MMA Fighting - We Got Next | Modestas Bukauskas, David Onama, And Themba Gorimbo

Episode Date: October 28, 2021

Modestas Bukauskas has experienced a lot over the last several weeks, including recently being released from the UFC, which he discusses in detail on the sixth episode of We Got Next with MMA Fighting's Mike Heck. Bukauskas (5:44) talks the injury he suffered in his most recent bout with Khalil Rountree at UFC Vegas 36 in September, when he plans on being cleared to compete again, whether or not he believes the oblique kick has a place in MMA, his reaction to the release from the UFC, Paulo Costa's big weight miss ahead of UFC Vegas 41, and if he has any interest in competing for Bellator or the PFL. Welterweight Themba Gorimbo (38:42) discusses his upcoming fight with Handesson Ferreira at UAE Warriors 24 this Friday in Abu Dhabi, his incredible journey to finding the sport of mixed martial arts, becoming an orphan at 13, becoming a blood diamond smuggler at 16 and having to escape from Zimbabwe to South Africa and why it took him two tries to get there, living on the streets before finding MMA, hoping Dana White will be in attendance, and feeling like a win will get him into the UFC. Finally, David Onama (1:05:30) recaps his incredible battle with Mason Jones this past Saturday at UFC Vegas 41, how his short notice debut came about, not knowing anything about his opponent when the offer came, his reaction to not getting the Fight of the Night bonus, what head coach James Krause said to him after the fight, wanting to return to 145 for his next fight, when he wants to return, 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

Support for this show comes from the Audible Original, the downloaded two, ghosts in the machine. The Earth only has a few days left. Rosco Cudulian and the rest of the Phoenix colony have to re-upload their minds into the quantum computer, but a new threat has arisen that could destroy their stored consciousness forever. Listen to Oscar winner Brendan Fraser reprise his role as Rosco Cudulian in this follow-up to the Audible Original Blockbuster. The Downloaded, it's a thought-provoking sci-fi journey where identity, memory, and morality collide. Robert J. Sawyer does it again with this much-anticipated sequel that leaves you asking, What are you willing to lose to save the ones you love?

The Downloaded 2. Ghosts in the Machine. Available now, only from Audible. Support for this show comes from the Audible original The Downloaded 2, Ghosts in the Machine. The Earth only has a few days left. Rosco Cudullian and the rest of the Phoenix colony have to re-upload their minds into the quantum computer, but a new threat has arisen that could destroy their stored consciousness forever. Listen to Oscar winner Brendan Fraser reprised his role as Rosco Cudulian in this follow-up to the Audible original blockbuster, the downloaded.

It's a thought-provoking sci-fi journey where identity, memory, and morality collide. Robert J. Sawyer does it again with this much-anticipated sequel that leaves you asking, what are you willing to lose to save the ones you love? The downloaded two, Ghosts in the Machine, available now only from Audible. The Vox Media Podcast Network. Everybody and welcome to a brand new episode of We Got Next here on the MMA Fighting Podcasting Network. You can listen wherever you find your favorite podcast. just make sure you like, subscribe,

leave a nice five-star rating, some kind words if you like, wherever you're listening, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, wherever it may be. We appreciate that very much. I am Mike Hack, and man, we have quite a show

for all of you this week as we shine the light on the next wave of talent in our great sport of mixed martial arts, the up-and-comers, and in some cases, those individuals turning the page to a new chapter in their careers.

And we have three great guests this week, some incredible honesty, some incredible stories. And I will say this is one that you'll definitely want to listen to from start to finish. Of course, there's a lot going on. It's a big week in the sport of mixed martial arts.

We got UFC 267 coming up on Saturday in Abu Dhabi. You get two big title fights. We got Jan Blah. Hezlovich defending his light heavyweight title against Gloverich-Acherra. That is on ESPN Plus. That is a free event. Not free, free, but if you have a subscription, you don't have to buy it on pay-per-view, at least in the United States, other parts of the world.

Not so lucky. Of course, the main event, fascinating one. Co-main event is a good one, too, for the interim bantamweight title between Peter Jan and Corey Sanhagen. What a tremendous fight that's going to be. Jose Young's already out in Abu Dhabi, grinding away. He's been there, different part of the world, completely different sleep schedule. He's a madman.

He's a wild man that Jose Young. So make sure you follow all of his tremendous coverage out there in Abu Dhabi. We got BTL coming up on Thursday. It's going to be a little bit of a different show. Jed Beshu and I are just going to hit record, talk about the big news in the sport. But also, before Jed will come on, I am going to draft out the. the random brackets for the big BTL championship tournament on the show, which starts next Thursday. And for those saying, get back to YouTube, get back to video, stay tuned for that.

But as far as this show goes, let us run down the lineup because it is a fun one. Wrapping us up, we're going to talk to David Onama, who made his UFC debut this past Saturday. Incredible fight with Mason Jones. He was on the wrong side of a unanimous decision, but he gained a lot of fans after taking this fight on four days' notice. He brought it, a tremendous fight, so we'll check in with him at the end of the program. We're also going to talk to Temba Gorimbo.

He is fighting on Friday on UFC Fight Pass. They have a new two-year deal with UAE Warriors. Temba is going to be fighting Henderson Feheda at UAE Warriors' 24. Promotions doing events on Thursday and Friday back-to-back days. This will be on the Friday card. No official word yet, but it appears that perhaps Dana White will be in attendance for this card, which is great for him, something he's wanted for a while. He's supposed to fight on the contender series in April of last year memory surgery correctly. And he had visa issues. Of course, we had a pandemic going on.

There's a lot going on with this individual. And that's just like a piece of the puzzle. This guy's story is truly unbelievable. Just a little cliff notes version. I'm going to let him explain it later on. Both his parents died when he was young. He was an orphan at 13. At the age of 16, he became a blood diamond smuggler in Zimbabwe.

So if you've seen the movie Blood Diamond, you kind of understand what this gentleman did to make money. Like literally a blood diamond smuggler. Just a wild journey this guy has taken. He's been in jail. He's been deported. He's escaped. Zimbabwe. He found MMA.

And just an incredible story. And I will say, just because I'm an audio nerd, he's in Abu Dhabi right now. he was in the kitchen, I believe, of his hotel, eating lunch or dinner. So it is a little noisy at times, but I'm telling you this interview is so fascinating. So we're going to talk to him coming up next, but first, let us welcome in Modestis Poccus, who at least for the time being, his dream of being a UFC fighter has come to an end. Now, all works out the way he wants it to. he will get to add another chapter to his UFC story,

but at least for right now, he will have some work to do. A lot has happened with this man over the last six, seven weeks or so. So enough of me talking. I mean, you're going to hear me anyways, but let's hear from the man himself, Modestis Poccus. All right, let us say hello to Modestis Bacoscus, as you know. He has been in the news quite a bit over the last month and a half or so.

He's been dealing with a lot recently. So let's get an update from on. Honestly, one of the nicest guys that this sport has to offer. We've done some incredible interviews over the years. So let us welcome back. The Baltic Gladiator, fresh with a haircut, the former Cage Warriors, light heavyweight champion of the world, Mr. Modestis Pocascus. How are you, sir?

Yeah, doing fine. Thank you very much. And thank you once again for speaking to me and having me on, man. I really appreciate it. It's always nice talking to you. Absolutely. It's good to have you here. I wish we were talking about happier things, but I'm sure this will all be a

part of the longer story of Modestis Baccoscus, the epic comeback you are planning. But first things first, the most important thing outside of the haircut, how's the leg? We all saw what happened in the fight with Khalil Roundtree, the oblique kick. It was tough to watch. And it stemmed a lot of debate about the technique, which we'll get into in a minute. But how is the leg in the recovery overall at this point? Recovery's going to plan. Everything's going great.

I've just come off crutches today. So that is a very positive thing. It's a massive plus. We've been working. My physio is absolutely amazing. Got a shout out, Leanne, Antoine. She's been amazing. She's looked after me since day one.

