The Ariel Helwani Show - Sean O'Malley, Kayla Harrison, Chris Eubank Jr., Lerone Murphy, Carlos Prates, Weekend Recap, More

Episode Date: April 7, 2025

Ariel Helwani and the gang kick off the show by reacting to the latest from the combat sports weekend, including Lerone Murphy's big win over Josh Emmett at UFC Vegas 105, and reflecting on the anniversary of UFC 223, the wildest fight week in history (04:58).Kayla Harrison discusses her UFC 316 title showdown against Julianna Peña, why she wants to respect Peña but struggles to do so, being a heavy betting favorite as the challenger, her pursuit of Amanda Nunes and more (30:13).Lerone Murphy discusses his UFC Vegas 105 main-event win over Josh Emmett, criticism of the fight, the state of the featherweight division, who he wants next and more (1:02:02).Sean O'Malley discusses his UFC 316 title rematch against Merab Dvalishvili, injuries he took into that first bout, quitting social media, his fiery message to critics of the booking and more (2:02:56).Carlos Prates discusses his UFC Kansas City showdown against Ian Machado Garry, how his smoking habit has changed with his run of five-round main events, his insane training plan for the Irishman and more (2:38:16).Chris Eubank Jr. discusses his April 26 grudge match against Conor Benn, his viral egg slap and the historic punishment he faces for it, his relationship with his father and more (3:00:45).Join us on the bike: avironactive.com/uncrowned EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/uncrowned Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee. 

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Er-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R 27, 2000. And 25. Hello again everyone. I sure hope you're doing well. It's great to be here on a cold and rainy Monday in New York City. I mean just look at it out there. When is it going to get nicer? The UFC's in beautiful Miami this Saturday. Sure would be nice to be in Miami right about now, but you know what? It is always nice. It's always toasty, it's always balmy here inside the Uncrowned Studios, and my friends, it's a super stacked Monday. It's one of my favorite Monday lineups since we launched this whole shebang back in October

of last year. A super duper stacked five pack of guests, and a lot to get into as always following another busy weekend in the world of combat sports and as we inch closer to UFC 314 which is a SuperSat card in its own right this Saturday in Miami Yeah, big one before I get into anything a quick word that today's program is brought to you by our good friends that today's program is brought to you by our good friends over at Averon. You know we love Averon and we are inching closer to the clash of titans,

GC versus Sean Brady on the Averon bike. Is PT reading this ad or? No, I'm just kidding. I'm just kidding. Anyway, as you all know, workouts should not feel like a grind. That's why I've made Averron a part of my fitness routine. And let me tell you, it's changed the game. Avron takes exercises to a whole new level using gamification. Yes, you can play actual video games while you workout,

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which has been the centerpiece for some of the most epic battles in the history of this program, it's a little addictive. You get so into the games that you completely forget that you're actually working out. Once you start, you're locked in competing head to head, racing against the clock or chasing your personal best. We're counting down to when Sean Brady comes visits us in studio to go head to head with Mr. GC. What a showdown that will be. We are building up to it. It's like

WrestleMania 3 Hulk Hogan versus Andre the Giant. Anyway, as you know by now, they've got multiplayer games, races, on-demand classes, scenic rides, and the most streaming options you've ever seen on any type of exercise device. You're sweating it out, getting competitive and actually looking forward to cardio days, which makes it way easier to stick to your routine. And the Avron Victory Treadmill just launched, like I just told you,

it's the world's first gamified treadmill. And with it, you can get back into fitness for the new year with introductory pricing. Plus head over to avronactive.com slash on crown and get $50 off. Go to avron, A-V-I-R-O-N, active.com slash on crown to end boring workouts. One more time, avronactive.com slash on crown. They are great people, great Canadian couple. They're working hard, they're doing the damn thing, and we are proud to be linked up with

them. Support them because they support us. That's the way we do it. All right, back end of the show. We shall be joined by one of the most talked about fighters in the world today, Chris Eubank Jr. We are also inching closer. 19 days to be exact from his much anticipated, long awaited showdown against one, Connor Ben.

It's Eubank Ben 3. The Pops fought back in, well, in the 90s. Once Eubank won, second time, draw. Now they meet some 30 or so years later. Now they were supposed to fight back in 2022. You know the story by now, the Yanks contaminated blah blah blah. And then you know about the face-offs very recently well it's going down April 26 Tottenham Hotspur Stadium one of the few exciting things happening at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this season if I do say so myself looking forward to talking to speaking to Chris Hubeck I'm sorry honor Jordan I know you're a fan but you know them's the breaks them's the breaks in any event prior to that, we shall be joined by the great Carlos Pratches, who of course,

on that same day, is going to be fighting Ian Machado-Garry. We found out about this about six days ago. He was supposed to fight at UFC 314 in Miami against Jeff Neil. Neil gets hurt. We found out about that last weekend, two weekends ago essentially. And then it was all right, who's he going to fight? He's going to stay on the card? He's going to fight back? And then he was supposed to fight at UFC 314. against Jeff Neil. Neil gets hurt. We found out about that last weekend, two weekends ago, essentially. And then it was all right, who's he going to fight? He's going to stay on the card. Is he going to fight Buckley? Is he going to fight Gary? Boom, we find out on a Tuesday night

news dump that they're moving him to Kansas City because Roundtree Hill off. And so now we're getting a protest against Gary April 26, which dare I say is a level up, level up. So we'll talk to the big man, the smoker at 3.30 at three o'clock. Sugashano Mali will join us. You may have heard of him. He's going to be fighting June 7th right across the river in New Jersey, Newark to be exact, the Rock Prudential Center, UFC 316 against Marabdou Alishvili. A rematch. He's laid low.

Not a lot of media. No podcast. Just one came out last week to announce all this. No social media. He's cut out a lot of things apparently. We'll talk to him about all that and more looking forward to that chat as always with sugar Sean at two o'clock, Lerone Murphy, who defeated Josh Emmett on Saturday at the Apex and got booed while doing it crazy. It's like the most, the most sound, the most emotion, the most energy of any kind that I've seen coming out of that building in quite some time, if ever. Maybe the only time that I've felt anything like that

was the NXT event there. Anyway, we'll talk to Lerone where he goes from here. Undefeated, 16 wins, unbeaten in the UFC. He's won eight in a row. He's on a roll. He's the pride of Manchester. And you know, it's nice to see at least someone linked to Man United winning these days. I'll be here all day. Anyway, prior to that we'll be

joined by Kayla Harrison who is also going to be fighting on that card in Newark June 7th UFC 316 in the highly anticipated fight against Julianna Pena for the women's bantamweight title. I mean is that a five pack or is that a five pack? I'm excited about this. Hope you are as well. This is going to be a great day. As far as this weekend is concerned, UFC event at the Apex on Saturday highlighted by the Lerone Murphy win over Josh Emmett.

And then afterwards got booed by the crowd in attendance. I think it was just a lot of Josh Emmett friends and family. You know, it's a friends and family only environment over there at the Apex these days. But it was a hard lot of Josh Emmett friends and family. You know, it's a friends and family only environment over there at the apex these days. Uh, but it was a hard fought win over a supremely tough competitor, a litmus test, if you will. I don't like the word gatekeeper, but if you get by Josh Emmett, you're a player.

Side note, Lerone Murphy is freaking jacked and ripped. But it feels like after the fact, people aren't excited about like, he should be in the conversation for a Movstar Evoev after a win like that and considering his resume. Uh, we're, we're hearing some reports now that Aaron Pico may have signed with the UFC, this accorded to a red corner MMA, usually reliable. reliable they're fighting or he they reported that he's going to fight

most of the Apex you're gonna debut Aaron Pico at the Apex really this is really gonna happen what is going on here a guy like that is gonna debut at the apex in any event it feels like Laron should be in the running for a fight like that afterwards he called out Brian Ortega, but last we heard Ortega's moving up to 155. Ortega did respond on social media giving the old, you know, shh, which maybe means, I don't know, I'm not available, which maybe means I'm not interested,

which maybe means quiet down, I'll give you what you want. I don't know, but apparently you heard it just based off the timestamp, unless he was just talking to someone else. Maybe he was mad about Duke choking and was telling all the Houston haters out there that Houston, I don't know. I think he was referring to the Lerone Murphy,

calling him out. In any event, I wanted to have a little discussion about Lerone and where he goes from here with everyone. And P.T. wrote a great story. And in fact, I don't even know if P.T. is joining us today because his head has gone so big after a mention on the broadcast. I mean, would you see, you know, it makes sense that a guy named Fitzgerald will shout out a Carol on a UFC broadcast. How has life been since you got the shout out on the UFC broadcast, P.T.? Has it just been an incredible time? Have you been flooded with texts and phone calls from all over the world?

It's been nonstop. I just got myself out of the bathtub. I was drinking several bottles of champagne ever since this happened. Well deserved. Well deserved. I want you to know that I'm still grounded. I'm still willing to come on the show. You know what I mean? I love this tweet by the way, when you say that you were making a cup of tea, in other words, saying you fell asleep, someone texted you about it. And this is your way of,

of not always genuinely making that tea. I had a Pat Sabatini routing of Britta, which just, I busted the parlay on the boys and I was feeling pretty badatini routing of Brito, which just, I busted the parlay on the boys and I was feeling pretty bad about it. I was like, Oh my God, back here again, back here being the loser of the group. And then good old Fitzie picks my mood right up. And then of course showcase performance from their own more. If he done all what all these people are complaining about, don't know what all of these people are doing about. What do you want them to do? Just run into Josh Emmett's hands? Is that what we're expecting them to do?

Come on, this is a sport. What happened to it being a sport? I don't know, Ariel. It's gone. So did you like the performance? I thought he had to, that's exactly what he'd have to do to beat Josh Emmett. Yeah.

You know, I don't think he can, you know, you're fighting a guy like that who has put lads to sleep, has brutally knocked out people. Lerone's in a situation where he's not only protecting his ascending career, he's protecting that unbeaten record. I don't know what people expect him to do. Just meet this guy in the pocket who is a murderous puncher?

That's a sensible performance. This is the sport of MMA at the end of the day. And I think people are forgetting that more and more every week. I see this whole part of emotion about, oh, he was robbed. I don't know what fight they were watching. I thought it was a very classy performance and exactly what he needed to do to get you Josh Emmett. I get that it wasn't a spectacle, you know, but. People said that Emmett was robbed.

I saw a lot of that there online as well. Yeah. I saw people saying, oh, what are these judges doing? I'm like, they're fucking jobs, mate. What do you think they're doing? Yeah, I mean, maybe like the Tony Weeks scorecard earlier with the Torres Finney fight, that was a wonky one, but I didn't see anything wrong with this one.

Boys in the back, what'd you guys think? Are you impressed? I mean, right now, as of right this second, Leroy Murphy, number 10. Some names ahead of him, Aljamine sterling, not a bad one. Josh Emmett there, Arnold Allen. Probably not.

Then there's Ortega, Yair's fighting this weekend. Movstar is fighting, uh, probably Aaron Pico of these reports are true. And then Lopez fighting for the belt, Max Holloway, probably not getting that one. It looks like he'll fight DP and then Volkanovsky. So maybe it is Aljo. But what do you guys think?

Did he, did he assert himself as a top contender Rick? What'd you say? Yeah? I'm gonna just gonna regurgitate something. I said on the boys in the back, which is that As far as Lerone Murphy's package like the the skill set the complete game that he has I've always been impressed by him I think he has the grappling to compete. I think he has the striking to compete I think he's really good in every area, and he can kind of utilize that against opponents where they're weakest or where he's strongest in that matchup. But there is a little bit of sizzle missing.

There is something missing that has, like, he has not been able to put a stamp on our performance. There's always a little bit of dicey moments, or there's always a little bit of not being able to just get it across the finish line to finish lesser opposition. To me, though, this was a significant step up and he passed the testifying colors.

I have no confusion about how that fight went. Lerone Murphy won that fight. I don't understand. I did not personally see anybody being like, Josh, I may get robbed, but if they did, they don't know what they're watching. And this was a step up and he passed that bar. So I'm ready for Lerone Murphy versus top guys

I am still not certain though that he has what it will take to beat those top guys He may be one of those guys who gets into contendership gets into a title opportunity, but can't cross that threshold I am not as certain of him as I have been about other prospects potentially but in terms of skills There's nothing he's lacking. He has it all he has a complete game The more he continues to kind of like put that all together and mix it up, the further he'll go. So I was impressed because I think of Josh Emmett as a tough out. Like Ilya Toporia couldn't finish him. Meanwhile, he's on back-to-back finishes against Max Holloway and Alexander Volkonovsky. He went five

rounds with Josh Emmett. So to me, that's a bar that he has cleared that I have been impressed by. GC? Yeah, I thought it was an impressive performance. You know, technically speaking, maybe not the most exciting fight, but he did what he had to do. He followed the game plan and got past Josh Emmett. But sort of what you were saying,

I don't know who you put him up against next, just looking at the rankings. I doubt he's gonna fight like an Arnold Allen just because they're both Englishmen and it feels sort of like a weird matchup. Brian Ortega, I know he put the shush emoji, but he's at 155 and then it feels like the rest of the top five is booked from there. So who his next matchup, Brian Ortega, I know he put the shush emoji, but he's at 155, and then it feels like the rest of the top five

is booked from there, so who his next matchup is, I'm not sure of, but I feel like he's ready to take that next step into top six, top five in the world. I really like that Al Jermain fight for him. I wonder if, like, Al Jermain was complimenting him and like the game plan, that doesn't mean they won't fight, but yeah, that's not a bad show. Yeah, let's take a look at that,

because Al Jermain was one of the few out there that I saw complimenting Lerone Murphy after a hard fought win. I saw no controversy whatsoever. Anyone complaining about Lerone Murphy staying on his bike to stick and move, he wrote, must forget what Emmett does to people, as recently as his last fight, by the way,

against Bryce Mitchell, that trade with him in the pocket which makes the porius win over Emmett so much more impressive in my honest opinion with those gloves that's ballsy shit by the way if John Silva wins this weekend or even if Bryce Mitchell wins is that the opponent because the thing is I do wonder how high the UFC is on the rone they were just in England they They put them at the apex. They were in Manchester. They didn't put them on that card. And I think he didn't, you know, it was coming off another one, but like they, they

could, they could schedule these things a little better when they want to. And when they want to showcase someone, it feels to me like they're a little trepidatious on him. Like they're, they're a little reluctant as to whether or not they want to fully get behind him. And so I wonder ultimately, if, if one of the fights happening this weekend, maybe not Yair Pitbull, they seem a little bit, you know, further along, but maybe it's Bryce

Mitchell against, uh, Gian Silva. Is, is Mitchell. What if it was the loser of Yair Pitbull? 13. You're going to give him, you're going to give him the loser, the guys unbeaten in the UFC. Still a big name though.

Still a big name. Yeah, I still think that's a good, I just hope to be honest. To the point you're making about the UFC's feelings, it's a lot easier and everybody is guilty of this. I'm not claiming that this is the UFC. Everybody who watches sports is guilty of this, but it's a lot easier to be enamored with Flash than Substance.

Lerone Murphy is Substance. Lerone Murphy is well-rounded. Lerone Murphy knows how to win fights. I expect that he will have a climb to the top that is much more similar to a Bilal or a Leon than to a Sean O'Malley and that's just the reality of what it is like if he was going out there and finishing guys the

way Ilya Toporia was then maybe right then we'd be having a different conversation but that doesn't mean that he's not going to get there it just might be a longer road I don't mind potentially the loser of silver or Mitchell I think that's... He's already there by the way. I feel like he's got to get the winner of Silver Mitchell. Yeah. I don't mind either. Because I mean he's calling for a ton. He's unbeaten in nine.

He's almost at the Leon. But this is my point. He's still fighting back. He's going to have to. They're not going to just hand it to him. I know, he'd be fighting like the number 13th guy at that point though. This is the road. If you are the guy who wins impressive but not overwhelmingly, not flashy performances, you're going to be that guy. That is just how that is. And when you finally get your time, you very well may win the title because you're that damn good like Leon did like Bilal did but it's going to take time and I imagine he's gonna have to fight back. He is on an 85 win streak and he's coming off a victory that earned Ilya Diborya the title shot. Not to belabor the point if you take that same fight put it it at the O2, make it a three-round fight.

Not a bad point. We're talking about him in a whole different light. Not a bad point. That five-round performance, clinical, as you said, PC, classy, whatever you want to call it, at the apex, on a sleepy Saturday night, just doesn't hit the same way. But it's the crowd. So it's just... The crowd wasn't sleepy after.

The crowd was like all of Josh Emmett it's just the crowd wasn't sleepy after I was like they blew up in the crowd I was like man big pop for Josh Emmett I wish they should like was it just ten loud dudes what was it in Josh I'm like it sounded like 20 or 25 we've never heard anything like that go ahead PT like why don't you like if you're gonna make them fight back why like 20 or 25. We've never heard anything like that. Go ahead. PZ. Like, why don't you, like, if you're going to make them fight back, why don't you put them in against like an all action guy, like Zalal, you know, like a guy who was, is just going out and in barnstormers most of the time, like a guy that, but I suppose it's, it's same for Josh Emmett.

I just wonder if he's going to agree to that. He said in the post fight, had he stopped Emmett, he was going to ask for a title shot. Now asking and receiving two different things, but that's where his mind is. Like he feels like he's right there. And of course we'll talk to him in about 42 minutes time. So, I mean, he'll take, he'll take what the UFC is

going to give him. Ultimately, he wants to fight for the UFC title. But Yusuf Sallal at this juncture is a bit of a step back. Yeah. I mean, he mentioned, he mentioned title shot if he got the finish then he said top five and then he was calling Brian Ortega who's number six. His eyes are not set behind him. Yeah. Who might be? Was the move to call out Evluev just like the boogie man just be like

give me that guy. That's what I would have done a thousand percent that's what I would have done. I see what you're saying. Well did we know Pico by then or was that yesterday? No it was yesterday. Pico would have been a great fight for Laron too. I mean just Patrizio would have been a great fucking fight for him. I mean, there was loads of all these new guys. He could have had either of them and I would have been very happy.

Evluev and Laron are both in a territory where they are extremely good, but nobody wants to fight them and take the risk. That's why it's perfect. Because they are the only ones who would potentially want to fight each other. Cause it's the only way you can get benefit. To be fair, you respect to Aljamey Sterling for coming in there and doing that because he's the

guy who's like look I'm coming from another weight class I'm gonna come in here and face Evluev. Like maybe Aljo is that guy. You mentioned Aljo, maybe Aljo is that guy for Laron. And by the way, by the way, matching them up would be doing the UFC a favor because it would eliminate one of them. Yeah. Because they're like, the Pico one, not only does it not make any sense to have him debut at the Apex, do you really want him debuting against EvloEV?

Like you're staring at it like, Pico is great, but it's not like he can't lose to EvloEV and now you just- EvloEV is great, but you would think if somebody has a style that could kind of combat that, it might be a Pico, right? Maybe they're just like, they're throwing some chips on on Pico

that's like, he can stop takedowns and he can throw those hands. Remember Dana was talking about how much Sean Shelby loves him. If you're that high on him, first fight in the UFC against everyone is tough. It's a tough out. It could easily turn into Movstar's 10th win

by decision in the UFC. Yes. I could also, call me crazy, I could just as easily seeing it be the type of performance that jumps him above guys like Lerone Murphy. Where if he stuffs the takedown and hits him on the end of something like an uppercut and takes him out, I think Pico jumps higher than all the rest of these guys.

Oh dude, if Pico comes in on his debut and knocks out Moe'sar, He'll be a hero to the fans. So he'll be like one away. It's high risk, high reward. Yeah, he'll be a hero. Well, we'll talk to Lerone Murphy in a moment. I do wanna say congratulations to Pizzi. I do believe that Ireland is three and O in the UFC

in the year 2025. What's happened here? Because for the longest time, you guys were winless. I think it was was like 10 years without a win now all of a sudden you can't be stopped ah come on now ah no no listen we're like a sleeping volcano mate that's what it was everything just needed to align in the correct way Sean O'Bannon, Cailan Loughran and now Reese McKee. Reese McKee he wasn't even 30 years of age but he's a of the Irish scene. This man won belts in Bama He won belts in cage warriors. He went in against Hamza Chamoyev and then you know what he got his reward for that Oh

10 15 25 veteran Alex Morono. He don't even move the way out the way. He loses a close decision. He's back out again Does he give up? No, he doesn't he says you know what? I'm gonna go back to cage wars I'll go back wins three in a row Two of them in Ireland and then we's back Listen, he says, you know what? I'm gonna go back to Cage Wars. I'll go back. Wins three in a row. Two of them in Ireland. And now he's back. Big win, big moment. That's the Reese McKee we know and love.

And how about this? Not too far away from Ian Gary v. Pratchett. I know he's on the show today. Guess what else? Paul Hughes and Belfast coming up in a few weeks too. Yeah, yeah. Is there a resurgence of Irish MMA? Feels like it. Feels like it. What do you think?

I just said, yeah. Oh, sorry. I cut out there for a second, the music and... I heard him. Oh, okay. Yeah, no, it definitely feels like it. The tides are turning. It's great to see. And great story. Sometimes you get in, doesn't go well. You leave doesn't mean it's a death sentence. We saw that with Yous, Yusuf Salal as well. Build yourself back up, come back in. Well done.

How nervous the Irish scene was about this. Like it got to the point where, well, well, it got to the point where I think people, I personally was like, I've done this interview with Reese, I think two or three times where you're like, you're going into the interview going like, well, if you lose this one, you know, and it's just getting really rough. And I didn't see a lot of talk of that this week, but he seemed, he seemed really on top form and I think having his family there, he mentioned that in his post fight interview.

I don't think he's usually done that in the UFC. His, his child and his, and his, and his wife were there. And I think that made a big difference. And the guys in fight Academy, Ireland, they are just tearing the fuck out of the place right now. They had John McHulgan there, another legend, former lightweight champion at Cage Wars. He came in a cluster of brilliant fighters in that division. Paddy Pimbliss, Mason Jones, Joy Herbert, and he still won the belt, but didn't quite get there. I think a lot of people would have loved to see him there, but it just seemed like the lads were in perfect

Symbian's during this fight a brilliant brilliant performance and look at the power in those hands as he said afterwards We've been waiting to see this like every time Reese McKee hit someone They're immediately in trouble usually and we just didn't see it in the UFC And so I think he took some time to get comfortable with it But as we saw it earlier and I for knockdownss in the first round. Doctor stops in between rounds. Yeah. Absolutely vintage stuff. And look at those beautiful tattoos.

Yeah. Look at that. He looks fantastic. Uh, Pat Sabatini also with the win, as you mentioned. Brilliant. Changho Lee victorious as well. Won a, a bonus for that. Brad Tavares surpasses Michael Bisping in the,

uh, middleweight victories list. Well done to him. Been in the game for a long time. Odea Osborne with a brilliant win as well. Got a bonus for that. Torres Finney. You love Torres Finney, don't you GC? I see that you, you mentioned him a lot. Okay.

Uh, great, great insight. Uh, Dionne Barbosa, uh, gets the big submission win. Uh, I don't know if you guys heard Andy there. He walked away. Uh, Reese McKee, as we mentioned, Loma Lukbumi with a unanimous decision win, Victor Henry as well with a UD, uh, Martin Buday and Talita Alansar. Now we also had, by the way, uh, look at our new graphics. How nice is this?

Uh, PFL had its debut on Thursday and, uh, some of us did well, some of us not so well. I think I'm completely out of the, I think it's the feather weight. I think I went winless. I went winless. Oh, jeez Louise. A total. Boy, Dupre just didn't get it done.

I just, that's actually really impressive to go over like that. I didn't go over. I didn't go over, but I feel your pain because my welterweight pick is completely out. I picked, I picked Koreshkov and he got smoked by Jackson. Jason Jackson. I'm done on that. Did none of us pick that gene?

I know, man. Yeah, none of us, none of us had that gene. Yo, I love that gene. In fact, he's gonna be on the show tomorrow. What a star they have. What a star, a potential star. I mean, he's got to face Jason Jackson in the next round. God, leave it.

He knocks out Jason Jackson. They've got something. I wasn't familiar with his game. I was not familiar with his game. He's just so charismatic. He's so much fun. Did anyone go perfect? I don't think so.

Yeah, I think we all had Nathan Kelly and I think we all had a Berkhamov. Damn. Did anyone else go winless like me? Nah, just you. Jeez. I, uh, I didn't do so hot in welterweight, but I didn't go winless.

Who the fuck is we? Yeah. I went three for four on featherweight. And how'd you go? Oh, nice. Okay. So I got both my championship picks in. Yeah.

I'm feeling deep. Did I do the same thing as you? You may have. I think I saw you looking over when I was filling out the bracket. Yeah. No, you went boring. Sorry. Oh, you lost your championship pick. Dinner's going to be good.

I got to start picking out the restaurant. I almost had Adam. Not good. What did you guys think about the, uh, the new look PFL at the, uh, the universal studios, uh, sound stage. It seemed like the event rolled along a little bit quicker. Yeah. Look, the sound stage was a little bit better. at the Universal Studios soundstage.

Seemed like the event rolled along a little bit quicker. Yeah, look, there wasn't like a, it didn't to me feel like wow, this is a completely new PFL product. It felt like more of the same from that perspective. But what I will say is this bracket is a lot easier to follow. And we talked about the Sun Boys in the back.

I was like, I kinda like the change. I really do. Like, I know, look, do I think tournament formats are the thing to make your money on in 2025 and MMA? Potentially not. I don't, I don't really. But if this is supplementary to the super fight cards where you're doing the bigger fights that people wanna see and might even pay pay-per-view prices for, I kinda dig it.

And as far as tournaments go, this is better than the previous. It's a lot better than the previous. the bigger fights that people wanna see and might even pay pay-per-view prices for, I kinda dig it and as far as tournaments go, this is better than the previous. It's better than that season. It's better than now we have the playoff structure. This works for me. Win and in. Or win and go home.

Win or go home. That's it. I love it. That gets that big win, then it's like, okay, he's in first place. No, that gets that big win, he's facing the former champ. Yeah, like this is fun.

