🔴 UFC 328: Post-Fight Press Conference
UFC
1:01 [snorts] All right, guys.
1:04 The uh the attendance was 17,783.
1:09 Sold out.
1:10 The gate was 7.5 million.
1:12 The biggest gate in the arena's history.
1:15 We now hold number one, number two, number five,
1:18 and number six highest gates here at the arena.
1:20 We broke the record, which was our record from the last time we were here.
1:25 Uh, fight of the night, no-brainer.
1:28 Uh, the van fight, Jim Miller, and Yaros Lav, they all won the bonuses.
1:35 Uh, Dana, first of all, well,
1:37 King Green is going to be very mad at you that he didn't get a bonus.
1:40 He was shouting at you.
1:41 Who?
1:42 Bobby Green.
1:42 Yeah.
1:42 Yeah.
1:43 Yeah.
1:43 Yeah.
1:43 Be very mad.
1:44 Well, we we talked about it.
1:46 Uh, you know, when you looked at his opponents
1:48 and the opponents and who they fought and uh but Bobby Green is going to get
1:52 his own uh he's been wanting his own shorts, so he's getting them.
1:56 We're we're we're getting making sure he gets his own shorts.
1:58 Okay, cool.
1:59 Let's look at that main event.
2:00 A back and forth main event.
2:01 Very interesting.
2:02 Lots of tactical decisions by both men.
2:04 How did you And and just for the record, Bobb's not run.
2:06 I mean, Bobby fights anybody anytime.
2:10 Stevens was four pounds over.
2:11 He didn't give a He still fought and all the credit in the world to Bobby Green.
2:15 Okay, we look at that main event.
2:17 How did you view the main event?
2:18 What did you think of both men's performances
2:20 and how did you score the main event?
2:21 King Green, sorry.
2:23 Uh, so I scored the main event.
2:25 I had it two to two going into the last round.
2:28 Um, I thought Strickland won the last round.
2:31 Okay.
2:31 Were you surprised that Hamza stayed on the feet
2:34 for so long portions of the fight?
2:36 No.
2:36 What was interesting is, you know, when I first started uh when I you know,
2:39 the first two times I saw him fight on Fight [snorts] Island,
2:43 he uh you know that he he he used to talk
2:46 about his stand up in his team all the time.
2:48 Um and I was saying we haven't seen him stand
2:51 up and really go toe-to-toe with somebody in a while,
2:54 but I think uh you know I think he had a rough weight cut.
2:56 And
2:58 is that what you in the second round, right,
3:00 he went for a couple of takedowns and looked
3:01 like he just sort of collapsed on himself?
3:03 Is that what you attribute that to?
3:04 maybe the weight cut and were you impressed with the fact he
3:06 was able to get himself back into the fight after looking so gassed?
3:10 Yeah, listen, he's a tough guy.
3:11 He's a, you know, he's a savage.
3:13 So, I would expect him not to roll over and quit.
3:16 And Sean Strickland now has wins over
3:20 Hamza Shimay and Israel Adisagna at middleweight.
3:23 And I think it's kind of wild, right?
3:24 You look at his style, he's got a quirky style,
3:26 but he has wins over some of the best in this division's history.
3:29 Where do you view Shan Strickland at in that division?
3:31 And how impressed are you that he's been able to beat guys like Hamza?
3:34 Yeah, I mean, you're asking me that because it's incredible.
3:38 He looks He looks great.
3:39 He's got an awkward style.
3:40 He's tough to fight.
3:42 And uh another durable, tough guy that has no quit him.
3:46 How did you score the Alexander Vulov Waldo Costa fight earlier?
3:51 Um yeah, I I actually thought that Waldo won the fight,
3:55 but I talked to Sean and Mick, they both thought it was scored the right way.
3:59 The first round was, you know, close.
4:02 Uh, a couple outside about the the White press
4:05 white house press conference we enjoyed the other day.
4:07 When Josh Hockett is screaming at Alex Pereira
4:10 and I Toro and then Alex Pereira stands up,
4:12 what exactly goes through your mind?
4:14 I don't want any of these guys getting hurt over stupid
4:18 that means nothing with guys that are never going to fight each other.
4:22 You know what I mean?
4:23 It's not like Ilia Toporia and and Hoken are gonna end up fighting.
4:28 know it just, you know, I think that whole thing is goofy anyway.
4:33 Uh, but you know, the guy went out and performed unranked
4:38 guy went in and beat the number five guy in the world.
4:40 So, you've obviously done a lot of media for the White
4:44 House this week and we've had press conferences and stuff.
4:46 How excited are you for that card and how much are you feeling
4:49 the buzz now that you've been out and done the media and we started talking?
4:52 Yeah, I know the it's the it's going to be the biggest fight we've ever done.
4:57 I mean, the numbers are going to be the numbers tonight were monstrous.
5:01 The the White House fight will blow this out of the water.
5:04 I'm not I'm not asking you to talk them,
5:06 but obviously next week Ronda Rousey is fighting Gina Kano on Netflix.
5:09 They are billing that as the biggest MMA fight of all time.
5:12 Do you believe the White House event will probably eclipse those numbers or is
5:15 I love Ronda and Gina.
5:17 I hope they do well.
5:18 I I have Yeah.
5:20 Damn.
5:20 Right here.
5:21 What did you make of I know you get fight of the night,
5:23 but just Joshua Van's performance overall seems kind of like a promoter's dream,
5:27 like young fighter, has wicked fights, just seems to want to fight all the time.
5:32 Just kind of what do you make of his kind of emergence as this?
5:35 Yeah.
5:35 And uh you know, the fact that after the first fight, I mean,
5:38 when you win the belt because the guy breaks his elbow,
5:41 um he he showed up and delivered tonight.
5:45 Man, he looked incredible.
5:47 And what a war.
5:48 I would I assume it's safe to say Pentosia is next for the next for him.
5:52 He's they both seem to want to fight each other.
5:54 Yeah.
5:54 Um what did you did you hear about
5:55 the Shawn Brady weird like benning lines that were happening?
5:59 Yeah.
5:59 Yeah.
5:59 Are you me?
6:00 Yes.
6:00 Of course I I've been hearing about it all afternoon.
6:03 Um this card had a lot of heat on it
6:05 and this I told you this thing pulled massive numbers tonight on Paramount.
6:10 So, it's not surprising when a card this good and a fight like that, you know,
6:15 for the line to move.
6:16 And then, um, a little bit of a a [snorts] very sad note.
6:20 I don't I don't think anyone was aware,
6:22 but Grant to Dawson was back here and informed us that his wife and him
6:26 were trying for a kid and they lost it on Monday of fight week.
6:30 Um, I'm curious if anyone from the promotion had heard
6:33 of that about that and seems pretty like like he ignored it,
6:37 but it clearly affected him at the end of the fight.
6:39 Yeah.
6:40 Did you know about that?
6:41 Yeah.
6:41 No, none of us know.
6:44 Um, and then just last one for me.
6:44 You you said that you were pretty confident Connor would return this summer.
6:48 Um, he's he had been tweeting a lot about his contract situation,
6:52 everything over the last several months.
6:54 Is that is anything new with Connor's contract or is it still like this?
6:57 There is no deal done with Connor.
7:00 I was just saying I'm confident.
7:02 I was confident last year, too, but I'm way more confident this year.
7:07 Yeah.
7:07 Yeah.
7:07 Did you uh anticipate that Shawn and Hamzot would
7:10 be so kind to each other after the fight?
7:13 No, I was ready for the exact opposite.
7:16 And uh I mean in a normal situation like split decision, undefeated champion,
7:19 it seems like everything would be set up
7:21 for a rematch given their history and everything,
7:22 but it seemed like Hamza really struggled to make the weight this time.
7:26 And he said
7:27 he literally walked up to me after the fight and said, "I want to move up."
7:31 Yeah.
7:31 I don't want to fight in this weight class anymore.
7:33 Interesting.
7:33 And I I know it's very soon, but like do you feel like he probably needs
7:36 a fight turn the title shot there and stuff like that?
7:39 Carlos is injured.
7:40 You thought about that division?
7:41 I don't know.
