The Ariel Helwani Show - Dakota Ditcheva, Mauricio Ruffy, Charles Johnson, Ade Oladipo, news and notes, more

Episode Date: January 13, 2026

Ariel Helwani kicks off the show by reacting to yesterday’s Arman Tsarukyan pizza party, Dana White’s upcoming announcement, PFL revealing the main event for its Pittsburgh show, Moses Itauma’s next fight being postponed, and more (04:47).Dakota Ditcheva is back on the show, detailing the hand injury that forced her to withdraw from PFL’s February event, breaking down the fight between former ATT teammates Amanda Nunes and Kayla Harrison, weighing in on Valentina Shevchenko’s continued success, and responding to Cris Cyborg’s callout (34:50).Charles Johnson returns to preview his upcoming fight against Alex Perez, talk about his win over Joshua Van and his feelings on Van as UFC flyweight champion, seeing himself as more than just a prospect killer, what impact the Paramount partnership could have on promotional efforts, his track and field history, and more (1:05:11).Ariel reunites with old friend and co-host Ade Oladipo to react to the buzz surrounding big wins by Agit Kabayel and Dalton Smith, the announcement of Moses Itauma’s fight being delayed, Mario Barrios vs. Ryan Garcia being made official, David Benavidez going up to challenge Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez, Zuffa Boxing’s debut show, KSI’s retirement from boxing, and more (1:30:15).Mauricio Ruffy is our final guest of the day, discussing his recent team-up with Alexander Volkanovski, suffering defeat to Benoit Saint-Denis and how he plans to bounce back, his highlight-reel knockout of King Green, preparing to face Rafael Fiziev, and more (2:04:55).Ariel closes the show with more news and notes, before answering your Super Chats (2:25:33).

Lazy! Welcome to the er- On this Tuesday, January Thursday, do that! And 26, hello again, everyone. Still going strong with the 26th. Still haven't messed up. May have messed it up once or twice in rehearsals, but that's why you do the rehearsals. I always tell you, it's rehearsals, let's get on.

Oh, really? Let's get on the right track here. You know, it's a new year, new you. that stuff and more. Here we are still going strong. Sometimes my chair gets caught on the little carpet thingy here but my friends what a day we had yesterday. Still buzzing. Still buzzing over the last 48 hours really. Bills on Sunday. Oh you know what's so funny about the bills talk at the top of the show? I think it lasted like eight minutes and then I see like, oh, why do I have to wait? And they say 30. Why do I have to wait

30 minutes to get to the MMA talk on an MMA show. First of all, it was less than 10. Second of all, we're not an MMA show. Third of all, we gave you four plus hours after that. Okay, relax. Can you let me be happy? Just for once. Just for once.

Lord knows Frank doesn't let me be happy. You can never do anything for me. Thank you. Thank you, David. Anyway, we had a great day. Afterwards, we had a great day yesterday. We had the champ on, Alex Volcanowski, dispelling some rumors.

And then we had a little pizza party with the one and only Armand Trugian. I do have a bone to pick with Mr. Armin. I saw him post today his sad sack pizza on like a folding table in Times Square. We're not even going to show that one. We're not even going to show that one. It doesn't even deserve to be shown after all the praise we gave him. I mean, we had a real pizza party here. We had a real freaking pizza party here.

Well, we'll relive that in a moment. First, let me tell you about today's program. Today's program, another stack one, a four-pack-of-guess joining us today. Back end of the program, Mauricio Huffy, new team, new management, new fight. A lot of big things happening in his life since the loss in September. Let's see how he gets back on track. Had a 75-fight win-shriek loss to BSD in Paris. This was all part of the much talk to.

about demise of the fighting nerds. He's returning on the Sydney card, January 31st, here in North America, February 1st over there. Really good fight against Rafael Fiziv. It's always tough when you go with the Rafael Fiziv and then the Mauricio Hufi. The R is an H for the Brazilians, but it's a hard R with the Eastern Europeans. Anyway, big fight, fun fight, strikers delight. He's now training with the likes of Alex Volcanovsky. He's an engaged athlete. I like this fight for him. I like this fight a lot. Looking forward to it. I like the fight for both of them. If I'm being honest, we'll talk to him about all of that and more. At about 3.30 at 2.30, our good friend, Addyo Lodipo will stop by Tuesdays with Adde, just like the old times. Back to back. A lot going on in

the world of boxing. We'll pick his brain on all of those matters. Big news yesterday. Ryan Garcia against Mario Barrios for the WBC Welterweight title. talk to Adé at around 2.30 at 2 o'clock Charles Johnson, who's competing on the first UFC card of the year, the much anticipated UFC 324. It's amazing, right? Don't you feel like people are kind of foaming at the mouth at this point? Like they can't wait for the UFC to be back, and it's only been, you know, a little over, it's been literally like 32 days since the last UFC, but people are just going nuts. A little distance, a little absence, makes the heart grow fonder. That's what they say. Anyway, he's on that card against Alex Perez. Last guy to beat Joshua Van,

by the way, the new champ. So we'll talk to Mr. Charles Johnson about that. And at about 130, one of the biggest stars in the PFL, one of the biggest stars in women's MMA, the great Dakota Dichva, who's supposed to fight on February 7th, unfortunately suffered an injury. She's out. We'll get an update from her. Talk to her. It's been a minute. It's been about five or so months, maybe even six at this point, considering her last fight was in July. So we'll catch up with the Man City fan, the one and only Dakota Dichiva. So there's your four-pack of guests. A little something for everyone. But as I said yesterday, had a little pizza party. Pizzi, I felt like you were, you were missing out on the action. I wanted to relive it with you. Yeah, no, it's very tough

when this happens. So much fun. So much fun. So much. buzz, so much crack. Everyone's having a great time. You can feel the, you can feel the text are flying. Yeah. The texts are flying. The vibrations are coming through from the studio.

Yeah. Frank is even smiling. I heard someone text me and said Frank is smiling. Yeah. I was like, my God. Um, what gets me upset is, you know, all this fun being had, me not being there. The only thing I can say that was close to this is the action Bronson thing. Yeah.

That happened. Yeah. It was devastated. You know, I was just watching it in the sitting room when my family around me going, yeah, if I was, if I was in New York, they would have brought me. Yeah. Yeah, for sure. See them hugging each other?

Yeah, they would have hugged me. You know, yeah, not a lot, but I mean, I would have done it. They could have edited it somehow. But another thing, Richie dropping MMA knowledge, I was like, he could just replace me on the show. He was like, you know, he's just in the court. Armans there, you're all talking about, I believe it was Hamza and Pereira. And he just drops in like, what do you think of the ground game situation?

What do you think about the disparity? I was like, Richie, come on, mate. You're making beautiful pizzas. You're showing up with all this charisma. It was heartbreaking. And it's been a roof 12 hours thinking about where is my position on the show now, really. No, no, Richie was great. What a revelation.

We've actually been talking about ways of having him on the program more to drop some of that knowledge. I don't like the sound of that. A piece of pie with Rich, I don't know, a slice. Roy-Dace, is that what you're thinking about? A slice. I was thinking about it being the perfect way to like sort of go into the weekend, you know? You know, Richie, maybe with a couple other pizza guys talking about, anyway, let's- Ben, maybe.

You know, you mentioned it. Hey, guys, how are you? Let's relive. Let's relive. Let's relive what happened yesterday. Let's all watch it together because it was so much fun. Armin was so great. Pizza, you should have been here, man.

Yeah, it would have been here. It would have been here, bro. Thanks, thanks. I wish you were here. Yeah, yeah. Let's relive it. Here it is. Here it is.

Right. Come in, come in. Here it is. Look at all this pizza. Whoa. Whoa. From our good friends. Why didn't tell me going to have a line?

Look at this. Look at this. Hey, Richie's here. My guy, Richie. Yeah, look at that, Rojah. That's a bro. Herman. Number one pizza in New York.

Number one. What's up, brother? Pleasure. But watching your career since the start. Richie, from Lucia of Soho. Richie, why you're so skinny? You don't need your pizza. Too much.

I'm by the oven. No way. You don't need your pizza. You're too skinny. I got to get the, you know, the Excel sizes. And then you're going to be, you're going to change your old clothes for the Excel. Puzz it. Pause it.

Pause it. Pause it. Keep going. Yes. Ariel has no idea that you can hear Richie here, right? Because he doesn't know that we like them. So Richie's having this whole conversation and Ariel's like, oh shit, is he?

Come over to the mic. You know, just throwing it out there, thank you for bringing that up. You know, maybe if there was maybe someone in the control who could have been like, hey, Ariel, don't worry, he's miced up because I am wearing the piece. Don't worry, I shouted to you. Frank probably said that.

You were also feeding his microphone into your ear directly. There's so much going on. How am I supposed to know? Yeah, so how am I supposed to know you didn't realize? Hey, Ariel, heads up. Don't worry about it. He's miced up. That's a great point by Frank.

He was in your ear. He was coming right through your eye. Yeah. Pause. Pause. I am. I am. But what?

Can I just say the shot of the pizzas like almost going up to Armand's head? And there was a great meme that I saw on Instagram of someone saying like when you're in, when you're in class and they all of a sudden break out a pizza party and everyone's so excited. That's what it felt like like, like you could you could feel how excited Armand was. but he did bring up a good point. He had a couple hours to kill. He said he was going to get something to eat. Rick didn't tell him that we, hey,

don't eat too much. Not going to tell you. Yeah, that wouldn't have been suspicious at all. Hey, Armin, don't need too much, brother. I think he would have played along. Anyway, it was great. Yeah, he would have played along, but he also wouldn't have been surprised. It was great banter. Keep going.

What do we have here? Come, come speaking to the microphone. This is Richie legend. Oh, he's miced up. Okay, okay. Wow, look at this. Armine. I got you.

So, I'm telling you right. now. I would only do this for Ariel. Only. He texted me this order. It's a beautiful. I really wasn't sure about it, but you know what? Only for you. My guy. What is it? What is it? Tell the world. It's called, look at this, Armin. Look at this. So the Helwani, you see that? That's called the aura. That's called class right now. Please, please. Listen, so it's a New York plain pie. Yes. With chopped green olives and pineapple. Only, this goes... My nutrition is Italian. La, la, la, la. This is how I feel. This is number what. Have you ever had

The Italian olives? We want to kill him. He would have made me go against. That shot. I believe it. Pineapple on the pizza, no, the walls. The shot. It's me and you, brother.

I should be on that side of a table. I can't wait. You actually did it. You want to do the reveal? Okay, let's try. This is the money shop. Pitti, money shot right here. When I was growing up, I used to have pineapple and olives every Sunday night with my family.

I feel it right here. I'm so excited. And Richie's doing it just for me, exclusive. This is going to be the number one seller over at Lucia of Soho. Oh my God. Listen, they're gonna do a They just can come and say I got this.

Armin, look at this. Always for him. Wow. Some piece of work. Let's try. You got to look beautiful, but maybe it's not taste good. Holy crap, I can't believe I'm actually staring at this. Richie. It's hard to get in the city to get a custom pie like that.

I thought I was so excited. Ah, goodness. Why? Harmon. Because he says it's against all his beliefs. Look at this, Harmon. Sicily, they would shot my head off. Forget it.

Yeah, right? They would not be having this. What's your background? Forget about it. A town. Italian American. I like how Armin kind of takes over the interview. You're like, my neighbor is called Garrison Beach.

Story by Marine Park, Sheeps had Bay. And he's impressed. You can't hide the excitement when they tried this. It's very different from, it's good. It's a different Brooklyn. Right, right, right. But you know, it's... What do you think, Armin?

Very good. We gotta do good content. You don't know how to do that. What are you taking? Do you know what I was thinking when I was watching this as well? What are you doing? You know when... He's taking it for the Casa.

That's it. And you say, like, oh, whereabouts is that? And they go, oh, you hop on the one train. You just completely turn your brain off. Yeah. We need more space. No, I like that part. Look, look.

Armine's directing now. Look at that. He gets it. Look at the setup. The plating. Yeah, what are you feeling when he's knocking over everything here? I'm worried they're all going to topple over, so I save them and end up breaking one of them. Did you hear him there?

He was like, I got to do the video like I'm going to eat everything. Wow. Wow, wow, wow, wow. Can we talk about this? He's a Emmy award-winning stuff for my guy, Brad. Brad's the videographer. This is what we submit for sure. This was his Mona Lisa.

By the way, apologies. My brother called me on this. He introduced me to Richie. It's not Lucia's. I was giving it a bit of like a Spanish sort of, I don't know, a twang. It's more like Lucia's, would you say? Lucia. Lucia's.

Lucius. Lucius. Stuff. There's no. either. It's just Lucia. I don't want to try. No, it's it. You say like, oh, I'm going to, you know, I'm going to dominoes. It's really just domino pizza.

No, it's actually domino. No, it is not. It's like people, people say cats is, I'm going to cats. Yeah, oh, that's bad. That's bad. That's bad. Okay, so it's the exact same thing. Lucia. It's Lucia. It's Lucia. Lucia. What a spot, though. What a spot. It's a shout out to Richie. Yeah.

Really came through for us. Next time you come in, PT, let us know. He says he wants to cater. He asked us where the Irish guy was. Actually, he said British and then we told him. Well, yeah. Yeah. We keep them in a closet in the back. In any of it.

Pigara, just kick open the door. The music starts playing and then he comes out. Not a quarter. Whenever you open the closet, it triggers the music and you have to start dancing. Harmon was great crack. He was a great time. But there is other things to discuss. Guys, we woke up this morning. There was an

announcement for the announcement. There's going to be some kind of announcement from one UFC president Dana White. I do believe on Instagram live. So stay tuned. Instagram. Yeah, maybe they'll spice it up.

Maybe they'll spruce it up. Maybe they'll give us a little production value or maybe not. The intern was so excited they misspelled announcement. Is that true? Let's see it. And nuke an amendment.

Oh, it's tough. It is. You were saying, like, what are the odds you given that it won't be just him holding the camera up to his face here? Like, what do you think there's genuinely something? No, I think it's like,

innovation or? I think it's plus 20,000 that it's anything other than that. Yeah, for sure. No doubt. Any guesses? Any guesses? I think you see Miami.

Something in regards to that, the pay-per-view in April. Yep, yep. I think we get a fight for Seattle and England as well. Okay. Wow. Already, yeah, I guess the next one up would be

because we have March 7th. We already got Houston. Yeah. We already got Mexico. And then it's an apex card and then we got fight nights in London and Seattle. Right.

And then I think we get the April paper. Okay, okay. Wow, that would be something. So we will keep our ears to the street, as they say. The PFL, perhaps, I don't know. Coincidence? Probably. Trying to usurp the UFC's announcement.

They have announced that they are officially going to Pittsburgh. Now, they already announced that they were going to Pittsburgh, but they didn't give us any fights. We know about, we know about Dubai. We know about Madrid. Now we know about Pittsburgh. Here's John Martin, the CEO. of PFL relatively new, announcing they're going to Pittsburgh. Saturday, March 28th, by the way,

same night as UFC Seattle, Johnny Eblen versus Brian Battle at 185 pounds. Don't hate it. Like it a lot. Eblin wanted the rematch against Castell Ventinus isn't getting it. Probably a number of contend. Also, Pittsburgh's own, Dalton Rosta against Impakasangene. I like it. Local guy fighting close to home, sell some tickets. Two solid fights there, both at 185. People, this is the way a promotion works. And of course, you have the Madrid fight as well. Yeah.

Liant to this. Exactly. This is good. This is good. I like it. I like it a lot. Eblin not getting the title shop. Probably the next best thing fighting the new guy coming over from the UFC in his

PFL debut. This is very good. A lot of changes, as we've discussed. And as you guys discussed on Thursday, regarding the PFL, we know by now that Peter Murray is out. I can't tell you that longtime president, Ray Cepho, has also parted ways with the company. So he was a mainstay in the World Series of Fighting slash PFL days. Also, you know, legendary fighter, coach, but seemed like he wasn't being used as much in the face-offs, media, and whatnot. There are other people behind the scenes that, you know, aren't household names.

And I don't want to put their business out there. Ray, obviously, very much a public person, very much a household name. But I do know of several behind the scenes important players in the building of PFL who also parted ways with the company as of last week. So a lot of change. And they're really going in. As we've discussed multiple times, they're really going into a very, very important, a very big year for them

with the ESPN rights being up at the end of the year. This event, by the way, the main card, I saw Jedi tweet that the main card of the Pittsburgh card is going to air on ESPN 2. And I'm sure a lot of people in Pittsburgh woke up very depressed this morning

with obviously what happened yesterday in the NFL playoff game. I didn't even watch that game. Yeah, it was an awful game. But perhaps this brighten their spirits a little bit. right perhaps they're now moving on and happy about it isn't a weird pizzi by the way that the only good a fc game involved the uh the buffalo bills some are saying they got rid of their toughest test some are saying it's all they're all let's are we going to start talking of football

again no no we're waiting for tomorrow tomorrow by the way we're going to have chuck minnano on long time lifelong broncos fan i lifelong bills fan i can't believe what's happening i can't I've been waiting for the Helwani Menlobal ball for a long time. What do you mean? We had it last year in the first round. We smoked their asses. You know, it feels bigger. It feels bigger. We're on the road.

It feels way bigger. Broncos real team this year, you know what I mean? Last year. Are they, though? Are they? Are they? You're going to find out? We are going to find out. We are going to find out. We did get some unfortunate news on the boxing side of things this morning. The great Moses Zatama who is scheduled to fight next weekend. Unfortunately,

injured. This courtesy of Queensberry, Mosetama has sustained an injury in camp for his fight with Jermaine Franklin on the 24th of January. It would have been a great day. That fight in the afternoon, UFC 324 in the evening to me, Moses is must-see TV. He is unbelievable to watch a future legend, no doubt future champion as well. Due to this, the whole magnificent seven show, I didn't get through the whole thing. Yes, it has been postponed and moved to the new date of the 28th of March at the co-op live in Manchester. So there you have it. He's a big part.

He's a big draw. They're moving the whole thing. I did see some people say, like if the show is so magnificent and if it's magnificent seven, why are you moving the whole car just because one fighter fell off? But it's Moses, you know?

What are you going to do? You know, Irish cards are doing Queensbury, Ireland at 3 Arena. Is that true? Yeah, yeah. Who's headline? A lot of Irish for it is. It kind of feels like

Conlin. This is named Kacachi. Oh, okay. Oh my God. Dude from Liverpool, the name is gone. Champion. There's lots of Irish fighters on the card anyway. You'll know them better than I do.

I like this. Big knife for Irish boxing room by Queensbury. I think it's great and it's all kind of living up. It's kind of grown from those events with Katie Taylor, I feel, who kind of brought boxing back. So great to see. It's going to be a big event, I think. I love that.

Kukachi, I do believe that he reps Northern Ireland. Would he be, would he be, accepted would you be like how oh yeah yeah yeah no problem boxing is boxing's like rugby it kind of the the kind of stuff doesn't apply there's even a books written about it don mccray wrote a brilliant book about it in sunshine or shadow about how that kind of it was above the the troubles even in northern ireland both sides kind of trying to get or everything like that and fight nights were kind of nights off of the troubles if you get me okay i love that don mccray legend Piz, can you explain something to us?

Can you explain something to us? The fight, by the way, is Jazza Dickens against Anthony Kakachi. If I could break the fourth wall, Anya or Jordan got on my ear, but he said, Jay's Dickens or something, and I'm like, what are you talking about?

I don't even know what you're saying right now. What did you say? What did you call him? Dikins? What did you call him? I said James Dickens? James, yeah. Not familiar.

I don't know if you're, well, I'm literally looking at the DeZone boxing Twitter for. feet and they fonted him as James Dickens. Ah, they jazz it. Who's the jet? Everyone knows him as Jen. Oh, did you see what just happened? Did you see what just happened? That is I'm giving crap to on Air Jordan.

My tea bag got caught on the thing and now it all exploded on my computer. Somebody's just listening audio only. That one's a good one. One second. One second. Talk amongst yourself. My tea bag exploded all over my computer. Frank, it might be high time to, A, get a new computer, but also this thing has proven. to be problematic. This thing right here. Can we get a replay on that? I had the tea.

I love how you blame everything. You get a replay. You want to relive this? We're rewinding the replay. It'll be ready. Did you get tea on the microphone? I don't give a fuck about this. Sorry, sorry, I don't give a hoot nanny about this microphone. Did you guys see what

happened? I did this. No, nobody saw it. I'm giving crap to Honor, Jordan, which is karma for me. So I apologize, Honor, Jordan. This, the tea bag gets caught on the thing here. Yeah. It's a bit of user area. I've got to be honest, that sounds like a skill issue.

