The Ariel Helwani Show - Arman Tsarukyan, Joshua Van, Marlon 'Chito' Vera, Casey O'Neill, shocking MVP/PFL news

Episode Date: September 22, 2026

Ariel Helwani is back and he kicks off the show by reacting to breaking news that John Martin has stepped down as PFL CEO, as well as the continued fallout from Gable Steveson’s shocking loss (06:54).UFC flyweight champion Joshua Van joins to recap his brilliant title defense against Alexandre Pantoja, explaining why he wasn’t happy with the performance, revealing details about the shoulder injury he suffered ahead of UFC 331, responding to the latest comments by potential opponent Manel Kape, and more (1:03:07).Casey O'Neill is back on the show to reflect on her highlight-reel submission of Eduarda Moura, talking about the technique itself, Moura’s social media trash talk, fan response to UFC 332's main event, being awarded her black belt, wanting to fight Maycee Barber, and more (1:32:00).Arman Tsarukyan returns to break down his massive knockout of Mauricio Ruffy, discussing the performance itself, Ilia Topuria taking to social media during his fight week, being told he’ll get the next title shot, his relationship with streamer N3on, having Nina Drama in his corner for his next fight, Paddy Pimblett’s reaction to the win, whether he thinks Justin Gaethje will be his next opponent, and more (2:02:21).Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera is our final guest of the day, talking about being able to get back in the win column, handling the pressure before UFC 331, how the changes to his preparation impacted the fight, contemplating retirement, running into Petr Yan, and more (2:48:26).Ariel covers news and notes (3:22:04), before answering your Super Chats (3:26:05).

Lazy! Welcome to the Earth! Tuesday, September 22nd, 22nd, 22nd. And 26, hello again, everyone. Hi, sure. Hope you're doing well. It is great to be here on a Tuesday afternoon. I was not here yesterday, as you may have seen. The boys in the back took over.

It was Yom Kippur. If you were fasting, if you were observing out there, wherever you may be. I hope it was a meaningful and easy fast. It was for me. I have a love-hate relationship with Yom Kippur for those that don't know what Yom Kippur is. It is the day of atonement. It is the holiest day of the year on the calendar for the Jewish people.

It is when we atone for all of our sins. We speak to God. And I always say that last hour when you're pretty damn hungry because you have fasted now for 25 hours, no water, no food. You feel the closest to the man above. You speak to him and you talk about all the things, good and bad going on in your life. And so it's very meaningful. It's very powerful. and it happened to fall on a Monday this year.

So I appreciate everyone who stepped up in my stead, as they say, and I was able to check out a little bit of the show. It was great. I hate missing a post-P-L-E Monday, but them's the breaks. I do want to let everyone in the back know that I did take it upon myself as, you know, the gates were open to atone for all of your sins as well, in particular you, Frank, for everything that you've done to me. Yeah, so I just wanted you to know that I gave,

You know, I gave the big man above your greatest commiseration and apologies. And I was looking out for everyone. Everyone was on my mind. Everyone was in my heart in that moment. So, yeah, I hope you guys appreciate that. James, Tudan. I hope you appreciate that. In any event, there is a lot to talk about.

And like I said, I tuned in. I did give you some thoughts post 331. I gave you some thoughts on the MSG double bill. But there's more thoughts to be had. and there's some news that has happened since yesterday's show. It's a super stacked one today, my friends. Holy smokes. If I were to have maybe, I don't know, try to predict like who I would want on the first show after 331,

considering what happened, it's pretty much this. Back into the show, Marlon Chito Vera, who defeated Charles Dordane on Saturday, what a moment, what a fight, what a performance, snapping the four-fight losing streak. He was sensational. Cheetah was amazing. Turned back the clock. Talk to us a couple weeks ago about the new team, about parting ways with Jason Perillo, about training with the Rosas family. Raul is up next this weekend. It was just amazing to see. Very, very happy for him. And so we'll talk to him at 345 Eastern about all that and more. Looking forward to that very much. Prior to that, we're going to be joined by Armin Sarukian, who, as you probably know by now, had the incredible win over Maricio Hufi. the elbow, the aftermath, the walkout, the corner. So much to talk about with the Batman. He was very active on the streets of L.A. yesterday.

He was at the Rams game, Monday night football. I mean, what a story in its own right. First fight since November, since the hooker fight, all the RAF fights. Is he the number one contender? What's going on with Elia? We'll get into all of that and more. Armitrieking can join us at 3 o'clock. Prior to that, Casey O'Neill, who may have scored the submission of the year.

What a freaking sub that was. And she's now won three in a row. She's been, you know, up and down with the injuries in activity. Feels like she's putting it all together. King Casey will join us at 2.30. And then at 2 o'clock, the reigning defending UFC flyway champion, the pride of Myanmar. And of course, Houston as well, Joshua Van, the fearless one, is going to join us to talk about that sensational performance and fight. And it was exhilarating and it was exciting and it was frenetic and it was fast-paced.

I watched it again this morning, by the way, and it's just like, honestly, if you were to show someone why you love MMA, that has to be on the short list of fights that you want to show someone because they mixed it all together. You know, they weren't just throwing single punches. It was always combos. It was upstairs. It was downstairs. It was to the body. It was to the top. It was punches and kicks.

It was takedowns and submission attempts. It had it all. It was really amazing. It was such a fun fight to watch. and at 24, he is such a fun fighter to watch. Eight in a row now in the span of two years, second youngest champion in UFC history. I mean, what more can you say about this guy? The compliments can just pour in, and they're all very much warranted.

He is such a fun fighter, and honestly, all respect in the world to Pantoja. So we'll talk to him about all that at 2 o'clock. There's the lineup, a star-studded affair on this Tuesday afternoon in New York City. But, but, but, before we get into some more post-331 thoughts in this post-331 world that we're living in now, we do have to talk about some breaking news that broke very much under the radar on this Tuesday morning. What was that? What was that? Maybe it was a mistake. Yes, I do have to say that. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.

Old, it's been a while. You know, it's been a few days since I've been here. So old. Yes, yes We love Calci around these parts And they are of course Our presenting sponsor You can think of Calci as a marketplace

Where the price on something is basically the odds of it happening Sports politics Whatever is going on That price moves in real time Based on where people are putting their money So you aren't playing against a house Like you would on traditional sports books Right now you could trade 25 with the code, Helwani, H-E-L-W-A-N-I,

and they add another $25 to your account right away, just like that. Voila! Trade responsibly, there's the QR code, K-A-L-S-H-I. The name is Halwani. We appreciate that very much. Sorry, a little rusty, little rusty. It's been six days since I've been here. That one misday is always a bit of a tricky one.

It's always a bit of a tricky one. I feel a little bit rusty. Okay, now we can get to the breaking news. Frankie, hit that sound one more time. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Please support calcium because they sport us, of course. Woke up today to a text message from someone who shall remain nameless, not rename nameless.

Wow, John Martin is crazy. So I don't react. I go on Twitter, type in John Martin, don't see anything. Go on Instagram, look at his page, don't see anything. Unbeknownst to me, John Martin had another Instagram page, Which makes sense. It was his actual personal Instagram page. The other one was John Martin PFL.

I was not following. I was not privy to the personal Instagram page. And on said personal Instagram page, he posted this to his IG story. After an incredible year and the successful combination of PFL and MVP, I made the decision to step down as CEO of the combined company. I'm enormously proud of what this team has accomplished and couldn't have more confidence in what's,

comes next. Nikisa, Nikisa Bedarian and I work closely together to bring these companies together, and I believe he is the natural person to lead this next chapter. I'm grateful to the entire team and board for their partnership, and I'll be cheering for MVP as both a former executive and a fan. And so effective immediately, John Martin is out, and there's a lot to unpack here. Certainly, this was not the plan when these two entities came together. in late July. You'll remember, I believe off top my head, it's July 29th. I remember that because the PFL Long Island event was July 30th, and I was going on vacation on July 30th, and we did the Dakota thing and all that stuff and more. So this came out July 29th that these two entities on a Thursday morning,

we found out we're coming together. And we found out that PFL would be rebranded into MVP, that it would be an overarching combat sports company, MVP, MMA, MVP boxing would come together and it would all just be called MVP. And it actually took us some time to figure that out. You'll recall when we came back from our summer vacation, John Martin was in studio that week. And I talked to him about, okay, so are you the MVP MMA CEO while Nikisa is the MVP boxing CEO?

What's going on? And no, he said, and I didn't really realize this beforehand, he's the CEO of the entire company. and now Jake and Akisa, who from like a power and equity standpoint, may have the lion's share, they're more founders now in terms of like the way they're being labeled for whatever that's worth, but he's the nitty gritty CEO, he's the face, he's in between the fighters, face off to all that stuff and more. And I'll be 100% honest with you in that moment. I found that decision to be curious for this reason.

If I were the one sitting back, and I definitely told this to people who asked my opinion when it was all transpiring and when I understood what this was all about, when I think of MVP, I think of Nikisa Baderian and Jake Paul. I think of their company, their faces, their vision, et cetera. And they deserve a lot of credit for making MVP what it is today. And really from taking it as like a sort of influencer brand promotion into a legit promotion now, home to the best female fighters in the world. great fights, the Netflix stuff, all that and more. And so I found it to be a curious decision to step away from that formula and to put someone else in as the face. When you consider the fact that John is a little bit older, but a brilliant mind and businessman, and his resume speaks for itself. We've talked about the Time Warner history and whatnot. And even what he did with

PFL in a short amount of time, what I thought would have made more sense is John Martin is sort of like in that founder position, if you want to call it that, for lack of a better word, it doesn't make sense in this regard, but you get what I'm saying. But the day-to-day face, voice, vision comes from Nikisa Baderian and Jake. Jake wasn't mentioned here. I've always said Nikisa is the heart and soul of the company. He's the brains of the company. Jake, more of a figurehead, a very important part of the company. People associate the company with him first and foremost, especially on a casual and mainstream level. But in terms of like the nitty, gritty day-to-day, it's Nikisa's vision that is playing out in front of us.

And so I found that to be curious, and I was curious as to how this was going to work out. What it reads, like, based on what he wrote in his story here, I'm trying to digest it one more time. It feels like there was a decision made that that's what's best for the company. Now, on the outside, the first thing that comes to mind is this obviously wasn't the plan. was there a power struggle? Was there a difference of opinion? Was there a difference of vision? What happened?

I've reached out to all the parties involved and no one else is talking. Other than this, MVP hasn't put out a statement, PFL hasn't put out a statement, haven't talked to Nikisa on the record, John Martin on the record, I've asked other people in the company on the record. No one's speaking right now.

And so this is what we have to go by. And I'm curious if we're going to find out more over time. it feels like perhaps it's hard to have a company with two CEOs. And maybe the answer was having an MVP MMA CEO and an MVP boxing CEO. That was the other thing that I thought was going to happen. If it wasn't going to be Nikisa as the front-facing guy of the entire thing, remember, Nikisa comes from an MMA background. He's now associated with boxing, but he was the CFO of the UFC.

Was he a promoter? No. Was he the CEO of the company? No. but he was there for the sale and several years prior. And so maybe, all right, my first thought was he would be the overarching CEO. Didn't happen. Then my next thought was, all right, maybe he's going to remain as MVP boxing CEO.

And John Martin will remain as PFL, excuse me, MVP MMA CEO. And that didn't happen as well. And so perhaps it's hard to have two CEOs, two alphas, if you will, two people coming together. And they're from different backgrounds with different ideologies. and it's hard to coexist. More often than not, historically, especially in combat sports, when we've seen these mergers,

the leadership doesn't cross over. And in this regard, it felt to me like, all right, if MVP is taking over and it's being rebranded as such, well, what does it mean for the day-to-day soldiers over at PFL? We saw this when WEC went over,

as some people remain. Reed Harris was put in as the figurehead because there was no one else, but like the day-to-day people didn't remain. We saw this with strike force. We certainly saw this with pride. We saw this with WCW, you know, being swallowed up by WWE, WWF at the time. It's just very, very rare to see the management and leadership stay in place when another company comes in and kind of takes over. And so my assumption now, without being told outright, is that Nekisa now becomes that CEO. He goes back to being CEO, but he now becomes the CEO of boxing and MMA. He becomes that front-facing guy that he was before all of this happened.

I don't necessarily think that's the worst thing, but I will also say, I am sad to see John Martin go. I thought John Martin brought a breath of fresh air. I thought that the PFL was a sinking ship when he took over. I thought it was a rudderless ship. I didn't think that it had any sort of soul vision, excitement surrounding it. I didn't think it had a talking head as its face. I didn't think it had a leader, a promoter, a traditional promoter who could tell you and sell you on fights. I think he came in there and without really missing a beat, an executive who was never really put in that position before to be a promoter, to sell you on fights, would sit here and, and, and,

rifle off names of people that perhaps a couple of years ago he did not know. Perhaps. But I believe his interest in MMA was very sincere, very authentic. He talked about his history in being interested in buying the UFC when he was at Time Warner in 2016, his history with Dana White and the UFC from the distribution standpoint. And I felt like he was truly a breath of fresh air. I love the fact that they got rid of the tournament. I liked his take on the uniforms.

It felt to me like they were moving in the right direction. Now, as I've said time and again, you are nothing in this business if you don't have a distribution deal. And as of right now, September 22nd, they've got a little over two months left on their deal with ESPN and a few events. MVP boxing, they've got their deal with ESPN, but that doesn't include the MMA deal. And so now as a company, you've got this massive roster, 200 plus fighters, without a home. Now, I'm not saying it's not going to happen, but they've got some serious. work to be done. I know there are discussions, and I know it's ongoing. They know that as well, but we've got to find something out relatively soon. There's no time that you have to find out.

Remember, top rank, we found out like eight months after their expiration date that they were moving over to zone. That certainly wasn't the desired outcome, but sometimes these things take long. And so now all of a sudden, it's funny how one thing could change everything. Now of a sudden we're looking at a world where 2027 is going to be a fascinating year in MMA, as we've said, UFC rolling on Paramount Plus, Risen doing its thing overseas, but here comes Scott Coker and company, and here comes MVP,

but then you take a step back, all right, where's Scott Coker and company going to go, and where's MVP going to go, and did the negotiations lead to this decision? Was it not going the way people were thinking? There's a million questions to be asked, but not many answers at this time. All we know is that a little less than two months

since this was announced, the face of PFL is gone. And that's a big freaking deal. I don't think that that's a cause for concern if you are thinking like, all right, what's going to happen? Because to me, this was always the Nikisa and Jake's show. But I think that John was a valued and important piece of all of this. I was really impressed with him over the course of the last year. I really was.

And not once did I think, hmm, are these guys not going to coincidex? In fact, I actually thought that they like, they fit well together. I think I may have said that on the show. Jake's the younger guy. Nekisa's like the mid-40s guy. who has these sort of ideas and visions, and seemingly it's working because of the success that they've had

over the last few years, forward thinking, and John is the older guy who's been there, done that from a business standpoint. It seemed to have worked. Like when they were doing the media rounds, it seemed at least from afar to be working. Clearly, that wasn't the case. My understanding is John decided to step away

when it became clear that it just wasn't going to work with the two of them as involved as they wanted to be. They couldn't quite make that work. And so he decided to step away and that's where we sit right now. No official announcement,

but it seems to me like Nikisa now runs the ship on the MMA side and the boxing side. Let us digest this all together, say hello to the team. I've said what I had to say and I've told you for the most part what I know.

Rick, what do you make of this? this. I don't want to say it was inevitable or I saw it coming, but when these types of mergers happen, you start to then see where there can be redundancies, right? You sit and you wait a little bit, and then you just see, hey, is this going to work as a system? And if it doesn't, you fix that by either adding or removing. And in this case, removing. So I don't know, it feels very corporate. Like it feels like a standard

kind of corporate mechanism. But I also agree with you that I thought John Martin did some great things as PFL CEO to kind of like write the ship

and restore some stability. That said, he was there for a very short amount of time. It wasn't like, you know, it was a revolution. I just thought the incremental moves he was making,

I agreed with. I don't know if this is the post-gable knockout world that we're living in, but that was a very sort of measured response from Rick because I was expecting you to say something completely different. Have you changed? What were you expecting from?

I was expecting this is a disaster. This is not what the plan was. Worst case scenario? This is worst case scenario. Who is this guy? Have you changed? What is happening here? I was expecting the ship be sinking.

I've had a lot of time to reflect. Maybe I've seen the error of my ways. Maybe I haven't. Wait, that's it. No more hot takes? I don't know. I don't know. Let's just see.

Let's just see how it plays out. But I, like you, saw value in John Martin, but I'm also not shocked in this moment. G.C.? Yeah, when the merger happened, I wondered what John Martin's role was going to be because it felt like, to your point, Nikisa and Jake are sort of the figureheads when it comes to this. And like Rick said, it feels like a corporate merger. There's not really any room for two power players between Nikisa and John Martin, and it just feels like a natural breaking up process.

What do you think, PT? I think it's weird that nobody's made a statement and John Martin has put this on his personal page I think that needs to be explored further what the hell's going on there this guy is the face of your company and you know he's stepping down and to echo your point

a steady hand was needed when the boat was rocking there with PFL like it was all over the gaff he was patient, calm, composed every time he spoke and then suddenly this happens what does that say to you Ariel O'Anne? The fact that the reason is no statement from the company itself or the various entities involved with this company,

and he has put this out on his personal page. I'm surprised. Look, everyone puts out a statement when there's good news. There isn't always a statement when there's bad news. And I don't know. So then it leads you to think, like, is this bad news? Like, what happened here? Was there a big fight?

Was there a big disagreement? at the very least, I think you should put out of like a two, three sentence thing. John Martin has decided to step down as CEO of the company. It's been great working with him. We wish him the best. And perhaps that happens in the next, I don't know, a few hours. I don't mind him breaking the news, but I do think that that came out. Well, I saw it around 10 a.m.

And so let's just say it was 10 a.m. But I think it was a little bit before. It's now 120. I do think that at least a line or two should be put out there. It's usually uniform, right? Like you have everyone announcing these things at the same time, right? So that would, I'm interested as to why that happened. Another thing I'd be conscious of if I am MVP, and as you said, we have seen similar

situations where a staff gets good at essentially, like with the UFC, when they merged, I would be very conscious of what were PFL's strengths and to keep the strength there as well. have we constantly said about the difference between international PFL events and ones in the US. Now, depending on their vision, they may have no plans for these international events, but that is certainly their strong suit. They have a great international team there, and I think they should make sure that that is fortified rather than just getting rid of people and hoping they can just replace them with some of their own staff, because the people, particularly on the international side,

know the scenes inside out, and what they've created is. In France, in Ireland, we've seen it in Belfast, and to a lesser extent, the UK, has been very, very strong, including the Middle East as well, of course. It's a very good point. The best version of the PFL is definitely their international footprint, if you will. Those shows in France and Belgium, and let's be honest, anyone who puts on a show in those parts of the world, it looks great. But we have often said you need to lean more towards that. Now, John leaving, does that mean that they're like cleaning house? I don't necessarily think so.

They don't have the staff to run both a boxing and MMA organization. Like it is a very lean, mean organization already as it was when it was just a boxing organization. So there's already people there. That would be a big mistake in my opinion. But I'm really curious. By the way, are there people that now decide to leave because John left? I don't know. I'm throwing everything out there.

I don't know if he was there long enough. And I know he brought in people like Lenny Daniels. He brought in like other executives. is, but I don't know if he necessarily brought in fight people. I don't even know if we actually got to see, like, John's final vision of what PFL should be. I don't think we even got close to that. Right. No.

And God knows, like, remember the story that he told us on this show. They were considering a rebrand. They were considering Bellator, which I still think would have been a disaster. But if they go that route, by the way, he's still there because there isn't this, you know, this issue, if you want to call it that with Nikki. So he was considering Bellator. Nikisa hears about that. They start talking. He comes to the May Netflix event and the ball, you know, gets rolling from there.

Who knows what it would have been? If they would have changed the name to something else, let's just say Belator for this conversation, and then get a TV deal. Who knows what that thing is come 2027? We'll never know. But there's a lot of questions. Here's the ultimate thing that I think you can't dismiss and which leads me to not be so overly concerned, it's not like a company came in and bought PFL or merged with PFL and now new guys are coming in and say, we're going to do it our way. They do have a track record. You know what I mean?

Like, the key said does have a track record. I think ultimately what happened was he has a vision, he has thoughts on what a promotion should be based on the fact that he has run one for about five years down than the previous history with the UFC. And maybe those two things didn't mesh. I mean, just to get to brass tax, if John Martin was essential to the growth of this next company, he'd still be there. Like, let's not act like John Martin doesn't have enough history with any of us for us to be like, terrible loss for the company, terrible loss. He hasn't been able to, he hasn't even had time to get out of the starting blocks to do

what he was going to do. I have no idea if he would have been good at running a promotion because he ran PFL for such a short amount of time. As we both said, I thought the moves that he was making in that time were very smart ones, but there's no history, there's no track record, there's nothing. that would indicate to me like that this was some kind of catastrophic error. Now, is there a potential that they're letting somebody go that could have been valuable to them?

Certainly. But I can't, like, there's no way to look at this as downside because we don't know what that would have even been. I'm curious if they're going to say anything. Listen, ultimately, I'll repeat the same thing that I've said a million times.

Where are they going? Where are they airing? If they announced that they've done some deal with God knows, what was that one that they had at ESPN back in the, 2020s, that streaming thing, Quibi. Oh yeah, Quibi is a short form. Yeah, yeah. If they announced some deal with some FACTA streaming platform.

Oh, yeah, if it's MVP's on Tooby or whatever, then, yeah, it's... We're D-O-A. We're D-O-A. Do you point out the announcement, and Pizzi's point about his Instagram, like, this is his personal Instagram that he posted on, which is private and has 512 followers on? Has he accepted my request? Because I did that. Yeah, yeah, yeah, followed by Hawa-Wani.

Okay, perfect. Wait, wait, what do you make of that? What do you make of that? Yeah, it just feels like who was this even for, like, other than like his close friends. Like, it doesn't even feel like an official announcement. Like, I couldn't see this announcement even if I wanted to. Sure. So what does that tell you, though? It hints to me that there's some disarray.

