Stephen Costello | Eternal 92, Bellator Dubai Recap & UFC Saudi Arabia Preview | The Energized Show

Summary

What is up and welcome to The Energized Show! On this episode SBG Ireland's Stephen Costello joins us to discuss his fight at Eternal FC 92 World Title Fight, we recap Bellator Dubai & preview UFC Saudi Arabia. Like, Comment, Subscribe & Hit the notification bell for more…

Transcript (youtube_captions)

[Music] by day energize show by night okay what's going on guys welcome to a brand new episode of energized brought to you by or Kings competitions Russ are you intoxicated or something introduce their guest man to today we are bringing you the fighting pride of celbridge he is the Eternal Fighting Championship Welterweight Champion it's the one and only it's the Juggernaut it's Stephen costlo Stephen how you doing my friend what's up how's it going Lads how are you great great to have you on man great to have you on welcome to the show yeah absolutely absolutely uh Stephen tell us tell us this uh obviously massive fight going down in Australia uh fighting win Eternal FC and you're obviously now you were handed the championship via forfeit I would call it last time out tell us what actually happened the last time out um when your opponent failed to make weight like how how much how go renting was that that you went the hallway to Australia just for the fight not to Happ yeah I was sick but like a good thing has come from it so that's kind of kept me in good spirits and stuff the fight was the fight was originally to be for an intro title so the winner would have went on to fight the champion so that was always going to be after so that's that's why it wasn't the worst situation for me and what was over there made some great contacts met some great people so it's all led to good things if a potential sponsors coming over all this kind of stuff like so but um the opponent showed up way in day he was a little late which I was a little concerned about but when I seen him I was a already gr the fight's going ahead then I got called out by a man Ben Vickers who runs the show I said no they're getting second photos to someone so I thought it was going to be out here would they just take the photos again but then he said the opponent missed we but he missed weight with four kilos and everybody told me that he's always made weight and he is always L for the scales so and Ben also said he was struggling on the scales like how can you be struggling with four kilos to go so I mean fair enough with half a kilo you could be struggling like oh you understand that so I think he though and he didn't want to make the way and have a fair fight against me he wanted he thought I'd take the fight while I'm on the other side of the world and give him the advantage which I didn't do yeah Stephen just just another question on that was Alden bat does he live in Australia yeah he's a local lad in P I went over to fight him in his backyard he's known as the biggest baddest WWE in the division and now I'm fighting the smallest most dangerous wewe in division yeah well that that was the team we weren't too sure because obviously he FS the Great British flag so we weren't too sure if he flew over as well cuz like missing that by that meal weight Ross that's uh that's not professional yeah well like to to give it in terms of pounds because like not everyone kilos it's about eight or nine pounds so like like that's that's a lot like he's basically the next division up effectively and that's that that's where he's at like he's he's closer to the middleweight weight limit than he is the wewe weight limit uh so yeah like that's shocking it's like very very unprofessional and like obviously he missed a mass of opportunity uh by not being able to fight for the inter totle and then getting a chance to then fight for the actual title and look his lost is your game but I suppose just on that St like obviously it's never ideal if your opponent misses weight but for most players or for yourself like what's sort of the the cut off like if he was if you weighed 172 pound on the scales would you been like right Grand off fight what what sort of the or would Did you sort have to get a look at him be like right he he died to make 172 that's final fight him well like I got with kilos all the time like so 77 kilos about 78 kilos of a grand let's go it's only a kilo whatever but four kilos like you said he's a middleweight yeah wellwe that day so yeah and the to prove that he did Troy pull a tricky or fast one is he didn't even ring The Lads from the promotion to let them know give my heads up nothing like that so he was trying to pull a fast one and it didn't it didn't pay off so SI I we did see the two had words uh just after the we uh was that did you feel like that was him trying to go you into taking the fight uh no not not really no because during the ceremonial weighin um everybody's always were on the weighin and he was up in the back kind of trying to hide but he looked Grand he looked fresh he wasn't even trying to get any minerals back in and I'm struggling getting getting the liquids back in and everything he's just standing there his arms folded watching the show so like that that really got to me I was like you're little cheeky okay so and then I then he said trying to call me over and I was like are you serious like could trying to be me buddy or something but then uh then a moment happened to be crisscross each other and he said something to me and then I I just kind of snapped I was just like you little you're trying to melt after to me now like you won't meet me in a cage and do this like yeah you did come the whole way from arand to Australia like it's not it's not like you're down the road you know like yeah every Ro be frustrated yeah I just want to say there I have the The Lads in the Eternal promotion that's so cool they really looked after me like during the whole process leing up to that for with a situation that happened he really looked after me and then even after when I came home they sent me the belts they're looking after me now like the two Lads come C O'Neil and Ben vickas are the absolute Legends and I have utmost respect for the to their men so just and Steve can you let us know how did this opportunity come about because obviously like you've previously fought bellour uh you're also the 4 to1 wewe Champion you f in Centurion uh there was another one that was it UFL