in June. I'm just stay ready and that thing. But TG already started planting in the media. You know, that's what their media whores have been doing.

They want to go there and talk. I mean, I've never seen a coach who goes in the media and talks in those interviews more than Dwayne. It's crazy to me. But, yeah, as I was going to say, they want to. They know what it is. That's what I'm going to say that. I'm going to have a long road back because they don't want, they don't want that fight back with me.

And it is what it is. It's inevitable. It's destiny for me to be able to be a world champion again. And that's my goals, and that's what I'm training for. And what about, can I just ask you quickly about this Jean-Claude Van Damme thing? This thing exploded and it was everywhere.

It was a short clip. How pissed off were you? Did he really tag you with that, with that kick and how pissed off were you? I mean, the thing is that I was just more annoyed than anything and the guy went out and got drunk all night. It was two hours late, you know, from a workout.

I had my pregnant wave at home. We just got back from New York. Like, what is John Clyde going to show me? You know what I mean? Like, I respect the guy. But he's two hours late. He had to warm up. It was, I was annoyed by the whole thing.

He kept toast stabbing Chris and trying to kick Chris and head. You know, so I was, he was demonstrating a kick with him that he showed me and wanted me to do it. And the next thing you know, he started slapping around. I just had my hand, you know, my hand was still hurt. It wasn't even, weren't even light sparring or just, you know, he just can't control himself. He got too excited in there. He was running all over the place like he was, he was on from shit. But, uh, I mean, that is what it is. You know, I just left the cage because I mean, this guy was, uh, I mean, it was just a circus act, to be honest. I looked over at his buddy

and his manager and just, I was like, man, you gotta get this guy out of my face, you know, and he was funny because he released the clip of the video after he got, he's sensitive. He's very sensitive guy, he's a Hollywood guy. So he got really sensitive after I said the story, you know, that's exactly

what happened. And he got emotional or hurts. That's why I put the clip out. But it was awkward, man. It was why I left the, I left the cage was because it was very awkward. and he dropped down to his knees and started crying after he kicked me.

I was like, there was a lot of people around so it looked like I punched him and he dropped him. So people didn't know like he kicked me and I was just like annoyed with the guy. I'm like, I'm down with this fool and walked out of the case. So he put the clip out. It's cool.

I mean, he wanted to come up and show some stuff. And it was cool. You know, a lot of the guys look up to him from kickboxing and blood sport. But yeah, I was just more annoyed than anything. I mean, he's an old guy. What I'm going to do, pump on him? to lose, lose.

So, I mean, we're cool. I went to his premiere, and is what it is. You know, he's just a sensitive Hollywood guy. But it was cool to go on there and just learn from him. He was doing all kinds of crazy stretches on me, and I'm not the most flexible guy in the world, so that wasn't fun. So you're all good now?

You sort of settled your difference, or are you kind of still annoyed at him? I don't give a shit about that guy. You know, he can go to the media and release the tapes, and he's for he cut it out he's like he was embarrassed he's like oh he sent a video man it just it just blow over i got caught by tm z uh down l a at the premiere or john or john clod didn't come uh was his movie but uh what it was funny he'd go to his own movie it was yeah he was out of the country i guess uh from what i heard but uh yeah you know he

he's talked to some you know mutual friends of us and he's just i was just i was just upset that he said I was sweating all over him and drunk you guys took me out I'm like man I don't even want to have to deal with this kind of stuff and I just got back from New York I mean the thing is we're professional athletes you know and he comes he thinks he's on set you know two hours late doing his own thing changing the sure I'm like look man I'm here to work and I got my pregnant wife's home we just got back from New York like I don't need all this little this little circus act and that's what it is but and is what it is.

He's a character, you know, to say to the least, he's a character. Obviously, you know, his past and the story, and, you know,

he's a crazy guy, but he has a good heart. He had good energy and, you know, all the guys were excited at the gym to train with them. And so was I. I just was annoyed with the guy,

you know, and that's not the only time that he, man, I was in L.A. Because Mike's in the movie as well. He hit Mike in Thailand, and he kicked Mike, and Mike told him,

you know, not to kick me, and it punched him in the chest, and he fell down. So he's not the first time I heard that he does that. I think he just tries to get away with it and cause the scene. Like, oh, no, I'm so sorry. It happened again. It's what he said. Like, it happened to the kid. And he, like, dropped to his knees. So I already knew, like, he does this shit.

So I was like, man, come on. Like, it's cool. Like, go ahead. Get your shots in. It's cool. And he had his only his guy filming it. You know, no one else take cameras, no pictures, no cameras. And he wants to do it, you know, mess around. I don't care, man. It is what he's an old guy. He's a legend. He's got, you know, he's an actor. You can't hate the guy for that. so okay so so last thing for me cody and again i really appreciate you doing this um where do we stand now um i understand t j dillshaw is is on serious xm as we speak saying that he is still open to it but he wants them to make it worth his while he wants them to pay uh him correctly and uh then he maybe take this fight against you on march third and save this show because from what i'm hearing they have no other title

fight they need this they need this title yeah so what what do you think happens here where do we go I'll give him a cut of my purse. I'll give him a cut of my purse if he wants that the UFC does. I want to compensate him. It's not about money for me. It's about principle. It's about getting the title back. I'm healthy.

Okay, we both had been training. Okay, cool, four weeks. We're fighters at the end of the day. You know, we're going to fight. If he wants to cut of my purse, I'll give him away. We want to make it, you know, it's money for him. Okay. You know, and, like, I want to fight the guy.

I am, you know, and that's, I've always wanted to fight the guy. I wanted to be healthy and fight the guy, but, you know, sometimes it doesn't, that doesn't, you know, life isn't fair. It doesn't happen that way. Sometimes they're going to fights 100%, you know, and he should know that. You know, he's been around this game longer than I have. So, fucking, he wants to get, I'll give him a cut of my person. He ain't about money for me.

It's about when the world's title back knowing that I'm the better fighter. And he knows that. You know, that's why he wants, now he wants to be compensated, which is good. We should get compensated. But it depends for me. I want to fight the guy because I know I'm a better fighter than him. know, I pick up where I left off in round one, you know, and I'm able to train to spar a little bit, have a month to be able to get ready. And that's good. That's all I need. I'm on, I'm on,

weights on track. So if T.J. grows a pair in this next few days, man, awesome. You know, then I'll have some respect for him. You know, because I know if it was dominant crews, dominant crews would immediately answer the call and been like, let's do it, you know, because he fought, he fought DG on four weeks notice and got out the couch and beat him. You know, That's what T.J's, he's in the one of those guys that has to go hard, grind hard, like you said, he needed 16 weeks to cut down to 125. I can cut down to 25 and half of that, you know, and do it correctly and do it healthy. You know, this guy, he makes all these excuses, you know, we're fighters at the end of the day.

Let's get compensated, of course, let's do this fight. So TJ, if you're listening, Dwayne, I know you're listening, you're a little weirdo, let's make this fight. You know, let's make this fight. Let's do this. Let's save the card. Let's get compensated. If you want some of my purse, I'll give it to you.

I don't get this fuck about money. I want the title back. And that's it. Well said, Cody. Thank you very much for doing this. I appreciate it. And good luck getting that fight. And, of course, I know you're approaching that important due date that you're going to be a dad for the first time.

Yeah. Thank you. My wife can have the baby any time. He's going to say, I have a baby. And my coach, my camp's in California. But his coach lives down the street from him. You know, there's still selling peanut butter with each other. So that's a thing.

My wife is having a baby anytime. She's down with it. It's cool. Like, that's life. You know, when these opportunities come, you got to take it, take advantage of it. And I understand. Let's get paid as good compensated. But thank you, man.

I'm super excited to have the birth of my son. And it's more motivated than ever. And so should he. You know, he was able to hold his son. He was able to, you know, to have that feeling, have that motivation. You know, so he knows exactly how it feels. And he should be motivated to take a fight. But exactly right.

Get compensated. So if he wants some of my purse, I'll give it to him. All right. There you have it. Good luck, too, guys, of course, with the birth. And good luck getting this fight. Cody, thanks for doing this. Great to talk to you again. All right, thank you. All right, man. Good to see you.

All right, there he is. Cody Garbrandt laying it on the line saying if T.J. Dillshaw wants more money, he'll give up some of his purse. How about that? We'll see what happens. UFC 222 rapidly approaching less than a month away, and they need a main event. There's really no other title fight available. I'm sure you can get creative, maybe try to do a cyborg fight. That's been discussed. But if you want to save that pay-per-view,

you need a title fight, and we've got something going here. let's see if it materializes. All right, UFC 221 is in less than a week. It's in five days to be exact, and it's going down in Perth, Western Australia. The main event was supposed to be Robert Whitaker, the first Australian champion in UFC history defending his middleweight title against Luke Rockhold.

Unfortunately, around a month ago, we found out Whitaker had to pull out of the fight due to some ailments, but there wasn't a lot of information about what happened to him. Now, as we approach that fight, and of course we're getting an interim middleweight title fight between Rockhold and Yul Romero on Saturday night, Sunday morning in Australia. Thought it would be a great time to check in with the champ.

He is kind enough to be joining us. It is early Tuesday morning in Australia, and I really appreciate him stopping by. There he is the one and only Robert Whitaker. Robert, how are you? No, good thank you. It's a pleasure to be you, Mike. It is our pleasure. You're a hard man to track down, Robert, so I really appreciate you doing this,

and it's great to see you in good spirits. So, can we start at the beginning? When did you get injured? And could you tell us what are the injuries? Because I heard there were multiple that you were dealing with. Yeah, so the thing is, I think a lot of my fans and a lot of the general populace know that I have no qualms of going into a fight injured. I've gone into many fights injured. I went into the Yor Romero fight with a torn MCL.

I went into multiple fights with broken hands. And that's never deterred me. And during my prep and then my camp, I did my hamstring. I did blow my hamstring up. but I was willing to work around it. So we just worked around it, drew it on the wall, no explosive sort of stuff. And then I got an abscess infection. And then that absolutely knocked me out of the park.

And then I was on Clinton mycines, many biologists for that for weeks. And then it was just really getting out of hand. And we were still very much, oh, we can make this work. If we cut out the three weeks, we've lost now, we can turn it around still. We can just focus on fitness and skill sets and just get it done. And at the end of that, when I was thinking, you know, maybe we're not able to fight, I've got chicken pox as well. Jeez, Louise.

And yeah, it was the sickest I've been in my entire life. And my coaching stuff, I was still, and, you know, I'm a fighter. There's a lot of other fighters to say, well, we can still do it. And if they were to say, you want to fight Luke Rock Hall tomorrow, I'd be like, hey, all right. But the thing is, this is my coaching stuff come to me, my family said come to me, and they all went to me and sat me down and almost like an intervention and said, Rob, there is zero chance you're going to be able to fight. And even if you did get in there, it is such like a, like a, it is so unsafe for you to

to go out there with no prep and your body as weak as it is. Wow. And, yeah, you know, I have to listen to them. So this is my coaching staff. That's what they're done. And yeah, that was the call. I was talking to the UFC, and they completely understood. They were actually very, very courteous towards my illnesses.

And, yeah, it was absolutely gut-wrenching. You know, this is Perth headline. This is a pay-per-view event. This is the country that I'm representing. And for me not to defend my title here was just, you know, it was gutting. Yeah, once the reality set in and you finally, you know, made the call that you wouldn't be able to fight, How did you react? Like, were you depressed?

Did you, you know, you're feeling like crap, but now you're not getting, this whole show was built around you, right? This was your big title defense in Australia. How did you react to it? Yeah, you know, it's funny. Like, when I was going through the sickness and I had the infection and I had the chickenpox and in the heart of that moment when I was balancing both of them, I didn't care about fighting. I didn't care about anything. I didn't care about it. I was so sick. I was like,

my skin feels like it's on fire. I was fevering. I lost a week in like a feverish mess. So at that point, I didn't care. But afterwards, when you start to feel a little bit better and everyone's been there and you start to feel a little bit better and you start to think yourself, maybe I could have done this. Maybe I could have thought. And that is when, you know, you start to get real depressed and then you go on Instagram and you see everyone like fight week or two weeks out and you're like oh man that should be me um abscess infection you said what what exactly is that and where was it was it in your stomach that's what dana white said the the thing was i had a i had an abscess on on on my bum and and um it was it was infected and it was like a big pus built up and the

antibiotic cells on the clindomycin, when you take long, long courses of that antibiotic, it can develop a colon bug. So after about two weeks, two and a half weeks on this, the only reason I was on this antibiotic for so long is because the infection was just knocking me out of the park. I just could not recover from it. And then I had to get a whole bunch of colon tests and stomach tests to make sure that, you know, there's no hole in my stomach. Wow. And so what is wrong with your stomach? What, if anything, is up there?

Right now, I've turned the corner. Okay. I've been, yeah, I've gone and get on my test done. I've dropped off the antibiotics. I was in hospital a few times and just under observation and just making sure that it's all clear. The immune system's obviously taken a big hit, but I'm on the up and up now. This may be the first time that I hear that a fighter gets charged. chicken pox, was that related to what you were dealing with the infection? Was there any relation there? I don't know if it's related, but like some of the symptoms from the infection

could have been the onset of chicken pox. And, like, yeah, I find it hard to tell people, like, yeah, I've got chicken pox and they laugh at me. But like, it was, like, it was a lot. But, like, it was the worst thing I had ever gotten. And I was on the phone of my mom and I was like, why didn't you get me vaccinated? Yeah. He's like, I'm sure I did. And my face was covered and like my skin burn. I was like, I'm pretty sure you didn't.

That was actually my next question. Most people get it when they're young children, the vaccination. So apparently you never got it. Yeah, no, like when I thought of chicken pops before what I've just been through, I thought of, oh, you know, little red dots, all of your body. they're itchy. Now, these were like blisters from head to toe all over my scalp. And some of them were like, because I had so many, some of them were popping and getting infected. And then there were fevers and headaches and nausea. It was just a little worse thing. Not to mention the itch.

