MMA Fighting - What the Heck: Episode 46 | Julian Marquez, Will Brooks, Anthony Hernandez & Ode Osbourne

Episode Date: February 16, 2021

This week on What the Heck, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck chats with Julian Marquez (8:45) following his submission win over Maki Pitolo at UFC 258, and where he's at with Miley Cyrus following the event. Will Brooks (30:19) discusses what he's been up to over the last couple of years, wanting to get back to the UFC, Michael Chandler and Dustin Poirier's wins at UFC 257, Scott Coker, and more. Ode Osbourne (1:02:13) recaps his 26-second KO win over Jerome Rivera at UFC Vegas 18 and what he wants next. Finally, Anthony Hernandez (1:35:54) talks his incredible upset submission win over Rodolfo Vieira at UFC 258. Follow Mike Heck: @MikeHeck_JR Subscribe: http://goo.gl/dYpsgH Check out our full video catalog: http://goo.gl/u8VvLi Visit our playlists: http://goo.gl/eFhsvM Like MMAF on Facebook: http://goo.gl/uhdg7Z Follow on Twitter: http://goo.gl/nOATUI Read More: http://www.mmafighting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You're listening to the Vox Media Podcast Network. What the Heck with Mike Heck on MMAfighting.com. Now, here is your host, Mike Heck. What the heck? Well, hello there, everybody, and welcome to a brand new edition of What the Heck here on MMfighting.com. I am Mike Heck. Thank you for checking out the program this week as we're coming off of UFC 258.

This past Saturday in Las Vegas, pretty solid event for the UFC. Didn't get a lot of buzz, but I thought it delivered. in a lot of ways. The main event, we saw Kamara Usman take another step towards legendary status. Big finish of Gilbert Burns in the third round. He's still the Walterweight champion. And how about Gilbert Burns so, so close to accomplishing his dream of becoming a world champion? Just wasn't meant to be.

Had Usman hurt really bad in that first round? And he said, in essence, the Cody Garbrand in him came out, got a little overzealous. Usman showed incredible grit, heart and composure. and he's still the champion. Third round finish of Doreno. And what is scary about Kamar Usman, the man is getting better. He's getting better and better at this point in his career. And that's a scary thing for those in the 170-pound weight class.

Burns will be back, no doubt about it. What a guy, great character, went up to the press conference, answered all the questions. So he'll be back. Big shout out to that guy. But the big topic coming out of this event is, what's next for Kamara Usman? gets on the mic after the win, calls out Jorge Mazadol to run it back from their fight at UFC

251 and, you know, I've seen it everywhere now. Oh, man, nobody wants to see that fight. What a bad callout. Usman's picking easy fights and yada, yada, yada, yada. I've said it before. I've zero issue with that callout whatsoever. And sure, when we're talking about like meritocracy and winning streaks and all that stuff, like, yeah, there's holes in it, there's arguments against it, especially with like,

Leon Edwards on his current run and stuff. Listen, I understand that. If you think, like, Leon Edwards deserves the shot over Jorge Mazadol, great. I'm not, I'm not blaming you for thinking that way. The one thing is,

one, Leon Edwards hasn't fought in so long. But here's the more important thing, and I've been talking about it since the end of last year. There's been so little movement at the top of this division with all the great talent that is there. Yes, we got Wonderboy Thompson,

and Jeff Neal, and there you go. That was something. We got Michael Kiesa versus Neil Magni. That was good. The UFC also made three attempts to make Leon Edwards versus Hamza at Chimayev, which was actually supposed to be the main event for both of those fights that I just mentioned before for those cards. And we know that the fight is now off again on March 13th. And because of that, we can now move forward from this.

We don't have to rebook Leon Edwards versus Hamza at Chameh. That is done. Okay? We don't need to go back to that well. It's over. Maybe it happens like later on down the road, but now no need for it whatsoever. But there's no clear contender, no clear championship title contender, all right? We had this issue with the featherweight division not too long ago, if you remember that.

Alexander Volcanofsky beats Max Holloway, UFC 251. A lot of you felt that he didn't beat Max Holloway, and that's fine. No matter how you scored that fight, that's two wins in a row against Max Holloway. Very hard to book a third fight right away. And there's nobody else there for him to fight after that. So Volcanovs, he did a bunch of interviews. He was on this show. And he was like, listen, I want a fight, but someone's got a wow me.

We need a contender to emerge. And then we got some fights on the books. We got Brian Ortega versus the Korean zombie. We got Max Holloway versus Calvin Cater to kick off this year. Now we got something cooking, right? Ortega gets the big win, beats a Korean zombie. He becomes the number one contender. That performance was merited of a number one contender spot.

good on him. He's fighting Alexander Volcanovsky at the end of next month. Max Holloway, after that, ridiculous performance against Calvin Cater, he should probably be next in line. And then, so we've got two guys now. We still haven't seen the Iyer-Rodriga's fight in a while. We haven't seen Zabit fight since November of 2019. There's so much talent there. But again, when these guys aren't fighting, you can't just like pick somebody out. You know what I mean? Someone's got to emerge and be the top guy. and we're dealing with that right now at 170. To sit there and wait for specific fights, not a good strategy.

And Usman in this call out is saying, and he reiterated it, speaking with the media after the fight, I got to see some movement. I got to see something happen. I need some activity. I need to see these fighters in the top five, the top seven, fight each other, and let's get some contenders going here. I don't have a problem with that. Usman personally has a bad taste in his mouth from the Mazadol fight. Mazadol has a bad taste in his mouth from that fight.

And there's, guess what? There's money to be made in this rematch. Whether you say you don't want to watch it or not, there's money to be made. This is probably the biggest fight you can make for Kamar Usman and 170 pounds at this moment. Because it's not going to be Habib. It's not going to be George St. Pierre. Can we stop with that? None of these guys are coming back.

They're not coming back. Okay? They're not coming back. So right now, with what we have in front of us, Usman versus Mazadol is the biggest money. fight in this division. Okay? That's just the way that it is. And by the way, not just with the money, how pissed off will Colby Covington be if the UFC books the rematch between Usman versus Mazadol before Usman versus Covington or before Covington versus Mazadol? I'm sure both of those guys

would love to give that old feel in a Colby and kind of stick it to him a little bit. In the end, this is not a bad thing. It's not a bad thing. It gets the biggest draw in this division back in there in Jorge Mazadol, both guys get a full camp, there's the story to build upon, and on top of that, it forces movement at the top of this division. So if Leon Edwards still fights March 13th, which he plans to do,

a win puts him next in line to get the winner of that fight, and then we have Colby, Wonderboy, Gilbert Burns, Michael Kiesa, you know, all these guys. The one issue I will have with that callout is if, you know, come May, June, July, this fight is not on the books at least. And I don't care about the Ultimate Fighter thing. It doesn't need tough.

It doesn't need it. I don't care about it whatsoever. But if we're waiting like May, June, July, August, and this fight is not in the books, then I have a problem with it. Then I have a problem with it. If we're going to do this fight, do it quickly, and then we can get this division moving on.

The long story short, no real issue with the callout. It was actually a pretty smart one if you look at it for what it is. Maybe it's an unpopular opinion, but it is my opinion, and that's it. I think it's totally fine. So that was the fall of the main event of UFC 258. Also got a nice win for Alexa Grasso in the co-main event over Macy Barber. Good to see Kelvin Gasolm in a good place. Back in the wind column.

Nice win over Ian Hinesh. Nice win for Ricky Simone over Brian Kelleher. And there were some other good ones as well. And with that, let us run down the lineup. And we'll get to our first guest. Rapping us up this week, we're going to talk to Anthony Fluffy Hernandez. Huge upset win over Haddafa Vieira. And he didn't just beat and finish the band.

He submitted Rodolfo Rivera. Who saw that coming? Incredible performance. And this interview between him and I came together super fast. It was Sunday morning, less than 12 hours removed from his big win. Get a text on his manager saying he's ready for your call. We knocked out kind of a reaction conversation. And you'll hear that coming up at the end of the program.

O'Day Osborne will join the show for the first time. He's coming off his first UFC win. Knocked out Jerome Rivera at UFC Vegas 18 early this month in just 26 seconds. after a year on the sidelines. Always great catching up with the Jamaican sensation. Bad is coming up in a little while. In around 25 minutes or so, the former Bellator lightweight champion,

former UFC lightweight, Will Brooks is going to join us. And it was a really fascinating conversation about a variety of topics. But I will say he wants to get back to the UFC. He feels like he's changed in a lot of ways, especially from a mental perspective since his UFC run came to an end.

And I think you guys are going to take a lot away from that conversation. So you'll hear that coming up in around 25 minutes. But first, let us welcome in a man. We are still talking about since Saturday night after his big win. 31 months removed from his most recent Octagon appearance. Comes through in a big way. What a story. Here he is, Julian Marquez. All right, let us speak to one of the big winners from UFC 258 this past Saturday in Las Vegas after nearly a thousand days away from competition. Smyon comes in and steals the show and steals our hearts at the same time with a third round submission win over Maki Patolo on the main car. Let us say hello to the Cuban Missile Crisis himself.

Julian Marquez, how are you, man? Man, I'm feeling on top of the world, but you know, every time you do something great, have a great time, the next following day something happens. And like I was saying earlier, my car AC just went out. And yeah, so it's negative 18 degrees out here in Missouri. and I don't have heat, so I'm freezing. Well, you probably miss Vegas right now, don't you? Oh, my gosh.

We were out there. The sun was out. It was shiny. I was warm. I felt like I was getting a tan and I come out here and I just went into Antarctica. That's what I feel like. I feel like people are going to be penguins around us. Well, I mean, let's warm yourself up with some good memories, man, because it finally happened.

You get back into the octagon for the first time since July of 2018. You overcame injuries, fights falling out the last minute, all sorts of hurdles, but you finally made that walk, got back in the wind column. How does it all feel less than 48 hours later? Man, it feels amazing. I'm happy to be here. This is who I am. This is where I want to be. You know, I didn't have the greatest performance.

I didn't get to showcase the skills that, you know, James Krauss and Grant Dawson and everyone at Gloria has helped build during this time. You know, 31 months off definitely. affected that, but, you know, we got the way everybody's talking about me now. Everybody knows this persona, this personality I have. Everybody loves me for being me. And it's amazing. It's funny. James was actually on our preview show on Friday, and he was singing your praises discussing what you have brought to the team atmosphere glory, the excitement, you know, you, you brought to the table that the whole team had for you heading into this fight. So when you actually you like arrive at the apex and you're finally making that walk to heart of glass.

You have this big smile in your face and you're dancing around. What is going through your mind in that moment? I mean, honestly, I can't, I can't recall. I just knew that I was singing in Blondie's version. I was singing in Miley Cyrus's version. We were, I mean, we're a pump and we're excited. It's like, dude, it's time. It's here, you know.