Yeah. As in it would, I would expect something like this and someone who was the face of the company, if this was to happen, I would expect them to all come out at the same time and say, if everything was amicable, that's what I'd expect it to be. But I guess does PFL even care or MVP even care if he's making an announcement on his private, personal, 500-dollar account? I mean, maybe they do care. Maybe they do care. And that's the reason why he's doing it. Like, you're right. Shared statement, graphic, posted on the John Martin PFL account, which I'm sure has more than 500 followers. It's got like, yeah. And all of us would have seen it. I couldn't see it as well. Someone sent it to me, said, hey, what do you make it this? I was like, I don't even know what that is. Who is that? And then I looked it up and I saw that it was him. I've never seen that account before. So yeah, that is definitely something that makes you go, hmm. But at the end of the day, we will know the answer to this question January 1st.

If they don't have a TV deal and or have a really, really bad TV deal. No, no, no, I'm not saying judge me by the end of the year. But yes, I get the similarity. Then we'll know how this all played out. And we'll know if this was a good idea. Look, there's a scenario where we play Monday morning quarterback at the end of 2020. let's say and be like, you know what? Maybe MVP just should have stayed in the boxing business.

And maybe PFL should have rebranded something else, i.e. Bellator, and everyone would have been better off. And maybe there's another scenario where it's like, hey, this ended up working out quite well. I don't know. But not to get too in the weeds in the minutia, but the way these corporate things typically play out is John Martin gets time to search for his next thing. thing, right? John Martin gets a few months, maybe weeks in a worst case scenario to search for his next thing. In that meantime, he's a lame duck, right? And the operations are proceeding

without him, but he's kind of there in spirit so that when he has his next thing, they can then go, we've decided to par ways or he's decided to step down. He's moving on to bigger and better. And that's the way you transfer that power kind of like in typical corporate structures and respectfully, right? So that tells me that a, there's a few options here. A, he took the initiative and was just like, I'm going to post this. I am stepping down and not that I was forced out or not that, you know,

I wanted to have this period of time where I was just a lame duck. I'm going to just say, I'm stepping down and then look for my next venture, clean break, you know, see you later. The alternative is that he maybe wanted to do that and then MVP and the,

the brass, the people above him decided, we don't want to give you that amount of time. so we're going to have this done now and he got ahead of it. But in either scenario, it just felt like the only thing that could be mishandled here is that John, the optics of this are worse on John, right? Because as I said, typically when these things happen, the best case scenario for somebody in that position, especially somebody has accomplished as John, is, hey, I'm moving on to something.

It's always I'm moving on to the next thing. This seems to be, and maybe his next Instagram will be about the new. thing that he's moving on to. But this one seems to be I'm stepping down and there's not like a line that says like, I'm going over to blah, blah, blah. So we'll see. Yeah. PFL was his first venture in MMA. Who knows if his next thing is even in MM. Very good point. I don't even know if it seems bad for John, if I'm being honest. Because of exactly what Rick's just said there, his history and high power situations and high power positions, we've never really seen. Maybe he has, but as far as I know, he's never really done this.

Seems like a great corporate guy to me. The fact that he is doing that, it says to me that he's not happy with the situation, you know? I could be wrong, but that's what it says to me. You know, I remember the first time that I spoke to him, and I'm trying to find his age. So I don't want to date him. It's hard to find it, but I'm going to guess...

Don't do that. Okay. I'm going to guess he's older than Nikita. Is that fair? Yes. Okay. I remember the first time speaking to him, he was just like a board member at the PFL and wasn't looking for this. I think he had felt my read on the situation, he had felt like, okay, like the real meat of his corporate career had come and gone. And I think he was very happy about that. It seemed like he was very happy with the state of his life and he didn't really look for

this, asked for this. And it seemed like the board of directors suggested that he take over because of his love of MMA because of his background and all this stuff. And to your point, PT, maybe there is a part of him that's like, I'm going to go back to the beach, you know, I'm going to go chill out and invest in things and just have a happy life. I didn't ask for all this. I didn't want all of this. Yes, of course, he made the call and he took the call and it was his idea, but maybe it ended up being something bigger than it was. Who knows? I've reached out. I've asked if he wants to come on. We'll see what the answer is there. I've reached out to the Kisa as well to their team for a statement or anything like that. And it seems like that's what they're sticking with right now.

And I would say, as of now, whatever we know is what I just read. And from an optic standpoint, you can't walk away from this to be like, yeah, this is great, right? Because this wasn't the plan. No. It was not the plan. Like, if it was the plan, they would have done it off the bat. And if it was the plan, then someone should come out and tell us, yeah, the plan was always a two-month transitional period and then he would leave. But they never said that.

It was never positioned as such. And so right now you have to sit here and be like, okay, this wasn't the plan. And that's not a good thing when the plan changes. But maybe it ends up being a good thing. I don't know. But it's a crazy week, right? A week ago today, we're talking about key MMA and their big plans and Scott and Rich are sitting here and Rich Mike not working and all that stuff happening. We don't get into all that.

And now let's see what happens with them. Who are they signing? It's all good to make an announcement. Right? Like MVP and PFL found out. That was great. NASDAQ announcement. You're on this channel.

You're doing this interview. It's Wall Street Journal, this, that. What happens when it's time to actually make it happen? Right? I'm sure the folks over in Las Vegas right now are having a grand old time. Or maybe in New York as well, TK. You know what I mean? It's not easy.

It's not easy. What was that peasy? I said they're loving it. Oh, yeah. But da da da da. Remember that one? Now that you're bringing up food. Sure, sure.

I was thinking of that Armond video. Is there a respectful way to attack the food after the fast? Like, do you have to pretend like, you know, you're counting on the time? You're like, I'm chill. You know, oh, is that the food over there? I'll just mosey on over. Or do you just say, you know what, F this, I'm going to ravenously destroy this whole table of food that I've put out here after my 25-hour fast? Are making it to end right at the time the fast ends?

Okay, well, these are all good questions. And I didn't expect us to go in this direction, but that's what I love about this program. So there's multiple ways you can skin this cat. What I love to do, it's actually like the closest that I feel to being a fighter. In between the first trip to synagogue in the morning and the second at night, the ending, I like to go to a nearby bagel shop. and I buy an insane amount of food,

but the crux of it all fresh bagels, sesame and plain. It's not like crazy with the everythings and the Russians and the scooping and all this nonsense, all right? Keep it simple. And then I get all the fixings. I get the locks.

Whoa, what are you guys looking around? Nobody knows what a Russian bagel. You guys don't know what a black Russian bagel is? No. Never heard of it. Is it because the line will be shorter? Are you out of your... Poppy Seasers on money?

It's dark. Is the line going to be shorter? The line's going to be shorter. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Come on. Black Russian, be. Black Russian, look it up. Black Russian.

Yeah. Boiled and rich. Okay, you could just call it pumped up. Yeah, they call it. They call it black Russian. Anyway, so, so I get the locks. I get the egg salad. I get the tuna salad.

I get the, this place has green olive cream cheese to die for it. That sounds horrible. I get all the Joe's tea I can find. Joe's tea has to be purchased. You guys know what Joe's tea is? Yeah, yeah. Last bottles, love it. Insane amount of sugar, but.

It's so freaking good. The lemonade, the peach tea, the da-da-da. You need the electrolytes. You need the electrolytes. So we buy all this stuff, but then we go back and we don't eat it. So, oh, the other thing they have, French toast bagel. Have you ever tried this? Oh, yeah.

Oh, don't get too crazy with the, you know, the sesame. French toast is like a dessert. But the French toasts, though, with sweet cinnamon, sugar, cream cheese. The sesame too crazy, but the French toast, that's where it's. My mouth is watering. Yeah. Anyway, then we go back and I said, hey, let's just say. go for the end, the prayer, but let's go home, because we have all this food.

Now, everyone wants to stay. What I don't like, and they give us a meal and it's nice, but here's what I don't like. Everyone starts acting a little bit too aggressive because they're all hungry. So I don't want to be a savage. You know, I don't want to be like, as fate would have it, as fate would have it, we ended up being at the front of the line. So I got everything first touch. I don't like everyone touching like my spoon with the thing.

I got first touch. I got first dibs. the cheese blances to die for. So I got first touch of the cream cheese. I got first touch of the egg salad, the tuna salad. The bagels could have used a little toasting, but it was what it was. So all to say, got everything. The key is, and I made this mistake when I was 14, ate way too fast, had too much tortellini soup.

My mom made it tremendous. Threw up. So I've always... Last night? No, no, no. When I was 14. The OG mistake. Yeah, OG mistake.

I was like, damn. If your body's not ready for all that. You're in the line, bro. No, no. So I slowly, slowly devour a little bit of locks, a little bit of this. Tell the kids, hey, your first time, your rooks. Listen to, listen to Pops here. Slowly, slowly. They were complaining of stomach aches after, so they didn't listen to me. There's a waffle station. There's cereal. There's all kinds of nonsense. I missed something along the way here. Yes, yes. You brought the bagels and the smear. No, we have a spread. I went to buy it, and then we didn't eat any of it because we stayed after the service. So they also had this type of spread. It was their decision. They all wanted to stay with.

Their friends are there. I'm saying, where you were eating, they also had bagels. Oh, they do a huge thing for the congregation. Yeah, yeah. So why are you buying it if they have it? My original plan was I would come straight home and get all the fresh stuff. Yeah. I'm with you.

But it's not fresh. I'm with you. I bought it at three o'clock. As I was listening to you guys in the car, I bought it. You got to go buy it. You're calling the Houston Arena, the Honda Center. I heard it all. Toyota Center.

Toyota Center. I was listening to it. So anyway, so now I have all this stuff at home. We had the French toast bagels for breakfast, all good, so it all worked out. And we ate. No, white fish. No, listen. I've got a white fish.

Anybody wants white fish? There's still, like, enough for five-war people. I'm so good on the white fish. I'm so good on the- I like breakfast. I don't know what's going on in the Jewish religion that we just, we pick the worst fish. It's just stuff. I don't mind it.

Don't disrespect the white fish. Defilta. They like Lux, right? Lux is good. Oh, smokes out. Come on. Lox is tremendous. Would you get a bad rep

If there was a greedy goat Who was like, you know Up there Smashing the shit out of everything You can't go crazy It's a bad look I was honestly watching my dad He ate a lot of white fish and bagels

And then at the end he's eating dessert And he's having fruit And I'm like oh man That fruit after dessert No you can't do that That's gonna rot I do want to tell you one funny story We've been a part of this

For maybe like I don't know Five or six years And there's a guy there And he may get a kick out of this If he hears it I first met him, I told him what I did for a living, knew nothing about MMA. Over time, started getting more into it, getting more into it. And now, like, he comes up to me yesterday.

Show's been great. The boys are great. I'm listening to the crack. What about Armin jumping over the cage and getting in Hunter's face? I'm like, you know who these people are now? Like, you didn't even know what the UFC was four or five years ago. So we had a nice little laugh about that, about how far he's come as an MMA fan. I thought you guys would appreciate that he said you guys were doing great as well.

He knows about everyone. What's his name? Thank you. I don't want to put anyone's business out there. Thank you, Anonymous, man. So anyway, I don't know if he's a closet fan or not. Point is, it was nice. We come home and had a massive headache because no coffee.

But otherwise, all good. Can we get back to the fighting? No one wants to hear about all this. Most importantly, Rick, how are you? I mean, I saw you yesterday on the show. I saw you yesterday, but I just don't want this to change you because I think part of your charm is you come out with various like grandiose, strong-willed opinions, and dare I say, this might have been like your strongest

take. No, definitely not, but it's up there. Oh, it's up there. You said Gabriel could fight for the belt like today. Did you not say that? That's a case scenario. He would win the belt. I might have said he could be zero gone or something.

Can you tell me like, what was the feeling inside when you saw it? What was the feeling inside? Let the clip again. It's hard. Yeah, play the clip. No, no, no, we're good. I want to know what's happening inside. I'm trying to think of how to handle this.

Because we dismissed. Like, let's be honest. No one thought this was coming from. Nobody thought this. But, but. O and two in the UFC, hadn't blown the roof off the place in those losses. Who the hell would have saw this coming? And then you see this in 12 seconds.

Look at that. There's just, honestly, there is just no way to process it. Like, you see it happening and you're like, it didn't happen. Like, in your head, you're thinking it didn't happen. And I want to correct. It must be stated. Please. Like, no part of me in watching that was thinking like, oh, man, my take.

but my take. It must have come like 10 seconds later, no? Not really. Immediately logged on to the lawyer stream. Immediately. Like, not even like in a blink. I mean, that's what I thought. If I'd be honest.

By that, I don't mean that people shouldn't be like wanting to bury me for my take. But in my own head, no part of me was thinking like, oh man, the take. I was thinking, truly, I'll tell you what I was thinking. I was thinking like, holy shit, like, holy shit. Like, can't believe that that just happened. what the hell is he going to do and for both of them I mean we

you saw honestly on the watch party we were all processing it in real time those were my honest thoughts as it was happening the the circling back to the take didn't come until like

a day later when I had time to be like a day I don't know about a day so the morning after here's the thing I'm not saying I called you a gable glazer

six seconds after it I know but it you were on it GC as you should have that thing that thing is so far from what I'm thinking about at that moment, you know? I just think that you are one of the loudest believers in his ceiling.

And let's be honest, he could eventually reach that. Still be good, yeah. Armisturukian lost his UFC debut, didn't get knocked out. Islamakshav got knocked out early in his... Yeah, Islamachchev got knocked out. Like, people lose. No, I'm saying Armist Rukin's UFC debut was the Islam Mahesh. Oh, okay, okay.

Sean Sherr. Okay, what about Davy Ramos? I'm saying, we're talking. We're talking about this guy. We're talking about this guy as the greatest potentially of all time. Anderson Silva lost to Rio Chunnan. Here's, look, to take a step back, it was a nightmare week for Gable. And I have serious questions.

I think we all do if he could even overcome this. I don't know if he has built the same as those guys. It has been, since he won the gold medal, very little has gone right for him. I talked about this in my video. You guys talked about it as well. W.W.E. didn't work out. Going back to college didn't work out. Buffalo Bills didn't work out. This is not working out. And let's be honest, I know there's revisionist history, but like he almost got nailed with a spinning heel kick in Mexico. Like it hasn't been, it hasn't quite been like Bo Nickel. Amazing things. But Bo had those knockouts and the beginning of that career. He's not John Jones. He doesn't have the background. He doesn't have the amateur background. He's just not that kind of fighter. And there's always been a knock on on wrestlers who, who are like highly, highly touted Division I grades. Do they want to get punched?

Remember what Jordan Burroughs said to us. Do they like getting punched? Did Brock Lester like getting punched? He did not. That was an open thing about him. What happens when you get punched? He was very cocky. He looked down on Sean.

He didn't think he was on his level. He was broken when Sean brought up the sexual assault allegations in 2019. He did not know how to respond to that. He did the John Jones' schick looking away. It's just, it was a nightmare week for him. He was not ready for it. He was not ready for an opponent to go at him like that. And you have to give Sean all the credit in the world.

He did exactly what he had to do. He had to try to break him beforehand and that would soften him up. And I'm not saying that he necessarily, like, that's, when you say that you're almost taking away from the knockout and how spectacular it was, but you have to think that there was things going on. He was rattled. He was absolutely rattled. And I think he didn't do a good job of hiding the fact that he was rattled.

I think it's a very easy thing. to decipher based on the way he was reacting to it all. I think he needs to determine, like, who he is. He's not mini-John. He's not going to play the same playbook. He has to decide if he wants to do this, if he wants to get punched, if he wants to be that guy, I know his whole team are trying to take all the blame away from him. They're trying to shield him.

That's what they should do as good managers and teammates. Here's John Jones taking the social media yesterday being like, hey, everyone that's giving him shit for walking out of the cage, it was my mistake. It was my call. I've seen some reports online and I really wanted to clear the air. It was my decision to take Gable straight to the back after the fight. Honestly, it was the first time in this situation for me, and my instant reaction was to get my friend to the back to make sure he was okay.

Gable's work ethic and will to win is there, and I stand by him and believe he will go on to be one of the best heavyweights in the UFC. He will be back, I'm sure of it. I get the sentiment and appreciate it. Guess what? It wasn't Greg Jackson's first time. It wasn't Brandon Gibson's first time. Two men that I like and respect.

Someone should have said, stay in the case. And the fact that they couldn't get that message across is a problem. John Jones is not a head coach. He's got two incredible head coaches that he should be leaning on. It's one thing to be that guy who is there taking a protege, putting his arm around him. It's another to be making decisions like that because guess what? More often than not, John Jones doesn't make the right decision. He just has unbelievable God-given talent.

And so he should be a part of the team guiding him. but the coaching decisions, the way to behave in those situations should be on Greg Jackson and Brandon Gibson. They're the ones who should be leading the charge. And so a lot of questions need to be asked here. He handled everything horribly, horribly. And it's going to take so much work to try to get back on track. And by the way, it may never happen where he gets back in the good graces of people. And you may ask yourself, good graces. When was he ever in their good graces? Well, he was in their good graces prior to the 2019 allegations. And there was a moment. Like, I remember watching Gable Steven win the Olympic gold medal. And that was not discussed. The allegations, which never eventually

amounted to an arrest or a charge or a conviction, a six-month investigation did not lead. And that's an important thing. I know people don't want to talk about that, but that is an important thing. Getting accused of sexual assault is bad. And that sticks with you forever. But he was never charged, he was never convicted, he was never sent to jail, he's not Mike Tyson in that regard, it's important to say that, it is important to say that, and you want to talk about the loophole? Well, when the announcement came out where the district attorney said, we are not going to pursue this anymore, the number one reason that they gave was that there was an insufficient amount of evidence to proceed with this. He did mention that there was a law in the

state of Minnesota, which said that when an accused, a victim is intoxicated, willingly intoxicated, meaning she willingly had a drink or whatever, there is a law in the state of Minnesota at the time. There was a law which made it more difficult to pursue legal action in these types of cases. Now, that particular law was changed in 2021, and now it doesn't matter if it was willing or unwillingly, and that's the norm in the United States of America. And so when people bring up the Gable-Stefson loophole, it is associated, but if you go back

to the press conferences and the coverage, the number one thing that was said by who would have been the prosecution was that there was insufficient evidence. I'm not saying any of this to defend Gable-Stefson. Trust me, I'm not. I'm telling you exactly what the facts are. I'm not saying this to defend them. I'm telling you what the facts are, what the exact story. story is. Well, guess what? The MMA world has found out about this story, and I don't know if

they're ever going to forget it. I don't know if they're ever going to let him off the hook or at least say like, oh, you know what, we're not going to pay attention to this. We're not going to bring this up every single time. Sean Choraff is the first one to bring it up and shoved it in his face. All's fair and love and war. He was perfectly in his right to do it. He was bringing up a factual thing. Shubbed it in his face, and I think that broke Gable. And I think we saw what happened on Saturday. And I think that people are going to, here's the other problem.

There are other, like Kobe Bryant was in a very similar situation. Mike Tyson obviously went to jail. Connor McGregor in a very similar situation, ended up being, you know, convicted in a civilly libel, in a civil course, a court, I should say, case. I'm not an expert when it comes to this legal stuff. Point is, those guys, had fan bases beforehand.

Those guys, you could say were successful, we're charismatic, whatever. Gable doesn't have any of that. He's coming in as a debutante. And he's also linking up with a guy who, let's be honest, is not like a fan favorite when it comes to people

who would pay attention to these sorts of things. A lot of people don't like John Jones because of all the out-of-cage activity. And so he is against it. And I don't know, guys, if he's ever going to come back from this. I don't know if that's... Is that a hyperbole? No.

What's that? Like, he can never... we were talking about this on the show yesterday. Okay, like, he's an amazing skill set. He can definitely, like, there is absolutely a possibility where he can come back, string a lot of wins together, and be one of the best heavy weights. That is not an unbelievably, it's not a reach at all for me.

However, he will never be back to where he was, this shiny prospect. And the one thing, I had a conversation with a fighter after our show yesterday, the person was watching the show, and they're based in Europe. And what they said, and I think it's quite interesting, is he's like, do Americans over-emphasize the prospects when they come from a wrestling background? Of course, famously, people say it's the best base for MMA and Gable Steven is an incredible wrestler, Olympic gold medalist. But we have boxers all the time, like world-class boxer saying, I want to try M.A.

And people immediately go, what the fuck are you talking about? You would not last a second. And like, we've seen it with Bonneckel. when he lost, everyone's like, oh my God, this is all, it's all bullshit. And we're seeing it with Gable now with this same situation. But is it just a case where people are over-emphasizing how great these guys should be really early in their UFC careers? Where you're saying, like, same as what you said, Ariel, they haven't got punched for 20 years as a wrestler. It's a completely different thing.

Why is it that? Is it simply this base situation that boxers, Terence Crawford, all these got, sorry, Tyson Fury, all these people saying, I'd love the Troy boxing, they're immediately laughed out, even though. at the top of the food chain that sport. Why is it that we give so much like, oh my God, this elite wrestler is coming here.

Are we actually overagging the omelet to the point where we're setting them up to fail? I think it's a very good question. I think ultimately the most dominant base in MMA is wrestling. And so if you have a head start

in that regard, you are going to be, you know, you're going to be favored a little bit more because if you're a tremendous striker, we've seen a lot of great strikers who can't stop a takedown

and they get exposed. We've seen a lot of great wrestlers who can't really throw have pretty damn good careers. And so we tend to, I don't know if overrate is the right word, but we tend to like give a lot more credit to those guys. But yes, there is something to be said about that. It is very hard to go from a sport. Like, I've talked about this in the past. Just a simple thing. Like if you are an orthodox wrestler, your right foot is forward. That's how you shoot, right? If you're an orthodox wrestler, you're right foot is first. Like, we talk so much about, like, guys who switch stances and whatnot, and, and some do it

great and some don't do it well. But, like, you have to redefine the way in which. And obviously, it's, it's the opposite if you're, if you're a Southpaw. But they have to do it and redefine. And maybe we've gotten spoiled and maybe some are better at it than others. And maybe some have done a better job of building up. And I also think, guys, let's be honest, 10, 15 years ago, Gable Stevenson, I hate when people call him Stevenson.

