October 30, 2023 • 40 mins
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Welcome to another episode of Fitz Nation as I sit down with Brazil's Caio Borralho!
Caio takes us through his evolution as a Fighting Nerd, revealing how he transformed his fear of confrontation into a badge of honor. With raw honesty, he discusses the importance of maintaining his authentic self amidst the glamour and brutality of MMA. This is a captivating insight into the mind of a fighter who views pressure not as a burden, but as a privilege.
In the final segment, Kyo delves into a less violent battle - the daunting journey of fatherhood and how his faith played a major role in navigating the uncertainties of becoming a father. He also shares his profound appreciation for Sao Paulo, a city that has given him so much and instilled in him a hardworking attitude. As he passionately discusses his ambition to become a world champion in the next five years, you can't help but feel inspired by this Fighting Nerd's cerebral approach to MMA. This episode is a treasure trove of insights, making it an absolute must for any MMA enthusiast wanting to understand the sport beyond the cage!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
Kyo Bohalho is on my show.
How are you doing?
How are you, kyo?
I'm very good.
You know you have one of thosenames that, even though I know
how to say it, it's still toughto pronounce.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, right, how doyou say it?
Bohalho, bohalho, yeah, bohalho.
It's like the L.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Claudia Gadelia, the L is the thing, the same thing.
Yeah, we're Brazilian, we likethese kind of names.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
you know All right, and what a big honor.
And Kyo just told me that thisis his first podcast interview
in English.
Yeah, exactly, it's like I wasexcited.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Yeah, man, thanks for doing that for me.
Thank you, oh, hold on.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
I have to.
I also check this out.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Oh, this guy's no thanks, we are ready for the
Fighting Nerd, let's go.
That was awesome.
You're kind of like the leaderof the Fighting Nerds.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
Yeah yeah, yeah, how did you guys come up?
Speaker 2 (00:55):
with that name.
Actually, it was my coach thatcame up with the name, because
we've seen that in Brazil wewere different from the other
fighters, you know, like the waywe behave, the way we approach
the fighting game, like studying.
We even studied where to putyour head to get more power on
(01:15):
the punch, like distance control, and we keep studying all this.
And then there was a day thathe came to me and was like, oh,
let's do this team and I havetwo names.
The first name is MMA BigRiders.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
MMA Big Riders.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
Riders, yeah, and why is that name?
Because we were alwayssearching for the harder
training.
Like there's a good guy overthere, ok, we're going to train
with that guy.
So, big Riders, you know, theguy that goes surfing and get
the big one.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
Yeah sure, big Wave Riders.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
So that was the first choice, and then the second was
the fighting nerds, because wehave a bunch of nerds that study
fight all the time.
We only watch fights all thetime.
We like anime, we like chess,we like all this, so why not?
And then I think we gotfighting nerds after that.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
Yeah, it's stuck.
Yeah, there's a little morerange to it.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
It's kind of you know the fighting, all the aspects
of fighting, and the nerd.
There's kind of a little bitdifferent.
So it just come up with alltogether Two words.
Speaker 1 (02:21):
You can say what it's about Fighting nerds.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
That's easy.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
The fighting wave riders or the big riders.
You've got to explain it andwhatever.
And nerds is something thateveryone can relate to because
they all went to high school orsome level of school or
something like that.
And I've got to say like when Isaw you guys put these glasses
on, dana, I was like this isgoing to be fun.
You guys got a good thing going.
People wear the patty wigsright when it's time for a patty
(02:45):
the baddie fight and it's a funatmosphere.
People are starting to wearpink hair for Sean O'Malley.
This is dollar store.
Put some tape on it.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
Glasses Everybody can be a fan of the fighting nerds.
Good marketing yeah, that'sreally good.
It was my coach idea actually.
He's very smart on that.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
That's awesome, Kyle.
What's your background down inBrazil, Like how did you get to
be a fighter?
Speaker 2 (03:05):
So I started judo at six years old.
When I was six, I was a kidfull of energy and my mom was
like I need to figure out whatto do with this kid.
And then she heard that had agood sensei over there that was
very disciplined.
And then she tried.
(03:26):
And here I am.
I started with six years old.
I competed on judo my entirelife until I was like 19.
So I'm turning around there.
And then I started jujitsu.
And then I fell in love withthe pride tapes and UFC tapes
and all these.
I fell in love and was like, oh, I want to do it.
And then I started Muay Thai.
(03:46):
I kind of was letting go of thejudo stuff because I was
putting my own money to compete.
So I was like I got to makemoney on it.
So I started jujitsu, Then MuayThai.
I did my first kickboxing I'm atwo-fight and then after that I
did my first MMA.
I'm a two-fight and I'm from asmall city in Brazil, San Luis
(04:08):
Maranhão.
It's Northwest Brazil.
And then, after my first Hold,on You're from Northwest Brazil.
Northwest Brazil yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:14):
So you're not from.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
Sao Paulo.
No, no, no, I'm from.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
Maranhão.
Yeah, so you're from a small.
Ok, that's out in the jungle.
Speaker 2 (04:19):
Yeah, exactly Over on the top, it's right on the side
on Fortaleza.
OK, fortaleza, yeah, I've beenthere, fortaleza is the city,
ciara is the state, and then onthe side we have Maranhão is the
state and the city is San Luis,san Luis, and that's where
you're from and that's where I'mfrom.
And then I came to Sao Pauloback in 2014 to start to pursue
(04:42):
in the dream to get into the UFC.
I just had one amateur fight,so I started my career Almost
all in Sao Paulo, okay, and Idid some fights there and here
we are.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
How did you grow up?
The story with a lot ofBrazilian athletes and fighters
in particular is that they comefrom the Favellas, they come
from nothing, very poorbackground, and then they kind
of fight their way out and theones that make it to the UFC.
It can be quite life-changing.
How did you grow up?
Speaker 2 (05:07):
No, I can't complain.
You know my mom always workingvery hard to give me everything
that I wanted.
You know, she, she raised mevery well.
I, I didn't, I wasn't hungry, Ididn't pass any of this of
these things, you know, but itwas a good life actually.
Yeah, life, I'm small town.
Yeah, I cannot be more thankfulto my mom.
(05:28):
You know, she put them intoEnglish class, you know, and
school, good schools, and I wasmath and chemistry teacher
before I was fighter.
Speaker 1 (05:39):
No way.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
Yeah, that's what.
That's why fighting nerds.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
I was gonna say there's more to it.
Yeah, exactly, you are kind ofan academic.
Yeah, yeah, I was when did?
You learn to speak English.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
I don't know.
I started to do some, someEnglish classes when I was 10,
11, 12, and then Suddenly I wastalking already.
You know yeah but the firsttime I got here in America was
2021 to do my photo shooting forContended series.
So it was the first time thatwas like okay, I can talk
English, yeah.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
Yeah, yeah, I mean, you speak English phenomenally
well, thank you, thank you.
That is really you know cuz,like even even comparing you to
other Brazilian fighters that Iknow that can speak English.
It's like you're right up there, it's crazy that it just kind
of started humbly as like aschool subject, because I took
Spanish I can't.
I mean yeah, and it served youwell, because now you're on this
(06:33):
kind of global platform andspeaking English will allow you
to To go further.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
Yeah, I always know that there was going to be Very
important for me to speakEnglish.
You know, all my tattoos are inEnglish too, Because I knew
when I get to the FC everybodywould see my tattoos in English.
They wouldn't understand themessage behind it.
You know so yeah, which?
Speaker 1 (06:54):
okay?
Can you show the tattoo on yourarm since this fight or die?
Yeah, this is fighter fight ordie.
Okay, explain that one so.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
Like it's simple, like in life, we only have two
options or we fight or we giveup.
You know, when we give up, youalmost dying for this thing
inside of you.
You know, and I've been througha lot of injuries and a lot of
surgeries.
I did like three surgeries onmy left Shoulder and I did two
surgeries on my left knee, andit is a bunch of other surgeries
(07:25):
and At this time I only had twooptions or fight and get better
, or I give up, you know.
So that's why I did this tattoo.
Yeah, wow.
Speaker 1 (07:34):
So like die, like a piece inside of you die exactly
if you're gonna give up in thisone thing.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
Yeah, when you give up a piece of your diet always.
That's very true, right?
Speaker 1 (07:43):
Yeah, and then the one on your neck.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
Yeah, this is the free spirit.
Okay, can you?
Speaker 1 (07:47):
show it to the camera .
Free spirit, I mean, becausethat one I mean not a lot of
people.
I feel like you're doing,you're committing to a certain
lifestyle when you get your necktattoo yeah right like the arm.
You can work in any office withthat tattoo on your arm.
With this one, yeah, you kindof got to be a good fighter.
What is this one, though?
Speaker 2 (08:12):
free spirit so there was a time in my life that was
very anxious.
I'll have anxiety crisis, youknow, like breath, no breath or
anything, because of theinjuries and all this and that
and and there.
Actually there's two messagesbehind.
But and then there was a musicthat there was the only music
that, when I heard it, calmed medown, and the name of the music
(08:34):
was free spirit.
It was a very good music fromKhalid was a very good music.
And the other thing is about Ithink I'm free spirit when I'm a
side-dog, doing what I chooseto do, what I love to do, and I
think people needs to be morefree spirit because at these
times nowadays we have bunch ofpeople in social media and we
(08:55):
always try to be like this guyor like the other guy or like
this girl and you're never gonnabe like then.
You know you need to be freespirit yourself, to be truly
free With you.
You know to be okay withyourself, you know.
So that's the other kind ofmessage that I have on this one
how old are you?
Speaker 1 (09:13):
dirty.
Where do you think your lifeperspective comes from?
Because the fight or diemeaning behind that is very true
, but a lot of times it takesmaturity and a lot of life
perspective to get that and thefree spirit to acknowledge that
on the world of social media andComparing ourselves to what's
out there on our phones, asopposed to living the life we
(09:34):
want to live takes a long time,but you seem to learn that by 30
years old.
