Dude, none of us know where we're going.
Some of us is just luck. Some of us get
to the championships, some of us don't.
Some of us are ultra cocky, some of us
are not. George St. Pierre is like the
most humble, scared guy that you could
think of. On the opposite side of the
spectrum, you have Jon Jones.
All right, guys. We're here for the 14th
episode of the Y2K podcast. We actually
have a Bakersfield native, which I'm
super excited about. Rafael Gossby
Jimenez right now. We're just talking
about kind of like MMA fighters, UFC
fighters. You actually have ran into a
lot of them, which is kind of cool. Like
if um you know, you want to introduce
yourself, but I think it it would be
cool to start off kind of just like how
you were introduced to mixed martial
arts and you know, train and everything
like that.
>> Yeah. Uh I was formerly like normally an
athlete. I used to play like football,
basketball. I used to like run track. Uh
I've always been a fan of martial arts,
but my mom kind of like never really let
me like do it. She's like, "No, like
she's Mexican. Miko, like I don't want
to see you get beat up." And so that's
kind of like what ended up happening.
I'm like, uh, yeah, I guess not. I guess
I won't do this and anything. But, um, I
was working jobs I just really didn't
like. And I was like, dude, I'm still
like really athletic. Like, why waste my
talent? And then I was really listening
to a ton of Joe Rogan podcast. And then
this is the time when like Prime Izzy
was there. So like it got me back into
the UFC. I had always been like a
hardcore fan. I've always watched it.
I've watched it my whole life from like
the Chuck Liddell days. Pre UFC. I would
buy the UFC 1 mo like movies.
>> Yeah. Like so there's always a thing
that I mean nobody else knows but this
is like nostalgia to me.
>> If you go to LA there's a pilot like
right at Castic. So if you stop at that
pilot they have like a big old bin of
movies. This is when I was like a little
kid.
>> Okay.
>> And the whole bin would be dollar movies
and the movies would be like thrown away
UFC movies like UFC 1, UFC 2, UFC 3, UFC
100.
>> Yeah.
>> And that's where I would like grab them
from. So every time like my dad would
like pass by or my mom would pass by,
like we had to stop at Pilot, I wanted
to grab a movie cuz like here in
Bakersfield like they didn't sell UFC
movies until I found out Best Buy
started getting them. So that's kind of
what began like the beginning like where
I started becoming a fan myself. How old
were you around that time? Because you
do actually have like a crazy connection
between myself cuz my dad um actually
you were the one who went to him when
you quit your job. Yeah,
>> he was like he told me this story like a
long time ago about you know there's
this guy who's you know he says he's an
athlete then you know he's he wants to
continue fighting then you you continue
your career like
>> yeah honestly uh with your dad your dad
was the one that hired me and
interviewed me
>> wow
>> for my job so like you know what's
actually really funny so my sister did
help me with my resume right
>> and then he's like you didn't make a
resume did you and I was like actually I
I did I did do it and I actually studied
it like made sure that I was it was my
first job that I actually had as an
adult. Wow.
>> And then he's like, "Next time like
don't have your sister do your resume
for you." But I was like, "I actually
worked hard at this. Like I actually did
it."
>> And then but he gave me the job, gave me
everything. He even gave me my first
ever couple raises like in work. So he
gave me my first ever like actual job
opportunity, which I am grateful for.
It's just I wasn't like I didn't have a
connection with your dad and I really
didn't speak to your dad much other than
it was like actual like him being a
boss.
>> Yeah.
>> Um but when it was time to like quit, I
was like, "Well, I have to do it the
right way." So, uh, I was like, I have
to I got his number down. I got it from
other workers. They're like, why do you
even need his number? I was like, oh, I
just need it. It's like an emergency or
something like that cuz they wouldn't
give me his number. And honestly, it
wasn't like anything against the company
or anything. It's just the job wasn't
meant for me, right?
>> Like 13 hours in the sun shoveling is
not it's not fun.
>> It's not fun. So, I mean, at least it
toughened me up and made me realize like
the actual value of hard work.
>> So, that is something I am grateful for.
And then they say like like hard labor
or like the what is it called? Manual
labor is the best base for MMA.
>> Yeah, I'm a rabbin DJ, right?
>> Yeah. So, I technically speaking, I got
some pictures of me working a hard labor
tongue.
>> Okay, you're good. You got the good base
for sure.
>> The lure is there.
>> Yeah.
>> But I did call him and then um he was he
was I mean he was rude to me, but pretty
much Yeah, I just quit on the spot.
>> He was. And then I remember uh you know
what's funny? I think you guys had to
have been there, but you guys were way
younger. I ran into you, your dad at
Olive Garden, and I'm sure he had his
whole family there. So, I'm sure you
guys are there. So, the universe has
brought us together at least one time.
>> Okay. Okay. I maybe usually my memor is
pretty good, but maybe.
>> No, no, it was quick. It was literally
quick. I think I ran into you guys twice
at Olive Garden, but not because like I
was really paying attention to you guys.
I saw your dad
>> and I just happened to be an employee
and I was like, "Hey, how you doing? How
you doing?" And just moved on and went
to my table.
>> Yeah. But yeah, so I I know for sure our
paths have crossed at least.
>> Yeah, I just thought it was a very
interesting story just because it's like
a lot of these guys who fight MMA, they
kind of relate to that where they maybe
they're working a job or doing something
that they don't they can't put their
whole heart in MMA you need everything,
you know, you have to be allin. So just
being around that, you know, that time
frame where you're making that decision
like how hard was it for you to be like
I'm actually I need to do this now or
else?
>> So I was working like hard labor jobs.
So of course I work from construction.
And I went to a warehouse. This is after
leaving uh that job. I was trying to
find easier going jobs cuz but I didn't
go to school so it was hard to find a
good paying job. I didn't really realize
that. Um but I was working at a
warehouse and you're not allowed to have
headphones in when you're operating
equipment. I would have my headphones
in. I would wear like the face covering
and the mask. So like
>> Yeah, the shy. Yeah, pretty much. I'd be
wearing the shy. And uh most of the
times like I would get away with having
an AirPod in and I would listen like Max
Holloway when he had the podcast with
Joe Rogan. I had Israel Adosagna and
like not that I couldn't relate to them,
but I really like I said, even though
Izzy gets a lot of hate for how he is
now, he was the original anime meme guy,
like he it was made it cool to be a nerd
that happened to be a fighter,
>> right?
>> So, that was a guy that kind of pulled
me back and inspired me. And then once I
realized how funny Max was, like the
personality he has, I'm like, "This
dude's hilarious. These are just normal
guys that just happen to get into a
sport."
>> Yeah.
>> And that's kind of how I feel like you
don't need to be an ultra tough guy.
Like, you know, that's kind of just how
I am now, you I think Izzy had like a
similar I mean similar story. I think it
was like working at like a I I wouldn't
say a Chinese restaurant but maybe it
was in China working a job something
like that cuz I I that's how I started
too. I would like um I would do
Instacart and Door Dash and I'm all just
listening to podcasts. I'm just like one
day I'm going to have my own podcast.
I'm out here doing like orders and stuff
doing something where I wasn't I had no
care for it but at the same time I'm
like you know thinking of the future and
like listening to those podcasts. I mean
I think it's helped out a lot just in my
learning process and stuff like that.
Well, I have seen like you're getting
good good interviews. I ran into the guy
that you interviewed uh what's his name?
Uh John Paul.
>> Oh, yeah.
>> I I ran into when I was Yeah. I was told
him about you. I was like, "Hey, in the
back." I was like, "My my boy
interviewed you." Oh, yeah. Like, what
the heck? Oh, yeah. I remember him.
>> So, I was in the back before I was going
to fight on A1 and he was there for um
Bruno the Tiger, I believe. So, yeah.
But the whole team was there. So, I just
uh cuz they had like they used to be all
from CMMA. They always used to train
there, I think. So, I don't know the
whole lore, but like Yeah, I heard that
they they were at a different gym and
they moved and they started at the PI
and then now they're at the Q MMA.