yeah combed Global as well com Global as well so like how did the Eternal opportunity come about uh Eternal um Mitchell is the man that got the ball rolling with this he's often sent me a few Fighters it's kind of clash with what I had going on and uh then the Australian one came up and I just said yeah straight away like a fight in Australia in inum belt leading into another fo UFC fo pass like it just yeah I just jumped on it I said yeah right away yeah cork John Mitchell yeah John Mitchell yeah Jesus fight manager John Mitchell get getting the L getting L all the scraps good contact he's in the middle of everyone so I guess he gets a lot of f sent happy yeah I wouldn't have this opportunity without John so I wish him yeah yeah you know the crack yeah exactly and um no but the thing is that yeah because that like when we heard you were fighting for the Eternal championship and you had to you had to fly over from Mar to Australia that doesn't happen very often like uh I know the likes of Alan Philipa competes in that card as well but uh Ross it was a cool opportunity to see yeah absolutely like I I think we sort of said this before with uh you know a few Fighters have fought in NFL recently and like when you go and fighting this eternal card and you're you know Main Event fighting for the belt uh or Defending Your belt now uh like if you're the only Irish fighter on the card it's going to force a lot of Irish M May fans to tune in because they're like all right well like you know he's the only one on the card so better watch if you know I mean as opposed to sometimes in like past bellor cards and like sometimes in cage Warriors cards sometimes you know you could be one of like nine fight Irish Fighters fighting and you don't get as much of the spotlight as opposed to here like this we're talking about an off a but like this is almost like your rugby career Steve you know what I mean like uh Bounce Around the promotions but you've now found a home and internal you know yeah thing um Allan's on this card yeah is he yeah yeah yes yeah I think I think lfl we were saying recently I think that grows of and te lock around on I mean so one or two orish SLS brings a lot of o in there yeah and I was on CH Island the other day like it could be making history here Allen was just short of be becoming the first Eternal or Champion there back during the summer and now I have the chance to be the first Irish Eternal Champion Bo actually defeating someone not getting the Bell hand it to me yeah exact was Jose Aldo and Ron Rousey they were they were given the UFC titles weren't they yeah when they came over WC so well it like I feel the I'm looking at the belt here now hasn't really meant anything to me yet but it's been some serious motivation looking at it daily and knowing what's ahead and what the task is so I'm happy to have it yeah that's why you have to tun in to watch Steven Costo compete on February the 8th at Eternal 92 against David Martinez live on UFC F pass uh Stephen can you tell us what you know exactly about Dave Martinez um I've been doing a little bit of research on them a little bit study the video the typical stuff getting out the enemy um he's 14 and six so he's a 2 fo veteran he's currently ranked number one as the welterweight in Australia um he's been two times lightweight champion before so it's it's a good scalp for me and it's going to be he's H black Bel in Jiu-Jitsu he um he over his whole 20 fo he hasn't really changed his style so I know exactly what I'm expecting with this fight and I feel it's going to show a good display of my martial arts skills all around with this opponent I was doing a bit of looking up as well there sorry you didn't mean to go across there see but like he's have 14 fights in Eternal he must be one of the most tenur Eternal H Fighting Championship Fighters there is if not the most tenur yeah def well believe it yeah he's on the scene a long time the L like him so it's a good matchup yeah no definitely I suppose like with him being the most tendered probably means he has a good fan base over there so he's going to bring a lot of O over there as well so like great opportunity for you to go in there and uh upset the apple cart for for uh the Aussie Aussie Aussie fans and go over there but uh touch on that also obviously there's a lot of Irish over in Australia do you do you feel like a large Irish conion shows out uh will show out for for the fight over there I've been in contact with some friends that I have over there and they're say all going and then I'm just going to make a little post before while I'm over there and I get chatting to people while I'm over there if I B into people like here come support me it's going to help self-promote myself while I'm over there yeah absolutely not a b you yeah have you have you thought about like like have you talked to the people in charge of Eternal and have they talked about like look we want you to like potentially move over to austral to be the face of the the organization that loone the division yeah well step by step the whole gfl team kind of nearly shut everything down for me if if I had have signed that contract this would have been voided I wouldn't have had this for gone so I'm very glad I didn't sign the gfl contract and now like you said if I become the champion I could probably end up having a future living in on the Golden Coast in the sun if I keep winning on ET Turnal so yeah can you go into more detail about that gfl uh situation because we saw you put a post out on Instagram saying that that you hadn't sign him with the organization and uh yeah can you just let us know and the people tuning in exactly what was going on there um I got a contract last year uh Jo before my last last week just before my last week uh that I didn't for but um I I I kind of said I'll hold off signing it just in case something like this happened contract obligation or so I'm kind of glad I'm glad I never signed it but what happened there is someone obviously didn't check the paperwork he sent me a contract obviously thought oh we have him and I never signed a contract and I'm very happy I didn't at this stage yeah did like obviously that upset the Eternal guys and like it upset you but like you does that make you cautious of ever doing anything with them in the in in the future like would that make you rule them out because just because you know then them doing that like almost cost you