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>> Drock. Free.

>> Yes.

>> Free man.

>> What a [ __ ] crazy story. So, let's

let's fill people in. So, you were a top

contender in the UFC's welterweight

division and then somehow or another,

you w up getting arrested in Mexico.

>> Yeah, man. right after the uh Kevin

Holland fight. Actually, I was I was in

I was celebrating. I was over in San

Diego. Um had some drinks and decided,

you know what? Let's go to Let's go to

TJ. See,

>> always a phrase that is regretted. When

you're in San Diego and you're drinking,

you could walk there. [ __ ]

>> Yeah. Yeah. Literally. So, um decided to

go to to TJ for the for the night, you

know, go celebrate my win. And I was

obviously in celebration mode and I had

an ounce of weed in the car, you know,

and I've been across the border a

hundred times, bro. Never had no issues,

never had no problems, never got

stopped, pulled over. That's the last

thing I would even think is that

>> I thought we was legal in Mexico.

>> I thought I thought so, too. Like here,

>> I thought everything's decriminalized

down there.

>> Uh, apparently not, man. the the the

laws are like crazy crazy strict over

there, you know, and I've been in

situations before where I could like

just offer some money and get out the

situation, you know, like 500 bucks at

at the most, you know, they'll just let

me on my way, but got pulled over at the

border and the border inspection

um found the weed in my in my my

backpack and I was thinking I was going

to be in that in that situation where I

could bribe my way out of it cuz Mexico.

I've been there before and and and I've

been in these situations. And no, man, I

thought, you know, they took me to jail

that night and uh I was thinking, "All

right, I'm just going to be here for the

weekend. I'll get out Monday, you know,

go to court." And they're like, "No,

we'll see you in a month." I'm like, "A

month?" You know, like, "Why? It's just

weed." You know what I mean? And um

yeah, eight months later,

>> holy [ __ ]

>> Yeah, dude. Jamie, can you please look

up what the the laws are in Mexico for

marijuana? Cuz man, I was reading

something just a few years ago. How they

Here it goes. Marijuana is

decriminalized for personal recreational

use in Mexico, but there's no legal

commercial market and buying it or

selling it remains illegal for tourists

and visitors. Possession is strictly

prohibited.

>> Wait, what the hell?

>> It's tourists and visitors.

So for everybody else, you would be

good. Like if you were a Mexican

resident, you would have been good. It

looks like according to this

uh personal limits can possess up to

five grams. Uh and up to 28 grams is

decriminalized. How many grams are in an

ounce? It's 1 ounce. 28.

>> Yeah. So it was a it was approximately

28 grams.

>> So approximately you should have been

decriminalized. But the thing is, I

think it's if you live there,

the border, transporting marijuana,

including edibles and concentrates

across the US Mexico border is either in

either direction, is a serious federal

offense. US Customs and Border

Protection, strictly enforces federal

laws prohibiting the import export of

cannabis. But wait a minute, that's

that's US. But what about Mexico? You

got arrested by Mexican police, right?

>> Yeah, I got I got arrested on

>> either direction. Wow. But but I feel

like if you got arrested by Mexico

anyway, tourists, while small possession

is technically decriminalized for

Mexican residents, the Mexican

government explicitly prohibits tourists

from possessing or consuming drugs and

you could face serious jail time. So

that's crazy. Like people would go over

there going, "Hey, no worries. I'm in

Mexico. It's decriminalized here, but

not for a [ __ ] tourist."

>> Dude, they were trying to give me six

years, bro.

>> Oh my god.

>> Six years.

And I had we had to do all kinds of

stuff for me to get out, dude. Like

>> did the UFC get involved?

>> Um Hunter did um my management did reach

out to uh Hunter and they couldn't do

anything. I guess nothing.

>> The reason why

somebody who could get a little of that.

>> All right, we'll get into that. We'll

get into that. That's cuz I I'm out. I'm

out, you know. And um

>> so I learned real quick how corrupt the

the system is over there. Everybody's

trying to get trying to get paid. And

the reason why that I was in there so

long is I guess at the time where I got

arrested, the the the whole uh judicial

system was going through an election at

the time. So it was new judges um that

so all the all the judges that were like

taking bribes and stuff before they had

all got

they they switched out the judges. So

the new judges were there were like,

"All right, we just got here. We're not

trying to take no, you know, we're

trying to play it by the book and get

comfortable. So, I was supposed to get

released in December and and

I guess I don't even know if if I could

even really

>> Don't get in trouble.

>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

>> Yeah. Don't get in trouble. It ain't

worth it. You can tell me later if it's

anything super crazy.

>> It's very corrupt. It's very corrupt in

there. But, um, you know,

it's it's it's crazy, dude. like even

being in there. Um,

so my whole experience, my whole

experience in there was like so crazy.

>> How well do you speak Spanish?

>> I'm I'm I'm I'm a expert now. I'm like

fluent

>> because of that experience or before?

>> Well, I had already been obviously

>> I had already known I already know

Spanish, but being in there,

>> it's like became

>> fluent. Yeah. But thank God you could

speak it. Imagine if like I got arrested

in master I'd be [ __ ]

>> Yeah. So, when I first got there, um,

and when I went to court the first time,

one of the guards recognized me and he's

like, "You I'm in handcuffs and [ __ ] and

he's like, "Yo, can I get a picture?"

I'm like, "What?

What?"

So,

I'm right there taking pictures with the

guards, man.

>> So surreal.

>> Yeah.

>> Oh my god. You're [ __ ] top UFC

contender in cuffs, in jail. the [ __ ]

guard want to take a picture with you.

Wow.

>> While I'm in handcuffs and the other

inmates were like looking around like,

"What the [ __ ] Who is this guy?" You

know, cuz like the the guard was like,

"Yo, this is this is such and such." You

know? So, um, as we're getting

transported to the jail, which was the

worst. I mean, I've been in jail before.

I've like I I'm like from the age of 15

to like 23, I was constantly in and out

of jail, you know, I'm from LA, you

know, um I was, you know, gang member

and and you know, living in the hood and

uh this time around was a whole

different experience. Um, one, I'm in a

foreign country and uh, so I get there

and they put us like in the in the

processing area and the processing area

is like

probably about this this big and like 20

dudes in there all sleeping on the

floor. Two dudes per bunk. Three three

um, on a three bunk

three levels bunks. And um I was there

for like the first like the first 10

days.

>> And it was hell, bro. It was the worst.

Like I had I don't know what kind of

bugs there was in there, but they were

like biting up my whole body. I had like

like just just bite I don't know what it

was, dude. It was like I don't know.

>> Bugs probably something like that.

>> Yeah. Probably probably bed bugs or

something. And um right when I had first

got there, one of the inmates that saw

that seen the guards taking pictures of

me

was like we were right there

conversating the whole time. And he he

had he had just got released from there,

but he had did 5 years. He was out for

like two weeks, got arrested with the

gun and then came back. So he's like,

"Hey, I'm it's like I'm I'm going try to

get you out of here, you know." And um

over there

the guards had tried to charge me seven

grand, bro, to get me out of that to get

me out of that cell and to move me into

like a better a better place cuz over

there if you got if you got some money,

you'll be all right. You know, and um so

right before that happened, the dude

that was like, "Yo, I'm going to come

back for you, but don't even worry about

it."

>> So, but how does this work? Does the

guard come up to you and go, "Hey, I can

get you in a cell, but it'll cost you

$7,000." Yeah.

>> They come up to you and tell you that.