Wow. You know, it's one thing to have a fight and have to pull out. But again, as I said, you were the headline. It's your first title defense, right? Did you feel like a responsibility? Like, oh, man, I can't let everyone down. Was that what you were battling as well? Definitely. And, you know, I think I think it is a responsibility of mine to get in there and to fight and defend the title, especially you've been in Australia. But it took a lot out of me to come to the conclusion that, yeah, there's zero chance I'm going to be able to do this. Right. Because, you know, like I said before, and, you know, a lot of people have seen me before is I fought injured.

I fought on, I fought on, you know, short notice. I take up these fights because I'm a fighter at heart and I stay ready. But this wasn't an injury. I was just trying to work around. This wasn't, I couldn't, I couldn't, even in the, in the, in the, in the octagon, I couldn't work around chicken box. Right, right, of course. With my torn MCL, I can, I can be heavy on the back foot and I can move and let him

come to me. With the broken hand, I can focus heavy on the other, on the other hand and kick a lot. This isn't something that I can just make a formulate a game plan to try and get around. It was, yeah, it was an absolute nightmare. And so now, how are you feeling today? Like, you know, here we are a couple weeks later. How are you feeling? Yeah, I am.

I'm good now. Like, I'm a little weak. I feel a little weak coming back from all the illness. And then obviously just, because I was actually bedridden. And you know, if you're taking two weeks off completely, it's a nightmare. I was six weeks out in bed and fevers and everything. Jeez. That was, and then I come back on a week out from the fight,

and I think to myself there's zero chance. I could have gone in there and confidently said that I could have won. And this is funny because, you know, you have to take the good with the bad. All things happen for a reason and all that is that my wife is actually getting induced today. What? Today. Yeah, today, today. Because we found out on the weekend, like, oh, the baby's not growing at the right rain and all that. So they wanted to speed it up a week.

So if I was fighting in Perth, I would have missed the birth of my daughter. Wow. When is you going to the hospital to do this? About half hour after I speak to you. Oh, my Lord. So, I mean, this is a blessing in disguise, right? You would have felt horrible if you missed this, right? 100%.

I'm very big on family. Yeah, I can't let my wife go through that alone. And I was actually supposed to go to Perth. You know, I was going to go out of Perth at least, and watch Rockhold and Romero fight because I have an invested interest in them but also to get out there and see the fans and my friends and family

that all book tickets to go out there that I'm watching that I couldn't do. But now obviously I'm homebound for heading to the hospital. Wow, that is unbelievable. There's so much going on in your life. That is, I mean, amazing. I would agree with you that this is a blessing in disguise because no one wants to miss that.

How did you feel about them doing an interim time? title fight. Did that bother you at all or do you understand? Oh no, it doesn't bother me at all. It's, um, like to be honest, for my number one and number two contender to to duke it out before me, I'm 100% on board with that. So good luck to both years. Sure, sure. You know, um, interim title and I've been there, so I understand, all that means is your number one contender. It means that you're all next in line for the title shot. And, um, the Those two guys were always next in line regardless. So I wish them all the best.

They're going to put on a great show. I'm going to be watching closely. And here, that's going to be a fight. As a fan of MMA, I'm going to be watching. Sure. Are you kind of hoping that Rockhold wins because you haven't fought them before and it's a fresh matchup?

I'm going to officially sit on the fence for that one. I'm not asking your prediction, just who you hope wins. for your own sake? You know, it's hard. They're both got such, they've both got like top elite skill sets, both of them in the corresponding fields.

And it's, they're such different fighters. I'd like to fight, I'd like to fight Rockhold. I wouldn't. You know, he was ex-champ and he's one of the best in the world. I'd like to fight him just,

just for my own, you know, least of people that I want to fight. and Romero was a tough fight. He's a tough guy. To think about fighting him again before Ray, I was like, where maybe I'm out of town that day. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I can't imagine.

It's not something you want to do twice. The way you became champion, one of the more unique ways in UFC history because they just, you know, GSP comes out with the statement and all of a sudden you're the official middleweight champion. That's not exactly how you probably dreamed of becoming the official champion.

Did it not quite feel like, did you feel like, okay, I want to do this fight against Rockhold so that I can feel like I'm the champion that I beat the guy that they can put the belt around my waist and I'm the official champion or did it feel like you were

once they told you that GSP was walking away? I felt like the champion well before they come out and set it. I think a lot of the middleweight division considered me the champion well before they come out and said it. The middleweight division was in a funny spot for a long time

with just the way things were paying out Who was fighting, who, all these fighters that were coming out of the left field. Like, it was, all the matchups, they're all funny. Let's just say they're funny. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And in my opinion, the rankings and the division, the way it should work is you have the champ, you had the number one, and the champ fights one, two fights one, three fights two, and you work your way up like that, you know.

And I just feel like with George getting in there and proving to, everyone the caliber of fighter he is and that he can still get in there and do what he's supposed to do and then the belt coming to me after you know i had had a very i fought my way through some tough guys um the best in the division and um i feel this is like a return to a normalcy you know what i mean um did you ever feel like like did you ever think there was a chance gs p would fight you or did you never believe after he won the belt that he would fight you always i was split It was hard. I thought maybe, you know, if we fought in Montreal, we get a big pay-per-view, he may want

to fight me. Because realistically, he doesn't have too much to lose with that fight. But, yeah, there was always that part of me that thought, no, there's no way he's want to take that fight with me. It's a hard fight for anyone on the only good day, you know. And, you know, like he showed and he said, it's not his division. He's not built for the division the way that I am or in the other middleweight sides. So it was hard to him to get up to the weight and to utilize that way properly.

So you weren't particularly surprised or disappointed when you got the news. You were kind of half expecting it. Yeah, you know, I always knew there was a very big chance he was just going to take off. I was just hoping he wouldn't take another fight on the sideline and just hold up the division once again. Sure. By the way, how did you find out that you were the official champion? Like, how did that go down? Someone call you and tell you that? Yeah, we were driving up to like an altitude training sort of thing. I just got a phone call and the manager goes, congratulations.

You're the chairman now. I was like, yeah. Wow, just like that? It wasn't even Dana White. It was just your manager who called you? Yeah, yeah, yeah. It was just pretty low key. Yeah, there is what it is. Did you celebrate that night? Did you go out? Did you party? I mean, it's a big deal. If by celebrating, we went out and did about four sessions at altitude, then yeah, sure. Okay. Wow. That is amazing.

Definitely one of the more unique championship victories in UFC history. So to wrap this up, when could you, like, obviously there's a lot going on in your life. You're about to become a father again, and that's amazing. Congratulations, you have to get better, obviously. Like, realistically, when do you think you'll be healthy enough to fight again? What are you thinking? I'm looking at mid-year. I'm looking at mid-year with, and I'm preparing for mid-year.

You know, obviously, I can't just go straight back into training after six weeks off with illness. And then obviously this week's on the birth of my daughter. So, yeah, I'm going to have to rehab and get my immune system up and then strengthen my body again. And then, you know, that takes time. So I'm going to do things properly and then look seriously for mid-year. Okay. And this is your first daughter, right? Yeah, it is.

Oh, man. You're going to love this. It's a whole different ballgame with the daughters. I have one myself and with two boys before. And it's just a different. The boys are the best. I love them. But it's just different.

Everything that everyone tells you about having a daughter is true. So get ready for that. I cannot wait. I've heard that across the park and I'm so pumped to be idolized. That's right. That's right. I can't thank you enough for doing this. I know there's a ton going on.

Your wife is a saint. She's probably getting ready to go to the hospital right now. Here you are talking to me of all people. And by the way, that's a cool room you got there. Is that like a theater? What is that? that you have there with those chairs. Well, this is just like my upstairs, like, parent retreat sort of thing.

Okay. I like it. There's five kids running around the house. Well, I wish you guys the best. Good luck, of course, at the hospital with the birth. I hope you feel better. I'm sorry to hear that all that happened. I know a lot of your fans were disappointed,

but those are very valid reasons for not fighting. So I think a lot of people would understand. Thank you for doing this, Rob, early morning and before the trip to the hospital. And again, good luck to you guys as you welcome a baby girl. that's amazing stuff. Thank you so much. I appreciate it. Every time you had me on.

Thank you, Rob. There he is. The UFC middleweight champion of the world. The one and only Robert Whitaker, the reigning defending UFC middleweight champion. The man who will have, as he said, a vested interest in Saturday Night's Affairs. He will be watching closely as Yuel Romero

and Luke Rockhold fight for the interim title. How about that? He's about to go to the hospital. His wife's getting induced. That's amazing. I really appreciate it. I really appreciate him doing that. Wow.

Makes me very emotional. It brings back memories. I say there's that, like I don't want people to, you know, one day my boys, I adore them. More than anything, yesterday I got to watch the Super Bowl and my boys. It was nothing like it. There's just a different thing there. There's a different connection. I'd say there's a different connection with the boys and there's different connection with the

girls. It's just different. It's not the same. There's really a different connection with every single kid. There's the firstborn in the middle. like a different thing. It's hard to explain. I feel like parents would understand what I'm saying. I'm not trying to make it seem like I'm a part of some special club here, but I am part of a special club. This is a great club. This is parenthood, my friends. Robert Whitaker was going to miss the birth of his

child if he was fighting on this card. Do you realize what just happened here? That is someone above us saying, you know what, mate, you're not going to fight. You're not going to fight on Saturday slash Sunday. you're going to be there for your wife, you're going to go to the hospital, you got chicken pox, chicken pox. That has to be the first chicken pox related withdrawal in UFC history, in MMA history. Name me another one. Incredible.

Well, that's good news that he'll be back in the middle of the year. Whitaker versus Rockhold, Whitaker versus Romero, two very good fights. Of course, we saw the Romero fight last July, was very excited to see. And by the way, no knock on on the main event. The main event is phenomenal.

It is an absolutely phenomenal main event. The rest of the card is a little thin. Let's be honest for a paper view. I mean, like, this, the thing is, we knew from Rockhold himself and Romero himself that they were trying to book this for free on Fox.

Not even FS1. They were trying to make this a Fox main event for free. And now we have to pay for it. So it's a hard pill to swallow. I know this wasn't the initial plan, but it's still, you know, a bit of a, you know,

a hard pill to swallow in the sense that this was going to be offered to us for free. That was the original plan. And now it's a pay-per-view. Now it's like 60, 65 bucks, right? They may have put it up for the last one. I don't know if they're going to do that for all of them. I'll be watching from home. I won't be going to Perth.

The rest of the car, you know, you got Blades and Hunt and Tyson-Pedros on the card, but it's not it. I mean, like, I think any UFC employee, if they're being honest, objectively would say this is not a pay-per-view card. It's just not. It really is. It really is. It's phenomenal. Hunt Blades is going to be fun. There's no doubt about

it. There's going to be fun fights. And you could say, after the fact, oh, don't judge a card. I'm just talking about, like, name value. That's what pay per view is, right? You're asking people with all the cards every single week to pay 65 bucks. You know, you got a free card last week. You got a Fox card the week before. Next week it's on FS1. You know, you're asking, and then the week after it's on free Fox. So you got this one sandwich in between, are people going to pay?

I put out a poll. We'll talk about the poll later on. Are people going to pay for this one when it's an interim title fight? And it's a fight that we already know that you were trying to make for free. and now you're charging, right? Interesting. They didn't draw it up this way. It was going to be the official middleweight title fight, and that's a pay-per-view fight, no doubt about it.

It's just bad luck, and it's a byproduct of maybe too many shows. You've got to spread it thin. One of the stories to watch, of course, this year, as I continue to be a broken record talking about this. All right, one more guest to go, and this is going to be a fun one, my friends, because this particular manager has his finger on many pulses. There's a lot going on in his world.

as always, probably the most robust roster in MMA management right now. And he and his clients are very much in the news. So let us go back to the Skype machine. And welcome in one of our biggest fans, a man who watches the show every week. He gives me running commentary, text messages to me all show long. Now we finally get to make him a superstar once again. Ali Abdel-Aziz is joining us. There he is, the one and only Ali, carving out some time.

He is so busy. He's carving out some time for us. Ali, how are you? How are you? You're going to make me a superstar? Yeah, well, you know, I feel like all your guys get some shine, but you know, you're the man behind the man, so to speak, so it's time to give you some spotlight.

You know what's funny? I listened from the beginning, for the end of the show. I was at the doctor, and I'd be honest with you, man, I'm listening to some of these fighters, and I'm always going to support a fighter. But some of these guys talking nonsense. What? What? What?

Like who? Like who? Let's go over the... Like, okay, let's go to John. John Doction is a former team team eight in mind. Yeah. Yeah. He's on his last fight and his deal.

Yeah. I don't know who's representing him. Who's his fucking manager? But if you miss weight, if your opponent miss weight, and this is your last fight on your deal, you fucking fight and get paid. And Sean Shilby and the UFC cannot cut you because they never cut anybody. coming if you miss weight. Like, Desmond Green is not

going to get cut. If John Dawson would have fought and lost, he will not got cut. And that was the stupidest thing I ever heard. I love John Dawson. He's great. But that was his opportunity to fight, make money, and not get cut. Because

realistically, if you lose your lost part and your contract, you might get cut. Now, they're not going to give him a new deal. He's going to fight. And if you lose, probably is going to get cut. But now it was an opportunity for him not to get cut because the guy missed with. Yeah.

Wow. You know, I don't know who's advising him, but that was fucked up. I think it's fucked up. Who else do you have a problem with on today's show? Listen, I understand James Beck's pen. I love James Bigg. But you can't be made event over Cowboys surrounding.

