For more UFC, sign up for ESPN+ http://espnplus.com/ufc/youtube ✓ Get the ESPN App: http://www.espn.com/espn/apps/espn …
uh congratulations obviously a very dominant win tonight against the guy that you yourself said was very very dangerous so how satisfied are you with the way things went tonight yeah very satisfied it’s always good good to get the win you know that’s all that really matters to me is uh getting that win and getting that paycheck for the family and uh rolling that Legacy on you know what I mean because he was dangerous like uh you know there was there’s probably the most feared I’ve ever been in a fight maybe like him in a and maybe Max this was because I always say no one can beat me no one can actually beat me I don’t believe anyone can beat me but everyone has a punches chance everyone can catch you and there’s no one that’s more dangerous and got a better chance of doing that than your year Rodriguez so there was a you know obviously going in the game plan you know I shot in that respect mentally I prepared as telling myself this so it made me turn up in the gym every single day made me get the right training Partners it made me uh you know try and work out a good game plan you know systematically break him down take away a lot of his main tools and I think we did a great job he still was always going to be able to throw things because he’s that creative so that’s why it was always going to be dangerous but um I was able to nullify a lot of his main tools things that he would usually be able to do frequently he couldn’t do that with me and uh then I was able to capitalize on that what was it like round by round because he did take over pretty early right but at the start of each round he’s back on the feet and he’s throwing strikes and that Danger’s there again so is that you know kind of a difficult mental thing to get yeah yeah like that was always going to be there but I mean being prepared for him ready for him and there might have been one exchange where things landed a lot a lot harder I can’t remember was that second round maybe um like something landed I’m like oh yeah nice there we go a lot of the other things he would kick and not roll with it and see it coming and again having the right training Partners to give me them looks was incredible um but yeah there was one that maybe done something that punches landed I was like oh yeah they got in I was fine but um he did a good job there but other than that uh you know I was all right even though he was flicking stuff out and maybe you know landing on hands and you know maybe touching the top of the head and things like I was still pretty comfortable in there and um still seen it all coming so I just had to pick the right moments because again like you you go in a little too aggressive without the right setup it could be good night so uh you know he’s the type of guy that you need a you need it you need you need to be uh you need to be careful you need to be smart you know what I mean you’d be thinking in there you need to be doing the right things and we did the right things uh you revealed afterwards that you’re gonna need some surgery you need a little time off I guess uh I mean how serious is that how long do you expect to be out I mean I didn’t mean to scare everyone with that like when I say I’m gonna do it like yeah yeah it’s not a big deal I’ll be back in uh ASAP like uh it will be a quick one just need to get uh something sorted but um I’ll be training you know like man I broke my hand last International fight week and you see me at Abu Dhabi ready to fight Islam or Charles Oliveira that was a broken bone this ain’t a broken bone we’ll be right I’ll be uh yeah don’t you don’t need to you don’t need to stress about that I’ll be trained unprofessional you know but I want to be active uh again I’ll be back in there before most of the other guys other Champions anyway so don’t worry about that last thing for me Dana was here earlier and we kind of asked him what he’d like to see for you know because you keep mentioning lightweight but obviously Aaliyah was here tonight and he said basically you’ve proven everything whatever you want to do he’ll kind of go with it so what is most important to you you keep saying that lightweight but ah I mean like we all know I want that lightweight belt you know we all know what that rematch you know what that Islam fight I think uh not only uh for me to get that bill for me to get that win back but I think it is a massive fight for the UFC as well I think it’s a fight everyone wants to see it was literally that type of fight it was that close it was a a cracking fight um everyone enjoyed it and uh it was a very very high level it was one and two going at it and we showed out it really was that um yeah he lived up to the hype I lived up to the hype and that fight lives up to the hype uh we just need a C5 to 10. Alex to your left you know in boxing MMA historically most people’s time at the top has been very short you’re at the top now three and a half years it you know it looks like you cleaned out the division