JRE MMA Show #160 with Francis Ngannou
Joe Rogan podcast check it out The Joe. Rogan Experience Train by day Joe Rogan. podcast by night all. day all right we're up what's up man. good to see you much good to see you you. have uh had a lot of experiences since. the last time I saw you yeah a lot of. things happen that's why like uh I. always about writing my book and chapter.
keep adding up adding up adding up and. uh yes every time you feel like you're. just maybe in the beginning or in the. middle yeah I don't think. so you're definitely only in the middle. yeah in the middle well somewhere I mean. it's not the beginning but uh it's a lot. of experiences so tell me about leading. up to the Tyson Fury fight oh the Tyson. Fury fight that was great you know I was.
just there living a dream you know get. this big moment get that fight that I've. been I've been waiting for 4 years the. fight that everybody said you were never. going to get yes which is crazy like. thank God for the Saudis because they. they are making things happen which is. Happ incredible and it's not like who is. this who is who who is that you know he. like okay we want it to happen then make. it happen yeah because everybody wanted. to see it happen but it was one of those. things where everybody dismissed it.
everybody said that's not going to. happen Tyson Fury is a heavyweight. champion why would he fight a guy who. doesn't have any professional boxing. matches that's crazy yeah that's not. going to happen and it happened and then. everybody said you didn't stand a chance. then when you knocked him down the. second round everybody was like holy. [ __ ] and when you were dancing over him. when he went. down yeah but you know I think uh a lot. of people uh do.
mistake something you know and I always. tell people like not because you're a. fighter that you walk in a bar and. there's this guy coming to you maybe. this fat guy coming to you and then you. stand there and because you're a fighter. don't think like he's a threat everybody. could be a threat you better step take. two step back and then like see your. distance and get ready to defend. yourself you know you don't uh if. everybody hit you anybody hit you you're. going to get hurt you know true so yes I.
I not have been doing boxing I'm not a. boxer but still I'm a fighter and even. if I wasn't a fighter you know I can. hurt and I can harm somebody you're a. big [ __ ] I'm a big. guy so I was watching it and people was. like no he stand no chance he has zero. chance I'm like there's not a fight on. Earth that zero chance that element of. zero chance doesn't exist I mean um if. you look at it I'm a man guy and then. and two men together someone might have.
more techniques might know the sport but. even if I never been in the gym you. still better watch out I still have a. chance maybe not as much maybe not equal. chance but I still do have a chance but. you can't dismiss someone like you and. drop their drop your guard and and think. that you don't have any chance you. shouldn't dismiss anybody you know we. used to be in the I I have seen fight. that people show up and then they. pretend like oh they're going to fight. that Stone in the hand and if you.
dismiss them because you think like oh. he's a small guy he hit you with the. stone in his hand right right right. right where by the time you find out. that he has Stone in the hand you in the. ground right exactly um but it was very. clear to me uh that you had some. interesting strategies when you went. into that fight first of all you were. you're fighting a lot of it in Southpaw. why why did you decide to do that was. that something that you you guys had. devised before the fight you thought it. would be an interesting.
strategy or is that just like the way. you like to box I like to box like that. but I also thought it was a strategy um. that he would be a good strategy as well. because like basically on the uh Tyson. Fury fight I think the southp was a big. component in that fight because every. time that I realize uh that every time. that I switched to soupa he was thinking. but when I switched back to Orthodox he. was pressing.
so when I want to take a break I. switched to southp a little bit what was. it like to I mean there's obviously. you've had many MMA fights you've been. very successful UFC heavyweight champion. as an MMA fighter but what was the. difference in the feel of like going. into a professional boxing fight with a. guy like Tyson Fury who is the. heavyweight champion of the world and. one of the greatest of all time he's. absolutely one of the greatest. heavyweight boxers ever.
but he was completely different you know. uh the environment is different the. organization is different it's different. to be uh step in the. ring uh for the first time okay you have. all this Spotlight on you but you're in. the ring feels different sometime you're. in the cage you're used to the cage you. lean on that cage you have that feeling. you you you grab the the cage also your. Stu yes uh and then.
in the cas you know that you can you can. do more you you can wrestle you can do. this and you're comfortable with that. but you're you're in the ring for the. very first time somewhere that you never. been it feels different and then you're. thinking like oh man how am I going to. do am I going to be able to do three. rounds am I going to be able to do four. rounds I don't know I can find out just. now there's not a way back.
find out so every by every round you. have to think about like okay how am I. doing this the first round then second. round okay so this the fifth round I'm. not too bad so I think I going to get. there you know just go like that so you. concerned about endurance yes you very. concerned about endurance it was 10. rounds and I didn't know how I going to. be feeling after the third rounds you. turned it on the eighth round in the. eighth round you hit him with some big. shots yeah that was one of your best.
rounds yeah the yeah the eight round was. pretty good then I get little then I. pull my my feet off the gas on the ninth. round round and then the 10 Rounds I'm. like you know like oh I feel good this. the last round right feel good that's. when I start to do like those the. Superman punch all the stuff for me he. was already a. win he shocked the world that's for sure. did you have any um mock fights in the.
gym like did you bring in any. professional boxers and have like try to. go 8 10 rounds in the gym sparing yeah. but like with no headgear like smaller. Gloves did you do anything like that. replicated an actual professional boxing. match no no uh we just do like a normal. sparring uh have different sping partner. sometime to push me but um we didn't do.
anything like that you know as a MMA. fighter we used to spar without gloves. without head gear and stuff but you get. into boxing everything is so strict so. specific and then you get to the point. that you kind of like ask yourself like. why taking a chance to hurt now and get. p and get pull up of the fight right you. know I'm just going to train I train the. best that I could uh that I can then I. will get there see figure out what's. happened.
and so but from the time the. negotiations started to the time of the. fight how much time did you have to. prepare for this for the negotiation no. so you had the negotiations and then. once it was signed how much time did you. have to prepare for the actual fight. itself and how were you preparing. already hoping you were going to have a. boxing. match yeah but it's different to like. think that oh I might have a a boxing. match I want to have a boxing match than. when you have a boxing match and knowing. who you are going to fight is is.
something different you know you prepare. the real preparation start now and uh. between the moment that we signed the. fight to the fight itself it was over 3. months because I know that he wasn't my. my fi you know and uh I didn't have any. um and it's not like I was in the gym. training boxing every day so it was. basically 4 months so I yeah I took it a.
a moment for a. pre-amp I came back here because I was. in Cameroon at time then I came back. here my team and I we work on like. everything start like a preamp you know. just train to get in shape start like. sparring and then we started we started. the sparring with three rounds wow the. first sparring was like three rounds. move around see then start go walk round. after round you know what it what I. thought when I saw the fight is imagine.
if you had just gone into professional. boxing like 10 years ago how well you. would do if you no MMA no kicking no. wrestling just professional. boxing uh for you to do that well. against a guy like Tyson Fury who's that. good I don't really know and those are. the stuff that I don't usually think. about I think life sometime just had a. path for you you follow the path that uh.
your the destiny that life has for you. and you just be grateful because uh. regardless of the fact that I didn't uh. start 10 years earlier I didn't have. that opportunity 10 years earlier. meanwhile I had to discover MMA and have. a great journey in MMA have a great. experience in M you know so it's. something that uh I will not regret that. I will not beat that up over opportunity.
of starting boxing early things just. happened I took the I took my chance I. do what I can do it's all about like. figure out how far I can go what I can. possibly do you know so I'm not uh 18. years 20 years old guy that I Dreaming. to have a career into this but I still. want to know what I can possibly do at. this point of my life yeah what was the. experience like when it was all over. like what did it feel like when you just.
went 10 rounds and a lot of people. including myself thought you won yeah oh. I feel I I I feel very great you know. like um regardless of the result for me. uh knowing what I was going through what. was in my mind like what's going to. happen into this fight first round. second round then I get in the 10th. round good and I pretty I feel like I. wasn't doing bad. so for me that was a win that was a.
satisfaction you know right the result. was other part of it which didn't matter. most but I knew already that when if. ever he get because I couldn't guarantee. that we will get in the 10 round but if. ever we get there I wasn't expecting to. win when you dropped him definitely not. when you dropped him in the second round. I jumped off the couch I jumped in the. air I would say something you know like.
I want this from the moment that they. accepted the fight that they signed the. fight because I think um I. was under very underestimated you know. they didn't know that I I could have do. something you know if they have known. that beforehand maybe this fight would. have never happened because they would. have see a risk and they would want to. take that risk so this was basically.
like less zero risk and it probably. would have been different too because he. there was no footage to prepare for you. right like the only footage that he. could prepare was watching you fight in. MMA yes he was. um there it. is why are you dancing in front of him. when we start a fight when the ref say.
uh okay you guys go to your corner he. said let me take you to school M so that. was the dancing was like I think you. you're a bad Professor you're a bad. teacher that that was the only reason. why I did that he's a funny guy man he. he's funny he's very entertaining yeah. oh he's so entertaining he's so. entertaining it's just a show guy yeah. that's happened to really like been very.
uh talented in boxing good at it but. he's the Entertainer oh I mean he's the. way he sells it I mean even the way like. was playing with his fat like standing. next to you like rubbing his belly like. sometime he will insult you I don't know. if he's insulting you or if he's making. fun but it's just funny that you have to. laugh you really have nothing to say he. kep talking about how big your dick must. be he just he's a funny dude man he's a. funny dude he said since the first he.
started said those things the first time. we met and he will P some stuff up. sometime that you I'm like what and I. really have a hard time sharing. understanding what he's saying so I lot. and English is my first language and. they have to translate to tell me what. he said his English is hard to. understand you know the Gypsy King he's. he's quite a character he's a did you. hang out with him at all after the fight. no we didn't hang out but uh I think we. we both respect each other and I think.
he always he always I mean he was. entertaining but he always show respect. he and I know that he he he respected me. even from the beginning you know it's. not like this was after the fight even. from the beginning he could have say. everything that he would say to make his. show to laugh make people laugh you know. but he very respectful that's cool yeah. um was there any talk after the fight. about a.
rematch yes there is a uh there was even. a rematch close. [Music]. um how how they call like um first. regard of rematch close there was some. sort something in the contract of a. about a rematch. close was that if you beat him or. if was if I get in the eth round really. yeah. wow so the deal of the rematch was if I. get in the eigh round so why didn't the.
rematch. materialize uh I think it's a timing I. think it's a matter of it. timing yeah so so you go from that fight. to the an Anthony Joshua fight yes so. tell me about the preparation and. leading up to that fight in fact the. preparation for the Antony Joshua fight. then I started you know after having. like four months of training camp for. the Tyson Fury fight I had this feeling.
