"I'll Submit Him" – Ilia Topuria CALLS OUT Islam Makhachev, OPENS UP On Putin & Russia

I really know that I have the ability to to shock the world. You're fight ready. I think he's fight ready to go up against you today. Him? Yeah. No. I finish him in the first round. Me personally, I would ask him like, "What's your favorite submission? I'm going to submit you with that. I have to do it." Did you say you want to make more money than Ronaldo? I want to make more money than everyone. Why? Why is that? And how are you going to do it? You win the medals in the training. You just go to collect them in the in the fight. That's what Michael would talk about, you know? Yeah. But at the end of the day, he was playing basketball. Now I'm fighting. What do you think about Zealinski Putin? There's how the world sees it. But then you're in the region. They see your face is saying something though. Look how fat he looks. Little pimple. Little pimple. Yeah. Party pimple. Pimplet, you're waiting for that phone call, huh? I'm waiting. I'm very excited to be honest. Sport is sport. We athletes. I respect all of that. But there are lines that you can't cross. The featherweight champion is that power. Wow. He's still down. He's still out cold. Did you ever think you were made? I feel sweet. I know this for me. Adam, what's your point? The future looks bright. My handshake is better than anything I ever sign. It's right here. You are one of my life that they have like business-wise, it's not the best place to Spain, but it's your favorite place no matter what. Like the quality of life that we have in Spain, you can find it anywhere in the world. Like for example in Miami, I love Miami. But we are recording. No. Yes, we're recording. Okay. So the quality, the quality of the food and everything, it's very different to Spain. Not close to Spain. Not close to Spain like. So the food is the best for you in Spain. The product then the traffic. I spent an hour to come here. I would be in and span this distance you you you I would be there like I don't know in 30 minutes. So how how much time we spend do you spend here in the traffic? That's quality of life like food traffic I don't know everything is so expensive you can you can make a lot of money. Are you very detailed? Like are you a very detailed guy? Like you know personalitywise in business uh you know when when you try to profile somebody you're recruiting somebody like let me see what personality this person is. Extremely analytical, extremely structured, organized like you had a little bit of thing you had to go clean it up with the shirt, right? Extremely actionoriented. Let's go out. What are we going to do? Let's beat them. Let's competitive, you know? And then relationship. Very good with people, right? You care about the relationship and all that stuff. Are you more analytical, structured, systematized, actionoriented, competitive or more relationship with friends and family? More relationship with friends and family and I'm more with with energy like my with feelings. It depends how I feel with the with the person because I can have a lot of information for example about someone but then I met him in person and and the feeling I have with him is completely different you know. So yeah, very interesting. I asked that because you know when you're saying uh quality of life to to think quality of life of the conversation we're having, you have to be analytical a little bit to pay attention to the details to say it took me one hour to come up but it would have been 30 minutes where I live. You know, you got to because I have two kids. If you if you are raising a a kids, you got to take them to the school. You got to take them to to different activities. So if I have to spend between every activities an hour in the traffic, that's a lot of time for me. So I at the end of the day I I got to have to take something from them to optimize that time. So I look at it from time time wise. Very And you're very active with your kids. Are you very involved? Mike and my boy, he he he doesn't live with with me. My girl, she's eight months months old, but we are like planning everything now. Like, where are we going to live? Where are we going to rise them? How we going to do it? So, I'm planning. I'm 20 years old. And and you're just getting started, you know, when I'm getting started. You're just getting started. So, you're you're what? You're 16 and0. You you won the 145 after winning against Vog, which wasn't, you know, the fight was fireworks is what did you watch the fight? Of course. Yeah, it was fireworks. And then afterwards you give up the belt to go to the legendary 155, right? Where everybody that's like the weight everybody knows it's the category to be part. I don't even know if if you look up Rob who are the top five biggest fights. I think 545 it's all the lightweight, right? Yeah, it is all lightweight cuz it's Connor Kabib. I think it's Conor. Uh it's I think he's retired. You think he's retired? Yeah, I think so. He's not going to come back. What do you think happened to him? You think it's the money and the success? Uh, I think that he doesn't have the motivation anymore. He he he done a great things in the sport, but he doesn't have the motivation. He he he got I think a lot of money. He's spending also a lot of money. So, I don't know. I don't know him personally. I don't know him. You guys have never met? Never. So, there's no relationship? No. Cuz he said some stuff about you and you've said some stuff about him. Yeah. But nothing good. Yeah. Nothing. Nothing good. So if if right now you guys were to fight like right now, right now, let's just say in two weeks he gets a call. Yeah. And a fight happens. You're fight ready. You think he's fight ready to go up against you today? Him? Yeah. No, I don't think so. What he what he did in the last two weeks? Party, drinking beers. What I did in the last two two weeks, I trained twice a day. Um, I don't know. I'm an active fighter. I defend my my belt a couple of months ago. When was the last time he fought? He fought, I don't know, three years ago, four years ago. He's not in shape. Your peak, like right now, you you Some would even say you're not even at your peak yet. Yeah. Cuz you're still getting better, right? You're you're 28. How old are you? 28. 