The Ariel Helwani Show - Darren Till, Diego Lopes, Steve Garcia, GothamChess in studio, weekend recap, news & notes, more

Episode Date: June 8, 2026

Ariel Helwani kicks off the show with more excitement for the New York Knicks’ NBA Finals run, before recapping the weekend. The Boys in the Back and Petesy Carroll join him to discuss Ilia Topuria saying Justin Gaethje made their fight personal, Arman Tsarukyan claiming he wagered $1 million on Gaethje, Sean Strickland’s White House drama, Dana White suggesting Alex Pereira could become MMA’s GOAT, and more (01:36). Diego Lopes is back on the show, previewing his meeting with Steve Garcia at the White House, then talking about frustrations with things being taken out of context in the media, lessons learned from his two fights against Alex Volkanovski, his prediction for Volkanovski’s presumed title defense against Movsar Evloev, and more (37:01). Darren Till returns to recap his big BKFC debut, shoot down accusations of PED use due to his transformed physique, express interest in fighting Mike Perry and Yoel Romero, tease a potential return to MMA, weigh in on Eddie Hearn’s handling of Tom Aspinall’s career, and more (1:03:17). Steve Garcia joins the show to discuss the Lopes fight, competing on the White House lawn, feeling disrespected by not having more notoriety despite his success, teammate Holly Holm’s controversial loss to Stephanie Han, his love of golf, and more (1:32:05). Levy Rozman, aka chess International Master “GothamChess,” joins Ariel in-studio to talk about his life and career, the recent popularity of chess, building a successful YouTube channel, his combat sports fandom and training, and more. Then Levy takes Ariel to chess school (2:01:31)! Ariel closes the show with news and notes, including Dana White and Eddie Hearn’s latest war of words (3:05:03), before answering your Super Chats (3:35:03).

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Monday, June 8, 2000. 26, hello again, everyone. I sure hope you're doing well. Welcome to what I believe could very well be the greatest sporting week of our lives. And yes, I'm including all of us in this, because I don't care if you live in Brazil, Poland, Japan, Korea, China, I don't care if you live in Uruguay, Venezuela, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Canada, USA. This, my friends, is going to be the greatest sporting week of our lives.

In six days from now, June 14th, to be exact, the UFC will be putting on an event at the White House. Now, I understand this is a very polarizing event. I understand it's an event that a lot of people feel strongly about, and I'm not going to be one to tell you that you shouldn't feel this way about the event. Because MMA was a sport that, in my opinion,

was born on the internet, was propped up by the people on the internet, by the fans, by you out there, you feel some sort of way. You know those people that love a band and then get mad when the band graduates from like the underground clubs and then makes it to SoFi Stadium

or Cowboy Stadium or Madison Square Garden? You're like, I was literally going to say people like Frank who are like, I don't like them when they were underground. That's how a lot of MMA fans are. And you can be like that. And you have every right to be like that. And so it's one thing to see the sport grow from, you know,

some random town in Louisiana, some random town in the Midwest, some Native American reservation, banned from this place, that place, this place, that place, then to get to the major arenas like Madison Square Garden, like the O2, like the Rogers Center, like Staples Center or SOFi or whatever, it's fine, but what's happening on Sundays on a whole other level, obviously. Ten years ago, this sport had yet to host an event at Madison Square Garden.

Now they're going to be at the White House, it's wild. And in this time, with this administration, with this president, I get it, I get it, I get it. I am choosing this week, though, to not focus on that. And again, as I said on Wednesday, I am choosing to celebrate the fact that a young man from Georgia who then moved to Spain, who's on the cusp of being one of the biggest stars this sport has ever seen, is going to headline that event. A man from, you know, Arizona, then Colorado, who took a detour to the UFC through World Series of Fighting, who is a fight night bonus machine, has never not won a bowl. bonus is going to be headlining for his country on Sunday. A man who was a alcoholic who was working at a tire shop, who became one of the most improbable champions in UFC history.

The list goes on and on. You know the stories by now. Derek Lewis, in jail, Josh Hokie, where the hell did he come from? Garcia and Lopez Zahabi and Omali, Hoofi and Chandler. I am going to focus on that on the day show. If you want coverage of the White House event, if you want belly aching, if you want political coverage,

you've come to the wrong guy. I'm not giving you that this week. We'll talk about it a little bit. Sure. I'm not going to do that. Because this to me is a celebration of the sport. And honestly, it's a celebration of the UFC, an organization that changed my life.

I don't have this job. I don't get to talk in front of a camera if I don't have something called the UFC to cover, to follow. So I am choosing to take that approach. You want to feel some sort of way, whether you're a media, I get it.

And I don't feel like you don't have the right to do that. But I'm not driving ourselves crazy here. I'm not doing that. These are great fights on a crazy stage. We've seen the photos. We're going to look at that in a minute. Let's celebrate it. Three days before that, the World Cup kicks off for just a second time in the history of the World Cup here in America for the first time over in Canada,

back in Mexico for the first time since 1986 as well. Three countries hosting. that's a first, it kicks off Mexico, South Africa, the greatest international tournament of all time. The biggest field of all time. The final is happening just across the river in New Jersey on July 19th. What a celebration. That's June 11th.

That's June 11th. That would be enough. And oh, by the way, if you like the Stanley Cup playoffs, what a great Stanley Cup final we're getting between the hurricanes and the Golden Knights, beautiful stuff. but all of that, all of that is trumped. Pardon the pun. By what is transpiring tonight in New York City.

Tonight, my friends, will be the greatest night and the greatest event in the history of this great city. Because as many have told you already, Yankees, Mets, that's one thing. Rangers, Islanders, that's another thing. Giants, Jets, that's a totally different thing. They don't even play in this damn state. the New York Knicks are this city's team. Forget about the Brooklyn Nets. They're New Jersey's team.

No one even cares about them anyway. Jay-Z once said the city is under new management. No, that was never the case. Tonight, the New York Knicks attempt to go up 3-0. When I said goodbye to you on Wednesday, we were 0-0. Tonight we're actually 0-0. That's the mentality. That's the mindset.

Humble and hungry. Tonight, after today's show, I am going to walk for 30 minutes and make the pilgrimage to the Mecca with my two sons to watch game three of the NBA finals. To tell you that I feel anxious would be an understatement. To tell you that I feel nervous. I double down on what I said last week. I don't know how to react.

I have never been this close. In 94, we were up three to two going back to Houston, but I still, I didn't fully believe. I also was young and dumb. I was 11 years old turning 12. I didn't know what to feel. I know what to feel now. And I know how improbable this is.

13 in a row. And I got to tell you, if you would have saw me on Friday, there are no videos of of me. I didn't do any of that shit. If you would have saw, I thought I was going to faint. I thought I was going to have a heart attack. I thought it was going to die. I still don't know what transpired in that final minute, but I pray to the gods above that they continue to bless us because we are too away from all this ending, from all the pain, a lifetime of pain. And I understand that I sound like a psychotic person, but I can't stop thinking. I'm picking up my phone and I'm like shaking. I'm so nervous. But here we are you. are, my friends, embarking on the greatest week of our lives. Yesterday, I went to the NBA store,

just like I did in 1999 when the Knicks played the Spurs and bought the shirt that Cat wore before his first game is a neck. This time I went with my two boys. And today, they're going to join me and we're going to walk down there and all the fear-mongering. And it's unbelievable. Trump's affecting UFC on Sunday. He's affecting basketball on Monday in this city. I don't care. This team is unjinksable. This team is above all this shit. Yesterday, they were announcing questions like freaking pros. In MMA, we get Strickland and Bryce Mitchell. In the NBA, we get O.G. Annobe and Kat answering the questions like pros, not taking the bait. Stop with the fearmongering. Every time I turn on Twitter, he's going to ruin the vibes, he's going to do this, he's going to make

them lose four in a row. F that. You see Jalen's face. You see McKell's face. You see Kat's face. You see O.G.'s face. You see Jose's face. You see Josh Hart's face. They are unflappable. None of this is going to affect them. None of this is going to affect them. And so what a great time, by the way, and what a great week to kick off a new sponsorship right here on the show. I'm very, very pleased and honored and excited to say hello to our new friends over at Kalshi. Kalshi is now a part of the team. Yes, you've heard of Kalshi probably by now. They're taking the sports world by storm.

I want to tell you that today's episode is sponsored by Kalshi, the largest prediction market in the U.S. of A. Here's what makes Kalshi different. You're not playing against the house. Cali is peer-to-peer trading. You buy either yes or no contracts on whether something will happen and you're trading directly against other users. Think of it like buying or selling a stock. The line isn't set by some algorithm working against you. Public opinion sets the price.

Calci is CFTC approved, federally regulated, which is why it's available across this great country, including California and Texas. So here's what I want you to do. Please support them because they support us. Download the Cali app right now. Use the code Helwani. That is me, H-E-L-W-A-N-I to get $10 when you trade $10. That's K-A-L-S-H-I-C, trade what's next. And here you see some activity regarding UFC Freedom 250.

This Sunday, six days away. Alex Perea currently trading at a 51%. Meaning, a little bit of a favorite going into the fight against me? Nearly even. Nearly even. A coin toss, a flip. What else we got regarding UFC 250? What else do we have?

Who will attend UFC Freedom 250? Who do we got there? Mark Zuckerberg, Connor McGregor, Tom Brady. What about Helwani? Is he there? TBE. Currently trading at 1%. Okay, okay.

You're telling me there's a chance. He's joking. Yeah. What else do we have? What else do we have? Oh, the pro basketball finals, game three, the New York Knickabockers versus the Spurs of San Antonio. Who will be in attendance? What's that? Jimmy Fallon, Kylie Jenner, Jackson. Yeah, we're in on Kylie Jenner. Yeah, it looks like somebody's in on that, Kylie Jenner. Where's Helwani? Where's Helwana yet? Where's Helwana yet?

Yeah, didn't see it listed when I traded. Come on. No love all over the Cal She. What else? Kylie Jenner. Yeah, shout out to Kylie. Shout out to Kylie. What else we got? What else we got? Game 3 Spurs, Nick's. Okay, what do we have?

What do we have? Nix 53%. Okay. Interesting movement, you know, people will really, Nix win a couple games, goes up, goes down. I love it. Okay, but are you surprised that it's only 53%. Listen, there's a lot of PTSD.

There's a lot of PTSD. Everyone said game two was a lock for the Spurs. Yeah. I mean, I remember when my longtime friend, one of my greatest friends of all time, couldn't look me in the face not that long ago. Ah, it's going to be bad. Do you want to take it back yet?

Are we walking it back? I feel like this is a little bit premature, my friend. That's just simmer. This team is unjinksable. Simmer for a little bit. Oh, look at that jacket. Simmer for a little bit. I don't know what to do.

The team is on jinksable. Victor Wimmyniamma. What's happening? Simmer. Petey, what are you wearing? What's on your dome? Yeah. Come on, Pete.

Come on, Pete. This is it. Destiny awaits us, Pete. Tell me. Tell me. One of the lads thought of you watching these games because genuinely, I have never felt this energy for me before since the start of these finals. I thought you were containing yourself well up until it started. But you know what I mean?

It's a new level of... I don't know what to do with myself. I've never felt this feeling. I've never, because you have to understand, we all want it so bad. We all want it so bad. And everything, because they haven't lost in 13 games, a single loss, a singular loss, will feel like the end of the world.

It is such a foreign feeling. The way Jalen is handling it, the way Josh is handling it. It's just, yes, Victor throws away the ball? Who does that? That doesn't happen? That could only be the gods.

That could only be the gods helping us. We have suffered enough. We have suffered. That's the only thing I could say is we have suffered enough. We, oh, look at that. Got the Jalen fronts and foam finger. God.

What about, did you guys see the way they were answering the questions about Trump? No. You didn't see it? Yeah, saw it. They are locked in. They're not letting anything to distract them. You and PCC, like you see, you know, Strickland crying into his phone. Oh, I can't get invited.

I can't get invited. I don't know why I have a British accent there. Okay, everyone's going great. Everyone has a take. Everyone has a take. Listen to the way in which Carl Anthony Towns, who is having the series of a lifetime, who is out playing Victor Wen by the Yamai. By the way, much love to Victor.

He's going to win a million. But is this the 95 magic? Look it up. here's Carl Anthony Towns answering a question about Donald Trump. Watch at the masterful attempt here to try to get him to answer, which is a fair question, by the way. I don't blame the media for asking the question. Watch the Euro step from Carl Anthony Towns.

Someone who grew up in the area, I just wonder if you have any thoughts about the first president to ever come to a finals game being at the finals game tomorrow. I mean, we've got to be desperate for the, as fans, you know, the fans have earned the right and deserve the right to see finals basketball be played here at Madison Square Garden. And for this to be the first game in a long time that they've seen finals basketball, it's up to us to bring it. Give them something to cheer for, give them something to get loud for, and also give them something to believe in. I talked about

the word hope. Hope has been brought back to the city. We've revitalized that word. But the worst success hasn't been seen in the CEDA for a long time. So we have to continue to fight to bring that word back to fruition. I mean, is that not, he told, he answered a totally different question. I was so proud of him in that moment. That's expert stuff. It was just about the fans. He didn't even go down that, like he didn't even look at that direction.

That question could have been about. Is that what you're going to do there? He's like, he has been a long time, you know, courts up. Dapping up Patrick Ewing back in the day. It didn't matter if that could have been about vanilla yogurt. and he would have just straight got there. Like, that was perfect. Shout out to Kat.

Pete, you're staying up tonight or what? Well, of course. I mean, I've explained to Elaine that it's going to be a bad month. You know, it's, I don't think I'm going to sleep. World Cup will be all right. It's going to be a bad summer, Pete. No, it's going to be the greatest summer of our lives. Are you kidding me?

Guys, I know, and I'm not going to sleep, true, Eric. That's what I'm saying to you. I'm not going to be asleep when there's people playing ball on the biggest stage of them all. Everything we read of as a collective unit. We're going to have an incredible Omikaze. in Las Vegas in like three weeks time, guys. Let's just let's let's cut down the nets first.

I know, I know. You were like, I can't believe I I finally made a Nix edit. Let's just make sure you don't. I know, I know. Don't make the other one. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Let's just take it easy.

But it feels like the worst fucking situation in the world to have to play the Nix of Madison Square Garden tonight based on everything. Stop, stop, stop, stop. Pissie, stop, stop, stop. Peezy, stop, stop, stop. Everyone just. There's a basketball game going down this evening.

We're all going to be watching. We're just hooping. We're just hooping. It's not a big deal. We're not. It's the finals. The energy is going to be insane. The energy is going to be insane. The energy is going to be insane. O&O. O&O. O&O. O&O. O&O.

O&O. You see, McKell he's foaming at the mouth there. McKell was up 2O, by the way, back in the day in 2021, but he wasn't going home. Only twice before has a team gone home up to O, winning the first two on the road. Ninety-93 Bulls ended up beating the Sun. Sons did win the next two, Bulls won the third, and then the sixth game in Phoenix, and then the 95 Rockets beat the Magic four straight, winning the first two, Nick Anderson, missing those four free throws in game one. Let's just see, let's just see.

We have a lot to talk about. And this is actually a gift for me, by the way. This is a gift for me because I can think about something else for about three or so hours. Today's program is an absolute beaut. Back into the show, guys, a New Yorker who goes by the name of Gotham Chess, a.k.a. Levy Rossman is going to be joining me in studio. Any chess connoisseurs out there, before you roll your eyes, oh, chess, what are you doing?

Trust me when I say, he is as hardcore of a fan of mixed martial arts as any of you out there. In the chat, throw a queen in the chat for me. Throw a king in the chat. Are there any, like, chess emojis, a pawn in the chat? Oh, bro. You don't even know ball like that. Yeah, there's chess emojis. Okay, throw one of them in the chat.

Because this guy, you want to know how hardcore? Listen to this dude. who's one of the biggest, if not the biggest, chess influencers on the internet, over 7 million YouTube subs, over 2 million on Instagram, a gazillion on TikTok, Facebook, all that stuff.

Listen to his impersonations of famous UFC fighters and wait for the Moikano one. And this is a man whose parents are from Ukraine and Russia. So he's got a bit of an eastern European accent. Take a listen to this. This is number one. bullshit. Irish, 6 million. Russia, 150 million. I want to fight with your chicken because this is

number one easy fight in lightweight division. Raoul Rosas. Chee-wee-wee. Sam Robb. Sean O'Melli, you keep smoking, I will keep training and I will be UFC champion one day. That was good. GSP. Are you intoxicated? Sean Strickland. Here's the thing, you guys. Nate Diaz. F*** that. Kana McGregor, you're taking everything I work for, motherfucker. I'm a I'm gonna fight your fucking ass. Steep it.

Moikano. Let me tell you something, my brother. I'm trying to fight in the UFC to make a lot of money. Moikano wants money. Shama. Pizzi, you're not bad, right? Very good. Yeah.

Strict on, I would have liked the hair a bit more harder because I thought that was one of his better ones, to be honest. He knows ball. He knows ball, the young man. Okay, so he's going to join us. Prior to that, Steve Garcia is going to join us. us. So we're focusing. You know, I usually say, uh, fight week, I don't want to bother. We're doing it a little bit different

this week, all right? The extra day. The extra day. You know what I mean? Extra day. You're right. That's point. Diego Lopez also going to join us on today's show. We may have another guest joining us too. We're all over the gaff today, Pizzi. We're all over the gaff. We're walking from the student. Yeah, weekend recap. Shout out to Danhausen.

Without him, none of us would be possible. Oh my God. He uncursed us all. We're going to walk to MSG, 35 minutes. The Pilgrimage. By the way, LK, I cooked with that line, right? The pilgrimage to the Mecca? I sort of cooked with that line, no? HK.

You're right, you're right. By the way, Danhausen, cursing, now he's getting involved into the Stanley Cup final. You see this? He cursed the canes. They lost in overtime. Now he's uncursed the canes. He's unbelievable.

He's on a generational run. Also on a generational run is Ilya Teporia. Ilya, guys, has landed in Washington, D.C. How do I know this? We have visual proof. There it is. Do you think he took a helicopter from Miami? Wait, that looks like he's in Miami right there.

Okay, he took the helicopter to the plane. Right? Yeah, copter to the jet. Can you take a... See, here he says landed in Washington... Oh, I guess it's a carousel, right? Yeah. Anyway, he's there.

Shut out. Were you going to ask if you could take a helicopter from Miami to Washington, D.C.? Yeah. Feels unlikely. Okay. Meanwhile, he's also saying, just like Dakota Dichiva,

that retirement is not far. What's he talking about here? Let's listen to this from Miliatapuria. It's been a tough decision for me to make because I've got my two kids living in Spain, my whole family, is there, but sometimes you have to prioritize things in your life. My sports career isn't going to last very long, so for training purposes, and since I'm always looking for constant improvement, I believe that, for my sports career to keep myself more active and with all the projects,

I want to work on the best thing. Right now is to be here in Miami. And then once I retire, which won't be too far off. We'll celebrate that. I'll go back, I'll return to Spain. That's the place where I want to live. Where I want to spend the rest of my life.

Everyone says that. Let's see if he actually sticks with it. Anyone watch the HBO Max series yet? No. I have not seen it yet. Is it available here? I think it is, yeah. It is, yeah.

I haven't seen it yet. I haven't gotten around to it, though. No, I haven't gotten it. Busy weekend, you know. Wait, wait, whoa, what are you doing? A little bit of this, a little bit of that. You're out there celebrating on the streets. I saw you.

I'm going to get to it before the White House, though. I saw you out there saying, my mayor's Muslim, my bagel's Jewish, my Christian's Dior, Nixon, Four. You know yourself, V, you know yourself. Vita and now yourself. You're getting those videos too over there? Are they blocked? Yeah.

Yeah, they're geo-blocked. You can't see them. And by the way, as I said from the beginning, oh, it is here. The Tuporios. No, no, no, no. Yeah, you can watch it here. Oh, sick.

There's only one episode, though. Or are they dropping them? That wouldn't make sense with the Warriors event. They should have just slashed them all out at all the time. I think it's just the documentary. It's just the one thing. Oh, this is one series. They have it labeled as episode one.

Oh, shit. They deal that sometimes. They fuck about. Wait, all this is just for one episode, 46 minutes? all this? It's 46 minutes? Maybe we're going to get it. I'm not even getting like 90 minutes here. If they have episodes listed, then there's going

to be more. That's how I'm going to be more. That's how I'm going to over at the old P-plus, if you know what I mean. I agree. I agree, Jordan. All right, my bad, my bad. So there is multiple events. Hang on. We've left that a bit messy there. Is there multiple episodes? No one knows. Yeah, there is multiple episodes.

Yeah. Okay. In case you're wondering, guys. Okay, are we calling cap or fact here? Armant-surukin is saying that he bet a million dollars on Justin Gaci. Cap or fact? Cap. Cap. I call Cap as well, but they did do the video. Let's see this video. I want to see this video.

We should put one million dollar on Gage. Arm. One million. I'm going to put. One million. If you lose, we'll split. 500 me, 500 year deal. That's a sick Angels hat, by the way. How come I see these dudes everywhere, these two guys right here?

How many? Dean is Great, yeah. You put a million? What's he so happy? Rich, Andy. Is he really doing this? My heart. My heart.

Bro, if my dad see this? I thought you were messing around the whole time, bro. Can't believe you just put a million on Gage you, bro. Bro. What do you put that on? Kalshi? I gotta go home. I got stressed alone.

It looks like Kalti's cooler away. Gage, police. Down paying for that plane. So now who do you think he's rooting for? Because I feel like the bigger friends is for you. Yeah. Well, if he actually has a million dollars down, he's definitely cheering for Gage. How much you think he wins?

Hey, Gagey might catch right. I got a cold. Gage and say, bro, like, win this fight. I get you 5%? No, no, we shouldn't say, yeah, it's bad. Don't call. Yeah, you know, you know that. He's a crazy person.

Are UFC fighters still not allowed to gamble? Yeah, that's an interesting one. Kalshi, though. Oh, did he do it on? No, I don't know. No, trading. I'm just... Prediction market.

I'm putting it out there. He is training, though. He's competing this weekend, by the way. There's an RAF show. He's fighting, or he's going up against Tony Ferguson. But look at the shape that Armetsruikian is in right here. He's watching the Countdown show. Yeah.

Just like, you know, he's part of it. Anyway, some pictures have been released, some footage of the actual White House and the ellipse. Let's take a look at this, guys. What do we have here? Okay, this is it. All right. Is this the ellipse right here?

There's the world famous claw that I keep hearing about. All right. Ooh, look at that. Not bad. You'd look great with a picture with that. Who me? No, Pete's he. Oh, yeah.

In his jersey, obviously. With the ice hockey shirt? Okay, look at that screen. Where is the ellipse, though? Can you show me the... It's right next door. It's right next door. It's right there. It's that circle.

It's the beginning. This was taken from the ellipse. Yeah, yeah. It's at the bottom of the screen, Pete. Okay. Just a little bit of chicken frown. Cold beam on a friday night. Look at that.

Ooh, look at that. This looks crazy. Ooh. This looks pretty crazy. That's nice. This looks like Space Invaders. Yeah. You think it's going to be like that.

all night? No, no, no, no. I think they'll use that when, like, maybe like Bruce Buffers yelling. Oh, I see. Okay. That's something else. Look at this.

Pretty cool, too. Wow. Also, I love this. Moments ago, White House test lights on USC stage. This is truly the moment I have been waiting for. It's going to be some kind of scene.

It's going to be surreal. It's just so ridiculous how the claw like dwarfs the White House. Yeah, but it's not in front of it. It's in back, so. It's going to be. I actually think it's very tasteful. Sure.

It's a word for it. Can you guys look up on Kalshi? Will Sean Strickland be in attendance? Oh, I bet we actually can find that. Has there ever been a more dumb storyline heading into a historic event? Like, who cares, man? Who cares? This guy's crying into his phone that he's not invited.

Yes, yes? What is it? Will Sean Strickland? Be at the White House event. Oh, I thought we had it. When you said here, I do have it, I do have it. 6%. So if we're talking in...