Where does that come from?
I?
Speaker 2 (09:40):
Don't know, man.
Actually I don't know.
I've been through a lot ofthings in my life.
You know, when I left myhometown to go to Sao Paulo Sao
Paulo is a big city, just likeNew York to a very big city, and
I'm a guy from northwest, froma small town, going there with
one, I'm a true fight, trying tomake a living on fighting.
You know.
So I think All the things thathave been through my life made
(10:02):
me think this way, made me aHarder person, you know, like
more experienced it.
You know no ego like I'mkilling my ego every day, you
know.
So I think it's around there.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
Yeah, what do you think the habits were as you
were coming up like, like, why,with just one amateur fight from
a small town, did you bet onyourself?
Speaker 2 (10:26):
Oh, this is something .
This is something I need toprove something to myself.
You know, because when I wasyoung and there was a conflict
like, oh, you and me going tobrawl, let's go I always Got out
.
I was always afraid of it,afraid of any confrontation, you
know, and I grew up with thisin my mind.
(10:48):
You know there was episodesthat was Playing around with
kids in the streets and thatkids came to me oh, so now it's
just you and me, let's go, youand me in front of everyone.
And I just panicked and it waslike, no, I'm not doing so.
Imagine you grow up with thisand everybody making fun of you.
You know that you have faith,fear or this, and that maybe
(11:10):
this grew Something really biginside of me, that I need to
prove something to myself.
You know, here I am fightingthe best guys in the world
kinking some ass.
You know I'm proving to myselfthat I'm capable of, you know
I'm capable of getting in anyconflict.
I'm capable of doing what Iwant to do, you know.
So maybe that that will comefrom what do you recall?
Speaker 1 (11:30):
a switch Like, what was the switch that made you go
from that Person to the personthat wanted to prove something
to yourself?
Speaker 2 (11:38):
Oh, yeah, when I was like 15, 16, and I started to be
more serious about my judocareer, that's when I was like,
oh, I want to be something inthe sport.
You know At that time was judo.
I wanted to be an Olympic judo.
So when I didn't got it, I waslike, no, I want to be something
(11:59):
in some kind of sport.
Speaker 1 (12:00):
In combat sports.
Yeah, in combat sports.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
I need to prove myself that I can't be in
confrontation, you know, inbecome be, you know, strategic.
So maybe that was the switch, Ithink 15, 16 years old.
Then I started to train my assoff like crazy three, four, five
trainings a day, trying to besomeone.
And then I did a switch to MMAand I was like, oh, I can't be
(12:25):
good at it, you know.
So I'm just going to need toprove it to everyone and to
myself personally.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
What do you remember about when you're doing
something really challenging,that you don't know if you're
going to get to the other sideor not, and then you do, like,
what does that teach you?
Like, what do you learn fromthat type of?
Speaker 2 (12:42):
experience.
It's like it's teach meactually before, because you
always feel fear of doingsomething, you know.
But right after the fear, youhave the best feelings in the
world.
You know, that's what I'malways thinking about when I go
to the fight.
Always, we all, always fight.
(13:03):
We always have fear inside ofus, but after the fear, the
experience, after this, that'sthe best feelings in the world,
even if you lose.
Of course it sucks, but you didsomething that you were not
supposed to do, you know.
So that's what I keep thinkingon my head all the time, like
okay, after that I'll bethankful, after that I will
(13:25):
thank myself you know, Like Icannot run away again from
something that I don't want todo like a confrontation.
You know I'm not a guy anymore,you know I'm not a kid anymore,
so I just need to pass throughit.
And I know after the fear thebest feelings will come, you
know.
Speaker 1 (13:42):
But the fear still comes, it still comes.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
You need to overcome it?
Speaker 1 (13:45):
How do you explain that Like?
How do you describe what it'slike to do what you do and to
acknowledge that fear?
Speaker 2 (13:59):
Man, it kills you inside of you.
You know, Like, little bylittle, you know, but you need
to overcome that.
You know you choose to do itfor your life.
You know, Like I don't know ifI can explain, but it's a mix of
everything.
You know Excited, fear, and youthink good things and you think
(14:19):
bad things and that's whatmakes you evolve.
After all this I've done, youknow, that's what I've been
thinking all the time.
I don't know if I'm makingmyself clear, but it's around
that.
Speaker 1 (14:33):
Yeah well, it's something that I will never be
able to relate to and a lot offans won't be able to relate to,
because a vast majority of usdo not compete right in an MMA
fight.
Right, I might get the Geyonand roll around with somebody
right, but to walk out with theworld watching.
I always find it intriguing totry to get you to describe what
(14:55):
it's like you know, because it'slike you can't really do it
justice, I imagine.
But it's interesting to justsee how you choose to put it in
the course, at the moment,nothing.
Speaker 2 (15:06):
I don't feel nothing For your fight coming up Like
before.
Speaker 1 (15:09):
For sure, For sure.
Speaker 2 (15:11):
When I see the guy, the first, when I see the guy's
fights to study him, I've got tobe shaking.
You know the first time I'mshaking.
But I understand that this ismy body preparing himself.
You know, because we have fearin ourselves in a bad way, you
know, in our mind, and it's notbad.
The fear it's going to make youmore powerful, you know more
(15:36):
intelligent, you know moredangerous.
That's the fear on you.
They're going to make it, youknow.
You need to survive on it, youknow.
So I don't just push fear away.
I like to feel it.
I like to feel this inside mybelly.
You know, I like it.
Speaker 1 (15:54):
I like it.
Speaker 2 (15:56):
But it's definitely something that you need to learn
how to live with it.
You need to learn how to livewith it Because, all the way,
you're going to consume you alot.
So just go with the flow, youknow.
Just go with the flow and tryto focus on the things that you
have to do in this day, likeright now I need to do this.
(16:17):
Okay, after that, I need to dothis.
Be on the present, you know,because fear will reach your
life if you're thinking about itall the time.
So I just think about what Ineed to do right now.
Oh, I need to do the marketingstuff.
Okay, I'm good.
Oh, now I need to cut away.
So let's cut away.
And now fighting, let's fight,you know, but at the moment that
(16:37):
I'm walking, I don't feelanything.
That's when I'm free spirit.
I don't feel anything.
Speaker 1 (16:41):
When you're walking you don't feel any fear.
No, no Cause, I've heard, forsome fighters it's like the fear
builds up until the refereesays go, and then it all melts
away.
In the same way that when I wasa young broadcaster, you would
get nervous to a certain degree,depending on what level you're
at in your career, until theysay action.
And then, once I'm on camera,there's no room for fear.
(17:03):
I might as well just do a goodjob.
Yeah, exactly, but for you itmelts away before then.
Yeah, before then.
Speaker 2 (17:09):
Yeah, I go to the wings.
The wings is always good for me, you know the face off no fear
at all.
And then I'm kind of start.
Then I put myself like no, nowI need to hydrate.
Speaker 1 (17:23):
You know so there's no time for fear.
Speaker 2 (17:26):
But some stuff keeps coming to your mind for sure.
But the moment that I sleep andthen wake up in another day,
there's no fear anymore.
Speaker 1 (17:32):
There's nothing.
Speaker 2 (17:33):
actually there's nothing.
Speaker 1 (17:34):
No judgment, I just gotta imagine the day of the
fight has gotta be reallychallenging.
Like you're gonna fight in SaoPaulo, it's gonna be like
midnight, so you're gonna wakeup at like I don't know.
Let's say you sleep in, youwake up at noon, right 11 am, so
you can still be on point.
Like it's a long time to waitaround.
We all know how tough it is toeven wait around for a flight to
go on vacation.
Speaker 2 (17:52):
You know what I mean.
So for you, how are you?
Speaker 1 (17:54):
feeling, with Sao Paulo coming up, knowing what it
means to you.
It's not an apex fight.
It's not fighting in an arenain the US, like it's where you
left home for and where you'vecalled home for the last you
know 10 plus years.
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
I fought five times in the apex already.
Speaker 1 (18:10):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (18:11):
And only one fight that I got was in the Nha Bu
Dabi Right.
That was the big crowd Was fullof energy, you know.
Crowd.
I love the vibe and everything,but everybody was cheering for
the Muslim.
You know, not for me.
Now, this time in Brazil, youknow, I'm so excited, like I
have everything inside of melike fear.
(18:31):
I'm full of fear, you know,like I'm fighting in front of my
people with a good guy actually.
So it all comes to me, but it'sspecial for me, you know,
because I know how Brazil fansthey embrace you, you know, and
they are there with you.
They fight with you, you know,and I just cannot wait to have
(18:55):
this walk out with my music on,you know, and everybody
screaming my name and ooh vaimorer, ooh vai morer.
I think it will be an awesomemoment, a moment that I'll never
forget for the rest of my life.
Of course, I have a lot of fearon me, but for sure, after this
fear, the best feeling iscoming.
You know, that's what I keepthinking about.
Speaker 1 (19:16):
Why do you think you've resonated with so many
fans?
Like, when I talked, I talkedto Safe Sao downstairs.
I said I'm going up to do apodcast.
He said who are you talking to?
I said Kaio and he said I lovethat guy.
He said tell him.
I said hi, I love that guy.
Awesome, do you feel that?
Yeah, like you have like as itprospect on the way up, you're
(19:38):
not just another Brazilianprospect, like you kind of
broken through a little bit.
Why do you think that is?
Speaker 2 (19:44):
I think.
I think it's.
I understood the kind ofproduct that I am, you know, and
I sell myself as this product.
There's no false.
I'm not a false guy character,a character, you know, a false,
you know I'm real.
I think people feel that, youknow, and people relate with the
nerd thing.
Everybody was a nerd somethingin school.
(20:05):
Everybody got bullied in schoolsometime.
So I think everybody relate tothat.
You know, I think to use thiskind of platform that, you see,
is you need to be a character,but you need to be true.
