Wild Stunts and Adrenaline

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Cap for stoping and feel the power Welcome to What's Your Story with Steph McMahon, a WWE and Fanatics original production Welcome. Thank you. Thank you so much for being on the show. I'm so happy to be here. Yeah, so Matt, Sarah, you were the first the first black belt for Brazilian Ju Jitsu as awarded by Henzo. Henzo Grep Right in America? Yes. that's pretty amazing. Oh I yes. mean That's one of my greatest achievements. I'm proud of that. You should be. But us tell us about that and how you actually found Ju Jitsu because We were growing up, like we're around the same age. You know, MMA wasn't really as prevalent as MMA wast wasn't around. Right. wasn't So can you shed some light? Yeah, my father was always obsessed with martial arts. Really? Yeahah, yeah. he was He did win Chun Kung Fu And like It was How did he find it? As a kid, you know, he was in Hollis, Queens and he had a place that he went to I think in a city. I don't know where But he liked I had a wing chung dummy in my garage and I would do some of the sticky hands and stuff as a kid But my father wasn't It's funny because he wasn't into any sports, but he was obsessed with like Bruce Lee and What other kids were doing Little Lague, I was watching Kung fu theater. Rise isin into that. I wasn't My brother and I watched Kung Food Theater as well Sundays from like twelve to five. Yeah... And then he wanted to practice. every move. Yes. It was oh yes, entered a Dragon and oh yeah. All those Bruce Lee movies my father had me watching. But did you see the last dragon? Did I see the last dragon? All right,own Direct pizza to Daddy Greizz. I love it. I love it. My father took me to that in the theater. Really? Oh, man, Bruce Leoy Yeah the glow. Oh yes. You know, I love the song When you got that glo? Yeah, yeah. Yeah good. guys. But yeah, so I loved I was obsessed with all that And then my father, when I was like sixteen, seventeen, showed me a tape of the Gracies. It was called Gracie in action It was so wild about that. is it was before EM Mase, it was style vers style. It was Basically jiu jitsu vers guys boxers, wrestlers, karate guys And before that Like now everybody knows what real fighting is because mix Mosh lots iswh But before that, you never really knew kind of what worked. Like you'd be like Maybe that' Stehven Seal stuff works, Maybe T Like you swatch stuff in the re. Yeah. Chuck. Yeah, it's so sad You know, so you didn't know and then when I saw these tapes and junk clud. John Claude there. Yeah. So you never people there was always that You never knew what really would work in a real street fight. But then when I saw these tapes from the Gracie family, my father showed me And I was just like, whoa becausecause I thought I was a tough kid. And I'm like, if I got one of these guys on me, I'm in trouble. Right Right. So I knew I had to learn it You know, But there was no schools in the whole East Coast. mayaybe one in Philadelphia And then there was some schools in the Torrance, California and that's it Back in the nineties. Yeah. Yeah, early nineties So you So eventually Craig Kukuck, who was the first American to ever get a black belt in Su Jitsu, was with Horon and Hoyist Gracie out of the Trrentce Aademy He was moving to New Jersey So he ended up doing one class a week out of Oishi Judo school in the village somewere. Yeah. And so I ended up at like eighteen years old just taking the train from Long Island over there for that one day a week eventually became You're from L. Yeah. Yeah, I would have never guess I know. There's nothing I could do about it. You know? It's crazy. So yeah, I would take that Long Island railroad then Two years later, Master Henzel Gracy showed up in New Jersey. They were partners. And that was nineteen ninety six. And then Henzo took me under his wing Those guys had a falling out. Henza was just a great guy and I I connected right away with Henzo and And the rest his history. The rest his history took me under his wing. I was in a Just a do Jiu Jitsu I was working all night security clip on tie, security guard booof, the items of a phone booth a little bit bigger Midnight to eight in the morning, sleep a little bit, and then go on the train to train the city and then go back all night in the Gard booth. and after a while, Henzo was like Mag I don't want to I don't I get to curse to you caners You're training like shit. What is the matter with you? And I'm like, I go Hs to man, I'm tired. I go, I'm working all night. He goes, man, forget that work here I go, what? I got rid of my clip on tie. to the Wells Fargo, look, I'm not coming back. and that's that's when things started to really take off. I just I was literally likeike I mean Clearly you were so driven. Yeah, right? Like what was it that You just became so obsessed with Ju Jitsu from the first time I seen those tapes and then the first time I took a seminar took a road trip It was in Connecticut. It was in, uh Waterbury, Connecticut and it was a, um a seminar This gentleman Ron something or rather, Gikundo guy had horry on and hoice in nineteen ninety two. This is before the first UFC. And I only knew them from the tapes and from their fights. And I saw in something called Black Belt magazine. The kids nowadays they that magazinine. magine was nothing on the so. What's that? They don't even know what tapes. I know, I was watching out of YHS. Yeah I know with that.. But so I' seen Black Belt magazine there it was going to be a seminar So I went to that seminar when I took that class Before that, martial arts was formsed Baking boards, even whening Chung, there was forms on the thing on the dummy. But anytime personally, I got into a street fight And this happened a lot Me Yeah. As a kid, Yeah. Yeah, I used to fight a lot. Yeah. What's that all about? You know, that's that's your typical Superhero story of the kid that got bullied and then developed a little bit between seventh and eighth grade Oh, then I had a hit list. and then I k Th You made a list of people to kill. I kicking the shit out of the buys. I just and I loved it. did you getem was Bill Madison reference just saying what? No, I said you made a list of people to kill. I it was Billy Madison. wasn't No I was calling out Yeah I know desross That's we were the moies. One guy calls me up, I take him off the lips. my lips to g. Anway. So yeah, no, no, I would just, you know, just beat up a bunch of other bullies and then didid you stand up for other kids? Oh, one hundred percent Yeah Getting bullied' the worst. Yeah, you know. I was always silly And I didn't I went from my elementary school. And then I went to my Woodland junior high school. which was It There was an army base, which I had a lot of my good buddies there. but then there was also kids like sixteen in my class that were like, I'm thirteen kids nasty kids that were just bullies So it was like almost like a shock. I'm like, well, and I was like silly so I get messed it a lot And I hated the feeling. I was just like, you know Yeah. At the time, it's like, o, could somebody do something for me type of thing? I'm thinking to myself In hindsight, it's great. Yeah. That's why I know today And I hate bullies You know, It's not a good thing to get bullied did tell. Yeah. So yeah, I can't stand bullies. But so you were driven kindind of by what you went through. you never wanted to be bullied again, I guess Oh Oh yeah. I don't like disrespect at all. especially I'm a very respectful person, you know, but u And that's part of a ju Jitsu value. Oh yeah. Oh no, Juitsu definitely calm me down and humbled me in a sense where I know one hundred percent what I could do And it's like evenven if the guy doesn't know They could just feel it in they they could just sense it that all right, this guy could take care of himself. Yeah, know. But when I tried it that first day in Connecticut I'm like, o w, so there's forms. there's no It's not bullshit. It's just trying to get in a dominant position, protect yourself like stay calm when you're in a bad position, escapes and live rolling. It was like just so It's like nothing I ever seen. Yeah, you know, in the martial arts. And then a year later, at that seminar, they were talking about the ultimate fighter the UFA. and what it was like, I'm like what is this bllood sp? thisin't happen.. Yeah. I mean, maybe in Brazil. Because there were some restrictions. Right Well in the beginning, it was crazy. I mean, the only restrictions were eye gouging and like biting. I mean you could kick them on the floor. You could choke them oke you still choke him. No what you mean like Oh you could you could like someone way you did that. No, very violent. There was headbutts allowed. Yeah, everything was allowed. Ebows knees. Yes. Yeah. Ebow knees still allowed, but back but on the floor was It was u Three times in one night was crazy. Yeah. Three fights in one night, the tournament setting and then So I want to ask you about that in particular because UFC had a hard time getting regulated Yeah Um and at one point in time, it was more states than not that would not U pass regulation And you fought underground. Is that right? Yeah My buddy Lu Neglia And you say, u booxing mix mush loss promoter He would do kickboxing cards. So to get for me to get experience here on the east Coast, he'd say A U No Holds BodX it was used to be called N Holds Bard. It wasn't even MMA Um And then it then it became M. That was also a WW movie, by the way. No, Oh, it was. No Hold's Bard. Hoold. Yeah. Academy Award winning. I was bringing it up to my producer, how am I be the only person in the world that likes Hell comes the frogsstown? You ever seen that? No, I haven't seen that one. That's Roddy Rowdy, Roddy,. Oh, really ye listen. I'm not saying it's a good movie There's a B movie too. It' the only one that's seen it though. haveave you seen it? D definitely. I don't think anybody will see it, but it'. May M maybe they will now. Yeah, Maybe they will now. But I enjoyed it. It's a whileild. What's the alien movie he did? Oh, they live. Oh they live. Yeah This was such a B movie to the max But I now I want movies. I was shocked I never saw this. I didn't even know it. It reminded me of when I was a kid. You know like You're like going through the channels as a kid like late at night, there's like something called USA Up All Night. Yeah, yeah. It's like these weird movies on like Night of the Creeps or something. I was you know, I go through the prime video sometimes. Ronda Sheer, I think was the hosted by Ronda Sheer. Yeah I don't know why that. I think I vir was it another one head Be we had her on WWE, the host of USA Up all Night. I think I'm remembering that correctly. You guys have to fact check me But you'd watch theseies and then I found that movie On Pe video, I go, what is this And I got ADD and I watched that whole thing through and I'm like, this is so bad, it's good. I have to watch it now. Yeah. Yeah. A your favorite part? What's your favorite part? O what of thegs Dog toown The premise is just so crazy. What's the premise? The premise is it's like one of those It's like Gpe from New York and meets like Mad Maxs post, the apocalyptic type thing. In the future All the med is sterile, right? Oh. The only one who's working is Rowdy Roddy Piper So theyily. his mission opens but he's like he's in a room and he's's you know, he he's watching this tonight. He gets in trouble because he's with like in a military base and He got in trouble because he was with the general's daughter or something. and then they're like, lookook, you know, You're the only sterile guy non sterile. U male, male So we're gonna have to ch the frogs down down where this guy has like a harem And you gotta imprenate everybody. You dude it' crazy. cra. Are you sure you' that B movie and not a different type of movie? You know? I'll tell you, the scenes in there are not gonna be flying today. But basically they put a like a jock strap with explosives on them. No. And he's like, well, am I gonna be able to do my deed? How am I gonna be able to do my missions if know there's a flap. I go, this is crazy.. Okay. And I was all in. you know I watch that thing too. Did you have your makeshift jog shrap made? I was just That's just so crazy That's why. Hell Sam Hell with the frogs down. I'm looking for trou. What is it? Hell what? Sam Hell' his name in name Frogown. Yeah. I thought it involved frogs and Well. you know, And then when they say they go into the frogs toown. I'm like, Oh and they said there's like some mutants there. It's literally like frog people. So yeah, this frog. Oh, okay. Okay. So there's only so many like biological women. Yeah, well, they's got the girl from Conan in it Oh, she's great And then that's the this And everybody's trying to have sex with him. It's right. Of course. Itight the morning. Of course he's the only trara Wen as ple. This the top. reboot for sure. Yes. I don't think that'll fly though job. Oh man. Yikes, I am so glad you educated me on this. I the world want to see this now, thanks to me. Yes. Yes. Thats fun. That'. Yeah, I'm a movie buff Yeah. I love movies too. That's all I do on my podcast. I just I do movie reactions, I watch stuff And it reminds me of the old, you ever see the Mystery science theater? Oh yeah. I'm just by myself just having a good time about it. 