you know then I get little I get a. little confident now I know how it works. like 10 rounds and then uh was pretty. good you know the Tyson Fury fight um I. think I Spar I Spar like 10 rounds for. like two weeks yeah like four four. sparring of 10 Rounds barely but the ti. the Anton Joshua fight 6 week before. before the fight I was no I wasn't 10 no.
the Tyson Fury yeah 4 weeks before the. fight I was already doing like 10 rounds. and I was feeling good you know even. little lighter but things plays out. different and I think um unlike the. Tyson Fury fight that nobody expected me. to do anything here they were expecting. me to do something so. so things play played out little.
different and then we get in the five. week and then um every time that we're. going to do something in the five week. uh whether it's. media they're going to pick me up and. then I get there have to wait like 1. hour and a half before he. arrives and that was like uh maybe the. third day of the week that D the we. Cooper he said oh he start to get really.
uh mad uh upset about like yes this how. they get they do to get fire tired but. at the time I didn't know what was going. on you know so I'm like no come relax do. we it's okay you know I didn't know. until we get to the Frid day Friday. receive a email pick up. time I mean this one thing among others. pick up time uh 10:30 from the hotel and.
then when they say 10:30 by 10:20. there's a car in your door. waiting we go to the. supposedly 5 five time me between. midnight to 1:00 a.m. we get. to to the arena. 10:45 there's a producer coming to the. locker room say oh guy we are running. late on the broadcast now we we uh we're.
going to go around. 1:45 each I'm like okay 1:45 it's 1045 3. hours okay you know so what do you do do. you eat do you sleep what do you do when. you know you have three more. hours you don't know just stay there and. then you have like a drug test guy. around waiting for you to pee how far. before the fight do you. eat you. usually maybe like 4 5 hours yeah like.
maybe 5 to 6 hours then you get some. snacks in between you. know and then. um yeah he was 1 around. 1:30 that he was Anon Joshua. arrived I saw on train I'm like so we. supposed to fight at 1:45 he's arriving. at 130 what does that mean it's going to.
so so they're playing games until we we. fight at 1 at 3:30 we room at 3:30 I. have been in Saudi for almost 2 months. training to fight between midnight and. one M that was my bet my training Time. by two three I mean so they wanted to. keep you anxious drag it on. psychologically put it in your head you. don't know when you're going to.
fight pretty much yeah but even at that. time I didn't know what was happening. right it was after after everything that. I like what's going on because I get in. the I get to the point that I was so. tired I was in the locker room hitting. meat then sit down feeling asleep then I. tell Eric Eric niick like bro something. wrong I I asleep. I feel like I want to sleep like I'm.
sweating but we just keep we just keep. doing so that's fight um I. mean not to say Antony Joshua couldn't. win me you know I think if there's. somebody that. you uh you can loss against him he he's. he's the guy you know and uh he's the. one of the best of doing it you know but. and this is definitely not on him.
because he wasn't the guy that was. sending all those email was organizing. so I'm not blaming about anything but. the organization bro nah they. did quite some stuff that wasn't fair. wish on the Tyson fight was perfect. everything was perfect because I wasn't. a threat I wasn't nobody cares about me. everything was organized we get in the. locker room I think was 2 hours before. the fight. proberly yeah H so then that I'm like.
well Anthony Joshua is a veteran you. know he's been in the boxing game for a. long time and he knows knows all the. different tricks they also obviously. very much prepared for your style they. saw you fight Tyson Fury so they had. tape on you as a Tyson Fury did not have. boxing tape he didn't have any footage. to study but Anthony Joshua did and it. was very clear that he knew you had. certain Tendencies and there were.
certain things that you did with the. Tyson Fury fight that he exploited in. his. fight maybe and then uh I think again I. think he's uh capable to figure out. everybody I think he's capable to win. everybody. but in this case I feel like in some. ways they stand on my way a little bit. they stood in your way yeah so they they.
played some games well they wanted to. get the most Advantage possible you know. which is that's you know smart if you. were their coach their manager that's. what I would do too but it wasn't their. coach that was organizing the fight so. you think it's the organization itself. that they set everything up in his favor. the the organization I mean yes his team. was part of organization because it was. uh greensbury and. mushroom those emails was coming from.
from. there so those are the people that told. you to get there 3 hours earlier than. you needed to be yeah yeah those are the. people that were send in the schedule. the five we schedule and every day we. send everything like pick up time that's. the program and the schedule um have you. had a chance to go back and watch the. Anthony Joshua fight yeah I mean I. didn't yes I I watched it. what what was your Kion um what what do.
you remember about the fight what was. different watching it oh even like. feeling it it. wasn't even before I went to watch it I. get in the uh. ring was wasn't Lo was you know wasn't. feeling myself and the first round when. he knocked me down like I fell and I was. like did I sleep like what exactly knock.
me down make me fall like this punch. because I felt the punch but it wasn't. the punch that will knock me knock me. down you know so that's when I really. get confused at that time I'm like damn. what but this is the thing from that. moment I can knock down with a punch. that wasn't that hard because you don't. think it was that hard no he hit he hit.
my hand before hit my face and I felt it. I felt the punch but I was in on the. floor the first one. mhm and then uh I I get counted then. stood up we finished the round I went on. my corner but by the time I went on my. corner I never came back from that I. kept going and I remember being in my. corner and we was like uh don't go on. Southpaw he's waiting you on Southpaw do.
this champ do this champ that was it. that that's from there I don't remember. when I left the sto to get in the second. round well that was probably from the. big punch in the second round too right. yeah but I'm talking about the first. round right but the memory afterwards is. always going to be cloudy after a. knockout especially a bad knockout like. that yeah but I'm remember I remember. exactly what's happened on until we get. to the store I remember being there.
like start having blurry vision like the. guy was in front of me the my team was. in front of me speaking to me and then. the voice was getting distance so you. think there was something. wrong I don't know if it was the fatigue. I don't know what was it but something. wasn't right so something wasn't right. on forget about the pun as he landed. something else was wrong is that what.
you're saying yeah something was wrong. do you think it's something you ate do. you think it was something I don't know. that someone gave you I have no proof I. don't know if maybe did you get tested. after the fight maybe it's the fact that. I can um I get there at that time so. just the fatigue and the anxiety I don't. know. the yeah but something wrong I I wanted. to get um first of all like when all.
those things happen you are in the. moment you don't think like you don't. get out of the fight and think about. like go get tested MH you know you. process thing and then see to understand. to see how uh he was wrong mhm but by. the time they said I think I need uh you. have to do like within 12 hours to do. like blood or urine and 14 and 24 hours.
that was it so I didn't do that I I. can't say he was that I don't know but. but it felt like something was wrong I. wasn't it wasn't me yeah so did it feel. like something was wrong like just plain. fatigue or did it feel like something. was wrong like maybe you were poisoned. or maybe drugged playing fatigue fatigue. yeah so just fatigue yeah on the fatig. aspect yeah well this is uh also an. aspect of experience right because this.
is only your second professional boxing. fight and you know there's things that. people do like they they do very. intelligent things to like dvon Davis. when he fought Ryan Garcia he made him. rehydrate he made him dehydrate get down. to a low weight and then he there was a. clause in the contract where he couldn't. gain more than 10 pounds before the. fight itself so he went into the fight. dehydrated smart for a guy like Dante. who's a huge puncher you know so there's. things that like experienced.
professionals that have been in the game. a long time will get a fighter to agree. to that's not in their best interest and. then there's things that they can do to. you like make you wait all day and make. you wait around which will fatigue you. yeah but uh there wasn't a thing or. something in the contract that was. forcing me to do something the only. thing was like to show up on time right. so that's that was everything. because. like before all that the week.
before sparing Everything feels good I. Spar way more better way more stronger. than what I did on the fury fight even. my sparring partner was different at. that time you know on the fury fight we. were getting some uh some uh somebody in. maybe after the uh six or eight rounds. just to weigh me down but the quality of. a boxing wasn't that impressive right.
here he was different and I was able to. hold I know that if I had to fall he. would take a little more to get me. down well Anthony Joshua is a big. puncher he's a big puncher and he punch. he's fast he's fast and he's a one punch. knockout puncher as opposed to Tyson. Fury can knock guys out with one punch. but really he wears guys out he beats. guys up and then takes them out later. like the uh uh Deontay Wilder fight like.
he beats him up and then he takes him. out mhm you know whereas Joshua can take. people out with one shot he's he's a. much bigger physically much more. powerful guy no I agree with that and I. I knew. that I knew. that what would you do differently if. you could do the Anthony Joshua fight. again that's the. problem we did everything. right like everything right in.
preparation in preparation we did. everything right you know sometime you. know like when for uh for example I um I. fought S I went back and I could have. list. a I could make a whole list of what I. did wrong what I could have done better. and that's why like even after that. fight my next fight again D Lewis was so. bad because I was still working on the. list of what I have done done wrong but.
here we were very disciplined we did. everything and everybody was. professional you can't say uh this. person did this wrong this should have. be like this this should have be like. that I don't know it's so different too. because you're going from no. professional boxing fights to two of the. very very best not just in the world but. the two of the very best ever Anthony.
