Rogger Lopez interview

Ringkasan

Roger Lopez is a professional fighter representing SBG HQ he recently traveled to Spain to compete on AFC, He explains the difficulties himself and other fighters from the same gym faced between fight week having flights booked, not having transport from the airport and not…

Transkrip (youtube_captions)

my friend Mr. Roger the Peruvian nightmare Lopez h I want to say it was about four weeks ago uh him and a couple of other lads from SG Marano Ryan Koa Kim car and Finn Lson and and I was talking to him about about the show as well and there was a couple of things that I had heard that I uh wanted to kind of expand on more in an interview with Roger himself. So first of all thank you very much for your time. How are you today? And how are you feeling? Because obviously I know you're you're out at the minute. You're probably not going to be back to next year. How is your health first and foremost, bro? >> Well, brother, like my head wasn't in the right place, but like look, we we power through it, you know. We try to not look behind and go forward. Well, like I would love to talk about the this show because obviously for any type of of fighters like like ourselves, they put they put too much and danger our life because you know we are already dead and if you think about it getting in the cage it's just it's just it's just you could lose everything in the moment. You know what I mean? Like that's what we do. Cool. And yes, talk about that show. It just it was just the worst show. Like if I telling you he may looks like they or Paul from now on they may look like he they're done away. You know what I mean? And it's supposed to be this show this show in Spain supposed to be really good and big because of the way they sell on the venue. The venue is like the tree arena bro. You know what I mean? Like you said a show like that now you know that you're getting stepping in kind of like a a good in a good what's it called promotion you know what I mean but yeah look my hand is good I just getting through to small details now I got surgery how you can see I just recovering after surgery my face was swollen very bad I got fracture in my cheekbone p that I think all all what happened in that it's just like it wasn't it wasn't all may come you know what I mean like like you could be you could be over there and then one of you become sorry my my work but one of them then people like come and they try to mess with your head and try to mess with all all all it's kind of like in your contract go straight away to the bottom like you know what I mean but look you contact me the questions and we truly. >> Yeah. So, so first of all, tell us the name of the promotion uh and how you the the first contact was made. We'll start from the very beginning and then I'm going to work through the different stages and then the different diff the different issues that you had at certain stages so we kind of don't miss anything rather than going straight into fight day or this. We'll start what's the name of the promotion and how did the fights come about? Did they approach you? Did you approach them? Did they approach Dave? Or or what way? Like look to be honest I was looking for opponents obviously how you could see the promotion cost AFC Academy fighting championship okay that's located in Spain and PL like I was looking for opponent who you could see I'm the most unlucky the guy in this game moment because I call myself unlucky because I know my skills you know I know my skills and the standing the ground between wrestling wrestling size but um yeah like I was look I was looking for opponents I was getting frustrated to not get a fight Sunday I was in and out I go like a small injuries like LCL MCL but I was recovering fast and then I was sh I was ready like my like I was actually asking to coach Roach and I actually own Cheryl for indust sponsor own sher you get me that is sponsorship own shadow now but not anymore I say but I telling you is I got my I got my match in there you know and I was happy I go really good camp you pool and to get that. It was for me when they the way they pull me the things I was like, "Oh yes, looks like a a big event." You know what I mean? And and then so obviously so that's all good from that stage. You seen On there, he sponsored them. They're selling out like you said three arena. So you're expecting you're going to be going in and getting this professional promotion and and like you just said you fought on clan wars and you fought on IUR and you said those shows which are held in smaller venues seem like better run shows compared to obviously what you got. So when when when was the first issue arose cuz I know you've traveled there. I know one of the issues was when you got there. Is that was that the first time you had an issue or was there? No, the issue was when the flights on the staff like we all was fighting and we all like where is our flights? You know what I mean? Like if the show is going to happen, we all like all the fighters obviously coaches John and Roach was texting them and like like if is flight boo or something and they're like yeah we have we have life book but they never sent details anything at all. So I think we we got notice of flight book on Monday five weeks and then we're like okay and then we we can fly on Wednesday. So yes like it was a lot of back and forth that we was thinking if the fight is going to happen or not. You know what I mean? So from that moment we was like look even regardless we just need to stay stay sharp. You know what I mean? So we was all follow the the follow the the protocol, you know what I mean? We was keep going five week, we had to keep it clean, go on our diet because we had to make way on that week, you know