It doesn't sound like an equipment failure. I think my computer is going to explode now. It's all over the thing. I'm looking it up here. It says T spilled on computers usually results in explosion. Wow. That's what I need. The delivery from G.C. there was A++.

I thought he was really looking it up. Wait, let me just see. Let me just see. I have to, because it's, you know, you know, on the sides, there's the speakers? Yes, yes, yes. Let me just see them. This? Oh, here's an interview.

Aira Hawani interviewing someone for the CBC sports. Let me see if the audio works. Oh, it's fine. Oh, that's you laughing. Oh, this is you. Oh, this is us. This is on the C&C interview? No, no.

They got it in the future. I saw your interview with Schwinghammer up earlier. Oh, yeah. That's the one I'm listening to, Maya. You're listening to me laughing five seconds. Swinghammer, yeah. I love that name. Thank you.

I'm going to say there's a big difference between Maya and. I was really hoping she'd be like a swing hammer is one of the greatest names. Track and feel like throwing the thing. You know, doesn't. Yeah, that's what I was thinking. I was really hoping she was going to be a hammer throw. Discus hammer throw.

Oh, okay, I got you. I got you. Yeah, not a big winter Olympic sport. Ptze, can you explain something to us in North American terms? Okay, can you explain this in NFL or NBA? I think your NBA knowledge isn't as deep. But how significant is this link up right here? How significant is this?

This is the great Ilya Tuporia and this man. Who is this man in NFL terms? Oh, holy shit. Sergio Ramos, he'd be like, in terms of Spanish football, he's Tom Brady.

Like he is, he's, Tom Brady. Hampton fantastic. I mean, he is, Sergio Ramos is one of the greatest centerbacks in the history of Spanish football,

especially his leadership as well. And just a brilliant, brilliant guy. I played for Real Madrid. Very loyal to his team, Ilias team, obviously, but like,

he is like a contemporary legend of the club like he's up there with any of them and because he was a Spanish captain with the World Cup I believe he's even more legendary uh huge and Jesus he's in great shape still yeah rate the form rate the form the technique I mean he's the left hook isn't as good as yours are it's a little sloppy right intermediate definitely like you know he could probably win a few fights intermediate level but he come up against a big power puncher like yourself he's going to be in trouble respect for wearing the gloves that you have to lace up. You know, you like, you're legit.

If you're not the Velcro ones. You know, that's the difference. Yeah, that's the, you're looking out from, I'd say, you know what I mean? Um, wow, you know what? I didn't expect, I didn't expect Tom Brady, by the way. But he is like, he's, he's like Beckham in England. You know what I mean?

He is, he's like that. He is an absolute icon. Will he play on the Spanish team? Barcelona people. Yeah, he was a captain. No, no, will he play this summer? No, no, I don't think so. I think he's done.

I think he's about same age as me. He's for 38, 39, but maybe even. older so on the way out unfortunately new team new era it seems like ever since we gave uh hubib props on like his you know his champions league knowledge i see him weighing in he's like weighing in on the the barcelona gaffer getting the boot he's weighing in on early hall it's like yeah that that one too it's like who asked you know like stick stick is he in ral madrid goy is that his team what does he take he it's like hubby it's been a No one asked you about your thoughts on Jabilantzo, okay?

Who asked? All I say is like stick to MMA, that's all. He showed us that he knows ball, great. Should open dribble. You said it. You said it. Same thing. I know this.

I just want to. This is definitely trolling. I want to rewind for a second to the start of the show where you were defending talking about football for 10 minutes. I was going to make sure this is the same show. It's 30 minutes. like moment. Habib knows ball, man. He does it. And he's a good baller, too. Just feels like he feels like he has to make these proclamations.

Like, okay, we get it. You know who won the Ballandor in 2001. And every year since. Don't need to tell you don't need to lecture me on loyalty of the great, one of the great clubs in the history of international football, Real Madrid. Okay. By the way, are you even a Real Madrid fan? Are you even a Real Madrid fan? I think it's his team. Is this a worker issue that? I really, I genuinely, I can't tell.

I'm being honest, I'll just say stick to MMA. By the way, why did they have El Classico in Saudi Arabia? Money. They buy that one, too. They bought it. What do you think? Isn't that why? Why is Tom Brady wanted a flag football?

No, no, no, no. But this is like, El Classico is as Spanish as a kid? Is this the one last week, and like? Yeah. Well, it was the Super Cup. It's like the Carabelle Cup, you know what I mean? Oh, so they just happened to meet. it wasn't, okay, it wasn't like a league match.

No, it's a tertiary cup, like, so like, the Cropadillet is their FA Cup, and then La Liga is obviously their Premier League. Why is the Spanish Cup being played in Saudi Arabia? You know why. I mean, money, I know why, but it is. Okay, it's actually not, yes, you're 100% right, but it's actually not as bad. I thought it was like a regular season match. If it just so happened to be the finals and they ended up playing each other,

it's, and then obviously when they play each other, it's El Classico, it's not as big of a deal as opposed. to like taking that that game is so lucrative we're going to take it and move it there do you know what I mean that fixture I hope I'm right now about this like yeah we come to you for the football takes Habib would actually know that yeah let's call him up real quick yeah I'm looking in his Twitter

and he's giving a full breakdown of the Habib knows oh classical in Saudi Arabia yeah yeah yeah you know I went to that game once uh Barcelona v. Rail Madrid in Madrid or Barcelona or Barcelona Oh you're at the Saudi Arabian map Nalo scored one beautiful wait wait what a time was this at Camp New Yeah.

It's a legendary stadium. Spotify Camdew now, right? Is it known as that? Are you trying to prove your knowledge of the stadium in Barcelona? What? The Bernabeo? No, no, no, no. That's in Madrid, bro.

He's right about the... I actually went to the Bernabeyu. It was great. We still on for Ireland World Cup in Atlanta, Petsy? Yeah. Well, they have to qualify first. You know what? The issue is, we're all trying to avoid tickets here today.

Oh, here we're going to. Like, let's get some tickets. I got one to the fucking thing. And I can see the tickets. I'm like, great, great. Let's get some tickets. And then it was like, no, you have to make a FIFA account. Make a FIFA account.

Then I go in and I can't. And my mates in the same situation, Tomo got some I'm going to. I'm like, how do you get the tickets now? They just bring me the premium packages. 90K. So I use your card, Ariel. Thank you. Oh, yeah.

I don't know. You're worried about that speaker. I don't know. But wait, why are you going to buy tickets before they qualify? You might be stuck with tickets that don't involve. Are you? Wait, wait. What do you mean?

Don't they have to win the playoff? Or you're saying it's Feta Compli? Yeah. Also, those tickets are going way up if... It's a good point. I was going to snag them now. Should I just snag them now on... Snag them now and then sell them.

Should I snag them on game time? We love game time. Look at the game time price. What do we got? A coupon thing there? Don't we have a coupon thing? Hashtag GC? Yeah, at some point we're going to have a coupon thing, maybe.

At some point, yeah. Code? It doesn't matter. Game Time has the best prices anyway, so I don't need a coupon code. Wow. Nailed that. You know what you should do? pizzi. You should come over in June, start of the World Cup, swing on by our nation's capital,

because you were the one poo-pooing the fact that the White House event is going to be like, oh, you know. It hasn't happened yet, mate. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, here's more indication that it's the number one item on the agenda because per politico, which is, you know, as reliable as it gets, we do have it here. Yes, France will belay this year's group of seven summit, which is actually more prestigious than the magnificent 7

Queensberry card to avoid a conflict with a mixed martial arts event planned at the White House on Donald Trump's birthday. By the way, the phrasing of that is a little crazy. No mention of the UFC,

no mention of Dana White, no mention of like Connor McGregor, you know, Alex Pereira or John Joe. A mixed or the mixed martial arts event planned at the White House on Donald Trump's birthday. Like, come on. It felt a little bit, dare I say, disingenuous.

But anyway, disingenuous. More. more, you know, more, more evidence that this is item number one on the agenda. It can keep on being item number one. You know what I mean? You asked me for a bold prediction. I gave you one, all right?

You fly in for the White House in D.C., Pizzi, and then me and you get on the Amtrak and take the train down to Atlanta for Ireland versus South Africa. That would be something. That would be amazing. At the event as drunk as you want. Maybe you stay with Ma and Pa before the event, and then you get a hotel. for post-Irish win. They're not going to want to see what happens.

Who would it be against? Who would it be against? South Africa, I believe. Easy work. Who do they have? Yeah, we'll call in DDP as well. South Africa is not a, they're not a... I'm trying for it.

They're a rugby team. Yeah, they're not a powerhouse. You guys can beat them. You play tougher teams in the qualifying. Smoked them all. I will say they've already qualified, you know. True, but they have to play lesser teams to get there. You know what I mean?

When is, is there a final qualification? vacation game? Yeah, it's in March, the playoffs. Yeah. I'm going to... Are you going? No, no, Elaine's mom only watches Ireland playing football.

So we've planned the whole kind of weekend around this match so we can go and see it in some country soil. Love it. Love it. Wow. This is amazing. Who are they playing, by the way, in the playoffs?

Oh, my God. Wow, wow. Do you know ball or do you know ball? Habibu. Just brain friend. I'm trying to... Yeah, Habibu. no. I actually ring Habib there.

Yeah, I'll probably tell you. Hey, Chabibi. Fucking hell. You know, earlier today, I saw a neighbor of mine. How much time do we have here? Because this is my... Probably, I mean, you tell me.

Is our next guest lined up? Is it the Czech Republic? It's the Czech Republic. Oh, fuck. Okay. Go ahead. Go ahead, T.C. Right, so what happened earlier? I'm walking the dog.

I come up to this area of where I live called the Ballards. It's famously a drug dealing section because you can't drive through it. So if someone comes, they can run either way, get away. I'm there with the dog. I see a neighbor pulling up and he's pushing his car, but he's not moving it at all. So something's gone terribly wrong. There's traffic building up behind him. And I can see him feebly trying to push this car.

So I look over, have Reggie with me. I say, mate, do you need a hand? And he's like, yeah, yeah, please. So I tied the dog up to a gate and I'm like, right, where are you going? He's like, I'm going down to this stay here. I start pushing. He's doing nothing, man. I am just breaking myself pushing this car.

get to where he lives, right? And there's parking spaces everywhere. So we can pull this into anywhere. And he goes, now you tell me if this is taking the piss. He goes to me, can we push it all the way over the other side of the car park because there's cameras there and I don't want it to get robbed.

Wow. I was like, what? I was like, get someone else to do that. And he's like, oh, I was just boy myself, man. So I was like, all right, guess I have to fucking do this. So then I'm pushing the car and I get it all the way there. And I'm like, then it occurs to me. I've left the dog just,

the side of the road for five minutes. Wow. So I start running and I think he thinks I've robbed something out of his car at this stage. So he starts running after me then. Wow. I was like, what's going on? He's like, he's like, you all right? And he's like, yeah, where are you going?

I was like, I'm giving me fucking dog. And he's like, oh, yeah, I own a dog too. And I was like, all right. And I ran back to get it. But I come away from this feeling like a bad guy now. No. Like, I mean, having to get to this story? I zoned out there for.

Tell me mind. It was just on me mind, man, honestly. He just went through a traumatic incident before the show, honestly. Incident before the show. Oh, that was this morning. That's playing on me morning. Yes, it was literally what you thought it was just a random story? You wanted to tell us?

Dude, I zoned out, and then I was like, what the fuck is Pizzi talking about right now. Am I wrong, though? No, you're not wrong. You were in the right in this. You know what they say? Pete, you know what they say? No good deed goes unpunished. Man.

That's what they say. And that's what happened. I was right, though. I was waiting for you to go, you're all right, man. like the guy who listens to I was on the subway What are you going to do? Chase me? You can't push your focus.

Like what are you going to do honestly? Yeah. Like if you thought of rub something, you can't push your own guy. I'm out to pushing your car two blocks. What are you going to do? Pete, I was on the subway this week and there there was a guy playing his Nintendo Switch

Mario card on it, full blast. That's crazy. I was this close. I was this close to hitting him with a just like a nice nudge and being like, yeah? You should have recorded yourself. I was this close to doing it.

Legendary stuff. All right, gents. Great stuff, PT. Trying out to beat anyone up over there. I'm welcome. Thank you for stopping by. Let's get into the interviews still to come. Maricio Huffy going to join us,

talk about his return. UFC 325, Adelaidea Lidepo, boxing news and notes. Prior to that, Charles Johnson, who's on the UFC 324 card. We were very excited to see the Great Dakota Ditcheva back in action on February 7th, PFL's first show of the year.

Unfortunately, she will no longer be competing. Wanted to get an update on her and everything that is on, you know, on the table as far as 2026 is concerned. She is kind enough to join us right here and now. Let us say hello to the one and only Dakota Dichita. There she is. Hello, Dakota. How are you? Ah, I'm good, thanks.

I appreciate you coming on because I know there's a big fixture coming up in an hour or so or maybe two hours, right? You're still a man city fan, yes? Yeah, you're still a nothing in forest far. Right here, right here. Get a shot. Yeah. there it is. We don't waffle here, okay? We don't waffle. It's been a bit of a tough season, not going to lie, but we're... I mean, damn, what happened? I'm not quite sure what happened. Actually, I do know. We sacked our gaffer, then we sacked our second gaffer, so it's a lot of uncertainty. It's a lot of change. Meanwhile, the rich get richer. You guys got some ennio. Are you excited about that?

I am actually, yeah. He scored the other day as a while. I know it was kind of a little bit of a warm-up game for him, but. Yeah, it was a good match to watch. That's bullying. You know what that is? That's bullying. I mean, we didn't even have our, like, best team out either, did we? Yeah. But I just feel like...

But a lot of young ones coming up. Once we get to, like, five to one, chill out. No? Like, do you need to keep scoring? Well, that's city for you. We don't take the foot off of gas. We play right till the end. That is city.

That is city. Bullies. Dirty. That's exactly who they are. By the way, I saw an interview. You were being interviewed by a city legend. Mr. Hart, right? I was.

Wow. I know. John Hart? Joe Hart. Yeah. Legendary keeper for city he is. What was that like for you? A real full circle moment.

Like for me and the family, it was, do you know what? It's always a nice reminder to work with other athletes and realize that, you know, as big as he is, as much as a legend he is, it was just a real, real nice person. It was just, it was a really nice project. We did a little podcast and it was about like athletes and the way to. think, you know, their mind and things like that. He's done a few other athletes in completely different sports as well. It was just so nice to chat with like-minded people. And I feel like sometimes I'm always around fighters and listening to the way like

fighters think, but it's so relatable speaking to other people in different sports. And I actually really enjoyed it. I don't normally like doing too many interviews. No, I know. I know. It's not easy. It's not easy. Trust me, I know.

This clip right here was beautiful talking about, you know, giving back to your family and the support that they've given you the sacrifice. is paying off your parents' mortgage. Really, really beautiful stuff. So I urge everyone to go and check it out. I thought you were going to say you're often surrounded by like schlubby media guys. And so it's nice to talk to like actual athletes and know what it's like to perform on the biggest stage. That's what I thought you were.

Never. Okay. No, I wouldn't say that. I saw a picture, by the way, of you looking up. I think it was from that same podcast at a picture in the gym. Was that, this one? Is that you? That is me.

Wow. Yeah. I mean, I look really, really young. But I think I was 14. that in that picture. You were 14 there. I thought you were like seven. No, well, that's the funny thing. Like, when I was in high school, I was the smallest in my year until I left high school. And then I just suddenly shut up. And my older brother was the same. And now I'm like the tallest in my weight division. So it's like really strange how I'm like five foot eight and a half now, but was the

smallest in school. Wow. And so at that point 14, how accomplished are you in kickboxing? So that was my, that photo is from the first amateur world championships that I took part in. That was over in Turkey and I won it four years in a row after that. Wow. Did you win that year too? Yeah, so I won, no, that was my first year that I won it and I won it three more times after that year. Golly, golly, wow, wow, that is amazing. All right, so like I said, we were very excited to see you back in action. I have a couple questions about the fight, but first, just want to know what happened and how

you're feeling. Yeah, I mean, I was heart, I was very, very heartbroken at the time. I was like crying for two day street. I was actually over in Thailand, so I was doing a little bit of training over there. Just wanted to switch it up a bit. I'm always like someone that wants to kind of go out my comfort zone, you know, I feel like at top team, I kind of got a little bit comfortable. I wanted to, before I get into a strict camp, just switch it up a little bit, change with some different bodies. And yeah, I ended up breaking my hand a little bit while I was over there, which wasn't very good. I was brandy heartbroken,

but everything for a reason. And it's been a tough year, I would say, because of the last hand break. But it is what it is. We keep moving. Was that the same hand? No, it's different. Oh, gosh.

Gosh. This was your right hand. Yeah, but no surgery on this one. Okay, okay. So what are they saying as far as timeline? I mean, I'm in the last few weeks. I've got a cast on it at the moment. Okay.

I've got probably a week and a half left in that. then hopefully I can go into maybe like a splint that I just wear like sometimes. I need to go back and see my doctor because I'm in the UK at the moment. But we'll see how it goes from them. But I'm hoping like April, May time, back in the cage. Like I'm working on it and I'll be in there. I'll be fighting twice this. Maybe three times.

We'll see. Well, I've heard you say that you're very, that you sort of described 2025 as a bit of a nightmare because you only fought once prior to that four times, three times. and so are you feel like you're getting antsy now you're getting you know a bit of itchy knuckles as they say yeah and that might have potentially been the reason why i've ended up breaking my hand again i just want to go go go i want to get him back in the cage and maybe i move too fast at times i feel like there's loads of things you know that i probably could slow down with um but this will teach me a lesson and it's early on in my career now that teaches me to slow down a little bit and you know not rush i'm

someone that wants to fight. I feel like that taste of the tournament that I did where I fought four times in one year set me up for like a nightmare because I want four times every year now. So like me injuring myself, I'm like, right, okay, a couple of weeks I'll be back in. Yeah, I'll do that fight. That'll be fine. I'll be ready. But realistically, I need to just take my time a little bit. And that's obviously what I'm learning, but probably learning the wrong way. But you don't seem to be too bothered. I saw you skiing without poles and the, uh, and, uh, and the hand of the, look at this right here. This is nuts. No, I know.

What are you doing? Why are you doing this? This is crazy. I mean, I don't even, I don't own the PFL and I'm getting heart palpitations just watching this. Well, I did caption it, don't tell my coach, because I didn't tell my coach I was skied either. Oh, my dear. But, I mean, it's somebody that skied on that slope. It's where I've grown up. It was in Bulgaria, so I've skied on that slope since I've been able to ski, which was like three years, four years old. I don't know. So for me, it's like, it was just another day. God, what you fall, like you fall, you usually like we're, you know, where we're kind of built to kind of break our fall with our hands.

Did you have any near falls, any? Oh, do you think about losing when you get into a cage? No, I don't think about losing, but I do fall when I ski, so I know what it's like to try to break. Okay, you know, okay, got you. I didn't think about falling and I was skiing down. All right. I just wanted to know if it happened. Did it, you know, you hit a patch of ice or something?

I don't think about that. Okay. Now, I'm not asking if you thought about it. I'm asking if it actually happened now in retrospect. I mean, I fell a few times, so it just happened. Golly, golly. Usually these are things that we would say that maybe you keep to yourself. You don't post them.

You just kind of keep it as you're a little secret, you know? I mean, I've got to be real, right? No, no. Listen, I respect it, especially no poles as well. Although you don't really use the poles anyway, right? To be fair, yeah, that's another thing. Like, I've always skied with them and you see professional skiers like skiing with them. but I actually really enjoyed it without.

I skied better, so I learned something from me. Okay, all right. By the way, I was surprised about the matchup. I thought it was a fun matchup, you versus Denise Keelholz, but I was like, well, when is she going to fight for a belt? Like, what is going on here? I like what the PFL is doing. I like that they've gotten rid of the tournaments and all that,

and I want to get your take on that in a moment. But I was really surprised that your fight wasn't a title fight. Any idea why? I don't know. So I'm putting this out as just like, what I think. Okay. I heard that Liz Comush didn't want to fight till like July time maybe.

I think she wanted, obviously, she did another tournament last year. So I think she wanted like later on in the year and I wanted to get started early. So I think they were to keep me active, which they promised they would do, they were giving me fights beforehand. And like I said, like the title for me is like, I just want to fight people and keep winning. You know, so for me, like whoever they give me, whether it's for a belt or not, as long as they're keeping me active. I'm young and I want to be in the cage. So the fact that Liz was maybe having a little bit of time out, I don't know. But that would be the fight that would make sense.

