well Israel welcome back um back to Sydney back to Australia
um and this time you didn’t come alone you actually it sounds like you brought Sean Strickland with you to Sydney because it sounds like without you this
fight would not be happening here is that correct you are 100 correct I got him his first passport I
um got him his first flight out of his country um I got him his big money fight so
I he should be really grateful after this he should be really grateful um for the opportunity I’ve been this
assistance here is she really because he’s talking all this [ __ ] and it’s whatever but like he should really be grateful because I’m changing his
life for the better he uh he was just in here talking to us um oh fill me in ah you can sort of
imagine it I did say thank you but uh oh you did yeah he said thanks oh that’s cool oh look at that you teach him nice
you teach him nice things I can’t guarantee he’s being sincere but he did say it I’ll take it um he’s obviously not really cutting a
very serious figure you know he’s not coming in here like I’m ready to get the job done he’s coming here he’s cracking jokes do you think that’s sort of an
example of how he’s really feeling about the fight or is that just how he’s trying to push the nerves off until the
end of the week I think that makes him really dangerous I think that’s uh
that’s that that’s what makes him dangerous he doesn’t care he he knows
I’m gonna beat him so he doesn’t care and he’s gonna try and do his best to beat me by any means
necessary um I’ve been there before even my last fight I knew I could beat this guy I was like
I can [ __ ] beat this guy I almost beat him every [ __ ] time and I beat him the first time but I know I could beat this guy and then you know he ended
up beating me but I was just like okay everyone’s counting me out I’m I’m the underdog so I was like right bet I’m
gonna use this and I don’t care I’m gonna give everything to this fight and that makes you a dangerous man a man
with nothing to lose and everything to gain is a dangerous man he uh he admits that before the prayer
fight he should have wrestled he should have gone in there and then he didn’t right he goes in there and he wants to prove a point he said the head of your
fight he’s I’ve been wrestling I’ve been wrestling but sometimes you go in there and it goes out of his head do you think he’ll have an ego about his own stand-up
that when this guy who’s supposedly Superior he’ll have to match you or will he shoot for the last I mean he did say
he’s a better Striker than me so I welcome him to try but um
I I think his team is too smart you know um you know he’s got he trains the extreme
control he’s got Eric um Ray seff on them on his team so he if
he listens to his coaches this is different this is not just a regular fight that his ego is going to take in place
he wants this I know he wants that he tries to push it away like you say just to like
I guess so I don’t know how do you do what do you call it like just like to relieve yourself of
the pressure if you will but um I think he’s gonna wrestle I think he’s gonna wrestle and I got something for his ass
because me and my buddy Craig Jones be hanging out a lot a lot so yeah we’ve been around the
world we’ve been training and um I’ve been doing this for a long time and I’m yet to you know
you choke him [ __ ] out so that’s that’s one thing that’s on my list and I hope he wrestles if not cool standing
bang do the man dance as you will he’s selling wolf tickets when he’s when he talks about that by the way it’s just I
don’t think he’s gonna man dance with me and if he does I’m a better dancer than him he talks like uh you know I want to
kill and and all this sort of hyper aggressive stuff but do you believe cap when you look at there you go when you
look at the other guys you thought is he this really tough guy that can get in there and have a war and see you through
to the end or is it just these are all words that just disappear when he steps in the cage he he looks good against guys who are
human punching bags roll back the tape UFC 253 I said the
same thing about Paul Acosta and this is not my ego talking this is just me speaking strictly facts I said Paula
looks good against guys who are human punching bags look at um [ __ ] desean’s last fight he fought the bus
and he was a [ __ ] human punching bag just stood there and got beat the [ __ ] up
and I told you guys Polo would not catch me I will catch him eventually and I told him I was knocking the [ __ ] out and
I did um again this is not my ego talking this is me speaking facts Sean fights guys and looks good against
them because they let him look good against them and they let him get in their head um but again I’ve I’ve done this how
many times this is deja vu this is deja vu to me like all the shits semi-fun but
what I really want to do is just fight I really want to fight and showcase and also watch my team showcase as well