Down bad. In odds, minus 2287. Okay. Plus 1489, yes. It's tough. Yeah, that's a lot... It's a big. It's tough shot.

Yeah. Well, I mean, his tweet, all but confirmed, he won't be there. The only one lower than him? Anybody want to take a guess? Ariel Hawaiian. James Tudel? Close to area of Hawaii. Both of those answers are funny.

Adam Sandler. Wow. 4.7. percent right now. Why? He was invited and it's reported that he turned it down. I never liked that. There's the whole string of things.

On Kalsi right now, Benjamin Netanyahu higher than Strickland, 7.6%. Fuck. Let's see if I can hit a Strickland Netanyahu combo there. Oh my gosh. You could group him. Anyway, Rick just referenced the tweet. Here's Sean Strickland giving us a very important update on his

standing going into the event. I talked to Hunter yesterday about the White House ban and what I said, he just laughed and we carried on. Regardless of the administration, fascist views on speech, the UFC is holding the line for the First Amendment. What does that mean, by the way? Does that mean the UFC is going to trump the decision? Pardon the pun? Who the hell knows?

Speaking of who the hell knows? So someone explained this to me. Maybe Frank is the best guy. There's a lawsuit now trying to stop this event from happening. What is happening here? Is this all just nonsense? So two people in Virginia are trying to stop this from happening? What's our intel here?

What do we got? We have something that I can show the people about this? I think we have something, right? Yeah, we have a full screen. It says full screen lawsuit trying to stop. We don't have it. All right. So what is it?

What's going on? Let me see this. Lawsuit, White House. Does anyone understand what's going on here? Yeah, they were saying, like, because Trump had invested in TKL was one element of it, right? Like, there's 50,000 or something. But here's NBC News, PT. A lawsuit filed Saturday against the federal government asks a judge to stop an ultimate

fighting championship event on the White House Law and schedule this week. The suit, which the Public Integrity Project, a watchdog group, filed them half of two plaintiffs, is another incident in which private citizens or activist groups have tried to stymie projects champion by President Donald Trump. The event, a fight night purportedly in honor of the country's 250th anniversary, is scheduled for June 14th Trump's birthday. The lawsuit says UFC CEO Dana White, a longtime Trump ally, who was a campaign surrogate for him, has denied that the event's timing is a birthday celebration for Trump, but the suit says White House,

excuse me, White acknowledged that the fight was Trump's idea. And the lead up to the event, 92 foot tall, 600 ton fighting ring, the suit. Okay, so what are they trying to say? The suit names the National Park Service and members of its leadership, as well as the Interior Department and Interior Secretary Doug Bergam as defendants.

Oh, I should have just read it off on crown.com. the UFC which is not named as a defendant did not nothing's going to stop this right yeah come on what are we talking about as soon as I opened the article

I read this morning I saw two people from Virginia I was like all right yeah you know two dudes from the suburbs of Virginia are like I don't want this to happen why did they wait until the Sunday before as opposed to when this was announced months ago

great point I feel like I need more lead time to shoot something like this down Maybe before the claw. Maybe before the claw goes in. They were like GC not thinking it was real, and they're like, oh, shit, this is real. Let's stop this from happening. Now, everyone's going crazy over the weather situation.

Where does the weather stand right now? Let's see. It's looking like it's going to be high 90s. But no rain, right? It's all a real feel, 106. There are potential rain in the showers. I see nothing. 89.

Okay. All right. Let's see precipitation. That's the key. Nothing. What does Calhese say? Will UFC 250, be delayed due to weather.

40% say yes, 60% say no. I mean, I saw Sean O'Malley I mean, if it's not raining, it's too warm. I mean, fucking hell, we could talk about this shit till the cows come home, like, you know what I mean? June 15th, it's going to be a great day. They're going to do it.

It's going to happen. I can't fucking weigh from one day. Did you guys see Josh Hokka talking to TMZ? Oh, yeah, I did, yeah. What do you think of that? Is it good? Is it bad? Yes, I think the... Bad on both sides, I thought.

Oh, I disagree. I think the fault falls on the TMZ guy. Okay, okay. Yeah, you have to know what you're getting into with the character that is Josh Oked. Okay, let's quickly play a snippet. And I think I agree. Here it is. Here's Josh Hokka talking to TMZ a couple days ago.

How you doing, brother? Somo. He said he's doing well, and it's a pleasure to be here with you. I like it. I like it. You let me know what we're good, and I'll get you guys done with this. He said we're good, brother. So, ma'am.

I like it. I'm Mike from TMZ, guys. Thank you. I'm so mad by the way. All right. Josh, brother, this is a quick turnaround. We obviously, we watched the classic fight. Just April 11th, I believe it was.

Now, here we are a couple of months later, about to fight, most anticipated part of the year. Talk to me about the turnaround, about the preparation, about how that might change things heading into this fight. He said this is actually not Josh Hokka. This is Hoke. That's R. In Portuguese, in Portuguese, we pronounce.

announce that with an age and he said it's a pleasure to be here in america the land of opportunity thank you to his god jesus christ and this country and donald trump this guy's actually the real star of the thing yes guys i i'm going to be straight with you here if i i i'm cool funny um passive i'm not going to be able to use this so if we if we want to do what you want to promote the fight i'm definitely down to talk if not i i wish you well i will be watching on the 14th do i get fined if i don't see this is what i didn't like Just keep it going. I think that's part of the joke.

I'm happy either way. I don't think it is. Cool. All right, Steve, I think we just... There's nothing to do. By the way, I think more people saw that interview as a result. A thousand percent, I just think the interviewer just had a lack of knowledge when it comes to the sport. You know, like he doesn't...

When he's asking him about, like, oh, we just saw you in a classic fight on, I think it's April 11th, and now you're about to fight. Big White House card. So I just don't think he was that for me. with the sports, I don't think he was that familiar with Josh Hocke's whole schick. Is it possible that he was familiar with the schick, but didn't know how to react when a curveball was throwing? Because if you're doing that, why are you saying Shama? Is this your way of calling out Alex Pereira? Like, are you trying to, like, upset Alex Pereira? Is that what this is? Like, you would dig deeper other than just, like, trying to continue on like it's a normal conversation. Do you have a problem with Hokka doing this? No, it's who he is. He just fucks around wherever he goes.

Yeah. Am I right, Miami? Like, it's just like, that's just what he does. You know, we're staring at a universe in exactly seven days. Josh Hockett may be the number one contender in the heavyweight division. It's true. Yes, I know. I know. It's a crazy world.

It's ridiculous. It's a crazy, crazy world. Dana Wett was asked about what would happen if Alex Pereira wins. He says Alex Pereira would be the goat. He actually says this. Here's what he had to say. You know, Pereira, possibly winning. his third world title.

If he wins the third world title that night, he jumps over John Jones and becomes the greatest of all time. Does anyone have an issue with that? Oh, no, yeah, I do, yeah. This man said, as long as John Jones is breathing. Oh, okay? No, he's very clear about it for many years.

As long as John Jones is breathing, he's the greatest fighter of all time. And he's doing the old switcheroo, just like he did with Islam there when John wasn't sorry for the aspirational fight and here we go again What have you done for me lately

Mr. Hoyt? That's what we're doing here. I love how he's delivering the message as if it's an absolute fact. Like he sits up, he's like, it'll be the greatest of all time. Do you think he's saying... He's actually jumping over Islam though.

Didn't he already agree? Did he not already... But is he saying this Pizzi because he's mad at John? Yeah. Okay. I think he's also building up the fight a little bit. Yeah.

Like goat status is on the line on the White House long. He can become the first triple champion. But can I be honest? I do think there's just like a little bit of a case to be made, right? Like I don't think it's a crazy take. I think if he gets under. Oh, I don't mind the take.

It's the fact, it's who it's coming from. Sure, sure, sure, because he's always said, yeah, nothing's going to change my mind. You're right, though, GC. As long as he's breathing. Intram beats Aspinol. If he wins against Serogon, this will be an unbelievable accomplishment. If he's able to go on and then beat Tom Aspinall, then you really have to get serious about the go conversation. But Tom's not fighting that. He said he's...

Uh-huh. We'll get to that. We'll get to all of that. Golly, what a situation that has become. Yeah, I don't... It's not an outlandish statement. Yes, it is. Yes, it is. It's an outlandish statement because he's the one saying it because he's been so adamant that he's not going to waver on John Jones.

You, okay, you win three titles in the UFC. That does put you in a conversation. I'm not saying he is definitively that guy, but he's in the conversation. Is he not? He is. Okay. He's not that guy.

He's not that guy. You got work to do. His run, if he wins on Sunday, will be 13 UFC fights, three different division titles, fought on the White House, headlined 300, headlined international fight week, headlined MSG twice, beat however many former champions. Like, if you talk about a 13-fight run, it would be, has to be in the pantheon of the greatest. 13 fight runs ever. I don't disagree. I think Dana has said a lot more outlandish things to sell a fight than this. I don't think this is outlandish.

I think he is approaching that conversation. It just feels a little bit hollow because it seems like he's mad at John and that's why he's doing it. That's an interim title. Let's be honest. Yeah, no, 100%. I agree with you, Pete. I want to see it be undisputed. If he wins on Sunday, is he a three division champion?

Yeah. Interesting. Of sorts. Of sorts. I think of sorts as well. He did the, he did 185, he did 205, and then he did interim at heavyweight. Yeah, that's the thing. You got to win that other one.

I agree. You win that other one, and I give you, like, all, if he goes out there and beats Tom Aspinall, all the respect in the world. If he goes out there beats Tom Aspenol and retires. They can't have fucking with this aspirin stuff now. Like, Eddie, right? You know, don't come on in here. Just when we're getting the juices flowing and be like, oh, he's not fighting.

Listen, me, folks on Crowback, all right? We're going to get to all of us. Because I can't deal with that shit now. Tom Aspinall versus Chase Sherman on Netflix. Yeah. Can't wait. Okay, we're going to talk about that. Please feel free to join us with your hat,

back end PT, but we have to get to our first guest of the day who will be a part of that. In fact, he will be a part of the very first fight to ever take place at the White House and maybe for the last card. He is the great Diego Lopez. Hello, Diego. How are you, my friend? Good, good. How are you, bro?

It's a pleasure to talk to you. on this massive week for you. Thank you for giving us some time. Are you in Washington yet? Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I landed here last night, so now I already here in the Washington Sea. Wow.

Have you been able to see the structure, the White House? Did you drive by it? Have you seen or felt anything? No, no, no. I don't, I don't see nothing still. It's like I landed later in my flight a little bit delay. So in my trip to the hotel,

Jack, just like he's leap in the car. Okay, does it feel, you fought for belts, you fought on the biggest cards. Does this feel different, though? Do you feel any extra nerves for this one because of how unique the event is? No, yet. No, now I still feel like normal, no? It's like one more fight week, like, you know, not too crazy still. But tomorrow was like a couple of things for promotion to fight for UFC.

Maybe a couple of things coming like different, you know? Are they going to let you at some point go to the venue to feel what it's going to be like, to see what it's going to be like before the fight? So I don't like a lot, but if I have the chance, I won't see, you know? I won't see it because, like, I'm curious for what happened in the White House, you know? Of course. I think we all are curious. And I'm wondering when you got the call to be a part of this card, did you say yes right away? Did you think twice?

What was your reaction? So, like, actually, I don't have a choice, you know, because, like, the website called me two days before I announced the card, he said, hey, maybe you fight with Steve Garcia, but he never, you have said, me, are you fighting the White House? Or what was going to you fight in the White House? Just like, say, me, you want to fight with Steve Garcia, just say, yeah, don't worry, the people know me, I accept how fight, but two days later in the, in the Marxi Veselso Zol. Rivera cards, like he starts to show the fights. I see my name and say, okay, cool, one more fight. So you had no idea. When you said yes to Garcia, you thought it was just going to be on a random card. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

So my spectators in the time is okay, maybe in September, not you have to see. This is my mind this time, you know, but you have sent me a chance for fighting the White House. Like one more, maybe I keep, now it's like I make like a story, no, because I have, I have like a fire. important currents. If they would have told you beforehand that it was going to be on the White House, would you have still said yes? Oh, yeah, of course.

So I just lost my second chance for the title, you know? So I don't have a lot of choices. Like I just like say yes for every fact to have self-at-me. Of course, you've always been that guy. By the way, before we continue, I did want to ask you because we're here doing,

you know, media, but I hope that you trust us. I saw a tweet that you put out on, I think it was Friday, I'm going to read the translation. I wanted to ask you why you tweeted this. You probably know what I'm getting at. And by the way, your English is great. Thank you, thank you.

You've come along with it. I try to prove more. No, you've done a great job. This is the English translation. Nowadays, you can't even answer a question anymore because those shitty MMA pages come along, change what you said, and that's it. Then they go around crying, quote,

that's why the fighters don't want to do interviews, and then you gave the middle finger. What made you tweet this? What got you upset? Yeah, so it's like it It's because like a couple of times like You have a page like Change the the things you tell you know

It's like today you don't can respond like any question Because the people change the whole things you say And it's like this like a career like Different different like vision about the things you say You know So the people know me If you ask me, hey, you want to fight, I don't know, John, John, Stone, ask you now, like I say, yeah. So why not, you know?

So the people asking me about, like, a couple of fights 55, a couple of fights, 45, I say, yes. I never turned down one fight. And the MMA page, like, it starts, like, posts, like, different things. Like, I'm challenged these guys, you know, so, like, it's, I don't know. annoying does it make you not want to do media yeah exactly whole media you know

I know I know well I appreciate you talking to us yeah no yeah always you know like when I feel comfortable for talk I can talk I don't I don't I don't care about that sure okay and I appreciate that and so can I ask the last time we saw you was in February against Volcanovsky

or technically late January February February over there what did you learn from that fight, from that experience? Getting to fight them again, and of course it didn't go your way, this time coming off of that fight, what did you learn? So I learned it's like about Vogue, you know? This guy is like only the best guys in the world in the Division 2 for long, long time. So I don't have a lot of things to talk about that.

Like the people can ask, oh, but why you don't fight like same thing when you fight Valk? Yeah, because it's Valk. walk is different, you know? So no, no, no, the, no how fire is, it's like same thing. So he's, it's different. I learned it's like, just like the same thing, the fish fire, you know, more experience with him. You know, when you get an opportunity to fight a champion twice, it's going to be very

hard to get a third crack. You know that, right? So at this point, it seems like you're not fighting really with the title in mind. You just have to go on a role. And eventually he's not going to be champion and hopefully you'll be in a position. Is that the way you're looking at your career now? Now it's no more about title. It's just about getting on some kind of streak, right?

Yeah, yeah. This is my goal now, you know? So I talk with my team. I talk to my manager. I talk with the important person on my side. I tell for my people this, you know? So now I just like want to keep fight. I save the whole fight to make a great street like wins in the 45.

if I have the chance for move to 45, for making a couple of fights, see why I wanted this. Now I need to wait for different things, you know? So if Volker, if Volker keep fighting, like it's hard for me for take a chance again for the belt. If he retired, maybe I have the chance, you know, because like the guys stay in the top now,

like supposed to fight for the belt is like the guys I fought before, so maybe I have the chance. But now my friends, mind is just like he keep fighting keep your wins like he in the future it's like you never know you obviously know volk you know mofzar too do you think mofzsar can beat alks volkynovsky so this is a hard fight uh it's a hard one you know i think i think vock is still have the the they are devoting this fight uh he he i think he maybe maybe take the the win and the and the retire you think you think you think he can yeah i think wow okay is that is that your pick

Like, you think he actually wins if they fight? Volcanox, yeah. Oh, Volcano, sorry, I thought you said Vokanox. No, no, Vulcan Osk. Okay. He won the fight, he retired, no? That's it. He wins and he retires.

Yeah. Is that what you're hoping for, because then it frees up the belt? Yeah. Maybe if he had to have the chance again for the belt, you know? Sure. It could be like, Vok is still his, like, it's hard for me. Was he hard? I never, I never want, like,

bad things for the peso, but now I wait to work and retire soon. Was he harder the first time or the second time? Which version of him was tougher? I think maybe the fish fight, the fish time is hard, you know, because it's a lot of pressure, a lot of things. He makes a great job, like, so tactical in the fight, so I think the fish time. I saw a lot of the fighters breaking down the fight afterwards, Al Jermaine Sterling and others,

and they talked about cutting off the cage, cutting off the angles, so to speak. Do you learn any sort of different tactics in the aftermath and do anything differently in training now to maybe rectify some of the things that we saw, especially in that second fight? No, the people just like need to watch the fight, you know. I cut the angles like a couple of times like for the left side

and the vocal like he changed the plan. He starts to move for my good side and now and step back. like he make a great job like i think nobody in the division can do like the things are like you know he make a lot of adjustments like in middle of the fight so it's around by round he he makes adjustment he said this he says nobody in the division can can stop my pressure you know so i and i do i i i i i i i pressure a lot of guys before in the in the in the fights so nobody can do like same thing like work like how great for him

Garcia has won seven in a row. Have you been impressed with what he's done so far in his UFC career? So yeah, he makes a great job, you know, like seven wins, seven street wins. I think he's six knockouts, so that's like, it's impressive, you know. But this is not the first time I look, I fight one danger guy, you know? So before my second fight with Joe Silva, he, he had like a great like straight win with with six, like he long, like maybe in this time he's a game. He's like 10 straight fights, like knockout submission,

how finish in the UFC. So this is no new for me. You guys will be the first fight of the night. And of course, it has been said, it looks now like the weather is going to be okay, but it has been said if it rains or something, they may have to delay it. How do you think that that will come into play on Sunday?

Are you worried about that? No, I don't worry about that. So it's like I just want to fight. If he's like, you see, if he's run, it's like, I'm okay. If you have said, hey, this guy can. can fight? I fight, you know, if Steve is agreed with this, like, let's do it. Like, let's make store. And you have fought outside before, right? Yeah, so actually two times, you know. So,

one time in Brazil, back 2014, I, I fight it like in the, in the border, the breed, you know. So this open space. One time, suppose I fight in Mexico, too, in 20, back to 2016, I think. But this time is not possible because like just my fight started to run. This guy stopped the events. Like everyone's like out of the place, you know? Wow. Yeah. Did they do the fight the next day?

No. No. Cancel? The fact is canceled. Yeah, it's canceled because, I mean, the main event at this time. How fight is like normal? Just my fight like started running is like this guy stopped the event, you know? As you were about the fight.

Yeah. Starts the rain. Yeah. Wow. I just started walking, like I walked for the cage. I'm staying in the cage, and stuff like he, starts like he run. And the guy started coming,

he comes to, went to the cage to my opponent. But the guy from, from the event, say, hey, no, don't fight like it. Wow. Would you have done it? Would you have been okay fighting in the rain? Yeah. This guy paid me. Same thing.

That is crazy. That is crazy. Have you seen the pictures of how it looks? Yeah, I see, I see. I see it looks great, you know, looks like a different, like, I hope, like, I hope it's no, no run in this day for what's making a great fight. For sure, I mean, look at that. Diego, you're going to be fighting there at the White House.

For someone, you know, who's from your background where you came from to get this opportunity, how would you put it into words? What does this mean? Oh, bro, I think there's no words, you know. So, like, it's a great, it's a great for, for my career. It's a great opportunity. Since I come to UFC, UFC has seen me a chance for fighting big cards, you know.

So I part, like, you, maybe the last most important, the two events, UFC, I'd be parted that. It's like UFC 300, NotchewFC in the sphere now in the White House, you know? So, yeah, like this is a great, you know, this, like, keep mixed on. Two Noce UFCs, also UFC 300,

also Madison Square Garden. They always put you in these big spots. Now White House, why do you think they like you so much? Why do they trust you on these big spots? I think just because how else I put a great fight, you know? Since I come to UFC, since my fish fight, so how always I look for the fight, I look for finishing. If I lost for the fight, I keep for the front, I keep like I keep fight for making a great job, you know? So, I mean, my, I just like in past, like, in May 6th, I do three years UFC.

This Sunday, my fight number 10 UFC. So I think this talk about my job in the cage, you know. The press conference in Newark for this event was very memorable. Were you trying to tell Alex Pereira to calm down when Josh Hokit was speaking to him and doing all that crazy stuff? Yeah, so when I'm sitting behind these guys I just like see Perreira Tony look for this guy and just say for Perrette, hey bro, come down

but I just see one time so this is no my business you know so I mean I'm in my side Of course it's like Perreta is He's my friend If the thing is like he starts like A little bit more so I need the jump Do you think that hook had crossed the line

I think so I think so, but same time is like it, just like the, just for, for attention, you know? Yeah. Do you think he, like, he's going to do crazy stuff this week at the press conference and all that? Yeah, but if I think he's no, he's knowing the press conference, you know, this time. I think I see one thing in the Twitter. Yeah, I saw two. I saw both things.

I saw yes and no, so I'm not sure. Yeah, I'm not sure too. What would you do? If you were UFC, if you were Dana White, you say. say yes or you say no? Bro, I don't know because this is like the most important event in the UFC story, you know? Last time the guys stopped the press conference in the middle because like he started like

talking a lot of shit for different people in the stage, you know? Yes, it's a bit of a liability as they say. You talked about 155. Is that because of opportunities or is that because the weight cuts are getting a little bit tougher? So it's like he, I think he is not talking about. It's not tough the weight cut, but of course I need a lot of discipline, you know? I need a lot of discipline. And now it's like, I'm still young.

I have 31, but my body is like, you know, same like three years ago, you know? So, and it's like your four opportunities too. So now I look for different things for just for keep fight, more active, you know? If I keep 1.45, I need it's like more time for making the weight. But yeah, 155 is like it's possible in the future too. So just curious, main event, Gaichi Taporia, who do you like? Oh, these are great fight, you know? So maybe 99% the people think to put it, take the win.

I talked before, too, I think to put it, take the win. But now I jump for the gate side, you know. Oh, wow. Yeah, I jump for the gate fight because if you see, it is like the crash car, you know. The crash car is 50-50. Gatian had a heavy hands. He makes a great job in the change too. So maybe it's like it's 50-50.

I hope like Josh Gates surprised everyone and me too. Wow. Is there something about the fight that you see that you think Justin Gichi could pull off the upset? The match-up, something. Yeah, I think so. I think so. This is a fight, you know, because I see one thing is so interesting, you know. I don't know who's a guy posted, I think in Twitter, maybe I see that.

The guy posted, okay, the fight with Valk, like, okay, he's a great, great opponent, he's a great guy, he's so smart, you know, but he, he don't have, like, a lot of powerful knockout, you know. Like, Charles Olivera, okay, he has a, he has a power, but he don't connect, like, a Tupura, Max Holloway. same thing, you know, he's like, you know, like the guy knocked the pipotti just like one punch, you know. And like, Josh Gates is different. He can, he can knock a poppy just like one big punch, you know. So I see that in the Twitter and say, okay, like this has a sense, you know. So now I think, okay, maybe I jump for the gate side. Wow, wow, wow, that would be something.

That would be crazy. I think the White House would be happy about that because he's an American guy. By the way, I saw you watching your friend Alessandro Costa when you were so happy. But I have a question about this video. I have a question about this video, Diego. I know the question. I know the question. What is the question?

What is the question? Is the... I don't know the name. The square. The hangar. The hangar, yeah. Why is that there? What's going on?

No, it's because I... One day before I need to go, I put my tradition. Just like, okay, I need this for taking fast, you know, I forget this in the TV. So you don't usually have it there. No, no, no, no, no. Just like, suppose just for a couple of minutes, just before I mean taking my tition. But like, yeah, I forget that. Okay, okay, that clears it up.