Steven is not in the UFC yet. That's true. There's a rush to sign these guys now to get them before they go somewhere else. Gable was in talks to be on that Netflix card. That is true. There is a rush to get these guys in, and they're getting them in way too soon. That is true, but Sean Shereff is not different than the talent he would have seen on the regional scene. So that's not an excuse in this scenario.

I'm not a single excuse for Gable, by the way. I get what I'm saying is saying. but the spotlight is greater. The spotlight's greater. And more people are talking about his previous history and there's just more pressure on him. Absolutely,

but as far as fight for fight, it's no different. That's the same type of guy he would see on the regional team. You can't discount the lights. You can't discount the lights. There's a big difference. I'm not talking about that.

No, but I'm saying if he's fighting Sean Chiraf at a freaking, you know, thousand seat, you know, county center in Albuquerque, it's a different type of setting.

Maybe. But it might also just not be that guy. You might not be that guy. And to Pizzi's point, I can only speak, I'm not going to make a sweeping generalization. I can only speak to my own overestimation, right? And I think there's partially truth in terms of what Pizzi's saying, in terms of that wrestling base,

because as Ariel laid out pretty succinctly, like we have seen wrestlers who can't strike be pretty successful, but if you are a striker who can't wrestle, you really are kind of cooked. It's a different type of thing. But you're making a calculated assumption, right? you're making a calculated gamble on the fact that a guy who has competed at that level, a guy who has competed for Olympic gold and been that successful in that sport that we have seen

people translate over will continue to be successful when he kind of implements those other things, combine that with the coaching. There are certain things, though, that you don't know until you find out, right? You're kind of just wanting or imagining something to be true. And then when you see it, when you see the way instead of wrestling, he's kind of like taking steps backward and not prepared to take the punch in the way that you'd hope, then those things disappear. Now you have to reassess and you have to make a new calculation.

But I think it's a safer bet to assume that Gable Stevenson will be successful than not successful because of that wrestling background. But he's got to use the wrestling. Then you got to see it. We're two fights in and I understand they were both quick knockouts, but there's been zero wrestling so far through three minutes of his UFC career. He has zero takedowns. Yeah.

And he was looking to strike with Sean Sheriff at the beginning of that fight. And Elisha Ellison. He was willing to stand with him and take, and throw punches. He was tough to take down. Don't forget that. Can the guy even get takedowns? Where play, J-C? I mean, I said Elisho.

Can he still beat Pavlovich and Gann and all those guys? Do you want my honest answer or my joke answer? I do want the honest answer. My honest answer is I think Cyril Gahn would still be in trouble against Gaple's potential. By the way, we may see a version of that fight at Madison Square Garden. Look, this is a styles make fight thing You think Gandhi Tokit?

What was Sean Sheriff's style? I don't know. To knock them out. There's a difference. Tell me, tell me. I don't want to defend too hard because then people will not see me eating crow, right? They'll not feel like they're getting what they want.

But the reality of the situation is style makes fights, styles make fights. Oh my God. He's a hungry boy. I'm not discounting the fact that Cyril Gahn could knock him out. I've never thought Cyril Gond could knock him out. couldn't knock him out. But I also thought that Cyril Gahn was vulnerable in the same way that Alexander Volkov is not a great defensive wrestler. It's all calculated risk. It's not a, it's not a situation where it's like no other outcome is possible. It wasn't me saying that like Cyril Gahn

can't win a fight. Sirlegan can win a fight. If Cyril Gons had a fight with Tom Aspinall, I would expect Tom Aspinall to win. Does that mean Tom Aspinall is going to win? Can Tom Aspinall win that fight? Yes. But if you ask the internet, based on one round where Tom got his eyes shoved to the back of his head. Cyrilgan's the greatest fighter who's ever lived and Tom had no chance. It's all a styles make fight situation. If you're now with the knowledge that I have, with seeing what happened on Saturday, if you ask me if I would pick Cyrilgan or Gable Stevenson in a fight, I would pick Cyril

gone. If you told me that Gable Steven went in there and wrestled him and looked pretty damn good doing it, would I be shocked? No. Nor should I be. That is Cyril Gons' flaw. That is his deficiency. In the same way that if you told me Cyril Gond put Gable Stiefsen through the cage with a punch,

I'd be like, yeah, that sounds about right after Sean Sheriff did it. Like, that sounds pretty good. The big thing that we used to talk about during this, you getting all these hot takes off, was he would be favored over every single heavyweight, save Tom Aspenov. At that time, yes. Right now, Cyril Gond versus Gable Steven, how would you line it? He'd be a massive underdog. Yeah.

But if he would. If we went back to that time, he'd be a favorite over most of those guys that we were talking about. He was one of the biggest favorites in U.S. history on Saturday. You're booking him versus Taito I Baza. Nah. I don't hate it, by the way. Nah, Ty. You want more fights for Ty, man.

I'm not sure. No, don't do it. I don't know what you do. What is one more going to do? We're at eight. Bro, we talk about who he's right at eight. I mean, he didn't get beat up. He didn't get like, it wasn't like embarrassing.

setback only makes way for the comeback cheeses Yeah, come on, man What is this like, I'm the hater? Why do you hate Ty? What is this like, I'm the hater because I'm the hate because I don't want to see him continue to lose. We want him to set the record. We want Ty Toevesa to be records.

Who's the favorite in Surreal? Excuse me, who's the favorite in Gable versus Ty? Gable. By a lot. There's a sports book that puts out a lot of press releases and whatnot on lines. I'll give them a shout out

because I don't want to steal their info. Betonline.agee, they just put this out. The Gable-Stevson loss is the biggest upset in UFC history, just from an odds perspective, minus 1800. Number two is Mick Debec Oroby, minus 25, excuse me, 1,250, minus 1,250 against Jeremiah Wells, just like a month ago. Rhonda Rousey, Hollyholm, minus 1250. Maria Agapova, minus 1225, George St. Pierre, minus 1,200. I don't remember it being as high as minus 1,200 back in the day, but fine. Talbot, minus 1100 against Barcellos, Nunes, 1050, 350,000.

Dean Barry, Thousand, Barow, Hennon Barrow, minus 950, and then Devante Smith, 900. You know what's my takeaway from reading this? These odds makers don't know shit, because a lot of these fights are so, and you could throw the Bellamere in there because I know it wasn't like...

They didn't have a line. No, they did have a line, but technically wasn't UFC. They did? Okay. I didn't realize it was a building or something, wasn't it? But my point is, like, like, 1250, Holly Home Ronda Rossi, what are you doing?

Mick Debeck Orobae should not have been a 1250 against Jeremiah Wells and I don't know Maria Gapova 1225 like these are crazy lines We say this but who was lining up to bet Sean Sheriff plus 1100 The other side was available I don't think anyone saw that line going into Saturday and was just like I just say beware beware I gotta get cheddar down on on Sean Sherman

The lines are not them picking who they think will win That is not what the lines are they open But that's not what they that's not how it works I know. If they open the line and the public says to G.C.'s point that this is crazy, the line would shift. The line did not shift. Hindsight is 2020. If people had come out and just pounded Sean Sheriff, they would have dropped that line down significantly.

There was not a lot of betters on Sean Sherp. No one thought he was winning that fight. Let's not change this narrative of like, Sean Sheriff was a tough test. We knew this was going to be a tough test. I'm not trying to do that. I'm not trying to do that. But I get what you're saying. No, everyone thought that this was, look.

The bottom line is they pick the wrong guy. They should have picked the guy. For sure. He was, as I said in my video, he was desperate. He was hungry. He was going to do whatever he could to get under his skin. He's got a good team behind him. He's with Eric Nixick and the Extreme Couture Squad.

He's sleeping on the floor. He was desperate. He was hungry. What amazing story. He did what he had to do. And by the way, I just want to say this. I do see a lot of people being like, oh, Ariel would never have him on. I dare you to have him on.

You clearly have not been paying attention. Of course I would have him on. I would love to have him on. There are two issues that are playing against us. Right now, he is number one, managed by Ali Abdel Aziz. And unless your name is Kayla Harrison, you ain't coming on the program if you're a UFC fighter. And even if you're a non-UFC fighter, I've learned, like misfits reached out to me. Hey, we'd love for you to have Henry Sehuda on before this fighting.

It was Dean the Great. Now it's Javon Walton. I said, sure, they ain't going to do it. Guess what? They ain't doing it. Frankie Edgar, R-A-F, sure, they ain't

going to do it. Guess what? They ain't doing it. Why? Because he's this puppet master who tells them, I'm going to do X, Y, and Z for you,

I'll do the media for you, you don't need this guy. That's fine. I would love to have him on, and we did reach out to him, and we haven't heard back. And so I'm going to reach out because that's the job,

and I'd love to know more about his story. I couldn't care less where he's from, what he believes in, and I think I've shown enough time and again that I want to have these conversations.

I think it's healthy. I think it's positive to have these conversations. I don't feel like, you know, my way or the highway. I only want people who come from my background, who have my ideology. But more often than not, I have heard from people who won't come on because of my beliefs.

I'll tell you, Nasr Deneimovov won't come on the show. And I've heard it from other fighters as well. I'm thinking of him because I think he's going to get the next title shot. And I've had to ask for him multiple times. You don't want to come on. That's fine. But please stop with the bullshit that I won't have people on because they're from a certain background

or have a certain belief system or a certain religion. That's not true. I'm not... Muhammad Mikhailov publicly stated he would never come on my show because I reposted a video of people in Dagestan

searching through plane engines looking for Jews. And what happened? He came on the show. Because I don't... What do I gain from having Muhammad Mukayahed on? Like, does my show change? Do we get crazy views as a result?

No. I cover the sport. And I try to do it in a fair, respectful, and professional way. And so everyone is invited. As I've said a million times, if they ain't coming on, it ain't my decision. Everyone is invited. Unless you're like a total shithead who's going to come on and like spew absolute nonsense venom, then I'm not interested.

Who me? Yeah. All the time. Please. Okay. I don't, guys, I don't see notifications. So I need it in my year because my thing isn't working. So now, so I apologize for going on that little rant here.

Without further ado, let us go. to the reigning defending UFC Flyway champion, the man who looked absolutely sensational on Saturday in the main event of UFC 331. What a fight. Ghali, what a fight. Second youngest champion in UFC history, he's now won eight fights in a row.

He's defended the title twice. He can't take anything away from Joshua Van, the pride of Myanmar and Houston, kind enough to join us. Hey, Josh, how are you? Congratulations, my man. I'm good, man. I'm doing great.

God, I had to watch the fight again this morning because I was just so blown away by what you guys did out there. And to be honest, I was saying this at the top of the show. I feel like if you were to show someone why do you love MMA and what makes MMA so special, you show them this fight because of the way you guys mixed everything.

We saw punches. We saw combos. We saw leg kicks, body kicks, knees, takedown, submissions. This to me was a master class in what makes MMA so beautiful. Do you agree? Yes, sir, for sure, man.

Like, Pintoja is one of the great, you know, And I was very grateful to be in a cage with him, you know, in the octagon with him. And I'm testing civil business. Are you happy with your performance? Not really. I thought, you know, I get hit too much, man. I could have done a lot better. But, you know, we take the result for now and then we get better from there.

Why do you think you got hit so much? Well, I told you, style is not something. something you can really time, you know what I mean? So I think my, I don't know, my preparation wasn't the best preparation either. So, you know what I mean? We're just going to get better. Let's fight. Okay, so I want to get to that in a moment, but you say that his style is not something

that is easy to time. My man, you were catching his punches. Like, I've never seen this before. You were literally catching his punches. Do you do that often? Look at this right here. You know this. You know you did this, right?

you were literally catching his arm. Yeah. Yeah, that's, you know, that's instinct. But it's like, Contagia is so weird because his fighting style is, I don't know, it's not, how you say,

it's orthodox, right? Yeah, it's so unorthodox that, like, it's hard to very time, you know what I mean? Because we just throw it from everywhere else and you don't know when he's going to throw it. So it's like, it's hard, you know, time he caught his kick this time he caught his punch.

That is right. Who's that, by the way. Who's speaking? That's my striking coach. Oh, what's up? Well, congratulations to you as well. Who is that? Who is that? Is that Daniel Paneda? Frank. Both of them are here. They're all here. What's up, Frank? How are you? Congratulations. So, buddy. Thank you, man. Thank you.

I love it. Okay. Well, what about those? So do you do that in training as well? Do you catch people's punches when you're sparring in camp? Well, sometimes, you know, sometimes I just catch it. Sometimes I just slip it, but yeah. Yeah, we see people slipping. We see parrying. I've never quite seen someone catching the arm. Insane.

Can I talk to you about the shoulder? You revealed in the Post-Fly press conference that you tore your AC joint in your shoulder. Which shoulder was it? Yeah. The right shoulder. Okay. And how did that happen? Well, you know, we have the press conference.

Philly. Yeah. And then when I came back to Houston and, you know, trying to stop my training, we did wrestling. And, you know, I fall on my right shoulder. And we thought it was just like, you know, a minor injury. But then the next day I woke up, I can't even live my arm and stuff like that. So we went, you know, we noticed the UFC and then they sent us to, you know, the MRIs and

all that stuff. And it was an AC joint. Damn. Do you need surgery on something like that? I don't think so, man. You know, the UFC doing the best they can to treat me before the fight. And now after the fight, you know, when I go back to Houston, we're going to continue the treatment and see how to go from there.

So that press conference in Philly, off the top of my head, I think was August 14th. This fight was September 19th. And so you say like a few days. later, you suffer the injury. So let's just say August 17th, 18, 19, let's say a month. Yeah. Could you not throw your right for a month? No. Wow.

I can't even train boxing. I can't train wrestling. I can't do nothing. All I did was run. All you did was run. I was doing running. And, you know, yeah, pretty much. My lower body workout.

Did you consider pulling out? You want to attack? No, not really. Why not? It's such a big fight. There was so much at stake. But the thing is, you know, Pintoja was already saying I was scared to fight him. So I was like, if I pull it out and I'm the main event, so, you know, I got that thing on my shoulder.

So I like, I can't pull this out, you know. How did you feel on fight weekend on fight night? Were you worried about it? No, man. And I think fight week kind of changed my mindset. Monday, five week, but I don't even feel like, I don't even feel my shoulder no more. Really?

I don't know. Something to change five weeks, man. Yeah. So even now in the aftermath, you don't feel anything? I feel it right now. Are you in a lot of pain? Not a lot of pain, like a certain movement like this. It don't hurt, but like that.

Yeah. Wow. I mean, it's just crazy because of your output, you know, like how much you throw and you. use your right, obviously the wrestling as well. I can't imagine that it wasn't like playing tricks on your mind. Like, am I ready? Am I going to be rusty?

Am I prepared? This was such a big deal for you. You weren't thinking those thoughts. I did. I did. You know, the first, well, five weeks into that camp, I hurt my shoulder. And, you know, for three weeks, I can't really do nothing. You know, I can't spar.

I can't do nothing. So I'm like, damn, man, how am I going? you know, how am I going to do in this fight? And so two weeks out, I was like, you know what? I still feel the pain, but let me go spar. And I did my first sparring two weeks left. And then the last week of training, I told my head coach, I was like, I wouldn't do one with sparring. But he said no.

But then I was like, I got to get my timing because I haven't been sparring all this camp. So let me do one more time. So the last week, I spar. and then we hit to LA. How did it feel after those sparring sessions? The last sparring session was a lot better than the first person. Okay. Okay. What do you think happens in the fight if you're 100%?

It's going to be a lot different than that fight that we just have. You think you finish him? For sure. I was thinking about something. If you didn't have the Tatsura-Taira fight in between, Like, if you would have fought him in Miami, that was the original plan. Do you think the fight is different? Like, in other words, did the Tyra fight going five rounds?

I know you didn't go the full five. Did it instill any more confidence in you, give you more time? Did it make you into a better fighter? No, man. I feel like every fight before, like, the fight that I have before this fight, kind of like prepare me for this fight, you know what I mean? So it's not just a sort of fight that helped me. It's just every other fight helped me prepare me for this fight.

Sure, I was just thinking that you had another fight in between, and you also went the distance in this particular fight, so it may have helped you, because you had never gone 25 minutes before prior to this. Well, I fought him the first time when I beat him, so it's all the same. How much did it bother you when Joe Rogan said it was a win by accident at the way-ins? A little bit. I didn't even lie, man, a little bit.

You know, it was kind of fucked up. He said, though, but, You know, much love to Joe Rogan. You know what it is, man. He's a legend. Was that who you were referring to in the post-fight interview when you said people are calling this an accident and things like that?

Yeah. To be honest, yes. Because, you know, I don't really give a fuck what other people say, but Joe Rogan is somebody that I look up to. And for him to say that, you know, he's kind of like, damn, you know? Did he apologize?

No. He doesn't have to. It's just, I can let him know how I felt, you know. I feel you. I feel you. Do you feel like you can now put this all behind you, though? Everything, the accident, the this, the that, you've proved your point. You can move on.

Yeah, for sure. And, you know, Controja, he is greatest of all time. You know, you got nothing but respect from me. So, you know, for me to fight him twice is a blessing itself, you know. So we can put this behind and focus on the future. I do have to say that version of you, that we saw at the presser in Philly, man, that was a lot of fun. That was a bit of a different side.

Like, you telling him to shut up and like calling him, you know, you're saying you're his daddy. Like, I love that version of you. I don't know if that was like a magnified version of you, if that was healed Josh Fan. I don't know what that was, but that was incredibly entertaining. So well done. Yeah.

I don't change, man. That was me. That was me. You know, a lot of people that know me know that was me. You know what I'm saying? I like to talk to here and have fun. You know, I didn't try to be somebody I'm not. You know, I was just having fun out there.

So maybe the answer is we're just getting to learn more about you now. We're getting to see the real you. Yeah, I was just, you know, I was just getting starting. You feel like we have yet to see the full version of you? Yeah. I mean, see me right now, you know what I mean? No, I know. But, man, when I saw that, I was like, oh, I like this version.

It's just been a while since we've had a champion in the flyweight division. who had your type of, as the kids like to say, aura, who had your trash talking skills, who's not afraid to, like, say what he's truly feeling. It's quite refreshing and fun. Yeah, for sure, man. I'm never afraid to say what I want to say, you know. It's just sometimes people don't like that,

but it's just the way I felt, you know. Well, can I ask you about Manel Cap? What do you make of him? He's good. Did you see what he tweeted yesterday? What did he tweet? I'm too busy helping my teammate right now. He's warming up.

He's fighting tonight. So I'm not even on social media right now. He wrote, you're all going to be surprised by how easy I make this fight look. That's what they all say. You know, like I say, come fight day, we're going to see who's a better man. Do you think he should be next? Yeah, he should be next for sure.

Have you been impressed with him? Express? Yeah, impressed with what he's done. win over Horaguchi, his other wins. Yeah, his eye. You know what I mean? You bring the eyes? Yeah.

Is he as good as Pantosia? Better, less good? I don't know. Like I say, I got to be in the case with him for me to find out. You know, sometimes what you see on TV and what you, you know, what you feel in the Octagon is different. Like, Pintosia, on TV, he sucked. You know what I mean?

Octagon, it's like When he throw it, land I'm like, dang, how the fuck does that land on me, you know? What do you mean he sucks on TV? I watch him on TV. I don't fight him, and I think he looks pretty good.

Or anybody that knows striking, no, that's not how you punch. You know what I mean? Sure, sure. But it worked for him because that's his style. Right. And that's what I'm saying. Like,

Kentosia is great, but he's not a technical fighter or he's not a skill fighter. you know, he was just mentally strong and just pressure guys, you know. On the ground, though, pretty damn great. Pantosia. Yeah. No?

Yeah, yeah, he's good. Yo, how did he get out of that, what was that, a Kimura at the very end there? How did he get out? I don't know, bro. That's why he's good, you know? Yeah. I don't know how he got out of that shit. In the gym, no one gets out of that.

No. Back to Manel, he's different in terms of his personality. He's going to try to maybe get under your skin and stuff like that. Are you looking forward to that? Are you relishing a different type of personality? Let him try, man. See how to go. Like I said, I'll go with the flow, man.

You know what it is. You're not too bothered. No. Realistically, when do you think you could come back with the shoulder? And is anything else bothering you? No, no. Just the shoulder right now. I'm about to go back and get MRI, and we go from there.

How is your eye? Fucked up. Is it just swollen, or do you think there's something else going on there? Like, is it- No, it's sworn. He, like, when I got him on the ground, he threw an elbow from the bottom, and he kind of landed right here. And I think he hit the nerve, so we're like, it make it big.

Oh, wow. But, yeah, that is it. Is it hurting? No, it don't hurt. It's just big and it's ugly, so I don't want to look ugly. No, I know. No, you look great. You look great. You look amazing. Don't worry about it. And they're small glasses, so it doesn't seem like it's that big because it's covering everything. Yeah, yeah. What about him saying that, you know, you were headbutting on purpose? Was that annoying? Yeah. Whatever you said, man. Well, what was happening from your perspective?

I don't know. He came at me. Right. You think he was just trying to get you to lose a point? Yeah, pretty much. You said take a point. Yeah. Who are you there for? You said you're there for a teammate. Who are you there for? My boy, Paris Moran, look, I'll show you. Please. It's right there. Parents, say hi. Thanks, everyone now. There you go.

Yes. Good luck to you. Is he fighting contender series tonight? He's fighting contender series. Oh, shit. Okay. And how long have you been training with him? You know, he was actually my opponent before. Wow. Yeah. So now he with us.

When did you link up with him? When did you start training with him? We started training about four months ago. About six months ago. Six, six months ago. Okay, so this is relatively new. Yeah, he is. And you're out there to corner him?

No, I'm not going to corner him. The coach has got him, but I'm just in his corner. helping him. Okay. What does it feel like to go from a big title fight to now? You're like trying to help someone realize their dreams? Like I say, I'm just regular Josh, man. On fight day, I'm a different person.

But right now I'm just another teammate. You know, it's his day. It's his time. So he's going to go there and show out. I know you say you're regular Josh. But like, let's be honest, I'm seeing huge watch parties for you back home. Everyone loves you.

