The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Daniel Cormier Show - Kamaru Usman on getting KNOCKED OUT by Leon Edwards, UFC title run, beating Buckley

Episode Date: November 20, 2025

Former UFC champion and MMA legend Kamaru Usman sits down with DC in the fifth episode of The Daniel Cormier Show! Cormier and Usman go back and talk about the Leon Edwards head kick that knocked Kamaru out. Usman shares an incredible story of how crazy it was in those hours after the fight! DC and Kamaru also talk about Rashad Evans and Anthony "Rumble" Johnson and how those guys had such an impact on Usman's MMA and UFC career. Plus, don't miss Cormier and Usman talk about his win over Joaquin Buckley, his championship legacy in the UFC, dealing with Rumble Johnson's passing, Kamaru's move from Nigeria to the United States, and when he thinks he'll call it a career and retire from the sport. All lines provided by Hard Rock Bet #VolumeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Hey, guys, it's us. The Jonas Brothers. I'm Joe. I'm Kevin. And I'm Nick. And guess what? We created our own podcast called, Hey, Jonas.

We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it. We're the first people to do podcasts. We get to ask other people questions because we're sick and tired of being asked questions. Well, sick and tired is a strong way to put it. But, you know, tired and sick. Tired and sick.

Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you. you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. Another podcast from some SNL, late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and Friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman

help make you funnier. This week, my guest, S&L's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends

on the ice. Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, I'm Deanna Maria Riva, and on my new podcast, How Hard Can It Be? I call on my Gen X squad from Ohio to Hollywood as we navigate Midlife's most fantastic BS. Unfiltered conversations from night sweats to futas to scheduling sex. Wait, what sex? Is it just me, or does every woman my age want to look at Pinterest instead of having sex sometimes? They say we can't polish a turn, but we're sure going to try.

So let's get blunt with. laughs, tears, or tears of laughter. Listen to How Hard Can It Be with Deanna Maria Riva on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano. It's our favorite time of the year on our podcast point game, the playoffs. We're digging into the biggest surprises of the season.

And I'm looking back on some of my greatest playoff moments. If we didn't talk ever again, I was hungry. You just understood. That's how personal it got. Wow. Then after that game seven, Marquis come in to you, he's like, you know I love you, dog. You know, it's all love. This was just playoffs.

This was just basketball. So listen to Point Game on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Therapy is fantastic. But once again, it does not have a monopoly on healing. That's why I create the resources and that's why I create the community because I really just want you to have more access. On the podcast, cultivating her space, Dr. Dom and Terry Lomax create a space where black women

can show up fully and be heard. It's tough because we're suppressing our emotions and so many of us are like, high-achieving individuals. Listen to cultivating her space on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. The volume. Valentina, Chefchenko. Welcome to a very special episode of the Daniel Kormier show

brought to you by Total Wireless, the official wireless provider of UFC. They're in your corner with unlimited 5G data that will not slow you down. Today, guys, I have the honor of sitting down one of the greatest fighters and welterweights to ever compete in the UFC. Kamar U.S. Bond went from growing up in Nigeria to becoming a national champion wrestler in the U.S. and rose all the way to be in the undisputed world champion

and put together one of the most dominant win streaks as sports ever seen. But what makes this conversation special is that I'm not going to just talk to him about the titles and the highlights. I want to talk about the man that's behind the run. We'll get into living in Nigeria, the identity challenges he faced. There was a knee injury that changed his entire athletic path and the rise from an overlooked wrestler to a world champion. We want to talk about the Leon Edwards fights, how emotional he was after he beat Joaquin Buckley, fatherhood, mentorship, the impact of Rashad Evans and Rumble Johnson, his future in

podcast and television and fashion, and what life looks like after fighting. Kamar Usman is a fashion needs to add heart Today I'm trying to get to the fighter The father the mentor and the man Guys give it up for the one and only The great Camaro the Nigerian nightmare Ousman Oh so I see what you're saying Do you understand? Do you understand now

I understand you like that? Yeah I like that I like that I like that That was really in-depth personal Hey it seems more high level I see what you're doing that I see what you're doing. But you're a guy that deserves that type of acknowledgement for all that you've done in your career. I appreciate that. But as we look into today, right?

Like, what is the thing that keeps Kamar Usman up? Like, what is keeping you up today in life? I think you have to, now I'm a father, obviously, and I'm very, very honest. about to who I am, about where I am. And so I think that's one of the biggest things is because of that, I know that, one, I'm no spring chicken. Yeah.

I know that it's, at some point, this chapter has to flip over, has to be, have to move on from it. And so I'm starting to realize that more and more. And because of that, what what keeps me up is just is man thinking about that next step what potentially is going to come I think that's right now the the main objective for me is closing this chapter out the absolute best way possible and then using it to segue into the next chapter so what's different like right now your life today how much different does it look from when you were the champion of the

world. And what do you think is one thing that would surprise people in terms of your day-to-day that they might not expect from a guy like you who lives the life that you live? What's the main difference is when you're the champion, there's just, there's just chip on your shoulder that you are, any moment, wherever you're at, there's a chip on your shoulder. You're always looking over your shoulder. It's almost like, you know, you, you, you, you, hit a lick by having a title and now you're you're always looking over your shoulder are they come in and get me or they come in and get me so there's that anxiety feel that you have each and every time i have to get back in the gym i have to work out today twice a day i have to do this

to keep the rest off that's a big difference to where i am today to where i'm in a place now where i'm more comfortable in understanding that hey when this fight's going to come these emotions and these feelings are going to come. But right now, I don't need to dwell on that. But do you miss that? I mean, there's something to having that, right, that constantly in fight mode, knowing that there's essentially danger at every turn

because you are the guy with the target on your back. You are the guy that's holding on to that championship belt that so many people cover it. I do miss it in a sense, but I don't miss it in a... I don't miss it at the same time because I understand now that I can turn it on and off. I'm not completely done to where I'm like,

okay, I'm never going to feel that again. Yeah. But I do understand that, okay, I know how to turn that on. But isn't that even a harder balancing act, being that you are still active, right? But you are a guy that recognizes, I'm closer to the end than I am to the beginning. Right.

Right. But I do want to still live in that battle where I know I can still be a world champion, but I also now have this family and my life is so different around me. It's harder in the sense of as the competitor, getting wanting to make my way there and getting there. We only knew one way.

D.C., we knew that one way was the only way I could truly measure success or the one thing I could really accredit to success is consistent work. And that consistent work is the one way I can go, you know what? it's because I was doing this consistently all the time I was locked in I was that's what got me here so with now being in this position is now you got a family yeah now you you got to go to tennis practice yeah you have to maybe change a diaper and those things pull you emotionally away from that consistent anxiety thinking about the next move and fighting and this guy and the next guy and so it

That's a tricky one to where it could be more, but also it could be better in a sense of you need that little relaxation, that little mind away from this. So when you get back in this, you are fully aware. You know, you and I both come from a world in wrestling where it's very hard to be the absolute man. And while you are the man, there's always someone bigger, batter at times, right? So in wrestling, you were a multiple-time national champion. in a different level.

Actually, one. Okay. One time. Multiple time all-American. All-American. Multiple time finalists. But a national champion, right? You went to the Olympic level chasing that dream, and you were like one of the fourth

of fifth best guys in the world. So I said in the intro a little bit of an overlooked wrestler. Hard to be overlooked when you have those level of accomplishments. But in wrestling, it is that. But in fighting, something must have clicked for you to become the man. that you became on that run to the championship, ultimately putting together one of the greatest win streaks we've ever seen in the UFC.

Can you recall a time where you felt it quick for you? Or you're like, okay, now I know I'm ready to be the guy. Yeah, it's a great question. But first, let's clear up because you know the wrestling guy is going to come for us. So let's clear up this. I was Olympic Training Center resident. Yes, but you were chasing that dream.

Yeah, I was chasing that dream, really working up. and I was really competitive with those guys, one, two, three guys on the ladder. But they just came a time where I, because it was like, MMA was like the girlfriend. And I think you and King Moe, and we went through kind of this similar struggle

where we love wrestling. That's the world we were comfortable in. Yeah. But you started flirting now with this new, fighting, this new thing. It's like a new girlfriend. Yeah, so I went over there and trained a little bit. Man, kind of like this thing.

So wrestling practice is going on, and the coach is showing the moves, and I'm standing in the back while everyone's kind of taking the knee sitting. I'm standing, let's watching the move, but I'm shadowing. I can imagine how just irritated Zadik or Slaid, rather than Slade was at that moment, looking back there, and I'm doing shadow boxing while I'm watching them.

