The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Daniel Cormier TV - Alexander Volkanovski: "Yair Rodriguez is a TOTALLY different beast!"

Episode Date: July 8, 2023

DC calls out Alexander Volkanovski, and you don't want to miss why! The double champ checks in with the best pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC, Alexander Volkanovski, ahead of his massive featherweight title defense against Yair Rodriguez at UFC 290. Volk tells Daniel Cormier why he thinks he beat Islam Makhachev and why people like DC were not ready for the performance Volkanovski was going to put on. Plus, Volkanovski and DC go through Cormier's breakdown tape of him live during the interview! #Volume #HerdSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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A win is a win. I don't care which I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifers Show. This is a place for raw, unfilled conversations with athletes,

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Chao, how are you feeling? I'm good. Thanks for checking in with me again, man. Every time you fight, I got to get that check in. I got a cousin named Boo. He's a big guy. He was here last summer, and he took a picture. And we're in a group messaging.

and we talk about you and we talk about all your fights. And one of my cousins goes, Yair is the one. He could fight Volkanowski. And my cousin last year, you took a picture with him, you made an impact on it. He goes, hey, nobody beat Volk. Nobody being Volk.

So that's the dude that has a school yard crush on me. It's not me. That dude's in love with you, dog. So, I mean, his name. His name is Boo. He's a big old dude he came in last year. You heard of man, boo? Yeah, he came last year, and he took a photo with him in here.

So, Champ. Let's see we got this shirt. Have a look. I mean, look at that. That's it. Okay. All right. So.

Receipts? Receipts. Receits. Yeah. You're a guy that has done everything. But you got a teammate that's kind of petty, is he? He's a petty human being, right? With being petty.

He even said he goes, I can be petty. He owns it, though. But it seems like it runs into. family because this would qualify as petty. I will read you some of these. Yeah, go for it. There's no wrestling in Australia. That was Islam.

You said that I laughed like a schoolyard girl who said that. You said I laughed like a schoolyard girl when I said that. It's not a chance. He beats Aldo in Brazil. Vogue lost that fight. We know we know we are going to finish this guy. This was Habim. Volkanowski is too nice.

He beat Holloway by Lupp. He'll never beat him again. Where is this short guy? Or take as a different animal. Volkanowski's not ready for. I kicked this Volkanowski. Let's see who said that. Was that the Kono one?

Yeah. Off like his head off like it was a rugby ball. Every one of these quotes you now have on his shirt. Why are you keeping receipts? Well, mate, it's just, yeah, again, I'm in a position where not too much is being said now, but I'm like, hey, just remember what people were saying, you know, these, there was a time where, yeah, there was a, again, I am the underdog, right? I've always been that dog, I've always been under size, and people have been saying that my whole life,

and I've always overcome them. Yes, yeah. I've always, you know, I've always roasted the occasion and, you know, where I'm at. It's just like, hey, just remember, I am that underdog, all these things were said to me, but look where we're at now. So it's like a good little message there. So when Islam said there's no wrestling in Australia, and you had to fight on top of him off of a takedown, like, what's that say?

Right? Like, what's that say? I says there's wrestling in Australia. Yeah, right? Because that was a very competitive fight. And people, it was a very competitive fight. And I scored the fight for Makachem, not because he's my teammates, because I thought the wrestling early. And as you spoke with, hey, as you spoke.

But, champ, as you spoke to earlier, you said that there were moments that you might have made a few mistakes, talk in, excepting being on the bottom. But you end that fight on top, in dominant position, winning impressively, and that's the lasting memory for most. And then you immediately go, I want a rematch. And I'm like, hey, hey, oh, Lord, let's not do this, right? Let's take out of time, go back to your weight class. How good does it feel, though, right, to keep these receipts and always prove people wrong? Because even in that fight, you didn't get the decision, nothing should. changed. You were still ranked the more in pop-p-p-pong. You guys were tied. Like, you lost nothing

in that fight. I still, I guess, you know, I always talk about, yeah, proving people wrong with that. I think I still did. A lot of people didn't think I still had a chance. They thought as soon as he grabs a hold of me, that's over, you know what I mean? So I answered a lot of the questions, you know, I said how I thought it could go, and I was right. I just didn't get, obviously get my hand raised, but it was, yeah, obviously a very competitive fight, and I knew it was going to be. And again, people are, it's funny because people are sitting there saying, oh, I found a chink in his arm or, you know, he's a, yeah, Alex has found his, you've got the blueprint or found a his weakness and all that. I was like, no, no, no.

