PBD Podcast - "I'll Submit Him" – Ilia Topuria CALLS OUT Islam Makhachev, OPENS UP On Putin & Russia

Episode Date: April 11, 2025

Undefeated UFC champ Ilia Topuria joins Patrick Bet-David to talk about his legacy, fighting Islam Makhachev, out-earning Ronaldo, and his journey from Georgia to global stardom. Raw, confident, and d...eeply personal.------👕 GET THE LATEST VT MERCH: ⁠https://bit.ly/3BZbD6l⁠📕 PBD'S BOOK "THE ACADEMY": ⁠https://bit.ly/41rtEV4⁠📰 VTNEWS.AI: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/3OExClZ⁠🎙️ FOLLOW THE PODCAST ON SPOTIFY: ⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/4g57zR2⁠🎙️ FOLLOW THE PODCAST ON ITUNES: ⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/4g1bXAh⁠🎙️ FOLLOW THE PODCAST ON ALL PLATFORMS: ⁠https://bit.ly/4eXQl6A⁠📱 CONNECT ON MINNECT: ⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/4ikyEkC⁠👔 BET-DAVID CONSULTING: ⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/3ZjWhB7⁠🎓 VALUETAINMENT UNIVERSITY: ⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/3BfA5Qw⁠📺 JOIN THE CHANNEL: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/4g5C6Or⁠💬 TEXT US: Text “PODCAST” to 310-340-1132 to get the latest updates in real-time!ABOUT US:Patrick Bet-David is the founder and CEO of Valuetainment Media. He is the author of the #1 Wall Street Journal Bestseller “Your Next Five Moves” (Simon & Schuster) and a father of 2 boys and 2 girls. He currently resides in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

Transcript
Discussion (0)
Starting point is 00:00:00 I really know that I have the ability to shock the world. You're fight ready. You think he's fight ready to go up against you today? Him? Yeah. No. I finished him in the first round. Me personally, I would ask him like, what's your favorite submission?
Starting point is 00:00:19 I'm going to submit you with that. I have to do it. Did you say you want to make more money than Ronaldo? I want to make more money than everyone. Why is that? And how are you going to do it? You win the medals in the training. You just go to collect them in the fight. That's what Michael would talk about. Yeah, but at the end of the day, he was playing basketball, no one fighting.
Starting point is 00:00:42 What do you think about Zelensky, Putin? There's how the world sees it, but then you're in the region. They see your face is saying something though. Look how fat he looks. Little pimple. Little pimple? Yeah, party pimple, pimp look.
Starting point is 00:01:00 You're waiting for that phone call, huh? I'm waiting, I'm very excited to be honest. Sport is sport, we athletes, I respect all of that. But there are lines that you take sweet victories You know this life meant for me Adam, what's your point? The future looks bright My handshake is better than anything I ever signed, right here
Starting point is 00:01:36 You are a 101? My son's right there, bro I think I've ever said this before I'm the one. Life that they have, like business-wise, it's not the best place. Spain. Spain. But it's your favorite place no matter what. Like the quality of life that we have in Spain, you can find it anywhere in the world.
Starting point is 00:01:58 Like for example, in Miami. I love Miami, but we are recording. Yes, we're recording. Okay, so the quality of the food and everything, it's very different in Spain. Not close to Spain. Not close to Spain. So the food is the best for you in Spain.
Starting point is 00:02:15 The product, then the traffic. I spent an hour to come here. I would be in Spain this distance, I will be there like, don't know in 30 minutes So how how much time we spend? Yeah, do you spend here in the traffic? That's quality of life Like food traffic. I don't know. Everything's so expensive You can you can make a lot of money. Are you very detailed like are you a very detailed guy like, you know personality wise in business you know
Starting point is 00:02:48 when you Try to profile somebody you're recruiting somebody. You're like, let me see what personality this person is extremely analytical Extremely structured organized like you had a little bit of thing. You have to go clean it up with the shirt, right? Extremely action-oriented. Let's go out. What are we going to do, let's beat them, let's be competitive, you know? And then relationship, very good with people, right? You care about the relationship and all that stuff. Are you more analytical, structured, systematized, action-oriented, competitive, or more relationship with friends and family? More relationship with friends and family.
Starting point is 00:03:21 I'm more with energy, like with feelings. It depends how I feel with the person, because I can have a lot of information, for example, about someone, but then I met him in person and the feeling I have with him is completely different. So, yeah. Very interesting. I ask that because when you're saying quality of life, to think quality of life of the conversation we're having, you have to be
Starting point is 00:03:48 analytical a little bit to pay attention to the details to say it took me one hour to come up but it would have been 30 minutes where I live you know you got it. I have two kids if you if you are rising kids you gotta take them to the school you gotta take them to two school, you gotta take them to different activities. So if I have to spend between every activities an hour in the traffic, that's a lot of time for me. So at the end of the day, I gotta have to take something from them to optimize their time.
Starting point is 00:04:20 So I look at it from time, time-wise Very and you're very active with your kids? Are you very involved? My kid, my boy, he doesn't live with me, my girl. She's eight months old, but we are like planning everything now like where are we gonna live? Where are we gonna rise them? How are we gonna do it? So I'm planning, I'm 20 years old.
Starting point is 00:04:46 And you're just getting started. I'm getting started. You're just getting started. So you're what? You're 16 and 0. You won the 145 after winning against Vogue, which was in, the fight was fireworks. Did you watch the fight? Of course, yeah, it's fireworks.
Starting point is 00:05:00 And then afterwards you give up the belt to go to the legendary 155, right? Where everybody, that's like the weight, everybody knows it's the category to be a pilot. I don't even know if, if you look up Rob, who are the top five biggest fights? I think five for five, it's all the lightweight, right? Yeah, it is all lightweight.
Starting point is 00:05:20 Cause it's Connor Khabib, I think it's Connor. I think he's retired. I think he's retired. You think he's retired? Yeah, I think so. He's not gonna come back. What do you think happened to him? You think it's the money and the success? I think that he doesn't have the motivation anymore.
Starting point is 00:05:38 He done great things in the sport, but he doesn't have the motivation. He got, I think, a lot of money. he got I think a lot of money he's spending also a lot of money so I don't know I don't know him personally I don't know him you guys have never met never so there's no relationship no because he said some stuff about you and you've said some stuff about him yeah but nothing good yeah nothing good so So if right now you guys were to fight like right now right now Let's just say in two weeks. He gets a call. Yeah, and a fight happens your fight ready You think he's fight ready to go up against you today him? Yeah. No, I don't think so what he knows what he did in the last two weeks
Starting point is 00:06:19 Party drinking beers while I did in the last two weeks. I trained twice a day I don't know. I'm an active fighter. I defend my belt a couple of months ago. When was the last time he fought? He fought on three years ago four years ago He's not in shape Your peak like right now you you some would even say you're not even at your peak yet. Yeah. Because you're still getting better, right? You're 28. How old are you? 28. 28 years old. So some of these guys, they peaked at 32, 33, 31. That's the age, right? You're at 28. Your peak versus Conor's peak, who wins that fight? At 155, let's just say.
Starting point is 00:07:07 My answer is going to be always me. Every day, all day, I'm going to beat that guy. No matter when and where. But if you ask him, he's going to tell you probably the same. So you know how it works. This is a sport. No one's going to give up. When you were coming up, was he somebody you looked up to where you're like, you know was Connor your guy Were you a fan of his when you were coming up as a young fighter? Yeah, of course, of course He inspired a lot of fighters. He changed the sport He did so many great things for for for the sport. You can say like anything different about about that But he he he like little by little, he changed his values, he changed everything.
Starting point is 00:07:49 Like right now, what does he represent? I always used to say like drugs, alcohol, bad lifestyle, but who gives a fuck. Do you watch closely to make sure you you like as you're going through it? Are you also watching in very detailed on the decisions you're making to see how you're living because you're watching? Okay, this is what this guy did right. That's what this guy did wrong Are you studying everybody to see what for yourself to be protected up? Of course, of course I always try to develop my skills.
Starting point is 00:08:25 I always try to have more abilities because at the end of the day, you skills make you rich, right? Not the money. Because if you don't have the skills, you don't have the right mentality, you are poor. So I all the time try to develop my skills and my abilities. And when going with someone like you, because I think you said one time, you said you wanna make, did you say you wanna make more money than Ronaldo?
Starting point is 00:08:50 I think you said you wanna make more money than Ronaldo. I wanna make more money than everyone. Why is that? And how are you gonna do it? Okay, let's switch that a little bit. It's not like I want to be better than someone. It's like if someone could do it, I want to do it also. And if no one did it, I want to be the first one to do it. So this is the mental. It's not to look down to someone.
Starting point is 00:09:20 It's not because of that. I want to experience that that also how it feels to be the the number one guy Well, why not right you're saying pay wise Yeah, do you have a strategy on how you want to do it? Have you thought about it? Have you thought about what method you're going to have because I looked at the pay On what you've gone earlier. We were talking to the guys And uh when I look at this your first fight
Starting point is 00:09:45 I don't know if it's your first fight, but one of your first fights that you made thirty eight thousand five hundred October 10 2020 then you made 50 K then 75 then 90 then you made 154 with Bryce Mitchell one of your good friends and then And then you made 200 thou with Josh Emmett then you made 532 And then you made 200,000 with Josh Emmett, then you made 532,000 fighter of the year 2024 with Volk, and then you made 2.44 million with Holloway. So roughly career earnings, 3.5 million. And you know, this is a very good trajectory. This is a stock, there's some real good things around the corner for you, right?
Starting point is 00:10:23 Fight-wise. It's not only fight-wise, it's also business-wise. That's why I try to develop all the time my skills, you know, whatever, because at some point I'm going to retire and I'm going to make a living from something else. Got it. How much longer do you think you'll be fighting? You're 28 now till I enjoy it to be honest before I used to be like maybe when I I'm 30 or 32 but now till I enjoy I
Starting point is 00:10:54 Will be will be active. How old was Khabib when he retired? I think 32 was he 32 32 Yeah, you're right 32 September 20 1988 when he retired Interesting, but right now you're enjoying it 32 September 20, 1988 when he retired. Interesting. But right now, you're enjoying it, you see yourself going for a few more years. Exactly. Okay. Like now.
Starting point is 00:11:12 I have a new motivation, new division. I have a lot of guys there, so why not? What's the, because I watched, I had Khabib on, I don't know when it was, I did an interview with Khabib four years ago, could have been three years ago, maybe four or five years ago, probably four years ago. See, pull up the date, Rob, to see when this is. What is the date on this here?