By the way, can I just say Alexa Grasso, that win in Seattle? I'm still like, I don't have words for what we saw, how she knocked her down, Macy Barber, and then she choked her. In your opinion, was that knockout or submission? What would you call that? I think both, you know? I think both. I think after the, after Alexa connects her, he's out, you know,

and the joke, like, just for finish the job for making, like, the security win, you know. But, yeah, I think both, you know, that's crazy. Like, it's only one of the best finish I ever see in my life in the MMA, you know. Do you guys work on that? like to strike and then attack right away. Like a, she was like a snake out there. We never seen someone move so fast. So no like it work like that,

but of course, like it is not the fish time, Alexa take the back so quick, you know? So she, she has like a great reaction when the people like turn the back. This happened to the fish fight with Valentina. And she for this fight, look for this a lot, you know, for take the back and finish it.

I think in this time, she don't have like idea. Macy's out, you know, after the punch. He just like, see the opportunity for take the back, jump the back so quick, like, and keep you finish the work, you know? Unbelievable. I think maybe the knockout and the submission of the year at the end of the year.

That's a good one. Never happened before. That's one of one. And also, I love the commercial that you did with Dominic Mysterio. Thank you. Beautiful. What was that like for you to be there with him? Well, that's like, that's crazy.

A lot of things happen in my career so quick, you know. I never imagined in my life one day make the thing like this. And like Dominic, we see like Dominic Mistretio, you know, he's like he's so, so like a popular guy in the WW. And like he makes the scholarly ability here is nice, you know, it's good. I'm so grateful, I'm so happy with this opportunity, you know. Yeah, for such a big brand, too. Who has the better mustache?

You or him? I don't know. I think me. Maybe he has, I don't know. What do you think of his hair? Maybe he had like a great mustache, but I have better hair. Oh, okay, okay. And he's a big MMA fan, right?

He, of course, knew who you were. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, he's a great MMA fan. my marketing manager is a good friend with him, so always like when was having the chance it was hang out together. Amazing, amazing. Well, I'm very happy for you.

Congratulations on getting this honor. First fight ever at the White House. You're the one kicking it off. That is an honor too, because they want to kick it off on a high note, right? And so they're counting on you guys to bring it and they know that you will do that. And by the way, congratulations.

First time, no translator needed for this one. How about that? Thank you. Just in case I have Edgar here, but like... No, we don't need Edgar. We don't need Edgar. He's good. Edgar, easy job for you today. Yes, it was. Yes. Well done. Thank you guys. Thank you so much, Diego. Good luck to you. Appreciate it very much. Thank you so much, brother. See you. All right, there he is. Diego Lopez, getting a big opportunity on Saturday to fight Steve Garcia. And in about 30 minutes time, Steve Garcia is going to join us. So this is very fun. And throughout the week, we'll talk to more people who are involved in this card. Have you heard of Alex Per? He'll join us on the show tomorrow. Amin Zahabia going to join us on Wednesday too.

So I've said typically, you know, like to not bother the guys on fight week, but this is a big fight week. This is a very big fight week. And I felt like it would be appropriate for us to, you know, shine a light even further on the card. By the way, Phil to mention UFC did have a card on Saturday. And it was actually a pretty darn good card as far as the action was concerned. And it was at the apex. You know the drill by now. But what about Gabriel Bonfim?

He improves to 20 and 1. Now, in my opinion, very much a player at 170 pounds. And it was just, you know, it was a dismantling. It was a one-sided 50 to 45 beatdown of Bilal Mohammed. If you look at some of the footage, we're showing you some of the photos here. You know, one time knocked the mouthpiece out, another time, you know, know, I don't know what that thing was with the kick and all that stuff. I mean, it was, it was a coming out party for Gabriel Bonfim, a guy who has had some big wins before.

Randy Brown, obviously, was a big win in his last fight. The Thompson fight, Thompson till this day, believes that he won that fight that was last July, was a split decision win. But Chaos Williams, Anjoulouse does have the loss to Nicholas Dalby. That's his one and only loss in his entire career, Trevin Jalz. but this was a solid win over a former UFC champion and now very much in the mix, in my opinion. Very, very much in the mix. So well done to Gabriel Bonfim.

Brendan Allen gets the win over Edmund Chabazian. I do want to let you guys know. Our guy, Casey, had an opportunity to be a part of Edmund Chabazian's weight cut. Obviously, he didn't get the dub, but he did cut weight successfully. He did make weight, and he looked good out there, but Brandon Allen is one of the top middle weights in the world.

It's a really interesting look at that whole process. So that's up on the channel right now. We actually gave you two original videos last week back into the week. That video. And then the day before we dropped the video on the Joey Janella spring break event. Their 10th annual event, it's a fixture on WrestleMania week. We were there, 14-year-old Brody Lee Jr., making his pro wrestling debut, the son of Jonathan Huber, aka Brody Lee of WW.

and of course, AEW fame. He went up against Joey Janella, Sandman's retirement match against the Invisible Man, two cult favorites going toe to toe. So a lot of fun, different stuff on the channel right now. Do check it out.

Tom Nolan got the unanimous decision win over Foresiam. Bryce Mitchell got an impressive third round choke against Santiago Luna, excuse me. What about Iwu or Iwo? Iwo, Evo.

That's the one. That's the one. Ivo Baranovski with another first round win against Junior Taffa. How you put that guy at the apex is beyond me. But he is a machine out there, just a finishing machine. And he got another first round win. He improves down to 9-0. The aforementioned Alessandro Costa defeated Matt Schnell.

Matt Schnell retiring afterwards, by the way. And I think he's done that before. So we'll see if he sticks to it. but Costa now 16 and 5. Marcus McGee got the win over John Janice, Edgar Chares, got the rear naked choke, win over Bruno Silva,

Chelsea Chandler with the win over Priscilla Casua, Joe Anderson Brito got the win over Jordan Levitt, Jaisla Chavez got the win as well, and Caitlin Souza got the win in the curtain jerker. So that was the fight card on Saturday. This weekend, obviously, you've got Freedom 250. Saturday, you've got Ban v. Vargas, Jesse Bam Rodriguez against Antonio Vargas, PFL Africa as well. So a ton of stuff going on

in addition to, you know, the usual NBA finals and World Cup, et cetera, et cetera. So if you look at the graphic right now, if you look at the graphic right now, it says that Diego Lopez is on the show, it says that Steve Garcia is on the show. It says that Gotham Chess is on the show as well. It also has a little nod to Danhausen who's uncursed us and has brought so much joy to our lives. We did not have a guest on there because I have said that I can't promote him just for my own heart, my own anxiety, my own sanity. But wouldn't you know it, my friends, the man who made his successful BKFC debut just, what, nine days ago, is here. He is the pride of Liverpool. He's your friend in mine.

Darren, Till, there he is. Darren, that's my new approach now. My new approach is we book you on the show. We just don't announce that you're joining us so I don't have to be anxious about it. What do you think? Fair, very fair. You're the only one, by the way, in the history of the program that I've had to do this for. It's called the Darrington Till Clause.

I don't mind. I don't mind. It's very fair. It's very fair. A couple more on time showings from you, and we'll have to drop that because you're... Are you in front of your castle there? Where are you right now? I'm in Liverpool City Center. You just set up shop there in the middle of... City Center. You say, everyone, please stop what you're doing. I'm doing an interview with Ariel. Yeah. I'm just in the bus lane. Just no folks given, to be honest. Well, Darren, I have to say, it's great to see you. Congratulations on the win. First, before we

get to the fight itself, can I just say, what was going on with your physique? You've never looked. I thought that that was all Photoshop until I actually saw you on the scale. Look at this. What was the difference here? What changed here? Because you have never looked this good before. Do you know what? I think I've just finally, do you know what? Ariel, we obviously had two camps back to back so I'd sort of been in camp since February so I think that played a big factor but I've just never really been I don't like to say this because I have been very hard working on my life and discipline but I was just I was just super disciplined in camp just like just really just like tight on me food and just I implemented a lot more strength training

this time around so like my physique just had a massive change and I've heard a few shouts of people saying steroids and stuff like that. And I was, I was pleasantly unhappy about that because it's just pure hard work. Okay, so I was going to ask you that because I did see on Twitter, by the way, you mentioned, hey, sometimes Ariel, you know, he asks me questions I don't like, but I answer those questions and you've always, you've always been that guy, which I appreciate. You also said a lot of people don't like me, which I don't know who these people are. I've never met these people before, but apparently they exist. Nevertheless, nevertheless, what do you say in response to people who say that, you know, you're not clean, that you're using someone,

something to look that good? I've just, I've never doubled in it. It's just never been a, a festival. I would never know how to go about it. Like, I think these people that use it, which is, by the way, 90% of the UFC roster and everything else is just, I think there's like a thing behind it with doctors and stuff like that. And I just, it's this police for me, is it?

Oh, no. Are they? Yeah. No, it's all good. Oh, thank God. getting flashback to the Harry Island. I just,

I don't know. I just think there's too much work to go and stuff like that. Like, you've got to like, you've got to like, avoid fucking, you shard the stuff and that.

I just wouldn't know how to go about it. To be honest, me and me coach, we wouldn't know how to even start with it. So, yeah, it was just pure hard work and discipline,

to be honest. What about that tan, though? The tan wasn't authentic, right? The tan was something else. No, the tan was all some bets.

All some bets. I mean, that was. as something else. You've never looked like that. You were so tan that the teeth looked like they looked radioactive. They were like popping. The whiteness was popping. I was tan to fuck like yeah, I was. I was smashing the sunbeds, I'm not going to lie. And then you get to the fight itself. Now be honest with me, you fought before, you've done the boxing, the MMA. You've always sort of felt a little bit weird about this BKFC stuff. What were the nerves like? Were you nervous

about what you were about to venture into? Yeah, I was nervous. I was not going to lie, I was nervous. but I was probably just like I am in every other fight, you know, a collective, you've got to gather your nerves together, and yeah, I was nervous, but I just wanted to feel it out, you know, when I first got in there, and obviously Aaron caught me for a second slipping. And, yeah, then on the second round,

I was like, right, you know, no time to get into it. And, yeah, stop them quite easily. It didn't feel like it was much effort. Obviously, I've got lightning hands fast as well and a lot of power, So I do think I'm really going to bode well in this BKFC. I think I'm going to be taking over. And so what's going on mentally when he buzzes you there,

when he quickly drops you real fast? Like, how buzzed were you? No, if you watch it, the clip, I just like, it was like a trip more than anything. It wasn't a trip he caught me, but I just stood back up and I was like, oh my God, he just clipped me, you know. Fair dudes, you know, he's quite small and fast.

I was like, oh, time to, like, amp it up. And then obviously second round after I spoke to my coach I was just like yeah, time to stop this now so yeah What did the coach say? He was just like he's caught you

like don't get caught sipping that and like come on you know what we've worked on and everything don't don't lunge in and stuff like that get back to the strategy and keep it long and many steps in you know catching which I'm really good at

you know I fucking my left hand is just so lightning fast isn't it like it really is it to fucking rocket So I think anyone steps onto that. They are going down. And even your tougher guy, I don't think they can take much of that. You know, if I clipped them three times with this left,

I think, you know, I'm going to sleep most. So that's why I say, I think I'm going to really bode well in this. Bereno'nach, I really do. Obviously, boxing is different because of the gloves. But is there anything as far as the technique that you would say is different because you're not wearing gloves? I haven't spent enough time. I'd shoot one round and a little bit.

It was so quick. I don't know. I think the distance is just the fact that I think you're just a lot further away than you're with gloves. So, yeah, it's just going to be learning. I'm just going to be a lot of learning and stuff like that in it and get an experience in it. You know, trying to keep up with these other guys who obviously want to all fight me. They've all had a lot more experience than me. Did you enjoy it more or less just about as much?

How would you describe the experience? I loved it. When I clipped them with that left hand. It was exhilarating. I was like, wow. And it didn't, as I said, it just didn't take much. He just stepped in and just clipped them fairly easy. And I'm just like, if I can just get all these guys like this on the back of me left and stuff like that.

You know, I'm excited. So are you going to stick with this for now? Yeah. Yeah, yeah. I'm fully involved, fully invested in it. I want to do big things between me and David. I've had chats for them already. to Liverpool, hopefully

get to American fight there. And yeah, let's make the big fights. I think there's big fights to be made. Yo, Romero, Mike Perry, Lorenzo Hunt. They're there, like me three main targets right now and other guys. How are we living in a world, Darren, where you're now 1 in O and BKFC

and Mike Perry is not available? Like, how is this possible? He was there for years. You're not there. Now you're there. He's not there. How do we figure this out? It doesn't make any sense. And I think from what of hair, I don't think he's coming.

coming back anytime soon. So, yeah, it's quite confusing. But I'm around now in this burn-hooker, so let's hope we can all sit down and make it happen because it's a fight that definitely needs to happen. And, you know, towards the end of this year, now I'm going to be, I'm probably going to be getting that ever-so-long surgery on me knee.

And I might even make it a turn to MMA, who knows. Okay, yeah, you know, I saw you with the brace in the fight. And so how is the knee? What's going on? You know what? It's fine, Aaron. It doesn't give me no problems. Like, it doesn't, it's just, it's just more of a protection thing.

It's just like, I can move on it. I can do anything on it, but I just like wearing the brace. It's just, it's just convenience. I just like wearing it. And so you say if you get the surgery, you may make a return to M. What are they saying as far as recovery? Like, how long will that put you out for? The doctor who does it all reckons, you can have me back in five months after it.

So I don't think that's a long time. at all. And I just, you know, if you looked anything by me, for Zika now I'm looking, I feel like I'm, it's prime years now for me, me, so I think there's still a lot to be done left in this fighting. I don't want to, I don't want to put the brakes on. I just want to go full steam ahead now with it all. So yeah, you've, you've gone three in no in the last 12 months, four and no since you came back to active.

No, five, five and no. I won a fight in Dubai. Okay, yes, that was a crazy one, that's right. I'm just saying, is there a part of you that's like, man, I'm on such a role here. I don't want to stop. this. I don't want to mess with it. Yeah. Yeah, I think if I take over

the BKFC I either think about going back to boxing, which I want to do, or back to MMA. I think I can just as I said, I'm more mature, experienced. I'm in my full body now, stronger and fitter. No injuries, other than

the knee. I don't see why I can't I don't see why I can't fucking do something on like a return or just being monumental. Like, I do love fighting and people do love me Ariel,

don't think, you know what I mean? So, you know, I mean, every time I'm on your show, the views and stuff like that I get from what people tell me

is still as much as any of the, you know, the superstars in the UFC. So people do love me. So why not just make great on that and good on that and just fucking be a fucking huge star and a fucking terrific fighter in it?

You know what I mean? When's the last time you did wrestling, Jiu-Jitsu, anything MMA-related? Two years ago. Okay. And so why even, like, you could still be a huge star if you do BKFC and boxing.

Why even entertain that? I just, I don't know. I feel like I feel like there's always going to be a thorn inside of me with MMA. Because I do feel like I was meant to be a champion and I wasn't. So there'll always be something inside of me, you know what I mean?

I'm not. Before I was in the boxing, I had that time when I left DFC and I had a fucking, I don't moan, but I had to, fucking terrible time personally in my life and obviously in my career like

and I didn't moan or any I just cracked on so do you know what I mean like I'm one of them I'm a fucking fighter and I don't quit like everything I've got on my back is all because of me like everything I've worked for

is all because of me all around the world I feel like I've done it the hard way you know what I mean I got stabbed when I was a teenager and went off to Brazil and got myself to the UFC no one else got me to UFC

I got myself to UFC through hard work perseverance while raising a toddler in Brazil learning a language splitting up with the misses they're going through hardships I've had it hard mate and I don't know

so I'm a fighter I don't see why I can't fucking do monumental things I saw on your Instagram it seems like the personal life's in a great spot it seems like the fighting career is in a great spot do you feel like for the first time in a while you're like

you're living in harmony that everything's kind of going well for you me partner from BlockBlaugasse he put a message in our group today and he was like Darren he was like you must feel on top of the world right now is like you've got your own promotion guerrilla promotions which is

absolutely we've just had a show on sati just is just absolutely going mental it's really doing well i've got obviously me online casino all my kids are healthy i've got a beautiful girlfriend who does everything for me life's good man life is really good and i've got millions in the bank is it hard sometimes when someone goes through hardship and then all of a sudden everything's going well, finally, after many years, they start to fear, like, when's the other shoe going to drop? When's the bad stuff?

Yeah. Do you worry about that? I'm like that. I don't like to get too happy. I think I have a serious case of, I always, I don't know. Someone said this to me,

close to me, was like, you need to enjoy it. I feel like I'm one of them guys who's always waiting for the bad to happen because obviously things are going so well now. But I don't think it's bad to be like that because then that keeps you more sharp

and stuff like that. Like, you know, you just want things to go, good so you do good, you be good, you know what I mean? I'm not a bad person. I always, I'm not a hate it. I want to see people do well. Do you know what I mean?

Like, do you know? We come from different worlds, Darren, you and I, but I'm the exact same way. I feel like I can never truly celebrate because something bad's about to happen around the corner. Yeah, it's mad. It's a mad mentality. It's awful. I suppose it keeps you sharp, though. Like, you know, you're always wanting to be on the ball and stuff like that.

It's very hard to explain, I think. We had David Feldman on the show last week and he said he's got something big in the works for you for September. What's he talking about? I couldn't tell you. I leave everything to that with my manager.

I think everyone has a role in my life to play so I don't like to... I think my manager, he should be the one. He hasn't told me anything yet. But David did mention, like, sort of massive for September. And I said, I'm going to be ready. So whatever it is, I'll take it

whether it's Yole or one of these other guys. I want a massive fight in September in England. I would love to bring it to Liverpool as well. Liverpool's a fighting city, and we haven't had it yet, so I don't see why we can't do that. That's not too quick of a turnaround for you. No, I'm healthy. I'm healthy.

The hands are good. I've put a bit of weight on since the fight, which is always the way in it. But, yeah, I'm ready to get back in the gym tomorrow with my coach. I had a week away in Madrid with my friends. that was great. Just ready now to go at it again. By the way,

did you happen to see Ilya shower you with praise? Yeah, I did. I was fucking, I put a big smile on my face aerial, to be honest with you. How cool is that, right? He's doing an interview

and he's praising your boxing of all people. Yeah, it's great. It's cool. As I said, I'm recognized that, you know, obviously in MMA had a lot of, you know, some misdemeanors in terms, you know, the knee went,

wrestling really went down, no one can fault me striking you know what I mean I've always been up there with the best and Ilya fuck me he is probably my favourite fighter now in the UFC so for him to praise me yeah

it puts a big smile on my face real big smile and it just shows that in the world of fighting whether it's UFC boxing anything people are always talking about that until yes no 100% that was great to see what do you make of this

White House event on Sunday not too interested why sorry just not just as I said I still stand the same as I've been I just don't think there's that much hype around the UFC no no more I really don't I just

there's no for me there's no hype there's no I don't get excited for fights whereas I used to and I don't know why that is maybe it's not being promoted right I don't like saying this because you know he's a good guy and stuff but I've just really gone off every interview

that Dana does I can't watch any interview to do with him anymore I just can't. One of my favorite takes of yours is when you talked about him and Eddie. It's definitely heating up more and more, even this past weekend with the Tom stuff and all that. What do you make of what's happening now between the two of them? As I said, Ariel, let's stand by what I say. I feel I've got a lot of time for Tom, but I feel like Tom is just a pawn in Eddie's little ego game towards Dana.

Yeah, it's just a big cough off with Eddie and Dana. and it's not nice to see with Tom because Dana, Dana, you know, can still probably do a lot of harm to Tom's career in terms of keeping him in a contract and probably not hype him up the way Tom needs to be hyped up. So, you know, I love Tom

and he knows what he's doing. He's the fucking champ for a reason. He's a fucking great guy, but I think he's just a pawn in Eddie and Dana's little game. And yeah. Some have said that before, but when you hear Eddie saying this week,

things like, hey, okay, you release him, I'll pay him five times more, or get him paid five times more, or I don't know about that contract that he has now. Like, do you feel like this could lead to a path of Tom being iced or getting stripped or really derailing his career? Yeah, because look, you know, I'm coming out now

when saying stuff about day and stuff, but I'm a part of the company. And, you know, even if I was a part of the company, I probably, it's not the smartest move to just be like coming out and having your manager, if Eddie's his manager, just saying all these things, because it just goes bad, against you and also we know what Dana's

like he can he can put you on the shelf and stuff like that and I'm really affected in terms of you know he gets the final say whether the UFC hype it or not you know maybe they didn't put my maybe I wasn't on the UFC page Instagram on the 30th

of May when I sold out the echo arena Liverpool against Wunderby because I probably spoke about Dennis we said yeah don't give him no no props do you know what I mean so Dana does control the narrative so he can hear Tom which it wouldn't be nice to say but again it's

it's the big ego car off between Eddie and Dana that's how I see it I could be wrong Ariel but from what I see the way they're going at each other it's just like yeah and now Eddie's defending Ben Shalom

and they hate each other and stuff like that it's it's wild stuff have you seen Bissping talk about Tom and some fans are mad at Bisping because it seems like they feel like he's taking the UFC side and not his fellow countryman side

yeah I've seen that I think I've seen Bisping said him and Tom don't speak no more. Yeah. I don't know whether they've had to fall on out or stuff like that. I'm not too much in the no area, as you know yourself. It's very hard to even get me on an interview, so I know. I'm not in the no on anything like that.

Tom's taking the UFC. Sorry, if Bisping's taking the UFC side, maybe something's happening between them. I could not tell you. I'll have to get on the phone after this interview and find out. Okay. Are you cool with Bisping? Yeah, Ariel, I'm actually cool with everyone. I don't really have too much.

As I say, I'm not a hateful person. I want to see everyone do well. If someone's got a problem with me, I'm one of them. I'll deal with the problem. You know, I don't really give a fuck for anyone. But yeah, I'm cool with Bishping. As I said, I don't hate Dane. I just think sometimes you actually have a bit of a nod.

But that sounds. If he takes that the wrong way, that's sound. But I'm cool with Tom. You know, left on bad terms with me coaching MMA. Not bad terms, but like there was not like whatever, but I want to see him do well in life and stuff like that and whatever. And yeah, I'm just one of them people here. I'm not a hateful guy.

And if I've got something to say, I'd rather phone them up and say it to the face. I wouldn't like to, do you know what I mean? Did you see Tommy Fury's fighting this weekend against Eddie Hall? What do you think of that fight? No opinion on it. I would like to go to the fight, to be honest with you. But yeah, no one.

no real opinions on that. I think Eddie O's going to beat Tommy. I've seen Tommy on Padd with his father, and I actually watched the Netflix series, and I liked it. I liked his father in it, but I don't think Tommy's too good myself. I don't hold him really high.

I think he looks slow and bad, to be honest. I think he's going to get beat. You think Eddie Hall is going to beat him in a boxing match? Yeah, I do, yeah. Wow. That's a take right there. I don't think a lot of people are predicting that. Well, I'm going to see how much the odds are to put a bet on it.

I'm going to beth on block bet my obviously casino. I'm going to see what the odds they can give me. And I'm going to have a thousand pound on. Eddie O, beating Tommy. And that's the truth, by the way. I'll show you the slip. You've talked about the boxing game. What did you make of what they did to Rico Verhoeven?

Disgusting. It's such a corrupt sport that is aerial air. That referee, disgusting. Whole sport of boxing. Not a big fan of the way. is and the way people are and I think it's fucking, I think a lot of people in that boxing were that are cancer to it. And yeah, you just can't say, that's one thing with the UFC.

That doesn't really happen in a fight, stuff like that. It's always very neutral. That, what went on there with Rico getting stopped, I just can't, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. You know, there's a smugness. I never really subscribed to that. But after seeing the scorecards and the stoppage, my genuine feeling is that there were like, he can't do this.

You can't walk in here and beat Alexander Usik. We will not allow this. Yeah, because boxing's got this hierarchy on MMA that they think they're better than us and it's all, you know, pure boxing and science. And you see how boxing people are, all the old school. But who gives a fuck about that? Who actually cares about that? We know that most MMA fighters, other than myself, because I've boxed them beat them all.

