Khalil Rountree Jr.
👤 PersonPodcast Appearances
Why did you start the beginning of the fight with your hands down, just walking towards him?
Because that's how I felt, Joe.
I mean, I feel like...
In that fight.
So there was not necessarily like beef between Jamal and I. Like we never really exchanged, you know, there wasn't any like heated discussions or anything.
So where we were... Is it right there?
But we all have phones.
We all have social media.
We all, you know, I get Google alerts and stuff anytime I'm mentioned.
And so like I've seen things that were said and I'm just like, okay, whatever.
I don't agree with it and I don't, you know, whatever.
If this guy looks at me as...
Yeah, so that's Old Town.
However, that's just his opinion.
I think it was things about the Alex fight or just saying that he's going to out-skill me or I don't belong in the division.
So I did a tour through there.
Just things like that.
Don't take my exact word for it, but that's the stuff that I kind of saw.
That for me, there was no real reason to show any like respect, you know, if we're in the same building, if we're in the same room, I just like whatever I wanted to just kind of block them out.
How old is Old Town?
And then.
During the weigh-ins, so I had a press conference and they were saying like, hey, in the Alex fight, you know, there was a lot of blood.
I forgot.
You got cut up.
Can we expect the same thing from you in this fight?
So I forgot, but I know that 4,000 people still live in Old Town.
And I said, no, there's not going to be any blood on my face.
How you're interviewing me now is how you're going to interview me after the fight.
I'm going to look the same.
He didn't like that.
I didn't say his name, but he didn't like that.
And so at the weigh-ins, he... And mind you, we had...
three days before the weigh-ins and we'd seen each other in the hotel room and blah blah blah or in the hotel you know there were many more opportunities for him to say what he said but he chose to do it at the weigh-ins in front of dana white and i thought that was like come on what did he say he said oh you're gonna bleed you're gonna bleed you better believe that you're gonna bleed like in my face like oh i'm gonna make you bleed and i was just like okay like
Sure.
There's boutique hotels in there.
You know, like that was just really like internally, like, okay, sure.
I knew how I've been training and what I'm prepared for, and I know the type of athlete and fighter and man that I am, and I just knew that it wasn't going to happen.
I was just that confident in my abilities and the work that I put in that I just knew it wasn't going to happen.
There's just so much history.
100% because the loss just showed me that there's more work to do.
People always say back to the drawing boards and it was more than the drawing boards for me.
It was like back to the dirt, back to the Vegas weather, back to the dying on the assault bike, back to challenging myself, back to going deeper.
Yeah.
Who am I really?
What am I really capable of?
That was it.
It was just like deep, deep internal digging to get out and to discover what I'm made of.
as like when it was built um kind of what they're known for i don't remember what that building is um but the architecture there is one of the things that that's the uh the the flame towers so at night there's just projections and like it'll be like the flag or it'll just it'll actually be like flames um because baku is uh known for oil like being one of the first oil countries
And so in that comes confidence.
In that comes like I know what I'm capable of and I know what I can do.
And so that's how I felt.
Wow.
So that's why I walked out like that because I was just like –
Because it was kind of wild.
I was going, what is he doing?
But I was also prepared, you know?
Like, I didn't want to rush anything.
Like, nothing needed to be rushed.
Like, the cage is closed, and we got 25 minutes.
Why am I going to run out, you know?
Right, right, right.
No.
Like, I walk here.
I know that you're not going to do anything.
I wasn't threatened.
Like, that statement in my face didn't, like, I was just like, here we go.
You know what I mean?
Like another guy that wants to like get in my face.
Like, yeah.
They don't care about me at the age of 50 with, you know what I mean?
When this is all over and I want my knees and my hands and my fingers and everything to work.
Yeah.
And I want to be able to speak sentences and go through the airport on both my feet and not in a wheelchair.
They don't care about that.
No.
And that's okay.
Yeah, the referees can't be influenced by the crowd.
What's up?
For sure.
And I wasn't, yeah, just like to be clear, I know the things that I said can come off as like overly confident or whatever.
I wasn't sleeping on Jamal, you know?
Like I knew what he was capable of and I trained hard for him.
I really did.
Every day was dedication.
Every day was, you know, strategy and planning.
Uh, before the fight.
Yeah.
The win for me happened before the fight.
Like I said, I think with camp, the training, my head training, with John, with Lorenzo, Christian, just the guys who are in my circle and the work that we do, it really helped me with a lot of confidence and a clear vision and a path to victory.
And I just stuck to it.
So I just had a feeling that if I stick to the plan, I win this fight.
Yeah.
And so, yeah, now we got the next one.
Yuri Prohaska.
Yeah.
Did you see that news?
Just saw it yesterday.
Um, so this is, man, I'm excited about this fight.
Yeah, I really am.
Um, another guy who's, you know what I mean?
Like former champion, very skilled, very dangerous.
Um,
He's gotten a lot better since the Pereira fight.
He's dynamic.
He's, you know, he's strategic.
He's awkward as fuck, too.
Yeah, he can be awkward.
He's so weird.
He's the weirdest.
And it's in Vegas, so this is great.
It's going to be the first time since the Gokan Saki fight that I've been able to fight in front of a crowd.
Oh, is that really?
In my hometown.
That was the last fight I had.
That's crazy.
At T-Mobile Arena in front of the Las Vegas crowd.
I had not realized that.
Don't have to fly.
Don't have to travel.
And then Las Vegas can come out and support a local.
So that's cool because with the growth of Las Vegas, we're getting sports.
Got the Raiders.
Getting a baseball team.
You know, women's basketball, it's the local scene in Vegas right now.
This is the Carpet Museum, an amazing place full of carpets that are, like, century years old.
I'm proud of it, you know, to come from there and to see that now we have something besides just gambling and, you know, all the debauchery.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So it's going to be nice.
And I'm very happy to to represent that night.
How you feeling?
Without giving away too much, I think that it just requires study, like passing any test.
You know what I mean?
Yeah.
It requires dedication and focus and doing the right study, making the right adjustments, and training.
The rest, I think, is art.
How we go about solving the problem is for everybody to enjoy.
They built it to look like a carpet.
But I think that, yeah, it comes from study and good training partners as well.
I think that's a huge...
a huge thing in anybody's training camp do you have anybody that could emulate that style um or will you even try you know what i to emulate someone's style i think is it's helpful it is it is helpful
But it's very hard because you can never really truly, you know, be someone.
So someone can give you certain looks that maybe you'll see.
So I don't rely too heavily on, you know, on people emulating.
It's crazy.
And all these carpets are handmade, like, passed down generation after generation.
But I do appreciate, you know, bodies and people that are around the same size just so I can, you know, get used to that body.
body contact of maybe someone who's a bit taller and yeah not training with guys who are maybe shorter you know like if i had a short guy who can emulate my opponent it's not gonna help you know it doesn't help so if i have if i have a taller guy who maybe can't emulate and i can do
What's going on?
What I want to do against a taller body, then the rest is up to like my awareness and like making sure that, you know, a guy who maybe has this weird style.
So, like, they tell you how deep the culture and, like, the stories of these carpets and, like, how – oh, my God.
OK, I'm I'm aware of that, but I know what I can do against someone of the same size.
Um, yeah, I think that, uh, you know, like I said, I just, I've just returned from, you
And, yeah, now as soon as I leave here, I'm locked back into samurai mode.
What did you do in Thailand?
It was incredible, Joe.
So my wife and I got invited to Thailand from the Thailand Tourism Authority.
So they invited us to come.
They hosted us in Bangkok.
Wow.
Amazing hotel.
Dusit Thani Hotel.
You have to go.
If you ever go to Bangkok, Dusit Thani.
And clean, clean, friendly people.
So they hosted us.
They took us to the smallest province in Thailand called Samut Sangkram.
And in that province, they are known for having the best coconuts in all of Thailand.
Oh, man.
So all like coconut water, coconut sugar, all that stuff most likely comes from Samut Sangkram.
um, salt farm, a bee farm, uh, what's a salt farm, salt farm.
So they, they made these channels that come from, uh,
the nearest, like, body of water, and they get the salt.
They extract the salt from the sea, and then they create a bunch of different things from it, you know, bath salts.
No, it's like... Yeah, there's a little bit... Yeah, it looks like this.
