UFC 264 McGregor Vs Poirier 3 Preview | Petesy Carroll & Andrew McGahon | Energized Show

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What is up and welcome to the latest Energized Show! On this episode we have 2 OG's of the Irish MMA media game Petesy Carroll & Andrew McGahon on to preview this weekends must watch UFC 264. Check it out, enjoy, subscribe for more & as always Stay Energized! Follow us on…

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Energize show up the Irish. Okay, what's going on guys and welcome to brand new episode of Energize. Ross, introduce the guests, man. We've got the OGs of the Irish media MMA gaming with us today. We have Andrew McGahon and Peter Carroll. Lads, I wore the red check shirt to remind myself of Andrew McGahon. What do you think, Andrew? It's beautiful. Uh where is it from? I think this is a River Island lads. River Island from River Island. Yeah, it has to be done. It has to be done. Peter, does this give you fond memories of the red check shirt? I mean, to be fair, I think I've seen it in about four different continents at this stage. Andy, right? Like I mean, it went everywhere and it was it was a real thing. Like I mean, I can remember Andrew walking through the MGM um even before the first Poirier fight and people were mobbing him. Like everywhere he went, he was so recognizable. The the main guy in the viewing the Irish fights before they took off the international stages. I needed huge following, man. Like I mean, Andrew Andrew's the only one out of the whole crew that didn't drink, but he was probably out later than all of us taking pictures with people throughout the nights. Like I mean, Tho- those nights those nights in in Vegas um were crazy back then and like everyone everyone that was in my year in school were at those fights. Like do you remember how how many people we knew going to the fights back then, Andrew? Like I mean, I don't think I've ever seen anything like it. That's why I always compare it to, you know, McGregor's initial ascent there in the UFC, Poirier-Mendes, Aldo-Diaz, and then Alvarez in New York. It really was like our generation's Italian 90. Like we had no other sporting element that seemed to conduct so many people to them and then have such success as well. Like I mean, I don't think it's ever going to happen again with uh a fighter being as successful as McGregor in the UFC. So it's really a proud to have been a part of it and proud to have been there for all of it. But um I was certainly a backseat compared to that man over there with the famous shirt. See, I didn't I didn't develop my signature look. Why didn't you ever help me, Andrew? Why didn't you ever develop help me develop my signature look? I You see, that I think that we were all uh I think we were not even pigeonholed, but like you were too busy actually doing a lot of work every time in Vegas. You couldn't go anywhere. You were literally running from somewhere to say like I need I need to go and write like PT used to lock himself in his hotel room for hours and hours after everything because he would be writing articles for like five different publications and doing media, doing radio, doing everything. And then he'd surface out at night for food for chicken wings in Hooters. And then he'd go back. Like it was literally I I don't know. I think it was also one of my favorite things that we did was the Mendes fight when we did like we just were like oh we should do videos like where we'd talk about after the wins and before the wins. And Gareth A Davies kept interrupting us. And he was just like we were just standing on camera back and forth talking about things. It was like what what he's saying about people being there and like all of his year there. I remember there was one time where we did a video for balls.ie and like 75% of the people that were in the video were just people that I knew from Ireland who were at the fights. And I was like here, you come in here and talk to me about this. You come in here and talk to me about this and pass it off as family action videos. Yeah. So it was like I don't know. There was there was something really special about it. And it was like it's I like I couldn't be happier that like that we got to do it like look at me like maybe we took it for granted at the time. Like that's the one thing that I would say like we were in Vegas maybe every three to six months for like two-year period straight. Whereas like in the last two years people haven't been able to travel and do stuff like that. So I just thought it was like it is something that I'll never forget like and it I wasn't old enough for Italia '90. I wasn't even born. But like there's definitely we will never have anything like that again. No fighter from this island will ever captivate people to the sport as much as as he did. Yeah. We don't think we'll have a a sports person in general doing any sport that will captivate people the way Conor McGregor captivated it. The whole of Dublin was going around wearing dickie bows. You know, saying his one-liners. You know what I mean? You could walk You could walk into a nightclub without seeing some [ __ ] idiot myself and Cleary would probably wearing a dickie bow at some stage. You know what I mean? Like we we were we were all obsessed with him. Yeah. Yeah. That That's what's interesting to me. Like I mean, Conor's um Conor's more famous internationally than he has ever been, right? Like I mean, he's more well-known. He's a bigger icon than he's ever been. But I I still don't think I had the cultural cultural significance to Irish people as it did on that initial run. Of course, he still has a huge fan base. Of course, Irish people are going to be tuning in to the the fight this Saturday. But that moment, us all stuck in a recession, people who were the same age as Conor were just getting out of college with no jobs to go to. And here's a guy setting off and following his dreams in a sport that most people had never heard of. Like at that at that particular time, I think it meant more to Irish people to see him doing that and and really putting Ireland on the map. You know what I mean? Like it went from you'd be on holidays in Santa Ponsa when you're eight or whatever and people would say, "Oh, you're from Ireland. Guinness." And then it was "Oh, you're from Ireland. Conor McGregor." You know, that that's the way it is and the way it has been since then. And um yeah, so I I just think that initial run, 2014-2016, it was uh it was hugely significant for Irish people what he was doing then. And then Andrew, you went on to work for the Mac Life for a while, didn't you? Yeah, 2016. What was that like? It was great, to be honest. I I was only talking about it with someone the other day. I ended up uh getting to go to a good run of US events. It was kind of like for me I can remember being really upset. Like I can remember getting really upset leaving the Severe MMA podcast and stuff just because I think I'd speak for everyone who's involved in it from the early run-up is that we felt a real strength strength towards the name of it and stuff like that and what it had kind of done and the reputation that it had built. And uh I remember actually going up to you at UFC Dublin. You probably don't remember this. But I went Andrew McGahon Severe MMA. You broke your shite you broke your shite laughing at it and then I was I was like I was like I was like like that was the start of every interview and you just knew like that was you man. It was part of your your identity in the game. Yeah and like that's not not to be bad at or good or bad about it like that's a only now only in the last 12 months have I been able to really shake that despite having stopped doing it nearly nearly 3 years ago this October. Like that's when you grow up on the internet when you grow up on social media when you mature from 18 like I was going to them events from before I was 18. When I went to Boston for the first time Graham who owns Severe MMA had to check me into my hotel cuz I was under 20 21. Like Graham had to come in and check me in for it. So there's like that was definitely a hard thing to detach myself from because it was my identity. It was something that I cared cared about so much but the opportunity with the Mac Life with Conor like to be honest to be able to go like to Toronto and to be able to go to Boston and stuff like that to the different numbered pay-per-view cards the ones in Europe and stuff and to have like I used to get terrible travel anxiety because how are we going to afford going to a McGregor fight? So to be told like you don't have to worry about working in a nightclub to be able to go to Vegas. We'll send you to Vegas and you get paid for your work. Like that was just like a complete 180 from what had previously been happening. It was like a dream come true. So that's that's part of the thing like despite maybe not or falling out of love with it a wee bit towards the end. I was just like this is like I'd never I'd never take that for granted like being able to like having your breakfast in America is delicious. Especially when you send the receipt to someone else. Yeah, send the receipt. But yeah, no it was it was really good and the one thing I would say just about them and like there's a guy there's a guy there who wasn't necessarily an MMA fan but he was incredibly forward thinking. His name's Carl Carl O'Brien and he uh The Mac Life got routinely praised by a lot of people who for their social stuff for the graphics. They were one of the first people in the MMA sphere to start using Instagram as like an image and text collaborative in terms of like taking