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Delvery fees may apply So going back to sort of your inspiration for everything, right and bullying, like do you remember time the first time that you kick someone's butt, like for like surprise them or you weren't getting bullied anymore, like was there a moment Oh I removed the Yeah, the first guy in the eighth grade that I So what happened? Well, it was just a little thing in the launch room and It was like, you know, like a kid thing where you just kicked the Soor our table, what's that? Junior high. Junior high Yeah. Well, like kids today call middle school. Oh, that's right. Oh, my kids toauure me. Okay. Yeah, you sound so old. I know said junior high on the buildill. Junor high. Y, stop breaking my child. Well, in my school went ninth grade was a part of junior high. Me too. seeventh through ninth. Yeah. It was not yet a part of the high school. That's right was the last year that you couldn't use calculators at the SAT? Oh suck Yeah. Well, kids nowadays they got thoseones I And I went to junior high. Yeah. But eighth grade, what was his name His name was Frank. My name. name his last name. I knew you'd know his name. Yeah he's a dude. I'm friends. Oh,' friends with him now? Well, I don't see him often, but if I see him he's a nice guy. Yeah, to You know, he went over I kicked your chair and it was one of those things a little back and forth. he came over tried to get me in a headlock And I took his head and I put it into the table and I busted his nose and broken up Was it blood everywhere There was blood around. But it didn't exode, likeike his nose didn't explode when you No no, but I remember I seen him in the I seen them in the the nurse' room. It can happen I seeed in the nurse's room after that and he was like He was upset. He was like, able to fight, you know, a typical a bully at the time. Right. because when you stand up to a bully, they usually back down. It was crazy. But is this the first time that you stood up for yourself? or did you always try to fight back and it just didn't work out? No it's not like I was getting beat up ays that do a thing called bacons where they lick the hand and smack you the neck when you're locker They also had these little they had the little sticky hand things Oh, I know those sticky but they put a little like p on get Yeah. my do, what's going on here? I'm not in Parkay schooloodore. What is happening Yeah, like could like mess it with that.. And ohm my Godd, is this is this so frank You like Frank, I busted his nose And then after that, he was nice, he rest in peace. He was a good guy after that. Yeah. He's always been nic toer ever since then. I can't imagine that. You know, I should My father toald me to rear Naked show beforefore I knew Jiu Jitsu, but I knew the re naked choke. And then, u In ninth grade, a kid L trail Mun, I got they locked us in the locker room. That was like my first cage match. Really locked us in the locker room And yeah, I got behind them and strangled them But yeah, so was I was like he him now too. I was I was like a kid with like a little chip on the shoulder and I I didn't like to be disrespected. I took it I got messed with so much where I wasn't going to take an oance to disrespect after that. Right? But I was't looking for trouble or anything. Sure sure. No But you just were able to stand up for yourself. And the principals likeed me, they they said, you know, I remember I was in the office with Latrell This a steel cage latrel? Yeah. Okay. afterwards we we're in the office. getting a character name and And he's like, man I want to talk to my mother, my mother. He wass like, you don't hear Mr. Sarah crying for his mother No's right. Anyway, so they help me That would not happens today. Oh, no, that could happen. Deinitely not. But they said, look Stay at home They sent me tutors. Oh no, they may just stay home. Yeah, the last how many months I I ended up getting my diploma, but I did it on off. Oh no. So this is your senior This year here? Oh really. So I ended up finishing I got my diploma by getting just homeschooled, I guess, you could say. How manyit A It was it was most of my senior year. You must have fucked this kid up. I feel like you'reing It was, you know. You were a danger to your back.'t want to be out of there. I'm so happy I found you Jitsu. You know, thank God fighting became a. Thank God screwed. Thank God for all of us, you found you Jitsu. This was nineteen ninety two. No. I was delivering pizzces at the time. and There was no mixed martial arts. I didn't know it would become a sport, you know So what do you do when you're like a tough guy about to graduate? I look at the generation before me see the The tough guys are either in jail or they go military, that type of thing. So that's the route I was going to go. Okay. My parents signed the papers for me where att seventeen. When I graduated I I was in something called the delay entry program for the Marines. Okay. So I was jogging with them on the weekends. I was learning the rhymes, the songs, the ritles, R. That was going gonna to be my. Did you run with a backpack of brick? Nothing. No, but you'd go to Eisenhower Park and just do that.d This little southern guy was my u That what's the u The recruiter, nice guy But I ended up I had a So I'm sorry, you did this throughout your senior year. So this would be what occupied your time because you were a delayed entry or no. No it was I do it on the weekends and stuff. Okay. So it wasn't like nothing crazy I would just be delivering pizzas and working out and stuff, you know Yeah. But yeah, so what happened was Pizzeria one night. I got into an altercation where likeike thirteen guys. I had a problem with a guy. and You know, This guy was A real bully. I didn't like this guy at all. I had a girlfriend at the time. her best friend was girl's older brother. Oh Iad before. It's one of those guys who' like, hey, what's up Mike? He look at you look away. He's like this guy's a prick. I later I'm gonna to have it with this guy So one day I called at the house looking for my girlfriend, And so I was looking for a sister He answered the phone, we got into a verbal al argument So we handed up coming down to my pizzeria. But wait, why? Like just 'cause you were looking for well, your sister? what was? And he was like, yeah, who's this? I might' have said, who's this? I. Okay. one of those. And he's like, I know what this is. It'se's boyfriend and y. He was a juice head. I'm like like, what are you gonna to do? You know, be on to that kind of thing So then it escalated quickly. It escalated quickly, but The fact thanks this sorry so you pizzeria, okay. Yeah. so I was delivering pizzas, my Bs Nick, great guy I told them my girlfriend, what happened was my girlfriend and the sister came first to school to the pizzeriaa And they're like, Ohh Mike's gonna come down here and he's got a bunch of guys and I all, could I get out of and I'm getting out of here you soon. You know what I mean? So I go, Nick, we might have company, but I'm let you know. Yeah we were locking up. So we were locking up We walk out we walk in out. I see two cars just sp they go park and now they there's a park a bunch of guys running over. Yeah So Nick' like,y, let's keep it even. you know, they came running over and this guy had this guy had It was He had just a look of the devil in his eyes. He' a shoes head. I don't know what he was on he had the tank t up on. He wass like, Oh,, you know, you had his hands out. I'm gonna fucking kill you So we just meet him I started I didn't know Jitssu at the time, rightight I started with my Wing Sun chain punch. didid it work? Let's fuck at that. The Weson box is I learned I didn't knock out GSP chain punch. So I did that and he got a hold of my neck, like this, we would cheek to cheek I'm gonna tell you the next part, please don't call on security.. All right here though. Okay We would cheek the cheek, He was a big muscle head. I end up biting his ear. Well you tened in was now that's funny you said that because not only did I took the ear off But the only thing that it's not funny, but what's funny about that is when I got sued civilly not to speed up the story That's when Mike Tyson did it. Oh, really? So when I. Yeah to find. it happ to you so it inspired him So yeah, so Tyson did a Sarah. No, no. R That's right, you did it first. So that that fight because, you know, the police ended up he end up going to the hospital you know, they took him, his brother was there, his brother. Well let me ask you a question because I've seen ears Come off. Was it partial or was it the whole ear like you could see the wholeole into the skull? Don't look at me like Hib a neck up please. No, But was it was up top and it just So it wass just a piece of it. No, no, no, the whole thing came off. Oh, you ripped the whole thing The whole thing' off.. Okay. Did it st Was they hanging at all Non home. The whole ear. Yeah I have a nineteen eight halfish pitch a little rat w like. this was' digging in. I'm sorry. No, was this great? I like your logo. by the way asking for like more details. Oh yeah. She. in. So is the ear ended up coming off And You know hit me. so I went somebody pushed me off and and then I went rolling. My pizzeria boss was like, it's an even fight they hit him, he's got a broken nose. you know, he's a littleer weight at the. Yeah, like and was he an older guy or I was seventeen. He was thirty six. He was that old. No. You know, he's of those smoking cigarette. know, he's some kind of do the right thing or something. You know, he' pizzeria. So poor Nick was on the floor. So then the police came, my fall is was on the job. He wass in a former NYPD police officer. So he always told me lookook, if you get into something in the street you looked at the Tust the charges first, you can always drop them, but you That type of thing. Okay. so for my book, these guys came to attack. Good advice. I. I go Th these guys came to attack me. I defended myself So they took me first to the hospital That's when they like, I. They put the cuff on me they look You don't have a mark on you. this guy's got a broken. I broke his nose too. I this gus got I bit it and I flipped him and I hit his nose. So they go, Well, this guy's got a broken nose no here Yeah he lost the. So I went to jail. So I went that night of school teteen night Where in your senior year? becausecause seventeen your senior year. Yeah. So this is why you're not in school for fucking up, what's his name? It Cage Latrell. Yeah Lrell But police seems to because of this one incident, right? It just changed the course of my life. Okay. because origin were headed to the Marines. Yeah, notot anymore. Yeah Yeah. they and I love the guy was a great guy. I remember what I remember what he said to his day. He's like, Mr. Sarah I'd love to serve in. It would be an honor to serve in a fox hole with you any day, but I have my superiors. And I'm like w. He's like, we can't accept me. In nineteen ninety two, they could not accept me in the Marines because the original charge was a felony But I pleaded guilty to like a youthful offender A class A m Because you weren't even eighteen yet. No, I wasn't It didn't stop him from suing me for millions and whatever else. So I had to plead guilty to a lesser charge. But they didn't take me. Yeah. And then any In the future, any like civil service tests like I would take or something I had my buddy at the sheriff I It' supposed to be a youthful offendnder. doesn't Right Yeah. So my buddy that works with the shheriff's department, Larry. P put my name in the computer, see if anything comes up. he's like, ye, I' let know Next day he sees me he goes, you sick fuck Un useful. Thank That' not a sealed vial. That's what itial. It's not so sealed. No. So I didn't really know what I was gonna do. I was devastated because I'm like, what did it say? I mean, just everything? Oh he knew about the ear Okay. so I you need. So Yeah didn't know too much after that. So he's like, yeah, good luck get a de. What