Yeah, exactly.
Huh.
Yeah, they do it by hand.
These people, they're out there...
Yeah, just this is their daily life.
And so we got to hang out with these people that live in this province.
I was so excited to be there that I probably missed out on a lot of the details, but that's how it looked.
Honestly, I wish that I would have stayed longer.
Like there were these windmills and I know they're like, yeah, the water evaporates and then there's like salt left at the bottom and then yeah, they rake it into a pile and then it goes through other processes.
But, um, it's really cool to just experience, like they're very passionate about, um,
And there's different salts from everywhere.
Like that up there on the right is salt.
I don't know where it came from.
Yeah, it's salt.
No, but yeah, cornflakes, toasted cornflakes.
That's salt.
I've already booked family trips.
But yeah, and so they had different salts that came from everywhere.
And you can see how it forms based off of whatever ecosystem.
yeah so so cool so that's samut sakan we were in samut songkram and uh really cool man so they we went on that we went there um they took a bunch of i guess influencers from around the world and uh flew them into thailand to welcome us and show us just different sites it's not always about you know the beaches in phuket and all this stuff like they they took us and then spread us out
I've told everybody we're going back to Baku.
So that's where we got to go.
And then, um, we went back to Bangkok and had this crazy cool gala.
Um, bull cow was there, you know, like, yeah, like all these, you know, um, movie stars and, and the, uh, people from just, uh, like the Thai government and stuff just.
Wow.
showing people pretty much like the heart of Thailand.
So it was very welcoming.
Man.
It was a really cool way to kind of come back in and feel home again.
Um, and then I ended up staying an extra week or two, um,
Same thing, Thailand tourism, you know, made sure that we just continue that experience.
So we stayed at some other hotels, did like the boat ride cruise down the river, you know, just had dinner, just really got to live it up and experience, you know.
Just thinking about it, I'm like, dude, this is a place that I want to visit for the rest of my life.
No training because it was fresh out of the fight.
Back from an amazing Thailand vacation.
So I flew.
I was in Baku two weeks.
I flew from Baku to Vegas, stayed in Vegas eight hours, and then flew from Vegas to Thailand.
So I went around the world in 24 hours.
So I was fresh out of the fight.
Yeah, but the trips were booked separately.
So in order for that ticket to actually work, I had to be in Vegas to fly out.
But I did it.
I thugged it out.
And yeah, it was the best way to recover.
This was a good recovery for me because I started the camp for Jamal in February is when I heard about it.
I want to just keep going back to Baku, man.
But then it got postponed due to one of his injuries.
And yeah.
Wow.
Yeah.
And now I'm back.
Uh, to just keep going.
Um, and to just, to just keep like, keep digging, you know, like it's, it's nice.
Yeah.
Cause I'm.
Before, you know, like when I went I went on that five fight win streak, I was like coming back from Thailand and like now I'm fully in this.
I'm 100 percent in.
And with that, that means like I'm just I'm committed to digging this tunnel.
And so like a win.
over jamal like that tunnel isn't open yet like i gotta get the belt first you know like but i'm digging and i saw like oh maybe i got this like cool gemstone like okay cool put that in my bag but like now i'm you know i'm committed i'm still i'm still in the mind you know and eyes on the prize eyes on the prize man yeah
Yeah, I think that it really played into just my performance.
Same card.
It's going to be a busy night for John Wood.
He's got me and Marab the same night.
I was just in a really good place.
Let me... Okay, I was in a good place, but I was also in kind of a fucked up state.
From what I've seen so far and just the texts that I've gotten, yeah, a lot of people are really excited about it, which hypes me up and makes me want to train smarter.
Like, not gonna lie.
yeah because i i'm sure from his last even a loss to perera he i knew him coming back he mentioned it like he wants he wants to fight for the title again you know what i mean like so he's he's hungry for the title again as well and so am i and yeah we've both made the adjustments so i think it's uh
I was just so happy to be...
Yeah, I think second round.
Yeah.
No, those...
across the world doing what I love to do and to be, like, treated like we're actually appreciated for, you know, like, for what we do.
Pereira's got a different power, man.
For sure.
Like, it feels like a stone.
Remarkably.
Yeah.
Getting punched... I've never been punched as hard as I did when I fought Pereira.
Like, ever.
In sparring, there was just something...
It's kind of crazy because I give credit where credit's due.
I don't want to gas him up too much, but there is just one thing, and it's like, I don't know.
I think that it's real.
But it's obviously real.
Yeah, it's real.
The power of the strength is real.
It's not anything lucky.
It's calculated, but when it lands, it's like...
He moves differently.
I remember during the weigh-ins when we faced off and he just bent his arms up like this and I was like, fuck, this is a big man.
We weigh the same, but I was like, okay, this is a big guy because he just bent his arms.
And like his hand was kind of like right near my face.
So I could see just like, you know.
The mass.
The mass.
So it's like boom.
And I was like, okay.
Oh, really?
And so that helped me get through all the other shit.
I don't know.
Yeah.
100%, man.
And you watched the Poirier fight, I'm sure.
Oh, yeah, you were there, no?
You weren't there.
Pretty sick, man.
Very good.
I was very happy.
And what a cool, like...
I don't know.
I like what the UFC is doing now with, like, the exits.
You know, like, Anthony Smith got a sick exit.
Like, Dustin's got a sick exit.
For me, I don't know.
That was kind of one of the highlights of that night for me.
Not only did I feel like they both put on a really good fight, I just thought, like, what a cool way to be able to just, like, do that much work and then, like, be appreciated for it.
Oh, man.
So...
Like, win or lose.
I think, yeah, maybe the tides are changing a little bit.
Maybe, you know.
What way?
What do you mean?
Like...
I felt like for a long time, and still to this day, it's still pretty heavy, but to lose in MMA was almost kind of like the end of the world to the fans.
I knew that we were going to be jet lagged no matter what.
Yeah.
Yeah, undefeated.
Sometimes someone can be on a tier and then they lose and then you can just see the direction of the support completely shift.
Like, ah, fluke.
After that.
But...
Yeah, I think that it's, you know, when I see things like, you know, Dustin's exit and all that stuff.
Granted, he did a lot in the company and he's done a lot in his career.
I knew it because we're traveling, you know, super far.
But to see that kind of gave me hope, like, OK, maybe this will, you know, give the fans a little bit of different perspective and maybe it can start to shift towards like.
appreciating people appreciating the fighter man yeah yeah like appreciating the fighter for for what we do it's not it's not the easiest job we don't get paid the most you know like so like yeah like a little appreciation goes a long way win or lose for sure
Yeah.
Super long flight.
Man.
So I knew we were going to be jet lagged.
So I made sure that we got there two weeks early to adjust.
After the fight.
Um, it took about six, almost about a week to like fully adjust.
Yeah, it's annoying, man.
Yeah, dude.
Stop.
Yeah, it's super annoying.
And that also brings to thought, like, I went to the ESPYs, and that was really cool.
My first time going to the ESPYs and seeing all these other athletes, you know, that we see on football, you know, just on television.
And then, so during fight week, say second day, first day of fight week, I'm like thrown up and shit and nonstop.
Being in the same room, it was amazing.
And I remember seeing just, like, the opening video.
And, uh, I think there might've been maybe one clip of an MMA fight, but I'm listening to all the like awards given out and, you know, best play and all this stuff.
And I was just thinking, man, I know MMA is new and I'm obviously it's growing because we're here and, you know, they got John Jones in the crowd and they got Marab here, you know?
So it's growing.
They're starting to acknowledge us.
But, like, I can't wait until the day where, like, there's more fights on – you know, in the ESPYs.
Yeah.
Where – what –
we're doing great things.
You know what I mean?
I feel like it's the most exciting sport on earth.
And even like I had, you know, pro hockey players, all these guys coming up like, Oh man, watch your foot.
You know?
So like the, even, even the athletes that are playing the NFL, NHL and MLB, all these things, they're, they're even watching what we're doing.
So I think it's, you know, um,
I'm excited for the growth of the sport as well, and hopefully the next generation or even sooner will be able to know what it's like to be an MMA fighter and still get an SB award.
Oh, no.
And I'm like, okay, this is great.
Yeah.
Karen Bryant.
Yeah.
I think it's great.
It's got to stick around, man.