This is better. I'm with you, I like it better. Couldn't really tell, you know, it was kind of like the sphere, once they were in the cage, you couldn't really tell that they were at the Universal Soundstage. I was hoping for maybe roller coaster in the background,

something like that. Nah, nah, you can't. But honestly, if you're a PFL, is this not where you want to do something like this, right? Like, look, these are, you know, let's be realistic about what the level of talent here is on this. There are some names, and there are some people that are potentially gonna win championships

that are gonna make them $500,000 richer. But these are not the main draws, right? These are not the Apache mixes, the Francis and Ghanous, and on and on and on, that are gonna be the ones that are in pay-per-view that you put in an arena. I kinda am okay if this is a studio production. I get that, I'm okay with it. They announced the locations for the future rounds

and they're all on big venues, so let's see if they build some momentum. I will say this, I like the Thursday night. Thursday night was great. I like the Thursday night a lot. I like not doing it on Saturday, not trying to oppose the UFC. Or even Friday, there's something about the Thursday

that I kinda dig. Yeah, maybe this is, GFL's filling in Sunday, Monday for the NFL, this is our supplement for Thursday night football, this is, it feels like PFL and GFL working together on this one. By the way, I threw to you about Torres Finney and then you. I know, I'm sorry, I forgot to refill my water bottles.

Oh no, wow. I thought you guys were gonna talk about the Irish. You wanna say why you like him so much. Torres Finney, I mean, it's just the frame on him. The frame on him's great, but man, that fight didn't do much for us. The Torres Finney hive is down, very similar to the stock market.

The Torres Finney stock is down after that one. Yes. Not the most fun fight to watch. Before we move along, just a quick look at Daniel Fruenza's lip, if we can. He lost to Reese McKee, the aforementioned Reese McKee. Look at this thing, courtesy of Dana White's Instagram. Look at that thing, golly. Oh my dear God.

You ever get like a canker sore or something? That thing will bother you when you eat for like three weeks. Could you imagine how annoying this must be? I get one that you can barely even see in the mirror and I'm just like, man, I hurt so bad to eat. That dude is going to hurt for a month. Anything. Can you imagine like something spicy? Can you imagine? You know what I mean? It's just awful. It's absolutely awful. Kudos to him. He appears to be in good spirits. So that's what your boy Reese McKee did to him, Pete C. All right, let's move along. It's such a great pleasure.

It always feels like a very important, exciting day when we're joined by our first guest of the day, because, I mean, she's royalty at this point. And in fact, if you'd asked me, she should be in the United States Olympic Hall of Fame. That's how damn talented she is. And on the 7th of June, right across the river, If you'd ask me, she should be in the United States Olympic Hall of Fame. That's how damn talented she is. And on the 7th of June, right across the river,

right here in the tri-state area at the Rock, the Prudential Center, she attempts to become a UFC champion, further cementing her place among the gods of combat sports. And dare I say, if she does in fact do it, may just go down as the greatest combat sports and dare I say if she does in fact do it may just go down as the greatest combat sports athlete of all time. Yeah, two gold medals, a PFL championship, a UFC championship. I think that would qualify. It's a great pleasure to be joined by the one and only Kayla Harrison right now. Is she there? Yeah. Hello Kayla, how are you? That was, don't be like, don't be doing blast me though. All right. Don't call me a god. There's only one god.

Okay, you're right. You're right. I just mean like among the legends of the game. Is that true by the way? The heat of Hall of Fame also, not to like start off like with a bunch of corny stuff, but you can vote for me to be in the Olympic Hall of Fame. Yeah. It's actually on my story right now. Oh, by the way, why do you think we mentioned that? What do you think? Oh, you're so good.

What a plugger. Look at this. What a plugger. You think we just pull this stuff out of our back pocket? Look at you. So by the way, I mean, there's some legends there. I see my guy Mello up there. What is this?

Like the fans vote on who goes into Hall of Fame? What kind of Hall of Fame is this? I don't know, to be honest. Okay. But this is the legit Hall of Fame is this? I don't know, to be honest. Okay. But this is the legit Hall of Fame? Yeah, it's a United States Olympic Committee's Hall of Fame. I think it's not, it's like 50% fan votes and then like a panel or something.

I don't know. Okay, all right. Well, good luck. I just show up and kick ass. You know how it goes. Amen. When do you find out if you're in? I don't know.

Okay, perfect. We'll keep our eyes. What else was I gonna say? It's good to see you again. It's been a while. It's good to see you too. Where have you been? Where have you been? I feel like you've laid low. Keeping my nose to the grindstone, baby.

Yeah, you kind of have. I feel like you've just kind of like stayed out of the line. Like I don't see, I don't hear much. You're not popping up places. Is this part of the game plan? Um, I mean, well, first of all, the job's not done. So I have to do my job. popping up places? Is this part of the game plan? I mean, well, first of all, the job's not done. So I have, I got work to do. And second of all, like, I don't care to be seen or, you know, like, I love my life. I hang out with my kids. We have like our little stuff. I get to do what I love every day for a living

and chase my dreams. Like I'm not trying to be famous, so. Respect. You've been there, done that. No, but I just, it's different. I think with age comes a little bit of wisdom and maybe when I was younger, I wanted to be, I wanted everyone to know I was the best

and I wanted to be seen and I wanted to be famous and I wanted to be rich and I wanted like all of these things, but the older I get, peace is really a priority for me and like protecting that peace and just keeping the things that really matter to me in mind and like at the forefront. So what what really matters to me being a good person, being a good mother. Yeah, just carrying myself the way I believe we're supposed to carry ourselves. But like the

other stuff doesn't matter. How long have you known about June 7th? No, I mean, I guess a little bit longer. When did they announce it last week? Last Tuesday. Yeah, a couple of weeks before that maybe. The reason I ask is-

But it wasn't like official. I didn't, you know, I would call your best friend every day and be like, is it happening? Is it happening? Is it happening? So, so any frustration with that? Because your last fight was in October and we obviously know the commitment and the sacrifice involved in making 135. And this is, you know, this is a solid eight months after your last fight.

So were you starting to get antsy? Yes, and no like a little bit and just because I'm ready to be UFC champion. That's really you know, why I came over here what I want to do and also You know having faith and trusting God's timing You're probably not a big gambler type, look at the odds type, that sort of thing. We think, we're not sure, but we think that you're the biggest favorite as the challenger going into a title fight ever. Really? Yeah, like that's what it opened at minus 590 as the challenger going into the title fight.

You understand what these numbers mean, right? Like that means I don't really understand. No, but that's a that's a that's a gigantic thing. Like usually, you know, the challenger, even if they're highly regarded, those numbers. I know it wasn't a bigger. I guess Rhonda was never the challenge. No, she was. Oh, she. When she fought when she fought Misha Tate.

Yeah, when because Misha had the title, Ronda wasn't a bigger favorite then. The times were different, that was back in I think 2012. And also that technically wasn't the UFC that was Strike Force. I'm talking UFC title fights. Yeah, and the other organizations are a little different.

Well, I'm just saying, there's way more, there's way more, it's a big freaking deal. This is a nod to you, this is a compliment to you, it's a big deal,. This is a nod to you. This is a compliment to you. It's a big deal What is your reaction to that? um Thank you for the belief I'm Gonna show you guys that your money's in the right spot. By the way, I'm being told Rhonda was a minus 250

You're a minus 590 What does that mean exactly? I break that down. Okay GC. Can you break it down for Kayla? If you bet $590, you would only win $100. If you bet $100 on Juliana, you win $370. Oh, wow. See the difference? Oh, all right, well. GC, would it be fair to say she's a six to one favorite? Yeah, I guess one to six, like Julianna's a. I'm doing sixth grade math right now.

We don't know what we're talking about. All we know is that it's really good and somewhat notable and maybe even historic, one of its kind. Do you agree with these people who clearly think that you're that big a paper? Do you think it's that one sided? Absolutely. Why? Listen, everyone is tough until you beat them. I'm going in

leaving no stone unturned. And I'm preparing for the hardest fight of my life, as I always do. But um, yeah, I feel confident. I feel ready. It's like nine weeks, less than nine weeks, Saturday was nine weeks out and I can't wait. By the way, you froze on us. I don't know what's going on on the farm of yours over there with the internet, but we're gonna fight through it because we still hear you. We saw it. Okay, now it's back. It's a little dilapidated the connection if

I'm being honest. It's what's happening. Do you want me to connect to my other one? Oh, you have a better one? You're holding out on us? Maybe, I don't know. Let me look at which one. I mean, this is very 1995 AOL-esque right now. I do have a better one.

Oh, well then. Okay, one second. All right, we're gonna fight through it. It's coming up June 7th. Sometimes, yeah, they just disconnected. June 7th, Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey, big time title fight. And obviously there's the Amanda Nunes cloud hanging

over it. Both of them have a connection to Nunes. Juliana one and one against the great Amanda Nunes. Is she actually going to come back? Kayla Harrison, of course, former teammate of Amanda Nunes back when she was at ATT. What a fight. I said at the beginning of the year, it's maybe my most anticipated title fight of the first quarter, second quarter.

People laughed at me. Let me tell you something. By the time these two actually throw down, you're going to be as excited as I am. This is big time stuff right here. Remember they had that press conference in Utah prior to the pay-per-view in early October. They stole the show, they weren't even fighting each other. Peña was fighting Pennington,

she was fighting Caitlin Vieira, oh she's back. Is that better? It's actually the exact same. Ha ha ha ha ha. But it's okay, it's okay. Is that better? It's actually the exact same. But it's okay, it's okay. I know you have a busy day, so I don't want to waste time with the internet stuff. Can I ask, you fought a lot of tough people, Larissa, of course, Holly, Caitlin, where do you put Julianna in the test that she presents?

We'll see. We'll find out. I mean, it's, you know, there's always that little bit of unknown when you fight a new opponent. So, um, yeah, I think that like skill wise, I don't think she's the top of the top, but I think in terms of like heart and maybe experience, you know, she's got some good experience and she's definitely got confidence. I would argue cockiness maybe. So yeah, she's going to be. I don't know.

We'll see. Does she annoy you? I mean. Okay, like, I want to have a lot of respect for Juliana because she's a single mom. She's like a veteran of the sport. She like scratched and clawed her way to the top. She believed in herself when nobody believed in her. Like, I really want to have like, I want to have admiration for her.

And I think probably deep down I do. And I love that she's like confident and she says what she thinks. And but she's just pretty like dumb sometimes. So it's hard. It's difficult. What do you mean by dumb? Like, what does she do that? I mean, just like some of the stuff she is just like, you know, cheesy, like very cringe.

You know, she reminds me a lot of like Henry, like trying so trying too hard, a little bit trying too hard. But you love Henry. I mean, do I? Oh, I don't know. I thought you did. I mean, you're part of the same army. Yeah. Oh, here we go. Do it. You can't do it. You can't do it. You brought it up first. You brought it up first. You opened the door. You opened the door.

You can't do it. By the way, I remember you and Henry having a bet that if you won PFL and then won UFC that he would- We have that clip. Can we show that clip? Do we have the clip? We don't have the clip, but we do have it as part of like I watched it today. Oh yeah. Yeah. It's about to go down, dude. And then you also, you also, you're able to ask him to do, I think 200 pushups or 100

pushups anytime, right? 100, 100 anytime pushups. So that's, that's a very specific point. Do you know what an anytime pushup is? Meaning you could walk up to him and say, right now. Meaning, yes, meaning he could be in the delivery room for the birth of his child. And if I FaceTime him and say, hey, give me five, he has to give me five push-ups. More importantly, do you think he'll acknowledge you as such? Oh, yes.

Yeah. I think everyone will bow to the Queen. Do you really think you'll be considered the greatest of all time? Um. I mean, I will feel like I have done what I need to do. I don't really care what other people like, you know, it's such an opinion based thing, like. Everyone has an argument for certain like, I don't know, I don't really care. You know,

well, when you say that, you know, I will feel like I've done what I need to do. That makes me think that you're done after that. No, God, no. Okay. Don't worry, honey. Okay, so is this the is the bigger prize here? Amanda Nunes? No. Why not? The belt is the prize. Okay. The belt is the prize. Like win the belt, defend the belt.

Hopefully, you know, God willing, Amanda comes back, fight Amanda, whoop up on her, give her automatic rematch real quick just to to make sure everybody understands it wasn't a fluke. And then I think it will be very hard to dispute me being the greatest of all time. But I'm yeah, I mean, I definitely have a game plan. The problem is that I have to rely on other people for that game plan. So I also have to be okay if it never happens. Were you told when you agree to all this, hey, you win this fight, we're going to try our hardest. The plan is X, Y, and Z Amanda Nunes. No, I haven't been

promised anything. No, but at least told like, is this a part of the plan or is it a pipe dream? Uh, I mean, it's a part of my plan, but I haven't been told by like the UFC. Hey, we're going to make this happen. Like that's not, do you know if they're interested? Of course they're interested. Do you know if that, cause you remember that she danced all that stuff. Like it sounded like, and it looked like she was interested as well in coming back. Do you think she will be a part of this promotion? Do you think if that because you remember that she danced all that stuff like it sounded like and it looked like she was interested as well and coming back. Do you think she will be a part of this promotion? Do you think she'll be sitting there on the

night and all that stuff? I don't know. I mean, yeah, I mean, I think if she's interested in the fight, she will be. What do you think happens? Do you think you win the fight on the 7th of June, she comes back because of your history? I mean, I hope so. We're getting, like, I think we're getting ahead of ourselves here. Like, step one, beat Juliana's ass. Step two, you know, doesn't matter. I have to do step one.

So. That's fair. But I hope so. Like that's my dream is to fight Amanda. And like, it's not a disrespectful thing or like, you know, she's the greatest of all time. I have a lot of admiration and respect for her. And so like, and that's, I think what was so hard about her leaving the gym or feeling some type of way is like, I never meant it in a... Someone just slammed the door in my house.

Yeah, what happened? Maybe that's her. Right now. I never meant it in a disrespectful way. Like to me, the greatest honor I can met you in a disrespectful way. To me, the greatest honor I can give you is to say, hey, you're the best and you have what I want. Let's go share the cage and bring out the absolute best and raise the bar of women's

MMA to a whole new level. Let's bring out the best in each other and may the best woman win, you know, like that is for me, it's all about honor and respect the martial arts way like So, yeah, I hope she sees that and knows that and like wants to dance I Saw an interview recently with Megan Anderson and MMA fighting and she talked about how the the cut is miserable for you And it's gonna mess up your hormones and all that stuff. Do you see this and do you have any thoughts on what she said um i didn't see it but i definitely like i'm sure she knows from experience that making cutting weight is not i mean i don't know how else to describe it, except like to say it's torture. But everything I've wanted is on the other side of that torture. And like,

torture. And like, I feel like I become refined in the fire, you know, it's very, it's a very lonely process. It's a very, it's a much harder mental grind than I think I expected. First, it was like this fear of, oh, my gosh, can I do this? And now, it's this fear of, oh, my gosh, I do this? And now it's this fear of, oh my gosh, I know what I have to do in order to do this. Right. And yeah, it's definitely not healthy. Like it's not like, don't do this kids, you know,

I do not recommend. So do you feel at least like you have a better handle on it because you've done it twice now? Yeah, I mean, my team is so dialed in, like, yeah, everyone's dialed in. And I know what I have to do. And it's not easy. But you know, I do believe that in the end,'ll be worth it and we do it in as healthy and safe a manner as possible so Yeah, I mean it is what it is. I chose this, you know, it's not like anyone's forcing me to do it This was my decision

Did you wish that this fight was happening a few months prior so that you could have gotten it over with already? prior so that you could have gotten it over with already? Uh, I mean, originally I wanted to fight on this card this weekend, you know, like I was like, April perfect, Miami, let's go. But I mean, God's time, God's plan. The quote, by the way, among many is for women, these big weight cuts, hormonally, it's not good. So even if she does go out there, she dominates Juliana, or it's a back and forth battle, and she ends up becoming the champion. I don't see her fighting for too much longer. It's the toll on the body.

It's the quality of life. She was very, by the way, she wasn't taking a shot at you. She was very complimentary of you in this interview, Megan was, to MMA fighting. But I was just curious if you agree with that. Do you feel like there's a price that you are paying for all of this?

Of course, of course. Um, is that where you, there's a price that I paid for, you know, two Olympic gold medals and two PFL world titles. And like, there's always a price, you just have to decide if it's worth it. Uh, and I think another thing is like, I'm 34, I'm not getting any younger. So it's not just the weight cut that takes a toll. It's the 25 years of training at a very high level. Um, so yeah, now it's about training smarter. Um, yeah. Now it's about training smarter. Yeah.

But for me, I live my life to the fullest. I believe that it's worth it. Obviously, it's also important to me that I don't ever want to be so unhealthy to the point where I can't be a good mother. So, but I don't think I'm there. Like I still feel good. I still feel young. Like I feel ready to go. It's a sacrifice, but I have dreams and those dreams require this sacrifice.

Sometimes with this type of stuff, it makes you ornery. It makes you lose patience. Do you feel like it sometimes affects the way you are at home? You're tired, training. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Mm hmm.

100%. How do you balance that? You know, that's where, oh my goodness. Yeah. Hey, remember I'm doing an interview, bud. Speaking of which, do you need to go in? Go, go, go. Emery go. What? He needs to go poop.

Oh. Someday I'm going to show him this. Do you, do you need to help him? No, he's got it. Okay. He's just letting you know. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. I'm still at the butt wiping stage. So he'll let me know when he's got it. Okay. He's just letting you know. Yeah. Okay. Yeah, I'm still at the butt wiping stage. So he'll let me know when he's ready for me.

One day you'll long for these days. I know. The days are long, but the years go fast, my friend. Yes. Are you homeschooling them? Yeah. Wow, how's that? So in addition to all this, you're homeschooling.

Yeah, dude, I know. Wow. Does's that? So in addition to all this, you're homeschooling. Yeah, dude. I know. Wow. Does anyone help you with that? So that's the point I was getting to. Especially the last six weeks of camp, as the calories go down and the intensity goes up and the weight comes down, that's where I'm so grateful that I have like my mom, I have Shana. Um, yeah, who definitely

step in because I do get grouchy. Uh, my, my patience gets a little bit thinner. I'm not, I'm just, you know, all of my focus is going into the fight and training and all of my energy is so Yeah, but that's why you haven't seen me a lot cuz when I'm not in camp I'm with my kids and we're playing and we're you know doing stuff. So it is not the traditional I Think life but it works for us and You know, I'm I'm super grateful for everyone that helps make my dreams possible. At the beginning of the year, we had a prediction show,

like a season preview, a 2025 preview in MMA. And I said that this was my, as far as the fights that we know are coming, this was my most anticipated fight, because I think you guys are magic together. Really? The press conference was so good in Utah, and you weren't even fighting each other.

Like I really hope that they put you guys in a position to shine together because I think you guys play off each other so well. Oh wow. Okay. Well, I see. What a great idea. Oh, so before the weigh-ins, right? Uh-huh. Oh, this is great. What are you expecting? I mean, popcorn. Yeah, it's gonna be fun. I mean, I'm looking forward to it because I do agree. Like, she's a yapper, I'm a yapper. Oh, it's gonna be great. It's gonna be magic. Because with all due respect to your two opponents in the UFC and even some of the PFL ones, they didn't bring that to the table, right? Holly's so respectful, quiet, Kaitlyn not, you know what I mean, Larissa? You've never had that foil, and I think you're such a good trash talker

that it brings out a different side of you. And she's such a great trash talker too, like, and she hasn't always had that foil. Pennington's not that person, Nunes is not that, like the two, this is rare shit. Like this is really nice, I love this. I can't wait. And it's a great fight too,

but I think the build is gonna be fantastic. I agree. No, I think that that is something that for women's MMA could probably use a little bit more of that, right? Like a lot of people miss the Ronda effect and, um, and Juliana brings that. And I think that I can bring that like, yeah, it's going to be fun. It's great when she questions your credentials and you're like, yo, like I was winning gold medals when you were, you know, on the ultimate fight, you know, like it's just the back and forth is great.

What about this Norma Dumont? Have you heard her? She wants to be the backup. She wanted to fight you for the interim belt. She's been very vocal lately. What do you make of what she's saying? Uh, yes. Yes.

Okay. You agree with everything? I don't know. She wants to be the backup. Okay. She wanted to fight you for the interim belt. Okay. Is that ever a real thing? I didn't hear anything about that. And if not, she wants to be next.

Okay. What is she ranked? Don't stop. You know she is she ranked? Don't stop. You know she is, right? Yeah, I've seen her fight. Yeah, I know who she is. Of the potential people, like I think she has the strongest case. I think she's won her last five in a row.

Oh, that's great, yeah. Okay, but she's not really on your radar at the moment. It's really Juliana, it's Amanda. Juliana is- That's it, that's it, yeah, yeah. Dead woman walking. Yeah, yeah, yeah. How woman walking. Yeah, yeah, yeah. How do you foresee it playing out?

Yeah, I think I'm just gonna dominate. I think I'm gonna go out there and still my will. I think she's gonna try and pressure and like, maybe, you know, she's nuts. Like, I'll give her that. She's got heart and she's nuts. She'll just keep coming forward and I think that I'm gonna fight a smart fight

and whoop her ass. I feel like such a, I don't know what the word is, but I feel like I live in this MMA combat sports bubble and I'm talking to someone who is purified and outside of that bubble. So now I'm like, so Kayla, have you seen all the complaints about PFL? And you're probably like, no. And

then I'll ask like, when you see any of this stuff, does it make you count your blessings that you're no longer there? You've got to be aware of some of it. I was even going to talk to you about, like, I was like, yo, when are we starting our podcast? The AAH? Oh yeah, are we starting that? But then I realized, like,

we have absolutely nothing to talk about because I don't. Yeah, I do not live in that bubble. Are you even on social media anymore? I I am sometimes, but I don't run it anymore. Must be nice. No, Ali, like, dude, it's toxic. And it's like. I would rather live in the real world. Like it is such a beautiful place and like to be outside and to be connected and to be

like with my people being present. Like that's what's up. Online is like not where it's at. That's fake and not real. And everyone always has something nasty to say anyway. So just like go be around good people like. Amen. Does your manager run your account? No, No. I just want to be okay.

Because then I would be crystal. Oh, hey, Crystal. All right. She's awesome. You are so petty. Okay. But what about all the people? I'm sure you heard a pitbull. He's fighting on this card this weekend. Yes. I'm super pumped this weekend yes Aaron Pico apparently is coming over so when you hear you know uh Ryan Bader got released there's there's some disgruntled people does it make you feel like okay and also they changed the format it's no longer the million dollar does it make you feel like okay i left at the right time yeah i mean I left at the right time for me, you know, I think, yeah, I have no ill will. I have nothing, um, too negative to say, but it just, you know, it was time for me to go.

Okay. Well, I'm sure they should be. I mean, like if I were them, I would be supporting you because this is just validation of their, why would they do that? Ariel? That would be like a nice, like, why would they do that? But I mean, like you win. You're like, look, I would be supporting you because this is just validation of their- Why would they do that, Ariel? That would be like a nice, like why would they do that? But I mean, like you win, you're like, look,

this is just validating that our roster isn't inferior. I mean, I think that they're really bitter. I think one person in particular is pretty bitter. But other than that, like, I don't spend a ton of time, I don't really spend any time thinking about it. The people that I worked with, you know, like the boots on the ground people like Fadali and Diego and, you know, all of those guys,

like we're good. I just, I saw them when they came to film, gave them a hug, talking about it. Like, we're good. I think it's always the people in power who when they don't get their way, can't struggle with that. Just for the record, who's the one person?

I mean, I think that Don is still mad at me or something. I don't know, like, I don't know. Kevin Durant, all that stuff. Oh yeah, that's right, yeah. I forgot about that. See, I brought back all this toxicity to your life. Yeah. No wonder you don't do it. Every time I talk to you, it's just always just like. Drama, problems.

Drama, gossip. Yeah, but that's fine. I always try and bring it, you know, I try and like, go outside, get off social media. Sure, sure. When they go low, we go high. And you're like, remember what God did. That's what I'm saying. You're like, I'm going to go outside, get off social media. Sure, sure. When they go low, we go high.

And you're like, remember what God damn it said. A year and a half ago. What a loser I am, gosh. You're right, you're right, you're right, you're right. Hey, you got tickets to sell, my friend, I get it. You gotta pay for it. Not really, if I'm being honest. I mean, I don't make any money off any of this.

Okay, well then what? What is the point? What am I doing't make any money off any of this. OK, well, then what? What is the point? What am I doing in my life? What a waste of a life. Yeah, you're right. No, that's not what I meant. But you could be like also using your gifts to make the world better. Yeah, you're right. This is a complete waste. When you're in town, you see what I mean? Will you come visit us in studio because we're pretty close to New Jersey here?

I don't know. I'm not traveling anymore until my fight. No, no, no. Like fight week stuff. Or is that it's probably too much, right? Because you're cutting weight and all that. Maybe after the fight, if all goes well. Yeah, after the fight. My best friend, Kayla Rocco fights for the GFL the following week. Oh, wow. And I'm pretty sure that is... Wait, in New York? Yeah. In New York.

UBS? Oh, yeah. Oh, wow. Yeah. Wait, is she related to Steve Mocco? Rocco. Oh, Rocco. Okay.

Sorry, sorry, sorry. Hey, Kyoji Horiguchi in the UFC. Let's go! Yeah. It's all coming... You guys are all about to see. What's up? I mean, we like, some of us have been watching the UFC since before you got in there. You know how good he was. He fought DJ for the belt. I was there at UFC.

I know, but that was like literally a lifetime ago. He's a different fighter. He was young. Like you guys are about to see, like Kyoji is a beast, bro. All right. I'm excited. I'm excited for it.

I'm excited for it. I'm excited for it. I'm excited for it. I'm excited for it. I'm excited for it. I'm excited for it. I'm excited for it. I'm excited for it. He was young, like you guys are about to see, like Kyoji is a beast, bro. All right. I'm excited. I'm excited for it. I'm gonna let you go just last two quick things.

Can you tell Juliana not to be mad at us anymore? She's, I think a little bit mad at us. Yeah, I can. Listen, Juliana, it's not their fault that I'm better than you. Don't be mad at them. No, this is not what I wanted. What did you want? I better than you. Don't be mad at them. No, this is not what I wanted.

What did you want? I just wanted you to say that we're good people and that you should come back to our favorite show. He means well. You should come on his show. He doesn't need you because he's got me, but you should come back on his show. It's not their fault.

Thank you. Any final messages to her before you see her on Friday? See you Friday. I can't wait. Text me or call me if you wanna like discuss wardrobe. Okay. Thank you, Kayla. Appreciate it as always.

Good luck. Thanks, Ariel. I'll talk to you soon. All right, you're the best. There she is, the great Kayla Harrison. Actually, no, she's the second best right now. She's ranked number two in the women's band to weight division. So I'll talk to you soon. Alright, you're the best. There she is, the great Kayla Harrison. Actually, no, she's the second best right now. She's ranked number two in the women's band to weight division,

so I don't want that smoke. But I can't wait for the fight. I cannot wait for the fight. Two of the best talkers, two of the best fighters, great personalities. It's just going to be... Friday's going to be amazing. That's great. So we're going to get Marab and Sugar.