Not everybody can do that, though. Exactly right. So that's the thing. People are going on, oh, you found a blueprint. Found a blueprint? Try and really think of all the little things that happen and then try and get yourself prepared for that. Like, you know, I mean, it's so much more than just technique. It's technique and understanding the game. And then there's grit. There's obviously the scrambles. You know, there's. Don't get tired. You know what I mean? Like, yeah, exactly. Then there's all the stuff that make me a difficult fight for anyone in the world.

And no matter, like, how big they are and how strong they are. Like, I'm always fine a way and I'm always going to make it difficult. You know what else would help you? That ass. Because in that fight, you were a little thicky dog. Like, I was like, that ass helped you get up all the time. No, you look big. I was like, what?

I was like, this don't look like the same guy. How much weight and muscle did you put off for that fight? Because you look short, but you look fucking. thick in there. I mean, to be honest, I didn't actually probably end up that much heavier than I will this weekend. Like, you know, I look big though. Yeah, the ass. I'm telling me, that ass. That ass was fat in that fight, man. I'm telling you, because it was even funny. I was in the shower and the missus there, and she's like, oh man, you got your butt back from back in the footie box. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So back when I was playing football, I used to be a lot, a lot big and I always had a big

and I always had a big ass. And I sort of lost that in the feather way, but I had, I got my ass back. And you were in the takedowns and everything? Yeah, it would have been, obviously, you know, the strength and conditioning programs and then obviously eating more but to be honest weight wise like even the muscle and that actually to get back down to 45 it wasn't much it was

I ended up the same at the start of camp as I usually do how much do you think you'll and I don't know if you want to share this but like in the afternoon like how much do you put in because you're a guy you don't look all drawn out like so many look right you look obviously when you go on to the scale but it seems like it's a very short period of time that you're drawn out

and then you seem pretty full but to do that you must not be as big because if you're 165 right now 160 165 you're going to look sucked down and you're going to balloon up you seem to carry the weight pretty good

no matter what the weight class you fight it yeah well that's a man I think is that body type as well so I can hold a lot of water right so that you know stocky stocky build so it's easy to you know easy to get that out and then easy to put back

back in. But again, I actually can go, I can get much heavier. I can get as heavy as I did for the lightweight fight if I wanted to. Really? But I've even told my dietitian and as I don't want to, I want to like, you know, stay at a certain weight where I feel best where I'm moving sharp because I'm going to

be just as strong anyway. I want to move fast. I want to be sharp. I want my timing on. So that's more important to me. So, yeah. So I did this thing, right, as we get to your fight this weekend against Jaya. It's always fun to talk to you because you can go on about so many other things to show you to talk to you.

And so I did this breakdown. And I said, this is how you take on the grate. Because you do something that not many of us do. So I was a shorter fighter. I always felt I had to press because I had to close the distance. You've mastered counter striking even as the shorter guy. So when you were fighting Max Hollow in the third fight, let's take a look at this champ. Look.

So here's Volcanowski. Your point at the jab. No end. Because what he's trying to do is, look. He's trying to draw out Max Holloway's right in. Max is good with that overhand right, right? So look. Pause.

Pause. Then he let the jab go. We're trapped. Max does a really good job of throwing a country. Right, right. You see Volkanowski create space, get back to range. With an angle there too. It's beautiful, right?

The angle. It wasn't just the space. It was that angle. Why is the short right handle, champ? You're not throwing the right-hand of land. Mm-hmm. Boom, yep. Right hand.

Sure. Yes. Distance management. Again, he's still good. He did well to get his head out of the way still. But there's always a follower. Champ, what do you think there? That's good, that's good, good, man.

It's a good angle there, too. There was their distance, it was angle. He slipped off. I don't want to give it too much away, right? No, no, but, dude, it's all in the video. I put it all. I put it all. The angle that I've got, notice how he could not follow up with anything.