>> Yeah, they basically made their own
thing. They're like, "Hey, we have our
own team. We have a good set of guys,
which honestly they're going platinum
for every guy.
>> Almost every guy is a monster in there."
Like, I mean, Bruno Silva, I think he's
been the A1 champ and then he's had the
LFA one.
>> Um, Collins is in the UFC.
>> That one guy that's once undefeated, the
the black guy, what's his Jonathan Pal?
>> Yeah, Jonathan Pow. And then I've
trained with him before and I like he's
good.
>> People say he's like really good. Like I
just I did a little video with Alex
Perez and Alex Perez was like this guy
is good.
>> He's no he's really good. I hear that's
what I hear about every from everybody
like from other guys that train with
him. I hear his grappling's phenomenal.
Like he might be I think what now he's
fighting at bantamweight
>> I believe. So
>> when I met him he was like my size. So
he was like I'm like dude you should be
like a lightweight
>> right at that time period. he's probably
been leaner and um but everybody like
even the bigger guys respected his
grappling like they would tell me like
no he's good so imagine how much weight
like you know how Khabib they say his
hips are really heavy
>> in like that weight that you can't
really feel
>> I think his positioning is probably like
be amazing I think that's probably what
it is um he's probably been doing it for
a long time probably has a natural knack
for it
>> um but I've never got to go with him
>> I wanted to see like oh dude how do I
match up what movement but that's just
my competitive side
>> that's just me like like I've gone been
able to spar some guys I'm like how am I
going to do?
>> Yeah. How is that like going to gyms and
kind of just feeling you know other
people and just you know catching a flow
with like some people that are wellknown
>> half the time. I mean the guys that are
really really good it's fun like um I
got inspire a couple UFC guys like Chris
Taco Padilla. He's actually really cool.
>> Yeah. He's so damn strong.
>> He's he's so strong. Like his double leg
takedown is fast.
>> It's so fast. Like I'm literally
chilling. I'm fighting. I have my hands
up and then he's down in my legs. I'm
like, damn, man.
>> I'm surprised how good his defense is.
Like, especially in that last fight,
even when he would get blitz, like he'll
just keep his hands out and I'm like,
"This guy's like
>> he has uh he's very tight with his
defense."
>> So, I didn't really get to spar him cuz
I'm I fight left-handed most of the
time, but I'm amidextrious. I'm pretty
good at manipulating and copying
stances.
>> Were you with basketball, too, or
>> Yeah, that's Yeah. So, it comes with
every sport. I just kind of was born
like that, which is weird.
>> That's nice.
>> Uh it's it's an advantage, I guess. When
I first entered the gym, they asked me
like, "Well, what stance do you want to
be?" But I already had known statistics
that like left-handers do well in
competitive one-on-one sports like
fencing, wrestling. It's cuz in
basketball, because usually you have a
advantage,
>> right?
>> People aren't used to defending you or
playing you, you have awkward angles.
So, I was like, I'm going to go be
left-handed. Leo Machita and Anderson
Silva in the left-handed stance. That's
that's what I want to do.
>> Yeah.
>> So, I kind of picked it for the
advantage, but I usually train
right-handed. So when I sparred Taco
Podia, I was right-handed the whole
time, but I still had a hard time
hitting him. Like his defense was always
where it belonged. Like his hands were
always tight. He never let anything sink
through. And he had really good timing.
>> Yeah. What are some like gym etiquette
rules when it comes to like visiting
other gyms like for, you know, people
who are just like, "Oh, maybe I want to
go check out a gym or something like
that."
>> Two two things. There's there's there's
one good side and then there's a bad
side kind of. So, good thing is if you
come with good vibes and you don't try
to hit somebody too too hard, then like
you know, usually people hit you as hard
as you want to get hit.
>> That's perfectly fine with me. That's
usually the gym etiquette that you're
supposed to have. If you want to fight
and you want to get a brawl, you're
you're asking for it.
>> And especially most people feel like
they have to defend their home gym. They
become gym enforcers and stuff like
that. Like, nah, I'm not going to let
somebody walk into my gym and beat me
here. But if you come with like
respectful etiquette, good training
vibes, most time they start they'll
invite you in. It's better to go that
way you in the long run for sure. Um,
but another thing is that could also
hinder you when you're too nice to
people. So like I felt like this would
happen to me a lot. I'm a very nice PR
person. I'm actually not trying to hurt
nobody in sparring. I'm not trying to
mess anybody's career up, but I would
always be afraid to go to somebody
else's gym and get in trouble by the
coach for hitting their their fighter
too hard. Um, I've gotten hit really
really hard. The coach says, "Oh, good
job, guy." Like, "Good team. Good
stuff." That
>> if I hit him too hard, "Hey, hey, back
it up. Hold it up." Like, "Hey, hey,
hey, hey, watch our power."
>> Yeah.
>> I hate that, bro. Cuz I'm like, "Dude,
he's throwing bombs at me. He's trying
to knock me out in practice." Like,
>> and like as soon as I start throwing
back, it's a problem. Like, come on.
Like, I I hate that. That's my biggest
pet peeve between coaches. If your guy's
throwing it, he should be able to take
it
>> for sure.
>> That's how I feel. especially at the
high level, they're throwing like you
know that some of those guys are not
sparring, they're fighting.
>> Now, a question I have for like say
you're getting ready for a fight, like
should you be going full speed or are
you like touching that kind of like full
fight?
>> I kind of I kind of learned my lesson.
You have to um I started you would just
go spar hard with anybody. I would just
go with people. But like some of my
fight camps I've had where like the
guy's trying to kill me. I don't know
this guy or nothing like that, but he
has something to prove or he's throwing
bombs in my head. that damage
accumulates to me before my fight. So
back then when I was like a little bit
younger, I didn't really care. I was
just getting experience and I was young
and I would recover quicker. But I'm
getting older. So I'm 28.
>> Okay.
>> So like it's not it doesn't seem like a
lot, but you your body does add up
damage. Our our bodies, how do you say
they age quicker than normal people
>> cuz of the you know we're kicking each
other, hitting each other, our necks get
tweaked, our bodies get tweaked. We're
constantly fighting, I guess. Um, so I
kind of learned my lesson. If I feel
that a guy is going too too hard, I'm
like, "Bro, you could have the win
scoring session. You could win this
morning session. I don't really want to
deal with it no more." Like, it's not
worth it. And venturing too late to camp
cuz I would go spar guys didn't matter
if it was the week before my fight. But
now I learned that like maybe it's not
smart to do that cuz they're not looking
out for your best health,
>> right?
>> They don't they don't have a fight book.
They're just looking to win this
sparring session like right this moment.
>> Mhm. So, I've learned a little bit more
like how to take care of myself and take
care of my body. Cuz if you go into
certain training sessions with certain
people you don't know, they could hurt
you. Some guys are spazzy. Some guys are
trying to win their ego. Um I've had a
time where I was sparring a guy and I
was like, "Dude, it's fight week. Why
are you pushing me so hard? Like I'm
cutting weight." Yeah.
>> Why are you trying to win the sparring
session? Where like another guy said,
"Hey, dude, like stop being an idiot.
Like this is this fight week. What are
you doing?" I'm like, "Oh, yeah." they
forget because I mean no disrespect some
fighters are kind of idiots. I mean you
know
>> the fans sometimes you know even the
fans could get that way where just like
you know not maybe not thinking about
the other person you know kind of have
that open perspective.
>> Yeah.
>> And Max Hollow is actually one who one
fighter who's like mentions like I mean
now later in his career because you know
all the accumulated damage on on the
body like sometimes he doesn't even spar
until like I think when he fought
Gatechi he sparred for sure.
>> I think sometimes you need it sometimes
it's a non- switch. Mhm.