At the end of the day, man, I think everybody complaining about not making him more money, but now guys make more money, they don't want to fight anymore. And this is a problem I'm having with Osman. I'm having with many guys. Like, you know what I'm saying? Like the guy's now making more money,

and guess what? Everybody want to, this whole rinkin stuff is bullshit. The rinkin now, the guy's not actually fighting for money, fighting for rinking. And the ranking, I don't give a shit about this ranking. This prank doesn't mean nothing. You fight, you make a paycheck, you support your family, family. When you start fighting with the ranking, you're working at a disadvantage. This is

Matthew. Okay. Jeez. Coming out swinging, Ali. All right. Can we talk, let's talk about the big news. Let me talk, let me ask you about this. You found out last week, no title fight for Frankie Edgar. Max Holloway is injured. What's happening with him? Is he going to fight on March 3rd, Frankie Edgar? Let me show you what kind of legend this guy is. And I told Frank, hey, Max is out. He's not going to come back to June and July. He said, I said, this whole card might not happen. And he said, fuck it.

I will stay on the card, save the card. I will get paid. You know what I'm saying? I'm not waiting for Max. That shows you what kind of confidence an athlete should have. If you believe you are the best in the world, to fight anybody, anytime, anywhere to make sense. If Ortega come through,

Let's do it. What's the name the other guy? Let's beat Michael Johnson. The guy who just beat Michael Johnson. Oh, man. Elkins. Elkins.

Yes, that's right. If Elkins come through, this is the two guys. I said, hey, let's do. Or take our Elkins. Any of them, let's go. And the whole thing is, and I just show you what kind of guy,

Frank is. You know what I'm saying? Like all these guys, they want to sit around for six months to a year, wait for a title of shot. At the end of the day, you have a shorter opportunity to make money.

You're going to get older. And if you don't fight, you know, you're not going to make money. You understand a guy like Banyel. Nobody in the top 15 wants to fight him. Bobby Green, I asked for Bobby Green. He said, yes. Thank you, Bobby Green, for taking a fight.

This is what kind of fighter, if I'm a promoter, I want to have. But everybody right now is dodging everybody. You know? And this is why, you know, it's a huge honor for me to, to work with guys like Frankie Edgar

because he never turned down a fight, not once. Same for Cody Garberin. Cory Garberant. Right, wait, before we get to Cody, I'm going to ask you about Cody in a second, but first let me just finish with Frankie. So is there a fight for him right now for March 3rd? We end.

We end for three-round fight, five-round fight. You know, but, you know, Ortega said, I'm reading some reports that Ortega need to make more money. Like now is other problem. But, you know, I don't blame him. He should get paid fighting someone like Frankie, you know, but, but now, like, everybody tried to leverage his stuff.

And I don't blame Ortega trying to make money. He's a nice kid, very nice kid. So if it's not Ortega, if Ortega passes, it may be Elkins. It can be how, it can be you, somebody. Somebody got to pay. He's going to be a victim. So, because Frankie, Edgar, all you need victim. You need somebody to victimize him.

That's it. That's all Frankie wants. I asked, matter of fact, I asked the UFC, would you make the Connor fight? And I know I'm just saying that. And he said, there's no way. And you know, the fucking guy, like, he keeps in the stuff about Max and this. But realistically, then he observed the adopted by Connors three times. And I have proved sex messages, meeting, phone conversations, but I'm just, you know, I'm saying.

It's crazy, actually. But we'll come to Carter a little bit. Okay, okay. Now, Cody Garbrand, so they come to you and they say we want to do Cody Garbrand versus T.J. Dillashaw. What's the state of that fight? We spoke to Cody, but from your perspective, what's the state of the fight? Is it going to happen?

Is it not going to happen? I'm going to tell you this. Please. If you're 2222 got canceled, I think T.J. Delashaw is going to have blood on his hand because, you know, Cody said yes. And Cody, I'm telling you, just coming from an injury, his hand messed up. and he said yes and now

they have to have a title of fight for this car to be safe as you know as John Jones before in Shail Sonnen and I think listen I think T.J. Delosha is a great fighter I personally don't have

problems with him but when you have too many people around you telling you all you waited too long he didn't wait nothing he waited one fight and Cody got healthy and fought Cody you understand

and now he's doing an interview saying or have to make financial sense, I'm telling you, if you want to get paid, if you pick up the phone and call Sean or Hunter or Dana, if I'm his manager, T.J. going to tell him to be fucking paid right now. If you want to step in, and I short notice, he can get rich.

Because he doesn't make money, big money, he doesn't sell pay-per-view, he doesn't do nothing. But now it's time to capitalize, top up and fight Cody Garber. Listen, it's a tough fight, but he really beat Cody. And they come to me and said, hey, if Cody beat him, TJ wants an immediate rematch, we have to put on a contract.

I said, yeah, but the whole thing, oh, after that, he says his son, I know, congratulations to him, they have a new baby, but guess what? The baby got to eat too. Like Cody's baby got to eat. Cody's wife's going to have a baby very soon. Probably when he having a fight, he was going to be in the hospital having a baby. But like I said, guys, they can make more money right now, and they don't want to fight. They want to protect their bills.

Listen, guys, I have a feeling, and I'm predicting this today. Okay. This is Deletri Johnson and Cody, so is Daniel Johnson and TJ is not going to happen. You will see. Why? Because now, because I'm going to tell you why, because I mentioned it to the UFC. I said, you make this fight happen now, the fucking guy is not even going to. going to fight. And the whole 135

division going to be on hold like the same thing, Connor did. You know? And now, listen, let's be here. Nobody's buying T.J. versus Demetre Johnson. Wow. The only idea come is nobody who's going to, they

guarantee you they said, oh, if you guys us want to fight, put us on July 7th because they can't sell their own pay-per-view. They can't. That Tisi got the lowest pay-view number of all the time and Demetri Johnson he fought on Fox

almost of his style of defense. They're not a draw. The meter is a great fighter. The Maitre's a great fighter. I think he's not a damn draw. I think he's amazing. But he's not a draw. That's the truth. I love Demetrejohn. But it's the truth. Cody Garberant, on the other hand, different.

Cordy Garbram. What I fought Demetre Johnson? Very interested. You understand? That's it. But listen, we know, look at the social media, look at analogics. You know who still draw. Draws in the UFC right now. It's few guys.

It's few guys. Kabeep, Connor, Nate, Cody. That's it. I don't think anybody else is a draw. Cyborg? Cyborg? The reason Cyborg, the pay-per-view did well. I love Cyborg.

I think she's the best pound for pound of all the time. But I think Kabib was undercurrent. This is why the pay-per-view part did well. But Cyborg is a big draw, too. I think she's amazing. I love cyber hussein. I'm happy she's finally getting what she deserved. Okay, so then as we talk right now,

222 is still up in the air. You don't know if that fight, it's in T.J.'s hands, right? And as far as Frankie is concerned, it's in either Ortega and Elkins' hands. We're still waiting. Listen, Frankie is the biggest O.G. fucking gangster in the UFC. Nobody's gangsters, Frankie.

Nobody. You know what I'm saying? And I work for nothing but gangsters. You know what I'm saying? and guys have both, man. You know, Frankie Gabbard's. You know what I'm saying? Listen, at the end of the day, man,

it's, it's gonna piss me off some time because, but T.J., if he won money, he should call the UFC and ask for more money. I see him doing an interview about he won money. He deserved money. If he took this fight with Cody, fuck. T. T.J. deserved to get paid. Yeah.

100%. You know? Okay. But I don't think he wants to fight. You meant, oh, wait. Put your camera back up. because now we see your nice Reebok sweatshirt there.

Can you put it up? Yeah, there you go. All right. I see you good now. So you mentioned Chabib a couple weeks ago we were in Boston. What a bizarre press conference that was. I still don't know what they're fighting for

on April 7th. And I come to you, Ali, with, you know, I come to you with open arms and ask you, and by the way, what is that buzzing noise? Is that your phone? It's killing my ears. What is that thing that's buzzing in my ears? My phone is broke.

I need to buy a new phone. It's killing me. Jeez, Louise. Is that Hunter Campbell texting you throughout this interview? Who is that? Hunter's the man, bro. Yeah, he is the man. Tell him to call me back.

All right. Listen, April 7th. Keep waiting. April 7th. What's going on? What's happening? What are they fighting for? Can you explain to me what exactly is happening with this fight?

You know what they're fighting for? No. Everybody knows what they fight for, but the whole thing is, like, you guys want to make this buzz about... No buzz. Let me explain to you what happened. Okay, tell me. Bro, probably, Connor, probably don't cook somewhere

or whatever. Nobody gives a shit about Connor. Let me explain to you what's going on here. I told you this, and I'm going to repeat myself again for the last time, because you aren't instigator on this one. You are. Let me explain to you. Okay, okay.

What did I think when you come to me ask me to fight for the title? I said, okay. I said, I don't want Tony Ferguson, become the official champion the same way to Cardiff. Because I know Tony and Connor got the same manner. And I'm not going to put a chance somebody play a game with me. I'm way smarter than people think.

You know what I said. I want the night of the fight, April 7th, to be the official title. If Tony Ferguson get injured, Khabi still become fight for the title. fight for the title against Gagee, Porriere, whatever. Yeah. You understand?

But if I demand it, oh, I want Connor to this trip, that's who's going to be the automatic champion, Tony Ferguson. And Tony Ferguson is getting played left and right. You understand? I kind of feel bad for Tony Ferguson. He's getting played, bro. Are you serious? By who?

Tony Ferguson is getting played. The whole thing, listen to me. He is by everybody. By everybody. by the U.S. by his team, by everybody. He's going to play. And I'm telling you something, man.

I feel sorry for Tony Ferguson because on April 7th, Tony Ferguson probably never going to fight that game. And I really, I'm concerned for his well-being. I'm serious. What? I'm not just saying that to promote a fight. I'm concerned for him because, you know, I'm hearing some report.

You know, I respect Eddie Bravo and the legend, but I'm hearing, oh, he's a lot of, going to accept, he will be more than happy, Kabib taken down. And I'm telling you something, man, this boy is not going to, can't, you remember this movie, can't get right? He's going to be like, can't get right. He's not going to be a normal human being. He will be, he will be in trouble.

Because if he accepts to take down from Kabib, and he will take him down, he would disfigure his whole entire face. He would, like Connor talk shit about all the time, oh, I do this, and this bitch in Ireland not doing nothing, you know? and I'm telling you, it's going to be brutal, it's going to be ugly, it's going to be bloody, because Khabib is, it was very nice to Barbosa, it was very nice to Michael Johnson,

but I'm telling you something. One thing Khabibis is not going to be due, is not going to be not going to have said, Tony Ferguson. My prediction, Tony Ferguson will probably take two years off or maybe not come back after this fight. Wait, so, okay, and that's a fine prediction,

but what are they fighting for? They are fighting for the real belt? Why haven't they stripped Connor then? Tell me why haven't they stripped Connor? and just make it a vacant. Vacant title. Just make it for a vacant title. Yeah.

Let me tell you. The UFC, they're not stupid. They're very smart. This guy is all on three, okay? If Kabib don't show up, got injured, or Tony don't go to show up. They still can bring Connor back in May or June or something. You know, but right now and also, let me tell you this, because I'm a former promoter. I'm not, I wasn't a big promoter, but I'm a big promoter.

but I'm going to tell you something in five weeks when I strip Connor will be such a huge news and all this traffic will go directly to the Brooklyn show you know what I'm saying? Sometimes you got to work in a mother baby so your prediction is... That's what you see doing

okay you think the week of the fight they're going to strip Connor to to drum up interest in the fight or Kabib is not fighting 100% if they don't strip Connor you're saying by April 7th Chabib is not going to fight.

Bro, I was being told Khabibis fighting regardless for the real belt. Real belt. There's nobody's fighting for the damn interim belt. I have a bad agreement saying you are fighting with a real belt.

Whatever, they want to have a two champion that's a lot is good for me. Because there's going to be champion versus champion. A real champion versus champion. That's what they're going to do. That's what they're going to do. So now we're making two belts. I don't think they're going to do that.

They're not. They're not going to do that. But I'm telling you something. Connor McGregor will never fight Kabin. We'll never fight him. Like he never fought Frankie Edgar because he is a scare and his bitch-ass coach is scared.

And the whole. They are. Why is he not fear this man? Bro, it's true. It's a fuck true. I don't appreciate it about his coach. Yeah, he's a bitch. 100.

He blocked me too on Twitter. Because, you know, the whole thing is you doc frankie asked him for three years okay and now he's supposed to fight Kabib oh I'm a fight Kabib of Russia and all this bullshit now he's using Kabib to stay

in the media and his coach he's such a fucking little first of all who the fuck gave his black belt I know I'm a black belt underhand the grace I don't not know who gave him his black belt that's number one oh man to ask about this number two

number two this guy and MMA fighting doctor come very well respected with the side. Yes, I've heard

that. Kabeb will knock out out, Kahn will knock out Kabeb in the first round. I understand Connor mentioned

Khabib's name who want to stay relevant. But why the fuck you want to stay relevant? Let me tell you some about what's the name

of the team? What's the name of the team? What's the name of the team? Oh, SPG Ireland. Let me tell you SBAJI.

SBG Ireland. 98% of their roster are being cut from the U.S. And they have, I believe, two guys. One guy, he's scared to fight people, Connor McGreg. He's fucking scared. He won a belt, never defended.

One other belt never defended. The fucking people and the pound-for-found list should be ashamed of yourself. They owe this motherfuckers. Because they have number two pound for pound over George St. Pierre. How the fuck you have Connor McGreg over George St.mpeer? Let's get back to this fucking sorry-ass team, IRS team. And the other guy, they're going to be a guy.

the U.S. bro, I respect fucking Artham, and I really do. I got my bad to say about Art. Yeah, don't you dare say anything about Ardenham,

right? Anybody anywhere? I can't. But the whole thing is, the only reason he's got in the UFC because Conner, and the only reason

is still not cutting the UFC, the guy's record 13 and 14. How the fuck you're going to have a U.S. fighter with this record in the UFC? It's true.

