'He's a Weak Man!' | UFC 328 Media Day
UFC
0:00 Well, Hamzat, you know,
0:01 they've been trying to keep you guys away from each other.
0:03 You have security everywhere you go.
0:05 Have you seen Sean Strickland at all this week?
0:08 No.
0:08 No, some boy said they see him like
0:12 uh running away from hotel fast after the media.
0:16 The guy who said like he going to shoot me,
0:19 he going to do this, that, and I don't know why he still at other hotels.
0:23 And they were thinking like, you know, wouldn't going to control me.
0:27 And the guy is not here.
0:29 We control this guy.
0:31 You know, do you feel What made you
0:33 post the sparring footage yesterday, by the way?
0:36 Why did you post that?
0:36 No, I was just I find old video, some stuff, just post that.
0:41 Because he's saying like I spar only weak people, you know.
0:45 And on the video we spar that easy, you know, like just touch sparring.
0:49 It's not like 100% like usually I do, I like.
0:52 Because he said he doesn't want to spar hard.
0:56 And when I start to hit hard,
0:58 he was coaching like coach Eric, this guy starting to punch hard.
1:03 Yeah, like he had some problems with his coach Eric,
1:07 too, because I punched him hard.
1:10 And he was always there calling him like,
1:12 "Can you stop this guy?" Yeah, but this guy is lying so much, brother.
1:18 It's crazy.
1:19 You You'd say he's lying?
1:23 Ask the people who's been in the gym.
1:25 Ask his friends is there if they guys is real, they going to answer for that.
1:30 What is more important to you right now, right?
1:32 Because you represent Chechnya and you you want
1:34 to take your belt back to your country, for the people there.
1:38 But also, Sean's not being very nice about
1:40 your country and some of the people there,
1:41 which is more important to you, to take the belt home or to silence Sean?
1:47 What What What do you say?
1:49 Would you Is it more important to you to win this title and defend the belt,
1:52 or is it more important to you to beat Sean Strickland?
1:55 Doesn't matter for me.
1:56 I just came here to but I just make money, you know?
1:59 Beat somebody.
2:00 If he's strong, he's strong.
2:01 If not strong, we're going to beat somebody else.
2:04 I don't care about that you know?
2:06 He's doing his clown so why should I care about that?
2:11 And if it's going to come the belt, if God wills,
2:14 we're going to have this Saturday the belt and go back home.
2:17 Should be happy.
2:19 To let everyone know,
2:20 if tomorrow at the press conference they say let's do a face-off,
2:23 are you happy to do a face-off or do you
2:24 think maybe it's better to just wait until fight night?
2:28 I'm happy today, but why why should I not face-off that guy, man?
2:32 So, I'm happy to fight.
2:35 I'm happy to face-off.
2:36 Why should not?
2:44 Arms up right over here.
2:45 On the Jackson podcast, you said you don't care if you leave the UFC undefeated
2:49 and that you just want to go and do big things.
2:51 Do you think there's any big things left for you at middleweight
2:53 after this fight or are the big things only at light heavyweight?
2:59 I don't think so, but still Sean not big thing for me
3:02 because the guy I beat before I did all five rounds.
3:06 I took that from guy, like, you know?
3:08 I win all five rounds and with Du Plessis and he beats him twice, bro.
3:15 If I stay there, if I beat Sean,
3:17 then Imamu Imamu getting beat off Sean, so what's the point?
3:21 Like, I we just going like Russian roulette?
3:25 No, no.
3:26 I just want to go to a big fight.
3:28 Alex Pereira, if he's going to lose, he's going to come down.
3:31 He's big fighter, big name.
3:33 If he's not, I go to heavyweight, but maybe there as well.
3:37 I need big names, big money.
3:39 So, I came here to do some big things, you know?
3:42 I just not stay here like take the easy fights.
3:47 So, you're saying you're that you're willing to even go up
3:49 to heavyweight for a big fight if the opportunity is there?
3:51 Of course.
3:52 For sure.
3:54 So, you have a group of young guys that have been with you,
3:56 Baysangur, Yusup, Anzor.
3:59 What is it like being the leader of these guys and what
4:01 is it like training and bringing up these young guys from Chechnya?
4:05 I don't try to be a leader of anyone.
4:07 Just all of us have some instincts like alpha wolf, you know?
4:14 So.
4:17 And just good to be with them, good energy.
4:21 The guy is crazy, talented, hard workers like me,
4:26 so that's why I'm happy to work with them and be with them,
4:29 help them, they help me.
4:32 Yeah.
4:34 You've had Khalil Rountree with you for this entire camp.
4:36 He said that if you moved up to light heavyweight be an issue.
4:39 What is it like to kind of have been
4:41 training with him and get that praise from him
4:42 that if you were to move up to light
4:44 heavyweight he thinks you'd kind of just beat everyone up.
4:49 No, I know we're going to fight you, Khalil, but I I can't fight.
4:54 I'm the if I'm brother with you, I'm real brother.