Starting point is 00:11:35 August 21st, 2023. Okay, I thought it was a lot longer than that. So that's what, Rob, a year and a half ago? Soon to be two years, okay? I had him on and I watched, there's a clip what Rob, year and a half ago? Soon to be two years, okay. I had him on and I watched, there's a clip, Rob if you have the clip of Khabib being asked about you and he's asking a question about whether you're ready and I'm sure you've seen this yourself.
Starting point is 00:11:59 I'm sure you've seen the comments that he made. I don't know if you've seen it or not. If you haven't, Rob I wanna text it over to you. There's an interview he's being asked about whether you're ready to fight, whether you've earned the right to fight for the number one spot. Have you seen this clip yet of Khabib talking about you
Starting point is 00:12:17 or no? I have watched some of them. I watched with Henry, yeah. You've seen this. Okay, play this clip Rob for the audience if they haven't seen it go for it I'm for you. He said you know what? I want to go up to 155 pounds fight the number one contender and then if he wins that then he fights Islam I think that's good brother. I think he deserves
Starting point is 00:12:34 I think if you move up and we beat somebody like Dustin Portia or Charlie Vera He's next why not? So you don't think right now Ilya deserves a a shock at a hundred fifty five pounds without fighting in one fifty five without no I don't know it because it's I'm already give chance and people talk bad about Like oh he fight two times with Balkanowski But the UFC was this fight and this fight was good in first fight But why is some have to give three times chance for 145 champion? Why? It's not fair for 155 pounds. Right, right, but.
Starting point is 00:13:07 But if he move up and he beat somebody like Charles Alireyra, of course, you know what I think? Yeah. I think he can beat him. Yeah. I think he can beat him. I like Charles, but I think so too. No, I think.
Starting point is 00:13:18 I think. Ilya can beat him. Ilya. He's saying that I don't deserve it, but he's saying from a fighter's perspective. But as a promoter, it works a little bit different. So now you're thinking Dana. Yeah. Got it.
Starting point is 00:13:38 So you think Dana would be excited about you fighting Dustin or Charles? I don't think so. I don't think so. Right. That will be a making a step back I think. Yeah. I understand what he's saying but I tell you who I want to see as a fan. I'm talking purely as a fan. Okay. If there is the fight with you and Islam, that could be one of the biggest pay-per-views if that takes place. I think so also. Look, Henry Cejulo, you watch him in the video, he moved up, he fought for the second belt. Conor, he fought for the second belt.
Starting point is 00:14:15 George St. Pierre, he fought for the second belt. I can mention you so many names that fought for that second belt. Why not me? That had that opportunity to fight for the next weight class war championship for the belt. So right now with where you're at, are you wanting your next to be that? I'm sure that that's gonna happen. I'm fighting for the belt.
Starting point is 00:14:42 Okay, so right now you gave the belt back at 145. I gave it because I didn't want to hold the division. This is what I did. I could hold it for a year, year and a half, but I didn't because at the end I knew that I wouldn't fight again in 145, but I could have the position where I would say like listen I'm holding the belt till you give me the chance to fight for the for for the next weight class belt but I'm like I'm locating the belt because they gave me the world that was all easy. Who is the ranking right now in 155? The number one is Charles Oliveira and the champion is Islam. I don't know who is the number two.
Starting point is 00:15:34 Can you look at that Rob? I'm curious now because I is Charles' number, oh Arman is number two. Arman number two. So would you fight an Arman before you go like let's just say Dana says I want you to fight Arman before you fight Islam. Would you entertain that? He wouldn't tell me that. He wouldn't tell you that? No. Dana would say Islam. He would say for the belt. He would say for the belt? Yeah. I think so as well because you're undefeated. Of course. Yeah. There's no way that I have to fight to do the number one contender. I have to fight directly for the belt
Starting point is 00:16:11 How soon you think that would happen Personally, I don't know I hope in summer Maybe in September. I don't know whenever it happens. It's gonna be how does it normally happen? I'm not in your world Do you okay? Do you do you normally make the call and tell Dana or do you kind of do the podcast and kind of find a way? That the video makes it to Dana or does he call you and tell you never works like that They call you they they tell you like I need you in this day in this place Do you have a warning or no? They just kind of call you and tell you I got a fight for you
Starting point is 00:16:43 I got a fight for you. I got a fight for you. Okay. This is how it works. Of course they like have a conversation with you because they want you to feel also comfortable with the day, with the place, with the opponent, with everything. Got it.
Starting point is 00:16:58 They figure out with you and you go after that. But at least what they do always with the champions is that they give you at least 12 weeks of preparation. If you're champion, they give you that 12 week respect. Yeah, because you need the training camp. You need to figure out how you're gonna do it, how you're gonna organize you, everything. I don't know, you gotta move your whole team.
Starting point is 00:17:25 Let me ask this question. For someone like you, you give me the idea, you're very meticulous, you're very detailed. Is your current training a regular training? Or is your current training, specific training, targeted for your next fight being Islam? Like psychologically, in your mind you you're already there? Yeah I have two names in my mind right now and and we
Starting point is 00:17:52 Focus all trainings in two names. It's Charles Charles and Islam in case if he says you're fighting Charles Yeah in case that he's he says that I gotta fight Charles I'm ready for that Yeah, in case that he says that I gotta fight Charles, I'm ready for that because I'm doing a lot of, we watching his fights, seeing his weaknesses, where he's doing, I don't know, where he's dangerous, all that, we study him, the same thing with Islam. He saw Paul, he moves a little bit different,
Starting point is 00:18:22 he tends to go for the takedowns, so we are preparing. I'm so excited. That's why, me, if someone asked me, like, I would love to fight with Islam, that would be a great one because I really know that I have the ability to shock the world. Because I know that for me, it's gonna be like, I know that I'm gonna beat him, but for the world, it's gonna be like, just what happened. The same thing that happened with Walk,
Starting point is 00:18:54 the same thing that happened with Max Holloway, no one ever knocked him out, no one did it. And it was like a surprise for everyone. But me personally, I always knew it. Before I walk in the octagon, I was like, thanks God to give me the opportunity to be the first one to knock him out. Where does the confidence come from? From hard work and dedication, and from God, I think so. And and I'm gonna sound a little bit repetitive but
Starting point is 00:19:26 I always prefer to to think about to have the kind of thoughts that make me feel happy that empowers me because I feel fear fear of course I do, but both of them, fear and faith demand you to believe that you never soft. I always prefer to believe in something that makes me feel happy. Fear? Yeah, fear. So you feel fear while you're going into the ring or at that point you're not... When you are in backstage you feel that.
Starting point is 00:20:07 You feel fear backstage. Of course. Adrenaline right here. Of course you do. Everyone does it. Everyone. How do you deal with it? How do you deal with it? I use it like from a positive way. I use it from like... I don't know. from like, I don't know, the first thing that happens where you are in backstage, your mind used to take you to the octagon and in reality you are in the backstage.
Starting point is 00:20:35 And I'm like, listen, right now I'm with my people, wrapping my hands, warm up, I don't know, whatever I'm doing, but I'm not fighting with anyone. So don't worry about I'm doing, but I'm not fighting with with anyone so Don't worry about anything. Just Save that energy because you are gonna need that that concentration that focus inside the octagon. So if you are able to Don't let your mind to travel to the future You are ahead of your opponents when you're backstage and your anxiety goes, is there anybody you want around you that brings you down?
Starting point is 00:21:09 No. Or is it like your brother calms you down? Is it a coach that calms you down? Or do you just want to be left alone to yourself to have the conversations in your mind yourself? Myself. Nobody else? Nobody else.
Starting point is 00:21:20 I just go, I watch myself in the mirror and I'm like, this is the person you have to beat. The person in the mirror?'m like this is the person you have to beat the person the mirror Yeah, this is the person. Yeah, this is the person. Yeah, are you listening to any music or no? I don't like whatever like oh, I play the music someone from my team plays the music. I don't have any I Don't have to say it in English. Ritual? Superstitiones.
Starting point is 00:21:47 Oh, superstitiones, got it. You're not superstitious. Yeah. You're not at all. Not at all. So you will step on a line, you won't step over a line. You're not, if you touch something, you won't have to touch it three times.
Starting point is 00:21:56 Exactly. You're not like that at all. No, no, no, no. Really? No, not at all. Why not? It's interesting. Because I don't like to depend on anything.
Starting point is 00:22:06 I'm like, you wake me up at four o'clock, you tell me that I got to fight with someone, I do it. I don't care. So that's why it's like I don't need my shorts. If I don't have my shorts, I have a bad luck, or if I'm not wearing this, or he's not able to come to watch my fight or whatever No, no, no, not your dad. I school nothing mentally. You're that ice cold
Starting point is 00:22:33 They call that ice cold. That's great. I don't know me nothing gets through nothing. I can walk like I Can go alone like just imagine that my coaches can come with me by my brother can come with me No one and I have to go alone, just imagine that my coaches can come with me, my brother can come with me, no one, and I have to go alone, no problem. Can anybody get under your skin? Does anybody get under your skin? You know what that means? You know what I'm saying?
Starting point is 00:22:57 Like somebody that knows to say something that triggers, they see your face is saying something though. I think the only person is my wife, probably. She's the only person, no one else I think. Seriously. I think so. That's very good. You know, because that is know, that is a big strength
Starting point is 00:23:26 of a lot of great ones, or like that. Some of it wanted it. Some people want it. Like Michael Jordan's was, he wanted you to say something to him. And then he would convince himself that you said something about him really bad. And then he wanted to kill you.
Starting point is 00:23:41 That's what Michael would talk about. You know? Yeah, but at the end of the day the day he was playing basketball, right? And I have enough of that energy that I wanna I wanna go in and take his head off. You know, I'm fighting What are you telling yourself when you're looking at your opponent? Are you telling anything yourself about the opponent right before the fight or no before the fight? No, I'm just telling to myself that I need myself called to be calculated. This is how I need myself.
Starting point is 00:24:09 Emotions underground. I don't need my emotions at that moment. Who taught you this? Who shared this with you? Is it a mentor, a coach, somebody, a book, or brother, or family, or no, it's just you? Maybe I read it somewhere because I used to read a lot of books but it was like I always had that kind of mentality and Also, I I proved it that it was working for me in the in the fights
Starting point is 00:24:37 so all the time I go in I'm like my emotions are under zero underground come true very calm. Yeah, because you know, when you think about rituals, right, like you're saying superstitious, I remember back in the days Diego Sanchez, I don't know if you remember Diego Sanchez, one of my favorite guys to watch, yes, yes, yes, and he was just fire, young, exciting.
