The Joe Rogan Experience - JRE MMA Show #17 with Yoel Romero & Joey Diaz

Episode Date: March 12, 2018

Joe sits down with Yoel Romero to discuss his history as a fighter and wrestler from Cuba, and Joey Diaz joins to assist with translation from Spanish.

5, 4, 3, 2, 1 And we're live with Joey Coco Diaz and one of the baddest motherfuckers on the planet, Yoel Romero In the house Thank you so much So Yoel, you got a good grasp of English, pretty good Joey's gonna help fill in the blanks And we'll be able to have some good communication here You guys did a podcast last night in Spanish.

Yes, Spanish, Spanglish and English. We started in English and it went into Spanglish. And I just wanted to know, I wanted people to know how your Romero was. We talked about Cuba and his humble beginnings, how he went to school from Monday to Fridays at a pyramid and you just wrestled. And that's how they do it in Cuba.

And then you go up the pyramid, and now he only went home on the weekends. A pyramid meaning? It's a pyramid school. Implícame la escuela. Implícase. ¿Dónde tú? Es un sistema. It's a system. Es un sistema de pirámide que empieza desde muy temprano.

It starts at about seven years old. All the sports in Cuba start that way. And you go up the pyramid. But you stay there for the week and they educate you, they feed you You sleep there, you wrestle there You wrestle You wake up in the morning 7 in the morning Everything is by a schedule Everything is run by a schedule. Militaristic style.

A 7 to 8 breakfast. 8 to 12 school. You went to school. History, the basic stuff, mathematics, History, the basic stuff, mathematics, physics, everything. How did they decide what sport you compete in? Like, how did you choose wrestling? Was that just something that you loved? Or was it, did you like other sports? Like, how did you choose to focus on wrestling? No, yo, in the beginning, quería hacer boxeo. ¿Boxeo?

Boxeo. Mi padre, para mi familia, es boxeo y peatones. Es mi familia, peatones y boxeo. Pero me gustó el boxeo en el principio. Mi padre me dijo, no, no me gusta que hagas boxeo porque es demasiado my dad said no it's I know like you make a sport be a boxing because boxing is too much punching in the face it's not good it's not good but you know I'm in the beginning make a boxing as condi you would hide it from his dad oh really six years old he was boxing he would hide it from his dad. Con un gran boxeador cubano,

Hipólito Ramos, subcampeón olímpico en Moscú 80. A little Ramos, the Olympic, whatever, 1980, he would sneak

around with him. Aprendía con él, a escondidas de mi papá. He would learn with him how to box hiding from his dad. Ah. So,

when did you focus on just wrestling? When did wrestling take over? Okay. In my province, in my city, Pina del Rio, everybody knows my family. One coach for wrestling, Jose Vizcaeno, he sees me and I go to...

The pyramid system is done this way many trainers go to schools to look for talent and they do tryouts and it depends on the tests they can do for what sport you can and they do tryouts depending on how you're doing the testing so it's just like

they go, they evaluate you and then they decide what's best for you for example you coach for boxing I am coach for judo you coach for boxing taekwondo something like this You coach for boxing. I am called for judo. Joy is a cause Boxing no, no, I wonder wonder something like this. Okay, we say okay we go to tomorrow for

for school and We test the people for the for the kid, you know, you do you you test for the boxing, I do it for wrestling, and you do it for... Taekwondo. Taekwondo, you know. And now you see, see 10 kids, you got 10 kids, and you see who is the best,

who has the talent for boxing. Maybe you see, okay, for boxing, good, maybe not good. But you say, you see, you can see, you say,, for boxing not good, but for Taekwondo, hey, Joey, this guy, I have a talent for your sport. And now, you know, like this. And that's the pyramid system in Cuba, you know.

The people take it when the kid is very young, you know. La parte más baja. Se llama pre-aide. Pre-aide. Sí. Es como se llama la más baja. Pre-EID. El otro nivel más alto después de ese se llama EID. El tercer nivel es ESPA.

Esa ESPA tiene, con otro nombre, un nivel más alto. Se llama ESPA Nacional. ESPA otro nombre, un nivel más alto. Se llama ESPA Nacional. ESPA Nacional. Es el nivel más alto. Ese es el Junior. Junior, ok. Junior. Después de esa ESPA Nacional está Selección Nacional. Entonces tienes la selección para ser nacional. Sí, como el Centro Olímpico.

El Centro Olímpico. Entonces te llevan a un centro diferente. Así que sigues subiendo hasta que llegues a la instalación de entrenamiento de la UFC. Olympic Center. At the Olympic Center. So they take you to a different center. So you keep going up like until you get to like the UFC training facility. Matt Brown told me that he did his camp for, I think it was

the Mike Pyle fight, did his camp in Cuba. Yeah. And he said there's just tremendous talent. He said he just couldn't believe

how good the boxers were, how good the wrestlers were. It was just unbelievable. Yeah. I hear that Matt Brown stayed in Cuba. I hear. For six weeks. Yeah. I hear that Mark Brown stayed in Cuba. I hear. Yeah.

For six weeks. Yeah. He stayed in Masato. Mark Brown go for Masato. He went to the highest level when he was down there. Yeah. Yeah, he said he got worked. Dicen que le metieron un gato con cojones.

I know. Those were good guys, man. He said they were good. I know. Those are good guys, man. He said they were good. Right now, I think I can't go to an Olympic center like this. I have to go slowly because... He thinks he can't even go back there to that center now.

Now they would whip him. They're not good. Now they would spank him at his age. Wow. That's crazy. I tease him. I tease him age wow that's crazy I tease him I tease him I tease him

I tease him that's crazy when you were there Matt one of the things that Matt was saying and Matt Brown had tremendous respect

for the Cuban athletes and he said it was an amazing amazing system that produced great great talent but he's saying that as you get

higher and higher levels your accommodations are better where you sleep's saying that as you get higher and higher levels, your accommodations are better, where you sleep is better, your food, you get more food. The better you get, the higher your food is, the better you sleep, they take care of you more than

down there. It's a lot of incentive to improve. It's true. Yeah. It's hard, right. It's the reality. It's hard to say, but it's the reality. I'm going to tell you. He went to a lot of Olympic centers all over the world.

The number five and the number six wrestlers from those countries eats the same as number one. But in Cuba it's not like that. If you're number three, you don't eat what number one eats. Wow. And you're not going to eat the same as number two either. The number one guy has the most privilege. It's good and it's bad. Because it pushes you to be the best.

You want to get more food. What's the bad part? What's the bad part of all this? That not everybody has the possibility of being the best at what they're doing. And not everybody has, could be the best at what they're doing. Right. That's the worst part of it. You're not going to have the privilege of eating a lobster yeah it's rough but if you look at how small cuba is but how many great talents have come from cuba obviously it's effective

i mean it has its merits, right? Like that system, it's a brutal system, but it seems to be very effective in producing super high-level athletes. They ain't giving you no trophies for second place. There's no participation trophies. Here they give you trophies if you don't get a second. In Cuba they don't give you any, fuck. No, I mean, they also give you a little trophy, you know.

Always the gold, the silver and the bronze un trofeito, tú sabes. Siempre el oro, la plata y el bronce tienen sus trofeos, sus medallas. Pero llega un punto donde ya no quieres el trofeo. You don't want, there comes a point where you don't want the trophy anymore. Tú quieres sentarte donde se sienta mejor. Tú quieres comer lo que comes mejor. You want to eat what the best guys eat. You want to sit where the best guys eat. trophy anymore. You want to eat what the best guys eat. You want to sit where the best guys eat. I got third place, but who gives a shit?

When you get to a place, the people see the champ. The people want to touch the champs. People want to touch the champs. The people want to stay where the champs stay. And that's what the people want. The number three, number four, they say, I want to stay. Okay, I take the trophy. I take the medal.

Okay, but I want to feel what the champs are feeling. I want to feel it what the champion feeling you know right you know I want to walk from the where the people walk I want to stay eat I want to the people talk like me that when the people talk to the champ that's all the people the the system push you know right and that's what I say every time. Every time that's what I say. The system pushes you like this. The more that the guy that trains the most, the system is the best. Every time you see, look at this, you stay for, because I stay in the national team for almost 15 years, staying in the Olympic Center. You can imagine staying with the 10 guys for 15 years,

and the 15 years, 10 guys, I want to kill you. That's pressure. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Listen. Los cuartos son, es un building, you know? Es un building. Y tiene muchos cuartos. And yeah, it's a building with a lot of rooms. Pero hay veces que los cuartos quedan frente a,

es como un hotel, tú sabes. Los cuartos a veces quedan, this is my room, this is the room for the, another guy, but this guy is the same, my same division. Right. Él va a ver todo. room that's the room for the another guy but this guy is the the same they might say division right everybody told him he can see for 15 years everything what you're doing everything when

you eat everything with you when you're sick everything he know you about about you everything so you live with your opponents right right they know when you're sick they know it's not like when you're fighting uh matt brown and he was he's in k They know when you're sick. They know. It's not like when you're fighting Matt Brown and he's in Kentucky and you're in Denver training. Nobody knows what's going on. Right. There they train so you know what I'm doing and I know what you're doing. Ah. So we're all on the same floor.

They do it like that to build adversity, you know, whatever the hell they're building in between. Yeah, adversity. Yeah, for sure. Yeah. Do you know how you prepare yourself mentally for that? ¿Sabes cómo tienes que prepararte mentalmente? ¿Cómo lo haces? Tienes que ser verdaderamente una máquina. Pero no solo es una máquina en la lucha, en la lucha.

No, no, no. Máquina en tu vida. Cuando estás enfermo si te rompiste algo él lo sabe no solo uno, hay 10 chicos tienes que volverte una máquina interior e exteriormente ¿tienes eso? no inside and outside Right, right, right. You know what I'm saying? Like, it's just, it's intense. So that's why he's the machine that he is.

He says it only trains you to be a machine on the outside, but also trains you to be a machine on the inside. And, Joe, listen, this is very important, too. I come from Pineda, Rio City. Push this up. Okay. Thank you. I come from Pineda, Rio City. porque nadie río city ok hay como de pina de río city son tan duro y que

recuerde que todo es con edades no es que vas a pelear con el que tiene 12 con el que tiene 17. No, no, no. Todo es a través de edades. En Cuba no luchas. Si tienes 12, no luchas contra un niño de 17 años. Luchas contra alguien de tu edad. Siempre te ponen con gente de tu edad.

Se le llaman categorías. 11, 12. 11, 12, 11, 12. Como esto. You know, once and twelve. Once and twelve, eleven and twelve, just like that. Yeah, like this, you know. When you get to the highest level, you're going to find people with different ages. Y de diferentes ciudades. And from different cities in Cuba.

In Cuba or all over? No, no, no. In Cuba. Okay. De Cuba. Listen. Pero cuando llegas a un cuarto, When you get to the room.

Puedes encontrarte personas de otra ciudad, o sea, digamos, come away, Havana, Matanzas, Villa Clara, en tu mismo cuarto. You can find people from those cities that you're going to fight against in your own room. in your own room. But, but, listen, but, ellos son de otro peso, digamos, I am 184, that's 155. Tú sabes.

No todos son del mismo peso. Pues los colocan allí, te dicen, OK, te dan la llave, te dicen, vas a dormir en tal cuarto. You understand? Te ponen en ese cuarto, van a ver, digamos, un cuarto de cinco personas. En cada cuarto,

van a haber cinco personas. Tú eres de Pinar del Río. Tú eres de Boston. Boston. Tú de Boston. Yo soy de Miami. Él es de... Nueva Jersey.

Nueva Jersey. En otro cuarto... En el otro cuarto... Miami. He's the New Jersey New Year's Eve And another room and the other room It's a fight guy too. Hmm, but one guy is my division Buzz is the same For you start you understand now for the same city, right? And now you're frank for him. Mm-hmm. I am not careful. Because when I stay in the room, you see everything.

Hey, you can talk to him. Hey, because maybe you're the best in your division. And your friend is the second best and he's his weight. Yeah, so you guys get to talk. So now you always have spies watching you. For 15 years. 15 years. When did you leave?

