MMA Fighting - We Got Next | David Onama & Danaa Batgerel

Episode Date: March 3, 2022

Danaa Batgerel has won three fights in a row inside the UFC's octagon — all first-round knockouts — as he prepares to face Chris Gutierrez in a battle of under the radar fighters in one of the promotion's deepest divisions at the end of the month. Batgerel (5:26) kicks off this week's edition of We Got Next ahead of his March 26 bout with Chris Gutierrez at UFC Columbus. "Storm" previews the bout, discusses his reaction to finding out original opponent Montel Jackson was scratched from the bout, his thoughts on Gutierrez as an opponent and how they match up stylistically, teammates such as Holly Holm and Michelle Waterson guiding him with their experience and wisdom, how he sees the fight playing out, and what he would like his 2022 to look like. UFC featherweight David Onama (19:42) caps us off this week to recap his incredible first-round KO win over Gabriel Benitez at UFC Vegas 48 a couple of weeks ago, talks his reaction to Benitez missing weight, being summoned to Dana White's office following the finish and what the UFC president said to him before heading to the hospital, why he feels the victory changed his life, when he wants to return, Max Holloway being his dream opponent, his thoughts on Alexander Volkanovski vs. The Korean Zombie, Colby Covington vs. Jorge Masvidal, and more. Follow Mike Heck: @MikeHeck_JR Subscribe: http://goo.gl/dYpsgH Check out our full video catalog: http://goo.gl/u8VvLi Visit our playlists: http://goo.gl/eFhsvM Like MMAF on Facebook: http://goo.gl/uhdg7Z Follow on Twitter: http://goo.gl/nOATUI Read More: http://www.mmafighting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You're listening to the Vox Media Podcast Network. Hello there, everybody, and welcome to a brand new edition of We Got Next here on the MMA Fighting Podcasting Network. I am Mike Heck. Thank you for joining us this week. We get two great interviews heading your way with a fighter who has a big fight on the horizon and another coming off of a huge win less than two weeks ago. So another bit of a shorter show, but I have a feeling. that next week will be a different story.

So stay tuned for that, but obviously a lot going on this week, and as always, but especially this week in the world of mixed martial arts. This program drops in the early morning hours of Thursday, two days before UFC 272, which is going down this Saturday, in Las Vegas, headlined by Colby Covington versus Jorge Mazdal. And this card, like most, We've had some shuffles of the deck, if you will. Co-main event who are supposed to see

Hafiel Dosanjos versus the surging Rafael Fiziv in a five-round co-main event. Fiziv, as you found out of the MMA hour, tested positive for COVID. He is out of the fight. But Hanata Moikano looks to be stepping in. Still five rounds. Big fight for Hanata Moikano against the former champion,

Hafiel Dosangos. and it'll be at a catchweight at 160 pounds. So great fight. Some people were groaning about it. How could you groan about that fight? I don't get it. I love that fight. I think it's very interesting.

Hanata Moikana has been on a role. I feel like he's one of the more underrated guys at 155 pounds coming off a big win over Alexander Hernandez, just ran through him. And now he gets a big opportunity. He gets the kind of fight that he wants. So I love it. I think it's a great substitution. And we're going to get two five round non-title fights.

and I love both of them equally, if we're being honest. I mean, coming to Mazadol, this has much more heat on it, but from a competitive standpoint, really enjoy both fights on paper. We had the media day yesterday, Jose Young's, in the house, in Las Vegas. We got the press conference going down later on today. As this is released, we have a live edition of BTL going down on Thursday at 3 p.m. Eastern on the MMA fighting YouTube channel. It'll be on this network as well after the fact, and we'll get you ready for

UFC 272, everything going on in the world of mixed martial arts. We get the weigh-in show on Friday. That'll start a little before noon Eastern time. We get the Ceremony of Way-ins later on. And then we'll have a live preview show. Friday, late afternoon, early evening-ish, after the Ceremony of Way-in. So a little different timing, but it'll be fun going a little bit later because we'll react to what happened at the Ceremony of Wayans.

