mixed martial arts how do we like our martial arts in Australia mate
oh my God you never know what to think when you
get these intros sometimes Casey just screams himself out of the room but I think his enthusiasm is this card
is about as good as it’s gonna get everybody UFC 293 going on tomorrow night in Sydney Australia middleweight
title on the line not the middleweight title we were promised at first but still Sean Strickland steps in he’s made
things very very interesting this week heading into tomorrow’s card he’s not
the only fighter that has made things interesting this week we’ll talk about that and much more as we are live here on the UFC 293 preview show here on
mafighting.com and what a crew we have I am Mike Heck we got the wise Wordsmith
my bald Brethren Shaheen al-shadi back on the preview show panel what’s up Shaheen oh what’s going on I I mean I
can’t go after Casey that was tremendous caught us all off guard it was great to be here it was good guys it was as good
as it could be and joining us and this might be the debut perhaps on these uh
preview shows for a pay-per-view but when you got a card of this magnitude you got to bring in the Heavy Hitters
here he is with the greatest theme song in all of MMA Mr New York Rick what’s up
man Main Event Rick how are you hey buds how are you I’m doing great it’s a wonderful day uh and happy to be here
and happy to be with you guys ahead of UFC 293. it’s great to have you both here and
Shaheen let’s begin with you because we don’t have AK in the gymnastics scale we don’t have Jed michoud in the shoe the
new Michelin star scale which by the way if you watch BTL yesterday he gave this card a zero instead of he was in Sydney
he still wouldn’t go Shaheen we’ve we’ve talked about pay-per-view events 288 wasn’t great 289
there was some at least appeal to it not a lot of known names but you could talk yourself into look if you spend 80 bucks
at least the fights seem like they’re gonna be fun this one I feel like a lot of people are having a hard time getting
behind outside of some of the Antics we saw at the press conference and some of the personalities involved we got a
title fight we got Tai tuivasa who’s always fun we got Minal cop supposed to
fight kaikar France with that fight this car looks a little bit different but now he’s fighting a 7-0 22 year old newcomer
we got the pleasure man I mean where does this one rank my friend when
it comes to pay-per-views in 2023. how excited are you for this card
I think it speaks to the quality of the card that the pleasure man’s nickname has been like a running narrative in
like one of the main running narratives throughout fight week right like Tyson Pedro just can’t seemingly get over this I mean I’m not gonna sugarcoat it right
like this is objectively a below average UFC pay-per-view it’s probably the worst
UFC pay-per-view of the year uh there’s there’s not really any dancing around that right you look at sort of the names
of the star power it’s israelisanya you could throw Sean Strickland in there and maybe titu Vasa even but outside of that
like there’s just not a ton to sort of grab the Casual audience to grab the audience that sort of floats in and out
of these pay-per-views and sort of picks and chooses I mean we were talking though before the show and I think I
certainly agree with what was being said that you look at the main card if you’re one of those people who your judge your
your barometer of is this a good card is did you have a good time at the end of it I think you might actually enjoy this
card you look up and down this main card I think all five fights could very well ended in spectacular Knockouts or just
some sort of fun uh finish in that capacity if if you go through a main card you spend eighty dollars for it and
you get five five Knockouts five finishes and you come away from it feeling good about your money like hey good for you you probably had a good
time but ultimate ultimately in terms of the actual card itself we all know what it is right like this is the worst pay-per-view we’ve had so far this year
yeah sneer Creek we talked about this there’s a minus the potential of Dana White showing up to the press conference
and saying hey don’t judge a don’t judge a card before it happens is like minus 700 right now like there’s a very good
chance that we could get a lot of finishes on this card but in terms of storyline and like long-term booking
there’s just not a ton here is there no I agree with you
um there’s not there’s not a lot of stakes here right like is Sean Strickland a fight that propels Israel
out of Sonya in a different direction now granted if if Sean Strickland can get the job done that obviously creates some kind of um new Stakes for the for
the middleweight division um but mostly there’s a lot of fights that I think could potentially end a knockout and to Shane’s point if if
that’s how you’re gonna judge the card if a string of Knockouts somewhere in the in this uh run of fights is going to
keep you satisfied then there’s a chance that you might you might like this one but on paper yeah I’m not loving it I mean
you know in the lead up to this I was sold the bill of goods that you know the
fight between Israel and Sonya and strong Strickland is not going to be that great but man wait for that press
conference that’s the real manner the press conference is going to be the main event and when the press conference came
it came and went and to be honest the most exciting moment was generated by manelle cop who is an absolute insane
person um and he was the he stole the show so so far it’s over one in terms of things
that I’ve been told is going to be great about this hopefully the fight can be a little bit better I’m not expecting it to I really think this is the worst
possible stylistic matchup to the point where if you ask me who’s the the worst stylistic uh opponent for Israel Sonya
I’d probably picture on Strickland and I think he’s going to style on them uh but yeah there’s look if Knockouts are what
you’re looking for I think you’ll find some on this card but if you’re looking for competitive fights if you’re looking for high skill level equal matches this
this one just ain’t it this this card was made for brought us on to have a Showcase in Australia for them to sell
some tickets and to move on to the next event so let’s get into this Main Event Shaheen because on all the various shows
I’ve either been asked or I’ve asked the other panelists how can Sean Strickland win this fight and the betting odds
right around minus 650 minus 700 in favor of Israel out of Sanya and when you look at it stylistically outside of
Sean Strickland and you can’t even say like if he has a perfect MMA fight he’s going to win he needs to have like an
imperfect perfect MMA fight like you need to do everything wrong to the best of his ability to beat Israel out of
Saudi it’s so strange finding ways for him to win but the better storyline for sure in the
aftermath is Sean Strickland winning this fight it would be objectively the funniest thing that has happened in a
long time the rankings for our panel would be broken in a million pieces in
the whole middleweight division would be in a place that we never dreamed of so I
guess my question to you is how can Sean Strickland win this fight tell like can
you paint a picture at all of how he can win the rankings would be blown to pieces I
I think like when Alex Pereira won uh the middleweight title that really ruined our idea of what pound for pound
rankings actually is right it sort of blew it up from the inside if Sean Strickland wins this like we may as well just never do a pound-for-pound rankings
post again like what are we doing at that point like John Strickland top five pound-for-pound fighter in the sport uh
yeah man I don’t know you know it’s a tough one when I mean even this past week our our good friend Damon Martin on
the website spoke to Sean Strickland’s coach Eric nixic and Eric nixic just straight up admitted it right like this
is one of the worst stylistic matchups we could have had for Sean Sean is not this power puncher like a Pereira this
guy who’s gonna come in here and like hey he’s got the punters chance he’s got the one shot knockout power that can you know you can catch somebody over the
course of 25 minutes that’s not him he’s not really a guy who uses his wrestling I know he’s spoken all week about how
he’s he’s Incorporated a lot of that in his camp and he Incorporated a lot of that in his camp for Alex Pereira and we
see who he is he’s a headstrong dude who marches forward gets at you with for pressure punches and bunches and tries
to hit you with the old Nate Diaz just overwhelm you and it’s just like that feels like an absolute nightmare for a
counter Striker to the level of which Ezra Sonya is right like Israel whether you like him or not he is one of the
most creative and just one of the most decorated and accomplished Strikers that the middleweight division has ever seen and he eats this type of stuff up for
lunch like this is Taylor Made for just a like Eric said like a showcase fight for Israel because Sean Strickland’s not
gonna I mean you can rewind the tape if this ends up happening and go ahead and blast it out on me but like Sean
Strickland’s not gonna land the Alex bird he’s not going to land the one punch shot in the middle of the second round that puts this out like this is he
has to win a decision he has to grind this out to win this it feels like and that’s just tough if you’re giving Israel out a sign to 25 minutes and I
think that that obviously plays into why this event feels so weird right like
this event just feels like a very stop Gap sort of event in the schedule of like hey we’re just going to give Izzy
another fight and keep this moving uh and you know some people are very excited to see what Sean like did at the presser and things like that but also it
just feels weird because it is almost like a bridge fight like all of this just feels like a very much a bridge fight to one of two outcomes both of
which are infinitely more interesting than this right because if israelisanya wins their his next
opponent regardless is going to be an opponent that I think a lot of people could feel can beat him right it’s
either going to be the hamzajimay of Holocaust or winner if if you believe that’s Hamza then that’s the long-awaited Hamza shamayev title shot
that’s the long-awaited chance to give Israel a wrestler of that degree that’s that that we’ve been waiting for that boogeyman for for two years three years
at this point to reach that sort of level and so that’s what’s next also trick is to please see right like that’s
still sitting out there that is the one that this should have been and you know just unfortunately the timing didn’t work out but either of those whether
it’s DDP or shamayev that is infinitely more interesting than this an infinitely more dangerous seemingly from the
outside for Israel so this all just feels weird because again this is a very much a bridge fight and you don’t
want to say any fights a gimme in the UFC but this feels like the most I don’t know just obvious gimme that we