what I mean? >> Yeah. Yeah. And then like that with the flights as a fighter, right, when it comes to fight week. Yeah. Because I don't know, have have you fought abroad before? Did the flights usually come in at an earlier stage like two or three weeks before or a week before? Like does that mess with your mind thinking is this show happening? Is it not happening? You've got a weight cut to do then as well. Does that mess with your mentality coming into a fight week? >> Well, kind of like a like there should be no problem. The flight should be booked already. You know what I mean? The flight should be a week before, you know what I mean? Because and once you are in a camp, you you know if you step if you are two weeks before, it's not risk much to get injured anymore. You know what I mean? Because now it's nothing to win. You won't win fitness. You won't you won't win technician because obviously you have all of that. What you want to win is try to stay safe so you come back to the h to the fight. You know what I mean? So we all was like oh the last fight the last the last event they go had to be cancelled. What is Lee and and Mario? They're supposed to find that show and it was cancelled. Nate was supposed to find that show and they were cancelled too. So we was kind of like a oh is this going to happen? You know what I mean? >> Yeah. And yeah, I can imagine cuz like that if if if they've castled before, you're going to be thinking is this going to happen? And like you said, you've put in there there was what five five or six is going to all camps all starting to waterload all starting to do this. The next issue then you get over there on the flights when you land there. This is this is the part that kind of I I I didn't understand at all in the slight is how it happened. What happened when you landed there? >> So basically they knew at the time where we supposed to land over there and we was already from early start. Yeah. So we we we flew over from from Dublin to to Barcelona. Barcelona to Pamplona. Okay. We go there over there about what 5:00 around that time 6:00 and we we expect to have a like a transport straight away to go like we was actually I was the one because obviously all my friends training partners over here in the gym we all speak English. I'm the only one who speaks Spanish. So they was like, "You are the you are the one finishing, but I'm like I'm also I'm the one do the most wo over here." You know what I mean? Like in my head was like I need to get some food. I need to get some water. I don't have the time to to negotiation with people about if we get a tax. No. So I contact that that promotion. We say oh sorry we are having a we're having issues with transport. We give you back. We we we we have news as soon as we can. Yeah. And then we're like, what do you mean soon as we can? We're over here sent stand on the outside waiting around. We're an hour now. And then we had to get transport from the airport to where we staying is an hour drive. You know what I mean? >> Yeah. >> So we I was like we left over here. I only go scramble eggs first morning and then it was about the time we go to the to the hotel over there. It was 11:00, you know what I mean? Like it was just drink just loading water and then we didn't have any food, anything. We were just completely chartered, you know what I mean? It was tired. And I think when we get there, we met in the hotel, we met the owner of the promotion. His name is Javier and he was like he straight away start like I don't know what's going on with him. He's the one type of person. Okay, you're not even asking what he does or what he has but he want to show you what he do what he has and you're like mate we don't care. We just need to make the check in and go get something to eat like we need to eat. You know what I mean? We need to we need to feed something because we didn't have nothing at all. And then he was just one of them people that like, "Oh, me, this, me, that, I had this, I had that." Like, I own hotels in Dublin. I'm like, "We don't care. We just want to we just want to go in hotel and then chill." You know what I mean? >> Hotels in Dublin, but he can't organize a car to come pick you up from the airport. Like, as well, just for context for people watching this as well, what day was this? And at what stage of a weight cut were you in? Were you was this water loading? Was this that like was this th Wednesday, Thursday? Like so just for so people at home can understand what day it was and how deep of a wake up cut you were like what stage of the wake up cut were you in? So what were your feelings like? >> So basically you know I do a big wake up. >> Yeah. So and about 77 80 kg fella and it was on Wednesday. Wednesday. Wednesday we land over there. So for me to do to make Friday 10:00 a.m. 66 I had to do two wles Tuesday night and then Friday morning. Okay. So for me I not just go everything once. So I I break it down. Okay. So for me just me try to deal with something my head is knowing that. You get me? So from that the things starting going horrible to be honest. I was like I was kind of like a man shut the up. I tried to be nice or just I need to go to get something something to it you know but he's like that person is just horrible to be honest like we we had to be professionals all the time you know so we couldn't just tell it pop off or like you know. >> Yeah I I that's that's a word that springs to mind that I would have been telling. Was there any apology or any kind of any acknowledgement from the promoter that you did have to wait uh for that? And sorry, by the way, did you get a taxi yourself or did they actually send someone to you? >> No, we had to look for a taxi. >> And so did you you had to pay that out of your own