I'm sure things will get a little dicey between Covington and Mazadol in that final phase. off. And then on Saturday, we'll have the people's pre-fight show 45 minutes before the first fight at the card. I'm not going to say a time because why would I do that? The world of MMA is so chaotic. Maybe all these fights won't stay intact, so I don't want to make a promise, but I will say 45 minutes before the first fight whenever that happens. And we'll have the live press conference feed after the event, after Covington and Mazdaal do the damn thing. We'll have a live post-fight show immediately following that. So it's going to be a late one on Saturday. And And AK and I are going to get a couple hours of sleep,

and then we'll be back Sunday morning at 11 a.m. Eastern, 8 a.m. Pacific, with a live edition of On to the next one to do some matchmaking with all of you on the YouTube channel following the event. So a lot to look forward to this week on MMAFighting.com. So buckle up and get ready because no one does fight weeks like we do. So let's run down the lineup. We'll get right into this show. We're going to wrap things up with David Onama,

who picked up a huge win over Gabriel Benitez and nasty first round knockout at USC Vegas 48 around 12 days ago doing the math rate gets a bonus first one in the UFC a percentage of Benitez's purse because he missed weight and apparently he caught the attention of Dana White so much so that he was sent to the hospital after the fight with Benitez but before he went to the hospital he was summoned to Dana White's office which he'll talk about that conversation in a little bit. But we're going to take a short break. When we come back, no more commercials. We're going to get right after it. Nonstop. We'll kick things off with a very exciting fighter.

Dena Batskari from Mongolia. He's got three wins in a row in the UFC's Bandaway Division. Three first round knockouts in a row. And he has his toughest test to date. Coming up at the end of the month, he'll face Chris Gutierrez. At UFC Columbus on March 26th. This was not his original opponent, but still a really good first. between two guys that in my opinion are not getting the respect they deserve in this loaded

division. So when we return, Dina Batskaree will join us for the very first time on We Got Next. Thanks for listening to everybody. Get you and your crew to the big shows with Go Transit. Go connects to all the main concert venues like TD Coliseum in Hamilton and Scotia Bank Arena in Toronto. And Go makes it affordable with special e-ticket fairs. A one-day weekend pass offers unlimited travel across the network on any weekend day or holiday for just $10. And a weekday group pass offers the same weekday travel flexibility from $30 for two people and up to $60 for five. Buy yours at go transit.com slash tickets.

Hello to Dana Batzgeri. He is back in action March 26th at UFC Columbus taking on Chris Gutierrez. Should be a good one at 135 pounds. Happy to be joined by Dana and his translator. Toby, gentlemen, thank you for the time. How are you today? So, so, four of seven to run, the second we're talking about,

you know, now? Uh, one of the one of the many men, you know, I'm a lot of, you know, my son,

but, I'm a lot of, and, we'll give, and we'll give it, he said, good morning, thank you,

I feel great. Just, you know, waiting, uh, wait until the 26th of March, and, you know, looking forward to a, to a great fight.

Well, let's get right into this, and, uh, because you were originally supposed to face, Montel Jackson at this event and there's been obviously a lot of hype around Montel for a long time now when did you find out that he was out of the fight and how did you react to that?

Montel Jackson Taubeson Tawares. And Montel Jackson's argument, neither good, deep chide, chide. And then, now, now, now that's not, we'll canceled that. She could say, um, there were the President of the United his own thing was, you know? I, um, I mean, I, um,

I've been doing, but I'm doing one of the time had been not one of the other he said, uh, he found out roughly like a week ago, and you know, um,

business is usual for him, you know, uh, his new opponent is, uh, Chris Gutierrez, who's a pretty well, you know, a good opponent as well. Uh, uh, you know, a good opponent as well. So yeah, business as usual is looking forward to the fight. We're all aware of how deep this Banimate division is, and we see a lot of these guys in this division have a lot of excitement behind them.

You lost your UFC debut, but since then, three straight first round knockouts. You just got a bonus in your last fight. But I feel like you're not getting the attention you deserve, if we're being honest and not. Do you feel the same way, especially after what you've done in these last three fights? In 2013, in 2019, Division, any other than the United States of the time, and then, the first time,

it's the other than in one time to the other than in one round to ask us. And then, and you're people, your own, humus, you're, the hype today, or, you're,

in the other, the other than, in other than, one of the men, people, much, Good good, but David Hsson, all the other people,

so much are the other time for the time to tell them all of the world for the work of course he says, you know, at his camp at a Jackson Wink, they're great

great athletes, great training partners there and you know, thanks to him he's been putting in the work and you know he's looking forward to, you know, moving up in the ranks and you know doing his business on the big on the big, on the business on the big, right lights.