>> Yeah. So,

the dude that I that was that was that I

had got to the the prison with, he comes

back down and he's like, "Hey." He's

like, "Hey, um

the guards came, they pulled me out and

they pull me they bring me to a whole

different like section of of um of the

prison, third the third floor and the

second building. And I go up there and

I'm escorted by the guards and there's

like a curtain. It's like a a a curtain

covering like the tier and I'm like,

"What the [ __ ] is going on?" Like, "Why

is there a curtain?" And I get in there

and they pull me to this dude and this

dude's like, "Oh, you're you're a UFC

fighter." You know, turns out dude's

like head of the cartel, you know, like

a cartel leader. And he's like he's

like, "Oh." He's like, "I want to just

show you around a little bit, let you

know how how we're running things over

here." You know, kind of just gave me

the rundown. And uh this dude had it

made, you know. I I get there and

there's TVs in the [ __ ] cell. Dude

has a PlayStation. He has like like a

whole bunch of just all the amenities

you can think of, you know. Um he's

like, "Yeah, he's like showing me around

and [ __ ] Kind of kind of showing me

off. He's like, "Hey, there guys, look.

Look at this guy. Look at this guy." You

know, he's a UFC fighter, you know? And

I'm like, "All right." You know, what's

going on here? You know, and like you

know, cuz it's jail, dog.

like I'm like if anything happens I'm

[ __ ] use all my experience to survive

this [ __ ]

>> And

so he's like just pretty much give me

the rundown. He's like yo uh he's like I

run in here. This is like pretty much

you know our

our this is our home, you know. So that

dude was facing

some charges. He got released and um he

was he was facing some charges of um

him and his like 13 dudes. He got

arrested with his whole crew. Him and 13

dudes were all in that tier. So he had

all his whole his whole squad with them

and they had got arrested for dressing

up as as um like government officials or

like military dudes and they would go

like raid dope houses and and and take

their drugs, whatever. So they had got

it all arrested for that and they were

facing some serious time and

and I'm I'm over here like I just got

arrested for a [ __ ] ounce of weed,

bro. This is crazy. He's like, "Oh no,

you'll be out soon. Don't even worry

about it. But if you want, we could get

you we can get you like accommodated and

you could come up here with us, you

know, like you be my cellmate or

whatever. You could be wherever you

want." And I'm like, "All right." He's

like, "Yeah, but uh it's going to cost

you a little bit of money." I was like,

"Oh yeah, how much?" Like 3,000. And I

looked at the guard, the guard that was

trying to charge me seven. I was like,

he said seven. He's like, nah, no, no,

no, no. He's trying to get more extra

money out of you like, "But you do got

to like pay to get up here and like kind

of like pay rent a little bit, you know,

to the guards."

So I'm like, "All right." Yeah. Yeah.

>> Wild.

>> So I'm like, "All right, cool." So

immediately I I was like, "Yeah, let's

do it." So they give like this brand new

like Nike tracksuit.

>> Oh [ __ ]

>> Yeah. And I'm like, "All right." He's

like, "Well, come come up here

tomorrow." So, I get there.

Um, I get there and then he's like,

"Yeah, just be my soulmate." So,

um, I pretty much ended up being like

this guy's like I end up getting the the

feeling like I was like his protection

kind of like or like, you know, like cuz

when we go to yard, I just be like he'

be like, "Hey, walk with me." Like, and

I would kind of like just I got the

impression like like like all right, I'm

his cellmate, you know? Um,

like I got this guy's back, you know. He

got my back, I got his. And I really

trusted him, you know, and and and

that's one hard thing to do in jail, but

like you catch vibes off people real

easy.

>> Mhm.

>> You know, and and and

Yeah, dude. It was just a crazy ass

experience, dude. I ended up

um we ended up working out with the with

the working it out with the with the

guards to to get me some [ __ ] boxing

gloves, dude. I ended up getting some

boxing gloves in there, um some some

mits, and it just so happened that the

dude that I was sell, he had a little

bit of boxing experience. So, he he had

been a boxer before. So, I was like,

"Oh, perfect." You know, and he actually

knew how to hold pads and stuff. So, so

I ended up spending this whole time.

>> Please tell me you didn't spar him.

>> No, he wanted to. Uh

>> no, no,

>> that that's how it goes south.

>> Yeah. Yeah.

>> Yeah. I'm glad you're smart.

>> You know what I'm saying? Like you said

boxing gloves. I'm like, "Oh, please

tell me this doesn't end the way I think

it ends."

>> No. No. Yeah. We ended up we ended up

actually being really cool.

>> And um Yeah, dude. I ended up pretty

much spending this whole time like in a

boxing fight camp, you know?

>> Oh, wow.

>> Yeah. I remember I I even I even made

like a a makeshift double end bag. What

I did was like I I baldled up like a

bunch of plastic bags like really like

like made it real tight and like so it's

like hard. Threw it in a sock. Um I was

able to to to buy um from the guards

like uh

>> bungee cord.

>> Yeah. Bungee cord and then set that up

and Oh, nice.

>> Yeah. And I made a heavy bag because

they had like these big gallons of water

>> and and I I got the gallon of water and

I wrapped it with like the um the mat

from the from the bed. So I was and I

just threw it in a bag and I and we had

like a pull-up bar in our in our cell

and I made a I made a heavy bag out of

that and then whenever we would go to

yard I would just spend the whole time

running that yard and I was just trying

to do everything I could do to try and

stay in shape, man. And it just time

went time went on and time went on and

time went on and um

>> what kind of food did they get you in

his cell?

>> It was all junk food, dude.

>> Still him?

>> Yeah. Um, it was all junk food like

chips, noodles.

>> Damn.

>> Soda, you know, water,

condiments.

>> So, no protein,

>> none, none, none, none whatsoever. And I

didn't think about that part, you know,

because I was working out like crazy.

And I was getting shredded, but as time

went on, my m like when I got out, I was

skinny as hell, bro. I was skinny as

hell. And and the only source of protein

would probably be soy.

>> Jesus Christ.

>> Yeah. So they'll give like

>> Couldn't you bribe someone to bring in

some [ __ ] meat if you're the cartel?

>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Well, that's the

thing. Like it was crazy. Like so

towards the end towards like the the the

final end of it. Um I guess the guard

started cracking down on on like a lot

of the stuff that was going on. So we

started to to lose a lot of those

amenities that we were getting in the

beginning. And uh and I I was just,

you know, when I got out, I was just uh

malnourished as hell, bro. I'll show you

a picture later like of what I looked

like when I got out. Completely

different person.

>> How much weight did you lose?

>> Um I didn't really lose that much

weight, but it was just like more my

muscles were just

>> Were you thinking about going to 55?

Were you like, damn, I might be able to

make 55.

>> I made starve me. I've made 155 one 155

one time in my career.

>> Dude, you made 55. That must have been

hell.

>> Yeah, it was it was the worst fight camp

ever. Um, it was all based on just

losing the weight. Losing the weight.

And then I was just so I remember after

the I made 155,

>> I didn't even want to go to the gym for

like a month, bro. I was like, dude, I

need to this this like my body was just

done, bro.

>> Yeah, you're killing your body.

>> Yeah. What is this?

>> Oh, yeah. That's some of the workouts I

was doing while I was in prison.

>> But no protein, unfortunately.

>> Yeah, but no protein. So, I was getting

pretty shredded like when in in in that

like period in time, that was when we

had like a lot of like we had food and

and everything was cool. And if you

notice Oh, look at that. The double end

bed. That's nice, dude.