En 2007. 2007. 2007 2007 How did you leave? I left I went to the Grand Prix Tournament Grand Prix in Germany

In Leipzig Leipzig Leipzig City Leipzig, Leipzig, Leipzig, Leipzig, Leipzig, Leipzig, Leipzig, Leipzig, Leipzig, Leipzig, Leipzig, Leipzig, Leipzig, Leipzig, Leipzig, Leipzig, Leipzig, Leipzig, Leipzig, Leipzig, Leipzig, Leipzig, Leipzig, Leipzig, Leipzig, Leipzig, Leipzig, Leipzig, Leipzig, Leipzig, Leipzig, Leipzig, Leipzig, Leipzig, Leipzig, Leipzig, Leipzig, Leipzig, Leipzig, Leipzig, Leipzig, Leipzig, Leipzig, Leipzig, Leipzig, Leipzig, Leipzig, Leipzig, Leipzig, Leipzig, this decision i say when i stay in germany i know go go back cuba you know i want to make it my my dream new life you know what did you think you were going to do though did you think you were

going to fight mma back then because there wasn't i want to try it i i say i want to do this i want to do this but you never know you never know never know what the life gives you, you know? But that's what I want. I say, the French, I make a wrestling, because in Germany I have a Bundesliga. Wrestling Bundesliga, you know? What is that? It's a league that has...

In Germany there's a Bundesliga for wrestling. Yeah. He knows Germany. All the clubs will want to take him as soon as he gets to Germany. They want him. So they'll offer sanctuary. Right, they'll offer sanctuary. They're going to pay him.

So they'll offer sanctuary. Right, they'll offer sanctuary. They're going to pay him. With his arms open, he was broke. Even though he wrestled, he wanted the MMA. He was telling me last night that he would watch those videos. People would smuggle UFC fights into Cuba. And it wasn't known.

It wasn't going to happen for him in Cuba. It was never going to happen for him. Right. So he wanted to get into MMA. So when he went to Germany, he stayed. And there was an MMA fight. And they wouldn't let him fight amateur because he was in the Olympics. Right.

So they threw him right into the wolves. Like his first fight, he didn't even train. It's very funny because you can see my, the first fight when I have it, this man, do you see what I do? Like, when I fight the guy, that's what happened. Is it online? Can we find the video?

Yeah, yeah, you can. See if you can find the video. And it's in Germany? In Germany. Yeah. How long did you live in Germany for? Six years. Six years.

Wow. Yeah, yeah. I make an obreco like this. Look at this. Like this. Like this. Like down, you start it from the bottom. He didn't know what he was doing. Here it is.

Is this it? No, not this. That is like a tournament. There's no idea. That seems like jiu-jitsu. That is one tournament. But yeah, that is one tournament. Is that MMA or jiu jitsu no mma that's

mma it's mma like on a big basketball court yeah that's what i think all mma should be on all right find that um so when you had your first fight you had no training just just your wrestling wrestling but you knew how to box a little from yeah you know right every time in cuba because You knew how to box a little from being a kid. Yeah, you know, every time in Cuba because in Cuba it's normal you have a glove and people say, OK, boxing. Right, right, right. Pim, pam, pim, pam, a little bang in the street, you know. Right, just fucking around.

Yeah. Yeah. Wow. So when you were in Cuba, were you thinking about the future, that there was only so many more years you can compete in wrestling, and then what else to do? When you were in Cuba, you were thinking about the future. You had this huge wrestling career. You were a tremendous wrestler. Medaled in all these international competitions.

You won medals everywhere, with medals from all over the world. You were thinking about MMA. Yes, I think MMA. Not MMA, UFC. Yeah, here it is. Is this it right here? Yeah, look at it. Wow, I think MMA. No MMA. UFC. Yeah. Here it is. Is this it right here? Yeah, look at it.

Wow, this is crazy. Look, he's throwing kicks, man. And this is no training. No, no, no, no. Look at this. Look at that. Wild. You see? Oh, man.

Those are wild uppercuts. But still. Throwing shots to the body. Oh, they give a standing eight count? What are they doing here? Is that what that is? This guy's got headgear on. Interesting.

And what year was this? Que año fue? 2000. Is that it? That's it? They called it? Seven, nine. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

He said I don't want it anymore. No, we're good. Oh, they're going to let him back in there? It's very funny because the coaches, he don't know nothing about boxing, nothing. The coaches are comedians. They're comedians. Oh, they're comedians? Comedians.

The coaches are comedians. Oh, Jesus. At the MMA fight. yeah yeah that's terrible so that was it yeah you punched him in the head a few times and they thought that's good he's a very funny for me you say keep going yeah it goes again yeah okay so he's trying here boom so he's trying here boom she can't see you you understand Spanish yeah Cuba language she can hear the people use it to the array because there's Cubans the population in Germany? Whoa! Pero la gente no sabía nada de lo que estaba hablando puro cubano. Decían,

pero nada técnico. Nada técnico. Right, okay, so is there a big Cuban? Yeah, there's a big. You know where else there's a lot of Cubans, Joe? Italy. I met this Cuban guy and he goes, I'm never coming back to the States. It's a lot better thanans, Joe? Where? Italy. Yeah? They all went to, I met this Cuban guy

and he goes, I'm never coming back to the States. Italy's a lot better than this shit hole. They had good food, I was sure. You live in Italy

and he works at a restaurant, he was a waiter, they kind of understood the language, he was a lot better than living here. I go, really? Really?

And he went back and he couldn't get a job here. Do you, what's going on with you in a passport? Are you getting a passport? I'm on it. You're a passport? I'm on it. You're on it?

Yeah. You got to go to Italy. The guy did the paperwork and I got to pay the 10G fine. Yeah, that's it? The 10G fine and that takes care of everything. That was the root of all evil. And it's always such a sad evil. They didn't care about the conviction.

They just want the money. They didn't care about the anger management classes. Just give me the 10 G's and we'll rip up the warrant. Fucking America. Fucking America. So you get to Germany in 2007 and did you find an MMA gym to start training once you had your first fight?

I went to a gym, but there was nothing. I had to be training in the woods un gimnasio, pero allí no había tú sabes. Yo tenía que estar entrenando en los bosques, en la calle, le daba los palos y cosas de esas. No había coches de escuela de MMA. No, no, no. Entonces había un muchacho que después de

de ellos se enteraron se enteraron de estas peleas y entonces dijeron oh hay un chico

luchador así que es bimban que es cubano ya tenía un poco de popularidad en la ciudad donde estaba en Nuremberg

he had a lot of popularity in Nuremberg. So people, the word started getting out that there was this Cuban guy. But it was more because of his wrestling. Right, right, right. And this club he was in was in the second division. You know?

So he started training the fucking fighters, and the club won, and they got up to Division I. Oh, so he started training wrestling. Wrestling, yeah. And when they called him for his MMA fights, he said, fuck it, I'll go down there. Cuando le llamaron para sus luchas de MMA, dijo, joder, voy a ir allá. Así que ahora empezó a tener más popularidad en la ciudad. Hubo un torneo. Un poco más grande.

De MMA. La pelea principal se rompe. El muchacho de mi ciudad, que era el principal del show, So the headliner got sick. And they call him up. They ask him if he wants to fight with this guy, Sasha, from Australia. Austria, Austria. Sasha Van Porte.

Entonces, él tenía, él era el campeón de ese. He was the champion of all the world. Tenía, creo que

Sasha había peleado, I don't know, no tengo muy bien la idea clara, pero creo que había peleado también con Alexander Gustafson. He had fought

against Gustafson at this time. gustafson y entonces yo no sabía que no fue y fui a pelear con este hombre y también le gané y y bueno era mi tercera pelea pero esta es la pelea que ustedes vieron aquí no cuentan. No están en el récord. No están en el récord. La primera pelea que aparece en el récord mío es de esta que te estoy hablando.

El primer pelea en el récord es de Sasha, el tipo. Él tenía un récord creo que de 8 y 1 o 7 y 1. Él era 8 y 1

o 7 y 1. Y me dijeron vas a pelear con él. Ok, yo peleo con él. Así que le dije ¿Vas a pelear con él? Y él dijo ok, voy a pelear con él. He was 8-1 or 7-1. So he told him, you're going to fight with him? He goes, okay, I'll fight with him. With who then? With Quintin. He trained with a guy that was like a taekwondo dude that had done stuff, but not really.

Right, right. Siki. Siki. Siki. He's a Serbian. He's a Serbian. Serbian guy. You know?

And then he said, no, let's go. After I beat Sasha, the guy started helping him a little bit. But I continued training in the streets. And he kept training on the streets and, you know, running and wrestling. Go to the woods. Oh, in the woods. He would train in the woods where you were hunting. He would train in the woods, hitting trees and shit like that.

You know. So how did you make it to America? Because I continued the fight. I win, I win, I win. And I contract with the Stryfus. You know. From Germany. So you live in Germany.

Yeah, I live in Germany, you know. from Germany. So you're living in Germany. Yeah, I live in Germany. It was too hard for him to find fights. When he fought, that dude won. He should have lost that fight. But since he won, now it was tough to get competition. People thought he should have lost.

Right. People thought he should have lost. Right. Right. Yeah, after he realized what he had done, that he had fought Sasha, he realized Sasha had fought against some good competitors. Sasha was a... Right. No estoy seguro si Sasha le peleó con Alexander Gustafson o tenían un peleador en común. Right. He fought either Alex or one of Alex's friends. He didn't know for sure.

Entiende. Y creo que... No sé si Alexander Gustafson perdió con el que le ganó. O sea... Right. He doesn't know if Alex lost to the guy or something. Something happened, you know. Almost.

Almost. And then he almost fought Alexander Gustafson. Because he was fighting at 205. Who is the guy from French? The black guy? Francis Ngannou? No. Which one? guy from French? The black guy? Francis Ngannou? No. The other guy.

The big guy. Un Francais. A French guy. Savat. Come on. Mir knocked him out. He fought in the UFC too. He fought in the UFC.

Who knocked him out? Mir knocked him out. I think. Frank Mir? Yeah. No, no, no. He's 205. No, no.

He's 205. Chuck Congo. No, no. Another guy no no he's 205 Chuck Congo no no no another guy another guy no Chuck Congo is heavyweight yeah 205 he's like me like me tattoo huh from France almost fight with these two almost ok trying to figure out who that would be he's the in this time 2009

he's the number two in the Europe and the number one is Alexander yeah ok yeah

he didn't have no he had nobody even they were just giving him these fights so you signed with Strikeforce yeah

and then how do you get to the United States United States how did you how did you how did you how did you how did you how did you how did you how did you how did you how did you how did you how did you how did you how did you how did you how did you how did you how did you how did you how did you how did you how did you how did you how did you how did you No había nadie, solo les daban las peleas. ¿Entonces te firmaste con Strikeforce? Sí. ¿Y cómo llegaste a los Estados Unidos? ¿Cómo te firmaste con Strikeforce? Bueno, tenía unos managers, no tenía los managers que tengo ahora, estaba con otra compañía. Y entonces me dijeron, Joel, Strikeforce quiere ti, pero tienes que pelear contra Rafael Feijão. Si ganas, vas a la bal go to the belt and fight Henderson. Because Henderson beat Rafael Feijal. I said, okay good. I said, thank you God, I'm not going to beat Rafael Feijal. I don't have experience with these people. High level. High level. I don't have that experience. experiencia para estas personas de alto nivel

de alto nivel, no tengo experiencia Feijiao también era muy bueno en ese momento sí le golpearon a King Mo y después creo que le golpearon a King Mo sí, sí, sí pero en ese mismo nivel mucha gente se olvidó de Feijiao

Feijiao en un momento en el que era uno de los mejores del mundo sí, sí yo peleaba con Feau, él había perdido el cinturón con Henderson hacía dos meses. So he had lost the belt to Henderson? Yes. Okay, I don't remember all that stuff. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Yeah. He beat Kimo, Kimo beat Mousasi. Feyau beat Kimo, and Henderson beat Feyau. Yeah, yeah. King Moe peleó a Musashi, Fayal peleó a King Moe y Henderson peleó a Fayal. Así es. Así que ese fue tu primer lucho en Strikeforce. Tu perdiste ese lucho. Sí.

Y ese fue tu primer perdedor como jugador. ¿Cómo fue eso? No, normal. Normal. Normal. Porque cuando yo terminé la pelea. Cuando terminaste la pelea. Que bajó el brazo. No, normal. Normal. Porque cuando yo terminé la pelea, que bajo del octagon, voy caminando por el hotel, mis ex managers en ese tiempo se me quedan mirando y me dicen, yo me empiezo a reír.

a reír y dice ¿por qué te ríes? es a ese porque estuve así de ganarle a un a un gran campeón sin entrenar

entonces yo lo que veía era el punto positivo yo dije cuando yo entrene de verdad yo voy a ser el campeón Now he saw a positive. He said, when I train, when he trains for real, he'll be the fucking champion. That's how a champion thinks.

