The MMA Hour: Paulo Costa, Robbie Lawler, Michael Chiesa, and Nathaniel Wood | July 26, 2023

it's the Mixed Martial Arts hour with [Music] no Mr Tower is back in your life on this Wednesday July 26 2023 hello again everyone I sure hope you're doing well it is so great to be here with all of you on a beautiful summer's day here in New York City I am uh sweating up a storm it is hot out there but I love it I'm not one of these guys who complaining oh thank Meena January where it's cold and I can go skiing Now give me 95 365 24 7. all good that's what I want that's that's the kind of climate in which I thrive you know what I mean that's I mean that's like that's you know my ancestors they're probably my parents are from the Middle East you know that's what I'm comfortable in you know I'm comfortable in the desert type of heat it's 119 in Phoenix right now wow that's uh that's a little excessive I must say what's it what's it like in Las Vegas I'm off to Las Vegas in the morning about the same hmm well I'll have my hoodie on my sweatpants on I'll be ready to go revved and ready to go and what a seven day stretch my friends in the world of Combat Sports starting with last Saturday we had UFC London another great performance by Tommy aspinel of course he was on the program on Monday if uh yep there he is uh if George cambosis is your thing he had a fight on Saturday night in Oklahoma a bit of a controversial one but there was a boxing event happening there was also Misfits on Saturday with the tag team stuff anyway yesterday how about yesterday I hope you all woke up early if you're living in the United States certainly in the you know on the west coast East Coast not too bad it was eight o'clock I mean it was perfect I hope you all took some time out of your day to watch naoya in a way fight the monster in Japan the pageantry was Second To None the walkouts were tremendous and then the fight itself we thought would be uh a classic a Clash of Titans etc etc 122 in fact it was a classic but it was a classic performance from perhaps right this second the best pound for pound fighter in the world when it comes to boxing he completely annihilated Stephen Fulton beat him in the eighth round and it's fun because you had that fight on Tuesday morning and I love I've said this before I love a Tuesday Morning in Japan now in a way fight and then on Saturday we have Spence Crawford so there's a jockeying a position uh as far as the number one spot is concerned you have to think if the winner of Saturday's fight is winning in a dominant fashion he will end up number one because those are two top five guys as good as Fulton is he's not a top five guy but still I hope you watch that even if you are a casual boxing fan and a casual Observer of all things Combat Sports and let's be honest if you're watching the show you're probably not a casual Observer of combat maybe a casual boxing fan please I hope you watch that fight on Saturday and I'll say the same excuse me on Tuesday yesterday and I'll say the same about Saturday's fight I know it's going head to head with UFC 291 but if you can figure out a way to watch Spence Crawford which I think will actually happen before the main event uh on uh Saturday in Salt Lake City I think it's going to be in the 11 to 12 Eastern range uh do yourself a favor and watch that because that really is the best that boxing has to offer on Saturday we have 291 we have Spence Crawford we have Bellator ryzen uh all happening within the the span of like 12 hours it's a great time to be a fight fan especially if you like both forms of Combat Sports so on today's program we'll talk about all that and more buckle up my friends it's going to be a fun one I'm very excited uh to be going out there and I'm very excited to watch it all to take it all in this is a great time other sports summertime you know dog days of summer training camp friendlies things of that nature shout out to Team Canada big win over Ireland sorry to my Irish friends but you know a bit of a quiet time in July not in Combat Sports that's why we love this so much as always today's program is brought to you by our good friends over at DraftKings Sportsbook they are the official sports betting partner not only this program but the UFC as well I mean all you need is your DraftKings on Saturday and uh there's got to be something for everyone right whether it's UFC 291 whether it is Spence Crawford and it's a pretty solid undercard as well you saw Cruz uh Nonito Donaire fighting on the main card but below the main event of course usually it's just the main event that is of interest but there's a little something for everyone and then of course Bellator Horizon is belt Horizon available for betting uh GC are they possessed okay yeah so a little something for everyone there uh go to draftking Sportsbook tell them we sent you how use the code VMA hour uh back into the show the boys will make their picks I won't I think it's the first time I think it's the first time I'm not involved of course I I went with Molly on Saturday you know good faith Olive Branch didn't quite work out don't regret it at all some things are bigger than the parlay boys but as a result I am out yeah some things are bigger uh I am out and they are all in uh they'll be back in the show part of that pillow Costa is going to join us he is of course fighting October 21st and Abu Dhabi against Hamza chamai of one of the most anticipated fights of the year I would say certainly non-title fourth quarter fight massive one in Abu Dhabi right below Islam versus Charles Olivera two can't wait to talk to Paula Costa what a what a treat he always is part of that Nathaniel wood will stop by remember we spoke to LaRon Murphy on Monday about their little tedet but more importantly he had a big win over Andre feely one of the most entertaining fights of Saturday at the O2 we'll talk to the prospect is he still a prospect I don't think so but we'll talk to him on uh all things Saturday London and where he goes from here Robbie Lawler is going to stop by at around two o'clock stay tuned for that been a while since he's been on the program not one to Chase interviews I want to really want to do interviews but we had the great moment just a couple weeks ago in Las Vegas after the Nico price fight he retires amazing stuff ruthless Robbie Lawler is actually going to be on the show today I can't even believe it we'll answer your questions on the nose you know how we like to do but first let's go all the way to Salt Lake City where UFC 291 is going down this Saturday what a great card this is at the Delta Center yes it's the Delta Center again just like the old days in the 90s with the Utah Jazz Stockton and Malone and in fact one of the participants on Saturday's card showed up yesterday to check in wearing an old school John Stockton number 12 Jersey yes he's your friend of mine Michael case are returning for the first time since November of 2021 there he is Big Mike how are you sir what's up brother I'm really good yeah you know I thought about throwing the Stockton Jersey on but I can't break our tradition if I'm gonna wear any basketball jersey on our show and I do call it our show yeah sure um it's gonna be it's gonna be a mixtures I know I saw it yesterday and I was like I I appreciate what you're doing as a fan of 90s basketball I appreciate it I was wondering if you were jumping ship uh but then I just thought you were you were paying homage to one of the greats of Salt Lake City right well I have a lovely story for you you're gonna like this so obviously John Stockton he's one of Spokane's finest he played for Gonzaga and for people that Wonder it's not Gonzaga it's Gonzaga okay for Gonzaga out of Spokane um and my grandmother had a really nice antique shop and John Stockton used to come after hours and buy antiques from my grandma no way uh yeah so I've been a Stockton guy for a long time did you ever meet him I I did when I was a kid he's very very quiet very private guy and he would always come when the shop was closed to just kind of avoid you know at the time he was a very very big deal so he liked to kind of be he liked to be left alone a little bit so I did get the chance to meet him a few times when I was when I was very young so um yeah so I I you know he's one of Spokane's finest athletes so it's only fitting that I gotta show love for 100 Stockton family out here no it makes toasted had no idea Stockton like to uh antique like to go antiquing as they say who knew had no idea your family was in the antiquing business as well yeah yeah Grandma triber dude grandma triber she had a very very nice antique shop and uh I actually worked for um this but my last job before I worked before I uh went full time with UFC was uh I worked for Anheuser-Busch and that's actually ran um by the Stockton family so I worked for the stocktons before I hung up before I hung up uh my Anheuser-Busch a uniform um yeah that was my job full times I worked for the stocktons what did you do for them so when I worked for it was called King beverage and I was a beer merchandiser so I would just go to the store stock shelves slang beers and um yeah a lot of the Stockton family were higher ups in that company so I worked essentially I worked for the stocktons I've been around the stocktons look at you no I mean now I'm in the city where John or John Stockton had a tremendous amount of success so I love it it's very fitting for me and uh obviously we've talked about the long journey to come back and you had the uh the close call in April and we thought you were going to fight then last fight November of 2021 what a freaking road to get here what does it feel like to be in the midst of flight week you're cutting weight the face is a little Slimmer I see it I know yeah well I shaved you did shave as well you did shave as well but like it's there you can feel it you can sense it you're checking in it's been a long it's been almost two years since your last fight how are you how are you digesting everything I it just feels like I never left it feels like it doesn't feel like my last fight was almost two years ago um you know the last big card I was on was uh 265 in Houston um it doesn't feel like I've been away you know I've had long layoffs due to injuries and stuff so I don't anticipate to have any issues when it comes to the competition when I look at the situation with what happened in April there is a light in that whole situation and and I believe I don't believe in ring rust but I do believe in Camp rust and so unfortunately for me I got a full Camp under my belt when I was training for Li Jing Liang so I shook off the camp rust and it made it easier this training camp to deal with the rigors of the hard sparring and just everything that comes with it so but when it comes to competition man I'm a competitor um I was born to do this and it just feels good to be back at fight week and it feels good to be here the city it just there's something about being here in Salt Lake City and and John Stockton playing for the Utah Jazz him having his the success that he had there's certain things about it that just feel like something's in the air for me uh I think that we're ran for a really special performance for myself how did you feel when you got the name Kevin Holland you know it's not like they're they're letting you ease your way back into it uh he's you know he looked great in his last fight he's a he's a tough out at 170 and 185 but having success at 170 your thoughts on on the matchup when they were you know when they approached you with this uh with this name when have I ever wanted an easy fight yeah you know I've never wanted an easy fight and I feel like Kevin and I have kind of been on a collision course to fight each other I think had I got to fight in Miami I think him and I would still be fighting each other on this card so I think it was inevitable and I think it's better to catch him now before he really hits his Prime at 32. um you know I I know how I felt from 30 to 35 um and I think Kevin's best years are ahead of him but uh yeah I'm I'm happy with this fight I like somebody that's going to bring the fight you know uh and it's fun to be on the main card with him I I like this matchup a lot I've known this was going to happen for a long time even when he fought at 185 I would pay close attention to his Wayans he'd always weighing around like 183 and I'm like this guy's gonna be a welterweight someday him and I are probably going to fight Styles make fights and I just feel like him and I have been on a collision course um I got a tremendous amount of respect for him he's a fierce competitor he's a Fighter's fighter I mean in 2020 he went on one of the best coveted runs we've ever seen um those are the guys I want to fight I don't want to fight easy fights Li jingly young was a tremendous he's a tremendous opponent I I think the world of him but that was a much more favorable matchup and I feel like that was I like this fight better I like this fight I like the challenges that it presents I like this fight better than the one I had in Miami I want to be tested I'm not here for easy fights Ariel why why do you feel like you were on a collision course excuse me like something about your interactions or is it just you had a feeling that at some point you guys would fight each other just there was just something you know my intuition can be pretty spot on sometimes and I just feel like him and I were just destined to fight at some point and you know I was correct and uh you know I'm glad that it's now I think this is going to be a really fun fight for the fans I'm going to enjoy competing against him I think he's going to bring out the best in me um it's going to be a fun night it's gonna be a good night for for our team where do you think he's better 185 or 170. we'll find out I think we'll find out I think that I think that at 185 [Music] um I think at 185 until you run into the guys that are a lot bigger I think he really could have ran through anybody I mean him beating shocker he shows up that's that's a huge feather in his cap I still look at that fight like holy crap he knocked out jacqueray on the ground from his back that's that's about as good of a win as you're gonna get it at 185 pounds um I think that this is the right weight class form I think that there nobody will have a size advantage over him you know he's one of the taller guys he's one of the longer guys but I've been in there with a guy with that frame you know I fought Neil magni and I had a lot of success in that fight um but I think that this is the best weight class for him I think 185 is better for him because he doesn't have to cut weight and he's you know he's making the drop down um but for me I like that I'm the one coming up a weight class I don't have to deal with the extra cut um and I think that's something that could play into my favor uh while preparing for this fight did you have anyone talk [ __ ] during sparring yeah I have a great story about this okay anyone try to replicate his attitude in there Chase Hooper oh wow really of all people out of nowhere look I'm a game guy like if you saw in the Sean Brady fight I was talking some crap I've had fights where I've been you know a little verbal myself maybe not to the extent of Kevin Holland obviously but I've had fights where I've gotten a little chippy and you know talked a little crap in there but we were Chase Hooper was up training with us when before I left for Vegas um to finish training camping on a whim he just started just like let's go [ __ ] whoa Chase nobody told him to do it he just did it but yeah there was a few sessions that we had where we did that um I think it's kind of hard to talk crap when I'm kind of kicking someone's butt in the gym so yeah um but you know for Chase it was just funny because nobody asked him to do it he just did it and I was just like once we got done I was like where'd that come from he's like well I don't know you're fighting Kevin Hall and I figured I'd talk some [ __ ] I was like Hooper bless your heart what a guy that's a great teammate I love that and very unexpected as well by the way uh yeah not a lot of guys left from tough live from that one Live season that you were on uh and and thrived and and uh I'm just wondering at any point during all this this long road back in the injuries and and some of the bad luck and whatnot did you think like is this it is this like is it coming to an end here did you ever eat like did those doubts ever come into your mind 100 and I have no problem talking about them during covet when I had knee surgery I thought I thought my career was done too I had I had to have Hardware removed from my leg from an old injury and it really they like I I honestly could have filed a malpractice suit against this doctor and I don't want to name names because I'm not here to do that but there was a moment in time during 2020 where I was like well this might have been it you know the the RDA fight might have been my last one you know uh my leg was butchered it was it was really really bad so and then through the long road back you know the big thing for me was you know talking to my peers namely mainly Daniel Cormier um you know because I had a back injury I've had a history of back problems um and the surgery that he had after the Lewis fight was the same one they wanted to do on me and he was just like don't do it don't do it I could never train the same I just and for you you wrestle like your style you're not going to be able to train the same way so um so I I stayed off the surgery I had to have a lot of injections there was a lot of doubts for sure um but everything worked out and I'm here I have a full bill of health there's a reason why too that I spend a good chunk of my camps down at the UFC performance Institute and I can honestly say and I'm not just saying this because I'm headed into a fight and Kevin's probably going to watch this but I spent the least amount of time in the PT room than I ever have so my body is literally firing on all cylinders um it's like a it's like I don't know it's like my third or fourth life in MMA where I felt like I've had injuries where I thought it was done 2016 I thought I was done when I ruptured my disc before the Tony Ferguson fight I've had a lot of injuries like I haven't had the traditional ACLS or shoulder repairs I've had like severe back injuries malpractice you know hardware removal I've had these crazy weird kind of catastrophic injuries and somehow I found a way to pull through um but yeah you know there was definitely a point in time where I was like if I'm not gonna get if I'm gonna get that back surgery I'm not gonna I'm not gonna compete anymore it's not worth the risk if I can't train the way I need to train I'm just putting myself In Harm's Way but fortunately we were able to pull through and my back's great so um you know I cannot I can attribute a lot of that to the ufcpi staff man they took good care of me they we figured out a way to structure my training my strength conditioning and the things that are important to me to where I can still train the way I need to train that suits my style and not be compromised so I can it's crazy that I didn't spend that much time in the PT room this Camp I feel really good you know I mentioned you to a lot of people uh because of the TV work that you do because you were kind of you know you were on the outside looking and you kind of like willed this into existence like you kept putting it out there you worked your ass off you were you were omnipresent and you kept letting people know that you won't do this and now it's like you're a freaking swimming in jobs and and hopefully that will improve to like higher profile roles on the broadcast and whatnot but I'm just wondering doing that stuff and being around the fights and and preparing and doing research and all that does that help you not does that help the mind not go to the place the dark place of like could this be it because you're still in the mix right like you're still kind of getting those butterflies it's different you're not fighting but you're preparing for fights you're talking the red light is on if you didn't have all that stuff do you think this road back would have been tougher laughs yeah I I think so okay because it kept me hungry you know I'm just having to pay attention especially my weight class having to pay attention to my weight class study these guys and like just be like man I'm I'm not done like I'm still I'm in my Prime I'll never forget this I trained with Trevor pringly one time um and this was like one of my last practices before I had had my leg surgery during covet I went over to his gym and trained and he was like do my best years were like 32 to 36. so for me like as I'm going through this and really I'm in my Prime that 32 to 36 window as I'm doing this broadcasting stuff I'm dealing with injuries I got all the stuff going on I'm like I can still beat these guys I can still I'm still one of the best in the world and that that really kept me motivated and it's helped me it's helped me grow as a fighter too it's it's helped me learn how to watch fights study fights and be maintain a balance of being objective and subjective and uh you know I really did Will that into existence Ariel I'll never forget Mexico City when I walked up and ripped the mic out of your hands it was like started viewing you yeah and surprisingly that actually did gain a little bit of traction with the higher ups so I you know um if you want something you have to go for like I tell people ask me all the time certain Fighters are like Hey how do I how do I get to the desk I'm like I could tell you how but I don't know if you're gonna do it like I I actually won fights and took that 60 Minute that 60 second window after a fight that's so valuable to call out a fight or call your next shot I spent that 60 second window on saying hey when do I get to have a microphone in front of my face so I can talk about fights like it's something I've always wanted to do John annik kind of planted that seed and we're on Ultimate Fighter and everything has worked out for the best and I love that my life is completely entrenched in mixed martial arts I'm a fighter I'm a commentator I'm an analyst I have to pinch myself every morning I wake up because I to me live the greatest life ever like my life could not be any better I have an amazing wife I have an amazing career and my life it just revolves around the thing I love the most which is mixed martial arts that is great to hear um you know you mentioned Tony Ferguson earlier and I wouldn't put you and him in the same bucket but there's a couple of like fan favorite lovable characters on this card who does feel like their backs are against the wall Ferguson would be at the top of the list Derek Lewis to a degree as well again I don't put you but you are on a losing streak going into this fight do you feel pressured do you feel like does this one feel different like you need to get back on the winning track because before this you were right there right you don't need me to tell you that you were right there uh are you feeling any of that extra pressure you know and I'm not and I think that the layoff kind of helps with that like I remember headed into the Carlos Condit fight I felt that pressure because like I you know I went from the pedest fight where I missed weight and came up short second loss in a row Kevin Lee Anthony Pettis jump into the Carlos Condit fight that was a tough hurdle to overcome because two losses in a row new weight class against a guy I admire a ton like I was in my mind I was like I'm about to be a part of this guy's highlight reel and it's gonna be my third straight loss that was pressure I don't feel pressure right now I've had this it's like a new Breath of Life for me like I said you hit the nail on the head asking if I thought you know was was Tom Brady my last fight because of the injuries I've had so I don't feel like I I I don't feel like I'm heading into this fight with with two losses beneath or under my belt like it just it doesn't even it doesn't even factor into my thoughts you know but um yeah I'm not I'm not in that Echelon of guys it's like backs against the wall this might be the last one I got a lot of tread left on my tires and while I've had these bad injuries the one part of my body that's still preserved the most is right here so I think that that's most important I haven't taken a lot of damage in my and uh you know I haven't taken a lot of damage upstairs through my career and I think that that's what's most important but I don't feel that kind of pressure you know if it all ended now I've had a great career and I will continue to have a great career because I will never lose my identity as a fighter because when the day comes I put the four ounce gloves down I'm still going to be at the desk someday I'm going to be sitting next to DC and Paul Felder commentating fights I will always have my identity as a fighter intact I will never lose that so there is no pressure anymore so we all know that uh Kevin Hahn struggles or has struggled with wrestlers right uh and you mentioned 2020 the following year 2021 he was booked in some tough fights and and some of that came out do you think he's gotten that all better last couple fights hasn't really been tested in that regard and are you going to look to test them in that regard I just want to just play a fool I just want to show a full display of mixed martial arts um and you gotta look to the guys that was Derek Brunson yeah those are big those are big guys those are guys are a lot bigger than me so like the Casual person may say well there's a clear path to Victory well the Casual person is not factoring in that this guy's in the right weight class and yeah obviously there's there is a plan a for me just like there is for him I don't see him going out trying to shoot takedowns on me um you know and I don't think he anticipates me to go out there and have a boxing match with him but we're both well-rounded mixed martial artists and I think it's important for me to mix it up show every just put on it put on a full display of mixed martial arts so that I can put it all together blend the Striking with the wrestling um and I think I'm gonna have a really good night honestly it's been a really good camp I had the right Partners too that that's a big thing for this campus is having the right guys you know 81 inch reach six foot three like you know I have tall teammates you know I got Austin Arnett and Ashton Charlton but they're they're not tall like like Kevin so I trained with the urbina brothers um I trained with my buddy Daryl who's a good kickboxer himself so I brought in the right guys to get ready for that frame and that size and the Striking so I dot in my eyes I crossed my teeth I lived in Mount Charleston for a month to get ready for the elevation like I every little detail has been addressed there's no reason why I shouldn't win this fight uh and just two last questions and that was actually my next question living in Mount Charleston uh