JRE MMA Show #140 with Gillian Robertson

[Music]. by night. how long can do you have to stop smoking. weed before you'll test positive uh. usually about five days five days before. a fight if you're smoking straight flour. but uh if you're smoking like oil dabs. anything like that then you need a. little bit more time you got down to a. science uh I figured it out when I.

tested positive one fight. because I was smoking oil and I stopped. five days out oh smoking oil those wacky. kids and their dabs in oil you guys just. go too far. you guys go too far there is. it way too many ways now I feel like you. go to Dark Places dude dabs you go to. Dark Places yeah especially with dabs. I'm like that's the like next level. extreme yeah I'm not interested in that. did you just get too far gone like you.

don't even know how to move your hands. right just uh there's this stuff that. I'm a medical patient in Florida and. there's stuff you can get from the. dispensary it's like literal nose drops. and that [ __ ] like makes you like. literally I feel like I can't form. sentences. is this a spray yeah it's just like a. nasal spray there's so many wacky people. in Austin spraying ketamine up their. nose it is a real issue we had a girl go. into a k hole at our Comedy Club the. other night.

yeah and her boyfriend's like she just. did a lot of ketamine and they're like. Jesus [ __ ] Christ do that at home you. nuts they're doing ketamine and going to. see comedy uh yeah from the moment I got. here it's been offered to me frequently. what is going on how's ketamine. ketamine's a [ __ ] tranquilizer right. yeah it's a powerful psychedelic too. right also available in clinics for. people to defeat like you know PTSD work. I feel like there's a lot of people that. are doing it like every day though have. you done it no no I've never messed with. anything like that I took a little of.

Duncan's Duncan had one I think he made. it in his bathroom what did it feel like. do you remember weird but it was very. little you just just take one pump so I. took like one pump and I was like this. is odd but I know the source and I know. where he's getting it and it's all. medical grade legit but it's like. what is that yeah I don't know I I like. a lot of natural things better. THC nasal mist. well um yeah I guess the marijuana is.

the ultimate natural thing I was just. saying that I I had a I hurt my back a. little bit to tweak the muscle and it. would lock up and I put on this cbdmd. recover cream I was I'm not I mean that. stuff is insanely good it's incredible. how much better I felt that's amazing. that CBD has that kind of power yeah. I've never used a a topical cream like. that but uh I've used like pills and. things like that with CBD and I feel. like it definitely does make a. difference like there's I don't know. there's a huge difference huge. difference my friend Dave Foley had um.

real bad arthritis in his hands and he. started taking CBD and also his hands. started working fine like it just took a. while it took it just your your body is. filled with inflammation and CBD is just. an awesome way to get rid of. inflammation yeah especially as a. fighter oh yeah it's like everything's. inflamed constantly who needs CBD more. than Fighters right and who needs. marijuana more than Fighters just to. [ __ ] chill the [ __ ]. like the stress that you go through on a. regular basis is so Bonkers if you.

really think about it you're around you. know all these other human beings that. are going about their day driving their. cars going to work you're preparing to. throw bones at girls you're preparing to. strangle people you put people to sleep. for a living you know that is a wild. thing to do sister oh yeah it's like. pre-fight when I'm sitting there and I'm. feeling all my nerves my boyfriend he's. told me he's like you need to be. thankful for this because he's like most. people don't get to experience [ __ ] like. this in their life most people don't get.

to like experience these kinds of. feelings like these extreme feelings. because they just have their regular. jobs it's like what I'm doing is. something crazy it's so crazy it's so. crazy and when you do it in a place like. when you what was it in London with. Molly McCann was that London uh it was. actually Liverpool Liverpool yeah. that was crazy. that was crazy when you got her back and. put her to sleep I was like oh [ __ ] oh. yeah that was pretty much a was my first. fight out of the tough house you know so.

my UFC debut was technically against. Emily Whitmire but it was still we were. in the tough house like we didn't have. our uh like our actual fight kids things. like that right so Molly McCann I feel. like was really the first fight where I. was like this is a real UFC fight for me. and my flight was delayed everything she. missed wait I feel like everything went. wrong that week I got booed walking out. so it's like I I don't know just to get. that success after that I feel like was.

such a great thing for me how did they. treat you when you got out. after I got out honestly everybody was. great like even Molly invited me to her. after party uh my brother flew out there. so I ended up going out with him oh. that's cool and uh we were just walking. around Liverpool and everybody coming up. to me trying to get pictures like the. Liverpool fans were 100 supportive it. was great well that's cool yeah of. course they're gonna boo you yeah just a. girl oh yeah 100 I expected every minute. of it plus like what a personality she. has like she's awesome all right I.

absolutely love her probably out of all. the girls I fought on the UFC Molly's. definitely probably the top she's a. character she's her and Patty together. are [ __ ] amazing it's hilarious you. should be a reality show she's. absolutely like genuine sweetheart of a. person and like you said absolute. character as well and she could fight. yeah. her stand-up is nasty it's really she's. so tough she's so tough yeah all girls I. feel like from that area they got that. extra little toughness to them and she.

definitely uh is Superior in that yeah. for her just feels like grappling came. like a little later for her and that. that can be a problem with someone of. your caliber you know the thing about. like grappling is God it takes so long. to catch up and why you're catching up. that person still getting better if. they're training every day and they're. it's like when someone is at a super. high grappling level and if you're just. getting into grappling now like you're. just you're just surviving and it's a.

long time until you're doing anything. other than surviving unless you're some. athletic freak unless you're some just. unbelievable specimen of a human that. just learns quicker than everybody else. most of the time it's like really hard. to catch up when you're a pure Striker. okay there's just so much to learn in. Jiu Jitsu even like I got my black belt. I think two or three years ago now and I. feel like I still don't know anything. yeah I feel like it's just like there's. so much to learn so many different. styles different things like even like.

leg locks I don't know a lot of I don't. know deep into that game I know good. defensively but offensively I feel like. that's a completely different world the. leglock game is crazy because that just. took over it was so amazing to watch. something that you used to get booed for. like if they went to tournaments. especially in Brazil people would boo. you they did not like when you were. doing stuff like that I guess because it. really messes people up in training like. they had to know it was really effective. but they too many people had to ruin. these and they just decided like hey.

this is a bad idea and it might be a bad. idea in the ghee you know and the ghee. it's like Whoa man you can't get out of. that very well at least in nogi there's. like a little bit more maneuverability. when someone's like grabbing your legs. and they got your pants and they're. holding on the coffin here it's like oh. that's tight for a leg lock oh yeah. that's scary I'm almost more nervous. competing nogi now than versus fighting. MMA just because no gay girls are so. well versed in leg locks and that shit's.

dangerous it's like that can put me out. for six months a year plus where it's. like the worst thing I've ever had. happen in a fight is I got 11 stitches. in my nose it's like besides that well. and even that I grappled a month later. who was that woman that heavily tattooed. woman and you you got her back too she. had a crazy nickname like the Demon. Slayer. uh um Maria agapova yes he has a wild.

nickname right is it something like that. yeah it's something like that yeah. um when you were fighting her she hit. you with a bunch of like really hard. elbows while you were trying to take her. down that was just amazed that you just. stuck with the path you just kept you. just you're like uh-uh I got you I got. you I got uh you're not getting away. with this I'm gonna hang on to you and. I'm gonna drag you to the ground I'm. gonna get you and when you finally did I. was like damn that was systematic but.

you you endured like some hard shots. honestly I I don't like I don't know I. didn't really have any much damage off. of those shots so I didn't really feel a. lot of those and they weren't really. like the only reason that I even thought. about them is because the ref was like. you need to do something I'm gonna stop. this and I was like oh [ __ ] I gotta. change something up like but I was. initially going for a knee bar and when. she was just hitting me with elbows and. uh then I gave up on that because of the.

ref isn't it interesting how subjective. refereeing can be and that there's some. referees that are really good at letting. people just fight out of stuff and then. there's some referees that like just. getting hit even with a few Hammer fists. that aren't going to stop you if you. don't defend them some raps will just. stop it right there it's completely. subjective like for that ref to tell you. that like you can't endure these shots. it's you don't look at the time like. actually they're not that hard it sounds.

bad but it doesn't really hurt I'm okay. like you can't say that in the middle of. a fight so there's this weird like. communication issue like he sees you. getting hit by I saw you getting hit by. those shots I was like Jesus Christ like. can you see if we can find that so you. can find that because in that in that. exchange when you're trying to take her. down like Jesus those are some hard. elbows Travis Brown was the master of. that oh yeah. I feel like no one had more power than. him when he was moving those elbows and. I think he kind of invented it or at.

least he popularized it we call it the. Travis Brown because he would drive down. those elbows when you were trying to. take him down that was a horrible place. to be I don't think I've seen people. drop like I have with Travis Brown well. he obviously drilled it you know I mean. it wasn't an improvised thing at least I. don't think it was it just seemed so. well timed and the force that he could. generate because he's so big and long. when you're a long person like a Jon. Jones type person the amount of extra. force that you have and all that length.

and torque. yeah so somewhere in the clinch so we're. going to get a few of your whole fight. here was it like watching watching. yourself fight is it weird. uh I. guess I I don't know I do it a lot I use. myself as. uh motivation of how I should perform a. lot of times I watch my past wins just. to really I guess relive that kind of. feeling so then it gives you something.

to chase the next fight oh sounds that's. brilliant that's a great way to do it. especially since you've got these you. know well documented awesome videos from. the UFC of your wins I mean it's so cool. it's one of the coolest things ever to. be a fan right now. that you can just watch fights at any. time you want anytime anytime instantly. you're watching fights okay I'm a huge. fan of the sport just in general so just. being able to do that like look up any. type of any fight anything you want I'm. like it's crazy I love it it's like The.

Best Time Ever for high level kickboxing. it's the best time for amateur wrestling. it's the best time for submission. grappling. like there's never been more people that. have been more interested in submission. grappling now I think we got past the. elbows here this is where the chokes. happen yeah. first round oh is that round two. we can still watch that though I still. want to watch that show I'll go back. okay. yeah these are so it's right here he's. telling you you have to do something no.

it was uh I had her butt on the floor by. this point because I actually knew she. had an injured knee going into this. fight oh how'd you know that uh she. talked about it in interviews and uh I. actually knew a couple people she. trained with who told me oh a bunch of. rats yeah dirty rats dirty rats do you. feel bad taking that information I is. it'd be crazy not to I probably wouldn't.

have committed to the knee bar so hard. if I didn't know that that knee injury. was there right uh so it's like. uh I I started going for the knee bar. and she just kept on hitting me with. elbows and then once we were on the. floor I think he thought I was injured. because because I was committing to the. knee bars I was trying to put hips down. so uh that's when he told me I needed to. move. why is it going in slow motion. someone breaking down some specific you.

know it's on ESPN's web oh it's just. freaking out it's the Russians the. Russians don't like American Americans. winning. they don't like it. uh okay. so at one point you were getting drilled. with elbows I don't know if we're gonna. find it we're watching the whole fight. but it was just an awesome performance. overall that and the Molly McCann one. you just you've had a bunch of them and.

I think I was equally impressed with the. rose number Eunice grappling match that. was. that was so slick like the way you took. her back and the controlling the. position like you never lost an inch. like you just kept progressing until you. got the choke it was awesome yeah I feel. like my choking game is definitely uh. it's different than anybody else's and. it's something that uh it's a feel that. I've been working on for years and I. feel like I still haven't even perfected. it but I feel like I'm getting closer.

and closer to making it perfect and I. think the rose. um grappling match was probably one of. the opportunities where I feel like I. really got it just that little bit more. close to perfect where she I was I. wasn't even on her throat At first she. had her chin tucked and uh my hand was. in poor position I feel like I was just. able to walk it closer and closer until. I was able to make that hole Tighter and. she had to give up her throat at that. point well when I was super impressed.

with was your use of the shoulder how. you're using your right arm to control. the shoulder because you don't quite. have it but you've got a nice grip on. the cup of the shoulder and you're using. that leverage like that improvised then. when you switch to the Gable crib I was. like oh [ __ ] the Gable grip was it but. when you were using her shoulder I was. like that's brilliant oh yeah Dean. always tells me he's like if it if her. chin sucks you should be able to break. it you know it's like the goal is to. break the jaw so just creating that. pressure with uh just closing the circle.

you know trying to make that Circle. smaller so I'm just inching my hand. deeper my head deeper until I can really. just make it so it's too small and I. love what you said that you have like a. feel for it because I think people would. think of it like oh it's just like you. know you know the movement you do it. right but it's just like everything else. it's like playing guitar it's like any. other thing that you learn how to do. that's difficult there's like levels and. levels and levels and levels and levels.

and when you watch like really high. level black belts going out and go back. and forth and trying to keep up with. each other it's like. like you're watching like the craziest. kind of game ever all right I mean I've. taught my choke to multiple people and I. feel like people just don't get it still. because it's like it's just it's. something I've worked on for years so. what's what's specific about your choke. uh it's just the way that the I I have. my pressure uh I I feel like I can. generally finish it with one hand I.

never really look for the hooks I'm. usually just searching for it uh. opportunistically so I get it whenever. it's almost too late to defend it and uh. even just like the the pressure of my. choke though I think it's something that. anybody could learn but it's just a lot. of patience because it's something. that's so basic and so simple but like I. said I've drilled it a thousand times. and I don't think I have it right yet so. I think it's just you really have to put. the time and effort into one specific. motion which a lot of people don't have. time for.

so you just over and over again drilled. it or you just over and over again used. it in training what what what sparked. this strangulation rain that you've been. on like how did that start uh it's. definitely both uh I feel like a lot of. my technique comes from Dean Thomas he's. like kind of like he's a man yeah he's. the engineer behind a lot of whatever I. do. and uh he kind of devised this way of. going for the neck and just off. balancing opponents attacking the throat. and we've been drilling it for years and.