a paycheck so I would think you know yeah well after seeing how many people that sign and I don't understand and the money that was offered in the contract I don't know how it's going to work to be honest so like I'm very glad I have a tal there as move forward progression in my like I'd be absolutely sick now if I signed that contract and I'm waiting around on a gfl fight when every retired fighter in the world nearly yeah big time it's a very strange model and like until I see gfl one or whatever they're GNA call their first event like I'd be very wary to box myself off and like hold up my fight career to to wait for them I think it's uh definitely something that I'd be very wary of and like you say it it seems to be a a retirement home one might say um you know what I mean like I think I saw Frank Mir foro ver Doom Tony fergon like you know I mean anyone who's fought in the last 10 years who's no longer fighting JFL have signed or they've made up they've signed H because I don't think you're the first fighter to have come out say I actually haven't signed with the gfl it's like it's like people uh are sending sending their wedding invites and then they don't at the rvps and they sent them out to you know whoever they want they send out the orps to RSVPs to GSP and Anderson Sil and go oh well avoid to the wedding so they're definitely coming they're getting their name out there though in F by doing this well look well look it be it' be cool if like you know they set up with a promotion and things go well for them and like I'm I'm always hopeful for more promotions that are doing doing a few bits but uh look we we we'll see how that goes but obviously uh gfl are on UFC fo pass and or sorry not gfl what am I talking about eternal are on uh UFC fo pass and obviously with with uh being on UFC fo pass there's always that road to the UFC is that the goal here Stephen is that like obviously you fought for a number of promotions but is your is your main goal to fight in the UFC well of course yeah it would be like well very happy to have a turno there and if and said if I become that champion they they want me back to defend the champ the title if if I lose the title they want me back like so they're kind of already promising me that they'll keep me around but yeah definely the the owner cam his daughter is in the UFC he has another daughter that's fighting on ET interal as well so like he obviously knows if the UFC comes he'll respect it and be like well there's another with turn and now he's on the UFC like so like the Australian cage Warriors yeah basically yeah yeah yeah so and of course I we like to get to the UFC and I have this taste in it I got the the 4 to1 belt I have the Eternal belt and then who who knows maybe a UFC belt could possibly be on the liance I kind of have hunger for belts now and never I had that before the strap collector yeah it's actually it's nice I never had that the belt the belt in the 4 to one was a real M for me to go training I want that belt when I seen the belt I was like I want that belt so I never really had that before and it's it's a nice fire to have in your betty when you're going to fight a man in the couch was there another opportunity to actually defend defend the for to one Championship because no nothing's popped up yet I send a message once saying have you got a match up for me and he says no not yet so okay yeah I think they did they did like a c motion with like Brave or something last time out as well so uh I I don't know what's happening with that one yeah oh definitely definitely so um St tell us this obviously the the trip to Australia is not a short one um who who are you bringing over with you I'm bringing over one of my good boards Connor Devin um he's the perfect partner for this opponent as well same height same builds he can imp like he can sh he can practice I can practice the game plan with him a lot because he kind of fights like him as well he's an amate fighter but he's he'll never him for you yeah perfect dummy for me to have to be up for no and and he'll do your corner over there will he well I'm going to have him in my corner and um John kav has put me on to two good lads over there as well so they're going to take me under the wing and help me with everything happy days now just just cool to know you you're you're traveling with someone who knows you well and just to keep you obviously half the battles the W C up as well you know I mean you need someone there to yeah throw you in now that's on or the bath whichever whichever way you do it you know what I mean but uh looks back yeah yeah exactly exactly but look we're very much looking forward to it uh I think maybe maybe um you know we'll definitely Pro this fight quite a bit in the buildup because uh we don't want it to go under the radar I mean you're fighting for a big big title down in aernal it's a it's a great promotion as you said I think they've done what like well over 50 events at this stage and yeah this yeah 92 yeah yeah so I was going I was going to say 80 but then I was like oh I wasn't too sure it was 62 or 90 H but yeah these boys know exactly what they're doing and uh We've watched the shows before because we SE we've seen Alan phip fighting them before so uh definitely looking forward to H you're GNA smash out the park and uh you're G to win your own belt I think I don't think I don't think I've ever seen someone of that scenario before so you're gonna win your own belt yeah exactly Stephen just for we let you get back to with the rest of your day can you let us know for the people let us know and the people tuning in now uh like for 2025 like what are your plans for the rest of the year here be as active as possible in the contract I could be back in June in per if I when I win this for so that's the next one probably lined up and then I don't know what we be after June but I would like to be as busy as busy as I can be this year I'm healthy I'm in me Prime ready ready my confidence is at the highest it's ever been I trust my skill set like this could be my best year and I'm really looking forward to what's ahead absolutely unreal so make sure to tune in watch Steven Costo compete at Eternal 92 on on February 8th live on UC F pass Stephen thank you very much for your time best of skill on February 8th and we'll let you get on with the rest of your day Bo thank you L Jitsu by day energize show by night so Ross that was Steven