I would like to be more like Naruto, but
I am probably more like Sasuke.
>> What it do, YouTube? We are back with
another episode. If you guys are
wondering who Joe actually is, he is a
contract winner from Dana White
Contender Series week 1. He's a dude
that broke that dude's arm in front of
Dana White, had him cringing. And in
today's episode, we are going to
experience a training camp before his
debut on Halloween. This is a very
special episode of getting an inside
look of what it's like preparing for
your debut. This is like the biggest
thing that you've been prepping for,
been waiting your whole life for. So,
this is a really cool kind of thing that
I was able to capture. I want to give a
huge shout out to Joe, the Scrap Pack
HQ, Gilbert Melendez, and all of them
for being a part of this video. And if
you guys want to support the channel,
please leave a like and comment down
below. Now, let's get to it.
>> Got the man Joe Crop Shot.
>> What's up to the YouTube?
>> What's up, YouTube? Just got to get the
uh photons on my training gear. It
smells.
>> Is this how is that's how it works?
>> I think so. I think the sun helps the
most.
>> So, what what should we expect today?
>> Um, today Gills lead an MMA class. Uh,
basically it's whatever he says. Uh,
he's probably going to torture me today
with some sort of Shark Tank for
sparring. Kind of like a fight
simulator, so I'm going to go through
some hell today, but it's like one of
the last tests before the fight.
>> How does it feel? Like, I'm a big fan of
like the UFC video game. It seems like
this is kind of like a moment where you
know you're going ready for your debut.
Does this feel any different than any
other uh training camp or anything like
that?
>> I mean uh the Contender Series fight,
the pressure for that was crazy. Like to
that's your that's your one fight to get
into the UFC. Um doing such a quick
turnaround from Contender Series like
not even 3 months. I feel like ready to
go just right back into it. It's another
fight. All right, let's do it. I was
thinking on the drive over here, it's
like if you get on the mic and you say,
"Who's Joe?" Because I feel like there's
like within the the MMA community, who's
I don't know if you seen that clip of
Ilia and Max. They go like this and they
they had like a little, you know, it's
like who's Joe?
>> Same exact Joe. I don't know who's Joe.
>> Who's Joe?
>> What?
>> Uh, Max.
>> They were talking about like a drill.
>> Drill. Yeah. Same exact That's
>> You are Joe. I'm Joe.
>> Joe. Exactly.
>> You big uh caffeine guy.
>> I am. You are?
>> Yeah.
>> How many milligrams are we talking a
day?
>> I mean, I'm like a co I'm a big coffee
guy. Yeah. I used to do like pre-workout
[ __ ] but I started doing just coffee
and I feel like better.
>> That's probably is better for your
heart.
>> I love coffee.
>> Yeah. How many coffees we talking about
like throughout the day?
>> Maybe like one now. I used to do like
two, but now I'm like 1 in the morning.
I'm good. Okay.
>> Dark in here.
>> It is dark.
>> Yeah. Right. Am I dark?
>> So, you mentioned earlier that you've
been training with Gil since you were
18.
>> Yeah. How did you get introduced to
Gilbert?
>> Um, I got introduced to Gil through Dan
Black.
>> Okay. Yeah, I got introduced to Gil
because Nick Diaz was coming out here to
train for Anderson Silva. And my first
kickboxing coach wanted me to like
emulate Anderson Silva
>> and train for Nick Diaz. This is like
UFC 183, I think, way back in the day.
Um, and then I trained with Nick,
trained with other guys at Scrap Pack,
and then um, just kept coming back. And
then it grew more and more and started
training with Gil like consistently like
3 days a week since then pretty much.
>> And did you know that was like your goal
that you wanted to become a fighter at
18? I feel like that's a young age to be
>> Yeah, I mean, dude, I I wanted to be a
fighter before I even trained. I was
like I thought I could do it, which is
crazy to think, but uh, yeah, I wanted
to be a fighter right away when I was
like 16year-old in high school. But
finding guild has kind of put me on that
path even more.
>> So what what kind of goes through your
mind? I mean you've been training for so
long like before training sessions like
what's kind of going through your head?
>> That's a good question. Um I guess
before a training session I'm I'm trying
to think of what is the goal of the
training session today. Today is like to
get the fight feeling. Um it's not like
we're not here to play around today.