It was crazy because when you heard, what you did that one, right, you went phase. right left. The next time he did the same thing you drew out his counter, but this time you dipped overhand and that's what's cut him real bad. Right. So you're setting all these traps. It's your mind in there that people don't really, they're not picking up on that. You're not Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year.

Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football,

or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices

that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space. For honest conversations, stories that don't always get told,

and for people who are chasing something bigger. So, if you've ever supported me, or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to The Clifford Show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast.

Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan, so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes. Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far, far away, such as the biology of taun tons and wampas on the ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith rule of two. Listen to stuff to blow your mind on the iHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Just fighting. You're not a guy with just great cardio. Your mentality in there, bro, is next level, because I can see you setting these traps. Like, when did you develop that? I don't know. I think it's always been there. Like, even when I first started, I had, Joe always says it. My coach Joe always says that I always understood distance,

even the first time I was in the gym. So there's something there that just, I just know, like that instinct is always there. So having them natural instinct and then preparing properly and then training properly has all obviously made me, you know, wherever it's genetics or whatever it is. I don't know. luck, but it's all made me the fight I am today. Champ, when you look at Yaya Rodriguez, right, he's a long, ranging guy, throws a lot of body kicks.

There's a section of people that say, if you want to find why Yair can have success, go watch the fight with Ortega in the first and second round where he had success in the striking with Volkanowski. What do you say to that? Do you build off of that? Do you take from that fight to apply to Yair or is it completely different? Are you talking about his fight? You and Ortega.

Because there are people going. Yes, people are going, Ortega had a lot of success in the first round and the second round. He's the South Paul. These are all the reasons he's going to give Volk trouble. And I think at times people try to build into something because you're so dominant. Well, I'm building that too, right? I like that.

I like that. That's good because, but I mean, we all know that I've improved so much every fight. That's been the ongoing conversation every time I step in there. It's like, how does he keep getting better? like it on me so for people to say that just remember i got better i'm always like that i don't know why i still get surprised when i watch you fight i actually said that if you beat islam was the biggest upset in ufc history which after watching the fight being as close and competitive as it is i'm a fucking idiot i might get paid to do this but like i guess i'm an idiot but that

i wouldn't say i wouldn't say that i think it's again it's not only was i moving up i was moving up probably as what people thought the worst I mean what are you doing

Chris you can't believe that your answer your answer was oh it made the worst I can make the worst

where were we we just said it's gone it's gone it's gone gone I don't even know where I was going

with you just said you went up yeah exactly obviously not only not only I went up in

way which is going to be a tough challenge no matter who it is then it's why is moving up a challenge?

Because the guy's bigger. You know what I mean? You're good of power. Then all of a sudden, I'm not only facing someone bigger. I'm facing the worst possible matchup in that sense where this guy's going to be the not only bigger, one of the biggest, one of the strongest who's a grappler. And it's just like, that's how a lot of people are looking at it. So I'm like, oh, yeah, that's fair.

But they're used to seeing other people in them positions. Not me. Yeah, absolutely. So this weekend, you fight you out here back at 1.45. He looked like an absolute world. against Josh Emmett, right? And Josh Emmett does have the same type of body style, but what Yair did to control him was kicking.

How do you counter that? How do you get in range? Because if you're in a guy that has mastered, counter it as the shorter guy, you can't stay at range. Because if you stand in range, you're in his kicking range. Do you have to kind of change the approach a little bit?

I don't want you to give away your whole game playing. It's going to be obvious. And it's pretty easy to sort of say, like, no disrespect to Josh Hemmer, but, you know, I'm not going to just stand right in front of him and just come forward. Yeah. There's going to be a way clever approach in how even if I want a pressure, you know, with what I do,

there's going to be obviously a system we've got going and like things that we're going to do to make it very difficult. You're not just going to see me stand in front. Yeah. Yeah, again, it's a very, very bad idea to just stand in front of you. Yeah, he would be rigorous. And that's exactly what he did. I get why he maybe did it because he'd probably seen Frankie Edgar or Frankie Edgar just come forward. Yoir is a total different beast to them.

Yeah. He can fight in range, long range, he'll get you in between. And he showed that that Frankie Edgar approach isn't going to work. The mind. I watch your YouTube breakdowns. Your YouTube's a good video. Make sure you guys go and watch my guys YouTube. It does a great job.