>> Um I don't hard spar as much as I used
to. I like it sometimes. It's fun. It's
when you meet somebody like um I got to
spar. Well, there was a couple of guys I
think like Melik Baldarian. He's in the
UFC. Uh he fought John Silva. He is the
one that got caught by John Silva when
he was dapping hands up too much.
>> So I got to spar him and it was a good
time cuz it he was fast. So like we're
throwing kick for kick, movement for
movement and it's it's fun. like it
feels like a fight. Like the
adrenaline's pumping, punches are coming
in slow motion and it's it's fun. That's
that's when it's fun because you're you
know you're fighting outside
competition.
>> It sucks to say this when you're
training every day. Sometimes it gets
boring when you know either you're going
to win or you're not being pushed. It
becomes repetitive. It gets boring like
h cool. Like I'm I'm sure basketball
players get tired of just shooting shots
all day long. I'm going to I'm going to
drop 40 tonight. like you don't think
Stephen Curry gets bored sometimes, you
know, it's the game comes too easy. Um,
but when there's levels, when there's
guys that can move at your level, it
makes you get competitive. It makes you
pick up your pace or dang like I'm
getting exhausted and this guy's still
moving. I have to pull it out of me and
like dig deep to be able to keep up with
this guy. So, that's kind of like the
part where I start liking like some hard
sparring. How do you know once you're
like at a plateau or maybe you're making
a big jump skill-wise? Because, you
know, it's not like a video game and you
have an overall like, oh, I'm a 72
overall today in the gym or a 94
overall. How are you able to know that
you're actually making differences that
you can make and take that into a fight?
>> Um, I always just believe every year
naturally I'm getting better.
>> Like I'm doing it more and more and
more. I'm learning a technique a day.
I'm pushing myself. I'm training really
hard. So naturally, I believe I should
be better than the person I was last
year. Just naturally, but I never really
see a giant skill jump.
>> Like, I don't know how to explain it. I
can't really see it myself. Other people
when they spar me like, "Hey, dude,
you've gotten so much better. Hey, dude,
I can't hit you." Like, "Dude, the stuff
that used to be able to hit on you, I
can't hit no more."
>> The only times I do see it is when the
guys that used to be able to submit me
can't submit me no more. Or I'm finally
catching the coach, the guy that I've
been having a hard time with. That's the
only time that I might see it.
>> Right. But um how do you explain it?
Like uh when I sparred uh Giga when I
sparred Giga that like that was like a
video game moment for me. Like it
literally felt like oh crap like the bar
meter is on. Uh this guy I' I played at
him as him in the video game which is
funny. I've watched him on TV and I was
like starruck. So the adrenaline's even
pumping. The game is on and then the
coach coaches and corners are watching.
Rafael Cordiero is there because he's
cornering him for a fight. So he's
giving him like tips.
>> Yeah. And I'm like, "Oh, this is real."
But I always felt like, dude, if he not
saying he's even going his hardest, not
saying, "Oh my god, I'm I'm winning or
this or that, but if I give him a run
for his money, I'm in the right place,
>> right?"
>> And I felt like I I did, you know, I I'm
I'm still friends with him. I still can
message him whenever I want. He tells me
and stuff like that, which I feel like
I'm very cool with him.
>> Very nice guy.
>> Um, but at least I have some respect
that I'm doing the right things. Now, if
I went out there and got absolutely like
mollywoped and he's like, "Dude, this
guy was trash." Like, I don't even bring
him to sparring again or nothing like
that. Not saying I'm even on his level
yet or anything like that, but it's just
nice when you finally actually go
against somebody that's good and you do
all right for yourself. You don't die,
>> right?
>> You know, you survive.
>> Yeah. You don't survive. Like, I used to
I still have the fear. I'm still scared
all the time when I'm sporting these
guys. I don't know what's going to
happen. I could get injured. I can get
hurt. I can get concussed. Same thing.
Like imagine I'm I barely had breakfast.
I'm waking up in the morning and the
coach like, "Hey, you're going to go in
the cage with Chris Taco Padilla." And
I'm like, "What, dude? I have like I
have eye boogers in my eyes still."
Like, "What do you mean?" Like, "Bro,
I'm I don't want to do this." Like, you
know?
>> And it's a lot like you sometimes just
have to turn it on. Yeah. And I see your
stuff on Instagram. I've seen you like
repost some stuff or talk about like,
you know, being the the the man in the
arena. like when when did you really
kind of fully adopt that mindset of just
like being like a modern-day like
gladiator? Because fighting that's
really what it is. You kind of you're
putting on a show but at the same time
fighting for your life. Like how how did
you like you know fully like decide that
you're going to you know go
>> I I I'm I'm Mexican first and foremost.
I come to actually fight. I feel like
I'd be disgraced if I ever went back to
my family like if you don't fight the
the Russians and the Dagistanis I'm not
a fan of because they don't come to
fight. They're it's a competition for
them. It's win the competition, win the
scorecards, move on. They're not coming
to fight. This is a competition. But me
as a Mexican in my heritage and the
person that I am, this is a fight. If my
life was on the line or your life was on
the line and I have to take care of my
family and you have to take care of your
family, who's coming out alive? That's
kind of how I view it.
>> Have you always thought that way?
Because I feel like that's a crazy way
to kind of be like to to have that
mindset, you know? Not everybody's
thinking that way.
>> No, that's how I think. Even if it might
put me at risk, I'd rather, you know,
die on my shield. Death before dishonor.
The gatechi tattoo thing. Yeah, that's
that's how I feel.
>> It's it's true. Death before dishonor.
Like I dishonor if I'm not trying to
actively kill you the whole time.
>> And it's it sucks. I mean I mean I'm not
actually truly trying to hurt these
guys. I've actually told the ref like
pull him off. He's done. Like, I'm not
trying to hurt them. I'm trying to win.
But dude, having a boring fighting style
sucks. Like, dude. Yeah. I mean, I feel
like I could become a wrestler. Like, it
it's it sounds cocky is I can hold you
against the cage for 15 minutes. Why? It
doesn't I wouldn't feel accomplished. I
wouldn't really feel like I actually
beat you in a fight. My last fight, the
guy held me, but he's the one that's
retired. He's the one that took more
damage on his face. He's the one that
was like, "Oh, dude, I got to shoot for
my life." Actually, a video of it. Um,
why? Yeah, technically, like, do you
really feel like you won the fight when
you're the one almost getting finished?
When you're the one that almost like,
you know, you're actually taking all the
damage. I don't know who you would
rather want to be, you know? Yeah. I
mean, that is the reality of it though,
where you do get those guys who will do
that. So, like how is it like mentally
being prepared? Like having to prepare
for something like you could have a war
where it's just, you know, a lot of
striking or having to deal with the
takedowns.
>> No, no, not even takedowns.
>> No, you could be like I mean, if I take
you down, I'm trying to choke you. I'm
trying to create damage.
>> I'm trying to get the fight out of
there.
>> Yeah.
>> If I don't, you're just tough. That's
what it is. But I didn't do anything.
That wasn't my job. I was actually
trying to make damage. That's just how I
think. Don't stall for points, dude.
That's the easiest possible way to win.
That's that's like lame. But my goal,
like Gachi says, and I've thought this
before. Gachi said it, so everybody's
like, "Oh, you just copy. It's cool." I
I don't I prepared to die. Like if the
next day I don't wake up and I don't
have like life, I made that plan, you
know, and that is what it is. That's
just how fighting works. You can That's
a risk that we all take. um like
Cologne, he just passed away from the
head shot, you know, that that could
happen to anybody. It's sad.
>> Um so why am I going to play the game
like I can't that can't happen to me,
>> right?
>> So when I go in there, I'm prepared to
die in my head, same thing. This guy's
trying to remove my consciousness,
trying to knock me out, trying to finish
me, and he's trying to go forward.
>> So why shouldn't I try to do the same?
You know, why should I have remorse that
much?