I had two fights prior falling off. Like, I hadn't made that walking so long. I'm just enjoying the moment and saving the moment and just having fun. One thing James told me while it was great to like have you on this card with the fight in the books, it was like equally as important that Maki Patolo was the opponents because the man is a gamer and you guys just knew that he was going to show up and fight you. So you had to be confident seeing Maki's name on the other side of the contract and it would take something of like epic proportions for this fight not to happen. Right. Like your confidence must have been in a really good spot that you were definitely going to fight on Saturday. Absolutely, man. Maki is a savage, dude. I fought the best version of Mocki, and Maki showed the best version himself at UFC 258. And honestly, dude, he looked like a savage. And knowing that he signed that contract, I was comfortable knowing that we were having a fight. We were going to both weigh in on weight. We're both going to weigh in on weight. We're both going to be there. And that's exactly what it was. I respect him so much, man. I love the kid.

So you go through 10 minutes with him. He's keeping you on the mat. He's putting a lot of pressure on you. You're down two rounds. But heading into that third, Krause wasn't mincing words, was he? He obviously said something that flipped a switch into you. How pivotal was that 60 seconds between you and James heading into the third round? Like, how different did you feel after that conversation?

Hey, speak of the devil. How are you, man? What's up, bro. Wow, man. It's amazing. You hear your name called and there he is. What's going on? We both have the same problem.

right now. Most of the parties aren't working at the car. We're cold as shit. Oh, that's so funny, man. Speaking, there he is. So, yeah. What was those things like? Speak of him and he shall appear.

Look, honestly, in that second to third round in that middle, like James just knew how to speak to me. James just knew how to encourage me and get me in there. Like, you know, he was yelling at me. And that's like, he knows that's how you have to talk to me. He was able to speak to that person inside that I've been waiting to like show out for 31 months. I've waited to like let loose. The guy that you saw in the Phil Hodge fight, the guy that you saw in the previous fight, the guy that you saw on Darren Stewart fight, like he knew what's his say to me. And honest God, if you look at it and listen to it, I've never ever said, yes, sir, to James Krause.

Like I was a drill subject. Never, that's not how I've ever talked to him. And he never really said, Julian Marquez. Like he would say, good job, Julian Marquez. Come on, Julian Marquez. Never talked to me. We don't talk to each other like that. But in the fight, that animal instinct inside both of us were talking to each other.

That was a different person in the Octagon. That was a different coach when he brought out of him. There were just two different people that you don't get to see today. That's only in the fight. And he brought that out of me. So it got me that victory. and that's why he makes the big bucks, you know? Like, I needed that.

If he wasn't there, I wouldn't have gotten what I had. You know, I wouldn't have gotten that finish. Yeah, it just speaks to how good of a coach he is. And you come out, like you said, you're a different animal. You blast him. You cinching the Anaconda choke and he taps. The comeback is complete, man. You did it, man.

Like, can you even put into words what that moment was like for you when he tapped out with less than a minute to go? Man, I didn't even know it was less than a minute. I rewatch the fight. last night and I knew how the ending was and I was legitimately like I felt sick I was like damn dude I lost this fight and then I got the submission like I literally watched it as a fan in itself and I like I went through the little emotions that everybody was going through that night I can't put you to words right now how insane that was how like you can't write a better

comeback story than that of 31 months off going in there getting your ass beat for three rounds and in, you know, the last 43 seconds getting a submission win, a finish with a beautiful transition from a guillotine to an anacotechope and becoming the 18th person to ever perform an anaconda choke in the octagon following one of my teammates, Tim Elliott, who got an anacotochote on his return after his ACL tear. Like, come on, man, it's just, it's a beautiful script. Absolutely. And little did we know, Julian, that this is the beginning of your story, Okay. What a story it was, but this is just the beginning because throughout the week, you're singing the praises, I mean, pun completely intended of Miley Cyrus. And after the win,

you put your heart out there for everybody to see and witness. You word on your sleeve. You asked you to be your Valentine. The admiration tour continued into the press conference after the win. And before we get into what happened, can you explain that this love you have for her? Like what sort of triggered it? How long has this thing been going on? Man, if you're a Miley fan, you know that you love her. You either with her, you're not. I've always loved her, man. Ever since I was growing up, her music's amazing.

You know, we've partied to a lot of the music that we had. And it's just always just clubbangers. They always put you in a good mood. You've never listened to a Miley song and hated it. When I understand, you've never done that. And it's just everyone knew it. Like, I just, I just, I can't explain like why I just kept growing to it, growing to it, and they ended up getting concert.

Like, people would buy me tickets to her concert and given to me as gifts. And, like, I would go to all of her concerts and enjoy it. I just, I loved it. And then when I announced a heart of glass, like, I would walk out if you brought it to the streaming device. Everyone just kind of like, was like, let's go, let's go, let's do it. Come on, you better walk out to it. And everybody just kind of piled up together.

And I was like, all right, well, since all eyes are on me, let me shoot my shot. I'm going to take it. And it's been successful. You know what I mean? Miley knows who I am. Miley follows me. Miley's practically in love with me and I'm living. Here's one of the coolest things about this whole situation is because people

crap on the MMA community. It could be a very negative place. But everybody had your back in this, Julian. And like everybody was tagging her after the fight. They wanted to see this story unfold and have a happy ending. And then it was like 4.30 in the morning, Eastern Time, Sunday mornings on Valentine's Day. And she responds with the shave and MC into your chest here. And I'm yours.

This was amazing to see. She gives you an opening. She responded to you, man. Like, this is massive stuff. Like, when you saw that, how pumped are you to see it? Dude, it was amazing. I actually was asleep and everybody was calling me, waking me up. I thought something happened, and which it did.

And it's amazing. Like, you know, she, she messaged me back and we're riding. You know what I mean? We're just riding together. That's it. she comes through with that the toughest group of people in sports is celebrating your success this couldn't have gone any better and then you respond to her not with you got it mylie i'm pulling out a razor and i'm going to shave these letters into the chest no you up the ante you raise you renegotiate and you say if you get a henna tattoo of q and miss the wrist of your belly button teupac style i think first off when i saw that are you a signfeld fan do you watch signfeld I've watched Seinfeld, yes. So there's an episode where Kramer gets into a car accident

because the woman is walking down the street with a bra on as a top and he sues her and he's about to win the case and win millions of dollars and then his golf caddy tells her, tells him to like to try the bra on over her clothes and it doesn't fit and he loses the millions of dollars. This is what it kind of reminded me of Julian. So one man to another, I cannot question your fighting skills because I'm not a fighter and who am I to do so? But as someone who has played the wooing game and was successful at it,

I feel like I had the right to ask you this question. What I'm thinking, why would you do this? Why would you do this? Why would I do this? The mountain. First and foremost, my friend, there's a lot more going on than you think and you guys know. And I did that. It's just, it's working.

It's a gentleman. doesn't speak, you know. Gentleman doesn't tell those secrets, I'm a gentleman. But I didn't blow my shot. Okay. So when people are saying like, ah, man, and you're seeing all these, like, quote tweets, like, oh, man, why you do this?

You're just kind of like laughing in the background being like, oh, if you only knew it was actually happening. The difference between me and everybody else is I'm always going to be me. I'm always going to be who I am, no matter what is in front of me, no matter who's in front of me, no matter what it is. And the thing is, I'm not going to change who I am for anybody else.

I'm going to be me. And a lot of people love me and a lot of people enjoy me. If I wasn't me, this call out for Miley on my Valentine's Day would never have happened. You know what I mean? That's me being normal. That's me being me. This is me 100% me if you know me. And the thing is that when I sat there, I know Miley loves Tupac.

You know what I mean? I know Miley loves artists. I did that as a joke. I thought it was funny. It was great. And it went back. And the thing is, is it's Miley Cyrus.

You know what I mean? Like, of course, everybody wants to sit there and say, I'll do this and do that. It's like, no, I'm going to give you my real personality. And she loved it. She loves me.

You know what I mean? Like, and that's the thing is like, everybody else will, if she tells you to do this, you're going to do that. And there's a lot of things, you know, the MC is going to get shaved into my chest, but we're working on something real,

real fun that we're going to announce here shortly that you guys are all going to love. And we just, it just can't just happen like that. It's got to build itself up. Really? So between you and her? I guess I'm working.

Don't worry, buddy. All right, fair enough. Okay, you don't have to get into specifics, but you and her have, like, had conversations, right? Like, I don't know if you talked to the phone or anything, but you guys have, like, you guys have conversed in Saturday. We don't have to get this specific. The gentleman never tells.

Is it, can we at least get a yes? anything just a nod a wink you know just just no just no you will have a big smile on your face fair enough fair enough did you see um did you see matt brown was getting death threats because he said he doesn't find my to be the most attractive by the person he didn't say mily wasn't attractive he said he tweeted like out of all the people why did you pick mylie like what the fuck you know he's about WTF. He didn't say anything. He's like, why? Like, he doesn't understand it. We're in a different era and everything like that. And I was like, I like what I like, but all, everybody else just would crazy on me, which is hilarious. But I understand. You know what I mean? Like,

Miley fans are hardcore. As you see, they're pissed off at me for not doing what she said, but it's okay. Stay tuned. Stay tuned. Well, listen, outside of that, I mean, you've got a lot of things going for you, man. You're coming off a sensational win on pay-per-view, 2021 is off to a very good star for you. From a competitive standpoint, how are you feeling physically coming out of it? Like, how is the body held up after your first fight in almost three years? Well, since I'm in an icebox right now, you know, everything I can't feel, so I'm good. All the swelling has gone down to, like, drastically.

But no, man, I feel on top of the world. Like, I definitely want to get back in there as soon as possible. But at this moment, you know, my life. My fight was not a perfect performance by no means. It didn't show a lot of good things. I made multiple mistakes. I had multiple opportunities to end the fight, but I just kept messing up after messing up.

So I need a skill build, but if the right opportunity comes, it comes knocking out of the door, I'm going to take it. And if it's, you know, in two weeks, I'm going to take it. If it's in three months,

I'll take it. But right now I need a skill build and build it up. I just spent the past seven, eight months in training camp for fights and fights and fights and fights. Now it's time to like, Let's build it up. We have the base. We have the platform.

Let's do this smart. Let's not ruin it and jump in the gun or jump the gun and lose what we have. So a perfect world. It was like up to you. If the UFC called you and said, hey, Julian, when do you want to come back and fight? What are you thinking? Man, I'm healthy right now. We can fight next week if we need to or we can fight when we have to.

The thing is, is that I'm in no rush at the moment. I have to get the skill building. I had to get it all there. I wasn't happy with the performance. I'm satisfied with, you know, I'm happy with what I did and how I did it and having the transition and showing glints of greatness. But I wasn't happy. I got dominated.

I lost all three rounds, literally. But it doesn't matter. No one checks the comment box. I got the finish. At the end of the day, I got the finish. I got the submission. Beautiful transition into anaconicot. But let's be real, man.

I need to get better. I need to come out and perform like I should, look good like I should, because if I want to get up in the top 10, top 15, top five, or champion, I need to make sure myself's better. And I'm not just going to jump in there with a crazy fight and then lose everything.

