The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Daniel Cormier TV - Ben Askren and Daniel Cormier talk Jon Jones "nightmares" and fight vs Aspinall

Episode Date: September 1, 2023

DC and Ben Askren are BACK with another episode of Funky and the Champ! The two react to Jon Jones making headlines this week after saying he constantly has nightmares of his opponents, including Stipe Miocic, and why Jones isn't sure a fight with Tom Aspinall is something he'll entertain. Askren says although  he has Jones a significant favorite against Stipe, a loss to Tom Aspinall could put his GOAT status in serious jeopardy, as was the case was with UFC legend Anderson Silva. Plus, don't miss Ben and DC give their take on the rumor that Jon Jones won't fight on the same card as Colby Covington. #Volume #HerdSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. 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. 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 IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. On the Look Back at it podcast. For 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84 was big to me.

I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a year, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. With our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors. Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s. 84 was a wild year. It was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people.

Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The volume. Another episode of Funky and the Champ. I'm fat. Jamal's like skinny fat. You got you like you, like you're skinny fat. Take it back. Today I chose violent.

I'm suing. Sue them. I had to mute on for the fight. Sorry, Daniel, I did mute you. You guys are going to be lifetime enemies because of the shit you say. The moment you get a microphone in your face. Bro, you're crazy. Ben, in case you didn't know, baby, I'm crazy about you.

Ben, in case you didn't know, Ben, I'm crazy about you. And I would be lying if I said that I could not, I could live this life without you. I just want you to know that. Are you practicing? I learned a new song. I just learned a new song. And I immediately thought of you.

So I said, Ben, let's get on the horn. Let's do a show. Let's do a show. My guy, how you doing, bro? I'm doing pretty well. I figured that was some song from the 90s or something. Actually, I thought when you started, you know, singing that. No, it's some country song that I just, I just started listening to.

You look at the country? Oh, I love country. His name is. What? No way. His name is Brett Young. His name is Brett Young. It's like, I love the song.

Anyhow. That's awesome. Ben Ascran, the reason I'm here today is because my boy is in the news. And why wouldn't he be, right? He's the heavyweight champion in the world. And the heavyweight champion of the world is the news. But he's in the news for something that's very weird. He was doing a podcast the other day,

and John Jones was asked about Sergey Pavlovick and Tom Aspen all those guys. He states at his advanced age, he has to weigh the business versus the actual fighting and where he is in his career. He said, steepa keeps him up at night. But those guys, they're young. They're hungry, but he never really, like, expanded on the conversation.

So we don't know in regards to what. So my question to you is this, man, is John Jones just really, really smart? Because think about this. Yeah. When he was beating all of us, we were all in our 30s, and he was the young guy. Yeah. So is he just really smart to not play the game? Well, I mean, part of the two is someone,

posted a it was a picture of John Jones being ranked in 2013 and I think they said he's maybe the only guy who was ranked in 2013 who's still competing something to that effect right and I was thinking you know okay wow he's been around forever but then I started thinking like he's missing significant gaps he has multiple one year so uh his win versus you versus win over ovans say prude that was a 15 month gap he then took roughly the same gap uh between time you thought opens and you again after that he takes like an 18 month gap um and then obviously most recently he took like a three year gap right and so that can you believe that how many years so long i mean that's 15 plus 15 plus 18 so we're talking 48 that's four years plus three that's

seven years of miss time of miss time that's seven years without a fight of those four gaps right um and so it's like holy moly that's so long so yeah 15 15 18 18 in three years. That's seven years. And so it's like, oh, man, you know, John could have... No, no, no. 15, 15 and 18.

So he, so let's just, let's just stop. Let's just stop. Let's count them. Okay. So the first time when I won the belt in 15, was that the first gap? When he got suspended for the car accident, that was the first gap, no? Wait, that's, okay, so the first,

no, the first gap, um, no, he's later stripped the title after he violated the UFC. Yeah, so the first time he beat you in January of January 3. 15. 2015 he doesn't fight again for 15 months until he fights open st. Peru in April of 16 stripped of that title for Colmphine and Lettrazol. That was when him and I were supposed to fight at UFC 200. So how long after UFC 200?

He came back and fought me in July, right? April of 2016 to July of 2017, yes. Wow. And then Taranaba Ball. And so then he takes a gap from July 2017 to December 2018. So he made his. UFC debut in 2009. Yeah.

