MMA Fighting - What the Heck, Episode 1 | Jon Anik, Valerie Loureda, Dominick Cruz & Mickey Gall

Episode Date: April 3, 2020

In the inaugural episode of What the Heck, Mike Heck speaks with Jon Anik, Valerie Loureda, Dominick Cruz and Mickey Gall. 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. What the Heck with Mike Heck on MMAfighting.com. Now, here is your host, Mike Heck. What the heck? And welcome to the debut edition of What the Heck on MMAfighting.com. My name is Mike Heck. I'm your host. Thank you very much for watching on the MMA Fighting YouTube page

or listening wherever you listen to your favorite podcast. It's a very interesting and chaotic time in the world as we're in the middle of a global pandemic, the coronavirus has essentially turned the world upside down. And I think like myself, we're doing what we can to stay positive, stay healthy, stay grateful. So we hope this show can be somewhat of an escape valve for all of you who are fans of the sport and beyond, as it's my goal to bring you conversations with some of the big names, some of the rising stars, the newsmakers, if you will, in the sport of mixed martial arts. And I'm excited to be able to give that to you every Thursday, starting this week on MMAFighting.

So for those who don't know, I just began with MMA fighting a little less than two weeks ago. And it's still pretty surreal to me to see my name on a website that I've gone to daily for so many years now. I mean, I come from a broadcasting background. I was on an afternoon radio show as a host for a local radio station here in Western Massachusetts, where I'm recording right now and on the side. I was interviewing fighters, freelancing, and just grinding away because I've always enjoyed talking to really any involved in this crazy sport of ours, building those relationships, et cetera. So to be able to have this opportunity to be a part of this incredible team at MMA fighting, it's something that I am

very appreciative of and something that I will never take for granted. And I remember when I announced the news on my first day with the company, there was one comment that stuck out to me. It said, congrats, but just don't suck. And for some weird reason, that comment is still ingrained in my mind because I've wanted a chance to show the world what I can do for a long time. And my plan is to suck as little as possible for everybody. Plus add a great lineup of shows or add to the great lineup of shows we already have here at M.AFundee.com like the Aiside Live chat, which is right now Monday, Wednesdays, and Fridays. We have the great Eurobass show with Pizzie Carroll and Niall McGrath, which launches every Tuesday. Both are great shows. I highly

highly recommend both of them. But this show will have me on it, but it's not going to be about me. It's about the fighters, the guests who are going to come on the show. And I'm very happy to be talking with each of these individuals this week. So here is the lineup for this inaugural edition of what the heck. Later on the show, we're going to speak with Mickey Gall. It's been a while since anyone has heard from him. He had a couple of fights scheduled over the last few months with Carlos Condit, then with Alex Olivera. None of those happened.

So we're going to catch it with Mickey Gall and see what life has been like for him these days, including making a brief, very brief cameo in the new Mark Wahlberg Flicks, Spencer Confidential. earlier this week, I got the chance to chat with Dominic Cruz, the former UFC Bannamweight champion. He's looking to return to action in 2020 after being out for over three years. And if you don't know, by now, he was linked to a fight with Corey Sanhagen on May 16th in San Diego. Who knows if that card is even going to happen at this point. But he wanted to come on and clear some things up in regards to those rumors. We're also going to chat with Valerie Lareda, the Bellator MMA Women's Flyweight fighter.

She broke out in a big way in 2019. She was a big part of Yuan Jacek's training camp for that epic battle at UFC 248 against Zhang Wei Li. We'll chat with Master Valerie Lareda later on in the program. But first, we kick things off with the lead play-by-play voice of the UFC, a conversation with the great John Anick. But honestly, there is no other way that I wanted to kick off this new era, this fresh coat of paint we are applying to this space. We figured out what we were going to do with the show.

I knew exactly who I wanted as my first guest. And what better time than in the middle of a hectic news week to bring on the play-by-play voice of the USC, a fellow born and bred Bostonian. You can catch the Annik and Florian podcast on Mondays with this man. John Anick, great to have you here. How are you, man? Thank you for doing this. Well, I am doing okay, man, day by day.

I think like the rest of the world. But congratulations to you. And happy to sort of christen the show, so to speak, my man. Always good to chat with you. Absolutely. We are creating bar trivia questions, Sean. First guest in the history of the show. That's right. I'll take it. Joe Rogan was not available today. So you know, you make do. He told me to get you on. So I have, we were talking a little bit off air about this. I have one kid running around during this pandemic. And we're keeping him active, but he can be a bit of a handful. You're probably hearing that. And you're probably like one kid. Grow up, dude. Like how has life been in the anarch household in the middle of all of this? You know, not easy. I mean, I don't want to leave the league in complaints right now. I think all things consider we have it pretty good. And I know my daughters, at least one of them likes the fact that daddy has been home for a while. But it's tough. You know, my daughters are eight and almost seven. And it's day 19 of what has essentially been total isolation. I mean, we're taking them outside and making them run, which they don't like. And thankfully, we live in Florida. So there's a pool. But I think they're starting to hit a little bit of a breaking point socially. They certainly miss their friends. And it's making them

appreciate school, which I think long term is a good thing, right? They want to go to school, which isn't always the case. But yeah, we got a baby too. So certainly have our hands full, homeschooling to the best of our ability. And I think like a lot of UFC staffers candidly, waiting for that call from Dana to find out where this show is going to be so I can either get in a car or figure out what my next move is, you know? Do you're, do the older kids? Do they understand what's happening right now? Because my son just thinks he's home from school. He doesn't really understand what's going on. I think they do maybe more so the older one than my middle child.

But I think things pop up when they're on the iPad. And if she clicks on an article, maybe reads a little bit about it. I think she heard even when schools were open that maybe young people were less prone to get super sick. So I think she hung on that a little bit as sort of some positive thing. But it's tough. I just think that a lot of kids crave routine, not unlike adults. And when that is taken away from them, it's a weird transatlish. But we're going through it.

We're conditioned to do it another probably eight weeks or so. And, you know, just trying to make the best of it as everybody's doing around the world, you know. You mentioned waiting for that call to come from Dana White and the UFC. Has it just been a weird time for you as a broadcaster, the play-by-play guy for the UFC? I mean, you understand what's happening here, sure. But, you know, we're looking at this stretch of time on the calendar very closely last year, multiple events. A lot of fascinating matchups were booked prior to this pandemic. from that side of your life, has it just been kind of strange?

It has been strange to not have a show on the books, to know exactly which 26 fighters I need to prepare for next. I've only missed one show, right? The Columbus, Ohio show three or four days ago, was the only show that has gone off my schedule. So I have had pockets of time where maybe I'll have two or three weeks off in a row and then do a rip of six or seven out of eight weeks or something like that. So I'm conditioned to a little bit of the breathers.

But yeah, to not have a show on the book, books is a super weird feeling. And I've said this in interviews sort of over last week or so. There's a lot of us, present company included and perhaps foremost in some cases, who have maybe pined for a UFC offseason. Man, if we just shut it down for the month of September, when college football in the NFL are peaking and then come back October 1st, it'll be the most watch show in UFC history, give the staff a chance to catch their breath and everybody who covers the sport. I wanted that off season. Now I'm not so sure I do. You know, having a month off, I'm Jones to hit the road and hopefully, you know, all things considered and everybody's health considered

it sooner rather than later. Yeah, because you're obviously a big sports fan, a very intelligent sports fan like myself since our teams win championships almost every year. You know, you've seen all these major sports shutting down, waiting for this to pass, but you look at Dana White and the UFC and he wants to keep this train going. You've known the big boss for a long time now, John. Are you surprised by this? No, not at all, right? He's bullish. He's relentless. He is in pursuit of this fight for more reasons than what. I mean, I don't have to sell your audience on the magnitude and the importance of this singular fight in terms of UFC lightweight history and UFC history overall. But when you couple that with the backdrop that it's been made five times, you can understand

why there's a huge promotional urgency to make sure this fight happens on April 18th. Now that it looks as though Habibn Mughamagl Mago Mav is not going to be able to get out of Russia. Maybe I'm a little surprised that they still seem to be all in because all indications are that that fight has gone away. But, you know, I was, I had trepidation, certainly when I got the call for that March 21st show. Maybe it was going to be Oklahoma. I didn't really know how I was going to get there or leave once I got there. But now I feel like it's kind of my obligation that if the fighters are willing to be there

and we can all get tested, then I got to make an effort to be there, right? I mean, if you're thinking about it from a fighter standpoint and everything they have to deal with, training elements, everything displaced, weight cutting, everything that goes into it for them kind of feel like at this point for me on an individual level, the least I can do is try to show up to an edit trailer or wherever they want me to call this fight and, you know, try to be of service. Yeah, it's been this weird relationship turn between the media and Dana why. I don't think we've always seen I die anyways. I mean, there's a lot of media, media members that have been all over Dana about putting this event on. I haven't really been one of those people. I mean,

do I think these events should be put on during this time? Probably not. However, I do understand that nobody is going into this blind. Like, this isn't that church I read about in Florida where the pastor basically said, screw the rules, we're not changing a thing, 500 people come, pandemic or not. I'm sure the due diligence, John, is ongoing and has been for a long time.

The UFC doesn't obviously want egg on their face if someone gets infected, so I see both sides for sure. But I also think it's totally fair for members of the media who are more versed on this virus than I am to ask those questions. I mean, this can be a negative space.

And in my opinion, maybe it will be less negative, should there be a little more clarity on the situation? Am I off base with that? No, and, you know, I've heard from a lot of fans who say, you shouldn't be Jones into call a fight. You need to stay home. And Dana White assured our entire staff very early on in the process

that if you need anything medically that he was here for you. And I know that gave my wife and everybody else sort of some semblance of security. But like, does my wife want me to get on a plane and go to Abu Dhabi right now? Or she want me to drive to Las Vegas? There are so many unknown. The situation is so fluid and ever-changing on a day-to-day basis that it's hard to know what the next move is going to be, what the right move is going to be. You know, I'm not trying to put a bunch of people in danger.

