The Ariel Helwani Show - Bo Nickal breaks silence, Julianna Peña squashes beef with Ariel, NBA's Larry O'Brien Trophy stops by, Leigh Wood, Kevin O'Connor

Episode Date: May 6, 2025

Ariel Helwani and the crew kick things off by discussing Islam Makhachev’s next fight and some big team news (05:49).Leigh Wood, the pride of Nottingham, calls in ahead of his homecoming fight against streaking IBO super featherweight champion Anthony Cacace on Saturday to discuss his return to the ring, Premier League drama, life after fighting, and more (15:33).The Larry O’Brien Trophy, the NBA's championship prize, graces Ariel and the Boys with its presence on set. Plus, Yahoo NBA analyst Kevin O'Connor joins in-studio to talk playoff basketball (37:49).Bo Nickal joins for his first interview since falling short against Reinier de Ridder at UFC Des Moines to reflect on losing his undefeated MMA record, dealing with backlash from fans and fighters, the best advice he’s received, how wrestling shaped his mindset on losing, what’s next for his career, and more (1:23:53).Julianna Peña, UFC women's bantamweight champion, reconciles with Ariel before previewing her UFC 316 title fight against Kayla Harrison and breaking down being a massive underdog, Kayla’s tough weight cut, new additions to her camp, Amanda Nunes claiming she’s returning to fight the winner, and more (1:58:01).Ariel and the Boys in the Back end things by answering your burning Super Chats (2:29:22).

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Err-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r- And 25 hello again everyone. I sure hope you're doing well. You know why? Do you know why? I hope you're doing well as I can't tuck my chair in. Because I'm doing fantastic my friends. Oh my god you know yourself I'm doing so fantastic. You have no idea there is nothing. There is nothing like the day after a massive playoff win. And that goes of course to my Buffalo Bills, but they're not in the picture right now. We're talking about what transpired yesterday evening in Boston, in Beantown. Oh my god, I am still flying high. I couldn't go to sleep. I just kept watching the highlights over and over and over and over and over again I had to pick up my son at halftime from soccer yet soccer practice at Seven o'clock it went till 830 had to pick him up first thing. He asks me. This is my older son

says Are the Knicks winning I? Say no, not only are they not winning. They're losing by 16. You know, after kind of hanging in there for the first half. In fact, we left here late yesterday. I called my middle son to give me the play-by-play for the entire first quarter. I have to say, he did a pretty good job. He was like a young Mike Breen.

He didn't have a bang, he had a got it. He was like, Deuce McBride 3, got it. And it was just a joy. Like these things are memories, are moments that I'll never forget. Sharing this with them. That's what I told Kat when I met him on Friday. Thank you for giving me these experiences,

these memories with my boys. Nick could be the worst team in the league. I wouldn't have it. Anyway, get back from picking him up. I sit down. It's 75-55 for the Celtics. Oh my God. And then what happens?

Never underestimate the heart of a New York Knickerbocker. They chip away, they chip away, they chip away, they chip away, they chip away, and all of a sudden, all of a sudden, we're tied with seconds remaining 5.5, then they foul 5.0. Brunson misses, a gimme, we go to overtime, and in the history of the NBA, my friends, in the history of the NBA, no team has been down 15 at the half and won in overtime. In the history of the NBA my friends in the history of the NBA No team has been down 15 at the half and won an overtime in the history of the NBA playoffs. It's never happened before 79 years look at OG look at OG slamming on that Jason Tatum's head I was gonna say something else look at McHale Bridges that steal alone worth 37 picks if you ask me not not to mention the corner three.

Look at the boys on P.J. Tucker's birthday. Oh, the vibes are high. And look, as the great Sean McDermott says, humble and hungry. All right. It's just one win. It's just game one. But we're in it, my friends, everyone who said we're going to. So that's why the vibes are so high.

And wouldn't you know it, I find out today that not only am I going to be in the best of moods, but the greatest trophy in all of sports. Yes, I said it way better than the Super Bowl trophy, the Lombardi way better than the Stanley Cup. Yes, I said it way better than the World Series trophy, which is not a bad one with the flag, way better than the Champions League, better than the World Cup, the greatest trophy in all of sports. And I say this not because he is in the building. I would have said this any time, any time the Larry O'Brien Trophy going to be joining us in studio on May 6th, 2025.

Do you guys know that on May 8th, 1970 anniversary, two days from now, that's the 55th anniversary, the New York Dicks became champion for the first time. Are the stars aligning? Larry O'Brien wasn't even born 1970 he was actually born in 1977 and then became the Larry OB trophy in 1984 I'll tell you all about that when it's in studio but I just can't wait this is a big day this is a big deal this is a big freaking deal and not only that a tremendous repack of guests and And not only that, you know, we like to play too on Tuesdays. Later today on the Ariel and Ade show on the Dizone Boxing Channel,

we will have Conor Ben joining Ade and I. That's going to be tremendous. Five o'clock Eastern, 10 p.m. in the UK. The great Conor Ben, the destroyer coming off that thrilling, unbelievable fight against Chris Eubank Jr. a little over a week ago. He'll join us. Who's joining us on today's program? Well, we have another classic for all of you.

Yes, she is in fact going to finally join us. She has given me her word. Our old friend. Old friends never die. Julianna Pena is going to join us. The Venezuelan Vixen, the reigning defending UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion who defends her title on the 7th of June Across the river in Newark at the Peru at the Rock against Kayla Harrison One of my most anticipated fights of the year. She joins us prior to that in his first interview

since Saturday Bo Nicol who has been the talk of the MMA world coming off his loss to Renear Derrida Rene Derrida, Rene De Ritter. Why do I always screw that up? RDR, he's gonna join us to talk about everything that's happened, what went wrong, all that and more. Very, very appreciative that he's joining us. And in about 10 minutes time, the pride of Nottingham himself,

Mr. Lee Wood, who's returning for the first time in almost two years, fighting back home in Nottingham himself, Mr. Lee Wood, who's returning for the first time in almost two years, fighting back home in Nottingham against the streaking Anthony Kakachi, fellow Forrest fan coming off a tough draw yesterday against Crystal Palace. He will join us to set the table for Saturday. Yeah, look at that. I said a three-pock, it should be a four-pock.

Larry O'Brien, can't wait. I'm so hyped. One-pock and then the three pack yeah that too I cannot wait I saw this earlier this morning a manager to the stars the the the brains the the the the muscle behind the highly acclaimed management team, Dominance MMA, Rizvan, Magomedov, he posted this photo. Here he is. Rizvan on the left. On the right, you know that man, Isam Mahachev, reigning defending UFC lightweight champion,

at least for now, on the right. And in the middle, with the cool shades, is Hunter Campbell. Now I'm not sure I'm guessing Ali took the photo I'm not sure why he's not in the photo. Oh that's right they're in Dagestan and you got to give a shout out to me the MVP of the company the most important person in the company is Hunter Campbell. You got to sometimes go and see your fighters on their home turf. And we all know right now what is going on. Bilal wins, Islam stays.

Bilal loses, Islam moves up. Bilal wins, it sounds like we get Islam versus Ilya, as crazy as that all sounds. Bilal loses, Ilya versus Charles. What happens to Charles? It sounds like we get Islam versus Ilya, as crazy as that all sounds. Bilal loses, Ilya versus Charles, what happens to Charles if Islam stays? Who knows, but business is being conducted over in Dagestan. What do they have?

Popka coffee, he said. What was that? Yeah. Popaka? Popaka coffee, isn't that the name of what Habib's headwear is? Oh, I don't know. Canyon, mountains, what a scene.

It looks beautiful out there. Yeah, it does. Fight feast, Dagestan? Don't have to convince me, brother. I'm telling you. What is the mood? Like what's the main dish over there? So pappaka is the thing that Habib wears on his head.

That is the headwear. So, I wonder if he owns that or something. Main dish, I don't know. We'd have to research. We can start at papaka coffee and then go from there. Okay. Would be nice. Can you get a direct to Dagestan?

From New York? Yeah, JFK, Newark. Probably gonna have to stop in old Istanbul on the way over. Not Moscow? Not Constantinople. Yeah. You think Istanbul? I wonder.

The gateway to the world, they say. Yeah, I've heard the same. Anyway, things are happening. What do you guys think? This time next week, what are we talking about as far as International Fight Week is concerned? Islam versus Ilya Deporia in Las Vegas.

Okay. Jack Delamattalani, your... no, I screwed that up. It's Ilya versus Charles. Oh! Jack Delamattalani, your welterweight champion. Wow! Okay, that's a curveball. You agree with this, Rick? No, he doesn't. We're going to be talking about Islam versus Ilya International Fight Week. Hey, that's going to be a big week for us. So we announced on Friday, we're gonna be at Fanatics Fest on Friday June 20th. We're gonna be doing a special show Talking about some big guests joining us. Fanatics Fest is a great deal. It's over at the Jacob Javits Center. Yeah, my wife has actually had a bunch of trade shows there. One time I was helping her out

I was pushing like a one of those like trolley things with a bunch of boxes and there. One time I was helping her out. I was pushing like a, um, one of those like, uh, trolley things with a bunch of boxes and my, I was for some reason wearing a Birkenstocks. I don't, I don't usually do this with sandals. Oh, no, no, with socks, excuse me, sandals with socks, you know, maybe that was, uh, karma coming back to bite me in the butt and, and my toe hit the wheel and I swear the big toenail came right off.

Oh man, awful. I've had that happen. I said I'm never going back to Jacob Javits unless they invite us to do a show there. And so here we are. I went to Comic-Con, it was lovely. I had no toenails coming off. Wow, you went to Comic-Con?

Yeah. I thought it was only San Diego. Yeah. No, there's a New York one. The New York Comic-Con. DragonCon? Oh, I'm sorry, Frank. Are we tearing out the Comic-Cons? It's not a real Comic-Con? They comic-con drag. Oh, I'm sorry Frank. Are we are we cheering out the comic-cons?

It's not a real actually have like it's not yeah, San Diego is the elite one Wow disrespect for both comic-con New York comic-con and the Jacob Javits Center will not be stood Phoenix had to change the name of their Comic-con to fan fusion because San Diego came after them well guess what New York still maintains comic-con So how about that New York? Do you think when Hunter was in Dagestan they prepped like both the the letters that Dana's gonna read at the press conference after he's gonna read this one if below wins you're gonna read this one if JD think they have two posters ready to go yes actually yes because like they need to announce it yes it's crazy the promo is gonna be Dana way

reading it at the day. Nah, they'll have a promo. First question? Yeah, oh, but before we go, here's the gate, here are the award winners, by the way, International Fight Week, which is happening in 48 days. So anyway, as I was saying, Fanatics Fest, June 20th, and then as the stars are aligning for us here,

it looks like we might be doing some big things out in Las Vegas. So stay tuned for that and that will be the following week. So I'm looking forward to all of this. Now, when you speak of Dagestan, you think of bears and wouldn't you know it, a very important member of our team, our one and only camera operator, and we don't say cameraman over here, we say camera op. That's the cool word. His name is Brad. He's an integral part of the team, dare I say an MVP, not the MVP because we have many MVPs, but part of the fabric

of the team, if you will, the DNA. He apparently, I just learned this today, has a beehive in his backyard and he was met by some bears. Look at these guys. The bears took over the beehive. What is happening here, Brad? You see what's happening. This is crazy. This is your house? That's my front yard, yeah. This is your front yard? And that hive in particular is named Ethel.

Oh my gosh. From, uh... Now is each one a hive? Is that called three hives? That's right. Okay, so they all have different names? Fred is the one closest. Ricky is in the middle and then Ethel's on the end.

Is this from I Love Lucy or something? That's right, that's my wife's favorite show. So we had a hive last year named Lucy but she didn't make it through the winter. So what is going on? How big, these are massive, are these black bears? Yes, sir. Yo, what the hell? Is that a third one over there? I believe it's just two. Okay. Oh my gosh. That one's smaller than the other one. Look at this guy. I'm sure they're typical of them to go for the honey. Is this one trying to hide? Yeah. What's going on? This guy's going to town here. I Mean you gotta get that honey one way or the other I mean the ratchet strap puts up a good fight

But does he look at this? What are you in? By the way? Is he not afraid of getting stung? Oh, he's getting lit up right now He doesn't care does not care. Yo, that's not look at this guy. He's like give me that damn honey This is crap. Are you freaking out? Are you watching this live? No, I was actually out of town at the time. My wife was think they planned it bread Yeah, must have been they waited for you to leave Is she freaking out very much? Wow, how does it look right now? We get a live shot

Good actually I'll put back together now. You put it back together? Yeah, minus the hive on the end there. Oh my gosh. Unfortunately, the bear, because it has so much bacteria, you have to throw it out essentially. Sure. And they didn't come and attack you? No. Whoa, look at this guy, he's running away. This is incredible.

That's incredible footage right there. They come back and finish the job. Oh, those sons of bitches. By the way, what's happening in that glass jug over there with the white stuff? What is that? That's food for them. It's like sugar water.

That's food for the bees, not the bears. How do you, now what do you do now moving forward? How do you stop them from coming? We've put up an electric fence now. Oh geez. So they're gonna come there and get electrocuted. That's the plan I'm telling PETA. I mean this is this is not right And it's sugar water not high fructose corn soup right? Oh, yeah

100 men are that bear exactly. Yo, it looks like it looks like pina colada to be honest It smells really nice on your mind if you like I like I like a nice virgin pña colada. It's Tuesday afternoon. I like a nice virgin piña colada. I don't like that alcoholic types that you like, Frank. But that is cool. I'm happy no one got seriously hurt other than the bear. How many bee stings do you think you got?

Hundreds, if not thousands. Wow. And what kind of bees? Those are Italian honeybees. Whoa. How exotic. Wow, and what kind of bees? Those are Italian honeybees. Wow, how exotic. One time I was in, my mom said to my brother and I, we were about 10 years old, she said, hey guys, come to the back, let's blow some bubbles.

And so we went to blow some bubbles and we didn't know, unbeknownst to us, we were blowing bubbles directly into a beehive and then we got swarmed by the bees, we got attacked by all the bees, we ran to the other side of the house to the front of the house and I was ringing the doorbell like crazy and my dad was walking over and didn't realize that we were being attacked by the bees and thought we were just kind of messing around so he's just like walking and laughing. Fast forward a couple minutes we both had a bunch, like maybe like 12 or so bee stings.

It was an awful experience. It was sort of like My Girl. Have you guys ever seen that? Well, My Girl. Well, I got a spoiler for you about that one. Other than the ending, it was very- Did you have your glasses with you? Yeah, Veda's self-infrared, you know what I'm talking about?

Yeah. I think that's Sean Brady's daughter's name it's exciting inspired by the movie remember that when he told us that anyway I'm glad to hear everything's okay Dagestan bears it all reminded me of of one in the same that is incredible footage posted on X watch it go viral everyone's gonna love it let's get to our first guest of the day. He is returning to the great city known as Nottingham, England on Saturday, the Motor Point Arena, to be exact, Saturday, May 10th, live on Dazon, returning for the first time in quite a while. It has been

almost two years since his last fight, 19 months to be exact exact and he's going up against the blazing hot Anthony Kakache. He is the one and only Lee Wood. He's one of our own. He's one of our own. Lee Wood. He's one of our own. Hello Lee. How are you my friend? Oh good mate. Oh good. You all right? I'm doing okay, Lee. If I'm being honest, mixed emotions as I speak to you on this Tuesday afternoon. I've been talking a lot of shit as I speak to you on this Tuesday afternoon. I've been talking a lot of shit about our beloved Nottingham Forest over the last few months as you see right over here. And I'm getting a little nervous. Now three matches left, a draw against Crystal Palace. I know you have important matters happening on Saturday, but are you not nervous as well?

This is important to me. Okay, all right. I know, I know. I see you every time I go on their page. I see you, you're the top comment. You're living and dying. You're a super fan. How are we feeling with three matches to go? I think we had a bit of bad form, a few injuries and that. But the palace game I think was positive. They're in the FA Cup final.

They're playing well. Sure. They're in good form. So I think, you know, they only scored with a penalty. We might actually get it in the back of the net the right way. So yeah, a lot of positives from that game. I think the push on to the Leicester game, which hopefully is a successful one,

then it's all to play for. Okay, right now we have three matches left. What's your prediction? How many points are we getting? It's Leicester, it's West Ham away, and then it's back home for Chelsea. Which by the way, that last fixture could decide the whole damn thing, which is crazy how it all turns out. What are you predicting?

I think we've got at least seven points here. Seven points? Yeah. Okay, so the three against Lester, they're done. I think we'll get three against Lester. I think we'll get a point at West Ham. Okay. I think everything to play for. The last game of the season at home, fans absolutely in awe of roaring them on.

I think we'll get three points in the season as well against Chelsea. You know what's the weird thing? And look at you there, holding court at the world famous City Ground. What a scene. And obviously I'm going to ask you in a moment about fighting there. But you know, it's crazy if in fact, for whatever reason they fall short, let's say they end up, I don't know, sixth, seventh, it's not going to get any worse than that. Could you imagine us having a conversation in August about the upcoming season and saying,

hey, I looked into a crystal ball seven, you'd be delighted. You'd have taken that running away. But because we're so close, how will you feel if they fall short? How will you kind of juxtapose those two emotions? Happy with the season, delighted with the season, but falling just short of Europe? Yeah, I think overall I'd be happy. I'd be happy, whichever Europe we get,

whether that's Europa League or whatever, but to be in that spot, to be in that top five for so long, it does hurt a little bit, but you've got to step back in hindsight, we were back in relegation before that two seasons. So I think in hindsight, that's progression, and that's what we want per year, a bit of progression every year.

