Future Outlook and Love for Fighting

This is an IiHart podcast Guaranteed human. This podcast is sponsored by Total Wireless, the official wireless partner of UFC. Power doesn't wait in the octagon or outside of it. You either make the move Or you missed a moment. That's why you need a network that's just as powerful as you are. With Total wireless, you get unlimited five G data keeping you in the action from the walkouts to the knockouts. Now that's a tootal power move. Make your total power move today. Visit tootalwireless dot com or stop by your neighborhood Total wireless store. Additional terms apply. seeee tootalwireless dot com for details What's up guys? Welcome to another episode of the Daniel Cormier Show. Today's episode is brought to you by Total Wireless, the official wireless provider of USC. They're in your corner with unlimited five G data that will not slow you down Guys, that is a total power move and the guy I'm talking to today, tootal power move. Join by one of the toughest feeatherweights in the USC. This is a guy that will literally fight anyone anyime Dan's had twenty one fights in the UFC Hawaii raised San Clemente born. Dan, one hundred K E gay. Dan e gay, my man.. Thanks for joining me, Bro. appreciate you popping into the show. So obviously, you and I have sat down before. For interviews to talk, all those other things, but on this show, we try to get a little deeper, talk a little longer. get to know Danny Gay more than just the fighter, but everything else that makes you such a great human being and than you. a great person. But fought a couple of weeks ago, how' life likeike how' everything going for you right now How's the last couple weeks been after after the fight obviously didn't go the way that you wanted to and you tore your ACL Yeah, Tre my ACL. it's unfortunate fractured orbital. It it's a crazy. It's a dirty game What what do we do, man? I mean, obviously you can never plan for things like that. It's just a freak accident Die kick same time. snapped And what do you do? You just you got to fight through it. Sinning kick at the end didn't see it. Fracturered my orbital, four five seconds left in the fight. I felt okay. I was definitely hurt. L the shot hurt me Um, covered myself Rfs stop the fight but what are you going to do? I wasn't going to fight the ref about it. It defefinitely would have had some adversity to overcome had we gone back to the corner Oh That's just the way it went, you know? and then It's funny. We actually went home. bothoth my kids, my wife, were all sick Um Bat coming out of both ends and I went immediately into caretaker mode. So I didn't even have time to like mourn my own loss or like feel sorry for myself. So I just went straight into like dad mode, caretaker, husband and Here we are ten days later. I'm like, what do what am I going cry now? Like I don't know, man, it's just I'm blessed. I'm very fortunate to even had twenty one fights in the USC is crazy when I look back at it I've had a, you know career so far, a lot of ups and downs, battle a lot of adversity and always came through on top. so It's just a, you know, it's just part of the story. What I'm going through now is just something for me to come back from and be better from and We'll see what happens. We'll talk a little more about the career in the fight, but let's kinda go back. born in San Clemente, but how do you end up in Howo How do you say that? Ho Eva. Hoi Eva. But you're born in Sant Clemente. How you how you end up in Holli Eva Um, crazy honestly. I mean, d my mom and dad were born, you know, they met in Dana Point and they worked together. which is beautiful by the way. Yeah. I mean, I loved it out there. I grew up a little bit out there. Most of my life,, you know, I spent growing up in Hawaii. But my mom and dad were separated, you know, when I was Not even one years old So I move It's crazy. My mom was So my dad was always deployed moving, you know, he's a Navy SEAL, so he was always gone and if I wasn't with my dad, I was with my mom And then my mom would be Working two, three jobs. so I'd be getting watched by random people and like Then my mom went had a couple years where she was in and out of jail and I would just move, I would be living with my aunty, be living with my dad, be living with my grandma. So I moved a lot and I guess that's created that J ability to adapt. But you You're when you're your family, your parents were separated. Yeah. But then Your mom and dad both moved back to Hawaii. Your dad was in the military there so they all you guys all or did they separate when you got back to Hawaii? So no, they separated beforehand. My dad Initially, yeah, he got The call, Hey, we're going get station Hawaii Pel Harbor, SDVT one Um, He was the commommand master chief over there. I u And I was like sick, I want to move to Hawaii. I love skating. I love surfing. And I grew up, you know, I went to, you know intermediate school, middle school and then all of high school there and My mom moved there because I was there. She wanted to be closer to me. Yes. and So my mom they were both living in Hawaii on a small island, but While I was in Hawaii was living with my dad completely. He was remarried. You know, I have a half brother, half sister U Yes, crazy. Do you remember that being tough for you It was tough, but I didn't I didn't even know what tough was. That was just life. Like no one ever put that word or verbiage in my ear. So I thought that's just kind of normal and part of life. I was the only child up to when I was twelve U I didn't, you know, I didn't point fingers at anyone or blame anyone, you know, My dad implemented a lot of structure, like