The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Daniel Cormier TV - Tai Tuivasa has "demons to let go of" against Alexander Volkov at UFC 293

Episode Date: September 9, 2023

Daniel Cormier checks in with Tai Tuivasa ahead of his co-main event fight at UFC 293 against Alexander Volkov, and "Bam Bam" brought it! Tuivasa reveals to DC something about his training that you won't believe! Plus, Tai breaks down his new approach to the fight against Volkov and why Alexander won't like when he get's "punches in bunches." And don't miss why Cormier can't believe it when Tuivasa tells him about watching Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic and other fights in the UFC! #Volume #HerdSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Thank you. I'm with Bam, tied to Ivasa, UFC 293 fight this weekend against Alexander Volkov in the Co-Main event. What's been going on, man? It's been a while. Been a while. It's been good. Been home. Yeah.

So feel good. You fought last December? December, yeah. Last December you fought. And obviously, we're all the way back and. September. For a while there, you were very active. Why to break? I needed it. I needed a break. You think the act, do you think you were doing too much? Oh, I was going too much. Yeah, I wasn't away from home for two years. I needed to see my family. I need to, you know, my area,

my family means so much to me. It's a long time away, you know. You fall in love with that feeling, though, right? The success of the win. Yeah, yeah. And then you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, your star power really skyrocketed in that time. In this time of Wiedel, with your family, being home, like, how much have you been able to kind of, like, reconnect with the things that ultimately matter the most, right? Like, just really get back to yourself. Just the little things and the daddy things, you know,

I didn't, I wasn't able to take my son to school when I was in Dubai. I couldn't, I didn't pick him up from school, he was playing soccer, couldn't do any of that, you know what I mean? I'm working, I'm putting food on the table but, you know, and my son's a little he's just like me, so if I'm not around I talk a shit to you. Yeah, he will, he will run the race.

So the last time you lost a couple of fights in a row, you made some changes, then you went on the run. Have you done anything different in this buildup? Have you made any changes in the time that you've been home? Like, have you started to train with anyone different. Have you done anything different? I've been doing weights.

Lifting? Yeah, I'm trying to get stronger. You're lying. You've been lifting weights. I never did weights. You never lifted weight. See, some of the time, sometimes you tell me shit and I don't know if you fucked with me.

I've been honest, because I remember before you told me. But this is the only weights here, like this. Yeah, and remember you told me, I never, I didn't know how to fight. I learned this shit on the job. Yeah. And then you, then you were so adamant about it that I believed. And then you started beating, knocking everybody out when you say you learn the fight.

Now you're telling me after all this time, you've never lifted weights. No. I'm just fit fat. You like that, huh? I kind of do. It kind of threw me for a loop a little bit, because the reality is, we all lift weights.

Especially in high school when you play football, when you're playing sports, you're just lifting. So when I played rugby league, I was in the fat club. So I had to do the rower instead of the weights. Oh, yeah, yeah. They never let me lift weights because I would get too big. Do you feel any difference since you started to spend more time to do you? I was doing weights during the whole time until I started camp.

So it was good. My body felt good. I think it was just that as well, you know. I need that rest. Need that rest. What did you, where did you do your camp at? At home. Zoo Fitness.

I've been in the area. Really? I've been home. So just not going back to Dubai at all, huh? No. I've missed my family. And I've been training with a lot of my childhood friends, my cousins. They've just been coming to support, you know, doing the sessions.

It's been good, man. It feel good to just be home. Feel good to be home, and even better to fight in front of Sydney. Well, you haven't fought here since 2017? My debut. It's been a long time. What do you expect to come this weekend? A lot's changed.

I mean, I'm bringing it. It's been a long time. I got some demons to let go. Because for as fun as it is, being home, you do need that. I used to always get told, dude, when are you going to go to the gym and punch somebody? Because you need to get rid of some of that energy that builds up inside of you because you're a fighter. Yeah. We all got demons.

Yeah. So you need to punch someone. Oh, yeah. No, I need to, you know, it's fighting for me is I express myself. It's Alexander Volkov. And I don't get in trouble. It's Alexander Volkaw. Was that the guy you expected, still highly ranked guy,

a guy that's been around for a long time, has hung around the championship picture? Was that the type of fight that you expect to come back? Yeah, I'm in the top tier now. I've never been one to pick fights. I haven't changed. Yeah. And that was the name they gave me,

and I thought it was a great matchup. Right away. Well, I think if a big win, over Volkov will keep me up where I'm at. Yeah, right back in the conversation. Especially with the popularity and the way people are drawn to you, it don't take as much, right? Because this is more than just fighting.

It's a business. At times you've got to be a business and you have actually done a really good job of tapping into that. But when you look at Alexander Volkov and you're breaking him down as you're preparing, where can he, like, where do you see the issues outside of just a lift? I think if I stay out in his long range, it might be a hard day for me. But I think my aggression and my fitness that I've been really working on is going to push the pace.