And we've got that more so. What about these reports that City's going after MGW? What do you think of this? I've seen that. Obviously we don't want to lose him. But if we do lose him, it will be for a substantial amount of money which we can build our squad with. So it's bittersweet, but I like him to stay.

I like him. I like him as a player. I like him as a person, as a sound guy. And he's performed time and time again he always shows up so I'd like to keep him but you know I don't run the football club. Yeah no I understand and always rumors about Murillo leaving and they're gonna come after Alanga and Kalamatsudou I'd love for them to run it back what a joy it has been and I would love for you to get an opportunity to fight there as

well and so are we at all any closer I know there's Saturday in the arena and I know you've talked about the end being near, so to speak, for the career. I see people fighting in, in, in crappy stadiums. We saw, uh, you bank and Ben in some crappy stadium. We see fights happening at sellers. Why can't you fight at the world famous city ground? I don't understand it. There's been a few shows, arena shows, football grounds.

I need a little bit of luck, mate. I think I missed the window with the Warrington fight because of the time. Well, it's no one's fault, by the way. It's not the club. It wasn't my last promoter's fault, you know. I just need a little bit of luck. And I didn't get that.

I beat my biggest domestic rival before the right time for the fight at the city ground so that that ship sailed. This fight right time probably wrong opponent wasn't really for the ground and although I'm confident I could do it on my own but yeah you know to convince a lot of people but I'm not gonna say it's never gonna happen but I need a little better look and then we'll go from there I'm taking it by fight. It's not so much my performance and my age, it's more what does it cost to get that win? How many punches do I take to get that win? I'm just a little bit cautious of taking too much punishment or taking too many shots. I'm well aware of where I'm at

and I want to finish my career on good terms and live a healthy life off the box and so it's more so what does this win cost me and We'll catch up after the fight and talk about that Would I be correct in saying that fighting there fighting at the world famous city ground means more to now than any belt Be sure That's wild. That's great. We got to figure this out. This has to happen There's been lesser fights like like the one last summer at Selhurst Park that wasn't a big-time fight with all due respect Chris Billingsmith against Richard Yakmore. You're a much bigger deal Yeah, I've had meetings but it was like we don't want they said like you don't want to walk out to the city ground

we all this time and Not and it'd be unfulfilling like not not being what it's better to be wanted to be packed and these yeah I put all that and I agree with them so we'll say you know we'll take it back by fight never seen ever by doing a little bit of look and but you know it's not good why have you not fought in 19 months so not many people know this but I don't want to go into too much detail. I've got a really bad injury, an illness injury and then I had some really bad politics. Couldn't get the fire one and then look at the rematch warrant and then he fought Kakatchi then this wasn't the right fight for me anywhere else and I had to pretty much wait for

the winner and then obviously they box quite regularly so I couldn't push them back into the ring quick and that leaves us to current day may find the winner and I'm so excited to get back in there me. I've worked so long. I've been through so much I just want to go out there and show what I can do Were the entries ever severe enough to where you thought you might not come back? and there was more frustrating me. It was more frustrating more than if it was one in draft after another.

And then when I pretty much got better, I tried to walk before I could run, and then I kept getting niggles. So I had to like, proper like, do nothing and rest, and then suddenly build in. It was a long process, but don't wanna know, cause there's always worse things going on for people. I was supposed to be back in the gym, 100% healthy

and I have my fight announced and lined up and we're nearly there. In the midst of all that, you also signed with Queensborough. Why did you choose to go in that direction? Again, I wasn't getting what I wanted to get. I felt like we had an agreement and then I got injured and then went back to the table and it changed and I wasn't happy with it. Then I looked at the roster, obviously Warrington got beaten, I'm not going to fight the loser because I

don't think there's enough in the fight. So I wanted to challenge myself and the person that beat him. He also beat Cordinas who was on a really good run. Obviously, with the weight and ball. It just made sense to me, is that without all going across the pond and it was hard to deal with promoters, I've got a big value in this country, you know, filling the arena, possibly even filling the stadium.

So it was always gonna be a fight for me at home because my fans, for one, and the revenue that I generate. And so this fight is happening at Super Featherweight. He is the the IBO Super Featherweight champion, Anthony Kakachi, who, as you just said, has been on a nice little run, certainly the best of his career.

Your feelings on moving up, are you doing so because of Kakachi or for the rest of your career now, are you gonna be fighting at Super Featherweight? Yeah, for the rest, for the rest of your career now are you going to be fighting at super featherweight? Yeah for the rest for the remainder of my career. When I boxed Warrington before the fight, we had an agreement in the contract where after this fight you know I'm vacating and that was in writing. I couldn't make that weight anymore. To be honest man I struggled to make the weight for the

Warrington fight and I had to really bite down to be honest. Um, that fire was hard, hard to make. I got cold soft to me. Wait, I didn't feel great, but, um, never knowing about it, kept bit down and got through it, got the wind. And now I've got a little bit of breathing space. It's in featherweight. People like come up to me and say, Oh, you've moved up a weight.

Well, technically, yeah, but I've still got to come down a long way, but not as far as featherweight. So, yeah, I've got a bit more breathing space, I call it. Because of the layoff, even though you're getting four extra pounds, I'd imagine you got a little bigger just because you haven't had to cut weight for 19 months, right? So how has this cut gone so far? Yeah, I'm extremely disciplined. So even when I say, you know, I've been out the ring, I haven't been out of the gym, even with an elbow injury,

I'm running and shadow boxing with one arm. The knee injury, I'm in the gym and I'm shadow boxing on the spot, you know? I came into the gym like limping on crutches once and then I was like, what the hell? But that's just the discipline and my mindset. I always look at a reason to do something than a reason not to.

Everyone picks something up and, you know, can't train because of this. Well, I can still do this. Well, I can still do that. Well, I can still do that. And that's how I am. That's probably why I've had my best success towards the tail end of my career

because of my lifestyle and the way that I live. And like I said it's going to pay dividends this this long layoff but most people probably wouldn't have trained and sat around doing not much but I've been in the gym I've been consistent I've been getting better I've been getting stronger and I've been working since probably last October towards Anthony Katchat identifying everything I need to do and the moments I need to hit. I know him extremely well and I'm confident going out there on Saturday night and putting it together. Eight in a row for Kakachi, fourth title defense and really the turning point I think for him was

the win over Cordina. No one saw that coming almost a year ago. A huge upset and credit to him. He's really taking the ball and run with it, so to speak. Have you been impressed with what he's done as of late? Yeah, the Cordino was a massive win, shocked a lot of people. I didn't think the fight was gonna go that way, so I was shocked myself. And credit to him, again, he's the same age as me.

He's had the most success at the tail end of his career. He's gonna make for a great fight. We're both on good form. Obviously have a little layoff, but honestly, a lot of people are banking on my layoff to be the determined factor in this fight, but I tell you, it's not gonna be. We have a stat up there.

You're 11 and one when fighting in Nottingham. Some people actually say they don't like fighting close to home because it brings an extra level of attention, pressure, et cetera. I saw on your Instagram the massive stack of tickets that you had, you were selling them all. Do you know how much you've actually sold? How many tickets you personally have sold?

Yeah, I think it's around the 4,000 mark. So, you know, I think we broke all the records. I don't think anyone's done that before my auntie she she works really hard she's got a really good system the way she does it and she sets it open she's good like you send an email you can automate it won't back what tickets where you want to sit what price bands she's on the ball so a massive shout out to my aunt Sue and I want to do it with her I used to do on my own my own from my debut up until World Title Fight or the oldest after

COVID. I used to do it on my own. I used to listen and go through it. Wow. I think that's why a lot of people, and I've got such a big support because I've done it myself and I've individually brought this crowd with me from my career. Everyone that we've sold tickets to either knows me through someone or is a friend of a friend or a friend of family or family's friends and friends.

So we've got a great network, great support network, and that's why it's going to be so loud and passionate on Saturday night. Is it in fact true that you're saying you have approximately 12 months left? Possibly, yeah. Like I said, it's not so much my ability or my performance or my age. It's more punishment, taking shots. I don't take the miss. Everything comes at a price. The Conor fight came at a price.

You know, the Wellington fight came at a price. So we'll see what price this victory cost me. And we'll go from there, you know. So you're cognizant of this, you're aware that, you know, you can't fight forever and you don't want the fight game to necessarily beat you. Some people stick around a little bit too long and it becomes uncomfortable to see them in that state.

Because you're cognizant of this, have you thought about what you will do post-fighting? What is life gonna be like? Cause you're still such a young guy. Yeah, for sure. I'm into crazy stuff. My mom hates me. You know, boxing for a start, but like motocross.

I've got a bike ready to go. I wanna start racing. I wanna catch up with my family and friends a bit more, spending more time in my home city. I'm in Essex right now. I spend a lot of time from home, a lot of time away from my kids. So we got to spend more time with them,

get into other sports where I'm not gonna be all over the shop as much. Yeah, I've got a bit of property and stuff. Just being at home is the main thing. Being at home, being around my friends and my family a lot more, catching up on life after boxing. But it's not over yet. I'm not talking like it is. I've got at least one more move, even two more fights left and ought to make them count as well.

I saw a photo, a team photo. You're in the gym with the likes of Moses Talma, who everyone's very excited about. There he is. There you are as well. Obviously, I know you're not sparring him. He's a big boy, he's a heavyweight, but just being around him, everyone has such high hopes for him. What can you tell us about Moses in the gym? Is he worthy of all the praise and hype that he is receiving? Yeah, 100%. He's got all the ingredients to get there.

He's got everything. He's a freak. He's actually a freak, like, in the nice possible way, you know, the way he moves for heavyweight, the way he views boxing, when he's told to work on things, the discipline, every box is ticked. I'm extremely excited to just to watch his journey

and to see where he goes. I know exactly where he's gonna go, but it's given nice to almost be a fly on the wall watching that. I know you're locked in and getting ready for your fight on Saturday. Just curious, did you watch any of the boxing over the weekend, Friday in Times Square,

Saturday in Riyadh, these fights that have been scrutinized? Did you watch any of them? No, I didn't. To be honest, I'm not a huge boxing fan, but I do watch bigger fights, but they was on a bit late. Yeah. But I seen the results the next day, as soon as I picked my phone up, it's boxing, boxing, boxing. It's, it's, it's actually hard to get away from and hard not to see it.

But, um, yeah, I've seen a few people have, have messaged and commented and saying there's a big disappointment by some of the fights at the weekend. Um, all I can say is tune in a Saturday night. I've never ever let you down and I will not is tune in on Saturday night. I'll never ever let you down and I will not let you down on Saturday night. I love that. And I also appreciate the fact that you say that you're not, like when you're looking for something to do

on a Saturday night, you're not sitting down and watching boxing. You're trying to find anything but boxing? After a fight with my friends, we'll probably watch the fights. At the minute, you know, that was quite a late fight. It was only early hours. So I come to bed by 10 o'clock, mate.

But the weekend before, you know, watch the Sky Bill and the matching bill before that, Donald Smith. So I do watch boxing when I'm down here, when it's an unreasonable time, but yeah, nothing shows me. We talked obviously about Forrest, but just curious about the Nottingham Panthers.

I saw you retweet, and I know Dan Hardy, who's also a very proud native of Nottingham, is a big hockey fan, supports the Nottingham Panthers. So they're the 2025 playoff champions. What exactly does play, does that mean they won the whole thing? Cause here you just say you're the champions if you win it. What does playoff champions mean?

Yeah, so the playoffs is like, I think it's the top few teams, then in the season going to playoff. Yeah. And they won. They won the whole thing. Yeah, they won the is like, I think it's the top few teams. Then the season going to playoff. Yeah. And they won. They won the whole thing. Yeah. They won the whole thing. Yeah.

Are you a big fan? Do you watch hockey? So my nun, um, she didn't go anymore. Cause she was really ill, but, um, she used to support and even sponsor players at the pumpers and uncle, I think it's still sponsored players. So they used to go season tickets. So I see them with them here and there. And old owner who passed away, Garen Moran, great guy, we got on really well and he helped me and supported me for many years. He used to get me on the ice before people even knew who

I was. I'd go on the ice and wave and there'd be a few claps and then season by season you know won the British title and won the world title and come back and I got a right reception and That was pretty much down to Gary. Gary was a really nice bloke and Boris's soul was such a nice nice man and helped me out a lot. So pretty I love obviously, you know, I don't pretend that I'm a lifelong fan I became a fan just a few years ago But I have really tried to learn as much as I can about the city, about the history and whatnot. Can I live vicariously through you for a moment? Like

this past season, considering how dark it was over the last, you know, 23 years before getting promoted to have this dream year where you're fighting for a spot in Europe, what has it been like? Because I can't stop thinking about, you know, the older fans who, you know, 2001, 2002, 2003, when you guys are just dropping, you're just dropping leagues to think of something like this transpiring when last year we were fighting for relegation or not to be relegated, I should say, to stay up. What has this year been like? Yeah, it's been unbelievable.

It's been like a dream, to be honest. We've beaten Man U and Liverpool and it's been like a dream. It's been like a dream. It's been like a dream. Just what you said, just said a few seasons ago. I think it was like five, six years ago, we were celebrating staying up in the championship, which is the league below. And we all went on the pitch after because we were all buzzing to just be staying up in the championship. Now not only are we in the Premier League but you know we're battling in the top five competitively and we're the only team to beat Liverpool and they didn't take any points from us either so an unbelievable year but I do believe if we can really have a big push this last three games

and get something out of this league and get European spot hopefully a Champions League spot. Looking forward to that. Most importantly for now looking forward to your return. It's always fun watching you fight. Those scenes are amazing. The crowds are amazing. Everyone's buzzing. The atmosphere is tremendous. This Saturday May 10th on Dazon. I can't wait for it. Motorpoint Arena. There it is. Lee Wood, Anthony Kakachi for the IBO Super Featherweight title. Thank you so much for doing this, Lee. All the best to you. Buzzing for it. Wish you the best of luck. Thank you, and I'll talk to you soon, mate.

Yes, sir. Also, the game. When you want to come to the game, I'll sort you out. Let me know. That means the world. Thank you. I would love that. Thank you so much, Lee. Appreciate it. There he is, the great Lee Wood, the pride of Nottingham, flying that flag oh so very high. Some great fighters have come from Nottingham, of course.

The great Dan Hardy, who I just mentioned, his parents are diehard fans. Season ticket holders. Paul Semtex Daley, one of the all-time greats. And we joke about Flat Earth Frotch, but we gotta give credit where it's due. Really one of the best to ever, if not the best, to ever hail from Nottingham. Not a big Forrest guy, I think he jumped on the bandwagon, but not a big Forrest guy, but that's okay. We still love and respect him anyway. So that's this Saturday, May 10th, and that's in the afternoon. So if you have the zone, watch that, and then you can watch, of course, the big one in Montreal.

Wow, is this like my two hometowns coming together? My two hometowns coming together, Montreal and Nottingham on the same day, the eyes of the fight world transfixed on my two hometowns? Unbelievable. What are you saying, Frank? Did you push a mute button? I don't know.

Is my... I heard you go mute for a second And your hand left the desk. I got concerned. I'm all hands above the very excited I'm there's a lot of movement get a lot of important tech under that desk. There's a lot of things happening. There's some wires Bandying about and kick them about yeah, that's great Tremendous stuff in a bit. We going to be joined by the great Bo Nicol. He'll join us at 2.30 to talk about what transpired and where he goes from here. And then we'll round out this particular show with Juliana Pena at 3, like I said, 5 o'clock.

Connor Ben going to join Adi Aladipo and I. And so I'm looking forward to that. In a matter of seconds, though, we're going to be joined by perhaps our most esteemed and prestigious guest yet in the history of seconds though, we're gonna be joined by perhaps our most esteemed and prestigious guest yet in the history of this program. And I'm talking dating back 2009, MMA hour. I'm talking 2018, Ariel Hawani's MMA show on ESPN. I'm talking about the return of the MMA hour. I'm talking about the debut of the Ariel Hawani show.

We have never had this type of- How about as shiny? Okay. Oh, as shiny. Yes. Yes. Yes. I mean, Paul Acosta with his shirt off sweating was pretty shiny.

Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. But in a matter of seconds, we are going to be joined by, I mean, so I'm actually like a little bit at a loss for words because this is a huge freaking deal. You all know that I'm a gigantic basketball fan. You all know that I'm a lifelong New York Knicks fan.

You all know that the NBA is my favorite league. I've talked about All-Star weekend being my favorite weekend. I've talked about the finals being a very important time. I've talked about May 8, 1970, the night the Knicks won the title for the very first time, the championship. They also won in 1973, Walt Frazier doing his thing. I also have told you all about calling my second son Walter because of Walt Frazier. That's how much this league, this game and that trophy means. Now, I've never seen my Knicks hold the trophy. The Larry OB as they say.

Now they're doing a thing where they're bringing it around to a lot of big shows out and about all over the world. And they said, oh, we know you're a diehard Nick fan. We know that you love the NBA. We know that this is a very exciting time for the National Basketball Association. They're about to return to NBC in the fall. Da-na-na-na-na-na-na-na. I mean, these are things that, this is my childhood. Why for the National Basketball Association. They're about to return to NBC in the fall.

Da-na-na-na-na-na-na-na. I mean, these are things that, this is my childhood. Watching the NBA and NBC, watching the NBA and NBC as a kid is what made me want to become a sports broadcaster. Watching Bob Costas, Marv Albert, yes, from downtown, that's what made me want to do this for a living. That's how much it all means to me. And so to have the Larry O'Brien Trophy in studio is a gigantic honor. Let us bring in Mark Posen of the National

Basketball Association. Wow. White gloves and all. This is unbelievable. I got to stand up. Hello, Mark. How are you? There it is. Wow. Larry, this is unbelievable. This is insane. Thank you so much. Thank you for bringing him in. Wow. I'm at a loss for words. Look at this. I love the history. 1977, the Portland Trailblazers. Look at this. The Bulls obviously in the 90s. We didn't love that. It goes all the way back to the Minneapolis Lakers. Let me find 1973 here. Look at this. They have a whole ring. OK, there it is. 1969, 1970, May 8, 1970. Walt Frazier steps up as the captain is hobbling. Scores two buckets, sits down, and then this is on.