before me and yeah all that’s cap you have one chance to make a first impression and he already failed that
when I tapped him on the ass you all saw the receipts right I wasn’t trying to be a dick I was just saying hello then he
gets on stage and starts talking [ __ ] I’m gonna come down there and never fight you could get my number you know
I’m like three minutes ago you were and then after that backstage
he just beelines away from me and I was just like all right cap
and anytime he tries to act tough not in front of people it just it doesn’t have the same thing at all because you know
you know when danger is real fear is in the mind like okay where did I hear that from I can’t remember what court I hear
that from but like it’s all it’s it’s in it’s in his his head he tries to act like a tough guy he’s a tough guy he’s a
good fighter he’s a good pressure fighter all that against human punching bags but there’s no danger with him last time I
saw him in Vegas I smacked him in a dick because I knew it wasn’t dangerous to me and then he tried to push me said don’t touch me bro I was like huh I just
jumped over my seat I just kept on watching my fights an awesome for me uh I think everyone sort of we spoke about
it you know oh the press conference is going to be great but the fight’s gonna be whatever so people are kind of assuming you’re walking in there and
going through this guy pretty easily does that add pressure to you or does that just make you think this is gonna be fun nah I don’t even think about it I
like to I don’t listen to those voices I hear people say the order this
and then put in my Polly on you bro [ __ ] your parlay I put my life on this [ __ ]
so yeah I don’t listen to those those voices I look at myself as the underdog
in this fight I don’t even know where my belt is at like I don’t like this is not even my belt I don’t give a [ __ ] I just want to
beat people up make lots of money people up in different styles Till I
Retire and then I’ll look back and be like [ __ ] I was a man well I’m the man but um yeah in the meantime Sean’s next
I focus on him and I don’t take him likely I don’t underestimate him but I
don’t overestimate him and he’s a dangerous guy but I have a habit of making dangerous guys look easy
I think Will Smith said that quote by the way oh is that movie with his son yeah that’s right yeah for Fears in the
mind Danger’s real yeah it’s just it’s he’s he’s a dangerous guy if you let him
be but I’m not stupid and I’m curious do you do you dislike
Sean at all because he’s bringing up like the Chinese flag questioning your manhood and everything he brings it up quite often Chinese thing I don’t give a
[ __ ] actually I’ve traveled around the world I’ve worked around the world fought
around the world I’ve acted around the world um I’ve never even addressed it because look if I if I gave a [ __ ] out of dress
it I’ll tell you why exactly that clip or what it was but I really don’t give a [ __ ] I’ve been working around the world
and making bags um only thing he said was One Clip someone sent to me and he’s questioning
my morals and like like saying something and I was like you’ve never even had a conversation with me and you’re
questioning so that one is one I’m I just I’m doing a Michael Jordan and I’m taking that one personally so I can use that against them but um everything else
I don’t care okay anime okay
all right okay [ __ ] like his insults are like he’s
that [ __ ] that’s that idiot in the back of the class just talks over you and talks aloud just to get his point across and
again last time he ambushed me because I wasn’t expecting that and I told him focus on your opponent because you’re
gonna get knocked the [ __ ] out and what happened he got knocked the [ __ ] out he also said that you envision a
spectacular finish in in this you want to kind of put the exclamation point on the city kickboxing lineup on this card
so when you say spectacular what is that is that a knockout is it your first submission in the UFC is it just is
there back and forth fight there’s a few options there’s oh like when you visualize these things there’s a few options if you
timelines this could just go but um yeah there’s a few of them but there’s three main ones that I really
I’m honing on but I can’t I can’t tell you guys just because they’re mine but I guarantee you I’ll finish this guy and
last one for me I know you’ve done a lot of Q and A’s about your documentary that just came out so what’s the reception then about for the movie it’s been dope
I think Sean should watch it he might learn something to be honest uh like I’ve even said when I did the Q a
um on Monday when people watch my doctor I said like look this the main thing that style been a documentary by the way
coming soon Australia New Zealand September 28th after that soon to streaming platforms
um a set of people I was like I don’t what I want people to get from that documentary is like I’m not saying be like me
I’m just saying be like you be authentically you and don’t give a [ __ ] what anyone else thinks whether like I’m