I've essentially been shut down away from all human beings for three weeks. But certainly if I'm going to be breathing the same air as the fighters, you would think I've got to be tested, you know. So there are a lot of different elements to this. But I do think that you emotionally kind of ebb and flow a little bit, at least as an employee thinking, man, I hope they cancel these shows because I really. can't leave my kids and leave my family because then I got to quarantine and come back. And then you get to a place maybe a few days later where it's like, I got to get out of here. I'm having cabin fever. I want to support Dana in the UFC and work a show. So just trying to stay in my lane and do things like this and stay busy, keep the mind sharp and whatever promotionally they decide and are

able to pull off. Hopefully the staff can, you know, help them execute. I spoke to Dominic Cruz this week, who is scheduled to join you on the desk for UFC 249. And he is fired up. up to say the least to call that event. Not only does he want this event to move forward, but he feels like this would be a huge victory for the sport of MMA, putting this event on, would hype up the entire world and it's doing something that other sports are not. Do you agree with that sentiment? No, I mean, I wouldn't see this as a win for mixed martial arts. I think a lot of people are on the firm opposite side of that and think it would be a win if the UFC fell in line with everybody else and just shut things down, you know, indefinitely. But, you know, they did the show

in Brasilia, granted everybody was there at the time, you can be sure that this well-oiled machine that is the UFC and this brass executives have thought about logistically how best to pull this off, you know, announcers and edit trailers, minimizing the people that are gathered under one roof, you know, shuffling the fighters in and out. I mean, you got to think they've been immersing themselves and trying to pull off the impossible for weeks now, if not a full month. So I have every bit of confidence that they will, you know, check every box and try to make make it as healthy and proficient an event as possible. I know and sort of texting with Chale Sondon to pull off an event for him was a huge, huge

challenge, but they were able to get through it. We'll see however unscathed. But yeah, I don't see it as this huge win for MMA if you can pull it off. But certainly in my heart, I'm hoping that Dana and the brass is able to do so for sure. We may not have had any fight cards in the last couple weeks, but the news cycle hasn't slowed down at all. You mentioned Habibn Maghamedov, pretty much stuck in Russia. the chances of that fight with Tony Ferguson happening,

pretty much slim to none at this point from all senses of it all. I thought it would be the nail in the coffin. Looks like it won't be like you mentioned. When you woke up Monday morning and heard about that Instagram live, how did you react to it? Well, I can't say I'm surprised by any headline waking up. You know, it's almost like you open your cell phone or whatever your news feed is and you're just hoping that there isn't something terrible in terms of the death toll or anything else.

But yeah, I was surprised, I guess, because I thought Khabib was moving closer to maybe where the fight was going to go down. And I think that's the danger in all of this. And the fluidity of it is such that it does change in 24 hours. And I think Khabib thought he was getting ahead of it and probably in retrospect should have stayed put. But again, as we're sitting here, Mike, on March 31st, we don't know if this event's going to be in the United States. We don't know the extent to which Justin Gachie was preparing for April 18th. You know, I have heard from one of his teammates that he has been in the gym. And you got to think that if anybody was tabbed as a backup or told to get ready, even before the coronavirus reared its ugly head, it was Gachy.

So we'll see if he's prepared. We'll see if he accepts the fight. You know, what's the upside for Tony? I think the biggest disappointment for me in all of this is that Tony Ferguson, somehow, some way, April 18th is not going to be competing for an undisputed UFC championship. The fact that it might be an interim belt again just seems totally absurd with the body of work that Ferguson has put on paper. But there are a lot of athletes that want to fight. You know, we talk a lot about this singular fight, but you know all too well, Mike. We got five fight cards from March 21st through April 25th.

And there are a lot of big names and high-profile athletes littered across those fight cards. So, you know, the coverage certainly is not bare. There are a lot of high-profile guys who want to fight on April 18th. And we just got to see if they can sort of make it align. I feel like medicals are going to be an issue. You know, there's so many hurdles to get to April 18th. But hopefully we can get there. Yeah, I thought it was really interesting to see some of the names that sort of stepped up to the plate yesterday.

Tyron Woodley and Colby Covington want to fight each other. Dustin Porre threw his name in the hat. Even Kamara Usman and Jorge Mazvedal have raised their hands to compete on that card. There are fighters out there that, you know, they need to fight to put money in the bank and pay for camps and put food on the table. This is everything to them. But when you see some of these bigger names who have had some good paydays over the last couple of years, champions, former champions, main event guys stepping up to the to fight to fight. What does that say about the sport, in your opinion? Well, I think that a lot of these athletes make good show money, and they understand that

if in three weeks they can show up, they can realize a six, if not seven figure payday. So that's certainly part of the equation. I also think there are a lot of high-profile fighters that maybe will inject their name into the conversation, even if they have no intention of competing on April 18th, just to be in the news and to be a part of that conversation. In this day and age, all you need to do as a relevant top five fighter at 55 or 7, when this news breaks is push out a tweet, and all of a sudden you're in the mix, and podcasts and shows are talking about you.

So I don't know how many of those high-profile fighters really want to fight Tony Ferguson on short notice. You've got to think Tyrone Woodley certainly is trained and ready to go, but it doesn't surprise me from this roster. You know, I do think to a man, to a woman, you know, most of them do want to fight. I know that's aligned inexorably with the paycheck and the financial gain, but I do think a lot of these athletes are craving the normal.

normalcy that most professionals are and feel like just getting a fight in would give them that normalcy and make them feel like life has resumed course a little bit, you know? I know Monday is on the Anakin Furian podcast. You bring on the great Ray Longo for the Ray Longo minute. And I know you like to press Ray for a nugget or two on that show when you have the opportunity. And most times he gives you nothing.

Sometimes that wheel squeaks just a little bit, John. And I know Florida has been discussed other places, reservations possibly are in the mix. So from one Bostonian to another to a guy who, from a guy used to listen to 1510 the zone, John, a radio station you were a part of. Have you heard anything at all on the location? Yes.

But it's not anything that I can share. I can't tell you if it's U.S. or international right now as we sit here 19 days out, but there have been some conversations. I do think that the UFC is gauging certain staff members to get our appetite to work a show. You know, would you

be willing to work a show? And certainly the answer was yes. I mean, obviously if the call comes in that that's Abu Dhabi, there's a conversation that has to happen with my family before we take that plunge. But we'll see what happens, man. You know, Longo's scared, right? And Longo's never scared. You know, when he's concerned, I'm concerned, you know, and granted he's in the epicenter in New York and, you know, we're praying for California and hoping that it doesn't trend on that New York trajectory. You know, Florida, where I am right now is supposed to be an absolute mess. I know the spring breakers are getting a hard time out there, but I do think statewide down here.

You know, when I go out to get my baby boy produce every week or so, you know, once a week, I'm like the only one wearing a mask and gloves. So, you know, I don't know how seriously people are taking it down here. I don't know nationally how seriously people are taking it. Hopefully they are. And hopefully that we can resume our lives in a couple months and not six months. But I don't know, man. I think Vegas from a UFC standpoint makes the most sense, you know,

find a way to get that apex opened up and just start cranking some of these shows every few days and, you know, get these fighters what they want. I don't know if you're really in a position to answer this question, but I asked Dominic when I spoke to him earlier this week to rate on a scale of 1 to 10, how likely it will be that UFC 249 happens. He gave it an 8. What say you? Well, I've been saying always bet on Dana, right? If you're giving me a choice of betting on Dana White to make this show happen or not, where do I sign? You know, where do I get action on Dana White? So I think eight is probably, I'm probably aligned with Dominic Cruz.

I really feel like this fight is going to happen because I think Dana is committed and convinced it is. And I was also encouraged by the fact that he mentioned multiple international and domestic possibilities. So it seems like they do have some options. I think the biggest challenge, if they want to do a 13 fight card, is just to get 26 athletes, you know, in the right matchups approved and to whatever your destination is. but I feel pretty convicted here less than three weeks out that somehow, some way on April 18th, from somewhere in the world I'll be calling a fight. Do you think it's possible maybe like a WrestleMania 2 type situation where we broadcast from multiple locations? Do you think that's even a possibility at this point?

Has that been discussed in your mind? Well, I don't see why you couldn't do a broadcast in Los Angeles and have Joe Rogan be a part of it, right? I mean, it's been done before. I called the WBC Heavyweight Championship of the world between Vittalikl and Shannon Briggs. from Bristol, Connecticut back in the day, and that fight took place in Germany. So it certainly can be done. It's not ideal from a commentary perspective. You certainly feed off of that crowd noise. And even when there's no crowd there, I do think you feed off of whatever that live event atmosphere is. I think being in an arena with the athletes gives it an urgency that is hard to duplicate in a controlled

setting like an edit trailer or a studio. But I'm ready to go. I'm hoping they call my number. I'm hoping it's within driving distance. I'll drive from Florida to Las Vegas if I have to. But whatever it takes to support the promotion and to support the fighters is kind of my thesis statement on it. I know a lot of people think we should be shutting it down and I don't necessarily

disagree with that. But if my number gets called, I'm going to show up. Of course, I'd be remiss if I didn't ask you about the latest chapter to the story of John Jones, UFC Light. heavyweight champion man i mean watching that video of the arrest it was just uh it was really tough to watch but uh what a tough pill to swallow last week to see that news was it not it's just sad it's sad right uh it's embarrassing for his daughters i think mostly right they're not getting any younger and as they get older and as he looks like he's turning over a new leaf or starting to turn the page

and becoming an active champion for the ufc as he was doing late 2018 into 2019 look like maybe he was going to be able to tow that straight and narrow. And obviously that was not the case. And I think for me, sad is just the emotion, right? Because I really do like the guy. If you're only judging him based upon personal interaction, he's basically been consistent and genuine with me since I met him in his hotel room in 2011, the day he foiled a robbery before beating show gun to win the belt. You know, that was the first time I met the guy. We've always had a good relationship. And I think for me, I just see, I'm a girl dad. I see a father of daughters. It makes me very sad. You know, it was hard. to watch that officer cam footage.

It really was, you know, I just hope that he can somehow find it within him to, uh, to turn the sadness and the anger, uh, into something positive. And, uh, he's got a good support system. He's got a team. You know, I feel bad for that team that, uh, has stood by him and hasn't necessarily reap the rewards at times that they thought they would. But, uh, you know, I'm hopeful for John Jones, but he's going to have to put in the effort if he really wants to affect change.

