May 7, 2025 • 19 mins
Belal Muhammad IS BACK on the Daniel Cormier Check-In series ahead of his MASSIVE title defense fight against Jack Della Maddalena in the main event of Montreal's UFC 315. Muhammad talks about his potential fight with Shavkat Rakhmonov and why he still expects to fight him in the near future. Plus, Belal dives into the beef between him and Leon Edwards, and why he's tired of fighters making excuses. And don't miss Belal's take on the fight he had to drop out of due to his severe staff infection. #Volume #Herd
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
The volume.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
In today's episode is brought to you by Tore the Wireless,
the official wireless provider of You have c there in
your corner with unlimited five G data that will not
slow you down. Thanks for checking in with me as always.
You know, we've been doing these for a while since
(00:26):
New Jersey. I don't know who you beat in New Jersey.
Remember that one time we were talking about basketball and
I was wearing Jordan's or you were wearing Jordan's, And
because I'll played you so bad, I told you take
them off. You're wearn Jordans. You're wearn Jordan's. You're weren
Jordan's at your where I'll played you and you were like,
I was like, yo, don't wear those Jordans, Bobby, because
of what happened in the game. Remember when I hit
(00:46):
you with that skuyhood. I hitched you with this skyhood.
You remember that I got you Kareem i' dude your
bar style. Hey, but we've been doing these for a while, man,
and through it all right, you've been on the long street.
But now you're a champion. I told you carry a
little bit of a different ore, Like what is it?
What does it feel? Like life now is the champion.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
Just feel a little bit different, you know, walking around
with gold. I got money in my pocketing out. I
don't got to now me and steak, we don't have
to eat grilled chicken every day. Yeah, Like, but good Man.
For me, it's more so like the people around me, right,
the people that that would be fun the beginning the journey.
They saw me from my lows to the highs, and
now just be able to celebrate it with them has
(01:29):
been the best part.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
Yeah. I saw a picture of you when you went
up to Dana and you were like, I'm gonna be
a UFC champ. Here. I say, so, you look so broke.
He looks so broke. I was like, he's not gonna
be a champ. If I would have saw you when
you went hup to I'd be like, you're not gonna
be a champ. But you had this belief in yourself
even then, bro Like, And then how when you starting
a career in the way that it went, did you
(01:51):
never lose faith? Right? You never lost faith? What did
you know in this team that you built that regardless
of what was happening, it was always gonna happen Because
bro you're a little dusty boy. When you walt up
to day to day, you want to be a world
cham you.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
Like I was, honestly, I looking back at it the high,
but I had dreams, right, Yeah, I always I always
believing in myself. And for me, it was always to
keep the people around me that kept pushing me, to
keep up, people around me that wanted the best of me.
Like even when I lost, even when I got into
the UFC and I started one to two, those people
(02:27):
around me, stay the course, We're gonna get it. We
know what we can do, we know what we're capable of.
And it was just like you said, having faith, believing
in God, knowing that God's plan is the best plan,
very religious and praying five times a day. You talk
to God a lot. You speak to God, you tell
them your fears, your desires, and uh, for me, that's
where the patience came in, that's where the mentality came in.
(02:50):
And uh, maybe one of those downs made this high
that much better.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
Let's go back to the night you won the championship. Right,
We're in Manchester. Right, it's five o'clock in the morning.
It's like the craziest timeframe of all time. You literally
pitched a shut out. Right, you fought as good of
a fight as I've ever seen you fight. The pressure
was there to take down there. You did everything in
the way that you wanted to. You really put Leon
on his heels the entire time. Immediately start hearing oh
(03:19):
the middle of the night. There's kind of a little
bit of like excuses. Did you pay much attention to that?
And were you disappointed in the idea that not only
did he say that, but it felt like people were
almost supporting the idea that it went down the way
that it did because of the time when you yourself
had the fight. At the same time, it was universal.
Speaker 1 (03:37):
I had to go out there. He was talking about
hehired a NASCAR sleeping coach and everything. We had to
get a sleep machine because we were still broke back then, right.
But but people were doing that every one of my fights, Right,
every time I beat somebody, there's an excuse and it's
from from people from the fighters, and they go off
that narrative that I only lost because of this, I
only lost because of this. Uh So my mentality was broke.
(03:59):
It's all got I'm to he win it, right, Yeah,
at the end of the day, my resume speaks for yourself.
I want to speak for yourself, and I'm dominating these guys.
And people look at that day like you said, I
fought such a great fight. But Bro, that wasn't even
the version I am the best version. I am right.