I was always afraid of my dad. like I didn't want to get bad grades and my dad never beat me, but like he could just look at me a certain way. I'd be like afraid. and I didn't want to disappoint where my mom I had a little bit more free will. U more of a street kid. I can run around, you know ten o'clock at night skating down the streets and You know, no one's calling me asking me to check in. so I got a lot of street smart and a lot of, you know, knowledge from that side. then I got a lot of structure and discipline from my dad. Um and I don't know, man. it'sh My dad gets a lot of credit for my fighting style and my discipline and my hard work, but I think I get a lot of My mom should get some credit too, just for like the craziness and the free will and the free spirit So I got a little little blend there. Well when you're when you're growing up, like you said, going between places, family That's that island community, right? Like there's not many places in the world where a kid can be uh, you know, from the ups and the downs and and God Finding that comfort in the community. when you think back to growing up on that island That small island, what do you remember the most Well, you know, there's a reason I call Hawaii home. You know, it's like the first place I moved that I felt like they adopted me. you know, they adopted me as part of the culture, as part of the community Um, grranted, you know, I got in fights. There's a lot of bullies, a lot of, you know, just punks out there and I had to I feel like growing up in Hawaii, the only way to really like get your respect, it's just to like defend yourself and fight back. No one no one's pulling weapons or guns or knives. It's all, you know, street fights and I got in a few fights here and there just to I don't know, you call it bowling or not, but then eventually I got into martial arts, started training and then I didn't really get in much trouble after that. Yeah, yeah. Well, I think we all have those things, but it is a community that raises most people. I remember growing up in Lafayette We always had other kids around at my house Yeah. But I think it allowed for us to play more. We were more active outside. We spent a lot of time doing things that you that kids today don't necessarily do. Kids are inside, right But having that, Um was very important. Now you speak about the fighting And fighting to defend yourself as a young kid It becomes martial arts at what age Did martial arts become a part of your life? I'm talking Ju jitsu first, wrestling second. But when did you start to think, man Martial arts could be something that I want to try and pursue Yeah. so I started training Jiu Jitsu in one of my buddy's backyards. We would His dad was a purple belt. he fought MMA. He was really smart though. He just had us drill arm bars and triangles, like drill back like Was he an MMA guy? Was he a fighter? Yep, early MMA fighter. His name was Gary Freredz. I trained with my friend Allika And then, you know, we would go to like a couple academies that had like sinceibi Jiu Jitsu that ended up becoming my Jiu Jitsu accademy growing up on the North shore Um And I honest say, so my dad was a really good wrestler in California. Um He's a runner up and then he wrestled in Oregon for the Ducks. He's a really good wrestler. Greco Really good, but his mom pushed him so hard to wrestle that he I didn't even know he wrestled. He never pushed me into wrestling until one day I was like dad, I want to wrestle. I never wanted to wrestle. honest the honest truth is I just didn't want to wear a singlet. I didn't w want to like my nuts, I didn't w to You don't want your nuts out there, hh? No I didn't want that. Th Well they ride up too, they go all up in your shit, man. Back in the day, too back in the day, they got long singlern now. Back in the day, they were kind of short. lookooked real bad. Yeah Um But yeah, I jumped in my junior year, I started wrestling U placel six and states my senior year I lost in overtime in the semis U lost every match after You did the old semi slide. Yep, semi slide wrestled two years at Wardburg D three school, learearned a lot. like about wrestling just being in a high level room and But I also was very honest. I was like, I'm probably not going when NCAA title, like these kids have been wrestling since they' four years old. like I just Maybe with the mindset I have today, maybe I could have done something great, but at the time I just was like, this isn't it for me, but I felt like I got enough wrestling to apppplied to MMA. Yeah. and I went back During like semesters and I did a couple of amateur MMA fights back home in Hawaii. You already knew When you were in college, you already knew That MMA was something you were going to do. Yeah, just because, you know, we grew I think BJ Pen was champion at the time. So that gave a Hawaii kid hope That was that's what I was going to say to you next. likeike when you're in Hawai. It's got to be BJ Penn back then. I mean, who are you watching BJ Penn all those Hawaiian fighters early. I mean, even guys like Cabbage were just around like Hawaiian guys that were really setting the tone for what MMA was and you guys are down there inawaii watching this like what are you thinking watching a guy like BJ Penn essentially rule the world Yeah, I mean, he was, in my opinion, like he was the greatest at that time. L knowing like just his ability, his fight IQ, his ability, like his dexterity He was just so good and dominating and I think it just gave a lot of Hawaii kids hope and fighting's just kind of part of the culture. U So I kind of always knew I wanted to fight. We grew up watching, you