7:41 I'm not even thinking about that, but you know, him moving up is exciting.
7:46 Yeah.
7:46 And uh you the other bonus went to Yoslav Amos.
7:49 Um and he was a former Bellator champion.
7:51 A lot of those guys have had some struggles coming over here,
7:54 but he's been unreal.
7:55 Um 30 and one.
7:56 Is he kind of in line for a big push here and maybe another big opportunity?
8:00 Well, you know, winning tonight and getting a bonus
8:03 was definitely a step in the right direction.
8:05 And uh back to the thing with Hok at the White House press conference.
8:08 I know you don't want anything to happen, especially that fight week.
8:11 Um do you have to think about how
8:13 that press conference is going to be during fight week?
8:15 Like can you have him and Ilia and Alex up there again?
8:18 No, I mean Ilia and and Alex are pretty pretty chill guys normally.
8:23 Um, Ilia flips out every now and then, but um,
8:28 we'll just be, you know, didn't see that coming.
8:31 They're all sitting next to each other in the same row and, uh,
8:36 Ali scoots back and I'm just like,
8:37 you got to be kidding me right now cuz all I was worried about was the next um,
8:43 you know, the weigh-ins and and not anything happening there.
8:45 But we'll we'll be ready for it.
8:47 I mean, this is the business we're in.
8:49 And as far as what could be next for Shawn, um,
8:51 and then he got in a fight with Costa tonight, too, I think.
8:55 Yeah.
8:56 Yeah.
8:56 As far as what could be next for Shawn,
8:57 he Nasardini Mav obviously wanted this opportunity tonight.
9:00 He was cage side.
9:02 Um, that's a rematch.
9:03 They fought before.
9:04 Would that kind of make sense?
9:06 I don't know.
9:07 I don't know if you ever heard this before,
9:08 but I don't make fights in that fight.
9:10 And, uh, can you answer one question for the internet?
9:13 People want to know who uh,
9:14 the young man was up on the stage with the faceoffs yesterday.
9:17 Take I have no idea.
9:18 He was some kid from the crowd that was screaming my name
9:21 and you just invited him up.
9:22 Yeah.
9:23 Yeah.
9:23 I love doing stuff like that for little kids.
9:26 He said, "Today is the greatest day of my life." Yeah.
9:29 I think he started an Instagram saying
9:30 he's going to be the next heavyweight champion.
9:32 He said, "Yeah, I think he like started an Instagram page posting all
9:35 those photos and saying he's going to be your heavyweight champion."
9:37 That's awesome.
9:38 No, he's listen, he's got the personality, that's for sure.
9:41 But I I don't know him and I just met him yesterday.
9:46 Dana, you said uh this week that you're
9:48 going to promote Tyson Fury against Anthony Joshua.
9:53 Yeah.
9:52 Eddie Hearn and Frank Warner have both came
9:54 out and said that contractually that's not the case.
9:57 Can you comment on that?
10:01 Interesting.
10:00 They've said in the contract there's no mention of TKO or Zufa.
10:08 Fascinating.
10:08 So, are you going to be the promoter of that?
10:10 I don't know.
10:12 Let's see what happens.
10:16 Do I ever say that really isn't true?
10:18 That's not that doesn't happen.
10:23 That was a question.
10:24 I don't I don't think you do.
10:26 But Eddie Hearn has obviously came out and Frank Warren
10:28 and both shut it down and said that the fight won't happen.
10:30 Then it must not be true.
10:35 Another one from me just Ryan Garcia against Connor Ben's being spoke about who
10:40 Ryan Garcia versus Connor Ben.
10:42 Yeah.
10:42 Is that something that we're going to see?
10:43 Obviously, then you'd have to work with Oscar De La Hoya to make that fight.
10:48 We'll see.
10:51 We'll see how this all plays out.
10:56 Hey, Dana, you mentioned that um you had a brief um back
11:00 and forth with Hamzat where he said he wants to move up.
11:02 Did you guys say anything else?
11:03 Can you tell us anything about the the interaction
11:05 between you and him after the fight?
11:07 No, that was it.
11:07 You just said, "I don't want to fight it this way again.
11:10 I want to move up." Yeah.
11:11 What's your reaction to that?
11:12 I mean, um, you know, the guy did fight at welterweight and then
11:15 having a hard time making the middleweight.
11:17 Are you like, do you think that that he applied himself or you
11:20 think he just naturally like you're you like that idea of him moving up?
11:23 Question.
11:23 Yeah.
11:23 I don't I don't know.
11:25 You know, um, you know, he ever since fight Allen, he's gone on a run,
11:31 he's undefeated, won the world title, did everything that he said he would do.
11:34 Um, but with the level of success and you know, lifestyle makes makes it tough.
11:43 And I guess maybe maybe that's an answer to this next question,
11:46 but you know, you obviously were drawn to him so much.
11:48 That's part of what set him on this path
11:50 and then everyone knows the health issues and inactivity.
11:53 Do you feel like he has lived up to what you first saw at Fight Island?
11:57 Obviously, he's been a champion.
11:58 Champion.
11:58 When you see somebody fight for the first time and you're like,
12:01 "Wow, this guy's special." and they become a world champion in the UFC.
12:05 Yeah, I would say so.
12:06 So, yeah, you're you're satisfied with with what he's done.
12:08 Not that he's done, but you you would you
12:10 would say that he reached his potential so far here.
12:14 100%.
12:15 Yeah.
12:15 And the last question I have is about the White House,
12:16 and then you mentioned uh when you're
12:18 talking about success and the numbers and everything, how do you even project?
12:21 How do you even try to gauge something like this?
12:23 Are you able to say that we have a prediction on this?
12:26 Yeah, it's no different than than how we knew how we would do on pay-per-views.
12:32 We knew tonight was going to be a big night on Paramount Plus.
12:35 Um, and it was massive.
12:37 And the the the White House fight will blow this out of the water.
12:41 And you're able to do that just with like uh like press.
12:44 The is going on in there?
12:47 Uh, what's that?
12:48 I just Well, it's just such a unique thing that I I was just curious if uh
12:52 What's unique?
12:53 Well, the White House itself,
12:55 like how do you how do you estimate
12:56 and predict something like this of a one-on-one?
12:58 But you like you feel that just projections and numbers just like this
13:01 the biggest event we've ever done by far.
13:04 Uh, as far as the amount of people that will watch this show, not even close.
13:11 The biggest Dan over here.
13:15 Yeah.
13:15 Um, you you talking about like you like
13:16 to do things for kids and that kind of thing.
13:18 I saw you just uh just like a couple hours ago, 1 hour or two ago,
13:22 you plucked a little boy out of the crowd and let him out there.
13:25 What was the story behind that?
13:26 How'd this kind of come?
13:27 I just met him, too.
13:28 You just kind of saw this kid and you're like, "You want to come?" Yeah.
13:31 I said, "You have a phone?" He said, "Yeah." So, I I brought him with me.
13:34 I mean, when you're kids and I mean, that's the easy It's easy to do.
13:39 And, you know, you can get those type of experiences at the UFC as a kid.
13:44 I I love doing that for kids.
13:47 Sure.
13:47 Sure.
13:47 and and uh you know speaking of kids obviously you had
13:49 Jim Miller goes out picks up a big win in his home
13:52 state uh obviously a lot of emotions going through with his family
13:56 and what his son had experienced over the last year.
13:58 How much had you been kind of familiar with his situation and and
14:01 I wasn't until tonight.
14:02 Yeah.
14:02 Yeah.
14:02 Till tonight and tonight was the last fight on his contract
14:06 and uh we signed him to five more fights.
14:09 Five more fights.
14:12 Yeah.
14:11 That'll put him at uh that'll put him over if he fights all five.
14:16 If he fights four, it's 50 fights in the UFC.
14:19 If he fights the last one, it's 51.
14:21 Pretty incredible.
14:22 Yeah, I know.
14:22 He's trying to go for 50 and he think
14:24 he like he likes that as like a round number.
14:26 So, uh, what what happens with that kind of last one?
14:28 He just kind of hangs there.
14:29 I just threw it in there.
