This Past Weekend - #620 - Keith Peterson

Episode Date: October 26, 2025

“No Nonsense” Keith Peterson is a professional MMA referee known for his work in the UFC. He is also a diesel mechanic and a wrestling coach in New York.  Keith joins Theo to talk about what’s going through the mind of a referee during a fight, his alter ego as a frontman in a hardcore band, and what he loves about coaching his daughter in wrestling. Keith Peterson: https://www.instagram.com/thereal.keith.peterson/  ------------------------------------------------ Tour Dates! https://theovon.com/tour New Merch: https://www.theovonstore.com ------------------------------------------------- Sponsored By: Celsius: Go to the Celsius Amazon store to check out all of their flavors. #CELSIUSBrandPartner #CELSIUSLiveFit https://amzn.to/3HbAtPJ  Ethos: Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/THEO. Application times may vary. Rates may vary.  Armra: Go to http://tryarmra.com/THEO or enter THEO to get 15% off your first order. Morgan and Morgan: Visit https://forthepeople.com/THEO  to see if you might have a case. Morgan and Morgan. America's Largest Injury Law Firm. Symmetry Sauna: Go to http://symmetrysauna.com/THEO to learn more  Ryl Tea: the tea that cleaned up its act and still tastes like the good old days. Refresh yourself now at www.drinkryl.com  Perplexity AI: Ask anything at https://pplx.ai/theo and download their new web browser Comet at https://comet.perplexity.ai/ ------------------------------------------------- Music: “Shine” by Bishop Gunn Bishop Gunn - Shine ------------------------------------------------ Submit your funny videos, TikToks, questions and topics you'd like to hear on the podcast to: [e-mail] Hit the Hotline: [phone] Video Hotline for Theo Upload here: https://www.theovon.com/fan-upload Send mail to: This Past Weekend 1906 Glen Echo Rd PO Box #159359 Nashville, TN 37215 ------------------------------------------------ Find Theo: Website: https://theovon.com Instagram: https://instagram.com/theovon Facebook: https://facebook.com/theovon Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thispastweekend Twitter: https://twitter.com/theovon YouTube: https://youtube.com/theovon Clips Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheoVonClips Shorts Channel: https://bit.ly/3ClUj8z ------------------------------------------------ Producer: Zach https://www.instagram.com/zachdpowers Producer: Trevyn https://www.instagram.com/trevyn.s/  Producer: Nick https://www.instagram.com/realnickdavis/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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He's a father, he's a MMA referee, he's a musician, and he's a mechanic, and he absolutely hates nonsense. Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. No Nonsense, Keith Peterson. I'm sitting here with with the man No Nonsense, Keith Peterson. Thanks for joining me, man. No problem. I got to ask you straight up, dude.

Is there, how much nonsense is allowed? In what? In fighting or life? Like, what are your thoughts on nonsense? Because you got the name No Nonsense, right? Yeah. I don't know. There's a time and place.

guess right uh but um i think it like the no nonsense thing is just you know my approach towards things and you know uh john annick uh gave me that nickname and it kind of just stuck and i think it fits you know but you know there's nonsense so you'll it'll allow a little okay it depends during the holidays yeah yeah yeah i guess okay okay maybe on your birthday because there's a little bit A nonsense allowed. But usually most of the things I do, I do very straightforward and, you know, no nonsense, I guess. Yeah, I've been involved in too much nonsense and it gets a little hairy, that's for sure. Yeah, John Anick gave you that name?

When was that? Yeah, a few years ago. Yeah, we had a few conversations. And then I think on air he said it and it just seemed to take off and fit. Yeah. And I think it does fit. Yeah. You know, nicknames are weird, but I've had a few.

Yeah, what are some other ones you had? When I was little, my nickname was Froggy. From, like, the little rascals, the voice. Oh, yeah. The little guy with the voice. I've always had this voice. So, yeah, that was my nickname pretty much until I got a hold of kind of grew up. Some people still call me that, though.

Yeah, there's this girl who moved in across the street. And she came over because she walked. Yeah, that fits, man. That fits. You're from New York. Long Island, yeah. Yeah. Long Island, New York.

And I originally lived in, like, East Meadow, Nassau County area, and now I live in Iceland, New York. I slip. And how did you get in a referee, and how did that start for you? Well, I fought amateurs for a while, and for about three years. All different fights, amateur level, MMA fights, multi-fights. kickboxing and then um we had a lot going on so they was getting hard and harder you know to put the time in and um someone just uh it's like oh want to you you know judge or or be an inspector

at fights at amateur fights or stuff like that and i was like okay that sounds cool i'll be you know still be at the fights and then um i went took this course and the uh was in new jersey and there was this old referee, Donnie Carole. He reffed a bunch of my kickboxing, MMA fights and stuff. Donnie Caroline? Yeah. He passed away a few years ago.

And he was like, you'd be really good at refing. You'd be really good at refing. So I got my chance to ref, you know, a few amateur fights and kind of just took off from there. And he was pretty supportive during the amateur part of it. Were some of those early bouts tougher? Was it tougher to referee? then like is it something that gets easier over time what yeah i would always i compare it to and i don't

know if it's a good comparison but it would be like being a brain surgeon like you're not going to be as good as it's going to be 10 years but no one could die yeah pretty right pretty simple right and uh so you learn lots and lots of little things and so you're saying so you're not going to be as good as you're going to be later but as long as you don't let somebody die yeah you got to you know stop the fight when it's supposed to be stopped and you know and then the rules it all comes in as you go take me on like an early experience that was kind of like a lot for a referee yeah so for me my first like a couple like um i remember my first or second time the fight was really even as amateurs and really even and then

the kid was like you know losing pretty bad and i was like wow this kid's losing pretty bad you know this fight should be stopped and i was like oh no that's me and and i stopped it and i stopped it And then kind of from there, you're like, yeah, you're the one in there, you know, because it's, you're up close and like, you know, you have to adapt into a referee. Like, at first, you know, I came out from fighting. So my mentality was like a fighter. Like, as a fighter, I didn't always agree with the referee. Like, you know.

Oh, it's a good point because as a fighter, you have a whole, you're, you're just doing your thing. And, you know, especially, you know, at the high level, like, this is, you know, it's their health, their lives, their livelihood, you know, and all the dedication in the world, you know, that it takes. So, you know, they're on a different journey that day than I am, you know, for sure. And are there fighters that will tell you that will come up to you before about and say, like, this is like, do not do this or do this? You'll get, you know, do not. And then I just let them talk and then I, you know, do my, you know, whatever my criteria is, I don't change it. You can't. No, you can't, you don't change it.

Is there one fighter that's like, do not for anything? Like, is there somebody that's just like, let me go to the end of the road every time? Like, somebody that stands out because it's kind of. Like, there's been, like, not to name any, but a lot of times when they say, don't stop this, they usually, you end up stopping it. It's weird. Or they'll like tap or something, they'll like, you know, be like, wow, you know, especially when they say, you know, oh, I'm willing to die or whatever. But some guys are just quiet and just, you know, that they're there to get the job done. And as far as, you know, it's like, as is it, a criteria, you know, let's say you've watched a lot of fights.

Like, and when I'm roughing, I'll say, like, you have to move. And if they fit that criteria, if they're defending and they can move, you know. you know it's a fight my main thing as I said this you know they're putting

their health on the line my main thing is to have them fairly fight and you know health like them leaving and being able to fight again

or whatever they want to do again right you know be a family person like there's a lot like besides me being a parent myself it's the most important thing I'll ever do it's very important and you know on the outside it's just a fight but a lot can happen you know and so um you're kind of like a safeguard yeah and you know and it's like you're in there and

as i said emotions from everywhere right fighters corners people who are there to watch the fight from you know you get a different vibe from the people in the front row from the people of the macro right so it's a very emotional so really i try to keep my emotions aside and and you know just have this set thing of what i do each time and you know everyone makes mistakes you know i don't that doesn't make them acceptable either like you know oh everyone makes and they do and and i do but you know make a mistake omit it and learn from it move on is there a fight that you've had to like you were like yeah maybe that was a little earlier that was I didn't read it correctly or try not to read it totally into the early ones I don't have

many where I'm like oh that that was late I got um I'm lucky uh that I don't really have one where I'm like wow that's not what I'm here to do um so that that I'm lucky but um you know to know as you get more experience you know like you'll know when even like sometimes someone would be like, ah, I think that was a little early and you'll know right in your head, it wasn't a little early. Like, because you're there right next to them.