know, watching the UFC in the house Just watching all the old time guys go go get after and it was just I knew it was something I wanted to do. Uureah Fabra was coming up. I was like watching Uurah Fabra. I was like seeing the little guys The smaller guys. I was like, okay, maybe I can do this. Um So I but I never really trained striking or anything til after wrestling after college and then but that's It's kind of what you know like the power is one of the things that you're known for, but you didn't do that until later No, yeah. No, I don't I don't know where that came. Where did it come from? I don't know. The first day I stepped into extreme Koutur, I didn't really even know how to throw a punch And I Ray Seho was holding pads for me. He's like, man, you hit my you hit like a middle weight, you hit like a like He's like you have some something in your hands and like I thought people were just telling me this to hype me up, but then like I heard it from like different coaches all around the continent telling me the same thing And then I just started trying to buy into that and learning and like learning the art. and I fell in love with that. still have all the wrestling and Juitsu I'm a black belt and Jiu Jitsu, decent wrestler Um I don't know, man, it just S you knock a couple guys out and then you're like, maybe I could just do this.'s fun. I remember when you started coming to AK to train with us But you were working with Ali Adel Aziz. And it seemed like you were more of an apprentice to become a manager Right And all of a sudden you were on the mats all the time and I was like, Yo this dude is good Like you were good. Was that the plan? Was the plan to go into management? or were you just training to fight? But it seemed like you were almost like an apprentice almost. Yeah That was a crazy time in my life being on the road with Ali and you know, Ali, it's just like all over the place. but high level high very high successful manager ADHD to the to the extremist and u When I moved to Vegas, I had no money I was sleeping on, you know, talking about old guys coming up. I was watching Brad Brad when I was in college, Brad Deavars was on the ultimate fighter and When I made the mo Brad always I didn't really know him that well, but we got to know each other. We started a train at the MMA gym he came up in Hawaii. He was already out here in Vegas And he offered me to come out and sleep on his couch. I had no money. I came here with twenty seven dollars. I bought a plane ticket And I was working and I was saving up money and then working in construction, you just could go weeks without work. I spent all my money that I saved up. The day came for my plane ticket and I had twenty seven bucks. So I was like, screw, I'm jumping on the plane I slept on Brad's couch and He took care of me for a little bit. like I helped out the dishes cleaned up and he's like I knew I needed to work and provide somehow and he's like he's like, Hey, do you want to go to u dinner with my manager. And I didn't really know Ali. I knew he was promoting a little bit World Series of fighting And I was like, oh, cool, could be a good opportunity to get into like a show or something, just like put my face out there And we were at dinner and I kind of got to know him and He's looking for an assistant. ' his assistant went on the ultimate fighter and I was like, Me and my boy, Poony, were like fighting over the job and I ended up getting the job. And I Within one week, I was already applying at other jobs. I was like, Sot, I don't want to do this. I don't want to be around this guy. This is crazy. like I can't handle this. And I did that. I was two in one as a pro. I did that all the way up to like pin twelve fights into my UFC career. Yeah, I remember. I thought I was gonna to get to the UFC and be like see you and then Yeah, I just didn't work like that, but because you're still not making that much money. You know once you get there. Yeah, you're not making that much money There was still a lot of benefit, you know, for me working there. like I got to, you know, trainer could be got brought into his camp, trained with guys like Islam, trained with guys like Frank Yeagger, you know, travel wherever he went, work with high level coaches. and I just picked everyone's brain. But I was always the guy like I was car I was the guy carrying The guys that are fighting for the title was carrying their grocery bags and carrying their bags. I remember that beingK I wanted to be in that position and I was like how motivating is that for you though? right to like, say, man, this is my way, right? I know that I have to do these things right now But ultimately, I want to be the guy Yeah that has the guy. Exactly That's I mean, that's what it was and that's what drove me Maybe that fueled my six fight win shreeak in the UFC. I was just like I was so hungry and fighting was my only way to like Express that I felt like It was almost like captivity. Yeah, you know, like I'm I'm in this I'm bra I wasn't working in an office. Allave works from bed. I'm sitting on the ground And I just want to be that I wanted to be the guy. I wanted to be there so bad And then u Yeah, it drove me, it drove me really far. And then I ended up having a family, you know, having a kid. My wife, had my kid. and When you had your kid, is that when you stopped working? Yeah. Because I took time. I took leave. I was like, listen, I need to be there for my I was there. would I'd wake up, train or do whatever. Second I'm done I'm still sweating, now I'm working. And I'm like, is Practices is at three hundred thirty It' three twenty five. We're driving to practice, texting, doing