I mean, the four of them. If you're a fan in Jersey, I know sometimes the fans here don't love the, uh, the matchups that they bring here to Jersey, but this is a pretty solid main and co-main, if you ask me. I love both of them. One's a rematch with a lot at stake.

And then obviously one's a fight that we've been talking about and anticipating for quite some time. All right, um, let's move along now and say hello to a man that we talked about at the top of the show. He was victorious this past Saturday at the Mighty Mighty Apex. He has now won eight in a row, unbeaten in nine in the UFC, 16-0-1 as a fighter, just 33 years young. And he's on some kind of role.

In fact, he has tied Mosar Ebluev for the longest active winning streak at featherweight, which is eight. He's the pride of Manchester. He's the one and only Laron Murphy, kind enough to join us from Las Vegas. There he is. Laron, how are you my friend? It's good to see a United supporter getting a win on the weekend.

Not a lot of wins for United as of late, so congratulations on the victory. Yeah, thanks, man. Thank you. Well done, well done. You know, it was an interesting one because there you are. As you said, I think you said it was clinical, master class, all these things. Hard fought victory at the apex, which, you know, sometimes doesn't have a lot of energy, not a lot of buzz, and you're getting booed at it. You said it was clinical, masterclass, all these things, hard fought victory at the apex,

which sometimes doesn't have a lot of energy, not a lot of buzz, and you're getting booed afterwards. How much did this bother you? And were you surprised by this? Obviously, his family and friends are not gonna be happy if Josh doesn't come out with the win. Okay, that's who that was. Yeah, but it's like, it is what it is at the end of the day.

It's just competition. I get it I get it but from my part, I think I think there's a clean performance Stuck to the game plan done exactly what I needed to do It's like people wanted me to stand in the pocket with Josh Emmett and trade I mean I was watching videos all day I couldn't even text my mom without seeing a video of Josh Emmett KOing somebody. So it was like, what do you expect me to do? And there you are afterwards.

What was that meeting like? Oh, he's cool, man. He's a cool guy, Josh Emmett, very respectful. Just had a little chat, little chat, shook hands and whatnot. Yeah, man, he's cool. He's a cool guy. So now looking back on the performance two days later,

do you feel better about it? I mean, you seemed pretty happy and content on Saturday when you did all the media, but maybe you've had a time to watch it and now look at the tape and say like, you know what, that was actually even better than I thought. That was even more impressive than I thought. Yeah, it was clean.

I landed some clean strikes, had him hurt a number of times. I think it was nice and even watching it back, I think I won definitely for four rounds, four rounds to one. Every shot, it didn't really land anything clean. All these shots were on the gloves. I defended very well.

My defense was A1. Can I ask you about the beard? Maybe a stupid question, but some people did ask me this and you would know better than me. When you're fighting someone with a big beard like that, do you feel like it's an advantage for them? Is it harder to find them, to land on the button? Is there anything to that?

I don't think so. I don't think so. Obviously it might be a better cushion or whatnot, but I don't know. Silliness. I don't know. Yeah, silliness, silliness really. Okay, so let me ask you this. So obviously it must be it might be a bit of cushion or not, but I don't know Yeah, sillyness sillyness really. Okay. So let me ask you this UFC was at at the the 02 two weeks ago I thought you would have been perfect for that card. Why didn't you fight on that card?

Well, I did ask to fight on that card. Obviously I would have preferred to fight in London in front of a crowd More so but I was told that Josh Emmett didn't want to fight in in London in front of a crowd, more so, but I was told that Josh Edmonds didn't want to fight in London, supposedly, who knows. Okay, all right, well that would explain that. I think you said afterwards that maybe you thought you broke your foot, any indication on that? I had an x-ray on it this morning and there's no clear fractures,

so hopefully there's no further complications and it's just bruising. But I felt that from like the second round, I was body kicking, hitting his elbow, but I just have to continue throwing it and just fight through the pain. Oh, how does it feel now? Oh, it's horrible.

It's horrible. Oh really? It's like a balloon. Yeah, it's like a balloon. Okay, but no fracture? No, no, surprisingly no. I think it's just bruising from the elbows we were talking earlier Emmett supremely tough Everyone who fights him respects him everyone who watches the sport respects him We remember to Poria couldn't you know dispose him and look what he's done to the likes of Volkanovsky and Holloway

Was he as you expected was he tougher than you expected in terms of trying to put him away? You know what? I expected to, I thought I was going to finish him to be honest. No, no, obviously no disrespect. That's just down to my training and how I felt, uh, sparring and stuff. I felt sharp and I felt sharp and clinical and thought, I thought he was going to walk on to sort of a few things in, but it was much better defensively than I thought. Uh, I was trained a lot of head kicks and whatnot. I thought I was gonna land one of them and he obviously trained well for that.

His defense was very good. But obviously I knew he was gonna be tough. I knew he was gonna be strong and I knew he would have been there unless I knocked him out, he would have been fighting till the end, which he did. And so afterwards, I saw that you mentioned you wanted a top five guy.

You also said, you know, if you would have stopped him, you would have asked for a title shot. You did mention Brian Ortega. Ortega tweeted afterwards, not necessarily directed to you, but it seems like in response to you, because of the time, there's the, you know, the silence emoji. What do you make of this response from him? do you make of this response from him? He's just defending himself in it, but come out, come out from, from wherever you're not hiding, but wherever you are and let's fight, man. I think, I think a lot of people have been calling for that fight because all these guys are just holding on the division.

Like these, these highly ranked guys that had the fight, let's get some active, get some action or move up simple, or, um, like give up your spot. There's a lot of hungry lions in this division that are looking to climb the division and looking to be champs. So if you're not fighting, come out of the division, come out of the rankings. After his last fight, he had talked about lightweight, you know, moving up to lightweight for good. Do you have any indication as to whether or not he's staying at 45 or going to 55? Who knows who knows I don't even think he knows to be honest, so That's what I'm saying. I want I want these guys to make a decision I think we've still got Holloway in there that said he's going up

Obviously all Tager as well who's saying is going over that's two places Sure, I'm saying and it's good guys that I want want want to climb the ladder And I should be ranked number eight now. And if them two guys come out on ranked number six, so that's big title implications. I saw you tweet afterwards as well talking about the performance and saying like, look, if you don't appreciate this, you know, you just, and I'm paraphrasing here, don't appreciate high level MMA. Here it is, real MMA fans will appreciate the technicality of that fight.

Does it annoy you that you have to almost defend yourself after having a performance like that over someone like Josh Emmett? Be like, I feel like the fans are never gonna be happy unless you go in there and clean somebody out in the first round. And it's like, I get it. I wanna see finishes too.

I wanted a finish as well. It's not like I was just pop shot in Running away that that wasn't the fight. We engaged a lot a lot of the time as well. But come on It's like it doesn't make sense to trade in a pocket with with Josh. I thought a perfect fight is beautiful to watch I was defending countering nice And it was a good fight, it was an entertaining fight for people that love MMA in my eyes. I had suggested, maybe the one that makes sense

for you next is Al Jermain Sterling. I saw he was very complimentary of your victory. So I don't know if that means that there's a friendship there or anything like that, but what do you make of that idea? I didn't see any of his tweets, to be honest, or anything. Here it is. Anyone complaining about Lerone Murphy staying on his bike to stick and move must forget

what Emmett does to people that trade with him in the pocket which makes Tepori's win over Emmett so much more impressive in my opinion with those gloves that's ballsy shit. Yeah well he's a fighter he understands the game in it. what do you think of a fight against him what rank is he I think he's eight no Josh oh is he okay okay once again here we go oh he's nine excuse me and it's a yeah I want top five okay listen up for three fights in the top 15 already yeah this isn't me this isn't me ducking anybody I'll fight anybody whoever Sean Shelby sends me with fighting simple but I thought I beat three guys in the top 15 already you've seen guys like to Poria and Diego Lopez I know they got finishes as well but they fought two fights in the top 15 and fought for the title. So come on now, obviously I'm going to be looking for bigger fights and top,

top five fights have beat three, three of the best guys in the division, three of the dangerousest guys in the division. Um, I deserve my top at the top five at least. I couldn't agree more. And then the other name that comes to mind is Mosar Evoev, but now we're hearing he might be fighting Aaron Pico. Your thoughts on how you match up with him? I think it's a great matchup. I've looked at all these guys and I've been watching all these guys and I think stylistically every fight is a great matchup. So I'm looking forward to see who the UFC think I should fight. There's obviously big fights on

the weekend in Miami. You've got Yair Pitbull is a fight I'll be watching closely, obviously. And you've got the Lopez and Volkonoski. So the division is stacking up and it's looking very, very tasty at the minute. Every matchup looks great to me. And I think I'll come out on top of any, any of these fights. I saw in your post-fight press conference, uh, you picked Yair, you said, you know, he'll show that there's a difference between the UFC and the rest. It seemed like you weren't quite sure about the

main event, Volkonovsky Lopez. Who do you like in that one? It's a great fight, man. Stylistically, it's a great fight. And I think, I think both are very high level featherweights, both high level fighters, but I think I've probably got the same opinion as most. I think if Lopez doesn't get it done in the first, I think Volk takes it later on. I think he's more experienced. He's got

a better gas tank as well and I think he'll just wear on Lopez and start to take over. Can you talk about, I mean the vibe right now at Manchester top team, our own PC Carroll wrote a great story for our website on crown.com. I don't know if you saw it, but your head coach, Karl Prince producing great fighters like yourself, and it seems like there's like a long, like you guys are now finally starting to get that, that buzz that some of the other gyms have gotten into UK. What's the mood, what's the confidence like among everyone at the gym?

Yeah, I feel like we're like the UK fighting nerds right now. We've got guys that we've got, we've got high level guys in our gym and guys who you might not even have heard of to be honest. It's the kids that are coming up in the gym. Callum Connor, we've got Lewis McGillin, we've got Louis Lee Scott, got AB, got plenty of names, I can't even name everybody, but I feel like all these guys you're going to see in the UFC soon. Got Jordan Barton as well, my main training partner.

I hope to see him on the contenders in August. We've got so many names that can fight in the UFC right now and make waves. And everyone's very excited about Atiba. I say his name is Atiba Gautier because it's a French name, but how do you pronounce his name? I don't know how to pronounce it. I think you got it right. Okay, okay, fair enough.

He looks like a scary man at 185 pounds. And it was interesting because I saw someone ask you about whether or not he's the middleweight version of Francis and you were like, no, this is a different level. This guy can box. He's super talented. This is a new breed. This is a different level. This guy can box. He's, he's, he's super talented. This is a new breed.

This is a new breed. Um, honestly, he's got, he's got the, he's got a power and presence of France, France, Zangani, but he has a technique. He can actually box. Um, I've moved around with him myself and I was very surprised of how, how we understand it's striking. I thought it was just like a brute. You get what I'm saying? And I actually moved around with him, played, sparred with him.

It wasn't a play spar actually. He nearly knocked me out before the fight. Damn, really? Yeah, not knocked me out. Okay, okay. He hits harder than he knows, you know? So he's just touching, but he's like, I'm feeling these shots.

But it's technical abilities through the roof. So how do you split up your time? Because I also saw that you were in, I think you were in Thailand, right? Before the fight. Yes. Yes. So, but was that with the team? No, I go, I like to go to Thailand once a year, um, just to recharge and just

change, change the scenery and because I hate the cold as well in the the UK. So, January time I go to Thailand, switch things up, get some new knowledge as well. I've got some great coaches out there at Bang Tao. So I like to just mix it up really. I saw, there you are in Thailand, looking in rather good shape at that point. Kudos to you. But was there another monkey that like stole your bat? you are in Thailand looking, you know, in rather good shape at that point.

Kudos to you. But was there another, was there another, um, monkey that like stole your bag or something, what happened over there? Are these guys dangerous? Nah, they've got rabies. So this, this monkey here, he stole my t-shirt and my phones, my phones on the side, I'm just worried about him taking my phone on the side there, but these guys have got rabies, bro.

Like, you can't let them close to you. They're vicious. He will attack you? Yeah, of course. Of course. Of course, they're dangerous. And so did you get your phone back? Yes, I got it.

I bribed it with some food, tricked it. Obviously, way smarter than them. So yeah, I got it back. Did he jump on you to get it? Or was it on the ground or something? No, it way smarter than them. So yeah, I got it back. Did he jump on you to get it? Or was it on the ground or something? No, it was on the ground. Well, Matisse, I dropped it, it ran for me, and I have to get out of there.

Damn, okay. That would have been crazy. You have to pull out of the fight because a monkey attacked you? Imagine, imagine. My luck. No, no, no, of course not. No, we're past those days.

Are we still going with the miracle by the way? Yes. Okay, you stuck with it. Cause there was a moment where you were deciding about dropping it. Yeah, yeah. We've got to stick with that one. I think it's got the most meaning

and a lot of people want to keep that one. That's the thing. Your story is so great. Everything's so, your grind, nothing's been handed to you. It's frustrating to see people boo you or not appreciate it. Not every fight is going to be a highlight reel first round knockout.

It just can't be. By the way, what I said earlier, that exact fight, probably three rounds, cause it's not the main event at the O2, you're being showered with love. The fans are loving you, especially on that night, a couple of weeks ago where, you know, there wasn't a lot of British fighters who

look good, everyone would have viewed the fight differently. It's because it's in that venue where it comes across as a little bit different, you know what I mean? I think so, I think so. I would have definitely preferred that fight over three rounds. I think we both could have went for it a bit more earlier on.

I think it would have been more of a war, especially just given both athletes and even the fighter Josh, Josh is in front of a crowd. We're gladiators, bro. Get us in front of a war, especially just giving both athletes and even the fighter Josh, Josh is in front of a crowd. We're gladiators bro, get us in front of a crowd. And I think, I think now that fight would have been wild. I saw you tweet something recently, maybe a month or two ago, thinking that, or saying that Tupori is going to come back to featherweight.

Why do you feel that way? Who knows? Who knows? I don't know, but I don't know. Who knows, innit? Let's see how his run goes. I think he's one of the best fighters in the world, to be honest. I think he can do great at lightweight,

but I just feel like he might have one or two there and just come back to February. You've seen the fighters that are coming back to the division now, and I feel like he's going to want to fight a few of them guys. You think he could beat Islam if they fight? Oh, it's a great question. You've seen the fighters that are coming back to the division now and I feel like he's gonna want to fight a few of them guys. You think he could beat Islam if they fight? It's a great fight man, and I think if anybody's gonna beat Islam at

lightweight, it will be a toporia, but I'd never I'd never back anybody against Islam to be honest. Okay Well, by the way, how are your weight cuts? Islam to be honest. Okay, well by the way, how are your weight cuts? My weight cuts are good. I get pretty light pretty early, but I don't think weight cuts are fun for anybody, to be honest. I'm a big fan of weight as well.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's why I asked. You also tweeted something about some of the best PFL fighters coming over to the UFC, and I'm wondering what you're trying to tell us here. It's looking like the UFC will have all the best PFL fighters by next year too. What are you trying to say to us, Laron here? What kind of news are you trying to break? I don't know what you're asking. I don't know. Well, who tweeted that? That wasn't you? No, but they are. If you look at what's going on now, they are. Everyone's coming over to the UFC in it.

So I just see all the Bellator fighters and PFL fighters complaining and saying they want out of the contract. That's what I was referring to there. Okay. I see like Patchy Mix and guys like that looking to get out of the contract and come over to the UFC.

So even Pico as well. So it's looking like all the best fighters are how do you think he'll fare in the featherweight division Pico? If in fact he does come over and fight an envelope, that's a tough first fight in the UFC for someone like him. I Think that's a level he has to fight out though in it He's one of the best fighters over there I think as soon as as soon soon as he, if he, if he does come over here, he's got to be fighting in his top 10 for sure. It's a great addition to the, to the division. Already start division, I think, I think is a good addition.

He's got a good style. I think he's a good fighter. So you said that you wanted to fight three times this year if all goes well, which means maybe the next one in the summertime? Yeah, July. I'm aiming for July. Um, I'll come out of this fight relatively fit.

I've just got obviously a bruised foot, but, um, I think I'll be back training next week, so yeah, I'm aiming for July. I want, I want to get active and hopefully get back to these finishes though. Yeah. Uh, we need to get you into a big crowd, like a big arena with a big crowd, you know what I mean? Like something with some buzz. Especially if it's the States, if it's the States, I need to be in front of a crowd in the States. I've done two Apex cards now.

Oh yeah. So if it's not one of them, just put me in the Abu Dhabi in July. Oh yeah, that's right. You're only two fights in the States for the UFC, right? The apex, right? Yes. That's tough. Yes.

Don't judge us. I mean, like the crowds can't be good here. It's just. You know what? It's a good, the apex has pros and cons in it. Like, I feel like you feel when you're fighting, you can actually zone in and it feels like it's just another sparring session kind of. Okay.

Obviously a high level sparring session, but just in terms of being able to hear you coaches and zone in, but obviously we're at the top of the sport, the Alliga delit, we do this to fight in front of crowds in it. Yeah. Did you get a chance to watch the Manchester Derby yesterday? Didn't, you know, I didn't, I didn't. You had to sleep in. Yes.

Yes. Cause because after fights, I don't sleep. Oh, really? Adrenaline at all. Adrenaline just no, my adrenaline is just through the roof. And it's, it's nothing like I'm, I don't know. I just can't sleep. Do you even try to sleep or do you just know that?

Oh, you do. You just lay in bed. Yeah, I was just laying in bed. Just like trying to sleep. I look at my phone and I was gone and not slept. And then I'm just there for hours. Just sat there. Wow. Well, uh, you, you deserve some rest, hard fought battle.

Well done. Congratulations. Looking forward to what's next. And, and don't listen to those boo birds. They're, they're, they're, they don't get it. Oh, I know. I know. Listen, I'm, I'm going to be here regardless of whether they like it or not.

I'm here. I'm going to be in, I'm going to be here. I'm going to be here. I'm going to be here. I'm going to be here. I They don't get it. Oh, I know. I know. Listen, I'm going to be here regardless of whether they like it or not. I'm here. I'm going to be here to the end of my career in this top 10 fighting these guys. People don't like that style, but you've seen I've brought a different style to every fight. You've got to fight different guys, different. So yeah, they've got to love me or hate me I'm

gonna be here to the end. This time next year do you have a UFC title fight under your belt already this time next year? 100% 100% I'm looking at I'm looking at myself as I'm champion already bro like I believe I only need one more and then I'm fighting for that belt. Okay well you're well on your way. Congratulations Laron, appreciate the time as always and good luck on that continued climb and thank you for some time on this Monday morning, appreciate it. Anytime, thanks bro, thank you. Alright there he is, the great Laron Murphy, undefeated in the UFC, quite the resume like I said, 8-0-1 in the UFC, he's won his last eight in a row, unbeaten in nine. The draw was in the debut in September of 2019 against Zubaira Teguhov and more on him in a moment.

He tied Mostar Evloyev or as people are calling him these days, Yivloyev for longest active winning streak at featherweight at eight, joined fourth with Yivloyev for longest winning streak in UFC history. Number three, Alan Tenn, number four, Yivloev for longest active winning streak at featherweight at eight, joined fourth with Yivloev for longest winning streak in UFC history. Number three, Alan 10, number two, Volkanovsky 11, number one, Holloway 13. So well on his way. Seven career wins via KO by the way, and currently ranked 10. Fought twice in America, both times at the apex

In about 40 minutes time will be joined by sugar Sean O'Malley stay tuned for that That's gonna be great And I presume he'll be a part of this press conference that Kayla Harrison told us about when she joined us Following sugar Sean Carlos proches of the aforementioned fighting nerds supposed to fight this weekend John Silva fighting Looking forward to having him on. He's fighting April 26th and then Chris Eubank Jr. Can't wait for that. What a trash talker he is. Guys, you talk about clinical,

you talk about someone just being out there cerebral with his trash talk. He is, he's the top of the top, if you ask me. But you know why I said Zubaira? I mentioned Zubaira and I was like, remember that name? It was, my friends, seven years ago today that UFC 223 happened in Brooklyn, without a doubt, without a doubt, the craziest fight week of my career covering the sport. And I would say to, you know, in most people's eyes eyes if you are a fan, a pundit, an analyst, a UFC employee, anyone associated with MMA, I

don't think anyone had ever experienced anything like that. We've experienced nothing like it since and I would be very surprised if we ever experienced anything like it in the near future or at all in our lifetime. I remember driving home. I was coming home from Montreal, coming back to New York. We had our Passover break. I believe it was Easter Sunday and I believe it was April 1st. And I got word that the Habib Nurmagomedov versus Tony Ferguson fight that was supposed to headline here in New York, in Brooklyn at Barclays on April 7th, And then I found out that Tony tripped and he blew out his knee while doing media just a couple days prior at Fox,

who at the time was the broadcast home of the UFC. I was like, no way. There's no way. And then I started to find out, I was like, I'm not going to be able to do this. I'm going to be able to do this. I'm going to be able to do this. I'm going to be able to do this. I'm going to be able to do this. I'm going to be able to do this.

I'm going to be able to do this. I'm going to be able to do this. I'm going to be able to do this. I'm going to be able to do this. I'm going to be able to do this. I'm going to be able to do this. I'm going to be able to do this. while doing media just a couple days prior at Fox, who at the time was the broadcast home of the UFC. It's like no way, there's no way. And then I started to find out, and this is all during the drive, this is a long, this is like a six, seven hour drive with little kids. And then I find out they're talking to Max Holloway, who at the time was the 145 pound champion, and he's going to move up to 155 on six days notice to fight Khabib, who was trying to become the champion at 155 because they took the belt away from Connor.

He was inactive, all this stuff. This is insane. Now, there's two things that I'll definitely never forget about that particular day. Number one, Khabib was scheduled to be in studio on the show the next day, back when we were all friends. And this had been in the works for a while, and I was like, ah, I guess we're not going to get him. True to his word, he showed up in the midst of all this, and it wasn't even official just yet, the hallway fight. But what I really won't forget is that on the drive home, we stopped off at a place called the Sagamore in St. George's.

No, not St. George's, in Lake George. St. George's was a school in Montreal. And Lake George, my kids at the time were, my daughter was one and a half. My son was, my oldest son, my daughter was one and a half. My son was, my oldest son Oliver was six, almost six. My other son was four. And we stopped off to eat lunch

and my kids had these things called globbies. I think I've told this story on the show before. These little things that you, these little like plastic balls that you put them in water and then they expand. They get really big. Oh yeah, yeah. And I don't know if that was like a mocking yeah yeah or if you know. Anyway, I went to the bathroom, I came back and my wife said that some of them are missing

and she wasn't sure if my daughter ate one of them. And then I freaked out. And then I freaked out. Oh, I freaked out. I freaked out. And, and, and so we had to, we had to give her, so raisins would make her go to the bathroom, number two. So we had to give her a ton of raisins to make her go to the bathroom. And we stopped off at an urgent care, but they were closing.

It was a Sunday. They wouldn't see us. I was so nervous. She starts going number two, like, you know, like she's Lupe Godinez before a fight in Mexico, if you get what I'm saying. And it's just all coming out, which is, which is actually a relief, usually on a long drive, you don't want that to happen. But here we're like, okay, it's a relief.

We came to the conclusion that she didn't, she probably didn't eat it, but what could happen is if it, if they, if they, you know, digested it, you know, digested it the conclusion that she didn't, she probably didn't eat it. But what could happen is if they, if they, you know, digest it, it can expand their stomach in bad things. Like nightmare scenario can occur. Anyway, next day, Khabib comes on the show. That was a crazy scene. Nothing really, oh, the Tuesday, the Artem Lobov run and happen. The Wednesday, I remember there was like an ice storm here, a tree fell outside my house.

They had the press conference in Brooklyn, Holloway and Khabib, that was pretty tense. Thursday, the Dolly incident. We're doing the media day, Barclay Center, we leave, I'm on my way back to the Vox studios, I get a text from ally Quinta who's in the bus while it's being attacked, telling me that he thinks either a terrorist or Conor McGregor has attacked the bus. Then he starts sending me videos. I probably have them if I just go through my phone right now. We go and do the MMA beat.

MMA beat's over. I get a call from Khabib where he's talking about send location, all this stuff, going off on Conor. After the show, go to the Brooklyn courthouse, myself and Casey, we stayed there till like 1, 2 a.m., standing outside, waiting for Conor McGregor to be booked. In the end, we never caught a glimpse of him because he went through the back door. He was arrested.

That was incredible. It was like myself, TMZ, some other local news guys. Insanity. Wake up Friday. Go to the morning weigh ins while the court appearance is happening at the same time. Find out Max Holloway not going to make weight, not even going to step on the scale was called off. Prior to that, Iacuenta made weight for his fight against Paul Felder, but over 155, UFC just like, yeah, it's a

title fight for us. It's our belt, kick rocks. After the weigh-ins, go to the courthouse for like eight hours and all of a sudden it's Connor in the courthouse. Like who would have thought the week would start this way? Insanity. Fight happens, Ayah Quinta, oh, then after Friday, we go to the weigh-ins, then they do a press conference all of a sudden for Khabib and Ayah Quinta. Start of the day with Ayah Quinta weighing in to fight Paul Felder, ends the day at Barclays

on the dais fighting Khabib. Dizzying. And then the fight happens, master class by Ayaquinta, dug down deep, but didn't get it done. I'm just kidding, of course. It pisses them off when I give Ayaquinta any type of props, even though he took the fight on 23 hours notice. Of course, you're going to give him props, but no, Khabib wins fair and square, rather dominant. I remember the post-fight press conference on that Saturday was like 3 a.m. Of course you're going to give him props, but no, Khabib wins fair and square, rather dominant. I remember the post-fight press conference on that Saturday was like three AM. And do you remember New York, Rick?

I, Quinta joined us on the, on the, on the Monday after wearing the purple robe and smashed his computer. I do remember. He joined us from his attic and I was like, yo man, you just had the most insane weekend of all time, and now here you are sitting in a purple robe in your attic.

Shout out to an absolute legend. That was the best. What a week. Yeah, crazy. What are your memories from that? Do you have any memories? Or did I just cover it all? You covered, like, yeah.