4:56 I don't don't do that things like strong does, you know?
5:00 You call your brother one day and second day he
5:02 fights you and this I can't do that you know?
5:06 I want to be real.
5:11 Hamzat over here.
5:13 There's obviously this added security that we talked about,
5:16 we've seen, there's uniform police officers following you around.
5:19 Is it Is it amusing at all that this is kind of happening?
5:22 Do you think it's necessary?
5:25 Uh no, for me for me it's just no problem.
5:28 Probably I'm from Chechnya and in Chechnya in every 100 m,
5:33 you know, you see military with the Kalashnikov,
5:36 so I don't care about how much security,
5:39 how much these people around here, so this for Sean's safety, you know?
5:45 No, I mean obviously yes,
5:46 this is not to the high degree of that, but is it just kind
5:50 of funny that they're doing something a little
5:52 different this week than normal or I mean,
5:54 do you do you get why the UFC is doing it?
5:58 Ask Dana.
5:59 I'm not UFC.
6:00 I'm just a UFC fighter, man.
6:02 Fair enough.
6:09 Um, so that um I was wondering, you know,
6:11 you mentioned there about but potentially going to to heavyweight.
6:14 Uh do you watch like those guys
6:16 in the heavyweight division and and sort of see like
6:18 because a lot of people say that that's maybe
6:20 a one of the weaker divisions at the moment.
6:22 Do you watch those bigger guys and go like, yeah, I would fancy it against them?
6:26 Of course, I always been training with heavy guys,
6:28 so I train most of my time with Alexander Gustafsson,
6:34 Jimi Manuwa, Gökhan Saki from beginning of my career and I was fighting 170.
6:40 I trained with those guys all with them,
6:42 so I mean, never been problem with weights,
6:45 you know, so I like to eat and I'll find the cage.
6:50 Uh did you see Conor McGregor's message about how you
6:54 and Sean are fighting for he said it was his belt.
6:56 Did you see that?
6:57 What what's your response?
6:59 His belt?
6:59 Bro, he lost his belt 10 years ago.
7:02 So, I don't know.
7:03 This guy should come off a little bit drugs and and he's
7:08 What is this purple purple something he drinking all the time?
7:14 He can bite to normal work and let's fight.
7:18 Let's fight and I don't care boxing.
7:20 I have told I do feel boxing.
7:22 People thinks I'm just a wrestler.
7:23 I don't need to use my just boxing.
7:25 I'm a MMA fighter.
7:26 If I go to the boxing, I'm going to use I'm going to show my boxing, too.
7:30 So, you're you're talking about boxing,
7:31 you're talking about moving to heavyweight.
7:32 You also are going to be wrestling later this year.
7:35 Will you wrestle Kyle Snyder?
7:38 If the group pays good, for sure, but No, no easy money.
7:44 I don't go to that kind of match.
7:45 So, if I want to wrestle like Olympic champs, I'm going to go to Olympic games.
7:50 For UAE.
7:51 So, it's one of the opportunity, too.
7:55 Uh, going off of that, uh, we spoke with one of your coaches, Alan,
7:58 and he said after signing with AREF,
8:01 maybe you could represent the UAE in the Olympic Games.
8:04 Is that something you would be interested in?
8:07 Yeah, of course.
8:08 We got to We got to We got to see.
8:10 Um, first right now,
8:11 I'm just focused on this fight and hopefully get back to Abu Dhabi, fight there.
8:17 Then after that, we will think about it.
8:19 How would an Olympic gold medal compare to winning a UFC championship?
8:26 I don't know.
8:27 Just I'm I'm trying to get the fun have a fun with my life,
8:31 you know, just compete with someone.
8:34 If it's will be hard to get the gold.
8:37 You got to work for that.
8:39 And And then a lot of good guys over there.
8:43 In my way, too.
9:00 You're a very confident in yourself.
9:01 You're obviously a favorite in this fight,
9:03 but is there anything in Sean's arsenal
9:05 that for you potentially could present danger?
9:10 I don't know.
9:25 I'm not sure.
9:25 I guess the fight will have to show.
9:27 I will see We'll see in the fight.
9:28 I'll be very happy if he shows me something
9:30 that I'm surprised by, but the harder the fight,
9:32 the better for me because I can show myself in my best skills.
9:55 Regarding the heightened security, I was talking to Baysangur earlier.
9:58 He said that not only around the hotel,
10:00 but also on your floors there's security.
10:02 Does that affect your preparation this week in any way?
10:04 Do you have to, for instance, you know,
10:06 let them know your movements and stuff like that?
10:08 Does it affect you in any way at all?
10:12 No.
10:12 The guys who are security guys been always in like another fights.
10:15 I know some of them, you know, I see many times, but why should they control us?
10:23 Why should we control them?
10:24 We just doing our thing, they doing their thing.
10:58 The fans are wondering what kind of approach you're going to take this fight
11:01 with all the trash talk that's been said between the two of you,
11:04 specifically from Sean's side.
