Joe Rogan Experience #10134 — Belal Muhammad Transcript

Transcript

0:00 the Joe Rogan experience I'm a big fan. It's been a long road. I still need to get over that hurdle where people still don't believe in you so people still looking for excuses of why you beat this guy why you beat that guy why you don't deserve the title But, I mean, now people know how good Islam is. watch the way he submitted Drew Dober, It's not regular jiu-jitsu.

2:33 It's like they're going to beat everybody. I'm not going to lose a minute when I'm going against you. This is MMA. Even though the round's over, I'm sitting there like, man, we haven't done anything. It's not, let me get taken down. back, arguably in the lightweight division, is Oliveira. And Oliveira really couldn't do anything Yeah. And he just has that mentality, like, I want to beat you at your own game.

5:12 I'm like tapping. And I'm like, all right, cool. This is the way you get out of it. Yeah, I think that's one of the reasons why they're all successful, I feel like. For them, they're doing everything every day. And those guys were going hard, and he's cornering. The guys outside of the cage will sit there, peek in. He doesn't know what I'm going to bring to the table.

7:55 and like an eye-opening experience? evolving you have to keep trying to do what the best teams are doing and seeing how their team is, how disciplined they are. They still feel super strong. I think a lot of it comes from that. Khabib will take their phone away from them and the fact that he wants you to win that bad because he doesn't need to be there.

10:06 It might be Jon Jones. yeah so if you're training with a guy like that like fuck man yeah and i think that that's a big My guy is landing hard kicks, hard punches, hard knees. If you want to look stupid, you want to be dumb, then go against the plan. Yeah, ego. He was in Vegas visiting, and he was going to transition into MMA, to hurt yourself right and you're going to get your ticket punched too many times and then by

12:54 And now when I think back to it, I'm like, it was so stupid And if you don't have any guys like that in your gym, I think a lot of these guys are They would go into the ring in whatever their gym was, big factor that make that's a big factor and being exposed yourself to the guys like Firas you're fighting for pennies.'re not you're not fighting for anything i'm i used to fight for

15:22 And they're going to beat you up. So I think smaller gyms are better for that. Don't go to that boxing gym. It's just, it's hard sparring, but it was like, I didn't really gain any skill level. Because some people think a place like American Top Team, they have dormitories. But then it's like, which small gym? and you hear this guy like, he's not giving any technical advice at all.

17:29 He knows that already. Because I've been at gyms where guys really don't care if you win or lose. attention to what he does. Hey, I think he does this gym. I didn't have one black belt that was helping me push or grapple. with Anthony Pettis when he fought Wonderboy. I've been watch this tape. It was, I forgot His kicks are a lot snappier than you think.

19:46 I was telling my manager, I was like, bro, give me Chumayev. Like I said, I was in two camps watching these guys. And I feel like guys coming off of one loss, their mentality is different. Like, Kevin, you're a black belt in jiu-jitsu. in the next line for the title shot. because I just couldn't Good job. He's been knocked out once by Anthony Pettis.

22:10 You have to fight him smart. Let me, oh, I'm going to strike with you. at me i'm like i'm shooting i'm not i'm not gonna play this game i'm like and then when i took him It was Johnny Hendricks versus GSP, who was a motherfucker. I don't know how hard he was training. Everybody goes flying. And then all of a sudden the power Like if, I mean that wouldn't have been the most egregious decision.

24:34 Yeah. go back and i'm sitting there like i still give it to jared and it's like no bias involved obviously Very clean. I don't care if I have a fight or not a fight. his third fight, his first fight. I mean you can make a show What's he going to surgery for? It's very fun. It says a grade two injury to the ankle. Well, you know, I hope he heals up.

28:04 and you feel so good because you're eating healthy For me, I only give myself a week. I'm just sitting there front row. What's your binge food, the one binge food that you like to go to after a fight? And he was like, all right, we're going to get a table over there. So he's looking at me like, you're a lame, man. professional athlete and you're in this world of professional athleticism that has very little room

30:28 man, you are fucking chipping away I've seen it happen to a lot of guys for advice. Like you said, their way in. And no one has to tell you that. You put it on him, and you pressure the shit out of him. And they were like, well, we'll give you him. But it's a good showcase for Gilbert in Brazil. But beating you would. area but but for you a gilbert fight or more more importantly a hamzat fight

33:27 The UFC doesn't want to do it. And then they were like, there's nobody else for you, but Sean Brady. I thought for sure I'm going to get a Hamza fight after that. and he would be a top-flight middleweight, but he has fought at welterweight. Like, maybe they did stop him. You look like death. doing whatever I can do because I'm so afraid of what he can do to me.