Doesn't make sense to me. Is there anybody? I mean, you don't care who you fight. Like, you'll fight anybody. But is there anybody that kind of stick out to you and be like, you know, it would be fun, me fighting this person? But Jake Paul, let's go.

I'll take that. bro. Come on. You want some Jake Paul? Come and get you some. What do you think of this whole thing with him and Ben and all of it? I think it's amazing. I think it's a great, it's great. It's entertainment.

I love entertainment. Ben Ascreen, Jake Paul, April 17th, two guys going in there, two competitors. Well, one competitor, one YouTuber, you know, good boxing. It's great. We're all talking about it. We all love it. I'm with it. You know, I'll take it.

winner. It's my son's eighth birthday, too. What a present. Yeah, right. Right. I do want to ask you about something real quick because it was mentioned on this show and I haven't gotten your side of it. I'm sure you've heard all about it over the last several months. There was like a little rivalry brewing between your coach, James Krause and Joaquin Buckley. And when I spoke with Joaquin after his win over Jordan Wright, he told me that the UFC had already approached him about fighting you in January and that you turned it down. Can you talk about what? happen with that? First and foremost, yeah, actually, I said that it would have been awesome to fight

Joaquin. I was like, yeah, dude, he looks like a fun fight. And honestly, my style, his style would be fucking great for entertainment. I'm with it. I came to Glory eight months ago and I left Glory six years ago. So when I came there and I made that comment, they asked, I get a phone call from James. We had a conversation. That's his fight, man.

They have legitimate beef. You know, Nate Diaz, Nick Diaz, or, you know, they don't, if they have beef with someone, they don't send somebody from their team to go take on that beat. They handle it themselves. Jorge Mosvedol, if you got beef with him, you talk crap on him, he'll pop you right there in front of you your face. You know what I mean? And even if you're doing on the internet. So me turning down that fight isn't because I don't want to fight him.

It's because he picked a fight with James Krause, and that's the person who has. rights he has dives on it right now that's the person he has to go through he's calling everybody else out but it's james and him to have that be and i can't step in front of that seniority rules you know what i mean like pecking order of the gym like he's my coach i have to respect his decision i'm with it if he wants to fight me if he wants to fight me he has to fight james first you know that's it if he wants to fight anyone from the gym he has to fight james first because the callout wasn't else, but to James, right? And you could talk to James about it too. Like, I have, I'm not part of whatever they have. That's none of my business. That's not that. I just called that out because I thought

it would be a fun fight. And then I got brought into it. And it's like, hey, this is my fight. And I said, okay. Fair enough. Well, thank you for explaining that. I didn't get your side of it. So I'm glad we were able to clear that up here. Last thing, man, I know you're dealing with a ton of stuff right now and you're freezing your ass off. But what do you want to say? all those people who have supported you along the way. Like you've done a great job staying active in the community. You have the great podcast with Kendra Lust. Your personality continued to shine through all these difficult times.

And in the sport, when you go through these things, you find out who the real ones are in this journey. And it seems to me like you have a lot of real ones in your corner. So what do you want to say to those folks who have stood by you through all this and continue to stand by you? Man, I love you guys. I love every single one of you. Balsey helped me out during this whole pandemic, a ball wash company that gives you like mail products as well as like shampoo and everything.

Ballsy, they've been with me from the start. They've been with you during the pandemic. They helped me out. They push me my friend at a couple cents.com. You know, he helped me out with investing and stuff to help keep my money financially stable during the time. None of these guys really did anything. They helped me because they believed in me. Kendra the same way.

like I love everyone that's been rocking with me through the highs and the lows, you know, like, I, it's so hard. It's so hard to say any like words and put it into actual words to express the true feelings that I have with everyone. Like, I don't want to say love so much because, you know, we say, like Maryland Manson said, you say you love this, you say you love that. You say you love that. What a value do you have on the word love? you know it's true like I love everybody

but like for them like that's family I can't I'm just happy they stuck with me and motivated me and encouraged me to get to where I am right now good stuff right there from Julian Marquez and listen I thought he dropped the ball like a lot of you watching right now

I thought he dropped the ball I thought he picked up the ball ran it heading towards that end zone and I thought he fumbled on the one yard line with good old Miley Cyrus, but it turns out the joke seems to be on all of us. And we'll see if that is in fact the case. We'll see how that all plays out. I'm excited to see how that plays out.

What a story. I need to see like a love connection thing. Those two go on a date and get to see how that all plays up. But let's head to our next guest. Really interesting conversation with Will Brooks. Let's get to it right now. All right. It's been a couple of years since I've spoke with this man, but I'm very excited to have the opportunity to do so right now.

Let us say hello to the former Bellator lightweight champion former UFC lightweight contender, Ill Will Brooks joins the program. Well, good to see you, man. How are you? Man, I'm good, brother. Good, man. Just blessed, you know, living with my family, you know, take care of the wife and kids and just trying to stay in shape, man.

I hear you, man. There's just so much I want to talk to you about, Will. First off, we haven't seen you compete since the 2019 fight with Glacin Tebow at Battlefield FC. It was a super controversial stoppage. A pretty controversial event in general, which we'll get to in a moment. You know, we're also in the middle of a pandemic, which through a lot of things for a loop.

I guess what have you been up to this last year and a half, two years? Man, I'll be honest, man. I've been, I've been in this space where I've been really focused on developing myself as a man. You know, I've just kind of, you know, at first I was like, man, I got to get back. I want to get back to fighting and whatnot and doing things like that. But then I just started realizing that I haven't done enough to develop as a. man, you know, and my everyday, every day, every, like, everyday life outside of competing. And I just started noticing blind spots that I had.

So during this time, I've kind of stepped away from, you know, chasing down fights and things like that and just really focused on, you know, developing my mentally emotional state, you know, and making sure I'm the best man that I could possibly be because, look, man, when all the fighting and stuff is done, I still have to be Will Brooks in my everyday life, you know, and be the best dad I could be the best husband than I could be. So I've put a lot of my energy into just trying to get better as a man. That's good to hear. I think a lot of us kind of took this time during the pandemic.

I mean, it was obviously a bad situation, but a lot of people were able to sort of take the time to use it to their advantage, you know, build, you know, sort of improve relationship with family, wife, kids, all that stuff, spend that extra time and use it wisely. Do you feel like this time has been, you've been able to use that time to your advantage more effectively than most? I guess. Yeah, definitely, man. And I think for me, I've put a lot. And I think we're in a, we're in a space in the world right now where people are really focused on mental health. And for me, that was one

thing that I really dove into and really tried to put my mind to wrap my mind around that. And I've taken time to like, you know, seeing a therapist and things like that, just trying to, trying to test every avenue to make sure that I'm mentally and emotionally in the best place I could possibly be in, you know? So, you know, seeing therapists and, you know, just getting more touch with my own personal feelings and getting an awareness of who I am as a person, you know, and just, you know, dealing with different things like generational trauma and things that, maybe not your own personal trauma, but things that have been passed on along the years from, you know, from your father or his father's father. like that and I think it was one of those things I started really kind of putting my mind toward and you know talking with their talking with my therapist and things like that he just really kind of has enlightened me on how you know this generational trauma how these hidden things can affect us and impact as far as just being a been a competitor as far as that and being a father and a husband so

yeah during this time man I've really dove in into you know getting better mentally and emotionally and just trying to make sure that, you know, I don't make mistakes that I did in the past, you know? What sort of mistakes, if you don't mind me asking? Just like, just some of the things as far as my attitude and the way I approach some things, you know, as far as the politics of this sport, you know, I think looking back on things, you start realizing that you stepped outside of yourself, you know, you lost track of who you are as a person, especially when you have a success and this thing is moving over here and this

piece is moving over here and you want to have control of everything. And you started to lose track of what brought you to the party, you know, what brought you to the dance and you started doing other things outside of that. And you started, for me, I started trying to find the answers and deciding that, oh, I can make the answer. I've got the answer. And I just started digging a whole, a little bit deeper than where I was, you know, and physically I was able to compete as a fighter, but mentally and emotionally, I just felt like I was somewhere else for a long time. And really having to step back and having this time to step back and really realize that, hey, you know, like, you mentally and emotionally, we're not in a good place.

You were dealing with, I was dealing with a great deal of depression that I didn't realize. And it just manifested itself in different ways, which I think happens a lot. So during this time, I've just, you know, almost reintroducing myself to myself. So that's kind of some of the things that I wish I would have known back then that I was, you know, you're better against maybe some type of family things, you know, like family traits and family generational traumas and things like that. And they tend to block you in your everyday life. And you can't figure out why you're mental. blocking yourself or emotionally blocking yourself.

So I've taken that time to really focus on like, all right, well, why was I feeling this way? And why was I reacted this way? And I've been able to address some of those things. It's always an interesting journey when you can start peeling back those layers and looking that deep inside. That's for sure. I know you want to kind of put that battlefield experience behind you for a number of reasons. But one of the big stories coming out of that event and other events they have had were fighters just weren't getting paid. Like coming out of their first event, fighters were getting paid, and then coming out of the second event, which you were part of, you were one of those fighters who had a hard time getting paid. Did you ever get paid

compensated for that fight with Gleason? No, man, I haven't gotten paid. I'd be honest with you, man, we tried. I went through legal, legal, the legal way of getting my money, you know, and it just felt like it was one of those things where they had made it so difficult to get the funds or even get paid, they made it so difficult to go through that through the legal process that you wouldn't end up putting more money in it than getting what you got back, you know? And it just turned into one of those things where I just had to step back and think to myself, you know what, Will, if you had made different decisions, and this is just me as a person, I take responsibility for, like, anything in my life, good or bad.

So I looked at it and it was like, you know what? you rushed into something when you knew that there was some issues in the past, you know, and, you know, you know, going into it that they hadn't paid fighters and you knew it was a little sketchy. Even when we were out there during fight week,

I kid you and I, like, I had a hard time, like, kind of flipping that switch and wanted to be a competitor just because things just kind of felt weird and felt off, you know, and you kind of try to block it out, but, you know, it was just too difficult. And after, after, a fight and not getting paid

or whatnot. It didn't really shock me or surprise me. The whole week of the fight week just felt like, yeah, something is not right here. And it just kind of went south. And like I said, we made attempts at trying to figure out a way to

get the money and whatnot, but it just didn't happen. I was like, you know what? I would much rather protect my mental health and continue to grow rather than put this energy in it is and allow for this negative thing to to build up on me. I just recognize that, hey, maybe it's just time to let that one slide, you know,

let that step away is going to hurt, step away from it, and just move forward. Yeah, it's just so ridiculous that that is going on. And, you know, it's happened so many times. And it happens, like, in the sport in a number of different ways, it just sucks. But around a year or so ago, there were reports out that you had signed with ERIS FC, along with, like, a slew of other former UFC fighters, like John Maraga, Juan Adams, to name a few. There was talks about you competing for them in August, I believe, before that event was

canceled. Is that true? Did you, in fact, sign something with them? Yeah, I did. Yeah, I had signed a contract with them. And, you know, we had the fights booked. And, you know, they had their location set up for the events. The first one, the first fight was supposed to be in South Africa, if I remember it correctly.