This is exactly what I want to be feeling right now.
I hope so.
And I think it helps us, too.
I mean, it definitely helped the sport grow.
Right.
And I think that people who I think it helped us as fighters gain those fans who are, you know, football fans.
Pressure's on.
Oh, yeah.
People who just have ESPN on all day.
Yep.
You know what I mean?
Or in a PT clinic, it's just like, OK, ESPN's on, you know, and to be able to.
Yeah.
I got to fight.
To be shown through that.
I think it's been really helpful to us.
Yeah.
I'm super motivated.
I mean, that was me with the Alex fight.
Honestly, dude, like these people came out of nowhere.
Like one fight changed my life.
Like one fight changed my life, dude.
Yeah.
Dude, off topic, what's it like to be Joe Rogan these days?
What do you mean?
What's it like?
I'm here.
Welcome to the Khalil Roundtree experience.
Today's guest, we have Joe Rogan joining us.
Joe, how are you doing, man?
Yeah.
And I'm just like, I don't know.
It just feels like I've been on just a great vacation journey.
What am I going to do, man?
What was it?
I don't even know.
Food poisoning?
Because everybody that I was with, we all ate the same thing.
You were the only one who got sick?
I was the only one, man.
I was the only one.
And so... And you don't cut a ton of weight.
no you just fucking it's just you're just yeah just being like taken out of you yes yeah wow dude that's no that's that's great and it's good it's a good reminder and refreshment for me to hear you say that because how do i put it like let's say if i get asked question like
No.
So I think what was... What do you walk around at?
how's Joe Rogan?
I'll keep it on Joe Rogan podcast.
Like, how is you?
And I'm always like, Joe's great.
Like, tell me about this.
Is he that?
I'm like, dude, I'll say, I say this.
I can tell you here.
I'll just give you like four things.
Every time we talk, it's fucking good.
We hang out.
We talk.
I feel like he likes me.
I like him.
It's always a great time.
too there's a lot of books when i walk in there there's a bunch of books all types of different books i think joe's a curious guy i think he's a smart guy well read a lot of cool things um and it's always just based around like yeah when i think of you i think just genuine dude good vibes
Right now, I'm in vacation modem, you know, 228, 230, something around there.
I feel the same way about you.
And it's always, it's always fun to, to just come here and just like chop it up with you.
That's why I like, I guess I just needed that own, like, I just wanted that for myself to just be like, Joe, what's up?
How you doing?
And you tell me, like, cool, I'm doing the same thing.
I wake up.
I go to the gym.
I shoot my bows.
You know, I go to the club.
Like, that to me, to know that just personally without being one of those people that are just, like, sucked into my phone or whatever, to just hear it come from your mouth face to face, that's what you're up to.
That makes me feel good.
That's still compared to guys... I don't get over 230.
And all that stuff.
The, the stuff that'll piss you off.
Yeah.
And, and take from you.
Uh, do you ever watch like fighters YouTube channels?
Have you seen mine?
You like it?
Yeah, it's great.
Okay.
It kind of, kind of inspired by you a little bit.
I remember you saying in the past, like, Oh, you should start a podcast.
I was like,
Maybe not yet, but how about a YouTube channel?
Yeah.
I just do not let myself get over 230.
Yeah.
Was it crazy?
I saw something the other day.
It was like Usyk swimming five hours.
I was like, oh, my God.
That's just like my... That's my oath to myself.
Baku was amazing.
Okay.
And then in camp, what do you get down to?
I'd say between 20 and 25 is where I like to balance, 220, 225.
god it was good you could see daniel was already tired you could see it's like it's just dealing there's got to be something like you know lomachenko's dad like some type of philosophy or something you know what i mean like these guys just kind of tap into you know because like to be a big guy yeah there's footwork and all that stuff but i think man shout out to the coach like yeah it's skill man
Let me start off there.
And any time in there, I'm good because I know that that's where I'm going to fight at.
What's his age?
Damn.
He's 38, man.
So when I'm in camp, it's, you know.
And then when do you start your cut?
Yeah, you can see it.
He's never stationary.
Exactly.
His feet are never in one place.
They're constantly moving.
Please.
So the way that it happens is –
Yeah.
Flat-footed guys, I feel like a lot of them, that's where they generate their power, right?
Sure.
Kind of like relying on that.
Like a Deontay Wilder, you know?
If his feet are planted and you're up against the ropes, like, bye-bye.
Or George Foreman in his day.
Oh, man.
The last kind of two weeks, I don't necessarily do too much of a diet change.
Just looping them.
Dude, to be in that situation during a fight is, ugh, it's the worst.
I remember feeling like that in the Alex fight.
There was a few jabs and stuff.
I was obviously just dizzy.
Let me start off with Baku, Azerbaijan.
I'm always looking to peak on fight day, not like a peak plateau format that a lot of people go by.
and just dealing with, like, okay, this guy's not slowing down, and I'm hurting.
You know, like... Yeah, around the fourth, he started getting that time.
When was the fight stopped?
Fourth round.
It was the fourth.
Fourth round, I think, like...
probably two and a half minutes in, something like that.
It was... Unusual movement.
Obviously deceptive, but my eye was shut.
I thought I was blind in my eye, but I was like, okay, whatever.
This is just... I don't know what was going on with me.
I was so excited to be there.
That's great.
Even in the fight, not being able to see out of my right eye at all.
Not blurred vision.
It was just like all I saw was white light.
Wow.
That's all I saw.
And in that moment, I was like, oh, I'm blind.
Fuck it.
Yeah, like literally.
So I don't know what it was.
All I know is I just saw a light coming in.
Couldn't see shadows or anything.
When did that start happening?
That was sometime in the fourth round.
So you got hit with something.
I got hit with something, maybe like a jab.
Boom.
And I just remember my eye wasn't closed all the way yet, but all I could see was just white light.
So...
And I was like, oh, shit.
I think I went blind, but whatever.
Let's go.
Internally, it was such this light, positive voice going on the whole time in that fight.
I'd say usually, let's say we weigh in on Friday.
How do you think you developed that?
I don't know, man.
It could be a series of just life experiences and my...
I don't know, books that I read or just, like, things that I try to practice or some enlightenment thing that I'm trying to get or... You know what I mean?
That Tuesday, I'm around 214.
Like, I think that it comes from that because I'm just... I'm kind of always searching for the light in short, you know?
Yeah, to the very end.
Well, you know what?
So right before we went out, or right before we got to the arena, my coach Lorenzo was like, all right,
Oh, okay.
Your nose is already cut, so it's going to open up.
And he's like looking at me in my face, you know, like he's like face to face with me.
He's like, your nose is already cut.
Accept it.
It's going to open up.
First time you get hit, it's going to open up.
All right, that's out of the way.
He's like, now expect that you're going to get the shit beat out of you.
You're going to go to bloody fucking war.
He's like, you might break a hand.
You might break a leg.
You might get your jaw broken, but you don't give up.
You keep going.
We fucking come out of this fight victorious.
And he's like, you hear me?
And I'm like, yeah.
And he's like, so just fucking soak it in now.
You're about to go to fucking full-on war.
It's going.
You're like, you know, you're about to go to hell.
Like, he's just like in my face, you know?
213, something like that.
And he's like, we're face to face.
And he's like, I need you to accept it now, son.
Because he kind of looks at me like a son.
He treats me that way, and I appreciate it.
He's like, but we're fucking winning this fight, son.
Oh, that's nice.
And you're going to fucking war.
And I was just...
swallowed that walked into the arena just kind of accepting it already you know what i mean like i wasn't like oh i was just like okay like lorenzo said it all right this is what it is this is what it is and so like in the locker room you know my warm-ups and everything i think subconsciously i'm just like already programming myself for the worst of the worst
And then, you know, those last days is kind of like water load, proteins and fats only.
You're already there.
But not in a way to where I'm like, oh, I'm going to lose this fight.
Right.
I'm like expanding.
Wow.
Just like internally like, okay, fuck, I'm ready for this.
All right.
Boom.
All right.
My fucking hands are going to get broken.
My face is going to get split up.
All right.
And every fight's not like this.
Not every opponent, we have the same, you know what I mean?
That's a nice cut.
The same thing.
Because the strategy is always different for everybody.
But he just had a feeling that this was the type of fight it was going to be.