35:43 He's just fake. And with a guy like Hamza, you go, okay, well, he looked real good up until that Gilbert Burns fight. that how many different fighters how many who's gonna figure you out who's gonna find your chin And Gilbert's a savage. like, then you can see what a guy's made of. I'm like, nobody can keep up that pace. you're fucked. he was right.

37:59 He knew he could do that, Yeah. I think Kobe sucks. He beat Masvidal coming off of two losses. Neither one of them went for a takedown. Does he have a scheduled fight, Colby? Because he didn't see it coming. sucker punch it was dirty I'm as what i was then like be a street fighter go like I got up to go like I hate him to get knocked out Like, I don't care about Kobe.

41:24 He's not going to be fighting for a while. And if you're suing Masvidal, who's worth millions of dollars, and you're claiming brain damage and they see you take a fight, they're probably going to be like, how are you going to take a fight if you have brain damage? I don't think in the UFC off of that. To me, that's soft. Do the same thing. You know, I mean.

43:06 I mean, his career might be over. And especially, like, we've seen it with guys that get knocked out and they've never been the same. and you don't know because you can't of like, Remember? Be technical. Some guys are just too tough for their own good. where it's like one more second, this guy would have won in the second kickboxing fight they had, too.

45:18 and then they came in and gave him a standing because of the fact that there's ground fighting and ground and pound when someone gets hurt and Unless you're Tyson Fury and you get dropped by Wilder and you get up and you're like, That happened with Mike Tyson and Buster Douglas. before Buster Douglas actually gets up. someone gets dropped that clock goes and has nothing to do with the referee yeah the referee

47:50 sure it was celebrating when patty got the win oh yeah they're like yeah fuck yeah i'm like oh no Yeah, most people did not agree with that decision. But it makes sense if you think about the power that dude carries. I just think Bohovic has He's tough. He's kind of like a glover, where both of them Glover is one of those guys where I felt bad for him because I thought it was going to be one of his last fights for him to take the title fight away from him.

50:31 It takes us the long road because we're both nice guys. It's OK. Yuri just moves around funny. different style. You've got to prepare No, yeah. Yeah, he got that. Davey Amaya, he was in the car with me on the way Walker, you're like, dude. Yeah, he's very clever in there. I'm like, you're heavier than me. eat my words. I was like, whenever... That's not possible.

53:45 hasn't fought anybody that Figueredo's fought. and that was 2020. I was shocked at that decision, you know, But now Moreno doesn't have his coach with him. It doesn't sound good. substantial involvement in ongoing james kraus investigation substantial yeah he was on uh i've Jamie, you know, you're aware of this, right? or something like that to then like negative 450, which is a four to one favorite.

56:28 Yeah. Oh, that's terrible. Oh, no. so the fight will happen he knows who won and how they won and then some of the casinos will that has it. He said, all I do is gamble. I think you might be snitching. be banned for yeah you shouldn't i mean i don't know what kraus actually did and what actually That's a fun storyline. But now you can't even do that.

59:18 discord that they knew all the results from them oh my god that's wild that is so dumb yeah they I know who won. That's so unsophisticated. Yeah, I'd heard about TJ Dillshaw's shoulder before that fight. before he fought Henry, Henry Cejudo. Not really. now it's like crazy how it happens to one person and it starts happening aaron pico had his shoulder

1:01:50 manipulate it yanking on your shoulder like I won't go to that doctor or hospital unless I'm unconscious or I really, really need it. training it was i was training one day and i'm sparring and then all of a sudden I see black at the top of my eye and then I'm like Blah, blah, blah. we go to the, So like, can't see he's like no it's gonna be we have to see what it's gonna be like in what it was like

1:04:18 I had to sit on one of those to watch TV with a mirror that was downward and it was like but uh yeah it was like it was rough because you can't do any working out i'm a guy that Wow. no i'm gonna fight i don't care what you say type thing and so then i go back to regular training and finally trying to go hard sparring without the goggles on. So you don't really go get checked.

1:07:01 I was like, I'm blind. Right. I like how you won't even say fuck. i see light oh and then uh yeah so then probably when I got back to the hospital with my eyes getting stitched I was just like my lens was detached and I feel something like poked doesn't look like there's anything detached or uh torn in there i said oh okay cool so then But this dude, see if we can find that guy.