14:30 I said Sean goes, "Let's sign him to a fouright deal." I said,
14:33 "Let's sign him to a fiveight deal." So, yeah.
14:38 All right.
14:38 Thank you.
14:41 Yep.
14:40 Hello, Dina.
14:41 Here I I going to make a couple of question in Spanish.
14:45 Fabiana will translate.
15:10 Um, we know that a lot of talk about rivalries in this sport,
15:14 but we just saw a friendship being
15:16 forged between Alex Pereira and Ilia Taporya lately,
15:19 uh, with all the stuff that he did with the White House.
15:21 And yesterday in the press conference,
15:23 you saw Ilia Tuporya kind of defend Alex Pereira.
15:26 Um, do you think that after, you know,
15:28 so much time of of the history of the sport, so many rivalries,
15:32 do you think we'll be going to an era of these super um um friendships in which
15:38 people just kind of stick together just like we
15:40 saw with um Hamzad and Darren Hill, for example.
15:45 H um yeah, I think that you know once guys get in here there
15:50 there there are obviously friendships that are
15:53 forged and uh you know and rivalries.
15:57 I mean it it it happens both ways.
15:59 Uh I don't really understand your question but uh yeah I I
16:06 don't know kind of And much has been talked about UFC in Spain.
16:31 Obviously, Joel Alver didn't have one of his best nights, but we have Tupory,
16:34 a double champion, and has a lot of new Spanish from Spain talent um in the UFC.
16:40 Can you comment on a possible date?
16:42 Uh something that has been in the works
16:44 possibly when next year when UFC Spain could happen.
16:48 Yeah, we literally have no date set for Spain.
16:51 Um but you know, I want to go and and if you're going to go,
16:56 you go with a guy like Ilia.
16:58 So the answer is yes, we want to.
17:00 No, we have nothing planned yet.
17:23 We saw Arman Sukin speak to you before the main event directly and we
17:27 know that he's going to be the backup for Ilia Tiborya and Justin Gi.
17:32 um has now has be basically um considered to be
17:36 a contender given everything that happened in the past.
17:39 Is that where he sits right now as the official contender?
17:42 Yeah, I mean he was always a contender.
17:44 I mean he he was supposed to fight for the title.
17:47 Um
17:50 yes, he's a contender.
17:52 Okay, thank you.
17:54 Okay,
17:54 just right.
17:54 Yes, sir.
17:55 Uh body the body and BSD are teasing a fight for international fight week.
18:00 Can you give us confirmation because it can
18:02 be a huge fight for eur European fans.
18:04 Did we announce that?
18:06 No.
18:06 They are teasing it like BSD said that he waiting for the signature of Petty.
18:13 So everybody waits for officialization in France.
18:18 Well, if we didn't announce it then, you know,
18:20 then it's either not done or it's not happening.
18:25 Thanks.
18:24 All right, Dana.
18:27 Uh coming up on 10year anniversary of 205 at MSG,
18:32 you've had fights at Barclay Center at UBS in the area,
18:37 but Credential Center here in Newark,
18:39 New Jersey appears to have emerged as the secondary
18:42 venue you guys do in the area.
18:45 How has that happened and how has the UFC's uh history here going
18:50 back nearly 20 years influenced your desire to want to be at Credential Center?
18:55 Yeah.
18:56 No, the crew has been great to us.
18:57 Uh and and you know, we we we sold out and broke the record last week in Perth,
19:05 then we came back in here and broke our record again at at the PU.
19:09 And we will be back to MSG.
19:11 And and and yes, MSG and and and Newark are the two spots that I'm
19:16 going to keep hitting out here in and in and you know, in this area.
19:21 I hope I answered your question.
19:23 Just just out of curiosity, how has the history going back to 2007,
19:30 how has that influence your desired to be here as opposed to other places?
19:42 Apparently, we're in the wrong room.
19:45 Uh the history here is uh number one,
19:49 number two, number five, and number six highest gate here.
19:52 We we we we we kill it in this arena.
19:56 The fans are always great here.
19:57 The arena's been good to us.
19:59 The city's been good to us.
20:00 The state's been good to us.
20:03 That's the history.
20:07 Um Hey, I right here.
20:09 Yeah.
20:09 So, we have right now several French fighters in great position in the UFC.
20:13 Obviously, Serial Gun was going to fight on the White House cardin.
20:19 You guys already confirmed you coming for the fifth time in September in Paris.
20:23 Is there any chance this time is going to be
20:26 a numbered event with maybe a title fight on the line?
20:30 It's a good question and and and you're not wrong.
20:33 That's a incredibly smoking hot market for us.
20:37 Uh it's possible.
20:42 Cool.
20:42 Thank you.
20:42 Thank you.
20:44 John Ar here from Tunnel Vision Network.
20:46 Um Jim Miller is still finishing fights, you know,
20:49 fighting over several generations of uh UFC here, you know.
20:54 Um is he having one of the most underrated careers in the UFC history?
21:00 Yeah, I don't know if it's underrated.
21:02 Um I don't know if it's underrated.
21:04 I I don't know what you call I mean the guy's special at his age has still be
21:08 I think he was a 3 to1 dog tonight and he wins in the first round by submission.
21:13 Um, you know, that's why when we were looking at the uh, you know,
21:18 the performances of the night, it's hard not to give it to to Jim.
21:22 Um, I don't know if I'd call it underrated.
21:24 I don't know.
21:25 I He's just he's special and what he's doing is pretty amazing.
21:29 Um, speaking of just overall performances tonight,
21:32 tonight had several different uh, tough performances.
21:35 Which fighter force you to kind of um you know change
21:39 your plans the most as far as the cards moving forward in division?
21:43 Which guy made me change my plans on what as far as division moving forward?
21:47 Like there were a lot of crazy performances tonight.
21:51 Which performance shocked you the most?
21:52 Essentially
21:54 I don't I don't know if anybody really shocked me tonight.
21:57 I mean, even the main event, um, you know, I was talking to Chris Weidman,
22:02 and Chris Weidman is like, "Man, everybody's sleeping on Strickland.
22:05 Strickland's, you know, his wrestling's, uh,
22:09 not terrible and blah blah blah, you know." So,
22:12 I I never thought that he was a 4 to one dog anyway.
22:16 Um, so I wouldn't say that anything shocked me.
22:19 I would say impressed.
22:23 The the the the van fight was incredible.
22:26 I mean, what a war.
22:27 Back and forth.
22:28 And um but nobody nobody's fight tonight made me change
22:33 my plans or shook up anything in any of the divisions,
22:37 but the van looked incredible tonight.
22:40 Uh Dana over here.
22:42 Um there was an issue yesterday like a lot of people
22:44 online were talking about uh the Hamzat's weigh-in in particular,
22:47 like they were a bit concerned that perhaps
22:49 he didn't quite get the 185 on the button.
22:51 Could you explain to us like first off, have you seen that?
22:54 You know, the the New Jersey
22:56 State Athletic Commission oversees the weigh-ins, right?
22:59 And Jeremy Stevens missed by four pounds, right?
23:03 And they had to, you know, cut a deal.
23:06 But for Hamzot, they just going to not let him make weight.
23:12 Jersey and New York are two of the toughest commissions in the country.
23:17 The internet's stupid.
23:19 I mean, I don't I don't know what what to tell you other than that.
23:22 Uh what what is the the thing?
23:23 Yeah, I know this maybe is a question for the commission,
23:25 but I just wonder what's the thing behind having
23:26 the the manual scale instead of the the um the electric scale.
23:31 Why not use the manual scale?
23:33 Why not why not use the electric scale instead of the manual scale?
23:36 I don't know.
23:37 Listen, uh Monday morning at at 9:02,
23:42 call the uh New Jersey Athletic Commission and ask them that.
23:45 That that's I have nothing to do with any of that stuff.
23:48 Another thing I wanted to ask about was uh was
23:50 of course you know Conor McGregor you're talking about being confident
23:52 that he's going to come back right and I know
23:54 that that with the new Paramount deal the structure of things does change.
23:57 He's talked about how his contract was super heavily based on pay-per-view.
24:01 Who's this?
24:03 McGregor.
24:03 Oh McGregor.