I sit in the sauna no matter what, like an hour, maybe.
So when it got down to that point, I think I had already accepted it.
So the only thing I could do was just enjoy it.
You know, cause I was like, I knew it was going to happen.
Like I just knew it.
So yeah, if I remember you were like third round, fourth round, something in there, I'm just like.
Like, this is cool.
Wow.
Fighting for the world, you know, title crowd.
I'm like, Oh my God.
Eyes closed.
Boom.
I think I'm blind.
I'm like, fuck.
Oh shit.
They're like, Oh, he's not going back.
You know?
And they're like, even to the last, I'm like swinging.
I can't see.
Boom.
Body shot hurts.
I'm like, Oh,
Backing up a bit, but I just remember the whole time this very positive feeling, man.
And that's why those shorts are framed.
Like my weight cut this time took, I hit mitts for an hour and a half.
I got the shorts framed, never washed them, blood still on them, gloves, never wiped them off, and I just put it in a shadow box.
It's on my wall, you know, like that for me is just it was just a pivotal moment for me, just in my life as a person, as a human, you know, just
Yeah, that's like the beginning.
I think that's the beginning of the journey now.
That's wild.
The world title fight is the beginning of the journey.
Yeah, I thought, you know, like, no, that was the beginning.
Because when I was there, I felt like I belonged.
It wasn't foreign to me.
Final main event, lights go dark.
I laid down in a sauna blanket and I was on weight.
It's just the spotlights.
I've only ever watched it.
I was like, okay, this feels good.
Did it feel different?
It felt like it was supposed to feel, if that makes sense.
I felt that vision that I've had and it was being there and I was just like,
Yeah, it feels about right.
Wow.
Cool.
Fucking Pereira right in front of me.
Hell yeah, this feels right.
Oh, my God.
Wow.
This feels like, yeah, this is it right here.
And then obviously, like, you know, the loss was – it took a little bit of an emotional toll on me because my focus was to win, and that was my, you know –
Like I, so it was like under two hours for me to be on.
That was my intention.
Um, but I think like in hindsight, I look at it and it's like, no, my, I was meant to be there to experience it and to learn from it because the things that I did learn and experience from that fight have made me a better person for sure.
Yeah.
A lot of training, man.
Yeah.
I understand that there's a lot.
I'm a striker, you know, like that's just I love to strike.
Don't stray away from a striking match.
But I think that
Lately, I've been training a lot with Buchecha, who just got signed to UFC.
Incredible guy.
Amazing multiple-time jiu-jitsu champion.
Rolling with guys like Luke, Rockhold.
I mean, being able to be on a team with those guys and us train together has really helped me as well.
Uh, I still felt it.
Because...
has just given me more confidence in my abilities and my development as, like, a championship-level fighter.
What a place.
So, yeah, I mean, like, even to, I, you know, I brought you those shorts today, the Santos Studio ones.
Man, we're building an incredible team down there.
I think it's like the first time.
Are you familiar with what we're doing at all?
No.
So like over at Santos Studio, Newport Beach, we've got Santos Studio.
We've got Jackson.
Jackson's like men's jewelry.
Yeah, men's jewelry.
But there's also like Jackson Media House.
And over there, we're trying to include...
All MMA fighters, extreme sports athletes, like, give them, like, a platform to showcase, you know, their talents and build themselves.
Uh, I still felt it a bit on fight day, but there was nothing that was going to like my mind for like through this camp, through this fight, man, like I'm so happy for everything that I went through.
But Santos Studio, the clothing brand, we have the sickest team.
So we've got, like, Buchecha.
We've got Armand.
We've got, I mean, Dillashaw's behind it.
We got Rockhold.
Man, the list goes on.
Gabriel Silva, Anderson Silva's son.
on just like the fighting side but then it's like paul rodriguez skateboarder nija houston ryan sheckler and then we got motocross riders like jet and hunter lawrence and like so there's all these kind of like extreme sports athletes under one umbrella but like in one place in newport beach and we all support each other under like the same type of brand and what is your role in this
ambassador fucking I was a part of the vision before there was like the first t-shirt ever printed like Bear and I had a conversation he's like hey I got this vision and I'm like dude I'm behind you like I love how this sounds it's right up my alley sounds creative there's clothes involved there's training involved so he's gone to just build this we got the Santo Performance Studio huge gym jiu-jitsu mats weightlifting
I heard it's amazing there.
But also, like, shopping.
Dude, it's unheard of.
But it's so cool.
And, like, it's put us all in the same place to be able to, like, train with each other, collaborate with each other.
Like, if it wasn't for Santo, I would have never been able to train with guys like Buchecha and Bernardo and Leo Vera.
You know, the checkmat guy.
So, like, now there's a partnership with checkmat, which makes me...
like have access to training with these guys.
It's, I would have never been able to, you know what I mean?
Have that same like connection.
So we're just doing everything we can to just, you know, like support each other within this like MMA community, help each other grow and, and just like expand and also include the community within right now in Newport beach.
Honestly, like there was nothing that was going to take away like my shine or my joy or my feeling of like being ready, being prepared.
But I mean, I'm sure that the vision is bigger than just that.
I would love to, yeah.
I mean, right now, like, I think the understanding from Bear is that, like, I'm just focused on becoming a champion.
But I'm sure he knows that, like, I'm heavily interested in, you know, doing something.
Because I believe in the brand.
So, yeah, after this, maybe there's something.
But right now, you know...
I have no distractions.
Absolutely incredible.
I have no distractions.
I'm just making sure that I'm fighting and that my money's in the right place and places.
How about this?
I can say that I would like for my current contract to be my last contract.
Left?
Six or seven.
That's what you'd like?
In an ideal world.
Or maybe sometime there's a renegotiation and it's not for as many fights.
But I think six or seven more fights would be nice and be able to look around and say, okay...
Um, it was, it was a battle with my mind and every day I had to make a choice to like
Is this enough?
Is this okay for me to step away from?
Am I secure?
Is my family secure?
Okay, then cool.
Because time waits for no man.
I don't want to be 41, 42.
I turned 35 in February.
So you're still in your prime?
Still in my prime, so they say.
Especially for a larger athlete.
Yeah, and I don't have the wear and tear of a lot of the fighters.
I didn't grow up wrestling and all that stuff.
So 15 years into any type of sports or athletics.
Everybody who went there was raving about how great it was.
By the way that things are looking, it'd be nice.
To just be better, to be bigger, to be happy, to just embrace everything.
October 4th.
Win over Yuri.
Sets me up for the title fight against... Here's an ideal situation.
Win over Yuri in October.
Alex beats Onkelayev.
Rematch for the belt against Alex sometime in the first half of next year.
right beat alex in the rematch get the belt i'm the champion all summer then somewhere in between summer and fall
There's a child that comes into play.
My wife's not pregnant yet, but it'd be nice.
It'd be nice.
You know what I mean?
You got a vision board, man.
Everyone says, all these guys, success.
You got to have a vision, man.
You got to have a vision in life.
You do.
If you don't have a vision or something to aim at, what are you doing?
You know, so like, yeah, these are like, you know, these are my vision, but there's like goals in between, you know, goal, be eerie, goal, get another shot at the title.
Vision.
Start my family.
Finish my fight contract.
Everything's just been about embracing the obstacles that come.
Be done with fighting.
Live in Asia.
In Asia?
Yeah.
Yeah?
Yeah.
I'm moving back to Thailand, man.
Really?
Yeah.
100%?
1,000%.
Why?
Because that's where I want to be.
That's where I belong.
really yeah i belong i belong in there's right now what like my heart is telling me i belong in three places either thailand hong kong or south korea why those places obviously thailand you know you had amazing experiences there hong kong's amazing i love it there it's good uh
just came back from hong kong as well so in that thailand trip i went to hong kong um i love how it's set up i love the structure of the city i love that there's so much outdoor stuff involved so like when i imagine the rest of my life and how i want to live that after fighting it's like let's say i do have my family and there's a child and play okay cool if i live in hong kong
I can just walk outside and take my child for a hike right outside the house and it not be like, I don't have to even own a car.
I can just, everything's walking.
You know what I mean?
It's like the way that this city set up, it's set up for people to, to walk, to interact.
You know, it's very beautiful.
It's not, you know, I love it.