And then, you know, they had to move things around. So they were like, all right, we want to hit South Africa. They were going to do Belgium. And so they had a couple different things set up at events already figured out. And, you know, they sent me contracts for my opponent. And, yeah, we had everything signed. And, you know, COVID showed up. It was like, hey, everybody stands still.

And we'll let you know when you can get back to living your life. So, yeah, things just got slowed down. So I've just been one of those people that has been impacted by COVID in mixed martial arts, I guess. So are you still like essentially under contract with them just sort of waiting for the phone to ring? But obviously open to take other opportunities if something pops up. Yeah, they've given their, they've given me their blessing to go and fight outside my contract. You know, they haven't fully released me from the contract. So we've been just kind of hanging back and, you know, you look for other fights and, you know, you start game planning and trying to figure out like, all, like, all right, what are we going to do here?

How are we going to approach this? Like, what do I want to do with the rest of the? of years that I have in my career, you know, and you start just looking at the whole landscape of MMA and just kind of like build it from there because you can have your own game plan. But right now, like we've seen, something like COVID can pop up or a pandemic can pop up right now and shut all that down. And we're not even close to, you know, being done with this, you know, so you just kind of start watching and seeing a landscape. and start calculating.

And that's kind of what we've been doing now is, you know, I haven't lied to anybody. I've been somewhat vocal about it, but then I've kind of been in the background. Like one of my biggest goals is to try to get back to the UFC. And I've had some missteps in trying to make that happen, jumping at things that I shouldn't have jumped at. And like the battlefield FC, jumping at that,

jumping at this, jumping at the next thing, and things just not really working out. And now we're just like, hey, man, you know what? Maybe this COVID situation and this pandemic situation is a time for you to, like, a freeze in life. Maybe God is trying to tell you, hey, sit still, figure yourself out as a man, and then we can do other stuff, you know? So it's just kind of hanging back and seeing what happens. So, yeah, when it comes to, because you were supposed to fight in November, too, right? You had something set up for, like, a regional fight in November?

Because I think I saw a video of you saying that, like, you had two opponents that weren't able to. make it and then you were just like rather than cut all this weight and get to the fight like what if they don't have an opponent for me it's kind of a waste right yeah yeah i had i had got i was booked with um strike card productions as an mma promotion in alabama um i was talking with them and it was just the way you know what man i'm like you know what i got to get active i got to get busy i need to go out and compete i don't really care where it's at when it's at um how much money is for i'm not really concerned about money my my my family's and my wife and my kids are taking care of

and we've been blessed financially, you know, so it was one of those things where it's like, all right, well, it's time to lock down to figure out what the game plan is. And that was, I'm in a reset mode. Like, we're in a business of, what have you done for me lately? And I haven't been able to do anything.

So we were just like, you know what? Let's just go out there and get active and get competing and show people that, hey, we're not just hanging out waiting, you know? So, yeah, so I had booked that fight. and one guy ended up testing positive for COVID, and he had to pull out, which is, you know, expected. And then the second opponent that they gave me,

he ended up hurting his knee or something like that. I can't remember exactly. But he had to pull out, and it was like the week of a fight, and they were still trying to find an opponent. And I just started thinking, hey, well, you've made this mistake before, you know. And I started going back to, like, my Olivera fight with when I fought a cowboy olivera when he missed weight like six by six pounds six seven pounds or

whatever I was like hey you allowed yourself to get emotional when and react when really you should have did the smart thing just hey you know what man let's just hang back we'll wait for the next fight you know so that's what I did I was like you know what I'm not going to put myself in this position where I'm just chasing something and then I hurt my body because I cut weight and there's no fight with everything you've gone through over the last like five or so years between the ufc run the pfl run and everything since then i guess how would you describe your relationship with mma right now um honestly you kind of started to get that feeling like yeah man maybe i'm maybe i should be calling it by now you know but then i start i stop and i look at everything and i watch the way it

played out and I look at the pieces and one of the things that I started looking at it that really stood out the most especially during this time of just trying to grow as a person is just realizing my role to play in a lot of those situations you know where I was blessed and was given opportunities and just through some you know mental blocks and emotional blocks and things like that and and this is why I go back to generational you know generational traumas and things of that nature where you're dealing with things that you know your upbringing kind of blocks you from getting to where you want to go in life and your mindset and your attitude and the way you you process things going on around you and I come from a background where my family didn't come from a

whole lot you know my mom and dad like addiction things like that difficulties in prison and gel and and we have a bunch of brilliant, highly intelligent, highly capable people in my family. But one of the things that we've always kind of done is like block ourselves, almost block our own success. And during this time of having to be away from the sport and really focus on myself, I was like, wow, like, I didn't really understand how I was, I was pushing these great opportunities away from myself. And, you know, just during this time, just kind of learning it, like, feeling like, oh, wait, now I kind of understand who I am. And physically, I'm like, man, I can go and compete with anybody at any given day of the week, you know, but mentally emotionally, am I fighting a fight, a hidden fight, and I'm unprepared for it, you know, and this has just been one of those times where I'm like, wow, okay, I was battling something else. It wasn't just competing. It wasn't just fighting for me.

I was battling, you know, trying to be the person to change generational things, you know. So I put a lot of – I was carrying a lot, and it was impacting my mental state and the way I were responding and how I was operating in life. Yeah, because I remember, like, when you had signed with the UFC, you were the Belator Lightweight Champion, the relationship between yourself and Scott Coker and the organization wasn't great, if we're being honest. and you signing with the UFC was a very big deal. Like it was a huge story.

And then you get there and it didn't really pan out for you. And there's always like two roads you can take at this point. One is like you could regret everything and wish you could go back and do it all over again. And then there's the other part kind of like what you're doing right now where you reflect upon it. You grow from it and you kind of like try to answer the wise because of it. If you could go back and do it again, would you change things up or are you happy with the way things played out to kind of put you in the position mentally that you're in right now? Yeah, see, that's always a tricky question, right? Because everybody's like, oh, I don't regret anything.

And if I go back, I'd do it the same. But I can't say that because it's one, like, one part of me wants to say, yeah, I would go back and I would do it the same. But part of me also, now where I'm at now, mental and emotion, I'm like, wow, if I would go back, I would have did things differently because it's like I wasn't. I was unaware of a lot of mental and emotional things that I was going through in my own life and how I was given so much energy to fighting the system and fighting this and arguing with this and screaming at this. And I didn't realize that there was no fight to be had. It was just more generational trauma that just instinctually made me feel like I needed to fight everything. And that was just not in just mixed martial arts or competing as a fighter.

but in my everyday life, man, my things were great at home, my wife, I had just had my daughter, just married, new house, everything's going really well, but I was constantly finding ways to, like, self-sabotage. And it's like, man, like, yeah,

so if I could go back, like, yeah, I would change a lot of things because I'm more conscious of this, like, ability that has come through, like generations of self-sabotizing ourselves and in the Brooks family. and I would go back and change that, but at the same time,

I would leave it the same because I wouldn't know what I know now. You know, I wouldn't, I don't know if I would have really addressed it if I knew it, you know. I could have been like, oh, yeah, this is just who I am and this is just how it's going to be, but I could have been way more destructive to more things outside of just MMA, but in my own personal life, like, I could have wrecked things with my wife, could have wreck things with, you know, my house or things like that or whatever, you know. Yeah, you want to go back. You want to do some things differently, but still stay consistent with your morals and your values and where you stand, you know. This sport, I mean, you're living right now, man. It's a wild ride. And, you know, I'm sure you're kind of watching everything from the outside. And one of the big stories in 2020 and so far in 2021 is a former opponent of yours that you're tied to in a lot of ways. Michael Chandler, man, you have two wins over, even stopped him the second time you fought him.

and it was kind of a turning point sort of rivalry in both of your careers. Like Michael Chandler, when he looks back to where he's at now, he reflects a lot upon those two fights. And that sort of like changed his mindset and where he's at now. Obviously, he's in the UFC, just got a big win, knocked out Dan Hooker in his Octagon debut. And he's in the discussion to fight for the belt right now. So what has that been like for you watching Michael Chandler in the UFC and what he's been able to do thus far? Yeah, man. I mean, I never wish ill on anybody.

I want nothing but success for everyone, you know, and I beat the guy, but we all evolve. We continue to get better, you know, and things change, and especially in MMA, the landscape changes, the timing on when you come in and when things happen for you, you might just hit that jackpot.

And I think, if I'm being completely honest, I think one of the things that I've always respected about Michael Chandler is the people that he had around him. He has had, like, a really great established team around him. And I'm talking about not just in, like, the fighting and training, but he's had a great business team and people that are kind of navigating and helping him during the politics of all this stuff and how to time this and how to time this

and how to move that. And that was one of, that's one thing that I would say that if I could go back, I would change is that I'm not saying that the people that I had around me were bad people, but I just don't think that they knew how to. to really balance and navigate a lot of the situations that I came into. And I didn't know how to do it myself. You know, I'm an emotional guy. So I'm jumping off the cliff on anything, you know.

So it would have been nice to have somebody like, hey, well, go sit down with somewhere and let me do this, you know. But whatever, but he's had a success. And I'm, hey, man, best luck to him. Keep doing your thing. But I tell you what, man, as a competitor, it gets you fired up. you get a little angry, you get a little, you get a little bitter, you get a little, you get a little pissy taste in your mouth because you're like, and I'm trying not to curse right now because I'm getting all gassed up, but I beat any of those guys, especially you

looking at a guy like these dead hookers that he knocks out this dead hooker at blah blah, I was like, well, as a competitor, you're like, yo, like, that's, you just got knocked out by 45 or, and then you beat up some old man Ben Henderson and, you know, you come in and I get pissed at Darren Hooker because I'm like, yo, that guy's not hard to beat. Like, he's not hard to beat. And now I'm sound like a jerk now, but it is what it is. As a competitor, that's where

I met. It lights a fire. So I'll tell you what, like when I saw that happened, I jumped up off the couch and I was gassed up and I was like, man, like I can beat these guys, man. I know I can beat these guys. Like, I can jump up off my couch

right now and beat Chandler and beat Darry Hooker and beat these guys. But I'm not in a position. to say that. I can't get on media and say that. I can't get in social media to say that. Because right now I am Mr. Irrelevant in MMA, you know. So it's one of those things where you look at it. You're like, all right, well, I got to get to work.

And that right now I'm trying to get to work. And, you know, maybe got to put it in my position where I can get back to the UFC and I can get back some of those wins that I left. And then, like, after that, we saw Dustin Porreier knock up Connor McGregor. And I know you and Dustin have, you know, had a relationship over the years. What was that like to watch Dustin get a win?

win like that and kind of get put in the position he's in right now. Man, I tell you what, man. If there's anybody, I get more excited and I get more proud and happy and emotional for guys that I've trained with to have success, you know, like to look at that and be like you had you had some type of role to play. And I'm not saying I had something to do with his training game, all that stuff. But knowing that you've been there with him, seeing him through the process during his hard times and training with him and kind of getting to know him as a man and seeing how he operates in his everyday life, when you see a guy like that start to kind of everything starts to come together for him, you get really excited, man. You get really proud, you know, and I'm super proud of that, man.