happened to L Treel I don't know what happened to the traam. Yeah. He was one of the kids in the Army base. I don't know where he went, but Did he lose any appendics? I fought him twice. I fought him once in junior high when he first showed up at the school And then I fought them again when we were seniors. That's when I strriank Yeah Just the strangle, not no biting. No, no biting. I don't. I' a sick guys. What's so crazy about it is this guy he tried to sue me civilly after that. And when the civil trial came around, that's when I was seventeen when it happened in nineteen ninety two I was twenty three when we went to civil trial I guess you do the math with the ears, but it was that's exactly when Tyson Bit Holyfield. So I like this is horrible to I me. This is bad. Actually, it's kind of trendy. What's really funny is, you know, not funny at all, but what I had to go on stand, he had to go on stand And he had a he has a f hears, right. You know, He's crying on stand. He had his. But he's making it like I beat him up and then I picked up his ear head and bit him. sure. Yeah, a neck in a headline. Yeah was the only thing you could do. Hey, he sued me for millions and he got zero. s jur Yeahcauseuse he asked for it anyway. But it was wild because my My lawyer at the time' said, look. I mean, comeback is I mean I wish you look on anybody. but he did He came to you and you should have listened. I didn't know any jiu jitsu, but I mean, look in that's why I even tell my guys like, lookook, you want to So how would you have handled that situation if you knew Jiu Jitsu Like if I knew Ju Jitsu, I could' have How did it b your mentality even Oh, I could have chose the level of violence I wanted to do with him. Like I could imaginedike you were a little out of control. There There's a video of me And this is recently I'm out I'm not fighting anymore. but I was with my family I was about to get inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame And this thing went viral. It was at Red Rock Casino. Yeah, I've seen it too. Yeah, well, my point is in that situation But explain for Well, I was with my it's funny because my whole family was with me. And congratulations, by the way C? Oh, thank you. Yeah. sorry. Yes. was Oh my goodness this. No, that was that was that was fantastic. So I was there with my family and it was I remember being July fourth because No That night, my wife's like You shouldh we go down the strip with everybody and look at the fireworks and I' gonna be a bunch of drunks there. Let's hang out I love R casino. and let's just hang out here that tomorrow was going into the Hall of Fame. I go this chill 'll celerate tomorrow after dinner So we we went to the diner room And u There was a drunk, it was like weend at Bernie's. This guy drunk guy comes in with with his girlfriend. And she's got the glasses on and she' was the birdie. she was the burndie. Oh no, she was just and at a point she's like sleeping in aing. That's rough. So I'm like, but whyl whyy wouldn't he bring her home?ice guy This guy was a mess. Yeah. But they weren't, But then he left for a while And then he came back when he came back was a mess. He left her there. And I'm just like, she's up like the hat over a thing. I'm like, this is gust. her. And then he thought it just Be just nasty to the waiters and just You know, where's my chack? Where's this? Where's that? He's throwing he's starting to throw things at the people the whole placees Yeah, nototicing the.. So I told my wife I go, let's get out of here before something happens. We were done anyway. The way it was bring me over my check And then he gets up. Like he gets up aggressively so instinctively I just got off. Right He turned to me. He's like, you got a fucking problem. Now look. I point this out. people come in looking to my Ju Jitsu school I don't point out my fights with the greats and stuff, the stom of the stuff I did in the cage. I point this out because I'm not the biggest due but I don I don't look like a whim. You know what I mean? For this guy challenging in front of my wife and kids. R. You know what I mean? What if I didn't know how to handle myself? Right? It's a rough knife for everybody. Right? You know what I mean? Sure. getting your ass kick by some sloppy drunk. So he took his shirt off. when he's taking his shirt off, I know it's not gonna get better after her. Right get around the way. Yeah. You know, you're basic takown wifes like I'm surprised how gently you took them now. So I mounted him, I told my sister to film it because I do they see them' beating them up And then I said to the Dayaner afterwards, I go because I know the Fita brothers, they own that hotel. Right Sos I go, tellell Lorenzo and Frank to get better security over here. I said the data. So he goes, Oh no way. So he put it on his Twitter. That's. He put that out there. So it' it shows you. That you don't have to hurt somebody. Yeah.' I didn't throw a punch. I'm telling him to calm down, you know. He's not listening to any's no, he's not listening anybody he can't do anything. R his wrists. I had it mounted. At one point, I'm telling him to calm down, I look up and I see my Maria, my middle. and my kids were little at the time and she's just looking like a bird that fell out of a train. go, no, no it's okay. It sounds I'mking to him still. No, it's good. It's okay.'s. I'm in control. don't worry You know, he got a ji jitsu lesson and uh And that's that So yeah, so with the power Jiu Jitsu You could you could You could neutralize a fight as violent as you want or as gentle as you want Yeah. So That's the power of that. But I didn't have that in nineteen ninety two. No you know, and this meat had were seventeen years old. Yeah. Yeah. I didn't know what I was doing. Yeah. But yeah, so that that was a major Like a urnurning point in my life Be now you're not going to the marine. No. And I didn't So now do that's when I found that seminar in Black B magazine And I'm like, I have to I was thking about going to California. I'm like, I have to learn this. and then I found out that Craig Cu Cook was moving there and that's how I got involved going to the city to learn it. But still at the time, the girl I was dating was like parents are very upset you're not going to college. I know you love your Judo. Oh my good k. Oh my We' over. Nobody because nobody knew it wasn't like a light it wasn't a like there wasn't even a UFC yet. like then there then the UFC came out. And that was like my first dream was just From watching those Gacy and actions tabes, I'm like maybe one day if I learn this, I can have a school Maybe a challenge match, mayaybe do something like that. I could have You know, so I exceeded that. I It worked out. Yeah I worked out for me. I mean, But it's funny how life's not linear, right? Yeah. I mean You never would have expected that fighting would actually be what goodness Oh yeah, I in a positive way, right? It's like in the beginning, yeah, maybe you were punished for fighting in a particular way for a particular reason, but it wound up being like what you did best. principal in East Madle High S The blinds See you cross the street right there, Mr. Sarah is the Nasssea County Jail He's like exactly where your fist are going to land you Sorry, Mr. Papelo. I sorry, Mr. Papel Anway. Listen, that guy guy rest is s he might be dead. But I kind of. But at the time people thought I was You know You know, getting not they didn't know where I was going to end up, you know. sureure, sure. But u You know, I was never a kid looking for trouble but I loved fighting. Iew love fighting. So what is it you love about fighting Be not well just, I mean, in general, I think people either have it in them or they don't. but I also think it's like One of our most primal instincts. Oh yeah Right? So like What is it about it that you love the most. When you're when youre can first of all It's a There's a saying by customato What's the difference between a hero and a coward He says there's no difference Both are afraid of getting hurt, both afraid of dying But it's what the hero does is what makes him a hero It's what the cow would doesn't do, which makes him a coward. So like every time you fight, You have that pit in your stomach in the big martial arts like you could you know You know, when you prepare correctly, you're confident, but like you could do everything right. And you never know. And there's so many ways you wouldn't lose it. So you're about to walk out to the could be the best moment of your life. It could be the most embarrassing moment of your life. Yeah. So there's that pit in your stomach where guys could let that defeat them. I've seen guys thrown up in the back. Y mental game, right? Oh Oh mental game is is so huge But I love that feeling because it's a feeling to just to show couourage and show I'm that guy You know what I mean? Yeah I mean he's got he's got the problem. He's locked in a cage with me. You know what I mean? It's all these little things into it that that bill What is your headgame when you go in there Like you just said, Y self talk. Yeah, your self talk. L what do you say to yourself when you get in there? L he's got the problem not No Yeah, I wouldn't want to fight me right now. That's the Yeah. I try to In the mixed martial arts, it is it's the hurt business. Like you got a guy preparing spepecifically, damage to you? Like, how's he going to win? Is he going to knock me out? We's going to get my limb going in another direction where it's going to either break or I say Uncle or I go unconscious. I mean, so this is what this is This is objective. That's right. So as are yours. Of course. Yeah. so it's like Are you going to worry too much about how dangerous he is Well you going to make yourself as dangerous as possible where it's like, all right Yeah, what are you going to do What are going to do to me? You're gonna try to this It's a fight. at the end of the day It's a fight. It's the same thing I did to Latreil and locked in the locker room But now I know how to fight. and I know how and then I get my body in peak condition And now I have a skill set where when the fight's coming up, like I, I hope I I'm going to get him in this position. I'm going to get this. If he stems here, I'm going to hit him with this. And so you get more excited about what you're going to do You you watch what he's dangerous at. But you don't get obsessed with what he's gonna do. Right So that's kind of the Because you're gonna react in the moment anyway. Yeah. I mean And then you know, Id might I had great coaches, Ray Longo at Long Island. He's got four champions now. Yeah And that's a guy. I'm a very loyal guy. When I had my very first fight in the UFC I got stuck. I didn't have the experience because when I fought on these lower like the lower shows that Lud Neler would put me on I get tough guys, but A lot of them weren't great on the floor. So I went out of the first round. I'd take them down and smokeem, you know and You know, there was like one really good like Judo Sambo guy I had and I ended up still strangling him. but The quality wasn't These guys these guys in the USC had way more experience when I sh water. I don't know if he had close to one hundred fights. He's fight in Japan. He was fighting in the Midwest. So he had a lot more experience than me Plus He greases and he wears a spepeedo. So it's very right. it's like an episode of cops. I could't hold all. I know the guy' sipping out of everything. Cops are and spepeedo. Well and the guysy's old movies. But you know, it was one of those things where I just didn't have the time clockped in So I ended up getting stopped with fifteen seconds left by running into a spinning back. There S somethinghing I would have seen my you know Right. Right now it'd be like your experal experience is the best teacher right? Yes. I had to kind of learn on the job there But it's funny because I lost that fight to let go. He's got to get rid of his striking coach Now you fast forward, Ray Lango's got four UFC champions. You know what I mean? Yeah. So it's about accountability. R. He didn't tell me to run into a backfist. You know what I mean? Right right taught me great and then obviously Med the Henzo. Mrter Henel Hanzo Gracy took me as a purple belt Fresh out of a security odd booth, he was like, look 's got a fight he's fighting Japan at the time. He's like, look, youre coming with me to work my corner Who am I? like? So this is the job that he offered you? No, no. This is just him taking me to Japan. Wow. wow. to learn. he's like you got to s W you full time at the gym That'. Okay's what did Uh, I'd be teaching for in the afternoons. I train at night And then I would teach at Columbia University