The Ariel Helwani Show - LIVE FROM VEGAS (FINALE): Merab Dvalishvili and Tracy Cortez in studio, Alexandre Pantoja, Payton Talbott, UFC 317 reaction, more

Episode Date: July 1, 2025

Our grand finale from the Venetian Resort in Las Vegas kicks off with Ariel Helwani and the gang reacting to a wild combat weekend, headlined by Ilia Topuria's monster knockout of Charles Oliveira, Alexandre Pantoja's latest title defense, Jake Paul's victory over Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., plus much more from UFC 317 (05:25).Then, Helwani reacts to Sean Strickland's viral tussle with Luis Hernandez on the undercard of Tuff-N-Uff 145 (49:47).UFC flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja discusses his title romp over Kai Kara-France, his likely next defense against Joshua Van, his place in MMA's pound-for-pound rankings and more (1:04:37).Tracy Cortez joins us in-studio to discuss her big UFC 317 win over Viviane Araujo, her recent health problems, her emotional post-fight message, what's next and more (1:33:15).Payton Talbott discusses his pay-per-view rebound over Felipe Lima, how he handled his first loss, his growth as a prospect, his friendship with Frank Ocean, new movie projects, potentially fighting Malcolm Wellmaker next and more (2:13:20).UFC bantamweight champ Merab Dvalishvili stops by in-studio to discuss life since his second win over Sean O'Malley, Ilia Topuria's unbelievable rise, what it's like to spar Topuria, his likely next title defense against Cory Sandhagen and more (2:38:12).Ariel and the Boys in the Back close us out by answering your Super Chats, then facing off with some dangerously spicy chicken (3:37:12).

Live from beautiful Las Vegas, Nevada, the fabulous Ariel Helwani show has hit the road and the team is in Sin City for International Fight Week. Now put your hands together for your host, Ariel Helwani. on this Monday, June 30th, 2000. And 25, yes, technically International Fight Week has come and gone, but this crew, the Uncrowned crew, the Ariel Hauwani Show crew has not come and gone. We are still in our Las Vegas studio. Shout out to the good people at the Venetian Resort right here in Las Vegas in Sin City, which has been the epicenter of all things MMA for the past week or so, and we decided, summertime

and the living's easy. Why don't we try to do, for the very first time in the history of this program, a post-Paperview Monday from the host city. Usually it's a long night on Saturday, it's a very early flight on Sunday, and you land at like 2.33 if you're one of those early morning Sunday flight people if all goes well, and then you're back at it, back to the grind on Monday. We thought, you know what, we're gonna do some stuff. We shot some stuff, attended an event yesterday,

I'll tell you all about that. Got to see a crazy little melee. And let's do a show on Monday. Try to get some winners, try to get some locals. Got a little fun thing planned for later on today. It has been a fantastic time and I hope you've enjoyed all the coverage. I don't know how many people

have actually come through the studio. I haven't really counted. I think it's around 13 or so. Some of the biggest names. It appears as though you have liked the coverage from Tommy Aspinall to Izzy Adesanya to Alex Volkanovsky and everyone in between will end today's post-Paperview Monday, post-UFC 317 show with another banger.

So on today's program, we'll talk about everything that transpired over the weekend, UFC 317 related and whatever else. We will also then talk to the reigning defending UFC flyaway champion, the pride of Brazil, the one and only Alexandre Pantoja, who absolutely dominated Kaikai France en route to a third round rear naked choke.

It was never really close. He is so good. He is only getting better, it seems. The confidence continues to grow. I love the way he reacted to the victory, like ain't no thing. Brushed the dirt off my shoulder, Pantoja's the man. And then afterwards, you may recall,

had a face off with Josh Vann. I wanna talk about that. So we'll get into all of that and more with the Flyway champ. After that, we'll be joined by the one and only Tracy Cortez in studio. Yes, she'll join us in studio to talk about her big win over Viviani Araujo. Her first win in almost two years, her first fight in about

a year. She has been through a lot. She'll be kind enough to join us in studio looking forward to that chat. Following that chat, we'll be joined by the one and only Peyton Talbot. We're big fans of his and it was great to see him back on the winning track. A big win for him over Felipe Alime. A lot of people, including myself, thought, yo, this isn't a cupcake fight. This isn't a gimme fight. This is a big time test for him coming off the loss to Haoni Barcellos back in January. I mean, he passed this test with flying colors, looked tremendous. Peyton Talbot will join us. And then, final guest of the week here in Vegas, who else but the reigning defending UFC bantamweight champion, the one and only Mirab Dawali Shreili,

the pride of Georgia, who is back from his séjourn in Georgia, in Uzbekistan, was there, front row. Did I say Uzbekistan? I meant Azerbaijan. He was there, Uzbekistan's a great place as well. He was there front row on Saturday to support his fellow countrymen, the one and only Elie Taboria,

as he knocked out Charles Olvera. There's the four pack, much more in addition to those four tremendous guests. And we shall kick things off with the boys in the back who are really essentially the prides of Las Vegas at this point. I mean. I mean, we've been running around the city like madmen.

Unbelievable. This is the third trip to Vegas. This is far and away the best one. Not even close. The amount we've been able to accomplish while we've been here to experience. Rick's coming off a bender. Look at him. Listen, it was a long night.

I didn't know we were doing the cycle. Oh, you got them too? Yeah. I don't have the permission. The mission. We've got our friends. Oh my God. Shout out to Diana.

She has been phenomenal. Everyone here has been phenomenal. Yeah. The mission, we got our friends. Oh my God, shout out to Diana. She has been phenomenal. Everyone here has been phenomenal. We're already talking about when we're coming back. Oh yeah, oh yeah, I'm planning my trip. I'm ready to do it. And I feel like the fans have appreciated it. Like they have seen the work we're putting in,

but also the result of the interviews that we've done and I would love to do it again. My favorite moment of the week, without a doubt. What is it? Has to have been boys in the back, watch party on Saturday. You pull out the surprise box, the mystery box, the posters. That we got a UFC HQ. Tell us exactly what you did.

Okay, so we got the opportunity to go to UFCHQ headquarters to see the PI, the CDA bags. Yeah, people have no idea the stuff that you guys have done. I know, I haven't been posting any pictures, anything like that. It's like, I'm looking through my camera roll and I'm like. You've got a great guy named Dustin who's been following you. We're gonna come out with a tremendous

behind the scenes video, a vlog, if you will. But yes, one of the stops, you guys infiltrated UFCHQ. We were at UFCP on Saturday, we saw Tracy Cortez joining the show later, she's doing her shakeout, we saw Terrence McKinney doing his shakeout, we were just like flies on the wall, just getting into everything. Are we good luck? We're two victors.

That's true. Two victors. We saw Fluffy Hernandez in the hot tub, and we had an interaction where we're like, will they, won't they go? He's like, no, you guys go ahead. We're like, no, no, no, after you. go? He's like, no, you guys go ahead. We're like, no, no, no, after you. He's like, no, no, no, that's come on.

Wait, you guys went in the hot tub? No, we didn't go in the hot tub. He was coming out of the hot tub. There were so many scenes when we were there where it was just like, oh, I remember this from Embedded or this from the viral video of Colby Covington, things like that. Anyway, they have a great store there and it was open.

They have all the custom shorts if you wanna get them, everything like that. He almost bought the Juliana Pena fight kit, but didn't have enough money. Wait, they have a store custom shorts if you wanna get them, everything like that. He almost bought the Juliana Pena fight kit, but didn't have enough money. Wait, they have a store at the UFC HQ? Yeah, yeah, yeah. And anyone could rock up? If you're invited in.

You gotta be invited in. And then they had a bunch of tubes of mystery posters there. I was like, Rick, we should do this. We should open them up on the show. I think it would be a great idea. He's just like, all right. He picks his lucky number eight. We're like, all right, we'll bust these open.

Three posters signed by everyone on the card. And you don't know what it is. I had no idea what it could be. When you're watching Embedded, whenever they do the poster signing, you've got the guys signing it. Everybody on the card signs it. It's part of the check-in process. There's 140 of them, according to the little sticker

that we see on the poster. There's 140 of them in existence for each card. And so that was what we opened on Saturday. And we lugged this thing around all day with this, this giant tube. We went to UFCX. We went to UFCX with the giant tube. We're carrying it around everywhere.

And we're like getting more and more excited as the day is going on. We're like, what could be in here? At one point, no bullshit, I looked at Rick and I was like, what if there's like a UFC 229, Hunter and Habib? What if there is a UFC 300 in there? Like, you never know, man. Like, a UFC 200, what if there's a UFC 205?

You never know what could be in there, man. This could be amazing. And we were like, we want it to go one way or the other. We want it to be great, or we want it to be Habib Bolshan. Yeah, the best part was, you guys sent me a picture of Rick at the Apex. He's wearing like 1997 Cav shorts,

and he's holding onto this thing. Like, he looks like a kid who just went to Disneyland and he's got his like poster of Mickey or Donald. In case you missed it, this is by far the highlight. This is by far the highlight of the week. In case you missed it, here's the boys opening up the mystery tube of posters during the watch party on Saturday.

Okay, okay, okay. All right, here we go. Here we go, here we go, Here we go. Here we go. Unfurl it all together and then that'll keep it one by one. Okay, here we go. What do we... Let's reveal it to everyone first. Oh, oh, this is definitely an apex card. I see a, uh, I see a Nikolai Perez.

This is exactly what I expected to get in this shake. Wow! This is exactly what I expected to get in this shape. Wow! Matthias Nicolaou no longer in the UFC. Alex Perez, main event, number five versus number eight. This was an apex event. This was like apex 94 or something. Fucking Christ almighty. Fucking hell.

I don't recognize a single signature on here. We have to look back at the card and... Oh, fuck us. All right, we'll go to that. All right back at the card and we'll slowly pull it away slowly from the bottom I got another fucking shitty apex card god damn it they ripped us off so bad Manel cop Alma Bayev oh my god Oh my god, we got fucked so hard. James Tuhunna? Oh shit. Two Flyway Apex main events.

We are getting fucked here, people. God. All right. Last one. This is going to be the winner. Here we go. Here we go. Here we go.

Here we go. Jesus. Three Apex cards. Fuck. we got duped so bad. Jared Cannon here, RoboCop. That's fucking bullshit. I was like, we're going to get UOC 229, Connor and Abed. 75 bucks. I'm sitting here watching. A tear just went down my cheek. I can see it's streaming down.

Oh my God. I'm like, I'm going to get a new one. I'm like, I'm going to get a new one. I'm like, I'm going to get a new one. I'm like, I'm going to get a new one. I'm like, I'm going to get a new one. I'm like, I'm going to get a new one. I'm like, I'm going to get a new one.

I'm like, I'm going to get a new one. I'm like, I'm going to get a new one. I'm like, I'm going to get a new one. I'm like, I'm going to get a new one. I'm like, I'm going to get a new one. I'm like, I'm going to get a new 75 bucks. 75 bucks, man. I'm sitting here watching, a tear just went down my cheek. I can see it streaming down. Oh my God. One thing I have to say. It's incredible.

The best part about it is, not only is it three APEC cards, all three of the posters are just horrendous. It's just fucking two faces, names, and throw like a filter on it. Just like it's ridiculous. What are you gonna do with those? I already gave them away.

Oh you did? To who? I offered them, so during the watch party I said, if anybody comes to the Yahoo Sportsbook and is outside here, when we're done, I will hand you one of these posters, three different people. Zero people showed up, that's how the quality of the poster is.

My mic messes up during the poster, so don't do it with him. Rick does this thing, he finishes and he's like, is there anyone out there for the poster? I was like, fuck no dude, he still walks out there during the poster. Yes, I don't do it with them. Rick does this thing He finishes and he's like is there anyone out there for the poster? I was like fuck I gave I described what happened. I described how shitty the posters were and then I gave them to the lovely Diana and she can Oh, what she was here we are. I've never saw him again. She's like, oh, thank you for the posters that you just shit on Oh my god, that was incredible. All right, so much to discuss. UFC 317 has come and gone,

and obviously the big story guys, Ilya Toporya. He defeats Charles Olvera, third straight knockout over a legend. He's now a two division champion. He gets his moment with the two belts. He does it in the first round. He was literally on this program a week ago, and I'm not just saying it was exclusive to us.

He told anyone who would listen, anyone who wanted to speak to him, I'm knocking this guy in the first round out. And it's, look, it's very easy to make the comparisons to Conor McGregor. People do that all the time. But I'm making the comparison to the rise of Conor, not because of his trash talk.

That's usually what people lean towards. It's because we have not seen this level of confidence and this level of like, you know, I'm going to manifest this, I'm gonna put it out there and I'm gonna back it up. And he does it, dare I say, at a whole other level because he says with the confidence of someone who's going on a walk to go get some coffee,

yeah, I'm just gonna knock him out. And then he walks up to him at the face-offs and says, I'm sorry, it had to be you. And then you see him on Friday night celebrating the victory. The Friday before the fight, he's there with his family in a scene that you often see on the Saturday night after a fight celebrating the victory. He does all this stuff time and again, and he backs it up.

And every time it's more lethal, more dangerous, more impressive. And I was wondering why, at least for me, this hit, it hits so well. Not because I wanted to see Charles lose, but just to see it play out like this, to see him back it all up on this stage, on this weekend International Fight Week, which usually is the week where the UFC tries to make a star or at least showcase a star, Connor benefited from it, et cetera. And then it hit me, it was very obvious. It's very, very obvious. Tell me.

It's been a pretty shitty week leading up to this point. The whole narrative, and I contributed to it, I had to contribute to it, was the fight that didn't happen. The biggest fight of the year did not happen and is not going to happen. And a guy who considers himself the goat backed away and decided not to do what you're supposed to do

and fight the guy and just gave up the belt. That was the lead into this. Let's be honest, it overshadowed a lot of what was planned for Saturday. And here comes Ilya with a smile on his face. He walks out like someone who has a sheepish smile on his face, like they're about to accept an award. You know when someone is like, oh, you're the winner

of the Emmys and you're like, that's how he walks out. And he does that to Charles Olvera and he gets the two belts and he has the rose and you just feel like this is the guy. This is the new number one pound for pound fighter in the world in my opinion and Uncrowned has backed it up. Uncrowned.com just put out those. There is no denying he is the biggest superstar in the UFC. There's no denying that he is only going to get bigger. And lastly, I'll just say what's so refreshing about this. Very quickly in the Connor run, it was and I don't blame him for it, but it was just a big part of the narrative.

I want this. I want equity. I want he doesn't do any of that. He's just like, I'm here, this is beautiful, I won the belt in the training, I collected in the fight. Like he continues to nail it every time. And even this morning, he puts out that he's having a reality show in HBO Max, I believe in Spain, because it's in Spanish. It is mesmerizing to watch him compete. I am in awe of this guy.

You can't look away. It's must-see television at this point. Everything that you just mentioned, all the accolades that he's received in comparison to Connor becoming a two division champion, knocking people out, superstars, knocking out legends of the game. On top of all of that, he's 17 and 0.

He's representing Spain. He's bringing a championship to them as well as Georgia. And the confidence, there's nothing fake about this confidence. It's not like fake it till you make it, man. He walks out there knowing what is about to happen. I said it to Rick on the watch party, when he's shaking everyone's hands, he shakes Mark Goddard's hands,

sort of like how you say to go into accept the award. It looks like he's at a cocktail hour, getting introduced to new friends. He's like, hey, how's it going? All right, guys. And then when he finishes the fight after he just ethers Charles Oliveira, something that you do not see, the way that he put him out, out completely cold,

eyes open, doesn't know where he's at. And then he just turns to his team after he does the T and everything like that, just shakes the hands, just like, all right, another job well done. It truly is, it's unbelievable. Yeah, and as you mentioned, the allusions to Conor can kind of become triteite right like because there's been so many the next Connor

McGregor's but it is the closest thing it is the closest thing we've seen and and I think here's the point where Connor went to Mayweather and then it went sideways right this is that point this is Eddie Alvarez and so he has an opportunity to do something that Connor wasn't the to. Same age by the way, 28. To continue that and forge his own path. But I think the thing that's special for me about Ilya Toporia and Connor had it as well, again to allude to Connor is he makes you believe, right? It's one thing to talk the trash.

It's one thing to be the guy, but often you kind of think of it as part of the game, right? It's just like this is what they're supposed to do. They're supposed to hype the fight. They're supposed to promote. But his confidence, his demeanor, it makes you believe that he knows something that you don't know in a way that Conor used to, right? Mystic Mac and all the prognostication

and telling you exactly what he's gonna do. There are others who would try this, right? But they can't quite get it right. To talk about like, I'm gonna go up a weight class and I'll knock out Charles Olivera in two minutes and then do exactly that is scary. Like it's an eerie type of confidence. And so there's a thing called like main character syndrome, right, where you're this person who believes

that you're the main character. He is the main character and he knows it and he tells you it and then you believe it. We are along on the ride in believing that he is the main character of this story. We have seen some incredible knockouts, some incredible finishes. I don't think I'll ever forget the sight

of Charles Olvera out bleeding, eyes open. It looked like he had just suffered a shotgun blast to the face. That's what it looked like. With the way the blood was and the way his eyes were open like that, I mean, he hit him with a right hook and then a left hook. And he was out from the right.

He was out from the right. And there's a video out there where you could see, I kind of missed it in real time, where Charles actually nails him with an elbow. Yeah, oh yeah. And he doesn't even flinch. Doesn't even flinch. He seems to have a good chin to this point.

I know he got knocked down by Jai Herbert, but he came back and won that fight from a massive head kick. He's a much better fighter. It's just unbelievable. And then like just the power. He has that great equalizer at 145 and now at 155. It's like he, I saw some people joking like,

oh, he's a mini Georgian Poetan, or he's a mini Georgian Ngannou, but the power that he carries is unbelievable. To this point now, you look back at the Josh Emmett fight, it's like, how did Josh Emmett survive that long? How did he make it the five rounds? I know he got 10-7'd and won, but this fight-altering power,

because the Volkanovsky fight, I know it only went around in a half, but Volkanovsky looked good until he didn't. The Max Holloway fight, he really was looking good. It was an incredibly close fight until he didn't. And then Charles Oliveira, obviously, it only lasted the round. But like he has this power that,

if you're gonna go 25 minutes with Iliya Topolia, you're going to have to be perfect at this point. It's really, it's unbelievable. The UFC is very lucky to have him at this stage. There are many opportunities for them to, how they have not at least brought him to Spain and done like a big press, because part of the Connor rise was that press conference

in Ireland with Jose Aldo, like you need those moments. If you're not gonna have him fight there, you need those moments. Nevertheless, whatever he gonna have him fight there, you need those moments. Nevertheless, whatever he is doing is really, really special to watch. And again, he's not Connor, it's very easy to make that comparison, but I don't think he's anything like him

in terms of like his demeanor, his behavior, the trash talk. He's not a big trash talker. And so what I like about it is it just feels like the second coming, the first time since, that we have a character somewhat like him, but he's backing it all up, he's delivering, and man, I honestly, I feel like I'm just sort of rambling

because I am so much awe of this guy because of how he acts and then how he performs. That awe and that feeling is an emotional thing, right? It's not a logical thing. Logically, we're like, okay, look, this is his path, this is his resume, we can do that. We can do that till the cows come home and there are other people that you can look at and do that

and like, this is the greatest run since blah, blah, blah. Here's the three names on the resume. What he does is emotional. What Ilya is creating is emotional in the way that Connor used to create emotions. And so he gives us that feeling that feels like 2016 again. It feels like 10 years ago. It feels like, holy shit, do we actually have the thing again?

Can we recapture that? Can we get the nostalgia for that thing that has been lacking for so long? And as you said, the story of this week was kind of the opposite, right? Was this feeling of like, we could have had this thing and we lost it. And now this guy is presenting an opportunity every time he fights for you to have that feeling of this is the feeling that I've been missing.

Well you talk about the superstardom and what we really have with Ilya Toporia. UFC clearly backing him, letting him parade around with the two belts, bringing Patti Pimblitt in. Then they broke out his knockout of Charles Olvera, posted it straight to their YouTube channel. It has more views than the Max Holloway, Justin Gaethje UFC 300 knockout,

which was earthquake level knockout. Like it felt like everyone saw that one. His already has more than that in a single day. What does it have? It's already at 11 million. And the Gaethje one had like 9.8. And then this morning he passed Islam Makashev and Instagram followers.

He now has the most followers of any active UFC fighter on the roster. Is he the number one power fighter in the world? I ranked him number one. He is number two still. Wow, behind? Islam. But he moved up. He does make a decent case. Listen to his breakdown of why. I mean, if you do the math, Islam has two wins over Alex.

He has a win over Charles. Ilya has a win over Charles, a win over Alex. You swap the Alex, the second Alex for the Max. But he's actually won now two belts. If Islam was the 170 pound belt, then yes. He also, not only does he have two belts, it's the way that he's winning. Certainly.

It's an argument. I wouldn't stand here and say that you can't have him. I am going to have Islam until otherwise proven. He has the longer resume. He has the more wins. At the moment, it's as close as it can be. I have no problem with anybody who hasn't won. At several points this weekend, I've set it off air,

but in my opinion, the Mount Rushmore, the top four of current pound for pound, I think is inarguable, and I think it's Ilya, Islam, Marab, and Pantoja. Pantoja, yeah. I would have it right now as Ilya, Islam, Marab, Pantoja. That's my four. Mine is the same except swap Ilya and Islam.

Is he the face of the UFC? He's getting there, if he's not, he is. Who else would be at this point? As far as active fighters are concerned, Conor hasn't fought, John Jones is retired. I mean, look, Tom is a huge star. We're feeling it as well. And we saw it when he came and visited.

When he fights again, I think everyone will be reminded. Hopefully it's in the next few months. But there's some of the reporters at the post-fight press conference were talking about that his fight at 6 a.m. in Spain was doing the same numbers as Real Madrid matches back home. Spain has never experienced obviously anything like this. It's rare that we get to see someone do this type of stuff

who comes from Europe. And now it's just like, okay, so with all due respect to Charles, it was just so easy. You kind of just want to see him back in, like, could we get him back in there relatively soon? Could we get him back in the- I believe he said he wanted 2025. He wants another fight.

Could we get the December card? Could you imagine him in New York? Oh my goodness. There's so many possibilities. And I said it before, I said it as we went in. I said, if he wins this fight, do the Patty fight now. And I gotta give the UFC a lot of credit. Last two pay-per-views, we've had four face-offs

after a fight. Remind me what the last two were. We had Kayla and Amanda. Right. We had, who was the other one? We had Murab. Oh, Murab and Corey Sanhagen. That was sort of like, did they bring Corey in

or was that like through the cage? Fair, but they at least acknowledged it. Yeah, they acknowledged it. And then Josh Vann and Pantoja. I thought that Josh Vann was so beautiful because they brought him back out to sit cage side. We'll get to that, we'll get to that. But I just want to say like, the Patty one

was such a big one because we weren't quite sure, you know, Gagey's out there talking his stuff, Armin weighed in, so you'd think he would be the front runner. Not only talking his stuff, but they cut to each of those guys before that moment. They did the same with the Flywitz, Moreno and Van. These guys have a history, three, four years. They despise, the way they talk about each other,

they despise each other. Make that fight now. You have to make that. That fight is gigantic. It is gigantic. What, Patti needs one more? Who gives a fuck? Watch the trade off too.

If Patti wins that fight, now he's rocket ship straight to the moon, unbelievable. He becomes a champion, is the one that he's from. That is the fight. And I feel for Armin. And I'd love to talk to him and I wanna know what's happening.

I said after the last Patty win, I said Patty Gagey's the number one contender fight. And honestly, if this is a meritocracy, it should be Ilya versus Armin, Patty versus Gagey. It's right there. Makes sense. Too bad it's not. To your point, Ilya versus Patty, Armin versus Gagey.

Those are the fights. Ilya versus Patti, Armin versus Gaiji. Those are the fights. Ilya versus Patti is monumental. Is Ilya versus Patti, now that Jones versus Aspen is off the table, is that the biggest fight? No, Ilya. Humza and DDPs though. Ilya is the- I don't know, man. Humza and DDP?

I think so. Humza and DDP are nowhere near the level of famous as Ilya and Patti. I think Humza's pretty close. DDP isn't, with all due respect. DDP is not on the level of famous as Ilya and Patti. No way. I think that's pretty close. DDP isn't. We'll all do it with Patti. DDP is not on the level of Patti. No way. Patti has that mainstream fame.