28 years old. So some of these guys, they peaked at 32, 33, 31. That's the age, right? You're at 28. Your peak versus Connor's peak. Who wins that fight? At 155, let's just say, my answer is going to be always me. Every day, all day, I'm going to bet that guy no matter when and where. But if you ask him, he's going to tell you probably the same. So you know how it works. This is sport. No one's going to give up. When when you were coming up, was he somebody you looked up to? Were you like, you know, was Connor your guy? Were you a fan of his when you were coming up as a young fighter? Yeah, of course. Of course. He inspired a lot of fighters. He changed the sport. He did so many great things for for for the sport. You can say like anything different about that. But he he he like little by little he changed his his values. He changed everything. All right. Right now, what what does he represent? I always used to say like drugs, alcohol, bad lifestyle, but who gives a [ __ ] Do you do you watch closely to make sure you like as you're going through it, are you also watching and very detailed on the decisions you're making to see how you're living? Because you're watching, okay, this is what this guy did right, that's what this guy did wrong. Are you studying everybody to see what for yourself to be protected of? Of course. Of course. I always try to develop my skills. I always try to have more abilities because at the end of the day, you skills make you rich, right? Not the money. Because if you don't have the skills, you don't have the right mentality, you are poor. So, I all the time try to develop my skills and my abilities. and and when when going with um someone like you because I think you said one time you said you want to make did you say you want to make more money than Ronaldo? I think you said you want to make more money than Ronaldo. I want to make more money than everyone. Why? Why is that? And how are you going to do it? Uh okay, let's switch that a little bit. It's not it's not like I want to be better than someone. It's like if someone could do it, I want to do it also. Got it? And if no one did it, I want to be the first one to do it. So this is the mental. It's not to look up to some to look down to someone, right? It's not because of that. It's I want to experience that that also how it feels to be the the number one guy. Well, why not? Right. You're saying pay-wise. Yeah. Why not? Do you have a strategy on how you want to do it? Have you thought about it? Have you thought about what method you're going to have? I I looked at the pay on what you've gotten. Earlier, we were talking to the guys and uh when I look at this, your first fight uh I don't know if it's your first fight, but one of your first fights that you made 38,500 October 10, 2020. Then you made 50K, then 75, then 90, then you made 154 with Bryce Mitchell, one of your good friends. And then and then you made 200,000 with Josh EMTT. and you made 532 uh fighter of the year 2024 with Vog and then you made 2.44 million with Holloway. So roughly courier earnings 3.5 million and you know this is this is a very good trajectory if this is a stock this there's some real good things around the corner for you right fight wise it's not only fightwise it's it's also a business-wise that's why I try to develop all the time my my skills you know whatever because at some point I'm going to retire and I'm going to make a a living from from something else something else. So Got it. How much longer you think you'll be fighting? You're 28 now. Till I enjoy. To be honest, before I used to be like maybe when I I'm 30 or 32, but now till I enjoy I will be will be active. How old was Kabib when he retired? I think 32. 32. Was he 32? 32. Yeah, you're right. 32. September 20, 1988 when he retired. Interesting. But right now, you're enjoying it. You see yourself going for a few more years. Exactly. Okay. Like now I have a new motivation, new division. I have a lot of guys there. So why not what's what's the what's Because I watched uh I had Kabib on I don't know when it was. I did an interview with Kabib four years ago. Could have been three years ago. Maybe four or five years ago. Probably four years ago. See, pull up the date, Rob, to see when this is. What is the date on this here? August 1st. 21st 2023. Okay. I thought it was a lot longer than that. So we this that's what Rob year and a half ago. Yep. Soon to be two years. Okay. I had him on and I watched uh uh there's a clip. Rob, if you have the clip uh of uh Kabib being asked about you and he's asking a question about whether you're ready and I'm sure you've seen this yourself. I'm sure you've seen the comments that he made. I don't know if you've seen it or not. If you haven't, Rob, I'm going to text it over