pocket then? Yes. >> No. Like that's the problem. They were like, "Okay, get the taxi. We send you the money after." Say, "Mate, we What do you mean send the money after?" No, tell send the money now or you booked in taxes like but like it was just very bad organization. I was talking with one lad and the other lad say one second I need to talk with the other one the other one I had to tell the boss and then there was like a ping pong you know what I mean and like who I had to talk properly so the one who looks like yes look that one is there is there you know what I mean >> that's that that's crazy cuz like you know the show in Cork Elite they had an issue with if I was coming to Dublin obviously they're in Cork I live up near Dublin I was going to the show they rang me said whatever transfers after falling out said look Dave if we give you money or rent you a car or we'll get you a night down here or something. Will you bring the guy down? And that's how it's supposed to be done and whatever happened with the the their original transfer. So, this all happened within like the the morning of him landing, you know, the day of him landing. So, if they were able to organize that that quickly, but then again, maybe it's because they have better contacts, they have better relationships with people. I don't know if especially the way you're speaking. But one of the things another thing as well, you're talking about a way cut. Yeah. Was was it I believe were the sauna is broken as well. >> Oh it stopped. So basically yeah so Tuesday so basically when we go to the hotel the first thing where we look it up is the bus. Yeah. So the not on the on the the plug you know the plug where you so we had to improvisize. Okay, Tuesday the night we hadn't propized had to put a lot of wet paper in the in the hole and then we had to put seal tape and then we had to run that had to run the bath like that. So no problem. Coach Jones gives us a sound blanket to make the wake up more easy. Okay. So we went to the bus on Tuesday night let myself and Mario because it was the only two we were doing a big wake. So I went to the on the bus 20 minutes in the bus after 20 minutes I went to my rap sound and blanket 45 minutes in the sand the blanket I lost I lost like a 2 kilo foundation okay and then I have about 3 kilo to go. Yes. And then what happen is we say, "Okay, all good." We go to sleep. Let the body rest a little bit. We wake up Friday morning. We do the next next the the next day to finish the wake up. Me and Mario, we wake up in the morning, Friday, and we went to run the bath. The bath it was the water was no cold, no hot at all. Like didn't heat up water at all. It was like it was like man we can't make wake up and then talking about with the coaches Roach and and we was talking with Shane because he's Shane is good in in the wake. So he learns a lot doing that too. We were like okay look it's different way we want to do it but we had to get into the rap and blanket sound blanket. I spent nearly an hour in that block. Yeah. And I only lost.5. >> Wow. when you you still had three to lose at this stage. Yeah. >> Yeah. Like I was five when I look at look at Shan look at like do you touch them already? It's not whole water in the venue like they supposed have all of us with everything like had to be everything with all the facilities to make the way you know so we made way for it happens you know what I mean so and I gain in the sound I only plus.5 we text early the show and then the show didn't reply about half 9 and the weights are from 10 to 11 Okay. Okay. So that shall bring us and say okay we want to go on the sound. Well me and Mario say yes look we need to be professional here. We need to make way. So no matter what let's go to the sound and the sound we not recommended do much cooking the sona because you know that he in the head is the worst. So we went we we they bring us nearly 10:00 myself and Mario. We was sound getting in the sound. Our head it was like bump it boom boom boom boom boom and we're like Mario and we were like we are bolex so we probably breaking sweat over here. You know what I mean? So we took about an hour and a half to nearly two hours couldn't the rest of the way like to be scientifically scientifically if we have only 10 or 12 hours cup of the rotation no more. >> Yeah. So from the time when we done on Tuesday night, we supposed to be by Tuesday 10:00 a.m. That's should be all our 12 hours. You get me? So we stay on the scale, we weigh in, we go back to rotation again. So we didn't go, we made we made way struggling. We look at Mario. Mario look at me and we're like, bro, and we are professional. M were like, "Oh, they're going to take 100 quid for for for a.5 or 1 kilo and we lost." It's like, "No matter what, we need to stand on the scales away." You know what I mean? Marty is like, "Yes, Chico. Let's do it." Like, "Let's go." And we was we were struggling that the the worst wake we ever ever done like like we was struggling. We made way we went to the venue about 12 each and then we made way. I standing the scales weighing made it. Then the next thing what happened is the owner started texting to to coach Roach saying oh we didn't make way we are disasters blah blah blah like like like we didn't wait on time anything and we were like are you communicating each other or what we are texting from 8:00 in the morning to try to source out a place where we can go and just make way you know what I mean we should be by the venue before 10:00 and happy days If you have all the facilities for us, but now we are struggling. We text you and now you try to place us on us, you know what I mean? Like we were just I was just fuming at that point. You know what I mean? I was like just going need to stand on