Starting point is 00:25:06 Ali used to predict rounds, I'm to beat you in this round, right? Tyson used to look at the person in the eyes until the person looked away, like he wanted to kind of do that. Tyson Fury would sing after the fight and he would like to sing for the fighters. Manny Pacquiao would take ice showers, ice cold showers and pray before the fight. There was another guy, Liotto Machado, where he would drink urine before a fight. I don't know if you've heard this or not.
Starting point is 00:25:31 Very weird stuff that you think about before fights. You don't have no rituals like that. No ritual. I used to pray, of course. I used to pray and I used to, yeah, I used to pray. This is what I do all the time. I wake up in the morning I pray and I feel thankful about everything that's happening to me for
Starting point is 00:25:50 the opportunity and I think the gods before I'm getting the victory I'm thinking to him like thank you for the victory as a kid did you watch something a lot like are you you, you know, do you link your mindset to like a Rocky? Did you watch Gladiator? Were you a movie person? Did you watch somebody as a fighter coming up? Did you aspire to be somebody?
Starting point is 00:26:15 Did you look up to someone? What was it for you as a kid? As a kid, my coach in Gregoroma Wrestling, he used to say it like this, like, you win the medals in the training, you just go to collect them in the fight. So this is my mentality, I think. So I worked so hard, I know everything that I did, that I did everything that I did that I did everything that I could and There's no way that I'm not gonna walk out from that octagon with the victory This how I feel
Starting point is 00:26:52 Really What's the one fight where you Got a call for a fight. I think was two weeks out Where you got kicked on the side who was that? weeks out where you got kicked on the side, who was that? And Jai Herbert. That's right, Jai Herbert. And I think even Rogan talks about this, where he explains where you got kicked and then everybody's like, oh my God, this thing's done with.
Starting point is 00:27:16 And then boom, boom, boom, it's over with. Your opponents who you've gone up against, who have you fought where you sat there and when they hit you, obviously let's just say he's one of them, who hit you where you felt the pain or you saw their technical skills to say this guy is legit, this guy is very capable. Your opponents, people you've gone against. The last two opponents I had, Wolk and Max Holloway, they both were very skillful. What was different about Max versus Wolk? What was the difference between Max and Wolk? Good question, I never thought about that.
Starting point is 00:27:56 What was the difference? I don't know, what was the difference? I felt both of them like the same way, fast, very calculated. Like, they are smart people inside the Octagon. They have that fight IQ. You know what I mean? Normally I used to go inside the Octagon and I'm... I feel that I'm the smartest guy. But with them, I felt that they were smart also. Because you can be very powerful, very fast,
Starting point is 00:28:34 but if you don't have that mentality, you don't have that fight IQ. What does that mean, Elio? What does fight IQ mean? What does being smart in the ring? To use the technique at the right time. May you have a lot of information. One thing is what you know,
Starting point is 00:28:53 and the other thing is what you do with what you know. You know what I mean? To use it at the right time. So that's for me the fight IQ. When you need something and you use it at the right time for example I don't know if I feel that I can beat someone with only jabs I Go and I I don't switch this strategy The whole fight I do jobs jobs jobs jobs. I don't know how to explain to you
Starting point is 00:29:20 it's it's a little bit difficult to to explain from From a fighter's perspective. Yeah, but basically it's to choose the right technique at the right time and they were doing that. They know how to... Quitar de la paciencia. I don't know how to say that. Humberto, can you text that to me? Quitar de la apencia? Paziencia, take away the patience from you, you know, because you go in, you're very patient, you're very patient, but there are some kind of fighters that have the ability
Starting point is 00:29:59 to take you from your place, you know? And to make you play day game. Who did you fight that would talk to you and try to play mind games? Did anybody talk to you in the ring? No, no one talked to me in the ring. Usually they don't have time to talk to me. Ha ha ha. Ha ha ha.
Starting point is 00:30:20 Ha ha ha. Ha ha ha. Ha ha ha. Because I put so much pressure on them that they don't have the time. They don't have even time to breathe properly. What was it like fighting Bryce Mitchell? To be honest, he surprised me because he was the first person to take me down. And he had that proper technique for takedowns, but I don't know.
Starting point is 00:30:52 I just felt that I break him mentally, physically, everywhere. He was known as a great grappler. I submit him. Like, what you want me to do with you He's like, I don't know crazy guy the earth is flat and what okay Just suppose that the earth is flat and what we do with that information, bro So for the record you don't think to hurt this flat To be honest, I think that it's not flat because this is what they teach me since I was a kid.
Starting point is 00:31:30 But even if it's flat, what it changed to me? What I do with that information? OK, someone comes to me, the earth is flat. OK, you convinced me. And what happens now? What are you interested in? What other things are you interested in outside of fighting? I wanna serve the most amount of people that I can.
Starting point is 00:31:55 Serve? Yeah, serve, inspire, motivate people. You know, again, I ask that because right after you say, what is it to me to know about whether the earth is flat or not. What am I gonna do with that information? It's it's the way I hear it is I don't need additional information in my brain I just need to focus on the stuff that I need to study that's gonna get my life to the next level everything else Exactly, I don't need any distractions. Is that kind of how you see it? That's how I say like what Like what I do with that information.
Starting point is 00:32:27 Like sometimes people want to convince you about something. It's like, okay, you're right. And what happens now? What I do with that? My life change, I get better, I make more money. I don't know what happens. Nothing. So what? It's true though, it's true to stay locked in and it's not easy to stay locked in
Starting point is 00:32:53 Athletes are there any athletes that you now have a relationship with that? They're high-level athletes competitors from different sports soccer or football do any one of them did any one of them call you and if yes When did that happen? What was the first fight where people said this guy is special? I think that since the moment that I fought, I don't know, when I made two fights in the UFC, probably, after that I started feeling that people were reaching me out, like calling me, texting me, wanting to meet me. After two fights.
Starting point is 00:33:35 Of course, once you become a world champion, it's different. You defend, you belt, it's different. You were the fighter of the year last year, 2024. I think that it was Pereira, they gave it to Pereira. They gave it to Pereira? Yeah. Why do I see 2024 as fighter of the year? You.
Starting point is 00:33:53 Because many people gave it to me, but they gave it to Alex Pereira also. One, oh, Ty, who's,, oh they give it to both of you? Oh, they give it to both of you. Yeah. I got it. Okay, and there's a picture of the two of you guys together. Yeah, yeah. So you guys are friends, you guys have a relationship.
Starting point is 00:34:16 Not friends, I met him in Australia. We met each other for the first time there in Sydney. I went there to watch my brother fight. Do you watch the sport yourself? Are you also interested in watching the sport and how other people do? Or like this weekend, Miami is fight, there's gonna be UFC fight here.
Starting point is 00:34:37 Are you somebody that's interested in how other people will perform? Not always, but in this event specifically, may I watch it? But normally I watch a lot of fights because I have a promotion in Spain and now I started to watch a lot of fights because I wanna discover new talents.
Starting point is 00:34:58 So business, you're thinking from the business side. Got it. Okay, so this card that's coming up, which fighter are you excited about? This weekend's card. Should we Got it. Okay. So this card that's coming up, which fighter are you excited about this this weekend's card? I'm excited. I'm excited about we have in the fight car walk against the LOPUS. We have Patti Pumlet against Mike Chandler. Jai Rodriguez is like, either if he's fighting or not, no one gives a fuck. Bryce Mitchell, the same thing with John Silva. I don't know what to say. He's an upcoming fighter.
Starting point is 00:35:36 And that fight, I don't know. Danny, you get the same thing. So which one of them? Go back up top, Rob. So the Patti one. Patti Chandler should be exciting. Yeah, he needs to win. Who, Chandler?
Starting point is 00:35:53 No, no, no. Patti? He's fighting with a veteran. He needs to win. And hopefully he wins because May, who knows, May in who knows, May in the future, we face each other. It could be a great fight. You and Patti.
Starting point is 00:36:11 Me and Patti. I'm looking forward for that fight. Did something, was it something happen with you and Patti or something happened with you guys, right? What was that all about? I saw the video. He said some stupid shit about Georgia about my country he said something like now I understand why Russia is throwing bombs
Starting point is 00:36:33 to Georgia and like bro you never live in a situation where you your country had a war I lived there in 2008 don't joke with that I lived there in 2008. Don't joke with that. Got it. So that's what the context was about. Yeah. Yeah. And what prompted him to say something like that? I don't know to be honest. I don't know Wow, you know He said that to your face or he said that on Twitter. No, he said that on Twitter. Oh, I got it. And then you guys were at the same event and you ran into each other?
Starting point is 00:37:09 Exactly. Oh, I got it. And I saw him and I went to, after him, like boom. And it wasn't promotional, it was very real raw because it's not like it's a fight you guys are promoting together. How can you say this kind of stupid shit, you know what I mean? You can't joke sport is sport. We athletes I respect all of that
Starting point is 00:37:29 But there are lines that you can't cross, you know The people's life are involved in in this joke. You can't do that. Where is this at? Where is this location? In London. This is in London. How long ago? ago? This is a while back. This is three years ago Yeah, okay. Got it. So hopefully hopefully he puts himself in the spot where we can share the octagon one day and He's gonna realize so you want to fight him I Want to fight him? Of course. I want it want to fight him?
Starting point is 00:38:03 I want to fight him. Of course I want it. Of course. While I'm an active fighter, if he, we, right now we are in the same way division. Yeah, look how fat he looks. But he does that quite often, right? He puts on the weight and then he trims down. He puts on the weight and then he trims down.
Starting point is 00:38:23 Pimple. That's part of his... Little pimple. Little pimple? Yeah, party pimple, pimplet. Yeah. He gets so fat, I don't know, anti-athletic. And to be honest, I don't know what to tell you.
Starting point is 00:38:40 He's a good fighter, he's not a good fighter. Sometimes he fights socks, sometimes he does something that looks good some I don't know He's a very average average level of fighter. Let's say like that. So so you think the fight? Oh, wow. I Is that AI or is that real? No, no, that's real. He gets fat There's no way that that's a AI do I don't I don't Click on the picture Rob. I mean, I knew he put on weight, but that's a lot of weight right there Yeah. Oh wow, that looks like a real photo That's that's not his brother or like a relative or that's him. No, I'm not being funny. Can you see if that's actually him Rob?
