Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:24):
Welcome back, fight fans. We are back for another episode
of The.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Real End, though Rare joining me this afternoon this evening
is uh Laurelin the Iron Butterfly Garcia. She's a combat
sports sports fighter. She's gonna be making her professional debut
at at the Lights Out m m A twenty sixth event.
(00:49):
Uh and uh, you know what better way to kick
things off? Actually, your your mike, your mic is muted, Lauren.
Speaker 3 (00:57):
Okay, now we're good.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
Okay, we're good.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
I thought I thought I unmuted you were you were
quired for a moment. Okay, I fixed it. I picked it.
I'm not.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
The video starts at the mutes the mics, and then
that's probably what you've seen is us being muted by
the by the video.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
But hey, okay, it's all good, my friend. We got
it all, we got it situated. Let's have some fun
and dive in, dive into some topics here.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
H First and foremost, I gotta ask you, the Iron Butterfly,
where did that nickname come from? Oh?
Speaker 3 (01:30):
My gosh, that is actually that's from a boxing coach
I had years ago. He was very I've actually told
the story multiple times. He was obsessed with like Muhammad
Ali and the whole dancing around the ring thing, and
he was very anti Mma, which I thought was funny.
But the name has stuck since then. But anyway, so
(01:50):
he we were in the ring training one day and
he had mentioned something we were like trying to figure out.
I guess he was just already kind of in the
mix of finding a nickname for me, and he came
up with the nickname Iron Butterfly, Butterfly being a girl
and being like like a pretty girl in the ring.
And then the iron part was just from having some
(02:12):
heavy hands hitting and boxing, so Iron hens high hence
Iron Butterfly. I'm stumbling today, but that's okay.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
I stuttered and repeat myself all the time on here,
so don't uh, don't worry about We're all we all
get overly excited when when we're doing something we enjoy
and get into things of that.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
Right, He does that all the time.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
He'll repeat something like almost three or four times before
he gets it out because he's so excited about uh
about doing these interviews.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
Everyone. You don't got to apologize for my friend. We
stumble over our words all the time, so Iron, but like, uh,
you know, I love the nickname obviously, and you know,
love the the alleague connection there with with the with
the boxing coach and uh obviously speaking of a you know,
(03:03):
heavy handedness, you know that that's another thing.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
So you'd be, uh, you're you're popping the mits over
there when you're working on your boxing.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
Oh definitely, yeah, No, popping is a nice way of
putting it, I would say. I mean, all my coaches,
you know, they tell me I hit pretty hard. So
I think iron fits pretty well into the nickname.
Speaker 1 (03:26):
Hey, you know, definitely love it.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
And another thing I gotta ask you, uh, you know,
I talked to athletes about this all the time. The
nickname thing is that something that that you have to
let other people call you something you can't you can't
come up with your own nickname.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
Right.
Speaker 3 (03:42):
So this is a very mixed topic because, like I
I'm old fashioned when it comes to the nicknames, Like,
if you're going to get a nickname, it should be
someone who's given it to you or like a like
a like a training partner or coach or someone within
the group. Right. I do know there, I know there
have been people who give themselves nicknames and I'm like, okay, cool,
(04:05):
but then they don't really live up to the nickname,
you know, they just kind of call themselves that, like
you have to really you have to really have the
nickname because someone else called it. That's my own personal opinion.
But you know, everyone, do you do what makes you
feel good. I think you should still have someone else
pick your nicknames, though.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
Listen, I don't. I don't.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
I think you're right. I think the self proclaimed ones
don't really stick. It's it's the ones, your your coaches,
your training partners. Oh even even you know, family members
would probably have a better insight into to calling you
something than somebody else.
Speaker 3 (04:41):
Oh, absolutely for sure.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
He listen, it's definitely one of the at least the
way I feel about it.
Speaker 1 (04:48):
So, uh, now, when I when I first looked you up.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
Obviously you know, uh, you know, I've had I've had
Joan Merriman on here in the past. I've had other
lights out made fighters on here in the past. So
I was looking at it, Why have you been active
and active the last few years?
Speaker 1 (05:07):
It's you know, yeah, I've seen.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
You had a couple canceled fights, but looks like it's
almost gonna be two years since the last time you
stepped in there.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
What was about?
Speaker 3 (05:17):
Uh, it's really because I've had an issue with opponents.
I even after my my previous loss back two years
ago to Jayleen, I I was still trying to look
for fights. I wasn't like I wasn't upset about the law.
I mean, obviously I was upset about the loss, but
I was like still motivated when get back in there.
And there was It actually started with the AMI promotions.
(05:39):
There was like girls pulling out of fights. They just
the thing is like I feel like people maybe either
look me up too later or whatever and they just decide,
know this the same who we're gonna fight. And I'm like,
you know whatever, we can move on from that. And
then Yeah, So its just been it's just people just
keep pulling out. I'm not really sure I can. I've
(06:00):
been training, you know, even since that five, just kind
of been in camp mode for those pasts however long
it's been. So I'm just ready to get back in
there soon eventually.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
So it's something that you just touched on.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
Something I see a lot in combats boards, especially when
you're in the amateur ranks.