years and years and even like I feel. like the way he's described it to me. hasn't really clicked until like. recently where we've been drilling it. for years and now it's like all right I. kind of get this. yeah it's um the way you do it is it's. it's so it's so brilliantly like the way. it progresses what's beautiful to watch. like especially the rose match in. particular is like the the squeeze that. you put like the progression of it is is.

what you want to see at a really high. level that's what you want to say and. when someone executes and executes it on. someone who is a champion of the UFC. it's really incredible I mean that was a. amazing showcase for you oh yeah and. into MMA it just plays in perfectly like. my last fight uh with Pierre Rodriguez I. was in Mount throwing elbows the whole. time and every time she tried to turn. her back a little bit her coaches are. like no no don't give your back so. they're just making her lay on the. ground and take elbows to the face. instead of giving up her back so I'm.

like it's it's your you know the worst. of two worlds there like you get your. choice do you have a is the rest of your. game as strong as your choke game. I think so I think my top pressure in. Jiu Jitsu is definitely something that a. lot of girls especially happens even a. lot of guys I feel like I get a lot of. compliments that I feel like in the Jiu. Jitsu world it's only the place where. you can tell a girl she's heavy and it's. a compliment you know. right you got heavy hips what yeah. everybody tells me that I'm really heavy.

and uh it's I feel like it's that kind. of top pressure which is going to be. dominant in an MMA game. yeah it absolutely can be I mean you. look at the guys from Dagestan the the. all the khabib disciples islamicachev. khabib those guys did just Crush you. they get on top of you and Crush you. when you see we're really good you know. high level submission artists get. smushed by guys like khabib you're like. wow like that's that's some crazy it's.

like there's layers and layers to. everything and we didn't know the layer. of like controlling the legs with the. legs until khabib came along did it and. when he would do it so thoroughly you'd. be like Jesus Christ he does this to. everybody like he didn't even have a bad. moment you know until like there was. like I get the glazing t-ball fight was. a pretty close fight I believe and then. one round with Conor but even that round. was like a round he took off you know. it's like that guy but the the squeeze.

that guy had it's like everybody that. trains them says you don't understand. like you know it's like he weighs 400. pounds like it doesn't even make any. sense yeah that top control is just. completely different and it's like I. always say I'm like people hit a lot. less like they don't hit as hard when. they're on their back right so I'd. rather have somebody on their back than. standing face to face with me you know. and you're draining them exactly. exhausting that person carrying your. weight it's exhausting you're always. moving to try to defend it's very.

difficult to get out of and especially. with someone if it's a superior Grappler. in the the scramble just gonna take your. back exactly I'm always looking for the. submissions the strikes and uh if I'm on. bottom it's the strike sweep submit or. stand up you know we're just working for. the Finish constantly well that's what I. love about your style and I think that's. what makes it so fan friendly too it's. so exciting I I love the the technique. the technique is so sharp but you were. saying something that I wanted to ask. you to elaborate on you said you don't.

even go for the hooks you just you're. you're so concerned with the choke that. you'll like take the choke even if you. have no hooks and then get the hooks. later uh the hooks aren't even like. that's like last priority or I don't. need them even I don't think I had any. hooks when I choked Rose uh but I just I. have such a unique grip with the uh how. I with my head in hand position on my. choke so it's just it doesn't really. matter that's where my control point is. it's not on the lower half of the body. it's on the choke and usually when I.

have the choke before I get the hooks in. it's like people aren't ready to defend. it usually you put the hooks in and. people are already here and now you have. to hand fight and you're there for who. knows how long right where if I get my. choke first then it's like if I need the. hooks for control I can get them in but. you're already choking so you're worried. about that. so is this Dean's coaching did he. coached you to do it this way oh yeah he. definitely came up with a whole game. plan of that where it's just uh going.

for the choke just opportunistically wow. just because you're so good at it I I. feel like literally I've worked with. Dean since day one so I think it's he. kind of also just uh molded this game. plan for me that's awesome he's a second. best dressed guy in MMA it's like just. like a neck and neck with him and Bruce. Buffer but I think you got to give the. nod to buffer yeah I think you have to. give it he has such crazy suits he has. suits with like pictures of Elvis inside. of him and [ __ ] he's like every suit is.

weirder they're crazy they're so. beautiful too they're all perfectly. tailored oh yeah you must have a hundred. thousand of them I mean how many [ __ ]. suits does that guy have he changes. multiple times now too oh he's a maniac. main card suit yeah card suit bro his. Taylor must be balling. because it's all custom made [ __ ] look. at this one it's beautiful. oh that's Miami uh what's in there Tim. what's all this thing oh Vegas in Vegas. oh it's all him. he's this old lining of his own jacket.

it's a comic book. how dope is it though that when that guy. yells your name I know literally last. fight I had to think to myself I'm like. all right that's Bruce Buffer just focus. on the fight. think about Pierre right now is it weird. it's definitely weird I don't know it's. everything is weird about this for me. it's just like I don't I'm just like I. guess a socially awkward kind of don't. really put myself out there well I do. with fighting but it's like I've never. really put myself out there in life so.

it's like to be in these kind of. positions it's just it's all a lot for. me wow well it's amazing that the way. you handle fighting you could handle. this the same way you handle fighting. you just get comfortable with it I think. that uh I don't know for me social. situations are a lot harder than like. fighting situations wow that's crazy oh. yeah like time has it always been like. that 100 since you were a child yeah I. feel like I've always been like the like. socially awkward kid in the back of the. class like the Nerds well I still am.

like at the gym but um I volunteered. with animals my whole life I uh. volunteered at like an uh the Humane. Society a horse rescue uh wildlife rehab. about just like animals were my thing. and then it was just kind of a left. field I started kickboxing when I was. 16. just for fun yeah I really don't. know where it came like what the idea. was but uh where'd you start what gym at. Dean's gym oh yeah wow you got lucky so.

exactly uh one of Dean's Pro Fighters. worked for my dad. so I wanted to start kickboxing and then. my dad found out that this guy was a pro. Fighter for Dean so he ended up finding. his gym and that was the first gym I. started at wow wow what a great place to. start and so then you start kickboxing. and how long before you decide well what. about this MMA stuff how long was that. uh I think it was probably like four or. five months before I started taking the.

MMA class there but I wasn't like. thinking about fighting it was just uh. there was a kid who was on the wrestling. team at my high school who started. training at Dean's gym and he was like. oh why don't you take the MMA class and. I thought okay I'll have a partner why. don't I try it and I just kept on doing. it and then I was training like. every day for like three hours a night. you know and they're like all right well. why don't we just get you a fight at. this point. wow what was it about fighting in. martial arts that you became so obsessed.

with. I think it was a. but it was a first because I didn't. start Jujitsu especially in the ghee. until like a year after I started. training but when I started Jiu Jitsu I. fell in love with that 100 where it's. just the technique of it and the the. little tiny details of Jiu Jitsu that. matter so much like if you put your. thumb on this side of the hand or on. this side of the hand it makes a huge. difference it's like the little tiny. techniques that can make the difference.

where now 115 pound girl at the time. could do whatever she wanted to a 200. pound guy you know I was manhandling. these guys around the room and I'm like. just because these techniques that I. learned and I thought that was awesome. yeah that is an amazing thing it's Jiu. Jitsu is the one martial art that. delivers as promised where the smaller. trained person can defeat the larger. untrained person whereas a lot of other. martial arts. I mean you have a better chance but when.

they're really big you know and some. guys swinging if he knows how to punch a. little bit and you get clubbed with one. of those giant hams you get [ __ ] up. but if you get into a straggle like some. sort of a scramble and you knock into. some chairs and all sudden you get a. hold of this person oh now he's [ __ ]. that's what's crazy it's like that a. small person can physically control and. submit a much stronger person regularly. it happens all the time it happens with.

black belts even in Striking it's like a. person cannot know anything but if. they're big enough they throw their hand. the right way they can knock you out. yeah if you get hit with Francis and. gano's Pinky you're in trouble exactly. there's certain people they're so. powerful like the idea that you're going. to stand and trade with them is crazy. you're gonna hit you once and you're. dead you know that's like it just. doesn't work that well Jiu Jitsu it's. just there's the not the uh variant of. space so the there's not that element of. like guessing where it's like I can.

control and I can feel what you're gonna. do by touching you it's like it makes it. a lot easier you're not guessing with. that space is striking you're also not. guessing the variables like how fast is. this person how fast am I accustomed to. people punching me is this person much. faster do I have to anticipate that. because if you ever see like street. fight videos the most horrific ones are. some poor [ __ ] who wants to start a. fight with someone who's a trained. fighter and the train fighter [ __ ] them. up but you could see like they have no.

idea how fast things can happen like you. I'm sure you've seen the Joe showing one. yeah silly one's ridiculous but there's. no way that guy could have known that. that could happen that quickly there's. no way and people don't expect like like. for someone like me a lot of times I get. oh I would never guess that you're a. fighter for someone like Joe Schilling. is still even like oh yeah you wouldn't. like just say Max murderer oh you just. see him walking around like most people. you don't expect that they're Joe.

Schilling you don't expect it yeah. yeah but say like Ryan Hall Ryan Hall is. a great example yeah don't expect him to. be a fighter but it's like you never. know what somebody's capable of when it. comes to sports like this oh for sure. with Jiu Jitsu Mikey musumachi yeah. exactly yeah Mikey is a stone cold. killer and he looks like a guy who comes. over to fix your computer like he's he. looks like this the friendliest super. nerd oh this video is horrible this is. street fight in in a parking garage have.

you seen this no. these guys start [ __ ] with this dude. in the parking garage the guy's trying. to get away no he [ __ ] the other guy. up before this this is the shorter. version okay this is a shorter version. so this guy he's trying he's like come. on you want some and he moves for this. guy leg kicks him and then this is where. it gets ugly. punches them bam. yeah you don't want that like what like.

it's awesome to see that stuff works. right for people like hey this is real. someone tries to attack you you have an. upper hand but also like what are you. doing yes [ __ ] people uh I've never. been in a street fight in my life good. for you like I don't intend to ever but. it's just hey I don't get it like yeah. there's I I don't see a use for fighting. outside the cage for me like a lot of. people anger management issues and then.

there's criminals too and you know bad. folks yeah exactly yeah there's a lot of. weird stuff in the world but I just for. me. um I think it's fascinating that you are. more afraid of social interaction that. you're afraid of cage fighting that. might be one of the greatest lines that. anyone has ever said I think that's. going to get you a lot of fans. for real for me it's just like literally. I never really uh did any kind of. interviews or Media or anything like.

that until I got in the tough house so. that's going from absolutely zero to one. hundred percent like what was that like. you were like 22 at the time I was 22. and I was having interviews every day. cameras on you 24 7. literally after. every single interview I had to go and. change my shirt because I'd be dripping. sweat like I just got out the sauna whoa. just so nervous after every single. interview do you think they brought you. into the house knowing that you were. nervous too that like that you're a.

little socially awkward in that regard. and like that maybe that would make good. television. but they also cast that show as a. reality show it's a very cleverly done. show you know like it's it's smart the. way they do it they like even with what. they're doing now with Conor McGregor. and Michael Chandler it's great but. perfect perfect [ __ ] talking when Connor. tells them you'll do is your toes. it's amazing okay I hope that fight.

takes place but it's it's such a it's. such a show right so it's not just an. athletic competition it's also they want. to make sure the people are fun oh yeah. our season seemed pretty like tame. though I feel like in general we had a. lot of there is me and Montana De la. Rosa were the two like younger girls and. then everybody else I feel like was like. older and more mature like around like. at least like 30s and like they were. like I don't nobody was trying to start. drama nobody was trying to like get in.

each other's faces or we didn't have any. altercations it was like it was a pretty. chill season that's great so no one ever. encourages like any bickering or. anything like that they don't ever tell. you hey you know that's been just been. saying some [ __ ] does anybody ever do. that no nobody ever really does anything. like that but it's just like the boredom. gets to you if anything else it's like I. feel like no phones right no phones no. TV no music no books no nothing books. nothing at all oh God nothing so it's.

like can you have a notebook you're. allowed to get a notebook and then they. gave us we uh asked for coloring books. and they gave us sketch pad. oh my God I think I would go nuts that. sounds like one of those uh like. anti-tech Retreats you know exactly are. they trying to weed people off their. tech tech addictions I was just talking. to one of the boys who's actually on the. Conor McGregor season over the weekend. and he said the exact same thing as me. he's like it was the best and worst. experience of my life because it's like.

when you're in the gym there's so many. highs it's so great but then when you go. back to the house you're just sitting. there for hours and you're bored and it. sucks. what do you guys do to kill time can you. play games do they have like I need they. used to have pool right yeah I think. they had a pool table and a chess table. and then they have like the list where. you can order anything oh it's a good. order like Monopoly yeah so we would. order a bunch of [ __ ] just try and. entertain ourselves God. evil did you have good conversations.

uh or was it weird because you're all. competitors it's weird well not because. we're competitors because I'm weird. that's awesome I'm like I felt like I I. especially back then I wasn't able to. just like I don't know acclimate to that. going into a house with 16 different. girls that I don't really know right. like yeah that a completely alien. experience. and you sell you're feeling a little bit. awkward and you're also 22. and then.

also bam now you're on TV and it's my. first time like really like leaving home. I would say you know for a long period. of time so it was it was definitely a. big experience like a lot to think was. that now. um six years six years yeah so what do. you would you say that now you're. entering into your fighting Prime do you. think that's happening right now oh yeah. I think this is like just the beginning. of my Prime I'm just getting into where. I've really found the right combination. for everything and I feel like I'm just.

getting better every fight are you. ranked right now in uh where are you at. uh my next fight is against the number. 15 girl uh Tabitha Ricky interesting. she's tough that'll be fun that'll be a. good one yeah I'm like it's coming up. quick June 24th oh wow that is quick how. how many would you what was like your. ideal Camp size like in terms of weeks. uh I would say probably about six to. eight weeks I like just to get focused. on that opponent really started uh.