They go into boxing and yet they're going to get beat, like especially in Usoch. But when there's a guy that comes along like in Ghana who dropping Fury and, you know, RICO was winning the fight, they just can't fathom that it's possible. Because obviously, none of them could ever come into the MMA world and beat any of us. They just couldn't. It's just not the way it happens. And they know that. But they like to have this hierarchy. And it's just a bit like, oh, fucking just take your ego out of your eyes.

Just fuck off. I'm going to let you go in a moment, I promise. But I just want to ask you a couple more questions if I can. speaking of fights that happened recently I just asked you about Perry but I didn't ask you about his performance against Nate what did you think of how he looked against Nate? Terrible, slow, ugly fight

I just can't even believe people are interested than Nate and Perry fighting especially Nate and, you know, even with Nate he's got this thing, this ego, he doesn't, like, you know, it's all tearing up late and doesn't want to promote and just the way he speaks and it's like he's better than everyone. I don't, look, I've been a fan of night all my life

even when I was younger watching him, but just why are you still fighting and just slobbering on the mic? I'm just not excited about an idea's fight, and just not excited. Like, do you know what I mean? And I'm petty, to be honest. I didn't think it looked good at all.

I just didn't. What did you think of the MVP event? Did you watch that? Yeah, I watched it, yeah. Look, it was good. It was, they're obviously doing something. I don't think the arena, the event was, was, was, was, was, was, was, cladded.

But yeah, look, I've got nothing to say with Jake Paul. He's doing really well. I mean, is he competing with Dana and the UFC? No, because he put a bunch of old husband-M-A fighters on a card. But, you know, he's doing his thing and he knows how to promote. So yeah, props to him, really. I saw you and Leon Edwards in the back over there. That was nice to see.

What was that conversation like? Just, good, good. Look on everyone. Who are you fighting next? He told me. I don't know. I don't think I can say. So I wouldn't want to say that, you know,

just in case I'll ruffle any feathers. But yeah, always had a lot of time for Leon. Really humble, good guy. Very quiet, actually. I remember seeing him and I beat there. I was like, I remember he's just very quietly on it. He's just there. Me and him, yeah, we're cool.

But he's just a very quiet, nice guy. I got not un bad at all to say about Leon. As I said, he won the belt. was extremely happy for him deserved their hard work and humble so yeah you did mention yule romero um any concern

i mean he looks tremendous for his age would you have any concerns fighting him if there's no drug testing not really i've never asked for it in the ufc fighting some of these guys they were definitely on the juice maybe i

maybe i should ask for it because yeah maybe maybe he'd probably is on something, I don't know. Like, if you look at his body type, yeah. But wouldn't be too concerned. But yeah, maybe I should ask for it. Let's see. You know, I really want to fight him.

But it's hard as well with you all because he's old now. So does it do anything for me ever beat him? Like, I've beat some old guy. But if he beats me up and beats, like, some old guy. But he's still beating people and he's still fucking a phenomenal athlete. But let's not forget as well. Can he make the weight? Like, I'm not fighting your remire.

at 90K so he can pump up to 105k that's just why would I do that so he's got to

make the 84 kilo weight which I don't think he can do so speaking if Matt I think Malky manages him

well yet we'll fight but you've got to get to 84 kilo because I'm not fighting you at 90 kilo

why would do that give me myself a massive disadvantage no thank you you like

Feldman as a promoter Felman him and Matt I used to really like Mams still do

got a hell of a lot of time for Mams Taylor but that David fell in me, let me tell you, he is obsessed and very, very fucking driven with this bare knuckle and I've listened to his life story really, really like that guy a hell of a lot.

Got lots of time and everything he said he's going to do for me and do with me, he's done it to the tea, so how can I not respect the guy? He clipped a man's Achilles. He what? He clipped a man's. It's Achilles.

What's that? You know the Achilles in back of your leg there? The Achilles tendon. Yeah. Yeah, he got into a fight with a man and he clipped his Achilles. He cut it off. So he's a psycho as well? Yes.

But he's a man. He's got an incredible backstory with his mom and everything, like straight out of a movie. Shocking stuff. If anyone would ever care to look into his life story, a bit like man, fucking wild. very interesting and I've heard they're all from him so yeah tons of respect and as I said

the next year of two me and David we're going to do some fucking great things I'm going to build this bare knuckle myself with my name big okay last one yes or no is it coming home is it coming home no

ah come on Darren come on where's the faith it's never came home with England we just we just don't perform and we all get excited then yeah i i don't i don't care too much for football you need to understand there's not a lot i care about some football's not one of them well it's world cup everyone gets in the spirit no

i just don't give a shit honestly don't give a rat i'll probably i'll probably use it as an excuse to go to pub and just get rat-eyed that's what i'll do uh you guys have a m m m mma event coming up on july fourth your your promotion so i want to give a shout out to that you just had one in north way that did very well on YouTube. There it is, July 4th at the Dome, Grand Central and Liverpool. And I understand you have an event coming up August 1st in Cardiff and Newcastle, September 12th.

So guerrilla promotions, doing big things. You're doing big things. It's all coming together for you. I'm delighted for you. Thank you so much, Darren. Appreciate the time, as always. Much love. And congratulations on the big win.

Thank you. Thank you. See you later. Peace and love. Peace and love. There he is. Darren Till, hitting us with the Ringo Star with the peace and love, peace and love. What a time to be alive.

What a time to be alive. You know, when he says it's not coming home, I tend to believe, like, it never comes home, right? And I used to think that way, I used to think that way about that team that plays a few blocks up, but this changes my whole perspective. Could it actually be coming home? 53 years, guys? Is that a thing? Anyway, let's not get into it. That's not get crazy.

That's not get crazy. Okay, we move along. joining us in 30 minutes time is going to be arguably one of the most famous chess players in the world. Chess influencer, Gotham Chess, if you're familiar, massive MMA fan, Levy Rosman of Brooklyn, New York, just 30 years young. He's going to join us in studio. We're going to have a lot of fun with him. But earlier in the show, we spoke to Diego Lopez, and so I wanted to also speak to Steve Garcia, who will in fact be when the story is told the first ever you have.

FFC fighter to step into the cage at an event being held at the White House. He will be the first one to step in the gauge. If what we understand is correct, he's going to be the one to hold that distinction. He's kind enough to join us right here now to talk about it all. There he is. Hello, Steve. How are you? Hey, what's going on, brother?

How are you doing? I'm doing great. Steve, I want you to get to the event. Are you driving right now? I am driving. This is making me nervous a little bit. It's not a bad thing. nerves are in things.

Stop right. Okay, well, we'll deal with the nerves, but feel free not to look at me right now. Just keep your eyes on the road. Is that, in fact, going to be true? Are you going to be... No, no, don't do that. Don't do that. I don't want that.

I want you to make it to the fight, my man. I want you to make it. Are you going to be the first one to step into the cage? That is what I'm being told. So it is I to set the, I guess, the whole pace of the whole entire event, I guess. So it's all my shoulder. Let's go. Do you assume that responsibility?

Because I feel like they put you guys in that spot on purpose. They're like, okay, which two guys are going to deliver, get this thing off on the right foot? Excuse me? Are you viewing it that way? Like, I need to bring it here in order to set the tone, so to speak. Yeah, man, there's no better way to have a car like this start better than just having me and Diego go in the middle

and freaking just duke it out, right? So let's go ahead and just fucking just. Get it going. You know what I mean? I feel like there's other fights that probably could have been first just to kind of like get everybody I guess warmed up, but we're going to have excitement from the gate from the very first fight all the way to the very end fight. So yeah, I mean deca locus is going to deliver. He told, I can't, I can't speak for him, but I can speak for me. Yeah, and more often than not, he does produce fun fights. He told us earlier that he agreed to fight you, but he had no idea this fight was going to be on the White House card and then he sees the promo and all of a sudden in the

is there. Did you have the same experience? No, I didn't. They didn't have mentioned to me, like, who could potentially be the opponent, and Diego Lopez was potentially the guy. And so, there was nothing like set in stone. They just told me that, you know, that was the guy that they were thinking of. And I

was actually pretty excited about it. You know what I mean? Like, why wouldn't you get excited about finding the number two in the world? And, you know, this is an opportunity for me, and I can go out there and prove myself against some of the best guys in the world. And the second best guy in the division right now is Diego Lopez, so I'm here to bring it. Was it an automatic yes?

I assume so, but just curious. Yeah, yeah, it was an automatic yes. I wouldn't turn down an opportunity like that, and I think that Diego Lopez is an amazing dance partner. The only difference is I'm leading to dance. I know that this experience and this moment means a lot of different things to a lot of different people and fighters, of course, how would you put it into words

getting the opportunity to be a part of something like this at the White House? Yeah, they're calling it like the biggest sporting historical events ever. You know what I mean? And much etched into history with this card. So I think that's awesome.

I really do. I do still feel like disrespected. I do feel like people don't count me seriously but I finally get a platform to where I can go out there and continue to prove, you know, otherwise. Why do you feel that way? bro i'm i'm i'm living on like a what i'm on a eight i well i have eight fights in the in the ufc uh eight are seven knockouts in the ufc um eight wins you know nine to two and include the contender series i've knocked out several guys um and bro like i don't even have tops card like how crazy everybody on the white house card pretty much has tops card everybody i've knocked out has a tops card and i don't even get no love and it's it's not necessarily like I mean, let's just put it this way. I got a big chip on my shoulder for everybody doubt of me.

I'll tell you that much. I love this. I love this. Okay. I'm not happy that you feel this way, but I like the energy. Yeah, no, it's honestly kind of irritating because honestly, I've put so much time and effort and work and everything else in between to go out there and perform for everybody. But that's all right, man.

I think the real ones respect me. They respect what I bring. And it's not like people are calling me out. You know what I mean? There's a reason for that. You know what I mean? I bring it, and it's going to be one of the hardest fights you ever fight when I'm in there with you.

So I've always wanted to go out there, and I wanted to put on the best exciting fights for the fans, and the real ones, they get it. You know what I mean? So I feel like finally somebody, like, will put me on a platform, and I'm grateful for at least for the UFC to consider me for this opportunity. And I'm going to go out there, I'm going to show out. You know, when this fight card was announced,

everyone had a take on it, and I thought you were maybe alluding to this, as well. Some people thought that the whole car should be title fights, all this, that, and the other, and they would zero in on your fight and be like, oh, is this White House worthy, so to speak? Did you hear that talk? And if so, did that make you feel this way as well? Absolutely. I mean, if you go back and watch my fights, anybody that's watching right now, go back and watch my fights and tell me that I don't have it an exciting style, that I don't bring it. and and honestly

whether whether there's like name value or recognition that's not that's not necessarily on me like I got in the sport I know how I know the change in it I know it's become an entertainment focus based type of

I guess style promoting these days but you know I come from a different type of background where like Chuck Lidale and Puzz Condit Holly home Diego Branded out John Dawson like they were fun but you know what bro like there's a lot of honor back in mixed martial arts back in the day

and it's kind of changed a bit and i know you got to get it the program right so like i'm not going to hit on anybody changing things but you know i got a i got to work twice as hard i got to put more people away i also honestly i thought i was going to have to have like five more fights to even be considered for a title shot so i think benny lopez definitely expedites the the process so that's kind of how i'm viewing this whole entire experience Do you think you get the respect? If it all goes your way on Sunday, do you think you get the respect?

I guess, I mean, I would want that, but I mean, let me ask you. What do you think? Oh, 100%. I mean, I've said it. I don't know if you've heard, but I said, I like the fact that they put you on the card,

that they put Kyle Dacchus on the card because I feel like you guys represent what it means to be American. It's not just superstar, superstar, super star, you guys represent the American dream. And so I called, when the card was announced,

I said that I thought it was a nine out of ten card. Obviously, you could always, oh, I wish it was Aspinall versus Pereira, stuff like that, right? But I really liked the card, and everyone said I was an idiot for saying that. But to me, I was like, this represents what I think a UFC card should be at the White House. It represents different people from different backgrounds, doing, you know, different things at different points in their career. So, yeah, you beat Diego Lopez. He just got two title shots in a row.

You should be on the short list. I don't know if you'd be next next, but I can't imagine it would be like more than two away. Yeah, I should be right there, right? And that's kind of been my life. You know what I mean? Just right there. You know, maybe, maybe not. But I'm at this point, I'm just trying to be as undeniable as possible.

And I just one fight at a time, one punch at a time, just to press forward. My whole life I've been told, no. My whole life I've been told I wasn't good enough that I haven't wanted to be within the UFC. And I've honestly done better than majority of people that have been and came and gone in the UFC. You know what I mean? So I'm just going to continue to believe in myself. I'm very strong in my faith and I'm just going to keep believing and we're still doing big things, but whether people want to see it right now or not, they will.

So it's interesting because your teammate is Josh Hokit and he gets a ton of attention for doing a lot of like the extracurricular stuff. And I've heard you say he's a good guy, he's not that guy. And I believe that. And I don't necessarily hate, I don't like when he gets personal with family. I'll be 100% honest talking about, you know, wives and stuff like that. That's not my thing. but you know get yourself out there i like pro wrestling i get it but when you see the attention that

he gets and maybe the attention that you don't get how do you feel about that we come from like i said we come from like almost two different types of eras you know what i mean like he kind of came on the scene he was busy doing his other stuff and uh he kind of wanted to expedite the process and that's why like i i respect him in that manner just because you know he's like man i got to capitalize on this moment on this opportunity and this is the way that you know i guess we're promoting things now these days and um i've i've more the old school approach like i said you know i listed all those names that i come from that we went out there and we fought you know our asses off and we just we kind of had like a little bit of honor more to it than it is these days you know what i mean the trash

talking will advance you the all that other stuff will advance you and i'm like bro like uh i was never in this for all the clicks and the likes and the follows man i'm here for the chaos that's about it and providing from my family and um it's it's continued to do that now you know what i mean and and josh man like a lot of people don't like whether you like him or don't you know i understand where like you know you can kind of draw some lines at and stuff um that dude is a killer he's going to bring it every single time and i love his mentality his attitude um everything else he does like all the antics and everything like that i mean just enjoy it you know what i mean there's certain people they just do that and it's for the entertainment

value. So if that's really what people want to see, enjoy it. You know what I mean? And just understand that he's, you know, he's doing a performance for you guys. So you guys love and get that aspect of it. What kind of a teammate is he? How would you describe him in the gym?

Bro, he's a workforce, bro. Honestly, he's, I mean, spars a lot. He has, like, a good, solid group of guys that he brings in and they push and, you know, they're grinding. And obviously, I see him hit pads. And he's doing different things.

And, you know, for heavyweight, I mean, he's active. He's always active. And, you know, I know he's a lighter guy for the heavyweight division, but that also works to his advantage. And I think he's capitalizing on it. Do you think it's smart for him to come back so soon after that type of fight in April, the amount of punches landed? I mean, that's something you're going to have to ask him.

I think that from like a vet perspective, yeah, you probably want a little bit longer time to kind of like, you know, recover. But when you have an opportunity like this, and sometimes you have these fights where you're going to have to make a quick turnaround. He did take, you know, some damage, but honestly, like, he came back and he didn't really

look like he was busted up. Blades look like he was busted up. And Josh, you know, a couple scratches and stuff like that, and he's good go. But, yeah, I think Josh probably should take some time out for this fight. Josh made it public

the news that Greg Jackson won't be working this event. Is it because it's happening at the White House? Yeah, that's kind of something that, like, you know, you would have to ask him. That's something that, like, I think that he's really been kind of private about. But, yeah, more or less, you know, I think there's some things that he doesn't necessarily agree with. And, you know, it just is what it is.

How do you feel about that? I've had several fights without Greg in my corner. you know um that's how that's how uh the fight game is sometimes so it's not like it's unusual what i would would rather have gregg or then not have gregg yes i would rather have gregg um you know he's he's uh the genius that he is uh but i respect his decision and stuff and it doesn't really uh change anything you know what i mean it's not like i stop knowing how to fight you know what i mean like i just you do what i do and um you know we're going to keep you know pressing forward and uh he's been as active actually probably even more active in his camp as you know he's been as active actually probably

even more active in this camp as he's ever been. And we're very confident right now. And how about fighting outdoors? You fought outdoors before, right? Can you describe like a tangible difference? Is there any, you know, obviously the elements can change. But is there anything sort of different? You sweat faster, the lights, anything different about fighting indoors or outdoors

that you remember from those experiences? So I fought outdoors twice. And the one that kind of stuck out to me, because the first one was at night, you did I've dealt with the bugs and it was it was back in my amateur days for this one all the lights it's funny because it was in Carl's bad and it was

you know one of my amateur fights all the lights in the back had to get shifted forward to the to the octagon and we had no light in the back to warm up so we were blind so everybody was with their phones

and we were wrapping our hands and we're hitting pads with the lights from our phones and then we walked to the cage people didn't think about that so that was like one instance but yeah there's bugs and stuff and it was at night so it wasn't terrible um it was so like probably about 75 degrees it wasn't terrible and then the second time it was definitely hotter

it's probably like 85 degrees uh we fought at our state fair grounds here in albuquerque and it was actually my pro debut i believe and that was pretty interesting they had to continue to throw ice on the canvas that's probably the only thing that i was a little nervous about like how well the octagon is covered because it got so hot that everybody was burning their feet on the canvas and so they were just

continued to throw like tubs and tubs of ice all over the canvas and have to sweep it up so that people wouldn't slip or fall. It was a little bit of a craziness if you will. So, you know, obviously being in guard on your back or something that you're burning your back definitely not a fun way to kind of fight but I've had a few experiences with fighting outside.

And you didn't slip? like the the ice would just melt in that and wouldn't make it wet? Yeah, dude, it was that hot. Wow. So, like, it was, in between rounds, they would probably throw, like, a bucket of ice. Obviously, in mid-fight, they would throw, like, some ice, and they would have a towel, they'd wipe it all down, and then we'd fight. And that's kind of like how it was, I guess, taking care of.

Wow. I could definitely tell it, you know, I would try to stay in the shade more than I would stay in the sun when I was fighting in there. but, bro, we're fighters, man. This is what we do? Like, what are we going to say? Like, now we're not going to fight. Like, if me and the street,

and we're like, bro, it's a little hot, maybe we should do this tomorrow. You know what I mean? Like, we don't get that luxury, you know what I mean? So we're going to go out there and we're going to give it, you know, the best performances and the best shows we can give you guys, regardless of the circumstance. I may be wrong, but it doesn't seem like you're in D.C. yet, right?

No, I lead tomorrow. Okay, he's already there. Any particular reason why are you just doing the usual length of time because that would be around the time that you would leave if it was a Saturday fight, right? Bro, it's Diego Lopez. He gets all the goods.

Oh, man. They bring him out early? I'm gonna hang out. No, I like the guy. I like the guy. He's cool. I'm just here in Albuquerque, man. I kind of keep things the same if I can.

And, you know, I'm actually going to get some, you know, work some car practice just kind of loosening me up a little bit. It's kind of like a typical way that I, that I like start my fight week, if you will, off. And then afterwards, I'm going to go play 18 holes. Yeah, I have to, bro. Like it's tradition. And this whole, this whole weekend has been crazy. So I wasn't able to play this weekend, but I got my workout in this morning, going to get fixed up and make sure that I'm tuned up nice and good. And then go play me some 18 holes. Get another workout in later tonight, and then I'll be ready to ship myself off at Washington,

D.C. in the morning, actually. Wait, when you say tradition, you always do this before your fights, 18 holes? Yeah. Wow. Yeah, probably the last five years. And why is that? Why did this become a tradition? I think, honestly, it becomes, like, one way to kind of, like, deal with the stress,

deal with like the the nerves and everything like that because I love to play golf golf golf is like almost an outlet for me I can worry about something else other than fighting and um the only kind of sucks is that you can't like enjoy the food and whatever but you know I love I love being able to still be competitive I still love to go out there you know and be outdoors I definitely just enjoy it and it's kind of just like a thing that me and my dad started doing and we just did it every fight You know what I mean? So that's kind of how it just kind of, we just continue to just do it. How hot is it there now?

Right now it's 92. So that's not going to zap you that you don't think 18 holes? It's a lot of time under the sun. Bro, Mexican, bro. Okay, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Speaking of which, I saw you ranking the best Latino-ish fighters in UFC history. Do you remember doing this?

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, back in the day. Yeah, you had cane number one. But I do have to say, are Brazilians considered Latino? I'm not an expert. You tell me, there's a lot of Brazilians on this list. Yeah, so my YouTube guy put Latino and an ish. Okay. So I was like, you didn't have enough Latinos or what?

You know what I mean? But I think he just wanted to kind of throw in a few different other extra people that. I mean, look at Diego, bro. Diego, I'm not saying he can't decipher which side he is, but he's Brazilian, but everybody thinks he's Mexican. Right, right. And I'm just like, well, he's technically Brazilian. but you know, we'll welcome him as a Mexican. We don't care.

You know what I mean? The more the more the area, right? Is there anyone else up there with Kane? Because that was like mid-ranking. You had Kane as the goat. Has anyone reached Kane goat status? I got to see who was there. I did that like a while back, but Mexican-wise,

that's Kane. Let's see. Man, honestly, like, if you're a champion, You got to be up there. Like, Brenna Merno, he's up there. Grasso, you know, you're special, you know what I mean? But yeah, I don't remember the whole entire thing. How far away do you think you are?

Like, do you think this time next year you could be champion? I think that. I believe that. Wow. And I don't see why else I wouldn't. Like, if you can believe in yourself or not, I choose to believe every time. Sure. Do you think the UFC wants Diego to win?

I think it's a win-win. I think it's a win-win. So if I win, they got a new guy, they got new blood. And the way I've been fighting, I think they can kind of push it. You know what I mean? They can start to spend. They can start promoting me, I guess, to make it make sense. If Diego wins, then our boys back on track.

You know what I mean? He's winning again. You know what I mean? So I felt like it's a win-win either way. But, you know, I've always been here to spoil everybody's party. So sorry. I'll let you go in a moment, but I did want to ask, I know you're a friend and teammate of Holly Holmes,

and I was at that fight just two weekends ago in El Paso would have seen. I believe that she won that fight, fair and square, and she didn't get the nod. What did you think of the fight? I'm assuming you saw it. I think it's ridiculous. Like, you know, Holly is a champion in and outside of the ring cage, whatever she decides to fight that day,

and they did her dirty, man. They did her so dirty. Like, I've seen probably 85% of everybody agree that that was a robbery. And I'm like, I don't know, I don't even know how it was unanimous other than it being a hometown situation. You know what I mean? And I even think I commented on one of the posts about it being, I was like, this is why, like, boxing is kind of being more of a disgusting taste in people's mouths because this is what's happening. You know what I mean? they're like you're gonna like as long as as long as they like you and you know they're gonna push for you to win no matter what i mean

and i also don't think that they like the crossover between the boxing and m m ms like dude you should have saw so i cornered holly in her first fight against uh stephan and even her referee like the ref that came in dude super aggressive was like kind of just being like kind of condescending like she didn't know what she's doing she's like he was like saying like this is this is it this is box this is an mama don't throw no knees don't don't know albu but Bose like he's like you know the rules right and in my head I'm like you do understand you're talking to someone who boxed and had several titles even before she came to MMA you know what I mean honestly I was a little disgusted and you know what I'm not I'm not going to blame MVP because MVP honestly they're doing a phenomenal job with putting on shows and and having people uh I guess probably being a competition to the UFC in a sense uh so you know a lot of respect to them I know that you're part of it too.

And I, you know, I love that you're a host here too. Because, like, honestly, you know, you need some good guys on there. And, Errol, you're the man, brother. So, like, you know, a hell of a job out there. But, yeah, man, I was pretty disgusted about that. And I wish there was something that we could do to make things right. And then unfortunately, nobody's held accountable. You know, these judges don't even, you know, they don't have anybody holding them

accountable for a decision like that. And a lot of us, we have a win, a win like pay. we have a show pay and you're you're messing with people's pay days you're messing with people's like day-to-day jobs in that sense and you get to decide whether you get paid the whole check or not you know I wish there was a way that we could we could combat it um and accountability it has to be started somewhere and I just don't know where it would kind of start but you know I'd like that you're bringing it like lying attention to it no and I appreciate your kind words I felt awful for Holly because I think that she looked fantastic in that fight. That was one of the best versions.