She got me back from, you know, from an injury before my world title defense to being able to perform. So she's always, like I said, she's all, and even prior to this fight, she's always been amazing. And even now, like, look, to be off crutches, you know, just under six weeks is amazing. So everything's going in the right direction. I'm just,

you know, just doing all my physios, staying motivated. And, uh, and, uh, hopefully we'll be,

we'll be in for a, uh, a very speedy, you know, record holding recovery. Yeah. As soon as you said her name, I was like,

that name sounded very familiar. And we did talk about her helping you get into your, to, to, to one of your title fights. If, what was the actual injury? What,

what was the actual diagnosis? So I don't want to, I don't really want to talk too much deeply into that. All I will say is that it's not quite as bad as everyone thought. Just because, do you know what, I've actually mentioned things in the past. And like I say, it's just because me as my character, I'm an honest person. I'm, you know, and this and that, I like to be quite genuine and let people know. But, you know, when you hear in interviews that, oh, people have seen that there was like a deficiency

or heard that there was a deficiency in my fingers. I can't take those risks now. So until, you know, everything gets all said and done. But anyways, the point is everyone thought, oh, all these ligaments are gone, all this and that. No ligaments were gone. So that was a massive plus in terms of everything. Actually, one thing that I've not mentioned,

obviously because I don't like it, because there's no excuses, I went in there, I went and performed and whatnot, but 10 weeks prior to the fight, I actually sustained a knee injury that obviously from the kick got worse or that was the fight ending kick was basically the injury just exacerbating. So, you know, I've been dealing with something for quite a long time and, you know, it seems like that's just been the story of my career. You know what I mean? Like Bocytist before my UFC debut and then and then having to deal with a knee injury coming into this last fight and then obviously then, you know, then the actual kick happened.

and then in a way it's kind of forced it to sort of get fixed. But I'm looking at hopefully about a four to five month recovery. So I mean, look, I didn't have any ligaments that were gone, but there was quite a lot of damage. Like even my physio said that, you know, when, because she actually watched the operation herself. So she saw like there was a very intricate operation, but everything wasn't successful.

I got the checkup with my doctor today. And he says everything is right on track and everything looks stable and good. So when I recover, I'll be back better than I've ever been. So in a weird way, kind of unfortunate still, but in terms of like the long-term growth of your career, was this kind of in a strange way, like a blessing in the skies that you could actually take the time and take care of all of this? A hundred percent.

It was very hard to look at it that way at the beginning. I'm not going to lie to you because obviously you have your dark days and days where it's just filled with demons and everything. But and still to this day, obviously, you know, as much as I have the positive outlook, you know, most of the time, and on my Instagram and on my foot on, you know, on YouTube and stuff like that. But behind the scenes, obviously, it's a lot of the times it's a completely different story. But obviously, like I said, I just try and stay as positive as possible. But saying that, yeah, I look at it as a blessing because now I got my niece sorted. So, I mean, you know, they said everything in there is going to be like almost free.

times as strong as it was since 2019. I've been dealing with an injury that literally got to the worst point. I'd been dealing with it since before that fight in Cage, was the title defence. It was literally the same injury that had then been causing all the other injuries. So literally, I've been dealing with this since 2019. And now it's finally getting fixed. So, I mean, it's a breath of fresh air, really.

the fight itself with Khalil and it's it's been he's had like an interesting run in the UFC because sometimes he comes out like an absolute animal like the Eric Anders fight we saw how he performed there and we're just like okay here he goes and then he would come back his next performance not that great and it was just kind of an up and down run for him but he sort of showed that that tylin version he brings to the table from time to time in the fight with you aggressive landing big shots and you couldn't really get going. You mentioned that you were dealing with some issues 10 weeks prior to the fight, but what would you say went wrong in that fight with Khalil?

Everything that we had been practicing, you know, you perform how you practice. So, you know, in terms of the shots that I was landing in camp, they just were not having that same effect against Khalil. He came very well prepared to fight me as an opponent. so all credit to him for preparing his best that he could. Do you know what I find is every single opponent prepares to fight at their very best against me? I don't know why it is, you know, that they bring out their best performances always against me. But I guess it's a good thing because I've got, you know, really amazing experience,

fighting these guys at their very best, you know what I mean? So anyways, we've been obviously watching a couple of his previous fights and stuff like that. and, you know, stuff that, like, for example, every time I'd throw something and every time I'd want to get something going, he would always counter it. Like, he'd always look to counter straight away, which is something that I wasn't necessarily experienced as much in camp. So when certain shots were landing, it was like crap,

like I need to figure out a way to get something going. Otherwise, you know, I'm not going to be able to get anything going in this fight. And obviously, a lot of people were saying, oh, one thing may have been, you know, you should have went for the takedown. but all right, go for a takenown against a guy that's slinging all these big shots, showing that he's going to knee you and showing that he's going to uppercut you to the face. You know, it kind of changes your mentality to want to do that. So because, you know, I was getting countered.

It threw me off a little bit because I wasn't getting counted like that in training. So obviously I thought, oh, well, I should be okay. And as well in his previous fights, he wasn't countering like that. This is another thing. He came, you know, even more well prepared and even better fighter than it was before. So like I said, also credit to him. I did feel that in the second round, I was starting to gather my rhythm.

I felt the timing a bit better because I don't know if you've seen some of the highlights that I posted in slow motion, you know, I made a miss quite a lot as well, like from getting out of the way of punches and stuff like that. It was just finding that rhythm to then finally get that tape down. And then by the time I was getting to that sort of stage and feeling that, you know, because I wasn't tired at all, feeling to where I was finding my rhythm,

obviously he landed that kick with perfect timing right as I was jabbing, which is something that obviously he saw going to the end of that first round. So, yeah, it was frustrating when I couldn't get things going, but that's my job as an athlete to adapt in play. But when things don't go right, you need to be able to be, especially at that level, to be able to adapt in play. So that was the issue, really, and that fight is, you know, I mean, if you look at the comparison with Oleg Shaechakshik fight,

like, you know, all the stuff that I was really throwing and landing was working against all of my chaste. And that's where I land most of my shots. So, uh, this is definitely a learning code for the future. So, you know, like I said, everything is a blessing in disguise, really. Do you think, and I know you mentioned it the next day, you didn't want to take anything away from Khalil and his performance, but do you think the oblique kick has a place in today's MMA? Because, I mean, we've heard both sides. I have myself from some of the legends of the sport. a lot of today's athletes that I've spoken with, they sort of look at it as don't love the technique, but it's something that we have to adapt to and deal with.

And some of the legends, they seem to be right down the middle like Robbie Lather, Phil Davis, they're okay with it. Don't really love it, but it's just part of the game. And then guys like Titor Ortiz, who I talk to, guys like Vitor Belfort, they think that that move should be just out of the sport altogether, that the fighters need to come together, relook at the rules, the oblique kick is no place in this game. What do you think all these weeks later? Well, I mean, you know, in other promotions,

they've got freaking soccer kicks and all sorts. I mean, that's like serious head trauma. You know what I mean? Like, this is bloody fighting at the end of the day. Like, look, it was my, as I said after the fight, and I still say it now, it was my job to defend it. But if you, again, if you watch closely in the fight, I dodged one of his oblique kicks,

which was because I wasn't on the front foot. He caught me with perfect timing. So like I said, credit to him, I should have been more wary of that. It's a completely legitimate technique. I mean, and it's mad to think how many oblique kicks were actually thrown after that particular event. I mean, I watched the Santos and Walker fight and the amount of the bleak kicks they throw at each other. But this is what I'm saying. The timing is another big aspect of it.

Again, like if you're holding your legs strong, it's not going to, yeah, it will affect you. Obviously, if you're trying to throw it full power. But again, it's depending on like weight management and stuff like that. There's so many dangerous techniques in the sport of MMA, this is no more or less dangerous than any other techniques. So, you know, in my eyes, it's legitimate. So, you know, in this day and age, you just got to be able to defend it. I mean, look at John Jones. He's been using it for so many, you know, for so many years.

It's been effective. And, you know, no one's really said anything about that either. I mean, yeah, obviously they've mentioned it here and there. but, you know, it's like I say, it's a technique. It's a technique that works. Everyone also talks about, oh, it's a career ending injury. Oh, serious ligament damage this and that. Yeah, it looks horrible, but I'm going to be okay.

This is the thing. So I'm going to come back and I'm going to go on a tear and I know I will. So it's like everyone keeps talking about how it's a career ending injury. But look, I'm already off crutches in, you know, just under six weeks. So trust me when I say I'll be back and I'll be back better. You've got, you know, we've got good surgeons. UFC's amazing at taking care of their athletes. So, you know, they've helped me out a great amount.

So, yeah, it's a legitimate technique. I think there's absolutely nothing wrong with it. Well said. So let's discuss what this has led to, unfortunately. It has led to your release from the UFC. And you and I have had these conversations for years. And getting signed was something you wanted so badly. You got there finally.

You won your first fight. Then the three straight losses. you got finished twice. You lost that really close split decision, which was still highly debated to this point, but you knew you were fighting for your job against Cleo Roundtree. Every interview you did, you said, I'm fighting for my job.

But when the official word came that you were no longer on the roster, how did you react to that? Well, obviously, the immediate feelings is extremely, being extremely upset and disappointed with myself. And like you almost feel like, like I say, you feel just numb, like, because you're like, I've just had so much shit happen to me recently in a load of different areas, and you're just like, you just sort of just feel numb.

You're like, well, you sort of get to the point where you're like, I don't know. It never crossed my mind that I would ever stop doing MMA or anything like that, but you have some very dark thoughts. You're going to some seriously dark places. I mean, the amount of effort and time. And it's just, it was weird because. I was literally making all my dreams come true and then all of a sudden,

all of my dreams are shattered. So it's like it went from one extreme to the complete other extreme. But so yeah, at the time, you know, when I told my dad and everything and, you know, when we finally got the news, obviously it was just, you know, very upset. Like, you know, almost like thinking like,

well, why is this happening to us? And, you know, in certain cases, you know, there may have been, you know, an argument like, why shouldn't I have got, you know, re-signed at least, have at least one more chance. But the point is, I think personally that they probably saw something in me. They, you know, they saw this kid's got a lot of potential. You could be good and blah, blah, blah. And unfortunately, I just didn't show up.