Algebra. No, was the. I did a Jujitsu course there. I did a Ju Jitssu course there three days a week that paid like a wee five hundred dollars a month that would be my rent. You know what? pllus I'd make money with private lessons So but that was my one set, you know, private lessons somebody gets hurt, somebody this and that, but that was my set pay. that Right, right. Columbia University gig. Oh. One of our students went there or was a teacher there And they got me a there was a made money for a jiu Jitssu course. That's pretty cool. So I would do that they still have that? I believe they still do. Wow. I have to check, but I think that might that was going for a while. ye. Yeah. Yeah, that's wild. Well, and now there's a lot of training going on at police academies. Yeah, right? Yeah I did something for the In the military Oh Jitsu' is everywh now. Yeah, yeah, everywhere. because But there's like a specific request, I think, for Jiu Jitsu, I think. Yeah. I taught it at the police Academy before. I taught there in NYPD They brought me in. I teach a lot of cops. Yeah. ye That' great Woodmore Island I mean, Especially women. I mean, they need this more than anybody. Where does attacker want them on the floor? Right? You know what I mean? That's where you become the most dangerous Snap an arm, do a sweep, get out of there. Yeah, you know? Yeah. Yeah I u took Eve Torres, you know, was a talent for WWE and her husband, Henner And they have the whole anti bullying program. And so that was my first exposure to Jiu Jitsu formal exposure Yeah. and then, you know, working with Rhonda, which of course was all, you know, WWE and everything else. but My brother also really loved Jiu Jitsu So I asked her, you know, after WrestleMania and she put me in touch with you. Yeah. And you put me in touch with my Mark, my Mark. Yes, Jedi Mark. Yes, Mark came up with me at the Hen of Gracace Academy. Yeah. and he's a great guy as you know Yeah, you know, he's a really good. I need be in good hands. You know? Yeah. so And that was great and I'd love to see your you all Does everybody know you're blue belt? I mean I've does anybody know that? I don't know. I've haveve said it on the Podcast that. That's T straight blue belts.. let me ask you a question. Yeah, please all that you have to be in Pak shape to thought Jiu Jitsu? No, I think you could be in any shape. Are we looking at anyone looking at my Christian H. I'm suppos to be a writer for WWE Yeah. I feel like I heard this last maybe last week p O news mine. I break his jobs all the time. Yes.. You know, ' you know ye, ' you don't have to be in shape. You. Guys could be It helps a lot. It helps. what happens is it's like anything else The unknown is going to be a little stanting, right? But you just like if if if somebody guys come in from cross fit shape L' like, Oh man this is hard. I'm like, you hold your breath. Right hold your bh.ightcause because your mental gam is not there also tenense you're holding that breath. strength. based on leveraged technique timing. So when you learn the techniques And they don't let anybody do any kind of live training, any live rolling for at least a couple of weeks. Right So they get some stuff in their ar basics to get to complete that task. You know what I mean? But that's part of the The problem solving aspect of it, right is like when you're because life is going to throw what it's going to throw at you. You're going to have the unexpected drunk guy in your face. You're going to have, you know, unfortunately, a lot of women are attacked and How do you not panic and be calm enough to be able to do something and you're so used to doing it. day in and day out. It's not unfamiliar. Right Nobbody's on top you How many more more Every time because they think Some people they h the gentle are, but like, Because you roll until make the other person tap. When you get a dominant position, when that's what you're looking for The ultimate goal is to make them tap. When you think about what is a tap? Well, nobody gets hurt Right If they don't tab, what is that? Well, that's a broken arm. Yeah. That's somebody literally going to sleep. Yeah. So you become very deadly without hurting your partner to, you know, hurt yourself. Yeah know So no, I love it. Oh, it's great I love everything about it and it's So it is hard. It's very challenging and that's what I love about it at fifty one doneone fighting I'm not going near a versa climber again I'm allergic to pudio. The only thing I love. I vote it. I do vote. I hate that versat climb. Yeah. I do stair. Yeah. Yeah. It used to be called the gauntlet, but I guess now that's just the stair master. stairmaster used to be stairs And nowing stairs. Stairs. on an elliptical like an old headen with Yeah. Do your feet go to sleep on the elliptical? No, My feet went. I told you that mine do too. Yeah. and yours do too. Yeah, and Paul said his did the other day on something So I just like it because there's no impact on the knees, but I stay in shape by just doing jiu jitsu. Yeah. Well. Yeah, It's just ' it's How long do you like how many days a week do you do it? Well, you know notice, I'm on the mat a ton. Yeah and I jump. You just do it all. I roll out my wife and my daughters too. Oh yeah. I'll jump in Every Wednesday night, seven thirty, it's the over forty class. I call my Greybeards. Nice. L at a Game of Thrones. Mldan is. I'm re watchatching Game of Thrones right now in Greybeard, That's exactly right. What are you up to on that? Oh Well, I mean I've seen it once through. Yeah. So now I'm watching it again. A K knight of the Seven Kingdoms? No, I haven't. Oh my goodness. Is it good? This is great. All right. It takes place ninety years before the events of the Game of Thrones. Really? And is so there's no dragons or anything. It's about a hedge night basically a knight that doesn't belong to a house And it's about his story and it's so it's like heartwarming. Oh Oh, I can't characters are great. Way better than House of the Dragon? No, no Frogstown. Oh yeah Frog. People gonna watch that. I'm gonna get hate man. No, no, listen, I'm not saying it's a good movie. I'm saying I had fun with him. He was fully loaded. Oh no. Oh no, It's a tough job. You know what I think? That is a great movie. That movie is so bizarre. But yeah, a Knight of the Seven Kingdoms It's getting a lot of praise. But yeah Sir Duncan the Tall, the K knight of theeven Kingdoms Trust. You'll watch. Okay, No, I will. I'll hear from you. I would. I'll text you for sure. good Big news, WWE and spports fans. The world's number one sports fan festival Fanatics Fest is making its return to New York City Fanatics is bringing you closer to the leagues, teams, superstars and athletes you love across four Aion packed days in July Meet your favorite WWE superstars, get your hands on exclusive merch, and interact with the biggest names in sports. Then fans of the show can get a ten percent discount by using StEh ten at Cckout ST E P H, the number one, the number zero at checkout So We've talked a little bit about Jiu Jitsu, but Mark actually told me I should ask you about how hard it was when UFC wasn't getting sanctioned You know, he said that you would have a lot of perspective on that and just how challenging it was. And then I guess it's a case of is it Can I have a career here You know, You know, I always I fought in Vegas mostly. I fought in Atlantic City You know, Well, I mean, fought all over, but now I never fought New York. Besides pre USC fight Or did did we get into the underground clubs now? Well, that was started to go You put me on as a Like a freestyle grappling exhibition or something like that. It was And it was but it was a fight. Right Right Yeah. But that's how he got past the commissions and what. o. Yeah. There's always a way. Just sneak me on. So they're like, Oh, it's an exhibition. Mewhile, the guy' trying to slam me I've got him Nmbar. Yeah. Yeah, you know, I would try to get some experience that way. Yeah. Yeah. So I had like seven or eight fights like that. so What is the how do you train multiple disciplines, right? So here you are now going into UFC Yeah and Obviously you've been in a lot of fights, you know how to throw a punch, but like how do you train now because it's not just Jiu Jitsu Yeah And there's a lot of standing game Right No, one hundred percent. Yeah. I mean, I got the title at my fist. Yeah, but like In the beginning, it's very strange because It went through a staged mix martial arts. were in the very beginning Chiu Jitsu was just from running the show, rightight? Nobody knew anything So And the Gracies would all come to the ring with their Yeah on shoulders. Yeah, yeah. I just remember seeing that. As a street fighting like kid I had to unlearn being that they they had a philosopy of the Graces where they were like never, this was early on never exchange. just close that distance, get the fight to the floor and that's where you take care of it. So I had to unlearn looking trade with a guy or anything I just I had to learn closing that distance and that's not I'd fight. I mean, I'd do a jib or a kick here and then I get him down. That's how I fight the majority of my UFC career And then the whole time I was working with Ray Longo on my boxing, A a lot of my boxing. I knew I had power in my hands where When I was eighteen years old before the UFC I fought at the I don't know if it's still around now. There's a club called the Palladium in Manhattan. Yeah. And is it still there? I don't know, but I remember the palladium. But this was when I was eighteen years old Yeah And I fought in something called a Tough Man contest. You ever seen those? Oh my goodness. You fight three times in one day, it's really just, this was the worst concussion I ever got. No. I never even sparred a day in my life. But my buddy my buddy Jim McClusky, he was a boxer and he goes, look, just stand instead of this way, just stand sideways so you're less of a target. All right. Oh I could do that. So I went in there I ended up knocking out I remember they announced mister T was the referee by. Really? Y mister T was the referee. Wow. And they even showed a clip of I was just writing about mister T yesterday because I was working on my haall of Fame speech. Oh, really? Yeah, and mister T, I met when I was a kid because he wrestled, you know in WrestleMania. That's why. My mom had to make dinner. I don't think I'm gonna have it in the speech so I'll tell the story now. And she didn't like liver And that's what Mr. T wanted to have for dinner. So it was like this liver. He loved liver, apparently. And when he came over He brought me and again, I'm like seven or eight years old and he brings me all this merch, all this I love Mr. T merch. you know? like the pins were big back then and it was the big Rd Heart and I love Mr. T. like I love New York and it was t shirts and all that stuff And then Mrter T was inducted in our haall of Fame, however long ago, and he did the same thing to my daughters. Oh. Isn't that so funny? It so funny so funny. sorry. so he was there he was the not the MC. No, he was there. He was Whatever Yeah. He was a nice guy. I remember Yeah, yeah, he's a great guy. Yeah. But I beat two guys and then I lost my third. I made it through, but I had a concussion to this day I thought my jaw was broke. I think it was, but they didn't diagnose out of that. You didn't get an X ray I believe I did. They didn't see it. but to this day That's it was at. Yeah now I cross out my kids with that. One more time only because it agains it. Yeah. So yeah, it's crazy. My thing was like Io we e pizza after? I'm like I't bu But anyway So I knew had some power because I knocked out a couple guys in that and I never even spawned before. Right. So longo and then So then I would always look to fight still the same way. I was fighting uh, using my try to utilize my jiuitsu because that's what I was, you know, That's what I was the most really good. Yeah. I went over and the UFC picked me up after I had a really good runover in Abu Dhabi. There was Abu Dhabi Ju tourament's thegest grapping tournam And it's still around. It's very prestigious and I made ange What' it called?? Abu Dhati. No the tournament. The ADC. ADC, yes. Okay. So I did really well over there And that's when they picked me up. So I didn't really clock the time in with the stand up But I was doing it on the job, you know. my jiujitsu was handling everything You know, I was I was doing well, you know And then I remember I T a meniscus And then I had to go through like a whole camp I couldn't really do my any takedowns. So I did just so much boxing. He would take me end that same promote, Lou Negla. He'd take me to his school in