It's 23 now, 14 years. So you're essentially telling me, in those 14 years, John Jones has only fought for seven of them. Yeah, really. And sometimes he was super busy, like 2011. He was knocking him out. He fought four times in 2011. And then, you know, most recently, like that 2018,

so he fought December 29, 2018, and then he fought twice in 19 and early in 20. So four times there and essentially like 16th, on period, you know. So, yeah, he did all of his fighting kind of really close together. And, you know, so it does feel weird because it feels like we've been missing him for a really long time of what, what should have been his prime. That means that heavyways have been able to hold up for longer. So I would say if John Jones wanted to, he could do whatever he wants. He probably's got three to five good, really good fighting years left. And I was thinking

he should make himself the main event. So I was thinking about other really time performers. Like, Mike Tyson, you didn't really care who Mike Tyson was fighting. You just showed up to watch Mike Tyson fight. Yes, yes. Is that fair? Yes. Floyd Mayweather. Sometimes he fought bums.

He showed up to watch Floyd made with their fight. On one fight cards, too. With the UFC, you'll get like a good co-main event, a good pay-per-view. In boxing, it was one fight on the card, just the main event. Yeah, that's all you were watching. And then obviously, McGregor would be the, our UFC example of a, you know, you didn't miss a McGregor fight. And I was thinking with McGregor that one time he fought Diaz. And this, McGregor was active in hers earlier years.

He fought Diaz. Diaz was not really a big name. Diaz in his previous fight to the first McGregor fight made 20 and 20. He made 20 and 20. Think about that he was, you know, and then he has the after fight speech, which was really popular. Then he beats McGregor. And McGregor actually elevated him, right? Everybody elevates everybody.

But John could do the same thing. If John was really active. John did it for me. John did it for me. My profile was much bigger after him and I's interactions. And then Steve Amy Oitch was bigger after him and I went through our trilogy. So it really does kind of follow that same formula where once you fight a guy that's established, your status kind of grows.

But John Jones could elevate those guys, but why? See, the difference is this, Ben, when we were older fighting Jones, I was 35 the first time I bought Jones. but he was already the man. Rampage was in his 30s when he fought Jones. Shogun was in his, Shogun was young. Shogun was that was like,

he was only like, Shogun literally is 30 right now. But he's so much damage from pride that it was different. But Rishat was in his 30s. Rampage was in his 30s. Yes. Everybody, I was in, I was in my mid 30s.

Everybody was in their 30s until he got to guys like, Anthony Smith and Tiago Silva I think his name was and Dom Reyes Tiago Santos Reyes and Jones is kind of like ah those guys don't get me excited right I went from fighting all these legends

to fighting these young guys who really don't really get the juices pumping but in this one he says about Aspinall and Sergei who would absolutely get the juices pumping he just isn't interested because now he's weighing the business versus the actual competition.

But to me, I feel like John Jones and a headliner, it don't really change much in regards to who he's fighting. He did over 700,000 buys against Cyril Gond. He would probably do 700,000 buys against Tom Aspinall. He'd do 700 against Sergey Pavlovich. So what is he saying in this instance? He just doesn't want to fight those young, hard punching, hard charging guys. But then isn't it just what he wants to do then?

So it's like, well, John, if you want to fight this, want to be done. You had a great career. You're probably the best, if not one of the best of all time. But if what you want to do is fight, then you should fight. Like, if you want to fight, you should be active and fight probably three times a year. He won't fight three times a year anymore. He never does. But, you know, I put those two instances

because the one he fought four times in one calendar year, there's been fought four times like 15 months. So, you know, he has kind of bunched him together. Like, John could put three or four or five. together. So what you do is you love fighting and you love mixed martial arts, then that's what he should do. And if he doesn't love it anymore and he wants to ride off in the sunset, then he's perfectly well to ride off in the sunset. He's one of the best of all time. Yeah, I just think like when I hear it to me, I, I defer my first thought was I laughed. I was like, oh my God, like,

we all were so excited to fight him. But then I started to think about it. I was like, it is the difference. He was the man. So in order to get to where you wanted to go, you had to fight him. He doesn't have to fight those guys. But he can kind of pick and choose who he wants to fight. Are you saying he's going to take this fighting against Stepe and then he's just going to wait for a couple years till someone... I don't know.