You know what I mean? At the end of the day, all that matters in this world as results. If you don't get the result, it doesn't matter how close it is or whatever. Because, yeah, I definitely thought. I won that fight against Oleg Shai Shook, as do many others. But what does the result stand as a loss? So, you know, three losses in the row at any point in the U.S.C. is never a good thing. So, you know, the way I see it is like I thought these guys at their very best.

I took Jimmy Krupp when no one wanted to fight him. You know, I took Khalil Roundtry who was very dangerous and very motivated. Oleg Shashok, another very dangerous fighter and stuff. But I didn't take any, there's no gimmie fights in the UFC. Like, they're all amazing athletes. But obviously, people may have thought, oh, well, you could have potentially took a different route or maybe worked your way up a little bit.

And it's just like, yeah, maybe so. But at the end of the day, I'll go out and prove myself. The thing that disappointed me the most was that I know deep down. And I've said it so many times. And this is the thing as well. This is another reason why, because I kept on saying, like, you know, I know what, what I'm capable of.

I just need to go out and show it. Like, this is the time I'm gonna prove it and then I never end up doing it. So there was definitely bright sparks that I've been shown, but for me, not to be able to show my capabilities when I know I can, like, I know I can. It's just I gotta figure that shit out first.

Like, you know, that's what I need to go out and perform my best. And maybe, again, that's a blessing in the skies. Maybe I need to go outside the UFC, find my feet, find me being able to do what I said I was gonna do to then get back into the UFC. So, you know, as painful as it is,

as depressing as it is, as sad as it makes me feel, it just also makes me more motivated because this is going to be one hell of a comeback story. You know what I mean? Like the guy that gets cut, you know, he's literally at his worst point. I remember back when I lost two in a row

and I mentioned it before, I thought that was my lowest point. This is like an amplification of that. This is like five times as bad. But I've been through that situation before I've come back. I'm in a similar spot here, like I said, just on a bigger stage and worse things going on. But I know I'm going to come back.

I'm highly motivated to prove myself. I know what I'm capable of. So I've got to go out and prove it. It's on me right now. It's on me. How, I mean, you mentioned a couple of different things there that I want to touch on. one of which is obviously you you saw a path you felt like your abilities are there but for some reason it just just didn't come out inside the octagon like how would you describe that like sure

you you want to go you would love to go out there and win all these fights and this there's no excuses to be made here i'm not asking you to do that but like what was this run like what went wrong overall in your mind like was did it just feel different being in the ufc cage like you wanted it for so long that you know once you got in there maybe just it just felt different Like, how would you describe it? Well, this is it. I don't think it necessarily felt any different. Like, you know, like I said, I mean, especially after my debut, I was like,

this feels like this feels like, oh, this feels like I've done this a load of times. Now we're just in the UFC and it feels absolutely amazing. But, you know, obviously it was a very high-level competition straight away in the second fight. I think perhaps maybe, like I said, I could have maybe worked my way up a little bit more. And you need to sort of gather your feet. You need to feel your way in and like, you know, feel your shots landing and stuff like that. These guys that have thought have some serious threats in their arsenal that, of course,

like, I know I can handle these things, but again, under the bright lights, you know, under, under big pressure, under, you know, scrutinized by so many people and stuff like that. I would never say that really nerves get to me, but, you know, maybe looking back on it, maybe it did, do you know what I mean? Because if I'm saying that now that I needed to sort of get a. a couple of fights because you see guys they build their confidence

over the course of their careers would you say I was really able to build my confidence so I think the confidence was you know pushed back a little bit after the crew lost

and then I'm trying to find my feet back in there again to regain that confidence so I know I'll get back in there again I know I'll be able to show it it's just it's more frustrating

than anything and disappointing because you know when you're You know what you can do and you don't do it. I think that's the story for a lot of athletes as well. So it's the job of me to be able to bring it out. I've got to prove myself.

You know, I've proved nothing so far. I need to go out and prove myself and I know I need to. The timing was a little crazy with all of this because, again, you're a guy that wanted this for years. You felt like you were ready and the call never came. And then it finally came, you got an outright signing. Not many fighters can say that, especially now. And you did everything in your power with the promotion to be a professional.

you know, do good for yourself in the organization. You did a lot of media. You promoted your fights. And this past week is we record, we see Paul Costa come into a main event fight week. Clearly no intention of making 185. Then the fight signed for 195. He essentially says, nah, dude, we're doing it at 205. Are you sitting at home watching this thinking, like seriously, how does this guy get to keep a roster spot when I went in, always made weight, always did my best? I get caught, but he doesn't? Like, what are you thinking? watching this all unfold? Well, there's no two ways about it.

He was winning fights. So, you know what I mean? At the end of the day, like I said before, all that matters in this world as results. It doesn't matter how. You could literally, I could go and drink every single night leading up to the fight, but I go out and perform.

That's all that matters. So, you know, at the end of the day, Paulo, I do not, I 100% do not agree with how he conducted and then blaming everyone else for his his unprofessionalism. I thought that was stupid. Like, do you know what I mean?

Like, that guy, I don't know, he needs to kick up the ass to get his head in gear because he just seems, I don't know, there just seems like something's not right there for him to keep making these problems. And then, like I said, feel like everyone else should be catering to him.

It's like, yeah, you're a great fight. You want a hell of a lot of fights, but that doesn't mean that you get different treatment to everyone else. But like I say, he deserves a spot on the roster. Although being unprofessional, it's not right. It's, you know, it's created drama.

It's create unnecessary things like, and, you know, good job on Vittori, having a guy that weighs a lot more than him to be able to go out and perform. But like I say, he's been winning fights. You know, it's hard to have a bargaining tool when, you know, when you're not winning fights. So like I say, as really annoying,

that situation is seeing it from the outside. I can't say anything because, you know, I haven't performed. So when I start performing, then, you know, then I, then maybe I can, uh, can say something. But, uh, you know, I'll go work back up to that. I know you're still recovering four to five months is, is what you're hoping for at this point. You have a bit of a bit of a road ahead of you.

Maybe middle of 2020 we see you again. But you have to assume that there's been interest here from other promotions in regard to your services when you heal up. Have you, have you, I know it's your management and you're just ready to find out what's going out there in the free agency market at this point. But has there been interest? Is there anything that you're kind of eyeballing right now? Not really at the minute because for a long time there was waiting to see about the

phone call about whether I'm going to get another chance or not. Obviously, then that fell through. But already from then on, like I had a chat with my manager. For me, it's UFC or nothing. I've said this before. I will only do whatever. whatever it takes to get back to the UFC again. So whatever route that may be,

whatever promotion that is, I know my man Jason is going to find the best suit for me to be able to get back to the UFC. That is the goal now. Like, you know, the goal is to get re-signed by the UFC. So, I mean, yeah, people have said, oh, well, why don't you go to Bellator? Why don't you go to PFL and this kind of thing?

It's like, yeah, I mean, obviously, those promotions are great and they've got some amazing athletes but if you really want to be class as one of the best fighters in the world most people usually refer to the UFC fighters as being those type of fighters and for me as a competitor

I want to be, I've said this to you on countless occasions I want to be known as one of the best fighters in the world so where else I'm going to do that other than the UFC? It's been my dream since a kid to well since I was a lot younger to be able to fight, compete and be a champion in the UFC that is still the dream

that is still the goal. So obviously the destination remains the same, but the road towards it has just changed slightly. So there's been no interest, as I'm aware, to fight in any other promotion. Like I said, there's been people saying, oh, you should fight here, just fight there. But realistically, I just got to get back into the UFC.

So whatever promotion is, it could be, I don't know, it could be LFA, it could be, you know, It could be cage warriors. It could be any one of these big, big time promotions that usually feed you into the UFC. So that's where I'm going to go. So for me, legacy is a big thing as well. I mean, money, money's a big thing as well. Like, I'm not going to lie to you.

Obviously, it's very tough and difficult, but UFC is where I want to be, man. Fair enough. I mean, Bellator has a little bit of an argument now. Do they not? Like, their division's pretty tight right now. They got Vadim Nemcoff is really good. Corey Anderson's on a role. right now. They got guys like Bader. They got guys like Rumble. I know he's banged up right now

and he's dealing with some health issues. You know, Romero 205, like they got a pretty solid roster right now, but that doesn't interest you at all. No, man. Like I said, it's UFC or nothing, man. For me, that's where I want to go. That's where I want to get back to. Because also, I've done a disservice not only to myself, but to everyone else that, you know, big time hype coming out of Cage Warriors and, you know, he just wasn't, he didn't live up to expectations. I don't want to be that guy that's like, I don't know, it's a bit like you're cutting yourself short. Like, I've got into the UFC. I'm, oh, okay, well, I can't compete at that level. So I'm going to not, like I say, it's not to say that the other promotions have, they've got

extremely high level of fights also, but nah, I need to go and prove myself. I need to get back there. I need to, I need to prove what I'm really capable of. I can't, I can't do that. in my head anyways, even if I would go to another promotion, I would never be able to. I don't think I'll be able to live myself if I didn't go and make that dream of being UFC champion in reality. So I'm going to do whatever it takes to do that. So you feel like you've just left too much on the table.