>> Uh I used to I mean I've always had
remorse for people. I'm a little like
empathetic when it comes to hurting
people. I don't really like doing it.
But we both signed up for this
competition. I can't think about your
health when I'm thinking about mine.
You're trying to mess me up. Um but
yeah, that's pretty much why I think the
way that I think. So, what makes it
worth it to you to put yourself at that
much risk? Like what's why why do that?
Like if you go to somebody be like, "Hey
man, like would you sign up for this?"
99% of people are like, "Hell no."
Um, honestly it because Okay, so most of
the time people ask me like, "Oh, does
this make a lot of money?" And I'm like,
"No,
>> bro. Almost makes no money. It puts me
in debt." Like, "Bro, I'm broke all the
time." And I'm actually my body's
damaged when I get older and be cooked.
Um, I tell people all the time like,
"Dude, if I wanted to make more money, I
would have just started off in boxing."
Boxing, even the low-level pros make a
lot more money than we do, and they're
not even on like TV. you don't even know
who they are. There's cans getting fed
to Devin Haney or something, you know?
Like that's how boxing works. You get
paid a huge check to go take an L. I'm
like, dude, if I cared about the money,
I would have done that. Honestly, what I
do for fighting is just to prove it to
myself. It's something that I actually
really like. In boxing, they only feel
like they they um they have the best
hands, but when you walk in the room,
who's the most dangerous man in the
room? That's what I want to be. Mhm.
>> But my ego, it's like, "Oh, dude, I want
to be the best fighter in the world."
That's kind of how I think. That's what
every, of course, everybody gets in to
try to be the best fighter in the world,
but that's what my goal, you know, that
why else would I do this and put my body
at risk, but in my goal is I I I put
myself on a path and I put myself on a
goal. I want to accomplish it to see if
I'm able to even get there.
>> See it through.
>> Yeah. To even see if I able to get
through and so I feel accomplished. I
don't care if I end up broke. I don't
care if I end up any of that. I never
started broke. I mean, dude, I'm
fighting amateur fights for free.
>> I'm taking all the damage myself.
Nobody's going to live with that other
than my girlfriend, you know?
>> Nobody else is going to live with that
other than me. But those are the
sacrifices that I'm willing to make for
greatness
>> if I get there. You know, I'm not the
type of guy like this, I'm going to be
this, dude. None of us know where we're
going. Some of us is just luck. Some of
us get to the championships, some of us
don't. Some of us are ultra cocky, some
of us are not. George St. appears like
the most humble, scared guy that you
could think of. On the opposite side of
the spectrum, you have Jon Jones. You
have a guy that's ultra cocky, ultra
confident, near psychopath with no
remorse. We have all types of people
that, you know, you can be up, you could
be down, and that's why I like this
sport. You can be yourself.
>> Yeah. And you mentioned in like other
podcasts and stuff that you kind of like
or even right now like the nerdy side,
like what kind of what kind of things
you kind of geek out about?
>> Uh, I'm a big anime fan as you can see
my sleeve of tattoos. I mean, that's
kind of the one of the main things that
I've like always really like liked. I
mean, I like that, but I haven't
explained it. I'm not a people pleaser.
That's not what I am. But I am I do
enjoy like I was unemployed for a long
time. So, I watched everything with a
huge fandom in it. So, just so I could
talk to it with people and be more
relatable. So, like if people like Harry
Potter, I've Harry Potter. You watch
Star Wars, I've watched Star Wars. If
you like anime, I've watched anime. You
watch Quinton Tarantino movies, I've
watched them all. Steven Spielberg,
Stanley Kubri, or like even then it goes
down to like rap music or like I know a
genre of rock.
>> So I'm educated enough to hold the
conversation with different people.
>> That's tough. I actually I respect that
cuz I feel that's an important skill to
have. Maybe maybe try to convince your
parents like, "Hey man, I'm just trying
to get my conversational skills up. I
got to watch this this movie or anime."
But yeah, I think it's uh it's good. I
mean for podcast for sure cuz there's so
many things you could talk about, you
know.
>> Yeah. But to be honest, I I really don't
go too much into anime. Like I watch I
see you like post some some EPO stuff
too. So I like a few. My brother's like
the one who knows a lot of more ball
than I do, but I do like appreciate kind
of like the the story driven from those
those animes cuz it kind of does inspire
you like oh you know you could you could
be the one who could be like the main
character and you know lock in and level
up and all that stuff you know.
>> Yeah. You could always become the main
character of your own story. And I mean
it's cool like I mean I geek out about
the Avengers, dude. Like the like
anything superhero related, I'm with it.
But it it's not even like relatability
sometimes. I just like
>> I think they just have the best story
lines. That's just that's just me.
That's just my own personal opinion. I
just think anime can go indepth with
story lines, story development, stereo
characters. Um characters have their own
backstory. It gets far and then of
course it's wacky and it's perseverance
and stuff like that. So that's why I
like it where you wouldn't be able to do
that in an hour and a half movie or like
some TV shows it's just um they just
don't head in that kind of direction.
They're not as as deep. But that's just
why I like
>> you know I have a personal relationship
with anime. But I probably just grew up
liking it.
>> Do you have like one that's like you
hold dear to your heart that feels like
has relatability to to you and kind of
your story right now? I know there's
like a fight I mean fighting is probably
a lot of fighting in a lot of animes but
you know.
>> Uh the one that got me into anime was
Naruto. That was the first one that ever
got me into it, which I mean it's like I
think like 100 episodes I think. So it's
pretty long. Yeah. Uh that one you can
literally pick a character and you'll
start liking a character. Everybody has
their own main character. I just talked
to this with my the guy that was
training me at my job and he's like,
"Who do you like?" And I was like, "Oh
yeah, I like like this character." And
he just started laughing cuz like he
just saw my tattoos. We went on break.
He's like they just started talking
about Naruto, bro. And I was like it's
really its own like home community. You
can actually just get into conversations
with people about it. But I also really
like Hunter Hunter. Um, that anime has
been like my favorite one as an adult.
>> The other one was more like when I was a
kid. Um, this one is a little bit more
adult themed. It's a little bit more
gory. It's a little bit more like actual
like, you know, killing
>> in you don't really see too much blood.
This one you definitely do.
>> Um, but those are my two favorite top
two. But I I like so many of them.
>> There's a lot.
>> There's a lot. I always like asking
because I feel like u a lot of fighters
dude like Joe Crop Shot he just won um
Dana White Contender Series um he he has
like Naruto I don't even know the logo I
haven't watched it but he has
>> Chris Mark yeah from Sasuke
>> on the back of his uh on his back and
he's like bro once you he's he was
telling people at the kind of like at
the bar they're like celebrating like
hey man you got to you got to stop
watching anime go level up your fighting
I'm like I'm like damn these guys really
cuz I talked to about my to my dad he's
like man you bring up anime I'm like
some of these guys They really love like
kind of like the the story line. I I
could kind of like, you know, I I always
like, you know, bringing it up to
fighters and stuff like that.
>> Isra has the like the ninetail fox right
here on his stomach. There's so many
fighters that have like a whole bunch of
stuff.
>> Has the My brother says the Bleach,
right? The
>> It's a Bleach. Yeah. Where he has the
whole the pit. I haven't watched Bleach
as much. That's one of the few animes I
haven't finished. But yeah, that's
that's I seen that.
>> There's a guy that has like from boxing
that has like One Piece tattooed on his
back. Uh Ben
>> Whitaker. The one that
>> the one that moves and stuff like that.
Oh yeah.
>> So I mean a lot of guys have a lot of
different things. And then uh Max
Holloway has a ninetail fox on his
shoulder.
>> Yeah. He has a ninetail fox on his
shoulder with his like like uh Hawaiian
tribal that he has as well. So I mean
every there's there's huge fans out
there. I mean it just goes to show you
like just anime isn't for kids. It's not
like super nerdy. And then the thing
that I hate though is like pre- pandemic
you would get cooked if you watched it.