It's just for me when I'm there, I'm like, ah, this makes sense.
Like, especially with the vision of like who I want to be after fighting.
I like the culture in South Korea, man.
I really do.
Like when I see that, like when I when I when I see just like the like the culture in South Korea, the people, how I envision just like my family interacting with society and stuff like to me, another thing that just that makes sense.
Absolutely incredible.
And Thailand for me is it just it feels like home.
The language is very like easy for me to, you know, to speak and to like learn more of and to where I can be fluent.
I love the community there.
I love how people live their life there.
Amazing.
A lot of growth happening in Thailand.
Yeah.
It's also a lot less expensive.
A lot less expensive for sure.
And to be able to like – so like let's say in Thailand, I'm American, right?
We're all kind of born like to live the American dream.
I can live the American dream anywhere I want.
But for me, if I could live the American dream in Thailand, that would be –
Ideal if I can live the American dream in Hong Kong That'd be ideal You know, but it's a lot more expensive in Hong Kong.
Not so much.
I've been to many different places.
I've been almost everywhere in the States when I was on tour.
Austin's nice.
Do I want to live in Austin?
No.
California?
Absolutely not.
New York?
Absolutely not.
Florida?
Don't like it.
Shout out to my Florida fans.
I love you guys.
I'm not saying anything against...
Don't hate me if I don't give you a place if you, you know, whatever.
But there's nowhere else in the world that I feel the way that I feel when I'm there.
When we got the news like, okay, the fight's going to be postponed, it's going to go into Baku, I had never heard of the place in my life.
Or a vibe, the relaxing vibe of it because – It's not so much like when I'm there, I'm relaxing.
You know what I mean?
Like it's very busy.
Like there's a lot going on.
But I just – I can – I realize how –
I feel inside, you know, and how I'm interacting with people who I don't even know on a daily basis.
And when I think about like, I always I'm constantly thinking about, like,
like my future or my vision, you know?
And when I think about, and when I think about my vision, my future and my vision, there's a child involved.
And I try to think about like, okay, as a dad,
how do I want to operate with a child or like, how do, how do I want, you know, our child to experience life?
And there's just, you know, a lot of different questions and visions that come and the way that I've seen it or like the way that I envision it, it's kind of like, it makes more sense that way.
You know, like if I could,
If I could, let's say, take away some of the stress of raising a child from my wife.
by, let's say, hiring help or instead of having a car, having a driver to have us get through traffic so that we can still enjoy life and go on a family dinner or take the kid here or whatever.
But I don't want to drive the damn car because there's too much traffic.
You know what I mean?
So I can relax, but we can still have family time.
I'd say everything seems very different now.
We can still do the things that families and kids do.
but it not cost me so much.
You know what I mean?
Like, if I wanted to get a live-in helper here in the States to help my wife, it costs a fortune.
It's almost impossible.
But if I wanted to get a live-in helper, let's say in Hong Kong, it costs me $1,000 or less a month to have a full-time live-in helper.
And there's nothing wrong with it there.
That's just the culture.
In Hong Kong, you have just groups of women who are live-in helpers that on their off day on Sunday, you'll see them.
Everybody's just in the streets with tents.
Combing each other's hair, boom boxes out, sharing food.
It's just a part of it.
Like, that's not like literally tents in the streets everywhere.
Jamie, if you want to pull that up, it's crazy.
I don't know if you ever seen it, but it's so cool because like they enjoy the life.
But like Hong Kong helpers.
hang out or enjoying a day off or something it's it's just a way of life it's a lifestyle it's it's just a new perspective that i've never seen like that i didn't see here and i like it i just think like for me and my development and growth as just like a human being that's just kind of where i
Um,
it's like a never ending, like finding out what's next.
I have been, since the Pereira fight, I've been to, I'd say, more than six countries.
You know what I mean?
Like I'm, I've constantly got to adapt and evolve.
Like I'm American.
I have to learn a new language.
I've got to adapt to a new culture.
I've got to learn new rules and laws and all this stuff.
And like, cool, sign me up.
Like, cause that's just, I don't want my life to be like, okay, I know it all and I'm done.
And I'm just,
okay cool and i got the kid and i'm just you know like right i want to continue to like grow to grow right as well as you know showing someone else how to grow
Um, yeah, see like they're not homeless.
They're just hanging out on their off day because they can't and they like they enjoy it No one's mad to be doing this, huh?
You know what?
I mean, like it's a totally safe environment for these people to be out here.
They're not interrupting anybody They're literally just this is a day off like oh, what are you doing on your day off?
I'm gonna go hang out with the other helpers around the city and we're just
like we're just chilling interesting because the the to live there like the places are really small you know like if you have a thousand square foot apartment you're most likely a multi-millionaire so most of the life like lifestyle is spent outdoors so for them to go outside like this and this is like a normal thing on a sunday normal yeah on a sunday or on a weekend yeah absolutely
And there's fans there.
Very safe, man.
Very, very safe.
Um, very safe, very clean.
Like when I think about the stuff that I had to go through as a kid and just like the dangers and you know, I'm like, Hmm, how about like,
My kid doesn't necessarily have to be worried about certain things or, you know what I mean, be worried about, like, getting shot at school or, like, just different things.
Everyone knows who I am now.
It's just kind of like, what can I take off?
Like, what mental load can I take off my offspring in the beginning?
I can take on whatever.
I'm a grown adult.
Like, whatever.
And that is something that was a shock to me.
I have zero business experience because I've just been so dedicated to fighting, but
I do want to, like, start to learn, man.
Like, I want to learn business, how to operate a business.
Because I'm creative and I have ideas, but I don't have structure.
I don't have, you know, really, like, the right mentorship.
So, like, yeah.
Like, I'd like to have multiple businesses.
Like, what kind of businesses?
What do you want to get into?
Something, like...
Express creativity but also like something that helps me and people like health, health products.
I can't because it's just like I'm – you know what I mean?
I don't want to get too distracted.
Yeah.
Especially coming off a loss and just knowing that, like, I gave my all in that fight and that's, I guess, what the people wanted from me to get that type of, like, acknowledgement.
That's absurd.
Right?
That takes a lot of energy.
Just being around those people.
Yeah.
Even if you're just sitting in the party, your energy is being zapped.
Right.
Yeah.
And obviously if it's your fight night, everyone wants to talk to you.
Everybody has questions.
That zaps the nervous system for sure.
Like how do you expect to go fight Usyk after your nervous system has been zapped from a party?
No, it's tough, man.
I honestly, you know, I agree with that.
I think this fight in Baku really got, like, it made me realize how important...
like being locked in is because I was I think that's why I got sick to be honest Joe I think that's why I got sick because I was just exhausted no exhausted from the things that I had to do from my obligations oh so the week that I media obligations so the week that I landed I had to do
uh i had to do like four or five days of filming with draft kings for this like online so it's like i just landed but then like i didn't get time to adjust because the next day we got to wake up you know first first filming sessions at nine nine a.m oh and then so we're like week no the the week before fight oh
Because I'd been in the UFC for so long.
The week before fight well, you know exactly so like I land and they came they went to my house 2 a.m I'm not bitching about this because the guys were great, but this is just like deep my experience How much time did you have to spend doing that?
but that fight I guess really showed people like who I am and I got to show the world who I am and against the guy like Alex so now I feel like I've at least kind of made my mark and been like hey I'm here you know and so people are now like okay Khalil I know this guy as you can say the name and now people kind of you know they're they're familiar with with who I am now um
Well, I mean we we spent You know, we spent a week of filming for much time each day Five six hours what?
yeah what that's crazy it wasn't every day that we i don't remember but yeah it was like we we did a lot of filming that week you know for this content piece or whatever for drafting and then as soon as they left then it was fight week and then i had all the media stuff for fight week oh my god you know what i mean and i think by time like with jet lag with training involved yeah with the filming with all of that i think by time fight we came like my body's like fuck you yeah
that's exactly how it felt what were you doing that they needed you for five six hours in a day uh like you know i here's the thing i'm i'm grateful because i wouldn't have been able to experience baku the way that i did had i not done this so it's like right you made some old town yeah so we go to the old town and then like get a tour through old town for three hours and the lady's like
This is this.
So I got information and they're filming me get information.
And then from the old town, then we go somewhere else.