It was all that. By the way, that was all off the top of the dome. We didn't really prepare. I should have had some things prepared, but like, I just remember every single day something seismic happened. Your retelling of it doesn't quite capture the insanity it does a great blow-by-blow but it doesn't quite cover the insanity of like people freaking out when they have the Artem Lobov Habib actual Dali part of it, like what the internet was like, like,

like at that point, then the Habib send location, um, the one that he did for like the media, uh, right after the event, Dana White saying it was like the most disgusting thing you've ever seen. There was just so like, there was a new piece of the internet that was like, you know, like, you know, like, you know, like, you know, like, you ever seen. There was just so like, there was a new piece of

content every five seconds. It seemed like for that. And also like how good the max Holloway versus I'll be press conference was like, it was like actually really fun and great. And then all of a sudden it's not even happening in Williamsburg. It was, it was nuts.

It was nuts. That was the same event, by the way, In Williamsburg. It was, it was nuts. It was nuts. That was the same event, by the way, if my memory serves me correct, I think that was the same event that same, you know, when I talked about seeing Ari Emanuel and he said, uh, you know, let's hug it out a bit. Yeah. At that event in, um, in Brooklyn, I think, or

it might've been the one where Derek Brunson fought Anderson Silva in any event. It was just, it was just an all time week. And so I've seen a bunch of clips and seven years ago, like, wow, seven years ago, I'm not sure if it feels like it was seven years ago or 20 years ago. It was like 70 years ago.

Yeah. That Friday though, going from the morning weigh-ins to the, to the courthouse, which were just like a block and a half apart was was just like how did we end up here? How did we end up here? What a time were you aware of any of this GC when it was happening or was MMA so completely? Off your radar that you had no idea so you just had no idea any of this like even the dolly thing didn't crossover Yeah, it's all like tweets and stuff, but you're just didn't cross over. Yeah, I saw like tweets and stuff. But it-

You were just like, yeah, whatever. That's that cage fighting crap. He saw the screenshot of Connor throwing the- That's that human cock fighting. Yeah, like not big enough to remember like how crazy it was. The actual fight itself, Habib and Connor, that was in the taking place. That I remember Connor that was like a place that that I remember obviously I was actually working that I had to stay the entire

night because send location memes didn't hit the mainstream they were still MMA only not not into like super super mainstream yeah your algorithm was just like college football and basketball back then NBA algorithm. Algorithm wasn't even a thing. It was that long ago. What is this that you're like pretending the internet didn't exist? It's like 2018. But like algorithms weren't a thing back then. It was just like what you followed.

It was just what you followed. No, come on man. P.T. what are your memories from that? Were you here? No, there was a few Irish lads over and Noel McGraw was there and Andrew McGahn was there. And I was meant to interview Artem on the Tuesday when the incident happened with Habib. And I had the date, time, everything kind of settled. And this happened as I'm waiting to talk to him.

And then I can remember ringing him and he was like, are you for fucking real mate? Like, and I was like, well, like, this is my time. What's going on? He was like, you don't see what's happening. And I was like, yeah, like I was hoping I'd interview you about it, you know? And he was like, absolutely not, dude. No way. Wow.

He thought he's getting the scoop on that one. Yes. That was it. And then I fell out I, I, I fell out with our time around that, uh, because of that, because of the, me looking for this interview at the time, he didn't take it too well. Now everything we're all sort of now, of course, but, uh, it was very stressful. I can remember talking to Noel and he was like, man, he's going to jail. And then I just remember the videos, the several different

angles of it. And then, then because I'm at home, I'm getting called onto all these radio shows to like being put in, I'm the guy defending MMA against the sports media. If you get me like that was every day. And it was obviously a very hard thing to do given that this is what they were seeing and I really just remember it being a really really What I thought would be the low point for Connor in terms of the media because there was a few incidents in the lead up to the Mayweather fight in the New York Press Conference, especially that and he'd been kind of dragged in the Irish media about comments he made and then I

media about comments he made. And then I believe, and maybe I think my timeline is correct, after the feely fight with Artem, there was some comments he made, a homophobic slur backstage, and that was big. And then suddenly this happened and it was like, well, like, I don't know how we're going to, you know, I don't know what kind of saving grace you can take from this because, you know, it was all the talk about let's ban the sport. This is ridiculous. This is pro wrestling. This is not an actual sport. This is all choreographed look. They're using, they're going to use the promotional materials.

Do you remember how long we spoke about that for like the inevitable usage of this material by the UFC that was talked about for, for months and months, will they use it? Like it was never about like, who do you think is going to win? It was like, will they use the footage of Connor hitting the bus with the dog? Yeah, I mean they as they should have probably but a crazy stress. I just remember being up through the night. There was

there was credentials being taken away. All this stuff was going on. So I was up every night to like 3, 4 a.m. Not too indifferent what I'm doing now to be be fair, but a really, really stressful, stressful time. The whole footage thing was only because it was juxtaposed with Dana White coming out and being like the most deplorable thing I've ever seen in my entire life. So the logic was like, well, if that's the case, if that's how the president of the company feels, certainly we're not going to cravenly capitalize on this, right? And then, by the way, I agree with you,

that's what they should do. It's the best way to sell the fight. But it feels weird to have the heavy hand and then all of a sudden be like, yeah, well here's the footage of it happening on our platforms. I'll never forget standing outside for four or five hours, you know, it's pretty cold in early April in New York with Casey waiting for the shot of him going in and then finding out.

This sounds iconic though. Like, I mean, him walking out was just one of them, holy shit. Oh, after on the Friday morning, but we were waiting on the Thursday night to see him go in. And then we find out that they brought him in through the back door. Like, golly, we've been waiting out here, freezing our asses off with these guys. But yeah, it was, it was quite the time. It was quite the time. UFC quite the time UFC 223 by far the craziest fight week of all time it seemed like uh Henry Cejudo had quite the the weekend did you guys see what happened to his uh did i yeah this this was impressive what was more impressive like what happened him apprehending the perpetrator or just like...

The production value of the video that he released. This thing is unbelievable. Look at this. Some guy drove into someone's house? Look at the footage. B-roll. He's still voicing this over. He's getting B-roll of the perp getting apprehended. He's voicing this over. Yeah. He's with the car. He Yeah, he's with the car. Exclusive interview with the car. With the first responders, bloody neighbor. Oh my gosh.

Jesus. He said he walloped on dude. Yeah, did he like Olympic sliemen or something? Still in the PJ. You can tell he just ran right out of the house. Are those gold PJs? Yeah, shout out. Triple C, gotta get the gold going.

Look at that. No. Talked about the neighbors coming up. Triple C. Gotta get the gold going. Look at that. Talked about the neighbors coming up and doing some drumming on the guy too. He said he let the neighbors get some shots in. Shout out. Was the guy drunk? You have to admit. You go through a house in suburban America, you gotta have at least one or two drinks. By the way, this happens crazily enough.

I know it feels ridiculous, but this happened to my What? Stepmother-in-law. Yeah. Imagine chilling on your couch and an SUV comes plowing through your living room. Step-grandmother? Step-grandmother.

The mother of my stepfather. This happened to her. Okay. Wait, that someone drove into her house? Yeah. Drunk person drove into the house. Was she okay? She was okay. Yeah, everyone okay? Everyone was fine. The house was not fine. No, I know. What does the drunk person do? Oh, they just get out Well, they probably tried to run over a sohoto is like

Button them out. Well, luckily it doesn't seem like anyone got hurt there, which is just- The neighbor? The neighbor had a pretty bad gash. Well, I mean, like seriously, yeah, the gash, but you know, you could die, you could kill someone. Oh yeah, it is, it's very scary. The idea of you're just sitting in your house and somebody crashes through your living room is fucking nuts.

Like you're just in your house and somebody just crashes through your living room is ridiculous. First thought is obviously like someone is doing it on purpose and like you don't know what's about to happen next. Yeah, some guy that's just had a few too many. I mean a few dozen too many gets out. Yeah, it needs to be shitfaced. Yeah, he crashed into that house. To go through someone's living room is crazy.

Well kudos to Henry, he got that up rather quick. Yeah, I mean. Guys work on this. The editing was great. Get some good engagement. Yeah. Oh, come on. I hate to imagine that it was just a phone.

I would like to imagine someone had the over shoulder camera filming all of that. You think someone had like a news cam? That's what I like to imagine in my head. I know it was just a phone. So he actually apprehended the guy. That's what it sounded like, yeah. And then he said, he was like taking some shots on yeah. And then he said he was taking some shots on him

and then he said the neighbors got to get a few in as well. It was like a piñata party. Yeah. And then just up there like, No, honestly, good on Henry Cejudo. Yeah. Yeah, no, 100%. That was shocking.

Some bad news, the highly anticipated Rampage Jackson versus Rashad Evans boxing match has been apparently cancelled. Oh. I don't know if you guys saw this. Oh, you're just now breaking this. Yeah, it's cancelled.

Apparently people not keeping their word, Rampage upset. Well, what's wild about this one is Rampage said that other one, the Shannon Briggs one, he was like, the promotion was shady, I've learned my lesson, this promotion seems on the up and up that all of us have. I feel like they've, he's had some bad luck. The Shannon Briggs fight in Qatar, this one in Albuquerque. Yeah. Just go to GFL and make it easy, right?

Well, at least a reputable promotion. These promotions that are like coming out of the woodwork, like fly by night to just do an event. It doesn't have to be a big event. It doesn't have to be a big event. It doesn't have to be a big event. It doesn't have to be a big event. It doesn't have to be a big event. It doesn't have to be a big event. It doesn't have to be a big event, right? Well, at least a reputable promotion.

These promotions that are like coming out of the woodwork, like fly by night to just do an event, it doesn't seem like they have the backing that they probably say. One fight that is scheduled to happen is Brandon Royvill against Manel Kapp, UFC 317. It's going down. You guys excited about this?

I like this fight. Yeah. This makes sense. Yeah. Love it. It makes me think. So by the way, three 17 for those that don't know is international fight week makes me think we're getting Kaikara France against Pantoja on that

card, right? It feels like Kaikara France came out. He posted the Instagram was like 12 weeks out and now Pantoja is like, yeah, I was supposed to fight on Miami. They took me off the card, but like, yeah, it's looking like it's going to be late June. Now it feels like that's where it's gonna be.

Which I like, this could potentially be like the number one contender fight. Yeah, or the backup. Yeah, or the backup under their title fight. And this fight is a banger. Who gets the call if they need a backup from these two? To me, you gotta give it to Roy Vowell. I know he's lost to Pantoja,

but he's the number one contender. What the hell is the main event? I don't know, but I saw a tweet on, um, maybe a couple of days ago that the international fight week main event was announced like on this week, the past two years. Ooh. So like this, like early April. Yeah. Well, they just, they just got June 7th out of the way. Yep. The next big, big announcement from Dana has to be international. I thought you were going to say Atlanta, June 7th out of the way. Yep. The next big announcement from Dana has to be International Fighters.

I thought you were going to say Atlanta. June 14th. Wednesday night, boys. Wednesday night. Could we go over, boys in the back? That's the bigger question. Who's headlining the ATL? That's what I want to know.

We already got the Rose fight on there. Rose Miranda Maverick. Is that the main event? I don't think it's main. State Farm, right? Yeah, State Farm. I don't think that's main event. No, no. I can't be.

I mean, you need something. Yeah, it's just what? I mean, fighting out of Macon, Georgia, Torres Feni. Stop it. Top 15? Ha ha ha ha ha. Macon's just down the road, baby. Golly, could you imagine?

Well, we await word on that. I can't wait to see, I think they wanted to be Ilya versus Islam. Any chance it's Hamzah DDP? I mean, sure. Why not? It feels like it's one of those two. Not Tom John?

Didn't one of you say it was gonna be Tom John? Yeah, I said Tom John going into the year. Yeah. Unfortunately, I no longer think that. Yeah. I wish he was right. I still, I still think we get that this year. Just not in the national park.

Right. Uh, UFC 315 in Montreal, they dropped the poster. I have to say, love the poster. I love when there's some local flair to it. I'm a big fan of it. They've got the Quebec flag, the Fleur de Lille. I mean, no actual Canadians or Quebecois on there, but still, it's very Quebec.

Montreal, by the way, is in the province of Quebec for those that don't know. You guys like this? I dig it. I love it. Colors are great, Fleur de Lille's great. Flag. Yeah, looking forward to it.

They don't usually do this sort of thing. No, it's rare. I mean, we literally got a purple and pink color scheme for USC Mexico City just a couple weeks ago. Was that it? Yeah. Does the Miami one have any sort of Miami motif? Not really, but they have in the past.

What even is the poster? Palm tree, something. Not falling off, bro. Nah, no palm trees. Nothing. No, it's just, no, literally nothing. It's just like them like orange. I asked people on Saturday to rate the card.

I got a lot of good responses. Obviously, it had Proches versus Neal. Instead, we're getting Dominic Grace against Nikita Krylov. But a lot of eights, a lot of nines, a lot of 11s out of 10s. Of course, I think there was like a three out of 10, that was from Ant Evans, but other than that,

I mean, a lot of people seem. Ant's always the beacon of positivity. Yeah, people seem pretty hyped. I think eight and a half is like a, is a really solid score for this one. If it had Prochess versus Neil. Yeah, Krylov, right, race is still good, and then the prelims are solid.

You got Verna versus Yan-Juan Nan. You got Chase Hooper, Jim Miller, Danny Gashon, what's in like, there's, it's a deep card and the top two are fantastic. Can I tell you the only thing that bothers me about this card and it's not the fault of the card. What bothers me about this card is that there's still, and perhaps we will get,

I feel like the UFC needs to clarify the Ilya Tupori situation by Saturday. This title fight happening without any sort of resolution as to what his next step is, is weird to me. Do you know what I mean? Like if they come out on Friday and be like, it's Ilya versus Islam, okay, now I understand why he vacated the title, it makes sense. If we get nothing, I feel like this will feel like

an interim title for some reason. Any time you're in the UFC, you're in the UFC, Okay. Now I understand why he vacated the title. It makes sense. If we get nothing, I feel like, I feel like this will feel like an interim title for some reason. Any chance they announce it on the broadcast on Saturday? Sure. Why not? I could, I could see that happening. I want, I would like if I could just ask my

friends at the UFC, this, this one thing, I would like some sort of clarity on Ilya Tupori's situation by the time we get to, are you ready? Are you ready? Let's get it on. I know not everyone says that. I'm sure they'll hear you. I'm sure they'll hear you.

You know what I mean? Like it just seems weird to me that this title fight is happening and we don't know what he's doing by now. When did we find out about this fight? February or so, late February. Yeah, I think late February. We, we need some clarity. What's taking so long.

Also, did you see, I don't know if it's an unsubstantiated report about what Islam was saying. Like I want to wait till 315 is over before I make a decision on what's happening. I mean that's... Like that means that it won't happen obviously at this event, but I'd certainly hope, uh, you know, what you're saying is correct. But if he's waiting for three to 15, we're not going to know. Or what are you saying? Ilia V Charles?

Yeah, I'm saying what if it's just the Ilia versus Charles? You really think that Ilia gave up the belt to fight Charles? Unless, unless they're pulling a fast one on them. Unless they're saying, yeah, yeah, give up the belt. So we have this title fight main event cause Cause we didn't have any other title fights that can main event Miami, which is a huge market. And we'll deal with that later. I mean, I just don't, I just don't get it.

That'd be, that'd be dirty. It feels like the easiest fight to make. It's right there. I would just like some clarity before we get to the fight on Saturday, because then I feel like the fight on Saturday stands on its own. If there's clarity, okay, he's moved on Saturday because then I feel like the fight on Saturday Stands on its own if there's clarity, okay

He's moved on because he gave up the belt and these two guys are fighting because they're the next two guys and that was The former champ X Y and Z great But if he's just kind of lingering out there, it feels like they're fighting for an interim title. Well, they still got like 130 hours to change that. Five days? Five days, yeah. But Ilya's given up the belt. It's done. Why, why?

But why is not... No, I want the why. That much of an influence to both and... If he gave up the belt because he had to move up, okay, now it makes sense. But he's moving up regardless. His next fight's not 45. Do we know that for sure?

What if they said to him, you know what? I think we do know. I hope not. That would be a weird one. Well, that's what I'm, what if they said to him, you know what? I think we do know. I hope, I hope not. Okay. That would be a weird one. Well, that's what I'm saying. If they said to him, you know what? We want you to fight Charles.

And he's like, wait, so I just went. Well, Charles is not 45. No, no, no. We want you to fight Charles at 55. So then he goes back and says, you know what? I'll go fight for the belt. Cause at least when I fight for the belt, I get pay per viewpoints.

Hmm. I don't know. They're going to pick them. That would be the most shocking of all. Yeah. Outcomes. That might be more shocking than if you thought Conor McGregor.

Yeah, that would be. I'm just saying. Shocking. Once this starts to linger longer, longer, long, we're waiting, we're waiting, we're speculating, just saying, it gets a little weird. I think it's weirder for the 55 picture than it is for the 45 picture. I don't think it has any impact on 45. To me, the champ is the champ. Whoever wins on

Saturday is the champ. The 55 picture is the part that this has lingered so long that it starts to cast doubt on whether Ilya will fight for the belt next. The lineal-ness has been broken. The lineality has been broken. How so? Such a great word. The belt is up for grabs and whoever wins it's out. The line if you will. There's a break in the line.

Yeah, there you go. That's all right. That's all right, we don't play lineal around here. But how? I mean, he was the champ and now- Technically never lost the belt. Yeah. He just gave it up.

There's a break. Yeah, he will be the lineal featherweight champion. Well technically I mean because Connor had the belt he gave it up. Yeah I'm sure the chain broke before that. Yeah. The chain broke at some point. So then Habib, did Habib become the lineal featherweight champion? Was the lineal featherweight belt up for grabs in that one? No I don't think so. So it's just stuck with Connor McGregor. So technically Connor is still the champ. Until he fights at featherweight belt up for grabs in that one? No, I don't think so. So it's just stuck with Conor McGregor. So technically Conor's still the champ. Until he fights at featherweight again.

Conor's still the champ. We're so back. Because whoever beats Conor becomes the champ. Conor's next loss. Was to Khabib. Yeah, it was to Khabib. And then Habib. Never lost.

Never lost. It's not Conor, it's Habib. Habib retired. He's the world weight champion of the USA. It's Habib. Habib retired. It's Habib. So basically the lightweight and featherweight belts, there's a break in the line. Because then Habib retired with both of them. He's lineal double champ right now.

Forever. Emeritus. Yeah. Unless... He comes back and fights again. Oh, I thought you said, unless he gets passed on. Does he get passed on to Islam? And does that mean Dabhi R is the linear double-trap? No he still has him he still has him because he passed them on after after the loss oh that's right also wait but either way who is it again yeah Marciano Mart. Why is it the Dabiramos?

But either way, are you not more... I'm more concerned about the murkiness of Ilya Toporia's title shot than I am about... I just feel like he's a cloud hanging over all this. I can't tell if you're doing the Dabiramos. I was, but then I forgot. By the way, what's more shocking? The fact that Ilya doesn't have his, his, his next plan, his marching orders. Yep.

Or the fact that Max Holzer. What a T up. What a transition. He humped his opponent. Look at this. He submits Dennis Eelbay on Saturday at Octagon and then humps him. I think he kissed him and then humps him. He did kiss him.

He kissed him on the back of the head. He fully like grabbed his hips and humped him and everything. It was way over the top. And then Dennis was like, F you and then ran ran across the cage but did he attack him right at the door is that how he did line out they came they were walking out they were walking in and so the door was open okay we had as great a moment as this was we have to talk about the text chain Okay, can we get a screen grab pizza drop pizza drops this in says this is wild I'm like, holy shit that was wild I asked what's the story there? Why did he act like that?

pizza says Because he humped him after the sub because he humped him after the sub. Which is true! Which is absolutely what happened! Brother, I'm talking about the kiss and the humping. The rest of it was crystal. I understood why the guy who got a humped would want to punch the other guy. The rest of that was clear. That part was crystal clear.

He goes, I think that what prompted the re- I think that's what prompted the reaction though. Thanks, Pizzi. Detective Pizzi on the case. And then Rick just puts in the slanting face. Oh, so good. Yeah, I want to know why the guy kissed and humped them. What would the explanation be? I don't know.

Do they have bad blood? I don't know. That's what I'm asking. This is the unknown part. Well, guess what? We're going to find out. Why would the guy want to punch the guy who grabbed his hips and humped them? That part I got.

That part was clear in the clip. I mean, that's all that needs to happen. People are throwing hands. You try to hump them on down, walk down the street. He's going to try and fucking hit you. Why did he hump him? Because you're trying to hump him! Because you're trying to hump him, he's going to try and hit you!

Why did he hump him? Wasn't it Octagon 69 too? Oh my God. Was it really? Wrong position. Fitting. Oh my dear. Well, the? Fitting. Fitting. Well the good news is thank you Peechee we will get the answer to that question tomorrow because Max Holzer is gonna join us on the program. You're gonna ask him why do you hump him

Peechee's gonna say because he kissed and humped him. Main inventor of Octagon 69 I need some Octagon 69 merch. I'm gonna have you ask him that question. Why did you kiss and hump him? Rick, it's your turn to shout it out. I'm asking about the Oscar. I've been dying to know. I've been dying to know. I decided not to set this precedent. That's about the word.

I decided to set this precedent that you hump a guy after you win. No, no, that was just. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it was Israel actually, yeah. He actually commented on our Instagram post. I think he wrote something like, oh my, or something like that. My tweet of it

blew up PT I used a good term Oh My Days people like that one Oh My Days I think around dropped an Oh My Days where he was talking to me. People got really mad when I when I dropped a Jaysus on Friday. You've been saying Jaysus for years. You've been a decade long Jaysus user you know what I mean? Shut up booze! Suck it man! I felt the same way this morning I'm walking my dog and I'm like oh does long Jaysus user you know what I mean? Shut up booze! Suck it man! Yeah. I felt the same way this morning. I'm walking my dog and I'm like oh the zone boxing is live from Portman Road, from Ipswich town and it's Big Baby Miller and Fabio Wardley going back and forth. Did you guys see this?

And then come Saturday night. Look at this. I'm gonna make you cry man. Shout out to Norwich. I got something for the ass. Come Saturday night. Look at this. I'm gonna make you cry, man. Shout out to Norwich. Rap song, I got something for the ass. Come Saturday night. They call you big baby because you don't shut the fuck up.

You need a pacifier in your mouth. That's why they call you big baby. Come make me shut up then. Come make me shut up. That's what June the 7th is for. Come make me shut up, bro. That's what June the 7th is for. You talking real tough now, make me shut up.

That's what June the 7th is for. You talking real tough on the telephone, on the podcast, on the, make me shut up. I ain't, I ain't belt you on the phone once. I ain't talk to you on the phone once. Come make me shut up. That's what June the 7th is for. Bro, podcast. Let me shut up. I ain't belt you on the phone once. I ain't talk to you on the phone once. That's what June 7th is for. Come say it in my face. Like the game.

Come say it in my face. Let's say it. Let's be real. Come say it in my face. I picked you. Come say it to my face. I picked you. Come say it to my face.

You talk about I'm avoided. No one wants me. Come say it to my face. No one wants to fight me. No one wants this. Come say it to my face. I picked you. Come say it to my face. I picked your name.

I looked at the list and I picked your name and I said cool, who's the big guy who thinks they're the big I am in the division? Big baby, let's pick that one, let's teach him a lesson. I picked you. DC Beta-esque. Yo Frank, Frank, you know how to build up some dudes, boy. You be patting they records up, boy.

You patting more than a tampon, boy. Patting records, I checked, George. You had a draw in your fifth fight against Joey Jacker. What? But first of all, you do your homework. I got two points to duck for that fight. I had a look, I had a look. I checked through.

I fought him in his back, y'all. I had a check through. I looked for your record. I thought, big baby, I thought, you know what? Good challenge, good name, good record. I looked, I went, hang Hang on this case is not for nobody There's nothing on here. I said the water draw in five fights. I went what are you doing? I said, you know who the fuck you fight five fights motherfucker. I was one of 25. I thought you did I'm here! I'm here! I'm here! He's like what? He's like what?

He's a big man. He's a big man. Look at his body! Forget his head! His name isn't Small Baby, Miller Lutz. By the way, look at this dude. Look at this dude come in there. He's like, oh you ain't gonna move me. The security guard there. No, I'm going to watch. He's got the double underhooks. This is one of those though where I buy that security actually had to hold people back

because of the size of these guys. You know what it's like these little dudes and it looks like. Yeah, yeah. As soon as he stood up outside, they all were like, oh for fuck's sake, every square guy got a notch. They're like, oh, this rhino, I don't want to have to deal with this. Frank's like, I'm too old for this crap. What was interesting, right after that, the big baby accused Fabio of making like a rap

diss track about him, and he's like, what are you talking about? I never made a song about you. He's like, yeah you did, yeah you did, I heard it. He's like, what? That's what seemed to have like incited all of us to do this, and he's like, what are you talking about? I never made a song about you. He's like, yeah, you did. Yeah, you did. I heard it. He's like, what? That's what seemed to have like incited all this.

That set it off. The words got crossed there. A supposed rap diss track about big baby Miller. Yeah, that was good stuff. I mean, it's good to see some sort of like excitement at Ipswich town. You know, it's been a bit of a, I just, I mean, you just going after everyone.

You know, you just going after everyone. It, I'm just, I mean, you're just going after everyone. You're just going after everyone. It's nice for him to be up, man. This is what happens when you're number three, baby. Uh, I did see a fantastic thing. Do we have the clip real quick of the, of, of Anthony Joshua running on the streets in Nigeria? Can we show this real quick? I mean, let's, let's, let's clean our palette here.

Look at this. Isn't this great? AJ, man of the people. I love the guys who just come up and start shadow boxing with them. Look at this. Isn't this great? AJ, man of the people. I love the guys who just come up and start shadow boxing with them. Look at this guy. This is a man of the people right here. Yeah.

Look at this guy right here. He's like, hey. What is that, the Dougie? What is that? This guy right here. This guy. Look at AJ. He's so wholesome.

One air pod in. Still rocking it. This time you might actually be listening to something. Look at this. Imagine you're just chilling and there's Anthony Joshua. Campion du Monde. Is that a Jeremy Shockey? Shout out.

Yeah. Look at this guy. Oh, he's about to tackle him. Oh, he's doing a selfie. Sorry. What a guy. That's wholesome stuff. That's Rocky-esque right there.

I love that stuff now no one feels the same that's good I'm more interested in the Jeremy shocky Jersey oh I thought you're gonna say you're still breaking down did the kiss come first or did the hump come first we're gonna find out no it's cuz he kissed him that's why he threw

the punches Pizzi you're supposed to be our European expert here. Do you not know about the beef between these two? I don't know. I don't have a clue. I do need to spend more time watching Octagon, I believe. They're crushing it. 50,000, 60,000. Honestly, the stadium shows are doing unbelievable.