the scales. That's all. And then he just he just complaining like he was like, "Oh, we have a taxi outside." And then one of his one of his his his team came down to pick us up and then the taxi had to be left there. But like it's no one's fault, you know what I mean? If you communicate with your team, you could facilitate the way how we get there, you know? And yeah, till that point it [clears throat] was okay. And then we had to do face off. Yeah. So Tuesday, so Friday night 7:00 we had to do face off. I only got two cars and about three teams in the hotel to had to go to the face off. my selling chain. We was waiting over there and the first thing he start texting me. He start sending me the the the contract rules blah blah. You had to be the vendor. I say, "Mate, what are you talking about? You only send two cars about three things over here to go over there. We still waiting for another transport." Bro, he was just give me a lot of stick. And I turn around and say, "Sh, I want I want to butcher this." You know what I mean? I just want to I want to see him and I want to make him look like me how I look like right now. You know what I mean? And she like, "Don't worry, bro. Don't don't don't worry. Don't don't don't just wait over here. We just we tried to keep everything calm, easy, cool." We went to the We went to to the face off and then he was he he wasn't even there, bro. He was the whole team. We made the face off. That face not even starting. He was complaining already. And next thing, he just start emailing coach Roach. emailing coach Ro giving out blah blah blah and then emailing us me personally I like I don't want to listen to this prick you know what I mean like  him I just need to keep continue what I'm doing and Friday night everything happened we tried we were like bro look we need to eat something we are in a place where the first was food around like we want to stop quickly and we get some food and then we ask him Luke after eat can you book a transport to go back to the hotel and we we don't want to sleep for tomorrow show and he were like oh no look you have to leave now you know we no one will be here no one can do man it's easy book a taxi for us and we get on the place you know what I mean like nothing else but he was just on our back giving out too much and like let's let's not listen it so Friday night we were like this brick is doing anything to make us f you know what I mean and then next thing we hear the message say you had to be at the venue at 3:00 or half 3 we get we went there half 3 like why we had to go too early the show won't start about 6:00 they say 6:00 we supposed to be there at 5 we do the medical and then yeah No, it's obligatory. Everyone had to be there three or have three. Okay, cool. Like I don't feel like the other go too much struggle because they fall early in the car. I go that come event when we go when we go to the venue. We was like, "Okay, where is the medical?" And then people from his hand of of of the promotion came down and say, "Look, you're a firefighter from SVG. You stay in this room." No match in the room at all. Not much. So, we had to go around the venue to looking for match and anything. We brought few match and then they come down. Oh, no. The the venue doesn't want to you take the match. I like what? So, how we were supposed to go work? No, doesn't matter. Yeah, let's  warm up. So, we are to warm up. Boom. We go over there and we're like, "Where is the medical?" We are over here 6:00. The show didn't start till 7. And we're like, "Where is the poxy medical?" No one. We all fall the firefighters from no single one go medical from no single one. And we were like, like you made us come early. And now we had to fight without medical. And then he came down and he start giving out to me. They're like, "Oh, you you didn't do your medical." And they say, "Bro, no one know the five of us go medical." And because I was translated helping the fighters on my team to because they was giving out, bro, they gives us a pair of gloves bigger. And then we all there was all my partners, trainers, we were like, "Royer, can you say that? Can you say that? Can you say I was translating even was not my job. You know what I mean? And then the end of the day, he came down to me before and he were like, "Oh, you always late. You are giving out this, you're giving that." Say, "May I'm translating. You supposed to have a translator over here for the L." That's not my job. I just coming to punch around somebody. You know what I mean? I need to punch somebody around somebody. No, we no one goes. Oh, you you won't get medical because the medical are by the cage now. I were like what? Like you made us come home from half tree and now no one got medical that's ridiculous. You know what I mean? And he was bro he one that type of person is that he want to talk and he want to be the one talking. You get me? >> He likes the sound of his own. He likes talking and he likes putting it out there. I'm listening to this going any stages you think this promotion and  this guy >> bro I was about to knock him out bro and but my head was like we I don't I don't need to be selfish over here the last need to be fighting too you know what I mean so by that stage I was like okay cool at least I will fighting about 9:00 [clears throat] 10:00 at least focus it's not many hours and then they were saying Okay, for example, Finn was fighting it like before F will be a break. Okay, and then we like Shane was like, okay, after that break when the break started, F will start warming up. And then when we saw that thing, it was like it was no break at all. So Finn had to do a quick warm up like that so to get in the cage. You know what I mean? Like it was very uh organiz organization at all. You