Geez. One more thing. Okay, okay. And if this guy focus, who is this guy to write a fucking book anyway. First of all, instead of

going to do autograph signing fucking, maybe he focused and he jammed, some of these guys will be in a OC. And I recommend any fighters do not go train there because your career is going to go downhill. Why do you have such a problem with him?

All he said was his guy's going to be your guy. What's your problem? They run their fucking mouth. They run, they mouth, and they don't fight. Real fighter fight. These guys don't fight. And guess what? I can ask question. I'm going to ask you a question. How many guys from, how many guys been cut from

the U.S.C.? Gunnar Nelson? Let me tell you about Gunnar Nelson. Gunnar Nelson is a Hansa Grasie black belt. I got Gunnar-Nolson in the UFC. Actually, I did. You did? I'm fucking Audi. He's not his father. I did. Yes. I did it as a favor for Hansa Gracie because they would not put him. Gunner Nelson was smashing people when he was

training in Ireland and going back to Hens of Gracie. That's what? Gunner-Nilsom probably one the most dangerous guys in the waterways. He's fucking losing. You know why? Because he worked with a loser team. Jeez.

You know, he becomes just like then. That's the fact, man. And I'm telling you something, man. Next time this guy keep Frankie on his name or Khabibat his name might have some fucking problem

with you do. What are you talking about? He was asked the question. Yeah. You're all fired up. Geez. Honor's scared, man. Why are you so fired up?

Conner's because it's a fucking fact I don't like Kabim is my brother Frank is my brother everybody I manage as my friend

I leave peace of myself with him and I don't like people that if they talk real it's okay I take it I shut up

I will take it you know Artham's supposed to fight Zabi guess what they say no Artham say yes but they say his coach

said no you understand the whole thing is they scare they're so afraid of losing And guess what? Do fucking do something else.

You know what I'm saying? I'm talking to me. The guy is a businessman. He's not, he's a world champion. Because the UFC gave him a put him in position. You know, he knocked out Eddie. You knock out Aldo. But he's not knocking out no fucking Khabib.

And people can fucking dream about it. And he will never fight Khabi. And you will see, go down to history. You know I'm right. So talk about Russia. I'm talking about this bullshit. Let me ask you. let me ask you about your other guy.

You got all kinds of drama. You're all fired up. Marlon Marais and Jimmy Rivera. What is happening with this fight? That's one more bitch, Jimmy Rivera. He got on your show. Yeah, he is. He got on your show.

He said, I talked about his wife. First of all, if I talk better about your wife, he should run and punch me in my face. Yeah. I did not. This woman, I was talking to him. I don't know if she think I talked to her, but she got more balls than him

because she's the one doing all the screaming and yelling but I'll never talked about any man I don't know this woman she never did nothing bad to me and if she think I cost her I want to apologize to her I'm telling you I did not cost us at you I have no problem with you

but with your bitch ass husband yes I do that's what he got about agreement for April 24 turn it down now he have a fight offer main event, Atlantic City.

Marlon Mariah's for Jimmy Rivera. Guess what? He's going to fucking turn it down. What I was being told by the UFC, turn this down. The first top three opponent is going to be, Marlon will get, not him. And he can, in his ass wait for December. Nobody gives a shit about Zimmer Rivera.

No. He died in favor, he decisions everybody fucking else. You know what I'm saying? And that's it. And now he's jumping, talking about Cody Garbrand. I'm going to tell you something, man. You better be careful mention Cody's

name because I'm telling you, Cody he's not like me. I'm nice. I'm very nice guy. Cody's crazy. Fuck. And Cody will beat him his ass publicly. Cody do not give a fuck. I'm telling you. Cody's crazy. With me, I'm nervous

around Cody. You understand? I'm nervous what Cody will do to other people. Because I have to calm him down all the time because he have zero town. And this guy keeps talking about Cody. Man, he's your superior. You know what I'm saying?

You don't talk about his superiors. Shut up. And you have a fight with Marlon Marais. Take the fight or just sit your ass to December. And as soon as he lose, I'm probably going to cut it up. But he's so scared of Marlon Mariah. Like, how he said, oh, I'm the champ of the ring of combat.

I'm the champ of the Kitch Fury. I'm the champ of this. Shut the fuck up and fight. You understand? Ask for more. money. Ask for a date. You from New Jersey. Defend your turf, homie. December, April 21st, Atlantic Atlantic City. Marlon Mariah, right now the U.S. offered and we accept it. Wow. Take it. You know what's so funny, man? All his, Tiger Sherman's eyes, the guy fought

Dan. So nice. What's his name? Shame Bergo. So nice. Such a great guy from Tiger Sherman. Because before, I think Tiger Shorman all bullshit. shit. But now, no. You got Schenberg was a nice guy. Yeah. The guy fought Dan is nice guy. They're really nice guys. But this guy meant me, you know what? You know what he is? He's not a fight. He's a fucking, he promotes

his school. He promotes Tiger Shorman's cool. He promoted the UFC not to become a champion. He using the UFC to promote the Tiger Shorman's school. You understand? Jeez. I'm telling you, man, if this guy was not small, I would fucking slap him. But he's too stop. Stop. Stop it with that. And I'm

tell you, a lot of you said, oh, you are a man, Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, why, why? You know what, I'm mad? Yeah. Let somebody call your kid or call your wife a terrorist. I come from the Middle East. Calling somebody a terrorist, I call him somebody the N-word for me. It's racist.

Yeah. And this is why he thinks the UFC I was going to get in trouble by yelling on him. You can go FSA. But that's why I don't like this guy. I never met this guy. Actually, I did. I gave him a fight of WSWF before. And grateful motherfucker.

but it's okay. Okay, let's talk about something positive. You got Verdum and Dana White in the same room. They're friends again now, right? Yeah, best friends. It's crazy, man, because I... What's the problem there? What's the problem there? Yeah, tell me.

A recent Verdun, probably, one of the nicest guy you ever meet is loyal, he's funny, he's joke. On a personal level, I like Dana White. I think Dana White, I like him. I like him. lot of people have problem with him. He never like, they never did me wrong.

He always treat me his respect. And, and it was difficult for me. You have two great people. Can't get along. And finally, I got him to agree to me. Wow.

Dana canceled on Burdum one time. So I breeze you cancel on Dana one time. And finally got to me. And they talked. It was a very positive meeting. It was 45. minute. Then I was like talking and about normal life stuff. Fabrice was talking

about his children and it was cool. And finally, my life becomes easier because that was my biggest problem as a manager to have a problem with a promoter and a fighter. When you have a problem with a promoter and a fighter, my job become easier. This is why a lot of managers

want to hide their guys from the promoter and I think it's wrong. If you are a fighter and you listen to me, you need to have a relationship with the matchmaker. You need to have the relationship. You need to have the relationship with the promoter because it becomes they know you, they see you, they talk

to you, don't hide behind your manager's shadow. You are the fighter. The manager is a worker. I work for the fighter. I'm an employee by my fighter. That means if they guys have problems, they're going to handle it. You understand? And now

Fabrice got his job back. He's going to, Saturday is going to debut. He's fighting a main event in London on a short notice. Fabrice Viram's Zoom saved the day again, and life is good. Okay, let's go rapid fire here, because I know you love being on the show, but we haven't gone through all the list of guys. I got your list here.

How many guys you have in the UFC now, huh? Like what, 50, 60? I know you know the number. Don't pretend like you don't know. Yeah, like 40-something. 40-something. Okay, Rashad Evans. Is he going to fight Michael Bisping or not?

That was a weird one because, I was being told Beesbink asked for Rashach. By the way, I love Baikal Beesbik Manor. He's a fighter. And I said, they agreed to the fight up,

light, heavyweight in Boston. I call Rashad. Rashad, man, fuck man, is my friend. I really don't want to fight him. You know, I want to be sure he's okay.

And after that, you know, I said, he asked for you. And that's what I was being told. And that's what Mick told me. and I'm, and I make, you know, one of the most honest guys in the sport.

The best guy. Whatever he said to me is gold. Mick Manor, number one, number one. Don't try your number of people, man, here. Number one. China's awesome, too. Number two. Number two.

He's a Patriots guy, Tom Brady's cousin, number two. And I said, okay. I went to Rashar and said, fuck it. If that's what do you want, let's do it. And after that, the reason this fight didn't happen, I think we're just about As far as I know, I think it was about money. You know, and Rashad was in.

Rashad didn't ask for more money. Bisbing is a start of my fight. He want to get paid. I don't blame him for getting paid. The fight didn't happen. I don't think it will happen. And that's what. It is what it is.

I'm kind of a little bit happy to fight. Okay. Kelvin Gasland, what's up with him? Where does he fall into the whole middleweight title picture? Yeah, man. This is, this is what's happened. Actually, Kevin Gaston was considered the five for the title over Romero. Okay.

Sorry, sorry, sorry. Over Whitaker. Whitaker? Over Luke. Oh, against Whitaker. He was, he was, it was not Luke. It was supposed to be Kevin Gaston versus Whitaker. Okay.

You know, it was not supposed to be Luke Rock. Luke is my friend. I love Luke, but he was not supposed to be Luke. He was supposed to Calvin Gasselm versus Whitaker. You know, he's the busier guy. He fought. He's, you know, back to back, back to back. And I think he was getting rewarded by doing it. And Luke was not going to fight. They was going to make Romero than Luke somewhere else for number one contendant.

But Whitaker is the champ. You know, he demanded Luke. He said, I'm not fighting Calvin Gaston. he want to fight Luke and realistically I think Calvin Gasen is a tougher fight stylistically and I'm not saying anything bad about Luke

but you know I think Luke would have beat him too to be honest with you but I think Salistically Kevin Gasselin is a tougher fight but maybe you want to fight the top ring guy listen so what is what is up with him? Does he have a fight does he have a fight Gaslam

we have to make a decision man I think he might be popping to 170 you know really you know he might be going 70 because at the end of the day now it's a it's a it's a stuff the division is stuck now they have to with the kicker which could come back and I can see

you know you know it's going to be whatever Calvin want I think he's going to come in two weeks to the UFC Institute he's going to get checked by the diet guy Clint. He's an amazing guy.

Clint Wallenberger. Okay. And we're going to make a decision. We sit down with, you know, Sean and Hunter and Mac and of course, they're not going to have to say so too. Because Dana, then it's against Calvin going to 170.

But now, I think maybe it's the right time. But it's going to be up to Calvin, too. What Calvin want to do? For me, I think it's going to be fine, 170. He always has 1170. his back pocket.

Yeah. Now he's top five a little way. Yeah. But let's see what happened. Kamar Usman. Does he have something? Oh, man. You know,

Camaro, you know, he was offered Cody Covington three times. Yeah. Kobe declined it. You know, Dan Lamber, you know,

said no, I respect Dan Lamber a lot, but at the end of the day, now he's going to have to wait because he's not fighting Woodley. I think the son is going to fight with him, you know. And he's willing to wait. Maybe, you know, when you wait like that, it's not healthy for your career.

But Osman is not going to wait for Kobe. You know, Osmond, he said, you know, I'm the best in the world. I'm going to fight whatever the UFC gives me. And I'm going to move on. That's it. Maybe he has a fight. Oh, wow. No.

What about, what about, even Thompson, maybe they didn't you just sign Santiago Pondinibio? No, no, he's my friend. Okay. He's my friend. Maybe that fight.

Maybe that fight makes a lot of sense. I don't think so, man. It's a talistically. I don't think it's a good fight. For who? You know, listen, the whole thing is, I think the UFC

gonna match Osmond with two guys. Guys have very, very good jih Tijuana, or guys have very, very good wrestling that could be coming. Okay.

They're not going to, I think, you know, because the result of the last fight. And if I was a matchmaker, I'll do the same thing. I believe Osman is one of the toughest guys in the division. It's very hard to beat. And I think he destined to be a champion. I think he'll be a champion. What about Zabit? Does he have a fight?

Zabit has to be in Brooklyn, right? What's happening there? As far as I know, he's fighting in Brooklyn, but he got like, nobody want to fight the beat. Nobody. The only guy wants to fight the beat, it was Artem, but his coach said no.

But it's ridiculous. Like a guy only has to fight a NFC and you can't get an opponent. But, you know, this is up to Sean Shelby. He's going to find something. You know, we're looking for somebody in the top 15, but it doesn't look like it's going to happen.

You know, but maybe, you know, somebody like mild jewelry or somebody. That's a good fight. This is the guy I'm going to be sitting around having problems for not getting a fight

because nobody wants to fight. Anthony Johnson, is he going to come back? Heavyweight? You see how big Anthony Johnson is? Yeah, super heavyweight? Anthony Johnson right now is probably 270 pounds. Bodybuilding, right?

265. He's a bodybuilder. Listen, Anthony Johnson right now listen, he enjoying life. He's relaxing. He's been fighting for so many years. And sometimes it's healthy for your career to take a year off.

Yeah. And my prediction is Anthony Johnson will come in less than a year. He'll come back. This is my prediction. This is not what he told me. Sure, sure, sure. But this is my prediction. Heavyweight? Heavyweight? Yeah, of course.

No, man. Heavyweight. The guy is almost 270. How he's going to fight. But, you know, I love Anthony Johnson. He's a great guy. And whatever choice he wants, I want to, I would like to, you know, I'd like to make it happen. Okay, last one for you. What about Derek Brunson, I'm looking for Derek Bronson, David Bransch, all those guys want.

Oh, my God. I just wanted to ask about two free agents, friends of the show, Chris Wade and Stevie Ray. What do you got for them? Chris Wade. He was supposed to meet today with Carlos Silva, the CEO of BFL. Oh, that'd be good. He wants to meet with him. Yeah.

To be in this one minute. That'd be good. That'd be good. That's Chris Wade. Okay. Ray, Steve Ray. Steve Ray, man. Steve Ray, man.

He got, he got screwed, man. He got screwed because the UFC really liked him. And they offered him this great deal. And this fucking idiot-ass manager. Stop. Whatever. be an idiot. You know what he did?

