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DC look who’s the new bad guy [Music] me I mean new age parenting Oregon just he’s the best he is the absolute best I appreciate that I appre I’m actually not overly proud of that moment there was a performance in there I was proud of the little performer but I’m not a huge advocate for what just happened and by the way George mozal will give him a beating like he’s not ready for mozal yet stand back let Dad handle that how are you going to explain this to miss Britney how in the world are you gonna do it I mean I don’t understand it’s gonna be a fun conversation I wish I could be a fly on the wall Daniel I’m gonna simply tell her pharoh’s wrestling coach Daniel Cormier asked him to open the show with the following line and told him he would have to do push-ups if he didn’t and out of respect to his coach he did see that’s the one thing about bad guys you have to understand bad guys lie a lot yeah it’s safe that’s a smart one and I will eat the bullet for you I will jump in front of it for you my brother but so hamay is out of the main event against Robert Whitaker we are now get Robert Whitaker versus Alice scov Alice scof is a dangerous rram is dangerous and he is tough and he is good and Robert Whitaker said yes but my first thought was this is dangerous for rram but it’s ultimately more risky for Robert Whitaker how big of a risk is it for Robert Whitaker to take on a guy that has very limited fights in the UFC but also has shown that he can compete with the best in the world this has upset written all over it and and I do not take a pleasure in saying that like I love what Robert Whitaker’s doing I love that Robert Whitaker and don’t forget Bo nickel filled in somewhere between here okay we went from chamaya who’s the scariest guy in the division against Bo niichel who shows the most promise in the division to rram who’s on one heck of a roll within the division Robert Whitaker said yes yes and yes and I just want him to get that kind of credit now Robert Whitaker okay and not everybody’s Hall of Fame induction is created the same right Robert Whitaker will be in this shinier more beautiful what the heck took you guys so long to get him here category but Robert Whitaker does his best fights against Grapplers go and see his uh one of any of the 10 Rounds he did opposite yel Romero you go my God this guy is special go watch Robert Whitaker versus Kelvin Gatson particularly when you understand what was on the line in the moment in that fight it’s some of his most bright and shiny moments and you want to know what icham reminds me of you go look at Iam’s record go to Sherdog or something just bring his record up and then bring up the record of drus dupi and you were going to see more similarities popping off that page you’re go oh my goodness what exactly has Robert gotten himself into you know for me it’s very risky for the reaper but it’s on brand this is what he does you remember when Jared caner was riding really hot and no nobody wanted to fight him Rob wh said okay I’ll fight him it’s what he does he fights anybody he fights toughest guys the Draco duplex C fight was another one of those situations where nobody was fighting dra is in the top five Robert was on the verge of earning another title Opportunity draus Knocks him out same thing is happening right now Alis scov is a young hungry guy that looks to be the real deal most people in robt Whitaker’s position would say you know what guys I signed up to fight a guy that I know if I beat him I’m going to get a title opportunity I signed up to fight a guy who is the Boogeyman of the division I want to do what I did many times before and prove that I can beat people who believe the guy is unbeatable he did it with yoel Luke Rocko told me y Romero felt like he was punching concrete Rober Whitaker beat him twice Jared caner was on fire Robert Whitaker beat him Robert Whitaker went into an arena with 61,000 people to fight Israel Ed asagna two years into his UFC career he didn’t win but he always goes out there to fight the best now he’s fighting a young hungry guy who doesn’t have the resume of these others the guy that is a bit unknown Alis Carol’s got two fights in the UFC he’s got five other fights that were cancelled cha never got to the Octagon this guy is dangerous the what what Alis did to Phil Halls was absolutely stunning to me I could not believe after watching Phil Halls who we both know All-American wrestler in junior college tremendous Striker very tough very durable Alice gal buzzed through him like he was not even on his level then he comes back and in his second UFC appearance he looks just as good this dude is dangerous he is a real player in this Division and only Robert Whitaker would