>> Like you're you're like bro you're a
nerd. Get out of my face. Like like dude
get a job. Yeah,
>> you're greasy. Get out of my face. Like,
you just get made fun of so hard. And
I'd be in class talking about homie
about like the next episodes, right?
>> And then somebody just go like, "You
guys are talking about a kid show? Like,
oh my god." Like, "You guys watching
talking about cartoons?" I'm like, "No,
it's it's not cartoons.
>> You don't get it." Yeah. Okay.
>> You don't get it. And then uh like now
after post pandemic when people had free
time to actually sit down and watch
stuff cuz they were they had nothing
else to do.
>> They switched up.
>> All of a sudden, it's like one of the
biggest things in the world and but they
didn't have to go through the bullying.
I went through all the bullying of it,
but
>> it's character development, bro.
>> It's bad, right? It's bad. Bullying made
me who I am today, so it's okay.
>> That's the honestly about like with like
UFC fans and like um UFC fighters,
that's the only thing that that's my pet
peeve where people just switch up on a
fighter after they lose, bro. Oh, it
pisses me off so much.
>> Casuals, but it's like I don't get it
cuz sometimes I'll go to the events and
everybody's cheering this one guy and
they lose and everybody cheers when the
other guy wins. And it's like who who
are you cheering for in the beginning?
Like I don't understand it. But
>> people are haters. That's what it is.
>> But it is tough. Like especially like
when when Max fought Charles, I love
both of those guys, but I'm like I got
to choose one. I chose Charles. I know
you you were like riding with Max. I'm
like, bro, like it's I love both of
those guys.
>> Even when like Max like dude, when he
fought to I was like, I have a bad
feeling about this, but I got to rival
my boy Max. That's just how I am. I was
a loyal guy.
>> That's heavy on that fight, bro.
>> He was doing good.
>> Knocked out a lot of my favorite
fighters, bro. Like it was like
>> But people switched up on Ilia hardcore
before the Gachi fight. like people had
such good he had such a good fan base
and then you would start hearing people
like I hope this they knock this cocky
guy out they love you until they don't.
That's just how it goes.
>> How do you feel about that as a as a
fighter, you know? Maybe do you have a
certain opinion on that?
>> No. Um same thing with me. Like people
are frugal, people have a short memory.
>> Uh I really don't care. Same thing like
I I tell people this like a fighter. So
this is kind of weird but like I'm not
going to say what fighter it is but I
seen him real nervous before a fight.
like really antsy cuz the fight's really
huge for him. It's rebelled. It's huge.
But I see him getting into his own head,
but he had just recently got like a
little bit more popularity. And I see
the pressure weighing on him when back
then he used to fight free and happy.
And I'm like, "Dude, like what do what's
going on? Like why do you have so much
pressure, dude? Just calm down." And
then he's like like, "Oh no, bro. Like
like I just I just need to win this
fight. I need to win this fight." Then
I'm like, "Dude, like like I I I know
what it is. Like I've been there before.
Or I feel like outside pressure like the
followers you have, you have to win for
them. The people that like see you and
now supposedly support you and your
friends like you have to win for them.
How many people that were there in your
first show? How many people were there
when you first told people I'm going to
start fighting? How many people actually
believed in you? Like dude, my mom
didn't even believe in me. Mom was like
what the heck? My sisters told me like
go get a job. Like you're wasting your
time.
>> So like that's my family family. Yeah.
My day ones like bro are you are you
stupid? like, you know, like you want to
start fighting in a cage? Are you dumb?
And I I tell them that too. Like these
people on like social media, they don't
actually care about you. They don't care
if you win. They don't care if you lose.
They just want to be seen next to a
winner. That's all they care about. It's
they're frugal. Like, you know, they
come and they go. They're just literally
fans.
>> That's just what it is. They They come
and they go, and as soon as you loss,
you get thrown out with the trash. So,
why would I care about their opinion?
Why would I care about what they think?
I have my own opinion of myself. I know
I entered it. I know what I'm doing this
for. And so I had to tell him like that
advice where I'm like, dude, like like
really like bro, you have to know what
actually matters in your life.
>> Why? Yeah. Like why are you fighting?
Are you fighting for your for your mama
to get a better house? That's a real
thing. Are you fighting to make your
life actually better, your life? Or are
you fighting to please other people? And
that's real. So like same thing where my
opinions about actual fighters that
happen. Like, dude, if I like Ilia, I
don't care what the MMA community says.
I like Israel Anagna. He's the one that
got me in. I don't care. Like, everybody
turned their back on him. I don't care.
>> If I'm a fan of you, I'm a fan of you.
There's a reason why I liked you. Not
going to switch up because the whole
community is like, "No, this is the guy
we hate now." Like, hell no.
>> It is crazy.
>> Yeah.
>> Yeah. It's kind of deal with it. Yeah.
That is a good point with social media
and stuff like that because that does
play a big role especially nowadays in
the fight game where now it's like, you
know, followers, hype, you know,
bringing more attention to like a
certain event. Um, but I do I do think
the sport's growing, you know,
especially here in Bakersfield. Like now
we're gaining a lot of fighters coming
out here and I think What are your
thoughts on kind of like the growth from
where we're at? Cuz this is where I grew
up. This is my hometown. Grew up here.
I've lived in a few different spots, but
this is pretty much where I grew up.
>> This is where you stayed at? Yeah.
>> Yeah. So this is So how how does it feel
like you know seeing uh other fighters
you know from from Bakersfield kind of
just make their own wave?
>> Actual fighters I appreciate. Fake
fighters I get annoyed of like uh
there's a lot of wannabes and that's
what I hate because they end up ruining
it for me.
>> Like I mean I'm pretty selfish when it
comes to that part. Some clown can just
have a good network and good friends and
get sponsorships and he sucks at
fighting
>> and he doesn't take it serious. Doesn't
actually train hard. Doesn't do
anything. Yet he'll have a ton of
followers. I'm not saying like followers
are everything, but it helps me in my
career at least. And they take that
like, "Oh, we're already sponsoring this
guy because we're friends with him. The
guy's going to go out there, no
disrespect, they're going to go lose."
Like, it sucks. Like, I'm like, "Dude,
the guy's not even good at fighting. He
doesn't even put his heart into it. His
soul and training is not I I train day
and night. My whole life is fighting.
That's what it is. My girlfriend trains
cuz of me now, too, you know, cuz I
spend so much time there. Like, I'm
willing to actually like die for the
sport, technically speaking. Guy just
wants clout. I just want social media. I
hate that. But the actual fighters that
are actually putting time in, I respect
it because every fighter that actually's
been there knows how hard it is to be in
there. It's difficult. It's rough.
Whether or not I like them, their
personality means nothing, but they have
my respect. Might not like some of the
guys because the characters they put on
or who they are, they might not be the
best person or certain people that I
just don't like.
>> Mhm.
>> But the respect is still there bare
minimum. You had to go and step in the
cage and fight another person that's
trained for you for two months.
>> That respect is that that is bare
minimum. Like I got Bro, you got you got
more balls than a lot of guys I know.
>> Yeah.
>> How many guys where I talk about it, how
much percentage of people actually step
in the training room
>> of men?
>> I hear like it's like like over 95% of
people don't train or anything like
that.
>> No. 95 statistic.
>> 95% of people don't even work out.
>> That's really like like it's not working
out is a normal thing. Now going into a
said sport is even less. How many people
actually compete? How many people
actually go amateur? How many people go
pro? How many people actually even make
it to the UFC? The percentage drops so
significantly.
>> If you can even make it to your first
amateur fight, I respect you even as a
fighter. At least for trying.
>> Right
>> now, borderline, there's some guys where
I'm like, dude, just because you had one
amateur fight doesn't make you a full-on
fighter either.
>> You can just jump in there and go get
wrecked and stuff like that. Like you
didn't even train hard. You can happen.