We're here to actually put in work and
get like a fight simulator today. So I
know that's the goal today. So, I got to
be locked in like I'm having a fight.
>> We're We're rolling right here. Hell
yeah, bro. Yeah. Gilbrand is here.
[music]
[music]
Just another Wednesday um for the MMA
team. You know, today's a sparring day.
Uh not too much talking, not too much
technique. We know what the job is
today. That's to push for 15 minutes
hard. Um get ready for a fight. A
fight's 15 minutes, so we want to sprint
for 15 minutes. Definitely some extra
credit afterwards. But um yeah,
Wednesdays are fun. We get warmed up, we
get to business, then we hit some extra
credit. What's one thing that you miss
the most about days like this?
[laughter]
>> Um, man, I enjoy being in here, but just
the ability to bang and to to stay in
here with these guys and to compete on a
high level like them. Definitely miss
the good old days, but what a treat to
be able to be here and, you know, guide
these guys and enjoy it and have a front
row seat. Sometimes I have better fights
in here that I see on TV. So, um, it's a
real treat. But, um, yeah, man. you
know, uh, I wouldn't say like things are
really missed, you know what I mean?
It's good old times in the back in the
day, but, you know, living in the moment
now.
Heat. [music]
[music]
Heat. [music]
[music]
Heat
[music]
[music]
up
[music]
here.
>> [music]
>> Thank you.
>> I was trying to punch you, but your
grips are tight.
>> Huh? I couldn't grab pound you. Yeah,
cuz your grips are so good. I don't want
to be ground
tortured. The jiu-jitsu is really nice,
man.
>> You can tell you you've been been doing
it for a long time.
>> It's so hard to be like that round is
designed to just break, too.
>> Yeah.
>> The shark nontop.
>> It gives me a lot of confidence going
with him. I'm like middleweight just
don't have the same. [music]
>> You talked about your Naruto tattoo
since we're here.
>> You want
breakdown of this tattoo?
>> Yeah. This just the uh Sasuke's curse
mark from Orochi Maru. Um, it's kind
[music] of like when I break the seal,
the power comes over my body. [music]
It's like a power up. Um, I got it a few
years after I finished the series, but I
I grew up watching Naruto and then, you
know, life happened. I fell off and then
I restarted it like when co [music]
happened and re got into anime and
everything.
>> You feel like you connect to Sasuke the
most?
>> That's a good question. I'm a maybe I
would like to be more like Naruto, but I
am probably more like Sasuke for sure.
>> Why would you say that?
>> I don't know, man. I got like a weird
dark side to me. Uh I would like to be
more pure like Naruto, but I do have
some anger in me like Sasuke.
>> Feel like like martial arts and MMA, it
is a dark sport, you know, everything
all the emotions are in a leash. When
did you realize that that [music] kind
of has to have that type of energy in
[singing] this world?
>> That's a good question. Uh I think when
I uh when I was young and I got sent to
the wilderness for like 11 months, I got
or I got sent to Utah for 11 months to
one of those like troubled boys uh
groups and uh I realized that the world
is not a sunshine and rainbows place
like there's hard [ __ ] out there. I saw
a lot of gnarly things. Uh and then I
just realized like in this sport
I'm trying to hurt you and take money
off your plate. You're trying to hurt
me. It is what it is. So, I'm not I have
no malice towards the guy, but I'm going
to hurt him.
>> Yeah, that's tough right here, right?
[music]
>> Got to back out.
>> Don't stay right there, man.
>> That whole that whole shark thing.
Thanks, Gil.
>> Yeah, good job.
>> I I think I was better than Monday would
have been.
>> Huh?
>> I feel like round three I did better
than round two.
>> [ __ ] yeah, bro. You're doing great.
We're putting you into the ring, dog.
[music]
>> That's supposed to break you. I feel
like that's
>> you're supposed to not you're supposed
to just not quit.
>> Yeah, that's what I thought.
>> If you don't quit, you keep moving, you
win, bro. You know what I mean? Most
guys just flatline.
>> Yeah.
helicopters
are
Got a laugh. Same partner. He just got
married. Hold in front of you.
>> Hold in front of you. Just
pick her up.