We've seen of her in quite some time. That wasn't the same one that we saw, same Holly that we saw in Puerto Rico in January. She really was aggressive. She was in phenomenal shape. And Stephanie's a great fighter and a great human being as well and a great story, not trying to take anything away from her, but there has to be a winner and a loser. And I can't see how a judge thought that she won, I guess if it would be six rounds to four. I just, I don't see that. That's how they scored it. Two judges had that. One had it a draw. And disheartening because she's at the end of the road and she deserves those moments. Not only did they take the win away from her,

they took history away from her. She would have been the first fighter to win a major title after being inducted into the Hall of Fame. First fighter. And they robbed her of that. If that was you, Ariel, like, what could you do?

What would you do? Like, how would you feel? Like, I feel so bad for Holly. Holly, she is like the highest-spirited person. It's very hard to really aggravate her, get on the nerves, but, man, she was definitely upset about that. I don't blame her.

I do think she's a big fight. Um, hopefully they can figure it out because that was not cool, man. Like there, there's some ones I'm like, oh, man, it's, it's close. It's close. But I think from, from round five on, she won. And then I can maybe see her lose two rounds, but I gave Holly seven rounds. I gave Holly seven rounds. If you want to give her six, give her six.

But I gave her seven rounds. The first, you know, couple were it could have went back and forth, in my opinion. And, yeah, man, it's unfortunate. Yeah, it's a bummer. She handled it with class, as she always does. but I really do feel for her. Okay, I'll let you go in a second here. Tell us, how does it play out?

What are you feeling Sunday Under the Lights, White House, you versus Diego Lopez's first fight ever. What are you feeling as far as how it plays out? All I can say is I'm going to dominate this fight, and you guys are going to get treated with something special. Like I said, I'm not here to ruin or trash anybody's name. Diego has been a phenomenal fighter, but this is my time. I got to go out there and I got to show everybody why I'm the guy right now.

I'm him, and, you know, God is good, but I'm going to go out there and do what I need to do. And yeah, man, it's going to be a special day, and we're going to go start this off with a bang. I love it, man. Well, wish you the best of luck. Congratulations on getting this honor, getting this opportunity. Love the chip on your shoulder. I don't love that you feel that way, but it kind of adds an interesting wrinkle and an interesting element to the fight. So let's see what it translates into.

Enjoy the week, everything that will come within, of course, the fight on Saturday. Looking forward to it very much. Thank you, Steve. Appreciate it. Oh, thank you. Take care, brother. All the best to you. There he is. Steve Garcia going into this fight with a chip on his shoulder, as he said.

I love that fight. I think if it was on any other card, people would have loved it off the bat, and I think they've come around to it. I don't... I wonder what Kalshi is saying as far as what is the biggest stinker on this card, because I don't think that there's a single fight on this card that will under deliver, in my opinion, of the seven. There's only seven. It's going to start at 8 p.m. by the way, 8 p.m. Eastern time. And if all goes according to plan, if it's going to start at 8 p.m. and there's seven fights. I think it's going to line up perfectly with normal in time. Midnight?

Just whenever UFC cards typically on, midnight-ish. So if there's a five-fight card, yeah. So if there's a five-fight card, yeah, you're right. Because if there's a five-fight card that starts at nine, it would be nine to 12. And here's just an hour or, Yeah. You do the two fights. There will be additional pomp and circumstance. Yes. So I think it goes longer, actually. I could, I wouldn't be shocked if it was ending around like,

are you surprised they're not doing it like at six? Or do you think that's a Sunday night as well? Yeah. I feel like that would have been the smarter plot. Correct me if I'm wrong. I've not seen this. I haven't seen a single person asked Dana the question, why is this on a Sunday? We know what the theory has been, right?

The birthday. But why? What I want to know what the reason is for Sunday. I'm just curious. I actually saw Jedi say, did he say was the fifth? He, he, yeah, no, not the fifth. I think, I think people were saying flag day originally. June 14th is flag day?

Yeah. You think that's it? No. I think it's because it's Trump's birthday. No. Big eight zero, bro. Is that it? Yeah.

Is he really 80? 4547 goes 80. Golly. Sunday. So, according to, Jedi, currently the Post-Fide Press Conference of schedules for 12.15 a.m. So, you know, this... Okay, UFC Freedom 250 will be the 28th UFC event held on a Sunday.

It's the third UFC event held on Flag Day, by the way. The other two events were held on a Saturday. Wow. So there you go. How's that lawsuit coming along? Any update? No movement. Okay, no movement on the lawsuit.

Let me... Put your IFB on? Is the Knicks game still happening? Or is everyone going crazy? NICS game still on. They're showing me pictures of walls and stuff like that. It's still happening. There's a Trump impersonator out there right now.

The street is getting closed down starting at 4 p.m. But they're still tipping at 8.30-ish? That's the plan. Ish is key there. 830 tip, is. Yeah, that one's going to end up. Just show up early. Everyone be in their seats.

I don't want to see like a Miami-type crowd here. You know, we're New Yorkers. What time do you think I should be in line? What time do you think I should be in line? Like 10 minutes. I think like 545 or 6, for real. That's just serious. I'm going to leave here.

I'm walking straight. Yeah, I think straight there. What else am I going to do, right? The garden. Yeah, your ass needs to be in seat by like eight. Yes. You got to take it all in. Let me put the zero one second.

Oh, God. By eight, are you kidding me? I saw employees who was taking like 90 minutes to get into the arena today. TSA like screening. What does that mean? Do I take off my shoes? Yeah, oh, for sure. Laptop out of the bag.

No bag. Oh, yeah, absolutely no bag. You got to leave everything here overnight. Oh, gosh. All right, guys. Very excited. News and notes. back end. So stay tuned for that. But for now, I am super excited about our next guest joining us in

studio. This is a true celebrity, my friends. This man is the internet's chess teacher. That's what they say. I think that's the name. I think that's the name that has been bestowed upon him. He's known as Gotham Chess online. He's got over 7 million YouTube subscribers, over 2 million on Instagram, 5 billion views plus on YouTube, by the way. 30 years young, his name is Levy Rossman. And he is just, in many people's eyes, the most influential chess player

who just so happens to be online. Fascinating backstory. But, oh, by the way, gigantic MMA fan. Gigantic. Like, if you look at the takes online and we'll go through some of them, the man knows ball. And so without further ado, let us say hello

to Gotham chess, Levi Rossman. Is he there? Wow. Hello, sir. How are you? I'm good. I'm good. Welcome to the program. Great to see you. Please.

Have a seat. It's a great honor to have you here. I know you're on with Schultz a couple days ago. This is way cooler, right? Way cooler. Okay, thank you for spending that. Especially given our history, which I hope you don't remember. I have, okay, so that's how it all.

Kent from Neurogum, text me. Hey, I'm here with Levy. And by the way, it's Levy, not Levi. Okay, I want to, you know, make sure. My mom invented it. Yeah, it's a great name. I like it very name. very much and he's like, he says he met you and it was somewhat embarrassing.

Yeah, yeah. It's like my Roman Empire. For real. Yeah. Let's hear it. Let's hear it. Yeah. By the way, great to have you here. We have a lot to get into. I don't know if you know what this is a chess board. It is. It's set up dangerously wrong. I've got to redo it before we play. Serious. Yeah. How subtle of us to just put it in here, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's the first thing we pick up. It's what made the Queen's Gambit so good.

Like every chess scene that they had was basically perfect, but I'm sure we'll get into it. Okay, yes, yes, yes. The story, yeah, the story, essentially it's been an inside joke in my household. Like, I hope you don't remember it because now that I've become a public figure since COVID, I have some fan interactions that are great and some that are, you know, a little bit like more memorable for slightly wrong reasons. And I'm like, I hope I'm not in Ariel's like top three, like, oh my God, this was one of the craziest experiences of my life. Short story is, and I told it on Shultz as well. It was right before Connor McGregor fought Floyd Mayweather.

Okay, 2017. Yeah, and I'm on the red line just going downtown. And I see you. I'm like, oh, I'm, you know, 21. So a little younger, a little bit more immature and a little scared of, you know, you're like glowing on the train. I'm like, I'm going to say hi to him. And then we start migrating to the next car because a crazy person gets on the train. And it's causing like a scene. So now I'm following you to the next car. Oh, wow, wow. I'm like, okay, this is weird, but at least it's all part of the... You're sort of stalking me a little bit? A little bit. Clearly, I'm the most successful one of all time because now I'm here. No, but I'm like, I'm not. I'm not. I'm not. I'm not. I'm not. I'm I, and we get off at the same stop. You were working in Fidei, and I was living in Fidei. Okay, okay, yes, yes, yes. And then we like...

So then it gets awkward that we're still walking with each other? Yes, well, I don't think you even know we're walking with each other. I'm just like, all right, I don't know what to do. Like, I mean, I probably should commit and say hello. Oh, you haven't said a word to me. No. Oh, no. Why not?

Because, like, I didn't, I probably was a bit nervous or maybe we were on, like, different sides of the train car. You know, this is like, again, reliving it is hilarious and painful. And then at some point, I, like, said something. I think I asked you your thoughts on the fight. And I probably ended the conversation with something like, if you're ever nearby, you want to grab a tree, I got like a lot of recommendations. And you were probably like, yeah, cool, man.

Yeah, and I've told the story several times, but now I'm telling it to you. Wow. It's like a little therapy session. Wow. And you don't remember it, which is the best part. I do not remember this. I have a few of those where they're like,

hey, let's meet up. Do you have, do you, like, could you name off the top of your head some of the more painful experiences? For the most part, they've been pretty good. You know, it's funny. I was in L.A. for the MVP card a couple of weeks ago, you know, Rhonda and Gina. And that particular week, I was getting a lot of shit online, Sean Strickland, this, that, and the other.

And I happened to be in public. Like, usually I do the show, I go home, right? I'm not really around people, open workouts, press conference, et cetera. And every interaction was so lovely. And then I would open Twitter and every interaction was so bad. And I was like, maybe Twitter isn't real life, you know, as people like to say sometimes. because every interaction was just like lovelier than usual. It was like nicer than usual.

And then every interaction online was worse than usual. So point is, I don't really feel like I've had many bad ones. That one seems pretty bad if I'm being awesome. I think actually yours was the worst. Yeah. Yeah. I agree. I agree.

To be fair. To, you know, make your top list online. By the way, you're coming from outside. What is outside like right now? Because I'm here. Oh, you're like the streets. I'm a nervous wreck. right now. A long time New York Knicks fan, as are you, right? Yes. But like the thought of outside,

I don't know. Like, I feel like I'm in a bubble right now. And for two hours, we've been doing the show, I haven't thought about game three. What is outside like? Is it insane or is it just normal? The president's coming. Everyone's freaking out, Armageddon. Yeah. And every few hours, you're getting an update of, you know, the square around the square that's going to get shut down. And to your point, if you read the online comments about them banning watch parties and moving them to Brian Park, people are like, There's millions of us and there's only like a couple thousand of them. And, you know, they're going to have to call in the National Guard. And I'm thinking like, oh, they were serious about burning the city down, like, if the Knicks win.

I don't know what to expect. It's a little scary, but I think we'll trade it for a championship. Oh, my God. Yeah. You're going, right? It's a long story, but actually not anymore. Why? Because basically what you just said.

So we have an early flight tomorrow. and now the security protocol is like get there at 5.30. And, you know, the game is at 8.30. And people, you know, the U.S. Open, Trump came to the U.S. Open. Yeah, got delayed by a long time. So as a chess player, I got these tickets long enough ago that I could sell them today for a little bit of a profit and just watch the game on my couch and, like, not be in Madison Square Garden if there's a riot. Oh, man. So I made, you know, I made the decision, like, we have such an early flight.

It's been such a long week. You know, I was so many things this week. So I was like, okay, look, I'm going to get these tickets. Wow. Yeah. How much of a profit? Like, what percentage would you say? Like, 25%.

Okay, so you feel good about that. I feel fine enough. No, I also was a bit of a nervous track. Like, my wife can tell you, the whole week has just been like, you're not going to make it into the stadium. We're trying to plan our escape, like the 7th Avenue, 8th Avenue. I don't know. Now, if today is super peaceful, well, I'll feel a little bit disappointed.

But, I mean. So are you hoping for Armageddon so that it's like a self-fulfilling in prophecy like yeah we were right legal reasons you know okay okay yeah no i mean i hope i hope they win but i'm a little afraid i mean it was crazy and they weren't even here nah it's gonna be great man it's gonna be great it's gonna be great i'm going you are yes okay i'm going my boys maybe you bought our tickets may i know i got them i didn't get them second market did you go so i got them from msg and i paid for them and i just i felt like i had to be there come my my kids were asking me like what's your limit like how much would you

how much would you need to get in order to give the... They said a million and I don't think I would have done it. I don't think I would have sold them for a million. That means that much to me being there tonight, especially with them. I have heard you talk about the Knicks. I would like to say I am a little bit more of a performative fan. Like I've watched The Knicks since I was probably a teenager and I'm 30 now, but I mean, you have a...

The way you speak about it, it makes sense. You have to be there tonight. Especially with my kids. Yeah, no, of course. I've heard stories actually of speaking of a chess. Bobby Fisher going to Nick Games with Dick Schap in the front row. You know Bobby Fisher, right? You've heard of him?

Of course. What a story. Did you ever see that Jeremy Shapp story about, you know what Jeremy Shapp is? He's a longtime ESPN sportscaster, the son of Dick Shapp, who is one of the more legendary New York City sportscasters. And Dick Shapp kind of made him, he kind of brought up Bobby Fisher. Like he was a mentor to him and he would take him to Nick Games and whatnot. And so when Bobby Fisher kind of went off, you know, the deep end,

Jeremy flew to Iceland to confront him to see like what went wrong here. And it's an amazing clip. And it was actually a story that he did for 2020 on ABC. And Jeremy Schap asks him a question about some of his views about 9-11, about Jewish people and whatnot. And Bobby goes, what's your last name again? And he says, Shep. And he goes, do you know Dick Shapp?

He says, that's my father. And he goes, oh, Dick Shapp, you know, the satanic Jew, took me to Nick Games and tried to brainwash me and all this stuff. And then there's a moment where Jeremy, sorry for going on here, but it's one of my favorite moments of journalism where Jeremy like interrupts him. And he goes, you know, you've, you've said a lot of things here. You've said a lot of crazy things. You've been accused of being crazy. And I don't think that you've said anything here today to disprove any of that. And then he walks off.

And Bobby says nothing. And it was just very powerful because of the relationship that his dad has. had with Bobby. Have you ever met Bobby back in the day? I wasn't. I wasn't around, no. You weren't around, okay. I don't know. He's no longer... No, I think he passed away in 2008. And you weren't Gotham Chess at that point? No, no, I was a 12, 13 year old boy. Maybe dreaming of one day being Gotham Chess. Maybe, maybe. I think I was in a period of time at that point where I was quitting chess. Chess is one of these things that you're either completely immersed, like fighting.

fighting and fight sports is really the only sport you can compare it to chess other than the physical contact. You have to be all in or you have to kind of be all out. You can't have one foot in, one foot out and then try to pursue it professionally or semi-professionally. So when I was 12, 13 years old, I think there was a period I was number two in the country for my age. Wow. But I plateaued. What does that mean plateaued? Meaning you didn't win anymore?

Yeah, like unlike fighting, you go to a tournament, you know, you play four games or six games or, you know, I was at a period where I would beat consistently everybody weaker than me, but I couldn't beat a master. So, like, in chess, there is a number that quantifies your skill level. It's called, you know, it's a rating and Elo. The peak is 2,900. I was 2,000 as a 12 and 13-year-old. And anybody up to like 1900, easy.

But 21 and 22, I just couldn't get there. So I quit at 12. And I came back at 15, became a master. And this was my relationship with chess. Wow. Yeah, it's probably why I'm not. Are you, so are you a grandmaster? No.

Have you ever been close? I've been close to, it's complicated, but basically you have to get multiple performances in the world of chess to get granted the title. It's not just like you beat one grandmaster. Okay. You have to have a series of tournaments where you get it. And I've been close, but no, it's really brutal. And nowadays, kids are dropping out of school and getting it at age 12. So a couple days ago, there was another world record broken by a kid from,

I believe a Russian kid who got it like one of the three requirements at 11 years old. Wow. Yeah, he's already a top point zero zero one percent chess player. Is this something that you care about? Yes and no. I think it's one of those things that I would have to give up a lot. I mean, I would have to give up teaching, making content, writing books, coming to places like this. It really is a thing where you've got to lock yourself.

fully immersed in it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And even then, at 30, honestly, that's a dinosaur in chess. Okay, oh, really? You don't have the nervous system. You don't have the stamina. Yeah, games can go six, seven, eight hours. The nervous system?

Yeah. At 30? Yeah. So what's your peak? Like, what age are you when you're at your peak, a typical chess player? And chess, 22. Wow. So it's kind of like tennis.

Yeah. Wow. Yeah, 25 is already, chess is also a bit strange. It's an inconsistent tournament system. So oftentimes they rely on invitations and they will now prioritize people who are 14 to 20. So even if you're 22 and you're number 15 in the world, you might not get an invitation. Wow, wow. Okay. So how does this all start? You're, you're born in Brooklyn? Yep. Parents from Russia and Ukraine. Yeah, Kiev and

Kazan. Okay. And Jewish, Russian Jews, yeah. And so you're just, you're five or so years old when you're introduced to chess? Probably, yeah, around five. Who introduces you? It's sort of a typical story where you have a chess set like in, you know, in your grandparents' house. That's very old school with the wooden clock. Yeah. And my parents were thinking what after school to put me in, I think it's a debate many parents have. Sports, arts, chess. And there was a serious doubt that if I was put into chess, nothing would come out of it because I was kind of a lunatic child. Okay. Except chess stuck. I got completely absorbed. I would skip out on art class. You know, I played soccer and I played chess. And then I stopped playing soccer because I was really out, you know, kids outgroomy.

They were really good. And I kind of stuck the chess from age seven. Okay, so like two years in, you're completely obsessed with it. Yeah, I started playing in tournaments in Queens. Susan Polgar, one of the most accomplished grandmasters and women in the world of chess ever, had a chess club there. I have a little picture somewhere on the internet and in our family folder where I'm with her and I have this little tiny chess trophy.

And yeah, I would go there on the weekends. I would play. And that's sort of where it started. And then, you know, you would go to national championships and state championships and so on. Did your parents play? My dad played nothing competitive. I mean, kind of like as a hobby.

A lot of people now play as a hobby. And my mom was okay. She was my first sparring partner. But once I graduated that, yeah, I had to play against my dad. He was quite strong on that scale. He was around 12, 1,300. Okay.

But I overtook quickly. It's a normal story. Like, you overtake your parents. Sure, sure. Any siblings? No. I mean, well, not when I was playing chess. I have a half-brother, but like not in chess.

Right, right. So I was just wondering if you would play with your siblings, but nobody was. No, no. I would play with the chess life magazine that would get delivered. Even playing online back in the day was, it's so different now. It's mind-blowing. how much it's changed the last few years. And growing up in New Jersey,

it was not something that you talked about, really, in school. Why is that? It just wasn't like being on the wrestling team or football. You know, I went through the Paramus school system, very heavy on athletics. There was like no other chess players in the entire district. Teachers would ask me to bring in my trophies, and you would think, oh, you got top four in the whole country.

There is no greater acceleration to bullying than that, at least when I was a kid. Wow. And now it's all changed. I always say kids now who look like they would have bullied me in school play chess. Wow, wow. And are obsessed with it. So, yeah.

What do you think changed? I think, have you seen the Queen's Gambit? Did you have a chance? Parts of it. Yeah. Not all but. 2020, it was a bit of a domino effect over the last few years. First thing's first COVID.

Yep. So we all get locked inside. The day there was the first case in New York, I don't know, you might have it as like a core memory. I left a chess lesson in the grander. Village and I'm walking and I'm seeing, oh, COVID is in JFK. Okay, this will be a couple of weird weeks. And I was teaching chess in person. I was running a program in Brooklyn.

World shuts down. People kind of start gravitating to live streaming. They're watching video games. They're watching streamers and they're watching a little bit of chess. And then the Queen's Gambit happens. And I had been making some videos because you couldn't teach kids on Zoom anymore. Their whole school day was on Zoom. So then to teach them chess on Zoom at 5 p.m., they were like, I mean,

they were exhausted. It was very ineffective. And they had nothing to train for. We used to train for the New York City Championship, the New York State Championship. And I said, okay, guys, I'm going to give this online thing a chance. I'm going to make YouTube videos. I'm going to live stream. And when the Queen's Gambit came out in October of 2020, my 48-hour view window went from

$80,000 to a million. Wow. Because the algorithm would just be like, oh, Queens Gambit? How to play the Queen's Gambit? How to play this opening? How to play this opening. And that's when I realized, oh, my God, this is. This is a real. People are either rediscovering chess as part of their lives or discovering it for the first time and realizing, oh, it's a lot more accessible and cool than I thought it was. I thought it was a dusty old game at the park played between strange Soviet men, which it still is. That's how I grew up playing. And if we went to local parks and, you know, Bensonhurst, it would still be that. And then it was several other events. We had a big cheating scandal in 2022. They just put out a documentary about it on Netflix, Untold. Oh, what's it called?

told chessmates. Okay, yes, yes, I saw that. Yeah, yeah. I haven't seen it, but I saw the picture. Yeah, it's a good intro. If you follow it closely, there's, they had to shorten, there was so much footage over four years, but it's a good intro. Okay.

And then in January, 2023, chess had a short form explosion. So people realize they can learn an opening trick in 30 seconds on the vertical content and just go to Chess.com and try it. And in 2023, first quarter, chess was banned in schools. It became so popular in, like, junior high school. that teachers literally had to shut down the domain. Wow. So it's had three inflection points,

and then it keeps coming back. And, I mean, it's one of these things that these athletes that show up here, a lot of them play, musicians play, artists play, everybody's playing it. But it's kind of like a secret. People don't really talk about it because they're not as good as they are in their main profession. It's a little bit like, this is my own thing,

my very private thing. But so many athletes warm up with it. Wembe plays chess. Yeah. So I feel like it became, I listened to Howard Stern a lot, and he talks about his obsession with chess. And I feel like when you start, it now becomes a thing that actually makes you cool.

It makes you like super smart. Oh, you understand chess. You play chess. You don't play checkers or anything like that. You play chess. To me, it's prestigious. Yeah, yeah. And as you say, maybe that wasn't the case when you were a kid.

Did you get bullied a lot as a kid? I think it was a fair mix of the two. I think for the chess, I got bullied, but I think I got some licks back. I was from a family that was very much, you know, you're really good at it. math, you're a smart kid, we got to push you through. So I was a young first grader. I was five and a half. I had to learn very early. Like, you know, you got to stand up for yourself. You have to...

Five and a half in first grade? Yeah, I was turning six in first grade instead of turning seven. Wow. Okay, so you accelerated. You skipped the grade. Yes. And I discovered by around seventh and eighth grade, it might have been a mistake. Like the kids, you know, they're really good at math, really good at science. I always had chess. And I, you know, even in college, I always had chess. I don't know where it was going to take me, but COVID happened. That changed everything. So, so like February of 2020, are you even on YouTube? Not particularly, no.

I mean, I was doing a little bit of live streaming at night. I'd come home from chess lessons, you know, play some speed games. You can play on chess. Like on chess. Play some classic rock and have like 40 viewers. That's it. Yeah. And how quickly into COVID does it change?

So March, mid-March, 2020, when do you really start to see like, holy crap? October is when, September, September, 2nd. 2020, October 2020, Queen's Gambit comes out. Within six months, maybe seven, eight months, I have a million subscribers. Then I overtake as the biggest channel and it's been five years ever since. Wow. Within six, seven months. Yeah, yeah. And at the beginning you had what? Like at February, zero. Zero. You have 40 viewers watching you. Yeah, live streaming. Why did you even do it at that point? Like, you see that there's no one watching. What's the motivation? My career was a chess teacher. So I, I've always been somebody who, who wanted to build my own thing.