Yeah. Yeah. So this was, what was it, 2008, 9, somewhere around then? What year was that?

I think it was 9 or 10. 9 or 10. 9 or 10. 9 or 10, yeah. So where were you training at the time? When you came to America. When you came to America, where did you start? In America Top Team.

You went right to American Top Team. That's the way to go. Yeah. Yeah. The coaches, because I moved to Miami. He moved to Miami. Yeah. Easy fit, a lot of to go. Yeah. Yeah. Los entrenadores, porque me moví a Miami. He moved to Miami. Yeah. Easy fit.

A lot of Cubans. Sí. Yeah. Sí. A lot of Cubans. Yeah. That must be nice, right?

Eso te gusta, a ver, mucho cubano. Sí. I love it. I love it because I can, he visto muchas personas

que de, de, de mi niñez. He sees a lot of kids from his childhood. Ah. Yeah, many people. Many. A lot of people from Cuba live in Miami.

From all over. And many people from different stages, older than me, of my age, and younger than me, are in Miami. Now, in this country, it's very difficult if someone's coming from Mexico or from a lot of other countries to immigrate to America. How hard is it if you're Cuban?

They just let you in, right? Isn't it a different thing? Like they accept people that are leaving Cuba. If you're from Cuba, they accept you here right away. Yes. It's easier, right? It's very easy. Yeah, whereas like Mexico, it's very hard.

It's very hard. Yeah, if someone wants to be a citizen for Mexico. Debe ser muy duro para los hermanos mexicanos ese proceso. Es muy duro. That's tougher for the Mexicans. It's almost like they're encouraging Cubans to leave. Well, yeah. And then remember, didn't Obama, before he left, he put the no-tap rule.

Remember, as a punishment for fucking Clinton not winning, he fucking Obama. That's why Cubans got pissed off at Obama because he signed the rule again that you don't have to touch the beach. Remember that shit they had? What was the rule? I don't know what the fucking thing was. If you touch the beach, then you're in? You're in. Where Haitians don't have that.

Right. Haitians, they fucking yank them. But all a Cuban has to do is touch the beach. It's like fucking playing tag. You're in home base. When you know a lot of people who got killed in Cuba. In the train. Yes, a lot of people.

And they died. A lot of people escaped from Cuba, man. They died. That's a hard fucking journey, man. 90 miles on a boat. And they do it. I got it to a science. If you speak to those people, they leave at a certain tide.

They bring enough saltine crackers. I mean, they got fucking things that you never even heard of. Todos los éxodos, sorry, todos los éxodos de cada país, de cada población son duras. son lamentablemente catastróficos, tienen muchas tragedias, tienen muchas historias que son avergonzosas, son muy dolorosas. of them leaving, you know, it's just fucking nightmare. What's Peter Pan? Oh, I didn't know that one.

So what did he say? No, we're talking about the different exoduses that you talk about, like the pain that all the races had, the Chinese and all that. But one of the big struggles is that Cuban one that they leave. And, like, he left his son in Cuba. You know, his parents are in Cuba. You know, but then again, I mean, that's the story of the immigrant. Your grandfather left his brother in Cuba. Yeah.

In Sicily, you know, to make it better, to send checks. Yeah. That's their plan. You know, you're going to go there, send those checks until... His family lives well in Cuba because of his success. So you can send money back to Cuba? Sí. Si tú mandas 10 pesos, ¿cuánto le das a tu...

If you send $10, they give you $8. $8. O sea, si mandas... Si mandas $100... If you send $100 They'll give them $80 So they take a little piece He met Fidel by the way Really? You met Fidel?

What did he say? You know Fidel? Yes, just like I'm with you here The way you're sitting next to him Wow Was that weird? The way you're sitting next to me. Wow. Was that weird? No, you know. You know.

a dos personas como ejemplo uno es Jesús y el otro es mi papá pero cuando estoy al frente de un ser humano lo veo como un ser humano tú sabes, ahora Dios le da talento a las personas.

Eso es lo que yo celebro, el talento de la persona. Pero veo a todo ser humano como un ser humano. human being. So you just saw Fidel as a human being? He was a president of this country, you know. Now, being in America, you've been here for a few years now. Are you completely settled in? You love it here? You're staying here? This is your spot now? been here for a few years now are you completely settled in you you you love it here you're staying here this is your spot now I like it some of

thousand you do that I can I'll be a I think I'm tired so he had to told you yeah no no you know my god yeah you make it no not that he's staying he's already fucking stayed he's already here He's here to stay. I say thank you God for giving me the opportunity to live my life here in the United States. What's the difference? How does it feel different here?

What's the difference? Just freedom? Yeah. Do whatever you want? Yeah. just freedom yeah do whatever you want yeah you have a future you have a future you have a future

your family have a future you know what I'm saying when when you have an exodus and your family, when you have an exodus in your country, it's very hard and it's very... You have emotion every day when you see the exodus in your country, in your people. And you have the possibilities of getting here. You know, like you see this exodus and you see, you know, and we didn't see it.

We don't know what Grandpa Rogan did. I don't know what fucking Grandpa Rogan did. I don't know why Grandpa Rogan left. You know what I what fucking Grandpa Rogan did. I don't know why Grandpa Rogan left. You know what I'm saying? Right. We all went through this at one point. Somebody in our family went through this. Many people, Joe, lose their life trying to get here.

A lot of people lose their life trying. Trying to get here. Trying to get here. Y porque yo lo haya logrado, no olvido esto. De que tuve la posibilidad de no pasar ese éxodo de travesía por el mar. No tuve el éxodo de la travesía de pasar países, fronteras y fronteras. He was lucky that he didn't have to do that raft. Right. To go like the pitcher from the Yankees that had to go to the Dominican Republic and they had to smuggle him out.

Colombia. Colombia. And then the Yankees had to sign him. And that's the only way Steinbrenner showed up with an envelope, and then nobody knows nothing. He's happy that he went to Germany and he had a plan, you know.

Yeah, but you know what? Me siento con muchas personas a oír sus historias. Me siento a conversar con muchas personas a escuchar sus historias. He says he sits with a lot of people who listen to their stories. Listen, that is four days before.

He went to a Walmart by his house. Maybe the guy is listening to this right now. El tipo estaba viendo esto. Fui a comprar, creo que comida a los perros y a los conejos. Cuando salgo, veo algo anormal. Entre un hombre y una mujer, una pareja. Estaban discutiendo. Yo estoy poniendo las compras en la parte de atrás del auto. Yo oigo que el acento es cubano.

Y tenían un problema. Pero yo me quedo para que no vaya a trascender. Entiende. Gracias a Dios no pasó nada. La muchacha, él se bajó del auto, cerró el carro, ella se fue. Y yo me monto en el auto y él se queda en su auto que estaba al lado de mi. Like this. The car for the woman here, my car is here, and the car for the guy is here. Ella se fue y el vino y se puso al frente del auto.

Se sentó. So the chick deescalated, the chick left, and the guy sat next to him in the car next to him. Yo me monto en mi auto. Boom, cierra. He gets in his car. Cierra la puerta. Just closes the door. Yo me monto en mi auto, cerro la puerta, estuve como dos o cinco o seis segundos, y lo veo a él así.

Yo bajo la presión, y yo le digo, hey bro, respira, Y relaja. No, no, no, no, ¿cómo fue que le dije? No vale la pena. ¿Sabes? Él viene hacia mí. Y empecé a hacerme la historia de lo que estaba sucediendo. Resumidas cuentas, me hizo una historia que llevaba un año Aquí en los Estados Unidos Y me estaba contando lo que había pasado

En el cruce Porque él venía creo que de Colombia A llegar aquí a los Estados Unidos Y me estaba contando que hacía 15 días había visto a uno de sus amigos que había estado con él en el cruce de las fronteras.

Donde me estaba contando que ese amigo hacía unos días se había separado de la mujer de él. ¿Sabes por qué? Porque no podía mirarle la cara a la esposa. Él presenció cómo 12 hombres le hacían el sexo a su mujer en Colombia.

Y no pudo hacer nada. Nada. Oh, ella tuvo que hacer eso para llegar a la Unidad de Estados Unidos. Sí. Maldita sea. Esto es un éxodo y eso es quizás una de las mínimas cosas

porque no sé si tú sabes en Cuba se salen por digamos hoy somos familia tú te vas hoy y a la semana que viene me voy yo. Hay diez. En Cuba, una semana te vas, como yo y tus hermanos, te vas una semana y mi plan es ir una semana detrás de ti. Pero no tienes más comunicación después que sales.

Porque no tienes más comunicación después que te vas. Porque tienes que cruzar toda la selva. Colombia, Ecuador, Ecuador. Y se han encontrado hermanos cuando han cruzado la frontera en la selva es horrible pertenencias y el cadáver de su familia que hace unas semanas había salido antes que los hermanos han encontrado en el viaje por las junglas de Colombia han encontrado sus hermanos en las caucasas

como si estuvieran comiendo, como si estuvieran comiendo por un león o lo que sea los cuerpos y tienen que hacer esto, mirar, llorar y seguir adelante. Para llegar aquí a los Estados Unidos. Es duro el éxodo. Por eso yo todos los días digo, Dios, gracias. Por darme la oportunidad. Es muy fácil. No es fácil. Dudo el éxodo. Por eso yo todos los días say God thank you for you giving me the opportunity. Very easy. It's not easy,

but it's very easy when you look alrededor tuyo la vida de los demás. I don't think anybody who was born here will ever appreciate it like someone who comes here from somewhere else.

But we all, everybody in this fucking room started coming over on a journey. Somebody did. Jamie. Someone in your background. Somebody did what they did. How many generations are you here, man?

My great-grandfather from one side came from Ireland. I've seen like the paperwork and I think the other from Scotland and something like that. I mean this is a kind, that's what drives me the most crazy about all the anti-immigration shit in America today. This whole country is made out of immigrants. Immigrants. The whole country. The whole country is made out of immigrants. Yeah.

Even Native Americans. We're all immigrants. Even Native Americans. Even the Indians. They walked over here thousands of years ago. Everybody came from somewhere. They've been here for thousands of years. Everyone.

Everyone. Everyone. Everyone. Everyone. Everyone. Everyone. Yeah. Have you done the 23andMe or anything? No, I need to do that. You know, it's so stupid how a lot of people knock it. But when I read mine, I looked into it for a few days.

And you learn about history. Yeah. You know, I have a little Chinese. Really? What the fuck? You have Chinese in you? Yeah, because. You didn't for me then in China?

No. When I was a kid, I spit in the bottle of La Mondea. Did you have any idea you had Chinese in you? No. Chinese. Because the Chinese made the first real thing. They found chickens in San Francisco that had that DNA from that Chinese. It's very.

The worst thing you could do if you smoked pot is spit in a bottle and get the report back. That is a fucking nightmare once you realize who you are. When you send the papalé, when you put the bottle in the bottle, they send it back. Who are you?

It really messes with you for a couple of days. I was Russian Jew. I was Western African. Western African? Western African, which I always knew. I'm Cuban. When was Russian Jew. I was Western African. Western African? Western African, which I always knew I'm Cuban. When you're Cuban, you're fucking African. All of them. When you see

a Cuban, it's a black dude that speaks Spanish. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's it. They're just black dudes that speak Spanish. They're Africans. So I knew that there was African blood. And the top, it's not Spain. They call it something else. It's Spain and something else up there. That's not spain they call it something else it's spain and something else up there that's where so they went all the way around and the last little bit is russian jew

like two percent god knows where you get that from but here's the problem if you're native american it can't give you an iberian iberianberian. That's where we're really from. Wow. Powerful, Jamie. But if you're American Indian with that thing, they can't. Like, my wife's American Indian. I see her grandmother. Yeah. I was on her grandfather, bro. Oh, yeah.

They're fucking Indians. Yeah. Okay? The mother got the awful lip. That's where Terry gets the Indian fucking lip from. Doesn't read it. Mm-hmm. It doesn't read if you're Indian unless you're a couple of generations back.

I'm hablando de los indios. Si. Que si tu eres indio, americano. It doesn't read if you're Indian unless you're a couple of generations back. I'm hablando de los indios. Si. Que si tu eres indio, americano. It doesn't read the Native American? No, it doesn't read it unless you're three or four generations. Something kinky. You got to ask my wife. Oh, okay.

That's why she don't buy into it. Because it didn't tell her she was American Indian, but the sister it did. Huh. So it's kind of fucking weird how the sister had a little bit more. My wife still had it, but not as much. More of her Irish came up. That's interesting. You know.