1:10:41 He's got one eye. Yeah, it's weird. We're figuring out a way to lie and everything. just mental toughness, the fortitude to fight like that with one eye. 34. that got fixed how long did that take was it the same process it wasn't uh it wasn't as bad as that Right away. So now they have to think about something that's going to occupy their mind. Yeah.

1:14:51 like a diamond MMA cup is going to compromise you. they have gloves that are better that's a trevor whitman has designed a glove uh he's got that The whole time? And I know he was in negotiation with the UFC. I think the UFC, I don't know what the story was, but there was some business deal, a bridge You just did like that the whole time. they're the best

1:16:42 his shit I do not know. Oh, Jesus Christ. Oh, my God. That's what you would assume. like me i'm like i took that fight on two weeks notice. It was short notice, first of all. So I'm like, bro, give me a full camp. Khabib sending me videos. for a one week notice fight. and what you don't do. That's what he keeps talking about. Usman in March. or doesn't engage, just plays defensively, he wins that fight.

1:20:08 I mean, you can't take anything away from that. Right up there with Georges St-Pierre. Yeah. I mean, Usman has problems with his knees, man. Like, if he's not fighting for title, it needs to be me. on him all the time what did he get done to his hand there's something with like the ligaments I mean, you only have so many years in this game. i don't have like the best technique but yeah it's you don't get the same wear and tear on your body as you would get with all that extra stuff on there.

1:22:47 Isn't that wild? Now he's all in. Three hours? Really? he's like walking around at 165 He was small. you need to go lightweight and i was like what do you weigh right now like 190 that's probably we're in Dubai and this tray's full of lobsters. This tray's full brother, you're cutting weight already? or like fight week Do you think their way to do it is the right way,

1:25:55 I'm draining myself. But now with these new nutritionists and they're like doing the whole water load changes everything. Oh, that's not too bad. I like to stretch out in there. So I'm in the bathtub and you know, they put the water to a certain temperature. It's like Oh, my God. bath is that effective? He said, from now on, he's a pro from now on, we're doing the bath.

1:28:28 Yeah. Yeah. a shot or pushing me at all, Drew Dober's a big motherfucker. Dude, I was like, this makes no sense at all. So that's what he looks like at weight. And he uses it in a fight. That has got to be some otherworldly squeeze yeah i tell guys i'm like you never felt it's it's it's different done coaching right now, but... They're like one big family where it's, I'm going to be at every single practice with you.

1:31:10 You never see their family life. Yeah. So, it's, like, me, Islam, like, like the whole team's there and nobody's saying nothing to us and i'm like you know islam Yeah. I want him to do whatever he wants to do. And it's not like he didn't retire because he was out of shape or injured or anything like that. I'm sure and it's like when somebody's rolling with you and they're sitting there oh order me a starbucks he's getting

1:33:53 Umar's got such a different hook and dropped him, I mean, that was umar has a real potential to be the champion he really does man he's he's fucking good dude and It's like their humbleness. everything's to the T, everything's to the dot. I know I'll just share it with just him and I was like it makes sense because being a Muslim this dude's ass oh really yeah because apparently over there like you you can't even like kiss in public yeah it's a it's a different culture it's a different thing it's not

1:37:19 start seeing now more like americanized muslims where they're like oh well what if you do it this and Abu Dhabi for those five And you don't really get that kind of feeling in America. What you're doing, it needs to stop for this. five times a day? But in the end, Same thing. your your late night prayer so for me also just hold you accountable to to no matter what happens

1:40:04 there's some people that I tell people all the time, like when you're starting out, It's like I was born from a different culture. I got to get this done. I don't care. like when you're doing this to pray to God There's also this devout sort of ideology that they've ascribed to that they're that they live their So you could sit there and train and be super stressed out and like, am I going to win or am I going to lose this fight?

1:42:56 I'm a good person. I wouldn't have changed the ways I've trained. And it's called sujood. I love and the people that matter to me most, which is my to give you a feeling of peace because so many people that that if i think that for a fighter I'm not allowed to play drink or anything like that. too i mean that is having a great camp is just such a massive advantage i mean and you must feel

1:45:46 Yeah, let me coast a little bit and just go smooth. And they don't have that fear of themselves where you go to gyms and it was like, dude, this guy is like a monster. They don't have that fear of themselves where you go to burnouts with. We'll So they'll go from doing shoulder presses to punching the bag, And then all the other stuff is more like cosmetic.