whatever for allie calls on the mat, like No time to warm up. I'm on the mat, secondcond I'm off the mat, boom sweating back to work. L that was my life. But but that's probably because You're who you are, right? So you want to do a great job. Yeah. Yeah. rightight. It's not because it's because you know, hey, man, this is this is what I'm doing right now for work. I want to be good at it. so you are so locked in. But that but that I remember For me, I remember one time You only tell you my moment that I knew Sure. I know when you say, I was carrying the bags and doing all that stuff. remember one time Kaine Velasquez had an appearance And it was twenty five thousand dollars And I was living in a seven hundred and fifty square foot apartment in San Jose. I was paying thir thousandteen hundred docks a month. I had a Six month old baby And Caine was not gonna do it. He was like,, I don't really wanna go anywhere twenty five grand. And I just remember thinking to myself, if I ever have the opportunity to make twenty five thousand dollars for a little bit of time on an appearance I'm absolutely gonna to do it. But then I watched him value himself so much And eventually they gave him more And I was like, man, I need to get to a point where I require them to give me more. Yeah. where I am at a point in my life where I can say no And then I kept working and working and working. But I remember when I heard that, because it wasn't a conversation I was supposed to be part of. It was some I was listening to And I was like, manan to live this life is the craziest thing. I said I'm going to work so much that my son is going to have everything Yeah. And it happens in different ways. And it sounds like to me, the hard work you were doing was the thing that made you say, you know what, man I'm not going to be fifty k danny guy. I'm going to be a hundred grand.ah. Right because I'm gonna earn bonuses and I'm gonna to make a living for me and my family Yeah No, that's exactly it man. just There was no It was just a work ethic at the time. It wasn't about it wasn't about the dollar. I work just enough to As long as I can eat, train and have a roof over my head, that's all I cared about in the moment. and You know, having a guy like Ollie in my corner It was a big advantage, you know, I had a lot a lot of pull a lot of strings, make a lot of connections, build the network And but yeah, here I am today. Yeah, you had a lot of interactions with Ai during that time. What do you think you took the most from him? because he's a guy that elevates the people around him. First off, it tell you to go to one hundred thirty five. Who' that? No I think he tried to tell me and I was like, I did all the bone deexas scans at the PI and they're like, there's no way. Like you're not a small guy. No, but I learned a lot. just being around him, you know the brrotherhood just seeing the team and how strong they are and how they bond Um It was really cool to see. and then every fight we I somehow ended up being like his favorite guy to train with His dad lo that I trained with him because I don't know if I was just easy and I to get you on bottom, but I was a safe and a good train. Sf and yeah, take care of you. Yeah Well, you don't run the risk of getting hurt with a guy like you because you're so good You know how to, uh to train, especially when he's cutting weight. Yeah. I mean, don't get mean, I'm trying to do stuff and he's just that good too. But yeah, it's not there's no ego. I'm not trying to kill you and trying. I was trying to win some rounds, but Yeah, it's not our. It's not easy to do against him. You spoke about your son. Your wife Savannah.. You guys been in high school? Yeah It's crazy. You know most u most High school sweetheart situations don't work out. Yeah Be you it has. How important has she been in your journey U, man it's u she's everything. It's u We didn't start dating until after high school, we were like really good friends. but you know wait, so did you do it? Did you do the friend turn boyfriend thing to her? Did you love bomb her from us from afar? Did you love bomb her as a friend? and then eventually she didn't recognize you were like kind of creeping into her? I don't know. Maybe I did, but maybe not herer mom was the one Her mom, she's like, that boy loves you, like would always tell her that boy loves you. And I didn't really like Maybe I did, but she was just cool. Like she was like we sit on the bus together, listen a Lil Wne, you know, have her earpods in and both listen Listen to iPod And so So I'm pretty sure the kids becausecause kids are I mean, they're like, Oh you two are bating and you got She's like No and every time your heart broke a little bit. She was always she was always with a guy. I like I mean and I didn't like him. so maybe maybe there was a little something there, but Yeah, I went to college, we were texting and talking and then one day her mom's like When I came back, she' was like, you should just kiss them And then Really? Yeah herer mom told her to kiss me and then We kiss and then like a little spark. And uh, Yeah, then we were dating for a while. We got married. We've been married ten years now She's been with me for every fight, eleven amateur fights, twenty one or I don't even know how many prof got a lot of profights. forty something fightes. You said she's your rock. Yeah. That relationship. How's that been for you? And honestly, picking a partner is tough. Yeah. Like picking the right partner is tough. You go from a friendship Today romantic relationship, how quickly Did you recognize This is the one This is the woman I'm going to spend the rest of my life with Um I knew