Joe Rogan Experience #10059 — Kamaru Usman Transcript

Transcript

0:00 and we're live what's up how are you what's up joe dude you're a roller coaster ride what is it Of course, I heard of you and all the things you do. I'm like, oh, yeah, it's Fairfactor guy. I was like, what are you talking about? And then every time after that that I see you, I'm like, what's up, Joe? And I'm like, fucking Joe's been with this sport for the beginning.

2:02 There was no shaking behind it because, you know, one thing about about me i've gotten into commentating and things like that now and i'm like dang joe it didn't seem joe's been doing this shit for a while well it's uh it's an interesting thing to see you know to Let's start fighting. Yeah, if you go back and watch a boxing match from like 93, It is such a

4:51 Everyone came in with their one skill, and they put it to the test to see which skill was better. It was like, hey, two brothers, what's up, man? And we went over there to watch the fights. So it was like first season of The Ultimate Fighter. me and John kind of looked at each other like, and left that day. but i was like man when you if tyron beats usman i was like there's a real good argument for him

7:38 I, you know, nothing but respect for Tyron. But I had known I known his mom. I met her previously to that the fights. angel but at the same time she's she's a gangsta too like you can't you can't you know she she was to take the belt from, between being a challenger So, yeah, it was unfortunate that I had to take that from him. beautiful man it's it's amazing her character that she handled that i mean this is her baby

10:54 It's all good. It ain't his time. And the way she treated Tyron too, the same thing. this sport is as well yeah like it's not oh man that's just a regular fight you guys hate each People love that man And there was a lot Nothing but respect There's But it seems like everybody's trying I'm not. But I chose to do this because of my burning desire to compete.

13:51 this era came about where now everybody you got to talk shit you got to sell you got to do this he had to do that he absolutely had nothing has changed with the way that he fights he's done the you have to i really don't yeah something i mean kobe covington does because I mean, he had to do it. there's not even a heel like literally like those guys who they still had fans you know that wanted

17:09 Connor and could be that that that adversary that Rashad and rampage that Hughes and I haven't been in that fight yet. Now you're dead tired. khabib and connor when he said i want to change your face yes when he said that i was like damn And then Colby popped up trying to distract me. to now is your striking. Like you don't have any holes in your game anymore

19:43 When did he die? going down there but yeah I've been with the same. Henry Hooft just came down at that time. Yeah. That's what you're going to do. I just, all that cool shit. tries this wheel kick out of nowhere, and he misses with it. and then he lost other Yeah, and that's part of everything that's grouped in with fight IQ. always kind of when I can't do that

23:22 I practiced that in practice gonna accommodate everybody it's never going to stop. 190. who do you oh wow who do you use to cut to for weight um for the last couple of fights man i've I do this. higher up now one thing that i don't understand is that i haven't done the research is is what in your athletic prime yeah it's a combination of both because in wrestling years i i gotta be in

26:58 this guy was like a zombie like i i limp around i freaking light game patches on me, and I'm in a boot or sleeve. And when I walk in, I just freaking flip that switch. my abilities. It's never, because I'm not selfish. I'm not getting in that prayer, And you see it in my face. No, my daughter. So I take her there, come back, that's it. I'm the same freaking guy.

29:44 i mean you're just you're Imagine you said that to me when BJ Penn beat him. I was just thinking, I was like, I don't care. care i would be i would i think that would be doing an injustice. But I feel like I go to certain people. Because there was a certain time where I was a little more nervous than usual i was You can't be Olympic champion. You can't do this.

32:52 It wasn't until a little while after I started kind of doing that. I'm like, have fun with it, man. And I talked to Eddie quite a few times before this last fight. i'm not gonna lie joe i was like why the fuck am i doing this i'm you i'm gonna keep fighting for 25 and 25 30 and 30 right what what i've spent more than that and you have taken more damage than that because that's when you really

35:16 But that, you know, you work on it, and that's gone in a week. and I'm icing this thing four times a day, and it's not going away. and so I'm just like right freaking hard i'm on that air diet and and man shout out to my strength and conditioning coach Everything that I do, in my mind, I try to do it at the speed that I would want to do it in a fight.

37:31 That is crazy because one of the most impressive things about the fight You poured it on. I saw the light but then it caught me man he was tough with uh cosmo alexandra more tight guy yeah freaking amazing but tyron has a very good poker face so he has this nonchalant face on. So I throw a jab and I throw a right hand. and I asked him why did he freak out like that

40:20 down and all I had to do is really settle back and hit him with clean shots you recovered very quick because it was one of those pivotal moments in a fight where I was like, man, if Tyron doesn't go out here, how much does he have left? to just start letting go, to snap out of it. You're not knocking them out. I'm going to do that. Or he caught me with a slick submission.