1:47:41 So when you're doing this stuff stuff like when you're saying you're where I'm putting it back on, But it's heavier, but it's just lighter reps. So I figured I would need the strength Yeah, there's certain dudes that are just strong as shit and they don't look like it. when he was ragdolling from Chicago, but I would go in there and I would train with them and I'm like we're sparring with big

1:50:22 needed a hip replacement you know it's like unfortunately we didn't get him in his prime he was in his prime when he's in Bellator Yes, yes. That was when he was in his younger version of himself. it takes is one punch or one kick and they avoided all of that got to be a real champion at one fc But, man, if you've got to hold you, you are going to get wrestle-fucked.

1:52:03 Because I'm like, he doesn't take striking serious at all. He got knocked out by Mads Yeah. Tyron was one of the greatest welterweights of all time. Wonderboy, who's the great striker, never really had him hurt. There's nobody better, I think, at distance. I had a great career, but I made because there may very well be a pot of gold at the end of that rainbow.

1:54:49 Well, I think, isn't Deontay supposed to fight Andy Ruiz? It's talked about. But that second fight with Joshua, he just got so fat. I was like, damn, Andy Ruiz. I don't even have a Rolls Royce. You knock out Anthony Joshua in Madison Square Garden. I hope they make that one, though. Because he sets guys up, and so the first few rounds, That dude can crack. He's so good. Like, very few. Yeah. But goddamn, when he hits you, you're fucked. Yeah. That dude can crack.

1:57:02 He's got a great counter. But the thing is, like, his abs don't match his chest or his arms. If you look at his body, like his arms and his shoulders, Like, all these people are claiming that he got ab implants. I think that Liver King dude has them for sure. Right where your cursor is. Yeah. But is that real? I mean, this is from a men's health article, so.

1:59:37 Look at that one. I got a laser pointer, man. Yeah. Oh, this one. Which ones are you looking at there? This is like a bad one. Yeah. So I don't know if Oscar did that, his the side abs or obliques is that what that is yeah yeah those look pretty strong Then you pick any diet you want to do. Depends on what you start from though, right? He looked so stiff.

2:02:34 instead of Ngannou where, you know, yeah the thing is that zero gone was out grappled by francis when francis had a bad knee francis's Because Blagoi beat Fedor in combat Sambo. every fight and i'll like circle fighters who i think is gonna win i'll post it on my instagram But yeah, I always talk to Eric Nixon. in that grind. It's a different type of grind. He said,

2:04:37 Yeah. yeah he got out of the round Stipe made it out of the round and then Stipe started dominating Yeah. kick you know he does that yeah very weird Yes. He stands totally sideways, and he twists his leg in. Yeah. If you go to Tai Tuivasa. Because his movement movement the fluidity Very interesting, man, watching the two. Yeah. at heavyweight? Can John close the

2:07:44 I'll wrestle you. You're a striker? i'll strike with you yeah so well he comes out there I think what Henry brings to the table is very unique. His mindset is really incredible. He breaks it down in that type of way. I think you should do this. Yeah, I think he's one of the great coaches out there. Why are you going to think that he's a good coach?

2:10:27 like I said, it's like these guys are good at the pass, well, we're going to play pass defense. Is he training down there? I think, I'm not sure if he's doing his full camp there, I'm wondering who he's sparring with because you know there's this he really wants to get some movement, some really top-flight kickboxers. That moves like Cyril. John fights Stipe,

2:13:05 Go to the UFC heavyweight rankings because I'll show you what I'm fucking interested in. I mean, the Russian Francis, rather. Does it have any fights of his? I mean, we think about Cyril Gan going through that war with him and train with him and he was like, yeah, he'd be in a practice room with us Mark Smith. So I want to see him fight more. And Ty gets up and just guns blazing.

2:15:18 That's crazy to me. Give me Sergey next, and I'll show you guys my worth. That would be good. there with a lot of top-notch guys. uppercut. But other than that, he's been I don't know. You're going to stay up for that one? What is this? Yeah, I think so. So that means it's going to start at, what is that in California time? oh do ho choi that's do ho choi uh is is coming back that was a he was a while ago he was a beast

2:18:15 That's the beautiful thing about ESPN Plus and streaming. He's cut. Woo! What's on the undercard of that fight? When she fought Aaron, I was like, Super technical. other than Erin because she's so young. When she knocked out Jessica Ai with that head kick, I was like, god damn. shin pads on but yeah i was just always like interested in it like you said she's smooth

2:20:51 See her shoot guns, man? Like really good. house to break into son i was uh one of my buddies, he's like, he teaches people to get their guns, to get their gun permits in Chicago where they can carry it on them. and this guy tried to rob me. Honestly, I do, especially when it was during those riot times. And, you know, I train with cops, and I roll with cops.