And, you know, so we're ideally you would be resting or doing my own training.
Yeah.
Resting or adjusting.
And then you just... Yeah, but I just, like, that's what I'm saying.
Like, my main thing was, like, embrace it.
You know what I mean?
Like, just embrace it.
Take it all in.
Yeah, it's fucking hard.
But that mentality can only get you so far, right?
That's why, like, I really... I feel like... I'm going to get fucking eaten alive for this.
I really feel like Alex having so many fights last year and obligations and travel and all that, I feel like that probably played a big factor in why his performance was the way it was against Uncle Ive.
I can say confidently, am I a fan?
Absolutely not.
both okay so have you had bad interactions with him as a human he just talks shit and i hate people that talk shit like dude i just don't like it i don't like people who talk shit for no reason if i didn't say anything to you if i've never fucking mentioned your name then why are you talking shit to me or about me or disrespecting me
I agreed without even looking it up, you know, but in my mind I was thinking like, okay, this is a place I've never heard of.
So that makes him talk shit about me?
But the other thing that it showed me was that I now know who I am and what I'm capable of.
Yeah.
So fight better.
I hear you.
I hear you.
That's the only thing.
It's just the shit talking.
I hate it, dude.
I fucking hate it.
It really bugs me.
I just hate it because it's fucking unnecessary.
And even as an adult, I had to deal with this shit my whole life.
Right.
And it's a fucking toxic...
way of fucking being and it's passing along through social media and kids are fucking getting beat up for it and we're fucking grown men on a large platform where people are looking up to us for many different things and they envision us as these fucking gladiators and this is what you're choosing to do as a we have a responsibility I feel like as athletes as champion number fucking one as champion you have a responsibility
You have a belt around your waist and all these eyes and microphone.
And that's what you're going to choose to say is talk shit and degrade my name.
And I'm not even above you.
I'm not even challenging you for a fight.
And you want to mention me.
And like that to me is just like, dude, spend your time wisely.
So that it's in a way it's motivation for me because I'm like,
I spent...
I just won't do that.
I think that there's so many different things that can be done when you have that belt.
That belt is an honor to have that.
There's a responsibility that comes with that.
There's things that you can do with that.
It's not just about you.
Realize the responsibility that you have when you carry that title.
And so there's just...
I'm getting passionate about it because I want to say so many things, but I'm not going to.
Yeah.
Which, cool, you know?
Like, it got them a lot of attention.
It got them a lot of money.
But, like...
Majority of that fight just Soaking in the moment and just like I'm here.
And if that's what makes them happy, cool.
Like I said, I know nothing about business.
Maybe that's why I don't own a business.
I don't know.
I'm here.
I'm here.
I was excited to be there I gave everything I had but then going back and watching it I'm like I saw a lot of the mistakes that I made what mistakes specifically the number one mistake that I think was made in that fight is that it was my first five-rounder and I
No, it's – I mean like UFC, as real as it gets, right?
So you kind of get everything.
You get everything.
I don't think that's a part of that promotion.
Sometimes, like, I don't know.
It was, like, early days.
It's stuck in my brain.
But, yeah, there are different things.
There are a lot of different, I guess, characters, personalities, you know.
Yeah, Connor throwing the thing through, you know, the dolly through the window.
Is it going to make people watch the fight?
Absolutely.
You know what I mean?
Did he do it for that reason?
Don't think so.
I just think...
He is who he is.
Right.
It's like we never know what's next with with Connor and respect, you know, respect to him for everything.
But I just yeah, I and I understand your perspective as well.
Like a little shit talk, you know.
Yeah, it's entertaining.
You know, you see two guys like, oh, yeah.
Yeah.
And whoever, like, whoever talks shit to me, you know, from...
Not even from now on, but like whoever talks shit to me, like I back it up.
You know what I mean?
Like I don't need to say anything in return.
Like I'm just going to back it up.
I'm not, I don't want to give anybody any more attention or, you know, say people's names and stuff, but like.
I mean, I love Khabib for that.
A lot of people did.
I can relate to that.
I can relate to that feeling of how good that felt.
That makes me feel like a scrub.
when i was going into the fourth because i took a lot of damage in in the in the end of the like middle to end of the third so i was up one and two the beginning of three i was starting to kind of he started to kind of take over halfway through the round and once he started hitting me i was like oh he's established his range and now i'm feeling it so it wasn't necessarily like a cardio thing it was just like i started taking damage and everybody knows this guy hits hard so
I'm disciplined, but, like, damn, addicted to it?
I'm going to use that as my morning wake up now.
Do you know that?
That's what I was just thinking in my mind.
I'm like, dude, where do I include this in my daily routine?
Like when you wake up, that should be your alarm.
Or is it like, you know, do I just sit and like, listen to this before I fall asleep?
No.
You're not real, man.
You sleep.
Yeah, anyone can live that way.
I'd imagine that being in Dagestan because of just the cultural differences.
Not to say that it would be easier, but you're dealing with less.
You can do it here, but you go outside, you're going to find a bar, you're going to find something.
Yeah, that's true.
Yeah, which doing it here would probably actually make you stronger.
Right.
Because you have to deal with more resistance.
Because you have to deal with more resistance.
Like if you go out away where there's nothing like, yeah, cool.
But then come back to the real world and try to do it.
You know, I started thinking like, I don't know, it's probably going to be something similar to like Saudi and it's probably just like a lot of desert, blah, blah, blah.
There's something different about it, right?
Everybody goes to Big Bear and trains up there.
Yeah, when I fought Alex, I was in Salt Lake, or I was in...
What's the mountain up there?
What's the... In Utah?
Yeah.
Wasatch?
No.
Above Salt Lake.
Everybody goes skiing up there.
Damn it.
What's it called, dude?
Why can't... Why am I...
No.
Park City?
Park City.
Oh, okay, okay.
I was out in Park City for like two or three weeks before the flight.
But not where we were.
No?
No.
Like the cabin that I rented out there.
Oh, nice.
There was nothing there.
Like-
17 days 18 days something like that so like the tail end of the camp we were just like up there did you have to acclimate to the yeah to the to the altitude how much time does that usually take um because that doesn't seem like enough 17 days doesn't seem like enough
I was taking the damage.
We – I don't remember exactly how much time, but we, for two weeks before that, were regularly going up to Mount Charleston and to running other mountains and stuff like outside of Vegas.
I was rocked.
I was dizzy going into the fourth in the break.
There's a road right up by where we train.
It's called Mount Potosi, and that's like seven, no.
6,000, something like that.
And it's very short distance drive.
And you go train up there.
We'd just drive there, and then we'd just run out there, train out there, come back down home.
I remember John Wood saying, all right, man, you're doing great.
Makes sense.
I've heard that as well.
10 more minutes.
You can do anything 10 minutes.
Just stick in there.
We got this.
Have you seen that thing they have at the PI, that ozone machine?
No, it's an altitude simulator.
And because I wasn't familiar with the five rounds, I took 10 minutes as sellout.
So I want to do it, but you've got to commit to a couple months of training to see the real benefit of this.
Oh, so you have to be there for a few months.
You have to train.
Because you are a Vegas guy.
I love, like, they have, you know, amazing physical therapists.
Nutrition.
Yeah, nutrition.
It's very convenient, you know, especially, like, living there.
I just try to stay.
I don't try to get too involved because every fighter can go, and it's just like you kind of run into other camps and blah, blah, blah.
Yeah, a lot of shit talking.
Yeah.
Yeah, man.
Great vibe.
So happy for everything right now with just like Merab and him and I and what we're building.
So in the fourth round, I came out like ready to, you know, I wasn't thinking with the mindset of like, I'm up to, he just took the third, fourth round.
That's such a cool thing to respect.
So cool.
Everybody around him.
Training partners too.
Yeah.
He just brings a bunch of Georgian guys in.
Yeah, it spreads.
His energy is definitely infectious.
And one thing that's cool too is the way that John's organized training in Syndicate now when people have fights coming up and you're doing your live cage rounds, the whole gym's watching.
you know what i mean like yeah everybody's around the cage you know what i mean and so you get used to that it's so cool it's so cool and what is it like having a rob at training there is there a fucking guy that has a better gas tank than that motherfucker i haven't seen him dude my week the fight week actually i had just the day of my fight okay day of my fight woke up
Called John, like, hey, man, want to get a shakeout?