not saying look at me and you know dress the way I dress or paint your nails or fight
I’ll just saying look it man that guy Styles is just like unapologetically himself and it’s just
showing he’s just bearing his chest to the world showing his heart to the world it’s hard on the sleeve and doesn’t care
whether you like it or not he’s just happy so for me I’m really happy this so far
is the best year of my life yet because I’ve really just embraced me and not giving a [ __ ] what anyone else
says it always helps that I can kick ass because I’m just like what the [ __ ] are you gonna tell me [ __ ] like but yeah um
even without that I’m just saying like [ __ ] just be you bro so that what I want people to get from the documentary is just like
express yourself authentically and I will say this I respect that from Sean I respect the fact that he expresses
himself authentically and does not give a [ __ ] what anyone thinks I will I I respect that
he looks at me and yeah he gets away but again I don’t care that says more
about him than it does about me because I am expressing myself authentically and I’ll beat your ass Shawn I will beat
your ass uh Israel you posted uh some footage of Sean sparring and you seem
you know kind of disgusted by it I guess maybe for a lack of a better word what do you just make of like that etiquette
I call that gym Heroes when he spot Pereira do you spot like that didn’t look like it exactly because he knows
Pereira will [ __ ] knock him out um it’s called respect and um I have teammates and we can push but I don’t
try and hurt my teammates like he’s knocking people out in the gym accidentally I’ve probably knocked two
people out over the last how many years I’ve been fighting in the gym accidentally and you know
it’s not even knocked out like dropped them because it was light but like you know it’s just I don’t try and hurt
people I don’t know there’s many ways to skin a cat look whatever you works for you works for you but I just feel like
I’ve seen too many of those now where I’m just like whoa gym hero and then when he got his arm
think oh come on man oh come on man why’d you do that man when he got a taste of his own medicine oh come on man
come on don’t [ __ ] don’t touch me man like I do a real good impression of him I just realized [ __ ] hell but um yeah
he um I just don’t like gym Heroes man like like I said when he’s popular he
didn’t bring that energy because any Pereira would sleep the [ __ ] out of him um Dana White’s Contender series just
wrapped up a few minutes ago and Dana did a scrum after and he was asked about who could be next for this and he
basically said about drink history pluses you know I don’t like when guys turn down fights and was kind of like nonchalant about it
um neither do I yeah do you think he’ll be next I know Jared Cannon here is here in the backup position as well and
they’re being kind to people who do that solid for them so what do you think they’re gonna do I don’t know you have to ask Dana but um
yeah drinkers doesn’t know how to play the game look you can’t sit on your [ __ ]
is it ranking or whatever I think you got you got it locked in this is the UFC if you look back at the history of the
UFC [ __ ] happens you know um so he thought he was sitting pretty but he might have to fight two more
times before I get a shot at this but he doesn’t call the shots I do I need you to understand that I call the shots
you don’t call the shot [ __ ] you need to understand this you can sit pretty wherever you want
but if I decide to I might give it to whoever wins between Costa and kamza not you
but um Jared’s here back up I didn’t even know it was a backup till yesterday I saw him I was like what are you doing here
actually he told me it was the backup I was like oh [ __ ] shows how much I know I don’t
really follow Eminem news that much anymore but like yeah it’s you when I had the shock
Silva and gasoline I had other things planned you know I was hurt the gasoline
fight that’s why I didn’t finish that triangle because my ankle was [ __ ] so I had it locked on the ankle in the fifth round that triangle I had to lock
on the angle that was [ __ ] and I was like [ __ ] I can’t I can’t cinch it so I’m going to use the sweep him I used to sweep him and get him up but guess what
that camp I did that camp with a [ __ ] up Ankle uh there’s many times I could have pulled out but I’ve still never pulled
out of a fight even though my pullout game’s stronger I still have never pulled out of a fight ever and I stand
on that uh you are the cover athlete for the deluxe edition of the UFC game two times
now uh what does that kind of mean to you that’s awesome um I play the game it’s it’s better than the last one
um like the fluidity the buttons are changed a little bit I don’t give too much away but it’s uh it’s good it’s
it’s really good and there’s some some surprises some surprises you guys would really like in this game