That was at five am. That was us trying to
stay awake that late. Like, yeah, version of this Saturday
(04:20):
is going to be the best version you've ever seen.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
But what have you done differently? Because again, like I said,
as an outsider watching, I feel like I don't think
I've ever seen you look better. You look great against
Sean Brady, especially obviously you knocked them off, But in
terms of just overall performance, I thought that was probably
your best performance to this date. What have you done
the change it?
Speaker 1 (04:40):
We constantly evolved, Like our gym, we're not settled on
all right now, We're good to take your foot off
the gas. I'm training every single day. I'm getting better
every single day. Like the guys I trained with, Bro,
they're the best in the world. They're so good, Like
Nazib Monday. Bro, this guy's getting Spinny hill Kid knockouts
this guy. So I've learning some of that bro, I'm
just spending stuff with the kids.
Speaker 2 (05:01):
Don't do that. Don't do that. That shit don't work, man,
This shit don't work. Man. Brother, let me tell you
remember Chris Will even tried that against Luke. Don't do
That's been and stuff in more cases with the spins.
It turns out bad than it does for you, like Ignacia.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
But why it was learning from like al Jos, I'm
learning from I've learned from.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
Oh my god, from the tax. But don't do it.
You get the staff infection right, It was bad man.
And Chill Sonny told me the story the other day,
and you tell me this is true, because I never
know Chill's telling the truth. He tells me that you
wanted to gauge your readiness and to do that, you said,
(05:42):
I'm gonna do push ups and he said you got
to five and that was seven months ago. But I'm
trying to explain the chill like you're on your toe,
and that's what the staff infection was. So maybe that
was what played a part in you not being able
to do it when you did that. Though, if it's true,
which it looks like you're shaking your head like it's true.
If it's true. When you can only hit five push
ups as the world champ, what are your thoughts? Like,
(06:04):
are you thinking to yourself, Man, I'm really far away
from where I need to be in order to get
back to that championship level that I'm accustomed to being at.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
Yeah. Man, that was like the hardest time in my
life because you said you just want to belop you're
the highest high and you're like, all right, what's the next,
let's go next? And then we get that and the
doctor's telling me you, bro, like you could lose your foot,
you could you could have died and all that. I'm like, bro,
what I from a bonuflection. He's like, bro, it's lit up.
And when I had to cancel that fight, it was
like heartbreaking. N's sitting out of college, so like, you
(06:33):
can't sweat, and I'm like, bro, I literally work out
every single day. There's not a time or day that
I'm not doing something like you can't sweat, don't move,
don't do this, And then yeah, you're like, well you
feel your weakest. You're like, bro, am I ever going
to be back to what I was?
Speaker 3 (06:47):
Like?
Speaker 1 (06:48):
Am I ever going to get to where I was again?
But that's where the faith comes in. That's where having
the team around here that pushes you, the coaches when
it's time to go right, it was like you got
to all clear, and I was like, all right, let
me go train hard right now. So like the people
around me, slow me down, yo, go a litle a lighter.
We don't want to get hurt again or something worse happens, right. So,
(07:08):
but we got through it. Like like I said, it
made me love this game that much more. Maybe I
appreciate it that much more because beating out of the
gym like it made me realize how much I needed
it and now where I am right now, Like I said,
the strongest ever felt?
Speaker 2 (07:22):
How long before you were able to get back in
the gym to start to train after the staff infection.
And isn't it isn't it crazy how you take things
for granted until you don't have it and then you realize,
like man, I would literally die to be able to
do something that I've been doing for ten years.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
It's wild, right, you don't even like people always say,
oh man, you know, take care you're healthy for you
don't have it no more. Oh I'm still young, I
still got this. I still got time, but all of
a sudden staff of the finger, it all changes. Yeah,
and uh yeah, maybe just realize that, right and uh yeah,
I mean for myself from for for what I've been through,
(08:02):
what I've gone through, Like I'm at another level now,
just mentally strong and maybe that much better, maybe that
much physically stronger too, and.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
The ability to do this now. You appreciate it, right,
You appreciate the fact that on Saturday night you get
to go out and fight for a world championship, and
you always appreciate the competition, right, But when it feels
like it was taken away because you trained and you
got a staff invision's like there's literally you train every
day and it doesn't happen, but then it happens and
it feels like it's getting taken away. That appreciation for
(08:31):
the opportunity that in itself can lead you to feeling
like you can fight better or want to fight better
than you ever have in your life.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
Percent Like my mentality now is like I'm so grateful
that I gotta fight two days away, three days away. Yeah,
And it's like it's more like a free you know,
where you're like, yes, we got a chance, we got
another chance at it because there was a chance that
we wouldn't fight again. They're like, I waited my whole
career just to get to the title. I got the title,
and now I'm not gonna be able to fight again.