Costo the Eternal MMA welterweight world champion the one and only yeah the Jugger no can't wait to can't wait to see him back in Action I think uh long overd obviously with that last point being canel so uh best Lu to Ste and best look at Alam philipot as well he's fighting on the card Alam philipot absolute veteran 35 Plus fights on his on his record is there anyone else you'd like to see get on a Eternal card in the future as well it it's sort it's sort of strange because I feel like the landcape at the moment we have like a lot of people who just sort of turn pro as opposed to the more exper experienced Pros are also or not even the more experienced but the guys who are three four five fights into their career are sort of already signed to a promotion um or there thereabouts but uh it's a bit of a strange one because like it's like do I want to see someone go to Australia and do it do it like it's not something that I'd like definitely recommend but it's like definitely a well-run show and it's definitely a uh an alternative r one I think like it to step costlo like and I think it's doing wonders for him or like do I think like fighting on Eternal is like that much better than fighting on an lfl not particularly but again like being one the few people to do it definitely puts the eyes on you definitely yeah also like if you couldn't waiting on that flight H that'll be a bit of a pain so maybe any heavyweights out there a heavyweight yeah but also if like maybe some of the younger fighters were doing like a bit of training out in bang to or something like that and they were there for like three months or whatever and opportunity on a Turnal popped up I think like that would be the perfect storm that makes sense but uh yeah like again like definitely would not recommend it just don't know like I'm going to start recommending you travel halfway across the world for a height well that's why Steven costlo and Alan Philpot are going to be competing at Eternal on the 8th of February and we'll be keeping you updated on that event so if you are new to the channel make sure to like And subscribe and and tell a friend because we are here every week but Ross we have to get into the action that just happened over the weekend Bellator had their final show in Dubai and Paul Hughes was in the main event against Usman Nur magov it went to decision and the winner was Usman n magov Ross what did you make of this F I think this is one of the best fights under the pfl Bellator Banner that we've seen like it was right up there and uh with with mcran fight I think it was absolutely insane um I thought Paul Hughes really became the star that he has proclaimed himself to be uh in this show and I think obviously he went out against AJ mcke and people were like right this guy is Uber talented and then obviously going in there against Naga mov 170 uh Naga mov has beaten everyone fairly handly to be honest like I think a lot of his like decision wins are sort of 50 45s across the board and then paules went in there and he stuck it on him um he definitely landed the better shots uh out of the two and the heavier shots I think he stoned Merm mag made up at certain times he in the second round he did that sort of uh jumping tep kick and like that that sent him back down his ass so like I think like these sort of things like that we saw we haven't seen that D or mag made before and yeah Paul ues is the real deal he really really is and I think um like I suppose for the Casual fans like if you were to like rank Paul 's and like the UFC rankings because like that's sort of the the litus test I would say like put it this way Don hooker is ranked six in the UFC if Paul fought Don hooker tomorrow I would favor Paul ues to win what are your thoughts on that statement Bas um I I'd agree after that performance over the weekend uh looking at the world rankings on topology beforehand Paul was ranked like I think they said 56th and Usman was ranked like 26 now that's obviously changed but um I I think yeah well I I was just seeing just to be because uh because I was trying to look at like who the Usman fought before because uh in the buildup the way the fight was promoted this is the fight that they're they're really really pushing and they're actually pushing Paul more I know they used khabib clips but uh Paul was the guy that pfl AK Bellator AKA Bellator um they wanted Paul to win I feel like the the the company really wanted Paul to win there and of course we did as well so like that suits us but um I was like looking at the rankings at the way like Usman was saying like who are you like you're a nobody um the the amount of people that traveled over way there was a bit of a scuffle at the weigh-ins um the way like watching the fight the way Usman kick ball PA in the balls three times and then uh I think Paul gotman with one one groin one kicking the balls back um like like he was said after the fight the way he took Paul lightly I I thought you just can't really take Paul Hughes lightly like he's uh like I know many fighters have dedicated their whole lives to this but the way Paul carries himself and believe the way he believes in himself it's it's elite yeah absolutely it is Elite and like I think throughout the fight um like we saw one like went down to take his uh his break um from I think was it was there there was a headbutt I think in there at some stage as well yeah I think that was like the fourth round yeah and like Paul uses there like licking licking the blood off his gloves call on Newman hyping up the crowd like he showed he was he is the ultimate showman in there I don't think there's a fighter on this planet who like would excite you more inside the Oxon than Paul you so I think at the moment like he's mosty TV in there his fights are absolutely unmissable and I actually think like when I was watching the fight I thought Usman won round one I thought P won round two and I had like round three and four were like really close and like I was sort of edging them towards Paul I felt like Usman need to pull something out the bag in the fifth and even the fifth round even the way it finished with like Paul U like peppering Up Against the Cage I just couldn't believe that two the judges said Paul U won one round out of those four h I just think you didn't add in the uh point taken away d That's what I'm saying that's that's that's what I was getting at where 48 46 it means that they basic