a quote from an interview putting it together and it's since become like an industry standard to the point that I was getting DMs from people who are high up in other outlets now who are saying like who does your graphics because that's a really good idea. So now it's you don't you don't go past an interview that isn't transcribed into a text-based form so it's like the that like the fact that they've grown the platform to as big as it is whether it's millions of followers and stuff like that on Instagram and thing is like they didn't ever need me. Do you know what I mean? I was just content on it. Do you know what I mean? It was a vehicle in itself. So it's done well. I wouldn't I wouldn't say that like you know what I mean? Go on Bas. Do what? Yeah, I wouldn't necessarily say that. I think I think a lot of things our shows do really well is people see themselves in the interview you were or even the athlete maybe and that's what continues to get them the following them and then like once you build up a bit of rapport and you know the people know what they're talking about that's why we're I think we're doing very well cuz we're awesome. It's not really me I think I'm more the fan here but I think it's people saw you knew exactly you were getting on Conor trusted you etc. etc. Then people invest into yourself as well. I'm not a I'm not very I'm not too sure about YouTube boys but like Ross is very nostalgic vibes you know what I mean? Like we love this sport so much you've seen so many interviews you've both done and then to have you both done I think it was like almost like the perfect idea ahead of this weekend's UFC 264 breakdown, which is exactly the show. Um what I also want to mention as well like it was just use use lads or like get me going there and I wasn't going to mention but obviously Conor McGregor gave us a shout out live on Instagram there the other day and then like the day like the day before we found out we weren't being put on the UFC 264 countdown video. I mean we were we didn't yeah we didn't make the cut and we were very disappointed and the next day that happens is just this this world is just absolutely crazy. But we do want to thank you very much lads for coming on the show. And if you are new to the show make sure to like and subscribe. But I think we probably should get into the show now. You don't come Woah woah woah woah woah Bas Mo before before you go any further PT Carroll's got some big news as well. Oh yeah fire ahead PT. Yeah. You you you you've you've recently signed a new deal there. What's some What do you want to just tell the tell the listeners what what you're up to? Yeah we signed a deal last week for The Ringer who who are on my Spotify. So I'm going to be doing um pre-fight post-fight stuff with me and Andrew's good friend Ariel Helwani. So that's starting very soon. I don't think I'm allowed to announce when it starts yet. I'm very afraid of putting my foot in it in some way or another but I'm sure you's will hear very soon. Ariel has a significantly bigger following than me so I'm sure you will hear about it when it's about to start but it's very exciting. I've worked with Ariel a lot over the years. I worked with him first when I was fighting. Um and yeah we've been very good friends for the last decade or so. So yeah I'm looking forward to being a regular host with him on this show. So yeah you should be hearing about it very very soon. I'm afraid to say anything. That's all right you know you don't have to say anything more. Just PT PT Carroll and Ariel Helwani. PT's going to be the A-side in this one for all the lads. We love it. I hope he gets a few followers out of my great spotlight I'm going to put on him. That's all I can ask you know. Exactly exactly. I'll make sure to give him a follow tomorrow you know cuz I've never heard the fella. Bas Mo you might want to get a time stamp now before we actually get into UFC 264, right? Yeah. I let you take it away or you can go back to the drawing board there. Okay, here we go lads. Right, this weekend Conor McGregor versus Dustin Dustin Poirier for the third time. Obviously Conor won the first time. Obviously Dustin won the second time. Now there's a trilogy. PG, we're going to start with yourself, bud. What do you What do you make of the build-up of this and the way Conor has gone silent in the build-up? Um you see I think I drew a lot of parallels between the quick turnaround on this one from the like as in from the second Poirier fight to this third fight. Um I drew a lot of parallels with that in the immediate rematch with Nate Diaz. So Conor essentially trying to right the wrongs and um basically get the win back on on a on a rival. But the one thing that was different about this is when when Conor was rematching Diaz, we heard all about these structural changes. We saw a completely new camp really brought in with the McGregor FAST program and stuff like that. And I think one of the big um criticisms I guess from the media, from fans, from coaches and fighters was about the the second Poirier fight was, you know, a lot of it was geared towards boxing. He had some brilliant training partners from the boxing world come in. You guys interviewed a fair few of them as well, Dillon Danis and likes of them. Brilliant fighters, but not essentially MMA fighters. Um this look, he could have made these changes, but I guess the fact that we haven't heard them hasn't um hasn't filled people with confidence just yet. Dustin Poirier is the favorite going into this fight, something he wasn't the second time around. So uh yeah, that's the biggest difference for me. I think it's very similar that Conor's trying to show us that he has the drive, he has the determination to get this win back. He wanted it immediately. He didn't want any other fight. But I just love to see some more some more kind of testament to that inside his camp. And maybe it is there. It's just we haven't seen it. We haven't heard about it like we did. Um he doesn't do as much media now and he brought That's probably because of the mic load, right? Like he has that media source there. He doesn't exactly need to do too much media because he's such a superstar. But uh yeah, that's how I feel about it. I I I think like I mean I don't see it like as Poirier is going to go in there and walk the guy. I think McGregor looked really good in the first round of that fight again. I think he's very capable, but it really is about his relevancy this time. If you think about the first fight with Poirier was the thing that proved to us that McGregor was a top flight fighter. And now he's fighting him at this stage, 7 years later, to to kind of do the same thing. Like can he still be a an elite fighter at lightweight? That That's the question that everyone's asking ahead of this one. And we're only going to find out on Saturday night. Andrew, obviously Conor's a father now and we've seen that he said before when he was before he fought Aldo, Aldo can concentrate his concentrating his kids and his family and stuff where he's 100% dedicated to this. Obviously as time's gone on, he's fought he's made 100s of millions, he's sold his uh Proper Twelve share. Like this chap Like he's number one on What is it uh the What is it Forbes? Yeah, number one on Forbes athlete in the world. Um like What What What can really drive someone who's at the top of this game, Andrew? Um I think the same thing that drove him there at the start. Like it's his head's gone His head's been gone since before he got big, you know? Like if you want to become the best in the world at anything, like you do have to break yourself, man. Like you have to be You have to like sacrifice everything and think that nothing else cares. And I would say that a lot of the stuff that has catapulted him in recent years, money wise, was a manifestation on his own. Like from when he had first mentioned Floyd Mayweather to when it had actually happened, there was a good period of time there and people just took it as an off-the-hand cuff from when he initially mentioned Floyd Mayweather. And then it went from like this would never ever possibly happen to like this is now happening and he's at the time. The Proper Twelve stuff was probably like really intelligently crafted in terms of the lead up to the Khabib fight and then in an ideal world had have beaten Khabib, been able to promote it like mad. Now, he still did promote it like mad afterwards. He went on a big tour. Uh whether it was like the World Cup or uh the NFL pictures and stuff like that of him at Cowboy Stadium. But I I would say that even though he's not talking, I do think that he puts out enough hints. I think if you like Instagram or or Twitter and stuff like that. I know that gives the person the opportunity to choose what they're putting out and not be put under a direct line of questioning from someone to ask specific questions. But the biggest take from me is that he didn't come home. He didn't He wasn't at home in Ireland for very long between the fight and going straight back out to out to Dubai. He basically put himself into like some sort of like he put up a specific post saying before my UFC debut or before the first part of it I had trained twice a day, seven days a week, skills-based training and that's what I'm going back to. And the like the workouts that he was doing in the UFC gym in Dubai, seemingly from what he was posting of those workouts, like something on a core machine. Like and this was like well over 12 weeks ago. Do you know? Like it's like he did a camp before he actually got training partners out to do a camp. Yeah. And that was like it's come out in the last week through