Now lose a fut. Now my whole life's gonna change
(09:02):
because of this.
Speaker 2 (09:03):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
But now it's like we got it. God blessed us. Yeah,
now I'm not gonna waste that opportunity.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
So when you're looking at the division, right, Joaquin Buckley
beats on Kobe Covington, He's like riding hot right now,
looking really good. Uh, Jack Dela Madelena, you had him
scheduled versus Leon Edwards, Sean Brady was available, Like everybody
seemed to be matched up. Shotcott rock model Off beats
Ian Gary. Who Now Ian Gary went and beat uh protest.
(09:31):
So now it's like the whole the division is kind
of in flux underneath you. But you're waiting for a call.
Everybody expects that Shotcott Sholdcott's hurt. Nobody thought Jack Della
Madelena when you got that name, in particular, what was
your first thought, like do you look back at a
fight like especially that fight with that one dude, Basil
(09:51):
Hafez and go okay, I'm ready to eat or do
you go like okay? He deserves it, you know, because
sometimes in the guy that isn't expected is the one
that fights you better than you could have expected. I e.
Pereira versus Khalil Rowntree.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
Yeah, I mean for me, it was like Jack. But
then when I look and I'm like, oh, well he
has the longest winning streak in the division. And at
that time, it was like all these other guys, why
I v Brady? Uh, you know tomorrow Kobe both suck.
These got other guys are right there. And then I
was like, all right, well it made sense at the time.
So the guy with w J Winny streak. But I
(10:30):
take fatality. We always had the fatality of like, yo,
we're fighting the best version. Don't come I think it's
gonna be easy. Uh, we have to work harder. We
have to push ourselves harder than the fight.
Speaker 2 (10:40):
He said that you're born, right, That's something that you've
been trying to get away from for a long time.
I didn't think that last fight was born. I didn't
think that the fight against uh Sean what's his name,
Sean Sean Brady was boringn' I don't think that the
last few fights have been born. But he says that
you're born, and it makes a comparison with George s
Apr or something like that. How in the world can
(11:00):
you make it? Compared that would be to me, you
tell me anything in the same name as George Saint Pierre.
I'm like, okay, thank god, like I made it. But
he thinks that you're born.
Speaker 1 (11:09):
I don't know if it's a way that Australian is
trash thought where they they try to what you know,
I was sitting and okay, we'll see how boring it is.
Ed it right? When I put you in them out
and you do not hurting you?
Speaker 2 (11:23):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (11:24):
Like these guys they all have that that narrative. They
say this or say that, but when they get into
the cage they realize it's different. They realize, oh, wait,
he's not boring. Wait it's not boring. I'm going to
hit in the mouth. The rest need is a step
in the saving all these guys, they all will think
one way, but when they get into the cage after
the fight, then they think another way.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
Yeah.
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Speaker 2 (13:39):
It would seem as though it would be a very
tough matchup for Jack Della Maddalena fighting you. People don't
respect I think your size whenever they're looking at you,
and then when you get into the octagon on fight night.
Because of the way that you compete. How do you
think he'll deal with that? That paces that pressure in
your ability to kind of grind up against him, whenever
(14:00):
he's not really accustomed to that.
Speaker 1 (14:02):
He's gotta break. They all break, right, they all they
all feel that. I see it in their eyes. I
see the moment where they look at it and what
do I do next? There's no plan B. He only
has one plan, one way to win, right, it's on
the feet. But when I'm out striking him on the feet,
then he's gonna have to shoot for a takedown.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
And I'm gonna laugh and.
Speaker 1 (14:17):
I'm all right, what do you do next?
Speaker 2 (14:19):
Leon shot on you?
Speaker 1 (14:20):
Yeah? Right, Yeah, It's like these guys all do that.
I trained with the best striker into the sea, so
I'm not worried about anything he throws at me. Anything
he's gonnaccompanies it with his hands. I'm gonna laugh at
it like I've seed it all. So I'm gonna go
out there and dominate him and then break them.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
Yeah, you said earlier this week you're gonna defend your championship.
Islam might as well he just go ahead and schedule
you fight I'm staying here. There's no interest in going
up to one eighty five, Like, are you still just
enjoying the weight? Like you're good here in one seventies? Still?
Speaker 1 (14:50):
Yeah, I mean the way because he's for me.
Speaker 2 (14:52):
I would go to one.
Speaker 1 (14:53):
They gave me the chance, but I feel like I
need at least two or three title defenses.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
But is that the word? Is that the world we
live in anymore? Iliot just moved up after one title defense?