Starting point is 00:39:23 Wow, that is that's unbelievable Yeah, I mean, you know, there was a bodybuilder his name is Kevin LeVrone LeVrone one the greatest physiques in bodybuilding ever to me. I think is a top five physique of all time He used to just completely get skinny. This is his physique by the way One of the greatest bodybuilders of all time back in the days in the 90s He plays second place multiple times. He should have won a couple of them. Never ended up winning one.
Starting point is 00:39:48 He gets big also? He gets super big, then he gets super small. And then look what would happen. And then he gets super big and he would get super small. But a different kind of, this is the opposite of what Patty's doing. Very different story with what Patty's doing. But it was a massive body
Starting point is 00:40:07 transformation. It is. Yeah. So other weight classes when it comes down to fighters, who do you like to watch? Is there anyone you like to watch? Did you like to watch you know John Jones? Who were some of the guys you personally like to watch fight? Let's say like that I would pay a pay-per-view for to watch
Starting point is 00:40:35 Someone fight right now I don't know Who would it will be merab? I love him watch what what he's a low watching him fight his last fight Unbelievable unbelievable You gotta watch that fight. Did you watch it met? Who was it with with? With the cousin of of Khabib Abdul of of Khabib Abdul? Can you pull up the fight? I watch his fights. Whoever he fought I probably
Starting point is 00:41:09 Omar Nurmagomedov. That fight was amazing. I watched that fight I don't know how many times. I love it. Really? Yeah. Can you see who he fought last? I'm curious now. No, he fought Omar Nuhmagomedov. Yeah. And he's fighting now again, the rematch against Sean Amali. Yeah, of course I watch this. That was a great fight. That was a great fight, yeah.
Starting point is 00:41:38 You wonder, so for you, you say you're selective on who you would pay to watch fight, pay per view. Yeah. So your style coming up, what makes you as a fighter different than your peers? You started training very early, if I'm not mistaken. I think you started training at five years old, at wrestling, at Greco? I started with judo. Got it.
Starting point is 00:42:01 Then we moved from Germany to Georgia. We start with the Greco-Roman wrestling. Then when I was 15 years old, we moved to Spain and finally we start with MMA with mixed martial arts. At 15 years old, you're living where? You're living in Georgia? At 15, I was living in Georgia and we moved to Spain. Okay, so What was the culture of where you were living? Was it a fight culture?
Starting point is 00:42:31 Was there a lot of people that fought or no you were part of a very small community? No one Oh really no one if you would say to someone 10 years ago in spain that you were doing mma They would look at you and like, kid, take a book, read something, live that crazy thing. Yeah. Don't go that route. Don't, yeah.
Starting point is 00:42:53 So who did you train with in Spain at 15, 16 years old? I find, actually my mom find completely by chance, a gym where we start training, me and my brother, because we wanted to keep with the Gregor Mell wrestling, but they didn't have the culture of that sport. So by chance we find this gym and we meet the sport. I didn't even know what Jiu Jitsu was, what MMA was. I didn't know anything about that word.
Starting point is 00:43:26 So we discovered and I fell in love since the first second. What's the age difference between you and your brother? One year, he's older. He's older? Would he bully you as a kid? If he was a bully? Did he bully you as a kid? Did he push you around?
Starting point is 00:43:42 Eh, no, no, no, never. You guys were close? Close, close. We fought a lot with each other, like every brother, but he never bullied me. Okay, but you guys would fight a lot. So, up until what age, because if you guys are training together,
Starting point is 00:43:58 there's advantage if both brothers are like, you know, there's a, can you pull up his brother's picture, if you don't mind, Rob? There's advantage, there's this, can you pull up his brother's picture if you don't mind, Rob? There's a vantage, there's this guy named Levar Ball. Levar Ball, is that the father's name, Rob? Is it Levar Ball? I believe so, yes, Levar. Levar and his three sons, they all play basketball.
Starting point is 00:44:20 All three of them. And you have the oldest, makes it in the NBA. I think you have the second one almost made it, and the third one, I think the youngest one is Lonzo. Lonzo is probably the best one out of the three, the youngest one. And, but they were all basketball players. Don't say that.
Starting point is 00:44:35 Don't compare never ever brothers between each other. They hate it. They hate it. But you know why I ask this question? I don't ask it from the standpoint. The older brother typically helps the younger brother become better at whatever they do. They play the role of a mentor.
Starting point is 00:44:51 What's the dynamics of you and your brother? What's your relationship like that? The same. At some point, he became my head coach. He was in charge of all my trainings. Yeah, he was like kind of my mentor at some point. Yeah, he helped me a lot and of course it's a huge advantage to have a brother doing the same thing with you. We were going in the morning, the first people to go in the gym and the last ones to leave it.
Starting point is 00:45:27 At what point did the two of you guys build a reputation? Like listen, don't mess with the Toporia brothers. At what age was their reputation? They're gonna hate it. I think like, since the first day, I don't know, since the first year, since the moment where whenever we were going, the people were meeting us, it's not like don't miss with them because they are, I don't know, they're gonna fuck you up. Not because of that. Because people, we have great relations with the the people it's not because we are aggressive You know what? I mean, I know how to trade people and I trade people how I like to be treated
Starting point is 00:46:14 treated Did did any kids at a young age try you guys that maybe didn't know that they tested you and then they had to learn that You guys know how to fight or not a lot. It happens only only once like a random fight in the street but I don't remember a lot of them. It's funny you say. In Georgia I was fighting every day. In the streets? Yeah in the school, in the school. So people were picking you were starting the fights or they were starting the fights? To be honest, I always had problems with people that were bully. With the weak. You know, I hated that since I was a kid. So I always had problems with people that was bully, were bully with others. Who's the biggest guy you ever took down?
Starting point is 00:47:06 The biggest guy? Who's the biggest guy that tested you? At a bar, at a, you know? In trainings, it happens to me many, many, many times. Like when I was 15 years old, a lot of big guys, like security guys, that they were working in, like, a a securities they were coming to the gym and when the time was coming for sparring my coach was like okay go with
Starting point is 00:47:33 Ilya they were looking to me like no but he's too small go with him and I like now you're gonna find out and after that bah, bah, bah, bah. And after that, I was going to that nightclub, and they were like, I'm not coming, I'm not coming. Respect. Yeah, respect. How old were you when you were going to the nightclub? I'm not gonna repeat that. You just said, yeah, go play.
Starting point is 00:47:57 I'm not gonna repeat that. That is funny. So you and your brother were, you know, super tight till today very close Yeah, very and when you have the big fights is he always in the corner with you always always always he's the main man Got it. Yeah nowadays more than ever the brand you wear reflects and represent who you are So for us if you wear a future looks bright hat or a value-taming gear you're telling the world. I'm optimistic I'm excited
Starting point is 00:48:25 about what's going to be happening, but you're a free thinker, you question things, you like debate. And by the way, last year 120,000 people got a piece of future looks bright gear with value taming. We have so many new things. The cufflinks are here. New future looks bright. This is my favorite, the green one.
Starting point is 00:48:43 Just yesterday somebody placed an order for 100 of these. If you watch the PBD podcast, you got a bunch to choose from. White ones, black ones. If you smoke cigars and you come to our cigar lounge, we have this high quality, lighter cutter and a holder for the cigars.
Starting point is 00:49:00 We got sweaters with the Vitaiment logo on it. We got mugs. We got a bunch of different things. but if you believe the future looks bright, if you follow our content and what we represent with Valuetainment, with PVD Podcasts, go to VTMerch.com. And by the way, if you order right now, there's going to be a special VT gift insight just for you. So again, go to VTMerch.com, place your order, tell the world that you believe the future looks bright. Have you guys spent any time with Nate and Nick Diaz or no? Never. Never? No.
Starting point is 00:49:32 What do you think about those guys? I like them. The character they represent in the sport, I always like it. They were so much fun to watch. So much fun to watch. They always provide a show for the fans. In the most unique way, but they would do it. You can't copy that. No, you can't copy that. They are special. They are very special. Who were your favorite fighters coming up? Like, I know we talk about Conor, we talk about Diaz,
Starting point is 00:49:57 but who were some of your favorite fighters? You and your brother, you're like, oh, this guy's good, I like watching this guy. Like from MMA or? Anything. Anything, we liked this guy's good. I like watching this guy. Like from MMA or? Anything. Anything. We liked a lot Canelo. Canelo was, and it's one of my favorite athletes.
Starting point is 00:50:14 Yeah, I learned so much from him. Why Canelo? Technical skills? Technical skills. I learned like we were watching his videos, his training, footage, like everything. And we were trying to copy that, to repeat that. He inspired us a lot.
Starting point is 00:50:29 Have you ever met him or no? No, never. So you guys have never trained? Never. Hopefully one day I met him in person. Wow. Elio, let me ask you, like in the specific boxing side, right, like when they ask him like,
Starting point is 00:50:44 Hey, Jake Paul, you know, fighting against Canelo. To Canelo, it's like, you know, it's a very different world. Is your technical abilities in boxing stand up? How good do you think you stand technical abilities with somebody that's a professional boxer? Okay, don't say Canelo because I wouldn't fight him because He's somebody you look up to. Yeah, he inspired me so much.
Starting point is 00:51:09 At some point that's I said like I would fight, no, no, no. I wouldn't. If I prepare for six months, like only boxing, I don't do anything about wrestling, about, I don't know, knees, elbows, grappling, whatever. Only boxing? Bro, put me whoever you want in front of me. Whoever, whoever. And I hear a lot of guys talking about like boxers. No, Ilya, he has a good boxing before MMA, but he has nothing to do with me in the boxing ring. I'm like, listen, you don't have anything to do with me
Starting point is 00:51:48 outside, inside, whatever you want. Like what you wanna do. Even if you wanna play a chess match, I beat you. Why do you think that? Why do you believe that? Because I know how good I am. In boxing. I train every day boxing, every day. That's part of my life
Starting point is 00:52:06 I spar with with pro pro boxers. I learn boxing. I Like I don't know I consider myself that I Can box with with anyone just give me six months Only boxing preparation. I'm not even telling you like three because I needed to switch so many things that I do it because of MMA, like the stance, the movement is a little bit different for the boxing of MMA than for boxing boxing, pure boxing.