Your popularity is skyrocketing. You just headlined an event at the crypto arena. How are you handling all of this? Handling it well, man. I haven't even got on social media yet. You know, just deal with my team, having fun, you know, just living life. Well, I did see our site uncrowned had you listed as the number four pound-for-pound fighter in the world. And I did see you reposted that.

Was that you or was that someone handling your social? Okay. That's me. Do you agree with that? Hell, yeah. I don't know. Maybe you think you should be a little higher. Nah, man, Alex Vognoski and Piriyan, Islam, man, they, they're great.

You're okay with that spot. How long in your opinion before you get to number one? I got to keep winning fight, you know what I mean? So we go from there, like, it depends on you guys, you know, the fans. And you guys, I can't be like I'm number one. And if the fans don't agree, then I can't be number one. I saw after the fight a lot of, I think, your family members came in the cage. Was your mom in there?

Yes. What was it like to, and I think your sister maybe as well? Yes. Yeah, to have them all there after a moment like that, a win like that over one of the greatest fighters in your way class, what was that like for you? It's amazing, man. I always have my family with me every time I fight. So it's just amazing. You know, their prayers and their support has been,

has a lot of meaning to me. You know, it meant a lot for me. Do they pray with you before the fight as well? All the time. Do you pray with them? Yes. Okay. Do you feel like it would feel like almost empty not having them there?

Like, do you feel like you have to have them there? They give you that superpower? Yeah, for sure. Amazing. I love that. I'm going to let you go in a moment, I promise. But I just wanted to ask, like, the output, everything that we see from you, like we've seen some of the stats, most significant strikes in flyweight history,

everything that you're doing. Do you feel like we've seen the best version of you, or do you think you're still getting started as far as Riscoll? Yeah, you disagree. We haven't. Yeah, yeah. I'm just getting better as the fight goal, you know. This fight, you know what I'm saying?

It's a high. The next fight, I'm going to get better. The next fight, I'm going to get even better. So, yeah, we're just getting started. I saw you did an interview with Dominic Cruz. I think it was yesterday. And I saw a snippet of it. I just wanted to ask you about it.

You would watch Dustin Porreier footage, but you would flip it because he doesn't, I guess he's a Southpaw, you're Orthodox. And you would want to try to emulate his striking style? Yes. What was it about Dustin's style that you liked? He got my style of fighting. You know, he's a boxing base fighter, kind of like Peter Yon, Elia. You know, they have boxing style.

So I like to study from, you know, one of the great and just put it in my games and things like that. Would you say he's your favorite to watch or was your favorite when you were coming up? Yeah, he was one of my favorite. That was the guy that you felt like you had the most similarities with in terms of fighting style. No, Piotrion really is the one that I really watch. But that's important is, you know, is a Saupo, but when I figured, like, I can do the, you know, the rotation, and that's when I start watching it. That's amazing. Do you dream of a Jan super fight in the back of your mind?

Yeah, for sure. If it happened, yeah, it happened. But as of right now, I'm trying to write history in Flyweight. And what does that mean writing history at Flyweight for you? That means nobody gives shit about flyweight and now they start to, you know, care about the flyweight. So if I leave, you know what I mean? You don't want to do it? Yeah, I can't leave them hanging, man.

Does that mean surpassing everything that DJ built? Is that part of your motivation? I don't give a fuck about the record. You know, I'm just going to fight until I enjoy it. But as far as I know, you know, my job is to make people care about this flyweight. And I think not just me, but the flyweight division is doing pretty damn good about that. So I'm very proud to be in a flyweight. Okay, last one.

And I think you're doing a great job at that. I asked you before, but I don't think you answered. When do you think you might come back? When do we get to see you again? Like I said, man, it's going to depend on my shoulder. Okay, it's too early. Yeah, when I can get back to training and stuff like that. Okay.

By the way, shout out on the suits. The suits were tremendous on Fight Week. Hey, shout out to Suitably, man. That's who's hooking you up. Yeah, they, I don't even know what my suit's going to look like. You know, they just surprised me. Damn. All the time.

What if you don't like it? I always love them because I know they always come up with a banger. Yeah, well, they did a great job. You did a great job. Congratulations, Josh. Appreciate it very much. Always great to have you on. You're doing everything perfectly stellar, wishing you nothing but the best.

continued success and good luck to your team and your teammate, of course, this evening on Contender Series. Thank you, sir. Much love. There he is. Josh Van, the pride of Myanmar and Houston, kind enough to join us on this Tuesday afternoon. What a guy and what a fighter. If you are unfamiliar with what he's been doing, you better start paying attention.

It's incredible. At his age, 24 years young, he's turning 25 on the 10th of October. So in a little less than a month, two defenses now is UFC Flyway champion. ranked six on the UFC's pound for pound list, but on ours, on the uncrown pound for pound list, rank fourth, and that's what matters most. My man, who's number one again? I forget. Who do we have there?

Islam. Fair. Peter Yan. Fair. Volcan. Can you make a case for a Islam, Volk van, top three? I had van number two. Wow. Why didn't you chime in? He would have loved you.

I mean, I don't need the praise. I don't need the accolades. Maybe you don't want me in your corner at this point in time. Maybe. Maybe. This guy's glazing me. Hell, you had Vanna 2. So who was 3? I think I had Jan. And then? I have Volk further down than most do. G.C., do you vote on this?

Of course. Where'd you have Venn? Let me tell you a panel. I had Van 4. Okay. So it's like mine is just like reign supreme. Islam? That was my exact top four. Islam Van, Jan Marab, Armin Strickland, Vol. Armand 5.

Armand 5. Wow. And this was after 331, obviously. Yeah, yeah. And where'd you have Van before 331? I might not have had him on there. I had Joshua Van 7 before 331. And then he went up to 4.

And on our list, what was he last month? Does it say right there on the graphic? Yeah, because it was how many spots did he go off? What does that say? Six. So he was 10th. Wow. Damn.

I mean, look. First of all, I think Armand should be a little higher. And easy for me to nitpick. I'm not a part of it, but that's fine. Aspinol. Wait, can I keep looking at that? Aspinall, I'm fine with it because of the inactivity. I had Van 8.

Yes, I had Van 8 last time. Strickland, is he up one there, Strickland? Yeah. No, he's up one. Ilya, Marab, Justin. No love for Carlos Elberg. You guys don't subscribe to like you're a champion You should be on the top 10

Absolutely not I have Carlos Olberg 7 actually For real So you do subscribe Ladies night baby Yeah Really? Oberg's 7

All right Anyone have Uspun or Magamadoff in the top 10 Stop No No alright Wait so every champion's there So Van was there Yon was there

Volk was there Oh yeah I do not have gone in my I have gone in mine You do? I do For real Yeah

Where? Number 9 So cable has to be Yeah, is that above Gable or Where's Sean Chiraph at? If that's how it may work I mean, according to most people, that is how it works. Josh Van Mennel Cap, who's the favorite?

Van. That's going to be a fun-ass fight. It's so sick. The pace is going to be amazing. And by the way, I don't know how much, you say, oh, like, Lonnie Kavanaugh against who was it, Brandon Royval. Is that his doing, I don't know,

But flyweight, it has never been a better time to be a flyweight and to be into the flyweight. Flyweight's the best division in USC. They are consistently producing the most fun fights. Now, I don't know how many fly weights there are. So maybe the sample size is a little bit smaller. But that would even be more impressive. The less of them and them producing the best fights means that it's even more. I'm just saying there's not a lot of scrub fly weights.

Oh, I see. You know what I mean? There's not fat to trim. Exactly. It's just all super high-level guys. And oh, by the way, you know it's the craziest thing? Arguably, top three best flyweight in the world isn't in the UFC. Muhammad-McChael.

Could you imagine a Muhammad-Mukai of Joshua Van fight? It could be boring, potentially stylistic. I'm just saying, I would like to see it. If Muhammad Mikhail can't get him to the ground, he is in a lot of trouble. His output, his pace, his speed is amazing. Catching of the strikes? It's like art watching it. I love watching him strike.

It's funny how Piotr Yan is someone that he looked up to because it's a very similar thing. Yeah. I also just love the simplicity with which he views the game, right? Where he's like, yeah, he's good. Like everything is just kind of like, it is what it is. There's not like pomp and circumstance and artifice around it or even like he's like, when you watch Pantosia, it looks like he sucks. But when you fight him, he's actually quite good.

I know. Also, some people are like, man, he was cocky going into that. You ask him about the fight. He's just like, Pantosia's amazing. I have stuff to work on. I'm kind of happy, but I get hit a lot, man, and I got to change that. And, you know, if his next fighter is against Manel Cop, that's not a guy you want to get hit a lot against. He strikes me as a guy as the ego is not going to be his problem. Like, I think he can be a champion for a very long time.

I think he probably is so in love and dedicated to this game and improving that he's probably going to be around. Well, he's so young, but the question is, how big is that gap between him and the rest? Like, it has often felt... It gets by cop? It is Stiles make fights Because it has often felt that at 125 Like there was a massive gap with DJ

It felt for a moment there with Pantosia Like oh man He is just slicing through everyone I'm curious to see like What that gap is And he's right And I believe it as well I don't think we've seen the best version of him

I think he's still so very young But man He's so young and the game is still so new to him Like he made his pro debut like five years ago He's still so early in this game his freaking activity is wild, like how, how active he is. The eight fight winning streak, he's fought eight times in two years. It started in September, 2024.

And he's fighting, like, top dogs, you know? I know the Panthosia fight in December was a quick one, but it's still a whole training camp that you have to go through. Crazy, unbelievable. In a minute, we're going to be joined by our next guest, Kaysi O'Neil, which I can't wait for. We'll then be joined by Armid Surukin. will then be joined by the one and only Cheeto Vera.

Such a fun card. Is UFC 331 the card of the year so far? I think it's between that and White House card. Fuck, you're right. White House, all seven finishes, the pomp and circumstance of the White House, the gaughey upset. Fucking out.

It's going to be between those two for me. You're right, you're right, you're right. Gosh, I forgot about that, and that was three months ago. Well, certainly as far as like the normal cards are concerned in normal arenas, this has to have been the best one. And it was one that we all said on paper was a lot of fun.

Every single fight had big names, big stakes, interesting storylines attached. This is how a numbered event should be. This is what we've come to expect from numbered events. And I have to say, blown away by what Casey O'Neill did in her fight against Eduardo Morda. It was, I mean, I think, as I said here today, I think it's the submission of the year. I think it's the sub of the year. And I thought Alexa Grasso was going to get the knockout on sub. But now just like that was the DJ, I mean, the flying arm bar from DJ way back in the day,

that was the female version of that. And I can't wait to talk about it. So let's go and speak to King Casey herself about it all. There she is. Hello, Casey. How are you? Good. How are you?

What is up with this hat? Yeah. Listen, we've had a rough start to the season. But things are looking out. Yeah. Where did the Packer fandom come from? You know, I just moved here, started watching the sport, and fell in love with the Packers as a team. So I'm ripping, whether we're doing good or bad, I will be loyal to the Packers.

What about them? Did you fall in love with? I originally liked Iron Rogers. Not fully sure on Iron Rogers anymore, but Jordan Love, you know, he's great as well. Okay, so you're all in. You're watching every week. I haven't watched too much this season so far but yeah I usually do I've been kind of locked in for my fate

but never I just watched us beat the jets barely scraped by but you know we've got some positives there we're on the way out all right so a great weekend for you barely scraped by on Sunday but definitely didn't do that on Saturday Casey how many times have you watched this sub

this thing was a thing of beauty like it's one of those things where I'm watching I'm like how the hell did she do it how many times have you rewatched it Quite a lot, you know, it kind of went a bit viral. I didn't actually expect it to go so viral. And I guess, like, in the moment, I didn't realize what I had even done, honestly. I felt like I kind of blacked out.

So it was pretty cool. But, yeah, I've watched it quite a few times. And I don't remember even knowing that I was going for that or anything just happened in the moment. So it's pretty cool. But it, okay, so if that's the case, it had to have been instinctual, meaning you've worked on this before, right? Oh, yeah, I do this kind of thing like a lot in the gym. Usually, though, with that sweep, I either end up in, like, mount or I'll go for like a

triangle off of it. And I've actually hit it the sweep, not the arm bar, but I've hit the sweep in a pro fight before as well. Okay, so you hit the sweep, but it didn't lead to an arm bar submission. No, I swept Caitlin McKeown. I think it was my fourth pro fight, and I landed in side control and just was like landing elbows when I landed last time. What about that, that whole package, that whole transition from the sweep to the arm bar?

Is this something like you actively work on? Because I would never claim to be a jiu-jitsu expert of any kind. Joe Rogan may be, and he said he had never seen that in an MMA fight. I've definitely never seen that, even that sequence, let alone hitting it and actually subbing the opponent. And even considering where you were just seconds prior, the whole thing is just absurd. Is that something you actively work on? Like, do you drill that?

Not really I kind of don't drill Jiu Jetsu anymore I'm more of like a CLA girl I don't know if you've ever ever heard of that No I haven't ecological it's like

Greg Souter's sort of made it famous but it's more so like games or drills that are made with like rules so you would start on the back or something and it would be like

one partner's trying to get hooks out one partner's trying to choke so sort of like that it's always kind of live and I like training more like that nowadays because it makes me be more creative and I think that my jiu-jitsu is very scrambly and I find a lot of things off of like movements more so than like setting something up so yeah it is something I've worked on before but in terms of drilling not really it's just something that I felt in the moment I felt her shoulders come like really far forward

when she was trying to pass so I was like oh her hips are going to have no weight and I swept her and then just went for the arm bar and it was there. Incredible. How did the immediate aftermath feel? At first I was like, whoa, and then I remembered all the shit she'd been talking on Instagram,

which is why I got up and screamed on her face. Yes. But yeah, it was actually a pretty emotional rollercoaster of a fight because I really wanted to show off my striking and I threw a kick and fell on my ass and I was so angry that I was on my ass and stuck on the bottom.

And I was like, man, I'm just going to have to pull something off. So I just kept trying to throw my legs up and find something. And I ended up finding something pretty cool. So can't be too mad. Well, yeah, no one remembers that for the record. I love the idea, though. You're, like, fixating on this after falling. You're thinking about it in the fight.

You're mad at yourself? Oh, yeah. I was so angry when I was laying on the floor. I was like, are you actually serious? I've just thrown one kick and fallen on my ass in 20 seconds. Like, that's not what I pictured happening at all. It was because the mat was slippery, right? Because of like the dry ice or something?

Well, the mat actually was a little bit slippery, not making any excuses at all. I think she also like kind of hit me as I kicked. I haven't watched the Phil fight back yet. But I think she also hit me as I kicked and I sort of like stumbled and fell back as well. But the mat was a little separate, but it's also my bad. Okay, so I did see you yell at her afterwards. and then obviously I saw the way in face off. What was going on there between you two?

She was sending you messages on Instagram. She was in your comments. What was happening? Yeah, it was a lot of weird stuff. So I fought in March, obviously, like the very end of March. And then in April, she started sending me DMs being like, I want to feel your power. Sign the fight contract. Like, don't run from this.

Sign the fight contract. And then four minutes after DMing me, started commenting on my stuff, stop running from me. So then I'm getting all these other random DMs from people who've seen it obviously. And they're like, why won't you accept the fight and stuff like that? And I was like, what fight? I hadn't heard from MEC. I hadn't heard from Tim, my manager.

So I was sort of confused. I was like, I don't have a fight offer. So that's what I sent back to her. I was like, I didn't ever get offered you. I don't know if you did, but I haven't heard. And then she's like, no, I'm telling you I want to get a fight going with you. And I'm like, oh, well, then tell your manager. or that until the USC that.

Like, I can't do anything about it. And then she just kept sending me, like, really weird messages, very disrespectful. And then started copying my videos. Like, I remember I posted a video, like, flexing or something. And she copied it and posted it on her story and was, like, tagging me. I was like, wow, this is very weird. Like, I just never really interacted with someone like that before. So it was kind of annoying me.

So then I just stayed quiet. and I knew that if I did get offered the fight that I, of course, would accept and I would win, and then I would talk my shit after the fight. Were you familiar with her before all of this? Was that what, sorry? Familiar with her? Did you know much about her?

Was she on your radar? Is this someone you watched? Yeah, I've seen her fight before. Obviously, I watched the Wang Kong fight. That was recent. But she wasn't someone that I was expecting to fight coming up at all. Like, obviously beating Gabriela by knockout.

I thought I was going to fight forward. So it wasn't someone that I was looking at at all. But when they offered her, I was like, yeah, let's go. Okay, so I was wondering when they offered her, did you say, can I get someone who's higher than me in the rankings, who's in the top eight, something like that? No, I got offered originally Karini Silva for this date, and I accepted that.

But then Karini Selva wasn't going to be available until October. And I really wanted to fight a little earlier so that I could give myself a chance to. maybe fight three times this year. So they called me the next day. They said Karini wasn't going to be available until October. Would I accept Edward Amora? And I was like, yeah.

Okay. I'll accept Edmard Amora. And then throughout Fight Week, like obviously the face-off and all that, were there other weird things that happen? A little bit. I'm kind of friends with Verna Janjadjadoba, and she was in her corner. So Verna kept trying to talk to me every time she saw me during the week, and I was just like, not that I was ever mad at her.

anything, but I was like, let's just talk after Saturday. Like, I just want to stay locked in. I don't want any, like, weird conversations or, like, I don't know, to play emotions. Because she kept trying to say, like, about, oh, you know, I'm not, like, angry about you accepting the fight or whatever. I was like, I don't really care. I just want to get to the fight and move on. So, yeah, but I didn't really see her too much.

What did you say to her in the immediate aftermath? I said, Falamirda agora, which means, like, talk shit now. I kept telling her. Damn, in Portuguese? Yeah. Do you speak Portuguese? In fella, Portuguese and polko. Wow. Even in that moment, you're talking smack in her language? That's next level. Yeah. Yeah, well, she doesn't speak too much English, so I had to make sure she understood what I meant.

Damn, but just like with all the adrenaline and the excitement to translate it in your mind, or perhaps you thought of it beforehand, you knew you were going to say that. I had thought of it beforehand for sure, but I didn't feel too much adrenaline. And, you know, the cool thing about these last two fights is I've been so, like, present in the fights. Like, everything that's happening, I feel like I'm very present and aware of what's happening the whole time. So it's really, really cool. What's the difference? Why are you more present now than in the past?

I think I've been working a lot on my mindset with Mindlock. Dylan, he's really good. So we do a lot of, like, visualization and a lot of just, you know, work. working on mindset and being present, staying focused. Because I think that in order to be free and fight free, you have to be very focused and present. So that's something that have been working hand in hand, and it's been working out really well.

So what were you doing wrong in the past? In other words, like I would, just like the layman would say, you're in a cage fight with another human being who wants to knock you out. You have to be present. Why weren't you present in the past? I've been present in the past for sure, but I've also not been present. I think sometimes the moment becomes really, really big,

and you start letting that snowball and get bigger and bigger and bigger with emotions and obviously nerves and everything that play into it. And if you don't know how to channel those and focus, it gets hard. And I think that Dylan's made me learn how to do that for myself. So, yeah. Did you speak to Dylan on Fight Week? I did. I spoke to him a couple times, actually, yeah. Fight Day as well?

not on fight day we actually got on the bus at like 1140 in the morning to go to the fight so it was like a pretty early start for me so yeah i didn't have time okay um and now all good with you guys did like you feel like you can move on from uh edwarda yeah for sure okay i mean once the fight was done you know like i obviously went over and embraced her i don't want to be like an angry person anymore like fight on emotion i feel like i've talked about that a lot so um once i I made my point known, that's at beef squashed. I loved also, you had the call out, you had Macy Barber on your mind. How confident are you that you will get that fight? And now that it's a few days later, what's the sense that you're getting? I'm really confident. Oh, okay. That sounds like you may know some stuff.

I may know some stuff, but we'll keep it. Well, I don't know. I don't know for sure, but you're good, you're good. You're good. She commented back on the thing saying like, let's get it. So she seems to want it to. And you won it this year. You want to try to get one more in?

I'm not sure. I'm actually going to Contender Series tonight. So I'll hopefully run into Hunter and Meck and I'll talk to them about what's next and stuff like that. Okay. What is it about Macy that makes you want to fight her? Well, it's not really anything personal for Macy. I don't like dislike her or anything. But I just think that she's got a big name and she's above me in the rankings.

And we both kind of came into the UFC at the same time. And I feel like we both kind of got this push and had momentum. And it kind of stalled for me, obviously, with the injuries and everything. But now I'm back on track and I'm feeling really good. And it's obviously a fate I've had on my radar since I've been in the UFC. So I think it's time now. Is this the moment? Is this the moment where all that expectations, all that stuff that was being discussed,

all those high hopes for you that were being discussed when you came in, is this when it all comes together? Do you feel like it's all, like, that storm has passed and it's all coming together for you now? I think so. Like, obviously, I don't really have expectations anymore for myself, because every time I have in the past, something has happened that's completely out of my control. So I'm just writing the wave of what's happening and, you know, working hard in the gym and just staying in it. And I do feel like this year I've finally been able to showcase a little bit more of what I'm able to do. And I think my skills and the timeline and everything are all aligning for me right now. I do wonder if you're appreciating this maybe more than you would have a couple of years ago because, you know, the injuries and everything.

Was there a time where you thought maybe none of this would be realized? You wouldn't get to this point because you had some bad luck. Oh, for sure. Like when I got into the USC, I was like a cocky little kid, right? Like, I was really young and I was undefeated and I hadn't really been through like a whole lot of hardships in my career. And then obviously had a couple setbacks with losses, had a couple big injuries and stuff. So it makes you sit back and be grateful for all the times that you're able to do what you love. And after the big knee hurt, knee hurt, knee injury in 2024, yeah, I was questioning whether I'd ever be back.

So getting back to fighting was something that I was just grateful to be there. And I think once I let go of all the expectations, once I started not putting that pressure on myself to be somewhere at a certain time and stuff like that and just taking fights as they were offered and doing my best, then, yeah, everything's been going well since then. And so, you know, here you are and the flyweight division is in a really interesting spot. as you know, there's a title fight happening in, what, two weeks, and it's somewhat maligned. People weren't expecting it. Some don't like it. What do you make of where things are at right now? Yeah, I think it's, like, unfortunate for Valentina to be hurt, especially after our division was gridlocked for so long with her fighting Alexa three times in a row.