Speaker 1 (15:02):
I mean, if Dan like is the offer right, I'll
go up there. Like drisk it sucks.
Speaker 2 (15:05):
Why do you think everybody sucks? You just said Kamala
suns told me sucks and drinking sucks.
Speaker 1 (15:10):
All right, we're all looking at those three guys do suck?
Like they're not really good? When I compare them to myself,
I break every single lot of them.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
Yeah, well, okay, before I let you go, you and
Kamorrow usman got into a fight. Man, y'all actually got
into a fight below. Whose idea was if we even
go in the podcast when you guys have been joined
at each other before.
Speaker 1 (15:30):
We all know that. I think it's like Ali or something, right,
it was Ali, brother. You know it's gonna be professional.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
I'm like, bro, you guys were jawing at each other
before the interview.
Speaker 1 (15:40):
Yeah, but yeah, maybe Ali thought it was gonna be
something different, but uh, what happened?
Speaker 2 (15:47):
I gotta know. Nobody told me. I'm like, yo, somebody
tell me what happened.
Speaker 1 (15:51):
So we got into the podcast and then uh Tomorrow.
Tomorrow's ego is so big. He didn't realize that he
had a real champion in front him. He thought he
was still the world champion.
Speaker 2 (16:01):
M I think it because of the same management. You
guys have always been in the same circle, but because
he was the champion, you always have been kind of
the guy. The roles were reversed, so it's hard to
kind of look at this new world that we live
in exactly.
Speaker 1 (16:15):
But you're You're like, you're supposed to be the podcaster, right,
like you know, I fight to the host, Yes, but
uh it's not really a good host. He doesn't really
know how to talk, how to speak. Uh, so who
was probably uh should take the lead a little bit more.
But we were just talking about it being at the
top and how the champion now. He was like, I'm
(16:37):
the champion too, and I'm like, how are you the
champion to what are you? Like?
Speaker 2 (16:40):
What are you talking? You stop?
Speaker 1 (16:43):
Literally he literally said. And I was like, bro, this
guy's head that big, very big, Like no, you're not there.
Speaker 2 (16:52):
And you said that right there?
Speaker 1 (16:54):
Oh no, it getting worse. This is what I think.
Speaker 2 (16:57):
Oh my god, were you guys there?
Speaker 1 (16:59):
Oh?
Speaker 2 (16:59):
If we're there, who was there there?
Speaker 1 (17:03):
Blew it for.
Speaker 2 (17:07):
Okay, So go ahead, this is what trigger.
Speaker 1 (17:10):
He was like, the champion, anything you do, I do better.
And I was like, you don't take the head, kip better.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
But that's kind of hitting a little built all.
Speaker 1 (17:17):
If you're gonna come out, I like a little bit
of a little belt maybe. Oh it's like you can't.
If you're gonna talk, you gotta be able to take it.
Speaker 2 (17:26):
Oh.
Speaker 1 (17:26):
And then it was like from there, I like I
saw the tier like you know when somebody's about to cry,
like you're watching a movie, you see it like blowing
in inside your eyes. I was like, bro, this man
gotta cry right now. I was like, you're a champion
before man, relax and it started tearing up. And then
you know when those kids, when you're a young kidd
and you get mad at you start crying, you're like
fight and that's what it turned out to be. And
(17:48):
you guys, and it wasn't really a tussle, like, uh,
somebody got heads. Somebody got uh.
Speaker 2 (17:56):
I cannot wait to see the footage because he fights
Joaquin Buckley next and if he wins, potentially a number
one contender.
Speaker 1 (18:02):
Exactly right. But I think you gotta do a lot
more editing. They're trying to get some AI done with
that video.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (18:08):
I am out there yet, and we're better looking for
a searching for us.
Speaker 2 (18:11):
So you beat Jack Dela, that's your preference tomorrow, Roosman.
Speaker 1 (18:16):
I mean he has to win, right, you're on a
three bys.
Speaker 2 (18:18):
Do you think he beats Joaquin Buckley? I don't know,
you don't huh.
Speaker 1 (18:21):
Out here, you're on a two year. IATs Buckley's been
going hard, right, he's been working in the training and
fighting well, fighting a while. He just dominated Kobe and
tomorrow went to work with Kobe. Right, So I mean
very math. I'm looking at like Buckley's about to knock
him out.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
Yeah, well, you got business take care of this weekend,
and you've seen prime to do that. Thank you for
checking in with me again, guys. Balal Mohammad defends his
UFC Walthweight Championship this weekend at UFC three fifteen against
Jack Della Matta Lana. Make sure you hit the buy
A button on ESPN to pay per view and tap
into everything that the Bully's doing until next time, like subscribe,
tell you friends about my YouTube channel, and I got
(18:58):
friends like Blama Mohammed checking in with me. I'm will
call you a hall till next time, please
Speaker 1 (19:07):
Mm hm
The volume.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
In today's episode is brought to you by Tore the Wireless,
the official wireless provider of You have c there in
your corner with unlimited five G data that will not
slow you down. Thanks for checking in with me as always.