a lawsuit that Paradigm are filing against Manny Pacquiao that Conor was meant to fight Manny Pacquiao in the 15th to May this year. So, they were completely looking past par either last time. Like and maybe that happens sometimes when you start to focus on money or other people start to focus on money that you could make and thus you get a percent of. They'd say like, "Well, this is what's going to be next. This is what's going to be next." Whereas the reality is one person has to get in and do that job and it's the person who's who needs to do all the work. And it's everybody else that gets the benefit from from one person's work or that one person's spotlight. So, I think he's taking this like the best Of course, I'm going to say something like this, but I do think he's taking this like ridiculously more seriously than the last fight. Just based off the work alone that he has put in before he even had training partners out there. Do you know, like he does seem to be in very, very good shape. Just even from what we're seeing like Yeah. So, I don't know. I I I I'd say the motivation is there. I don't think you ever lose it. I think it can dip, but I think your want for being the best in the world will never go. Especially when you know that your body has physically been capable of doing that at one point in time. It's why maybe we talk so much about the like of B.J. Penn or Chuck Liddell or people fighting a little bit later than they should have because they know what their body at one point was capable of. It's their hands, it's their feet, it's their head. Do you know, they know what they were able to do to other human beings at one time. So, I think once you get a once that's in your life like you're never going to try you're never going to think that you're not able to do that again. Ross, obviously he yeah kind of overlooked in 80 years, came back after everyone said that Conor was basically finished, came back and won. Obviously now with Dustin Poirier, it looks like people are saying, "Oh, he's done. He's has all the money. He's not He doesn't even care anymore." I like I don't I Conor doesn't tend to really like when people are saying he's basically finished, Ross. No, and like well, I'll put it this way. I don't think anyone likes someone to say that they're finished in any aspect of their career. Um look, he I think he needs the doubters. I think that's what he thrived on on his way up. You know, I think PT put it on there earlier. You know, they said he couldn't beat the top five guy, he beat Dustin Poirier. They said, you know, he couldn't beat a wrestler, he beat Chad Mendes. And now people are saying he can't beat this version of Dustin Poirier. And I think that's probably the motivation he needs. I do think it's going to be a bit more of a tactical battle this time out. I think it's going to be very interesting to see what McGregor does with the calf kick. Will he stand in the boxing stance? Will he go back to sort of his more karate style stance? What way is that going to go? Um cuz a calf kick is such a unique technique as well. It's not something that was really around when McGregor was on the rise. People weren't utilizing as much. And on top of that also, it's not something you can overly practice in training as well. You know what I mean? You're wearing your sort of leg protective gear as you're doing your sparring. And if you're not, you're probably not kicking each other full force in the calf. So, it's a very unique thing within the game that's stopped some very good fighters. So, it will be very intriguing, Bas. Well, Yeah. PTR obviously since the Conor lost to Poirier, there was all that that stuff stuff going on about the money that didn't go to the charity, yada yada yada. But what do you expect now with Dustin Poirier going in here now? Obviously, you got to torture the McGregor the rare panty night as one would call it. Like what what what Dustin Poirier you looking you expecting to see in the octagon this Saturday? I think it's going to be very similar to what we saw the last time out. Um I think you know, he's going to be using I expect a lot of it to be very different, to be honest. Even the way he was stance in the last fight was a bit strange. It was a pure kind of a a boxing stance. So, I I doubt we're going to see that, but if he's back in that karate stance, he's obviously going to be leaving the leg out there again. I think he'd be far better prepared for that. But, you know, calf kicks are not calf kicks. That fight wasn't finished because of calf kicks. You know, he ate a lot of punches up against the fence, which we've never really seen Conor doing before. Um I think it's I think it's a lot more than calf kicks and I I think it was actually very clever of the likes of John Cavanagh and stuff to talk more about the calf kicks so that it distracted people from the fact that he got TKO'd. Um you know, Conor didn't stop holding his leg and go down to the ground and tap out. Like I mean, he he got punched out there and that's that's a worrying sign for McGregor fans. But as I said, in the first round, even though he was in a strange stance, like think about what Poirier did to Holloway when they fought. He put on a clinic. He He beat him from pillar to post for four rounds and he looked so elite, such an elite striker. Conor looked like a brilliant striker in the first round of that fight. So, he just needs to be able to elongate elongate that, stay out of the pocket cuz I think Poirier can hit very very hard when someone's coming at him like like Conor does and Conor takes chances because he believes in his power. Like I mean, some of the stuff he was doing in the first round of that fight was beautiful. The jab, the left hand, how he how he's moving his feet to land the left hand. He's sending Poirier flying against the fence, but it was just I think he probably took a bit too many risks with Poirier in the exchanges. So, I agree with Ross to a certain extent that he's just going to have to be a bit more clever about this, play it a bit more safe, and maybe respect the power of Poirier a bit more. Um but yeah, I think that's one thing that not a lot of people are talking about. Like Conor got TKO'd when they fought in January. And it's not like breaking all these people's hearts saying that, you know what I mean? Like we all I know, but it's reality. Like it's reality. And And January isn't that far away. You know, realistically, it never really happened to Conor before until he fought Mayweather. But he wasn't even out against Mayweather, PD. He was like out out against Poirier on the feet. Yeah, yeah, 100%. And it's just like, you know, this guy hasn't won at lightweight since 2016. I think people who have questions about his relevancy in the division right now are are right to have them. But as you said, the guy that we all fell in love with in that initial run, he loved that. He loved people thinking this guy might not be able to do it. And I think the questions about oh, is it this Conor? Is it that Conor? Like this is a very very good test to find out where he's at. And you know, in in terms of all the businesses, things like that, he's a he's an a huge success. Like I don't think it changed that part of Conor's story if if you were anyone, really, because it's made it's put him into a new stratosphere of earning. We know UFC fighters don't get paid enough, and he is earning so much money from all these different enterprises. But for me there is no doubt that that takes away from your your your training. That takes away from your training schedule. You can't be that successful in the business world and not have a take away from, you know, your key passion which is fighting. Like Andrew, I always go back to that first interview but the first interview that really struck me from Severe MMA was was just Conor hitting a heavy bag. Remember that Graeme and and Paddy went up to record him. And he's just he has no concept of businesses. He has no concept of that side of the game. He's he's talking about how he's staying up all night watching gorillas fighting. Like I mean, if you're selling businesses for hun- hundreds of millions, you can't be staying up all night watching gorillas fighting unfortunately. Even though it's a really cool thing to do. You just can't. We need the pot to piss in and the blueberry-eating Conor McGregor back. But that I I interviewed him for uh and I was only looking back on these quotes recently. I interviewed him for Fighters Only. I have the magazine somewhere there. In In 20 13 and I asked him like like you know, oh, I'd say a lot of people are coming at you with endorsements and things like that. And he didn't give a He didn't care. He was like, I don't want to wear any of these stupid t-shirts. Like I don't care about any of that stuff. And I was like, well, what are you going to buy with all this money? He's like, I don't care about buying things. Like you know what I mean? I just want a lot of free [ __ ] Like I don't care. And now it's like how quickly he transformed himself into this tycoon is unbelievable. It's so impressive. But at the same time I don't know if you can still be that guy. You know, that guy that's just that one sole focus. All I want to do is be the best at one on one combat in the world. I don't know if you can be that guy and be this amazing tycoon that's top of the Forbes list at the same time. I I think that's a lot to ask of anyone, right? Definitely, yeah. And I think another thing that people like are completely sleeping on uh going into fighting you touched on previously Dustin Poirier's room. He like the last if you exclude the Khabib fight