I'm super impressed by him. And I remember coming into American Top Team when we first got there, we kind of got to American Top Team around the same time. You know, he had the great strike in, and I just had good wrestling. And so we instantly got partnered up because we could balance each other out. And since that was like maybe seven, eight years ago, since then, I've been able to just watch him grow. And he's helped me grow as, and not just as a fighter, but as a man, like, just watching the way he operates. I mimic a lot of things that he's done in his life. And the way he operates with people, I try to mimic a lot of those things.

So seeing him win and get his judges and get his, get his little bit of revenge, you know. That was, that was exciting, man. I was so hype. That's amazing. So you want to get back to the UFC. That is your goal. How do we make this a reality, Will? Like when you look at 2021 here, what are your goals for the year to help make this a reality, help make this happen?

Yeah, man, it's tough, you know, because you know what the, you know what the map is, right? Like, I know the map is, all right, well, this is a sport of what have you. have, what have you done for me lately, right? And I recognize, all right, well, I'm coming off the team off fight regardless of it was, you know, controversial or whatnot, coming off that fight, you know, and now you have to come and realize, like, in this sport, you got to straighten together some wins, you know. So that's where I'm at right now. I'm trying to, you know, find some fights and get that stuff sorted out.

But I also recognize that with Ares, you know, I'm signed with them, but they're going to give me an opportunity to compete outside my contract. But, you know, this is, we're in a space of security also, you know. We have to be very, you have to be very cautious, maybe not so much cautious, but kind of slow play it right now because you could be like, oh, I'm going to go fight over here. And I got, I'm going to be active. But if the pandemic and COVID decides that, hey, now your opponent just got positive or something like that, you kind of can't be like, um,

it's kind of harder to really get going. So I'm just trying to be patient. I'm just trying to stay patient and continue to trust that God is moving in my life. He's done nothing but bless me and my wife and my children and continue to protect them even during his difficult pandemic. And not a lot of people can say that right now. And fortunately, I'm one of those guys in mixed martial arts

that, you know, has been taken care of. And I've been treated well financially, you know. So I try my best to just stay. in the back and like, look, when the fight comes, it'll come and I'll get to work and I'll do whatever I have to do to get to wherever I go and, um, and, and do it that way rather than, you know, be one of these guys screaming about why I'm not fighting when I'm like, yo, there's guys that are barely being able to pay their mortgage or pay their bills. So I'm like, yo, I'll hang back. I'm, I'm all right, you know. A couple last things where we let you go.

Um, you, like you said, and it's, it's so true. This is a one have you done for me lately sport, but it's also a never say never sport, Will. And like we alluded to earlier, before you sign with the UFC, the relationship between yourself and Bellator wasn't stupendous. You had a lot to say about them. Scott Coker gave you a full release before

the contract expired. They said they didn't want to be in the Will Brooks business any longer. And at the time, you see... He got mad at me. He did. I get it. Look, man. I can dig it. I'll be honest, bro. Like, we asked a question, if you go back and you

changed anything. And I'll be honest, like, I probably wouldn't, I probably wouldn't change the winner those things played out. Because if I'm being completely honest, I felt like, I felt, like, I felt like disrespect it, you know, and I felt like things weren't going my way, you know, when I've, and I, when I've been verbal, like, what I've been as verbal on social media as I probably would have, but I think I would have been a little bit more professional with the way I was speaking, you know, and some of the things that I said, but I can tell you this much right now, man. I'm an emotional guy.

And if I feel disrespect it, I'm going to disrespect you back. But there's a limit to it, right? You have to still be, like, respectful and, like, have that kind of like, look, man. Like, like, watching kind of what you say. But at the same time, it's like, yeah, it is what it is, man. I mean, they've made some pretty big moves over the last year or so. They just signed all their fights are going to air on Showtime. They got a lot of cool things going on, big signings.

Do you think there's a chance, maybe a reconciliation at some point? Like any chance we could see you back in Belator? Maybe we let bygones be bygones. Would that interest you at all? If you could get into a room with Scott Coker and maybe try to hash this thing out sometime down the road? Yeah, man, I'm open to anything. Like, we're in a period of, like, COVID and pandemic, bro.

Like, you got to be ready to adjust and jump on anything. You know, like, that's just what it is. So, yeah, I have my plan of, you know, trying to get back to the UFC and looking at that. Damn it, man, I left there and I just know in my heart and in my bones that I could do better than what I did, you know? And I think there was a couple little flashes here and there where like, oh, I was showing that I could compete and be there. But mentally emotionally, I just fell. I fell apart.

I came undone and you can't do that in this sport, you know. And so, yeah, I want to try to get back to the UFC. But if that's not the case and that's not where God wants me to be and, you know, if God does some weird thing where he's like, hey, hey, this window to Belletcher just opened up. begin. I wouldn't look, man. I'm not, I'm not shying away from that either. I'm just, right now, I'm just, like you said, man, we're in a time. These times that we're in right now, anything can happen. So you got to be available for everything, you know. What a story that would be. Will Brooks back in Bellator? I mean, that thing writes itself. That would be unbelievable, man. That would be unreal.

Nuts. I don't even think like, they, I don't think it would happen, but I'm open to it. but, you know, I upset Uncle Scott. You know, I upset him. I get it, you know. So we'll see what happens, man. There you go. Great stuff, man. I'm glad we're able to do this.

It's like a million other things I'd love to talk to you about, but we're unfortunately running out of time. But I got to tell you, man, looking at 2021, the Will Brooks comeback story, this journey back to the UFC, I'm looking forward to watching a man. Keep doing what you're doing. Spread that positivity on social media because Lord knows we need as much positivity. and honesty as possible.

So thank you again, man. All the best to you, and I appreciate you coming on, man. Can I say one quick thing? Sure, absolutely. Hey, man, to like, and I've been doing this a lot, man. I think we're in a space right now

where as men, we have to be very conscious of our mental health. And as men, we have so many responsibilities that we put on ourselves. Either you live in a traditional mindset where, you know, you're the breadwinner of your household and you're like that type of person or your wife is to stay at home or whatever.

We have to be very diligent in understanding that mental health is not just about, oh, I'm depressed or I'm anxious or I'm this or the other thing. It comes down to just like things that you can't recognize. You may not be able to see that you're depressed. It may manifest to something else and you emotionally are not happy, but you're smiling all the time, but you can't recognize it. So I would just say, man, like during this time that I've had off, that's one thing I've really focused on. It's been mentally emotionally connected to who I am. I would suggest that more men really start seeking out therapy, even if you feel like there's nothing wrong in your life

and everything's going really well, you can always use an outside perspective outside of your friends and family, someone to talk to you just in case, because you might talk to a therapist or something and something pop up and you don't even realize it. Like, oh, wait, what? Like, where'd that come from? So, yeah, man, I think a lot of men and a lot of women

and a lot of athletes in mixed martial arts, especially should start seeking out mental health and help mental health and therapy and things like that. Like I said earlier, a lot to unpack from that conversation. It was great catching up with Will Brooks and wish him the best in his quest to get back to the UFC. I mean, what a story of that would be. What if he got back to Bellator? What if somehow, some way Will Brooks just goes on this run and him and Scott Coker get in a room and he's back in Bellator. I mean, that would just be unbelievable.

What a story that would be. That's like CM Punk going back to WW. you know what a story but uh we move ahead let us say hello to oday osborne coming off his big win early this month quick finish of jerome rvera at ufc vegas 18 no bonus to go with that which was kind of wild but let's hear what he has to say about all of it right now on what the heck all right we have oday osborne here following his first octagon win at ufc vegas 18 a little more than a week ago he stops jerome rivera in just 26 seconds happy to have the jamaican sensation on the program O'Day, it has been a little while.

We're just talking about it off air. How are you, man? I'm doing well, man. It definitely has been a little while, but it's good to be back. Absolutely. How does it feel, man? First promotional wind under your belt. You did it in an impressive fashion.

This couldn't have gone any better, right? No, it definitely could not. And it feels great, but I'm just trying to stay grounded right now and try to, you know, focus on the mission, because if you let it get you off task and you let it kind of take you, then you'll lose sight and then you'll get all wrapped up and everything. So I'm trying to just enjoy it, but not overly get, you know, distracted by the hype or anything like that, if that makes sense. Yeah, so you don't, like you don't sit there and smell the roses. You just give it a little sniff and then you're...

Yeah, exactly. Yep. Yep. Just give a little whiff. All right. It's good. Throw it away? Yeah, what's the next rose smelling like? Let's get this next rose. I'm trying to get all the roses. One rose, two rows. Oh, championship rose. Okay, let's go.

Yeah, you want that golden rose. I mean, this is a nice rose, but you want that beautiful, you want that bouquet of golden roses. That's what I'm saying, man, that's rose. That's when I'm going to be stopping like. I don't know if you smelling that thing. It was kind of interesting how the fight all came full circle because originally you were supposed to fight Jerome,

I think on that January 30th card that didn't happen. Yes. And then he fights, for instance, Francisco Figuerre, like 10 days before that, and then you were supposed to fight Dennis Bonder on this card, and then you end up fighting Rivera anyways. Like, how did you react to this chaos and this sort of kismet moment that after everything, you're going to fight Jerome anyways? Like I said, I think leading up to the fight, I just remembered why it is I was doing what I was doing. And, you know, my first UFC fight, I kind of lost my why, as I have been told.

told. And I forgot, I got lost in a moment. And I was just like, oh, man, I'm here. I made it. Okay. Yeah. You know, but no. So leading up to this fight, I just kind of stayed in the zone. I kind of just stayed in that, that zone state from December when they told me I was fighting Jerome Rivera to when they told me the fight was off. You know, I was like, okay, stay in that zone, man. God has a plan. Stay in that zone. And then they got me another point. And then they got me another opponent, stayed in that zone. I trained, trained.

I didn't change anything up. I didn't change up a thing. I just kept training. Like, everything was just on par. You know what I'm saying? Just kept it going, kept it going. And then they got me Denise Bondar. On the way to Vegas, Tuesday, on the way to Vegas,

they called me and they said he had some issues leaving the country. I don't know what it, you know, I don't know what it relates to or whatever, but I was like, man, okay, you know what? My managers was like, you know what? we're going to try to see if we can get a replacement. So I just stayed the zone once again, stay calm, stay grounded,

trying to let my emotions and my thoughts go, you know what I'm saying? Because once you go down that rabbit hole, man, of emotional thoughts, you're just like, oh, man, now I've got to find somebody else. Now I've got to watch film. But if you train for it, if you train to fight everybody, you don't got to worry about that. And that's one thing I do. I train to be able to fight any style.