We were all just kind of like sitting. Well, I mean, I wasn't actively fighting at the time, but we're all kind of sitting around waiting to see, like, what would be next and stuff. And finally, Valentina squashes it and she's the champion again. We're all expecting Natalia Valentina and then Valentina gets hurt. So I think it's very noble of her to have relinquished the title so that the division could move on. And obviously, I think Natalia deserves it. I do think that maybe it should have been Aaron or someone like that that's been a little bit more busy in the division and stuff like that.

I think that it's a bit early for Wang Kong, but I understand everyone was kind of booked, and Wang Kong has a history with Valentina, so maybe they're trying to push that. And it has a good, exciting fight stylistically, so we'll see what happens. But I do expect Natalia probably to win that fight. Okay, that was my next question.

You think she wins via decision, or does she stop her? I think she wins decision. Okay. Does it bother you when people crap on the main event and on that fight? And in turn, like, it's somewhat indirectly, your division so I'm wondering if you feel any sort of you know any some you know sort of way about it because you're proud to be a part of that division I would imagine um it doesn't bother me that they are crapping on the fight because I'm not sure like if it was valentina I don't think they would

be I think it's more so coming from like Valentina relinquishing that fight getting announced and everyone being like well like it's not a defending champion it's like kind of a new fight So I do understand, but I also understand that, you know, the UFC had to put something together and that's who was there and that's what's happening. There does seem to be, and I know you spend a little bit of time online, like people tend to hate women's MMA a little bit more these days. And that wasn't the case when the women got into the UFC. I don't love it. I think at times it's disrespectful. But like moments like yours on Saturday.

And I feel like there's been a great stretch of fights and finishes recently that is starting to turn. turn the tide? Do you think about any of that stuff? Do you feel that pressure? Do you take it upon yourself to be like, I'm going to show these people wrong? Or is that just stuff that the media talks about? It is annoying and it is definitely a little bit disrespectful, but I just focus on putting on exciting fights and, you know, performing for myself. And I mean, this year, I've had two first-round finishes, one knockout, one submission. So honestly, in terms of like MMA being boring or anything, I couldn't do much more than I've done to change the... to change people's opinion on it or whatever.

But I agree with you. Like, MME for women has been really, really exciting this year. Like, we've had some really good knockouts. Alexa Grasso against Macy, we had that headkick knockout, like a couple weeks ago or something like that. So I think the woman have been fighting great, and maybe it's just a little bit of a stigma that we have. But I don't think those people will ever change their minds,

so I don't think we should ever waste our time, like, trying to change their opinion. thing. Second bonus for you in the UFC, first in the 100K era, not bad, right? It was so cool. Yeah, like, we actually, we went to a bar after the fight and we were all sitting there and I had like a whole bunch of my friends and family there. And Tim, like, stood up and said, like, oh, you got the bonus.

And I didn't think I was going to get it because I was so early in the card. And obviously, last time I thought I had it on lock as well until Alexa Grasso in the main event and watched that and just saw my money disappearing. And this time I kind of felt the same way watching Sean Chiraph. Like I was like, oh, well, there goes my money. But, no, I managed to get it this time. It's really cool. And is home for you Thailand now?

Are you there full time? No, I'm not there full time. I'm still in Las Vegas, but I do spend, like, a lot of time in Thailand. Okay, because I was going to say, I feel like 100K in Thailand would take you pretty far. It'll definitely go far when I get back. Okay. So is it just training camps there now? Thailand's like a hard one.

with visas and stuff like that. But yeah, I do my training camps there. I spend time there when I can out of camp and stuff. But I still love being in the States, and I still love training here. I train in Vegas when I'm here, so a little bit of both. And sometimes we've seen fighters get black belts

when it's like a striking fight. In this case, it might be like the perfect example of a black belt being warranted and rewarded in the right way. Were you expecting that? Did you know that that was coming? I didn't expect it, but it's something that I've wanted for a really long time. And I actually have spoken about wanting to be a black belt to Gigi and Liam,

who are the ones who gave it to me for a long time. I'm like, man, I just feel like I should be there already. Like, I'd been a brown belt for quite a while. But obviously, you can't rush these things and stuff. So just keep training. And then after the fight, I actually turned around to Gigi because she was in my corner as we were walking in media. And I was like, oh, surely I get my black belt. But I didn't know that she had already planned it.

She had bought the black belt like earlier in the week and they were going to give it to me off a when anyway. So to get like the first ever Tomonagi arm bar in UFC history and then to get my black belt, that was pretty cool. And what took so long? Why did you feel like you deserved it and perhaps they didn't? Well, no, it's just like you don't ever deserve anything in life, right? Like I train hard and obviously do well in the gym and stuff like that. but I feel like there's the right timing for everything. So I was saying I deserve it,

but you don't ever deserve anything. It just comes to you when it comes to you. And I think the stars aligned, and it was the perfect time, as you said, to get it. Okay. But I started to expect it. Like, when I got to the room, I was actually sitting on my bed eating a donut.

And they just pulled it out of the back of their shirt. And they were like, by the way. And I was like, oh, my God. So every photo other than like two of me with the black belt has me holding a half eaten donut in my head. in my hand. I'm like, there's no way. Why didn't they do it in the cage?

I guess they wanted my dad to be there. Ah, I love that. Yeah, yeah. So we did it. We were in my room. It was my boyfriend, my dad, obviously, George, my head coach, my sister, Gigi and Liam were in the room too, obviously. And that's just like my closest group of people.

And they did it right there. So it was pretty cool. So considering how badly you wanted the black belt, the black belt, the sub or the 100K, which elicited the most emotions. you. Oh, I don't know. Like, it was crazy. That night was crazy. I just felt like I was so happy, like, probably the best night of my life. And I think my sister keeps making fun of me because I yelled it like 10 times at dinner. I was like, best night ever. Like, just kept screaming that over and over again. So now it's kind of an inside joke between everyone. But I couldn't rank them one to three

for sure. Okay. And in that picture, we saw your knee was a little bit. It was iced up. I saw you were on crutches as well. What's going on with the knee? So as I kicked and I fell, I actually, like, I don't know. I don't think it's hurt now. I feel like really good, but at the time I wasn't sure. But I got like a huge cramp. I don't know if you noticed in the fight, but I wasn't using my left leg at all.

And I actually need to go back and watch the fight to see. But my toes were like curled like this. Like I was cramping in my left leg. So I couldn't use my left butterfly hook at all. I was trying to use my leg to like stand. up and stuff and my leg was cramped. So yeah, I'm not sure exactly, but I did have a huge cramp at the time. Wow. I feel fine now, but when I got out the back, I was like, oh, my hamstring, my calf, like it was all cramping and everything. So, yeah, I'm not sure. So it was the slippery mat and the cramp.

It wasn't, you know, like you falling or, you know, not having good. No, no excuses. Like, she kind of pushed me as I kicked and I fail and everything. But it was, like, it wasn't painful or anything. It was all just really annoying. Like, in the moment, I was just getting annoyed at everything. I was like, oh, my God, this is so embarrassing. By the way, Casey, before I let you go, you know, we have the very prestigious Helwani Knows Awards every year, first of January round, second, third, fourth. You know these awards, right?

You're a big fan, yes? Yeah, yeah. Do you think that you deserve this? Do you think that that was the best sub of the year, at least as of right now? See, I've seen that a lot, like places about. whether it's the best sub of the year or not, and obviously I'm going to be biased and say yes. But I do see people being like, oh, what about Patty? And Patty's one was pretty cool.

Charles Johnson had a cool Scottish Twester and stuff. So I hope so, but those were all pretty cool, too. Grasso's, is that a sub or a knockout, in your opinion? That's a knockout. She can have the best knockout. She's beat me there, but I'll keep this up. One more, I just wanted to ask you. I saw this tweet from back in May, and I thought it was just an interesting.

way to describe it. I think you were talking about a fight that or fight card that was actually happening in Los Angeles. Do we have the tweet here for, you wrote Titzer MVP's card tonight? What is that? That's so funny. What is that? What is that one?

That was me trying to be cool, like with the lingo. You know how people say like, that's your ass? Yeah, okay. So I was basically just saying the MVP card sucked. Yeah, why? You didn't like it. I mean, you were great. Oh, thanks, Casey.

I appreciate that. I wasn't fishing for compliments, but I just wanted to know why you thought it was. You were the best part. It was pretty boring. Really? It was all like quick finishes. Yeah, but like if they're not matched well, you know, like my family has MMA promotions. I understand matchmaking and everything like that.

So if you're just bringing in B sides to lose to A sides, I don't think that's a very exciting thing to watch. Okay. Shout out to Eternal MMA, Cam O'Neill. Shut out Eternal. Shout out Proving Grounds. Oh, what's proven grounds? That's my little sister's promotion. It's an amateur MMA promotion.

I didn't know your sister had one too. Yeah, she started. She was the youngest ever MMA promoter that I know of. She started it when she was 18. So is that, is that, so like basically those are the amateur fighters who then get funneled to Eternal? Exactly, yeah. Wow, wow, wow. Okay, wow.

Are you going to get into that as well when you're done? I like more like the commentating broadcast style of things. And I do run my own Jiu-Jitsu tournament. I feel like we've talked about it before, King's Cup. And I'm going to have another one hopefully in December. So stay tuned for that. Okay. Better sub, Rhonda, Gina, or yours on Saturday?

Me. 100%. I just submitted someone who calls himself Rhonda. That's right. Maybe I should change my fight name to King Rhonda or something. You know we still have you in the studio, right? You know this, yes? I wondered, because when I won.

I never see myself. So maybe I can get from heading in the corner to like front and center. You want to be more front and center? Yeah, maybe a little bit more front and center. Fair enough. It would be nice if you showed up to a media day rocking the shirt again, you know? Listen, we can arrange it. I need a new one.

That one smells too much of training and sweat. You've used it. You've used it. Oh, I use it at the gym, but now, you know, when you train in a shirt a lot, it gets that light. I've been told. I've been told. Okay, we're going to hook you up, all right? Perfect.

And I'll come see you when I'm in New York next. Are you coming to New York? I'm thinking about it. Okay, please, please. Maybe around the MSG card. Yeah, that would be fun. All right. Well, congratulations.

Well done. So, so happy for you. That was incredible. I think it's a sub of the year. As of right now, I can't promise no one's going to top you in the next two plus months. Enjoy it all. Enjoy Contender series. Tell Dana and Hunter we say hi.

And go packers. Perfect. Thank you. Go pack. Yes. There she is. the great Casey O'Neill. Kind of to join us.

We do need to find a place. Where can I put this? Maybe, uh... Who the fuck is we? Yeah, you're right. You're right. We'll figure it out. We'll figure it out. Any suggestions, Frank?

No, no. I'll leave it to you. Okay. Did you miss me yesterday? I did. I just noticed D.C.'s head is twisted all the way of the right, right in front of the trauma statue thingy. This guy...

Oh, yeah. that was bothering you? Right in this moment it was. I was like, come on. There it is. We're good. There we go. I mean,

a lot of people come in here and move my stuff, you know, and I wonder if DC right now just felt like a relief in his neck. He's like, oh, man, it's been stiff for the past year.

You think it's like one of those voodoo dolls? Exactly. I'm not talking about anyone. There's people sitting here. You see it. You know it. You know, I'm not,

though. I'm not expecting you to like keep it exactly, you know, a little decorum would be nice. A little respect for my chachis, as people call them. It's fine. We're good. What you want to say?

We take the black belt and the Colombian 2023 World Baseball Classic Bumblehead. Those are the only two that you don't like. This is actually one of my favorite bobbleheads. Who gave it to you again? A fan. A fan from Columbia. You don't like it.

It's too much? Not too much. Just don't like it. I like it, boss. The dude is sitting on a world. The dude is sitting on a world. World Baseball Classic. And not just this World Baseball Classic, it's a relic.

I love that you look at everything on this table and you're saying, that's got to go. That one is the most offensive. Gotta go. If you ask Connor, they all got to go. I know, I know. I know. Because originally, you took it, didn't you take him all off originally? That was me and Rick's doing.

Rick was like, let's just keep it clean slate. No, I don't like that. A, B, that's way too much work. Every week you're taking it off. Honestly, the black belt and the Colombian bobblehead is too much work. I know. There's just things you got to do. And then you get grief for it on the back.

By the way, I disinfect after Connor has sat there. I don't disaffect after you sat there. I appreciate that. Oh, that's kind of crazy. Yeah. All you could do with the blackbell is just flip it. I haven't thought, man. You know?

I had thought of it. I'm just saying. It's fair play. Oh, well, congrats. Speaking of a welcome, yeah, we're going to be joined by Cito Vera in about 45 minutes time. He'll be our final guest of the day.

We'll have some news and notes. But that man, that man, my friends, is going to join us in a matter of moments. And I cannot wait. Armand Serukian, what a journey he has taken us on, especially over the past year.

You know, I remember when he fought, I remember when he fought Dan Hooker and Qatar in November of 2025. And they said it was going to be a number one contestant. fight and he didn't get it. And I remember saying to one of his managers, you know what, you should go on a media tour now. And did he take my advice? Was it generational? Or was it generational? I think he

took it and then some. And quite frankly, I think I had nothing to do with it. But then the RAF and then the videos and then the collabs. And he popped up everywhere and he was so active, not an RAF only, but also grappling, blah, blah, blah. And then he gets this fight and we think it's going to be Charles Lovara, and it's actually, we first think it's going to be for the belt by the time he comes back, but then a funny thing happened at the White House, Justin Gachi wins, and then we think, okay, what's going to happen? We think it's going to be Charles, and it's not Charles, and then it's Maricio Hoofi, and then you're like, oh, the striking and the takedown defense, and then the elbow from hell comes

in the first round. What a win for Armat Turquian. How do you deny him now? How do you deny it? We said last week, he had to do something spectacular. It was spectacular, and then some. He's kind enough to join us right here and now to talk about it all. Is he there?

Hey! Along. How are you? Great, great. How are you, brother? It's great to see you, Armin. I'm so happy you could squeeze us in. I feel like I saw you for like 24 hours yesterday.

Did you take any breaks from the streaming? No, no, brother. No breaks until I become a champion. You're just going to keep going. Keep going. I just, we were doing over there, like, and now the Reels was Nina and there was the old team. So we're, I'm living.

tonight that's why we're trying to do as much as possible content so because i'll be gone for three weeks and uh we are the best duo so that's why we need a lot of videos and uh we never rest yeah you're like a three-headed monster now you nina and neon you guys are everywhere together you're like the Avengers of content creation we have to you love it well okay can i talk we have so much a talk about Armin. Congratulations on the win. It's amazing to see what you've done. But I do want to ask you about something that I said last week. On Media Day, when Ilya came out and put his statement out, I felt like that was his way of reminding everyone who he is and that he wants a title fight. And I said, I feel like now Armin has to do something spectacular. It was promised to him,

but you know how these promises go in the UFC. They could take them away. They could change their mind. Did you feel the same? Did you feel like, all right, now the pressure is on me to not just win, but do it in a spectacular way? Yeah, of course, he doesn't on purpose. He knew that I'm fighting, and if I couldn't perform very well, for sure, like, it could be a question who is fighting for the title. But now that I got a good performance and there is no doubt that I'm fighting. for the title next. When you were at the press conference on Saturday, the Post-Fight press conference,

someone asked you about conversations and you said, I just had a conversation, but no follow-up was asked when you said that. And I was curious, what was that conversation like? In the back, you said you had a conversation

with the brass. Did they tell you you are next as a result of the win? Yeah, before fight, they told me same. After fight, they told me same. So they were happy with my performance, And they said, we're going to work on it on your title fight. And there's no part of you that is, for lack of a better word, worried that they're going to change their mind or do something else.

No, this time I was a good boy. I didn't have bad. And I didn't do something crazy. And they like how the crowd was there and how the fight week and everything went. and they can see I'm professional and they can see that I can knock out people and perform very well. Was it hard for you to keep your emotions in check and not do crazy things? Sometimes, yes, but I'm like getting older, so now maybe it's going to be easier.

When were you the closest to doing something crazy? Wands or press conference? Yesterday and the restaurant. What after the fight? Yeah. What happened? So I was on the bar with Hamzad, one guy like, I was wearing my favorite shirt and he spilled the Coca-Cola on me.

And then I went to the good restaurant and the lunchtime. And the guy, the waiter is saying, should I change your plate? I said, no, no, no, I'm good. No, let me change. And he changed and trying to change. his plate and the soy sauce on me. And I almost like elbow him. Oh no. So you got Coke on the shirt and soy sauce?

Yeah, and different restaurants. Oh, geez, Louise. So what did you say to the guy? Nothing. I just like, I just wanted almost like a slap him. Oh my God. And did anyone tell you to calm down or you knew because you're getting older and mature, you need to chill?

No, I was just, I was chill but like inside of me I was super angry Was this before or after the football game? Before the football game Did you enjoy the football game? Yeah, it was good but I was talking to my friends and I didn't see very well the game

You weren't paying attention No, I was trying to pen it But I don't know rules very well So this is my second time when I went to the Watching football Okay Did a lot of people come up to you?

Yes. A lot has changed in the past year, right? Like now you go on the street, I would imagine, especially in L.A., everyone's coming up to you. Yeah, yeah, everywhere. In Europe, in the U.S., in Russia. And sometimes I'm like shocked. Like, this guy's like 60 years old and how he knows me. And it's good, you know.

And so it's fun that I have a different audience. I think your top five most popular fighters in the UFC. Do you agree? Right now, yes, for sure. You feel it? Yeah, for sure. How is your eye? Good.

Okay, not bad. No, no bad. Is it just a black eye? Yeah, it's a black eye, nothing else. What was your take on the beginning of the fight? I know it was a relatively short fight, but he's a very good fighter, and he was connecting. How are you feeling in the early portion?

Yeah, but he started so aggressive before he was like a So for example with Sandani he was going back with With a Fiziv he was going back and staying waiting But with me he was opposite he started going first and like And he worked like a first I started throwing the punch first and yeah he was aggressive and when I missed my first punch I said no I shouldn't I shouldn't it's too early to strike with him

I got to keep doing what I do better than him and then yeah so that's why I was like a trying to take him down and then when I felt like I cannot take him down I said okay now we got like a work on the two, like, we say in Russian it's like two floors. It's a show down and throw the, yes. Your punches. And yeah, if you cannot take down somebody,

you got a show, take down, and strike. And then I did on the end of the round, and I could knock him out. It was brilliant. And then we saw the video of you working with the great Giorgio Petrosian, those elbows. Is that his doing? This video right here.

This is amazing. Yeah, I've been practicing my elbows all my training camp because I like clinch. And from the clinch, everybody is waiting for my wrestling. And they forgot about their face. And that's why the game plan was to show the wrestling. And they focus on the wrestling. And that moment you throw the elbow. So I have like a thousand sparrings.

where I throw in the elbow. I always wearing the elbow pads and throwing the elbow during the training. So when I was re-watching my sparrings, I was doing always that. So, yeah, it's a good game plan for me. You know, I have like a different game plans. If I couldn't wrestle, I can do this. If I cannot do this, I can do this. So even I didn't worry when I was like trying to take him down.

I wasn't nervous that, oh, I cannot take him down because I had the different plan. So that's why I was calm. When you jumped over the cage afterwards, I think you went to the brass, right? You went to Hunter and then. What did you say? Yeah, I said it's a time for the title. and I showed the donor too that I need a title so yeah so and I wanted to

to send them the message that I'm fighting for the title and yeah it was electric I feel like you're officially out of the doghouse the bad days are over do you agree hopefully yes well the way he was talking about you in the press conference it feels like he really likes you now yeah yeah for sure

Sure. All good. Yeah, all good. I said afterwards that RAF deserves a lot of credit, not for what you did in the cage, but you remained busy, you remained in the spotlight, but also like, if someone doesn't fight for 10 months, you know, you could be a little rusty, maybe you're not working on things as much, you're less motivated. Those matches that you had in RAF, that, you know, you were almost competing every single month in between the Dan Hooker fight, do you feel like it made you into a better fighter?

Even though you weren't doing everything, it just kept you more active than most? of course it made me better fighter it makes me richer fighter and busiest fighter and it's always fun you know it's how they treat me it's so it's no pressure you know when i'm competing in ryef it's like going to train you know so could we clear up the neon thing once and for all He paid you how much to be in your corner? Zero. Zero dollars. Yeah.

He paid you how much for you to walk out to his song? Zero. Really? So where's all this 250 coming from? All this is a lie. No, I mean, I wanted to get $250, but he doesn't have money. And I said, okay, no problem. We're friends.

Not all about money. What do you mean he doesn't have money? I don't believe that. He's quite successful. Yeah, he has money, but like he's 21 and take from him to 50 is unfair. So he gave you nothing. Yeah. How did your team feel about it?

My team, my team, like, I like my team a lot, like Hamzat, coach, everybody. Whatever I say, they trust me. And so, for example, like, someone asks Hamzat, coach, everybody. Hamzad, what about like you're going to be a corner with neon? He said, he said like, if my brother decided to be there, me and the neon, for me it doesn't matter. For me, it's the necessary, I mean, the victory is the most important thing. And the same coach, too.

So if I decided to bring him, there is something that I'm bringing him. he posted a picture on his Instagram and he put like a clown picture over him an emoji so that led to some people believing or feeling like he wasn't happy about it who Hamzat no he didn't do that someone else did it

yeah no no no Hamzad didn't do that oh okay okay that's what I thought I saw no no no it's a bullshit okay well he can't believe everything that you see including the fact that you paid him or that he paid you all this stuff so it was just as a friend yep Okay. Will you do it again? If he wants to.

Wow. That's amazing. But next one, it's a Nina. She's going to be in your corner. If she wants to, yes. Does she want to? I don't know. We got to talk. Where are you looking? She's there.

Oh, okay. Nina, are you going to be corner or no? Is they asking me? This is it. This is the moment. This is the official ask. She's excited. Wait, did she say yes? Most likely yes. This is breaking news for us. This is a big deal, Armand. We never get to break news.