He told him he's the biggest names in Europe. He is worse, this crazy amount of money. And Sean is like, okay. Pipeau Feltre, he lost. Now Steve Ray is not even under contract with the UFC anymore. Bring him back. Like, if you want a risk, if you want a risk, you want to risk, risk your own life. Don't suck a risk price of his life.

I was talking to Steve Ray. He called the guy and the guy on vacation. He said, oh, I'm on vacation. Why he called me? You're a fucking manager. 24-7, 7 days a week. Answer your phone.

You understand? And he got really screwed by listening to his dumb-ass manager and not getting a new contract. So what's up? Roy Nelson. Yeah.

If you, like somebody's big names, you know, Bellator is going to stop in and sign you, or BFEL is going to give you millions of dollars, you can get, gamble with that. Like John Dotson, fighting his last fight on his deal, a very risky fight. Why would you do that? You know? And that's why man, like, don't gamble with guys' career. Gamble, I make mistakes as a man. I made a lot of mistakes. But I learned from my mistakes.

The manager gamble with his life. And now he have a job. He has kids. You know, he's struggling. So bad. And I'm waiting, you know. And the UFC maybe to do something, but I got some stuff coming up for him. I'm not going to even, I talk to him every day. The guy is not even in the UFC, but I talk to him every day. You know why? Because he need me now. Because you're in the UFC, you're a champion, you're good.

But when you are with the UFC, this is when you really need support. And I like him. I talk with him all the time, and we're going to figure some out for him. All right. Ali, you have now made me an enemy to many people in the sport. I mean, you talked about everyone. I don't give a shit.

They can go on there and talk. They can talk too. I don't care. They got on embellfighting.com and they said, oh, Camby's going to get assault in the first round. Shut up. Bring it. That's, you know, that's just pre-fight talk. What do you expect him to say?

You expect him to say that that Habib's going to knock out Connor? You know the drill. That's how it goes. Anyway, if you're willing to fight to speak, talk. if you willing to fight Kabib talk

if you're not willing to fight Khabib shut the fuck up that's this is real you understand and I'm concerned again one more time I really mean it I'm concerned with Tony Ferguson health he will not be the same he might not fight again

I'm telling you Khabib worked on some stuff with the greatest Abdulmanab, Nur Mahmahadav his father yes he is one of the greatest of all the time coach without him will be no MMA in Russia. Zero. It will be zero in the amendment Russia.

The stuff they're working on, they send me the video every night, fucking scary, man. I'm concerned about Tony Ferguson because I think Tony Ferguson is a nice guy. Ali, thank you for doing this. Last thing, what about my man, Dan? The Vault. What's going on? One shot in the UFC. My man. Dan,

how are you? When are we going to get back in there? Tough night in Boston? But, come on. We're going to get back in there, right? And I got, hey, remember this name, Puna. He's a dangerous middleweight. He's a part of the team too. I'm the ball and program.

Wow. And you got a little kid back there. You got a kid in a high chair. You got a whole party going on. It's amazing. We work. It's an empire. Ali, thank you.

Thank you for doing this. Thank you for the time. Good luck with all that stuff you have. Hey, sorry for all the bad word. I said that. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I bow. Yeah.

No problem. Thank you, Ali. Appreciate it. There he is. Ali. Aziz. Wow. Manager to the stars. And wow, throwing a lot of bombs left and right there. But there you have it. Updates on Frankie Edgar. Updates on Cody Garbrandt, Habib Mirmagamatov, Zabit, Marlon Marais, all kinds of updates from Ali Abdel-Ziz. We appreciate his time very much. All right. That does it for our interviews. That does it for this portion, this very large portion of the program. But we have more show left. There you see the address. Live. Twitter.com slash MMA fighting. We're going to go over there now.

We like to call this portion of the show The MMA After Hour. You know the drill. We got Rick's picks coming up. Haven't heard from him yet. We also have your questions and comments. Check in on the question of the day. There's still a lot more show left. Still can weigh in on 221 coming up.

This weekend's show in Belém, Brazil. Or I should say, Berlem, as my friend Guillermo Cruz taught me. I didn't even say that. but I'm a little tired at this point. We've got Leonardo Machita beating Eric Anders. Was that the right call to put Eric Anders? Was he ready for a fight of that magnitude? We can talk about that and a whole lot more.

So head on over to live.totura.com slash M.A. fighting. That is our official Twitter page. We're going exclusively there for the M.A. after hour. I want to quickly thank if you're saying goodbye to us now. I hope you're not, but I want to thank all our guests today. Everyone who stopped by from Shevchenko to Rampage to Derek Lewis to John Dotson, James Vic, Volcanowski, Sage Northcut, Fabrice Over Doom, Cody Garbrant, Robert Whitaker, and of course, Ali Abdel-Zizzi.

Who's Who has stopped by today? But again, more show left. The MMA After Hour. It's coming up right now. All right. We are back. The M.MA After Hour time. No time to waste.

We have gone a little long here today because we've had so many guests, I think, 11 on today's program once again, stacking the deck. So we must go to everyone's favorite segment. It is time, my friends. For Rick's picks. Yes. What does he have for us? Hopefully something good. Rick's picks. Rick's picks are lots of fun and his hair isn't a bun because it's, you already know what it is. Rick's picks. This is for everyone who says I talk too much. Boys and girls. It's the moment you've all been waiting for. It's the new crazed.

Yeah, I'm feeling it. Another good show in the books. Live for the box studios in beautiful New York City. 420 420. 4x picks. Episode 420. There he is. How are you celebrating 420, my friend?

Working. Yeah. How about you? Working, doing a show, talking to people. I feel like you were trying to lead me somewhere with that. No, you're actually the one who reminded me. I don't pay attention to the numbers you do. I didn't know it was 420.

Likely story. We should have had, you know, maybe... I should have had Nate Diaz on. I should have thought of that. I mean, I blew it. You're slipping. I blew it.

You're slipping. Clearly. What is creative alliance? On the shirt? Yeah. It's actually, it's funny how you always gravitate toward the shirts. I'm just, I'm just. Well, here you are.

I haven't talked to all day. I haven't seen you in this shirt. Sure. Creative Alliance, I'm going to keep this brief, is a group of organizations, companies coming together to do good under the Civic Nation banner.

There's a few initiatives that they're interested in. One that you may be familiar with, most notably, is it's on us. So they did creative work around that campaign as well as some others.

Does that anything to do with this as us? The television show. What a show. Did you watch it last night after the Super Bowl? I heard, don't spoil it for me I heard that they actually revealed how the dad dies

I don't know what you're talking about You're missing out Let me tell you something Don't watch TV Don't really Don't really have time for that Yeah right What are you so busy

You have one kid Come talk to me when you got three bud I'm a little bit busy Don't really have time for Leasierly television I hear you taking phone calls By the way By your other gig

In the middle of the prep time So you're talking long About press releases All kinds of stuff Don't think I don't notice that. And more evidence to what I'm discussing that I don't have time for This Is Us. All right. Well, you're missing out.

Anyway, you were kind of boring me with that whole Creative Alliance thing, so I had to get off that. Yeah, it wasn't me who volunteered that, by the way. Well, usually you have a shirt that is like, you know, MMA related or you're trying to, you know, push a client on us or hawk some kind of product. It's not just some rant. There's usually a method to my madness. A message behind it all. Sometimes a T-shirt is just, you know. T-shirt, my friend. Fair enough.

Fair enough. Did you watch Super Bowl? I did. Did you enjoy it? I did. Did you have a Super Bowl party or did you attend one? I had a Super Bowl party which included myself. Yes. My wife. My daughter, Avery. My mom and my stepfather. That is, that is cool.

That was the party. I like that party. Pizza, wings, breadsticks, chips and dip. Wow. Pizza from where? Simple. Simple. Papa Johns. Papa Johns? Yeah, look. What? It was the fastest and cheapest way to get it there.

Because the pizza joints are busy. Yeah, pizza joints are kind of like busy at that time. Papa Johns, golly. How much was it? Like four bucks for a large? Jeez. It was cheap. Man.

Was it good? Honestly. It was greasy. It was fine. It was like reheated pizza. It was like the Giorno's reheated. Not my favorite. I have a good pizza joint in the neighborhood.

And what? They were pretty stacked up with orders. You got to put in that order like at 12. Some kind of rookie on Super Bowl, something. You've got to do that early. You can't just call up. I was doing other things. What kind of toppings?

What are we talking about? We got two pizzas. We got half sausage, half pepperoni, and then half mushroom, half jalapeno. I like to keep them all separate. Okay, so you're not overlapping with any of the toppings. Don't like the overloaded toppings. I like one topping per per slice, but I like a lot of different toppings.

Have you ever tried pineapple, green olives. The money. That is the money combo. Let me just... Honestly, don't judge it. I know. Legitimately, the...

I love olives. I love olives. And this is the worst thing I've ever heard. No, trust me. Just do me a favor. Try it and you'll see what I mean. There will be no circumstances

under which I would pay money to order that. You know what happens when I talk about pineapple and olives? Like my throat starts to like... I start to get like this feeling where it salivates It's so good. I wish I could go for that right now. Your throat salivates?

I highly doubt that. No, no, it's like I start to feel the glands, you know? Anyway, it was a fun game. I'm very happy for the Eagles fans. Wait, did you eat that? What did you have? So actually, you know, I kind of like, you know, three kids.

My wife was actually at a show working, like she had a trade show. I reheated like takeout that we had from the night before. It was pretty weak. But I must say it was my favorite Super Bowl party of all time. You're talking about my Papa guys. You had actual reheated. Reheated ravioli. I'd even go.

pizza. And I usually am like steadfast. You must order pizza. Didn't do it, but I got to watch it alone, the first half, with my three kids. I made them stay up and I had a blast. It was so much fun trying to explain to them. And I feel... Did you talk to them about

Frank? What's his name? Right. No, we didn't talk. Right. Frank Reich, of course, one of the great figures in the history of the Buffalo bills, the quarterback, the backup quarterback very much like Mr. Foles, who won the MVP,

who led the bills to the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history, which is not Super Bowl, a playoff history. Wikipedia saying one of the best backups of all time, or the best backup of all time. Look what he did. And then, of course, he's now the offensive coordinator for the champion Eagles. I was trying to teach my son about first downs and

the hash marks and all that stuff. I was disappointed with the field, and I know a lot of people said, like, oh, you're being a negative Nancy and you always complain about things, but let's be honest, that field was very patchy. It was not a Super Bowl-looking field. It wasn't. I don't know. It looked like crap.

What do you consider it? It has to look different arenas every single time. It has to look pristine. This is the Super Bowl. It has to look uniformly green. I kind of like it. It was patchy. It's Philly.

It's Philly. It's Philly. It was Minnesota. I know it's in Minnesota. What I'm saying is like, look, it's rough. It's rough and tumble. Like the Philadelphia Eagles. No, that's not what is the Eagles?

There's two teams playing. Stop. Yeah, who cares? The halftime show was great. We danced. It was a great time. Super Bowl parties are overrated We danced. What does that mean?

My kids love to dance. We danced to dance. So when the halftime came on, you guys had a choreograph routine or what? We just went nuts. It was like a free-for-all. It was great. My daughter is turning around in a circle. Justin Timberlake fans on thing.

Huge. Huge. The song from, what is it, from trolls? I got this feeling in some of arms. Oh, that is. I know that song, but is that from trolls? I think it's from the soundtrack. Oh, Jesus.

Come. You'll figure this out. No, it was fun. Super Bowl parties are overrated. You can listen to the. the commentary. You can't, you know, you can't pay attention to the game. I was enjoying it. In fact that... Not listening to the commentary. Not that big of loss. I will say the comment. I thought the commentary was not good. Like, I'm a huge Al Michaels fan, Chris Collinsworth.

Yeah, I think you can skip the comment. I mean, go back and listen to the last play. The Hail Mary, I think they forgot that it was the end of the game. Like, he made a comment about Grankowski, and then he's like, oh, and that's it. The Eagles just won the Super Bowl for the first time. Can you get excited? I think they were submitting reviews for the two Philadelphia play is that they went over 16 different times to be wrong about. I'm just saying it was a little overwhelming. In any event.

Not a great effort. We get two Rick's picks. We can't. Enough about the Super Bowl. And again, I weep for those. It's a good one this week. Okay. What do we got?

What do we got? This one, you know what? I should have talked to Ariel beforehand to not talk over the intro because this one, this one's legit. This is, I brought the goods this week. Okay.

All right. We're going to start with some things from MMAfighting.com. Oh. Wow. Just posted during the show right at the end. into the show.

Seven years ago. Today. UFC 126 took place today. The good old is. This is just wrapping. It's going to replay, but to watch the full thing. Look at these memories.

Go to MMA fighting on Twitter. This is great. Look at the baby face on Ariel and the fighters. We do this more often? This is amazing. On this day. Look at that. Michael Torres giving the stairdown.

Who still has me blocked on Twitter, by the way, and I still don't know why. of 2009. Look at that. Listen, I mean, how many people do you have blocked? Not that many. Turn about is fair. Okay, fair enough.

I thought it was more. Okay, but anyway. What a great... To listen to... By the way, one of the greatest stairdowns in MMA and UFC history. Is this the mask? Yes. Is this the Jabalwaukee?

Yes. I mean, look at the who's who of fighters on this. This is when it was a big deal. Can we get back to these days? You can if you go to MNAFighting.com on Twitter and watch this video. Okay. We're moving on to another MMA fighting

missive. Danny Segura channeling James Dean. We discussed this at length this morning. Am I right? Shout out to the guy. I mean,

I feel like we have a new Tinder profile. I mean, look, we've got the tucked in t-shirt, which is very underrated and not often seen.

Super underrated. Rolled up sleeves. Rolled up t-shirt sleeves, which is big time. Should have put a pack of cigarettes in it. Should have. The hair is, you know.

On point. Yeah, pretty. I mean, this is a good look. Make no mistake. I'm not mocking this. I'm not poking fun. This is legit.