Right. So, you know, you hear all the sounds. That's a good point, actually. Yeah, you're right there. I mean, you're, you're right there. You're the closest person to it. You can feel a different energy than we can. Yes.

And even cameras I've done, you know, because I look at my work when I'm done with it and I've watched five different angles. and like usually the only angle like there's one angle then I'm like oh that's what I saw and the other angles kind of maybe or a little bit

and then there's one like closest to where my eyes are and they are where you're like oh that's what I saw you ever go back and like with your lady make love to a fight of watch one

or something like that like that you know what I'm saying watch your work type of thing like a thing you know people will like watch their oh like watch it you know just to say wow I did did great.

Yeah. No, I don't look at the ones I think they did good. Yeah. Right on. Yeah. What, uh, tell me a little bit about your life

outside of work. I know you're in a band. I remember you telling me about it one time. Yeah, I was in, I was in two bands. It was, uh, my first band, we started in 1998.

And then my other one, we've been around a pretty long time, too. Um, what's that band called? The first one was called GIFY. And, um, the second one's loser sometimes when. And, uh,

then like, New York. hardcore bands. Hardcore? Yeah, yeah. Nice. And where do you kind of model the... What is GFY for?

Go fuck yourself. Oh, yeah. I was younger than, yeah. Oh, that shit was fun, huh? Dude, where did you guys play? How did you guys get started? Um, we, uh, Long Island guys. And, um, we, uh, met, you know, like a music scene.

Yeah, and, um, we met, uh, I was like, oh, we start something. And then you just started it. And were you singing? Were you playing an instrument? I sing. You did. So that voice, as part of it, was that one of the reasons you even got into singing

just because your voice was kind of different? It just happens to be that my voice kind of fit the hardcore thing, but I liked hardcore way before that. But kind of like, I started listening to hardcore punk rock music when I was really young. But yeah, I was just into like, I got into heavy metal and like Black Sabbath and all that. And then when I started hitting my early team,

I wanted to find something that kind of like fit more of where I was and more like where it's man like street music and stuff so that's I found hardcore and just fell in love with from then and you know I'm still still that's what I listen to uh

I listen to all every you know not everything actually I don't like people who say they listen to everything but I listen to a lot types of music but let's let's take a gander at some of it let's take an ear gander here at a little bit of it play that second one actually I like till I die Thank you.

Yeah, boy! Yeah. Do you come in on this? Yeah, I think right after the instant show. Who are you? We came to wreck everything and ruin your life. God's in this band. There's two singers in this band.

I like it That vibe is a pure vibe dude That was like That's like one type of culture That whole energy And it's like silly too Like the

The intro of that is the death march Right And it was like Halloween And I pressed this thing And that's what it was like D-Din-Din-Tin So I went to my guys I'm like yo

Played a death march Yeah And there you go What are the ladies like That would come to those shows That's how I met my wife. Really?

Yeah, yeah. Oh, it's a pretty good. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, that's it. So from right before the band started or whatever, I met her. And then... Where did you meet her at? Like, taking you do that.

At the band, hatebreed. At a hatebreed show. Hatebreed? Yeah. Bring them up. They're famous. And are they out of New York? No, Connecticut.

They're famous now pretty. They play huge shows. Yeah, I think I've heard their name before. Yeah. And so were you guys just, like, were you at the concession stand? and were you just like kind of like I don't know if there's a concession stand but uh

yeah no yeah it's just tongue piercings and vodka um yeah where'd you meet her at uh at the show and uh just you know whatever the dance and what you call the demash pit whatever and uh yeah and we just met and that was that yeah

dude those pits are fun kind of if you can coordinate the pits do you ever do that when you're on stage you're like all right everybody to this side and this side and then you make a merge like I was at a suicide boy show not long ago There's probably a lot more people at that show than my shows. Yeah, yeah. But they'll do this thing where it's like this kind of controlled thing.

But Mosh pitch used to be pretty sick. The Wall of Death. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. When there's a big crowd, those are cool looking. Yeah, shit's dope, dude. Yeah. Hunker band that does that really good with us is sick of it all.

They do a good wall of death. Sick of it all? Yeah. Yeah, I'm not familiar with them. I think I'm not familiar with as much of that genre of music. When I was growing up, we had, like, a brother's friend. Like, my brother's friends, they had a band that was like that. And so, like, being the younger brother, we'd go, you know, just try to get involved and stuff.

But there was always this kind of like, I think in our area, it was kind of fringe a little bit just because we didn't have as many people that listen to that type of music. Yeah, in New York, it's, you know, even though they had its ups and downs, but, like, at one point you had, like, CBGBs was like the home, you know, and stuff. like that and you had lots of clubs and so it's would you go there when you were growing up CBGB? Yeah that's where I went mostly and then and then I ended up

playing there in both bands a few times bring it up CBGB CBGB was a legendary New York City music club in the Bowery district founded by Hilly Kristall in 1973 that became a crucial incubator for the American punk and new wave rock

movements though it was initially intended for country bluegrass and blues music which the CBGB oh I didn't even realize that name stands for country blue bat country bluegrass blues the unglamorous gritty venue hosted influential bands like the Ramones blondie talking heads and patty smith group before closing in 2006 wow yeah so do you remember who did you go see there oh yeah as like new york bands like uh sick of it all a gnostic front um pretty much like once you kind of get into that then it's all friends bands they get to play they play there you go like we we played there a few times um it was like sundays you know you'd go to that's where you go take the train and go go to a show and then there's at the time on there's

like a bunch of clubs and you know great clubs there and um you know being young you just go you know at one point you can go three or four shows a week yeah so and uh so that became like main focus for a pretty long time did you have like a routine before you got on stage with your band did you have any

yeah uh you know like uh I would just stand like we'd sell in shirts so stand behind the distro and kind of get ready and just get on and go um it's not much you know not much though like I don't even, you know, I think it's good, but, like, anyone could do it at what I was doing. Just get on, and if you love it, you just start screaming, I guess.

Yeah. But, yeah. I like, the raw energy of it all is really what I still love. And I don't get to go to shows as much anymore, but my son's really, but my son's in three bands. Oh, wow. So he's really involved in that. So, but I still love, love the whole. culture yeah it almost seems like there's some correlation there between like the

intensity right of that and MMA yeah there is definitely yeah it's like it's almost like when the pedal is pressed all the way down in a car and you're going at that yeah like there's that I was actually really surprised when I started reference you know events that were on TV that how many guys at the hardcore scene were into MMA and and you know new like you know the events and and stuff A lot, there is a connection, you know, with uh, uh, Jiu-Jitsu and hardcore teams. A lot of guys roll, but, uh, but with, you know, with the UFC,

with all that stuff like, you know, all they knew everything about it, I was pretty surprised, but it makes sense. Yeah, it does. What happens when your health becomes the punchline? That's where we're at. From seed oils to stress, toxins to pollutants, the modern world is screwing with our health at the, the cellular level, leading to exhaustion, brain fog, digestive issues, and more.

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Get your free quote at ethos.com slash T-H-E-O. That's E-T-H-O-S dot com slash Theo. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. Where do you take your wife on you all at Cal's first date? Do you remember? I think we went to the diner. Yeah, something like that, yeah, cheese fries or something.

That's what I'm talking. I'm thinking about sometimes fancy dates. I'm about to cheese fry a woman and see what happens. I need a wife. With the brown gravy. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, that's the ticket. Was she in a band or was she like... No, she wasn't in a band, just, you know, like she liked ska music.

Oh, yeah. And back then, like, Long Island, they would, you know, bands would play. Hardcore bands and Sky bands would play on the same bill, and then she just ended up being a big fan of hardcore music, too. what differentiates ska Sky's got the definition but it's got a saxophones

and stuff in the horn section usually I never really thought about that I've always wondered Sky music is a lively genre originated in Jamaica in the 1950s blending elements of Caribbean Calypso

American jazz and rhythm and blues a walking bass line with strong accents on the offbeat played by guitar piano known as the skank fast tempos and energetic melodies Let me see In Jamaica, Scott was popular Among working class rude boys

Rude Boy While in the UK Skinheads adopted the genre During the two-tone era As a form of working class solidarity Ah, pretty cool How long have you guys been married now? Is it your...

Uh, 23 years What's been the key to a long marriage Do you feel like? Like, how's that been? How's that road been? Oh, awesome. The whole, that part, amazing. Marriage, kids, I love, that's, you know, my number one thing.