pretty quickly just because we already had a strong foundation and a great friendship I just I remember praying just to find a wife and have a family. and like she was the one. Marriage isn't easy. You know relationships aren't easy. like we went through a lot of you know ups and downs. especially during that season when I was working with Ollie and Grinding, She wasn't the top on my priority list. you know, I was like, I had to I'm just thinking family security, I have to do whatever it takes where like I neglected my marriage and my marriage went through a rocky season. Um, But again, we We battled through that We did whatever it takes to keep it alive and now it's like stronger more than ever. How difficult was that time when The thing that's most important starts to feel like it's slipping away Yeah. I mean, it's really difficult and I'd say the biggest thing was like We didn't have God at the center of our marriage And I think that that was the biggest thing is putting God at the center of her marriage And then everything builds upon that upon that rock. like she is my rock, but God is the rock. And that's the foundation and That wasn't We were both, you know, I'm a man of faith. she grew up, you know, her you know, woman of faith, but like Still wasn't like our foundation. And goingo through those seasons and Rocky trials realize like, okay, we need to build on something. and You know, it took a lot of it was finding community Um within our church, going to therapy, doing whatever it took. And And then we put when we put our marriage first Um Everything else just got better, you know And the kids, the kids now you have children do you think Call back to growrowing up in the situation you did. Did that make you Adamant. not to have the same type of situation as you had with your parents. haveave your kids have to grow up the same way that you did Yeah. hundred percent, I just like Just to be an example of a healthy marriage is like Motivation enough And again When I grew up like I wasn't You don't think no one tells you anything like I don't know what a An idea of a healthy marriage even You don't even know what it because you're life what you live is normal because that's what you see. That was normal Um then when I look back and we talk about it, it's like, okay, I went through a little there's a little trauma there And we trauma bonded that way. you know, my wife Her mom and dad were separated She had a step momom. We bonded like that. We'd talk, you know, talk shit about her step momoms. and like we bonded that way. L I love my step momom She's a great person, but you said all you did was talk shit about it. But we did talk shit But again, it's just It's what we knew at the time and is way we were trauma bonded in a way. and Yeah That's funny. Dan, you know One thing that is very difficult for a fighter is Managing Fam Relationships, being a father while being a fighter I think And to my detriment, I've had failed relationships because I was too selfish because The greatest athletes The greatest athletes struggle in relationships because there's a selfishness with warin that championship. Right? So I have a whole bunch of gold belts at my house Right? But on the way you just leave people becausecause Your goals are to singular Yeah I was talking to Tom Brady. He struggled with that himself, right How do you balance being father and a fighter and If you are to be asked Then if you'd had been more selfish, you'd be the world champion. Or if you be the guy you are today, the great father, the great husband, you have the career you are where you're a top ten guy, but you never reached that belt. What are you choosing Um it's funny, I was just talking about this with someone and I think we're just talking about my last fight and It's like, I wouldn't trade what I have for anything. Like I wouldn't trade My wife and kids, my relationship with my wife and kids for a win in an extra hundred grand You know what I mean? I um That being said, it's like I feel like my wife understands me enough. She knows shes she's a great team player too. She understands when I shift into camp modes and when I need to be more selfish than not and she's very supportive in that role But I also Just my own human nature Having that little bit of like tear of like being selfish almost harms me. more than just being you know what? I don't even know how to explain it. It's like There's an internal battle, an internal struggle when I am Maybe being as selfish as I should be when you're not are when you are when I am Wh and I am. It hurts you to be That person It hurts. Even though ultimately it moves you closer. to ultimately your goal of success inside the Octa? But does it That's the question. does it really I always wonder to myself like Could I have been Less could have been more present Yeah and still One, eight title fights Yeah. And every time I ask that question, I don't know that I don't know that the answer is yes. I feel like every single workout needed to happen. Every single thing needed to happen. I don't know. I'm really asking you because I don't know I can tell you this. I've gone into every single fight. with no stone unturn. I've done everything that I'm supposed to do as a professional athlete as far as what I sleep, what I eat, what I sleep, what I put in my body, how I recover, getting in the hours of training, getting whatever I need to make my mind sharp and strong and healthy and having the bonding How do we even know how I could be better Like there was there would be no way unless I had like There's really no way for me to be better. I live the life as a champion. It doesn't always work. the results