You know, we've been doing these for a while since
(00:26):
New Jersey. I don't know who you beat in New Jersey.
Remember that one time we were talking about basketball and
I was wearing Jordan's or you were wearing Jordan's, And
because I'll played you so bad, I told you take
them off. You're wearn Jordans. You're wearn Jordan's. You're weren
Jordan's at your where I'll played you and you were like,
I was like, yo, don't wear those Jordans, Bobby, because
of what happened in the game. Remember when I hit
(00:46):
you with that skuyhood. I hitched you with this skyhood.
You remember that I got you Kareem i' dude your
bar style. Hey, but we've been doing these for a while, man,
and through it all right, you've been on the long street.
But now you're a champion. I told you carry a
little bit of a different ore, Like what is it?
What does it feel? Like life now is the champion.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
Just feel a little bit different, you know, walking around
with gold. I got money in my pocketing out. I
don't got to now me and steak, we don't have
to eat grilled chicken every day. Yeah, Like, but good Man.
For me, it's more so like the people around me, right,
the people that that would be fun the beginning the journey.
They saw me from my lows to the highs, and
now just be able to celebrate it with them has
(01:29):
been the best part.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
Yeah. I saw a picture of you when you went
up to Dana and you were like, I'm gonna be
a UFC champ. Here. I say, so, you look so broke.
He looks so broke. I was like, he's not gonna
be a champ. If I would have saw you when
you went hup to I'd be like, you're not gonna
be a champ. But you had this belief in yourself
even then, bro Like, And then how when you starting
a career in the way that it went, did you
(01:51):
never lose faith? Right? You never lost faith? What did
you know in this team that you built that regardless
of what was happening, it was always gonna happen Because
bro you're a little dusty boy. When you walt up
to day to day, you want to be a world
cham you.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
Like I was, honestly, I looking back at it the high,
but I had dreams, right, Yeah, I always I always
believing in myself. And for me, it was always to
keep the people around me that kept pushing me, to
keep up, people around me that wanted the best of me.
Like even when I lost, even when I got into
the UFC and I started one to two, those people
(02:27):
around me, stay the course, We're gonna get it. We
know what we can do, we know what we're capable of.
And it was just like you said, having faith, believing
in God, knowing that God's plan is the best plan,
very religious and praying five times a day. You talk
to God a lot. You speak to God, you tell
them your fears, your desires, and uh, for me, that's
where the patience came in, that's where the mentality came in.
(02:50):
And uh, maybe one of those downs made this high
that much better.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
Let's go back to the night you won the championship. Right,
We're in Manchester. Right, it's five o'clock in the morning.
It's like the craziest timeframe of all time. You literally
pitched a shut out. Right, you fought as good of
a fight as I've ever seen you fight. The pressure
was there to take down there. You did everything in
the way that you wanted to. You really put Leon
on his heels the entire time. Immediately start hearing oh
(03:19):
the middle of the night. There's kind of a little
bit of like excuses. Did you pay much attention to that?
And were you disappointed in the idea that not only
did he say that, but it felt like people were
almost supporting the idea that it went down the way
that it did because of the time when you yourself
had the fight. At the same time, it was universal.
Speaker 1 (03:37):
I had to go out there. He was talking about
hehired a NASCAR sleeping coach and everything. We had to
get a sleep machine because we were still broke back then, right.
But but people were doing that every one of my fights, Right,
every time I beat somebody, there's an excuse and it's
from from people from the fighters, and they go off
that narrative that I only lost because of this, I
only lost because of this. Uh So my mentality was broke.
(03:59):
It's all got I'm to he win it, right, Yeah,
at the end of the day, my resume speaks for yourself.
I want to speak for yourself, and I'm dominating these guys.
And people look at that day like you said, I
fought such a great fight. But Bro, that wasn't even
the version I am the best version. I am right.
That was at five am. That was us trying to
stay awake that late. Like, yeah, version of this Saturday
(04:20):
is going to be the best version you've ever seen.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
But what have you done differently? Because again, like I said,
as an outsider watching, I feel like I don't think
I've ever seen you look better. You look great against
Sean Brady, especially obviously you knocked them off, But in
terms of just overall performance, I thought that was probably
your best performance to this date. What have you done
the change it?