Joshua Olympic gold medalist Elite. fighter and incredible athlete I mean. he's so good so did you think. like at all about having fights with. maybe some guys that were below that. level to get more. experience like after the Tyson Fury. fight maybe fighting a guy who's like. ranked 15th or 16th you. know I'd never thought about that you. know he just went for the money and the.
money and the big fight the big fight is. obviously yes one the big fight so like. uh for example um after the Tyson Fury. fight if I go for another guy uh top 15. like what's what's the goal here I mean. again I'm not 20 years old I'm not 25. that I have a plan to grow up the. ranking and get to the. championship I want. just get that money yeah get the money.
and get the the big fight out of the big. fight you so that was that was the goal. yeah well youchi that goal because like. first of all going to the Tyson Fury. fight you didn't know if there was a. plan after that if there was another. fight after that and then after the. tison fury fight the next fight that you. have a call for was a Anton Joshua fight. will you try to get a different fight. after the Tyson Fury fight like after.
the Tyson Fury fight were you trying to. get a rematch or were you just willing. to take whatever they are offering you. the rematch was there we know we had the. rematch but he was going to fight yic. first thing that's supposed to happen in. December and he couldn't right he got. cut yeah he couldn't he couldn't fight. in December so I wasn't really on. something I was just there and then I. get the offer of Anton Joshua then I'm. like let's go M yeah so where do you.
stand now what are you what are you. planning on doing now what do I plan on. doing now I think I still have couple in. me have couple Yeah couple boxing fight. yeah basically boxing fight I have cop. MMA fight and I think um I haven't think. like uh I'm going to fight MMA fight by. the end of the year uh with PF I'm going. to fight um might have to fight in Saudi. again really yeah well one of the things. that has been discussed that um.
apparently the UFC might be open to. because the Saudi throw around so much. money is a the. potential of a um a joint promotion a. cross promotion with you versus Jon. Jones make it happen that is what the. world wants to see because when you have. a guy like yourself that you know knocks. out steep Bay becomes the Undisputed UFC. heavyweight champion and then through. negotiation only decides to relinquish. the belt everybody even though Jon Jones.
is a champion now everybody's like yeah. but you didn't win the title against the. champion and you were the most. compelling fight in the heavyweight. division for sure for Jon. Jones well uh that's what I wish but you. know in this um days this this takes a. lot more than what I want or what I wish. to happen there's a lot going on yeah. there's a lot going on so tell me what.
what is the status of your deal with the. pfl now so how does that work it's. working pretty good we have a good. relationship I have some fight um again. I will be fighting by the end of the. year and then uh do you know who you're. fighting I think Ren and Ferrera is the. guy. yeah that's the guy that knocked out. Ryan Bader yeah he's dangerous that gu. he's legit I've been telling people. about this guy for what almost two years.
he's a big dud this guy but very. athletic very athletic fast fast hand. one two knee stuff like very athletic. yeah so I think it's it's it's it's. going to be him and you think that fight. will be in Saudi Arabia as well yeah. that's what the PFA interesting is. working on interesting yeah do you know. when that'll take place. [Music].
um October October yeah they're working. on October it's not finalized yet but uh. there was talking about October 19 isn't. that around the same time the UFC has. that big Abu Dhabi card don't they have. a big Abu can you go to the UFC's. website see what their Abu Dhabi card is. I believe I want to say some somewhere. around the end of October there's a a. big UFC card in Abu Dhabi 25th oh no.
October 25th so October 25th yeah yeah. so one week after yeah. interesting yeah I don't know if the UFC. has that card finalized do they have. that card. finalized they always put on a big fight. when they go to Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi is. always a big card a lot of like top. level fighters on that. card yeah even this this this r one. going to be a big card no I'm sure if we.
make it happen we're going to stack. they're going to stack that card do you. know who else would be on that card with. you. um I don't again it's not finalized yet. but I think uh Sedin Dum will be on that. dum I love that dude yeah I love that. dude I've had him on the podcast before. he's an Entertainer too he's a comedian. he's a comedian he's crazy he's funny. he's very funny. godamn he can fight oh no he can fight.
how crazy was that fight he he can back. up what whatever he say oh yeah he's a. elite kickboxer Elite kickboxer he. trained at my gym in La when I had my. gym in La uh my gym in La his trainer. came when he did my podcast and he had a. workout session and man his workout. sessions are crazy it's so cardio. intensive they're doing like sprints on. the treadmill and they run to the heavy. bag sprints on the heavy bag run back to. the treadmill I was like damn like.
watching that I was like no wonder why. this guy has a crazy gas tank well he. was a champion for at uh glory for a. long time so and not just that wasn't a. mistake well he was knocking everybody. out not just knocking everybody out but. the way he did it like he melted guys he. put pressure on them and knockout power. but intelligence and just great. technique but the cardio was crazy and I. remember thinking like this dude doesn't. get tired and then watching him training.
I'm like oh well there it is I mean he's. not just doing like normal mitt work. like I've I've seen other guys work out. they do midw work they do their things. like his stuff is cardio intensive man. he has he wants to have a full gas tank. when he gets in there yeah he know he. knows what he's looking for how crazy. was that fight where they called the. fight because he stepped on a piece of. glass inside the cage I don't know man I. and I don't even know what D rrey was. doing all they had to do was pull it out. of his toe yeah like he's like hey I.
stepped on something I Ste something in. my toe and the like fights off yeah you. stopped the fight and you even check the. canvas if there's no more piece of a. glass on the canas that should be over. that was dangerous that should it is. dangerous but that that should be a no. contest there's no way that should count. as a loss fuckinge no contest at all no. chance how the [ __ ] is that other gu. complaining about like IO or something. that didn't happen nothing piece of a. glass a piece of and he's pointing to.
his toe and he's saying just let me get. it out of my toe let me get this out of. my toe it shouldn't be there and you. know things happen who knows how it even. got in there who knows what happened the. odds just some random freak accent he. steps on something that nobody you know. what it could have been stuck to. someone's shoe and someone's walking. around the cage with that stuck in their. shoe and it falls out of their shoe and. it sticks in his toe he stands on it he. gets it in his toe and he just points. down they say stop the fight yeah he's. like I lost twice like first and see if. you can find that Jamie second time I.
was reading someone's explanation of. what Mark GD did and they said he did. what you're supposed to do like a. fighter can't ask for a timeout and so. like if no no that's. wrong there's a foreign object Inside. the Cage yeah foreign object fall under. to the timidity sections of the. referee's guidelines in which they are. to continue F this is just someone's. expl they say timidity that's what this. say ridiculous oh that's ridiculous I'll. find find the footage though cuz the. footage is it's so obvious there's.
something wrong the referee should just. say time ask what he's saying it wasn't. like he was in trouble and he was. looking for a timeout yeah it did was. just the middle of the fight in 50/50. position yes the fight it's not like. nobody is losing position exactly so. here it is he's standing. there yeah it's not like nobody is. losing nobody is losing position from. that it's not like you take a punch I. want to recover from.
[Music]. that [ __ ]. crazy yes no I just don't understand. that at all I mean I haven't talked to. Mark about it that wasn't a good. decision I don't understand I mean maybe. he's hindered by the rules maybe that's. just what the rules State you have to do. when a fighter says you have to stop. something for a second I don't know what. the rules are in terms of that I've. never seen that happen before I've never. seen someone step on something inside. the octagon and then point down to their. foot I've never seen it so I don't but.
man what a shame but he came after that. and he won he won his next fight he's. going to [ __ ] up a lot of people man I. was bummed out that he went to the pfl I. wanted that guy in the UFC he got [ __ ]. up a lot of people and you know he's got. a lot of years on the he said uh he said. he wanted to go to the UFC and then they. give him some sort of contract then I'm. like no bro they gave a bad contract. yeah that's un he said that on the uh on. the Tweet right I don't know I don't.
tweet about. like well that's crazy that guy could be. a superstar he could be a superstar he's. so he's a superstar yeah he's a. superstar they got filled up the bie. arena in Paris yes in France he's a. superstar yeah I mean and that could. translate 100% to the United States into. the rest of the world I mean he's that. good he's that good yeah he's he's one. of the best in the world and the fact. that he's over there just like. well great for the pfl great for the pfl.
you know but for the UFC like that's a. big loss like anytime you can get an. elite kickboxer and he did a lot of. training he did uh a lot of training in. wrestling went to AKA trained there he's. he's really worked on his takedown. defense he want something yeah he. definitely want something and he's. working on it and the guy has serious. discipline and work ethic and he's just. smart man and the way he fights he's. just like he sets guys up he talks so. much [ __ ] before the fight too he's fun. did you watch his first fight at P yeah.
the guy bring he brought a. mattress like what the [ __ ] is this say. Jordan go to sleep and he put the guy to. sleep in few second well the the. difference between his level of striking. and most guys in that division level of. striking is like this yeah there's a. huge gap giant the other people the. other guy was just trying to compensate. with their wrestling or jitu or. exact and even if you don't have a.
better wrestling than him at least you. grab him you avoid some punch yes and. the thing about him is that every fight. starts standing up it's one thing if. you're a really good wrestler you have. to take the guy of the ground but the. fight starts standing you know with. Cedric the fight starts in his best. place and then you see how he was. fighting his second fight he was very. low he went very low like okay you're a. wrestler yeah let's see how you're going. to yeah get that level change like I'm. already down here so getting very he's.
very intelligent very intelligent and. and again his level of striking and we. see that with like guys like Alex. Pereira right like that level striking. when you're a glory Champion the level. of striking is so high it's so above the. average MMA fighter then when he gets in. there with these guys they don't they. don't want none of that and then as soon. as they start to get like a a a little. wrestling defense and stuff like that.
they become in trouble you can't take. him down anymore exactly and then you. you stand in front of him he smoke you. so what could you do well you see that. with Alex Pereira now his takedown. defense is much better and he keeps. getting better he he's evolving so. quickly like that no because he's been. training he's been training for so long. he's been training for so long and then. he's also training with Glover you know. Glover terer who also former Champion I. mean Glover was a guy that was locked. out of America for 6 years he couldn't.
come to America for 6 years cuz he had. Visa issues and he was like the. boogeyman we would all hear about him in. Brazil and everybody would talk yeah. Glover was like one of those guys before. he entered into the UFC that and I think. he wasted his prime unfortunately in. Brazil not I'll say wasted his prime but. I think his prime years were outside of. the United States that's why when he won. the title he was like 42 43 43 what. exactly is the prime years for a guy. that won a title at 44 at.
43 I you you get to the you get to the. point to it get you to think that maybe. 43 is the prime years if you won the. title of that year right yeah you watch. that I'm like 43 is not that old you. know I think at 43 you can still do. something yeah it it well it depends on. the division right like George Foreman. won the heavyweight title at 45 yeah. yeah. he heavyweights different more yeah it's. different because they don't push on.
that gas you know throw some punch and. move how old. isric SED dumbe yeah find out how old is. I want to say he's young yeah he's young. he's young he might be how old is he 31. that's a good age1 yeah yeah and with. that level of kickboxing. woo and power man you know like not just. like technique but power and endurance. it's a rare combination he has of very.
very good endurance and extreme power. yeah he hit like a de guy. M yeah he's he's a [ __ ] killer I'm. excited to see what happens do you. understand the pfl's point system do you. understand that system what do you mean. you know how they have a points like if. you get a knockout in the first round. you get one point or three points or. yeah what the [ __ ] are they doing why. are they doing that that's for the. season I think it's um just to push push.
people for a better fight everybody. knows that you get a knockout you get. you deserve something better you get a. finish you get something right but you. can't always get a finish but what if. you're fighting a guy that's like your. level like you're both Elite and you're. you're both fighting in like this. incredible fight you shouldn't be. penalized because you can't take out a. fighter who the best in the world in the. first round that seems crazy to me yeah. but either way if you win a fight you're. winning something yeah you just WN you.
just win more uh is like uh having a win. bonus or something I don't like win. bonuses either I hate win bonuses yeah. me too I don't like I don't like like I. like boxing set up better where you have. a contractual you have a contract you're. going to get paid $10 million whatever. it is that's what you get you don't get. $10 million but you only get five. million if a shitty judge gives it to. the other guy which we've seen so many. times in the UFC guys lose half their. paycheck because of a bad decision yeah.