Brooklyn, Ray Lango all with his guys, I'd just. And it really just leveled me up And then so I started getting that in the arsenal. So yeah, you have to be well rounded. Yeah. I was still if you're good enough in one area and you can get it there. It was working for mei Jitsu So how did you beat George Staint Pierre See, that was Yeah. That was a good day in the office. Yeah. It was better than the rebots. You don knowt want to was the. But no, what happened with that is, you know, I got on something called the Ultimate fighters. in force. you know, usually the ultimate and this was this did want this for me because Usually the ultimate fighter is for guys to break into the UFC, right? Season number four premise was It's guys that were're New Y see a bit but never got to the title It's like the comeback. it's their second shot at Lorory, that type of thing. Yeah, you know So they asked me to be a part of it, you know? So I jumped on it. what I loved about it was I was fighting ards where guys that were in the first season, they were jumping on they were starting to fight on the same cards as me and these guys are getting all the attention because guys people got to know themight because they got the camera in the face againude. Yeah. So all sudden, these guys are everybody's running up to them and you know, you you get kind of bitter when you're in the sport a little bit, right? You know, you know, I've been fighting murderers for how long now. these guys getting all the attention. they're fresh off a show So they asked me if Id do it. I'm like, hell, yeah, I'll do it. So the winner, the premise was the you know, it's a tournament. It's an eight man tournament. You win your advance if you lose You know, you're out. But if you win the whole tournament, you win three fights You get a shot at the title. That was the whole premise of the show So I went in the house and I looked at it like, you know I knew I was teaching Jiu Jitsu. add my schools, but I'm like, you know what wor have I put no cro you thirty one. Okay. Yeah So Yeah I was engaged. I just got engaged at the time and this was huge because You know, at the time, my wife was going to be a school teacher And then one day, do you ever have to go to precana Like marry all those things. Mine was a little different though. We did it one on one with the priest. That's so much better. We were able to do. We took him to dinner., I'll tell you this. We took him to dinner and we had to get him this particular bottle of wine from Italy or something that he really wanted So we did, we did all this stuff and, you know, he, you know, moves us forward and whatever. and then we're about to move forward with the ceremony and then we found out he was Excommunicated for yeah, for all different kinds of things What you got to do? getet another No release another bottle of water when we wor. Yeah, but you know, like that is a story.. I recommend though, if that's the way to do it. That's the way to do it. know it was great it around eight You gott to go to people's houses. Yeah Oh Oh boy. That that is like a class. It is, but it's like but a bunch of thousand couples. And the people that are hosting it are just man, I don't wantan to hang out with. I mean, I like people, but ye I don't mean I'm a hermit. I don't like to go anywhere. So I'm sitting there with my, you know My fiance at the time and we're just like brutal. So after one of those We' at the Colony diner and I was about to go into this ultimate fighthouse. Now, if you win this show You get a decent amount of money, You get some nice money and you get a shot at the title. it's big So she's gonna, you know, When we' sitting down, like I was all set, we got engaged And she's telling me like, look, You know, I, you know, I you know, I will be a teacher and everything, but I would really I'd really love to be a stay at home mom, but You know, I will you know, work if I need to So my gosh shit.'s more pressure. Oh go, how does that sit? I go, this is only gonna to work if I win the show because the schools do okay, but Long Island's expensive. Right? You know what I mean? put a little bit more pressure. I go, look, this' the deal I go I go, you know, you know you know we'll see what happens, you know? So I go into the house, but I had the mindset of look Worst case scenario. I'm looking at this like a six week training camp where If I do lose a fight, At least people may get to know me, I'll get more students Right Right Yeah, sure.ice. You could capitalize on this I tried to look at it like that. Yes. I looked at it like that. But it worked out. I got revenge on the guy that was in the spepeedo. Yeah. He won a spepeedo again Creasy as ever, but I ended up beating him. Shony Cuter. I got my revenge. And then I beat Pete Sprad and a buddy of mine now. And then I got to the finals with another friend of mine, Chris Leidel. I ended up beating him And then I got me to shot at George So that worked out great. Yeah. You know what I mean? And then I knew Already That the fact that with all the money I got from that now I'm getting another nice paycheck for fighting for the title She could stay home Yeah So I already won. Yeah. That's why in the biggest if I'm fighting a guy it's You know It wass supposed be destroing me. I was Huge under the dog in his fight. Gip into the cage. I she could stay home I. I'm gonna go I have a fist fight with some Canadians. highigh fing people. This is nothing, you know? but I felt I felt and I had an ace up my sleeve because Up until that point I was that ju jitsu guy, even the way I fought on the show. I would still utilize my jiu Jitsu, use my strikes to get there and either submit them or beat them up on the floor or that type of thing But when I fought him, I knew He fought better wrestlers than me. N been a straight ji jutsu guys, I'd say, guys that are better at getting it to the floor and bigger guys Before that, I'd fight I fought half my fights at one hundred and fifty five. I'm not a true one seven here. Okay. I'm stocky, but I'm also five six. I mean, I was up to Staint Pierers Nipples. I mean these guys so it's like it fit into the whole underdog thing. Yeah, no kidding I was a hu that's so it's like He fought guys like Matt Hughes, Sean Sirk, Frank Trigg. bigger, better wrestlers. So I'm like If my game plan in this fight is to try to get them down, one, that's going to be hard And that's exhausting. And then I got to keep him down. He's explosive I'm taking my chances on the feet That was the game plan from day from day one. We're going to stand with them And thought you would have done. You never thought I would do that. Yeah. Nobbody thought and they're right I should have been that underdog if they're assuming that I was going to have that game plan. Right right. That wouldn't be the best game plan. but never nobody But he was knocking guys out standing up And he's a bigger guy they didn't think He's got the reach and all that stuff. Right? listen. So how were you able to do it? Well, well, I like a very, very good coach with Ray Long And he had even just neighborhood kids feeding me I mean, I had some good sparring, brought in some Glden Glove guys and I had some good guys I'd be working with. mostostly kids around this id around Long Island from the school, he'd had him them feeding me exactly the stuff that George would be doing. ike he's doing the high kick, he's doing the low kick. He does this and It was so it was so crazy. And were you sparring with guys about his size too? Yeah. Everybody's taller than me, but yeah, So I'm used to fighting taller guys But u You know, I was You know, Longer really made me believe in it. Like he there's one thing to have the skills set But when you have to go out there and pull the trigger with this guy He made me really belie his look. He was, look, what you landed on Dan today with the sixty ounce gloves you had him spinning He goes, imagine that with the four ounce gloves. What do you think' going to happen He goes,, you're doing it. He's like, you know, so The fight felt like like I was in the Matrix, like I was seeing everything It was a real good night. like I felt I was supposed to fight him at a certain date And then it got pushed back another few months because something happened with him. He couldn't do it for some reason So I had another six months of just parent for Right? and One, he didn't know I was going to standay with him. And by the time he knew that was the game plan, it was kind of too late. There's ways to beat guys obviously tall. and lookook at Mike Tyson. Yeah.. Mike Tyson would say about the the reach advantage You get close enough, that's a disadvantage. you know? So La would have me coming in like if I'm trying to fight him and I leave my arm out like this It's one thing But if I'm like an Amadillo coming up like a, whereere's my chin? Where's my head? I' com in behind that punch. one, two, three com behind coming behind that lead hand. the second I'd feel anything I low my level and I start climbing that ladder. I'd be working a lot to his body.an Can you talk about climbing the ladder? Well, basically I thought low and end high. Yeah. So I'd start at body, body head Body, body head, that type of thing. or sometimes just come in body, C in body. Like so I was Doing that and sporing all the time, I' use my double triple jab to close the distance And it was working. It was didn't expect it. No, he didn't expect it. I was. I was landing the better strikes, you know, even landingre hard puncher. Yeah, he hit pretty hard. Thank goodness And u So yeah, so I ended up It's funny because you learn going into the ultimate fighter It's guys coming off the laoss. So The fight that I had that meniscus thing It was a couple weeks before I got the call, but I'm like, L, I could still job I could still do my cardio that way But it's not the same thing as wrestling you do that. Right. So I end up getting gased in that fight versus a very tough Judo player named Carol Parisian. and I laid him down with a right hand in the opening seconds. He weathered it My endurance wasn't where it should be for reasons. I got to show some if you watch that fight, you'll see some nice Ju jitsu escapes. at the very last I was so guessed that last round he's getting me in an arm lock at the very last second. boom, I use my escape. It ended with me on top of him becausecauseuse I use my juitsu Rino, right? Svive But I ended up losing that fight, But because I did so much stand up sparring for that fight I just felt so So I felt just another level. Yeah. It was almost like that. you felt like You were at your best, your physical best and mental best. And it was funny because that was the first In my father in law came the city. I was engaged at the time And my Great Yeah so for Sio, know, he's right off the book from Italy. I after its I'm on after that I'm on the boardwalk First thing I say to all my students today my guy You guys All leave me for a judo school. You're all a bunch of pricks you know And I see Ciro. he's like, why you get tired? I don't know. why don know. But it's funny how like that if I didn't lose that fight I might have been rushed to a title shot And and then you wouldn't have been readyny. I was I didn't even asked to even go back up and wait. I was fing at one hundred fifty five winning They go, look, we have Carolprizian at one hundred and seventy And I thought it he'd be a fun fight because he's got a good skill set. m use my Ju jitsu versus Judo But I had that unfortunate thing and he ended up getting the not the win. But l And do you think his weight, like when someone's heavier than you Does it blow you up more? But when someone's heavier than you and does it blow you up your wind? like do is it harder? Yeah, Dathle, you know you can't breathe 'cause you said you weren in shape. At one seven fifty five Like I'm suplexing guys.ike you know what I mean? I I'm a big one fifty fivever I'm not a Most guys at one seventy are cutting from way heavy Right. So they're all bigger than me. So I have a skill set with my jiu jitsu where I could fight off my back, I could fight on. I can hang with those guys. Right.. pllenty of wins at one hundred and seventy Obviously I won that tournament with all true we towights and And then George, of course, I have some good wins at Walth Dwight, but because of my skill set, but youd probably want to if it was up to me They ask me I would have stayed one hundred fifty five. Yeah. I didn't want on going back off. But I knew I could compete at one hundred fifty five. It was one hundred seventy, you know, But it wasn't like my desire to go up there. I'm glad I did. it worked out. But yeah, it wasn't like I was seeking to do that. How important is it to