don’t have a lot of challenges why do you think it is that most people can’t last as long and what is it that makes you special that you remain on top after such a long period of time how will I stay on top how are you staying on top you know what’s different in you than it is with other guys who are physically talented yeah well uh man I think it’s just that yeah the passion for the sport the passion for the sport and uh the mindset like finding uh for me it’s it’s pretty easy so it’s not hard for me to find a a way to be motivated well no I don’t need to be motivated it’s discipline you know what I mean people talk about you know people want to listen to music people want to do all these things and to get motivated I don’t need that I’ve got discipline I’m going to turn up anyway but I’m passionate about what I do I always find a way I always switch some things in there to to get me hyped up and especially for this one I told myself this guy’s dangerous you know whether I you know like I literally made it as if man this book’s gonna maybe knock you out you know what I mean like I literally wherever I did that so I would turn up in the gym wherever I’m that clever with that I don’t know but I mean it was like that it literally was I was like sitting there all your all right let’s get to work no mucking about take this serious uh and I did 100 and uh that’s why you see me get better but I mean I said it all week like I’m I’m in these sessions doing training sessions and I am like I say I’m passionate like you’ve got to see me in there like I’m the people we’re breaking down techniques and I could talk about it for hours I’ve got Joe yellam he’s like get out man I’ve got to lock up the doors like what are you doing you know what I mean like because I’m just talking about details and I get right into it that’s how passionate I am about it now you know there’s not many people at the top they’ve been at the top for three and a half years as you said that are more passionate than a few years ago I guarantee I’m more passionate now than I was before I love this game I’m proud of where I am and I’m I’m proud of what I do and I’m very happy I do this and I’m all you know I’m I’m privileged this is a privilege to do something that I love and make money from it so on the other side of that then when you look at it you know a lot of guys come in here and they say hey I want to get to my after party or whatever and they have another thing to keep them relaxed and not you know do you worry about burnout because you’re going so hard for so long that like after a while you get sick of it like you lose your passion for it because you’re pushing so hard um not I wouldn’t say I get sick of it uh I mean it’s it’s hard work I’ll be lying to you like doing this 80s hard work okay as I said I need to get a think few things like being in pain 24 7. it’s a you know it’s hard work you know I’m not trying to feel sorry for myself but it’s uh yeah sometimes we’re you know you might need a little bit you might need a little bit of time off and I don’t want time off like I said give me a week that’s all good get the surgery I’ll be back in the gym you know I can focus on a couple of things and uh chill with my family and then back to work but I mean uh yeah it’s hard work I don’t know how to answer that question properly but I mean it’s yeah but I mean I still love this but I mean you know I’m not getting any younger the body the body’s feeling it but that’s why I’m in my Prime and I want to I want to take advantage of it that’s why even though I’m going to get surgery but I’m going to be injured I need to get back in there because I don’t know how long I’m going to be able to stay on top I’ll go yeah I’m passionate yeah I’m experienced I’m in my Peak how long is that going to last so let’s get to work let’s get two of these bad boys my last question for you Alex would be you know a lot of people are great physical athletes and they do it and it seems to me like obviously you talked about your preparation but it seems like maybe you’re smarter than a lot of other guys in terms of understanding the game and understanding not only what it takes to win in the cage but sort of what it takes to get your body through a Long training camp would you agree with that and do you feel like the fact that maybe your your wisdom for this sport or your understanding of sport is underrated uh yeah I think there’s a lot to do with that in many ways you know you might have uh physios and doctors that’ll tell you different than my you know here I am telling you yeah I’ll do this here and I’m very smart with the way I think it but they’re probably looking at me like oh no you literally run your body through the ground every freaking day I’m sick of treating you but um that’s just how I am but I mean I I still think uh we we do the right stuff I’m getting through these camps again I just got a couple little things uh fix up and I’m back in there kicking ass again Alex over here uh in the after the Islam fight a little bit of the narrative I think even you said a little bit