but what does that. benefit well who does it benefit I don't. know who it benefits I don't think it. benefits anybody I think it's bad for. everybody I think it's bad for the. audience because they're like what. because it makes them angry it's bad for. the fighter for sure if a fighter loses. their paycheck loses half their paycheck. because of a bad decision how about the. promotion I don't even think it's good. for the promotion I think it's unfair I. don't think it makes any sense no no. guys trying at the elite level.
everyone's trying to win they're all. trying to win no one's not trying to win. absolutely no one's going to just Coast. for the most part you get there by. winning yes yeah that's how whole thing. is the glory of Victory so what you're. trying to do you're not going to fight. less hard I just don't understand the. logic behind it I think it's a flawed. concept I think it's something that. never existed in Combat Sports before. MMA and really shouldn't exist I think. Fighters fight their best especially at. the elite level they fight their best.
yeah I agree I agree with you because. like when you lose a fight at least you. should get your full pay on that fight. but that won't uh the loss won't help. you with dvantage you on the next fight. right you know on next negotiation I'm. like oh you lose two fight uh in a row. right so you you don't have a power. position anymore ex but like just to. pick half of your purse because you lose. a fight yeah crazy I don't like it at. all I don't like it at all I just it.
doesn't make sense to me I've heard. people try to argue it and every time. they try to make an argument for it I'm. like I don't get it doesn't it's not. fair for the fighters fighters only have. if they're really lucky like what's the. most fights that a elite fighter in the. UFC has like 50 45 50 fights you know. maybe 50 fight maybe there's a few guys. that have like that level of fights most. guys they top off way less than that oh. way way less yeah way less so the you.
just by the time you start your career. if you already you have like an injury. yeah good luck right good luck to reach. 25 right especially ACL surgery you're. out for a year shoulder surgery you're. out for a year broken hand you're out. for five mon might never might never be. the same yeah you know and most people. it's not like there is a age to start. like oh you start at 20 or 25 right so. people will get there at 30 over 30 I. mean how old were you you started.
training so late like what how old were. you when you started training 27 yeah. that's crazy yeah it was 27 but he was. my only that was only when I could have. train right you know yeah so you only. have a certain amount of years yeah yeah. but just want to do the best out of. those years of course but for you to be. fighting on a system that penalizes you. if there's a bad judge and you you miss. half your paycheck does the pfl do win.
bonuses too do they do the same thing uh. I don't know exactly you don't know your. your your contract is probably different. than everybody else's anybody yes and I. have yeah my contract is different no I. either way I wouldn't go for that win. bonus. stuff I have nothing against bonus but. don't split my my uh my paycheck into. talking about like when bonus no give me. my paycheck if you want to uh give a.
bonus for the win let's do another deal. on that one yeah that makes sense yeah. that makes sense I just think because. whether I lose or I I don't Lo or I win. I train I get prepared for the fight I. come I give it I give everything for. that fight I should get paid. yes and the same thing that I give in. that fight to lose could have get me to. win yeah yeah no I agree I agree and so. now the pfl and Bellator are one.
organization now right the pfl acquired. Bellator is that what's going on yes do. the Saudis have something to do with. that as well don't they own part of it. they invest in the PF yes in the main PF. because there's a m PF a house pfl that. has like the PF and the P. now and then now they having like a p. Regional PF like a PF PF Mina that. launch this year and then pfl Africa. that's launching next year and that's.
your shirt yeah and so you're a part of. that as well right oh yeah that's that. was the biggest uh I think that was the. biggest reason for me in that contract. the PFA Africa part was the most. important one in that contract you know. like um before that I was trying to like. even to the UFC I have requested to like. oh I want to be the UFC Ambassador in. Africa I want to do something out there. I'm like oh no we don't know you know. this is not we don't and then I get a PF.
they say okay we're doing this we do. that they show me the road map like okay. we launch pfl Africa. 2025 you the pfl uh Africa chairman um. like which is 10 because I don't want. that [ __ ] of paper chairman or. whatever it is like at which extent like. what exactly are you seeing in PFA. Africa and then they put it out and give. show me some element I'm like good then.
I'm on. board well that is one good thing about. going over to the pfl because you you. have so much value to them like for you. coming over you were the Undisputed. heavyweight champion of the UFC you come. over to the pfl everybody knows who you. are now it elevates the pfl so it's nice. because it allow you to do more things. and uh to be honest one thing I have a. healthy relationship you know it's it's.
peaceful get to the point of my life. that I really get tired or sick of. drama sometime I just get into something. into some find myself in the middle of. some drama and then I just walk. away whatever you want to say you say. some you might say I disrespect you you. say oh I this I that bro I don't have so. much energy to give into that so that. was part of what was going on with the. UFC there was a lot of drama that's yeah.
that's and that's will take a lot out of. you you get to the point that you I'm. like I want I just want this to be over. right I just want to get to be over get. back to my life but you're already in. the middle whether you want to go back. you have to deal with drama if you have. to go forward you have to deal with. drama so you better keep going forward. yeah especially I mean like how much. time do you have left round I mean how. many more years you think you're going. to be fighting yeah and doesn't matter I.
mean uh soon 38 and I think I'm going to. be I really want to retired in my um as. they say I want to leave the sport. before the sport leaves me smart yeah so. I'm thinking in my average like 41 so. three more years yeah 41 by that do you. have a thought of how many more boxing. fights versus how many more MMA fights. you want to. do not exactly I think I would take it.
how how it comes I take it how he comes. and so the next fight will be MMA. definitely or maybe maybe maybe. um maybe in my 40s uh I still feel like. I have it you know right if I feel like. at 41 I feel like I have it well you. keep going fight I keep yeah yeah keep. going away exactly keep regenerating and.
then take one at at at a time you know. but uh what I what I really don't want. to do is to like wake up and go to the. gym like I'm forced you know if I feel. like I have it oh I'm excited oh today. is sparing day I'm going to get there. whether I'm going to beat somebody up or. they're going to beat me up either way. I'm excited you know if I still have. that I keep going right right but as. soon as I don't have that even if I'm. not 40 yet I think is a sign is a call.
out yeah well that's intelligent that's. smart that's the way you phrased it I. like the way you phrased it leave the. sport before the sport leaves you yeah. that's cuz we've all seen guys who hung. around too long I would still I would. still always do the sport I would never. really leave the sport but the. competition at that level you know you. need to be ready you need to be into it. you need to want to be there you don't. just want to do it because okay I have. to no you don't go play with pches.
because you have to no right right right. right right enthusiastic yeah so do you. know for sure that you'll be fighting. MMA next or is it possible that a big. boxing match could present itself and. you would do that next I would say MMA. next definitely yeah I would say MMA. next because I supposed to fight. um it's been uh over a year little over. a year now since the P agreement and. then supposed to have a fight in a year.
so now we are getting little out of the. timeline for sure and uh by the time we. would figure out who should be my oppent. and I think uh things are very clear now. ran Ferrera made his s very clear that. is a. uh Challenger that should make the fight. here is the opening that can make that. fight happen and let's assume you get.
past that will you then decide whether. or not you're going to fight MMA next or. boxing next or because one of the things. about the pfl is there's not a lot of. Chen there's not a lot of very. compelling challenges for you there. unfortunately at least now they could. sign some more Top Flight heavyweights I. mean who knows what happens with many. people in the who who knows what happens. with Jon Jones I mean I don't know what. happens with any of these guys I mean. they he could wind up going to the pfl. who [ __ ] knows he could if they come. up with some big money you know you.
could get a lot of people that will be. willing to go over there. yeah yeah um I mean like after I think. after this fight I'll see what's. happened I don't really have a um clear. mind on what will happen but I would say. most likely boxing most likely boxing. yeah most likely boxing do you have an. opponent in mind no no absolutely not we. will see the landscape and what I can. get who I can.
get because my um my expectation as you. were asking me earlier like how many. fighter do I think I can do in MMA or. boxing I think if I get to um if I get. to like a good four fight uh plan in. boxing I think that could be good you. know you get like a good for fight and. then you build like know who and who who.
and who could should be. next that could be my. uh my potential retirement plan well it. sounds like you already made a good. amount of money like it's yeah I have. made a good amount of money but uh you. also have to remember that I started. this sport for passion mhm you know you. don't start the sport for the money. because at first there is not money. right at first it's just punch flying.
over your head all over and you have to. touch and then fight and uh not get paid. fight for free for quite some time you. know. so I love the sport I still love the. sport I love the sport of I love combat. sport I love fighting and I think I'll. do it until I feel like I cannot do it. anymore is boxing more unique to to you. because it's a new challenge boxing is. different to me because it's even my my.
Bo my um my. um even the muscles memory are not the. same the functionality of my body is not. the same you know on like MMA that I. know every single Mo uh action in MMA. every single moment I've been there t of. time I know I get. this but boxing you still like okay okay. you know you might get even in some. position and get stressed because you.
never been there you don't know you have. to figure out right instead of it being. Instinct yeah then you until you you get. there two three two three time then you. like ah it's okay I can deal with it you. know uh MMA I I go MMA fight with the. knee injury I'm still like I get this. but boxing little different you you. basically know. that questioning yourself about if you.
can handle this it's not like I get this. right right right it's different there's. a lot of thinking because it's a new. thing for you when you trained for. boxing I know you have uh Dewey Cooper. you have Eric Nicki like did you bring. other people in to help train you in. boxing yeah I brought uh John bomba from. France uh he assist uh Dewey sometime. because he's he's very like um he has a. very good amate style which I think is.
something that I still need to build in. my game and uh yeah other than that I. have a trip which is my strength and. conditioning coach so I put those. element down did you uh get a chance to. spar any top heavyweights in in. America top heavy with like um I would. say Carlos. takam um. Guido is's at top top right now he's my. um he's my old sping partner but in.