breaking down their style and game. planning for them specifically uh but. it's like with the UFC you never know. what you're getting right like how often. do they call you last minute uh I've. gotten a handful of last minute ones and. then I feel like it's almost just as bad. getting like the one 16 weeks out and. things like that because you're just. sitting there waiting for so long. um or you run the risk of over training. yeah what have you ever done that too. early in the camp I feel like I train. year round no matter what so it's like.

it's never really like we're I don't we. push it the last couple weeks but that's. about it so really so you're just always. training so hard that you can. essentially take well that's great if. you want to take a short notice fight. yeah because you're always prepared I. train probably about four or five hours. in the morning and about an hour at. night even if I'm off Camp like in camp. out of camp it doesn't matter right wow. on the same schedule. is just Obsession yeah I got nothing. better to do. but I mean what an amazing way to get. better you know I mean like when you.

think about grappling and you think. about Gordon Ryan uh no one doubts that. he's the best no geek Grappler ever. right but no one also doubts that he. works 365 days a year like that's that's. an insane work schedule and these are. insane results and you're essentially. doing that in MMA that's what I think. you see with like a lot of black belts. or like people who are at a high level. is they stop drilling they stop doing. the stuff that like Gordon Ryan still. drills every day and that's why he's so.

good at what he does and it's like. people at a high level in MMA they're. just doing what the black belt's doing. sitting on the side until it's time to. roll you know yeah and it's like you got. to be drilling every day you got to be. putting in the hours uh like my coaches. are there with me uh every hour of the. day if I wanted for them to be you know. they're willing to put in the work and. like I said as Fighters we got nothing. better to do literally this is what we. do like you gotta treat it as like. you're going to school a doctorate you. know well I think that approach your.

approach is perfect that's the right way. to do it I really do I mean but. everybody's different you know. people have like different ways of. fighting different ways of approaching. fighting some are much more chaotic than. like you and your style. but I think that's that's the best way. to look at it and I think. too often people love to roll because. rolling's so fun it's so fun that you. just don't even want to do all that. other stuff now let me get warmed up a.

little bit and let's [ __ ] go let's go. you just want to go because it's so. exciting it's the most fun thing and. it's exercise so it's like engaging. intellectually it's physically it's. emotionally engaging it's like sometimes. you're like [ __ ] like you're gonna tap. and you don't and there's a lot going on. there's battles going on and it's a. great workout and if you can do it and. if you could do it on a regular basis it. could change your life it could change. your life and it's available to. everybody like this idea that it's all.

brutes when you go to 10th Planet Jiu. Jitsu you see these like dudes look like. skateboarders and Surfers and they'll. strangle you it's weird it's like. they're super nerd assassins there's a. ton of them and you're one of them on. the female side. yeah I feel like that's uh I don't know. for me it's like I said I've never been. like someone athletic I volunteered with. animals growing up you know I was always. the quiet kid in the back of the class. and it's like just I don't know what Jiu. Jitsu is being able to be that like I.

don't know be that voice in a way you. know being that way to express myself. and it's I I feel like it it was just. like completely not who I was when I was. little you know it's just it's a. complete yeah out of left field but it's. you you know you're just growing you. know this is the new you. right I mean it is you yeah and you're. gonna if you continue and you become. Champion you're gonna have to do a lot. of this [ __ ] oh yeah you're gonna have. to do a lot of this [ __ ] you know.

I mean um how many fights do you think. you are away from a title shot it's a. stacked Vision I think I'm too far away. from it currently uh I think that on as. after this fight I would like I'm not. looking past Tabitha at all but I'm also. like looking at the true trajectory of. where I'm going and uh obviously. Mackenzie Dern just put on a great. performance a couple weeks ago and uh. she has the second most submissions in.

uh women's history and I have the first. so it's like I think I would like to you. know just solidify that everybody calls. her the submission Queen even though I'm. like I have more than her. well she's pretty awesome but you are. too that would be a crazy fight oh yeah. and I think then that after that fight I. wouldn't be too far away from the title. fight I was very impressed with her. against Angela Hill Angela Hill is so. tough. she was taking so many shots like oh my. God and just can't fight would not give.

up that arm bar like so many times. Mackenzie came so close to getting that. arm bar and Angela was just not giving. up but. oh I think that's the best Mackenzie. we've seen so far ever did just like to. it was incredible incredible performance. and super aggressive too exactly that's. what I feel like was so beneficial for. her she doesn't have to worry about. getting taken down right typically you. know so she can be a little bit Reckless. and come in with those strikes and. that's exactly what she needed to do.

with Angela Hill and she was able to do. it and she's dangerous on her feet now. too it used to be just the ground but. now she's winging bombs she she could. hit Angela with a knee you know she's. very dangerous he says she doesn't have. to be scared you know so she can throw. over commit to any strike throw with all. her power and it doesn't matter because. it's like put me on my back like thank. you like coming to my guard yeah there's. guards you know and then some I mean her. guard is [ __ ] nasty her guard is so. high level everything she does is so.

high level it's like when you can watch. Jiu Jitsu like that in MMA like a real. world champion when it goes to the. ground like her like moving from. position to position and petition to. finally securing it's like whoo. it's so quick she's so good so good and. so technical you know her dad's a legend. it's just like that kind of like high. level Jiu Jitsu and MMA some of my. favorite [ __ ] to watch. you know there's there's certain people. that just have either one or two Elite.

high level moves that they could pull. off and when they do it you just like. you're doing this to the best of the. best in the world. yeah I feel like with Jiu Jitsu it's. just like I I don't know just moving. with people so much I feel like it's so. impressive to watch how people can just. float on top of people it's like knowing. when to control and when to release. almost you know when you really need it. I don't some people are specialists at. control but like for someone like me I. feel like I'm I'm better at Flowing you. know and letting people follow make.

their own mistakes and fall into things. where it's like someone like khabib is. that pressure kind of fighter right. you're you're better at finding the. openings as you you threaten them in. different areas and just move into. position and hold it all right uh not. necessarily me threatening them but them. falling into their own mistake I I feel. like I like that like I'm just sitting. there doing damage until I see the. opening until I see my opportunity until. I see that one mistake that you made and. I capitalize on it and is this how.

you've always done it or is this. something you're you're doing now better. than you've ever done before this is. something I'm definitely doing now but. better than I've ever done before was. this the same approach that you had in. the beginning of your career when you. first started um I don't think as much. just because now I feel I feel like I. went from a jiu jitsu girl who did MMA. to an MMA fighter more whereas like now. uh I don't like a lot of my early. submissions were arm bars off my back. where I was just comfortable playing. guard I didn't care because I was good.

at Jiu Jitsu where it's like now I'm. always looking to do damage wherever I'm. at typically uh like to sit on top and. do heavy ground and pound and heavy top. pressure until they're like all right we. need to get this girl off me I need to. stand up and then that's when I. capitalize typically off a lot of times. off the stand up is where I find my. choke or if they're just staying on. their back is where my armbar open up or. like head and arms other opportunities. where I just don't like to give up that.

top position yeah top position so so. important it's just if you can control. the top it's just much easier for you. than it is for the other Pro and it's. also kind of humiliating someone's on. top you in front of all these people. punching you in the face it's also just. a lot to carry on top of you it makes it. you guessed exactly yeah and that like I. feel like nobody understands the cardio. that it takes to get up and get down and. get up and get down in MMA versus like. if you're just doing Jiu Jitsu or you're. just doing kickboxing grounds it's like. once you mix it all together it's just.

it changes the pace clearly yeah I. remember one of the most brilliant. things that um uh when George Saint. Pierre fought BJ Penn he wanted to. Grapple with him immediately he wanted. to really get a hold of him right away. to wear his arms out he goes I wanted. his arms to be filled with blood. so like it changes it changes your. ability to throw punches changes your. ability to get snap off to explode. you're kind of gassed out because you've. been pummeling and trying to avoid being. taken to the ground it's just this when. people don't know when they see like.

your fights these these exchanges. Against the Cage those are some of the. most grueling moments in all of MMA just. the the battle to see who wins this. thing. yeah exactly especially Against the Cage. honestly a lot of those battles I'm just. like if we can find an opportunity to. break off I'm willing to because it's. like if I didn't get the takedown. initially then I'm just gonna be. grueling like you said like it's gonna. be hard work to get them down where it's.

like why don't let's break off reset and. find the opportunity find the right. timing for the takedown instead of. sitting here and just grinding it out. and just tiring both of us out yeah it's. um it's such a an interesting time for. uh MMA because you're seeing people like. yourself that are young and grew up with. it and got to watch it on television and. got it did what was the first MMA fight. that you ever saw. I think the first one that I ever. watched was uh Jon Jones and I think it.

was Rashad Evans so you're watching at a. very high level. as opposed to a lot of the people that. like even Jon Jones the stuff he got to. see was stuff from 10 years before that. and like the kids of today the kids like. yourself like you the the people growing. up now you guys have the most um amazing. library of Champions to study in in all. the different forms of martial arts and. to see people like yourself that are.

putting it together so obsessively and. and and and to watch it succeed over and. over again inside the arch God it's. [ __ ] cool I love it it's real it's so. such an exciting time I feel like it's. the beginning of MMA as a sport where. it's like for so long it's been Jiu. Jitsu guys who do a little bit of. striking or like like wrestlers or. Strikers but now it's like is people. putting it together and making it Styles. and systems based upon these things yeah.

where it's like I feel like honestly. Dean's one uh obviously I work with him. but he's one of the best in trying to. innovate and that's why I appreciate his. mind so much of just trying to make it. MMA as a sport whenever he's on the. techniques that he has me drilling where. I feel like it's like Donahue innovated. the uh no nogi game with leg locks it's. like we need to change this from being. kickboxing Jiu Jitsu and wrestling to. being mixed martial arts Dean always has. awesome input whenever we're doing the.

shows and that they cut to him he'll. always point out something that I. probably missed and when you're watching. these high level people that are that. are coming up right now it there there. is still the room for the specialist. there's still the room for like the. Anderson Silva style striking that the. problem is with all fights is they all. start standing up and if you are. standing up with a guy like Alex pajera. like you're in a world of danger this is. a terrifying world like so there are. still those Specialists that are so. goddamn dangerous at this one aspect of.

the game that they can get through and. the problem with like I always wonder. will there be like because Israel is a. striking specialist too but will there. be an MMA fighter that is complete. everywhere to the point where they can. stand with a world champion kickboxer is. that a real thing or is that it's a only. a few freaks or is that it seems like in. order to be a world champion kickboxer.

you have to really dedicate yourself. only striking the timing that's involved. the distance no you're not thinking. about takedowns you're not thinking. about anything else for you to be a. world champion MMA fighter you have to. be well versed in so many different. things can do you really have the time. to dedicate to get to the kickboxing. level that this guy is then every fight. starts kickboxing every fight starts way. apart from each other and when you got a. guy like peda moving towards you with. that crazy style like oh Jesus Christ. you know we're out of Sonya like.

standing in front of you moving you like. this [ __ ] has me three moves. ahead we haven't even started exchanging. yet yeah I guess you gotta hope to get. those guys in their back that's what I'm. saying but it's interesting to watch. like the evolution of Robert Whitaker. you know because Robert Whittaker you. know he evolved so much more from the. first fight to the second fight he got. so much better. yeah no I. I don't know it's definitely uh when you. have a good Striker it's hard to. obviously like we discussed earlier with.

the space you know you can never guess. what's gonna happen but it's just like I. feel like if you are a good Grappler or. a good wrestler and you are able to get. it to the Mac you can be that much more. effective than having a good striker in. front of you yes Well you certainly can. the the difference is you can control. what's happening when if you get someone. and you get on top of them right that. what I always wonder is like I wonder if. there are the people like pajeda or of. that ilk Cedric doombe who I think is. now going to fight for pfl he's have you.

ever seen that guy flying yeah holy [ __ ]. he's a glory world champion kickboxer. and he he's a bad man and he has a crazy. work ethic too he used my gym when he. was in town. and he has a coach. and they do the strength and. conditioning routines excuse me. they do these strength and conditioning. routines where. it's um like one round of sprinting on.

the uh one of those self-propelled. treadmills and then one one round of. going hard on the bag and then one round. of plyos and they're just rotating back. and forth between all these different. exercises his cardio is off the charts. and he's like that's it it's the that's. the game plan the game plan is you put. heat on them with technique and. athleticism and Tech in in strategy but. you put heat on and they can't keep up. they just can't because they're not. they're not going to work that hard if. you get to that level of Fitness like.

you can have this extra thing that other. people just don't have and Cedric dumbe. has that extra thing but can he wrestle. like is he going to be able to stuff. takedowns how how are these guys going. to deal with getting him to the ground. because as you're moving in on him you. can give any second you'd get knocked. unconscious it could come out of nowhere. and he might just take a wild shot at. you because he doesn't want to get taken. down maybe he just maybe says let's see. let me just throw a head kick you know. it's like I like watching that too I.

love watching someone like yourself I. love watching these MMA fighters of. today they're these full complete. artists if you want get some of his. highlights not the training highlights. but I know he's been doing a lot of MMA. training but go to his Kickboxing. highlights it's Kickboxing highlights. are preposterous. he's a bad man. and he's got some vicious knockouts. and he's just clever in there he's just. clever I love the way and he's fighting. that guy's Nikki holtzkin who's a beast. I mean Doom Bay is and constant pressure.

like you don't get breaks with him. if you get a break it's because he wants. you to have a break I mean he just. swarms on dudes I just feel like if you. look at that pressure in MMA it's like. it would be impossible to maintain with. with the variable of takedowns look at. that just it would be impossible yeah. you're true it's absolutely watch this. when when you miss this look at this. oh.

a comedian in France. oh wow. yeah it's crazy and he's one of the best. kickboxers alive. yeah. multi-talented it is not very. multi-talented super funny guy too and. he you know if he can figure out the. grappling my my question is always like. is it better to be well-rounded or is it. better to be a specialist it used I used. to think it'd be better to be a. specialist wrestler I felt like and I. still think that to a certain extent. that at least the base beginning of. amateur wrestling.