I feel like that's why they wouldn't do this one as a title because Liz won it last year. Okay, okay. So now because of the injury, do you think you'll bypass that sort of not tune-up fight? I don't want to be disrespectful, but that non-title fight and is there a chance your next fight will be for the belt? I don't know, actually. I'm not sure. I don't know. You don't seem to be bothered.

I mean, no, I'm not. Like, honestly, I'm just grateful to fight. I just want to get in. And as long as it's like, you know, they're keeping me busy and it makes sense. Like if someone else is, I feel like I would be the person to get in and fight for the belt first. So if they're going to give Liz somebody else, I don't know whether that makes sense. But like if Liz isn't fighting yet, then I'll fight somebody else. I want to stay active.

I'm not waiting for Liz. Like, I'm not going to pause my career and wait for her for anything. So that's just kind of the way I'm looking at it. I'm just grateful that they're keeping me busy. because obviously last year was a tough year for me. Yes. Do you have an incentive when you fight for the belt? Do you get paid more when you fight for the belt?

Does it not matter? And that's why none of this really matters to you. I mean, I feel like for your brand, you want the belt, right? Sure, sure. You want to be champion. And if somebody else is going to be champion before me, like someone else is going to fight for that PFL belt before me, then I'm going to have a little bit of an issue with it.

But if it's not being fought for and everyone's kind of just fighting and they've signed a lot of new girls if they're kind of making a bit of a ranking out of it then I'm happy to do that I'm not setting my career on a belt or anything I just want to keep fighting and getting good performances and improving you mentioned the tournaments earlier

as you know they've done away with the tournaments right on the sort of regional scene the European and all that and also on the global scene it's a completely different company now right it's just being run kind of like a major MMA organization which I'm a fan of I'm curious, you benefited from the tournaments.

How do you feel about this radical change? Yeah, a little bit of mixed emotions. I feel like it's really good what they're doing. Like, they've just announced the Pittsburgh card now. I feel like they're going to new places now, you know, like opening different kind of areas up for people, which I think is good. You know, in order to build PFL,

I feel like we need to do something a bit different, go all the places, and that seems to be what they're doing. But the tournament, like I said, the only reason I would want to do the tournament is for the fact that I was active so much. But if they're going to keep me active anyway, I'm happy. By the way, yeah, that Pittsburgh card is good.

The good main event. Co-main event is pretty good. You're excited about, which one are you excited about more? The main event or the co-main event? Which one are you more? The car main. Okay. Any particular reason or?

No, just going to be a good site. Just a big middleweight, men's middleweight division. You like that division? Not just the division. I mean. I'm just joking. I'm just kidding. I'm just kidding.

By the way, that was big. Not the Holy Division. I'm not interested in the Holy Vision. Just maybe one fighter in particular. That was a big deal. Like the hard launch. You know what the hard launch is? Kids call.

Ariel, we're not on Love Island. Next question. I mean, you guys showed up on the broadcast. It was just like it wasn't. Next question. Okay, I'm just saying it was big news. I thought it was a lot of people were excited about it. Of course.

Excited. Some people upset, you know. No. Who would be upset? Ariel, I'm a fighter. I don't want to talk about that. Okay. I mean, you, it was on a.

PFL broadcast, right? I think that... That's not my choice. Okay, you didn't see the camera in front of you. I'm on all the PFL broadcast. They put me everywhere. They do put you everywhere. It's just a little day in the office for me. All right, all right. Usually we don't see you walk in like that, especially when you're not fighting, but nevertheless, are you the face of the PFL. Is that what you're saying?

Hell yeah. You are okay. Women. Not the only face, but I'm a big face of it, and I like to, you know, push the brand and be up there. So they're a great organization to be with. So for me, I'll take as much green time as I can care. Okay, all right. How do you feel about the new boss? John Martin, have you had a chance to get to know him, talk to him?

I have. I've met him, really nice guy. He got a lot of really good plans. And he was just really nice to talk to, you know, listen to kind of your ideas and what you think. So far, I think a lot of people are really happy. So I'm looking forward to seeing what changes he makes. Okay.

You know, there's a big fight coming up, not in the PFL, but I'm wondering if you have any insight into it because it's a bit of an ATT turf war, Kayla versus Amanda. Were you there when they were training together? I wasn't. You know, I came just after Amanda left. Oh, my. So whose team are you on here?

I would imagine. American talk to you. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I don't know. I don't know if you have a relationship with Amanda. You knew her back of the day. I looked up to her. I mean, yeah, of course, 100%.

And I'll always stick by that. Amanda is an amazing athlete. But, I mean, we stick with our teammates. And look at Kayla, you know, what she's done in that's big. a time, both really inspirational women. We can take a lot from both of them. But what a fight. I'm so glad to be able to watch it, you know, and actually be interested in the sport at a time when this fight comes around because I feel like I would have been really sad to have missed it. How do you feel? How do you feel it plays out? What do you think?

Honestly, I don't know. I've never seen Amanda Train, but I mean, Kayla is just, I've seen Kayla train. That's all I can go off and how strong she is. And at that weight, 135, she is solid. you know so for me i don't want to say but i mean i'm team a t for sure of course so i feel like that's the most anticipated women's fight in the sport right now because of the history there amanda coming back and quite frankly i feel like the second most is you versus valentina like in a yeah imagine you versus valentina would be such an incredible fight were you surprised that she dominated jang weili the way in which he did do you know what i am going to say a little bit yeah because I did really rate

Way Lee as well. So I was a little bit but again this is why we've got weight classes right because it just I think the size difference was just too big and Valentina is just for me she's the goat like she can put her in front of anyone

and a distance control the way she fights a strategy when she's in there just is above anybody else's like she adapts so quick to someone's style so I feel like I should never really have I've kind of swayed a little bit. She's getting a bit of flack these days.

Some people thinking she's not exciting, entertaining, maybe playing it safe, or just kind of dominating her opponents. How do you feel about that? Yeah, but I mean, she wants to go out on top. Like, has anyone really done what she's done? She's completed all the rubies on a belt plus more. Like, she's at the top.

The age of her and the way she's kind of fighting at the moment is just incredible anyway. But I suppose people want that, like, killer in them, don't they? They don't want people to lose it, but when there's money on the line, people change. I mean, for me, I hope one day I don't do that. I feel like the switching me that I have

probably would never kind of just play it safe. I would just always be that person that kind of goes forward. But then again, when you're someone like Valentina and you've got that much of a legacy, she doesn't want to go out without being on top, right? When you watch her, do you kind of daydream,

think about how you would fight her, what that would look like? Do you look at it from that perspective? Sometimes I do, yeah. I actually, I would, I would love to have had that match up. I really would. But like, you look at all the other, the other fights and people would be like, oh, Valentin has passed it. She's been, you know, in it for years and this, that, and the other. And then if I would to have lose, people would say, oh, she wasn't ready. She was too much hype. Like, I feel like people want the fight, but there would be so many excuses on both sides to, like, who would end up winning. It's like, whatever.

By the way, why do you say it in the past tense? Why do you say I would have liked it? Do you think that there's just no chance that ever happens? I mean, how many years has she got left? And like, I'm happy with PFL at the moment. I don't really see PFL in UFC merging. So, you know, that would be a cool idea to do, but I don't really see that happening if I'm being honest.

So I don't know. I hope one day, but we'll see. There might be another girl that's kind of ruling the roost over there at one point that a matchup might end up happening with, so we'll see. It would be something else. I would probably put up there a bit off the grid, there I am watching PFL Leon, Chris Cyborg wins. She gets on the microphone, and she calls you out.

She calls you out. It doesn't call me out these days. When is my name not being spoken? Come on. Oh, who else is calling you out? Oh, you get all the girls in my division like after me all the time, or they're either after me or the complaining because I'm getting all the, the attention.

It'd feel like, do you know what? Cyborg moment was crazy for me. I was actually really happy about it because 2022, January, before, I signed with PFL in 2022 and I debuted in August. But January before that, I went to Canada to fight on a show

and I got a picture with Cyborg because she was like the celebrity fighter that was there to watch all those girls fight. And I was like so, so happy to be able to get a photo with her like, oh my God, Chris Cyborg, another amazing female in this sport. And then fast forward a couple of years, she's calling me out. I was like, this is crazy.

I was like, I've only been in the sport, like, 23, 24, 25, three years and she's calling me out. It's wild, yeah. Yeah, so actually it was really, I was honored to be called out by her, but I just didn't feel like it made that much sense right now. Well, she's 45. She's never made 35. She's has trouble making 40.

You're 25. What I thought was interesting was, look, I appreciate, you're the big. you're the big fish, so call out the big fish, it's a testament to you. She does it on December 12th. Then December 15th, she tweets, I'll say this, 24 hours later,

Dakota Dich of us still hasn't responded while Leah McCord has let it be known she wants it. I'm like, well, it's not really on you to respond to that, in my opinion. Like, why would you go up and fight someone who's 20 pounds bigger than you? Did you even consider it? Did you even think, hey, that would be fun?

Did the thought ever cross your mind? I mean, if Cyborg could make 135 and they give me a bit of tight, She had a bit more time. You know, she's saying it's a last fight. Like, I haven't got time to put that much weight on. You know, I'm not a big 125er. I don't have a tough weight at all.

So for me, I'd have to, like, strength, thought big. But I would have done it if she was even close to 135. And, you know, we could pay me some big money and I'll, hell yeah, I'll get him. But it just didn't make any sense at all. And Leah McCourt's been asking for it for so, so long. Like, why are you shouting me out? Leah wants that fight. Like, give it to her.

I think it's because. you are who you are. She did also say, I don't want to bully a girl who doesn't want to give the fans a super fight of Dakota isn't confident in the challenge with a cricket emoji, then it should 100% be McCourt. But you're saying if she could make 135, you would consider it. Respectfully, respectfully, she's not giving the fight. I am.

Like, I 100% would be the one that sells that fight more. Like, it would be a super fight, but she's calling me out. Like, she's picking me. She needs me. She's not picking anyone else out. Leah's been asking for it for ages if you're not picking Leah out. Like, it's a super fight for sure,

but you kind of need me to make it big and it obviously makes sense on her part. Like, I'm not calling out no 105 atomweight person. Like, it doesn't make sense. But anyway, that's why I didn't entertain it. I don't like feeding into people just using my name all the time.

Yes, we call those people sometimes not saying she is, but that's kind of clout chasing. By the way, can I just say, I sort of like this version? of Dakota. Dakota kind of recognize her value and worth now. I feel like we're not playing this sort of humble game anymore. You know that you're the big fish and you're letting it be known. Yeah, I feel like at times I have to because I feel like I'm nice sometimes and then I'd just like to remind people like, I've been out for so long, people kind of take the Mick a little bit.

So yeah, I am like going to stand my ground a little bit with some people. This is good. This is good. So how would the perfect 26 go for you? How many fights? Who are the fight that you're lined up with? I mean, who are the fights? PFL has signed so many people now. Obviously, Liz makes sense because she won the belt, but I would take the Liz fight for sure. But we had PFL signs on girls from UFC, which I saw. So that would be very motivating for me to get in and fight them. I would love to maybe face off between one of them. We've got a good few unbeaten girls that they've just signed. So as long as I'm in twice,

three times if possible, I'm happy with whoever they put in front of me. And if that's a belt, it's a bell. If not, it's not. Wow. I'm surprised that you have that sort of stance regarding the belt. Yeah.

You're sort of the unofficial champion. You're the uncrowned champion, dare I say. I know. I mean, like everyone, I beat, um, she shouted me out again. Talia Santos saying she wants revenge. That's

Anyway It's a compliment Yeah it is It is But I mean I beat her And a lot of people Were happy

Some were like Oh she's washed She's still not proved it I feel like If I win a belt Like Who's that Who's that impressing

Like Everyone's still gonna think the same So as long as I just keep beating These girls Forget the belt I just need to keep winning And just proving That I am the best one

125 And that's all I can keep doing One thing I love about the new PFL is that it seems like they're booking their events based on who's on the card like Usman fighting in Dubai makes sense. Costello fighting in Madrid makes sense. Daltin Rostap fighting in Pittsburgh makes sense.

Like this makes sense. This is how you book. What about you back home? What about you? Like that feels like a layup, right? Well, yeah. I do push for like a Manchester card or something. But obviously I'm part of PFL global and PFL Europe is kind of separate. But I feel like not anymore. I feel like it's all like the Leone card was a global card.

wasn't it? Like, Cyborg was on it. Nemcov was on it. They had two title fights on that card. Yeah, like the Super Fight series or something, was it?

Yeah, I feel like they're all trying to make it into one now. It's all becoming the, like, no delineation between global, superfight, it's all just one promotion. Well, maybe, yeah, and I hope that I can get,

I would like to fight in Europe again. I know they've got a Chicago, did I. No, no, they've said that. Chicago, Boston, right? They're going to Chicago. And then they go in, I don't know whether I would like to,

Boston? then? Where else in Europe are they going? Do you know? No, you could break it for us. No, I won't break it. They're going back somewhere that I fought before in Europe. So I feel like I would like to do that as well. I want to go back near home and have a few home fans again. In England, though? I don't know. I mean, England would be great. That wasn't what I was thinking of. That would be great if they did a card. I just don't know whether they would put me on that. What's the biggest arena in Bulgaria?

Oh, it's the one in Sophia. I've just been to Bulgaria. Every time I drive past it, I'm like, I'm going to fight there. How big is it? Is it like a proper arena, 10,000 or something? Yeah, no, I don't know how I'm going to seat, but it's a proper arena. It would be really, really good for sure.

I've got my whole walkout planned and everything for that show when it eventually happens. What would that be? Can't say. I'll have to. Traditional Bulgarian, that's all. Oh, love that. And didn't you just film a movie there?

I did. I did. So that's what I've been, I've been kept busy when I first broke my first hand. I was filming a film in Bulgaria. It's called Gian Vivian. It's like a kid's novel in Bulgaria that's been around for years and years and years. I think like 1930s it first came out. And yeah, I got asked to be in a part. They actually approached me about it, which was crazy. I mean, I'm not fluent in Bulgarian and I had to film it in Bulgarian. So all my lines in Bulgarian. So it was real out of my comfort zone and with it not being a fighting role as well was really like an amazing achievement and just opportunity for me because I feel like when I kind of manifested in

my head that I would be in a film one day I thought it would be something to do with fighting. So to have an opportunity to do a role outside of that and build a portfolio starting with something that is nothing to do with a sport was crazy. When does this come out? I think it's going to be January of 2027. party's filmed already. I've done it. So yeah, it's just kind of waiting now for it to come out. It's going to be in cinemas.

Oh, wow. Okay. So you say you're not fluent. Did you understand what you were saying, though? Yeah. I mean, when I learnt my lines, I understood it. Because the way I learn Bulgarian is like kind of translating it, kind of half English and then understanding what I'm saying, and that's how I kind of repeat it. Sounds a bit confusing. I had to kind of learn both English and Bulgarian in order to. to know what I was actually doing.

Wow, okay. And what's it called you said? It's called Jan Bibian. And what does that mean? It's like, it's a young boy. So it's a young boy. He's like a little bit mischievous and it's got like, it's a little bit, maybe I would describe it as like Game of Thrones type theme.

Okay, okay. You know, like, old like that. And he's like got different realms. So people are living in different realms and he's like a naughty little boy type thing. But there's different characters. I don't want to say too much. Okay, okay, okay. Okay, okay, no, yeah, we don't want to get you in trouble. Did you also invest in like a football club or something?

Yes, so I've just, that's another thing that's kept me busy. You know what I'm like with football? Yes. And we're doing some work with city as well, so you see lots more city. Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, okay. But arena two, it's called, and it's basically like a six aside. Kavid's actually got a team, so we're going to play against each other. Me and MVP or one team, we have to build a bunch of, I think 10 players we've got to get, and then it's six aside. and we can play if we want to play. So Khabib's also another team leader,

which means we'll end up playing against him. We've got Patrice Evra. Wow. Archie Sung is another one. So you've got quite famous leaders of the team, and then we're kind of going to play football against each other, and the prize money is $8 million. Wow.

And where's that going to be? Where's that league? And it's going to be all over the world. So the final's going to be in Dubai. That's where they're going to do the last one. But we'll go into New York. Okay. Okay.

New York, one of them. Where else? We'll be going, Mexico, Manchester, Hong Kong, Korea, Tokyo. I think they're all of them. Any need for like a really, you know, strong, skillful centerback, one who can really control the action back there, be sort of an anchor of sorts. I know a guy. I mean, you can trial if they want a trial.

Okay. We have to pass the test. I could put in a word. And they have to wear a city kit as well. Bit of a problem. Bit of a problem. I don't look good. in that light blue. By the way, speaking of

Oh, is it with you? Yeah, it was me. It was me. I don't know if you caught on. I haven't seen you with this man. I saw Habib hobnobbing with this guy. I haven't seen you. Where's your picture with that guy? It's coming. Okay. Have you ever met him? No, I haven't ever met him.

Wow, some fan. Chabee just waltzing in there. He's not even a city fan. He's getting the picture. Yeah, I know, but he's it's, it's commieu, so he gets to do why he wants. He gets all the opportunity. before us but I'll catch him up one day I'll catch him up you think you guys catch Arsenal yes yeah I think so too you know what Arsenal I like at the end my manager's I hate watching this

botlers right the absolute biggest bottlers of all time yeah it happens well my son is very excited he was very excited about so many you know he's a diehard city fan since 2000 and I think 22 or 23 so he's like really he's suffered through all the tough times The can of kiss. Yeah, yeah, that's what he is. We all are. So I'm glad he's still going. That's a true city fire.

Yes, absolutely. And I'm glad that you're in good spirits. It's great to see you, you know, with the smile on your face and that you're not letting the injury bring you down. And hopefully we'll see you back in there. You know, it would be a nice story. You on that Pittsburgh card. I mean, I'll be there, but I'm not on it. Oh, why not?

I'll be back. Why will you be? It's kind of a random card for you to go to? I don't want to fight on the same show. Same show as who? Impa Kisangenei? Yeah, like let Impa have his moment. Yeah, you're right. You're right. You're right. That's a good shout. That's a good shout. Thank you as always. Congrats on all the exciting things going on your life. Get well soon. Looking forward to seeing you back in there, Dakota. Thanks. Thanks for coming on. Appreciate it very much. Thank you so much. Good to see you. Same here. There she is. The one and only Dakota Ditchova. She'll be back in action. One of the biggest names, one of the biggest stars in the PFL and in women's MMA and that fight against Valentina would be incredible. She is right. Probably not going to happen. anytime soon. But the cyborg fight could happen. Could happen.

She kept the door somewhat open. I'm being honest. Still to come, Marisha Hoofee, he returns to action. UFC 325. But the first UFC show of the years, of course, UFC 324, we're rapidly approaching 11 days away. Paramount Plus, the new era. One of the big fights on the card is in the flyweight division,

Alex Perez, former title contender against a man who is itching to fight for the belt in 2026. He is the one and only Charles Johnson, kind enough to join us right here now once again. There he is. Hello, Charles. How are you? What's up, baby? How are you doing? What's going on with the hair?

Are we letting it grow? What's happening here? Yeah, man. Hey, you see what's adding? I see what's... Is it the full thing? Are we still going with the skull? Oh, come on now.

Oh, it's even longer now in the back. Holy slo. Who does that for you? Do you do it yourself? Yeah, I cut my own hair, man. I've been cutting my hair since high school, so... That is wild. That is wild.

So you just go and then where, how do you know, like, where to stop? You just kind of feel it out? I mean, it's longer in that area now, so it's much easier. Easier. By the way, by the way, I don't have good I say, but you're not on here wearing a Philadelphia Eagles hat, are you? Oh, of course I am. Come on now.

The team that got smoked by the injury plagued 49ers, 48 hours ago. That's what you're rocking? Once we get a new offensive coordinator, we be right back, man. Oh, you want them out? You want that guy out. I saw a lot of people mad at them. Man, the dude's been terrible all. season, but, you know, they're going to figure it out.

We got the best front office in the league, so they'll figure it out. It's not Jalen Hertz. It's not his fault. No. I mean, when you run the same play over and over in the last, they talked about enough on ESPN, you'll see it for yourself. It's going to be some changes. I think they'll be all right.

They got the talent. So great young defense, great offensive line coach. They're not going anywhere anytime soon. So it's just a hiccup, man. It's tough to repeat. We don't see it often. At the very least, I thought you'd be rocking a bill's head for your friend in mind, Gabe Davis.

I thought you had at least, you know, jump on my guy. I actually, I got one, but, you know, I only rocked that when I'm supporting him at the game. So bummed, he was looking so good. I don't know if you heard the news. He tore his ACL. It's awful. I was there. I was actually at the game on Sunday.