have seen the organization give a champion in a bit uh but you know it’s MMA anything can happen but God that if
if Sean Strickland won the MMA World on Monday would be a very bizarre place I’ll tell you that
absolutely and New York like look in terms of betting odds there there would
be bigger upsets than this right but but I would have just for you personally because like even the Sarah GSP one like
it the the nothing’s ever gonna top that one just because of how it came to light Sarah basically won a reality show
probably lost his fight to even earn the title shot gets in there and a jiu jitsu
Master knocked out the great George St-Pierre but you could like even go back and just look at the builds of that
fight and you could feel like George was at least kind of not taking him incredibly seriously even
like Nunez Pena that first fight like there were Vibes in the air that maybe
Juliana can do this if she could weather the storm and some of these other examples like Luke rockhold Michael
Bisping like Luke rockhold all week just was super overconfident his ego was through the roof and you just felt like
The Vibes are in the air that something crazy could happen this one is he saying all the right
things like you can’t poke holes and really anything he’s done this week how shocking would this be if Sean
Strickland won like how can you compare this to some of the other big upsets in the history of the sport at least for you personally
yeah it would be one of the biggest upsets in the sport because of how decorated Israel arasana is because of
the Legacy he’s already built if he’s not the best middleweight of all time um and I if if you’re alive during
Anderson Silva’s run I can understand why you would why you would feel a certain way about that he’s number two and he’s encroaching on number one right
like it’s it’s only a matter of time if he keeps racking up title defenses so he’s potentially the best in the weight class and if not he’s number two
um it will be massive because as we as we’ve kind of pointed out Sean Strickland kind of fell into this opportunity and Israel arasanya vouched
for Sean Strickland to get this opportunity it was all custom built for this it really wasn’t
um a situation where he earned this shot and and was the undeniable uh Challenger that would be dracus 2 plus C so it
would be massive um but I will say there’s a path to Victory and it’s something that you touched on it’s and it’s the ego right A
lot of times when we think about punchers chances and when we think about how these upsets happen it’s often us kind of of overestimating the
capabilities of the Fighter’s offense it’s kind of saying like yeah but what if what if that guy lands that one punch
because they’ve done it in the past and because they have that capability I really don’t see that opportunity for
Sean Strickland because I think his offensive capabilities are what his offensive capabilities are I think at his best he really still doesn’t have
the offensive tools to defeat Israel out of Sonya even if Israel’s arasanya is at a bad level where he can win this fight
is if Israel dasana’s ego doesn’t allow him to beat Sean Strickland in the way that he’s able to beat Sean Strickland
if he fights the fight where he’s overly aggressive if he fights the fight where
he feels like he has to get a knockout because this was a showcase showcase fight if he if he wants to finish on
Strickland because he had to prove something about the words that he spoke and make him pay for all these things that drastically changes what kind of
fight we’re we’re looking at here now again risk wise odds wise I’m still
counting on Israel to Sanya even if we’re factoring that in to win this fight but that that is how it’s done
it’s if Sean Strickland is wrestling wrestling wrestling mixing in strikes
minimally not leaving his head exposed and really just frustrating Israel to Sanya to the point where if Israel and
Sonia can’t get the Finish he starts to be frustrated and his ego starts to take over I don’t expect it to happen I
really don’t and and I don’t think there’s many out there that do but that’s the path the path is he has to take Israel out of Sanya off his game no
matter what kind of nitron Strickland’s having because on his best night I still don’t think he beats israelisanya but if Israel asanya has his worst night now
the odds are slightly more even and and that’s the path to Victory but it would be a an absolutely massive upset if you
just look at the skill sets if you just look at the Legacy if you just look what they’ve built respectively uh he Israel
ad Assange is in a different class and so this would be massive to your point nothing is ever-topping GSP and Sarah
like that one’s just firmly established forever uh but this would be up there in terms of ones that I just had no vision
uh that it was possibly coming yeah it’s at worst top three for me at worst probably number two this is
probably bigger than Nunez Pena if he gets this done but really yeah I’m three you think I think it’s top three you
don’t think so like just for me personally though not for like you know the the greater
history of the sport and like pundits Galore how they all feel collectively but at least for me I’d be like wow
sometimes this would be a while oh yeah for sure that’s funny I I definitely put it top 10 but to me like Bisping rockhold Pena
Nunez and then obviously Sarah GSP all those just felt impossible in a way that
this at least just doesn’t feel that impossible right like it feels it’s been a weird year I don’t know I I
couldn’t put it top three but definitely top ten I mean it would be wild for for watch party entertainment
would be absolutely ridiculous it would be absolutely ridiculous and into Sean’s credit he has handled this in stride he
is the same guy he has no pressure on him none of this is bothering him none of this is getting to him there’s no
such thing as the moment is too big he’s just Sean Strickland he’s going in there and playing with house money he’s got
nothing to lose if he loses this fight who cares he’s just gonna go punch somebody else in the face for five rounds of the Apex in three months he’s
gonna kick off the year end the year at the Apex and win a five-round fight against the number 15 middleweight and
he’s just fine with it like that’s what makes Sean really interesting in this fight and he’s getting over and he’s getting cheers and Applause from the
Australian fans and he’s eating it up and I don’t even think he expected that so he’s been either way I feel like his
stock if he’s somewhat competitive in this fight I do feel like his stock is gonna rise because I think more people
know who he is and people seem to gravitate towards him for for obvious reasons but Shaheen you mentioned
something about kind of the fork in the road here the bridge fight for Israel adesanya and this fight in most people
might most people’s mind is going to go one of two ways either we’re going to get the adasanya cannonier type of fight
where he just 50 45 Sean Strickland or we’re gonna get the Paul Costa sort of
Alex prayer fight where he just goes bananas and colds somebody and either way it’s just got to be a dominant one
for our society but you mentioned we got your kiss duplicity who was supposed to take this fight Dana White was asked
about trick us at Tuesday night’s Contender series post by presser and he threw out the whole well you know what
happens when you turn down fights we’ll see what happens on Saturday Hamza chamayev has entered Israel out of
sanya’s mind and throughout his his conversations this week what happens here like if Israel does
what everybody seems to expect him to do cus is right there I feel like that
thing had so much heat after DDP beat Robert Whitaker and now between Izzy
kind of talking about it and Dana saying what he’s saying there seems to be a fizzle effect here and now we got Hamza jamai of getting
ready to fight Paula Costa how do you think this ends up like do you think he ends up fighting DDP or do you think
Hamza with the win of Apollo just sorry DDP you’re gonna fight Jared Kennedy
instead The Dana thing is just so so dumb it’s it it’s just an case number
four thousand of why this isn’t a real sport right like hey you you just went and beat emphatically the former
Champion the guy who was well like 15-0 against everybody in the division not named Israel or something like that like
11-0 it was it was a crazy number I can’t think of it off the top of my head you like beat him in a way that very few
if if nobody other than Izzy has has done and oh you wouldn’t turn around and fight again like two months later for
the biggest opportunity of your life while you’re still recovering from an injury like come on man what are we doing like you’re gonna give drink us
two months to prepare for a fight like this it’s so silly it it you know just in real world in a real sport like the
answer to your question would be dracus right because that man has proven it about beyond a shadow of a doubt he’s 6-0 in the UFC the Robert Whittaker win
is the single most impressive win anybody in this division has other than Israel adesanya now that Alex Pereira
has left this division like no that is an unassailable win and there’s nobody with a better resume than DDP and really
there’s nobody with a better story than DDP right because that rivalry like the way they can build that up it’s probably
gonna get really ugly it’s probably going to get really gross at certain points but like that’s going to sell that’s going to get people interested
and that’s going to get Izzy interested right like he’s going to be all in on really proving a point in that one and
honestly like it’s just deeply compelling because drikis can beat Izzy like we saw the way if he is that guy
now if post knows surgery dracus is this monster who can run through Robert Whittaker in the way that he did really
without getting much pushback like I’m deeply intrigued in what that man could do against Israel out of Sonia
that being said I don’t know if he’s the actual realistic answer right because we have Hamza shimaya of just sitting here
very very soon coming up that he’s that fight it’s about to happen and we have
been waiting as I said at the top we’ve been waiting for this guy for like two or three years to reach this sort of level it has been it has taken forever
it’s seemingly three years ago that he fought an idea or that he was supposed to fight Nate Diaz at this point like it
seems like it’s just been so long since this man’s been our life but he was the heira parent right like he was supposed
to be the welterweight champion he was supposed to be the two Division champion I think there’s a very real world that
if if Izzy does something impressive and then says hamzat’s name in the post five press conference and then Hamza goes out
there and just demolishes Paolo Costa in a way that he very well could that drink is kind of just gets left
here sitting there looking at looking at everyone else being like what just happened like how did I get skipped over like that that’s the UFC right like