those guys seem to be the toughest they. seem to be they have the most mental. fortitude the grind of becoming a. successful wrestler is unlike any other. athletic Pursuit that I ever I only. wrestled in high school for one year is. one of the hardest things in my life. it's [ __ ] hard but these guys are. it's particularly good at the most. important thing getting the fight to the. ground and getting on top of people. right that's the number one thing those. guys are the best at it so I felt like. that's like the Cornerstone. but every fight does start standing up.

and so then you get a guy like Marco. crocop who figures out how Stuff. takedowns and now you're dealing with. one of the most elite kickboxers alive. and it's horrifying right so I always. wonder like what is the best approach do. you think it's to be a fully rounded. mixed martial artist putting all your. time and all these different things or. do you think maybe there's some room for. the idea of like the world champion. specialist I.

yourself a mixed martial artist I think. if you are a specialist to begin with. say like someone like him who's a world. uh world champion kickboxer you probably. shouldn't be investing like all your. time into Jiu Jitsu at that point you. should probably stay The Specialist you. know like go to MMA and like learn how. to defend takedowns you shouldn't be. learning like how to finish arm bars. necessarily you know putting a gee on. day one it's like you don't need to. learn that at this point you should. focus on what you're good at but if you.

are day one I think you should like. focus on everything and putting. everything all together because it's. like I can have someone who is a better. wrestler than me but I can guarantee you. they won't won't want to stay in my. guard you know it's like and I for me. especially I think the two most. important are striking in Jiu Jitsu. because they are the finishing elements. so it's like those are the ways I can. take people out of the fight where it's. like wrestling I can control a little. bit more but it's I don't have any. finishing options. well that's a brilliant way of looking.

at it I think you're right I think if. you're starting from the beginning I. think learning everything would be very. advantageous because you wouldn't want. to think you're. you know you you wouldn't want to think. you're safer than you are and then. someone takes you down at will and. you're like oh Jesus yeah like if you. just learned martial arts like striking. martial arts and you don't maybe I. should learn Jiu Jitsu yeah maybe I need. to learn that's probably not the moment. to learn no but I do think there's. there's some room for people that at. least if you come maybe it's like if you. get to a certain age maybe at a certain. age you must. go all in on all MMA but if you could be.

a specialist early in your life like if. you're a specialist and striking I think. maybe early in your life you would have. a like if you look at all the best. kickboxers and even all the best boxers. for the most part A lot of them start. when they're very young. it seems to be like striking for some. reason I think there's freaks there's. there's people that just learn it and. even when they're in their 30s they can. learn and they get really good at it but. for a lot of people there's something. about the timing of striking that if you. don't pick it up when you're really.

young you don't really achieve this sort. of there's like a plateau for a lot of. folks have you ever noticed that. for me I'm like I don't know striking. has never been like my fort I started. striking before I started Jiu Jitsu it's. just Jiu-Jitsu just clicked for me. striking I feel like it just takes a. little bit more of like athleticism I. guess where it's like I I'm not the most. athletic fighter so it's like I feel. like I can't really use my mind to just. make quicker decisions and striking as.

much as I can in uh Jiu Jitsu where it's. easier to well that's a brilliant way to. do it I I think you know especially for. your mind and your approach. the Striking is just a means to an end. right you're just trying to you're. trying to strangle people yeah yeah. exactly and it's. I'm not going to say I'm never gonna. have a knockout because obviously I want. that's the goal is to be able to develop. power but it's just it's so much easier. for like a heavy weight to just throw. his fists and knock somebody out where. someone a girl like any of the 25 or 15.

or it's the smaller girls it's like it's. really hard to develop that kind of. power unless you're born with it well. that's why Valentine is so scary. Valentina when she landed that uh head. kick on Jessica I was like. that was nasty oh yeah nasty Knockouts. like that with girls I feel like it's. just they're not common so when you see. them it's like you gotta have respect. for that girl yeah well Valentina that. [ __ ] left high kick holy [ __ ] and she.

set it up to the body before that. she's so good and she's always like lied. on her toes you know her style is so. interesting you know it's a very it's. like when she you know she lost the. title now obviously and I would love to. see the rematch because the fight was. awesome but if you look at her like the. best moments in her career she's like. always moving always on her toes perfect. technique with striking oh yeah she's. rarely out of position I feel like.

that's one of the things I've always. admired about her it's like it's it's. hard to do what Alexa did is to be able. to get her out of position and be able. to capitalize on it get her to like. mentally not be there for a split second. and be able to see that opportunity. isn't it crazy that she did it off a. spinning back kick it's I I feel like. Valentino was just kind of like this. chick won't go away I thought this was. going to be easier and she started. making like not the smartest decisions. you really think that's what happened. you don't think maybe it was just. fatigue I think a little bit that but a.

little bit of frustration maybe too just. like Valentina was winning the fight and. had a lot of good opportunities but. Alexa like Alexa was the only one. walking in there knowing that she was. gonna win that fight no matter what that. night well. Is that real. can you know that you're gonna win no. matter what you could have that attitude. she you could say afterwards I knew I. was going to win no matter what but. there's that's two World titles that. were essentially lost to a spinning back. kick Miss.

you ever see uh Chris Weidman. the when when Chris Wyman fought Luke. rockhold he was winning the fight it was. like a really good fight and then he. throws a spinning back kick and he. misses and Luke rockhold takes him to. the ground and beats the [ __ ] out of him. and it was a horrible beating it was it. was a really dominant performance by. rockhold. it was hard to watch and that he lost. the title and then you look at Valentina. same thing spinning back kick misses.

Alexa Grosso gets her gets her back. chokes her crazy. it's like two World titles on a spinning. back kick Miss I feel like it's just. like I don't know it wasn't a smart. thing it was just like a lapse of. thought for her for that second where. she was just like all right I'm gonna. throw this and Alexa just capitalized. she saw the opportunity and took it well. if she landed it then it would have been. something different she has a nasty. spinning back kick she really does. so this is uh Wyman and they were in the.

middle of this fight Wyman was moving. forward on rockhold. and this is a Weidman was the [ __ ]. man this was a tough fight very tough. fight but Wyman's putting all this. pressure on him kicks him to the body. looks like he's putting to him head kick. so right there right there one it's like. he's beating him up like he's big. brother in him right and he throws a. lazy wheel kick. and he gets taken down and now Luke.

rockholds a [ __ ] on the ground. and that boy's big Luke rockhold's big. you know he made 185 for about 15. seconds yeah he's he's well into the. 200s I'm sure when he's fighting he's a. big fellow big long strong as [ __ ] with. crazy top pressure and so here you go. Wyman's exhausted now and can't believe. he's in this position it's a terrible. position to be in I mean you talk. rockholds training with DC he's training. with khabib he's training with all those. people down there all those animals and.

AKA came Velasquez it's just a Savage. soup down there exactly and so Luke. rockhold people forget you know people. see some of his losses and see him in. the later stages of a career when Luke. Rockwell was a champ and this right here. that he won the title this [ __ ]. had staff he came into this fight on. antibiotics he's just gotten over staff. you know how hard it is to get uh or. antibiotics [ __ ] you up and to be. winning this fight in this way is in. [ __ ] credible and all off of Weidman.

missing one shot really look at me he's. just beating the [ __ ] out of him it's. hard to watch man because Wyman is like. really kind of helpless at this point. and he's so battered from these elbows. and it's like and he's too tough he's so. tough the guy will never quit and so. this is this is one where I'm like maybe. this could have been stopped earlier. you could stop this at any second right. here you know what I'm saying like don't. you think it keeps going too bro this is. crazy this is crazy that might have been. around.

I think it was the round even I think. they keep going because what yeah yeah. oh my gosh what. it went on after that that's right. that's right and it gets oh my God it. happens again though it happens again. that's right. how tough is Chris Weidman that. [ __ ] so tough. but sometimes careers can change off of.

One Missed technique which is one of the. wildest things about MMA. careers can change okay anything can. happen at anything at any moment I feel. like it's like it like I say you can go. in and you can be a better Striker than. the person you can just get caught it. can be their night they can show up. better it's like there's a lot of my. fights where it's like I feel like I am. the better fighter but they showed up. that night. it's it's is it all it's always a. learning process though right like every. experience that you have you're putting. into your your mental database about how.

to deal with different conditions how to. deal with different thoughts that come. in your head oh yeah I I feel like it's. a huge learning process and for me I. think like I didn't really get a lot of. regional experience you know I was three. and two when I came into the tough house. wow so I'm going on my next fight will. be my 15th UFC fight so go three and two. tough house and then Liverpool yeah. exactly. oh my God what a wild ride yeah so a lot.

of my learning experience was in the UFC. in the UFC in front of the whole world. yeah exactly Chris Weidman when he. knocked out Anderson Silva that was. another one of those how did that happen. what what is going on in moments we're. like everybody thought that Anderson. Silva was Untouchable at that point that. was that moment where you know you. realize like this sport is nuts even the. people that you think are the greatest. of all time they can get cracked and. knocked unconscious like it had like. Leon Edwards when he knocked out Kamara. Usman in the last round like what what.

kamaru when he lands that head kick and. you see Camaro who's like one of the. most durable guys that's ever lived he. gets cracked he gets back up he seems. fine always in every fight and this one. he gets put out it almost seemed surreal. like when Tyson got knocked out by. Buster Douglas like what like what is. happening it's crazy it's like like you. say you can be the better fighter you. could be win that fight nine out of 10. times and then just that one time is. that night is that that's what happens. especially at a high level right. especially at a high level it's like you.

can't make any kind of mistake it's like. on a regional level say you make a. little mistake but they're not going to. capitalize on it because they're just. they're not smart enough maybe you know. it's like a lot of or like whatever it. is but then once you get up to a high. level it's like these people are good if. you make that one little mistake then. you're getting knocked out out you're. getting subbed you don't have those kind. of opportunities so it's definitely a. learning experience there there's also. the difference between people that that. are fighting that train and people that.

train like you train there's a big. difference the fact that you do it. constantly and consistently it's just. such an advantage I believe because you. know I mean I know it just from training. in Jiu Jitsu even when I was training. like four days a week like really. regularly I would be in with those guys. that are training five six seven days a. week and they'll be getting better than. me like and I knew it you could tell. either it's in your head like okay do. you want to go psycho and be here seven. days a week or do you want to try to. live a life like how are you going to.

balance this you know they're going to. get better than you it's impossible to. stop it's just a thing that people do if. you can dedicate enough time and focus. on to something over long periods of. time if you really stay true to it you. get better and better and better and. when I see someone like yourself that. does that and goes from the tough house. and goes to that fight and live purple. to me that's like one of the Great. American success stories that was. [ __ ]. I mean that's really amazing it's an. amazing thing to be this person who's a.

socially awkward kid and then all sudden. you strangle some girl in her hometown. in front of the whole world in this. crazy Arena like that's wild oh no it's. a hundred percent everything is surreal. about it to me so it's like for me it's. like I'm just a kid who loves this [ __ ]. I love this Sport and that's about it I. love showing up every day I love going. to the gym every day and it's like even. on my bad days it's better than going to. any other job like I love training more. than anything else like I can always. remember it's like I've worked at vets.

offices I worked at Chili's right before. I got into the tough house and I'm like. there's my worst days at the gym are. Betty better than any day I had to go to. one of those jobs of course I remember. like getting off of a shift at Chili's. getting off of a shift at the vet's. office working like 10 hours a day and. just going straight to the gym and. there's nothing better than the feeling. of the mats underneath your feet like. wow that's just what I love more than. anything you can't beat that kind of. dedication that dedication trumps.

everything because even if you're really. really disciplined you're enthusiastic. too like there's like discipline will. get you through like a five mile run you. know but like it's not gonna you're not. gonna learn as much. just with discipline like you kind of. enthusiasm and discipline is really the. right combination you can't just be. disciplined and just kind of trudge. through it because the person that's. more interested in it that's more. passionate about the more excited about. it that person's more jazzed up they're. going to learn it quicker and they're. going to put it on you quicker it's like. it's the ultimate testing ground for.

ideas and focus it really is I don't get. people who don't train out of Camp if. they're like oh yeah I took like a month. off or something like what did you do. do you do anything other than train like. what is what is fun time. I had nothing no Hobbies no nothing you. don't play golf. have like a like I live in Miami so it's. like I'll go out like paddle boarding. sometimes things like that uh but that's. really it like training is so much of my.

life and I feel like it's like a lot of. the times I'm not training I just don't. want to do anything because I'm tired. I'm exhausted from training. yeah I think masayama said that about as. karate students I think they were. talking about why they don't I think. it's masoyama they it's not that they're. more noble they're tired from training. something like that I might have [ __ ]. I'm pretty sure I [ __ ] that up but. yeah it's if you're training all the. time like that's why street fights seems.

so stupid you know like oh my God that's. like more training like yeah exactly. more training with danger and weapons. yeah no I'm like I don't I don't get how. people are so confident to get in street. fights crazy man right that's like you. said without weapons like that's the. crazy thing to me you don't know when. somebody has a weapon you know people. people shoot people just be nice it's. not a fight exactly. there's so many [ __ ] loons out there. though have you uh ever had uh like a. girl come to the gym specifically to try.

to train with you uh to come train with. me yeah definitely I train at a smaller. gym with the goat shed in Miami so it's. like that is a wild place that you train. now yeah it is I love that you train. there. those fellows are wild yeah my coach. awesome he has like a Controlled Chaos. going on in there but they're getting. good oh yeah we did it everybody's. getting good like I said we're there at. 8 A.M 10 a.m 11 A.M then I'm doing. cardio after everybody's there Focus. working it's like I feel like people see.