You were there? Yeah, I was at the game on Sunday. And yeah, fuck that guy who hit him, man. Yeah. Yeah. Yes. Oh, I can't believe you were there. And were you supporting the bills?

Yeah, I support Gabe, man. So, yeah, I was there supporting him. And, you know, with our whole crew from the draft, crew from the Draft Academy, those are the guys that helped me with my recovery and everything here in Florida, where I trained. So, yeah, we all went out, man, to support him. And very unfortunate, third quarter will happen. But he'll be back sooner than later. He's a very strong, capable dude, man, one of the best dudes you'll meet.

So it sucks to see it happen to him, but he'll be back. Yes, yes, he was bawling out. I'm sure you were watching that thinking, man, I wish we had a quarterback like Josh Allen, right? Like, I wish we had a guy like him. Nah, man. Josh Allen's trash, man. What? Josh Allen's trash is a crazy take, man.

Holy crap. Wow, I'm just going to speed right by that one. By the way, what's that? That looks like a World Series trophy on your arm there. That's not the World Series trophy. Is it with the flags on the other arm? No, no, no, no. This is a traditional.

No, the other one. Yeah, what is that? What is that? This is a traditional Thai tattoo. Okay. It's like leaders of the army back in the day, they used to have these on their handbands or whatever they wore. So that's how you knew who the leader was. Wow. And it's basically prayers, different prayers.

Okay. Are all your tattoos Thai base? This one is. Well, many of them. I have like four or five now from my time in Thailand. But, yeah. Do you, are you, like, do you have any tie in your family or is it just from your time training there? My wife's tie. Okay, okay, amazing. And so, yeah. How long did you train there for?

Twenty, twenty-one months. I was there, 2019 and 2020. At the same time as Khalil, a round tree. And, you know, Valentina poked in from time to time. Alex was on the max from time to time. That's where I first met Muhammad Makayev. I've seen Armine and Islam on the mats wrestling while I was there.

Wow. That's when I realized how great Islam was. Yeah, man, a lot of great athletes came through during that time. Fits you on in our strength of conditioning, Rafa. So just a lot of good guys. By the way, speaking of the family, congratulations.

You've added another member to the family. How's everyone doing? Yeah, man, he's so strong. He's all legs and ass right now. So he'll be a fighter for sure, man. He's so strong. He's just got rolls on rolls. He just a little chunky dude. So, man, it's been a blessing every day. You know, when I have my daughter, she's two and a half now. So when I had my daughter two and a half years ago, like I realized, like just waking up, going to train every day, seeing her, it was just like that extra oof that I already had. had the incentive to go out there and do, but they just give you that extra little bit of energy when you come home and you see them. It's like, nah, you don't really think about how time you are sometimes. Right. And shout out to you guys. Incredible Halloween costume. I saw the whole family. I mean, this is amazing stuff. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I love Austin Powers Goal members. I was like, baby, this is what we're going to do? She was a little against it at first, but then she,

once she saw the fro and stuff, she was like, all right, I'm doing it. Let's do it. So we had some fun. We had some fun. You guys rocked that. Well done. Well done. So you're back in 11 days. So recently, I wanted to show you this real quick. Tell me, tell me, tell me. Recently, we moved to our new place and we're going to be getting chickens. We got a chicken coop, man.

Oh. We got a little shed. We got a garden back here. We got banana trees, mango trees, a little pond. I'm going to get some coal here. Wow. But, you know, yeah, man, we just moved into this place a couple weeks ago. And I'm really excited about that.

That's incredible. I'm going to learn how to, you know, be a little foreign. a little bit, you know, plant some stuff and get some chickens out here. So I'm excited about that. How many chickens you got? Right now we don't have any. We just moved in. We're going to probably start off with five or six. And then as I learn, we're going to get some more. You know, I've been watching videos nonstop. Might have to hit up Bryce. Oh, yes, that's right. You know, what's great about this is I remember after your last fight in August, you know,

some of the aftermath talk about, you know, the money and whatnot, it seems like things are going really well now. You're in a very comfortable place. Getting there. You know, it's just, you know, with me being the breadwinner and me being the sole income right now, it's just, I want my wife just to focus on the kids and me focus on competing and fighting. So it makes me give me a little bit of extra incentive to go out there and handle business. But we're getting there. And it's a great time for us, for sure. Okay, and this is a big fight And I like it for multiple reasons

It felt like you were You know, when you were fighting in the States You were always at the apex Now here you are a T-Mobile On a numbered event card, right? That has to feel a little bit bigger I know all the fights are big and they're all important But does the stakes feel a little bit different for this one?

For sure, you know, how many times I rode past that motherfucking arena And I fought eight times at the apex I was reminded sadly In one of my interviews I did with Spencer Codagh recently. Great interview, by the way. It's out on UFC.com. And he was like, actually, you fought there eight times. Like, damn. So, you know, every time they have us at their New York, New York, or somewhere by the T-Mobile, I'm just looking at the big-ass arena. I'm like, I can't wait to fight there instead of there. Although every opportunity is great, you know,

um, this one feels better, feels different and, uh, super excited, Paramount Plus. It is a, it is a different, type of energy walking into an arena as opposed to APEC, so I'm excited about that. Yeah, not only that, your first numbered event as well, first show of the Paramount Plus era, so there's a lot there against the guy who fought for the belt. When you saw, you're the last guy to be Joshua Van. You know this, everyone knows this, it's been much talked about. When he won, and I know it was unceremonious and kind of weird, but just the fact that he's now the guy with that belt,

did that raise your confidence? Did that do anything to you internally? No. No, I actually, I mean, I already know in this weight class on any given night, someone can win. Pentonius has been very dominant. He has been very dominant as a champion. He's been very respectful as a champion. And he's held that crown like you should as a champion.

But we all know how fighting is. Anything can happen on any given night. So me seeing him walk into that opportunity, knowing that he can come out as champion, I didn't think anything of it. I was just great for him, man, for putting himself in that position and doing what he did to get to that position, right? I think that's more of, I commend him more for his journey, winning those fights, taking those short notice fights and showing up and winning. I think that was what really made that moment special, you know. And yeah, man, I didn't really think much of it, you know. It doesn't, for most people, yeah, man.

but you know i got bigger fish to fry man i got alice perrez he's fought as a world champion against world champions against the best in the division i think he's a much tougher fight for me than uh uh joshua van was and uh or is so i'm just focused on alice peris wow wow so you rate prez higher than van yeah i think that van is still got some holes and things and the things he's good at, I'm better. So I don't hold them in high regard. I look at other guys and I'm excited to fight these other guys. Josh has a title, but that means nothing to me.

Okay. But isn't the whole thing? Isn't the goal to become champion? So that belt is the only part that matters. Sure. Yes. So it's not about Josh. It's about the belt.

So if he has it when I get there, right now, it's Alex Perez. Sure. Right. I already, I mean, why are we talking about, there's no reason for me to talk about them because I already handled that, right? I knocked them out. What can I say? What can I do?

I handle my business when it comes to Joshua Van. So that opportunity comes back around. I'll do the same thing. But right now it's Alex Perez. That's the biggest thing in front of me. Could I ask, who do you think was going to win that fight between Joshua Van, who you know and Alex Pantosia? I actually was telling people I think it's 55, 45, 45, you know,

depending on who's feeling better that night and who can force their game plan because I felt that Joshua Van had the skill set and to kind of, he's not going to try to wrestle back in. He's not going to try to grapple with him. He's going to anti-graple. If he can keep it in the center and Patosia doesn't take people down in the center well, he takes them down on the fence. So if he keep the fight in the center, keep the boxing heavy forward pressure. He has really good hips similar to Aldo. I think that he can keep the fight in the center and he can win that fight.

As the fight goes on, he can touch him up. win three rounds or two, maybe start off losing the first two rounds, you know, eke out the third or win a decision, or Pantosia can go submit them. Anything could happen. It's all depending on how the fight went. And unfortunately, you know, we didn't see a play out, but we'll see what happens in the next few months, you know. Pantosia will be back ready in a few months. If nobody wants to fight him, I'll fight him.

You know, we'll see what happens. Okay. Last thing on him, I promise. Just curious, he got some flak for celebrating the win, even though it wasn't like your typical win? What did you think of that? Was that fair? Was that warranted or was it unfair?

I didn't really think of it. I just thought that, I mean, what you're going to do is celebrate? All that work he did to get there, he's excited. He's a young dude. He doesn't know what happened. He just sees the fights over, you know? So I ain't going to have a pennies in a bunch of body. A man celebrating something that he worked for.

Right. Right. And he accomplished, right? And we were actually able to see a little bit of his back story from the countdown about him and his mom. So I'm like, man, more proud of him. He's able to take care of his mom and his story about his father and everything. So I just thought that was really cool. And it was a great moment for him, man, good for him.

Speaking of that UFC.com piece that you referred to by Spencer Kite, you mentioned in that piece, you're not the prospect killer. You're the everybody killer. You don't want to be known as the guy who knocks out prospects. you want to just be known as the best in the world. Is that part of the mindset that you're speaking of? 2026, you just want to be the best in the world and not so much labeled as a guy who's like beating prospects

or anything like that. Yeah, I mean, prospects is what I've been given and I've shown what I can do with them. Whatever you put in front of me, I'm very well prepared to do what I need to do. And my goal is to go after the most finishes. Right now is the tie between Demetrius Johnson and Pantosia.

at seven. All I'm focused on is that number seven right now. Whenever Pantoja comes back, he'll probably make that number higher. He's phenomenal at getting submissions. But my goal is when I'm finished, I want to be known for records. I want to be known. I want to have an imprint on his weight class. And I got plenty of time left here. I feel great. Do you feel like you don't, it looks very nice over there, by the way. I'm very, very jealous being here in Frid in New York. Do you feel like you don't get talked about enough at 125? When we talk about the players, is that 125, do you think that your name doesn't get mentioned enough? In the past, yeah, but that was on me.

I lost three fights in 2023, and I had to go back and win four fights in nine months and change that narrative. And I'm still constantly working on that. I'm constantly pulling myself out of that hole from 2023. But 2023, I needed to change my life. I needed to eat. I needed to take care of my family. I needed to put myself in a position to be able to actually chase these goals.

and make some money. So, uh, 23, 23 was rough year for me. 2024 was a great year. And, uh, 2025 was a year to show me, hey, man, you got to continue to put it together, right? And, um, I'm six and oh in my last six fights. So I'm, I'm just excited about going here against Alice Perez continuing my streak. And, uh, I've knocked down every one of my opponents or knocked them out. So I'm, I'm just excited, man. I'm excited for this next opportunity. And by the way, three days ago, you celebrated your birthday. So, you know, happy birthday and I hope it's a tremendous year.

You turn 35. Do you feel like this is the time to make that push? Are you feeling not that pressure that heat, but, you know, 35 is 35? So, and I'm saying this is a 43-year-old, so, you know, a little bit older than you. Do you feel like this is the time to really make that push and achieve your dreams? Of course. Of course, I'm saying that number 13. I have all the momentum right now, but if you're speaking about health or age, I think I have at least four or five years minimum left. I feel great. My body feels great.

I've never had a huge injury. I'm still outworking every young guy in the gym with me, killing them after two rounds. Like, they're tired of shit, and I'm still going for 12 rounds. I don't get tired. So if we're talking about, you know, where I am as far as a career and business,

Yeah, now is the time, you know. Health-wise, I still got two, three years to chase this goal. But I won it now. I won it yesterday. I won it last year, you know. So I'm just getting at it. And I'm the best version of myself right now that I've ever been. So I'm very excited about that.

And the more time they give me, the worst is going to be for when I get in there with those guys. So I'm just excited, man. It's a great time. By the way, did they, and I don't know if you even care about this thing, but, you know, the new era of Paramount Plus, Like they haven't really broken down. Which fights are airing where? Are they all on Paramount Plus? Are some of the fights airing somewhere else?

Do you know where your fight will air on which platform? Is it just top to bottom Paramount Plus? Have they told you this? I'm not sure, but I was looking at the Paramount, I guess, pyramid for how their subscription works. They got a regular Paramount. Yep. And they've got the Paramount Plus.

So I'm assuming you got to, I think that everybody's going to have to be signed up to Paramount Plus. Okay. To get ESPN and, I mean, to get UFC fights. Yeah. Yeah. I don't know. I don't know.

But it's like they shot the prices up as well. Just like 20 bucks or something for the year. So it's like 140 for the year now, I think. Which is still great considering you were paying 80 bucks for one pay per view before, plus a subscription to ESPN. So you'll get about. a month and a half worth of ESPN subscription in the past for a whole year. Of course.

Yeah, yeah, no. Unbelievable. So that's pretty great. That's pretty great for the fans. So they'll be all right. But I think Paramount Plus is where everything will be aired, but I'm not sure yet. Okay. I'm not in a loop for that.

But, man, it's so cool. You know, you go on Paramount Plus, you see these great movies, and now you're going to see UFC fighters on there. So that's hopefully we get some more interactive. interactive, fun things that come along with the Paramount Plus deal, walkout things or something. You know, hopefully we can have more press conferences like in the past when I first started watching and you had like Dominic Cruz coming from WEC and those guys, there was press conferences used to be epic, you know, like it would be fun. I want to see more of that, man.

So you and I both. I hope we get more of the personality from the fighters, you know. Recently, I like, I've won every color short in the UFC, right? except for like pink and orange, which are specific to those two fighters. And I've asked, but they said no. But when you have to choose your shorts, you have to choose a country region. But for a time, we couldn't walk out with a flag. So it was all real weird.

I don't really understand why we have to choose a country to choose a color of shorts. And then it goes by the country. It's just weird. And, but man, I just hope we get back to some individuality with the fighters. I think a great thing would be if they just allow a fighter to send it a design for them to okay or fix. And then that be the fighters kit. And that way fighters can have their own kit for that contract or however set long. I think it's simple fixes to help fighters have individuality again.

And I'm just hoping we get to that a little bit more. So it's bringing that fun back to the UFC. Hell yeah. From your lips to God's ears, man. I agree with everything you just said. That's why, by the way, I think a lot of people talk about your haircut because it makes you stick out. There's little things that you can do. There's not so much these days.

Back in the day, you know, GSP walking out and the ghee made him stick out too. Yeah. Titor-Tees with the flame shorts, Chuck L'Led with the ice. Yes. I love that stuff. I love that stuff. And I wish we had more of that. I hate the uniforms.

I actually hate the uniforms. I wish you guys could wear it every year. I don't understand. I don't understand it because, you know, our boss is such a big advocate for us having our own voices. He never, he never, said, if that's what that guy chooses to be, okay, whatever. You know, I love that. I love that about Dana, but it doesn't really follow that when it comes to, why do we have uniforms? You know, why do we have, like, there still can be sponsors on whatever you put and Venom on whatever you put.

If we send in a design and you guys okay it and you make Venom fix the design for the short and that go for our contract or two contracts or however long, you guys say, it needs to be depending on the fighter. Obviously it wouldn't be first contract fighters because they don't last very long, but maybe fighters pass three contracts in the UFC should be able to have some shorts. I'll tell you why. I don't have a tops card. I'm not

in the UFC game. It's all type of shit, bro. Like disrespect. And I'm 13 fights in now, so gonna be, right? So it's, I'm not really, you know, it'll be nice once it happens because me, I've been playing EA since 1995,

Madden 95 on the Sega Genesis, you know? So for me, that'd be dope, right? That'd be dope to see myself on the EA sports game, in a game, and I know it's coming. So honestly, everything has been just focused on the fight, Alex Perez, and making moments that when I'm done with this thing, man, I can be super proud of.

And I believe I've done a really good job at that. So I'm very excited about January 24th. Yes, and you're well in your way. There's a lot more to do. By the way, speaking of sticking out, the chat here is asking me and ask you a question. We were talking about tattoos earlier. They want to know about the Olympic tattoo on your back. Can you tell us the story? You have the Olympic rings on your back? Yeah. What is the story behind that? I was 18. I was a two-time national AAU champion in track and field. And I thought I was going to be going to the Olympics for track and field. And, you know, ambitious. I've always been very ambitious. if you could coin a word for me. And I got that on my back at 18. And funny enough, I still made the Olympics because I'm in the UFC. You know, Dana always says, this is the Olympics of fighting.

So for me, I'm very proud of the tattoo. I'm very proud of what I've been able to achieve. I looked up a number. There's only been 3,000, little over 3,000 fighters ever in the UFC. And how many of them have been ranked fighters in the UFC? How many of them have made it to four contracts, you know? So I'm in like the 1,000. 1% of the less than 1% right so I'm very proud of that tattoo okay how so you that was your life you

were I didn't know that you were a track star back in the day why did you start my first sport my first sport was track and field I was a steeple chaser I ran a 3,000 meter steeple chasing college I'm on the all 10 top 10 board for my division one school southeast Missouri State University um and uh I was a 3,000 meter national champion at 17 and 18 AAU um I ran every thing from 800 meters on the way all the way up. And yeah, man, I was a track star growing up. Everybody knew me for CJ with the fro running around the track. I had a big afro looking like ludicrous and jumping, doing steeples and just killing people. Honestly, I was lapping people. I was really good, man. And that was the first individual sport that taught me how to work hard,

you know, and really pursue things with effort and that you can see something. back from your work that you put in. And then it was wrestling in my seventh, eighth grade year going right before high school. I did interim year wrestling. And then I was an all-state wrestling in high school. So those are the first two individual sports that really pushed me into MMA, you know, and helped me build a mindset for MMA. You know, I played team sports my whole life.

I played every single sport. I did every single event on the track. I did the decathlon, too. So, like, I was just ambitious. I always wanted to do everything. This time next year, where are you at? What does Charles Johnson accomplish? Either fighting for a title or I have the belt already.

All right. I can't wait. I mean, it's very positive. It's right there. It's right there. This time last year, Joshua Van was nowhere near the title picture. And look how quickly things changed. So it all starts...

It's about getting the opportunity, right? That's right. You get... What was he number 10? I'm number 13. I'm fighting Alex. After I beat Alex, I'll be top 10 as well. And what if something happens and they call Charles?

Oh, yeah. Well, it all starts for you on January 24th. Looking forward to it, my man. All the best to you. Good luck in the final days of training and looking forward to seeing you back out there in a little over a week. Thank you, Charles. All the best. Thank you, brother.

There he is. Charles Johnson, one of the top fly weights in the world. Big fight for him, January 24th, UFC 324. we're going back to back with numbered events. 325 is the following week, January 31st, in Sydney, February 1st. I feel like I always have to say that. And that's Alec Fulkenovsky versus Diego Lopez, Maricio Hufi, against the one and only Raphael Fiziv.

And an incredible, I don't know if there's going to be a single takedown attempt in that fight. We'll talk to Huffy, who's over in Sydney, down under, training with bulk and the whole team in about 30 minutes time. So stay tuned for that. Last week, we reconvened, we reconnected with my friend, my dear friend, my former co-host, but friend for life. Ade Ola Depot, we handed out the Ariel Nade Award, second annual, I might add. So we're well on our way to getting one of those made for the awards. And I thought Tuesdays with Adde felt so good.

Let's keep that train rolling along and welcome him back to talk about some news and notes from around the world of the sweet science. Hello out. It just feels, it feels like a nice little glove that you put on. It's snug. It feels right. It's perfect. It just makes sense, Ariel. I mean, let's be honest. It makes sense. You want to talk boxing. Who better to talk it with then, as you say, your former co-host, your good friend from here in London, Adiola Dippa. It's just, it's just perfect. Former co-host, but friend for life. That's why I said, you know, so it's like, there you go. No, no, no, no, you're, you are right. You're All right. I mean, look, I did reach out to the other day and said, look, Ariel, whenever you need me, man, man, whenever you need me. Yes, it's not the same as before, but it doesn't matter. It does not matter. Let's just keep this thing rolling. Why not? Why stop? Yes, sir. Atay, yesterday on the program, I played your post-fight interview with Aga Khabayel in Germany. And I said the buzz, it reminded me of like the Wu-Tang Triumph video where the bees are humming. It was so loud. The buzzed, the energy in there. I was like, that, what a crowd. Holy crap. And I heard.

heard you talk about Germany being back. Tell me what it was like being there. Kabayel wins. The place is going insane. Germany kind of went through a bit of a down period. There were once flying high with the likes of the clitchos. That scene, you know, in MMA, Paris is on fire right now. France is on fire and it felt like one of those crowds. What was it like being there? Dude, it was incredible, honestly. And as you say, I mean, the clitchcoes and sort of that scene died about 10 years ago. It wasn't just the clitchcos, though. It was Marco Hark. It was Felix Sturm. It was Arthur Abraham, Jirgen Bremer, literally there are about seven or eight stars who all seem to stop at the same time. So for the past 10 years, there's been some boxing, but very much small-haul shows.