Am I allowed to touch this? I'm allowed to touch it, Mark. I don't know if I'm worthy, if I'm being honest. And now there's a whole other ring here. Self-exhaust here. You know, we're going to talk about that. Not happening again. I'm sorry, Frank, for not talking into the microphone, but this is a big deal. I don't know if I want to touch

I'm sorry. I was just talking not into a microphone. Do I touch it guys? Do I touch it or not? You have to touch it If you can't touch it, you need to touch it. There have been some there have been some iconic shots guys Iconic shots with this with this trophy Michael Jordan in 1991 Do you remember him resting his forehead? Look at that shot right there, resting his forehead up against this ball. What about Kobe Bryant in the in the in the bathroom in the in the in the shower stall? Look at that shot right there. Legendary. I can't believe I'm staring at the Larry O'Brien trophy. I'm going to take a selfie on the show right now. Look at this.

Look at me, look at me Frank. We've never been hotter. I've always wanted to kiss it, but I'm a bit of a germaphobe. I'm a bit of a germaphobe. Should I kiss it? Alright, don't kiss it. This is the step to get the Knicks the title. This is what the basketball gods wanted. They wanted diehard Knick fan Ariel Hawhani to be in the presence of the title of the championship.

This is the bridge coming off a win like we had yesterday, Frank. One of the best wins. One of the all time great wins. One of the gutsiest wins. You jinx it if you touch it. Do I touch it? You would touch it. Touch Larry.

I want to kiss Larry. You'll be touching it before any next players though But you will be the precursor as you've laid out you will be the appetizer to them all touching it Jordan said that we can't This is a great camera Jordan said that we can't touch it. I Stanley Cup no, but you don't touch it till you win it like I'm picturing how great it's gonna No, we don't Jalen Bronson comes into the studio with the trophy. And now you can really touch it. Jalen's bringing it into the studio.

You know something I don't. Yeah, we're winning the title. Jalen Bronson, the invite was out, you know? You're psyching yourself out because now what's gonna happen is you don't touch it. Then if things go wrong, you're like, I should have touched it. This thing is gonna be down the Canyon of Heroes, guys.

Broadway, in about a little over a month, Jalen's gonna be all I want in life. I want two things. That's it. I don't want anything else. I don't care. Two things. That's all I want.

I don't want a fancy car. I don't want a mansion. I don't want jewelry. I don't want to watch. I don't want anything. I just want to see guys dressed in orange and blue holding this and guys dressed in blue, red and white holding the Lombardi.

Now I've said it before, this is the greatest trophy in all of sports. And I'm not just saying it because I'm here right now. I'm not just saying it because it's in my presence. Larry's in my presence. Former commissioner of the NBA nine years, NBD. It was once the Walter Brown trophy. Then they changed it in 1984, 1977.

It was introduced trailblazers win with Dr. Jack Ramsey. You guys remember that, right? Oh yeah. Yeah. It was one of the all time great series. Dr. Jack, we have the photo, I think. Yeah, there he is. Look at Dr. Jack legend. Look at One of the all time great series, Dr. Jack, we have the photo I think. Yeah, there he is.

Look at Dr. Jack legend. Look at Bill Walton. May he rest in peace. Then 1984 it's, it's, uh, it's, it's renamed, Oh, look at red. I got respect for red. I'm not a Celtics fan, but I have respect

and, and they've, they've, they've adapted it, I believe in 2022, they added some new wrinkles, the net is a little more pronounced. The lines on the ball, a little more pronounced the lines on the ball a little more pronounced You have all the winners here the rings all Anticipation, I think 2046 will be the 100 year

Anniversary look at that thing Okay, I started a poll Okay, I should not say it's a little too late to ask. Was that a salt, brother? Was that a salt? Guys, let me tell you something. It is cold. It is, that's the, with all due respect to my wife, there's no chance she's watching right now. She might watch it after with my kids. That's the best kiss I've ever had. That's the best kiss. Wait, so now you're saying she's going to watch this later and you're confessing. Sorry I'm sorry, Jacqueline best kiss I've ever had. I mean that is look at this thing Can I hold it Careful careful

I think if you open I think a ball opens in half and there's like dip. Look at us boys. This is the greatest moment in all of our lives. Oh my God. This thing is heavy guys. Could you imagine when they lift this up, like when they win this, wow, this is so freaking- You think they wore those white gloves for nothing? Yeah, when they win this, they hold it so effortlessly.

Could you imagine? Yes, those are six foot four up. Yeah, they're six foot four. I'm pretty close. Sculpted from marble basketball players. Could you imagine going through like a grueling seven game series and then all of a sudden this is your.

Well, when it's, when it's the finish line, when it's the accomplishment of your life, then I think it's okay. This is the shot right here. This is the shot guys, right here. This is the shot. This is the shot. Look, look at this shot.

Frank, you hear this? Kind of. He can't hear us. This is great stuff guys. Oh my god. I'm putting it back. I'm afraid that my sweaty palm is going to drop it. Like JD Vance. We don't want that. Let's just put it right back here.

Guys, have you touched it? Have you touched it? I've reserved touching it. I want to wait. I want to. Guys, have you touched it? Have you touched it? I've, I've reserved touching it. I want to wait. I want to wait. I have not touched it yet. You know what I love so much about this trophy? To me, it represents summertime. Like, like when the Raptors won, I remember, uh, Kyle Lowry was wearing the Damon

Stoudemire old school. Oh, look at that shot. Look at that shot. Great call. Great call. Old school Raptors jersey. It's a beautiful sunny day. Everyone's got their fresh shades on.

The sun is always glistening. The champagne is always dripping off of it. It just represents, it represents good weather. It represents good times. It represents victory. There's something about the gold, the way it just kind of like, like I said, it just kind of bounces off of it.

Look at that. That looks royal. You know what I mean? One of my favorite things about it is the reflection. Because it tells its own story. What are you wearing? What are you wearing? One of the all-time greats. We got it in the four box. I'm wearing a Hawks jersey. Take it easy. We've never come close to that. I love, hey by the way, St. Louis Hawks? Did they not? It wasn't the Larry O'Brien then. That was like 1958. Shout out to Bob Pettit. Atlanta Hawks have never actually even been to a final.

They have not. They had a good run back in like 2012 or something like that. 2015. Yeah, when they made it to the conference finals. Number one seed made it to the conference finals swept by LeBron. Yeah, you guys talking about not knowing, wouldn't know that feeling.

What was that like? 2016? One of the best finals. So New York, lifelong Cavaliers fan for some bizarre reason. We've talked about this but we have to go back. Your guy, I mean you saw it. What did he say? Impossible is nothing? No that was Kevin Garnett. Cleveland this is for you. Anything is possible. Cleveland this is for you. Impossible is nothing is a devious. This is a Dwayne Wade commercial. Yo look how

effortless this is. Look how he's holding it. Now there we go. The mems, they're rushing back. What a moment. The best title in sports history, in my opinion. I mean, coming back from three, how about Kevin love with the, with the Austin three 16 joint? How about Channing Fry just texting? Nah, what are we doing tonight for dinner? Couldn't be bothered. Couldn't be bothered.

You've got the trophy in front of you. See, look at the reflection though. Everybody, the, all the photographers, like the reflection tells the story. It's like, you know, it's like, you know, What are we doing tonight for dinner? Couldn't be bothered. Couldn't be bothered. You've got the trophy in front of you. See, look at the reflection though. Everybody, the, all the photographers, like the reflection tells the story. The champagne is just sort of like dripping off. For them it was beer for, for old Kevin Love. It was a beer shower.

My God. Look at how excited LeBron is. Yeah, Cleveland lives for you. My favorite part of the whole thing though, was the, was the shirtless JR tour that he went on. Oh yes. That's right. Swish and Larry went on a tour together and Swish had no shirt. It kind of blows my mind that like this, this is the trophy.

Yeah. This thing right here, this guy is going to be in the hands of, of Jalen and Josh and Kat and Tyler Kolek and Paco D'Adie in like a month and a half. Like this is, this is crazy. is gonna be in the hands of Jalen and Josh and Kat and Tyler Kolek and Pacom Dadier in like a month and a half. Like this is gonna go from Helwani, they're not going anywhere else. They said this is the apex, this is the high point. Are we keeping it?

To the champ. Oh, could you imagine? I think we're keeping it. It's a nice little decorative item on the desk. Oh, what's that on the set? Oh, it's just a Larry O'Brien shirt. And then anytime someone comes in the studio, we're like, hey, just move over there.

Larry's sitting here. Don't, you know, don't block his shot. And I got my 90s jersey on. Rick was supposed to have his on too, but it gets a fail on the plans. Yeah, I don't know. I forgot it. What are some of your memories, GC, of the Larry O'Brien?

None with the Hawks. We've never made the finals. My favorite finals is the Heat, 06, Dwayne Wade. Shout out to the Converse, first basketball shoe I ever owned. Shout out to the old school court with the Larry OB on the background of the logo. Yeah, you like this.

Love it. Cause you're a 90s baby. Love it, couldn't love it more. So you like the flash and the pomp and circumstance. Oh, it makes it special. It separates it from the normal court. I mean, look at it. It's great. It's great. I mean you had the giant inflatable one on the court with Mark Cuban. Yeah.

Shout out man. Shout out Dwayne Wade. First jersey I ever owned. Really? You were a Heat guy? I was a Dwayne Wade guy. I mean I was like 12 when this happened. Come back from 0-2 against the Mavs. That was big. Shout out man. Shaq got his fourth ring. 2006. Oh, look at the glisten on that one. Look at that. It's just, there's nothing like it.

Shout out to White Chocolate over there. Jason Williams. Legend. Antoine Walker. This is my nostalgia. Yes, Antoine Walker in there. Larry. Larry Obey.

Yeah, the Knicks never actually held this trophy because in 70 and 73, the trophy did not exist. They had a different one. But these are my memories, yeah. Look how subdued the celebration is, right? Like there's just- This is it though, you're just hanging with the boys after.

That's it. When they won in 70, they actually just like ran off the court. Is this the inspiration for the Islam, Habib, everybody in the hot tub? They're not in the hot tub here, they're just chilling. They're just post shower. I love just no trophy.

Just got a cup of water. Just a cup of water. And this is 73 in Inglewood, the Great Western Forum. Shout out to Phil over there. Dollar bill on the right, DeBoucher on the left, Wal-Klide, styling and profiling, the captain may rest in peace in the middle. Look at that, just a beer, nothing else.

Just a beer and your finger. Number one. What a time. We got Larry in the four box. It's unbelievable. P.T. hopped on and we said you can't. Oh yeah, I forgot to tell P.T. that he got bumped. Yeah, he got bumped for Larry.

Oh my dear. I think he'll understand. You know what's so crazy about it? Like you can actually, you actually see my, like you can see. You can see your reflection. Yes. Oh.

It's crazy how that works. Yeah, isn't that crazy, Frank? Look at that, look at that. Oh, that's a good shot right there. I probably shouldn't be taking photos in the middle of the show. This isn't great, but like. No, it's good. I'm sort of mesmerized by it all. This is a good, this is a good shot right there. I probably shouldn't be taking photos in the middle of the show. This isn't great, but like,

It's good. I'm sort of mesmerized by it all. This is a good camera angle right here. Wow, that's a shot. Cameraman Brad, look at you. You're gonna win an Emmy for this. He's on the shot. Oh, you can see yourself.

Yeah, I see you there. You're gonna win an Emmy for that shot right there. It's so nice, guys. You know what I love about it? It's cold. Yeah, I actually think they keep it on ice. It's in a traveling mini fridge. If you take the ball off, there's champagne inside.

I thought there was dip. Oh yeah, this is the dip version. Yeah, it opens it. I also understand that they moved the ball forward to signify that the league is moving forward. Is that right? Oh, is that true? Am I right about that? I feel like that's more of a, why is it leaning forward?

And then someone's like, oh, it's because we're looking forward to the future. Oh, Rick just busted out the jersey. JK, JK. Come on, you think I wouldn't have this bad boy? He's like, what should I wear, bro? He's like, what should I wear? And he's like, nah, I forgot it.

Guys, what do you know about the 78 Sonics? Not a lot. Not a thing, man. I was not born for another 15 years. My favorite memory is the 1970 NBA finals. I swear to God, when I was a kid, I had a CD-ROM from the NBA. Oh, nice jersey, by the way. Is that a Mark Price? Oh, you wish. You know who this is. Sean Kemp.

Sean Kemp. Yeah, that's good. Sean Kemp. I like it to to loser jerseys that never even played in the finals Neither of those jerseys played in the finals Which of us has a team that won the same that Jersey that Jersey reminds me of like Tyrone Hill 1993 94 y'all sleep man the Hawks gonna be the first team to go from playing to NBA champ that Jersey reminds me of 1999 playing them at the Georgia Dome. Yes, this is from, well, Kemp only played two years for the Cavs, so it would have been 99-2000-ish range. The GOAT, Sean Kemp.

Sean Kemp the GOAT, yeah, for sure. The GOAT, I mean, naturally. It's akin to having a Ewing Magic jersey. No, it's not, get the fuck out of here. Kemp on the Cavs? He was an all-star for the Cavs. It's not like he was a bum. Relax. How many seasons?

Two. And one of them was the lockout short season. And then when he came back on the other side of it, he was like, uh, pushing 300 pounds, and it wasn't so hot for the rest of his career, but, uh, that's my guy. Don't ever disrespect Sean Kemp. We did a little poll in the chat earlier. Should Haewonni touch the trophy, and then- Oh my god.

No. So sorry. If they end up losing this Celtic series, the curse delegation. You think it's my fault? Do not put this on me. The curse delegation. I have a lot of pressure on Haewonni.

No, I want nothing to do that. I'll tell you who it won't be on. It won't be on me who said don't touch the trophy. I don't want that. I can't deal with that. Now, would it have been the touch, or was it the kiss where he went too far that He cursed them forever, which which was it. I don't know just the touch. I'm sort of in awe of all this

It is it is truly an incredible thing Jordan I mean, what are the chances after one of the gutsiest wins in Nick's history that this would be in our I mean We were talking yesterday. Let's be out. Let's break the fourth wall You were saying, you know, maybe let them game one But we were confident game two will be a fight. And last night, it looked like game one wasn't going our way until all of a sudden it was. It was just like pure bliss.

I mean, Nick fans, generational loot, we've lost a lot. We are just so like in our heads that we are the best. And last night we were the best. Can't argue with the results. I wish they would just we are the best. And last night, we were the best. Can't argue with the results. I wish they would just chill with the celebrations. Like, can we just chill? No, it's so fun. It's so fun to watch.

Nah, it's too much. Because then we get clowned on when they lose. Can we just chill like, okay, it's game one. Celebrate after you win a series, but this whole party outside of MSG after every game and talking this shit, like, yo, humble and hungry, like McDermott says. Just chill. But if you don't enjoy the ride, was it humble and hungry, like McDermott says. Just chill.

But if you don't enjoy the ride, was it all worth it? You gotta enjoy the ride. You know what drives me nuts? One thing that drives me nuts, like we beat the Pistons, everyone's like, just a good sweep by the Celtics. And then yesterday, I'm just excited, and it's like, just to lose the next four.

So this is the counter argument to you saying, like, humble but hungry, but like, enjoy it. Enjoy it, revel in it, but that's like championship-winning scenes. Nah nah that's just MSG so imagine if they won a championship how insane oh it's gonna be that's like that's hypey stuff I saw it we're not having somebody that said a hundred nicks outside MSG versus a gorilla and they're just washing the girl yeah and I agree with that by the way who would have thought that the Larry OB would be in our studio before GTA 6 comes out?

You see, it got pushed back again. On the day that the trailer came out. Trailer came out. It got pushed back again. May 28th, next year. 2026, yeah. Why'd they come out with a trailer a year in advance? I don't know, but that's going to have

to be the first video game that you beat in a while. Yeah, for sure. Have you got a little chat here from Shaheen? Oh yeah. Not all of us can know what it's like to win. Yeah, I feel bad. Me and Chuck, the only ones who know, you know? Yeah, no.

Big deal. 100%, look at this thing. We do have the great Kevin O'Connor in studio. He hosts a show called, aptly, the Kevin O'Connor Show. It is part of the Yahoo Sports podcast network. He has done tremendous work for The Ringer and then came over a little after us, just like, I don't know, a month or so after we did.

No truth to the rumor that he was inspired by our move to Yahoo Sports. If I was Jalen, perhaps he's Josh Hart in terms of rebuilding the once proud franchise that is now an absolute beast and contender. Have you used the app? It's unbelievable. Anyway, he's gonna join us in a matter of moments.

I'll await your word to talk about this incredible moment and a little NBA playoff talk. Bo Nicol joining us at 2.30, Julianna Pena at three o'clock. A little something for everyone on this Tuesday, but I am truly in awe of having this great trophy. I've never touched any trophy in my life. Like even as a kid, I never won anything.

You touched and kissed the first. Kissed it, yeah. You shouldn't have had Rick play someone in Papa Shop for it. Oh my God, he can have a whole tournament. It's beautiful. You know, I never knew that the winners were on the base. I think that's new.

I think that's a new addition to it. I dig it. It's a big thing on the Stanley Cup. They have the winners and the players on the teams. I thought this was just empty, but here we go. And you like the Larry O'Brien better than the Stanley Cup? Easy. Even as a Canadian. Wow.