See? Not only the cooking. So we always come flackers. I'm taking the video. You got my back. Not only the cooking videos, but his breakdowns and reaction videos are top-notch, my boy, Alexander Volkanowski. Before I let you go, champ. I mean, it's just so disappointed.

This whole Denver Nuggets thing. Oh, okay. I was like, where does he go on with me? A big sigh. Like, you all of a sudden now, you are now all of a sudden, it was my gimmick, but now your gimmick is to be a bandwagon jumper. I mean, all of a sudden, you're, ah, Jamal Murray's my best friend, Nicola Yol. Kitchen. I've seen you getting your phone out for videos and all that.

Yeah. Bro, but listen, all this, like, Vogue, now you're a Nuckett's fan because they win the NBA title. It's so embarrassing. You're the champion of the world.

Hey, I'm an old ex-champion, so I need it like winners because I'm not winning anymore. You're still winning. You don't have to bandwagon jumble. I mean, why's so far down?

How much are you posting? I don't even, I went way too far. Shit, where am I? That's how long. guy He's trying to make it

go down to make it see him as though he like him for a long time. This guy right here likes the nuggets now? Come on, come on, come on, come on. What is this?

You're from Australia. And now you're a Denver Nuggets fan. So when did the season start? The season starts in November. Okay. The season starts in November. So you're saying the season started after August. Oh, look, so he's got a video.

Oh, wait, so he's got a video. He's got an old. Your manager's got a win. What's that? What's that? Go look at the day. Or is that the latest one? Go back.

Go back one. Wait a second. So you're playing basketball with the Nuggets? Yeah, man. Did you make a shot? My halfway through here for Easy's fight with Pereira, the first one at UFC in New York. I was at Boston's game with Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon. We went on the private jet back to New York and watched the UFC together.

What? Wait, I'm telling you. It's legit. Damn, it's nice to be the champ. Hey, you know this guy. It wasn't my private job. This is not a private jet. I wish.

Here we go. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, here we go. He's even wearing freestyle fighting gym. What was it? August 22. Well, hell, it's not even a year yet, Volcanowski. So, like, you can't sit there and claim. I'm a massive, but.

That was the four-no NBA champions. What are you trying to say? Yeah, you're right. You're right, so I guess maybe. So, okay, so I'm going to tell everyone the story who would like to finish it on that. Yeah. There's a reason that how I got my team. Obviously, I want connections.

Even back home I live in Wollongongong so most of them are there but say with the Dragons I did a bit of wrestling with them all that's the connection I do strength and conditioning

with the Hawks and basketball players and Wollongongonger and the local ones I got a connection Raiders after the Ortega fight they end up having us in the infield like the goal line

and we had a like it was after the fire deck drinking Yeah yeah fine Got the treatment right That is the most That's it

Have you seen every hat I wear Yeah Raiders What are you going to do Next time they win the They win the They win the Super Bowl and you're gonna say I'm a... Well, here's the problem.

You ain't got to worry about that. They're winning the Super Bowl. They're not winning the Super Bowl, don't. They're not winning in the Super Bowl. But then the LA Kings, yeah, win the L.A. Kings, boom. Ice hockey, I'm L.A. Kings guy. Yeah, I even got, you know, talk to some of the guys.

That's me. And then I did the Jamal come in because he's a massive fan coming to the gym. And that's it. I'm hooked. That's here. I'm a Denver guy. This guy right here is, he's a loyalist, ladies and gentlemen.

So the next team the UFC sends him to, That's his team because that's essentially how he's picking his teams at this point. If you're any franchise

give me the treatment and I've got you back. He got you back. Guys, this guy right here one of the best palm fighters in the world Alexander Volcanowski

defends his championship for the seventh, eighth time. How many times have you done? I think it's going to be five this is going to be my six time. Yeah, six title fight, fifth title defense

against Sharia Rodriguez this Saturday Lock from the Tebowl Arena. UFC 290. Hit the buy button also follow him on Instagram,

subscribe to his YouTube channel. Dude's dropping dimes. Champ, thanks for checking in with me again, as always, man. Ladies and gentlemen, Alexander Volcanowski. Until next time, peace. 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. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes

for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th.

You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifers Show. This is a place for raw, unfurreds of conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it. Listen to The Clifford Show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok's podcast network on TikTok. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.