Yeah. But it doesn't take a gene. Last night we were playing to get this fucking Savage fired up. You got to play the old school Cuban music. I told him this is what he needs to play before he fights. You should have seen him. You should have fucking seen him, man. And he was explaining to Lee

and his manager that if you know anything about Cuba well fuck it was a slave market it was a fucking slave market you know that's where they bought them that's where the white people went and saw a sex show while they were there and took a couple slaves back to them

to Alabama or wherever the fuck they were from that's the reality of it so yeah crazy back to Alabama or wherever the fuck they were from. That's the reality of it. Wow. So, yeah. Crazy. It's beautiful to be here now, though, huh? ¿Estás contento aquí? Sí, sí, claro.

That's why I say, gracias a Dios por darme la oportunidad de estar aquí. Y no solamente estar aquí, estar haciendo lo que yo quería hacer. It's about the two Cubans, the Levon and Fernandez brothers. Levon and Duque. Come on, guy. One guy comes first and wins the World Series. And the other brother got blackballed in Cuba. They threw eggs at his house. Fidel wouldn't let him play baseball no more. What's the name of the documentary?

Brothers in Arms or something. Jesus Christ, Joe Rogan. And then they threw eggs at him. They wouldn't even let him. He had to play on the field. He had to play like how he boxed. Orlando Duque and Levan Hernandez. And Levan Hernandez.

And then that motherfucker came, left his wife and daughter. Brothers in exile. Oh, shit, Joe Rogan. And then this motherfucker goes up to New York and tears them up in New York like fucking one World Series. And then at the end, he fucking wins in San Diego, but he can't get his daughters and his wife up here. So they got some reporter in Washington to call a fucking cardinal and fly to Cuba that night.

And they flew to Cuba that night, and Fidel was watching the fucking Yankee game, Jack, and the Cardinal gained the note. And there was a note from El Duque saying, please let my wife and daughter go. Put them on a fucking plane. Wow. Fucking ticket parade. The sister wife at the end goes, listen, I'm in New York on a fucking float. They just won. And I see all these people throwing toilet paper. I started grabbing it because in Cuba, you had to fight for a fucking float. They just won and I see all these people throwing toilet paper. I started grabbing it because in Cuba you had to fight for a fucking roll of toilet paper. She goes, here they are throwing toilet paper at the parade and her natural instinct was to grab the toilet paper. Because the women of Le'Veon Fernandez, when they won the Yankees, they

said they were in New York and they were throwing de todo. Y yo, oye. Y eso empezó a jalámselo porque dicen que en Cuba no había papel de toilet. ¿Entiendes? That's fucking crazy, Joe. That is crazy. But I feel like no one appreciates America more than someone who was born somewhere else, where they're suppressed, where it's hard, and then they come over here. And then they appreciate it. I think too many of us take this for granted.

Every fucking day I see it, and it drives me fucking crazy, man. I see it, and it drives me crazy, and we complain more, and we keep getting more immigrants, and these immigrants, well, they're taking our jobs. No, they're fucking hustling. Yeah, they're hustling. They have no choice. This is the whole thing the country's founded on.

They drive an Uber 16 hours a day. You don't fathom. Right. I know kids there that go to college and can't imagine they got to work five days a week. Yep. We work seven days a week. It's in our fucking DNA. That's, you know.

And happy to be here. And happy to fucking be here. Yeah. Now, when you were in Cubaa the work ethic the the with the wrestling and being on the end i mean that the intense amount of work that must translate very well into mma training do you think that mma training is as hard as wrestling training like when you were back in cuba training? Like when you were back in Cuba?

When you were back in Cuba, the style you created, the discipline, that helped you in MMA. Yes. Which training is harder? Fighting or MMA? A ver.

Dile en inglés, coño, habla en inglés, tipo. Es tu sal. André, André, André. You know, for sure, the process for the training in Kiva of course helped me a lot in my career in MMA. Yeah, it must have helped. Absolutely. Yeah.

You asked me about what's more difficult, yeah. I don't know, yo. Because... You can... See, you see... See, you see... The training is the same.

See, you... Si tú ves, si tú ves, el entrenamiento es el mismo. Si tú, el entrenamiento para el deporte es el mismo, creanme. Porque tú puedes hacer el entrenamiento de MMA para la lucha. Y puedes hacer el entrenamiento de la lucha para MMA. Ahora, lo que varía es cómo tú empleas la energía en la pelea. En los dos. The value is how you use your energy and the two different sets of activity, whatever. So it's different energy for wrestling, how you impose your energy in wrestling, and the energy that you have to have for MMA. Now, when you were in Cuba and you were training wrestling,

how much time do they spend working on strength and conditioning, and how much time on skill? Joe, the training is dependent on where your goal is at. That's where the training is at. You know? donde está tu meta the goal where your goal is at that's where the training is at you know

la pregunta no es cuantas horas sino donde está tu meta esa es la pregunta que se debe hacer cuando vas a entrenar when you go to train

it's not how many hours is where you want your focus to go because el entrenamiento the system the system for the training is... Por ejemplo, cuando tú vas a entrenar, se hace con un sistema de largo plazo. Cuando entrenas en Cuba, es con un objetivo de larga distancia.

Tú tienes que tener... La meta principal es el campeonato nacional. Para después tener los campeonatos internacionales la primera meta es el campeonato nacional entonces tu meta es el campeonato nacional y ahora necesitas

ver como entrenas para esta competición cuantas horas cuantas sesiones de entrenamiento ¿Cómo entrenas para esta competición? ¿Cuántas horas? ¿Cuántas sesiones de entrenamiento? ¿Cuántas horas? ¿Cuántas sesiones? Pero tú vas a pasar, tú lo que eres. La meta principal son cuatro años. Es un programa de cuatro años.

Digamos en el nivel más alto. Para llegar al nivel más alto. En el mundo entero. En todo el mundo. it's a four year program to get to the lowest to the highest level in the whole world why is it four years? the Olympic Games every four years sometimes the people walk about this not not about this.

This is the first year. That's the first year. That's the second year. That's the third year. That's the fourth year. Many people don't win this, this, or this world championship. They don't win the first three. World championship.

Or the championship. Because training about it for this. For the Olympic Games. For the Olympic Games. You understand? Yeah. And in Cuba. That's why he stressed that it's through ages, through categories. Tú no puedes preparar a un niño de 12 años para unos Juegos Olímpicos

porque no tienen Juegos Olímpicos. You can't prepare a 12-year-old for Olympic Games because there's no Olympic Games. Right. Pero lo vas a preparar para el campeonato nacional de su categoría. But you're going to prepare him for the national championship of his category. Yes. But you're going to prepare him for the national championship of his category. Yes.

Y vas a usar la misma metodología. You're going to use the same science, kind of. Metodology. Mentality. Sí. Metodología. No mentalidad. Metodología.

No se decía eso, compadre. Oh, okay. What is that? I don't fucking know. He's a genius, this guy. But it's the same way. So you're saying not just mentality, but something else. Sí, es metodología.

I don't know what that means. Metodología. Mythology. No, no, no. I don't know English. So vamos a suponer, cuántas soluciones levantan pesas ahí en Cuba. Depende de la edad. Depende de la edad y depende

del gol. O sea, depende del gol. Depende del edad y depende del gol. Cuando tú eras 18, cuando eras 18, ¿cuántas horas al día? Exactamente. Esa es la edad donde empiezas a hacer pesa.

At 18, you start lifting weights. Digamos que empiezas a hacer pesa a partir de los 16, 17 años. 16 to 17. No debes hacer pesa a los nenes de 12, 13, ni 14. No, no young kids lift weights in Cuba. That's smart. And when they have you lifting weights, what kind of weight lifting? Like Olympic style?

¿Qué clase de pesa para la empresa olímpica o para poner el músculo para ser vendiendo a hacer de todas hacer hacer todo y dependiendo la tapa porque se diferencia en esta pasta la etapa en la etapa general es la etapa cuando empiezan las tres plas digamos las las primeras seis semanas se llama etapa general todo es con grandes peso Pero peso con un gran número de peso. Espera, espera, espera.

Atención. Primero se hace una prueba. Un test. Te hacen una prueba a ti, tu peso, porque yo no voy a levantar lo mismo que tú. Yo soy de otra categoría.

Somos de la misma edad, pero diferentes pesos. Somos de la misma edad Pero diferentes pesos Ok A ti te hacen una prueba Digamos que Fuerza acostada A mí también me la hacen

Y a partir de ahí Que se empieza a trabajar contigo A partir del peso que tú levantaste. Siempre hay una referencia, tienen como referencia, digamos, los niños de, digamos de los heavyweights digamos que levantan un ejemplo 100 pounds en fuerza acostada acuérdate que son entrenadores

que llevan 20 años haciendo esto ya ellos tienen una idea más o menos de cuántos que levantan los pesados ¿me entienden? tienen una idea de cuánto que cuando un peso completo está bien en fuerza y cuando está mal en fuerza así que saben cuando estás en peso, cuando estás bajo en peso, saben todo sobre ti porque lo han estado haciendo por tanto tiempo. Así que te basan en ese peso.

Tú haces esa cosa de 100 libras y ahora te basan en ese peso si eres pesado o algo así. ¿Ahora sigues siguiendo ese sistema cuando entrenas para MMA? ¿Cómo decides si lo haces? Sí. Porque obviamente todavía tienes mucho musculo. Obviamente todavía estás haciendo algún trabajo de fuerza y condición. Yo lo sigo haciendo. ¿Y qué es lo que tú haces? ¿Qué clase de movimiento? Sigo haciendo este mismo sistema. You still obviously have a lot of muscle. You're obviously still doing some strength and conditioning work. I'm still doing it. And what do you do?

What kind of movement? I'm still doing this same system. Tell me. For example, the trainer I have now is the trainer of the National Olympic Team of Cuba, of Taekwondo. The trainer that he has now is the guy that made the selections for the, de Taekwondo. Él viene de ese sistema. Él viene de ese sistema. Y cuando yo empecé a entrenar con él, él me cambió todo.

Me dijo, ya tienes cierta edad, ya tienes esta edad, vamos a trabajar de esta forma. Porque da la casualidad que él también trabajó en Cuba con personas con una edad avanzada para el Tawando let's work this way you know the guy had already been known for working with older elite athletes like we've always joked around about Teofilo Stevenson.

Yeah. Hasta que edad tenía Teofilo hasta que se fajó? Could have been one of the best professional boxers ever. Creo que Teofilo hasta los 37, 37. No deja eso, compadre. Creo, creo. Ese tipo tenía 50 años. He was fucking 50.

Creo, no sé. A los últimos. They don't have fucking birth certificates. Right, right. So nobody fucking knows. That's so crazy. They're the geniuses of taking a 40-year-old. That's why he switched with this guy. Well, Luis Ortiz, the guy who fought Deontay Wilder this past weekend,

they're saying, like, no one knows how old he is. 40, 41. At least. Yeah, at least. So they have a system. Ortiz de mi edad. Oh, you know him? Yeah, for sure. Oh 40, 41. At least. Yeah, at least. So they have a system. I think he's older. They have a system. Ortiz de mi edad. Oh, you know him? Yeah, for sure.

Oh, so 41, for sure. Yeah. Oh, okay. You know Ortiz in Cuba? Yeah. Yeah. Oh, okay. That makes sense.

In the Olympic Center. Yeah. Oh. In the same Olympic Center. Because everybody was wondering, like, you know, maybe he's older than he says. Yeah. Sí, él debe tener 40. Minimo 39. Minimum 39. Minimum 39. older than he says yeah she had ever been at 40 out to me 39 minimum 30 no way to feel that

thing to share the old people but I'm telling you no say they don't say nothing but see a thing like to kill stevenson for a lot of us that are boxing fans was we're always disappointed he never got to leave Cuba no we wanted to see him fight Ali we wanted to see him fight Cuba no we wanted to see him fight Ali we wanted to see him fight Frazier we wanted to see him fight the best of the best in the professional

he was another level yeah yeah yeah he was on another level yeah Ali was on another level yeah he certainly was at one point in time, you know? He doesn't think Teofilo would have beat Ali. No, no. Been interesting to watch. Yeah, no, I mean, not by length. Yeah. I'm a sicker. His father was a boxer with Teofilo. Alomaseca Mi papá Ese mismo tiempo Ese mismo tiempo

De Teófilo Pero Teófilo era un poco Más Un poco no Era un poco Bastante lento Para Ali

Lento Lento Te lo que quieres decir Lento Ali era más rápido Muy rápido Muy rápido No creo

No creo que Que Teófilo pudiera no creo ahora yo lo tenía la mano muy pesada Big trouble if he hits you. Yeah. Yeah. But he moved like a butterfly. Moved like a butterfly. Yeah, man.