But if you actually take it serious, you
actually either get a couple wins and
come like that and like, hey, the guy's
valid.
>> He can always improve. You can always
improve in fighting
>> for sure.
>> So, but like not the thing is I just
don't like is like people that get fake
respect, fake clout, people that believe
that those people are better than what
they actually are. They get an actual
following. I mean, know people are
trying to be supportive and trying to be
friendly. That's what they are.
>> But it takes away from me. It really
does.
>> Yeah. And you actually have an upcoming
fight on September 5th, right?
>> Yeah. Yeah. So, just um maybe we could
talk a little bit about that just in
preparation, you know, getting ready. I
think it's at the Tachi Palace.
>> U is that your first time fighting
there?
>> Yeah, it's the first time ever fighting
there. Um that that place has a lot of
like historical significance in the UFC.
>> It does.
>> And well, actually WC. So like a lot of
the fighters that used to fight back in
the days with like Uriah Faber, Jose
Aldo, Chel Sonen technically was in the
WEC as well. Yes, he was. That's where
he came from. Carlos Cond came from the
WEC.
>> I know. What? Uh, did you say Swanson
already?
>> Uh, Cub Swanson came in. Yeah, I
remember the double flying knee that
Jose Alo hit him within. Uh, Anthony
Pettis also fought Benson Henderson in
the WC.
>> Got the flying off the cage kick.
>> The Showtime kick. I don't know if that
all happened to Tachi, but I know Tachi
is where they put most of their shows
on.
>> Interesting. I didn't know that.
>> So, yeah, Tachi was the spot because it
was on Indian ground and technically
speaking, like sanctions and all that
and athletic commissions were difficult
to deal with.
>> Um, I don't know if you know this, this
is a crazy fact. So the UFC when it was
during the pandemic time, they were
trying to put fights on here in the
United States. They went to fight island
because they were trying to throw fights
here at Tachi cuz technically speaking
it is Indian casino ground and the US
doesn't have authority to close it down
cuz that technically is their territory.
Um what they ended up doing, Disney end
up overreaching to ESPN saying they
would pull ESPN contract. So ESPN pulled
it down to the UFC saying we would pull
your contract from TV if you would throw
fights here in California at the Tachi
>> Disney. Huh?
>> Disney. Yeah. Yeah. So sucks. So it
climbed down the ladder from the chain
of the people that suck the plemic. So
you know and uh we would have had fights
instead of fight island universe. We
have Tachi fights.
>> Yeah, that would have been kind of
crazy. So I don't know if you know that
would have been a fact, but Dana was
looking at the Tachi first before Fight
Island. M
>> now he went to Yas Island and all the
way in Abu Dhabi in another country
>> all because the chain of command said
nope you can't do that here not on our
permission watch
>> but yeah that that that's another thing
that it's kind of cool to think about
would have been the UFC arena.
>> That is crazy. That is an interesting
fact. I actually didn't know about that.
But I I did go to event at Tachi for the
first time not too long ago like a few
months ago and it was actually it was
>> when they brought it back.
>> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> Yeah. So it it's cool. I'll, you know,
try to get some tickets and, you know,
support for sure.
>> I've never been to that event center.
Uh, so it's going to be kind of cool to
kind of go in there and familiarize
myself.
>> I really don't care to be in the place
I'm going to fight in for too long.
>> I don't care. Like um
>> I don't know how to explain it. It makes
me antsy to be in there. I'm like, eh,
>> I don't want to be here. I'm going to
fight here. Doesn't matter.
>> Yeah.
>> Um I used to care a little bit more
about like the tarps, the floor. Like is
this one slippery or is this one not?
>> But now I don't care. I'm just going to
go out there and fight. Are you big on
like vis visualization and kind of like
seeing the arena or hearing the fans?
Are you into that type of stuff?
>> I used to be. I I mean I get it.
Visualization actually does help. It
actually does do things for you. Like uh
they say like the greatest shooters in
the world, the greatest marksman, the
one that doing the Olympic, they usually
visualize for most of the day. They
don't actually shoot real guns. They
just actually just point, look, eyeball
it, and then just like, "Yeah, I'm going
to hit that target."
>> Those are the best shooters in the world
is visualization. So technically
speaking, yes, it works. Michael
Chandler talks about it like Yeah, I
know. Even though Yeah. Yeah. Michael
Chandler, think about how long 10
minutes of like 15 minutes of
visualization is. That's that's a whole
fight.
>> Yeah.
>> You can go over a lot of scenarios in 15
minutes.
>> Yes. And no. But I feel like sometimes
now that I've been in a fight, dude,
half the time I spent visualizing
something didn't even happen. I'm like,
dude, I won. I won this way. How the
heck did that happen? Like, dude, like I
visualized the whole fight going this
way. as there one that that actually
kind of played out similar to like what
you
>> I've had a lot of jokes that have
happened and it it it wins I win the way
that I'm joking about like um I I had a
somebody asked me they're like oh yeah
dude like you want to fight this fight
like how do you want to win it? It's
like well hopefully by knockout but they
don't know nothing about the sport.
They're like but like like like
hopefully I get them out as quick as I
can and like well wouldn't you want to
show all the skills that you're working
on? No, I want to go in there undamaged
and get the hell out. Like, are you
dumb?
>> And he goes, best case scenario, finish
him fast,
>> but that most likely is not going to
happen. That's so rare to just hit him
and knock him out.
>> That night, I went and got a 4second
knockout. It was the California record
before some idiot [ __ ] passed it and
[ __ ] 559. Some guy with some trash
ass defense, bro. I'm like, dude,
>> come on. I was mad at the other guy.
>> Yeah, I'm mad at the guy that got
knocked out. my road. Put your just put
your hand up. Literally nothing. Just
walked out there and got head kicked.
I'm like, "Dude, you suck."
>> Damn.
>> Yeah. Some some idiot. But
>> but it was literally the same time, but
like the like fastest KO knockout cuz
it's 559.
>> That's tough to beat, bro.
>> The 3se second is the one that beat it
and I don't know how it's Yeah,
whatever.
>> It still pisses me off to this day. Or
uh same thing like I got a guillotine
win one time and I was just joking
around. I was like, "Dude, what happens
if I get another guillotine win?" It
happened back to back. Did you have like
someone yell out like hit a guillotine
and you actually heard it and you you
hit one?
>> Some random Mexican dude was kind of
sitting right there cage side and I
looked over to him. He's like hit it.
Hit it, bro. Hit the guillotine. Like do
it now. But he's yelling in Spanish. And
I'm like, "Should I go for this cuz if I
don't hit this I'm going to end up in a
really bad position on the floor."
>> Yeah. On your back.
>> And then I kind of just like, "F it."
Like, you know, like let me pull this.
And I did.
>> Jumped the ghilly.
>> Yeah. Jumped the ghillie. And then I got
it. Man, honestly, the guy's arms got
trapped and so he tapped with his leg.
>> So, and I didn't I mean, I felt it. I
was like, "Oh, thank God. Get me out of
here."
>> Yeah.
>> But usually, like I'm telling you, it
happens when a fight where I'm joking
about something
>> and then that's how the fight ends up
going. My last fight, I knew straight
up. I was like, "Dude, the guy came in 8
lbs overweight."
>> Yeah,
>> bro. Super unprofessional. That's a
whole weight class up
>> for sure.
>> Still had a hard time against me. Still
struggled, you know, super. And this is
an undefeated guy from your team. and
your A1 is your Ria's guy. And I I told
him like, "Bro, if I don't finish him or
absolutely dominate him, I'm not going
to get a close call here. He's in his
hometown. He's in A1 combat. He's your
Ria's guy."
>> Tough tough position.
>> It's like, "Dude, if I don't straight up
KO him or like absolutely dominate where
they're like, dude, you got robbed. I'm
not going to get the win here."
>> Even before you kind of accepted that
fight, you did you know that situation
before going?