be taking this fight and I believe that that’s where the Intrigue is for me it’s how do you manage the risk versus the reward when you’re rival Whitaker because if you win chill you’re the former champ one of the greatest of all time you’re supposed to if you lose you have now become a guy that be will be used to springboard guys into the next area or the next level of the middleweight division yeah I I mean the the wolf in the closet of our entire industry is ABC and this fight is going on ABC guys get one to two shots an entire year this is the third time they’ve come to Robert Whitaker and I realized some of those fights fell through but this is the guy that the company keeps turning to why do I bring that up well that’s going to be a lot of eyeballs Robert Whitaker isn’t going to love this and Shan Strickland isn’t going to love this but this is not a number one contenders match anymore than Shan Strickland versus Paulo Fela is going to turn out to be a number one contenders match it’s not the winner of this fight draws in to Shan Strickland and that becomes your number one contenders match but I go to and take the time to tell you that Daniel because what a chance for rram oh by the way what a chance for Whitaker Whitaker belongs right back in there with his two Nemesis in dupi and osna but getting rematches and triple rematches gets to be a little bit complicated that’s the same problem that that Strickland’s going to have as the calendar starts to play out this is a battle to get these two guys together so if it’s not the championship match you go to the next best thing that you can get which is the number one contenders match I think that’s what’s on the line but I think that it’s also Bay for rram a lot of times we don’t see that when you’re a straight semifinal the final it’s not always what’s good for the goose it’s good for the gon right mean both guys are in the same situation in a number one contenders match it does mean they’re both in the same situation rram could draw into Shawn so could Whitaker that’s what I’m looking forward to the most you know earlier I saw something about Israel adna fighting Draco dupc in first so we know that the title fight is going to be happening but when you look at the welterweight rankings IM mof’s number four he just had a very very weird win over Jared caner uh a stoppage win so he’s on the short list you got Robert Whitaker who is fighting rram alisov and also you got Sean Strickland like you said though cha I believe that the winner gets Sean Strickland for the opportunity this person that fights this weekend the winner that gets through Saudi Arabia I believe needs to get ready to be in line or ready for UFC 306 I believe it is that they’re going to fight I need to be if I’m one I’m one of these guys fighting Sean Strickland on the co-main event of that fight because if Edis Sonna goes out of that fight I want to be hey I’m in line I’m ready but you know what’s the you know what’s very interesting about this whole situation Alice scov has two fights he beats Robert Whitaker he will be fast tracked now into the Elite of the elite in this division how rarely is it that we have a guy coming to the UFC within four or five fights he’s the champ we saw Max Holloway win 11 to become champ we saw Islam makev win 10 or 11 to become champ Leon Edwards was on an 11 fight unbeaten streak to become Champion normally it doesn’t happen that quick so if you’re Alis scar off you are jumping on this opportunity and it’s so weird because for so long we looked at hamzat and we said hamzat could be the champ at 170 hamzat could be the champ at 185 but under the cloak of darkness rram alisov comes in he will possibly do it in the same amount of time that we expected Hamza to do it between 20 and 21 Hamza was 4-0 he hasn’t fought much since alas scar off if he can get through Whitaker say he fight Strickland at 4 and0 he will be sitting at the doorstep of a title opportunity this is a massive weekend for the young man and I want to make sure I give plenty of shine to Whitaker here I really do admire what he’s doing but when I tell you to look at rr’s record and compare that against trus dupes one other commonality Whitaker the liines come out guess what he is against rrom he’s a three to1 favorite guess what Whitaker was the night he took on dgz dup plus he was a three to one favorite Robert Whitaker does his best when the world’s against him he does his best when he’s the one feeling on on short notice when he’s the one moving into five rounds when he only prepared for three rounds when other guys do it to him it takes a little bit of that pressure off and I’m just sharing for you there’s a lot about this match that has upset written on it yeah you know Robert Whitaker is is a