obviously you watched last year in uh Salt Lake City right I mean guys who are super fit who never have cardio issues the likes of Jose Aldo and Leon Edwards were talking after how it affected them how how confident do you feel that that experience will prepare you for Saturday and what does that actually mean like living like how close to the same elevation is Mount Charleston to Salt Lake so my original plan was I was going to come out to Salt Lake City for a month and that was kind of like well this is going to be this whole thing where we gotta find training partners and you know when you're in Las Vegas there's just bodies everywhere it's not hard to find a guy that can emulate your opponent so it was you know it started started to become a reality it's gonna be hard to recruit guys to come out here for a month um so then me and Charles got to talk in Charles at the umcpi and I came up with the idea I was like well what if I stay in Mount Charleston he goes well that's perfect because the real method to this is live high and you can train low like you don't have to live and train at the elevation the the common misconception is people think that they can live low and then just like all go up to the mountains and train for the day and come back down like it doesn't work you're not going to get the adaptation so for me I found a hotel in Mount Charleston The Retreat they're at 6 800 feet elevation I'm fighting at 42 4 300 feet elevation so I would just get done with my training listen to my audiobooks drive to Mount Charleston sleep rest do what I got to do up there and then come back down the train and that was just kind of that's what I did for a month and and I feel great I mean I had my first real hard workout last night and yeah elevation will not be an issue for me I can promise you that which audio books are you listening to I was listening to the mindful athlete at the prescription of my my Uncle Joe my Uncle Joe Corella he Dr Joe Corella he's a sports psychologist for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and I said hey I got these long drives ahead of me what should I listen to he said the first one mindful athletes so I've been I've been plucking away at that one recommend it yes very very good it's all about being in the moment being present and uh and it's it's very interesting because it's the same guy that Phil Jackson brought in for the Bulls and the Lakers the guy that taught them how to be just being more mindful athletes learning how to meditate being more present being more in the moment and like blocking out the outside noise it's been a that's been good and I don't really read books or listen audiobooks so this was a first for me but yeah it's been really good and just curious have you ever talked to your uncle about I mean he does I didn't I didn't know he works for the bucks yeah you have okay yeah all the time yeah dude he's got a Super Bowl ring he's got two super bowls with this with Tampa Bay Buccaneers yeah um yeah I talked to Uncle Joe all the time he loves to check in on me and he's usually a frequent in my fights but right now my cousin is going to different colleges um she's she's a really good volleyball player so she's she's getting ready to go to college so they're traveling around doing that who love nothing more to be here but he's checking in on me every day he officiated my wedding he's an amazing guy I I would love if someday if you guys would cross paths because he's he's a he's a real meant she's a he's a good guy to be around I would love that as well um last thing take the fighter hat off analyst hat on poor yagaichi 2. who wins why this is a this is a really hard fight to pick and it look Justin gaichi's gonna have to do what he did against physique and that's he's going to have to stay within himself he's gonna have to use his jab and not let himself get it get just get too excited get too comfortable like he did in the first fight with Poirier the problem is Poirier is a southpaw and the jab is not going to be as effective but I think it's a good starting point for him to just stay contained but not he can't deviate away from who he is like he can't deviate from the Justin gaichi that has made him this fan favorite but it all starts with the jab and for Poirier he can't afford to go back on the center line like he did against Chandler while he did get backed up he did crack Chandler with that nice hook in round one and almost finished the fight you just can't do that against Justin gaichi you do not want to deal with that barrage with that storm that he will bring to you if you back up to the fence against him so for both guys stay true to yourselves but you gotta work behind some very basic weapons so I think it's going to be a fun fight it's it's going to be violent it's going to be chaotic and I love the fact that they're fighting for the BMF title I think that this fight validates the BMF title these are two guys that either one of these guys could have been the Undisputed world champion if there wasn't a guy named Habib nurmagomedov at the top of the mountain so I think that these two guys fighting for this belt validates it and it's going to be a tremendous fight for the fans that was tremendous analysis can I just push back on one quick thing I the belt I hate them can I tell you why I hate the belt because my whole tell me why my whole life as a fight fan boxing MMA I've always been told that the best guy in the division is the man holding or woman holding the belt right the champion is the baddest in the division and at heavyweight that's the baddest person on the planet right and so if I'm the champion of the weight class which these guys are fighting in it happens to be 155 and in this case it's Islam I'm like wait hold up I'm the baddest man on the planet this belt says I'm the best out of the planet so it has to be something if it was for the most violent man on the planet I'd be cool with it but to me it's somewhat insulting to the actual champion of the weight class that there's now another guy who people are saying no that's the cool bofo that's the baddest man no the belt that that person holds means to the world that he's the baddest man do you know what I'm saying I understand what you're saying and look I have I had a little quarrel with it when the BMF title was first introduced and I'll tell you what it was it was because Donald Cerrone wasn't the one fighting for it because to me that's the original BMF but I think that it's deserving and you got to think from a business standpoint area before we get off from a business standpoint it's getting really hard to stack the cards with multiple title fights through a calendar year it's getting hard while Poirier and gaichi could be a five round non-title pay-per-view Main Event anybody's gonna purchase it it it makes it easier to put to put the title on it and it's deserving in my opinion it's very deserving these guys fight for a title but it's gonna make it it's going to open up the doors to where we can have maybe three title fights at MSG or three title fights at the end of the year if they had to force a title fight onto this card it might take away from the bigger cards at the end of the year so it's fitting these guys in my opinion fight for the BMF title because they're both bad mofos and I think it's gonna it's gonna pay its dividends down the road from a business this fight is so good I don't need a fake title attached to it that's the kind of fight fan I am I don't need the title I don't know what's that belt right there how did you win that someone gave it to me as a president it's it's a fugazi belt the point is I I like the steak well done you like the sizzle you see I'm a purified fan you guys all just like oh I need a belt I don't need a belt tell me poor you get your fighting I'm all good they were good enough to headline fox in 2018 they're not good enough to headline a pay-per-view card that's silly in my opinion you know I gotta I gotta ask you though you wanna now you're opening up the floodgates because now he's talking about steak and Sizzle I know it's like talking to that guy that likes to steak well done you like to chew on hockey pucks oh I love it but I'm Canadian who wouldn't you get a hockey puck to the face it's tremendous uh it's just the way I like it all right it's the way I like it I like all things Salmon well done they give you the salmon it's all pink in the middle like what the hell is this all about like if I want sushi I'll have sushi if I want uh I'll have foie gras but I like my steak well done and by the way or if you want a chew on a rubber tire you'll just chew on a rubber tire by the way the real problem are the people like you who have an issue with the way I like my meat he eat your meat the way I'm not I'm not looking at your plate you do you I do me but yet some people I think it exposes your insecurities that you have an issue with the way in which I like my meat as opposed to me I'll tell you what it is I'll tell you what it is you just ever since you broke out from under the corporate umbrella and you've just become this outspoken guy I don't like the way you speak about rare steaks it's just like listen if that's your one issue with me ever since I broke through I'll take it I'm okay with that I'm a piece that's my only issue with you outside of that you're one of the best in the business Ariel and it is always a pleasure to chop it up with you my man much love my friend uh welcome back tremendous see you back on the card and good luck on Saturday can't wait for it thank you Ariel there he is Michael case a big fight for him great main card on Saturday I really like this main card a lot my feelings on the BMF title uh aside and I have only love and respect for Poirier and gaichi they're two of the very best ever the best thing that you could say about Dustin Poirier and Justin gaichi is this when they fought in 2018 on Fox in Arizona they were two top five guys two I I think technically I actually watched the broadcast again yesterday and I think there were three and six or five and six in my opinion there were two top five guys here we are five years later and they're still top five in fact they're in the top three I do believe um depending on if you put the champion as one or above the one that's insane for arguably the toughest weight class it's 135 or 155. it's only killers at at uh 155. look at who they fought no easy fight since that fight the fact that they are still in this spot in a spot where anyone would be okay with them headlining a pay-per-view with or without a BMF title attached and and let them win the title let them get whatever comes with that belt let them get the pay-per-view points Lord knows they deserve it I'm being somewhat of a stickler here it doesn't take anything away from the fight and my excitement for this fight and let's be honest the stakes as well we know that Charles Oliveira is fighting Islam on October 21st but I don't see a reason why the winner of this fight can't be next unless they just want to fight again who who is more deserving than the winner of this fight especially if it's a decisive dominant Victory who would be more deserving I don't I don't I don't think there's anyone out there right now now it's going to be a while right this is uh Late July very late July that flight's October 21st so it will be next year but who's more deserving than that so I love this uh than that winner I I I love this main card it's a really fun main card Casa Holland is going to be great Tony Ferguson Back Against The Wall I can't believe how big of an underdog he is against Bobby green but that should be wild in its own right Stephen Thompson versus Michelle but had a quietly on a five-fight winning streak uh putting it together and that should be a fun striking battle Thompson looked great against Holland back in December so I'm looking forward to that one yamahovich versus Alex padetta obviously has some title implications attached to it we'll see what happens with the light heavyweight title obviously they're not putting the belt online on Saturday there was some discussion about whether or not they would they are not and it's still unclear who the winner of this fight will fight and it's even still unclear if the winner of this fight will fight for the belt next there are really four guys in the mix these two Yuri prohaska Mago made on Goliath racket just coming back at some point but he's not quite there in my opinion just because he's been out for so long coming back from the knee injury and so does the winner of this fight fight Yuri does Yuri fight on Goliath it's all sort of up in the air I think if Panera wins you gotta do peretta versus Yuri I think Yan wins I mean you're not going to do Jan versus magomed and Yuri told me that he's ready to go in the fall there's a lot going on there between the Sydney card and the December pay-per-view there's a lot up in the air obviously we know that Drake is two plus C is not fighting on September 10th and who would have thunk that he'd be unable to return two months after fighting Robert Whittaker we all knew this was going to happen and yes the Izzy fight is much bigger the easy fight is way bigger now against duplex C than it was had he not fought would occur especially because of the post-fight stuff but had they just booked duplessy versus Izzy after April and not had DDP fight someone else uh they would have had their main event for for Sydney on September 9th uh there's there's a little bit of trepidation as far as Sean Strickland in that spot so I'm curious to see what ends up happening there it's not a done deal Strickland and Izzy even though Izzy was saying on camera like next man up let's go I think Izzy versus anyone Izzy deserves to fight in Sydney if that's where he wants to fight I think Izzy versus anyone sells that thing out in 10 minutes that's the biggest fight that you could possibly make in in Sydney especially with volkanovsky you know unavailable Izzy versus anyone at this point I mean he's the the biggest star as far as active Fighters are concerned uh Conor will always be the biggest star but in terms of guys who are fighting multiple times a year I mean the guy just comes back he fought in November he comes back in April he's willing to fight in September that's going to be three times in 10 months and he's that big of a star you compare that to the likes of Crawford and Spence who fight once a year at most and look how big of a deal they are and how much they get paid look at someone like Izzy like no one other than it's like him and Canelo and vulcanovsky are the three guys who are fighting like with their star power so high who are fighting you know as actively as as they are um so I'm very curious to see what happens there and then I'm curious to see what happens at MSG I mentioned on Monday you know I'd love to see Jones and and uh Leon co-headline more often than not they'll put Jones alone as far as title fights just like they'll play Conor alone so then does Leon go in December I don't know what's going on over there it's a mess of a situation I don't even know how I got on this tangent point is a lot at stake Jan Pereira they're going to be in the uh 205 pound title mix and then you've got Poria gechi Derek Lewis on the prelims Jake Matthews some other names so fun fight uh fun Fight Card uh two o'clock we're gonna be joined by Robbie Lawler afterwards Nathaniel wood Paul Acosta will be our final guest of the day I can't wait for that conversation but time now for everyone's favorite second of the week is time it's time yeah we'll answer some questions here and then we'll get to the rest after because there's no chance I'm going to get to all of them ladies and gentlemen the moment has arrived to hear from the man himself yes that's me live from the Box Studios in beautiful New York City it's on the nose yes and now to answer your questions get out of your seats and on your feet because here he is Ariel [Music] foreign you know what um we're gonna answer questions in just a second but as I was pulling up the questions of course uh compiled by the great moderator Lewis who always does a great job each and every week and thank you to Mike Heck for that song I did get the uh the fight week media schedule for next week's Jake Paul versus Nathan Diaz clash in Dallas and so without further Ado uh let me break some news for all of you do we have breaking news music yes all right here's the thing my friends for the first time since 2017 yes first time in six years the MMA hour is going on the road baby yes for the first time since Mayweather McGregor in Las Vegas back in August of 2017 we are taking this little show on the road the MMA hour is going to Dallas yes the whole crew myself GC mysterious Frank sloppy joe crypto Joe corporate Alex New York Rick am I forgetting anyone am I forgetting anyone yourself well I said myself oh geez just like you lied about the Aspen all day anyway we're all going we're packing up Tuesday Morning Rick's birthday heading off to Dallas I'm told don't call it Big D for some reason we're going to Dallas and we're doing two shows from Paul Diaz fight week the first will be Wednesday yes we do our Wednesday show but it will actually be at the open workout so open workouts kick off at 3 P.M local time that's four Eastern we're going to be at the open workouts which are taking place at the factory on 2713 Canton Street in Deep Ellum Dallas Texas we're going to be there at the open workouts this is in conjunction and uh brought to you by our good friends over at the Zone thank you very much to them we're going to be working together all week long of course I'm working for them as well next week on the broadcast call all that stuff but the MMA hour there you see it on the road how big is this fight it's that damn big just the second time in our history a live show on Wednesday and then a live show on Friday August 4th immediately following these ceremonial Wayans which are taking place at the home of the Dallas Stars Frank's beloved hockey team ceremonial lands pop off at around uh sometime in the afternoon five o'clock and then we'll be on after the conclusion of the ceremonial weigh-ins on our YouTube channel on other YouTube channels as well but you can watch it here but it'll be in other places and and you'll learn about that next week all the guests are going to be stopping by Jake Nate uh Jeremy Stevens Amanda Serrano surprise guests pundits we'll all be there guys how excited are we 11 out of 10. wow both of you talking at the same time that's how exciting how exciting it is stoked gc's definitely stoked uh Frank was a bit of you know there's a bit of a hemming in hawing he had some plans I think you wanted to go to The Hamptons or something luggage I don't know now this is big Rick birthday Dallas what are we doing what are we doing what are we doing uh listen I don't plan I don't plan anything because I'm not a birthday guy like I don't care let's just let's just get to let's just get to work black t-shirts into a bag and you're done pretty much black t-shirts a few pairs of shorts and pants that's it like pants first fight week for you on site since um now okay so I've gone to local East Coast shows right because I'm going to MSG and I've gone to uh Sterling and sujudo but to actually get on a plane to go cover an event was it 266 the last one was Ortega vulcanovsky and Volk India's Lawler yes yes so it has been a bit isn't it weird that law is going to be on the show and that was your last weird Kismet I'm very excited yes I'm very excited I'm I'm also an 11 out of 10. but I was an 11 out of 10 on just the fight alone so maybe 10. that's true like we're breaking the scale here I'm very excited I'm very excited about the fact that uh we are going to be at the open workouts I think that's going to be very cool because they're going to come and uh chat with us after the workouts we're going to get to see the workouts I think there's a lot of interest in Diaz's you know workout there's been a lot people are breaking down 13 second Clips on Instagram uh there's a lot of talk obviously about Jake Paul having new trainers around him and obviously his Evolution uh the likes of Jeremy Stevens Chris Avila Amanda Serrano one of the best as far as women's boxing is concerned so we'll be there and then after the weigh-ins we'll get to you know break down how they look Diaz fighting at 185 uh that is new territory for him so all kinds of intrigue live shows on the road very exciting is it fair to say and and feel free to disagree obviously but I've I'm more intrigued about the fight week stuff related to this fight to to your point about the open workout and seeing how both of them look more intrigued about the weigh-in um than I would be for like the standard MMA card than say Spence Crawford that's what I thought he was going to say too well that too because I just like those guys are gonna make weight they're gonna look the way they look like it's kind of like foregone conclusion a lot of these ones at this point but I feel like there's some Intrigue around the other parts a thousand percent Paul Diaz I mean in my opinion just the novelty of Diaz boxing and waiting in it that way had to you know take you know like Eddie Hearn saying he like he looked like an amateur the weight that's interesting they're still always intriguing how you know Jake looks um on on you know the myths and all that stuff so yes I'm very interested I mean like Spence Crawford is great but you know let's be honest like they don't really sell the fight in terms of their interviews and the pageantry and all that stuff like I just want to see them I just want to see who's the better boxer in that regard and there's like a fast forward if we can fast forward to the fight itself with Spence Crawford nobody be mad they'd just be like okay yeah like we can skip the rest let's just have the fight but this one has to a degree as well yeah you know yeah I mean honestly I feel this way about a lot of them like most of the time like you're dealing with the high level Pros they're gonna make weight they're gonna look you know in shape they're mostly going to look the same sometimes you know there's a rare one like a Jalen Turner like is this the end of him at that weight class you look you know it was a tough cut for him you get pockets of this but most of the time it's pretty cut and dry rote type stuff this one I'm I'm interested I want to see what kind of happens this week so um yeah I'm excited about all of it I'm excited for uh the crew to experience a big fight week I think it's going to be a lot of fun oh yeah and uh yeah I'm excited that we're doing it with the Zone who are obviously broadcasting the event I'm excited I'm excited to be a part of it I mean what a what a big week what a big week as far as uh boxing is concerned from Spence what a big last order will be 11 days starting from yesterday morning with anyway all the way through Jake Paul and Diaz it's crazy throwing 291 while you're at it UFC Nashville as well will be happening the same day a lot going on in Combat Sports and then shortly thereafter algeman Sterling Sean O'Malley oh I mean just boom booming uh first up Wild Bill's Western Store we're all getting cowboy hats that's the plan yeah chaps as well I'm down boots spurs I'm down for it all Spurs do we get Spurs yeah is that what it's called um on the back of them yeah you're a local French well this will actually be my first trip to Texas that is crazy to me you've never been to Texas never been to Texas wow can't wait are you happy that your first trip to Texas is Dallas were you hoping it would be in Austin you know South by Southwest I've never taken the times even even think about my first trip did you buy any Dallas Stars merch while you're out there yeah so just be careful to you know not go too crazy I am gonna get a hat no doubt I'm getting a hat we'll wear it as much I think you should need to wear it all fight week you can't wear it indoors yeah I mean I'll be a gentleman of course what you need is a tie you need to get the uh yeah oh my gosh that's a great shout yeah yeah yeah Wild Bill's Western Store that'll that'll get us sorted sorted go check it out um maybe they can sponsor us as well if they want uh but this is very exciting so on the road once again first time six years just second time ever and if you are a long time fan of the show you'll remember just how much fun mayor McGregor was on the road with our shows we did a Wednesday Thursday Friday a series of shows and also did the Beat from there so in total I think it was four shows had a crazy amount of guests stopped by all kinds of people from caritop to Isaiah Thomas Stephen A Skip Bayless we had remember that stretch I mean that was crazy the late uh Stefan Bonner and Phil Baroni were on together that was wild uh Isaiah Thomas kind of like broke news we got on PTI afterwards because the other Isaiah Thomas got traded the day before uh to the what was it the Cavs right for Kyrie Irving just to create time crazy crazy time in the midst of all that uh Jon Jones popped I called Daniel Cormier he didn't know you know I called Daniel Cormier from the media center on the first day in Las Vegas the media center was like Super Bowl media center and it just come through that that uh that Jon Jones had popped a month and a half after their fight and I called him and told him the news and he's like shut up shut up stop lying and then hung up on me and eventually got the belt back because of that I mean that was a crazy time crazy all right can't wait to the questions do you think I could get to all of these in 10 minutes Frank I think we should play the intro again uh are you serious for editing purposes who cares just keep all that in there yeah it's fine uh Alex Weber up first wow haven't heard from Alex in quite some time aw um on Monday as you explain the evolution of MMA heavyweights becoming more well-rounded I drew a comparison to what we have witnessed in the NBA with the evolution of big men into perimeter Shooters both Evolutions showcase the importance of adaptability and skill diversity but which transformation do you think has been more impactful in their respective Sports uh this question was written with the help of chat gbt what uh why also moderator Lewis uh sends me this in a first for otn chat gbt helped form a q a dub sent the receipts below he wrote write a short comparison of the evolution of the big men's centers in the NBA now being perimeter Shooters to the heavyweights in UFC that are well-rounded highlight the comparison above and end with a question of which Evolution has been more impactful to the respective sport uh by the way to me it takes longer to write that up than to just ask the question right am I wrong no you're not uh okay uh in any event I think that the evolution of the big man in the NBA is a lot more drastic you got a seven foot four guy you know shooting three pointers and you know taking the ball up from the top of the key and trying to beat guys off the dribble we have seen versions of Tom aspinall in the likes of Cain