learn to lose And what do you learn when you lose Well Not that you did that often. No, no. I have my shir. But that's life Right? Yeah, like, you know acccountabililityities one Don't you know, there's a lot of people going to try to make you feel better and say it happened because of this. way, this guy should and you Yeahah, that's right. That it's because of hit a be Right. It's not. You got You're the guy in there. You gott to take accountability about. And how does that translate to life Well, becausecause I don't think a lot of people take accountability. Yeah, I mean, it's Longo would often say the ring, the cage is like can't hide who you aren't Like that's the truth How you act in there is how you act in life. I don't know if this is the same answer here, but what you at? No, it's great though. But he would just say like, you know, if a guy's taking a cheap shot, if guy tries to go hard on one round, listen, I got to take the next round off. you show a lot of how your character. You can't hide who you really are in there. Yeah That might have been an AD moment. where did that come from? No, no. I ask you a question No, no, I asked about the importance of accountability and how that applies in life. Yeah, because you could just pass the buck or say it's because of this or because of that. The biggest thing I felt when I lost the fight How I felt personally it was like I had an itch that I had to scratch. I had to get back in there and beat someone else up. to make me feel better, Im to have to get back in there. And so what was did you like rewatch the fights? Do you analyze it? see what you did that you thought you needed to change or correct or what's your process? Yeah, like look, there's always when when you fight you lost, like you could know in your heart Why you did it That doesn't mean you're going to yelling that you could you kind have a rough camp some camps like you know some camp It's hard to get there in one piece. It's probably similar to the pro Yeah. Well yeah, it's constant. Yeah you constantly the training camps are rough, you know, So you could know in your heart like, man' just fe like The what if who kill you? I don't have any reason Right Right? like, Well what if I didn't have that menisccus t? Right What if I didn't have this, or what if I didn't to the right? Yeah Exactly. What if I didn't run into that spittning backfest? Yeah. So you can't, you just got to let it go and just move on You can't let it you know you can't let it hunt you I don't have any fightes that keep me up at night. I'm gonna to ask you this a different way. Okay. What are some of the most important lessons that you teach your daughters U that I teach my daughters? I try to set a good example on like a show like certain fights that I lost and I had to bounce back from perseverance, you know what I mean Um, sometimes I I'll give examples of You don't know the worst night could lead to the best thing that could happen you when sometometimes you don't know why something happed. You're like why did this why couldn't I won this one But it could lead to something better that you just don't know yet. I mean, there's what we talked about today I had some devastating things in my life where oh man, I got to that one fight. I could have been I don't believe my dream of going into the special forces is that what am I going do right now It led to the best thing ever. I like if I could so, I mean, I lost that Carol Parisian fight. Oh my goodness. my whole all my students are here you know, and then it led to the ultimate fighter, which led to the title, which went to the Hall of Fame So it's like I I I I let them know like, you know You gott to see how things play out. Don't you just get too upset about this that but I don't know I still don't know if that answered your question. No, no, it does. I mean, you know, you know, I think about because I There's a lot of values and principles in Jiu Jitsu that I think apply, you know to real life. and That's originally why I kind of got into it was for my girls. I wanted them to do it. for self defense because they're getting older, they're going to college. like I want them to know what to do. Should God forbid they ever be in a bad situation. one hundred percent. But I'm the one who wound up falling in love with it. That's so great.'s great. and my middle daughter Murphy does it a little bit. Yeah. Yeah. My youngest has done it like twice and is convinced she knows how to do it all all right. Yeah. But you enjoy it. How many days a week do you do? Three, Three days a week now. Butve I've just leveled up to three. That' great. But I just I love it. I really do. You do it, you're learning a technique and then you're trying to apply it while you're rolling live. Yeah. you know. Rolling's my favorite. So much fun. Yeah. but I get so frustrated because Like I know I don't know. Like I'll be in a situation. I'm like, I know I can do something. What can I do? What can I do? And then it's already the moment's gone. But then we talk about it. Yeah, exactly. and then we work on it. Yep No, no, it's great. My wife, my three daughters, my oldest is pretty much taking up the mantle. She she got her first kickboxing match at sixteen. She just turned seventeen recently. wow. But yeah, she had a kickboxing match. She had a jiu jitsu matches, superfights, tournaments. She competed at Madison Square Garden on Wow. And what's so great. Lou Neglia the from he's the same promoter for my daughter. You're kidding. And also My wife And my wife This whole time about her being what's her fure S never threw a punch She was straight Adrianne. She was look like she looked like Marissa Tomomeay from my cousin Yeah, but very quiet. She would tell me Now like Be she'd go into my jujitsu school with like my plate to raviolis for me and stuff. She would be waiting in the car for a half an hour because her anxiety. Now let's fast forward After my first daughter, she wanted to lose some weight. She started doing kickboxing after each kid and then she got she fell in love with a kickbox and kind of like you with jitssu At thirty six took a kickboxing fight She went She won a kickboxing title at forty The this one at forty one She MMA fight at forty And she was a blue belt, the girl was a purple belt but she also had a really good standup my wife.ight Beat up the purple. She beat up the girl from Virginia. That's blue negia. So my wife, yeah, straight savage now. She's a purple belt now. She's about to be brown, she's good. Wow. And it is a crazy transformation that I never saw coming So explain explain. like how did it change You said she went from being the person who was waiting thirty minutes because she had anxiety to the person who had an MMA fight at forty. Right? Her last fight, she had a boxing match at forty two, just recently. She's forty two now she How many months ago was that six monthso? And shes got a nose broke during it. Really? Still won the fight Tough girl from Cana this girl Amber. tough girl,ice gir And uh She just stoped. No broken at the end of it. she didn't And then when I like Oh you had a great last fight But I'll tell you. now When I teach my Gybeards on seven hundred thirty on Wednesday nights on she teaches the kickbxing class right next Really. number two and three is a kickboxing I'm teaching on Mat number one And dear daughters Did you ever coach your daughters? Oh, one hundred percent. And then has is she now coaching your daughters at all? Oh, she, o no, she coaches she's my Angelina's striking coach. Okay. So she does. So when my daughter had a first kickboxing match at the West Ferry Space Theater And it was in a it was in a cage because it was anMaz event too So it's me and my wife cornering You know Wow's so Are you the only parents like that I don't know how many, I don't know Yeah, I haven't heard Parentual parent coaches. Yeah. She came back after the first round on my daughter. and also my coach Ray Longo' holding for her too, which is great. Right Almost. Amazing. That's wild You know And gives her way more compliments he ever than he ever gave. But she deserves him more. She loves him so much. And she came back after that first first round. she came back to the corner She go, and she sat down, she was L this I go She's so calm. You're like, ye, that's my girl. Oh it's so good. It's so great. She got nerves to steal You know? That's awesome. I think she gets a lot of it from dance too because she she left dance to pursue this but she was dancing she's like two or three years old, one of those things.. My midle daughter, Maria is still doing it and killing it with that She does Jiuutu too, also They all do, my girls. But but Angie actually left. She was actually competing doing running for a title, going to this tournament that tournament. Competition Competition. Yeah, yeah. Everything me port of and. But yeah, so she went from that. So she's used to being on the spotlight with the dancing and Yeah, this and that. body control and athletics is all of things. Yeah. looves this so much more Yeah I was hoping she might just stick to the jidget. Have you asked her why She just loves it. She loves Ju. Does she love the contact? Does she love the problem solving? Like You know what's really amazing This was this this really was like really it like almost like philosophical. I'm like, wow. after I' like what am F first Jujitsu tournaments She goes, You know what I love about this is that u. W dance? It's choreographed But when I go out when I comp in this, I get to I get to I get to go around craft at anything Like she's other. Yeah. It's not someone else's Mse. It's hers H can f art to make the paint Yeah Yeah. Yeah. She hit me with that. I'm like,, I' like that. Yeah. goodood. That's pretty loves the And she's a little bit of like a stronger girl So she feels like Sometimes in the dance community They want the little pixies running around. Right Right No even though she was and she was always super technical. Yeah. But because she's a little stronger, like I you know, miss. Coland has struggled with that As a ballerina and she was a little more muscular. And yeah, she struggled with that a lot. It's amazing. But u And she got the right she got the right temperament for it. I remember one time in the kids class. She was thirteen, she's going like a some fourteen year old boy And she got them in like a modified clock show Now this not. But now picture this now. I I have a decent sed school. but so I'm on mat number three. There's other two mats here is a kids class in the cage right to the right, there's the women's class going on And I got a bunch of parents watching. So my kid now, if you fall asleep and it happens. That's the goal. you're trying to get to tap out first. Yeah. This kid was a little stubborn. sometometimes I they don't want to even tap to a girl type of thing.. So she got him in the joke And I know this k this k Tom I'm like, I don't, know, you better Ty. kid doesn't tap R right. So all of a sudden Now, when you go to sleep, it could be like nothing and they just Or it could be like there right seizure. Yeah. Oh shit It was the ladder. wasn't good. Oh no. Oh no, so so also they see the kid And then as I went over there, I lt up legs a little bit, I get a little like, Hey, I'm in your bedroom. you know, So you know, he was a little like, then then I'm worried about her. How was Right? Yeah she' Yeah. So I got him okay, no first of all, nobody sees it Nobody sees it. Iobody saw it. With all those whver personw on the side, one of my black belelts or something. I'm like, you? whatever. So then I go to my door and I go, I go, Angie, are you okay?? She's fixing a pony? You should taped. I'm like Hold blood okay She's got in her s. She's got in her veins. She's got that in vein so she's Yeah, she got the right temperament for it. Oh my God.. That's awesome. great And she didn't even have to bite his ear up for anything. No. Thank goodness. Yeah, than goodness. Yeah, but she's doing phenomenal and So my my other daughters, there's one thing that Maybe It got made be like fifty, sixty thousand views, maybe more I went Longo sent this little kid over to interview me one time, right? Because Oh, he's a nice kid. The mother's a little overbearing, but she's a crazy Irish lady, but you're good. So they asked me to come over to do an interview at my place. This' a little YouTuber kid, twelve year old kid or something, right? Yeah thirteen So I'm like, all right, I'll give him my time now. like on my Saturdays. They's I got like sixty plus people there. It's like a seminar. Yeah. So I'm in there, I do my class. sometometimes I don't have the best night's sleep. So afterwards, I kind of want to get out, but I he here he