You know, and I think peoplefeel that that I'm true.
I'm always talking to everybody, you know.
I'm always being polite toeverybody, so I feel the love
from everyone.
Speaker 1 (20:26):
Yeah, but you're like an outward guy, Like you're not
.
You don't strike me as a nerd,aside from the glasses.
Right, I would look at you andjust be like you got a big smile
, Like most nerds areintroverted, maybe a little shy,
maybe a little reserved, butyou're the opposite and I would
imagine you kind of just likelearn to go through that.
You know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (20:46):
Yeah, I know what I mean.
I don't know if it'sconsciously you know, maybe it's
unconscious.
Speaker 1 (20:51):
Yeah, I do so.
So what are the biggest nerdqualities that you have outside
of MMA?
Like, why are you a real nerd?
Speaker 2 (21:00):
Like I was chemistry and math teacher.
Speaker 1 (21:03):
Chemistry and math teacher.
Speaker 2 (21:04):
Yeah, I like anime, I like chess, you know, but I'm
an MMA nerd, I think I'm most ofit.
I'm an MMA nerd, I like I watchalmost all the fights, I study
all the fights.
All my possible opponentsalready studied them, you know.
(21:24):
So I'm kind of nerd on MMA mostof it.
I have other things that.
I'm into yeah you're in thatrealm of stuff right.
Yeah, but on MMA.
I'm obsessed about this game.
You know, I keep all that, I do, all that I consume, all that I
do is about MMA.
It's about this life you know,so I put myself all into it.
(21:46):
Maybe that I'm an MMA nerd.
Speaker 1 (21:49):
When did you fight on Contenders' 2021?
Speaker 2 (21:52):
2021, yeah.
Speaker 1 (21:53):
So like what has it been like to be part of this,
this blossoming team, causeyou've been around at your team
for a while, right, and all of asudden the world gets to see,
oh, who's this new team?
And I would imagine for youguys, it's just like we're not
new.
Right, we've been doing thisfor a while.
But what's it like now for youguys as a team, and you
(22:14):
specifically, to see it startingto come to fruition?
I would imagine like whatyou've visualized is like we
could be the fighting nerds.
We could put glasses on people.
We can win a lot of fights withthe best people in the world.
What's it been like these lasttwo years?
Speaker 2 (22:28):
It's been hell of a great great things happening.
The first thing I think we feelproud of we are proud of
ourselves cause we've beentraining for the past 10 years
hiding in our gym back in Brazil, in our gym.
Nobody knew us, and sometimespeople oh, this nerd's the guy.
(22:51):
Oh, this is the nerd guys, okay, don't leave them any attention
.
And now people started to oh, Iwanted to be like these guys, I
wanted to train on the fightingnerds that we receive tons of
message from athletes from allover Brazil going to train with
us, trying to train with us, andfor us it's like a proud moment
(23:16):
for me and my coach, Pablo.
We're very proud for where weare at right now and I think we
can build a lot of things still,you know.
There's a lot of things that westill need to be doing.
We have a ton of good, good,good athletes there.
They have like three, four,five fights only, so I think
(23:36):
it's just the beginning.
When we got the first time herein Contender, we said this is
the fighting nerd's takeover,and I think it's started right
now.
Speaker 1 (23:44):
Yeah, I mean, well, you've already put a few guys
through Contender this year andthen last year.
I mean there's, you know,there's no denying you guys.
Now is like a formidable group,are you?
You're a coach too Like?
Are you a corner?
Are you mostly focused on?
Speaker 2 (23:59):
Yeah, most focused on my career.
I don't like to you knowmixture these things, you know,
yes, tough.
To mix these things up becauseof course sometimes I give, I
give some classes there and Italk with all the athletes.
I'm a kind of leader there, andso they all came to me to talk
about technique or everything.
But I don't like to be confusedabout what my part of on the
(24:22):
team.
You know, I like to be thestudent, I like to be the guy
they're gonna learn most of thetime not only teaching you know.
So I have my coaches and I obeyeverything that they say you
know, and I just wanna be theguy that is gonna learn, not
only teach you know.
So I don't like to mix thingsup.
Speaker 1 (24:46):
I'm an athlete from that team, that's all.
Speaker 2 (24:48):
Maybe I'm a leader.
Yeah, I'm a leader, but I'm anathlete, I'm not a coach, you
know.
Speaker 1 (24:52):
If it's so much about learning, what are some of the
most recent things that you'velearned?
That, really, that you'veingrained Like not just not like
MMA skills, but more likemindset skills.
Speaker 2 (25:06):
Oh, there's a ton of it, maybe the Like what's a
recent thing that you've.
You know that's kind of spokento you, the one that I learned,
and that's something that makeme a little bit more calm about
all the things that are cominginto a fight game.
So it's like pressure is aprivilege, you know, for me this
is the quote.
You know Like cause theposition that you are right now,
(25:30):
everybody wants to be in thatposition.
So you are a privileged guy tobe in this position and this
pressure that you feel is good,cause it's all about how you
face it.
If you face a pressure as a badthing, it's gonna be a bad
(25:50):
thing for you, it's gonnaconsume you.
But I face it like a good thing, cause for me it's a privilege
to be the position that I'm inright now A leader from the
fighting areas, a UFC fighter.
Everybody wants to be a UFCfighter.
If you ask any of the kidsgrowing up fighting, all of them
gonna.
They wanna say, oh, I wanna bea UFC fighter.
So pressure is a privilege, youknow.
(26:12):
The other thing is that afterfear, that's the best feelings
in the world.
Speaker 1 (26:16):
Yeah, that's a good one.
That's what I keep thinking.
Whatever has fear brings withit the best feelings in the
world after it?
Speaker 2 (26:25):
Exactly exactly.
It's like you know, as long asit doesn't go south like, as
long as you don't die fromwhatever you're fearful of, for
sure, for sure, and you come outon the other side of that and
most of what we face is no acutedanger like that right, yeah,
exactly.
Speaker 1 (26:38):
But that is something like whatever your fearful of
chances are, it's gonna bringsome pretty great feelings on
the other side of it if you dealwith it the right way.
You just need to do the firststep.
Speaker 2 (26:47):
Yeah, you just need to have today.
Speaker 1 (26:49):
Outside of fighting.
Can you think of an example inyour life where it's like
something that's quote unquote,fearful or something that kind
of brings anxiety, but really ifyou face it you get on the
other side of it?
I don't know, some guys arenervous to get married right,
and then it's just like walk upthere, man, say your, I do's,
and it's the best feeling in theworld I just had a son Get in
the cold tub.
You're not gonna like it.
(27:09):
But after you come out of thatcold tub you'll be like this is
why we do it, you know.
Speaker 2 (27:14):
I just had a son, you just turned one month
Congratulations.
Speaker 1 (27:17):
One month.
One month old.
Speaker 2 (27:19):
I didn't know he was that new he just turned one
month old.
Speaker 1 (27:22):
Well, so that'll bring some fear.
Yeah, exactly, want everythingto go right Every time that I
was thinking it's out of yourhands.
Speaker 2 (27:26):
Every time I was thinking about the labor because
my wife, she wanted normal.
Speaker 1 (27:32):
Sure yeah.
Speaker 2 (27:33):
Every time I think about it.
I was like man.
Speaker 1 (27:36):
I don't wanna be there, you know.
Speaker 2 (27:37):
Like, come on, take me out of there.
You know Was full of fear, fullof fear.
But then it came to my mindafter the fear I'm gonna see him
.
You know, that would be thebest feeling in the world.
So I thought I wasn't going tosee anything, but in the moment
I was like that recording he wascoming out.
I was like, oh, he's coming,let's go, let's go.
So you know, at the time wasthe best feeling in the world.
(28:00):
But before that, before that, Iwas so anxious, full of fear, I
didn't know how I was going toreact, because people say that
some daddy's faint at the timethat the new boy is coming, you
know.
So it's a great experience.
You know, it's a greatexperience to have a son, you
(28:21):
know, and it's an adventure, andI'm ready to go into this
adventure and start learningwith him.
You know, and you know, leave alot of things together.
Congratulations.
Speaker 1 (28:32):
Thank you.
Thank you, I have two sons.
Two sons congratulations One,that's eight and one, that's one
oh thank you, so I kinda knowthat, you know it's been a while
, obviously, but that I can, youknow, jive with you on the fear
.
It's a lot of anxiety, it's outof your hands completely.
Yeah, and it is.
It's the best feeling on theworld of the other side.
What an example.
Speaker 2 (28:51):
I'm glad you just got to experience that, you know.
Thank you so much.
That's when I put all my faithon God, you know, cause he
controls everything.
I have no power to do anythingLike.
I can do whatever I can toprotect my child, but I won't be
able to protect him 100%.
That's when I put my faith onGod.
That's when I'm calmed down,you know.
Speaker 1 (29:13):
What UFC fighter or fighters do you think you've
drawn from?
As an MMA nerd, as you say,which fighter do you look at and
you just go?
That person really does thiswell.
Speaker 2 (29:27):
George St.
Speaker 1 (29:27):
Pierre GSP.
Huh, yeah, that's the onepretty clear.
Yeah, he came up with thatanswer pretty quick.
Speaker 2 (29:33):
Yeah, he was the fighting nerd.
Speaker 1 (29:35):
He was the fighting nerd, the original fighting nerd
.
Speaker 2 (29:38):
He was the original fighting nerd.
You know I learned a lot fromthis guy watching his fight.
You know how he approached thefighting game, how he trained
and everything you know.
So I think the guy that I'mmost seeing was him GSP and
Conor.
Speaker 1 (29:55):
Conor too.
Yeah, can you explain, conor?
I don't disagree with you onhis rise to prominence.
Do you still think that Like?
Speaker 2 (30:05):
right now.
Yeah, if he's gonna still.
Speaker 1 (30:08):
Like, do you still like hold him in admiration for
the way that he's been fighting?