Velasquez and Frank Mir we have seen that version before and yes there have been big men who like to shoot but you know the the KDs and then the the kristapses and the wembanyamas and so many others like the big man Center Allah Hakeem Olajuwon Allah Ralph Samson Allah Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Allah Patrick Ewing I'll let David Robinson those guys don't really exist there are some here and there in fact uh I would I would argue that New York Rick's Cleveland Cavaliers have a couple of big men who play more of that style right um I I don't I don't think that it is I mean I don't know I know honestly I don't think I know it is not as uh common in today's NBA the evolution of the heavyweight is is a thing that is happening but there are still old school heavyweights there's still you know guys who fought the same way the heavyweights fought five or six years ago aspin all to me is just a bit of a unicorn in that regard it's all a question uh but I'll go with the NBA Emerson good afternoon Ariel if you had to only watch one fight this weekend which one are you picking I'd love if the whole crew would chime in on this also okay let me get to the also in a moment man that's a tough one let me ask you guys this in particular GC and uh and Rick and maybe I'll start with Rick here do you like when there are these weekends and they aren't as common these days I feel like I feel like boxing and MMA try to stay apart at least like the mega ones we all remember what happened at UFC 244 right with with uh Diaz and mozvidal and canelo's in the freaking locker room taking a nap because they didn't want to go head to head and I think they learned their lesson from that but it doesn't happen too often do you like this sort of thing do you like the chaos do you like trying to see if it'll all time out and we're able to watch in the the pockets pockets of inactivity or would you prefer them to be on separate weekends and uh you know all your attention can be on one particular event couldn't hate it more yeah despise like there's a lot of MMA there's a lot of boxing there's a lot of fights right now that I don't even want to give like half my attention these are two fights the the main events in particular that I want to give a hundred percent of my attention to and now it has to be diverted yeah so yeah absolutely hate it and yeah just just not great and for selfishly from a social perspective like I have work to do during these events and things like that so now I have to like bounce back and forth it's very it's difficult and difficult to then give him attention so selfishly and objectively hate it absolutely hate do you see yeah I love the huge weekends when there's a lot going on but the difficulty with this is that there's a very good chance that Spence Crawford and Portia Geisha are going to be overlapping at some point and that I just I hate it because you want to have 100 attention on both even if you got the Dual TVs like it's it's it would almost be like there was two Super Bowls going on like both fights are so huge both are more than likely going to be very exciting uh so like it's it's tough to give give the attention to both at the same time there is a part of me that likes the chaos in this particular instance because I'll actually be working at one of them it makes it a little bit tougher if I was home I wouldn't mind it as much but ultimately I'd rather they not be on at the same time just so that you can sit back and focus on one listen to the commentary you're gonna have to choose right you're gonna have to choose if I had to pick one though golly I don't even know I don't know man um I'll I'll stick my neck out if I have to pick one it's going to be Spence Crawford um and it's it doesn't come down to like look those two are are whoever wins this is going to be the pound for pound best boxer in the world like that's that's like in a ways in the conversation after the performance obviously there's uh Canelo is always in the conversation um like there's there's names um uh Stevenson guys like that but the winner of this is going to be the the top pound for pound fighter and big boxing fights are just better than big MMA fights it's it's a stance I have and it's it's never steered me wrong like the the very cream of the crop of boxing is better than the cream of the crop at MMA which I do feel that Poirier engaches the cream of the crop in MMA it edges it out slightly for me I just prefer the biggest boxing fights feel bigger and feel like the the biggest thing happening um but as I said before it was booked now that it's booked and now that it's here poorie engaichi is the fight I wanted to see an MMA the absolute most it's my number one but that's how good Crawford and spences it is it is no it's a good answer Crawford Spence is a generational fight it's it's definitely going to be a fight that people are going to be talking about forever and ever and it probably gets the nod in this regard because we've never seen it before we have seen Poirier Gucci before that shouldn't usually you know dock at any points but there's there's a freshness to it and plus everything that went into it uh I'm gonna [ __ ] sit on the fence on this one it's too it's two amazing fights it really is maybe I'll dock poorie gechi another point for the BMF fugaziness um I'll actually add a point to foreign I'm sure Spence Crawford is going to be very exciting and I I have a good feeling it's going to deliver I have zero doubt yeah it is going to be fireworks there's almost no chance other than an early knockout that these guys don't deliver there's been nothing in their careers that has given us any evidence that is not going to just be an absolute Banger War all-out brawl uh so that's another point for it well Spence Crawford is also correct you are way too new here you just completely ruined Saturday there's no idea is going there are some fights that are going to impervious to that um they're gonna stand and stare at each others no it's not gonna happen I can't believe this just happened well superstitious huh I just hope they don't happen at the exact same time um I I hope there's a world where and and I think Spence Crawford will happen before the 291 main event but yeah it's it's not going to be easy to go back and forth and you cut like I wish everyone could watch ing I wish everyone could watch Spence Crawford you know like of all the knights why do they have to be on at the same time uh but them's the breaks that's how it goes I did just see something right now which breaks my heart and I do want to mention uh because of course uh she had a connection to a very famous uh UFC fight back in 2015 the legendary Sinead O'Connor has passed away uh the The Unbelievable singer from Dublin I just saw this uh did you know this Frank no no you're breaking the news for me uh she has died at the age of 56. that is horrible um this is from RTE or sorry yes uh no it's from the Irish Times uh does it say how survived by her three children or her son Shane died last year age 17. golly uh you'll recall that she sang the Foggy Dew song as Conor McGregor was walking out uh prior to the Chad Mendes fight at UFC 189 in Las Vegas international fight week so that is that is very sad news um didn't she sing the song Oh did she sing that nothing compares did she sing that song yeah nothing compares to you is it was that her yeah Legend shaved her head that was a really big deal um back in the 90s she was on Saturday Night Live yeah she made a point to point out the stuff going on with the Catholic church and they tried to shut it down but she was one of the first people to try to expose that yes yes yes so that is that is very sad news and um our condolences to her family uh back to the question had to pick by the way GC are you going with the poor yagaichi yes and chill are both going to Spence Crawford against you all right there you have it uh also is the bloodline Cinema the best since the Undertaker versus Edge and Vicki Guerrero Smackdown era y'all are the best much love I never miss an episode bloodline is a gazillion times better than than that I mean that barely registers for me you put the bloodline in there with like the NWO and uh Austin and The Rock and and Sean Michaels and Bret Hart that's where the bloodline goes Undertaker Edge Vicky Guerrero Smackdown what not even close um solid but no not in the stratosphere bloodline stuff is great if you're not watching you're missing out on some tremendous Cinema uh let me go do I go to another question or no Our Guest is sort of here yeah okay uh all right well I got to two Frank how do you think uh is that a record for no actually there was one time where I did did a great job one time I did a question like a one hour on one question right yeah those are always fun yeah those are fun um all right on the nose I'm gonna put uh a pin in this because my friends this is very exciting stuff a lot of people when I posted this this morning like there's no way and if I'm being honest I kind of thought the same but here we are about to say hello for the first time and I think six or so years that we get to say hello to the legendary the future Hall of Famer for his own uh career obviously he went in right before uh his last fight on July 8th for the fight against Rory McDonald but he certainly deserves it for everything that he did on his own uh he is uh the former UFC champion the former strike force uh champion and fighter uh former uh Elite XC Champion as well uh what an unbelievable Legend what a what a what a living legend what a a talent and what a moment it was on July 8th when uh he was able to walk in there against Nico price and beat him and then have that send-off which I said was maybe the greatest in UFC history they had the video package the emotion everything that went into it it was tremendous stuff here he is without further Ado ruthless Robbie Lawler Robbie how are you good job I'm good how you guys doing how you doing I'm doing great I can't believe you're doing the show I know how much you you love doing interviews so I'm a little bit shocked right now I'm at a loss for words I'm stumbling on my words because I'm so nervous before this yeah I don't do these very often but I guess now is the time right I yes I appreciate it very much thank you so much for doing this um are you are you over July 8th I mean that was emotional stuff have you have you have you come to it's been a couple of weeks now but are you still feeling the buzz from how special magical that weekend was no I I'm like to the next thing it's hard for me to like stay in that said and like absorb that but I mean it was it was a good event uh but now it's like what next yeah how quickly did you kind of get over it was like Monday morning you were like all right back to back to normal life yeah pretty much I think a buddy of mine sent like uh I don't know like a some sort of article that was written and I was like reading that was a good article but I was like I don't need to read this like I'm glad people appreciate what I've done but like I'm kind of on to the next one I'm not like that's just how I am I'm not really going to change anything just bring that same mindset to coaching and that's it I'm on to the next uh in terms of all the love and and admiration and attention on you that week did it make you feel uncomfortable uh uh no it didn't make me feel uncomfortable it was one of those things that I would never like allow myself to kind of look back at like my career because I'm like always on to the next but like what's a couple times I got asked a couple questions kind of like about that whole Road and I was like oh man it's freaking been a long ride and like just seeing who I've become over that long time span just it was a lot I just I I've never really allowed myself to focus on what I've accomplished or those types of things because it's like all right on to the next thing how can you get better how can you sharpen your skills like that's kind of always been my mindset and I always try to just keep level-headed and so I don't really go ups and downs with admiration and fans being excited about me because I just keep everything just so focused and it's just uh just different to allow myself to let that in a little bit uh for that last fight in retrospect you wish you did that more throughout your career you know take it all in smell the roses all that stuff no not really because that would be who I am today but it's just like one of those things where it's I use that as like a mechanism to stay level-headed and kind of like be able to stay who I am this whole time like because you never know if you're gonna win or lose or sometimes the crowd behind you sometimes the fans are behind you and sometimes you're not doing well so like I just doesn't matter what anyone say it just matters where I'm going and what I think about myself and that's kind of what I've always focused on it's like it's kind of weird like I don't really care what people say about me that's just how I've always been because it's just like I can't control that but I can control like my preparation and where I'm going and where I'm headed so that's what I've always tried to focus on but it's it's definitely nice that the fans appreciate everything I've done and it's definitely weird for me to not be doing it anymore I mean this has been my life for so many years and I've just put so much into this and the sports given so much to me and so plan on giving back and and I want to ask you about that in a moment but I'm just curious like you always struck me as the kind of guy who would retire by just like walking away and disappearing not really telling us in advance so that all this hullabaloo could be made and all this attention could be made why did you decide I mean you didn't really announce it I think the UFC kind of said it on your behalf but uh to let us know beforehand as opposed to like kind of doing it out of nowhere so that everyone could be caught off guard yeah that was that was my plan just kind of just like be gone and uh but I just felt like this wasn't kind of about me a little bit I mean it's my career but it's like I feel like the fans and the people around me and people who supported me would want a little bit more so I let Dana know a couple like a month or two before the fight and he said all right so just and that's where when I I just knew I wouldn't you know me I'm just kind of like a whatever I'm I'm done kind of thing and Dana put together something really good really special for me and it was I'm happy that they did I was wondering how you felt about the Hall of Fame stuff I mean I've never seen you stand up there and give a speech like that before and you did a great job uh how comfortable did you feel up there doing that two days before your fight uh I would say it was definitely weird for me I would say that prompter in front of me was was moving fast but really it was like Cliff Notes anyway so it was like all right make sure I touch on anyone who helped me for this fight or that so I already had everything kind of I knew what I was going to say about each individual so it was definitely weird for me to be up there and it seemed like it went so fast but I mean I'm sure the more times you do stuff the better you get so maybe I just need more practice Yeah in front of a prompter no you did a great job I just didn't know if you as great of a moment as it was I didn't know if you felt like it was a nuisance because you're trying to get ready for battle right your last fight oh you know what I mean yeah so so what happened was is I knew this was going to happen I wasn't sure I didn't ask any questions so I knew this was going to be my last fight and I wanted to enjoy so I got my way down early did I mean just was professional about it so I didn't have to worry about anything so then they were like hey we're just gonna record your speech on Wednesday and I was like what I was like then I went there and they were going to report I was like why do they want me to do this well we just figured you wanted to I'm like yeah and then they kind of explained the whole process of it and I was like yeah I want to be involved I'd be taking the picture with all the other Hall of Famers up there it's definitely a good experience and I wanted to be there for Jen's uh I slept on his couch many times as a roommate of his I mean I'm very excited about him getting into the Hall of Fame and I just wanted to be a part of it and enjoy it so yeah I was all good I mean I've cut weight so many times I I mean just easy for me any part of you kind of wish that Rory was there as well uh yeah it would have been nice but that's not who he is right now he's he's kind of a lot like me he kind of like stays out of the Limelight just wants to go out there fight and kind of hang out with his family and relax but I understand would have been nice to see him there I mean but whatever yeah uh it's all good no yeah he's completely I don't even I think he like deleted his social media and whatnot so he's completely like off the map um and and more power to him uh it was wild to see you as you were walking into the uh the cage and and to see the emotion on your face have you ever experienced anything like that right before a fight embrace this this moment and and this is the last time just kind of like enjoying it it's been a long road and just trying I mean sometimes you're just so focused on the fight I was more focused on every aspect of this like just walking in there filling the crowd listening to buffer do his stuff so it's just like yeah I've never done that because I'm always focused on just fighting and how I feel were you worried that the emotions would affect you at all in a negative way oh no uh I didn't feel that good going into that whole week or this whole Camp of like I was trying to take a nap about two o'clock before the vitamins something popped in my head I'm like okay I'm good to go that's it just something popped in my head and I'm like oh I got this it's going to be I feel good so then like in the back I just felt good like all of a sudden everything clicked and I'm like okay I'm so great so This Guy's in trouble when you say something popped in your head what do you mean by that just like a positive like affirmation just like something really good I was like oh this freaking okay I'm good just like because I was actually trying to take a nap and like do some recovery stuff and I'm like as soon as that popped in my head I'm like okay let's go I'm ready to go and just just rode that into the fight really were you stressed at all because of the last like you wanted to go out with a win right uh yeah I definitely want to go out with a win but I wanted to feel good going in it was like all right like if I feel good anybody's in trouble that's how I always look at it so I'm like oh man my freaking body's not feeling this or that and it's like all right I feel great I mean that's really what it was that's why I always like everyone's always focused on the other guy I've always been focused on myself I feel great then I think I'm gonna do well it's like so and if you don't feel great then you should still have to figure out how to get the job done so it's like that's always been my focus on how I feel how I need to get the job done with whatever my issue is um your your walkout song has become one of the best hold on I'm coming you didn't walk out to that this time how come yeah oh I don't know just kind of like different phases different songs I just felt like the last Mohicans uh songs just how it is end of an era just like how it is I mean just that's the feel I had uh did you expect like in the back your mind did you think it would be that quick did you feel like that was a a strong possibility uh I had no idea really because I didn't really watch much tape on him I just kind of worked on myself but then when I was like moving and I felt how hard I was punching in the back and I was like okay and then when I was moving during the fight I'm like okay like let's not give this guy a chance to like get going and then I just kind of like went at it went well I just landed some good shots on the right spots and I saw power the Finish was great your your post-fight reaction was probably even better for people who've been watching you for a long time could you possibly put into words like when it sunk in that's how your final fight ended and now like it's all coming to an end and the emotion that you should like could you put it towards how you were feeling in that moment and the love that you were getting from the crowd too uh I think it was born a thing of gratitude for like everything that I've accomplished and everything that I've been able to do and just being on that stage this late in my career and everything I went through it was kind of like when I was on the ground kind of on my knees I was like just feeling grateful for being blessed to be able to accomplish everything I've had have done and just everything that I have in life is was hard work but just being grateful for it is that that was really the moment just seeing it feeling it and feeling good uh did you know that they were going to play that video package while you were in the cage no I had no idea I guess my wife was like hey uh there's this video you want to watch it I'm like oh no that was like earlier in the week I'm like no I don't really care about anything but so it's actually better that I didn't watch it so yeah I had no ideas it was actually funny just to see like how I progressed and like just different fights and kind of cool yeah cool actually very cool like they never do that for anyone um and I mean it was just like they'll sometimes play it as you're walking out but like you being in the cage with Rogan and everyone getting to watch it with you that was super rare stuff uh and and very you know appropriate and deserving and I know you like you you know that right like this doesn't happen and so I was wondering what you were thinking like probably you're watching it but uh all lies were on you and you're getting emotion emotional as well uh did you enjoy it did you were you were you hoping that it would end like because I know you you never really love that sort of stuff and so here you are like everyone's just showering you with love yeah no I was just kind of like embracing the moment it was actually really good because it just like able to see my career from start to finish with different highlights I was like man just remembering like because I don't really allow I don't look back at my career like remember that time remember this I I when I looked back at my career I don't really remember these fights I remember I remember people I've seen and like stuff I did for those camps people who helped me but just like to see some of those things and just be reminded of like some of these Bowmans and I just laugh at myself when I had hair it's like how wild Iowa used to fight just like how not refined I was and just as cool it was really cool yeah it was amazing um I'm just wondering that went so well was there any part of you afterwards was like man maybe I have one or two left in me like you figure it out I just can't do as much as I used to is the thing like I don't I can't train the way I want to train like when I I'm like the guy who likes to do extra and like now it's like hey just relax you know how to fight let's just get you to the fight so that's that's the hard part for me because I'm like I like to work I like to work out I like to lift I like to do all these things and I have this checklist and the checklist is too much so when did it become too much like when did you start to feel like the body was uh not you know reacting like it once did it's I just can't like do these three days these four days these long days I mean I can but then I'm out for a day or two and have to rest and I'm not recovered so just just finding that balance and realizing hey you don't need to do that much you don't so it's just those types of things as you get older you just figure out a way to get the job done and it's just it's more of a mindset a lot of times you're working out to make sure you're ready and I realized during this campaign man you're ready let's just be good on that Saturday that's it you only need to be really good on that Saturday so like go through the motions try to sharpen everything up but really it only matters how good you are on that Saturday you know what it's like in Combat Sports uh people retire all the time and they come back can you say definitively you'll never fight again yeah no I'm a fighter I will never gonna say that it's just like but I'm in a good place and I mean you never know but I feel good okay I feel good and I mean I'm not training I mean I'm lifting I'm running I'm keeping myself in shape but yeah I don't I don't see it happening you don't think that you'll get that itch in a year or two and say yeah maybe one more a boxing match something like that yeah I'm not gonna say no but um because you never know like I I feel great and I know how to train at my old age to be ready for one day right and being sharp for one day so I mean and it's always fun that's actually what I enjoy about Sports in general is how can you be as good as you can for a certain day in a certain bout or how can you I love tweaking things and like being a scientist of my own freaking body and like trying to all right I need to have this I need to do this and like figuring out a way to get the job done and it's like nutrition is recovery so I'm always going to be doing those things so nothing's really changing in that aspect that's just I'm just doing it for the fun of it and so is the next step for you coaching is that what you're going to be doing primarily now yeah just coaching at uh kill Cliff FC a lot of good Fighters I mean I didn't get where I am today by not getting help from good coaches and good training Partners so it's just giving them a little technique and a little push here and there so that make their life a little easier and use my knowledge to help others will you be uh looking after a certain set of Fighters or just kind of available for everyone like how does that work over there at the gym I'm if if I I mean I'll help everyone really but it's like how much effort am I gonna put into a guy has to do with him and his abilities and how much he's ready to absorb and if he's willing to absorb so it's like finding that balance and like different guys like different coaches and different things so it's like figure out what each fighter needs something different so like if I can help somebody I will if I can't then I'll stay away it's just one of those things just just like a fight like figuring out tweaking and making yourself a better Coach and trying to make these guys better Fighters I just want to ask you a couple things about your career and then I'll let you go again thank you so much for for the time I appreciate it uh you may not have an answer but just curious do you have a favorite knockout I have a favorite one of yours that I would uh be happy