And, uh, sometimes you got a bottom out to really change something. and I think he bottomed out a few days ago. Yeah, well said. It's just a tough situation. I wanted to bring this up. I got a message on Sunday from a young man named Ian Parker. He had went on our website, saw our piece about Max Holloway and Wonderboy Thompson putting out funny videos. Max did one to the full house theme.

And now, I saw the video you guys did with the Family Matters theme. It was just amazing. But Ian thought we should have given you guys credit first. And I told him I would address this with you on the show. Do you think Ian's out of his mind for even bringing this up to me? Or do you agree with him for the first time in the history of ever? I know. Yeah, we disagree a lot.

That's for sure. So what is it? It's a battle for credit because Cody Mero, our chief marketing officer, was the originator of this video. So Ian, what, it's a battle for credit? Is that what's going on? Yeah, he thinks that we should have credited you guys for doing a video. And then Max Hallway didn't even do the same song. Like, it was a different song.

Oh, I understand. Okay. Yeah, no, I know there was an NBA on ESPN video that had the exact same song and look like a straight rip off. But I try to stay in my lane, Mike. You know, you're saving the hard questions for last, you know. But, hey, no issue from me. You know, when someone calls and says, hey, can it's, you know, we're flattered anytime anybody

thinks we're doing something right. But hopefully with our new CMO, we're moving in the right direction, you know. Yeah, he's got that Julian Edelman creativity bug going on with a... That's for sure. And a lot of time on his hands, right? Oh, for sure. Last thing, John, I appreciate the time very much. We've gotten a lot of time with our families. We're trying to find different ways to stay active and stay motivated. And it's put a lot of us in a state of reflection, state of appreciation, and just learning more about ourselves. What are some of the things you've learned about yourself through all this? And will there be any little or even big changes that you'll change once we get back to normal? Oh, absolutely. I mean, I don't know if these will be long-term wholesale changes. I'm certainly using fewer paper towels. You know, I'm drying my hands on my shirt, right? So the paper towel usage has gone through the floor, which is a good thing. I'm cooking and cleaning like crazy. So I do think the cooking will probably carry over. Not that I'm any good at it, but I can follow a recipe, kind of to a tea at this point. But in terms of the family time, I'm sort of an introvert living in an extroverted world and profession. So I spend a lot. lot of time with my core five, my family of five. So for us, getting that extra time hasn't been

an issue. It's been a hugely positive thing. And, uh, you know, I think it's going to be interesting. I am Jones into like hug a friend, right? Like, I think it's going to be interesting going back on the UFC road show, this circus of staff. You know, I show up at an event, you know, hugs and handshakes 50 deep. And now it seems like we won't necessarily have that connection indefinitely or be making that connection. So I think, uh, a lot is going to change. And, you know, a lot is going to change, at least in the short term, but at least for us, you know, cooking and cleaning for me and eating a little cleaner, not, you know, we're not ordering out. Maybe I can make that a long-term fix. We'll have to see. What have you been able to place bets on these days, John? Has that been a

tough time for you as well in that aspect? Yeah, you know, I haven't had much action. I mean, horse racing here or there. You know, I didn't bet on Jeopardy despite the tweet about and value on the middle contestant plus 175. But I've basically been betting on sports every day in some capacity since the late 1990s. So I need to scratch that itch at some point. But, you know, I had a big win on the Chiefs to win the Super Bowl. So maybe that's carrying over a little bit and making me okay, shutting it down. But I'm not scrounging for horse racing when I wake up every day, like some of my contemporaries are.

I'll put it to you that way. You're the man, John. I cannot thank you enough for doing this. All the best to you in the family. stay healthy and safe and selfishly. I can't wait to hear your voice on a UFC broadcast whenever that day comes. I appreciate the time, man. Always a pleasure to talk with you and to your whole staff, obviously.

I'm a big fan of everything that you guys do and a lot of those folks in front of the camera and behind the scenes. So thank you for having me and stay healthy and stay safe, especially on the coasts out there of the USA. Right back at you, man. Thank you. All right, buddy. My pleasure. All right, that was the great John Anna, ladies and gentlemen. As of this moment, he will be calling the action for UFC 24.

on April 18th in location TBD with main event TBD. Crazy times in the world, but it was nice to see yesterday that the fighters who were supposed to compete on that London card around two or so weeks ago were being paid their show money. That was great to see for sure, and hopefully that trend can continue. As we move ahead to our next interview, we're going to talk to Master Valerie Lareda. She's trying to keep everyone entertained during these crazy times. But if she can keep evolving and rattling off wins, could be a big 2020 for Valerie Lerreira. as well. So here's that conversation right now. All right, we move ahead to our next guest. She is a member of the Bellator

MMA Women's Flyweight Division. She made her pro debut last year, picked up just an emotional finish win of Colby Fletcher at Bellator 216. Follow that up with an absolute banger of a fight against Larkin Dash, pick it up a unanimousision win at MSG back in June. Let us introduce Valerie Loretta. Valerie, how are you? Hi, guys. I'm good and you. Very honored and happy to be here with you guys today. Well, thank you for being part of the show. The first question is, how are you doing in the middle of this coronavirus craziness we have going on? If people follow you on social media, they know that you're trying to at least make the most of it.

But how are you dealing with everything going on in the world right now? Honestly, I'm extremely happy. I'm living my best life. My training has completely changed, obviously, because American top team is closed. But I'm making the most of it. And more importantly, I'm spending time with my family at home. And I think this is a good break that all of us needed. Also, it's time to heal up my injuries and get my weight down.

So I'm just really recovering mentally and physically until this quarantine's over. When we're in these positions, oftentimes we play around with different things. We try to learn new things, try things we wanted to try but haven't had the time to do yet. Have you had the chance to dive into anything new since we've been on this lockdown of sorts? Honestly, so I'll have filmed a reality show last year after my second Belator fight. And on that show, I learned about social distancing, right? So all of this is happening, and I'm very used to it, and I think this is the healthiest thing that could happen to human being.

Obviously, it's very unfortunately all the people that have passed away because of the coronavirus. But being at home, a little break from the sport mentally and physically, I think it's very relaxing. Spending time with my family is very important. Not going out of my house because my mom has underlying conditions, and my grandpa's 90 years old. So I'm just really trying to stay home, just do different physical activities. I've been doing at 45 with my sister.

I've been running a lot. You know, it really, it forces you to open your eyes and just adventure to brand new things because all we know is fighting. How is the rest of your family handling everything going on? Are they scared? Are they frightened? How has that been going? The thing is, how my family situation is a little different

because my mom is a leukemia survivor, and she had a bone marrow transplant, so although her immune system is better now, it will never be the same. And my grandpa is 90-year-old at home. So I'm just being very careful with them, and I've been staying in my apartment in Coconut Creek in order to just avoid anything that maybe could interfere with their quarantine. But I've been going back and forth, making sure they're okay. But honestly, my mom has an underlying condition. My grandpa as well, my little sister has asthma, so I'm just being extremely careful with them.

Well, fighting obviously runs in the family. Your mom seems like a fighter. How motivating is that for you, seeing the fight that she's had and being able to overcome all of that? Yeah, well, my mom fought to be there for me and my two sisters. Don't she fought for her life, literally? And I always say that if my mom was able to fight and battle a sickness like that, I could fight through anything in my life. Like, nothing is pain watching when my mom had to go through at that age.

So let's talk about what happened for you last year. You made that pro debut for Bellator in February. You had that big finish over Colby Fletcher, and you were very emotional after that win. Can you even put into words what that night meant to you, what that moment was like for you when the fight was stopped? Honestly, I'm passion-driven, right? And that debut was so emotional for me

because I've been fighting Ticongos since I was two years old, three years old and this was my professional debut and a completely different sport in a cage. Really, that was a moment that I proved to myself that you have what it takes. You could fight in an octagon and you just, you love the crowd, you love the audience, you're an entertainer, right? And to open a main card as my professional debut is unheard of and I did it with the first one knockout. I mean, the lights, the cameras, it just, I love it, the pressure, I just, I perform wound

depression and that was the most emotional day of my life and I was able to spend on with my dad and my dad of course was crying too like this is our team where the Loretta family where we've had a school in Miami for 34 years like this is we breathe eat sleep martial arts so it felt like for the first time in our life the Loretta thing was being recognized for the way it deserved what was the reason if you don't mind me asking that you wanted to parlay the the martial arts lifestyle that you've learned since you were two years old into a crazy sport like MMA and getting locked into a cage and get into a fight with another woman like that. I mean, the thing is that I never in my life thought I was going to go into MMA.

I always saw it and I was like, oh, I didn't even pay attention to it until one day I was at the Ticwondo Nationals in Fort Lauderdale and Yo-O Romero was fighting that night. And I think I saw Michelle Waterson or there were some girls fighting on the card. and my sister was sitting next to me and I looked at the screen and like I remember I had goosebumps like I just I was upset I was upset and I looked at my sister and I could do that nothing

we've been doing my shows I'm like nothing that's easy for me like I could do that easily like I knew I had no grounds but the thing is that growing up my dad he used to put us to wrestle and stuff so like I had some grounds background from when I was little a lot of people don't know that

and I'm just a very aggressive fighter I just I had a feeling that MMA was for me. The next weekend, I was in a jiu-suituitous class and I had natural scrambles. And then three, four months later, I already did my amateur debut. So your pro debut is kicking off a main card.

And then your second pro fight, you're fighting at Madison Square Garden. Now I'm a lot older than you are, Valerie. I've been hearing about the mystique and the greatness of MSG since I was a little kid. Athletes dream about competing at Madison Square Garden. As a 20-year-old at the time, did MSG have that same glamour,

that fascination in your eyes heading into that fight? Just knowing that idols like Muhammad Ali have fought there, you know, I wake up and I look at this poster every day. I have it framed in my house. So for me, that was the biggest honor that I could share as a martial artist with other fighters who have been and performed there as well. But I didn't let the Madison Square Garden aspect of it get to me. You know, I thought of it as any other fight.

I just, I was honored to have the opportunity. to perform in the world's most famous arena in the world. You hurt Larkandash multiple times in that fight, but you were able to stay very composed. You weren't too overly aggressive with it. How much did you take away from fighting somebody like that who just wouldn't go away? She was just an annoying person to fight with.

You know what I mean? She was just, like, I don't know. Like, I went into that fight, and like, I hit her hard and she wouldn't go down. Like, she was strong. But the thing is, I was also really excited I needed that ring time. I needed those three five-minute rounds.