Because you already gone. Your mind was going. Mentally, I was starting. to kind of cheat on wrestling a little bit. And so I made the decision fully after the 2012 trials and I was like, I'm going to this. And of course, I'm afraid of it because it's a fear of the unknown. I don't know what's going to happen on that side. This is a dangerous sport.

This is different. Wrestling, we were controlled in a sense to where this is, oh, they're throwing elbows and knees. Oh, man, I don't know. I don't know about this. And I get in there. And obviously wrestling is the one. tool that that it's the the biggest tool to help you in that next avenue I could kind of control the real estate of the of a sparring but I never really throwing

punches at something yeah other than just street fights and now I'm in a training session and I'm just getting whooped on I'm telling you it was one day and I and I've told the story a few times Rashah whoop me so bad and he was on the road too kind of like we are now We're on the road for like three weeks a month, and Rashad's on the road doing these shows, commentating and analysts. And he come back.

And I'm at home just training. Yeah, I'm like, oh, I can't wait for him to come back. Big bro's coming back. I'm going to put it on him. I'm going to teach him. I'm going to show him. You better be in the gym like me. You ain't been in the gym.

We go to practice. He's still talking on the side. I'm plotting in my head what I'm going to do to him at this practice in the session. It's a sparring day. I'm plotting. Oh, yeah, I'm going to take him. down, I'm gonna just, I know he ain't his shape. I'm gonna kill him. And he's still talking to like fans that would come in to our gym. We had a superstar gym at that point. Oh yeah. The

Black Zillions. Black Zillions. Crazy Jim. And so we start sparring. I'm like, no, I'm gonna give him like a round or two less. I'm like get him tired. And then I'm gonna put it on him. Then we finally get going like about the third, fourth round. This man, persistently beat the shit out of me, took me down, crucified me. I shot him for takedowns, my, and I couldn't get him. Not only could I not get him, he stuffed about two, three of them, and then he took me down. Come on.

Took me now, held me down. You know back there, Rashar was heavy bottom. He could just, oh, man. He was crucified me and just kind of played with me, and it was just a long ride home that day. That's crazy. You know how you just get beat up. I'm standing out the window.

I'm not looking at him. driving and I'm not looking at him. I'm standing out the window, trying not to make shaking your head. Oh, yeah, I can't believe he did this to me. That's bad. That moment, yeah, that moment almost broke me, but it wasn't until like a year and a half later. I was

paring with one of our guys, Danilo Villefort, who was one of the Villefort brothers. Really good. And we're sparring and Danilo used to be a bully when his sparring session. He would just bully some of the, like us, that weren't that great at us this year. He bullied me.

But it made me better. It made me tougher. One day he was preparing for a fight and he's going, he's going, he's going crazy. And I'm just, I could see the shots a little better. I could see him a little better. I could defend myself. I can block. And when I block it, it wouldn't hurt as bad.

And I'm staying in there, staying in there, staying in there. And then maybe 10 seconds left, I throw a hook, left hook. And I don't feel anything. But I just throw it, rounds over. And he goes over and he comes back. to me towards the end and he goes it was almost like he wasn't mad at me but he was almost like

you almost fucking knock me out I was like what? He was like yeah you almost fucking knocked me out with that left hood made me almost kind of you know and I just remember saying to my and he was like kind of like telling me like good job I almost remember walking out of that practice going oh

I'm ready I am getting something is working here and at that moment I was like okay maybe I can do something with this yeah and you became a guy that was known for pace, pressure, cardio, and mental and fight IQ. When you're in that gym and you're taking those beatings and you're fighting these guys daily, all these high-level guys, and you're just chipping away taking stuff from them, what do you think was the hardest thing to develop?

And what took the longest? Because obviously the jiu-jitsu comes right away. It's like too similar to wrestling. But what about everything else? When you were, like, looking back now, what do you think took the longest to develop? I wouldn't say, yeah, the judiths who came relatively, because we were grapplers at heart, as wrestling.

We were grapplers heart. Obviously, it took time to learn the traps and the little tricks that they would set you up with. But for me, I would say the kickboxing. Because the balance is different. Of course, as a wrestler, we're over our front leg and competing. And then you go into now trying to learn boxing to where you're sitting back and throwing just hands to where now as kickboxer, you have to be balanced to be able to lift that leg to defend. Yes, yes.

And not only lift that leg, be ready to drop at the drop of a dime to defend the shot. And return something. And return something or change levels and get under someone. So the kickboxing took time. And obviously the sparring too. Because, yeah, wrestling, we're strong. with strong legs, but if someone is tapping that leg

with that outside leg, after a while that starts to get tender, and I would say there was a lot of times where I would go home. Oh my God. Did you ever get like cut, knocked out anything in the training room? Because I did. Cane broke my nose.

Jason Mayhem Miller cut me with a bad knee to the eye. I never got knocked out, but I did get hurt in practice before. Did you ever have any of that happened, especially in those earlier years of your career? I was stunned a couple of times. Yeah.

I do remember Tiago Silva hit me with a really good right hand that, you know, kind of crux the neck and you just get stunned a little bit. But then I've been dropped one time. Uh-huh. Besides the head kick that we heard around the world, I was dropped one time ever my career. That was by Michael Johnson at practice. I fought and then I took like two weeks off and then I came back

you know jumped right into sparring with the Michael Johnson that's who at the time was so fast so fast and was three weeks away from a fight he was in shape yeah and Michael and I went a whole five minutes with him and Michael towards the end of sparring too

it's not great Michael put it on me yeah on me to where he sat me down and it's funny I have the video still to this day. And of course, Rashad has it in the archives. Don't please. He makes sure he reminds you. He probably, like,

if you ever get too out of line, I didn't still have this. Oh, my God. I'm surprised the video hadn't come out yet, but he sits me down and I fall down. When I sit down, I fall, sit back, I fall down on my arm like this. My arm out, but

it just goes to show, even at that time, and even to today's day, how a special Michael Johnson was because Michael was a such a great combination of speed and power for a little skinny guy like that or he'll put it on you. He was. He was good. All right guys, today's show is brought to you by our new sponsor, Hard Rock Bet.

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You must be 21 or older and physically present in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee, or Virginia to play. Terms and conditions apply. Concerned about gambling? In Florida, call 1-888-A-D-M-I-T. In Indiana, if you are someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-9 with it. And if you have a gambling problem, call 1-800 gambler. Hey, it's us, the Jonas Brothers, and guess what?

We have some big news. What's the news, new? Huge news. We created our own podcast called, Hey, Jonas. We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it. people to do podcasts.

Pretty, yeah, pretty wide range of podcasts. We're starting a trend. But this one's extra special. So how do we actually come up with a name, Hey Jonas, guys? I honestly don't remember. I think it was on a call about what we should call it. Well, we were thinking I'm originally calling it

one of the early names of our band before Jonas Brothers. This is how you guys remember it going down? Yes. I have a very different memory of this. We were talking about a thing, a bit for the podcast, for people could call in and say, hey Jonas, and then I wrote down on my little notepad, Hey Jonas, and offered it up as a potential title for the podcast.

But thanks for remembering that, guys. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. Another podcast from some SNL, late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman

help make you funnier. This week, my guest, S&L's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends

on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The French Open is one of the toughest tests in tennis, and I know firsthand because I competed there myself. I'm Renee Stubbs, and on the Renee Stubbs' tennis podcast, I'm breaking down everything, happening at Roland Garris, every match, every upset, and what it really takes to win on Clay. Jen she went.

I mean, she went down at three to Rabakina, but I'm delighted. She's an outsider to win the French for me. And she likes Clay. Listen, Lina Rabakina is arguably the best player in the world right now, and I actually can win on any surface. Because if she's serving, well, good luck. Consider this your court side seat to the French Open. Listen to the Renee Stubbs Tennis podcast on the IHeart Radio app. Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. Hey, I'm Deanna Maria Riva, actress, mother, lover, and a Gen X woman walking through life one hot flash and hormonal crying jag at a time. You ladies know what I mean. I'll bet you a perimenopausal chin here you do. So let's talk about it. Join me on my new podcast. How hard can it be with De Anamoreva, where I call on my Gen X squads from Ohio to Hollywood as we navigate Midlife's most fantastic BS. All of a sudden, I'd had...

hangingness happening on my I was like, what the hell is that? I was married when I had her, so I didn't even consider how empty that nest was going to be. Mood swings, night sweats, fupas, sex drive, wait, what sex?

Dating at 45, how can it be getting naked at 50 with the new guy. That one's kind of hard. Well, that's lighting. They say we can't polish a turd, but we're sure going to try. So let's get blunt with laughs, tears, or tears of laughter, and dive into it unfiltered and unbothered and ask, how hard can it be?