to you. There's an interview he's being asked about whether you're ready to fight um you know whether you've earned the right to fight for the number one spot. Have you seen this clip yet of Kabib talking about you or no? Um I I have watched some of them. I watch with with Henry. Yeah, you've seen this. Okay, play this clip off for the audience if they haven't seen it. Go for it. He said, "You know what? I want to go up to 155 lbs, fight the number one contender, and then if he wins that, then he fights Islam." I think that's good, brother. I think he deserves I think if you move up and you beat somebody like Dustin Poria or Charles Alivera he's next. Why not? Because there is nobody. So you don't think right now Ilia deserves a shot at 155 lbs without fighting in 155 without? No, I don't agree because Islam already give chance and people talk bad about like oh he fight two time with volcanoski but UFC push this fight and this fight was good in first fight but why Islam have to give three time chance for 145 champion why it's not fair for 155 pounds right right but but if he move up and he beat somebody like Charles of course you know what I think I think he can beat I think he can beat I like Charles but I think so too no I I think he's saying that I don't deserve it, but he's saying from a fighter's p perspective, but as a promoter, it it works a little bit different. So now you're thinking Dana. Yeah. Got it. So you think Dana would be excited about you fighting Dustin or Charles? I don't think so. I don't think so. Right. That will be a making a step back. I think yeah, I understand what he's saying, but I tell you who I want to see as a fan. I'm talking purely as a fan. Okay. If there is the fight with you and Islam Mhm. that could be one of the biggest pay-per-views if that takes place. I think so. Also, look, Henry Sahula, you you watch him in the video, he moved up. He fought he fought for the second belt. Connor, he fought for the second belt. George St. He fought for the second belt. You have I can like mention you so many names that fought for that second belt. Why why not me that had that opportunity to fight for the next weight class uh world championship for the belt? So right now with where you're at, are you are you wanting your next to be that? I'm sure that that's going to happen. I'm I'm fighting for the belt. Okay. So, so right now you gave the belt back uh at one point. I I gave it because I didn't want to hold the division, right? This is what I did. I could hold it for a year, year and a half, but I didn't because at the end I I knew it that I wouldn't fight again in 145, but I could have the position where I would say like, listen, I'm holding the belt till you give me the chance to fight for the for for the next weight class. uh belt, but I'm like I'm okaying the belt because they gave me they were that was all easy. Who is the ranking right now in 155? Uh the number one is Charles Oliva and the the champion is Islam. I don't know who is the the number two. Can you look at that rap? Uh, I'm curious now because I is Charles is number Oh, Arman is number two. Arman number two. So, would you fight an Arman before you go like let's just say Dana says I want you to fight Arman before you fight Islam. Would you entertain that? He wouldn't he wouldn't tell me that. He wouldn't tell you that. No. Dana would say Islam. He would say for the belt. He would say for the belt. Yeah. I think so as well because you're undefeated. Of course. Yeah. There's no way that I have to fight to to the number one contender. I have to fight directly for the belt. How soon you think that would happen? Personally, I don't know. I hope in summer, maybe in September. I don't know. Whenever it happens, it's going to be How does it normally happen? I'm not in your world. Do you do you do you normally make the call and tell Dana or do you kind of do the podcast and kind of find a way that the video makes it to Dana for him to know or does he call you and tell you? It never works like that. They call you they they tell you like I need you in this day in this place. Do you have a warning or no? They just kind of call you and tell you I got to fight for you. I got to fight for you. Okay. This how it works. Of course, they they like have a conversation with you because they want you to feel also comfortable with the day, with the place, with with the opponent, with with everything. Got it. They they figure out with you and you go after that. But at least what what they do always with the champions is that they give you at least tweaks of of preparation. You know, if you're a champion, they give you that 12 week respect. Yeah. Yeah. Because you need a training camp. You need to figure out you how you going to do it, how you going to organize your everything. I don't know. You got to move your whole team. Let me let me ask this question for someone like you. You give me the idea. You're very meticulous. You're very detailed. Are you is your current training a regular training or is your current training specific training targeted for your next fight in Islam? like psychologically in your mind are you you're already there. Yeah, I have two names in my mind right now and and we focus all trainings in two names. It's Charles Charles and Islam in case if he says you're fighting Charles. Yeah. in case that he's he says that I'm I I got to fight Charles. I'm ready for that because I'm I'm doing a lot of like we watching his fights seeing his weaknesses where he's doing like I don't know where he's