We've got to get back there. Yes, sir. So how did everybody leave it as far as the UFC goes? Was it left as, hey kid, we like you, just go back out there win some fights. will bring you back? Like, did it get to that point? Or is this just what you think you need to do?

I mean, from what it seems like, it seems like that's the case. I mean, like I said, if my manager is saying that, you know, though this is what you need to do to get back, then clearly, you know, I have still some leeway to be able to get back. I just need to show my skills. Okay, show you skill set. Show what you've been talking about. Cool, we'll take you back.

It's sort of like that. Do you what I mean? So, you know, and I think in this game and everything, like even just me as a person and throughout all my experiences in life, like, you know, you just got always, I'm always brutally honest with people. Like, I don't expect them to be brutally honest with me. And if anyone's going to be brutally honest with me,

aside from my dad, it's got to have to be in my manager because he's, you know, taking care of my whole career. So if he generally thought, they don't actually like you, they don't think you're, then he would tell me straight up, like you have no chance of getting back there, or it's a bit too late and you need to do this instead, or whatever, I'm 27, I'm extremely young,

I'm going to be recovered and fighting by 28. I mean, Inganu didn't get to the UFC until he was 29. He had his debut when he was 29. So it's like, okay, I get back. I could potentially be back there when I'm 29. So, you know, I think it's good that I've got, I've got my management because they're always looking out for me. But like I say, from the, from the words that I've been having with, with him, it seems as though that that is the, that is what the UFC brass is also thinking. I'll get a couple of wins and I'll come back.

Yeah. I mean, look at a guy that Jason House knows very well. Look at Julian Arosa. He was, he'd lost three fights in a row. He was out of the UFC. He had one fight on the regional scene. they brought him back and he's one of the feel good stories in the sport right now. So seeing that, that's going to make you feel good that the door isn't shut, right?

A hundred percent. I mean, look at Brandon Marino. That's a guy. Yes. I mean, you know, that's a guy I really look up to because, you know, he got cut, won the LFA belt, came back and then went on a tear, and now he's the world champion. Like, if that's any story that would motivate you to go out back there and show what you got, like that, that is that story.

And not only that, that's the exact same road that I want to go on. I want to get cut, come back and win the title. Obviously, I didn't want this whole situation to happen. But listen, you've got to take everything day by day, take it head on. And that's it. I think one main factor for me that is really helping is seeing that my knee is healing so well. And that, again, I've got to give a massive thank you to everyone at the UFC for helping me get the best doctors, the best procedures and everything to help sort this problem out.

So yeah, it's sad having to leave the promotion. But look, they take care of the athletes. There's a lot of this talk about, oh, do they take care of their athletes? Do they do this? Do they do that? 100%. If anyone's going to be an advocate for them taking care of the athletes, it would be me because I've witnessed it first hand.

I've said it on plenty of occasions. They've always done an amazing job to make sure that the athletes can compete at the highest level. And as well, like, you know, I was seeing Tatiana Suarez doing all her rehabilitation, stuff like that from her injury. And look, her, she's jumping on doing box jumps at 10 weeks post-surgery. So, you know, they help us out. I've got the best surgeons in the UK to help me. So, yeah, things are looking bright, man.

You ever spend time with Brandon Moreno and just, like, pick his brain? I mean, what a delightful individual to speak. Oh, he's not a chance. But do you know what? It's a bit hard when you're an Englishman. Do you know what I mean? Like, everyone's out in America. you know, like they're all across the seas.

It's like, you know, him right now. I mean, look, him, he's got a million followers. It's like, is he really going to respond to a little old me, you know, 12,000 followers and stuff like that? I know, I mean, I would love to speak with him and stuff like that. And like I say, look, when I, you know, when I go through this journey and stuff like that, I get my name back, I'll get back into the UFC.

I'll be able to have those conversations and stuff like that. But like I say, from camera, it appears to me that obviously he's an absolute amazing fellow. So, yeah. So what's the message for everybody now, Modestis? For the ones who continue to support you in this journey, for the ones who may not be a believer at this time, for the ones who are rooting for you, rooting against you, et cetera. What do you want to say to everybody?

Well, firstly, I want to say how, like, a massive thank you. And, like, it really, like, it really, like, kind of hits deep. and hits my heart when, you know, when people are supporting me so much, like, you'd expect a load of hate mail and a load of hate messages to come off to someone being caught, oh, he's shit or, you know, he's not that good. And, oh, it was a good thing that he got cut. But there's a lot of people who were actually fighting my corner. Like, there was a lot of people that were actually like, oh, no, like, you know,

I can't believe he's gone. I always love seeing him fight. Like, seeing those things, it's, like, massive. So I've got to say, everyone who's supporting me and everyone who's, who's, you know, got behind me and you know, really wanting me to succeed, I just want to say thank you so much, especially when, you know, like, things have been even tough. They've always messaged me and said, like, you can do this.

Like, you guys are the ones that are motivating me even more to go back and, like, prove everyone wrong and, like, you know, and to come back and, like, and really prove myself as an athlete. I've got a lot of, uh, I've got a lot of responsibility because all these people do believe in me. And I want to show them that I'm going to be able to compete at that level that I say I'm going to do. So yeah, massive thank you and a lot of love to everyone who's who's been behind me.

But there's a saying actually in Lithuanian. It's, and what that means is basically whatever happens, the Lithuanian never dies. So you can be rest assured that you're going to see me back in the UFC. That is the last message that I'll send everyone. I got goosebumps right now after that. Andes, listen, I'm not going to say I'm sorry for what's been happening because you don't want that for me. But I think we can both agree that this will be a pivotal part of your story moving forward, I believe.

Everything that has happened over the last couple of years, the injuries, the split decision, the way the Khalil Roundtree fight ended. All of that is going to lead to great things on the other end. So I wish you the best in recovery. It seems like everything is going even faster than. and anticipated. All the best to you in your return to action. Can't wait to see it. And all the best to you on this road back to the UFC.

Thank you for the time. Thank you for the candor. It means a lot as always. And we'll do this again soon. Well, like I said, one of the best in the business, one of the nicest guys that I've had the pleasure to be across the camera from Modestis. May, I really appreciate you, brother.

Like I say, and it's really nice to see that you're doing so well, obviously, in the reporting field and, you know, getting all those opportunities for yourself. So, May, I support. you obviously as much as you support me and much love to you and thank you so much much again for speaking to me. It's, you know, as a pleasure it is for you speaking to me. It's an absolute pleasure talking to you. We always get along, man. So I appreciate you,

brother. All right, let us say hello to one of the bright prospects in our sport right now. He is the current EFC welterweight champion. He returns to action for the first time in over 18 months this Friday at UAE Warriors 24 in Abu Dhabi. This card is ridiculous. and it's going to air on UFC Fight Pass as well. And it just so happens that a certain organization will be hosting an event also this weekend in Abu Dhabi. So Opportunity Knox for Temba Garimbo, who joins us just two days before his big fight, which I greatly appreciate. Temba, how are you, sir? I'm good, Mike. How are you doing?

And I really appreciate you for all the introduction. And it's amazing. Yes, absolutely. So first things first, because I'm seeing conflict. reports. Who are you actually fighting on Friday? Because I saw Kermagamadov. I've seen Henderson Faheda. Who are you fighting on Friday? I'm fighting Henderson Ferreira. Okay. Were you supposed to fight Kermagamadoff? Sorry. Sorry. The lady, the guy from the hotel was trying to move me to another place. I'm sorry. I was supposed to fight Ramzan initially.

Then he pulled out. So now I'm fighting Anderson Ferreira. Great. Do you need to move or? No, no, no. You say it's okay. I can stay here. All right. Okay. So this is the first fight that you've had in quite a while. And I know you've been a guy that's been knocking on the door of the UFC. You've been on their radar. I believe you were scheduled to fight on the contender series, but that didn't happen. I think it was a visa issue. It's been a crazy year for sure. But you're back on Friday.

It's your first fight since March of 2020. I mean, how excited are you to just get back in there? and do what you love to do. Yeah, man, you know, like, it's a crazy scenario. You know, I've been knocking on the UFC door for quite some times. I became a champion in 2019 and a four-dollar. I want to be, you know, the real original guy that becomes a chairman that lives and trends in Africa.