He certainly did. Now, you at 41, you look better than ever. Thank you, God. Thank you. It's crazy, man. Thank you. I mean, it must be a combination of everything. It must be a combination of eating right, rest, working out hard, genetics.

I mean, you got a great, I mean, at 41, a lot of guys are on the downslide. You're not. Regardless of what's going on. sobre todas las cosas no puedo dejar de decirlo ni de mencionarlo tiene que estar la mano de Dios en esto yo también me asombro And the God got him. That's because... Because... Yo también me asombro. Yo también me asombro de como Luco.

That he's even in shock. That how he looks. De como me siento. De how he feels. No solamente aquí, físicamente. Not only physically. When the coach, this coach... Me hace las pruebas lot when he does his

tests the coach tests him on certain levels is a kid Africa he stays freaked out he can't believe he's still okay oh we can't down can't I was in the compa loito top oh my but I'm gonna cut a you fighting, I never saw you in a countdown. What are you saying? I said that in the countdown, I saw the Taekwondo guy throwing little fucking sticks at him, you know, the things. The foam sticks. The foam sticks, and I saw him picking up the ties, but I never really saw him sparring or wrestling. But, because...

He can't be talking too much because I make the wrestling in Cuba you what? I make wrestling in Cuba ok so he wrestles in Cuba with the national team

that's why he didn't with the national team. That's why he didn't want me to see him, you, wrestling. So he went back to Cuba to train with the guy that's the world champion now from Cuba. Cuba where? You went back to Cuba? Yeah, he goes to Cuba to train. You go back now? Sí.

You can go back and forth? Yeah. Wow, I didn't know that. Yeah. I can. Thank God I can. Wow. Is this a new thing? Is this recent? You didn't go back there?

No, que si esto es nuevo, que tu puedes ir para atras. Si. No, no, no. What happened? Después de la pelea de Whitaker. After the fight with Whitaker. Cuba gave me the passport. Cuba gave him a passport.

Wow. You know, I was training in Cuba. I go training in Miami, sorry, and training in Cuba too with my father. Oh, wow. That must be nice. So you can see your son too? Yeah. Can you bring him back to America?

That's different. Yeah? That's different because he has his mom in Cuba, you know? Yeah, his mom is in Cuba. His mom is in Cuba. He is in school. He's in school but I want to do when he stay in spring break he came coming for with me stay for a few months yeah yeah that would be nice so that's that that must benefit you tremendously

to go and train with the Cuban team. Yeah, I trained with the silver medal in the last Olympic game. When was the last Olympic game? When was the last Olympic game? This last one that they wrestled? The last one was winter. It just happened. So it would have been two years ago? Yeah.

Was it Rio? Rio is the last Olympic game, right? Yeah. And Rio, this guy is a silver medal on Rio. He's 97 kilos. He's a big guy. 97 kilos. Yeah, 97 kilos.

What is that, like 220? Yeah, 220. Yeah. I make a racing with him. Hey, one and one. Tough. Yeah, one and one. Nobody.

How long? I don't lose. I one and one. Oh, so you're one and one. Yeah, one foron-one. Tough. Yeah, one-on-one. How long? I don't lose. I one-on-one. Oh, so you're one-on-one with him. Yeah, one-on-one. Wow. Greco-Roman. Greco-Roman.

No freestyling. No freestyling. Greco-Roman. Wow. I have 40 years. This guy have 26. Yo me siento bien. He feels good.

So what is your secret to maintaining all this physical strength and endurance at this age, at 41? Do you think it's just genetics, just luck, just God? I think it's God. Smart training, too, though. No, también. No, no. For sure, too. For sure.

For sure, too. He can't do what he did 20 years ago. No? No, no, no, no, no. See, that's what people say. What people say about you is, imagine if you were in the UFC at 25 or at 30. That's what everybody says. Like, imagine if Yoel Romero was in the UFC when he was 25.

Holy shit. Si tú llegabas en el UFC a los 30 años, imagínate lo que le pasa a la gente. Holy shit. Tú sabes, no puedo estar hablando de mí mismo, tú sabes. Yeah, he can't talk about himself, he says. Right, of course. Ah, pero... We'll talk about it for you. You know, yo siento también, yo siento que yo he perd para ti. Yo recuerdo cuando tenía 22, 23, 24 años.

Sí, eras un tonto. Mucha gente, muchas personas en el centro olímpico. Ese es el entrenador para el wrestling. many people for the olympic center in the olympic center that's the coach for for wrestling i love this guy he pushed me jello muchagrasi what was the name fairly better the girl uh i love this guy um because Because, Elisakolomio holded me. It's super. He took the best out of him. He, he, he,

como se dice, Elisupo. He knew. He knew, take it out, the best me out. You understand? Yes. That's it. Yeah. When I training, when I competed, he see me like this, exactly like this.

You remember when you come in here, son? You remember this day? He say, yes. He say, go. Whoa. Fire you up. Yeah. Because that is very...

Many people know this history in Cuba. He was a little crazy. When he was younger. He was real crazy when he was younger. cuando era joven era bien loco y tomé una decisión y tomé un camino dije no quiero

lo que le ha pasado a mis amigos quiero ser esto. Mi tío, muy cercano a mí, mucha gente lo conoce en Cuba, Lázaro, y mi papá, Pablo, me dijeron, ¿estás viendo lo que está sucediendo alrededor tuyo? ¿Eso es lo que tú quieres? ¿O quieres ser esto? Hold them. You're seeing what's going on around you. Is this what you want? Or do you want to be this? You're in the middle, but you're doing both things. You have to make a choice.

This is going on. What's happening? esta está viendo lo que sucede y está viendo que no tiene un final feliz aquí vas a tener un final feliz decide pero en las dos no puedes estar yo tomé la decisión y y me fui a La Habana. Yo vivía en Pinal del Río y me fui a la capital del país.

Pero recuerda, las pirámides, necesitas ganar la campeonatura nacional para pasar a la ESPA. Ok. Recuerda, los coches te llevan a las escuelas.

Los coches te llevan a las escuelas. Por tu talento. Por tu talento. Ok. Y te ponen en la escuela especial, en el más bajo. And they put you in the special school, the most lower level. En la pre-ID.

In the basement. Pre-ID. Pre-ID. All right. You need to win the, como decir, Florida championship. You need to win the Florida championships. Para pasar a la AIDA. To get to the next level.

Porque AIDA es la escuela principal de toda la Florida. Because AIDA is the main school of all the Floridas. O sea, Florida tiene una AIDA. California tiene una AIDA. They do? Yes. So what does it say? AIDA. California tiene una AIDA. They do? Yes. So what does it say? AIDA.

AIDA. Son diferentes. Listen. La pirámide funciona. The pyramid. Yeah. Right. Okay.

Florida. Right? Right. Florida have it. Una escuela. One school Florida has a school. One school Florida has. That's the second level. But California also has an AID.

They have an AID too. You understand? It's in all over the country. Yes, it has AIDs. AIDs. Yes. Florida has an AID., tiene el AIDES. AIDES. Sí. Florida tiene un AIDES. California tiene un AIDES.

I'm not exactly sure what he's saying. Me neither. I don't understand AIDES. AIDES es un nombre. Es una escuela. It's a school. It's a school. How do you spell it?

¿Cómo se escribe? Okay, like this. Significa Escuela superior de deporte. Superior school of sports. Of sports, yes. Of sports. Is that what it is? You know about that?

No, he's saying like. Como ACA. Yeah. ACA. Okay. Academia. Academia. Yeah, school.

So what is he saying is like each state has a superior school. Has a superior school. I think that's what he's saying. You understand? Yes. Okay. ACA. For example, AC Yes. Okay. ACA. For example, ACA.

Okay. ACA is the second level. Right. And California have one ACA. The people want to, all the California want to stay ACA. But you need to beat it. The California championship. You understand?

So you beat it. So you win. California championship you understand mm-hmm see you beat as you win and now California the bed then they are there are car in California taking you because you is the best in California right you understand now I see what you're saying yeah that's in Florida and Florida I have it one aka to write bad chick in But, Chicago, Washington, Washington. And Washington have one ACA. But this ACA is the best level. You understand?

Yes. This is a spa. Okay. You understand? When you beat everybody, now the junior national team is in Washington. It's ACA, too. Right. Take the best guy, junior, and the whole country.

You understand now? Yes. But in Washington, too, have ACA, but the senior. It's a senior national team. Okay, senior national team. Yeah, that's it. And when I go, when I stay in Aiden, it's in Pineda, Rio, you need to beat the guy for the...

You need to beat the kids that are 10 to 12 años. En toda Cuba. En toda Cuba. Entonces, en La Habana. En La Habana. La Juniors National Team te lleva. Entonces te llevan. La Juniors National Team te lleva a La Habana. ¿Entiendes?

Sí. Pero, yo nunca gané un Junior National Team de 12 años. Nunca. Siempre quedaba Bronx Silver. He never won. The 12 year old. He always came in second or third. Never will. Never. Participé como en cinco. Nunca gané.

He participated in five of them. He never won. Porque no vivía una vida correcta. Because he wasn't living his life correctly. I see what you're saying. That's what my daddy said. No, no, no. So when your coach was telling you you're taking the wrong path,

you saw the results, that you weren't winning. I go to Havana. Right. But remember, you need to beat it. The Cuban national team, I never beat it. Right. When I go, everybody knows this is history. I go, I say to my daddy, I go to Havana. No, no, no. You need to train here in Pinal del Rio.

You need to beat it in Cuba, everybody, everyone. And now the coach in Havana taking you. You can't go. So now I now I go. Said, this is no me saying. When you go, the people say, who are you? Right. Get out of here. You know? So he went to Havana without winning. Right.

Is that it? Solo, yes. Solo. Solo. You said, fuck it. I'm going over there. How old are you? 17.

17. Ah. 16 by 17. 16 going on 17 that's the history when my coach say every time when I go to the fight when I training

once he became the best he look me the eyes like this you remember when you come in here and now you know and now you know what I say so when you were about to compete he would look at you and say remember when you first came

here when you were 17 yeah by yourself yes to Havana yeah okay listen road to get there yeah many people who know this let me go people yeah this man yeah yeah jamie's on the ball okay yes nice okay so now when you you're here and you're training with this guy who uh was coaching uh he was a part of the Taekwondo program in Cuba. Yeah. What does he have you do? Like, what is a normal week for you? Right now.

Right now, yeah. Right now, only big... Big weights? Big weights. Heavy weights, yeah. Yeah, heavy. Like, are you doing, like, Olympic style,lympic style like clean press like that kind of stuff yes yes yeah but remember we make a test to see where your results are yes yeah make a test

no it's like a okay now no no no right saying is it's not random. It's very specific. Yeah, specific. He said, okay. And you test it, for example. Here, probably... Bench press. Right.

And he writes the numbers down. Okay, you have a... There you go. What is this here? That guy's crying. It's from the 2.13 countdown. Ah, I see. Yeah.

I see. There you go. That's it for time. Mm-hmm. Now... This is... This is... This is a special... I don't know how to...

Joey's back, he'll help you out. What's impressive is that your endurance has gotten better. What does it say? Your cardio. Before, you were tired in the second round. How much of that is conditioning work and how much of that is just knowing how to pace yourself better? He got smarter or because your condition got better? More intelligent.

He got smarter. Yeah. More intelligent. Knowing how to pace yourself, knowing when to explode, when not to explode. Yes. Yes.

What did you say to Luke Rockhold after you knocked him out you were like you were on top of him talking to him yeah what did you say to him? you know because you know John in Cuba with the people have a codec. A code. Code. Yeah. You know. I told you I stay with the 15 years with my opponents together.

Right. You know. But you need respect. Right. You know. But you need respect. Right. You need respect. You need respect. So do you think too many people talk shit over here? Yeah.

And when you cross the line, that is personal. Right. And then it becomes personal. Yeah. You can fight with me every day. But if you have a coat, it's no problem. It's a sport.