Speaker 1 (04:40):
We constantly evolved, Like our gym, we're not settled on
all right now, We're good to take your foot off
the gas. I'm training every single day. I'm getting better
every single day. Like the guys I trained with, Bro,
they're the best in the world. They're so good, Like
Nazib Monday. Bro, this guy's getting Spinny hill Kid knockouts
this guy. So I've learning some of that bro, I'm
just spending stuff with the kids.
Speaker 2 (05:01):
Don't do that. Don't do that. That shit don't work, man,
This shit don't work. Man. Brother, let me tell you
remember Chris Will even tried that against Luke. Don't do
That's been and stuff in more cases with the spins.
It turns out bad than it does for you, like Ignacia.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
But why it was learning from like al Jos, I'm
learning from I've learned from.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
Oh my god, from the tax. But don't do it.
You get the staff infection right, It was bad man.
And Chill Sonny told me the story the other day,
and you tell me this is true, because I never
know Chill's telling the truth. He tells me that you
wanted to gauge your readiness and to do that, you said,
(05:42):
I'm gonna do push ups and he said you got
to five and that was seven months ago. But I'm
trying to explain the chill like you're on your toe,
and that's what the staff infection was. So maybe that
was what played a part in you not being able
to do it when you did that. Though, if it's true,
which it looks like you're shaking your head like it's true.
If it's true. When you can only hit five push
ups as the world champ, what are your thoughts? Like,
(06:04):
are you thinking to yourself, Man, I'm really far away
from where I need to be in order to get
back to that championship level that I'm accustomed to being at.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
Yeah. Man, that was like the hardest time in my
life because you said you just want to belop you're
the highest high and you're like, all right, what's the next,
let's go next? And then we get that and the
doctor's telling me you, bro, like you could lose your foot,
you could you could have died and all that. I'm like, bro,
what I from a bonuflection. He's like, bro, it's lit up.
And when I had to cancel that fight, it was
like heartbreaking. N's sitting out of college, so like, you
(06:33):
can't sweat, and I'm like, bro, I literally work out
every single day. There's not a time or day that
I'm not doing something like you can't sweat, don't move,
don't do this, And then yeah, you're like, well you
feel your weakest. You're like, bro, am I ever going
to be back to what I was?
Speaker 3 (06:47):
Like?
Speaker 1 (06:48):
Am I ever going to get to where I was again?
But that's where the faith comes in. That's where having
the team around here that pushes you, the coaches when
it's time to go right, it was like you got
to all clear, and I was like, all right, let
me go train hard right now. So like the people
around me, slow me down, yo, go a litle a lighter.
We don't want to get hurt again or something worse happens, right. So,
(07:08):
but we got through it. Like like I said, it
made me love this game that much more. Maybe I
appreciate it that much more because beating out of the
gym like it made me realize how much I needed
it and now where I am right now, Like I said,
the strongest ever felt?
Speaker 2 (07:22):
How long before you were able to get back in
the gym to start to train after the staff infection.
And isn't it isn't it crazy how you take things
for granted until you don't have it and then you realize,
like man, I would literally die to be able to
do something that I've been doing for ten years.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
It's wild, right, you don't even like people always say,
oh man, you know, take care you're healthy for you
don't have it no more. Oh I'm still young, I
still got this. I still got time, but all of
a sudden staff of the finger, it all changes. Yeah,
and uh yeah, maybe just realize that, right and uh yeah,
I mean for myself from for for what I've been through,
(08:02):
what I've gone through, Like I'm at another level now,
just mentally strong and maybe that much better, maybe that
much physically stronger too, and.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
The ability to do this now. You appreciate it, right,
You appreciate the fact that on Saturday night you get
to go out and fight for a world championship, and
you always appreciate the competition, right, But when it feels
like it was taken away because you trained and you
got a staff invision's like there's literally you train every
day and it doesn't happen, but then it happens and
it feels like it's getting taken away. That appreciation for
(08:31):
the opportunity that in itself can lead you to feeling
like you can fight better or want to fight better
than you ever have in your life.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
Percent Like my mentality now is like I'm so grateful
that I gotta fight two days away, three days away. Yeah,
And it's like it's more like a free you know,
where you're like, yes, we got a chance, we got
another chance at it because there was a chance that
we wouldn't fight again. They're like, I waited my whole
career just to get to the title. I got the title,
and now I'm not gonna be able to fight again.
Now lose a fut. Now my whole life's gonna change
(09:02):
because of this.