They've had nothing, nothing at all. And Cabiel's been a big name in German boxing, but he's fought his last four or five fights away from Germany. He's not had a fight in Germany since 2023. So they've been starved of everything. And we were told leading up to the event, it's sold out. But you hear that a lot. It's sold out. And what it really means is, you know, we've kind of partitioned a bit of the venue off and there's black curtains. But this place sold out and it sold out in about a week, 13,000 stuck in to this arena. And I got there for my rehearsal about 5.30 and the prelims had just started. And you know, you've done these boxing events with me.

You've done boxing events. No one's there. Around that time, no one's there. I'm telling you now that place was 70% full at 5.30. And that's when I knew this was going to be a good night of boxing and it was as loud as anything. I might be a victim of the moment. I probably am. No, it was great.

That was probably, that was probably one of the loudest venues I've ever experienced. And I've done Wembley, I've done Tottenham, I've done MSG, I've done the big events in Las Vegas. That was as loud as anything. It was amazing. I loved it. And I loved when you asked him, you know, who he wants next.

And then you can hear the Ussick in the crowd. You can hear them all saying it in unison, not to, you know, rain on the parade. I don't think that that makes sense. I don't think that happens. but I feel like him versus maybe like a Fabio Wardley makes a lot of sense for the WBO. What do you think? Because he looked great.

I know some people didn't love the stoppage, felt like it was elementary, didn't hate it. What do you think about him versus Wardley or someone else? You know what? Yeah, just to kind of go back a couple of bits there. So that post-fire interview, so it was on the zone Germany pay-per-view. Okay. So we were almost there as a second team. Oh, wow.

They had their own team on stage. That's where most of my stuff I did was ringside because they had an on-stage team. So they had their guy do the post-fight interview. And then they were in my ears and added, we need another post-fight interview in the ring. And I was like, well, no, no, no. Their guy has just done one. But I think they wanted it to be ramped up a bit more.

So I kind of sprinted to the ring. I was like, okay, let's do this. Let me get in the ring. So I wasn't supposed to do an interview. I thought, let me just get in the ring then and do it. And I think they wanted it in English. So if he does call out Osset, they can clip it and put it up. But yeah, I mean, the crowd,

Every time I said Usik, and I probably mentioned him about 10 times in an interview, and I did it on purpose. Once you get the crowd with you know this, just keep them going. So I said, oh, they want Usik and the crowd went mad. Yeah. We want Usik and the crowd weren't mad. And I mean, they loved it. You know, as for the Usik fight, I'm not sure you know.

I mean, like I'm hearing there are issues of Usik and Wilder. I think the issues are that maybe no one wants to fund it, right? I mean. Who wants that? No one's asking for that. Exactly. No one's asking for that. And I think if no one's asking for it, it's a good chance it doesn't happen.

So then, okay, who next for Usik? And what Cabiel's shown is that he can put 13,000 bombs on seats fighting a guy that no one knew called Damien Niebuhr. Like, no one's ever heard of this guy. I've never heard of him prior to that. So if he can do 13,000 and it can sell out in a week fighting Damien Niebu. I think he's proven that he's a draw. And a draw turns into pounds and pence and dollars and cents.

So I think there's a chance that his team can put a big, offer together and maybe tempt Usik. So I don't think it's as far as fetch as maybe something. I think there's a chance there that they could do a stadium. I think, you know, I had a couple of bigwigs in the ring with me, and they'll all say in the same thing, like we can do a stadium with Cavill. Like, we could have gone bigger with this Niebu fight, but, you know, it was the first fight back in Germany and nearly 10 years.

We weren't sure if Cabial could sell tickets, and they were pleasantly surprised how quick those tickets went. So I do think an Usik versus Cabiel certainly does a stadium. And we know Usset likes to travel anywhere. So I wouldn't rule it out of contention yet. Okay, okay, okay, very interesting. Later that night, over in Brooklyn at the Barclay Center, you know, all week long, much talked about, you know, people posting the seating chart and all the outselling tickets,

and it's not a matchroom event, and what a mess this was, and the stuff with Subreal Matias and the adverse fining. And in the end, it ended up being a signature moment for one Dalton Smith, the pride of Sheffield. What a freaking fight. What a stoppage. What a win for him. And this is where Eddie Hearn really shines. You see the excitement.

He talks about an away day win. Like you feel it. Like you feel how much this means to him. He's not just there going through the motions and acting like his promoter and all that stuff. Like you feel the fandom come out. They have the moment the following day in Brooklyn presenting him the belt, presenting his father with the belts as well. It's like it was so great. How big of a deal can Dalton Smith be?

Now the WBC 140 pound champion. Eddie says we've got another champion from the UK, a legit champion with that green belt. He says he wants to bring him back to the UK, wants to bring him back to Sheffield. How big of a deal is this? And is the Adam Azim fight next to him? Is that the one that could really be the big sellout fight? That could be the big one. Obviously, Adam Azim's in the same way class.

It's very similar to Kelbrook and Amir Khan and them two, Jocelyn, who's the big name, who's the superstar. And in the end, it was Amir Khan. And we had to wait for Amir to offer the fight to Cal. And I almost feel like it's going to be that with Dalton now. Dalton's now gone clear of Adam, right? Dalton's the one that's become a world champion. He's done it away from home.

He's done it against a good fighter. And he did it in spectacular fashion. So right now, Dalton's in the hot seat. He's in the driver's seat. He can almost, I guess, offer Adam anything. Really? Look, dude, I've got a world title. And I also think that brings new fans to Dalton as well.

I've always wondered, can Dalton sell the tickets? And I hate how that is a discussion, but you have to have the discussion. Can he fill an arena in Sheffield? And now, off the back of that win, I think he can. And to add to your point about Eddie, I think Eddie just kind of gave the event something. Because all week, I was like, no one's really talking about this. And then Eddie turned up to the press conference.

He knew what he was doing. Eddie's little back and forth with Sebril Mateer. So now all of a sudden, everyone's like, okay, we're interested. What's going on here? But I think there are so many ways to win a world title. We've seen fighters, you know, be given, if you like, email belts and they've been upgraded. with some some fighters have world title fights against lesser opponents.

This is by far the hardest way to win a world title. Away from home, I know it wasn't Puerto Rico, but it could have been. The Barclays literally was full of Puerto Rican, so you're fighting on enemy territory against the guy who we know is a good fighter, and you knock him out. So I think Dalton's stock is now really high. We don't have many superstars over here at the moment. We've got a lot of good fighters, Ariel,

but in terms of the next guys or girls, there aren't that many. He's now in that sort of grouping. He is now a superstar. And Sheffield's always had good fighters, right? I mean, Princess I Mohammed, obviously, all the way up to Kelbrook. Now it's the case of Kilbrook can really pass that baton to Dalton Smith and say, okay, it's up to you for the next five years. Okay, you speak of superstars, obviously none big over the past 10 or so years than Tyson Fury. I saw a story on Sky Sports where Dimitri Salida said he wanted one of his prospects, Brandon Moore, to fight him.

He's offering him up. 19 and 1 former top rank fighter Is there any chance of this happening? Is this, no, doesn't seem, okay. Absolutely no chance. He needs a tune up. Who's he going to fight? Who's the tune up fight?

It's probably going to be Assela and Beck-Madov. That's the name that I'm hearing that's doing the rounds obviously coming off that good win against Dave Allen. People know who MacMudov is. He looks mean, he looks scary.

Maybe he's not as scary a fighter as he looks, but it's a name that kind of boxing fans know. this brand of more that you mentioned could be a good fighter but it's almost too risky like the risk reward you weigh it up and if you're Tyson Fear you're thinking I

never really heard of you not to be disrespectful why would I even consider fighting you? I think personally that Tyson Fury came out retirement just for AJ that was his sole goal and now they're having to kind of find plan B, C and D

because obviously we don't know what AJ is going to do the rest of the year so they are looking at opponents. I think it will be Asselaimbeck McMudov. I think that makes sense. And then it's a case of who for September, October. Maybe a Fabio Wardley. Maybe a cabalel if he can get a title shot somewhere. So there are options for Tyson Fury, but I don't think Dimitri Salita's fight is going to be one of those options.

You know, so excited to see Moses Atama back. We wake up to the news that he's injured. The whole show, The Magnificent Seven has been postponed to March 28th. And I was being an A-hole earlier. I was joking. It was like, well, if the card is so magnificent, why are they postponing it because one guy fell out? But I know that's how big he is. And that's, you know, he's the guy. He's the A-plus-plus side. He's the A-plus side.

Do you agree with the move? Do you agree with the move to postpone the whole thing? I'm not sure. Honestly, I'm not sure. I'm with you. I mean, I did the press conference for this card. And it is a magnificent card. I mean, there are, you know, some other good fights on that card.

And I think Ezra Taylor versus Willie Hutchinson, which was supposed to be the chief support, the co-main event, I actually think that could have headlined. That's a good headline. I don't think people would moan with that. Obviously, look, you want Moses to be the headline act because he's that guy, he's a headline fighter now. I mean, this was his last fight that he headlined at Read season in August. So you kind of want him to always be that guy, but I actually think that you could still kept the card together. And if people want their money back, fair, give it to them back. But I think a lot of people would have still turned up to this card because it is a good card. I always feel sorry for the undercard fighters who've, you know, done their training. This is.

would be the time now where, you know, real hard sparring stops and you kind of just, you know, going through the motions to cut weight. People that have bought the tickets, people that have booked hotels, train tickets. I know some people that are flown in or planning to fly in. I just feel like it's kind of unfair on those people. So I think you should have kept the card together. And Moses headlines another card in March. I mean, Frank's got such a big stable. You could have found literally another 10 guys and put them on the undercard of Moses in March. So I I almost feel like they should have kept it together. Did you like the matchup?

Did you like the booking? Like going from Dillion White to Jermaine Franklin. Did you like that? Or at this point, are you anxious to see him fight bigger names? Yes and no. I like to rush fighters. I'm like, as soon as I feel like you are good, go.

Right? Let me see you against Herkovich. Let me see you against Bikoli. But I don't mind this. I still think Moses needs rounds before you match up with those guys who will certainly give you rounds. And I think Jermaine Franklin, who I know he didn't look great in the undercard of Crawford Canello,

but we've seen him over here. And he has given Dillion White rounds, arguably beat Dillian White. And he gave A.J. rounds. Took AJ all the way. So I do think he would have given Moses some rounds. He would have posed some different questions. I did the face off between those two. And he seemed quite quietly confident.

Like I'm not here to give rounds. I'm here to win. So I think it would have been an interesting test. And then, because it's so early in the year, then we get something here. in April, then we get something in the summer. Now, my concern is if he's not fighting until the end of March, how many times are we going to see Moses? Last year, that was a problem.

Moses only fought for five minutes, something like that. It's not enough. And I think that's why Franklin was good, because he certainly would have taken Moses past, I think, three or four rounds. And then we could have moved on to some bigger names. Okay, so that fight not happening this month, fight that is happening next month, just announced yesterday officially,

Ryan Garcia, Mario Barrios, WBC, Walter A title. Tremendous poster, by the way. Love this poster. Fantastic. What do you make of the fight, though? Garcia coming off a loss, obviously, I wanted to see the rematch. I think we talked about this last week. I wanted to see Barros versus Manny, but perhaps Manny going on to do the Floyd rematch.

Who knows? Not much chatter about that right now. Garcia getting the title shot in a division where there are a couple of guys who are worthy of a title shot. Your thoughts on it? He's lucky. I mean, let's be frank about it. He's very, very lucky. it's not just the fact

it's coming up a loss as the fact his last fight before that was a no contest and obviously there was a year suspension in between that

so he's a lucky boy I feel like he's had a few opportunities and a few chances and look I for one want to see him take one of these opportunities and chances

because I do think he still has everything to be the biggest name in the sport and I know some people might frown at that but he's got the lot he's got the look

we know he's got the following and removing all those things he can fight he can fight when his head screwed on this guy can fight. And I just, I hope that he looks at this opportunity and thinks, okay, look, this is going to be my last one.

This is a bit of a gift that I'm being given. Not a bit of gift, a gift that I'm being given here. And let's see if he takes that gift. He can't be given many more gifts, regardless of what I just said, regardless of the fact he can sell pay-per-views and bums on seats, you can't be given people opportunity. He's jumping the queue a lot here. I just hope that he takes this opportunity. He's now being trained by his dad, so it's been a lot of trainers in the last.

five years as well. I just want him to settle because I think, you know what it is? I still think people look at him as a 21 year old. I think people look at him as like, oh, the future. No, no, no, this guy's closer to 30 now. So it has to happen now. All of these guys, not just Ryan, all of them. It has to happen now. But, I mean, if he does win, then it lines up so many fantastic fights in the division. Maybe we finally get Ryan Devin. There's talks about Ryan Connor. And I think he will beat Barrios. I'm not too high on Barrios as the champion. I think Barrios is a solid fighter. But the fact is, I think he nearly lost to Manipakia. Yeah. And I mean, Mani Paco, I mean, I said Ryan's closer to 30. Mani Paco is closer to 50. So, no, I think it'll be a fun fight.

Barrios is a bit of a warrior, but a good Ryan Garcia should be a good Mario Barrios. Yeah, and some people thought he lost to Abel Ramos in the previous fight on the Tyson Paul undercard. Yeah, so Ryan Garcia 27, talking about guys who, you know, need to make it happen now, 28 is one Boots Ennis. What the hell is going on with Boots and Virgil? They said it was essentially Fedocomplee now. And, you know, I've been saying this on the show for a while, but Dan Rayfield's saying and everyone kind of jumped on it yesterday that the Golden Boy de zone deal isn't done. That it kind of hinges on Ortiz Ennis being made. It seems like Eddie's blaming Oscar.

Oscar is blaming Eddie. Virgil's dad is getting blamed. The manager is getting blamed. Everyone's getting blamed. Everyone's getting blamed. Who is that fault in your opinion for this fight? Seemingly like fizzling away when we thought it was going to be the fight to make for both of them, first quarter of 26. I hope I don't feature in a clapback Thursday, but it is Oscar Dahlia. It has to be Oscar. I mean, this 60-40 talk is silly.

Just make it 50-50. Winner gets 55, loser gets 45. So, you know, they go into the fight as the 50-50, and the winner, know, if you're so confident, Virgil gets to 55 and Boots gets to 45. Like, what are we doing here? Look, neither of them are big pay-per-view drawers. I mean, there's an argument to say that Boots might be the biggest star in the sense that Boots sold out Philly a couple of times.

I think Virgil's an incredible fighter, but he hasn't been a world champion. So I don't know who the bigger name is, and I don't know if Oscar's trying to almost assume that Virgil's a bigger name than Boots. No, no, no. Both of these guys are exactly the same. make it a 50-50 scrap when it takes an extra 5% on top and that's it

and then we move on I mean I don't understand why they allow boots to get in the ring get everyone excited do the nose to nose with Virgil after his last fight against Erickson Lubin and now all of a sudden we're having these roadblocks just make the fight

as for that point you made about Golden Boy in the Zone I mean that would be disappointing because I actually like the Golden Boy fights I think Golden Boy promotions a really good job but I think they've kind of built up a lot of traction over the years. I think the fight cards are good.

They produce really good fighters. One of them obviously being Virgil. It looks like they're going to give us the Benavides versus Zerdo. Obviously, Zerdo is a Golden Boy fighter as well. So that would be disappointing. And then you lose Oscar as well. So hopefully Golden Boy in the Zone can work it out. But it shouldn't hinge on this.

Yeah. And that's unfair. I think what Golden Boy have done since they joined the Zone has been really good stuff. So that's kind of disappointing to hear. I agree. And it feels like they've enjoyed it. a bit of a renaissance as of late. I felt like they were kind of,

I don't know, a little bit down and they had a really good 25, I thought. I've seen the reports down. It seems like we're inching closer to an official announcement regarding Benavita as moving up to fight Zerto. And while I love the fight, how is it not Zerto versus Jayaopataya?

Like I've seen Jai beat up sort of like nameless guys enough now and it's all great stuff. It's all spectacular. I thought that was the one. And so that kind of annoys me. How do you feel about it? all of this. It doesn't make sense. I mean, we should have, look, I don't mind Benavides versus Zardo,

Cinco de Mayo. It's going to be good numbers, right? A big fight for Mexican boxing, good fight for world boxing. But ultimately, you've got cruise weight rank number one over there called Jai. You've got everyone thinking Zerdo's number two, which I think he is number one versus number two, please. Like, why does Benavides have to jump up 25 pounds plus to fight Zerdo? It kind of makes no sense. Zerdo's almost fighting Benadipides, like there are no other options in the Cruze division. Right. Right. There is a killer in Australia that we know will travel, has traveled to Saudi, has traveled to the UK, will travel anywhere for this fight. Like, I've been screaming for Jaya to go to heavyweight because you're not getting anything at cruiserweight. And this kind of,

I guess, backs me up a little bit. This is Zerdo, a cruiserweight saying, okay, come up, Benavides, we can do this. It makes no sense. The thing is, though, if Benavides wins, I trust that Benavides will fight Jai. I have more faith in Benavides. We have more faith in than Zerdo fighting Jai. By the way, I kind of love that. Oh, yeah. I don't know how Benavides does that cruiserweight. I know he was once a big boy and he went down, but like, wow, what a fight that made.

So maybe that is the silver lining here because that fight, I like Benavita's Jai better than Zerdo Jai. It's just that we've been talking about Zerdo Jai for so long. Same. I don't know why, but I'm so much more excited. Yeah, you're right. And I shouldn't be about a light heavyweight fight in Jaya than a cruiserweight fight in Jaya. But I've been around Benevides as of you, he's a big boy.

And Jai isn't the biggest cruiserweight. I mean, you know, I stand next to Alexander Ussick now. And I'm like, geez, you were a big cruiserweight. Tony Bellew, big cruiserweight. Jai is not that. Jai's about 6'1, as is Benavides. Obviously, Jai probably walks around a bit bigger. But as you said, Benavides was a big boy.

And what I like about Benavides is, you know, he's almost escaped the 168 pound division. And all his goal is coming to him in the heavier divisions. He's obviously getting opportunities at light heavyweight. he's now getting opportunities at Cruise away and I do think he would happily

fight Jaya and I think that could be one of the the super fights to look out for potentially in 2026. All right, all right. Rate these two main events

for me, Adia, right? Rate these two main events for me. Go on. King Callum Walsh versus Carlos Ocampo and Frank Martin

versus F.A. Jagba. King Calum Watch January 23rd, Frank Martin. Charles Martin. No, no, no,

no, no. I'm not saying rank them. I'm saying rate them for me. Are these, by the way. Charles Martin versus FAA. What did I say? Oh, I said Frank. Frank.

Yeah, yeah. Charles. Maybe it would have been more exciting. Those are the two Zufa boxing events. Zufa boxing events. The first two. Rank them as in which one's better or like out of ten? Your level of excitement.

This is it. This is the big debut. This is it. This is two of their first three. There's one in between that they haven't. By the way, the announcement is, like Dana White in a throwaway interview with Stephen A. Smith just mentions the Callum Walsh Okapo fight. And the other one, the Martin Ajagababat fight, has been reported on, but not officially announced. But even since he mentioned the debut card, the debut, there's been no announcement, no graphic, no poster, no nothing.

We were debating this yesterday on the show. And they're like, maybe this is the way they're going to ease their way into it. And I'm like, hold up, hold up. I just saw Dana White launch something not that long ago. It's called Power Slap. And I saw all the promotional muscle that they put into these fights, matches, athletes, whatever you want to call them that no one's ever heard of. Right?

Like this is not even a real sport. And I've seen them sort of like flood our timelines and flutter our attention spans with this stuff. And this is it. This is the beginning of this new venture. It feels like- Yeah, something's gone wrong there. Like it's not, and look, obviously this might be Dana White's way of entering in the boxing more, but I think I saw Eddie on your show a couple of months back,

and this isn't going to do it, right? This isn't going to do it with an event at the apex. You need to go bigger. You almost need to make a statement. And I watched the interview of Stephen A. Smith and Dana White. It was almost like a throwaway, like statement. Oh, yeah, this is our main event. Whereas normally when Dana White announces main events for the UFC, he goes big.

How many, he will make sure the world knows about it. So, yeah, I almost feel like Dana's upset by this as well. And as for Charles Martin versus FAA. I don't, by the way. Can I just say? I don't think so. I just think that he's forgotten how to have that juice. By the way, he announces main events now on Instagram Live.