I cannot believe I'm about to say this out loud in public. Listen to How Hard Can It Be with Diana Maria Riva as part of My Cultura Podcast Network available on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano, and our podcast Point Game is about defining the odds. Like LeBron heading into the playoffs without Luca and Austin Reed. And finding ways to win no matter what.

He's the smartest player to ever play the game. IQ is at a level that we've never seen before. And he knows without Luca and Austin Reeves, I got to manipulate the game. We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs. I think Joker's going to be exhausted this series because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup, he has to really guard guys like Nas Reid.

He has to guard Julius Randall. And then he has to give us everything he gives us on the night-to-night basis on offense. And when IT's friends stop by, like Quentin Richardson, we dive into some playoff history too. Steve Nash would get that thing. That man, hell get the flying. He running up the court, licking his fingers

while he got the ball. Like, after you go through a training camp with that, Isaiah, you figure it out real quick. Get your ass up and down the court, and you're going to get the ball. So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. We'll get into Rashad Evans a little later,

but that's your brother. Because if he wasn't, that would already have surfaced. Of course, right? If he wasn't your brother, people would have seen that video because people always, especially in today's world, clout chasing, you become the champion. That would have leaked at that moment, but obviously he cares about you too much. Camar, is there a difference? Is there a difference between Kamaro Usman, the hungry,

Kamara Usman and comfortable, Kamar Usman, comfortable in the sense of I was the world champion. You made boatloads of money. You have essentially everything, opposed to that kid that walked into that gym in South Florida. What's the difference? The difference is, yeah, there's a difference. The difference is you're wise enough to know now that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Yeah.

Because when you first come in, it's the fear of the unknown to where it's just like, I don't know what's going to happen here. so I'm blindly going and I don't care about anything but I'm this. But isn't that that naive, hungry, broke person

exactly who you need to be at that moment to have that belief that at some point this thing? Because where did you live when you moved to Florida? That's true. You're absolutely right. But now I know that. Yeah. How do you keep them alive though

with the comfort? Oh, because I can turn that back on. because nothing is greater than what the goal that I've set up for myself. And so as long as I'm still willing to not to tirelessly chase that, I think I'm okay. Yeah. Because when you first come in, yes, you're tirelessly want to chase it. Well, you don't know if it's going to work out. You don't know. You're just like, man, I don't know if this training every day is doing anything.

I still feel like I can't strike. I still feel like I'm not good at grappling jiu-jitsu. I don't know. I'm still broke. Yeah. You know, to where you don't know. Yeah. But now I'm in a position to where I know with that consistent work, I can get there.

Yeah. But it's just the moment I just, I, and like I said, I'm honest with myself, the moment I realize I'm not willing to turn that on. It's time. You can't tap into that guy no more. When I can't tap into that dude that I know I have to be to go and fight a Joaquin Buckley, I got to walk away from this thing. That's going to be a very hard day. A lot of people think they can do it. It's going to be a very hard day when you walk away from it.

And it's not going to be just MMA, though. You'll be walking away from a lifetime of competition. You know, that's interesting where you say that, D.C., because I know I get emotional a little bit now after victories. But I'm going to give you the honest truth. And that's because I am a very spiritual person to where, and I understand that this chapter is going to be over at some point. So in turn, it's almost like me slowly mourning. The loss of loss of, not necessarily loss, but me leaving this chapter.

It's a life. I'm slowly mourning that to where I understand. each and every time I step out there now. It's a blessing and it's an opportunity. And I am ultimately grateful for that because, to be honest, I'm going to miss this. And you tell me, don't you miss it? I miss the competition. Exactly.

Because it's always, that's all I did. It's all we did our whole life. But here's the thing. I know as tough as it was and even more so for you, don't you miss that preparation. But that's what I miss. Nothing else matters. but what you have coming up. You miss the chase.

Yes. And you miss the camaraderie that comes with the preparation. That's what you'll miss. But the reality is, like, you have big things down the line, and that'll save you, especially if you can be a part of the show still,

like me. I don't really have to miss all the fame and all that stuff. I think athletes struggle with that, but morning alone. Yeah, if they don't have that mix, yeah. Yeah, morning of them. loss of a life that I once lived was difficult. Because from 15 to 41, I competed at the highest

level of sport. So when that was gone, that was difficult. And you'll experience that, I promise you. And it'll be, and once you get through it, you'll be better for it, but it's something you've got to kind of just kind of like let happen. And just to wrap up on that, there was, like, all through life. I just, I've been so blessed to be around just greatness. Greatness. Greatness all over to where how lucky were we? To where I, um, there was one time when I was young, younger, I think I just left high school and came back to, for freshman year in college, I think, and came back to, uh, uh, wrestle around with like the group in Texas down there. And, and at this point, I started to grow my body a bit.

Yeah. It was toned up. You know that wrestling shape is different. Different. And someone made a comment

because we were like in a camp setting and Kenny Monday was there. Right. And someone made a comment about my body kind of like, man, look how

big and ripped or cut up that he was to kind of like make fun of Kenny but just joking with him. Yeah, for sure. Fun, you know, fun show.

And Kenny turns and says, this and and I don't know if he probably won't remember this but it was just funny how they stuck with me Kenny turned and said this man do you know how tight I was at that age yeah you know and said that just funny they were poking fun at each other and they kind of laughed it off and it's weird that that stuck with me I don't know why because it was him recalling that time yes that he didn't live anymore yes and Kenny was a guy that I studied once I wanted to elevate myself in wrestling studied the Puma how he moved and how he wrestled and then

And seeing his, you know, of course. So I got back to see that. And then now I'm kind of in a position to where I'm like, man, someone might say that to me one day. Yeah. And I might have to look back and go, man, do I miss that? Yeah. Yeah. You will.

You know, one thing that I didn't know about you was I knew you were African. I didn't know you lived in Nigeria. Do you have any memories of that, of the time there in Nigeria? Yeah, and it's so fivit because as a child, because you only recall like certain moments. Yeah. Right. They stick with you. And I was just there enough to really engulf the culture in the way that it will never leave me.

Yeah. It will never leave me. That's why I'm so connected to the place. I was gone for almost 20 years and I still live and love to represent that place. Yeah. It's something in our blood that we are just tied to that place. And so, yeah, I remember it. There was a lot of moments with my brothers, my older brother, Dr. Cash Ushman and my younger brother.

There's just three little boys running around and just kind of causing mayhem. Yeah. Yeah, it was really good times. It was fun. And, I mean, we grew up humble beginnings. Yeah. We farmed. and not only we farm, my mom had a little

convenient store to where we sold things to where it was very, very humble beginnings. But I don't remember any moment when I was unhappy. That's the craziest thing. I grew up like very poor and I just felt like I was always so loved that it didn't really matter what we had

because you felt love. So it's like you don't feel like you're missing as much. Obviously there are moments where you wish you had what another kid had. Because the people around you that mattered so much, loved you so much, it didn't really matter. But then you guys moved to the United States. And do you remember why you guys moved to the United States?

Have you ever asked your parents why you guys moved there? Of course. I mean, it's one of the main reasons why every immigrant really kind of immigrates to a certain area or a place for opportunity. And in Nigeria, when you're so populated like that, and you live in a country of just brilliant minds. I mean, if you look right now, you look at Harvard, there's a percentage that are Nigerians.

Look at Columbia. You look at Yale. You look at all these, the Ivy Lees. You look at the doctors, some of the top doctors in the States, in the UK, all over the world. There's a Nigerian in any mix. We come from a culture of people who are ambitious and who are relentless

in their pursuit of excellence. And with that being said, it's just so many people running the exact same race to where there's not enough, there's only 10 spots over there. But you've got a million people running that race for that 10th spot. Yeah.

And, you know, my father was in the military and he found, got an opportunity here to be in the military here. And he came here and became a pharmacist And I think back then there was this lottery program. You can kind of, and we were a granted visas to come here. And so it was opportunity. Lucky, love.

And yes. And my father dared to take that chance, go into a foreign land and create an opportunity for his family, which is forever I will be grateful for. Was there anything better than giving the belt to your dad? For me, it was like so amazing. Like when my dad, it used to fill my heart. Obviously, my father's not here anymore, but it would feel my heart to give my dad the belt,

and he could go back and say, my son's a world champion. He can go to Lafayette, and all the people that your dad cuts grass at the city of Lafayette, he could go to all those people and go, well, my son's a world champion. Right. That filled me with so much pride.