I needed to just do what I have to do to win and just entertain like I always do. So I was, at the end of it, I was like a little upset because obviously I wanted to finish. But now that I look back, I'm very happy that that fight turned out that way because my experience now, like that ring time is something that you can't buy anywhere. You know, you could only get that through experience fighting in the cage. So I'm happy about that and I learned a lot from that fight. I bought a letty. That was on a week's notice. Like, I'm crazy.

I don't know. I just took it out. I'm like, I'm fighting Madison Square Garden, but anybody in front of me. You mentioned going on the reality show, it was the same show that Jorge Mazadol was a part of, and that experience seemed to have changed his entire life, not just in the octagon,

but just personally and how he approaches life. Do you feel like some of that mystique that Jorge was able to take off of that show? Do you feel like some of that will rub off on you? Is that a little bit of a motivating factor for you to be a part of it? I mean, when I spoke to Jorge about it, it's just like the thing is that on the show, you're completely isolated, right? So you have no communication with your family, with anybody you're there. And like you don't even have martial arts or training. Like you make the most of it.

Kind of like what we're doing now and pointing is what I went through on the show, right? So it's just being away from the reality for three months allows you to really understand and recognize what do you want in your life. Like, what is it that I'm passionate about? Like, where do I want to get to and how am I going to do it? You know, and you learn to appreciate and value things that you don't have anymore. For example, I was there in Exathlon, punching the trees and stuff. And all I would think about is, like, I wish I had a boxing bag, a kicking bag. I was able to take my gloves.

My gloves were broken up everywhere. Like, it just teaches you a lot about life and appreciating the little things. And I remember when I first got off the show, I was. All I wanted to do, like, I remember my first kickboxing class. When I got back, like, I got eliminated on the Sunday, and they flew me down. And on Wednesday, I showed up, like, by surprise American top team. And, like, I've never felt more satisfaction and just blessed to do what I do and how much I love what I do.

So definitely, yes, hopefully my next fight, I win in five seconds with a flying knee, right? I'm just really looking forward to being in the cage, is I'm sure this is what I love. This is who I am. Because you were supposed to fight on that January card against Tara Graf. Can you talk about what happened there? No, I had an injury. One on the show, I had an injury on my left foot, and it couldn't clear me.

And apart from that, I sprained my MCL. So I was a little messed up. And plus, mentally and physically, I had gotten back from the show at the end of November, right? And then I haven't seen my family for three months. I hadn't seen like like I got back it was my sister's birthday it was Christmas and stuff and for the first time I was like okay valet you need to fix your injuries and not fight like that crazy and spend time with your family you know you just went on a show like I was beat up I had I was on antibiotics like it was just a lot for me to handle and a lot of like looking back in the show like

I had just gone through war on a separate show so when I got back I'm like wait I need to chill I need to start training the right way like I can't just go into a fight like that especially if I was injured. So I made the decision, and I hate doing this, but I had to back out of the fight, and I wanted to fight now, but not all of this. So I don't know. I'm taking it day by day, and I'm doing the best I can,

but honestly, I'm happier that I've ever been in my life. And I'm doing a lot. My weight's good. My training's good. My knee's getting 100%. So I'm doing well. So it's almost like a blessing to, you don't want to pull out of fights. It's kind of a bummer, but at the same time

is more of a blessing for you, was it not? Of course I wanted to fight in the form. I was so excited. I was there. I was like, well, I'm injured, but I want to go. So I went, and cyborg was on that car. So I was really happy for Belator. That's amazing for us and cyborgs with us. So nothing else.

I was really sad. It was bittersweet that I had to do what I had to do for myself for the first time in my life and not please everybody but me. We saw Bellator just canceled their next three events. They canceled the event a few weeks back at Mohegan Sun. before it was supposed to start. And Scott Coker's been universally praised for how he's handled this situation. What have you made with how Bellator has been approaching this year with COVID-19 compared to,

say, others in the space? Let me tell you. And I will say this from the beginning. I am die-hard Bellator. Like, I, apart from Scott Coker, like, just everybody in the production, everybody that works for Bellator, like, they treat their fighters so amazing. I am so grateful for the way they've treated me in this year that I've been with them. And when I saw what Scott did to his athletes, like, I just, he is such a respectable man,

and I just look up to him so much. I'm just so honored to be one of the fighters under his roster, but what he did is amazing, and I feel like every other person and every other organization should be treating the same way because we're fighters, you know, this is the way we live. And, like, a lot of them have kids and stuff, and, like, they literally live off of fighting, So without this, a lot of people don't have jobs. Some people, like, work at night, too, and they train in the mornings, and now they even have money from their fight.

So I'm just trying to help as much as I can. And just I'm so proud of Scott and Belator in that whole organization. Like, I love him to Deb. I'm super loyal to Belator, and I will be for a very long time. And nothing is just Scott's the best. He's the best of the best. So you feel they're doing the right thing here? because on the other end, we're lacking entertainment,

we're lacking sport, but Bellator is jumping the gun and just putting the brakes on, like every other sport's doing. So you obviously agree with what they're doing. Yeah, I agree with it. You know, everybody's situation right now is really different.

Like, how do you expect virus to fight? If we don't have a training camp, if we don't have training partners, you know, you don't know what partners you could trust. The weight as well. A lot of people in quarantine, like you have to keep up training to maintain that weight low, you know?

So it's a lot of aspects of going to be. to being a fighter that are removed from our lives right now. And I just think it's very hard for any fight. And even to fight like that without an audience. Like, that's crazy. I would not be able to. I don't think so. I mean, I would do it if I had to.

But just fighting about an audience, like, I lived for the audience. Like, this is what I'm doing for it. I'm a performer, you know? So I don't know. It's very hard, but I know we're all going to get to do this. You were in the news recently because you had come out to defend your teammate, you want to jay check after that incredible fight with jang weili at ufc 248 just a epic battle yuana you know obviously was worse for wear and you know how fans in the sport could be sometimes

the memes are coming out and you came out and defended her but you know from a fighter's perspective how motivating was watching that fight between jang weili and yorena and jaycheck because that was one of those fights that people are just going to be talking about for a long long time honestly I did every sparring with Joanna for that camp and I was her main sparring for that camp with Mike Brown and Cattel and stuff and just knowing like how much I put up me like I gave her my own country

I gave her all of me because I really wanted her to perform the way she did you know so it didn't matter if I was not on way if I was overweight if the night before I didn't sleep if I was exhausted I would show up Tuesdays on Thursdays and I'll give her all of me because I knew she needed me really bad. So that fight was more emotional for me than anybody else because we cried together on the mat.

We were hurt together. Like I would go home with bruises everywhere. And Joanna would be like, let's go, let's go, you're Chip. Like, you know what I mean? Like, we have a very different bond. Like, I've never trained with anyone that trains like me, like Joanna. Like, Joanna and I, like, we train alike. We just understand each other.

We can curse at each other and, like, hug each other after because like we like I just gave her my 100%. So watching her performance in the fight was the most like beautiful thing to me because I idolize her. I look up to her so much. She gives me so much advice. She always tells me I'm going to be the next champ. Like we just understand each other.

So that fight just motivating me more than anything. I mean, I did all those sparrings. I got experience from Joanna, you know? Like that experience, Joanna's one of the best fighters in the world. Like that experience I got, nobody could give me like those rounds I would do with her every Tuesday and Thursday. So that fight for me was another level. And then obviously when she finished a fight,

I know how she looks like and I completely get it. And I know that people are, like fans are fans. You know, on Twitter they're terrible. Like they're going to destroy or whatever. But I feel like it got to a certain point after a while. That's like that's it. Like we're female fighters. Like if I was in a position and I finished fighting the way she did

and people all they were talking about the way she looks like, I would have been pissed. Like, I don't know. I just, I feel like we should stop. criticizing. That fight was the most entertaining fight, like, ever. That's another level of entertainment. And I just felt bad. These are the way they're making fun of her. Joana's beautiful, you know, and we're female fighters. Like, no girl wants to be criticized about the way they look. So I just, I went crazy on doing it for a little bit. And I'm sorry, but I had to do it.

I love her to death. I respect all female fighters. What we put into this sport is not anybody could do it. It's very specific people who could do what we do, especially as females. It's so hard on our body, like the toe it takes on our body, and just getting scratched up, bruised up, black eyes, like, just female things that we have to be on top of that this sport destroys, you know? So that's why we're great. Yeah, it's obviously tough. It can be tough being a woman in this sport at times.

I mean, you hear the cliche all the time that MMA is a man's sport. Now, for you, and listen, I'm happily married, but I advise to you turn heads. You're very popular on social media, Valerie. I'm not saying anything that isn't true here. With that being said, yeah, it's great to be popular and get a lot of views and go viral and stuff. But do you feel that it's been a challenge at times for you to be taken seriously as a fighter and a professional athlete? I mean, wait, can you see it? Yeah, there you go.

I got to talk. I mean, yes. The problem with me is that I don't post on social media because I'm an influencer. Like, this is who I am. Like, I am an amazing fighter, but if I don't feel pretty and feminine and elegant, like, I'm not Valerie, right? So even going into Fight Week, I take it like a beauty pageant because this is my beauty pageant. Like, literally, like, I have Fight Week, I have Media Week, I'm skinny. Like, I don't look like this all the time.

I do my photoshoots, I do my interviews, but I, like my whole camp, I give it a hundred, like, I train harder than any other girl in this world. Like, I'm so sorry to say, I train harder than anyone, and I'm confident in that. So fight week comes, my hair is pretty, my makeup's done. I have my interviews. I have all the fight week. I make weight, but like I always do and I don't have to suffer, cutting water weight, etc. And the next day, I go out to fight with my eyelash extensions, my hair done, except. But that's who I am.

Like, why can't I be both, right? people sometimes are like, oh, she's just a social media influencer. I'm like, no. Like, I've been fighting since I was two years old, okay? It's just throughout the years, like, I also have other passions, right? So I do movies, I do acting, I do entertainment. Like, I was a dancer my whole life. You know, I'm a normal woman except I was born into fighting.