Starting point is 00:52:40 Next question. And by the way, for a long, I mean, Max Holloway's was known as a guy that he would say he had the best stand-up. No, no, no, he would say he was saying that Yeah, that what that wasn't the so you don't even think he's the best stand-up. No Compared to you or compared to anybody else come It's not like take me out from the equation. Yeah Like I don't think that I saw
Starting point is 00:53:09 Anyone in in an MMA that I was like he has a great boxing No one it doesn't matter from You see he was one of those but even corner he had a great boxing for MMA Very I don't know MMA stance, you know in boxing you can go like that because You are gonna suffer But he had better better boxing than a lot of people. He had it. But Max, you know boxing is about simple movements.
Starting point is 00:53:52 You can do so much movements and switch the standards all the time. That's not boxing. In boxing you have to be like very disciplined all the time, very protected. You have to select all your combinations. You have to move your head. And you have to be very good to administrate your energy, because you have 12 rounds. And that's a completely different movie.
Starting point is 00:54:23 You're match up with Makachev. Where do you have the advantage and what does he? This is what I told you. You ask me, I feel that I have the advantage in everything. This is why I truly believe you. Me personally, I would ask him like, what's your favorite submission? Whatever, I don't know. Dark's joke, I'm gonna submit you with that.
Starting point is 00:54:55 So if you ask him what his favorite submission is, you would do that to him. Yeah. This is a guy that's trained and coached by Khabib who, you know, 28 and 0, you know, stories that he's never lost around in his life. I take him close to Khabib. I will submit him closer to Khabib. You'll submit him in front of Khabib?
Starting point is 00:55:23 Yeah. I take him. Khabib used to take people in his shoulder, take them down and talk to Dana. I would do it to Khabib. I will take him, and then talk to Khabib. Talk to Khabib. Khabib, I have to do it. What would you tell him? No, I wouldn't.
Starting point is 00:55:44 I wouldn't. All the respect respect but this is how I feel. I feel that I submit him with the darts. Which one is your favorite? So this part you're not joking. Whatever he tells you. No no this one I'm not joking. I truly believe that I submit him with the darts or whatever. I don't know.
Starting point is 00:56:02 Tell me which one's your favorite? Don't tell me a Hellhook or some bullshit submissions that I don't know. Now I'm curious. Now I'm actually curious to know what would be his, what do you think his favorite would be? I think Dars or Guillotine. And if he says that. Yeah, I go for that.
Starting point is 00:56:22 No problem, it's gonna be even more entertaining for me. Yeah, I go for that. No problem. It's going to be even more entertaining for me. Yeah. The people didn't realize that my background comes from wrestling from the ground game. Actually, I grew up with wrestling and with BJJ. And I developed my skills when I was 20 years old in boxing game. But my best skills, yeah, are on the ground. It's so weird that you did this in Georgia and Spain. Who's there? I mean, you understand, like, it's kind of weird to say that.
Starting point is 00:57:04 Because some of the guys you're coming from this camp, okay You know Is he comes from what camp we know what camp he's coming from. We've seen the videos. We've seen the training We've seen how disciplined their camp is. Yeah, and everyone's from a different camp Who else is a very well-known person from the camp that you came up of outside of you and your brother who is well-known? See that's weird. It is it is But that's why god's everywhere Yeah, that's uh, it's weird it is weird that's the's the part that's very weird with you. Where did this come from?
Starting point is 00:57:46 Do you think, well, I mean, it's not even that because you have access to everything. Would you guys watch a lot of YouTube and kind of repeated, you and your brother, watch what he's... That's what I told you. We were the first people to go into the gym. We were taking our phones, watching the videos,
Starting point is 00:58:00 I don't know, drills, in BJJ, for example, to take someone's back. And we were drilling that the whole day, all the drilling. Single legs, double legs, I don't know, the cage work, and boxing, kickboxing, elbows, knees, I don't know, whatever. How can we develop our cardio or our strength or power or whatever? I was like so obsessed with everything.
Starting point is 00:58:28 I was working all day, every day. That was my obsession all the time. But there's not a professional UFC fighter that's coaching you guys with your career. No. So what is your first- Not even a professional boxer or professional. At all.
Starting point is 00:58:43 No one. Elio, that's weird. Yeah, it is. That's very weird. So what is the first interaction? Like the way you were found, how were you found? Who found you? Who saw you fight to say, hey, come on then?
Starting point is 00:58:55 Or did you say I'm coming into the UFC to fight? No. So I had four fights when I started with my professional career in Spain. And at that point, become very difficult to find a fight for me because in Spain at that point, we didn't even had any events, you know? So I was like,
Starting point is 00:59:19 listen, I have to do something because no one is gonna come to me and touch my door. How old are you at this time? 18. Okay, so 10 you at this time? 18. Okay, so 10 years ago. Yeah, 18. Okay. So 18, 2015.
Starting point is 00:59:30 Yeah. Who's on top of the world in 2015? Conor is on top of the world, right? Is UFC, is... Conor and John Jones, Josie Pierre, all... Yeah. Those, I think. Who were the biggest names of UFC in 2015? O'Connor, Holly Holm go a little bit lower,
Starting point is 00:59:52 Ronda Rousey, Daniel Cormier-Jones. Okay, got it. So I'm like, I have to do something, I need a plan. Demetrius Johnson, yeah. So you need a plan. So I started to talk to myself. I'm like, what can I do? And that point Gustafsson, Alexander Gustafsson was fighting for the belt against John Jones.
Starting point is 01:00:17 And that guy was training in Sweden in All-Stars Gym at that time. And that was the most recognized gym in Europe and I'm like I have to go there because I'm sure that he's manager so someone is going to Sweden in Sweden in Stockholm so I'm like I need to go there because I know that someone is going to see me and the only thing I need is I need the opportunity I need a fight I need to go there because I know that someone is going to see me and the only thing I need is I need the opportunity. I need a fight.
Starting point is 01:00:48 I need to prove my skills. Then I had the second problem that I didn't have enough money to travel because you need money to go from Spain to Sweden and stay there for two weeks, three weeks, whatever. So I did, I don't know, crazy things with when I was 18 years old. I went to that place. I went to my first training. I finished the training and the guy who was representing everyone at that time,
Starting point is 01:01:20 and actually he's the manager of Kamzad also at this time, Kamzad Chimaev, you know. He came to me and he was like Do you have some someone to that is representing you and I'm like no who did he see you train? Who did he see you spar with? That guy. This guy? Yeah, this guy saw me in the training with everyone in the mat Oh, but there's not a fight that he saw you. He just watching you on the mat. Exactly. He saw me training with everyone. Purely ground, no boxing, nothing yet. I think we did a little bit of boxing.
Starting point is 01:01:52 We mix it up. We did something in the ground. We did something with striking. And once I finished the training, he came to me and he asked me like, do you have a manager? I'm like, no. Do you want me to represent you? And I'm like this is why I came here and in three weeks he called me no in one week he called me like I have a fight for you and I started my my journey there and the rest is history. Who was your first
Starting point is 01:02:23 fight? I started I started to fight in Finland, my first international fight. Who was it with? It was Mika, I don't remember his... Can you look this up? I'm actually really curious. So this is... Watch that fight.
Starting point is 01:02:45 I finished him in the first round. Then after that one in two and a half weeks, he called me and he gave me the fight for the cage warriors world championship. So this is not UFC yet? No, no, no, no, no. This is not UFC. Look, no, the...
Starting point is 01:03:03 Mika, there's Mika. I had four fights and I went to Sweden and he came in that fight. Mika Hamalainen. Submission, guillotine choke. Yeah. And the first round. First round, 3.35. After that fight, he called me in a three and a half weeks or four weeks.
Starting point is 01:03:20 Look, I fought April 28th. Six weeks later. Yeah, something like that. Then I fought June 16th for the Cage Warriors World Championship. Then I was signed by Brave. I did two fights and I get the call from the UFC. Oh, got it.
Starting point is 01:03:43 So you're Josef Salal is your first UFC fight. Yeah. So each one of those fights back to back to back, it's first round. Go back down a little bit Rob, right there look at first round, Mika 335, first round 139, keep going up. First round 115, Lewis Gomez, first round 342,
Starting point is 01:03:59 Steven Goncalves, and then you're in the UFC. Yeah. And then you're in the UFC. Yeah. And then you win third round five minutes. Yeah, I get the call. Oh, that's COVID. Yeah, that's COVID. I was sick. And they called me and they told me,
Starting point is 01:04:16 do you wanna fight in the UFC in eight days? And I'm like, of course. I had to cut like 12 kilos. Kilos. Kilos, like I don't know how much it's like 25 pounds. That's a lot. It's a lot in eight days. That's a lot. Shit.
Starting point is 01:04:34 I had to fight at 4 p.m. local time in Abu Dhabi because they were like. 26 pounds you had to lose at this weight? Yeah, in eight days. How'd you lose 26 in eight days? It's like dehydration. That's tough, that's a lot. On that body, that's a lot.
Starting point is 01:04:57 I'm 245, if I lose 26 pounds is a lot, but. I had to spend a day in the hospital because the UFC is asking you for a lot of medicals. Then I had to go, I spent a day to get my visa. I don't know, I had in reality five days. So crazy. So you go to UAE for the fight.
Starting point is 01:05:20 Rob, can you go back to the fight list? So you go to UAE, you have that fight. Yeah. October 11th. I remember that, I watched that card. Yeah, and then I fought December 5th. And that's ESPN. Yeah.
Starting point is 01:05:40 It's not even a main ones yet. No. And then go to Ryan Hall, Vegas, Jenjai Herbert, that's the one with the kick. That's the one that they gave you two weeks, right? When they called you two week prep. Which one, the Jai Herbert? Yes.
Starting point is 01:05:55 That has a huge story behind that. I have a huge story behind that fight because I was supposed to fight in January against Mosary Vloev. He pulled out from the fight. Then I came back to home and they called me, but in reality I was prepared. I was prepared, but it was a different weight class.
Starting point is 01:06:16 I went up to 155. That fight is not in my weight class. It's in lightweight. So that's not 145. You went to 155. So that happens if they just call you to say, do you want to take a fight that's not 145. You want 155. Yeah, so that happens if they just call you to say do you want to take a fight? That's not at your weight class. They can make those calls. Yeah, and you get to say yes or no Got it and then after that I fall with your friend Rice Mitchell and then Josh and we wish him best of the lucky You being sincere I'm gonna be honest with you. I'm gonna be honest with you. I'm gonna be honest with you. I'm gonna be honest with you. I'm gonna be honest with you. I'm gonna be honest with you.