Just, like, shake out some nerves, like, you know, just hit some pads.
He's like, okay, cool.
I'm down in the ballroom with Merab.
He's like, but you got to wait a few minutes.
Like, he's going some rounds.
I'm like, rounds?
And he's like, yeah, you just got to come down here and see it.
So I'm like, I go downstairs in the elevator.
We can get to the room.
I need to maybe relax, you know, maybe not get hit, you know, whatever.
Marab is doing live rounds on carpet, hard floor, in a fucking ballroom with some guy.
And they're sparring rounds, bro.
The day of the fight.
Of my fight.
So he didn't have a fight, but this was a week after his second fight against O'Malley.
So, they're doing live rounds on the carpet.
Shin guards everything, but, like, takedowns.
Jesus Christ.
On hard floor and carpet.
And he just doesn't stop.
It's like training never ends.
That's how you get staff.
That's probably why you got staff infections.
Who knows, you know?
But you, like, just no one can stop the guy.
Like, he's just a big ball of energy.
He really is.
Yeah.
whether it's running up and down mountains and all this stuff like john wood actually has to have some type of like monitor on this guy he's like don't train today okay coach okay coach next thing you know he's on social media like out in the mountains you know or in some river like it just he's yeah having him having him around is crazy yeah dc went to visit him the day after the o'malley fight the first fight and he went to his house and he was running yeah
Fourth round, I came out, I bit down and I went to war.
It's the discipline that Khabib is talking about.
It's discipline.
He's addicted to discipline.
It never ends.
That's it.
I think he's just one of those guys.
I think that's what lost me the fight for me personally.
Yeah.
1000%.
honestly yeah like a yeah yeah like a fucking jaguar or something jaguar mountain yeah it's something like killer just some elite killer you can kind of sense that like a little instinct in it like oh shit 100 man 100 this guy's in it like he's for sure in it he's locked in
Yeah, make sure.
Okay.
No, but yeah, whatever he's doing is definitely-
damn yeah it's tough man it's like it's tough in this sport because of the way the weight classes like a lot of guys don't get what's crazy is 35 gets so much love yeah this is 10 pounds difference 10 pounds difference isn't that nuts yeah that's kind of nuts yeah because when you see pantosia next to those guys there's not much difference in size it's kind of the same
That's why I forgot.
Somebody not too long ago asked me, what would my MMA Mount Rushmore be?
And I remember saying, Anderson Silva, GSP, Demetrius Johnson, and Amanda Nunes.
And they were like, Demetrius Johnson?
I'm like, why would you even...
Hesitate.
Hesitate.
Why are you even asking me that question?
Talk about martial arts and just skill.
grappling and striking seamlessly dude seamlessly perfect word seamlessly like oh in his prime in his prime he was unstoppable yeah but imagine demetrius johnson at light heavyweight there'll be statues of this man statue you know what i mean like it'd be like the
Who knows where it would be, but there would probably be multiple statues of this man all over the place.
What a great guy, too.
And I get there and my mind was absolutely blown.
We need to just – we need to have – this is a joke.
This isn't serious.
This is a joke.
But like –
The smaller weight class is in a smaller cage.
It will make them look bigger on television and people will get what they want.
I mean like if I made that type of money, I wouldn't have to – I wouldn't be looking to like leave to live the American dream.
I don't know because I don't understand like – Because that's kind of what they're doing with boxing.
Yeah.
I don't know, man.
I don't know like – I don't know what needs to change.
But –
I mean, all I'm saying is, like, it would be really cool.
That's, like, a dream, like, to be able to make those kind of numbers.
Yeah, the money was in Japan, though.
No, no.
10 grand, 15 grand, something like that.
man I yeah it's a dream yeah it's it's a dream it'd be nice but I'm not like I'm I'm glad that it's improving it's improving it's improving it's definitely improving it's definitely it's like you know fighters can get rich now
Yeah, we can actually plan retirement.
You know what I mean?
That for now, like I'm saying, I'm grateful for.
You asked me, you know, like, before, like, oh, you know, what would you do?
Or, like, have I thought about anything?
I honestly, I would love to work with the UFC.
Not as a commentator, because I don't really see myself, like, commentating or, like, being, you know, someone speaking.
But I'd love to work for the UFC.
Why wouldn't you want to commentate or speak?
uh i don't know i i personally i think i've mentioned this to you before like i just don't know if i have so much like input you know when it comes to like other fighters skill or whatever like i'm not the most exciting person on a microphone you know like but you guys do well it's like oh fuck like you know you guys have great reactions i'm kind of more like interesting like the old grandpa you know right right right rubbing my chin like
It was very impressive, man.
Thank you.
And that was the product of, you know, really reviewing mistakes.
Yeah, viewpoint.
I mean that could work.
But I think something like – I don't know.
I'd rather be like I guess behind – like on the other side of the camera.
I don't know.
Something within the – dude, that – like the UFC is such a large company.
There are so many departments.
Yeah.
I try to make friends with everybody in every department because they're just great people that make this all happen.
The equipment team, Ember, Stephanie.
I've been testing the gloves for the UFC for the past year, making sure we get the right ones.
Yeah, and so I was a part of that entire process.
What happened?
What was wrong with those gloves?
The main thing was that because of the leather, the logos weren't sticking.
So the logos were peeling off, peeling off, peeling off.
That's it?
And we tried... Joe, I'm telling you, we tried...
hundreds of different ways to get the ufc logo printed on the gloves so that they will not come off in the octagon from me testing it on the canvas doing live situations sparring rubbing into the cage blah blah and i don't get it just why does the old leather work better
Because with everything in the world, but especially in the industry of leather and suede and all this stuff, if I had a pair of leather shoes from 1970, it's going to be different than the leather that's made today.
You also do some wild shit like standing hammer fists.
You get what I mean?
It's a different type of leather.
So it's a softer leather?
It's just not the same.
It was a little softer, but it's treated differently to be able to...
While it's being processed or whatever that whole process looks like, it's just there's some type of chemical or something that's just different.
Amazing treatment from Baku City Circuit welcomed us in the fans were Some of the best I've ever Encountered man.
There's less knockouts.
Because I'm just hearing straight from what the equipment team is being yelled at for.
It has nothing to do with the knockouts.
It's that every time when the fighters come to return a pair of gloves or whatever, or even in the fight, it's peeling off or chipping off, and that's a hazard if it gets in your eye.
It's more about the safety of the fighter, not like,
we need more knockouts changing gloves interesting because it did the knockout the knockout thing didn't make any no no no it has nothing to do with the knockouts it's more that the logo wasn't adhering and it doesn't look professional to have these guys fighting a championship fight and then here's this guy raising his hand you don't even know like there's no ufc logo on the glove like what it all gets worn off it all gets worn off so we we've tried so many different marker that wouldn't work
We're artists.
I think that that's one thing that I try my best to always embody the artist in mixed martial arts.
We can't sell a glove with magic marker on it.
Yeah, but... We have to make an official glove, you know?
The training gloves.
What about the people who want to buy an official UFC glove?
I think it gets lost in the growth of the sport of MMA.
I agree with that, but I have found a solution to that.
What's the solution?
Just size up.
Oh, one size up?
Yeah.
They all weigh the same.
So what size do you use?
This last fight, I used a double X. And you usually use an X?
Yeah.
Interesting.
And I think it's like, you know, a lot of fighters, we don't like to stray from what we do.
You know what I mean?
Every little thing can fuck with us.
You know what I mean?
You know what I mean?
But from the past conversations we have and you understanding kind of
But yeah, you just have to think.
It's like, okay, the glove weighs the same.
Whether it's an XL or an extra small, it weighs the same.
I don't know.
That doesn't make any sense to me.
But we're all fighting.
Oh, yeah, because then your hand can't fit in the – Yeah.
Yeah, like if I tried to get into an extra small, it wouldn't work.
So, yeah.
But, like, let's say the size between an XL and a XX, they weigh the same.
And I have to consider, okay, I'm getting my hands wrapped as well.
Right.
So, yes, this XL glove fits like a glove.
how i was before like man i need some type of outlet for creativity you know and that's what it is standing here i mean my mind you know just my essence is art so i'm like how can i you know paint this picture of like expression of combat you know what i mean like there's so many different we got it's a lot we got krav maga we got all these things and it's like
But what about when I wrap my hands?