comes the kid with the interview. I'm like,, let me do this for the kid We were out, we opened up the double doors out and by my nice little area at my school Now the first the mothers reallyally ld she's like, o, I want to do thisy. all these kids nowadays they they need to be motivated. We want to I want a young Cameron to would try to teach him about respect and about having kids not being lazy. The first question this little shit had for me, right?? Right The first question was, all right I'm here with UFC Legend, Matt Sarah And I'm thirteen years old and we managed to be the same height. What. Wha Wiry? Now look, I'm That the was the fers behind the camera The m and they're going Dud they set me up to get a Right My first Wait a minute They set you up to what? like knnock this kid out? Why would they put the kid? this they play. He said they were fans and they loved my sense. He you maybe the thought ide But he said it like switchter a little sh. Right. You'll see. So this what happens. I'll tell you what happed, you can always find it after you'll love it. So My first instinct is to kind of go after the father, not attack him, but kind of be like Sure. So the go And. Who wrote that for you?? He's like, No, not me, me. So I'm looking at his father, like I about put your respect right here, you know? Right? And then I remembered. Which was like the whole premise of the interview, right? Exactly. Yeah And then I remembered, I got three little assassins in there, right? So I go, you know what? I anwered something wrong. I go, know it't matter. I go, You know what I can't even think right now. I go You got strang. I go, but go, I obviously can't. I go, giveive me one second. I go in there, I go to my daughter, Maria. I go Maria, my middle. I go This kid is shit go I want I want you to strangle him. I How do you feel about that? She go, okay. she's cool. So I go back out. Wait is this the one with the kid with the seizure? No. No, the older. Okay. All right, okay. one try to go here. This is o. If I put it with Angie, Angie would yeah. Yeah. And this this k k bigger than Maria. My Maria is my o. Okay. My shortest And she but she's so technical and she's in a sass. So I So I go back out there, I go, lookook, I can't do anything about this. I go, but I know someone who can. And you'll see in the video I go Maria. and you see Maria like wave, I go So so if you find on my Instram, I don't know if you guys found it. You found it All right, they'll find You'll see Just a boy and a girl, like I know it's kind of hard to' back a little bit on their knees about the why gamees I go lookook, you want to st from the feetater or on the floor on the knees. He chose the knees But and so like, did he was he training at all or he a YouTube interviewer? And then you were like, hey, you need to be taught some results. Yeah, yeah. He needed to answ. And so then he agreed Oh, he agreed to. These kids will do anything for yous. was moment. Okay. But they didn't even care about getting strangled by a little girl. I mean these kids are dude. I'd be under a rock right now, really? How could you But they don't care. Yeah. But oh, I would love for you to see it Oh, we're going to see it. We're going to see it But I'll tell you, you're gonna love it. because I set it up and then you hear me talking to him the whole time. And so I can't imagine being your daughter, right? And like if my dad came to me and was like, Hey This is what's happening. This kid's disrespecting me. I need you to come choke him out I'd be like a there was like so excited. A trend for a while though were parents would film their kids being like, hey, somebody somebody wants to fight me and f their kids. Will you come with me? Yeah like just imagining your girls. Yeah. That's so funny. was funny That's the funny. I've seen that a bunch. But this was like more this was leegit. Yeah Yeah. So mean If he I mean, is this a little boy? it's a little girl We'll see how it goes. Got it Yeah. Yeah I think he actually is. His father is trying to coach him Oh how many rounds? keep it going a little bit more if you don't mind. If you don't mind, they'll watch you.reci. I want to show even if she's on bottom. rightight He's like Commentary It hard, but it's awesome You want to make jokes Oh, she's got him so good. That' go. Maria. Yeah, Maria. little assassin. How great was that. Yeah. Yeah Awesome. Power of Jiu Jitsu. just So I mean, she wasn't even trying hard. Oh she did Yeah Is Is that a beautiful thing? Yes Because all day long, like my kids and my youngest, she didn't take to anything. My other two They love dance. my Sfia, she went in she hated it two left feet. She's like, it's not for her, you know? Yeah. And I got into Jiu Jitsu She was like a Bir that fell out of a tree. She was nervous now beating up the boys like them. Right? It's crazy. Yeah, the confidence it builds. the confidence. Oh I have I have so many stories that just guys coming in not only losing weight, but just looking like different guys. Yeah. and girls too. Yeah. the self confidence, it's amazing what it does for Warning And again, it's like a superp powerower. Yeah. I mean, look at that. That'ss so great. It's really helped me get through some very tough times. I call it my therapy. Yeah. and even, you know When I left WWE, I went through some a lot and Jiu Juitsu was so helpful for me. It was an outlet It was a challenge, it was a way to kindind of find myself again I believe it. you know, and becausecause it is who you are out there. like When you're in that situation, I guess you find what you're made of s And he gets It gets hard. Yeah. it's hard. It's really hard pos somebody's got your back trying to strangle you and you know Yeah, I mean, and I' I've got the posh version I have a private instructor and I'm not rolling with beginners or, you know, or people who are Because I think oftentimes you get hurt. You could You know, and not because it's just because someone doesn't know or it's more so O you don't tap in timees. Yeah. It's So in the beginnerss classes you get like strong guys I feel women and kids pick up to it the quickest because it's again, it's not based on strength and size based on leverage technique. timiming and they're not they don't have that strength to try to muscle things. guysu tend to They're doing sixty percent technique and they're like Wh you don't find that with kids and women, so they catch it up Yeah need so u Yeah no, it's a beautiful thing, Ju Jitssu Yeah. it really is. I'm so grateful for it et everybody try and the values. Well, and it's so funny because My coach tries to recruit everybody. like J will save your life and he believes it to his core and I'm not saying. Yeah. I mean, but it's like the cure all and it's just it's funny because not everybody believes that, you know, but it's like He says if I could just get you just for like just a minute You know, it would, it would change your life. And it certainly did me Oh saved my life. Are you hearing us Christian Holof? All right, I'm just let you know I'm trying to I'm trying to get this guy on the mats.ally, Have you not rolled at all or done anything? Sed told him was I finally did get myself in shape But that's how you build it. That's how you Ohwayss ex mania Oh my God. Ecuse after excuse. O day. There' well thing stuff doesn't like. Excuse. Well. I got a new name, man. K replacement. Yeah We talk a lot about iconic stories on this show. And when it comes to sports entertainment or professional wrestling, no stories are bigger than the ones written by WWE legends. Superstars like Stone Cold, Steve Austin and the Rock Trailblazers like Trish Stratis and factions like the NWO and DX. their legacies are unforgettable And if you want to wear that history, you need the real deal. That's why you've got to check out WWE Shop and Fanatics They have the ultimate lineup of official WWE Legends merchandise. We're talking classic graphic tees, premium vintage hoodies, and retro gear. Whether you're hitting a live show or just reppping your favorite era on the street Fanatics has you covered Don't wait Head over to wwwshop dot com and fanatics dot com right now and grab your favorite leegends gear Are you ready to hold WWE history in the palm of your hand Tops is bringing you closer to the action than ever before with WWE Tops now highighlighting the biggest matches and milestones from WWE shows and PLEs throughout the year PPs Now is enhancing the fan experience by connecting collectors to the superstars and spectacles that ignite their passion Faturing stunning event exclusive photography, each card is made for the moment And for some lucky collectors, that moment could become the pull of a lifetime Along with serial numbered parallels, some tops now releases offer a chance at rare short prints superstar autographs, and even pieces of the mat, gear, or other items used during the featured match So which moments will you collect With eachach card only available for a limited time, you won't want to wait to begin your TS now journey Be sure to subscribe to the WWE Tops Now mailing list on tops d. com Follow tops on all social media platforms so you never miss a single moment Listen, my post fi career is I'm so luck because I get to spend So so much time at my schools now. I teach that Nobody in the past ice to be up My fighting schedule was so different. Like I'd meet Longo at the midnight and train and. becausecause we're usually fighting late So it's like My whole schedule was crazy. I'd be up all night When I got married in the beginning, my noisy neighb is like, why you know, you guys that never out of the house. Why was in my house? But any So I'd be sleeping late and this and that. Now I do this I teach that seven AM class like three days a week I do, you know, so I start the day sweating and on the mats. Yeah. And besides that How fun is this? Yeah the podcast. Yeah. It is fun. I love getting to know everybody. Me too.. And even like I have people that old fighters and friends that have on and just S And you did the show with Dana too. Yeah Yeah. Oh Dana White looking for a fight. Yeah. Oh yeah, we have f on that. Yeah. How did you meet Dana? Well, I met Dana. I remember one of my first conversations with him was at UFC thirty one I'm on a stretcher And that fight that I got knock that I got stopped with the back fist was a good fight. Yeah. There was I threw some there was ju jitsu that you never seen before in that fight But he was a slippery sucker and then again again,ed it ended dramatically running into a backround. Right, right. So I remember Dana And you didn't remember getting hit, right? You know what was funny? I hit twiceight. That's what I in the hospital after go, I can't believe he caught you again with it I didn't remember the first one So I don't know. I think I was fighting on a kind of automatic the first one. Yeah. And I had some tunnel vision And that was the concussion Or no. I don't know if I was concused that I'd the talk that contest. Okay. Yeah, that's when I was concussed. But with this one, because I didn't, you know It was more of just it was more of like a flash knockdown. I was down and Well, not remembering, I think means you had to con. The first one. No, the mass. Yeahah. had extreme almost like Tel vision in that fight. I was fighting, I was sprinting in that fight. I did not. Again, prior to that, none of my fights lasted more than a minute. So here I am fighting almost fifteen minutes And and the biggest thing was uct Like I'm I'm used to fighting on a local show where now you're fighting I cameras are on your face. you're right, we're walking in five everything was just so overwhelming Yeah. So I think that had a lot to do with To get in the mindset that it's no different than back anywhere else. at long..z. It shouldn't There shouldn't be anything different, but But it does the unknown Yeah, sure But you know, you get over that the more Yeah, the more experience you get ience Yeah experxiences everything. Yeah. But so you're on a stretcher. Oh yeah. Yeah. And then Dana iss like I remember Dana being like, you know, this was a great that was a great fight. It was very It was very heartfelt. It was very like Yeah. he was like Yeahah. Yeah. And then I And you hadn't met him at all U That's my first time I remember really having a conversation with him like, you know, while you're on the stretch. Yeah. And then after that I'd see him after that And Did you have dreams because he was like, you know, ab you. Did that really happen? No. But he was just he was always a good guy. We always got along And it's funny. we just like kind of struck up a friendship Yeah no And I'm a cop of guy where I I don't ask for not You know what I