is you’re kind of drawing attention into when he would land punches like you would kind of smile and point at him you did that a bit against yair too did that did I yeah so I’m wondering it’s like is that something you have to work on and you can’t like I think so because uh there’s times like there was one when he did it like he ended up Landing it that landed a bigger like I didn’t rock me but I was like ah no it’s like he ended up following up but I mean there’s times where things barely land like even in that fight like you do it the timing was good I thought I was out of the way and he just got me and I’m like ah you know like touche you still got me like good timing good reach good distance and then everyone’s like whoa he’s acknowledging it like well and I was like oh I better stop doing that and then you’re saying I did it again I mean I don’t know how people look at it that way it just shows you how composed I am in there how relaxed I am and I’m sitting there going oh yeah well done you know you got me one you know what I mean it shows you like I’m not even expecting you to land one so I’m surprised then I’m saying well done congratulations that’s all you’re gonna get you know what I mean like it’s that’s how I’m looking at it there’s people looking at it different you know I I feel like me sitting there and them just touching at me going oh yeah well done and then you’ve got you know especially in that look man I don’t want to get into that but I mean in his fight like doing these things I’m like it’s full losing composure like how does that not look worse they may go yeah well done but I don’t know people look at a different maybe I’ve got to work on it because at the end of the day all that matters is what everyone else thinks right and what them judges think so if that is really gonna be something that sticks in their head you know we talk about being smart fighting smart have an IQ I need to work on that so uh maybe maybe maybe I need to do something about that earlier in the week Charles had said that October might be too soon for him to fight Islam uh in Abu Dhabi so there’s with that I’m curious did you hear that and if not does that kind of make you Circle that date even more well it makes it a lot better opportunity for me to step in there but I mean like I said I’m not ruling that out it’s funny these people want extra time like here I’m telling you I’m going to get surgery and I’m probably going to turn up there on October so that’s what I’m showing you you know what I mean find me a champ well like you know there’s not many of them anyway I know uh you you maybe got your your easies and myself that is doing this you know we’re going out there we’re staying active we’re fighting the fight so a lot of people wouldn’t uh and yeah so uh you know I think people need to respect that a lot people talk about bmfs and all that type of stuff they’re real bmfs guys I turn up when there’s a lot on the line uh and yeah I’ll leave it to that uh Alex over here one more one more quick sorry uh you had the face off with Ilya cage side when he was when you were leaving um historically like you know you and Max have been pretty respectful like I know you and Brian got under each other’s skin on The Ultimate Fighter but Alias he talks a lot and you know he hopped the barricade to Face Off you just does that get you excited that you’ll have also a foil at press conferences and in the media it’s like 100 uh Tigers was a little bit it’s weird to spend too much time in each other we just got annoyed with each other this guy’s gonna be just talking his and I and I love that I’m like yeah talk your now I could you know I can have a bit of fun with it and and punch you in the face for it you know what I mean and and feel good punching your head through the canvas because uh again like I’m gonna squash that bloke so don’t matter Alex over here um how much how like cool is it to see Dan hooker get that win and then you going to your fight were you kind of paying attention to that and thought man I gotta go up there and and uh you know keep yeah we’ll probably put a video on there we’ll go and we’ll go on that’s for that was a cracking fight man it was uh how tough is that bloke and then breaking his arm and still getting going through it about I mean these are things that you know we’re talking again talk about bmfs and doing things like that like it’s I mean some of the things uh you see people doing this sport is a pretty incredible um yeah that’s a it was cool it was cool to see especially uh to get that get his hand raised after a war like that against a game opponent Chandler Turner is no joke he’s dangerous uh and to be able to land uh cop some of them shots break your arm and then still end up on top he’s pretty incredible did the hallway where people were tall away and hooker you look at the odds he was a big Underdog tonight came out there had a tough first round but persevered and got the decision Victory I don’t know if that’s something you guys talked about or not no it’s not but I mean I mean that happens all the time