But do you feel like fans, maybe us in the media, that were not giving you enough respect based on these performances? Uh, at the media, well, the fan of, you know, our own, uh, uh, respect, uh, you know, to give you to, you know, so, John, respect to not, you could be. about so, so much about it? I mean, I'm not sure. I would say, but I'm not. So, you know, it's one thing to do,

and, you know what's the way of it, but what's the one thing to do, and so much more than, you know, like to actually lie-awalt, do, but he's, I'm sure, that's, same, um, yeah, he feels it, he, you know, definitely feels the love from the fans, you know, he gets, you know, great support and messages on Instagram,

you know, um, so he definitely feels, you know, you know, you know, that he's, you know, well respected. You know, he's well respected among his, you know, his colleagues as well as the fans. Fair enough. We, we, I personally feel like you're not getting the respect you deserve. I feel like you should be getting pushed more. Although I like this fight. You're fighting Chris Gutierrez, who he's another guy that I feel is, is kind of flying

under the radar. Unbeaten in his last six. A lot of people thought he beat Cody Dirted in that fight that was scored to draw. What are your thoughts on? on what Chris has done recently. Have you been impressed with how he's performed in the Octagon? Uh-huh. Uh, jimmy, I'm, Chris's D.R.S.

bas, you know, there's, there's, a respect to him. I don't know, um, you know, uh, uh, uh, sullen, the, uh, the time of course of the timeers' people, you would want, you know, do you, Bollard. The termersing, say,

to allot, I think that we're going to do sootlige. I'm not sure we're looking at and you'll have said Zorgathe talk about. So we're in today, out two years ago was in, now, now,

now, now he said, you know, once he signed about, you know, he kind of found out who he was, you know, what his track record was, you know, he's aware that, you know, he's been putting some great performances into Octon, and, you know, he's looking forward to putting a stop on his win street.

his win streaks. How do you like the matchup stylistically? Obviously, his MO is he's got incredible leg kicks. Those have been the difference makers in his last several fights. What else stands out to you about the matchup from a stylistic perspective? Um, you're in style of tire, you know, uh,

sonacted. Uh, such, you're, the only, the style of, you know, uh,

Timas Gapton, you know, still matchup at a time character, you can't really. Well, that's talk about it, still, and still, you know, and he's not, the rule of the other, we're going to be able to do it, but he'll not, it's not,

it's not, it's good. He'd all too, good, and he says he likes the way he fights, you know, he uses all four limbs, uses all four limbs, throws unique strikes, aggressive strikes, and he's looking forward to putting on a great show for the fans. You mentioned being in Albuquerque, training at Jackson Wink, working with the likes of Holly Holm, Michelle Waterson, who was actually supposed to be on

the same card with you, but now her fight with Amanda Hebas is getting pushed back and other great fighters that train there. How much has their experience in particular, Holly, Michelle, and some of these other veterans of the UFC, veterans of the game, how much has their experience and their wisdom helped you along the way? Um, or the Jackson Wing there, you know, I could talk to the time of the time of the

town, Michelle Waterson, it's not, it's not, you know, the other thing to us have, really, you know what's done, been, here, good, you know, well,

well, well, well, I'm not, he's very, you know, and boxers, there, I'm not sure there,

so, they're much there, they're there, he's very happy, you know, his, their experiences has

has, has helped them a great deal. You know, at Jackson Link, you know, overall everybody, right? There's all the athletes, all the fighters there, from the fighters to the coaches, you know, they work as a great team,

a unit, and, you know, has helped them greatly. I saw that they there was a bunch of snow in Albuquerque and I saw a video of you sledding down the hills in the snow. It looked like a lot of fun. Do you enjoy the snow? And I saw it even, even you putting snow on your shirtless and you're rubbing snow on your, on your arms and stuff. Are you enjoying the, the snow out in Albuquerque?

Um, you, uh, you, uh, you Instagram in, you, Instagram, you, you know, Albuquerque people got to ask them and so, and so it was a certain, you know, the first one, the whole, the video was, changed in the, such, you know,

a, and then, so, do you're, yes, uh, mongol's, too,

they're, uh, this is, this is, the, and, so, they're,

so, uh, But he's, you know, there's time there's there's not even if we're so, it's not good, so,

so, you know, he's from Mongolia. So in Mongolia, it is really cold, so it's, you know, snowed in, roughly three out of the four seasons.

So yeah, he loves it. In Albuquerque, it's not that cold, so when he did have the opportunity to go to the mountains and see some snow, it was great, you know, very nostalgic. And, you know, as a kid, he used to, you know, do a bunch of sledding from the mountains. So it was very nostalgic feeling.