42:31 what that means is when you're beating someone metcalf was battling like every week i would look and see who had the most tech falls it was me be I want to break you. I can't tell you maybe 30 guys that I've beaten in wrestling. Caceres. His name is Jose Caceres. Everyone feels like, oh, I'm just going to jump in, and it's going to be peachy. Everyone, oh, fuck, he's a national champion wrestler.

45:36 So it was months and months went by, and then that fight came about. you know look who I train with Double leg I'm throwing punches Long limbs So I turn my body. He's six something. So I don't really know the defense down there. It's getting shaky. I'm like, I'm a of scared and I'm fighting it. Now I'm standing up. My feet are getting heavy. It's getting shaky.

48:10 And then I start thinking about random thoughts. I ain't never tapping. i need money so if i can't fight for another six months i have no money Oh, man. you got to make money. and i finally went to locker room got my stuff and came out. But I just paced back and forth. I saw he gave you your black belt after the fight. You know, I've been grappling at a high level but it wasn't just

51:26 I didn't really even know. I just wanted to fucking compete. Absolutely. I think Monday, Wednesdays, and Fridays. That's what I'm saying. I didn't even eat breakfast. I don't want to go out. My whole thing was I just need to work. seek, that's the thing about me, I seek knowledge, like, I'm always, I always want to learn, I always the prepackaged food but I'm not so much into the prepackaged stuff like you know just throwing a

55:36 I get it. I would lift and I'm like, fucking, yeah, I feel good. Like, what are they doing there? They're spending a lot of money. Yeah. Who knows what the fuck it's just incredible what they did when they were just talking about building that i was like what is this gonna be like what are they doing there they're spending a lot of money yeah who knows what the fuck it's gonna be but then i they took me on a tour of it i was like this is

57:09 We talk all the time. him time to recover Even for this fight, everyone's like, oh, Kane's going to do him. You know? What? fantastic genetics he's got that too but his ability to land punches that just put people Everybody spars with everybody. forced like i mean it's and i'm like he's that fast with that much power i mean if he even and It was a small, sharp punch.

1:00:35 after the Overeem destruction. And to have Francis clip him like that was just like, Jesus. Yeah. Wow. I mean, the thing with me is I used to watch videos. So I love boxing. Even back then, I was like, I think 2011, I went Division II. So they was the dudes that we looked up to. see him. It was me, Fisher, TC Dantzler, and another kid named Bo. i was just like oh shit that's rashad so of course you know i had to play it cool i can't even be

1:05:31 and they do the ultimate fighter we're wrestling I freaking took him down several times, ran him off the mat. But then after that session, we sat on the mat and we just talked. Man, I mean, I couldn't. What you going to do tonight? and of course so Like a chick. He just texts me out of the blue. i'm down so now i became like part of his training arsenal and every time that's the thing we're shy

1:08:20 And this guy, I would help these guys train. instead of winning that Olympic gold. And, no, I'm in MMA, so if you're going to do that, just do that. When you think about your style, that's kind of similar to his in a lot of ways in that you rely on pressure, volume, mental toughness, and wrestling. Four? I guess the process is they make breaks. Talk to him about it, man, because he has some phenomenal—I actually sent my mom down there.

1:11:40 Now he's 100, and he's walking around. with regrowing cartilage and meniscus well yeah that's something that definitely i'm gonna look into yeah because you you know i mean So we modify. you too shoulders are i mean i'm a wrestler you know shoulders always gonna be banged up you know it was blood like it was basically the blood it's like a vacuum, I think is what they call it.

1:14:37 Jesus. Because I'm not big into the painkillers. but they just don't do much for me. It makes me stupid as fuck. Love Hemp is a UK company. the freaking stigma behind it's like oh it's marijuana it's weed yeah yeah we were talking You go into that tunnel Uh not good Yeah. Yeah, there's always that edge to where you're in a room with the freaking lion.

1:17:56 and we would just sit there and talk at night and um he gave me the nickname that night too To this day, people call me Kush you're like because I didn't start that he's trying to run with My coach was this big Marine dude. And he's like hey would you try wrestling I'll do the football season He looks at He's like, that's your name? I'm going to call you Marty.

1:20:21 Why does the UFC shorten your name? are so fucked up no but man i i love people's names i love that coach man he essentially changed This is the thing about nicknames. So now Marty went from just now everyone on the team and now the college team is calling me marty now here's the situation with this whole ben no I really was for him to bring it most of the trolls look like Ben Askren.