America uh not other the top. uh I get Jeremiah Milton as well. um but no other big name in America. which is even more impressive your. performance against Tyson Fury when you. consider like you really didn't even. Spar Elite heavyweights. listen I think sometime we um we don't.
give credit to some people because they. don't just have a name mhm because they. are not they haven't have his get have a. stage to play on right you know and we. think like oh he's not body oh he's not. the elite let me take you some example. before Andy Ruiz fought Anthony Joshua. would you think about him as a elite. fighter no a lot of people. but he was still there and he was just. good at as he is right now but he's but.
because he didn't have the scene to be. seen to be exposed so nobody care about. him and if you say oh I spar with uies. I'm like yes but you haven't spar with. the you see yes and there's a lot of. people like that out there right A lot. of people that haven't got their shot. yet but they have shot but they are. there they pris they are Elite well when. you first made your way and you know. when you told that story on the podcast. of your journey leaving Cameroon and.
making your way and. getting turned back so many times when. you first arrived and you finally got to. France you wanted to be a boxer no even. before I left I wanted to be a boxer. even decad before I left I wanted to be. a boxer that wasn't even a question I. always knew what I. wanted so when it finally went full. circle and you became a boxer again did. it feel like oh this is how it was. supposed to be I was living my dream.
there is no way that I don't think. there's a way that thing supposed to be. you get what you get and then you you. you you you be grateful and then you. make the best out of it yeah you know so. I was living the dream you know I ended. up having the fight having to fight uh. two best two best boxer in the. world after. having a great MMA career not bad from a. guy coming from where I came from it's.
amazing basically from having the path. that I had you know and who knows some. good thing might still happen oh some. good things I'm sure will still happen. but that your path is incredible and I. encourage anybody that hasn't heard it. to go back and listen to the first. podcast you and I did together where you. explained it I was stunned I remember. for the rest of the day all that could. think about was your story and how. insane it is that what you had to go.
through to finally make it to Europe. incredible story you know just as I was. talking I was saying earlier um because. some people hasn't been exposed they. haven't get a big big stage like uh they. don't care about them there are a lot of. people out there with a better story. than mine with they better they're. stronger than mine that even me I'm. impressed I'm like bro how do you do. that I don't think I could have done. that you know but and there a lot not.
like one or like two three a lot of. people you know but I think I happen to. be the one that have the SE and have. been exposed my story has been exposed. to the world you went through that. struggle and I have the Joan experience. to to tell my own story which they don't. have well I'd happy I'd be happy to have. them on too if they had a story like. yours. and the success that you've had from. that it's very inspiring and it it.
speaks to the human spirit because uh. that's that's what people love to hear. about about someone who did not give up. and struggled so hard what how many. times did you get sent back seven eight. times um six times six times in the in. the in in the ocean six time yeah and. then I made it I made it the seventh. time crazy crazy seven is a magic number. it is a magic number right it's a lucky. number made the seven number yeah the. seven times it's an incredibly.
inspirational story and and I love the. fact that you're dedicated to doing this. thing in Africa now and to give more. people an opportunity and to give them a. path towards uh a. career you know um regardless of what. you might think of of of my life I think. I'm a very blessed guy I think I'm a. very lucky guy first of all to like I.
think even if when I explain you might. don't really understand where I came. from and to imagine that I'm here. today calling a shot bro it's crazy it's. just insane you know so I think I'm a. very uh lucky guy God have really. blessed me and then um I also think. those blessing comes with a lot of. opportunity that I can bring back you.
know because when I was there for so. many time I can't tell you how many time. that my Hope was to some uh body to come. do something to some good Samaritan to. take some action that I would take. advantage on you know then he happened. that uh uh I've been blessed to be to be. the guy that can do that and even. without taking Mo. um even without without that taking.
anything out of me you know so. like I'm. like he will be a sin not to do not to. do something you know like um for. example for the PFA Africa my my dream. about that what get me excited about. that is just seeing myself not have to. leave Africa as I did and then have to. compete in the. good platform like that have to make it. living have to fight in the uh world.
class fighter in that level and just. staying home right and don't have to. risk all this life go through all the. stuff to the ocean through the ocean the. bwire the prison stuff that I've been. through to do that you know I just have. to stay home and do that right so now. it's a new is a platform that going to. give opportunity to many people that. maybe have a plan to go through that.
same path and that might not have made. it you know they're just doing it at. home that's beautiful how could you not. do think of doing something like that. when you have a opportunity and it's not. like oh uh is a war that they carry and. put on your head and a burden that you. have to carry is the opportunity that. you can just help participate and make. it happen so tell me how does this play. out do you establish gyms in Africa are. you going to put a gym in Cameroon are.
you going to how are you going to do. this I have two gyms in Cameroon already. oh you do yeah when through my. Foundation I have one gym one gyms for. six years now oh wow yeah and then the. second gyms been around for almost two. years and we buil that one with a. partner um I mean a partner help us to. build they like our project um with the. foundation and then they join us Premier. B they join us to that to build the that.
gym for us a very big big as gy um so we. have that too and we were in the project. to build the third one but with the pfl. one thing that I uh I requested and then. it was granted was that everywhere that. we are going to do we're going to try to. build gyms around because yes it's good. to bring pfl to bring competition around. but remember so many many of those. people they have nothing many of those.
kid that want to fight there might be. training in the um uh Beach on the beach. they might be training they don't really. have a gym to train at but yet you're. expecting them to compete at their. highest level so it's at least good to. have a system that will help them you. know it's like uh having a garden right. yeah having a garden to create. talent that you need for your. organization you know so helping them to.
help you because at the end of the day. you need talent at the end of the day. Talent needs organization so the thing. is that uh with PFA Africa we're going. to build gyms that fighter who use and. develop and then we're going to also. Implement uh help like get coaches. experi experience coaches uh that can go. and teach and also teach another coach.
how to properly train at that uh coach. at that level stuff like that so uh. that's that's the goal you know it's. it's about like building something it's. not like here that you come and. everything is established and you have. your promotion and go no it's like. building something walking uh from the. uh grassroot yeah that's beautiful so so. a Africa is obviously a huge continent. and there's so many countries in it full. of talent what is the scene like in.
Africa right now in terms of like what. are the local promotions and how many of. them are there and how many like how. many like young talented Fighters do you. see that are coming out of there that. could eventually come over to the pfl or. the UFC or Bellator or 1fc or any of the. large organizations okay so you asked me. the question like many American what is. the scene in in Africa in the Africa is. 52 country right and I never been in.
five of them I do so I know South Africa. has a large scene you know obviously. draus duplic from South Africa there's a. lot of good Fighters have a organization. that I think is EFC something like that. Nigeria been doing good uh they also. have a I think it's African knockout. that Usman kamaru is part of right um. there and they are also some uh Regional. organization they might be smaller or.
not like quite uh popular is there one. large organization ever over there at. all no not yet most of them are fairly. small yeah because again you have to. build everything from the scratch right. so everything is everybody is trying to. do the best out of what he get right but. like if to have a good organization you. need to build gym you need to give those. fighter where to train you need to help. them about like having experience get. experience get training uh even get top.
coaches and then more people training at. least they have training Partners which. is not they don't have you have seen I. have seen a lot of some African fighter. that are really good but they don't have. they have to go somewhere else because. they don't have a training Partners you. know but with with uh this um uh program. they're going to have is going to be a. whole ecosystem a whole ecosystem in the. fact that you're going to have a gym.
that going to train and then maybe. provide a fighter for who going to fight. in the promotion and that might be might. have money and then that money will. attract people you know um will attract. other people to training because he he. have seen other one making a living out. of training he have seen that is. possible he have seen the opportunity. right next to his door like right. they're here I don't have to travel it's. not in America anymore it's not in.
Europe anymore it's here I just have to. stay here and get dedicated so it's. possible and that's interesting too if. the pfl has a I mean if they establish. pfl Africa the beautiful thing is that. if they have top level fights over there. and then they take those fights and they. broadcast them all over the world then. there's so much opportunity yes I mean. uh the the the fighter of PFA Africa. will not only be seen in Africa not to.
mention that the champions of the pfl. Africa will just as PF Mina and PF. Europe they will all come together to. fight for the uh M pfl title you know so. that's exciting everybody is getting. that big uh stage is uh they are all. working they all still under like the. the Glo the M PF yeah you see which is. something that uh is very interesting um. and then we give more um more SPO light.
more opportunity also get uh attention. of media and then who says media says. attention of sponsor that will go maybe. to gym to fires and that create that. will create ecosystem around that media. interest sponsor come around and then. fighter get paid and then maybe he sping. partner get paid or I don't know he has. his assistant or somebody working work.
for him get paid and the money is now in. the. loop everybody do you see yourself uh. after you retire from fighting going. into a coaching and mentoring role for. Fighters do you do you see yourself. being more of an executive position like. working with either the pfl or whoever I. don't see really I never see myself as a. coach I don't have like a uh vocation. for that it's not something that I have.
I look I'm looking forward to. although um I see myself like um maybe. stay in the sport somewhere like I I. also don't see myself as a. manager I that's a hard. job and yeah I know cool a lot of. [ __ ] yeah a lot of [ __ ]. like you I just think that to be a good.
is a job that you think like to be good. at it you need to be screwing somebody. right most likely not always but most. likely might be on the. table so I don't see myself like that. but I see myself really like working on. like um the growth of the sport. basically in Africa and again that's why. like the PF Africa comes to me like the. writing yeah you know the the the.
retirement plan thing that I could be. focused on being working on I know how. Africa work perfectly I know how PF work. perfectly I know pit Murray and Don. Davis they are very excited about it but. bro they are white people from America. and they don't know how Africa. works I am from Africa and I know the. Deep ground of Africa and I know the. challenge there I know the problem there.
as atlet and I think that's where I will. impact I think a role of a executive. will be like is some fancy thing that. yes I might have but I think my good job. is to to work on the field because I. know the problem on the field the roote. and the problem there what could be done. what need to be done what fire what they. what they need you know I think that's. what I will be best at also for think.
being like yeah it's cool to be chairman. of PFA Africa but I'm not going to sit. in the office I'm like oh I'm a chairman. and then wear suit and tie every day to. to run stuff you know I think I going no. it doesn't seem like. it but I think like for you for a young. Fighter um there's no greater source of. inspiration than a guy like yourself I. mean if you look at your career you've. only been fighting for 10 years what.
look at all you've accomplished UFC. heavyweight champion fought two of the. best boxers alive you're an. international Superstar you made. millions of dollars like that is the. height of inspiration m Joe you say. knows yeah but when you say that out. loud maybe you get some. law you. know money is like honey you always. attract. bees that's so true that's so true a lot. of stingers out.
there so let's forget about the money. but just look at you the accomplishment. and just knowing that you came and. especially again if someone hears your. story of how hard it was for you to. literally essentially walk from Cameroon. to Morocco and then make it all the way. over to Europe and then make a career. and fighting and then make it to the. United States get into the UFC and then. you know matter of a few short years. become the UFC heavyweight champion for. young Fighters that's like like that guy.
did it like he did it I he did he came. from where I came from I can do it now. once someone has done it it makes it. more accessible at least mentally to a. lot of people yeah absolutely and I. think that's the um fundamental idea. about my Foundation my found the reason. why I did a foundation uh for me he was. just so um not only uh those kid can. have access in the gym which is.