>> Yeah, dude. And like you can see the TV

in the back

>> on the the PlayStation. But I mean, it

wasn't

>> Dude, you're looking good.

>> Yeah.

>> Tighten those hands up. Nice. I bet.

>> Yeah, man. It was just like it was like

a whole experience. And it was crazy

because this guy, he'll be like, you

know, the guards would come, he'd be

like, "Hey, uh, leave my door open."

Yeah. And the guards will actually leave

this door open. So, like we were able to

like walk around the tier and go talk to

other people. Like me. I I I kept to

myself a lot. Like I've been in jail

like a ton of times before. And I

learned I learned uh easily that you

know you'll

you you'll go like along

uh you you'll get by if you just mind

your own business and not get involved

in [ __ ]

>> and not get involved with things. So

like I would just stick to myself, you

know, and and just,

>> you know, just get my workout on and and

and

>> avoid trouble.

>> Avoid trouble, you know. But it was

crazy to see firsthand

how the cartel operates. And it's crazy,

man. They got their hands in everything

over there.

>> Of course,

>> everything.

>> You know, there there was 37

assassinations in Mexico last election.

>> 37?

>> Yeah.

>> Different political people. And I was

talking to Ed Calderon. Do you know who

he is?

>> Yeah. Yeah.

>> Yeah. He's uh Ed Manifesto on Instagram.

He was he used to work for the Mexican

government and then he he became an

American citizen and he was involved

with prosecuting the cartel, going after

them and stuff like that. And he was

essentially saying that like the entire

judicial system, all the mayors,

everyone if they get in, they're cartel

members. Like no one gets in. No one is

a no one is a mayor unless they're in

the cartel. And when they're getting

assassinated, it's cartel

assassinations. It's one cartel, you

know, wants their guy in and another

cartel wants their guy in and they just

shoot the other dude.

>> Yeah.

>> 37 30 Imagine if that was in America 3

the last like the midterms. Imagine

during the primary if 37 people got

assassinated. We'd be like, "What the

[ __ ] has happened to America?"

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So, one of the guys there was actually

actual hitman who was actual like

hitman. Um, and he was in there like

he's like, "Yeah, man. I've I've killed

like 30 cops in in my whole experience."

And he was in there for and they were

they were just like telling me about all

these things. I'm like, "Dude, like

everybody is involved in this [ __ ] It's

crazy, you know?" And and and over here,

like if if you kill a [ __ ] cop,

they're like they're coming after you.

But over there, you know, I guess it's

just another thing. Killing killing

>> a lower tier than the cartel. That's

what it is. The cartel have more money,

more power, more influence.

>> Yeah.

>> And it's crazy how like murders just

they're not even that big of a deal over

there,

>> you know? While I was in there, I I I I

I was reading or I saw that Mexico has

the Guinness World Record for missing

missing persons.

>> Holy [ __ ] dude.

>> Yeah. Yeah. And it was crazy. There's so

many like there was so many hit men in

there. It was crazy. But, you know, I

didn't I didn't have I didn't get no

[ __ ] from nobody, you know. Everybody

was like cool as hell.

>> Well, that's awesome. Well, you're an

easy to get along with dude.

>> Yeah.

>> Luckily.

>> Yeah.

>> Did anybody ask you to train them?

Actually, dude, there's some dogs in

there, man. I bet there's this one guy

in particular. I'm like, "Dude, you got

to [ __ ] start fighting like and he's

like he's he was uh one of one of the

military dudes and he's just a little

[ __ ] machine, dude." And in the time

that I was there, he got he got really

good really quick, you know? I'm like,

"Dude, you got to like go to the gym

down in TJ uh that inim gym,

>> I had I had mentioned like, yo, even

when I got when I when I got released,

um

that uh man, we we did a whole lot of

things to try to get me out, man. Um

there's a ton of fighters even try to

pull some strings for me like Yaya

Rodriguez, you know, uh Brandon Moreno.

He's from TJ and and and nobody nobody

could help me out, man. Everybody tried

to pull strings for me and

>> nobody came up with a number.

>> Did they?

>> Eventually.

>> What was How much was was the number?

Can you tell?

>> Uh I don't want you to get in trouble.

>> Nah.

>> No, don't get in trouble.

>> Yeah, but it was Talk to me later.

>> It was hefty. It was

>> I bet

>> it was not cheap.

>> I bet

>> it was not cheap at all.

>> I bet.

>> You know,

>> everybody wants to get paid.

>> Yeah.

>> Yeah. It was crazy. Uh crazy experience,

dude. and um

to get out of jail, you know, and then

and then now I have this fight I'm

headlining headlining um UFC Serbia

first time in Serbia fighting Euros

medic.

>> When is that fight?

>> August 1st.

>> Nice.

>> Yeah. To get out of to get to go through

all that and then and then to have this

opportunity

is just crazy. And to be here to be here

is just is just crazy, man. because I

didn't I didn't think I was going to get

I wasn't sure if I was going to get out,

man. I thought I was

>> For good reason. A lot of people don't.

>> Yeah. Yeah.

>> You know, United States prison system is

[ __ ] too. But nothing like Mexico's.

Everybody that I've talked to that has

had any experience in Mexican jail and

they're like, "Dude, it's not good."

>> Yeah. No, man. Uh

it it was it was crazy, bro.

>> I just can't believe the cartel can't

sneak meat in.

>> We did sometimes.

>> Yeah, sometimes. Yeah, we did some like

we had they would bring us groceries,

bro.

>> Oh, really?

>> Yeah.

>> Because that's the first thing that I

would want, man. I would like look what

do we got to do to these guards? What

kind of car do you drive, dog?

>> Let's upgrade that [ __ ] We got

to do something. I can't be eating

noodles.

>> Yeah, man. Especially as hard as you

work out.

>> Yeah, I was I was working out like two,

three, three hard hard workouts a day,

you I'll do. Um, so

I'm kind of programmed like like to to

just work out, you know. I think I think

from my prior jail experiences before,

the only positive thing that I think

that helped me in that whole everything

that I that I've been through is like

when you're in jail, like I personally

I'm like I would I would think like

dude, you you you got to be strong. You

got to be able to defend yourself. if

you want. Like that's that's my whole

reason for for staying in shape, you

know. When I started um doing MMA, it

was just to to to be able to defend

myself, you know, in situations like if

I ever did go to jail, you know, and the

only

thing that I positive that I that I took

from that is like when I got when I when

I would get released from prison prior,

um I just want to work out. I'm already

programmed to to just work out all day,

you know. So once I found MMA, I was

like, "Oh, this is perfect, you know,

and and

>> How old were you when you first started

training?"

>> 25.

>> Wow.

>> Yeah. First

>> Yeah, dude.

>> You turned into a UFC contender. That's

very impressive.

>> Not a lot of guys started late. Did you

have any sports experience before that?

>> None, bro.

>> Nothing.

>> None.

>> That's crazy.

>> None. I had I had been in no [ __ ]

though. I had been in probably around

200 street fights already, including all

my jail experience, you know, when I was

in juvenile hall, I was a straight

knucklehead, bro. Like I was fighting

like every other day. Um, and it was

just it became just fun. Just fun. Like

if if like you were like a a like a

tough looking dude like, "Hey, what's

up, man? Want to scrap or what, bro?"

Like, you know, I just he's like, "Why?"