giant in his division man he’s been for a very long time and a guy that looks to be one of the future contenders is Bo nickel Bo nickel has been let’s say uh handled with white he’s gotten the white glove service shill he’s gotten fights that he would seem to be favored in but it seems as though the UFC is ready to move forward with Bo because when they needed an opponent he got the call take a listen I did get a call yeah really wow wow yeah um unfortunately I got a call while I was in the mountains of Montana and I didn’t get back to cell service for 3 days and so all I all I I came back into service to a few text messages saying call me back call me back call me back and it was too late CH so Bo Nichols sitting there he’s got a wagle cap on kar’s drinking wine or or apple juice I bet he’s drinking apple juice but uh BS up hiking misses the call sometimes maybe it’s better to miss a call chill if Bo nickel would have answered that phone and said yes to Robert Whitaker is Val and then Cody Brundage to Robert Whitaker that’s a big step would that have been too much for Bo nickel you know I gotta just tell you one thing I actually watched that interview and it’s the very next line out of Bo’s mouth that had me laughing when that came on Bo tells them I don’t mind that I missed the call now this is a quote Saudi Arabia that place is far as crap what what kind of expression is that it’s it’s as far as crap what what do you mean it’s his F you know you use crap to protect yourself from the profanity four-letter word you could insert the four-letter word it doesn’t make any sense yeah what does he mean it’s his far as crap I got to tell you I would have loved to seen Bo in that spot and I think that it’s helpful that b dropped that it’s got us covering it but it also helps to build you in this way if you’re Bo right like he’s so good and he’s completely undefeated he’s getting guys out of there quickly but is he held back by not having a ranking is he a guy that they can’t main event and they can’t count on so the mere fact that that was offered to him shows that the company does hold him at a big light which I think was his real goal when he laid that out there and would he quite be ready for Robert Whitaker listen Whitaker does his best work against wrestlers that specific matchup I do think is problematic for Bo but are the top guys in our main events and our five round fights ready for Bo he’s absolutely that good I do believe that you know I I think he could compete with anyone I don’t know that this would have been good for him right now I I just remember watching him in there with Cody Brundage and and Val wood burn Jamie picket were not wrestlers they were essentially handpick for him and they were style matchups that favored him so greatly that you knew the outcome Cody Brundage had a little bit of a wrestling background not much but in those moments that he made B work a little bit harder than he usually worked for takedowns you could sense a little bit of panicking B I think he needs to go through that Panic with someone that’s less experienced before he fights someone like Robert Whitaker look chill I got to be honest with you man I went through my whole career before I got to Jon Jones and I dealt with no issues I fought Dan Henderson Bigfoot Josh Barnett I had very few instances where I struggled when I got in there where the guy that knew how to handle struggle it became very difficult for me I believe that if Bo doesn’t learn to struggle a little bit before getting to a Robble with it becomes really difficult to deal with when you’ve never experienced it Daniel that was an incredibly measured response by you as a matter of fact I I plan to take a different route and I even plan to disagree with you you have won me over and I think that yes Bo could I like how you said this you said Bo could compete with him but is Bo ready for him and that’s a very different question we don’t want to just go out and compete we don’t just show that we’re good enough to be one of the guys you want to go out and keep that undefeated streak in line and yes to step into ABC in a main event in a place that’s as far as crap a five round atmosphere on short notice against a future Hall of Famer it would have been biting off a little bit too much I think at this point in his career he’s very wise for bringing out that the promotion looks to have been that regard but he’s even maybe a little bit fortunate that he’s not getting in there with Robert Whitaker you have convinced me partner I stand down yeah he’s smart he’s smart b nickel always is a smart guy in the UFC smart you know what it tells me though chill they had to be pretty desperate to find someone that mattered to offer it to Bo nickel because they don’t want to waste