Starting point is 01:06:45 I'm gonna be honest with you. I'm gonna be honest with you. I'm gonna be honest with you. I'm gonna be honest with you. I'm gonna be honest with you. I'm gonna be honest with you. I'm gonna be honest with you. I'm gonna be honest with you.
Starting point is 01:06:51 I'm gonna be honest with you. I'm gonna be honest with you. I'm gonna be honest with you. I'm gonna be honest with you. I'm gonna be honest with you. I'm gonna be honest with you. I'm gonna be honest with you. I'm gonna be honest with you.
Starting point is 01:06:58 I'm gonna be honest with you. I'm gonna be honest with you. I'm gonna be honest with you. I'm gonna be honest with you. I'm gonna be honest with you. I'm gonna be honest with you. I'm gonna be honest with you. I'm gonna be honest with you. I'm gonna be honest with you. I'm gonna be honest with you. I'm gonna be honest with you. I'm gonna be honest with you You went to Sweden disguised as you. This is what I used to say to everyone.
Starting point is 01:07:06 If you wanna have something that you never had, you have to do things that you never did, that's more of your ass. Yeah, but what is very unique about what you're saying, I talked about a bodybuilding story earlier. I had a guy named Dorian Yates. I don't know if you know who Dorian Yates is. In bodybuilding, he won six Mr. Olympias. The guy had the most ridiculous physique. This is Dorian Yates. I don't know if you know who Dorian Yates is, in bodybuilding, he won six Mr. Olympias.
Starting point is 01:07:25 The guy had the most ridiculous physique. This is Dorian Yates, he won six Mr. Olympias, he's from UK, okay? And what made him unique is all the other bodybuilders that would compete, they were all in the US, and so they would all train at the same gym. So they could see what kind of improvement you're making because they're all here. Flex Wheeler, Kevin, you know, all the guys.
Starting point is 01:07:51 This guy was in London, not even in London, in a city outside of London, like in a regular city. And you would only see him once a year. So everybody's like, well, is he training guard? Is he not training guard? Is he training guard? And then when he would come, he was a scientist. He paid attention to everything and he would come and dominate and he won six of them in a row
Starting point is 01:08:09 Because nobody could see him. Yeah, he was a real real a Lot of people try to model their bodybuilding after this guy he does a very day He lives a very different life right now yoga. I don't follow that sport. I know who is the It's a very different life right now. Yoga. It's a very different life. I don't follow that sport, but who is the number one for you in bodybuilding? Ever?
Starting point is 01:08:29 It's probably Ronnie Coleman, Arnold. Old school would be a guy named Lee Haney. Phil Heath has an incredible physique. Kevin Lovroni, Flex Wheeler. Jay Cutler's got a good amount of following, but it's probably this guy, Ronnie Coleman. If you go to a different picture, Rob, go to images. And let me ask you, do you really think that they only
Starting point is 01:08:53 drink whey proteins to get this big? No, no, no. You know it's at a point that they tell you everything they use now. Yeah? Oh yeah. But they don't do drug tests? No, not Mr. Olympia. No, they don't do any drug tests.
Starting point is 01:09:07 No, but they put so many things in their body. But by the way, some people say like, hey, even if you put it in your body, that doesn't mean you're gonna win Mr. Olympia. No, no, of course not. It's a lot of detail, it's a lot of stuff that you gotta do to be able to, these guys are- A diet.
Starting point is 01:09:24 That's diet. A training. By the way, it sucks as a life. It's not a good life. It sucks. It's not a good life at all. It's a very different life. It's not even a healthy life. It's not a healthy life.
Starting point is 01:09:34 Most of them would say, few of them can keep it. Some of the guys were able to continue their life and still do okay, but it's a different life. So the reason why I'm saying this is for you. Here's a guy and his brother living in Georgia, go to Spain. This is not a UFC market. And then you guys through YouTube watching videos, you train independently on your own. And then you come up and then fighter of the year, undefeated.
Starting point is 01:10:01 Now you're at a place, lightweight, about to have a big fight hopefully soon we'd love to see that fight happen this year hopefully hopefully great you're waiting for that phone call huh I'm waiting I'm waiting I'm waiting I'm very excited to be honest either if it's Charles or Islam it's gonna be a huge one and I I know that the fans are
Starting point is 01:10:26 Gonna gonna enjoy a lot. What do you think's unique about Charles style because Charles, you know his history It's very interesting the way he came at the beginning and then he Reputation he changed his reputation and then you would think he was gonna be losing and then he won with Michael Chandler And he had a few very good back-to-back-to-back wins that were Unbelievable the way he recreated himself. But what's your opinion on his style of fighting? I like him of course. He has a great ground game and striking nothing special for me.
Starting point is 01:11:02 In the ground he's dangerous. He has the most submissions in the UFC history I think so. Him? Yeah, he gives up. He gives up like fast. I don't think that he's the kind of fire where he finds like some adversities. How you say that? Adversary? Yeah, adversary that he keeps going, keeps going,
Starting point is 01:11:43 keeps going, no, he's like, he gives up. 10 losses. 10, it's not one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, it's 10. Go to his Wikipedia, Rob, just to see how it is, because I've seen this guy's story and yeah, but the 10 losses, a lot of them are go back down. submission by knockout and won by decision.
Starting point is 01:12:10 But you wouldn't want to fight Armand? The one that's first place right now behind. I think that he needs to build himself a little bit more, but if the UFC tells me that, you're good with that as well. It's for the belt you'll take anything right who I am to get the chance got it yeah it'll be it would be interesting to see what happens the thing with him is he's 28 years old
Starting point is 01:12:37 you guys are similar ages he's also young yeah Charles is 35 so 28 28 this way he needs one two fights he needs one or two fights before you fight you he's Armenian by the way you ever fought an Armenian what have you ever fought an Armenian no no we Georgians have a great relationship with our me yeah yeah I have a lot of friends, Armenians. You look Armenian. Like I, you know, yeah, I mean, you look, you're a good looking Armenian is what you are. You're a very good looking guy,
Starting point is 01:13:13 but obviously it's from the same region. My mother's side, they're from Baku, Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan, yeah. Baku, Azerbaijan. So they, after the whole, everything they- They all are our neighbors. Azerbaijan. All in the same region.
Starting point is 01:13:27 Do you follow any of the politics, like what's going on with Ukraine and Russia? Do you follow any of that stuff, or not really? Yeah, a little bit. What do you think about it? What do you think about what's going on there? What do you think about Zelensky, Putin? You know, there's how the world sees it,
Starting point is 01:13:42 but then you're in the region, right? You're there. So in America, you know, Putin's how the world sees it, but then you're in the region, right? You're there So in America, you know Putin is a bad guy. Let me tell you this this this is that he started the war or Zelensky All he wants is money. He's bought he just keeps taking money What do you think about what's going on there? Even if he wants to take the money and all that I don't know I'm against To kill the people. Always. I'm always going to work for the peace.
Starting point is 01:14:09 Always. So I don't know. I don't know that deep about who, but something that I know from my history, from my livings are that they are, the Russians are put in, let's say like the politicians that run Russia, because nothing against the people, regular people from Russia. I'm talking about the politicians. They don't give a damn about anyone. Yeah. In Georgia, I was living in 2008, I saw what they were doing to my people. So. Russians, Russians.
Starting point is 01:14:53 Russians, yeah. Russians. I don't know, dangerous people, dangerous people. Interesting. And I think that you can trust at all in Russians and I repeat. I'm not talking about the regular people and talking about the politicians it's It's crazy. I don't know is
Starting point is 01:15:18 There a worst could be been where is not where are they from? They're from? Pakistan that's that's part of, they are Russians. Right. They are Russian. And when they start to attack any place in the world, the first people they send to the world is like Russians, Chechnians, the people they have. You're not gonna see any Russian Russian in a war.
Starting point is 01:15:41 Always gonna see the people they have, like call yourself a Russian, but wait for my call because- May I- Why do you think that is? Because they use them. Of course they use them. They give them a position, a place, but at some point, May I'm gonna ask you
Starting point is 01:16:04 to do something for me. That's how it works everywhere in the world. You do something for someone, you want something back. This is how it works. It's crazy. I don't know. What are your thoughts from here, from the United States? What do you think about what's going on in Ukraine? Well, I mean, when you watch Zelensky, at first,
Starting point is 01:16:35 everybody's like, whoa, Putin invaded. What's that all about? And then as it gets deeper and deeper, and you hear the stories, the money being funneled through constantly wanting the money to continue coming up here talking to the president as if America needs to give him more money, disrespecting the US president a little bit on the way he handled himself at the White House. He has lost all credibility with a lot of people in America.
Starting point is 01:17:00 Most Americans now don't fully support and trust Zelensky. They see Putin as exactly who he is. He's a Russia loyalist, number one. He's an old school guy. But you know what you get with him. You know who Putin is. I think that you can judge a whole country because of one person.
Starting point is 01:17:18 I don't disagree. No, I don't disagree. I think you're right. That goes to Iran. Because we don't like Zelensky, we are not supporting the Ukrainians and we are gonna gonna say that and the Russians are not the game Biden how you say that in English can buy in in Badoe's in Badoe's I don't know if I'm even saying correctly. Invaders? Invaders.
Starting point is 01:17:46 Invaders. They are the invaders. 100% they are the invaders. Right. Do you think the opposite, that they are not? I think if the history is a little bit complicated, when you go back and you read about the fact that US made a promise when Putin went to Clinton is like, hey, I'd like to join NATO. Would you guys want to entertain the idea?
Starting point is 01:18:08 And it's like, yeah, let me call you back. Calls him like five minutes, not right now. Putin wanted to join NATO. Why don't you want him to join NATO? Because if they don't join NATO, you need war so you can make more money. So you need a bad guy. So you want to kind of isolate Putin to the side and, you know. Do you really think that if Putin wants to join NATO, he couldn't do that? Yeah, because they said no. Why he's not a part of NATO?
Starting point is 01:18:33 You think they would want him to join NATO? Of course they don't want it. You think they would want Putin to join NATO? If they want Putin to join NATO, why not? You think NATO wants Putin to join NATO? If they want Putin to join NATO, why not? You think NATO wants Putin to join NATO? At this point I wish that no. I wish that no because I don't want to have... Listen, the history I have, my family has with Russia. I'm like with With the people that once runs that country. It's like I don't give a damn about about them, you know I'm all against Putin against poor like I get that no listen. I
Starting point is 01:19:19 lived in Iran we had a war with Saddam Hussein Iraq and Jimmy Carter in the US. I understand, like, I'm, there is emotion here. I grew up with, you know, a Christian family in a country where 99% were Muslims in Iran. I saw what they did to Christians. I have memories of that. I didn't leave at two years old or four years old. I left at almost 11 years old.