get me? And then by the time I fall, it was 12:00. Like I look at I look sheriff, I look shame, I look rich and they look at me and they're like, "Bro, your eyes are super red." I'm like, "Bro, I'm ready to go to bed. I'm not ready to get step in the cage." You get me? I like like I'm here. Let's do this. But I feel burned down already. Half street tonight to 12:00. I f 12:00, bro. So, how many hours are they? >> What time? So, from half street to 12:00. That's >> nearly 9 hours. >> Yeah. 9 8 and a half hours. Yeah. >> I I can't understand the fact that they're saying about the medicals, right? And that you weren't going to get the medicals, but they gave you your own room because you were fight the fighters together and coaches and all in there as well. Why didn't they send the medical team to your room? >> Exactly. That what they their team say to us. You stay in the room over here. We want we send you the medical thing over here to have a look at all our juice. No, just one allerg. Okay, no problem. And then and then the fight is starting and we're like, where is the medical? We all looking around looking for medical. Where is the medical? And then the fella can come over here. Oh, the medical are by the cage. You you don't get medical. And he talked about was just me the one don't get medical. No one on the last go medical a lot at all, you know. is I don't know. I'll have to look into that. But is it legal even for a fighter to get I I suppose like I don't know who oversees MMA and stuff in Spain but like I know here you know like case conflict clan wars if you don't get your medical that's it. If you like but and they make sure if you like you've obviously fought on decky show you fought for Paul McGlaughlin that when you get there they had you have you at the shows early in Ireland and they're like the reason why is so you can get your medical and get your hands wrapped and you're ready to fight for whenever the fight comes up like >> were you cuz I can see it in you how annoyed that you are at the situation and I'm annoyed listening to you and especially the fact that instead of taking responsib bit like if he turn said look this is my second show I've made I've made some mistakes here you could understand and go look it is what it is just make sure it doesn't happen next time but the fact he's trying to then put it back on to you especially because you translate like I'm not going to lie to you I want to say fair play you for being so professional because I'm not going to lie at some stage there when you were talking I was like for me I'd be like you know what this guy bro I'm gone like and obviously you came on to cuz you want to make sure that have you ever experienced anything that bad previously? >> No, bro. Like to be honest and the fights I've been having especially in MMA over here in Ireland or on the north like I never go so unprofessional level like that. Like when they come down the referees and judges come down to dictate the rules. They're like Royer can you translate? I'm like what? They want to me to translate the rules and everything. And then when they was doing it, it was okay, cool. And then the referees turn around like no oblique kids to the I like what when they when uh uh like prohibiting have obligated kids. That's what that's how the rules are rules or that Spanish rules. Oh no, we don't let that happen over here in Spain. We don't do obligate. Say what? That doesn't make sense at all. You know what I mean? Like, and then they were like, "Oh, you when you hit behind the head, you're allowed everywhere, but just not where the stand that's fine." >> Yeah. [laughter] >> They were like, he like hit here, hit here, here, but not just there. You can't see there. That's all. I like mate, you can't hit basically at all in this part of the area. Yeah. >> From what I believe, it's just behind the ear. Here is where you can hit that >> the center part. No, but from behind it's about here. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> But they were just saying you you weren't allowed to hit just that >> because it's the connected to your It's your spine. Yeah. >> Yeah. They said you can't hit down there say okay cool and then we can b we can we can bang the elbow in the back. No problem. You know what I mean? [snorts] That's how unprofessional they were. You know what I mean? When the fight comes, I look at because I believe for my cal to be honest. Yeah, my cal it was phenomenal. My cal my game like look I'm multi background and fight heavy on my feet but that was not my game because my game was be in and out and I've been doing that a lot on my camp. So I was mentally and physically so strong and happy to get in there till I go to Spain. Everything switch off like that. Boom. I went I was there get in the cage. I supposed be in the blue corner but they change me to the red corner. So they let the other fella walk out after me. So they wanted me to test him walk out. No problem. I don't care. I [snorts] do anyway. But when the ring the bell was on, I felt like I felt my feet was stuck in the ground. I went to fluff. I like bollocks. [laughter] Doesn't matter what. Let's go. You know what I mean? Like I'm the type of like I give everything. That's what I do. I don't care what happened. And once I that cage get lock, I give everything. That's what I've been training for. That's what I love to do. And yeah, like I believe I was not that mental and physically tired, my performance will be a lot of better. You get me? Will be completely different that day. But it's because they drown me. They drown me because I think that was all I set up from them. They drowning you. They drown drown and drown me. Okay. When I got that, I was like, "Bro, I want to go bad. I don't want to