>> Frank is the real
>> I'm a Goya. I love
>> wait. Watch out. Watch out, bro.
faster.
Hands in the air. Make me laugh.
We're getting ready for war. [music]
>> It's good.
Yes, sir.
>> Break us down the middle. Coach Ro,
great job.
Go.
>> Let's go. Hey, good practice. Good
practice. Hey, keep that energy. Energy
is contagious. Come on. Coming in here.
>> Go. Hey, don't make your [ __ ]
somebody else's [ __ ] Come in here.
positive vibes, ready to work, ready to
grow, ready to learn, believe in what
we're doing, and go out there and
achieve it. Okay, STRAP BACK ON ME.
STRAP BACK ON THREE. 1 2 3. LET'S GO.
>> All right. Uh, just got done with pro
practice. Uh, had a brutal, brutal
session today. Three fives like a fight
simulator. I had Clark the Shark round
one. had Dri and uh Jesse shark take me
in round two and then back to Clark
round three. Today is one of those days
where it's just try not to quit. Gil
wants to see if you're going to
persevere and that's what I did today.
Had to just dig deep. Um still found
some good openings for submissions. Uh
got some takedowns, was able to get back
up. Today was just a day for the mental
toughness and really feeling what it's
going to feel like in a fight. Um I'm
grateful for all these dudes I train
with cuz they push me so hard. It's uh
it's awesome to train with these guys
shower and stuff and cool down a little
and then we can do it after you take a
photo for me real quick.
>> Ready? Three, two, one.
>> Bryson's like, I'm not going to grab you
guys.
>> But Zach didn't [ __ ] spar today.
>> His hand.
>> Yeah, I know that that was the whole
time. Bryson, you're over here fighting.
>> What's up? I'm Joe Cropscott. Uh I've
been fighting. Okay, let me restart
this.
>> Cut it out, Glenn. Stop, man.
>> What did you want again? Name.
>> Yeah, a little intro.
>> All right. What's up? I'm Joe Cropscot.
I'm 9 and three. I'm fighting out of
Scrap Pack and Team Santos Jiu-Jitsu.
And I've just been a fighter my whole
life. Uh was getting in trouble as a kid
getting in street fights. Um, I spent
like a year in Utah in a troubled kind
boys group and uh, I just had this
aggression in me that I needed to
channel into something and fighting was
that avenue for me and I really just
want to see how far I can take it. I
believe I could be a world champion so
I'm committing everything to it. I'm 31.
I feel like I'm just getting into my
prime now, especially at middleweight.
Look at the champions. They're all a
little bit older. Um, and I had a lot of
hard fights getting into the UFC. I've
had I've fought really tough people from
my fourth pro fight on. Um, fought UFC
veterans, won the LFA title. So, I think
that experience and having been through
those hard fights is going to carry me
far in the UFC. As far as middleweights
go, I think I move better than all of
them. My jiu-jitsu is crazy. Like,
they're not you're not going to see
transitions like me on the ground. I
don't think anyone in the UFC has better
jiu-jitsu than me, especially at
middleweight. So, you're going to see
just nasty rangy striking and then the
craziest jiu-jitsu transitions.
>> What What do you enjoy most about
jiu-jitsu itself?
>> What I enjoy most about jiu-jitsu is
just the it's like a chess match, but
you're kind of you get to impose your
will at the same time. And there's no
correct path really. It's like you have
a lot of freedom with how you choose to
do things. And some things that work for
you might not work for someone else.
Yeah. It's just it's like a crazy
puzzle. you have an opponent, you're
feeling their like spirit while you're
going with them. So, for me, it's just
the ultimate like chess game.
>> What What are some animes that you like
watching before you go into battle?
>> Animes, man, you're getting me start. I
love anime. Uh, I mean, classic Naruto,
Bleach has got a spot in my heart. I
mean, I got the Sasuke curse mark tattoo
on my shoulder, so Naruto is up there.
Um, Baky, straight hands, fighting. I
could go on for animes. Uh, right now
Black Clover is crazy. Um, I've seen all
the all the fighting animes you could
think of. I've seen. Do
>> you have a favorite fight scene or a
fight?