He had a great time. He loves it. Now we get this big fight in Columbus, March 26th with Chris Gutierrez. How do you see it playing out? Do you see a fourth straight first round knockout? What do you think? So in other, you've got to Lund,

you've been, you know, I said one round the top of, to go, to go, to go, to go, to go,

do you know, no? Yeah, he's not the third thing to make a lot of it's not a smart to look at

him. Mm-hmm. Yeah, he has no specific plans in terms of you know what round he's going to get

the finish, but he's definitely looking to get to the finish. Now, if you go out there and this fight goes the

way you think it will, that'll be four straight wins, and then you get in that place where you have a little bit of juice in a whole lot

of momentum, four wins in a row. Could we see you you get on on the microphone, call somebody out. Do you have somebody in mind that you're thinking about on March 26 with the victory? I know we're not looking past Chris, but do you have somebody in mind? You don't have to tell me, but I'm just curious if you're thinking about that. Um, uh, uh, uh, if two-huh, uh, if Toulandathe, uh, uh, Toselanara,

to have to get, uh, uh, did not get a lot of the other than it's, uh, had to do it around Hohottinghatt, other one, like, Tamishin, got to, or, like, to tell them of the time of shud, what's such a time of such, what's about, you'd want to do. Tulled of such, it's not. And then, though, would be it. And then, yeah. And he's, you know, he definitely has someone in mind,

but you guys are going to have to tune in and find out. Oh, look at you. I love it. I love it. promoting the fight, promoting the card. What does the rest of the year look like for you in your eyes? Like, how many times do you want to fight in 2022? Um, you're in 2000, two,

you're in 2020, you know, this year, you know, this is the year to meet a total, Marl, Marlain. This is, you know, it's a good, and you're in the year, yeah, I'm going back, all, four or four or two out, man. Yeah, this year is, you know, is looking great.

great for him. You know, he feels great and he's definitely planning on, you know, staying busy and hopefully getting, you know, at a minimum three four fights this year. Nice. And then last thing, big title fight coming up in your division, April 9th, two weeks after your fight with Chris between Al Jermaine Sterling and Peodor Yan, a big rematch. We all know how that first fight ended. Who do you think wins that fight and why? So, my two months, Algeman Sterling-Piedri-Han-Hourn't Bann, it was the last one

you're going to be, uh, there's time, the time, what's the one of the job to be, you know, yeah,

uh, yeah, uh, the other other other, I'm, so I'm going to thank you. Yeah, he's excited. He's looking forward to the fight.

And, you know, he likes the idea of a new fighter coming up and winning the championship. So, you know, he's always rooting for, you know, the new, the up-and-coming title eliminated slash competitor, number one contender. Fair enough. Danah, I appreciate you jumping on here for the first time. I appreciate it very much. Anything else you want to get off your chest before we say goodbye. before we say goodbye, sir.

Uh, so, yeah, uh, yeah, the best of us and we're going to ask us. Um, yeah, um, you're, um, a message or what one of the, you know, or one of the, uh, do you know,

the, but then I'm, you know, the, uh, yeah, um, yeah, he says to all the,

all his supporters and fans, um, you know, uh, he's very thankful and, you know, he really appreciates the support, and he's not,

going to let you guys down. Great. Thank you again, Dana. All the best to you this month in the gym, getting ready for the fight and in the fight itself. And thank you very much. Toby, thank you very much as well. Thank you. Thank you very much. You, I'm just that we're talking about. Thank you.

Say hello once again to David Onama. Goodness gracious. What a performance a little less than two weeks ago at UFC Vegas 48. knocks out Gabriel Bernitez in brutal fashion and made a bunch of extra coin in the long run for different reasons. Bonus, weight misses. Man goes in there, gets four paychecks, living the dream right now, David. Not a bad night at the office.

Was it not? Nah, man. Not at all, not at all. At all. So how are you? How's life been the last, I think, what, 12 days as we're talking around now, 11, 12 days since that knockout, huh? How is life been since the big win?

I think good, Matt. Life been really good. I'm still recovering from the fight, you know. I still kind of, you know, busted up. It's no swollen, but I still can't really. I still don't have, like, my full vision. So it's a little bit kind of bothering me. You know, body's so sore.