go. I don't want to get in a cage." You know what I mean? I was about to step out, bro. But in my head was like, "No, I want I want to fight." You know what I mean? Pull. And I was winning. I won the fifth round. I was winning the second round. And I thought I could finish the second round. Pull it because I was drowning. I got caught. I got caught. But look, that's that's the past now. You know what I mean? Like if I look at all behind, nothing will change. >> Nothing will change. You know what I mean? So I'm kind of like I would love to do I would love to just be able to to to not have any that backlog because I feel like I've been having very bad luck in the game. You know what I mean? But I don't that doesn't show my skills. >> Yeah. Yeah, for me cuz cuz we talked before that I think like when you look at your record, your record isn't a reflection of your skill. You talked about the show how you felt on the show that you you felt like you were tired, you want to go to bed, your eyes were red and I don't blame you that like from the Wednesday to the Saturday sounds like a bit of a nightmare and I can understand sometimes with shows getting people over things can happen. I'm more my my kind of thing about it is is there didn't seem to be any apologies or any accountability from them after the show. Did you have any communication after the show with him to to to talk to him about what had happened? >> No, bro. To be honest, he he sent a big text to coach Roach. Yeah. And he was like, "Oh, the Royer says this and that and blah blah blah blah blah." He basically I go blame. Yeah. I go blame. And I turn around and all the fighters from the gym and Shen and the live were like you was just translated like we all was complaining what was the show. It was a shitty show. You know what I mean? So I like everything comes to my back but how everyone say look he's looking to try to blame somebody for his own mistakes. You know what I mean? Obviously the show was a shitty show. So he tried to wash his hands and tried to blaze someone to be able to to to get out of that situation. You know what I mean? But to be honest, like he was he was the most unprofessional person I ever met in in business boys. Like if you think about it, I was like I was I was like I went to the hospital every day and then they did they didn't want to me to fly because obviously how you could see I have a fracture dent in so I got surgery over here. So they told me I had to wait for the swelling goes down to be able to take a flight for anything. You know what I mean? So we spend extra time. He didn't want to pay anything for anything for obviously look I came all the all the way for his show at least the minimum he could do is try to support us on food wise and you know what I mean he was complaining oh we already bought you flights for Sunday say what you told I can't flight you know what I mean no we need to eat like we don't you don't even he didn't supply food for at all from Wednesday we was there you know what I mean we all pay for our own food like that's how it is like we went over there he didn't say look there is breakfast at least in hotels there is this in hotel nothing so we have to supply our all ourselves but no problem we we we can't be able to do that but he sent a big message and then I was like co ro like look bro try to do say nothing try to wait for everyone get paid you know what I mean I know wait for everyone get paid because if you start argumenting with him right now the pay no one will get paid and then it's going to be solicit the problem and blah blah blah and then it's going to go for long way so I was like okay no problem he came down to visit me because he was giving out to me he was like oh I know I know this like he mentioned about 20 professional famous professional fighters in the world in the UFC everything I know all of them They know all me. I know. It's like, mate, I'm not trying to talk to about your life. Like, I don't give a damn right about your life. Like, I don't know you thinking you want to talk to me. Tell me about your life. I don't care. Like, I just want to make sure if I could get one of my pay payday before so I can be able to do expenses over here because I need medicine, I need this, I need that, I need that. Like I had to draw my work because my work is coention private. I had to draw my word only to focus in this fight. I was so good. My count was so good. And now you f everything and he came down and then Shane was like ch texting straight away say mate why you texting a fighter we have conclusion from now on you don't deal with him at all deal with me because trust professional. Yeah. And then he stopped texting me and then he started texting shame. Then he like, "Oh, sorry, sorry. I will come down to hotel to see you how it is." He came down the tail, bro. And he was like, "Oh, may look how you feeling or good. You you I thought you look a lot of wor I don't I don't look physically bad." It's internal, you know, problem like it's internal. And the reason is the pressure on the plane can boost internally and can make everything worse. You know what I mean? And then he were like, "Oh yeah, but I think I think I think you should not be fighting anymore. I think you have to think about about fighting. That's should that's not your game anymore." I'm like like I want to punch this around now. You know what I mean? I actually want to punch him around. Shane look at me like what? Like relax mate. We just want to we just want to be able to see if we can send some money so we can go get some medicine and food. You know what I mean? That's all. And then bro to be honest, we just playing the long card all along wait till we go pay and then we just want to I just want to tell him to see his