I was more about technique.
Speaker 2 (30:13):
The technique, yeah, I was orthodox, and then I
changed to softball watching himBecause Conor yeah because
Conor.
Yeah, I tried and then I waslike man, I need to be softball,
I need to train softball.
So I started training onlysoftball for like years and
years and now I'm more softballthan orthodox, really.
(30:34):
Yeah, because of him.
Speaker 1 (30:35):
Do you like power in your front hand, or have you
learned to have more power inyour back?
Speaker 2 (30:40):
I use both very good.
Yeah, I use both Because whenyou're left handed you need to
use your jab a lot, so then youcan use your left hand properly.
Because people that change toor they are softball, they only
throw the left hand, they don'tset up.
So I need to set up with myfront hand, my right hand, to
(31:01):
then my left hand be mortal,right, right.
Speaker 1 (31:06):
So you're coming at it as a former orthodox.
Your right hand is not aproblem.
You got that power and activitybecause you're used to that.
Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 2 (31:15):
And then you learn to back it up, exactly, exactly.
You see my last opponent, theMichel Lecceciuk.
He's a softball Bomb on hishand, but he doesn't use his
front hand.
So if you see the fight all thetime that he throw the left
hand, I saw everything Becausehe believed on his left hand.
When you're softball.
(31:35):
You need to have a good righthand to set up things.
You are a nerd?
Yeah, that's very wellexplained.
Speaker 1 (31:45):
I mean when you could sit in a chair and let me
unravel a new skill set of thegame you're doing your homework.
Speaker 2 (31:52):
Thank you, yeah.
Speaker 1 (31:55):
So, like A lot of fighters will and rightly so be
kinda saying the same things Iwanna be the best, I wanna be
UFC champion, I wanna be knownas the greatest of all time or
one of the greatest of all time.
What kind of what mission areyou on?
How do you explain the missionthat you're on?
Speaker 2 (32:14):
No, for sure I wanna be a world champion, that's for
sure.
That's the main goal.
When I started MMA is to be aworld champion.
When I was in Judah, my goalwas to be a Olympic champion.
That's all I need.
I want to be the best, for sure.
But I was thinking about thesedays and I don't wanna be the
greatest pound for pound king,the greatest of all time and
(32:39):
this, and that I just wanna beremembered as one of the most
cerebral fighters in the game.
Speaker 1 (32:45):
Cerebral fighters.
Speaker 2 (32:46):
Cerebral fighters in the game.
One of these martyrs fights.
They step in the Otacon.
Just like Sam Pia, if I'mremembered.
Just like him I'm happy with it.
I don't wanna be fighting toolike almost 40 or something like
that.
I think 35 is a good time tojust go stay more with my family
(33:08):
, with my business and all thisand that.
Speaker 1 (33:10):
So maybe five more years of career and I'm okay
with it Right, but to be a beknown as a smart fighter.
Speaker 2 (33:17):
Yeah, yeah, that's what I want.
Speaker 1 (33:19):
Yeah, not like a feared fighter in terms of this
the biggest, baddest dude,whatever.
Like when you fight Kyle,you're in for a chess match, so
he's gonna be in the advantageof it Exactly.
Speaker 2 (33:30):
Yeah, I'm always one step ahead.
I'm always always know whatyou're gonna do.
I study you a lot.
I know all your patterns.
I know all the things that youdo.
I know what you do after Iscramble, while you do most
after scramble.
I know everything about you andit's gonna be hard to fight me,
(33:52):
because I know you more than youknow me.
That's how I want to beremembered, not a guy that was
the strongest or this or that.
Because we have a strong guy,always comes the stronger one
and everybody's beatable.
But, like right here, it's kindof hard to be beaten.
So you need to be studying alot to beat me on this game.
Speaker 1 (34:13):
I remember some great ice hockey teams that wanna be
known as tough to play against,and I always admire that as like
a goal.
You know what I mean it's nevergonna be easy.
Acknowledging that it's notalways about the result, but
like, when you play us, you'rein for a tough night, awesome.
And like, if you're a fightertough to fight against, like I'm
(34:34):
gonna know you, like I'm gonnabe researched in addition to all
my physical tools, exactly,yeah, that's an admirable.
Speaker 2 (34:42):
Thank you, an admirable way to go about your
business.
Yeah, that's all I think aboutthe most cerebral fighting in
the game Cerebral fighting.
Speaker 1 (34:53):
How long have you been in the States?
Like a week and a half orsomething.
You've been here for, like, Ithink, two weeks already.
Two weeks, yeah.
Have you come to train indifferent places for several
weeks at a time?
Speaker 2 (35:04):
Yeah.
Like where else do you go?
I came for.
Speaker 1 (35:08):
Or is it mostly here?
Speaker 2 (35:09):
Yeah, mostly here I came.
I was in Sweden training withHamza Chimayaz, no way Last year
.
Speaker 1 (35:15):
Can I have a Hamza Chimayaz story for my podcast?
Yeah, do you have any.
Speaker 2 (35:21):
I don't know, I don't know.
Maybe I don't know, I guesswhen you get on the training mat
, he probably becomes a lot moremortal than a lot of fans think
.
Speaker 1 (35:30):
Yeah, you know, and you're used to it, it's your
weight class, right, you're notgoing to get into it and he's a
nerd too, cause the time that Igot.
Speaker 2 (35:36):
Hamza Chimayaz is a nerd, yeah the time that I got
into the I fight in nerdsactually, because the time that
I got into this gym and I wasintroducing to him, I was just a
contender guy that fought onetime in UFC and the guy came to
me and the cancer came to me.
I know you, I watch all yourfights and contender and this
(35:58):
and that I was like, oh, thisguy maybe is a nerd.
You know, a fighting nerd.
He watched a lot of fights.
Speaker 1 (36:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (36:03):
But he's a very cool guy Right.
He asked me to train with himagain to this fight against
Paulo.
Speaker 1 (36:10):
Oh yeah, but I had my fight going up so I need to be
thinking about myself this time.
Speaker 2 (36:14):
But, Hamza is a very good guy.
Speaker 1 (36:16):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (36:17):
Yeah, so I've been there.
I've been training with PauloCosta too.
Before I come to the contender,I spend like two weeks in Paulo
Costa's camp, so I trained withhim.
I came to Extreme Couture likethree or four times already to
train around him.
Yeah, be him for like two weeksalready.
Speaker 1 (36:38):
Right, yeah, a couple weeks.
So now, like what I'm hearing.
So you've trained with HamzaChimayev.
Yeah, you trained with PauloCosta.
Whoever wins that fight mightfight for the title.
Next, you trained with SeanStrickland here at.
Extreme Couture what have younoticed going with all the top
five guys in your weight class?
Like what does that do?
Speaker 2 (36:59):
for you it's more something about myself.
You know, like it's more likebecause we keep doubting about
ourselves all the time, like, amI this, am I that?
And when I go there and trainwith these guys, you know, toe
to toes, I'm like, okay, I cando it.
I can really do it.
I'm good at it.
(37:20):
You know I can really good.
I need to do adjustments hereand there, but I can really do
it and it's good to have theseguys from this caliber to train
with you.
You know, like you feel moreprepared, you feel more ready to
go.
You know I'm fighting the sameguy that Sean beat beat.
You know I'm fighting a boozeright now.
So, the same guy that Sean beat.
Sean is a very great friend ofmine, so I'll be talking with
(37:42):
him, you know, getting all theinformation that I need.
Speaker 1 (37:46):
Yeah, so that's it.
Yeah, there you go, man.
I like to pass on advice towhoever's listening Kyo.
Maybe they're not a fighter,but like what's a piece of life
advice that you like to leavepeople with, or like a message
that you like hope more peoplecan live by.
Speaker 2 (38:05):
Just don't give up, man, that's all.
Don't give up.
Wherever you wanna do in yourlife, just don't give up.
Maybe what you want is rightthere, close to you.
If you give up, you're nevergonna know.
If you go through it, if youfight and go into it, you're
gonna discover some things.
You're gonna discover some goodthings, you know.
(38:28):
So just don't give up.
I'm a guy that didn't give upin the injuries, didn't give up
being away from my family,didn't give up on anything.
I don't give up and I'm notgiving up a guy, you know.
So just don't give up.
Believe in yourself and workhard.
Work hard and learn through theway.
You need to learn.
(38:48):
It's not just about workinghard.
Oh, I lost.
I need to work harder.
No, you need to work smarter.
You need to take all theselessons that you gotta take to
advance, you know.
So be smart and don't give up,man, that's all.
Speaker 1 (39:02):
Sometimes, the most often said things are for a
reason.
Right, it's simple.
Don't give up.
Exactly.
Speaker 2 (39:08):
Keep doing it, just do it.
You're never gonna understandwhy.
You know, like you may beunderstand after, but if you
already understand before thethings happens and you
understand why, what's the funnypart?
You already know everything.
What's the funny?
Speaker 1 (39:24):
What's the funny?
Thing?
Speaker 2 (39:26):
Just go bro.
Speaker 1 (39:27):
Well, I'm honored to be the owner of these glasses.
Speaker 2 (39:31):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (39:33):
And it's been great to chat with you.
What's your son's name?
What's?
Speaker 2 (39:37):
your son, liam.
Liam, liam Bohalio.
Speaker 1 (39:40):
Liam Bohalio.
Speaker 2 (39:42):
Congratulations on your little baby boy.
Speaker 1 (39:44):
And what I'm excited about is I'll be in Sao Paulo
and I'll call your fight manCo-main event.
And I love Sao Paulo.
It's a great city.
Yeah, it's a great city.
I mean I've been in Brazil ahandful of times, but Sao Paulo
is my favorite.
I love Sao.
Speaker 2 (39:57):
Paulo too.
I came from a city in San Luis.
It's beach you know, it's coast, you know, and people might
think, oh, you came from a coastcity and you go to Sao Paulo,
big city, no beach, you knowanything?