Speaker 1 (06:20):
You guys sometimes like you'll see.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
Guys girls, you know, whoever, you'll go through almost five
six different opponents before you get there, and then you
actually have an opponent Like it's a it's it's a
rough gig.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
I think it's probably maybe one of the things you're
probably gonna be.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
Looking forward to as you're getting ready to be making
your professional debut is having some consistency and knowing who
you're actually going to be playing.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
I mean, granted, like obviously you know some people have
other issues going off the whole, the pulling out of
fights and stuff. But I will say, especially with girls,
for some reason, we have I don't know what it
is with us, or at least not us. I don't
I don't speak for every girl. I'm not one of
the girls that just keeps pulling out fights, but like
you know, it happens more often. I feel like the
(07:05):
girls because like guys, I feel like I've seen guys
who come into their first like pro debut or ammy
or whatever, and they're going against a guy that's pretty
well versed in in the division, and they're like, yeah,
I could take him. But with like girls, it's like
you got one little thing up on them, and then
it's like, oh, maybe not that so I don't know
(07:27):
what it is. I really I can't figure that out.
I feel like, if you're in the game, you know,
you're here to fight, You're here to prove yourself as
one of the best, like you know, prove it basically right,
or at least get in there and at least try to.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
I also think the thing is is you're you're in
one of the the last two larger weights that that
that women have is featherweight, and we don't have have
enough top quality featherweights. And I think I think you
hit them on point there they see something like listen,
this girl's got this girl's got some hands.
Speaker 1 (08:00):
Can we get like somebody else.
Speaker 2 (08:02):
Because like you know, people people either coaches more likely coaches,
or just they don't want to see that matchup. They
would they would rather, you know, go against a wrestler
or a jiu jitsu person or something like that.
Speaker 3 (08:17):
And it's funny because like even from like like even
from back when like UFC first came about, like the
whole point of mixed martial arts was to see who's
got the better you know, martial arts basically right, And
now that everyone's obviously training everything, I think that's where
people get so flustered with it or like like so
like holding back off on a lot of things. So
(08:40):
things have definitely evolved into the way they are probably
because of that, which would make total sense to me
at least, I don't know. But everyone's got their everyone's
got their opinions on that, I'm sure.
Speaker 1 (08:50):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
I mean I've seen a lot on the local scenes
where it's just you know, I've seen somebody literally go
through six different opponents from the time they were annanced
to be fighting on this event to the time they
got Yeah, I've even had a situation, you know.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
I was just talking to a guy that I've been
interviewing for almost ten years.
Speaker 2 (09:13):
One of his amateur fights got canceled the day of
the fight because he didn't he failed a medical because
the guy had eights.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
Like that.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
I was like, I was like, Lex, that probably has
to be the craziest thing I've ever heard. Why a
fighter got yanked to McCart, that's that's pretty How do
they get to that point where they're still fighting and
they have that going on when we're talking in combat sports?
So it's just like that's probably the weirdest thing. I mean,
And you know, it's just one of those things that
(09:46):
it's kind of hard to wrap your head around. I've
seen a thing this week where we had had had
a female fighter. I think she missed weight by like
twenties plus odd pounds.
Speaker 3 (09:56):
I've heard about that. Yeah, that's crazy. I don't I
don't even know who has been I mean, listen, I'm
not trying to just pinpoint people out, but that is
that's a very big Like obviously people don't take it
seriously when they missed that much weight.
Speaker 2 (10:13):
It's it's few and far between where you find true
martial artists, true people who actually want to compete in
the sport and be professional about things like that. It's
it's hard to find like this is what Like, it
doesn't matter where we're going to. We're talking amateurs, you know,
when we get to when we get to the professional ranks,
you're stroking to have people that'll be Like I was
(10:34):
talking to a bare knuckle guy. He was like, had
an initial opponent and then like as soon as they
signed the fight contract, he was like, hey, can can
we do X weight?
Speaker 1 (10:45):
Like we just signed a contract.
Speaker 2 (10:47):
To to to fight at you know, at fifty five
or something. Why are we now talking about you wanted
to fight one hundred and sixty, then he got a
crow like can we do one sixty five? Like would
just get kept going up, and it's just like, uh,
the guy's managers, you know, basically you know, called called
that that one off and faund another opponent.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
It's like, we're not.
Speaker 2 (11:09):
We're not playing the the let's have a gentleman's agreement
to fight here.
Speaker 1 (11:13):
We're you know, we've contracted to fight it this way.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
This is the way we're gonna fight at So it
happens all the time in cot sports.
Speaker 3 (11:20):
Unfortunately it does.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
Now, speaking of which, what what is it that that
that that that motivated you to to get in the
combat sports whether you know, was it boxing, was it
was it jiu jitsu? What was the thing that kind
of drawn you into the combat sports world?