Like cuz you're big, bro. I just want to

fight you. You

>> Yeah. And And

>> with no training? You had no training at

all?

>> No, no training, man. Just just just

want to just want to learn how to fight.

I just want to be

>> by fighting.

>> Yeah. Yeah. So

>> that's a crazy way to learn.

>> Yeah, dude. Just And like dude, you

can't I mean like imagine getting in a

fight with your cellmate. Like that's

some crazy [ __ ]

>> That's crazy [ __ ]

>> Yeah.

>> You got to sleep together.

>> Sleep with one eye open, bro. Like,

>> did you sleep at all? Yeah.

>> Yeah. And um yeah, so that's that's the

only experience I had prior to to

starting MMA. And then I remember I I

stopped going to jail when I was like

23.

When I when I stopped going to jail, I

started having kids and I'm like, "All

right, got to start I got to stop gang

banging." Because I used to think going

to jail was cool.

>> Real. I used to think it was cool

because you get out and you just have

like a little more respect like like I

thought I thought it was cool. I thought

like like oh going to jail makes you a

badass, you know? But once I started

having kids, I realized like all right,

I got to take care of I got human beings

I got to [ __ ] I got to take care of

and raise, you know? So I started

looking for every any possible way to

try to live a decent life. And I I've

tried everything, man. I've had every

job he could think of and but I've even

had good jobs before and I've lost them,

you know, by just being a knucklehead

and going back to jail.

And I remember I got out of prison one

time and my cousin hits me up and he's

like, "Yo, uh, come to my house, bro.

We're we're going to watch uh some

fights and barbecue and stuff." I was

like, "All right, yeah, dope." I was

like, "Who's fighting?" He's like, "Um,

some dude Rampage." I'm like, "Who the

[ __ ] Rampage?"

So, I get there and that's when Forest

Griffin had fought um Rampage won the

the light heavyweight title and I'm

like, "Yo, this is amazing, bro." And

then I fell in love with Chuck Liddell

and I'm like, "Dude, this he's just like

me, bro. He's like knocking dudes out,

you know?"

And then I just obsessed with it. I just

obsessed with it.

>> So, that was your first exposure to MMA?

I had seen it before, like when it was

Tank Abbott and early days.

>> Yeah, in the early days, but it never

caught my attention like because I had

always been a boxing fan. I'm a huge

boxing fan and and I grew up watching

boxing like um all of like majority of

my family functions growing up they were

all boxing events like Oscar de la Hoya,

Mike Tyson, uh Manny Pacquiao, Floyd

Mayweather and and I was just I loved

boxing, you know, and I remember I mean

I did have a little bit of experience

before going into MMA cuz when I lived

in the hood, I would always have boxing

gloves and I would always make my homies

fight each other like when we're all

hanging out like hey you go with him you

go with him because like you know we're

all boys and I want them to like I

always wanted them to to to

like hey in case in case anything

happens in case we're ever all out and

we get in a rumble with somebody or

anything like that like try to make my

homies more tougher you know cuz like

hey you guys got to have my back I got

yours and that's just that's that's just

something we just did you know or like

well we'll just go body shots body

punches you know

>> right

>> and just fight each other So that's kind

of my background, bro, to be honest with

you. And and yeah, man, I just I just I

just carried that into into the gym when

I first went. I remember

>> What was the first gym you went to?

>> It's called It was called Tap Out in

downtown LA.

>> Okay.

>> At the time, I think that's um I I was

training with Eddie Bravo and and he had

moved in 10th last. So that's when I

first when I first started, I wanted to

box and um

>> I remember the tap out gym very well.

>> Yeah. Yeah.

>> Yeah. It was a great gym.

>> Yeah.

And and I remember when I first started

going there, I was working construction.

I was I was working on a on a highrise

in downtown LA.

And

and I would um pass by every day. I was

like, "Man, I want to go in there, you

know, but I never like would go in

there. I would just pass by and I'll get

home and talk to my mom like, "Man,

there's this gym called Tap Out. I

really want to go, you know." She's

like, "Oh yeah, but I would talk about

it all the time." But I never had like I

don't know, you know, it's a kind of

nervous. It's kind of nervous going

walking into a gym for the first time

and you don't know like what to expect

or but I was just a fan and so I walked

uh actually

the the way I got started was it was it

was our anniversary

and as a gift she gave me a gym

membership

and then I went to the gym and the the

coaches were like yo dude like who is

this guy you know but when I first went

in there I was like so raw and just so

like street fight street fighting

experience but I had power. I had some

power and um you know I just fell in

love with it and the the the coaches

were like even the days I wouldn't show

up cuz in the beginning of it

I was still like still had that

knucklehead mentality. I'll still be out

partying with my friends or not show up

to the gym and coaches will actually

call me like yo where where are you at?

You need to be in the gym. You need to

be training. So I guess what what helped

me in the beginning was my actually my

coaches like really noticing that I had

like a talent, you know, I had I had

potential

and I just obsessed with it, man, and

fell in love with the whole training

experience. And and I remember my first

time trying jiu-jitsu. It was a skinny

[ __ ] skinny dorky looking dude was

like, "Hey, you need to you need to come

train jiu-jitsu, man. Come train." I was

like, "Nah." Cuz I remember like before

I watched you, I was like, "Oh, man.

Wrestling is gay, dude."

Like, "Dude, wrestling is gay." Trying

to watch that, you know? And then

obviously like you go through that

experience. I like, "All right." So the

skinny dude is like, "Come on, man. Just

try it out. I bet you can't, you know, I

bet you I could make you tap or

whatever." Like, "Nah, no." He went,

strangled me, you know. I'm like, "Oh,

hell no. I hate losing, bro." So I was

like, and there there's there's two

different kinds of people. There's

people that will get their ass whooped

and you're like, "No, this ain't for

me." Or

um you get your ass whooped, you're

like, "Oh, I never want that to happen

again." You know? So, I would show up

every day determined like, "One day I'm

going to one day I'm going to win. One

day I'm going to get him. One day I'm

going to get him." And that honestly

kept me kept me in the game. You know,

>> it's amazing how little tiny dudes can

[ __ ] you up,

>> dude. That's the last thing I expected.

I was like, "What?" Jiu-jitsu is the

only thing that like you know in martial

arts movies there was always this myth

that the little guy can [ __ ] up all the

bigger guys.

>> Yeah.

>> But with striking that's hard. Power is

real, size is real, mass is real.

>> There's there's too, you know, too many

variables. If a guy knows how to throw a

good one, two, you might be [ __ ] He

hits you in the clinch, you can't get

away from his clinch, he's too strong,

he clubs you, you're [ __ ]

>> But jiu-jitsu, man, there's no lucky

punches in jiu-jitsu. And that's what's

crazy when a little guy just annihilates

you. It's so humbling.

>> My first experience uh was a dude who

was a purple belt. I was a white belt

and uh he was my size. I was like, "This

dude's my size. Like this isn't that a

bigger dude. This is going to be, you

know, competitive." No, he just raped

me. Just did whatever the [ __ ] he wanted

to do to me. Arm barred me, triangled

me. And I remember leaving going, I am

so delusional. I had this idea in my

head, you know, that I knew how to

fight. And then until I started doing

jiu-jitsu, I was like, I don't know

anything. I'm helpless. Like completely

helpless.

>> Yeah.

>> But you know, like you, the the the

smart thing to do like what you did is

just go, I want to learn that,

>> you know, and you having the courage to

do that, you know, especially as a guy

who didn't have any martial arts

experience at all. Just like throw

yourself into it. It's very difficult to

do, man. And especially at 25.