That's the thing. I don't know because I don't know what that quote means. Because I know that he's not afraid. Right? Some people will run off the edge. Oh, he's scared. John Jones is scared to Sergey. John Jones is scared. That's not true. He's not afraid of Sergey Pavlovick and he's not afraid

of Tom Aspinall. but when he said those guys didn't get the juices flowing, those fights were very, very close to competitive. So then he puts that risk everything that I think he valued. Because for all you might want to say, MMA fans have such a short memory, he loses one real time. Then they start to reevaluate how they judge him and base him

in terms of who he is overall. Because if Anderson's Zilk could be what he was and people now don't call him the greatest of all time, It just told you how fickle. You can't worry about legacy. You know, they're so fickle because Anderson Silva, if you remember the stretch he was on, and I totally agree with you.

I think we're on the same page here. But you remember the stretch Anderson Silva was on. I mean, he was the goat. And then after that, I was going to challenge him for that status. No, he was killing people at that point in time. Yeah. He wanted to keep fighting.

And that's, you know, sometimes it's like, well, that's what they want to do. That's what they should do. You know, to me, the sad part is when, they have to keep fighting because they need the money. I don't necessarily think that was the case with Anderson. I think he just wanted to keep fighting and he got older and he wasn't. Well, that's why he still fights now.

Anderson likes to fight, right? It's what he does. It's his identity and it's what he's known for. But like, I think Jones could walk away. I'm just really trying to understand the quote, right? Look within the words because he was damn sure fighting us. We were in our mid-30s. And he's like, tell these dudes like, you know, Tom Aspinon,

plus you also got to deal with the fact that Tom Aspinall and Sergey Pavlovick have not been UFC champion. So those guys are so hungry to get what you want, it makes it even more difficult. I just thought it was a very interesting quote from a guy that I didn't

you never know with him. You just really don't know with him. So my question is, do you think he ultimately fights those guys? It's John Jones. So you don't, you don't know. And he is maybe not. totally clear in his intention sometimes,

but I think he should say like, you know, if he beats Stepe, I beat Stepe, I'm the greatest of all time, I'm done, I don't really want to fight anymore, I'm going to go right up into the sunset. And listen, he might do a George Shepierre and get a wild hair up his butt and said, I want to go fight Michael Bisming for the title three years later or whatever.

Well, you know, George Shepier only did that because it was Mike holding the title. If Luke Rockhold was still the champion, he wouldn't have fought Luke Rockhold. He did that because he saw the matchup. I promise you, Chris Wyman or Luke Rockhole as the middleweight champ. I don't think that George are here making accusations.

No, I'm serious. I've said this before I let you. Ben, let me ask you this though before I let you. Does John beat Steepen Miotich? I think I would favor him significantly at this point. Really? His last fight. You know what's crazy is, you know, obviously he was the light heavy weight. He's definitely going to be bigger than

Stepe, no doubt. He's going to be bigger. Well, Steve A put some weight back on. Stepe got real small when we were fighting. He was like 235 or 230 or something. I was so fast. John is not really the fastest. So yeah, I think John just need to decide what he wants.

You know, does he want to, if he wants to be the fighter, he should just, he could be, he could be like the one that we all watch. Like, okay,

the John Joe's like, even in wrestling, Daniel, I'm sure, I don't know about you, but there's guys who I love watching wrestle. I'm not going to miss their match. Like,

it doesn't really matter who they're wrestling. It doesn't matter who the counterpart is. It was Jordan Burroughs. I'm, I will say this, I will say this. I will watch Jordan Burroughs anytime, but when you and Jordan Burroughs wrestled,

I was more interested because of you also. Right? So having a great dance partner is beneficial, but I believe that this guy's at a point of school where he doesn't necessarily need a dance partner. Hey, Kobe Covington and that was won a fight,

but they can't find the fight card right now. Oh, I thought they were on New York 2-95. Jones is not going to fight with Kobe Covington. What do you think of that? They were buddies. They went to Iowa Central together. They got history. Oh, I know.