dangerous all that we study him the same thing with Islam he saw Paul he moves a little bit different he tends to go for the takedowns so we are preparing I'm so excited that's why me if someone asked to me like I would love to fight with with Islam that will be a a great one because I really know that I have the the ability to to shock the world because I know that for me it's going to be like I know that I I'm going to beat him but for the world it's going to be like just what happened. The same thing that happened with with Wal, the same thing that happened with with Max Holloway. No one never knocked him out. No one did it and it was like a surprise for for everyone. But me personally, I always knew it. You always knew before before I walk in in the octagon, I was like, thank thanks God to give me the opportunity to be the first one to knock him out. Where does the confidence come from? From hard work and dedication from and from God. I think so. And I'm going to sound a little bit repetitive, but I always prefer to to think about to have the kind of thoughts that make me feel happy, that empowers me because I uh I feel fear fe uh fear of course I do. But both of them fear and and faith demand you to believe that uh you never saw. I always prefer to believe in something that makes me feel happy. Fear. Yeah. Fear. So is you feel fear while you're going into the ring or at that point you're not when you are in backstage you feel that? You feel fear backstage? Of course. Adrenaline right here. Of course you do. Everyone does it. Everyone. How do you deal with it? How do you deal with it? I I use it like uh from a positive way. I use it from like I don't know the first thing that happens where where you are in backstage you you might your mind used to take you to to the octagon and in reality you are in the backstage and I'm like listen right now I'm with with my people wrapping my hands warm up I don't know whatever I'm doing but I'm not fighting with with anyone so don't worry about anything just save that energy energy because you are going to need that that concentration that focus inside the octagon. So if you are able to don't let your mind to travel to the future, you are ahead of of your opponents. When you're backstage and your anxiety goes, is there anybody you want around you that brings you down? No. Or is it like your brother calms you down? Is it a coach that calms you down? Do you just want to be left alone to yourself to have the conversations in your mind yourself? myself, nobody else. Nobody else. I just go I watch myself in the mirror and I'm like, "This is the the the person you have to beat." The person in the mirror. Yeah. This is the person. Yeah. This is the person you have. Are you listen to any music or no? I don't like whatever. Like, oh, I play the music. Someone from my team plays the music. I don't have any uh I don't know how to say it in English. Ritual. Superstition. Oh, superstition. Got it. You're not superstitious. Yeah. You're not at all. Not at all. So, you will step on a line. You won't step over a line. You're not If you touch something, you won't have to touch it three times. Exactly. You're not like that at all. No. No. No. Not at all. No, not at all. Why not? It's interesting. Because I don't like to to depend on anything. I'm like, you wake me up at 4:00, you tell me that I got a fight with someone, I do it. I don't care. So that's why it's like I don't need my shorts. If I don't have my shorts, I have a bad lack or if I'm not wearing this or he's not able to come to watch my fight or whatever. I don't know. Nothing. You're that ice cold. Mentally, you're that ice cold. They call it ice cold. That's great. I don't know me. Nothing gets through. Nothing. I can walk like I can go alone. Like just imagine that my coaches can't come with me, my my brother can't come with me, no one. And I have to go alone. No problem. Can anybody get under your skin? Does anybody get under your skin? You know what that means? Like when you know what I'm saying? Like somebody that knows to say something that triggers they see your face is saying something though. I think the only person is my wife probably. She's the only person. No one else. I think seriously, I think so. That's very good. Yeah. You you know because uh you know that that is that is a a big strength of a lot of uh great ones were like that. Some of it wanted it. Some people wanted like Michael Jordan's was he he wanted you to say something to him and then he would convince himself that you said something about him really bad and then he wanted to kill you. That's what Michael would talk about, you know. Yeah. But at the end end of the day, he was playing basketball, right? And I have enough of that energy that I want to I want to go in and take his head off, you know? I'm fighting. What are you telling yourself when you're looking at your opponent? Are you telling anything yourself about the opponent right before the fight or no? Before the fight, no. I'm just telling to myself that I need myself called to be calculated. This how I need myself emotions underground. I don't need my emotions at that moment. Who taught you this? Who who shared this with you? Who is it? A mentor, a coach, somebody that book or brother or family or No, it's just you. Maybe I read it somewhere because I used to read a lot of books, but it was like I always had that kind of mentality and also I I I proed that it was working for me in the in the fights. So all the time I go in I'm like my emotions are under zero