I was born for war. Like, my body structure, I was born for war. My dad, like, this goes way back for many ages in my family. I was born to sport. My whole family were all black belts, right? So it's very hard for me to be taken seriously, but honestly, I just think it's just time. You know, like, as long as I keep winning fights,

like, that's all that matters. Everybody would shut up. And I'm going to be both. I'm going to be the most beautiful woman in the world. I'm going to be the most badass fight in the world. But it's got to be such a freeing feeling to be as comfortable with yourself as you are. I mean, a lot of people in this day and age,

they can't say that. People are very hesitant to put themselves out there and show who they try. truly are. Have you always had that confidence in yourself or is that something that's sort of grown with you? No, always. Since I was a little girl, I've felt a feeling pulling me. Something calling me, like, Valerie, you're meant to be something big. Badly, keep pushing. So since I was little, like all my friends going out partying to their proms, et cetera, and I was always training, training to come home with training for an Olympic dream. Like, I always had a vision for myself that

I can't explain. I've always known my potential, my potential, my potential, me, I know what I could do with this world, and I know that the moment that I win four or five more fights and I get that belt, my name is, people are going to know my name, right? So I really, I don't know. I just, I know who I am. I'm confident in it. I know that there's no other woman in the world that compares to me. I know that the talent I have in martial arts, my hardworking ethic, just my backgrounds, like my history with martial arts, like my family story. Like, it's just, it's too much and I'm going to make the most of it. I'm going to be the biggest name in this earth.

A couple more things really like you go. I appreciate the time, Valerie, as you continue to evolve as a fighter and take bigger steps towards the ultimate goals you want to capture in this sport, obviously your platform is going to get bigger and bigger and bigger. What would you like to use that platform for once that happens? Once you reach that status you want to be at, what would you like to do to maybe give back to martial arts, to the people, to the fans? Have you thought about that at all?

Yeah, of course. I mean, I always walk out in my Tacomo uniform. You know, my other two friends, I always walk out on my Tacoma uniform because I represent DiCoombo, you know, a lot of people criticize it. It doesn't work in the cage, et cetera, but then everybody's copying me the next week, right? Everybody wants to do what I do. So my goal is to make it on a platform like I have that's going to allow me to influence the lives of everybody in the world.

But apart from that, I just want to be a role model, an example to other kids. and especially young girls like me, like, who feel like they could be judged for pursuing a passion that is in a male-dominated industry, etc. Like, look at me. Like, I'm 100% like the most girly girl you've ever seen. But when I step into the cage, I transform into a fighter, you know. And that's really my message. I want to show people how beautiful martial arts is. Like, martial arts has made me the confident, disciplined, hardworking woman I am today.

and I just, I want to influence lives of other women and I want girls to know how to defend themselves. I want girls to be confident. And really, I live like this every day to be an example to my sisters, but also use a platform to show other people and other parents that, yes, let your daughter do boxing. Yes, let your daughter do this one. You know what I mean? Like, it's not a, like, I don't know, that's my passion. I just, I want to show people that you can be both. You could be pretty and elegant and you could be a badass in the cage.

It's why I am. I'm not acting like this. This is who I am 100% of the time. And I feel like the world's going to recognize it. I know you haven't been able to train at ATT. And you talked about having great relationships with a lot of the fighters, Jorge Mazadol, Yanni and Jacek, you have a special bond with. What about Colby Covington? Like I know Colby and Yuana, Colby and Mazadol, they've had their issues. Poria at times as well.

Colby, obviously, a very brash guy. He said it's a gimmick. But a lot of people have told me, Colby's a great teammate. He's a great guy. That persona is just a persona. It's not who he really is. What side of the fence are you on with Colby Cuffington if you don't let me ask me. Honestly, George and I, we're both in Miami.

We're assigned the same management. I love him to death. You know, we're on the same show, et cetera. So I just don't talk to Kobe. Like, we train together, but I don't talk to him. You know, I'm 100% team Mosvidal and team first round management. And I don't get into that drama. I separate myself.

And I'm just 100% team George. And that's it. Fair enough. Last thing, what's the message to everybody, Valerie, when it comes to this crazy time in the world? I mean, this virus continues to do a lot of damage around the world, especially in the United States. It's a, like you said, it's a tough time for a lot of people. As someone who tries to spread positivity as much as possible, what's the message for everybody to help us get through this crazy time in our lives? I mean, my message is that I think we should all think about this time that we have all from our work

and our sports and our school, et cetera, positively, because this really has never happened before, and when do you get a break off of reality like this ever, you know? So my message is really to just take this time to, like, reflect and spend time with their family and just stay safe, stay home, and really enjoy it. Like, I know a lot of families are suffering, but if you're still important, like, just enjoy this time off and make the most out of it, because in the snap, your fingers, like our whole lives are going to go back to how they were. And you're going to

think back on this time and be like, damn, I should have, I should have put more process into put my thought into developing my business at home or just, you know, being an entrepreneur home or start doing things that you've never been able to do because you're so caught up with your reality life. So that's my message to just take this positively. Fighters, keep your weight down. Don't eat a lot. Keep your weight down. That's my biggest thing. Keep your weight down. Don't eat a lot. I try to do some cardio. All I'm doing is running around my neighborhood, you know.

And heal up your injuries. That's a big one, too, because we never get time off like this. I have a big problem in my neck and my knee, and I'm fixing it right now. So heat up our injuries and get our weight down, spend time with your family, and just enjoy this time we have off right now because this one has never happened again. Well said, Valerie. I appreciate the time very much. There's obviously a lot of uncertainty in the combat sports world and around the world in general,

but we're looking forward to seeing that next step for you in the Bellator cage once things sort of get back to normal. Yes, I cannot wait. I am done waiting. I am very anxious to fight. You have no idea. Well, excuse me, stay safe, stay healthy, wash your hands, and hope we could do this again down the road before your next fight. Yes, we will. Mike. Thank you so much. Thanks, Valerie. Bye. All right, that was Valerie Lareda, and I got to say, I like the approach Bellator is taking with her. They're building her slow. They're letting her get better.

There's no need to throw her in there with the Alejandra Larras of the world just yet. I think Bellator is doing everything right there. And I was very happy to talk to Valerie for the first time. So earlier this week, I had the chance to catch him, but Dominic Cruz, we haven't seen him compete since he lost a unanimous decision against Cody Garbrandt at UFC 207, dropping the Bannamweight title in the process. It's the first time that I had the chance to speak with Dominic. We discussed a lot in regards to his return, the rumor and innuendo regarding a fight with Corey

Sanhagen, you know, he's supposed to be on the broadcast team too for UFC 249 on April 18th. A lot to get to with the Dominator. If you miss that conversation, here it is. So I think, Dominic, the question that people want the answer to, we had to switch over to a phone call here, especially since you posted a week ago to quote, send location. I mean, it's been over three years since you've last competed. You've been trying to get back in that octagon, heal up, make sure that you're 100% ready to return.

Have you been cleared to compete, Dominic, once we get back to Norfolk? Well, see, that's a good question. The other thing is, I want to take you to the, I want to take you back to that post. What in your mindset was the message through the send location? In my mindset, it was, it was that you were clear and that you were ready. Plus, we had heard other things like the Corey Sanhagen post that he posted on Instagram. So I wasn't sure if those two coincided, if you were ready to go or not. And that's why I like asking these questions to interviewers and to like kind of set the record straight for the people, too. because like you said,

send location was a mindset of, yeah, he's ready, he's ready to go. When actually, it's funny how, like, facts and experience

of a situation, we can make a story from post on social media, and I feel like this is what's going on around the world. So I appreciate you asking the question. The truth of the matter

is I was actually just talking about Khabi Ferguson because I'm calling that fight. So I want to find the location of that fight so that I know where I'm calling it, if it happens. Now we just got the news that it's not happening, that Khabib's out,

they're going to move the fight somewhere else. I still don't know the location, and I'm still supposed to be calling that fight. So if I'm calling that fight, I want to know the location. So isn't it funny how we can see a post and we can make an entire story about it in our heads, and none of that's even the fact? Yeah, that's really why I wanted to ask you about it,

because I think a lot of people read that in the same way I did as opposed to what was truth, what's reality, and what these posts actually... Isn't that great? That's why I love these interviews, because it can show the world how much our brains can make a story up and make it fat when none of it's fact. So where do you think you are in terms of your return and that kind of thing?

Well, then I'll move on to the next thing you asked and mentioned, which is Corey Sanhagen. Yeah. So that was a question. Now, what is your questions that you have about that so that we can clear up those misconceptions as well? Yeah, because he did post on Instagram that he was offered to fight with you for that San Diego event in May, and then he was waiting on you, and now there's reports coming out that he's fighting Al Jermaine Sterling. instead, although the date isn't clear just like most of these other fights at this point. So from your perspective, were you offered that fight?

And if so, what happened with that? Well, yeah, that's what I want to clear. Because I keep getting people asking me about Corey Sanhagen and that he took the fight and then he asked me or something. And I'm like, well, is that a fact or is that your experience again? Because I didn't talk to Corey Sanhagen. And if they offered his fight, who said that I took it? because what I've heard is that he's saying that he took the fight and I didn't well my question is who did he talk to that said that he asked that I got you know offered the fight and I said no because what I know is there's only one common denominator between myself and any of the other fighters that might get matched up do we know the answer to that who is that person I know the answer does do you Sean Shelby right right he's the matchmaker isn't that true don't we all

know that in the whole world? We do. All right. So if Sean Shelby's the matchmaker and me and Corey Sanhagen don't talk, who is Corey Sanhagen getting his information from? He's getting it from the matchmaker. Where else would he get it? He's the only guy talking to the both of us, isn't he?

Who else would be talking to Sanhagen if I was not talking to him? So what Shelby does is he creates fights between the fighters before the fight happens so that he can get himself out of the way. That's my experience. It's not a fact. And what I'm getting from this is Shelby is telling Sanhagen

about me, then Corey Sanhagen puts it out there, and then expects me to bite. But really it's like, Sean Shelby told me in all reality that I said, how do I come back and get a title shot the fastest? And he said, you can get a title shot if you fight Jan, Peter Jan. And I said, all right, I want that fight. And he said, well, technically, that's a harder fight. so you get a title shot right after it,

but we don't want to give you a title shot right after. So we would give you Sandhagen before we gave you a title, before you get a gun. And I was thinking, well, I want a title shot. I don't want to just fight somebody. I'm not here to fight. I'm here to fight towards the title.