>> No, it's kind of like
>> No, that's a good one. That's a real
good one. Favorite fight scene? I mean,
I think of two right off the top. I
think of Rock Lee versus Gar. Uh, where
Rock Lee has no powers, has just work
ethic, and he's fighting this dude who's
got crazy powers. And then Rockley takes
off these ankle weights that he's got on
and they create like an explosion on the
ground. And then once he takes those
off, he's like as fast as light almost.
Straight hands fighting this dude as a
demon. That's one of my favorite fight
scenes ever. And then the final battle
with Sasuke and Naruto is classic.
>> Have you ever had a fight that felt like
kind of like an anime type of was like
>> Yeah. Yeah, for sure. Uh, when I fought
for the LFA title, I fought this
undefeated Russian dude with the
craziest power of anyone I've ever felt.
He was so powerful. He dropped me in
round one. And then going onto the stool
between round one and two, I literally
had like a anime, it felt like an anime
fight. It was like I was fighting a big
villain and that was my moment to decide
right there to like evolve to the next
level and just I on my stool I was like
I'm deciding to like go get knocked out
or I'm going to break this dude. And I
literally saw my life like two paths I
could have taken after that round and I
took the right path and broke him in
round two and finished him.
>> What does that feel like?
>> It's weird. And I do a lot of like I
visualize I do a lot of like
affirmations and I try to visualize my
fights and it was almost like I
visualized in advance this happening and
then when it happened I was like I've
dreamt this happening before. So when I
choked him in the second round and got
up, I was like, I've seen this exact
moment in my visualization. It was
weird. It was like a dream that happened
in the past came into the future and
like connected on a timeline. It was so
weird.
>> That's just hearing that.
>> Yeah, it's trippy.
>> So you're getting ready for your UFC
debut. Um what are kind of the thoughts
and kind of feelings you're having, you
know, right now?
>> Right now I'm just feeling like I feel
grateful to be here. It took a lot of
hard work. It took a lot of sacrifice.
And I feel ready and capable for this.
Like I think the test that I've had
outside of the UFC really prepared me. I
see a lot of guys get to the UFC that
have had a bunch of easy fights and then
when you're in the UFC, there's no easy
fights and then they get they get beat
up and hard to come back from that. I
had three losses in a row. So I know
what it's like to lose. I know what it's
like to get better, come back. Um so I
just feel I feel ready. I feel excited
for like showing who I am. I think I'm
just getting into my prime. So, I think
people are going to realize there's a
contender and middleweight after I fight
on Halloween.
>> So, wrapping it up here. I feel like the
jiu-jitsu kind of scene has evolved from
the beginning of the sport and now it's
kind of in a place where it's like it's
not really thriving. What do you feel
like missing and what can you bring to
the table that could help the MMA and
jiu-jitsu? I think uh like the
[clears throat] jiu-jitsu itself, like
if you're watching jiu-jitsu as a sport,
I really think the butt scooting makes
people it turns people off cuz it's not
a real fight. You could just soccer kick
a dude who's butt scooting towards you.
I came up doing jiu-jitsu tournaments
where it was points oriented. So like
you had to wrestle and get on top to
score points. Like 80CC style, you got
to wrestle and get points, which I think
is way more exciting. People don't mind
watching people wrestle and hand fight
and have crazy transitions. People
People don't like seeing two guys
scooting on their butt towards each
other and lacing up legs. Um I think I
if you look at all my fights there, the
jiu-jitsu transitions are exciting. You
don't see a lot of guys my size moving
like that. I take people's backs. I have
nasty ground and pound. There's blood in
every one of my fights. You'll see. I've
never had a fight where there's not
blood leaking out of both of us. Uh,
yeah. I just bring a weird I I make
jiu-jitsu exciting in MMA.
>> Your mindset is a little different. I
mean, I heard you talk about you ready
to kill someone. What does it actually
mean to be ready to to do something like
that to somebody? Cuz I mean, outside
the cage, it's illegal, you know? So,
how does that feel? How are you able to
kind of put that that side of you away,
but have it come out in the right time?
Well, that's like I I think growing up I
had a anger problem and uh training kind
of like
helped me get rid of that a little bit,
but it also just kind of channeled it.
And I know in a fight it's really me
versus him. They're trying to hurt me.