we’ve seen Fighters get skipped over for things pettier than than not accepting a fight on two months notice when you’re
injured like that is a very real possibility if it’s if it’s up to me I’m doing GDP because I’m just so deeply
interested in that fight and Hamza can wait he he’s had one fight in this division more or less at that point uh but I think the UFC there’s a very very
real chance that they’ll go with homsout especially if Izzy wants it because I also think the timing of this
is kind of interesting too because it doesn’t seem like it’s that close but Izzy talked about UFC 300 this week
we’re seven months away and the way this sport moves and how quickly everything goes that’s gonna come real fast and
as as personal as these rivalries can be and how the UFC is very good at creating these
narratives there is no denying that Izzy versus homzad is a bigger fight than Izzy
versus DDP there’s just no denying that and for UFC 300 Izzy versus Hamza would
just be a friggin insane Main Event so do you feel like and if I’m DDP and I’ve
said this a million times this week he better be on a a one-way trip to Sydney right now he better be sitting in that
crowd there better be visuals of security holding that man back from getting into the Octagon on Saturday if
Izzy wins do you feel like drikis is going to get skipped over here if hamzaad does to Paula cost of what he’s
done to everybody else he’s fought thus far I think because it’s Israel adesanya
becomes an interesting topic of conversation because he’s so active as a champion most other Champions right you
can kind of plan their fights further in advance but because he wants to remain so active it puts you as the UFC almost
in a tougher spot because of how many of the potential Challengers um he’s already beaten because of the
lack of kind of fresh names we end up with a matchup like Sean Strickland right that is not particularly compelling um unless you’re a strong
Sean Strickland fan so because it’s Izzy I think it’s really just subject to
timing it really is just like who’s going to be available the next time is her out of Sonya fights if we eliminate
that aspect of it and who the UFC would put in there it’s going to be hamzajimaya have no doubt if he goes out there and smokes Paul Acosta there’s not
a chance in hell that the UFC risks the idea of waiting another year and wasting another year uh to Shaheen’s point that
was September of 2022 and before that the last time you fought before that was April of 22 2022 I really look at that
date because the September fight wasn’t a real fight like all due respect to Kevin Holland who I’m one of the biggest
fans of that wasn’t a real fight and Nate Diaz wasn’t going to be a real fight so we’ve kind of missed a year and
a half of of real fights for Hamza we haven’t seen him since the Gilbert Burns fight in in what I would consider a
competitive fight and that is too long that is too long to wait for somebody who could have been a champion at 170
can potentially be a champion at 185 whose career is kind of on hold and
Hiatus until this uh Paulo Costa fight happens you take every opportunity to
make that fight whenever you have it so Apollo if Hamza shamaya goes out there and smokes uh Paulo Costa you booked
that title fight the the Saturday that it happens you know how Dana White says we don’t book fights except for if it’s
Colby Covington versus Leon Edwards well you make another exception and you book Hamza shamaya versus Israel adesanya on
that night and you move everything uh to make it happen for that date and you
don’t you don’t have hamzajimaya sitting on the sidelines and if you’re drikis maybe you take a fight maybe you don’t but I think you’d be happy to wait and
you just wait for the out outcome of that uh but you do you do Hamza Maya as quickly as you possibly can
man does it feel like Drake has dropped the ball this week does it say to anybody
like if you’re him right you have to stay at the Forefront of the conversation like why would you not make
yourself a presence all around Sydney just be an omnipresent because people forget man like like you said Mike like
the short-term memory in this sport is crazy and if people aren’t seeing you out there it’s almost as if you don’t
exist I feel like half the people out there have already forgotten that this fight is huge that this fight could be really
compelling like he’s just not around we’re not seeing him and he’s not reminding us
France just being at the press conference just got himself a fight with metal cop like this man that was
Manuel’s not Rising above that they’re just gonna go ahead and rebook that fight because he was there but here’s my point you can do that at
any point right if dracus pops up next week and all of a sudden there’s a reason to kind of drum that heat back up
with Israel to Sanaa you can do it so I think Israel arasan is is the king maker in the division obviously he’s the one
who’s who’s choosing the fights when he got into that ring after of that ring when he got into that cage after drink
is uh knocked out Rob he kind of made he made him a maid man like there is there is enough people that are looking at
dracus as now rightful Contender Israel wants it there’s heat all it takes is you gotta you gotta turn the simmer up a
little bit and I’ll agree that he could have this week no doubt but I do think at some future point he can the problem
is going to be if he waits too long and all of a sudden Hamza shimaya turns the simmer up faster because he’s going to
get that water boiling if he comes out there and smokes Palo Casa and gets on the mic there’s not a thing in the world that’s gonna stop uh them from making
Hamza chamaya versus Israel to Sanya so he’s got a he’s gotta act sooner rather than later this would have been a great
week to do it but I don’t think All Is Lost I think there’s an opportunity for him to kind of Make some noise after the
win uh by Israel asanya and kind of remind people hey I’m still here and I’m still the number one Contender but man
if he look if he waits too long and Hamza gets that pop boiling it’s the trains the trains out of the station and
and he’s gonna get left behind which is so crazy to think about after that Face-Off at UFC 290 but uh let’s
get to predictions and then we’ll talk about some of the other story lines with this card uh right now Shaheen Israel alasani according to our friends at
DraftKings minus 650 favorite The Comeback on Sean Strickland plus 470
anything can happen when that cage door closes but I kind of feel like you’re going Izzy
here how does he get it done how high do you think that line gets by the time we get to fight night
when I was doing heck of a morning it was Izzy was minus 690. so a couple some
money is coming in on Sean Strickland which doesn’t I mean why the hell not I mean yeah at that point that’s Flyers
right you’re just oh yeah it’s Flyers I don’t know I bet that gets up to 700
by the time we they’re in the cage like I mean obviously I’m picking Izzy this to me is it’s what we’ve said throughout
this show so far it’s a Taylor Made matchup for him like we’ve just seen Izzy throughout his career the guys who
bring the forward pressure the guy who brings the fight to him the guys who sort of are all about that action uh
they tend to get slept pretty hard like Alex Pereira was sort of the exception to that rule although not really
ultimately right because he also did get slept but also Alex is such a far more decorated and complex and creative
Striker than a guy like Sean Strickland who’s very much in that Nate Diaz mold of just plotting forward just keep
coming forward in your face in your face punches and punches just throwing a lot of volume out like Izzy eats that he
eats those kind of Fighters up alive we’ve seen it time and time again I don’t think this is going to be very different also I think the moment too
man like it’s tough it’s tough because we haven’t seen Sean Strickland in a moment quite like this but we have seen him in
moments where it feels like it’s big stakes and I don’t know that he’s a guy who necessarily has risen to the
occasion so far right like the Alex Pereira fight was a great example of him going out there there was a path to
victory for him potentially to wrestle and he just got caught up and got to wanting to outstrike the striker and we
saw where that ended up for him I just don’t see this going well for him I think Izzy’s going to have a spectacular performance so I can see a second round
knockout very similar uh just something something that’s going to end up on a highlight reel right like something that’s going to end up that on the Izzy
a legacy tape once his career is done and we’ll see this knockout over and over again throughout our life that’s
sort of where I’m calling him Rick official back here I’m expecting a
finish sometime in the in the early to mid rounds um for Israel to Sanya I just
there’s no technical breakdown that I could possibly provide where Sean Strickland is is a threat to Israel and asanja it’s just not possible like the
the the marching forward flat-footed overreacting to faints like not not
moving ahead of time other than to like weirdly overreact to certain things like he’s just a very like jittery type of
fighter who’s gonna be there for Izzy to hit um and not be throwing a lot of power back at Izzy like there’s no reason that
Israel can’t stand in the pocket with Sean Strickland and then fire back the much heavier and more Technical and
precise shots uh he’s done that against the likes of Opera who is far superior in that domain uh so yeah I just don’t I
don’t see a way technically that this fight ends any differently the only as I said earlier uh the only way this this
goes wrong is if Israel out of Sandra beats himself if there is a way that his ego gets into play and all of a sudden he’s he’s leaving himself exposed
because he’s trying so hard to get the finish that he just loses his head I I would say that the criticism on Israel
lasagna in the past has been a lot more that he’s fighting safer than more uh risky
um so I don’t expect that that’s the case and he’s been in fights that I think he’s probably taken a lot more personally than this
um so I don’t I don’t expect that to be the case I expect an early to mid uh round knockout for Israel to Sanya Sean
Strickland is tough though there there’s something um there is something in him that that allows him to continue to fight and and
getting nuked by Alex Pereira is not an indicator that like You’re vulnerable to that because Alex nukes everybody so
um I think I think that there’s a chance that he makes it to the decision uh if in that case it would be you know 50 45
or worse uh but I I expect Israel to find a finish I will say he’s kind of
for the last couple of fights been alluding to some kind of submission we’ll see if he ever really like pulls
out that bag but I just think it will be too easy for him on the feet that there really be no reason to do that
so as as some of you are aware of um because of these watch parties and
our friends at DraftKings and because I don’t want GC to to be by himself uh I
only play some small Wagers on these pay-per-view cards it’s a new trend we started at 292.