In college, I was thinking, okay, I did a degree in statistics, which clearly I used to this day, every day. And maybe I'm going to be an actuary. Maybe I'm going to do banking, a lot of pressure in the family to get a corporate job. I come from a family of physicists, you know, like typical Columbia Journalism master's degree from my mom. My dad has like a PhD in stats from Columbia. Wow. And me, who's the self-employed chess teacher. And this was my thing.

just had my program. And what that meant is on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I would show up. There would be a class, 10 kids, who all paid for a semester of chess. I said, okay, let's prepare for this tournament, the New York City Championship. This is 2019, so pre-everything. And we got second. So, like, 20 after-school kids, we ended up getting second in the city. And that's when I discovered, wow, I'm really young.

But clearly, like, there's something here. I mean, I really love to teach. and these kids really love to learn from me in particular. And by the end of it, from 2019, right until, not 2019, 2015 to 2020. So those five years when I was teaching chess, we got the program up to 200 kids. We got first in the state.

We got first in the city. And so from 2015 until COVID, my life was a chess teacher. So when I came home and live streamed, it was just, you know, for fun. I didn't really care. gravy, cherry on top. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like, if somebody donates, my dad used to call it high-tech panhandling. Just kind of entertain people.

And, well, I mean, now all these streamers, you know, they do crazy stuff. Sure, sure, sure. They go around the world and, you know, like speed is an astronomically different level than sitting on your couch playing chair. But you never thought in a million years that it would turn into this. No, of course not. And you didn't even aspire for it to turn into this. No, no. You were content being a chess teacher.

Yeah. That was a great life. And once it all sort of happened, I said, okay, I think maybe. Maybe millions of people are going to start watching the game. So I'm passionate about making the game accessible. And there's not that much YouTube content out there. We really have done a poor job marketing chess from the top down, like top level athletes. It's the biggest sport in the world other than soccer just by people who play it or know how to play it.

But the money is just drastically different. So let's make it accessible, you know. And I think the channel has like 5.3 billion views now, which is a little. It blows my mind. I never set out to be a star, you know, or anything like that. I just love chess and millions of people play it. Every day, I think, I have the analytics, but something like 100,000 new people get into chess every day. Wow.

You called it a sport. Yeah. Why do you consider it a sport? The best players in the world throughout the duration of a chess match burn equal calories to sports. Wow. They're mental processing, like the, you know, the energy you need to summon to play at the highest level. they need to refuel. You know, they need to sleep really well to be prepared for the next game.

They have to have a good diet, exercise. A lot of them are very fit. So for me, it's not a sport. I play three-and-one-minute games on my phone. But for the best players in the world, almost all of them are in, you know, like really great shape, play a lot of sports and, yeah, keep diets. Do you think it should be in the Olympics? Yes, chess has its own Olympiad, but for whatever reason it's not the Olympics.

I think they'll get there. They just have to figure out, you know, do they really want a four-hour chess match, like one chess game, or do they have to speed it up? It is more intense when it's sped up, but like most sports, when you speed it up, the quality drops. Sure. And in chess, the biggest example of that happens. Longest game you've ever been a part of? I know this off the top of my head. I was maybe a teenager, and I played a game that started at 6 p.m. and ended at 2 in the morning. Wow. Do you win? Yeah. Okay. Yeah. And I had another one in Tarrytown when I was actually maybe around like 16, 15, 16.

I even remember the guy that I played. I was white. It was like a, you know, I remember the opening. And I was winning. And the game was 150 moves. But in chess, that's a pair. So we in total played 300 turns. Oh, wow, wow, wow.

And I managed to win that one as well. Those were two of my longest, yeah. And so when everything is starting to blow up, how are you processing all of this? Like, your world is exploding. You're becoming a huge star in this world. you're making money off of this, right? I mean, YouTube, all that stuff. How are you dealing with all this?

I think in many ways it was a benefit that it was pandemic because a lot of the world was shut down. So it allowed me to focus on me, my girlfriend at the time who became my wife. Like we just kind of lived our life. We had our goals, you know, we did our indoor fitness. We had our rituals of, you know, eating or getting takeout and wiping all the cans.

That was our life. And we would invite our friend over to our place and watch every UFC that was on Fight Island. Like, we just had our little life. And my routine was every morning I would wake up and walk to get some coffee. And then I would record a video for that day. Then I would live stream chess for four, five, six hours. If there was a tournament, I would cover it live. If not, I would just sort of think of things.

And at night, at 9, 10 p.m., I would record a video to launch it the next morning. I kept a huge list. And I still do to this day, but I've made a lot of those videos now. But I had a huge list of I want to cover this opening next. I want to cover this historical game next. I want to cover this concept next. And I just record it. And I record.

I mean, I record for 30 minutes and I don't make any cuts. I didn't know that was my skill until I started doing it. But I'm able to talk about chess in a way that I can convey information and also make people care. And for some reason, people were watching. And that's a huge motivation. Like when you see people are watching and, you know, you get that positive feedback. So yeah, that was the life. And I think I will say I had a little bit of a not to compare my, I'm not saying I'm the Jake Paul of chess.

Okay. I'm not calling out anybody to fight them or anything like that. But in many ways, when I started, it was like, who is this like, you know, he's only an international master. He's not a grandmaster. He's very sarcastic. You know, he talks like, he's so arrogant. And similar, like you were saying, if you read the comments, like they were very negative. I mean, people used to call me arrogant for even having a camera next to a chessboard.

This is the kind of chess world that we were in. Like, why do you have a camera? We just need the chessboard. Yeah, yeah. Wow, wow, wow. Yeah, it was a bit of an adaptation process. And last thing I would add is chess is one of the unique spaces where the top players and athletes and the top content creators don't get along as well, probably as some other places.

Okay, why is that? it's probably due to the fact that chess players haven't experienced the boom as much as educators, content creators, anybody that publishes content, both print and digital. You know, you would think if there was an explosion of thousands of percentage points in a sport, everybody would feel it. The top athletes would feel it. The content creators would feel it. Journalism would feel it.

There would be more views on everything. In chess, that was limited to the growth of chess.com. which became like a billion dollar company because it's got the domain and it's got the learning tools and the interface and when you think chess, you think chess.com. I'm sure people on the crew play chess, the players.

And content creators because if you want to learn for free, you go to YouTube. And so chess players were sort of stuck like in the spot of hey, who's going to cover us? I mean, there's been millions of people joining the game like why is our prize fund growing? Where are our sponsors?

And as I said, there's no tennis system in chess. There's nothing really consistent. And it's invitational. So I think a lot of them are kind of like, we were the stars first, you know? Why are these guys, like, why are these people getting all the attention? Yeah.

Do you still feel that? Yeah, but it's maybe gotten a little better in the stand, from the standpoint. Like, if we invite them to collaborate on a video, they don't think it's beneath them anymore. Okay. Even though there's no harm in that, you know, for them doing it, you know.

But I think it's maybe the same in other sports, you kind of don't want to collaborate with a YouTuber. You don't want to do some silly skid. You don't want to teach some random streamer how to wrestle, et cetera, et cetera, right? But I think other sports, the athletes are a bit more secure. They have better livelihood that they can earn and so on. Are you still teaching? Privately, no, I would say I teach the Internet.

You do. You are the Internet teacher. When did you stop that, you know, the 200 kids and all that? Yeah, that was probably like September or maybe August, 2820. I said, is that hard for you because you loved it? Yeah, that was really tough. My wife knows.

I had, you know, and I didn't know who to hand it off to. Right. I had a relative, I have like some close friends in the city, but I couldn't just like hand off a chess program to them. They had their own commitments. They had real jobs, like, but that school is still running tournaments to this day. I randomly meet people who have kids at that school, Packer, and they say, oh, my kid goes there.

The sweetest is when I have kids in the live stream. I'm playing chess and they're like, do you remember me? I'm Elliot. Shout out Elliot. And he's like 21 now. That's awesome. He's a grown adult and getting a job. And I used to teach him in Tribeca when he was 14 years old.

That's awesome. It's funny. You talk about the explosion of chess during the pandemic. And then you mentioned UFC. And we'll talk about your fandom in a moment. The UFC took an exponential leap during the pandemic because they were the first one. So I think a lot of people have a similar experience. Were you a fan before?

Did you become a fan of the UFC within the pandemic? No, no, I was a fan for many years. I don't remember when it started, but I remember watching when they were talking about GSP fighting Anderson Silva, GSPCacheck. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I don't remember the very... Yeah, 124.

Yeah, Montreal. My mind is wired that way, but for chess. Like, if you quiz me on anything, I can't remember. My wife and I were like, who fought last UFC? But we watch every single one. You do. Yeah, but we can't track it as well. But I've been a fan since, let's just say around that time, I used to play that very first video game.

You know, you had the My Career mode and you would go up. I mean, the graphics were just crazy. My stepbrother was big into fighting and combat, and we would, we would, you know, spar and I would lose. Like legit spar? No. Okay. But I mean, like, you would fight? Yeah.

He would be like, oh, let me show you the second. He was into Bas Rutan back in the day. Yeah, probably around 2000. 2011. Was that your favorite sport? Probably, yes. I think now it's impossible for me to watch a sport that's not violent. Like, I love hockey.

I don't know when this happened. I don't know if it was a UFC, NFL, NHL thing. NBA, baseball, I watch the playoffs, and I keep up with, you know, Yankees and Nigs. But I'm just like, man, UFC's amazing. I love following the journeys, you know, the fighters that start on the undercards and within three, four fights were fighting for a champion. championship. NFL became more exciting after watching the UFC and hockey is just like, I mean, this finals has been unbelievable. So those are probably my big three now. And I did a little bit of

boxing. I saw you do the chess boxing. Yeah, yeah. I watched your video on the chess boxing, and then I'm watching, I'm waiting for the fight and you're hitting Mitz. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Were you ever in an actual chess boxing match? No. In 2022, there was a huge chess boxing event organized by a guy named Ludwig. Okay. A YouTuber who does all sorts of things. It's just Ludwig. Yeah.

No last name. Yep. Legend. Yeah. And he put on this event, you know, with streamers who had to either learn chess or learn boxing. I don't think anybody really started with both skills. Okay. And I was a commentator.

And I thought originally I would fight. And so... Against another human being. Yes. Another international master like me and actually a friend who is the same. same size as me, the same chess rating. Because the thing is, if you're different skill in boxing or in chess, it's terrible. You're going to win in chess immediately or get knocked out.

Right, right, right. So I went to the gym. You know, I worked with a former, you know, Sambo champ who taught me the basics of Muay. And I got in the best shape of my life in about four or five months. But the second we started punching, for real, for real, I was like, oh, I can't do this. Like, I'm terrified. And I didn't like it. Yeah.

You know, I really enjoyed working the heavy bag and, you know, jumping, rolling. two, three minute drills. And I think at that time, I even did a workout with Aljo when he was champ. Oh, yeah. I went to his gym. Saw that. That was crazy. And I'm in good shape then.

But, no, I was like, okay, this was a good experiment. Here you are, hitting Mitz with Aljo. Right over there. Yeah, and I'm not. Look at you. That awful. Look at that kick right there. He was really worried about my kick.

He was like, you're going to tear like your hip. I don't want to make you do anymore. How did this happen? I think it's through chess. He's a fan? He's a chess player? Yeah, he's a chess player. I don't know to what degree he's a fan,

but he's a really good chess player. He's like a 90th percentile chess player. Wow, wow, wow. I didn't know that about him. And he was champ at the time, and I think it might have been during the tough couple of years with the Peter Yan stuff. But I was like, hey man, we're both in New York.

You want to do something? I see you play some chess. We got in touch right away. I drove over to the gym. And that was definitely the big first moment for me. Like, wow, I've kind of broke that wall of the athletes who play chess. You don't have to stock them in the subway.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Exactly. That's correct. So you were that close. What was it? Like you got punched? You didn't like it? Yeah, yeah, yeah.

It was kind of like, hey, like, you know, you got to keep your guard up like this. I'm going to start throwing punches, block them like this. You know, I also have glasses. Yeah. Yeah, and I can't wear contacts. You just can't do it? No, it's like it dries. My eyes get really irritated.

Oh, okay, okay, okay. Yeah. Little things like this, you can't even, you can't even fight. No. How do you feel about chess boxing as an actual? because I saw your breakdown of it and I never actually thought of it that way like even what you did with the Mitz

so you have to memorize a combination and so there's a lot there with the heart rate and your talk so that to me is an athletic endeavor in its own right but the actual dudes who fight and then the next round what is it what is the typical rule

it's like one round three minute rounds yeah so it's the chess game itself has a clock governing it so you both have let's say 10 minutes to think on your clock. Okay. And when you make a move, you usually press the clock.

So your opponent's allotment of time starts. Okay. And then those rounds are two minutes at a time. So if you sat and did nothing for five rounds of chess, you would lose on time. That's how the math works out. So you play a little chess, you box for a minute or two. Okay, it's not three minute or rounds. No, definitely not.

Not your typical boxing. They do one and a half for two minutes. And are you still like with the gloves on? How do you pick up the pieces? It's a transition. So you're here. You make some moves. Bell rings.

You go and your coach puts the gloves on. Oh, okay. You don't have the gloves on the whole time. You have the hand wraps. Hand wraps. Okay, yeah, yeah. And that process is a little chaotic, especially commentating it. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

But when we did it, there was a sky table. It would just bring the board down and bring it up. It was very cool, but it kept disconnecting all the wires. So I didn't see the board. But it was epic, honestly. It was a really good time. But if you talk to the content creators who had like three months to learn how to box each other, Boxing's not a joke.

I mean, a lot of them were like really messed up after. In what way? I think they just like really never learned defense. I think a lot of you just kind of learn and you get in there and you freak out. Yeah, yeah. And yeah, some of them reported, you know, my, I mean, your head hurts when you get punched in the head. Sure, sure. So the ramp up to learning boxing is not the same as learning chess.

It's very different. I think it's an extremely hard sport. Is there a part of the world where this is like super popular? UK. UK. UK and Europe. I think it was born in the UK. Okay.

And it got popular here over the last few years. Yeah. We were looking at your Twitter and you got some hot takes on there as far as MMA is concerned. Okay. Like some like old school hot takes. Okay. Let's go through some of them. Here we go.

Terrified. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay, here's October 20203. This is underneath Islam and Volk, the rematch being announced. Volkanovsky is a legend for this, but I think I speak for most of us that we wanted to see him get a full training camp for the rematch. that's on point. That's not a hot take. I feel like that's...

I mean, it was good. I mean, I think at the time, people were excited that he was stepping up, but it's aged well. Yeah, I think... Hot take could be good or bad, by the way. Oh, okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

That was the most devastating fight in our household, and then it was Tuporia Holloway. We were big fans of the heavyweight, the featherweight fighters, and we still are so scared every time Volk fights because... Is it your favorite? I think as like from the heart, Yes, because we want to see him win the belt.

I know you had Diego on earlier, but, you know, it's something personal. I think now the last year it's been Carlos Prochis. Okay. Called that and then he beat Leon and then, you know, he won his next fight. Because I just like, how do you sleep four hours and become a championship level fighter? It just doesn't, I mean. Smoke cigarettes, drink. Like, what?

I mean. He's amazing. Yeah, I was really scared. I was going to say some crazy thing on Twitter, but no, I'm generally. No, no, okay. What else? What else? No, no, we have some other ones.

Oh, boy. Okay, here's January 223. Been a UFC fan for a decade, but it feels like UFC 283 is completely flying under the radar. Is it just me? They're not even doing a pre-fight press conference. That's how you know you're a hardcore fan. This was, I think it was, which one was a guy?

Yeri and was it, Jamal. Glover, oh, Glover Jamal Hill in January. Remember when that whole thing happened? Was that in Brazil? Yeah, it was in Brazil. Yeah. And there was a draw. Yeah.

Yeri was champ. He had to relinquish. Magomed fights, fights to a draw. and then it's Glover-Gemal Hill. The only belt, right, that hasn't been one in the cage in years or something like that? I don't remember if they actually had a press conference. That's just, to me, shows that you're a hardcore fan.

If you're caring about the pre-fight press conference. Oh, yeah, of course. That's big time. You're consuming all the content. Embedded came out like two hours ago. I told my wife, like, we haven't even finished, you know, countdown. Oh, my God, you're that hardcore. Yeah, it's just kind of the ritual.

You know, then we don't watch episodes five and six, because then they already had the press conference, and then it's time for the fight. We watched the Wayans. We watched the Wayans show. Wow. And your wife's as into it as you are. Yes.

I think we started in the pandemic, just watching some things. And now it's, yeah, it's both of our favorite sports. I love, okay, what else? What else? Here we go. Here we go. The greatest rivalry in UFC history. This is Izzy Pereira.

Izzy Pereira. That was the fight. I ran across the house screaming when he knocked him out. Really? That was the one. Yeah, that was un... You were rooting for a... I just like, I'm rooting.

for a story. Yeah. Because if Pereira beats him again, I don't know. Now we're seeing kind of Izzy lost his next few fights, since it hurts because he was such a great champ. I just wanted a story. It was, again, nothing personal, but,

and then he won, and then he did the celebration, you know, fell in front of the sun. And I, what I've also learned as being a content creator is I'm not as crazy as some of the fans on the Instagram, and I don't bet on sports,

which is a whole other thing that gets people really riled up. I just love the stories, you know? I'm also very empathetic, so I feel the pain for the people that lose. How do you feel about prayer now? I feel amazing. I hope he wins the, you know. So you're rooting for him.

Yeah, and it's tough because I'm also an Aspenol fan. Ah. So like the whole iPogue thing is brutal. So that's why you're especially rooting for him, because you don't like Surreal Gun probably. I don't, it's not that I, again, it's, you know, I assume the best in people. I assume Cyril Gan did not set out to do that. I don't think he did. Yeah.

He did it, but I don't think he did it on purpose. Yeah, because that would be insane, right? It makes no sense because he was looking so good. Yeah, he was looking really good. But now... So if it's Pereira Aspinall, what happens? Who are you rooting for? I think if Pereira already beats gone,

I mean, you can already count him a three-division champion. At that point, I'm okay with whatever. I really want Aspinall to get his flowers. I want him to have his Rico moment. I know. And I know this is something you cover a lot. This is really your world and not mine, but it is really brutal.

a fan when, you know, you don't get the Inganu, John Jones. You don't get that awful. Yeah. You get teased with these things. They're like right there in front of us. Then, okay, so if Pereira wins, Dana said this last week, he's the goat. Do you agree or disagree? It's really tough to disagree.

I mean, three. Interim belt, though. Yeah, I know, I know. And I'm sure, you know, the guys, when they're all back on the screen, we'll all have their takes. I think three belts puts you in a top two, top three discussion. A lot of people are going to say, Jones. right, because he beat literally everyone at light heavyweight

and then he won the heavyweight belt. But, I mean, if Ilya beats Islam for 170, that's probably goat, right? Oh my gosh. That would be insane, especially because of who he's beating as well, right? One question has been, my wife and I've been asked he to, like, where's Umar? I mean, I know he lost and they're probably kind of like re-they. They just announced he's fighting in Abu Dhabi in July against Mario Battista.

But it feels like such a long, re-reve. Vamp. Yeah, yeah. Like, is he going to fight for the belt next? I mean, he fought for the belt. No, no, Marab. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, so he fought for the belt in January of last year.

Marab will be next against Peter Yan. I don't know, it feels like they've cooled on him a little bit. I didn't like the fact that he got the title shot so soon. I felt like it was a little bit expedited. But he's a great fighter. He just hasn't, I don't know, I don't think he's caught on like the other guys, Habib, and then, you know, Usman has one fight left. Do you watch the others as well?

the PFLs. Actually, I have an answer to that question. I know you, you know, Ball, because we have this tweet right here. This is how you know you're not just... Paul Hughes losing 50 to 45 might be the worst MMA scorecard of all time. My wife will know. We watched that.

You agree with that? Yes, okay. Your wife agrees. She's here. That was an awful scorecard. I was watching that in a hotel room. I think we were on like a trip for chess. And it was the, you know, I was watching it on my laptop.

up and that was ridiculous. It was awful. I mean, he came in and said, maybe I lost that and did enough, but I'm watching the fight going. And that was the second fight, if my memory serves me correct. The first fight,

I actually thought there's a case for him winning. Yeah. Which I felt awful about second fight, 50 to 45. To me, I remember talking about it on the show, it called into question the whole thing. Yeah, yeah. That this guy's going to win 50 to 45.

It's crazy. Not as bad as the Holly Home. Do you watch boxing as well or just MMA? I didn't watch the Stephanie. Han, we went to sleep, but I know I hurt. You know your stuff. You watched RICO against Usik. Yeah, that we watched because I just thought it's a matter of time, and I'm watching one

round, two rounds, three rounds, four rounds, and we're sitting at home like, is this actually, shit, he's winning the fight. Like, he's winning the fight. And then he gets hurt, and I'm sitting there like, okay, so he's probably going to get finished in the 12th, and then the fight gets waved off. Like, I hear the bell. There's like three, four seconds, and then the fight is waved off. And I'm like, no way.

Yeah. But the same thing happened to. Pumina Nakuta? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. That was like three seconds after the belt, too? That was bad also. I mean, that was, I'm like, what? That was crazy.

Maybe he was out, maybe not. But, I mean, and then he kind of like got, he got into the scrap in the last 10 seconds, and he's going to live to regret that. And you're watching that fight also, huh? Yeah, we watch the whole thing. Wow, that's amazing. We watch everything.

No, we love it. We don't have any crazy opinions, but we love, we love watching everything, you know? Have you been? Never. You've never been? Never because it ends It ends so late

And I feel like if we go Like I'm a little worried about MSG today I think people are just going to fight in the stands They'll be okay No you'll be fine yeah I feel like you'll go with you That might be a little bit tough for you But

Sorry I've No it's okay I feel I feel like they'll roll out the red carpet for you Maybe maybe another MVP card We'll go yeah Would you go to the White House

If invited Would you go? I mean I don't know Like some celebrities it has come out have declined the invitation. Oh. Look, it's tricky, right? Because I know that the fight world and the chess were a little different.

And like if you just say, oh, it'd be cool to go to the White House because it's cool to go to the president's house. Fight world won't hate you. Will they hate you in the chess world if you say that? The thing is it's the internet, right? So I feel like if you get invited, you can go and it's not some sort of like stamp of approval for everything. Adorsement, right. Yeah, but tricky one. Yeah, you know, it's really tricky.

And Chess World's a little bit sensitive. I mean, Chess World has, for example, talking about, you know, the social media stuff, yeah, chess world is one of these things like we don't have, I mean, we don't have any sponsorship. So sometimes there will be a live commentary and they mention anything, like any sponsor that might offend somebody. It could be one of the, like a polymarket or something like that. And just like immediately, it's just, you know, it's uproar. It's uproar. Wow.

Because it is a game that's a little younger. And so people just think, like, well, this chess player is working with a sports betting company. Or, you know, Hikaru a couple of years ago, he started streaming on Kik. And Kik had like the whole, you know, they have like a casino. So the chess world is a little different. It is very weird to be both a chess fan and a UFC fan. Very different. People come on here on Twitter and they are just saying all sorts of things.

And I think, you know, we see memes now like, it's a little weird being not particularly politically leaning individual watching the UFC because everyone is a lot. It's a lot. It's actually fascinating because I'm a massive Knicks fan, as you know, and obviously massive MMA fan and cover it. And so my whole week is dominated by Donald Trump this week because he's going to the game tonight

and the White House event. And so it's actually fascinating to watch how the media is covering it and how the athletes are handling it because the media in basketball are freaking out. Oh my God, first ever president and this president of all presidents to show up to an NBA five.

finals game. And in our world, it's like, it's common that he shows up. Media doesn't even touch it, really, for the most part. And the players yesterday were asked about it, and they just all skirted the question. And then in MMA, you have Sean Strickland and Bryce Mitchell and all these people who lean all the way in, you know? So it's just amazing to see how the UFC is still a little bit rough around the edges, but I think that's what we all like about it, that we get the real answers and the real feelings. But it's just weird how this one dude is like influencing both sports on the same week, you know? Again, if you read Reddit or Twitter, it's like,

oh, we had a good thing going and other press. I mean, of course, if the president comes, you got to block off a lot of blocks. It's just the way it works, whether you support this president or Biden or Obama or literally anybody. But now people, yeah, people are mad. They're like, he's going to get booed, this and that. And yeah, you watch UFC. He's been at five or six different events, but they're not, it's not the finals.