um and yeah it’s cool I don’t know if anyone has done it twice has anyone done it twice Connor win
ah okay similar sweet so you’re like yeah um it’s cool to be on that same you know Echelon of a guy who’s done it
twice as well and yeah I it’s cool I look forward to playing the the proper
game not the uh beta or the preloaded version yeah and just last one for me um when we talked to you in Perth
you know earlier this year we asked you a little about Francis and ganu and kind of his upcoming prospects and you were
very you know confident that things were gonna pan out for him now he’s very close to having a fight with Tyson Fury
it’s around the corner uh what do you I just just how proud are you of you know your brother to pull all this off when I
got when I when I saw it on Instagram first thing I did was what’s happened I was like I’m gonna be there to witness history first thing I texted him was I’m
gonna be there to witness history I already booked my flight as soon it was mentioned that the fight was happening a text I was like we’re going
and a week later they already invited me the shakes in Saudi Arabia invited me to come through so I was like all right well I’m gonna be there so I told y’all
don’t believe the hype don’t listen to the the [ __ ] when people are trying to like you know oh we are withdrawn
from the bidding or whatever like because you guys only see what happens for you to see you don’t know what
happens behind the scenes behind the curtains and yeah I’m proud of him I’m proud of him he’s uh
he’s leading the charge put it that way and again rum wasn’t built in a day trust but he’s leading the charge and I
can’t wait to see him make history that’s gonna be that’s yeah and it’s a long shot from
people what they say this and that right around but this man feels nothing if you if you
listen to a story on what he’s been through like before the UFC he’s he’s he’s
fortified he’s up here he’s locked in he’s a guy that you can’t you can’t shake him you can’t break him look at
him just look at them man I’m [ __ ] proud of him man so yeah shout out to my big bro Francis and I can’t wait to
watch him make history again uh Israel just over here
congrats again on the movie Man uh you gave a lot of fascinating insights into your life and you spoke to Aaron
bronstad of TSN about like how sean reminds you of guys from your past right and I wonder like there’s probably times
in your life where people like that you weren’t able to do something about it in the moment right even though you wanted
to I wonder how like things how your mentality is now and how it changes versus the Younger You compared to now
when when you actually are able to do something about it do you still have that same desire yeah I mean I did it to
Costa I said the same thing I was like it reminds me of idiots I have to deal with growing up um but then now I’m capable and I’ve
said this I’m they’re not good or bad people people are just capable of great good or great
evil like people trying to act like they’re virtuous but they don’t really have elected stand on because they’re not dangerous I am now a dangerous man
and I can choose to be a dangerous man or I can choose to be soft-hearted and kind and I’m mostly in my life stuff
harder than kind until people start to [ __ ] with me then I’m like right I’m about to beat the [ __ ] out of you I’m about to bully you so I have to become
what I hate but I use my powers for good instead of evil and yeah I’m not saying
I’m [ __ ] a saint you guys already know I’ve told you guys since the jump I’m not your [ __ ] Saint I’m not your hero I’m not your Guru but
I’m just me and if you [ __ ] with it you [ __ ] with if you don’t you don’t guys like Sean yeah I’ve dealt with them all
my life but again there’s nothing new to me now I get the chance to beat the [ __ ] out of him that’s that’s the difference and
I’ll do it again Sunday afternoon has that helped you let go of some of those things from your childhood like the fact
that now you have the power to do something about that if you know what I mean yeah um it doesn’t I don’t hold on to those
things they they definitely shape you you know they definitely shape you like
growing up it’s all trauma you know it’s it’s all stuff that because some of the stuff I had to endure it’s all trauma
and even I’ve seen some stuff oh [ __ ] I found out yesterday count was a Neo-Nazi
or some [ __ ] yeah I had no idea I I didn’t look this shows you how much I look into it I had no [ __ ] idea
breaking news but like yeah well I’m not it’s not something I’m going to hop on about because
it’s stuff that he had to go through and the stuff that he hasn’t worked on that’s still in him things differences
I’ve done the work on myself to overcome those traumas and to learn how to use it to better myself if you will and
you know I’m a human being of course I’ve been insecure in certain times of my life so when you when you’ve done the work on yourself