But I didn't get the opportunity. I defended my title in March today. The corona thing happened. And it has just been a crazy, crazy, crazy journey, you know, like almost when I'm getting there and this thing happened, almost when I'm getting this thing happened. Then I'm supposed to be on the Condender series. Then my visa, the visa issues the UFC message me and say to me,

you know what, we are not going to be putting more guys from the National on the Contender series. And it's just like heartbreaking, you know. But after the UFC told me that they are not going to put me on the show, I realize you're coming to Abu Dhabi. and that for me as in Zimbabwe and I don't have visa issues to come to Abu Dhabi so I literally

bought my own ticket to come here and then I got my own visit to come here then I put it on the social media I send it to my management from Shonshavi and tell them that if anyone pulls out on the USC 257 pad

I'm here and I'm available I was even trying to go to lightweight but it is a hard thing so I ended up saying with them if anyone made weight or what a weight goes out, I'm really available to go. I'll be in Abu Dhabi on weight for 77. That's 170 pounds. And knowing that there was only one fighter on the 267 card, it was like, you know, there will be many guys trying to wait for an opportunity. But I put myself available because I bought the tickets. I tried so hard. I was supposed to be on the

condensate. So as I did that, I put it. on the social media that I'm doing this, X, Y, Z. Then people jumped on it, tried to push me for the U.S. to notice me and try to put me on the card. And then so it just happened that the UAE has offered me an opportunity in here we are.

There we are. Look at that. You're eating a nice, delicious meal before you have to cut the rest of the weight. So your story, man, is crazy. Because in terms of the road to getting to where you're at to this fight, wanting to get to bigger things. I've been reading all about you and just learning about you. You became an orphan at at 13. You lost both your parents at a very young age. And most kids out there would not be able to

get to get past that. And like you said, here we are now. What was that like for you? Like, I know it was a long time ago, but you know, losing both your parents, you have to grieve, but you also have to, you know, kind of put your big boy pants on because you're doing your thing now. Like you have to move forward. So how did you, how? How do you? How? How did that sort of shape and mold the person and the fighter you are today? You know, I had to put a big big boy, a big boy, friends, very young age, because I'm the first born in my family, just me and my younger brother. He also fights.

So basically, you know, you have to grow up so early, but you have to go out there and test things in life and try to improve and better your life. So it was very tough for me to lose my mother at night. my father is 13. You know, life has never been easy for me. I think my whole life has never been easy. And nothing has been handed to me, you know. I believe that I've worked for everything that I have right now in my life

and whatever that I would have in the future. I believe that I've paid the Jews. I've paid everything that will come and that I have acquired so far. You know, so it's been a hard journey. I grew up in Zimbabwe. It's a rural area where I grew up in Mashiigo there. It's a small town. At the age of 13, after I lost my father, then I continued with school, you know,

but things were not as normal anymore. You use your parents. I don't know if you have your parents, but if you have, you got to share the mission every day. You know, I grew up with our parents, and, you know, it was tough. At age of 16, when I finished my all-level, you know, it was doing my advanced level. Then I had to drop out of school, you know. I had to go to the demo. foods, blood diamonds in Zimbabwe, to try and make a living, you know, trying to make money so that I can survive, I can live and I can at least a better life.

So that was me at 16, digging diamonds, trying to make money, almost got food. They had seen my whole body is full of scars. This was a dog bite. I was beaten by a German Shepherd. I almost lost my manhood and the diamond foods. I had five genitals of biting me at the same time, you know, police jobs because I was caught illegally digging and smuggling diamonds, you know. But it was a way of living that time in 2008.

And it was just like, you know, I had to do what I had to do to survive. Funny enough, they almost got killed. I think it was on a Tuesday. The following Sunday I was back again digging the same dance in the same dangerous field. So I've never given up in my whole life. Then eventually

we were checked completely. The military came in and they were shooting to kill, you know. Then you kind of like, you know, I have to give up on this. I have to go, you know, otherwise it's my life or all or nothing. Then I decided to come to South Africa

as an illegal immigrant. at age of 17, you know, just when I turned 19, then got deported and came back on the same day that I got deported to South Africa, became a gardener security card, pain that you know me that I did, just to get by and discover MMA through a movie, never bit down and they never bit down from ever since, you know. Oh my gosh, man. So, like, I know you were in a spot where you needed to make money, but, I mean, I don't know, like what it was like over there.

Were there other options or was this like the best option? Like how does one get into that line of work? Like is there even a job interview or anything? You just show up and say I'm ready to go. Yeah. On which side? On the diamond side?

On the diamond side. No, no, no, no. It's about bravery. It's about who you are. You are brave. You go there. You know, like I was 16 and I was almost like never scared.

Only on the first day I was scared. you know, because they shoot live bullets there, life bullets at the civilians, they were shooting live bullets. So I was like, you know, I'm kind of like, first day you're scared,

but after that, when the police is shooting live bullets, I'll be like, increase the volume, you know? Yeah, I mean, there was no option. And that was the only way most in Mavos were doing making money in 2008, 2007, you know, like the diamonds, it was plenty of diamonds.

You could just get them on the surface. I was lucky now, but sometimes even when the police were chasing me, I'll pick up diamonds on the surface and put in my mouth and run with it. So I've been blessed in that way ever since. Like I said to everything that I will get in my life, I have already paid it. When you made the decision to get out of that business and go to South Africa, Like, was it difficult? Like, was it something you had a plan way out in advance?

Did you have to do some, like, crazy military stuff to, like, sneak out of there? Like, what was that like? No, so basically when I, I, when the military came to the diamonds and started shooting really, the eye to live, the day I just said to myself, you know what, I still had some money from the last thing that we did with the diamonds. I'm going to leave. Then my cousin said to me, you need to go back to. school and I said to him, but I said to him, no, I don't want, I made money more than the

teachers before. At a young age, I was making my biggest diamond that I bought, I've got $7,000 US dollars for that, so the pro-kara diamond, $7,000 US dollars, $21,000 in like $500 billion, what you call it, those days, Zimbabwe's inflation is bad, you know, those days. So money was in Bierra checks for the billion. 100 billion more of that. So it was a lot of money that I end at a very young agent. I told me that I must go back to school. It was almost like impossible.

I knew how to get money. And to go back to school, it was kind of like wasting his money in my time too. So I decided, you know, I didn't go back to South Africa, I'll go with you. So I literally illegally came to South Africa for the first time in 2009, yeah. And then you said you got deported back to Zimbabwe?

Yeah, so basically you cross the border, you don't go through the river. It's crazy stuff. And if you look it up, how Zimbabwe cross into South Africa. There's crocodiles, the aggressive river, there's hippopotam, hippopotam, hipotans, and you're walking from Zimbabwe side, you walk through a game reserve, into a South African game reserve. So you hear lions, you hear things like that. you hear things like that.

And it was at 300 of us at the same time. Yeah, like he crossed the border. Then we loaded into a taxi. Then halfway through between Johannesburg and the border post, then I got caught. When I was deported one week later, and I was just a young boy, you know, like, this was a scary thing with a very young age.

you know, like being in jail. That was my first time in jail. Being in jail, 17, you know, like, it's like scary. Even the people who were in jail with you, they were like, you need to kind of like get lawyers to speak for you. They must take you out, you know. That's how scary it was. You need to take you out.

You can't be in jail for adults, you know. And I was skinny, skinny board. So then they deported me around 3 o'clock. I was reported on the Zimbabwe side. Seven o'clock the same night, I was based in South Africa. And I made it the second time. I was successful. Then I made it to Cape Town.

I actually lived on the streets in Johannesburg for two weeks. I lived on the streets handing flyers on the robots and in 20 rounds. I think 20 rounds are $2 a day, or less, $2 or less a day, to hand flyers on the robots. And making a living, because I didn't have any cell phone number for anybody, any of my family members or so ever. So I had to kind of like find a way to live on the streets. And while I get to get a cell phone number and some money to go where I wanted to go,

even if I wanted to go, I didn't have any contacts anymore. My cousins were all kept on the far, like 500 miles, something like that, in your normal in your guys language or so whatsoever like a thousand, 1500 kilometers from Johannesburg to Cape Town. So I do live on the streets in a dangerous. If you know that South Africa is one of the dangerous place in Africa, there's a place called Hillbro. Hillbro is super dangerous.

I lived there on the streets, you know. Yeah, eventually I managed to get some money and then I moved on to Cape Town. It was never easy, but I made it to Cape Town. I turned to reunite with my cousins and my family members. And then it was, yeah, from then I got a gardening job as a landscaping, on a landscaping company. And, yeah, I was getting 80 bucks a day. It's like 80 round a day.

It's almost like $30 a day. Yeah, $30 a day, hard labor job. Was happy, you know, excited to make a living, to make life and reunite with my family and members. It's never been an easy journey, you know, but I appreciate everything that has happened in my life. It has made me to be where I am today. Have you been back to Zimbabwe since?