him against a Robert Whitaker so they must have needed someone they might have called other guys that weren’t readily available and so they had to Pivot and try to adjust now UFC 303 Is Now headlined by Alex Pereira and Y prashi Alex Pereira could you imagine the money he’s making now he says yes to everything but this is the new main card it’s Pereira versus prasa 2 Ortega Lopez who is on fire Anthony Smith Carlos alberg Myra Bo Silva takes on Macy chasson and Ian Machado Gary takes on MVP Michael Venom pige but chill back to Alex Pereira headlined Madison Square Garden twice he headlined UFC 300 which was a monster he steps in again on short notice for UFC 303 dude is getting paid but not only is he getting paid Alex Pereira star continues to grow now I get it chill it will always be hard to top Conor McGregor in regards to star power but you still got Israel Ed asagna you still got Jon Jones but when I think about the face of the company because of his durability his activity his willingness to fight two Division champion he’s always present is Alex Pereira now the face of the UFC he’s getting there he had he hadn’t passed up sha Al yet but he he could do it D I can’t believe this guy I truly can’t he’s got an amateur record I think he has 10 fights now but even if he does that’s an amateur record if I’m wrong is it 11 okay so he just crossed into double digits 11 partner he was the world CH he was my fighter of the year last year he held the 85lb title and the 205b title within the same calendar year by the way and excuse me he is one win away from the argument of goat no longer being an argument we won’t even have the discussion anymore if Pier was to go in and get it I don’t care if it’s the inim title off of Tom or he gets it from Jon Jones or however he gets it at heavyweight if he was to get it big if but we don’t even discuss goat anymore we just go well you know the goat Alex Pier it it it would be a forgone conclusion we could never get around that this is for a guy with an amateur record this is for a kickboxer come on Maurice Smith did well kickboxing you got a fast forward all the way to Holly Holm which was well over a decade later you got to fast forward seven more years to get to Osan and now you have this guy like kickboxers don’t have this long illustrious uh career and Heritage within the sport I mean I only share that with you is that changing are there more guys like this that we could go find are there more guys in kickboxing they got a little something background it’s never had a wrestling match never tried out for Abu Dhabi let alone made it cuz he never put on a ghe or did anything with grappling he’s the champion of the world and now and I build all of this understand I just stated to the obvious for this now you’re telling me he’s also going to be a leader in the locker room you’re telling me this guy with the amateur record who came from a different sport known as kickboxing is now a leader within our industry he was the only Champion that went out publicly and Lobby to get a fight at usd300 he’s the only one that said I’ll put up the belt I’ll put it up against anybody bring him on he’s the only Champion that was willing to do this fight not to mention a rematch against a very tough Nemesis nobody likes to do those Pier is a lead come on man I can’t find a flaw within this guy if I’m Dana White I can’t find a flaw I love him I love him and I’m picking I’m writing him massive checks if I’m the UFC right now here’s the thing though cha here’s the thing it’s very risky but he also knew he wanted to fight Yuri you want me to tell you what a risk really does start to become presid for Alex Yuri was a bit of a barrier between him and guy like an kli who does have a wrestling background because you always knew you could revisit the Yuri fight now once the Yuri fight’s out of the way now you got to start looking at some of these dudes that are Grapplers to fight Pereira next but with the way Pereira has handled these guys I would not favor any of them to beat him but he’s done everything you could possibly do to really make yourself be one of the biggest stars in the organization organization loves him for that but cha it all started with Izzy as the world champion making fun of him because he was drinking in a bar in Brazil minding his business and Izzy said that he would be the guy that would talk about the Glory Days of beating him as he was the world champion could you imagine now how much anger all these guys have towards Edna for opening his mouth like Izzy let’s sleeping dogs live man leave this dud he drinking his life away he’s not even fighting anymore and is he goes and makes fun of him come on yeah I never thought about it in that respect but I did read that article and I