Yeah. you know Most of us do change when we have kids When I had my son I was barely starting Right? I was thirty My son's fifteen now forty six years old I was thirty two when I had my son And while they say it changes the fighter I was able to And again, and I don't know if it sounds bad or comes off as wrong, but even during fight week, I would separate them from me in everything that I was doing. from staying in separate hotel rooms, if I was in San Jose, I would stay in a hotel and not home How much did you change when you started to have kids U I would say the only thing that changed was just being a little bit smarter U financially. Yeah, was making investments, find like Even being in the UFC, I can get I can go from fight to fight and fight to fight and be broke. Yeah, and I'm not living a lavish lifestyle I'm just buying good quality food and Literally, I say, I'm not buying chains or jewelies or cars or anything. I bought a house at one point. But that's what you're supposed to do. That's you're supposed to do. But I was still I was like, how am I not, you know Not more secure. So going into the Damon Jackson fight I was on a three fight losing street I had oneage My fight was in January. Christmas was coming up. I had one mortgage payment left in in my bank account And fighting is not guaranteed. Like what if he doesn't even make what if he tears the shit and we don't even fight then I don't get paid? And then I don't I lose my house. Parents were my parents and family and friends were asking us like what what are the kids want for Christmas? And I was like Just send us money And we will buy them whatever they want on our credit cards And after I fight, I'll pay it all back, but that's where we were going into that fight and Album topop fifteen Yeah, topop fifteen, maybe top ten and knnockout Damon Jackson. G, you know, show win, got a bonus I immediately met with a financial advisor, I interviewed four or five different ones and picked one and started making smart decisions of how to manage my money better and set up you know now I got a good Ness and good investments that I'll never have to worry again, but it was a scary place to be going into a fight Th fight losing streak could lose my job, but also gave me a lot of freedom to go in there and just say eff it and like Be there which leads to the to the to the u That nickname, right? fifty K Yeah, hundred grand now. Yeah. That all is from bonuses. likeike what made why did not call why fifty K E gay? Was that a name before you won a bonus or is that from the bonus? So it was my first bonus. I fought Danny Henry in London and got the fifty K bonus first round How good that money feel when you get it? It felt great. That was my down payment. I got a I bet Allli too. I told him I wanted to buy a gold chain Kamara Usman was in the car. we were all talking. I was like, Ali like, I want to buy gold chain. He like, brother, you need to buy a house. I'm like I'll buy a house and a gold chain. I just want a gold chain And he's like I'll make you a deal. If you finish this guy, I'll buy a gold chain And then I finish him, I hit him up. He tried to buy me a little baby like little. I want a big. No I was like, G me that rope. I want that big rope right there. So I got my rope, got the down payment for my house That felt good. but yeah, the day I walked in the gm my buddy, Boston Salmon started calling me fifty K e gay. and I was like, that kind of flows. and I just took it and adopted it. You know, I, uh I fought I was in the Strike Force Challenges series And I was making ten thousand dollars every time I fought The very first time I made ten grand, I just come off the Olympic team I spent the money so fast that I couldn't even pay my managers the twenty percent I owed them the two thousand dollars. Then I made forty grand once I started going and eating at Sizzler I started going and eating at sizzler. In two months, I was gonna go. this was in june twenty eleven september twenty eleven, I was going to fight Bigfoot sila And I probably had like five grand left. I had spent all the money. It was going crazy. but I was buying sizzler and buying toys for my kids. I was doing all these crazy things. It didn't seem like I was spending a lot, but every little bit was chipping away at what I had. Then eventually Iought Bigfoot Silvver and that was the first time I made good money. And then ever since it's kind of been all systems go. but it is Ieresting how so many struggle like that Yeah. But like you said You've now made smart decisions It's kind of crazy, right? And I'm not a guy that ever was shit on the UFC, but it's kind of crazy that you could be in that situation, right when you're fighting at the level that you were fighting and not having that level of security Yeah, man, we, uh One day randomly took Top one hundred Baseball players. Yeah. And we're looking at we're like, okay, if I'm Top fifteen in the world Top fifteen in the world over eight weight classes Whatever the fifteen times eight is, put me on that list. Let's just say I'm the very last one What's that guy that MLB player make It was like something c like twenty eight million dollars a year. Yeah It's just I don't know, it's hard and I, um, The wher approaches with like Theres I can't change that myself, so I'm very grateful. But when I get in that mode of thinking, it causes a lot of resentment in my heart and I don't think that's healthy It can be used to drive you and motivate you, but like that resentment can easily overtake you and leak into other areas of your life. So I really try not to dell on the fact that I should be could be making more money becausecause I I