all the the crazy [ __ ] online and don't. think we're actually training we're. actually working but it's like there's. so much technical like ability that's. behind all the chaos that you can see no. for sure there's there's you could see. that on Instagram but if to the Casual. Observer I see what you're saying but. the the Infectious energy in that gym is. so apparent that it comes out through. Instagram like that's how you know it's. a legit gym it's a little a little wild. uh. [Music].

he was just here yeah he was there he's. the [ __ ] man last week I want to say. we had a seminar he's the [ __ ] man I. love that dude. okay. some girl had her legs open I don't know. what that was all about I don't don't. look at that one Jamie. yeah Miami's a wild ass place. it's not it's clever it's clever selling. classes oh you click it and it's. something else oh she's selling. sunglasses oh glasses.

you gotta entice them you know yeah. there's a lot of dirty people get the. click bait. what do you think about fighter starring. only fans is that nuts uh yeah I don't. know it not my thing definitely like. obviously like I have friends who do it. things like that but it's just I don't. know it's it I feel like you you gotta. be decide what you want I feel like it's. hard to be committed to fighting when. you're in to doing any like if you. taking pictures and looking cute and.

doing things like that that takes time. where it's like I don't have time for. that [ __ ] it's not just that but then. that probably makes you as much money as. fighting yeah that's that's also the. thing about it too or more money there's. a lot of girls making more money than. that I'm sure yeah. I'm not knocking it if I was a girl I'd. be in my underwear for sure I'd be like. come see this give me money. especially when I was young if you're a. young girl I mean I look I'm not. encouraging anyone to start only but I.

am saying like what what is worse what. is worse someone looking at your butt or. you know you having to work some stupid. job for four months I can't I can't. remember who it was but there's uh. girl she had an only fans. and she tweeted one she's like you guys. can pay me to use my body to fight. people but you don't want me to like pay. me to use my body to like on only fans. like you guys are just someone who's. telling her not to do it yeah I don't. believe in that I don't think you should.

be able to tell anybody what to do with. their personal life especially like. social media personal life like do. whatever you want to do you want to show. everybody about go ahead you know I mean. the thing is then your butts on the. internet for the rest of your life. and that's okay too I think probably. there's going to be no privacy in about. a decade or so I don't think any I think. we're gonna be like remember back in the. day when you had privacy I think people. are going to know every thought that. everybody has there's nothing hiding. you're not going to be able to hide. taxes you're not gonna I think the way.

our lives are getting more and more. interconnected with technology we're. going to come to a point in time. where I don't think there's going to be. anything to hide that anybody has and. that's going to be a weird time to be. alive I swear I think about things and. my iPhone tells me like oh yeah for sure. it's like oh why don't why don't you. order this I'm like how did you even I. swear I didn't say it out loud I just. thought of it and it comes up there I. was Googling something and then the. thing that I Googled started showing up.

in my Instagram feed. very specific it's a very specific thing. I'll tell you what it is it's a 1968. bullet Mustang. tell me how specific that is that's. really [ __ ] specific never should. that never showed up on my Instagram. feed before but I was Googling the scene. from the movie Bullet you ever heard of. the scene the movie yeah it's Steve. McQueen movies filmed in San Francisco. it's the greatest car chase scene ever. and Steve McQueen has this 1968 Highland.

Green Mustang and they're going through. his see if you can find it it's [ __ ]. wild it's a wild scene and this is 1968. cars drove like [ __ ] so uh I Google this. I watch this chase scene and I'm looking. at like builds that people have made. where they've made replicas of of that. car including this company called. revology that makes a sick Mustang and. um they make like a new 1968 Mustang. instead of it being a 1968 Mustang it's.

like a 2023 1968 Mustang but with modern. technology in it so this is Steve. McQueen and this dude getting this wild. chase scene in San Francisco and it goes. on for what this is when movies didn't. have music playing when [ __ ] was. happening. look at this it's just the sounds of the. car Steve McQueen's face. and now they'd be [ __ ] this up with. dude. but back then they knew how to make a.

[ __ ] movie but look at that car look. at that car that's a 1968 Mustang that's. a 68 Charger. so anyway this starts showing up in my. [ __ ] Instagram feed now that's really. specific that's how dope is that car. that's a dope that's a [ __ ] dope car. I saw I the scene's incredible it goes. on forever. do you think they cleared traffic for. this uh for sure they just clipped that. car you saw that I know but that my. point was I was uh there's a movie I've. seen recently same time period I think.

it's a Jack Nicholson chase scene this. makes sense and maybe New York or. Chicago I read they didn't clear traffic. they just filmed it oh I don't think. it's as dangerous as this one probably. but they just filmed it and we're like. okay for something like this this is. high speeds you can't have people. walking their baby stroller across the. street when Steve McQueen kills them or. you just pay an intern and say hey no. that's not gonna work. that car is 100 a part of the movie so. is that car watch how this car reacts. these are all like stunt man these are.

all stunt man now 100 I would assume it. would be now see how slow that that. Volkswagen's going that dude would not. be going that slow look at this help. hubcap lost look at this [ __ ] all right. this is a wild [ __ ] movie son this. goes on forever. this is what they used to do in movies. if you watch like old like a lot of. Steve McQueen's movies Le Mans same. thing like the whole beginning of the. movie no one even talks forever. I'm really good at falling asleep during. movies. you don't give a [ __ ] about anything but. training I love it I love it I'm like.

anytime I lay down for too long it's. like it's a risk so you just pass out. yeah yeah I can't movies I don't know it. has to be like. I don't know kids movies that usually. you like kids movies I'll do good with. like animation things like frozen yeah. I'd be cool with watching that I could. probably stay up for that but like any. real movies I just don't have the I. don't know I don't have the intentions. man well it's also like the drama that. people go through in some real movies. like think about the actual real drama. you go through for your profession yeah. exactly their things are so mundane you.

know yeah no I I I feel like I like to. try to get away from that like I don't. know I am a huge fight fan too so I. spend a lot of time watching fights and. yeah every weekend last weekend I was. like what do I do there's no fights on I. just feel lost if I don't have a week a. weekend of fights do you watch uh only. MMA or do you watch other sports do you. watch Muay Thai or anything else I have. more MMA than anything else I I don't. know even Jiu Jitsu I feel like I've. never really gotten deep into watching.

but really yeah it's more just the MMA. specifically but I think MMA as a sport. is completely different than like say. like no Jiu Jitsu versus Gigi Jiu Jitsu. versus like kickboxing versus wrestling. it's like those are all like even I feel. like people look at like MMA Jiu Jitsu. versus nogi Jiu Jitsu they're like oh. it's the same when it's completely two. different worlds well as soon as. striking's involved and also the gloves. prevent a lot of stuff. it's it's very interesting the. difference if I you know obviously.

uh never fought MMA but I I've grappled. with them I made gloves on just trying. to get chokes when someone's not. punching you you can't get things under. chins it's so much harder it's just how. you have to work for things too like I. think like when I go into Jiu-Jitsu. competitions I get stuck in a girl's. clothes guard and I'm like how the [ __ ]. do I open a closed guard like oh I punch. you in the face that's how I open your. clothes guard. right I can't do that right now so it's. like I haven't drilled that [ __ ] in.

years where it's like these girls are. doing that every single day yeah the uh. the strategy of punching in the face. can't be ignored that's a good way to. get out of someone's closed guard yeah. it's like well it's just easy a lot less. effort exactly it opens up so many. opportunities even submissions it's like. uh I feel like for the rose that uh. grappling match it was short notice for. both of us I think the whole card was. put together on 11 days total oh wow so. uh I just had like a short camp but me.

just doing straight Jiu Jitsu for that. short camp I was like it's so much. harder to get submissions when you can't. punch them in the face when you can't. just like get them to like try to push. you off or create the space when you. can't do the damage that's a really good. argument for learning it the way you're. learning it then from the beginning. because that's a really good argument. for learning MMA jiu jitsu. completely different sport I think like. I don't know I think nogi and MMA Jiu. Jitsu they're just like getting farther. and farther away from each other as the. years go I think that nogi is taking its.

own path in MMA is a completely. different world where it's like even my. choking style I feel like doesn't. translate as well to nogi as it works. for MMA. that's interesting but it's. it's like the the level that exists now. both in in Jiu Jitsu and in MMA is so. different than at any other time I'm. looking at these guys that are just now. entering into the UFC and they look they.

look like world champions like they move. like world champions it's so it's such. an interesting thing to see and for you. to be a part of it and to love it so. much it's got to be one of the wildest. experiences a person could go through oh. it's crazy like at my gym right now we. have a kid who just started training. with us he's 11 and 1 and 20 years old. and I'm like like where did you get the. time to get those fights that's amazing. like my niece she's three and just. started to train Jiu Jitsu I'm like I.

can only imagine like people starting. MMA at this age now where it's like. you've never really seen that before and. if you keep going at the pace you're. going I think you you could hit like. really crazy levels I really believe. that. I really believe that you're you're one. of the most exceptional uh contenders. that are that are coming up right now. it's really exciting to say I think I. built a really good foundation over the. last couple years like I said I learned. a lot I got into the UFC extremely young. so I feel like it was a lot of stepping.

stones but now I am in the prime of my. life and I am I have the right. combination with goat shed and Dean. Thomas and I feel like I don't I'm just. in a good spot mentally and physically. and I feel like I'm ready for these. opportunities that are coming my way. that sounds like you prepared that one. did you prepare that one no I did not at. all it's awesome that's perfect. print cut make it make it real but touch. it on Instagram yeah that's awesome I'm. excited I'm excited for you when you're.

um watching some of these upcoming cards. what fights are interesting to you that. are coming up right now uh the upcoming. cards oh. um on the Amanda Nunez card the banil. darush and Charles Oliveira that fight. I'm like I've been waiting for that. forever it got canceled now were you. scheduled I'm like a good one that is. the that is gonna be a matchup but Neil. Dario's just fight with jakar close was. one of the craziest [ __ ] fights I've. ever seen in my life it was so nuts it. was so back and forth but Neil was. almost out like we thought he was hurt.

bad and that he finds a way to win and. his grappling is nasty he's got one of. those types of grappling Styles that's. just ideal for MMA he's really blended. it in such a perfect way it's going to. be interesting to see because Oliveira. is very very good off his back and he's. like diverse technically doesn't need to. take this fight you could probably get a. title opportunity I'm assuming before. this you know it's like I feel like he. takes opportunity like he's just a. gangster you know he's down to take it. he is just a gangster. um you know who I was thinking about.

earlier I forgot to mention nasty off. their back Paul Craig yeah he's. something different something different. that dude's triangle is Elite okay holy. [ __ ] uh him and Jamal Hill oh never. forget that his arm just like flopping. around there there's nothing worse than. that it was horrible luckily Jamal's arm. was fine believe it or not it was just. dislocated I thought it was broken it. looks so terrible I've seen a gang of. arms get broken in my day and that one. was one of the most awkward ones Misha.

when Rhonda broke Misha's arm oh yeah. that was a good one too. I'm like it's so funny because in a. fight I don't have a problem like doing. things like that but then watching it. I'm like oh that's gross. I think the scariest ones for me the leg. breaks when uh Anderson broke his leg. against wide men when Weidman broke his. leg against Uriah Hall like those are. the scariest ones that those freaked me. out for Weidman to be a part of both of. those I'm like crazy what are the odds. that's absolutely insane there was one.

that happened a few years back Corey. Hill rest in peace and then there was. Anderson and then after Anderson. who else Chris Weidman. Connor. no one else. is that it I think that's it that's it. and one of the worst ones is Tyrone. spawn you ever you ever seen that one oh. my gosh that was disgusting just oh. that's a hard one it's something. different with a in kickboxing too I. feel like the kicks are just thrown with.

more intention oh my God the way he. stepped back on that is just something. uh and that was essentially the end of. his kickboxing career I mean he's boxing. now that's a dangerous man oh yeah this. is dangerous dude he's a big dude yeah. that one fight where he got dropped. early in the round and the dude swarming. on him and he measures them measures. them measures them. woof. see if you find that Tyrone's Bong Crazy. first round knockout because it's it's. nuts this dude comes after him big tall.

dude hits him with a big shot and drops. him and then the way he responds and the. way he he cracked that dude just how. staying calm Under Fire looking for his. shot extending his left hand and drops. right on him just like a sniper some. people it's like I don't know it is. just the way some people Michael doot. yeah some people's minds are just I feel. like they can just see [ __ ] that it's I. don't know they see something different. look at that boom perfect one too drop. some I mean on the chin perfect one too.

he gets up. okay stays calm this dude's just. swinging now now he's just wild and. Reckless measures bam. and that's the fight. this dude gets up and he's like what the. [ __ ]. [ __ ] this. [Laughter]. it took him a second. he's like this is not I'm not good. it's crazy the way people's bodies. reacts to like being knocked out. sometimes it's like I think it was uh.