something that Me growing up I was just. dreaming about it the only gym that I. have seen until I was 22 was the gym. that I saw whether in my dream or in the. TV I never see a real gym even though I. always want to do combat sport but uh I. I thought like if you build like nice. gym not only those kid have access he. make them have this feeling this. connection with reality like oh the. thing that I always see in TV is here is. possible you know and then the guy that.
maybe I have seen in TV on TV or heard. about he's also here like he's around he. came here so it's possible you know. because. um so the the idea of the foundation was. just to motivate kid allow them to be. believe in themsel and I think it's. still what we're working on uh to help. them believe trust have a trust in theel. a self- believing have a self confidence.
on in themsel and this doesn't matter. what they want to do in life you might. want to be a doctor you might want to be. a lawyer accountant journalist whatever. you want to do but uh I do think that a. guy that believe somebody that believe. believe in himself success for that guy. is just a matter of time and you can be. a champion in whatever you do you see. like. doesn't you don't have to be a fighter. to become a champion I'm glad you. brought that up because it's another. question I wanted to ask you is do you.
have any other aspirations of doing. things outside of fighting once you've. retired because one of the things you. were talking to Jamie about before the. show started was producing you were. talking about production like film and. filming things and do you have other. aspirations I have a lot of aspiration. but not like a job I have a lot of. passion you know I'm passionate about a. lot of thing to uh today. um I use I can I have quite a resource.
to have some Hobbies you know stuff that. I uh I'm excited about I'm passionate. about I create a uh small production in. uh in Cameron in my Village just to. train kids so they can have to touch. camera like this all those uh stuff that. we have here I have it back home they. touch they learn on it you know I just. want them to be able to operate a good. camera if someday they want to do or. somebody want to do a movie they have. somebody that can operate a nice camera.
just home don't need to go to uh Europe. or in America to bring people uh because. local they can do and they have been. trained in on good cameras you know so I. have St stuff like that a lot what what. inspired you to do that in terms of. cameras and production and stuff I. always love cameras I always love I see. and I always impress and then I see. stuff here and then I see the challenge. the difference that are you know like.
you see somebody that make a film uh a. movie that might be be on Netflix with a. very low quality of camera then I'm like. what if this guy has a have a has a. access on a good camera what can he do. right you know well that's one of the. things like you were talking about with. Fighters that there's a lot of people. out there that are very talented that. just haven't had their chot their shot. yet absolutely there's a lot of people. like that with film making and with uh.
stand-up comedy and. writing everything just have another. opportunity and I always say this I. think I might uh we might have become uh. the UFC uh the first African. Champion just because there wasn't so. many people that have a chance I mean. like uh when you look at uh kamaru Desa. I I'm sure if you go to Africa you can. find some [ __ ] who can beat us.
up but lucky us he didn't have that. chance yet so that's very hum we took we. took the. opportunity right well you open the door. though and it makes it possible for. others which is that's one of the more. important things about accomplishment is. it but when time goes by The Challenge. will become tougher and tougher and we. will come around and we will be very we. might come very short. well look at what Brazil you know I mean. look at Brazil there's so many champions.
so many Elite Fighters come out of. Brazil now it's because ho Gracie opened. that door and then the UFC just became a. place for them and then if you take even. that dry Gracie on his prime put him. here is going to get beat up by Maybe by. some kickboxing yeah you know but he's. he was the one that open that door you. know that gave that opportunity that uh. made the path to that yeah it's just. it's so important that you recognize. that that like your position is not just.
as an individual but your position is as. an inspiration to others and to give. people this this they see it like I can. do it he did it it's. possible yeah I think uh in life we we. take every opportunity that we have we. get to the point again that we have a. opportunity to affect other life how. many people affect other life how many.
people in their lifetime walk around and. uh parents walk to them I'm like Oh my. kid want to become be like you right you. know I. think I think it's something really cool. it's really great it's very cool like a. parent that want the best for their kids. that yes kids wanted to be like you yes. is different because he's not very smart. he's not wise and even kids want to be. do some dumb [ __ ] so you might be a bad. guy and kids still want to be like you.
but a parent that really protective. about their kids like one the best for. their. kids and then they will come like oh. your son such an inspiration my kid want. to be like you so that's that basically. like him approving that he he kid should. be like you he hope for his kid to. become like you that's a big statement. which is pretty cool yeah it is pretty. cool it's really cool it's really cool. and it's uh there such a unique time for.
people too because internet is available. pretty much all over the world now so. kids in all these countries especially. if they have phones they have access to. all of this information all and it's. messy it's coming for from all over and. you can they can find everything yeah. everything now how to help them to pick. what's is good and what's not good right.
that's the problem yeah because. information is good but lot of it's. [ __ ] a lot of it is [ __ ] you. have to filter because some some of them. are just bad seed in the back yeah. that's true too yeah and then there have. you seen what what's happening in the. Amazon there's uh this very small. uncontacted tribe and they got uh. internet access and now a lot of them. are just on their phones all day and. then the tribe leaders are like what the. [ __ ] everyone's lazy you guys are.
becoming like Americans now you're just. on your phone all day they're looking at. tits and looking at porn and like you. know of. course and this thing that they thought. would be a beautiful thing oh this would. be so great we're going to get access to. information people going to get educated. instead you know a lot of them are just. looking at Tik Tok. videos yeah but they got to have to. figure figure out how to people for the. most part are lazy really you think so. yeah I think people for the most part.
are lazy if you give them an opportunity. to be lazy I feel um no it's hard to be. disciplined especially if you don't have. examples of other disciplined people. around you you know some people might. have might just have been educated keep. going to school mhm because they choose. school overw work that's true and some. people just walk over school that's true. as well yeah and then you go to school. and after being graduated or be or or.
have your PhD and then you like how he's. educated is this in fact you were. running away from from a. job I'm sure well that's Educators. that's the problem with our our. universities those people wind up. teaching the end of the. day yes you are. educated but in reality you are l. if you have a job if you have a job that. is going to wear suit and act like a. boss every day he can do it but if he.
has to like start something and work. really hard you can't stand it right. yeah you can stand it there's a lot of. Truth in that but someone will also be a. worker because they had a vision they. want to do that they're excited of a. knowledge to uh Implement into something. and then after that they just start a. business and this you know you know. because starting a business never is. never easy you have to be a worker when. you have a when you start a business.
it's not like a uh 9 to 5 job you know. you don't have time sometime you have to. wake up at midnight or at 2: a.m. to uh. pick up a call because this guy is I. don't know in China in Europe and the. time different and you have to keep. going you have to be on his time you. have to be on meeting in a meeting at. this time so that that's where you know. if you a worker or not but if you see at. the office 9 to7 yeah wear your suit I'm.
a manager of these and that and. that yeah you might be. lazy and lazy people do a good job too. because lazy people find a strategy of. avoiding. work that's true which is very. intelligent yes yeah they find ways yes. to get things done without really. putting in work that is true yeah. there's so many books like that the. 4-Hour Work Week you know yeah there's a. lot of books on people just trying to.
avoid work yeah but they still have to. move uh to wash their dishes their. clothes like dishwasher for example I. think is the idea of some lazy person. that didn't want to wash. dishes are you agree with me so a lazy. person didn't want to wash dishes so. they hired a dishwasher no they invent. oh they the invented dishwasher oh. machine yeah they thought about it like. how can I get my dishes clean without.
have to wash it also also it's more. efficient because you can put them in. the dishwasher it's efficient but the. the idea come from laziness interesting. interesting I mean he might be I'm not. saying he's the thing but he might be. coming from laziness you have a point I. don't want I don't want to watch my. clothes anymore how can I but I still. need to wear a clean clothes right how. can I do to get my clothes clean without. washing them wash machine.
machine that's true right because you. only wear like one piece of clothes a. day and you only eat use one plate when. you eat how hard is it to wash that one. plate yeah it takes 30 seconds you get. some soap you get a sponge rinse it off. put it in the dryer you're done like I. have a u that's a good point man I never. thought of it that back in my house and. this something that I still don't. understand sometime I'll leave plates.
around and then if I have my uh. housekeeping coming they'll always take. PL take them and put in the uh. dishwasher and everything in the. dishwasher and I don't know what. happened if it's the dishwasher. something wrong with it you never. getting. clean properly well you kind of have to. clean them before you put them in the. dishwasher which is crazy cuz if you. just cleaned them a little bit more you. wouldn't have to put them in the. dishwasher you probably save time okay. personally I never use a dishwasher I.
don't know works and I don't know how it. works the easier thing for me is after. using one or two plates I wash it I put. it there yeah it's is easier or even if. I stack like three four plate after I. Come Take 5 minutes clean it put it. there yeah it's easier for me than run a. machine and is which I don't even know. how it works too much and it's going to. sometime he might be loud I just want to.
watch my TV and that [ __ ] is running. behind me true that's true yeah that's. true that's a good point yeah that is a. a lazy person's invention a smart lazy. person yeah yeah lazy people are very. creative. very I never thought about it that way. but I think you're right mhm yeah. but then there's some things like vacuum. cleaner you need that how the [ __ ] are. you going to get anything out of a. carpet without a vacuum cleaner you need.
that yeah there's some inventions that. clean that makes sense but I think no no. I I mean everything makes sense even uh. like uh wash machine makes sense yeah. you know after training you come you put. your clothes there you train to twice a. day you put your clothes after two days. you press that button on the machine. when you when you leaving you go start. out yeah come back is done you put in. the dryer. [Laughter].
again yeah no that's a a very good point. though about inventions and and also. about how lazy people avoid work and. about a lot of educated people are just. avoiding work yeah by continuing their. education I know personally people that. have done that they get their PHD they. get grants they get loans oh no you go. you go in like a family house uh and. then there are like uh maybe four kids. uh there's there there's dishes they. have to clean the house uh and then.
someone have a homework and even if he. does have a homework he's reading a book. he's in the middle of the book so that. mean he's not cleaning. anything because he's reading you guys. are not reading you have to clean so how. easy is that well people love to put off. things they're supposed to do you know. it's it's an interesting thing too about. Fighters because the difference between. there's like a lot of factors involved. in being a fighter there's the mentality.
there's the ability to focus and to. perform Under Pressure it's very. difficult to do but there's also the. ability to prepare properly so like to. have the discipline to do everything. that you're supposed to do and it's even. more dis more difficult sometimes for. talented people yeah I think I think. Fighter fighting is more about. discipline because not. always uh talented people who make it. and you might have talent as much as you. want if you don't work if you don't put.
some work in and then get discipline you. will not get there you don't like if if. you look like the champions of every way. class every promotion most likely they. are not the most talented guy but they. are the hard they are very hard worker. and they have like something very. special that uh that distinguish them do. you know the. expression hard work beats Talent when.