to share but do you have a favorite knockout uh uh no Melvin manhuff to me is I mean like the way your leg was going there in that fight and then you coming back and the to me it's it's manhuff and uh and Matt linland those two are wanted to and honestly like two of my top 10 favorite both of them but if I had to pick one it'd be Melvin manhuff yeah that's really I actually like the lindland one too my hands were feeling pretty good then but yeah that manhoff was was a rough fight for a little bit your leg like did that kill the way your leg was going like all the way up here yeah it was I was just going with it because I mean he's kicking so hard that was before I really knew how to check kicks and I didn't expect him I expected hands first and then having to finish with legs he started with legs first and started and then finish her hands so just you had to get surgery tore my Meniscus after that fight but it was like the first couple times I'm like okay and when I felt it like crunch I was like took a step I'm like okay I can walk we're good let's keep going he's just like assessing the whole time like you know okay yep you're good like everything's attached everything's fine that is unbelievable uh the strike force run was was interesting like that's when you started to grow out the hair and the beard and everything and there was the one scene where you were sleeping at the press conference and it just sort of felt like the motivation wasn't there before you got to the UFC what would have happened if the UFC didn't buy Strike Force and you weren't able to find your way back do you think that the career would have ended sooner uh I think that career would end in sooner or just sort of been it would have been different I mean because I enjoyed fighting I did not enjoy waking up to go to a press conference when I wanted to be sleeping so that they could ask questions to everyone actually just I think Fedor yeah so like everyone's there and it's like okay I don't care that but I'm tired but yeah it's just like not a good look anyways unprofessional but I mean you live and learn yeah um but but do you would it have bothered you if you never got that UFC title uh I don't think it would have but everything aligned at the right time it was funny because I was outside the UFC yeah just like having fun training and just watching everyone in the UFC like okay I match up good against this guy I match up good against that guy that's where I want to be so it was going to happen eventually but it it's kind of weird when you're on the outside looking in it was like they were at a disadvantage because I was watching them they weren't really I don't know doubt they were really paying attention to me I was like okay like just wait until I go back down to 170 and and see so blessings I mean it's just just how it worked out uh one of my favorite underrated moments of yours happened just a couple years ago uh I haven't talked to you since just wanted to ask you about the moment um after you fought Nick Diaz again it was caught on camera you just sort of asking him are you good uh and I love that moment because it was like from one fighter to another just asking another if they're doing well uh can I ask you what you remember from that moment and why you felt the need to ask him that question in uh in the cage right after the fight at the right time after Diaz like he's he just comes to fight and it was like he had been out for so long coming back and you know there's talk about issues or this and that and it's like all right like the fighting's gonna be done like it's like win or lose but how are you doing kind of thing and I just wanted him to know and just I wanted to know like are you good is there anything I can do to help you kind of thing or collaborate on anything and I mean that's just how Sports should be I mean it's all it's all about respect in the end I I believe martial arts I think life really is like all about respect you go out there you freaking go to battle you freaking do your best and when when the game or the fight's over it's that's it like it's let's go back to living our lives and trying to be good people right and I know you said that you always went like fight to fight but just curious if we would have talked you know in the early 2000s you're a teenager you're sleeping on Jen's couch you're in Iowa all that stuff and and I would have told you like man it's going to be a Hall of Fame career you're going to be UFC champion you're going to get all these fights 22 years like the whole run would you have believed like did you even allow yourself to believe this did you think of this did you dream of this or has this like completely blown away anything that you thought of back then I would have looked at you and just been like okay like um like but really I knew who I was I I always knew who I was and I knew my abilities and and it was how can I go out there and show people who I am as a fighter and and be the best I could be and that's really what the process was about for me and it was the Rory fight I mean push comes the Shabbos a freaking battle but he brought the best out of me and I was able to show everyone who I was skill wise part wise and it's just always who I knew I was even at that age like people be like oh that guy's this and this and I was like I know who I am like just wait that's that's kind of my mindset is like just wait but really I didn't really care I just wanted to make money and and uh and be a kid and just and fight and train and wrestle and just do and just do what I enjoy which was trained to fight and everything around it well you did all that my man uh congrats on a great career truly uh honored to cover you and watch all those fights all over uh the world and and everything that you did uh there was never a boring Robbie Lawler fight you always brought it so congrats uh what a moment on uh you know International fight week uh you deserve that and thanks for doing this I really appreciate it again I know you don't love doing these but this was a real treat and I I really enjoyed it a lot so thanks for everything Robbie and good luck with the coaching now and hopefully we'll see you at the events uh for many years to come yep thanks for having me all right there he is the great Robbie Lawler ruthless Robbie Lawler what a legend uh and what what a great chat that was so lovely I uh I really enjoyed that a lot and uh yeah that was all that might have been my favorite Robbie Lawler interview after all these years the first time I think I spoke to him was 2009 for Jerry Park and uh here we are in 2023 talking about the end of his career that was tremendous stuff I really really enjoyed that thank you to his manager Dave Martin for that as well uh one guy whose career is not coming to an end anytime soon is Nathaniel wood what a big win for him this past weekend in London uh what a great run he has been on since his move to 145 he had the big win over Andre feely on Saturday at the O2 a nice solid hard-fought unanimous decision win he's kind enough to join us right now let's go to London and say hello to Nathaniel wood hello Nathaniel how are you doing thanks for the time very well thank you everyone thanks for having me it's a pleasure yes it's a pleasure and uh I know that your uh your sister got married on on Monday you were a little banged up how were the photos with all the uh the wear and tear on the face luckily I had the shades so that called the uh the black eyes but I had to wear my UFC sliders my sandals because uh my feet wouldn't fit in the shoes oh my gosh it was a little bit annoyed but she said you know you got the woods so that's all that matters and uh yeah it was a good day regardless so um it was nice just curious at any point in that 15 minute war did the thought of your sister's wedding come in your mind for like a brief second like oh man my sister's gonna be mad at me did that ever come in or are you so locked in she's probably not watching this so no that was the last thing I was worried about all I was focused on is the fight so uh yeah either way that came first okay uh your thoughts on your performance in the fight you know you both hit each other with some heavy shots both were rocked I know you said afterwards the second round he dazed you quite well uh overall were you happy with what you did out there and and did you think that it was going to be in your favor it was close uh but you know it was unanimous in your in your uh in in in your favor did you think that it would be a unanimous decision once they went to the judge's scorecards yeah so I knew in the fight obviously after the third round I knew that I had the first in the third round you know I knew that the second round I lost it there's no way that I'm getting that one uh but I knew without a doubt what the first was mine I was pretty confident that the third one was mine as well um so the performance posit the pros and the cons um you know obviously I got cool um and a lot of people you know have been saying oh you haven't got a chin and all that but if you watch the fight back most people would have been out from that shot you know he landed that hook straight on my jaw clean as anything and I'm still going you know I was still able to fight through it and and get the win um for me I'm proud of that you know I feel like that's a positive to take I can take a dig like that and still win the fight and still keep going um I would have liked to have obviously gotten out in the first round when I did catch him you know I wanted to put a statement to the UFC that not only can I hang in with the 145 it was at the most finish and uh yeah I was a big guy but obviously I didn't get that but you know three fights of February three decisions has given me plenty of um octagon time if you like and uh yeah I'm happy to get that experience under my um my belt and I would imagine the answer is yes but just curious because you know some of these guys at 145 are big boys do you feel 100 certain that 145 is the best weight class for you okay no uh no and I'm sure you love life right at 145 as opposed to 135 right yeah so if it motives me something I've been thinking to do for a very long time I actually fall on Bellator seven years ago at February and one had no issues whatsoever it's something that in the gym I struggle with the flyer weights more than I do the federal weeks when I was abandoned week wow the reason is because the flyweights match my speed so of course if you have a khabib style opponent you know someone that's going to drag you down lay on you beat you up you know that kind of style that's a style where yeah you don't really want to give away too much weight but when it comes to striking I feel would be in the smaller line is the advantage especially when it comes to the boxing being in the pocket you know punching up as opposed to punching down it's easier to defend takedowns because being five for six like vulcanovski you know my opponents have to they go lower they actually shoot a lot lower than they would against someone's five foot eleven let's say the speed you know not only I've got the speed advantage of my hands and Geeks On the Striking Department my reactions I just feel are so much quicker when I'm against the feather wings as opposed to to the FlyAway slash bantamweight so I feel that people look at the weight too much and they kind of forget that look you know weight's great when it comes to the grappling department but you still have to get the person down you still have to um get a hold of them you know and if I'm moving around pretty fast and I'm seeing where people are coming from you know I feel like I'm in The Matrix almost you know I feel like I can see things before they've even thrown them except for Andre feely's hook of course that uh that came out of nowhere and bought me bad so um but yeah you know the proof's in the pudding I've had three bites of Beverly now free wins you know two dominant wins and one that was a bit back and forth you know and I don't feel that in any of those fights have I struggled with anything to do with weight or size um and may I'm able to live good life and have a proper fight Camp right I'm tired of the days where I was killing myself just to make weight you know I wasn't even focused on my opponents or I would be focused on in training is how many calories can I burn how much weight can I make and it's not fun mate you know it really isn't so unless the UFC said to me you're gonna fight 135 but it's going to be you know a million pound fights for the belt it's something special I'm not going back down to 135 you know I'd rather go and get a job and and hang up the gloves because I kind of was despising the sport if you like wow that might you hated it that much so you would walk away 100 yeah unless obviously it's uh big fights you know where they say buy it once or twice a year but I like to fight and I want to fight three four times a year at least and I can't do that bantamworth for me to make Bantam what was taking me 12 weeks you know you saw the video where I had veins all over my body I must have been four percent body fat and I still had seven kilos to cut you know and I'm the one of these guys that can cut six kilos in water weight you know for me to lose three and a half kilos in the sauna it once took me six and a half hours and uh mate that will send anyone mental you know that stuff's hard uh by the way side note is there anything uh near the computer that there's like a popping sound when you're talking is there anything that would be causing that no nothing it's just me here nothing nothing yeah Frank should we what should we do I don't I just don't want Frank and he is we need to persevere so or should we reconnect real fast we can do that do you mind if we reconnect just because I don't want to ruin the interview it's just popping when you speak uh so we'll call you right back let's let's just call him right back and see if that makes a difference if not uh we shall persevere thanks for uh overseeing that Frank appreciate it yeah we'll get it right back um talking to Nathaniel wood he's won three in a row and he's looked very good at 145. uh obviously a Mainstay whenever the UFC goes to London uh a big part of their plans over there uh Charles Rosa Charles jourdain and Andre feely are no slashes though I mean those are solid solid unanimous decision victories very solid uh so I'm curious to see where he goes from here uh 19-5 they call him the prospect obviously it was the former cage Warriors champion a fan favorite because he is from London um and so we shall reconnect with him uh fighting obviously out of uh Great Britain top team with some good people over there as well Brad Pickett our old friend uh soon coming on the program at three o'clock in about 23 minutes from now we'll be joined by Paolo Costa so stay tuned for that I'm looking forward to talking to bohashinia and then we'll get to the rest of the uh the questions of course we only got through two unfortunately yeah what was the big announcement that took up a lot of the time the big announcement that we'll be going to Dallas for uh TS Paul fight week how fun is that I mean that is just that is big business right there as they huge yeah we're working on it I saw that side eye hmm tremendous oh that's good stuff um so yeah there'll be a Regular Show on Monday but then the Wednesday show a week from now uh will be from Dallas at the open workouts which should be quite the scene and uh as I said open to the public so there's going to be people around us hopefully all nice people all welcoming people uh hopefully no issues there it's still always so weird when I look at my computer and I see an X in one of the tabs yeah what is this x thing that I'm uh oh that X yeah yes do you know what I'm talking about yeah um it feels foreign yes uh because it it's like black it doesn't feel like it when it changed on the app it was pretty sad was it sad about it so it just doesn't feel like Twitter and so yeah I just remember you know like Arab Spring Twitter being at the instrumental and now I feel like it's just kind of it's crap to be honest wow okay I didn't know you felt that way Frank yeah wow crap um well it's very unfortunate but uh thems the break sometimes um we'll go back to Nathaniel wood hopefully in a matter of moments uh he was right before the Molly McCann fight and then uh everyone was very sad and then Tom Aspen showed up and sent the crowd home happy and how about Tommy and Jon Jones on uh Tuesday was it yes John just going on a bit of a tweet Rampage and then all of a sudden uh Tom giving him a bit of a a taste of his own medicine John loves to talk about people on Twitter which is kind of his thing and not at them just like he knows it's gonna end up on their phone go in their Direction he knows that people are going to see it send it to the person that he's talking about so he never adds he used to do this with DC all the time and Tom uh just writes John chill out mate I don't know why that made me laugh so much I thought that was hilarious um and so I feel like we're building some momentum here I feel like things are happening I feel like uh there's there's some Buzz I told you aspiral is going to be in that mix and I feel like if he fights on the MSG card around the MSG card and John fights obviously on the MSG card and beat Sipe and aspin all wins I mean that's a big time fight that is a big time fight and I feel like John's reaction to it all suggests that it's a big time fight and I get what he's saying like look I've been here for well over a decade I've got white hair on my chin I'm I'm a grizzled vet and I still haven't lost officially and so there's always going to be someone Tom's a little bit different feels like he's a little bit different if he beats Tom he will have cleaned out the division there's always going to be that guy obviously but uh to me there's a greater the Buzz for aspinal Jones would be bigger than the Buzz for Jones pavlovich in my opinion I think that would be a bigger fight um just because we don't know as much about pavlovich doesn't have that connection that that fan base um aspinel is just I don't know I would love to see that fight golly I would love to see it but I I stand by what I said on Monday aspinal pavlovich might be the best non-title fight or intriguing the one that we haven't seen yet Corey Gates is great we saw it I just I just love it hey yes he's back okay let's go back Nathaniel you there oh wow what a difference I'm here I'm here oh this is you're on my phone now this is a massive difference this is a massive difference I could see the the bruising on your your face the cut and all that a lot clearer this is very nice uh so thank you for doing that I appreciate it big difference um all right no problem all right so so now we have the three and I I saw what you said before the fight about like you know feeling like you're not really in the mix in the party at 1 45 do you feel like you are in the mix now do you feel like that was the performance that you needed to get into the mix um I'm not sure you know I kind of thought after that fight maybe I'd get ranked um doesn't it let anything's changed so I like to think that you know people are taking notice of me now but I feel that the top 15 will look at me as a risky fight with not enough reward you know I think people were chasing them rankings especially I am um and I think people know that I'm a tough fight you know I don't think feel he got enough respect before that fight you know I think Phoebe is a very game very very talented fighter you know he's been in the UFC for 10 years and you know I think people may be kind of looking past that I just beat him um so yeah I feel like you know I'm still kind of getting left out a little bit but you know they can leave me out as long as they like you know I know that I'm going to climb that ladder and it's inevitable that I'm going to get where I need to be so when the rankings came out yesterday were you bummed when you weren't on there a little bit a little bit you know I know the rankings don't mean tons you know and you know I don't know how it's worked like you know as far as I'm concerned Andre Philly should have got the decision against Sadiq Yusuf and to the use of strength I think it was 13 for 12th and you know I'm not really kind of sure how everything goes on but um yeah I kind of thought maybe I would have done enough by now but if not you know I'll keep chipping away at it and uh yeah you know I never turn an opponent down so whatever the UFC give me um then then I'll step in there with uh you may not like this thought and I will apologize in advance for saying it but I do feel like the biggest fight next for you is LaRon Murphy there's just there's something there with you guys uh does that annoy you I I spoke to him on Monday about it I don't know if you saw any of that um and I wasn't trying to stir the pot I saw what you said as well about the media I didn't say it honestly okay yeah you were busy you were you I know you had stuff going on with your family but uh there's just something there that now I just really want to see you guys fight yeah for sure that's an exciting fight that I would love to have um it's one that I asked for for this card that had just gone you know I never asked on Jake Beatty I asked for lero Murphy it didn't happen um it's a fight that makes sense you know 100 and I am all for it don't think it's gonna happen if I'm honest I feel that maybe the UFC want us to both kind of work our way up the ladder and then maybe meet um if not you know maybe next year I'm sure they'll come to London again you know why can't we do a co-main event or a main event you know better the Brits if you like um obviously we've got three guys from from England you know Arnold Allen myself and Lauren Murphy and then featherweight rankings so why not see who the the two are out of us you know because I know a lot of Alan's obviously up there in the in the I think ranked fourth um so yeah you know me and Lauren that would be nice and it would be nice for us to be able to kind of put our money to where our mouths are and but if it doesn't happen you know I kind of wish Lauren all the best now you know I'm a little bit past the kind of animosity if you like I did say see him on the just before the fight and I wish him good luck for his fight and stuff so um I don't feel like there's major Bad Blood there but if the fight gets matched you know I'm gonna sign it straight away I thought for sure they'd match you guys up uh against each other on Saturday because you were supposed to fight in March and there you both are on the card ready to go why do you think they didn't do it now like maybe I get what you're saying now like maybe now they want to see you guys go in different direction but for the build up to Saturday why why don't you think they they booked you guys I haven't got a clue the only thing I can think is maybe they want it to make it bigger than what it was um obviously we had a little kind of debate with each other it wasn't even really that heated but straight away the cameras were on and I was thinking you know where the hell did that camera come from um so maybe they're hoping that it can be bigger maybe it is you know I'd like to think that in the USC's mind they're thinking you know these two could be the main event next year let's build it up let's make it more special whether they actually are thinking about that I have no idea you know maybe they literally just fall right the wrong can fight that guy and and Nave can fight on jfilia I don't know but um that was the fight that me my manager put forward and said look can we get Lauren Murphy and next thing he was matched with um uh Josh the guy he just fought so I'm not sure you know honestly I don't know if obviously larone knows any more than I know um but yeah that's the fight I was asking for so uh till this day you still don't know who filmed that last week no I saw the UFC guy oh with the camera oh well I didn't see what like me me and Lauren we probably was chatting for a couple of minutes before the camera was there got it but literally obviously I was kind of in the zone chatting too yeah and then next thing in the corner of my eye I'm like oh there's a guy I have a camera now and this has just made it yeah I feel like we need to like put some stage thing on which obviously I don't you know I'm not one of these kind of Colby Covenant well guys um mate what you see is what you get you know if you see me having a route with someone you can believe it's it's real um and I'm not gonna put it on for the cameras you know uh did that annoy you that that was filmed I don't I wouldn't say it annoyed me but a part of me thought like you know when they were doing it I was like there's nothing going on yeah you know what because then I felt like we almost had to put something on which we didn't you know neither me or Lauren neither one of us kind of played that game um so I feel like they were trying to get something going and obviously we shut them down so you know we didn't play that game but you know I unders oh foreign yeah you know I get it it's the entertainment business and that's why my fights I always you know make sure that I I put on a show to entertain but yeah you know I'm not that kind of less fake talk trash push each other in the corridors you know um so yeah I wouldn't say it annoyed me but I just felt like it was a bit unnecessary okay yeah and that's interesting because I feel like he's the same way like he doesn't really like the trash talk and all that stuff you're you're both kind of similar in that regard uh I just think I don't like people stirring the pot so I said something uh on one of my interviews and uh I'm not sure who it was a lady interview on stirred it and went and told him that I said something and kind of changed it okay a little bit and that's the sort of stuff I don't appreciate because that's not what no that's not how I said it yeah yeah you know what I mean yeah um and I'll always back up what I say and you know I said that me and larone both said things to each other that weren't acceptable and both offended each other by whatever you know because you're in the heat at the moment but don't change the word how I said it um to try and get him to react in a different way sure because then if he came up to me in a certain manner thinking that I'd said something differently I'm going to react in a different way you know I'm not into all that would you like for your next fight to be outside of Europe I always like to stay at home okay because jet lag affects me man I'm a horrible little man when I don't have much sleep um and jet lag does affect me you know I won't lie if I'm honest the two cards that I'm now a bit like you know I'd love to be on them one Abu Dhabi card and that's because I've fallen Fire Island twice before and it there was no fans there was no um crowd so I would love to go back there and actually have the people watch me perform and the Brazil card man because I've never been to Brazil I know