Thank you for that. Let's get the title fight first and then we figure out. Wow, you're going to have, so in the title fight, you get four cornermen, right? Yeah, but here I had four. That's why I took the Leon as well. Yeah. If I had three, it could be hard. Because I had a five rounds fight. So when you have five rounds, you got four cornermen. That's why I had one spot left.

Okay. I thought it was only for title fights that you get four. But I guess it's all 25-minute fights. No, many went and 25 minutes. You always get four cornermen. Okay, okay. I wanted to ask you about something Patty Pimbleau said. His quote was, regarding you, I thought,

Armin looked pretty shit up until the point of the elbow. His eyes messed up already. I wish he never landed that just to see how the second and third would have went. Hufi was just thinking wrestling, wrestling, just thinking of wrestling. But when they separated with 15 seconds ago, Hufi should have tried to put it on him. He was staying against

the fence. That was a statement, but I'd still punch his head in. I think that show holes in his game. His wrestling is not as good as he thinks it is. What do you make of that? I mean, it's his personal opinion. Everybody has their own opinion, but I know my opinion, Ruffy that night wouldn't win me anywhere. So if not that elbow, the second round it could be submission and third round, it could

be TQO, but in my head, like, I would finish him. That Hoofie that you fought on Saturday against Patty, what happens? If he wouldn't wrestle him in the first round, but second third round, probably Paddy could take him down. But if Paddy wanted to strike him, he would lose. If Paddy wanted to strike him, who's he? Petty would lose. Because Hoofie, in your opinion, is the better striker.

I think Barufi is the best striker. our division right now. And you just knocked them out with an elbow in the first round, Armin. Yeah, because of my... Threat of the wrestling. Yeah, wrestling. That's why I'm saying like MMA is different.

You can bring the best striker and show him wrestling and knock him out with your upper cut because he's going to focus on the wrestling. Harmon, what about the symbolism of you fighting in L.A.? I know it wasn't Inglewood and Intuit, but almost two years after the fight and to do that, I feel like we can now move on and this is the fight that gets you back in that same spot there was something beautiful

symbolic about it all do you understand what I mean yeah of course my Armenian friends fans and who wanted to come and watch me two years ago one year and a half and they couldn't

now like they came and I won and now they're happy and I'm happy as well because I I came back. Was yesterday Armenian Independence Day? Yes.

How did you celebrate? We didn't celebrate. Oh, why not? That's a big deal, no? Oh, we were streaming. And we were streaming, and I had a football game, and then I had a business meeting because I'm leaving today, so that's why.

And as I know, nobody celebrated here in the California. I don't know why. With the big population? No, maybe they celebrate in their house, but there is no like some organization that do event. Okay. Do you think Ilya and his team are going to campaign

to try to get the shot before you? They're going to try, but it's not going to happen. What do you think happens with them? They're going to fight with Petty Pimlet. You think so? Yeah, but depends what Gage is going to. Maybe Gagy is going to say, I don't want to fight anymore, I'm retired. So you never know.

You think Gachi may consider retirement instead of fighting you? Either retirement, either he's going to ask for a big check. What do you think happens? How does this play out in your opinion? I think they're going to pay him good money and he's going to stay. But they've told you, regardless of who is the belt hole? or even if there isn't the belt holder, your next fight is for a belt?

Yes. Do you think Gaichi has any issues fighting you? Do you think that he has any concerns fighting you? Do you think he'd rather fight someone else? For sure, if you tell him to move up or do something or leave the title and the fight

with anybody else, he would pick different if they give him the opportunity to pick me or I'll he would pick Gila because he knows he already beat him. He knows that he can beat him twice. And he already beat Patty. Like there's only really like three guys in this conversation and he beat two of them.

Yeah. So. He doesn't strike me as that kind of guy. I feel like he is going to fight you. But I think he's going to ask for a lot of money because it's the end of his run. Yeah, I'll be happy that. I'll be very happy to fight him because I know he has like a couple more fights and he's going retired and to have on my

on my win streak his name is good too you know do you get paid more when you fight for the belt yeah of course will you get paid the same as him no way you don't think so

no who's the more popular fighter who's the bigger draw me me but he's the champion he's the champion and he was fighting on the highest level for like 10 years when he fought how big. Yeah.

Oh, you're asking me? 2020, 2020. 2021. 2020. Yeah, can't imagine like about like six, seven years. He's on the top and fighting for the belt for the main event, for the BMF. And yeah, he's making millions for sure. But I'm just, I'm just, I'm just, I'm just get there.

So now, now I'm going to change my contract and the, oh, Make a little bit more I like that Ilya and Patty who wins It's hard Depends depends how

Ile is going to look like Because either he's going to look super good he knocked out He's going to knock out Petty either he's going to lose him bad Because

Because Because he has a good chin Paddy has a good chin and Tapuya win by by he wins

usually by knock Kio you know he's going to be hard to knock out Patty and Patty has a good character as well so it's like 50-50

you're not leaning in one way or the other no Ilya coming off that loss maybe that you know that affects his performance maybe he's not the same what do you think maybe he's going to be more motivated and more hungry and he's going to lock in and become a way better than he was before um do you believe him when he questions the gloves the geichi gloves no it's bullshit so is that is that something you're going to ask to

check on or you want any sort of person in the locker room when he's like are you going to look into this or you don't believe any of it I don't believe on that. It's impossible. There's a commission, 10 guys, like, checking everything. And instead of U.C., you see, and then the athletic commission. And there's, like, three different organizations that are looking for you in over there. Okay.

So it's just him stirring the pot. It's just excuse, brother. Okay. Can I ask you? He got to move on and, like, just. just come back and that's it you just lost Right

Armin are you still going to do Now that you're pretty much getting a title shot As you say you were promised Are you going to not do the other stuff The wrestling, the RIF, the hype Is it just MMA now Are you going to continue doing that? Depends when I'm fighting

If I'm fighting next year I'll do Because I already booked for the two rough events Yeah you've got Dylan in late October right Yeah and I got in November as well Who's in November? In Abu Dhabi. Against who? I can not tell right now because they

just told me his name. I said yes, so let's see. Big name? Yeah. Okay. You gave us one breaking news today. We can't get two, right? Yeah. Do you think Dylan's going to show up? He has to.

What do you mean? He just had a fight not that long ago against Mike Perry and didn't show up. Yeah, but he's. He got hurt. You believe it? Yes. It was a fake thing. Some people were saying it was an old injury, yes. And he hasn't come out and really said anything to refute that.

He could scare from boxing, but he's not scared of wrestling. Are you worried that he's going to try to do something to get under your skin to make a whole big thing? And then you get into a brawl and then the UFC gets mad and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. I'm going to bring people over there or he's going to take care of him to protect you to protect him well I mean like to protect you from yourself

meaning so that you don't do something not to protect you from him but you know I think you can handle him how do you think that goes he's going to be quiet yeah he can talk but he's not going to do stupid shit did you see Colby and Belal yes

did it surprise you no Why? I mean, Belal, he doesn't know how to wrestle. Okay. So why was he in a title fight or match? Because he has a name. He beat a couple of good guys, not wrestlers.

And there is a beef. That's why they put him. Okay. And it was a big wrestling fight. By the way, Armin, and I'll let you go in a moment. You remember I asked you about your nickname, the last time you were on and that's when you told

this about the Batman I feel like that was the big reveal am I wrong about that I feel like that was the first time you said it officially in the UFC yes yeah and then I saw your after party

they had this drink menu here Vigilante Dark Night the Bruce Wayne Did you know about this? No you didn't see that No

what do you mean this was at your after party I took this picture I was there I know I know but you were there no way

I kept I kept low profile, Armand. I wanted to celebrate you, but I didn't want to make it a big thing. Yeah, yeah. So I don't drink. That's why I didn't know about that. Okay, okay. But I thought it was a nice touch. Yeah, I mean, my friends, they did that party for me, you know, and it was beautiful house, beautiful after party, and great people, food, everything was good. Are you happy to hear that I was there? Yeah, but you were not there. in there.

I was waiting for the invite. I didn't get the invite. Because you don't want to leave your New York

so. You don't want to spend money on the flights. I'm just I need a PJ like you. I need a

private plane. Private plane? I don't have private plane too but it's in my wish list by a jet. That's,

that's, is that number one? Wish list? Yeah. No, I don't, I don't, I don't,

care. You just want one at some point. Yeah, it's going to come, but one thing that I want is the UFC title. That's all for this life so far. This time next year, you're going to fight for the belt. You have a defense? September of 27. How many times you're fighting? Well, I already defend one time my title.

So what do you think? You think it's Gaichi and then who? Gagee and then Petri Pimless. Harmon, do you realize what's staring at you in the face? you have a potential three-fight stretch coming up of Gaichi for the belt, Patty for the belt, Ilya for the belt. It does not get bigger than this.

It's going to be huge fights because, like, yeah, Rufi, he's a dangerous guy, but not a lot of people knows him. That's why, like, I was carrying this fight, you know, like, from my side. And he doesn't talk a lot. And, yeah, so, but, like, if it was, like, can I imagine, Petty Pimlet or even Olivera has a big name. Yes.

Or Tapuia. It could be like huge fight and like but like even Gigi is not that big that like Paddy or Ilya or Olivera.

That's the crazy thing. The champion is probably like the least famous of the four. Yes. But he has the belt. But by the end of this stretch if it all goes your way I think there's a very strong case to be made

you'll be the most famous fighter in the UFC? Yeah, next year, this time, I'll be there. Don't forget about us, all right? Yeah, always, always, brother. Monday, Tuesday, 12 p.m. You're the man.

You're the man. Thank you so much, Armand. Congratulations. Say hello to the whole team over there. Tell them I say hi, much love, peace and love. And maybe we'll all do a collab one day. What do you think? Yeah, yeah, we do for sure.

I've never done one of those on the street. Really? I've never done it before. Yeah, the live stream, never done it. I'm old school. I sit in the chair, in the studio. That's the way I do it. Yeah, but it's fun one day.

And we go to McDonald's, eat McDonald's. I saw you talking to the guy. You said McDonald's to the guy. Oh, yeah. Oh, you've seen my clips. I see everything, Armin. I watch everything. You were on the skateboard.

You asked the guy where the nearest McDonald was. That was a tough one. Why you have to say it? He's huge. I'm asking where's McDonald's. And he's like, he's like, he doesn't know what is a McDonald's event that you heard his feelings I mean I give him motivation fair okay one last one what do you say to Gable gable Stevenson you know shit

happened especially beginning of your career and that I had some situation my second fight just I think he's a phenomenal athlete and he he definitely he could be a champion one day. Do you think he was too cocky? Do you think he had to be humbled? No, he wasn't too cocky. Just probably maybe a little bit rushed with MMA. He should like take maybe do like a little bit more before the UFC.

Like a get experience and then do and then come UFC. But he's already here and but he's still young and I think like in. four or five years he's going to be a champion because he has an incredible wrestling and and he's picking up the boxing kickboxing so fast but he shouldn't focus too much on the kicks spinning kicks these that things he should just focus on his boxing and wrestling it's my opinion yeah so you but you think he can rebound from this definitely yes and when you saw namo fazil get knocked out were you happy about that yeah of course because he was getting in your face and trying to start stuff with you.

Yeah, bad people got knocked out. Yes. Thank you, Armand. You're the man. Congratulations. Very, very happy for you and appreciate your time, as always, and safe travels. Thank you so much. Talk to you soon. Bye-bye. You're the man. There he is. The great Armand Sorukian, kind enough to join us on this Tuesday afternoon. What a guy. We're going to do streaming with Armandina and Neon?

Who's we? You got a big dog. Are we doing that? Enjoy that, man. all you. Sick. What are we doing? We're going to eat. What are we going to do?

I don't know who we is in all of this. I thought we could be the Wu-Tang clan of content creators. You got it. You got it. You got it. They want you. They don't want us. What is it like just having a meal and people are just filming you eating?

What about poor? I wouldn't know and I don't want to know. Bruce Buffers out there giving, you know, his two cents on things. Why is it all got to be filmed, though? Yeah. Why? My thing is, like, I just see these from Jedi. Are people sitting there and watching it 24-7?

It's 24. Like, do you think that was on a stream right now? Probably. Wow. Maybe. Are we on a stream right now? I mean, we were on... Technically, we are on the stream. Wait.

Oh, yeah, that's right. That's right. And I think Woodley might have been streaming, too. Who knows? No, no, no, no. He was just filming for his own... BTS, his own records. Just in case we took something out of context?

Home videos. By the way, he does bring up a good point. Armand Shrewking got knocked out in his second. fight in 30 seconds. It's crazy. What were they saying about him when he lost to Alexander Bellich at

modern fighting pancreation Eastern Rubicon? Yeah, nothing. It was buried in a gym in front of 20 people. In Habarovsk, Russia. Yeah. The knockout is not the

part. The knockout is not the handling. This is about Gable Stephson has shown himself to be mentally you can get to him, right? He has shown himself that

Sean Sheriff took an approach this week and he mentally unwound Gable Stevenson and then leaving the case, despite what John Jones says, leaving the cage after the fact, has shown me that like mentally there's some, there is some strengthening

that is going to need to be done. It is, if he thought this was a bad week, it's about to get 100x worse because there's going to be the same loophole shit, there's going to be the memes of him knocked out, it's never going to get better. It is only going to get worse. Yeah, it's one thing to get knocked out in a remote part of Russia. Yeah, but I, listen, I'm not, I'm not writing him off.

I just think there is a, there's a Mount Everest of things that he's going to have to accomplish. And now we're going to find out. We're going to find out. Another great point from Marman, like, stop with the spinning stuff, stop with the, like, that's great, but you're not John Jones. You are an Olympic gold medalist wrestler. You are a national champion. By the way, two things that John Jones wasn't. Yeah. You know, John didn't compete in the Olympics.

He didn't win a D1 national championship. Also, Armin then had 12 more fights before he made his UFC debut. Oh, 100%. Gable has to come back at the UFC level. Yeah. But what is UFC level, to your point earlier? Look, if there was any division he could do this in, it's this one. Heavyweight is garbage.

Heavyweight is straight garbage. And it's why I thought he could beat all of these guys. This is the easiest road he's going to have to come back. But can he overcome the mental part of this game? That is the question. The physical is whatever. People can get knocked out. You talked about all these.

Over the last couple days, everybody's had litany of examples of people who have gotten knocked out before and gone on to be successful. But that's not a guarantee. Just because that has happened before does not mean. this is a guarantee. He has to put this all together. There's a lot of guys who have been knocked out that didn't go on to be successful. There's a lot more who did it. Y'all copped the Sean Choraf Tops card that came out? Rick did.

What is up to these, by the way? To go with his t-shirt. Is this a real thing? Yes. Like, when they announced this, what does it mean? What do you mean? You could get these in a card and like in a pack? Yeah, yeah.

I don't know if it's a pack. Because it's called Tops now. I don't know if they're like specialty order it. Yes, this might be one of the ones where you order it and they have a select number and then they send it out. Oh, okay. So, like, you order the singular card. You order the card, yeah.

Interesting. Going back to Armin, it is pretty amazing. He might be looking at a world where his next four fights are four of the most popular fighters in the sport. If it works out, I know a lot has to happen. But it's Gaichi,

then winner of Iliapadi, then maybe Charles, then maybe loser of Ilya. Like, it's those guys. You know what I mean? Yeah, the top of lightweight is very desirable right now. any world that he does not get a title shot in?

Yes. Get a title shot, period. Next, next, next. Yes. His next fight is for the belt 100%. You think so? Yes. I don't.

There is no doubt in your mind that the UFC says, Ah, Ilya's been a good soldier. They could do Ilya Gae. Armand's Rukin will not fight again until... He's saying Armin will get it after that. He will not enter the octagon. Are you serious? Oh, that would be a disaster.

I mean, I guess that would be like this, right? I don't think it's a guarantee, but it's... 11 months. It's strong chance. I feel very strongly that it's going to be Armand's Rook. We can't guarantee anything. There's just no guarantees anymore.

It's right there though, right? It's been right there for months. Ilya Patti, though, is so good. It is so good. Ilya Patty is the closest you can get to a title fight. That's right. Also, it can headline a number of event. No, no, no title.

You don't have to put the title on. That's bullshit. That's not what we said. No, you can't play this, Rick. You cannot play this. That's not what we said. Conner McGregor. That's not what we said, Rick.

No title, though. I'm not talking. Don't even play this, bro. This is such. Yes, you're turning it on us. Like, we made the rules. This is a horrible take on your turn here. Wait, wait. Hold on. Explain it to me.

We're just adhering to the rules they set out. So you're, so adhere to them. That can't be a head. I don't want to. We are happy to do that. We mentioned it was fine for them to headline with Connor McGregor because of his star power in July. There was no title on the line there.

A combination of Ilya Teporia and Patty Pimblit is enough star power to headline event. So what you're saying is Alex Perra is not a star. Is that it? It was Alex. A star. A star. Alex Pereira, Josh Hocott, not for a title, in my opinion, is not what they're looking to headline an event with. Alex Pereira, I think.

Alex Pereira, I think, Elliot DePore is a bigger star than Alex Perera. Patty Pimbleau is 100x the star that Josh Okos is. All right, so Josh Hocke is a problem. He's not a big enough star, yeah. Okay. I think, by the way, I think that it is acceptable for a numbered event. I don't think it would have been acceptable for MSG. It's specifically that November MSG, like glory spot.

I think you could still do Iliapati at MSG. Yes. By the way, not, not, not every matchup is the same. Ilya Patty is MSG headline worthy. Armin. Okay. Armand Patty, Armand Illia. This is not UFC.

Now you're making the artificial like tier system of this, that the other. I don't know how much more clearer I could be. I am saying that historically they want a title fight at the top. You're saying why. I'm saying I didn't write the rules. I'm just trying to figure it out based on. Their rules. I'm also saying if there's one place in the world that needs a big-time title fight in the main event, it's Madison Square Garden.

But you have carved out, not you have C has carved out, an exception for Ilya versus Patty. Because they're super stars. Yes. Even you can recognize. It's not just them, by the way. That's not my argument. Here, I'll tell you, I'll tell you non-title MSG worthy fights. Tell me.

Please, I'd love this one. Connor versus anyone. Of course. Ronald McGregor is a big enough stock. Still. Yeah. Still. Ilya versus anyone?

Illia versus anyone? Well, I'm talking to people who are available to Ilya right now. Meaning Ilya versus Patty. I'm talking non-title fights. I'm not saying Ilya versus the top 25 guy. Realistic Ilya, who he's going to be playing. Is there anybody Alex could headline in a non-title fight against? Non-title?

Yep. At heavyweight? Yep. I think it would be tough right now. Wow. Right now, I think it would be tough. Right now. Pre-Gon fight? Yeah, of course. Let me ask you this. You think Gone versus Hokit because of that title is actually a bigger fight than Alex versus Hokit? No, but because there's the heavyweight title on the line, it raises the stakes. Gone is the title holder. I get what you're saying that like the UFC has created this system.

I just don't know why that Patti and Ilya versus anybody specifically goes outside that, but Alex doesn't. Alex, to me, feels as big a star as anybody. Alex versus Josh would have been just fine. Did we talk about the crazy flip from Friday night to where Dana's like, yeah, he's not going to be undisputed champion? To them being like, nah, he's like that. No, we didn't really, I mean. That really was crazy, right?

Okay. And then they showed the graphic originally, and the graphic said, I see next to his name. And then the chat was killing us on the watch party. He was like, he's undisputed. He's fucking undisputed, you idiots. And we're like, dude, it says I see. and then they tweeted out the graphic and it just said C

so finally we got to the end and it was, now he didn't understand the question like it seemed like he really did understand the question and he actually, he acted like it was a crazy thought that he would be elevated. He did not misspeak, he said exactly what. So what do you think happened? Do you think someone came back and be like,

actually Dana, um, yeah, he is. There it is. But then why did it say I see on Saturday? Interim champ. Where's it say I see? Right. Right next to Cyril. Oh, right.

Yeah. What the hell? This is what they showed on the broadcast. They showed this on Saturday. This is the original graphic that they showed when they announced it, and then online they changed it later. Wow. So not everyone got the memo. Maybe that's it.

Maybe it was just disorganization that they didn't know. I don't. Explain this to me. Why would Cyril not be champion? I don't understand the logic. There's no world where that makes any sense. Okay. So my thought was there were two things at play.

Number one, they could say, all right, we don't love the way and way. I'm not saying this is what I agree with, but we don't love the way he got the belt, the interim belt. Let's just have him as interim champion fighting for the vacant title. As opposed to let's elevate him. Let's just have him fight for the undisputed, but not crown him as undisputed until he actually wins this fight. I actually, I know historically that's not the way it goes. I actually kind of liked it.

In the aftermath where I was trying to understand why are they doing something unprecedented because historically interim champion gets elevated if there is an interim champion already in place. If there isn't, then they just fight for the vacant title. C-332 versus 334. I was like, all right, I actually think this makes sense. And then they just laughed and... You know that meme of Paolo being like makes sense? and then immediately being like,

no, not make sense? Yeah. It doesn't make any sense. Yeah. Because then the interim title actually doesn't have any meaning. Then it's not an interim title.

Well, Tom Aspinall defended his interim title. Right. But then when the champion was gone, he became champion. I know. But if the champion, if the championship belt

is not on anybody's body and there's an interim champion, then you're not interim champion. You're number one contender. I understand that. But I don't, what's the difference between that and saying like, all right, the belt is on the line.

We're just not going to award it to anyone, but you are fighting for the belt. But then you're not interim champion. No, he's not. You're number one contender. You're no longer interim champion until he fights and wins. But I actually think that makes more sense than just like, you know what, you know, in boxing people are like,

oh, you're an email champ. You get elevated. You know, like, Kabayel got elevated to WBC heavyweight champion once Ussick. I actually think fight for it. That's fine, but then you're not interim champion. Is there a world that they're like, you know, Tom, we elevate to the champion, there was a no contest, we don't want to have the belt just be vacant. And like, then they can just make another heavyweight title fight. They want to have a champion that way.