1:22:59 Once you smash that thing, just don't even put anything in there anymore, man. They didn't dethrone George St. I understand, but he stepped away. Yes, Yeah. what would you i don't know i just do i just do me because he's still in the mix i would just do me He moves like a snake. And smacked the kid You don't even know what's going on Like I like Wonderboy a lot

1:26:10 She's like, no one would care. He heard her thoughts. No one's going to care. even feel like it's getting negative dilly dilly dilly i can't read them all because after that No, no. On negative shit I just blocked him Like bro imagine just fucking belly out like this he's never trained a day in his life what did you think Because Robbie's such a fucking savage

1:29:23 You know this is an argument because He recovered Pull up a single do that Woke him up knocked him out Robbie woke him up, knocked him out. He's so classy. But at the same time, what Robbie explains it is, You know It looked like it was out Herb Dean didn't really give him a chance to put the thumbs up. You don't lighten up because you think. But you have him in a bolt, you're here in survival mode.

1:32:03 Remember that? We're going to watch it right now. Yeah. Look at this. Go to sleep. Really? You don't see the hands go?'s still there man I don't think there's no evidence That he's out Really You don't see the hands Well he definitely ate some big shots man he's tough as hell bro he's drunk driving scramble that led Oh, man, a lot of blood. When someone is so worried about you grabbing them, it kind of shuts them down a little bit.

1:34:38 now you can't get really get hit with big shots you know and he does get the takedown at some This is interesting. Robbie doing a good job. you know So now he's got him down Robbie's just chilling. See, Robbie puts it down. That's what's tricky about that. till he turns. Either that one down or take this one inside. See the way it drops Move Robbie says man

1:37:08 Now I'm on your side. That's the sport we're in. Well I know Robbie They do And he To the wrong guy No I respect him keep the same energy. Then I realized never has but that's that's anger that's attitude towards anybody but that's what i'm saying that's You know? He's gone free. I mean, I guess You could say It's almost like Right didn't dana put out a statement saying that that can't happen anymore we got to do a better

1:41:12 You were talking shit. We were all meeting in the lobby, and I saw him. And Reed, they put him in a different car, and all the other fighters ride together. I'm not going to say nothing. What's that tough guy now? And Whitaker was standing next to him. uh and then security walks up and security's like oh no no we don't need this we don't need this and

1:43:47 Yeah Rafael dos Anjos Well, you might be right. Look at that. Tremendous fight. In what way? Like that dude's tough as hell Let me just clarify. that i internalize man and i i don't really talk about so i don't really care what all these guys And, you know, you're just putting pressure on yourself to be the best you could possibly be. You mean your family when you were growing up?

1:47:20 because kids were kids kids are mean i have to talk with the funny accent would tell you, hey, why don't you say this to the teacher? So the English is the root of the words, we're colonized by the Europeans. So the English is, Yeah. in Pidgin English? really haven't ever shared with anybody you know very very few people know is that my father has But my dad was a businessman and my dad built one of the really, really big business in Dallas.

1:50:12 But what the court is saying is that, oh, because you own the company, so ignorance is not an excuse. Yes. hired the right people yeah help me grow the business so now they're helping he's they're to do the billing or whoever else We're investigating, I think, maybe like 15 patients or something like that. then they come back later a few years later for the same thing that you've already said you're

1:52:59 So they get caught. My dad's like, no, I didn't do shit wrong. My dad's a citizen. Nothing. Yeah, he's been in for 10. And one thing that really killed me was one thing. we're all student athletes we earned this we we worked hard earned scholarships for us to be in just and and obviously of course i researched more and more into that because i was so heartbroken

1:56:51 was doing that he was sending kids to jail he was extending their sentences and giving them When does your dad do for parole? whole clemency deal when they were doing it my dad actually wrote a letter i actually have that wrong because i chose to say no i didn't do anything wrong i'm not gonna take this sentence because I knew that I needed to get a pound off the next day in order to be able to wrestle at this JV tournament. What about all that? You know, that didn't make any difference.

1:59:35 Not the best place to have a trial happen. They didn't even look at it. I was just having that conversation in the last podcast. in the country but a majority of them in asians but there's a lot of people that look down on oh they're here taking our jobs. i'm i should be usc champ you're you're a soy boy. You don't deserve it. I'm entitled to this.

2:03:07 Absolutely. immigrating to america yeah i think it's a family family thing it's like when when our families Yeah. You know, my brother is a doctor in pharmacy in Dallas. Absolutely. like oh there's the car the bus is gonna pick you up at 3 7 a.m to go to, and the school, it wasn't like, oh, there's the car, the bus is going to pick you up at 3, 7 a.m. to go to school.

2:05:44 You had to go out and And afterwards, I was fucking terrible. They wanted to beat me and make me sit on a nail in the closet. Yes, absolutely. You know, they could get hurt. I think a guy like you could do anything. How did I never imagine that I would get to the point where I would run into all these different wrestling coaches that would pour knowledge into me, even if for every.