Easy, not even close. It's gold, it glistens, summertime. Can you drink champagne out of it? Stanley Cup is also summertime. Yeah, I was hoping you wouldn't say that. I was hoping it's literally the same day. There's something about it there only being one Stanley Cup.

Yeah, the champagne just kind of drips off of it. I don't disagree. It's a beautiful thing. Easier to lick. I wonder where... We need to talk about boundaries. That was way too tender of a kiss. Now we're talking about easier to lick. It literally looks like a lollipop. You're telling me you don't want to lick this thing?

No, I don't want to lick this thing. I don't want to do that. Could you imagine... Just close your eyes for a second. You're a part of a team You've been playing with these guys for ten or so months Grueling playoffs your body is broken all this stuff and then you win that like imagine where this thing has been Imagine like where people have taken this thing Sleeping with it Stanley Cup on the plane those iconic shots of it sitting you know like on on on a chair next to MJ reading the newspaper amazing let's bring in Kevin O'Connor to talk about this great trophy

and the big win yesterday is he here yeah there he is the great Kevin O'Connor of the Kevin O'Connor show hello my friend great to meet you please have a seat have you met my friend Larry great to meet you, please have a seat. Have you met my friend Larry? I did meet Larry earlier, I met Larry once before. Oh, nice flex. Beautiful, beautiful trophy. Are you surprised by the weight? I am surprised by the weight, if only because when I watch guys holding it on TV, they do it so effortlessly.

I know these guys are like six foot four, 260 pounds, but I wasn't expecting it to be that heavy. Yeah, it is a bit heavy. It's like the person who brings in the trophy working with the NBA, this guy, Mark. Yes. He's like, nobody's dropped it yet. Oh, my God. Nobody's dropped it yet. The good thing is that it's welded together. Unlike the the J.D.

Vance drop of the college football trophy, right? I mean, that that like that cheap plastic. Yes, I know. Oh, man, this is beautiful. When did you when did you meet with it in the past? Last last year, they did another tour before last season as well and got to hold it then. How do you feel about touching it? I don't think there's any problem with that. As far as I know, my sources say you've kissed it. I've kissed it. I've touched it. I was a little bit apprehend... Look at you. Look at you right

there. Okay, so you've touched it. Did you kiss it? Yeah, that was last year. I did not kiss it. I just saw MJ kiss it. I mean, I just feel like it's the thing to do. I'll see why not. It's very kissable. And what it is, I was saying it's very lickable as well. It looks like a big lollipop.

It's cold. It's refreshing. It's chilled. We were talking yesterday. We were like, oh, we hear this is coming. And I know I'm a huge Knicks fan. It's after game one. I'm so excited.

But like, if we get, you know, if we lose maybe the, the, the, sure. This is crazy that it would cut like we're a little delusional. We went on the road. This is, I feel like the stars are aligning here. The basketball gods are trying to tell me something. It feels like a good omen. Yes. And we only found out yesterday. This was coming to the office today. Yes. And so I mean like that win last night for the Knicks, man, you must be on like a permanent eye all day. I saw you tweeted about it. You said this game was bonkers in the midst of it all, among many other things.

I'm literally flying high right now. Like, I don't even know what to make of that. I went to pick up my son from his soccer practice during halftime. First thing he says to me is, are the Knicks winning? I say, no, they're losing by 16. Then by the time we sit down on the couch, it's 75-55. So at this point, my two boys adore the Knicks now too. They're all in, they're wearing their jerseys and we're like, all right, let's just see if we can take any positives from this. And then it's like chipping away, chipping away, chipping away, chipping away. And you expect at some point our heart is going to get broken.

Okay, Jalen misses the shot to go, you know, to win our heart is going to get broken. Okay. Jalen misses the shot to go, you know, to, to, to win the game. Okay. We're going overtime now they're going to, and it never happened. And I know they missed all the threes. So what's the takeaway is the takeaway that they shot so many threes and missed so many threes, or is it the fact that the Knicks just played great defense and did what they had to do to win? I mean, it's a little bit of both obviously, but I think like everybody

today is talking about all bosses. I can have a game. They should only 25% from three again that like they're gonna miss 45 threes They're not gonna have a game like that again But you could also flip it the other way and say Brunson cat and og didn't have the best offensive performance Combined over the course of the game like those three could be better as well for the Knicks than they were in game one Despite how things ended with og hitting a ton of threes Brununson obviously doing everything that he was doing. And Katz, the one I do kind of, you know, he had a rough season against the Celtics. The Celtics defend him very well.

Tatum on him a lot. The switching defense bothers him a bit. So maybe it is going to have to be a Brunson, OG, Bridges, everybody else series. But ultimately I look at yesterday's game and I just look at the facts. Porzingis was bad again, just like he was against Orlando and he went out with an illness. Super like, I don't know. It's like, we're serious. We don't know really any details of what exactly the illness is during the season. He comes back. He looks awesome for a while. Then he looks horrible. Against Orlando looked horrible in game one. That's a big question. Then Hauser who's like just like the seventh or eighth guy roster, but he's an important rotation guy. That's a big question. Then how's her who's like just like the seventh or eighth guy roster, but he's an important rotation guy.

Suddenly the Celtics feel very, very thin if they don't have poor Zanguis or how's her who left in a boot. So like we can talk all you want about like, Oh, all the mysteries and all that. But like the Celtics look thin and the Knicks played different defensively. They switched 38% of on ball screens. That's the high of their entire season switching a lot in the first half still switched a lot in the second I think they were a little bit more aggressive and help bought bothered Boston But the Knicks did some tactical things and they had some things go their way with Boston's guys going out

So I feel better about the Knicks in this series I did before when I picked the Celtics in five you pick Celtics I picked something so five like the Knicks were not good against boss here something's like You pick Celtics I pick Celtics in five like the Knicks were not good against Boston here Something's like oh for 11 against these guys, but none of that matters feel different. Yes. Yeah, it did feel different now now if you were to sort of Repick after one game. Are you still sick? It's like it's still winning five. I'll go Celtics in seven still I mean seven now I haven't won you over the poor zing is injury That I mean not injury but the porzingis illness that's a big one think about the difference in the first half

when you at least have the threat of this seven foot three guy oh yeah against the switching defense of pick and pop or punishing smaller guys down low and then you remove that and it felt like Boston wasn't getting a lot of the quality threes that they typically do and that had to do with the next switching defense moving away from what they typically do. And that had to do with the Knicks switching defense, moving away from what they typically do with drop coverage. But it also had to do with just no Poisingis out there. And Luke Cornett, he's like better than Poisingis

in the game, Luke Cornett can't be the best center option for Boston in order to win the series. Yeah, the last time that we played them in April, he torched us Poisingis in New York. Can I tell you when I started to feel like these guys are pretenders, meaning the Celtics, when you go to Haka Mitch in the second quarter, I hate to say it, forgive my French, that's bitch stuff. Come on man, you're the champs. Haka Mitch in the second quarter, I get you're trying to get him out of the game. By the way, who had the best

plus minus on the Knicks yesterday? Mitchell Robinson yes you wouldn't think so no eyeball on the game I know like they were significantly better with him on the court than cat what do you think about cat didn't have the best game no and Tibbs kind of went with two different things either at Mitchell Robinson out there precious Achua finally sometimes they went small and like nothing worked great except Mitch does cat need to have a good series for the Knicks to win this series or is it, can it be a Brunson, OG, Bridges, heart driven series?

One thing I'll say about Cat, massive tip in. I believe it was a put back in overtime, which was gigantic, people aren't giving him credit for that, did he have his best game? No. Did he have a great game in game six against Detroit? No. Do we need him to have great games?

Yes. We made this trade to go six against Detroit. No, do we need him to have great games? Yes. We made this trade to go up against Boston. We made the bridges trade to go up against Boston and, and, and bridges was gigantic. We just earned his money. The money he earned the picks that steel alone. One half. Yes. And by the way, you know, I didn't realize the

corner three hit the backboard. Did you notice that he actually hit the top of the left, the left side of the backboard. I don't even know. Cause it went in so like directly, it was such a beautiful swish that snap was amazing We need cat og was phenomenal. He was just absolutely amazing that one picture of him dunking over Tatum What was absolutely beautiful by the way cat didn't get credit that past the Brunson was beautiful That was an awesome past play. This is the dunk that I'm talking about. This is the photo right there

I mean look at that thing OG has been amazing and you know what? Someone's hitting that for sure if that cat passes beautiful It just felt like it was gonna be the poetic ending here's a tear drop and and didn't you feel okay? That doesn't go in Celtics are winning it over time. It just sort of feels like I read a stat today Never before in the history of the NBA playoffs has a team been down 15 at the half and one in overtime. Wow. That's crazy. That's wild.

Yes. All the games in NBA history, not one. Yes. That's crazy. In overtime. Yes. Now I'm not talking about a full like fourth quarter comeback. You have to win the game in overtime.

That's never happened before. And so historically it always feels like that team is super down. We had our chance. The other guys are going to punch us in the mouth. I think the Celtics are tremendous. I think they're great. Tatum is amazing. The fact that they were settling was was bizarre to me

so much. Obviously that's going to change. But you know what? TIBS coached a great game. Is it gonna change? Is it? Like Boston? They're giving me more hope. That's what they do. Like they just shoot a ton of threes. They play the numbers and it's frustrating when it doesn't get when they're not going in but they continue doing what they're doing. Like that I don't I don't know if that's gonna change. I don't think they're gonna deviate but they continue doing what they're doing like that I don't I don't know if that's gonna change I don't think they're gonna deviate away from the Missoula ball system they're gonna keep shooting threes because Tatum like he missed a lot of the types of shots in

game one that he made against Orlando because Orlando played Orlando kind of showed the blueprint with their switching defense would size forcing Boston into some of these less than ideal three-pointers they that they want to take but they still take them anyway. And the Knicks tried to do that again in game one, going away from what they normally do on defense. So I don't think Boston's going to move away from that, but they probably should. Like, I mean, we see this time and time again in NBA history, going back to the over 27

Rockets years ago, of course. Sometimes you need to take the mid-range. Sometimes you need to take a little floater in the lane and it feels like Boston is unwilling to take those, particularly Tatum, even though he entered the NBA as a guy who was willing to take mid-range jumpers. Bridges actually did that phenomenally well in game six. He wasn't hitting threes, but he was settling for twos

and I think he had 26 points. That's one thing Bridges has is the fade. One thing? What about his defense? I mean offensively He was incredible 51 minutes man to get that steal I want to got him for his games like against Boston exactly and he looked like if you like remove everything that happened and during game One like this is you'd be like, oh wow This is the guy we traded all these picks for was well worth it

But like you still have the fear in the back of your mind I'm sure with everything leading up to game one, or are you kind of like erasing everything from the season? Like it's just feeling good after the season. Who cares? I mean, riding high because like the thing with the Knicks this year, it felt, it felt like watching the next day. Didn't have the same grit or toughness as last year's team, but then they went a war with the Pistons.

They come back from down 20 against the Celtics in game one. They almost went at the buzzer and don't and then they went in overtime. They feel like they feel like that team. That grit and toughness and resilience again like it's just you really should have raced the regular season. 100 percent. It's all nonsense and there were a couple of close games there that OKC game on the road.

I loved what, uh, what Josh Hart said, like, um, we got beat up with baseball bats and around once and we brought them to this, but now the series is being called a little differently. They're a completely different team. The Celtics are the physicality isn't the same and, and, and maybe what they experience against Detroit is going to help them here.

Right now they could be the bullies to a degree. Um, man, I'm not, I'm not trying to be that guy. And I know there's a lot of important people that work here at Yahoo sports who like the Celtics. So I'm not talking that shit. I'm not talking that shit, but talk. No, I don't, I don't want it to come back to haunt me. But if this, if we could beat these guys, golly,

I feel like we'd be doing the NBA favor. I feel like everyone wants tired of the Celtics all the threes tired of just they act entitled they're not a very likable team if you ask don't explain say the same thing about nix we're gritty we're hard hat wearing pale you know go to work Brunson is so lovable who doesn't like Jalen Brunson okay no that is one good thing I'll tell you though is if like this series does go deep regardless of who wins, a rivalry could definitely brew between Boston, New York again. Dream.

It'd be awesome if that happens. When both teams are at full strength, who's the best player on the court? Tatum. Not Jalen. It's Tatum. Not Brunson. It's Tatum. No. Tatum because he's like a, he's a six tool player pretty much. Who's the clutches player on the court?um not Brunson Tatum now hate him because he's like he's a six tool player He's not just player on the court. Jalen Brunson

Okay, without a doubt Tatum say those numbers won the finals last year with Tatum not Yeah being clutch with Tatum not performing Why you say Tatum because Tatum does so many different things where he can have he can not be an effective off-defense of player and Still be an effective playmaker still be one of the best defenders on the floor still be a great rebounder still be a guy who can still be a threat as a cutter as a screener he can do everything on the floor so if the scoring is happening on top of all the other things that he always does he's one of the best players in basketball with Brunson I'll tell you what man he's answering a lot of questions though even last night Boston

challenging him defensively he's holding Yes, my Brunson was tough Yes, getting low center of gravity pushing back against Boston trying to back him down I thought he held up defensively and obviously like offensively say what you want about the flopping and the grifton The dudes a bucket getter and he's as clutch as it gets and he's a solid playmaker as well top 12 ish player in the league. I think it's fair for Brunson 12. he's not even top 10 yet. He might be top 10. It's the same 12 ish Don't want to give him that respect smaller people still worry about the defense, right? But he looks good in game one They held up if it doesn't work out for whatever reason hopefully not and they don't advance does tips come back

I guess it depends on how the series develops. If it's a Boston wins for the next four. Yeah you think that might be it? No I think you have to think about it if you're a Knicks but if they go seven games and it's competitive and Tibbs is making adjustments, Missoula is making adjustments and it's a great tactical battle and you know great physical battle on the floor I'd have a hard time. I love Tibbs. You're a Knicks fan who loves them. But I'm just kind of like, I love everything about that. I will never criticize them just because that's my team. And I feel like internally to my friends, I'm like, ah, fuck.

You know, I wish Dante could come back, of course. But like, Tibbs is our guy. And look at what we had before Tibbs. Jeff Hornacek, Derek Fisher. I mean, it was awful. Look at what he's done. So I believe he is deserving of some leeway. But there is also a theory. I'm a big bills fan as well.

Like there are some coaches who just get you to a certain spot, right? Dwayne Casey got the Raptors to a certain spot. And then obviously Nick nurse comes in and look and, and Kawhi as well. That helped. And thunder fans are saying that this morning about Daniel after they lost that game, falling Yokech. I mean, if we're not falling, falling quickly when Yokic was off the floor when Denver had no timeouts with like 11 seconds left in the game

Just a bonehead decision. That's on the coaching Like I think I think falling up three is such a like a complicated debate between coaches And in that case no best player on the floor no timeouts You're putting more pressure on your own team slowing the game more down more and among any of my we're not talking thunder But I think Thunder fans are gonna be talking about that if they lose this series you think they will nuggets Oh, yeah for sure you think they're losing no no If they lose what do you think if the Thunder lose series? Okay, see fans are gonna be having that conversation or touching on will they lose the series I

Didn't like the way last night looks Wow, okay, see, but I picked them in the series I'll stick with them in the series. I still think they're the better team I still think they have a dominant defense But the way that game played out Jalen Williams with another horrific game in the postseason Chet choking both free throws down the stretch He wasn't great in the game either an SGA like he can't be the only guy And if you add on on top of that that Degnaal got out coached by a dude who just took over in Adelman There's a lot of concerning signs, but it's just a game one

I read this morning in Kendall Baker's great newsletter that comes out every morning the Yahoo Sports AM must read must read love it He does a tremendous job. Never before has the road team won game one in the, I guess, the semis, second round. And so we're 3-0 at this point with the Timberwolves up next here. If they lose, no, if the Timberwolves win, excuse me, against the, no, it would be the Warriors.

Yes, if the Warriors win. Insane, and I feel like that could happen. It definitely could happen, for sure. I mean, what's amazing though is like Denver did it, like one day rest, Warriors would have to do it with one day rest after these amazing battles and seven game series in the first round. Like these NBA playoffs have been the best in years.

They've been tremendous. And like last night was the best night of the playoffs so far. And thank you. All this talk that the NBA is down, huh? I guess a little premature. I don't know, it's you know pretty good let letting them play a little yes sure wins back a lot of fans and be a person we had him silver is actually watching here and taking some notes about let him play yes let him play he's a big fan of the

show I've heard Adam the commit I would love it I would love it okay so you are you're picking the Celtics you're picking the Thunder yeah I'll stick with them are you picking the wolves I'm picking the Celtics, you're picking the Thunder. Yeah, I'll stick with them. Are you picking the Wolves? I'm picking the Wolves. And I also underestimated the Warriors last round. Yeah, no, 100%. That was a big one. Although I thought they might be flawed,

but they're still Warriors. I thought their experience would have won out, and in the end, I think it did. What about Cavs? All banged up, Garland, Hunter. We've got a big Cavs fan on the show here, New York Rick, weirdly enough, a guy from New York. Same thing, it's like similar

to the Boston conversation, where it's like you look at this team whole yeah, you'll pick them But if you're taking away this guy and that guy and if Garland's gonna be iffy when he comes back Well, suddenly Indiana looks a lot more appealing I thought that series was gonna go seven with Cleveland winning in any way But I think you have to lean Indiana now with some of those you think will be Boston, Indiana Okc wolves. Yeah, we'll go with that. And then what do you think in the finals? What's your pick?

I originally had Boston OKC. I'll stick with Boston OKC for now. Wow, that's crazy that your finals pick is going to be out in the second round. I know. Aren't you a Celtics fan, by the way? I grew up a Celtics fan. But now you have to be unbiased.