underground control very calm. Yeah. Because you know when you when you think about rituals right like you're saying superstitious I remember uh back in the days Diego Sanchez I don't know if you remember Diego Sanchez one of my favorite guys to watch Yes. Yes. Yes. And he was just fire young exciting uh uh uh Ali used to predict rounds. I'm going to beat you in this round. Right. Tyson used to look at the person in the eyes until the person looked away. Like he wanted to kind of do that. Tyson Fury would sing after the fight and he would like to sing for uh the fighters. Manny Pacquiao would take ice showers, ice cold showers and pray before the fight. There was another guy uh uh uh Leoto or something. Leoto Machado where he would drink urine before a fight. I don't know if you've heard this this or not. Very weird stuff that you think about before fights. You don't have no rituals like that. No ritual. I I used to pray, of course. I used to pray and I used to Yeah, I used to pray. This is what I do all the time. I wake up in the morning, I pray and I feel thankful about everything that's happening to me for the opportunity and I thank the gods before I'm getting the victory. I'm I'm I'm thanking to him like thank you for the victory. As a kid, did you watch something a lot? like are you, you know, uh, do you link your mindset to like a Rocky? Did you watch Gladiator? Were you a movie person? Did you watch somebody as a fighter coming up? Did you aspire to be somebody? Did you look up to someone? What was it for you as a kid? As a kid, my my coach in in Gregoral wrestling, he used to say like this, like you you were you win the medals in the training. you just go to collect them in the in in the fight. So this is like my mentality, I think. So I work so hard. I know everything that I did that I did everything that I could and there's no way that I'm not going to walk out from that octagon with the victory. This how I feel really. What's the one fight where you got a call for a fight? I think it was two weeks out where you got kicked on the side. Who Who was that? The the and Jai Herbert. That's right. J Herbert. And I think even Rogan talks about this where he explains where you got kicked and you know and then everybody's like, "Oh my god, this thing's done with." And then boom, boom, boom, it's over with. Yeah. Right. Your opponents who you've gone up against, who have you fought where you sat there and when they hit you, obviously let's just say he's one of them. Who hit you where you felt the pain or you saw their technical skills to say, "This guy's legit. This guy's very capable." Your opponents, people you've gone against. The last two opponents I had, Wal and Max Holloway, they both were very skillful. What was different about Max versus Vog? What was the difference between Max and W? Good question. I never thought about that. What was the difference? I don't know. What was the difference? I felt both of them like the same way. Fast, very calculated, like they are smart people inside the octagon. They have that f IQ. You know what I mean? Normally I used to go inside the octagon and I'm I feel that I'm the smartest guy but with them I felt that they were smart also because you can be very powerful very fast but if you don't have that mentality if you don't have that fight IQ what what does that mean? What does fight IQ mean? What is being smart in the right to use the technique at the right time you know may you you have a lot of information one one thing is what you know and the other thing is what you do with what you know you know what I mean to use it at the right time so that that's for me the fact that you when you need something and you use it at the right time for example I don't know if I feel that I can beat someone with only jabs I go and I I I don't switch the strategy in in the whole fight. I do jobs job. I don't know how to explain it to you. It's it's a little bit difficult to to explain it from from a fighter's perspective. Yeah. But basically, it's to choose the right technique at the right time. And they were doing that. They know how to u I don't know how to say how to say that. Roberto, can you text that to me? Aensia. Yeah. Take away the patience from you, you know, because you go in, you're very patient. You're very patient. But there are some kind of fighters that have the ability to to take you from from your place, you know, and to make you play day game. Who who who did you fight that would talk to you and try to play mind games? Did anybody talk to you in the ring? No, no one talk to me in the ring. Usually they don't have time to talk to me because I put so much pressure of on on them that they don't have the time. They don't have even time to to breathe probably. What was it like fighting Bryce Mitchell? to be honest, he surprised me because he was the first person to take me down and he had that like proper technique for for takedowns. But in I don't know, I just felt that I break him like mentally, physically, everywhere. He he was known as a great grappler. I submit him like what you want me to do with you. He's like I don't know crazy guy. The earth is flat and what? Okay, just suppose that the earth is flat and what we do with that information, bro? The [ __ ] you talking about? So, for the record, you don't think the earth is flat? To be honest, I think that it's not flat because this is what they teach me since I was a kid. But even if it's flat, what what it change to me? What I do with that information? Okay. Uh someone comes to