Of course. It's not watch parties and thousands of people around. And it's so, it's a. annoying, you know, I think you can sort of respect the White House and sort of respect presidency and whether you support everything or not, it's a totally different thing. But again, it's the internet. You talk to anybody in person, nobody behaves like they do online. Ilya does it this weekend? Probably, yeah, it's hard to imagine that he doesn't, but if there's one guy to shock the world, Justin Gaci, like I just saw the story with the

the whole family and the countdown. Yeah, yeah. It's super special. So, man, he blocks a couple punches and lands a shot. That might be it. And we rewatched Ilya Max, and it was a close fight. Like, Max was having, he was having success. And who knows, if Justin Ducks and hits him with an uppercut,

who knows what can happen. What about Connor next month? Yeah, that's a tough one, yeah, because probably he's quite a big underdog. I don't know if he's big. I think he's like, I think Max is like minus five. I don't know if the Irish. Oh, is it that big? Okay.

I think it was like minus 450, minus 500. But I mean, is it Max going up 15 pounds or is it, you know, McGregor coming back? Right. Are you excited about it? Yeah. Yeah, of course. Poor Michael Chandler. But yeah, no, of course I'm excited.

And anytime Holloway fights, I don't want to see Holloway wrestling for five rounds. Sure. Oliver did what he? to do, but there's nights in the household we're like, man, we love all these guys, but they just lost a little aura in our heart. Because, you know, fighting is... Sure, sure. We're still mad when the fans boo after 10 seconds of grappling, but five rounds of it is also a tough watch. And that's sort of been the phenomenon, like Islam, Hamzat, we were on a streak there for a while of them dominating with five rounds of grappling, and

that's a tough sell for a casual fan. Are you guys so hardcore you're watching Gabriel Bonfim against Belal Muhammad at the apex on Saturday night? We watch every... Come on. Even those events? Yeah, some of the prelims we miss because we're out and we got to come home. But no, every Saturday it's, hey, when does it start today?

Wow. And it feels weird when there is no UFC. The odd Saturday, the nine Saturdays out of the year. It feels weird. Man, we, there was a week, maybe two months ago. We watched, like, Lucha something in South America. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But the pro wrestling?

No, it was like fighting in a ring. It was martial arts. Wow. Guys from like Peru, Mexico. I'm like, maybe we're going to find the next champ right here. You know, random guys in Peru and Mexico. Oh my God. The production was like eighth grade camcorder style, you know?

Like, yeah, when there's nothing on a Saturday, we feel really deprived. We're immediately like, is there a PFL, is there this, is there that? It's tough. I love that. Okay. Can you tell me about this? Yeah. This is a chessboard.

I don't know if you're familiar with it. I said the second time I make that joke. Yeah. What is wrong with it? Oh, can I rotate it? Yeah, do your thing. Who cares? Yeah.

Okay. You said something's wrong, right? Yeah, it's got to be like this. Why is that? Oh. The bottom right-hand corner has to be a light square. So this has to be a light square. And then the pieces have to be set up this way.

So what the hell? Who set this up? I don't know. Who set this up back there? I think it was Frank. One of the interns. Yeah, that was one of the interns. Wait, bottom has to be, oh, my gosh.

Because all the squares usually have a coordinate and the name. Okay. Like apartment, so C4. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Oh, like an apartment. Okay, okay, okay. Not five, sorry. The opposite. An apartment would be 5H. So in chess, you say H5. Okay, okay. And curious, do you have like a good luck board?

Are you like that? No, I think as a kid or at tournaments I would have a good luck pen because you have to write your moves down. Okay. A lot of chess grandmasters, this is why we can't get sponsors, have good luck shirts. Okay. They wear the same shirt every day at a tournament. If they win. Same one.

Yep. Damn. Imagine like fighters did that with cups. Do they wash it? No. Not until they lose. Ooh. Tough.

Do you do that? No. Okay, okay. That's why I have the Chess Channel. That's why they're mad. And you're sponsored by Chess.com, right? Or do you work with them? Yeah, I've worked with them since 2018.

And it's just... Is that okay? Like, are they all right with that? Yeah. Okay, I don't know. You were talking about the sponsors. They get all crazy? Oh, no, no, no.

Chess.com, it's a weird thing in chess. We have our FIFA. That's the international governing body. And Chess.com. Chess.com is just a website that people... My wife plays it all the time. Yeah, but they play bots. They play humans. They play like 20 million games that are played every day. How quickly do you think you can beat me? Like if I actually tried to win as fast as possible? Yeah. In theory, if you don't know how to defend against the four-move checkmate, I will win in four moves. Serious? Can we try?

Okay, sure. Because I suck. I'm awful. Like my son's beat me all. all the time. Yeah. My daughter beats me. When I play people who don't play chess, I don't try to, like, head kick them. No, I want you to head kick me. I want to see how fast you can kick. Okay.

I want this to be McGregor Aldo. Okay. 13 seconds, like that. Okay. Who goes first in order for this to be as fast as possible? White always goes first. Oh, wow. Okay, so you're getting the...

Okay, it seems a lot unfair if you asked me. Well, if Black could technically win in two moves, but I sort of don't think you would... Two moves? Yeah, if you weaken your king with white like this. So, look, the king has... has this open diagonal. Okay. The queen can come here.

And this is already a checkmate. Because the queen is attacking the king. And there's three ways to get out of an attack on a king. You could block, capture the piece, or run, and you can't do any of those. Okay, okay, so go back, go back, go back. Wait, so you think you could be me even faster if you're black?

No. If you tried to lose. Got you. Okay, but you go first, you go first. So it's good to take the center in chess. So, you know, why is that? It's like center of the ring? Yeah, you have more mobility.

And do you always go two with the pawn or one? Often, yeah, but you don't have to go with the king's pawn. You can do queen's pawn. You could do one of these. Okay, my usual move, and this is probably why I'm going to put this down. This is probably why I always lose is I go here. I go to here. Yeah, see, it's not the center.

Yeah, so I'm already screwed. Not screwed, but I've learned something new. I've learned something new. Yeah, so now the best move would be for me to take like two pawns in the center and then my knights to the middle. Wait, now you're telling me your moves. Yeah, but well, you said I want... I want you to kick my butt.

Yeah. Okay. Oh, damn. All right. I got my bishop out. You don't know what I'm about to do? No. Do you know what you're about to do?

Absolutely not. But I'm trying to not. I want to see how long I can stave off the elimination. You understand? Yep. So you can't do anything here. Yep. Right.

Okay. I'll go out here. Okay. Now the pressure's on. The pressure's on because I... You see my threat. Right here. Yeah.

But I'm blocking it with this guy. Okay. Right? Am I not? Am I trying to win or am I trying to teach? Okay, you're right, you're right, sorry, sorry. Here I go, here we go. Okay, I appreciate you

you letting me demonstrate. Am I screwing up? So the queen is targeting and the king's protecting, but I also have my bishop. So I'm wearing, yeah. So queen takes pawn. Is an attack on your king, the bishop is protecting, and your king can't get out of danger.

None of your pieces can get... So if I move here now... The queen would theoretically take the king. Oh, yeah. You can't make a move that would get your king captured. So it's over? That would be the fastest way to win, yeah. Wow.

How many moves was that? That was four, but four is the fastest. Sure. But like, you could have blocked my queen attack. You could have defended the pawn. Yeah. If you want to go home and cheese the whole family in four moves, like you just that's the queen and the bishop, yeah.

And then they start defending and then you have to start using the knights and the bishops. Right, right, right. Okay, okay. It's very much a game of patterns. Like, it's also very addicting because it's a unique thing where it's the only thing like in fight sports where you can be completely. completely winning 99% of the game and lose in one second. Right.

No other sports is like that. Come back. You have to be so locked in. All the time. Yeah. Thinking about all the moves, two steps ahead, all that's... Be up, an extra queen, an extra rook, an extra knight, an extra bishop. And then, like, I just get to your king.

And that's it. And you, you know, you made a fatal mistake 15 minutes into the game. That was unbelievable. I mean, it was... You're not too impressed with yourself. No, no, no. I feel like you, you know, you kind of let me... I didn't let you anything.

No? One more time. One more time. Because now, okay, so now you've taught me. me one thing, always take the center. You think I'm trying to look like an idiot? They're probably roasting me right now. Do they know how to play?

Well, you know, they just want to see me falter. Okay, you're first. Yes. Okay, so now I'm going to go here. Yes, this is already a good start. Okay, okay. See, now there's traps. Like, now I'm going to bring my queen out first, right?

Golly. All the way, huh? So what's my queen looking at? Your queen is looking at this guy. And? And this guy? Yeah, and the third one, the one everybody misses. I can also go left.

you could go left your right my right oh down here yeah so I'm looking at and which one of those can I actually take on the next move

like which one of them is actually unprotected well okay so you could go once no the queen could go whatever so can't you do all of them oh no you can't go down

yes but I'm sort of skipping to the next step of like but which of the ponds are protected because this is protected by the rook and I wouldn't do that because you would take my queen

this is protected by the king oh yes I really I want that oh got you got you yes okay but I need to try to stop this Yeah, so how can you add a piece to see this? Because the problem is if I do this right now, now you've got the direct path to this guy.

It's also illegal. You can't put your king into danger. Like if you tried to play this on Charles.com, it just wouldn't work. Really? Why? To be honest, I think that rule should be changed. Yeah, that's crazy. Let me be stupid if I want to be.

I think you should be able to lose your king, but that's the rule. It's an illegal move. Interesting. Yeah. So. That's fucking illegal. That's right. That's a great one.

Thank you, Dana. So what if I go here? It's a famous trap. Oh, no? Well, you were going to attack my queen, I thought. I thought you were going to go here. This is not bad, but like... That's where I was going.

Let me go, yeah, okay. You're blocking my path. Yeah, yeah. Can I take your pawn or is it protected? Is that, are any of your pieces looking at the pawn? This is. Yeah, yeah, yeah. This dude.

Yeah, queen. Yeah. Yeah, the queen. Your move is a little edgy. Okay. Like, it's not a mistake, but it's, you know, again, you should try to play in the middle. So, like, you know, this, like... Go back to the...

The night, it all, it all defends, like, the whole position ties together really well. Okay, okay. Everything really defends everything else. So getting your night out is better than moving another pond. And the knight comes to the middle instead of jumping out that way. And once you kind of get this learning curve, like, look, I'm going to go now again my queen and my bishop. So only your king is seeing this pond. Yes, yes, yes.

If your other pieces can make a move and see this pond. This dude, the queen. Yeah, yes, yes. So can I go, how far should I go? Well, you have to make a move so that the queen sees the pond. Queen can see. When you mean C, do you mean like go right next to it? Yeah, okay, okay.

Because if your queen is here, I mean, it doesn't see the pond, and also you're going to get there, right? So, yeah, good. Now you, at least we'll survive 10 moves. Oh, really? There's no way to beat you from this position. Wow, you just taught me something. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

So the next time, you know, somebody's trying to beat you in four moves on chos.com, who's, you know. No chance. No. Can I play games to you on chess. like a fake version of you? Is there like... There's a bot of me.

Yeah. But also if you made a chess.com, we could just play... You know, there's modes like, oh, you have 24 hours to make a move. So you're traveling, you have... Oh, really? You know, you're on a train or a plane. You think about your move, and then you play it.

Yeah, you don't have to play like five minutes per player. Right, right. That's what most people do, though. And when they do the... Thing... Yeah. What is that? That's a clock.

So most tournaments have a clock. You know, I have... And how long is the clock for? Depends. Another thing that's a little weird in... It's not three or five sets like tennis or three or five rounds. We could have five minutes per player, which is like speed chess. Yeah.

We could have 10 minutes, which is rapid. It's a little bit. Then we could have two hours per player. Okay. Because two hours is, you know, the ultimate form of the game. You have more time to think. So theoretically, we would come up with better moves if we had more time. Wow.

But theoretically, I could take more time than you. Now I have two minutes remaining for the whole game. And you have 40 minutes. You manage your time better. Right. And then I'm going to, you know, lose on time. Do you love this? Do you still love it? Anytime something turns into a job. Yeah, I love it. I think that's what makes it really easy, is that I play every day on my phone, a couple of games, like in the morning. I don't know, on the toilet and bed, like I don't want to scroll all the time, so I'll play a couple of games.

I follow all the top tournaments, not just when the best are playing, kind of similar to chess. And yeah, I really love it, and I really love that I have two parts of my life, one where this was sort of, of a dark secret that I didn't talk about. It's this weird board game that I played. And now where, for some reason, I'm a really important person, you know, coming to the studio, people like stop me on the street, which is mind-loving. Because, you know, I look at musicians, artists, athletes the same way. And people just are obsessed with chess. Love it.

So, yeah, it makes my life a lot easier. Where did Gotham chess come from? New York. Okay, you're from here. You called yourself that or someone called you that? I just thought in 2020, I'm from New York. I need a name. Let's do Gotham. I won't be famous anyway. Nobody's going to like really... Wow. And now it's too late. You trademarked it?

Yeah, but it's a little tricky because the Gotham is in the DC universe. So I was able to get a few. I was not able to get all. Merch? Yeah, I do. I have some merch. I mean, we have my face. One of the famous things that the fans made a thing was whenever I sacrifice this piece, it's The Rook. And so there was a clip three, four years ago. I went like, oh, like, his idea was to sacrifice the rook. And that just went unbelievably viral. I never set out, like usual.

You don't really set out for those things to be, you know, but now kids are like, oh, like, can I get like the rook merch? So, you know, you know how it goes. Same with like the, you know, your nose. Sure, sure, sure. And the other stuff from the show, yeah. And so you have multiple books, I believe three. Am I right about that?

Yeah, I can't count. There's the OG, How to Win a Chess? How to Win a Chess, 2023. Chess for Babies. Chess for Babies. Actually. There it is. Yeah, that's the original.

Yeah, chess for babies. And then you've got another one coming up. In October, yeah, this is really like the next one with the green cover is this is my pride and joy. What I discovered is that it's a lot easier to make a book for beginners than it is for people who are intermediate who are already 80th percentile players. But the philosophy with both books has been duo chess book different than every other. If you look at old chess book, there's a lot of algebraic notation. you have a board and you have a book and you need to play the moves on the board

to understand what's going on in the book. My book is all in color. It's a very pretty book also. Like can be on a coffee table. It has QR codes. So when you're done reading, you scan and practice on your phone. And yeah, there's like 300 bonus exercises

like in total. And every page is highlighted. So every move is highlighted. Like you can follow which moves are played. And the philosophy of writing it was I wanted to be like the channel. I wanted to be, if somebody watches it to go, oh, shit, like this is a lot easier than I thought it was, you know. And yeah, people like it.

I think it's, the first book is in like 20 different languages and more than 300,000 have been printed or something like that. So, yeah, it's crazy. Amazing. Congratulations. Thank you. Amazing to meet you for the second time. Yeah, likewise. And it's an honor.

I mean, in case it's not clear, we watch the show all the time. Thank you. It's surreal to be here. No, of course. A huge, huge pleasure, huge honor for us. Congrats on all your success. Really, I enjoyed this immensely. And one of the rare times where I was able to tell my kids, like, I've got like a super duper smart chess player coming to the show today. And they told me not to play you because you were going to embarrass me. That's how little respect they have for me. But now I'm going to try to, you know. And then I can maybe like learn some stuff, chess.com, the books, whatnot. I wish you nothing but the best. Congratulations. Enjoy the game tonight. Yeah. Enjoy everything else that's coming your way. Congratulations to you and your wife. It's amazing to see. Thank you for stopping by. Go check them out if you don't subscribe already to his YouTube channel, Instagram, all the different places. And check out the book as well, which is coming out, I do believe, in October, right? October 6th I saw. So there it is. All right, we'll take a quick break.

News and notes coming up. Don't go anywhere. All right, that was our mini doc on Crown Films on Joey Janelle's Spring Break. Great stuff. Well done, Casey. A lot of lot. of fun and it's up on the page right now also behind the scenes look at edmund shabazzian's weight cut we're doing big things here okay uh working through the kinks thumbs up to the chat but very proud how about uh levy rossman that was fun hope you enjoyed it something a little bit different on this uh monday afternoon so hope you enjoyed that news and notes time and we got to talk about dana white v eddie part god knows what it's it's starting to get if it wasn't serious before it's really starting to get serious now.

And so Eddie Hearn is talking ahead of his fight card last week about Tom Aspinall. Obviously, he's representing Tom Aspinall. And I believe it was Donna Corby of Bloody Elbow that asks him a question regarding Tom Aspinall. Here's what Eddie Hearn had to say regarding Tom's current UFC contract and how he feels about him fighting under these terms. They haven't invited him to the White House. supposed to be fighting the winner. It's really interesting what's happening with the UFC right now. They've got to be careful.

I'm not going to let Tom Aspen fight for the kind of money that's in his contract to be involved in a fight against Pereira or game for literally 150th of the revenue of that show. Fuck that. I won't let him do it. And it's not going to, you know, it's time that those UFC fighters stop being mugs and started to understand that these people are taking advantage of them. They deserve better. Are you saying Tom's going to retire?

If they come back and say you're getting 300. I'm saying that my advice to Tom Aspen, don't you dare take that fight for the money it's in your contract? You are one of the biggest stars in UFC. Everybody will be sick to their stomach about the money that Tom Aspen was supposed to get for that kind of fight. You don't need that.

You nearly lost your eyesight. You want to go back and fight for virtually nothing. It's outrageous. And I will not. I'll do everything I can to not allow it. Now we're changing our tune because before I was like, but I like Dana and we're all good.

and I'm just doing sponsorship this, that. Now it's become, I know how much he's making, and I'm going to tell him not to take the fight. This is a completely different tone and somewhat uncharted territory for A. Tom, but most UFC fighters. Dana White does a show in Bournemouth on Saturday afternoon here in the United States. By the way, the difference in the product, it was still a little bit smaller,

and there's still things about it that drive me nuts, the uniforms, how sterile everything looks, even the colors that they use or don't use, is just so very jarring and dull. But the fights were actually great. The card was great. It actually really did feel like a boxer show. Shev Clark, C4 is on there, Chris Billum-Smith.

The main event was wild. If you watch the main event and you see the damage that was inflicted in that main event, and then you see how long it took for them to stop the fight as opposed to the RICO versus Uc fight. It's laughable. Not every ref is the same. I know, I know. But Zufa boxing outside of the apex?

Yes. More of that, please. Zufa boxing in the apex. UFC in the apex. I don't care what in the apex. No, thank you. It's tough, man. It is tough.

It is absolutely tough. Anyway, Dana White's doing the show. It feels different. Sky Sports is broadcasting it. Like, it feels like a real thing now, which is what we suspected. I said from the beginning it's going to be a big thing. Dana White has asked about these specific comments from Eddie Hearn. Here's what he had to say.

Eddie Huron's been talking again this week. He says he won't let Tom Aspinall fight under the current terms of his UFC contract. He signed a management contract with him. What's your response to that? You said they want him released, right? You release Bam Rodriguez then. Sounds pretty stupid, doesn't it? Congratulations again, Eddie.

You sound stupid again. Dana thought he cooked with that one. Bam Rodriguez is fighting this weekend. It's very clear that Zufa wants him. Robert Garcia, his head trainer, has spoken, glowingly about the Zufa boxing experience. He wants him. I'd say the differences, and you know, it's a fair retort, if you will. The difference is Bam has not come out and said, I'm unhappy. Bam's representatives have not come out and said, I'm unhappy, publicly. Privately,

they may be saying something else, but it's a little bit different than the aspirin. Anyway, he speaks further about the Aspinall Eddie combo, if you will. Here's what he had to say at the press conference. With the Aspinol situation, if Eddie's refusing to allow him to fight the winner of Pereira gone, does that change how are you going to match the winner next week? I don't know. Well, let's see who wins. Let's see how the fight plays out.

Let's see how it all happens. I mean, if Eddie is not going to let his fight or fight, what are you going to do? Can't make anybody fight. They can't force anybody to fight. You have to want to fight. So we'll see how it plays out. Eddie, who apparently, you know, Ben was his best friend.

Eddie's been crying, literally crying for weeks. Oh, my best friend, and he didn't even want to pay him, but he wants to pay my guy. He could have paid his best friend and they could have remained best friends. Is there any update with the baby? Eddie's full of a lot of shit.

You know it. I know it, you know it. We all know it. So there you have it. Dana, Dana getting fired up. He's getting fired up about it all. And it's going to continue to ratchet up. It's going to continue to expedite. It's going to continue to swell, if you will. And they're trying to play this tit for tat game. They're trying to do it. They're trying their best to do it. And everyone feels like they're getting the best of the other. I saw someone else. Oh, who was it? I don't remember who way in on this.

Anyway, let's go, let's continue to look at the, the tape here, if you will. At the same time, actually, at around the same time, Eddie had a show, and he then responded once again to all of this. Here's what he had to say. Everything, Tom Aspenu is the boss. So we will give him our advice, and he will decide what he wants to do. He won't mind me saying he's not happy. And again, but he also,

understands at the same point, he signed a contract. So we can't sit here and cry too much, but you just hope that people are fair. Because when you're getting one 50th of the revenue of a show to main event for the UFC heavyweight world championship, how can anybody possibly suggest that it's fair? And it's not a normal situation for Tom Aspinot. He's had four eye operations coming off that fight and now you want to see him get back in the ring for honestly the time he's paid his expense. and paid his tax.

My opinion, this is not Tom's opinion necessarily, my opinion is, what's the fucking point? Like, do you really want to risk your health for nothing? I mean, nothing. You're not even going to make anywhere near seven figures time you've finished. What? Yet there's $50 million of revenue in the show. It's absolutely obscene.

And I've got a call with Tom to go through everything this week because he would have to make a decision at some point. And listen, maybe those guys want to freeze him out and try and be clever, Or maybe they want to be honorable and say, look, Tom Aspinall against Alex Pereira is a massive fight, massive fight. So we're going to be fair, this is what we suggest. Maybe there's an extension to the contract. I mean, everyone's got this perception that we're looking to bust out of this contract and going to boxing.

That's not true at all. Tom's very happy to remain in the UFC. But he also feels as heavyweight world champion. And with the revenue that's in the pot, that just a little bit of respect would be nice. And, you know, like I said, I mean, Tom would love to fight Francis and Garno. And Tom Aspinall against Francis and Garno is a huge event. But it's very unlikely that the UFC would do anything honourable and, you know, potentially release Tom Aspinall from his contract.

I mean, in an ideal world, you'd sit down with someone, man, but you've got enough money to pay him properly. But you just wouldn't do it because you're so arrogant. But if you don't really want to do it and you don't really like Tom Aspinall, which clearly they have no, they're giving him no support. no brand value, no profile building, let him go. If you don't see the value in him, let him go. And, of course, in that situation, and this is why they'd never let him go, we would do Francis and Garno against Tom Aspinall,

and it would be absolutely huge, and Tom Aspinall would make ten times more than he's making in his current contract. They're not going to let him go. The big question is, are they going to strip him? If it gets bad, I don't think they want to strip him. I don't think as of right now we are at that point, to be honest. But the question is, when the winner of this fight on Sunday is ready to fight, they're going to call him. And if he says he's not ready, for whatever reason, then they're going to do it.

And they're going to be less inclined to wait because of how things have gone here. So let's see. At the same time, it appears as though Ben Shalom's boxer promotion is suing Zufa boxing. and there was some talk about the Sky deal and some of the fighters being under contract. Who the hell knows? It's an absolute mess over there. Anyway, Dana White was asked about this.