My leg still healing up, you know. But, you know, it's getting better day by day. So, you know, I'm all good. I was going to ask how, I mean, the early stages of that fight, classic Gabriel Benitez, landing those kicks to the legs, to the body, that's something he's known for, trying to land those big shots.

Where are those next couple days like for you? What was the day after like? Was it a painful day? I'm sorry, can you repeat that? I'm sorry. The day after the fight because of Benitez's style with the kicks of the legs to the body, does all that work.

What was Sunday like for you, the day after the fight? Were you hurting? Were you limping around a bit? Oh, man, like right after the fight, actually, what's called, I went to the hospital, like, literally, like, immediately. That's why I didn't do the, like, the fight, what's it called post-conference. Yeah. Like, I didn't do that at all, went straight to the hospital from there.

And, you know, before I went to the hospital, I actually talked to Dana White. You know, he wanted to see me in his office, you know, for the 50K. It was crazy. He was like, I want to see David and I'm going to bring him to my office. And, you know, my high, I couldn't even see my eye. was hurting. I'm like, man, I want to talk to me before I go to the hospital. And it just took me to his office, you know, he awarded me the 50K bonus, you know, talked to him a little bit, you know, what I want next and, you know, stuff like that. And then from there, I went straight

to the hospital, got checked out. Yeah, man, it was a lot of changing moment for me, man, you know? But yeah, on that Sunday, I was, like, I was hurting. I couldn't see. Couldn't walk, still got crunches. Like, my leg was swollen. You know, body hurting. the body shots, man, I was pretty beat up that night. Do you get the shoulder tap? Dana White wants to see you after this win, and he goes and tells you, and you have this conversation? Like, that's crazy, man.

Like, what are you thinking immediately after when they're telling you that Dana White wants to see you in his office? And I was speechless, man. I'm like, man, this can't be real. There's no way this is happening, you know? I'm like, no way. I'm like, bro, then I don't want to see me. You know, it was, it's been finally like, you know, it was finally good meeting them, you know.

First time I met me and the president, you know, the UFC, you know, all going to meet him. You know, it's finally a dream. A dream come true for me, you know. I was going to stop smiling then when I saw him. It was like, wow, this is really bad a white. He wanted to see me. So he told you right then and there that you're getting the bonus? Yeah.

He was like, man, holy crap. But you are, man, he's like, you are something special. He watched that Mason Jones fight. Yeah. The Apex, he watched that one, too. He was very impressed. And then me coming back three weeks later, I mean, you know, me taking this fight on another three weeks, you know. Like, he knew what I was going to bring to the table.

You know, he knew I was going to come out and fight because, you know, he saw me from my message Jones fight. So he knew what I was going to be what I'm doing this fight. You know, that's what I was. I was the main event on the preland. You know, I was the, you know, the closing out, you know, deal for the, for the main event. So that's pretty awesome. Just like him recognized me and getting to know me and, you know,

give me a shout out and, you know, stuff like that. Like, that really meant a lot to me, you know, because I feel like now he knows that, you know, I really belong in this organization and him giving me that shout out, you know, really meant a lot to me because that's all I wanted was to be in the UFC, you know, like when I was a kid. And just finally being in there and like, you know, getting a shout out from the boss, man. It's crazy, man.

I know you had to go to the hospital after, but when fighters have performances like you had, oftentimes you have to watch the rest of the card and you have to like just kind of sit on your hands and make sure that nobody had a better finish than you. You're kind of sweating it out that you may not get a bonus. So that must have taken some weight off of your shoulders. Yeah, you had to go to the hospital and yeah, there's better place. There's other places you'd rather be. but you already know you're getting that extra 50 Gs, right?

Like how are you doing that? Man, it was very relieving, man. Like I said, man, this is what I wanted to do, man. It's a drink come true for me, you know. It changed my whole life, man. You know, just the whole fight and like the bonus, like literally it changed my whole life. Like I'm at a, I'm at a better place in my life right now that I've ever, like, ever been in, you know? and I'm just, man, I'm just grateful, man.

You know, my life change, you know. Like, I'm grateful, man. Life is good, man, you know. I just can't wait for the next opportunity that's given to me, you know. So the whole story of the fight, I mean, at least the bigger part heading in was he misses weight by two pounds. He's had his issues before. I mean, as soon as we saw the miss, there was no way you weren't taking the fight. We knew it was a million percent you were going to fight.

but how did you react to that? Was there, obviously no hesitation there, but how did you react to finding out that he didn't make weight? Yeah, my coach, my head coach, Jim Crowe, told me that Benitez, you know, missed weight. To me, the person that popped up was, I'm still fighting no matter what. You know, like, I didn't even care about the purse.