11:06 Are you looking to punish him and really just maul him
11:10 for 25 minutes just like you did with the former champ,
11:12 or are you looking to finish this quick?
11:14 What's what's the approach to the fight?
11:34 I'm not planning anything specifically.
11:36 You know, it's going to happen the way it's going to happen.
11:39 I'm going to approach the fight the way I always approach the fight.
11:41 I'm going to come out ready and with God's help,
11:43 with Allah's help, we'll see what happens.
12:04 Final question.
12:05 I spoke to Sean last week after his open open workout.
12:08 I asked him at the end of the fight without looking at the result,
12:12 whatever happens happens, will you shake Hamzat's hand?
12:14 And he told me that no,
12:16 there's going to be no handshake and most likely you will die enemies.
12:19 Same question to you, at the end of the fight,
12:22 win or lose, are you willing to shake his hand?
12:51 You know, this is not something that I think about.
12:53 It's not something that I pause to actually contemplate.
12:56 You know, it doesn't matter to me, shake his hand, not shake his hand,
12:59 if I'm going to be his friend or I'm not going to be his friend,
13:01 if I'm ever going to see him again in my life at all.
13:03 It's It's good to be friends with us.
13:05 It's It's not good to not be friends with us.
13:07 Good luck on Saturday.
13:08 Please, one, two.
13:10 Hamzat, uh, privyet.
13:11 This is What Striker the striker was
13:37 Question about Question about the last fight
13:39 where when you were fighting Du Plessis,
13:41 there was two two instances when you actually stood
13:44 up by the referee in order to continue the action
13:46 to kind of get It was It was given
13:48 the opponent the a chance to restart the fight,
13:51 so to speak, back start on on the feet.
13:53 Uh right now, there's a whole different era.
13:55 It's a paramount era.
13:56 People are looking for exciting fights.
13:58 Uh Sean is the kind of fighter that usually keeps the fight standing.
14:01 Have you thought about this scenario where because of excessive wrestling,
14:05 you would be stood up and the fight would have to be restarted on his feet?
14:08 Is it something that you worked specifically on what
14:10 to do during camp if such an instance happens?
14:17 Got to take him down again.
14:18 What should I do?
14:45 It doesn't matter.
14:46 I'll just keep moving forward and I'll take him down again.
14:48 I mean, the referee does his job.
14:50 That's his job.
14:50 If he's going to tell us to stand up and fight, we'll stand up and fight.
14:53 If he'll tell us to take him down, we'll take him down.
14:55 This is what we can do.
14:56 We can approach the fight and we're going to do whatever whatever strategies.
14:58 We'll see what happens.
15:00 The fight will show, but the idea is to come out there and dominate.
15:16 If If Arman goes up to middleweight,
15:19 do you think he'll be be to beat Sean Strickland in the fight.
15:27 Yeah, of course he can beat him now.
15:31 Hi champ.
15:32 Were you happy to not have to fight
15:34 against Nassourdine Imavov as a Caucasian brother
15:37 and do you think he will be
15:38 the next champion after you in the middleweight division?
15:44 I have opportunity to fight him.
15:46 If you see a further but what should we do?
15:50 He is a worker in the office.
15:51 I am So, if you say wanted we got to do that but of course we both don't
15:57 want to fight each other because the same religion
15:59 same same country almost and like we know each other.
16:03 He is a good guy.
16:04 I believe he's the next champion.
16:06 Thank you.
16:07 Good luck.
16:10 Hamzat Two left.
16:11 A lot of the rumors about you and Sean sparring
16:14 is that you're able to submit him in the gym.
16:16 No one has ever attempted a submission on Sean Strickland in a UFC fight.
16:21 How do you think he's going to react when you try to submit him in the cage?
16:28 We fought kind of me.
16:31 I don't know.
16:32 I never seen some good wrestlers.
16:36 Think about it.
16:37 Imagine the DP takes him down like 10 times.
16:40 And if I try to take some of them there is salaam alaikum.
16:51 You're asking chat GPT like hey uh what can I ask Sean to you know,
16:56 I've already asked him everything.
16:58 Well, you know, what was your reaction
17:00 when he posted the sparring footage last night?
17:03 Oh god.
17:03 You know what's funny that's what led to me calling him out.
17:07 Um What was it like?
17:08 How long was the clip?
17:09 23 seconds.
17:10 Like 23 seconds.
17:11 And my thing what a little dirty bastard.
17:13 You like you you post a light sparring.
17:16 Let me take the hat off before they cut me.
17:17 I try not to represent Monster on any press conference
17:20 where I say something racist or based as they would say.
17:25 [laughter] Statistics, man.
17:28 They So weird how there's a racist these days.
17:31 I don't know a lot of terrorists,
17:32 but normally they uh normally they don't know they're Allahu Akbar.
17:35 But uh [snorts] No, anyways, man.
17:38 But like that's what I'm talking about.
17:40 Like the guy's just a little rat, dude.