Yeah, yeah, basically. I had to go back to Zimbabwe when I came to, when I was an amateur fighter, I didn't care about the fees as in passport. So I made it through the amateur circuit without having to have a passport, because I didn't travel. I was just staying in Cape Town and doing everything in Cape Town.

then on the process now you have to fly, you know, you have to fly from one day to another and I don't have papers so I eventually had to get a passport, you know, so I had one guy

sponsored me some money and then I went back to Zimbabwe and got my first passport in 20, 2014, 2014, yeah. So that's when I faced my book. I got my first passport. I was so happy, you know,

the passport is not easy to get down there. It's not for free like that. A passport is $318. Oh, jeez. Yeah, yeah, in Zimbabwe, $318. For that trip, I paid like $700 because I had to go back illegally. And there was some scandal happening because the soccer player was killed, made it and killed in South Africa.

So basically, when I called to take my, to take the passport, which just happened, and anyone that was illegal in the country, and they were harassing you. So you had to drive your way out, you know. Because I didn't have seen up in the South Africa. I could have been the guy that made it to die. So it was quite a heft. So I felt like I spent $700 just to get to my first passport, you know.

That's why seven is my lucky number. Yeah. I'm fighting five number seven. Yeah, I mean, just my number. I like the number. So how did you find M.A? Like, how did this happen? I was in the back of a truck, a landscaping truck.

Then I saw a poster with a thing, with the number of an event that was happening in the gym. But that was after watching, never back down the movie. You know, the movie? Oh, yeah, never back down, yeah. Yes, yes, yes. So I watched a movie, that movie. Then I was like, I can do that. Then I think a few days later I saw a post away where I was at the back of a truck.

And I took the number, called the guy and he says, yeah, I'll come to. And I went through to a jih Tjitsu gym, Gracie Jigitsu, Cape Town. And they said, you're quite good. Then I went to an enemy gym better around the corner too. He said, you're quite good. And three months later, I got my first fight, won it again, seven seconds knockout. Oh, my God. That is crazy.

Well, after everything, after everything you had gone through, and most fighters will tell you, like, their first day in the gym, it's hard, it's ridiculous, it's humbling. It must not easy for you, but easier for you than most other fighters, right? After the journey you've been on, like getting an MA gym and getting taken down and choked a little bit, that was probably like a walk in the park for you, is it not? To be honest with you, you know, like, my cause you said to me, you're quite good, you're natural, you know? And those days also like, you know, like, you know, I was just not a kid. I wanted to find everybody in the wood, you know, like, because the other things, I was acquiring knowledge quite fast because I wanted to go back to the neighborhood and be some guys that wanted to always bully me and my cousins.

You know, we used to stay in one room, six of us, me and my six older cousins. So I never wanted them to bully me and beat me because I was a skinny boy, you know. So I didn't want them to bully me and stuff like that. I just thought I should learn fast and the coaches like me and they made me pay half price of the gym fee because I couldn't afford even the clothes for training and stuff like that was quite hard for me to get. So, you know, I ended up just getting a fight three months later in one seven seconds knockout. Then that's when they say, oh, you're quite good. Then they said you don't pay September anymore just train.

So I was very happy to, I'm grateful to do this day. to my first coach, MNAC coach, under the theater, which he was here today, but he's a criminal business. It's not a woman of my coach now, but, you know, I always start to take him

and pay back what he did for me. For my title fight, title defense, I invited him and said, him come, he was not my coach, but I said, you come,

be in my corner. You always wanted to have a champion to be in the gym, I'm in Chandleram. He's being my corner. So I'm, I'm grateful that, you know, I'm always grateful for people

that help me when I had nothing. That is an incredible story. And now look at you. You're in Abu Dhabi. You get this big fight coming up on Friday. And like we sort of preface at the top, the UFC also hosting an event in Abu Dhabi. Is Dana White going to be at your fight? Like, have you been told that he's going to be there? Yeah, I've been kind of told that they're going to be shooting, looking for a fight. But regardless, regardless, I'll tell you this number of them. I will finish this guy and I will be in the UFC. if Dana is there

I'm in the US after this fight you know I've paid my goals I've done what I had to do and you know I want to inspire my people from Africa that we can live train in Africa and become world champions

it's all about the mindset it's all about the skill too but you know you don't have to actually travel around the world to to get the knowledge now There's internet. Look at me. I don't know where you are. I'm talking to you right now. We're not in the same place. So knowledge is, knowledge, knowledge is everywhere. If you really want knowledge bad enough, instead of spending time on my Instagram, I don't spend time watching and learning online and stuff like that.

So that's what I always believe. That's what I think. That's why I want to be the first guy that lives and trends in Africa to become a U.S. in Chambu. And I believe it will happen. And that will inspire the other people in Africa, they'll be like, wow. If Timber can do it, I definitely can do it, you know, especially from coming from where I come from to go all the way and become a UFC champion. It's amazing, sorry, you know. And I believe I'll do it. It's definitely a matter of that. Yeah, you're making a believer out of me, that's for sure.

And then, I mean, just look at the surge from, you know, fighters from Africa. We got Kamar Usman, we got Francis and Ganu. We got this big surge of fighters that come from that area. and it's like the perfect time, right? It's like the perfect time in the sport for you to come in and sort of build upon this and do something that no one else has ever done before, which is amazing.

So do you feel like, you know, you talk with the number seven, and it seems like destiny is a part of your life, but I feel like there's some weird things going on in the world right now. Like this is a destiny kind of a thing on Friday. Do you feel that too? yeah look I feel that way

you know like for me I've always worked hard in my life I've always relieved you love attraction and attracting things but being a good person what is you doing so and work as hard as you can I believe the universe will give you what you want

and here we are you know I was not supposed to be here to be here to be having a fight I was supposed to be here just as a guest on my own expense but here we are you know I attracted this, I'm here now. And I've got a tough fight. To be honest, to hear, I've got a tough fight, but I didn't want an easy fight.

I wanted a tough fight because if I got an easy fight, get a quick win or so. I believe I'll put him away fast within the first two rounds, I believe so. But if he's not here and one of the tough, maybe I will go to the third. But I don't believe it will go to the first two round. I believe I will finish him in the first two rounds. first round it is going to present a challenge yes

but he's not going to pass second round I believe that and I see that in my eyes and he's a tough guy is a tough opponent the sport all over the world but I'm Mamba man

I've got that Kobe brand mind trait that's why I always say Mamba mentality My Mamba mentality Kobe inspired me and changed my life to become a champion. So I think the Mamba mentality, Mamba's legacy lives on.

And I think I want to take it over. I want to take over from where he left. You know, I want to be the greatest. Well said. Last thing, Temba. And what an incredible story. And I really appreciate giving me so much time close to the fight and everything going on in the same room you're in right now.

You mentioned how you want to inspire people from your country to make them believe that. Listen, if I can do it, you can do it, especially with everything you've gone through. Now, everywhere, yeah. Everywhere. But what I'm saying, like, what I'm getting at is there, there are kids out there around the world that are dealing with, I don't know if like as extreme as what you've gone through, but similar things that are struggling that are looking for a path to take. They're looking for answers.

What's your message to them? To those kids wondering, like, is it going to get better? Wondering if there's light at the end of the tunnel. What do you want to say to those people? So for me, my thing is never let someone tell you that you can't be anything, you can't do nothing. Always work hard, believe in yourself. That's the most important thing. You work hard, believe in yourself and have passion for what you do.

The sky is the limit. And, you know, like my life has been hard, but I believe there's harder lies out there. People that have had harder lies. But we must all know that nothing comes easy. in life. They must always know that if things are hard, if they believe that they're going to be something in life, they must go

through that so that they can acquire whatever they want to acquire in life. And destiny is there for everybody, but if you believe and work hard, you will be where you want to be. And believe me, I will inspire the world, not just to go from Africa, my friends.

I'll inspire the whole world that you know what, with true hard work, self-belief, nothing is impossible, you know, like, you can be what you want to be. You can be what you set out to be. And, my man, it's going to be amazing on Friday. I'm excited. Dana Waii's going to be there's still.

You know, I was supposed to be on the Contender series. So that puts me, set in your conversation with Sean Shabby, you know. Obviously, I'm going to have a call out after the fight. So, yeah, I believe, I'm going to be able to be a lot. I'm born for this, just a middle of time. Man, Teba, thank you so much for your time, for your openness to tell your story, really amazing, inspiring stuff. I'm inspired, Temba.

I'm not going to lie. I've talked to a lot of fighters. You have inspired me. I might go for a run right now after listening to this story. I wish you all the best on Friday. I'll be watching for sure. Thank you very much. Thank you.

Tuning and see me put this guy away. And I appreciate that he took the fight because I had two opponent changes, Ramzan. He pulled out. Then Raymond, another guy from last year to, pulled out. Then we ended up being here with him. And I appreciate the fact that he took the fight. I respect that by Saturday night. I'm winning.