um I do have an Izzy by sub ticket it’s a very small sprinkle I mean it’s like a buck
um I have a lot of exposure on this fight Izzy Strickland under two and a half um
I just think he’s gonna get it done I think he’s gonna finish him uh is he over four and a half points as well
I just think he’s gonna get him out of there second or early third I think it goes under the two and a half but I will say this
I don’t like Sean is gonna lose this fight I think but I think it’s gonna be one of those fights where because of
what New York Rick said Sean is super tough and durable and Izzy’s probably gonna knock him down a few times and
Sean’s just gonna get up and keep talking smack I think his Stock’s still gonna somehow
go up after this loss like some way somehow because again he doesn’t care about any of this and even if he wins
the title like it seems like all right I’m the Champion who can I fight next week I’ll fight somebody in the parking
lot I’ll fight somebody in the alleyway like let’s do the man dance that’s that that’s how sean circle is gonna be nothing this is gonna change him I think
he’s gonna go buy a Rolls-Royce after this no he’s just gonna be Sean Strickland so I do think his stock will
rise I do think he’s gonna have moments where everyone’s like dude this guy is tough he is a Fighter’s Fighter
um but in the end I just think stylistically this is just horrible matchup for him so give me Israel out of
Sonya uh sometime in round two around three whether by knockout or maybe I cash a plus 1600 Izzy by submission
ticket wouldn’t that be something ladies and gentlemen uh tie to ivassa is back
Shaheen al-shot he’s fighting Alexander volkov a little bit of a tough run when you
fight Sergey pavlovich and then you fight Cyril gone in Paris there’s two pretty good Fighters right now sugar
pavich might be fighting for the belt uh but now Ty gets a home game Shaheen he’s gonna get a raucous crowd he’s gonna
come out to some incredible entrance music chewies will be ready rocked and loaded
maybe they’ll take chewies with happiness maybe they’ll take him with sadness but what are you looking for
from Thai to ivassa here the the ensembles have been great the hair is unbelievable I’m super jealous of the
lettuce on the head of tattoo what are you looking for in this co-main event between Tai tuivas and Alexander volkov
I was gonna say Mike if you if you get done with this question and you don’t mention the hair you failed in your job man come on look at the head of hair
that man is wearing only New York brick in the MMA space can rival what that man is pulling off this week it is
tremendous I’m so I’m so deeply I’m like I know you can relate on this I’m so deeply jealous
so Untamed just flowing in the wind that’s gotta just feel true Eric how
does it feel tell me how it feels it’s been like 15 years since I’ve known what this feels like it’s it is pretty great
um but I am I am due for a cut we’ll see we’ll see if Paulo’s busy um and get that done maybe but uh yeah it’s pretty
great I can’t lie I can’t lie if Tai loses and cuts his hair will you cut your hair
yeah why not let’s do it but I listen again Paulo’s a very hard guy to kind of book like you know I try to get in for
haircuts when I can so we’ll see if it can fit into the schedule and he’s got a fight coming up but we’ll we’ll see what
we can make happen that’s true that’s true I’m disregarding the personal Barber aspect of your doll’s relationship which I very much
appreciate uh no man I mean this is a this is a really fun fight right like it’s not I wouldn’t say it’s the best
co-main event we’ve ever had on a UFC pay-per-view But ultimately it is what it is right you get them in the UFC
knows what it did here they have a main card lined up with big boys right you got two heavyweight fights you got a
light heavyweight fight in there as well like it’s what we said at the top there’s going to be a lot of Knockouts probably on this main card and that’s
sort of what they’re shooting for and if you don’t have the names if you don’t have the star power if you don’t have the numbers next to the names they’re
intriguing sort of push the the division forward type of matchups then what are you going to do
you’re going to stack it with probably explosive finishes and people will have a great time with it uh I mean
ultimately I I think any chance you can get to see Thai tuivasa erupt a a local
crowd like this a crowd who’s gonna be very much in his on his side it’s gonna be a party in there when he’s walking
out this might be a party in there when he’s when when he’s walking out after the fight as well like the whole thing
is a cool scene uh we know what we get with these guys at this point tie and volkov have both have been in the UFC
for quite a long time at this point they’ve been in these rankings for a long time they they’re going to be no surprises in this I I love anytime you
can get uh volkoff against a heavyweight who’s not quite nearly his size because you can get the sort of Stefan struve
versus you know like the the Face-Off picture where somebody’s head is just barely in the in the picture because
they have to give full coffee and so it’s all like I love everything about that but ultimately this no one’s gonna be surprised by this I think there’s a
chance a good chance it’s pretty fun it’s also a slight chance that it’s not very fun at all uh but it’s heavyweight
matchmaking you know the Thai tweet also needs to win Alexander volkov hasn’t really found a way to work himself in a
title picture this would probably get him the closest that he has been in a long time uh but I don’t know there’s
not too much to say about this yeah but even if he beats Ty like he’s still probably pretty far away
considering what’s going on in this division with aspinall and pavlovich and gone getting back into it and if jailton
all made it beats Curtis blades that changes everything so I still think the road is is a pretty long one for volkov
I don’t know if the roads as long for taito Vasa New York Rick everybody loves this guy and if he comes out and knocks
out Alexander volkov and 15 000 people erupt and out and people drinking beer
out of their shoes Ty’s a popular dude like I feel like he gets right back in
the title picture if he knocks out Alexander volkov what do you think Derek Lewis and taituivas are never far
away from title shots because they’re so beloved and they knock people out like sleep style like they they put dudes to
sleep and then they celebrate in ways that people want to see uh so they’re never far from a title shot they need to
string a few together and then they’re there if if uh Tai tuivasa had knocked out Siro gun I’m fairly confident he’d
have been in that title picture if not fighting for the belt uh and he almost did it to be completely honest I kind of
look at this fight pretty similarly actually like this feels like a dog or pass to me it feels like the odds are a
little bit off like I get why the the bookmakers would be in favor of volkov I get why the general public will probably
be betting volkov he’s got more tools uh he’s looked really really good recently and Ty has been on the wrong end of a
few um and if it goes long obviously the gas Tank’s gonna be there and volkov is
going to be the one who’s remaining technical um but if you look at their if you compare their resumes like they really
just are on a similar path of losing to the guys they’re supposed to lose to and beating the guys they’re supposed to be
and to be honest like I was impressed with Ty’s performance against siragon to the point that I was thinking like if
you run that back and you give me dog money again I’m probably taking Tai again um and I can’t say that I’m not in the
same spot here where like at I don’t know what he’s currently at but I I it was around three to one when I was
looking uh previously that feels like the right side of the play for me like I don’t see enough
upside out of volkov that I’m looking at this and going like yeah he’s he’s uh he should be a huge favorite over Ty and
he’s going to smoke them I think Ty’s going to be live I think Ty’s going to be pressing the action and when that dude lands it’s a different type of
thing uh similarly to Derek Lewis that people just can’t handle so yeah I I like Ty in this spot I I if you’re
giving me a coin flip I’ll probably you know take volkov I’ll probably lean that way just because I feel like there’s more ways to win but if I’m looking at
the odds it’s currently constructed I I think this is a fight where you you want to back tie I think this is a dog
or pass situation and I think he’s super alive here he’s plus 210 right now Tie by knock knock
why not so that’s that feels like a perfectly suitable play like volkov is losing to the same guys ties losing to
it’s not it’s not like like I don’t look at volkov as like the upper echelon of this division now with a win here and
maybe another one strung together he’s kind of like knocking on that door but he hasn’t been there yet and Ty’s been
in that same spot too so yeah I like Ty’s uh chances here no I mean what it is is people looking
at Wikipedia and seeing two red marks in a row for Thai and cn2 green marks in a row for volkov right that’s exactly what
when it comes to to all of this right because you’re right Eric I mean these guys they’re essentially in the same tier of
heavyweight like I don’t know that there’s a huge gap between either one of them and sort of what they’ve been able to do so yeah I don’t know to me this
feels more like a pickum than what the odds are saying yeah I mean it’s gonna be tough it’s
gonna be tough for volkoff like he’s got a loss to asthma knowledge he’s got a lost a gun I don’t know we’ll see what happens
there but let’s wax poetically on Manuel cop Shaheen al-shodi yes dudes getting
in everybody’s face you say anything negative it’s like a lane after she got bit by a dog in Seinfeld and she thought
she had rabies just firing at everybody just screaming and yelling nobody is safe what have you made of uh good old
man I’ll cop this week because he’s somehow jumping on everybody’s radar