I'm gonna get some jet lag but for me you know I would love to visit certain countries now that I'm not quite in a serious amount of weight you know obviously it's a little bit more comfortable and I'd love to go to Brazil you know I've never been there I've got my wedding coming up next month so I'm trying to see if I can make a honeymoon into a fight at the same time you know the misses obviously she's not 100 on that but if I sort of say to her oh we're gonna go to Brazil fight get paid then go somewhere else then for me that makes a bit more special and it puts a bit more money in my bank for the honeymoon so uh yeah they're the two finds that I would like to have but yeah you know the post the closer to home the better you know I have a lot of supporters I have a lot of friends and family that come to watch my fights and if I can save them a little bit of money on travel you know then I'll I'll make sure to do that uh first of all congrats on the upcoming wedding but second of all to do your honeymoon like on the on the back end of a fight that adds a lot of pressure too no like you you know you want to be in a good mood you want to win right why do you want to have them back to back like that so so what how I thought was like okay if you if we went out to Brazil I fight Saturday night we stay there for like let's say five nights go to like a really nice resort yeah hopefully with a nice bit of cash in my pocket you know maybe a bonus whatever then we fly somewhere else because I always like to sort of travel about a little bit you know I'd like to get a couple of countries in one for a honeymoon kind of thing and uh kind of remind me of when me and my fiance went traveling you know it's like bringing back memories sort of thing and uh yeah you know or I'll come home and then go again but I would like for her to be able to visit these countries with me you know obviously Abu Dhabi she wasn't allowed to come because it was covid um it would be nice for her to be able to share these experiences you know I don't want her in my corner I don't want to cut and wait with me or doing any of that sort of stuff but if she could come out and share these experiences with me um for me that would make me very happy there's a bit of a movement right now saying hey the UFC needs to get out of London uh they've over saturated it maybe go to Manchester go to uh you know Newcastle go to Dublin go to Glasgow how do you as as a proud uh Londoner how do you feel about this is it Londoner or London night I think it's Londoner right now okay Londoner uh so for me I don't feel that they have saturated it I feel that the card that we just had was nowhere near as good as the two cards before which is why I think a lot of people moaned about it you know I know people learning about the ticket prices because they were the same as Leon Edwards versus you know so I don't think it's that London's saturated at all because the tickets sell out instantly I just think that maybe the card on the weekend wasn't necessarily what people were hoping for um but I do think it would be great if they went to Manchester Birmingham Liverpool Etc so for me I thought that they should they could do as many as they like in a year they would sell it out no problem so for me I would be like you know if I was usually I'd be okay let's go to let's go to the UK four times a year you know why not um maybe it's Dublin somewhere like that island in the you know maybe Scotland something like that would be cool uh because I'm technically at home still even though you know I'm gonna have to stay there and stuff but I don't think London's saturated at all I just think maybe the card was nowhere near as big as that Leon Edwards Camara Usman card uh by the way what are we gonna do about the nickname you're not a prospect anymore like you you are here rankings are not what are we gonna do this is kind of like Faber he wasn't a kid anymore but he's are we just going to stick with it till the end I'm gonna have to I've started two businesses off that name I've spent too much money man I'm going to be the oldest prospects in the game but yeah I might have to change it to the comeback kid or something like that because I keep having to come back from these fights but um yeah you know for now I'm gonna stick with it maybe when I become UFC champ I might change it what are the two businesses so during my injury you know I thought it's you got I gotta start businesses man you know the UFC Pay great but if I don't fly I don't get paid so I've started won a clothing company which is the prospect apparel um I've started that with a friend from of mine from school and that's actually been going a while now but that was more something just to keep my mental health just focused on something because I felt like in between training there was too many hours in a day where I was just you know just letting my mind go away with the fairies and just ending up in depressive States so that's one of them and then the other one I've got the prospect Academy which is an online tutorial um where people can train with me but not just me my whole team so we've got everyone my strength coach Brad picking you know Ashley Grimshaw my Jiu Jitsu coach um You Name It We got it we've got my yoga instructor my nutritionist and all of that for five pounds a month wow um and the idea is I don't need to make money from these businesses yet you know what I want to do is create something wherein eight years time when I retire I've got something to fall back on because that scares the hell out of me you know when when I retire when I get injured I don't get paid right um so yeah these for me are like my retirement plans if you like you know I plant the seed now and hopefully you know by the time I retire they've um blossomed into a nice money tree that's I can fall back on I love that very forward thinking of you and the the apparel store is top-notch like this isn't your typical fighter sort of cheap stuff it's very it's very nice the stores right I checked it out it's uh thank you yeah yeah it's really really nice stuff I'm I'm trying to create something that doesn't need me to sell it you know so that's why with the Academy I don't want it to just be about me I want it to be about my my whole team you know if you want to train with a UFC fight team you can do that whereas multiple actors I think usually do their own kind of online tutorial but I don't want it to just be about me you know I want to bring people in that want to train with my coaches you know that might not have access to it uh with the prospect apparel you know I purposely am trying to hire other models to to represent the brand because I want the brand to sell itself I don't want it to just be about me you know I don't want it to be right that's a cheap t-shirt but because it says my name on it someone's going to buy it I want it to be a quality brand where someone's going to buy it because of the material and how it fits not just because it's my brand so uh yeah it's early days yet but you know I've got plenty of time on my side and you know it keeps keeps me busy man that's the main thing and by the way are you sponsored by a lightsaber company yes how did one Outpost what is going on what is These Guys these I'm not a massive Star Wars fan but these guys and I saw their lightsabers and mate is special you know these aren't kids toys these aren't like kids lightsabers these are like solid metal made you know what I'm I'm sure they'll send you one out if you've signed you was happy to have but they are cool as [ __ ] mate they are so cool what do you use it for just a light Ray no I'm like I'm waving it around in the house all the time yeah I'm as far as I'm concerned I'm a Jedi now you know if you take this thing out at night time it lights the road up it is they're expensive you know they're not cheap and uh yeah they funny enough I've we've got a friend mutual friend I went to Comic Con with one of my friends which when he said he's taking me Comic Con I was like come on man you know I'm not going there anyway I went along they saw me and said mate please tell your mate not to buy a lightsaber today we'll give him one we'll come to the gym next week they live local to me and uh he said about sponsorship so here I am now and I'm sponsored by Jedis it's a cool thing man you know it's and um they're they're a bit of a success story you know so um they had a heart they had some hard times and now they're you know they're doing very very well I love that uh just like you and uh your fake career now with three wins in a row so it's all apropos uh congrats on the win Nathaniel what a great performance what a great fight that was really really great one of the best of the night and uh looking forward to what's next and hopefully you get that fight after the wedding of course in uh in in Brazil that would be tremendous and obviously staying in the UK and in Europe uh you're a big star over there so that makes all the sense in the world appreciate you doing this congrats again and good luck with the upcoming wedding congrats on that as well thank you I need it it's expensive yeah thank you all right there he is Nathaniel wood uh still the prospect he's sticking with it God bless I mean uh like I said Uriah Faber stuck with the the kid The California Kid till this day he's still The California Kid he's not the man there's a couple others like that they they evolved from the the nickname Wonderboy hmm [Music] so what's up with the lightsaber thing like people just they buy them and they just have it it's a cool toy man I mean the one that Nathaniel wood has in the picture the purple one is incredible how much you get one sent to you go ahead and you know add a purple one on for me groups of people uh it depends on which one you get uh they have different like levels you can get one for as low as like 120 but I saw some on the website that are like 600. wow six hundred dollars and they look pretty legit man does it do the thing like you press the button and goes like oh yeah wow it does but this is like I used to have one back in the day that was like a foldable one wait you used to have these telescoping ones yeah these look way cooler these are like really I didn't know you're into that Star Wars yeah I mean I've I've seen all the movies well I've not I've not seen one start to finish how many are there six nine nine main ones million spin-offs yeah million TV shows no I know the spin-offs but like the official movies yeah nine nine wow three trilogies the three originals and then there was the three behind and then three after yep wow the three prequels don't really count anymore they don't what episode one two and three bro yeah I'm gonna say something crazy The Nostalgia for those those are my I mean episode one gets so much trash I absolutely love it Darth Maul what year is this double belated Mace Windu like 19.99 Just Dance One do purple lightsaber shout out sure sure uh all right let's move along to our next guest and last guest of the day wow it is always a great pleasure when we're joined by bohashinia Palo Costa what a character he has turned into uh dare I say one of the most popular and beloved fighters in the sport and we found out last week that chel Sonnen was right all along no he is not fighting this weekend at UFC 291 in fact he was never fighting this weekend at UFC 291 he is in fact fighting in Abu Dhabi on October the 21st against hamsa chamayev maybe the most anticipated non-title fight at the back end of the year holy smokes the build up has already begun here he is without further Ado the pride of Bella Horizonte the only fan Superstar Paolo Costa how are you my friend thank you hey Bill it's a pleasure do you have me here and to be here on your great show thank you very much for invite guys bro and uh yes I miss you bro I I I'd like to stay there live yes but yeah Brazil is so [ __ ] far from from New York but next time uh I I hope do you have any plans to come to New York ah I I don't like to go you know tomorrow but uh I have a place to be in Miami my name is yeah Miami uh next week I think oh wow you would do great in my I mean Hello to Tamara as well I didn't know she was joining us uh say hello hi come on there she is tomorrow how are the fingers and anything new okay everybody went to see Tamaya all right what's going on anything okay in the ring in the cage after the fight like Benson Henderson yeah yeah okay okay sorry sorry Paulo every time I see you like online and stuff you put me in such a good mood like your content these days has been unbelievable you're on fire and you just announced congratulations you're doing uh a whole new thing with only fans and I just wanted to know if I sign up because I was thinking about signing up uh could you tell me what kind of content am I going to see on the only fans because I know there's like yeah I'm just curious I was just wondering what what is in store because there's a price tag involved right I have to pay for this yeah yeah so what am I looking uh at what what is what am I getting for my money okay besides our jokes and I'm so I'm a funny guy you know I have a good mood but uh yeah your face is a new platform I think they are investing uh a lot in new fighters to Interchange that you'll be uh the concept the guy the people has about their defense now if it's not only is as well but not only a platform to erotic stuff you know so uh no I just I I like the way you say it yeah so I I will not because you know I have the best girlfriend ever Tamaya she signed me with only fans can you imagine that wow she put me there yeah she sold open mind yeah she's cool yeah yeah yeah she's cool she scores a lot a lot so uh yeah but my plan is not uh at least for for now not uh uh show my my butt or my you know my stuff that okay it's just show more content about my lifestyle hard trains uh sparrings some stuff that is not so uh easy to post in normal social media common social media like Facebook Twitter Instagram so they they are paying me to do that so I need to deliver some content and uh the deal is uh the river is some very exclusive content for only for only fans for events uh uh subscribers okay I like it uh so yeah yeah and it's it started right you're are you are you I heard some people there's some people they make like 500 000 a month a lot of big money involved right yes big money involved it's special when you show something some content naked and some girls just make a lot of money some girls make a lot of money you know it's not my my my goal my goal right now is is show more about power because the lifestyle stuff who I who I I am I really I am and uh maybe sometimes it's not possible to show yeah sure sure I think you can make that kind of money thank you all your fans for inviting me yeah I think you can make that kind of money you don't have to go there I think I think there's enough demand for just your regular content where you don't have to go there yes right yes yes yeah maybe maybe we can do something yeah you'll be spicy for for oil for girls sure sure sure only for Biologicals sure sure yeah um Apollo so much to ask you about uh first of all congratulations clearly you have resigned with UFC were you ever close to to I know we spoke it was close but you weren't quite signed on the dotted line were you close to leaving at any point yeah um I I think so I think we we push a lot in both side on both sides I think they they push a lot as well and uh yes uh oh what they can say for you and for everybody understand very well the situation that happened is we are able to do everything at all uh and all the moment we are I I was uh able to do whatever the situation move us to do like uh get out renew you know so we are 100 of time 100 percent uh convicted that we we showed uh we could not be part anymore or continue but I think we did the best way I think UFC is happy I'm so happy Hunter the guys come uh Hunter Capital uh Dana I think they are happy because then uh personally asked for this for the fight against shimayev wow and uh yeah and I need to I need to mention Tamaya did great job representing me and tiki Tiki Garza he's uh you know him of course yeah I didn't know you work with him yeah long time yeah yes yes Rampage Jackson so many guys Dustin Poirier he works with too right exactly yeah I think as well right right so now you're working with him too yes and and uh he jump in the negotiation and uh he came to help you know because we are I kind of stuck and he helped a lot he helps us a lot he is a great relationship with Dana they're very close friends you know yes sure sure I'll take that um so then why so everything was good why did they say up until like a week or so ago Paulo why did they say that you were fighting on 291 in Salt Lake City what was going on over there it's more about negotiation way you know we are we we at some point took very hard way and then uh but you know since the day one they talk about Akron uh I I can't say I can't tell you it was like a 99 of chance of not happening you know is it that kind of uh let's see um we have these we don't have any anyone or the fighter available for a fight till now something like that but it never made sense to me like you're such a big name no disrespect to him but like there's just such a big difference between you guys no me either I think he's a a very Talent kid I I I didn't take too many uh time watching his fights I I just watched watch it uh he he his fight on on UFC against few waves uh and uh I I have trained a few waves uh in 2015 when vw4 invited us to to to to his fight game against white long time ago and uh yeah I just want that fight but not respect him you know just I just think he need to to do uh my steps and uh and to fight the big names was it annoying for you like it kept being promoted that you were on the card and you knew that you weren't on the card oh I think I'm I'm I'm a fighter for EFC you know so they yeah I I just not uh boring me or annoying me uh I just think this is a kind of the company uh can do and they they do this so I'm good I'm okay of that when did you know that you were definitely not fighting in Salt Lake City this weekend when I when I did know that yeah I know I know that actually kind of five weeks ago six weeks ago okay all right long time ago yeah long time and is that when you knew that you were fighting in Abu Dhabi because chel sun and told me in April that you were fighting in Abu Dhabi how did you even know this guy I don't know how this guy got this information huh did you even know back then did you know that you were fighting him uh in Hamza in in Abu Dhabi in October you know what uh in January then uh then General February something uh in the beginning of this year uh then uh uh through through uh Tiki they say hey the fight to make is power against shimaya so but this fight only can happen on Abu Dhabi October so then a few months ago seven months ago I just thought bro it's so long why I'm gonna wait for this guy until October so give him a fight give me a fight to FC and they say we have no no no no no no other fights are able to fight you I say yes you have we have a streak on or canonia they say we have all the planes for you guys not to to call it each other I guess so I was waiting for for some fight and then block of it shows a be uh they suggest black coffee it's on on 205 around May I I say okay let's do that but uh back of it was not training he was on vacation they so they uh asked uh Uncle ayev he he he told UFC he was not trained as well he has no time because it was a short notes like two weeks to fight so after that uh I I was in the rainbow you know no Fighters no fights to do but yeah then white ones that fight since long time ago why do you think he wants that fight so bad I I think because a lot a lot of stuff is involve it I think he he's right at some point I was wanting one uh wanted to fight to to get some another fight before this but I think he's right because the chance to get some injury or some bad bad things happen and I will not be able to fight in Shima I have October is a high percentage of chance of happen so I think he's right and because the hype of this fight because we have a beef uh who doesn't like each other and I think this is a good match up for for for the the objects and and do you have any idea why he could only fight in Abu Dhabi I I hear something some people say some shakes are on there or have participation on going forward yeah some arrivals on UFC so they need to demand big fights over there uh yes this is true because they always bring good fights for October in Abu Dhabi it's like uh five weeks from Abu Dhabi and uh and they are bringing uh these guys from the uh Western because they are the same religion I think okay um when did you uh did you sign to fight Hamza yeah yeah few more few few weeks ago like six weeks ago so like I think it was last week he was talking about Leon Edwards and stuff like that yeah yeah you know what's interesting because I want that fight so bad a lot I want a lot that fight they know once a lot that fight the audience wants that fight but not she might she might doesn't want that fight uh so he tried hard get another guys to fight uh Leo Menders he call all these guys this is parade to to fight him and only the guys on the on the division but he's a kind of of nuts because he was not firing on on the uh 170. he he he he's gonna fight on 185 so he was trying to up some like the guys to win a five you understand not and not fight that genuine when if I I think my thoughts uh he was at the event in London this weekend and he did some media I saw he he said that like you're not real Brazilian no one likes you all this stuff did you see him I'm Mexican I saw I saw I saw yeah what did you think he's crazy he don't say nothing relevant nothing makes sense it's crazy you like this guy or you like you do you think he's good for the sport you love him I know yeah you know yeah he's making me making money he's he he's a good fighter a fighter you know at the end at the end at the end very very deep on the ball he's a good fight and uh yeah let's go let's go there with him on his [ __ ] house what is that what is that Abu Dhabi okay okay what is the uh can I ask like what's like where did the issue with him all start I know you had the thing at the Apex why was there an issue between you guys how did that all start yes uh that that always start when was in his fight Peak I was in Las Vegas because I operate I have a surgery on my hand after Luke hold fight and uh I was there training because I I never stopped so I was trying to even if my broke my my hand uh very uh post surgery and I was trained with dick Shields because so sometimes we went to we have CPI sometimes we went to eject shields uh Academy gym facility and that day we went to efcpi and Jake she was a member it's actually so you know everybody knows so uh big uh fellow of uh Nate Diaz and uh and she might have supposed to fight Nicki's on that on that week so we went me Jack Shield Samaya and Nicholas uh UFC fighter a small guy and we went there and uh he was there training in the cage but there is a big place to know so we looked for uh Open Mat you know a free met and we then to train we start to train and Sunday at some part of train I saw some guy in the cage look for for a string he was close off the door just look for it for us and uh I I didn't uh see very well so I have two points 2.2 uh 2.5 uh degrees on left and 2.2 and right so uh my opinion yeah yeah my office so I I did yeah in my office so I didn't see very well but I I figured I I suppose was him so after 10 minutes look for us and we finish the train where I was sit sitting in the in the mat and he still continue to look for me so I get up and say I I'm gonna I'm gonna over there to ask him if he's something if he wants something or I don't know I just went there and uh I say hey bro uh you want something you want to say something he say follow he was very kind he said Paul uh you talk [ __ ] about me you talk bad things about me or do I I want to to know why you talk bad things about me he he say that so I realized was a good moment so I say look bro uh I talk bad [ __ ] about you but I have just one thing to want one thing to to say to you I want to fight you I won't fight you so he become be so nervous and uh Angry he say so let's fight now let's say okay let's fight now I am here on the mat jumping open the door is open come on and uh yeah so I did he started to uh say uh uh she didn't talk [ __ ] about me and the guys uh hold him okay and is that when you got his hat no or further no I I just uh got his head uh two days after that when I went to podcast uh shimo podcast and uh he left that the the head and I stole his head then you came on my show and I didn't realize you put the Hat in your pants and then you put me back and I didn't that was I thought that was a little bit mean that you did that because then you put the Hat you told me to smell it no but I was on the way I was using okay so because a lot of people a lot of people since have told me that you were trying to get me but now you're you're revealing that I never I never I never wanted to do that never with you thank you I I was I I was uh when I put his head on the mic my short yeah I was wearing uh underwear so yeah okay okay thank you by the way what's this shirt that you're wearing oh this is uh some my my coach sent me is uh Elon Musk wow because we are thinking of a mosque and I'd like to to be part of his preparation if he fights Mark Zuckerberg your your team musks there's a lot of MMA fighters Izzy and volkanovsky I see them training with uh Zuckerberg you're on T musk why T musk yeah empty musk uh definitely yeah definitely uh yeah I don't like I I don't like uh socialists I prefer the the way the the money move the world so yeah everybody need to capitalize yeah so I prefer musk because they may make rockets he does yeah and cool cars yeah he changed Twitter's name to x a bit weird no yeah oh yeah yeah and yeah I don't know why but they're like dead no it's a little weird yeah a little bit because he has big sex maybe something about marketing right yeah yeah yeah maybe by the way speaking of shirts I know you're hot in here are you nervous what's wrong no no no because Brazil I put this oh yeah here we go nice yeah yeah I think he's better right better way to do it for sure 100 you look fantastic I mean look at that look at those wow I feel like I'm looking in the mirror if I'm being honest you know oh there it is uh oh any any update I mean it looks like it's taped on there yeah this is a you know the body is getting bigger yeah as the founder getting bigger each day day by day bigger so yeah this is just growth uh we delay with this we had you know some issues but we are solving this uh to my plane is launched the secret juice before the fight oh in stores in stores yeah for sure for for first of all first we're gonna uh uh sell them website yes and uh this is a good moment for people who want to work with us some reverse doors uh investors from New York right yes yes yes a lot of