And so they called me back about Jerome Rivera, and they said, you know, he'd take the fight. And I was like, but they said he couldn't be a flight weight because he just fought two weeks ago. And I'm sure he kind of ate a lot and ballooned up a little bit. So it had to be at 45. So I was like, let's do it. So I had to actually gain, you know, I had to gain weight for this fight. And that's why I said I was 143 instead of 145. Well, there you go.

I mean, it's got to be nice that you have to gain weight instead of cuts. way, right? Yeah, it's had to be smart about it because, you know, I don't want to be, as Connor said, stook in the mood. I want to be nice and loose and be able to be fast and explosive, you know what I'm saying? So I had to be smart about it. And it was a process, but just staying calm that whole time was the key. Yeah, and a lot of people like make, they talk about like opponent switches and like, how is it going to affect this person? And I remember thinking myself, like, this is not going to affect day at all because one of the the main things I remember from our past conversations is the thing you loved about the gym you train at right now and the coaches you work with is that they allow you to be

you like you're not training for anybody specific you're just you going out there and having fun and and styling like that's who you are exactly it doesn't matter who you fight right and that's why I believe that I get so many finishes I'm not trying to you know I hate myself up to any degree at all but that's why I believe I I get so many finishes because I'm not training to strategy. I'm not training one, one style. You know what I'm saying? I can adapt to everything.

And being able to adapt to everything, that means you can hunt for food. However you want to hunt for food, whether I want to bring a rifle, a fishing pole, a bow and arrow, an axe. It don't matter. I got all the tools in my belt and I can hunt wherever I want. So it doesn't, it shouldn't matter. It never matters whenever anything happens. because this is my fighting style, man. I'm a finisher.

Like, I'm always looking for the kill. Always. And people always are like, well, you know, can you fight 15 minutes? I'm like, I can fight 15 minutes. No problem. Like, because that's me. I will fight you for 15 minutes. Like, looking while looking to finish you,

I'm looking for finishes for 15 minutes until I get it. If I don't get it, it's going to be a miserable 15 minutes in there with me. Kind of going back to, your Octagon debut, you said you sort of lost focus along the way, the why. Like, you, you, you, kind of lost track of the why. And I remember talking to you before that fight. I remember how confident you were. I didn't see, like, anything totally out of order, out of the ordinary. But I honestly, like, after the fight, I do remember you saying, like, when talking about being on the same card as Connor, like, five years from now, people are going to remember Connor

fighting on an O'Day Osborne card. And I couldn't believe the reactions to that fight with Ryan Keller Hector is over because, you know, when the fight ended, people just annihilated you on social media, like, creating memes and all the stuff. And I know in the grand scheme of things, like, who cares what they have to say? But, like, were you seeing people sort of celebrate your demise, so to speak? Oh, yeah, for sure. And I still, I still say, you know, people are still going to see, people are still going to say that Connor fought on my card. You know, it's, it's not, it's not something that, um, that I'm trying to brag about. You know what I'm saying?

It's not a ego thing. It's a, I was on a small island and visualized being great at a young age and not going back to, you know, certain struggles. That's what that is. That's not a ego thing. So it didn't, you know, it didn't really bother me, to be honest with you. Because I've been dealing with people like that my whole life. My whole life is people doubted me, you know, my whole life. So on a grand scheme of things, I thrive no matter what, no matter what people say or matter what it is, I'm going to thrive because I know how I am as a person, you know, and like I said, grounding yourself.

But when I talk about losing my why, I just meant from like walking out, you know, when I was walking out to the fight, like usually I'm like just stoic. But I was so amazed, you know what I'm saying? I'm looking, you know, you got Tom Brady and all these famous athletes. in the crowd, are you seeing? And you know what I'm saying? In my head, I'm like, man, like, I can't believe this is happening. You know what I mean? Like, I'm like, I can't believe I'm here all this time, all these struggles, all these

tribulations and trials, and I'm here. You know what I'm saying? But while I'm thinking all that, I'm not, I'm not zoned out to where I need to be. And usually I get, usually I get into a certain space, a certain Zen space where I'm, I'm just a destroyer in that space. And, you know, I didn't get there because I let that, like, all the distractions of taking in the moment. Like, you know what I'm saying? Because it was a beautiful moment for me.

I've never had anything like that in my life. So walking out, I was just like, damn, I can't believe this is happening. Like, this is amazing. This is real, you know. But that's what I was saying. I let the elevation of the hype, you know, let me get just distracted. Just that little bit. for a little bit, it's all it takes.

Because I know at the end of the day, you know, I can bust out of any submission and the thought, I feel, you know, I did get caught in Kelleherst's submission, but I should have never, you know, I wasn't focused to where I would just you know what I'm saying?

Like, to where I'm like a monster. Like I, you know what I mean? Nobody can hold me down. Nobody can submit me when I'm truly focused. And that's where I wasn't. And at the end of the day, he wanted it more. man. Hats off to him. Do you think in a weird way that

if that fight didn't get bumped up to the main card, that the walk wouldn't have been like as crazy for you? Because Brady and those people probably wouldn't have been in the crowd yet. You know what I mean? Like those guys probably wouldn't arrive. Do you think like it would have been different had it been earlier and you guys didn't get that last minute

bump up to the main card? Who knows, man? Everything happens for a reason because I think that it was supposed to happen that way so I can go back and visit my station. You know what I mean? I don't I don't regret that fight at all. Everything turned out, it turned out just the way God intended for me to learn the lessons I need to learn. That's all. Fair enough. It's tough to go down those rabbit holes anyways. You don't want to get,

it's dangerous territory to start thinking about that stuff. You only had the one fight in 2020 and of course like a freaking pandemic strikes and it throws everything for a loop and not just for you as a fighter, but I mean, you're a teacher as well. So everyone's forced to change and adapt with the times. And I'm sure you're still dealing with these changes today. What would you say 2020 taught you more than anything with everything you had going on last year? It taught me how to survive in difficult situations. And let me rephrase that.

It didn't teach me how to survive. It taught me, it showed me that I was always surviving. And so it was just natural. When COVID hit, I didn't pay. I didn't freak out. I didn't stress. I had nothing. It was just, it was, it was, you know, the thing for me. Like, growing up, you know, my mom worked your ass off to get me to where I am today. And we always had hard situations and stuff like that when stuff happens. So I just stayed the course and stayed focused. And it just proved to me that everything that I've done in my life has played a part to where I am right now. Because when COVID hit, and I saw, I felt the calm. It was almost like I went camping, right? And nobody else in the world

have been camping before. And everyone was trying to figure out how to light this fire. You know what I'm saying? Everyone was trying to figure out how to hunt for fish and food. And I'm just like, I mean, I'm in camping my whole life.

You know what I'm saying? Like, I've been hunting my whole life. What you mean? You had like your badges on. You're ready to go. No, I had everything. I had my little flink. You know what I'm saying?

I've been watching naked and afraid. since forever. That's so funny, man. I remember, you know, seeing you now, I remember the first time I chatted with you was right after the Contender Series win. And it was like one of those conversations that really stuck out to me because we didn't,

I mean, we talked about the win and the fight and the contract and stuff, but it wasn't like about who I want to fight and I want to be a world champion, I want to be rich. Like it was about what the opportunity meant to you. And it had nothing to do with popularity and being a star.

is about what you can do with this quote unquote power to give back to your community, to inspire others and, you know, inspire change that you want to see in the world. So I'm curious. And you can only do so much as one individual. How are we doing? Like, how is the world doing in your eyes? And I know it's tough because of the pandemic and everything. But how are things shaping up in your eyes compared to where we were in July of 2019?

One of my coaches said something to me. To be honest with you, I think. right now, we're doing well in my eyes because no matter what people say or how the system works or who we put in the office or who we don't put in the office, it's proven that the system works. You know what I'm saying? If someone, say, just talk about, if somebody's in office. and people aren't happy with their results and how their performance has been, they're no longer in office. Now, in terms of how the world is doing now, I think, you know, even with, like, racism and stuff like that, we're growing in a way that I've never seen before.

I watched a Super Bowl the other day, and I've never seen so many commercials that had black hair. History Month and just, you know, so many just empowered commercials that I've never seen throughout the years I've watched the Super Bowl. So I feel that we're headed in the right direction. And if you listen to the mainstream media, we're never going to be well. We're never going to be where we want to be. We're never going to be here. We're never going to be there.

We're never going to be enough. but you have to analyze it on a certain wave. I think, okay, so one of my coaches said something to me in Vegas, and he was like, 2020 happened. Like, it was, it happened. Okay, I'm trying to think about how he said it. He said, I'm trying to, okay, I'm going to paraphrase. He said, the things that happened in 2020 and the past four years

were the best things that could have happened to America. America because it kind of changed and evolved our country to open our eyes to different things. You know what I'm saying? And this whole virtual world, right? The virtual world has opened up in so many different ways, so many different things. You know what I'm saying? There's so many different improvements now on the virtual aspect of what we can do when we can't leave our house. What we can do when we can't, you know, go for food.

You know what I'm saying? There's so many different things that that just started improving just because, you know, I'm not saying, like I said, a lot of people lost their lives because of COVID. But a lot of improvements started happening just because of this negative thing. So it's all about your perception, how you perceive it. And I think now a lot of good things are coming. And I'm just crossing my finger, man. I'm crossing my finger that it stays. and I really want

unisance, man. I really want us to be united and just seeing all these like I said, these changes and these commercials now and everything is starting to hopefully come together. I don't want to speak too soon,

but hopefully come together where, you know, the pressure of the country was up here. And like I said, man, if our current president could just keep, he don't got to do anything. I don't care.

Always got to be. do is just keep the pressure down and just last out your term because you know we're like it's like a pressure cooker the pressure was just like it was just up here it was it was just boiling over and uh like i said i'm you know i i really i'm not wanted to politics to be to be honest like when i say politics i mean like republican democrat i would never consider myself a republican or democrat i'm either. But I would, I would like for, like I said, that the pressure just to be down so we can grow and build as a unit as one. And that's the message I always want to preach and give out is for us to be as one. And I think, I know I'm giving a long speech right now. I'm talking. I'm

just blabbering. I'll be doing that. But I think the power that you have, give me is the ability to lead in that way. You know what I'm saying? Because you got leaders over here and you got leaders over here. But you don't got any leaders in the middle that's trying to, you know what I mean, elevate everybody in the same direction. And that's what we need. We need some leaders that that's in the middle to bring over here and over here together more. You know what I'm saying? And I'm hoping to have a large role or impact. I don't know how yet. I'm just going to pray on it and ask God to give me the voice of the direction. Do you feel like the MMA space is kind of in that place for you to become that middleman right now?

Because I know with all these changes in the world and the pressures and all that stuff that you mentioned, it can be tough to kind of like jump right in there and plant your feet in that middle ground. But do you feel like the state of MMA and state of the UFC kind of gives you that opportunity right now? Do you see like a path towards it? Oh, most definitely. because the UFC is probably one of the largest sports in the world, right? Everyone thinks football is, but football is an American sport. The UFC is worldwide, you know.