Speaker 3 (11:39):
Uh So it kind of just happened, Honestly. It wasn't
like I went out searching for it. I mean, I
started with like taekwondo when I was a kid. I
was eleven when I was in taekwondo, and then eventually
found jiu jitsu when I was fifteen. Didn't really know
too much about emma, like the gym that I currently
coach at and trained at or trained at, they had
(12:01):
an MMA team and I started kind of watching. At
the time, my parents weren't really let me jump inca
like a bunch of big dudes punching each other, but didn't.
It was intriguing. And then was it. I think what
pinpointed it was when someone told me about Ronda Rousey
at the time when she's making her up, when she
was making her way to the top basically, so, I
(12:21):
mean she was big at the time, Like obviously everyone
talked about her, but like before UFC and stuff, and
I watched a few of her fights on YouTube one
day and I was like, man, that's that's actually pretty
cool of throwing people around and punching each other and
all that cool stuff. And yeah, so around sixteen I
told my parents. I was like, I want to do
MMA when I get older. And obviously there was mixed
(12:45):
mixed feelings on that topic, especially being being a girl.
I know my mom was a little hesitant on it.
And then you know, Dad's dad, he was like cool
about it. Obviously, I'm sure you know he worried in
the beginning, but yeah, it was just kind of like
one of those things that I kind of just fell
into my lap. It wasn't like I was out here
looking for it. I was just I came across it.
(13:07):
Jim happened to have it. I was like, all right, cool,
this this is for me. That's kind of how it happened.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
And it's not like, listen, you know my my uh
you know, my daughter, my my ex step daughter. Like
that's one of the reasons why they were intrigued about it.
Speaker 1 (13:23):
They were watching Ronda Rassi.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
I was I remember her, like her making her Strike
Force debut, kind of doing what she was doing over there.
It was, it was it was a fun time watching
you know, women's mixed martial arts.
Speaker 1 (13:36):
Kind of kind of grow, and you know, you know, I.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
Always say this thing like because we were just seeing
what what Disney was putting Gina Kurana throw when they
just did their their list of like you know, women's
pioneers in combat sports, you know, Gina Corano cross so
Ronda RALSI could run.
Speaker 1 (13:56):
I say it like that.
Speaker 2 (13:57):
There's so it's so hard to kind of give everyone
their credits on Ronda is the one that that caught
everyone's attention. Is why you have a lot of the
female mixed martial arts that we have now and you know, uh,
we're getting ready for it for a bit. What are
your thoughts on it? I gotta get your opinion since
Ronda was one of the people that got you into it.
(14:18):
Get this is the big fight that's about to come
in coming out now, Kayla Harrison, Uh a mainda noon As.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
I hope I hope they wait.
Speaker 2 (14:28):
They pushed us off and that we see this, uh
the big event that they're gonna do next year. But
I just heard rumors that uh uh you know, Kayla
doesn't want to wait. She said, I can't give a
can we give Amanda a pass on that six month
thing that you have to be back in the testing.
Speaker 1 (14:46):
I want to fight now, So I'm excited.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
You know, Kayla is a very decorated uh two time
gold medal judica.
Speaker 1 (14:55):
Uh. You know Amanda Noon as you know say no more.
She is the lion.
Speaker 2 (14:59):
She she is, you know, one of those people when
you when you talk about your your women's mixed martial
arts now more things like she's one of those names
that you have to put up there.
Speaker 1 (15:09):
She the list of opponents.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
She's dispatched in the ways that she's dispatched them, has
you know, been one of the best.
Speaker 1 (15:17):
What are your thoughts on that, on that matchup and
would you would you like to see them wait to.
Speaker 2 (15:22):
Do it on the the uh, the card that they're
gonna do with the White House in the next fourth
of July.
Speaker 3 (15:29):
You know, I see, first of all, I do think
this is a really good matchup. The only thing is,
like Amanda retired well when she had announced her retirement,
she was already on top. Not very many people could
say they retired with two belts in their hand. You know.
Most of the people that retire, they either they lost
that fight or they lost their title, and they're just
(15:50):
like it's not in the game anymore. Whereas she was
like she was there already. She was there and just
was like I'm done. There's no one else. So it's
trying to sing to me that she would want to
come back already. Actually, I take that back. It's not
surprising to me. But at the same time, I'm not
sure what she's trying to prove. You know, she was
the best for her time. Kayla Harris is like the
(16:12):
new face now kind of a thing. So I don't
know if she's just out here trying to, you know,
prove that she's just better than everybody in general or
what it is. I do know there there's no beef
between them, so that's also a really interesting fight when
you got like two friends basically fighting each other. I
would say, maybe wait because obviously I don't know, I
don't know Amana's lifestyle. But if you're if you got
(16:34):
to wait a while, you know, I gotta get back
in the groom and think a little bit. It's been
a while, you know. I probably said she's fought, and yeah,
I think it's a I think it's good. I do
think maybe to wait, keep the anticipation up a little bit,
and like kind of wait till the following year, you know,
I think that would be that'd be a good move
on their part for sure, But who knows. You never know.