The dating you're talking about is from like 2008, 2009. Oh, wow. Okay, cool. Yeah. Yeah, well, then maybe the juice is gone. Maybe there's nothing left to squeeze in the lemon. Maybe that's it. But Charles Martin, F.A. Jagber, to go back to it, I mean,

I mean, not like F.A. Jagber is my Nigerian brother. I think last time out against Martin Bacoli, he'll actually look good. It was a draw. So I thought he was ready to kick on and, you know, put his name in the mix, even for maybe a Tyson Fury. That's a legit name. So I feel like he's taken a few steps backwards, fighting Charles Martin, who, I mean, the less I say about Charles Martin, probably the best. I mean, you know, probably one of the worst champions we've seen in recent times. So, yeah, it's a weird one.

It's not as exciting for someone that wants to take over the sport, right? I mean, boxing was dead in America. Let's rebuild it. This isn't going to do it. This isn't going to do it. But maybe he's also realized that the top guys in the world of boxing want big, big money, big money, seven figures, eight figures. And I mean, look, you know from Dana White's dealings in the UFC, he's not going to happily pay that. Not at all.

So maybe I think they've just realized that they can't get the talent that they want. So they're kind of going for this mid-tier talent and hoping that these guys put on barnstormer events. Maybe that's the way they're trying to do it. These events at the apex, by the way, and, you know, sometimes boxing matches, you know, they're go a little longer than an MMA fight, maybe a less of a stoppage here there. Like I could see with that atmosphere, I could see this feeling,

you know, the apex is quiet. It's like a church. How many at the apex? What attendance at the apex, the capacity? Well, they're expanding it, but I think they're going to go, I think the max will be a thousand. I think the max, max, max.

But again, you know, I don't know who's buying these tickets. I think they're going to fill it up. The goal for the first one is have it, night before the first UFC of the Paramount era, which is UFC 324. And so people will be in town and they'll have influencers and their little celebrities there. But I just, you know, I don't know. Influences and celebrities still want to go to events where, you know, almost to be seen at events where there are names fighting. Like, you know, like they want to see a Shakur Stevenson. Sure, sure, sure. They want to see someone at Devon Haney, Tiafima Lopez. They want to see these

type of names, right? Jesse Baron Rodriguez. They're not really wanting to see. F.A. Jagber and Charles Martin. No, that's not what, you know, influencers want to see, right? They're very much casual boxing fans who really and truly won't know who these guys are. They won't know who any of those fighters you just mentioned are. So, yeah, I have no idea what the plans are here and what they're trying to achieve. But in terms of trying to make a splashing boxing and, again, take over the sport of boxing. You're going to need to do a bit more that. By the way, speaking of a throwaway line in an interview, I saw your old friend in mine, KSI in an interview, I think he was over in India, just kind of like throw away

the note that he's done with boxing, that he's essentially retired. That's it, it's over. This whole thing. And he even mentions he was offered 30 million to fight Jake Paul and he's like, man, nah, I'm tired of this. I'm like, why don't? Why did you take it? Why? Because he's gone, I mean, crazy. How do you feel about him just kind of saying, I'm done now? Not mad at it. I never looked at him as someone that was going to be a professional boxer forever. This is someone that came in when, if you like, boxing was on a bit of a downer, and this misfits YouTube influencer scene kind of came in when there was a bit of a space or gap in the market.

And he took it, and he's been doing it for a long time. He's been doing it for about six years. But I always still saw him do his social media stuff. He was always still doing his YouTube stuff with sidemen. He's always doing other projects. He's singing whether we think it's great or not. He was still doing that. So he always loved that stuff.

And boxing was almost a side thing. He used it to set up misfits and kind of push through other influencers. And that was it. I didn't expect him to be here long term. I didn't expect him really to target Tommy Fury and Jake Paul. He targeted Tommy Fury. He got that. Jake Paul, he tried.

I think he did try. Didn't quite work out. Jake Paul, I think almost then became a bit too good. let's be honest. Not a bit too good, but much too good to the point where if they were to fight now

it would be, I think, very one-sided. So I think Jake Paul, the Jake Paul dream kind of died about a year ago when Jake Paul just realized or KSI's team

realized that Jake Paul was just way above where they once were three years ago where maybe people thought it could be close. So I'm not mad at KSI retiring. I mean, this is a dangerous sport.

If you're not fully committed, don't get in the ring, regardless of who he's fighting. And so I think it's a good decision. Do you believe that he's not involved in Misfits as much? Or do you think this is kind of like the CEO stuff with Andrew Tay? Like, what do you make of all of this? I still probably, you know, behind the scenes,

probably still speaking, sorry, to Mams Taylor and that team probably has some saying it. But I don't know, man, I see KSI. And I do think he loves these YouTube stuff. And obviously, you know, Misfits is on YouTube as well. You know what I mean? The stuff that he does with Sibeman and all those other little projects, things that he has fun doing. You know, I've been around him at some.

press conferences. Obviously, I did misfits for quite a while. And there's sometimes where you just feel like he's not really happy to be here. Doesn't really want to be here, doesn't enjoy it as much as he does his other projects. So I almost feel like, again, he built it for three or four years. They've done some really incredible events. Me and you worked on a few of them. And that's it. Hand over to the next person. And I think he's made a good decision. Okay. Okay. All right. Fair. Good decision. Your boy, Hamza Shiras, against my boy, Christian Emily. You like this fight? Love it.

I love that fight. Hamza right now, obviously, look, the 168-pound division is looking for a star now, right? Crawford gone, maybe. I don't know what Kenello is going to do. Hearing injuries, maybe taking a long break, maybe needs it. So it's almost open for business. Like, who's going to be the king of that division? Is it going to be in Bealee, maybe?

Is it going to be Hamza? Is it going to be Diego Pacheco? Are we going to see Hyman McGeer come back and do some stuff? But if you're Hamza, you've almost got the pick of the bunch. The WBC, as you say, want him to fight Christian Mbeili. The WBO want him to fight Diego Pacheco. So he's got two world title opportunities. Which do you prefer?

Which do you like better for him? Pacheco. Because it's a more winnable fight. No, because Mbidi didn't look good in his last fight. Yeah. I remember thinking, did Mbidi even win that fight? I mean, it was a draw, wasn't it, I think. I didn't think he looked great.

And I think with Pacheco, you get Eddie versus Frank as well. Obviously, Eddie looks after Pacheco, Frank Hamza. So you get the element of the... that as well, which I like. And I think they both would make it a real big fight because it's two of their stars they've had from the get-go. So I think I like the Eddie versus Frank dynamic to it. Do you have Will Gavin's phone number? I do. He's kind of a big deal here in America. He's like a viral sensation. You know this, right? Dude, I've been watching those NFL clips. Obviously, I know nothing about what he's saying. Yeah, he's unbelievable. But any time a Brit, yeah,

anytime a Brit can get the love. And I've seen the comment section. And obviously, this is America's right and I'm like he's gonna get destroyed here and they're loving him like absolutely loving him and I'm so happy for him because He's so passionate about American football for for those that don't know he's a Brit who works for talk sport He does play by play I think on talk sport too and He knows his stuff as far as NFL is concerned there is something about Brits Calling American Sports I believe there's a man named Darren Fletcher not the new man United Gaffer He does baseball for T&T sports and his calls are incredible as well there's some Something about you guys with that classy accent, calling our sports.

It's just very fun. We love it. Do you think it's because we know we've got the accent, so we have to almost go above and beyond. We have to make sure that we nail it and do our research because we know, rid and truly, we're going to get critiqued from the outset. So we've got to be good. We have to be good.

I think the passion comes across. But here's the thing. I think it says a lot about us because if I go over there and call Premier League football, I think I get crapped on. I think people will say, what is the Yankees? doing over there. So I think it says that we as Americans are more inclusive than you guys of the United Kingdom. No, no, you might be right. Wait, what was the American manager that was in the Premier League recently? Oh, that's my guy. Oh, that's my guy. Well, he's now the, the head coach of

Canada and, golly, I'm drawing a blank. How am I drawing a blank? But on air Jordan. My point is, as you, you'll get it, you'll get it. My point is he was a manager. Jesse Marsh. Jesse Marsh. Jesse Marsh. Leeds. Leeds. And fans. And fans. And fans. And fans. And fans. And fans. And still didn't accept him because of the American accent. It's crazy. He's a football manager. They're like, no,

no, this guy knows rubbish. Knows nothing. Get him out. And obviously, eventually he got sacked very quickly. So yeah, you're right. I mean,

we won't accept Americans talking about Premier League football. It's weird. Just, like, I feel like if I did Premier League football, there would be no, like, crazy viral clips of, oh, look at the yank. Look at the Yank and the passion.

Look how much he knows about, you know, Sunderland and them singing like, wise man, like look how much he knows about the culture. Look at how much he knows about force and the city. What he knows about Chelsea. You know a lot, Ariel, I will give you this.

You know a hell of a lot about soccer. It's incredible. Like your knowledge of- What you know about Semenyo and the class that he showed leaving Bournemouth and signing with City those bad. Look, no, I mean. It's a disgrace what Semenio did. Look how much it was about Macclesfield, FC,

shocking the world, right? Against Christophe. Incredible. Your knowledge, your knowledge. Are you fishing for a job? What she does about force losing to wrecks him in P-Ks? I mean, it was disgraceful. Sorry, losing to Rex and what?

In PKs. In PKs? What do you call it? Penalties? Yeah, on penalties. We wouldn't say in PKs. No? Yeah, on PKs.

We wouldn't say in. See, those are the things where you just kind of trip up. This is semantics. This is semantics. No, those are big things. Those are big things. All right. You can't say in PKs, but it's okay.

It's okay. Listen, we covered it all here. 30 minutes around the world of boxing. This was a lot of fun. We covered it all. That's been 30 minutes already? That's been 30 minutes. around the world, yeah?

Is this mean I'm getting cut off? Is this? That's it, I said, 25 or so used to, I'm so used to an hour and a half of you. That's when you're officially part of the team. Now you're just a guest. So we bid you at you. There's no, there's no invoice for this. You are correct.

You are correct. Okay, all right, that's fine. You're the man out of eight. Check out the YouTube channel. Thank you, brother. Great chat with Adam Caterall up on the channel. The presenters haven't gone on the call just yet. Maybe one day I'll get that call.

For now, though, I enjoy from afar. Thank you so much. The one and only Adde Oladipo of Talk Sport. and of course of the zone as well. All right, let us move along. I've been talking about UFC 324 and 325, one of the big fights, UFC 325. February 1st in Australia, January 31st, right here in the US of A is the return of Mauricio Huffy going up against the one and only Raphael Fizzi. Big fight.

The big fight. The big fight. And the pride of Brazil, the one and only Maricio Huffy, kind enough to join us right here. And now there he is. Hello, good Good day, Mauricio Good day, good year Ariel, we're

together Thank you for coming on and I think we have a translator with you as well Kyle, yes? Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm right here Okay, now this isn't Kyle Boehlio, right? This is another Kyle.

No, no, another Kyle, yeah, yeah. Okay, well, thank you for the help. You're joining us, Maricio, from Australia so when did you get there? How long have you been there? How come to me so. I'm here a little more of 10 days in Australia, training with Volka, with all the team of his academy.

So I'm here a little more than 10 days in Australia, training with Volk and all the boys here on his gym. So I'm super happy to be here, but yeah, around 10, 12 days. Okay, so this is interesting because I first saw that you were getting sponsored by Engage a few months ago. And obviously I know about Ash and the great work that he does with Engage, Ash Bel Castro, who's been a part of, you know, Vogue's career and Izzy's career and so many others Dan Hooker as well. And now I see you training with Vogue. Are you now officially a part of Vogue's team? Are you just there to help him train and prepare for your fight over there?

What is your involvement now? Because it feels like you're more and more part of the team. Well, he said that he saw that a little time, you signed OpenGage, which is a great mark here, that you also is working with HAC, and he also, he cares of the Voka, the people, and he wants to know, and he wants to be if you're officially in the team of Volka or if you just came to help him

and train to your lute and how this experience here for you? Yes, yes, I signed here with Engage Engage in the house Let's go Engage. I'm, I'm training here with Volka and it's been very good for me

I don't, I don't say from Fight Nerd and continued being a fight nerd but, with sure that will be one of my at the other, I'm very very happy to be here

working with Volka, working with Ash, for me, has been very special, have evolved much as an athlete, and I'm very, very animated

to the next past. Yeah, so I sign with Engage, I'm an engaged ambassador right now. I'm super happy to work with Ash.

I'm still on fighting nerds. I'm always going to be a fighting nerds, but yeah, I'm here to train with Volk, to learn and help him, of course.

And I know that I will come here many, many times more to get better on my game plan. But yeah, I'm still fighting nerds, but yeah, training here with Volka and the boys. How did this relationship come about with the Australian boys, you and them coming together? How much is being this relation to you and how come from Australia? Yeah, it has been very special, especially as as a person,

have learned very as a champion on the side of Volcanoves who has been me ensinated every day, and there, all the question

of wrestling, adjust, he, always para to me to adjust to every detail.

It has been a relationship very, very special, very good. I'm very great to God,

for this great door open and I'm having every moment.

Yeah, so I'm super happy to work and train with the boys not just as an

athlete but as a human being I'm learning with Vogue how to become a

champion and how to be a champion but as an athlete I'm super good to me learning more

wrestling and grappling with Vogue he's super good on this game plan and but

and I want to say I'm super great to go to open this door for me. So I'm super happy to be here and training like a human being, like an athlete with the boys. So obviously last time we saw you early September

against Benoit Saint-Denie, your winning streak snap, first time losing via submission. How did you deal with that loss? How did that loss change you as a person? What did you see. What you said. What did you, in the final news, which was the first look that you per se said.

and how you see in relation to this? Car, it was one of the things that

me happened in the first, when when it happens a thing that you don't

expect to surprise there, you don't accept very well, but all past

the days, this me took to here today, I'm trying with Voka,

I'm trying working the first that I came, that I

came from my zone of the and I went

to training for us I don't say the language of but I'm forced to

have been done everything to do you know, so after my last last that I

I per die I per die a lot before this and I came in the moment of my

career and now I also I'm I'm a lot of where in really

I've learned I'm I'm really very much pass. Yeah, of course, it's not good to loss, you know, but this was good to me because I started to search for a new training, new learnings, so that's why I came here to Australia. Before I go to

UFC, I had a loss, but after this loss, I went to the UFC, so I know that even that I lost this fight with Sunnyni, I am the best moment in my career right now. I am a new Rufi, so I'm training and I'm super happy and learning with my loss. You mentioned earlier you're still a member of the fighting nerds. Can you confirm or deny Pablo and Flavio,

your long-time coaches? Will they be in your corner in this fight? Affirmu. He affirmedo that you continue on a fight in Nights, but Pablo and Flavio or Flav will stay in your corner? No, no. This time, they don't want to be.

The Pablo, he had a compromise with Jean, one a week before my lot. and then the battle of Kyle where he will be a month with Kyle in Vegas

so he would be able to get two months out of house and he had a babyzine and then I said to

him, I said to be with the team of Vok the Vok would would be to give some directions

here he had I brought two Corne with me and the third I'm going to

take from here so so we did this plan and combined so

Yeah, I'm still on fighting Earth, but on this fight, even Pablo or Flavio, they will not be on my corner. Because one week before, Pablo has a Gianz fight, and after my fight, he needs to go to stay one month with Kayo Borado in Vegas. And Pablo, he's a dead right now, so, yeah, he has a baby. So I understand this moment of his life, so I'm here. Vogue is helping me here. I have two corners here from Brazil that are training with me and now you have one more corner

that will train here with Vogue and the boys at the gym but yeah the guys will not be on my corner on this fight As you know on that card you fought Kyle fought and John fought shortly thereafter and it seemed like everyone was saying like oh the fighting nerds there are no more how did that affect you and the team where it seemed like people were trying to celebrate

it seemed at least for me from afar that you guys who had enjoyed so much success had now hit a bit of a rough patch. You've got been talking after your defeat, of your loss, the Kai and Dugène,

that Afideh had been had come to, how this affected your trainings, or if it not affected, or if it's not

affected, it was very good, you know, it's very good you know, very good, you know, what can

happen in a life of an athlete when there's success, and when, as, sometimes, it's,

I've got going to the way it was very good to me to understand how

it's a media a media some so I'm so I'm so much to God

for all the way that I'm maduriced much and I'm not I'm just as

the officer of the I'm not the principal but as as

how the man, how to how man, and all this me did

very well. And I'm, I'm very happy, with everything that happened and go back. I'm grateful to God because it's good to know this side of the story. You know

when you lost, you know how it works, the media, the fans and all of the stuff. It's like, it's not, it's no good only when you just know success, you know. So now I know how it works in a bad moment. So, but I'm

Keep on my mind that God is with me all the time, so I will become better and better. I love this matchup against Fiziev. What a fun fight, given both of your styles, your striking abilities. When you were offered this fight, did you like it as well? When he goes very much of your style of Loto and of Fizierv, some of two strikes. When the lot was feroferenced, you got happy? I was, I was very happy, pulled of a legria,

much animated, to fight against the offensive. And then, also, he's a guy who, I always have been in a moment very good of the career, so if we did a good performance and gained, and we're doing this fight, we'll be very

very well. So I thank you much to the UFC for the opportunity. I thank you, also, I'm also a officer for have accepted the lute. And let's go to a show to the guys.

Yes, so, yes, I was in Vegas, and I was super happy when Ashley told me this news. I was there with Polk. I always watch the Fisiv fighting. I know he's a good striker, so I want to say thank you Fiziv to accept this fine. Thank you, Fisiv, for the opportunity to give me this fine.

And I know it's going to be a show. And I know that if I win this fight, I will be in another level. I know you've spent a lot of time at Bangtau in Pouquet. He spent a lot of time in Tiger Mouetai in Pouquet. Have you ever crossed paths with him? Have you ever trained together over there in Thailand? He said you passed

a time in Bangitau and he's he's a close if you're in a moment or if you know, no,

I don't see him these days that I did that but in my battle with Bob Green he came me complimentar

he said he was a great fan of my style and I also said I always

I loved much of the style of his he had seen the and it was that was

the first the first the first the first the first but there in Bantau, I don't see him any other than the other. Yes, I was in Thailand for a few weeks,

but I didn't met him there. I only met him in my fight with Bobby Green. He came to talk to me. He tells me that he's Mauricio's fan style, and Mauricio told him that he's Fisiv fan too, but in Thailand, he didn't met him.

Speaking of that fight against Bobby Green, a lot of outlets gave you the knockout of the year, word, incredible knockout the kick he goes down it looks like you graze his head i this is our awards right here this is our award very prestigious award this is the award i i gave it to lorone murphy spinning back elbow tell me why i'm wrong rizio why am i stupid why should i have given this to you he said all of everyone talking

about your shoot gerator about the no Bob Green. This is the premium

and he gave to the Elroy Murphy the Cotovello rodated and he

is asking for you he's wrong because he is taking a decision stupid

to have done a pream for him and not for you. I think the knockout

he has been to be analyzed as a whole not just like the goal

so so if you look at the creation of was perfect,

it was the most that I most me enched the eyes was the first was the creation of the knockout how I was I was trying

to the grade there, without being being used it, and I asked for that the Kyle Borrallio me would say

when he'd fallas two minutes, because in two minutes I would encurral him in the grid

and would chute in the when the Kyle gritted two minutes I chute

and it was exactly as we expected he came out, the plasticity the top

and how it was surreal so I think this knockout the knockout the burff also was

very good and there also also in a plasticity seems a scene of film

yeah so it's not just the knockout for me you know it's all the situation

how you curate this so I remember that Caiu Bohale was in my corner

and I told him, Kayo, when he's missing two minutes, let me know because I try to attack him and I will kick his head. Wow. So that's what happened. I was hunting him there. So it was not just the knockout, you know. I was hunting him all the time. I know that Leroy Murphy and all the knockouts was good too, but for me, how I create this one, that's why I deserve to win this.

Okay, I love it. And I respect it. And it was incredible. So, parabence on that incredible knockout. Could I ask, I also saw you, a guy who knows a thing or two about great knockouts, Israel, Destiny. I saw you training with Izzy as well. What's that like for you? He's been showing the image of Izzy and perjuring, how was for you to train with Izzy?

It was very good. I'm realizing various dreams here, to train with Izzy, train with Volka, train with other athletes that I always dreamed in training. And it has been incredible to me to learn with them. also to be teaching what I know

what I have been a trocough of a trokutely incredible I'm I'm

on the moments my life as a lotator of course right now is like

one of the biggest moments on my life because I always had a dream to train with these guys

and now I'm training with Dan I'm his friends right now like this is my friend

Vogue is my friend right now. So I can teach them what I know. I know that I have a good striking so I know that I can teach something but I'm learning a lot. But yeah, there is a dream come true and training with his voice. And I even saw you training with Jamie Malarki who you beat not that long ago in the UFC. What's that like to fight someone and now train with them as well? There you are. He said, he said, he was training with him like, that you're going to be. How do you are here with him now training and I'm partying the most moments?