talent doesn't work hard yeah yeah. that's it that's true yeah it is. absolutely you cuz Talent one of the. things that's unfortunate about Talent. is that when you're talented you're. better than everybody else in the gym. and so you can kind of get away without. training as hard maybe you have physical. gifts maybe you just have an. understanding fighting and then you take. it for granted because you didn't have. to work to get it you don't even have. the feeling that you need to work to to. work more to improve it because he was. just there right so you don't even.
understand that they work for it you. just you just uh happen to have it yep. and then they say you have to work for. it come on bro for what right I didn't. do anything but I to get it and if you. can get away with it for a while you. develop habits of not training 100% not. really putting 100% into it but still. being successful cuz you're talented but. then you run into someone who's talented. and has discipline and that's when you. get [ __ ] up okay that that's that's.
the problem right when you get talent. and discipline you get a Michael Jordan. and then you get Mike Tyson talent and. discipline you get Mike Tyson yeah and. then you get to you also get like uh. some people that are not talented but. they are just the um best worker in the. room. mhm your talent will have it at some. point Talent will have a limit yes yeah. Talent has a limit especially if someone. is willing to really outwork you really.
outwork everyone yeah he has to because. like when you don't have talent you. basically start from nothing then you. have one then you have two then you know. that you have those two because you've. been working so you have to keep working. not only to maintain to keep the two but. to get the three and the four and then. you get into that process and then you. get to work but when you get Talent you. wake up somay you have five out out of. 10 without working yes you don't.
understand that you need to walk to get. the six and seven but the guy that only. has like the two he already understood. that he already knew that he need to he. he need to work to get those two to get. the three yes so at some point he's. going to cash you at 5 and if you're not. improving he's going to keep going up. he's going to get to six and seven and. like this [ __ ]. at 5 or barely go at 6 7 yeah and then. there's guys that are really good in the.
gym and then when they get to the bright. lights they can't perform yeah which is. the craziest thing there's these. superstars in the gym and I remember uh. from my kickboxing days there was guys. that were just so good in the gym and. then they would get into that ring and. they were. just you could see it they just. diminished like they were 50% of. themselves when they competed why do you. think that I don't know maybe so there's.
something about anxiety their inability. to manage stress um maybe I don't know I. mean I don't know what it is I always. feel like some people can overcome it. and they don't and some people do some. people they start off as great gym guys. and then they perform badly but then. eventually they figure it out yeah they. just keep keep growing and learning but. there are also a lot of people that go. to the gym to become a world champion at. the.
gym you know I have seen a lot of. there's a lot of people that you get. even in the gym they are coming to try. to figure out that guy he's good so I. might have to check him out you know. they have that mentality right so in the. gym while you maybe as a professional. fighter you are there to train having. training to learn yes because you know. that you only have one place that you. want to show up in the fight fight right.
two the two other. months you're in the gym and sometime if. you have somebody in front of you that. you feel like he's not catching up with. your level you give him an advantage I'm. like okay uh let me start on the back. let me start let start on this position. give him Advantage so he can challenge. you more you know what you're doing you. know why you are doing that that takes a. healthy control of your ego you take you. see a guy that is a good wrestler a good.
jju but has very bad. striking you know that he's he you will. always start on u stand up you always. start up and then he he might not be. able to take you down I'm like okay. let's go let's start on the ground step. on me half you know full stuff like that. because you know that you want to work. that position right you're taking. advantage on him but some people are. there like to prove that oh I'm.
something they're competing instead of. competing yes they're competing and they. don't usually gain more on that and. those people will get in the fight and. it's different yeah it's different it's. that is a very interesting thing right. it's like some people understand it. objectively like I'm here to learn and. grow and I need to work on my weaknesses. to make them my strengths and some. people want to avoid their weaknesses so. they only work on their strengths so. they look good in the gym yeah yeah.
because they care about how they look. yeah I used to see that a lot with. kickboxers that didn't want to do. jiujitsu because they didn't like to get. tapped cuz on the feet they were a. killer and then they go to the ground. they're like they're like a beginner. they don't like that they only like. getting dominated on the ground so they. would just like skip jiu-jitsu classes. skip wrestling training they didn't want. to have anything to do with that. I think was also about like a generation. that um people around the gym wasn't act.
wasn't understanding also like uh. there's a gym there there are people. that if you training with them and. something happen and you tap they'll be. like oh you're [ __ ] right you know and. I think those kind of people they don't. help their teammate to improve you know. instead of like oh no you shouldn't do. this or you should do this instead to. avoid uh to avoid that I'm like oh no. bro you don't tap like yeah you don't.
tap then what you go to sleep or you. break your arm or you break your arm. yeah if you don't tap in the gym you're. a [ __ ] yeah it's a stupid thing to not. tap in the gym and I've been stupid. before it's like a thing that people do. where they they think that. they're yeah and all you're doing is. getting injured and it's if you don't. tap to an arm bar you're going to [ __ ]. your elbow up and then you might not be. able to train right for months yes yeah. you have yeah you know the Gracies have. a great perspective on that they always. say keep it playful they always say that.
when you're in the gym you're you're. just training and learning and you got. to keep it playful Marcelo Garcia says. that all the time who's one of the. greatest Jiu-Jitsu guys of all time he. says you have to open up your game in. the gym you can't be closed off be too. defensive you have to open up your gy. your your game and learn that what. happens if you get stuck in bad. positions yeah learn when you get caught. if you get caught you tap and even if. you don't get top uh caught sometime get. your position in some get yourself in a. position to get caught yes or let.
somebody cut you and trying to defend. understand like how to get out of there. yes you do that that's why they call. practice do you think you'll ever. compete in Jiu-Jitsu you ever think. that's something that's interesting to. you me yeah no I don't think so I don't. have any knees or ankles to give up. that's a good point man I watched a. video this past weekend of a guy getting.
his leg broken if I was 25 yes I'm G. send you this Jamie because this is. horrific if if I was 25 20 25 I would. take those chances do all those stuff. fun why I don't have anything to give up. yeah that's um I'mma show you something. Jamie this uh this video scared the. [ __ ] [ __ ] out of me this video is. this guy gets caught in this uh heel.
hook hold on a second where is. it yeah I'm send it to you. Jamie yeah I'm sending it to you. Jamie this [ __ ] is horrible this guy. gets caught in an inside heel hook like. 10 seconds into the match and he doesn't. tap and his leg snaps in half yeah back. watch this that's stupid check this out. so this guy they scramble. atin oh.
oh my goodness oh my goodness that sound. play that again so I can hear that sound. holding a very long time oh my by Austin. that's South Africa oh. oh punch me in the fist. bro yeah that leg not might not ever be. the same again now punch me in the face. no no not the leg yourself like do you. imagine like just thinking of the day.
that your leg make this sound like God. damn it spped right here right yeah like. right there yes like the spiral yeah. spiral fracture of shin horrible and the. sound was like a baseball bat breaking. yeah oh I'll never forget the sound when. Chris Weidman kicked UAH Hall and. snapped his knee and snapped his shin in. half the sound was so. horrible that CRA and he's never been. the same again you know it's like that. those breaks like especially the shin.
break you know I wonder like if Conor. McGregor is ever going to come back. again it's like it's very difficult to. come back from that break that that was. that's one of the worst injuries and I. think like for that kind of injury the. most the most uh difficult part is the. mental part you don't know if it's going. to be there again right to try to get to. like you know. like obviously you have a rehab right.
but you rehab the part that is injured. but the rehab of your mind to be able to. trust that again is a problem you know. I'm like I don't know about that maybe. we just skip skip this part well even. when you're not injured like your fight. with Stipe and then you fight Derrick. Lewis in the back of your mind you're. still thinking about the Stipe fight. right yeah I'm still fighting Stipe I'm. still like what damn why did I do this.
no you I should be patient I should this. you know I'm there fighting Ste and then. I get surprised when the fight was. over and then I'm like I I'm like okay. this is it we still have one more round. right like no it's over it's been three. three rounds wow because I was just. being patient yeah well you came back. from the that though how did you come. back from that how did you get your mind. straight I mean I think uh I get to the.
point that um I. just let it go and I'm like. okay because I'm like if this the end at. least let's finish how we started at at. the beginning it was all fun right like. having. fun feel like at some point along the. way I lost that fun I don't know when. but I lost that phone and it's about. like oh winning you have to win you. shouldn't lose this blah blah blah blah. so did you make a decision in your mind.
to go back to having fun again yeah he. was just like have fun and then whatever. happened happens don't don't care and if. this is it if you lose again and then. maybe you have to be have to get caught. or whatever at least enjoy it so is this. and then I get in China have to fight. had his blade 45 second it was over I'm. like yeah no bad having. fun fun for you yes I the performance of.
the night then keep going so so did you. ever work with a a psychologist or a. performance coach or did all just you. figure it out. yourself I try but I think um I have it. like a personal blockage I don't believe. in that really. yeah I don't know no I I talk to myself. a lot I spend time with me with myself I. mean I most of the time I'm by myself.
I'm a a lonely person so I spend time. with myself and I talk to myself a lot I. figured out analyze and this was just me. like growing up you know didn't even. have like didn't have friend didn't have. like a people to hang out with um or. wasn't it welcome among kids so I. created my own uh war in my mind that my. own friends and everything in my mind so.
just used to hang out with myself so I. get used. to and just like that well that's so. much better for a person in your. position in life than to have an. Entourage so I know a lot of guys when. they get very successful they have an. Entourage so they're surrounded by Yes. Men all the time and that is one of the. worst things that happen. but for them for for some people it's. cool you know like even now I think no l.
than uh last week I was in the. restaurant and I walk there by myself. take a table sit. down do people look over there like is. that [ __ ] Francis and Gana yeah order. my food eat do people freak out like. what is that Francis and people. recognize you I'm like yeah are you. expecting somebody and most of the time. the answer is yes. basically like leave me alone. right so you generally like being by. yourself yeah I like to I do that a lot.
and people I'm like are you leave here. by yourself are you by yourself I'm like. what's the problem by being by. yourself it's it's being independent and. free I don't need anybody to be to. decide on my happiness or me having fun. or whatever you know like sometime I. will spend two days in my house without. going out yeah and I'm good with it and. I can go out I can do whatever I want.
but I just want to be there I did that. recently you know my family was out of. town and I was home by myself for 3 days. it was glorious I loved it yeah just. gives you time to think about things I. do that a lot but recently I've been. changing a little bit because like uh. staying home a lot would make me think. and will make me sad since I lost my kid. my boy then he will make me think and. make me sad and if I stay there I will.
keep I keep having those thought the. sadness around it's like the energy. around me is just sad I understand you. know so then what I do is like when I. start to feel something like that I just. have to force myself like get out grab. the car key get the hell out of here. like I'm running away from something. then by the time you even find the car. key you find your shoes you do this your. mind is already thinking of something.