over and over and over and over and over again when you see it in other people you’re like oh I know where that’s coming from
so that’s why when I say Sean’s insecure I can see it because I see what he’s like in front of the cameras and I see
what it’s like backstage and when it’s just me and him and I’m just like okay I know where this is from and I
know how to deal with this so I’ll take him through a session a nice therapy session for free
just on therapy like some of the most fascinating points in your movie is like you with the uh the possibility manager
just talking things out and this without giving away like she presents you with certain options at any point where you
conflicted by like okay I could go in this direction for like maybe inner peace or growth as a person but that
would conflict with say this direction where you know me as the Entertainer me for my career you know what I mean it’s
still happens still to this day and that’s why I haven’t been to the Jungle to do the the plant medicines because I
don’t wanna I’m it’ll come to me when it comes it comes when it when it calls me and it
happens it happens but right now I’ve just kind of like been a little bit hesitant because I just don’t wanna
I’ve used the example of Zuko as a Firebender when he realized he’s friends with anger and he can’t fire him anymore
trying to know about this so like yeah he couldn’t find me anymore and he’s just like what happened to my powers and
it’s because he became friends with Hank so he had no anger to bend from so yeah
uh who knows man who knows um right now nah I like the chips and
the dips on my shoulder it served me well and I’m using it in a different in a different manner I don’t I’m not
jaded I’m not like I’ve seen videos of this kind of traffic like arguing with people and filming it talking about I’ll
get my gun out like I can’t remember the last time I had road rage I used to back in the day when I was working the nine
to five trying to get to work because I’m late in this [ __ ] time but now do you want to cut in front of me cut in
front of me you probably knew this win more than me your life sucks because sometimes it just it’d be like that but
um yeah yeah uh me now I just I’m literally I guess I’m happy that’s that’s the main
thing I’m happy life isn’t always [ __ ] rainbows and gold and unicorns and roses and [ __ ] I go through [ __ ] as
well but I deal with a different that’s the difference I deal with it a lot different and I bet you he goes through [ __ ] as well but he doesn’t deal with it
the way I do he just bottles it down hold it in
and lets it build up and who knows what he does with it it’s not my business I focus on me
just lost one for me oh sir uh you spoke about how like you don’t need the belt so to speak it doesn’t Define who you
are which is a healthy attitude to have there’s this big things in life I just wonder when did you reach that
realization and do you feel like you needed to get the belt first before you could sort of come to that realization I
had a feeling because of things that maybe Rashad has said in the past Rashad Evans uh and some other people but I was
like yeah let me see so when I got it I was awesome um defended it UFC 243 it’s cool
um and I think shortly after that I kind of like maybe
the Romero cost the file I just didn’t really I was like like you’d never see me parade around with this thing unless
at the after party and I’m drunk and I’m just I’m the man so it’s whatever but like
I don’t I don’t care it looks good that’s what it looks good brings notoriety more money all that but like
even after I lost the belt I told you they were still calling me champ in the streets they still call me champ
and people were still trying to get at me because [ __ ] the belt I’m Israel like this Sonia that name holds more weight
than the bill that name holds more weight than the bill so yeah I got the
belt back I really I’m sure it usually knows where it is it’s probably at his house under
his bed or something both of them but like yeah it’s it is what it is and
I don’t it’s a healthy attitude to have but don’t get me wrong God looks good on black skin and I love rocking that gold
so it’s gonna stay with me for a while thanks man um after the Pereira fight John out and
it called you the greatest middle way of all time where do you think you rank in that discussion I don’t I don’t think
about it I like I said I don’t think about these things I don’t chase these numbers they chase me I just stay
present I stay focused I Stay Stay Ready that’s why I fight so often but um yeah I just
make sure I get my job done that’s the main thing and then like I said I look back and I’m like holy [ __ ] like I’ve
come so far oh my oh I promised my 11th title fight I had no idea in five years
excuse me all these numbers people tell me about and they said I knocked out four of the
six top guys in the rankings or whatever I’m like did I I can’t even tell you who but um yeah
I don’t it just happens I just I just keep doing me and in saying that so if you’re not