with with the way he handled himself at the press conference and the the stare down at the end today manala is just
getting over like Rover I love this man so much oh I want us to go I want us to go 45 minutes right now
I’m an elk cop this dude is the best kind of lunatic and like the way that like like when I was when I was coming
up in this game right big into Pride I loved vandelay Silva because it felt
like vandale Silva was just capable of anything at any point but if you said one thing wrong to vanderlay Silva he
would tear off your arm and beat you over the head with it like he would that he was just that this man was capable of
such immense like fly off the handle style violence that it’s almost just like you’re in awe of someone with that
quick of a trigger someone who’s just that much of a crazy person someone who’s just that vastly different of a human being than you are that you’re
almost like can’t understand the way that they think to me Manuel cop is the exact same he’s vandale Silva and like
125 pound package and I absolutely love it if you would have put odds giving me odds on like who’s gonna steal the show
at the press conference like obviously Izzy and Sean would have been the highest but then it’s Manila like you
say one wrong word with that dude and he will hold it personally forever and he’s just going fly out the handle he I loved
everything about what he’s done this week I I’m it made me so deeply sad that we have not been able to see him fight
very much right like he is he’s is run in the UFC so far has been so weirdly unlucky that like you almost start to
wonder if he’s cursed a little bit like we’re getting one fight a year at this point all these people are falling out even this fight is almost
inconsequential it feels like it’s just a stop Gap is a chance for him to get a Payday which he hasn’t had since like
last December and and keep the momentum rolling because then ultimately we’re going right back to the kaikara France
fight but God man I’ve been staying for a while this guy’s gonna be the champion of the division sooner rather than later
that was probably wrong because I didn’t expect all these hurdles to come in his way but I can’t wait until he is the
champion of this division because this is like he’s the best type of MMA personality character whatever you want
to throw out there like I like give me all of these type of dudes who are just the most erratic most fly off the handle
most quick trigger people possible where you just never know like I like I’m scared right now to say anything bad
about him because he might come down to Phoenix and beat me up with it and then kick my dog like you don’t even know this guy I I love him I love so much
I remember he weighed in as the backup for one of the figgy Mourinho fights I
think and he made it and he was just like I’ll fight and I talked to him like right after after the weigh-in and
everything and he wasn’t gonna fight and he’s like I don’t care I’ll go fight both those guys at the same time like I’m not even joking and I was like I
believe you dude like I absolutely believe you but I’ll cop like Casey and I have been on the middle cop train
since like right when he signed with UFC we even went back into the archives episode three of the old what the heck
Show April like literally like three weeks after I started MMA fighting minnow cop was on the show and he was
much calmer than he was at the press conference that I can assure you but New York Rick has anyone just before even
getting into the Octagon on this card maybe Sean Strickland you can make that argument but has anyone stock boosted
more has anyone guarded more attention coming in with the now opponent that he has to getting to where he’s at right
now making headlines all over the place and acting just just bringing the Ruckus at the press conference have you seen
just a quick rise like this from a flyweight in recent memory this is crazy
not from a flyweight but it has it definitely has Hamza chamaya Vibes where it’s like he’s he’s talking the talk and
if he can back it up in the cage the the sky’s kind of the limit for him where it’s not very
um calculated and and planned in the way that like Sean Strickland is digging into the archives and trying to pull out
things on Izzy minnow cup is just kind of like a Tasmanian Devil he’s just this like Cyclone of violence and energy that
can’t be contained and is kind of just volatile and liable to to break out at any time
um and people are kind of digging that I’m definitely digging that uh and to be honest he’s got a good Dance Part
partner in Felipe osantos who’s kind of like bringing the energy to their stare down unfortunately I think somebody has
to pay for all those canceled bouts on his topology page and poor Felipe is going to be the one who’s gonna have to pay for it
um maybe israelisanya after that maybe he’ll figure out a way to get that fight back after the press conference
um but yeah I think this is going to be a showcase uh performance for for Manel cop and and hopefully this can kind of
be the the lead up to um more fights like the Shaheen’s Point like we just have not seen him and
that’s been the unfortunate truth I think everybody kind of considers when you just look at the skill set you look at the power that he has a flyweight you
look at his composure you look at his ability to kind of like steal the show he has all the Vibes of the guy who
would already be further um than he is at this point but unfortunately it’s just kind of big cancel fight after cancel fight after
canceled fight so if he can build some momentum man the sky is the limit for this dude at five wait and he was so
host to fight pantosia so if he um ends up getting a fight with pantosia I mean
that one is gonna be sick that one is gonna be such a sick fight so yeah I’m all aboard the the middle cop uh
bandwagon I’m I’m definitely not the conductor like you um having him on uh what the heck you know years ago but I’m
I’m on the bandwagon and I’m ready for him to show out yeah he needs to just go run this dude
over just because we’ll be we will talk about him in the post fight show for at least 20 minutes if he runs this dude over and
these shoot to box guys they come in looking to play spoiler and they have done so quite a few times over the last
couple of years so we will see what happens there we got the rematch everybody asked for between Justin taffa
and Austin Lane that ended in a nasty eye poke from UFC Jacksonville and then we got Tyson Pedro and Anton
tercolge aka the pleasure man that’s your main card and then we got Carlos alberg Don Jung Jack Jenkins chepe
mariscal is going to be insane John mcdessie’s on this card which I didn’t even realize like earlier this
week and then we got what else we got Kevin just set key for Kiefer Crosby just fun on Kingpin he’s just fought on
Kingpin against Aaron Chalmers and his next fight is in the UFC wild story that is Shane Young missed weights by almost
four pounds his fight with Gabriel Miranda still on blood Diamond’s getting back in there with Charlie Radke and
then maybe the most random fight of the year nazarat hak Paras versus Landon Quinones
happening on this car Landon Quinones if you don’t know who he is uh was on The
Ultimate Fighter and got submitted by Jason Knight in under a minute in his opening bout on The Ultimate Fighter but
got signed to fight Nazareth hack baraz in Sydney Australia on the pay-per-view
card so there you go that is UFC 293 let’s bring in E Casey Leiden and we’ll
take a few questions from the peeps there he is you’re wearing sleeves today I feel
better about myself yeah yeah professional you didn’t want to embarrass us yeah Casey can you just go
two minutes on a manila cop and how much you love him let’s go oh oh oh
two minutes is not enough we would need two hours right that’s why I wanted to I didn’t want it till the last time yeah
yeah uh yeah I mean he’s he’s the type of fighter like I just love
everything about him but good God I would never actually want to be his friend or like be around them
like some Fighters like you know oh let’s have a beer with that guy you know but no cop I love him from a distance
from a distance here it just says just pure chaos it was erratic Behavior but I was like
oh God I love it I just love it so much and I just love how like like Mike said
a few weeks out in between fights he’s his interviews he’s very calm nice and
everything but somehow when it’s fight week just it’s if he flips it was it was gray
and uh and he would he would have he
you would be at the bar with him just getting shots and you’d tell him like Hey dude I really like your sunglasses and he would take it the wrong way and
you’d end up getting slept like he’s just a maniac man at some point needs to happen because
that’s just hopefully somebody asks which is a more competitive height Sean Strickland versus israelisanya or Manila
cop versus israelisanya because I have an answer and it wouldn’t be Sean Strickland uh Minogue cop gives me like
early Mike Perry Vibes uh to your point where it’s like you kind of like feel like you might be a little on edge
around him um but at the same time like Mike Perry’s transition to very like much
more calm controlled energy dad mode um that’s that’s a lot different but
early early Perry Vibes for me yeah I’m a fan yeah the fun thing with Cop 2 is
kind of the thing that vanderley had too where it’s like the accent is so thick that like you almost can’t like understand what saying to you either so
like you don’t know like how to respond properly to it it’s great is he is he understood later that he said who the f
are you and then responded to it on Twitter but how about minnow cop just asking the champion of the world one of
the most decorated UFC fighters the guy that’s an every effing poster in town
and then tied to ivassa sitting in between I’m like just sitting there like
smiling and loving it and then finally he’s just like all right I’m done with this ah relax relax just to the to this
I love him to be like I’m right here guys I’m right here it’s a good thing he was right there
because I think if like anybody else that was sitting in between those two guys it could have got a lot weirder so uh