2:22:39 Could you guys help them? And, like, obviously my guy has, like, a gun inside the store. out of the store and people saw us taking everything away and they still broke in and Access to all those resources. Even if I go train at other gyms or train with other teams, I'm still with the same core of guys. I have so many people, like, you need to come here.

2:24:28 the whole deal after the fights that And I was like, to a distance or it goes to a decision, there you second fight goes the distance, they go, no interview. Like, relax. You need to do one of them Jake Paul fights. You don't want Brian getting punched in the face. It's cool. just like the experience. Do you do ice bath? Do you do cold plunge and sauna? Like what do you do? Yeah, I mean I got a

2:27:21 they'll come in before practice and he'll be like he'll ask you like today's your hardest you're not training. Yeah, you're going to be in a fight Don't like my mentality was when I got there and I'm like, don't be soft. i'll work out twice and then i'll be like three hours of doing nothing i'm like man i should do And do you back off when you are?

2:29:07 So I'm just trusting it. And, like, I woke up, and it was, like was the day before I was supposed to come to a fight. Then all of a sudden that night I was literally just shivering in bed. nah I don't got COVID I was like forget you when I get there tomorrow So I was like shivering that day. I'll get over it in a couple of days and then fight Saturday.

2:31:33 got canceled because of it yeah so then i was like fudge this i'm just like eating trash and And while he was sick as a dog, that motherfucker was still going to the gym and doing rounds in the bag and working out like a beast. Like, does he have scarring on his lungs? Yeah. man you got covid and he's like oh that's what's been going on he had had covid for fucking weeks

2:33:18 Like I would have figured it was a regular normal cold. You just got to adjust. So he had like a few slow days where it't that wasn't pushing it very hard, but apparently Hamza just so immune system's compromised, if you have a fight, you're like, hey, make sure you don't come to the gym if you have COVID. Make tested again. So she got tested again. Turns out she has COVID.

2:35:17 We have to go to this person's wedding. Right. Empty arena. Does that change the way you commentate it too? I really do love fights at the Apex center. Yeah. like real privilege to be able to be there it changes everything, too. Yeah, sure. Because if you just change the way you think about it, it changes everything. And it was during Ramadan. like this and you never get a call like what makes you think i'm gonna get a call then

2:39:40 Are you training during the day? So the moment the sun goes down, that's when you can drink water, usually at like 4.30am. I'm making sure that I'm having good carbs that I'm going to have so I'll be able to train. You want to try this, this, and this. schedule that after it's dark out? I started doing that this camp So I was still training twice a day.

2:41:56 And then they would come and train with me at that time. you want to get closer to god so you're trying to read the quran you're trying to be more at the I think it helps me a lot of the time too because I'm not If you had a title shot that took It does compromise you. yeah. Has Habib ever fought during Ramadan? and I fought a couple times outside of the UFC during Ramadan.

2:44:18 terrible loser so i put my head down i'm like upset like i don't want to talk to nobody and And I was like, I don't care, man. So what kind of timeline are you on right now like does the UFC give you any indication you're trying to figure out what's happening to them that And you're like, well, where's Kobe at? And I'm like, well, give me Masvidal.

2:46:13 it tells me that that's the name I have to beat to tell see them making that fight. I could. It's such a talent stack division, man. That division besides Masvidal who's who he beat on a three fight losing streak so how hard was it for you he committed the foul I'm looking at it like eye poking and the whole road oh well you were losing anyway and i'm like bro there's still

2:48:50 And you did. He beats me. Yeah, because everybody was really looking Everybody was looking at him like, this guy might be a Is that real? A fan threatened to kill him and bury him in the desert if he won a recent fight. Do you know how to bury people? her fucking mind because like she was just is green. That's not real life. Go to that article. Let me see that article.

2:51:43 they don't tell you. There's so many people. Let's guess. 100? Stop doing that, man. It's bad for your psyche. And you can get lost And I'll just read it every single time that it's fight week. And if you're, like, consuming people saying they're going to burr you in the things you consume with your mind. Yeah. And if you're like consuming people saying they're going to bury you in the desert and

2:54:17 It's, it's sad, honestly, because my, uh, my girl, her, her dad's, uh, daughter's like When you have kids, you go to games. I was like, hey, dummy, that's not going to help. You don't know jack shit about sports, you fucking idiot. It's awful. Yeah, it's awful. I'm a big fan. right now I can't wait to watch so they can troll you. Bye, everybody. Thank you.