Was there anything that, like, felt better to you than handing your mom or your dad that belt? Yeah, that's very interesting. And we can spend so much time talking about this. I, you know, obviously in college, I took this philosophy class. And in philosophy, they, we had to read The Pursuit of Happiness by, you know, or Aristotle, one of them. And we had to kind of come up with that in our head.

And doing that whole term of going through that essay and studying this, I came up with my pursuit of happiness. And in my pursuit of happiness, I believe there's three avenues in your pursuit of happiness. And I call it flooring someone. And what I mean by that is you put them in such a state to where that state, money can't buy that state. Nothing can buy what they feel.

The happiness that you create inside them to where you make someone cry uncontrollably. For you to floor your father to where he couldn't buy the fact that his son is a world champion. Yes. He couldn't buy the fact that now you are able to do something for him or just give him the, give him that stance, that station in life to say, my son made it. Yeah. I did something right. It is a reflection of them. It's a reflection of them because it's the

it's the one thing in life that you cannot buy. They cannot really control. Yeah. Is that future. And so that's the first avenue is you flooring your parents. You've given them that level of happiness

to where you know what it is when you just see them look at you. there's a smile that comes on their face and it's a weird smile. Yes, it is. You've never seen that usually and you just see that moment and inside you just know

I've done it, I did that. You're full of joy. You're full of joy. And then it's the next level is when you show it to your kids. When you give it to them where your kid looks at you and goes, holy shit, that's my dad.

Yes. When they're so damn proud, that's my dad. When your kid brags about you at school, my dad's a world champion. Yep. That moment. And then the third level is when they repay the favor. Because now it's the circle of life, which goes in turn with the pursuit of happiness.

Now they give it to you. Now they have to do it to their kids. And hopefully one day their kids give it to them. But at every one, the other party cannot control. Yeah. That is my pursuit of happiness. And the moment I was able to do that for my father. I mean, words can't describe that.

Yeah. But what do you think the hardest part of moving to the United States was? Well, I think like most immigrant is the simulation of really, because I hate to say it, but this is just the country that requires you, the excellence from you, or at least it's going to ask of you excellence. this is the one you come into this country you better learn english yeah hey you better learn english we're not trying to learn that whatever language you're speaking you better that's the truth i know i know no foreign language to where you go you go to africa you go to nigeria you go to some

places well oh come in come in you speak chinese oh come in well yeah we'll sign for you we'll try to figure out whatever we'll find a way to make you feel comfortable we'll leave in the dust yes we'll make it you feel comfortable. To where here it's like, well, you better learn that damn English. Yeah. If you don't learn that English, you better go back to your bathroom.

Did you not speak English when you got here? I spoke English, obviously because Nigeria is part of that West African that was kind of colonized by the British. So we spoke UK English, but I'm a child. I'm still learning here. The actual proper English to where you come to the States,

it's different. Yeah. In UK, the trash is dustbin. So when so you come here and say throw that in the trash, you're like, what? Where? Or open the trunk of the car. Go to the boot. So you learn these things.

So now having to come here and then learn that. Again. And then obviously I was in the class called ESL, which ESL was kind of in school of kids are cruel. Kids made it seem like that's the, you're in the special class. Because you were trying to learn a new language. Yes, because you're in ESL, which really meant English. as a second language to try to teach you, help you assimilate to English. Kids are cruel.

Kids made fun. Oh, you're a nice short butt. You were in that special class. I would have been one of those morons doing that, too. You definitely was. I could tell you were one of them. Stupid. Don't even know what it means.

There's just three letters that I don't recognize, so I'm making funny. Yeah, you in the special. So stupid. Yeah. So, yeah, just that simulation was really, really tough for me. But, yeah, we're kids. You don't understand that. You don't know that.

You're just rolling with the punches each and every day. As long as you wake up, you've got food in your belly, and you've got loved ones around you, you don't really care about it. You know, one time you and I were having a conversation, we talk a lot off of Cameron out of the public eye. And I remember when Ben, and even me one time, we're at UFC's night and I called you Marty.

Right. Right. And I asked you, why do you not want to be called that anymore or when the whole time we had. And you gave me this great answer, you said, because it's not my name. And I said, well, why did you accept it?

To me, it was so simple. And you said, I've grown into my name. I love my name. Somebody called me this when I was a young kid and I thought I was supposed to just accept it. Can you kind of explain that to people? Because no one, people didn't quite understand, But then the moment you told me, I was like, fuck, I get it.

It makes sense. And it made me look at you like, fuck, man, take that strong African name and wear it proudly. Right. No, it's a great question. And it's funny because my coach who started it. Why? He saw me. He was at my last fight.

I brought him out to my last fight. and he was apologizing to me and I just felt I felt bad in a sense because of how big this had gotten thanks to you, Ben Askent. Yeah, because of Ben. Because of how big this had gotten

to where he felt maybe he did something wrong. He didn't do anything wrong. You know when your child, you're coming up in something, in some sport, everyone has a nickname. You give everyone a nickname. And it started kind of with, you know, when you're in,

the study hall, you're in the group. They have to call, roll call, your name. And my name was actually on there in school. So he goes, cub, and I'm talking about my coach was a military, a former Marine, bus cut, no-nonsense kind of guy. And he's going, Aaron Hill, boom, yeah, coach. Camarudian. My name is Camarudian.

Yeah. And so he goes, come, Marry, Mark, okay, I can't say, I'm not saying that. Really? Marty, which, he was just a joke. He was playing around. He's like, Marty, I'm going to call you Marty. I'm like, oh, that's me, coach. I'm five foot, two, 103 pounds.

And I'm like, that's me, coach. He's like, I'm going to call you Marty. That's cool. At that time, like I said, one assimilate. You wanted to just be one of the guys. You want to be like, you want to be there and just not cause too much work. cause too much ruckus. I'm not in the position yet where I want to stand out. You know, kids like to follow. We don't want to stand out from the pack because when you're a kid,

you don't really understand how powerful that is. Yeah. And so I'm like, I just want to go with it. So I went with it. All right, Marty. But now, guess what? Now the team starts calling me Marty. So we all know like anything else. If you suck at something, you die off at that moment. No one remembers you that unless you're doing something goofy or crazy. I started to excel. Yeah. So when you start to excel, the name grows with you. Yeah. Now it's Marty. Here, Marty won that tournament. Marty's here. Marty's like number one of the top kids in the state now. Now, collegiate coaches are calling, hey, this kid, come on Rudy. We're trying to, oh, you mean Marty? So my coach says that. Just unknowingly, he's, oh yeah, you mean Marty.

So now college coaches hear that. Now they, oh, Marty, now they call me that. Now I go to college and that's, they're calling me that already. And I'm already in here to where that name grows with me. And then it would have died off in college had I sucked. But I continue to excel. I won a national championship. I came off the math.

The teleprompter at the bar. that during the interviews it said Marty Usman, which is crazy now that I look at it, which is crazy to me. Yeah. Because that's not my name. Yeah. But at that time, that's what it was. And I will have to admit this right now.

I've never said this before. Doing a lot of reflection on that, I think part of that was being a little ashamed to be kind of labeled differently or called because my name was different. Yeah. Then Aaron or Chris or Jason or my name was different. So for them to say the mouthful of my name, I think I was a little maybe ashamed of that. So I just went with the Marty thing.

Even though it wasn't that big of a deal, which I mean. But it actually is kind of. It is. So once I got into a position now to where not only am I representing myself or trying to do this sport, now I'm representing my name, my father, representing him. his lineage and his father and everyone, the name that they gave me, I'm like, no, I have to represent that. I'm a grown man now.

I'm not a child. And so, and Ben, listen, no, I, you know, I'm good with everything now, but with Ben, it was, when Ben came in, he tried to kind of use it as a joke, because Ben came in, Ben came in hot. Hot. He came in hot. And Ben was just doing everything possible to try to get the biggest fights. To get the biggest fights, which I understand. And so when he came in, it was like, first of all, now I got this chip on my shoulder.

Because he was a better wrestler. He was a better wrestler, accolades-wise. Oh, not even close. I started wrestling my sophomore year in high school. And Ben had one, Ben who probably won more titles as a kid than I had ever won, combined. And so now he starts saying that. And not only he's saying it, he's kind of saying it in a condescending way, kind of to poke fun. So I'm like, well, you don't really know me.

You don't know me like that. So you can't say that. And plus, that is no longer my name. I'm not a wrestler, a kid in high school anymore. I'm a grown man. Hey, address me properly. And then he kind of ran with it and made fun with it, which was great. I mean, I wish we would have got a chance to fight because that was another big fight.