And it's been good. I would lie, you know, lie to say easy, but good, good, real good. You think you chose a good partner? Oh, yeah. No, definitely. Yeah. What makes her pretty great do you feel like? I don't know.

I guess the smart answer would be everything. Yeah. But she's Italian? She's Argentinian and Italian. oh yeah boy keep you on your toes yeah yeah she definitely is and um yeah you know as far as like us parenting together and stuff like that it's just perfectly like very good works out really good um you know like uh certain things i'm good at help her certain things she's good at helps me mostly what she's good at helps me um she keeps it definitely

going she's the one to keeps it going yeah by a lot for sure man um what was it like when you guys decided to have kids was that like a scary choice or was it something you guys were just both excited about was it scary for you kind of to become a dad like what was your relationship with your dad like um i'm good both of my parents good um but uh yeah i would i don't think i was nervous i do know like when our first son was born i kind of looked and it was like real deal now right you're like holding them like i got like this guy depends on me for everything like everything you know so you're like i got to get it together i got to make sure you know and i had it together but i got i got to make sure that i do this

right you know and you know obviously just like we said before you make mistakes with things but like my goal is to you know raise that i have three kids and you know raise them to be good people with out having to try if that makes any sense you know how like guys like us like oh we're trying to do the right thing. I want my kids to just be able to do the right thing without having to try, which probably impossible, but if you shoot for that goal, you know, it's good, you know, it's a good thing.

Yeah, so. Yeah, I don't, I don't have any experience parenting, but I think it's something that I start to look forward to more and more. And I do think it's something that, like, kind of get you into a new phase of life, right? Like, oh yeah, definitely, right? I feel like I've been in this same phase of life sometimes for a while, kind of like,

but I don't have another. phase yet you know it's like I don't have a wife or family yet you know sometimes people will be like dude you got to grow up and I'm like to what do like what do what do you want me just go sit in a like rock and try something like what do you want me to do you know what I'm definitely not

I want to enjoy my life even with my kids it's been different like my 23 year old is like really into the hardcore scene because when he was born I was still very into that still played shows still you know did you know went to shows my friends would come over that's all we would play in the backyard for barbecues.

So, like, he's really into that. And then, you know, my daughter, it's wrestling, wrestling, wrestling. Oh, she loves it. Yeah. And because by the time, you know, she was getting older. She's 19. And she was getting older. That's what my older guy was doing.

We were into the wrestling thing. So, and then, you know, my 14-year-olds is wrestling, wrestling, and skateboarding. He's into skateboarding. So, you know, it's pretty good. But, oh, there's your children right there? Yeah, that's them. Let's go.

Oh, Keith. That's awesome. That's my son with the Rancid shirt on, and that's his girlfriend. That's my youngest one and my daughter's at the end. Dude, congratulations, bro. That's so cool, man. That's cool. That's so cool.

Yeah. Yeah, there's something just special about that about seeing a man and his family, you know? You look like you've lost weight since then, huh? Yeah, I've lost a good amount of weight. Have you? Are you taking the peptides? No, I just stopped eating horribly. And I'm running every day and just, you know, like I wasn't eating well, I don't think.

So. What were you eating? Everything. So everything. Did you have one snack like at night? What was that snack that got you at night, honey? Like, three gallons of ice cream or something? Like, I was eating a lot.

Really? Like, I guess it was gradual so people didn't realize, but I'm not the biggest guy in the world. And I weigh like 186 pounds. It's a lot. and so I slowly you know even though since I've been losing the weight people oh he's sick or he lost too much weight

or whatever but you can never make it people happy you're fat and skinny you're short which I can't make myself taller so I don't understand that comment yeah get taller you're whatever you're like yeah it's like what do you mean they didn't even hear I'm closer to the fight yeah

you have a big head oh right and I didn't choose to have a big head so yeah let me get this nail file so like things but uh i feel good i love that i've lost the weight um you know i'm trying to put some muscle on did you have a health scare anything like that i wanted to be healthy um you know a few things were going and not not so much with me but around me and i was like you know i want to make sure i'm healthier and cannot what do you mean like a few things were going like like a few people

passed away oh you saw you saw people having the effects of not being healthy yeah and and you just, you know, even, you know, some of them healthy, but just, I guess, not lucky. So I'm like, got to give yourself the best chance, right? Yeah, sometimes you got to meet God halfway, you know? Yeah, and it's never going to be perfect. But, you know, like, I saw this barbecue place. I don't know where I am.

I'm eating some fried alligator later, for sure. Yeah. For sure. Hell yeah. Yeah, they got some good stuff around here, man. The food scene's been getting better here in Nashville as the city's been growing, too. Um, what about like, uh, did you ever, did you struggle over the years with any addiction stuff? Are you, did you drink?

No, I, well, I drank, but I, I wasn't necessarily like struggle in addiction. I couldn't remember if you told me that one time. I don't, I don't drink anymore, really. Um, but, uh, I never, never really even tried drugs. It was never kind of like, I, I wrestled all the way through school. Oh, that'll keep you clean. And, and, you know, so, um, I wasn't the greatest ever, but I was really into it and uh and uh you know kind of kept me whatever i was i was wild enough without drugs yeah you're a drug yeah yeah something already in there you know what i mean yeah yeah you already got half a gram of something stuck in the back yeah never was never

attracted wow that's wow because i think people would look at you and probably think something like yeah probably i guess and people i mean me too yeah in the music scene that i'm in i'm in a lot of guys just, you know, probably you would think, oh, that guy's on drugs, but they're just on whatever. It's who they are, right? But I guess that, you know, even these days of tattoos and stuff, you would think, oh, that guy's, but, no. Are you fully tattoo?

What are you? Yeah, I have sleeves, you know, sleeves and my back's almost done and stuff like that. Wow. I have, whatever, for some reason, I got my hands and my neck. like real fast. I was young, though, like 22. Oh, okay. So these have been there for a while?

Yeah, yeah. I don't dislike them or anything. Yeah. No, it's cool. It's definitely an energy. I mean, you seem like, you know, like, yeah, you're like, you're, you're, no-nonsense guys. So it's like, you know, I think you kind of look a little bit like there's not a lot

of nonsense allowed here. Yeah, I guess you're supposed to. You know, so it's kind of wild that you almost grew into that. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? You kind of met, you kind of lived your life and then met that name right at the. Yeah, it's kind of, yeah. Like, you know, I kind of mind my own business, I always have.

You know, I'm always, you know, and it's just like, you know, I treat people the way that I want to be treated, which most of the time is left alone, right? I'm nice to, you know, I'm nice to kids, old people and animals. Keep moving on. Yeah, what else can you ask? I'm a citizen. That's it, right?

I think that's fair. Yeah. I think, yeah, it's fair. Yeah, I'd love to see you working at a pet and zoo or something like that, dude, being like the operator or something. I could have seen you working at like whenever like the carnival would come to town when I was a kid.

Yeah, I would definitely probably be a good carny, right? Yeah, dude. But only on the, like the ride, it was the Gravitron where they had the dude in the middle that did the music. Yes, I love that right. So I love that right. So up that's right.

They would spin that thing and you was fucking. I had an awesome gravitron story. It was actually, I know the date. It was April 19, 1985. This place, local near me, it's called Eventually land and they had Gravatron

and the Van Halen album 5150 just came out and they played that song Why Can't This Be Love? Like a hundred times Me and my brother went on it like 80 times In a row And we just kept going

And then like I would find I was um Yeah it was a It was my ninth birthday I think And um It was for my birthday That's why I remember the date and the

like you'd go and then have the rules right of every single thing and like every single one I'd break one of them my brother would be like stop stop stop kick off my shoe and it come back at you

you know yeah I remember that that's crazy the Graviton is like my favorite fuck yeah dude and that was like where because that's dude at that time period

like when we would go yeah I was like 11 12 or something like that and you get in there and the dude who ran it would be like this kind of like It kind of looked like a guy that shouldn't be running Yeah, yeah, yes Like dude, somebody who dropped this guy in here

Somebody hired him Yeah, and it almost looked like this thing came from like outer space Yeah, yeah, like they built it around them Yes, and the ramp would close up And it would be this dude who kind of looked like slash From guns and roses And then it would, you'd slide up against that wall And you couldn't even like, you could barely even move

But every now and then you could like get your arm out And like just put it on your friend It went on, the more your body got, like, used to it. You get to go upside down and it's, you know, and stuff like that. Oh, damn. I didn't know people got used to it. Yeah, sideways. Oh, shit.