Right.
Now I wrap my hands.
It's too tight.
And then now my hands are like this.
And I'm like.
Yeah.
So the idea is size up.
Even if it's two sizes up, you're not going to have an issue.
You know?
Or you go with a thinner wrap.
Or no wrap.
You have that option.
Well, Joe Pfeiffer fights with no wrap.
Yeah.
Which is crazy.
I think it's savage.
I kind of want to do it.
Yeah.
I would have fought with no wrap with the other glove.
The new glove.
The new old glove.
The new one that they abandoned.
The old new glove.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I would have thought those felt so much better to me with no wrap.
Yeah, that's what I've gathered from just like... He's a very interesting guy.
oh why aren't they all like this yeah the padding is a much more sophisticated yeah and the boxing i remember i think one time he sent me a pair of boxing gloves um like this was a couple years ago and i saw it like it came with this paper and you're supposed to put a blow dryer in it first and you turn the blow dryer on to warm up the padding in there specifically like for that and then once it's heated up then you put the glove on and you wrap it up and then you let the padding
No.
I train with the old Ali mittens.
Oh, okay.
Those are my favorite gloves in the world to do MMA with.
put a wrap on under it you know for for padding or a pad whatever and i can still grapple with it my fingers are just like this of course which is but this this is how you grapple anyway yeah exactly you never do this no you never interlace your fingers so why are the fingers even exposed
Then Derek Lewis would be fucked.
How about that interview?
I'll poke him in the eye, kick him in the nuts.
He's so crazy.
Yeah, he was like, I was tired.
I needed five more minutes or some shit.
He was like, I'll poke him in the eye.
I cheat.
He was just like, I cheat.
I was like, dude, what the hell?
But he's also crazy enough to say that he's like, oh yeah, the UFC is scripted.
I was like, dude, anybody.
I was like, I know you're joking, but like.
I knew it.
Yeah, like there's so many people that believe you now.
Like, that was a funny joke, but damn it, dude.
let me paint you know like what can i use to you know to to to to that's a bold thing to do to use something very creative like that on a world champion too jamal hill's dangerous guy yeah he's dangerous man standing hammer fist yeah i'm dangerous too you know like i try to yeah i try to like i i always try to
And then you have Dana White made him win that fight.
Yeah, I mean, that would be a great fight to set up.
Absolutely.
But I think that from, I guess, a business standpoint, it makes sense to use Cyril because of everything that he's doing in France.
Movie star.
He's got the entire country behind him now.
So, like, yeah, with the UFC, you know, expanding internationally, it's like, you know, Aspinall is a, you know, British icon.
Cyril's a French icon.
Yeah, absolutely.
John doesn't seem to.
Yeah, yeah.
I mean, he's dead set in what he wants and how he views it.
I mean, it's tough.
I mean, for Dana, you know, and his position, it's too risky.
It's very risky.
Oh, yeah.
And it sucks because it's like, man, you've got so much talent.
The most talent.
And such an incredible resume.
And now there's nothing that I can really do about it.
Yeah.
Yeah, I'm grateful and blessed to be in the position that I'm in.
And I don't want to waste anything.
You know what I mean?
I don't want to waste it.
I want to be able to look back when I'm older and know that I used my time in a good way, that I continue to grow and to learn and develop until it's over.
And I think that we've seen that so many times.
We've seen so many athletes and celebrities fall victim to fame and partying and what that comes with.
And we've seen the same people who are addicted to discipline.
Khabib.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I mean, it's like, if there is anybody...
As a combat sports practitioner and fighter, if there's anybody who I would say I'd want to be or model myself after in my career, it'd be Muhammad Ali.
Insert myself into these things too because I think about it.
just because of everything.
You know what I mean?
Like humanitarian, like he was beloved by people from all around the world.
You know what I mean?
Like just different metals from United nation.
And like, you know what I mean?
Like just a cultural, cultural figure.
And like, not that like, I'm not as outspoken as, you know, as he was, but for just like the things that he was, uh,
Yeah, Alex, fucking hard hitter, dangerous guy.
also remembered for outside of the ring i just look at that as like so admirable and he gave young men like me something to kind of like aim at and like model myself after you know like that to me i feel like is very important especially in this country and as a young man who maybe doesn't have a father figure or
And I'm like, yeah, so am I. Let's do it.
Who doesn't know what to become.
And then you read the story about Lee and you're like, oh, that's similar to me.
I can become something.
I can be an Olympian.
I can be a champion.
Like, it just takes this.
You know what I mean?
Like, I'm not different.
I'm actually – there's actually people like me out there.
Like, you know, it just gives you something to kind of hope to become.
And so I try to –
I try to just be authentically me so that whoever out there does connect with me can see that, you know, yeah, you can go through certain shit, but like there's so much stuff that is possible for you.
Alex or Jamal, same thing.
Like your life's not over.
Yeah.
You're in a bad position now, but you can get yourself out of it.
There's tons of help out there.
I know he's got one punch power, all these things.
Mental health is a big thing.
It's not the end of the world.
And if you feel like it is, there's support.
And if you actually have a disorder, there's support for that too.
There's also outlets like martial arts and communities and things like that that will make you feel less alone in life.
Martial arts is a big one.
I'm like, let me insert myself.
Yeah.
And that are cool people to learn from.
I mean, that's what changed.
I just put myself in a new environment.
And then I started learning how to eat and how to think.
You know what I mean?
And started to get courage and carry myself differently.
And weight started coming down and blah, blah, blah.
Let me take some chances.
And then there you go.
You know, my, my mental health stuff was a lot less, you know, it's never gone away completely, you know, but it's a lot less than it was when I was 19 years old.
Let me be bold.
It's life, you know what I mean?
Like it's life, but we don't.
A lot of people, we don't have the tools, you know, or we don't have the people to listen to or whatever to be able to be like, okay, it's not just me.
I think that's the fun part.
It's everyone.
So what can I do to deal with this?
You know what I mean?
Like, I think that, yeah, that's kind of my thing.
So I think about when I...
get on a microphone or when I go fight or whatever, like there's a sense of responsibility.
It's not just about me in this world, you know, like, and that's, it's, to be honest, it's a struggle.
It's hard to not, it's hard to think that way.
It's very easy to be selfish.
It's very easy to just think me, me, me, me, me, you know, my problems, my struggles, my this, but like to, to consider millions of people and lives and children and
and youth and teenagers that are watching the sport and I like, I have to be conscious of, of the things that I do and how I live my life because I don't want to be the guy on the news.
You know what I mean?
Like, I just don't want to be like, I'm terrible.
I'm terrified of prison.
You know what I mean?
I'm fucking, you know, I'm trying to make friends with police officers.
Like, yeah, I'm like, I was just like, I'm just like, okay.
Like,
Trying to do the right thing, not only for myself, but for my family, for my father, you know?
So, like, there's just a lot of responsibility that comes with this game and how we live our lives, man.
Yeah, and that's the journey.
That's the path that I'm on for the rest of my life.
They were so happy to have the UFC there Everyone in the streets like people who weren't even fight fans were just excited that the UFC was in Baku so like that added to the experience and then It's just beautiful man.
Beautiful.
Yeah.
Thanks for having me.
My pleasure.
Yeah, these guys, they blow up.
Yeah, I think so as well.
There were some reactions in there that I was picking up on.
I could see a bit of frustration.
I feel like I was able to read a lot of the things before they would come.
I heard everything that his coaches were saying.
In my mind, I was just seeing him struggle with not being able to...
react the way he wanted, and maybe that was because, you know, there was the speed that they weren't necessarily dealing with.
Yeah, he did.
I can say that there were some improvements made.
I think that he probably spent some more time working on his footwork.
He was a lot less flat-footed than he usually is.
I could tell that a lot of the times his toes were pointed at me, and that wasn't what I studied.
So he made some changes.
He made some changes.
Yeah, thank you.
I always do my best to try to channel my Muay Thai.
Yeah, he started off with the leg kicks.
I think he threw maybe three or four calf kicks before I actually started answering back.
Yeah, so he started it, and...
Like I
I was just like, okay, cool.
If this is the game we're playing, I love this game.
I love this game.
Yeah, it was a great fight, man.