I don't care how much they was going to take out or whatever. I didn't even care about the purse. I just wanted the fight to still continue, you know, as long as I was still, like, fighting, you know, I was happy, you know what I? So, you know, him as a way, obviously, you know, he came out and, you know, then do his job. And I came out and did my job.

So just me doing my job. I want to come out there and, you know, and do my job and still fight, you know, because I came out, you know, more of a professional and then he, he did, you know. So I just, I thought crowds, I'm like, man, if I still going on, like, I'm still fighting, he's like, yeah, you know, I'm still going to take the fight. And I'm like, oh, good, no, and I'm good with it. But if he, like, if he would have, like, pulled out, then that would have said me. you know because all that work I put in and like in the gym and you know just preparing myself

for the fight you know him pulling out that would have really you know let me down because I really want to show the world that you know I belong here you know get my first win in UFC so yeah man when I heard that I was like man I still want to fight you know the fires you know the fight continued and you know and I changed my life I knew I was going to change my life I this fight too. So I was really upset when he was going to pull out. I'm like, man, don't you pull out, man. I still want to fight you no matter what. I don't care if he's weighed by 20 pounds. Like, I want to fight. You know, and then just like me cutting weight, you know, like I'm exhausted and everything I just been through. Like, I did everything right for the fight, you know.

So for the fight to be canceled, man, that was going to hurt me. So I was glad to, you know, just continue. So when you say you knew your life was going to change heading into this fight, what do you mean by that? Like how so? Like financially, just everything, like career-wise. Like, what did you mean by that specifically? I just knew I was going to win this fight.

Like, there's no way in my mind that I was going to lose this fight at all. You know, like, before the fight even got offered, I'm like, whoever I'll fight next in the UFC, I'm going to win the fight. like no matter what, you're going to have to kill me. So when I got Benitez, I told myself, I'm like, I'm not about to be two and no in a UFC. You know, I already tell myself that, you know, I wake up every day to tell myself I'm not losing my next UFC fight.

Like, I'm just like, man, this, you know, I'm not losing. You know, that's what I meant by, you know, me going in there and just kind of, you know, perform and show the word that I belong to the, to the UFC. You know, that's what I want to come out and fight, you know, I showed the word that I belong here. Yeah. I mean, even in the loss to Mason, I mean, like I've told you in the past, we have a matchmaking show every, it seemed like every week when there was a featherweight fight and somebody in your at 145 or even 155 won a fight.

It was always, I want to see this guy fight David Onama. You were probably one of the most mentioned names. People just wanted to see you fight. Like even in the loss, just the way you performed, you got a lot. I mean, you're getting a lot of, you got a lot of fans behind you. What has it been like now since you got the knockout win? Because you already had them and now you're getting more. Has your social media like exploded since that knockout?

Oh, man. It's been going crazy. Like just all the love I was getting. Because from that Mason Jones fight, everybody was like, bro, you're going to come back so much better. Like back to you like, oh, your original way, 145. You're going to do so good, man. Just keep your head up. You know, keep going, you know.

And man, I just had, like, those people that hit me up about the Mason Jones fight are the same people that message me and saying, man, congratulations. I told you how your life is going to change and how good you're going to do at this weight division, you know, 45 is all years. You know, you're going to be top 10, top 15 in the next year. Like the same people that mess with me on Mason Jones fight are the same people that messengers me back telling me how, like, our life is going to change at 145, you know. and it's it all came true man i just you know read the mess and i it was good messages too like it wasn't like anything like hateful or anything like that it was really like genuine uh question you know so it went off from there man read them all like just swiping and i had literally like a hundred plus uh requests on my inbox even on twitter when twitter was blowing up uh

facebook little like everybody just showing me love you know so that would meant a lot to me because you know I showed them what I can do and kept my head up and just kept pushing. You got fans. You got fans. You're in the biggest stage in the world and you get a bunch of fans, two fights in. Not a lot of people can say that. I know, I know. It's crazy, man.

How did it feel being back at 145 though? I mean, you went in at 155, didn't have to cut. You still had to cut weight because you're a pretty big guy. But going back to 145, just being in that octagon and moving around and fighting back at 145 compared to the Mason Jones fight. How does, how did that feel? My ain't feel good, man. You know, I'm back at my original weight, like I said.