And we even have Irish double champion, Will Fleury over there. I mean, another one in the, the, because there's just so many promotions. I don't know what to do. Like how, how many times, how many times are you going to ask me about Octagon in a week, you know, I should have probably did a research on hump gate, but I'll be prepared next time. Well, I saw some people actually in the comments of my, my Oh, my days tweet debating whether it was octagon or KSW is the number one promotion in Europe.

You're a pig. That's like, I think you'd have to give it to KSW based on the prestige and the history, but I think, I think you don't get an octagon without KSW. I think they've followed their playbook very well. They've identified big stars where they put on their events and that's where they're getting the big numbers in. So it's working very well for them. It's very like KSW.

I feel it can be quite region specific. Like I've tuned in for flurry fights and just had no context as to what was going on in the other fights, but everybody was losing their shit. You know, I just didn't have the, I just didn't know what was going on, the other fights but everybody was losing their shit you know I just didn't have the I just didn't know what was going on but they're definitely doing brilliant stuff I'm actually surprised that they're able to use the word octagon even spelled with a with a K you're pretty strict with all that stuff yeah no it is with a K do they use an eight side of cage I think is it the Pentagon. Do they use an eight sided cage?

I think. Is it the Pentagon they have or something or a hexagon? Pentagon and the octagon. I mean, can we get, can we get a breakdown of this on the next episode of the crack? A full episode. Yes. Why did that man hump him? That that will be the top. Some more Intel in the promotion.

I mean, the top five humps of all time in MMA. Cause we also had Dennis Frimp on who won someone in octagon once as well. We have had a sign you with a hump. I'm sure we've had some other humps as well. So a lot of humping going on in these days. All right. People want, well, we'll talk to max tomorrow. Uh, for now though, uh, in a matter of seconds, we are going to be joined by the man himself, the man who will be fighting for the UFC men's bantamweight title. So we're getting the men's and women's bantamweight title on the same car, June 7th, again, right

here in New Jersey, across the river, across the Hudson, at the Rock, at the Prudential Center. This is a rematch of a fight that happened in September. We have not heard much from Sugashano Mali, the UFC champion. New Jersey, across the river, across the Hudson, at the Rock, at the Prudential Center. This, a rematch of a fight that happened in September. We have not heard much from Sugashano Mali, the former champ looking to get his title back from the man who took it away from him, Marabdowali Shvili.

He has kept a low profile over the last few months, but he re-emerged last week. Once the news broke, we got a very, I thought, really interesting hour-long show with himself and his longtime head coach and very good friend, Tim Welch, the Timbo Sugar Show. And it gave some great insight into what's been going on in his life.

And so without further ado, it's a great honor and privilege to be joined by the man himself, the Sugar Show himself, the great Sean O'Malley. Kind enough to join us on this Monday. Hello Sean, how are you? Hello Uncle Ariel, what's up brother? I'm doing great. It's great to see you. What a setup this is. Golly. Yup, yup, yup. In the old warehouse, just got done training, can barely keep my eyes open. Okay, well thanks for taking some time. How many cars we have back there?

Ariel, that would be one, two. Okay, no, I just didn't know if there were others out of the frame. No, no, nope, just the two. How's it going? How you been? Life is good. Life is good. It's so great to talk to you. Like I said, you've kept a low profile, so it's nice to see you reemerge. I have to say, I listened to the entire chat, you and Tim, I was, it was very sincere, it was very open, it was very honest. I was blown away by all the things that you have done. I was actually, dare I say envious of the changes

that you have made to your life. It seems like you have really, you know, you have really grown, you have really matured, your life is in a much better place. Can I ask what was the catalyst? Because like I said, you got rid of social media, you're a lot healthier, you're doing these great things on a daily basis to disconnect from the world, among many other things, what was the catalyst? I don't know. I mean, yeah, deleting all the social media off my phone has definitely probably

been the biggest one. Just very, it's been nice. You know, I feel like I got my Life back in a sense. It's uh It's something that you gotta do To you know, it's something I can't explain you have to you know, you'd have to do it to experience it but it does feel good to be off social media right now and just not taking in a bunch of off social media right now and just not taking in a bunch of information that I don't really necessarily want to take in. So it's been good.

Life's been good. Did you do that immediately after the fight? No, it's something I did. I think right around Christmas, I decided I was like, I'm 20, 20 as well as thinking I was like, I'm going to do it for, you know, 2025. And I was like, well, I mean, I might as well start now So something I did right right right right before Christmas um Yeah, I mean I

Since the fight it's been so I had Surgery right after the fight. Um, and it's all it's been on my mind is just uh, getting this one back That's all that's all i my mind is just getting this one back. That's all, that's all I've wanted. And I want to, I've done everything necessary to put myself in a position to be able to train and get back the belt. It doesn't feel like you had to negotiate or camp it. Like this was always the plan. It was, it was just a matter of when, right?

The rematch, you mean? Yeah. I mean, I, I, I, I'm very grateful for the UFC for giving me the rematch. Um, I didn't really have much conversation with UFC. I did tell them that was, that was really the only fight I was interested in. I wanted the belt back. I wonder not even the belt. I, it wasn't even, I wanted the belt back. I wanted Marab. I wanted that fight back. I wanted, not even the belt. It wasn't even I wanted the belt back. I wanted Marab. I wanted that fight back. And yeah, there wasn't much negotiation there. It was kind of like, all right, let's do it.

The sense that I get is that you almost have turned the negative, if you will, of the loss into a positive in that it has made you, it's almost like a catalyst for all these changes and you don't look back on the fight or the loss with disdain or regret. You appreciate what it's done to you. Is that fair? Yeah, I mean, I think yeah, that's pretty much, I mean, there's two ways to, you can go from taking a loss, you know, you can either go up or down and, you know,

I wanted to go up, but yeah, the fight, fight didn't, you't you know the camp the whole fight didn't go obviously as planned But I feel like it's going to make this one that much sweeter You know, I'm gonna be a massive underdog. I'm already you know People aren't going to expect What I know I'm capable of On June 7, so it's gonna make it that much sweeter you know I had to wait three years three and a half years it was to, to prove that the first Cheeto fight was, uh, wasn't the way it was supposed to play out. This one, I didn't have to wait nearly as long, but I'm excited to go out there

and do, do something similar in the rematch with Marab. You said that you, you, you tore your labrum about 10 weeks out from the fight. The first one, right? Yeah, it's funny. I've the fight, the first one, right? Yeah, it's funny. I've journaled all my fight camps, right? So 10 weeks before the fight, I tore my labrum. I didn't know it was torn because I hadn't gotten an MRI yet.

Eight weeks before the Sphere, if you remember the Sphere was one of these cards that was like, hey, who's going to headline it? No one really knew. So eight weeks out, I write in my journal, like Hunter called, he told me I got the Sphere. So eight weeks out, you know, I write in my journal, like Hunter called, he told me I got this fear, but 10 weeks out, two weeks before that I had torn my labrum. So I really, you know, looking back, probably should have said, Hunter, you know, I probably shouldn't have taken that fight. But again, I just feel like it's going to make it

that much sweeter going into this next fight because I'm expected to just absolutely get smoked. like it's gonna make it that much sweeter going into this next fight because I'm expected to just absolutely get smoked and uh I would I enjoy being in this position I've been in this position before against Aljo I wasn't supposed to go out there and win that fight um so I feel like this is a very similar uh position and uh I know I'm capable of beating Marab I wouldn't want this rematch that last fight wasn't I, it was close in a sense, and it wasn't. The second and fourth round were the rounds he won. He dominated those rounds.

I won on the judges scorecard, the third and the fifth round. The first round, in most people's eyes, they said Marab won that fight. If you look at damage, I believe I did more damage in that fight, but I wouldn't want this fight. I wouldn't have asked for this fight. I wouldn't have accepted this fight

if I didn't know I could go out there and beat Marab. So I'm wondering if you lamented that decision in the aftermath, if you regretted it, like, man, why the hell did I say yes? I shouldn't have said yes. I should have told them no if I wasn't healthy. Did you stew on that a lot in the aftermath? Not really, because I knew and I had this feeling, knowing that I was going to get a rematch. So again, me going out there losing, still the biggest gate ever at the sphere.

So that's a record that I hold, which is pretty cool. I do understand that a lot of that was how obviously the sphere and but hey, I'll take it. So, but no, I mean, it makes for this, I don't know if this fight is necessarily going to be considered a huge fight, but the aftermath of the fight, when I go out there and beat a guy that I'm not supposed to beat,

that's gonna be a huge moment, and I'm excited for that. So, when you're talking about injuring your labrum 10 weeks out, and here we are 10 weeks out, and you say, this time I'm going to be healthy. Obviously you don't know what's going to happen over the next 10 weeks, but is there anything that you learned about trying to keep your body as healthy as possible so that you're not in that position again? Um, I know this sounds like I'm exaggerating and I'm not today. I grappled more just today, just this morning practice that I had.

I grappled more today than I grappled last fight camp from Rob. Wow. And I'm, I know it sounds like, ah, I mean, we did seven, six minute rounds today, grappling hard, hard, hard, picking the hardest guys, just straight grappling today and, uh, I wasn't able to do that once last camp. I literally I mean a torn labrum everyone Feels a tear in their labrum different. There's different levels of tears that last camp was not a great camp It was great for what I was able to do and I'm not obviously gonna in the lead up to those fights be like Oh, I'm been able to train very hard like, you know, I felt good going on the fight like as good as I could

But right now I've yeah, I literally grappled more today Then I did that entire last camp I know I could wrestle better than I shown in that last fight that was, you know borderline embarrassing what I was, you know What I was able to do again. Rob's tough, Rob's good. Rob's probably considered the greatest bansawade of all time as of right now. So I'm gonna go out there, knock him out. What does that make me?

Joke, I said that against Aljo, but yeah, I feel like it's a cool opportunity to go out there and do what I do. By the way, that's why you're so tired. You just grappled more in one morning than you did for an entire fight camp. Yeah, these Monday mornings are brutal. I love them.

Those practices are my favorite practices by far. The straight grappling practices are fun. How's the, is it all done? The compound, the farm, you and Tim, neighbors, everything is the whole dream complete? I'm building a barn door right now. I'm actually building like a custom dream home on I have a couple extra acres right next to the house I'm living in right now. So I'm building a dream home right now. I'm selling a house. I'm selling a house that's probably,

the realtor actually texted me and said, hey, call me, we've got an offer. So I'm gonna sell that house, take all that money and build a 8,000 square foot barn dough. Yeah, Tim and I are neighbors. Together we got about seven and a half acres, chickens, horses, life's good. Has life exceeded your wildest dreams at this point?

Like having all of this, forget the fame, all that, but like just how you live, what you have? Uh, yeah, I guess, I mean, I feel like it's more peaceful than I thought it, than I kind of imagined it would be. I find that I enjoy doing nothing more than I enjoy being busy, like going out and having dinner with people, going out and doing shit. I find I enjoy sitting outside hanging out like our property, the trees, the green, it's very green

and out here which is weird for you and like assume that for living in Arizona in the desert. But yeah, I feel like I enjoy different things at this stage in life. Do you think part of that is fatherhood? Yeah, for sure. Yeah, 100% like hanging out with my little princess and I'm 30 now, so I feel like I'm kinda, you know, getting up, I'm learning some shit. Yeah, that was my takeaway, like not to say that you ever came across as immature or anything, I actually thought that you were quite wise, you know, beyond your years, but in that conversation that you had with Tim, which I think you guys prerecorded

in anticipation of the news, it just felt like you were very reflective. You were very stoic. You weren't trying to put on a show for anyone. You were mature. You had grown up. You had evolved. Oh, I appreciate that.

I do feel like I have definitely evolved, definitely grew up. Um, and I feel like all of that is going to help and show in my performance. I do truly, truly believe I'm going to go out there and beat Marab and it's going to be, um, I I'm so excited that I get the opportunity to do that because a lot of people don't get the opportunity to get a rematch like that that quick. So very grateful to UFC and I feel like last fight I over promised under delivered. So you know, I'm gonna I'm gonna leave it at that. I'm excited to go out there and perform.

You know, as we're at we're 61 days out from the fight or whatever it is, I'm very healthy, truly, truly healthy right now. And, uh, it feels good. Feels really, really good to be in this position. What do you say to the people who say you don't deserve this? Don't watch Saturday night, June 7th, fucking watch your, uh, watch your reality TV show. Uh, don't, don't watch the fight. Do you understand where some of the detractors are coming from?

I do a hundred percent. I mean, that last fight, a lot of people, I don't think a lot of people went and truly rewatched it because it's not like one of those fights that it's super worth rewatching unless I mean if you're gonna have a I do think the second time watching it you realize that it is a little bit closer than the first time you watched it live um but I don't think many people rewatched it and they weren't interested in rewatching it and their opinions just going to kind of stay the same but uh again if they're're not interested, don't watch it. But when I go out there and win, I guarantee people are gonna rewatch or at least rewatch the

finish. If there's a finish, might be a five round decision, could be a finish, we'll see. But I think at the end of the day, that Sunday rolls around, people are gonna be talking about it. How many times have you watched the first one? Probably five times. Okay. Recently? I've watched it recently, yeah. I've rewatched it kind of periodically, but I rewatched it probably last week, I think.

Does it piss you off when you watch it? Because you know you're not at 100%, you know that's not the best version of you. No, I take a lot of, I'm impressed with what I was able to do considering what I was able to do leading up to the fight. I was like, damn, I was, I mean, you know, for not grappling, barely at all.

My conditioning wasn't too bad. I definitely, you know, for not grappling barely at all, my, my card, my conditioning wasn't too bad. I definitely, you know, grappling is the hardest thing to do, to be digging in shape for and to not grapple pretty much the entire camp and to be able to, you know, do what I was able to do. I found it impressive in some areas. It definitely sucks watching myself get held down and you know, I was actually way more sore after beating Cheeto for 25 minutes than I was after fighting Mara which I found weird.

I was like, God, that was frustrating. It's like I didn't really feel like I got my ass kicked and but it kind of looks like I did. So it's kind of like a little frustrating. But no, I took a lot of good things away from that fight. The fifth round, you know I had him running around holding his guts and

You know that felt good. There was a lot of areas. I took away, you know learning learning from certain things so Yeah, no, it's just it is what it is and you know Yeah, did you watch Marab Umar? And if so, what did you think? I did. What did you think of Marab in that fight? Yeah, I went there.

I sat front row and it was a, it was a very close fight until it wasn't like it was Umar was doing really, really good. Marab that, that, that fight was probably the most exciting Marab fight I've watched. He did good. Yeah, he did great. Umar's a killer. Umar's fucking really, really high level. And Marab went out there and did what he needed to do and put on a show. He really did put on a show and it was an impressive performance. The sense that I'm getting is unlike maybe Cheeto, Aljoe, you actually kind of like Marab.

Like you guys are kind of cool together. You don't have any real animosity towards them. Yeah, I don't have any animosity towards Aljo or Cheeto either. I feel like the Marab fight, the first fight was like I wanted to not like him because as a fan, wanted to not like him because as a fan I enjoy when two fighters don't necessarily like each other there's beef there you know I enjoy that so I felt like I kind of wanted I wanted to create that and it wasn't very authentic I don't mind Rob you know I met him a few times nice he's a nice guy it's nothing he's just on his own path doing his own thing so you, you know, I think that, I don't know if that affected the performance or what, but yeah, no, I

don't mind, Rob. This is you seeing him at the, uh, the PI here from, from your YouTube channel video blog. This was after the fight, right? Was, was that the first time you saw him after the fight? Uh, yeah, that was a couple of weeks ago. Yeah.

That was, uh, for the UFC, whatever that UFC Vegas one was. I don't remember. Oh, Pahetta versus the Agamem. Yeah. That was around that time. Yeah. Is that, is that awkward at all? No, it wasn't awkward at all. I didn't think it was, uh, I didn't think it was awkward. I was there showing, showing my buddies, PI and I told him I said Rob fucking lives here. He rents a room at the cafeteria he's gonna be here and Sure shit ran right into him at the cafeteria and he fucked with them a little bit But I was all funding it was all fun. Do you think in the build-up to the fight? You'll stay off social media as well

100% I have zero desire to get on social media. I feel, I feel, um, just like, I never, I never thought of myself as like anxious or like, I have anxiety, but you don't really, when you have a borderline anxiety, I think from like looking at social media, you don't realize it, but then getting off of it, I'm like, holy shit, I actually can just like kind of chill out. Like I've been doing puzzles. I like puzzles now.

Yeah. I do puzzles with my daughter and like, I really don't have any desire to get on social media right now. Like I just feel like it's a distraction. It's right now. I'm, I'm very happy with where we're at. I'm focused on training, recovering, you know now I'm very happy with where we're at. I'm focused on training, recovering. You know, I'm spending minimum two hours a day recovering,

whether it's sauna, cold punch, hot tub, PMF, red light, you know, stretching. So I'm putting a lot more energy into useful stuff. Can you tell me how to do this? Like, do you do it cold turkey? I want to get rid of it. I feel the anxiety that comes with it. What do I do?

Do I just delete it? That's it? It's that easy? You don't feel like you're, you're, you're pulled back in. Well, I, I've, I feel like I was able, I've been able to build, you know, the brand, sugar, the social media into something that I, that I have, I have Garrett, he runs my YouTube, my Tik TOK,

and I have Blake who helps me. He runs my YouTube, my TikTok. And I have Blake who helps me with my Snapchat, Twitter, Instagram. So I have a team that kind of still does it. You know, I still have stuff to, you know, I still want to end up promoting the fight, promoting these brands and stuff. So I was still, Suga is still active on social media, but it's not me right now. Just, you know, I'm not on it looking and surfing and, but yeah, I think it's a great idea for you.

I think you should try it. Yeah. And the pod too, you pause that. Yep. That's been a big one too. You know, I'm definitely not done with the Timbo Sugar Show. The amount of people that have moved from whatever state, country, we've had people move country for like people move to the United States, move to Arizona to come and train and be a part of the gym

because the Timbo Sugar Show changed their life. Whether it was helping them find a passion or literally just helping them understand how important sleep is or how important hydration is or they're going to try to start eating healthier or working out. Like the Timbo Sugar Show has changed a lot of people's lives. And I feel like no matter how, even if I don't want to do it eventually, I do feel like I should do it to give back. And if people if that if I can help people change people's lives just by, you know,

me and Tim chatting for an hour a week, I'm going to do that. But right now it feels really good not to express my opinion on everything. Every single fight coming up, every single fight that had happened. And if we don't have anything to talk about, I just start yapping my lips. So it's been feeling good to not express my opinion right now. I haven't done an interview. This is the first one since the fight, I think. So, yeah, yeah, I was going to tell I know I said it I ghosted you for a

couple hours I don't know it might have been a day I was like fuck if I do this I already know everyone's gonna start hitting me up for interviews I'm like sorry the fights gonna get you know once it gets closer I'm I understand we got to promote the fight the fights gonna be you know it's come around the corner so it's it's fine I and I don't not enjoy this I enjoy talking to you and giving the people an update But uh, yeah, I'm excited to go out there and prove people wrong. Are you doing a presser on Friday? Yep, I did not want to fly to fucking Miami, but you know, there's some things you just can't say no to you Just I literally can't say no. I tried to him'm like, yeah, I don't like we don't care

You're going like all right. So flying to Miami Thursday night flying out Friday night. I'm You know, I got a great schedule right now sleep schedule. My diet is dialed in training is dialed in and I've been I've been this will be a this will be a total about a 14 week fight camp So I've been been in camp for a, this will be a, in total about a 14 week fight camp. So I've been, been in camp for a long time. I'm, I'm fucking ready to go. Well, I'm getting ready, you know, June 7th, the day. Um, so I'm going to peak on that day, but yeah, everything's been going really good.

Have you taken a break from MMA? I know you said you, you went to the LA card, the Vegas card, you're not sticking around for the Miami. Like do you, do you not watch or follow MMA as much as well as you're sort of disconnecting from everything? I mean, I follow, I watch as many fights as I typically do. I don't really, I watch the big fights for the most part, but yeah, no, I still watch

when there's, you know, big fights, but I don't go to the fights live really ever. You probably don't know this because you're off social, but the one that's getting a lot of attention is, I think it's called, what's it called? I think you said like, Pee the Pan or something, something like that. I don't know. I've never heard of this term before, but you haven't Pee the Pan. I don't know.

Do you know what I'm talking about? cuz Aljoe made a video about it Are you the pan? Are you to keep me on this island to make it more awkward as you know? I don't know you're talking. I honestly don't know what you're referring to pee the pen is that is that Cotter who's much younger than me other shows say Jade the pee I Still don't know the hell you're talking about. Oh Jade the peeing you did say that. Oh Wait what? Did you say you didn't Jade the peed or something like that?

Don't do this to me Sean. Are you but I thought you said a fight that's been getting a lot of attention No, I said the thing that you said that got a lot of attention because Al Jomeda skid on it and all this and... Oh, I didn't know that Al Jomeda skid. Now I think I know you're talking about I haven't been fucking J and the P. I've never heard this. Yeah, I said I haven't been doing, you know, doing the beat or whatever. And then Tim said, oh, you haven't been J and peen or something. So I think that was a Tim phrase. Okay. But, uh, yeah, I haven't been, uh, I haven't once this whole year. Wow. Yeah. And that's something this is GSP ask.

Is he not? I, yeah, well, GSP, I read his book once it wasn't in there. Well, GSP used to say he would not have relations before a fight a few weeks before a fight. And that's, I still do that. I just don't do it to myself. Okay. So it's Jay. I still make sweet love no, I still do that. I just don't do it to myself. Okay, so it's Jay- I still make sweet love to my baby mama.

Okay, all right, all right. But this is getting a lot of, because of Aljo and all that, and that takes a lot of- I did not, I honestly didn't know- He made a whole skit. He made a whole skit on it. I mean, yeah, no, I haven't seen that.

But yeah, I mean, that could be, yeah, I don't know. I feel like that's played a role into the piece too, a little bit. Clarity, mental, moral clarity. Yeah. Pied the pan, maybe I should come out with merch. Pied the pan, I think it's Jade, Jade the peen or something like that.

Watch that, that one's gonna kill me. Yeah, that one's gonna kill me for a while. I don't know what the hell you're talking about. I thought you said what fights getting a lot of attention and then you said Jade the pan like I don't know who the fuck that is But I have been playing a lot of poker recently I saw your table Yeah, that's what I'm sitting. I mean, that's where we're sat up right right now. I've been playing a lot of Playing a lot of poker. I've really It's fun. It's a fun, fun game. It's frustrating though,

because it's one of those games where it's like you can do the, you can do the right stuff and still, you know, still lose. So, but it's a, it's a fun game to, you know, get better at. Are you also doing some sort of poker tournament in Vegas? I did do a poker. That's, that's why I originally was there for there for the I wasn't there for the fights necessarily I was there to play a little poker at Resorts World and that was a good time I've been I've been really enjoying I think I'm more of a tournament guy than a cash game guy but uh after the fight I definitely want to get into some play a lot of, it takes a lot of like mental energy. It's fatiguing to actually sit at a table for two, three hours and play poker.

So I haven't been able to play as much as I'd like to just because, you know, I need to either be training or recovering, but I've definitely been getting into some poker, but after the fight, I'd like to play quite a bit more. You should play with a buffer. Buffer is big into that. You should play with a buffer. Buffer is big into that. Daisy. Bruce.

Yeah, Bruce. I'd love to, uh, I'd love to take good old Bruce's money. Or that. Yeah. I know Dana too. No, Dana, I think is a blackjack guy. Yeah. He doesn't play poker.

Yeah. He's more of a, you know, go play for 15, 20 minutes, go up a couple million, head out. I enjoy sitting at the table. I think I enjoy tournaments. I enjoy the, you know, two, three, you know, four or five hour tournaments that takes a lot of mental, you know, focus. I enjoy that.

Can you qualify for the World Series of Poker? Is that a bucket list thing for you? $10,000 and you can join it. So I'm actually staking my brother, my older brother, who's been playing poker for a really, really long time, actually paying his $10,000 entry. I think it's in July in Vegas for him to go out there and compete in it.

And he's better than me. I think he's got a better shot at winning. So maybe I definitely would like to, but I'm like, well, let's see, let's see how he does and I'll plan some smaller tournaments. I didn't realize anyone. So anyone, any jabroni with 10 K can just enter the more jabronis with 10 K to enter the bigger the prize pool. So yeah, they, they, they don't, they don't, uh, discriminate.

Did you film an episode of the shop with LeBron James? That was a long time ago. Yeah, that was a long time ago. I don't even remember. Did this come out? So I, I, I thought it was with LeBron and then I get there and then LeBron wasn't even like, that was just a picture after. Oh, and he filmed an episode with other people.

I was like, what the fuck? I don't even know. Yeah, I don't know. I think it came out, but I was kind of surprised. I thought it was with LeBron too. And then we get there and it was with LeBron's people. And I think Dana was, yeah, Dana was on there. I don't remember seeing that.

Yeah. Yeah. I don't either to be honest. I don't even know if it dropped. Okay. By the way, I'm mesmerized by the pink. Pink is my favorite color. So I can't stop like looking and, and, and the floor is incredible. That floor that you got there.

Yeah. Did some epoxy. Yeah. I love this warehouse. I trained, I had the full size octagon in here for a while, but I moved it to a Tim's gym cause Tim's opening up a new gym. Oh yeah. April 25th.

It's kind of like pretty much right down the sidewalk from where we're at right now, but it's a 12,000 square foot warehouse. opening up a new gym. Oh yeah. April 25th. It's kind of like pretty much right down the sidewalk from where we're at right now, but it's a 12,000 square foot warehouse. And so I moved the full size cage in there now. But yeah, I got my warehouse. Let me figure out how to flip this bitch. Oh God. I got the warehouse, got the mat,

the wall mats over there so I can learn how to wrestle. You know what I mean? Got the sauna, got the cold plunge in there. Yeah. Amazing. Got the rise. Yeah. Oh, right. Turn the hell is Cheeto. That's a, that's a painting right there. And this is where you play poker right here. Yep. Got the poker table. This guy made a custom table. Looks wow. Yeah. Pink. 10, 10 seats too. Yep, got the poker table. This guy made a custom table looks Wow Yeah, I think ten ten seats, too. So

It's good time. It's a good time with the fellas. There it is. That's you signing the contract. I think Yep, you know the table officially official officially official. I thought you were doing Spanish I thought you're gonna say ten seats come through pull up Any time is not I mean, you're always more than welcome to come to Arizona. I know well, yeah Always. The state or do you mean like to the to the barndo? Come hang out. Come to the barndo come to the warehouse come to the the gym. You're always more than welcome to come whenever you want. Bring the fam. I appreciate that that's very kind of you. I love everything that you're saying. I love the whole vibe. I think there's a lot of young kids who look up to you. So you putting this out there,

I know you don't do it necessarily for them, but to see you evolve at such a young age, I know you say that 30 is, you're still a youngster in the game. You still have many, many years left. But to see you make these changes in the midst of it all is pretty damn impressive. Yeah, no, I appreciate that. I would love to, you know, as long as the body holds up, I'd love to fight as long as I can.