Everyone knows Patti. He's mainstream popular. I think it's still bigger. I still think Ilya is Islam, if you could somehow make that. Oh, Ilya is Islam, for sure. I'm talking about fights that could be made. I don't see that fight happening. I think there's a dream down the line for the UFC

that Islam gets the belt and then you do another pound for pound one verse two and it's Ilya moving up to 170. See, I think they've always been against the idea of three divisions. Connor with Pereira, it could definitely happen. But the reason why I think it won't happen anytime soon is because there's so many killers at 170

to make those guys wait. Yeah. It might not be a decision that sits lightly with them. There's lots of reasons it might not happen. For one, what you just mentioned, 70 stacked and looking for contenders, there's a lot of contenders lined up. For two, you may not want to kind of

let the genie out of the bottle in the way you do with Connor, right? Connor was the one who was like, I need this second belt, got it. And then that kind of started an era where now everybody needs a second belt. If Ilya is the one to push the envelope further and go, I need a third belt,

and then they open that bottle, now the next 10 people are gonna be looking for third belts. But the reason to do it is, if you wanna differentiate him from Connor McGregor, there's a good way to do it. And it's that third belt. Okay, but we don't wanna disrespect Jack Della. Sure. Jack Della wins. Fight Jack Della. Do you think that Della moves down? That could be another possibility. Jack Della wins. Does this

some say, you know what, let me go back? Because I think that might be the quickest path to this fight happening. Sure, but if Jack Della wins and beats Islam, why wouldn't Ilya Taporio say, I want Jack Della? Sure, there's just no history there. Yeah, so what? I'm just saying, as far as big-time's a Ilya Taporio say I want Jack Della. Sure there's just no history there. Yeah so what? I'm just saying. Mostly when you go to star power. As far as big time fights Ilya versus Patti, Ilya versus Islam at 155 are bigger than the notion and the promotion surrounding him going for the third belt. Also can I just say he did seem smaller than Charles there. He was smaller than that. So him at 170 against a big dude like Jack

is a big jump. For sure, no doubt. I don't wanna harp on the point, but this idea, Islam's gonna go up to 170, it's still Islam, it's the same guy. Even if he fights at 55, it's Islam Akhachev. Sure. But if he loses at 170, a bit of the luster goes away.

That's why I think, yeah, move on. A bit, or you say? It ain't happening anytime soon. Yeah, that's not the next one. Ilya versus Patty. Too Patty, too Patty. Don't lose out on it. So they brought him in.

Rogan, they said, kind of spearheaded it. Dana White afterwards said, they shouldn't have done that. That had nothing to do with me. I'm calling cap on that, if I'm being honest. I just think he didn't love the idea that his family was in there and didn't want to have his hands

or his fingerprints all over it. No one's just bringing in impact. We've seen how hard it is for some guys to enter the cage. He's not just waltzing in there because Joe Rogan said his name. It was so good. It was such a great moment and we need more of that. Give me more of that. There was this stretch there where like a big fight would happen and Dana would go to the post-fight press conference and someone would ask him, he's like, we'll see you on Tuesday, we'll see you on Tuesday. No, this sport is always about like, what's next,

what's next, if you have the guys there, if you can orchestrate this, deliver it. That's what people want. And I think it made the moment that much bigger because not only do we have an opportunity to digest the win, the aura, the superstar, but now you're like, oh, and this is possible. By the way, because that happened, do they have to do the paddy fight next?

They don't have to. It would be a bit of a letdown if not no? They don't have to but I I think that that is the best game plan. God whoever emerges from that will be the face of the UFC. That's what I think it is. The shit talking would be nuts. Would be nuts and like you mentioned that Ilya't talk shit. It's like he does in this poetic manner. The, I'm sorry, I didn't want it to be you. The, like the victory is already mine.

But is that shit talking or? I just need to come collect. I don't know. Or is it just reality? I guess he is talking shit and like when he's so confident you just have to believe it. But man, the guy is a poet with the way that he does his shit talking.

Does Armin have a better chance of beating him than Patti? Yes. Than Patti? Yeah, I believe so, yes. I understand Patti's looked incredible, but he is coming off a win against Michael Chandler. Just because I believe Armand to be a better fighter. Now, Patti can prove me wrong.

I think Patti showed me a lot in that Michael Chandler fight that makes me believe I'm at least interested in seeing this fight, but Armand is a better fighter until proven otherwise for me. And also, by the way, only 28 years old, so if Armin is able to enter this picture, I think you should do Patty next 100%, consider no alternatives, but Armin versus Ilya potentially,

let's say after that, is a massive fight. Is a massive fight that could also be a young guy getting a title and getting an opportunity. So I think, Gai-Chi feels like the outlier to me, right? Because we're closer to the end than the beginning with Justin Gai-Chi. And so that's Gachi feels like the outlier to me, right? Because we're closer to the end than the beginning with Justin Gachi. And so that's not the future of the UFC. That's not the future face of the UFC. Gachi vs. Ilya would be a problem for Ilya or for Gachi?

Gachi. Yeah, the way he hits. The way he hits. I mean, we're really going to put if it is Ilya Patti. Is there somebody it's not a problem for at this point? Ilya is taking a lot of damage. Oh, she's going to stand there. I don't see him trying to take down Ilya.

Maybe. And it's gonna be problematic. Ilya was asked about that in the UFC podcast afterwards and they said, what about Gagee? And his response, again, he's so good with the cold one-liners. You must not be a fan of Justin Gagee. If you wanna see that fight.

Yeah. That's what I mean. Like, it's like he's talking shit, but he's not. It's cerebral. He's just like, it's just facts. It's incredible. Yeah, we'll really put the Scousers Don't Get Knocked Out to the test if Ilya fights bad. And shout out to Ilya's son, a superstar in his own right.

You see him on the myths and emulating his dad. First of all, for a young kid, he looks phenomenal. And then the footage that I saw today of him singing the walkout song and going like this and walking around with the belt going up to marab in the back It's just it's it's so much fun to watch and it was such a great Palate cleanse for what was a very frustrating start to the week in addition to that I love the fact that Alex Pantoja got a chance to shine on a big stage like this and this dudes a killer in His own right like it we talked to the CKB guys and they're saying

all the right things and they're getting chills and there's Pantoja just like a stone cold killer. And it's not like he's finishing guys. I mean I have some of the stats here. Like his run is generational and you know, you watch the first round, the second round, oh yeah perhaps it's not like the most exciting stuff. He's just completely dominating him.

Yeah, I was gonna say it was dominant. And neutralizing him on the ground, but then he gets to finish time and again. Okay, right now, four title defenses, most wins in UFC Flyweight history. He surpassed Mighty Mouse and Benavides at 13. Most finishes in UFC Flyweight history, eight. He surpassed Mighty Mouse and Figueredo. Most submissions in UFC Flyweight history, seven, he surpassed Mighty Mouse and Figureto.

Most submissions in UFC Flyweight history, seven, he surpassed Mighty Mouse with five. This is an unbelievable run for a guy that just, I don't wanna say came out of nowhere, but didn't have the hype that a toporia has on the way to the top, but now the dominance in which he is displaying against these guys, Kykar France was never in that fight.

No, never. Complete domination. Not even for a second. There wasn't even a moment where I was never in that fight. Never, never. Complete domination. Not even for a second. There wasn't even a moment where I was like, oh Ky's starting to put it together. There's only one record that he doesn't have, which is the title defenses that Demetrius does. And with enough time, that might be the thing he reaches.

But for all intents and purposes, he is going to have every flyweight record. Other than that, if he can't reach it, and that one included if he can, he is putting up a resume of flyweight that will put him in the class of Demetrius Johnson or above. And those are the only two options at this point. He's already number two. I don't think there's any comparison.

It felt like, to your point, it felt like a two-person division. It felt like Moreno and Figueiredo were gonna fight as the top of this division forever. Then all of a sudden, like Roy Valls and certain characters started popping up. He kind of did come out of nowhere because he was a guy who just competed and seemed like he was just a middle of the road fighter until he became this. As far as the excitement level,

I know maybe once he gets to the ground, the grappling isn't everybody's cup of tea, but down there, he's so good and so dangerous. He's like an anaconda. And he's a finisher. And on the feet, it's not like he's going out there shooting at the legs of strikers. He's standing with strikers too.

I consider him one of the most exciting fighters on the roster. With Steve Ersek fight, he's going out there and just throwing hands with him. A dangerous striker. And he's doing the same with other strikers as well. It's the dominance in addition to the fact that he's an absolute wild man,

and I don't think he gets enough credit for that level of excitement. Flyweight is on fire right now, and he's kinda leading the charge with that. Wild man, game, the one-two running across the cage into the leg kick, into the takedown, I think he did it twice to Kai to get him to the ground. It's just insane the level of dominance

he's putting on in this division, to the point where I really knew Kai was in trouble when he shot a takedown. It was just like, man, you just got controlled the entire first round, what are we doing shooting a takedown, trying to shake something up, and there was just nothing doing for him. I like that he's puffing his chest out more,

I want a better ranking, I need some respect, this and that, and yeah, right before we had, well first of all, let's just say, this was the best card of the year. Yes, without a doubt. On the biggest night of the year so far for the UFC. June may not have lived up to everything for the first few cards.

Everything and more got delivered on this one. Yes, and as we predicted when everyone was saying the sky was falling in May, the June pay-per-views, which ultimately are the most important thing, I would say both delivered, Newark and this one. And so it was a great night for the UFC. And in the middle of all that, you had a guy who fought on both of those June pay-per-views,

Joshua Vann, a guy who not that long ago wasn't ranked, who's just 23 years young, the pride of Myanmar. What a stud this guy is. He wins against Bruno Silva back in Newark. He comes back and fights Brandon Royval on short notice. Royval's talking all week long about how he's the most disrespected fighter in the UFC. He replaces Josh Vann, replaces Manel Cap,

and this fight was just, the whole thing was fought like this, in a phone booth, center of the cage, back and forth. Vann's hands are so fast, his power, you get that moment in the last 10 seconds where Royval's like putting his hands up like this, clap, clap, clap, he drops him, a freaking stud, and you're right, the UFC did the smart thing. They brought him right back out there, had him sit, they never do this. Show them on screen before the fight started. They were like, yo, Jock's fan, maybe next title guy, he's watching. They never do this. I don't know who's responsible for this, but please do it it more and they had him sitting there and then they brought

him out and you get the great face off there. Pantoja actually said come let's let's face off. It was it was nice it was cool but he's just like yeah he's never fought Joshua Vann before and I was like fuck where did this come from? Who's talking about this? Might be the breakout fighter of the year if all goes according to plan if he fights for the belt. Could be the fighter of the year. Could be the fighter of the year as well. What a stud. By the way, three weeks ago, he was unranked

and then picks up the win, gets ranked, gets the short notice opportunity, and now he beat the number one guy to probably likely be the number one guy in the rankings. In what could potentially end up being the fight of the year. This could be a banner year for Josh Vann if he's able to accomplish what right now feels like the unthinkable of beating Pantoja and winning the Flyway title.

And he would be like, I don't know the exact maybe second, third youngest UFC champion ever if he was able to accomplish that. It would probably be second. So Chuck raised this on the post show and I didn't think about it until then. John Jones was also 23 years old, but he was 23 and eight months. Yeah. Josh Vann is about 23 and eight months right now. So he's a little short of it.

If they book it in the next three or so months, he's three months short of John Jones' record, which is an impressive feat on its own. It always felt to me like the person who was gonna beat that record would kinda get fast-tracked. I don't think he's getting fast-tracked. He's earned it. It's just all happened very fast.

And capitalizing on opportunities. It's just like, man, Roy Vow needs an opponent, Manel Cop is out, I'll step in. Three weeks. Yeah, I fought on 316, I'll fight on 317. That's how John Jones got his title, right? John Jones stepped in for Rashad Evans against one of the biggest names in the sport at the time.

The young ones don't really know. But stepped in against Shogun and got it done. So this is that. It feels like that. Put on a war, man. What was the stat that you said? That they both eclipsed 200 significant strikes landed the first time in three-round fight in UFC history. They both threw 400 almost each. I think Royval threw more than 400. It was great from jump all the way to the closing bell when he dropped Royval.

What a fun fight. Honestly, what a fun fight. In fact, I hope he doesn't mind me saying this. Every so often, my old friend Bill Simmons likes to check in with his son Ben, the legend Ben, regarding UFC. He was at the event. He called me on Sunday, and all they wanted to talk about was Josh Vann. All they wanted to talk about was how great Josh Vann. Can he beat Pantoja? Is this guy the next phase?

Is he the next star? Holy shit. That last 10 seconds, that last round, holy crap, what a fight, they were glowing. So for anyone once again, and I know this isn't as much of a thing anymore, who aren't into the flyweights, who like to disparage the flyweights,

like come on, man. I was just gonna say, they're calling in, they're talking about a flyweight contender, not even the title holder. That's incredible what he's able to do. Flyweight's never been better in my opinion. It's one of the best divisions in the UFC. It deserves the shine that it's getting and I love the fact that they did those two fights

back to back in that position. It was perfect. I wish they could do more of that. Where you, you know, cause like, I know it can't always work out this way, but a potential number one contender fight and then you get the title fight. So now it's all coming into, you know, focus.

You can crystallize, okay, who's next for this guy? And then you bring him in and the face off was great. Please, please UFC, more of this. I love it. I absolutely love it. And everyone else does. And it just, I think it keeps the conversation going as opposed to it kind of dying on Saturday.

Shout out to Payton Talbot. Yeah. Getting back on track. I think a lot of people were a little bit afraid, right? If you were a big fan of his. Did not look good. The bookies included. Excuse me?

The bookies, they had him as an underdog. Underdog, first time in his career, I believe, at least in the UFC. He was a massive favorite. And he went out there, he's a really tough guy, and showed very improved grappling, and I loved what he said. He's a very thoughtful person, I love speaking to him,

I love listening to him speak. I love what he said in the post-fight interview with Joe Rogan, saying like, now I know, I truly know what it feels like to be a fighter. I've been through it all. Seen the full spectrum. I've seen the full spectrum. What a thoughtful young man and worthy of,

I think once again, like the push, right? If he would have lost this one, it would have been devastating, detrimental. It would have been like, all right man, now we need to really take a step back, get you a win, and kind of start building you back up. Now, to me, it's just like, all right, what's next? Let's keep it moving.

Yeah, he said he wanted to fight Adrian Yanez. Love it. I think he said that he's booked or he's got something going on, but that would be a fun one. I saw someone say Malcolm Wellmaker. No, no, no, no. Chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chillviews where it ends and you're just like, God, that was awesome. And it's almost just like your fandom is revived. Money Moekano suffers a tough one against Benil Dariush. And shout out to Benil Dariush.

I mean, so much older than Moekano, like a veteran of the game, getting the win. Got dropped early on. I'm not trolling, bro, the gray really looked great. No, I'm talking about Irish. It looks more pronounced. He said he's so much older than the same age. And he knows that.

The gray looks more pronounced, but it seems like every time we want to kind of move past Benildar Ayush and say, okay, his time is done, he gets a win like that. The recovery from getting dropped was incredible, to immediately jump on that leg of Moicano, because he looked like he was in bad shape, and when he finally stood back up he's shelling up.

Me and Rick were like, no, is this gonna be it here in the first round? And then straight off rip in round two, comes out aggressive, dominates round two, and is able to do the same in round three. It was a great performance. I agree with you. It feels like he always kind of pulls it out when it feels like he's done. But man, to break into that, it felt like he was there. I don't think he can reclaim that and get to the top cuz we're looking at Gagey,

we're looking at Armin, we're looking at Ilia, we're looking at Patti. Like, it's going to be hard to get into that. Yeah, I mean, summer 23 at 289, he had that opportunity against Charles. If he won, he was probably getting the title shot. I don't know if he's going to be able to get back there. It's a tough year for Moikano, following a huge year, had that win over BSD in Paris.

Gets the short notice opportunity against Islam, which you can't really fault him for the loss, but now this one sets him back a little bit. had that win over BSD in Paris, gets the short notice opportunity against Islam, which you can't really fault him for the loss, but now this one sets him back a little bit. He's still super popular, he's got crypto commercials, everyone loves his online persona, his YouTube channel, his podcast, all that stuff, but this is a setback. In a loaded 155 pound division,

he has to get back on track. A setback, but I almost think he's one of those guys that Rick always talks about that the wins and losses matter, but people will always want to see him fight. He puts on entertaining fights, he's entertaining fight week. I think people will still back him whenever he gets in the octagon.

Shout out to RoboCop, Gregory Rodriguez had a huge, vicious knockout win over Jack Hermansen, one of the very good guys in the game. Scary knockout, if I'm being honest. And my initial thought was that Herb Dean, once again, was a little bit slow. Slow to break it up, wasn't in the right position. I did speak to Jack's, I mean, look at that shot right there.

Gosh, but I mean, you even see Herb in that last one. Like he's already on Greg's hips when he's dropping that hammer right there. Gosh, but I mean, you even see Herb in that last one. Like he's already on Greg's hips when he's dropping that hammer fist down. I did speak to Jack's manager, Tim Simpson afterwards. And he said that he was livid. And then he said he spoke to another referee who explained why that position was not wrong and why it's just a tricky spot for the refs to be in.

Perhaps that's a little bit of backing his own guy, who who knows but it just felt like he was a little too slow This is not you know This isn't the story of the fight necessarily Gregory Rodriguez's win and the knockout and how vicious was is the story but a Little unsettling those extra shots are those extra shots sometimes people are able to pull back. It's easy for us to sit here and say, hey, you should have done it in the flow of the fight. Ilya landed some extra shots, which obviously weren't necessary,

but there's so much adrenaline, there's so much momentum, there's so much going on. It's not fair for us to sit here and criticize anyone. And they're supposed to go until they're- Yeah, it's not their job. It's the rough stuff. It's always nice when someone pulls back when they have the presence of mind.

I'll never forget Bryan Stan and Alessio Succaro's guard saying, I'm not doing this anymore. But it just felt once again- We've seen the opposite happen. We saw Jalen Turner take out Moicano and then step off the gas and he ended up losing that fight. It's the ref's job. To your point, maybe there were some extra shots. The good news is, fortunately, Jack Hermanson was OK.

We got those updates during the broadcast. And so that's the important thing. Yeah, he was able to leave that night, but you just never want to take that much damage to the head. Yes, they did update that. So I liked it very much. Jose Miguel Delgado with a nice KO win in just 26 seconds. Shout out to him.

A tremendous win, 145 pounder Tracy Cortez, as I said, with the unanimous decision, hard fought victory over Viviani Adeujo. What about Terrence McKinney? It's like kill or be killed with this guy, right? It's like all gas, no breaks. He's either getting knocked out in seconds or he's winning in seconds.

As soon as the Terrence McKinney fight starts, it's over. Like it's just like, Rick was setting something up for the watch party on Saturday and I was watching and I was like, oh, T-Rex is about to start. 45 seconds later, I'm just like, all right, the T-Rex fight is over, he won. It's unbelievable.

It's just like that, man. He just comes out and the aggression that he shows is incredible. I mean, I talked about it earlier at the point of being appointment television earlier. T-Rex is also appointment television for me. I mean, I talked about it earlier to being appointment television earlier. T-Rex is also appointment television for me. I mean, it's every single time. He's never been to a decision.

I think it's like 20 of his 23, 24 fights have ended in the first round. It's like throughout his entire professional career, it's been like this. Shout out to him, Jacoby Smith with the win over Nico Price. I think he was by far the biggest favorite on the card. I heard somewhere that he was the biggest favorite in UFC history.

Mine's like a minus 2800 or something. Oh my God. Jesus. I think there was an Alexander Romanov, like minus 3000 line or something. PFO grade Alexander Romanov. Shut up. And Jonata Denise with the win to start off the card.

I didn't realize that he was the dude who fought on the hot air balloon. Did you ever see this? No, I didn't know that either. There was a hot air balloon with a cage and he fought on it. I had no idea. Yes, look it up. I don't know if I'd get in a hot air balloon period. Yeah.

I'm the last fighting a cage. Yeah, especially after what happened recently in Brazil. Yeah. I think it was in Brazil. No, was it Columbia? It was somewhere. I'm not aware. But it exploded and people died.

All right. This dude's fighting up there. Count me out. Crazy. International Fight Week draft, we got it in at the buzzer. Yeah, we sure did. Do we have results? We do, we have the results. Unfortunately, my reign as champion comes to an end.

We do not have the results. Oh. Frank is telling me. Frank, why don't we have the results? Yeah, why don't we? We just don't have the results. Okay, well why don't you tell us who won, Connor? Rick won, Rick won.

Let me see, I actually have the results here on my phone. Who won, tell us who won. They were dropped in in the dream, Charlie. They were dropped in the one? They were dropped in very late. They were dropped in very late. Let me see, let me see, let me see, let me see. Here we go.

Tell us who won, tell us who won. So we got it in at the buzzer. Rick is the winner with 16 points. He had Alexandre Pantoja, RoboCop, Terrence McKinney, Fabian Edwards, and Charles Oliveira. So he got- He got four out of five? Yeah, he got four out of five,

but he got four for Pantoja, five for RoboCop, five for McKinney, four for Fabian Edwards, and minus one for Charles Oliveira because the point scale goes three for a win, four for a finish, five for a first round finish, negative one for a first round loss. You had Moikano who unfortunately lost, Jake Paul decision wins,

Seminopoulos unfortunately lost, Deontay Wilder finished win, and then Kaikara France unfortunate loss. Ayodele Toporia, first round finish, Jacoby Smith second round finish, Dunaotha Deniz decision win, and then Biajowali Walsh, a minus 2,500 loss. And then, our guy, Kanan Kawaihi,

on Tough Enough Last Nights, minus 1,000 also lost. So the final standings were Rick 16, me 12, Ariel seven. That's a run, I think. Are they playing them? Is he playing the applause? Is there applause there for that, Frank? Quite, quite, quite, quite, quite, quite. Yes, yes, yes. I think Frank's a run I think. Is he playing the applause? Is there applause there for that, Frank? Quite, quite, quite, quite, quite. I think Frank's a little salty that he didn't get invited to the draft this year.

No, no, Frank got it out. The crazy thing about it was, it all culminated with the tough enough main event, which we happened to attend. Okay, so we weren't aware of the standings when we were there, but there was a moment where Kanan had Diego Brandao in a bad position in the first round, and if he was able to finish that fight in the first round,

I would have been the victor of the draft. I wish we knew the math at the time, so I could have been going crazy in the Sahara. Ifs, buts, you know, whatever. They're telling me you guys have to go. This is actually the guy that denied the $1,000 each for the draft. I know, I know.

Wait, what? Isn't that funny? I said $1,000 each and you were like, no, no, no, no, no. Oh yeah, what do I win? We were like, Omakase? And you were like, no, no, no, no, no. No, no, no, no, no.

You get an apex poster. I got a punishment coming for you guys later, so don't worry about that. Yes, they'll be back with a very special surprise at the very end of the show. Great stuff, guys, appreciate it. Tremendous stuff, and tremendous stuff by our entire team all week.

Everyone back there doing incredible work. They know who they are. The did go to the Tough Enough event. Tough Enough is a promotion that has been here in Las Vegas for about 21 or so years. And we've been doing a lot of great things with the team, and we've been doing a lot of great things with the team, and we've been doing a lot of great things with the team, and we've been doing a lot of great things with the team, and we've been doing a lot of great things with the team, and we've been doing a lot of great things

with the team, and we've been doing a lot of great things with the team, and we've been doing a lot of great things with the team, and we've been doing a lot of great things with the team, and we've been doing a lot of great things with the Tough Enough event. Tough Enough is a promotion that has been here in Las Vegas for about 21 or so years. They started in the 90s. For the longest time, they were just an amateur MMA promotion. I used to go to their shows.

Back in the early days when I was coming to events, I would go to, I would try to go to as many local shows, as many local gyms as possible. Things have evolved over time. I had not been back in quite some time. Shout out to Jeff Meyer, their owner, who has invited me many times. And we found out that there was an event on Sunday afternoon at the New Sahara, which looks phenomenal.

If you're in town, go check out the Sahara. It's a beautiful, beautiful renovated hotel and casino. And so we went, and honestly, it felt good in the soul to be there. A couple hundred people live on FightPass, some notable names in attendance, Ray Cooper, Kai Kamaka, Diego Brandao fighting in the main event, winning the main event, defending his title. I got to see King Mo there, hadn't seen him in years, got to see Eric Nixik there, hadn't seen him in person in quite some time. It was just nice to be at a kind of grassroots-y Vegas show on the strip, hadn't been to one

of those in a while. And what was funny about it was we got there a little late, we're looking at our phones, we start seeing all these tweets about the tough enough event, and we start to see that there's an altercation, a scuffle, a brouhaha in the cage between Shawn Strickland and Chris Curtis and a fighter named Luis Hernandez aka The Stash who is undefeated and beat one of their teammates, gave them the old DX chop, talked some smack in response to their smack talk and there's an actual attack, if you will, in the cage. And as we get to the hotel, Hernandez is out there with his team taking pictures. I see him, I see the stash, I'm like,

wait a second, isn't that the guy? Yes, it is the guy. Spoke to him briefly. He's very confident, he's very cocky, had some words for Sean Strickland. The Good People at Toughenow actually gave us some exclusive footage of the melee. So I want to play it for all of you and then we'll play the interview with Luis Hernandez that we just happened. I'm not dressed for success in this interview. I'm very casual. I'm Sunday Helwani.