Look at this. Like, standing there. That's pretty brave there, too. See, I'm the other one. See, the one where the guys facing the wall? Yeah, like, he skitt me out of me? Yeah, the dude who would try to turn over and he just didn't have enough energy to get back over. That would be me.

Just humping the edge of the gravitation? Bodies, like, split. Dude, that shit was cool, though. That was just something. Well, that guy looks like a normal guy there. Amazing. The guy running it there. Yeah, that guy's an op, dude.

That guy's not fucking real, dude. That guy's a narc, probably. But, dude, that shit was so much fun. The whole idea of they're not spinning and you're spinning. It always, like, got me. Like, I would always, like, ex for explanation. Like, he looks like he's spinning, too. Yeah.

He's not. Dude, did you have, who influenced that music in you when you were a kid? Because I remember, like, my brother would listen to, like, Deo, lock up the wool. He would listen to some, like, skinny puppy maybe, I think, was a band as well. Like, nothing too crazy, but, like, kind of a little bit of mainstream edge, you know? Skinny puppies, yeah. Good.

The, you know, the metal stuff, like, I kind of, like, just grab a, you know, like, sort. And I was like, I don't think guys would like to cut off sleeves and the long hair. Even though I've never had long hair. I was like, oh, yeah. Never? Damn. Some in the front, like in the mid-90s, I had like that skater-haired thing. Somebody make us a couple of, put together a few memes of somebody out there who knows how to do it, of no nonsense with some long hair.

Just so we have them for the future. We'll throw a couple of them in. Or we'll put this clip online and put a couple of them in. I'd love to just see that. Yeah, dude, I can't believe we didn't even try it. Yeah, no. And then just that whole, whatever, and then like my brother, I seriously. going, he started listening to

like the different metal, but like Van Halen and, you know, stuff like that. So, we kind of got Motley Crew. Yeah. My first ever concert was Poisoned. I went on my brother. He was a few years older. So I went, and then my second

one was Motley True. Fuck, dude, that's so sick, bro. On Dr. Fieldgood tour. He's on my God, like, God, like, yeah. We've had Tommy Lee on here. Awesome. Yeah, that's crazy. That's great, dude. So that tour, he played, like, up on the ceiling.

And he just, like, did, like, even, I think it was, like, ACDZ cover songs and just, like, went across the ceiling. It's pretty cool. And your brother took you to that? Yeah, yeah, yeah. So you guys were pretty close. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Nice.

Does he play music? No, he actually passed away, like, a year and a half ago. Oh, man. So, yeah, young at, like, 50. Oh. So, yeah. But, uh... What was he, was he suffering from something?

No. he had um he had uh tumors but he he didn't know or didn't uh take care of i'm not sure which one but um he uh so he went to hospital on a tuesday he died on our friday so it was real fast real fast so did you get to see him in between those days i was there the whole time you were yeah yeah oh man yeah yeah so yeah what was that like uh i mean i hate to ask you that good uh yeah sorry so no It's not the most thoughtful question I'm sorry that happened man Yeah but uh so

I bet he was super proud of you huh Yeah so how yeah So how things work is like This stuff's gonna happen to all of us Unfortunately Yeah bad stuff right So The way I feel is

How are you gonna handle those moments So I believe At that moment And it was handled as perfect As it possibly could Um what makes you say that well you know in a room of people the room was full with people he loved and they loved him you know he uh he wasn't married he didn't have kids so my kids were like his kids

and uh so they're surrounded you know surrounded by his parents and just as good as that could happen you know what i mean and so you know he's i don't know like my brother was the nervous guy he didn't seem nervous at that point So I don't know, you know what I mean? Huh? That's, yeah, much is weird. That's kind of interesting, huh? I'll probably be crying like a baby.

But, yeah, he ended up, you know. The world is kind of nerve-wracking. You know, when you think about it? Yeah, so that's how, like, he was always nervous, and I never was nervous about anything one of the kids. And he'd cross in the street, I'd run, and he'd be screaming. Yeah, yeah, so we were really, really close. It was, like, me and him, my mom worked most of the time,

two jobs and stuff so it was me and him and uh we were total opposite um like even growing up like i got into like the metal music first he would listen to like cultural club and like tears for fears it's just different then he got into the rock and roll stuff and um but um you know he he he was a comedian he was uh in school he was in the drama club and stuff and i was in sports so we were totally different but like the same i guess did you kind of feel like his protector sometimes in some ways? Well, he was older than me, but yeah,

I was definitely, and, and, you know, uh, was sometimes you got that gritty brother who's your fucking, you know what I was definitely that, yeah,

but, um, it was weird how we balanced it, like he, as I said, he was nervous and had major anxiety, but like, we were so different.

It just, but it fit like, um, perfect. Like, uh, like our relationship was like good. Yeah.

Really good. Yeah, yeah. What was his name? Rob. Rob. Yeah. Nice, man. Rob Peterson?

Yes, sir. Oh. Well, hello, Rob. Nice to meet you through your brother. And hope you guys are having a good time out there, wherever you are. Yeah, whatever you're doing. Yeah, for sure. Did he get to come see you referee?

He never saw me referee. What? Actually, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So, but I guess a lot of times you don't go watch somebody work. Yeah. But he came to see me fight

Actually, I actually had a pretty funny So I was fighting for a title Amateur title in Atlantic City And him and his buddy Was this one of your biggest fights? Yeah, I think it was my first amateur title fight So it was a big deal And it was actually

No, I was actually Defending it I took a fight on short notice I bumped up a weight and I lost So now I was fighting the same kid But at our weight for the time. title he was going to take my title whatever so my brother and his buddies come and i guess they're doing their thing pretty early and they're going you know uh Atlantic city and and and having fun

and then i come and as i say he's really nervous guy and uh he's standing in like the uh the hall but the cage is right there and he's like staring at the cage and he looks like he's sweating and i said to him i'm like yo what's up rabbi and i'm right behind him and he's like oh my god you know fighting and you know you're getting older you have kids and whatever and and the ring girls walk by and i go hey robby you see the ring goes he goes he goes i'm not that nervous of course i've seen the ring girls that was pretty funny it's like i'm on buying it was pretty funny and then i won the fight we went out it was a really good uh great night too i remember being really really awesome so you had an amateur belt a few yeah a few

I won that one. Did you have a nickname when you were a fighter then? Shortly, the Spartan. Yeah, so, like, we were watching 300 or something, and someone said something like, because he, you know, he was just fighting, hanging out with his wife and playing with his kids. And they're like, oh, that's kind of like you.

I was like, oh, go with that Spartan. Yeah. I saw where you fought one guy three times. Yeah. Jose Villanueva? Yeah. What was that? Because that was like a trilogy, I guess, sort of.

Yeah. What did that feel like? Was that part of that same thing? Yeah, that was part of it. Oh, it was? Yeah. So you guys were won one? He ended up winning two.

He ended up in two. We went back up, we went back up, and he won two. Did you feel like you could go back up? You're like, I got him here. I can go back up there and get him? Or what was that, what was that like, dude? I don't know. I can't remember.

I'm trying to think, like, I think back then. Did you have something against the guy? Oh, no. But I think back then, you know, it was still kind of, the amateur scene was just kind of grown. And with MMA And yeah And he was good

And I was good And it was competitive So You know Probably You know I was trying to fight Some other guys in between So I was kickboxing

And fighting Muay fights too But uh No nothing against him I actually refed them A bunch of times after Oh that's pretty cool man Oh this is part of that bout Yeah I think this is the one

So this is the one I bumped up And I fought on three days notice I lose first one. I lose this one, yeah. Keith, that's dope, bro. You're in there. It's weird that the ones I went on on here.

And that's the guy, Donnie Carly. That's him. The referee? Yeah, that's the guy who got me into refing. Wow, that's cool. My first, yeah, my first... That's good defense right there, man. Yeah, I know how to wrestle a little bit, but my first...

I think he does take me down, but I pop up and basically what happens is... Oh, look at that, bro. Go back. Let's see a little bit of that. You were loving that shit, huh? What happens is I miss a back fist, but I think if I hit it, he'd probably still be asleep,

but I miss it and kind of get slammed on my head and move on from there. That's good. He submits me. That's cool, man. Those fights were good, they were fun, and he was a good guy. And as I said, I wrapped him after,

and even in his pro career. That's pretty cool. Well, it's cool that you left him after and that the referee is the guy that got you. Yeah, there's a lot of connections. It's so amazing, man, about life if you're able to stay kind of, as you're saying, healthy enough, right? If you're able to take care of yourself mentally enough to stay. You don't have to stay in the center lane.