So I would fight anybody. Let me get the title shot after that fight. Peter Jan's the guy. So I said, yes, I'll fight Peter Jan. He said, well, Peter Jan's fighting Marais. He said, well, then I'll fight Marais or Peter Jan. because those are the direct line straight to the title. Those guys, I get a title shot.

That's what I'm in this for, not to fight 13 times beforehand. Now, if you're going to have me, if you're Sean Shelby, and you're going to have me fight a bunch of times before, okay, then I'll do it, but I'm going to take the fight when I'm 100% lined up, sharp and ready. My wrap, still doing my timing. I'm still getting my rapist on the sparring. As you see drills, I'm still drilling and getting sharp.

I'm going to fight in 2020. The real question I think is, how do I get a title shot right after I fight somebody and come back? I want to fight somebody, and after that fight, let me go through the best guy. Now, shall be saying all this other stuff for fighters

and not talking me about it. It's like you offer, you off with me Peter Yon to get in a touch on. And then you switched it up. That's the truth. I said, I never said, No to Hagen. I never would. I don't say no to fights. What I said no to was not fighting Peter Young.

I want to fight Peter Young. I want to fight for the title after I fight one of those guys. If you need me to come back and get one fight before I fight for the title, give me that guy. You need to fight before I fight for the title. Well, thank you for clearing that up. So I guess time frame-wise, there's so much going on right now, so it's hard to even pinpoint it. When are you sort of thinking in terms of looking at the calendar when you'd like to return if all sort of lines up the way you hope it will? Well, I always want to do that. Like, we always want to go into the future, right? There's no peace in the future, is there? Because does anybody know what's even going to happen in the present?

We're in a virus pandemic right now. And it's funny to me that everybody wants to know what's happening in the future. We don't even know if I'm going to have a job. You don't even know if you're going to have a job. Why are we talking about my future? realistically, we need to come together and figure out how to keep the sport going, not Dominic Cruz fighting. How do we keep MMA moving is the question for me.

That's what matters to me because I'm part of MNA, but I can't fight. Fabib can't fight, Tony Ferguson can't fight, nobody in the UFC can fight until he beat this virus situation. It's shut down. We have a fight coming up. And one of the main events is already out. That fight was going to be the biggest fight ever, in my opinion.

I was so looking forward to it. How do you feel like this is being handled right now? Because I understand like both sides of the equation. Like I understand why Dana-Wa wants to try to move forward with these events, give us a sense of normalcy, give the fight or something, you know, so they can make money and continue to provide for their families and households and things like that. But on the other end, you're right. We're in the middle of a pandemic and a virus.

And, you know, a lot of people feel like we should be waiting until that comes and goes and we get back to normal here. How do you feel that this is being handled in your opinion? Well, I keep being handled exactly the way that you need to. I think there's a way you can look at this. One could say, well, some people are probably saying, you know, you're supposed to be on lockdown. Well, as far as I know, when this fight goes forward,

they're going to follow the rules of the lockdown. There's going to be very limited people. This is going to be on television. Two athletes fighting. Maybe I'm going to say, this is not a fact. I don't know anything. The UFC hasn't told me anything. Nobody really knows anything because they don't want any set in stone, you know?

So realistically, if you hold the protocols, this fight can't happen safely. I believe that in the right venue on television because there's not going to be people in the venue. So I think it is possible. But at the same time, I think it's a way to hype up the entire world if you think about it. I mean, this is a real opportunity where, you're fighting one of the fastest growing for in world and in fighting we personify the idea of you get hit get back up and keep moving if there was ever a sport that made sense to air during this virus time it would be a fight an m&A fight where the whole world is frozen but you can't kill us completely you still have some entertainment going on

and we're staying safe when we do it we're not letting the virus completely ruin every ounce of everything in the world and i see it as somewhat of a motivation look we can still live life we can still grow we can still fight i mean the entertainment that will be seen from that fight card when all sports are shut down i mean think of how many eyes are going to be on that people are begging for entertainment in sports in the sports round and if you could have it to where just two people could show up safely be televised and and someone may be commentating explaining to the world what's going on in this sport this could be the most seen fight in the history of ever it has the possibility ability to do that. And I see that being a huge motivation for all of the world right now, being

as we're all in a pandemic and trying to stay in. I mean, while I have something to look to, that's still going, that's still thriving, that's still growing, that still has drive and vision. And that would be, you know, fighters in these moments. Did you watch Submission Underground yesterday, Chale Sondon put on that event? It was billed as the only sporting event in the world, and it went off. And they took different precautions. Chale comments. by himself in a different room than the competitors. Did you get a chance to check that out at all? I did not check that out.

However, that's pretty much the exact of what I'm saying. You can see there that's still going on. And that's a grappling tournament. If that can happen, there's no question that a fight can happen. There's no question. It can be done. And I believe that it's a good thing. I personally do.

If you can make it happen safely, follow the protocols, and put out great entertainment and the fastest growing sport in the world mixed martial arts, it's amazing. Now let's take it even a step further. Football, basketball, soccer, hockey. Every mainstream sport, baseball is shut down because of the size of the sport

and the years that they've been around. MMA fighting has only been around for the past 25, 30 years, roughly, we'll say, just to push the envelope. But we're here in the slot where we can fill a gap, being all these big sports are shut up, down because it's been around so long and it's had so many years to build the growth.

And it may hasn't had the time to build the growth, but we have an opportunity here to fill a gap. And when everything else is shut down, mixed martial arts keeps going. We find a way. And you know what? To me, that personifies fighting and fighters as well. No matter what, we figure it out. Most of us figure it out. We find a way we're prize fighters and the only way we make our money is by the prize.

So you better believe we'll find any way we can to fight. And I think that that as a whole is what our country has to be in the mindset of. Now, stay inside, stay safe, but don't quit. Don't stop fighting. Don't stop living your life and being happy and joyful and in gratitude for the things we have. And I think that going through and putting on this show and putting on these performances can really ignite that in peace. So from an analyst perspective, you know, you mentioned already, it looks like Habib Nerman Geh Madoff is not going to be able to fight. He's stuck in Russia.

There's the travel ban going on, and reports are coming out that Justin Gachy's been offered as a potential replacement to fight Tony Ferguson. If you're Tony Ferguson, you've been waiting for this fight. You've won 12 fights in a row. For the fifth time, you're trying to put this fight together. Do you take a Gachi fight if you're Tony Ferguson, or do you wait until all of this settles and you can get Habib again? Well, if you heard everything I just said, and you're in the mindset of that, then you take the fight.

But if you're Tony Ferguson, you're probably not thinking of anything that I just said at all, and you're still going to take the fight just because you're Tony Ferguson. That's what Tony Ferguson is. Of course he takes that fight. No question in my mind, Tony Ferguson takes that fight. That's what he is, period. I really don't think that it's even a slight question for him. That's how much of a B-Sat guy is in his head.

He has this thing in his head, and that's, to me, what makes him the most, what makes him championship status is his mindset, period. And so I don't believe that would even make him blink. And then from Gagie's standpoint, he's come out publicly and said multiple times, you know, he doesn't like taking short notice fights, he likes a full training camp, and that's very respectable on his part since he's made it public. You know, what does that mean to him in terms of the matchup with Ferguson? If this fight were to happen, how do you think he matches up with him?

Well, he matches up really well, but he was being sharp in his vulnerable. ability to admit the fact that he likes a full training camp. But if you watch Gachie, you know why. Why would Gachie find it so important to have a full training camp? Well, because he counts on his cardio. He counts on his durability. And that's going to, the level that he exudes those things, cardio and durability, he needs an eight-week camp, I would assume,

and that's probably what he's thinking, to have himself at that highest level. So to take a five-round title fight on short notice against Tony Ferguson, unless he's been training in case this fight didn't come through, which is a possibility. Dana, UFC, Sean Shelby, the matchmakers are smart so they know how to get people on the background to stay training and stay healthy in case somebody gets hurt. You know what I mean?

So if that was happening, I think H.C. would be great for this. If he hasn't been training, if he says to himself that he doesn't like taking short notice fight, I would say from watching film, that's my guess as to why. He likes to be in extremely good and push the cardio envelope on people. Well, if there's one guy, you're going to need that cardio envelope. It's going to be against Tony. So I think it's a harder fight on short notice for Gachy than it is for Tony. But Gachy definitely matches up extremely well with Tony, but even better if he gets a full training camp 100%.

On a scale 1 to 10, and I know you're calling this fight. You made some great points about MMA and fighting and how this event still has a good chance moving forward. it's the fighting mentality, but on a scale 1 to 10, how likely is UFC 249 got to take place on April 18th, in your opinion? Yeah, well, if you've heard Dana, what does he say? He said it's happening.

So on a scale, I think the real question is, on a scale 1 to 10, how much do you trust Dana's word? He's adamant. So I'm like, if I'm going by what he says, if I'm going off of his energy, that it's like a thousand. But just considering where the world is right now and travel restrictions and all that stuff, there's a lot of hurdles to overcome. And he's admitted as such that every day he wakes up, there's another curveball thrown his way.

So which do you believe? Do you believe in his curveball story or do you believe in the 1,000%, 2,000% that you said you believe? I believe if it was up to him and he could make it happen, it's going to happen. But again, there's still a lot of things going on that, are in his way. So you don't believe it's up to him completely? I don't think it's up to him completely. Yeah, you think it might be other things, and that's why you're saying,

so what percentage of a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being it's going to happen, zero being it's not, with all the other things that are in his way, what percentage, what number do you give? I'll give it a 4. Okay, that's good. I would give it an 8 personally because I think that he knows something we don't. And if they're trying to replace Khabib, why would they do that

if there wasn't a chance of this fight going on they would just scratch it with Khabib being out that's what I think and I think that Dana has enough connections and we've seen him with Trump

I mean if he's not talking to Trump right now I would actually be a little bit surprised or finding some way to communicate with how to make this event happen I would be surprised I really think that Dana has the opportunity to make this happen I really think he can do this and I hope it does

Because like I said, all those things that I said about the sport, this is our opportunity to fill a gap and be there for the nation, be there for the world to give entertainment and show what it looks like, even through a pandemic that the human spirit doesn't really stop ever, never really quit. A couple of things we let you go, Dominic. I mean, there's just so much to talk about because you wear so many hats and you come from different perspectives when it comes to fighting in the UFC. But I'd be remiss if I didn't ask your thoughts about the big news from last week, John Jones and. and everything that's going on with him, that video of him being arrested was really tough to watch. What was your reaction to that news? Well, like you said, it was tough to watch, you know?