people get counted out all the time you know that’s just how it is I mean it’s going to be the same with uh being told you say like he’s beat uh Marina twice in his Underdog and Hussein he’s got no chance like you can imagine now he would be you know that’s going to happen you’ve got to go prove yourself but um yeah I wasn’t surprised I know uh Dan was a total different matchup for Jalen with that length uh and toughness was going to go a long way and that uh that that that showed out tonight his toughness and uh obviously the fight IQ that length and that well-roundedness and just last one for me again you were here a year ago today big win over Holloway a lot has happened in the year you have to fight with Islam it was very close you get this performance tonight finishing yaira Rodriguez I know you’re fresh off the victory but you’ve been able to kind of soak this in how much you’ve really leveled up just in the grand scheme of things now you know people consider you the greatest fighter you know in the sport right now I don’t ever get to soak it in properly to be quite honest I wish I did soak it in more um it’s a it’s a good track to have where I can just move on and play what’s in front of me and you know it makes me be able to in camps I tell you like you know I can still you know turn up in the gym and like it helps me with all that type of stuff but I feel like I don’t try and really soak it in and enjoy it like and enjoy it enough and embrace brace it enough so I will you know obviously I appreciate everything I appreciate the fans I appreciate the love but I I forget about it like that uh again it’s a good thing to have because it’s uh it keeps me disciplined it keeps me you know grounded but at the same time I wish I could really appreciate it and understand what I’m doing right now because it’s pretty incredible five title you know five defenses six seven title fights I think I’ve had um it’s pretty crazy it seems like yesterday I got the belt you know what I mean and look what we’re starting to do so it’s pretty pretty crazy I think I need to really sit down and uh really really take it all in here down here go ahead please thanks um you said before the fight that you weren’t too impressed with Ilia and you didn’t really want to talk about him too much can you can you talk about him now you know what you think about him as a Challenger it’s funny with this one you know you want to talk up your opponents right you want everyone to know like uh yeah sounds funny but I mean he’s gonna talk his so and people I remember I could say whatever I wanted you know people don’t have to believe it but I was sitting there was like oh maybe I shouldn’t say how easy I think that fight’s gonna be because then people might not be interested but he’s going to talk his so people are going to want me to want to see me punch him in the face it don’t matter but uh yeah I look at that as a they get no disrespect to the bloke but the he’s doing ain’t gonna work on me and uh hopefully you get to see that soon and you of course faced off like you mentioned but what did you say to each other oh nothing I just wanted I told him I go yeah come on jump over let’s do a little face off let’s let’s amp it up a little bit uh see you soon as and I’ll say to him okay I thought you’re a bit taller because everyone’s so much taller than me I’m like looking eye to eye and I’m like um I was gonna mean uh I was about to say I’ve got this 71 inch reach which is a lie but um I could yeah should I should run with that but um yeah it’s a again no disrespected the bloke he is a good fighter he’s undefeated can’t wait take that zero what’s right here um that finishing sequence is just unbelievable the strikes and the takedown and the ground and pound um did that feel as seamless to you in that moment does it look to us observing it um I don’t know it’s weird like I was like so clear-headed while that was happening I went there from the punches of lacquer even though he’s sort of hurt like you know I’ve seen him in these positions for crazy like her elbows are like all right I better take him down because I know I’m just going to squash and punch his head through the canvas so I was like it was weird Al Karma composer was for that I picked him out dumping God on there I I this is a position oh yeah he won’t get out all right let’s just ground a pound we’re just gonna have to stop it it was weird how I went through it um I probably should have loaded him up a little bit more just really be dramatic with it uh but I mean it was good I love my ground and pound everyone there’s starting to be a bit more of an iconic Volk sort of a tradition to just rain down some ground and pound bombs can you remember another moment in your career another fight where you’ve had that clear-headedness in a sequence like that I’m pretty clear all the time to be quite honest but um maybe nahid at the moment like that way you’re getting the Finish like yeah like that um No Maybe not maybe not depends it depends how you look at it obviously Islam being in uh certain positions where most