Boots on the ground, Helwani. This might be my first in-person interview as far as an MMA event is concerned since 2020. Right place, right time. Enjoy. Just stuck his tongue out to Sean Strickland. So I saw Sean smirk. And that is the end. The Stash, Luis Hernandez gets it done. He's talking to Chris Curtis and Sean. Oh, Sean. Oh, wow.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Oh, no. Oh, no. Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no., no. Yeah, I saw him sticking his tongue out at Shawn. Oh, yeah, that's way out of line, though, man. Come on, Shawn. Come on, come on, come on. Get him, though. Get him, though. Get him.

Get him, though. Get him. Hey, you fucking pussy! You like that? You guys are not entertained? I mean, there's definitely some showboating there from Hernandez. Hey! Watch your fucking mouth! Watch your fucking mouth! Watch your fucking mouth!

Watch your fucking! Watch your foot! Watch your foot! Watch your foot! Watch your foot! Watch your foot! Watch your foot! Watch your foot! Watch your foot! Watch your foot! Watch your foot!

Watch your foot! Watch your foot! Watch your foot! Watch your foot! Watch your foot! Watch your foot! Watch your foot! Watch your foot!

Watch your foot! Watch your foot! Watch your foot! Watch your foot! Watch your foot! Watch your foot! Watch your foot! Watch your foot! Watch your foot! Listen, there's only so much we could take. This is entertainment, right? So he said some things, and then I said some things back. And I guess he didn't like what I said back. You know, man? What did he say to you?

Well, he was talking shit. He was saying I was tired. He was making fun of me. I think he called me fat. OK. You know, I don't like to take that lightly. Me? He said, fuck you, Sean Strickland.

You know? And then he punched you. Yeah, he punched me. Did he connect? He did, but I'm still standing, still smiling. And I'm here with Erick Huan, the best. Yeah, he punched me. He did but I'm still standing still smiling and I'm here with Ari Hoani man the best Yeah, man. Congrats. Thank you, man. Hopefully. Yeah, I got a three second knockout. Oh, yeah amazing Yeah, man. Thank you, man. Hopefully I'll be in the UFC soon. All right I look forward to that. What a great character and I mean just what luck to just be standing there as he's leaving the venue

Thank you to tough enough for that footage I mean, just what luck to just be standing there as he's leaving the venue. Thank you to Tough Enough for that footage. Not a great look for Strickland and Curtis. A guy can say whatever he wants. You could say whatever you want. Can't throw punches. Very clearly a punch or two was thrown. But some pub for Tough Enough,

who like I said has been around for a long time and who put on a great event and I really enjoyed being there. And if you're ever in town, they've got a show coming up in San Diego I think they've got some plans to expand a little bit highly suggest it's very fun and there's some great fighters not just amateur anymore some notable names Cooper like I said Kamaka Diego Brandao etc so that's what's fun about being here especially for International Fight Week there's so much going on if

you're a fan of the BJJ stuff, there was UFC BJJ event, there was slap fighting, there was UFC X, the boys went there. There's just fighters walking everywhere. Really just a very very fun week and hopefully it could be a bit of a tradition for us to do this each and every week. We talked about it the last couple years, it didn't work out, but now that we're in this position here doing the stuff that we're doing with Yahoo and their relationship with the Venetian, it's all coming together. I wanted to provide a very positive, a very exciting update

regarding Ben Askren. He's been on our minds. As I said, we've got... So we don't have the felt custom table here today because they had an event yesterday, but I do have it right over there. It was signed by all our guests, from Tom to Izzy to Vogue

to Rosas and everyone in between. We'll get the guests who are coming in today to sign it. I will sign it as well. And we're gonna auction it off and give all the money to the Ascren family. Jake Paul on Saturday, and we'll get to Jake as well, saying that he is going to donate to the family as well. I believe he said his brother Logan will in addition to that.

So just great to see a lot of people coming together for Ben who we love and support and appreciate. This morning woke up to an amazing update from his wife Amy who wrote, We are so thankful to share that Ben has received a double lung transplant. We are forever thankful to the donor and his family. This is the beginning of a new lifestyle for Ben, but every new day he has as a gift. It still doesn't feel real that he was walking around completely healthy just five weeks ago. So much can change so quickly. Please keep Ben in your prayers that his body welcomes the new lungs as if they were his own.

I am constantly in awe of all the people carrying us through right now. I can't wait to tell Ben all about it. Keep Ben in your prayers that his body welcomes the new lungs as if they were his own. I'm constantly in awe of all the people carrying us through right now. I can't wait to tell Ben all about it. I'm hopeful that in the coming weeks Ben will be able to give the next update, but hopefully he will wait until the drugs wear off." And I was actually talking to DC about this. Like Ben is one of those guys who like doesn't want any favors, handouts, things like that, so I'm sure he's gonna feel a little uncomfortable

about all of this, but great to see so many people coming through. And most importantly, great to hear that he got the transplant surgery, that it appears to have been a success. Double lung transplant, which is insane and scary. And I can't imagine what his wife and his kids are dealing with right now,

but this was a very, very, very positive update because I'll be honest, at the beginning, there weren't a ton of positive updates. So extremely happy to hear this. Yes, Jake Paul did fight this past weekend. There was a ton of action this weekend. What a weekend for Uncrowned. Uncrowned, before we get to it, don't go to it just yet. A ton of great stuff over at uncrowned.com.

An amazing amount of coverage over on the website. Shout out to Shaheen and the whole team over there, from the Wilder fight on Friday, to the Jake fight on Saturday night, to Night of Champions and Riyadh for WWE, to of course UFC 317. And so much going on. So so proud of the site. Truly, I cannot express that enough. So proud of the site. Truly, I cannot express that enough. So proud of the coverage, so proud of the quality

of the journalism, the writing, the pre-fight stuff, the post-fight stuff, amazing. Yes, I did leave and I went to Anaheim and I worked for Dazon, I was very proud to do so and then I came back yesterday and I gotta be honest, it was by far the best MVP card that I have ever been to. And this is the thing that is a little bit funny about people who say that Jake is bad

for the sport of boxing. There were no influencers on this card. There was no NFL guy versus NBA guy. It was just banger after banger after banger. It was, and look, a lot of the big winners were Golden Boy fighters. They worked with Golden Boy, Oscar was in attendance. By the time the Jake Chavez fight happened, the place was full.

Jake was very much the heel. It was a very pro Chavez crowd. And in the end, Jake wins via a 10 round decision. I thought he could have maybe stepped his foot on the gas and tried to put him away. Julio obviously a veteran of the game. And I think he'll be very regretful of the fact that he wasn't more active early on.

It was a very boring fight early on. He was not active at all. He wasn't more active early on. It was a very boring fight early on. He was not active at all. He wasn't throwing. Jake was throwing way more than him, over 400 or so punches in total. He came on strong towards the end. Jake was tested, but again, it's another win over

a former grade, a former champion, and now we wonder what is next for Jake. Is it gonna be the Tank Davis fight, which seems to have been met with some skepticism? Is it gonna be Tommy Fury? Is it gonna be an Anthony Joshua, as he alluded to? He talked about Zerto, he talked about Jai. I think those are a mistake.

Zerto Ramirez, who fought in the co-main, should fight Jai at Pattaya. Stay away from those guys right now. You know, there's Darren Till out there. There are names out there. The fight that everyone wants to see is KSI. Doesn't seem like they're close to that. But let's see.

He seemed very happy with his performance. He said it was his best performance. And afterwards he did say that he was going to support Ben Askren, which was a really nice thing to hear, especially given the fact that they fought. To me though, the performance of the night was Floyd Schofield in his win over Tevin Farmer. Tevin Farmer, in case you don't know, is one of the all-time great veterans right now.

Has had two great close fights against Williams and Peta, lost them both, but a very, very tough out. And here's Floyd Schofield, kid Austin, who had a horrendous year. His father said he was poisoned when he was in Riyadh comes out guns blazing. This is the first round and he's knocking him down three times, starching Tevin Farmer. He was supposed to fight H2O Sylve. July of last year on the Tyson card, Tyson falls through, Sylve fights Lucas body. Sylve gets knocked out, he loses that fight.

He's supposed to, Floyd Schofield is supposed to fight Shakur Stevenson in February. That fight falls through because he gets sick. Fight week, Stevenson fights Padley, we move on and here he is against a very, very tough guy in Tevin Farmer and just absolutely annihilates him Starchism in a minute and 18 seconds. It was a great I really enjoyed the card Julian Rodriguez beat a guy named Avis Griffin who the the brass over at MVP are very excited about

Raul Curiel had a great win as well three straight finishes back to back to back and of course Holly home And of course, Holly Holm picked up her first win in a boxing ring in 12 years. Her last win was May 11th, 2013. She comes back. And let's be honest, I don't think she really wanted to come back. But with GFL falling through, with the UFC career coming to an end, she had this opportunity with MVP. She has a relationship with Nikita Bidari. And he was the CFO of the UFC

back when she was fighting the likes of Ronda Rousey and becoming champion. They bring her in at a time where they're really beefing up the women's stable that they put together. They got the show on July 11th in New York. Can't wait to be a part of that team for Netflix. And they bring in a legend like Holly Holm who fights at around the same weight as the likes of Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano and others that they brought in. They've also signed an undefeated fighter WBA lightweight champion named Stephanie Hahn there maybe working towards that. But it was really really cool to be there to watch the Hall of Famer. Holly Holm is a Hall of Famer.

I think she went into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2022. Get a win. Be there with the likes of Mike Winklejohn and Israel Martinez, her longtime agent Lenny Fresquez, and interview her in the ring afterwards. I almost botched her celebratory backflip. I don't have experience, I don't have a history interviewing Holly Holm. She whispered in my ear, she said, can you just move to the side? And there it was, and I was able to speak to her in the aftermath, which was really cool because I've interviewed her a gazillion times but never in the ring after a win,

and there's nothing that I like better than that. Like I will choose, people are like, I can't believe you missed Josh Van, no, I was in it, I was watching, whatever I missed I watched afterwards. The dream for me has always been to be in the ring, in the cage, the post-fight interviews. I will always take those opportunities.

And I'm not the watch party guy. I'm not the watch, that's their thing. And so I could either have been sitting and watching them do the watch party or working, being in the ring, talking to great fighters, being a part of a great team and broadcast for Dazon. I'll take that any time and was happy to be able to do it and then come back here. It's almost like I feel like we're locals now. Came back to my same hotel room, went to Hell's Kitchen yesterday. We had a great time there. Frank

was over the moon. He had the beef Wellington. Well done, extra well done, which I thought was an interesting choice. I like it crispy. I thought it was an interesting choice. Oh, I think I hear Frankie. Stand by. Yeah, I just want to make sure it doesn't go on air. It's not.

Okay, that's fine with me. And yes, Frankie had the beef wellington, he was very happy about it. And yeah, we've had a great time. We've had a great time. All right, back into the show. The boys will join me for one last hurrah. We have a fun little thing planned for that.

Stay tuned for that. It's going to be very, very fun. You don't wanna miss it. Rick is gonna do something that I advise them against doing but he's doing it anyway so I'm looking forward to that. Then prior to that we're going to be joined by Marabdou Ali Shvili in studio. Prior to that we're going to be joined by Peyton Talbot. Prior to that we're going to be joined by Tracy Cortez in studio but in a matter of seconds and you let me know

Frankie, you let me know when we're ready, or anyone can let me know. We are and aren't. Okay, in a matter of seconds, we're gonna be joined by the reigning defending UFC Flyway champion, the man who put in work on Saturday, dominant, dare I say one-sided performance, a third round rear naked choke win over Kaikai France.

And as I said moments ago, and it's worth repeating, the resume is that damn impressive. Four title defenses, 30 and five as a pro. They call him the cannibal. Now most wins in UFC flyweight history, 14 moving ahead of Mighty Mouse and Benavides with 13. Most finishes in UFC flyweight history with eight moving ahead of Mighty Mouse and Benavides with 13. Most finishes in UFC flyweight history with eight,

moving ahead of Mighty Mouse and Davidson Figueredo. Most submissions in UFC flyweight history with seven. On an eight fight winning streak and says he should be ranked higher and we here at Uncrowned agree. Put him in the top five, put him in the top three, pound for pound, there's no denying he's one of the best fighters in the world.

He's the pride of Brazil, he is the cannibal, he is the reigning defending UFC Flyway Champion. He's the one and only Alexandre Pantoja, who's kind enough to join us right here on the program. Hello, my friend. How are you? Parabéns. Ah, obrigado.

Thanks so much, brother. That's amazing for me, you know. Performs like that in the International Fight Week, so big for UFC, for everybody. And especially for me, you know, work very hard to fight with the Kair-Kair friends, a high-level fighter, you know, get these numbers right now, get this like recognized for the defense. That's so good, you know, making this accomplished. uh, uh, making this accomplish, uh, and, uh, these victories go to my, my wife, of course, helping me so much. My, my team, you know, a lot of things happening in this camp, you

know, uh, very confused and very, I have a staff infection, uh, antibiotics. My body's not 100%, but my mind's always keeping me helping, you know, make a fight like that. Finish the fight like that, you know, that's what I want. I want a big performance, see how much I'm involved. Every camp, that's the real victory, you know. It's crazy to hear about what you went through, the staph infection, the antibiotics. How long ago was that?

Cause you looked so good out there, you looked so dominant. How long ago was that? How bad was it, Alex? And how close were you to pulling out of the fight? I never think about to the fight, but you know, I would get some money. I don't. And I think international fights are so big, I can make a lot of money with that paper

good soul and everything else. And I would conquer a lot of things, a lot of motivation in my life to think I have money what I never think I can have in my life, but I still want more, you know. I don't want more money because I want a Ferrari. I want more money because I want to create something, not just for me, but for my family, to see the kids of my kids in a good place, you know.

But yeah, like two weeks for the fight, I get one injection, a medicine. It's Jackson, I don't know. Injection, yeah. Yeah. I called the UFC, say, hey, I'm sick. I need to use this medicine and you have to approve. And I still with antibiotics and all this stuff. I look in my photos and see June 11, I make nebulizer.

What the word for that? To specter my chest, you know, because I have uh slump okay flam yeah and uh and I feel so bad because I see what's happening with the benny asker you know start with uh stuff you know and then go to the pneumonia in there I I'm real scared about that you you know. And yeah, man, like two weeks ago for the fight, I go to the doctor, injection, antibiotics. Don't make training like I want to do, you know. Make eye training like not 100%. I remember last Wednesday before travel

to the fight three week, I make my best training. Pahumpa say that, hey, that's your best training. And then I talk with Pahumpa, yeah, because I'm not sick anymore. I can train better. But that's crazy, because everything is happening in my life. I put God in decisions. And I know this

helped me in the fight, you know. In the first round when I take Kai Carreferens in the ground, it goes easy to my favorite position, you know, taking the back, body triangle, and I not try to finish the fight, I don't try to choke him. Of course, I'm see if I have the chance, but I don't really try, you know,, I don't try to choke him. Of course, I'm see if I have the chance, but I don't really try, you know, because I don't want to use all my energy in that situation because I know my body is not 100%. And I just control the fight and in the same situation he escape off the back, give me the Katagatami position. And when I grab the

Katagatami, I hear Parhumpa screaming, saying, don't use your energy. Don't use your energy. Just take the position, but don't use your energy. Don't try to make all power. Because maybe if the fight go to the five rounds, I need that energy. I need to save the energy, you know. And I understand that me, Parhumpa shows connection in that fight. And then I go to the second round, kai-karafrace look better. But then when I go to the third, I see kai-karafrace say, bro, I want to fight. If you want to fight, let's go fight. I feel super comfortable and ready.

Because a lot of people say about the takedown defense kai-karafans have, and I train a lot for that. The powerful kai-karafans have in their hands. And the first minute of the fight, I make a stretch punch, jab and cross. Yeah, yeah. Cross. Okay. And he feel my hands, you know, and then I take him down in the first minute of the fight. Yeah. Because I'm training so hard, you know, every fights I have, every, uh, solid fighter I have, I'm involved. I train for the guy because I know if the guy can fight for the belt, he has the prime, you know, he's in his prime because when I fight for the belt for the first time with the Moreno,

I put everything on the table, you know, I know he's come to the guy come to fight for the belt with everything that's that's the prime when you fight for the belt, that's your prime in time in your life, you know, and I train a lot for Kakao France. I'm a very good fighter, but I think I give my best in that night. I can put all... I see that involved when I fight to pass a quarter. I try to not get hit all the time. I see I'm a better fighter right now. I have more technique. I can put that out. I'm a better fighter right now. I have more technique. I can put that out. The guys in the gym know that, but I can show you now in the octagon. I use more my skills. I still have this challenger spirit, but with a champion mentality. And I use that in my favor. And that's working very good.

It's interesting to hear you say that you still have the challenger spirit, even though you are the champ and you deserve more, you deserve more respect and love, because I feel like you're kind of growing in to becoming the champ. Even the aftermath of the win, you didn't really celebrate. It was almost like you just kind of brushed your shoulder

and you were like, okay. After that fight? Yes, after the fight. After that one. Yes. How come? About that, about that, yeah. Like a lot of things happen in this fight camp, you know.

A lot of pressure on myself and I put a lot of pressure because I feel I'm not 100%, my body's not 100%. But I know something I need to pass through, you know. And when I finish the fight, I just like I realized, like everything I passed through in this camp, don't pull out of the fight, of course. And get a victory like that in a very high level fighter, you know. And so when you are feeling this, when you're a little bit maybe, you know. And so when you are feeling this, when you're a little bit maybe, you know,

worried because you're not 100%, did you feel like your confidence was not as high as opposed to the Asakura fight or the Moreno fight? Like, were you a little bit doubtful about the performance because you had been through so much to get to this fight? That's some words I think in my head. And I say that words when I fight to the Moreno. And I think about that words when I fight to write out with Kairk our friends.

It's about don't be afraid of the success. What I mean is like if you work so hard for something, if you're training a lot every day, if you put your best work so hard for something, if you train a lot every day, if you get, you put your best all the time for something, sometimes you put your head, you don't like, you're not going to realize because maybe because I have staffed for because maybe my body have not 100% but I want so much something. If I lose, that's okay.

But I need to fight. I need to fight. And I don't be afraid of the SUS because I'm there. I'm real. I go to the fight. I know why I want so much that. I talked with you about that before. It's not about the fan. It's about the chance to be a champion one more time. Right now, Monday, June 30th, I'm not a more champion of the world. When I fight with Joshua again, the opportunity I have, I have an opportunity to get this belt. I have an opportunity to be a champion of the world again. That's my mentality.

That's about the challenger mentality, the challenger spirit, you know. So everyone right now seems to agree that the top four fighters in the world, pound for pound, are, and this is in no particular order, Ilya Toporya, Issam Mahachev, Murab Dua-Le-Shvili, and yourself. Can I get your ranking? Because you said you didn't like where you were ranking. Of course. No, of course. I have that for you. If you put the belt on the table, if you put the title defense, fight for the belt and the table and you put some score to every title defense, I put Salomakashev in first, Pantolian in second, Mirab, Thor, Topur. But like a fighter, I'm an athlete. I see how incredible, incredible is Topur. I love to watch Topur fight, man. I'm a huge fan to

Charles. Charles is an icon from Brazil. I believe in Charles can get the victory and everything else. But to put it so good, I talk with, I say that for to put it like a two years ago. I mean, I'm a huge fan. I love how you fight and to put it, it's amazing. You know, get like a two belts, you know, he make what every fighter wants, make, you know, double champ. Yeah. Something unique, you know, he make what every fighter wants, make, you know, double champ, something unique, you know, everybody want to be special, everybody would want to be unique in something. And he got this list, you know, maybe you put Slaan to Puyo and then you have Merab. Merab had a fight with Jose Aldo, fight with Petrion, a lot of legends he fight, you know, and maybe myself. But if you put the belt, and I think

that's, I love all the fights, I love Merab. Mirab for me is a huge fan about his life, about his right now. Seeing Mirab is happy makes me happy, you know, because you know, hard work. I love to see hard work people win in the life, you know, because I did the same. That's why O'Malley never, never going to win Mir never gonna win Mirabe. Omali is a very good fighter. I know that. Mirabe is a very good fighter, very talented guy. But Omali, he chooses to be a fighter. Mirabe is born to fight. And never Omali gonna win Mirah. He can fight ten times, Merah gonna win ten times. But yeah, of course, if you got the numbers, if you have the belts, it's not make sense. I'm not getting the second position or just after Islam Akashat. The scene after the fight with Josh Vann coming into the cage after his win was amazing. I love when those things happen because it gets us excited about the future.

You guys had a great face off as well. Can I ask, were you okay with that? I know some fighters don't like that because they feel like it's their moment. So were you okay with him being brought in? And do you agree with the idea that he is next to fight you? Are you okay with that? Yeah, about that, like my team don't like that. My team don't like the guy go to the, go to inside the cage

because the same thing you talk right now, like it's my moment, my team moment, you know. But when the fights over, one of the guys from UFC, his same age, Joshua, come to the oct And I'm like, you okay with that? I'm okay with it. I really, really okay. You know, that's the business. That's the UFC. When I'm inside of the Octagon, I'm the Alexander Pontagio, the cannibal, UFC fighter, you know. I'm agreeing with everything the company did for the show, you know, and I'm okay with that. But of course, Monday I'm back to be a Alexander Poteja father,

Galván Nicolas, Gabriela Hesmet. But of course, when I worked at UFC, I'm agreeing with everything. And I know this is good for the company, you know, and Josh Chivan is amazing. I followed Josh Chivan a couple purple fights and he looks amazing. He's very good charmer for me. I think he's the big charmer I have in my whole career right now. A young kid with so much motivation, you know, and it's going to be amazing.

You know, it's like maybe rock six, the movie. When the rock fight with this young kid is it's gonna be amazing. I love the challenge, I love the possibility to fight with the best guys from all over the world. My last five fights for the belts. the belts. My last five fights for the belts. Mexican, American, Rival, you have Australia, SEG, you have a Japan, you have New Zealand, you have France. And now what did the country? Myanmar. What is the country? Myanmar. Myanmar. Is in Asia, yeah? Yeah.

It's a very small country. Yeah, very small. Yeah, that's so nice, bro. That's so nice. This kid with his spirit, he looks so young. He has this, like, he's not afraid of anything, you know. That's so cool to see that in him, you know. This like a young spirit, you know. And I think that fight makes sense in him, you know, this like a young spirit, you know.

And I think that fight makes sense a lot, you know, he fight with Reval. Reval is the number one contenders. Very good fight. In my vision, I don't see the whole fight because I make my own map and everything. But I think maybe Reval won the fight, but in the last seconds, Josh won the knockdown and still the fight, stall the fight but in the last seconds Joshua knocked out and stole the fight. So he said in the in the brief exchange you've never fought anyone like him before. Do you agree that he's the toughest guy? Do you agree that he's the best guy? I mean you

you mentioned those names those are some legends of game, former champions and all that. Do you think he will be the trickiest, the toughest test so far as champion? 100 percent. 100 percent. He has this young spirit. He don't make a lot of wars like I did in the past. You know, he don't cut your weight like 35 times. You know, this is something, you know. And I love that. I love I love this. Like he come with amazing victories with Ray Tatsuta, Bruno

Bulldog and Luan Reyna Reval. What a fight, man. What a fight. I'm excited to that challenge. I'm excited to get back in the gym, start to train for that guy, you know, and it's going to be amazing to have that opportunity to fight someone like him. And fresh, you know, not just fresh because he's young, but fresh someone nobody expect can fight right now, you know. It's not a rematch for me. That's good for the whole division. Would you like to fight again this year? Even despite the health issues, you think you'll be good back into the year? December, let's go.

I love fighting Vegas. I love fighting Vegas. The team is so beautiful right there. All the time is a fool. Uh, you have the UFCPI to help to fluctuate and everything else. Uh, and especially because I get sport or times the belt there, you know, and, uh, I think I have this possibility, you know, to, to kind of fight in the last PPVL of the year. Yes. Uh, it seems like you have this look,

this cadence going on where you fight in, in the summertime in Vegas and then in December. So the timing would work out. We did. I was presently. Yeah, that's right. You have residency here. I'm gonna leave in Vegas.

I love it. We did see a moment there with you and Murab where you said to him like, Hey, cause you know, now it seems like more and more people are talking about you and Murab as a potential super fight. You said you had no interest. Can you explain why?