But Kobe just talks about them all the time, bad mouths them. And Jones won't fight with him. What do you think about that? That's wild. I need to do one more comparison of John Jones. I was just thinking about, you know, probably Ali's most famous trilogy. So when Ali fought Frazier, right, he had actually missed a whole bunch of time because of the Vietnam War thing, which was dumb. but you know he started the pro in

1960 and by the time I think the first fight with Frazier was 73 I think right just 13 years is kind of a long time he's older and Frazier was the up-and-comer you know now but he had the belt because Ali was gone and so but if you think about it that's 13 years near his fight for and then the last one I think was either 75 or 76

between them and that is like literally the most famous trilogy of all time so it's like well you know if John keeps fighting who knows what, you know, maybe Tom Aspinall becomes this really great fighter. And, you know, he beats Jones the first time. And then Jones comes with Ashton, beats him twice. And that became a really famous trilogy. Like that thing could absolutely happen and really elevate his status even more, even though he doesn't quite know.

Because how old is Jones? How old is Jones now? 36. 36 years old. So yeah, he's getting a little old. Yes. Getting a little older. 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 I'm saying. Yep, that's me. Clifford 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 Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.

And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast.

I'm Sam Jett. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick it here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day

But just so y'all know I mean at this point Mark this is the second episode where we've discussed crack So I'm starting to see that there's a through line We also have AIDS on the table right now So Thank you finishing that sentence

I don't think there's a more important year for black people Really? Yeah For me it's one of the most important years For black people in American history Listen to look back at it On the IHeart Radio app Apple Podcasts

Or wherever you get your podcast I don't know, Ben. I don't know what we got accomplished because you just keep talking circles. Like you don't want to, for the first time, I'm telling you, if you're saying, Ben, you could do advise John Jones. Yes. And I go to him. I said, John, you really like fighting?

And he says, yes. I said, well, let's do this. Let's knock out three or four fights a year. One of these guys is going to elevate, you don't help elevate you. You're going to elevate them and you're going to become, you already are the greatest, but you're going to be one of the greatest, most famous of all time. and if he says, ah, I like doing other things. I'm saying, good, go knock out Steve A or go finish Steve and then move on because

you're already one of the greatest of all time. I think it's pretty simple. He just needed to decide. He said exactly what you said for the last 15 minutes, just more direct. Like, you changed nothing that you said. I thought my answer was good in the first place. I don't need to change it. What's your answer?

My answer is clear. What's your answer? I, let me, I'm going to tell you, I don't know. still don't know what the quote means. I don't know why he doesn't want to really entertain those guys. And I think that to me is what's most interesting. Like why is John Jones not really interested in these guys? Because like I said, I know he's not afraid.

It has to be something more. And I don't think more is the economic part of it because I think he'll do pretty good anytime he fights now because of who he is in the status in the game. Ben, once again, my friend. Awesome to do the show. We should get, dude, we've been missing.

We missed like two weeks in the row. I've been like so crazy busy, but we'll be back at it next week. And then I'll see y'all in Chicago. My guy from P&L. I can't wait. It's going to be fun. Hey, what about that video?

Y'all sent me to Cody Merrill. Said that to Cody Merrill? Did you send him to him out? Is he coming to P&L? The dude, your boy's like, yo, Ben, how in the hell does your boy get beat 11-0

and he want to talk shit? He can't lose 11-0. We're ready to battle, but hold on. Number one. It's a folks down match. Number two, that referee let that illegal hold go on. They even watched it on the big stream.

It was very clearly illegal, and they still gave, and they gave him an extra point for the lost challenge. So it should have actually been two zero at the end of the first period. But you think that you're better in collegiate? Yeah, well, I think there's great likelihood of Cole winning in folks style, yes. All right, man. And I already know. Listen, I can't tell you what it is,

but I picked up during the match on what Cody was doing and why Cole was failing to counter it. So I got it now. I know what Cody was doing. Tell Cody we got it. He'll never counter it. He'll never counter it. We will.

All right, we'll see. We got it. All right, guys. Hey, until next time, Daniel Cormier, Ben Ascran. Peace. 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 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. 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 IHeart Radio app Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts On the Look Back at it podcast

For 1979 That was a big moment for me 84 is big to me I'm Sam J And I'm Alex English Each episode We pick a here unpack what went down

And try to make sense of how we survived it With our friends Fellow Comedians And favorite authors Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s. 84 was a wild year.

I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.