people would freak out and I’m sitting there you know laughing it off having to laugh with him um I guess people would look at them be like it’s pretty crazy but I mean people don’t know what I’m doing in the gym I’m like in their positions with absolute killers that are twice the size of me so that’s why I’m sitting there laughing at a lightweight stauna to me yeah no your sixth title fight win tonight uh there’s natural comparisons especially with Jose Aldo being inducted in the Hall of Fame on Thursday um are you still well deserved as well yeah are you still have the mindset to be called the featherweight goat that you need to hit that eight where he’s at or do you feel like now I mean the man just got a Hall of Fame and all that like I’m not here to try and take you know I mean I’ll let everyone else uh sort of uh decide that he’s an absolute legend of the sport uh no one deserves a Hall of Fame more than him um and to see how passionate he was going in there and like that was as raw as it got Rock when he got emotional like that and that was cool to see almost brought a tear to my eyes to be quite honest but um absolutely Legend uh very happy for him and that’s for people to decide on me and just last thing um if this Islam fight does happen again uh what in your mind is the biggest thing you need to do differently to make it definitive in your favor I mean it’s going to be another like I’ll be lying to you say I am just going to walk through him and do this and do that like it’s gonna be another highly contested battle but I guarantee I get my hand raised you know what I mean I think I’m going to capitalize on a lot more things uh but yeah again it really is two top guys going at it and they dumped five rounds and you’re going to see another there’s a good chance you might see another five rounds of it I’d love to get a finish but we’re both that good it might be that type of fight but uh looking forward to again it’s a challenge another challenge that excites me so uh you know that’s why I obviously want it um because that’s what keeps you again we talk about I don’t need to be motivated but it’s exciting when I can have guys like that in front of me like that camp that I had I did like 14 weeks you know what I mean like it’s it’s just so good to have someone like that in front of you and just to just you ask about how do you get better it’s things like that that get you better certain opponents in front of you they get you better uh and you know oh yeah like I told myself I need to work in this you know where you’re at now is not good enough you know like in that fight he got his hand raised do I think I won yeah I do but he got his hand Rose all right I need to work on these things so I’m going to evolve again and then uh you know these lightweights and featherweights aren’t going to stand a chance hey Alex um were you able to watch Rob’s fight yeah it was yeah what’s that um obviously I’m fortunate for Robin man like uh did not expect that like I don’t think there might be footage of me I’m like um yeah like Robbie’s obviously very well-rounded no joke um man drink is there did it like you know I mean like I mean easy talks about manifesting things I’m like oh yeah is this thing legit or what is this manifesting thing like that’s no joke like he’s man of like he literally manifests things and it happens like you know what I mean he’s on another level he’s got some sort of crazy powers or something like because I did not expect that to happen what do you think of Izzy versus dracus you know obviously he’ll look great to take out someone like rob me and credit to him but you know easy he’s you know I mean like yeah I highly doubt he’s going to be able to land on Izzy and uh even get on top and yeah man look I think uh is he’s just going to be too good but to take out Rob like that you’ve got to be hyped up for that fight so I mean if he can go out there and take out so like honestly Robbie’s one of the best in the world literally and he was able to beat him so uh you can never count that guy out he knows how to win excuse my French and uh one last one it was announced Max versus Zombie obviously you fought both of them a lot of people are like Max it’s why why do you even make this fight Max is gonna make a look he’s like what are your thoughts on the match-up I mean they’re both tough it’s going to be a fun fight I guarantee you yeah Max though I think Max is going to win yeah but Zombies going to be there you’re going to just see like you know two zombies just going at it they’re just gonna beat the out of each other so everyone’s in for a good uh good night uh a good amount of fights for that one too I think um yeah again they both got solid uh chins I wanted to take that Max Granite chin you know he’s you know that legendary chin out I couldn’t do it I don’t think anyone can so I’ve uh given up and I think everyone should just give up and I think it’s going to be uh you know behalf of zombie I think that’s going to be Zombie’s best chance but I mean it’s going to be hard to do congrats thank you foreign [Applause]