If there is another no contest, they still have a champion. You have to have a champion. Well, there isn't a champion in the women's flyweight division. Yeah, there's vacant title fights. So what's the difference? Because they gave him a Fugazi title fight in June? Well, yeah, that's the – otherwise, why give him? him the Fugazi one.

Because you wanted a title fight at the point out. Promotional purpose. All of this is nonsense. But that's the, none of this makes sense. Okay. So we're, we're trying to apply logic to eological things.

My point is, what's, I know what the precedent is, and I know what an interim title is, but in a sport and in an organization where an interim title has been defended multiple times, and in a sport and an organization

where there's no real, like, guidelines and there's no rule book, there's no governing body that puts these rules in place, why can't it just be like, all right, you're the interim champion walking into the fight. So between now and November 14th, you are the interim champion of the UFC, even if there is a no contest. And then if you win on November 14th, you become the undisputed champion or the official champion. I hate the word undisputed in this regard.

Why can't that be the case? It could be, but what would be the point? Because right now he's the interim champion. You say, who's the interim? Right now between today and November 14th, he's still the champion. There is none. So why is the interim? Because he's the guy until there's a title fight.

On the champion in the interim. Let me ask you a question. Let me ask you a question. Interim champion. What if God, God forbid, gets injured between now and November 14th? Right. He becomes champion of the UFC without fighting. And then what do you do with that title fight?

Okay, now what's going to happen is Hokit and Pereira are going to fight for the interim belt. And now you've just taken the interim and moved it there, as opposed to just keeping him as interim and leaving the actual belt vacant for now. But he's the champ. What are you talking about? Do you see what I mean? No. It makes, to me, from a sporting perspective, you should be able to fight and win that. I don't like anyone being elevated.

Like, Aspinol, I didn't like that as well. Like, you should fight and win the belt. Yes. So in this case, he did not fight yet. He did not fight the guy who they deemed the number one contender. But then he's not interim champion. That's fine. Fight for the title.

But you're not interim champion. Interim champion between now and November 14. What is the interim? interim until what happened? What was the interim when Tom Aspinall fought Curtis Blades? Until John Jones did something. No, no, no. When he fought Curtis Blades, he was interim champion? And then was he not going to defend it again?

There was some talk of him potentially defending. Hennon Burow, I think, defended it twice. Yeah. Was there a champion? Yeah, he was injured. Dominic Cruz. That he was a champion. Oh, get out of here.

He wasn't any champion. You're crazy. Okay, good news is Rick is back. I think you'll find that you're the one who people will not agree with on this. this one. Chat, who do you agree with, Chad? That's what everyone says, right? Chat, let me know. Who do you agree with? Ariel dropping great contrarian gems. Chat, who do you agree with? Here's someone who says, I don't agree with gun getting the belt. I just don't. Ariel, let's move on. All right.

Hopefully in a matter of moments, we'll be joined by Cheeto Vera, the new indefinite interim belt. Can we all agree, can we all agree that he can't be called undisputed? Can we all agree with that? I agree, boss. Thank you. Thank you, Frankie. All right, look, I'm going to read the chat. Chat saying Rick is right.

I don't understand it. I don't get it. Oh, okay, here comes in Ariel. Ariel. It's a lot of Rick. I don't get it. You guys have lost your mind. One of the great moments from Saturday's UFC 331 event was Marlon Chito Vera,

Charles Jordane, turning back the clock. We had not seen that version of him in quite some time. What a win. What a performance. What a fight. What a celebration. It was beautiful stuff for the pride of Ecuador. And he is kind enough to join us right here. And now our old friend Marlon, Cheetah, there he is.

In the same, I think, is this the same spot that you were in last time? I finished here. Yeah, I started at the barrio and I finished here. Today, I started here and we'll see what I finished. No, but this is beautiful, Marlon. I love this. You know why? Because, first of all, you look completely different.

Every time I see you change. I've never seen a human being who changes more every time I see them. You're like a true chameleon, an Ecuadorian chameleon. But there's a beautiful symbolism of us talking three weeks ago about the losing streak, the changes, the doubts, the fear. And now here you are, same spot, a winner again. It has to feel amazing. Oh, man, it's like, you know, it's like I was rowing.

I was rowing in water. And, you know, it's like a nightmare. You're trying to come to the surface and you're like, it's just not going. And, you know, thank God. I put my head above water. Everything pay off, all the sacrifices, all the hard work, all the long nights, early morning.

And, you know, there's no secret. It's hard work, dedication, and something will happen. Do you feel like a massive weight has been lifted off your shoulders as well. Like, can you feel that relief? I mean, it's not a secret. Like, I was carrying a really heavy backpack. I was carrying a lot of pressure in my shoulder because, you know, at the end of the day,

Friday is one part of my life, right? Like, you know, I try hard. I feel short. I try again. I feel sure. It's like, okay, if this is really it, this is really that is something has left my body, something has way too much on me. you know,

you go the time. I can accept that. The problem is like I felt that was none of that. I don't really think there was nothing

getting away from me. It was just I was just needing to do something else and maybe a little more and maybe better. That's why it's so incredible

to go through all this but keep trying and keep trying. And you try it again. And then, you know, the light at the end of the tunnel can be really far. And sometimes you can even see it. But if you keep going long enough and you keep trying, you will see the light at the end.

And man, it's beautiful when you get to it. Man, I love that. Can I ask, you know, Chito, you were very, you were very chill when we spoke about three weeks ago. And it didn't seem like any of this was really getting to you. But deep down inside, were you not putting on a front, Like, were you not trying to let on how stressed you were, how much it was on your mind? What were your real true emotions leading to the fight? I really doesn't...

I'm really good at controlling my emotions. I'm not a person that the way would put me down and, you know, I have to let all my friends know that I'm sad and my family. Like, there's just something in me that I can't bitch to my wife. I can't tell my wife, like, oh, I'm not. good enough. Oh, I can't do it. I feel like I'm the type of person that will take a bullet between my eyes and I keep walking forward. Like, I don't accept giving up. Like, I wasn't raised like that. Like, my father to this day, I can't see the guy down. And I'm sure he's been down at some point in life. You know, he's 60-something years old. Like, like, my mother is not giving up.

My grandfather, when he was alive, I never saw him. I never saw weakness. And that doesn't mean we don't feel sure. Doesn't mean you don't feel low at times. It's just, man, I just don't know. I can just come home one day and tell my wife I gave up. I'd rather than fucking die and go to hell before I do that. I don't want my kids to ever say my daddy never tried or daddy never did.

something extra for us. Like it's just I know how to handle. Like I and I, it's hard man. I was in a really bad spot. I know that, you know, I'm not going to be the type of guy that oh, I want and I'm going to have crazy and I told you fuck everyone. Like I just not me. I'll keep it real. It's a really fucked up situation where it was. But I did everything I can. And like I said, I can only try it. I need fucking work man. It's so, I mean, what I did inspired me even more. Like, I was like, oh, well, see, it's just hard work, man. Like, you just have to grind and, you know, and I don't do it by myself.

I never, I have never done it by myself. There's always people need people. And I have a good crowd around me. And the people that has always been with me, like my close friends, my close friend and my family, like they always been there. I make small tricks and then you work out. You know, you did say before the fight

you thought you were fighting for your job. Was there any part of you that thought if it didn't work out, you would be done? Did that thought cross your mind? I mean, I know for a fact. They used to love me, like, and I love them. I have never complained. We have never getting a fight.

I understand there's people out there. you're one of those. Like, there's B for our argument. I'm like, I love them. I'm their side. If I agree or I don't agree,

I'm with them. So I wasn't, I wasn't thinking like, oh, they're going to cut me. Like, that's not going to happen. But as a man, me, as a person, I was like, I can't lose it.

My ego is, I'm like, especially if I'm doing everything I'm doing, I'm like, I can just lose it. me. Like, it's just, I rather do something else because what's the point to do so much? I felt sure again. But I didn't fought thinking like that because that's a negative thought.

And I'm pretty good at navigating through my mind. I'm like, hey, let's just put everything aside. Let's just pretend that this is it. This is just this one fight. Let's, let's don't qualify, like, wrap around. let's go. This fight is this one moment in life and I'm only going to focus on that. And yeah, I still have pressure, but you have pressure in every fight. If you're coming on five wins,

you got the pressure to defend five wins. I've been there before. If you're coming a few losses, bro, fighting is narrowly. It doesn't matter if you're winning 100 or if you're losing 100. Fighting is fucked up, and I love it. Wow, but you do admit that if it didn't go your way, there was a chance that was it for you.

The only way I would stay on it, it was if I would be like a weird fight. I don't know. But I just told myself, I'm not losing again. It's just not happening. I really wasn't, I don't like the word. I wasn't thinking like, oh, mother, I'm sorry if I lose because now you have an exit. Yeah, yeah. I was more like, it's all or nothing.

And nothing means probably something. But I never told myself I'm going to retire. I never told anyone I would retire. I literally treated like this was purely a comeback for me. Like I just forget about everything and let it on God's hands. Why did you look so good, Marlon? Why do you feel like you look so good on Saturday? Man, I feel like bringing back my coach is back, joining forces with the roads.

Like, if I break it down, like, the amount of work that me and Daryl Christian used to do in the past and how successful we want to do with his stuff in wrestling and in all the Greco stuff, the clinching. He helped me always with my cardio and my runs. Like, it was just, it's just like, once I said like, oh, fuck, I forget all this shit. I'm like, oh wow, this is, man, now it's easy. So that was, that, you know, everybody covers a part of the game. Like, everybody has a job and a piece in this puzzle. Like, him covered his area.

Then classified team with Tyler Wombos, there's so many multi-fighters. And I was going back to striking a lot, but everything, elbows, knees, punches. Like, I went back to my rhythm. It's almost like, it's almost like dance. And like, if you don't, if you don't dance for a few years, you're going to be a little, you know, rust and shit, but if you're, like, throwing all these things and you're seeing flying knees and spinning elbows and good guys,

you know, from reading all Moite scene to one FC, like, there's good fighters in that gym. So you're sparring 10 of those guys every week. You're going and go, like, oh, shud, forget how creative I can get and how good I am. And then, you know, and then all the way. work that the roses provide, like really good grapplers, very strong strikers, you know, good car, like younger fighters, like the dad does a really good job putting things together.

And, you know, we were doing the Jiu-Jitsu a few times a week up in LA with Cabrini, also super high level, very consistent with my conditioning coach here in Orange County with Corribis, like, he's just, like, put things together. Half my nutrition is, like, coming a little earlier in, than just five weeks for more meals and stuff. I mean, my wife does everything through the phone. But I was with my wife, half, like, you know, we got three kids and a house that, you know, it's a lot of work. So, you know, I just put everything together. And then my friends that are with me all the time, you know, if I need extra drilling, they wouldn't come.

We wouldn't bring, you know, another friend of mine, Diego Pad, there was Jiu-Gi to World Champion just to extra dream. I just went back to, like, grinding, like, all day, every day, a few times a day. And it felt good to go back to that cheer. Like, I was like, I would leave to the gym. And sometimes I wouldn't be back until after lunch. And then I would leave again and come back late night.

And then there was no time for nothing. And then I put everything aside. I put the phone down. I was like, I'm training. Hey, we're doing this? No, I stopped shooting guns. I stop. I mean, little things that I do that, they don't hurt me, but I stopped.

I was like, training, training, on fucking track. I love it. And we see the result of it all. How did you have the fight scored going into the third? One judge had it, one one, one, the other two-oh. Did you think it was possibly tied, or does that surprise you? I won every round. I was confident.

But because I'm experienced fighter, in the third round, I was like, one side of my brain told me, you know, chill, foodwork, faint, you know, ping him a little bit.

And then the other side of my, I was like, no, dude, you're being in this situation a few times. You don't want to fucking be depressed on Monday. So I went for the kill. knowing I can get hurt too, but it's part of the game. What did that feel like that moment when you knew you stopped them? Man, it was so beautiful.

Like the whole fight I felt like my speed, my power. Like it was like, it was like a different human being, but the human being that I know that I am. Like it was just like, oh shit, I've been sleeping for this long. But then I'm like, it's okay. It's life. It's part of the process. Like, no complaints, no excuses.

Like, I mean, I guess that's what people love me because I haven't, I never come with crazy excuses or like blaming people. I'm just like, it's okay. My bad. I fucked up. I figured it out. Were you surprised in the moment that he waved it off? Man, I was laughing some, I was learning some big shots. Like, I wasn't surprised because I was like, I can, you can feel when you, when you, when your, when your bones,

going through bones and I know I carry that power, I just put all my tools to work, which that's the problem because if I'm looking for a big one, then it's easier to run away and kind of like make it like a little cat a mouse fight. But bringing back this, bringing back me back is like you're getting, you're getting touch everywhere. And I have fought almost everybody and every time we go power for power like I'm blessed

that must be those Ecuadorian bones and those Ecuador and balls well put he did post afterwards that he felt like he lost his eyesight and that's the reason why he said I lost my eyesight in the third

I waived the fight because I don't need to receive more strikes to the head I lost I failed could you tell that he was hurting yeah Yeah, like once I start landing clean, like in the first round, you know, with the tail down and the control, I felt like, okay, that was a good first round. And then in the second round, when I was actually landing, you can see the change on the expression. Like, when people make faces when you crack them, and it's like, he was landing good, good speed. I mean, he's a great fighter.

But you can, I can, I knew the difference in like when I land versus when you land. And it was a big animal in terms of like, you know, there's a reason the world there's levels in this game exists. And that was quite an example right there. I saw your whole family was there, your wife, your three kids. Has that happened often where all three kids come to the fight? They have been going to all my fights. They only doesn't go when it's like overseas or too far. Only my wife came.

My wife been pretty much in every single fight. since I started making money, right? Because before that, couldn't even fly myself. But yeah, my kids have been in every single five. The presence, now they're bigger. Now they understand. Now they feel.

Now they realize, you know, there's comments, there's trolls, they're bigots, but they're my kids. So I know how to handle it. You should know how to handle it. So it's sometimes people say, don't bring your family to work, but I feel like they feel safer if they're there.

And they know the consequences. Like, I have to tell them like, hey, like, I'm fine regardless. If you see me down, it's okay to feel bad. But other than that, it's all good. What was it like when you saw them afterwards? Man, I was, I was, I was so, I was just so happy to see them there with me.

And, you know, my kids, you know, I saw my son crying in the stances. Like, he was so excited. My family was in the other side with my mom. And it was just like, it was just good to show them like, you can't fail. But if you keep working, you can get up. I like the connection that your son has with Armatiruki. It feels like they have a real bond there. Yeah, you know, it's funny.

Like, Armung is such a great guy. That's first in first. But yesterday, I was to the Rams. I took my son to the Ram games because he loved football. I love the Rams because I support, but I don't understand too much the sport. And Armand came by, right? Well, they were fucking sitting together, and that was right. Bro, Armand is a good ankle, dude.

You're a good guy. Because, like, I don't like to sit down because, you know, I'm too energetic. So I'm like, I'm standing up, moving and everything. And I'm going to sit down for a little bit. And then I'm watching the game, watching my phone. And then when I realized, I'm like, oh, you guys have been talking for a little bit. I thought I was really cool.

And then for my son to experience that, like, it's crazy. Like, I never met people like that when I was his age. I met one soccer player once and made my next 10 years of my life. Yeah. And he's at the age now where he probably likes certain fighters and looks up to them and follows everything, right? He has a list.

Like, he love Armand. He love Diego Lopez. Like, he love Raul. Like, sometimes I go, like, who's your favorite person? You? I'm like, yeah, yeah. But of course you say that I'm your dad. But like, after me, I'm, bro, these kids now, they know everything.

He knows. He even talk about fighting. Like, sometimes I'm like, do, shut up. Like, dude. That guy was doing this and they should be do more. I'm like, dude, you turn your Gets. Don't even talk about fighting. I love it.

How old is he now? He's 11. He's 11. Okay, so he's like right into it. Like, this is, this is the age where he's so impressionable. Yes. And like, he's just like, like, when I took him to the way with me and he was like, Oh, John Jones.

Oh, I'm like, hey, man, you're a man. You're like anyone here? Introduce yourself. Shake hands and ask for a photo and say, please and thank. I'm not going to do everything for you because it just. doesn't work like that. Did he do it? Mm-hmm.

He did. I was quite proud. He worked too all you. He asked for a follower. You didn't take it himself up like, it was cool. I was like, you can be cool without him. He's a 45 without. Yeah, that's true.

Does he tell them that he's your son? I don't know because I really say far away. Okay, okay. That's interesting. It's even more impressive if he doesn't do that. Yeah, that's a good question I'm not asking that I mean, we do

You do look a lot Yeah We do look alike So it'll be hard But maybe I want to ask him If he just say Hi, can I get a photo

Like hi, I'm Cheetos son Yeah, yeah Yeah, yeah Yeah, yeah Yeah, yeah Do you think he'll be a fighter Listen, man He says he wants to

But we all know How gnarly and nasty This game is So we'll see. I mean, he's my son. What I do, which I think is the best thing, I sign him up for J-GITs and all these things, but I just drop him off.

I don't stay. Oh, wow. I don't stay screaming and acting like I'm a master. I just drop off and pick up. How was your day? Amazing. Like, I don't get involved. Then once, I don't, I don't,

I told me once you feel ready and you feel like you want to compete, you let me know. And then I sign you up. I probably will be there but from far away and I will let people that train you or my friends. There's no part of you that wants to see the type of teachings he's receiving, what's being said to him. You know this as well as anyone. I mean, he goes for you each and a year. Yeah, like, there's so good. There's nothing that I can

I can say there. With my experience, I can probably give a pointer to here and there, but, man, that's the best Jiu-G-2 in the world for kids. Like, there's like 30,000 kids in their training everywhere. Oh, wow. What's it called? Art of J-2.

Oh, okay. That's Machado, right? Oh, Gia and I have a Mendez. Oh, the Mendes brothers. Right, right. The Mendes brothers. Yes. I used to train.

there before before I before I before I came in the picture and then they traveled with Cobbriene so

we drive to lay for that but this is like a block from my house so I just drop I just put my son there okay and what about Raoul

are you going to be in Las Vegas for him this week I'm living I'm living tonight or tomorrow first time in the morning okay

will you be in his corner yes he asked me to to be in the corner so I'll be there for my boy wow I love that

This bond is great between you two. Yeah, it's actually, it is great. Good family, good people, and, you know, they were there for me in my fight with, so the least I can do is just give the same love I got. So I'll be there. You felt the difference with this change? It felt different to you than the previous fights?

Man, like, it was day and night the way it fought. It has to be. Everything is through hard work and the changes were just there. Like, the amount of, even the way it felt, even in the locker, like, even after four losses, I was like, I was like, why I'm filming this good? Like, even I was telling my coach, and I'm like, dude, I'm fucking hot. I was even thinking about my physical good looks.

I was thinking like my blood was like boiling and I was like, I was like, fuck, I'm pumped. Like, I said, okay, I'm going to sit down and wait for a tattooed byzla. But I was like, I was like, looking at my hands. I was like, my body, I was like, dude, I did it. You know, when you do everything. Yeah. And you don't, you don't got any corner and you're not like fucking around and you're not like,

whatever. Like, with the training was good. And hard, the rest. just let it go, man. By the way, how's his brother doing, Jesse, after the... Oh, man. He's good.

I mean, I think he was up right away. I was talking to them in the moment. That was one of those things, like, probably his opponent, like, we cannot take nothing away, but that was freaky. You know, you slam somebody and just... I mean, maybe he worked,

I don't know, but you trap the arm and you go neck first. I mean, it's fucked up, because he's a good fighter, dude. We have his part so many times, very clean and technical, but also fighting a way class above. Like, that's your way in the UFC,

fuck it. You got to do what you're going to do in order to be in the big show. So he'll be back. He'll be back with a good fighter at 135. You think Jordane has a bright future at 135? Man, if we're, like I said, we keep it real on Friday,

last Friday as things weren't going and the way he was doing and the way I was doing they were pretty much pushing him like he was just stepping on top of my name

to get a fight in the top 10 or top 5 like three wins he beat three good guys stopped two of them and beat the fuck out of the last one so he was like he was looking like

a world bidder and I knew that I was getting into a hard fight against some someone that was coming at his best. I used, I used look, they were supposed to look,

and I fought the way I'm supposed to fight, which that's bad timing for him and good timing for me. So in conclusion, Chito, right now, most fights in UFC band and weight history, most finishes in UFC bantamweight history, most knockdowns, most subattempts,

most time in the octagon in UFC bantamweight history. You now have joint most wins in UFC bantamweight history tied with Aljo. So you should surpass him because he's no longer there, obviously. And joint most TKO wins in UFC bantamweight history tied with Sean O'Malley and T.J. Dilisha.

All to say, was that maybe the sweetest of them all? Man, when I was doing one of my interviews in Spanish, the reporter girl told me all this scenes and I was like, for a moment I was like Are you fucking with me? Because I don't count these things

I don't know I just want to win And I was like holy shit I was like many time for a BMF bell huh? That would be something And by the way You saw Sean there We can't let this die

It will never be cool with you guys We're Sean I saw when you saw O'Malley You told him I think you said Maybe did you say something to him when you saw him? I haven't seen him since we've fought.

Oh, was that an old clip? I'm getting caught with the old clips here. I thought you saw him in like the back. Like you saw him like when you were signing the posters. He wasn't there. He wasn't there. Okay, this was, okay, so this is an old clip. I'm an un.

Yeah, I saw, I saw, I saw Peter Young in the back of the way. He was there. You say hi to him? yeah like I walked by him and then he went bro the guy's a funny guy he armed dragged me and he's had like shadow box

you know he's like I eat guys like you for breakfast I was like I was like my brother focus on focus on you I'm coming up for laws and living alone

yeah that's right but maybe he won and maybe he I mean he he wasn't like oh you took so much shit I was like but fuck you talk shit too and you declined twice

oh I mean that's what I've been told Right. But I was like, I'm funny tomorrow. Like right now, I don't even, I will even put energy being mean or funny, but we shake hands. And I did say, I'm like, hey man, when you were coming on a bad streak and the way you put it back and you went back to the title, I said, well done, pretty admirable thing.