17:42 One, I didn't know you were filming and those were our warm-up rounds.
17:46 It's like, dude, you're just like you're just a weak man.
17:48 You're just a weak weak man.
17:50 I mean, why don't you take that, a weak man?
17:53 I kind of to be honest, I didn't think there was a lot in the clip.
17:56 Yeah, but it's also like what is the point?
17:57 You were light sparring and you show like I mean,
18:00 those shorts were a questionable on my part, you know?
18:02 I mean, but they they were Amazon, you know?
18:05 It was a bad angle for you.
18:06 Yeah, it was bad it was bad angle.
18:07 It was bad angle, but you know, I mean, hey, I like women and he likes goats.
18:10 I win there.
18:12 Did Did you guys spar more than that or was
18:14 that the only round that you guys ever did?
18:16 No, we actually only did we did one we did one we've only
18:19 sparred once and we did a like I think it was three rounds spar.
18:25 So, we sparred once, but um
18:28 [clears throat]
18:27 I like I I kept telling you this, dude.
18:29 I when I go to a gym, I want to spar the best guy.
18:32 I want to spar him, but he would always just go beat up the lower level guys.
18:36 I don't know, man.
18:38 He He said yesterday in his media that he
18:41 called Hunter up and asked for this fight.
18:42 He said he wanted to try your meat and he called for the fight.
18:45 Try my meat.
18:46 Do you think he took something out of those spars that made him want this fight?
18:50 Do you even believe he asked for this fight?
18:51 What do you think is making him so confident coming into this one?
18:55 No, I mean, of course he I don't know, man.
18:57 Try my What does he even mean?
18:59 Did you call me a when that happened?
19:00 Did you say What are you trying to say, dude?
19:02 All right, relax.
19:04 No, I mean, I think [clears throat] it's also a good fight.
19:06 I think it's a fun fight, you know?
19:07 There's so many people in the division where it's like like one of the top five,
19:11 Brendan Allen, his punching bag, his his meat.
19:14 You know, like what like what else in the top five division you have right now?
19:18 Like So, it's kind of it's kind of nice just to get a fresh look, new blood.
19:22 So, I think the fight just kind of made sense.
19:24 Do you get the impression that if you can't get this done,
19:27 there's no one else in this division who can?
19:31 [sighs] You know, hopefully guys are learning how to wrestle these days.
19:36 It's just really hard, dude, when you when you're dealing with that kind
19:39 of like Chechen style of leg humping.
19:41 It's like it's a Unless you've experienced it before,
19:45 it's something it's hard to train for, you know?
19:47 Cuz they just get on your leg and they just hold on for dear life.
19:51 You know, they don't really it it's it's
19:53 hard to experience unless you train with these guys.
19:55 I've trained with these guys forever, so I kind of know what it's like.
19:58 Do you find like, you know, everyone's talking like,
20:00 "Oh, they can't see each other in the lobby.
20:02 We might not be able to do a face-off." Are you kind of getting
20:04 a little bit bored of that narrative that it's a bit like you are both a
20:07 I mean, I'm I don't think he gives a does he?
20:09 He doesn't seem to.
20:10 Yeah, like I it's I don't know, man.
20:13 I think I didn't even know how did this even get started?
20:17 Oh, I know how it got started.
20:18 He said like something about jumping me.
20:20 He made a joke about like,
20:22 "All my friends would jump you." And I said like, "Dude, you're a coward.
20:26 I'm a grown ass man.
20:27 At no point in my life like at no point in my life have I ever said,
20:30 'I'm going to jump this man.'" Like to me to say that and look myself
20:34 in the mirror after saying that and and saying
20:36 that I'm going to threaten you with my fans.
20:38 Like it kind of makes me feel like a So,
20:40 the fact that you can say that, that's why I say you're a weak man.
20:42 So, I think I said that like, "Well,
20:44 if you or any Chechen who rolls up to me, they're going to get you know,
20:47 I think what I got like 20 plus one on my carry guns like 18 plus one." So,
20:53 but I mean, that's that's realistic.
20:54 Like if if you walk outside and there's five
20:57 Chechens trying to fight I'm not in New Jersey,
20:58 obviously, cuz we're in a communist state.
21:01 But in Vegas, if I walk outside and there's three Chechens,
21:04 I legally you put a bullet in each and every one of them.
21:07 Why?
21:08 Because in America we value being a man.
21:12 In America we value one-on-one fights.
21:15 We value stand your ground.
21:16 What we don't value is being a weak third world who threatens friends.
21:21 Like it's such a soft soft mentality.
21:23 Soft man.
21:24 Soft man.
21:25 You agree though, right?
21:26 That is kind of a mentality, right?
21:27 I don't.
21:28 Show hands.
21:28 Everybody's raising their hand.
21:31 [laughter]
21:31 But did you take he tweeted about you know your growing up and stuff like that?
21:35 Which sometimes people like to throw out your way.
21:36 Did you even see it.
21:37 What he say?
21:38 You can say it.