mean? He's probably got a I know I know him from hanging out with him H phonees ring off the hook and Who's looking for what? Everybody I'm definitely not that guy. you know, So that's a plus where I'm sure I never even ask for tickets. I don't ask for because I have my life. I have my my wife, my kids, have my school. I got Talio's pizza. That's my favorite pizzeria place. This pizzeria longong Island A in port their flour from Italy. Really? So it's got no bleach, no bromate. Wow would it changed your life? I could be a true ninj turtle now because I could eat can eat in prink. I be a fat guy. It is so it is so good. Am I lying Talios It's so good No bleach, no moreent So you know, my life is very simple. L, you know, And you're obviously very genuine and authentic. So he like, you know,, yeah no, he knows that you guys just great. Yeah, we great dana. And then we got even closer doing the But so how did the show come to be then He is so funny with that. Again, I I like I I do have a knack at season some opportunities because he hit me up And he goes, lookook, I'm looking to do a reality show. And the premise is I'm going to be going out looking for different lower level fights looking for Guys the sign for the UFC. And while we're in that town well e the best restaurant and then we'll go do whatever activity they have going on around it So I've done some crazy stuff. so he goes, but each time I'm going to bring a different fighter. We want you for the pilot episode. Okay. So I go, all right I'll do it. So the pilot episode, during this episode, we were watching some fights and He goes, lookook, the producer Rory, nice guy, little guy with a lisp. He goes, look, we're going to have a vander Holyfield there. He goes, please, he told me Andana. he's a religious guy. just please try not to curse around him. He's to kind of like he doesn't like the cursing. So no problem. I'm not an animal. I'm not a an anal. So what happened was I the guy that was fighting was under a student of mine And I didn't know any,body it was like an affiliate of mine. So I was kind of rooting for the one guy The ring announcer, like they, Bruce Buffer or whatever they He was drunk and he was drinking and he thoughts No just chiming in a lot and then I'm saying something. he's like, Yeahah, I don't think you're gonna come here and do this. so I started get into a verball. Now, of sudden, I'm tell this guy to go F himself. Yeah' now it's. now I get into that with this guy F every other thing out of my mouth. What'd you say to me? Oh people were getting into it. mean this I was ended up Horrible language. And then afterwards I go to I go to Rory, I go, Hey man. My bad. And I remember he goes, Are you kidding me? That's TV gold. He me so happy. I. And then they go, look. You're on the show permanent. no re recocurring fighter. guy.obbody next time how many episodes later, we did it for years. Whichuff still get popped up every once in a while. What' some of the craziest stuff you guys did? My goodness I wrote a bowll. which was and Dana did it too. They set us up They're gonna go, Oh, they're gonna have training bowls for us. There's no faking. You think the training bowls worse. You think the bowls train? we got there.act. We got there and they go no. these are PGA, whatever professional bulll riding. Yeah the professional bll. which is a part of TKO parent company. Yeah. Yeah. Danis has a ball or something now. Yeah. but Yeah, yeah Cycle look I came here to ride a ball. I'm not doing this now. This is a little me ten years ago tw. I go I'm riding a ball. I'm here to ride a ball. So Dana did it too. Dana did it too. and if you watch that. Yeah, Dana almost got, I mean, this is you didn died. No, I know you. I know. that There's not many things that gave you that How do that same cllose to the same feeling as about when you're about to walk out of the cage was adrenaline.cause you know you know you know you're locked in the cage on the bll. Oh yeah. And then you open it up and I had a lab like like right before the moment you're describing. right? Is there a countdown? Is there a bu? Is there b It's what exactly what you see. Yeah the thing. And what were you doing to the bulls to get them all riled up No, I don't I think they just they bs. They don't want to cage nuts. They don't want you on their back That' brand like We all did it. they did something else I didn't see him doing anything. I don't I was But I don't know. ye. I have no idea. Yeah. Mine didn't go so bad. I kind of like When I jumped l it on my feet when fell off it And that's Gana But then are you like, holy shit is it going come at me? Yeah I I think got the guys running out there to try to distract. Yeah but yeah Gaina, that thing almost landed on his head got thrown, it jumped, it almost stopped on him So yeah, that was Dy land messed up too? Well, I think even the bucking, right? likeike your neck back like But yeah, it was wild. Yeah. But that's probably the wildest thing I did. But we also in Florida Sark sharks. Yeah. Yeah. There's not many I mean how many people you know, you could look down and o Oh there here, this shark's looking up at me. I'm like, Oh, I jumped out at that point. I went back in. And no cage, right? And they were doing No cage at all. Yeah. When we got there no shark We got we thought there was going to be a cage. They go look. the guys Oh you thought there was gonna to be There's gonna be a cage. That's they go looku that are run into these these red dcks. They're like look, they go the cage will hurt you more than any shark. I go really? A gonna fight me? Yeah But so we didn't use the cage. and they're doing Everything you're not supposed to do when you're in the They put them in the water water. Yeah. They're on the sides like clapping like like seilals. Yeah. They're trying to draw in shar. Right And one of the camera guys was on the other boat And one of the help from that they go sooner one of the guys that go he said that the guy goes sooner or light, something's going wrong here. That's what they were going for, I guess.? I don't think they want anybody to get bit, but I mean, I know the producer doesn't want that. No, no, but I mean the guys that are running it. look they want that idea. they' look it sue, what are they doing then? No gem in the water? And I'll know sharks were they? I forgot W with these I literally forgot But it's on the episode. Yeah the episode. I think have been Tampa We went all over. Wow I did trapeze stuff. I did demolition derby, which cool. That sounds like. It' very cool. Isas that like bumper cars? Yeah real. Yeah. that was wild. They put my face big head on the side of it. was Really? Yeah people want to ram it more. And then I did standup comedy at the laugh Factory in L.' I'm a silly guy, but I never planned on doing. No, standup's really hard. That is hard Yeah. I but that was great though. Yeah. it went well Yeah. I could see it going well for you. Oh at this I lost some weights my head's like a meatball there Yeah, this is insanity with no cge. Oh no, this was this was not fun at all. I mean, this was crazy But your adrenaline must have been through the roof. It was just But here's a snorkel. Yeah, I was. It's weird now. I' be looking under and seeing the shark just looking up No. I can't. I'm like, what's stopping this thing from just coming up and biting? Right? And I'm no I'm not a graceful swimmer. I mean I boogie paddle. I'm not Oh my go. Really? Yeah So you're not a great swimmer and you're in this water with these sharks. What could go? Oh, no, this was just they're right there too.. stoppingem It's one of those things they tell y'all no, they're more afraid of you, really? Yeah. A shark Now this was Yeah' this show Wait, why isn't Dan know the water? He gets in I jump out first, but then I jump back in. You're like, Dan it would make fun of me back then I was was pounds heav. He would make fun of me in a wetsuit. But what made you get back in the boat I didn't want Danaer and them goofing on me to be honest. Oh, really, okay. They torture me. They were torture me. You sensed it. Back then, I'm like I'm not being the guy to not I went back in plop back in. this this was brutal This was this is a fun show though. I got to do so many things I never thought I'd do want to do a buckking list I've never even had, but I did a lot of things. You know? That's very cool. Yeah, yeah, very cool. Dana, you know. What's happening? So but the b writing in the stand upp comedy was the most This No, it was scary, but it wasn't like why? I don't know. I didn't think I was going stay in there. why didn't really But the the bowl, you know something violent's going to happen like right Yeahet because you're on the bl. And the stand up comedy thing is, you don't want to be up there. You're vulnerable. Tom Hanks in that horrible movie. You ever see him up there? Somebody help me. that stand up movie. have a breakdown up there, you know? But and Dana messed with us ' he had Tony Hitcliff fight for him. right? So he had had a horw. Yeah, he had his thing written out He goes yeah, he's like, I knew you'd be able to take care of it. man. You're like real thanks for the face.. You know, But that show actually led T be doing the UFC official podcast, UFC Unfiltered U because I was I'm one of the probably the only guy ever to say slept in a tent with Dana White. We did some camping episode. He's not a big camper. No. Oh no dude he wanted three pillows and he goes, me camp' like staying up Lton or something. He's like, I don't want. But we and then when we were camping, he goes, lookook, we' start up a podcast I think you'd be good for it And then I'm like, o, I've never really thought about it But then he goes in and then he brought up Jim Norton And Tim Norton's I did the old Oen Anthony showow a couple of times when I was fighting. And alwaysed Jy and Anthony. yeah ye Yeah. Oh that's a That was a great. It was a fun show. But but then they went a little far there. Yeah, they went a little farther. they shock Jocks back then. was that was the crazy. That was the time. That was the time. Yeah. Nobody's shocking anybody now when anything think. But But Jimmy, I always got a long wit And I've been doing that show now for ten years. You know? And now I just recently started up my own thing, M Geeking out with Matt Sarah. with my buddy Christian Halov. All right, so what movie should you star in? Oh, you know what's funny about that? They're making a I just heard they're doing a biop pick on George Stain. Pierre. Really? So I'm sure they're gonna place get some little bald actor to play me. I don't know. Hopefully they get somebody good. Make me just a villain. But hope I don't know. So yeah, I just found out about that the other day. That's very cool. goodood for him. That's awesome. I'm very I'm V very cool with youe were Sing Pian. Yeah. He's such a great guy. Mark speak so highly of him. He's a nice guy. Yeah. I wish he was more like It was somebody else that was less of a nice guy that I could just like this guy Frank Trigg, I'd bring up that fight all the time. that guy. But I mean, he's such a nice guy almost R you don't want to talk about it. t take me and stuff. like, I can't putting stuff out with me beating him He can do the same thing with the rematch and he doesn't, but he's such a great guy. Just recently we u We did something that should be airing shortly. We shot it like like four months ago They flew me and my wife out to Vegas and me and George actually watched our fights together That's cool And you just did like show that'sing out. Okay. Yeah I don't even know if it's supposed to mention it. All Well, if not, we can cut it out I'll leave it in. And I don't know And if so, whenever it's coming out, we can time things and promote it for you and, you know, everything else. So Oh one hundred percent. Yeah, let us know. Thank you. Yeah, for sure O course this is fun. No, so great. I'm so grateful for you to come here and be part of this show and tell your story. I had a great time. Oh good. U If it is end then, can just plug my You can plug whatever you want. Matt Sah Channel, which cameraas mind me, right? The Matt Serah channel on YouTube, Spotify also Yeah Would you say, Christian? we're trying to get a hundred thousand by the end of the year Let's do it. Let's try to do that. Yes. People help me out. All. Step You're the best. Thank you so much. This is awesome. And I'm so happy When you sent me the text which you with the blue belt on, I expect another one with you get the purple. All right. And one day it might take me a little while.isten It's about the journey. It's a no rush. and One day you shall be a Jedi, I know it. You know. That veryer, very, very cool. know