chasing to be the greatest whole time and as you said being a champion isn’t as important to you now what are you
chasing I was chasing that I was chasing the greatest of all time this and I still think I’m one of the greatest of
all time I put Alexander volkanovski as the greatest of all time in my eyes because I see the work he does and he’s
my buddy and I love the way he fights he’s one of my favorite fighters in history but I’ve never looked at like
you know when have I ever given a [ __ ] about the rankings you guys if you know your history and you know how I talk I
don’t give a [ __ ] but I know I’m the best I know I’m the best and I’m not done yet I’m still going so I know when
it’s all said and done I’ll be the best and this is Art this is like the whole Michael Jordan versus LeBron argument I
saw my boy shots of kazim he put an Instagram video I saw up today where he’s like enough with the debate like
when have you ever changed someone’s mind when you have that debate about LeBron versus Michael never
you know why cause it’s art and art is subjective
I don’t need you to think the way I think you can think [ __ ]
uh Kobe’s the greatest of all time you can think Magic Johnson’s the great of all time
you know and even with a rapper Biggie or Tupac who’s your top five people it’s like this [ __ ] they just
I don’t know big in Tupac on my my top five rappers to be honest but that’s art because I didn’t grow up in that I did
grow up in the era but I wasn’t really tapped into them till after they they left and I love their music don’t get me
wrong but they’re not even in my top five because I got I grew up in this era and I have other guys who are my top
five and that’s art it’s subjective you can think whatever you want you don’t have to think like the way everyone else
wants you to think and say what everyone else wants you to say just say what you want no one even thinks about what why
they think they things they do I question myself all the time if I have a feeling of like maybe even
jealousy or Envy or I’m angry or I’m sad about something like where’s that coming from this is the work I’ve done if you
watch the movie star Bender 20th September and also streaming platforms shortly after you’ll see like I’ve done the work on myself and I’m like where
did I where did that where’s that come from where does that emotion come from and then when I identify the monster then I kill it and then I made a move on
my life and then sometimes in my rare’s ugly head again and I’m like oh it’s about to come out squash because I can
sense it’s coming so yeah I’m not perfect bro I’m [ __ ] I’m human I’m a piece of [ __ ] sometimes
but also I’m the Man sometimes a lot of the times and that’s just the dichotomy
of being a human animal and people can’t express that people especially online you dumb [ __ ] can’t even understand
because you just project your own [ __ ] onto me and you think I will react the same way you’d react example the loss
when I had it in New York people were like oh he’s going to be [ __ ] under a rock crying and cutting himself but I
was like I’m outside and they did not like that they were like [ __ ] we thought this would destroy
him but nah what doesn’t kill me makes me stronger Israel just to your left over here
um February of 2020 you spoke at the halberg awards um after winning Sportsman of the Year during that speech
you mentioned that New Zealand has the culture of tall poppy syndrome towards its athletes um you said and I quote understand this
if you see one of us shining whether it be the netball team the black caps the sailors pump them up embrace them
because if they win we win if I win you win do you believe since that speech
three and a half years ago that that attitude has changed or shifted at all towards uh yourself and other New
Zealand Sports athletes no I’m not going to change the world look I
I never I’m not going to be the guy to change the world but what I will do is influence my immediate circle or
those who come into my Orbit and try and like spark a mind or a few Minds that will do
the same like a network of change and within a few Generations that culture might change but it hasn’t changed I
don’t think so oh well I don’t like majorly hasn’t changed but like I get a lot of support from the
streets in NZ bro like when I go get my beetroot in the morning I get people like you’re the man bro like they’re two
at me you know shout out to the NZ Warriors they’re about to whoop Sydney again or is it Sydney this weekend
the Panthers yeah about the woman this weekend saws not saws they’re my boys but um yeah they show me a lot of love
they invite me to their games to the facility and we you know they train with Kai and John vacay for their wrestling
and their positioning when it comes to like being in the scrum I know sports but like yeah
um it’s it’s not changed heavily it’s but again Rome wasn’t built in the day it’s not going to change overnight I