Speaker 2 (16:56):
But I do feel like if the sticking point with
the UFC right now is that they want fighters to
be in the testing pool for six months before.
Speaker 1 (17:04):
They have a fight.
Speaker 2 (17:05):
She was already previously in the pool, so it's not
like they're completely foreign to Amanda. But Kayla has asked,
you know, the UFC and and you know, the sanctioning
body and whatever if if we could forego that because
she she wants to match up as soon as as
soon as possible. So I think my idea of it
potentially being on that that big car they announced that
(17:27):
that could potentially be at the White House is probably
not going to happen. But it's one of those things
where I think it's probably the most exciting fight that
we've had on in the UFC as far as the
women mix mixed mar shorts side of thing in a while.
Speaker 1 (17:42):
As you said, Amanda madea went out top.
Speaker 2 (17:44):
You know, she she did stumble, she did she did
get she did get get get uh you know, lost
the title for a period of time. But she immediately
can't bounced right back and and said like, hey, this
was just a you know.
Speaker 1 (17:56):
A blip on the screen.
Speaker 2 (17:58):
I know that, you know, she she she she got
her title back.
Speaker 1 (18:02):
Like you said, she retired and you touched on something
there too.
Speaker 2 (18:06):
Like another thing is like in combat sports is very
rarely do you get to kind of choose when you
walk away. Nine times out of ten, the sport retires you,
the promoter retires you, etcetera. You know, you go on
this losing streak. There's so many different factors injury time,
there's so many different things. To be able to walk
(18:27):
away on your terms, I think is a special thing
and not a lot of fighters get to do that.
Speaker 3 (18:35):
Yeah, but either way, I'm excited about her either way
at this point, it's it's gonna be a good mess.
Now My thing is like, how it's gonna like, you
know what their game plan is going to be for it?
Cause they're both very well skilled on the ground. I mean,
Kayla Harrison's a black belt in judo. I think even
Amanda is a black belt in judo, maybe even jiu jitsu.
(18:55):
Now I can't can't remember what the credentials are about
equal strike wise, they're both just looking strong and so
it's just one of those like you know what's going
to be how's this spike going to go? Because I
have seen people where they're like, you've got two grapplers
and they're like going to grapple each other, and then
for some reason they both end up striking, which is boring,
(19:16):
like you're not strikers, Why are you guys? Striking? Never
made sense to me. So that's I really hope they
play their strong suits. When this fight happened, that it
would be so exciting to see.
Speaker 1 (19:25):
To see them.
Speaker 2 (19:26):
I mean granted, people down on American Top Team and
have already seen the both of them roll around with
each other and and have that matchup, and people tend
to forget you know that that Amanda left America Top
Team and kind of started her own gym and went
her own little way with when it came to that,
and Kayla is still there there. I remember when they
(19:47):
were first trying to put this together, there was rumors
that that, you know, the Jim pushed a man to add,
which would be completely ridiculous, and since the bunked, but
obviously that's what social media is with they you you
throw a lot of stuff on the wall and see
what sticks.
Speaker 1 (20:02):
But it's one of those things where I agree, I
I hope.
Speaker 2 (20:05):
We do see them both kind of get on the
mat and kind of grapple each other.
Speaker 1 (20:10):
I mean, granted, it is an m M A fight,
you know, Amanda Amanda.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
Amanda has some some some highlight reel knockouts in her
in her highlight reel, So it'd be interesting to see.
I guess that is that is the chess match that
that that the fans are going to be looking forward
to is if who's grappling gains gonna counter at the
most and you know, is a main striking still that
(20:34):
dynamic or if Kayla has dynamic striking, because we haven't
really seen that big highlight reel knockout from Kayla that
we've seen from Amanda.
Speaker 1 (20:44):
So right, it's the beauty part of it being mixed
martial arts. That's all I'm going to say.
Speaker 2 (20:53):
Now speaking of you know, you know, the women's side
of combat.
Speaker 1 (20:58):
Sports, what we've seen over the past few.
Speaker 2 (21:00):
Years is great, but I think boxing is kind of
re going into it now. Obviously you started with that
with that boxing background, and we're talking about your boxing coach.
Speaker 1 (21:11):
You know, what were your.
Speaker 2 (21:11):
Thoughts on on last weekend's big big boxing event that
they had with on on Netflix there with with Taylor
Serrano and an all female boxing card. How did that
make you feel as a female combat sports combat I.