know exactly what it is that you’re talking about I mean that’s a big deal and and Izzy’s now been very polite he said man let somebody else go and deal with this guy he’s a monster but you’re right he wouldn’t be here in the first place had Izzy not taken that shot at him from the bar you know they keep chill I keep getting talked to when you’re answering bro like I didn’t get anything he said there so I’m not even gonna lie I can’t pretend but and Daniel could I add a distraction so you’re talking about distractions what could I add mine sure here Daniel this is my distraction this is called candy they brought this candy in my son is off screen over here and he’s been Lo one just flew across my head right now oh there goes another oh he’s been throwing it at me he’s hitting me now he’s gone to one in each hand because he wants back on camera so bad I’m pretty sure that he spit one on me okay I like I heard him I heard that and something got me and it was real fast yes if you slow there’s a starburst on my shoulder do you see that Daniel this is the professionalism I have to deal with this is okay this is Barbarian style tactics to get yourself camera time going to business for yourself some people like it some people will fire you can you Daniel are you seeing what’s Happening Here everybody goes Bring Your Kids To Work Day don’t bring Terell he is disruptive man chill I have to ask you this though Alex Pereira got the fight call he stepped on a scale he was 227 pounds take a look at it right here he’s heavy he’s 22 pounds over he’s going have to make that weight in two weeks CH what do you think now now honestly I I’ll say this right all right he’s 22 pounds of a weight and to the normal person you’ll be like oh my God that’s really heavy it’s dangerous is he going to be able to make it chill to you and I 22 lbs of weight two weeks I’m like yo I’m in business because every time I went to the fight every time I went to the fight if I was 225 on the Sunday before the fight I felt really good about Where I Stood in terms of my weight so two weeks 22 pounds I don’t think it’s that much honestly I saw it the same way now the hardest weight cut I ever had I took a fight that was 21 days after I got the call which means the weigh-in was 20 days after I got the call I had to lose 36.2 lbs and yes I’m going to mention those two pound or that point2 36.2 is one of the most uncomfortable physical experiences of my life but Daniel I agree like 227 fully hydrated you only got to get down to 205 no man that’s not a part of this story he’s in fine shape yeah he’s in fine shape for me um I’ve had some nightmarish ones mine people point to Buffalo when I was 1.2 over and then I had to go back and they said I grab the towel which I don’t know if I did uh to the Olympic Games I was making 21 pounds and I cut some serious weight chill it was the worst by the time I stepped on that scale and 2008 Olympic Games I was right at the time limit of the games not allowing me to weigh in when I stepped on the scale at 21.4 but I mean I had been in that sauna for a while it was awful man Buffalo was tough too because when I went into their their training room they had this CH they had the treadmill right in front of a a a metal uh rolling up door those garage doors so they had a draft coming in and that draft is the difference between losing nine pounds and losing five pounds and boy when I didn’t get that nine off I really started to panic it made me do another workout at midnight when normally I would be going to bed for the night so yeah me it’s a little thing that makes for the weight cut to go off track but I gotta be honest CH I don’t worry too much about Alex dude made 185 I don’t even know how he did that ever seems impossible no I don’t worry about him either I he’s like Mr Perfect Right This Guy’s agreeing to do these things he loves short notice fights and one my only takeaway from him weighing 227 when he’s not trying to he really could be a heavyweight he’s got the height he’s got the skill he needs a few more pounds I mean not for nothing champ champ champ we’ve never even had these discussions before this guy qualifies for that conversation yeah it’s an unbelievable deal what this guy has done in such a short period of time he’s an amazing fighter I’m going to sit on and chat with him down in Las Vegas CH your kid is ph’s crazy I mean he is absolutely crazy but I love him for it as he’s bouncing candy off e guys you get new episodes of good guy bad guy every Monday and Thursday wherever you get your podcast ESPN MMA YouTube page ESPN 2 you can get us everywhere and I promise you every time there’s a fight night we getting at least seven promos until next time that’s CH son and I’m Daniel Cormier we’ll catch you on thereof