Yeah. Because now hindsight, looking back, you want every big fight. You want to fight every big fight as possible. Hey, it's us, the Jonas Brothers. And guess what? We have some big news. What's the news, name? Huge news.

We created our own podcast called, Hey Jonas. We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to a... We're the first people to do podcasts. Pretty, yeah, pretty wide range of podcasts. We're starting a trend. But this one's extra special.

So how do we actually come up with a name, Hey Jonas, guys? I honestly don't remember. I think it was on a call about what we should call it. And, well, we were thinking I'm originally calling it one of the early names of our band before Jonas Brothers. This is how you guys remember it going down? Yes. I have a very different memory of this. We were talking about a thing, a bit for the podcast, people could call in and say, hey, Jonas.

And then I wrote down on my little notepad, Hey Jonas, and offered it up as a potential title for the podcast. But thanks for remembering that, guys. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some

retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The French Open is one of the toughest tests in tennis, and I know firsthand because I competed there myself. I'm Renee Stubbs, and on the Renee Stubbs Tennis podcast, I'm breaking down everything happening at Roland Garris, every match, every upset, and what it really takes to win on clay. Jen Chinchin win. I mean, she went down in three to Rabakina, but I'm delighted.

Yeah, she's an outsider to win the French. And she likes Clay. Listen, Lena Rubakina is arguably the best player in the world right now. And I actually can win on any surface. Because if she's serving, well, good luck. Consider this your court side seat to the French Open. Listen to the Renee Stubbs tennis podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports.

Hey, I'm Diana Maria Riva, actress, mother, lover, and a Gen X woman walking through life, one hot flash and hormonal crying jag at a time. You ladies know what I mean. I'll bet you a perimenopausal chin here you do. So let's talk about it. Join me on my new podcast, How Hard Can It Be with the Anamanea Arriva, where I call on my Gen X squads from Ohio to Hollywood

as we navigate Midlife's most fantastic BS. All of a sudden, I'd had hanginess happening on my own. I was like, what the hell is that? I was married when I had her, so I didn't even consider how empty that nest was going to be. Swings, night sweats, fupas, sex drive. Wait, what sex? Dating at 45.

How hard can it be? Getting naked at 50 with the new guy. That one's kind of hard. Well, that's lighting. They say we can't polish a turd, but we're sure going to try. So let's get blunt with laughs, tears or tears of laughter, and dive into it, unfiltered and unbothered and ask, how hard can it be? I cannot believe I'm about to say this out loud in public.

Listen to How Hard Can It Be with Diana Maria Riva as part of my Cultura Podcast Network available on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano, and our podcast, Point Game is about defying the odds. Like LeBron heading into the playoffs without Luca and Austin Reed. And finding ways to win no matter what. He's the smartest player to ever play the game. His IQ is at a level that we've never seen before.

And he knows, without Luca and Austin Reeves, I got to manipulate the game. We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs. I think Joker's going to be exhausted this series because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup, he has to really guard guys like Nas Reid. He has to guard Julius Randall. And then he has to give us everything he gives us on the night-to-night basis on offense.

And when IT's friends stop by, like Quentin Richardson, we dive into some playoff history too. Steve Nash will get that thing. That man, hell get the flying. He running up the court, licking his fingers, why he got the bar. Like, you go through a training camp with that Isaiah, you figure it out.

real quick. Get your ass up and down the court and you're going to get the balls. So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Do you think that you grew into your name or grew into yourself as a person? I grew into myself as a person. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Because if I'm not who I am as a person, then what kind of representation are you doing to that name? Yeah, absolutely. you uh you got hurting football and it almost ended everything for you was that in high school you just what you're like what happened high school but it's like i said freshman young's five foot two yeah 103 pounds texas football it's big time football it's big time football on there bro high school

103 pounds texas football yeah what were you doing out there i i was a tailback boom what were you doing out there I got a chance to run the ball. Boom. It was like a 43 cutback. Boom. Gone. Probably got like 15, 20 yards. Now I'm like, oh, there was a big hole right there.

Yeah, I like that. They call another play, but this time to the other side. But I'm like, that hole was open last time. You went back. Cut it, boom. Went back to the hole. I got hit so hard. And I'm five for two hundred and three pounds.

I haven't hit puberty yet. So I'm soft. I'm soft at this point. I mean, I used to jam my fingers trying to catch a football, all these things. And I get smacked so hard. I'm on my back. Just like screaming every curse word I could think of. And the assistant football coach was assistant wrestling coach, John Mance.

And he was kind of trying to have been poking at me. Why don't you come try wrestling? Because you know in high school, you want to recruit those little kids. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Because wrestling, we know that those little guys have an opportunity to excel at a sport. That it's not just football and basketball. Because in Texas, football, basketball, and track, those are key. Yeah.

So it's like, you want to recruit that man. So he was kind of, he saw that I kind of had some athletic ability. And he was asking me to come in, but I've never done wrestling. So I'm like, ah, no. But after taking this hit, I said, you know what? It's about time to find something else. You never played football again? Never played football game.

The next year, I told you, sophomore year, I signed up for wrestling. I went straight into it. The study hall, I just, I started to just go into wrestling. Yeah. Yeah. Did you think it was over? Like, how badly were you injured? Oh, it wasn't bad.

I was soft at that point. I was just, I was soft. You try to act like that was very. I was just back to, ah, I think I'm probably lit for like a week after that. Oh, my gosh, small. So ridiculous. You, uh, you, uh, you, went from being a guy that pursued something to building one of the greatest

legacies in the welterweight division. I have seen on multiple occasions this week, people say you are the greatest Walterweight champion of all time and not the great George St. Pierre. I am not saying that. I'm just saying that I have heard that this week as we have a bunch of Walter weights fighting up in the next, a very upcoming few. But you're on this wind streak, right? Do you recall a time where you go, this is special? I can tell that I'm building something very special. No, I tried very hard not to do that.

Why? Because I watch some of the grades. I studied some of the grades. And then while you're doing that, they try not to because you have to stay locked in. You have to stay present. And by watching them and kind of studying them, it took the opportunity away for me to really sit back and go, oh, man, let me smell the roses.

No, for me, what was next? What was next? Because I found the satisfaction in the chase, in the chase of the next thing, the next thing, and the next thing. And so sitting there and going, oh, man, you know, this is great. I'm great. I've done this. This is great.

I couldn't do that. I was just like, okay, what's next? I remember the last time I thought about it was five and one trying to get into the UFC. Really? And they were saying, ah, well, if a spot opens up, we'll give you a call.

And then obviously the ultimate fighter came about. But I just remember that was the last time I was like, man, five and one. I should do so. But then I would always compare to Rashad. because I had an example of right there the right way to do it and I remember

I went through his I think Rashad Evans actually had a 15 fight one street we can check that yeah we can check that I think it was at one point Rashad was on a 15 fight

Woodstreet and I just remember looking I'm like damn it's just win win win win win win win win man if I'm ever so lucky I hope I'm blessed with this when they to be able to go on this run but all I could think about I was five and one

and then I was just the next one boom the next one I need the next one I need the next one I never really stopped to go man I'm doing well I'm crushing this until before the last fight where every interview

everyone's going hey you're about to break this record you're about to break this record you're about to do this how do you feel about this I'm like well I never really thought about it but now that shit's in my head now I'm thinking about it

until it didn't happen but yeah I try not to ever really dwell on it. But now in the position I'm in, I'm looking back and going, man, not only am I going to miss that chapter once it's done, I need to just kind of appreciate it a little bit before it's gone. Do you feel like there's a part of your MMA journey that is a bit overlooked? Like maybe it's the not getting the right opponents at the right time,

the slow burn to finally get the title opportunity. Do you think any part of what you did gets a bit overlooked you wish that it was appreciated a little more? No, because where I'm at right now, I'm blessed to even look back. And like I said, I'm spiritual to I know everything happens for a reason. And so being underappreciated early on, built, gave me that chip on my shoulder to do something spectacular enough

to have the fans respect you in a certain way. Yeah. And so I wouldn't go back and change anything. I don't think anything really was overlooked. Yes, at the time I hated, you know, even that comment when Dana thought I was saying, I came in with 30, you know, effort and being kind of, you know, because as wrestlers, when we come in, we want to take guys down. Yeah.

That's the tool we have. And so coming in and doing that to guys, I really built that grappling aspect of myself. and yeah, it probably wasn't the most fan-friendly style at first. But it gave me the foundation to grow into standing and striking. And that's your story, right? That's a part of your story that I think we as MMA fans sometimes don't understand. Do you think, like, overall, like, as you look back now, that people understand Kamar Usman and understand what he needed to be in order to be

who he is today or do you think it's still a little bit misinterpreted it's still a little bit misinterpreted but but i say the majority that know me they know what to expect from me they know i can stand and bang and bang if we need to but they also know that i can grapple to the point where in this fight i can't tell you how much i was getting from fans going man take him down you can take him now Bro, you got to take him down, take him down. Don't even play that. Fans who appreciated the fact that I have that tool to take someone down, control them down there and land some damage on him.