but if you just sorrow just sorrow yeah. if you just sit in your couch then it's. keep going keep going then it's sad then. you P you then you. like hit life everything your son was 15. months old 15 months old what happened. bro I think um yeah has um some um. malformation on his. brain which is something that we didn't.
know he he fed he passed out twice the. first time was in cimon we took him to. the hospital they didn't find anything. the second time was in Saudi we took him. to the hospital they did they ran a lot. of exam they didn't do anything. um they did the. EEG the didn't do the scam uh the scan. or the. MRI because I. think according to them their conclusion.
was that he has a swollen. lung you know and that was what was um. pressing his chest and stopping um him. from breathing and create that um f. so after all those exam they give him. some some medicine that is going to be. okay nothing to worry about because at. first they haven't thought about like. asthma they give like uh um ventilator.
and then that afterward after some. result that took it up out and then uh. you know B it put me in. confidence even though like I don't know. sometime I. think some way in my mind I have to. think that yes but he didn't show any. stress. respiratory if he was something from his.
lung but I'm like bro he those was. professional doctor and this and then I. trust that yeah so I basically like put. my gut. down and I remember being just getting. in. Dubai and that day I was was thinking. like oh life is mean wise I'm not doing. bad life is good you know I went to the. gym like maybe I should go to club.
tonight and I don't go to Club I don't. go out like man come on which kind of. guy are. you I went to the gym to work. out uh I'm in the bike cycling then I. trying to call I wanted to talk to to. him when I was on the phone on the bike. then I call his mom mom his mom didn't. pick up the phone and I'm like ah after. I'm done I going to go take my shower. lay in the bed and call.
him and uh 30 minute after I was on the. leg machine my phone rang it was my. little. brother say bro things are not going. well here I'm like what he said Kobe. pass out is not pring he we at the. hospital they kick me out from the room. now I'm like what happened and then as. we are talking he's also trying to get. information so I lost him for like 3 4.
minutes then after I call again again. and then I'm talking to him while he's. talking to the nurse and uh the nurse. was like who are you are you his dad he. said no then who are you I'm his uncle. where his dad his dad is not here where. he's gone. just like. that he's gone what do you mean he's.
gone how come he's gone this kid was 15. months he was bigger than 15 month he. was growing he was the. most joyful happy kids. [Music]. around hey what do you mean he's gone. gone where bro that was it wow I thought. I was dreaming I thought they going to. say something no that's not true then I. keep calling. again and everybody is confirmed I call.
my mom my mom is just on tear like. bro what the [ __ ] is. this and that was it. wow and I never realize I have been in. the situation that I have seen people. losing their kids. um morning. maybe definitely older kids but I'm like.
man this Mo must. be hot even though I can feel it at that. moment I mean I don't you don't know. like what could be your. reaction you don't know I have been in. the situation that I'm like bro I don't. cry I never cry oh I mean not like I. never cry but I don't I don't just it. don't just happen I don't know why no. maybe because you don't have a reason.
when you feel like something really hurt. inside you like you can breathe it's. hurting that was it. and and when did this. happen April 27th so this before the. Joshua fight no after after the Joshua. fight yeah APR April 27th. almost two months. after that was it and then all of the.
sudden you realize. how a kid that wasn't there two years. ago have became. a major part of your life or if it's not. your life then you realize that all the. thing that you were worrying about. didn't mean [ __ ] at all nothing. meant like nothing he was the only thing.
at time that really matter yeah but is. not there. anymore but you know one thing is that. you know my dad passed away um I was 15. and he he get sick just stay at home for. like months and couldn't even go to the. hospital and uh get to the point that he. couldn't even go to the bathroom on his. own. nothing but I was 15 I was still at.
school but you know I always tell myself. like I was a kid what could I have. done and then uh after couple years I. left school and then I started think I'm. like okay I had an an excuse when my dad. passed away I think I'm becoming an. adult and I. still powerless I still can't do. anything if something like that happened.
what happened if my. mom get sick like what happened if I. have my own kids like some days and they. need me or I would provide for them like. or protect them and those was one of the. thought that I always have like pushing. me leing like no I need to do something. I need to take. action then after. years you get to the point that you feel.
like you have get have it figured out. like okay I can afford a health care for. my family I can take care if somebody. needs to go to the hospital or whatever. it is I going to make it I going to do. it you. know then all of the sudden your own kid. which is the one that rely on you only. you um you couldn't even do anything for.
him you did like by the time he get to. the hospital he was gone you couldn't. fight for him I'm like bro let me fight. let me say I have tried let me say I did. something let's make all this what. what's the point if after all this I get. to the point that I'm still this. powerless in front of a real. situation and. that that. was that's hurt God that's hurt a lot.
I'm sorry to hear that man I can't. imagine I can't imagine and it's also. the the the pain of knowing there's. nothing you could have done yeah it's. just a medical thing that he was born. with yeah he was born with because. because when it happens everybody was. confused nobody knows so get home then. what should we do let's do it.
autopsy that that one was tough because. you think that they say you know what. that they going to tear him cut him cut. his. head. like I mean a kid that yesterday you. were going excited to talk to him now. they're talking about like cut him this. way this. way like how come that is.
like but you know it's at least good to. know what happened maybe that might save. somebody in the. future because he still a m mystery. there so say let's do the autopsy that's. when the find all this out. yeah the last time I saw. him was me leaving camaron going to the.
elevator and he was at my he was with my. little brother and he didn't want me to. go because he became my body so much. that he don't when I'm around he don't. want me to to leave him alone he can I. can take him whenever wherever I go he. he might not don't eat he doesn't care. as long as he's with me like that was it.
he was my my mate like 15 months he he's. barely walking but you. know when I walked in you know that I. walked in you don't have they don't have. to ask like who who worked in they know. that is his dad you know he he reaction. then you started think about all those. little thing all those little things. that you guys have just you and.
him then it's. over then it's. over when he was the day that I was. living he was crying like wanted me to. go with. him but I keept going I knew that how. I'm going to be back I have no clue that. that was it wow I always say I should. have go back one more. time SP one more day I don't know H him.
one more. time. man. okay that was. it and then he get back in the apartment. and see all his toys the stuff that he. was playing the thing that you take you. take from him the other day and put here. he's right there but he's not there. anymore and will never be there.
anymore. yeah. Kobe Kobe was his. name I named him after Kobe. bran because. uh I had a great memory of Kobe br the. day that USFA was launching was. announcing the partnership with Buddy. Amo was in New York I just arrived in.
the US at time my English was so. bad I'm in New York we have to me to. meet in this room this event to make the. announcement and I'm there a little. early then Kobe came little early. to meet me in the waiting room just go. be a night there there for like 30. minutes I don't my English is very bad. I'm embarrassed I don't want to speak. and then he keep talking asking question.
talk about my story ask me where I came. from and how do I get and know like wow. this impressive I'm like this is Kobe. right I don't want to B him but he's. questioning me really excited about it. get me to talk then I feel B I'm like Oh. no you're English is really good I. understand what you're saying and then. how about this that like for 30 minutes. until then Dan know why was the next guy.
that walked in the room and he say wow. do you know this guy's story do you know. his story he did this he did that and I. say yes I know like wow this crazy wow. it's crazy how we in America we don't. know what's going around the world and. Kobe was there talking like that I'm. like this is Kobe bran you know so that. was like my moment with Kobe wow so when. he pass out U when he. die I.
uh you know I was in LA when I heard. about the news and he hit me really bad. and I decide I'm going to make Kobe have. a. Kobe so that's it then the day that he. he passed away just the day before they. were just uh making his a little. basketball court that I have for him his.
ground playground for him you. know because I was so await for him to. start to be strong on his feet so we can. go work we can do this we can play. soccer I've been looking for soccer. click click for him this that you know. you have all the project I have thought. of like what school should It Go like. think oh what should I do you know you. never know maybe something happened to.
me I should set up something to keep him. safe you know you think like that but no. it never cross your mind that you will. be the one living first from the moment. that he was born no like when he was. born when he started real. and you really see like a living person. you really start to plan out. like how.
to protect him how to build a security. uh around him you know. he he wasn't just a kid he was a project. he became a huge project everything that. you think of that's good that you want. oh it's for Kobe it's for him all of the. sudden then he's. gone wow.
yeah you've been through a lot in your. life. Francis yeah you've been through a. lot well lot of people been through it. you didn't just know yeah then after. that you look people that been through. that loves a kid you respect them more. you give them some more respect like my. old brother lost two kids and I feel so. bad not really being there for him. because I didn't understand I know that.
he Lov kids but I didn't know what. exactly that means now that I understand. I'm like man I should have be there more. you know I feel bad that I didn't. connect to his to to his suffering to. his. pain and you respect him more from being. through that to overcome that. twice then you think like you you. started think like.
No in fact I think he I'm not the. toughest one. though I'm being putting in test and. realize that I'm not as tough as I. think yeah. there's nothing anybody could. say that's the craziest thing there's no. comfort that anybody can give. you if they I mean if they ask you what.
do you want or. how what can comfort you you don't. know it's nothing it's really there's. nothing can happen it's really about. like facing it. daily you know take it one at a time do. you have other. children yeah I have girl. another but when it happen like. that you feel.
like I don't know even though you're in. your mind you think like you to have a. lot going on a lot of thing to be. grateful about but in your heart you. feel like you're broke you have nothing. nothing is worth. it I mean. I always love life and know that I have. know that I have everything of societ. but at least for once I'm.
like at least whenever I die I'm going. to go see my kid I'm going to see him. wow I'm not afraid of it I still want to. leave but at least whenever you know you. get to you get to that point to think. like. that so some way you're looking forward. for whenever that. happen. wow.
yeah I'm very sorry for your loss man I. really am I wish I could say something. but there's nothing to say there's. nothing to say you thank you thank you. and uh thank you for being here man. thank you for everything you're you're. an inspirational man you really are. thank you appreciate you appreciate. being here and best of luck to you in in. everything in. life we. see that's why like um I really want to.
come back and do. something you know like because I really. think like maybe I should I get to the. point that I'm like why do I fight for. you know I. don't even have to I don't want. but bro that boy for 15 for only 15. months I think.
he he told me something you know like he. was active full of life and I think if. there's one thing that he he would have. been doing he would have been doing he. he would have been doing something not. staying there not being a reason of. giving up or or whatever and I think. that's that's the only way to uh honor. him his memory keep him.
alive get a. purpose make him a. motivation. yeah I think so we will see we will see. how it plays out but yeah. again thank you Francis thank you for. being here man I really I really. appreciate you thank. you all. right bye everybody.
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