37, 38, 40. Like if I can push 40 health and still fucking go out there and win fights. Like I want to do this until the wheels fall off and until I just absolutely can't anymore. Love this. I love this sport. love competing. That's, you know, yeah, so I'm just very grateful again to UFC to be able to get this rematch so fast. Two last quick things. Are you anticipating a trilogy with Marat? Meaning all goes according to plan on the seventh. Do you think they'll do an immediate rematch then? Um, I mean, that would be, that would be deserving. I mean, if I'm getting one right away, I think that would make sense. But to be honest, I think there's, I go out there and do what I know I'm capable

of doing with Marab and beating him. I think there's some really, really big fights around the corner. So I think, uh, one fight at a time. Um, and, uh, yeah, one fight at a time, but that means that that's a possibility. Big fights at 35 or 45? 35. I mean, 45 is definitely going to be an option someday, but you know, I got, there's a couple of guys at 35 that still makes sense. Okay. All right. Well, for now it's Marab. Looking forward to seeing you out there on Friday.

Thank you for doing this. I know, like you said, you don't do a lot, so it's really appreciated and it means a lot to us. Congrats on everything and we'll see you out here. We're a stone's throw away here in New York, so feel free to come by. Feel free to pull up before or after our new studio as well. Oh, there we go.

You know what I mean? We'll get a nice car for you. Alright, that might make sense. That might make sense. We'll have to make that happen. Maybe like the Tuesday when we fly in. Hell yeah. Or Wednesday maybe. Yeah, we'll figure that out, Uncle Ariel. You're the man. Thank you so much, Sean. Good luck. Appreciate you very much. All the best.

Thank you. There he is, the great Sean O'Malley. He is a good guy. He's a great guy. And I'm looking forward to that fight. That's a big time fight going down in Newark. Wow, look at that. It's very foggy outside. Am I screwed with the peed the pan or what? Yeah. Jay the peen.

You heard this? Oh yeah. But can I just ask what you thought peed the pan would even be? Like what were you saying? I don't know what any of it means. I'm reading what you thought Pied the Pan would even be? Like what were you saying? I don't know what any of it means. I'm reading what you wrote.

Oh, you definitely know it. I think you know what J. The Pien would mean. How did you have that conversation about something you didn't know about? Well, I knew what he was talking about, but I didn't know exactly what the term was. Pied the Pan, you know? I still don't even know what you were saying.

I don't know. The funniest part about it is he thought I was talking about a fighter. Yeah, Pede the Pan. Jay. His name's Pede the Pan. JD the Pene. Also, I love the slacks.

All caps. Jade the Pene. Oh, I know. You still didn't get it. Jade the Pene again, but spelled Jay differently. You got like a little bot HR thing Which is which is the right one is it? Apostrophe I think either is right. I think I think this was just Tim just like you're on out some

Oh, you're into the letter J. Wait a second. You would never this is not actually like a known term No, oh because when Aljo did his video he's talking about it. Like it's a thing. Yeah, I think it's just cuz This is because everyone understood what he was, context clues really help with that one. Yeah. When I said it and he didn't react properly, then I looked, I thought he was trolling me too, I thought he wanted me to just drown

in the misery of it all. And then I looked corner of my eye and thank you for helping me out there, and I was like, ah. Something. It's pretty shocking isn't it all. And then I looked corner of my eye and thank you for helping me out there. And I was like, ah, something. It's pretty shocking isn't it, all you have to express it. Yeah, I mean, listen. It's on the right path it feels like, no social media.

I highly recommend checking out that conversation between him and Tim. He speaks about a lot of changes and I don't feel like he's just saying them to say them. It feels like he is in a very good head space. Like when you asked about, will we go on trilogy if you win? And he was like, yep, that'd be deserved of Marab

if I'm gonna get another one. Understands why people think he might not be deserving, but don't tune in if you don't wanna watch. Feels like he's in a good head space. Yeah, I also really like that, you know, he's in a place now where he doesn't have to campaign. He doesn't have to do things like he's just,

he's reached that point and he's earned it. Some guys have to campaign, some guys don't. And that's just the game. And like we said last week, who is being wronged here? Who is being wrong? Who's the guy that's being wronged by this fight happening? It's the biggest fight that they can make at 135. And he has said enough in this chat,

in his chat with Tim, to make one believe and to suggest that it's going to be different. By the way, speaking of Murab Dwellishvili, he'll join us on the show tomorrow to talk about this fight. So I'm looking forward to that very much. That's going to be a big time fight. Have, have any other big fights been announced for, uh, for Newark? I don't think so. UFC three 16.

I think it is. Shout out stone cold. All right. About the Chitose era. Oh yeah. Oh yeah. Got moved to got moved from Des Moines for some reason. Joshua van on there, Sergey Spivak, Johnny Walker.

All right. We're cooking. We're cooking. We're cooking. We're cooking. We're cooking. We're cooking. We're cooking. Oh yeah. Oh yeah. It got moved to got moved from Des Moines for some reason, Joshua van on there, Sergey Spivak, Johnny Walker. All right. We're cooking. We're cooking. Well, uh, speaking of fights that got moved, uh, we were supposed to get Jeff Neil versus Carlos Pratches this Saturday at UFC three 14 in Miami.

Unfortunately, Jeff Neil out. And then we were wondering what's going to happen to Carlos Pratches. Well, now we know he's moving April 26 to fight Ian Machado-Garry because Khalil Rountree versus Jamal Hill is off. Let us talk to the man himself about all this movement in his life and in the division. There he is, the great Carlos Prochez. Hello, Carlos. How are you? Hey, how are you doing, brother? Everything good. Thank you so much for inviting me. Huge honor being here with you.

Thank you. Thanks so much. Everything good. Our pleasure. Thank you for coming on. Can I ask you, when did you find out about Jeff Neal being out of UFC 314? Well, last Saturday, before they announced it on UFC, they probably they called my manager and my manager sent me a message.

Wow. And initially, were they trying to keep you on the card or when you found out that he was off the card, did you know you were being moved? First they said they're going to try to find somebody to fight in Miami, but if not, they're going to think it's something really good to me. All right. So what did you, what did you want? Did you want to stay where you bummed that you were moving off the card? Cause it's a big card for you and the team.

Yeah. Um, you know, when before then I asked me against Ian Gary, I was like, he really angry, you know, I was really excited to fight in Miami. I was really happy with that opportunity. But, and then a few days after they sent me the fight against Ian Guerrero, main event UFC Kansas, I think it's a little bit better. Okay. Because he's a bigger name? little bit better. Okay. Because he's a bigger name? Yeah. Also, you know, main event, you want to make more money. Also, young Gary is, is number seven on the rank. Jeff Neal is number 10. Yeah. So I think he's much better. Are you still going to

Miami or are you going to stay back? No, no, no, no. I'm going to stay here in Brazil training with my team, training a lot. To 26th April, get another victory, another win, another bonus. Yes. And was Ian the only name eventually mentioned to you or were other names mentioned as well? Maybe Kevin Holland, I think. Okay. I offered the fight for many guys, but, uh, nobody was wanting the fight. And then they say, uh, Kevin Holland said yes, but they're going to try another plan. Oh, wow.

And, uh, they ended up with Ian. Were you surprised that it ended up being Ian? Say again, please. Were you surprised that it ended up being Ian as your opponent? That he said yes? No, I expected already. You know, I expected Ian Gary or Joaquin Buckley.

Okay, and which would you have preferred, Ian or Joaquin? I think Joaquin is number six, yeah. Okay. Is that higher than Ian? What did you say Ian was? He's above Ian. I don't look at the rankings too often. He's above Ian. Joaquin Buckley. Yeah, I think he's number six and Ian Gary is number seven. Okay, very close. I like this fight a lot because of your styles,

the way you both fight. I think it's gonna be an incredible fight. And obviously a step up from Jeff, main event. And I think it's even if you're a fan in Kansas City, I love, you know, round tree against Hill, but you versus Ian is an incredible replacement on such short notice. And it's five rounds, right?

Yeah, it's gonna be five rounds. Yeah, how did you feel about you were preparing for three now adding a few more rounds? Are you okay with that? Yeah, I'm okay because every sparring, every fighting for three rounds, I was doing five rounds, you know? And I trained a lot.

I was training like all the time when I have fights, I train five rounds, six rounds. So it's okay. Is Ian someone that you've watched a lot? And if so, are you impressed with him? Yeah, you know, when Ian Gary signed UFC, I saw he's really good. And then I was talking to my coach or friend. I don't remember who

I was talking to some days ago, but it's crazy to see how the life is because when I saw Ian Gary the first time, his first fight on UFC, I said, oh, that guy is really good. Probably he's going to be a champ and things like that. You know, and now I come to his way and change my opinion a little bit, you know, but it's crazy to see like, you know, two years ago, I was talking about that guy and now I'm fighting him. He has some connections to Brazil. Have you ever crossed paths with him at all in Brazil in training or anything? No, no, no, no, no, nothing. at all in Brazil in training or anything? No, no, no, no. No, nothing?

Nothing. I never seen him before. Okay. I saw he posted something about it. If he beats you, he gets your CPF card. Do you know what this is? CPF card. What is that? It's like a ID, you know? ID, everything you buy,

or if you don't pay your accounts, or everything to do here in Brazil, like you buy a car or house, they gonna check your CPF. Oh wow, okay, so I guess it's like your country ID, your government ID, almost like a passport, but you have to have it on you at all times? No, no, we don't need to walk with any documents, you know,

like you can have everything on your phone. Can someone who is not born in Brazil have this as well? Is that why he wants it? Say again? Can someone who is like, he's not born in Brazil, this as well? Is that why he wants it? Say again? Can someone who is like, he's not born in Brazil, right? Yeah. Can someone who is non Brazilian or not born in Brazil get it as well? Is that why he is saying that he wants yours?

I don't know if he got Brazilian nationality, if he's gonna get a CPF, probably passport for sure. Okay. But CPF, I have no idea. Okay. Okay. Maybe that's why he wants it. Yeah, but you know, like I was expecting something cool, you know, trash talk or something like that. But sometimes like make me laugh a lot or make me angry, but not the time. Just reply like, okay, okay. We know it's not going to happen, but.

What about this video? He posted a video. He was speaking to you in Portuguese. Can I play it for you and get your reaction? Yeah, I didn't sell. Okay, here it is. Brazil, catch a ticket, catch a flight. And Brazil, sorry, you have two Brazilians in this fight.

Come on. Pratis, practice, live on April 26th. you know, because it's not like in English. Like in English you say handsome for the guys and beautiful for women, you know. And in Brazil we say the same word for everybody, you know, for everything, for the things, for people, you know, you can say bonito, bonita, bonitinho, bonitão, bonitona, can you hear like how many options I have to say the same word? So it's impressive.

I think it's pretty damn impressive. I don't know what he's saying. I mean, I could tell he's saying there's two Brazilians, pick whichever one you want, something like that. April 26th, I'm coming. That's what he said basically, right? We know he just won Brazil in that fight. Yeah, we know that.

He's smart, he's a smart guy. He tried to get the Brazilian fans, you know, and I already have a lot of people in Brazil like him. But we know that just one Brazilian on the fight. Also, I like it. It's, it's fighting nerds against shoot a box. Yeah, yeah. It's going to be cool. Also, you know, the same same city the same jeans on the same city. It's gonna be cool Have you ever been to that gym? Diego lima. Yeah the Diego limas gym. Yeah, if you were a few years ago me and my coach He was training at the shoot a box. Okay, like he maybe

Twelve years ago with we training there we were presenting shoot a box for maybe three years, something like that, three, four years. Okay. And then you guys broke off to start fighting nerds. No, no, no, no, no. We broke just to my coach stay alone, you know? Okay. Yeah.

And then we started fighting nerds, the partnership maybe two years ago. Okay. Okay. Yeah. And then we started fighting there. The partnership maybe two years ago. Okay, okay. All right. So it's, so you're familiar with them. Are you familiar with Diego too? Yeah, with Diego, yeah. But at the time when I was training there was a lot of different fighters, you know.

Charles Oliveira didn't train there at the time. Okay. You know, I was there at the time. Okay. You know, I was training at the time when, remember Thomas Almeida. Of course. Lucas Mineiro, yeah, that fighters, you know. Okay. And then, now it's many different guys there.

But did you train with Diego at all? Not really, not really. I always train like with my coach, you know. Got it. With my coach Chris. I just went to the shoot box to train sparring. Okay. And so obviously like I said, it was going to be an exciting time to have you and John Silva on the card this weekend. What a character this John Silva is. He's something else. His energy, his character, his vibe. What's it like being around him? Is he always like that? So hype, barking and everything like that? Yeah, it's good to be close of him, you know?

He's really, his energy is always high, you know? He talk with everybody, he train a lot, he always push everybody up. So it's good to be close of the guy like that. Before, you know, like he, like he's about to fight Bryce Mitchell, obviously, and the press conference, the two of them was amazing. I don't know if you saw them going back and forth, back and forth. How do you feel about his chances before the biggest fight of his life, his career?

He was really happy, you know, he's crazy. He's always all the time happy, you know, all the time saying, he gonna kill Bryce Mitchell. He is on the best moment in his life. And also you can imagine he was really happy at the time. Before such a big fight, you versus Ian Gary, main event, Kansas City, all that stuff. Obviously you get a lot of attention about the smoking.

Do you take it easy on the smoking before such a big fight? Yeah, I just do what I do all the time, you know, bro. I just come to the gym and train hard, train a lot. I'm the first guy to come to the gym, the last guy to leave the gym and that's it. So no more smoking? No, I smoking already, but you know, I'm doing everything what I do.

You don't change anything? You keep it still 10 to 15 a day approximately? Yeah. No problem. Yeah. No problem. I saw a video... He's still doing five rounds, six rounds, you know. I'm trying to smoke a little bit less. Oh.

But not because I want to, not because I'm trying to smoke a little bit less Oh, but not because I want to not because they're gonna fight because I want to know this smoke a little bit less drink less You know because now I'm trying to get heavier stronger Before I was with 81 82 kills now I talk with my nutritionist after my last fight and then I come to 90 kilos. Wow. So I try to, to take care about my body, my health, you know, like outside of the fight. So when you say smoke less, what do you mean? Like five a day or something like that? Or yeah, maybe 10, eight.

Oh, okay. All right. And what about drinking? Do you stop before the fight? Yeah, I drinking, I stay without drinking maybe two months, one month and a half because I don't go party, I don't go anywhere, no just training.

Is that difficult? It's not difficult be far away from drink, but it's difficult to stay far away from party. Ah, yeah. So you won't even go to the party if you don't drink? No. Really? Why not?

Just like for an hour? If I don't drink, I cannot bring any entertainment. So I prefer to stay at my house. What do you mean? You're such a nice guy, nice smile. Just your presence brings entertainment. Yeah, but I don't know. I don't know.

If I go party and say I don't wanna drink, if I go party, I will drink, you know? If I see everybody drinking, everybody, you know, enjoying the party, probably I will drink. So I prefer to stay far away. Yeah. What's your favorite kind of drink? Beer and whiskey.

Whiskey. Not together, right? Or do you do it together? No, no. Yeah. Sometimes the paints, the paints, like sometimes I'm, uh, I'm drinking beer. Sometimes drink a little bit, uh, whiskey and then keep you drinking beer, you know? Yeah.

Yeah. But so, so if you stop the drinking before the fight Why don't you stop the smoking too? You know because I think I'm not addicted on drinking but you know, I cannot stay without smoke Do you think that's hard to is the goal at some point to stop it? Say again is the goal at some point to stop smoking altogether Yeah, it's you mean if it would be cool? No, is your goal, your goal, that you hope one day? Yeah, yeah.

I don't know, but if I really want to stop smoking, but you know, I'm thinking about my health, but I don't know if I really want or I don't know. Yeah, it's hard to know if I really wanna stop smoke or feel worried about the fight or my health. Sure. I don't know. I used to have friends, they would refuse to go to the store to buy the cigarettes. They wanted to roll it themselves, the cigarette with the tobacco and they would roll it like this.

You know what I'm talking about? You do that too? Yeah. You roll it yourself? No, no, no, no. So much work. I. Sorry.

It's a lot of work to roll it yourself, right? Like just go buy it. Yeah. You know, yeah, I prefer buy, buy my pack of cigarettes and just open, get one smoke and that's it. Easy. That's what, and it has a filter too, right? Yeah.

So it's healthier. Say again? It's healthier with the filter on the cigarette. Yeah, I think so. Yeah. Yeah. I think so. So that's why I prefer go somewhere, buy my pack of cigarettes and, you know, I don't need to roll, I don so. So that's why I prefer go somewhere, buy my pack of cigarettes and you know,

I don't need to roll, I don't need anything. Dana White seems to be a very big fan of yours. I heard him say they had some big plans for you and then obviously you're fighting on this card. What do you think happens? You beat Ian, what happens? Are you fighting for the belt you think? Bro, I don't know.

I try to not think about that, you know? I try to just wake up every day and go to the belt, you think? Bro, I don't know. I try to not think about that, you know? Yeah, yeah. I try to just wake up every day and go to the gym and work hard because anyway, if they like me or not, if they gonna bring me to the belt or not, I need to be ready, I need to be prepared, I need to be strong, I need to be healthy, you know? So I try to take care about the things

what is under my control, you know. If it's not my control, I try to not think about, you know, not spend my energy, my time thinking about that. That's good. I agree with that sentiment. It just seems like right now there's so many good guys at 170, young, hungry guys like yourself. We just saw Sean Brady. He looked amazing. Did you see that fight against Leon Edwards? Yeah, yeah. He's very good.

He's looking really, really good, strong, have a really good cardio, you know. Shofka's still there. He hasn't gone, he keeps, you know, he was supposed to fight for the belt. He had bad luck. Yeah. Bilal got hurt. Now he got hurt. You think Bilal is going to beat JDM. I heard you say, right?

Yeah. You think it's not going to be close? Ah, bro, I think he, by unanimous decision and still, you know, with the, always the same board game. I think he not any surprise during the fight. Who do you think is going to win? And still, you know, with the, always the same boring game. I think he not any surprise during the fight. Who do you think is gonna be the first one to beat him? To beat Balal? If not Shabkat, I think Carlos.

That's what you were supposed to say. I was, you, right? You're Carlos. Yeah. I was waiting for you to say, it's gonna be me. to say. I was you, right? You're Carlos. Yeah. I was waiting for you to say it's going to be me. Yeah. You know, but first after Jack Delamadalena, you're going to have a Belal against Shavikatt.

Yeah. Yeah. And you think Shavkat wins that? And bro, I don't know. I don't know because Belal is really good in his game, but Shavikatt is really good also, but I don't know, I don't know, because Bilal is really good in his game, but Shavkat is really good also, but I don't know, I'm not sure about that. I know, it's the kind of fight, I don't know who I gonna bet, you know?

Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's a close one. But you know, the interesting thing is, at the beginning of the interview, I asked you if you were surprised that Ian took the fight and I think some fans were surprised he took it because he took the Shavkat fight on short notice and obviously was very close, but he didn't get the win. You've been preparing for a fight. He hasn't.

And so that's why I was one. There's a lot for, if he loses on April 26, now he's on a two fight losing streak all of a sudden very quickly. There's a lot of risk, you know, there's a lot at stake. So were you surprised ultimately with so much at stake that he would take such a fight? I mean, I think he's a a two fight losing streak all of a sudden, very quickly. There's a lot of risk, you know, there's a lot at stake. So were you surprised ultimately with so much at stake that he would take such a fight?

No, I'm not surprised, bro. I'm not surprised because probably he's going to make a lot of money with that fight. You know, sometimes money talks and also he is really good you know his mind is really good, his mind set is really good and he probably really thinks he's going to come to Kansas and going to beat me you know so I was not surprised. Have you ever been to Kansas City? No never, it's going to be the first time. It's not so good. So I was not surprised. Have you ever been to Kansas City? No, never.

It's gonna be the first time. It's not so good. No? Come see, come see. I just, no, I don't like their football team. I hate their football team, the Chiefs. Oh yeah. Oh yeah, they was on the final last year, yeah?

Yeah, they won three years out of the last five years or four years Taylor Swift all these guys, you know these people Annoying they're annoying They're like corinthias or something, you know, like they always were the biggest the biggest team soccer in the world Yes. Yes annoying annoying. So what do you think? What's your what do you envision as far as how the fight plays out how you win? What do you what are you thinking in your mind as far as the finish? In some way, the last fight, I'm going to hurt him. I'm going to make him try to rush the fight because he's going to get hurt. And then he's going to give me space and then I'm going to finish the fight.

It feels like this is the moment that everything changes for you. Like it's been building, building, Apex, this, that, but now this main event, big arena, this is, if all goes the way you want it to go, this could be the moment for you. Yeah, yeah, for sure. Winning, beating, and you and Gary, it's gonna bring me to another level. All right, well I look forward to it. Good luck to you. Thank you for coming on.

Good luck to the team this weekend. And this is a great fight, so I can't wait. It's in 19 days, very quick, the fights coming up. So good luck in the last few weeks, and I can't wait for April 26th. Thank you so much, brother, thank you so much. Okay, all the best. Obrigado. There he is. Carlos Pratches of Fighting Nerds and a big weekend for them. John Silva against Bryce Mitchell.

Speaking of press conferences that I can't wait for, that's one that I can't wait for as well. Whenever they do the pre-fight press conference, well they had the one a few weeks ago. John Silva's going back and forth, and Bryce is reciting Bible verses. It was incredible. So they're probably going to do it on Thursday, if history is any indication, and that will be a great one. So we're going to get that on Thursday, and we're going to get the 3, 3.16? 3.17? 3.16? 3.15 is much as much? 316. 316 on Friday. We've just

found out. I think we kind of broke that news. Please, when you tweet this out, please credit the Ariel Helwani show as part of the Uncrowned Media Network when you aggregate that, please. Who who me? Yeah, I appreciate that Guys speaking of April 26 April 26 is gonna be an incredible day. We'll have by then we'll have the NBA playoffs We'll have the NHL playoffs NFL draft third round we'll have Ian Gary against Carlos Prochez and We'll also have finally Chris Eubank Jr. against Conor Ben, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Finally, it's actually happening. Rick's most anticipated fight of all time, 19 days away. This is something. And just a few weeks ago, they had the two press conferences that stole the show, went viral. The egg slap heard around the world, or the egg slap.

Maybe we'll get some clarification on that. The build has been amazing. And I've loved my conversation with Chris Eubank Jr. in the past. We've had a couple. They've been thoughtful. They've been direct. They've been honest. They've been authentic.

And I'm so very happy that he's kind enough to join us on this Monday evening to talk about this massive fight. Is he there? There he is. The great Chris Eubank Jr. Thank you so much for joining us, Chris. Really appreciate the time on this Monday evening. What's up, Aaron? How are you doing? I'm doing great, my friend. I'm doing great.

And first, if I may, can I just applaud you? What you did that week around town, those two parts, like that was, if there's ever a fighter that needs a master class those two, like that was, if there's ever a fighter that needs a master class on how to promote, how to be themselves, how to command the room, how to be cerebral, clinical with the trash talk, you owned everyone.

It was you against the world. You were up there by yourself. And it was honestly, it was some of the best work. I'm not just saying it because you're here because I said it long before I knew you were gonna come on the show. Some of the best work that I've ever seen a fighter do in building up a fight.

Well done. You know what? And the funny thing is I'm not even trying to build the fight up. It's not about, you know, it's not about selling the fight. The fight's already been sold. I was doing things and saying things

that I just believed were right, I believed had to be said, had to be exposed. That was just me. There's a lot of shady people in this industry and I love shining a light on those individuals. I know you were sitting up there next to coaches, Ben Shalom, etc. But it felt to me like it was you against everyone. Did you feel that same way?

Sure, yeah. I mean, Ben Shalom hasn't, you know, he's not long in the tooth enough in terms of being in hostile environments. He can't compete with Eddie. And my other teammates in Ronnie Davis and Jonathan Banks, again, they are not the talking types. So it was me against Connor Ben, Eddie Hearn, Nigel Ben, who ended up strangling me in the first press conference. But it's okay. I've gone against worse odds before than come out on top. It's nothing new to me going up against multiple people at the same time.

One fascinating byproduct of it all, I thought, was that for whatever reason maybe you've had like a love-hate relationship with the British public, I thought after those, I kept reading the comment sections, everyone was like, man, I really love this guy. I'm really rooting for Chris. I'm backing him on this one. And I don't know if you pay attention to this stuff, but I felt a massive shift in the support that you were receiving. Did you notice that?

To be completely honest, I stopped reading and focusing on comments and public opinion a long, long time ago. I've been the bad guy for many, many years. I said it in that first press conference. I've been booed into every single UK fight against the UK fighter for the last 11 years. So, you know, being a good guy or having the support that a lot of fighters have or want.

That dream kind of faded away from me a long time ago. I expect to be booed into Tottenham Hotspur because I've been booed into every arena leading up to this fight. I don't see why it would change. I thought maybe after my fight against Liam Smith, getting boot into that arena twice, going back in there after losing the first fight, avenging that defeat when everybody said I was finished. Everybody said I was washed up, won the fight, was respectful, shook everybody's hands, didn't do any of the trash talk.

I thought, okay, well, surely now, surely now I'm gonna get some support, be the good guy, whatever you wanna call it. And then I go to Daniel Dubois versus AJ at Wembley Stadium, 80,000 people. I walk into that stadium. I come up on the screen, my face comes up on the screen as I'm walking in and the entire stadium boos me,

even after a career best performance. So it's not in the cards for me. And I've accepted that and I've come to terms with that. The interesting thing about this fight is that there will be two bad guys walking into that stadium on April 26th. It could be the first mega fight where both fighters are getting booed into the arena, which is I don't think has ever happened before. This is the potential to be that. But again, it's not something I focus on.