me, the the earth is flat. Okay, you convinced me. And what what happens now? What what are you interested in? What other things are you interested in outside of fighting? I want to I want to serve the most amount of of of people that I can. I want to Yeah. serve, inspire, motivate people. You know, again, I I asked that because right after you say, "What is it to me to know about whether the Earth is flat or not? What am I going to do with that information?" It it's it's the way I hear it is I don't need additional information in my brain. I just need to focus on the stuff that I need to study that's going to get my life to the next level. Everything else exactly, I don't need any distractions. Is that kind of how you see it? 100%. That's how I see it. like what I do with what with that information like sometime sometimes pe people want to convince you about something is like okay you're right and what what happens now what I do with that my life change I get better I make more money I don't know what happens nothing so what it's true though it's true to stay locked in and it's not easy to stay locked in Um, athletes. Are there any athletes that you now have a relationship with that they're high level athletes, competitors from different sports, soccer, football? Do any one of them did any one of them call you? And if yes, when did that happen? What was the first fight where people said this guy's special? Uh, I think that since the moment that I fought, I don't know, I when I made two fights in the UFC probably. Yeah. After that, I I I start two fights. After two fights in the UFC, I start feeling that people was reaching me out like calling me, texting me, wanted to meet me. Yeah. After two fights, of course, once you become a world champion, it's different. You defend your belt, it's different. You were the fighter of the year last year, 2024. I think that it was Pereira. They gave it to Pereira. They gave it to Pereira. Yeah. Why do I see 2024? sports fighter of the year. You because many people gave it to me but they gave it to to Alex Pere also. One or Tai who's Oh, they gave it to both of you. Oh, they give it to both of you. Yeah, I got it. Okay. And you there's a picture of the two of you guys together. Yeah. Yeah. So, you guys you guys are friends. You guys have a relationship? Not friends. I met him in in Australia. We we meet each other for for first time there in Sydney. I went there to watch my my brother fight. Yeah. Do you watch the sport yourself? Like are you also interested in watching the sport and how other people do or like this weekend Miami this fight, you know, there's going to be UFC fight here. Are you somebody that's interested in how other people will perform? Not always, but uh in this event specifically, may I watch it? But normally I I watch a lot of fights because I have a promotion in Spain and now I started to to watch a lot of fights because I I want to discover new talents and so business you're thinking from the business side. Yeah. Got it. Okay. So this card that's coming up, which fighter are you excited about? This this uh weekend's card. Uh I'm excited. I'm excited about uh we have in in the fight card against Diego Lopez. We have Patty Puml against Mike Chandler. Jai Rodriguez is like either if he's fighting or not, no one gives a [ __ ] Uh Bryce Mitchell, the same thing with uh John Sila. I don't know what to say. He's a upcoming fighter. And that fight I don't know. Danny get the same thing. So which which one of them? Go back up top. Rob. So the Patty one. Patty Chandler should be exciting. Yeah, he needs to win. Who? Chandler. No, no, no. He's he's fighting with with a veteran, you know. He needs to win. And hopefully he he he w he wins because May, who knows, may in the future we we face each other. It could be a great fight. You and Patty. Me and Patty. I'm looking forward for for that fight. Did Did some Was it something happened with you and Patty or Yeah, something happened with you guys, right? What was that all about? I saw the video. He said some stupid [ __ ] about Georgia, about about my country. He said something like, "Now I understand why Russia is throwing bombs to Georgia." And like, bro, you never live in a situation where you your country had a war. I lived there in 2008. Don't joke with that. Got it. So that's what the context was about. Yeah. And what prompted him to say something like that? I don't know to be honest. I don't know. Wow. You know, he said that to your face or he said that on Twitter? No, he said that on Twitter and I was like, I got it. I And then you went and you were guys were at the same event and you ran into each other. Exactly. Oh, I got I saw him and I went to after him like boom. And it wasn't promotional. It was it was it was very real raw because it's not like it's a fight you guys are promoting together. How can you say this kind of stoppage [ __ ] You know what I mean? You can't joke. Sport is sport. We athletes. I respect all of that. But there are lines that you can't cross. You know the people's life are are involved in in in this joke. You can't do that. Where is this at? Where is this location? In London. This is in London. How long ago? Oh, this was a while back. This is three years ago. Yeah, three years ago. Okay, got it. So, hopefully hopefully he puts himself in the spot where we can share the octagon one day and he's going to realize. So, you want to fight him? I want to fight him. Of course, I want it. Of course. while I'm a active fighter. If he we right now we are in the