This sport is very special, you know, car? Like, if you could be to, these things always happen, happens, it happens there's a fight of nerd, you know,

you get or you're a lot of the other day you're training with him. So, I'm always respect my my adversaries, and the Jamie

also is the guy who, that's a guy who respecta much, me treated super been from the moment that I came here in the academy and we've we've done, we've done

just spas. We've done a little bit. Then he gave a Dica, I did a Dicke for him. And this is our sport. Yeah, so this is a special sport, you know? This happens in Fitingerge all the times.

Even if you win or you're lost with your opponent and another day we are training together. So this happened all the time in Fodinards. Here with Jamie, it was super nice. And thanks on the first day. He treated me really good.

We did three spines already and after that he teach me a few things. I teach him a few things but he's a respectful guy and me I am always respectful with my opponent so he knows so he's a special and like just business but he was super

super nice with me. Dan Hooker is a part of the team as well he's fighting Benoit Saint-D are you giving him any tips on what BSD is like? The Hooker He will lot in the same card than you. Does he do some part of the same guy?

You did some advice for him in relation to the Sandovalin? No. No, I didn't do any of any more, no. We didn't need any here. I'm in other place. We're trying

separately. And it's that's the best the better. No, no, no. I didn't met him. He's in New Zealand. I'm in Australia.

No, I didn't give any chips for him. So, yeah. I hope that the better, the better guy winning on the Octagon on that day. And could I ask, you know, on January 24th, we have Patty Pimblit fighting for the interim title

against Justin Gaiti. This is your way class. Who do you like in that fight? Who do you think wins that fight? A lot of Pimbley to Gaitch, that's your category. Who do you think you'll get this other? I believe that the gate will be the champion. It's a lot.

It's a lot that's a lot that's a lot that brings much a lot of energy, a lot of emotion, So much emotion in the octagon. I'm very excited to see this fight. You know, the both athletes are super special

on the occasion on the UFC. They bring a lot of happiness to the fans, you know, but I think Gaitre win this fight. And then what do you think happens? Do you think Gachi fights Tuporia or do you think he fights Armin? How do you think this plays out?

A lot of drama at 155. We're going to be rolling a drama in this position. What do you actually happens that if the Gates would be able to a lot with Armand,

or with Toppura? I think with Armand, maybe but the Armand has been on the ball

with the Danauai is, Dan Ours, it's me shateado, it seems, and let me what will

happen. Talves Topura, I want to see Topura versus Gates. I think that nobody can see

Tsaru Kian against against someone I think more Topura and Gates would be

a lot much more emotional Yeah, myself want to see Gage with Topuria but I think will happen with Armand. But I don't know right now

because Armand is not being a nice guy with Dana. So, I don't know what is happening, but of course I want to see, I want to see Gage with Toppuria, but maybe it will happen with Armand. Can I ask, do you think any of those guys can beat Toporia? Do you think

there's some of these that he said he said, can win the Toporia? I think that in this moment I think that's not there

between them I think not would not be able maybe who's maybe

maybe he'd be the next would be the game of box but I think Max Holler

no won't the lute because he not took decisions intelligent there

took a decision a moment a result and he and he ended up losing the lute, but he was winning the lute. So, I believe that the guy who has chance to get the Topura today, would be

none of them. Yeah, like, right now I don't think has anyone that can be Topuania. I really think that Max, maybe, is the only guy, maybe can beat him right now on their fight. For me, he was winning the fight, but he had bad decisions.

Of course, but he's tall. He has a good striking. So, in my opinion, I think maybe Max, It's the only guy that maybe can beat him right now. Wow, okay. Well, we'll see how that all plays out. I'm looking forward to your return, my friend. Good luck to you on February 1st over there.

Good luck in training. It's great to see you with Volcanovsky and the whole crew and with the engaged crew as well. Thank you so much. Thank you so much. Thank you. I thank you, good. And that you have all of your next month.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, Rangel. It's a pleasure to talk. with you here. Thank you. Okay, so thank you everyone. Thank you. Ariel, thank you. Always a pleasure to talk to you.

Hope you, hope to see you soon, my brother. Thank you. There he is. Maricio Huffy, returning to action on February 1st, over in Sydney, January 3, 1st. Back to back, numbered events. And I'm going to always say January 3, 1st here, February 1st there, because I don't want people,

you know, we're a very international show here. We're very international. It's a great point. We appeal to everyone, Dana. We're very, very international. Speaking of which, shout out to the great Molly McKin. Some breaking news, Molly McCann added to the big show.

Yes, the big show on February 21st. So all kinds of fights coming up over in beautiful Nottingham, our home away from home. Molly McCann added to that card. That's the Wood Warrington card, the Josh Warrington versus Lee Wood rematch, February 21st in Nottingham. That's the same day as the Barrios-Garcia fight card as well. A lot going on, a lot going on as far as Boxing. in MMA is concerned and Molly well on our way now, 2 and O doing her thing. Much love to Molly, very, very happy for her.

She is transitioning. They're building her up slowly but surely it's great to see. By the way, speaking of boxing, I know you're a big, oh I should have looked this up. Frank, what is that term for someone who's big into stamp collecting? I used to be... Disingenuous. No, not that one. What is that term? Someone who's like a stamp

A stamp collector No, no, no, no, no No, no, no, a collector of stamps No, no, officianto No, there's a term, I did a whole project on it No Here it is, here it is A philatilatilist

Oh yeah, that's what you meant Yeah, by the way, was that Pizzi? Who didn't know, Philatelist? He's back! You told him to come back I don't know if I told him to come back But I'm so happy he's back

He usually just Wow Wow, wow, whoa That drop sucks, man. That drops here it again, let's hear it again. Nope. Once there's a, it sucks, it's gone. It sucks.

That drops. That drops so bad. A lot of people are asking for the Antarctica drop. No, see, that's root. Antarctica was crazy. Yeah. I'd actually really like a, you know, wow, wow, wow. Wow, wow, wow, it's pretty good.

Let's get that, Frank. Let's get that. You kind of whip these up in like 10 to 15. I know, it goes to a whole process. Anyway, philatilus. You're into a. You're into stamp collecting Frank, right? Didn't you tell us that at lunch?

No. I was at the post office this morning and Frank asked me to pick up some stuff. Okay. Well, perhaps you picked up the new Muhammad Ali stamps. Did you guys see? Look at that. Those are nice. Frank showed these to me a week ago.

Oh. Yeah, yeah, he has his ear to the streets. Love these. These are great. The Louisville lip. You own any stamps at your house right now? Of course. I don't.

Oh, yeah. We have a whole little section. Yeah, I don't even have any envelopes. Oh, you used to make a lick them. I'm old school. You don't peel them off. I don't believe COVID was a thing? I do when I like my stank.

How much is milk cost? Can I, can I, can I, we're not a big milk drinking family. I can tell you how much almond milk cost it? It ain't cheap. I got to be honest. It ain't cheap. Can I tell you something? I used to have a stamp book when I was a kid.

I were a philatelist? I was into these sorts of things. Were y'all, were y'all, uh, state quarters people? No. I rented. I feel like you were. I feel like you were into that. Did the first 50, and then I was like, no, no, we got too many now.

What's beyond the first 50? No, there's like Guam and stuff? No, yeah. First of all, yes, they had like Puerto Rico and other territories. Second, then they started releasing like new versions and other. Oh, no, no, no, no, I did the OG 50. It's like Pokemon. I had the book.

I'd hammer them in. It was a good stuff. Avery has taken it up. Now she is collecting, she is filling one of those books. You guys have any sacajua coins? Yeah, got a few. Sacaja, what? What?

What is it, Frank? In Sacchiaia. What is this sound? By the way, by the way, I don't know if you know this, but the... It's a dollar point. There are no states in Canada, provinces. Yeah. Yeah.

Maybe that's the problem with Canada, you know. States just... By their low-hanging fruit. Yes, yes, yes. Anyway, shout out to the Ali stamps. I know you guys were excited about that, so I did want to feature them. Perhaps we have some... Oh, by the way, by the way, before we get to the superchats.

Audible, audible, audible, breaking news. wanted to go to Pee Carol for this. I'm so happy you're back. Pizzi, your reaction. Mike Tomlin out as head coach of the Pee T. Steelers, the Pittsburgh Steelers. A lot of Pittsburgh talk on today's program. Your thoughts.

Surprise. Surprise by Tomlin. You know, he always gets into the playoffs. He's a winning record every season. He's been there. Him, Jim Harbaugh. I mean, rough time. John.

Uncle, P. Carroll, of course, come from the Raiders, which has been very tough for the whole family. But, you know. Fired. I wish you need to get Dakota back to get her thoughts. It's PKs, Halani. Don't come in with the vernacular hair, all right?

Don't come in breaking out the words when you hit an English man with, what about PKs? What's wrong with PKs? You don't say PekK. What do you say? Penalties? Penos. Penos! They never say penos on the broadcast.

They never say penos on the broadcast. They don't speak the language of the streets. Listen, PT, I'm trying to line you. I see everyone going Gaga over this Will Gavin who seems like a tremendous guy. honestly I'm so happy for him delighted He's got the British accent you're not gonna... I'm trying to line you up for this.

You know as much as anyone about the National Football League. They can't handle this brogue on the English team. But then you call him Jim Harbaugh when it's John Harbaugh. Two different people. Yeah.

Speaking of vernacular, I noticed you called him numbered events. Is that what we're going with? It's all in my face. It's all in my face. What can I do? It's all right. By the way, speaking of vernacular,

let's take it one more step. Why do they overseas in the UK and Ireland and other parts of the world, Europe, why do they say sack when it comes to a coach, but here we say fired? And which one do you guys think is worse? I was thinking about this, like, to me, sacked seems a lot more aggressive and mean.

Like, they sack them. Like, they actually, like, bagged them up and threw them outside. Fired is like, you got fired. Now, fired isn't very nice because it's down. You don't say, like, in general terms, like, I got fired loads of times. Yeah.

But, like, I'll be like, I'm out of getting the sack. Yeah. Yeah, why? Why is that? Redendencies? Do you say it laid off? No. That feels like real U.S. corporatey. Laid off is the corporate way of saying I got fired.

I don't know anyone that's gotten fired. They've only ever been laid off. When you've been laid off, it implies you were to let go formally with like a package. When you're fired, it's like you don't fucked up. Organizational shifts. Yes. They had to eliminate my position. I wasn't trying.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but. they call it redundancies everywhere else. Hate that word. It does found really fucked up. But PT, SAC is not just a sports term. Like you'll tell your friends, hey,

I just thought, wow, I always thought it was just for sports. No, no, no, it's for everything, yeah,

it's just, it's your, it's the foreer equivalent. Yeah, you got the sign. Yeah, I saw, I saw Habib weighing in on

Jabbi Alonzo getting the sand. I'll tell you what? We're after, we're after getting Michael Carrick in here, you know, until the end of the season. What about that?

Oh, Yeah, what happened? What happened? I mean, he's legendary midfielder and all, but I mean, it's just sad. You know, we're starting again. No, I know. I was trying to position myself. You saw that centerback for Dakota's team.

She wasn't quite catching on. You know, ever since that episode you did with Dakota, when you asked her on City Trivia, been weird. I didn't have to take her seriously, you know. Yeah, well, I said Joe Hart, John Hart. I don't know, what was it? Josh Hart. Joe, Joe, Joe, Joe.

Anyway. I'm not going to hold that against you with the gym. in John's situation. No, but I'm not fancying myself. Eric, you got it. Yeah, that's right. That's right. H-A-R-T.

Sort of like White Hart Lane. Former home. I know it all about that. The Yid Army, I believe, they're called. That's what they call them, yeah. The 80s, yeah. Superchats, Superchats.

This is fun. Super chats with Pizzi. We never get this. What a treat? What are you talking about? You just don't throw it on. Tiofima Lopez in studio guest

in Fight Week. Can I just say, number one, shout out to Sammy. Tiafirmo is fun, but I actually thought Tiafima Lopez asked us a question. I'm sorry. But usually you start with Sammy says. No, I don't. Come on, Frank. I thought Sammy dash J6Z3S says TioFermo Lopez in studio guest in Fight Week.

I legit thought Tiafima Lopez got into the super chats and was going to ask us questions. No, you did it. I would love that. That's a big one. That's January 31st. So what a bit? Wow. January 3 1st, big day too. You know, it just occurred to me.

That's the same night as UFC 325. That sucks. Why do they do that? When's the Rumble again? Is that the 24th? No, it's the 31st, yes. We were talking about this. I need to tell this to Shaheen. That is maybe the greatest uncrowned day of all time. We had an uncrown day early on.

Yeah. Royal Rumble, Shakur Tiafimo, and 325? That's bouncer. That is insane. Did we do a draw? Don't we do a draw? I remember being very invested. Oh, yeah.

I love the wrong. It's a part of the stuff. Everything's going to fall. Can you see it? No. No. No, man, we can't see it. No, I'm sorry, we can't see it.

If you want to see it, though, go watch our studio toy that Ariel did. No, yeah, you're off camera. You're off the lottery system. Off headphones. Please sit back down. I mean, after him lecturing Chris yesterday. Oh, that thing.

Oh. So those just tuning in. It was worth it. It's working. Where is the Rumble this year? The Rumble this year is in Riyadh. They're building an outdoor. Oh, wow.

Yeah. Oh, so you know what? Actually, that might be better for us. Daytime Rumble. Daytime Rumble. Because they would have been all three at the same time. Hell. It still hasn't quite hit me that the paper views are,

whatever they're called, going to be starting an hour earlier. Oh, I can't wait. The excitement that I have for this one hour is actually a little bit crazy. We're going to be starting these watch parties at 845. I can't believe. That's crazy. Dream.

I'm going to be able to do the post show of 5 o'clock in the morning. That is. That's what I'm going to be. Good shit, man. Mailed it. That is amazing. You know what? Actually, a little bit earlier, like, sometimes it'll be like, you know, 45, right?

So 4.45. Big different. Big difference. I'll be able to talk to my family on Sundays again. Yes. That extra hour changes everything. Wait, is that a good thing or about that? I don't know.

I'll tell you when I get there. What else, Frankie? What else? Paramount Plus says price increase tomorrow. Get it now. Oh, yes. Paramount Plus. I thought Paramount Plus had messaged.

Parham Plus said this. Well, according to the reports, by the way, it said January 15th. Today's the 13th. Yeah, I think Dave's. But at this point, like, you might as well, like, if you're waiting, it's kind of silly. I got mine. Get a premium subscription. Did I miss, like, was there a massive, like, outrage over the price going up?

Because that was every week with the ESPN deal, I felt. Like, was there a massive, like, oh, here we're. we go. No, because number one, they said they were going to up the price. And ultimately, it's like a dollar a month, which who cares? And I think what people didn't like about that was the pay-per-view price was going up monthly. Like, it was going from 70 to 75, 75 to 80. And I know that's, you know, small potatoes for you because you guys don't have to pay for the paper-views. But for people paying, you know, 80 bucks every three, four weeks, it was getting to be a lot. So. It's a lot cheaper. I didn't see outrage. Did you guys see outrage over this?

No. How could, and. Anybody get outraged when going from spend $1,000 to spend whatever $100 it is per year? 120 for the premium plan for a year. Great. You get every UFC. I'm down. It's crazy. I'm down.

Do you have to do the same thing over there with T&T? How does that work? Is there like a UFC package? It just bought as an add-on to the package. Like an add-on package. Like it's like, it doesn't work out like an extra 10 or a month maybe or something like that. But you get Premier League games, NBA games. Those are different things.

What's that pay-per-view going to cost you? 24 or something? Probably 20 quid. 30, right? Wow. Yeah. What else, Frank? What else, Frankie?

Lastly, Zach ain't wax says, hearing Armand say Antarctica was the best thing of 2026 so far, laughing emoji. I said. Antarctica? I don't know what he said, but he seemed really into going. He said he goes to, who said this? Did he say go to Argentina first and then you take a boat? I didn't realize that. Oh, yeah, so you got to do, man.

Isn't Antarctica like all the way up there? No, south. South. Why is it so cold? I mean, it's round, so you could point up and eventually get there. Exactly. I mean, it's still incredibly far away from the... The poles are both cold.

Can I tell you something? Please. No worse than a cold pole. Oh, Jesus. There are children that watch this, Pizzi. I don't know if you know. I bet G. Notice this.

Like, you could feel the summer bursting out of Maricio Hoofi's room there. Can you feel the sunlight bursting out of the shades? Oh, it's incredible. Summer over there in Australia. I was so jealous. I could just, you could, because by the way,

it's 7 a.m. I noticed it with Volk too. 7 a.m. you could just feel the, the Sydney sun just bursting out of the room. I saw some pictures from the Australian Open, the tennis tournament. Oh, yeah.

Just like, you can just tell it's summer in the pictures. Soon. Yeah. A few more months over here, a few more months. Can you feel the... Good thing.

We still got February. Yeah. Can't wait for February. Best month of the year. Oh, yeah. What was that about the sun over there in Blanche? I was just saying, can you feel the ground?

of Blanche coming through. Absolutely. Right from that corner, the, like, top left, right? His top is nice. Yeah. Is that a window or is that a sheet? Sunroof? It's a window.

So that is actually... Who's to check? It was upset. It was upset in YouTube much seeing the daylight come through the window during the post shows. You know, like, we can't have that open anymore. Well, you're under the stairs, right? Is there, is there a blind there?

Yeah. I can't tell. That's a window now, but it's dark outside. You know what I'm saying? Okay, so there's no blinds? That's how I just pull the foot the blowing down. Look. Just move the camera.

Blowing down. I didn't see a difference though. Did anyone notice a difference? But it's dark outside. Like it's night time. Show us the camera. Move the camera up. Show us the whole room.

The Suns is it going to scoop everything? I'm afraid. I could ruin everything here. No, no, no. When are we getting the Pizzi studio tour? It's not very big. There's a lot of chuck. You've seen this table before, GC.

It's not a... Can I tell you something that's been bothering me for weeks now? the football behind you, the soccer ball. It's a little bit curved. Like it's, yeah. Deflated? Yeah, no, it should be said, yes. Why?

Why? It was like pointing the wrong direction. You see how much better that is? Seek professional help, Ariel. That was bothering me a lot. It was bothering me a lot. What do you think of, uh, arm in personally? What's the or like?

Oh my God. First of all, jacked. Like, you know, one of those guys you give the bro. Very, very, I don't know if you guys notice this, very soft handshake. Very soft. That's an insult. Doesn't have anything to prove. Shakes your hand like a boxer does.

You know, boxer's like, you ever shake a boxer's hand, especially like Shakur? Shakur will shake your hand like this. Yep. It's wild. It's the money makers. But to protect them their instruments. I don't know if it's that or if it's just actually banged up. Speaking of hands, you know, you never shake the bathroom in the bathroom.

Wait, what is that? You both are talking at the same time. What's going on? Frank is very low for me. Frank, because Frank actually speaks under his breath. Like, he forgets that we're doing his show,

so he's just cracking jokes. You know, to speak on a microwave. It's not open mic night here where you can just crack jokes under your breath. I was at the bathroom yesterday with Armand Saruka. Oh, you were?

We were washing our hands. Don't freeze it like that. Say it differently. And what happened? And he was looking at me in the mirror. Weird. All right, this is. so bad, Frank.

It's a really poorly told stories. So bad. No, keep going, keep going. Finish the story. So I got out of the bathroom as quickly as possible. And that was it? Yeah. Okay.

But he was taking care of his hands, which is important. To your point. Okay. To the money makers. Yeah. I think Frank is trying to say he washed his hands and then he came into your studio, shook your hands. So he's saying, don't worry, he watches his hands.

Oh, I'm not worried about that. I was not worried about it. I was just saying his hands were very soft. That was it. That was it. Anyway, let's move along. Pizzi. What did you want to say there real quick? I was saying that Lyon's very excited about him.

He's a big fan. You on the TV and a lot of compliments going his way. Okay. Interesting. At the point where I was like, you know, fucking relax. Yeah, chill out. My kids enjoyed his accent very much. Speaking of washing, cleaning yourself, Peirre Yan seems to be making a habit of cleaning himself in the snow, it seems like.

I don't know what's happening here, but what's going on? Is this like the Russian equivalent of an ice bath? What's happened? Why is this necessary? What's going on here? Look at this. This seems torturous. Like, he's not just doing it in and out 10 seconds.

Like, he's sitting there. Can't do that. Can't even do an ice bath, to be honest. I think I'm too big of a wuss. Has anyone done an ice bath? Yeah. You've done it. How long have you?