mean, In comparison to what the UFC fighters are making, I make decent money. Yeah. And in comparison to what most people in the world make, right Yeah. This podcast is sponsored by Total Wireless, the official wireless partner of UFC. All UFC fighters know power doesn't wait in the octagon or outside of it. You either make the move or you miss the moment. That's why you need a network that's as powerful as you are. withith Total Wireless, you get unlimited five G data keeping you on all the action fromom the walkouts to the knockouts, you'll never miss a moment. That's coverage that you can count on for every single round. So when the moment happens, you're not catching up. you're already there. Now that, that's a total power move. In the UFC power isn't given. It's taken. So make your total power move today. Visit tootalwilders dot com or stop by your neighborhood Total Wilder store five G access requires a five G capable device in a five G service area. Monthly rates on the total base five G unlimited plan. For new subscribers applies only to the monthly rate for your plan. Additional terms apply. See website for details. Earlily, I was talking about total wireless and I said, that's total power move, right I kind of want to get into power moves, right? So your power move It has to be that moment UFC three hundred three. you take the Diego Lopez fight. then I don't know that There's ever been a fighter. that's taken a fight on four hours notice. Were you really getting a massage when that call came in? one hundred percent.. You were getting a massage. How's that happen though? So it's Saturday right into of the week I'm recovering. I was training. I trained twice a day. I trained Um I was in the sauna I was going home it wass like three four PM. I was like,, I'm going to get a massage before the fights. And I had like my phone was on do not disturb They went up, they called my phone a hundred like bunch of times, they ended up finding calling my wife. Really? My wife came upstairs and was like, Hey, you know, Al' call Al's calling me. I'm like I was like, he probably just wants like an invoice or something like before contact. I was I'll calling back. She's like, It seems urgent. So I looked at my phone. I saw Hunter called me, Ali called me Soide called I think I don't know I called Ali back first, so I was like, what's going on? He's like, br How are you doing? I was like, I'm getting a massage right now U he's like Something he's like the Comain event Komain event fell out. wouldould you can you fight Diego Lopez? So I'm thinking like they're going to rebook it. I'm yeah, cool. like win Tonight. Ai, are you serious How is that even possible like? The winds were yesterday. Yeah So like Honestly, like I didn't even think it would happen, so I just like, I'll call the bluff. You know, yeah, I'll do. But I would ask for more money or something. Oh one hundred I got a new contract, I got all my it worked out very good in my favor. I got good money, got all my money guaranteed So there was like I called Eric same thing. I was say, Hey Eric There's a good chance we're fighting He's like, who win? I'm like, tonight is Oh Yeah. he's like, what do what do I need? I was like, go to the gym and grab my cu. cups there in my locker. che had my mouthiece. I was like, cup my mouthpiece. That iss all you need, right? Yeah. So we go, boom, I talking to Hunter, talking to Ali, they're asking me what I weigh I'm like, I don't I don't even know. I think I said I was like I think I was like one hundred sixty five this morning So I don't even know what I weighed They made a contract So I didn't even know I had to weigh in. So They're like, all right, it's gonna to happen. So now I'm scrambling. I're like, what do I do? Like I better start eating, pututting some fuel in my body. So I'm eating, I'm turned on my espresso machine, I'm getting some caffeine. U go to the arena, I'm like pounding water because I was I should be hydrated. What are you thinking when you get to that arena th Like this is gu, your mind's got to be spinning ' Diego Lopez is dangerous is dangerous, but I was like, It was a it was just a cool like moment. Could you imagine like, did you ever think like I'm about to make history? likeike this is about to be the when because I remember when we're on T, we're calling fights. Yeah. All of a sudden in our ear to producers go Dude, we're about to break the craziest story of all time They're like, just listen to John and anecdotes it because they want to hear Rogan and' reaction Yeah. So we both't lose it. L this is one of the craziest moments I've ever seen in the sport. whereere you aware that you were like making history I kind of I kind of knew I would and I was. and That was a big factor of it too because In order to get respect in this sport, it's like you go on a crazy run, win a title win two titles that's that's almost how you get known. like I can go on Cool w shreeaks, you know, have some amazing knockouts and then just Be forgotten Yeah I needed to do something that was like that would put my name in the history books and earn me that respect and it did That's why it was a no brainer for me. It was a win win. I didn't I felt in decent shape. I felt pretty good. I was like, you know what I'll go in there and let's wing it. There's no game planned. It's a But yeah, I walked in. I walked in the arena. I'm like, there's Dana, there's Jelly Roll, there's Mark Wahlberg. I'm like what the heck? And then they took me to a scale. They're like, you got to wayigh in. I was like, oh, I actually got a way in. I was like, let me go pee real quick. And I came back and I was in one hundred sixty five. Jeez. good