Speaker 3 (21:28):
Mean, listen, anytime that women get to be in the
spotlight over any of the guys is great. Nothing taken
away from men's MMA, like they're you know, they're the
reason the sports here, but like seeing a whole card
with just like women, that's to me is really impressive
and because women, we have not to be like I
(21:49):
don't know, I don't know if the right word would
be for this, but like, you know, not to be
like one sided on it. But you know, we have
a lot to prove in terms of like what we
have to showcase to everyone, basically to the world is
like you know, women, you know, not being in the
same division, like you know, the guy's skill and like
strength level. But we you know, we're very technical and
(22:11):
we're very like you know, to you know, we have
we have more to proof sometimes just because there's very little,
very few of us in the sport of boxing or
MMA or any any combats more basically, so something like that,
especially on a pro event, that's I love seeing stuff
like that. That's great.
Speaker 2 (22:30):
Yeah, I mean I loved it just because I love
to watch aminas around compute.
Speaker 1 (22:37):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (22:37):
You know, I was fortunate enough when they were shooting
that Fight Valley movie over here and you know, I'm
over here in Philly. It was shot in New Jersey
and I was actually able to on set with you know,
when Chris Cyborg was there, when Amanda and her and
her sister Sidney were there for that movie. So I
was able to kind of meet her, see them, they're
(22:58):
kind of kind of and they Since then, just watch
her continue to be, you know, one of one of
the best fighters in her weight class for the better
part you know, last five, six, seven years.
Speaker 1 (23:09):
So it's one of those we class.
Speaker 3 (23:12):
Weight classes because she's got like seven different titles.
Speaker 2 (23:16):
I mean, when we're going that, right, I mean, isn't
isn't the the the soltial quote right now is miss
miss uh Chrissy Shields there, who's gonna be defending one
of her titles in about a week or so.
Speaker 3 (23:30):
I mean, oh no, definitely, for sure. She is definitely
top tier in boxing for sure. I think Amanda's her
credentials are phenomenal though. I mean she I mean she
has gone from like I think whatever the latest was
at like ninety five or one oh five or whatever
it was, all the way she's finally believe one sixty
five at one time. She just can she can do
(23:50):
it all. I mean, granted, you know, everyone's also got
their queens of the divisions too, you know, like especially
Clarisse the Shields. She's just I mean, she's a powerhouse
for sure. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (24:02):
And speaking of you know, I did bring her up
for a reason because I wanted to get your thoughts
on it. Obviously, you know, Leaila Ali was part of
the broadcast team and she's been she was asked about
about miss shields and so basically said for the right
dollar man, and then Chrisy and her team go and
put a fifteen million dollar check blank check out there
(24:24):
to Leilai.
Speaker 1 (24:25):
Is that a fight you want to see?
Speaker 2 (24:26):
Like, obviously, you know, Chrissy's starting to run out of
big name opponents. Ali's been out of the game for
almost ten years now. Is that a fight you're interested
in seeing?
Speaker 3 (24:38):
You know, as much as I think Leilai is one
of the ogs and one of the goats and close
of shields being a skill, she's that's that's not a
fight I really want to see. And the reason I
say that is because, yes, Leila Ali has been out
of the game for I don't even remember when it
was last time she fights. It's been a long time,
probably before I even whatever was. But it's again it
(25:02):
kind of comes back to like Amanda. You know, Amanda
Nuna is basically retiring and then coming back into the sport.
You know, once you're done, you should be done. Leila Ali,
she can't. She retired on top, you know, and was done.
That was it for her, and Amanda nuna Is she
retired on top and took two belts with her. You know,
(25:23):
I think they could just keep talking their shit and
figure something else out, because it would be you know,
Clarisa Shields, you know, obviously she's she's young and got
got you know, and all this other stuff, and Leila
Ali having the experience. You know, who's to say Layla
is even training anymore? I I have no idea, you know,
maybe here and there occasionally, but like you know, to compete,
(25:45):
that's a whole different that's a whole different animal, and
that's something I feel like she'd need a little more
time to like to do so. But again it's not
really what I kind of want to see. I feel
like she just should just stick to be in being
the queen of her era and like Clarissa Shields, just
shine in this era.
Speaker 2 (26:01):
Now, now I'm gonna pose another one to you, because
this person has been begging for this fight for the
better part of two years.
Speaker 3 (26:08):
Now.
Speaker 1 (26:09):
Would you rather see her fight someone like a Chris Cyborg?
Speaker 3 (26:15):
You know, that one I could see happening. I could
definitely see that one.
Speaker 1 (26:19):
Happening over weight for literally two years now.
Speaker 3 (26:23):
I think if that one's gonna happen, Clarisa would definitely
have to give up some weight because she is definitely
a lot heavier than Chris. I mean, Chris is a beast,
like she's she's a total she's a total beast in boxing, MMA,
you know all the stuff. But Clarisa Shields is also
(26:43):
very strong just strictly boxing, and she's also a lot
bigger than Chris. So I feel like they gotta find
the playing field of what weight they're gonna fight at.
Speaker 2 (26:51):
The happy medium and get this fight to happen, because
you know, obviously we only probably have a year or
two before Chris gets to that point where Amanda was.
Speaker 1 (27:00):
Its just that there's nothing for her, there's nothing there
for her to prove.