Speaker 2 (09:03):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
But now it's like we got it. God blessed us. Yeah,
now I'm not gonna waste that opportunity.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
So when you're looking at the division, right, Joaquin Buckley
beats on Kobe Covington, He's like riding hot right now,
looking really good. Uh, Jack Dela Madelena, you had him
scheduled versus Leon Edwards, Sean Brady was available, Like everybody
seemed to be matched up. Shotcott rock model Off beats
Ian Gary. Who Now Ian Gary went and beat uh protest.
(09:31):
So now it's like the whole the division is kind
of in flux underneath you. But you're waiting for a call.
Everybody expects that Shotcott Sholdcott's hurt. Nobody thought Jack Della
Madelena when you got that name, in particular, what was
your first thought, like do you look back at a
fight like especially that fight with that one dude, Basil
(09:51):
Hafez and go okay, I'm ready to eat or do
you go like okay? He deserves it, you know, because
sometimes in the guy that isn't expected is the one
that fights you better than you could have expected. I e.
Pereira versus Khalil Rowntree.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
Yeah, I mean for me, it was like Jack. But
then when I look and I'm like, oh, well he
has the longest winning streak in the division. And at
that time, it was like all these other guys, why
I v Brady? Uh, you know tomorrow Kobe both suck.
These got other guys are right there. And then I
was like, all right, well it made sense at the time.
So the guy with w J Winny streak. But I
(10:30):
take fatality. We always had the fatality of like, yo,
we're fighting the best version. Don't come I think it's
gonna be easy. Uh, we have to work harder. We
have to push ourselves harder than the fight.
Speaker 2 (10:40):
He said that you're born, right, That's something that you've
been trying to get away from for a long time.
I didn't think that last fight was born. I didn't
think that the fight against uh Sean what's his name,
Sean Sean Brady was boringn' I don't think that the
last few fights have been born. But he says that
you're born, and it makes a comparison with George s
Apr or something like that. How in the world can
(11:00):
you make it? Compared that would be to me, you
tell me anything in the same name as George Saint Pierre.
I'm like, okay, thank god, like I made it. But
he thinks that you're born.
Speaker 1 (11:09):
I don't know if it's a way that Australian is
trash thought where they they try to what you know,
I was sitting and okay, we'll see how boring it is.
Ed it right? When I put you in them out
and you do not hurting you?
Speaker 2 (11:23):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (11:24):
Like these guys they all have that that narrative. They
say this or say that, but when they get into
the cage they realize it's different. They realize, oh, wait,
he's not boring. Wait it's not boring. I'm going to
hit in the mouth. The rest need is a step
in the saving all these guys, they all will think
one way, but when they get into the cage after
the fight, then they think another way.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
Yeah.
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Speaker 2 (13:39):
It would seem as though it would be a very
tough matchup for Jack Della Maddalena fighting you. People don't
respect I think your size whenever they're looking at you,
and then when you get into the octagon on fight night.
Because of the way that you compete. How do you
think he'll deal with that? That paces that pressure in
your ability to kind of grind up against him, whenever
(14:00):
he's not really accustomed to that.
Speaker 1 (14:02):
He's gotta break. They all break, right, they all they
all feel that. I see it in their eyes. I
see the moment where they look at it and what
do I do next? There's no plan B. He only
has one plan, one way to win, right, it's on
the feet. But when I'm out striking him on the feet,
then he's gonna have to shoot for a takedown.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
And I'm gonna laugh and.
Speaker 1 (14:17):
I'm all right, what do you do next?
Speaker 2 (14:19):
Leon shot on you?
Speaker 1 (14:20):
Yeah? Right, Yeah, It's like these guys all do that.
I trained with the best striker into the sea, so
I'm not worried about anything he throws at me. Anything
he's gonnaccompanies it with his hands. I'm gonna laugh at
it like I've seed it all. So I'm gonna go
out there and dominate him and then break them.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
Yeah, you said earlier this week you're gonna defend your championship.
Islam might as well he just go ahead and schedule
you fight I'm staying here. There's no interest in going
up to one eighty five, Like, are you still just
enjoying the weight? Like you're good here in one seventies? Still?
Speaker 1 (14:50):
Yeah, I mean the way because he's for me.
Speaker 2 (14:52):
I would go to one.
Speaker 1 (14:53):
They gave me the chance, but I feel like I
need at least two or three title defenses.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
But is that the word? Is that the world we
live in anymore? Iliot just moved up after one title defense?
Speaker 1 (15:02):
I mean, if Dan like is the offer right, I'll
go up there. Like drisk it sucks.
Speaker 2 (15:05):
Why do you think everybody sucks? You just said Kamala
suns told me sucks and drinking sucks.