21:38 You repeat it.
21:39 He said that your dad made you a girl.
21:43 [laughter] You know honestly like I mean my dad kind
21:45 of made me violent cuz he was such a weak man.
21:47 You're going to find that like maybe Chimaev included
21:51 like growing up my dad was like the boogeyman.
21:55 Like he was the scariest thing the scariest thing in my life.
22:00 You know watch him beat up my mom, throw beer bottles at me.
22:03 So it's like to me my dad he almost made me a little bit like sociopathic.
22:07 More like a sociopath than anything.
22:09 He probably did more harm than good.
22:11 And I'll never I'll I'll never forget I was like I think I
22:14 was 17 years old and like he wasn't letting my mom go to work.
22:19 And I I walked in there and I was like dad
22:22 like I I think I was a fighter at the time.
22:23 I probably dropped out of high school.
22:24 I was probably a loser.
22:26 And I walked in there and I was like dude you
22:28 got to you got to let her go to work dude.
22:29 Like you got to let her go to work.
22:30 Mortgage must be paid.
22:31 And the guy gets in my face.
22:34 And he says like I'm your dad.
22:35 You're going you're going to hit me?
22:37 And I remember I just said like you know
22:38 what it dude today's the day and I headbutted him.
22:40 Broke his nose.
22:41 Fell down and this guy started crying.
22:44 And it was like so disappointing to me because
22:46 I seen this guy who was like this psychopath
22:50 my whole life who I was scared of and you
22:52 just see him this whiny little on the floor bleeding.
22:55 So it's like if anything I would say
22:57 my my dad probably more made me a sociopath than [laughter]
23:01 why why I'm going to have have to shoot three Chechens on stand your ground law.
23:06 [gasps]
23:06 I'll leave it on this one.
23:07 Look, the fight itself everyone knows he's going to come out,
23:09 he's going to be aggressive, he's going to shoot really early,
23:10 and you're going to have to scramble get work your way back up.
23:13 At what point in the fight do you think you start to turn it in your favor?
23:16 You know, I don't I don't have a I don't
23:18 have an issue like my boy Johnny's in the back, dude.
23:20 Let's go, dude.
23:21 [clears throat] My boy's Johnny in the back, dude.
23:22 I think he's a far better wrestler than he's a far better wrestler than Chimaev.
23:26 He shoots better, has a better stand up,
23:28 so it's like I've been training with the guys that are better than him.
23:31 I think Johnny beats him on on any Saturday.
23:35 So, I I just like I don't know, man.
23:37 I I just I don't think he's going to put anything at me where I'm like,
23:40 "Oh, that's that's you know,
23:41 maybe if he faints right and lands and gets lucky and lands a punch,
23:44 but like punch for punch, wrestle for wrestle, I got this." But that was quick.
23:53 Sean, just uh curious uh obviously a lot of people
23:55 talking about the grappling with this fight and people
23:58 noticed a stat leading in that in all your UFC
24:00 fights no one has ever attempted a submission against you.
24:03 Uh maybe because I've only fought men, I don't know.
24:08 [laughter]
24:08 Does that Does that surprise you at all or like did you know that stat?
24:11 I mean dude, submissions are gay, dude.
24:13 It's like you they're gay.
24:14 Like I'm sad that I have to potentially have to deal
24:17 with a guy who wants to dry hump my leg.
24:19 It's uh I but I'm also never really
24:22 in a position to for guys to do submissions, right?
24:26 Like I don't I don't want to go on my back, you know?
24:28 I'm not into that Uh what would mean more to you
24:32 this title win or your victory over Israel Adesanya?
24:35 Oh, man.
24:36 You know, dude, I like Let me tell you guys,
24:38 I don't like living in the past, you know?
24:40 I'm always a forward must move forward kind of guy.
24:43 You know, it was dope, but you know, a W's a W and an L's an L.
24:46 I think with Chimaev it's more of like a just
24:48 a kind of a score to settle, you know?
24:50 Cuz we trained, I think I you up, you think you me up,
24:53 and it's like it's really like we just get to find out who.
24:57 What do you want your title reign to be different compared to the first time?
24:59 Like obviously, you weren't able to defend it.
25:01 You had a pretty quick turnaround.
25:02 Is things going to be different this time around?
25:05 No, dude.
25:05 Are you kidding me?
25:06 I don't want a quick turnaround always, you know.
25:08 I'm not Chimaev.
25:09 I'm not going to go home and suck off
25:10 a dictator for a year and live in fame, dude.
25:13 I want to go fight, dog.
25:14 I want to make money.
25:16 Do you think Nasurdin Imavov is a top contender?
25:18 Oh, yeah, Nasurdin.
25:20 I mean, I guess is he the top contender now?
25:21 I guess so.
25:22 I mean, you know, the angry the angry the angry Muslim the angry Muslim.
25:26 I guess so.
25:27 We'll fight another angry Muslim.