You can veer off a little bit. But if you're able to stay, so many of the pieces of our past kind of really connect and make the future make sense. For sure. Definitely. I've had, in the last couple of years, I've had so many moments like that. It's crazy. Yeah? Yeah, yeah.

So anyone that stands out? Well, so my first A couple of years in high school I didn't do so well. And I ended up doing pretty well. Like what do you mean didn't do so well? Like in school? Yeah.

Did you not like it? Yeah, I guess. In like ninth grade, I didn't really do very good. People were like, were you like fighting with other kids? No, not so much. You know, back then kids fought more often than they do now for sure. But I just didn't, you know,

I guess that whole punk. Rockfield, like not listening to authority. Oh, yeah. Yeah, something like that. But, um, so I didn't do so well. And I went to Eastman High School. Didn't do so well there. And then, uh, you know, I ended up going a few different high schools.

We moved a bunch of times. And, um, so it didn't end well. And then, um, did you graduate? No, I graduated. Oh, yeah, I graduated high school. I went to college for a year. And then I start as, I'm a diesel mechanic for the town I live in. I've been there 28 years.

Are you still a diesel mechanic? Yeah, yeah. Are you in the union? Uh, yeah. Oh, wow, what union you in? Now, USP, we change a lot. But when I first started there, we were Teamsters. That was pretty cool.

I thought the idea of being a Teamster was cool. Yeah, we had shown O'Brien in. He worked with the Teamsters. He was Teamsters president. I'm not sure if he still is. But so we've learned a little bit about unions over the years. I didn't know anything about him until we had him in, you know? Yeah, that's the whole union job's awesome.

I'm able to do what I do and stuff that I want to do and branch out. Wow, so you've been a decent mechanic this whole time. Yeah, yeah, yeah. How'd you get into that? I decided that college wasn't for me. My dad's like, well, working is get a good job. So got a job like back then when you left college, you were off your parents' benefits right after that.

It wasn't like now where it's to 26. So I needed a job. I was roofing. And I think I broke a rib or something. And I, you know, my dad was like, you need a job with insurance. And if you get hurt, you know, you get paid and so uh

I found this town job and I started a highway for a little while like nine months and then I got into the mechanic shop and that was that you started working on the highway yeah so like you know mowing the lawns and stuff on the highway oh wow you ever find anything cool out there no damn garbage that you have to pick up

that's it I always want to find a body out there so like a dead body well Long Island has a bunch of them on those highways but yeah or semi living you know what I'm saying I'm I hope they're a lot But yeah, I could totally be fine with not finding a dead body. Yeah, definitely. I'm good.

Yeah, tomato, you know. A body part or something, maybe. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Just a thumbs up. Yeah, thumbs up. That'd be kind of cool. Yeah, yeah. Sounds like you're finding an emoji.

Just like that, that'd be cool. Sean O'Brien is still the general president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters as of October 2025. Did you have a mentor that taught you how to be a diesel mechanic? No, kind of like on the job learning. I did have, you know, there were older guys there that were really good. And kind of like if, you know, if I, you know, if I can't fix it, I could break it even more, you know, just keep going. And then from there, you know. And did you teach your kids any of those kind of skills?

Yeah, a little bit, you know, like the normal skills. Like, you know, like I actually, you know, there's kids that don't know how to change a flat tire these days. I've had a few of that. My kids know how to change flat tires and my daughter knows how to change flat tire. Yeah. You know, stuff like that. And my younger guy is the one that seems to be the one that's going to be working with his hands. My older guy's a chef.

So he works with his hands just differently. But I hope his hands aren't dirty when he's working. But, yeah, my younger guy seems to be, you know, maybe do some mechanic program moving forward. You're eating French fries at the beach. And you want to take a quick dip in the ocean. So you ask a seagull to watch your lunch. That's not security. That's catering for the seagull. There's a reason you wouldn't trust a seagull with your fries, just like there's a reason you wouldn't trust your insurance company with your case. You deserve someone who's actually on your side. That's why there's Morgan and Morgan, America's largest injury law firm. For over 35 years, Morgan and Morgan has been fighting for the people, just like you and me. If you're injured by someone else's negligence, you deserve. to be paid, and here's the truth. Not all law firms are the same. If you're ever injured,

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Learn more about how to get your own premium home sauna from Cemetery sauna at symmetry sauna.com slash t-H-E-O. So take us on the journey of how you get into working with the UFC. So I started raffin and so each one, you know, is commissions. And I started raffin first in New Jersey. and then Pennsylvania got sanctioned and it's a really big state so I got a lot of work there

and I was working putting in a lot of time there and I think a few months into being sanctioned they had a show UFC 101 in Philadelphia and you went to the fight and I worked did I refed that one that's my first one was one-on-one

and bring that up bring that card up I left the first two fights Wow What was that like that first day I mean did you have your own Like kind of green room Was it a little bit different What was that like?

Just normal But you had to be so excited But how did you get it? I was actually so excited I didn't even know how to get in So I never I've never gone to a venue Without a ticket

Right So I didn't And I didn't ask them I didn't ask what I needed And I got there And realized how do I get in So now I know You have to have

the credential, obviously. So, you know, and I ended up getting it. But now I know how that works. But you just try to come and do the ticket. Well, I, no, I just got there

and I was in the park lot and was like, how am I getting in? I don't have a ticket. So, yeah. So that was, you know, 2009, so. Who were the other referees?

Do you remember on the card? Maybe the same guys as now? There's some, I think, some were still old now. Maybe Mark Goddard? Yeah, yes. Actually, I believe that was Mark Goddard's

first time reffing in the States or UFC in the States or something like that. So yes, he was on that card. B.J. Penn, wow, that's amazing. Dude. That's Forrest Griffin? Yeah. It was Yeah, Anderson Silver versus Forrest Griffin.

It was a while now, I guess, right? Yeah. Was there a fighter that you reft for early before he got to the UFC that you saw, like in amateurs and stuff? Yeah, a bunch of them, like Paul Felder. Yeah, Paul's the best. he's fearless it's awesome um could you tell then when you were seeing paul then yeah yeah he's

different level uh aliquinta different different level tough um yeah uh trying i think there's there's been a good amount over the years that you see in the local um stuff and you ref and then and then you refed them in the uf which is pretty cool that's pretty cool man for them and for me yeah for sure like for them that they're there not that i'm there i don't think they're They really care about that. But, yeah, for me, it's like, wow. Yeah, I'm a part of something. Yeah, yeah.

Yeah. Like, we're all on this journey to, we're all in the same journey in a way. Yeah. As I said, you know, it's like, besides, you know, my family stuff, it's the most important thing that I'm going to end up doing, you know. And to see, you know, you think about it,

you rough them in the, you know, the local scene and they're healthy enough to get there, right? And, you know, you think, you know you have something to do with that you know that's a good point you know so was there ever a fighter that you remember that stood out that something happened in amateurs

and they didn't make it like someone that really stood out over there's a lot of ones that you would say oh this guy is going to be and they don't you know it's a tough sport right so and anyone that comes to mind that kind of like that you not particularly name wise but uh there there's

been guys where like oh wow you know sky's the limit and then and just, you know, for whatever, injury, or it's hard, you know, like we were saying, you talk about having kids and stuff. I think, you know, once you start having kids and stuff, the guys that have these families and they train like that, you know how it's dedication that takes and sacrifice, like, a lot. And women, you know, who do the same. Like, the men and women who do that, it takes a lot, a lot to do.

So, you know, at that level. Yeah. Oh, when you see a guy going away, like, to a camp for six weeks, eight weeks, ten weeks, to get ready. And a lot of times they're going to be away from their family. Maybe their family will come and visit on the weekends and stuff because, you know, there's only a few places in America where it's like kind of premier training. And then you could go into the bout and losing the first round. You know, it's like it could end in 30 seconds. Yeah.

That's like training for the Olympics, you know, taking last, right? You cannot train at all, take last. Yeah. Training for your whole life, you know. So that's what makes it, you know, cool in a way too. Oh, that's the, that's why, like, when I go to the fights and, you know, I like to go early, I just, because I'm like, this is like, this is their life, right? Yeah, I noticed that.