Yeah. And from punches in bunches and keep coming forward. I don't think he will like that. They say that you don't lose, you learn, right? What did you learn in those last two fights? I learned that Sirogan is very fast. He is fast. And fucking Spivak hit hard.

That's what I learned. That's not who you fought. Oh, who did I verse? You didn't fight B-B-B-B-B-B-B-B-B. What's his name, man? He fought Spivek years ago. Oh, shit. No, it's all good.

Fuck that coffee. I just... No, you don't fight Spieback. Chocolate milk? What the hell? It's coffee, bro. It's coffee. Come on, man.

I do a lot of cream right there. I'm sweet. I'm real sweet. You know, I'm real sweet, Todd. What's his name? Spavlovich. No, Pavlovich. Pavlovich.

Pavlovich Pavlovich Pavlovich I don't know The pab him He hits hard Yeah It's hard

But I didn't get to hit him So You don't know how Yeah Maybe You know Next time around We can

Both have a feel But that's it That's all you learned In there right Like Maybe Maybe the I just think you take

I think for me Honestly I think Like I loved As a friend When you were Rocking

And rolling And winning all the fights But at a point It gets to be too much. It's like you're fighting five times in you know, like a short period of time.

And I don't even know if it's I don't even know because you're knocking people out. I don't know if it's the physical. It's the mental. Of constantly being in preparation for something that big. I don't know if we as humans can do that. That's something that Asana does too. He's very active.

I don't know how he keeps that schedule when he's a champion. He's skinny. If I didn't have to lose weight, shit. I'll fight. I'll fight every week. But it's like the mind, right? The preparation for such a big fight. As you know, it's a lot of draining.

It's cutting out food, cutting out time with your friends, your family. You know, it was a lot. I worked hard. I went hard for two years. I was away from my son for two years. I needed to get back. Yeah. Saturday night you're fighting in Sydney.

I mean, this whole town should be on. on high alert. Because if you win this fight on Sunday, they think people go crazy when NBA teams winning, they burn down cars and shit. There'll be a few sickies Monday. That's for sure. What's a sickie? No one rocks up to work because they're calling sick. Oh, they calling in sick. Yeah, yeah, everyone. I'm going out there with you. I'll leave till Monday. If you, if you're going, I'll leave till Monday. If you win, I'm out, I'm out. I'm going to, you know, you know how I'm out. You'll be there. We're out west. We're going back up. I'm going all the way out west. I'm going as hard. I'm as you go.

I got you a car to and from. You're going to have to drive me to airport. No, I'm not driving shit. I'll get you a driver. You're going to have to put me to the air. They're going to drag me in the airport and just throw me in there. Go back to the United States.

We've done with you guys. Pretty much. Pretty much. You can hang out with Thai 2Avarez. We'll see. Yeah. What do you think of like, when you look at the heavyweight division right now as a whole, like what do you make

of the division? With John Jones is the champ now. Obviously, Pavlovich is rocking and rolling. Steve Amy Yotchchch is fighting Jones in November. Like, what do you make in a division? Do you watch, do you watch it? You don't watch fighting? No.

What was the last fight you watch? Uh, Sue versus Spavli. That was last week. Speedback. I watched the them. The heavyweights. That's it. The heavyweights.

Yeah. What did you think of Jones and, uh, Cyril? Yeah, Cyril didn't rock up. He didn't fight. He wasn't there for it. It was weird. It was a weird, it was a weird situation. Yeah.

Does Mioches beat Jones, you think? You don't think so? I don't know. No, no. He was a big, Jones. You're just too old? I haven't even seen a picture of me, I changed, for about five years. Well, he fought two years ago against Francis.

Oh, did he? He fought against Francis, got knocked out. He hasn't been. But he's gained weight, right? Remember when him and I were fighting, he got real small, like 230 pounds. Now I guess he weighs, like, 250 again, so he's bigger. Jones is bigger. I think this will make for a great fight?

Hopefully you're watching. You're not going to watch it? I'm right. Dude, you're in this division. You want to be the champ. You got to watch. I ain't got to watch shit. I watch myself.

That's what we all going to be doing. I stay in my own lane. Stay in your own lane. That's it. There's a little something different about you. Like right now I can feel like you just really had peace with everything. I'm good. I'm ready to roll.

I just want to eat. I'm hungry. I don't know about this hippie haircut, though, man. Bro, I know you're jealous. You think I'm just jealous? I think so. God, damn. Feel that.

Have it feel. Can I be honest? Have a few and then feel yours. Have a few? It's actually fabulous. I woke up this way. If I knew your hair was going to look like this, I would have canceled the interview. If I knew you looked that beautiful.

If I knew you looked that glorious, I would have canceled the fucking interview. Nobody comes to see your pretty ass. Guys, this thing are? The whole stadium one. They really do. Guys, tie two of awesome fights at UFC 293 this weekend. Big Bam, goes back in the octagon as he takes on Alexander Volkov. Make sure you hit the buy button.

This guy's always fun. Tap in to watch him. In Australia, I know y'all going to show off for you, boys. So until next time, like, subscribe, and I'll get you on the next one. 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 I-Hard Radio app,

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