No, no, it's not that I have to be anything. It's just kind of faded naturally over the years. But when you're sitting there watching, are you rooting for them? Not the way I did ever in the past. I wish, I hope it comes back. I want to feel the fandom like you do with the Knicks. I want to feel that again. And I hope you cover it though, right? Yeah, you know, but there's tons of fans of teams and sports media. So I think over time,

now that I'm living in Boston again, I hope it comes back over the course of time, because I wanna feel that. I wanna feel that again. I wanna feel that joy. You want it to shun it so that you can look at everything clear headed. I think at one point, there's part of you that wants to not be perceived as just this hardcore Boston

Celtics fan, all that, working for Bill Simmons at the time. But it's not like I tried to get rid of it. It just kind of naturally happens. You get to know people working for different teams Watching different teams not watching every Celtics game I think they're living away from Massachusetts not feeling like like Knicks fans New York sports fans the reason why bosses sports fans and then butt heads is the rivalries of course But it's too super passionate fan bases Philly to like these Northeast fan bases

Resonate and become a part of the fabric of your being. And so I think I felt that and lost that a little bit moving out to LA for seven years on and off. But I hope it comes back. I miss being the fan of one team. I miss that. When this came in, I said like there's some iconic shots ingrained in my brain.

Jordan with his forehead on it. Kobe in the shower stall. Ariel kissing it. Ariel kissing it. Kyle Lowry with the Damon Stoudemire jersey as a Canadian was pretty damn cool. For you, like when you see this trophy, what do you think of? It's still Celtics. It's still Paul Pierce holding this and the finals MVP trophy together after winning the 0-8 championship. It's you know, the the trophies on the floor when it happened.

It's the Gatorade shower that Doc Rivers got from Paul Pierce on the sideline. That game six in Boston against the Lakers is Like I still feel that so yes from my past. I still feel that but um, that's that's definitely the moment I remember is Pierce after all those hard years in Boston going from worst to best in the NBA 07 to 08 Yeah, that that's one that I'll always having great in in my mind. So no Mikhail, no Larry Bird. I was born in 1990. Wow, you missed all of that.

I missed all of that. That's crazy, man. I grew up with the bad years in Boston. Yeah, you grew up with, one of my favorite Celtics was Dana Barros, remember him? Yeah, of course Dana Barros. He was a great three point shooter. I always liked Walter, Walter McCarty.

Walter McCarty. Eric Williams, some of those early 2000s. I liked those Celtics teams because they weren't threats. Yeah. So I was okay with them. Now I despise them. They were fun, those were like fun, like because they weren't threats. Yeah, I was okay with now I despise They were fun. Those are fun. Like oh, yeah good good story playoff days But not not true finals threats, but those are the Celtics teams I grew up with the Kevin O'Connor show you're killing it

Twice a week twice a week sometimes three times a week during the NBA playoffs I'm doing a lot of draft stuff next week in the NBA draft combine in Chicago. So if you're a fan of non Playoff teams will have a lot of coverage for those teams as well. That's getting bigger now, rivaling the NFLs in Indianapolis. Oh, for sure. You think Cooper's number one, right? Oh yeah, without a doubt.

I went to see him when they played Elite Eight in New Jersey. You like him? Man, he was a joy to me. He's such a big guy, shoulders are so big. Yeah, I can't wait to see where he goes, but we can worry about that later. This is very exciting.

It's great to have you in studio. Thank you very much. I hope everything's been going well for you here. Like I said, I feel like, you know, I've said this on the show, like, Yahoo Sports, they remind me of the Knicks. You know, we were a tremendous force. Proud franchise.

Some, you know, downtime. But were a tremendous force proud franchise some, you know downtime but now Massive upswing maybe I'm jailing your Josh like like I came and you're okay with that I'm perfectly fine with it. You came like four months before I was like literally team. Yes I worked it were pretty we're hard-working. We're trying to win. Yes, we love nothing more than winning Mikael and the cat I don't know who that is. Is there someone out there in free agent land? Maybe, uh, always going to target some more winners. Yes. But I feel like, you know, the, the, the app is tremendous. I use it all the time. Uh, look at us. I mean,

this is a big deal. So, um, thank you for coming in. Keep up the great work. Appreciate it. Thank you, Larry, for coming in as well. Uh, it's been, it's been great having you here. We're going to take a quick break. We're going to be joined by Bo nickel and a matter. Are you a fight fan by the way? I watch it, but I'm not like hardcore thinking like Bo nickel. You have no idea.

I'm not, I'm not. I have Bo nickel, Penn state, multiple time national champion, um, at Penn state, Dan Hodge trophy winner, which is essentially like the MVP of the wrestling, um, season in, uh, in NCAA. Penn state is like the powerhouse of wrestling, um, season in, uh, in NCAA. Penn State is like the powerhouse of wrestling. Uh, UFC fighter talked the big game, seven and O got beat badly on Saturday, first loss. So now everyone's killing him.

Fraud check. They're saying he got fraud check, fraud check. So in 10 minutes, his first interview will be live on the show. So we'll see what kind of mood he's in. Oh yeah. Yeah. So stay tuned for that.

Uh, we'll take a quick break. Here's my conversation with Stone Cold Steve Austin from just last week. I'll be back with Bo Nicol. Do not go anywhere. All right. Back on the program. That was my conversation with the one and only Stone Cold Steve Austin which you can watch on the channel right now. Appreciate Larry for coming in. Larry OB, Larry O'Brien, the NBA trophy that the Knicks will be holding in about a month and a half. Appreciate Kevin O'Connor coming in. I got the fanboy a little bit.

Look, I don't get the fanboy all the time. I don't get to be that guy. And so I hope you guys appreciated that almost as much as I did. No chance as much and definitely no chance more. That was cool. That felt like royalty in our studio. In about 30 minutes, we're gonna be joined

by Julianna Pena, talk about her title fight against one Kayla Harrison. In a couple minutes, we're gonna be joined by Bo Nicol. And I know that there is a ton of intrigue. I know there's a ton of truth that needs to be discussed. I know there's a ton of topics, a ton of questions, a ton of answers that we're all anticipating. And so I really do appreciate him stopping by.

I appreciate him coming on. I do believe this is his first chat since Saturday when he lost to Renee DeRidder. That was a highly anticipated fight. That was a fight that a lot of people thought he was going to win. He was a massive favorite going into that fight. I believe it was like a minus 800, a minus 850, something like that. And in the end, it did not go his way.

In the end, he lost via TKO, the first loss of his career, now seven and one, a second round TKO loss. Credit to RDR. He lost the TKO, the first loss of his career, now seven and one, a second round TKO loss, credit to RDR, fought a brilliant fight, and it was a brilliant finish, a knee to the solar plexus. And I didn't realize at the time, I didn't put two and two together at the time,

but when Henry Cejudo tweeted some words of support, one of the few to tweet words of support, he said it was the same type of finish that he suffered against Demetrius Johnson. Very, very similar. The wrestling world is taking a hit today. Henry wrote on Sunday afternoon, actually Sunday morning, keep your head up, O'N Bo nickel. This is not the end

I got finished by Demetrius Johnson with a similar body shot and I went on to avenge that loss and become champion You are capable of doing the same get back on your horse, brother Hashtag UFC Des Moines and and and some other fighters offered words of support Darren till as well We read the the post from Mike Brown, his head coach, Bo's head coach at the American Top Team Gym in in South Florida offering some some words of support and and just some some honesty about where they go from here and what they need to do, which I thought was was very on point and very very classy from Mike Brown. Bo posted a small thing on Instagram very short just like one one sentence alluding to the fact that he is grateful for the highs and lows and that he will

be back and I think a lot of people who have been watching him for a long time feel the exact same way. Do we have him? Alright, and so without further ado, let us say hello to the aforementioned Bo Nicol. Very much looking forward to this and I know a lot of you are as well and most importantly, very much appreciate that he is coming on. It's easy to come on after the winds, not so much after the tough nights. And so there he is, smile on his face. Hello, Bo. How are you? I'm all right.

I feel like I'm joined in on a funeral or something. No, I know. I know. And I apologize for that tone. I don't know what type of mood that you're in, so I want to be respectful. But is that a sentiment, by the way, that you have felt over the last 72 or 48 hours? Do you feel like people are coming to offer their condolences when in reality life is good, you're healthy, you're healthy? But is that a sentiment by the way that you have felt over the last 72 or 48 hours? Do you feel like people are coming to offer their condolences when in

reality life is good, you're healthy, you have a family, and it's not the death of your career? Yeah in a way you know I feel that. I think that more than anything I just appreciate the support and the love that I'm getting from a lot of people. You know it's been really interesting something that I've noticed it's the same people that are texting me after the wins are they're still texting me after you know this loss and that makes me feel really good because I feel like I have a lot of really amazing people in my life and I think I've surrounded myself with

the right the right people, you know, I've heard so many stories of fighters who Pretty much just like get abandoned in a way after they you know lose a fight and for me I again that I got hundreds of messages post fight And it's the same exact people that are texting me post fight after I've won. So that's something I'm really appreciative of. How would you describe the last 72 or so hours in your life?

Yeah, it's been a little, you know, it's been crazy. But I think that there's been a lot of reflection and I think that, know initially after the fight obviously I was very disappointed very frustrated with myself and I think that I just am really glad that I have a great foundation of you know values and and things that people have kind of taught me and I don't really feel that the goal or myself or anything has changed. It's unfortunate to kind of like have to experience that because I hate losing.

But I think that even now, like having gone through many, many losses in the past and feeling like those were some of the biggest catalyzing moments in my life and my career. I'm already very grateful for it and I think that this is nothing but a learning opportunity and an experience that I think will just help me grow and improve and get better. So I remember speaking to you when the fight was just announced. It was a couple of months before and you were obviously a big favorite as has been documented. Once we get the fight week, you go through the whole training camp and you're getting ready.

You're seeing him. You're feeling the vibes in Iowa. What was your level of confidence going into this fight? By far the most accomplished opponent you've ever been matched up against. How were you feeling going into Saturday? I felt super confident going into Saturday? I felt super confident going into the fight. I think that in my mind prior to I did everything that I needed to do to prepare to win the

fight and I felt great. I think that now having looked back, you know, and gone through that, that I wasn't as prepared as I thought and there was a lot of things that I could have done better prior to and a lot of things that I could have focused on and done differently and that's great, you know, that's something that I can look at and and I can take from that experience and change moving forward. So, you know, I think that feeling like I was as prepared as I could have been and then realizing that I really wasn't

is a good thing for me. What are some of the things that you now recognize that you didn't work on enough going into this? I think that it's just, it's tough to be able to predict everything or try to assume what's gonna happen in a fight because I just don't have years and years and years under my belt of reps and and feeling different styles and you know people try to do different things to me and And so when I look at that fight, and some of the things that kind of were his biggest, I guess, his biggest

positives in the fight that on his side, those were things I really wasn't prepared for. And so now it's like, all right, that's eye-opening. I realized there was, you know, certain's eye-opening. I realized there was certain situations where I was vulnerable and certain weaknesses that I had in my game, and now those have been exposed, and now I get to work on them, which is a good thing. Obviously, much has been made of how confident you have been throughout your career,

and now the comments get sort of thrown in your face. I'm just wondering, were you overconfident? Did you look past him? Did you think that this guy couldn't hang with you and maybe didn't take him as seriously as you should have? Absolutely not, no. I don't feel that I looked at RDR as somebody I was gonna blow through.

I looked at that as a really big test and a really big challenge. And of course I'm confident. I think nobody in my situation or in this sport is really like, you know, going to be, we're all confident guys. And so I think that knowing the danger of the fight going in, it definitely, I felt like there was a lot of opportunity and chances for me to have weaknesses in my game exposed. And that's exactly what happened. And I wasn't really afraid of that going in. I think that there was maybe a little bit of,

I think that more than like being overconfident and just being naive like being in certain situations and not realizing that i'm in danger it just comes with experience and so again that's an experience i had an experience this past weekend that i'm going to be really really grateful for in the long run. And he fought, you know, he fought his fight and I fought his fight too, you know? So that's something that moving forward in the future that I'm gonna know not to do. And so I feel like, yeah, overall, I'm grateful for the lesson.

Were there any members of your team, coaching staff, management, who when this was presented, you guys, who said that maybe this is too big of a step up? Maybe you shouldn't go this route. Well, it's kind of tough because I think that that's been the consensus since my first UFC fight. So it's not like that's a new message, right? It's like, all right, I go to the UFC at three and oh, and the message has kind of been like, Hey, this is going really fast.

Like maybe we know when you slow down. And so it's not like this was the first time that that's been said to me. But of course, right? Like I think that it's pretty clear that things are moving quick, but you play the cards that you're dealt. And I feel like it's a good lesson for me. Sometimes we have seen very accomplished wrestlers

start to fall in love with the striking, love the sensation of knocking someone out, get some success maybe against lesser opponents, and then move away from the wrestling. Do you feel like that happened in this fight? No, definitely not. I mean, I think you look at, I look at a guy that in our yard that

competed against who he's good everywhere, right? Like he has many knockout finishes, many submissions. He's got decent wrestling. And so, you know, going in, like, I'm just trying to win the fight. And so he was overall just like more well rounded and more skilled, more experienced than me. And really at the end of the day, like it, that's what it comes down to. Like he was a better fighter and now I know I need to get better, right? Like my goal still remains the same. And so I think that with my, my skillset and what I've been able to do so far, like there's still so much, so much room to improve. And I knew that going in, but now I think that's even emphasized more,

having been exposed like that. How would you describe that feeling of getting need in the chest like that, that finishing sequence? It's not fun, you know, it doesn't feel good. It just kind of shuts your whole body down, right? Like I don't really feel like, there was a lot, it wasn't really that last sequence

that did it, it was more so the accumulation of, he hit me in the body a lot in that first round and I didn't really, I don't think I really showed it too much, but in the clinch, landed knees, landed punches, there was, it was an accumulation of damage there And then the last one was just, you know, the nail in the coffin. So, um, that's something that I think, uh, again, I hate to keep saying the same thing, but it's a great lesson for me. Have you rewatched the fight? No, I, I, I pretty much know exactly

like how it went down. I've already watched it at some point, but going through the sequences, it's still very fresh for me, so I remember. The aftermath, the reaction, obviously has been immense. It's been intense. We have seen this a few times, at least I have covering the sport. It reminds me a little bit of when Sage Northcutt

lost his first fight, when Ronda Rousey lost her first fight in the UFC, Conor McGregor, where it just seems like there's this explosion, this reaction, and if I'm being a thousand percent honest, not positive, right? People just saying like this guy got some humble pie, he said this and that, X, Y, and Z, and he got you know what he deserved. Have you seen any of that? Have you been exposed to any of that? And if so, why do you think people are reacting this way? Yeah, I mean, of course, you know, that comes with the territory.

I think that people, that's not a, you know, you mentioned that this has happened many times over, and so that's not a surprise to me. And it's part of the job. So I think that I've said a lot of things in the past that have brought a lot of emotions out of people for whatever reason and that's totally fine. So you know I think that for me again the focus is continue to improve and get better at fighting and it really just makes me even more grateful for the people that do support me.

Like when you texted me, gave me some support, and then asked me to come on the show, and I was like, wow, that's really cool because I didn't expect that, right? Like, how often is it that guys lose a fight or undefeated prospect lose a fight, and then everybody all of a sudden is like, this guy's trash, he's garbage, you got fraud checked.

And that's the way that the world works, it's the way that the business works. So again, it's not a surprise for me, but it's definitely motivation, it's fuel for the fire. And as soon as that fight ended, even just like traveling back to RBMB with my coaches, all I wanted to do was just get back into training and get back to improving and getting better. And, and I do this because I love it. It's a big challenge. And it's, it's a lot of, it's very intense, and there's a lot of pressure. But

that's fun for me. I want to live my life that way. And, you know, when things go well, I get the reward. And when things don't go well, like this past weekend, then I get the consequences of that as well. And that's the life I live. Do you allow yourself to read any of this stuff online? I don't, you know. I've had a lot of people texting me, like, how mad it makes them that they see some of this stuff and they're like, I'm gonna tell these people off, this and that. I'm like, just let them be, it's fine.

It's part of the job and it's my life. And so I think that the hate and the negativity, I'm totally okay with it, totally comfortable with it. And I just honestly like pray for those people and hope that they aren't just like, like the only reason that they can send that in my direction is because they're already, they're full of that.

And I would pray that they find a better path. And I think that, you know, I even got some texts personally from people that were trying to put me down in a way and when I see that, it honestly like, it doesn't make me mad, it just makes me sad because I just think there's a lot of that negativity in the world and I don't really, I don't know,

it makes me sad. People who have your number, who are like some sort of, like they're close to you in some kind of way, they're texting you crap? Who are these people? I've had a couple people like that, you know, and I think that, again, like it makes me sad. It makes me like really like, wow, like, I don't know.