the last time he lost was in 2016 to Michael Johnson. Like he's beat the who's who the absolute elite of lightweight and the featherweight champion Max Holloway on that run. And like he's finished a lot of them as well. Like your Eddie Alvarez, your Justin Gaethje and like he's put these guys away. He is like the elite of the elite. I think people a lot of people and sometimes I'm guilty of myself, they look at almost the UFC 178 Dustin Poirier and they think it's going to be you know a same guy. He is a totally different animal up at 155 and he's the own ground king of that division whether people want to say that or not. He is the number one fighter in that division. If you talked about off Charles Oliveira and they did the rankings Dustin Poirier would be number one and no one would even question that. And and he's a nightmare match up for Charles Oliveira. Like when you look through that the rankings include McGregor include well probably not Khabib but including everybody else. Like if you were the you target who who is the hardest match up for Charles Oliveira there? I think it'd probably be Poirier. I honestly do. And he's doing it all. He's exceptional. Yeah, yeah, exactly. He's so he he's so many dimensions but when you have a superstar and a a personality and a guy who's transcended the sport like McGregor, it's it's hard not to be blinded by the lights. Like even being around them over the years like I mean he has that kind of aura about him. Like I'd say it's exceptionally hard to fight that dude. Like if you've been in his presence you can just feel it off him. And I've never really got that off any other fighter. Can you imagine what it's like when he's throwing digs at you? You know you I'll see I'll see you boys like met him a lot of times so this story is pretty [ __ ] but like we we were out one night and Conor Ross said Conor was over there. I was like really? He's like no and then I was like all right and then he's like he was. And I went over to Conor he was almost like he was levitating off the ground. It was Now I don't know how many drinks I had at that stage but like But I mean like yeah as you said I put it even bringing up the last time we had Chris Fields on the show breaking down the preview and he just couldn't even fathom Poirier winning. And then the way Poirier was like like um almost mimicking what McGregor was doing like the the the bottle of hot sauce the they were like almost dancing it was so weird it was so weird that I couldn't even I thought he was so in his head that he's living there rent-free as one would say. But like now it's like Conor said it's going to be like the old Conor like like Andrew like you've you've been there you've been like you've you've seen everything like like do do you think he has that one more last potion in him left? Um but without seeing without seeing from what you've seen mainly before it's hard to be really certain on that. Like I definitely think that like I understand that a lot of people would consider Khabib to be as dominant as he was but Dustin Poirier nearly submitted him. Justin Gaethje was about two or three more leg kicks away from actually taking one of his legs out from underneath him. And I do think that it was probably the worst version of Conor that was ever in the UFC that fought Khabib in October 2018. And that's sometimes all you need to happen. Like literally it's such a high-stakes high-profile thing that things can go right for you sometimes and then you have a legacy or things can go wrong for you sometimes and maybe you ruin your legacy. And that last fight could be the first step in terms of Conor having doing that like what what Pete you talked about at the start no one can touch and will touch his initial run. Or the fact that he's been able to make so many millions outside of fighting and become the highest-paid athlete. But because it's a game of margins and inches if you're not 100% focused and switched on to the task at hand like I nearly got the vibe that the first Poirier fight was nearly a sparring match in his eyes that it like he he Poirier said afterwards that he was got well in the first round That Conor had him hurt in the first round. And Conor didn't seem to maybe pick up on that. This is the guy who you'd never back to win a fight by submission because when he saw somebody was wobbled, he would just turn into a different person and try and cave their skull in. Like literally did the shots that he threw on Poirier from above like when he dropped Poirier in the first fight. That's just a different man than even the one who started the fight. And you'd have to like I do think that that's still in him. But unless you have a level of sharpness and unless you're you have a level of confidence maybe in what you're about to do, something would tell me that if the stars align correctly, that what he's going for and what he could be capable of just depending on how 170 sits. Petey's going to hit this comment here. But Leon Edwards can beat Usman, but I think Conor McGregor could beat Leon Edwards. And you might not be in the realm of impossibilities to think that before Conor retires, he's actually the only person to hold three titles in three different divisions. Because now other people have had two weight champ statuses. So, the only thing that's going to light a fire under Conor to really make him realize that he could be down in the history books forever is to be the first and only person to hold three titles in three different categories. Now, that might just be a step too far, but I don't actually think that it's unfathomable. I really like the size of him at the moment and stuff like that. He's he I think he could be competitive at 170. But you think on that, Petey? Cuz Andrew's calling you out there. No, I I I I I I'm only saying that in in the fact that Petey's been the only person this side of the pond and in a major like I know it's now become the cool thing to say that oh, Leon Edwards is overlooked. Petey has been championing Leon Edwards for like the last 3 years solid. Has been like this guy is the next [ __ ] why are we not taking this guy more serious? So, like that's I I do like I do agree with Petey in terms of how good he is. I think Usman's on a fantastic level. I think that fight is actually going to be unreal. I think it's disgraceful that Covington is going to be fighting for the title, but I I just think that it could it could end up being a McGregor-Edwards welterweight title within the next 18 months, 12 18 months. And it'll be an easy fight to make cuz they're both with Paradigm as well. It might make it very difficult or very easy one way or the other. It's going to be one of No, well, I'm sure well, I'm sure Leon Edwards has probably been fighting the last 5 years for a big payday and that's what it takes. He'd probably say, "No bother." Yeah, yeah. Yeah, but like I mean, this is the problem, right? McGregor makes us think like that because he does the the he done things that we couldn't actually believe he did. Aldo, you know, Eddie Alvarez, that masterful performance. He makes us believe in things because we we've seen that previous form, but right now, he hasn't won a fight at lightweight in how many years? Five? And we're talking about he could beat a welterweight champion. You know what I mean? Like that like there look, he is a guy that can do unbelievable things. There's no doubt about that, but right now, the task at hand is very difficult as far as I'm concerned. Like I mean, from to go from, you know, beating Poirier even like next week and if he wins this weekend, to go from that to the welterweight title, then it might not be a big deal because Conor can call his shots. I'm sure Kamaru Usman will be rubbing his hands together, Andrew, if if suddenly Conor's a real fit in the in the welterweight title stakes, but The press conference would be boring though, PT. Conor would say something, then Usman would say the same thing directly back to him. They showed that video. Oh my god. Yeah. You have tonight. But Usman's an exceptional fighter. That's that's one thing and he's very strong. He's very very strong. activity. Yeah, yeah. Oh, but that was mad. But, uh yeah, like I think this is the thing, right? Right now, I'm skeptical about what's what's, you know, what what Conor we're going to see on Saturday night. But, if he shows up like Conor McGregor has in the past and and wins his first fight at lightweight in 2016, everything opens up for him. The whole world opens up for him. Yeah. Um because he is he's unquestionably unrivaled in his drawing power. He can sell better than anyone in the history of the sport. And and yeah, so I mean, as crazy like I I people might look at that statement from Andrew and go, "That's wild to say that. He hasn't done this and this and that." If he wins on Saturday, suddenly it's all just in front of him. It'll all seem like it's just one fight away. And um I wouldn't be surprised, Andrew, if he had something like that um in his back pocket. There's history there with Usman as well. Uh he's obviously taken a few shots. I know he tweeted that video out you guys are talking about. So, um yeah, but it it's all got to happen on Saturday first. And based on what we saw in January, it's a very very tough task. Yeah, and the way McGregor's selling pay-per-views at the moment, he's worth about three other pay-per-views to the UFC in terms of the numbers he's doing. You know what I mean? Like, he's guaranteed 1.6 million pay-per-views by the looks of things um every time he goes. And like, three it takes three, if not sometimes four, pay-per-views in the UFC to get that number. So, he