And it's proven that in times of crisis, like when COVID happened, they went to Abu Dhabi and did, you know what I'm saying? So the platform there that it's given fighters is incredible. And I'm hoping that it'll give me a very, large platform to be able to do God's work and do whatever it is I'm supposed to do. Because I can't, I don't know. You know what I mean? I can just say things that I want to do, but I don't know what it is I'm going to do or what

is I'm going to be able to do. I just know the possibilities are endless. And I want to be on the possibility train. There you go. I think we all want to be on the possibility train. Right. Whoever wants to conduct that train, sell me a ticket. I'm on it.

I want to ask you about this. I haven't had a chance to ask a fighter about this yet, but since you're here and we're having this great conversation, I'm going to do it. One thing that's become like a hot topic over the last several days when it relates to MMA and the media and the people surrounding it, I don't know if you saw this, but Cub Swanson came out and stated that members of the MMA media

should have three amateur MMA fights because it will give us a much more, I guess, renowned perspective on the sport. So I'm curious, like, What are your thoughts on that? Because you're managed by a company that does a tremendous job getting you guys and gals out there to tell your stories, to talk about what's going on. And you've done quite a bit of interviews over the last couple of years with lots of

different people in this space O'Day. What do you think of that? I would say if he said judges and referees should have three fights, then I would agree with that. but he's talking about people who are media platform interviewers. No, I think that's ridiculous. I don't think they should have three. I don't think you need to fight to interview somebody. You know what I mean?

All you got to do is if you watch the sport religiously and you do your homework right and you study and you do you watch film and you do what you need to do everything you need to do. You don't need to have fights to interview somebody. I think judging is different though. But I don't think you need to have any fights to interview somebody. I think that's, nah. I don't think that because not everyone is a fighter. You know what I'm saying?

Some people just like to be an anchor. Some people just like to be a reporter. Some people like to interview people, you know. A lot of people don't like to fight. And that's just that. You can't say that, you know, even though you don't want to fight and you don't like fighting, you got to fight in order to be, an interviewer like or anchor like I think that's kind of silly I think I think you just kind of like even

even if you just like train I think he kind of like even that too but the three amateur fights I was like yeah I don't know yeah yeah no it's because that's the man the people is this a serious game right this is this is a serious sport you know what I'm saying training like yeah training I can get behind but fighting I wouldn't just put you know anybody in there and say you should do this or that and trying to get your heads busted up. It's just to be a reporter like, nah. Yeah, I mean, I don't want to go in there and spend 26 seconds with you O'Day. That's crazy.

My wife would never let me do it anyway. So there you go. So, yeah, so 26 seconds, man. You get in there. This thing is over. And what's interesting about Jerome Rivera is that he has a style where, I mean, he's a big dude. So he can use his distance very well. And if he gets comfortable in his distance, he can make things very, very frustrating.

for the guy's fight. Like, Alex and de Volkov does a tremendous job with that. Once he figures that all out and uses that space to his advantage, it is tough to take that away from him. And you didn't give Jerome a chance to get going whatsoever. So getting in and out of there in less than 30 seconds, it's great. It's a short night. But after a year away, was there a part of you that's like, that's it? 13 months away in 26 seconds? No, because the way I was thinking was, I wanted it to be finished early just so I can get another fight. I don't want to wait another year to fight. I want to fight within like two months, you know. So I was happy because that meant that I can fight, I can fight right away again.

Well, that makes sense. But you had, and you had a name ready to go too, Francisco Figuerrego, which I actually thought it was a very smart callout because why didn't he just beat Jerome, got a decision and you put him away in 26 seconds. I liked it. Plus, he's obviously the brother of the current champion at 125 pounds. So what did, did you watch the fight between Francisco and Jerome? What did you think of it?

I thought it was a good fight. I thought he looks, you know what I mean, in the first couple rounds, like, I thought he was, he seems like a fun fighter, like somebody that I would love to fight. Like, I just, you know what I mean? Because he, he just seems like his style is very, like he's, he's fun, you know what I mean?

And I probably will have the largest reach in the bandweight, sorry, in the flywood division, probably. I don't know who has a greater reach advantage of me, I flyweight, but I saw, you know, in that third round, he was kind of letting Jerome get his reach off on him. And I was like, oh, okay. But then, you know, they both, they were kind of going at it. Like I said, that third round, like, I was like, I saw Jerome come, you know, I thought he was going to come back for a second. But, no, I thought it was a good fight.

I watched it. And I was just kind of like, I analyzed it. And I was like, you know, like, eh. I was like, yeah. It looked like, you know what I'm saying? It was a fight. Yeah, I didn't see anything spectacular. All right, fair enough.

So perfect world, when do you want to get back in there? Is this like get me in there ASAP kind of thing? Less than two months in the perfect world. There you go. So I know a lot of people have asked you about the bonus. And with the way you're approaching your career, I mean, listen, you've got these goals, you have these aspirations. We just talked about it.

but you're also trying to like enjoy this journey along the way. Like you're not in any significant rush, but you're the kind of guy that like when the time comes, the time comes. So how did you react when you didn't get the 50 Gs? Like was that the mentality you sort of took with getting that news where it seemed like, hey, it's probably coming. But if it doesn't happen now, not the end of the world,

it's going to happen like the next fight of the fight after that. That's what it was. It was like, if it doesn't happen now, you know, but I was watching the fight, it's like, oh, man, I'm going to get it. And right when that flying knee happened, I was like, oh, you know, but here's the thing, man. I can't be ungrateful. You know what I'm saying?

And I am grateful for what God has presented to me right now. And there was a moment where I was kind of like, man, I really wanted that 50G. I really wanted that bonus. But then I had to stop. And, like, you know, people were asking me interview. People, so many people interviewed, so many people interviewed me about that 50G. And I had to like take a step back.

Like, you know what? No, man, you're good, man. And this is that hunger. Like this is that hunger. All it is, really is that I'm like a nobody right now in the UFC. And so I got to make a name for myself. That's all, you know what I mean? I got to make them know who I am.

So that gives me motivation to kind of, you know, hey, here's somebody that you all never heard about. I want to wrap with this because I thought this was very cool. And I think it was in October. You posted this video to your Instagram, and it's you in the middleweight champion of the world, Israel Adasanya, and he wanted to do a video for, like, students in your class, like the ones that watch anime and are big fans of it. And it was just something like he wanted to do for them. I mean, this is the UFC middleweight champion. This is one of the biggest stars in the

sport. You know, and you're a young guy. You've had one fight in your UFC career. And then he comes through with some cool content for the kids like that. That's awesome, man. What do that mean to you and to them? It was, when I tell you, like, Izzy and I, when I tell you, we clicked right away at the PI. Like, we saw, like, we clicked. It was just like, we had the same exact energy. Our energy was so in unison. It was crazy. It was crazy.

I'd watch the video with him, and he said, you know, when he sees a kid and the kid doesn't want to, like, freak out because he sees him, and then he'll look at him and I'll kind of give the kid a wink and then their eyes light up and they smile and he was telling me he was saying in the interview that that's like his, that's like the greatest moment for him is when he can make somebody's day like that. So when I saw him, I was like,

give him a little wink. And so he knew right away I was talking about. And so we kind of just hit it off. And it was just, it was just amazing that he just was like, yeah, let's do it. You know, we started talking about the kids that I work with and I was telling him, because I'm a big fan of anime.

made myself. That's, you know, I, I, I watch anime religiously. So we were talking about that right off the bat. And then we started talking about the kids that work with. And he's like, oh, we should do a video. Let's do it. And it was just, it was so awesome that, you know, he just, he, he took the time and was scheduled for a, like, a physical therapy appointment. And he took the time. And I think he, I don't, I don't know if he went and did that appointment. I think he might have, but he stopped what he was doing and came upstairs and did that video with me. And I thought that was so dope. Like it was unbelievable.

You know what I'm saying? Because sometimes, you know, man, when you're one of the people that are the champion or any of that, they have a, you know, like a chip on his shoulder. And they have like, like, not, I wouldn't say a chip, but they have kind of like their ego. They don't want to, they walk around like, you know, like they're the greatest. And, ah. And he was not like that at all. And it's good to see that because that's what I want to be like someday when I get to that pinnacle. You know, I want to be able to, that's my biggest fear.

And I've heard this before from Khabib, and I see it. I see it. But my biggest fear is this whole game changing me as a person and getting me shipped me away from God and what I really believe in and what I stand for. you know what I'm saying that's I heard that from Khabib once and I was like dude that's crazy that I think about that all the time like I really think about that like you know am I going to change like I don't you know what I'm saying I try to be that's why I try to ground myself so much because I don't want to change I want to be the same person I want to be this the O'Day Osborne that you're interviewing now and the same oldie Osborne that you'll interview you know five years from now that's that's amazing it's got to

give you just some like great hope for that too like that future like being around a guy like is he it's just going to be like huh see this is this is this is Yeah. This might not be the easiest thing to do, but it's there. It's, we, we, I can do this. 100%, man. It gave, it gave me a lot of, a lot of good energy going into where I want to go. Amazing performance, O'Day.

I mean, spectacular stuff. And I've said this, and I don't even know if you've ever even heard me say this, but I've said this many times over the last year and a half on, like, various programs that I bet on. I just think this sport needs more O'Day Osbournes. I think it does. I'm very happy for you, man. I appreciate that, man.

I appreciate that. like that means that means the world to me like I said I really appreciate that and I try my heart is just to be me and I think in 2021 I made a decision I made a really I think the decision this decision I made will forever change the course of my career and just to be the captain of my ship you know what I'm saying I want to be able to dictate what I enjoy doing and what I like to do and have suggestions. For instance, you're an anchor. You want to be able to dictate how you want your show to go or your interviews to go or the questions to ask, right?

When you have people writing your questions for you and when you have people telling you, here's what you should wear to work, it makes your job a lot more difficult, right? But then now when you take over and you say, you know what, these are the questions that I want to ask. And this is what I want to wear to work. It makes your, man, it makes life so much easier. And I think it's made my 2021 just much better, you know, saying no to people that I've always said yes to doing things, how I want to do it. And not just that, but my coaches have been just amazing. And, you know, transitioning my style to formulate me.

Because my ceiling is, it's ridiculous, right? My ceiling is ridiculous. And I'm not just saying that as an ego thing. I just know where I am. And I'm just like, I'm just scratching the surface of the things I can do. You know what I'm saying? Like, I'm just scratching that surface. And I'm like, oh, I just figured out some other stuff that I, you know, I've been working on.

Like, oh, man, I'm starting getting better at this. I'm starting to get better at this. I'm starting to get better at that. I'm starting to get better at that. You know what I'm starting to figure out all these things that I'm getting better and better. and better and better at. And my coaches just like, yeah, let's keep pushing it. Let's keep getting you better. You know what I'm saying? And it's not, they're not trying to restrict me. Like, oh, no, you're getting too far out the box. You got to come back in the box.