rich people here yes okay so this is a good moment if you want to make millions on secret rules invest on this Go Juice golden juice you know is the moment because you need to raise some money to spread out for all the while okay all right and uh if an investor said he wanted to invest but you had to tell him what was in the secret juice would you would you tell him just just for just for investors who put more than five meters on that okay all right that's the uh fair enough yes I think that's very fair that's very fair I also understand you have a new store right you have a new online store where you're selling uh shirts you have something special you are you are my dear friend I have some special what to think about I want to launch this web store right here on the biggest MMA show ever okay right now what do you think about Israel You're gonna do it right now right now what do you mean exactly now because this is not open aren't you now wow yeah this is amazing we should show the picture of it it's not like you're gonna make it live right now on the show of course [Music] breaking news Paulo oh my gosh wow uh okay what are we doing how are you gonna make it live yes so if you guys can uh put on the big screen so uh after now we'll be open to everyone if the guys want to get some like uh I'm gonna show you I have a special job right now and I have I have a lot surprise today for you tell me tell me tell me yeah look at this Gourmet wow you could buy that on the store oh my God I'm gonna put this on put it on and stand up if you can because it's a bit cut off so I want to see the whole thing the whole t-shirt wow look at that I mean that oh look at that wow that is perfect that is nice that is nice that's on the store right now yes when they start right now so uh which is the website uh yeah how's that you have I do have it but you tell me everybody I need to tell the people's official okay it's right here official.com oh my God it's the website live right now I'm gonna look at it right now on this on on the on the show palacosta official we're showing it right now as well Apollo oh my God look at this store this is nice this is very nice of course I have something very I have two good news for you are your Hawaii on the website it's a very nice you're selling hats too Paulo you're selling all kinds of things so that's true that's true and I have a special special look for you [ __ ] I said that's right oh I see it right now I see it right now that is amazing mtfk that is beautiful I love that yes wow who designed all this you and Tamara just you guys Gregory uh and uh Ricky okay this guy is a meme creators and a lot of course I I need to mention the secret juice on me is Miami meme who sent me all these stuffs yes okay it's unbelievable yeah we're showing all the shirts right now yeah this is uh people made for the people for the People by the people yes for the People by the people but okay and yes for me you give you you gave me a punch in the face but you are right you told me about the price yes yes yes yes yes I know you Jewish as well yeah yes but uh uh yeah I'm I'm so we changed the price it's special because you mentioned like that okay it's not more five five dollars take a look at the price I'm looking right now uh I see 34 dollars for the T-shirt yes very nice that's affordable that's affordable that's this is what I'm talking about you're gonna sell more now not too expensive t-shirt 30 uh 34 hat 30. uh I see the Chen Chen t-shirt is 40 so it's a little that one is 40 because it's a special one right special one special one and look look how you how you look you look stronger jacket yeah you look fit very well you look fantastic yeah it's a it's a nice nice uh fabric yeah okay material so if it's good you can look good even you hurry up even me you think so yeah for sure I have no doubt about okay no doubt so Ariel you are my friend pick pick your on the website some shorts for you like a two or three wow for you for free for wow my favorite word yes and I'm gonna send for you maybe maybe okay no no for sure no mate now choose that I'm gonna show for you that's right kind I'm gonna I'm gonna look and I'm gonna let you know I appreciate that thank you very much can I ask you oh yeah somebody's trying to destroy my house what happened they are repairing my house I'm gonna stop no it's okay it's okay we don't even hear it we don't even hear it um by the way where did The Gourmet Chen Chen come from where did you come up with that yeah their name Gomez okay no problem what the [ __ ] stop that [ __ ] hey [Music] Paula Costa they're going to do work on your house he's got a gamer chair back there disrespect is privacy is that a uh that's a bed no is that is that like a projector a thingy yeah that's a projector thing and then a split AC unit and an Xbox you see an Xbox where yeah it's top left on that shelf interesting I need to beat that foot [ __ ] there yeah no problem no problem uh Gourmet Chen Chen what does that mean you know because the guy is not real I he told me I'm fake Brazilian but his face a kitchen okay I know he moved he moved from his country and he moved to swelling yeah oh my God he's a good man she changed that's that's why he's not original to change okay all right why is this fight 40 chess you said it was going to be 4D chess or Jess yeah you you tweeted that it's gonna be 4D chess yes because that because that negotiation that we're going uh true that I told you oh uh the people uh talk a lot [ __ ] like a Oh I thought we're gonna fight this guy who is not very knowing uh uh is not very popular but I was playing chess behind the scenes playing chess with Kamaya Kiki we did a great job and uh yes bro I I think this is uh a begin a new beginning of new great stuff uh who uh what's gonna happen so I'm very excited I'm very excited I renew my due if you have C for good money and uh good fights and I'm so glad for God for foreign yeah uh I'm very excited to deliver my best I'm on my Prime right now I'm I'm 32 years old and uh my Prime is coming every single fight yet so I I didn't reach my I'm talking very very very humble and honest point for you I'm I didn't reach my my best yet so uh I think yeah and after the fight the the win of this fight we're gonna gonna fight for the for the belt and uh so I'm very uh motivated for this fight first because the great fight uh for everybody who want to see me the the the wild problem caused the back the aggressive guy fight back and uh and uh the second the second reason is for the money the third reason is because after that who won gonna gonna be the next for the entire shot what they say was that isn't it a bit of a shame though like you're in your Prime and you haven't fought since August of last year like we miss you out there it's been so long so long so long yeah but because all these issues that I told you before yeah the renegotiate when when you reach the last fight of your contract is is a is a sensitive moment you know so yeah but anyway uh as I told you before in January they want to hold me to fight cha-chang in October so anyway like she might have he's waited for a long time yeah um by the way I uh I saw that you uh posted something yesterday I got worried you were wearing like an oxygen mask and I thought that you were not going to come on the show and all this stuff uh you uh you scared me a little bit but you said all is good you were kind of mocking and you also posted another one with the Haram on it like you're really trying to like uh you're trying to get under his skin it seems like you're really trying you enjoy that I think you enjoy trying to like annoy him is that accurate yes they just do for fun but because I I got a lot of fun doing that funny doing that I I this entertained Me Myself and uh I love this I do because I love this and I have reason to do that you know so and it's good to be modified as well yeah I mean it's uh it's one of the biggest fights I think of the back end of the year and I think a lot of people are very excited about it because of the way in which both of you promote and the heat between you guys the press conference the stare down all that it's gonna be very intense huh oh yes I think everything about this fight gonna be going to be vetting things yes even now before so so long before the fight is so intense and uh yeah and uh the press conference was going to be crazy the fight I think gonna be crazy as well I think he's gonna be so aggressive uh he's gonna jump on the legs and try to put me down put me um on wrestler you know on the yeah I think I think you're gonna everything about this fight is amazing he's a great guy why are you so confident going into the fight no one wants to fight this guy he's looked unbeatable why are you so confident um uh just because I I know my my skills I I know what I do every single day inside the facility inside the gym in the training and uh once you put once we put the four arms gloves on the hand and step in the cage I can I can definitely win and that fight against everyone so I have this very clear in my mind but I need to work hard my eyes you know to keep improving and keeping the shape this could just help me on that yeah yeah and by the way what is your take on the middleweight division right now there was all the drama with DDP and Izzy and now no jerk is two plus C and maybe Sean Strickland is there a chance that you guys fight and you pass one of these guys like DDP not fighting in September maybe you know you can win and pass him what do you make of what's going on at the top over there I think though how this the situation on Midway Midway uh division and do all this high above this fight against me against shimayev yeah uh then the next line is gonna be the winner um are you happy that Izzy is the champion again yes I have something to to to do yeah yeah this time though you go back to Abu Dhabi try not to drink before the fight you know yes yes or you could drink I drink the juice but not the alcohol yes yes no more alcohol I'm a holy man I will not even talk about bad bad you know [ __ ] about go major Jane I'm a change of man oh I told you yeah I'm changing man I'm not alcohol just one wife and uh yeah all the stuff that your girlfriend you know my wife yeah yeah future future yeah future yeah fiance then wife and everything yeah so it seems like it all worked out there was a little bit of drama but you have the new contract you have the fight you have the store you have everything nice everything you're the only fans you have the YouTube channel it's all come together everything very well now very very nope no problem no problem at all my way I am almost in the way you know uh when I when I normally when I get their weight when I got the weight I was like a two three weeks for the fight now we have 12 almost 12 weeks for the fight I mean the waiter right now wow and uh we're gonna it's amazing I said no I said wow I said wow yeah yeah wow so uh you're 185 right now you're close to 185 right now no no not even though yeah but okay I like uh yeah uh two two two thirteen two ten okay easy and you don't have to deal with the altitude in Salt Lake City who wants to deal with that right you get exhausted blue was a bad no you I don't know why why UFC is is the main FC that bro no buys can can can perform very well you know at 100 it's like a Mexican altitude I know I don't know I I don't feel very good I I feel a little different okay so it's all worked out well this has been wonderful Paolo uh thank you very much for coming in evil you know I will be with my friends thrown in uh Abu Dhabi they love you yep yes I I loved it then too and uh we're gonna bring everyone every single person of my team my you know my circle uh a couple weeks ago so make sure before a couple weeks before they fight to make sure everything's gonna gonna happen clean beautiful yeah and what's the official prediction how do you beat Hamza chamaya on October 21st you know uh this fight is for three hounds of three [ __ ] is uh quickly House of five minutes so I think this fight will be crazy and I'm gonna end at first round first round really I so I think so Bill knockout or submission no College wow no you know I I would not try to meet him I'm black belt but I will not try to submit him you know uh I I don't think he gonna try to meet me to meet me uh as well so explosive guy so full of energy yeah I prefer knockout if you knock him out there'll be no denying you'll be next no I mean no question right 100 you are next you knock out Hamza in the first round they'll make a title fight that night for you do you think so I think so 100 percent thank you I think so so too uh the uh the website is Paolo costaofficial.com go check it out and check out the only fans can we sign up already for the only fans is it is it uh is it ready to go the only fans yeah and Street he's read Tamara told me he's ready to go so guys please follow me on Instagram Twitter also show me and only fans and on defense is free now so hopefully guys take a look yeah it's free okay that's amazing you get all kinds of Chinese footage sexy stuff all free amazing yeah so guys thank you take a look over there you guys gonna well if you guys uh like then what you guys gonna watch that uh think about to subscribe and uh yes uh stay tuned guys because we launched we launched right here on the area where we made our show right uh and the podcast official store and some special drops like this gonna be uh available so stay tuned that and uh that's it and yeah I I want I gonna uh invite the former Brazilian president to be there I invite all my friends to be there because we need to celebrate that fight after fight after uh the fight and uh maybe I haven't been I haven't seen Trump Donald Trump in all the events so I'd like to invite him if he be around okay yes Saudi Arabia sure maybe they know I can divide yeah so yeah that's it bro thank you for having me here always a great pleasure yes can't wait to be there in the history of you anytime my friend thank you so much good luck to you all the best good luck with the store and everything that you're doing and good luck in training for the fight can't wait for it Paulo thank you so much thank you I will bring my best for this fight I'm almost ready right now so yeah just keep you know the The Good the good form the the good shape the good performance and guys stay tuned I will be there great 100 okay incredible thank you Paolo thank you tomorrow all the best you guys Obrigado there they are Palo Costa and uh Tamara what uh what a time to be alive go check out the website it means nice stuff uh luckily for us we have a uh a merch Aficionado on the team your thoughts GC on the merch store oh yeah great stuff I mean really high quality right what are we eyeing right now I mean for the uh The Gourmet Chin Chin hat is great yeah it's got a it's got a cupcake on it what else uh the mtfk shirt is not bad I was gonna say I mean it feels like he made that four years we all need to get one of those also the holocausta cursive what are you eating back there what's going on listen my poor guy this is when there was like a the old lunch there was like a there was like a two and a half hour stretch where there was no chance you're gonna get called upon uh listen man I mean getting called upon is the only thing I do back here I mean there's there's a couple other things no I don't mean that but I mean on air you know uh yeah this was this is the first break I got a couple noodles nothing too crazy couple noodles no couple noodles just a couple um I mean the secret juice shirt is an absolute classic I need one of those in my life uh total Costa cursive is nice oh yeah the power cost the cursive is great uh The Original Gangster one I don't see that where's that by the way Ariel yeah pretty sure Polo said one life and you were like oh but she's not even your fiance yeah it's like no you said no he said one wife oh okay you're getting a little too big for your britches over there yes this one he a thousand percent he said everyone drinking alcohol he's like well you have one life no you're wrong about that you are so wrong man I could be wrong no he's talking about everything's did you hear this or were you getting the noodles I don't know I was microwaving the noodles you know he a thousand percent said one and that one now you're you're getting a little too comfortable correcting me on air after every interview jeez he a thousand percent said one wife because he said everything's in place I got my contract I got my wife I got my this I got my that all right unbelievable yeah I think the secret juice the Mt FK shirt he's got the secret juice Army yeah secret juice is the classic secret juice hoodie the picture of just the bottle of secret juice on the beach with his autograph on the sleeve is pretty ridiculous uh yeah I mean there's some great stuff here the the actual like more serious stuff like the power cost the hoodie with just the signature on it that's pretty nice too I'm not gonna lie I'm not gonna lie a lot of good stuff on here the secret juice though the fact that he's got the women's tees got the tank the gym tank he's got the hoodie he's got the T-shirt plus the website design it's pretty easy you know what a guy what a fight yeah who's the favorite right now did I ask you this already uh yes hamzat is the favorite right now maybe minus 300 I think wow that is gonna be nuts um all right great stuff there let's go back to the questions we gotta chip away at these uh here's a bay hello Ariel and crew since we all agree that there's a chance Jones and Sipe both retire after they fight I don't necessarily agree I agree steepe might but Jones [Music] think he might stick around shouldn't Tom aspinall AKA Paul not funny just sit tight and see how that plays out first no if they both retire they'll almost certainly make ass smell versus pavlovich for the vacant belt if John wants to take his time same fight gets made for the interim belt yada yada also while we're considered 135 130 55 the best division in the UFC rightly so but I'd like to put forward a claim that the current heavyweight top 10. John Stipe pavlovich gone aspinal blades Thai Spivak volkov gelatin tibur are better more well-rounded than the top 10 in any other division listen it's come a long way but it's not better than any other division uh definitely come a long way and definitely better than 205 which is often compared to but better than 135 and 155 not so Jones is like the rising tide that lifts all boats uh but no it's it's in a great spot imagine if it had Francis uh each fighter can finish fights with their striking high-level grappling submission threats also would love to hear GC and Rick on this one uh no I want to see Tom fight one more time I think that would make a lot of sense one more big fight uh whether it's against pavlovich whether it's against gun Spivak by the way whether it's against blades but you know blades has to get by Almeida and then you know that would be November so the timing wouldn't work out as well I've said my piece aspinal pavlovich make it by the way if we're making DDP versus Whitaker if we're making Max Holloway versus Arnold Allen we could sure as hell make aspinel versus pavlovich okay I mean let's not pretend there hasn't been some wacky matchmaking uh Stefan Shalom Mario a few quick hitters this week as Paulo Costa still on the last fight of his contract no as we just found out he seems to be getting the Nathan treatment no when do you expect an announcement regarding MVP's next move I think it will take some time there's some interest from a lot of different people so yeah I think he's he's playing the field and he was announced on the broadcast as I as I predicted but he was never in play to get signed before Saturday so this is fun let them play the field uh to me there's UFC there's there's uh pfl and then there's obviously the uh the boxer slash influencer route let's see what happens true or false pfl ends up on the Zone after this year maybe in some capacity but I do think they want a linear TV deal so I'll say false in that regard I think they want a linear TV component in addition to a potential streaming component as well but I think being on linear TV what I mean by that is like ESPN channel TNT an actual Channel as opposed to just streaming I think is very important for them they have a deal with the zone for pfl Europe uh the Zone actually owns a piece of that but I think that they want a linear component if I put the over under Fernando's purse for the fury fight at 37 and a half million what would you take wait you're asking if angano's purse is 37.5 million uh uh I mean is that before all the pay-per-view stuff and whatnot I don't think he's getting 37.5 million to show so I guess under but if it I don't know how the pay-per-view structure is but I don't think the actual purse is 37.5 million uh David Ariel with apple now in the MLS business do you foresee Apple going into the MMA business in the near future TBD uh I know you know obviously Amazon is in the MMA business with one and I think apple is going to get more and more involved in the sports business live sports business uh especially with um you know the baseball deal and then the MLS deal I haven't heard anything about MMA there's only so many MMA properties right now but I wouldn't be surprised in some way shape or form or even boxing by the way can I just say something I am so I'm so obsessed obsessed might be strong but like enamored with the whole MLS messy Apple thing like yesterday I was at a friend's house my kids friend's parents house um and like we were eating dinner and and my kids were like oh it's 7 30 we have to go watch Messi and they watch the entire game sorry about the loss GC Atlanta United but like they couldn't get enough I couldn't get enough we're sitting there and I was sitting there on Friday and I'm at a restaurant in Boston watching on Apple intermiami play Cruz Azul from Mexico and then yesterday Atlanta United in the League's cup which is actually a pretty good idea and it's the idea that I think the NBA should have adopted for their upcoming in-season tournament with like a European league but that's neither here nor there this has been such a success so far two games in and obviously he's playing incredibly well he scored three goals they're they're 2-0 since he started with them and you could see even on his Instagram stories like he's putting a link he's he's getting a cut of the the Apple subscriptions Adidas is involved this it is so funny to me people who are trying to diminish this this is one of the most interesting fascinating biggest Sports stories of the last decade plus and the fact that it's Beckham involved and MLS involved and soccer involved in this very important period for soccer in this country football in this country uh is just so fascinating to watch and you're seeing these celebrities at these games um on on didn't you go to Friday did I go to I went to a Red Bulls game but not not messy Oh I thought you were there when he you know what Frank you're in timeout all right can someone mute Frank's my what you're referring to is the fact that gc's good friend remind me his name Tito Tito yeah Tito he was at the game had a great angle I repo first I just retweeted his his angle of the goal on Friday then I reposted it saying I'm so happy I watched this live in that I was watching it on my [ __ ] phone like all of you and some of you took that as I was at the game I can understand that but if I would have been at the game I would have said I'm so happy that I was there in attendance to watch this live major difference and so that's what Frank is referring to I see what people are saying why would I need that why would I need that club you post a video from the stands as a fan and it's just like uh okay so I'm sorry that I got him all these extra followers and Views I'm sorry that men and Blazers reposted it Sports I'm I'm sorry that I like my brother sent it to me like yeah I have no issue with what you did but I understand the confusion I I see the does anyone actually think that I was trying to pretend like I was there I don't think you were trying to I think it was just the word selection okay I was hyped all right I was excited about this and she was like and they're all after his head now saying that he misrepresented them like you just jumped to a conclusion that hopefully and that's a thousand percent accurate I was excited you know it's a great story you have to admit this is a lot of fun the fact that he went out last night and scored two goals in like what was it 25 minutes it took him to get the first two it was unbelievable yeah I mean anything that inner Miami posts about him just gets skyrocketed just right on a rocket ship engagement's insane it's so it's so uh interesting to like the the discourse around it because instead of just enjoying it it's like oh he's playing scrubs or oh these are exhibition games or oh uh you know the fans are leaving early like can we just enjoy it fans were leaving early when they were up for nothing yes I think that's all right in the 78th minute like it's like the game has been decided I am interested to see what it's going to be like once they're back to the regular season because they're not officially out of the playoffs I know they're in last yeah it's not officially out but they're in this League's cup thing so imagine then that's like clean slate so imagine they just win that then it's kind of big scope yeah and then they went out oh my God would be crazy and they make the playoffs and then they win the MLS Cup I don't know about that it might not be enough time for all this achievement not his greatest achievement obviously but I think so but I will say like people just [ __ ] on MLS okay none of us are soccer experts I can guarantee you this the competition MLS is better than the competition in Saudi Arabia right am I right about that I have no clue yes I feel confident in saying that and even Ronaldo's team didn't finish in first and I think they were in a much better spot when he signed with them on the SAR um the point is the competition is it's not like he's like I made I made the uh the comparison that this would be akin to Michael Jordan 1999 so a little bit towards the end of the career he had already won the six championships going to sign with the last place French team in 1999 a lot of dense people replied well he did that he went inside with the Wizards no the Wizards are a bad team in the best league in the world I'm talking about the last place team on one of the worst leagues in the world because I have no problem saying like MLS is one of the worst leagues in the world it's it's nowhere near well I mean I don't know about worse there's there's certainly a lot of countries out there that are nowhere near MLS but what I mean is it's it's nowhere near England France Spain Germany those countries right um Italy obviously so this would be and they're the last place team still feel like that's better than whatever you know whatever the competition is at least as of when he signed I know it's gone