How could you mock this? Legit. This is, this is... Look at that neck. Look at that Adams Apple. Shout out to the boy. Dennis Seguro. My client, actually.

The Colombian kid. Doing the thing. Okay. If you're not familiar with this, there's an Australian guy. Ozzy man reviews. Let's bring the audio up. What is this?

Jeez. punches, Jackie Chan rebounding type shit, and bouncing your head like it's a fucking basketball. Just everything. You'd have to be careful of everything, or you could end up with an exploded face in general. Fuck, I wouldn't fight him. I mean, I wouldn't fight anyone, because I quit Taekwondo when I was about 10. Anyway, fuck yes, soldier of God. Fuck yes, mate.

It's this guy. He does reviews of things. typically profane, always funny. This time he reviewed Yo Romero ahead of UFC 221. Do you think they paid for this? Yeah, well, there's a slate at the end with the poster on it. It's actually pretty smart that they found this guy. Yeah, well, he's pretty well known. This is millions of

subscribers that we're talking here. He's big time? He got popular a few years ago, and... How many followers on Twitter? Let's see. You don't know? Well, his YouTube channel is where he, you know, really. smart. This is, this is good promotion right here. On YouTube, he's got

1.9 million subscribers. Whoa. And on Twitter, he's got the official slate there. He's got 47 point, I said that Ariel, he's got 47K on Twitter, but YouTube's really where he got super popular. And I thought it was very funny, obviously.

And Yo-Romero is actually terrifying, and I wouldn't fight him either. Man. Moving to our next one. The theme here at the top is, we're going to highlight this Australian card coming up. It's nice of you. Someone has to do it. Mark Hunt, posting a video here. Do you recognize the man in black sitting down?

The man in black sitting down. What the song, though? This is Bam Bam Tuivasa. Oh, yeah. Who's fighting in the third slot on the card. Singing and miming along with some Vanessa Carlton. Jamming out. Oh, here we go.

Wow. This guy's the man. He's a big boy. The dance move, boom. Wow. Look at that. Okay. Shout out to Mark Hunt for giving us this magic.

I think Mark Hunt's one of the must follows on IG. He's great. I'm going to establish that. Okay. Oh, here we go. Floyd Mayweather. Oh, geez. First of all, respect the line.

M.A. What are the odds? Paddy, what are the odds? It's like he forgot to say the Patty part. Yeah, he kind of got to it later. Come at the King, you best not miss. I'll give him credit for that, though. But there was a tweet before this.

When he walks in, you remember? Yeah, wasn't a fan of that one. It was lame. The whole, you know, MMA world by storm. Sports world, really. I feel like this one was the one that got the most traction, though, because there was the debate over whether this was some promotion. He still owed Patty Power.

Yes, Patty Power right there. Not owed. It could be a new promotion. It could be... I'm guessing this is probably a holdover. No. What's the point of... What's the point?

They had some kind of agreement that, you know, around the Mayweather-R-R-Gre fight. He's not going to these lengths for a holdover. This did like millions of views. What lengths? What lengths? You filmed three seconds in a octagon. You have to go to the gym. They have to rent it out.

Go there and no one else is there. I'm thinking that this was... He promised them some kind of content around the fight. No chance. Are you insane? Got it out now. No, it's a new deal. Maybe.

Could be. Now, here's the big question. Is it just complete, you know, advertising BS or is it legit? What? Is it legit? Come on. I don't know. He posted that other picture.

Okay, how many times I have to watch this? I've seen it. Fine. Let's change this. It's another one? This was great. Dean Thomas killing it. What are the odds?

Patty. What are the eyes? The delivery was on point. And then shoe face. Nails him. Dropping the hammer. Although Tammor Valleyev did this first, by the way. He mocked him first with Zabit.

That's okay. Deans was the best. I thought that one was better, actually. Well, disagree. We could take down. Agree to disagree? Naturally, follow up to Floyd Money. Mayweather is Connor McGregor, but also

in relation to money, at this point, it's a lengthy post here, but Connor and a group he's associated with held a gala dinner here in New York. Was it last week? I think it was last week or maybe the weekend.

No, no, it was last Wednesday. It was in the middle of last one. They raised over $800,000 for the hospital. Good to see. It's interesting when Connor McGregor's Instagram transforms into something serious and you see something like this. So I took note and

well done by Mr. McGregor. This was amazing. You know, I've actually heard, I've talked to a lot of people in all seriousness about his charitable efforts and the time, resources that he

you know, that he donates for this children's hospital in his hometown of Kremlin. And, our ladies' children's hospital of Kremlin. I'm told that he goes like after hours when he knows no one's there watching, he really does a lot of great things for those kids.

And look, whatever you think of Connor as a fighter, whatever you think of him as a champion, any celebrity that does that. And in particular, that does it without a camera crew following him, as often seems to be the case with celebrities doing charity work where there's people following, there's Instagram posters, Twitter. He doesn't do any of it. And yes, he's acknowledging this.

But look, he's acknowledging it at an event where he's being honored. great. He's not posting pictures of him with sick children or things like that. Although, I mean, if he did, nobody's going to hold that again to me either. I'm just saying the fact that he doesn't do that tells you where his heart is, tells you what, you know,

what his true intentions are. It's not to get likes or to get attention. He really wants to help and give back. I think that's very telling. And the amount of money that he's donating as well. So again, you could say what you want about him as a fighter or a champion. You know, doing this as a celebrity man who

has a lot of money who doesn't have to do it. I think the world of that. So kudos to him. And it's cool that he got recognized for it as well. Yeah. The post also coming days after the thing, he's clearly not looking for publicity at this specific thing. I tried to attend.

I tried to attend this event. And I said, I don't want to interview you. I don't want to do any of that. I just want to tend and see what it's like and see what he was being honored for. But I was told that no media was allowed. Whoops. I mean,

sound call. Yeah, yeah. I don't know about sound, but I respect it. Don't let you in. All right. Keeping with Connor McGregor, also on his Instagram,

interesting how we can go from one to the other. This picture obviously picking up a lot of steam this week. I didn't get this one. There's no referee to save. I didn't get this one. This came out after Max Holloway pulled out. And like, what does it mean?

Like a referee didn't, you know, save him, quote unquote, from the Edgar fire. The timing was weird and the caption was weird, if I'm being honest. Yeah, I think the thing is just that he's saying, this is what happens in a fight. I'm going to mush your head.

I mean, on the streets in the cage, wherever it happens. I don't know. Okay. I mean, of course I get that, but the timing, the caption, it just seemed, I don't know, seemed off. Well, Max Holloway responded in kind showing. See, that was a good response, I thought, to that one. This was a nice response.

However, you missed one, and a lot of people missed it, and I told them that people missed it, that it was too inside. He had one labeled as Date Night with the Big Mac and the Cupcake. Did you see that one? I did see that one. That was paying homage to, remember that Rita Ora Date Night tweet? Yeah. So he's saying Big Mac Cupcake, he's making fun of him.

You get it? Whoa. Yeah. He always talks about Cupcake. cupcakes, you're a cupcake. So he posted that one after the referee one, and then I think he came back with this one just to double down.

This one's better. Yeah, that one was a little too inside. Also, he tagged, you know, did you see what he tagged it? He tagged it Royal Albert Hall, which is where they were. He put like the geot tag. It was good. I mean, I didn't get that at first.

I needed some explaining. But I think Max Holloway is taking over the social media. He does a great job. I think he's among the top Because he's not too serious He has fun with it I think Connor McGregor is also up there But Max Holloway I think

I'm going to score this round for Holloway Okay Speaking of Holloway A lot of people Asking him about the fight on Twitter The injury I thought he had a few funny things One saying that he asked the doctors

If they could cut off his leg And if he could fight handicapped Obviously not true but kind of expressing how badly he wanted to be in there. But I know it sucks hanging there. We're going to reschedule ASAP. He's letting the people know that he still wants to get in there. He's still hungry for it.

And I must say, like, he actually went into my mentions. He wasn't even tagged and he was responding to people. That's how he does. Yeah. Because, you know, why he does that? Because his mom always said that MMA cards are like a box of chocolate. You never know what you're going to get. I know some surprises suck, but some are good.

Stay with me so you don't miss the good ones, brother. He also worked into the last tweet, and it is what it is in there. Max Holloway killing the game. Okay. Speaking of Max Holloway killing the game, nice to see. Yeah, how about that?

Big label sponsor getting into the Max Holloway business, Team Budweiser joining up with Hawaii's finest. Okay. Mazel tov. What is this? Too long a caption to read, but this is actor Chris Pratt. Yeah, I saw him on. on the Super Bowl commercial last.

That's right. Mickelope, I think. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Really funny commercial. But Chris Pratt here, getting some work in with Randy Coutre. Goes into a very long story about Couture being his coach

when he was at Oregon State. Really? Wrestling camp? Yeah. So Chris Pat, the real deal on the wrestling mat. But cool to see the legend, the natural, getting it in with Chris Pratt here.

But who knew? Chris Pratt, decorated, not decorated, sorry, that's too far, but legit wrestler. Also similar

two-man training session. John Jones posting this. What do you think of the musical choice for the training session? I'm down. I like this a lot. Who's the coach there? It's not Brandon Gibson, right?

No. It doesn't look like Coach Sixth Gunn. Yeah, it's good. I mean, it's good to see him training. There's a lot of optimism. He has a hearing coming up in 22 days

February 27th in California, so that's California's the athletic engineering. You know, Brandon Gibson tweeted out last week saying that he predicts that Jones will be fighting Cormier for the heavyweight title at the end of the year, December. That would be something. Don't count this man out.

That would be something if John Jones reemerges. And what a new layer to that feud. Oh, yes. This one picked up a lot of traction as well. Bert Watson sharing a message about cancer, himself a cancer survivor.

And if necessary, you get treatment. Never know how much you don't know until you need to know it. I got tested. I got diagnosed and then I got treated. And now I am cancer free. I'm a cancer survivor. From age 45 and on and especially in African-American. man. Help me share this message, baby.

Prostate cancer can be cured, but you gotta get tested. So, go get tested. Obviously a good message for everybody. Yes. And then the URL for those listening, zero cancer.org slash bert, um, to learn more. Very happy to hear he's okay. I had no idea. I don't think many people did. Um, I think this was something he was probably keeping pretty private and then used it purposefully for a good cause. One of the best people I met covering this sport, Bert Watson. Yeah, remember we did those phone calls.

Yeah, that was awesome. A different time. Everybody, everybody loves Bert Watson. Glad he's okay. Okay. Mighty Mouse. On a channel that I featured before that I've had to tell you a little bit about, on the right you see

wrestler Xavier Woods and on the left you see Mighty Mouse playing video games is a regular series that Xavier Woods does on his channel up up, down, where he plays video games with a lot of the wrestlers

but also some special guests sometimes Demetrius Johnson branching out of his own Twitch channel to get it in with Xavier Woods. Who this? World's colliding. Also cartoons on their shirts. Xavier Woods with Goofy. New nickname. The Mighty One.

Demetrius with Dragon Ball Z? I think. I want to say? To ever step foot from planet Earth. That's who we're working towards me. Woods putting him over. Okay. Also from the gaming world and Mighty Mouse. EA Sports. OBJ.

Look it. Had an event where they were playing the game. Forget OBJ. Look at who he's playing against. Mighty Mouse is playing against Jamie Fox. Oh, OBJ way cooler than Jamie Fox. Whoa, what? OBJ. How dare you, sir?

Jamie Fox? You have an OBJ hat in the studio. A 20 collabo. Oh, come on. Look at DJ. You're going to bury Jamie Fox? Look at G. You're going to bury Jamie Fox?

Oh, my God. What a DJ? Rubbing elbows with the big wigs. I love it. Finally getting his praise. I like gamer DJ just getting more shot. Yeah, this is great. This is great.

It's about freaking time. Jeez, just send him to everything. Have them play video games against everything. Yes. That's it. Demetrius versus all. Half a pound fighter. Start the series on Twitch.

Let's do it. I want to cut, though. Okay. You mentioned this one, so we're not going to go through the whole thing. Great. But Derek Lewis, also an Instagram

king and favorite of the show. Vibing out, asking for help. Look at that beard. An incredible beard. He said it was his coach, a striking coacher? Yeah, yeah.

But look at the tears. How did he do that? He cried or licked his fingers and rubbed it on his eyes. It's just the attention to detail is just phenomenal. Derek Lewis,

very good social media follow. Okay. You can't see the tweet here from the UFC but it was to announce an event coming up in Chicago. From CM Punk,

we get sideways eye emoji and scratching chin thinking pensive emoji. What is your what is your well it's because the UFC is

going back to Chicago. They're going to Chicago on June 9th. It's their first pay-per-view in Chicago. It's at the United Center. It would be absolutely crazy. It would be promotional malpractice of the highest order if he is not on this card. If we are going to do this again,

if he is serious and I know he is, and if the UFC is serious and Dana White is serious, and I know they are, this is the time to do it. This is the venue. Is there any way it doesn't happen? This has to be. Him being on the card, I think sells it out. Yeah.

Alone. Forget about anyone else and you know they're going to put a title fight because they always have title fights on their pay-per-views. Do CM Punk versus Mike Jackson in Chicago and you got two years of build-up. That's the fight. That's the one to make June 9th on pay-per-view. And let's just say this. I hear everyone who said everything about his, you know, debut and his signing. it will be almost four years.

By the time this fight happens, amazingly, it will be almost four years to the day he was signed. He was signed around like October. UFC veteran, CM Punk. No, and he's had some horrible luck and he's getting older and the injuries and all that.