I'm actually going to put out a statement about that today, and you can look it up on my social media, so make sure you go to dominicruz.com for exactly that statement. And then we'll end on a brighter note. I wanted to get your take on this. Last week or maybe it was like two weeks ago, Cub Swanson came out and made a suggestion of possibly putting together, like a WEC themed event,

kind of like what W.W.E. did with ECW back in the day in the pro wrestling world. I think that would be a really cool outside of the box thing to put together for the UFC. What say you being a former WEC BANAMI champion? Do you think that's something that would be cool to put together? Would you want to be involved in something like that? I don't know what a new WEC event would look like. I'm not real sure what Cub was referring to. I didn't read any of that.

So I don't know what that would entail at all. It would look like a WEC event. I mean, obviously it would be, you know, sort of like the UFC did with the 25th anniversary special. They kind of made it look like a throwback to the old days. They had the posters made up in a certain way and maybe just do the weight classes that were featured in WEC and just make it have that kind of a feel.

Oh, okay. I mean, I'm not opposed to it. I think it's a way to highlight the lighter weight classes, which are now shining more than ever, I would say. The 135-pound weight class is more on fire than I've ever seen it in the history of any of the space. really. I think it's one of the toughest divisions in the sport right now. And it wasn't like that for, you know, a lot of years as it was growing and now it's growing, grown, grown, grown, grown,

now it's big and sharp. So I think 35, 45, 45, it's good for those weight classes being as they're kind of newer. And why would anybody be opposed to that? We've done the numbers in the WEC. It would kind of put the WEC on highlight and show that we were some of the best fighters in the world before we became the best fighters in the world in the UFC. And we kind of highlight our careers before we got there. Because realistically, WEC fighters were in the UFC.

It's just that we were called the WEC, but the UFC owned us back then. So that's why there's even this conversation is because we've been UFC fighters since the WEC started. Just nobody knew that. This is amazing, man. I could do this for another hour easily.

I can't thank you enough for the time. Great stuff. All the best to you, Dominic, during this crazy time. Hopefully we get a location for you to call this fight on April 18th. Stay healthy and safe and look forward to seeing you back in the octagon at some point, but obviously we have more important things to deal with right now.

Yeah, let's put our prayers out and our positive wishes. And I encourage everybody in the world to stay in something every single morning when you wake up that you're in gratitude for. Because being in gratitude, it's impossible to be in fear. And that's the key. Well said. Thank you, Dominic. I appreciate it. Great stuff from Dominic,

there, one of the best minds in the sport, no doubt about that. And I felt like I was getting interviewed for most of that conversation, which I appreciate from Dominic Cruz. As we head to our final guests of the show, let's say hello to Mickey Gall. As we move ahead to our final guest of the show, him and I, we've been having these conversations for years at this point since right after UFC 195, when a promo for Dana White's looking for a fight aired on the broadcast and a young man got on the microphone and called his shot, calls out CM Punk right in front of Dana White, and three months later,

he made his UFC debut and has been quite the ride for one Mickey Gall who joins us on the show. Mickey, good to see you, man. How are you? I'm doing good, Mike. Good to see you, my brother. It's good to see you, too. It's great to have you here.

How is quarantine life been treating you, Mickey? It's a crazy time in the world, that's for sure. Yeah, it's all right. It's all right. It's funny. You know, like, You know, you and me, obviously, we go back a long time. Mike Hack, Mick Gaw, the Four Letter Boys, we, you know, we've done a lot of these.

But this week, man, everybody wants to, wants, all the MMA reporters want to talk and do interviews. And I'm like, damn, I don't know what to tell anybody. I don't know when I'm fighting next. I don't know what's going on. I don't know what could be even Tony are doing, you know? No, it's like, it's a little bit of a weird time, a little bit of a lull. Yeah. But I'm happy to be here and just chop it up with you.

you know, catch up. It's like the good, you know, just going back to the good old times, you know, when life was a lot simpler. Yeah, no, it's, it's very simple right now. Life is very simple right now. Life is very simple. Yeah, man, it's interesting. I think, not to go conspiracy, dude, but I think there's something else at play here. But I'm hoping that all this stuff will at least make us realize what's important, help us appreciate normal life.

And yeah, hopefully just be, you know, hopefully just being everyone be nicer to each other. And, you know, just appreciate the small things that we take for granted. Well, I have to know what else you think is in play here, Mickey. Man, I don't know shit. I don't know shit. They don't tell me. But, you know, they don't tell us. Who knows, man, who knows?

It could be, they could be doing bad. I like to think that maybe they're doing some good, maybe cleaning up some stuff, maybe putting some bad, some like bad people who have come into power away. But how much of me believes that? Like less than 1%. I guess if I was being objective, I'd probably say there's something a little more darker at play. You know, when is it not? But I'm going to remain optimistic.

Well, that's all we can do, man. It seems a little like a slight of hand, right? Like everyone's got to stay in their home. We're going to worry about this thing while what's going on over here, you know? Who knows? I mean, I see what's going on in the news. I try to stay positive. That's all I can do. Maybe there is other factors in play. I don't really know. I'm just, you know, like you said, try to take it one day at a time, be nice to people and spread that positive juju. And you're doing that as well because I did see a post on Instagram. I wanted to start off with this. You know, you're trying to help by feeding those in need. Those can't afford to eat right now. And a lot of people have lost their jobs. They're struggling financially. And I thought you at least putting that out there was was really refreshing. I know you've been visiting and volunteer. at St. Anne's Soup Kitchen in Newark for a long time now. What does this cause in particular mean to you? It means a lot. It's, you know, it feels it's rewarding. Like when you give back and when you like

are able like, you know, when you're able to do, you know, spend your time to help other people makes you feel good. I don't, you know, there's not. It's, it's, it's, you know, it sounds funny. It's like, because you're helping them and it's important. You know, it's such a fundamental need, needing to eat. It's so basic, you know, everyone needs to do it. We do it so many times a day, whatever. Some people, especially people, they don't have money to buy. They don't know where their next meal is coming from. They, you know, they don't know what's, what's happening there. So St. Anne's, I'd been volunteering since I was like 13, my mom, my sister. And now my mom's actually the director of that kitchen. She took a bigger role with them. And she's, you know,

I'm really proud of her. It's cool stuff. She's, she's able to, You know, she's like, bitch, she's been a hero through this, uh, coronavirus thing. She's out there, you know, mixing up with people so to make sure people aren't going hungry. And, uh, so I'm really proud of her. And, uh, you know, myself, I sponsored a family. I just, I, you know, I don't want to see, I don't want to hear if, or see people going hungry. So I just wanted to, you know, use my little, little following I had to hope and hopefully be able to, uh, you know, feed some people, you know, keep some people alive, keep some people healthy during this, the shitty time. I'm sure things have changed there with everything going on because, you know, you can't have large gatherings.

So like I know in the Boston area, I mean, there's hundreds of hundreds of people who are in need without a pandemic. And I'm sure that number is growing even more so now. I mean, it's not the dead of winter in the Northeast, but it's still pretty damn cold out, man. But, you know, some of these people, they don't have heat or hot water or don't even have shelter at all. So I'm sure it means a lot to them to see you, to see your mom as they pick up their food since I assume, you know, they have to take it to go. but I'm sure these visits mean a lot to you as well, especially in these chaotic times. Yeah, absolutely. You know, being able to go over there and help, it definitely, it really feels good.

That's what I try and tell people, like, who, when people are saying, like, they're feeling like they're missing something or, you know, they're having, you know, angst and struggles, like, try and just give back. That's going to, that's going to hit those reward systems right away. It's going to, you know, you're going to feel better by yourself. You're going to feel good about what you did. You're going to feel like you accomplished something. but yeah their their kitchen is closed that is shut down because they can't have all the gathering

so they're doing all-to-go meals um so it's it's good it's been going really well a lot of people have been getting fed and you know for lack of a better word been kind of saved during this this crappy time where they're going to instead of resorting to you know doing something worse they can go get get food and you know everybody's happy one thing i noticed when i saw that Instagram post, like if you scroll down at the top of a lot of your comments on Instagram, you see Chuck Zito in there, Truckee the Enforcer, Frankie Diamonds. Like, I know you've met a lot of cool people in your day, but have you gotten the chance to rub elbows in person with Chuck Zito? No, no. Me and Chuck are just Instagram friends more. But I do, I've been a fan of Chuck Zito forever.

Who doesn't, you know, everybody kind of like wants to be Chuck Zito. Chuck Zito is a total man's man. you know he's motorcycle gang tatted up bodyguard you know tough guy uh so yeah chuck zito uh chuck chico's the man uh yeah uncle chuck do you remember your first interaction with him on instagram did he comment on something you did or how did that all happen um i think so i think we we were like following each other and uh just you know just like show and love and stuff he always puts up cool shit um and yeah he just uh yeah just uh yeah just Just, you know, just Instagram friends. This is a cool world, man.

I kind of, I kind of resisted it a little bit at first. Not the Chuck Zito thing. Just even the Instagram world, because it's weird. Because, like, if you don't know people in person, it's like, how do I really know you, you know what I mean? But it's cool. I've been able to, like, you know, make other connections and reach out and make some good friends through Instagram.

The last time we spoke, you were coming off the win in Newark and you were getting prepared to fight Carlos Condit at Washington, D.C. And as everybody knows right by now, Carlos was injured, forced out of the fight. You know, it's a part of the fight game. Injuries happened. But, man, how disappointing was that for you? Because I know how much you wanted that fight. Yeah, it sucked.

It sucked. But, you know, it's all good. It's all good. I got bigger plans than that. I was just, you know, just a step-and-stone along the way. it would have been awesome but you know I'm okay with it

I'm okay with it it's not it's not going to make or break me so you know I'm I'm cool with it I'd say I'm moved past it now but uh it sucks man

it's the worst and who knows it'll probably happen again that I'll lose an opponent you know it's a crazy sport that we do um but yeah I'm happy I hope he's doing well he's a true legend

and you know dude I've looked up to a lot of people in my generation looked up to. So it would have been an honor. You know, yeah, it would have been an honor to get in the ring with them. Once the news came out, I'm sure you saw this, but everybody and their brother started calling you out wanted to replace Carlos. And I didn't even had, I didn't even tell you this. I had fighters texting me asking me about it, which was pretty bizarre and surreal.