that two of the judges said that Paul Hughes won one round out of the five rounds and I just don't buy that for a second one the George said pa won two rounds and he was one three look the rounds are close enough that like if that's the way the judges went like I I wouldn't claim you know robbery as much but at the end of the day if you're telling me Paul you won one of those uh five rounds I just don't believe that for a second I think going into the last round it was sort of like two rounds each and then Usman had a point taken away from him as well so and then in the following round I thought Paul won like even even the way at the end of the third round Usman had his head down and Paul was like had his posture up like it felt like Paul was really breaking him down like and then at the end the way Usman sort of had his arm around Paul being like geez I was it looked like he was like oh man I got I got real lucky there didn't I Paul sort of thing um big time and like the body language for spelled to say that Usman thought Paul used one yeah you know I mean the thing is if that fight was actually on in Belfast I think Paul would have won it as well well like not to get too pedantic about it right like salato who scored the basally 49 46 with the point auction to huse only gave Paul H round number four right the George who then scored a draw only or sorry also scored a 49 46 of the Points Auction only gave Paul Hughes round five right and then the George who scored the draw actually gave Paul Hughes round two on round four so three different judges gave Paul Hugh three different rounds so like the judg like obviously it was a very very close fight the only round that was like unanimous that uh Paul Ed lost was rounds one and then round three and then and the other like between across the judges they each said one of the judges said he won round two four and five so that just goes to show you how like nonlinear the judges were you know yeah well that the the fight did seem quite close as well it's not as if Paul blew him out of the water but I do feel at the end that Paul won it I'm not being biased I was wearing the end of CH his classes for that fight every other fight I was I talked to off that I think I think it was uh a rough one to a rough one to swallow but uh I I suppose Jews for transparency as well if you go on Maad decisions.com H you'll see some of the ma media people give it and I can see five gave it mag made of the 48 46 and then three gave it a draw um look I think I think the draw is sort of acceptable I don't think Usman won four rounds that's just my take on it um be hard to convince me otherwise yeah look it is what it is look while user stock has now gone through the roof like he is absolutely mosty he is someone who like people are don't see M out there and I suppose the next question is always what will they do next B uh I I feel like how can pfl not make the rematch like show me the fight in the lightweight division that people want to see because I don't think it's there well we're going to have to come up with a few options because I saw post fight that Usman was saying that he wants Paul to fight three or two uh three or four times before he gets another Toler shot and the thing is right that sounds a bit scary to C from in my books 100% but the thing is like what other options are there I know you just asked me that but like try and come up with a few names while I sort of explain this like go like Usman is the champion right and Paul fought twice before under the banner and then f for the title and now Usman saying like he has Ramadan coming up and he doesn't want to fight against till the summer or the end of the year when they go back to Dubai and like what he said actually sort of made sense because like say if Paul was the champion and then Usman fought to that and then like like does Paul deserve a rematch straight away I don't know but of course I want to see a rematch straight away but is that fair on the rest of the division well like I don't think anyone else particularly puts their hand up like obviously AJ mcke would have been the next best Contender and obviously Paul 's beat him quite soundly so like look I do think that Paul's next fight should be in Belfast I feel like he has that start on about now so if usman's going to be out for a while you could run it back with potentially AJ mcke and like have that as the main event um I think obviously that would do major numbers and the thing is as well right sorry sorry for interrupting that's the end of Bellator out so like that title is basically Absol well I think they should just hand Usman mag off the pfl lightweight title and think let that be that aren't they doing like a tournament now so wouldn't he be like the lightweight champion and they're doing a tournament so maybe that tournament has to go true and then the winner fights who when next I think that's what they're sort of going to be trying to do you know what it's actually very hard to tell what they're exactly tring to do because at the end of the day I actually think the tournament format to me is a bit dead if I'm honest like the last person to win the lightweight was Oben merci and I don't think people are going to be screaming for Oben Mercier versus uh Usman or magov but if that's what they're going to do that's what they're going to do um and like you call that the new pfl champion Bren primis is there as well um he lost his last fight uh in the P or Bellator whichever way you want to call it uh against um ranov I think his name was uh but again like rabadanov obviously great record 23 and four but or 24 and four I think maybe but like at the end day like Hugh verus rabit danov is not something that's going to really uh sell numbers I actually think I actually think that was the 2024 lightweight championship against primis so like does he fight Usman magam made off next like what you do that in Dubai next maybe like obviously if you're doing like a Russia versus Russia or dagistan versus Russia whatever maybe du is the best place for that but at the end of day pfl want start take themselves serious and have big fights the same way I put it this way if UFC was on um that weekend on pfl pfl like we're still getting a lot of traction a lot of the time UFC and pfl are on pfl gets left in the dust that mag of Ed for gued an awful lot of traction and I would say that is the most amount of traction I've seen