better Ronaldo with Saudi Arabia um that being said like on on Friday he played a Mexican team I know it was one of the worst Mexican teams as well but he still has to go out there and perform and we've seen a lot of guys just go take the money and die off he's going and thriving in the first two games it's fascinating to to watch and and one of the great moves that they did was bring in his old manager bring in his old teammate busquets and you could just see the familiarity there and he's making everyone better imagine being a 20 year old kid in that locker room two weeks ago you were just on a last place Miami team playing in Fort Lauderdale and all of a sudden you're like hugging Messi after he scores two goals what the hell it's amazing this is great stuff I can't get enough anyway I just had to get off my chest because I'm enjoying it Daryl hello Ariel and team I'm so glad to see that chel's coming back to the pay-per-view this weekend yes he is back his legal troubles are officially over and uh that means he's back in the mix on ESPN congrats to him I'm a big fan I know he isn't perfect but he doesn't claim to be the whole 16-month mess was ridiculous and the fact that he couldn't speak defend himself and had to take a basket seat was ridiculous hop mic to you is a friend of chill how special is it that he's getting to return to do jobs he never should have had to stop doing I mean I don't know if I could say that I really don't know what happened um so obviously I I was you know supportive of someone who I liked very much and consider a friend as crazy as he may be sometime and I I hated to see that uh he was going through all of that but I wasn't there so I don't know what truly happened I do think ESPN deserves a lot of credit for this uh I know that the the man in charge at ESPN on the MMA side of things who I used to work for Glenn Jacobs is a huge fan and supporter of trails and I think in a lot of other circumstances they just would have said goodbye and they didn't and they waited to see how it all played out and now he's being welcomed back and uh I think a lot of other places could could you know learn from that and so I think that's pretty cool um and I love to see that so good for him and I'm happy that he's back in the mix and we get to hear from him on those uh on those broadcasts they've been very supportive of him quietly and that's pretty unique in the TV business so awesome uh Homer the prophet mediocre moderator Lewis is bad at his job he must be picking his nose because he sure does not pick the good questions shout out all my homies in here asking real questions about the game as well as the dorks that want to tell Ariel what they bought at the supermarket this morning with that said has there ever been more of a people's Main Event in UFC history than Bobby green versus Tony Ferguson also Justin wins do you anticipate the trilogy down the road or is this the last time we see Justin versus Dustin this is the question after that rant at the top and moderator Lewis has included a response I would like Ariel to know I purchased some milk and tea bags recently not this morning but close enough well done moderator Lewis um Tony Ferguson vs Bobby green is not the greatest people's main event of all time that is absurd solid fight but no no way what are you talking about um I mean Costa versus shamayev is a is a bigger fight with bigger Stakes attached to it remember we started the people's Main Event movement and it started with Conor's debut against Diego brandow and there's been a million other maybe not a million thousand maybe not a thousand a hundred anyways no to that solid fight fun fight it will be fun but there's like a there's like a like like an element of you know I need to look at this you know through my my fingers because you know Ferguson is in a tough spot so I don't even know if I'm looking forward to it to be honest because it's a little bit uncomfortable anyway Justin Dustin three sure why not who would say no Lewis uh what's occurring Arielle never heard that before curious to know your thoughts and who's the greatest UFC lightweight to never hold the Undisputed title for me it's between two men that compete on Saturday's 291 card Poirier and Ferguson personally I think El Diamante edges it would you agree any other names come to mind much love from Southampton England and a huge shout out if possible to my dad Kevin who got me into MMA and the MMA hour as the necessary companion for the sport thank you that's very kind of you some names that come to mind Nathan Diaz Donald Cerrone Justin gaichi Gilbert Melendez Justin Poirier clay Guida that's a tough one I know that the Ferguson story was a long Saga and horrendous luck attached to that and your heart breaks for him because he was so close and you just like think back to him tripping over the cord and everything that happened and how loyal and how Dependable he was for the UFC especially early days of the pandemic he shows up and he fights interim title and he's supposed to fight khabib and all the drama there but I feel like skill for skill I gotta go with Dustin as of right now what do you think of that New York Rick best to never hold the belt at 155. 155s Diaz Cerrone gaichi Melendez are we counting interim no Undisputed hippie Poirier yeah I can't think of I can't think of somebody with a better resume than Poirier at 55 yeah I mean the answer for the answer for the longest time was always Penny Florian right but that I feel like that's kind of coming gone now um is a good choice it's it's got to be poorier if we're if we're not counting in Durham uh I agree Gabriel buenos Tardes Ariel first off thank you to you and the crew for always getting me through the long work road trips appreciate it that's very kind I always look forward to listening to the show I apologize if I didn't catch it but what are your thoughts on the controversial George cambosa's versus uh well he wrote Matt Hughes I think he means Maxie Hughes decision once again it seems like the judging is the Talk of the Town is there ever a world where boxing and MMA come together to solve this issue once and for all my understanding is that they both deal with the same athletic commissions a fan in Bakersfield California Gabrielle s i was watching this uh in my bed when I was in Boston so I wasn't really scoring it there was one of the scorecards was like once I think it was like 117 to 111 or something crazy like that not great and it's unfortunate boxing's having such a great year and great week I mean two pound-for-pound fights and three out of the top five competing in the span of five days it's unfortunate that this stuff happens and it will always happen and will continue to happen I just think it's a nature of uh you know a sport being judged by human beings and uh you know this will never happen in the traditional stick and ball Sports because there's no judges involved but anything that has judges involved whether it's MMA boxing figure skating gymnastics diving swim well you know like there's always going to be controversy there just is when there's not a clear-cut way to determine a winner um can they tweak things I will say the 10 point 10 point must system is much better suited for boxing than it is for MMA yes they are both dealing with the same athletic commissions the majority of them tend to be better versed in boxing than MMA obviously the Nevadas and The Californians of the world are up to speed on both but the traditional old-school ones tend to be more boxing friendly than MMA friendly I don't see much changing I would love to see open scoring I've talked about this ad nauseam I feel like at least there's some you know transparency there but um yeah controversy and judging in boxing and MMA it's just going to be a thing unfortunately Crystal hey Ariel uh Avid listener and fellow Canadian here Burlington Ontario shout out two quick ones for you do you think we'll ever see Nick Diaz return to the UFC to fight again after his fight with Robbie Lawler every now and then articles will pop up with him saying he's looking to return just curious if you think he actually will would you like to see him back again no and no um would I like to see him maybe against uh George St-Pierre if I pass Invitational sure fight after that performance given his age giving the you know the the the the the miles on the the tires no and I don't think he will maybe I'm wrong and if he does I feel like it would be for the wrong reason so I'll say no and no thoughts on Rose's return in September in the move to flyweight as it's been a while since we've seen her yeah I've uh I've tried to get rose on I've reached out a few times not quite ready happy that she's back uh I know that it was left a little bit open whether she would come back curious to see her at 125. golly she's stepping in there against an absolute killer um I wouldn't have been against the idea of her going to 125 and fighting someone you know in the top 20 to 15 range just to get her feet wet back in there get her confidence back after the the disappointing performance against Carla but that's just not her style so fascinating fight tough fight uh I had heard that the um the weight Cuts were getting draining and I've seen some photos of her currently and she's buff like she has added a lot of muscle so let's see she's not the uh you know the skinny young rose that we met so many years ago so really interesting fight and and kudos to her for jumping in there against someone like manofuro um so I'm happy that she's back and that she's found that love for the sport again and let's see thanks as always for your Insight something I always look forward to on the Wednesday episodes thank you Crystal Kobe what's the crack he'll want he got a question for the boys today so take this opportunity to answer some texts or take a bathroom break these are my favorite Percy Frank what's the update on the blog we've been waiting patiently for don't think I can take it any longer believe this was being referred to as through the lens Frank yeah what's up you just all talk or what I got sidetracked with another project at the studio you're so busy yeah wait you can't multitask you can only do one uh one project at a time TST is doing like eight things but still gives us uh sub stack updates now that that's wrapped up uh we can we can start on the blog though yeah so what I'm waiting for it so when are we getting it first quarter 2024. what first quarter 2024 that's in freaking six months from now bro you asked okay you've let us down again you know when I die if they can use this can they ask uh Frank to lay me down just so that he can let me down one last time I haven't heard that one before GC first off tough hang has really started to hit a Groove how about that better late than never especially last week so Kudos on that my question is when can we expect a video version of no bets Bard seeing as you have a setup from home already great question funny that he asked that I was just talking with Jed the uh the key would be someone that can edit the video that's all we need but I feel like we're missing out not having a video component of it especially if we're going to be video chatting while we do it plus we also have these fantastic cereals here that I use this morning it makes me look like uh like a real deal YouTuber really I mean I mean like this camera is HD the one on the other Studios might might be even more HD might be 4K all right so why don't you do it uh are you gonna edit it you're gonna you can edit video 24. you can edit video no commitments made right right now currently on the air all right um lastly for Rick this is less of a question and more of a request I think we'd all love a bit of a throwback any chance of a post 291 Rick's picks make it happen Ariel the ogs miss it thanks as always fellas what do you think of that Rick's picks I mean a lot of these newbies Rick don't even know what we're talking about here yeah I feel like that one's I feel like that one's buried I don't know I don't think we need to even dig it back up now now when he says Rick's picks is he talking about the picks or is he talking about like your your stroll through social media I think he's probably talking about that one um but I think both are both and yeah both are dead and buried Rick's picks are a lot of fun you could tell them in a bun Mike Heck I mean just what was it again oh is it Rick's picks are a lot of fun yeah some something to that effect but yes yes oh my God somebody has it somebody has it I mean I'm sure right now can play it uh Mike had confided in me oh uh that he didn't write it no the Rick's picks is is one of his favorite Works he's ever done and he's very disappointed it doesn't get used anymore um buried was uh no no the segment I would never disrespect the song and the song I thought we could Loop in the song every once in a while yeah there's a story on the song so Mike Heck this is I don't think you know this story like maybe he he talked about this but Mike didn't work at the site um at the time that he came up with this and then he put the song out and we had a few people purchase it and he donated the proceeds to charity really purchase that like would he put it on iTunes or something yeah 99 cents I don't I don't remember I'm sure it was something like that but yeah a few a few really hardcore fans bought it and it went to a good cause so shout out shout out to Mike one of the true mentions in the game um but yeah it is a good song it is a good song and an animation with the yeah great opening and closing yeah it was tremendous yeah it was very New York City right very New York I loved it but uh the segment itself yeah I feel like you know this this is the best course it's run its course it's better when we're just doing a a weave and everybody's jumping in there it's it's a little bit too singularly driven right just going through the moments we can just talk about them [Music] um by the way going to our previous question good one from Casey here in the chat Jim Miller best to never win uh belt at 155 not bad I think I'd I'd put uh no I think his thing was best to never even fight for a belt right because uh right I don't think he's in the combo for best to never win unfortunately but I do think he's in the combo for best to never even like get the opportunity I mean hard to hard to argue against uh Tony Ferguson never got a never got a title yes if the interim doesn't count then yeah he never even got one yeah yeah it's fair which is just that's rough yeah that's crazy um here's our old friend Jason hello Ariel my question this week is actually for GC as he went to uh and he went and did the uh the barberheimer on Sunday what was his thoughts on both films in a more thorough breakdown oh yeah what was his game plan with the snacks slash how long was the gap between seeing films lastly I saw he bought a barberheimer shirt how many more wears will it get thanks for the great content as always go bills all right uh I mean let's start first and foremost the shirt uh went through the wash yesterday disintegrated up no it didn't disintegrate I was thinking I was like man what am I ever gonna wear this thing again uh was just a little bit too caught up in everything and unfortunately I never thought I'd have to make this admission uh especially not on the air I did a back-to-back days thing right wow what's worse this or me claiming that I was at the uh the messy game oh you by far now oh wow yes I mean you didn't even the poor Jason thought you did the back to back yeah he thought I did but I never said that I did wow I mean I just did the bomb emoji in the and the ribbon much I mean there was no descriptor of like you think that it was almost implied certainly I got the shirt but you know unfortunately I had not unfortunately I shouldn't say that my uh my friends got married this weekend so I had to be at the wedding that kind of foiled I kind of foiled my uh back-to-back plans uh into the movies themselves though Oppenheimer loves it Rick can actually speak on it as well he he saw it too I also like a lot of Christopher Nolan's movies The Prestige uh Interstellar Inception uh The Dark Knight trilogy I'm I'm a fan of Christopher Nolan I thought this was a nice bounce back from Tennant uh it does a good job of like telling oppenheimer's life story while like not painting him out as a hero and like a lot of things that I didn't know about it that I learned uh about that that era I mean it's a it's just an insane thing that that all of that actually happened uh and then Barbie is more serious than I was expecting but obviously nowhere near as serious as uh as Oppenheimer Barbie a lot of funny parts Gosling absolutely kills it uh Robert Downey and Oppenheimer also kills it that could be a nice race for uh best supporting actor this year uh yeah they were both good like the Oppenheimer better but Barbie was also solid do you think your opinion would have been different if we had saw barbie purse no you've asked me this like three times now passed you once the answer is the same nah you think do you think it would be different yeah Barbie was good but I guess I didn't know what I was expecting out of it and and for the record don't take kids right I just think there's a lot of PG do you think there's a lot of stuff that your kids wouldn't really understand it could be an awkward that's okay not understanding is different than like exposing them to something balls and yeah genitalia jokes and I might just I might just play one of those like six years old at at the Barbie movie like it felt like it would have been a little early a little early plus like a lot of the movie is is stuff that they wouldn't understand like they get into they get pretty deep on uh like concepts of how the world works I might just play one of those Barbie cartoons they'd say this is the movie enjoy or you could just watch it on streaming and if it gets too intense uh then you gotta wait yeah whatever happened to like one of these and like earmuffs just like you know everybody will be fine so are you doing it it's not really like ear muffs I'm just like I just I don't know how much they're gonna enjoy it so in the end if you could only choose to go to see one um and uh near correct true or false you were there till 1am yesterday watching Oppenheimer at 1am I went to a 10 30 showing oh my God what is up with you with these 10 30. you were there till two that's a 20 minutes they go to sleep and then I go watch the movie bro how do you have the energy 10 30 I'm done how do you do until you have the energy I'm fasting and fasting me and me and Rampage Jackson where we we got energy for days baby keeps you going does it make you taller yeah no opposite I feel as energetic as ever when I'm fasting it's amazing it doesn't it doesn't keep you like it doesn't make you ornery and sluggish a little bit no not sluggish definitely I can be hangry at times but um I just feel like I have so much more energy now what's the fastest consistency you just don't eat after eight yeah I do I do 16 hours of fasting I eat between 12 and 8 every day do you think it like triggers like a primal energy to like go find food and you're using that to like be productive no I think it's more like your body knows that it needs to conserve energy and that's the time that it needs to process your metabolism kind of catches up to it so interesting um I think it's just priming your body for that so no no snacks no snacks what theater did you go to you know where I went I'm an AMC loyalist because if I don't see that 100 baby if I don't see that Nicole Kidman intro it's not even a movies uh it's not even a movie me and Frank our Alamo Drafthouse loyalists uh snobs I I did I did AMC for both Oppenheimer and Barbie yeah I mean you get the you get the classic sticky floors you know the snack machine's gonna be down they're not gonna have uh the special Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles clean bathroom green apple uh yeah you're gonna have the urinals overflowing with with pee uh it's it's gonna be a long way to get inside uh yeah I mean these are all things I experienced over the weekend so uh shout out you just don't know you just don't know don't be joining the stubs membership to Bricks credit AMC uh midnight essentially is a different world no I'm just kidding I do love AMC but if I had to choose between Alamo and I have to see a signing a competition uh Rick dazzling images on a huge Silver Screen sound that I like have you seen Barbie wow no I have not yet I got it nailed down wow I'm a loyal AMC customer go check my stubs account baby um Oppenheimer thing I mean at 10 30 like how am I even they don't have it then or whatever I have kids I I literally the first available time that I can watch this movie is 10 30. I respect it I mean you could get a I mean you don't you have a fan you could say you're going out for you know like dinner lying to the wife to go see Barbie no the wife is the wife is coming with him yeah lying to the children yeah uh to go see bars date nights nice date night yeah that's a good way to hide it that's a good way to hide it I'd wait till streaming for Barbara do your daughters even known certainly not your your second one they don't even know what Barbie is right they don't know that it's a movie no they're not familiar with the brand they know like the dolls but they're not familiar with the brand at all it doesn't matter they wouldn't care I tried uh shamefully I tried to take my one she was one at the time my older daughter Avery I tried to take her to Mission Impossible um what's it called Ghost Protocol what's the what's the the one the latest one before this one I think it was Ghost Park Ghost Protocol no maybe not that was before that why am I blinking the one with uh I'm with Superman in it anyway um I took her at one I had her in the little Papoose like I had her in the baby carrier and like I was an hour in and she was like kind of like zonked out and I was like duh this is so good I got her in for free and I'm just watching this movie and she's sleeping about an hour 15 she wakes up and I was like well my movie's over I'm gonna walk out and then I'll watch the rest of this movie another time because she just started screaming oh no wow I know but it's almost worse I don't want to see an hour 15 of a two and a half hour movie 100 that's perfect for me because then I just got an hour and 15 done and I don't have to stay that was the whole thing I was rolling dice sleep I'm good and just was not good I blew it um all right well there's uh there's the questions for this week don't think we're going to do questions next week only because we're going to be in uh Dallas and there's going to be too much going on at the open workouts to answer questions and all that other stuff so the questions we'll be back in two weeks time uh I did see on Twitter uh just now someone's saying to Sean Strickland like hey focus on the title fight I don't know what he was I think Sean Strickland is involved in some sort of uh Feud with Keith Lee near Creek you must be all over this uh yeah he went on a on his podcast I believe it was and he uh and I believe um Chris Curtis is a co-host and he accused Keithley of being a racist yes um and then Keith Lee kind of sat on it for a bit I'm sure trying to see like what the actual because I mean Keithley at this point probably has like PR team like he's a real celebrity yeah um and like Sean Strickland talking about you isn't necessarily like huge news in The Wider World maybe only in the MMA world but he sat on it for a bit and then kind of said basically don't put dirt on my name and here's the real story well uh he did respond back and forth back and forth don't necessarily care about all that but uh I saw Sean Strickland write to a fan that the UFC doesn't want the title fight he said something like UFC don't want it and in fact that was what I was trying to allude to at the top of the show uh that that is what I'm hearing uh that the UFC doesn't want the Strickland Izzy fight and so there's a bit of a predicament here with the DDP situation uh thought after Izzy's video that it was uh feta complete that they would fight on September 9th from what I'm hearing UFC doesn't feel like it's a very uh oh I don't know like it's a uh uh a close enough matchup to make which to me is crazy because Izzy fighting in in Sydney is a massive deal and Lord knows they put on worse Main Events than that and actually last week when all this went down I was surprised at how many people were saying like oh imagine if Sean Juan uh could you imagine how crazy this is going to be or uh go Sean I saw some love for him I didn't see a lot of This is BS this is a mismatch this is this and that and you know like him or not Sean Strickland's a top six middleweight and I'm pretty sure Izzy has beaten every single other fighter in the top five so he's next man up uh if it's not DDP um so I'm very curious to see what they end up doing there I think uh Israel has been a good soldier for them and has fought whenever they needed him and I know he was banged up going to Miami and he took that fight so to not put him on that card seems a little bit weird to me but yeah one is DDP two is Pereira three is Whitaker four is Cannon here five is Victorious six is Strickland seven is Costa eight is Brunson nine is the lead say like he's that's the one guy uh it's it's a little bit puzzling and surprising to me especially since we've had some lesser Main Events and bigger mismatches historically than this one I don't even know if there's a line out for this one but it's a weird thing what was that I was gonna say here's how you know it's not the fight to make because there's an assumption that he's going to lose in the next fight we're getting his DDP so why why do we need it if we're already booking him Israel adasanya versus DDP why do we need a strong Strickland versus israelisanya fight you need a chance this is because Israel really wants to fight in Sydney close to home uh because he's the biggest star active on the roster because this is what he has said is active Israel is a bigger star than Jon Jones no question worldwide he's a he's he's a mega star serious yeah I mean I I don't even think that's like worldwide a hot take with kids is a bigger star with kids no no chance anyway okay fine Jon Jones point is when the second biggest star on the roster wants to fight and there's no main event and there's a guy who's in the top six who's ready to go and you're like don't love this one that's weird to me is there that I get it so so you're gonna you're gonna you're gonna spit in your biggest star or second biggest star's face and say no I'm in the art okay let's say Izzy slips on a banana peel now you've really hurt Izzy versus DDP like why what what is it you were willing to risk DDP by putting him in there against Robert Whittaker he could have lost that fight another fight is ten times bigger does does Israel lasagna gain anything by beating Sean Strickland yeah a lot of money a more super stardom his like some of these fights need to