But I love Sao Paulo.
I love the city.
It's a working-hard class city,you know.
That's the city that gave meeverything that I have right now
(40:18):
.
I just bought my house.
Now I have my son.
My wife is from there, so I'mthankful for Sao Paulo.
I love the city.
Speaker 1 (40:26):
Well, I'll see you down there in a few weeks.
See you, kaio Bohalio, unfit'snation.
Thanks for coming by, man.
Thank you, thank you guys,thank you.
Kyo Bohalho is on my show.
How are you doing?
How are you, kyo?
I'm very good.
You know you have one of thosenames that, even though I know
how to say it, it's still toughto pronounce.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, right, how doyou say it?
Bohalho, bohalho, yeah, bohalho.
It's like the L.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Claudia Gadelia, the L is the thing, the same thing.
Yeah, we're Brazilian, we likethese kind of names.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
you know All right, and what a big honor.
And Kyo just told me that thisis his first podcast interview
in English.
Yeah, exactly, it's like I wasexcited.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Yeah, man, thanks for doing that for me.
Thank you, oh, hold on.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
I have to.
I also check this out.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Oh, this guy's no thanks, we are ready for the
Fighting Nerd, let's go.
That was awesome.
You're kind of like the leaderof the Fighting Nerds.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
Yeah yeah, yeah, how did you guys come up?
Speaker 2 (00:55):
with that name.
Actually, it was my coach thatcame up with the name, because
we've seen that in Brazil wewere different from the other
fighters, you know, like the waywe behave, the way we approach
the fighting game, like studying.
We even studied where to putyour head to get more power on
(01:15):
the punch, like distance control, and we keep studying all this.
And then there was a day thathe came to me and was like, oh,
let's do this team and I havetwo names.
The first name is MMA BigRiders.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
MMA Big Riders.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
Riders, yeah, and why is that name?
Because we were alwayssearching for the harder
training.
Like there's a good guy overthere, ok, we're going to train
with that guy.
So, big Riders, you know, theguy that goes surfing and get
the big one.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
Yeah sure, big Wave Riders.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
So that was the first choice, and then the second was
the fighting nerds, because wehave a bunch of nerds that study
fight all the time.
We only watch fights all thetime.
We like anime, we like chess,we like all this, so why not?
And then I think we gotfighting nerds after that.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
Yeah, it's stuck.
Yeah, there's a little morerange to it.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
It's kind of you know the fighting, all the aspects
of fighting, and the nerd.
There's kind of a little bitdifferent.
So it just come up with alltogether Two words.
Speaker 1 (02:21):
You can say what it's about Fighting nerds.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
That's easy.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
The fighting wave riders or the big riders.
You've got to explain it andwhatever.
And nerds is something thateveryone can relate to because
they all went to high school orsome level of school or
something like that.
And I've got to say like when Isaw you guys put these glasses
on, dana, I was like this isgoing to be fun.
You guys got a good thing going.
People wear the patty wigsright when it's time for a patty
(02:45):
the baddie fight and it's a funatmosphere.
People are starting to wearpink hair for Sean O'Malley.
This is dollar store.
Put some tape on it.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
Glasses Everybody can be a fan of the fighting nerds.
Good marketing yeah, that'sreally good.
It was my coach idea actually.
He's very smart on that.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
That's awesome, Kyle.
What's your background down inBrazil, Like how did you get to
be a fighter?
Speaker 2 (03:05):
So I started judo at six years old.
When I was six, I was a kidfull of energy and my mom was
like I need to figure out whatto do with this kid.
And then she heard that had agood sensei over there that was
very disciplined.
And then she tried.
(03:26):
And here I am.
I started with six years old.
I competed on judo my entirelife until I was like 19.
So I'm turning around there.
And then I started jujitsu.
And then I fell in love withthe pride tapes and UFC tapes
and all these.
I fell in love and was like, oh, I want to do it.
And then I started Muay Thai.
(03:46):
I kind of was letting go of thejudo stuff because I was
putting my own money to compete.
So I was like I got to makemoney on it.
So I started jujitsu, Then MuayThai.
I did my first kickboxing I'm atwo-fight and then after that I
did my first MMA.
I'm a two-fight and I'm from asmall city in Brazil, San Luis
(04:08):
Maranhão.
It's Northwest Brazil.
And then, after my first Hold,on You're from Northwest Brazil.
Northwest Brazil yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:14):
So you're not from.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
Sao Paulo.
No, no, no, I'm from.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
Maranhão.
Yeah, so you're from a small.
Ok, that's out in the jungle.
Speaker 2 (04:19):
Yeah, exactly Over on the top, it's right on the side
on Fortaleza.
OK, fortaleza, yeah, I've beenthere, fortaleza is the city,
ciara is the state, and then onthe side we have Maranhão is the
state and the city is San Luis,san Luis, and that's where
you're from and that's where I'mfrom.
And then I came to Sao Pauloback in 2014 to start to pursue
(04:42):
in the dream to get into the UFC.
I just had one amateur fight,so I started my career Almost
all in Sao Paulo, okay, and Idid some fights there and here
we are.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
How did you grow up?
The story with a lot ofBrazilian athletes and fighters
in particular is that they comefrom the Favellas, they come
from nothing, very poorbackground, and then they kind
of fight their way out and theones that make it to the UFC.
It can be quite life-changing.
How did you grow up?
Speaker 2 (05:07):
No, I can't complain.
You know my mom always workingvery hard to give me everything
that I wanted.
You know, she, she raised mevery well.
I, I didn't, I wasn't hungry, Ididn't pass any of this of
these things, you know, but itwas a good life actually.
Yeah, life, I'm small town.
Yeah, I cannot be more thankfulto my mom.
(05:28):
You know, she put them intoEnglish class, you know, and
school, good schools, and I wasmath and chemistry teacher
before I was fighter.
Speaker 1 (05:39):
No way.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
Yeah, that's what.
That's why fighting nerds.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
I was gonna say there's more to it.
Yeah, exactly, you are kind ofan academic.
Yeah, yeah, I was when did?
You learn to speak English.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
I don't know.
I started to do some, someEnglish classes when I was 10,
11, 12, and then Suddenly I wastalking already.
You know yeah but the firsttime I got here in America was
2021 to do my photo shooting forContended series.
So it was the first time thatwas like okay, I can talk
English, yeah.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
Yeah, yeah, I mean, you speak English phenomenally
well, thank you, thank you.
That is really you know cuz,like even even comparing you to
other Brazilian fighters that Iknow that can speak English.
It's like you're right up there, it's crazy that it just kind
of started humbly as like aschool subject, because I took
Spanish I can't.
I mean yeah, and it served youwell, because now you're on this
(06:33):
kind of global platform andspeaking English will allow you
to To go further.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
Yeah, I always know that there was going to be Very
important for me to speakEnglish.
You know, all my tattoos are inEnglish too, Because I knew
when I get to the FC everybodywould see my tattoos in English.
They wouldn't understand themessage behind it.
You know so yeah, which?
Speaker 1 (06:54):
okay?
Can you show the tattoo on yourarm since this fight or die?
Yeah, this is fighter fight ordie.
Okay, explain that one so.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
Like it's simple, like in life, we only have two
options or we fight or we giveup.
You know, when we give up, youalmost dying for this thing
inside of you.
You know, and I've been througha lot of injuries and a lot of
surgeries.
I did like three surgeries onmy left Shoulder and I did two
surgeries on my left knee, andit is a bunch of other surgeries
(07:25):
and At this time I only had twooptions or fight and get better
, or I give up, you know.
So that's why I did this tattoo.
Yeah, wow.
Speaker 1 (07:34):
So like die, like a piece inside of you die exactly
if you're gonna give up in thisone thing.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
Yeah, when you give up a piece of your diet always.
That's very true, right?
Speaker 1 (07:43):
Yeah, and then the one on your neck.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
Yeah, this is the free spirit.
Okay, can you?
Speaker 1 (07:47):
show it to the camera .
Free spirit, I mean, becausethat one I mean not a lot of
people.
I feel like you're doing,you're committing to a certain
lifestyle when you get your necktattoo yeah right like the arm.
You can work in any office withthat tattoo on your arm.
With this one, yeah, you kindof got to be a good fighter.
What is this one, though?
Speaker 2 (08:12):
free spirit so there was a time in my life that was
very anxious.
I'll have anxiety crisis, youknow, like breath, no breath or
anything, because of theinjuries and all this and that
and and there.
Actually there's two messagesbehind.
But and then there was a musicthat there was the only music
that, when I heard it, calmed medown, and the name of the music
(08:34):
was free spirit.
It was a very good music fromKhalid was a very good music.
And the other thing is about Ithink I'm free spirit when I'm a
side-dog, doing what I chooseto do, what I love to do, and I
think people needs to be morefree spirit because at these
times nowadays we have bunch ofpeople in social media and we
(08:55):
always try to be like this guyor like the other guy or like
this girl and you're never gonnabe like then.
You know you need to be freespirit yourself, to be truly
free With you.
You know to be okay withyourself, you know.
So that's the other kind ofmessage that I have on this one
how old are you?
Speaker 1 (09:13):
dirty.
Where do you think your lifeperspective comes from?
Because the fight or diemeaning behind that is very true
, but a lot of times it takesmaturity and a lot of life
perspective to get that and thefree spirit to acknowledge that
on the world of social media andComparing ourselves to what's
out there on our phones, asopposed to living the life we
(09:34):
want to live takes a long time,but you seem to learn that by 30
years old.
Where does that come from?
I?
Speaker 2 (09:40):
Don't know, man.
Actually I don't know.
I've been through a lot ofthings in my life.
You know, when I left myhometown to go to Sao Paulo Sao
Paulo is a big city, just likeNew York to a very big city, and
I'm a guy from northwest, froma small town, going there with
one, I'm a true fight, trying tomake a living on fighting.
You know.