And I want you to fight just this way. You know, they're not, they're not doing that. They're like, all right, let's keep, let's keep piling it on, piling it on, pile it on, you know, so. The guy just gets it, folks. Great win for O'Day Osborne. We will see what is next for him. He wants Francisco Figuerreedo. like the call out. It's a good call out. And, uh, you know, make that move coming off that big finish as we get ready to wrap things up here on the program this week. One more guest to go, but before that happens, just want to thank everyone once again for watching, listening to the show. It means a lot.

We're trying to like build this foundation here. And for those helping with that along the way, thank you very much. Also, big shout out to the crew, Casey Leiden on the production, Alex Savis and Jose Young's on all the cool graphics you see, even my son Grayson for attacking me with his on the preview show on Friday. I appreciate it very much. As always, ladies and gentlemen, have a heck of a week, everybody. We will leave you.

Oh, my God. This is not playing that way. You may think this is like a bit. It's really not. He's standing on the stairs and he just likes to find openings. But we're going to leave you with my chat with another big winner

from UFC 258 this past Saturday night. Anthony Fluffy Hernandez. Good night. Everybody. Grabbing me crazy. All right, a little over 12. hours ago, we saw this man pull off a huge upset, submitted, not just beat, not just finished, but submitted Haddafa Vienna in the feature preliminary bout of UFC 258, massive win

for one Anthony Fluffy Hernandez, who is kind enough to join us on this Sunday afternoon. Anthony, how are you, man? I'm great, man. Thank you for asking. So how does it all feel, man? I mean, you come in there. Everyone sort of expected this to be sort of the Hidalpha Vieta showcase power hour. And you went in there and spoiled the plans, man.

How does it all feel about 12 hours later? Honestly, it's just another day for me. I'm just getting started. Like I said, I had to get my mental state right. I'm back to like what I was supposed to be at. And when I'm at my best mental, I'm unbeatable, I believe. and this is just the beginning. So it's not like a big deal to me.

I really don't care. It's just one more step. It's not a big deal. So when everyone's like throwing these stats of you and the betting lines, like none of that meant anything to you? Fuck them. I mean, I was in, I'm not afraid of being an underdog.

It's a fight. As soon as you start getting hit, it changes. They can always bet against me, but I'm going to bring my egg in. And when I'm, when I want it, I'm going to get it. So, it's simple as that. So when you got the call about this matchup specifically,

I was told that you didn't even know who Hadolfo Vietta was. You were just, like, your manager was like, yeah, how about this guy? So did you learn about him along the way? Like, how did that all work? They told me, my manager is like, hey, we got this fight offer. I'm like, okay, I don't give him a fuck. Let's, uh, if the coach are cool, then let's do it. And then, yeah, just went from that.

But, yeah, no, I didn't know who he was. And then there's like, how do you not know that it was? He's a fucking legend or something shit. And then they just sent me a bunch of, like, should have been like, okay, good, but, cool. And then, yeah. That's wild, man. So then just, you know, the buildup to the fight and everything,

it just seems like, it's one of those situations. We just had, like, you had no pressure on you. You just went in there, you had a chance to fight, your mental hit stability. seemed to be in a really good place. Plus not having the weight of all that. Everyone just expected Hadoffel to go in there and beat you. You went in there and spoiled the plans, like we said.

Did you feel that way? Like there was no pressure on you. This is just your chance to go in there and just have some fun. I mean, I don't know. I don't really like no other pressure, but I have like my own pressure, like situations of shit, you know? So for me it was like I didn't get my kids in house and shit. So like I'm willing to kill someone from my kids. and that was like the pressure I had

going into that race and then I wanted to prove myself because my last showing wasn't the greatest so like I felt a little bit of pressure but it's a fight if you don't feel if you don't have feelings then you're not human you know we're all human in the sport so feelings are good

it's just what you do with them you know you talked about having to put yourself like in a better place mentally what sort of changes did you make And do you sort of remember the moment where you're like, all right, I have to change this part of my game up? I had just personal family shit going on. So I just figured it out. We hand this shit like adults.

And now I'm just mentally, I'm good. And then losing my father was like a big, big fuck up for me because I was like my best friend. But I'm past that now and we just keep moving forward. And then heading in there, you know, the fights playing out, he gets you to the ground right away. And most people are watching like, oh, man, like this could be rough. But you, you survived the onslaught. And then you got back to your feet. And everything changed momentum-wise.

Did you know that he was, like, in big trouble from that point that you had basically taken his best? And, you know, he was starting to completely gas out from that point. Yeah. Me and my coaches knew first round was going to be the hardest. They're like, all right, just survive the first. Or if it goes bad, just. stay calm and they're like, don't like veer from the plan

and all, it's all gonna work out. And we knew I had a gas thing on me. So we weren't afraid to push it, you know? And, uh, things got a little bumpy at first, but I think we stayed calm and we kept, we just kept on coming and then shit played out in my favor. Was it,

was he close to, to stopping it all? Was, did it get, did it get hairy in your mind? Or were you calm, cool, collected the entire? entire time. I was cool. I was cool. I was like, awesome. I was trying to get my elbow. I was like, I got, get it down, get it down. I just listened to my coaches. Yeah, I listened to my

coaches and they're to think that. I've had a great camp. They put together a beautiful plan for me. And then I've had the right training partners for this. So yeah, it was like, there was no doubt in my mind going to this fight that I couldn't fuck this guy out. The first, the first round, like we said, it played out the way it did. You took all the momentum at the end of the first. And then the second, you started lighting him up. Like, it got to the math for a little bit. You even landed like that, that Holly home to Rhonda Rousey kick.

Like, you both got to the feed and, like, he just turned right into the head kick. Were you surprised how durable he was? Yeah, no, fuck yeah, it was. I kicked him in the head. I was like, God damn. And I, like, hit him with that knee, the flying knee. And I hit him with two elbows. I was like, all right, this is my bug is not going.

So it's going to be plan B. I was like, you could tell he didn't want to. to be in there no more. I took into like a dark place. So when he shot, I was like, all right, let's get this choke. So going in, was there a part of you that I was like, you know, it'd be pretty damn cool if I submit this guy? I, I, he, ADCC champion. Like, if I go in there and submit him, like, no, we'll ever expect that. Was there a part of you that's like, I want to prove that point to everybody? It wasn't even about like ADC shit. Like, an honest, a best shit does not

mean shit to me. That's like, you just like, you just, like, you just, So well, that's awesome credentials, but this is going to admit. Hold on, buddy, want. Shit, what was I saying? My kid came in here. It's okay. No, I hear you, man. I got a seven-year-old.

Just his credentials being an ADCC multiple-time champion. Oh, yeah. No, I told my touch is way before the fight. I was like, I'm going to submit him. I'm like, no, you're not going to do that. Do not go on the fucking floor with this guy? And I was like, all right, but what if I submit him, do I get a strap muscles out?

and then yeah I mean I just had to put some icing on the cake for them because they were yelling no no no no no I'm going to the ground you got that sorry but I got it you just know when you got something sometimes

and I knew I could get that so you got the stripe now right like no doubt about they handed it to you they probably put it out I'm not yet so I'm open oh it has even like it's not even done yet No

Hopefully when I get home Fuck That's insane Not At least like a promise to pay A PTP They give you a piece of paper Like when you get home

We will give you the stripe Nothing like that Nothing no I'm just hoping it's the best But you know martial arts You're not supposed to ask for that shit But hopefully I think I earned one I know

Oh you definitely did I know heading into the fight, like you just said, like you didn't think about any of that stuff, the credentials, like that's Jiu-Jitsu, this is MMA. I don't know if you're aware of this, but you are the first fighter in UFC history to submit an ADCC champion in the UFC. Did you know that?

No, but that's fucking awesome. Hell yeah, I'll dig it. Does that mean it? Like, what does that mean to you just hearing that for the first time? That's fucking dope. I'm not going to get too excited about it because I plan on keeping this shit going, you know? Um, just one more step towards what I want to accomplish.

Do you feel like this is the break, like sort of the breakout performance for you where people will start, you know, I feel like the big storyline heading into last night was, you know, put some respect to my name. And it wasn't just for your fight. It was for, for, for, for Usman and Burns for a lot of fights. Do you feel that way about yourself right now? No, for sure for damn sure. I've been doing this shit for a long time. I've been like committed to my dreams. I was 15 years old.

So I've seen this in my head a thousand times. And it's just one step closer to like what I want. Like I said, I plan on being in here for a long time and being in the top soon. So just keep that momentum going for me. Where do we go from here? I know right now you probably want to hang out the family, eat a little breakfast, enjoy the fruits of your labor, so to speak. But in terms of fighting, go back home, smell the rose a little bit.

You know, what are you kind of thinking about for your next move? So I got to figure out my hand's broken because I can't move it this morning. I felt it in the first round when I hit him. It was like my hand just went numb and I was like, oh, fuck, I think I bug it. And the right hand was there all day, so I had to keep going regardless, you know. I guess just figure out what's up with my hand. And like I said, I don't give a buck who I fight. I'll figure out a way to beat them.

Just get in there. Yeah. But I do want to be active this year. So hopefully his hand's not fucked up. And it's just like in pain. There you go. And then you kind of want to have like, like we saw what Kevin Holland did last year. I know you shared the ox going with him for a few.

It didn't go your way. But, you know, he took the opportunity to stay active and got in this great position. Do you see yourself sort of doing something similar to that this year? You feel like you could be that guy? I want to do that. I really do as long as I can keep myself fucking healthy. But yes, I would love to. to do that.

What do we fucking been killing it? Congratulations to him, man. Did you see his, uh, did you see his sweet at all? No, I don't even have like, I don't know how to get on Twitter. I played out tonight, but no. No, I didn't see it. He had some, I mean, he, he gave you props to the win, but in his own, like, kind of silly way where he, you know, when, when he sees his former opponents who he beat, like, get wins,

he roots for them along the way, but he kind of calls them like his kids. Oh, good. to see my kid, like, come through and get a big win. You know what I mean? But it was nice things to say. He's cool. I get it. Like, that's part of his persona.

He's a cool cat. I'm like, I should have joined with him after the fine. We just bullshit you for a minute. But, yeah, tell him, listen, thanks. Yeah. And then. Then you get the bonus too on a card like this, which is pretty cool. What do we, uh, what are we going to do with the, how big was that bonus for you?

Um, honestly, it was huge. Now I can get my kids to house they fucking deserve. and, you know, just keep it going. There you go, man. Well, I appreciate the time. I don't want to keep you too much longer. I know you want to hang out with your family. You just won a crazy-ass fight.

Got yourself a bonus. And congratulations, man. I mean, really, just incredible stuff. It was, in my opinion, the moment of the card. Everyone jumped out of their steeds. They couldn't believe it. And what a way to start off 2021 for you, man. Congratulations.

And enjoy the time and enjoy the one with your family, man. Well, dude. Thank you, man. You're listening to the Vox Media Podcast Network. Thank you.