Why do you have no interest in moving up to 135? Is it about Murab or is it just because you're happy being at 125? Is 135 too big? What's the reason behind it? First, because my division is so challenging for me. Many people say, but you fight with everybody in your division, you beat everyone. But yes, I have a lot of good names to fight. I still want to fight with Emanuel Kapp.

I still want to fight with Almir Al-Baz. I still want to fight again with Emanuel. You know, have so much challenges for me there. I love to fight in my division. 125 for me, it's one of the best divisions in whole UFC. You have a ninja guy. We can grapple, we can strike, we can have card to five, ten rounds in the same speed. same speed. And of course, everybody want the same thing I talk about to Puyo. Everybody want to be unique in something. Everybody wants to be some special. Everybody want to be double champion UFC. And of course I want to, but I need to protect my division. If I want to 135, it's a huge body difference I need to get. I need to get more 10 pounds.

I need to work much more to that moment. Of course, if I beat Mirab, who love to watch Mirab fight. I love to watch Mirab win. I love to watch Mirab enjoy his life. He's amazing personal, amazing human, phenomenal that money stock sometimes, I want to hear money talk with me. But if you want to do something, I want to say something crazy, make a BMF and make 130 pounds. Not me, not's not Mirab. Why not? You know, Mirab, we just can do whatever we want, you know?

I don't need to put my belt on vacation. Mirab don't need to do anything. And it's make more fair. I don't know. But I'm 125 champion, you know. I need to defend my division. I love to watch my division grow up so much. I see how much this division is more appreciated right now. Everybody loves Rueval and Josh Van. That's the best fight and one of the best fights in the world and the year. I love the fact that you want to stay at 125, that you want to defend, that you want to give

other people an opportunity. And as I read before you came on, you're passing Demetrius Johnson in all the records except for one, the title defenses. You still have a way to go. in all the records except for one, the title defenses. You still have a way to go. You know, he started with the title, you know, he was in that tournament and he got the belt right off the bat, but then the breaks. Is this a big deal for you? Now that you're racking them up,

are you starting to think about, I know we talked about DJ in the past and your desire to fight him and obviously he's retired now, but are you starting to think about, if I get a little bit closer, maybe I can do something special here and really cement myself as the greatest of all time. You know, that's not something I just I will follow, you know, because I have 35 right now.

I'm very real, man. You know, I'm fighting a lot to get this position, you know. But, you know, how many years I have in my career, you know, maybe three, you know, and fighting so high level is so hard, especially to train, especially to train. I'm training very hard, you know. That's why sometimes I get sick in my training camps because I'm training very hard. My training part, one of my best training parts is say to me, hey man, when I finish this part with you, I need to get some medicine because we go too hard. And that's what I like. Every time I train is very hard, it's very intense. It doesn't matter if I hit bad, conditional or just drills. I get everything. I get 100%. That's what I like to do.

I don't go to the gym like just one more day. I go to the gym to put everything, you know, to give my best. And that's why I think, but get time. you know, what I try to say, like I fight to when I start to fight, I have 17. I talked about that before when I have 23, the same age Josh will have, I'm working the restaurant, you know, I clean plates in the restaurant, you know, and I take some time to get this belt, you know, now I have 35. Of course, I can't even see with this belt for a couple years, you know. And I love to that position right now, you know, that Charlie right now, that Yankee, I want that, I want that so bad. But I don't follow records,

I don't follow numbers, I don't follow any fighters, you know, I just try to prove myself every day. I have an amazing team on my side. I talk about right now with my wife, she put some posts in the Instagram and I say, my family is my team, My team is my family. That's what I like to see the things go up. I see a lot of, in this fight week, when I cut my weight on Friday morning, I see a lot of fighters with huge teams,

supporting to cut weight and everything else. And I have my coordinates, of course, Parrumpa, Luciano Macarrão, Everton. And I have my kids, Kawei and Nicholas with me. My kids, again, is part of my team, helping me to cut my weight. My two kids help me do that. My kids don't, in the same moment,

I start to cut my weight. my kids don't drink water, my kids don't take the phone. He stay with my side, you know, to help me. Or as my coach say, get the ice. My kids ready to take the ice, get the towel. My kids ready to take the towel, you know. That's so amazing. That is opportunity for my kids to see everything inside, you know, I had this opportunity for my kids to see everything inside, you know, this maturity my kids have and this weakness with my coaches. That's amazing life. Oh my God, you are a blessed man.

I love when your wife comes in the cage, when your kids are there hugging you. It's so amazing to hear you talk about your family and also your extended family at ATT. You had Kayla Harrison winning the belt just a few weeks ago, you doing your thing. You see Kayla Harrison winning the belt just a few weeks ago. You doing you see Kayla Harrison there and the crowd. Yeah, she's cheating so much. And then one side you have Kayla Harrison. The other side you have Amandana Nunes. Both girls, both warmest. Cheers

like cheers for me like so bad like that's unique. You know, that's so good for me. When I arrived in the America Top Team seven years ago, Amanda is the champion. And I learned a lot with her, you know, how to be a good champ. And then I have Kayla Harrison right now. I see how hard she worked to get this belt, you know, to make the weight, to make everything perfect. You know, she's an amazing athlete. And we talk about that. Maybe she's the best fighter athlete, like a combat athlete. We talk about that, about Henry Seahood, because he won the world title medal. And then he got the lightweight champion, bent away champion. But what Kayla Harrison did is amazing.

Two times gold medalist, two times PFL champ, now UFC champ. Now she's going to fight to the amount that's the best, the biggest women's fight ever. Yes, and next up for ATT, it's Dustin Poirier and his retirement fight. And he's training so hard right now. I see him. He looks amazing. He's got like a 10-pack over there. It's unbelievable. You are unbelievable, Alex. It's amazing to watch you do your thing. I love the way you conduct yourself, how respectful you are and just the kind of killer. I equated you, I said you're like an anaconda,

like a snake out there. When you get there back, it's unbelievable to see you go to work and once again, another finish for you. So again, parabéns, congratulations. Thank you as always for the time, enjoy the victory. I hope you get back to 100% soon and we see you back in the cage in the near future.

Of course. Thanks so much. I got a call coming, but thanks so much again. That's so special about you. You so long in this sport. And the same thing I talked to the joy when I left off the sport, you're going to stay here to help another guys to get that shine. You know, thanks so much. One more time. Keep doing your job. We need you. We need people like you in this sport. You know, you need real people. You know, thank you so much one more time, brother.

That means the world to me. Thank you, Alex. All the best to you and congrats again. There he is, the reigning defending UFC Flyway champion. What a great guy. How could you not be a fan? And not just because he said those very nice things about me, how could you not be a fan of this guy?

The way he speaks of his family, the way he speaks of the sport, humility. Being the guy who's going to stay in his division and defend his title and not leave and not leave people hanging and be okay with fighting people multiple times. He says all the right things, he does all the right things. And then he goes out there and he finishes fights. It's amazing to watch. He's an absolute stud. Coming up, we'll be joined by Marabdawali Shafili

back into the show, Peyton Talbot as well. In a matter of seconds though, one of the most popular fighters in the UFC, the great Tracey Cortez is gonna join us. She had a big win over Viviani Araujo on Saturday. Her first win in almost two years. Her last win was the Noche UFC card, the first one in September of 2023. She lost in July of 24 to Rosamunis. She had a year off, a tumultuous year, and

she came back and won on Saturday against Viviani Araujo. Is she there? She is in fact here. The great Tracy Cortez is here and Tiki is here too. Wow, you know it's a big deal. Hello Tracy, how are you? Tiki, how are you my guy? Good to see you, yes. Good to see you, you look fantastic. Please have a seat right over there Tracy.

Thank you so much for coming in. Appreciate you very much. Congratulations. This is our Las Vegas set. We're usually in New York. This is awesome. Yes, it is cool. We could play a little York. This is awesome. Yes, it is cool. We could play a little poker in between.

I don't, I don't, I don't. Neither do I. I just like to say that because it looks like we're in a poker studio here. Congratulations. Thank you. You still got the braids? I do, I do.

Do you usually keep them in? I don't, I normally take them off literally the same night. Okay. But my girl, she just, she got down. She killed it with the hearts on the side. How long does that take by the way? She's so fast. What does that mean? She's from? LA but she's so fast. I mean she came in I mean she she was that my Airbnb I want to say like around 10 and she was done before 11 Less than an hour. Yeah to do all that. She's so fast. She's so good Wow

Well, you look good and you fought good. Thank you. Are you happy? Because I felt maybe a little bit like you were a little bit disappointed in the immediate aftermath. I was. Why? It's just not the way I wanted to win.

I wanted to finish. You know, I wanted to set a statement, but I was just listening to my coaches, my corner men. The game plan was to be patient with her. Be patient because she was fast, she's explosive, so I just stuck to the game plan. She's tough, she's a veteran. Was she tougher than you thought?

No, no, no, no. She was exactly how I thought the fight was gonna go, to be honest, yeah. So then you can't be that disappointed. I mean, a little bit, a little bit. I'm my worst critic. Yeah, but it was dominant. It wasn't close really.

Thank you. And finishes aren't always gonna come. You should be happy you had been away for quite some time. You know, I couldn't believe this. You said, obviously you had never fought on an International Fight Week card. That's clear, you could look at the resume. You never attended one as well?

Yeah. That shocks me. Yeah. Why not? I don't know. You were never invited, you were never like a guest fighter? I'm really low key. You don't usually like to go- Unless it's like noche or a Mexico card where I could, you know,

gift like my tías, my aunts and uncles to experience, cause they don't know what I do. They just know I fight. They don't know to the level. Yeah, they don't know everything that goes behind it. They're like, oh, she just fought, she won. You know? Do they even watch?

They do watch. But I don't think they could understand, cause they're just old style. They're like, just typical. I call her my little tia, mi tia pequeña. She's like traditional, like rancho. She just, she doesn't get the lights, the camera. To her, I'm just her baby.

You know what I mean? Like I'm not Cortez MMA. Superstar. Yeah. And so you won't go if you're not there for a reason, you won't be a, you won't be a guest fighter or something like that, but now that you got to be a part of it, did it feel different? Did it feel special?

This is one of the bigger cards of the year and it ended up being maybe the best card of the year. Did it feel like a bigger deal? Oh man, I can get the chills just thinking about it. Yeah. Yeah, it was huge. It was such an experience. It was such an experience.

It was so crazy. I mean, compared to like a normal fight week, this was just intense. Like you could just feel the energy. The amount of people at the weigh-ins and all that stuff. Yeah. I saw you saying in the post-fight press conference that you were hounding your manager saying like,

get me a fight, get me a fight. You were ready to go as of January or so. Yeah, yeah. But it all worked out. Everything worked out great. You know, God's plan, it was if, Saturday, this past Saturday, if that was when I was meant to fight,

then that's when I was meant to fight. So your last fight was in January, no, in July. You wanted to fight in January, you fought Rose. Why did it take you so long to come back? I was going through health issues. Right, you alluded to this. Are you comfortable talking about it or no? A little bit.

I don't want to get into too much detail. Okay, no, I understand. You have surgery too, right? Yeah. So what could you tell us about it? Because you were a little bit vague in the in the presser, but it sounded, you know, you talked about your family's history with cancer. So then all of a sudden your mind goes there. Yeah. What were you dealing with? They found tumors. Wow. Like in my abdominal area. And three, three huge ones. And it was just, it was really scary. It was really scary. At that point I was like, you know, excuse my language, but I was like, fuck fighting, fuck everything else.

Like my health, I don't want to die. Of course. So that was my immediate thought. We did biopsies and oh, just talking about it feels so heavy. No, I understand. But besides my fighting, everything else, I was just really focused on my health, you know, and my dad was with me every step of the way. He took time off work, he was staying with me at my house, he was taking care of me.

That's intense stuff. Were you in pain? Like how did you find it? How did you know you had this? I was in Brazil and I started feeling weak. I started getting symptoms. And I was in Brazil for, I think I was out there for like a little over a month and I started feeling these symptoms. And me being me, I have such a high pain tolerance. I was like, no, I have such a high pain tolerance.

I was like, no, I'm fine. I probably just ate something bad. And surely after, I wanna say it just happened overnight. I started feeling very ill and I was like, oh my God, I gotta go back home. And I booked the flight back home and went straight to the ER. Wow.

And yeah, got biopsies. And when was this? Was it late last year? No, oh yes, yeah, late last year. Okay. Yeah, towards the end of last year. Wow, and how were you handling it? Like mentally, emotionally? It was hard, even talking about it right now.

You know, it was hard, it was something that... Yeah, I mean, I was like, dad, I'm sorry, because his heart sunk, you know, and was like, Dad, I'm sorry, because his heart sunk. And he took time off work. And most importantly, my family. I think we've been through so much and I can't help but feel like, oh my God, I'm so sorry, I'm putting you guys through this. And just hearing them, there's nothing to apologize.

So that felt good. Obviously, you said you want to be okay, you want to be okay you want to be healthy was there any doubt or fear that you might not be able to fight again because of this? There was there was and and that kind of crushed me there was a there was a lot of things where they were telling me like hey you might not do this and you might not be able to go through this and X Y and Z, there was a lot. There was a lot. And I kind of went through, I was pretty depressed. Yeah, I can imagine. Yeah, it was just a whirlwind of emotions.

It was so heavy, oh my goodness. When did you turn the corner? When did you feel like you were back to 100%? So we got the biopsies, the results, and they're like, hey, non-cancerous, but we're gonna stay on top of it. Immediately had surgery, got them all removed. And then I went to the gym, I want to say almost three weeks later, and started easing

my way into it. And then sometime in January, I was like, you guys, like, I'm getting in shape. I'm feeling good. You know, let's book me a fight. I just wanted to get my headspace out of that what I just went through. So I was trying to use fighting as an outlet. And my team was like, no. And then behind my team's back, I was calling Tiki.

I was like, Tiki, book me a fight. And Tiki's connected with my coaches. So like I said, everything paid out the way it was supposed to. So the disappointment over not getting a fight in January wasn't because the UFC didn't want to book you. It was for your own good. Yeah. People were looking out for you. And you acknowledge now probably it was probably best to wait a little bit? Absolutely. I mean, I would have been in camp just not with the right mindset.

Right. You know, everything is, with my team, I have such a great support system. My mentor, Dave, I mean, I talk to him on a daily basis and he helps, he makes sure, hey, how's your mind? How are you spiritually? How's your physical, like, how are you physically? How are you feeling?

How's your team? Are you overwhelmed? Are you frustrated? Are you stressed? What's going on? Like, he literally sets a foundation that makes sure everything runs smooth. And then my coaches are, I mean, they're the best. They're the best. I've known since I was 18. You know, Eddie Cha, he's, I mean, one of the best track and coaches in the world. And Angel, my,. Angel, my big brother's best friend. So I have a great support system. And they really looked out for me. Your mentor is not a coach.

No. What would you describe him as? What does he do for his living? He is the owner of Fight Ready, of the gym where... Okay, he's the owner, but he's more of like a confidant, someone who you talk... Almost like a, not like a sports psychologist, but like you speak to him on a daily basis about what's going on? He's just a wise man and I respect him very much.

The way he handles things, the way he approaches things is me, like the old version of me, I would be like, oh my God, there's this and I'm overwhelmed. He's like, hey, there's a solution to every problem. Like stop stressing. Like it's not a big deal. Like he's just so, I don't know, I don't know how to explain it, but he's changed, I mean, he's changed my life completely. You know, taking accountability of everything in my life, everything that I've gone through.

He's the expectations of how I should be living, the standards of everything. Like, yeah, he's an incredible person. And so how does your body feel after the fight? I feel great. No problems after going through all that. You just went through a 15 minute, three round fight. Yeah.

No issues. None, I feel great. I mean, the best I've ever felt. Wow. You know, the strongest I've ever felt. The strongest I've ever felt. From January to now, I was lifting. My cardio was in top shape. I felt great.

So you've had this cadence where you're almost fighting once a year. Can we get two in this year maybe? You know what? Yes. And that is a promise. Is that the plan? Because you're midway through, you still have six or so months left. Absolutely. Yeah, I'm healthy. And I said it, I'm very vocal.

If I can get booked, I mean, noche, you know, right around the corner. That's the one. Yeah, noche or if not September, October. Okay. So I'm ready. And first win in two years, almost two years, do you feel like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders? You know, I don't, I'm happy I won. I'm so happy I won.

Obviously no one wants to lose. But my thing is like, okay, I won. I celebrated with friends and family. Okay, what's next? Okay. I don't sit on that victory for. Okay. I mean, I just won.

Or the loss, or the loss. Like, meaning the loss, if you had not, if you had been winning actively, it's one thing, but because you were sitting on this loss for a year, and your last one was two years ago, I was just wondering if you felt like you needed to get back in the winner's circle to feel that feeling again.

Yeah, you know, that loss, it kind of haunted me a little bit. It haunted me, and during the camp, I kept telling the coaches, well, what if this happens in the fight? Like that happened in the Rose fight, you know, certain scenarios. And Santino, he looked at me dead in the eyes. He goes, hey, that's fucking gone.

Yeah. Like that doesn't exist no more. Like it's gone. It's the past. Like you're right here right now. Like prepare for this girl. You're not, you know, like he, they, they just kind of shifted my perspective and yeah. What happened in that fight? It was a two week notice. I wasn't, I wasn't prepared. I wasn't ready.

The weight cut was tough. The weight cut was extremely hard, extremely hard. I mean, one of the hardest weight cuts I've ever had, you know. Were you close to pulling out? No, never, never. I was willing to pulling out? No, never. Never. I was willing to do whatever it took. Clearly. You cut your hair.

Was that tough? You know, the next morning I woke up and I was like, yeah, we made weight and I did this and it was just so short and I was like, oh my God, no. But I'm not emotionally attached to it. You know what I mean? I mean, I've seen my brother go through cancer and he lost his hair. It's just so many things in life, material things that I'm just not attached to it, you know? So... Did you regret taking the fight in the aftermath? Obviously, you know the result, so hindsight is 20-20, but did you feel like it was a mistake? No, no. Everything happens

for a reason. Everything is supposed to play out the way it's supposed to. It was a great experience. It was a great experience. I learned a lot from it. I learned that I can do five-minute rounds without even preparing for it. My cardio was there. I learned that I can compete with one of the best, Rose, one of the best strikers, if not the best female striker in the

women's division. And it's one of those things where I was ready to bang and she just kept wrestling. And I was preparing for another opponent at the time and I just wasn't wrestling. I wasn't wrestling that camp at all. I was having a lot of back issues so I couldn't wrestle. So I was mostly striking for that, for like, in that time. And the intense weight cut, that probably affected. Not to offer up excuses here, but like when you go through something like that, it doesn't always bode well for the fight. Yeah, it did. You know, I did feel the weight cut. Like, I felt weak in the fight. You know, and I remember walking out and I looked at my coach and I was like, damn, she was strong.

You know, and normally I'm pretty built. So I feel strong. And I've never felt, I can never say I felt weak in a fight. And I did feel that weight cut affect me. But no excuses, you know, I'm not, but I did feel it. I'm curious with everything that you've been through over the past year, you didn't really share much of it at all, if I'm not mistaken.

Was there any particular reason for that? You know, sometimes like, you know, you're active on social media, I see you on X, on Instagram, whatever, but you didn't really share any of this. How come? I used to be very, very public with my life. But privacy is luxury. People feel very entitled to voice how I should be living my life. And I just, yeah.

I just, I don't wanna put myself, yeah. You've changed your approach to it. Yeah. Okay. And it was just one of those things where Yeah, I just, I don't want to put myself, yeah. You've changed your approach to it. Yeah. Okay. And it was just one of those things where it's, I just don't feel the need to share it. You know, it's, as long as my family loves me, my family sees me, they see the woman

that I'm trying to become, you know, I'm not selling myself short. I'm trying to be respectful. I'm trying to be honorable, you know, to, to, I'm staying true to myself. Yeah. And people can voice their opinions, but no one knows me. So in the, that leads me to the, the post fight interview with, with Joe on Saturday. Yeah.

You spoke in Spanish. I don't really understand Spanish. I mean, en poquito, mas o menos, things like that. But I had a feeling I knew what you were referring to, everything going on in America right now, right? And then in the post-presser, you said like, you something, correct me if I'm wrong, like you would be a coward if you didn't speak up.

Did you plan that? Or did you say like going into the fight, if I get the microphone, if I win, I'm going to talk about this? Or was it a spur of the moment thing? It's something that, it's kind of been weighing heavy on me. You know, I was in camp and I've seen everything that's been happening and it broke my heart.

It broke my heart because I'm first generation here in the US. So I talked to my dad, he said, hey dad, what do you think about this? You know, him being that he's from Mexico, my mom, I mean, they came here to give me us, their children, a better life. And he was like, look, and he gave me his opinion and his thought about it. And it was just, I told him, I said, Dad, I can't help but like, it breaks my heart. Because if it weren't for you guys making the sacrifices that you did, I wouldn't be here right now. I wouldn't be fighting in the biggest platform in the world. I wouldn't have the fans that I have. I wouldn't have had this opportunity. And I think there's a lot of lack of empathy. And I prayed on it so much

because I was so scared. I was so scared. Scared to talk about it? Yeah, because it's such a sensitive topic, you know, and it's just one of those things where I realized, hey, if I'm going to again, it's just staying true to myself. And if you support me, you support my culture, you support what I stand, you support what's right. Obviously, there's right and wrong ways to go about certain things, but a big, if not almost all

of my fan base is Latin America, Mexicans specifically. And again, I stand by that. If I wouldn't have spoken spoke up about it I felt like I would have been coward like of me and I just I wanted to be a voice not just for people around the world but for those close to me like my dad. Can I ask what did you say? Yeah I I said that I, I don't think I'm qualified. I don't know if I'm qualified or educated enough to speak on such a sensitive topic,

but it was weighing heavy in my heart. And a lot of athletes that are Mexicans or Latin based aren't speaking on it. And it's sad. And I hope I could be a voice. And I just pray that, you know, God speaks to me when I do speak about it because it is a scary topic to talk about, especially, you know, having millions of people watching you. And everyone has their opinion about what's right and wrong, but

I hope I could be the right voice that speaks on it. I hope Yeah Are you happy you did it? I am happy. Did you feel any kind of relief or pride or like what did you feel when you were letting that out and especially in the aftermath? Specifically, I was just thinking about my dad. Okay. You know, that, I mean, I was going through this journey

of MMA, of fighting in the UFC, to keep my brother's legacy alive, his memory alive, living his dream. And then throughout the journey, it became my dream. And now I'm like so passionate about what I do. And I wanted to make my mom proud. I mean, I've been very vocal about it. Me and my dad were never close up until I mean, I want to say maybe three, four years now. Where that man became my best friend and now I have the honor and privilege to be like, okay, I'm a daddy's girl. And now I can make my dad proud.

And like I said, I don't really, I can care less what the world thinks about me. I can care less about people's opinion about me. As long they know who I am, they know how I carry myself. I'm trying to go about things in a respectful, honorable way. I don't want my dad to see me sell myself short. I want my dad to see, yo.

Does he say that? Does he speak like that? Yeah, he's from, we're from the gutters, man. But I just want them to see like, hey, you raised a strong woman. You raised a woman with a strong mindset and I hope I can make him proud. What did he say to you afterwards about it?

I was, ah, I don't want to get emotional. I saw him walking out and he looked at me and he thanked me and he yelled, he goes, viva Mexico, mi hija. And he thanked me. That's amazing. Yeah, it was a beautiful feeling. You're going to make me emotional just thinking of that. By the way, can I ask how did you get back together or maybe not back together,

like how did you get stronger together? How did you forge this relationship that you didn't have with your dad? You said three or four years ago. What happened? What prompted it? I mean, if I'm gonna be transparent here, I obviously went through a public breakup and he saw what I went through.

He saw what I went through and he was there for me. Yeah, he was there for me. So he was reading things or he saw what you were dealing with? Like he saw your look on your face, the way your body was, the way your mentality was. Was he seeing things from afar or was he seeing things in his interactions with you?

He just saw how everything played out and how people started assuming things and nasty comments and how the world was attacking me and making false accusations. And I mean, he saw the truth he saw everything that happened and he was there for me he was really there for me so so so a very tough thing led to an incredible thing happening yeah weird how that works it's and it was it's insane because someone that I didn't think did you have any relationship with him at that point yeah Yeah, you know, I mean, I've always, even though me and him were always bumping heads.

Why? Just from a young age, I was, my fault. That was, I was a trouble maker. Yeah, I was very much a trouble maker. Okay, like what kind of trouble? Like getting into fights or not going to school or? I was doing things, like I said before, we grew up very traditional machismo household.