25:28 Swear to God, dude, the UFC like I wonder if the UFC wakes up and says,
25:32 "I want to actively ruin this sport, you know.
25:34 Let's go get the Let's go get the most unlikable pieces
25:38 of and like let's put them in the UFC like Tank Abbott, Matt Hughes.
25:43 Like let's just go and get the most unlikable dude.
25:47 I mean, I told you the story, but um I I think I made a joke on Islam, you know.
25:52 I like I try to lay off of it cuz I have a lot of Muslim buddies.
25:55 So, like even though it's really hard for me not to, I try not to cuz like,
25:59 you know, I have like Muslim guys come up like, "Sean, like you know,
26:02 you met my mom, you met my sister,
26:03 you met my kid and you're sitting there like talking on my religion." I'm like,
26:07 "God dammit, dude." But like maybe that's your sign, right?
26:10 Like I I had any Christians in the room, you know, had any Christians?
26:13 I can make fun of Christ all day long and you guys can be like,
26:15 "Well, you're going to hell,
26:16 but good luck." But maybe that maybe that's your sign.
26:19 But I I try not to go too hard
26:21 on Islam these days just for the sake of my friends,
26:24 but it made me laugh cuz he said something like he said
26:27 something like Ali Ali Akbar to a tweet or something I did.
26:31 And I was like, "Bro, remember with Charlie Hebdo?
26:34 You remember that?
26:34 Remember that when you piece of went there and murdered that guy in France?
26:39 Did you post about him?
26:40 Did you condemn that?" It's like at the end of the day, dude,
26:43 these guys even Chimaev said, "Well,
26:44 my Muslim community." Dude, your Muslim community, bro,
26:47 you guys are like if that's your Muslim community that you
26:50 you to jump somebody or go murder someone for freedom of speech,
26:53 like you have a serious problem.
26:55 And that is why the UFC bring these in fighter or not.
26:59 You just like you make the sport almost unwatchable because
27:01 you're bringing these people that are not compatible with America,
27:05 that Americans don't give a about.
27:06 They don't understand America.
27:07 They can never be an American.
27:09 So it's one of those like shitty things where it's
27:11 like the UFC will just keep doing it, keep doing it.
27:13 But I'm at some point you I don't give a about Nassourdine.
27:17 And that was lastly for me.
27:19 Um I see obviously like the odds makers have you like a five to one underdog,
27:22 but I see a lot of fighters like the likes of Joe Rogan talking
27:26 about how you're built for this fight and you have the skill set to win.
27:29 What's the difference between what all those people
27:31 are seeing and what the betting public is seeing?
27:34 Chimaev's best chance, it's not going to be grappling.
27:36 It's going to be maybe if he slips right
27:37 and does an overhand or something or if he gets lucky.
27:39 But at the end of the day, guys, you could bring the best grappler in the world
27:43 and you could have this grapple for an hour.
27:45 I will win.
27:46 I will win.
27:47 All I do is grapple.
27:48 You guys What do you guys think I The reason
27:49 why I don't post grappling is cuz it's gay.
27:52 I could go show me and Michelle trying to give each other CTE and that's great.
27:56 Do you really want to see me and two guys in the missionary position?
27:59 Just like it's gay, dude.
28:01 I don't want to do it.
28:04 Sean, on the countdown Eric referred to you as maybe the captain over extreme.
28:08 So I guess what's what's camp been like,
28:11 you know, with Francis preparing for his fight?
28:13 Johnny just got his new fight.
28:15 Francis, bro?
28:15 You're not allowed to say that.
28:16 Do you see that logo?
28:17 Wait, where does this logo go?
28:19 You can't say that.
28:20 Francis is not allowed to be talked about.
28:23 now?
28:24 I actually tried to bring him to the PI to wrestle with us in the UFC.
28:26 They're like, "No, no, no." It was like, "You can't do that." Like,
28:28 "What the dude?" African man walked across a continent barefoot,
28:32 you know, and you just you just that salty cuz he
28:35 wanted to go make more money and and better his life.
28:37 Crazy, like But uh you know, UFC you UFC's going to UFC.
28:42 But no, dude, my camp's been great, you know.
28:44 Honestly, I I hate training with Johnny.
28:46 I I truly hate training with Johnny Eblen.
28:48 Like it's uh out of I I go and I
28:51 look at his sparring and he's just beating up Brendan Allen,
28:54 using him as a piece of meat.
28:56 I'm like, "That'd be so nice.
28:57 Can we get Brendan Allen here?" Like I want him as a training partner.
29:01 Here I am training with Johnny, like world champion,
29:03 like just having a five-round death match every day.
29:07 And I'm like, "That'd be real nice."
29:09 Who's the tougher spar between Francis and Alex?
29:15 Oh.
29:14 That's a hard one, dude.
29:15 Um Alex, you know, and this is where Alex is
29:20 going to excel so much at heavyweights cuz like heavyweights,
29:22 they're heavyweights.
29:23 Alex is not a heavyweight.