>> Yeah. Yeah, cuz by 25 like Jon Jones had

already been a UFC champion and defended

it multiple times, you know? It's like

by the time you're starting out, so many

guys are like in the middle of their

career.

>> Yeah. So, that's one thing that I that I

I've always thought about um and those

like why I work so hard is like I feel

like I have to catch up to these dudes

that have been doing this their whole

life,

>> you know, like like dudes have been in

the gym since they were kids doing

karate and boxing. You know, there's

there is a thing though about having a

lot of street fights. There's a mental

edge to being in a lot of conflict and a

lot of combat. One things I've always

noticed about you when you fight, you're

very calm. Like when you get in there,

you're very relaxed. Like, and it's like

life experience, you know? That's a

factor.

>> Yeah. I just feel like in an MMA fight,

it's it's a safe environment. Like

believe it or not, to me it's safe,

right?

>> You know, cuz I've been in I've been in

sit cuz if anything goes wrong, the rest

right there like, "All right, there.

That's it. It's done." You know, it's a

fair fight,

>> you know. Uh I've been in situations

where I don't know if I'm going to live,

>> right?

>> You know, if I don't survive this, I

might die.

>> Yeah.

>> You know, and and I think that I carry

that a lot, you know, while while I

fight. And that's why I look so calm

because um I've been I'm calm and

>> hectic sit like

>> Yeah. It's not the worst thing you've

experienced. That's for a lot of

fighters. It's the most dangerous thing

they've ever experienced.

>> Yeah.

>> When they step into that octagon, they

close that door and they're looking

across this octagon and another train

killer like, "Oh boy." Like this is the

scariest thing that's ever happened to

them.

>> Yeah.

>> So there's a mental benefit that you

have for having all those street fights.

And even though you didn't start until

late, man, the mental game might be most

of the fighting,

>> you know.

>> Yeah, man. When when when I step in

there, I'm just

I'm just happy to be there, you know?

Like I I I'm lucky to be out here. I'm

lucky to be have my freedom. I'm lucky

to be alive, you know? So, when I'm when

I'm walking out to a fight, like I just

feel I just feel happy, dude. I'm just

I'm just It's just happy happiness.

like, you know, cuz while I'm backstage,

I'm like thinking,

how did I get here, dude? You know, like

I'm just how the [ __ ] did I do this? How

did I make it this far? You know,

>> and you know, like a situation like like

this like where I'm fresh out of fresh

out of jail, you know, and and

I'm like, dude, like

main event in Serbia against a guy from

Serbia is crazy, bro. But you know what?

Just live live that [ __ ] man. Like like

I told myself like, "Dude, this is your

opportunity to to tell like to like this

shit's a movie, bro. Like my life is

crazy."

>> It is a movie if you think about it. I

mean, very few people live that life. In

and out of jail many times, locked up in

Mexico for eight months, never knowing

if you're going to get out. Next thing

you know, you're headlining a UFC card.

>> Yeah, man. Sitting here.

>> Main event.

>> Yeah. sitting here on the Joe Rogan

Experience, you know, telling my story

is just, you know, uh,

>> where's Euros Medic ranked? Is he above

you or both?

>> He's number 13.

>> What are you at?

>> 15.

>> Yeah. So, both of you guys top

contenders.

>> I'm surprised throughout that whole

process they kept me in the rankings.

>> Wow. Good respect to them, you know.

Also, they probably realized you were

probably working out in jail.

>> Yeah. Yeah, man. But I mean, well, it's

not. You shouldn't be punished for

something like that. You get stuck in a

crazy situation.

>> Yeah, man.

>> Especially if you're coming from

California where weed's legal. Everybody

gets confused. You know, you have that

weed in California. Everybody, it's

everywhere. It's totally legal.

>> That's why it didn't even It didn't even

cross my mind. It didn't even cross my

mind.

>> I know that, man. We can get in trouble

for this.

>> That's crazy.

>> You know,

>> I would have never known those laws cuz

I heard that it was decriminalized. I

thought, oh, they don't they got other

[ __ ] to worry about. They're, you know,

they got cartel problems and fentinel

problems. They don't give a [ __ ] if

you're bringing in weed.

>> Yeah. Well, now, now I have a part of of

the process of me getting out is like I

had to get like now I have dual

citizenship in Mexico.

>> Now you do?

>> Yeah.

>> Because of getting out?

>> No. No. Um, my lawyers um it was a part

of me getting out. So like when you

pulled up the um the the

uh decriminalized

>> Mhm. the laws for

>> the laws for citizens.

>> So that that was a process of

>> Oh, so you became a citizen so the law

was less for you.

>> Yeah.

>> That's hilarious.

>> So it was a ton of stuff that we had to

do, man.

>> Bro, that is a crazy loophole.

>> Yeah. Yeah. So now people are asking

>> Everybody should become a citizen of

Mexico.

>> Yeah, man. I ain't never going back to

Mexico. I'm not going back for a while,

bro. I cannot see myself. I don't even

want to go back. So,

>> um especially since I released the

footage of me working out in prison and

stuff, like I don't ever want to go to

Mexico and and for any reason they're

like, "Get his ass, you know, and bring

him back over."

>> Yeah. Yeah. And they probably would,

too.

>> Yeah.

>> At the very least try to get more money

out of you.

>> Definitely.

>> Especially after you headlining a UFC

card.

>> Yeah. And on top of that, like like um

like releasing that footage was like

definitely like a no no. But since

>> How did you Did they all have cell

phones inside?

>> Yeah. So we had we had cell phones.

>> Yeah.

>> So were you texting your friends? You

could text your lawyer, all that [ __ ]

>> Yeah.

>> Did you worry that your text would be

intercepted?

>> No. No, not at all. Cuz uh I would text

everybody or call everybody on on

WhatsApp and I guess

>> Yeah, it's encrypted. Yeah, it's

encrypted.

>> And so when you're doing all this and

filming all this, you just save the

footage and then when you got out

>> No, I would I would send it I would send

it to like my friends. So I I sent it to

to one of my buddies and I was like,

"Yo, save all this stuff cuz when I get

out, this is going to this is going to

be it's going to be big, bro." You know?

>> Well, I'm glad they didn't release it

before you got out.

>> Yeah. Yeah.

>> You got to really trust your friends cuz

that could have been [ __ ]

>> Yeah, man. And the whole time like no

one knew what no one knew where I was

at. No one knew where I was going on and

there was a couple rumors going around

that I was backpacking in Peru.

Another one was was one of my buddies

like it's crazy how the internet

believes anything, bro.

>> Mhm.

>> Like there's people thought I was

building wells in Rwanda.

Like one of my buddies said that he's

like, "Oh, he's building wells in Rwanda

doing God's work." And like people ran

with that like, hey, actually people

when I got released uh right away they

were like, oh, Kevin Holland bailed him

out.

Kevin Holland bailed him out to get a

rematch. And people believe that.

>> That's hilarious. That's so funny.

It must have been so weird.

>> So when you're inside, did you did they

have the internet? Would they could they

watch fights?

>> Yeah. Yeah, actually. Um, so they ended

up putting like these cell like

scramblers, like these towers that like

mess up the signal and we ended up

getting uh what's that that uh Tesla

thing? Starlink.

>> Mhm.

>> We ended up getting Starlink.

>> We got Starlink in a Ted jail.