Okay. You know, my family wanted me to go to school, come back home, cut clean. And that was it. And you were like, no thanks. And I grew up with all brothers. So seeing my brothers, I was like, well, I want to do sports. And I never understood why I couldn't do what my brothers were doing. So I just rebelled. I rebelled. And looking back now, my dad, he just didn't know what to do with me because growing up with brothers, I grew up with that mindset of like, oh, I'm one of the dudes, and they were just trying to protect me.

And they never could explain it to me. Like, No Miha, you're a woman, they were just trying to protect me. And their way of explaining things to me was like, well, why can't I do it? Because I said no. Because I said no. And I was just like, why? And I just ended up reveling. And looking back now, I apologize to him.

I said, dad, you know what? You were dealing with the death of my brother. And then there I was ruining my life. He didn't know what to do. You know, he just lost his son and then here I am sneaking out, doing drugs, getting into things. It was that intense? Yeah.

Wow. And so we just, we never looked. I was young, I was ignorant, I was grieving. Do you think you were doing that because of what you were dealing with? Absolutely. Okay. Yeah. That was your way of coping with it?

Yeah, because I wasn't able to do anything else. I wasn't able to, I mean, they literally just had me go to school in the house. I couldn't go to a friend's house. I couldn't do nothing. Why not? Because it was just a thing. Like, I mean, I'm sure a lot of Hispanics could relate

where especially the daughters, oh, can I go spend the night at a friend's I mean, I'm sure a lot of Hispanics could relate where especially the daughters, oh, can I go spend the night with friends? Well, do they have a dad? Yeah, no. I was like, what? It was just like, yeah. Do they have a dad? Do they have a dad?

Do they have brothers? Yeah, no. I was like, okay. Why? Because they don't want you in the house with... They were, I'm telling you, they were just so protective with me. I think I was their only daughter. I am their only daughter. My dad's only daughter. And they're the youngest. I'm telling you, they were just so protective with me. I was their only daughter.

I am their only daughter. My dad's only daughter. I'm the youngest. I'm the baby. I'm the baby. So they were just so protective and they were so scared to just let me grow up. They try to just shelter me so much. Was he okay with you becoming a fighter?

Yeah. Okay, he was okay in the end. Yeah. How did he, so how does that work? Because he didn't want you to fall in your brother's footsteps or do athletics. Why was he okay with this in the end? We've just grown so much. We've grown so much, we've matured, we've understood,

we've gotten out of our own habits, our own ways. And we've just learned, hey, you know, like the past is the past, and we just don't need to talk about it no more. And we just, from here on out, we wanna have a better relationship for our future. And we do, it's really beautiful. Does he go to your fights?

Yeah. Okay, so he was there on Saturday, that was the interaction. And now you're super close. I talk to him every day. Wow, that's crazy. And no fighting. No fighting.

No bickering, no rebelling. I call him like, dad, guess what happened? And he just listens. Wow. Passa amiga. Yeah. And what has the,

I don't even know if you pay attention to this, but like you speaking up, has it been what you wanted? Were you happy with the reaction to it? Are you getting a lot of support as a result? Because I know it's not easy to do that on such a big stage. Yeah, it's 50-50. But again, I'm not here, I can't please the world.

I can't please everyone. I'm not perfect. I have my own opinion. I have my own thoughts, my own journey, you know, my own thoughts, my own journey. And I'm just going to stay true to it. But it's been 50-50. I do have a lot of support from my community. Yeah. But I feel like you don't even pay attention to that stuff as much, right? At all. You can't. It will mess you up.

You can't. It will mess you up. Yeah. Well, you know, it's because I kid you not, I went through almost two death experiences, you know, like life-threatening experiences. The one in the ATV? Was it an ATV? Oh, that's three. That's three? Wow. You forgot about one? Yeah, I forgot about one. God. Wait, what's the other two? That's how much God has been taking care of me.

Where I'm just like, oh my God, I forgot I went through that too. What were the other two? It was that incident. I was at the house and my dad happened to call me. This is when we were getting really close. Or this is, I'm telling you, it just happened overnight. I was at home and I was going through these, I was just going through it and he called me and randomly because he never

really ever called me and he randomly called me at 9 p.m. Hey, Miha. And I think he heard it in my voice. He goes, are you okay? And I was like, no, dad, I'm not. And that's all I had to say. And ironically, I mean, he's a truck driver. He's never in Arizona. Ironically, he goes, I'm actually five minutes away. I'll be right there. And he pulled up. And I was, yeah, it was a near death experience. And he picked me up at the house. And I don't know why I didn't go to the ER or the hospital.

He picked me up, put me in the car, rushed me to the ER. My niece was there, my brothers were there, and healed up. What were you dealing with? This was three years ago. I was... I was... It was just a sensitive topic. Okay, I understand. Yeah just a sensitive topic. Okay, I understand.

Yeah, a sensitive topic. But then you got through it? I got through it. And then during it, once I started, you know, I got better, I kind of went through this stage where it's like, oh my god, life is short. And I started partying hard. Oh wow. Yeah, I started parting hard. And then that's when I got into the car accident

at the Sand Dunes, almost died there again. Got back home and I was like, oh my god, what am I doing? I was like, I just remember seeing my couch, like what am I doing with myself? Like, this is not normal, this is not okay, Tracy. And that's when my coaches, my team, I'm telling you, I have the best support system. Time after time, they just helped me get back on track.

So that was two, what was the third? The masses. Okay, okay. Yeah, where I was just that scared. I was like, oh my God, I'm gonna die. Geez Louise, it's a lot to deal with over the course of like three or so years. Yeah, yeah.

Do you feel like you're on a good path now? I feel so good. Okay. I feel so good. I mean, God's, I'm so close to God now. He's gave me grace because I don't look like the hell that I've been through, especially in the last three years. And here you are winning on the biggest card of the year

on the biggest stage despite all of that. I'm telling you. Golly, how many lives do you have? It's unbelievable. Oh my God, I'm telling you, I'm so blessed. I'm so grateful for all the fans, for the opportunity to be here and just changing that and understanding. I can't please the entire world

and I'm not here to please the world. I'm just here to make my family proud. Was there a time where you were trying to do that? Where you felt like you were trying to do that too much? Yeah, there was. There really was. And I think there comes to where we, maybe, maybe, I mean, I don't want to speak for all athletes,

but you do get it to the point where it kind of gets to you and you want to make everybody happy and you want to say the right things. You want to be loved by everyone. Yeah, and I'm just like, I'm not here to be loved by the world. You know, I'm here to, it's about the quality of the people. And these are the people I want to be loved with. Everything else is just a little cherry on top.

You were asked about Noche and who you might want to fight and you said you don't want to call anyone out. Two days later, do you have someone in mind? um I'm just not i'm i'm just not a People tend to you know, i'm not a mean person. I'm not a disrespectful person. I like I state of myself And this is the fight sport. So, I mean it's part of the game and people tend to twist my words. So That's why i'm i'm very respectful. very respectful. But if I do have the opportunity,

I mean there's some names where it would be an honor to fight. I mean I've said it time and time like I have nothing against Alexa. I just think it would be an incredible fight. Two Mexicanas on a Mexican card. I think it would be a great fight. I would just love to see where me and her would stand as two competitors. Or give me a rematch with Rose. Give me the right preparation. Let me get that win. Let me prove that I do deserve it. Someone asked you about Eileen Perez. Sorry for bringing her up. But what is going on there? Well, I'm sorry. What's the beef there? What's the issue?

I don't get it. Why is there animosity? There's none. I'm telling you, I'm not a mean girl. She just doesn't keep my name out of her mouth. I'm like, girl. But where did it all start? She's just mean.

She's a bully. I'm like, dude, and I'm not one to talk in front of the camera. You know what I mean? I don't trash talk. I was like, all right, I'll just catch you when I catch you. And I did and she tried to shake my hand. Oh, I respect you. And I was like, girl, you're fake. And then there's that.

So when those things happen, sometimes they try to make fights off of that, right? Yeah. If they call you up and say, we want to do- But that's a whole different division. Yeah. That's a whole different division. You wouldn't be interested?

I'm not even interested in it. Okay, okay. That is what makes it even weirder. You're not even in the same weight class. So it's not like even something could be profited off of this, it can't even be built. Yeah. It's just, haters gonna hate.

Yeah, it's a waste of time and people trying to use my name for clouds. Yeah, that happens a lot I feel like. I'm all right with it. You're okay with that? I mean, they're haters. You know what I mean? You ain't doing something right. So you gotta have haters.

It's like the great Paris Hilton once said, haters make me famous. You know what I'm saying? So yeah. She's very wise. What do you think, Valentina and Zhang, if they fight each other, Zhang Weili and Valentina, if that happens, I think it might be the fight at 125.

That would be as a fan, not even as like a competitor. That would be a great fight. I look forward to that. Who do you favor? I know, I know Ailey. She I mean she comes to fight already. She's trained there. So has Valentina. So I don't that's yeah. That's right so is Valentina. Did they ever train together there? No. Okay okay. So you'll stay in the middle? Yeah, again, I respect all people. I don't disrespect nobody. I don't call nobody out.

I don't do things for clout. I'm just gonna see how it plays out. And then when my time comes and my opportunity comes, I'm gonna take it. Do you think at some point it's coming? Do you feel like this is- Absolutely. I think maybe two fights away.

Okay, from fighting for the belt. Yeah. So hopefully September, October. Yes. If you just get a little activity here, you could- I know. I know. I'm just trusting the journey now though. Yeah. I'm not trying to force things like I used to. I'm trusting it. Everything's going to play out the way it's supposed to.

By the way, is Henriette fight ready? Sejuro? Sejuro, yeah. Is he around? Is he active these days? Yeah, he's in play out the way he's supposed to. By the way, is Henriette fight ready? Sejuro? Sejuro, yeah. Is he around? Is he active these days? Yeah, he's in there every day. Okay, really? Yeah, literally every day training.

Wow. Does he offer help? Does he act like a coach as well? Yeah, he does. We'll have team practice and he'll come in. He normally does his own thing. Or he'll come in and just give us, he's like, hey you guys, or do this or do that,

or he'll watch me spar. Okay. I mean, we grew up together, so. You grew up together? Yeah. Oh, I didn't know that. Yeah, me and the secudos, we all grew up together. Like when you were kids?

Okay. And when he was going for the Olympics? Yeah. And you were being mischievous? I was, yeah, I was a freshman in high school. Okay. Did you go to the same high school? Yeah.

Oh, wow. Well, he moved to, he moved to Colorado. Yes, yes, yes. But Angel was my brother's best friend. Okay. And we just all grew up together. What was he like in high school? I wasn't really close with them.

I was closer to their sisters. Okay, okay. Yeah. Barbara, Gloria. Right. Christie, yeah. This is in Arizona. Yeah. Yes, I remember when you spoke about his sister. A lot of heartbreak, a lot of tough things.

Yeah, she was like, I never had sisters. She was like my big sister. Wow. I hope we get to see him fight one more time. Henry? Yes. Oh, whatever. You don't care.

I love him, but yeah. You don't care. I love him, but yeah. You don't want to see him fight again. He's been there, done that. Yeah, he's done, I mean, Olympic two time champ. It's just like, at this point it's just for fun. So you have a dream fight for yourself? I just want to get that belt.

That's it. I just want to get the belt. What would that mean? Putting the best in front of me, proving myself, not proving the world, proving myself. Sure. But also, would you feel like it's like validation for everything you've been through or some sort of, you know, pot of gold at the end of this rainbow? Like what would it represent to you?

Yeah, I feel like it would be just that missing piece of the puzzle. You know, which puzzle of my life, everything Like, okay, everything led up to this. For me. So yeah, really, really working hard towards that. You know what's interesting about you Tracy? I don't know if we've ever spoken in person. I feel like you're somewhat misunderstood in the fact that people kind of like, we only get to see you once a year, so you kind of come and go. But to me, it's like impossible not to root for you. You've been through so much, you've had to overcome so much. Do you feel like you're misunderstood at all?

Do you feel like the fans haven't really gotten to know who you really are inside? I know you don't necessarily care about those things anymore, but I don't see it any other way. I don't really care about those things anymore, but I don't see it any other way. I don't really care much. You don't even ponder it. Okay. I don't. You know, I think if you get to know me, you get to know me.

And if you don't, then I mean, if you don't have my number to call me, you have no reason to like me or dislike me. Right. That's my opinion. I mean, you can no reason to like me or dislike me. That's my opinion. I mean, you can't believe everything you see on the Internet. You can't... I don't... Well, you're doing your thing.

You're doing your thing. You're successful. You won on the biggest card of the year. Great, hard fought performance. Dominant performance. I know you were unhappy with the lack of finish, but she's a tough person to put away. And I'm very appreciative that you came in here. Thank you for having me. Yes, I've been dying. I'm like, I would like to be on this show. You were supposed to come on our show in September and then you bailed. Yeah. You know this? Oh yeah,

I do know this. Yes, you left us high and dry. They said you had some sort of, I gave Tiki shit. I was like, is she gonna break our hearts again here this time? Oh my god, I know. He said no. I was actually about to. You were about to break? Well, why? I was gonna take it personally. Because I wanted to go home. Oh no.

They're like, no, no, no, you have obligations. I was like, do I have to? And they're like, Tracy. I said, all right, I'll stay. I'm sorry. I know, but I stayed. So you were mad for having to stay? No, I'm happy. I'm here. But you know, after you went, I just want to be with friends and family. I know, I'm happy. You regretted it? No, I'm happy. I'm here. But you know, after you went,

I just want to be with friends and family. I know, I get it. I was very, very appreciative. Yeah, no, I'm appreciative. Thank you for having me. You know, we have this thing here. I want to show you this. I don't know if you heard about Ben Askren's situation.

Yes. He's going through a tough time. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And we've had a bunch of superstars come over the last few days in our last week. We had this poker table thing, Aspenal and Izzy, all these people signed it. And so we're gonna auction this off

and give it to Ben's family. So there's Izzy, there's Wolkonofsky, there's Tom Aspenal, Dan Hooker, Raul Rosas. Yeah. Raul Rosas. So anyway, do you mind signing it for us? And we will auction it and all the money is gonna go to the Ben Askren family.

He just got a double lung transplant surgery. Yeah. Scary stuff. He had pneumonia and he had a staph and it went to his lungs. Oh, I just get to. Yes, it's awful. So if you don't mind.

That's so, prayers to him and his family. Yeah, amen. If you don't mind and thank you so much. It was great. And. Yeah, amen. If you don't mind, and thank you so much. It was great. And I hope you get to go home now. Do you get to go home now? I do get to go home. Okay, great.

There she is, the great Tracy. By the way, why on Twitter is it Tracy's Era or something? Your name. Because I live in... Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha is your time. This is my time. I appreciate you very much. Congrats. Thank you so much for coming in. You're the best. That is the great Tracy Cortez. Eric will walk you. Is Tiki still here?

He's I've known Tiki for a very long time since he was fighting. Yeah, it was good. He's upstairs. All right. Thank you so much, Tracy. Really, really appreciate it. Thank you for coming in. Safe travels home. Yes. And congratulations. Thank you. All the best to you. There she is. And tremendous hair. Whoever did it, shout out to her. Mimi. Shout out to Mimi. Viva

Mexico. There she is. The great Tracy Cortez joining us. Appreciate her very much. I changed my batteries, Frank. You're the man. We got our signature. I thought I was gonna forget. And then I remembered at the last second. In a matter of seconds, we're gonna be joined by Payne Talbot. Oh, is he there? Yeah, I'm here. Oh, hey, Payne's there.

They didn't tell me. Payden, can you hear me? Hey, what's up, Payden? How are you? What's up, guys? I'm good, how are you? I didn't realize that you were there. We're in a different studio here.

We're still in Vegas in your home state, going to New York tomorrow. So we're doing things a little bit differently, but I'm very appreciative and thankful and grateful that you are here. And I'm so excited to talk to you. I've been wanting to talk to you for a while. I've been hitting up your manager, Lloyd,

but I know a lot has been going on. Congratulations on the win. It was great to see you back. I love the way you performed. The way you spoke about the comeback was really impressive. The thing that you said to Joe Rogan in the aftermath, and I'm gonna botch this, something to the effect of now I feel like a real fighter

because I have the whole scope. I've seen it all. I've been through the wins, the loss, and I've come back. Was, as usual, very profound and very thoughtful. So kudos to you on all of that. Congratulations. Thank you very much. Appreciate it.

Yeah, I had a really good week, enjoyed the opportunity, and then just like rising to the occasion. It was awesome. Can we go back, because I haven't talked to you since January. So just for chronological purposes, in the aftermath of that fight in Inglewood, how did you deal with it?

First time that you suffered a defeat, how were you handling it in the immediate aftermath? As good as I could. I mean, I said it during media week, but I didn't take it lightly, because I lost the fight but just like when you go down to like a primitive level of things like if the ref wasn't in there and it was me and him like he would have killed me and I don't take that lightly like it's deep so um yeah I just like kept me up um like late at night. I just had trouble like, I don't know, just coming to terms with that.

So I use that to fuel a lot of my training. It actually took me a really like quite a while to get back to training because I had just really bad vertigo episodes for about like a month or two after the fight. But once I got that fully healed, then that was like my main motivator for training and it actually helped out a lot. The vertical, was it as a result of the fight or was there something else going on?

No, well it happened during the fight. It was in the third round when it got really bad. And I don't like to make excuses or anything. Like he compromised my body to get it there, you know? So yeah, like that third round when my head hit the cage, like the last time I got taken down, I couldn't really tell left from right or up from down. Wow, had you ever experienced anything like that before? No, I mean, I've got drunk and got the spins pretty bad, but this is like that times 10. Like it's probably one of the most intense things

I've ever experienced. Like I wouldn't wish that on anyone. Like it's truly a terrifying feeling. And any lingering effects of that in like the last couple months as you were gearing up for the fight or even after the fight, did you feel anything remotely close to that?

No, I think it was some crystals in my ears or something because I stopped going to this like hyperbaric chamber and I think the pressure changes were messing with my ear and I noticed like when I'm on long flights it'll kind of like feel like it's coming back but no I didn't really deal with it at all. I think you know after the, I got pretty drunk and I might've felt it, but I might've just been super drunk. When you say crystals in your ear,

what do you mean by that? That's just like what the doctor told me. There's like really small cells that are similar to like crystals inside of your ear that like control your equilibrium and like where you like think you are in space. Okay. In retrospect, did you take Barcellos lightly?

What went wrong there? Because it was shocking to see you were such a big favorite, you had been so dominant, and then it happens. What do you think was the culprit there in that fight? I think the biggest thing was just not, I didn't have a great training camp. I had a lot of stuff going on just in my personal life outside of fighting and I spread myself way too thin. Even fight week was just like ridiculous for me. Like I just

you can see in my interviews I'm just like not in a good head space. Like I just look really tired. And yeah I was just going through a lot of personal stuff, which didn't really allow me to show up to like training sessions. I didn't like actually feel healthy. Like I didn't feel like a healthy person, which is crazy because you're going into a fight with a vet. But yeah, that was like the main change was just like making sure I had a good camp. Do you think you should have pulled out? Do you think you should have not gone through with it? No.

Okay. Because I thought I was going to get away with it. I thought, you know, I have like really high expectations for myself and I was like, I always know how I perform in the cage. I can always show up, but you know, that's not always the case. Like you have to prepare. It comes from hours and hours of doing the right thing, getting enough sleep.

I wasn't sleeping at all. Yeah, I could just go on and on about it. And so do you feel like you learned enough lessons? Were you completely different this time around this camp? Was it a totally different scene? Yeah, it was much different. I'm still so fresh to it that everything is still

kind of new to me, but I am getting sort of like a good blueprint to follow. Oh. And myself. And so, you know, I'm wondering if this has anything to do with it. I noticed social media, your YouTube page, which you know I'm a big fan of a lot less activity. Was that part of the problem? Were you doing too much there as well? Yeah, I mean I think it just speaks to like how busy I was. Like there was like so many things going on in my life that I didn't even feel like I could do as much with the YouTube, but are you talking about lately, like the last month or two? Yeah, no, even in the buildup to this fight, I feel like you've been a little less active,

unless I'm wrong. Oh yeah, yeah. I mean, I just tried to prioritize like training and what's important. I still love doing a lot of that stuff. Like I put out one video that was my techno album. It was just like a visualizer for it, but like I didn't even carry a lot of the bulk of that work

other than like shooting the scenes and making the music. Like I leaned on William a lot to edit that and film it. And yeah, just like it didn't feel, it didn't make sense to like force doing all this stuff on the side if I was like, this stuff doesn't even matter if I'm not doing my one important job. What was going on with the fight?

Why did it seem like you were on the card but you couldn't get the opponent right or they didn't announce it until a couple of weeks out? Did you know you were fighting him? Or why did it seem like it was all happening at the last minute? I had been trying to get on the card for a long time and it sounds like me and Felipe

might have had the same opponent at one point. I think his last name is Martinez. I always forget his first name. And then they were talking about Yanez and then something happened. There are a lot of people, like I said yes to everyone. And then just nothing ended up getting signed so I got to like three weeks out and I was like I still haven't heard anything I don't think I'm gonna fight like I was literally on my way to all you can eat sushi because I was like I'm gonna get fat

um and then they texted me when I was on my way about Felipe because I don't think they really wanted to make the fight because we're two prospects they wanted us both to be on the card fighting different people but like we're both game and you know, neither of us are scared. So of course we said yes and that was like two and a half weeks before the fight. And so what was interesting was I think this was the first time maybe in your MMA career

definitely in your UFC career that you were the underdog. He was on an incredible run. It didn't feel like sometimes in these cases where they are very high on someone and they stumble, they'll give them a bit of a make-do fight, if you will. This didn't feel like that. I was like, damn, they're throwing him right back in there potentially against someone who's even tougher

than Barcellos. What was your read on the opponent selection? Did you feel like they were trying to test you? Did you feel like there was anything more to it? Because I was surprised that it wasn't, you know Someone who maybe was on not the streak and didn't look as good as he had looked as of late. I Just took it as an opportunity I don't I think that they didn't really want to make the fight But since we both gave consent we were both like cool with it. I think

they just like went out on a limb and trusted us and let us do their thing. As far as like our managers go like they had mixed feelings about it but I had like a lot of confidence in myself and the way I've been showing up to train the last couple months. But I mean, before I was supposed to fight Lima, I was still, you know, aiming for guys that are ranked much higher than me. So it's not like, you know, I'm not going to just like try to take a bounce back fight just because I got put in a tough spot. Like the plan is still the same. You know, you're like I said, you were coming off of something you never experienced before, and you just said the word confidence.

How was your, like, in fight week, the night before, in the locker room, coming off an experience like that, you always strike me as a very confident guy, but was that wavering? Were you questioning yourself because of what happened in January? A little bit, you know.

It's a little nerve wracking, like, thinking that you are somebody, and then it gets tested, and, you know, you's a little nerve-racking, like thinking that you are somebody and then it gets tested and you know, you come up short. Like there were definitely like some, you know, mental things I had to work through, a lot of doubt, but I just let it motivate me. I let it push me to go extra length so that like, you know, at the end of the night when I'm sleeping, I'm like, well, I did everything I needed to do today. Like there wasn't really much more I could have done.

So. When you say you had to work on things, did you do that on your own or did you, did you talk to someone? Did you have someone who was guiding you through that? How did you get over that? No, I just did it on my own. Wow.

No sports psychologists or guru or mentor or someone like that? No, as much of it as I studied in college, I hate having to use it for myself. Or I guess with somebody else. I use the techniques, but nobody needs to know. Yes, no, I get it. And what about that answer to Joe,

which I love the full scope answer, now you feel like a real fighter. Is that a thing, do you really not feel like a real fighter. Is that a thing, like, do you really not feel like a real fighter until you suffer a loss and come back from it, or is that only something that you can say in the aftermath? Like, oh wow, now I've learned some things that I didn't know about because I went through this.

Yeah, I think that's more aftermath. It's like, you just think you're somebody and then something slaps you in the face and you're like, oh, okay, I guess I have this to worry about. It's probably similar to when you have a kid. It's like you just look at life differently. It changes your perspective. Like I said, I have a lot more empathy for fighters and their journey. We fight so many times, it's crazy to assume that we're going to be perfect every single time. You know there's going to be things that happen in your life. There's going to be obstacles that you know sometimes you just like don't fully rise to the occasion.

But yeah I thought I was a fighter. I felt you know I would have thought that I was but now like yeah after having gone through that I feel much more like one. So you use the word empathy. I'm wondering, you know, you're known or you were known for some of your post-flight celebrations. Does that mean that you wouldn't do that anymore because you know what it feels like to be on the receiving end and you don't want to make that person feel worse?