So I think All the things thathave been through my life made
(10:02):
me think this way, made me aHarder person, you know, like
more experienced it.
You know no ego like I'mkilling my ego every day, you
know.
So I think it's around there.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
Yeah, what do you think the habits were as you
were coming up like, like, why,with just one amateur fight from
a small town, did you bet onyourself?
Speaker 2 (10:26):
Oh, this is something .
This is something I need toprove something to myself.
You know, because when I wasyoung and there was a conflict
like, oh, you and me going tobrawl, let's go I always Got out
.
I was always afraid of it,afraid of any confrontation, you
know, and I grew up with thisin my mind.
(10:48):
You know there was episodesthat was Playing around with
kids in the streets and thatkids came to me oh, so now it's
just you and me, let's go, youand me in front of everyone.
And I just panicked and it waslike, no, I'm not doing so.
Imagine you grow up with thisand everybody making fun of you.
You know that you have faith,fear or this, and that maybe
(11:10):
this grew Something really biginside of me, that I need to
prove something to myself.
You know, here I am fightingthe best guys in the world
kinking some ass.
You know I'm proving to myselfthat I'm capable of, you know
I'm capable of getting in anyconflict.
I'm capable of doing what Iwant to do, you know.
So maybe that that will comefrom what do you recall?
Speaker 1 (11:30):
a switch Like, what was the switch that made you go
from that Person to the personthat wanted to prove something
to yourself?
Speaker 2 (11:38):
Oh, yeah, when I was like 15, 16, and I started to be
more serious about my judocareer, that's when I was like,
oh, I want to be something inthe sport.
You know At that time was judo.
I wanted to be an Olympic judo.
So when I didn't got it, I waslike, no, I want to be something
(11:59):
in some kind of sport.
Speaker 1 (12:00):
In combat sports.
Yeah, in combat sports.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
I need to prove myself that I can't be in
confrontation, you know, inbecome be, you know, strategic.
So maybe that was the switch, Ithink 15, 16 years old.
Then I started to train my assoff like crazy three, four, five
trainings a day, trying to besomeone.
And then I did a switch to MMAand I was like, oh, I can't be
(12:25):
good at it, you know.
So I'm just going to need toprove it to everyone and to
myself personally.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
What do you remember about when you're doing
something really challenging,that you don't know if you're
going to get to the other sideor not, and then you do, like,
what does that teach you?
Like, what do you learn fromthat type of?
Speaker 2 (12:42):
experience.
It's like it's teach meactually before, because you
always feel fear of doingsomething, you know.
But right after the fear, youhave the best feelings in the
world.
You know, that's what I'malways thinking about when I go
to the fight.
Always, we all, always fight.
(13:03):
We always have fear inside ofus, but after the fear, the
experience, after this, that'sthe best feelings in the world,
even if you lose.
Of course it sucks, but you didsomething that you were not
supposed to do, you know.
So that's what I keep thinkingon my head all the time, like
okay, after that I'll bethankful, after that I will
(13:25):
thank myself you know, Like Icannot run away again from
something that I don't want todo like a confrontation.
You know I'm not a guy anymore,you know I'm not a kid anymore,
so I just need to pass throughit.
And I know after the fear thebest feelings will come, you
know.
Speaker 1 (13:42):
But the fear still comes, it still comes.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
You need to overcome it?
Speaker 1 (13:45):
How do you explain that Like?
How do you describe what it'slike to do what you do and to
acknowledge that fear?
Speaker 2 (13:59):
Man, it kills you inside of you.
You know, Like, little bylittle, you know, but you need
to overcome that.
You know you choose to do itfor your life.
You know, Like I don't know ifI can explain, but it's a mix of
everything.
You know Excited, fear, and youthink good things and you think
(14:19):
bad things and that's whatmakes you evolve.
After all this I've done, youknow, that's what I've been
thinking all the time.
I don't know if I'm makingmyself clear, but it's around
that.
Speaker 1 (14:33):
Yeah well, it's something that I will never be
able to relate to and a lot offans won't be able to relate to,
because a vast majority of usdo not compete right in an MMA
fight.
Right, I might get the Geyonand roll around with somebody
right, but to walk out with theworld watching.
I always find it intriguing totry to get you to describe what
(14:55):
it's like you know, because it'slike you can't really do it
justice, I imagine.
But it's interesting to justsee how you choose to put it in
the course, at the moment,nothing.
Speaker 2 (15:06):
I don't feel nothing For your fight coming up Like
before.
Speaker 1 (15:09):
For sure, For sure.
Speaker 2 (15:11):
When I see the guy, the first, when I see the guy's
fights to study him, I've got tobe shaking.
You know the first time I'mshaking.
But I understand that this ismy body preparing himself.
You know, because we have fearin ourselves in a bad way, you
know, in our mind, and it's notbad.
The fear it's going to make youmore powerful, you know more
(15:36):
intelligent, you know moredangerous.
That's the fear on you.
They're going to make it, youknow.
You need to survive on it, youknow.
So I don't just push fear away.
I like to feel it.
I like to feel this inside mybelly.
You know, I like it.
Speaker 1 (15:54):
I like it.
Speaker 2 (15:56):
But it's definitely something that you need to learn
how to live with it.
You need to learn how to livewith it Because, all the way,
you're going to consume you alot.
So just go with the flow, youknow.
Just go with the flow and tryto focus on the things that you
have to do in this day, likeright now I need to do this.
(16:17):
Okay, after that, I need to dothis.
Be on the present, you know,because fear will reach your
life if you're thinking about itall the time.
So I just think about what Ineed to do right now.
Oh, I need to do the marketingstuff.
Okay, I'm good.
Oh, now I need to cut away.
So let's cut away.
And now fighting, let's fight,you know, but at the moment that
(16:37):
I'm walking, I don't feelanything.
That's when I'm free spirit.
I don't feel anything.
Speaker 1 (16:41):
When you're walking you don't feel any fear.
No, no Cause, I've heard, forsome fighters it's like the fear
builds up until the refereesays go, and then it all melts
away.
In the same way that when I wasa young broadcaster, you would
get nervous to a certain degree,depending on what level you're
at in your career, until theysay action.
And then, once I'm on camera,there's no room for fear.
(17:03):
I might as well just do a goodjob.
Yeah, exactly, but for you itmelts away before then.
Yeah, before then.
Speaker 2 (17:09):
Yeah, I go to the wings.
The wings is always good for me, you know the face off no fear
at all.
And then I'm kind of start.
Then I put myself like no, nowI need to hydrate.
Speaker 1 (17:23):
You know so there's no time for fear.
Speaker 2 (17:26):
But some stuff keeps coming to your mind for sure.
But the moment that I sleep andthen wake up in another day,
there's no fear anymore.
Speaker 1 (17:32):
There's nothing.
Speaker 2 (17:33):
actually there's nothing.
Speaker 1 (17:34):
No judgment, I just gotta imagine the day of the
fight has gotta be reallychallenging.
Like you're gonna fight in SaoPaulo, it's gonna be like
midnight, so you're gonna wakeup at like I don't know.
Let's say you sleep in, youwake up at noon, right 11 am, so
you can still be on point.
Like it's a long time to waitaround.
We all know how tough it is toeven wait around for a flight to
go on vacation.
Speaker 2 (17:52):
You know what I mean.
So for you, how are you?
Speaker 1 (17:54):
feeling, with Sao Paulo coming up, knowing what it
means to you.
It's not an apex fight.
It's not fighting in an arenain the US, like it's where you
left home for and where you'vecalled home for the last you
know 10 plus years.
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
I fought five times in the apex already.
Speaker 1 (18:10):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (18:11):
And only one fight that I got was in the Nha Bu
Dabi Right.
That was the big crowd Was fullof energy, you know.
Crowd.
I love the vibe and everything,but everybody was cheering for
the Muslim.
You know, not for me.
Now, this time in Brazil, youknow, I'm so excited, like I
have everything inside of melike fear.
(18:31):
I'm full of fear, you know,like I'm fighting in front of my
people with a good guy actually.
So it all comes to me, but it'sspecial for me, you know,
because I know how Brazil fansthey embrace you, you know, and
they are there with you.
They fight with you, you know,and I just cannot wait to have
(18:55):
this walk out with my music on,you know, and everybody
screaming my name and ooh vaimorer, ooh vai morer.
I think it will be an awesomemoment, a moment that I'll never
forget for the rest of my life.
Of course, I have a lot of fearon me, but for sure, after this
fear, the best feeling iscoming.
You know, that's what I keepthinking about.
Speaker 1 (19:16):
Why do you think you've resonated with so many
fans?
Like, when I talked, I talkedto Safe Sao downstairs.
I said I'm going up to do apodcast.
He said who are you talking to?
I said Kaio and he said I lovethat guy.
He said tell him.
I said hi, I love that guy.
Awesome, do you feel that?
Yeah, like you have like as itprospect on the way up, you're
(19:38):
not just another Brazilianprospect, like you kind of
broken through a little bit.
Why do you think that is?
Speaker 2 (19:44):
I think.
I think it's.
I understood the kind ofproduct that I am, you know, and
I sell myself as this product.
There's no false.
I'm not a false guy character,a character, you know, a false,
you know I'm real.
I think people feel that, youknow, and people relate with the
nerd thing.
Everybody was a nerd somethingin school.
(20:05):
Everybody got bullied in schoolsometime.
So I think everybody relate tothat.
You know, I think to use thiskind of platform that, you see,
is you need to be a character,but you need to be true.
You know, and I think peoplefeel that that I'm true.
I'm always talking to everybody, you know.
I'm always being polite toeverybody, so I feel the love
from everyone.
Speaker 1 (20:26):
Yeah, but you're like an outward guy, Like you're not
.
You don't strike me as a nerd,aside from the glasses.
Right, I would look at you andjust be like you got a big smile
, Like most nerds areintroverted, maybe a little shy,
maybe a little reserved, butyou're the opposite and I would
imagine you kind of just likelearn to go through that.