same weight division. Yeah. Look how fat he looks. But he does that quite often, right? He puts on the weight and he trims down. He puts on the weight and he trims down. Pimple. That's part of his uh little pimple. Little pimple. Yeah. Party pimple. Pimplet. Yeah. He gets so fat. I don't know. anti-athletic and to be honest I don't know what to tell you if he's a good fighter he's not a good fighter some sometimes he his fight sucks sometimes he does something that looks good some I don't know he's a very average average level of fighter let's say like that so so you think the fight oh wow I is that AI or is that real right no that's real he gets fats There's no way that that's a do. I don't I don't Click on the picture, Rob. I mean, I knew he put on weight, but that's a lot of weight right there. Yeah. Oh, wow. That looks like a real photo. That's That's not his brother or like a relative or that's him. No, I'm not being funny. Can you see if that's actually him, Rob? Ugly as [ __ ] Wow. That is that's unbelievable. Yeah. I mean, you know, there was a bodybuilder uh his name is Kevin Levon. uh Levrone, one of the greatest physiques in bodybuilding ever. To me, I think it's a top five physique of all time. He used to just completely get skinny. This is his physique, by the way. One of the greatest bodybuilders of all time back in the days in the 90s, he played second place multiple times. He should have won a couple of them. Never ended up winning one. He gets big also. He gets super big, then he gets super small, and then look what would happen. And then he gets super big, and he would get super small. But a different kind of a uh this is the opposite of what Patty's doing. Um very different story with what Patty's doing, but it was a massive uh body transformation. Uh it is. Yeah. So if other weight classes when it comes down to fighters, like who do you like to watch? Is there anyone you like to watch? Like did you like to watch, you know, Jon Jones? Are you who were who were some of the guys you personally like to watch fight? Let let's say like that I would pay a pay-per-view for to watch someone fight right now. I don't know who it it it will be. Mab I love him watch I love watching him fight his last fight. Unbelievable. Unbelievable. You got to watch that fight. Did you watch it? me. Who was it with? With the cousin of of Kabib Abdul. Bro, can you pull up the fight? I watch his fights. Whoever he fought, I probably Omaro. That fight was amazing. I watched that fight I don't know how many times. I love Really? Yeah. Can you see who he fought last? I'm curious now. No, he fought Umar Numar Romelo. Yeah. And he's fighting now again the rematch against Shauna Amali. Yeah, of course I watch his fight. That was a great fight. That was a great fight. Yeah. Yeah. You you wonder. So for you, you say you you're selective on who you would pay to watch fight pay-per-view. Yeah. So your style coming up, what what makes you as a fighter different than your peers? You started training very early if I'm not mistaken. I think you started training at five years old to do wrestling. I start with you though. Got it. Then we moved to from Germany to Georgia. We start with with the Greco wrestling. Then with when I was 15 years old, we moved to Spain. And finally we we start with with MMA with the mixed martial arts. At 15 years old, you're living where? You're living in Georgia. At 15, I was living in Georgia and we moved to Spain. Okay. So, what was the culture of where you were living? Was it a fight culture? Was there a lot of people that fought or No, you were part of very small. No one. Oh, really? No one. If you would say to someone 10 years ago in Spain that you were doing MMA, they would look at you and like, "Kid, take a book, read something, live that crazy, crazy thing." Yeah. Don't go that route. Don't Yeah. So, so, so who did you train with in in Spain at 15, 16 years old? I find uh actually my mom find completely by chance a gym where we start training me and my brother because we wanted to keep with the with the with the Greg Roman wrestling but they didn't had the culture of that sport. So by chance we find this gym and we we meet the sport. I didn't even know what jiujitsu was, what MMA was. I didn't know anything about the that that word. So, we discovered and I fell in love since the first second. What's the age difference between you and your brother? One year. He's older. He's older. Yeah. Would he bully you as a kid? If he was a bully with Did he bully you as a kid? Did he push you around? Uh, no. No. No. Never. You guys were close. Close. Close. We fought a lot with with each other like every brother, but he never bullied me. Okay. But you guys would fight a lot. So, um, up until what age? Cuz if you guys are training together, there's advantage if both brothers are like, you know, there's this, uh, um, Can you pull up his brother's picture if you don't mind, Rob? There's there's advantage. There's this guy named um, uh, Lavar Ball. Lavar Ball. Is that the father's name, Rob? Uh, uh, is it Lavar Ball? I believe so. Yes. Lavar. Lavar. And his three sons, they all uh, play basketball. Okay. All three of them. And you have the oldest makes it in the NBA. I think you have the second one almost made it. And the third one I think youngest one is Lonzo. Lonzo is probably the best one out of the three. The youngest one. Okay. And but they were all basketball players. Don't say that. Don't compare never ever brothers between each others. They hate it. They they hate it. But you