Kicking somebody when they're down is, I don't know. Like, I don't know. Kicking somebody when they're down is, I don't know. But again, I don't even really feel, I feel down in a way where I'm disappointed, but I'm excited. Like, this is a chance for me to really like test my metal. And it's easy to just like continue to do things

when everything's going right, right? And when everything's going well, you know, it's like, there's no, you're just, you're not, you're not really, you're moving downhill and it's easy. And for me now, it's like, this is an uphill battle and I get to really test myself and see what I'm about. So I'm excited about that. That's been my whole life, right? Like everybody knows me for multiple national championships and this and that, but when I look back on my career, the things that I remember are the losses. Like I remember being in elementary school,

middle school and losing matches at national tournaments. I remember losing in the state finals in the eighth grade and the ninth grade. I remember being in the national finals as a freshman in college and losing in front of, you know, hundreds of thousands of people. I remember being in the finals, the Olympic trials in 2021 and losing. And it's like, so, so that just has been my path. And I think that those moments have always just been massive opportunities for me to bounce back. And I just want to continue to, again, improve, get better

and use this as fuel for the fire. And for me, that's really all it is, is more fuel. This line, fraud check that you referenced, this gets brought up a lot. What do you make of that? This idea that you have been fraud checked. Yeah, everything's so dramatized. And people in today's day and age,

there's never a lot of middle ground. It's either like you're amazing or you're the worst. And so I think that really that's just what it is, is like people want the drama and they want the emotion to be evoked. And so for me, it's really irrelevant, right? Like I'm on the path that I'm on and I believe like that the one loss doesn't defied me.

And even if I lose again, I can lose two, three, I believe that the one loss doesn't defied me. And even if I lose again, I can lose two, three, four, five times, but I just, I'm not gonna quit. And I'm just gonna keep getting better and keep improving. And I think that there's always gonna be opinions of me. And some of them are gonna be high, too high. Some of them are gonna be too low. And very few of them are gonna be actually accurate.

And so that doesn't really affect me. I just wanna keep getting better at fighting. To that point, I was wondering this, you just alluded to it, so I think I know the answer, but I just wanna ask, has any of this, this experience, losing, the aftermath, changed the way you feel about the game, changed the way you feel about your career, about your time in MMA?

Changed the way you feel about your career, about your time in MMA? Change the way I feel. I think that I feel a lot after having taken that loss. Like I feel a lot of disappointment, a lot of frustration, but I think that when I look at, when I zoom out and look at my path long term and where I believe I'm headed, nothing's really changed you know. Maybe there's a slight detour that I'm gonna have to take or now the road is gonna be a little bit longer than

what I thought but I think that you know all I can focus on is my effort and every day I give a hundred percent. I give everything I can to whatever it is that I'm doing. And so that's all I can control. And really it's just giving it up to God and letting God take care of all the other things that are outside of that. So again, I'm just doing this because I love it and it's fun for me. And the losing and the backlash, it's not fun to deal with, but at the same time I am grateful for it

because I think it's just sharpening me. And at the end of the day, this is just gonna make me a better person, right? Like that's all that I can really focus on is just trying to improve. Is there any part of you that feels a weight lifted off your shoulders? Like maybe there was such a focus,

like you gotta go undefeated, you gotta smoke everyone and run through everyone, and now there's a little less pressure? No. No, okay. Not really. All right, maybe there's more pressure. Is there more pressure now to prove that you aren't that guy?

I don't think there's less or more. I think it's the same, you know. For me, it's about controlling what I can control and The the pressure I can't I can't control that all I can control is my own perception of it and You know, sometimes there's times when it feels huge or there's times when it doesn't feel like anything and so I think that when you really Kind of take a step back, it's just like, why are you doing this? Like, I do this because I like it, because it's fun, and I want to get better at it.

And I think that God has instilled a desire for me, for inside of me to do this and really the pressure is just like so you know outside of really like what's going on and it's gonna come it's gonna feel like a lot some days it's gonna feel like nothing some days but I just focus on what I can control and I focus on gratitude you know I focus on like just being grateful for so. There's so much to be grateful for. And that's just a lesson that I've learned from the people that I look up to is like, if you can just be grateful, regardless of the situation, then things are gonna work out.

You have great people around you, great coaches. Mike Brown is one of the best among your other coaches as well. And you mentioned people reaching out. And I've referenced some, the likes of Henry Cejudo offering support. Is there anyone in particular that said something that was really profound that really hit you

in a good spot that you felt like, okay, it's all gonna be all right here? Something that you appreciated that will stick with you? The people that, I mean, I appreciate everyone. Everyone that says anything positive or negative honestly like I have gratitude for it because these are all just lessons and the things that I think I appreciate the most that I'm most grateful for are Coming from my family, you know, my mom and dad

my wife Getting back to Pennsylvania and being able to see my baby boy was like, I just miss them so much. I spent a lot of time away from this camp and so getting to see him again, I was so appreciative. My in-laws, my best friend Anthony Casar, Bryce Meredith, these guys, I just have so much love in my life. And of course, the broader community of wrestlers and people in wrestling and and my people at Penn State like I feel so much love for

that they're just pouring out to me it's like I can't even imagine how many people are sending prayers my way and just hoping that I'm doing well and it was so weird because my main thing like after the fight was like I just want my family and my people that I'm close with my wife my dad my mom like I want to make sure they're good and like hey guys like I'm gonna be okay I'm gonna bounce back from this and this is just a bump in the road but like make sure you guys are good because I just think that I just love them so much and I know where I'm headed and I want them to just know that I'm good

and not be sad and yeah. Like when I first jumped on, I was like, I feel like I'm kind of a funeral, but I don't know what's gonna happen on this journey and that's because that's where I'm at right now. Honestly, I am very impressed with your demeanor right now. I'm very impressed the way in which you're handling this. Like you're kind of smiling.

Like if someone's just tuning in, they wouldn't know if you're coming off a win or a loss. And perhaps that is because you've had a whole career in another sport where you had highs and lows. Like you're kind of ready for this. as opposed to someone who his whole life was built to get to the UFC and maybe went to 3 and 0 as an amateur and this is their first time ever losing anything of any kind. Do you think that has something to do with it the way you have this perspective?

Absolutely, you know, I've lost so many times that I've had so many experiences in life that have taught me lessons. And I really look at this like very similar to, I feel like I'm reliving the same story over and over again. Like at this point, it's the third time I think I've lived this story. And I think God's doing that for a reason. You know, I look at when I was a freshman in high school, losing in the state finals of, you know, and wanting to be a four-time state champion, not being able to achieve that. I look at the national, this is really the fourth time I've lived through it.

You know, I look at my freshman year in college, losing the national finals, not achieving my goal. I look at losing in the Olympic trials finals, not achieving my goal. But the reality is I look back at those moments and those were amazing opportunities for me to grow and learn to get better. And specifically losing it in college as a freshman, I remember being incredibly depressed, you know, three four months of just like being so down and feeling like my life was over and really questioning my purpose and my skills and my ability.

And I had a specific moment where I was a little bit sick and tired of being, in my mind, just being a baby. And I'm like, dude, are you gonna cry for the rest of your life about this? Or are you gonna just get up and chase something new and figure it out? You can cry about this forever

and let it hold you back and act like your life's over, or you can just get back on the horse and let it rip. And when I asked myself that, I was like, all right, bro, I'm done with this. So I think that having experienced that already so many times that I just bounced back even quicker. And it's not to say that doesn't hurt because yeah, it hurts.

Of course the losses sting and they sting really bad when you don't lose too often. But I feel like this is, again, this is an opportunity for me to bounce back and to just double down and make the story even greater and even better, right? Like that's the fun part of it is getting through that adversity

and meeting the challenges head on. So I'm grateful that this is in front of me now where I get to go prove to myself who I am and what I'm about. And I've been doing hard things since I've been five years old. And so it's nothing new for me. I've seen a lot of people bring up the Hamzad comments

and some of your other comments where you were very Confident brash. Some would say cocky. Do you regret any of those things now? No, I don't regret a single thing. I believe myself 100% and I'll bet on myself every single time. I think that win or a loss doesn't define me, right? I've been able to win a lot and I've lost very few times and I don't define myself by the losses, I don't define myself by the wins. I just have a belief in myself that will never go away no matter what. Anybody can say whatever they want and the result can be what it is, but I'm gonna still wake up every morning

and go after my goals and just bring it every single day. And so, yeah, I'm totally confident in my abilities still to this point. And this loss does nothing but motivate me even more. How quickly do you wanna return? That's a good question. I was talking with coach Mike on the way back and I was like, I want to fight like ASAP,

like let's go, like get back into it. But I think that I'll talk to the coaches and see what's best. You know, got to get back to a hundred percent and feel like I can put a training camp together. But yeah, we'll see. I'll definitely be, I would like to fight 100% and feel like I can put a training camp together, but Yeah, we'll see. I'll definitely be I would like to fight a couple more times this year. So Getting back as quickly as possible would be good for me. Do you have an opponent in mind?

No, I don't really care whoever they want to match me up with it doesn't really matter I think that I've fought Amazing guys every time I've stepped up out there and I don't expect anything different. In his Instagram post which I thought was very poignant, Coach Brown said you know the one thing you can't really prepare for is just experience. Like you need the experience, right? You can't do that in the gym and so do you subscribe to that? Do you think you just need to be a little bit more active if you're if you're gonna climb the ladder as fast as you want.

Yeah, I mean, it's hard because it's like a balance where I've been fairly active and you're fighting better and better guys. So I can't like take the traditional route where guys are fighting, you know, oh and oh guys or guys that have a couple fights. I haven't fought a guy with the same level of experience as me since my first pro fight. Every single fight I've had after my first

pro fight, the guys had triple quadruple the amount of fights I have. Like that's just the reality of the situation. So there's no stepping back. So I don't really know, like I don't have an answer per se of like what's the best way to go about it because no matter what, I'm fighting guys with way, way more fights than me and way more time. So I don't really know. At this point, is there anything that you would like to say to all the people?

There are a lot of people who are backing you, who believe in you. Before we let you go, anything you wanna say to those people who still believe that you are going to turn into a championship fighter? Yeah, all the people that back me, I love you guys so much. It means the world to me to have that support

and that love and I can't express how grateful I am to have that in my life. I don't feel like I deserve it. I work really hard, I deserve it. No, I work really hard but at the same time I'm not a perfect person and so when people back me like that it really you know it feels amazing and I want to do right by all of them and on the same note the people that that don't that they want to see me fail for whatever reason I have love for each and every one of you guys too.

And I hope that you can find peace and happiness in your life all the same. Did the UFC brass say anything to you afterwards? Dana, Hunter, anyone of that, you know, of that ilk? Not directly to me though. But I know they, you know, want to see me do well. And yeah, I mean, this is a journey that we're on, right? Like I'm 29 years old, I've got a lot of fights left

and a lot of things I want to accomplish. And there's gonna be a lot of memories made in these next few years. So I'm just looking forward to it. Thank you, Bo. Really appreciate it. Thanks for coming on. You may have been surprised that I asked you to come on.

The reason I don't often ask people after losses is because A, I don't want to bother, and B, a lot of them don't want to come on. And so you said yes quite quickly, and I was not surprised, but it was nice. I thought maybe you'd say I want some time off. Doesn seem like you're in that headspace seems like you're in a great spot looking forward to the comeback which I suspect will be greater than the setback as they say and really appreciate and respect the way you're

handling all this so kudos to you. Well thanks Ariel I think it was really classy of you to ask me and definitely understand your position but the wins and losses they don't define me, who I am because of all the people around me that have poured into me and love me and support me. And there's a lot bigger things in life than winning or losing a fight. So with that being said, I'm ready to get back to work

and I'll be back soon. Thank you, Bo, appreciate it. Good luck. Thank you. There he is, Bo Nicol joining us. And look, I know a lot of people are enjoying serving up the humble pie. I know a lot of people are celebrating the loss. I know a lot of people are saying that he was too cocky, too arrogant, that he got what he deserved. And you're very much entitled to do that. We spoke about all of this at length yesterday.

And my general sense was he did not get fraud checked. He lost to a better fighter on the night. And if you are not worthy of the attention and hype that he received, then you can talk about, you know, someone getting fraud checked. I do think he is worthy of that. And I think that his wrestling resume would suggest that. I hope that people, I didn't know what to expect.

I didn't know if he was going to come on crying. You know, we, we, I remember talking to Kayla Harrison after a while. She was devastated. Um, her, her first pro loss. I didn't know what state he would be in. I would hope if you're not a fan that you can at least say, you know what? He seems to be handling it well. He's not too down.

He's clearly a little bit down, but he seems to have a good head on his shoulders. He seems to have the proper perspective. He seems to want to keep going. He is, I think, saying all the right things. Perhaps you wanted him to say, I regret saying this or that, but you have to understand, you know, championship level athletes, it doesn't matter if they're in wrestling, MMA, boxing, basketball, football, baseball, hockey, they just think different than all of us. And so I'm sure, you know, he's, he's putting on a brave face to a degree, but I do believe that is the

authentic Bo'Nickel. That is the real guy, not too different than the one that we have talked to a bunch of times before big wins and after big wins. Uh, and I think that says a lot about him. And I think one thing that people are overlooking a little bit is that this guy has lost before and he's lost on big stages. Uh, when you're, when you're a fighter and you just have fought, you know,

you go from being a kid, maybe golden gloves and amateurs, then the pros. This is it. And yes, you could stumble in those departments as well, but you're not necessarily like, you know, with a massive spotlight on you. And he had a whole other career, a whole other career. You know, perhaps that's part of the reason for the success that the likes of Israel, Destinia, and Alex Pereira have had as well. They have stumbled in a completely different career as well. And then they enjoyed the success in MMA, and then they stumbled there and they were able to come back.

They didn't let it define them, they didn't let it kill them, they didn't let everyone get to them. So let's see, it's now a much more compelling story. Let's see how he bounces back. Let's see if he's able to reinvent himself, improve, listen to his coaches. Let's see what he turns into. By the way, the great Ben Foulkes of Uncrowned has a story that just went live entitled, I was kind of traumatized by it. That's a quote. So you finally suffered your first pro MMA loss. Now what? And there's some great insight there from the likes of Rashad Evans and Big Ben Rothwell.

Um, you know, he, he is losing on a massive, massive stage in front of a lot of people. Some people lose on the, uh, the amateurs and, and both sensations, both experiences are, are equally different, but also, well no, equally difficult, but different in some regards. So let's see, let's see. Okay, thank you very much to Bo Nickel for joining us, appreciate him very much. And now let us say hello to our next guest. Oh my gosh, my palms are sweaty. I'm very nervous. I didn't know what to expect from Bo. I don't know what to expect from our next guest because if I'm being honest, it has been five to six months of hell. It has been five to six months of hell. I do believe our long international nightmare is coming to an end in a matter of seconds. I

wasn't sure if this day would ever come. I thought it might come a couple weeks ago Unfortunately, it was a false alarm But I do believe that the reigning defending UFC women's bantamweight champion one of our favorites one of our own She's one of our own. She's the Venezuelan Vixen. She's one of our own Julianne Pena is standing by and I do believe that the world is healing. I do believe she is there there She is there. I do believe she is there. There she is. There she is. She is back. We are back. And the nightmare is officially over.

Welcome home, Juliana. Welcome home. This is my virtual hug. This is me hugging the shot right here. We've missed you. This is not my home. It is not my home. What do you mean?

Especially with that Australian, Scotsman PT in the boys. Like this is absolutely, I think you guys are on like a nine or 10. Didn't you lose this last weekend? 10 fight losing streak since not having the penya power part of the boys anymore. This home that you want to claim is mine is not. You guys can have it. I took a step back and looks like you guys

could definitely use the penny power back in your guys's graces. So I showed up reluctantly. Oh my gosh. And against my gut feeling of coming back. No, no, no. I'm throwing you a bone. Thank you. Of course, Ariel. So, hurry up, let's wrap this thing up. I gotta go to my next practice. Okay, okay, we miss you. Why have you not been on the program? Why has it been five to six long months? Because you guys are a bunch of turncoats.

I cannot believe, you guys don't know what the word loyalty means. Me as like loyal to the soil, Leo Lion, like I'm totally like the most loyal person ever. And then you throw me under the bus by choosing Kayla as fighter of the year. Pete's just fricking wants to, I don't wanna say getting pegged by her,

but he's so jock riding that girl bootlicking this chick. Like it's disgusting. I can't, I'm literally disgusted. Like I want nothing, I wanted nothing to do with you guys. But again, you sent a real, I mean, I felt the, I felt the anger. I felt the disappointment. By the way, I never said that she was going to beat you. Someone could, you know, she could get injured. She can move up. You know, like things could happen. I never said in a head to head matchup that she was going to beat you. I'm staying out of this one. Did I not say this was my most anticipated fight of 2025 that I couldn't wait that I wanted you guys to do a face

Up you guys were made for this moment. There it is. Do you have any new work? You could have chosen anyone you could have said Bo nickel you could have said like Carlos Olberg you could have said the power but you chose her and that really it broke my heart and you know Especially since working with the boys for so long, like I didn't think that you would betray me like this, honestly. And that's clearly the only reason why I'm here is to tell you that that was a scumbag move. You really hurt my feelings.

Wow, me? Yeah. You're turning on me, you're scumbag move. You already turned on me and that scumbag Scotsman that you got working for you, he can go back to Scotland. He doesn't know you, he's allowed to pick a winner. Like he has no allegiances if we're being honest, no?

I mean, you have no relationship with him. He can go ahead and just take that role cause I'm out, I'm not. What about the boys in the back? I think they had your back, in fact I think. Oh, GC in New York, Rick, yeah, Mysterious Frank, those are my guys. Okay, so you're cool with them?

Yeah, oh, absolutely, absolutely. Of course we're cool. Me and my financial advisor have actually been going over a new investment strategy and it's just weekly Juliana Pena money line for her fight against Kayla Harrison and we're just waiting for that to occur on June 7th in Newark. Our hands are clean, our hands are clean.

We're always supporting Juliana. Yes, it was that stinking Australian you got working over there and that freaking Ariel Hoani. Wow. My goodness, I cannot believe the disloyalty over there. And then you're like, oh, are you gonna come on the show

and come visit the studio? Like, what? Now you're asking for favors? What are you talking about? No, listen, you're the only guest that we've ever flown in. You were part of our road show in New York a couple years ago. You had a grand old time.