Or am I looking too far into it? No. No, like, celebrating is whatever. I just mean like meeting people that you know have a good amount of losses on their record or like meeting somebody right after they lose and like not just mentally writing them off like oh he has a loss like it's really not that big of a deal and it's just like a lot it's's not just a loss. Like it's very traumatizing for some people. It's heavy. It's like every single loss is an opportunity somebody might

have been able to kill you in a street scenario. So yeah, I just look at it with more weight now. So, so here you are fighting again. International Fight Week seems to be a good spot for you. Do you want to fight for a third time this year? Are you looking to get in three? It would seem to work out perfectly once you fight in January and then June. What are you thinking? Yeah, I would love to get another one in

by the end of the year for sure. I'm gonna take most of July to work on some other stuff that I put off for the fight and then I'll be right back to it. Are we growing the hair out? Is that one of the projects? Yeah, we'll see, I don't know. I might try to piss some people off and just go bald.

No, you can't, what? We got so mad when you cut off the hair before you're gonna go straight bald, like shorter than this? Ariel, I have a beautiful head. I know. You should see pictures of me bald. I know, I don't doubt it, but it's just, it's an incredible head of hair.

Yeah, we'll see. I do like my hair. I'll probably grow it out. Can I ask you about this friendship with Frank Ocean? Everyone's very, very obsessed with it, that he was at your fight, that he talks about you and posts about you. How did you guys become friends?

He just reached out to me after my fight a year ago on International Fight Week, and we've just like kind of kept contact. We phoned out a couple of times, and we just like had a lot of appreciation for each other in our respected careers. Is that surreal? Like he's a gigantic superstar.

He just reached out to you. Was that surreal when you got that message? It was kind of strange, like just unexpected at first. That's like the last person I would have expected. But like after meeting him, like no, he's just like a normal person. He's a very special person and like very gifted and just like brilliant, but I don't know, he's just a person. Is he a fight fan or was a fight fan or did you make him become a fight fan? No, he's not a fight fan. Wow, so how did he stumble upon you?

Like, how did you get on his radar? I don't know, the universe just connects people. It has a weird way with the strings. Okay, so does he try to get into it? Like, do you try to explain to him what fighting is all about or the psychology? Because there's a beauty to it which you exemplify. Do you get into that sort of thing or not really? Yeah, I mean there's a lot of parallels between being an artist and martial arts as well as music. And I don't know, we'll just,

we can get into talks just about how similar it is with performances and curating your craft and your image. We talk about it in that way, not so much like you see that one too. Yeah, yeah, yeah, no, I get it. Were you a fan? I'm assuming you were a fan of his, of his music. Yeah, huge fan. I love his it. Were you a fan? I'm assuming you were a fan of his, of his music. Yeah, huge fan.

I love his music. I think he's super talented. Favorite song is probably like DHL, as well as many others that I could name. I was talking to the boys on the show before you came on at the top of the show and the name Malcolm Wellmaker was thrown out there. Are you familiar with him?

Have you seen what he's done as of late? Oh yeah, I'm familiar with him. What do you think? He's fun to watch. I like him. Really cool story too. Yes. That's very sweet.

Yeah, I'm a fan. I'd like to see more tape on him. His finishes are just like so fast. I hope we see him in a little bit of a war soon. But yeah, I definitely could see that happening in the future. We're both not going anywhere. And he's, he like got to the sport late,

kind of like I did. So we have very similar journeys. He's just a little bit older than me. So I think he'd just see a wild fight if we were to fight. Yes, but I do think a little bit too early. You're still both on the come up. That could be a huge one because you both have that star-like quality. You've talked about O'Malley in the past, but now we're sort of unclear where he's at.

Do you think what happened against Marab makes it more of a possibility that you may face him sooner rather than later? Is he someone that you think you can get to in the next year or so? Maybe in the next year if I really get after it, I think I was gonna get up there either way eventually. I truly believe that. But there's a lot of guys in the division that are just tough like that, that would just, I would put on a great fight with like Malcolm's one, I'd like him. I'd like to see him against a wrestler and see how he Martinez, I don't know his first name.

There's a lot of guys in the weight class. Yeah, it's probably gonna happen. The Cody, Cody's coming off a loss. Is that just more of like a legacy thing? Cause he's a former champion, a big name? Yeah, I respect the dude. I think everybody kind of does because of what he did in the division.

But like, I still haven't even talked to my manager yet about what the next move should be. So I don't even know where our rankings are. I still haven't even checked. So, but yeah, we're all under contract. So there's no, there's no running away. What about this flies of Lars? What does flies of Lars?

Files. Files. I can't read correctly. I'm sorry. Fies of Lars? What is Flies of Lars? Files. Files, I can't read correctly, I'm sorry. Files of Lars, that sounds- dyslexia. By the way, Flies could work as well. Well, first of all, who's Lars? Oh, Lars is the guy with all the files. He's the guy that I consult to for all the music.

He kind of just takes hold and just like crafts beautiful music pieces. So this is like a film and a music project that you worked on? Yeah. That people could get on Spotify, YouTube? Yeah, well I did the video on YouTube

with like some characters and you know, every character had their song or whatever. And then I released the album on Spotify a couple days later with some extra songs. And I plan on hopefully doing more with- Incredible. Lars. Lars, and you're not Lars.

Huh? Are you Lars? No. Okay, are you in it? Am I in what? In the film. Oh yeah, like I played a lot of those characters. Me and Lars just trade places, we're interchangeable.

Okay, okay. He's in control sometimes, sometimes Peyton's in control. Oh, it's like your alter ego. No. Is this like Eddie Murphy and Nutty Professor? Like you play different people or Coming to America? Maybe, I don't know if the references will. I don't know the rest.

Come on. You've definitely heard of them. I know Eddie Murphy. Okay, Nutty Professor, Coming to America, no? Not that young. I haven't seen it. But you've heard of it at the very least. Yeah, it sounds familiar.

He just plays multiple different people in the movie, so I'm getting the vibe that this is what it is. I need to check this out. This is you playing at least one other character, if not more. Yeah. I love it. Okay, that's good stuff.

Another one, Austin Powers, Mike Myers, do you know that one? I know Austin Powers. He plays different characters, Fat Bastard. Oh yeah, he did, that's right. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Classic. Yeah, yeah, no, yeah, in the video I played

all of the different characters. Oh amazing, wow. That's incredible. Multi-talented. And could I ask now, will you take time off? Will you let your, now that you get the weight lifted off your shoulders, you're back on track, or is it right back to it? No, I mean, I feel super healthy.

I'll be in the gym tonight. Wow. Just moving around and hanging out with the team. And there's just like still so much to work on. Like I'm still super young. And even in that fight, I've like picked it apart already and found so many things to work on. So like I said, I have some stuff to do in July

to catch up on outside of fighting, and then I'll be right back to it. Is it accurate to say a weight has been lifted? You feel like you're back to your old self? Yeah, well, not so much back to my old self. I never really left, but I am proud of myself. And yeah, the weight has been lifted in terms of, I don't have as much of a chip on my shoulder.

I love the Tenori stuff, shout out to them. Don't you have one like, what, like a brain scan on it? Part of your, is that like your actual brain scan? That is my actual brain scan. We did a, yeah, another merch collab for this fight. So I was hoping that me or Felipe would have gone out on our shield that night, but the finish didn't come. But yeah, we worked on those clothes.

That is my brain scan. And on the front of the shirt, I think it's an MRI of my shoulder when I like tore my trap and I crashed on my motorcycle. Wow. And why the brain scan? What does that represent? That's just me. I hate putting my name in my brand

and like, hey, it's Peyton Talbot. So that's like, it's my brain. Okay. And like, not everybody has to know, but the people that know know. IYKYK. Yes, exactly. When did you tear your shoulder by the way? That was like a month and a half before my contender series fight.

Oh geez. Yeah, I like couldn't even lift my arm for a couple days. I was freaking out. Like that was terrible. And what was the injury? It was just a partially torn trap muscle. So it wasn't like super major. I didn't need surgery, but I like have family first over here

and Reno like really rehabilitated me and helped me as well as a body worker named Anthony Bordoni here. Incredible. I love that you put that out there. It's great stuff. The Tenori stuff is great. I have some as well. Shout out to that whole team out there

and shout out to you. Great to see you back in the winner's circle, so to speak. Great bounce back performance. The grappling was amazing. Your poise, your smiling at the end seemed like you really enjoyed yourself. So all in all, A plus performance. Welcome back.

Congrats, Peyton. Enjoy a bit of time off and looking forward to seeing you back in there back into the year. Will do. Thank you for having me, Ariel. It's good talking to you. As always.

Yes, sir. Thank you. There he is, the great Peyton Talbot. Always enjoy speaking to him. Great to see him back on track and a very impressive, dare I say, perhaps the most impressive performance and win of his career. Not a finish, but definitely one to be proud of, considering everything he had been through, having to bounce back after the first loss of his career, being an underdog against Felipe Lima, who was on a very long winning

streak, 12, 13, 14, maybe even more than that in a row. Super, super impressive stuff. In a matter of moments, our final guest from here in Las Vegas will be the one and only Merab. Should I move this just so it's not in the shot here? Should I put it here? I think it's a good idea. How's this? Is it off the shot?

It's off the shot. Or out of camera, out of frame, as they say in the business. Out of focus. Out of focus, 34 years young, 13 fight winning streak, tied for fourth in UFC history alongside John Jones, GSP, Mighty Mouse Khabib, Max Holloway, Andrew Silva obviously with number 16 at the very top there. He's number one. He's I mean Islam is at 15, so we're getting close. Currently has the

longest winning streak in the bantamweight division 12. Most strikes landed, most takedowns, and of course we just saw him in action at UFC 316, defeating Shugashan O'Malley. We spoke to him in the immediate aftermath, but he was not in studio, and so I guilted him into coming in studio here because he's been through a lot since then. He went to Georgia, he went to Azerbaijan, or as I said earlier, Uzbekistan. And he was there in attendance on Saturday to support his guy, Eli Toporia.

By the way, after the Marab interview, don't go anywhere. We're gonna finish this whole shebang with a bang. New York, Rick and GC will join us in studio. I mean, think about the names we've had on the show since we got here. From Izzy to Vogue to Aspenal. We've had Pantoja, Tracy Cortez, Dan Hooker, Rosa, so many. Izzy there, yes!

There he is. How are you? No, I can't do it. How are you, my friend? Great to see you. Oh, we missed each other. Good, how are you? Good to see you, Marao.

Please have a seat. So nice to have you. Oh, we missed each other. How are you? Good to see you, Marao. Please have a seat. So nice to have you. I said to everyone, you didn't come in studio after the win? So I made Danny feel bad. I said he has to come in studio now that we're in Vegas. So much for having me. Welcome. Look at you.

Look at this necklace you have here. Yeah, it's my logo. Yeah, I see it. A few diamonds? Real? No, not real. Come on! Is that true?

You're the champ. No, it's good quality but no. I mean, I lost things. I don't want to lose. That's true. That's a good point. I like your watch as well. Very nice.

It's custom. See my logo? Oh my God, your logo's in there too. Yeah, it's a Georgian watch. Sicolia watch. And it has, it's custom only. One of one? Not one, I mean, this color, yes, one in one.

Who made it for you? This watch is, like I said, it's from Georgia, Sicolia watch, and they made for me. Incredible. Yeah, I wear it all the time, Sicolia watch, yeah. I'm just going to put the mic a little bit closer to you here. They want to hear you. Thank you so much for coming in. You've been all over the world since we last spoke.

Last time I spoke to you, you were in the driveway on Long Island, right? Right after the fight? Yes. And since then, this scene of you in Georgia, it's unbelievable, man. It's hard to like, you're so down to earth. You're such a like chill, humble guy.

And then we see these scenes of you coming home, the airport. I saw one thing where a guy tried to jump onto your bus. Crazy Georgians. Bro, I mean, that's- Is it right here? This guy tried to jump on. What is it?

It's crazy. Bro, like this is, you see this on camera, but like I was shocked. Like everybody was trying to touch me. Everybody wanted to autograph from me. Everybody want to take a picture. Everybody want to hug me. Everybody want to say something. And then I'm still same guy.

Maybe even I mean, I was shocked too. So many people wanted to see you. Even I go to Azerbaijan, even I'm here. The people now that I came, more fights I have, that I became more popular and the people saw me excited. I'm shocked. I don't know. I want to give everybody love back, but it's impossible.

Is it overwhelming? I don't know this word exactly. It's like so much it's hard to handle. No, you know, at this point, like in here in US, if I walk somewhere and the people don't recognize me, I'm happy. But people don't recognize me, I'm happy. But even if somebody recognizes me, I'm happy too. Yeah, yeah. But yeah, it's not too much.

But it's after my fight, it was hard. You know, I go to Georgia, see so many people like it's good. But I can't training. I can't relax. You know, I can't relax you know. You can't train? Yeah too much love man, too much love. Oh my gosh. People come to the gym if you're there?

Yeah then taking pictures. All day. All day you know. Was this more than the last time you came home? Yes this was more of course. It's getting bigger and bigger. Getting bigger man every time we fight these small gyms in Georgia, getting full every time I fight, or Ilya fight, or other Georgian guys fighting. The small gyms, we don't have like a big gyms,

like a big, like a good quality gym in Georgia. I'm trying to build now. I'm still working on some projects. These small gyms getting crowded and crowded. Wow. I saw that you were there with John Wood, with Danny, with Nina Drama. You were the one wearing the suit. They looked like they had just been on a flight for 12 hours. You looked fresh. You're wearing the suit off the plane.

You're a pro. Did you go on the flight the whole time in the suit? No, no. I changed in the bathroom a couple of minutes before. Okay, okay. Yeah, I learned this one because one time when I fought Josie Aldo, all my good clothes I put in the bag when I checked the bag, right? Yeah. And I have a flight from like,

there is no straight direct flight to Georgia. Either you have to go from Turkey or from Europe, like any other country. And then I had the flight from, stopped by in France. And France, I report sometimes you lose the bags. I don't know this before. And then when I go Georgia, and when I wanna, my bag don't came, I lose the bags. I don't know this before. And then when I go Georgia, and when I wanna, my bag don't came, I lost the bag.

And then I have to, I was wearing super clothes. Like sweatpants and like super t-shirts. And then the media was waiting for me outside. Thank God that I have not too many people know me. And then now every time I carry a suit with me, you know, I have a hug. I make sure I don't lose, you know, and I change a couple of minutes before in the plane because it's too long flight. Yeah.

And like right off the plane, you're doing a press conference. Yeah. You have like a parade. It's unbelievable. I was ready mentally, man. Like I made this plan before the fight. You know, I was gonna go Georgia. I know it's always like last couple fights.

I will say after Henrico, despite after fight is always challenged because how many text message I get. And I get stressed out when I don't answer text, you know? But it's impossible to answer all these because the thousands of texts coming and I know everybody, you know? And then everybody show me love, support. Because I have two phone.

I have Instagram, I have Facebook, two Facebook, actually my personal and the fan page. I have a Twitter, I have Instagram, I have threads, and all these people, YouTube channel, you know, and there's so many to keep up with, you know. I saw, someone wrote this somewhere, I don't remember where I read it, but they were writing about UFCX this weekend,

the autographs, and I guess you had a huge line, and this is what one of the fans wrote, the security said only pictures and you said I'm signing for everyone. If people are waiting for me, I'm gonna sign for them, I'm gonna take a picture, no problem. Right. Yes, that's who I am.

Yeah, I will sign, of course. I will do my best, but if security don't let them do that, it's a good job. Me, if my friend ask me to sign, of course I will sign. It's amazing. What was the best thing that you did when you were home? And how long were you home for? Just one week.

Okay. And then I go to Azerbaijan for the fight and I go back, secret. I go back Azerbaijan for the fight and I go back secret. I go back in two days in home because I wanted to see my family because- You didn't tell anyone. Yeah, I don't tell anyone. Okay, did you get noticed?

Say again? Did people notice you? I mean, of course when I go back Georgia, like everybody saw me, they were shocked but they of course they still take a picture and everybody stopped me. But this way people wasn't waiting for me. I report and people don't know where I was.

And it's easy to see like 10, 15 people and wherever I go and take a picture or whatever it is. It's just much easier. Did you see the president? No, I don't see president because I was focused to do my, you know, like just go villages, like just eat some Georgian food and do important stuff, you know. I mean, everybody want to see me president and my cousins and I have so many good people, but I can't do, I can't do much.

It's crazy man. I'm still the same guy but the recognition we get and I don't know how to explain. I saw a video of John Wood, he had like a big horn and you put wine in it or something? Yeah, it's called Khyentse. So Georgians, we drink a lot. Usually we drink wine, yes.

And usually when guys we get together or we have family dinner or like somebody's birthday or even somebody dies, somebody getting medicated or I have a guest every time we have a big table, lots of food and then drinks. We have wine and then every time you have to pull up the glass and then we have a toast, many toasts and then we have a toast, many toasts and then we have a toast guy. The toast guy sitting in this table. And there is so many toasts and the toast guy usually it's the most respectful guys from like the table, whoever we respect most, he's a toast guy. And the first toast is for the God,

second toast is for the peace because peace is very important for us because we always been involved because we are small country, we have nice territory and everybody is to try attack us. And then after if it's, let's say, whatever reason we get together, if it's my birthday or somebody getting married, the next toast is for that.

And then next toast is for his family. And then we always say the toast for the people who we miss, who died. There are so many toasts anyway. And then with this horn, we say toast, it's a special toast every time. It's a special if it's, let's say when I win, they say cheers for Merab, the special toast, we drink from the toast.

Usually we drink from the glass, but with the, what do you say? The horn. Horn. From the horn, we drink special glass for the special toast. That was for my victory. Wow. And where is the horn from? Is it from an animal? It's from an animal. Usually when they hunt.

It's our tradition. Usually we drink. There are lots of special drinks sometimes. We drink from somewhere. our tradition, my home. Yeah, so usually we drink. And then there is a lot of us, especially drink sometimes, so we drink from somewhere. Now we don't drink from the shoes. Okay, yeah, not like the Australians. That's crazy. Yeah. It's very gross.

Yeah, yeah, shoes only. I heard some crazy people drink, but no, no, it's not our, like, yeah. And then from there, you went to Azerbaijan, first event. What was that experience like? What was Baku like? I was shocked because once I got in Azerbaijan, it's only one hour flight from Georgia.

It's because we are next to each other and we are friends as a country and country. We are cool, always support each other. We are cool, always support each other. I mean, you know, like, and then we are also neighbors with Armenia, unfortunately they have now like, whatever, but you know, we are friends with both of them. Anyway, so it was one hour flight only once I got in the airport and already people was waiting for me,

the kids, so many kids. In Baku? In Baku. Wow. And even in hotel, like so many, the UFC, it's popular in young generations. And it was lots of young kids, you know, boys usually, right? And wherever we go, the people recognized me, I was surprised. And Azerbaijan was beautiful, so clean, nice buildings, and good hospitality, good food. And the event was huge. And when you walk out to the arena, I was crazy because everybody really wanted to grab you, stop you. You know it was crazy and

then I think like every time they saw me everybody recognized me and then like I don't know that was that was good experience too. And what about this Nazim Zarikhov? Holy smokes what a fight. Yeah. What a performance. Yeah his last name is Sadikov. Sadikov. Okay, we don't say the K. The K-H. Yes, Sadikov, yeah. Man, he always have a great fight, lots of fights of the night, performance of the night, and he show again. And yeah, and then also shout out to his opponent too.

Yeah. Nicholas Mata. Nicholas, yeah. You know, that was crazy fight. You know, I have a little heart attack. Were you worried in the first round? Yeah, yeah. Because he was covering up and then by, I never,

you know, I knew that he was gonna come back and he was gonna do this. That was crazy. And so, I mean, Nazim Sadikov, he's he always been a pro Azerbaijan. And then I know him like 11 years maybe because we both was training in New York. work. He lives in Brooklyn and now he moved to Las Vegas to for training and he still represents her along with him and yeah, he's a great fighter. I'm a great striker and you know, so now I think I know how many wins he has at UFC, but yeah, so what I was saying, he's he's proud Azerbaijan and then that was his dream to fight in Azerbaijan and he has a

this fight in Azerbaijan and the fight of the night and finish the fight that was amazing, good experience. If they're going to Azerbaijan, we have to figure out Georgia. How do they not have an event in Georgia? It's unbelievable. It's heartbreaking, but man, I guess, yeah, first, I mean, Giga Chikadze was working on

to bring UFC to Georgia, like a couple years ago. Okay. And Yili also try, but when he figured it out, it's lots of things. You have to lots of work, which is I want, Giga wants, Ilya wants, but we are fighters. We are focused on training. It's so hard to do it ourselves. Our government also wants, but we have to push UFC. And not only push, you have to pay some money and you have to have an arena like at least 16,000. We have lots of arenas, but it's only 10,000, 12,000,

but you need to have a big arena also. But yeah, I mean, we were working on our sport minister also was trying and he, I think he and my friend, David Nathrosh really met also Dana White and hopefully they will make it happen to UFC Georgia. But we have to figure out this arena thing, we need the big arena, like 16,000. The thing is you and Ilya, you guys are so big now, you're obviously champions.

I don't know if you would fight on that card necessarily because it would probably be a fight night, but it would just be great because I know the fan base is getting so big over there. And so what about this Ilya? We see him on Saturday, we see you there on Saturday. This guy is unbelievable. I'm in awe of this guy, Murad.

Like he says everything and then he does it. And he is so like, when he walks to the cage, he's smiling, like he's just. He's special. He's just special. He's just different, man. He's so smart. And then, so he's so organized, very organized.

Even he's different than his brother. His brother also very talented, very good fighter by Ilya. He sees things before, he works for it, he has plans and he's just doing it man. and he's just doing it, man. And I sparring with him, he has a great wrestling, great jiu-jitsu, and we all know that he hits like- So were you sparring with him last week when he was here? No, not last week. Man, I can't, I can't sparring with him anymore because he hits hard.

He hits too hard, yeah, he's a big boy now. No, I wasn't here. Otherwise I would like to train with him. But I was meeting before. Sure, sure, sure. I was sparring before. And yeah, he dropped me two times from the body shot. Wow.

Yeah. Yeah. Thank God my head is fine. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And then every time I finished sparring with him, I was happy. Thank God. It's over? It's over. Yeah. Yeah.

He's very good. And so what I was saying, he's very organized, you know, like, and then he's getting better and he's special man. He's I don't know. He's so smart. And he's, I mean, look at him. He speaks, of course, our language, Georgian. He speaks English. He speaks, of course, Spanish. I think he speaks Russian too, which is, I don't speak Russian. He speaks his, like, Thai, like, Maghrelian too. And I don't know, maybe

he speaks other, he's so smart, man. Maybe German too. I know he was born in Germany. Oh yeah, maybe. Yeah. Yeah. He born in Germany, but yeah, he's, he's 100% Georgian. You know, he's, he, you know, of course, like, you know, some people make fun of, oh, he born in German, but he, yeah, yes, born in German, but he grew up as a Georgian. And then also he was, he grew up and he experienced in Georgia. He was in school in Georgia and he had street fights in Georgia

and he experienced all, you know? And then, yeah, when he was growing up Georgia, his parents immigrate to Spain and then he was growing up with his grand, grand, grand, grandfather and grandmother. And he was, he was growing up in one of the, how do you say, one of the, how do you say,

when it's not a perfect city, like ghetto? Like one of the ghetto towns, like Rustavi. Okay, okay. In Georgia? In Georgia, Rustavi is one of the top cities. No, a lot of criminals, a lot of gangsters. And he was there? He grew up in Rustavi.

Wow. So he's, you know. When did you first meet? Actually I, we don't know him until he started professional fights, but once he had some professional fights, you know, of course I know all the Georgians and of course I was super happy and supportive to him and I follow him on Instagram, I text, you know, I share some advice and we met after he signed to UFC. Before I don't know him personally. Okay, interesting.

But you have such a good friendship now. You can see how happy you are for him. Yes, for sure. And how have such a good friendship now. You can see how happy you are for him. Yes, for sure. And how much he likes you as well. Yeah, because, you know, we are small country, we are very supportive and we are happy for each other. And then, I'm so proud of him. And even he's younger than me, I'm inspired by him. And, you know, he inspired so many people and he make us proud and how we should not be proud of Iliya, man, he's special.

This guy's celebrating his win the night before. But that's also shows how special he is. Yeah, because only few people can do that. It's crazy. It puts a bullseye on your back and he's okay with it. He puts his record out before the fight and he predicts exactly when he's going to... It's a lot like Conor, right? A lot of people compare him to Conor.