Speaker 1 (15:10):
All right, we're all looking at those three guys do suck?
Like they're not really good? When I compare them to myself,
I break every single lot of them.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
Yeah, well, okay, before I let you go, you and
Kamorrow usman got into a fight. Man, y'all actually got
into a fight below. Whose idea was if we even
go in the podcast when you guys have been joined
at each other before.
Speaker 1 (15:30):
We all know that. I think it's like Ali or something, right,
it was Ali, brother. You know it's gonna be professional.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
I'm like, bro, you guys were jawing at each other
before the interview.
Speaker 1 (15:40):
Yeah, but yeah, maybe Ali thought it was gonna be
something different, but uh, what happened?
Speaker 2 (15:47):
I gotta know. Nobody told me. I'm like, yo, somebody
tell me what happened.
Speaker 1 (15:51):
So we got into the podcast and then uh Tomorrow.
Tomorrow's ego is so big. He didn't realize that he
had a real champion in front him. He thought he
was still the world champion.
Speaker 2 (16:01):
M I think it because of the same management. You
guys have always been in the same circle, but because
he was the champion, you always have been kind of
the guy. The roles were reversed, so it's hard to
kind of look at this new world that we live
in exactly.
Speaker 1 (16:15):
But you're You're like, you're supposed to be the podcaster, right,
like you know, I fight to the host, Yes, but
uh it's not really a good host. He doesn't really
know how to talk, how to speak. Uh, so who
was probably uh should take the lead a little bit more.
But we were just talking about it being at the
top and how the champion now. He was like, I'm
(16:37):
the champion too, and I'm like, how are you the
champion to what are you? Like?
Speaker 2 (16:40):
What are you talking? You stop?
Speaker 1 (16:43):
Literally he literally said. And I was like, bro, this
guy's head that big, very big, Like no, you're not there.
Speaker 2 (16:52):
And you said that right there?
Speaker 1 (16:54):
Oh no, it getting worse. This is what I think.
Speaker 2 (16:57):
Oh my god, were you guys there?
Speaker 1 (16:59):
Oh?
Speaker 2 (16:59):
If we're there, who was there there?
Speaker 1 (17:03):
Blew it for.
Speaker 2 (17:07):
Okay, So go ahead, this is what trigger.
Speaker 1 (17:10):
He was like, the champion, anything you do, I do better.
And I was like, you don't take the head, kip better.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
But that's kind of hitting a little built all.
Speaker 1 (17:17):
If you're gonna come out, I like a little bit
of a little belt maybe. Oh it's like you can't.
If you're gonna talk, you gotta be able to take it.
Speaker 2 (17:26):
Oh.
Speaker 1 (17:26):
And then it was like from there, I like I
saw the tier like you know when somebody's about to cry,
like you're watching a movie, you see it like blowing
in inside your eyes. I was like, bro, this man
gotta cry right now. I was like, you're a champion
before man, relax and it started tearing up. And then
you know when those kids, when you're a young kidd
and you get mad at you start crying, you're like
fight and that's what it turned out to be. And
(17:48):
you guys, and it wasn't really a tussle, like, uh,
somebody got heads. Somebody got uh.
Speaker 2 (17:56):
I cannot wait to see the footage because he fights
Joaquin Buckley next and if he wins, potentially a number
one contender.
Speaker 1 (18:02):
Exactly right. But I think you gotta do a lot
more editing. They're trying to get some AI done with
that video.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (18:08):
I am out there yet, and we're better looking for
a searching for us.
Speaker 2 (18:11):
So you beat Jack Dela, that's your preference tomorrow, Roosman.
Speaker 1 (18:16):
I mean he has to win, right, you're on a
three bys.
Speaker 2 (18:18):
Do you think he beats Joaquin Buckley? I don't know,
you don't huh.
Speaker 1 (18:21):
Out here, you're on a two year. IATs Buckley's been
going hard, right, he's been working in the training and
fighting well, fighting a while. He just dominated Kobe and
tomorrow went to work with Kobe. Right, So I mean
very math. I'm looking at like Buckley's about to knock
him out.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
Yeah, well, you got business take care of this weekend,
and you've seen prime to do that. Thank you for
checking in with me again, guys. Balal Mohammad defends his
UFC Walthweight Championship this weekend at UFC three fifteen against
Jack Della Matta Lana. Make sure you hit the buy
A button on ESPN to pay per view and tap
into everything that the Bully's doing until next time, like subscribe,
tell you friends about my YouTube channel, and I got
(18:58):
friends like Blama Mohammed checking in with me. I'm will
call you a hall till next time, please
Speaker 1 (19:07):
Mm hm
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