think it’s just ingrained in the culture where it’s like people like I said people will see someone doing well and think that’s
taken away from me yeah I’ve never been that kind of person in my life I’ve never been a hater like
you can see someone shining and be like [ __ ] that’s dope I can’t wait till it’s my turn that’s me when I see someone
shining I’m like man that’s [ __ ] awesome I take inspiration from that and I use
it to feel myself add to my fuel so I can Empower myself and Propel myself to where I want to be but most people don’t
they see that and think like um like it takes away from them and they
start to like hate and bombastic side eye you don’t want that you want to be you want to be a supporter like trust me
you’ll feel better you will feel better in your heart if you show love it it’s it’s it’s just
it’s nice to be nice and I’m a dick sometimes trust me but again I reflect whatever you give back to me and just
one last one um considering all goes well Sunday again Sean um you’re quite an active Champion you’ve been one of the most
active champions in the UFC um the UFC 300 is coming up um first quarter of next year is that
sort of an event that that you would like your name a part of most likely I love to headline that
um but we’ll see um definitely because I’ve watched UFC 100 that was Brock Lesnar
versus Frank Mir UFC 200 that was uh uh hold up [ __ ] it’s coming to me no the
mark hunt was on that one he fought Brock Lesnar as well did he yeah Amanda Nunes Misha tight who was
the headline [ __ ] it was a mission yeah that’s where it was
that’s right [ __ ] I I there’s a big fight I was like is it John yeah I fought DC that’s right [ __ ] oh
man so either way I’ve been a fan of the sport for a long time and UFC 300
I’m gonna I’m gonna I’m gonna touch that because I know I’m not gonna hit USC 400 so I’m definitely going to hit UFC 300
that’s one I’m gonna be a part of and Alex volcanovski is what I feel should be a part of even our co-head line for
Alex volkanovsky like that’s my dog yeah but um yeah if he doesn’t fight then
I’ll headline it and I’m sure these other people as well Connor will probably try and jump in there because he’s a superstar he’ll just you know get
whatever he wants but um yeah we’ll see we’ll see I know we’re just moments away
of hours away from the open workout standing on a rock bottom what’s the ultimate move that you like I don’t I
might just even do a q a and like let the fans talk [ __ ] and I’ll just talk [ __ ] I’m not I just worked out before I
came here I’m kind of still perspiring um but yeah I’m not I’m not an open
workout for me right now I’ve done that in ages and yeah well not we’ll see we’ll see what
the crowd sometimes the crowd will just change my mind I get there and I just feel the vibe and I’m like ah [ __ ] it let’s go but right now I’m not really in
the mood to do anything too flashy or too crazy so I might just get Andre to hold the pads and just do some basic
[ __ ] and I’d rather just like show love to the fans give a few giveaways um
a few competitions who knows yeah we’ll see we’ll see well by the time you get there a couple of
them might be in stretches because uh Sean Strickland’s opened up his open workout to fans to potentially bring
some gloves and now it might not happen but uh I don’t think they try to do it last time but there was some insurance
stuff who tried to do it last time Jorge Mazda that’s right and they were like this is because we’re gonna get sued
we’re gonna get sued bad well I mean hey that’s that’s his thing so if he wants to go ahead uh me I’m just man I’ve
already worked out today if I do something I do something if I don’t man Israel just over here you’ve spoken in
the past about emulating that Son Goku Spirit at this point in your career with so many title defenses and accolades is
your focus now on just fighting the best and securing your legacy as a martial artist who fought anyone and everyone
yes yes that’s pretty much it
one last question for me as the business side of mixed martial arts grows do you think that the purity of the martial
arts is getting lost at all not with guys like me know not with guys
like Alex volkanovski no um yeah this is a business of course we want to make some money
um better our lives for our family and Future Families but you know some people
go overboard cross the lines and do all that kind of stuff but um
huh no no it just depends how you want to play the game you know
um I’m a guy who’s a martial artist I I show respect when I go to the gym me and my coaches I I show them the
highest respect you know when I’m in there I still bow before I leave the gym when I enter the gym I still bow
um you know I don’t think it’s a loss with me and also I’m I’m a guy you watch me fight
it’s it’s [ __ ] it’s art it’s beautiful if if that’s what you like if not you can just say it’s boring it’s
dumb and stupid and you can watch whoever else you want to watch yeah but for me martial arts is what I’m here for