I'm going to try to hurt them. And I I
always tell myself I'm willing I'm
willing to die myself and I'm ready to
kill my opponent. So I make peace with
that. Like I could get knocked out. You
know, there hasn't been a death really
in MMA yet, but it's a possibility. And
I just make peace with that that I could
be on the receiving end of that, but I'm
going to do everything I can to make it
that it's the other guy. It's better him
than me.
>> You mentioned that one of your favorite
movies is Gladiator. You feel like you
[snorts] are a gladiator yourself?
>> Yeah, I feel like I'm a gladiator in
there. This is like the most modern-day
kind of gladiator thing you could do
besides being like special forces in the
military, which I don't think is as
scary as that, but I think the glory of
fighting in front of a crowd is pretty
sick. Uh, so yeah, I think we're like
modern day gladiators for entertainment.
>> I feel like a lot of fans will connect
to you just because you are pretty well
versed and you know a lot of ball about
anime.
>> Yeah. Yeah. Well, I think I think a lot
of like the the messages in anime are
like
you your struggles are going to help you
grow. Like it's not like your struggles
define you. Like you everything you go
through that's hard in your life. It
it's up to you how you take those
struggles and grow from it. Like I think
all those tribulations can make you
stronger if you use it in the right way.
So I think I take that and like I think
of it like I'm leveling up. Everything
I've been through has leveled me up to
become a better fighter. And then I
think your your times to prove it are
when you get that fight. So you better
put everything you can into your
training. And yeah, I mean anime just
shows you like training arcs. You can
get way better. You can fight a bigger
villain each time. And that's what I'm
doing. I'm I'm like the main character
of my own anime.
>> You are. You are. And uh you mentioned
that you're a fan of EO the anime
personally watch myself. Um is there a
character that you kind of resonate with
maybe besides EO itself? Maybe there's a
lot of the different other side
characters.
>> Yeah. Um what was his the big dude who
brought him into the gym? Takamura. Yes.
Takamura was my guy. And uh I put on a
bunch of my like cuz I teach a
kickboxing class at Team Santos
Jiu-Jitsu. And a couple of my students,
I put them onto the anime and they were
like, they were all like, "You remind me
of Takamura, bro. Bringing me into the
gym, beating me up." So and Takamura was
fighting for world titles, um which I
got to fight for and win. Um, so yeah,
Takamura was a G. I love that dude. Um,
and he was kind of like he brought the
whole gym up with his success. Everyone
wanted to be like Takamura, too, which
is cool. Like I would like to be a
leader and inspire people around me.
>> Are you excited to kind of like maybe
peek out the cage and see a bunch of
people dressed up in Halloween costume?
I feel like that would be pretty rare.
>> Yeah, that would be it'd be cool to
fight on Halloween. I was trying I was
thinking of like some gimmick [ __ ] to
walk out with, but I think I got a scary
walk out song uh for Halloween. So, that
should be cool. Um yeah, it'll be cool.
I hope there's some costumes out there
and then get this win and then go
celebrate in Vegas. Should be awesome on
Halloween.
>> Thank you, dude.
>> Thank you, bro. Thanks for coming out. I
appreciate it.
>> I really respect the grind. Drove all
the way out here.
>> Got you, bro.
>> I'm And I'm hoping, dude, to just keep
winning and working with you in the
future. I like your stuff.
>> Hell yeah. So, that concludes our little
vlog. Great experience. Uh, really cool
that I was able to experience a a
Gilbert Melinda's training session in
the first person and you guys got a
little insight on Joe Cropscot. I always
thought it was crop shot. So, when he
said cropscot, I was like, I've been
saying it wrong this whole time. So,
that's cool. That's cool. But yeah, man.
Great great vibes, good training. And I
was thinking during that class, I'm
like, bro, these guys would be like the
modern-day crusaders, bro. Like if you
put all these guys on a damn boat and
you shipped them off to freaking battle,
they would do freaking work, bro. I'm
not going to lie. Those were some
interesting type of guys there and uh
they know violence very well. So, if you
guys enjoyed this episode, make sure to
leave a like on this episode right here.
Subscribe to the channel and stay tuned
for more. And I'll catch you guys on the
next episode. What's in store, bro? I
have no idea, bro. I don't even know. We
just we end up freaking in the craziest
freaking situations.
And that was one of them. So, thank you
guys. I'll catch you guys on the next
one. We out.