All right, let us check in with one of the stars of UFC Vegas 41, despite being on the wrong side of unanimous decision against Mason Jones. David Onama joins us. What an incredible fight. A gutsy performance on short notice. The first Ugandan fighter in the UFC. And David, I know it's not the result you wanted, but outstanding showing in your debut this past Saturday. How are you, sir?

Man, I'm doing good. Thank you for having me, Michael. Absolutely. How does it all feel a few days later? Short notice debut in the UFC against a very tough guy. You had quite the showing. Does it feel good, or is it still kind of bittersweet considering the result? It feels good.

I felt like it was an opportunity that I had to take, you know, on a short notice. You know, that's the only way I can, you know, get in. So, you know, and I just took it, you know, I took it, you know, to show them that I belong, you know, in the UFC. And I kind of felt like I showed them, you know, gave everything that I got, you know. I just showed a word that I can compete in that highest level, you know. So it was. I feel good about it, you know, it's all good.

Did you feel like a bit of a surge since Saturday of your, you know, just like social media, mentions, all that stuff you're following? Do you feel like you've gotten a nice little boost since Saturday? Yeah, I did. Got a lot of respect on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, you know, like all my fans, you know, everybody reaching out to me, you know what I'm saying? You know, congratulations. Not the result that you wanted.

But, you know, you took on a great, great fighter. It was tough. And, you know, I had a lot of people show me a lot of love, you know, after the fight. You know, like I said, it wasn't the results that we wanted. But, you know, still took it and, you know, showed out, you know, may wait, you know, and just fought, man. So it was good. I feel good about it, you know. So when did you find out this is a thing that you had the same?

that you had this opportunity to sign with the UFC because you had not, you had fought not long before that, right? Yeah, I fought like two weeks before this fight. I got the call on on Tuesday, because I was in Alabama, I got the call on Tuesday. It was like 4 a.m. My coach James Krause and my manager, Jason Hous, and Joe Wooster was, like, calling my phone.

You know, I thought I was dreaming. Like, my phone was going off. I'm like, yo, some man, right. I need to wake up and check this. So I wake up, but I was just like eight miscarls. So I'm like, oh, my God, this must be good news, you know what I mean? Because usually they don't call me around that time. So I'm thinking there's got to be something good.

First thing I did was, you know, James left in Texas say, yo, first thing you do when you wake up, you know, call me. So I'm like, all right, this has got to be good news. I called them. He's like, yo, I think we might get a shot in the UFC, you know, this weekend. I need you to apply to Vegas as soon as possible, you know, for blood work, medicals, and, you know, stuff like that. You know, and I just right on from there, man, booked the book that was called Uber. What's it called? Got to the airport.

Yeah. We were straight to Vegas. And from there, Mesh, that's where I all started. What time did you end up calling him back? He called me at 4.4 a.m. I'm calling right back. I got like four, four or one. Okay. He was already in Vegas, right?

So he was probably wide awake. Was he already in there? Yeah. So he was already there. Yeah. Come right back, man. It's all good. And you were part of, like, one of the craziest fight weeks ever because you were

getting ready to debut and all this drama is going on with the main event and Paula Costa and all that. Yeah. What did you think of all that? man I mean, he knew what he had to do, man. Like, come on, you're there. You're the main event.

You know you had to make weight, you know? I don't know, man. Like, you know what's going on. Like, show up and make weight, man. You know, it's the main event. So I think he gave away like 20% of his purse, right? Yeah. To Victoria?

Dang. He knew he had one job. You know, he didn't do it. It should have been more. I mean, you went up an entire weight class. Should have been more than 20%. But Vittori's a gamer, man, huh? Yeah, I saw him kind of weight because we were both in the same hotel.

I saw him kind of wait with his team. I'm like, I knew, like, I knew who was going to make weight. I saw Apollo, Apollo Costa. Like, man, this guy, not really taking this shit serious. You know, and he missed weight. And then you show up on, what, four days notice and make weight like a professional? Yep. I had to.

Man, it was tough, but, you know, I had to get it done, you know. How much weight did you have to cut to get to 155 or 156 or whatever the mark was? I mean, I was ready at 160, about 160, 165. I only cut like five. All right. So that's not too big. So it's probably a good thing. It was at 55 and not 45.

Right. Right. Did you enjoy, like, the whole fight week experience, the UFC machine? like being smack dab in the middle of it. Did you enjoy it being pulled in all these different directions? Oh, man, I enjoyed it a lot, you know? Like I said, man, I belong there, you know. It was fun.

I had fun. I had fun in Vegas, you know, just experience, you know, learning, you know, just seeing things, like how everything works, you know. You know, meeting the UFC staff and stuff like that. It was good, you know. I'm glad I went through that experience, you know, not that I see how everything is, you know. hopefully my second fight, it'll be all easier to where I don't have to, you know, go through all that stuff again.

I know you didn't have a lot of time to prepare for a specific guy. I'm sure it didn't matter who the opponent was, but when you heard Mason Jones, did you know a lot about him? Was he a guy that was on your radar at all? No, I didn't know who he was. You know, like I say, James called me like, yo, we got you a fight. I didn't even ask him about who it was. First thing in my mind was get to Vegas, you know, do your paper. work, blood work, whatever that she got to do, make weight, and then worry about, you know,

my opponent after all that. So I didn't really care who it was. I never heard of Mason Jones. Never, like, I didn't know who the kid was, you know. I just wanted to get in there, man, and just fight, you know, show the world what I can do, that I belong here. And I felt like I did that, you know, this past weekend. So, you know, I guess, you know, not the result we wanted, but, you know, we put out of show, you know. And that should have been a fight out of the night for sure. Yeah, okay. I was definitely going to ask you about that because everyone praised it. It was amazing. And like in my mind, I'm like, damn, you know, it sucks to lose, especially like a spirited battle like that. But if you're not going to win the fight, at least a bonus is going to come

his way. And in the end, Costa misses weight. So it's, so that fights off the table unless they were going to give Vittoria the whole, the whole hundred thousand. And it seems like, it just seemed like a foregone conclusion that, that this fight was going to get it. And then they went with Greg Gregory Rodriguez and Jun Young Park, which was a fun fight. The second round was insane, but I definitely thought, personally, it should have gone to you in Mason, especially considering you took it on short notice. He took it on short notice. Were you shocked when you found out that you didn't get it? I was. You know, but then I was like, you know, it's my first, you know, first year I see fight. They probably just didn't want to give it to me. You know, I'm the underdog, came out,

short out, be one of the tough guys. I felt like this didn't want to want to give it to me. you know, I'm not there for the money, man. I just, I'm happy that I just went out there, man, and just fought, you know, showed the world what I can do, you know. Didn't go. Dan, it really fight with the bonus, you know what I mean? But it would be nice if I got it or not. You know, so, you know, I'm there to fight, man.

Not the bonus. It's all good, you know. You guys went at it right away. You both landed big shots. You looked to be in some trouble. At times he looked to be in some trouble. Had you, I mean, you've been a part of some crazy fight. had you been in a first round quite like that in your career? No, not first round.

I usually started off very slow, and then I pick it up. With him, man, he just, I knew he was going to be tough. Like, he was tough. You know, the kid is good. 10 and, I think, 10 at 1, 10 and 0, I don't know. But Mason Jones was really good, man. He's striking, it was clean. I'm like, I cannot, you know, take it easy on this kid.

like this kid is good. I got to, you know, when in the UFC level now, I got to pick it up. You know, I can't, I can't fight like I used to, you know,

I had to, like, come out with a different game plan. And I feel like I fought him how I should have, you know, that's how I, you know,

the fight needs to be here, needs to be. And that's how I, you know, fought him. Man, that's a tough dude, man.

I mean, you knew he was tough coming in, but were you surprised at how tough he actually was? I mean, because, again, prior fights you land those shots and it's night night it's moving on you're winning you're

probably getting that bonus but this dude just keeps coming and coming and coming were you surprised were you just like damn what do i have to do put this guy away no i wasn't surprised because i watched i watched his fight against uh mike davis and man i knew i was like man he might do the same thing he did to mike davis so man i knew who's going to come out like that you know i just had to come out with a different game plan you know for you know UFC debut you know it's not like the local show no more like this is the highest it's, you know, how as it can go. You know, I just fought them how it should be fought, you know.

I feel like a street fight him. I should have slowed down a little bit, but then, you know, at the end, that's how the fight, you know, should have been. So that was the game plan coming in? Just go right after him and that's that? Yeah, just this fight, you know, like the kid is not going to go away. I knew a kid was not going to go away. Like, all his fights, like, you know, it's like he's one of those kids to where,

like, you just can't take him out. You know what I mean? He's durable, man. He's freaking cardio machine. You know, he washed you down. And, like, I knew I was not going to take this kid away. But I knew if I just put the hands on him and just, you know, trying to outstrike him, I win the fight. And then, you know, this kid was good at grappling and, you know, took me down, you know.