Edson yeah Shane Burgos I'm like it took. him like five seconds before he really. felt it yeah that was one of the. weirdest ones I've ever seen ever it's. just something happened and he's backing. up and as he's backing up he's losing. Consciousness it was like he was good. and then he just he wasn't good anymore. is such a tough man oh yeah he's a dog. oh he's a dog he's a dog always so here. he gets cracked with a good shot here. then he gets cracked with another good.

shot here. add some of those horrific leg kicks. so I don't know where the. this is it coming up soon. oh it's the whole they put the whole. fight in there. so obviously Edson is catching him with. a lot of stuff and his tough as Shane is. he's probably been hurt on multiple. occasions and this in these exchanges. right there that's it so it's a one-two. it was the one two right there.

right there one two boom boom and then. it just the lights go out. crazy I have never seen something like. that that was weird yeah but it was a. hard punch that and multiple punches. before that. add some Barbosa the guy who doesn't get. enough credit that guy has the fastest. switch kick I've ever seen in my life. his switch kick is bananas his last knee. against uh Billy quarantine yeah and. then his knee against banil darouche. both of them were [ __ ] insane.

yeah I wonder how much of a struggle it. is for him to get to 45. uh I was on the. last card with him and it looked like it. was a struggle he's so shredded he was. uh like we were sitting there with an. hour before weigh-ins and everybody was. just sitting in their chairs and he was. laying on the floor in the back just. looked like he was struggling but the. next day he went out there and performed. a hundred percent apparently like he got. that knockout got that Friday night. bonus so I'm like I don't know how. people do that I don't know I don't know.

how to do it either I don't get how you. can make such a huge cut and just feel. good on Fight Night. crazy it's crazy because it's the amount. of damage that does to your body it's. not zero so like how much damage are you. doing 24 hours before a cage fight just. for that advantage. and it's like how much of a size. Advantage is it maybe five ten pounds is. like how much of an advantage does that. give someone if they are technically. better than you I think the advantage I.

think there is advantages there has to. be otherwise people wouldn't keep doing. it. I think that it's also you also feel. like if you get someone who does a lot. of it and then they get a hold of you. you're like oh my God I'm too small for. this weight class you know if you're one. of those guys like Frankie Edgar is an. animal Frankie Edgar weighed 155 and won. the 155 pound World title and he beat BJ. Penn to do it Frankie Edgar was beating. everybody and they were way bigger than. him he just did it with skill and heart. and and also he was so durable because. he didn't cut weight it's one of the.

things like some of these guys they cut. a lot of weight there seems to be. there's it seems like that guys who cut. the most weight have harder times after. a while taking shots it seems to have an. effect it's hard to tell whether it's. just the overall cumulative effect of. their career or if it's the weight cut. but there was a lot of um questions. about pajeda a lot of people brought. that up like whether or not the weight. cut makes him more susceptible to. getting knocked out but we know it's not. zero right it's not a Zero Effect it has.

an effect but it's also to be this. bigger person and to be able to. especially in the early part of the. fight. if you can get a hold of someone. 170 that when he walked into the cage oh. my God really. that's crazy that's 25 pounds. that's crazy. that's so much weight oh yeah no I don't. know think about 25 pounds of water on. this table exactly he removed that from.

his body and then put it back in. what without an IV no it's it's. absolutely insane to see and after that. being able to perform I think that's the. thing is that so many guys are doing it. when you see a guy who's as big as Edson. at 145 or as big as Billy at one I don't. know what Billy Cuts if. but there's some guys in some weight. classes that are just like how are you. like how is Marvin vittori 185 pounds. that guy's giant he's huge oh yeah but. he gets down to 185. my well all my. fights besides my last one have been at.

125 in the UFC and then my last one was. at 1 15. so just the difference between. the 25ers and the 15ers is extremely. different I feel like like that uh girl. we watched earlier Maria agapova she uh. I remember I trained with her at ATT and. she would come at a camp around like 150. 155 and cut down to 125 where I was. coming into camp at 1 30 and cutting. down to 125. so uh yeah it's just I.

don't know I I don't know how the girls. do it but I'm like there's a huge. difference between like the 15ers and. the 25 is just size wise Nobody Does It. crazier than Patty. Daddy's out of his [ __ ] mind because. he does it in front of everybody I feel. like he tries to though oh he does try. to yeah I think he's part of his Persona. now but it's also fun the dude gets fat. in front of the world and then gets. shredded again he disappears and then. gets shredded again and then he gets fat. again yeah even that I don't get I'm. like by the amount I train I don't get.

it. look at the difference she's the lower. left hand corner the upper middle when. he's down to fight he's a [ __ ]. character that kid's a star. you know if he gets matched correctly. and that's the thing like if it was any. other sport you'd get matched if he was. boxing you'd have a manager that manager. would go okay Patty you got a lot of. fans but we got to set you up with the. right opponents we got to make sure that. we test you in all these areas and build. up all the holes in your game and you.

know like boxers like to get to the. title undefeated they like to get to. that title fight 16-0 the Challenger. that's what everybody loves in boxing I. feel like it's getting more and more. like that in MMA too I I have more. respect for fighters who is like you can. see that they've taken tough matchups. versus the fighters who was like they. fight nobody but they have an undefeated. record what do you think about a fighter. that gets an opportunity to take a fight. they know they probably shouldn't take. and they take it early in their career.

against someone who's far more. experienced and it can be very dangerous. but sometimes an opportunity presents. itself and they say hey do you want to. fight in the UFC we got to fight against. this guy you know top whatever Contender. and people have done that before first. fight in the UFC you're fighting a. contender which is really wild but it. happens all the time I've never taken. opportunities like bad big like fighting. contenders in the UFC but I feel like it. is important to take every opportunity. that comes your way because it's like. it's more eyes on you it's you have an. opportunity to show what your abilities.

are too even if you are like the B side. of the matchup necessarily but every. opportunity I've taken win or a loss I. feel like it's helped lead me to the. point that I'm at today and it's also. built the foundation that like you need. losses you need to learn and you need uh. that to fall back on. even if you know like you're seriously. overmatched take it anyway. uh I I don't know is that for me it's. like I've never said no to a fight I.

think that's a tough situation uh I've. definitely went into fights where I know. I was seriously under matched like uh. when I fought on the tough house like I. said I was three and two I was 22 years. old and I fought Barb honchak who was. 10-2 the invicted champ she was like. pinned to win it and as that was my. first fight in the house and I ended up. losing second round TKO but it's still I. had my moments in the fight I almost. finished an arm bar at one point and. it's like I still had that opportunity. obviously got my face in front of day.

and I got uh to be on the tough house. like it was still uh an opportunity that. opened doors for me in the in the long. run you also escaped that straight arm. lock. when she had your arm extended oh yeah. and you got out I was like super. impressed that you got out of that I was. like Jesus Christ I hated the angle when. I was looking I was like Jesus it was. one of those there was a moment where. she was yanking on it or I was like. yikes literally uh I thought during that. moment because everybody knew me as like. the Jiu Jitsu girl in the house so I'm.

like oh I cannot let her sub me like I'm. not gonna let her get this [ __ ]. how close was it uh it was definitely. hurting but it's like I feel like it. that that little bit of frustration gave. me that little bit of like push that. little Drive. well you got out of it but that that was. a very tough matchup for you yeah that's. that's the thing about you know the. progression of uh of MMA that you you. get these stuff match ups you learn and.

it's fascinating for me as someone who. gets to see fights over and over again. see Fighters progress through their. career you get to see these people that. have put these things together and you. see the the the learning growth and the. curve and you see like where there are. where they're at now and it's like ever. since I was oh even in my amateur fights. I had a lot of tough girls but like all. my profits I've had one or no two fights. where the girls haven't made it to the. UFC at this point so it's like I fought. all UFC level competition uh my last. amateur fight was actually against.

Cheyenne blissmus on uh rise of warrior. my little Hometown show so it's like. another UFC girl fighting when I was an. amateur so it's like I've always had the. highest level of competition that's very. fortunate but also Miami's a hot spot. for MMA right a Florida in general I. feel like is a hot spot it's just I. don't I don't get how people train in. the cold so I get why. the only thing you have to worry about. is hurricanes exactly and alligators and. they're not that bad they're everywhere.

they're everywhere but they leave you. alone yeah until they don't until they. don't they just be comfortable having. monsters walking around your yard that's. crazy I remember when I went to the. tough house it's like that's the first. time I was really I don't know around a. lot of girls from they were all around. the world and they were asking me about. alligators they're like like what do you. do about them I'm like what do you mean. what do we do about them like they're. just there we just kind of ignore them. they're like I feel like everybody. expects them to be like chasing after. you or something like that they have. this weird stigma around them well every.

now and again they do get someone. again but like like. we don't so comfortable with living. around monsters that every now and again. eat a people. we have gator sharks snakes yeah. everything's trying to kill you but if. you don't go in the water you don't have. to worry about the sharks. and well the snakes he had a real. problem in the Everglades yeah that's. nuts yeah the Everglades there's like 14. of foot pythons like they're [ __ ].

huge they just find them they just go. they don't even have to look that hard. look there's one I saw a video of one. eating an alligator yeah I'm like that's. crazy yeah we played it a bunch of times. there's there's a bunch of dead ones. they found with alligators like poking. out the side of their body yeah they run. out of things to eat uh it's just insane. though like to be able to swallow. literally bigger than you yeah literally. literally bigger than you well they've. eaten everything there is an estimation. that 99 of all the deers rabbits raccoon. everything in the Everglades is gone oh.

wow 99 yeah all from the snakes oh. that's crazy there's like nothing left. it's just Monster Soup it's just. monsters it's just it's just snakes and. alligators that's all that's left and. some poor [ __ ] imagine if you're some. [ __ ] who doesn't know what you're. doing you want to go hiking in there. there's a half a million pythons a half. a million oh wow in Florida I'm like. you're opening my eyes to this yeah I'm. like a half a million pythons estimated.

in Florida I've always seen things on. the like news and stuff about that. obviously you see like the Florida man. things like catches a python I'm like I. didn't know there's that many though I. think you guys are way too comfortable I. think you're way too comfortable I don't. think you realize what's like right. there's this there's a wooded area that. you go into it's filled with monsters. and those monsters have eaten every. mammal. and it's like. with me I think like crocodiles. alligators are so cool it's like they've. eaten every animal and they've been.

around for thousands of years millions. of years yeah so it's like they'd. survive everything and can kill anything. they're cool as [ __ ] they are cool yeah. I think alligator alligators and. crocodiles are really cool to me I'm. really fascinated by them crocodiles are. very different though crocodiles are. like a wolf or his alligator is a more. like a dog. Florida uh though like the crocodiles. aren't as aggressive usually well are. they as big we don't have a lot of. crocodiles is this a crocodile with a. person inside of it a snake python with.

a five-foot alligator inside its stomach. oh Jesus. ate it whole whoa oh my God look at that. that's insane. that is [ __ ] insane. it's an 18 foot maybe 25 python 20-foot. python with a giant ass alligator inside. of it and where was this where'd they. find this wall Florida this was in. Florida that's where I've ever got into.

National Park wait a minute I thought. the biggest python they ever found in. Florida was like uh I thought it was. less than 20 feet well this is 18 this. is roughly 18. oh okay oh. a five-foot alligator inside of it you. know what I'm saying that is so it. literally is Monster Soup. it's Monster Soup there's nothing left. there's no raccoons they're all [ __ ]. imagine being a raccoon trying to get. laid you're out there anybody there's no. one there no one lives there anymore. there's no deer good luck finding a deer. they all got jacked by monsters.

tell the monsters that all the people. too there's too many buildings now I. feel like Miami I feel like there's no I. don't know there's no Wildlife maybe you. should encourage people to go hiking in. Miami yeah yeah go to the Everglades go. for a hike. solve both the problems that would be a. real real reality show here's a real. reality show take some clout-seek and. [ __ ] and and let them camp out for. the longest in the Everglades don't say. no no don't do this someone's gonna take.

this idea and someone's gonna die. yeah you gotta put the disclaimer on it. one of my favorite stories about Florida. was this guy was involved in a car chase. with the cops and uh he parks on a. bridge jumps out of the car lands on a. Gator and gets killed in front of the. cops. like that's that's one of those ones. where I'm like can we get that fact. checked how does that happen like just. an [ __ ] and Karma come get you. Karma came and got him lay it on an. alligator it's like a movie there's this.

sometimes scenes happen in real life. that seem like a movie Florida man runs. for police directly into an alligator's. mouth. when Brian Zuniga fled a traffic stop. and well you [ __ ] pop-ups when Brian. uh Zuniga fled a traffic stop in Tampa. yesterday he had the right idea Sprint. away from the cops jump a fence hide. behind a water treatment plant but. Zuniga wasn't counting on Justice loving. reptile he's back in custody this. morning with nasty scars in his face oh.

this is a different one. yeah one guy died this this dude jumped. off a bridge though got his arm bitten. off yeah that's Gator man that guy. wandered around for like days with one. arm. he's like man I don't know where what it. was. oh this one just happened recently. it's a wild ass place who would have. thought that Florida would be like the. Battleground for freedom in America like.