I've dealt with it for years and it's something that it's just a part of my journey now. It's a part of who I am as a fighter. It's fun. I enjoy it. I love the haters. I love the doubters. I love getting booed into arenas and drinks flying and, and, uh, you know, seeing that anger in people's eyes, I kind of, I, I feed off of that energy now as sick

as that sounds. Um, so it's okay, but Connor does not. That's the big difference. Connor is a completely different animal to me. Connor is, you know, he used to be the golden boy. Everyone was behind him. Everyone supported him. Everyone wanted to see him become the next big thing. And now he has an army of haters just like me. But there is a difference. You know, the people that hate me, they love to hate me.

It's something that they've done for years and years and years. And it's just, it's just a part of the event. Ah, you banks there. Ooh, let's, let's, let's, let's give this guy some shit and throw stuff around and, you know, shout stuff that is part of the event for him. For Connor, people despise hating him because he had it. He was the guy that had all the support and then he screwed it all up for no reason. For a quick shortcut in our first fight. He ruined it all.

So people hate hating him. And it's gonna be the first time he's gonna be booted into an arena. So we'll see how that affects him on the night. I guess. Okay. There's a lot there. And again, this is why I love speaking to you because you're so thoughtful with your responses.

Was there ever, you're, you're seven years older than him. So it takes a while to get to the point where you're at peace and almost revel in the booze. Was there ever a point where it bothered you? Like you think it bothered him or will bother him? Oh, for sure. Sure. Was there ever a point where it bothered you like you think it bothered him? Or will bother him? Oh, for sure. Sure, you know, when it first happens to you, it's horrible.

It was for me anyway, you know? I never thought that I would be that guy because all I'd ever done was dedicate my life to the sport of boxing. So why am I walking into arenas now? And boxing fans are booing me when all I've done is be a boxer, is be a fighter, is train hard, is fight hard.

The first time I got booed into arena was against Billy Joe Saunders, 11 years ago. Billy Joe Saunders 11 years ago. And it was a dark, harrowing experience. And it's happened every single fight ever since. It takes a lot of getting used to. Conor Benn is not there yet. He's never had that. So it's going to be very interesting to see how it affects who he is in that ring on the night.

I think you're in for a surprise on the night, because I think you are going to get cheered. I think that people view you as the anti-hero in a way, your anti-establishment. And I'm wondering if you feel those cheers, obviously you're focused in the moment, but even in the buildup, will there be a part of you saying, no, you don't get to come around now.

You did that to me, you turned on me 11 years ago, you don't get to cheer me now, you don't get to be on my team now. Do you feel that way towards the public? No, I have no animosity towards anybody, except maybe Kona them right now. You know, the fans are the fans. They are the reason us as fighters

are able to do the things we do. You know, the people that are booing me and wanting to see me lose. They're still paying that thick. They're still buying the pay-per-view. How can I be upset with these people? How can I be against them? And yes, of course I do have fans. But it seems that the people that want to see you lose are a lot more vocal. Especially in my case. You see it online, the trolls, the keyboard warriors. And it's become a part of who I am as a fighter. Being people loving to hate.

I still don't really get why because you know if you're talking about real villains, real bad guys, you know that's the drug cheats, that's the people that lie and steal and who cut corners and have no morals and no respect, no dignity. Those are the actual real bad guys. And it's funny because a lot of those guys are the ones that get cheered into arenas. So it's like, what do you do? Do you sell your soul? A lot of guys do. A lot of guys become people they're not, you know,

for, you know, to try and build a fight or to become a name. I've always just stayed true to myself, you know? Just before you said you have no animosity towards anyone except maybe Connor, you have said, I don't hate Connor, just like your father said he didn't hate Nigel Ben. Nigel Ben said that he hated your father and you've sort of echoed the same sentiment, but I hear you say now some animosity,

so have things changed at all? No, animosity and hating somebody are two different things. Of course I do not like Conor. Of course I have disdain for this man. He tried to cheat. He did cheat in our first fight two and a half years ago. He took performance enhancing drugs,

he was caught and the fight got called off. So animosity is rife between me and him. But hate, hate is, that's a very dark energy, that's a very consuming mentality to have towards somebody or someone or people. I don't ever give, I would never give anybody that type of power over me for me to be able to hate them you know that's that's saved yeah did we lose you chris con man, I'm not giving him that. Oh, I'm still here.

Okay, yeah, yeah, it just kind of froze there for a second, but I think you're back. Okay, where did it, where did it freeze? Just a moment ago where you said that you're not gonna, you're not gonna, you're not gonna give him that. You're not gonna allow someone to have that kind of control over your body, your emotions, the hate.

Yeah, it's too much power to give somebody, especially someone you're gonna get in the ring and fight. For me, emotions do nothing but complicate and stifle and ruin a performance. You know, when you really hate somebody, you're not thinking straight. You're not acting accordingly. You're not sticking to the game plan. All you want to do is tear this guy apart because you hate him.

You know, I do wanna tear this guy apart, but I'm gonna do it clinically. I'm gonna do it with a boxing brain, not a mind full of hate. The animosity seems to stem from the drug test failures. The first time around, there was none of that. It was just about, you know, the two sons going toe to toe. The animosity seems to stem from the drug test failures. The first time around, there was none of that. It was just about, you know,

the two sons going toe to toe. Do you subscribe to the notion that this time it's much different? The build is much different? The connection or lack thereof, whatever you want to call it, between you and Connor is much different. This is a completely different fight

than the one that was supposed to happen in 2022? The motivation as well. For sure, for sure. It's very, very personal. Before, you know, we really just was. Our old men, four, 35 years ago, the people want to see us fight. What a great story. And it is a great story. story and it is a great story. Now me and Connor have our own history, we have our own beef, we have our own story. You mix that together with the fact that our fathers fought and were two of the best British boxing, uh, best British boxers of all time. it makes for an insane event, an insane story, an insane night of fighting because it's real and it's never happened before in the history of boxing and it will never happen again. And that's what excites me about this fight. It cannot be replicated. It's impossible. Unless you know, me and Connor have sons now and in 35 years they get in the

ring and fight, but that's not going to happen. So, well, you know, never say never, but it's just, it's, it's so impossible to think about this is a one-off fight. Um, and, uh, I'm excited, man. I'm ready. Is there, is there a rematch clause for either of you? Yes, there is. Uh, for who?

For both of you or? I believe so. Okay. So there's a chance you might do be doing this twice. There is a chance we may be doing it twice. Yes. Okay. So there's a chance you might do, be doing this twice. There is a chance we may be doing it twice. Yes. Okay. Um, you know, obviously the, uh, I want, I want you

to clear something up if you can. Everyone talked about the egg slap, but after careful, uh, you know, breaking it down and all this, we looked at all the different angles. Uh, my, my, uh, determination was that you were actually holding multiple eggs when you slapped it, because the noise and the amount of yoke. Is that accurate?

Because everyone said egg, but I feel like it's actually eggs slapped. It was too much. Am I accurate? I had multiple eggs in my pockets. The Louis Vuitton jacket I had was filled with at least nine. Some of them rotten, some of them were old. Oh, wow. But I only had time to grab one in that particular instance.

I would have loved to have grabbed more. And I thought, when I was thinking about it, the dream was to be able to just unleash. But one was all I could muster and one was enough. Did you take rotten eggs on purpose? Absolutely. I bought the cheapest, oldest, crustiest eggs I could find from the worst store I could find.

That's what this kid deserves, the worst of the worst store where I could find, that's what this kid deserves, the worst of the worst. And how long before the presser did you come up with this idea? Two and a half years ago. Okay, so you said the next time you see this guy, this is what you'll do. The day I found out that they were saying that these drug tests, these failed drugs tests were because of contaminated eggs, the day I heard that story, that fabrication, that fantasy,

that they really kind of stuck with, I said there and then, I'm gonna hit this guy with a question face as soon as I get a chance. And that was two and a half years ago. Wow. And you sat there the whole time with the eggs in your pocket. Yep.

I sat there, I walked into the press conference. One of those puppies cracked actually. In the jacket you have like a Louis Vuitton man bag or purse, I don't know what you call it, but it's attached to the back of the jacket. And I had a few eggs in there and one of those puppies did crack, unfortunately. But everything else was that were in the pockets in front. They were fine.

And yeah, you know, I knew what I was doing. It was it was planned. It was anticipated. It was it was an egg of justice. You know, it was It was a symbol. It wasn't about attacking him or hurting him or slapping him. It was about making an example. I had to shine a light on the fact that he was a cheat. You know, too many times these guys, so many guys in the industry, they get popped for drugs, they pay a fine, they serve a little ban, and then they're back in the ring, and six months later, a year later, like it's nothing. You know, and

people forget. I couldn't bear for that to happen in this instance. I had to do something which was going to let people or remind people for the rest of this kid's life. You are a cheat and there's no hiding it. There's no forgetting it. This will stay with you for the rest of your life. Are you really being fined 100K by the BBBOC? Are they really fining you 100K? Yes, they are fining me 100,000 pounds, which is actually about $125,000. Yeah.

Which is, you know, it's strong, man. You know, these guys never find anybody that much. And I think that, you know, you will know that there's been way worse things happening in press conferences than a guy getting hit by an egg. So it's unjustified, I think. And you know, we're gonna have to, you know, we're gonna have to deal with that. Are you gonna appeal it? Um, you know, we are in the process of dealing with the situation.

I don't want to go too far into it because it's legal and it's, there's a lot of things going on in the background, but, um, we are, we will, we will deal with the situation. And to be clear, the bet with Eddie, it's off? Yes, Eddie, Eddie the Weasel Hun made a bet that his ass couldn't cash. That's what he did. Giving it the big in front of Ben Shalom telling him I want to put a million pounds in escrow for the fight.

My guy against your guy. He said it on camera. So I said to him, I said to the world, I accept the bet. We both put our million in escrow. Once the fight's done, whoever wins gets all the money. And he pussied out. He started using the excuse of, I received an email. This is a grown man.

This is a grown businessman. In fact, one of the biggest businessmen in the sport of boxing in the world. If he wants to put a million pounds somewhere, he can do that. No one can send him an email telling him he can't. He doesn't want to do it because he was lying. That's all he does. He lies and nobody pulls him on it

because he is a powerful figure in the sport and fighters don't want to offend him. They don't want to get on his bad side. Oh, maybe I won't be able to get a fight or maybe I won't get paid or I don't care about any of that shit. If you lie, if you fabricate, I am going to expose you to the public, which is what I've been doing. And so one of the things that you also brought up was that you were going to pay all the undercard fighters that were supposed to fight on that card in October of 2022.

Are you still planning on doing that? Why wouldn't I be planning on doing it? I said it. Sure. Oh, so how are you going to go about doing that? I will send each and every one of them the money to personally to their bank accounts. Wow. So there were I don't know exactly how many maybe 12 fighters give or take one of them. So each one of those will receive a percentage of the

50,000 pounds. Wow and and And you feel like you need to do this because they weren't compensated anything, right? That's right. Yeah. Eddie Hahn, Kona Ben, Matt Trim. You know, they pulled the rug out from underneath everybody. Nope. Itrows up again.

We're gonna try to connect with him again. Fight through it, fight through it. Or maybe we'll connect with him again. Man, he's so good. He is so freaking good, that Connor. Excuse me, that Chrissy Bank. Fighting Connor Ben on April 26. God, he's so good.

There's just something about the way he speaks. Mesmerizing, captivating. He's amazing at it. I can't wait for this fight. Fatal fury, city of the wolves, April 26th, Tottenham, hot spur stadium in London, beautiful stadium. I was there in, uh, in late August saw spurs Everton. Good game for spurs on that day.

I think they won four nil. Brendan Jones, he's a great guy. beautiful stadium. I was there in, uh, in late August saw spurs Everton, good game for spurs on that day. I think they won four nil Brendan Johnson, two goals this past weekend, MBD, I think 11 on the season, but it is going to be some kind of scene. It's a great card, especially for the British public, but it's a fight that everyone's talking about. Okay. Let's go back to Chris.

Is he there? There he is. I'm here. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. So you said you're going to, you're going to reach out to them and pay them because they didn't do that. Right. So, um, Eddie Herne, Connor Ben, Matt Trim, they pulled the rug out from underneath all of us. Uh, you know, they tried their hardest to make the fight go ahead knowing that Connor was using steroids, but it ended up not happening.

And all of these fighters had to pay for entire fight camps. And a lot of people don't know that these fight camps can be very expensive. You got to pay sparring partners, you got to pay trainers, nutritionists, accommodation, physiotherapists. There's a lot of things that you have to pay for as a fighter. None of these guys were compensated by Eddie or Matt Trim, you know, and they were the ones putting on the show. They should look after the fighters.

They didn't. Obviously, I didn't get commentated either, but that's not the point of this. I always felt bad about that. I know how much I spent on my camp. Luckily, I'm in a blessed position to where I can spend money in a camp, not fight, and I'm straight. The money I've made in my life inside and outside of the ring, I'm set for life. I could stop boxing today and I'm good So it doesn't affect me. But for most fighters going through a whole camp and then not fighting It's really they put some in a really bad spot So

Knowing that I said I would pay 50,000 pounds towards the group of fighters that were involved in the first fight that never ended up being able to fight. And I will personally be sending each and every one of the money to their bank accounts very soon. Well done, much respect. This is the big one.

The last time we spoke, Chris, you were very open and honest about the relationship with your father, the state of the relationship. And you've been asked about it and you talked about it that week. I do understand last month, you did see your father at an event, right? I think Harlem was fighting, right?

Harlem Eubank. And I understand you spoke a little bit, right? How did that go? It was good and bad. You know, there was some, there was some good parts and, you know, there was some not so good parts. Um, we haven't spoken since, so it didn't go that well, but, um, you know, I'm still hopeful that we can at some point, you know, figure out a way to get into this fight.

I do still hope we can do that. Um, we will, we'll find out in the coming weeks. That time that you just spoke together, was that the first time in years that you spoke? Yes. Yeah. It was the, it was the first real conversation we'd had in a couple of years. And, um, you know, it wasn't that long. We didn't have time. He was, he was there for, for Harlem and, you know,

they had to go and do the walkout before his fight. But, um, it's a start, you know, it's something to build off of. Are you confident he'll be at the fight on the 26th of April? No. Like I said, I haven't heard from him since that day. So I'm not confident of anything, but I will try my best to get him there or to facilitate him being there. Did you invite him when you spoke to him? Yep. And what did he say?

Uh, he said the fight isn't going to happen. Why not? Why does he feel that way? Um, I, you know, your guess is as good as mine, buddy. It's, um, it sounds crazy, but at the same time he said the same thing before the last fight. So it's like I can't even call it crazy now because it did happen the first time. But it's just not going to happen this time. It's impossible, virtually impossible. Nothing's impossible, but it's virtually impossible. And, you know, even if that was his mindset, I feel like he should still be, you know, supporting. But he has this mental block about this whole thing. I don't know why. It's, um, you know, it's obviously

just something he's got his demons. He's, he's fighting and he's got something in his mind that he can't get over. And, you know, I gotta just try and try and help him through it, I guess. Safe to say you'd like for him to be there. Of course, you know, this fight is, is, you know, it's happening because of what he did, uh, 35 years ago and that rain against Nigel Ben. That's how this whole thing started. Yes, it's taken on its own story. And now it's become this big thing between me and Connor.

But if you're talking about the origin origin that is him and Nigel bent So, of course, I would love for him to be there Are you prepared for the feeling like on fight day or fight week as we approach the 26th of April? If you come to the realization that he's not going to be there. Will you feel deflated disappointed? This is your father You still do love him How will that affect you on the night if you realize that he won't be in attendance? Will you feel deflated, disappointed? This is your father, you still do love him. How will that affect you on the night if you realize that he won't be in attendance? It won't affect me because I've been doing this alone

for too many years now, you know? So it's not like it's something new. It's not like he's been with me this whole way and then all of a sudden, where is he? Right. I'll be disappointed for sure, but it definitely won't affect what I have to go out there and do. The task at hand stays the same.

The game plan, the mentality, the mindset, it doesn't change. It changes for nobody. I have to win. When Connor says like when you're on the Piers Morgan show or at the press that he doesn't like you, does that sting? Does it sting? Doesn't sting, Connor doesn't know what he's talking about. He's saying things because he's a meathead who's just trying to get a reaction out of me.

because he's a meathead who's just trying to get a reaction out of me. He doesn't know the real relationship that me and my father have, what we've been through. It's just more annoying than anything because it's just like, come on, that's all you got. That's all you can say. you know, your dad doesn't like you? Like, you know, of all the things, you know, we've had so much time to prepare for these interviews and press conferences and TV shows. How are you coming into these things with like one or two lions?

Like, are you that much of an idiot that you can only Muster up two or three lines. Your dad doesn't like you. You're an idiot You have the IQ of a five-year-old And I'm gonna I'm gonna smash your head in or something like that. He keeps saying, oh, he says like two or three things over and over, that's what he says. I don't know how someone can be so stupid. But, you know, I guess not everyone can be educated,

not everyone can be able to talk, make sense of what they're saying. What about when you see Nigel up there with him? Does that make you feel some sort of way? No. It's a father and son. He's back in his kid and that's how things should be. Shortly after that meeting,

and we'll let you go in a moment, and I really appreciate the time, I know it's getting late over there, your father did speak to the Ring Magazine. Did you happen to see what he said about your conversation? No, I didn't see that. He spoke to Ring Magazine. Was this like a tweet or something? They said they spoke to him in an article that was published 25 days ago on their website.

I thought it was interesting. I'll read it for you if that's okay. He said, the moment was, as it always is, meaningful. You Bank Senior said at the encounter, I love my son just as I love all my children. And I'm deeply grateful for each of them. Seeing him again, I could tell he's grown. There's a wisdom in his face, and demeanor that wasn't there before.

No matter what has happened, I will always have Junior's back. As a father, I know what to look for. When you've lived long enough, you can see it. The shift, the naivete that once lived in his eyes, it's gone, replaced by experience. And experience isn't something that you just read about or get from being told.

It comes from going through it, from making mistakes, from taking the hits that life throws. And that's what I saw in him. Someone who's been through the fire, shaped by his own journey, but like all of us, the journey isn't over yet. That's among the many things he said. I'm wondering what you think when you hear that. I mean, that's great. I'm glad he thinks that. I'm glad he said that. Yeah, you know, that was the reason why I separated myself from him in the boxing world, because I had to go through it.

I had to experience what it was to be my own man, walk my own path, not be in a shadow anymore. I couldn't, you know, imagine retiring and you haven't really had any real experiences of your own, you know, outside of, you know, the bell going and you're alone. But outside of that, you know, not making your own decisions, not being a part of your own journey and your own career business wise, you know, controlling the people around you. Like I couldn't have somebody living that life or living my life for me, which is what he was doing for so many years, especially at the beginning of my career.

So it's good that he's seen that, you know, the reasons why I stepped away and, you know, he's seen that I have matured because of that. I think I was already very mature before, but he just couldn't see it because he was just so controlling. But at the end of the day, those words are all good and well, but we still don't talk. So it's like, it's hard to really understand exactly what's going on in his mind when it comes to me.

On the flip side, he did say he was disappointed with the egg incident and that that wasn't the values that he had instilled in you. He went a little bit longer and he said this on his YouTube channel as well, condemning the incident, feeling it's not the Eubank way. What did you think when you heard him say that he wasn't happy with it?

It isn't the Eubank way. When have you guys ever seen me do anything like this before? Never. I had a guy, Spico Sullivan. This fucking guy kissed me in a face-off, a head-to-head face-off. I didn't throw a punch.

You know, so I'm not that guy to be putting my hands on opponents, but I felt like this had to be done. I had to make an example of this guy. There are kids watching this event, watching this fight. I can't have them thinking that they can go and use drugs and they'll still be able to get to these positions and people will just forget and let them get away with it. No, if you do it, you're gonna get embarrassed, you're gonna get made an example of,

you're gonna lose all your respect, you're gonna lose all your credibility. This is what I'm trying to take from Connor. He doesn't deserve it. They talk about he's cleared, he's cleared. You are cleared to fight, but so is every other fighter who's got popped for steroids and then they're back in the ring. Everybody gets cleared eventually. What you are not cleared of is the fact that you had performance enhancing drugs in your system. You are not clear of that. One second.

We'll reconnect there. You are not cleared of being a cheat. And the only way I could make sure that it was never forgotten and that he could never go back to being the golden boy and the good guy of boxing, which he was before, is by crushing an egg across his chin, getting that snapshot of him with the yolk dripping down the side of his chin piece and he's gritting his teeth. I'm going to make a tee shot of that. You know, that's that image is going to stay with him for the rest of his life. And that's what kids will see.

If you treat with jugs, you're going to pay for it. One last thing I just want to ask you about what your dad said. He said, uh, that he would like for you at the end of the day to fight Canelo to beat Canelo, he must listen and adhere to his father, his trainer, the one with the all seeing eye. If Junior truly wants to cement his legacy, then there's only one road left

and that road leads to Canelo saying after this fight, that's what you should go after. Do you agree with him? I do think that that is, you know, an ex-logical fight, you know, and this fight, Turkey is saying can put me in a position to get in the ring with Canelo, which would be amazing. So I agree with him on that. But that doesn't mean that I shouldn't fight Conor. He thinks that Canelo is the only guy I should fight. And that's not how boxing works.

This is a fight that the fans are demanding. They have been demanding it for years. This fight is bigger than boxing. It's mainstream in the UK. In the UK, it's probably bigger than a Canelo fight, because the general public don't know who Canelo is. You know in the UK it's probably bigger than a canela fight, you know because The general public don't know who canela is the boxing fans do but the general public don't because you know The general public on boxing fans. They don't know anything about boxing. This is a fight where you got You got kids you got grandmas you got people that don't know care about boxing at all and they are

They're gonna be at that fight. This is a this is a very special thing we have here So, yeah, you know people ask me about what I'm gonna do next I have no interest in even thinking about it because this fight is so huge for me and Yeah, I kind of wait to get in that ring. Are you concerned with the rehydration clause? Concerned? Sure. It's nothing, it's something I've never done before.

And I still don't know how I'm gonna do it. I said I'm gonna, you know, I'm gonna have to, you know, I put maybe around 14 pounds after a weigh-in, so I'm going to have to either cut down on what I eat and drink so that I can make the 10 pound limit. Um, or I rehydrated eat like I usually do. And then on the, on fight day, I get in a sauna or a steam room for 30, 40 minutes and take the four pounds off to make the weight. I still don't know which way I'm going to do it. Um, but you know, I like a challenge. So we'll see.

Uh, last one, as, as you dream about the fight, I'm sure it's consuming all your thoughts, all your, or all your dreams. But what do you, what do you, what are you feeling? What are you envisioning on the night? How do you see this actually playing out? Um, you know, as a fighter, you always envision and dream and actually playing out? As a fighter, you always envision and dream and, and foresee victory. How, when, what round, all of those things, I never really, I

never really focused on that because boxing is just, just too, it just too volatile. There's too many things that can happen that throw off a game plan. So I'm not going to say I'm going to knock him out or I'm going to out box him or out fight him I'm I'm prepared for each and every one of those outcomes and Victory will be secured By any cost at any cost within the rules of boxing

Chris much appreciated tremendous stuff truly. It's it's a masterclass what you're doing in the buildup. And I know it's not just about the talking and the promotion and all that stuff. It feels real. It feels from the heart authentic. And it's captivating. It truly is. You are cerebral when it comes to the way in which you speak of the fight game and this particular personal fight,

if you will. I hope, if nothing else, I hope your father is there. I really, truly do hope that. And I think I speak for everyone. I hope he is in attendance in your corner, by your side. I think everyone father is there. I really truly do hope that. And I think I speak for everyone. I hope he is in attendance in your corner by your side. I think everyone wants that. Even I think Connor Ben fans want that as well. Fight week, you guys should be together on that day

as he should be there. And I pray for that for you truly. And I hope it all goes well for you on the 26th of April. And I wish you the very best. Thank you so much for the time. I really appreciate it. Anytime, Errol wish you the very best. Thank you so much for the time. I really appreciate it. Anytime, Arou.

Anytime, good speaking with you. Thank you so much. There he is, the great Chris Eubank Jr. What a guy, what a character. And we like Conor Bennett around these parts as well. He has always been very thoughtful, very down to earth, very open and honest. I cannot wait for that fight.

It was originally supposed to happen on the 8th of October in 2022, almost three years ago now. That's how long this saga has been. And there was a saga to get to the 8th of October. And now here we go, 19 days away at a much bigger venue, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which is a beautiful, one of the best stadiums I've ever been to, Arena Stadium Sports Venues. And that's a big day in the UK, in London in particular,

because one half of the FA Cup semi-final happening on that day, your Nottingham Forest will be competing on the 27th of April. So we could guys go to the fight, you know, we were trying to decide, but it has since been revealed, Forest playing on the 27th. So we could go to the fight. You know, we were trying to decide, but it has since been revealed. Forrest playing on the 27th. So we could go and just focus on Eubank Ben on the 26th and then, you know, go to Forrest City on the 27th. I mean, I'm just throwing it out there. I'm just, I mean, what a guy. Still take no convincing.

What a guy, huh? What a guy that Chris Eubank. Cerebral. Is there anyone like him? His dad. Yeah, I mean, currently in the fight game. Is there anyone like him? Even when you say, like, hey, are you concerned about the rehydration clause, most people will be like,

nah, I'm good. He'll be like, concerned. And then he's thoughtful and pondering it. There's just something about him, man. He is very sure of himself. And you read that quote by his father about the naivete going away and him becoming his own man. And everything is a matter of fact.

Everything is just how it is. And he has his view of the world, and it is exactly what it is. And you get the sense that he's very calm and at peace with everything especially with the demeanor and the way he talks. Whereas Connor is like a ball of energy, you know, it's just like a like a combustible thing and you get the you feel that kind of just like hands on the wheel you know 12 and 6 just or 12 and 2 what is it 12 and 2 just 10 and steady 10 and 2 thank you steady just steady steady steady knows exactly where he's going and just you're along for the ride 12 and 6 that's how that's how Rick drives the Tesla baby listen I'm a one- guy, I'm a one hand guy. I don't know about you two hand guys.

I'm a pinky guy. I'm just like. You drive with your pinky? Yeah. I mean my car drives itself so I don't really need to have. I'm a big just 12. Yeah, me too. One on the top.

I'm 12, I'm 12. If anything I'm a six like hold it here just going. Oh you're the bottom guy. Wow. When you turn. But when you turn you gotta. I hit the turn the bottom guy. Wow. When you turn, you gotta, I hit the turn the hand. Oh yeah, the wipe it off.