Here's what he had to say. Throughout the build-up to this event, Ben Shalom, boxer promoter, he's said that you've poached a couple of his fighters who have been under contract with boxers. I was just wondering if you have a response to that. Yeah, that's not true. It's not true.

That'll play out publicly. Okay. That'll play out publicly. Now, maybe the weirdest part about this feud is the fact that there's this whole thing about who's going to be promoting AJ versus Fury. Let me tell you something. You know who's going to be promoting it? It's going to be Turkey-Oshake. It's going to be ring.

It's going to be Rietz season. It's going to be Netflix. Why this is part of the feud, I don't know. It's a bizarre thing. I don't get it. I guess it's like a, it's an ego thing. it's a it's a it's a it's a it's a shlong measuring contest i don't know what's so interesting about this but anyway everyone's weighing in on it and here's dana white once again saying that he's going

to be the main the main man for it all have they announced where that fight is no no one's announced i know where it is okay where is it if if you are the lead promoter for the show are they involved would they be part of the promotion are they at the fights I just told this young lady here, watch what happens over the next 30 days. They specifically said that the contract states that Zufa Boxing cannot promote the show. Do you think that I would publicly lie? And then look like a fucking idiot in front of everybody? So do you believe that?

Do you believe that I would? I don't know if you would. What would be the point of that? Ah, I was lying everybody. I got you. Right? What would be the point of that? Are they going to look silly?

I'll letty right now and ask him if he knows where the fight is. Are they going to look silly once? Call Eddie and ask him who negotiated the contract for the fight. Wasn't him. You got any other questions? That gentleman, by the way, I apologize. I don't know his name. Did a great job asking questions.

Different type of questions, follow-ups that you see at MMA press conferences, UFC press conferences. Shout to him, I apologize for not knowing his name, but he did a great, great job. And the whole thing is worth watching. Look, AJ has said repeated. Do you think AJ's going to drop Eddie for all of this? Like, do you think he's really going to be like, Eddie, you can sit there? Now, we have seen situations where AJ fought for MVP on Netflix and Eddie wasn't a part of the promotion.

And Matrim didn't really back it because that was part of the deal. And the same thing might happen here. But Eddie's going to profit off of this. There's no doubt about that. And so whether he's going to be up there or Dana is going to be up there, who knows. I'm inclined to think that because it's Turkey, Turkey is going to be. to, you know, is going to lean towards TKO, is going to lean towards Zufa, is going to lean towards those guys to back them.

Meaning, they'll be the frontmen. They'll be the guys. Side note for Rick. Can you check your text for a second? He probably has. Okay, thank you. Thank you. So let's see how plays out.

Now, Nikisa Baderian knows all about all of this. He knows all about, you know, these types of arrangements. I just referenced MVP. He hears what he had to say on Twitter regarding all. Being a service provider with no ownership of the P&L means you are not the promoter. All ring reed season events. Ring reed is the actual promoter owner of the event. Okay.

They may use you to do promotional services, contract with some entities and have you stand up in front of the cameras. But the promoter is ring reed season, which is what I suspect as well. Kennell Crawford was ring reed season. Joshua Fury will be the same. Who contracts with entities, who stands between the fighters is just dressing. Was there a second part to this week? No. So that's what it's going to be.

And this is going to be much ado about nothing, if you ask me. Now, there's no denying the fact. Let's see, let's see. Let's see what happens here. But the heat is being turned up. The heat is being turned up. It's fascinating. Dana was over in the UK.

Eddie's going to be in the U.S. this week. All of it is fascinating. What is undeniable is who's promoting Katie Taylor's final fight. And that is happening at Croke Park. It is finally happening. It was announced September 5th. This is a massive, massive deal. I'm so happy.

We have the poster. There it is. Taylor Peely. It's not exactly the fight that we all wanted. Let's be honest. But it really doesn't matter. As we've said, a million times before, Katie Taylor versus Pizzi Carroll sells that join out.

80,000 tickets. It's Katie Taylor and it's Muhammad Ali. Those are the two fighting at Croke Park. What a way. Could you think of a better way? She's been talking about this for years. Eddie's been talking about this for years. She gets a retirement fight.

in Dublin where she couldn't fight for so many years, in Croke Park, where she couldn't fight ever. There hasn't been boxing there in whatever it is, 40, 50 years. It's an amazing thing. Here's Eddie Hearn at the press conference on Friday talking about this massive deal. The last person to fight at this incredible stadium, Muhammad Ali.

It couldn't be more fitting that Katie Taylor will do this. And this will be something that will never, ever happen again. So thank you, Katie. Thank you for your career. Thank you for the moments, but thank you for never being denied. And as I said, this is probably the greatest moment in our company's history in boxing, in my career. It's a huge deal. It's a massive deal. And I will go as far as to say, guys, I will go as far as say that if there was no such thing as Zufa boxing, I don't know if they would have had the fire lit up under their butt to make this happen. I feel like Matrum has had the opportunity in the past to make it happen,

and now they want these victories, they want these moments. That's what competition does. That's what it breeds. They want these dubs. And so I'm so, so happy for Katie Taylor. And by the way, Katie will be on the show tomorrow to talk about this. Here she is at the press conference talking about this massive honor. Well, thank you so much, Eddie.

And it's funny, 10 years ago today, well, not today, but 10 years ago, I was in your office with that first initial meeting, and we got an email. from you a few hours later saying I'm not sure how this is going to go but let's give it a go let's see how this can go where this can go and here we are and I don't think neither of us would have believed what we've achieved together over these last few years and I'm so happy to start my career with you and that end my career with you and I think that's legacy in itself but I mean for all those people who have looked up to me and support you and just so grateful and this is a legacy fight again and I want to inspire the next generation of female fighters and and what I would say to them is nothing is impossible. Nothing is impossible. If you put the work in absolutely nothing is impossible. I started out with a dream of becoming an Olympic

champion. This is before women's boxing was even including the Olympic Games and I was relentless at a relentless determination and it's the same with this fight. I wanted to end my career in Pro Park and I wouldn't let it die and I think if you have the right people around you. And if you just keep working hard, keep your head down, absolutely nothing as a possible. And, you know, that's what I say. I'm so happy for Katie. I'm so happy for her. It's going to be an amazing scene. I can't imagine 80,000 people serenading her there for her. No one deserves it more. Maybe the greatest ambassador, I mean, certainly one of the greatest ambassadors in boxing history and Irish boxing

history. I go as far as say sport. Like, who has had a career like this where people adore her. Not a single person will ever say anything bad about Katie Taylor. One of the beautiful moments from that press conference, her long-time manager, since day one, she's been with the same people for the vast majority of her career. I know the trainer's situation obviously changed with her father, but here's Brian Peters, who never shows any emotion getting choked up at the press conference. Have a drink you. Sorry about that. I can't wait to play this back. Oh, yes. Yeah. What a steed to do. We send you this on WhatsApp every day, you know. Well, it's real, but look, we went

I didn't you that day, Eddie. I don't think we really had a plan. Great, great stuff there. Brian will be probably upset that we cut them off over there, but great to see the emotion. I know how much this means to him. He too is of Irish descent. Here's a Croke Park Stadium official talking about how big of a deal this is. Everyone has seen today, Eddie, you're an extraordinary charismatic individual. And I mean, the speech you delivered there without notes is extraordinary. And your passion for your sport and your passion. for Katie is enormous. She is, without doubt, the greatest Irish sportsperson of all time. We are mighty proud that we

have this fight in Crow Park is going to be fantastic. So it's great that everything's happened to come together. I think we were hoping that the stars were aligned. The stars have aligned. Peter Aiken,

who's a long-time friend of the stadium, he's a great person to have taken on board. He knows the Irish market very well. He knows how to get tickets out. and sold and I think it's going to be very, very successful. So we're delighted it's going to be here. I do think it's going to be one of the great big historic events that have been held in Grobark and so thrilled that you've been able to take it to Pro Park.

And we're going to do our best to make it just a spectacular evening. After the event, Katie and Flora Peely facing off on the Croke Park pitch. Look at that. Super lightweight title. Undisputed. this is a big freaking deal. And it was great to see Amanda Serrano show props to Katie Taylor, congratulating her. Amanda, also a class act.

Congratulations to Katie Taylor on a dream come true for her. No one deserves this more. She's open doors for all of us that only a true legend could have done. I'm thankful and grateful to have shared three fights, 30 rounds and the biggest purses in boxing history with her inside with the biggest venues, inside the biggest venues, the in space side, screwed me up. Katie, you're a once in a lifetime athlete. Thank you for representing us women like you have. Beautiful stuff. Amazing stuff. Can't wait for that. And rapidly approaching just, what is it?

Three months away? Yeah, three months away. So this is going to be very fun. I can't wait. Back to the White House we go. Here's Ilya changing his tone a little bit regarding Justice Ghi. Remember, talked about, you know, a long life together. It seems as though those plans are off. not happy with Justin Justin crossed the line What happened between my ex-wife and me is our business We may no longer be together

but she is the mother of my daughter To everyone insulting her Or speaking out about things They know nothing about Show some respect You don't have to respect our relationship But respecting someone's mother Should be one of the most basic codes in life

Be better It's getting personal And look I don't I remember we read the quote I don't know if he was asked what the context was, but I do feel like a general rule of thumb should be no mom talk, no dad talk, no husband or wife talk, like just leave that stuff out of it. But I don't know if he was prompted, I don't know if he was baited, I don't know what the actual,

so I don't want to rip Justin for that, but very clearly, Ilya feels some sort of way. And I don't blame him for feeling some sort of way, if I'm being 100% honest. Now, we do have some breaking news, guys. We have some breaking news. They're going to be wearing White House slash 250th themed octagon girl costumes. And I stress the word costumes because this very much feels a little party city-esque. Does it not? How do we feel about this?

I mean, we... Oh, Pete, you're still here? He's been here the whole time. Oh, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I didn't realize you were back. Thank you for coming back. I do appreciate it.

about that. Noce UFC was great. This one feels like it's a little bit off. Yeah, it's trash. Just a thing. Yeah, there's one or two okay ones in there. Is it all not just Wonder Woman outfits? I would like a female opinion.

Andy, how do we feel about these? Yeah, they're not great. They're definitely Party City-esque. That's what I thought. Maybe even if you're at Halloween, guys, I'm not going to lie. Party City PT is a store, which is open year-round. Well, no longer there's a. it's gone.

Party says he's gone? Yeah, they closed down. Maybe they got them cheap then. It's a costume store as opposed to a clothing store. So you go there for Halloween costumes and things of that nature. I don't know. Listen,

I don't mind. Whatever, they're trying. Yeah, you don't have to wear it. I think we could have made it a little bit cooler. Guys, can I be honest with you?

Like, I see, I see we clipped off like me, like, and everyone's all upset. I just don't, I mean, I don't have the energy.

Who's upset? What's the way? What's just said? No, no, no, it's like, oh, It's been a year long.

It's a year for you're talking about this. Fuck off. MMA meeting guys too, but it's like, we don't give a fuck. At the sand about what? Who's complaining about my name? When I was like, I'm choosing not to get worked up about this shit. What? Dante 87781.

No, no, no, no, no. This is not Dante 8. This is like... Who? Here's Jason Page, long time radio guy. I like Ariel a lot, but this is using quote-unquote blinders to an extremement, and just sticking your head in the sand when it comes to the obvious. I'm a huge proponent of intellectual honesty, and this isn't what it looks like.

Sorry, man, just calling it like I see it. What the fuck? Bro, I don't care. I don't care. Trust me when I tell you, all I care about right now is 8.30 tonight. Could not give two craps about this. Come Sunday, I'll care. But I couldn't care.

And I'm sorry if that offends you. I'm not going to get worked up over this. I'm not. I'm not getting worked up over this. You guys are just showing up to the party now. We've had to talk about this for a year. we have to talk about this for a year We've literally talked about every fucking possible

thing that you can talk about with this card You've covered it, we've broken it down Miss me with this I can't wait till it's over I can't miss the White House card when it's going on man Me too You just you just came to terms With the White House card being a thing

How many times are we going to bring this up This has got to be like the 800 time You brought this up now Yes Can we get a counter going for how many times We were the last of the believers Is this going to be a yearly thing Last of the believers is a stretch.

On the team. Sure. All right. Last July when Donald Trump and Dana White were like, we're doing a card at the White House. I was like, I don't believe that. Yeah. I said I believed it.

I predicted it. Did you hear about that update? Yes. The Super Chatter last week, who was just like, Connor called it. I was like, I don't think I did. I was the biggest doubter. I don't remember this.

It's been corrected. It was Rick who predicted. Wow. The best part is I have no responsibility to talk. Like, you're getting all the heat. It's like you say you don't want to talk about it, then you're getting heat. You talk about this thing, but you didn't talk about this thing. Then you get all the heat.

I get to sit back and not have to worry about shit. It's great. Yeah, who the hell cares? We don't care. That's right. I was waiting for that. Thank you, Darren. Appreciate you.

Other breaking news. The highly anticipated Costello Van Stenis versus Johnny Eblen rematches off. We found out about this, I believe, on Friday. It's kind of a bummer. I was really looking forward. to this. Here's Costello on Instagram saying I'm out. Just around the same page.

Yes, I got injured. Asked PFL to move the fight to October. It was a quick turnaround. I was told there are no available dates and I have to wait until perhaps Q1. Jeez, Louise. That's a long time. It's a long old post as well, isn't it? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Pekisangene is going to replace him and here's Johnny Eblen

saying that I would have shown up injured or not. I got injured in my camp leading up to the last fight with Costello. It's what champs do look at Sean Strickland. Costello's a bitch and buying time. Now Impa stands in my way from getting my revenge looking forward to this matchup. I think this is a miss. Buy? PFL.

Just should as... Costello versus Eblen is the fight. I don't care about Impa versus Eblech. Even if it was Q-Win, which even that part is like baffling to me, why does it have to be Q1? That is far from now. You wait for that fight. I agree. I agree. Now,

are they that filled up? Is the dance card that filled up between now and Q1 where they couldn't put it on another card? Certainly you can find a spot for the hottest fight you've got. Yeah, for the best fight they have, yeah, absolutely. Guys, more breaking news and unfortunate breaking news. I couldn't read that one. Did you want, is it breaking news? Yeah, it is.

It's unfortunate. It's breaking news. Do you remember that boxing event in San Francisco, 150,000 people they were planning on July 11th, which would have made July 11th, Connor, two quarter finals and this. Do you guys remember that? We had Ed Pereira on. Yeah. Who remembers?

Of course. Well, according to Chris Mannix. You, what's that? I've been incredibly excited waiting for it. Well, it's being canceled. No. It's not moving forward to sources with knowledge. Our own Darshan to say, everything boxing has also confirmed this.

The San Francisco Chronicle reported the production company involved us pulled out of the event, which has been beset by financial issues. How could this have happened? Yeah, I'm a little bit. It felt like it was. I'm a little shocked. Not going to lie. Are we still going to Vegas?

Stone. No, no, that's him. No, it was San Francisco. I know, but we were going to go watch party for this, right? Wait, what? I was planning on taking the Winnebago up from Vegas to San Francisco. There was a big part to the trip. Yeah, yeah.

I'm a little disappointed. Anyway. Shocked. This is actually the first I've heard of it in months. No, though, they did announce a card. They announced the card, and it was not Wilder versus Usick. Like they... It would have drawn, like, if...

500 people. This was the one that 100,000 people were going to be at San Francisco City Hall or whatever? Yep, yep, yep, yep, yep. I can't believe it's... At the same time as two World Cup quarterfinals. Next, you're going to tell me GFL isn't starting either. Wow.

Oh, he did that so perfectly. You did that fast. Frank. Just waiting. More breaking... He's just hovering off the foot. More breaking people. UFC is returning to Paris.

Also on September 5th. What are you going to be watching? PTC. That or Katie against Flora? I don't know. It's tough. Yeah. Come on. All right.

More breaking news, guys. The new ranking system is coming imminently for the UFC. We've been hearing about this one for a year. They announced it on the broadcast on Saturday based on measurable performance instead of opinion or popularity designed to reward performance

and reflect results inside the octagon. It's AOA, isn't it? Can I just tell you this? When I saw this, guys, when I saw this, I was like, wait a second. Should it have always been about that? Yeah, what was it before? Wait, you're telling me it was about opinion of popularity? Isn't it supposed to be about the performances?

What is this? The way they were breaking that down was like... I did get suspicious when Gadsiev was number one at heavyweight. I was like, is this about opinion and popularity? We're reimagining the rankings. It's actually about their performances. Oh. Oh, shit.

Wow. A meta AI ranked the top 50s. 15 welterweight to see right now. Thanks. Yeah. Look out. You know what?

I'm actually shocked they haven't done it yet. It's the perfect, it's the perfect commercial for meta-AI, and I don't even think it would be that. Is there even a meta-AI? Some AI shit.

Yeah, another opportunity for me to say rankings are stupid, get rid of them all together. What does this mean for the Top Turtle podcast and APHM and Honolulu Hawaii?

Oh, yeah. Stop focusing on the, on the K-H-ROT, 92.5 in Albuquerque, they are in shambo. What about the University of Wisconsin-Madison Library Association? Yeah, fuck them, but K-H-O-N is legit. Love them. Frankie, do we have any super chats? I got to be honest.

I'm getting nervous. Everyone's texting me, go four hours early. I'm even looking online, dude. It's fucking terrifying. My friend just texted me, try to get a train from Penn Station, redirected four times. He's going to Grand Central. Wow.

Oh, wow. All right. The streets are crazy out there. Do I need to leave? No, no, let's go more. Keep going on. Just rip it. Just rip it. Okay. I'm going to read these in the interest of time.

Where do we see? Is that an indictment on the interns that they just can't read? No, it's just. They don't refast enough? Okay, here's the robot Wren who says Nixon 4. Shout out to you. Here is, wow, 24-inch dubs is saying it's a rap. Congrats, Nix.

No way anyone wins in MSG. Can I just say all the Celtics fans that are doing this like Portnard know he's doing this. You're trying to like reverse jinx us. We know exactly where you're doing. I still can't fathom a universe in which, can I tell you, I was talking to someone. I'm not going to say today. You have to have time here, clock here, big time on. There was a moment. There was a moment where I was like, are we going to live in a universe? Like, next Monday, will I be sitting in this chair and this is a reality that this is no longer a thing? See, you're, you're getting ahead of yourself here. Just chill. Give me a fucking break. For Nt, 4M. It finally happened a

Abdul Hussein is in the UFC making his debut in Abu Dhabi 25th of July against Moin Gafurov. Wow. It finally happened? It finally happened. All of a worry. Sick. Yeah. I've been waiting for Abdul Hussein to make that debut for many a year.

Glad to see it's finally happened. Robot Ren is back. Have you heard of Ari at Home, a local NY producer? I have not. No. Next one. Same. Alfaro Danny says, Kalshi, don't you guys hate AI?

All their ads are AI. I mean, UFC ads are AI. We talk about them a lot. Some AI shit. Like, I don't. The Gator wants to... You'd stand up there and loiter to you about something like that? No.

You think I'd like... Yeah, that's like... Idiot Earn is full of shit. Why would I do that? A whole load of shit. I'm too hungover to deal with these people tonight. And the new one is, uh... Ask him who's, uh...

Call Eddie Earn. Call Ederne. Call Etern. It would have been a whole hour. Guy goes into another question. Call Eddie Earn. Call Eddie Earn. Ask what he's...

up to. I can't get enough of it. I love it. What the mouth gets going? What's the mouth noise? One of the interns earlier was just like, man, I hate the way Dana White talks. I was like, I actually love it.

I could listen to that. I'm not getting it. He's the most droppable character in all of them. 100%. The Gator 117 says, so cool you get to experience game three. Good luck. My man.

Thank you, my friend. Can't wait. It's either going to be an all-time great night or not such a great night. What, oh, you know what? What will the reception be at MSG for DJT? Can I say? I think it's going to be like a non-story.

I think everyone online, all these dudes are waiting. They're waiting for the moment. Knicks fans are too, you don't understand. We don't care. We don't care. King Kong could be sitting there. Stephen Knighty Smith cares. I don't get fuck.

Yes. I actually did ask our boy Jake. In a group chat, someone asked him about it, and he literally said the same thing. He was like, I don't give a fuck. It's about the Knicks and Knicks. only. Get out of the way, man. Don't care. I don't care who's there, who's not there.

Just bring this home. Lex Friedman, our boy. Hey, he shout out. Awesome to see Levy here. Big fan. In fact, Lex, shout out to you. I watched your interview with him. Three hours he did with Levy. I watched it, listened to it, actually, for the most part, when I was driving around yesterday, a lot of driving.

Great, great stuff. You're a great talent. Appreciate you very much. Here's Sammy who says, do you think even more boxers will be attractive by Zufa now when there is fight bonuses introduced? No, but I think that they're going to be paying top dollar for a lot of guys like Shakur Stevenson, maybe Devin Haney as well. And that's going to attract a lot of the fighters. Once those purses come out, a lot of people are going to be like, oh, okay. The question is, what are the UFC fighters going to say?

Hey, Schulte, UFC on Paramount Plus next year, my prayers are answered. Yes, no more main card numbered events on pay-per-view, all on P-plus. Congratulations. Prelims still on Rogers for now. I suspect it will all move over when that deal is done, but yet they still don't tell us. Robot Ren is back. Nix and four.

Wait, I read these already. Wait, wait, wait. Ariel, this is from Alfaro. Ariel, what the F. What a sick intro, completely different from last week's take. Shout out to you and uncrown. This is about how far. MMA has made it.

F politics. All right, thank you. Thank you. The Gator 117. Okay, no, I read that. Oh, I read them all. I'm all over the gaff here. Guys, I'm all over the gaff.

Tomorrow is going to be a great day. I'm sorry. I'm blowing through everything. but we've got a championship to win. Tommy Fury going to be joining us. Katie Taylor is going to be joining us. Alex Pereira on the program. And how about this?

J.K., you know you love this one. Mr. Discount, double-check himself, one of the greatest shooters in New York Next History, Steve Novak, in studio tomorrow after game three? Ah, you know, it's up. Oh, Jesus. Well, it was all worth it just for that moment. Getting to see that and having that in the archives forever was enough for me.

They have a good bounce in the aisle Schlitter. What an incredible moment. I didn't even know Schluter's bounce like that. Neither did he. Neither did he. Want to get one off the cranium on a wet day. That video is going platinum. Someone's snagging that.

Somebody's got, Jed's already. I don't care. I couldn't care less. I couldn't care less. What's the prediction? What's the prediction? GC, what are we doing tonight? What is it?

tell me, in your heart of hearts. Nix, 108, Spurs, 96. Wow. Another 10 point. G.C.? G.C? Okay, I just asked you. Pizzi.

I think they're going to smoke them. I think the NICs are going to smoke them. Serious? Yeah, I think, by the midway, I don't need the four quarter, it's going to be a lot of life. I think they're going to. Do you need to win this one, though?

Did you see the lads coming out of the hotel yesterday being showered with booze? Keep the bus running. Keep the bus running. You'll be out. out of here soon. It was great. They were actually standing outside the hotel, like, heckling them.

Rick? No comment. Wow. This dude. He says Spurs 116104. Rick still thinks Spurs are winning. I'm not saying anything because if I say the Knicks win and they don't. You're going to call me a jinx.

If I say the Knicks lose, you're going to call me a hater. I'm not saying jack shit about this series. This is us. J.K., what do you say? What do you say? It's going to be stressful. into that last buzzer. Nix and

Nix are going to win. Nix and three. That'd be impressive. If the next one it's over. It's over after mercy rolled him. First X in three.

Spurs aren't even coming back. They're going to get beat down so bad. They canceled. Frankie, what do you say? No, next. Andy? I just hope everybody has fun. Ah, yeah.

Your elbow. You're like Elmo. Thank you, Diego Lopez, Darrett Till, Steve Garcia. Levy Rossman. Thanks to you, thanks to them. Back tomorrow, same time, boys, they say, be so many.