You're getting to witness a piece of somebody's life. Like, they, they mean this. If they're at that level, they mean this so much. Yeah. That to even be in the presence of something like that, I think gives me energy. It's like I'm showing up to watch an eclipse almost, something's so rare, you know? Yeah. Are there fighters when they come in the ring like, you know, Alex Pereira has that energy.

When you're in there, when he comes in, like when I'm in there as a fan and he, there is a unique energy like that pentameter of the room. I would say, yeah, there's definitely fighters with energy that you feel the energy. Are there some, like what are some that you would even name? Like, are there some that's, well, Dustin Poirier. Yeah, Porriet, people are excited. Yeah, the people energy, his own energy. Yeah.

You just can feel it. That's interesting. And like Clay Glita, he's win or lose, the energy is just so good, yeah. Dude, you see him, you just get excited. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, just the energy. And it's coming off of him, you can feel it, and that he wants to be there, you know, like. Wow. Yeah, there's a lot of fighters that you just get that, really, that energy from.

And then when you get it from both at the same time, that's where you really, it's firing off, right? Yeah. Is it tougher to referee some of the, um, the bigger fighters? Is it because of their body shape? Like when they're, like, is there, is there a weight class that's a little bit tougher or different that you have to adjust how you do or where you place yourself? I don't know about tougher or different. Like the small guys are faster.

The bigger guys are stronger, right? And it's just, right, uh, physics, I guess. Um, so you just, you know, make sure you're fast enough. for the faster guys and you're in the right position for the bigger guys. I don't, like, have a preference. I can refer, whatever.

You want to be in the right position and, you know, they'll listen to your commands and, you know, because people do ask, like, oh, how would you stop them? And the same way you'd stop, you know, a small, small guy or, you know. And they always all honor the referee for the most part.

For the most part, yeah, you know. Because that's part of the code of... Yeah, you guys. give respect you get respect right so you know yeah the level of respect that's in that ring is pretty amazing too i feel like yeah i think people would be surprised definitely um how like you know respectful fighters are to to me i you know i can't really speak for any but to me and um you know obviously you're not going to always agree but for the most part uh for the very very most part um they're very respectful have you ever been at a fight where

someone passed away in the ring or there was something that tragic that happened? No. Wow. That's amazing, man. Yeah. That's a blessing. There's a lot of fights.

Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Because you've refereed thousands of fights. Yeah, probably, yeah. Definitely a lot of them, yeah. Is there anything different about refereeing a male fight to a female fight? No. I, you know, I've been lucky to get some of the best female fights ever.

Yeah. And there's really no difference. you know it's you know pretty amazing the level that they've grown so quickly for sure and and female sports in general if we would you know talk about you know women's wrestle and last year I went to the um NIA women's nationals and when your daughter was in it yeah oh she was yeah she'd won the regional last year let's go and the level of competition was insane really you know she fell short Her first year, last year, so we'll see how this year goes.

But the level, and these, you know, they're like, they're not girls. They're 26-year-old women in college. Oh, that's a good point. There's some real tough women out there. So it was amazing. It was, although I wish she had won a few matches. Me and her sitting there watching that level together was, you know, two days. It was in Kansas, and I was kind of at the end.

I'm kind of happy she didn't do that well. because we were able to go out for lunch and dinner and hang out a little bit. So, but, oh, that's nice. This year's a new year and we'll see how she does. And she really loves it, huh? Yeah, yeah, yeah.

All my kids really love wrestling and, there's such a great value in that. There's such a great sense of, like, you can take care of yourself that you can handle yourself, I bet. There is, it's more, like, wrestling's the best sport, you know, that you could do in high school level and, well, youth.

level to a college level um oh wrestlers will always be the craziest too you'd like you'd just be driving one day and you'd see your buddy wrapped in trash bags right it's like 90 degrees out in louisiana my buddy paul corso would be like and i think it's his birthday actually today or tomorrow but wrapped in trash bags just running down the highways like i gotta fight in two hours you're like who are you fighting me you're fighting off satan brother yeah yeah but same as what we were talking about but that commitment too right right and then It carries on to almost anything. And also, like, you know, like, when you're wrestling and you feel defeat, right?

Like, you're learning life lessons on a wrestling mat, instead of having to learn it outside world where the, you know, the cost sometimes is a little more. So you're learning it just by, you know, training and stepping on a wrestling mat. There's not, you know, it's none better than that. When I was going to MMA classes, I remember there would be, like, days where, like even after like I'd sit there at the end of the day and sometimes I was just like ball like just emotions would come out of me but it was stuff that got unlocked that had been in my muscles or in my fascia in me and it was like um the ability to be able to be uh uh like beaten by somebody

that also cares that you're going to be okay at the same time there's something really fascinating about that and I don't think you can find it any other place right like you know your competitor also they want to beat you but they also some of them want to teach you, especially if you're new. It's just like there's, it's unprecedented the different levels of well-being and competition and ferociousness and defeat that are all wrapped up in there.

Yeah, and bonds can be made that way. Oh, I saw. You learn who all the cops are because all them are off duty. Yeah. You know, they're all in there. And I saw a few guys that I used to train with and mostly in the stand-up stuff

and um you know buckets of blood we would really go hard but a lot of people would come and be like what the hell right it was my early training and i just got bonds with those guys forever you know seeing them's great and and we laugh about that because uh i don't know you spark pretty hard yeah so it was good that's good do you ever think that a fighter through a fight or had given up but kept fighting what is that kind of energy like how do you manage something like that and how do you decide if it's just you interjecting some of your own thoughts into what's going on. Can you take me on even just some journeys about some of that?

So like, you know, what, like if a guy is giving up or... Yeah, like, do you ever think a guy doesn't want to be in there, but he's staying in there? Like, do you ever get some of that energy? It's kind of the sport where if you don't want to be in there, most likely you're not going to be for very long, right? So, like, I have seen guys that it's not going very well, and you can tell they definitely want to be there, right? That's a little easier to see.

I think, definitely. But yeah, I guess it's a good point, huh? Yeah, usually if you don't want to be there at some point, you're not going to be there pretty quick. And you can see, you know, guys get surprised or, you know, overwhelmed. And for that moment, you know, live to fight another day and whatever. But usually, like, if a guy, you know, you're stopping them. They're not stopping themselves for the most part.

Have you ever had a guy stop himself or their corner stop them? What's some of that life? I have like amateur stuff. Like I had a kid walk out of the cage and leave the other day. Wasn't for him. Good choice. Yeah, yeah. Wasn't, wasn't for him.

And I was amateur, so like, good decision. Yeah. Fuck, yeah. Go get a smoothie, huh? Yeah, yeah. I was like, oh, all right. I waved it off. And they're like, what?

I'm like, yeah, once you leave, it's over. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, that'd be crazy. He comes back in. His mom's, like, walking back in with him or something or his buddies. One time, um, it was my buddy, and he knocked. this guy out and somehow his mom got in and you thought she was going to kneel down and

to see tend to her son but the doctors were there used being taken care of she stepped over and gave him the finger gave my buddy the finger was crazy i remember it it was many years ago but i remember because uh ac dc thunderstruck was being played and the mom's giving the kid the finger was pretty awesome oh that's epic yeah yeah have there been some other instances that have happened at the end of the match where what's that like because that's a lot of energy people are coming into the ring you still have fighters that are down sometimes so obviously that was

years and years ago and so now it's you know um only the right personnel coming coming in but um this you know actually I was I fought on that card that woman so that was a long time ago but um

you know it could be pretty crazy you know especially like the higher, you know, the event and loud and stuff. And then when the fight ends, sometimes it's just like that. It is. Yeah.

It's just like, like, you know. So, yeah, it's crazy. And the more over the years, the more you work, the more the sounds kind of, some you hear, some you don't, like I can pinpoint someone's voice. And then other, you know, there's thousands of people screaming. Yeah, it's crazy that it can be. dead quiet in there with so many people in there sometimes

and sometimes there'll be certain cheers going on but it's still like there's this real silence that's right up there by the cage like um it's almost eerie in a way it can be or mysterious yeah or unique it's uh it's powerful yeah you know because there can be like this insane moment at 20,000 people they're watching

and it's quiet yeah and then other times it's loud and then cheering and you're like what are they saying sometimes you can't understand what they're saying and stuff like that. And so it's like up and down, you know, it's pretty crazy. Yeah, it's like life, man. Yeah, yeah, up and down. Yeah.