for a pfl f that doesn't involve uh Fran and of all time yeah I think I think the way I I was sort of trying to like earlier on I was like where does Paul sort of rank now with pfl because I think Paul's a bigger star than newsman now that that might be B towards the European proba he's probably the largest star that I I would put him on like uh similar level to Brandon lch and Dakota I think they're pfl's three biggest stars on the roster who were like actively fighting all the time notu because like inu's fought once in four years for them yeah but this is what I'm going to get get it I actually think Paul is now bigger than Brenda Loch and Dakota daa potentially but also like there's also a massive amount of recency voice there it' be interesting to see like I always think like that fight was huge but let's see what happens to the next fight that makes sense um for for Paul or for what they sort of all them and then you get a better sort of vibe off it obviously when someone comes off like f of the year you're gonna feel their startom at an alltime high you know I know but yeah when Dakota won the million dollars like she felt like a massive star in terms of M women's MMA she felt like maybe the largest women's MMA star no I'm not saying there not I'm just saying I think Paul is like a gone above because just based on when Brandon has won his I know I know well I'm just putting out there I think when Brandon has won his tournaments I I don't think it really went that big I like I don't like it it was sort of briefly discussed but I don't think it really brought uh brought more to maybe maybe maybe that was because like he's from the UK and he's not from Marland we don't like we weren't into it as much if you know what I mean um potentially but uh no like very valid point put it this way I don't think anyone has ever fought for a belt in pfl or Bellator lost and come out with so much upside that's the thing as well like he's actually like obviously if he won he'd be even it'd be even bigger but like he's after like he's basically won the hearts of M May fans all over the world yeah that's the thing you know what I mean boy like it's it like life is weird that picture that picture of him like with like the blood stringing down his face and the smirk on his face like that will go down in MMA history like that will never be forgotten like that is like one of like the most like pictures I've seen like I wouldn't be surprised if that one like photographed the year for 2025 like that was absolutely insane remember you asked what's the most iconic moment from Bellator yeah well now we have it now we have it but like Paul Hughes like as he says like that man is horny for violence and like that man like he he like you should just fight every every month like people can't get enough B years right that one like play him like he went into the fire and not only that like I think he had like one sequence where like he got like ragged all a bit for about 30 seconds in terms of wrestling but bar that his wrestling defense was so spot on you know what I mean it when I think only like dominated the wrestling like one time and that was it um M shed must be like like like a the dagistan of Belfast yeah exactly exactly they must have got a B together afterwards but uh yeah like what what a performance like Paul use like take a b my friend take a b that was that was absolutely insane and pfl really have something there with them so I think like Yeah The Next Step for them is to bring a show back the S because Paul hasn't got to have that moment in the you know me when cage Warriors went there he didn't F on that card and like he deserves that crowning moment to come back to a Belfast H crowd um be the main event there could they put him in the European tournament no he's too big for that oh no but they just like I I feel like he needs a belt they I feel like they want him a belt yeah but I think uh he could do like a one-off event like it doesn't necessarily have to be any tournament related or it's the first round of the World tournament and like they stack it with top European tell like May Paul is the main event you know Dakota's Co main event and L M is the third last fight do it that way you know what I mean or whichever way like like it's not a lot to ask the UK fans from Manchester to travel to Belfast Belfast yeah as I was saying before I pull the headphones out in excitement I think that pfl need to come Bast put on Stars through the show and like with that like the car can make itself you can go Paul 's Main Event theota Co Main Event r knck down next fight down there a whole host of f lads who you could sign for one night one night only you also have like you're Nathan Kelly Kenny Moana h on cheran Etc like you know mean you can really fill the card out and I think with Paul 's in Belfast it feels like a real headliner and it feels like that like you can really go all in there and you can bring John Mitchell over from Dubai you know I mean and like you could have an absolutely star sort of show there you know I mean like there's plenty of people who like Haven signed with promotions like someone like a a bran Manning could do uh qu ticket sales up there uh someone like you know I know the other half of cage conflict M event which an absolute Banger sea mccor he could he could fight on that card um and there's an absolute Booker load of other people who who go fight on those cards pfl have a massive opportunity here to come to Belfast put PA give him give him his flowers and build an absolute massive card and it could be the start of a world tour and I think the World Championships that they do a lot of the times they're just in America why not make the world championships actually something worldwide and take a leap out of gfls book and bring those couple of uh shows all around the world you do the first round maybe in Belfast then you do the next round maybe in Dubai then you do the finals in the states or whatever way you want to go about it and do it that way and remake it a global worldwide um thing for fans to follow yeah and for the first time in a long time people are excited about the pfl it's all they Paul use that's the thing when Paul signed the pfl were having none of like other Fai fighters on on the like on the roster it was just Paul and that was one of the biggest issues that was going on for a while was the fact it was like one gym and one gym only