I was hearing, I couldn't believe I was hearing fans say that to me. Bro, you could take him down, bro. You take him down, bro. Buckley, you mean. Yes, fans were excited to see me take him down, completely shut him down, and control him and land damage down there. Which was crazy to me because I grew up here. You're so boring.

When I was 30, 20, 27, I was 30, 25, 20, 20, 26 guys. I think in my first five or six fights, there wasn't one fight. I didn't get a 10-8 round. Yeah. And fans would. They don't want to see to wrestle. Yes. To where now, I mean, I'm in a position to where they're going, man, you got to take

it now. You control them down there, man. You're wrestling is great. You got to use that. I'm like, damn, I don't know y'all like wrestling like this. It's because you've already shown that you're willing to do that. You did get on that Longwin Street, but then it famously ended in one of the most dramatic ways

that I think anyone has ever seen in a fight. You're fighting Leon Edwards in Utah. You're winning the fight, right? He might have won the first round, but then the next three rounds, you dominate. It's very close to the end. John Anigmund, like says, This is not the clot by which he is cut.

And then the head kick. Do you remember anything? Because, I mean, like, seriously, because it was a clean knockout, right? Can you go back now and recall the moments after? Or are you still missing those memories? Because I still don't have those memories from Jones knock me out. Yeah. No, you can't.

It's like... Lost in time. It's when your computer shuts down, boom. And then reboots right away. Well, it reboots. The time from when it shut down to when they reboot, the computer got no new information. Have you tried to try to recall it?

Of course, when you watch it, you feel like you can recall that. But deep on the side, you know you can. But like when you watch, right, the fight, and you watch yourself leaving the octagon. I don't remember none of that. See, I saw myself crying one time walking back to the back, and I was like, when did that happen?

That's not funny. It's not funny. I'm like, I just, I'm like, when did that happen? Right, right. When do you remember coming, like, the lights coming back on? I was actually talking about this yesterday. It's so crazy. Because it happens, I get, I'm sitting up on the stool.

Obviously, the coaches are going to be there with you. And you know, we're going to ask the famous question. What happened? What happened? What did he hit me with? What did he hit me with? You know, and I didn't realize I'd asked it multiple times. I had that shit ten times.

I didn't realize I had asked it multiple times. but Trevor obviously told me later. So we get done. I stand there. They announce him as the winner. I even dab him up and I walk out of them. Right. Autopilot.

I walk out. I'm dapping up fans on the way out. All right. I'll get them next time. Walk out all the way to the back. See family. Cut the gloves off me. I'm in the tent.

I'm okay. I'm there. See family. That transition probably was 15, maybe 20 minutes. Get done with family. and the U.S. I said, I'm okay, I'm fine. They're like, yeah, let's just go to the hospital just to scan and make sure you're, everything's fine.

I said, okay, it's just precaution. I get an ambulance. I hug my family and then we're good. So I get an ambulance. I'm going towards, I'm going to the hospital. To me and my manager, Ali is in an ambulance with me. They're asking, of course, and the paramedic back there.

They're going to ask their questions. So she's asking me questions, and I'm answering questions, and then she asked me this one question. Do you, not only she asked me the question, I think she asked me the question twice. She goes, in a row, boom, first time. Do you know where you're at?

I didn't really hear it, but I can, I know it was the same question. She asked me again, all right, so do you know what day it is? And me in, it's almost like a competitive, you know mode I want to get the right answer out not just get it out right

I want to get it out and give her more so she knows exactly that I don't know do I know the answer to that but I'll give you more for extra credit do you know I did yeah of course I know it was Saturday August something do you

Salt Lake City Utah UFC 270 fuck and you woke up Shut the fuck up You, that's how you woke up UFC 270 Oh, if they're asking me

This question No Shut up tomorrow Really That's, I'm like No way Ali Ali's there on this phone

With this look on his face I just knew I was like no way There's no way You broke down There's no way I mean I No, I took, I just, you know, because I leave my brother's there so we can just talk and we're fully honest and transparent with one another.

So I didn't really break down there. But I'm like, there's no way. What? We get back in, we get to the hospital and I'm sitting in the room. And at this point, I'm shadow boxing because I'm fine. Everything is good. I'm back now. I'm shadowboxing.

I'm just like, no. And of course, we just lit the world on fire with what just happened. And there's he's going through Twitter and we're looking at things. And someone had clipped out my, because my daughter was there. Someone had clipped out my daughter like, you know, she's happy because for all she's ever known is daddy go out and win and do everything. And my daughter watched this brutal head kick. She's never seen her dad down like that. so she's crying, like she screams hysterically

and she's turning. Someone clipped that, cut it, clipped it, screenshot it, and posted it. And I saw that, and that's when it broke me. Yeah.

I can only imagine. I saw a picture of my kids hugging me after I lost, and it still breaks me today. I can't, I can't see it. When you look back on that time after that, obviously he won the third fight. Do you think that that

did it shake you? Obviously losing those two fights and then going into that Buckley fight where you knew you're kind of up against it, right? Like, I've lost two in a row to the same guy. He's not the champion anymore, but I know I can work my way back. But when you're walking in there,

are you the same Kamar Usman? Are you still carrying the same confidence It's against a young guy who's on a run like Buckley was? I'm still the same, but the confidence is hurting. Yeah. Because all you've ever known is success, and that's not what it's been lately. It's a human trait. It messes with you.

But I know who I am on the inside because I built myself. Yeah. No one had to tell me, I go all the way back to junior year, what I finally started to learn how to cut weight in high school a little bit. No one had to tell me, hey, you need to go for a run at night because it's going to help your cardio. And not only help your cardio, it's going to help you get that weight down. You know, no one had to tell me that. I just knew that's what you're supposed to do.

Okay, I want to be better than everybody. I have to do a little more than everybody. No one had to really tell me that. And so with all of that, me knowing that I built myself to this juggernaut that I felt like in my head, And then now that that wasn't, it's being questioned, of course, it starts to mess with you a little bit. Am I still that guy? I'm still that guy. I know I put the work in.

I know when my lady wanted me to just come eat and relax with us. No, I'm not going to eat that. You know what? I'm going to go in the garage and get on this air done. Yeah. I'm going to get a little extra in. Yeah. I know I'm still that guy.

But yeah, you start to kind of question it. Like, ah, man. And then not only that, you know, UFC, we love to do promo. We know the promos. They're going to show you the highlights of this dude's knocking someone's head off. Over and over and over and over to where it starts to kind of drive that doubt even deeper and deeper and deeper. But I just had to have solace in knowing that, hey, whatever happens happens. Is that why you were so emotional after the win?

because it touched me. It made my heart flutter when you were sitting at the press conference post-fight and you kind of broke down in terms of it was almost like a relief. Do you see, man, we know when it's like to be in a funk. Yeah. You know that.

And like I said, I'm spiritual enough now to where and even Vogue said this. Like adversity is a blessing. It is as much as we hate it, as much of an annoyance as it is for. us adversity is a blessing having the ability to have things whether positive or negative happen to you that's a blessing because now you get to feel something there's some people who can't feel any of that now can you imagine being they're

going their minds to where they just want want to feel that the pain of being hit or pinched or punched as weird as it sound they just want to feel that sensation yeah they can't feel that And so adversity is a blessing to the point where I was just in that moment, just knowing that I had gone through so this much adversity. And as a father, the biggest gift for me now is being able to, because of course kids sometimes, they can choose whether they're going to listen to you or not. But they can't ignore the action. Yeah. They can't ignore what you did.

They can't ignore the fact that, yes, you drop three and everyone's right. you off like you can't win again. Yeah. They're like, you can't win again. Oh, he's washed. I remember hearing that. He's washed. He's washed. And I'm like, I know I'm this guy still. I still put the work in. I know I'm still not going to cut that corner. I still do the work. And so to go out there and have that actually happen and show that you can still show that you are that guy after so much time. Yeah, it was very, very emotional. And the fact that my daughter, wasn't able to be there at that fight too because that was one of the lessons for you to see that.

Yeah. The fact that she wasn't able to be there and feel it because it's a different electricity when you're there. She's the best, too. And, yeah, all of that combination just, it just personally what I'd gone through. It was, it was a mountain. So when that mountains just gets lifted, even if it's for five seconds or five minutes that day, it came off. Hey, it's us, the Jonas Brothers. And guess what?