we need those pressers back where they have like different cards on the stage where it’s not just like the one card we
just need like different dudes the energy the Conor who the f is that guy to Jeremy Stevens like we just need like
and kiesa and Kevin Lee like don’t talk about my mom we just need these like moments between random guys coppin and
Israel was not one I was anticipating but I love that energy so let’s get more let’s get more of those random matchups
I I felt so bad for kaikar France because you know as he started getting
all Angry he was like shut up you and Kai’s like oh
like I don’t know I was so okay I mean I was just like I
mean I was like so mad at people like he’s just so kind of friends gets a concussion and it’s like you ruined
everything look look at his topology look at his topology and you’ll understand there’s a lot of seasons
of frustration for this guy where like each time somebody pulls out he’s just more off the handle about it somebody
needs to pay somebody needs to pay for this
uh oh here we go anyone else shocked at the crowd rooting
for Sean in booing Izzy so let me before I throw this to New York Rick we’ll go down the line here
um what people tend to forget and I think I’ve been guilty of this a time or two uh Australia and New Zealand are not
the same place like they’re not the same it’s not the same place and Australia
and New Zealand are kind of Rivals it now if you look at it from a regional perspective you’re like oh we cheer for
all Oceanic Regional Fighters then cool like you’re all good but if you’re like on team Australia and you hate Team New
Zealand then you’re gonna Boo the New Zealand guys and cheer for Sean Strickland or Manel cop or whoever else
so uh having said that New York are you surprised that Sean is getting a baby
face reaction here this week I’m a little bit surprised by the by the reaction to Sean I didn’t expect him to
be as over I’m not surprised by the reaction to Izzy for one like obviously he’s knocked out Robert Whittaker on
Australian soil and I’m sure that there’s people who like just never liked him and will never like him
uh Israel lasagna also does a thing that I think certain people do Al Jermaine Sterling comes to mind where they
realize that there’s certain amount of people against them and they decide they plant their flag in the sand and say I
don’t care about winning you over I’m gonna be me I’m gonna display who I am and you’re gonna get used to it you’re
either gonna like it or you’re not um and that doesn’t um endear people to you that kind of
polarizes them against you that furthers and and starts to grow the the number of people that don’t like you but Israel
hassania is not gonna apologize for for who he is he is who he is he he displays
it proudly and there’s a certain group of people that don’t like that unless it’s Sean Strickland if Sean Strickland’s doing it then they love it
so um what you what you make of that I’ll let you decide on why some people are allowed to do that and some others are
not um but I think Israel being Unapologetic about who he is and already kind of having a group of people that that don’t
like him um is only going to continue to grow but the moment he sleeps Sean Strickland and does a tick tock dance over him or does
a bow and arrow like he does over Alex Pereira those same people are going to be talking about how it’s the coldest celebration ever and going crazy and
texting their friends and doing all these things so all Israel I decided needs is to win the fight in the way that he’s capable of doing and those
people will become his biggest fans in fact I’d argue that they’re probably his biggest fans they’re just in the closet about it and don’t want to say it
they’re they’re kind of these like self-loathing type of fans but um I’m not I’m not surprised by that
reaction I am a little surprised by just how over Sean Strickland is I’m not very surprised I feel like
in an era of cookie cutter characters in MMA like Sean Strickland connects with
people right like like maybe this isn’t America maybe this isn’t the US where he would probably get an even bigger reception but I feel like MMA is a if
MMA fan-based MMA audience the people who would go to these type of things oppressor or whatever they’re very
online they’re very aware of all all of sort of Sean Strickland’s Antics what this guy’s about and he makes people
laugh like really that’s what it is if you if you’re a fighter who can make people laugh you’ll have a job at the
UFC forever we’ve seen it with all sorts of people Derek Lewis like if you could just connect with people and really make
them enjoy your personality the way you sort of attack pressers and sort of
attack interviews and things like that like you’re gonna get it you’re gonna get a good reception anywhere and I think Sean for all his faults and he has
plenty like he can connect with fan base the fan base to it or at least segments
of the fan base people who very much agree with certain things that he’s saying like he can connect very well with him so I’m not very surprised by it
yeah I was talking to Laura senko and we try to like mesh who Sean Strickland is and it’s like a combination of Nick Diaz
Stone Cold Steve Austin and like a hint of Don Frye that’s who Sean Strickland
and there’s some there’s some Colby in there but some Colby there’s definitely some Colby now he’s got yeah he’s got
Kobe Vibes there’s like Colby but like not like I don’t know that Sean does politics in the way Colby does politics
directly like Sean’s talking about more like social type of like wokeness and things like
that whereas Colby’s just all about Trump trump like I feel like there’s a distinguishing Factor there but yeah I
agree also it feels very 90s WWF right like yeah he’s doing
he just doesn’t care it’s great but I think that’s He does care I I actually I
I that’s one thing I kind of disagree I think he does care about his image and this whatever like I I’m a disrupter and
you know I I think he really does care but the whole cancel me sure is like dude your main event for the biggest
fight promotion in the world you have every media Outlet begging you for interviews we’re getting put on the
biggest platform possible you’re like nobody’s to me is like what are you
talking about man you you have every microphone in your face I I think uh I think he does care I think he care
he really cares about his image much more than I think he fakes it I don’t know that’s and I think that applies to
both guys by the way this week has done a lot of like uh Sean’s not really bothering me he seems
pretty bothered if I’m being honest he seems like Sean has kind of gotten to him a little bit this week
my favorite extra exchange of the whole week was uh was it episode the press
conference when they kind of there’s that little dialogue they had when they were facing off at the press conference and they basically kind of sorry the
basically kind of both kind of said all right cool we’re both making paychecks hope you get paid whatever you know and
like and then Sean said that line I was like I just won’t get that bag you get you know like I I I actually do think
Sean um I think his pre pre-fight stuff you know he’s very relaxed he’s having fun
I’m really curious how he’s going to perform not even not saying even his the
a plus version of Sean stricken beats the worst version of Izzy I’m not even sure that happens but there’s a lot of I
think there is a lot of pressure is on Sean Strickland because if he gets totally smoked is he gonna once again
because he won’t he talks about it all the time he wants to get paid he wants money he’s in this for the money and if
he wins this if he if he wins this his life changes if he loses this fight he’s back to just you
know upper middle class living Sean Strickland you know um I just think I think I think there’s
a lot of pressure on Sean I think I think he’s going to feel it when he walks out into that cage and sees dizzy across the cage from him Saturday night
I’m not sure he’ll get a title shot again I think you’re right like this is probably the shot I’m trying to say like
Shawn’s not a dummy like he like his life changes forever if he wins and
that’s a lot of pressure to me it’s not it’s not a house of anything that’s like jeez you know no there’s a circumstances
though you know what I mean there’s huge potential reward you’re right like the ceiling on it comes off if he can win
but I also think if he loses like look at Paulo Costa he lost as embarrassingly as possible as you can to israelisanya
right like there is not a like he smoked them like that wasn’t a competitive fight for for 30 seconds and he’s back
he’s fine I don’t think Sean will ever be back in a title picture if he loses this but what I think is he’ll still
headline some Apec shows he’ll still collect a good check he’ll he’ll be okay from that perspective and I think that’s
kind of his ceiling anyway that’s to be honest like this is not the fight for him he is not going to win this fight his ceiling is Apex headliner right and
I think he’ll be back to that and he’ll be competitive in those fights and win a good portion of those and that’ll be
okay and he’ll make good money doing it um but if he wins then yeah he enters a
completely different Stratosphere like think about how we think about Juliana Pena like she’s just in a different tier
now in terms of how people look at her her drawing power ever forever now forever forever this is it you just
needed the one she beat Amanda and now it’s completely changed for her she was somebody who people would have been real
happy to just send away forever if she lost to Amanda Nunes but she didn’t and she got it done and now it’s changed
forever so yeah I agree the ceiling is is pretty high but I also feel like the floor is pretty low like Sean Strickland
will will be back to that floor of Apex headliner um or pay-per-view like mid Carter even
after losing this like I think he’ll be okay and I think he’s okay with that you I think you mean the floor is high right