You know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (20:46):
Yeah, I know what I mean.
I don't know if it'sconsciously you know, maybe it's
unconscious.
Speaker 1 (20:51):
Yeah, I do so.
So what are the biggest nerdqualities that you have outside
of MMA?
Like, why are you a real nerd?
Speaker 2 (21:00):
Like I was chemistry and math teacher.
Speaker 1 (21:03):
Chemistry and math teacher.
Speaker 2 (21:04):
Yeah, I like anime, I like chess, you know, but I'm
an MMA nerd, I think I'm most ofit.
I'm an MMA nerd, I like I watchalmost all the fights, I study
all the fights.
All my possible opponentsalready studied them, you know.
(21:24):
So I'm kind of nerd on MMA mostof it.
I have other things that.
I'm into yeah you're in thatrealm of stuff right.
Yeah, but on MMA.
I'm obsessed about this game.
You know, I keep all that, I do, all that I consume, all that I
do is about MMA.
It's about this life you know,so I put myself all into it.
(21:46):
Maybe that I'm an MMA nerd.
Speaker 1 (21:49):
When did you fight on Contenders' 2021?
Speaker 2 (21:52):
2021, yeah.
Speaker 1 (21:53):
So like what has it been like to be part of this,
this blossoming team, causeyou've been around at your team
for a while, right, and all of asudden the world gets to see,
oh, who's this new team?
And I would imagine for youguys, it's just like we're not
new.
Right, we've been doing thisfor a while.
But what's it like now for youguys as a team, and you
(22:14):
specifically, to see it startingto come to fruition?
I would imagine like whatyou've visualized is like we
could be the fighting nerds.
We could put glasses on people.
We can win a lot of fights withthe best people in the world.
What's it been like these lasttwo years?
Speaker 2 (22:28):
It's been hell of a great great things happening.
The first thing I think we feelproud of we are proud of
ourselves cause we've beentraining for the past 10 years
hiding in our gym back in Brazil, in our gym.
Nobody knew us, and sometimespeople oh, this nerd's the guy.
(22:51):
Oh, this is the nerd guys, okay, don't leave them any attention
.
And now people started to oh, Iwanted to be like these guys, I
wanted to train on the fightingnerds that we receive tons of
message from athletes from allover Brazil going to train with
us, trying to train with us, andfor us it's like a proud moment
(23:16):
for me and my coach, Pablo.
We're very proud for where weare at right now and I think we
can build a lot of things still,you know.
There's a lot of things that westill need to be doing.
We have a ton of good, good,good athletes there.
They have like three, four,five fights only, so I think
(23:36):
it's just the beginning.
When we got the first time herein Contender, we said this is
the fighting nerd's takeover,and I think it's started right
now.
Speaker 1 (23:44):
Yeah, I mean, well, you've already put a few guys
through Contender this year andthen last year.
I mean there's, you know,there's no denying you guys.
Now is like a formidable group,are you?
You're a coach too Like?
Are you a corner?
Are you mostly focused on?
Speaker 2 (23:59):
Yeah, most focused on my career.
I don't like to you knowmixture these things, you know,
yes, tough.
To mix these things up becauseof course sometimes I give, I
give some classes there and Italk with all the athletes.
I'm a kind of leader there, andso they all came to me to talk
about technique or everything.
But I don't like to be confusedabout what my part of on the
(24:22):
team.
You know, I like to be thestudent, I like to be the guy
they're gonna learn most of thetime not only teaching you know.
So I have my coaches and I obeyeverything that they say you
know, and I just wanna be theguy that is gonna learn, not
only teach you know.
So I don't like to mix thingsup.
Speaker 1 (24:46):
I'm an athlete from that team, that's all.
Speaker 2 (24:48):
Maybe I'm a leader.
Yeah, I'm a leader, but I'm anathlete, I'm not a coach, you
know.
Speaker 1 (24:52):
If it's so much about learning, what are some of the
most recent things that you'velearned?
That, really, that you'veingrained Like not just not like
MMA skills, but more likemindset skills.
Speaker 2 (25:06):
Oh, there's a ton of it, maybe the Like what's a
recent thing that you've.
You know that's kind of spokento you, the one that I learned,
and that's something that makeme a little bit more calm about
all the things that are cominginto a fight game.
So it's like pressure is aprivilege, you know, for me this
is the quote.
You know Like cause theposition that you are right now,
(25:30):
everybody wants to be in thatposition.
So you are a privileged guy tobe in this position and this
pressure that you feel is good,cause it's all about how you
face it.
If you face a pressure as a badthing, it's gonna be a bad
(25:50):
thing for you, it's gonnaconsume you.
But I face it like a good thing, cause for me it's a privilege
to be the position that I'm inright now A leader from the
fighting areas, a UFC fighter.
Everybody wants to be a UFCfighter.
If you ask any of the kidsgrowing up fighting, all of them
gonna.
They wanna say, oh, I wanna bea UFC fighter.
So pressure is a privilege, youknow.
(26:12):
The other thing is that afterfear, that's the best feelings
in the world.
Speaker 1 (26:16):
Yeah, that's a good one.
That's what I keep thinking.
Whatever has fear brings withit the best feelings in the
world after it?
Speaker 2 (26:25):
Exactly exactly.
It's like you know, as long asit doesn't go south like, as
long as you don't die fromwhatever you're fearful of, for
sure, for sure, and you come outon the other side of that and
most of what we face is no acutedanger like that right, yeah,
exactly.
Speaker 1 (26:38):
But that is something like whatever your fearful of
chances are, it's gonna bringsome pretty great feelings on
the other side of it if you dealwith it the right way.
You just need to do the firststep.
Speaker 2 (26:47):
Yeah, you just need to have today.
Speaker 1 (26:49):
Outside of fighting.
Can you think of an example inyour life where it's like
something that's quote unquote,fearful or something that kind
of brings anxiety, but really ifyou face it you get on the
other side of it?
I don't know, some guys arenervous to get married right,
and then it's just like walk upthere, man, say your, I do's,
and it's the best feeling in theworld I just had a son Get in
the cold tub.
You're not gonna like it.
(27:09):
But after you come out of thatcold tub you'll be like this is
why we do it, you know.
Speaker 2 (27:14):
I just had a son, you just turned one month
Congratulations.
Speaker 1 (27:17):
One month.
One month old.
Speaker 2 (27:19):
I didn't know he was that new he just turned one
month old.
Speaker 1 (27:22):
Well, so that'll bring some fear.
Yeah, exactly, want everythingto go right Every time that I
was thinking it's out of yourhands.
Speaker 2 (27:26):
Every time I was thinking about the labor because
my wife, she wanted normal.
Speaker 1 (27:32):
Sure yeah.
Speaker 2 (27:33):
Every time I think about it.
I was like man.
Speaker 1 (27:36):
I don't wanna be there, you know.
Speaker 2 (27:37):
Like, come on, take me out of there.
You know Was full of fear, fullof fear.
But then it came to my mindafter the fear I'm gonna see him
.
You know, that would be thebest feeling in the world.
So I thought I wasn't going tosee anything, but in the moment
I was like that recording he wascoming out.
I was like, oh, he's coming,let's go, let's go.
So you know, at the time wasthe best feeling in the world.
(28:00):
But before that, before that, Iwas so anxious, full of fear, I
didn't know how I was going toreact, because people say that
some daddy's faint at the timethat the new boy is coming, you
know.
So it's a great experience.
You know, it's a greatexperience to have a son, you
(28:21):
know, and it's an adventure, andI'm ready to go into this
adventure and start learningwith him.
You know, and you know, leave alot of things together.
Congratulations.
Speaker 1 (28:32):
Thank you.
Thank you, I have two sons.
Two sons congratulations One,that's eight and one, that's one
oh thank you, so I kinda knowthat, you know it's been a while
, obviously, but that I can, youknow, jive with you on the fear
.
It's a lot of anxiety, it's outof your hands completely.
Yeah, and it is.
It's the best feeling on theworld of the other side.
What an example.
Speaker 2 (28:51):
I'm glad you just got to experience that, you know.
Thank you so much.
That's when I put all my faithon God, you know, cause he
controls everything.
I have no power to do anythingLike.
I can do whatever I can toprotect my child, but I won't be
able to protect him 100%.
That's when I put my faith onGod.
That's when I'm calmed down,you know.
Speaker 1 (29:13):
What UFC fighter or fighters do you think you've
drawn from?
As an MMA nerd, as you say,which fighter do you look at and
you just go?
That person really does thiswell.
Speaker 2 (29:27):
George St.
Speaker 1 (29:27):
Pierre GSP.
Huh, yeah, that's the onepretty clear.
Yeah, he came up with thatanswer pretty quick.
Speaker 2 (29:33):
Yeah, he was the fighting nerd.
Speaker 1 (29:35):
He was the fighting nerd, the original fighting nerd
.
Speaker 2 (29:38):
He was the original fighting nerd.
You know I learned a lot fromthis guy watching his fight.
You know how he approached thefighting game, how he trained
and everything you know.
So I think the guy that I'mmost seeing was him GSP and
Conor.
Speaker 1 (29:55):
Conor too.
Yeah, can you explain, conor?
I don't disagree with you onhis rise to prominence.
Do you still think that Like?
Speaker 2 (30:05):
right now.
Yeah, if he's gonna still.
Speaker 1 (30:08):
Like, do you still like hold him in admiration for
the way that he's been fighting?
I was more about technique.
Speaker 2 (30:13):
The technique, yeah, I was orthodox, and then I
changed to softball watching himBecause Conor yeah because
Conor.
Yeah, I tried and then I waslike man, I need to be softball,
I need to train softball.
So I started training onlysoftball for like years and
years and now I'm more softballthan orthodox, really.
(30:34):
Yeah, because of him.
Speaker 1 (30:35):
Do you like power in your front hand, or have you
learned to have more power inyour back?