24:03 So like he like he's he's one of these guys who could do
24:06 a million pay-per-views fighting nobody and then
24:08 he's done two plus four million against Floyd.
24:11 How how do you structure a deal with someone like that under this new paramount?
24:14 Because it's completely different to any other UFC fighter.
24:16 There's a formula to it.
24:18 McGregor's gonna do just fine.
24:20 What's the formula?
24:22 Huh?
24:21 What's the formula?
24:23 What is the formula?
24:24 Oh, based on if you take the average of his pay-per-view buys of what they do,
24:28 there's there's there's an equation for that that you can I mean,
24:32 we've done it with a lot more guys than just McGregor,
24:35 right?
24:36 But I I guess the concern would be that like
24:38 Jones isn't isn't fighting and that's that seems to be financial.
24:42 Rousey is going and fighting somewhere else.
24:43 And then Connor, we're still waiting on the deal on that one.
24:45 It seems like the people who were like going to be
24:48 making huge money on pay-per-view back when that was the thing,
24:50 it seems like the deals aren't necessarily getting done so far.
24:53 Yeah.
24:53 Don't believe everything you hear.
24:55 Another one was most of the stuff is about all the numbers and things like that.
24:59 Another economic kind of question was to do with this Connor Ben thing, right?
25:02 So he he signs for for Zuf on the one fight
25:05 deal and it's uh 15 or the the word is eight figures.
25:08 That's what people say, right?
25:10 So he does this one fight against Reus Pro on an undercard.
25:14 Does that mean that like like what are the economics
25:16 of like when he fights Ryan Garcia that's a considerably bigger fight.
25:18 Does he get another 20 million for that one?
25:21 And like how does how does the sort
25:22 of the structure work for his multiple fight deal after that?
25:25 I don't know.
25:26 Talk to him.
25:26 Ask him what his deal is.
25:27 You're a promoter.
25:29 But it's it's I don't give out anybody's numbers ever.
25:32 Conor Ben Conor McGregor uh and anybody else here.
25:38 Uh if if Conor Ben wants to talk about his contract and how much he's making,
25:42 then talk to him about it.
25:43 Last thing I just wanted to ask.
25:44 So Eddie Hearn uh did come out yesterday.
25:46 I com asked about it a little bit but his comment I
25:48 just wanted to read his his quote exactly and again this is Eddie's
25:51 words not mine but he said uh such a clout chaser not
25:55 a chance that you'll be promoting Fury and uh AJ uh contractually impossible.
25:59 Let me know when you find your balls is what these are his words not mine.
26:03 I'm a cloud chaser.
26:04 Froot Loop came out and said he's the biggest fight in boxing while he has Bam
26:11 Rodriguez and AJ and all these other fighters
26:14 and all the other guys that are out there.
26:16 He's the biggest fight in boxing.
26:18 Those were his words.
26:20 You know what a Froot Loop you got to be to say it.
26:23 Nobody even knew who this guy was four months ago.
26:26 And and and now he's the biggest fight in boxing.
26:30 It
26:32 Yeah.
26:31 Also, are you involved in this fight?
26:32 I hope I answered your question.
26:34 Are you involved in this Johnny Manzel and Bob Menery fight?
26:36 I am not involved in that fight.
26:38 Um, they're doing it at the apex though.
26:41 They rented out the apex for that fight.
26:43 How will you and Oscar go or Oscar De Hoya on stage
26:45 at the press conference go if you have to work together?
26:47 How did what
26:48 how will you and Oscar De La Hoya work together?
26:50 Like how will it go on stage if you have
26:51 to stand on the stage with him at the deos?
26:53 That'll be a bit weird, right?
26:54 Who who does he got that we'd have to work together?
26:57 We'll see.
26:59 There there are a lot of rumors floating around in the boxing world.
27:03 Like I said, at the end of this year,
27:05 look at the body of work that we do and look at how this all
27:08 plays out and then maybe you guys will stop asking me all these questions.
27:13 Thank you very much.
27:14 All right.
27:14 Hey Dana, uh Travis Hayden of WFUV Sports Forum University.
27:18 Uh with all the chaos and it's fight week, it might have been tough to realize,
27:22 but today is the six-year anniversary of UFC 249.
27:25 another chaotic fight week for you and putting
27:27 it on during the first show during the pandemic.
27:29 Uh what lessons did you learn in putting
27:31 on that show that you're still applying to the business today?
27:33 What the pandemic?
27:34 The UFC 249 show, the one in Jacksonville.
27:37 Today was the six year anniversary.
27:38 Yeah, the pandemic taught me that nothing is impossible.
27:41 We can do anything.
27:43 All right, that is awesome to hear.
27:45 And so far we could see that we've seen it with the sphere and the white house.
27:48 Another thing that happened in the pandemic was uh this huge
27:52 boom in the flyweight division between Figero and Moreno and since
27:56 then it has evolved since then it has evolved so
27:58 much since then where those guys have moved up and now
28:01 you have guys like Van and Tyra and Van is
28:04 looking to be one of the probably the biggest star
28:06 in flyweight in recent history and I just want you
28:08 to speak about the growth of the flyweight division a little bit.
28:11 Yeah, I think that you know we have when we go into matchmaking uh you
28:15 know we start looking at each division
28:17 the matchmaking team has done a fantastic job
28:20 and and and working on some of the divisions that you know we felt were
28:25 weak or trying to figure out how to make um some of them more exciting,
28:31 how to inject more talent into into these weight classes.
28:34 Um and they've they've done a fantastic job.
28:38 All right.
28:38 Thank you very much.
28:40 Thanks.
28:40 here.
28:41 Dana, we're here.
28:42 Um, there is a lot of expectation on the main events for the UFC 329 on UFC 330.
28:49 Is there a specific date to make the announcements for that?
28:52 A lot of expectation for UFC 329 and UFC 330.
28:56 Is there any announcement you can make about those two cards?
29:00 No, ma'am.
29:00 If we did, we would have made them.
29:03 Thank you.
29:04 We done
29:07 Mr.
29:08 White.
29:08 Yes, I'm reporter from Tokyo Basin system.
29:12 Although Taso t roast uh the fight uh could you uh could you share your thoughts
29:18 uh on the possibility uh of the UFC
29:20 holdings events in Japan uh in the near future?
29:25 Any possibility of UFC holding events in Japan because we
29:28 had such an incredible fight with a Japanese fighter had night.
29:32 Well, if tonight went differently,
29:36 it would have it would have absolutely positively happened.
29:39 Um, I I'm excited to have an event in Japan again.
29:43 I know the staff is too.
29:45 Um, but had he won the title tonight,
29:47 we would we would definitely be looking at a fight in Japan.
29:52 Thank you so much.
29:52 Thank you.
29:54 Thanks, guys.
29:54 Good night.
31:03 Hey, what's up guys?
31:06 Let's go.
31:08 Josh from here.
31:09 Uh, congratulations on the victory and the, you know,
31:11 first title defense, I guess.
31:12 You know, just physically, emotionally, how's how you feeling after,
31:15 you know, your first successful title defense?
31:17 Uh, it feel great, man.
31:18 It feel great.
31:19 Uh, I think that was a great fight for the fans, but uh,
31:23 the only thing is that I told you guys
31:25 I was going to finish him inside three rounds,
31:27 and you know, Turo is a tough guys, man.
31:29 Nothing but respect to him.
31:30 Did you think you were close to getting
31:32 him out of there in the first three rounds?
31:33 It looked like you were pretty putting it on him, especially in the early round.
31:35 I think the first time I dropped him like I woke him back
31:38 up and then uh the second time I don't know how he got up
31:43 but he's like I said man he's tough and uh I was trying
31:46 to submit him but you know he's uh he he's good man he's good
31:51 obviously especially in the countdown and immediate day
31:54 he said you know he would have the advantage
31:55 on the ground you obviously survived his grappling in there so was it as as did
32:00 he excel in that or was he as strong as that as you expected or do you
32:03 have a lot of tricks in there that maybe you have to work on on the Uh,
32:06 like I said, man, uh, I told you guys,
32:09 you know, I got I got ground in my sleeve.
32:12 You know what I'm saying?