Did you ever suspect that a fighter threw a fight? No. Like, no. Like, some guys aren't, you know, obviously I ref all different levels. So some guys are coming in and they get punched and they're done. But that's just, you know, they're not throwing it. They just don't have the talent. But I've never suspected anything like that.

What was it like when Connor would come in the ring? Did you do any of his fights? I didn't, no, I didn't do any of his fights. But it was crazy. I've been, you know, I've worked cards where he was on. And like Madison Square Garden, when he fought the first Madison Square Garden, it was crazy. And then even after you went outside and there was, you know, Irish people cheering everywhere. Yeah, oh yeah.

They show up. Yeah, yeah. they really do so could you even tell us who you thought the best fighter is that you've seen I don't know if I

so I stopped looking at fights like a fan a pretty long time ago yeah I kind of don't see him that way I wouldn't even be able to pick a favorite fighter or say who's the best fighter or anything like that

but you know obviously there's fights you're like wow that was really exciting or something like that yeah you know but Yeah, I kind of just very looking at it At the referee standpoint these days mostly Is there

A fighter that you feel like plays by the rules the most? Well, there's a bunch of polite guys Who's just polite, but for the most part Everyone really plays by the rules You know? Yeah, it's kind of a situation Like I think a lot of the, a lot of the fouls that, you know, are accidental, you do

Yeah, I do. Some of it couldn't even Even if you wanted to do it the way It's such a fast thing That's a good point It'd be hard to strategize something like yeah But then you have some guys At a real grindy

And when they're in the cage They're gonna do what they have to do And it is a fight And you know You gotta try to control that Did you get to ref any of Khabib's fights? Nope So him and Connor

But mostly everyone else But yeah Is there a reason why you think? No there's no I don't believe there's a reason why How do you guys determine and what fights your referee? Do you draw out of a hat?

No, the commission just gives you, you know, you'll go and you'll get your assignments. So I never really asked exactly what they used. So you and Herb Dean aren't back there like this then? No. Okay. Now, so you come and they give you a sheet and you already have your assignments there.

And is it almost like opening up like a Christmas wish list? Like in some ways, are there some you're excited about? Like are there some actually you're happy you don't have to use so you can sit and watch it? Or do you even think? of it like that. That's like a fan thinking of it. Yeah. I do sometimes and this sounds maybe crazy, but

like if I'm like, oh wow, that fight would be hard. I kind of hope I get it to see if I, you know, if I can do it. And what would determine a fight would be kind of hard? Like what even in your head makes you think of that? Or what makes some fights harder than others? Yeah, well some matchups and

you know things are like, oh this guy's really has one knockout power and this guy's really great on the ground. but you know it's not very good at taking them down so then you know you're right so you don't know what you're going to get right and I think that's what would make it harder or or not complicated but interesting so let's get rid of the word harder but interesting for sure yeah I think it's so interesting how so many fighters have different reasons why they fight you know like some is to test

themselves some don't even know some is to get rid of anger you know to challenge um some just love the violence you know I just think it's pretty fascinating to see how many why guys do it. Yeah, different, you know, from different roads, right? Yeah. And everyone, yeah.

You coach, and we can wrap up in a few minutes. Thank you so much, man. This has been cool. I appreciate it, you know? It's like, I get to go sometimes to the fights and get to see you guys there. And it's like, you know, it's almost like you,

I mean, you guys are kind of like celebrities in that fighting world. I mean, that world is built so big that, I mean, the referees are. Yeah, sometimes it's like, oh, you know. But you'll have to have people that are excited to see you. There is, but, you know. It's crazy.

Yeah, it is because it's definitely not about, you know, me. Of course, but there's not a lot of other sports. I don't think, what's that been like? What's it like being a part of something that's changed? Like, have you noticed the changes every time? Have you noticed a different energy in the space? Have you, like, have you noticed that fighters change? What have you noticed?

Well, it, you know, obviously it's still young sport, right? And it's growing and growing. Not only like, so I think it was 2009 was my first year. So not only has that all changed, but people have changed since 2009. So, yeah, fighters are different because people are different. And, you know, and we have like, oh, the internet's even bigger. and all that stuff. And, you know, so, yeah, a lot of things have changed,

but the concept is there, right? Put two people in there and they fight. And so that's the same. Fighters, like, end up the same. Like, you know, even though times are different, like, eventually, like, you'll, even when you're talking on, you know, they're there for one goal and, you know, to be competitive.

And that's always stayed the same. Yeah. Was there ever, like, a fighter that retired in the ring? Because, you know, a lot of times they'll lay their gloves down. Was there any moment, one of those that kind of stood out to you, or just one that even caught your own feelings? I believe, I believe I might be wrong, but I believe Quaigweedah retired the last time I left him, I think. so that would be pretty significant because I've left him up a few times

and he's awesome so I believe and there's probably been others too that they've retired after after after I've revved them but those are always like I know some of them you can feel common right and then some you can't

it happens in wrestling too they'll take off their shoes and they leave it in the center and sometimes you're like oh yeah makes sense and a lot of times like you know you got more to get and more to go

but as you said the amount of time that stuff takes yeah you spend time now coaching your daughters yeah so my daughter

yeah so I my daughter and I is this her school this was her high school so I coach for the well she went this is the team she wrestled for

so we have in our area so we have one school which is Bayshore that has the girls wrestling team and then the other schools when she went to Iceland all go there

so I coach the Bayshore I'm the assistant coach at the Bay Shore girls team and then me and my daughter run a club together called Empire Girls Wrestling together so and right now that's growing like the whole sport's growing it's amazing it's great that girls get the opportunity to be what I believe is the best sport and it's awesome yeah and then

coaching with my daughter right now is really she's very good she actually coached at um which is a big thing for us at the national team New York national team at Fargo this year was her first year coach in there and she did really well and she's going to be an awesome coach she's dynamite huh yeah what's her name uh mora mora oh it's a pretty name man

wow that's cool man oh there you go look at that so this was really cool how much nonsense does mora allow uh not much either yeah there's not much going on not much nonsense um this was um august um the end of august it was the new york fair and they invited us and we brought a girls team and a boys team and we the boys and the

girls stay in like the four age storms so they get to stay fair for free the kids get to walk around and do all that it was really cool and then they wrestled us for the people to watching and that yeah so all those people are just walking by the state fair watching the do meets dude that's great entertainment why not put something like that in a place where people are already at and looking for entertainment. Yeah, it was pretty cool. Because so often, sometimes you'll put it in a gym or something and people don't even know, you know, especially a lot of times in high school or even outside, like in

college people, you just don't know, but if you're at a fair, you're looking for entertainment. And there it is. It was really cool. It was our first year doing it. My wife planned it. And we got invited and it was really cool. We'll do it again for sure.

It was really cool. Wow. M-A. M-R-A. M-O-R-A. Beautiful young lady. That's awesome, dude. Congratulations.

Thanks. I didn't do anything. but well you showed up yeah yeah yeah that's for sure you know yeah yeah yeah I mean that's a lot of it yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah

you know we're talking about it today it's like as yeah like life has there's a lot of little off ramps that you can get on yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah and you know you got as we were just talking earlier about things that you know you don't think ever gonna happen happens

and uh you just got to keep going forward and then uh you know you know eye on the prize I guess So yeah, so I'm lucky. You know, I got all these good things going. Yeah, it seems like you stay really busy. What is your daily routine like kind of? So I start work at the town at 7.30 to 4.

At the diesel mechanic? Yeah. And then. That's unbelievable. And then our practices, well, right now, our practice is just empire practices. They're from 7 to 9 o'clock. Mondays, Wednesdays, and 3rd. Thursdays and Sundays.

And then now we're starting the high school season, so we have open mats for that too. Wow. Keeping busy. Yeah, that keeps you busy. You like staying busy, huh? Yeah, very. I like to stay busy.

I like to, you know, keep moving. Yeah. Yeah, that's me. I don't sit around much. I've never been much of a sit-around type of guy. Yeah. So, but, you know, I... Well, too much nonsense can happen.