Speaker 2 (27:04):
I would love to see them do a two off fight,
even though that that cursa shield says she's never gonna
fight an MMA again because she apparently broke her arm
twice or whatever. I would love to see them do
a boxing fight first and then followed up with it
within a year to do an MMA fight right afterwards.
Doing one doing one for one type of thing that
(27:26):
actually that would.
Speaker 3 (27:27):
Actually be pretty cool. I could see something like that
that would actually be be cool. Although I've seen Clarisa
Shields training on Instagram do an MMA like mes and
all that cool stuff. So who says she Maybe who's
done completely? I don't know, but yeah, definitely you would
love to see a match between Cyborgan and Clursashield to
be awesome.
Speaker 1 (27:49):
I mean that that's just my opinion.
Speaker 2 (27:50):
I mean I get why, why uh you want to
do the Ali thing because she's she's trying to trying
to make sure that she is.
Speaker 1 (27:57):
Known to be as she claims herself. The quote, you know,
the greatest women of all time. I get it.
Speaker 2 (28:03):
We're obsessed with the with with the goat talk when
it comes to all level of sports, whether we're talking basketball, baseball, football,
whatever that this this phrase gets thrown on and I'm
actually I'm actually exhausted with it. I think, especially when
it comes to combat sports, we can't say what's what
and who's who because there's different eras, different weight classes,
(28:26):
there's men, there's women.
Speaker 1 (28:28):
And I still sit there and say that even if
we do, like, okay, who's your mount Rushmore. It's still
the same argument.
Speaker 3 (28:35):
Yeah, but who's calling her? It? Is her? Like, is
she calling herself? I mean I.
Speaker 2 (28:48):
Got into it on social media because a lot of
people were referring to Amanda as it and there was
some you know, went to a thing and I think,
you know, like they were talking about trademark nonsense and
stuff like that. I'm like, listen, let's you are both
amazing freaking female athletes in the sport of boxing at
this time. You know, y'all, y'all represent everything that that
(29:08):
that little girl should strive to want to be who.
Speaker 1 (29:10):
Were involved in boxing.
Speaker 2 (29:12):
Let's not argue over self proclaimed status of who's the greatest.
Speaker 1 (29:17):
Listen, you are both amazing. You are way classes apart
from each other. You're never gonna fight. Why can't you
both be one?
Speaker 3 (29:25):
Because everyone's got an ego, everyone's got to feed the
fire a little bit.
Speaker 1 (29:31):
Yeah, you're right about that. That's kind of what drives
the sport, is uh. I guess the talk and drama
that surrounds it more than anything.
Speaker 3 (29:40):
No, definitely for sure.
Speaker 1 (29:42):
Now, when I was.
Speaker 2 (29:43):
Coming across some stuff, you know, I did see you're
you're a little patriotic in one of your fights, right, Yes,
I'm gonna go back back to to to the potential
UFC card, right that's going to happen at the White
House next fourth of July. If you're able to go
into your you know, your matchmaker status. Men, women, whoever,
(30:04):
what would your main.
Speaker 1 (30:05):
Event fight card look like?
Speaker 2 (30:07):
If you're if you're promoting a fight at at the
UFC for the for the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary
at the White ascid the special event are you Now,
this is not strictly to guys or girls that are current.
I think that we should definitely look into some of
the some of the fighters who may have retired recently
(30:28):
or fairly recently. I would love to see a Robbi
Lawler come out of retirement for this type of fight.
Speaker 3 (30:33):
That would be.
Speaker 1 (30:35):
I would love to see see compete on this card.
Speaker 2 (30:38):
I want to get your thoughts on this, like, if
you're if you get you know, a handful of matches
to make, who were you you would say have to
be on this card?
Speaker 3 (30:48):
Oh man, that's this is actually never one have actually
thought about. But now that now that it's brought up,
my opinion is all anyone in the divisions, I don't
have the exact matchups because it's gonna be the White House.
We gotta find the guys that are like the patriarch,
like Lawler. Who else is it? Wideman? I believe it
(31:08):
was another one. But if there's a great one to
be on the card.
Speaker 1 (31:13):
We have just because you have to have it, we
don't if we don't.
Speaker 3 (31:17):
Have Bisbing, it's not a card. If we don't have Bisbing.
Oh my gosh, who else? Oh there was? I had
just had it on the top of my head for
female fighters, that one, I'm like, that one's a back
and forth one because I definitely I do feel like
Kayla Harrison needs to be on that one. I feel
like that'd be great. Not the man in Nunez one though.
(31:39):
I feel like, you know, whatever, she comes does a fighting.
Speaker 2 (31:41):
Whatever would you try to try to convince Ronda rass
if you come out of retirement.
Speaker 3 (31:46):
For you know what, Oh, that's right, we are bringing
old old fighters out of here arm we Yeah, Ronda
Rousey would be a good one. I feel like, who's
another one? Kat Singhano, who's another pioneer. Actually I'm actually
friends with her. I love her to death. She she'd
(32:07):
be a really good one to have on the card.