32:13 Like uh uh there's a lot of thing I want to do, but you know what I mean?
32:18 Like that I can't do, but you know what I mean?
32:20 We show we show our ground a little bit here and there,
32:23 but you know, next time we get better for sure.
32:25 Were you surprised that he didn't go down earlier?
32:28 Cuz I think it was especially in the second and third round,
32:30 he wasn't moving his head at all.
32:32 You just kept blasting him in the nose and he kept coming forward.
32:36 Yeah, man.
32:36 Uh, one thing about him is that he kept uh he know
32:41 like how to go back or you know and things like that.
32:44 So, it was it was a little harder for me to find my my my timings
32:48 and my distance because he was keep going backward and things like that.
32:52 So, uh yeah, that's what that's what kind of like saved him.
32:57 Did his leg kicks play any factor at all?
32:58 It seemed like he was throwing that a lot in the early rounds.
33:01 Nah.
33:01 Uh the last one he threw.
33:04 That hurt.
33:05 But other than that, man,
33:06 the first two it like the first uh
33:09 the first two rounds it wasn't like a hard one,
33:12 but the last one I think he landed I think he hit my nerve or something.
33:16 Yeah.
33:17 [snorts] Um I was listening to one of your interviews over there
33:20 and or Pentosa's interview and Dana White
33:22 confirms that he's probably next for you.
33:24 Uh Pantoia seems to want to make this a five round.
33:27 wants to drag it five rounds to make it painful for you.
33:30 And I think I heard your response was he better go drink some milk.
33:33 Is that correct?
33:34 Yes.
33:35 Yes.
33:35 He better he better go get some milk, man.
33:38 Congratulations, man.
33:39 Thank you.
33:40 Just right here.
33:42 How this win feels um comparately at the one
33:46 against Pantoia because of the way you finished the fight.
33:49 Does it feel better or for you a win is a win, a belt is a belt?
33:53 Yeah man.
33:53 Uh, a win is a win, but you know,
33:55 this one uh is so much sweeter, you know, uh, just because the Pintoia fight,
34:01 man, nobody, you know, I you don't I would want to wish on my my worst enemy,
34:05 you know what I mean?
34:06 So, uh, this is so much sweeter for sure.
34:10 But you felt bad after Pantoya Ponttoya win with the criticize of the the fans.
34:16 Yeah, man.
34:16 I feel bad.
34:17 But I told him like I I walk up to him cuz when
34:20 I was celebrating I didn't know his arm was like that, you know.
34:23 And after I saw I saw his arm on the screen like I walk up to him, I say sorry.
34:28 He say sorry this and that and then next thing you know he
34:32 waited three months and then he came he came and do a little interviews.
34:38 His bono hurt.
34:39 So uh he's saying a lot of now.
34:42 So I I don't know what's up with him man.
34:44 I I saw him yesterday like there's no hate for me, you know what I mean?
34:47 I talked to him, I shake his hand,
34:49 but I don't know what he got in his head, man.
34:52 [snorts] Last one for me.
34:53 Um, can we see you one day in bantamweight division?
34:56 I know it's early for you.
34:57 You got a still to do in weight flyweight,
35:00 but is it one of your goal to go up one day?
35:06 Uh, yes and no.
35:06 Cuz I want to like I want to accomplish more in my division.
35:10 You know, a lot of people when they win the belt,
35:12 they just want to go up and things like that.
35:14 But I want to make history cuz uh
35:16 a lot of people don't know flyweight like that.
35:18 You know what I mean?
35:19 Now we just popping up.
35:20 So uh I want to do great thing in flyweight division.
35:23 Do you want to break the records of Miles?
35:27 Uh record is record man.
35:29 I think you know that was uh over time.
35:31 Now it's the new generation of fighting.
35:33 So I think it's a little different now.
35:36 Yeah.
35:37 Congrats.
35:38 Uh Josh, how important was it for you to stay behind your jab, stay patient,
35:42 and then eventually find that finish in the fifth round,
35:45 uh after going for the submission attempts in the third?
35:48 Uh man, uh patient was the key, man.
35:51 You know, all my my coaches, even even the training camp, man.
35:54 Uh you know, see my fight got moved.
35:57 I was irritated.
35:58 You know what I'm saying?
35:59 I'm just trying to like hurt people or something, you know, man.
36:03 and my coaches, they tell they telling me to stop
36:05 hurting my training partners and things like that, you know,
36:09 uh the whole camp, man, they was telling me be patient,
36:11 you know, stay calm and this and that.
36:13 And that's what you guys see.
36:15 I know.
36:15 Um earlier in the year,
36:17 you were going back and forth on Twitter with Minnell Cop um
36:20 and calling for him on the Houston car that happened earlier this year.
36:23 Uh in the future, could you see yourself headlining a Houston pay-per-view?
36:28 For sure.
36:29 For sure.
36:29 That's the goal, right?
36:30 Uh, Houston is what raised me.
36:34 You know, I was I was born in Myar, but you know, Houston raised me.
36:37 So, I do want to I I do see Houston as my own city.
36:41 So, I do want to headlight in Houston.
36:44 And, um, building off that, uh,
36:46 what message do you have to your fans from Houston as you sent a message um,
36:51 in your walk off to your fans in Myanmar?
36:53 Um, what message do you have to them?
36:55 Man, like I said, man, the world will know of us.
36:58 You know, the people of Myammore and uh Houston,
37:00 Texas, man, we got a UFC champion.
37:04 713, baby.
37:05 Let's go.
37:06 Josh, right over here.
37:08 You dropped him a bunch of times throughout the fight.
37:10 Were you surprised that he was able to keep getting back
37:12 up and even was able to take you down after that?
37:15 Yeah.
37:15 Uh he's tough, man.
37:16 He's tough.
37:17 Like I said, nothing but respect to to the kid.
37:20 We've seen champions slow down before with activity,
37:22 but that doesn't seem like it's going to be the case from you for you.
37:25 When do you think we can see you back in the octagon next?
37:29 Uh, I don't know.
37:30 I got to talk to my team, you know, see see what's up and like I said,
37:34 uh, maybe heal up a little bit and things like that.
37:38 So, at least one more by the end of this year.
37:42 Do you feel like this fight and Tyra specifically might have
37:44 brought out the best version of Joshua Van we've seen so far?
37:48 Yeah.
37:48 Uh me I always like I don't look at like a certain
37:52 fight like as like a bigger fight or things like that.
37:55 You know what I mean?
37:56 The fight that I have in front of me
37:57 is always going to be the biggest fight for me.
38:00 So this is the biggest fight.
38:02 Before the fight, we talked about how you said like
38:06 the hate and the fans in your comment section and whatever.
38:09 You like the hate because it kind of kept your name relevant.
38:11 What do you think the fans are going to say about this fight?
38:14 I think I think they're loving it, man.
38:16 I think they're loving it.
38:17 Hopefully.
38:18 Thank you, sir.
38:20 Josh, over here.
38:21 So, we we were talking before the fight about,
38:23 you know, you guys combined for 50 years old.
38:26 It was the youngest championship fight.
38:28 Yeah.
38:28 25 years.
38:29 I asked you if you thought that maybe you guys would be
38:32 fighting again down the road someday because you guys are so young.
38:34 Now that you've actually been in the cage with him,
38:36 do you feel like he has what it takes to kind of be able to fight
38:39 back up the mountain and give you a rematch or get a rematch with you?
38:43 For sure.
38:43 For sure.
38:44 Uh Turo is a warounded guy.
38:47 And he got nothing but respect from me, man.
38:49 He's he's a tough kid.
38:51 Now, you obviously you got a fight of the night bonus on this one.
38:54 Uh you must have heard that right now, right?
38:56 Uh yeah, I heard.
38:57 Yeah.
38:57 So, and and so obviously this is coming off of a fight of the year last year.
39:00 Uh amazing fight that you had with Brandon Royal.
39:04 Are you do you see kind of your ticket maybe
39:07 to getting a higher profile as just being that action fighter,
39:09 the guy who just brings home the bonuses?
39:12 Yeah, man.
39:12 uh all my fight, you ain't never see a boring Joshua Van fight,
39:16 you know what I mean?