Starting point is 01:19:42 So those memories stay. They're in the blood. They don't go away. I have mine as 11 years old. So those memories stay. They're in the blood, they don't go away. I have mine as well on experiences. But to me, I think sometimes I sit there and I wonder that they need a bad guy for them to, think about it this way. What has been the biggest boxing fight of all time that made the most money?
Starting point is 01:20:06 It was Floyd against Pacquiao. What is the biggest boxing pay, actual money, pay of all time? I think it's Conor against Conor. What do you want to tell me with that? I'm going to tell you the point I'm making to you here. that's number one okay so okay so number six is that go back up right six is de la Hoya against Mayweather good fight go to the next one okay Floyd Canelo go to the next one both the dose he made fun of him because he would wear the Cinco de Mayo Connor McGregor
Starting point is 01:20:42 who's that fight with is that with May Yes. Okay, what's the next one? And then Pacquiao? Okay, that's one of them. And then Mayweather again with Pacquiao. What's the first one? I'm actually curious now. What's the first one? Who's that with? Is that Connor? Mayweather, McConnor. Okay. So do you remember $275 million, a billion dollars in earnings, one fight? Yeah. a billion dollars in earnings, one fight. One billion dollars in earnings, one fight, right? The reason why this did so well is because everybody was convinced they hated each other. They needed an enemy. So my opinion, Ilya, there's a lot of money being made when there's wars.
Starting point is 01:21:29 Who makes money? Weapons. Things, you know, a lot of good weapons being sold. If there's no war, they don't make money. Just like in UFC, if there's not a black, for example, what's going to get more eyeballs? You against Charles or you against Islam? Of course, why? Because it's more personal.
Starting point is 01:21:50 Dagestan against Georgia, against, are you kidding me? That could be like, but why? Because it's emotion, it's here. So then people are gonna come and see more pay per view, money's gonna be made. Of course, it's a great business model, I totally get it. End of the year, John Jones against Aspen Hall, right? Everybody wants to see that heavyweight fight to see if it's gonna take made. Of course, it's a great business model, I totally get it. End of the year, John Jones against Aspen, everybody wants to see that heavyweight fight
Starting point is 01:22:07 to see if it's gonna take place or not. John wants money for it because it's probably gonna be his last fight. If that happens, that fight's gonna be insane. If all of a sudden, Putin's in NATO and there's peace in the world and no issues. How do you sell stuff? Who made money with Ukraine and Russia? The war. Who makes money when there's this stuff with Israel, Iran, Hamas? Who makes money when
Starting point is 01:22:38 Iran and you know Iraq or Afghanistan? Who made money? These guys that make weapons. It's a business model So I think a part of it is yes, Putin is a loyalist to him KGB background I know his background what his loyalty is to But I'm also not naive to believe that there's people in the back that go like this. Hey, Ilya Let me tell you what he said about you. Hey, let me say what he said about you. And they're poking you, right? To upset you. Why?
Starting point is 01:23:08 Because it sells more. So they can't have all these guys get along because then those guys don't make money. And these are big contracts. Do you know who's the first company that came in on the contract with Ukraine after all the damages that happened in Ukraine? Mmm. Did you see a company came out and they got a 400 billion dollar contract to fix Ukraine?
Starting point is 01:23:30 The Rockefellers? No. Right here. So you hear the story about BlackRock announces new investment initiative to rebuild Ukraine. Well, why rebuild it? Why rebuild it? So, but you need war to rebuild. Of course. You need damages to rebuild. So I am just as careful with the money people that want to see war as I am with world leaders like Putin, Xi, all the other guys. Both of them you have to be careful with. So you believe that they do it because of the business? Of course. Okay.
Starting point is 01:24:06 Not Putin, Putin is here. I think that it's, it goes a little bit more far than only sell weapons. For who though, for Putin? Yeah, for Putin and for the United States and for everyone that has the weapons to sell. Maybe let me explain it a different way to you. Khabib against Connor, the fight.
Starting point is 01:24:29 Who fought for money, who fought for heart? For money, Connor, for heart, Khabib. Okay, so Putin against the people that sell weapons, who's fighting for his country, who's fighting for money? See, that's the difference. Yeah, but I'm not very agree with that because I don't think that he's looking only for the weapons. You know what I mean? How many people dies in the war? I don't know, 200,000? How much weapons they need?
Starting point is 01:25:05 I don't know, how much money is that in total? How much money did they spend in the weapons in the war with Ukraine? A lot of money. It's in the billions on top of billions. And I'm not talking about Russia or Ukraine. I'm talking about all the people that make those weapons. The general dynamics the You know
Starting point is 01:25:28 You can list the name of the companies that these guys that sell the weapons. That's a business model Do you know who Eisenhower is? No, the president of US Eisenhower? No, okay. So when he was show me the face, maybe he was a former general. Okay many years ago This is before my time in your time. This was a long time ago. So this guy died in 1969. I was born in 78, so this is before my time. When he was done, this guy was a, was he a four-star general, Rob, or a five-star general?
Starting point is 01:25:55 Can you go a little bit lower? Five-star. He was a five-star general. I mean, Ilja, you know what five-star is like? Yeah, I can imagine. We don't have a lot of, I don't know how, type in how many five- star generals America's had. How many five star, how many five star generals
Starting point is 01:26:12 has America had? I think it's a few. Okay, there you go. George C. Marshall, Douglas MacArthur, Eisenhower, Henry H. Arnold, and Omar Bradley, five of them, okay? Eisenhower is the only one from the five that becomes a president. When he's done being a president,
Starting point is 01:26:31 he's given his last speech. He gives this famous speech that everybody always talks about. And he says, this is the speech right here. Okay. Very curious about this one. Yeah, can you play it, Rob? Now this conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American
Starting point is 01:26:49 experience. Large arms industry compositor like arms like they're selling weapons it's a large weapons industry keep going the total influence economic political even spiritual is felt in every city, every state house, every office of the federal government. We recognize the imperative need for this development, yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. Our toil, resources, and livelihood are all involved. So is the very structure of our society. In the councils of government we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence whether sought or unsought by the acquisition. So this is very important I want to explain this
Starting point is 01:27:36 part to you. Humberto can you come here and explain this? Humberto can you come in here just to explain this part? I think he's going to come here if you can. Can you just translate this part? I think he's going to come here if you can. Can you just translate this part if you could? If you want to give him the mic. So when he's saying it, just translate the key words. So the acquisition of unwarranted influence. The acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military
Starting point is 01:28:08 industrial complex. Pause it right there. Military industrial complex. So, meaning, there is these guys that buy, politically, economically, and spiritually. Military industrial complex by selling weapons. So be very careful how much influence those guys have because those guys, imagine on the back end they make tens of billions of dollars,
Starting point is 01:28:39 hundreds of billions of dollars, and they come and they buy politicians. Here's 50,000 dollars, here's 100100,000, here's $300,000, here's $200,000. Go make this law. Or go do this or go do that. The more wars, the more money they make. Okay.
Starting point is 01:28:58 So he's saying when he's done being a president, as a five-star general, be very careful with these companies that are gonna use their money economically, politically and spiritually to create and start wars. All the narratives. Yeah, so you would just, to me, I used to always like, I used to think this way.
Starting point is 01:29:18 You know how you grow up, you think everything they taught you in school. You know how you said like, the earth is flat? What did you say? I don't care if the earth is flat or not. But there's certain things we're taught, right? And then later on you're like, man, I don't know about that, I don't know about this,
Starting point is 01:29:33 I don't know about this. And then you create your own opinions as you're going through it. There's the core belief, there's the values, there's family, there's pride, there's faith, there's God, there's all of that stuff. But sometimes you gotta be, when people are wanting to poke the bear,
Starting point is 01:29:52 don't get me wrong, did Putin take advantage of the fact that a weak leader was in America, like Biden? Yeah, of course he took advantage of it. Would it have happened with Trump? By the way, what do you think about Trump? Have you met Trump yet? No, no, no, no. Would it have happened with Trump? By the way, what do you think about Trump?
Starting point is 01:30:02 Have you met Trump yet? No, no, no, no. I like the hard personality, the strong personality that Trump represents. He's like, we do it this way or we don't do it. And I like that. I don't know, I don't know. He's playing his game.
Starting point is 01:30:24 Me and you, we can think whatever we wanna think, but at the end of the day, as I said, I vote for peace and I hope and I think that Trump is seeking for the peace in the world, even if it doesn't look like that at some point and someone, I don't know, you see a lot of crazy things in the social media. I really think that he's doing that and he's looking for the best interest
Starting point is 01:30:54 for the United States. And this is what he has to do. That's why the people chose him as a leader. So you like him? Of course I like him. You haven't met him yet? Not yet. You know he probably really likes the way you fight.
Starting point is 01:31:08 Yeah. You know he's a big fan of the fight. He watches everything. I know. I never saw him in my fights because he goes sometimes like randomly. I go to this event, this one. We never.
Starting point is 01:31:22 At the same time? At the same time. Are you going to this fight or no? Are you going this weekend? No, I'm not. You're not gonna be there? Okay. Oh, if you're in that place, it's gonna be crazy.
Starting point is 01:31:30 Yeah, that's why. That's why you're not going. I'm not going to watch, to like, other sport, I don't go. I enjoy my, and that's it. Well, listen listen you fight Islam He's gonna be at that fight. I think I mean I listen of course if he's got political different things that he's dealing with this He's got a big job, but I think if the two of you guys fight he's gonna tell China. He's gonna tell Russia
Starting point is 01:31:58 He's gonna tell by hey guys. We're not fighting this weekend. No tariffs on anybody. Everybody's good. We're gonna get along I'm going to fight, I'll come back Monday. I wanna understand some kind of things. You Americans people that are living here, what's your perception about what's happening in Ukraine, what happened in Georgia? First, I don't know if you know the story, what do you think about all that?