Who else?
Speaker 1 (32:11):
I actually met Kat at Knucklemania.
Speaker 2 (32:13):
She was cornering uh Beck Hyatt for for her fight
uh here in Philadelphia.
Speaker 1 (32:19):
So cats Cats are definitely an underestimated one there too.
Speaker 3 (32:26):
Oh No, she definitely is sparring with her is. It's
it's an event all in itself. But she's great. I
love her. Gosh, I don't know, that's all I could think.
I'm at the top of my head. Now, how would
I pair everybody up? That? I don't know, But I
definitely have to have those people.
Speaker 1 (32:43):
You know that that's not a thing that we have
to worry about.
Speaker 2 (32:46):
I'm just saying, like, if, if you're, if you're like,
because obviously it's going to be a pay per view event.
They're not going to be selling tickets even that's going
to be comp only, which means obviously everyone who's going
to be there is going to have to be extremely
vetted to kind of to get there to go see this.
Speaker 1 (33:01):
So it's gonna be a pay per view.
Speaker 2 (33:02):
So one of the things, I mean, I'm definitely with
letting Connor McGregor be on this one, just because you know, uh.
Speaker 1 (33:11):
Here he goes on too. But I mean, obviously with
what came out this past week and the nonsense that
he did.
Speaker 2 (33:18):
Where he's, uh, he's shooting his shot in people's dms,
and don't think that that people ain't gonna er Hi. Man,
he has other things to worry about. But I do
think like somebody to that level has to be there.
John Jones has made it clear that he would like
to be it, and Dana White goes, I was.
Speaker 3 (33:36):
Gonna say John Jones, didn didn't even say, but yeah,
John Jones would be another good one to have on
that card for sure, And.
Speaker 2 (33:41):
Then Dana was like, I don't know if I could
trust him to kind of be a part of a
big event like this. And I don't blame Dana for
saying that, just because of everything that John's pulled over
the last year. But as soon as they announced that
that there's gonna be an event at the White House,
all of a sudden, he's back in the testing pool, like,
oh man, here we go again.
Speaker 3 (34:00):
I mean, Connor's caused a lot of problems in the
past two I think it wasn't he the one that
threw the ladder at Yeah, I don't Yeah, so who knows?
Who knows?
Speaker 2 (34:13):
I think another one that people don't think it just
because uh, you know, he hasn't foughten so long and
he's been retired for song. I would love to see
a Brian stay just because he's a former military member.
Speaker 3 (34:25):
Oh yeah, you gotta have some veterans. You gotta have
some veterans on that card for sure.
Speaker 1 (34:29):
Absolutely gonna have to have some veterans on that card.
Speaker 2 (34:33):
It's gonna be interesting. They have They obviously have a
year to kind of playing this thing out. But I
hope it goes off.
Speaker 1 (34:40):
I hope it goes off without a hitch, and I
hope we have some fun matchups. I'm gonna just leave it,
leave it at that.
Speaker 2 (34:46):
Let uh let the matchmakers of the UFC pull out
their hair to kind of figure out.
Speaker 1 (34:52):
Who's who and what's what for that one.
Speaker 2 (34:55):
Yeah, now as we're getting we're getting down to it,
let's talk about out your fight. You're gonna be You're
gonna be fighting August ninth. Uh there for for the
lights out promotion? How excited are you for one to
be making your debut for for somebody like a Sean
Merriman who's putting on has been putting on events out
(35:16):
there on the wet West coast and that be that
being your debut.
Speaker 3 (35:22):
You know, I'm just happy for one that I have
a fight. It's been the longest two years ever to
get anything going right now, and just being a part
of the Lights Out card is extremely exciting. I love
the sport and just any way to be part of
it is truly amazing. But obviously being in the case
(35:42):
is the best, I believe. You know, they always say
the best seed in the house, you know, right when
you're the one fighting. Of course, I'm really excited about
this matchup though, even for the opponent. Carlene's a very
uh you know, she's she's in her right to you know,
a great good fighter, and I think this is gonna
be a really exciting matchup for sure.
Speaker 2 (36:05):
I'm looking forward to it. I mean, uh, you know,
Sean always always puts together a great event. I remember
we were talking over a year ago when they were
doing uh doing stuff with drones and stuff like that
to kind of have a special angles, you know, you know,
special videos and stuff like that.
Speaker 1 (36:22):
So he always he always brings an interesting wrinkle to things.
Speaker 2 (36:26):
So I think that that that that's an awesome place
to kind of you know, jump in there, get your
pro debut in and uh, you know, have someone like
Sewing to mix it up with the rest of the night.
Is not bait either, It's a It should be a
great event. I'm looking forward to this fight as well
as a few other ones on the card. You know,
(36:46):
what do you what if you're you know, kind of
trying to sell selling a combat sports fan, what what
would you tell them that they should expect from this fight?
I mean, obviously you're not the person you were two
years ago, but both personally mentally and as an athlete.