telling him to off me. That's all. >> I don't blame you. Also, did did they pay you your full pass in the end? Yeah, >> mom. Yeah. Did they pay you? people because we I was annoying. I was arousing him to get paid. You know what I mean? Just pay me, pay me, pay me. Like like that's what I do for living. I know I know I know I don't do all the stuff. I do coaching now. I can't coach. I need my money. You know what I mean? Like look, you can see the damage is is is like I cannot take vibrations at all. So, I need to go slowly and steady to go back to the state where I can be able to go back fighting, you know. >> Yeah. Um, one question as well. Uh, you were saying obviously you had to stay on. He was saying, "Oh, your flight was booked for Sunday. Obviously, you couldn't fly because you just explained why you can't fly cuz a lot of people once they're injured, they can't get on planes for the reasons that you specify." Did he then pay for extra hotel or extra the extra flight in the end or did you have to pay? >> No, the hotel was already booked, bro. The tail was already booked to the Wednesday after he didn't pay nothing. He didn't pay food at all. Nothing waste. You know what I mean? The the flights coach Rush had to text him say look we you had to supply that happens in the show. That's insurance waste. So you had to help something there. You know what I mean? Like I asked him, "Look, bro, if you going to send me money, it does to you supporting us to to pay our medicine, everything on the Oh, you just pay me something on my purse so I can't." Do you get me? Like he like, "Oh, no, that's your money. That's part of of your pay." I'm like, "Okay, great. Thank you." I just were like, "You actually prick." Like if someone come to my show, if I set up a show, someone coming to my show and getting a bad situation, obviously I will try to look after him as much as I can. You know what I mean? That's that's a a human being and being a professional in that area. You know what I mean? And yeah, he would just mean he he still being pr like he's one of the type of person they talking to you don't look at your eyes and try to be his way all the time. He's one he feels like he's over you. He feels like he's forget about it. >> That's what I was going to say. Actually, one of the things it sounds like to me because you were saying he was saying, "Oh, I have hotels in Dublin. I have this and I know this many." Do you know what he sounds like to me? I don't I could be completely wrong. He sounds like someone who has a bit of money and wants to be involved in MMA and wants to be involved in some way but hasn't gone through to like you've known how long have I been doing media? 5 years and I got my first commentary gig last year. Yeah. So for four years I I nothing. Nothing. And then I was deemed good enough to be put on commentary. He seems like someone who has money came in decided want to do a show and wants to be around these people without putting the work in. But I don't know. That could be that's just me from from what you're saying. But do you think they'll have another show? Do you think like they probably will have another show? Obviously, you won't be on it, but you do you think that a promotion like that will last over time? Because if he had those problems, who's to say other people didn't have the problems? I think another issue as well, the fact that they had people from SBG over uh which is an English speak. Irish is Ireland is an English-sp speakaking country. They should have had a translator on hand because I'm pretty sure it probably wasn't that the rest of the card wasn't all Spanish, was it? >> I'm sure there was probably someone from English people was over there. Yeah, it was a fella. He know. And yeah, no one translated. We was like they was trying to figure out what they was saying, you know? Like that's ridiculous. You know what I mean? like yeah that to be honest for any any fighters go abroad to that show they just need to be really careful you know what I mean and the way the way some some some looks like you you judge the book about the cover is wrong because that's a wrong book you know what I mean like he has like you you saw everything and like I saw on told me like oh this is a good show every looks very like not high level you know what I mean like just a pro good pro show but and when we was there we all it's like how I tell you looks like a white you know what I mean like >> like you look people like they look like a white like he just she just doesn't doesn't organize his fate at all. He's just back. >> Yeah, it sounds like for him it's a little thing to to play with and say I own this sort of a thing. And like you look at you you mentioned De Canada de Kenny unfort is no longer doing MMA and that's because with everything that he put into it there still it's still hard to make money back out of it. You you fought on IU for a deci another show that I feel runs like >> runs easy runs good. >> Yeah. Clan Wars. Same. And these are small. I don't want to say small. So, but in terms of if you go, okay, here's and here's AFC. As a pro, you're going to be going AFC. And that's no disrespect to to Deky or your is because obviously it's got a big big stadium like a stadium, but then you go to this show with Deky Molina or Deck Kenna or Paul McLolin. [clears throat] >> Paul. Yeah. >> Cage Conflict. whatever show in Ireland, I don't think there's a show in Ireland that is run like the way that is. I think every show in Ireland is run in a professional manner. Yes, some do make mistakes and some stuff doesn't happen. But it seemed to be a collection of one thing after the next after that. It wasn't okay, this bad thing happened, but it was fine from there. It started off bad from fight week, no