where really representing the Bellator but brand or sort of pfl wars and now after to doing that and like everyone knows in IR how strong Fai is and to get more of them fighters on the card uh that like would really blow it up so like bfl have something now as they close that chapter on Bellator and we are really excited to see what happens next especially if or Fighters are involved and also just one last point on that the amount of fans that travel to watch Paul 's fight in Dubai the only time fans have traveled in their droves that much and then that numbers and made their presence that felt has been for McGregor fight weeks no other time have ever seen it at the weigh-ins there was a scuff even between the orange fans and the magm fans you could hear on the broadcast us us you know I mean like you never hear that anywhere for any Irish fighter outside of Ireland brought the brought the fans with them abroad and like that's incredible to see like pfl should should really feel like they've they've really captured something special here at Paul Hughes shout out to Paul Hughes yeah so we cannot wait to see what happens next and we will be we are definitely looking forward to it because even people even looking at people's Instagram stories if they weren't a fan beforehand they certainly are now because if you don't know now you know yeah because this is not just fighting this is entertainment as well uh Ross we're going to have to discuss just briefly on the co man event neov de uh you're or me Timothy Johnson Timothy Johnson um would you like to see Nam for Francis and ganu next like yes and no as in like yes I think that's the best available option on the pfl roster but like it doesn't actually overly excite me to be honest like if you're trying to sell me a pay-per-view in ganu versus neov it just doesn't really do it for me to be honest but I think that's the best available option yeah same here and then also what if you did sorry just come back on that what if he did enanu versus neov and then K event Hughes versus Usman that's something people might pay money for yeah I'll be interested to see if they make that fight but it just seems like that the that team doesn't want it yeah the nag made of Camp does not does not want that PO and if I was D I wouldn't want to straight away either yeah well when he hit that switch in the fifth round and he got back up on top like I don't think nor mag felt that very often no undefeated as well man that that's the crazy thing uh so Ross n Kelly was like also lost on the card um after like during the first round when he got that elbow and then ran over on top um like I really thought he was about to finish it um what's it make of n Kelly's performance yeah I think uh look he obviously struggled with the dagani wrestling you know what I mean uh similar to Kenny moana's performance but uh yeah you look I think it just goes to show how dangerous Nathan Kelly is and how much he has the ability to end the fight at any moment and I think maybe he just overexert himself that too much in in that instance did he you know get see see red and and see the finish and and go for it a little bit too hard and if he kept his distance a bit more would he would the finisher come for him um but look uh magam off or I hope that's how you say his name or magamed whichever his name is people know who I'm talking about he he uh he actually did a really good job he gained his composure and then uses wrestling to Advantage and like he sort of just suffocated Nate with that dag s St and uh look the Finish was really really impressive on his end um it's not not too often you'll see see uh Nathan Kelly um submitted so um I suppose you just have to give credit where credits du but again I think Nathan Kelly will bounce back from that I think uh he is a Newber talented Irish Prospect yeah and then uh also Kenny M NOA lost by decision to Ibraham ibrahimov um yeah look Kenny like he was basically fighting most the fight off his back and he did trying and throw up some uh submissions at time some some arm bars and some triangles and even some uh chokes but I think at the end of the day H Ibraham ibrahimov is like a top tier Prospect his uh his grappling is absolutely brilliant I think when we saw the Judo throw in the first round H I think that sort of gave us a feel for how the fight was going to go uh big shout out to Kenny he never gave up throughout the entire fight he fought right to the right to the death uh but Ibraham ibrahimov he's only 20 years old I think we're trying to guess what age he was last time I said I think I said he like definitely know more than 22 he's only 20 um he is someone who the pfl are seriously backing and again he's another person from Manchester so uh I think pfl should probably have a look at that AO Arena at some stage with uh with Dakota with Ibraham and with Brandon lochman at some stage and then John Mitchell won as wellion um he was on to us it it looked it looked dodgy in the second round when he was in that Guillotine yeah really really did look that guillotin looked super tight but uh that cork toughness really prevailed him and uh didn't tap out and went on to get the win so great to see uh John Boy back in the win column under the pfl banner and uh I'd love to see a really active 2025 that same here so when also the man the man who got Steven Costo the uh the fights in Eternal M May what a guy yeah and if you haven't noticed we had Steven on the show on Thursday before he he flew he actually headed off on Sunday and today is Monday that's just a little secret so keep that to yourself uh don't tell anyone yeah don't tell anyone but uh Ross that wraps with the pfl Dubai card overall what did you make of the production and um overall what's you make of the card yeah something like I suppose I'm just used to the pfl production I think uh the walk I think could be a bit longer to like to the cage if that makes sense um one was quite long yeah but like that was the main event you sort expect to be a bit longer but uh I feel like you go make yourself C team like you miss both walkouts and they're both in the in the cage right rock type of thing um but yeah I tell like like I'm okay with the I'm just used to the commentary team at this stage Dan Hardy Shan O Connell and I thought it was cool when they got like Dakota there um like on the mic I feel like that's what they should be doing with their Stars uh I don't