Speaker 1 (37:02):
But obviously you're gonna have uh, you know, nothing against uh,
you know, missus Chandler there.
Speaker 2 (37:08):
I'm sure you've got two years of frustrations to kind
of let out and once you get once you get
in there.
Speaker 1 (37:13):
What your fans expect with this fight? Do you think
this is gonna be, you know, a true MMA fight?
Speaker 2 (37:19):
Are you gonna you know, trying to showcase your boxing skills,
how much you've grown, you know in other areas of MMA?
Speaker 1 (37:27):
Like what should fans expect from this fight?
Speaker 3 (37:30):
Well? I I truly feel like my skill level has
increased greatly. I have made huge jumps just even within
this past year. I'm working with some really great coaches
right now, and we've really been game planning for this,
and you know, to to know what I'm gonna do,
you just kind of have to come and watch. You know.
I'm not I don't. I don't want to have too
(37:50):
much away, but I can tell you for sure it's
gonna be a really good fight. I won't make it,
you know. I I will make it entertaining, for sure.
Speaker 1 (37:58):
I have no doubt about that. I love my friend.
Speaker 2 (38:01):
What I typically do here as we wrap up the
interview is kind of throw the proferbial microphone over to you.
Anyone you would like to thank, training partners, teammates, shoot
out your social media sites, any sponsors you may have
any party shots for for our listeners this evening, the
time is yours, my friend.
Speaker 3 (38:20):
So first of all, I want to like to thank
everyone that has been part of my team. Oh there's
a list. So first I have to start with my dad.
He is my we call my dad a jerk. He's
my you know, he's my coach, he's my nutritionists, he's
my lifting coach, he's my weight cutting coach. He's dad
when he absolutely needs to be for sure. I also
(38:41):
want to thank my head coaches. I want to thank
Manola Hernandez, Jack Heslogov, Adrian Nandras and then who else?
Just all the teams from you know, uh tenth Planet,
Saber Mixed Martial Arts, the team down as Teca, my
(39:04):
sparring partners, all of my girls group that I trained with,
all of course all the guys I trained with. You
guys are all great. And then yeah, who else? My sponsors.
There's so many people sponsor. Shout out to my sponsors,
a dissertation, soap Van Athletic. Youar have been a great,
(39:25):
great help in this camp sending me stuff. And just
to all my friends and family who have been here
supporting me since date one. You know, it's this has
been a really long journey and finally making into the
Pro division. I'm super stoked for this journey and I
hope you guys will stay with me through it.
Speaker 1 (39:48):
I'm definitely gonna be gonna be locked in for this one.
Speaker 2 (39:50):
You know, I always love supporting the smaller show because
you know, we support the you know, the bigger shows UFC,
you know, p F, l B, KFC, who, you know,
whatever you happen to be the events that I always
support the local shows just as much as I support
the bigger one.
Speaker 1 (40:09):
So I can't wait for this one.
Speaker 2 (40:11):
It should be a fun event, uh, as I say
to all the athletes, you know, best of skills to you, Lauren.
Speaker 1 (40:18):
I hope, I hope you're able to kind.
Speaker 2 (40:20):
Of put on the performance that you're looking that you're
looking to put on, and you know, do do your thing,
leave your mark and uh let's give him something to
remember you buy.
Speaker 3 (40:29):
I appreciate that, Thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (40:32):
Appreciate your your time, that this this evening, this afternoon,
and uh let's do this again sometimes and get you
back on here after we're to talk about a good.
Speaker 3 (40:40):
Win, right, absolutely, all right, Lauren.
Speaker 1 (40:44):
Appreciate your time, and uh have a good one, my friend.
Speaker 3 (40:47):
Thank you you too.
Speaker 1 (40:49):
All right?
Speaker 2 (40:50):
Everyone, that was Laura Lynn Garcia, the Iron Butterfly. Make
sure you guys are locked in for her fight August ninth.
That's gonna be for life's at MMA. I believe it's
twenty six and it's always a fun one catching up
with you know, athletes of all forms.
Speaker 1 (41:10):
It doesn't matter if it you know, they're the top
of the car main event.
Speaker 2 (41:13):
Fighters to fighters like Lawrence, even to some of the
people who were, you know, your first first few fights
of the night.
Speaker 1 (41:21):
I love talking to.
Speaker 2 (41:22):
Everyone, love getting to know a little bit about all
these athletes. It's one of the fun things I get
to do here as we're doing these interviews. But that
should put a rap on this episode. For this one,
don't move too far away, and about fifteen minutes or so,
I'll be back on here talking to BKFC fighter Eric Gazano,
(41:44):
who's gonna be a part of the BKFC Fight Night twenty.
It's July twenty fifth here in Philadelphia, next weekend.
Speaker 1 (41:55):
So other than that, my friends appreciate you tuning in.
Don't go too far. I'm Steve. This was another episode
of The Real and the Real. Catch you guys very shortly.