he puts up the numbers. One one thing I will say is I really hope his next move the next move he has in his mind is in MMA. Um Oh, please God. I don't want to see him boxing. don't don't want to see him box. Like, I don't care. Like, I don't There's no boxing fight in the world I want to see him in. And I think I'd speak for everyone who has enjoyed McGregor, who stays up to watch McGregor. Like, that's what we want to see McGregor with a UFC belt around his waist again. That's what he does best. There is nobody in the world like him when he is in that vein of form. We just haven't seen him there in a long time. But I think Andrew was nail on the head there when he said that the Poirier fight, the second time around in January, the distraction was the Manny Pacquiao fight. I just want to see Conor with with blinkers on in terms of UFC domination again. But um I don't know. Like why is he even looking for this boxing stuff? Is it Is it payday stuff? Then the UFC need to look at like what they're paying this guy. He should be getting paid Like I'm sure he is getting paid a lot more than everyone else. But the percentages the UFC are paying their athletes isn't isn't what it should be. So like that Why are you going to boxing when you are clearly the icon of this sport right now? That's what uh That's what I'm often thinking ahead of these fights. Do you think they need to do maybe I'll ask you Andrew, do you think they maybe need to do what he asked for a long time ago and asked for a piece of the pie? If they give Conor McGregor a piece of that UFC WME pie, that they can actually keep him in there and keep McGregor sports entertainment in the octagon as opposed to seeing him go to the boxing ring cuz the only reason he goes to the boxing ring is for that payday. Obviously, maybe he thought he could beat Floyd Mayweather and that was a one-off, but I'm sure you don't have an interest really in seeing him box again. Or if you could see him do MMA, you'd rather see that. I can see myself, but can you see me and hear me? Because you have a frozen mic. Yeah, I can see you. You look fabulous. So that that's that's a really good question and if I can just like think of it in like nearly two spots. Conor had his whole season talk. Now obviously, COVID that disrupted everything, but the the Conor that fought Cerrone was the mental warfare tactician overwhelming capitalized on Cerrone's inability to start a fight well, put him under extreme amount of pressure, and finished him ruthlessly. That That should have in theory set up Conor being able to take over the world. Dana White used it as a way to say like this this guy wants to fight Diego Sanchez? This guy wants to fight Diego's like what is he and then try to turn it into like a real insulting thing I'd like towards Conor. Whereas Conor just wanted to fight anyone. Conor wanted to fight anyone. The UFC couldn't afford to pay a Conor McGregor what even he would get for a normal fight when they couldn't get crowds in when they couldn't get site fees from a venue for getting a Conor McGregor fight when they couldn't get thousands of fans to break gates for a Conor McGregor fight. The UFC paddled on with what they had under paying their fighters and problem on empty arena shows. So the UFC had like I I would still to this day maintain that the UFC hemorrhaged Conor McGregor Conor McGregor's at mixed martial arts career due to an inactivity and inability of booking him correctly throughout his actual career. After he won in Stockholm, he wanted to fight Diego Sanchez a month later in Mexico. He he was trying to fight Diego Sanchez and they were like no woah woah woah woah. Hold the brakes. We're going to push you big in Boston in August. But he would have bet he could have bet Diego at that time in 2013 and then fought in August anyway. He wanted to that wanted to happen a couple of times in terms of fights that were meant to happen. So I really do think like there he has been ready and waiting at certain times to compete and hasn't been given the opportunity to compete. That's what's had his head turned by other opportunities. Like I I I really I couldn't highlight that more at the start that having about agreement signed or having stuff in place because your management of signed Manny Pacquiao and then it's going to be an easier way to get the fight to happen afterwards. Like I don't think that's a mistake he'd ever make again in his in his career. Like I don't think that's a mistake I don't think he'll ever look past another fight in his life as long as that lives because of how much that Poirier loss the second time would have hurt him. So like the only time I want to see Conor McGregor in a boxing ring is when he has decided that he is entirely done with the sport of mixed martial arts and then he can fight whoever he wants to try and fight in boxing on a however long of a run that he wants to do it. But, who are we to say as fans who want to Well, I suppose okay, fair enough people buy pay-per-views or we give opinions on fights, but we are not the people taking the damage or doing the training or putting ourselves there for the world to tear us apart if we win or lose. So, if X YouTuber or any pro boxer like are going to offer or some Conor's going to generate over 100 million boxing someone this year when the UFC haven't been able to give him fights effectively for the last year and a half bar the Poirier loss since Cerrone. Why How can you begrudge the person for going to make that money? Do you know, like there's two sides of it. I'm with I'm with you entirely like I just want to see him fight mixed martial arts. I want to see him go on his run. I want to see him go on a season. I hope that he has that in him before he retires to be able to do that again. But, at the same time, we're not like Floyd Mayweather had a great thing after that thing with Paul. Um my kids can't eat off legacy. Do you know? He's like, you can get all the legacy that you want in the world, but like a certain point in time like money is money But, he's been eating all those strip clubs he's on as well, though. Conor, the last thing there, right? Grill collection, baby. It's my favorite It's my favorite quote and like God, this my my actual thing is that like John Kavanagh is a great man for momentous occasions and symbolism and X, Y, and Z. He gave Conor his brown belt in September 2014 after he knocked out Dustin Poirier. So, it prompted Conor to say, "I'm probably the best brown belt in the world." He There's a great chance he's going to be giving him his black belt this weekend if Conor beats Dustin Poirier. Just for the fact that I'll I you a brown belt after Dustin Poirier, so I'll give you a black belt now after Dustin Poirier again. Like, that's a in my mind that's a real thing, but like I just I don't know. I've drawn I've drawn a blank in terms of like where it's going to where it's going to lead. Do you know what I mean? I really do think that he has it in him to make another run at elite-ness because I think that it doesn't leave your body. I think at that age it doesn't it's not gone out of him. Yeah. Do you know what I mean? I really don't think that it's gone out of him, but I'm sorry, I've drawn a blank there. I I was going to I was going to say something about my me being a brown belt as well, but I forgot what it was like. So, That's all this was. Yeah, it was a declaration for Andrew to highlight how good he is at jiu-jitsu. I am a brown belt now as well. I was a blue belt. I was a blue belt in September 2014. Now we're both brown belts. If Conor gets his black belt before me, I'd be delighted for him, but it's I think he's got I think he's going to submit Dustin. That's what I'm trying to say. I think he's going to submit Dustin and he's going to get a well-deserved brown belt black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and he'll be fine. But, I I need to ask now That's outlandish, Megan. That's outlandish. I I need to ask now who wins in a in a no-gi grappling contest, Conor McGregor versus Andrew McGahan? Getting the Coca-Cola sponsorship in there, see that? Quickly. Yeah, where's the Heineken? Yeah, baby. Any drinks Any drinks allowed here? I don't know. I That's that's a little If If anyone would like to pay us loads of money to find the answer out to that question, then I would absolutely love to do it, but he is uh I've only ever I've I've only ever trained with him once in my life and it was very uh like rolled with him once in my life and it was a great roll and it's part of the reason why I wanted to walk away from covering MMA because I felt what he I felt like how he moved and stuff like that and I was just kind of like this is the person that you've been interviewing for years and this is the person you've put up on a pedestal for years ability-wise and he's a two-weight UFC world champion blah blah blah. It's like he's just a body, he's just a person, he's just someone who's trained like mad. So if you just train like mad, you could actually be able to be as good or if not better in pure competitive jiu-jitsu. So it was like that that was like the the one role that we've actually had is basically like life-changing because I was just realizing I was like all right he's like despite knowing him, despite having interviewed him loads of times never exchange energy, never exchange grappling energy like and that's to me like it's not act Okay, that's so cliche. It's not actually about winning. Do you know what I mean? It's like It's about learning. It's very cliche. It's about learning. That's the clip. That's the clip. See that? That's that's the McGahan-Carroll partnership there. I lob