Several times. How long? How long have you sat in there? Three minutes? It's terrible. Terrible. Well, what's the water temp? What's the water tem?

I don't know, like 51 or something Oh wow Yeah it's not comfortable It hurts hurts Yeah I can't do it I can't do it Much prefer like a sauna

The other end of the spectrum Oh yeah Me too I'm more of a summer guy Guys I do have some exciting news Oh yeah From alpha Oh

That was fun We got a drop And the breaking news at the same time I feel like that may have been a You could do two at the same time Oh no no no Wow this is incredible tomorrow on the program

as we said Chuck Mindenhall is going to join us talk a little Bill's Broncos and other news OTN on the nose that post is already up area hawaii dot substack com also mentioned that areahoan.com

the home for all your merch and we're working on it new merch coming out please stay tuned Anthony Fluffy Hernandez is going to join us a big fight coming up against one Sean Strickland

and it's a little reunion coming up, a little reunion. We went an entire year, 2025, I went an entire year, probably for the first time in quite some time, an entire year of no DC in Halwani. Tomorrow we reunite with the one and only, the double champion, my former co-host, Daniel Cormiag. Wow. I'm awaiting the text where he's like,

oh, I got something more important to do, but DC is sketch. to join us tomorrow. I'm very much looking forward to this and I was reminded by who was it. I think it was Andy who reminded me. Was it Andy or Nicole? Someone reminded me that we did last speak of DC when he, well, I should not just say he. I should say all of you punked me with the the fanatics fest picture thingy where I thought you ran into him and I actually got mad. He told me he wasn't there. You guys remember that? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, sure do. Aligned so I'm looking for to that. I'm also, of course, looking forward to speaking to him about this John Jones reality

show that has come out of nowhere. And it seemed like for a moment, I'm not quite sure if John's figured it out yet, but like it seems like for a moment he was very optimistic about, you know, a potential friendship, kinship, brotherhood with one DC. But then I saw this clip of him speaking to Red Corner MMA and it sounds like he's back to hating, Daniel Kormier. Take a look. Listen. This season is against Daniel Corri-Mier, oh man, what a, what a stuffy, uh, just Dikai, Kormier really is. I think if you really get to know Daniel Kormier, he's really not. Yeah, it was a nice. He's an asshole. I mean, he didn't really connect with any of the fighters here. He's just an asshole. I made, I try to make peace with him many times, and he

made it very clear that he wants to be enemies for the rest of his life because how lucrative it is. And he's just a, he's just a, I don't know. Well, I cannot wait to get D.C.'s response to that. It's so good. Can I just say, I don't want them to be friends. Is that so bad? Nobody does. Who wants this? I don't want to see after all this time, a photo of them like hugging each other does me no good.

No one wants this. There are certain guys, Ali Frazier, probably like the most famous, guys that you didn't really want to see as friends. I think they are our version of Ali Frazier. right? I don't want to see them singing kumbaya I want to see this rivalry last there was a time where Ali Frazier were in their like 70s and they're arguing at like memorabilia shows

they're on the set of talk shows and they're getting into like actual scuffles where they have to be broken up that's what DC and Jones are destined to be and I don't think that makes me a bad person I'm not hoping for that of course if they become friends if they're at peace with one another no one wants to see it life just feels like more normal when they're at odds, right?

It warm my heart when he called him a dickhead. That's my guy. I'm also interested in knowing like DC's perspective because he says that like DC said like it's more lucrative and he wasn't trying to be friends or he wasn't liked by the fighters that they're supposedly coaching and all this stuff. And I'm like, I wonder what his perspective is on all of this. Because I'll be honest, I did check in with him a couple times and it did seem like the perspective was a little bit different.

But I love this. I love the fact that John is putting this perspective up. Like, this is exactly what he should be doing. This is exactly what we want. It did feel like it was John Jones led, right? John Jones is the one talking about friendship. Then John Jones is the one saying that D.C. rebuked the friendship offer. It feels like maybe John Jones got, you know, his heart.

Oh, do you think that was it? You think he put out the, okay, okay. He said he wanted to be friends, right? Yeah. We didn't hear that from D.C. We heard versions of it, right? Like at first he started with back in March, he was like, or May, I believe it was. He's like, I could never be near John Jones.

And he's softens a little bit. Then he's like, all right, you know what? Me and John will never agree, but we're here together. Meanwhile, you cut to John Jones. John Jones's like, this could be the start of a beautiful friendship. Then you cut to John Jones and he's like, that asshole didn't want to be friends. Yes. It feels like John got his feelings hurt a little bit.

You know what? You're 100% right because I'll go out on a limb and say, I don't think there was any part of D.C. that wanted to go out there and make men's and and here's the thing John is coming from the position of power right when you have two wins over the guy and I know one is is is a no contest now but as far as the athletic competition I think DC views it as a loss as well you can be the guy who says like hey we should be friends if you're the guy who lost to that guy you're probably like screw you I don't want to be your friend you know like eff off I want nothing to do with you right it's it's the victor that's always going to be

like we should be pals and then the guy in DC's position is going to be like Yeah, no thanks. And plus it got really personal between them leading up to it. Man, is there anything even close to DC and Jones now in an MMA? Right now? Yes. Connor and Habib forever. But like that's not now. That's not a thing. Is it any more of the thing than John?

No, no, no. Is there anything today that is anywhere near as good as DC and Jones in terms of the rivalries? Not a current one, not even. To me, Izzy and Pereira was the last. Alex and Izzy was the last really good one. Wow. Is there anything? Bolby and Bonickle. Well, no, but...

Fuck off. To be fair, to be fair, we were talking about, like, I think if Armin fought Patty, would be pretty damn close. No. Pretty damn close, you're crazy. Ilya Patty?

No, man. You need a good fight. You need more drama. I mean, but if they're booked, right? Because how did this thing, like, explode? They did the face-off, MGM, they get into the fight, then there's the fight,

and then I hope he's crying somewhere, and then there's the rematch, and there's the... Like, there were... chapters after they were booked. Those guys haven't even been booked yet. Yeah. No chance. potentially maybe become it one day, but never. I guess the question is...

Oh, then when, will we ever have another good rivalry? No, because nobody actually hates each other anymore. No. No, I disagree. See, I disagree. I think, I think, I think Armin hates Ilya. I think he hates Patty. I mean, he said it yesterday. No way. I think I'll hate Patty.

No? To say we will never have another great rivalry in the news is a crazy take. It's not that it's never going to happen. it's it's that the world has changed the environment has changed you can't just be that like it's there's too much money on the line it's business the thing about that was so fascinating about habib and connor and john and dc was it went beyond the money they would they would kill each other if they saw each other and it didn't matter what they sacrificed or what they compromised that was what made it so fantastic Connor McGregor is coming to Brooklyn to throw a dolly through a bus

window because he doesn't care what is at risk and what is on the line. Armin, Ilya, Patty, all these guys are just doing business. Nobody hates each other. The level of vitriol is not even one quarter of it. So what, it's just over? The rivalries are

dead in MMA? There's too much money now. Strongly disagree with this. What does that mean too much money? There's too much at risk. There's too much brand building. There's too, like, you can't hate anybody anymore. It doesn't exist. It's just not going to happen. We will have another great rivalry within the next five years.

This is very dark right now. This is very, this makes me very sad. If we're never getting another rivalry. We're the one who wants John and D.C. to never be friends and hate each other forever. Yes. We will come back to this take in five years. Which is my point. I want rivalries. You're telling me I'm never getting any rivalries ever again. Not one at this level. Just it just can't happen. I think that's very absolute. I feel like no more royalties. It won't be. It won't be, it won't be predictable. It won't be another Jordan. We can't. We can't. We can't sit. We can't sit there.

Yes. Boyce Gracie and Kent Shamrock hated each other. The Gracie's hated Sakuraba. Lidell hated Ortiz. What's the one since D.C. and Jones? Habib. Habib and Connor. What's the one since then?

Okay. I mean, there has been one since then. That was 2018. Yeah. Izzy Pereira, you guys said. Izzy and Pereira was a very good rivalry. It was a great rivalry. It didn't reach the...

We just proved the point. John and D.C. can't be near each other without it going to that level. Izzy and Pereira just bugging for the cabbing for the camera. The rivalry wasn't legit. You're comparing them. I'm not saying that there will never be another rivalry in UFC history. What I'm suggesting is there will never be one as heated, the blood feud level of John Jones and D.C.

Nor Connor McGregor. I don't think Armand Brasilia's... Nah, man. What? They just aren't that. Illia versus Patty, you don't think... They got into a fight, hand sanitizer, all this stuff in the free... You're calling that a fight?

Throwing a thing of hand sanitizer? Really? I can't tell if you're doing a bid here. What are you talking about? Ilya versus Patty is a broken hand sanitizer to John Jones in D.C. And Connor McGregor and Habee. They got broken up.

I'm doing a bit. I think they would have traded shots. Illy and Patty in that hotel. I think they would have traded shots. They literally crossed each other in a courtyard and they were like, you're a piece of shit. You're a piece of shit. Are you out of your...

I'm doing a bit. Are you guys out of your fucking minds right now? It might not be Ilya and Patty, but to say in the forever future of the UFC. There will never be another rivalry but we're acting like you could just like pick pick a current thing a dime a dozen. These are special. These

are not just repeatable with guys who are just like in the promotion to be like it really could be these two. It's not going to happen that way. I know, but you just don't know. Like you just have no idea in 2014 if you had said, oh, it's going to be Connor McGregor and Habibnur Magamette off. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I know, that's my point. You would have been like, what the fuck are you talking about? Yes. That's my point. We have no idea where it's not saying it's on the level,

but Aspinol Gan has gotten pretty testy. I disagree with that one. What? He's calling him... It's obviously huge. What are you talking about? He's calling him a cheater. He's calling him a scumbag.

He's literally... Huge words. Those are bad words. I know, but I don't think he hates Cyrilgan. The vitriol. Humzad? Is there anything with Hamzat? Who's coming after Humve?

Oh, so many. We just don't know where it's coming from. Listen, I get accused of being the negative nancy here, and I'm trying to find something here. I'm trying to find some sort of... We can't. You can't find it. That's what's beautiful about it. We can't predict. I'm trying to see who's coming.

Who's in the pipeline? Is there anything? I'm coming! Yeah. I truly don't believe that we can get to that level of hatred. Well, that's depressing. Because the money's so good. That's the money.

What is at risk? This is too much of a sport now. This is not, this is not just. It's been PR to death. Yes, yes. There's too much protection around this. We're still rough around the edges. No, we're not.

I mean, Dakota and Chris Hooker did he was crazy Oh, I mean Hooker and Patty said it's on site By the way, is it S-I-T Or is it S-I-T? The shit he said was crazy

S-I-G-H-T Yeah, yeah That's right though. No, I get you. I mean, I just shoot that both of them said was crazy. You think Yeah, no, yeah. Armine and Dan were

popping off at each other The build was great, hugs, respect afterwards. Like, just, it's not the same anymore. It is not. We need a good old bathroom. We need one. It ain't happening.

Dakota and Chris seemed like there something there. All right. Now you're trolling. I'm trying to find one. I understand like Izzy and Alex are buddy buddy now,

but like the rivalry ended in the octagon with Izzy doing a bow and arrow over Poetons, completely unconscious body. And then he fucking talked shit to his kid and then he got on the mic and was like,

I have never been this happy in my entire life. I pray you guys take risks so you can come close to feeling how it was a great rivalry. And then they're hugging. And now they're hugging. And now they were not hugging.

John Jones? If you see a picture of Habib and Connor McGregor hugging, the world has actually There is a picture. It was the, no, no, no, not pre. I'm talking now. The apocalypse has come. I agree with you.

The apocalypse has come for us. He just did a show together. Good point. He's building for the show. He's like, yeah. Connor and Habib would never. That is true. I agree with you.

Connor and Habib would actually. Connor Habib, the most volatile robbery of all times. Jorge Colby is actual. I think Jorge hates Colby coming. On site? Yeah, they hate each other That's as close as we'll get I think Bo Nicol hates Colby

No man No he does it New Floyd promotion We just buy a house and we put People who hate each other All right I'm digging reality show Where we get retired fighters

And they come out to our island And they coach teams of up and coming fighters To renew the rivalry We put it on YouTube Is it a fight island Is it in Thailand? I actually like that idea Rick, we do it in Thailand

Okay Retired fighters, coaching up-and-coming fighters, reality TV show on YouTube. Russian only. And they speak Russian. I want more like... I love this idea, Rick. I want more like CCTV angles and just throw them in there. There's no introduction or anything.

It's just like, oh, fuck, here we go. Connor McGregor's there. Habib's there. What's going to happen? Or we just have a reality show set in a kitchen, $30 million briefcase. Yeah, we're talking. Kitchen scrap. By the way, don't you feel like...

Am I going to expand this conversation? Don't you feel like this is true across all sports? I feel this way about rivalries in all sports. They have been lessened. They have been watered down. There is not as... The athletes are more mercenaries than ever. They don't have, like, something to kind of, like, fight over.

The teams don't have those kind of... Like, I just feel like rivalries in general have taken a step down, let alone the kind of, like, blood feud, John Jones, Gormier, you know... Yeah. So I understand what you mean. A lot of people bring this up. in particular with the NBA. NBA rivalries are down.

No one knew that Patrick Ewing and Charles Oakley were friends with Michael Jordan because it seemed like they actually hated each other when they played each other. Nick's Bulls, all those games, and then you come to find out that they were actually kind of buddy-buddy. But when they stepped on the court, they despised each other. And you don't see, you see a lot more fraternization. You see a lot more dapping up and all this stuff. And, you know, the old heads will say that they hate it. I do believe, though, I believe, like, I believe that.

there are players that hate teams or other players, they just don't say it and you don't see it as much. Do you know what I mean? Yes. I believe Josh Allen hates the Patriots. And I believe Josh and Stefan Diggs feels some sort of way about each other. They're just being very careful about not saying it. You know what I mean? You need somebody who will cross the line.

Yeah, yeah. You need somebody like a John Jones. You need an agent of chaos. You need a Connor McGregor. Okay, counterpoint. Come and throw a dolly. Counterpoint. English football, they hate each other.

Right? I can't speak to. I don't know enough. Right? You're telling me, I believe you. I don't know. I can't speak to that part. Everton hates Liverpool.

I was just going to say, I feel like it's fandoms. Bond base is ridiculous. I'll still take that, though, because that creates the environment, right? If those fans are, like, fighting each other in the crowd, that to me is equal. I'll take that. I feel like there was some story recently where someone said, I hate these guys. What was this? Oh, you know what it was?

It was actually the coach of the Chicago Bears said, you know, F the Packers. Yeah, F the Packers. and I like beating Matt before twice. Remember that? I don't buy it, but I don't buy it, but I like energy. To your point,

I watched it a couple times wondering if it was like an AI thing. I was like, did he actually say this? Exactly. Coaches never say that. Nobody talks like this. It's a bygone era.

It's a bygone era. Because what, PT? Rogers used to say he owned the bears when he beat them. Yeah. I'll say college football says a lot of rivalries. But do the, those players

might care the least. Definitely. Especially now with NIA. and all that. Like, they're just there to play for a year or two and then move on. But yes,

the fan bases, perhaps the coaches as well. We saw that with the coaches with the handshake with the Bears Packers. And it does get pronounced because it does feel like we don't see enough of it. But I do believe in fight sports.

Like, I think in boxing it paid pretty damn well and people dislike each other. Like there is a lot of... Ben U. Bank. We're talking at different levels. Ben Eubank.

What? Those guys are hugging. They are? Yes. After the second fight, it was like a... First of all, after the first fight, they were hugging, too. A second fight was a money grab. Afterwards, I mean...

You need more hatred. There's no pure hatred. You don't think Connor Ben was fuming with the egg? No. Wow. It's all a build. So everyone's disinterested. There's like a picture of Connor Ben in the moment, and he looks like he's raging.

Yeah, he got slapped in the face by an egg. It's rough. So you're saying... No way he walked away from that. It was like, fair play. We're talking, let me restate for the record. We're talking about the highest levels of hatred. There will be nothing in MMA that will ever come close.

Ever, I don't know if I'll be alive long enough. Well, I feel like that's what you said. It will be very hard to reach that level. It will be very hard. It's not Ilya and Armin. I'll tell you that. That's what you said, though. We'll have one within the next deck.

I think I'll be coming back after everything he's been through and one of those dudes are staring at him walking around with his belt. I think he'll, I think he'll be fired up. I think. He'll be fired up. I agree. with you. And I think they'll make it person.

I think one, by the way, none of those guys can control themselves. One of them is going to make a joke. If they make a joke about his domestic situation, or not even a joke. Someone will make a comment, right? Yeah, like somebody pokes fun at it. Yeah, maybe we get there. I still don't, I still don't think so.

All right. Ilya's not an unhinged individual. No, but I think those guys are. I think those guys tend to be a little unhinged with their trash talking. I just can't see it. And maybe that's the best evidence for it, because you can't see it coming. Well, maybe it's not just a fighter problem. We talked yesterday about Dana White, the aforementioned Chuck Minnenhall.

Right now on uncrown.com with a new piece entitled, We Need to Get Dana White a Little More Interested in His Own Product Again. This just came out, 312. Can't wait to read this. What a book in Adler. Yeah. What a guy, that man in the hat. Congrats to him, joining the Morning Combat Team.

So congrats to all. Congrats to all. Love it. And I wondered, I was checking, unless I missed something, no announcement, right? No Dana White announcement. We suspect it's some kind of fight announcement. Maybe it's the announcement that Frank Martin is fighting FAA Jagba on February 14th at the apex. By the way, I can't, you know what?

You know what's so exciting about this? The boxing community now is going to get like this sensation that we've had for the last few years where it's like big apex main events being announced and them having to like debate whether it's big enough and all. It's going to be great. This is going to be great. But no announcement, right guys? Not yet.

Nothing. So stay tuned. Luckily, we shall be back tomorrow to talk about whatever said announcement was and also to answer your questions. And obviously, can't wait to have DC on Fluffy Hernandez and Chuck Minnall. And Peezy, in the end, you're going to have to make a pick. I just want to let you know. Easy.

You already have your pick? Yeah. Wow. It's pretty amazing, by the way. I don't want to harp on this, but I still don't understand why the bills played Sunday at 1. The Broncos had the bye week,

and yet somehow we're playing the first game on Saturday, and yet somehow the Bears and the Rams who played on Saturday are playing on Sunday? How does this make sense? Feels like a conspiracy. How are we in the early slot when we played on Sunday,

and then the ones who were in the early slot last week are playing on Sunday? What is this? That's precious minutes for Josh Allen. who got absolutely battered up in. Yeah, so you agree. The fix is in. They want the Broncos.

Good team. Yeah. All right. Well, I look forward to that chat tomorrow. For now, though. It's a nice little remix. What was that song I was singing earlier, Frank? Get, get down, down, down, down, down, down.

Down, down, down, down, down. Right. Down, down, down, down, down. Big get down, down. Now I just got more bad news, PT. Tyrell Shavers torn ACL. Two wide receivers toward their ACL on Sunday for the bills. You have two wide receivers?

I know. Kalil Shakir, it's 12 for 12, though, for your day. But that's insane. Khalil Shakir, wow. Cookeeps, baby. Brandon Cooks is all we need. But yo, I've never seen two wide receivers tear their ACL in the same game. Oh, and Chafers was playing well

And they lost Joshua Palmer last week Yeah, no Josh Allen, gonna have to put the cape on me Yeah I'm gonna put the cape on Oh, I looked at my feet The whole feed is this now, you know, it's okay, it's okay Yeah

Put that cape You know, Ptze, you know Josh Allen Has never played He's played in every single stadium except for one, you know this, right? Deepwater Stadium Yeah, where's that? Where's that stadium?

In San Francisco And, well, Santa Clara, to be exact And which stadium is hosting the Super Bowl? Leiboy Stadium. Dan, Dan, da-da-da-dan-dan-dan-dan-dan-dan-dan-dan-dan. Then-down-down, down, down. Sing it with me, Frank. Down, down, down, down.

Down-down, down. Down-down. Saran, come on. You and Marbea. This is going to be rank? Frank, come on. Dan-dan-dan-dan-dan-dan-dan-dan-dan-dan-dan-da. Come on, Frank.

Come on it. You guys just can't hear me. I'm too low. Down, down, down. Sing it Frank. Come on, Frank. Down, down, down, down. Like he doesn't even care.

Maurice Hufi, Dakota, Ditcheva, Charles Johnson, Idaho, Depot. Thanks, then, thanks to you. Back tomorrow. Stay time, business. Peace about here.