And I understood what everyone said. I really did. Never fought before. No athletic background other than pro wrestling. But can we all just agree? The fact that he has stuck with it two years later,

the fact that he didn't just say, yeah, I got my ass kicked, I got paid a million bucks, it's all well and good, let me go do this, that, and the other. The fact that he is still at Rufus in Milwaukee doing the same thing with very little fanfare, trust me, I've tried to have him on the show many a time he doesn't want to talk. Like, he is just focused. There will come a time where I think we will talk, but right now he's not looking for any of that. That is commendable. Like the merits, the idea to keep him around, the idea to sign him, it's all arguable, it's all debatable.

and I totally respect that. But the fact that he actually stuck with it after he was thoroughly dominated, you can argue embarrassed in his debut, I think is very commendable and I think it's pretty damn cool that the stars are lining here because if he would have fought in Vegas,

in Toronto, like that's all fine, but they're in Chicago and it's pay-per-view. It's just too perfect. It has to get done and I think it should be Mike Jackson because he's the one guy

who has stuck with it this whole time and it makes all the sense of the world. It completes the whole story. If that's the thing, though, if that's the narrative, if the narrative is he's stuck with it, he's trying to do this the right way, is this the right way? Is it not taking some other fights getting that experience and then taking... He wasn't sitting on the sidelines just like twiddling his thumbs. I mean, he was getting better. The way you get better is in the fights.

No fighter is jumping two fights into the UFC. Yeah, but we've already passed that. We've talked about that. to me, if you would have asked me UFC 203 Cleveland in Ohio Is punk gonna fight again? I say probably not. You know, it didn't go his way.

He did it. He got it out of his system. You know, he's older. Why? You know what I mean? And I think it's very commendable that he would come back two years later and try to do this.

In his hometown, there'll be tons of pressure on him. In Cleveland, he almost kind of like flew under the radar a little bit because it was all about steep. Yeah. I think there was obviously questions when he was doing it.

Is this that kind of one and done gimmick? Is it just, you know, he's trying to leverage it and he's going to then go back to pro wrestling? There's no doubt in my mind that he wants to do this seriously. He wants to be a fighter. And then you could say, well, should the UFC be giving him that platform? Let's be very honest here. You have to give him that platform.

Well, the days of UFC caliber are over. It's not what it once was. This isn't 2006. This is in 2007. My, I don't even want to say objection because I have no objection. I think that this is somewhere he should fight, and I think it's a no-brainer that he can move tickets there and do really, really well and draw eyeballs on television as well.

But I don't like the idea of him fighting on these, only these big pay-per-view cards as... I'd be very surprised if this doesn't go well. I'd be very surprised if he gets another shot. Yeah, I just feel like... You could sell the second one. The first one was a disaster. It didn't go his way.

He's home. It's too much pressure for himself. No. It's not the kind of guy to back. I mean, I'd be very surprised if he doesn't want this. Why do you think he tweeted that? No, I know he wants it, but maybe somebody needs to say like, get some experience somewhere else, and

then... Mike Jackson. Yeah. That's fair. That's the one. I'm not saying, don't put him in there against some, like, 23-year-old kid that they're going to try to... This is the fight. Jackson's been calling him out. He's done a great job. He's put together videos. This is it. It's perfect. This is the fight.

And I think that that's a good matching up of opponents that's the fight yeah that's the fight you're right I think it'll I think it'll definitely do well in Chicago

the guy can the guy can draw I mean have you looked at the 221 paperview card that 220 is up there I think 177 is we'll get to that later

we'll get to that later you ask the question and you know you ask it okay I forget I forget I'm antsy keeping in oh here we go The mixing worlds of MMA and professional wrestling.

We have a YouTube video here from Russell Pro. Oh, I wish it would get into it sooner. You can't fast forward? I can't fast forward. So I'm just going to talk about it. Kobe Covington. Okay, we get a walkout here. Kobe Covington.

Kobe loves the wrestling. Pierce to being good, I mean, really good shape. Who's that guy? He looks Jack. I don't know. But he's going to get into the ring with what I believe was supposed to be. People know who he is there? Not much cheers.

He's wearing his UFC gloves. He's calling out, if you can't hear, he's calling out Tyron Woodley. I think he called him TyQuil. He did call him TyQuil. Does he come out? Did you not see this? I have not seen it. Oh, okay.

Oh, he comes out. Here he is. TyQuil is coming up. From parts unknown. Oh, wow, look at this. A large fellow. A large man carrying a UFC belt. Who's supposed to be...

You know what? I didn't see this before. This guy kind of looked like rumble. The face kind of looked like rumble. And the well-manicured beard. Look at that. Walking in there with the bells. He's got the everlast gloves.

Bit of a belly. Yeah, this guy's not in great shape. Not a true facsimile for Tyrone Woodley. Is Ty Quill. Is it a Is it a sports commentator thing to say Blah Blah Blah is X person? Huh?

I've noted that that's a thing that is regularly said. For example, not in the best shape is Ty Quill. Oh. Ready for a fight. The Yoda thing? Is Colby Covington.

Did I do that? No, no. But in sports commentary, you hear that a lot. I noticed it during the Super Bowl. I noticed it during every UFC card. It's blah, blah, blah, is the person. Yoderasing the order of the... All right, you know what I...

Yeah, what the hell. Okay. I have a premier team, Ariel. Oh, I'm so excited about this. Do you know who it is? I can't wait to find out. It's Liverpool. Liverpool is now my...

There's a member of our squad, new member, Seamus. He's a Liverpool guy. Did you know that? We were talking about that. We were talking about our teams, you know, our squads or clubs. Are you really promoting this right now? I mean, what is that? Combine 36 votes?

No, no, no. Buddy, this is embarrassing. This was the initial poll to determine who the four people in the votes would be. Why do we care about your rooting? My premiership? Yeah. Because it's now the winningest team. You know, Bill Simmons did this gimmick once, and then he picked Tottenham Hotspur.

Yes. He did it already. I wish he did it. This is gimmick infringement. Well, guess what? Tottenham Hotspur can suck it. I actually found out from my friend Oscar Willis that they call the Tottenham Hotspurs,

they call them the Yids, because the original owner, I think, was Jewish. How crazy is that? I don't love that, but... No, it's like a term of endearment. Anyway, yeah, Liverpool. Okay, that's it. This is the big news? Well, I mean, look, you have a squad?

Do you remember who your squad is? Yes, of course. They're represented right over there. Lester City. Their name is... Oh, okay. And what? Just because the fans voted Liverpool,

that you're just going to go with that? No emotional connection. Opportunity. And when did this happen? Multiple weeks ago, right? No, this happened last week, buddy. Have you watched this? I don't like the way you're downplaying.

Have you watched the Liverpool squad? This is an abuse of your celebrity. You have a premiership team? Yeah, but I didn't ask the people to vote on it. No one gives a crap about my premiership team. Don't care.

You're right. Nobody does give a crap about your premiership team. They suck. They suck. They suck. They give less of a crap about yours. No, they love it. There was a lot of votes, and I'm happy to have joined votes.

There's like 2,000 votes. And with 39% Liverpool, it is. Man, you, second place. I'd be a little embarrassed. You would, you would. Look, I don't choose bandwaggates. What are you doing with this? This is my team now.

I'm going to support them until my dying days, obviously. Okay. Last thing here. Oh, I can't wait. Oh, we see. You know what? You see, no, you know what? We're not going to do it.

We're not going to do it now. Because you're, you know what? No. Wait, who's Gwen? Let me, let me sit here for two hours and do a rant on everybody in the MMA world. You mean like Ali? Like Ali Abdelaziz. Spitting fire.

You know what? That was pretty, it was reminiscent of like a Comedy Central roast where you just come up there and you've got your list of people to hit. How about this guy? Boom, boom, boom, boom. He's like straight out of the 1980s. Hammer. Yeah. Got him.

Wait, who's this? This is fan of the show Gwen. Oh, wow. Who today had a baby. Wow. And you know what? While the show was going on, she tweeted me to tell me that she had to leave. We had been talking about it.

I knew she was having a baby, but she had it today. Wow. The baby's name is Molina. Beautiful name. And it was born today. Just casually tweeting that at you. No, well. You've been talking about it.

She knew I had a baby. She's a fan of the show, not somebody who's like, random. Sure. She's checked in all the time, but I knew she was pregnant, and today she tweeted to give the call. She had her baby.

Girl? Looks like a girl? Yeah, Molina. All right, just checking. Congrats to Gwen and her boyfriend, I believe. Where she lives? I saw there was something on Twitter.

Let's find out. Let's see where her location is on Twitter. Well, that's very exciting. Caliphis? Where is that? Is that like a California thing? Yeah. Settlement in Madeira, California.

Shout out to Gwen. Shout out to Molina. Welcome to the world. Congratulations. Congratulations. Mazel Tov. How exciting. Ariel's going to walk all over this.

No, no, no. This I don't touch. You know me. Love those babies. Well done, Gwen. What's the state of the poopie these days? Have we transitioned to it's a full poopie or is it?

No, she's only nine weeks old now. So it's still mustard? It's still mustard. Getting even more liquid these days. Has the crust in the belly? Has that dropped? That's dropped, right? Oh, that was a long time ago.

A month ago. Okay, okay. All right. She's a beautiful, perfect little angel with no crust in her belly. Good, good, good, good. Little fat, chubby cheeks. And now Gwen can experience this thing that I have. First one?

For Gwen? I think so, yeah, I think so. She didn't say one way or the other, but I'm pretty sure. Okay, let's go to the questions now. No time to waste. Let's go to rapid fire here, okay? Question of the week. Do you plan on ordering?

Yes, I was very curious. What are we at? With 21,000 votes, 87% say no. 13% say yes. So if we convert that, that's how many pay-per-view buys for... Okay, but are you surprised by this? number? No, I'm not.

Did you think it would be less or more? I thought it would be less. Meaning, you thought it would be less than 10% saying yes? I thought it would be less than 10% saying yes. Now, I don't know if there might be a baseline of 10% that'll say yes anytime. Yeah. That's interesting. This is up there with 177.

177, remember, was T.J. Dillshaw against Hennon Barrow. Hennon Burrow gets hurt. T.J. Dillshaw against Joe Soto. And, of course, that wasn't the original, so you can't really fault them. But at the time, I mean, you look at that card, it wasn't the best card of all time. I remember talking about Tony Ferguson versus Danny Castillo, which was the co-main for that card.

And this was like way before Tony Ferguson was Tony Ferguson. Well, if you were paying attention, maybe not. I think Shana Bezler against Bechko Hea. I mean, it's kind of aged. You know, it's aged well. This fight is a great fight. It's a tremendous fight. Make no doubt about it.

But it's hard to... Luke Rockhold versus Y'Oll Romero is a fantastic fight. It's hard to get over the fact that, you know, they were trying to do this fight for free. You know what I'm saying? Holloway versus Edgar was never supposed to be on free TV and then pay-per-view. Cody versus T-you-know-what-I'm saying?

It's very rare to get title fights on free TV these days. And also you've got the guy Robert Whitaker initially headlining it. You know, it's not ideal. But look, if you buy pay-per-views, you know, based on the construction of the entire card, then you're, you know, maybe this is one that you're not going to go for

but the fight at the top I'd throw down money for it that fight is that fight is a money fight It's a tremendous fight it's an incredible fight It just feels like it feels like a substitute This could very well be an FS1 card I mean just looking at it Yeah next week's card

Look at the week at this could I mean we have seen FS1 cards What do you do in that scenario Make it a free card? No it sucks you have the commitments to pay-per-view It sucks I mean you're just going to take it on the chin Yeah. That top fight though, I will stand behind that. It's tremendous. I would I would plop down for that one. Okay. Dana White, very, what's the word I'm looking to? Had strong words about Mario Yamasaki's stoppage in the Valentita Shenzhenko fight. But this person is asking the question, is it also the fault of the matchmaker? Are there other people claim here? Perfect storm. It starts with the matchup. Clearly she wasn't ready for someone like Valentina,

and the odds makers agreed, because I think she was like a minus 900 going into it. So, you know, this is a new division. I believe Valentina is one of the very best female fighters in the world, regardless of division. I think that she was very close to winning the Bantamweight title. She beat fighters like Holly Home at Bantamweight. It was very close to beating Amanda Nunes twice.

And so she dropped down to 25, and she looked freaking amazing. I mean, like, physically she looked amazing. The first, like, 30 seconds of that fight, her hand speed was incredible. She was tagging her left and right. And so, yeah. Complete effort from top to bottom from her, for sure.

She had a point to prove. The matchmaking, yes, problem. Yamasaki is a problem. This is not new. No. I mean, less we forget, Keisa and Kevin Leamy, we could go on and on it. That's only recently.

The whole list is. Sent us, the team, like the bout order, and it had like the ref and judges' assignments. and I remember looking if Yamasaki was on and I was like, oh gosh, here's like four or five fights that he was assigned to, get ready. Something's going to, I remember saying,

I wish I tweeted it just for proof. I remember saying like, just watch these fights. I guarantee at least something is going to happen. He's just not good at his job. No. Nice guy. I've met him. Very nice guy.

No problems with him. Not good at his job. Should not be refereeing MMA, period. I don't care if it's minor leagues, amateur, mid-tier promotion. Belator UFC, no one. He is not good at his job. If you are not good at your job

and you're supposed to be in there to protect the fighter's health and safety to be there as the third man in the cage, the only other person who's not competing, you've got to be good at your job, you're not good at your job, how many times you have to go through this. And I say the UFC can tell

any commission, we do not want him working our shows, and those commissions more often than not would oblige. look at Mazagati, look at Kim Winslow, they would oblige, stop using him, stop recommending him, the onus is on you at this point. So Dana could blame whatever he wants,

he could go on Instagram and say whatever he wants, the onus is on the UFC. Bad job. And then we get to the corner thing, and I maintain, find me one fighter that says, yeah, I want the corner to step in. It's not going to happen.

It will never happen. And I think some people may have misunderstood what I said yesterday on Twitter, I wrote on Twitter. The pay structure, leads to an impossible decision to make for the corner. Because it's not like boxing where you know what your fighter is making the second they step foot in the cage, or the ring, I should say.