the softball up and look there he has it. There he has it. Whatever. Easy Carroll knocks it knocks it straight out of the park as usual. But send John Kavanagh the check. I just I just think uh in in that capability there's two entirely different sports like grappling Conor is a like this is he's laugh you shouldn't laugh. Fans fans would laugh. Conor's actually a phenomenal wrestler. Like Conor's wrestling it against Khabib. through Sergey. Uh don't start me on this. He was he's the best defensive wrestler anyone's ever done against Khabib in the UFC and had opportunities to beat him. First round he had the opportunity to take his back and submit him. But apart from that like Conor's like it's just the whole gorilla thing that P.T. was talking about earlier. He moves his body differently, he conducts himself differently like the whole SBG ethos of jiu-jitsu is all based around posture and positioning and pressure. So that's why he was Gunnar Nelson straight back. That sort of like that's why he hit the leg drag to mount against Max Holloway in 2013. That's why he did the X guard sweep to Nate Diaz in 2016. The man is extremely extremely technical a grappler. And grap a grap like despite the fact he loves fighting and punching and caving people's heads in, I think he was hooked by jiu-jitsu. Like the early guys from SBG would tell you that Conor's grappling was very very impressive from a very early stage because he completely immersed himself in it after the Joseph Duffy loss. And Andrew, what about what's it called roll come back? Like were you there standing there and when you're falling us there check shirts and you went, "You know what? Actually McGann, I've been dying to get my hands on you for ages. Come on, we have a roll." No, that um That roll happened in uh that roll happened in New York. That's at a training session in New York. And uh it Post Post Eddie Alvarez? Uh Post Eddie Alvarez, yes. And it was it was just kind of There was a load of people there. And then it was just like he wanted to do a training session and loads of people were training. And uh I was doing rolls with rounds with other people and he just said, "Do you want a round?" Like there's no like This is the most it wasn't it wasn't it wasn't all orchestrated. It just happened. No, no, no. I was like I if I was ever there, I was always there in a working capacity and I was always able to get a certain amount of rounds in at a camp if I was in Vegas for a while whether I got to roll with someone like John or Colin Byrne or Lee Hammond. Like I was always able to get a bit of jiu-jitsu in whenever I was there for a certain amount of time. But I was never like I would never ask to try and impose myself to be able to train because as far as I was concerned, I was there to do a job. And if that was maybe interview someone from the camp or to like be watching the training and start building my opinion for what's going to happen from the knowledge of being able to see the sparring or stuff like that. But it like jiu-jitsu is the universal language of everyone that does jiu-jitsu. Do you know what I mean? So it's like it really doesn't like I'd say he wrote I'd say he'd happily roll with white belts. Do you know what I mean? I really do think that if he was in a gym in a situation someone said here, could I get a roll with you? He'd have no problem with it. Do you know what I mean? Like that's there's no there's no animosity around I don't know. Maybe if me and Peter rolled again there might be. There's no animosity around Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Do you know what I mean? There really isn't. It's a it's something that you have to kind of do to to get like but people can just clap hands and roll and there's no bad blood. Now I'd never spar with the man. Jesus Christ, I'd never spar with the man ever in my life. I'd have no problem with it. Can't I couldn't couldn't do anything like that but Jiu-Jitsu's like is Jiu-Jitsu's criminally underrated. That's as far And And it might be a ludicrous call Peter Carroll but I've backed every main event in the UFC. I will continue backing Israel Adesanya to win by submission in every fight that he's had since October November 2018 until it happens. And I will be backing Conor McGregor to win by submission this weekend as well. There there we have it. We won't know We won't know in the comments who who people think is going to win and how they're going to win. So Andrew, you're going for a Conor McGregor submission. What round are you going for? I just have to I just have to Or did you say what round? Yeah, what round? Yeah. It will be in the second or third round. I just have to do it to continue my own biases towards Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. The man if he drops Dustin Poirier is likely incapable of progressing to something like a whatever. But I wouldn't be surprised if off a grappling exchange from Poirier Conor's able to reverse him in either a trip or taking his back. That's just in my head for whatever reason. I could be entirely wrong. Maybe this is going to prove why I was right to [ __ ] stop giving opinion on fights because I was so off with this statement. I just in an ideal world that's how it happens. Kavanagh runs in black belt above his head throws it at him. I bought a Proper Twelve in Europe. No, Pete's taking over. Oh, I was going to ask Pete first, but I might as well go first. Oh, you don't see we think we see the third bat. Oh, you're going to say it's going to end in the second round, and I think McGregor's going to win on this occasion. Oh, I think McGregor was going into the last fight and he kept talking a master class, master class. And I think with that master class, he actually lost the smell of blood. And I don't think he'll lose the smell of blood in this. I think he will throw his shots with the bad intentions that we've seen before. And he's rocked Poirier before. I think he'll be able to rock him again. And when he rocks him this time, I don't think he'll let he'll let him survive. And I'm going to go Conor McGregor second round TKO. Pete? I'm caught between two minds. I picked McGregor in January. Um And that's based off the first fight really, you know. Um So, I'm kind of caught between two minds. I I think it's going to be McGregor in one or Poirier in three. Um I'm going back and forth between them. I don't know, man. I just feel like I don't know. I'm really I'm really caught between the two of them. I think probably more likely Poirier in three, to be honest. Um I don't think it's going Tell me this. Are you looking to drink Proper Twelve at 6:00 a.m.? Are you looking to drink some hot sauce at 6:00 a.m.? I mean, I hope I won't be drinking at all at 6:00 a.m. to be honest. I'll go to bed. But, um I I like I don't know. I just think being realistic about the situation, we haven't seen Conor win this division since 2016. It will be unbelievable if he does it. Like, it will be a one of the biggest wins of his career if he wins this fight this Saturday. And it's not an easy fight. I do think he's capable, but based on recent history, I I think you've got to go with Poirier. I think the clever money is on Poirier. The reason why he's favored in all the bookmakers in the world right now is because of that win in January and I have never met a poor bookmaker. So, yeah, I think I think if you're being realistic about it, I think that's Yeah, I think it's Poirier in three or Conor in one, but yeah, I'm kind of siding with Poirier in three at the moment. Just one I was saying Andrew. No, no, no, I I didn't know Barry was going to give an opinion on it as well. Sorry, Barry. Play away. I just have a Poirier story afterwards. Yeah, yeah, go on, tell the first year. All right. No ads. My change of mind. My change of mind. No, it's actually one of the interactions with fighters that has most stood out to me in my life. And PT made a joke earlier on about walking around in late nights in Vegas. I was a terrible man for not not sleeping. Like that it's impossible to sleep in Vegas. Dave Fogarty woke up and I had a cocktail tin and a plastic bottle and I was practicing flaring in the hotel room. Sounds like my sort of roomie. He used to just He used I'm telling your poor Dave, I put him through awful. He hated me when we would go away places. I'd be looking for hotspots. I'd be looking for everything. But I can remember after the first Poirier fight walking into the MGM Grand. We were staying behind Hooters in the Red Rose Resort or something like that. Beautiful. hotel room. It was Yeah, it was very nice. No more ads. No more ads, please. It was It was lovely at the time. And I can remember walking over to the MGM at 6:00 in the morning. And Dustin Poirier was outside waiting on a taxi. And I went up and I introduced myself to him. I just said I was over here covering it as an Irish journalist. And I just wanted to say like I think you got a lot of unfair [ __ ] from fans and people during the week because you were the guy who had to go in and fight. And he didn't really like look up and he didn't really look anywhere. He just said, "Oh, thanks a lot, man. Just back to the gym." And I was just kind of like that's something that has like literally stuck with me for so long because I was like he did that. Like he he lost and he accepted it. It was a hard one to accept. He's learned from it. He's become like one of the better fighters in the lightweight division since then, like, you know. It's just It's something that has never left me, honestly. It made me realize that they were human. Do you know what I mean? It was probably the first humanizing thing that I'd ever, in