and making money lots and lots and lots of money yeah is he
um in previous fights over here sorry uh in previous fights you’ve noticed you’ve had a bit of a mantra or a motto leading
in that seems to motivate you like in the last fight it was do less saying oh say let’s do more did you have one for
this fight that can help you like be that little flame that kept you going
hmm and a second that if you don’t does that
mean you take the fight a little less seriously no not not at all not at all um I definitely I was gonna write
something in my mirror and I was just waiting for it to come to me but it never came so I was like it’s okay but I just knew like I’ve said that one plus
one is two I’m Gonna Knock Out Sean Strickland um so I just I know I’m gonna I’m gonna
finish him I really want to just just I want to feel I I don’t want to knock him out if that
makes sense but like it’s just one plus one is two I’m gonna knock him out I
mean I’d rather submit him to be honest I want to submit him but like what we’ve worked on and what he does
and his ego and his brain is just a peanut so one plus one is two water is
wet Sean Strickland’s getting slept speaking of submissions is that you mentioned on flagrant that that’s what
you had planned for Rob if you had a Trilogy um is that something you’re now more actively chasing in the cage to keep it
fresh for you or try not to chase things um well Rob that was like a that was a
stipulation with myself to myself so I could um get up for that fight because to fight
him a third time I was like okay well he’s gonna shoot so I’m gonna have to find a way to sprawl take us
back choke him out yeah that was the plan sorry Rob we just gave it away God
damn it easy over here to your left uh you in this in this interview here
you’ve mentioned it and your teammate Shane Young uh in here mentioned it earlier comparing this fight to Polo the polo
Costa fight what is it about this fight that draws that comparison is it the energy what is it the energy and it’s
just like I said Deja Vu I said that in one of my posts this week it just feels it’s like again
I would make him cry like a baby you know I it’s a shameful Champion it’s a
shameful champ he uh he um I’m Gonna Hurt punch him really bad he speaks
better English now but like all that energy before the fight and then I saw him at the hotel and I checked him I
tested him I was like oh you’re solid and then all that energy was gone I was like ah it’s all for cameras and shows because I
was right there it’s just your manager no security I didn’t even have my guys with me back then it was me and my
manager if he wanted to give that energy he could have done it right there so all these guys is fugazi there’s certain people you don’t [ __ ] with because you
know like it’s on site so it just feels familiar and I’ve like before that before that fight before my
UFC debut I felt this energy before where guys trying to like be boisterous and uh hold me back bro me back bro you
know that kind of vibe so yeah they don’t really want to fight they just want to act like they want to fight and
I know that energy so it’s familiar to me and I love to fight and yeah we’re
gonna fight last one um this week you uh you’ve talked about you want to get your nails done do you know what you’re gonna
do with your nails yeah drip tips that’s my favorite drip tips
um because it’d be disrespectful to knock them out with these ugly things so yeah I’ll do my toes as well in case I kick him in the face which I will so I
don’t know if I’m gonna paint them but I’m just going to get them like pretty because if they’re not pretty they’re Claws and they’ll cut his face so nah
I’ll make them pretty maybe put some sparkles on them yeah put some sparkles on them and again it’s this is the last
time I did my thing was on um interview and it’s the same ones I’ve just kind of like taken the gel off and stuff like
this is not this does not define me this is I do this like once maybe twice a year but idiots want to like that’s
him he’s pushing the agenda he’s this he’s that but I’m like you horn on one
thing because you’re an idiot you have no capacity to actually broaden your mind and see things for what they are
because you’re an idiot and that’s why you’re a [ __ ] sheep and that’s why you get told what to do when you listen to whatever the [ __ ] they tell you
because you’re a [ __ ] sheep that’s why and yeah I’m not the kind of person that um you can put in a box people have
tried well I live like there’s no box and that’s why you belong in the [ __ ] box you sheep
thank you very much easy any other questions yeah banina [Music]
sorry Vicky uh one more one more from penina um
language and he’s wondering if any of the um the Tongan guys that you train with or that
you roll with have have taught you any words or phrases way before that I already knew all the bad Tongan words
and I will not say them here but um I’ll just sell far to all my tokos mwah
spread love that’s what a real mob do
thank you