thing I didn't lie about my weight. Yeah. because like they actually made a real contract. I don't know what would have happened if I missed way. I would have look stupid They would have figured out a way to make you fight is what would have happened.. You got to think about that. That's what was going to happen You know That was one of the greatest things I've ever seen. and I'm telling you man, like we've had some insane moments and I am thankful to you for doing that and making that moment. lately in your career Obviously, as we all you know, one of the things we don't get in fighting is a George Stain. Pierre is one of the rare ones. Khabib is one of the rare ones. Gerally As your fight career goes longer, things start to go a little sideways. You've been incredibly active. lately fought all the best guys When you look back on your career, is there anything you would have done differently? Like when you think about it, like, man, maybe I shouldn't have done this one. Maybe I shouldn't have done this, like what could you have changed, D? The You know Because like you said, you know, you wouldn't change your career for the family, but ultimately that championship goal escaped to you I think Maybe saying no Um I've always said yes to everything and Especially when I was on a six f wind streak, I got the call again to fight short I fought short notice It was COVID. I fought Edson Barboson to Yep to next notice And I was on the couch and not really training Andan They're like, does anyone want to fight? And I was like,, you know, I'll fight. the world's gonna end. I'll fight it was was crazy. They're like Edson Barboos two weeks and this I looked at his Instagram. He's like shredded and ben training trying to get a fight. And I was like, o, that's like the scariest guy you can draw And then I f Edson out of pure fear U That was a crazy fight and it was close split decision Um And then they call me again. they're like Calvin Catater. main event So because Frank Yeagger fell out of that fight somehow. I was like probablyably shouldn't have jumped in it again right away. I would't even really have a camp going into that one had three or four weeks going into that one and you know, just The ability to just say no sometimes and like would have hurt me but yeah I felt like I was just I was on I was on a wind streak. I'll just keep it going. You gott to ride the momentum and ride the roller coaster. Yeah Sometimes saying no goes a long way in a lot of things, right? Not just fighting, not just career, but Just in life Yeah. In your division, the champion is an older guy, Alexander Volkanosski Does that? give you is that encouraging knowing that he went through his trials and tribulations, right? He lost two fights in a row got knocked out two fights in a row. and now he's the champion And speaking ofolk, like Do you anticipate a long title reign for him because he just continues to like setet the standard in the bar in his weight class. Man, he's so good. onene of the greatest to ever do it Do I think he's going to have a long title run It's hard to say because Who do you think gets him I don't even know, but he does bring up retirement a lot. He does And he does. That would be the only concern, but he looks great. He goes up Yeah. Who do I think gets some I mean, there's a lot of killers coming up right now. They got Laone. Larone Murphy, Ovesar. Ovesar. He seems to be calling out those guys too. He wants Al Jamaine. He calls out the hardest fight. Yeah heans Um, And again, I mean, Anyone can be beaten the right plan, the right showing up on the right night. Um But it's just you never know, man. This is such a crazy sport. As we start to turn the corner and get to the end of this interview, I got some quick hitters for you. Max Hollay, Charles Oivera and who wins and why? Oh dude. I'm going Max Hoalllloway. Is that just because he's from Hawaii? This part, I mean yeah, I'm a little biased. I like Charles too, even though every time I fought on a card with him, he took the bonus for me. He's, u I just think Max is is the guy right now. He's just so good and he's been on top. He's been in high level championship fights. He is the BMF and is his He's just so good. Do you guys have any did you guys have you had much interactions with Max as a guy from Hawaiian or you guys train together anything over time? When he just got in the UFC, he was Figno, we got in the UFC. I was we were training together And um Maybe three four fights before I moved to Vegas U But yeah, Max is my boy. Yeah All right, so you've been doing this for a while now, decade, right? Long time to be fighting, to be fighting the best in the world So today, Like what what do you what do you fight for today? What it seems like You know, you've you've accomplished quite a bit. Youve accomplished quite a bit. you have made money, you've secured your family, you have your house. That kid that came here with twenty seven dollars. is like a person of the past. Yeah But what do you fight for today? Um I fight for myself, man. Like I still love this. I u I love showing up. I love the process, I love the process of getting better and mainly just proving to myself that I can still do great things, the thrill of going on walking out, not knowing what's going to happen, but doing everything to prepare for what you want to happen and u I just love him, man. I'm still in the game. How much longer do I want to do? I don't know. I just I'm just riding the way, man. and Again, what I just suffered from and the ACL and the I just like One more part of the story to have something to fight for and come back from and show up and do something great again. So I