Speaker 2 (30:40):
I use both very good.
Yeah, I use both Because whenyou're left handed you need to
use your jab a lot, so then youcan use your left hand properly.
Because people that change toor they are softball, they only
throw the left hand, they don'tset up.
So I need to set up with myfront hand, my right hand, to
(31:01):
then my left hand be mortal,right, right.
Speaker 1 (31:06):
So you're coming at it as a former orthodox.
Your right hand is not aproblem.
You got that power and activitybecause you're used to that.
Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 2 (31:15):
And then you learn to back it up, exactly, exactly.
You see my last opponent, theMichel Lecceciuk.
He's a softball Bomb on hishand, but he doesn't use his
front hand.
So if you see the fight all thetime that he throw the left
hand, I saw everything Becausehe believed on his left hand.
When you're softball.
(31:35):
You need to have a good righthand to set up things.
You are a nerd?
Yeah, that's very wellexplained.
Speaker 1 (31:45):
I mean when you could sit in a chair and let me
unravel a new skill set of thegame you're doing your homework.
Speaker 2 (31:52):
Thank you, yeah.
Speaker 1 (31:55):
So, like A lot of fighters will and rightly so be
kinda saying the same things Iwanna be the best, I wanna be
UFC champion, I wanna be knownas the greatest of all time or
one of the greatest of all time.
What kind of what mission areyou on?
How do you explain the missionthat you're on?
Speaker 2 (32:14):
No, for sure I wanna be a world champion, that's for
sure.
That's the main goal.
When I started MMA is to be aworld champion.
When I was in Judah, my goalwas to be a Olympic champion.
That's all I need.
I want to be the best, for sure.
But I was thinking about thesedays and I don't wanna be the
greatest pound for pound king,the greatest of all time and
(32:39):
this, and that I just wanna beremembered as one of the most
cerebral fighters in the game.
Speaker 1 (32:45):
Cerebral fighters.
Speaker 2 (32:46):
Cerebral fighters in the game.
One of these martyrs fights.
They step in the Otacon.
Just like Sam Pia, if I'mremembered.
Just like him I'm happy with it.
I don't wanna be fighting toolike almost 40 or something like
that.
I think 35 is a good time tojust go stay more with my family
(33:08):
, with my business and all thisand that.
Speaker 1 (33:10):
So maybe five more years of career and I'm okay
with it Right, but to be a beknown as a smart fighter.
Speaker 2 (33:17):
Yeah, yeah, that's what I want.
Speaker 1 (33:19):
Yeah, not like a feared fighter in terms of this
the biggest, baddest dude,whatever.
Like when you fight Kyle,you're in for a chess match, so
he's gonna be in the advantageof it Exactly.
Speaker 2 (33:30):
Yeah, I'm always one step ahead.
I'm always always know whatyou're gonna do.
I study you a lot.
I know all your patterns.
I know all the things that youdo.
I know what you do after Iscramble, while you do most
after scramble.
I know everything about you andit's gonna be hard to fight me,
(33:52):
because I know you more than youknow me.
That's how I want to beremembered, not a guy that was
the strongest or this or that.
Because we have a strong guy,always comes the stronger one
and everybody's beatable.
But, like right here, it's kindof hard to be beaten.
So you need to be studying alot to beat me on this game.
Speaker 1 (34:13):
I remember some great ice hockey teams that wanna be
known as tough to play against,and I always admire that as like
a goal.
You know what I mean it's nevergonna be easy.
Acknowledging that it's notalways about the result, but
like, when you play us, you'rein for a tough night, awesome.
And like, if you're a fightertough to fight against, like I'm
(34:34):
gonna know you, like I'm gonnabe researched in addition to all
my physical tools, exactly,yeah, that's an admirable.
Speaker 2 (34:42):
Thank you, an admirable way to go about your
business.
Yeah, that's all I think aboutthe most cerebral fighting in
the game Cerebral fighting.
Speaker 1 (34:53):
How long have you been in the States?
Like a week and a half orsomething.
You've been here for, like, Ithink, two weeks already.
Two weeks, yeah.
Have you come to train indifferent places for several
weeks at a time?
Speaker 2 (35:04):
Yeah.
Like where else do you go?
I came for.
Speaker 1 (35:08):
Or is it mostly here?
Speaker 2 (35:09):
Yeah, mostly here I came.
I was in Sweden training withHamza Chimayaz, no way Last year
.
Speaker 1 (35:15):
Can I have a Hamza Chimayaz story for my podcast?
Yeah, do you have any.
Speaker 2 (35:21):
I don't know, I don't know.
Maybe I don't know, I guesswhen you get on the training mat
, he probably becomes a lot moremortal than a lot of fans think
.
Speaker 1 (35:30):
Yeah, you know, and you're used to it, it's your
weight class, right, you're notgoing to get into it and he's a
nerd too, cause the time that Igot.
Speaker 2 (35:36):
Hamza Chimayaz is a nerd, yeah the time that I got
into the I fight in nerdsactually, because the time that
I got into this gym and I wasintroducing to him, I was just a
contender guy that fought onetime in UFC and the guy came to
me and the cancer came to me.
I know you, I watch all yourfights and contender and this
(35:58):
and that I was like, oh, thisguy maybe is a nerd.
You know, a fighting nerd.
He watched a lot of fights.
Speaker 1 (36:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (36:03):
But he's a very cool guy Right.
He asked me to train with himagain to this fight against
Paulo.
Speaker 1 (36:10):
Oh yeah, but I had my fight going up so I need to be
thinking about myself this time.
Speaker 2 (36:14):
But, Hamza is a very good guy.
Speaker 1 (36:16):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (36:17):
Yeah, so I've been there.
I've been training with PauloCosta too.
Before I come to the contender,I spend like two weeks in Paulo
Costa's camp, so I trained withhim.
I came to Extreme Couture likethree or four times already to
train around him.
Yeah, be him for like two weeksalready.
Speaker 1 (36:38):
Right, yeah, a couple weeks.
So now, like what I'm hearing.
So you've trained with HamzaChimayev.
Yeah, you trained with PauloCosta.
Whoever wins that fight mightfight for the title.
Next, you trained with SeanStrickland here at.
Extreme Couture what have younoticed going with all the top
five guys in your weight class?
Like what does that do?
Speaker 2 (36:59):
for you it's more something about myself.
You know, like it's more likebecause we keep doubting about
ourselves all the time, like, amI this, am I that?
And when I go there and trainwith these guys, you know, toe
to toes, I'm like, okay, I cando it.
I can really do it.
I'm good at it.
(37:20):
You know I can really good.
I need to do adjustments hereand there, but I can really do
it and it's good to have theseguys from this caliber to train
with you.
You know, like you feel moreprepared, you feel more ready to
go.
You know I'm fighting the sameguy that Sean beat beat.
You know I'm fighting a boozeright now.
So, the same guy that Sean beat.
Sean is a very great friend ofmine, so I'll be talking with
(37:42):
him, you know, getting all theinformation that I need.
Speaker 1 (37:46):
Yeah, so that's it.
Yeah, there you go, man.
I like to pass on advice towhoever's listening Kyo.
Maybe they're not a fighter,but like what's a piece of life
advice that you like to leavepeople with, or like a message
that you like hope more peoplecan live by.
Speaker 2 (38:05):
Just don't give up, man, that's all.
Don't give up.
Wherever you wanna do in yourlife, just don't give up.
Maybe what you want is rightthere, close to you.
If you give up, you're nevergonna know.
If you go through it, if youfight and go into it, you're
gonna discover some things.
You're gonna discover some goodthings, you know.
(38:28):
So just don't give up.
I'm a guy that didn't give upin the injuries, didn't give up
being away from my family,didn't give up on anything.
I don't give up and I'm notgiving up a guy, you know.
So just don't give up.
Believe in yourself and workhard.
Work hard and learn through theway.
You need to learn.
(38:48):
It's not just about workinghard.
Oh, I lost.
I need to work harder.
No, you need to work smarter.
You need to take all theselessons that you gotta take to
advance, you know.
So be smart and don't give up,man, that's all.
Speaker 1 (39:02):
Sometimes, the most often said things are for a
reason.
Right, it's simple.
Don't give up.
Exactly.
Speaker 2 (39:08):
Keep doing it, just do it.
You're never gonna understandwhy.
You know, like you may beunderstand after, but if you
already understand before thethings happens and you
understand why, what's the funnypart?
You already know everything.
What's the funny?
Speaker 1 (39:24):
What's the funny?
Thing?
Speaker 2 (39:26):
Just go bro.
Speaker 1 (39:27):
Well, I'm honored to be the owner of these glasses.
Speaker 2 (39:31):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (39:33):
And it's been great to chat with you.
What's your son's name?
What's?
Speaker 2 (39:37):
your son, liam.
Liam, liam Bohalio.
Speaker 1 (39:40):
Liam Bohalio.
Speaker 2 (39:42):
Congratulations on your little baby boy.
Speaker 1 (39:44):
And what I'm excited about is I'll be in Sao Paulo
and I'll call your fight manCo-main event.
And I love Sao Paulo.
It's a great city.
Yeah, it's a great city.
I mean I've been in Brazil ahandful of times, but Sao Paulo
is my favorite.
I love Sao.
Speaker 2 (39:57):
Paulo too.
I came from a city in San Luis.
It's beach you know, it's coast, you know, and people might
think, oh, you came from a coastcity and you go to Sao Paulo,
big city, no beach, you knowanything?
But I love Sao Paulo.
I love the city.
It's a working-hard class city,you know.
That's the city that gave meeverything that I have right now
(40:18):
.
I just bought my house.
Now I have my son.
My wife is from there, so I'mthankful for Sao Paulo.
I love the city.
Speaker 1 (40:26):
Well, I'll see you down there in a few weeks.
See you, kaio Bohalio, unfit'snation.
Thanks for coming by, man.
Thank you, thank you guys,thank you.
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