We have some big news. What's the news, name? Huge news. We created our own podcast called, Hey Jonas. We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it. We're the first people to do podcasts.

Pretty, yeah, pretty wide range of podcasts throughout there. But this one's extra special. So how do we actually come up with a name, Hey Jonas, guys? I honestly don't remember. I think it was on a call about what we should call it. And, well, we were thinking I'm originally called. calling it one of the early names of our band before Jonas Brothers. This is how you guys remember it going down?

Yes. I have a very different memory of this. We were talking about a thing, a bit for the podcast, people could call in and say, hey, Jonas. And then I wrote down on my little notepad, Hey Jonas, and offered it up as a potential title for the podcast. But thanks for remembering that, guys. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts,

or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and Friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel help an a cappella band with their between songs banter.

Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. guests. The French Open is one of the toughest tests in tennis, and I know firsthand because I competed there myself. I'm Renee Stubbs, and on the Renee Stubbs tennis podcast, I'm breaking down everything happening at Roland Garris, every match, every upset, and what it really takes to win on

Clay. Jenchian win. I mean, she went down in three to Rabakina, but I'm delighted. She's an outsider to win the French for me. And she likes Clay. Listen, Lerner Rabakina is arguably the best player in the world right now and I actually can win on any surface because if she's serving, well, good luck. Consider this your court side seat to the French Open. Listen to the Renee Stubbs tennis podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports.

Hey, I'm Diana Maria Riva, actress, mother, and a Gen X woman walking through life one hot flash and hormonal crying jag at a time. You ladies know what I mean. I'll bet you a perimenopausal chin here you do. So let's talk about it. Join me on my new podcast. How hard can it be with the Adamani Arriba, where I call on my Gen X squads from Ohio to Hollywood

as we navigate midlife's most fantastic BS. All of a sudden, I'd had hanginess happening on my own. I was like, what the hell is that? I was married when I had her, so I didn't even consider how empty that nest was going to be. Mood swings, night sweats, fupas, sex drive. Wait, what sex? Dating at 45. How hard can it be getting naked at 50 with the new guy?

That one's kind of hard. Well, that's lighting. They say we can't polish a turd, but we're sure going to try. So let's get blunt with laughs, tears, or tears of laughter, and dive into it, unfiltered and unbothered and ask, how hard can it be? I cannot believe I'm about to say this out loud in public. Listen to How Hard Can It Be with Diana Maria Riva as part of my Cultura Podcast Network available on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas.

And I'm C.J. Toledano, and our podcast Point Game is about defying the odds. Like LeBron heading into the playoffs without Luca and Austin Reed. And finding ways to win no matter what. He's the smartest player to ever play the game. His IQ is at a level that we've never seen before. And he knows without Luca and Austin Reeves, I got to manipulate the game. We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs. I think Joker's going to be exhausted this series because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup,

he has to really guard guys like Nas Reid. He has to guard Julius Randall. And then he has to give us everything he gives us on the night-to-night basis on offense. And when IT's friends stop by, like Quentin Richardson, we dive into some playoff history too. Steve Nash would get that thing. That man, hell get the flying.

He running up the court, licking his fingers why he got the ball. Like, after you go through a training camp with that, Isaiah, you figure it out real quick. Get your ass up and down the court, and you're going to get the ball. So listen to Point Game on the I, Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

So many people don't recognize the struggles that fighters and people in the public eye go through outside of what they see, they can appreciate whenever they see a guy like you, so strong on the outside, really open himself up in a way that most aren't used to seeing. You said kids sometimes don't listen. You did a lot of listening in your career, especially early. And you had two guys that really did make an impact on you. Rashad Evans, obviously we've spoken about him a little bit. And Anthony Johnson.

Yesterday, I think you posted something saying, Anthony, you're going, but we will miss you forever. What did it mean for you to have two people in your life early in your career to mold you into the fighter and person you are that relate so closely to you? strong men athletes, wrestlers, black men to go and do what they did to have Anthony and Rashide. Yeah, I mean,

it was powerful. I mean, representation is serious. It's a real thing. It's really, really important because anyone can tell you this or tell you that, but until you see someone with your level of struggle

and the same struggle like you that looks like you, it lets you know, man, maybe I can do this. Maybe I can be there one day. And so coming in, Rashad, Rashad was extremely,

not extreme, Rashad was instrumental and just getting me to switch over to the sport. He did that for so many of us. Yes. And not, and let's be honest,

Rashad was one of the first of what we are now. Yeah. Yes. Yeah. You know what I'm talking. Yeah, he's one of the first.

to put it together. And so with that, that example, watching it over and over and just, I might not say much, but I'm taking notes, mentally, I'm taking notes, I'm watching how he conducts himself, I'm watching how he does these interviews,

I'm watching how he answers this question, I'm watching how he cares himself, I'm watching how he prepares himself. And I'm picking at that point, I'm picking what I like that, I like that, I don't really like that so much, I'm going to use that, might use that, Rashad and when the Black Zillions started, which is a team where I started with, Anthony Johnson, of course, was there.

Michael Johnson, also another guy that was very instrumental in my development because me and Michael Johnson probably have more rounds together than anyone. I mean, me and Michael, Michael was very, very instrumental because he was so fast, so fast and he had no fear. And so imagine a smaller guy He's just beating on me for For almost two years To where I learned enough to where now I can't bully him And so Yeah, Michael Johnson very instrumental

Rashad Evans for the example that he said And not just the example that he said Rashad Evans told me, hey I said hey man I can't I don't know if I can come to Florida Because, you know I gotta get a place to live because I'm in the comforts of the Olympic training center.

We ain't get no money like that. I mean, you were number one on team. You were getting a little check, but that was nothing. Nothing like that. No, not like we get in. To go get our own place and live and just train full time. And then I was getting presented with an offer somewhere else. I was like, man, don't worry about that.

Just come down. You can live with me. Now think about it. This is the first time I've ever been Starstruck. Seeing Rashad Evans. Yeah. It's a superstar that you only get to see on television. And he's telling me, just come live with me.

Am I in your house? Yeah. You superstar? Come live with you? Yeah, come live with me. And we knew each other, but we didn't know each other that well. Yeah. But Rashad just had that heart to where he just come live with me.

Yeah. I moved to Florida. I lived with Rashad for, I think, two, maybe almost two and a half, three years. Wow. Living with Rashad, getting access to. Michael Johnson, Anthony Rombo Johnson, which Anthony was, we had to, it's such a special, a weird relationship because Anthony don't talk much. Anthony didn't, it wasn't until later on in life where Anthony kind of, we were able to

break those emotional barriers to where Anthony would show that. But before that, Anthony just is a guy that would show up in the gym, five minutes before practice, in jeans and a shirt, and with his, like, tights already under on, take him off, put his gloves on, knock out a couple of dudes at that practice. Straight from there, put his jeans right back on without going to the shower, put his shirt on, and leave the shirt.

Oh, my God. That was Anthony Johnson. And so being able to see him and then watch him too. Anthony came in. Obviously, he was a big puncher, big guy, just excel in the sport and spent a lot of time with our coach Henry Hoof. Anthony really became who he was.

Now, your fights with Anthony, I was at both of them. I watched the first one, but I fought at the second one in Buffalo. And I just, I remember Anthony, obviously backstage watching him. I'm like, well, man, Anthony, the first one I'm like, Anthony really had a shot. He has a shot here because somehow, I don't know how Anthony gets that left leg around the head, but somehow he does. You know, he's such a big, stiff guy, but that left. flag wraps around your neck and he just had unbelievable power and so unfortunately he couldn't get it done against you I'm like oh man that okay that guy's especially something else

and then I remember the second time you guys were going to fight I was in the UFC now and I was on that card as well and I just remember you know being there watch you guys and I was in Buffalo correct yeah yes so remember watching you guys finish finish to fight and him dropping that one as well. I think that was his last one for a while when he, I think he kind of walked away. But yeah, Anthony was special as well. And I'm just now looking back at everything, just blessed that I got to even nourish that relationship a little bit before he passed. When he passed away, how did that affect you? Because Anthony actually gave me something when he passed. He gave me a watch. It's the craziest thing that I was, I got a random call. And they said,

Anthony left you a watch. Yeah. How did that affect you losing? Because we saw this big, powerful man, it had no idea what he was dealing with on the backhand. Yeah, he left me a necklace. And it affected me a little bit. But like I said earlier, the one thing that I think is kind of weird. I don't want to say weird about me, but it's a little different is it's almost like I almost pre-morn situations. Like, I like to be overly prepared.