because like ultimately sorry the floor is high the floor is high yeah because ultimately he’ll be he’ll be fine because he played because ultimately he
plays a hyper-necessary role in this middleweight ecosystem right because like we use the term gatekeeper and I
feel like people take offense to it but like that’s a real role that’s a real thing that we need to
have in the fight game and Sean is like the elite gatekeeper at 185 right like if you could beat him you’re there
you’re a top five guy you’re one of the title Challengers he’s the guy who can fend those people back the UFC needs
that forever and it’s the same thing that we were just saying of like people connect with them man people like him people like hearing him speak like if
you’re if you’re able to do those two things thread that line you got a job forever man not only that but him and
Kevin Holland you call them they they’re there those are two guys like on the roster there’s a lot of guys who pretend
that they’re that guy Kevin Holland Sean Strickland they need a fight they will be there guaranteed you call them
they’ll be there and that is a super valuable thing for the UFC and they will reward those people and you will you
will continue to climb the ladder with them if you continue to do that so yeah he’s he’s one of those guys that like I’m not concerned about his long term
but let’s be real like I don’t think he’s gonna be champion and um I don’t think he’ll get back to a title shot anytime soon I will say if if
he wins which we haven’t given a lot of credence to if we win the sport changes in a weird way in a
very bizarre way but also like the the level of I don’t know the level of star
he could become just because he’s a very weird character but like the level of
money that he will make for the rematch will be absurd because the Disney machine they act like they’re better
than this and they’re very much not better than this they will go all in on this rematch and that dude will talk
more than any human being has ever talked to anyone if he’s able to pull this off the the the the point that
that’s going to get to like Izzy is going to be having nightmares about this man in his ear and all the things that he’ll be saying for months and months
and months until that fight like the whatever the lead up to a potential rematch would be that fight’s gonna be
massive so there is you’re right Casey did I mean it’s life-changing if he wins in like a very profound way even if that
Title reign is one one title defense yeah well this thing only needed one like you know it it this is somebody I
think it was you Shaheen alluded to like Biz Bing and rockhold earlier when we were talking about upset that’s similar Vibes right there like business
going to be a made Man Forever didn’t have to defend the belt like it doesn’t even matter um did he defend the belt excuse me
he’s one of those in um and then fight is he again
um but uh yeah like and then and then GSP comes and takes it but yeah the the ceiling is high but I think the floor is
also really high for Sean Strickland here like I don’t think there’s much and now the UFC is seeing like because
UFC 290 Sean Strickland stole the show him and Alex Parrish stole the show from everybody and that included volkanovsky
Holloway Izzy Cannon air it was the Sean Strickland Alex Pereira show and I think the UFC was like all right we got
something there but maybe it’s a maybe it’s a unicorn maybe it’s an anomaly Sean Strickland is like outside of
Manuel cop it’s like 90 seconds at the press conference it has been the Sean Strickland show all week long is is Sean
he is driving the interest people are gravitating towards him not only will he headline Apex cards but
he might just be like a pay-per-view main card Guy moving forward too let’s get this dude at the press conferences and he could be a big Cog
yeah does Sean Strickland does he is he out does he
is it just a hard course that are interested or is he or casuals interested in no Sean strickening it I
don’t think there’s a casual alive that’s tuning in for a Sean Strickland fight like he’s just not that exciting
results or not he’s not like a really exciting fighter and that’s what I think really matters because I think like look
because sorry last week whatever two weeks ago when the O’Malley Al Joe
um fight happened no basically the conversation was UFC clearly wants Sean O’Malley to win
does UFC want Strickland to win no I don’t think so no I don’t think so
that’s like we’re saying [Applause] exactly he’s such a big star you know
he’s like oh he’s you know he’s gonna be his pay-per-view mainstay I just don’t quite believe that yet I I just I think
they’re two different things because I think he already is a pay-per-view mainstay I think he was that the moment he got in the presser battle with Izzy
at the before the Pereira fight like it’s the same thing of just if people want to see you fight or people are
interested in your character and what you have to say like you’re going to be on pay-per-views like this for the rest of your career right he also doesn’t
have to be that guy now he can be that guy later as an example right like Kamara usman’s Reign was good and and it
kept the UFC like having a guy who’s a dominant Champion but Colby Covington comes back in the mix and all of a
sudden it’s bad it’s like he never left right you kind of just need some of these characters to stick around and you don’t necessarily have to use them right
now they can be down the line somebody that you throw in there Sean Strickland could be the foil for any guy all of a
sudden Hamza needs somebody to talk some ish to him and and rile him up throw Sean Strickland in there now you got now
you got something like he’s a guy that is kind of so interchangeable in that regard and is able to drum up interest
so much regardless of the like and compare him to Colby not necessarily because I think their sticks are similar
I do see some elements but I do think there’s distinctions it’s more for the idea that like Colby’s fights aren’t
that exciting either like Kobe’s a high volume guy he’s going to throw a lot but he’s really just like not gonna finish
anybody it’s it’s gonna be pretty like meat and potatoes and so is Sean Strickland like when Sean Strickland
beats people people it’s going to be a jab Fest he’s going to be walking after him flat-footed and there’s not going to be a finish and we know that and we know
that with Colby Covington too so most of the time um the the attention that they’re drawing is outsized and and their actual
in-cage product isn’t that exciting if Kobe Covington or Sean Strickland or anybody else people will be snoozing
them and saying that they’re you know uh curtain jerkers if they’re even on the the perfect example is Colby before I
even change this Persona he was literally a curtain jerker he was a guy who was on the undercard like that’s
where Sean Strickland would be and that’s where Colby Covington would be back if we were only grading their style alone but they bring more to the table
Beyond just their actual Style Sean Strickland at like UFC 4 would have
been like the biggest superstar ever yeah like he would have he would have just fit into that nhb era in such a
real way like really missed opportunity there I mean he’s got some good wins like he’d
be stopped he overwhelmed and beat the hell out of Brendan Allen like that that win is aged very well especially in the
second round you know a Boost Mobile is what it is it was uh as BC called it on BTL yesterday
get well fight yeah man it’s uh interesting times
interesting times and there’s value to being you know Sean Strickland who even though
most people feel like you can’t win but you’re still generating interest for a fight like there’s still something to
that there’s value to that so we’ll see what happens it would be I don’t even know how we’re gonna do a
post fight show of Sean Striker wins the middle aide title we’re gonna have to wait like it would be fun oh man
wow what a world all right I’ll take a couple more
uh dude here we go uh question for the panel what fight are you most excited about on this entire
Sydney card
I mean I’m just gonna default to Manila cop because all right and I want to see
I want to see however many months that is of 12 months eight months of just pure aggression and frustration really
come out in this cage and I’m really curious what that’s gonna look like so that’s my guy I’m just I’m just happy to see him back
I’ve been I’ve been won over by turkali and and Pedro I’ve just liked their Vibes this week I think there’s a high
potential that that’s like a a one and done in either direction fight um so I like that one I’m I’m digging
that one yeah those are all good I mean the obvious is like and Jack Jenkins right
like yeah that one’s going to be a banger um but it almost feels too obvious it’s
like the if you’re looking up the card it’s kind of the one that everybody’s gonna pick but there’s some there’s some fun fights on this card it’s just that
like none of them have any Stakes like there’s just enough yeah that’s the thing it’s like it’s
like the oldberg jumps like it also looks like that right that’s gonna be violent right but it’s just like what’s
this what’s this mean yeah there you go
uh since Canada versus Izzy was a snooze Fest in Canada versus Strickland I mean Izzy versus Strickland is likely
to be a snooze Fest so um I’m gonna transition this into like a
different question because this is something I wanted to ask you guys and it kind of slipped my mind and I’ll start with you New York correct what if
this is a snooze Fest yeah what if Izzy goes out in just 50 45 Strickland and people half the crowd leaves the
building I just can’t I I can’t see it I really cannot fathom a world where that happens and I say that from the
perspective that like Izzy’s been in some fights that were not exciting and Sean Strickland’s been in
some fights that were not exciting no doubt but the common theme in both in both cases in the in those is they were
the aggressors right they were the offensive Fighters right in those fights Israel Assange is just kind of picking
apart Jared cannonir or yoel Romero or whatever they’re the only ones kind of like pushing the action now don’t get me