Whoever thought that Florida would be. the place where it was all the people. like we need Freedom Florida was the. spot. yeah no especially I feel like during. like covet and stuff like that it was. like I think that's what's drawn all the. people to us that's a it was like since. covet everybody like you said like with. the freedom and everybody's just kind of. rushed their way there it's so funny. that he got so much DeSantis got so much. criticism from that but at the end of. the day he was right and no one wants to. admit it he said protect your elderly.

treat your elderly everybody else you. should be able to go back to life. and he was right and everybody's like. you're killing everyone he was right. yeah I think we never really had like. Jim's might have shut down for like a. week but we were still open you know. like there is nothing that really like. shut down for a long time in Florida. gyms in L.A got hit hard oh yeah I know. I got hit hard I heard a lot about New. York how terrible it was horrible yeah. well the dawn of her death squad they. all went to Puerto Rico so they could. train imagine that you literally going.

to an island in the middle of the. [ __ ] ocean so you could train yeah. it's so crazy it was. like I worked with Dean a lot during. that time so it's like we were. constantly just wherever we can find. Madden space but we don't even need mats. I'm like Dean would drill on carpet with. me if it's that's awesome if we got it. so I'm like it wherever it was we made. it work we made it happen during that. time but it's like there was a lot of. opportunities and there wasn't a lot of. places closing either. well the places in La they you know.

people had to meet privately in. different spots they had to try to keep. their game going and then you know I. just hoped someone wasn't sick and. everybody had so much anxiety but I. didn't hear of anybody really getting. [ __ ] up by in the Jiu Jitsu community. no and then it's like like I find Abu. Dhabi during that time so it's like. flying over there it's like you have to. covet test I think 10 times before you. touched the island like it's just crazy. all the things you have to go that we. had to go through during that time. period it's like it feels like it was a. different world then I know and it's.

amazing that the UFC pulled it off it. was brilliant they everybody was telling. them what are you doing you're gonna. have fights on during the pandemic. you're gonna kill people you're risking. people's lives and they're like look. we're gonna do No Cry we're gonna test. everybody not I'm not good enough people. still didn't want it don't stay home as. if someone had another a respiratory. virus is going to like dissipate because. everybody stayed home like stop you're. talking nonsense doesn't work that way. so they did it and it all took off and. then NBA started doing it with no.

audience and then they started creeping. audiences back in and like the Apex. Center and I remember the first time we. did it in an audience again it was uh I. think it was Jacksonville it was crazy. because like Florida was one of the only. places where you could do it and it was. a full packed Arena and I was like this. is the super spreader event of all time. because this is the middle of everything. and everything was fine yeah I feel like. the audiences have come back stronger. since covid too it's just like it used.

to be like first couple fights there'd. be nobody in the audience during the. prelims and now it's like the first two. fights there's already fans there. everybody's just like ready to get in. their seats I love that when I get there. and we're there for like 4 P.M fights. and it's already packed though that's. exciting but I get it it's six hours is. a lot of fights oh yeah no it's. definitely a lot of fights but it's it. as the fighter it's like it's nice to. have that crowd there it's nice to have. that energy there and like I like. probably one of my uh me being Canadian.

fighting in Edmonton was probably like. my one of my most memorable fights just. because of that the energy in the crowd. just because of how many people were. screaming and it's like I'm not walking. out in Liverpool and getting booed you. know right did that feel like it had. added pressure on you it's in that. pressure it just makes me uh I I love it. more than anything else it's like the if. I said the Apex almost like don't have. the same feel to me they don't have the. same like Vibe around them like even. like the what even the winds I'm like. it's just like you're celebrating by.

yourself to have the crowd there and. just that energy in the room it just. makes everything different when you walk. in the cage I I totally get it but as a. fan watching the Apex is really special. there's something about being able to. watch fights with no crowd and the. fights are being broadcast on tell I. mean I always I was thinking at every. one of them like wow I'm so lucky that I. can be here and do this because just to. be in this moment there's only 100. people here and this is in the middle of. these crazy weird times but I'm getting. to experience Tony Ferguson for versus.

just engaging this wild crazy fight with. no audience and it was a [ __ ] War a. crazy fight with no audience it's so. weird it feels like it's almost like too. chill of a scenario when you're in there. it's like okay I'm in a fist fight but. it's just like I don't because it's so. quiet it's just so relaxed it's weird it. is. it's it's very different to experience. as a fan I couldn't imagine the. difference in like when you do something. and there's no cheering you know maybe.

you hear your coaches and that's it but. you also can hear like specific. instruction very clearly okay and you. can hear her coaches very specifically. then too so it's like that definitely. plays into it and it's like or I I. always like whenever just watching as a. fan like you can hear the [ __ ] talk. between the fighters you know on the mic. so like it just definitely adds a. different aspect well um that's why Mark. Henry's got such a fascinating way of. doing it where he comes up with. nicknames for every move and they're. different for every Camp yeah which is.

crazy yeah I feel like trying to. remember that would be hard. Rashad said he was blown away it's like. this guy's he writes out all these. different names like this would be the. name of your friend this would be the. name of your daughter this is the street. you grew up on like what yeah I'm not. remembering all that. with uh Dean I feel like he relies on my. decision making ability a lot and he. relies on the fact that we're prepared. that we spend 10 weeks 12 weeks whatever. preparing for this moment so it's like I.

should be ready for every opportunity or. every obstacle she throws at me so uh. you will hear him in the corner but not. often I feel like he only talks when he. feels necessary so it's like there's. like he trusts me to make my own. decisions majority of the fight that's. awesome I feel like also that's what's. helped me build great decision making. and I feel like at a championship level. decision making is what makes one of the. biggest differences. um that's a very good point that's. interesting that's the thing about it.

like as the over for the overall health. of the pupil. yeah because as you're going through the. challenges they're going to get more. difficult and you're going to have to. kind of sort it out on your own then. whatever mistakes are made you correct. in the gym and it's like for me at the. end of the day it's like I'm walking in. the cage by myself you know I need to be. ready for that moment I need to be ready. to answer everything and like I think it. was my second or third UFC fight I. literally I had just one girl in my. corner and she was an amateur fighter. just because it's like I just needed. someone to warm me up it's like we have. the 12 weeks of preparation and I'm.

ready no matter what walking in there so. it doesn't really like matter like who's. in the corner what does a camp look like. for you is it is it laid out in advance. and Does it include what do you have. strength and conditioning sessions that. you do separate to your MMA training. actually don't do strength and. conditioning at all you just do MMA yeah. I just do MMA is that unusual I think it. is I think a lot of people think I'm. weird because I don't do it uh I think. that it's more beneficial like you only. have so many hours in the day and. there's so many sports there's Jiu Jitsu.

wrestling striking and it's like there's. so much to learn so it's like I can only. invest so much time into each of them so. I I choose to invest my time into. technical abilities and uh for my cardio. more I get it in rounds so it's like I. do Jiu Jitsu rounds or strike or like. MMA rounds I do MMA rounds three times a. week so it's like I'm constantly getting. that cardio where getting that push and. I feel like there's nothing that can. really match that MMA Pace that MMA.

cardio so it's like you can do striking. for six months then come to jiu jitsu. and have shitty Jiu Jitsu cardio so it's. like I think you have to be doing MMA to. get MMA cardio I don't think running or. anything like that necessarily. supplements it do you guys do things. like uh switch out opponents and live. drills and things like that to like ramp. up your heart rate and simulate moments. inside fights things like that or like. uh we said say it depends on who my. opponent is in the cage like if I'm.

going with the boys or with the girls uh. if I'm going with the boys it's like. they can push the pace for me no matter. what just them they're Stronger Faster. typically and uh so and we have a good. group of 125 homeboys who can really. push the pace for me technically and. then with the girls we usually set like. goals for me so it'll be like just try. to score as many submissions as you can. this round or we're trying to score five. takedowns around so just make sure you. push the pace to make sure that I I want. to be ready to shoot 10 takedowns around. every fight that I go into just so I'm.

confident in that and it's not like a. necessity of me like I need to get it to. the ground this time I can shoot 10 more. times we'll just come up with strikes so. we'll figure out the when the. opportunity is right. I like that strategy because you're. doing you're essentially doing strength. and conditioning through Skill Drills. exactly yeah all my uh strength and. conditioning is just getting rounds and. doing sparring well I mean there's. nothing that makes you stronger than. wrestling right and if you if you're.

doing that kind of thing like trying to. get as many takedowns as possible in 20. I mean that's. that is a form of strength and. conditioning for sure absolutely it's a. different type of we. usually once a week we'll do uh big. gloves so boxing gloves and takedowns. and we just do King of the Hill and. those there's two ten minute rounds and. those two ten minute rounds will kill. you every time just trying to take. someone down and because we have big. gloves on we're hitting hard and then. getting takedowns and it's like those. rounds I don't feel like there's. anything that pushes my cardio like that.

that's interesting how much harder is it. to take someone down with big gloves. you know is actually like I said these. rounds rounds typically like no we're. going we're going to take down so it's. hard hard round. yeah is like when you're talking big. you're talking like 16 18. yeah like 14. 16. okay yeah just boxing gloves yeah. versus using like MMA sparring gloves. like six ounce or what are your thoughts. on uh hard sparring versus technical.

sparring. I think you need a little bit of both I. think you definitely need to learn how. to bring that dog out in the fight when. you need to so you need those hard. sparring rounds you need those rounds. that to make you confident in Walking. forward and confident pushing the pace. but it's also technical sparring rounds. is you need 100 times more of those you. can do as many of those as you want. because you're not taking the damage but. that's what's going to build your. reaction time uh what's going to make. you think more a lot of times if you get.

too much hard sparring then you get a. little bit like punch shy you don't want. to you're not gonna build the right. reactions so if you get uh more. technical sparring You're Building more. right reactions and you're building uh. just I don't know I feel like you need. both. um I think you're probably right and I. think um most people would probably. agree with you but. for longevity the one concern is like. how much hard sparring you do in. training and how much that takes out of. your longevity how much that takes out.

of your overall career like Max always. not sparring at all anymore which I. found really fascinating and his his. reasoning is you take unnecessary damage. and sparring and I know how to fight and. I'll just do drills and work on my. conditioning and and do it through. drills and and he's been very successful. doing it yeah someone like him it might. be a little bit of a different. circumstance where he just has that dog. in him you know you don't need any he. doesn't need the hard sparring to bring. that out of him at all or he did like. right like make him feel comfortable. there like that's just Max has that in.

him he's also had so many high level. fights that like the timing and it's all. in his head he understands what happens. he's been there with vulcanovsky you. know over and over again he's been in. there with Conor McGregor in the early. days you know he's he's a he's a [ __ ]. animal you know Max Hollow is an animal. he's really good Max is yeah I feel like. he's like the people's champ he's such a. good guy too he's like the nicest guy. ever he's so he's so friendly and fun.

but man when he turns it on Inside the. Cage holy [ __ ] he's got extra gears that. guy's got extra gears like he's he's. another one that's a fantastic example. of dedication and hard work and the. results because like and he'll tell you. he's like I'm not the most athletic guy. he's not there's nothing it's just he. worked harder than everybody he's more. intense than everybody and then when you. saw him in his prime. and he was a monster he just would put. it on people and put a pace on people. they just couldn't keep up with I feel.

like that's so much about what it is is. just showing up it's just being there. willing to do the work willing to be. coachable and it's like you have to show. up like I feel like so many people think. it's just I don't know people fall in. love with the stardom and the Starlight. of the sport and they don't realize that. it's just like it's the showing up every. day and grinding and getting the work. and it's really gonna produce results. yeah it is a it's a long process it's a. long long long process but it's got to. be exciting to be in the spot of the.

process that you're at knowing how you. were in the beginning when you just. started taking kickboxing classes to. look at you now oh yeah it's I feel like. it's been a short process in the grand. scheme of things uh it's been 12 years. since I started training and six years. of that has been in the UFC so it's. really fun yeah yeah exactly so that's. crazy yeah um like it's uh I feel like. it's just gone by so fast really it's. just it's it's crazy to work with people. and like I don't work with people who.

it's like their first day and you're. trying to teach them like all right move. your hip over here and they can't like. figure it out yeah they just can't. comprehend it and you're like was I ever. like that do you remember what you were. like when you first started did it come. to you easily did you it definitely came. to me more easily I don't remember like. me ever being like I don't know super. super awkward yeah super terrible but I. know I was a I know a deaf definitely. came easy and I was good at Jiu Jitsu. from the time that I started did you do. any sports before that I did nothing.

nothing I uh did gymnastics when I was. probably like five or six for a year and. my parents put me in soccer multiple. times because they played soccer my. brother played soccer my dad coached. soccer so I was like they tried a couple. times and I quit a couple times. and then uh it was just there like you. need to get some type of like hobby some. type of activity and that's when I. started volunteering with animals oh. did they was it totally on left field. when you became a fighter for them oh. yeah completely out of that I feel like.

what the hell girl. everybody expected me to be a vet like. that was just like the trajectory I was. on and I don't like literally my parents. growing up would tell me that like if. somebody's like trying to start problems. with you just walk away you know like. don't start any like fights or anything. like that they they are like complete. pacifists on that side and I couldn't. tell you the difference between like the. WWE and the UFC when I started really. like I had no idea what Brazilian Jiu. Jitsu was nothing I had no idea so it's.

like it was just I really don't know. where I got the thought where I wanted. to do it you just well was there a lot. of high level people that were around. you at the time because you walked in. Dean's gym uh yeah well I I guess before. that like to walk into there I don't. really know what was my motive uh but in. the gym he had a couple of uh I guess. the pro guys who were doing all right. nobody too high level but it was just I.

I don't know I fell in love with the. just the environment of it all I love I. just loved the the grind of it all I. just remember when I was in the cardio. kickboxing class with like a bunch of. like soccer moms pretty much and after. the first day I didn't expect it to be. that much of a workout for some reason. so I was like beat red in the face and. one of the moms she was like just make. sure you keep coming back and like I. just remember like always thinking about. that because I don't know if it like I. probably would have kept coming back but.

it definitely was like I didn't want to. on the first day I was like this shit's. hard do you think that lady saying that. to you made you come back I think it. might have like influenced something. because I was like wow I was like all. right now I have like I have to like. she's expecting me to be there you know. isn't that crazy. oh just one weird moment one weird. interaction when someone could say. something to you to change the course of. your whole life oh yeah even I feel like. I feel like it's like something like. that I walked into Dean's gym yeah hey. what are the odds the chances that that.

happened is like he's still my coach 12. years later like that's just like I feel. like you can't walk into a better spot. really you can't you just got lucky I. mean but is that what it is or is it. Destiny I mean it's a great story if I. wanted to tell a story about a an MMA. fighter who did nothing until she was. 16. it takes cardio kickboxing and then. some little old lady says you keep. coming back and she's like ah okay I. said hi to the old lady now I gotta keep. coming back she's gonna be mad at me I. feel like everything I don't know.

everything in my career kind of did just. like line up like that it was like. whenever Rhonda got into the UFC I was. just getting into my amateur career and. then whenever I stopped being able to. make 115 they open up the 125 pound. Division and it was like uh so you had. to have three uh well you had to have at. least three fights in a winning record. to get into the tough house and I had I. was two and two and I was like searching. for a fight searching for a fight. couldn't find anything then the week. before the tough house tryouts I got a.

fight and I fought the Saturday before. then tried out for the tough house the. next weekend wow so I'm like I feel like. everything's just kind of lined up. perfectly just I don't know. do you ever wonder whether or not. there's like a divine plan. I definitely think that I was made for. this like I feel like I was made for the. spot made for this Sport and I feel like. there is a reason that everything lined. up. what do you think that reason is. I don't know yet I guess uh I I. definitely. uh.