Right, right. It's a sport. But when you cross the line, if you stay with me here and outside, and you, como se dice, me pone la mano en el hombro. If you give them a hug, you put your arm around them. Why later you talking something not good about me? Right. Why? Do you think that in America, particularly today in the UFC,

this is common because it gets guys' attention and they see, like, Conor McGregor. He makes a lot of money because not just of his ability, because he can fight really well, but also because he talks shit really well, too. Timmy, I understand a little bit, but I wanted it more. Do you think that now with USC, that there are people that come to Conor McGregor talking?

For sure. For sure. For sure. For sure. Yeah. Listen. Conor is Conor. Right.

Conor is Conor. That's the way he say. I know many people like him. Like Conor. That's what he say. I know many people like him. Like Conor. And in Cuba. And the national team. Many people like this. This is what I see right now.

Todo lo que yo estoy viendo y estoy viviendo, ya yo lo viví. What he's seeing right now, he's already lived. He's already seen this. Because they in 15 years together. Right. Not only wrestling. Listen. Not only for wrestling thing.

It's all sports together. All the sports. Together. Everybody together. Yeah. Yeah. You can't believe this. Savages.

That's it. Woman and man together. Good luck. Yeah. Yeah. Good luck. Yeah. Savage. Yeah. Savage. The best of the best.

All together. You can learn every second. You can learn every second. I was there 15 years. He was there 15 years and you learn every fucking second that you're there. You're learning. aprender todo segundo yo tuve 15 años allí y tantas tú te puedes imaginar acuérdate que estos son selecciones que te seleccionan ganaste y para tú estar allí tienes que ganar tres que mantenerte

entre los cuatro primeros Yeah, but for you to be there, you have to be in the top four. So that's the pressure. Remember, yeah. Yeah. You have to be in the top four. The top four in every division, in every sport. Yeah, yeah. Right, all together.

Because if you lose another turning, you lose this position. For example, in soccer. You, what's it called? The goalie. Yeah. Okay, you're you, como se llama, portero. The blocker, the goalie. Okay, tu eres number four. You're number four goalie. Pero ahora salieron dos mas muchachos buenos ahora.

Two more came out from Boston lacrosse town. He better, la selección de cada deporte is 20 people. 20 people per selection. Por ejemplo, soccer player, soccer team. I think it's 30 or 24 people I think so 30 people mm-hmm see you number three you're number three he's another guy said the better and another con and another city he said okay you know number three and now I'm not a guy he push you you need a move You didn't move right? Yeah, okay. He coming and you go you go home. You're gone. You understand. Yeah, that's it That's a skewer right so the pressure just intense for 50 years. I am see many people coming go

Well some time the people this year is good Another year mr. Here and three years this guy is coming again because he's beat it. He's better. Hey, man, you come back here. He got better and came back. Yeah, for another sport, not only wrestling. Right. I can.

Yo puedo vivir con esta gente. He can live with this, what's going on with the wrestling. Con lo que está sucediendo ahora en With the UFC You can live with the competition But It's not personal He can live with it It's no big fucking deal Many people now

Who want to Make it the same way Conor do it Right But Conor is Conor They're're not Connor they're faking it yeah I try too hard I say like this I make a club for Connor yeah you know that's just the that's his thing yeah see him and now she maybe he what she

and the CL get out is quiet is it You know, because Conor is not like this. Right, right. Well, it's interesting. Like, Anderson Silva made it to the top without ever talking shit. Never talked shit. You can see that? Anderson Silva was always respectful, and people went to see him and bought his pay-per-view just because he was a bad motherfucker, and they wanted to see him fight. It was 100% based on his ability.

You see what happened in the fight Anderson beat the buffer mm-hmm yeah this is not right yeah that is not right you understand right he's quiet but this day he says yeah he put it there the mask on the Moscow and now he's getting that's's just not fair he know yeah he don't need it an imitation corner because vitor was saying that anderson was fake yeah and he wears a mask and that's not who he really is you understand so anderson took it very personal yeah that's personal yeah but i never see uh anderson like this no that was everything yeah very professional you understand that's what I say.

And now the people want money. No, man, you're not coming. You're not actual. You're a fighter. Right. You're a fighter. Go and kill the people. Take the hand.

The hand, yeah. And now the people pay you. Right. When you fight again, the people pay youaga por la vista porque la gente quiere verte. La gente no quiere que tú... Ok, si quieres decir algo, díselo. Pero no imites a esa cosa. No, no imité. Hay mucha gente que está haciendo eso, que está haciendo un mal trabajo.

¿Qué fue lo que tú le tell him, Luke Rockhold? Man, I told him what I told him, so he wouldn't forget the things he said. Tell Joe what you told him. I said, hey, look, and now you sing, and now you remember? When you take me and you say, yo, I go to a hangout, go out, go to the party, and when you stay with me, you say to me, Hey, you want to fight me?

He said, No. Why you ask me? Why you ask? He said, No. You want to fight with me? He said, No. That's not the question. The question is, you want to fight me?

So this is before the fight. You guys had a conversation. Long time before. Long time ago. And he said he didn't want to fight you. Yeah. He said he don't want to fight me. He said, Okay, bro. So you don't want to fight me? I don't fight you guys had a conversation long time long time ago and he said he didn't want to fight you yeah he said he don't want to fight me he said okay bro so you don't want to fight me i don't fight you you understand what was that about why would you guys say that why would you have this conversation you're in the same division yeah why would he say that he doesn't want to fight you i

don't know you need to ask him not me because i Okay. Because I know, yo no empezaba la conversación. He didn't start the conversation. Right. Okay. You need to ask him. Right. Because I know you stay in the same division. Right.

So you don't want to fight me, lose it. Or you don't want to fight, move it. Right. Either go up or quit. Or lose it. Right. So you win, I win, theve. O ir arriba o perder. Si ganas, yo gano, el final es tuya. Si ganas y yo gano, tenemos que luchar. Así que cuando finalmente lo luchaste, fue cuando sintiste que era desrespectable.

Había hablado mucha mierda. Eso es lo que pienso. Antes de que pasara lo que pasó con USADA eso sucedió como tres veces tú te jamaste algo que tenía agua dentro una vitamina You got a hold of a tainted supplement. There was something in the supplement that was forbidden. They found that it was in the supplement, so you got cleared, but you had a small suspension. It's not food. It's not food.

It's a supplement. I was taking it. He was suspicious. That's what I know. Believe me, I don't understand what happened. I'm very serious. Because this supplement, I take it. Right. I'm very serious. Because this supplement, I take it. Right.

I take it. Why this supplement? Have something forbidden in it. Yeah. Why? Why not before? Right. Well, it's very common

and a lot of times what happens is the suppliers, when you, say if you're a supplement company and you have someone make some stuff for you and then you package it and sell it, the people that when you, say if you're a supplement company, and you have someone make some stuff for you, and then you package it and sell it, the people that are putting it together for you, they're selling a bunch of other things too, and oftentimes

things get into your supplement that aren't supposed to be there. Especially, you see? No, tell me. So, let's suppose the people that make these powders, it's my company, but I take a company to put these people together. And sometimes they're making other people too. They said that we people see me. Yeah.

And they fell. They got contaminated. This has happened to a lot of guys. Can I ask you a question? Can I ask you both a question? Is it true I could go into GNC and buy shit that could get jacked? Yes. GNC?

Yes. I've heard you talking on the podcast, not when I'm on, with other people. Yeah. So I could go into GNC and take the guy aside? There's a lot of stuff that you go, if you go into GNC, you'll buy stuff that's on the shelves for a little while and then they pull it. And when companies sell stuff to them, sometimes they'll say there's one thing in it, but there's other things in it as well. That's a real common thing, especially if something works really well. Like a lot of times the stuff that works really well, people find out, yeah, it works really well because there's other things in it as well that's a real common thing especially if something works really well like a lot of times the stuff that works really well people find out yeah it works really well because there's steroids in it yeah you could i mean it might not just be gnc

just any vitamin store okay no not necessarily gnc but there's a bunch of them legal steroids at gnc vitamin shop and walmart more yeah see this is very very common when you when you go to these places and buy these things, there's a lot of stuff at a regular vitamin store that will make you test positive by USADA. You'll test for banned substances from stuff you just buy in a store. Joe, you know, many times I think, after this happened,

I think many times invitation people from Cuba take people say, okay, you and you and you and you and you, come to Cuba for maybe 20 days. I wanted the people to see because

the genetic for Cuba Off the charts. Not for the athletic people. No, no, no. Normally. Everybody. Normal people have incredible genetics.

I want the people invitation. Right, right. You need to see an open mind. Right, right, right. And he know. That's what I say. Well, here's the thing about a guy like you. an open mind right right right and he know that's what I say well you need to pay for the soup for the right come on man they don't have the money come on man right come on man people know have they don't have anything I know what

you're saying the other thing is you can take all the steroids in the world, you're not going to look like you. The way a person like you looks, it has to be genetics. You take a regular guy, you took a regular guy and gave him steroids, he would never look like you. Thank you. Yeah, a lot of it is genetics and a lot of it is also, you've got to think, from the time you were little, you were involved in this intense athletic program, your body developed

that way. ¿Qué dice? developed that way can easy get to the get to the whole in situ to Tava in natural get to a quick put to you see a see a show pocket look at what you tossing 11 say yeah no he I wanted it no believe me I want to do this the invitation people from Cuba I wanted the people see right yeah you want them to go serious yeah i wanted yeah i want to see and i want to see after after no now because it's my secretary for the for me you know i wanted after the when i trained the the when i beat it the barrel because you know can put it everything what you're doing and the video where the people say, I do this, he do this, and now I can beat him. You understand what I say?

Yes. Okay. I wanted the invitation camera. For me, for three months. For three months. I never take nothing. And now you see what I do. Right.

You understand? Yeah. Stop talking shit. Right. You understand? Yeah. Stop talking shit. Right. You understand? So people accused you of taking steroids after the tainted supplement thing, but you've never tested positive before? No, never.

Or after? I do for the Olympic Commission, test since 1995. From 95, he's been testing for the Olympics. He's been getting tested by the Olympics, I'm sorry. Right. He never came up positive. But the thing is, when someone

looks at you, because you have so much muscle, they assume you're doing something. When they look at you, they say, this guy is getting injections. What's going on? That's what I also cuando te mira dicen este tipo se esta metiendo en inyecciones que es lo que pasa, de eso es lo que yo tambien he estado mirando la gente piensa eso cuando tu estas en eso si, la gente piensa, si hay fuego, la gente piensa eso si estas haciendo eso, puede que yo solo interrumpa un segundo think that if you're doing that. Can I just interject here for a second? Because what I'm going to say

is going to be racist. What I'm going to say, but I'm not a racist. I grew up with a lot of Cuban guys, the dark-skinned guys. And it's amazing. But then you see somebody like, to me, when I look at a physical specimen,

I always compare it to Dave Winfield. You remember Dave Winfield? Can I have a picture of Dave Winfield, a baseball player, you know, 6'7", baseball player, ran bases, you know. On the other hand, Canseco had to do 4.4, and he did the 40-yard dash and all that. But, you know, to me, this is just me, and I hope I don't get in trouble for saying this. Look at Dave Winfield's baseball body. He was sick. I saw him in person once.

That picture that you just had up, Jamie, of him and, yeah, right there. Man, look at the fucking legs on that guy. You know, Africa is a fucking huge country. And God knows what. Well, it's a continent, yeah. God knows what came through Cuba. Right. And what we developed and how we developed like, you know.

And, you know, what you need. You know, then you have Earl Campbell. What tribe in Africa did Earl Campbell come with? How about Herschel Walker? How about Herschel Walker? Herschel Walker is still 52 years of age. He's jacked. You know, are you saying that Hersha was fucking juicing?

Right. You know, these people went through Cuba. But now you add that with the no feeding, because these guys don't have the best nutrition in the world in Cuba. They don't have the, you know, what are you hearing now? That even the Cuban cigars aren't that good anymore. Really? Because the dirt isn't that good. You know, it's a fucking poor country.

It's not like they get vitamin water and what's-his-name is down there. You know, it's a fucking poor country. It's not like they get what vitamin water, right? What's his name down there, you know, so you have to take all those things these guys lived on dick Let me see something. You know what what I the people many people know his Is the guy's go This is a 170 170 which one tyron woodley no, no, no no no no no no we talk. Thank you a training Oh, my brown yeah, he know this yes, you know what the people take it after the fight after the training like Recover to recover. Yeah, like a gator is something like this Gatorade

To recover Yeah like a Gatorade Something like this Gatorade Right Are you ready for what he's going to tell you What they drink to recover For sure

What Yeah I'm sitting down Yeah Water with sugar Water Sugar Wow

Low tech Because no having nothing sugar wow low-tech people okay because no having nothing they don't have anything they have nothing so you never saw any steroid use you never saw any athletes listen ¿Tú sabes cuántas personas hay en un centro olímpico? Donde están todos los deportes. Que yo tenga conocimiento.