>> Oh my god, that's insane. Yeah, we ended

up getting Starlink and had Wi-Fi for a

little while and then I remember

we ended up losing all that stuff

because um

like every every once in a while they'd

be like, "Hey, the guards will come

like, "Hey, uh they're going to come do

inspections and you know, so they would

like hide everything." And I remember

this one time they hid everything and

they're like, "Oh, we're not going to

get back to you guys." So, we ended up

that like I'd say like by by the fifth

month, uh, that's when like they really

started cracking down and stopped

bringing us like the extra food and the

food that like the prison food in there,

dude, is it's the worst. It's terrible.

Terrible. um tortillas like with every

meal like five tortillas, rice or beans,

and like some kind of like soup, but the

soup is pretty much there's no meat in

it. It's it's um majority of is like

potatoes and carrots, you know, like

>> So your only protein you're getting from

beans?

>> Yeah.

>> Wow.

>> Yeah. And it was just horrible. Dirty.

Unsanitary.

>> What's the first thing you ate when you

got out?

First thing I ate when I got out was um

a double western bacon cheeseburger

from Carl's Jr.

>> Wasn't the best ever.

>> Yeah, man. And I couldn't even finish it

because at the time like my stomach was

so I I got like I got full as hell, man.

Like like I it was crazy. And um

man, I was so skinny when I got out,

bro. It was crazy. So, like this whole

time I just been like trying to to just

bulk back up, you know?

>> So, what did you weigh? Did you weigh

yourself when you got out?

>> Uh, when I weighed I weighed myself when

I got out and I normally walk around

around 200 and I was like around 180,

you know, but I looked horrible, bro.

Like, I look like I just cut weight. I

look like I was like

>> I'm sure

>> Yeah, it was it was horrible. But it was

it was like I wasn't shredded or

nothing. I was just had no muscle

definition and it was just it was bad,

bro. And I remember um when I first got

out, man, I was like thinking like, "All

right, I tried like when I got out, I

hit the like I got out ready to just

like, "All right, I'm getting my life

back. I'm going I'm going to uh train my

ass off, bro." I was so out of shape. I

was so out of shape, bro. And and I was

like really discouraged at the time, you

know? I was like, "Dude, I don't know. I

think my [ __ ] career is over, dude. I

don't know if how I'm going how am I

going to come back from this, you know?

I was so out of shape and

>> That's crazy cuz you were working out so

much in jail.

>> Yeah, but it was just um because of of

the lack of of

Yeah. nutrition. I was like so

malnourished.

>> Your body was just destroyed.

>> Yeah. It was It was horrible, bro. And

uh I almost thought like, dude, I can't

do this [ __ ] anymore, dude. Like I'm

like I'm not going to I think my career

might be over, you know? And um I was

just in my head about it for a little

bit and then and then you know like I

was like nah you know I'm I'm a [ __ ]

soldier dude. I I I could bounce back

from this and and you know I just I just

really believed that through hard work

you know I I'll get back to to my old

self. And now I feel great. Dude,

>> how long did it take before you started

feeling normal?

>> About uh I'm barely starting to feel

like 100% now. now. Yeah. And when did

you get out?

>> Um, it's been almost two months.

>> Wow, that's not a lot of time.

>> Yeah.

>> And when is this uh the fight is August

1st?

>> Yeah, it's another

>> No, two months. Yeah,

>> that's good.

>> Yeah. And I feel I feel good now.

>> That's crazy though. It takes you two

months and then now you're back. You

look normal like physically. You look

healthy. So, it took you that time to

just put the weight back on and get your

muscle tone back and all that [ __ ]

That's a good thing though that you were

always in shape so you bounce back

quicker. You have muscle memory.

>> Yeah. And actually I've honestly been

enjoying the the proc this whole process

of of like when when I first got out I

could only run like a mile and I was

dying, bro. And through through each run

I could see my progress and I'm like,

"Okay, I'm getting better. Okay, I'm

getting better." And and like I'm in

love with it right now. I'm in love with

look getting better and better and

better 1% every single day. You know, I

truly believe believed that through the

work and and to trust the work that I

have ahead of me. And I honestly think

that

by the time the fight gets here, I'm

going to be in perfect peak shape.

>> That's awesome.

>> Yeah.

>> What a crazy comeback story.

>> Yeah, man.

>> You know.

>> Yeah. And and it it's it's really just

like a a a really deep personal one for

me because from what where when I when I

first got out to now it's just like it's

it's crazy. It's crazy how how I could

the body can bounce back and like just

get back into shape, you know?

>> Well, it's crazy the mind too. I mean,

you must be so thankful just every time

you're training. Yeah, you might be

tired, but man, you must be so thankful

that you're out and free and then you're

working towards something big.

>> You know, you got a big fight coming up

and what a blessing.

>> Yeah, man. I'm just I'm just embracing

the whole process, you know, and I'm

just, you know, I'm I'm all for it. I'm

all in. Actually,

going to to jail and going through all

that actually made made me appreciate

and value everything that I have going

on right now. So, so I'm just like so

grateful and so thankful that I even

have this opportunity and I just signed

a new contract with the UFC. Six more

fights.

>> Nice.

>> And and now I'm I'm main event. It's

just crazy, dude.

>> Dude, if you go on to win the title from

here, how crazy would that be?

>> Do you know what I'm saying?

>> Yeah,

>> that would be crazy.

>> And you know, you move you beat Medic,

you're in the top 13, you're close to

the top 10. Few fights later, anything

can happen in this sport.

>> Yep. And I would even tell dudes like

that like realistically bro like I can

like in four or five fights go like four

or five fights I could be fighting for

the championship you know maybe less

>> in this sport all it takes is a few

spectacular results a few spectacular

results and people get behind you and

the crowd gets behind you and next thing

you know

>> yeah I mean if if I go out there and

smoke this guy then it's going to be

it's going to be so much even bigger

just because of the whole experience

that I went through and like man, he got

out of jail and just [ __ ] knocked

this dude out. And you know, why not?

Like, why? Why not, bro? You know, why

why can't I be that guy? Like, you hear

stories all the time of of these

incredible stories of people that become

champions from nothing and then been

through all kinds of stuff. Like, why

not me, bro?

>> Listen, you never [ __ ] know. You

never [ __ ] know. That's the crazy

thing about this sport.

>> Yeah. You know, anything could happen,

dude.

>> Yeah. I mean, you've got Makachev as the

title holder, which is, you know, one of

the baddest [ __ ] to ever do it.

That's part of the problem.

>> Yeah.

>> You know, he's got the opposite life.

>> That's a guy that's been disciplined in

training his entire life, you know,

never

>> never [ __ ] around. No drugs, no

drinking, no nothing. Just discipline.

>> Yeah.

>> It's tough cell.

>> It's different different levels, man.

>> Yeah.

>> There's different levels to it.

>> How old are you now?

>> 39.

Yeah.

>> Yeah.

>> So that's like

>> I got like couple more years left, man.

So that's why

>> it's crazy. While they stole eight

months of like very valuable time.

>> Yeah. And that's what that's one thing

that that's one the number one thing

that I was like, man, like I'm running

out of time, bro. You know, I don't got

>> Yeah.

>> I don't got a lot of time left, you

know? So getting out

and like I said like I'm just I'm just

taking it a lot more serious, you know.

>> I'm sure. Where are you training now?

>> So right now I'm in I'm in Vegas

training over at uh the PI at Extreme.

>> Oh, that's great. at Extreme Court Tour

and right now and and freestyle MMA.