And I was like, what are you talking about? Like, what am I going to do? But, you know, as much as you wanted to get in there and compete from a business standpoint, I didn't think you taking a fight with a guy making his UFC dating. debut or anything like that after signing to fight Carlos Conant, I didn't think that made a whole lot of sense. Was that how you looked at it as well? No, I wanted to fight. I wanted to get paid stuff. The UFC didn't, maybe the UFC didn't think so, because they didn't really bring me any of these guys' names. And the UFC didn't present me with any of like these guys' names. I've heard people like be like, yeah, I tried to get that fight with him and he said no.

I didn't say no. They obviously didn't think enough of these people to even offer them to me. So, yeah, I, yeah, it was kind of weird. At the last moment, we tried to make a Cowboy Olivera fight, and that just kind of fell apart. But that was the only, that was the only named the UFC floated my way. No one else was offered to me, just Cowboy. What happened with that cowboy fight?

Because they announced it, and then like 10 days later, they said it wouldn't be happening. I don't really know. It was kind of weird. I don't really know. There wasn't really much reasons given. I don't really sure. Because then you fought a week later, which I thought was even more strange. Yeah, me too.

Yeah, me too. One thing you've continued to do is get work in other gyms, get some different looks. I know you spent a good amount of time at Ohio over the last few months, training with guys like Matt Brown, Mark Coleman, and a host of others. I mean, working with guys like Matt and Mark, two veterans, two guys who, have just a ton of fight experience and a lot of life experience too it's hard not to take something away from each session and each conversation of those guys is that accurate yeah yeah that was that's an awesome uh awesome experience something that will you know we'll be continuing to

do me my uh my brother l j roboleby we this we went out there was like the third time we went out there um and yeah train him matt's great you know matt's just as advertised he's you know tough, nice dude, but, you know, he eats trains and sleeps. So we're doing exactly what we're supposed to be doing out there. We're just working. We're working hard. And that's what, that's what we like to do too. So that's great. And yeah, Coleman, you know, Coleman's a legend too. He's out of his mind. But, uh, no, Coleman's awesome. Coleman's awesome. Always, I like Coleman a lot. I, uh, I, you know, I was a fan of him and I've become an even bigger fan getting to know him personally. How much has that helped you grow from a mental perspective? Because you've had a lot of great mentors in your life, guys like Jim Miller, David Adib of course. And then you've gotten with guys like Eve Edwards and Donald Serroney and a host of others. How much has that helped you grow from a mental perspective being around all these guys and conversing with them?

Greatly, greatly. For sure. You know, I, yeah, I'd say, you know, learning skills and mentally. Just, you know, how can you not, how can you not? if you're a young hungry fighter how can you not grow from spending time with guys like that it's almost like an apprenticeship in some other job i think it's necessary you got to go around and mix up with the best guys in the world and uh how are you going to be the best if you don't fuck with the best you know what i mean so i i like to go and uh spend time with the best in the world we're at uh in a very interesting time

right now in the sports world. While many leagues and organizations, even combat sports promotions are hitting the breaks on the calendar, the UFC, they're actively looking to stay the course with everything going on right now. Does that excite you knowing that Dana and the UFC, they want to give the world a sense

of normalcy here? Yeah, I totally get where Dana's coming from. And I think he's right. You know, if we can, you can test the fighters, put us in a in a cage we don't need an audience but let's put something on the tv something that you know people can do and so like that i i i'd spoken with dana and he uh i'm i you know i'm i'm not too worried

especially based on what he's saying he you know he made it very clear that once once this shit is over like ufc's going to be on and popping like i have a feeling there's going to be like thursday friday saturday cards this summer because he's very adamant about getting everybody three fights this year um so i i don't know exactly how they're going to do that that's that's kind of my what i'm thinking is uh they're gonna like almost have like international fight week like several times you know how they do like those those cards like back to back to back um so i'm not too worried i do appreciate as not just like you know a ufc fighter but also just like a fan like that dana's you know dana's breaking his balls trying to put uh trying to put this

stuff on for for for everybody not just you know for him not just like for himself in his company in his pockets, but he's trying to provide an outlet for everybody who's stuck at home right now. Have you been approached about fighting at UFC 249 at all? I've not. I've not, but I spoke with my manager, Dave Martin. I told him, you know, I'm ready to, like, yeah, we're ready to hop in. If something comes along, we're going to be ready. From our last couple conversations, I mean, you're at a point where you're down to fight anybody.

You did the list a few names like Diego and Mike Perry. obviously if Konda popped up, you'd probably jump on that at this point. What's sort of like the A1 fight you want next should it be available to you? Like if they can make it happen, who do you want to get in there with? I don't really have one.

Because I feel like if I try and lock myself in too hard, almost like I guess kind of coming off the Konda fight, I don't know if I'd want to. I don't know if I trust Konda to make it to the fight. You know what I mean? So it's like I don't really know. I want someone who really wants to fight. And not that he doesn't.

I just, you know, I just, you just, you just mentioned that name. And that's, I don't know. I'm a little, I'm a little perplexing now. And I don't want to get already in the two weeks out again that fall through. But, yeah, Perry would be a good one. I got a feeling we're going to be doing that in the next year, within the next year or maybe even sooner. Probably, probably not going to get Diego again. But that's all right.

more of a personal, you know, I slipped on my kidney banana peel on that one. And, uh, you know, that's on me. I'll just have to own that. And, uh, but, uh, yeah, man, whoever, whoever, I, you know, I'm, I'm ready. I'm ready to make weight, you know, a lot. And, um, I'm feeling great and want to want to put on a show get. I just want to get that top of team and then get a title contention over the next few years, you know, uh, it's belt or bust. If, if, you know, if I don't come away, if I don't, and my career with a belt, I'm, I'm, It's a bust for me. So that's just really important.

What did you think of the Diego Pajeda fight and how that all played out? And then sort of the aftermath of it all with Diego and his coach going and doing the media tour and the media rounds and stuff? That's all weird shit. I don't really want to talk about it. It's just weird shit. Yeah, I get where people are coming from. Yeah. Yeah.

Fair enough. I was looking at a – you do have an IMDB profile, but you're missing a credit. Oh, yeah? We're Spencer Confidential. You're in there. It's not for long, but you're in there. But I have an IMDB? I don't even know.

I got to check that out. Yeah, you're on, it's, anytime you're on aerial show, it made it up there, embedded series, things like that, it puts you up there. But I was looking, Spencer Confidential's not there. No, Spencer Confidential, huh? Well, I got a new one that's coming out where I actually have, like, some lines, and I get in a bar fight with Sean Patrick Flannery. It's coming out this summer.

The movie's called Mickey Kelly. So hopefully that'll get me back on IMDP. Is that going on theater? Is Netflix? Where's that coming out? I don't really. I don't know exactly. I'm not sure.

I don't know. I think they're still in like the post-production stuff. But it's cool. It was a cool opportunity I got to do this summer in Petaluma, California. But yeah, I get a nice little fight scene. It's called Girl Bitsch. It's pretty sweet. Did you think that you'd be in movies four years, three, four, five years,

later um i um i don't know no i didn't i guess i didn't think it i guess i didn't think it but it's uh it's fun it's kind of like uh it's kind it's kind of like fighting where they're like ready set go now you got to do like the right thing you got to do the but you know way less consequences but i still get a little like a little buzz from it so i enjoy it and i definitely will be doing more of that uh but i'll never let it uh screw with my training with the way i train, you know, if anything, I'm always tinkering and borderline and not over-training. And when I get like these, these like film opportunities, I can still, you know, train and do stuff, but it makes me kind of have something else going on where I can, you know, almost like relax a little bit.

So I really enjoy these. I know, you know, people might be, and who cares, I don't care, you know, people are always going to have their opinions, but I might think like, oh, how did you, you got to focus all the, I trust me, my focus is, you know, is undeterred. But, um, These are nice, little extra things that are cool. Do you feel like you've caught sort of the acting bug a little bit? Yeah, maybe something to do after fighting. I think that would be a cool thing for me to get involved in and do after fighting. But I got some heads to crack and some belts to win beforehand.

Last thing before we let you go, Mickey. This is a chaotic time in the world like we talked about. For anybody watching right now, what's the message for everybody? The fans, the media, people outside of the MMA realm, you know, what's your sort of positive message for everybody to sort of stick to together and get through this whole thing. Yeah, I'd say, you know, stay patient. I know we've never seen anything like this before.

I don't even remember hearing anything like this before. I'd say just stay patient, try not to buy into too much of the fear. But at the same time, you know, have a healthy fear and do the right things. Don't be selfish. But yeah, man, I don't know. I just stay patient and, you know, just remember who we all are. Remember who you are. Don't let this weird time.

away from your job and all the things that define you and that you find your identity in, don't now that they're taken away and shipped away, don't let it forget that who you are. You know what I mean? I think that's an important thing. Just, you know, remember who you are and stay patient. Well said. Always great chat with you, man. I'm glad to see you doing amazing things. It's been quite the road for you and I both. And like I told you, when it came to putting on this first show, I just knew you had to be a part of it. And it means a lot that you would be. get all the best to you, Mickey. Stay safe and healthy, and we'll talk soon, man.

Thanks, man. It means a lot to me that you would have me, and I'm proud of you. Congrats. I know you're going to keep doing big things in the MMA world. I think MMA fighting is a great platform for you. So, yeah, I'm happy for you. And anytime you want to do this again, just let me know. All right, man.

I appreciate the time. Take care, Mike. There he is, Mickey Gall, wrapping up the debut edition of what the heck on MMAfighting.com. This show is going to drop every Thursday on the MMA fighting YouTube channel and everywhere you find your favorite podcast. So make sure you drop the old hammer fist on the subscribe buttons. Get those episodes immediately upon release. And of course, all the other great programming on the site, A-side, Eurobash, etc. With that being said, that is it for this very first show.

Thank you all very much. You could follow me on Twitter at Mike Heck underscore J.R. Until next week, have a heck of a week, everybody. Listening to the Vox Media Podcast Network. Thank you.