En mis 15 años que estuve como atleta. That it's 15 years as an athlete. That two cases came out positive. Wow. In Cuba. In Cuba. In Cuba. Out of all those years, two cases. Two cases.

I don't know. I don't know. One guy was in a weightlifter. uno era un muchacho de pesa el que le decían el guajiro el guajiro y creo que el otro dio positivo pero por marihuana y el guajiro que el otro dio positivo pero por marihuana. Y el otro tipo fue positivo por marihuana.

Y el guajiro creo que dio positivo por testosterona. Testosterona, fue positivo por testosterona. ¿Cuánto es común la marihuana en Cuba? Hay mucha marihuana en Cuba. Sí. Sí. Sí. Sí. Sí hay. Sí. Sí. Sí hay.

Sí hay. No es... A ver. Si tú lo pones a mirar... Para nosotros, los cubanos, hay mucho. Porque... Mi sobrina nunca ha visto

una marihuana en su vida mi sobrino no sabe ni lo que es eso seguro estoy que no ha escuchado ni hablar de eso

pero cuando tú vas a en la calle even heard people speak about it. Pero cuando tú vas on the street. When you go on the streets. You know? La gente sabe lo que se está hablando. La gente sabe lo que es un percocet. Que es un percocet?

Ah, un percocet. People know what a percocet is. Pero eso es en the people street. That's in the people street. Is marijuana illegal in Cuba? Ilegal. You get in big trouble. pero en el pib o street people's marijuana legal en cuba y legal y en big trouble big travel web travel yo te llevo a 100 casas dicen que 200 en maíz y de pinar del río 100 casas y te cojo muchachitos quizás ahora quizás ahora porque como vi

la sociedad en el mundo entero está un poco loca pero por lo menos en mi tiempo en mi tiempo la gente tú podías tomar 100 casas y podías de las 100 casas coger dos niños

y le hacían una pregunta. Cogías dos niños de 12 a 15 años y le preguntabas qué era marihuana y no sabían lo que era marihuana. Puedes ir a 100 niños y tomar dos de cada casa

y preguntarles si saben lo que es marihuana y no saben lo que es. Wow. Sí. Pero, para nuestro sistema. For his, now the system we live in.

Que no es posible haber marihuana. Si tu me preguntas, hay bastante marihuana. Para nuestro sistema, si hay. No es comparado como aquí. It's not compared to what it's like here. Pero hay marihuana. There's marijuana. When Ozo Motley went to Cuba, the band, Ozo Motley from L.A.,

he told me he copped. Oh-hmm. He told me he chopped Oh, yeah, cops on waiting Cuba. I would be so fucking scared. Yeah, I wouldn't fuck it up You might get locked up one more time for example money one and What's that would you ask him look how much time they give you the Yes, I mean Tanya from 10 to 20 years For one joint. Oh, fuck that. For one joint. Por un cigarro. Uff, one. Uno. Wow. Si, si, si. In your UFC career, you had one very controversial fight with Tim Kennedy.

En ese momento, te sentaste en el piso durante un largo tiempo, como 30 segundos extra entre las rondas. ¿Qué opinas de eso? Mira, en el código, son dos códigos, código de la calle y código deportivo. Él tiene dos colegas en su vida, colegas de la calle y colegas del deporte. Los dos tienen que ir entrelazados. Yo creo que él no tiene ninguno de los dos. ¿Qué quiere decir eso? Él me estaba agarrando a mí los guantes. Sí.

No, no, antes de eso. Antes de eso. Antes de eso cuando estábamos en la reja él me estaba agarrando los guantes a mí pero it's my fault yo no tengo que dejar que me los coja yo me logré esa fara Yo no tengo que dejar que me los coja. Yo me logré zafar.

Y yo se lo agarré. Y él le dijo al refe, he taken my glove, he taken my glove. Y yo se lo solté. So when you grabbed his glove, he told the referee. Yes. He stayed like this. Yo lo tengo ahí contra la going by control he's got him up against the wall

he called the letters he called the local let me remember say get a more like a no they're against the fence okay sé que estamos en la reja la recuerda y cuando estamos en la reja él me agarra a mí primero el guante yo suelto me logro suelto y yo se lo agarro a él y él le dice al referee yo se lo suelto rápido

seguimos la pelea y ahí cuando ya se fue están llegando los últimos 10 segundos 20 o 15 segundos fighting. Right. Y ahí cuando ya hace falta pasando, están llegando los últimos ten seconds, like veinte o quince segundos. Fifteen seconds

left in the fight. Y me agarra. And he grabbed his glove again. Y me golpea. Boom, boom, boom. And he hit you. And he hit you.

Yeah. There's a video of that. Yo te voy a hacer una pregunta, Joe. He's going to ask you a question, Joe. Okay.

Si te mete el dedo en los ojos. If he sticks his finger in your fucking eye. ¿Qué cosa es eso? What is that? It's a foul.

Foul. How many minutes do you need for you to recover? It's a good question. Depending on how bad your eyes are hurt, it might be over. ¿Qué dice? Que depende cuánto... De daño. De daño.

Pero cuánto? Normalmente, por el reglamento... Normal, how long would it be? It could take a few minutes. Uno, ¿cuánto minuto? All right. Si te doy en los testículos. If he kicks you in the balls.

Take a few minutes. Take a few minutes. Okay. Agarrarse los guantes. ¿Esto es legal o es ilegal? Grabbing gloves. Is it legal or not legal? It's illegal.

Okay. Si te doy un golpe con los guantes agarrado, ¿qué pasa? Is it legal or not legal? It's illegal. Okay. If he punches you with your gloves, with me holding on to your gloves, if I'm punching you and I'm holding on to your glove, is that legal or illegal? Illegal. Okay. How much time should he have taken off? So what you're saying is you sat down for extra time in between the rounds because he committed a foul right before that. No.

No, no. No, no. No? No. He's asking you a question. If they would have stopped it. If. If. If the judge would have stopped it but if if

if the judge would have seen that that he would have seen him ripping off his glove and he would have seen him punching him like that how much time would he have taken well he should take points away this is what I think I think anytime someone? Well, he should take points away. This is what I think.

I think anytime someone does a foul, you should take points away. Kicking the dick, kicking the balls, point away. Poking the eye, point away. Because even if you don't mean to do it, even if you don't mean to do it, it still does damage, and it's a foul. So I think you should get a point taken away. Okay.

He didn't say a fucking word. Right. Listen. The fight ended. Because the time ended. If not, he would have lost the fight. Right. Right, because you have lost the fight. Right. Right.

Because you were hurt. Yeah. He punched him eight times. Right. Right. If he wouldn't, the time wouldn't end and he would have lost the fight. Right. So the round was over.

Yeah. You sat down in between rounds. What happened? When the time ended, he said, stay right there and clean him. But my coach is intelligent. My coach said, I know can't do it. So your coach bought you extra time. My coach is intelligent. My coach said, I know I can't do it. No puedo limpiarlo. So your coach bought you extra time. Pero no fue culpa. Era eso.

Si tú lo miras, está bien. If you watch it. No, que mi entrenador no podía limpiarme. His trainer couldn't clean him, couldn't wipe him. Él le dice, yo no puedo tocarlo. Mi entrenador le dice, no puedo tocarlo. No, no, no. Límpialo. Yo te mando. Porque quien tenía que limpiarme creo que era el cutman. La crema.

Ya el cutman se había ido. Solo estaban los entrenadores. Y entonces mi entrenador le dice, yo no puedo tocarlo. Y le dice, sí, sí. Y MacArthur le dice, I'll try you. Límpialo. So did they cover you with water to give you extra time? ¿Te tiraron agua para darte más tiempo?

No. No. El agua siempre lo hemos utilizado nosotros, hasta inclusive en los entrenamientos. He's always done the water exclusively in his trainings. He's always done the water exclusively in his trainings. He likes the water for recovery. But he tells people to wipe him down. It's not for more time.

It's for him to recover. Right. Inclusive, yo le digo a los entrenadores, están dando lío porque piensan que el agua es para el recovery. Mis entrenadores dijeron, hay que utilizar más toallas. Hay que hacer, tirarte el agua. You have to throw the water on it. Pero con la toalla junto y limpiarte al mismo tiempo. And with the towels on them and to wipe it down at the same time. Right, to cool them off. To cool them off.

Right. So at the end of the round, the round ends, you're sitting on the corner, the round's supposed to begin, Tim Kennedy's standing up, and he's like, what is going on here? He thinks maybe the fight's over, and you're still sitting down. He wanted. He wanted the fight to be over. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah, for sure. Because he felt like a winner. He didn't want to fight me. Tim no quería pelear conmigo. Llevaban tres meses y el UFC le decía take the fight. Y él siempre primero dijo que tenía una lesión,

no quería pelear. Pero él podría haber tenido una lesión. Quería pelear. Primero dijo que tenía un daño. No quería luchar. Así que tomó tres meses para luchar. Pero podría haber tenido un daño. Podría haber tenido un daño. Pero eso es posible. Es posible. No, no lo dice. No lo dice.

Pero él no quería tomar la pelea. Porque fueron como tres veces que le dieron la pelea. Porque le dieron la pelea tres veces. Y no quería. Y siempre pasaba algo. Y siempre pasaba algo. Hasta que finalmente cogió la pelea. Hasta que finalmente cogió la pelea. Tú sabes son 15 años

lidiando con las personas. Sé cómo se manifiestan. Y él se estaba manifestando al principio de la pelea muy amistoso. Cuando vamos a entrar En el principio, él era muy amistoso. Muy... Los retiros. Él estaba en el negocio.

Pero creo que... Creo que la pelea principal era... McGregor... Poirier. El carro principal era Poirier y McGregor. Estaba was poor EA McGregor mm-hmm stava caliente it was hot yeah focus oh you poison yeah bien a mace hey yo please please no do this can I see can I see a don't show who said that to you they don't do that Tim did? so let's be professional

let's be friendly hey what's up please don't do this no this I don't do it right why would he come up to him and say that if the whole time he's been very respectful to Tim Kennedy decir que no haga eso si yo todo el tiempo te he estado respetando. ¿Por qué le hubiera llegado a él y le hubiera dicho eso si todo el tiempo ha sido muy

respetuoso de Tim Kennedy? Claro, no lo sé. Porque él quiere hablar, ¿sabes? Como un amigo. Claro, claro. Esos son juegos que se usan en el deporte. Esos son juegos que se usan en el deporte. ¿Sabes?

Para intentar ser tu amigo. Sí, eso es. Cuando estábamos en la pelea si tú miras bien la pelea primer round yo lo gané fácil segundo round yo estoy ganando el round hasta los últimos 10 segundos si no hubiese pasado

los últimos 10 segundos de los golpes aquí y se hubiese acabado el round yo hubiese ganado el segundo round también fight for the last ten seconds. If that wouldn't have happened with the grab glove, he would have won the second round also. Right, so him grabbing your glove is how he was able to hit you. Yeah. He didn't touch him in the whole fight.

Right. Just in those last ten seconds. But he hit him real fucking hard. Yeah. So when you were sitting there, what was going through your mind when you were sitting there and Tim Kennedy was telling you to stand up and you knew that the round was over? Or that the rest period was over? When you were sitting there, Tim Kennedy was telling you to stop, stop.

What were you thinking? I was saying, stay calm, yo me voy a parar ahora. Deja que me limpien. Porque yo lo que estoy es como pensando, él se siente ahora fuerte. Yo en realidad no estaba pensando que él estaba pensando que yo me quería quedar sentado. Que yo me quería quedar sentado. He, in reality, didn't think that Tim... That he wanted to stay sitting down. That he was thinking...

And now he wants to come out to finish knocking me out. Right. Now I got him. Right. Of course. All right. Let me dry me off. Right. And then we'll fucking him. Right. Of course. Y yo dentro de mí estoy diciendo, okay, deja que me limpien, ahora vamos a pelear. Let me dry me off,

and then we'll fucking fight. Right, but there was only, you only get one minute rest. You were hurt at the end of the round. There's only one minute rest, but you took a minute and 30 seconds. That extra 30 seconds had to help. ¿Qué dice?