While I'm in Vegas and uh while I'm in

California, I go to classic Classic

Fight Team uh training at over at Tanori

and 10 Planet,

you know. So, I'm just But right now, uh

I'm I'm in Vegas right now. It's so much

so much easier. LA is crazy, dude. I

like I'm on the road. When I'm in LA,

it's just I'm on the road all [ __ ]

day. LA traffic is just a nightmare. So

that's why like uh I'm in Vegas right

now

>> because everything's so close together

and so convenient and and

>> that's also so high level. There's so

much highle training in Vegas and the PI

is an amazing resource for fighters, you

know, as far as nutrition, cutting

weight. I mean, they'll get your meals

for you. They get your supplements for

you. They make sure that everything is,

you know, safe for sport approved, so

you don't have to worry about testing

positive for anything. Like the PI is

amazing.

>> Yeah. such an incredible resource.

>> Yeah. Right now it's a little bit crazy

because um they're they're they're

letting like the slap fight guys go

there and the Zufa boxing guys I think.

>> Yeah.

>> So yeah, those guys are are using

>> the slap fight guys train.

>> I don't know how they train like how do

you how do you train for that bro? You

know

>> they do neck workouts. I don't know.

>> I guess that's it.

>> Yeah,

>> right. Swinging things with your arms.

>> Yeah. You know, I guess like cable

machines like you know what I'm saying?

Like get a cable machine on your wrist

and do this a bunch of times.

>> Yeah. So they have um at the PI they

have like this like this thing that

gauges your um

>> your power and your strike and they use

that. They use that all the time.

>> The power slap guys do. Oh, that's so

silly.

>> Yeah. And and then also the Zufa boxing

guys are there too. So

>> So it's a little it's a little bit

hectic right now. There's like a a lot

going on.

>> Yeah, I could imagine.

>> Yeah. Power slap guys. That's a

different thing.

>> I've never been to one of those. I hear

I haven't either.

>> I hear you have to go to one to like

enjoy it.

>> You have to be on acid.

>> Yeah.

>> Just to me it's like I don't know, man.

I feel I feel like letting someone just

swing on you. And the thing is like if

you get the first swing, you have a

giant advantage.

>> Yeah.

>> The first swing is a crazy advantage.

>> That's dangerous, bro. That's

>> just getting, you know, just getting

whacked. And some of these guys are

>> they get knocked out. Yeah.

>> Oh, 100%. Man, it's not less powerful

than a punch. You know, this is the idea

that you're slapping like this. That's

not what they're hitting with the palm

of the hand.

>> Yeah.

>> Right on your [ __ ] jaw. It's super

powerful.

>> You can only take so many of those in

your whole life, you know, and you're

lining up for those.

>> Yeah. And I mean, you can imagine like

their nerve damage on your face, too.

Well, I mean, look, I'm for whatever you

want to do. You want to jump BMX bikes,

you want to ride bulls, you want to

power slap, have at it. This is America.

Have a good time.

>> Yeah.

>> But it seems like at an MMA gym, it

should be MMA fighters. I don't I mean,

the boxing is probably a good crossover.

Like, you could probably get some good

work with some of those guys.

>> Yeah.

>> You know, and then also seeing highlevel

boxers train is good. It's great for

your technique. It's great for just

>> raising the level up in the gym. Yeah.

>> Yeah. No, it's it's it's it's really

dope. I love I love the PI, man. Uh and

Vegas in general, like there's so many

killers out there, you know?

>> It's one of the best places in the world

for MMA training. I mean, you got

Extreme Couture. Think of how many

killers are training out of there,

>> you know? You got uh there there's so

many. You got Syndicate. There's so many

places, man. Yeah, it's incredible. So

much jiu-jitsu. Robert Ddale's there.

There's so many guys that are there.

10th Planet there.

>> There's so much jiu-jitsu there. There's

so much MMA there. I mean, if you're a

fighter, it's like one of the best

places to live.

>> Yeah. I remember when I first when I

first went out there, I was in about

2020. Uh I went out I was I was on

Cowboys camp

>> and uh he went out there and and that's

when I saw firsthand all the all the the

amenities

>> from the PI and like all the the whole

Vegas experience. And so I decided to

move out there. So I lived out there for

like 2 years and and I've just been

going back and forth ever since.

>> It's worth living there just for the PI.

>> Yeah.

>> You know, and then you there's so much

Muay Thai there. There's so much

everything. There's so much great

training there.

>> Yeah. Yeah. There's there's a ton of

there's a ton of gyms like you said,

man.

>> Yeah. It might not there might not be

another city in the country that's like

Vegas in that regard.

>> Yeah.

>> Think about boxing. You got Floyd

Mayweather's gyms there, which is crazy,

right? There's a bunch of other gyms

there. You got high level boxers there.

You got high level Muay Thai guys there.

You know, One Kick Nick has his place

there. There's so much highlevel

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>> Yeah. Sometimes I even go to uh the

nuani gym.

>> Oh yeah.

>> Yeah. Anthony and uh Cheety,

>> they have their own gym.

>> Yeah.

>> Okay. Well, they they were with one kick

Nick, right? Yeah.

>> Yeah.

>> [ __ ] crazy town.

>> Yeah, man. training and again like I

can't say enough like every I've been to

the PI a bunch of times but when I first

went there before they were really open

when they were really getting rolling I

was like this is incredible like if

you're a fighter you have a place that

has all the recovery stuff all the like

the high-end top-notch recovery stuff

cold plunge saunas all the all the

everything like all physical therapy

supplements they when that when I found

out they make food for you I was like

this is crazy. Yeah, I love that part. I

love I love I'm always I'm always there,

you know. You could go there, order

whatever you want, you know, and like,

sure, steak and steak and rice, you

know.

>> Yeah. Well, they just want you to be

healthy, which is makes sense. Just it's

so smart that they did that. When they

did that, I was like, what are they

doing dumping all this money in that?

Who's going to go there? And then when I

went there, I was like, oh, I get it.

They went all out. They went all out.

And it's just if you want your fighters

to be at the very best to compete in the

UFC, what better way than provide the

best worldass facility on earth. Yeah.

And then to put it right there in Vegas.

And now they have a bunch of them,

right? They have one in Mexico. They

have one in I think they have one in

Singapore.

>> Yeah. They have a bunch of them. It's

awesome. So smart. Such a smart move to

do.

>> You know what would have been crazy if

you were on the White House card. If you

got really

>> Dude, that's going to be major, dude.

That's crazy.

>> That's going to be major. I wish it was

inside, but it is going to be crazy.

It's so funny watching people lose their

mind over it,

>> you know, in in all sorts of different

ways. Lose their mind over it because

they hate the political situation in

this country. Lose their mind over it

because they feel like it's a waste of

money. Why they spending so much money?

This country's in in debt. We got

problems. Why are we having a fight? And

then other people are like, "Fuck yeah."

like a, you know, I mean, there's no

more American thing than having a UFC

fight on the White House lawn. It's so

America. It's so It's so Trump. It's so

crazy. You know what I mean? A UFC fight

on the White House lawn is bananas.

>> Yeah, man. Even um the fight card is

amazing as well.

>> Oh, fight card's incredible. The only

thing that bothers me is that it's

outside

>> and that these guys are they're fighting

for world titles. I mean, Ilia Tapora

might be is not just one of the best

right now. He might be one of the best

that ever did it. It's very possible

that he goes down in history as the

all-time. I mean, he's he's so good. And

for him to have to defend his title, the

world title outside with bugs and

humidity and heat.