This is, you know, it's where I do best at, you know. So just me being back at my original weight is, you know, what I've wanted, you know. Like next fight, I just want like a full, four fight camp, you know? That's not my sport is next fight is if I get a full fight camp. Instead of, because my next time, I take the fight on, you know, a four day notice and then this one on three,

week notice, but I still feel like once I get like a full fight camp, I can still go out there and perform like how I did my last fight, you know. Just giving it more time and just some train, I'm going to perform way better. You know, I feel like I could have performed better than my last fight. You know, I feel like I did all right, you know, even on three weeks notice, but I feel I can do so much better just like full, full fight camp. I feel good. Yeah, so. Yeah, I feel good. Yeah, so. Yeah, I feel good, man. Back to featherweight. There you go.

So you mentioned that one of the things you talked to Dana White about is what would be next for you. So what is next for you? What is he thinking? What were you thinking? I know you're still going to heal up and you're still a little dinged up from the fight. And because, I mean, it just happened like less than two weeks ago. And it was a crazy fight for as long as it lasted. But what did you and Dana talk about from that standpoint?

Yeah. So then I want to get back in the end. April, on May. He's like, man, we'll get to back in, man, just hill up. And, you know, we'll go from there. So as far as right now, I just want to, you know, get back to, you know, I just want to heal up, you know, recover a little bit. And then get right back to work on Monday and then start all over again, you know.

Hopefully I get a fight, a full fight camp this time. You know, come out and do what I do best. So we'll see. We'll see how it goes. Anybody that sticks out to you? Like, anybody you just want to get in there and chuck hands with? Because, I mean, there's featherweight is super fun right now, man, and you're a great addition to it. So, I mean, anybody in there you just want to chuck hands with and just have some fun, not even in a trash talking way, just a reasonable next step up for you.

As in right now, I don't really have nobody to call out. You know, I'm just going to, you know, this is my first win in the UFC, you know, like I just want to be a humble man and at least win three fights in a row, you know. And then maybe start calling people out because I don't want to be that, like, guys. I just call people out off one winning UFC. That'll make me look bad because they're going to be like, oh, boy, he's going one fight, you think he's the shit. But then I'm like, I know I'm the shit. So I'm going to be humble and work my way up, you know,

even though I know I can compete in that, you know, in that high level. I'm just not going to call my body out yet. You know, it'll make me look good if I went three fights in a row and then stop calling people out instead of just winning one. And, you know, so I'm not going to do that now. But there is some guys out there that I want to call out. I'm just not, I'm going to save it, you know. I'm going to save it after these three wins in the world

and then I'm going to call it up. So as an hour, but nah, I'm not going to. All right. You actually, you actually just reminded me of something now that I, now that we mentioned it,

because we had, I asked you a very similar question after you, the Mason Jones fight and you said, nah, I didn't even have a UFC win. I haven't even thought about that. Like, I can't be calling people out.

But you said after you won your first UFC fight, you would let me know one of the names that you had in mine. I remember that. Give me one. You promised. Give me one. You promised. Dream fight.

something you want in the future. You're not, not an official call out. The headline's not going to say David and I'm going to call out this person, but what makes sense? You promised. All right, man, I'm going to go with Max Holloway. Okay. I love it. I love it. But that's being the future, you know, after getting all my, I'll tell bit myself more, get three fights in a row and just keep, you know, developing. And then we don't see what the future brings, you know, when I get in top 10 or top 15 or top 10, then I'm going to start kind of calling people out like, this is who I want, you know, I can do this, I can do that. And, you know, but as in now, I'm really nobody, you know, I'm somebody, but I'm still nobody, you know, if that makes sense. So that's a dream.

To me, yeah, to me, being humble is the key, man. That's really how you're going to get better, man, you know? Just being you, man, and being yourself is what they get you, the wins, you know? Yeah. That's how to be it, you know. the right attitude, man. Even from this Mason Jones fire, I've been humbled, got right back to the grind, and just kept working, you know, and look what, look what my last fight did. It turned my whole light just because of that, you know? So, yeah, man, I'm happy, man. I can see it. I could see it. You know, those listening on the audio, you can't see it, but this band is smiling to ear. It really, it's refreshing to see this day and age,