>> But I thought I was going to KO him and
I thought he was going to come on
weight. So like, it sucks that he didn't
come on weight, bro. saved him. He was
already gassed out by the third round. I
almost finished him with the last 10
seconds. I have 10 seconds more. I choke
him out. That's what it is. I mean, it
happens. But you think he's going to
have that size or that energy to hold me
down against the cage?
>> 8 lb is
>> Yeah. 8 lbs is crazy. That's a huge like
size advantage. That's a huge gas take
advantage cuz he didn't have to cut the
rough pounds. He didn't have to be
dehydrated. He have to go to the worst
part of the weight cut. You think he
would have been fullon healthy? He would
have I would have got him out of there
way sooner. He was struggling with me
and he had all the advantages in the
world. He got to sleep in his own bed.
He got to be in his hometown crowd. He
got to have everything tailored to him.
His coach is right there as one of the
announcers.
>> Mhm.
>> And he still barely skate by still. I'm
like, dude, that that just it sucks, you
know? But I usually call things kind of
before on accident.
>> Do you feel like that was like a big
learning lesson? Even just like I feel
like maybe that's a tough situation to
be in knowing that you had to knock
someone out in order to kind of get a
fair shake. Do you feel like maybe
>> Well, I took it because I thought I was
I could beat him. I thought I could beat
him. He's beat some pretty good guys and
stuff like that,
>> but I thought I could knock him out and
get him out of there. I was like, "Yeah,
dude. I'll get him out of there
regardless. That's okay. He's one of
those guys that stalls for time. That's
that's fine." So, but um my learning
lesson that I got is no, you don't make
weight. I'm not fighting you. I just did
it because I was like, "Dude, this is a
great pay and great money and I'm still
probably going to win." That's how
confident I was in that fight. I just
ran out of time. But what is it called?
Like let's say um what's the way I was
going to say it? But like next time you
don't make weight, I'm going be like
Patriceio Pit Bull. Like Patriy Pit Bull
is hell no. You go make weight. I'm not
fighting you.
>> Yeah.
>> Like you're only one pound over. I'm not
fighting you no more, dog.
>> I mean Yeah. I mean even a pound could
make a make make a difference in a
fight.
>> You're not suffering. You're not like I
Yeah. Like, bro, I'm dying cutting
weight and you're not. Hell no. Like,
you know, I learned my lesson and stuff
like that. I used to think it was not
that big of a deal, but it after that
one, screw you. Like, you know, you're
an [ __ ] for not cutting weight.
>> How how is the the weight cutting
process like over time, you know, with
the all the amateur fights that you've
had and now now pro? Like, has has
things changed the way you approach, you
know, diet?
>> It always sucks. It always sucks.
>> How much weight is like getting cut like
before a fight?
>> Um, Miami, I would still do 15 and I
would have to weigh in the same day. I
was 15 cut 15 pounds in a day.
>> Yeah. No, it's 15 lbs in like a weekish
time. And then but I would fight the
same day that I would cut the weight
like same day. So yeah. So it's like
rehydrating quick is kind of rough,
>> you know. And then uh now bro, I don't
even do much more. I do 20. I usually do
20. Um that's kind of like the average
of what I do normally.
>> Uh but it's hard for me. Like I'm
naturally a bigger dude now. I'm getting
older. I'm getting more muscular mass.
Like becoming stronger. Yeah. You know
what I'm saying? So, no matter even if I
diet, you have to calorie count it to a
tea, but like you can't have snacks, you
can't have nothing. Like Patty says,
you're actually miserable the whole
time.
>> But Patty's like,
>> "Yeah,
>> crazy off." I mean, after after the
fight, bro, seeing him blow up is
actually It's kind of concerning like
the the way the the reality that you see
that the fighters have to have to go
through in order to make weight and then
once you make weight, you got some other
dude trying to kill you. It's like,
damn, bro. It's like, wow.
>> It's rough. And then what I noticed is
like I like fighting at lightweight 155
because it doesn't feel too hard. It's
between 15 pounds away from me.
>> Um this fight the only reason I'm
because I'm fighting at 150. I'm finding
a featherweight and now I have to cut
the extra five.
>> No, but I'm not even that big of a
lightweight. Like if you've seen some
lightweights, they're huge. Lightweights
now are cutting from 190 185.
>> 190.
>> Yeah. 190. Patty weighs up to 210. Uh
>> Patty Yeah, Patty's
>> Yeah, Patty weighs up to like 210. Um,
some of the guys like what's called
Reebovich gains 35 lbs post weigh-in.
>> Chandler looks crazy too. I think he's
almost at 200.
>> Yeah, I suppose he goes up to like 190
as well. Dustin Porier was was walking
out of camp. Same thing about 190. These
guys are huge. Um, Killian Sill is
massive.
>> Mhm.
>> Like you see the guys, they're only
getting bigger and bigger. Maybe that
might not be with like the full
restriction of their diet, but they walk
around 190 freely, right?
>> I I don't walk around 190 at all, ever.
The most I ever weigh like when I'm fat
is 180 the most. That's me being like
like gluttonous, you know, eating a lot.
So, and they still have 10 pounds on me.
Most of those guys. Um now, like when
they say look at the lightweight former
champ Islam,
like he weighs 190 when he's fighting
like now at welterweight.
>> Yeah.
>> He was probably cutting all that weight,
dehydrating himself, eating way less,
calorie counting just to make 55.
>> I think the most impressive cut is
Morales cuz Morales looks
>> Oh, yeah. like he's huge.
>> Yeah.
>> And he and he makes welterweight.
>> He's a light heavyweight fighting at
welterweight which is insane.
>> I don't know how he does it. I don't
know how he gets by. But honestly, what
this is once I went like if I can just
get to the UFC and I just get the PI's
help, I'm going to be on a whole another
level for sure.
>> The PI boostes these guys up so crazy.
Um like you see the physiques pre UFC
and you see guys post UFC like once
they're actually in the like the league.
Mhm.
>> The PI makes like the meal preps for
you. They calorie count for you. They
track your weight. They track your
strength balance, your V2 max. They
track everything for you. Plus, they
have everything there for you at the PI.
>> They have ice bass, cold plunge,
trainers, uh, mats, rings, everything
you need accessible.
>> So, like I'm like, dude, I just need my
foot in the door.
>> Yeah.
>> Just give me the help. Honestly, right
now I do it all on my own cuz
financially and all that stuff, but like
once I get into the PI, it's a game
changer. Be able to keep up.
>> How do you see your path? I mean, of
course, you know, you're going into your
second professional fight, but would you
like to go like through Contender Series
or what would you like Ultimate Fighter?
I don't even know like what what kind of
like things you're you're thinking
about. I know people like I've heard
this explanation when people go to the
Ultimate Fighter. They get more
exposure. They get more sponsors. They
get all that stuff. They get more thing,
more TV time before they get into the
UFC. But why the hell would I want to
take more damage to my body? Like, you
know, you only get certain amount of
fights. You only get certain amount of
times that you go to. Like, dude, you
could just go straight to the Contender
Series.
>> Mhm.
>> You don't need to go that long route no
more.
>> Contender Series is sick, bro.
>> Yeah. That's it's sick. And then now
that's the way that everybody actually
watches. Nobody wants to tune in for
weeks on like the Ultimate Fighter.
That's kind of old news now. Now we see
the guys like how many champions been
Jamal Hill came out the contender
series. Carlos Potes came out of the
contender series. We have so many people
that come out of it. Like why why even
watch Ultimate Fighter? And there's no
guarantee that the Ultimate Fighter guy
is even going to be good in the UFC.
>> To be honestly,
and that's kind of just like no shade,
but
>> And you're a huge fan. I know that. I
know. Yeah. You know.