And that is thing, you know, messed out to Mason Jones and his team, man. You know, they came out, you know, prepared and they did what, uh, they did what, uh, have to do to get the job done. So, you know, nothing but respect to him and his team, you know. How tired were you, especially in that third round? I mean, you kept battling through it. You had a great poker face on, no doubt about it, but how tiring was that fight, especially down the stretch? First and second round, I was good. And then last round, I was kind of breaking a little bit. And then my corner man, James Crowe, I was Jill and Markis and Ben Elmore was like, yo, I know you're tired. You know, you want to win this fight, you know, you got to push it because it was one-on-one.

and the third round was whoever you know whoever picks it up you know pretty much wins the fight and you know he's just like yo keep your head up you know keep fighting you know you got to win this fight and i just pushed through it man you know i gave him everything i got and uh mason jones did what he had to do too you know with both going back and forth uh i say man kid is tough man durable cardio Cardi machine. Man, it's crazy, man. I don't know. The way you talk about this,

was it, would you say, I mean, obviously you want to go in and win all your fights, especially your FCDB, you want to go in there and win? This is a tough fight and you gain a lot of fans. Was this as good as it could have gone without winning? Like, just going in there, one, on short notice, no chance to overthink anything. You just go in there and you fight and you put on a performance

like you did. Two, you fight a guy with a dirt. ability and the toughness of a Mason Jones, a guy who has a really good resume of the respect of a lot of fans, which is very hard to do in this sport. And three, a fight like that is like having three fights in the UFC. Like you gained so much experience and knowledge from a fight like that. Was this like the best thing that could have happened to you outside of just getting a win? Yeah, I feel like this is the best thing that happened to me, man. You know, I'm glad. Like I said, I'm glad I took the opportunity. And, you know, uh,

and went through that, you know. I'm happy with it. Man, I'm happy, you know. Now I win a UFC, you know, 35 contracts. So, you know, that's what it was good. If this didn't happen, you know, then I wouldn't have got all that, you know what I mean? Yeah, but even, like, even if you went out there and, like, steamrolled them, put them away in 30 seconds. You're not going to get as much out of it as you did with this fight, despite the loss.

You know what I mean? Yeah. No, not at all. I would have not got that much, much of love. You know, I felt I got the love because I showed the world that, you know, that I can fight. And, you know, if I was the one I think, like, knocked him out in, like, first round, you know, nobody really know my, you know, really know me or, you know, what I can do. So I kind of, I'm kind of glad I fought three rounds and went to decisions.

You know, put on a great show for the people, the UFC, you know, pretty much everybody does at the apex, you know. I just show it out like show the world what you know I'm capable of doing and I'm glad that you know that happened either I didn't win

but you know it's all good then I get the bonus but it's all good didn't go there for the bonus first of all just went there and fought

you know that's good man I'm happy it's all good absolutely did Mason saying it what did Mason say to you after the fight

was he just like damn dude we were playing I told him, man, I told him, congratulations on the fight. But then I was zoned out, man. It was so much stuff going on. I was tired. Still kind of hurt.

You know, I remember hugging them. I forgot, you know, what he told me, but I'm pretty sure it was like, you know, good fight. Thanks for taking this fight. And that's about it, man. And I just walked, you know, walked to the room, got checked out, went back to my bus. But then I saw his post-fight interview. He gave me a shout out, you know, and all that. Nothing but respect to him.

Like I said, him and his team. I wish I would have stayed out there longer and, you know, talk to him a little bit, you know, stuff like that. But it didn't happen. What did, James Krause has become, you know, one of the guy, one of the surging coaches in the sport right now. Everyone sings their praises. When you go in between rounds, especially when his fighter doesn't do, what they're supposed to do. He just lights them up.

And it's like those memorable corner cams that we love to watch at James. And James is just so smart. He's just so knowledgeable about the sport. He's seen it and done it all. I know you don't remember a ton after the fight. There's so much going on in your world. But what did James have to say to you after that performance?

Like I'm sure he said, like, keep your head up, man. Good job. But like what sorts of things did he say to you after that you'll take with you? Man, first of all, man, James Krause is probably one of the best coaches in the world. and like everybody knows whoever James is corner like they're going to bring heat you know what I mean like James guys are going to come to fight you know what I mean and everybody knows that like last past weekend you saw what happened you know I came out you know shocked the world what I can do man you know having James in your corner man is probably one of the best thing

best things to happen man he pushed me you know from from round one round two to you know round three. He's the push me, man. He's like, yo, keep going, keep going. You know,

it's what we came for. Man, best question of world, man, you know, is loud and clear. I can literally hear everything he was saying.

And he pushed me, man. He pushed me through that fight, you know? Wouldn't get the win, but, you know, just having him in my corner,

man, that got us to where we needed to be that weekend. So I'm, you know, I'm happy to have him in my corner for sure. I'm sure it was nice to not have to cut to 145, but I assume your next fight will be at 145 in the UFC.

Yeah, I'm going right back to 145 where I should be, you know? So yeah, man, 145 it is. So I'm going to go back down to my, what's it called, official way in. What's that at 145? And I'm going to see what we can do from there. And I feel like that's a good way for me, you know, 145 in the UFC. I feel like that's a good division for me. I can for sure, you know, take a lot of 45ers out, you know, and not wait.

So. It's fun division. Oh, yeah. It's a lot of exciting fights out there for you. When would you want to, if it was up to you, like, when do you want to get back? I'll get back as soon as possible, to be honest. You want to try to get one in before the end of the year? Oh, yeah.

Yeah. You're a madman. Yeah. I want to leave, I'll leave, you know, one more, one more before the year. So I feel good. I'm not injured. My waist are good. I'm at my 160.

You know, I walk around at 160. All I got to cut is 115. I mean, 15 pounds. So I'm good. You know, I can fight again tomorrow. You are such a mad man. You talk about 145. It was just, there's so many fun fights.

Like we said, anybody stick out to you? Like, not like a trash hockey call you out kind of way, but like, there's got to be some, some guys you're looking at that's just like, oh, man, this is, this is going to be fun. Nobody reached out to me, no. No, no father reached out to me. And I didn't reach out to nobody. But there is a lot of 45ers out there that I want to call out, but I'm not going to call out yet, you know, still made my UFC debut.

So I don't want to be, I want to be all humble, you know. No, we're not calling people out. We're coming. This is a respecting, this is a respecting. You and me, like you in blank, getting in there, we'd create fun fights. we would actually get the bonus this time. There's got to be some guys that you're thinking about in that sense, in a very respectful way.

Let's save this. Let's save this interview for another time. There are some guys out there. I'm not going to put them out. All right, fair enough, fair enough. So this whole experience, I mean, unforgettable. You want to get back in there as soon as possible. You're ready to fight tomorrow if you could, which is insane to me.

But what would you say is the biggest take? takeaway of this whole experience. You going in there, just having a war like that, you come home, you're back in the States. I mean, you're back at home. Like, what's the biggest takeaway? What's the thing you won't forget from this entire, from this entire process, the entire experience? The thing that I won't forget is picking up that phone call from James Krause. That's the first thing that I would never forget, because picking up that phone call got me to where I need to be today. You know what I mean? If I don't answer that phone call, I would not, none of the, this thing would have been possible like you know so first thing man is that is that phone call you

know that was like the biggest opportunity in life for me you know uh yeah it's that phone call man that phone call got me to where i need to be you know i got to vegas far and shut the world what i can do uh man it was just it was an awesome week man i had so much fun so much fun man like i said uh you know, thanks to Mason Jones again for welcoming to the UFC. You know, he's my first, my first loss to him. So, you know, I can never forget those moments. You know, he's my first L. It's crazy, man.

But, you know, that's off to him. So it's all good. On to the next chapter, man, you know. At 145 pounds with fun fights. And I'm excited to see when that happens. Hopefully we get you back in there before the end of the air. But again, David, phenomenal fight, phenomenal showing, all things considered. I mean, it was, in my opinion, it was the fight of the night.

You should have got a bonus. I know, and I, all that concerned about that, which is pretty admirable in your part. But well done, sir. Can't wait to see you back at your weight class of 145 back in that octagon. Because like I said, there are some exciting matchups out there for you. So thank you for the time. Congratulations on a great fight, man. Thank you, Michael.

Thanks for having me. Appreciate you. What a fight. What a showing from David Onama. What a show this has been. Really great stuff from everybody. Medesda Bacoska is very open and honest, but Tembo Garimbo, holy cow.

Like, I still got goosebumps from listening to his journey. Really great stuff from everybody involved. Wow. Hope you enjoyed it. What a week. What a next couple of weeks it will be in the combat sports world. UFC 27 this Saturday. Right back at it next Saturday.

UFC 28 in New York at Madison Square Garden at the Mecca. and we will have you covered on everything. So stick with us over at M-May Fighting for all of that, all your M-May news, everything you need, shows, et cetera. But until then, everybody, we put a bow on this show, and until next week, enjoy the fights this weekend. We'll see you back here next week on We Got Next. To the Vox Media Podcast Network.