covering the sport as a younger person. Like, I was only 21 or 22 at the time. So, it was like All right, it's all well and good being in Vegas and being like, "Yeah, McGregor. Yeah, McGregor." But, there's always a consequence of somebody losing. Obviously, as a credentialed member of the press, I was going, But, uh there's always, you know, there's there's always someone that has to lose in this occasion. And then, there's always someone who's left feeling like their life has been torn apart. And to kind of like see that happening like in person, like to see the reaction of it was just deeply profound. So, it's like I'm nearly annoyed that they're fighting because we're we are alluding to the to the fact that like Poirier is very talented. So, like someone has to lose. And someone has to go to bed that night a loser. I just think that's a bit [ __ ] to be honest. I wish everyone could to say learner rather than loser, if you won't mind. Get the book again. Get the book again. Poirier, Peter. Bring back the ads. More ads, Beauty. More ads. No, here, lads, like I agree. Obviously, like while Conor was off doing his thing, making the the millions, Poirier went back to the grindstone and just been grinding, grinding, grinding. And he's become an absolute fan's favorite. I think like I think Conor could have finished earlier in the last fight. And then, I think like he he was going through his head. He wasn't He wasn't like getting enough octagon time. I think that was spoken about a lot. So, I think he was trying to He almost took the foot off the gas a tiny bit or else didn't put the foot down hard enough. And then, Poirier came away with the win. So, like I'm going to go either Conor wins in the second round or else like if it goes beyond that, I think he's going into Poirier territory cuz like Poirier is is a dog. But, like I like I mean I'm I'm just To be honest, I'm not actually really looking forward to the fight. I don't really want to watch it cuz like it's it's just going to be like I'm going to be like, "Is it all over? Is it all over? it over?" know what? He's He's the only man who steps in that octagon and I actually get nervous for. He really is. Like I'm like The whole Irish have amazing writing on this. Better [ __ ] deal for us. Yeah, this is This is Ireland's like Euros as well. I know we had Craig on and said it was that as well, but like this is actually our Euros cuz the next day is the Euro final. So I mean we'll be So who would have guessed four Irish lads picking Conor McGregor to win? Who would have guessed? I might pick him to win. The only time The only other time I haven't picked Conor to win was the Khabib fight. Yeah. PT was the only one. I was I was unfollowed and blocked by many a by many a McGregor team member. And there's Ariel Helwani as well. That fellow. No, he's your best mate. What are you talking about? He unfollowed me that day. Yeah, so let us know in the comments who you think is going to win cuz like I mean either way it's going to be crazy. Uh lads in the co-main event Do we have anything else to say on that before we Do you want to say something about the fights? No, let's look at the rest of the card. Bas Rutten. Yeah. Uh obviously in the co-main event in the welterweight division Gilbert Burns is taking on Stephen Wonderboy Thompson. Uh PT, this is obviously going to It's like a classic like Sorry, grappler versus striker. Um what way are you seeing this fight going into? I think I fancy Wonderboy, man. I think he's one of the hardest fights in the division. I think Gilbert Burns is great on the ground, but I don't I don't think he's shown um a great intensity to get the fight to the ground since he's gone to welterweight. I think Wonderboy is going to force that awkward situation. He's been talking about it for years now. Why? Is he He's the only one who hasn't fought Usman and he's beaten all these top contenders. And And to be honest, I think it would be a great fight him and Usman. So I'd love him to force the UFC's hand a bit. Obviously we want Leon in there before it, but if he beats Burns, the guy who was in that title mix after a very quick ascent at welterweight, I think he is asking big questions of the UFC and I think he'd ask big questions of Usman as well. So he's one of the nicest guys in the sport. I'm sure you've talked to him before. Um so, I'm going I'm going Thompson. Andrew, what do you think of this? And also, do you think the the winner will deserve the title shot after? Andrew's definitely what's called thinking of for Burns. He that that jiu-jitsu game is too strong. No, he definitely like that I I started to come around to the prospect that like jiu-jitsu doesn't start start stops working once the person's able to like actually punch you and stop you from taking you down. Like jiu-jitsu is only as a factor as it should be when the person is able to to utilize it. I don't think he's going to be able to utilize it in the way that he would like to be able to utilize it against Wonderboy. Despite the fact he's beat like top like top-tier grapplers like back-to-back in terms of Gunnar and then Demian Maia. He's just like what PT said about him kind of saying like I'm the guy who should be fighting for the title. I know that he's been like the he's been like the the biggest like not necessarily underdog but like on the cusp guy in the UFC for like so long. Do you know what I mean? In terms of like did he beat Woodley that night in um New York New York, right? It was a draw, was it? The first one? Yeah. Yeah. And then the next fight was next year. Oh, sorry. So, and then he then he fought him again and then he lost. So, it's like he's always been capable of like he should have never lost to Anthony Pettis. Do you know what I mean? Not to be bad about it but it's just like Wonderboy Thompson has Both of these lads have one last shot, in my opinion. One last shot and one last run. But, I would say that Gilbert Burns has more damage on his clock despite not having lost. And my only theory for that is is that when you like okay, physical physical is a thing in terms of what you can take in MMA but like mental and emotional is definitely next to it in terms of how it can derail your career. The fact that he went on a great run and then there was the big story about fighting a former teammate in the main event. He's finally getting his opportunity. He's fighting Usman, and then he comes up short. That's that's a hard thing to come back from. That's a like I'm convinced now that that is a hard that is going to be a hard thing to go back from for him. And he might be past his actual opportunity of beating top contenders, and it's just a theory. It's he could he could still well beat the majority of people at the top of that division, but I really do think that sometimes fighters think that they'll only get one shot at something. And when you have to like kill yourself so much and hurt yourself so much to get to that opportunity, when you come up short in such devastating fashion cuz Usman handled him, like properly handled him. Like I think you lose a bit of yourself. And I think that Wonderboy will be able to keep him at a range and actually just ping him about the place. Ross, what about yourself? Obviously, Wonderboy did Wonderboy is turning into Wonder Man at this stage. Do you think like who who do you think is going to win this? Uh no, I have Wonderboy in this one. Obviously, he's coming off two really good decision wins against Geoff Neal and Vicente Luque. You sort of almost have to feel that the UFC were putting those guys in there to beat Wonderboy. They were looking for them to come up on the rise and make a name off him. I think Wonderboy's loaded to it. His level of striking is a different caliber, and I think he's going to be able to keep Gilbert Burns at bay on the feet and pick him apart from the outside. I even think maybe even a second round head kick knockout as well. I know Dan Hooker put Gilbert Burns away before, so why can't Stephen Wonderboy Thompson? I I'm just going to be biased towards Wonderboy Thompson cuz when we met him, he was just so nice. I couldn't pick against him. And everything he does, the way he like picks up the kids and brings them to karate school and all. Like I mean, that chap is just an inspiration for most people. Yeah, but that doesn't help you win fights, but yeah. It doesn't help you win fights, but like that's just what I believe. We saw him in in Abu Dhabi for the Khabib and Poirier fight. I don't I think he was a guest fighter. And the guy was just standing in the airport and there was like 200 people around him and he got off the same plane as me and he stayed there and he signed every autograph, did everything. Now, imagine after a 16-hour flight or something to Abu Dhabi from the US and arrived at the hotel like 4 hours after me, smiling ear to ear. I was like, "Mate, when do you freak out? You just must go back to your room and beat the [ __ ] out of the pillows, scream in the shower when no one's around you." I mean, I don't know, man. I think he's so human how nice he is, so yeah. 100% agree with this lad. He is a he's an absolute angel of a man. My mate's been DM'ing him since 2016. I was asking him to go for a pint in New York and he's like, "Man, buddy, sorry. I'm only here for this. I'm in and out, but we'll definitely do it next time." He he he's like, "PS, PS, I know Andrew McGonigle." No, he he that wouldn't get that he'd probably that'd get him blocked. He just turned around and he was like, "Here, uh he's like he's just a huge fan of Wonder Boy." Like he there was an interview I did years ago with Cerrone where he asked me