39:17 So, uh now that I get to fight on like uh the higher level,
39:22 right, Cole Coleman and things like that.
39:24 So, now people a lot more people get to see me now.
39:28 So, is it's a blessing.
39:30 You're kind of a laidback guy, you know?
39:32 It seems like you you almost like to just kind of chill most of the time,
39:35 but like when you're up here,
39:36 are you getting more comfortable with these media interactions?
39:39 Yeah, for sure, man.
39:40 And it get it get a lot easier for sure.
39:42 Yes.
39:43 Thank you Joshua.
39:46 Uh you have won all you fight against Japanese fighters uh in the UFC.
39:53 Uh what do you think it uh will take for a Japanese fighter to become champion?
39:59 Uh what will what would Japanese fighter uh just train hard man?
40:05 I think just train hard.
40:07 Uh yeah, the two fighter that I I fought, the Japanese guys, man, they got hard.
40:12 So I think the the main thing is just to train hard.
40:16 Yes sir.
40:16 Thank you so much.
40:17 Thank you.
40:19 Hey man.
40:20 Um after the fight, the first thing one of the first things you
40:23 spoke about was your faith and how important that is to you, you know.
40:26 Um how does your spirit uh spirituality keep you centered,
40:30 you know, as opportunities and just success continues to grow?
40:35 man.
40:35 Uh my faith is everything, you know.
40:38 Uh without without Jesus Christ, man, I I won't be nothing.
40:42 You know what I mean?
40:43 So, it's always it's always to give glory to him.
40:47 And, you know, my like I said, my faith is everything.
40:50 How has your faith, you know,
40:51 changed the way you define success outside of the octagon as well.
40:55 uh my faith uh it keep me humble in a way you know uh
40:59 like I say I'm not the perfect Christians or you know I'm not the perfect
41:02 believer but it always lead me back to uh to to to him you know
41:08 to to Christ so uh it helped me in a lot of way for sure
41:13 Joshua right here I think tonight showed
41:15 you were exactly as wellrounded as you've
41:17 been saying all week that you are um your improvements being like incredible
41:21 to watch I guess how much higher is the ceiling for you how much
41:24 further further do you think you can go as far as evolving your skill set?
41:28 Man, I'm definitely going to get better from this fight.
41:30 You know, uh there's a lot of there's a lot of things that I got to improve on.
41:34 So, uh man, you you guys will see.
41:40 Yeah.
41:41 A lot better Joshua Van soon.
41:43 Yeah.
41:43 And you had that hilarious interview with Demetrius Johnson where he was
41:46 trying to kind of teach you about the history of this division.
41:49 Um are you ready to I guess make your own history here with a long title reign?
41:52 Yeah, that's that's what I'm here to do.
41:54 Write my own history.
41:55 Thank you, Josh.
41:56 Thank you.
43:26 You all doubted me.
43:28 That's I doubt myself.
43:31 Not you, Oscar.
43:41 My face look bad as it feels.
43:44 Looks a little rough.
43:45 Yeah.
43:45 Oh, yeah.
43:45 I know I think I broke my nose.
43:47 I got always stitches after this in my lip.
43:50 What the monster?
43:54 I
43:54 was so stoked to drink this.
43:57 Yeah, my fridge is empty.
43:58 Anyway, sorry.
43:58 So, Sean, congratulations on the win.
44:00 As you said, many people doubting you.
44:02 You said you doubted yourself.
44:03 Talk to us about the fight, your performance,
44:05 and frankly, how happy you are to get the victory.
44:08 Oh, man.
44:08 You know, all fights I love fighting, you know, but like, yeah, it was good.
44:13 It was good.
44:13 I had a good time.
44:14 It was fun.
44:15 Um, I talk a lot of So when you when you
44:18 talk a lot of and you lose, it hurts way more.
44:20 So Well, I was going to ask that.
44:22 Look, you did talk a lot of but Yeah, I did talk a lot of Yeah.
44:26 And you apologize for it too afterwards,
44:27 which is very big of you, but you talked a lot.
44:29 Does that apply pressure to you when you're
44:30 thinking when you're warming up in the back?
44:32 Do you start thinking like, man, like I really painted myself in a corner here,
44:35 not just because you spoke some but the level of you spoke?
44:38 I don't give a man.
44:39 You know, it's like I sell fights.
44:43 I mean, look at the UFC.
44:44 how boring it is.
44:45 Like really like the UFC is so boring.
44:48 Like I do you even know half the like
44:50 other than Alex and Alex doesn't even talk.
44:52 He's just big and scary, you know?
44:54 I mean that guy just knocks everybody out.
44:56 But like other than Alex like this is boring.
44:58 Dude, this might be a bit of a weird question but because
45:01 you know look you went through five rounds together and stuff like that.
45:04 Were you kind of happy that Hamza was willing to squash the beef with you too?
45:08 Yeah.
45:08 No, I mean again you guys I go so hard on everybody
45:12 and there's always truth to what I say and there's always you know
45:16 it's there's always truth to what I say but at the end
45:19 of the day man all the hate and all the hates out of me.
45:22 I need I need the hate battery charged so I need a couple days but funny story.
45:26 You guys want to hear something funny?
45:28 So on Tuesday I'm sparring Johnny that PFL champ.
45:32 And I'm at a Pino's gym, Cruis's gym,
45:35 and he shoots on me and I hit his brick ass wall and I separated my shoulder.
45:39 So I had So I had a grade one AC joint
45:44 separation on Tuesday and I remember laying in bed on Tuesday night.
45:49 I we had a I'm sure Chris has a video of me slamming the shoulder, dude.
45:52 Get some better pads.
45:53 And I'm laying I can't lay on my my right my left side.
45:56 I'm like, you're such a idiot.
45:58 You are such a idiot.
46:00 So, in the back, I normally like to get better warm-ups,
46:03 but I didn't want to warm up and throw my shoulder out the entire time.
46:07 Like, you're a [laughter] But I'm assuming next
46:10 time you're still going to spawn on fire.
46:12 Oh, yeah.
46:12 No, I'm just going to find a cage.
46:14 Goddamn cruise.
46:14 That brick ass wall of a gym you have.
46:17 You You said that you were going to be the one
46:18 guy who could beat this guy that when he grappled with you,
46:20 you'd keep him moving and he would get tired.
46:22 In the second round,
46:23 it looked like he had a complete dump and he sort of fell forward.
46:26 You stuffed him very well.
46:26 Were you surprised about how he got back into the fight?
46:29 No.
46:29 I mean, again, he's a savage, you guys.
46:31 I was hitting him with shots.
46:33 Like, I mean, look how swollen my my hand swollen.
46:37 Like, and he would just eat it and come forward.
46:40 Like, the guy was a savage and he was
46:43 willing to die for what he wanted, you know?
46:45 He's a savage.
46:47 Yeah.
46:47 How do you rank this one to the Izzy win, right?
46:50 Like, I be
46:51 I don't give a dude.
46:52 You know, at the end of the day, man,
46:53 like sometimes as I'm bleeding all over everything, I don't give a dude.
46:57 It's like it's a bell means jack all nothing, dude.
47:01 You know, it's like and this is like the problem with the world that we live in.
47:06 Like you guys are always just chasing titles that men make, you know?
47:11 Like men will give you a title like, "Oh, I'm a CEO.
47:14 I'm a I'm a CFO." Like, dude, no one gives a bro.
47:17 It's a title.
47:17 It's not real, you know?
47:19 And I've been saying it the biggest superpower in life is gratitude, right?
47:26 When I first got to Vegas,
47:27 when I was like 28 after my motorcycle accident and I got I'm le everywhere.
47:33 And uh I had my $1,200 apartment that I would go take you guys on tours.
47:37 Remember my crib, you know, and I'd go like flush the toilet, bro.
47:39 I was stoked though.
47:40 I was stoked, man.
47:41 I had a mattress.
47:43 I got I had fast cable, you know?
47:44 It was real nice.
47:45 Got my first house.
47:46 I'm stoked, dude.
47:48 I'm stoked.
47:49 Got my second house.
47:50 I'm stoked.
47:51 Whenever you have gratitude, it's amazing.