Yo. Respect, respect. One arm out the window. Who knew? Me and Jules C. We were dealing out there in old red, just big red. Frank. Maybe throw a cig in the mouth,

then we're red. Frank, where are we at? Car hands. Nah, I try to do it with no hands. Frank hasn't driven in like six years. Nah. I was gonna where are we at car car hands? Yeah, I try to do it no hands Frank hasn't driven in like six years Yeah, I was gonna say like all the boys in the back But and on the 12 do the same turn it with the left hand. We love it. Oh you go left hand. Okay, that's smooth Oh, I'm to drive a lot of manual transmissions. Oh, that's see I can't do that. My dad is a manual pro Yeah, I just can't either one of you able to do that

I mean, I don't argue that it's the actual driving 100% That is what someone would say shut up. Yeah the clutch the Separates the 2025 yeah, why do all that work speaking of driving you see our guy Denny Hamlin oh yeah yesterday repin yahoo number no wow what it back to back wins you rank number one is that how it goes he's up there he's up there he'll make the playoffs the reveal was crazy right there I don't realize there was a playoffs in that's cool so what happens well they got to go through the season and the top 16 make it then there's playoffs but. But like, is it like a seeding thing?

It, nah, it's like a couple, you do a couple races and then they knock it down to 12, couple more races, knock it down to eight, couple more races. Okay, so it's all in one versus 16. Yeah, then the final four is just the championship. Really? Oh yeah. Has it always been this way? I have no idea, I just started watching this year.

Really? It was like my first year, like really. That surprises me for two reasons. A, you're from the South, big there. All right, stereotype. I mean, bro, you're rocking a master shirt. I would have rocked that if I was from the South as well. Shout out Masters Week, you guys excited?

It is. Yeah, it's Frank, I was like, you excited for the Masters? He's like, yeah, for sure, man. So that's, absolutely. I was like, you excited for the Masters? He's like, ah, ah, yeah, for sure, man. I was like, okay. Absolutely. I was like, I'll go fuck myself then. Listen, there is nothing that signals better days are ahead

than national championship on the Monday night, Masters week, the following week, Jim Nance, the greenery, the this, the that, baseball in full swing, NBA, there is no greater time than now in sports. April must be, in my opinion. It's number two for me, to October. See, I like April more because of all the things that are to come.

Yeah. October, it's like, winter's coming. Right, I feel that. I feel that. I actually. April might be goaded for me, number one. I respect. It's my number two.

I'm so excited for the Masters. I ordered the taste of the Masters. Oh, god. Getting like pimento cheese, egg salad, moon pies, all that like the concessions. Are you doing a Feisies Masters? No no no no that'll get there Friday. I'm gonna wake up like a zombie after 314 and then sit on my couch from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wow. Eat egg salad and pimento cheese. So they they they they ship it to you? Ship it to me yeah. Is it true that that for $30 you could get a huge thing?

I saw that. You could get multiple, you know how concessions. If you're there? Yeah, yeah. Oh yeah, no, the sandwiches are like $3. Super cheap, right? Yeah, they don't change the prices. It's great.

No phones, no screens. No phones allowed. Nah, no phones allowed. Really? They catch you with one, they'll ban you from Augusta National. Now what about women? Have they allowed women yet into the golf course? Women, people of color.

They're starting to branch out. We've come a long way. Wow, well done. Welcome to 2020. The history of Augusta National is not great. Have you been? I have been, 2013 final round, Adam Scott. Wow, what was that like?

It was incredible. My dad got the tickets through a guy at work. He bailed the night before. My dad called me up, I was in college and he was just like, yo, I got tickets this Sunday if you wanna go. I was like, are you kidding me? He's like, all right, I'll scoop you at five.

Scooped me. Wait, 5 a.m. 5 a.m. we rode on down to Augusta. The guy that gave us the tickets, flew the tickets in, he has like permanent badges in on a PJ. The guy walks off, hands us the tickets and gets back on the plane.

Wow. It was crazy. It was big business type stuff. Yeah, it was wild. And then it started raining. We went to a playoff and my dad was like, it's raining, I feel like we should go back to the car. I was like, Dad, you can go back to the car without me.

I ain't leaving, because we're never going to be here again. Was Tiger there? Tiger was there, so. Wow. I love that. That was great. Memory I'll never forget. I always felt like watching, there, saw him. Wow, I love that. That was great. Memory I'll never forget. I always felt like watching, well except for that one,

what's the, is it the waste management one? Shout out, been to that as well. Yeah, I remember LFA that whole weekend. Yeah, we went to LFA on the Friday. I just feel like watching golf live, other than like the atmosphere, it's kind of hard to fall, because you just stick to one hole, right? There's no screens anywhere, right?

Been to a million tournaments, been to like US Open, PGA Championship, Masters, all that. You just gotta camp on one hole. Camp on one hole and drink with your boys. Don't follow anyone around. Okay, okay. No screens? Nah, no screens.

I mean, all other tournaments allow phones. The Masters doesn't. Interesting. So what do you do with your phone? Leave it in the car. Okay, there's no like lock or anything like that? No. How do we go from Chris Eubank Jr.

to a whole Masters discussion? I have no idea. Oh, the cars and the amulet. The car, the shirt, the this and that. Anyway, cool circle. I'm sure the audience is loving it. What is this, golfing hour? I was gonna ask Carlos to rate

the way in which you smoke a cig. Yeah, I know, but he does it so cool, so he's not gonna be taking it back. Yeah, sometimes I feel like he doesn't want to talk about the cigs, then he does want to talk about the cigs. I did like how you were just like, so you're trying to cut back. One day you want to quit? He's just like, nah, nah, nah, just cut back a little bit. It's like somebody asking you, how do you take your coffee? It's not that interesting to him, it's just regular. It's just somebody asking you, like, you know, how do you take your coffee? Like, it's not that interesting to him. It's just regular. It's just his day.

It's freaking interesting. High level athlete, one of the best players in the world, says he wants to cut down to 10 cigarettes a day. He does five rounds. Nobody said it wasn't interesting. What I'm saying is, to him, it's not. I know, I know, but he has to understand. He has to understand.

I also like the, I just got filters, it's good for you. He's like, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah, sure. You know what I mean? There was always those kids in my school that were just like, yeah. People still roll cigarettes.

Pizza, pizza still rolls on cigarettes. That's right, that's right. Can't take pizza anywhere without him pulling out the bag of tobacco and he just starts rolling one up. The filter isn't doing shit, it just makes it a little less harsh on the taste and the feeling. Oh, not your lungs? It's definitely. It's for Frank coming into rain on bank. Thank you also that sounds like it's doing shit

You're like it doesn't do shit except for me Health wise they don't say like oh you're a doctor. I've been smoking the ones with the filters like oh, okay Well, then you've got at least 10 extra years on you. This is a good PSA. We had Carlos on to be pro cigarettes Frank Frank is this is back to reality. This is a pro cigarette podcast. I'll go ahead and take that. And if this isn't, boys in the back, certainly is. Guys, earlier we had Kayla Harrison on. Yes.

She had some things to say about the PFL and Don Davis, and in particular saying that she thinks that there's some kind of animosity there, that there's just some bad blood. Well, it appears as though Don has heard those comments, one way, shape or form. Here he is tweeting. When was this 435? So 19 minutes ago, 2017 pick before Kayla Harrison, first pro MMA fight.

I never had any doubt and introduced her that night as future world champion. Kayla is a two time PFL MMA champion. And this weekend, I'm going to be the first to be the first to be the first. I never had any doubt and introduced her that night as future world champion. Kayla is a two time PFL MMA champion and this weekend will be UFC champion. Well. For sure. Couple of months. Few weekends from now.

Yeah, UFC women's division never tested her. What do you think? Is that shade? UFC women's division never tested her. She only has two fights. I'd say not knowing that she's not fighting this weekend is more of the... Well, maybe he figures because she's on the show that means she's fighting and he's saying that she just like waltzed right into a title fight. Yeah, I guess so. Also, I mean, this does hold up. He says he doesn't watch other organizations. Sure, sure.

Well, I think he's saying there is nobody to test her in that division. I guess that's true because they did have Larissa. The main point that he always said was like, she was like KD, you know, joining the winning team. There is nobody to test her in that division. I guess that's true, because they did have Larissa. The main point that he always said was, she was like KD joining the winning teams. She took the easy way out. She took the easy way out by not grinding with the OKC PFL. But what is the grind?

I don't know. The whole thing is weird. She accomplished everything she could there. Kayla versus Larissa, 17. If I'm Don Davis, I'm like weird. She accomplished everything she could there. Kayla versus Larissa. If I'm Don Davis, I'm like, she's going to go in there, she's going to win their belt, she's going to do it in three fights, and she's going to prove that we have the toughest tournament in sports, that we have the toughest division in sports.

You know what I mean? That's what you should do. Her success is our success. Her success means, and by the way, she lost in our organization to Lourdes Pacheco. I know different weight classes, all this stuff, but like you could spin it. Rather than going this route, I would go the route of like, she's one of us.

And now to all you people who say like, when I, I was listening to Lerone Murphy talk about Patricia Pippel against Yehu Rodriguez. He was asked about it over the weekend. And he's like, nah, you know, Pippel's gonna find out that, you know, there's levels. I'm like, that's not true. That's not true. Just because you fight in Bellator doesn't mean you're lesser. Just because you fight in PFL. Maybe the competition on the whole isn't as deep. I don't think anyone would argue against that. But are

you trying to tell me that Pitbull is beneath anyone at 145 just because he fought in Bellator? Was Caleb beneath anyone at 45 in just because he fought in Bellator was Kayla beneath anyone at 45 in the UFC or 55 doesn't exist the point is he should say to all you people who say that we are lesser than she is proving that we're that we're just as good if not better that's how I would spin it she's gone already two things one this is the stuff we heard about Justin Gaethje and Marlon Marais. And it's all the same playbook. Second, unless I'm mistaken, that is what he's saying. No?

Isn't that exactly what he's saying? He's saying she's about to be the UFC champ. Like, he's saying what you're saying. But it's interesting that she's also deleted that tweet. Oh. You know. Well, I mean, he didn't get the date, right? So that's understandable.

No, you got the date wrong. But he is saying she's going to be the UFC champ. I knew she was going to be the champ Well, because that's what I asked her. I said do you think he's going to be rooting for you? To essentially prove his point that pfl is I think that's it You don't think this is a bit of shade that she I think what he's trying to say is she took the easy way out That's what he's trying to say that she took the easy way out. That's what he's trying to say. That she's not being tested, that the bigger test was here. That's the point. I think he is kind of saying what you're saying, Ariel,

but he just didn't word it properly. I think he's saying that. I don't think he's giving it properly. Like, UFC didn't test her at all, PFL did. Yes, I think he's saying, hey, and we don't need to go too far into this, but he's basically saying like, I believe in her more than anyone,

but now she went and took the easy way. Whatever, the point is, I don't think she did that. I think that's ludicrous. She climbed the mountain a couple of times, there was nothing left for her to prove, and now, A, UFC, B, 135, and C, fighting for the belt, and oh, by the way, you fight Amanda Nunes if all goes according to your plan? Like, come on. You also discussed that bet she made with Henry Zahudo which that that video came out in like 2020 where she was like

I'm gonna become the UFC champion and defend it so it feels like this has always been part of her plan. 100%. Also shout out to the Caps Ovechkin. Oh yeah yeah that was crazy man Ovechkin same amount of games did you see that? Same amount of games. I'm not gonna lie Same amount of games, yeah. Same amount of games. I'm not gonna lie. He did it out on Long Island, right? You should have gone. At the Islanders.

My boy actually hit me up like last Sunday. He was like, hey, I'm like targeting this. Tickets are like $70 right now if you wanna go out to the Island. I really never had any plans to do it, but then looking back yesterday seeing it happen, and he was also like, yeah, tickets were like 600 a day. So it was a good snipe by him, but I declined.

Did he end up going? No, cause I declined. Okay. I told my friend about this two months ago, and we also could have got tickets for like 50 bucks. And then tickets on the second hand market after I think, what was it, Friday night, one of 500%.

Yeah, fumbled that one. That would have been real cool to go out there and just like put a big bet on him anytime goal scorer, watch it happen, history. Oh yeah. Alas, it was sick. Shout out, legend. Greatest moment in Islanders history

since their Stanley Cup win in the early 80s. Retzke actually said he was happy he wasn't at the Nassau Coliseum because he lost a lot of games. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Including at the Stanley Cup. That was cool that Retzke came out there. He said, I told him that I would be there. So he had to follow him around a couple of spots. You're yeah. Including a standing ovation. That was cool that Gretzky came out there. He said, I told him that I would be there. So he had to follow him around a couple of spots.

You're Islanders, right Jordan? I am Islanders. Do you think that, you know what I was saying to my friends? I always forget, Matt's Yankees Islanders. They should have saddled Vetchken, let him do it in DC, have a cool moment. Now they're doing this weird old thing for 30 minutes. Oh, this was like the LeBron act.

No, you know why you don't sit him? There's like four games left. The last thing you wanna do is end the year and have to wait all the way to September. No, I just didn't want to happen again. Cause Gretzky also broke Gordie Howe's record against the Islanders. Oh my God.

Same amount of games too. You want my hot take as we transition to hockey talk? Yeah. Lemieux better than both. Who? Mario Lemieux. Mario Lemieux dealt with cancer, lockouts, all kinds of issues.

Look at his stats. Look at how many goals he scored and the amount of games he scored. Lamia better than both. That's my hot take. Go watch a goalie from the 80s and then tell me Ovechkin wouldn't have like 300. Better than both.

I'm saying he's better than Gretzky. I know that feels like the hot take to me. Yeah. Isn't Gretzky unanimously the goat? Like isn't this the most obvious like goat of all time? The great one. Because I was looking at Ovechkin's assist versus Gretzky's assist, and it's like ridiculous how many

No one will ever break his points record. Yeah, his points are ridiculous. His goals and assists, no one will ever break them. Also Lemieux saved Hockey and Pittsburgh. Now he bought part of the team so they wouldn't move. Yeah, legend. So are you agreeing, Jordan? And also, Lemieux, his story's incredible.

The best, his actual name is the best. But isn't Gretzky actually the best? It's my heartache. Anyways, gents, it's been a great day. Fantastic. Anything else we need to discuss? Best day ever. Oh, BDE?

Oh my god. Jesus, Frank. I always forget. What do we got? What do we got? A couple questions. You know, I wouldn't have done that whole bit there if I knew that this was coming. You got the valet bringing your car around, you're ready to get out of here, and then

they hit you with the superchats. Jake from Wendy City writes, Ariel, what are your memories of the brawl at Strikeforce Nashville? Crazy that it's 15 years ago this month, by the way. Is that true? Edit it off the replay on FightPass. Oh my gosh. Wow, I could do a whole show just on that.

Here's what I remember real quick. First of all, it was like the craziest month ever because Casey and I went from Abu Dhabi UFC 112 to Strikeforce Nashville to WEC pay-per-view WEC 48, back to back to back weeks. I mean, is that crazy or what? You could do that when you don't have kids. Anyway, wouldn't trade the lifestyle now,

but you know what I'm saying. Clipping this off. Uh, here's the thing. We're in Nashville, two things I remember. Kingmo wins the belt. That interview that we aired. Classic interviews, volume one. Volume two, by the way, coming up next Thursday. Stay tuned for that.

Main event happens. Dan Henderson, Jake Shields, before he became a raging anti-Semite. Brawl happens. On CBS. Melee. Diaz Brothers, Mayhem, all this stuff. And I think I've said this before, go to the press conference, and why this happened, I will never know, but we get into,

usually you go into the press conference room, you dilly dally, you sit down, this, that, and the other, and then the promoter comes out, and then the fighters come out. We walk into the press conference room, you dilly-dally, you sit down, this, that, and the other, and then the promoter comes out and then the fighters come out. We walk into the press conference room at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, and who's the only person in the room? Scott Coker, sitting on the dais waiting for us. And I swear to God, I walked up to Scott Coker and said, did you see what happened? And he didn't know. I told him about the brawl

and then he left and went to go find out about it. Why no one called him or he wasn't looking at his phone? I have no idea. But he was sitting there waiting for us and had no, I don't know why he left early. It's one of those things. Maybe I asked him and I forgot the answer, but I'll never forget him just sitting there

and breaking the news to him that there was just a brawl in his cage that aired on CBS. What else? Oh, breaking news. What do we got? Dmitry Bivel, according to Dan Raphael, has vacated the WBC light heavyweight title.

Okay, so this has been discussed. I think this is because he wants to fight better be of again. That's correct. Which is kind of stupid because it's like the whole point of this is undisputed. Now they're fighting again and it's not going to be for undisputed. Yeah. Rafael saying that he, he has obtained, he has

also obtained a letter that says he's committed to a third better be a fight. Like, well, there you go. Oh, these, these belts, you know what? He has also obtained a letter that says he's committed to a third better be a fight like we know. Well there you go. Oh, all these belts. You know what? TKO belts.

That's the only one I care about. What else? Andrew Wright, hey guys. I have a friend that shot 85 on a 9 hole golf course. He plays three times a week for five years. Can you give him some wise words of wisdom or tell him to give it up? His name's Adam, cheers. By the way, the voice is just phenomenal.

That was very, what was the name of that guy? Casey Kasem, you remember him? Oh yeah, he was in Saved by the Bell as well, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. He was on Saved by the Bell. Yeah, he's a legend. 85 on nine is atrocious. Is that bad?

Yeah, that's half the course. You can't even be enjoying yourself at that point. No one with you can be enjoying themselves. The course might actually kick you off at that point. That's 170. Yeah, what are you doing? On 18 holes. Even I wouldn't be that bad.

That's almost a 10 every hole. When do you stop counting? Just pull out the putter at that point and just hit it along. How do you even? Or you know what? Just like carry everyone's bags. Drive the cart.

Yeah, the wise words of wisdoms, yeah, hang out in the cart and drink and quit playing golf. I agree. What else? Joe writes, long time listener, first time super chatter. What a time to be alive. 314 is here and the Knicks are rolling.

How about that OG? Bet you he knows about rolling some OG. Wow, how about that? Yeah, I mean, OG has just turned into an absolute super stud. Bet you she knows about rolling some OG. Wow, how about that? I mean, OG has just turned into an absolute super stud. There's some speculation that he plays supremely well when there's a certain Olympian in attendance. Suni Lee, god, the edits are hilarious. The edits are the funniest things ever.

Especially because he is so quirky, but I mean, whatever it is, I hope she's sitting there for the entire playoffs. Could we fly her out to the road games too? If that is in fact true, allegedly, you know, reportedly, whatever, like yesterday he was doing 360s. I mean, dude, he looked like prime Kobe out there. Yes.

He dropped 32 points. He was unbelievable. And he's actually been playing great over the past month, month and a half. And a lot of people say, oh, it's because Jalen wasn't there. They're going to have to figure it out. Listen, we've got four games left. This is what I love about the situation. Listen, we've got four games left.

This is what I love about the situation. We've tied our wins for, for last year, 50 wins. So everyone who says that TIB sucks, suck on it. First time since 1995 that we go back to back 50 game, uh, win season. Tremendous. Um, we have four more games to surpass last year. Great. Three of those games are against Detroit, Cleveland, Boston, one against the Nets. All right, if we get to 51, I'm cool with that. Hey, if the Cavs, Celtics, and Pistons want to beat us

this week to gain false hope as we enter into the playoffs and we're probably playing the Pistons, I'm cool with that too. The vibes are high right now, everyone's healthy, knock on wood except for Huck Porty. Some of the guys have gotten a chance to play more, Dillon Ray, Tyler Kolek, and JB's absence. And what I also love about it is JB gets beat up,

but he's had a chance to rest up. The ankle wasn't great, but his body, his elbow, his hand, his shoulder, all 100% now because he's just had a month off I'm loving this optimism. Yeah, this optimism is great a month and a half ago. It was everybody crying Oh, we're tough enough DDV. No, no, by the way No, please please please I will always cry when they play the the commercial I cry I want the first order of business to figure out a way to get him back

But we got every time you walked in here, you and Jordan, the sky was falling. And then I would just quietly to myself, quietly to myself, I'd be like NBA standings. Knicks third in the East. I'm like, what is this? I'm not. Listen, listen. They're doing just fine. No, listen. All that's out the window. McKaylen, oh, jeez. Positive vibes.

Making a show of. April, we're here. four games left, third place, love it, 50 games, love it, 50 wins, we're rolling, Tibbs is our guy. I'm not one of these people who's complaining about off season moves in April, no time for that. I'm not afraid of any of those teams. Are the Cavs and Celtics better than us on paper?

Sure. And off paper too. But anything can happen. What are those fighting words? Yeah. What was that can happen. Shout out Suni Lee. What are those fighting words? Yeah. What was that? I said, shout out Suni Lee. Yo, shout out.

To get her there for every final game. Who is Suni Lee? She's an Olympian, right? Yeah, yeah. Gymnast, gold medalist. Yeah, see, I was just focused on the Canadians. I didn't really do much on the American side. Yeah, she won gold.

Well, anyway, please, I would like to personally invite her to all the Knicks games on the road. You're putting the bell on that? It was a star-studded game yesterday. I was looking at some of the- AB was there? Yeah, I was looking at some of the, I don't know if Axiom was there.

He was there, I was watching the game. He didn't even make the carousel. He didn't make the carousel. Wow! That's how you know it's a star-studded game. Yeah, he was there, sitting next to Carl Sr. And I was like, yo, AB, no love? Come on, need me back in there maybe

I'm the reason why he got him like no definitely not what else Jason Hagelm writes my dad went to the Canadian Open during the Tiger Hay Day and he said going to golf is one of the worst sporting events live he's a big golfer FYI he probably doesn't know how to do it man the first few times I went to a golf tournament I was like man this shit sucks and then I learned how you do it show up early go to 18 with your boys, bruise all day. And just wait. Great time.

How long does it take for them to show up? Man, I went to the US Open at Pebble Beach and we got into the stands at like 8.30 and you just sit there for like five, six hours. Just sitting there. And you start coming through. Can you move? Yeah, you can go around.

Okay. But then you might lose your seat. Objectively, is it not better to watch it on TV? To actually watch it. Probably, but it's might lose your seat. Objectively, is it not better to watch it on TV? To actually watch it. Probably, but it's pretty cool being there. I feel that way about baseball. It's a drinking sport. Like I wanna hang out at the ballpark,

but I'd rather watch it on TV. That's what it's like, it's just like baseball. You just go to hang out at the course. What else? Jason Carney writes, "'Dinny will choke on the playoffs. "'Zero championships in 20 plus years. "'Byron, Bell, Larson, Blaney will be Final Four.

Thank you for the $10.48, James. Yeah, why 10.48? Is that? 48, maybe an homage to one Jimmy Johnson, one of the greatest to ever live. Yeah, shout out to William Byron. Which Jimmy are we talking about? The former coach of the Cowboys or the?

Jimmy Johnson, 48, Lowe's. IE. Seven cup championships. Yeah, shout out to William Byron. former coach of the Cowboys or the Jimmy Johnson 48 lows you know I come on seven seven Cup championships yeah shout to William Byron led 263 yesterday could get and done the voice I like the boys on purpose or is that just happens when talking about NASCAR Ryan Blaney he managed the tires well yesterday took the took the lead with three laps to go Kyle Larson crashes into the wall you get a restart over time. Wow.

We did a NASCAR pod, uncrowned NASCAR pod. We've been thinking about carping out a corner. You give me someone to talk about it. You give me someone to talk about it. I'll talk about it for hours. Any closet NASCAR fans on the team? The craziest part is I don't like NASCAR at all. I love betting on NASCAR.

Ah. We're like eight races deep. I've gotten the winner six times. Danny Ammon plus 750 yesterday, shout out. You bet on him? Literally, I send them, I send Rick and Jordan a slip every Sunday, it's just become a tradition. I'm just like, another one.

Another winner. Another winner. Why, why though? It started with the Daytona 500, we like made a joke in the control room about like betting on the Daytona 500, so we did it and I had William Byron like plus 1200 and it cashed in the craziest way

and I've just been hooked ever since. Sneaky, I think it might be the best sport to bet on. Really? I actually, me and two other people bet on it every single week. How long's the broadcast? Four hours. Jeez.

Throw it on in the background on Sunday. MMA asked. Throw it on in the background on Sunday. Fox? Yeah, Fox, FS1. The on Sunday. MMA-esque. Throw it on in the background on Sunday. Fox? Yeah, Fox. FS1. The GOAT. Crystal this weekend.

Connecticut? Tennessee. Oh, damn. What else? Duncan takes us to the finish line saying, Jesus, you guys over there in the US are driving automatic drive. You losers would never make it here in the UK. That's right.

Yeah. You're probably right. Duncan knows. By the way, I love how, Frank, you're so good at what you do, like you say, taking us home. You're really like Casey Kasem. You know, there's only one Casey Kasem. Well, thank you for listening to America's Top 40 here on Z89Bb to Syracuse. I'm through the Frank lens. By the way, Frank, I Googled you recently. Do you know there's a lot of famous Frank lenses That's me, bro. No no no there's like people with Wikipedia pages. Yeah, there's a

Cyclist there's a drummer from some room. Yeah, yeah, police officer. Yeah, there's a ton Nobody knows which ones actually Frank No one will ever know Frank? No one will ever know. What a time. Tomorrow on the program, guys, we're going to be joined by the dry Humber himself, Max Holzer. The guy punched him

because he kissed and humped him. That's what happens. Going to make a joke about... J to the P? Wow. What did you say? P to the pen? P to the pen, like... P to the pen. Holzer.

Is he Octagon's biggest star right now? He actually has incredible walkouts. I know. You know, like a Spider-Man theme, all kinds of crazy things. I don't think he did Spider-Man. Batman? Batman.

All the same. Buzz Lightyear. Buzz Lightyear. Jurassic Park this past weekend. I've seen them all. Chad, I love them. Na na na na na na. Wow, look at you.

This is right in my wheelhouse. Yeah, this is in your six-by. Oh yeah, 90's movie. Not all of them though. You're not gonna go see the new one this summer? No. Hunt for Red October? You know, I tried to get my kids to go see Minecraft this weekend.

I've seen people going crazy. They said it's lame. What? It surpassed Barbie on the box office. It makes no ball. My kids used to be like super like wearing the merch. Now they're like, oh, they want to go see the movie. No, they said they heard, they saw reviews on YouTube.

That's bad. That Jack Black is a weirdo. Frank loves this. Frank loves reading reviews and being like, wow. Shout out to the chicken jockey. They don't know. Thank you very much. All our guests today.

Thank you so much to Chris Eubank Jr, Lerone Murphy, Kayla Harrison, Sugar Show, and Carlos Prochess. Back tomorrow, stay tight-piced, and stay peace. We're out of here.