Yeah, but you can still have fun. Yes, true. But you can have, like, I'm a pretty serious guy, but I'm like things I'm good I'm good at making fun of myself I'm good at laughing I know you know like I came to see your show

that was funny and I was surprised by cousins were there they're huge fans they had a good time yeah yeah you know when they told me

they were gonna be I was like oh hey I'm going and so they're huge fans and it was good it was good thanks man it was funny yeah

I'll accept that I appreciate that hey you're a referee you would know man oh I don't know about if I'd know comedy but I'll take it though yeah it's good enough

fair enough I've laughed a few times. Hey, that's fair. That's all we can ask. From a guy who doesn't accept nonsense, that's the most we can ask. Is there any other,

oh, are referees are allowed to, is there like an alcohol rule with referees? Like, I know with pilots, can you look it up for me? How soon before a flight can a pilot have alcohol? Is there a rule with referees that you can or can't drink before a fight? Well, you can't drink.

before a fight so I would think it would be like 24 hours or something like that I had never you know but they never it's never like they don't they're not breathalizing no breaths or anything like that yeah but it would be hard to do so what referee a fight if somebody been drinking it would probably be well it would be impossible like uh to actual do the actual thing would be impossible but then you know you spend so you're you're in there you're you're with doctors commissions and whatever and I wouldn't think they'd let you... Yeah, somebody would catch on. Yeah, someone would catch on.

Let me see what this says. Many airlines have stricter internal policies with some requiring pilots to abstain for at least 12 hours before flying to a lot sufficient time for metabolization. Dude, 12? I don't think 12 hours is long enough, to be honest. 12 hours seems, you know...

That's not that much, but... You want to hear something crazy. So I have a CDL, so it has to be zeros. When they do the drug test, they do a blow. You're allowed to blow. a percentage. In summary, pilots must

avoid alcohol for at least eight hours before a flight maintained BAC below 0.04. Yeah. That's drunk

in some states, I think. Damn. And not fly while hungover or impaired. Wow. Yeah.

So, no, yeah. So I guess being, Oh, my God, bro. They should have to blow it

in the front of the plane and show the number of the rest of the plane, you know? That's pretty crazy. That's, yeah, no.

We, We don't do breathlines or anything, but it's, it's, you, you wouldn't. It's never been an issue. No, I, I, you know. Yeah, you've never heard any, you've never heard of anybody having an issue. No, a real one, no.

Yeah. What, what's it like when you get there from when you, when you leave? Take me through a UFC fight as a referee. So you get there. How early? Like, how early do you get there? It's usually, it could be two hours, an hour and a half, I think, usually, like.

And who's there when you get there? Like, is Megan O'Levy in there yet or no? I, I guess. don't know um do you have a meeting with the commission yeah like just take me through like so i straight go in and walk in find the commission room um you know obviously if i've been there before but if i haven't been i'm working a place i've never been walk in find the commission room get my assignments when the fighters come i do my one-on-one rules meeting and then each fighter yeah wow every fighter on the card every fighter i have on the card yep so usually we'll go with

the average is three fights on a card, right? I've had more, you know, less if a cancellation, whatever, but go over the rules, ask them if, you know, they have any questions. Then, you know, depending on what state, mostly now, you do also, you do RO, like the review official. What does that mean? So it's like the instantly play.

We have instantly play now. And then the fight before yours, you usually do, you know, the gate when they walk in the check and so you're busy pretty much the whole time yeah and will you have like what do you eat before

do you have an energy drink what do you do I don't have an energy drink but some places I eat before sometimes I don't eat before it all depends like when I'm from New Jersey there's a few restaurants

I'll have something Madison Square Garden I always go to the same place and I eat there What is it? It's a Mali wee pub and they have like Irish beef stew

and I know Yeah, you know, get what you like, yeah. I like cassadillas with almond flour tortillas. We like what we like. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I get that and then, you know, so. And that, like, did you know, MSG. I do the same thing every time.

So there's a guy, I wish I could remember the name of his company, but I can't right now. But he sells shirts and stuff outside. I go out and say hello to him every single time, right? He's always out there, no matter how cold, no matter what, the guy's out there. He's awesome. He's right on 8th Avenue. you. He's on the corner. And then I say hello to him, and I go down and get ready to go after.

And then I go to the model, then I eat, usually the beef stew, and then get going. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I'm kind of a creature of habit in some ways, you know? Yeah. Yeah. Oh, I'm very much, you know, like, same. And I use the word criteria and whatever, but, you know, this is how I do it. But almost everything, I'm like that, really. Hey, discipline equals freedom, man. And that's what Jocka Willink always says. Yeah, that's awesome.

And I think that's kind of true. It's like if you get up and get the things you don't want to do done out of the day, your day is so different. Yeah. You know? Yeah, definitely. Have you ever been unable to do a referee a fight and for what reason before you go? Yeah.

Well, I have a story of like I refed, but I had when I was refing, I had two kidney stones and staples like in my stomach so it's crazy story I had my appendix out when I was like 20 and then

a few years ago I had it out again so they took out the appendix but they left in they lived in like a stub so I actually had my appendix out twice pretty interesting Oh oh you got scammed

either either way it was the same hospital but who forgot a little I don't know and it was bad so they had to like dude that's nonsense yeah that's real nonsense

and the fact that when I asked you know I'm like hey does this does this happen it does I'm like oh so I also at the same time

had kidney stones so I did the recovery and so everything was kind of as miserable and I had a big show an event coming up And it was an important one for me. A fight?

Yeah. And then it was just at a little meeting to me. It was a local and I had the main event. It was just so I decided my head I was going to do it. So I ended up getting the doctor that I was going to see every two days for the recovery to say you can do it. And she was like, you can do it. I said, great. But the staples are getting really tight.

So I took the few of them out from the top. And then... By yourself? Yeah. And then it was easy, though. They were coming out already. Yeah. And then...

Yeah, it's a builder bear. Yeah. Yeah, just put it together. Boom, boom, boom, boom, you know. And then, so then... But the kidney stone started kicking in really bad. It was just a weird time. And so the night before, I'm like, really panic button.

I'm about to say, I can't do it. And, but, uh, hung in there. So next day I get there. And then the pain's kind of starting to go away a little bit. So I get to the event. Um, I get the fights in, uh, the main event like I was hoping. And, uh, awesome, um, place that I've always wanted to work. And so, uh, the bathroom is like attached, like, the fans and us were using the same bathroom.

So I walk in the eye And they're like Oh Keith, you're the man So I walk into the bathroom And now I'm feeling pain Like real bad So from the Kinneystone Yeah

So boom I pass it It goes to ting Yeah yeah It hits the thing All good for that Like well the pain was still there But it felt so much better

Yeah And I was walking out And the kids like The kids are like Oh you're a legend And all I can think of It should have saw What just happened in there dude

like in crazy and then the event went great and then I passed the other one because I had two on the way to Seattle the next week in the plane Oh yeah you gotta save one for when you travel

Yeah yeah It's just miserable But yeah it's kind of a funny story And then the appendix out It's pretty funny Because even It was actually almost ended up being bad Because

I was telling people What was wrong with me Because I was Oh and they thought it was already done That was already done, so they kept skipping over that. And, yeah, so it was a week or so, and I was pretty an infection by then, you know, caught in. But it was fine and everything worked out great. Dude, that's wild.

Just to know, if people want to know if some of these referees are tough or not, this guy's passing kidney stones between fights in the bathroom, that's pretty unprecedented. Keith Peterson, man, thank you so much, one, for always making me feel welcome. when I'm at the fights. It's such an honor to get to see you guys, man. That, it's, will you agree with this? That it's one of the most, the people that make that, that are part of that company that put that event on, it's pretty spectacular.

Yes. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it is. Like, uh, yeah. Some of the, like, the T-Mobile. Yeah, it's just all so special. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And you see the same people over and over again, and it really does feel like a family over there.

Yeah, it is. Does it feel like that to you? Yeah. Yeah, yeah, you know, as we figured out, I kind of keep to myself. But there's some people I see every time that I really great people and, you know, I speak to them briefly. And it's a really, you know, tight-knit. Thank you so much for all your efforts, man. Thanks for continuing to just support wrestling.

And I think it's just, you know, you being out there just inspires other young people to get into it and just having like so much history yourself in it. And yeah, thank you for letting us talk about your family and stuff today, man. And, yeah, cheers to many more years of being on the journey, man. Yeah, yeah, for sure. Thank you. Amen, you bet. Thank you. Now, I'm just floating on the breeze, and I feel I'm falling like these leaves.

I must be cornerstone. Oh, but when I reach that ground, I'll share this peace of mind I found I can feel it in my bones. I thought it's gonna take