You were a surprise guest. It was such a big deal. We had to break the bank just to fly you first class. In fact, I think we even got you tickets to the fight the next night. If my memory serves me correct, I'm not sure. I mean, you're one of us. You're part of the team.

I was devastated. It ruined my Christmas, by the way. It actually, I woke up on Christmas morning. I was devastated. It ruined my Christmas, by the way. I woke up on Christmas morning. And then you said you were gonna get me a sponsorship. I'm working on it, I'm working on it. No sponsorship. So far it's just a bunch of disappointments here

on the Ariel Hawhani show. In fact, like seriously, let's wrap this. Okay, I'm sorry. Who's that guy or gal? Who's that dog over there? Oh, this is Groot the Prick. This is- Oh, wow.

Would he or she betray you? Never. Never, never. This guy sleeps right here on my neck. Like, this is my guy right here, the man of the house. Have you been, for lack of a better word, stabbed in the back? Like, has this brought up, you know,

old feelings of someone breaking your trust and not being loyal? I, it's happened a lot, actually. Being loyal like this, it'll only get you hurt. And that's, that's for sure. But you know what? We, we, all we do is we, we forgive, we throw love out there because love combats everything and we move on. And, and I'm just trying to start another day. I was gonna come on last week and then like, I'm not gonna blame you. Oh my God. Exactly.

Oh my God. But like you're texting me and then boom, freaking cock rammed in a car accident. Okay, by the way, I didn't know you were driving. I didn't tell you to text me in the moment. Well, I had to get to the parking lot because I had to make my next practice so that I could do the interview.

So like I had to leave the house early in order to make the interview possible. Oh my god. How much were you hating me? How much were you cursing me? I felt so bad. I'm like this woman is never going to talk to me ever again. Not only did I have to like literally offer up my firstborn as a sacrifice, now she gets into a car accident three minutes before the show. And by the way, I never said what happened. I just said something came up. I didn't want to get into your personal business. But I felt horrible. If I'm being honest, I really did feel horrible. Can I pay for the accident?

I got a brand spanking new car in December and I gave my old one to my mom. And I'm driving to this interview to appease you of all that. don't know why, I'm driving to make this Ariel Hauwani interview, and these two cops in an unmarked squad car and this other chick go right through the intersection at the same time. And I'm literally looking at it thinking, man, I wonder how they're gonna be able to clear that before that other car.

And like, as I was thinking like that, then they came and hit each other. She T-boned the cops, and then they came and ran right into me and took out my complete front end of my car and I've never been in an accident before so I was obviously shaken up but also um like there was a scratch on the back of my bumper and I had got the car like I paid for like the wing ding and like the tire package so that if any scratches you go get it fixed for free. So I got my car that Saturday and I didn't drive it

because on Sundays, like I only went to church on Sunday. Then on Mondays, like I'm going off to my first practice and right when I like leave the corner of my neighborhood, I'm getting in this gigantic car accident. and so I had my car back from the shop for less than 48 hours and now I'm back in the rental again and Lord knows when it's going to be done. It's going to take like another like two and a half weeks they said so I'm just. Well if I can offer a sincere apology and sincere support, we appreciate you, we respect you.

Dare I say, we love you, Juliana, we love you. Can I take this as an olive branch? Can I take this as a thawing of the ice? Are we back at least, or is this just like, you're doing it so I could stop bothering you? Can you take my car accident as an olive branch? No, no, no, I mean like this appearance, like this you coming on. I miss like this appearance, like this coming on.

I miss you and that's the truth of it. And I'm a lover too. And so I really am doing this because I miss you boys and it's been too long. And I obviously had to make an appearance. So yes, we can be friends. We love you, Juliana. There it is.

There it is. I mean, I don't know if Connor was sleeping over there. What was going on over there, Connor? You were sleeping? I mean- He's posting an update. Okay, all right, Juliana. There it is. There it is. I mean, I don't know if Connor was sleeping over there. What was going on over there, Connor? You were sleeping? I mean, what? He's posting an update. Okay. All right.

All right. Hard at work over here, man. Head down. Juliana, what a time this is for you. I mean, this is the right time for you to be on because you're about to defend your title in, what, 32 days from now, right here across the river. You are a massive dog.

And based on our research, it's very unofficial. I can't find another champion that has been this big of an underdog going into a title defense. What do you make of this disrespect? You know, it's just this constant rain of disrespect everywhere I go. It's just like the such is my life. And that's okay because nothing makes me happier. Nothing brings me more joy than to ruin people's nights

and to prove everybody wrong. So I'm just being put in a position again of needing to silence everyone. And if anybody has that ability, it's me. And so I'm just feeling right at home in the same spot that I've always been in. And to be honest, I don't take too much of the

bedding, underdog favorite stuff into, into stock. I don't let that get into my head at all. I know what I'm capable of doing. I know who I am as a fighter and knowing the work and the mat time that I've put in gives me all the confidence in the world that I could literally fight anybody. So come on with a girl. She's in for a long night at the office. Either way, you split it.

What were the vibes that you were getting from her? You guys had the press conference about a month ago. It was very entertaining, as expected. The one in Utah, where you weren't fighting each other, but you were both up there in separate fights, was incredible, incredible theater. But you were back at it, the face-off here. What were you feeling from her a month ago in Miami?

I was feeling great. That's the only thing month ago in Miami? I was feeling great. That's the only thing that I can say. I was feeling great. I'm like, I don't have, you know, I know that they ask always all the time, are you scared, are you scared? Of course there is a bit of anxiousness and nervousness that comes in this fighting game.

But I put all my fears, all my doubts, all my worries, all my anxieties at the foot of the cross. And I don't worry, I don't get too weary about anything because I have made peace with living, I've made peace with dying. And at the end of the day, once that cage door closes, in my mind, I have already made peace with the fact that I could die in there.

And so when you have made that peace and when you know what you're capable of doing and when you know how much time you've dedicated into doing this, the only thing left to do is just to do it. So there's not that much fear anymore. It's just more so I'm ready. I'm ready for this moment. I'm ready to step into this light and I'm ready to silence everybody yet again. So it's just it's a great place to be and because I feel like I'm in a win-win situation, you know?

There have been some people who have discussed her weight cutting, right? Like that she is okay to do it once and maybe twice, but you know to keep doing this at 135 pounds is a big ask, especially when she has been fighting at 45, 55, etc. What do you think? Are there any concerns on your end about her making this weight successfully come June 6th? No, I don't think so. She's a professional, you know, she's a professional and I have no doubts that she's going to make the weight. Does it suck? Is it mentally and physically and emotionally taxing? Absolutely. but that's what you get when you try to be a weight bully

and cut 50 pounds in order to make the weight class. So she, again, is in for a long night at the office. And not only that, but just take into consideration her first fight at 135 pounds going 25 minutes. It's gonna be very grueling and taxing. And at this point, it's like, how are you going to win? You might be able to lay on top of me for one round, maybe. But after that, as every minute that the fight goes on,

the longer that the fight goes on is just better for me. I got the gas tank, I got the cardio. I have been in there to learn the lessons with the best of the best with the Amanda Nunes is that can switch their footwork and that are far more dangerous on the feet and on the ground than she is. So when I know that I've been through these tests before and I have learned these lessons, I have literally been in there and experienced everything that there could be able to experience. Is she going to throw me on my head one time? Yeah, good

luck after that. You know, it It's gonna be very difficult for her and I know that she's already battling her own demons as far as her weight cut goes. But I cannot focus too much on what she has to do. I have to focus on what I have to do. Quite frankly, I have gotten bigger. I have to focus on my own weight cut. So my own weight cut is kind of where my head

needs to be at right now. Is less worried about what she's got going on and more worried about what I know that I need to do. By the way, I understand where you're coming from with the weight bullying stuff, like something said, but there isn't a 145 or 55, like she has no other choice. So is that fair? She does have a choice.

She was supposed to fight Chris Cyborg and she ran away from her. In the UFC though, in the UFC. Bro if they're telling me that I'm getting paid over a million dollars to fight Chris Cyborg in any other organization, I don't care where I'm fighting. I want to fight for money because we are prize fighters. So it's, she says I don't want to be famous. I don't want to be this famous person. Bull because if you didn't then you would have never came over to the UFC. You would have never tried to jump the line in front of all these other

girls that have been putting in 10 years in this division to try to fight for a title. So I don't want to hear this. Oh, I don't care about being famous. I don't care about people knowing my name. Of course you do. Of course you do because if you didn't you would have taken the million dollars and you would have fought Chris Seibourg if you were truly the best of the best. But she didn't wanna do that. She didn't wanna prove herself against Chris, and that's why she came running to the UFC.

And now she's gonna have to pay for it in her body of having to make this weight. And so I guess you just gotta pick your battles, right? Money versus fame versus having to cut 50 pounds in order to make the weight class. I mean, choose your heart, I guess, is what I would say. So are you concerned about your own weight cut? Yeah, of course.

I'm always concerned about my own weight cut. I have been able to put on size. I went down to the UFC and I did like a befores and afters of where I started versus where I am now. And I am bigger and my frame is a lot bigger. And so I definitely have more weight to cut myself. Any lessons that you learned from her fight against Kaitlyn? I know you were there,

but obviously focusing on your own fight, you probably had some time to watch it. It got a little dicey there for a moment. It was kind of the first time that we had seen her really have to deal with some adversity. I know she lost to Larissa, but you know the bloody nose, all that stuff. Anything you took from that? Any lessons? Yeah, I mean I think that Katlyn did a very great job in round two not getting

taken down at all. And again, if that fight would have went five rounds, I know that you know again and the more and the longer that the time goes on for Katlyn is better for Katlyn versus, uh, Kayla, because she was absolutely gassed after round three. And I know that her arms, legs, everything felt like cement blocks that she probably couldn't even pick up after round three. So those are just things, some, some things that I

noticed. Okay. And, and in terms of preparing for her, I mean, that's a, that's a Olympic judica, that's a high level athlete. Are you bringing in people that have her style to replicate her as you're preparing? Yeah. One of her old training partners from the Olympics, 2016, Max Schneider, I've hired

him as my coach and he's been with me for the whole last month and he'll be there with me for fight week. Wow. How did you link up with him? He's from Chicago actually. He's a born and raised Chicagoan. And, um, you know, Did you reach out or did he reach out?

Uh, I reached out. Yeah. But yeah, I know that he worked with Holly home when she, uh, beat Ronda Rousey in Australia, um, a long time ago. So he was her main training partner for that Ronda Rousey fight. And then, uh, for whatever reason, he didn't come back for her fight against, uh, Kayla. And so, um, you know, I put on a wrestling coach, uh, Izzy Martinez as my wrestling coach. I, I, I've put like, uh, uh,

a more solid team behind me for this fight camp than I've ever had before. Wow. Okay. This is interesting. So someone who knows her intimately, who's actually trained with her, who's been on the mats with her. Yes. Look at you. You're taking this seriously. Of course, yeah, it's a serious thing. It's fist fighting in a cage.

You can't get any more real than that. At that press conference, there was a certain Amanda Nunes sitting there, and it was kind of just revealed, she's back, that she will fight the winner Did this take you by surprise or were you always expecting this? I was always expecting it. I literally said it I went over there to Vancouver watched her lay down her gloves and told everybody what a liar

She was and boot her the entire time because I knew that she wasn't gonna be fully retired and that's the thing. I I hate this whole I'm retiring, I'm done. You know what I mean? Like, if you're gonna retire, stay retired. I don't understand why fighters always retire and then come back. Like, what is the point of, like, somebody hand this girl the Oscar

because she had everybody like, ooh, oh my gosh, she's retiring, it's over. And I'm like, no, it's not, like, is she retiring? It's over. And I'm like, no, it's not. She's way too young. She's not gonna be done. She doesn't know what her life is outside of fighting and she's gonna get bored and she's just gonna want to come back and fight again.

And now that the limelight is not on her and it's on Kayla and I, and she sees that, I know that she's itching and scratching to get back in there. And she's sitting there watching me do her dirty work like a lazy broad that she is. It's absolutely ridiculous but you know whatever she's going to do whatever she needs to do and at the end of the day Amanda is not my focus. Amanda is the furthest thing from my mind right now.

I have a rhinoceros coming to fight me on June 7th, and I need and will be a thousand and 10% prepared for when that happens. So it's one thing at a time for me right now. I'm on a one track mind. I get that, respect that. Have you been told though, that if you win, Amanda is next?

Yeah, I knew a long time ago that it was told to me, Amanda wants nothing to do with you. She wants absolutely nothing to do with you. She hates Kayla. She feels like she has nothing to prove against you and that she hates Kayla more than she feels like she wants to fight you. So if she comes back, it's to fight Kayla only.

Oh. If she sees the, when she sees that chaotic mess that she's going to see on June 7th, she's not gonna want to get back in there again and do it all over again. She'll probably stay retired, but we'll see. She was pretty pleasant in terms of afterwards, I thought that we were gonna have some words and talk, but the security guards were doing, I would say, a big job of keeping us separated

and making sure that we were not able to be very close to one another. Oh, wow. She told me, though, it's all up to you. It's all in your hands, and everything will be decided, and everything is going to be determined by you and what you do. And so, she basically saying, I will grant you the trilogy pending that, you know,

you take care of your business on June 7th. And that's exactly what I'm prepared and will do. Where was all this? Where did this happen? This interaction? It was in the back right after the press conference. Okay. And what did you say to her when she said that? I said, Oh my goodness, thank you so much. Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you. But your prediction is she watches you win and then decides not to come back. I wouldn't want to.

She did like every time we fought, every time we fought, it wasn't some like, you know, shut out, it was like, she's saying she was playing with her food, bold dude, you could not finish me. You dropped me, you couldn't finish me. You tried to get on top of me, you couldn't submit me. Like she almost got submitted in the fourth round. She was, you know, dead to rights in that armbar.

So I think for her, she knows again, that it's a hard night out fighting me. Either way you split it. So even for 25 minutes after the fourth round I'm gonna get up and I'm gonna start coming at you again and again and again. It's never gonna stop. So it's just one of those things where you know I think that at this point whether Kayla wants to say that I have no skills and then I'm just at the top just because I just magically got here. The turtle just magically got to the top of the pole. Or whether Amanda wants to discredit me in any way, that's

fine because at the end of the day they know that once they get locked in the cage with a pen of power that it's a whole different story. When I'm actually in front of you, it is a completely different fight. Just a couple more things we'll let you go. This has been so great. I never wanted to end. It's been so nice to have you, but we will not keep you much longer. I know you've brought up PDs in the past. Any concerns that they will be involved in this fight? navigate that because at this point, this drug testing is like the wild, wild west. You know, it's like pee in a plastic cup that has absolutely no security on it and do what you gotta do.

Even in the, what was that, the Olympics with the Russians being able to tamper with those usada like unbreakable type of bottles and be able to switch the peas in them, you know. Eventually everything that you do in the dark comes to the light. And I cannot confirm 110% whether she is or is not on PEDs. But I will say that back then in the Olympics,

she looked like a girl, very feminine. And now she looks super juicy and like cut up, you know, like somebody give that girl a band-aid because she's cut. And it doesn't just happen overnight just because you touch the weights a little bit. So you know, I want to say what everybody's thinking on their minds, which is that of course she at some point was on steroids and And hopefully she cycles off of them before June 7th makes the weight and pisses clean because that's what I'm going to be doing.

And I want this to be as fair as fight as possible minus her being a weight bully and cutting the 50 pounds in order to make the weight class. A month ago, she was on the show. She said this quote, I want to have a lot of respect for Juliana because she's a single mom, a veteran of the sport. She scratched and clawed her way to the top.

She believed in herself when nobody believed in her. I really want to have admiration for her. And I think deep down I do. And I love that she's confident, she says what she thinks, but she's just pretty dumb sometimes. So it's hard, it's difficult. Just some of the stuff, cheesy, very cringe. She reminds me a lot of Henry Zahudo, trying too hard. What do you think of that? I think it's funny because I think she came on

the show and said that I had no skills. And then I saw another interview maybe like two weeks ago that said that she was preparing for Godzilla. So make up your mind. That's good. That's respect. Make up your mind. Like, do I have no skills or are you preparing for Godzilla? Which is it? What am I? I'm Momzilla, get it right. And just so you know, when you watch the movie Godzilla versus King Kong, Godzilla wins.

So thank you for the compliment. Talk about dumb. Get a clue, girl. I never saw the movie, thank you for the spoiler, but I guess I don't have to watch it. Can I just ask you you what's the prediction? The prediction how do you how do you actually see it playing out? I'm gonna win. I'm gonna get my hand raised I'm going to literally be a

squirrely Scrapper with the heart of a lion that I am and I'm going to like she said, I'll take it directly from her mouth I am going to scratch and claw my way to victory. And I don't know what that looks like. I don't know how, but I'm going to eventually catch her. And that will happen soon. And maybe in the fourth round, maybe in the fifth round, but I will be able to get her eventually.

Before I let you go, we were debating this beforehand. You've retweeted a couple things about Canon Katzer, a guy named Cannon Katzer. We're trying to understand what's your relationship to this football player. Here you are retweeting Cannon Katzer, who's going to West Virginia. Who is Cannon Katzer in your life? So, Rick Little is the one that taught me how to fight. I was born and raised under Rick's sick jitsu systems in Spokane, Washington all my life. Rick had a baby mama, Misty King,

and Misty had two sons. She had Taven and then she had Cannon. And then she got married and met her, it would have been her husband at the time. And they were in a horrible ATV accident. And she was passing the little baby to her husband who was driving, and the little baby pulled the steering wheel really hard

because he wanted to drive. But when she was passing the baby, she took her seatbelt off. And when the baby pulled the wheel, they fell off of a cliff. And she snapped her neck and she passed away in that ATV accident. And so Cannon is her middle child and he lost his mother. And now he has been, talk about clawing and scratching his way to getting into the NFL. And he's just been looking for a shot, but he has managed to do an incredible job. He was playing down in Southern California,

then in Sacramento, and now he just got on at West Virginia. And I've just been trying to put a lot of light on him because I know how good he is. I know how dedicated he is. And honestly, like, I'm just gonna say it now, that kid is something else. And I just think he's like a Julian Edelman, you know what I mean?