2:09:11 I won my belt on the same card as John Jones. That's pretty fucking crazy. This wasn't me. So I'm so thankful. Yeah. when I'm carrying all that stuff inside. yeah, one trip, one trip. Get tough, baby. Get tough. Get tough. but in my mind while I'm carrying all that heavy shit, I'm just like, I am freaking. I've been doing that since I was a kid. and you know,

2:12:04 Let's get 11. too strong for the joints do too much or push too hard. like i said i like to take all this different knowledge that i get and and knee surgeries and reconstructions, you, same no you never know you never know like kane you know much respect to kane kane can come back Absolutely. I have to get healthy first. We'll get off Like whether it's a knee

2:15:43 For I think the last two years, my daughter laughs at me. Before the Leon Edwards fight, I fought Leon Edwards years ago. Walking on grass instead of concrete This is a matter of me getting maybe $10,000 or $20,000 thousand dollars let's go i chose to be here instead of sitting in front of it instead of Remember we were talking about the tank that you have in there?

2:17:49 And I'm having a child. and i'm not married yet and and these are especially these are these principles of your african parents like you i'm in that thing and i wake up you know but it hasn't decompressed yet you know so i never really He can scrap. All this shit is going through my head now. I'm laying there. These people got to get me out of here.

2:20:20 What you worried about? I'm calm Like, you know, I don't want to freak out because I still got to be cool. Nothing. You okay? I couldn't really tell. But they freak me out because you put me in the MRI machine, especially when you got to do the head one. Last week That I did last week I'm like through the rest but i'll get through it yeah it's scary but you know since that day

2:24:10 And Rashad was like, really, bro, you got to do this. Now I'm making 10 and 10. Okay, you feel's that's enough to be able to you know sustain me of her because she's been coming to the gym with me ever since she was six months old. I was getting ready for a fight. telling that to my coach like man I ain't gonna be Man, she's my little rider. No matter whatever I do in life from now on, she's a plus one.

2:27:00 daycare in the gym and she would go in the gym. She would go to the daycare, and she was good there. They just have a good time there. Yeah, man. It's got to be surreal when they put that belt around you for the first time. People don't like change. hating on it and say oh no that looks crazy wait till you put that belt on you wait till you hold My hope is now the pay-per-view scale for the fighters bumps.

2:29:30 That can't be because i think it was like 65 or 70 yeah but now you get a subscription 60 instead of 65 right and I wish Brandon Shaw was in here so he could talk some shit. He's doing phenomenal. I didn't think he was funny. funny like he told the whole he told the whole story man and i was impressed man man hats off giving tyrant and giving him shit for you know doing music or doing movies and all this stuff

2:31:50 and I love that like you can see it right yeah so you know yeah i i commend them for that man you know have you thought about an So, man, yeah, I commentate for them. Like, those actors, like, I know they work hard to be able in no way saying what they do is easy. Absolutely. The beautiful thing about podcasts, you don't need anybody. And it worked great

2:34:01 And if I don't have a fight this whole week or just you know whether it's lifting champion it only makes sense yeah well if you if you really could just relax and kick back i'd be you don't got Hollywood on us. for why they don't do researching you and watching your stuff, Like, chicks are in trouble. Sings incredible. Yeah. Women are in trouble. Act his do anything. How many people can do things like... He does stand-up comedy. Like,

2:35:50 Everybody's in trouble. he's not gay. award-winning actor when he comes in and hangs out with you you would never imagine it i i that's getting gas and this guy pulls up in this crazy fucking car like i never saw one of these things same little nutrition shop that i go to get a protein shake here and there and i still go to And I think one guy one time said like, bro, I can't believe you're here, bro.

2:38:11 You want me to take it? People are just people. I mean, millions of people watched that fight. because of that. right so it's one of those things that all these guys I'm very thankful for that. And when you hear a story like yours, And a thing about doing that fight monster man he was like a i think he was 200 like 260 pound running back like i'm talking

2:41:46 Samuel Peters but he created such a legacy I have to do the best that I can to be able to inspire many, many kids that are going to come in the future. and now yeah man yeah I mean but I think part normal. I don't feel anything different. But you know you're the champ. It's a fight. i don't hope not no when we were talking earlier about guys who like to trash talk and what trash talking is kind of doing for the sport whether

2:44:28 George St. Pierre was never a trash talker and still sold a shitload of pay-per-views. It's not the only way. Like, no, you got to do this. on how to talk? No, no. I mean, Dana's never once said you got to talk. You you to do things? Do they tell you? No. Do they give you advice on how to talk? Like when Colby got a shot at the interim title before you?

2:46:09 they're starting to have a little buzz you got to do this money george did it his way it's just as long as you want to be real what you choose to do you're Beautifully put. Thank you, man.