remember seeing any like VTS of like someone with like gaming headphones on talking like that that was uh that was something that I enjoyed and like yeah I I just feel like overall their production is improving but I still think it it can still improve that little bit more yeah actually Brandon L was great on the mic as well I feel like he could be that could be a future career for himself um then there is just a couple announcements as well Fighting fight Academy Ireland ree Skeletor mcke is back Ross this news Pro class night it it is indeed um gez we were sitting on this news I think from the 9th of January so what's that like over two weeks we're sitting on this news um re Skeletor mcke is back H he is fighting Daniel F fluenza uh who fought on Dana W Contender series he's fighting on the 5th of April over in Las Vegas live from the Apex H hopefully it's on one of the earlier prelims how how it won't be too late in the night for us love the Irish fans but uh Skeletor is back and I expect nothing more of them to get the win I feel like this is a a nice stint in terms of training camp for him he'll have well over the 12 weeks to get himself ready and I think he he's ready for I feel like he's been ready like since October last year to try and get a fight and uh I feel like this is this has H been a make or break situation for him and uh that man loves loves the added pressure there and uh I think he's going to come out and show the best version of ree mcke we have ever seen and I'm sure he was very much inspired being over in Dubai for that part youth F I think Lads of people were were like you know what I mean um you just can't yeah it's just like you can't do like I know or MMA was sort of slagged off by could be but like it's up to these fighters to really go improve themselves and show people that they are the real deal like you know I mean talk is cheap that's why that's why we do the podcast absolutely absolutely the Russ um just before we get into this weekend's action b o Fighting Championship was on over the weekend and Jeremy Stevens AKA who the [ __ ] is that guy defeated Eddie Alvarez um just in the buildup for this like it seemed like everyone wanted Eddie Alvarez to win but uh Jeremy Stevens upset the apple card yeah well it was in Philly like it was in Eddie Alvarez's Hometown so like I'm not surprised people it was like being built for him to win but uh look uh Jeremy Stevens went in there little heeden got the job done um and him and McGregor had a face off afterward so who knows if that's the next fight in the card um who knows what the legalities of that will hold um we have to wait wait and see but uh Jeremy Stevens still doing the damn thing H he must be well over 50 professional fights at this stage um hopefully that was enough to set Eddie Alvarez off into the sunset yeah well who knows like these Lads Love it like if you're doing bar knuckle you AB absolutely love like kings of violence and then um Ross this weekend the UC is backb is gone down in Saudi Arabia and in the main event Israel adna is taking on nazarine imov Ross Israel Adisa is back from his time off yeah I can't wait to see which version of Israel adania we get um I think I would slightly favor him this matchup just because he has that five round experience I think also bringing Rober Robert Whitaker into your camp but definitely can't hurt as well and look I think obviously he's he's the bigger star the UFC would love it but in terms of actual fight I want to see the comain event is where it's at for me Sher Bullet versus MVP two of the best and most entertaining Strikers you'll see in that welterweight division except this or sorry one wewe one middleweight this one's up Middle Way MVP is moving up I can't wait to see it I think that is you know F fans dream right there that's that that's one that uh people will be really looking forward to see why do you think MVP is moving up I think I think it's probably the matchup I don't think it's necessarily a permanent move to middleway but I think like him versus Shola at middleweight or something that I think would excite him yeah it's going to be very interesting um then there's also a few other good scraps on the card Sergey pavlovich is taking on jinho Rosen strike and so nag made off another Naga made off but this one isn't actually related to The Lads uh he's on the card H Aram askarov is also on the card then r Terence mcken you also had a lot of hype is on this one as well and then an SVG what would you say what you talking about Jasmine jaav vicius she she does she does train in SBG Ireland so that's want to watch out for it well I would has trained in has trained in USG Floy and visit I would go that far she was in Ireland before she she she's the one who does like jumps into Joe Rogan's arms after she wins except obviously it won't be Joe that's not her that's not her that's the that's no that's like the Greek woman all right well myus or something like that jasan ja deicious uh she has been she has trained in SG Ireland so a lot of the SG Irish there you go me and two absolute casuals pure casuals man biggest casuals in the game they said uh Ross that that is the the well that's that's the what people should be looking out for for at UFC Saudi Arabia but uh also the Fighting Irish are back this week and the only Irish athlete competing is Ryan K on hexagon MMA this Saturday as well so last time out Ryan was actually defeated on hexagon but it was actually overturned due to your man failing a like a drugs test Ross POS for steroids yeah had to he had to go on the steroids to face Ryan K so Ryan k is looking to goting I feel like he's red debuting on the pro ranks now he's getting a fair crack I I think look royan K was really really good at the amateur uh scene he was K Legacy champ champ so shout out to Ryan presu brown belt very talented H young guy so let's go royan k let's go Ryan K uh and then coming up next week UFC 312 is going down trick d is taking on Sean Strickland for the second time and then H also we'll be previewing more of Steven costlo Bo on Eternal and Alan Philip Hots and we will be obviously recapping all the action from the week coming up uh Ross anything else that you want to say before we wrap things up but no but if you want to be here for the best Irish MMA coverage in the world make sure to like share subscribe and as always stay energized stay energized Jitsu by day energize show by night