>> Yeah. So just the contender series just
seeing you know the guy's story like I
guess I get like hyped maybe I don't
know necessarily know the guy they have
their story they tell you where they're
from and it's oh like this is about to
be this about to be a banger
>> uh Roman Puga just won one on Tuesday
and I used to train with him I mean
>> I I can't really like not saying I can't
really call him a friend cuz I don't
hang out with him on a regular day
basis. I'm not like that. I don't
message him every day but we train
together. He's a really good
acquaintance. I always thought the guy
was really cool. We've been on runs
together. we worked out together. He's
cool with my friends. There's other guys
that I actually send memes to, but I
don't send memes. I just kind of keep up
with him. Tell him good luck with your
fight.
>> Uh, congratulations. That's kind of what
we just do.
>> Yeah.
>> A happy birthday here and there, but you
can't really say like, "Oh my god,
that's my that's my friend. That's my
boy,
>> you know. So, I can't I can't claim no
clout off of that." Like, I I train with
the guy, but he gave me a scar
>> um
>> completely by accident. Tell Let me get
some soda.
Just to give you something to remember,
a little beauty mark.
>> Not even from actually like trying to
give me it. I shot a takedown and I had
a single leg and he like fidgeted all
weird and his knee sliced my eye trying
to take it out.
>> Is it this?
>> Uh, no. That's actually a new one.
>> That's actually But I think it's on the
same side though.
>> Okay.
>> It's uh there's like three of them on
this side and then there's like two on
this side.
>> How do you feel once you get a new one?
Like are you upset or you just like or a
new tattoo? What? What's the vibe like?
>> Just the uh this again, bro. I have now
I have to go spend the next 2 three
hours of my life in urgent care with the
dumb doctor taking forever. That's all I
ever think. I'm like crap. I got to go
the stupid doctor.
>> That's the only thing I think about
>> cuz I'm like like it just stops me from
training. I won't be able to spar hard
cuz I got to watch it.
>> It's more of a nuisance. But I don't
want to end up like Nate Diaz where like
have so much scar tissue. But I see I
get it now. Like accidents just happen,
>> right? Where do most of the cuts come
come from? Is it like the the gloves or
the fingers? Like from
>> elbows and knees?
>> Oh, elbows.
>> Okay, that makes more sense. Yeah,
>> but like I've gotten none of them from
actually guys trying to hit me. It's
always been from accidents.
>> I slipped the punch one time and I
slipped it too quick. We just went and
cut.
>> Gotcha.
>> Um I was wrestling one time and some
spazzy I was going with a high school
kid. I knew I like I knew I shouldn't
have been like that, but even I was
going slow on him.
>> Yeah. and he does this crazy moment
where he flings his elbow. That's the
one I just got. The new one just
happens. Roman Puga, same thing. I was
we were sparring.
>> Yeah.
>> And we were throwing punches and stuff
like that. And I show a single just for
fun just to see what I can do.
>> I knew I shouldn't have shot the single.
I'm not I don't really care to. But um
then he takes out his leg and he cuts
me. That just happened like
accidentally. Most of them come from
weird moments like Charles Oliver was
supposed to fight and like he got cut,
>> right?
>> Most likely that was from an accident,
>> right? I forgot about that. Yeah, he was
supposed to fight Islam or who was
supposed to fight. It was like a big
name, but
>> I think it was probably Islam. He had to
pull out of a title fight, I think, or
something like that maybe.
>> Mhm.
>> But they mostly time they happen from
accidents. It's never from like a guy
actually going like mink.
>> Yeah.
>> Or like me.
>> It could happen, but it rarely ever
happens cuz all these guys at that good
of a level are pretty controlled.
>> Yeah.
>> They know where they're hitting you.
They're hitting you with the with the
purpose. We have the knee pads. We have
the elbow pads. Um, but cuts just happen
some guys and I feel like I'm just prone
to them. My style sometimes they happen.
Um, I move my head. Luckily, I don't
like, you know, God prayers. My face
isn't too jacked up. It's not the worst.
It's not bad for like how much fights
I've had.
>> Some guys' faces are just jacked up in a
short amount of time. Jack's Jack
Dellet. His nose is cooked.
>> His face. You
>> I'm surprised he doesn't get surgery
like on his nose or something. Even
Marab like Morab has a crazy thing with
his nose right now, too. You can't you
can't get surgery when you're turning a
fighter. I mean, other than like Gachi
getting a deviated septum, but his nose
can't do it cuz you're going to fight
again. So, if you're going to get a hit
again, it's only going to get destroyed
again. So, you have to wait for your
career to be over to be able to get a
nose job. You have to
>> like Drake is didn't he get a deviated
septum as well too?
>> Yeah, you can get a DVA septum, but that
is up here.
>> This is different different procedure.
>> Yeah, it's a different procedure. It's
not like a nose job. It doesn't fix your
shape of your nose. It just allows air
flow.
>> Yeah. So that's what it is.
>> So Michael Jackson couldn't get he
couldn't be a fighter.
>> No, he can't. No, you if it gets if it
gets touched, it gets broken again. So
that's what sucks.
>> Okay. Well, yeah, but Puga, I mean, he
had a war and I think Contender Series
is definitely kind of like the the
coolest way to kind of just make it make
a scene, make a name for it. And then
Dana White's there, so you kind of just
like see yourself kind of just, you
know,
>> it's it's real.
>> Yeah. And what's really cool, like I got
to train with a lot of the CMMA guys.
Like I said, I'm not living off their
clout or anything like that. I'm trying
not to. It's cool to see that a lot of
the guys are getting opportunities in
the CFL. Like, dude, I don't know what
it is about MMA right now. They are
hiring. They They are in a hiring
market. My Well, actually, I like him.
Rafael Malicia. He's going to be He's in
the PFL. He just got a crazy finish in
the PFL. He just barely got signed. He's
already going on his second fight. Um
Eric Wcandi is ranked number one
pound-for-pound regional fighter, I
think, in the Northwest. I think I seen
a post. I got to train with him so much.
I've sparred him a lot and now he's
going to get his shot at the Contender
Series. Uh Luis Franciscadeli also is
from CMMA. He's going to be on this
season's uh contender series. And I
remember when I would speak to all these
guys and the UFC was not budging at this
time, they're like, "Well, we're going
to we're I'm going to get to the UFC.
I'm going to get to the UFC." And now
this season has given all those guys
those opportunities. And I'm like, dude,
it's cool to see cuz the opportunity is
possible.
>> Yeah.
>> You're in the same room with these guys.
you see how hard they train and if
you're able to do what they do, you're
like, "Well, why not me, right?
>> Why is it not possible?" And then my
friend um him I actually consider a
friend. Uh his name's Nino, but um I
don't know his first name. I just don't
call him by his first name. Okay,
>> Nino, his Romero, but uh he actually
just got signed PFL and we both started
pro around the same time. Like dude, if
you just get a couple wins, you can make
it to a big show.
>> Well, shout out Nino.
>> Hopefully we get you out here soon. And
Dian White Contender Series, be on the
lookout. Tachi Palace September 5th. Um
but yeah, it was a great conversation,
bro.
>> Oh, thank you, brother.
>> Appreciate Appreciate your time and uh
looking forward to it.
>> Well, dude, thank you.
>> Thank you.
>> Thank you so much. Yeah. Thank you,
brother. I really appreciate you for
inviting me uh for, you know, taking the
time. It is kind of late.
>> Yeah. No, no worries. I'm just I'm glad
we're able to set something up because
like we're trying to set something up
like, "Oh, does this work for you? This
work for you?" like, you know, sometimes
it's a little hard to get the get the
day set up, but I'm glad you you had the
time and especially hopefully next time
I come here, post win, post maybe in the
UFC or something like that and we just
keep these going
>> for sure. No, great great guest, great
conversational skills. Yeah, for sure.
Have you back on the on the podcast?
Talk about whatever.
>> We'll do fights, don't matter.
>> Yeah, I don't even mind just about
blabbing about anything. I'm a I'm a
ranter. Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> All right. Good to go.
>> Thank you so much.
>> Awesome.
>> Thank you, brother.
>> Thank you, brother.
I get a picture with you too.
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