Not the trash talking so much, but just the confidence and the skill. And now the two-way classes. It's just it's unbelievable even even when he goes up to Charles and he says like you know I'm sorry it has to be you I didn't want to do like it's just it yeah he even told me the day before like bro it's crazy he's such a nice guy and I just I just finished press conference with him and he's such a nice guy and I tell him, I know he's such a nice guy. Wakanowski was also such a nice guy, but tomorrow he's your enemy and you can be friends after, you know, I said just, yeah, you just, you gotta go do your thing. You know, I love Charles

Oliver high. We should not love him, but that's how we do. And yeah, so, and what I was talking about, also I was, I forgot something. Well, no, just to how he, like the confidence when he walked up to Charles, I think it was at the press conference or the weigh-ins and he said, I'm sorry that I have to do this to you. I'm sorry it has to be you. That's, or maybe it was at the weigh-ins,

but just like to speak like that, almost like he knows how the fight is about to play out. He walks into the arena with a smile on his face like he's already seen the movie. It's unbelievable. Remember he ranked, even before the fight, they asked, how do you rank your last three opponents? And he said, hardest, it was Wakanowski. And number two is Max Holloway. And then

number three easiest will be Charles Olivera. And then he made happen. He know, he know before. It's crazy like how he has a vision, how he see before. And then like, you know, me, you see me, me before the fight, I always, I'm even ready to get knocked out. You know, I, I never talk. Sure, sure, sure. Because I'm not sure. Listen, to be 100% honest, if I know I was going to win 35 win streak, even if I know that I was going to beat Sean O'Malley, I can't bet.

But I know the last summer, I have so many friends that they betting. And I will tell them, Hey bro, sell your house, put money, I'm going to win. But I don't know. I always tell the broad, please don't bet money. I hate this. I don't know. I may lose that pressure. Yeah. No, exactly.

I don't know. You know what I'm saying? But if I know, maybe I will tell my brother, brother, I give you money bet on me. I'm going to win. But I don't know. You know what I'm saying? But if I know, maybe I will tell my brother, brother, I give you money, bet on me, you know what I'm gonna be. But I don't know. You know what I'm saying? But Ilya knows. He knows. Crazy. It's an amazing thing to watch. And I love your relationship and you with his son afterwards. This guy, this young guy, the way he's moving and he has the belt.

He's exactly like his father with the confidence. It's beautiful. That was crazy. You know what else is funny? And, you know, of course, you know, I love his son Hugo is such a good name. He looked like a Ilya in a copy. And then, and then and I asked him to take a picture and he take picture with me. Of course, no problem. But and the Ilias wife told me Georgiana, uh, somebody asked Hugo yesterday to let's take a picture, but Hugo tell him, okay, let's do quick.

Superstar. Oh my gosh. She's amazing. Yeah. He's acting like a champion. Yes. On the mitts and he's doing the spinning. Yes.

It's impressive. Yes. The way he's moving he's doing the spinning. Yes, it's impressive. Yes, the way he's moving and ducking. Right. How old is he? Five, six? Five, maximum five. Unbelievable. Five years old.

Does he speak Georgian? No, he speaks some words Georgian. I mean, of course, the Hugo born in Spain. Okay, okay. You know, he's only five years old. He speaks some words, but then of course he don't speak English. I don't speak Spanish, but he's a smart kid

and we still have some conversation. I liked it. And I think his parents were there too. You were showing us everything. Yes. Ilya's parents. Ilya's parents, yes. were there too. You were showing us everything. Yes.

Ilya's parents. Ilya's parents, yes. Inga and Zaza, they're great people and I have so much respect for them. You know, they immigrate as a lot of Georgians, are immigrants, different country. And they sacrifice for kids. They have Ilya and Alexander, they have also two sisters and then they left. First, they were living in Germany and they try to move back to Georgia and then life gets hard.

You know, it was like hard time in that, like many years ago in Georgia. Now it's good, but and they have to emigrate again and they left all four child in Georgia and they emigrate to Spain again. And yeah, so I have so much respect for them. It's very hard for parents and for the kids to separate. And when you leave, imagine if you have to go some country to left your family or your kids, and you go different country for just only for work and for money, that's what they did.

And I have so much respect for them. And but that time makes Ilya tough and that's who he is. You know, he came very indefended and worked for them. And I saw the great basketball player from Georgia, Zaza Petulia. And also, Shangael Li, I was there. Yes, it's unbelievable. So to see like this this explosion of Georgian sports coming together on a stage like this, such a small country.

It must make you so proud. So proud. And we are also very proud of Hvitschak Orazkhelya, who played against the Messi team yesterday. PSG 4-0. PSG, and they came, they won the Euro Cup. Yeah, they won the Euro Cup. Yeah, they won the champions league. Champions league, yes, yes, yes. So, Huitxaco Araceli is the... He's a big star.

Big star, he was playing in Napoli. Napoli, yes, number 77. Yes, yes, yes, you know. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Of course, and we are proud of him too, like he's such a humble and... You know him? I know him, yeah.

You're friends? Yeah, we are friends. Wow, wow. He every time texts me after I fight, he every time support me, texts me and I'm happy and I'm so proud of him. Incredible, the small country producing. I mean, think about it right now,

if my math is correct, I don't think there is one American born male champion in the UFC. So there's, so heavyweight is Tom Aspinall, light heavyweight is Magomed, middleweight is Drikis. What's after middleweight? Welterweight is...

Jack Madelena. Jack Madelena. Jack, Jack. Jack Madelena., Jack, Della, Madelena. Yes. And then Ilia and then, and then you, and then Pantoja and Volkanovsky 145. So, so there's not one male US champion. There's two male Georgian champions.

Yes. That's crazy. Tiny country. There's not one male American champion and two Georg Georgian champions. That's crazy. Tiny country, there's not one male American champion, two Georgian male champions. It's crazy. Yes, I agree. I agree. It's crazy.

And then also Georgians, you know, now we just had the first lady champion in judo, world champion, Eteri Parteliani. Yes. And then we also win a team team world championship in judo we beat Japanese team you know wow it's like it's mixed with the girls and the boys and it was hard like because the the guys we used to beat Japanese before but when it comes with the girls and then they fight it's like

I think maybe three guys and three girls okay because of they also have a good girls player and not very wrestlers and they used to beat us but now we beat them so and then we came world champion and so yeah we have a we have a like we are on top in a sport yes by way, speaking of Volkanovsky, I saw you were sitting right next to him, right? What was that like? Man, very cool, man. You know, like he's such a gentleman and he's a great.

Down to earth, like you, like very. I have so much respect and I know like, he used to be like a hero for me and he still is, but now we are friends, you know? Wow. You know, I'm champion, he's champion. And I don't, I'm champion, he's champion and I'm not planning to go his division. I don't, you know, no business only respect and yeah,

right now I'm comfortable. I want to clean out my division. I'm not, yeah, I don't want to be awkward for him or I don't want to like chase too much. You much. I'm good. I want to defend my belt. I'm comfortable here for now. And for later, if I really beat everybody, then yes, maybe I will take some super fights or maybe I will go for the second belt. But like I said, I have so much respect for Wakanosuke for now. I don't want to deal with nothing with him. I liked seeing, he seemed very happy for Ilya.

Obviously they have a history, but he seemed very- He supported. Yes, yes, it was nice. He supported, yeah, he was cheering for Ilya. Yes, I like that. That was very nice to see. And I also saw, speaking of not moving up, I saw Pantoja come up to you and say he's not coming up.

Were you surprised to hear him say that? Yes and no, because Pantoja is such a good guy and we always have respect for each other. And yes, I was surprised. Yeah, because when he's winning, winning, winning, and of course you want to challenge yourself. And I was surprised he finally told me that he didn't want to fight with me.

And also I'm not surprised because same with me. I don't want to go up because I'm comfortable here. I'm winning and long as I'm champion and I'm keep winning here, I'm good, man. I'm good. I don't want to chase too much, you know, because I'm already grateful what I have. And especially now I have another, I think most deserving guy is Corey Sanhegan is another challenge and style makes fight and he's a great striker. And then we all see how he finished Frankie Edgar and Marlon Moraes and he has a great knockout power and he beat

a lot of good guys. He beat Pigeretto, he beat Song Gidong, so many. He very close fight with Jan, very close fight with Umar and he's coming from the wind. He was talking to Joe Rogan recently and he seemed to imply maybe New York in November as when it could happen. So I have to, so I got texts from UFC and Hunter Campbell and they said, enjoy in Georgia. We saw the videos, have a good time. And when you come back to Vegas, let's have a dinner. So I'm here in

Vegas I'm waiting for texts or call with them maybe if they don't text me I will text them and I'm excited to have a dinner with Hunter Campbell and with whoever will be there from UFC and then I guess they will ask me when I want to fight. And so I'm happy that I am first time on this good position. Now I can choose when I want to fight, but I want to fight as soon as possible. I heard that they have an event here in Las Vegas, October 4th, I think. And I want to fight soon. You know, I don't want to wait too much, but what do you think? Maybe I ask you advice.

Should I fight in Las Vegas here or should I wait November MSG? It's just one month later. Yeah, I know. I don't want to wait. You don't want to wait? Because I was going to say MSG. Because it's a very personal fight for you. You lived in New York.

You'll have friends there, family there, et cetera. And it's the best arena in the world. If it was waiting two months, I would say too long. One month, I think it's worth it. But I do know the taxes are different, right? I don't care. To be honest, I don't care. So then I would wait.

If you can fight MSG, every fighter should fight. The best fighters fight at MSG. That's what I think. Because I never fought there. You never fought there. It's the world's most famous arena. And for you and your story that you came to New York to follow your dream, to be able to fight in the world's most famous arena, you could fight in... there's so many Vegas

events. There's only one New York event every year. If I were you and you have the opportunity, I would go for MSG. You're going to do it. Tell Hunter, my friend Ariel for MSG. You're gonna do it. Tell Hunter my friend Ariel said MSG. It's just so special, you know? Yeah, that's what I think. You agree? Yes. Okay. I like the fact though that they're giving, you know, even I noticed with Dana

after the O'Malley fight, like he's being very complimentary of you. Like the relationship has come a long way. Yes, yes. Yes, but now I understand, you know, I was... You just have to stop posting pictures of your foot getting injured, all this stuff. You drive him nuts, I think. Yes, yes. Yes, you know. But this is who I am, man. I'm'm not gonna change man, I'm gonna do my but but I learned this So yeah when I met Umar and I was so mad about him, but I want to punch his face

But because of UFC style because we was in UFC building I don't want to do it even if I see him in your CPI I I won't gonna do because I don't want the problem if you know, I don't want to do it. Even if I see him in UFCPI, I won't do it because I don't want a problem with it. I understand organz. But if I see him outside, I would. Really? Yeah. Because I was so mad because I don't know if he was texting on Twitter, an ex or his manager. I thought it was Ali and I spoke Ali and Ali promised me that wasn't him. I believe. I think that's the reason. But doesn't matter. If somebody texts post from my ex or my Twitter or threads, it's on me, it's my responsibility.

Either I know about it or I have to know, I have to let them text. That's why I was so mad because of the online talk. But now I have no problem with him. I'm good, you know, I'm good. I'm one. If you see him now, you talk to him, no problem. No problem, no problem.

I will shake his head, no problem, man. You know, I have, yeah, you know, he's no problem, man. But I wanna tell, I have so much respect for Habib and Isla Machachev, they are great fighter. You know, they done so much for the sport and they sacrifice, they cut weight, they fight. I have so much respect.

They are good guys, also very humble guys. They always take their time. They always shake their fans' hands. They always try to do best. Umar is different. I see this Umar is just different guy, little spoiler. That's it. Can I ask about Patti and Ilya? is different. I see this Uman is just different guy, a little spoiler. Can I ask about Patti and Ilya? You saw that in the cage and there's a history there and

Patti has said some things about Ilya and your home country. Is that the one you'd like to see and if so, if that happens next, how do you think it goes? Yeah, Ilya wants this fight against Patti Piblant, and Ilya really don't like him. Yeah, Paddy said people are so stupid thing about my country, Georgia, and Ilya respond how every Georgian should respond this. And then Ilya don't really like him. But right after Padi understand and he did apologize this. He did apologize about this online and he did interview Padi. And I guess this fight will be big fight and I think because of Ilya wanted and Padi is such a great win trick and he

was fighting and finished a lot of guys and I think this fight will be good. How do you think it goes? Padi is a great fighter man, his tenacity is big, physical, everything but Ilya always finds a way to win. Yeah. Yeah. physical, everything, but Ilya always find a way to win. Ilya is so smart, man. He will study so much and Ilya is such a strong and yeah, even against Charles Oliver, he looks small. He looks small. Charles looks so huge. And Patti's a big guy too. Yes, but trust me, like Ilya said, one of the Georgian interview. Like, you know, size doesn't matter.

You think he could win at 170? I think I think he can win. Geez, Luis. Because he's how he. He's don't take, Ilya don't take short notice fights, but if he takes a fight, he really dedicates his time. He studies, training, training and just like, yeah, he's training super, super hard and super smart also same time. And especially now he is to kill himself, make 145. And even he's not like a tall guy.

He's my know that he has big bones and is strong, strong frame. And he's to really, really kill himself to make 145. Now he's happy, happy warrior. We were talking earlier, there's four Kings right now in the UFC in my opinion. Four who are without a doubt the the the top four pound-for-pound best and there's a debate who's one two three and four So can I ask you the four are Islam? This is no no particular order Islam Ilya you Pantoja How would you rank them?

So there is no more John Jones You were tired one weeks ago ago I would say John Jones because even... But he retired. Yeah I know he retired. How do you think, you think John Jones is the goat? Yeah he is. Even though he took peds? I don't think he took those. On purpose? They said it was something else. Nah. He, he was suspended multiple times. They said something else. That's fine. This is my opinion.

I think George St. Pierre is the goat because he beat everyone one, two divisions and never tested positive. George St. Pierre is also a goat, for sure. He's one of my favorite fighters, for sure. But okay. I'm saying right now, active. Okay, right now I will say Ilya.

Ilya number one. Number one. Yeah. Number one. Two belts. Yes. I agree. Number one. Like who does this? He's undefeated and how he wins the last three fights and everything. and two division champion. And so number two Islam. So, okay, let me think. So yeah, I will say number three Pantoja. You number four. Yeah. You're too humble.

Who else we have? Who else? Actually, we have our rankings, I'll show it to you. Guys, if you wanna put it up, we'll put it up on the screen. But there's Tom Aspinall. We'll put it up in a second. Tom Aspinall, Drikus Duplessis, Jack Della. Okay, number four me. Yeah, come on. Number four you, of course. I'm surprised you put yourself number four and not maybe number three. Number four is good. Number four, you of course. I'm surprised you put yourself number four and not maybe number three. No, number four is good.

Number four? Yes, good. Number four is good. Oh, you're too humble. No, no. You're too humble, right? It's realistic. I have to be, man.

It's MMA, man, and then, you know, I have to be humble because, yeah, I don't want to overlook my opponents. So, you know, like I said, yeah, I'm fighting Kouris, a lot of people think that that's easy fight for me, but no, I don't think that way. I never overlook my opponents because it's a fight

and not always best fighter wins. And yeah, I just want to keep improving, keep getting better. Especially now that I'm a champion, I have money and I can manage my time and everything. I heard, I don't know who told me this, but you're so, oh, you know who it was? It was John Wood when he was here on Friday or Thursday.

He said you have so many fighters, Georgian fighters, non-Georgian, they stay at your house? Yes. And now there's so many that you're getting another house and letting them stay there? Yes. That's crazy. And you don't even charge them.

Oh, of course. How many guys are there? It was six guys, but now some guys go back to Georgia. And you're just letting them stay there free. Why do you do this? Why, of course. It makes me happy, man, to support. I can do this.

And that's why, you know, now I have, I'm able to do this, you know. I have this, no, I can't do it. And yeah, why not? And it makes me happy. That's how Georgia, we are Georgians, we are supportive. Yeah, I know we live in America

and it's different culture here, everything, but yeah, I'm always will be Georgian in my heart. You know, I'm gonna do always like a Georgian and like the Georgians will do. And yeah, and it makes me happy to support. And not only like there is one Chechen guy lives, Chechen guy lives in my house. You know, I'm happy to help and support.

And yeah, just that's, it's easy. No, I can't help and I can't do, you know, in my, you know, of course I'm not gonna, I can't help like some homeless people because I don't know, but I will help MMA people. You know what I'm saying? My world, I can't help like some homeless people because I don't know, but I will help MMA people. You know what I'm saying? In my world, I know what's going on here and I know how it takes to, you know.

Your new house will be close to them? Close, five minutes away. Oh, amazing. Yeah, it's, actually my new house will be no HOA and I'm planning to build a gym in my backyard. Wow. Have some octagon like warehouse. Like when it's holidays,

when gym is closed or night time. Because now it's getting, sometimes I'm traveling, sometimes let's say I have the interview here and I miss my training, you know? I still need to go. I still need to go. You still need to go train, yes. I need to bring my training partners. Did we make you miss your training today?

No, thank God. It's a good time. I finished training at 1 p.m. and the interview here was 2 p.m. So it's good. Perfect, perfect. Thank you so much. That was because of Danny.

Danny told us this. Thank you so much. Danny is the man. And Aljo got his fight. Brian Ortega, you like that one? Shanghai. I love Brian Ortega. He's super cool, nice guy.

But this is fight business. Aljo was actually mentioning this. Aljo don't have this problem in 135 because he wasn't friends with Snowball, but in this weight class, he knows so many people. He even training with Volkanowski. He trains with Danny Ge, Julian Arosa and Brian Ortega, he knows we're training together. They were cool for each other. I forget the names, but he pretty much knows and the friends Bryce Mitchell, not Bryce Mitchell is down now, but pretty much he's friends with a lot of people here. But now he has to fight Brian Ortega. I don't I don't like because of the like, it's weird feeling because

when you, I like Brian Ortega and then now we have to fight, you know. No, of course, I have to support my brother, Aljo, my Stanley and I will help whatever I can. I will help with everything, you know, and I will go China. I'm not sure if I will be his corner, but I will make sure I will go. I think I'll go in 10 days before and I don't care if I have a fight or not. I'm still gonna go and help and support. Even if you're fighting shortly after. Yes, no problem. Wow.

No problem. I'm such an individual. I can, no problem. I will train there, running, lifting. This is what they all say about you. This is what I, Quinta told me many, many years ago. When he first told me about you, he said best teammate. The man, did he sell say about you? This is what Aya Quinta told me many, many years ago. When he first told me about you, he said, best teammate. The man, did he sell you the house, Aya Quinta?

Or he's in New York? Yeah, he's in New York. So he can't sell you in Nevada, right? No, yeah. Because I heard he has a whole empire there in New York. Yeah, man, he's doing good. He has his own real estate agent, Aya Quinta. And if you guys are in New York and looking for a house

or selling house, please call Ali Aquinta. But here in Las Vegas, call our friend Jason Griggs also, and other friend. Like Jason helped me to buy the house here, but my new house, ah, I forgot his name, other guy helped me. Rob.

Rob, yes. Is it Rob Rivera? Yeah. He's a former MMA manager. Cause Danny said it on the show. Yes, he helped me. Dustin Poirier, many guys. Yes, yeah, he's a cool guy.

It's all together, all the MMA world, everything comes together. Small connection. Yes, by the way, can I just ask, when you're there in the front row with all these legends, I see you sitting there, Volkanovsky and Izzy and Tom Aspinall on Saturday. Yes. When you're there, because you're so humbled, do you feel like you belong with these guys?

Yeah, now yes. Now you feel. Before I, you know, I was, you know, I was surprised and I like, you know, how they was, but now I, yeah, because- You're the man. Yeah, I'm- You know You're the man. Yeah. You know you're the man. Yeah.

You deserve to be there. Yes. Okay. Yeah, of course. But at the beginning, maybe. Beginning, wow, like, yeah. And there was every time I was sitting there, the area, I was like shocked, like, you know, like,

but now, yeah, no problem. You know, like you went before a couple of years ago, I was friend guy to a picture with everybody. Now I don't even ask. You don't even ask? I don't ask. Because you're the man. Yes, they should be asking you for pictures.

Yeah, maybe we're really like cool friends. Sure. Take a picture, maybe it's organic, but I don't like, you know, like I wasn't like, before I was thinking, oh, take a picture. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Now I'm not. It's good. I see.

But yesterday I saw. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Now I'm not, can I? It's good, it's good. I see, by yesterday I saw, oh my God. I forgot the name. Celebrity? Yeah, the fighter, 170 from Brazil.

Carlos Pratches? No, no, no, no, old, old, he retired. Vitor? No, no, no, no, he retired. Vitor? No, no, no, I haven't picture. See? You get punched? No, I don't know what happened. It's when you jumped into the ice.

The ice. The branches. Man, how I look in him and... Oh, Damien Maia. Damien Maia. Yes. I ask him picture. Legend.

Yeah, Damien Maia. You like him? I love him. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I ask him. He was there on Saturday. Yeah, he was at the fight. Okay.

And then he especially, he has like great grappling. Yeah, he's grappling a lot. Of course. Yeah, Damien Maia, yeah, of course. I was a big fan of him and I have so much respect for him. By the way, there's a lot of great young bantamweights right now. Peyton Talbot fought on Saturday. I know he's a little bit, but this guy, Malcolm Wellmaker, you see him?

Yes. In Atlanta, he had the knockout with the right hook. Yes. I know they're a bit far away from you, but you pay attention to these guys or? I learned from Al Jemma and Sterling, when Al Jemma and Sterling was in our weight class and he was always keep an eye for young talent like this.

And he always pay attention, even somebody has a debut in 135 and he has a great performance and he always watching on him and I learn like not like that like a but yeah, I pay attention now. And then yeah, I know him and the guy who just you have in your shows, you guys was talking and mentioning my name too. Yes. Yes. Yeah, what's his name? Just before?

Yeah, the tattoo guy here. Peyton Talbot. Yeah, yeah. So he just fought. Yeah, yeah, but I watched his last fight. What do you think? Yeah, good fight, but he's not my level yet. He's good, but maybe soon, soon will be good.

He's a kid. He was coming off a loss too. Yeah, I know, I know, I know. But yeah, before he looked very good, he's a good fighter. Is there someone that's coming up that you think is going to be on your level soon? Not level, but level to fight you because you fought so many of the guys. Is there someone who's... Yes, there is some good guys.

So... some good guys. So, Mario Bautista is good. And then also the guy who's fighting Peter Janosso. Oh yes, Marcus McGee. Okay, so there's names. Yeah, that is, that's why I said I have, I'm not overlooked my division. I have a lot of guys coming up, you know, good guys. And that's why it makes me work hard. And that's why I wanted to stay here and then just focus on my weight class. You know, I said I don't want to overlook my weight class or I don't want to overlook my next opponent.

Most likely it will be Corey Saigon. So yeah, maybe we'll see who will be my next opponent. Yeah, if Peter Jan wins, you know, maybe Peter, you know, but you know, we'll see. Marab, we've been here since Thursday. We've done a bunch of shows. We had Tom Aspinall here in that seat. Israel Adesanya, Volkonovsky, Dan Hooker, Rico Verhoeven. You're our last guest.

And then we're going back to New York tomorrow morning. It's so great to be here. And we had, we're doing this show on a poker table here. You see the poker table? And we had our own poker thing, but they took it off because they had a thing yesterday. They had an event, but we asked all the people who came in to visit us if they could sign this and we're gonna auction it

and give it to Ben Askren's family. Cause you know Ben Askren's going through a tough time. I was just listening news that their wife just. Yes, yes. Hope it's better news. Double lung transplant. Yeah, but I think it's. It's getting better, yes.

He had a surgery and hopefully it's okay. So if you don't mind, you'll be the last one to sign it. Of course, my pleasure. And it would be a great honor. Yesterday I went to, you want that? Yeah. Go ahead, please. Yeah, go ahead. I went to this, it's a tough enough event yesterday. Do you see that Sean Strickland? Yeah, I see.

Crazy guy. My friend, Magdi Winn, the fight, you know Magdi? The guy who was on my team and he got Umar's title. Oh yes, yes, yes. Yeah, yeah, he's good. Your friend's a… Yeah, yeah, of course. He won?

Yeah, I'm happy. Is he going to come to UFC? He made the pro debut. Oh, pro debut. That was pro debut. That was pro debut. But yeah, he will come and it's going to take one or two years and then if he fights back to back, he's such a talented young kid and yeah, I think he will come UFC and he will do very good. Amazing.

I'm gonna give you- He's from Dagestan. Yes, yes, yes. See, everyone's friends. Yeah. Peace in the world. Listen, as long as we good people- Yes, it doesn't matter where you're from.

Especially in Dagestan, Georgia, we're next to each other. Listen, doesn't matter. Doesn't matter which country. As long as you good person and you show me respect and you show people respect. especially in Dagestan and Georgia, we're next to each other. It doesn't matter, doesn't matter which country, as long as you're a good person and you show me respect and you show people respect. Amen. Let me test yourself.

Enjoy, which one is that? Which one is that? Strawberry? Kiwi and... Oh, guava. We have kiwi strawberry too, if you want. You want both? That's good.