47:54 If I would have lost this fight, I would have went home.
47:58 The sun would have risen.
47:59 I would have had good breakfast.
48:00 I would have seen my wife and I would be like, "Man,
48:02 I'm the luckiest man alive." And and once you have that, it don't matter.
48:08 Love that.
48:08 Two more quick ones for me outside of tonight.
48:10 Nassinov already tweeting he's going to put your lights out.
48:14 My god.
48:14 Nasser.
48:15 You're You're going to really get me on this like racism again, huh?
48:18 Are you trying, you gay ass pirate?
48:21 Trying to avoid the racism.
48:22 No, I mean I can avoid the racism, you guys.
48:24 Come on, dude.
48:25 Well, speaking of actually your your trash talk,
48:28 I'd like to know who you think you
48:29 are in saying that Josh Hockett's going too far.
48:32 Oh god.
48:33 No, dude.
48:33 Josh, thank you, bro.
48:34 I'm bleeding.
48:35 No, dude.
48:36 Like, bro, Josh, you've already like you're a savage, dog.
48:38 You went out and died, dude.
48:40 You don't got to be the the Mexican Jedi anymore, you know?
48:45 But, uh, you know, man, hell yeah, dude.
48:48 You know, you're on the White House card.
48:49 You're making money.
48:50 People talk about you.
48:53 When I first started this sport, we all wanted to be George St.
48:57 Pierre.
48:57 I mean, even Conor McGregor, like when Conor Connor first started,
49:01 well, guys, I don't I don't party.
49:03 I don't drink.
49:04 All I do is train.
49:05 Meanwhile, Conor McGregor's hookers doing cocaine.
49:09 Like, nothing like that.
49:11 And at some point, you realize, dude, it's way easier just to be your self.
49:14 When I first started, you know, I was like,
49:16 you know, guys, listen, I got long hair.
49:18 I was never I was never racist.
49:20 That guy didn't exist.
49:21 I'm a real nice guy.
49:22 Look at me.
49:23 Long hair, I wear a suit.
49:24 And at some point, you're just like, you know,
49:26 man, I don't give a Judge me, hate me.
49:28 Life is is.
49:29 So, I mean, with Josh, you keep sacking your W's, bro.
49:33 You could be whoever the you want to be.
49:35 Congratulations, Sean right here.
49:37 Um, the judges all had it scored the same 2-2 going into the fifth round.
49:42 Did you feel like that was the decider?
49:44 Like, did it feel that?
49:45 Let me tell you, Chamay,
49:47 I know we fought and I don't want to say anything negative because,
49:50 you know, the the hate battery is gone, but you All right.
49:54 Did you see in the fifth round what he did to me?
49:57 He pointed in the mat.
49:59 He pointed.
50:00 He said, "Let's give He said something.
50:01 Let's give the people he wants.
50:02 Let's have the man dance or some shit." And I was like, "Okay." Like,
50:07 I trust you, the guy that just kicked me in the balls yesterday.
50:10 Like, I trust you, Jeremiah.
50:11 [snorts] You seem like a real trustworthy guy.
50:13 I like your smile.
50:14 We shook hands.
50:15 I believe you.
50:16 So I put my hands up and he shoots on me.
50:20 So I remember thinking he had me against the cage and I was like, "Dude,
50:23 if you lose this fight because you are a dumb and trusted this man,
50:29 like I am going to go commit suicide.
50:32 You are a stupid Sean." Literally,
50:35 he had make his case and I was telling myself,
50:36 "You are a stupid You are a stupid motherfucker."
50:40 But I was so I was so salty, dude.
50:42 And then and then I even said like, "What the fuck?" And he laughed.
50:46 I'm like, "That's not cool, dude.
50:47 That's not cool.
50:48 Don't you can't you can't tell a man you're going
50:50 to do the man dance and then shoot a double egg.
50:52 That's not right.
50:53 There's like there's ethics in codes." Well, no.
50:56 You felt that very strongly that he missed weight for the fight.
50:59 Dana White said anyone who believes that, you know,
51:01 was an idiot when he was just in here.
51:02 Okay.
51:02 Did we do do we you guys show of hands who thinks he missed weights?
51:06 That scalp.
51:07 Ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding.
51:10 He a thousand% miss weight.
51:13 We had a guy from my camp was watching him get on the check scale when he
51:17 stepped on his whole camp said And they dragged him up cuz he's run out of time.
51:22 He a thousand% missed weight.
51:24 I don't about it.
51:25 They're like, "Do you want to be a heavyweight?
51:26 I don't care." But you know, at the end of the day,
51:29 I [clears throat] I heard he might want to move up to 205.
51:32 You know, he should, dude.
51:32 Like if if if that weight cut's killing you, go to 205.
51:36 Enjoy life.
51:37 It's way easier competition.
51:39 Yeah, that's Dana said.
51:40 That's the first thing he said to him
51:41 in the cage that he's moving up for his next fight.
51:43 So, yeah, cuz he missed weight.
51:45 I know.
51:45 I should get 20%.
51:46 What the dude?
51:48 Well, do you feel like there's some lost money there in like a rematch?
51:50 Do I Do I get a bonus?
51:51 Do we get a bonus after that war?
51:52 No bonus.
51:53 I went to Coman for Fight of the Night.
51:55 What the dude?
51:56 [laughter] Honestly, it.
51:57 That little Does a Japanese kid get it?
52:00 Yeah, it, dude.
52:00 Give the Give the bonus.
52:01 I don't want the bonus, Japanese, man.
52:03 You take it.
52:04 You earned that, you little savage.
52:06 Yeah.
52:06 Well, u I guess since he's leaving the division
52:09 and a rematch with the split decision would have made sense.
52:11 But is it Nasserine?
52:13 Like is that the fight that I I I truly believe in UFC rankings.
52:17 I think they matter and I hate when guys jump them.
52:19 So if that's who the UFC, if that's the rankings, that's who it is.
52:22 Let's go.
52:23 What were you and Joe Rogan talking about before the decision was read?
52:27 Uh I don't know, dude.
52:28 the UFOs, man.
52:29 Apac.
52:30 I don't know, dog.
52:31 Like [laughter] how he did Theo dirty, you know?
52:35 Who knows?
52:38 Yeah, just right here.
52:39 You just checked the world.
52:40 Congratulations.
52:41 My question was also about Nasudin.
52:43 But if you want to do this fight, uh UFC Paris can be a good date.
52:47 Dana Dana [snorts] just said it can be for a title a number of events.
52:51 So I you want to come?
52:53 I I love the French folks.
52:54 I don't consider Nasserine French.
52:56 I don't know if he even consider himself French.
52:58 He might live there, but he he ain't French.
53:01 He ain't French.
53:02 He don't believe in French.
53:03 He doesn't stand by French people.
53:05 But I am never leaving this country again.
53:08 I ain't going on vacation.
53:10 I will never fight outside America again.
53:12 I am a American and I will die in this country.
53:16 But that being said, to all the French people, you guys are great, man.
53:19 And uh yeah, Juh, you know, something like that.
53:23 I was I was going to flee the country one day,
53:25 so I learned a little bit of French.
53:27 Fair enough.
53:28 And congrats, Sean.
53:29 One, just one quick.
53:30 I know you guys squashed the beef,
53:31 but did you expect Hamza to actually wrap the belt around you?
53:36 You know, man, there is something and like
53:38 you guys can't unless you've experienced it,
53:42 you just don't know what it's like when you go and fight another man and like,
53:46 bro, your soul is just exposed.
53:49 When you're bleeding and he's bleeding and like
53:52 I want to quit, he wants to quit.
53:55 We don't want to be there.
53:57 like you just have this level of respect
53:59 for one another that it like transcends race,
54:03 religion, like nationality, country.
54:06 It's just it it's something that you just don't know after like
54:11 you kind of become someone's brother after you and him try to die,
54:14 win or lose, you know.
54:16 And so I guess that was after the fight,
54:18 but even the broadcast was pretty shocked
54:20 that you guys like touched gloves during the instruction.
54:23 So, why why do that?
54:25 You know, like Shmay said, I made him the most money he's ever made on a fight.