29:25 Alex is a 205er with a heavyweight build that could be heavyweight,
29:29 and that's why you're going to see him
29:30 succeed so much because you're fighting lower competition.
29:34 You're faster, you hit harder.
29:35 So no, I think um But then Francis is big and black, bro.
29:41 [laughter] I don't know, dude.
29:43 [snorts] If I had to pick who I had to fight, dude, I don't know, dude.
29:46 Uh I mean, we already know how one went, [laughter] you know.
29:51 I don't know, man.
29:52 They both suck.
29:54 [snorts]
29:55 You mentioned just now you said, you know, you have Muslim friends who say,
29:57 "Why do you Why do you pick on them,
29:59 right?" Why not just keep the trash talk confined
30:02 to the to the fighter himself and go instead of going beyond [clears throat]
30:08 the country Well, let me tell you, he kind of made that about that.
30:11 He was the one that says this white guy, this American,
30:14 like he kind of he kind of made that realm of I mean,
30:18 the first time I met he he didn't funny joke.
30:20 He joked about being a terrorist.
30:21 I've literally the first time I met the guy.
30:23 He's like, "Oh, I'm a terrorist,
30:23 man." I didn't say that, But no, you know what it is, dude?
30:28 We live in a world right now where we're being like
30:32 forced to conform to ideologies and beliefs that don't fit America.
30:37 Like even um I mean,
30:38 look at these Somali communities that come and just defraud the government.
30:42 We are being forced right now as as someone who built the Western world,
30:47 who is a beacon of hope and freedom.
30:49 Like the rest of world models themselves off America
30:52 and we're being forced to import these third world
30:55 that have really no right or beliefs or identity
30:59 as America and they don't come and they don't merge.
31:02 They're not a melting pot.
31:03 They don't come and say, you know what man, I love freedom of speech.
31:06 Draw any prof- draw any picture of Muhammad you want.
31:09 Like they don't do that.
31:10 They come here and they actively try to change their country to our country.
31:15 They try to change it to their country that they left it that sucks.
31:19 And it's just a damn shame that we
31:21 have these liberals that keep promoting that idea.
31:24 If you want to be if you want to go have Sharia law and you want to go
31:28 you want to go cover up your wife and put her in a towel and a blanket,
31:31 go back to your shitty country.
31:33 We're not doing this in America.
31:35 And every proud Americans, white, black, Mexican, brown,
31:39 you guys have to speak up because these people
31:41 are actively against everything we stand for as Americans.
31:45 Has anyone you ever trust or respected strongly suggested you cool down
31:49 the rhetoric and there might be more opportunity especially if you're a champion
31:52 I again, I don't give a dude.
31:53 If if Nike if Nike wants to come give me a I mean to Nike.
31:56 You want to come give me a a logo
31:59 as you go use little Chinese kids and make shoes.
32:01 Like these major companies.
32:03 You don't want to sponsor me, go yourself.
32:05 You're actually the problem, dude.
32:07 Your DI initiatives.
32:08 Like I don't give a dude.
32:09 I don't need to get rich, man.
32:10 I'm good.
32:11 I can retire right now.
32:11 I don't What, an extra million dollars?
32:13 Well, I don't give a dude.
32:15 Keep keep your money, you corporate scumbags.
32:22 Sean, like obviously the the security here is much more elevated.
32:25 You're followed around.
32:27 Um you know, when you left yesterday the the police
32:29 are Are they are they state police who's following you?
32:32 Yeah, state police.
32:33 I don't know.
32:33 They're state police.
32:33 Really good guys, dude.
32:34 Really good guys, you know.
32:35 I'm sure.
32:35 I'm sure.
32:36 But they're you know, they're you know, finishing up with media.
32:38 Sean's on the move, you know, they're Is Is this amusing to you?
32:41 You know, I Let me tell you guys it's not the first time where I had security.
32:44 I think I've had a couple fights where I've had security.
32:46 This is probably the highest security.
32:48 But again, you know,
32:50 I don't think I don't think there really is a problem with with me and Chimaev.
32:53 Like if me and Chimaev were here right now, we're not going to fight, obviously.
32:56 We're going to fight Saturday.
32:58 But this goes back to his point.
33:00 Chimaev will come and he has to bring 30 fanatical Chechnyans
33:05 and they cannot be trusted because they are not compatible with us.
33:09 So, why do we have security?
33:10 We have security because you somehow America we've
33:13 somehow let these savages come to our country
33:16 and he brings a 30-man entourage and I have to be in America and New Jersey,
33:21 by the way, is a piece of state.
33:22 No offense, New Jerseyans.
33:23 No stand your ground, no concealed carry.
33:25 It's real bad here.
33:27 But as an American, I have to be here but like, hey,
33:29 there're 30 30 third-world country that won't fight alone,
33:34 that are walking around real stabby.
33:36 Like if this proves my point more than anything, I don't know what else does.
33:42 Have you been able to kind of explore at all or like
33:44 are you interested in going anywhere or that kind of thing?