Que tú te dan su patrón un minuto, pero tú cogiste un minuto y 30 segundos que esos 30 segundos te ayudaron bueno, claro que sí pero no fue mi culpa no es mi culpa si hubiese estado limpio McCarthy cuando dice sale a pelear, tenía que salir a pelear

pero si tú miras, pon el video McCarthy dice McCarthy cuando dice, sale a pelear, tenía que salir a pelear. Pero si tú miras, pon el video. McCarthy dice, go. Pero cuando me dice, go, me ve que estoy con vaselina. Y me dice, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Entiende? Eso no era una jugada para tomar descanso., no, no, no, no, for sure. So the only other fight, well, that was a controversial moment.

You said that in the Robert Whitaker fight, that was a learning experience for you because you went five rounds, came very close to winning the interim title, but came short. What did you get out of that fight? You said that was a big learning experience for you. He said that after you lost to Whitaker, you said it was a fight that you... That was a big learning experience because going five rounds... You learned a lot. You learned a lot. It was a dry fight.

It was the first time you had fought five rounds. You learned a lot. You learned a lot. It was a dry fight. It was the first time you had lost five rounds. Last night, his manager said that after the fight, when he saw him, that he had a big smile on his face. That one of his... He was very happy. He didn't take that loss as serious as he should have. Why were you happy? It's the same way that I lose it with Rafael Fajardo. very happy. He didn't take that loss as serious as he should have. It's the same way they lose it with Rafael Fajardo. You learn.

And now you see what happened with Luke Rockhold. Luke Rockhold. What did you learn in the Robert Whittaker fight? About the timing. Timing. About the timing. You need a little more corner listen the people talk about my gas right but the most what doesn't

look at ambient would I sent him call you rocko can't build and I believe ¿Quién pude sentir con Luke Rockhold que él vio en la pelea? Que no es tan fácil como él pensó. ¿Qué es lo que pasaba? Yo llevo un ritmo de pelea Y ese ritmo de pelea Tengo que calmarmelo Me lo dijo mi entrenador La diferencia

Mi manager Me lo dijeron Cuando yo estaba entrenando en Albuquerque Con Johnny Yo vi algo. A él le controlaban los ataques. ¿Cuándo?

Debe atacar. Y eso no había pasado conmigo. Era go, go, go. ¿Entiendes? Y si tú le dices a Era, go, go, go. ¿Entiendes? Y si tú le dices a una persona, go, go, go, no es una máquina, te vas a cansar igual. Entonces, yo nunca me he preocupado

por pelear cinco rounds. Nunca. Porque entreno todos los días. So I never worried about 5 rounds. Believe me, never. He's never worried about 5 rounds. Because I training every day. You have to have problems if you know you don't have gas. You have to be worried if you know you don't have gas in that gas tank. I don't have a problem for fight, for parapelea cinco rounds. The argument has always been that a guy who has more muscle has a harder time keeping a fast pace.

So what you've learned how to do is to pace yourself for your body type. Does that make sense? Dicen que la gente que tiene mucho musculo necesita mucho aire para fajarse duro por tres rounds. Lo que tú estás diciendo ahora que tú aprendió cómo controlarte más. La gente que tiene mucho músculo, you know, like Sakuraba.

Remember when he fought? Sakuraba? No, no. The black dude with the crazy hair. So could you. So could you. I mean, when I saw So could you, I turned the TV off. I was so fucking scared. You know what I'm saying? Like, I I turned the TV off. I was so fucking scared. You know what I'm saying? Like, I just turned the TV off. Yeah, he was a beast. But after a round and a half, it maintains a lot of oxygen.

I've learned that from you talking on the UFC, that you need a lot of oxygen. Eso ha cambiado contigo. Tú no necesitas más esto. No, tú sabes. Aunque tú cojas a Minnie Mouse. You take a Minnie Mouse. You take Minnie Mouse. Mighty Mouse? Sí. Minnie Mouse. Mighty Mouse?

Sí. Mighty Mouse. También tienes que darle un chance para que descanse. Tú no puedes decir, go, go, go. No. You even have to tell him to breathe and pace himself. Right, right. You know? But to have all that muscle, it takes more endurance, right?

Para tener todos esos músculos que tú tienes, coge más... Necesita, for sure. Claro. But the payoff is you have much more power. Sí. ¿Cómo, cómo? Lo último, tú tienes más poder.

Tú entiendes. Con el tipo este que tú estás ahora. Este treinó para estar más calmado. Sí. Pero lo último, Yes, yes, yes, for sure. So you've learned how to pace yourself for your body type and your style. And now, like that five rounds with Whitaker, that was a big learning experience for you in that way. Yep. Yeah.

So now you're going to fight Whitaker again. Yes big learning experience for you in that way yeah yeah so now you're gonna fight Whitaker again yes yes you look very excited yeah I think if you win you will be the oldest guy to ever well maybe Randy Couture when he won the heavyweight title but for sure middleweight you'll definitely be the oldest middleweight I think Randy was older when he won the heavyweight title when he fought Tim Sylvia. The oldest middleweight in the world. Yes, Randy. Randy. Randy.

I think Randy was 46. Yes. 46? 46. No, Randy. Jesus Christ. Yes, Randy was a beast. Randy, no.

He was a beast. Yes. He is the beast. Randy, no. He was a beast. Yeah. He's the beast. Yeah. Yeah. The fight was the first light heavyweight since losing to Chuck. His first fight at light heavyweight. Randy.

He became the oldest fighter to win a UFC bout. No, no, no. That's a UFC bout. No, no, no. That's not what I meant. Look at how old was he when he beat Tim Sylvia? I had champion type. Yeah.

Find out how old he was when he beat him. He wanted to was younger. 40, 40, 40. I want to say he was 44. I want to say he was 44. I think. He might have been. 45 in four months.

45. Damn. So he beat Tim Sylvia for the heavyweight title when he was 45. That's fucking crazy. Now, all due respect, you have to remember that there was the testing back then. They'd just look at you and go, yeah, you look clean. There was no fucking testing. They'd test you at the weigh-ins.

That was it. There was no random testing. There was no USADA. It's a different ballgame now as far as guys getting tested. He gets tested the most in the UFC. Really? Cuanto a veces te testan a día? Because look at you. he gets tested the most in the UFC. Really? How many times do they test you? Because look at you.

Man. Two times a month. Two times a month. Wow. And blood and piss? Yes, yes, yes. Piss and blood. They just show up?

They show up. Yes. They're outside right now. I know. Yeah, maybe. They're outside right now. Yeah, maybe. They're outside right now. Maybe. Maybe.

All of us are going to get pissed. Don't mix those tests up. We're going to have a real problem. You know, it's funny. New York. Is it New York? New York. And the fight with Chris.

Chris Weidman. Chris Weidman. Yeah. When I make a sound like this. Right. I go. They test you right after you flexed. Only me.

No, come on, come on. Well, New York, that was new. New York is very new to MMA. I mean, they've only had MMA a couple years now. But it's funny, like Monster, that was new. New York is very new to MMA. I mean, they've only had MMA a couple years now. But that's funny. Like Monster, Monster? Monster Energy Drink? Monster Energy Drink.

Say, my money, oh, look at this guy, man. He's the really monster. And when I go out, he say, Usada, come on, monster. He say, come on, monster. Come on, monster, we're going to test you. Oh, that's hilarious. That's hilarious, man. Do you think it's a good thing, the USADA testing?

Yeah. Yeah? Yeah. Good, keep everybody honest. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That Chris Weidman fight, that was one of your most spectacular knockouts, that flying knee. Thank you.

Woo! That's great. That's one thing that's unique about you is your ability to just explode out of nowhere Like you love guys to sleep and the dome and then and then you go on is me. Yeah, that's your style Yeah, yeah, it's a unique style man What they what what did you wrestle like that to? Buy the moment Bingo

That's it that's it you know it's dependent with my coach the the wrestling coach Jolly Chava but him when I do the chosen him he say hey go I am attack attack attack and that's what I want to do in MMA the difference is though the wrestling is short of time periods yeah but I told las personas que me conocen por lo menos ahora en el MMA que me han visto entrenar me conocen bien saben como yo peleo a cuantos porcentajes estoy peleando

como estoy peleando y Cuánto porcentaje estoy peleando, cómo estoy peleando. Y... Le doy gracias a Dios, ¿no? Le doy gracias a Dios que resbalé. Que yo resbalé y yo no quería haber resbalado, pero le doy gracias a Dios por todo. Pero ya venía para atrás. He thanks God for everything He was coming back In the Whittaker fight Yeah

You were coming back Yeah If you watch the last round The fourth round And the fifth If you watch the last round, the fourth round, how does he come out in the fifth round? Yeah. He was preparing himself, but he wasn't preparing himself correctly

about how he was going to fight. He was preparing himself, but he wasn't preparing himself correctly about how he was going to fight. This new trainer really gets him prepared how he should fight. What is different? He was trying to fight at a high pace for five rounds. Because he knows his gas. You know. Right. The people have fought with him.

If they want to be honest. si quieren ser honestos te pueden decir si es fácil independientemente si se gana o se pierde no estamos hablando de eso estamos hablando del gas si es tan fácil llevar el ritmo de pelea porque una cosa es estar fuera y una cosa es estar dentro de la pelea.

¿Entiendes? Y entonces... Vamos a esperar a junio o nueve. Just wait until June 9th. June 9th. That's when it's going to be? Where is it? Chicago. Chicago. You're there the night after. You're there June 8th. Yeah. You excited? Yeah. What is different about your preparation now?

What is the difference in your preparation for this fight with Whitaker? You know, the training systems that I'm using now are more like those of Cuba. The systems of training the ones that he's utilizing now are going back to his Cuban roots. Why does this guy, this new coach, have better results with older athletes? ¿Por qué este tipo, el amigo tuyo de Taekwondo, por qué tiene los resultados con atletas que son un político más mayor que los jóvenes? No es

realmente que ha tenido resultados con los atletas más viejos, sino que sabe trabajarlo. Es la metodología. Tú no puedes... Look at this. Si tú le preguntas... Y creo que él habló algo de eso.

Yo tengo mucha experiencia, mucho entrenamiento en mi cuerpo. Tú no puedes ponerme a mí a hacer lo mismo de un muchacho de 18. Tú necesitas hacer algo específico. Y en eso es lo que estamos trabajando. Un trabajo específico.

¿Entiendes? Y ahí no necesito correr 20 vueltas a la pista. Eso lo que me va a hacer es desgastarme. ¿Tú corres? Sí. ¿Cuántas millas? Sin embargo, ahora estamos corriendo menos que antes.

estamos corriendo menos que antes estamos corriendo de una forma específica específica específica no se puede hablar de eso

¿cuánto tiempo crees que estarás luchando? estás 41 ¿cuándo crees que estarás en retiro? ¿qué dice? ¿cuánto tiempo hasta que tú te retires? ¿cuántos años todavía te quedan a ti? Que tú sepas en el cuerpo.

¿Sabes? Cuando tú entrenas, ¿tienes disciplina? Cuando tienes disciplina, entrenas todos los días. Cuando tú tienes disciplina entrenas todos los días cuando tú tienes disciplina entrenas todos los días y cuando tú entrenas todos los días un día te levantas y dices

Dios me duele y un día te levantas y dices Dios, todo duele todo duele. Y uno día te despiertas y dices, Dios, todo se duele. Como que todo se duele. Incluso mis anillos de cabello se duele. Y no importa, si entrenas cada día y estás cansado y aparte que te duele todo, tienes un compromiso. Entonces la pregunta es, ¿hasta cuándo va a ser este compromiso?

Quizás gane el título. Pregú? ¿Quizás gane el título? ¿Espera ganar el título? Pregúntame eso después que gane el título. Pregúntame después que gane el título. Porque sí me duele el cuerpo. Porque sí, está suave. Su cuerpo duele. Entrenar duele. El entrenamiento duele.

Cuando tú entrenas de verdad, duele. tú entrenas de verdad duele son 32 años haciendo esto es una locura es un tiempo largo te ves genial gracias hermano

estás enojado pero escucha junio 9 no puedo esperar a ver Robert Whittaker es un gran jugador eres un gran jugador debería ser un gran jugador para la campeonato de middleweight de la UFC buena suerte a ti hermano And June 9th, I can't wait to watch. Robert Whittaker is a great fighter. You're a great fighter. It should be a fantastic fight for the UFC Middleweight Championship. And good luck to you, my brother.

Joey Diaz, thank you very much for translating this and setting this up. It was beautiful. Thank you, everybody. Love you guys. Love you guys. And girls.