You throw on the towel and boxing, all right, you take an L, you live to fight another day. These fighters, for the most part, in this position, Priscilla Casuero, who, by the way, has been through so much, just read the stories about her life and what she's overcome, need this money. They're fighting for like 10 and 10. It's her debut. She will go back to those people Without a doubt

Inevitably I will guarantee it She will go back and say Why'd you rob me of that money? I could have come back Kongo Barry Scott Smith against Pete Sell Like we've seen it happen a million times guys But it's crazy to be put in that position They're not just worrying

They're being put in a position to not just worry about wins and losses They have to consider financial ramifications And that's just the structure The structure is antiquated, it doesn't work It was put in place by the Furtitas when they bought the company and they wanted to encourage fighters to go all out and put on an exciting product. And yeah, the company was struggling. I get it. I understand why they did it from their perspective.

2018, it shouldn't fly that way anymore. They shouldn't stand for it. So, you know, it's all these things mixed together. If we're going to sit and wait for fighters or, excuse me, corners to throw in the towel, you'll wait forever. In this, you know, in this era, with the way things are structured right now, it's not happening. It's just not. I think no doubt about it

money is a motivation here clearly the structure is an issue that exacerbates the problem I think but I don't think it's only that

I don't think that there is no chance her corner thought she was going to win that fight there was no chance she thought

did you listen to the corner audio I actually went back and and listened to some of the audio and I found a clip online that had no commercials because I wanted to see if I could find

everything that they said and she's like, my knee, my knee. Yeah. And they're like, forget about it. Forget about the knee. Well, I think at one point he goes, did you feel her punches, one of her corner men? And then she says, no, but my knee is.

What are you talking about? She's like kind of giving you a hint that something's up. Yeah. But what I'm getting at is I think it's more a cultural thing, an MMA culture thing than necessarily the money thing. There's no way that they thought they were taking money out of her pocket. There's no way she thought they were taking money out of her pocket. That was an opportunity to throw in the towel.

But I think there's a culture around people being judged. Oh, yeah. It's like when you tap. Do the strikes. Yeah, exactly. Oh, you're weak. I think that that is much more the problem. Not that the money is not a problem.

The money is a problem. But I think that that is what needs to be changed more before the towel will be thrown in more readily. There's a toughness. You're not tough if you have the towel thrown in. It's crazy. It's absolutely stupid. it's much more preservation than you not being tough. But again,

she proved she was tough. She got beat mercilessly. But again, understand when you weigh in on this, understand the sport, the landscape, what we're dealing with. You know, I saw Mike Bond tweet, I hope it was worth it for 10,000. Guess what?

It probably was worth it for 10,000. You know what I'm saying? Like, that's just what we're dealing with here. We're dealing with fighters who don't make a lot of money to begin with, who don't have a lot of money, who have been through hell and back to get to this point. Remember, Junior Albini, he told us in Brazil he went nine fights

without getting paid a dime. These fighters are poor. And so they're going to live and fight their butts off until the referee pulls the other fighter off. And that's it. So that's just the sport that we're dealing with. Whether you like it or not, it's not changing.

I want to say one thing about the responsibility of people making the match or whatever. One of the things I like about MMA is that sometimes the underdog can get this opportunity. and sometimes they can make good on it. We've seen huge upsets in this sport. So I get, you know, saying that this is not an appropriately matched fight,

but the onus has to be on the referee. I think above all else, the onus has to be, if you can make a match, your assumption is that the person in the cage is going to protect your fighters. I don't think you can go into it assuming that your fighters are not going to be protected.

Of the three people who are to blame for this, the matchmaker is last. the referee, am I, I mean like, UFC for putting him in there, for allowing him to be in there, CAB, MMA for allowing him to be in there. Yeah, we can't have it.

You know what I mean? And his, like, what are you looking at? Especially in that second round, I mean, the first round, I think it should have been over, honestly. Agreed.

And then in that second round where she's just mauling her, it's very hard to watch. I don't enjoy watching that. There was no point where she mounted offense in that entire fight. It was horrible. It's not to stop it.

But I like when an underdog does get an opportunity. I don't think we can go away. Like, I think that's one of the things that makes MMA great. You get this opportunity, but. And, and, like, fighter safety has to be perfect. It just drives me nuts when I see people who understand the sport and, like, write all the columns you want, like, understand what you're dealing with.

You're dealing with poor fighters who need this money, desperately. No one's throwing in the towel for them. It's just not happening because they want to take their chances. If there's a 1% chance that they survive and win, they're taking that chance. By the way, my pick for female fighter of the year, remember award show? Valentina Shepchenko.

Holy smokes. Yeah. I mean, I hate the insinuation that Nico Montagnos is not going to fight her or afraid to fight her. But right now I see a massive gap in talent between her and everyone else at 125, like a gigantic gap. And you know what? She gets the belt. The UFC has something with her. So do you not put her in there?

No. She's the young crowned champion. No, this is a lesson that champions should not be crowned off reality shows. You have to make that fight and you have to have a good reference. referee. One million percent. That's it. Valentina Shropchenko's next fight needs to be for the belt. I don't imagine it will go much differently. I don't imagine it will go much differently. And then you can't say, oh, you know, the matchmaking is to blame for it. That's the fight that has to be made. This is the fight that has to be made. So, let's, let's improve. Blown away by how good she is. do you think Max Holloway's injury will affect his popularity in any way? No, I mean, look, he just fought, I saw some people suggesting interim title, he just fought in December.

Also, he doesn't have a real history of this. Doesn't have a history of it. And he's handled it like a pro, he's like apologetic. He'll be back. Hopefully it's not too serious, the ankle injury. And hopefully you can fight maybe on that, you know, Hawaii card. Not Hawaii, I wish, everyone wishes. The Chicago card in June, international fight week, we'll see what happens with Cody and T.J.

maybe that removes a DJ from that equation. No, it doesn't hurt him. I mean, it's a bummer. It sucks. And, you know, I understand a lot of people bought tickets from Hawaii so close. So I was really looking forward to seeing what the scene would be like in Hawaii with him fighting. But no.

Everyone pulls out. There is a thing, though, that any time a fighter has to pull out now, there's a jump to... I didn't feel it at this time, honestly. Let's establish an interim title. Yeah. I can't believe this guy, like, kind of slow down. out. Hold the horses a little.

If Nate Diaz wants to fight at UFC 222, would it be against Frankie Edgar or would it be something else? Would you add Nate Diaz to the card? Well, yeah, I would add him to the card, but they're going to have to... No, no, no, no. I don't mean that. I meant, like, would you add him versus inserting him into a fight

that, you know, with Frankie Edgar? No, well, they don't fight in the same way class. I mean, I guess Frankie could go up to... No, that makes no sense. I like Edgar versus Ortega or Darren Elkins. I think those fights make a lot of sense. Remember, Frankie hasn't fought since last May. It's going to be almost a year since his last fight. And of course he had the injury, but you know, you still got a fight. He's got three kids. Who is the fight to make when Nate DeS?

Listen, the fight to make, in my opinion, is Eddie Alvarez. From what I understand, he doesn't want to fight Eddie Alvarez for a whole host of reasons. So I just don't see it happening. But if there's one non-champion that could save that card, it's him. He's the only non-champion right now that it could save the card. He's the only non-champion that can headline a pay-per-view, and the pay-per-view probably does better than the original. Because he's just so, I tweeted out the idea of putting him on the card,

and I think it got like 10,000 likes. I've never had that many likes for, like, a non-news story. It was just like a stupid tweet. I didn't think it would. Like, people love the guy. People miss him. They love him. He's a draw.

He has a very, very passionate fan base. Honestly, you put him in there against anyone, and I think it sells literally anyone. Anyone. Anyone. But right now. Andy Alvarez is a good anyone. I like that.

Yeah, there's no talk of it. I mean, yeah, I honestly believe that Nate Diaz would be down to fight this weekend in Perth. You just have to make it worth as well. Is the upcoming tough a good idea of how to reboot or spice up the tough series? No. No. Used to be a camera. No.

Got the best, I mean, two of the best possible fighters you could have as coaches. Got, I believe it's all undefeated fighters. Is that accurate? I think that's right. No? No show lasts this long. I mean, there's two a year. Sometimes it was three a year. The show worked when there was like six pay-per-views

and like two free shows a year. Did the Ronda Rousey season do well? It did all right, but not anything compared to like the spike days. I'll be curious to know how many people tune in because they don't know a lot about Steve-A's kind of personality, the same way Rhonda. Every year we talk about it at the beginning,

we're like, oh, yeah, the first episode, and then come episode four, it doesn't even exist. It's like it lives in this vacuum. It doesn't even exist. And so that's why I can't even get like all up in arms about them being on the show. Because in the past, I was like, I don't want to see Brock Lesnar and Junior Dos Santos in basketball jerseys.

And it kind of like waters and down. I probably won't even watch it. You know, I actually really like DC and Steepa. So like I might want to watch the first episode. But like, there's too much MMA to begin with it. What I think it becomes, though, is like it's never about the fighters anymore. Now it's all about the coaches. Yeah.

And you have the two biggest ones. So I don't know what it'll do. The fundamental problem with tough is this. When it debuted, there was like eight shows a year. Now there's 40-something shows a year. The talent doesn't exist. And yeah, they can open up new weight classes, but it just doesn't exist. So unless you do like these tournaments, you know, for...

They've done it all. They've done it all. There's going to be at least two left, this one and one more in the fall winter. And then we'll see what the new TV deal. Okay, here's a question. My wife just got back from New York City. I noticed that Connemer Greger was in New York City on Instagram. Yeah.

When she got home, I told her, and she says that she stood by someone on the subway that looked exactly like Connor McGregor. Here's the question for you. Any chance that Connor McGregor rides the subway? This is the question? Honestly, I thought that this was going to go in a totally different direction. My wife just got back from New York City, and she told me... What were you get? Keep going. You know, like, you get those tweets, like, my wife left me.

Those are hilarious. You ever see those? Like you put out some news You don't get those tweets What? And also why are they hilarious? Because they're jokes It's like like like Woge tweets You know breaking

You know the Knicks have trade to Carmel Anthony And then like the first reply is my wife left me You never see those? What? No It's like first or like when Oh it's like daddy Daddy king all that stuff Yeah there's time come on

Okay but I think we need to evaluate this Would Connor McGregor No there's absolutely zero chance at Connor He's riding around in a Maybach. No, there's no way that he was on the subway. Like, less than zero chance. Maybe to do a photo shoot. Went down there.

No. There's no chance. Sorry, Justin, you have to break it to your wife that that was not Connemerger. There's not a chance in hell. That's it. That's it. Conna McGregor on the subway, are you crazy? I'd like to see it.

Look, you know what? LeBron James rode the subway. Yeah, but that was as a team. And guess what they had? Readily available. Cameron? Yes. You know what also

it was funny about that? The guy, the No, please don't film me. Guy. That was the best. That was so good. Could you not? Oh, that's it.

Could you not? Could you not? That was the best. That guy. I mean, how do you become that guy? Like, you have to know who LeBron James is, right? Like, is it possible this guy

didn't know who LeBron James was? Well, he said he didn't. He did an interview right after. He said that he hadn't had his morning latte yet. He said he didn't. Do you think it was a conscious? My thing is, I think he knew who LeBron James was

and, consciously knew that if he goes, could you not that he would get attention for it? I really believe that it was a calculated effort. You have to know who LeBron James is and you have to know that this is a moment, that this is something you do want to participate in. Being the savvy person he was, he opted out because he knew that it would be actually opting in. He's brilliant. Do you know this Tyrone guy that Derek Lewis was talking about?

You know this guy? or you didn't hear that part Are you busy? Is this the guy who goes I F your wife? Yeah, I'm gonna F your wife. You must love this after Someone just sent to me.

It has 1.3 million views. Oh, this is not just one thing. This is a regular series. It's a character played by Oh, you know what? I'm gonna break the fourth wall here. There's a character. There's a character that I know about.

This guy plays a character called Tyrone where he, you know, smacks up like street thugs and says, you know, I effed your wife

and typically there's like a fake scuffle at the end of it. Jeez. But I am familiar with that character. Okay. All right.

I just, I just, Fed your wife, says Tyrone. Thank you. That's it. We're done. See you next week.

Big show. I mean, aren't they all? Fair enough. You can hit my music. are out of time. So much has happened today. It's hard to digest it, really. Big show. They're all big shows. It's just another Monday. It's just another manic Monday. Oh, I look forward to it every week. Some other things that happened last week. How about Arjun Buller coming back? Yes, April 14th,

looking forward to that. Anderson Silva, some bad news. See what happens with his quote unquote legacy, if you will. What is going to happen to UFC 222? That's the big news to monitor this week. We will be all over that. Don't you worry, my friends? I'm happy that the London card finally got a main event because that was starting to become an epidemic.

That was starting to become a real worry for all the UK fans. But we figured it out. It's Rebusy Over Doom versus Alexander Volkov. All right, we are out of time. Thank you so much to everyone who tuned in. Thank you very much to everyone who stopped by. We appreciate it. Very much. Thank you very much to

Valentina Shevchenko, congratulations on an unbelievably dominant performance on Saturday night. And I appreciate her coming on like three hours after getting home, halacious travel day, like a literal day, 24 hours of travel. Thank you very much to Quentin Rampage Jackson. How much fun was that? Nice positive update from our friend Rampage. Thank you very much for Derek Lewis. Best of luck to him on February 18th. Thank you very much to John Dotson. Hopefully that all works out as well.

Thank you very much to James Vic, who was spitting fire. Holy smokes. great stuff. Thank you very much to Alex Fulcanowski. Good luck to him on Saturday. Thank you very much to Sage Northcut. Good luck on February 18. Thank you very much to Reza Re Doom. Good luck to him. Thank you very much to Cody Garbrand. Good luck to him as well. Lots of good luck. Good luck. Good luck with the baby. And of course, thank you to Ali Abdelzi. Back next week. Say, Tai, please. Peace. Abadia.