33:46 How How much has this kind of affected your No, I I actually love it, man.
33:50 I It's way more quiet, you know?
33:51 I I don't get people harassing me.
33:53 Usually, especially title fights, it's a I always go the extra mile fans.
33:58 If any fan comes up to me, like doesn't matter.
34:00 I always go the extra mile.
34:01 So, it's kind of nice just not having to do that, you know?
34:04 And I mean, I I love fans, but title fights here is like a There's
34:08 a different level of like people that show up.
34:11 They're more into the UFC.
34:13 So, it's kind of nice being able to zone out a little bit more.
34:15 You said this is a little more elevated than it's been in the past.
34:17 Like what are some other op- times, I guess,
34:20 where you did have a little bit of security with you?
34:22 Oh, I think when I hit that guy in Australia.
34:25 Love love tap.
34:26 Love tap.
34:26 By the way, it was We got to find
34:27 that guy and give him a shirt or a ticket, dude.
34:29 Bring that in.
34:30 I mean, he didn't come up and say anything, press charge.
34:32 It was more like a like a a tap.
34:34 It was more like a love tap, almost a hit.
34:36 But, um [clears throat] No, I think with me, I think usually with security,
34:40 they just know that I'm volatile.
34:42 And I want to say I'm volatile, like I hit people that deserve to get hit.
34:45 Like, I'm not going to go out there and just attack,
34:46 you know, attack you or attack him.
34:48 But, like if a needs to get hit, I'm going to hit him.
34:51 I'm going to hit him and I don't give a I'll I'll take my assault charge.
34:55 I'll go spend a couple months in jail.
34:56 I don't give a you know?
34:57 So, I think the UFC is just more cautious because they
35:00 know that uh that I will hit a Chechnyan or not,
35:03 30 of them or 20 of them or two of them, I will hit them.
35:05 Do you really think anything is going
35:06 to happen between now and fight night as well?
35:08 No, I know, of course not.
35:09 Of course not.
35:10 But, I mean, how much money is UFC invested in this, you know?
35:12 If one one up, next thing you know,
35:15 they lose you know, billions of millions of dollars.
35:18 So, I I think right now they're trying to protect their investment.
35:21 But, I think everything's fine.
35:25 Sean, uh the talk is that Chimaev is going
35:27 to move up to light heavyweight after he beats you.
35:30 If you win, do you think he stays and chases that rematch?
35:34 Mhm.
35:35 Yeah, no, I I don't know.
35:36 I think he would.
35:37 I I think I think light heavyweight's probably
35:39 significantly easier division right now than the middleweight.
35:42 I mean, I should move up to light heavyweight.
35:44 It'd be way easier than middleweights.
35:46 It's kind of like again,
35:47 there's something with like and this is a known thing in the industry.
35:51 There's a skill gap as you go up.
35:54 So, I'll give you an example.
35:55 I like [clears throat] I'll coach a lot of guys.
35:57 I'll help a lot of guys.
35:59 So, I'll go and like coach the little guys, the 45ers, the 55ers.
36:02 And sometimes I'm watching these guys and I'm like,
36:04 you are doing everything perfect.
36:06 You're checking kicks.
36:08 You're punching.
36:09 Your volume.
36:10 Your shooting.
36:10 Like you are doing everything perfect.
36:13 I have nothing to say to you, right?
36:15 And then I'll go watch a heavyweight guy and I'm like,
36:17 dude, you're leaning back.
36:18 You're dropping your punch.
36:20 You're doing like I could watch a heavyweight
36:21 fight and there's a million things wrong.
36:23 So, it's a known thing that there's
36:26 a skill gap between smaller guys and bigger guys.
36:29 So, it's kind of smart, you know, like I just got to go and I can't tell
36:32 you how many top like Tom Aslan I sparred Tom Aslan.
36:34 I mean, I I could fight this guy.
36:36 You know, I could fight this guy.
36:37 He's big, but I could fight him.
36:39 But uh yeah, so I think it I think a lot of guys moving up,
36:42 it just they're realizing it's just an easier time moving up.
36:46 With that being said, is there a time where you move up to light heavyweight?
36:50 You know, I mean, maybe maybe if I want to you know,
36:53 enjoy life a little bit more like I like [sighs]
36:56 I'm trying to think of all the light heavyweights I've sparred.
37:00 Ankalaev, he's Ankalaev would be a fight.
37:03 Uh Ankalaev I think beats Chimaev any day of the week,
37:06 so Ankalaev will probably be the next champion hands down.
37:10 I mean, it's it's crazy that um Alex like I said and that's how you know
37:14 that you deserve your ranking and you
37:15 and you are a champion because you beat Ankalaev.
37:17 Ankalaev is probably one of the best 205ers I've ever sparred.
37:20 Thank you.
37:22 All right, that's it.
37:23 All right, guys.
37:24 Have a good one.
37:25 You Yeah, this guy.
37:26 Are you trying to race bait me?
37:32 Let's talk about Muslims.