wrong they’re not going for broke but they’re they’re the ones pushing the action and the same for strong Strickland like he’s kind of just like
outpointing people both of them can’t be offensive in this fight I don’t see a world where both of
them are just like equally offensive somebody is gonna impose their will on the other somebody is going to dominate
the other I am guessing and most reasonable people are guessing that that’s going to be Israel lasagna and if
Israel arasanya is opposing as well on Sean Strickland I don’t think Sean Strickland has the tools to fight back I
just think that that is one-way traffic no matter how you look at it so it will be very weird it would be like I can’t
fathom a world where Sean Strickland is is offensively sound enough against a guy as Technical and and good as Israel
to Sanya where he’s just like hanging in there and Izzy’s kind of just like picking him apart I just think there’s
going to be too many opportunities for Izzy to finish um and if Sean wins it sure as hell incumbenting from a jab Fest against
israelisanya because he’s outgunned there and he’s going to lose that every single time so he’s gonna have to finish Israel he’s gonna have to find something
somewhere and finish him I can’t I just can’t see it the only outcome I cannot see is just like a
boring they’re just trading Jabs it’s it’s I just stylistically it’s oil and water I I I I it’s not sorry that would
be oil and water for me and I just don’t see it they’re they’re gonna Clash there is going to be a clash at some point
forced by one or the other um Shaheen let me Eric and exit tells you
the story all the time about the Sean Strickland Alex prayer fight we had a game plan his game plan was to go in and wrestle the student Shawn circus said go
f yourself I’m gonna punch this dude in the face and nixik has said yeah it’s a bad stylistic matchup but we have put
together a game plan we feel confident enough that if Sean follows this game plan
he can beat Israel out of Sania so what if this game plan that they’ve crafted and he is somehow
mind melted Sean Strickland into believing this is the path of Victory I’m going to listen to everything he says what if it’s just like hey instead
of being the offensive cup Striker you be the counter-striker and we end up with like a weird Spiderman the webs at
each other like what if that happens like what if Sean is not the over aggressive guy and he’s he slows down
the pace and this turns into somehow Sean Strickland becoming a mid-range
kickboxer and is he’s just like all right I mean if you’re just gonna give me this I’m gonna take it like what if
this fight ends up like that and it’s just is he that would be like the worst version of Izzy versus Romero a worse
version yeah like what if that happened that’s like because even it’s not a winnable fight well even if this is
Strickland’s game plan and it’s like ironed out that like the hardcore is like all right this is the game plan and Eric Nixon says oh no this is what we
wanted to happen this is gonna get all the blame for it is he not like he’s just going to get it he’s gonna get all
of it do you think that Sean strickler can do that though like does it is everything
that we know about Sean Strickland does that seem like something he’s capable of like just inherently pulling within him
of like holding back from not just being like all right I gotta go crazy type of thing like I don’t I I mean maybe maybe
if if Sean Sterling goes out there and wrestles Izzy and takes his time and pulls a yellow Romero and wins the
weirdest decision ever that’s in a Macabre way the most hilarious result I’ve ever seen
like that’s just I’m super here for whatever that result is if that’s how this happens and then Sean just goes off
on a tangent for the next three months talking about how he be busy like that’s just whatever that world is I’m here for
that that’s really weird oh my God let me just allow me for one second to point out the difference between Sean Strickland and yo Romero because I I
know that that makes sense in practice in this you know fantasy world but yo the book on yo Romero is lack of
activity and then explosion that ends very violently killing people that is the book on yo Romero the reason
israelisanya wouldn’t rush that is because if he does yolo Romero is going to kill him the way he’s killed many
people before if he rushes Sean Strickland there’s really not a lot coming back at him like I just don’t see
a world where he’s Frozen in place like yo Romero would be and there’s anything that’s scaring Israel to Sanya he’s
gonna beat his face in if he’s just standing still right like you go back to early in that
fight Izzy rushed him early and then got it all right all right man like I’m cool if
you’re not if Sean Strickland could do that I’d be
I’d be floored I’d be floored if he could make Izzy fear Him in that way by standing still to me to me the wrestling
is like the more interesting part of this question because that’s not really something anybody is talking about is like what if Sean just goes out there
and tries to wrestle the entire fight and like in theory that feels valid right like that feels like a viable path
for him but I don’t know to me that is also overblown where like who have we really seen out wrestle Israel out of
Sanya outside of like yamlakovitz in a very early Marvin Victoria is super early in Izzy’s career too like like I
feel like the defensive wrestling thing that people try to poke at with is he maybe is not there to the degree that
they think it is like he’s he’s a pretty damn good and you don’t have takedown and just even with his movement and
lateral Movement Like preventing the idea of take Downs even coming at it we don’t even need to go we don’t even need
to go back a month to to reflect on the like just rest Alum conversation that was around Sean O’Malley uh who showed
uh maybe that doesn’t work so hot like maybe it’s not as easy movement and all that like yeah yeah
just wrestle them yeah Anderson Silva is the Israel just
Russell yeah it’s like just wrestle him that’s it I don’t understand how these guys are the goats you know
bro come on yeah piece of cake I’m telling one thing one thing that I’ve learned and I I think some of the people
that are watching this as well I came into this preview show with like no Vibes of like anything crazy happening
I’m not saying I have a lot of Vibes that something crazy is gonna happen but I have some now I have stuff
everybody but you has talked about how he has no chance no path to Victory and
now you’re just like that did it for me that’s sealed now I’m starting to believe now I’m starting to believe and
you know what based on some of the picks I’ve made on the MMA hour you’re probably right you’re probably man just
based on how rough a run it’s been for me okay so I don’t feel I’m I’m at least I’m at least attempting to mentally
prepare myself for the near impossible and I don’t know what that actually looks like right now but I’m I’m
starting to prepare myself for a world that I didn’t think we’d be living in
this is why we love MMA though because like in other sports it really isn’t possible but this is the one where like
the impossible actually is possible every so often there’s one random night in the middle of September or the early
part of September where all of a sudden Sean Strickland’s the champion of the world and everybody’s just like what the f happened in in this yeah because
you’re right because like like I said like last week Rose Nam Eunice catches a
kick breaks her pinky whatever you never know like is he’s a human he
catches one kick snaps his middle finger just something stupid and all of a suddenly that’s just enough to make this
fight stupid enough where Strickland somehow wins a 48-47 you know maybe Jon
Jones toe nearly breaking off against Chelsea and was two minutes away from the craziest outcome in MMA history so
yeah it can happen any Grand any random night can you imagine if Sean Strickland like Cody garbrandts
I cannot imagine it but it would be the funniest thing I ever saw in my life oh my gosh I God I want like all these
things to happen in some way I mean it’s been a couple years of chaos man like we’ve really weird stuff dude
oh my gosh do we have any more questions I don’t know if we can Leon Edwards by the way
another good example of like just wrestler just wrestle him Leon Edwards Sean
O’Malley Israel attorney just wrestle him just wrestling you know that’s it it’s that easy don’t overthink it
oh my God [Music] I think we’re good gentlemen yeah I mean look we have to mentally prepare for
chaos in a couple of hours on animeplaying.com because we got game bread bare knuckle MMA going down Junior
dos Santos versus fabicio version 2 ladies and gentlemen that is about to happen but tomorrow’s gonna be a very
busy day we got the people’s pre-fight show we got the watch party Jose is in Sydney we’ll have all the post-fight
interviews with the winners and The Taste makers of the card while the post by press conference we might have the
most insane post fight show in the history of MMA fighting.com we’ll have it on to the next one it’s going to be a
busy weekend and if you don’t want to spend 85 bucks on this pay-per-view after taxes join us for the watch party
because I can tell you right now GC and I are going to be excited New York Rick Main Event Rick is going to join us and
boy does he have his hands full following the goat pocket Porter who will join us
that is going down hit the music Casey we are out of here you’re all the best I’m telling you and
I’m feeling Vibes I feel you UFC 300 Sean Strickland versus
UFC 300 coming to us too
Porta Jones two in the co-main event oh let’s go paycheck
Josh Jones
first thing he said like do you want me for the whole thing or just the go Main Event I’m like I wish we could have your heart
so thank you all very much for Shaheen for Casey on the ones and twos for New York Rick joining us free pay-per-view
which I love very much we have to do this again I am my cat thank you for watching see you tomorrow everybody
thank you