Yeah. You knew he was sick? So when we found out that he was sick, because remember, Anthony was great, great, great, then boom, lost a bunch of weight was going through something. Then when we found out he was sick, at this point, I started to kind of, like I said, to bury yourself. Nourish that relationship a little bit more. Come over to the house, Anthony.

Not only come over, like, it meant something to me to invite Anthony Johnson over to my house because Anthony Johnson was already a USC superstar. before I started fighting. Come to my house for him to see that, hey, this little kid that came in the gym that didn't know how to do anything now is, is, has a house. Anthony came over, sat down, we shot pool

and just kind of hung out and just talk. I wanted to get to, what was going on? I mean, you, yeah, I've been sick, the doctor said they might know this, they might know that, you know. So we spent a little bit of time together. We started to get a little closer. And then he was just sick and so part of that process I started kind of this

Prepare prepare myself. I it's a weird thing to say to even think but I just my mind wise wired that way to where I kind of prepare myself a little bit and a little bit To where when I got the call actually I was going to I got a text. I was actually going to call him that day and say, hey, man, I'm coming back in town. Remember, we had talked about doing something. Hey, when you want to come over to the house, then I get the text, and I'm just like, oh, no.

Yeah. No, because how, it doesn't make sense. Yeah. How someone, like a specimen like that or just, could just get destroyed by that. It's gone. In no time. He's gone.

Yeah. That didn't make sense to me at that point, but I almost kind of pre-prepared myself for that. We're all going to miss Anthony forever. A few quick ones before I let you go tomorrow. Two daughters now. Beyonce, everything, life is just amazing in that regard, but you're very present.

I think that is like the most amazing thing about you. Like, what does it mean to you to be so present? Because like you said, tennis practice. I'm there. Baby, I'm there changing diapers. Like, what does that mean to you to be so present? It means a lot because I got that for my first, my first daughter. She was everything.

You were constantly. Oh, yeah. I always knew I wanted to be a father. That was a big thing for me. But because naturally, my father was there. My mother was there. And I just see the importance of that. It's so important.

to where I always wanted that. I wanted to be there. And so now with my first daughter, she kind of just, being able to just take her to the gym each and every time with me and just have her sit there and watch me was, man, it was amazing. I got to take her to the gym with me from she was one to about five years old when she was ready for kindergarten. We had a routine.

We go to the gym. After I get done, go straight to toys are us or babies are us back at that time. We spent about 30, 45 minutes there. I knew how to get in the car. I knew what song to play. Boom, she's out. She's out. Boom, I get home at this exact time.

Take her straight up to her bed, let her sleep there. She's out for two hours. She gets down. I have the food ready for her. We had a routine down. Yeah. And so I just, and then when she started to grow, Because I used to say, when I was younger,

I used to say, man, if I ever become a dad, I want to just miss the first two years. I want you just hand me the kid when they can talk and do all these things. You don't. But then when I went through that process and you get to see them. They never want to miss that.

You see them start to discover their hands and play with their hands. And you hear that first laugh, that real deep chuckle. And all of these things created such a tie and such a bond to where I'm like, oh, no, you have to be present. Yeah. Now, it's a tough part because part of getting that luxury means you have to work.

It means you have to work. And I would say that's been the hardest thing is working and at the same time trying to kind of present that balance. Because I've heard some great men say, if you want to give them everything, they have to understand that he's not going to be. Make everything. Yeah. You're not going to be there for everything. You're not going to be around. That sucks.

And so that it's that double-edged sword because I can say now I don't want to I don't want to leave. I want to be there for everything. But what if there comes an opportunity that they need me to provide for? But now they have to pass it up because I didn't go do the work to provide for that. And they don't want to hear that. No. No one wants to hear that. Nobody else.

It's just this is an opportunity for me, Dad, can I take advantage of this? I'm sorry you can't because I ain't got it I ain't got it can't be like that though and so yeah that's the hard part from you right now and to ensure that it's podcasting it's acting it's fashion you have so many different arms in the fire man like wait don't say it like that not like you the future but I'm saying you are one of the ones that have a future television broadcasting podcasting acting fashion you have options to have built this life, right? Knowing that, like we said in the beginning,

we're closer to the end, then the beginning. When you look back with all these things, what do you tell Kamar Usman that took a chance and went to Florida? Just work, stay consistent, and trust the unknown, because that's the biggest thing that we can't even fathom when you're in that situation.

and I tell this quick story I remember when there was a I think a five, six month stint where I wasn't living at Rashad's house and I was living with Michael Johnson and

I'm one and oh actually yeah I'm one and oh I can't get a fight because at this point people just Google you oh he's a wrestler now I'm a fighter I can't want to fight him. Couldn't get a fight.

Eight months and gone by. No money. I'm not under the roof of Rashad Evans where everything's taken care of. Yep. And so I just remember on the walk one day and I'm on the phone with my mom because I used to just do morning walks

because that was our ritual at the training center. You know, World Team walks. So I'm walking. And I remember I'm on the phone with my mom. I'm like, I think I'm going to come home. I'm having to survive off of just eggs. and bread and I might need to come home and she said I know just stay the course but at that moment I couldn't fathom one day I would be sitting with you know two-time

hall of two-time lead champion two-division champion and Hall of Fame with Daniel Cormier talking about where I am and yeah my opportunities and what I've done in the sport you can't fathom that and so if I had any and I tell these to fighters nowadays, it's just, hey, just work and trust that the work will get you there. Yeah. Because that's the only way you could quantify. The sacrifice. And also the success level.

Yeah. It's that consistent work. Come on, I ask everybody that's sitting down with me, when it's all said and done, how do you want to be remembered? This is something I'm struggling with now, right now. and because I'm you know we elevate each time we elevate to a certain point in life to where you are exposed to so much more than what you think and to this layer that I'm in now I'm exposed to a different set of people and and just understanding their minds and how they they are and and it's tricky because I'm like I don't want to be like that I don't want to be like that to where

I do, I have met some people, but it's very few people that I've met to where I can say, they did right by me. Yeah. And when I leave, when I'm done with the sport, my mission and my goal right now, and I'm not perfect, I'm not. But I want everyone that had an encounter, had to bump in with me, had to run in with me, did business or did anything with me. me, I want them to say he did right by me. Yeah. Coaches, you know, trainers, managers, everyone to say, he did right by me.

Yeah, well, I tell you one thing, man, that's the message I'll give people as we go forward is this, Kumar Usman did right by me. Guys, Kumar Usman, as I said earlier, is one of the greatest fighters the UFC has ever seen. Obviously, as you get to know more about him, he's one of the most well-spoken. well thought of and thoughtful individuals. Like I said, father, champion, uh, podcaster, actor, fashionista. You can do it all.

Thank you. I thank you for joining me. Guys, until next time, like, subscribe, and tell your friends about my YouTube channel. And don't never miss an episode of the Daniel Kormier show. Until next time, peace. Hey guys, it's us. The Jonas Brothers. I'm Joe.

I'm Kevin. And I'm Nick. And guess what? We created our own podcast called, Hey, Jones. We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it.

We're the first people to do podcasts. We get to ask other people questions because we're sick and tired of being asked questions. Well, sick and tired is a strong way to put it, but, you know, tired and sick. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smigel and Friends.

Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk. that David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter.

Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, I'm Deanna Maria Riva, and on my new podcast, How Hard Can It Be? I call on my Gen X squad from Ohio to Hollywood as we navigate Midlife's most fan fantastic BS. Unfiltered conversations from night sweats to futas to scheduling sex. Wait, what sex?

Is it just me or does every woman my age want to look at Pinterest instead of having sex sometimes? They say we can't polish a turn, but we're sure going to try. So let's get blunt with laughs, tears, or tears of laughter. Listen to How Hard Can It Be with Diana Maria Riva on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano. It's our favorite time of the year on our podcast, Point Game, the playoffs. We're digging into the biggest surprises of the season.

And I'm looking back on some of my greatest playoff moments. If we didn't talk ever again, I was harmed. You just understood. That's how personal it got. Wow. Then after that Game 7, Marquis keep coming to. He's like, you know I love you, dog. You know, it's all love.

This was just playoffs. This was just basketball. So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Most people out here think that taking care of one another is important. And most people would step up for a neighbor going through a tough time. Most people around here help out friends and family when they need it. But the funny thing is, most of us won't look for help when we need it.

Talk to someone if you're struggling with mental health. Because most people out here really care. Find more information at loveyourmindtay.org. That's loveyourmindtay.org. Brought to you by the Huntsman Mental Health Institute and the Ad Council. This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed human.