That's the means I don't want to put my food in your mouth, but it's inspired me in a way. So good job. I don't think he understands. Really, really English, but it's translated word there. So I think he will tell him if he got it what it's saying. One clip that I know definitely wasn't old was you talking about, you know, having fun with action. I don't know if anyone's listening, you know, doing the, when you got like super, when you went up with action, you know what I'm talking about?

Yeah, yeah, a little, a little, a little bit of different, a little. Are we, is, are anything planned? Are you guys going to link up? I saw him coming to LA on the feet to my friend's restaurant to do a pop-up at Badmash in Ben Nice. I'll be in effort of competing against Aldo. That's right. I will probably miss my boy this time.

But, I mean, it's not like I'm not going to go to New York sometime soon or who's each other. Okay. That's true love. We were born the same day. It is true love. By the way, that scene is going to be incredible. Now you come home after that win and you're going up against Aldo and hype. That is going to be, my God.

That's going to be like a true victory party for you. I love that. It will be great. So, I mean, I was thinking like, oh, I'm going to start training you eat together. I'm like, I'm competing in 10 days. I don't have time. I mean, I guess I'm already in shape because it's not like I've been drinking. But I was thinking like, oh, I'm going to do a full camp.

And I'm like, well, I guess I got 10 days to get home and I go there. Enjoy it, my man. What a time. I'm so happy for you. God is good, man. That's all I know. Enjoy everything that comes with it. The monkey off your back, the weight off your shoulders, all the celebrations with your family.

And good luck in Ecuador. I can't wait for that. I'm so happy you're getting this moment. I'm really, really happy for you because you've long deserved it. and you deserve to have that winning streak snapped as well. What a performance. Well done, Cheeto. There it is.

That's coming up in October. But for now, 4th of October, enjoy all of this, and appreciate you always coming on. Really do. Thank you, bye. Appreciate you. All right. We'll talk to you soon. There he is.

Marlon Cheeto Vera, the Pride of Ecuador, snaps the losing streak and is back on track. We do wish the best to Charles Jordane. Injures his eye, you know, tough as nails, dude. and you had to know that something was up when he waved. The first thing I thought was broken orbital. When you're waving off like that and it's after, you know, that barrage, not great. But he's right. Why take more?

Because, let's be honest, they probably would have let more happen and there's no need. There's absolutely no need. All right. Some news and notes to get to if we can. We started the show regarding talking some PFL stuff and all that, you know, the big change MVP, John Martin out. There is some good PFL news. Patrick Habirora is back

and they posted this. Well, it's Habirrera against El Dafrawi. This is going to be his first time fighting a ranked opponent, which is solid. He posted this video celebrating it. Dafrawi, who is 16 and 6. Omar L. Daffrawe is

number five. in the PFL welterweight rankings and this fight is happening Saturday, November 14th in Dubai and so he's going out of that Belgium slash France region

November 14th if that sounds familiar is the UFC MSG card date but it sounds as though well it's an afternoon card so we're all good they won't be going up against each other that would be a nightmare so good luck to Patrick

in my opinion on the short list of can't miss fighters, prospects that PFL has, you know, they've got him, they got that gene, they've got a few of these guys that people are obviously excited about. He would be at the very, very top of the list that we showed you a few weeks ago. He was in Montreal training at TriStar with GSP, Fraz Zahabi, everyone there, and who better to train with than the greatest welterweight. And in some people's opinion, including my own, the greatest fighter. of all time, GSP.

Tony Ferguson is competing on the Misfits card this weekend. I believe it's September 26, and I think he has a new opponent, I'm being told. He was scheduled to fight. He is now fighting against Mahmoud Sebi. It's going down at the James L. Knight Center in Miami. So there you have it. It's a funky one this weekend. and you're also getting Yoho Romero against Darren Till.

Did we decide or determine whether that was AI or not? Everybody seems to be saying it's AI. It looks AI. It's, I mean, I just can't imagine them doing all that on the plane. Doing that whole shoot, yeah. Yeah. But I'm looking forward to that, and Yoh O'O. Romero is going to join us tomorrow.

Anthony, Joshua, you know, I've actually gone on Snapchat recently, guys. Oh, yeah? I know. You saw that? Yeah. You saw my story? I did see the story I saw the friend invite

Oh, did you accept? I don't have to answer that. Wow. I actually did a few like stories where they, you know, where like you change your face with the filter

within, I don't know, 45 seconds, I got a call for my son. What are you doing? What are you doing? I said, whoa, what? He's like, you know that's public, right? I was like, what?

The Snapchat? Because I just did it 45 seconds prior. Yeah. People could see that. I was like, yes, so. It was like one, me looking like a giga Chad, one me with the big cheeks. I thought it was fun.

I thought that's what you do. Apparently not. When you're 21? I was enjoying it. We're going to do an on Crown Snapchat, so stay tuned for that. I did happen to see this from Anthony Joshua. I actually swear to God, guys, I saw this this morning. And then someone dropped it in, but I actually saw it on my own.

I was like, oh, look, something from Anthony Joshua, the chairman. You know, he's very active on Snapchat. Look at these stories. Look at many stories up there. He doesn't have anything like that on Instagram. He posted something. I'm guessing that's from Margaret Goodman, from Vada. Dear Mark, is Mr. Fury going to enroll?

Typically, we enroll in opponents at the same time. We also need the whereabouts for him to enroll either fighter. Thank you, M. I'm not accusing Tyson Fury of anything. And then there's a Pinocchio picture on another slide. Eddie Hearn did allude to this. Remember he was saying like there's things that breach the contract and we should be walking away and I asked him what that was.

He said, I'm not ready to bring it up. I had a feeling he was referring to some, you know, I don't know, some stuff regarding PDs and then they're putting this out. And then he said in interviews this weekend alluding to the fact that he hadn't signed up when we signed up. So God knows what's going on. But it does seem as has been discussed that there's. is momentum, and I feel like it's going to, I still feel like it's going to happen. And now the new date

seems to be December 11th in Cardiff. Seems like it's going to happen. Hopefully, nothing gets in the way. And what about Sean Strickland? Is he okay? What's going on with Sean Strickland? I wake up this morning and he's all scraped up. He's battered. This is video footage that he posted. What is that? A go-kart? What is that? A do not like ATV. Not a go-kart for sure. you could get seriously hurt. Yo, I'm more worried about his friend than I am about Sean. Look at this. Where's the friend?

That's Sean. Yeah, there's Sean getting out. God, that's so... Is that the friend? Yeah, there he is. And then he just passes out. Holy shit. What?

Yeah, bro, he went to the hospital. No way. Oh, yeah. When Sean was driving home, he was like, yeah, bro, we had to drive him at the hospital. Wait, first of all, the friend looks like he's dead in that moment. Yeah. And they're still filming. Yeah, you know.

He's, uh, he's... It's all for the content. The friend is doing okay, no. He is? Yeah. Holy crap. Yeah, scary as shit. They did crash a vehicle.

No, I know. I just did. I didn't see that. I didn't see that. That was scary. Yeah, that one they put out as we were on air. So that was not part of that initial. After the fact.

Yeah. I'm getting screwed. I thought that, you know that video of Cheeto and Sugar? Where he tells him to suck his dick? Yeah. Yeah. How old is that? Spring, March of 2024 when they fought for the title.

Oh, that's from the title fight? 299 yeah Miami yeah all these pages why do they post this now you just see it and you scroll haven't seen it got to be careful out there yeah yeah yeah what was the other one they got you oh the humza with the clown who did that oh yeah I don't know with the clown yeah yeah he put the clown emoji over neon or supposedly yeah I thought they're saying that he added that someone else added that let me see What is it? How does it?

Don't forget the three. What's the three? N3. Oh, is that why it's not coming out? Come on. Is he really 21 this kid? Neon? Yeah.

That's what Armin said. Yeah, I guess. Sure. Yeah. I don't know. I don't know a thing about him. I mean, that's what he said. Yeah.

Birthday, August 13th, 2004, so just turned 22. It's crazy. Clown backlash. the meme, the spam. I don't fucking know. Who cares? But yeah, Sean Strickland. Is he okay?

He recorded a video after the fact. All right, he's all right. Do we have any super chats? How are we doing super chats if I can't read them? Is Frank out of retirement? Well, you asked me. I can get him on my phone. No worries.

Oh, yeah, you're right, you're right, right. Yeah, I forgot about that. Also, I changed your password. Oh, thanks. Oh, wow. Congrats. Okay, here we go, here we go. Is it weird that I thought that when he won?

Not at all. No. When his elbow went through Maricio Hoopi's face, you were just like, oh, well, congrats. Yeah. How about when you signed on today, he goes, hello, hello, and you say, how are you? I finished it. You combined. Do you think that he did that on purpose?

No. Oh. This is greeting. here is all right our first one shout out to the boys in the back

with Saturday's watch party being the second most watched on the channel 900K is crazy The views are crazy

yo you held it down even did the post show in my stead with Ben folks shout out oh Ben folks amazing amazing stuff

my agents calling me right now should I put them on blast I feel like if they call you pick up that's the rule I thought he was I thought he was calling for us.

Jerry, you're live on the air right now, and everyone told me to pick up because they said that if you're going to call while we're on the air, you deserve to be picked up. What do you have to say for yourself, Jerry? I actually thought you were going to let it go to voicemail, and I was just going to leave you on, but I appreciate the pickup. There was once a time where Jerry would check the YouTube stream first, but now you're just bypassing that, and you're saying, let me just call and interrupt. I was actually just going to park a voicemail, but I'm happy to be on the program. Do you want to say hello, everyone? I think this is your big debut on the show. What did I interrupt?

What were we talking about when I so rudely called you? We were talking about... We were talking about combat. I hope the audience realizes if you're a fan of Uncrown, this is the brains behind Uncrown. This is the man who dreamed it up even before I dared to dream such great dreams. So if you want to send a thank you,

it is to the one and only Jerry. I merely just push you in a direction you were already heading. your genius and the team around you're already doing it. Well, they all send their regards. Is there anything that I could answer here on the air? Is there anything pressing or could it wait for after the show? I think after the show.

We'll find them on the Amtrak, so you guys enjoy it. Okay. All right, well, have a safe travel, and we'll talk soon. First time, long time. Yes, take care. Bye-bye. Man, he's got to have crazy Amtrak reward points. Oh, he's a beast.

He's sitting first class for sure. Oh, yeah, 900K, K. he would have appreciated that. Is that our most ever? Second. Jake Paul. Oh, right. Jake and Mike.

Jake and Mike was... What did it peak at? Six K. Hell yeah. Killed it. Thank you for everybody who watched. Yes, thank you so much. Don Carlo.

Va el equipo a UFC 334. Kesa has haga an NYC vlog. Okay, I'm going to guess he's saying, is the team going to UFC 3334? can we get an NYC vlog? Could catch on the team there. Is that from watching sports? No, Equipo is French.

So, you know, there's a lot of similarities between French and Spanish. I don't think we're going to go because we're going to have to do all the stuff. Maybe a vlog of some kind. Are we running it back? Are we running it back with action? Oh, fight feces?

Yeah. Let's do it. You don't have to tell me twice. Ariel and Rick, Ari Emanuel's book came out today You should reach out to see if you would get on the show To discuss the book You think so

It's not bad show I saw There was a great feature on him On CBS Sunday morning Good chat with him I love that show Love a good CBS Sunday morning It's really one of the best shows on TV still

I hope they don't screw around with it The horns It's a great time of day Sunday 9 a.m. Well I sometimes tape it and just watch it later. Oh, wow. So you don't watch it on Sunday morning?

No, no, no, later in the day. If I'm not, you know, if there's soccer. But I just... You don't even have to record it. You can just go straight to the old P-plus. Oh, is it on the M. Oh. No, you know what?

I like my recording. And then you can watch it on your phone on the PIP. What are you? Ti-voing it? I'm T-vowing it. That's exactly right. Seriously? No, I'm using the DirecTV DVR thing.

Okay, shout at the direct TV? So it's pretty much the same. Anyway, I enjoy it. There's an old-school feel to it. Yeah, pulling up the recording. What about people saying, no, no, no, the show. They're saying 60 minutes is dead, but they got a big get. The rest of the least of 60 minutes.

Yeah, the ratings, not so hot. Patrick Clancy. That sound makes me not comfortable. Yeah, it makes me think of impending doom, either going back to school, work, whatever it is. It's dark. Oh, it's dark. Football is getting ready to start. You're just like, oh, fuck, I got a whole week ahead of me.

I'm Leslie Stahl. Those stories and Andy Rooney coming up. Love that. Guys, you all saw the trumpet player who switched to singing when his trumpet got stuck at Yankees game at the Yankees game. Share a time you faced a stressful situation at work. And how did you adapt and overcome it? What is this? A pop quiz?

I actually didn't see that. But I've seen, you know, other times where like the microphone doesn't work and the whole stadium starts singing the national anthem. So I didn't see the trumpet. it. When did we, oh, I know, when Rich Chow's mic didn't work. And then the great suggestion was for them to share the mic, like an ice cream cone. You want to know something? There was someone who was watching it. Yes.

And they said to me afterward, they go, why didn't they just share the microphone? Like this? We thought about it. Trust me, we thought about it. The arm doesn't extend. Scott out of the way and be like, this question's directed at me. Also, the worst part about all this is that

it just been the other Mike, they could have just passed it back and forth and there would have been no issue. That's right. It would have plenty of time to fix it. The Mike Stan one, yeah. But I feel like that's one where we were met with a stressful situation. We adapted and we overcame. Who the fuck is we?

Need Hoofee versus Quillin next. That's a banger. Don't hate it. I'm down. Oh man. Lightweight. It'll always be the shark. think. It'll always be the deepest division. Ariel, who's the most entertaining analyst duo in all of sports? I pick Gary Neville and Jamie Carriger. Hmm, that's a good one. So, analyst duo. I mean, for the longest time, I think a lot of people thought Barkley and Kenny and Shaq. I feel like they've gone.

Yeah, I just mean like any sort of, well, actually, for the longest time, it was Kenny and Barkley, right? Yeah. They've gotten a little curmudginy over the years. That's a word. Man, who's my...

I mean... It's hard to pick two analysts. Like, when I think of a duo, I think of a play-by-play analyst duo. Like, I think of Mike Breen and Walt Clyde Frazier. You know, like that's...

But this is more like desk than Booth. And also in America, we get Jamie Carragor on the Paramount Plus desk, with Kate Scott and Michael Richards and Thierry Henri and sometimes David Beckham as well. We don't get to see Gary Neville and Jamie Kerrigar as much because Gary Neville is not on here. And I think wasn't Gary Neville?

No, that was Gary Linnecker. Gary Neville is great. He's on, I think, BBC. Kerrigar worked for both, like when it's Premier League, he's doing BBC. So yeah, he's very good. What I like about the soccer slash football pundits, they are brutally honest. Don't you feel like sometimes like with the NFL guys? NBA not so much, but NFL definitely,

I feel like they all sort of like sugarcoat everything. Those football guys, those like European football guys, the Premier League guys, I feel like they have no problem telling it like it is. They'll go after the owners, they'll go after the managers, the gaffers, the stars. So yeah, they're up there. But who am I missing?

Is there like the game day dudes? Game is pretty good. I feel like I'm missing an obvious one. I just don't watch a lot of these studio shows anymore, if I'm being honest. The best studio show right now, has to be the Paramount plus one, right?

Kate, Micah, Jamie, Terry. I think universally, I think in America it's probably the inside the NBA crew, but I don't know. Mike Tomlin,

by the way, on Sunday Night Football have been really great. People are loving him. I think planned to move to the broadcast booth and I sell reports that they're just going to keep him

where he is because he's doing such a great job. Just learned Mike Tomlin doesn't coach the Steelers anymore. Serious. Oh, no. Wow. No, he's definitely been

a star. A Beloved New Face All right Does the UFC want to be in the gable business Given the level of genuine backlash From fan slash press Does it impact their brand to have a star like him? Yeah, I think they're

They're not the first Had he looked at the roster Yeah, I think they're okay with it And again, like They've got people that have done things While on their roster As opposed to someone

They signed him aware of them Yes, exactly. They did their due diligence He has pressure on him now because there will be a point where it doesn't become worth dealing with that headache. We're not there yet. Do we remember Greg Hardy? Yeah, exactly.

Greg stayed around for a while. There was like insane evidence. Yes, go ahead. If Gable loses a few more, all of a sudden that, that willingness to deal with that is not as high as it is now. So he has pressure on his shoulders to make them not one of it. It almost feels like sometimes they dig their heels. Yeah, that's true, too. They put Greg Hardy on the ESPN debut card right right before or after Rachel,

Lostovich. Yeah. Like, it was like, oh, yeah, you think we're worried about this? Here you go. Why is Rick acting shocked about a title fight needing to headline a pay-per-view? This is literally how it's been for like 15 years. No, this is just low IQ. It's a skill issue.

Sit this one out, brother. All right. Nobody's confused about that part. How can Herb get out of the doghouse with the fans? It's another one where it feels like. You know, sometimes you get in a spot where the fans almost feel. like it's like this Pavlovian or Pavlovian Pavlovian? Yeah.

What's so funny? Like they see him, they feel like they have to boo. Jake Paul, we see you, we have to boo. We will never cheer for you. What's so funny? They're reading about Super Chats. Oh. They're laughing at Super Chats.

Did I say it wrong? No, no one is laughing at you. Pavlovian? They're all gonna laugh at you. Pavlovich is don't. No! They're all gonna laugh. I feel like now the fans are like,

oh, we saw previous city laugh. now we're gonna, excuse me, laugh. Boo, now we're gonna boo you. 100%. It's a learned thing. Yeah. Yeah. All right.

So how can you get out of the doghouse? I'm not sure. They'll forget about it at some point. What's it? Am I supposed to read this last one? Does it feel very nice? You can read it, man. That's what we're laughing.

Why? Because it's fucking rude. He gave us $2. Thanks for the $2. I was not going to read it. But it's weird that we added it. Like sometimes we... It doesn't say...

Who is corner? Who is corner? Oh, okay. So that's why it's okay. I think the corner, Berks, is referencing other things. I don't get that. It's changing my name, Corner. They've done it with other fighters.

I don't think so. Do you think so? I think it was a mistype. I think the dude's just... I think he's trying to fire it off rather quickly, and he's like... Who selected this? Who placed this into the queue? He are in the end are quite far from each other.

He's looking straight off of the YouTube. Yeah, that is. It's in the prompter, we read it. All right. Don't remember that. I'll remember that. I actually never realized that was bold, so this guy is a good observation. At least I know.

All kinds of breaking news on today's show. John Martin, Nina in the corner, all kinds of stuff, guys. Corner? Corner? Who's in the corner? What are the other people in the room doing? That's a good point. That's a good point.

tomorrow on the show, guys. We will have Alexander Volkov. How does he feel about getting passed up? Who's the last time Volkov was on the program? Maybe never? I'm fucking hype. I don't know. Has he ever been on?

Friends of Alex to terrible. They were training together at the PI last week. I want to hear what he's got to say about the head of the division. Yul Romero going to join us. Looking forward to talking to him just days before the Darren Till fight. And Patricia Pipple going to join us. Haven't really talked much about him, but what a great performance that was. It felt like old school Bellator, Patricio.

There may be two others joining us. Stay tuned for that. I think, what was that? Oh, yes. I think that sometimes you guys tell me this up of my ear, but you're whispering. I can't hear. Do you need it louder? Yes.

Just say it. The problem is we do a show. Yes, I can hear that just fine. We do a show where the producers are also in. my ear on air, but then also sometimes you try to tell me things off air, and I'm not sure what to react to. Was that on air? I'm not sure. Nevertheless,

we may have two others. Pippel look great. I know he's an unfortunate spot of like, no matter how well he did, which he did about as good as he could possibly do, it was going to be overshadowed by the Sean Sheriff moment. Also, can we ask Volkov his thoughts on Rick having him as the underdog to Gable Steven?

Oh, that's question number one. I actually I want Rick to ask the question. Let's have a debate segment. Put me on with him and I'll be like, Alexander, your takedown defense is shit. So, wow, wow, wow, wow. I lined Gable minus 400 against you thoughts. Wow, wow, wow, wow.

All right. Let Pitbull know that I was the only one from my crown that had picked him to win. Is that true. That is true from the staff picks. Frank's is sharp, bro. Wow. I'll tell him.

Everybody got slaughtered in the staff picks, but Frank actually did okay. Who was the last time Frank missed a prediction pal's pick? Don't jinx it, man. It's been an attorney. Don't win it out there. On fire. You're on a heater. Guys hot. When you know, you know.

I-Y-K. No, no, no. That's... All right. We're out of time. Do you want to let you know, guys, that episode one of our best-of show has aired on Vice. Usually when I say we're out of time, you hit the music. And then you're doing a promo. Yeah, that's fine. We just need to be clean.

Oh, I didn't know how to be clean. It's all part of the goodbye. It's going to air again, episode two. is going to air on Vice TV. Help us out. Even if you've watched the show, watch it anyway. Just leave it on. Fridays at 8.m. Eastern on Vice TV.

It's a big deal. Uncrowned beat, usually dropping tonightish slash early tomorrow on Amazon Fire TV. So we're all over the gaff. There you go. We showed you last week, courtesy of On Air Jordan,

how to access the shows. And I've tried it out myself, and it works. Perfect. We were looking to watch a movie on Sunday night And I said I have the best idea They were like, ooh, this is interesting with the VCR And then I showed up And they all booed and hiss

So It lasted three seconds Anyway, you can watch the show We'll be talking MMA, stay tuned for that It's going to be a lot of fun We've done, I think this will be our fourth episode on Amazon Fire TV, second on vice. A lot of exciting things happening.

Our newsletter is coming. Our Snapchat is coming. There's all kinds of things to be excited about. Did I forget anything else? You're on Snapchat? I already explained this. Did you guys forget? Doing the little faces?

I'm getting very busy on Snapchat. A lot of people say, if you want to reach the kids, sub 25, sub 18, you got to go on Snapchat. Which kid was upset again? Why do you want to reach this? Oldest. I'm trying to. to get hip.

I'm trying to be cool. All right. Anyway, thank you to all our guests. What a show. Amazing stuff. Joshua Van, Casey O'Neill, Armitruchin, Chito Vera. Back tomorrow. Same time, please, I'm out here.