flights to flights, no transport to him you wanting to go get what you need to get to >> like why coach run they didn't have all the facilities well didn't have nothing on the facilities for us like you know what I mean like we had to make everything happen to the wrong way >> that that's crazy but look >> I'm glad you told me about this but in terms of yourself uh what what's your expected time to be back or do have a time or do you have to constantly go get checkups to see when because like you said you can't can't take vibrations. So has that put you out of your that's put you out of doing coaching your day job because obviously you're holding pads. >> Yeah. like and and like my main job is back, you know. I mean, people love my back end. Like I've been have a lot of success in the back end and a lot of learning from a lot of coaches. Like I love I love travel being involved when I go to my gym, I go see watching a lot of learning on on social media, a lot everything like you know. So my pie gang is a is a good different other level. You know what I mean? I love my P game. Everybody loves it. Like I have clients, they just not come for one session. They come and I had them for a while. You know what I mean? And I pick people from zero and they went somewhere. You know what I mean? So like you live like um that my job now I cannot apply for that job. You know what I mean? like I can't do PS at all because the doctor says to me I had to wait about eight nine weeks >> to let the bomb heal back slowly. So after eight nine weeks I I could just easily go back lifting weights but now I cannot. You get me? They were like what you have to do just cardiovascular training kind of like a sit down on the bike paddling like things doesn't have vibration. I cannot even go for a run they say you know what I mean because that bone is so delicated they could easily snap back quickly. >> Wow. >> And then probably to fight them back again I will be another three four months to be honest or maybe more you know depends. >> Wow. I I am so sorry for for the situation that you're in and that's why obviously we have we're having this interview so so no one falls victim to it. And look it's not completely going just to go after them. is so if they do see this that hopefully they can change and change for the better and turn it into the promotion that they make it look like. So hope that that would be one of the goals. But look, I've really enjoyed this conversation. I've really enjoyed everything you've brought to me. Is there anything you want to say before you go or anyone you want to shout out? >> Look, bro, thanks to my team. It's like my family SBG. You know what I mean? Like obviously I not being co say to me like co like we saw you here with the best ones in the world and you are unbelievable but you're being really unlucky on your fights like talk to some show or anything and like my resection war like the management my friend the training partner that all like like is people have different point of view of them. But when you come into the the the family circle over here, you feel you feel like it, oh that that actually care, they care of you. You know what I mean? Like it like I don't have family here. I only have my son. You know what I mean? And then for me, I'm injured and I want to be at home. I want to be in the gym because I still I'm with my family. You know what I mean, bro? But look, big shout out for all my coaches, all my training partners. They're still going and we never go back because we just love the man life. You know what I mean? This is not a sport, bro, to be honest. But we love it. >> It's a m I cuz I obviously I love the sport. But then when I'm talking to you and I hear stuff like this and bad way cuts and the the way you have to restrict food, I'm like, you are all a bunch of mad bastards. H but I love it. And and the fact is like there there's not huge amounts of money in MMA. a lot of people cuz they see Conor and Jon Jones. They're people that Conor McGregor is never going to be emulated again. Jon Jones, you're not going to get anyone that's going to get Jon Jones money right now in the UFC either. If you're going to be a fighter, these are the things you're going to have to deal with. Way cuts, sacrificing, no money, missing out on a lot of things, not being able to have stuff other people have, and you're not going to make a hell of a lot of money out of it. And then you have to go through situations like this. So guys, if you're thinking of becoming a fighter, speak to a fighter uh to know the sort of way. And if you're in the gym, you'll know. But look, Roger, I want to thank you so much for your time. It's been a pleasure. Again, we'll I'm going to be in contact with you privately anyways, just to see how your health health is over the coming weeks. Uh and then hopefully we can see you back in the cage as soon as possible. But obviously, don't rush it. You need to heal 100%, bro. >> Ah, bro. Look what I say. Look, I love fighting. You know what I mean? Like, I do that. I do that as a as as a living career, but I do that because I actually enjoying every every be, you know what I mean? I love every time I been spending, sweating, thinking about the situation, being this and uh like it just I think it's kind of like it's my drug, you know what I mean? I kind of let that go, you know? No matter what happened, we go about the mad. [laughter] >> No problem. And then hopefully next time when you're coming back for your next fight, we'll have a little chat before. I appreciate your time as always. A really good interview and a and a lot of good information out there. Thank you so much, Roger, and have a good evening. >> Thank you, bro. We definitely we see you later. Yeah. And yeah, ciao.