especially with everything going on in the world right now. It's nice to see a smile on somebody's face, right? It's crazy. Yeah. Super crazy, man. So we got a big, we got big title fight coming up in a couple weeks. Alexander Volkovsky versus the Korean zombie in your division, belt on the line, a belt that someday you would like to get towards, I would assume. So who do you think when's that fight? Who are you leaning towards? How do you break that one down? Man, that's going to be, that's going to be a really good, good fight. You know, I don't know who's going to take it, but I'm for sure going to watch, you know, I'm going to watch. You know, I'm going to watch this guys. You never know what the future bring. I love watching the

featherwood's fight because like me, me growing up, I used to watch Benitez, Gerber Benitez's fight all the time. And like, I haven't told anybody this, but for some reason I was like, I might make it to the year of Cee one day and fight, you know, these guys. So I need to stop study more on these fighters, you know? Like when Gary Benitez's fight, Sidney Yusuf. He fought Sidney Yusuf. I was watching that fight, too, and I told myself,

you know, I might make it to the UFC and fight one of these dudes. Like, you never know. And then three weeks later, I get, last weekend, I get to fight Giverr Benitez. And I was just talking about this, like, two, three years ago, I'm like, wow, but this is,

I might fight Giverr Benitez one day, or Sadiq Yusuf. And then three weeks later, I mean, two, last weekend, I, you know, fight Gary Benitez, which is like, blow my, it's just blew my mom. I'm like, wow, this is really, it's like everything I talk about is becoming to reality, you know? So, yeah, so I'm going to watch the zombie fight, man, you know, you never know. Yeah, you never know, man. But I don't know who's going to win that fight, man. It's going to be a really good about. So I'm going to tune in and just take notes, you know, hopefully in the future I get to fight them, you know, so.

I got me all fired up for a for a future David Onama versus Sudik Yusuf fight, man. Oh, man. And I want to see that one someday next year. And 18 months or so, I think maybe the stars will align for something like that. And we can do it whenever. Just let me heal up and we'll see what, you know, the UFC one knows to do. So yeah, like I said, I'm not coming up out of all right now. I'm just going to be humble, man.

Yeah. Humble's the way to go. Humble's the way to go. We got this big main event coming up on Saturday where things are going to get ugly in the trash dock department. So again, this is like this is the counterbalance of what we're going to see between Covington and Mazda all week long. So this is, oh, man, that's about to be epic. What do you got on that fight? I think Colby's going to win. I just think he's got too many ways to win. But that first, first eight, nine minutes of that fight, not saying Mazdaal will get tired or anything. but if Mazadol, I mean, he can land one shot and change lives. I mean, you know what that's like

being a guy can deliver with that kind of power, but I think if Colby could just put that pace on him and start landing take downs and getting on top of them and just kind of wearing them out.

I just, since the fight was even discussed, that's kind of what has been in my mind, but Mazadal is doing a real good job at making this thing that, making me think that I could be totally wrong here, which is good. You never know what he does,

though. You know, he always shocked the world. So you can't count them out though. Nope. You don't know. Man, the knees might come again.

You do not know. I'm very intrigued by it. I was very intrigued about, I picked Mazadol to beat Usman in the rematch. Like I, Mazdaal convinced me. He convinced me. I was like,

something weird's going to happen. I had that feeling. And then to see how that fight ended. Holy cow. You can cut out the act against. No, I didn't. I didn't want to. All week.

It was just like 30 minutes before the card started. I had to make my, like, final pick. I was like, you know what? I'm going. I'm throwing the Hail Mary on Mazadol and I was so wrong. And I like convinced other people to feel the same way with how passionately I work about it. But yeah, it's a great. I mean, for a fight with no title on the line, this is about as good as it gets, man. It's personal. It's heated. I think things might get ugly during the week where I'm just going to be over the fight by Friday. But eventually those two are going to stand in that cage and they're going to throw punches at each other and it's going to be a blast.

A hundred percent. I'm excited for it, man. It's going to be a banger. absolutely David next time you're in that octagon it is sure to be a banger as well so thank you very much for the time congratulations on the big win thank you for sharing all these fun stories and uh heal up and hopefully we see you back april may and and they're doing what you do best at 145 pounds a man thank you for the time congratulations and uh and save that money that's what james scrow would be telling you right yeah for sure i don't I'm not touching that money at all. I'm going to invest it and do great things with it. Absolutely.

Smart man. Thanks for the update. Thank you for the update. Thank you. Absolutely. Thank you, my friend. Take care. You too, brother.

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