to ask him my friend Kieran said, "Ask him how many hands his horses is before you start the interview." And I was just like, "What?" It was just like, "Apparently you measure horses by hands." Yeah. Like yeah, I didn't know that. Ask Cerrone that. It was probably the most engaging answer I got off Donald Cerrone because I asked him something about his horses. But uh that was just Kieran and Wonder Boy. Good friends. Sorry. That's right. Shout out Shout out to Kieran. Yeah, right lads. This one here if you saw the card up there, I want to I want you to tell the people at home like what what other fight you're looking for looking forward to what other fight that they have to make sure that we'll pick one each. One Who wants to go first? I'll go. We all know who Andrew wants. Go on then, Andrew. No, no. Pete Peter, you go. I've I've two choices, so if it's last I'll I'll talk about it. I I think Ryan Hall, Ilia Topuria, is the best fight. Oh, he's one of the best fighters on the card. Topuria has looked unreal. We saw him in Cage Warriors before he went to the UFC. He's an unbelievable grappler, but Ryan Hall is the [ __ ] And he looks unbelievable striking these days. He's so confident in striking cuz he knows if anyone tries to take him down, they're in hell. And I think he's just one of the most interesting personas in the UFC today. So, um I I'm all aboard the Ryan Hall hype train. I know And Andrew has been there since his purple belt 50/50 days. But, uh I think Ilia Topuria is top class. So, I think that's really, really one of the best matchups on the whole card. That's on the That's on the prelims. That's on the prelims for the people listening at home. Yeah, not going to lie, PT. I I just love the fact that, you know, there's a chance there's going to be a 50/50 uh card opportunity in the UFC cuz it's such a rare feast that I'm like, Ryan Hall has more CTV. Andrew McGahan, I know that was your pick cuz, you know, you two wizard that you are. But, go on. Tell us Tell us the other one. Uh I just think that no other person has ever had the same potential of superstardom or fan attention as someone like O'Malley. So, despite the fact that he's fighting like a a newcomer who's coming into the promotion, it's just version of himself as some people are calling it. Yeah, just any sort of opportunity that he has to showcase his ability. Like his young young fighters around the world are studying Sean O'Malley in the way that fighters who are at the top of their games now were studying Conor McGregor a couple of years ago. Like Sean O'Malley is on a on a different planet in many, many ways, just in how he links his grappling and his striking and his footwork and his fans and everything about him. He just carries himself in an entirely different manner of any fighter that I've seen since Conor. So, that's the That's just anytime I get to watch a Sean O'Malley fight is considered a a bonus for me. But, on the PT said about his about Ryan Hall's striking, just to give one thing about that. I think he's I think thanks to Firas, I think Firas is about to be re-heralded as one of the best MMA coaches in the world cuz I think uh he obviously he wouldn't have lost that because of St-Pierre, but it's going to like Hall has talked in interviews about how they've basically like refined his striking to the stage that like he he throws them mad spinning wheel kicks because he knows that if he misses and they take him down, the momentum of his body as the wheel kick goes past the head basically leads him perfectly into an invert onto the ground so that he can actually then just invert straight in under legs where he's already multiple steps ahead of the people. His striking is designed to now complement the possibility of them taking him down. And if they're not prepared for it, it's just funny striking that's pinging the head off boys who shouldn't be getting the head pinged off them by a grappler. So it's like I think I think Ryan Hall's the UFC champion waiting, to be honest. It's going to like without a doubt. Also But no It depends on whether he'd be able to he'll box Max Holloway. Uh for me I don't legs on him. That is That is true. That is true. For me like I know ever since I laid eyes on Niko Price, I've always just thought what a [ __ ] fighter. You know what I mean? Like hammer fist from his back knockout, you know what I mean? Up kick knockout. He's an absolute animal. And then when you think you couldn't fall in love with Niko Price, you see Michel Pereira, the capoeira king. Um UFC Sean Shelby, he can retire after making this match. This is This is a match of made in heaven for MMA fans. Two of the most entertaining welterweights on the planet. Throw them in there. It's probably going to be a boring fight now after me saying all that, but like like these guys are absolutely brilliant to watch. So I'm looking forward to that one. Yeah. I don't know. Yeah, we were talking about this off air, but like I'm not too sure if this fight's still on, but Tai Tuivasa versus Greg Hardy. I would love to just see Tai Tuivasa win with a knockout and then do a shoey with the the with the lads in the front row, Yeah. I would absolutely love to see that, too. Please knock out Greg Hardy. Thank you. I think everyone wants to see Greg Hardy get knocked out. As far as Bam Bam Two Vasa might be, you know, the most fan favorite heavyweight, maybe barring Derrick Lewis in the UFC, and then Greg Hardy's obviously the most hated heavyweight in the UFC. So, yeah, I think we'd all we'll all be rooting for Bam Bam. Yeah. Uh for people that aren't aware, the UFC press conference is on Thursday. The weigh-ins are obviously on Friday, and then the big show is on Saturday. Lads, like this was absolutely brilliant. I've I feel like it's very nostalgic for a lot of people, and it was like I just thought it was a fantastic idea to get the two of you together. Especially you, Ross, you included. But, like before we wrap things up, is there anything else you want to say about about um this weekend's event and or anything else? Uh no, I'll just shout out to the Natural Born Killer as well, Carlos Condit. He is on the card. You You can't not pay that man some respect. But, uh Andrew Peaty, do you Do you have anything you want to uh plug or anything? Just check out my new show with Ariel Helwani and Chook Mindenhall, which will be starting very soon on a date that I can't say out loud. Thank you very much. make sure to shout that out. And the man with the hats is there as well. What a man. Yeah, man. What a legend, man. Chook's the greatest writer in the history of the sport. Both of them are my heroes, you know? So, it's it's unbelievable that you end up doing a podcast with them. Um for like a a huge publication like The Ringer. So, um the lawyer, I can't wait to do it. I'm very excited. And it'll be happening very soon at a day I can't say. Andrew, what have you got to plug there? Uh I just want to give a shout out to Damian Rooney, um who his Instagram handle is @rightfitness. Damian is a former professional MMA fighter from Ireland who retired a couple of years ago, but he attempted to break the world record for the most amount of chin-ups in 24 hours, and he tore his shoulder 16 hours into the last one, and he was on course to He was on course to break it. So, he's going to be attempting it again this Saturday and he's now like 6 kilos. Yeah, it's like it's not a Goggins world record. Goggins has pull-ups I think it is, but Dan was doing chin-ups and I'm I'm there helping him in terms of broad like live streaming it and documenting it for the Guinness Book of World Records. So, he's like 6 or 7 or 8 kilos lighter than he was the last time. He can do like 3,000 chin-ups or he can do like 1,000 chin-ups in a 3-hour setting without even like breaking a sweat and pushing the pace at the minute. So, I've never met anyone who's as committed and as focused as Damian Rooney and I just want to wish him all the best ahead of him breaking a world record this We're going to be watching the McGregor fight in his garage like as he's coming towards the end. So, it'll be 6:00 on Saturday Sunday morning. Dan will start at 8:00 on Saturday morning. So, I'm going to be there for like the day and then I go to sleep for a couple of hours and someone else takes over and then I come in for the night shift. But, we're going to be watching McGregor party in his garage as he's already like broken a world record or like steaming past the world record just [ __ ] doing chin-ups. So, yes, Damian, we can't wait for you to break a world record on Saturday. Come on, Dan. If he needs to plug Let us know if you need to plug that Andrew or if you're At Right Fitness on Instagram. At Right Fitness, right. We'll we'll definitely plug that out to him so he can do it cuz that's absolutely incredible. I wasn't expecting you to come out with that, but I'm very impressed nonetheless. Well, so you'll try to break it after next week, right? Yeah. Yeah. For most Can we take a moment for Sheridan as well fighting this week and making her pro debut as well? And that's another another Irish representative fighting this weekend as well. Ross, anything else to say before we wrap things up? Uh no, guys. Um thanks a million for joining us today. Two legends of the Irish media and May game. And if you haven't watched this video, make sure to like it. Make sure to share it. Make sure to subscribe. And as always, stay energized. Energize show, up the Irish. I've seen you guys a couple of times. I've seen a couple of clips that you've done. Some of the videos with Dylan Moran and that but I I saw. So, keep going. Keep up the good work, guys.