>> Yeah. You got to take into account the

weather, you know, it's a whole

different environment.

>> It could rain. It could thunderstorm.

Who [ __ ] knows? It's DC. It's the

East Coast in the middle of the summer.

I mean, it's it's it's crazy to have a

fight outside in June in DC.

>> Yeah, I've I've fought outside before.

It's it's definitely a different

different vibe, different energy.

>> Where'd you fight outside?

>> Um I fought outside for Gata Americas.

Uh it was uh somewhere in Arizona and it

was a night time.

>> That's Camel McLaren's organization,

right? Yeah. Love that dude. I've also

fought in the summer in the daytime and

at a fair.

>> Oh my god.

>> Yeah, it was one of like in California.

>> In California.

>> What was the temperature?

>> It was hot as hell, dude. The mat was

hot as hell. It was like at a fair in in

the middle of the summer or something.

>> Oh, that sucks. The mat's hot. I didn't

even think of that.

>> Yeah, dude. It was

>> Was it canvas or was it like matte?

>> I think it was matte.

>> Oh, Jesus.

>> Yeah, it was it wasn't.

>> So, not just that, but it gets slippery

as [ __ ] too, then. Yeah, dude. It was

hot as hell, bro.

>> Did you ever see King of the Cage wet

and wild?

>> You ever see that?

>> No.

>> King of the Cage put on a fight in the

middle of a rainstorm and just let

people fight. Just like I I think they

just said, "Look, you know, if you want

to fight, you get paid. This is it. It's

going to rain out and we're going to

have to fight." Because it was outside.

Yeah.

>> So, this is back when California did not

have MMA. It was illegal, but it was

legal on Indian reservations. So we

would go to these Indian reservations

for King of the Cage.

>> So So back when Eddie, I think Eddie was

the commentator at that event. I'm not

sure, but he was one of the main

commentators at King of the Cage. And my

friend Bud, who's my neighbor back in

California, I actually sold him my old

house. Real good friend of mine. He was

one of the owners of King of the Cage.

And they were just putting on these

events in [ __ ] these Indian

reservations when it was totally illegal

in California. So, we would just drive

to the Indian reservations and watch.

And one of them, it poured. I mean, it

was outside. The whole thing was

outside. They just set up a cage outside

and it's [ __ ] pouring, dude. And

these guys are slipping all over the

place and it's crazy. They're fighting

with wrestling shoes on and it was just

some of them did at least. And it's

[ __ ] ridiculous. Like, there's no way

you should fight like this.

>> Yeah. My my actually actually my pro

debut was for King of the Cage outside

on Indian Reservation at

>> What year was this? Uh I want to say 20

2017 maybe

>> so they were still doing them outside

even then.

>> Yeah.

>> Wow.

>> At uh Saboba Casino.

>> Yeah.

>> Yeah.

>> Yeah. That's where we went.

>> Yeah.

>> See if you can find the King of the Cage

footage for Wet and Wild. It was

>> one of the craziest events I've ever

seen in my life. I just imagine you're

basically fighting on ice. You're

slipping all over the place. Everybody's

sliding. This is it. Look, they're

trying to mop down the cage in between

the fights. I mean, it's ridiculous.

Like, what are you going to do? You're

not going to dry it out. I don't know

why they were trying to do this, but

they were trying to at least give them

some sort of like not sping wet

environment.

>> Dude, that must have been so hard to

fight on.

>> Look at they're slipping.

>> Oh, they're slipping all over the place.

At least they had wrestling shoes on cuz

I I don't remember what year this was.

>> The ref with the ponchos. Kind of funny.

>> I know. It's crazy. All the officials

have ponchos on. It's [ __ ] pouring

right now. I don't remember what year it

was. It's I think it said it right

there. 2001 I think.

>> Oh, okay. That makes sense. So that I

think that's illegal days. I'm not 99%

sure that's the illegal days. Of course

it is cuz they're wearing shoes. But it

was the whole event was just insane. And

imagine like trying to get a submission

on someone who's literally soaking wet.

>> Yeah, dude.

>> I mean, it's impossible. It's It's so

crazy. But I mean, these dudes

>> been so remember this forever. This

event like everybody was there. Look,

you see the water? Oh, it's pouring.

>> I mean, why are they But why are they

bothering like sweeping the water off?

You're not going to dry it out. And look

at his feet, man. His feet are sliding

all over the place with wrestling shoes

on. It's crazy. In a situation like

that, you're almost like better off like

immediately going to the ground.

But even then, like how are you going to

even get a choke? People are sl Everyone

would slide out of everything. It's like

fighting someone who's oiled up. Look at

he's drying them off. That's crazy.

Yeah.

Yeah. But this

>> the White House one. I just I just hope

it doesn't rain. I hope they figure out

a way to kill the bugs, too. I've been

investigating online. Uh there's a bunch

of different machines that they sell for

like outdoor events and these they kill

every bug within like a mile radius.

They set these things up and all the

bugs just go to it and get zapped. And

at the end of it, they dump it out.

There's like a [ __ ] like a big bag of

bugs. So, if they set a bunch of those

up around the perimeter, maybe they can

at least minimize the amount of bugs

that are out there because you have uh

in the DC area, you have a lot of gnats.

>> Imagine fighting and you got a gnat in

your eye. You know, you're in the middle

of moving around, something goes in your

mouth,

>> you know.

>> Yeah. Is there a lot of them out there?

>> Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's moist.

>> That's the thing about DC. It's humid.

That's a humid environment, especially

in the summer. And Jamie and I checked,

was it 100 degrees there?

>> Yeah, it's current. I mean, we're

getting closer to the date, so the

forecast is getting better. It's

currently set to be a high of 85, low of

69.

>> 69 is nice.

>> No rain and well, isolated thunderstorms

the two days before,

>> but that doesn't I mean, I know that's

what that

>> doesn't mean anything by the time it

gets to June.

>> Yeah.

>> And what is it? June 11th. What is it?

It's on. So it's on the 14th. 12th and

13th both have isolated thunderstorms.

>> 12th and 13th and it's on the 14th. Oh

[ __ ]

>> And the one on Friday it says

considerable cloudiness and fog after

midnight. I think the fights would be

over by then probably, but who knows?

>> Well, the fights are Sunday,

>> right? No, I'm just saying like that

means at night it's getting

>> Yeah. Well, the thing is if it's the

lows 69 that's nice. So, if it cools off

by the time the main event starts or the

the last few fights, but the first few

guys that get after it, they're going to

probably be fighting in the daytime.

>> Yeah. You know, you never know. They

might just spray some chemtrails and

change the weather,

>> you know.

>> Yeah, they might.

>> You never know.

>> Oh, if anybody's going to do it, it's

Trump. Do you see the thing that he

posted? He's got like this whole drone

army on the roof of the ballroom now.

Oh, no. I didn't.

>> So, you know, they built What's up, J?

>> It will. It's not done yet.

>> Oh, it's not?

>> No. Oh, well, he show posted pictures of

the AI.

>> Yeah. Well, no. I mean, it's just a

rendering, I would say.

>> Oh, that's all it is?

>> Oh. How far along is the ballroom?

>> I think they're

pretty far. I'm going to show you the

picture that they posted, but it's not.

>> It's like a rendering of what it will

>> Oh, that's fake.

>> Yeah.

>> Okay. Why would you tell people what

you're going to do? Well, they're going

to be able to see that. They can't hide