You like this one? Okay, you don't want to go... Double. What is that by the way? Oh this is my number one Georgian water. Come on you have Georgian water? Yeah Georgian water here in U.S. Stop. Yeah. You buy it here or they send it to you? Yeah I buy here. Really? Yeah. Is it just water? Uh no it's a sell sell water. Wow and they sell it here? Yeah. Oh, you're gonna do it too? Look at this guy, he's crazy. Whoa.

That feels good. I'm coming from training. Oh, it's good. Oh yeah. Yeah, cause it's like a little bit fizzy. Do it, do it, do it. Cheers, brother. Hey.

I'm gonna do toss with your big lovely water. For me? I'm gonna open this. Yes, please. Cheers for you and I'm first time in your studio. I have so many times online. It's the first time in the studio. First time in the studio.

Wow. But next time you have to come to the real studio in New York, yes. Okay. But this is an, I didn't realize. You came to my show one time in New York. Remember we had the people there. Oh, yes. Yes.

The live show. Yes, I was there. You were the best. You came three hours early. You were just sitting around. I couldn't believe it. Yeah. It's been two or three years ago. Yeah.

So cheers for you and cheers for all who helped MMA to grow and all the MMA media and then And to Ilya Toporya and the whole country of Georgia. Yes. And to you as well. Cheers for everyone. God bless everyone and I wish only I have one wish to peace no war no war no just peace you know amen cheers cheers nice okay sign this yes that feels good I like that I like that toast you're the man what's steak world Is that your sponsor? That's my sponsor, yeah. Steak.

Every time. They are best sponsor. Drake is always with them, right? Yeah, I think so. But he always bets against me. Come on. He always lose money. He picked Sean?

Oh, every time. That's a good one. I don't know, he always bets against me, but it's okay. Oh, we get. That's, I don't know. He always, uh, that's against me. That's okay. Oh, we get the hat too. This is the logo. No, this no hat. No, I thought you were doing the hat.

Like, uh, you're thinking that's such a great logo, by the way. Who designed that? It's actually take me years. It's, it's all me. You designed it. Yeah. Yeah, I did. So first time I was trying to figure out like,

because MD, Merrell Dolly Schule, Yeah. And then, but I make to look like a punch. Yeah, yeah, it's like a fist. Yeah, fist. And then, and then my papachie. Yeah, yeah. And then I was missing something

and I put a flag inside. Now it's perfect. And here I have machine just not here. Oh. So it's, yeah. Anyway, so yeah, thank you. You're the man. You're the man, Murab.

Thank you so much. Yes, thank you. There he is, the last one to sign, the bantamweight king, Murab Dawali Shafili. Thank you for coming. I appreciate you, my friend. Thank you so much. I really appreciate it.

I know you're very busy, so it means a lot to us. And next time in New York City. Okay. So, okay, like I said... Please. Okay, I'm gonna ask them to fight MSG. And then you come on the show. And then... Yes, perfect. Say...

And then I come on the show. It's all coming together. It's all coming together. There he is. It's a date. Eric's gonna walk you out right over there. Thank you so much, Murab. There he is, the man himself, the bantamweight king, the pride of Georgia, the pride of New York. Marab Diwali Shvili, you lose something, you forget something? Take the drink. Oh, your phones. You don't want to lose that.

You don't want your Celsius? No. You're good? Yes. Yeah, take it, take it. Enjoy. Thank you so much, Marab. All the best to you. Really appreciate you. The man, the man, Marab Diwali Shafili. Thank you so much. What a great guy. Always a pleasure. And I like that toast. That was a lot of fun. What a great time. I mean,

Frank, aren't we having the time of our lives? We are having the time of our lives. And I thought maybe you could read some super chats for us. Oh,, hit me up. We're gonna close this thing out in a few minutes with Rick and Connor. They're gonna come back in to close this out. But one more time, can I just say Frank, especially to you and Andy and Jordan back there, you know, myself, Connor, Rick, we get some of the shine because we're in front of the camera, but what you guys have done, not only here, but for the watch party, people need to know the watch party was in a completely different location.

You had to build that out, the post show as well, Chuck joining us, it's really been impressive. So thank you very much to all of you guys. I appreciate you guys very much. Love you guys and wouldn't want to do this with anyone else. That's very nice. What a team.

And I always love hearing from everyone, from the managers, from the fighters, got some really nice messages saying, you know, you've got a very special team. And I didn't always have that special team if I'm being honest. I didn't always have that camaraderie that we hang out with each other, we go for Beef Wellington. It's a very special thing. So I hope you're happy. We're happy to be a part of it. And keep that same enthusiasm

with the restaurant that I picked for us to go to. Oh, can't wait. Let's do it. Perfect. Okay. I was just gonna, I thought that was the... You wanted me to save the name of the restaurant? No, no, the Super Chat, I thought that was the name.

We already did that. We did the Super Chat? Oh, no, no, I thought you were you were gonna... I wanted you to read them. Oh, you wanted me to read them? Oh, okay. You did such a good job the other day. Oh, wow. Okay. Wow. I love how you're beckoning like, go ahead, Frank. No, I just, it's usually, you know, what else? We have our whole thing. Yeah, different, different home, you know? Talbot. Peyton is not here anymore. What's your favorite Arangkar? A-R-R-A-N-C-A-R. I think it's from an anime, but that specific anime I only read the manga and I only got through like the first arc so I don't actually know what they're referring to, but nice question.

Okay, I agree. This is from our very good friend Bill Steinmetz, one of Las Vegas' finest. Huge thanks to the whole Uncrowned team for all the hard work and for gracing our city this week. What a minch. The time away from your family slash loved ones is never easy and you've given so much up for us fans in combat sports. Thank you all so much. Hashtag poster pull champs. Yes.

Yeah, this gentleman, I know that you didn't watch the watch party, which is too bad, but he sent in several super chats He definitely a big fan and we appreciate this. Oh, he's unbelievable Sends me stuff for my birthday. He's just an absolute mention. Like I said one of Las Vegas's finest This is from Cody M. Baldwin. Thanks for the 317 coverage fellas How does the universe look different if Ilja gets KO'd by Jai Herbert in 2022, Ilja buckled under a Jai head kick in the first minute of that fight? Yeah, I mean that's one of those sliding doors moments. There's a million ones.

I was talking about one yesterday. It's going to escape me now, but if a result goes this way or that way, everything's different. I mean if Alex beats Islam, he's that close. Everything's different. So there's a ton of those, and that's obviously at the top of the list. People have lost, Islam got knocked out. People have lost and rebounded, but yeah. That one is kind of forgotten about when people talk about him at lightweight.

People forget about the fact that Ilja fought at lightweight against Jai Herbert. I think that was the same week as the whole patty thing, the sanitizer thing. That has to happen. I would love to see it happen. Alejandro Duran 45, Frank, every time you were asked about the video cast on Spotify, you avoid it. So I'll ask again, when are you putting the video cast on Spotify?

We're not doing it, man. This is from Zcif137. Met AH and the boys in the back at Cooking with Vogue. We went to Culture Kings after the Thursday show and yeah, Vogue was doing a, he was doing a live Cooking with Vogue. We've done it all. Like you guys don't even know the half of it. We've done so many things while we're here.

We're gonna come out with a behind the scenes video that I hope you all enjoy very much because we had a fun time experiencing it all. Some things I was at, the boys went to the UFC headquarters, they went to the eight base. They actually snuck in. They infiltrated.

Oh my. Anyway, this guy says they complimented my adversity shirt. Yeah, he was wearing an adversity is a privilege shirt and took time for a conversation with us. Absolute mentions. Thank you guys. Question, did Dana slip saying Armin missed weight? Oh, when he said he missed weight regarding the issue?

I don't know. How am I supposed to know? He was asked about Armin making weight, which he did this past weekend, and if he's now back in their good graces. And he said something to the effect of like, oh, he missed weight last time. And I don't know if he just got confused or who knows, who knows. But the story that was out is that he got hurt and he couldn't fight and that's why he didn't fight Islam in January.

Who knows? It doesn't really matter. It's in the past. We move on. One more from MMA Anomaly. I met him back here after one of the shows with our good friend Sav Jelly. Got to meet her as well. She made the the Tom Aspinall doll for us, which I love, the one in the one in New York. It was great meeting you all.

After that win, who do you think has the best chance at beating Ilya Taporyev? I'd say right now maybe Armin given his his grappling, maybe Islam if they fight. But right now, if you're betting against Iliya Toporya, you're making a mistake. We have not seen this type of talent in quite some time. The power, the speed, the self-belief, the confidence, he is truly one of one. And it is mesmerizing watching him do his thing. It really is. We overuse this term, but he has aura. He has that thing. He has that it.

He has that special thing that people are drawn to that people want to watch, buy a pay-per-view to watch, buy a ticket to watch, support, go on the emotional roller coaster. He has it. And he shows up in his amazing suit. We were talking about this yesterday. He comes across very much like a soccer,

a football superstar, the way he dresses, the way he talks, where he comes from, his family. Like it's a different level of celebrity with talks, where he comes from, his family. It's a different level of celebrity with him, but he backs it all up. There's literally nothing you could say. You can't say that he's had an easy road. You can't say that he's ducked people. You can't say that he hasn't fought

this type of an opponent or that. He hasn't fought the wrestler. He hasn't fought the grappler yet. He's fought them all and he's beat them all. 17 and 0. He beat every single person, most of them convincingly. And this three fight run in particular as of late, the Volk knockout, the Holloway knockout,

the Charles knockout is one of the best in the history of the sport. Considering the stakes, considering who he's fighting, considering their resumes, considering their history, the fact that he's doing it like that is nothing short of amazing. All right, are the boys coming or what? Sure hope so.

In a matter of moments, we're gonna be going, I think that was the last one, yeah. We're gonna be, we're actually gonna go to one last stop. I won't say where it is, but one last stop on our little Las Vegas world tour. And then we're going for a nice little team dinner. Frank, you want to tell everyone where we're going? Do you really want to?

Nah. Okay. It would be nice though. It would be nice. Okay. He just told me off air, but I can't say cause he's going to get mad. I could tell you about Wednesday's program. Let me tell you about the rest of the, the lineup here at Uncrowned as Mr. GC comes back in. Tomorrow we're all headed home.

So it will be The Crack live at 1pm Eastern. So a special Tuesday edition of The Crack at 1pm Eastern. Looking forward to that. Pizzi, Chuck, Ben, recapping all things 3.17. Also looking ahead as well. Wednesday we're back in studio. We've got the likes of the Hardy Boys joining us in studio, Humbuz Shiraz joining us in studio. He'll be fighting Edgar Berlanga July 12th in New York on that Ring 3 card. A guy by the name of Armin Tsarukian joining us, Gregory Rodriguez.

It's another loaded show. And then Thursday, Boys in the Back, back in New York. Thursday, Boys in the Back, back in New York. There's a dude that looks wildly similar to Rick out there that I thought was in, you see him standing up right there? Oh yeah. Looks just like Rick. Yeah, Boys in the Back on Thursday.

Speaking of the crack, you mentioned that is happening tomorrow. I just met one of Pizzi's boys, Derek, out in the Venetian, went on the Shane Gillis bender with him. He had a big show. Just randomly walking around? Yeah, I was literally just walking around.

I was like, what's up man, I'm Derek, Pizzi's boy. So yes, that will be tomorrow, a Helwani show back in New York on Wednesday, your program on Thursday, and then we're off on Friday, July 4th. Is that okay with you guys? Oh, there's too much. And I got to you, there'll be complaints. Oh, could you do this to us?

I know no UFC card this weekend. Yeah. It'll be all right. Rare, there's something. What is the big thing this weekend? Fourth of July, man. That is a big one. Any big plans?

Fireworks. Where the hell is Rick with his big surprise here? Oh yes, it's PFL. PFL Europe 2. News. PFL MENA. He's been taking Marab back. 317 MENA, PFL Europe 2. Jordan offered multiple times to take Marab and Rick was like, no, no, no.

Did he go like this? Yeah. I got it. I got it. Rick is a madman. Five minutes. Rick is a madman. He's freaking going on a red-eye tonight. Madman.

He's going on a red-eye after this surprise he has for us. Madman. How do you feel about red-eyes? Hate them. Hate them too. Yep. I'm out in the morning tomorrow. What time about red eyes? Hate them. Hate them too. Yep, I'm out in the morning tomorrow. What time?

Enjoying my sleep. Nine-ish. How would you recap the week here in Vegas? God, I needed to just like look through my camera roll to try and remember everything we've done. I had that super chat that was talking about cooking with Volk culture kings. You forgot about that, right?

It feels like ages ago. The Volk show, the Thursday show. I mean, I was saying to Rick, we haven't done a dinner as like a full team since Wednesday. We did lunch yesterday, but like a dinner since Wednesday, that feels like ages ago as well. The lunch was great. I have to say, international fly week is incredible.

I would love to come back next year. I think we should do it as a yearly thing. It lived up to my expectations, A, and B, I couldn't even imagine if you were a fan and you were able to go to that card as well. Oh my God, yes. And then you get to go to all the other stuff, right? If you're a fan, you come here on like a Thursday,

you go to all the other things. The UFC Collective, MMA fans as a whole actually owe me a thank you for not attending the event or it would have been shit. That's right, yes. There he is. Big ringer. Hey boys, hey boys.

How was it, man? The best card of the year. There he is. Big Rick. Hey boys, hey boys. How was it man? The best card of the year. What's going on? You're coming in here empty handed. You promised us a surprise. Oh, it's somewhere out there. I don't know.

Okay, but we got to go to our next stop. Time is of the essence. But Rick, we're not on a live production. Yeah, what is going on? I'm trying to wrap this bad boy up. It's coming, it's coming. Don't worry. Rick has a flight tonight and he's in.

The amount of people in totality, What's going on? I'm trying to wrap this bad boy up. It's coming, it's coming, don't worry. Rick has a flight tonight and he's in. The amount of people in totality, the names are as follows. Israel Adesanya, Alex Wolkonowski, Dan Hooker, Raul Rosas, John Wood, cameos by Danny Rubenstein, Ashbel Castro, Joanne Wood. That was all day one. Yeah. God, that was day one,anne Wood. That was all day one. Yeah.

God, that was day one, Joanne Wood? That was day one. Yeah, we did that all the first day? My Lord. Day two, Tom Aspinall, Andy Aspinall, Demetrius Johnson, Ian Machado-Garry, Rico Verhoeven. And then day three, Marab, Tracy, Peyton, Pantoja. What do we have here, Jordan? Here he is on there,, Peyton, Pentosha.

What do we have here, Jordan? Here he is on our Jordan. Wow, this looks good. What do we got here, Jordan? Okay, what do we got? Wow. You guys have a mistake here. What is the mistake? We get here.

Okay. When we start. Is this mic on by the way? No, it's not. What is this? No, it's not a mic. This looks fantastic. Is this bread pudding?

I think so. You got a sign. You actually also have to sign. Banana pudding. Oh, perfect. And what do we have here? Is this courtesy pudding? I think so. You gotta sign, you actually also have to sign. Banana pudding. Oh perfect. And what do we have here? Is this courtesy of our friends? We actually have to sign this?

This is from Hal and Ray's. Oh my God, I can't do this. No, no, no, no, no. Tell them it's a waiver and release of liability. I certify that I'm over the age of 18. I'm not currently intoxicated or under the influence of alcohol. I smell the spiciness by the way.

That's probably mine. What is this, What is this? Explain to the people what this is. All right, so it's just like a breakdown is that Rick wants to eat something really spicy and it was completely his idea. Now he's walking around like he's getting sent to the gallows. I mean- It's like two hours till I die.

I'm like, this is your idea. What is it? Tell the people, tell the people what it is. If we're gonna be real about it, there's a place called Hallam Reyes that makes very spicy wings. Great chicken, amazing chicken. Yes. Here at the Venet. Great chicken, amazing chicken.

Yes. Here at the Venetian Resort in Las Vegas. I'm going to be eating the Carolina Reaper. That's the number one? The hottest pepper. What is that? Like on a scale of one to... I just fucking wear these?

It's between like 1.5 and two million Scoville units. What is Scoville? Which is the hottest. That's the measurement of spice. Again, this is all Rick's idea. And now you guys are gonna be eating ghost peppers. It's so spicy. No need for us to be doing this at all.

No, no. Rick called me yesterday and was like, Hey man, you wanna eat the Carolina Reaper? And I was like, no, I'm good, man. For what it's worth, Timer Man Dustin was willing to eat it. What's that? Can I just have the banana pudding?

No, no, you're gonna eat the hot one. It looks fantastic. This is how we end our trip in Las Vegas. Okay, Jordan, jump in there. Get on mic, Jordan. Okay, so I did ask the people at Howlin' Raise, the nice guys, and I said, if you're taking a flight tonight, would you eat this hottest wing? And they all said, F no, prayers up.

And I said, what about these other ones? And they said, it takes about a day to recover from those other two hot ones. I ain't doing that. Okay, so which is which? The next one I want to claim to eat. The one Rick wants is which? The one Rick wants to eat, three day recovery. This is it right here. Godspeed. This dude is taking like a six hour red eye tonight.

All right, which one? The darkest one is the... Oh. Oh, Dustin, come stand over here if you don't mind. Oh my gosh. Let me see it. Wait, Jordan, you're in the camera shot. Dustin, you're over here if you don't mind. Oh my gosh. Let me see it. Wait, Jordan, you're in the camera shot. Is that one mine?

Dustin's in, you're both in the camera shot. Just be aware that there's cameras here, guys. Wait, I'm trying to get this so it doesn't fall out. Do you see how dark this is? Is that one mine? That's yours. Let me see it. Perfect. Yo, it's black.

You're not like this. Oh my God. Not only- Look at Rick's face. It legitimately looks like black tar. Well, I mean- Can you get a drink? Do you have a drink? Are you not gonna have a drink?

I think there's some- Where's the water? There's nothing left. I'm gonna try and raw dog it. No, please don't. Can I stab this with this? I don't wanna- Again, just one last time, just for the audience.

This was entirely Rick's idea. No one is asking to do this. I'm so glad you guys are on this journey with me. Actually, the- By the way, everyone in the chat is saying, I'm going to chicken out, and guess what? You're all right. The hotel staff was like,

you guys probably shouldn't do this. Let's just get a glimpse here. This is the black tar. This is disgusting. That's the one, yes? This is horrifying looking. Honestly, I'm- Is this a world famous place?

On cams, it looks- Stop it, stop it stop it Okay, right here. Let's go. Well, wait, what about you guys though? The hot are these the same they're not I read a receipt that they didn't get the hot at all Let me see that receipt This is for difference ones a ghost pepper x hot how Howlin' Plus. Whoa, Howlin' Plus? Wait a minute, I signed up for Howlin'. I don't, I think I screwed up.

Howlin' Plus? What is Howlin' Plus? Three day recovery, bro. Middle one is the least time. Who's eating a little bite with me? I certify that I do not have a medical condition. I ain't doing it. This could jeopardize my health.

Please God, Rick, are you sure about this? By the way, I just want to say, no one's forcing you to do this. I was hoping you guys would do something with me, a bonding experience. Wait, which one is the, let me see that one. Is the chat telling me to eat it?

I don't know, I don't know. The chat, guys, should he eat it? Yes. Yes, okay, they said yes. Yeah, cuz these people are sick every by the way all the comments are about me Chickening out feel bad, bro. I mean we're taking flights tomorrow. Let me see. I'm gonna fight tonight. This looks fantastic Great I just Yes, is that the one which one's that I The bread bun looks great. I just, I just kind of. All right. Let's see. I wonder how hot this one is. Yes. Is that the one? Which one's that?

I know I screwed it up though. I picked them both up. That looks like that. That is. Go ahead. 10, nine, eight, seven, six. Oh, oh my God. Oh my God.

Oh my God. He's still sitting. Oh my God. That one was way hotter than I was expecting. Please do not get any of that on the mic, bro. Detrimental to his health. It hasn't hit yet. My mouth? Do you need a Celsius?

No, no. My mouth? I should not have bit that. I'm truly trying to raw dog it. Yo, Connor's freaking out right now. Chill, chill, chill, chill. We're all good. Yeah. So far, extremely spicy. He has to say this into the mic.

I knew he was going to do this. Yeah, talk into the mic. Talk into the mic. We're on a show. Now it's starting to spicy. He has to say this into the mic. I knew he was gonna do this. Yeah, talk into the mic, talk into the mic. We're on a show. Now it's starting to build. Don't touch the mic with the gloves. Yes? The heat is building in my mouth.

Now it's getting really hot. It's getting really hot? Oh my God. Fire, like burning inside my mouth. Gene, you want water? No, no, no, I wanna try and raw dog it. I did two levels below him and I bit it and immediately spit it out and my mouth was on fire.

So far, I was able to clear the lips. Burning like a motherfucker. My tongue is hot right now fire. So far I was able to clear the lips. Burning like a motherfucker. My tongue is hot right now. So far I was able to clear the lips. The lips, here comes the hiccups. Hiccups are probably gonna come. Do you need milk? I'm on a raw dog it.

I knew this fucker was gonna act like this. Like he's like doing a review. Like he's Anthony Bourdain. Yeah. It's just like, okay, now the heat is starting to come on. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to talk. My mouth is on fire right now. Nothing in the gut so far yet.

Do I regret doing it? Yes. For sure. Yes, I don't know why I did this. I don't know why I let him talk my dumb ass into this. Lips not burning. I think I'm all right. I'm gonna be fine.

The banana pudding's fantastic. You're going back? I think, I got bad hiccups. Can we get a camera angle? He please remind them to not touch the mics with the gloves? Frank's freaking out about the microphones. The tongue, the tongue is like tingly and hot.

The mouth is burning inside. Okay, I'm doing better. I'm doing better now. The banana pudding though is to die for. Fuck no, no way. Let's go, Rick. Excuse my language, my mom's watching right now. You ate something.

Take a bite of the one I did, you'll be all right. No way, you freaked out. I'm fine now, it's been two seconds. Do I take another bite? It's like a wasabi. Go ahead, go ahead. Rick, Rick, Rick, Rick, Rick. Whole thing, whole thing, whole thing. Oh, he quivered there for a second, he buckled.

He just wants you to touch it. Don't touch it. Don't touch the mic. I have gloves on. The banana pudding is excellent. The banana pudding. I feel bad that there's only two banana puddings. Where's Rick's?

I gotta be honest. I'm truly being honest. I smell the spiciness. Being 100% honest. I thought this was gonna be a lot worse. Really? Okay. So you psyched yourself out a little bit.

Well, I was ready to do it regardless. But I thought I'd be a lot more uncomfortable. Do not get me wrong, please people, if you don't have a high tolerance for spice, this will fuck you up. Go ahead. They're all giving me shit. Go ahead, Alwine. They're giving me shit.

Come on. Yes, yes, bite, bite, bite, bite. It's hot in the mouth. No! Small bite. Oh, fuck. Put the gloves on. Too late.

Did I screw up? Just bite it. Just don't touch your eyes. Or the microphone. Do it! Oh, oh, oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, Fuck you chat. Fuck you guys. You guys didn't believe in me? The heat is building still. It's coming. Oh.

The first swallow. It's hot. Yo, fuck you guys. The smart thing was avoid the lips like you said. Fuck you guys. Don't ever, oh my God. Why did I do that? Oh.

You need to land this plane. Why did I do that? Oh, Rick's savage for swallowing it. Just wiping my nose with a glove. I need napkin. I can hear Rick's nose running from over here Thank you for doing it with me I'm sweating like crazy This is the worst way to end this can we zoom in I can see the sweat Why do I can see this sweat. Why do you guys?

I can see the sweat in your eyes. I had a nice goodbye plan. No better way to do a goodbye than this. I'm guessing dinner's not happening tonight. Howlin' plus, let it be known, Howlin' plus. That was crazy. This guy right here. Look at this thing.

This is disturbing. Can I get you to even lick it? No way. This is disturbing, bro. You're taking a flight later. It is so hot. It really does. When you swallow, it gets hotter and hotter.

You guys gotta take us home. Thank all of you for joining us. We had a great time in Vegas. I have to get on an airplane with Rick. It was a wonderful week. And I am regretting it. I had an unbelievable week. The memories that I have that we made over this week

are just irreplaceable. What a way to finish it. All of us. I wanted to conquer it. I was able to. Haewani's struggling. My respect for Rick. I can't move my mouth. Insane respect. My tongue. I was born for this. Sean Evans, if you're out there watching this, please, please bring me on Hot Ones. Thank you so much.

I think I could handle the wings of death. God bless Vegas. God bless you guys. Thank you. That's it. Peace. That's it? We're really done? That's it? That's all you can say? I think I could handle the wings of death. God bless Vegas. God bless you guys. Thank you. That's it. Peace. That's it? We're really done? That's it? That's all you can say?