I don't know I think I'm. capable of something that a lot of. people aren't capable of and how I can I. guess show this sport how I can. translate this sport. um. you're you're definitely a unique person. and a very thoughtful person and a. person that if someone talked to you and. they did not know that you were a. professional cage fighter of the highest. level they would never imagine it he. seemed so like friendly and normal and.

then if if I show like there should be a. show where people get to meet you and. then guess what you do. they don't they don't guess what you do. they just talk to you they can't ask you. what you do they just talk to you about. life they can't ask you questions about. martial arts they can't ask you a. question about anything for an. occupation just so how do you you know. how do you feel about climate change. like whatever just talk to you about. [ __ ] and go what do you think she does. zero people would say cage fighter zero. I feel like it's almost like two. completely different people like Jillian.

and the Savage I'm like when I'm in the. cage I'm like it's a completely like. after uh it's actually the Mariah pova. fight I um sit down on the floor and I. throw up two middle fingers and post. fight one of the UFC guys he was like uh. so you threw up the two middle fingers. like what was all that about I was like. I did that like I completely like. blacked out didn't remember I did that. at all wow I'm like it's a completely. different person there I don't take any. accountability for that.

do you um have like a switch where that. person comes in or is that only when the. fight starts. I'd say it's whenever like my song. starts that I start because. right nerves I feel like everybody has. them and I go through them all day in. the locker room and then as soon it's. like I'm making the walk I don't have. nerves anymore like I'm just ready to go. ready to walk out there and it's like I. don't know it like even in that fight I. was sitting there and I'm choking that.

girl and I'm just looking at the ref. like oh she's out trying to tell him. calmly I'm like it's just something I. don't know something weird something. different that happens whenever that I'm. in the cage do you feel like you get. like a tunnel vision do you feel like or. do you feel like legitimate like you're. a different person. uh it's probably more of just like a. tunnel vision after the fight I think. I'm a different person sometimes I'm. like I'm sitting there screaming and. [ __ ] I'm like who the [ __ ] is that. but uh yeah it's really just a tunnel.

vision I remember my last fight just. looking around the other Arena and. seeing it's just like a Full Arena so. many people and then as soon as he's. like fight are you ready all the lights. turn off in the arena and it's like it's. just you and her then and it's like I. don't know it's just such a focused. moment it's such a surreal moment in. there. what is it like hearing the cheers. uh I feel like you got to kind of block. them out till after the fight because. even it's like during the fight it's. like if somebody's cheering you on it's.

like all right now I feel like I gotta. do something or you feel like they're. cheering the other person on you and. like do you guys hear booze like if it's. in the clinch and someone boom oh yeah. everybody's screaming that the Ric Flair. woo the whole time yeah like the second. you gotta take down I'm like I'm sitting. on top of this girl for four seconds and. you guys are already screaming come on. yeah it's interesting but that's the. problem with casuals they don't. understand how hard it is to get there. what the consequences are maybe they. don't even know you you know they don't.

they don't get the consequences I feel. like grappling also isn't like a casual. favorite sport they want to see you. stand and bang so it's like me being a. submission artist uh it's I I feel like. I haven't really gotten a lot of that. attention I guess or they don't really I. don't I I don't have a lot of fans in. that department yeah but if they watch. that meatball Molly finish geez Christ I. mean that is dramatic when she comes to. and she's kicking you've seen it. obviously when she wakes back up and.

that is always weird to me when someone. comes back it's like where were you. where'd you go where'd your brain go. I've had it once in a grappling. competition where I didn't go completely. out but like I tapped and the ref called. it a couple of seconds later and like I. couldn't sit up all the way and I just. kind of fell back but I was still there. but I just remember like I instantly. felt like I was scared I peed myself at. first. I was like I felt like I was sitting in.

like a cold puddle and I woke up and I. was like no I'm good I'm like I just. went out a little bit but I'm good. but I don't know it's such a weird. scenario I don't know a weird feeling. um. I went out on a fighter jet once. I blacked out we were I we went seven. and a half G's on this one thing and um. it's it was uh with the Blue Angels and. you have to hold on to this you're. holding on to the the whatever it is the. yolk is that what it is what do they.

call those things. the fighter probably will hold on to. this thing and they have to do this. thing called hooking where they go like. this. well you're literally pumping blood into. your brain try to stay Consciousness. because the pressure of the g-force you. see black on both sides like an elevator. door like it's closing your. Consciousness it's literally like a. visual thing oh yeah it's Tito a tease. went out oh my God how many uh how many. G's do they hit them with no I'm not 100. sure I just saw this going around and it. look nuts yeah they hit you with crazy.

G's and then you black out and that's. not good that's not good that's not also. like what kind of what does that do to. your neck when you go on all those G's. and your [ __ ] neck is flopping around. but um uh I did it at one but then the. second we did another thing and I didn't. hook quick enough or I didn't I didn't. realize it was as many G's it was it. actually left left cheese than we had. already done and I blacked out and then. I woke up and I threw up. he was at 90s yeah that's a lot I was I.

did seven and a half I got the seven and. a half G's it's a crazy feeling it's. real weird. but you you you have to I mean you can. always take I don't know how long you. stay conscious for. like but those guys they don't fly with. uh suits they don't have. um like a g suit there's a certain G. suit that helps you absorb. but either way that's the only way I've. been out I went out I got choked out by. a plane I'm like I've put more people. out than I've been put out so I'm like. that's a good thing that's the perfect.

ratio exactly yeah that's exactly what. you want I don't think it's that bad for. you but I don't think it's good for you. either like whenever I see radio DJs. that want to get strangled I'm like I. don't know if that's innocuous yeah I. don't know the the. that like why you would want that Stevo. did it on one of his specials he had Tim. Kennedy choke him out I watched it. recently I think Mike Bisping did it too. with Stevo oh God everybody's choking. stealing it again yeah it was just last. week yeah did they both drop them.

because Tim Kennedy dropped them laid. them down quite gently well Tim. Kennedy's a Savage. I think I think he asked to let him drop. I think we had this conversation didn't. win Stevo. foreign. these guys so silly. you know letting people choke you to. sleep and then dropping you on your head. okay. [Laughter]. Stevo's so nuts he's so reckless that. was my thought. there was the Nate Diaz altercation in a.

couple months ago oh yeah strangled that. dude I was like it's not about the choke. it's about him dropping him I'm like hit. his head on the concrete that's what. worries me yeah he did hit his head he. didn't hit his head bad though it wasn't. like from a full knockout full Knockouts. are scary on concrete oh my God they're. so scary because when people's heads. bounce off people die like that all the. time it's just it's like getting hit in. the head by the world. that's what it's like your head cracks. it's [ __ ] terrible don't fight kids. stay home go to the exactly go to the.

gym and fight like a woman right do you. say that fight like a woman isn't that. like a t-shirt line. probably probably it should be maybe are. you um do you have any aspirations uh. outside of MMA like do you do at one. point in time do you think you'd like to. do something else uh I would like to try. to like maybe Branch into like. commentary or something like that I. really do I I just want to be in the. fight game I like I love Fight to love. analyzing fights so I would like to.

hopefully get better at that one day. that well the UFC always uses Fighters. which is great I mean it's it's the most. insightful connotation you're ever gonna. get that's not a word right connotation. commentary you're never gonna get it's. from Fighters yeah and uh Laura sanco's. killing it for the girls she's killing. it yeah she's doing great it's um I mean. uh obviously Invicta you know there's. there's a lot of chicks that are doing. commentary and it's a great thing. um for the sport to have Fighters like. yourself that can they can you have an.

insight into especially if like there's. like a big fight in your weight class. you know like maybe someone who you. could eventually face and you've been. looking at tape on them and you know you. could maybe exploit some things and talk. about it. yeah it's um. I love it like when Felder does it or DC. does it or I used to love Kenny Florian. it's um Michael Bisping it's awesome. Dominic Cruz it's the best gig for those. guys too because you're you're going. you're still in it you're still like. going to all the fights you're analyzing.

stuff you're still a part of the. excitement of it all which is truly the. most exciting thing like I've been to a. lot of stuff been to a lot of sports. been to a lot of music shows been to a. lot of things there's not much out there. that's as exciting as a world title UFC. fight not much not much oh yeah I just. love to like I'm not sure if coaching is. necessarily the right step for me and I. would want to do something where I'm. staying with a sport I'm staying around. it yeah saying commentary some type of.

thing where it's just I need to be. around this kind of energy like you said. there's nothing that can compare to a. world title fight I think when someone. is dedicated as yourself too you'd be. very frustrated if you had students that. weren't as dedicated am I right I feel. like that's a common thing yeah I think. that it's hard to find somebody who is. as dedicated as me a lot of times and or. people who I I don't know I don't want. to say wanted is bad but it's like that. is what it is yeah people don't want to. put in the time or the effort and I'm. like this is literally your job or your.

dream why aren't you just trying. everything you can to make it happen. yeah it's funny it's it's but it's it's. a discipline issue and it's a focus. issue and some people they don't they. don't trust in the process either they. they feel like they got better for a. little while and then they hit a sort of. lull and they lose faith it happens all. the time you'll see guys going through. bad stretches at the gym and then you'll. see him for a while it's like what. happened I don't get tired of Jiu Jitsu. and like okay but you were like on a.

good path you just got to be able to. push through got to be able to get. through bad spots okay that's something. I keep showing up is the biggest thing. that I feel like it you just gotta keep. on showing up keep on being there even. on the day especially on the days when. you don't want to be there you got to be. there and I I don't know I there's. nowhere else I would rather be and I've. been just showing up for 12 years and I. feel like it it's worked out pretty well. it's worked out awesome yeah it's worked. out awesome and it's great advice it.

really is because they're really as long. as you stay focused and try to be. positive and try to be happy there's. there's this there's a process going on. with anything you're trying to get good. at and if you're if you're really. involved in something and you're really. interested in it and you really focus on. it you're gonna get better you're gonna. and then you're gonna look back and then. you go wow I'm glad I kept doing that. thing imagine if I just quit I've always. said I'm like it if I work hard doors. keep on opening it's always the like how. it's worked me putting in the hours me. putting in the time and doors have just.

naturally opened so I'm like I feel like. that's just the key to it all I think. you're right and I'm glad this door. opened and I'm glad we got a chance to. do this it's a lot of fun oh yeah no it. was a pleasure my pleasure and uh what. what are you slated for next do you have. a fight planned uh June 24th against. Tabitha Richie that's right we just. talked about that earlier so yeah three. three and a half weeks out now three and. a half weeks out wow. that's a very exciting very exciting. fight June 24th and that is that the. Apex no it'll be in Jacksonville oh.

that's the Florida car that's the Emma. temporario car that's right it's gonna. be my friend you see that whole card. it's gonna be my first fight first pro. fight in first fight with the UFC with. Jack and in Florida oh wow so that being. my home state pretty much it's gonna be. awesome for me I'm so excited this is a. [ __ ] gray guard. this is Gregory Rodriguez Dennis tululin. Brendan Allen Bruno Silva Neil magni. Phil Rowe that's a great fight oh.

and is this um go all the way up to the. top is this uh. this is ESPN is it ESPN Plus or just. ESPN. because they've been doing them on ABC. too yeah 2PM in the afternoon it's a. little earlier so the problem. interesting I bet it's on normal well I. went we just did the ABC one I wonder if. they're going to do more ABC ones. very interesting.

anyway okay there it is oh it is on ABC. card is ABC main card ABC yeah see there. it is that's an interesting deal well if. I was a network I'd want to get in on. some of this action you know like they. used to be so scared of MMA but now MMA. has uh really been normalized oh yeah. yeah a lot of I feel like it I don't. know now it's like you see things like. bare knuckle MMA getting normalized more. that's kind of crazy right yeah crazy.

yeah like. I don't know I've been to a couple I. went to a bare knuckle MMA and just a. regular bare knuckle fight in both of. them I'm like I'm sitting there cringing. the whole time I'm like I I don't get. that stuff it's a different level oh. it's 100 just hearing some a bare like. fist hit somebody's face is a different. sound and it's something scary well the. cuts too the cuts are crazy. your poor hands too I'm like everybody's. hands after every single fight broken.

Knuckles broke like huge fists swollen. just because oh I'm like you can't not. break your hand on somebody's head how. have you ever tried makiwara training. you ever tried that no let's look the. karate guys used to do they should take. you know what a makiwar is no it's uh. it's a it's like a plank that has hard. rope wrapped around it and it's like. bolted into the ground and they would. just practice reverse punches into this. thing it was this hard thing that had. like a little bit of give to it until. they developed these massive calluses.

all over their hands. so that's like more of a mechanical Mack. and war that one looks like it has like. it gives yeah so that's what a. traditional one looks like and these. guys would punch them Google like karate. machibora knuckles. see that and they would just practice. hitting their Knuckles over and over. again until they get Preposterous. looking just just Google like for images. because some dudes have like [ __ ]. insane Knuckles from hitting those. things.

the guy on the far left. that kind of the guy in the far left. yeah that one that's what I'm talking. about look at the size of his [ __ ]. Knuckles do you think that actually. helps yeah for sure the bills of. calluses well for sure definitely my. friend John used to do it I've seen it I. used to practice with bricks he was a. talk with no champion and he would. practice with his knuckles with bricks. and he had one knuckle that was it was. essentially like fused from calluses it. was this massive thing the first two.

Knuckles like the the index finger in. the ring finger were all just a. calloused mass that he could smash. people with. like uh muay thai fighters do that a lot. with their shins like conditioning but. I've never seen that with their Knuckles. yeah that was what they used to do in. karate uh I think people still do it too. also it probably is probably terrible. for you arthritis and [ __ ] as you get. older but yeah kind of sacrifice listen. thank you very much for coming here I. really appreciate it give everybody out. your uh social media so they can follow.

you uh my social media on Instagram and. Twitter is Savage underscore UFC okay. well thank you I really appreciate you. being here and good luck to you thank. you so much all right bye everybody. [Music]. [Applause]. thank you. foreign.