54:29 You're welcome, Shmay.
54:32 Two more questions.
54:34 Yeah.
54:35 I don't know how how deeply you want to get
54:36 into this, but I I would really like to know like uh when you
54:39 said you're selling the fight and did you do you feel like
54:43 you and Hamza worked together to to manufacture something here or was there
54:47 No, I mean, no, no, no.
54:48 At at the moment, the guy kicked me in the balls.
54:52 [laughter] The dude?
54:54 You know, [snorts] [clears throat] I don't like to be threatened like
55:01 and and maybe it's just like who he is as a person,
55:03 but like when he was in the gym, he was really threatening, right?
55:07 Right.
55:07 Like he just had that threatening demeanor
55:09 and maybe it's like the little man inside me,
55:11 but when you threaten me, I just like I want to murder you.
55:14 I want to kill you.
55:15 So like and and maybe he didn't take it that way.
55:19 Maybe it's just his like cetchian sense of humor, but like always in the gym,
55:23 he would like always kind of like punk me, you know,
55:25 where I was like, "Well, let's go spar." And we would never spar.
55:28 So like I mean maybe, dude,
55:31 I could have manufactured the whole situation in my head, guys.
55:34 be honest, there's times when [laughter]
55:37 when you're mentally not well, you know,
55:39 like you'll you'll have interactions with people and like
55:44 sometimes like your brain thinks something else happened where
55:48 like you got to sit back and you wait
55:50 and you got to start like come to the problem.
55:52 It's why I like training and I train so much
55:54 cuz like there'll be times where I'm like leaking blood everywhere.
55:57 I don't want to blow my nose, but there'll be times where like I'll
56:00 I'll have an interaction with somebody and like,
56:02 bro, it's like my brain hallucinates the entire interaction.
56:05 [laughter] So, there's a chance that I
56:08 just hallucinated that entire interaction with Jeremiah.
56:12 Uh, last thing for me is I would just like to know
56:14 how much was the nose bothering you actually in the fight.
56:17 Oh, I mean, it's a little broken, but I didn't give you know?
56:19 What bothered me is that Cut Man was like shoving things up my nose.
56:22 I'm like, dude, it's good.
56:23 It's just blood, dog.
56:24 I think he really wanted me to win.
56:25 Thanks, dude.
56:26 But uh like it's just blood, dude.
56:28 Like he was like putting like Vaseline like I can't breathe.
56:30 Just let it bleed.
56:32 But yeah, no, it was it's all good, dude.
56:35 Last question.
56:37 Sean, this is the second time now you've been
56:38 a massive underdog in a title fight and won.
56:40 Do you kind of thrive off that motivation?
56:42 I was like my last fight was the underdog.
56:44 You thrive off that motivation of being the underdog.
56:47 Let me tell you, I'm an underdog in the bets.
56:49 I'm an underdog in my head.
56:50 I'm an underdog in life.
56:51 It's just like I don't even think about it.
56:53 If I was ever a favorite, I'd be it'd be weird.
56:56 You [snorts] know, there were USA chance and Let's Go
57:00 Strickland chants flooding the arena throughout the fight.
57:03 Does that like motivate you?
57:04 You know, I love it.
57:05 I love it.
57:06 Like I even posted on my uh my story before the or my grand
57:09 before I fought when I'm when I'm at a fight, right?
57:12 And like everybody looks at me like Sean the racist white national.
57:16 Like that's kind of like what the media paints me as.
57:19 But when I'm at a press conference,
57:21 like I mean again that's what the media praised me.
57:23 Sean the Nazi like you know SS like I was with my my initials.
57:27 Go yourself.
57:28 But uh [laughter] but um you know so I'm I'm
57:32 painted this way but when I'm at a press conference when
57:34 I'm looking in looking at my fans you think I
57:38 see a bunch of toe head little blonde hair white kids.
57:41 No dude I see Mexican black people you know you see Christians like Muslims.
57:47 Maybe not so much Muslim this fight, but generally,
57:49 you know, I have a lot of Muslim friends,
57:51 but I I I see like so many nonwhite people looking back at me and I'm like,
57:57 it's crazy cuz like I'm representing these guys and I love it.
58:00 And and what I love about UFC in America,
58:04 there is no you're white, I'm black, you're brown.
58:08 Like, there's none of that.
58:09 It's like we are Americans, you're my guy.
58:12 Like, I want you to win for us.
58:15 And the level of unity that I see especially
58:17 with the UFC and American like greatest country in the world,
58:21 greatest country in the world and like you know unity
58:25 is like I mean these politicians you know left right probably
58:29 all they try to do is like divide divide divide
58:32 and like what don't realize that there is no left right.
58:36 It's you either have money or you don't.
58:39 You either have money you don't.
58:41 And it's like it's just really great to look at in the in the audience
58:46 and just see like man like I'm representing the Americans and I love it, man.
58:51 I love it.
58:52 Yeah.
58:52 Just to back up that point, I had friends of all races texting me
58:55 that they were very happy that you won tonight.
58:57 So, yeah.
58:58 No, again, it's um and and honestly,
59:00 it means a lot to me because I do have a really colorful past.
59:04 I mean, I've been kicked out of school for hate crime.
59:06 Like, I got a real colorful past.
59:08 So, like as I move forward and like,
59:11 you know, I get accepted by by all Americans.
59:13 I'm like, "Fuck yeah, you guys." I I always say that, you know,
59:18 I've always been the bad guy who wanted to be a good guy.
59:23 And I've always wanted to be the good guy, but you know, teachers,
59:27 courts, you're always told you're a piece of You are a bad guy.
59:31 Like I said, my seventh grade teacher, Miss Wajda,
59:34 or eighth grade teacher, Sean, they build prisons for people like you.
59:37 So eventually you're like, "Dude, I'm I'm just a bad guy.
59:39 I'm a piece of shit." But like through fighting, man,
59:42 you guys don't I I go to a gas station,
59:45 some guy shakes my hand and like says, "Hell yeah,
59:47 you're Sean Strickland." Like like through fighting,
59:49 I've really discovered selfworth.
59:51 And I've never had that.
59:52 And I would never have had that if it wasn't for fighters.
59:55 But yeah, let's stop being bunch of here, guys.
59:58 [laughter] Sorry, Sean.
1:00:00 Might make you try to get a little sentimental here, too.
1:00:03 But you did walk in here saying that you
1:00:04 got into the sport wanting to be like George St.
1:00:06 here and he was cage side tonight watching have this fight like does a moment
1:00:11 like that is Sean the fighter mean something to have this moment in front
1:00:15 of you know the guy who got you into the sport coconut blood I think
1:00:21 I think I broke my nose um no like George Sier is a legend and you
1:00:26 want to talk about someone who has like low self-esteem I mean every fight
1:00:30 that guy never wanted a fight I mean I heard stories of him wanting like
1:00:33 not to p like an earthquake to happen to the fight and he would go
1:00:36 in there and sack up and be one of the greatest fighters in the world.
1:00:39 Uh George St.
1:00:40 Pierre is a legend.
1:00:41 I remember my first fight in um my first fight in Houston.
1:00:47 I told him I was I my first fight ever in the UFC.
1:00:49 I told him I was like, "Man, like I'm such a fan.
1:00:51 Like blah blah blah." You know, we made a little fanboy.
1:00:54 And he said to me, "Well, hey Sean,
1:00:56 now I'm watching you fight." And that was my first fight in the UFC.
1:01:02 He told me, "Sean, now I'm watching you fight." And um yeah,
1:01:05 it's awesome, you know, but that being said, he was the icon.
1:01:08 We all wanted to be George St.
1:01:10 Pierre.
1:01:10 We all wanted the Nike money.
1:01:12 We all wanted a pro, you know, the sweat shop money.
1:01:15 But then day, dude, like I'm not George St.
1:01:17 Peter.
1:01:18 I'm a white trash dude.
1:01:19 And I say a lot of off color And let's go monster.
1:01:26 That's good.
1:01:26 All right, guys.
1:01:27 Hey, anyways, man.
1:01:28 I appreciate you guys.
1:01:29 Let the let the hate battery recharge.
1:01:30 I'll give you some better interviews later.