And usually for those types of positions, you see, you know, African-Americans playing that type of role, but he's a little white boy from Spokane and that guy can run the ball like I've never seen in my life. And so I'm just rooting, hoping, praying for the best for Cannon, cause he's a really good kid. He deserves it.

And I know that he made his mama a promise and I am hoping that he fulfills that because Misty was a total angel. Wow, I'm really sorry. That is shocking. What a freaking story. Holy crap. We're rooting firm as well. Yeah, yeah. And last thing, you know, I don't know if you noticed this, on UFC, we looked at this, we were very professional here. On UFC.com, you're listed as 13 and 5. On Wikipedia, you're listed as 12 and 5. On Tap you're listed as 12 and 5, on

Tapology 11 and 5. So which is it? What's your actual record? Ariel, some people ask me what my age is and I don't know. I think I'm 34 but I think I might be 35. And I can't sing and dance and I can't do math. That's why I fist fight Um, I don't know I would have to like write out every single fight that I've ever had if I could remember them all and Then I would be able to tell you what the actual record is So like after this phone call, I'll write it out and I'll tell you what it what it doesn't matter You're the champ. You're the two-time champ. You did what Folkanovsky did. You got the win. You stumbled. You came back. You defied the odds. And on June 7th, you make that walk

as champion once again in the most anticipated fight of 2025 so far. I would still love to do the face-off, if I'm being honest, but I feel like I'm on the outs with you. Just this is all that I'll take. It's all that I'll take. Thank you. I appreciate it. I hope the UFC steals that idea and does it with you guys. So I can watch it and say, I had that idea first because it would be blockbuster, it would be incredible

theater and and by the way just want to throw it out there if in fact you are bored during your time here in the northeast you know the area that we flew you in to do shows around the same area if you want to come visit the studio and say hello to the boys we'll get a nice car for you we'll bring you to and fro, no problem. You know how we do. We're very classy here. We're first class. So just think about it.

But this has warmed my cold heart. It's been so great to have you back on. Thank you, thank you. If you throw in a couple of la boo boos, then maybe I'll come. What's that? What is a la boo boo? You're gonna have to look it up.

If you can throw in a couple real la boo boos, then maybe I'll come. We're in. Whatever it is, we're in. Thank you, Joanna. Okayoos and maybe we'll come. Whatever it is we're in. Okay thanks guys I'll talk to you soon. All the best. Have a good one. She is the best, the great Juliana Pena. Love having the Venezuelan vixen on. Can someone tell me what a Labooboo is? I don't know I'm looking that up but I am hyped for June 9th when she comes in studio with the world. Wow. Wow would be great. Wow, listen, I am abstaining. La boo boo?

La boo boo, la boo boo. Pop Mart, is it a toy? Is it a monster? It looks like a little toy. I'm, what? Yeah, we can buy a few of these. Yeah, what's, I don't get it. Let's get one with a UFC belt on it.

La boo boo doll. Oh, there's someone who unboxed, yeah. It's just a doll. Is it this? Is she referring to this? Does she think this is a Labooboo? Cause it kind of looks like a Labooboo. No, I think she's saying,

please pamper me with gifts to make it up. Yeah, have some Laboobos. Yeah, popmart.com, a couple of Laboobos, yeah. I need to ask our good friend Sav Jelly. She made this custom one of one Tom Aspinall. Legend. I'm just glad we're back. We're back.

See, and this is the thing that I will say about Juliana, but she was really pissed. She did feel betrayed, but unlike others, she's not holding that grudge. There have been a few that have done this, right? They've been mad, they come back. Aljo did it, Askren did it. We appreciate those.

Come on, break bread, buryren did it. We appreciate those. Come on, break bread, bury the hatchet. Life's too short, right? Now how long till Calatec? But that fiendish Scottish pizza carol. Australian. Yeah, that Australian piece of shit pizza carol. We gotta get him sorted out.

Oh my God. I know he's nervous for Jack Della this weekend, wants another belt down under. Oh my god Listen the Scottish He has no lead I don't even know if he's ever met Juliana he doesn't have any allegiance to her He's calling it down the middle. Did I screw up a hundred percent? I should have I should have just picked John I should have abstained. I have great like I did abstained, I have great respect and admiration for both of them.

I'm not even gonna watch the fight, I'm gonna be a mess. I'm not even gonna watch it. I'm gonna abstain. You're not even curious? I am curious, I'm gonna follow it like this on the Yahoo Sports app. What am I doing? Yeah.

Just watch the watch party, we'll react to it and then I'll be the one. God damn it, I forgot, I kept this in the office at all times. Oh my broski, broski. You had it. How did I not put it on? Fuck! Oh my god. It's literally right there. It's a great hoodie.

Man, it really is a great hoodie. This is what I'm gonna be wearing all fight week. I need this to... I need sewed with like a half Georgian flag just to support my Georgian brethren. Or maybe just a Laboubou. You hold it? Let's get a Laboubou wearing the Pena hoodie. When you say Georgian,, just to support my Georgian brethren. Or maybe just a Labubu. Labubu.

Let's get a Labubu wearing the Pena hoodie. When you say Georgian, are you saying cause of Marab? Yeah, I mean you gotta support the Georgians. Don't you have sugar merch? That one's sugar too, but I mean you gotta support the Georgians while they're there. Gentlemen, do we have any super chats? Oh, I did that too quickly.

Andy's gonna kill me. Yes, he is going to murder me. I'm gonna go to the back there and she's gonna be like, you can't go to, that's on me. That's on me. Yeah, you're fired. I'm fucking fired. Andy will also be in. Venezuelan.

Oh, that's right. I mean, yeah, how could she hate us? How could she hate us? She doesn't hate us anymore. She doesn't hate us. Venezuelan food? We all got sweaters. Wait, what sweaters?

What sweaters? The hoodies. Oh yeah, I didn't get one by the way. Yeah. No, you got one. She brought one for all of us. Read the room, Ariel. I didn't get one.

Read the room. Speaking of reading, 24inchdubs writes, Okay, Ariel plus company, I'm still here in the L. Go Knicks! Hell yeah. Oh yeah, this dude talks a lot of shit about the Knicks. It doesn't look like the text was written in the chat. Can we put that back up? Wait, what happened?

The way that Nix is positioned on there does not look exactly how it was written. Oh, I see, sorry. Yeah. I'm skeptical. How could that have happened? I have no clue. And I like the logo. Yeah, that's how it came up.

I don't know. I can't make up. What is that? I can't even tell. Fantastic work. What house? Guys, there's how it came up. I don't know. I can't make up. What is that? I can't even tell. Fantastic work. What else? Larry O'Brien trophy in here like an hour ago.

Crazy, crazy, crazy. What else? Dion Warren writes, what's your odds for Corey versus Sean and who has the edge? Corey versus Sean, meaning like what would the odds be if they fought each other?

Like what are your odds minus 115 minus 115? No, I think sugar is gonna be a favorite if it happens Wow Well, especially considering that it might be on the heels of maybe beating marav then he'd be a favorite I'm abstaining from that one, too. Listen, I make no bones about the fact that like I ain't making pics with guys who come on The show what's in it for me? There's nothing in it for me. Who, me? Yeah, so say what you will, I'm Switzerland.

What else? Zombie Slayers, been listening since the AOL days. Heart emoji, from the UK. Yo, shout out to the UK, shout out to the AOL days. Same building, same floor. Isn't that crazy? One of the all time craziest things. It does make it sound like we've never left.

Some might say. Poop like a champion. What else? Thank you for the shout out yesterday, Ariel. And gentlemen, there's a package on its way to you and then a empty cereal bowl. What's up with the Celtics logo for this guy, too? Have you gotten your glasses checked out?

That's how it came in. How'd you know what it was? I can't even tell. I'm just saying, this is not cool. Where are the Knicks fans at? Like, shut out. What's with us editing things that come on screen? Excuse me, Frank?

What are you saying? I was reading the next chat. We'll skip that one, guys. All right, so. Okay, what? I'm very confused. That's all of them. That's all of them them you're gonna laugh at one and not read it yeah is it that bad no no it's it's fine let me see what it is I'm gonna go to our little thing here

super chance how bad is it thank you for the shout out there's nothing I don't see anything oh damn there was there was someone who asked GC yesterday, who did you pick to win NASCAR? Denny not looking good. Yeah, Denny's car caught on fire on Sunday, it wasn't great. Had Ross Chastain plus 2800, he came in second. I was on a great streak of nailing the winner,

seven races in a row, but can't win them all. GC was on a generational run. Yeah, I kept sending it to Rick and... Can you win anything for second place? Not if you take them to win the race. No, but can you bet on second place? You can bet top fives, top tens, top threes. He was picking winners though, that's the crazy part.

Wow, just first place. First place, yeah. And some of them big dogs too, right? Oh yeah, I mean like the smallest was like a plus 600. I mean for the one at Talladega, I had Austin Cindrick plus 1800. Damn. Yeah, it was some good times, it hurt to see it lose.

What are the odds on Forrest making Champions League right now? I don't know, I wonder if there are, you know. I wonder. I feel like that's a pre-season type thing, you know. With three left? Yeah. Three games left, three fixtures. How are you feeling about it?

You know, I- I feel great, I think they grabbed six and then it all comes down to that final against Chelsea and they get it done. Oh my God, that'd be nuts, could you imagine? So do they need to win all three to get in? Probably. To finish top four, we're plus 600.

All we need is five. Finish top six we're minus 250. So it's like, they don't think we're gonna be top four, but they're pretty sure we're gonna be top six. If they're six they get it. Serious question. Man U, Tottenham, one of them wins Europa. Does that mean one less slot for those top five?

How does that work? You're not gonna win Europa. No, I don't think so I was reading an article that said like Premier League could end up getting as many as like seven if that scenario so they don't Take away a spot. They just add to it And this is the first year that the Prem gets five so Chelsea is currently five. I think we're two and back of them. So if we went out and

Chelsea is currently five. I think we're two and back of them. So if we went out and if they stumble in one, that would be great. But even if they went out as well, meaning they win the next two, it really does all come down to that last. We control our own destiny. Yeah. Just went out and you're in champions. Yes.

Yes. What if they're beautiful? What if they only win two of the three? Well, then they need help. Well, also a draw could help us as well. Depends which ones they win, yada yada yada. Just went out. You control your own destiny.

Oh, we're in the mix. It's insane. You control your own destiny, just went out. It's insane. We are in the mix, and perhaps this time next year we'll be seeing them in the semi-finals of the Champions League, which is going on right now. I still can't believe that we had the Lario B in studio.

What a moment it was when I got to share a kiss with Larry. I mean, look at this right here. That is just, that is gentle. It is a little too gentle. Was there any part of you that was like, Tender. This came out of a case, I don't know. Am I gonna do it?

1000%. A thousand. The hand grab it doesn't work. And then you were like, I know. He's like grabbing its weight. It's so gingerly weight gingerly a little uneasy What what what did you want? It's just grabbing it around the way We need to put a

First kiss after high school prom. This is it. There it is. I love that thing. I'm a tender guy I'm an emotional guy. I'm the kiss was very gentle That all went down, us just passing the thing around, that thing is a solid 30 pounds. Oh, Larry's got some weight to him. Yeah, so when you see LeBron one-handing it over his head, I'm like, what the fuck?

Also, you just played a whole basketball game, you're sweaty, you're tired, and they're just like, rah! We do have to remember his hand is like four times the size of ours. He's also like 180 pounds. Yeah, 180 pounds of pure muscle. So, man, what a great experience.

That was a lot of fun. LeBron kissed it. Jordan kissed it. You have kissed it. Now you have kissed it. I love how we're all just like, we can really touch it. What about the fingerprints, everything like that? As soon as they walk it out, they just wipe all the fingerprints.

Oh, did they? Yeah, and then just put it right into a case. I love how Mark. The spot where you kissed it, there was a little extra spraying going on. Oh, they told me, just like Daniel Rodriguez's cheek, they're going to do like those. They're going to etch you onto it? My lips.

Mark comes in with the white gloves. Love that. Yeah. Nice touch. I think. Shout out Mark, by the way. Mark was incredible. He's tremendous.

Pinnant spirits you guys are. Yeah. Found out that he went to Syracuse, that he's a Knicks fan, a Bills fan, and that he went to summer camp, Camp Watito, with a bunch of kids that I grew up with. Like, that I went to elementary school with, and high school, Richie Shime, Josh Neupel,

Andrew Kliger, this is crazy. I mean, this was... It was all meant to be. This was meant to be. This was meant to be. What a day. As is that Knicks title. I'm rooting for you.

Thank you. That's kind of you as a Knicks fan, we appreciate that. I actually am rooting for you. I appreciate that as well. I wore that Knicks title. I'm rooting for you. Thank you. That's kind of you as a Kemp's fan. We appreciate that. I actually am rooting for you. I appreciate that as well. I wore my Knicks jacket today. You have one? Yeah, I got one for Katz Deli. Oh, that's right.

Oh, that's a good one. Champion or starters? One of the two. It's starters. Did I say starters? No, starter. Guys. I was at old school Kemp starter jersey.

I mean, come on. That's a nice one as well. That's a nice one. All the merch, I wish I brought my own. I wish I got the memo. I would have brought my Oakley jersey. Some of us appreciate the moment of the Larry O'Brien trophy and take it seriously and some of us don't prepare.

Tomorrow on the program, gents, oh yeah, that's nice. That's nice. Oh, is that a Mitchell and Ness? Starter? Okay. Mitchell and Ness. I thought that was, what does it say right here on the sleeve? Right here, on the left side, left side, right here. Nicks, there it is, yeah, Mitchell and Ness. I thought that was what does it say right here on the sleeve? Right here on the left side. Left side. Right here. Nicks. There it is. Yeah Mitchell and Ness.

There it is. Yeah. I know Mitchell. Tomorrow on the program gents, looking forward to it very much. We've got the one of the greatest guys that I've ever met in the history of combat sports, Bryan Stan, who has all, I mean, he's left us in the dust. He's en route to becoming president of the United States. He is going to join us. Jawline. Incredible jawline and, and, uh, an American hero, uh, also very excited that, uh, one of the all time great pro wrestlers is going to be joining us. He was once known as the one, two, three kid six pock X pock Sean Waltman.

as the one, two, three kid, six pock, ex pock, Sean Waltman. The originator of one of the most famous maneuvers in all of combat sports. Sean Waltman gonna be joining us. He doesn't do a lot of interviews, so looking forward to that. And I wanted to send this home at least a Thursday. It's Montreal fight week.

We had GSP on last week. There was only one guy that I needed on Montreal fight week. We had GSP on last week. There, there was only one guy that I needed on Montreal fight week. The man who really introduced me to MMA and, and, and made me believe that like, Hey, people from Montreal can make it. My first favorite fighter, the pride of Montreal, the crow, David Loazo going to join

us to set the table as we head into UFC three 15, looking forward to that very much. In addition to on the nose, we'll answer your questions and pass the baton to the boys in the back as they set the table on Thursday. Crack on Friday. You know the drill. Hey, Aron Addy coming up, hard out 358.

So we're 11 minutes early. Let's get to it. Wait, what? What? Let's check. Hard out 347. Hard out 330. Do you need another 11 minutes to cook? No, Uh, let's check. Hard out 3.47. Hard out 3.30.

Are you, do you need another 11 minutes to cook? No, no, I'm good. I want, I hear they're bringing Larry back if you guys want to... Sometimes I like to be early. Larry, Larry, Larry. Cold, huh? It was cold. Very cold.

It was like, honestly, it felt chilled. I'm telling you. That kiss is climbing. That kiss is climbing. What a kiss though. I mean... I know. So gentle, so delicate.

Yeah. Yeah. Honestly, it felt chill. I'm telling you. That kiss is fine. It goes around. What a kiss, though. I mean. I know. So gentle, so delicate. So tender, so sensual. I just want our viewers to find someone in their life that looks at them the way Ariel looks at them. Yes.

Now, do we think we're going to be in the dog house with Jack? Palms and fingers straight. Like a little nervous to actually caress it. Yes. I didn't know what to do. Wrap your fingers around it. Hands are just looking bad. Real nervous.

Eyes closed very early. Yeah, I should have looked at myself as I was kissing. But I was always told when you kiss, your eyes closed. I was always told, don't look. I know, but you're jamming those things shut, man. I was nervous. I just love how you said, I was always told like, you're not a man with three children.

This is what I was told back in the day. You're 14 years old. I was told, close your damn eyes. so I closed my eyes You know old habits die hard I just I didn't want to get you when you drink out of a cup. No no one no one likes a an aggressive kisser No one likes that guy. It was very it was very nice. I was in college one time I won't say the young lady's name, but I said to my friends that she paralyzed my tongue. Like it was just too much.

Wow. It was too much. Now I know. I know it's a very appealing tongue, but it's like chill. So I just want to, you know, I just want to. You didn't want Larry to be too aggressive. So you gave up.

Exactly. You have to set the tone. Anyway, thank you very much to Larry O'Bee. Thank you to Kevin O'Connor. Thank you to Bo Nickel. Thank you to Julianne Pena. Thank you to Lee Wood. Back tomorrow. Save time, Kevin O'Connor. Thank you to Bo Nicol. Thank you to Julianne Pena. Thank you to Lee Wood. Back tomorrow!

Save time, Mississippi. I'm out of here.