happen you know this would be his first defense you know since winning the belt some of these fights need to happen to make the star grow and if you're that confident or if you want to see the DDP fight so badly you put him in there against Sean Strickland let's say he beats Sean which I don't think is like a foregone conclusion I would certainly favor him in the fight and and think he should be the big favorite and then it only looks bigger you bring DDP out there you do another Face-Off you do whatever the fight's only bigger if Sydney wasn't on the books if Sydney wasn't a location would this even be a conversation well number one there's no one else there's literally no one else so GDP when he's ready no no there's no if this card was happening in Las Vegas if it was happening in Paris if they have a Pay-per-view on September 9th who's headlining the Pay-Per-View at the moment nobody this and you have arguably the biggest star saying I would like to headline it you figure it out you put them in there against someone you have a a minimum 500 000 pay-per-view buys ready to go what are you doing what are you gonna do pantosia against uh Brandon royville with all due respect like that's what's bigger you're gonna put Leon and Kobe in in uh in Sydney when you have Izzy ready to go what are you gonna do you're gonna put Alex peretta and Yuri prohaska and Sydney by the way those those are all those awesome that sound like good fights better fights than Strickland and Izzy that makes sense for the market and if you're Israel to Sanya who is always there and ready to go and you put Alex perdeta in the main event slot in essentially your back yeah that's your back to FairPoint if how do you feel about that if Israel lasagna says I have to fight on this card I must he won and there's no way to talk him out of it he wants to find them I guess you do it but but there's not really a logical reason to do it outside of that that's the only one reason okay then let me ask you this Izzy's a pay-per-view fighter right he wants to go he steps up he's available he never backs down correct you agree with that I agree with all of that where is he fighting rest of the year is he fighting in Abu Dhabi no is he fighting at him I don't know the dude who's ready to go you're gonna make him wait all the way to December again but like do [ __ ] dude when you're the biggest star you get certain things you get certain things if he wants it then I hope he gets it but if if we're looking at all the the things in the mix and why why should be done are we pretending that like there haven't been worse matchups than Sean Strickland versus Izzy we just got Amanda Nunes versus title fight Main Event headliner we just got that two months ago less last month there's um the argument isn't that there's not um lopsided fights that have happened before a lot I mean half of Amanda nunes's title defenses were kind of foregone conclusions but I don't know I'm not I'm personally not clamoring for a Sean Strickland fight sounds like there are some people out there that are um but the only reason to do it would be Israel wants it and Sydney is on the calendar those are two massive reasons those are two massive reasons you can't get vulcanovsky that you just you just brought up three reasons two out of the three reasons are huge reasons and factors in his favor he wants it and you're going to Sydney the third is you don't like the matchup just in a vacuum fair I would say who else is he gonna fight if DDP DDP is injured so who knows when he comes back at this point he's banged up and then you factor in who else is there is the winner of Pereira versus uh uh you know year uh Yan gonna come back and fight in a month and a half it's this we're talking about a month and a half what are we getting we're getting urine on Goliath in a month and a half as the main event of a pay-per-view um we're getting Leon and Colby in a month and a half what do we like it's right there sometimes they do things that are baffling to me and I do think that again like if Israel was a boxer and he said I want to fight Sean Strickland on this day the promoter would do everything in their power to make that happen now I get it this isn't boxing It's Not Top Rank it's not this or that but I do feel like you reach a certain status you deserve to get certain perks you've earned certain perks he's earned those perks he just went through freaking two fights with Alex peretta he got knocked out in one he knocked him out on the other I could think of worse things than a Sean Strickland fight and I and I don't think that the Sean Strickland fight is like an egregious insulting fight there have been way worse title fights than that way bigger mismatches and it's right there and it's in Sydney and it's in his backyard and he wants he wants to fight there and it's the closest that he will get to fight in uh in New Zealand they're not going to New Zealand for a pay-per-view anytime soon it's a weird one to me anyway we'll see what happens yes an update on the Sean Strickland thing he posted this a couple hours ago there's he says Uh there's a small chance Kevin Lee might come to Vegas next week to defend his brother's honor oh wow he says no rules no time limit no criminal prosecution I don't normally feel this level of Joy man I haven't cried in years but it's happening thank you Keithley and it's a picture of Sean Strickland crying he posted a selfie with tears in his eyes this is silly um and look I'm trying like yeah Sean and I aren't the best of friends but uh I I do think that it's not a crazy matchup and I think it's like a perfect main event for a Sydney pay-per-view why not uh if if not DDP and we all knew that there was a strong possibility that DDP wouldn't be ready two months after a Robert Whittaker fight like who does that it makes no sense the matchup didn't make sense all right they rolled the dice great but the timing made less sense as we discussed before and after all right let's get to the picks first a quick word from our good friends over at DraftKings Sportsbook as you all know it's a massive weekend in Combat Sports Bellator rise in UFC 291 and the big one in Las Vegas Errol Spence Jr versus Terence Crawford first time in the four belt era that we are getting an Undisputed champion at 147 pounds Welterweight Title glamor division in boxing historically the Four Kings back in the day De La Hoya Trinidad Mayweather all those guys have been in that picture and now it's Spence Crawford for not only the Undisputed title but also perhaps the pound for pound number one title as well they're battling Saturday in Las Vegas at T-Mobile and DraftKings Sportsbook has you covered on all the action new customers strike now get 150 in bonus bets instantly when you bet just five dollars what are the lines right now GC toast toast what do we got Terence Crawford minus 150. Earl Spence Plus 130. any good prop bets there the decision lines for both guys are above plus 200 like I feel like they're both so skilled it might go to a decision uh knockout props like Earl Spence my knockout is like plus 600. um there's uh there's some bets to be had on that fight yeah uh both guys obviously undefeated both guys you know I haven't been hit often it's going to be tremendous Spence the Southpaw uh Crawford switch hitter one of the best at that check it out this Saturday don't miss out on the fight everyone's talking about download the drafting Sportsbook app now use code the MMA hour new customers can get 150 in bonus bets instantly when they bet just five dollars that's this Saturday only on DraftKings sportsbug with the code the MMA hour now if you have a gambling problem called 1-800 Gambler in New York call 8778 open wire text Hope NY that's 467-369 in West Virginia visit www.1800 gambler.net in partnership with Hollywood Casino at Charlestown Races all games regulated by the West Virginia Lottery please play responsibly in Connecticut help is available for problem gambling call 888-789-777 or visit ccpg.org on behalf of Boot Hill Casino Resorts in Kansas 21 year old are in most eligible States but hrase by jurisdictions see draftkings.com Sportsbook for details and stay social response program a resources bonus bets expires seven days after issuance eligibility and deposit restrictions Supply terms at sportsradio application.com all right uh now I get to sit back relax and enjoy the boys debate who they'll pick yeah I love it let's go ahead and hit the randomizer let's pick some winners baby did you hit it it's a long one yeah it actually just finished uh it did take a little bit longer than normal Rick will go first I will go second Frank we'll go third sweet I feel it it's a nice winter coming I'm gonna play it a little bit safe here so don't blame me boys um take something with some decently uh favorable odds okay for me all right I'm gonna go to the alternate totals okay loving it and I'm I'm gonna take Derek Lewis versus Marcos Rosario De Lima under two and a half at minus 450. I had a strong feeling you were gonna go there once you said alternate uh alternate total rounds um yeah I think I'm gonna stick in the alternate total rounds as well oh and I'm gonna go under two and a half in the Jake Matthews Darius flowers fight wow minus 220. so that gets us to minus 130 with just Frankie to go oh yeah these are all very hipster picks on your back um I'm gonna go to the Thompson and Pereira fight okay over two and a half two and a half minus 215. what is 250 that company is there is there a one and a half available there is a one and a half I didn't see there's another alternate minus 215 plus gets us to Plus 160. I'm seeing minus 215 on that that's what I said yeah oh okay uh if you wanted to do the over one and I didn't even look at that time that's minus 400 that that that does have us at plus 122. big difference I have to say so it's up to you Frankie whatever you feel kind of stick with the pick that I made okay all right so over two and a half in that fight uh all totals no money lines for the boys uh without aerial and play here uh so we'll go under two and a half Derek Lewis Marcos rogerio de Lima under two and a half Jake Matthews Darius flowers and over two and a half Stephen Thompson Michelle Pereira plus this has to be a first right yeah I think so I think so no money wants interesting interesting not I just have to fix something so please keep going yeah sure uh you feel all right about it rick I feel fantastic about it great um great I'm glad you do shit's up dead weight so we're good yeah he didn't surprise what he can hear uh all right we want to dive in uh battery plug got unplugged oh yeah XXX uh yeah let's Dive In let's dive in UFC 291 maybe a little boxing act yeah nothing on the boxing a little disappointed but whatever oh yeah yeah I guess you would have looked uh to maybe do something in boxing yeah you want to join the no I'm good I'm good all right all right all right well then we will start uh with not the curtain jerker but the second fight of the night Matt simmonsberger by kotko against uros medich uh I think this fight's just gonna be very hectic from the jump metage as never gone past eight minutes in his entire career now he's getting this fight on short notice up a weight class um I think he's gonna come in here I think they're going to strike when we see Matt simmonsberger's struggle it's it's typically when he gets taken down I don't think there's gonna really be much threat of that here so I think they're gonna stand and bang and I mean simmonsberger has got the power advantage that that is clear six knockdowns in his last three UFC fights nine in his eight fight UFC career as well as two Knockouts um I think he is going to find the chin of of Euros medich at some point uh and I think he's going to get him out of there so I like him to win by KL the pick that I just made in the parlay Pals parlay boys Matthews flowers under two and a half I mean this is a very short notice I think like 10 days notice uh if that for Darius flowers um he started his 18 fight career three straight decisions since then one decision in 15 fights including 10 that ended in the first round and I went and looked at his boxing career according to boxrex he is uh he is one in ten uh as a boxer with seven of those losses coming via knockout I mean he is the definition of a killer be killed fighter he's coming to elevation on short notice um I think he's gonna come in here looking for the finish early and if he doesn't get it one of his weaknesses is getting subbed and I think Matthews will be able to get a submission uh If Flowers did not get him out of there earlier should be a fun fight for as long as it lasts let's keep it rolling Marcos Rosario the Lima it took him a couple weeks ago this this line has been steamed to the Moon I do apologize for that but I I think this is a good matchup for him um Derek Lewis it just kind of feels like he he may be past his Prime and I think the Lima has multiple paths to Victory here uh whether it be with the leg kicks whether it be for going for a takedown or just standing in trading I mean he is super tough and he can crack so I think there are more ways to win for Marco those rogerio the Lehman I think he gets it done but sad yeah that's right no no you bet you you bet with your mind oh I can also be wrong I can also be wrong I I I think we've learned over the last uh you know 18 months however long we've been doing this almost 24 months now uh I can certainly be wrong and I am wrong fairly often uh we go to the main card man we had earlier on the show today taking on Kevin Hall and I'm going to take the under two and a half in this one uh just feel like there's many ways that this fight could be finished I I think we're we're good for a couple takedown attempts from Michael Kiesza and I feel like he's going to have some success there and when it hits the mat he is obviously live for a sub but I also think Kevin Holland is live for a submission as well um and then if it does stay on the feet Michael kiazza may not be that live for a knockout but I think Kevin Holland is I I think there's many ways that this fight can be finished um Kevin Holland obviously a very exciting fighter Michael Keyes I think he's going to come in here to scrap and I do think someone is going to be finished we keep it rolling this one I'm taking solely based off the number um you know a lot of people may uh May struggle this with this one just because it is it can be tough uh to trust me shelter to go out there and and fight the smartest game plan as opposed to to putting on an exciting fight um but if he goes for the grappling in this fight I think he can have success um and a lot of people worried about the gas tank last five fights 5-0 five fight win streak average fight time of 14 minutes and 56 seconds like he can go all three rounds um and I think he's going to do that here I think they will go to a decision I like you're picking the parlay Pals there Frankie um and I think it's just going to be a close competitive fight and when that goes to the scorecards I want to be holding a plus 300 ticket he's sitting at like plus 135 right now but his last four wins are by decision the one before that was like five four and a half minutes into the third round and uh Stephen Wonderboy Thompson has only been finished once in his lengthy career um so I think that's his most likely path to Victory and I do want to give a shout out to a uh to a stat a statistic that I came across knockout bets on Twitter posted this uh a 10-year age gap between Fighters when when a one fighter is is 10 or more years younger than another fighter they're 17 and two against them when it's 10 years and the oppon opponent is 35 Plus they are 13 and 1 and when it is 10 years and the opponent is 40 plus they are 6-0 all of those fights happening in 2023 Michelle Pereira 29 years of age Stephen Wonderboy Thompson 40. so that is uh that falls under those guidelines moving on to the main event at UFC 291 I will be going with Dustin the Diamond Poirier El Diamante I'm not going to sit here and do a super technical break down here for you because I think this is a ridiculously close fight but it is for the BMF belt I needed to have a dog in this race I needed to have someone to cheer for uh and I just like cheering for for the diamond man I like cheering for Dustin Poirier and I think this is going to be a war and uh who do I want to have an award dust Emporia I guess you can also make the exact same argument uh for Justin gaichi but went back and watched the first fight I think Justin gaichi has evolved a lot since there I think he's more defensively sound but I think thus Emporia can have a lot of similar successes he did go for five takedowns in the in that last fight obviously unsuccessful with him but I am curious to see if he goes back to the well to try and get this to the map because I think he will have some advantages there as well uh but I think it it's going to be a great fight whoever wins more power to him but uh I'm gonna be backing El Diamante got my knockout Edition here oh yeah of the old hot sauce I mean let's just get a quick Spritz you know oh my God you're insane what that's the good stuff baby that is a tough one that is the good stuff oh my God which is your favorite KO Edition KO edition's pretty hot man I like the maple honestly I've never done that before with the KO Edition that's not easy we do it for the diamond baby I like the original I'll do I'll do a full shot of this on the watch party oh my God if the diamond gets it done if he gets it done that was like a little bit hey what the whistle though bro uh we move parlays real quick the multi-week parlay that I said last week on the show bomb theme still alive they're trying struggling no no I'm all right I'm all right kind of like uh yeah included the sinuses out sure sure sure hotter than I remember I can't lie yeah maybe that's good things to come maybe I'm reversing the Jinx that that Rick said I put on the fight earlier now now we're gonna get a great ghost pepper I think it is yeah full shot coming if uh FL Diamante wins Gabriel bonfame I think he's got advantages pretty much anywhere this fight goes 14 wins 14 by finish Trevin uh Giles he uh has been finished in all four of his losses I do think he's going to win by finish a violence parlay that's what this should be for the violence title yeah honestly I'm excited for the BMF built though Charles Bond theme doesn't go to a decision Lewis to Lima under two and a half in copy love Ribeiro does not go to a decision copy love and Ribeiro 26 professional fights 23 have knocked on the distance uh and then to boxing I do have a pick I don't know if you're aware of this aerial but uh it is Shark Week I don't know if you've tuned to uh to Discovery Channel I know a lot of people like to call Earl Spence the truth an alternate nickname for him Big Fish yeah Earl Spence big fish sharks tatted on him and it is Shark Week last week that worked Alex morono the great white fighting on Shark Week he picks up a huge win as an underdog and what do we have here Earl Big Fish Spence Junior sharks tatted on this man you could see it in the bottom right corner he's not losing on Shark Week undefeated when he fights on Shark Week is that true what's his record uh oh no he's ever lost on Shark Week but that's gonna stay the same this week 1-0 after this one I'm gonna be riding with Earl Spence Jr in all seriousness uh if you say you have an edge on this fight if you say you know who's going to win I would just say you're biased I think it's just so it's just so close they're both so high level can't wait to watch it happen um it's going to be amazing and then last but not least oh we're promo and stuff Saturday night tune in BMF belt on the line we'll also be watching Earl Spence Junior you'll have double screen oh we'll be double screening don't you worry uh special guest special guest uh can't give it away yet but it's looking like there is there's a a very special guest lined up in studio not in studio no we're not that good we're not we're not Hawaii good but uh may or may not fight in uh the 155 division of the UFC I thought it was gonna be helwani from T-Mobile maybe I could call in from the zoom you said it now you gotta stick by it I'll do it if I could um we had someone call in from Miami uh our boy TC Tony from Le batard ah former producer of the program the man he called him from the arena oh yeah I didn't know this yeah that's amazing live report live report no one told me this oh it was great it was great for which fight you weren't watching the watch it was uh it was as Jorge was walking out oh that's amazing oh yeah he was screaming yelling it was it was Wild by the way you notice that everyone's talking about like Jorge putting the belt like just complete I need to get Spencer to Spencer can you can we reheat that clip I mean this all originated right here yeah I remember it I was uh I was writing top of the Dome watch it happen yeah that was great he wasn't even invited he wasn't even going listen man the powers that be are tuned in I'm sure uh yo you're one of the very few that I've seen like the the the the I don't know the pundits the sexy pick seems to be Crawford I haven't seen a lot of people pick spins Big Fish baby it's Shark Week yeah no I don't know how he can go against the big fish on Shark Week both of them though like they they I've watched all the content all access I've watched the arrivals I've watched the workout I don't know if you've watched that GC or Rick but like they don't give you much they don't give you much we're gonna find well you know I know it's going to be great and uh this and that they they it's like the contrast between them and tank and Garcia in terms of like the cell and even the player like tank and Garcia had uh you know they had De La Hoya and Ellerbe and their whole thing there's no real other characters here Derek James a bit of a character you know there's periphery guys but no real other it this is like just purely if you like our fan of boxing our fan of theirs and I think like a lot of the athletes and sports stars are fans of theirs and whatnot um it's gonna be big time I do wonder what it's going to do on pay-per-view though yeah I don't know I mean if you if you like the fight game I mean this is the fight to watch I think it's going to be insanely high level I can't wait for it I wonder what does better on pay-per-view 291 of this just because the UFC you know is doing so well these days I I I feel I feel like it's it Spence Crawford right like this was the fight to make yeah I know I wonder I I think it will be Spence Crawford I think I think spent there's more Stakes higher Stakes attached to Spence Crawford obviously that like I said generational fight I'll hopefully be talking about for we're probably gonna get two of them because they both have rematch classes so we're pro you know we may even get them in the same calendar year which might be asking a lot but maybe the second one in December so let's see but this is fun if you're a fight fan from pretty much like five or six p.m Eastern all the way until I don't know four or five a.m are you doing watch party for belt Horizon 2 of course yeah I won't stay up all night get the Dunkin Donuts going get the coffee yeah you get like 12 straight hours of fights what a shame the Bellator rising card is fun even without AJ but it's just completely overshadowed overshadowed it's a shame yeah it's a real shame I wish they would have done it even like Friday going into Saturday so it gets a little bit more buzzed that would have been better that would definitely would have been better but uh they marched to the beat of Their Own Drum over there in Japan so that's what they're doing it's going to be fun I look forward and then we'll be back on Monday to talk about it all before I'm going to Las Vegas coming home Sunday night doing show Monday leaving Tuesday morning I mean let's go where's the dedication this is more dedicated than me busy times baby busy times can't wait where else has the great Marvel leave you once said would you rather be than right here right now here that's what I say nowhere uh who's gonna be the audio guy in Dallas since uh Frank's privileges have been revoked Frank is going to be so Texas hipster guy and Dallas oh over there oh yeah anytime I get excited about anything he's going to shut it down yeah oh yeah oh you like that let me tell you about Tex-Mex is that you know locals don't really like Tex-Mex it's not really our thing uh I can't wait for that oh did you guys know that we like to put the mushroom oil in our coffee over here in Texas everything's bigger in Texas it's true do you guys know that we love we love Big Steaks over here you know what they say about Big Steaks the sad thing is I like this Frank character more than I like Frank I mean wow oh my gosh um all right Jen I'm just kidding Frank I love you God bless talk to you on Monday Frank God bless you can hear my music uh you may not know this and I didn't want to start the show with this but I don't think I've ever arrived later than I did it took me two hours to get here from my house the amount of cars and there was a brief moment where I was like man there was once a time where it was taking me like 45 minutes to get here because there were so few people in the city and don't get me wrong I'm not longing for those days a couple years ago but holy smokes it feels like there's more cars than ever what is going on it had something to do with the crane oh this thing happened yeah oh I was wondering why wait no honestly I don't I'm curious it was on 10th Avenue and 41st oh no oh thank God well that must have been it I this is the long it took me two hours door to door to get here that's great how was the parking over there yes and that was not good either so annoying went into the spot into the garage you know it's a tight fit all the way to the front you're like here I am guy's like no sorry we're full I'm like bro you gotta put a sign you have to put a sign you know how long it's gonna take me to back up this whole way at that point I thought about just calling it a day but I'll be longer to get to we had we did a rehearsal without you great let's just always do that uh thank you very much all our guests tremendous show thanks for all the questions thank you Mike Casa good luck to him thank you Nathaniel wood congrats thank you Robbie Lawler congrats good luck to Paulo Costa thanks to them thanks to you back on Monday

Channel: MMAFightingonSBN

Views: 473,039

Keywords: mma fighting, mixed martial arts, ultimate fighting championship, combat sports, ufc, mma, the mma hour, the mma hour with Ariel Helwani, Ariel Helwani, DraftKings, boxing, NewYorkRic, UFC parlay, Jiu-jitsu, mma fight, ufc news, Parlay Pals, Parlay Boys, Michael Chiesa, Kevin Holland, UFC 291, Michael Chiesa vs. Kevin Holland, Robbie Lawler, Robbie Lawler retirement, Nathaniel Wood, Andre Fili, Khamzat Chimaev, UFC 294, Paulo Costa, Paulo Costa vs. Khamzat Chimaev

Id: OPbh3hnlGss

Length: 235min 30sec (14130 seconds)

Published: Wed Jul 26 2023