Starting point is 01:32:24 I wanna know your thoughts specific to what specific to Georgia specific to specific to the world like what's your prediction what do you think that it's gonna happen the next five five years like so do you know like America was divided in between Ukraine and you know Zelensky or not Zelensky some some groups were they thought Zelensky or not Zelensky. Some groups were, they thought Zelensky was the greatest hero in the world. And they were fully supporting Zelensky. And some people thought Zelensky was a bot
Starting point is 01:32:55 and people were just giving money to him. And a continuous war, not necessary. Every time coming and saying, I need more money. I need more money. I need more money. And so American taxpayers are sending money. We're like, wait a minute We're sending all this money to Ukraine war with Russia, but we have problems in America right now. Why are we doing this? so there's a big part of Americans where if support can you type in Rob where to support was for dealing it's it's it's easy like that, like how you explaining.
Starting point is 01:33:28 Zelensky was coming, knocking the door, I need money, and they were giving the money to him. And do you really think that it happens like that? And they didn't have any interest behind that money, behind that moment. Accountability or interest? Whatever, I don't know. It's like, do you really think that,
Starting point is 01:33:52 let's say Biden was giving the money to Zelensky like that? I don't know, take this, take that, whatever. Zelensky has, Biden had interest with Ukraine that he got in trouble with on a hot mic when he said certain things Because they were going after his son. There were some issues that was going on at a time So there are a lot of things that you see to to see that Financially the president may have even benefited from it may have benefited from it on that deal with Zelensky. And then people on the back end also probably benefited
Starting point is 01:34:28 from a little bit of a war. It turns into, you know what's a $400 billion contract to rebuild Ukraine? That's a lot of money, Ilya. It's a lot of money. So I think this is what we see, then I think this is what's going on. Yeah.
Starting point is 01:34:44 And we don't see this, right? But at the same time, what we learned the last eight years with the news is you can't trust everything you see. You have to stay skeptical and you have to question a lot of things. And I learned one thing a long time ago. And I think this will make sense to you. What's most important to in your life? What's the top five most important things in your life? myself, my relationship with God, my spiritual world, my job, my work, I don't know, my
Starting point is 01:35:32 occupation, my pride, right? Of course. And... Is your pride more Georgia or is it more Spain? Would you say you're more Georgian? It's difficult to choose between mom and dad, you know. Yeah, I know. That's why I asked. Yeah. So both are important to you because you have both fans, right? They both love you, okay? But something probably like when when you were a kid, how did you guys look at Russia? In a
Starting point is 01:36:01 good way? No. Okay. All right. From what age? Probably very young age. Since I was burned. Who can change your mind? I think that it's a little bit difficult to forgive something like that. A lot of my family members were lost their lives in that war. So how you can forgive that? I agree. So here's what I learned a long time ago. You know how you said what's the point of Earth is flat? Yeah. There's no point of that argument. There's no point here. The reason for it is because it's personal. Do you know what I'm saying? You went through the pain. I don't know that. Just like when I lived in Iran. I went through the pain and
Starting point is 01:36:46 Trying to explain it to somebody else. It's like wait a minute. What do you mean? You don't know what I went through just like what you went through right so you know Yeah as a kid my dad was my hero my parents got a divorce my mother's family they were communist I hated it. It was always over money always arguing over money family they were communist. I hated it. It was always over money, always arguing over money. Money caused my parents to get a divorce and politics. I don't want to deal with politics and I'm going to make a lot of money. So my drive to make money was because we had nothing. Okay. You see what I'm saying? So now try to convince me that communism is good, you're never gonna do it. Of course. Yeah. Me neither.
Starting point is 01:37:26 Yeah, I know. So, but to me, in a situation like this, when talking to somebody that experienced what happened in Georgia, that's why when Patty said what he said to you. It was personal. Of course it was personal, yeah. And that's similar to what happened with Connor and Khabib
Starting point is 01:37:44 when they were fighting and some of the comments was made. Connor was probably trying to sell the event, but Khabib's not trying to sell the event. I know. I know what you mean. Yeah, so to me, I understand why this is an important, sensitive topic to you and to many people, not just to you, to a lot of different people in the world.
Starting point is 01:38:04 But I always watch the people that, when my parents were together, I would watch an aunt. She would come to our house when my dad was at work. As a kid, I'll never forget this. She would sit there and just go for three hours. I'm a six, seven-year-old kid, just three hours talking bad things about my dad. Did your husband buy you a necklace? You know such-and-such about such-and-so wife their necklace
Starting point is 01:38:28 Why doesn't he do that for you? Did he ever take you to dinner? You know such-and-such? Did he take you to Italy? You know such-and-so? I don't think he takes care of you. Look how beautiful you're He's lucky to have somebody like you and I would watch this and then my dad would come home after working 12 hours driving Two hours to work at 830 and then my mom would come home after working 12 hours, driving two hours to work at 8.30, and then my mom would go and scream at him. And you know who it was? It wasn't my mom, it was that lady. So to me, I'm very careful with people like that.
Starting point is 01:38:55 Of course. And it happens in the wars and in politics. So that's what I'm saying. When they say, hey, why don't they let him join NATO and all this other stuff, I don't know the people behind closed doors that are, hey, let me tell you, hey, let me tell you, hey, let me tell you.
Starting point is 01:39:12 That's the part that at this phase of my life, I'm very careful with. Of course, you can trust. I start closely. Yeah. To anyone, to anyone. Me personally, at this point, I wouldn't be surprised with anyone because sometimes you try to go to the top
Starting point is 01:39:35 with the people that don't even wanna see you at the top. Yeah. There was a book called Laws of Human Nature, Robert Greene. I think you would like this book. Which one? Laws of Human Nature by Robert Greene. Can you go to images, Rob? Go to images.
Starting point is 01:39:54 I read some of his book. So you probably read 48 Laws of Power. Yeah. Okay. So if you read 48 Laws of Power, you will love this. He's probably have it translated in Spanish, different languages. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I have it in Spanish. of Power, you will love this. He's probably have a translator in Spanish, different language. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I have it in Spanish. Yeah, you're gonna love this.
Starting point is 01:40:09 But I read the books also in English, I tried, I tried to. Yeah, you'll love this. Actually, I learned my English reading books. You did? Yeah, I was going like page. You speak very good. What? You speak very good.
Starting point is 01:40:22 I try to, I try to. And I'm not living here, in reality, You speak very good. I'm not living here. My wife, she does. Sometimes we try to speak in English and we also try to watch some movies, but I don't go outside and talk to the people in English. And I try to, I don't know, read the books. And if I don't understand any word,
Starting point is 01:40:51 I try to go word by word. Now, I think you'll love this because he says something in the book. He says, if you really wanna know if someone's your friend or not, test them by telling them some good news and some bad news. If you tell them bad news, if they get a little bit happy, be very careful with that person.
Starting point is 01:41:11 You'll see it on their face, he explains it. And he says, give some of your friends a little bit of good news. If you see they get a little bit not happy, be careful with them. Because they, you know there are people that are very happy for you no matter what. And if something happens to you, they're like, how can I I help what do you need from me? Right? You see it immediately
Starting point is 01:41:28 Your family. Yeah, you're well your family Sometimes your friends as well certain friends that are maybe very cool Not a lot of them, but you probably have one or two or three of them like that. He explains that in this book here on You know breaking that part down I will I think I read this book. Oh, yeah. I can't wait to see the fight and I can't wait to be there when you guys fight and I can't wait to be there and the president to be there when you guys Have the fight. I can't wait for that. Hopefully we we have peace in the world and hopefully we have peace in the world Then hopefully oh, yeah, hopefully I would you ever want to make what you ever want to meet Putin? No What if there's peace?
Starting point is 01:42:08 Would you ever want to fight in Russia? What if this fight is in Russia? I wouldn't fight in Russia. Really? So if Islam fights in Russia, you wouldn't fight there? I wouldn't fight in Russia. Why is that? Because there's so much place in the world
Starting point is 01:42:22 that I could fight where I would fight in Russia. I would love to fight in the fight why I would fight in Russia. I would Love to fight in the United States, but not in Russia not in Russia actually, I The only place I would fight it's in the United States or in Spain Got it But would you ever fight in Russia? No never never have you ever gone to Russia? No, would you ever fight in Russia? No. Never? Never. Have you ever gone to Russia? No.
Starting point is 01:42:47 Would you want to visit Russia? I don't want it, but if the destiny wants me to go or I have to go for some reasons, I would go, but not fighting, not putting a show in Russia and working there, I don't know. I wouldn't. You're so interesting, bro. I will.
Starting point is 01:43:04 You're so interesting, seriously. You're so interesting, seriously. So interesting the way you are. Yeah, I'm telling you, like we have guys here that they absolutely love you. Seriously, like when we're doing, like we're going through the podcast, the prep and talking about it, who love you, 100%. Like, this is, this is, I'm gonna tell you,
Starting point is 01:43:24 this guy's this, he's a trifecta he's got the looks he can fight he's got the confidence all this stuff right but just talking to you you are so interesting you're locked in here I don't know maybe sometimes it it happens to me also that I switch my mentality sometimes I switch my Maybe, but at this point right now, you're asking me, this is my answer. I don't know, right now I wouldn't fight in Russia. Maybe tomorrow, who knows what's gonna happen tomorrow. If you fight in Russia, I'm gonna text you,
Starting point is 01:43:55 I'm gonna say, hey, why are you fighting in Russia? What's going on? Please. When is your birthday? What month's your birthday? January 21st. January 21st, all right. January 21st. Well, brother. All right. January 21st.
Starting point is 01:44:05 Well, brother, it's been a pleasure having you on. Please. You're an interesting guy. I'm excited to see you go and get everything you want in life, you know, the highest paid athlete, the biggest fights, biggest pay for you all. Let's leave it there. I don't like that conversation.
Starting point is 01:44:22 I don't know where I said it, and it became like viral that I said it. In reality. I don't know where I said it, and it became like viral that I said it in reality. You don't really care about that. I don't care about that, you know what I mean? I said it, but God bless everyone. Peace for everyone. There's a place for everyone. So I wish. I agree.
Starting point is 01:44:41 Yeah, well, you're competitive. You're competitive, which is okay. Always, always. I was born like that. Thank you very much. It's been my pleasure. Brother, I really're competitive. You're competitive, which is okay. Always, always. I was born like that. Thank you very much. It's been my pleasure. I really, really enjoyed it, man. Thank you.
Starting point is 01:44:50 I truly enjoyed it. I learned a lot of things. My man, take care everybody. Bye bye, bye bye. Nowadays more than ever, the brand you wear reflects and represent who you are. So for us, if you wear a Future Looks bright hat or a value-tment gear, you're telling
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