know why I asked this question? I don't ask it from the standpoint. The the older brother typically helps the younger brother become better at whatever they do. They play a role of a mentor. Yeah. What's what's the dynamics of you and your brother? What's your relationship like that? Same. Okay. At uh at some point he became my my like head coach. He was in charge of all my trainings. Yeah. He was like kind of my mentor at at some point. Yeah. He helped me a lot. And the of course it's a huge advantage to have a brother doing the same thing with you. We were going in the morning the first people to go in in in in the gym and the last ones to live it. At what point did the two of you guys build a reputation? Like listen, don't mess with the Torio brothers. At what age was their reputation? Uh [Laughter] uh they're going to hate it. I think like since the first day I don't know since the the first year since the the moment where whenever we we we're going the people were meeting us. It's not like don't miss with them because they are I don't know they going to [ __ ] you up. Not because of that. We got people. We have great relationship with with the people. It's not because we are aggressive. You know what I mean? I know how to treat people and I trade people how I I I I like to be treat treated. Did Did any kids at a young age try you guys that maybe didn't know that they tested you and then they had to learn that you guys know how to fight or not a lot? It happens only only once like a random fight in the street, but I don't remember a lot of them. It's funny you say and Georgie I was fighting every day in the streets. Yeah, in the school. In the school I was fighting. So people were picking you. You were starting the fights or they were starting the fights? To be honest, I always had problems with people that were bully w with the weak, you know. I hated that since I was a kid. So I always had problems with people that was bully were bully with others. Who's the biggest guy you ever took down? the biggest guy like the biggest guy that tested you at a bar at a you know in trainings it it happens to me many many many times like when I was 15 years old a lot of big guys like security guys that were that they were working in um like a securities they were coming to the gym and when the time was coming for sparring my coach was like okay uh go with Ilia they were looking to me like, "No, but he's too small. Go with him." And I'm like, "Now you're going to find out." And after that, I was I was going to that nightclub and they were like, "No, come coming." Respect. Yeah. Respect. How old were you when you were going to the nightclub? I'm not going to repeat that. You just said, "No way. I'm not going to repeat that." That is fun. So you you and your brother were, you know, super tight till today. Very close. Yeah, very close. And when you have the big fights, is he always in the corner with you? Always. Always. Always. He's the main man. Got it. Yeah. Nowadays, more than ever, the brand you wear reflects and represent who you are. So for us, if you wear a future looks bright hat or a value taming gear, you're telling the world, I'm optimistic. I'm excited about what's going to be happening. But you're a freethinker. You question things. You like debate. And by the way, last year 120,000 people got a piece of future looks bright gear with value tamement. We have so many new things. The cuff links are here. New future looks bright. This is my favorite, the green one. Just yesterday, somebody placed an order for a hundred of these. If you watch the PBD podcast, you got a bunch to choose from. White ones, black ones. I I if you if you if you smoke cigars and you come to our cigar lounge, we have this high quality lighter cutter and a holder for the cigars. We got sweaters with the Value Tamement logo on it. We got mugs. We got a bunch of different things. But if you believe the future looks bright if you follow our content and what we represent with Value Tamement with with PVD podcast, go to vtmerch.com. And by the way, if you order right now, there's going to be a special VT gift inside just for you. So again, go to vtver.com, place your order, tell the world that you believe the future looks bright. Have Have you guys spent any time with Nate and Nick Diaz or No, never. Never. No. What do you think about those guys? I like them. The charact the character they represent in the sport. I always like it. They were so much fun to watch. So much fun to watch. They always provide a show for the fans in the most unique way. But they would do it. You can't copy that. No, you can't copy that. Special. They are very special. Who were your favorite fighters coming up? Like f I know we talk about Conor, we talk Diaz, but who were some of your favorite fight? You and your brother, you're like, "Oh, this guy's good. I like watching this guy." We like from MMA or anything. We liked a lot Canelo. Canelo was and it's one of my favorite athletes. Yeah, I learned so much from him. Why Canelo? Technical skills. technical skills I learned like we were watching his videos, his training footage, like everything and we were trying to to copy that, to repeat that. He inspired us a lot. Have you ever met him or No, no, never. So, you guys have never trained? Never. Hopefully, one day I I met him in in person. Wow. Let me ask you like in in the specific boxing side, right? like when they ask him they're like, "Hey, Jake Paul, uh, you know, fighting as Canelo to Canelo is like, you know, it's a very different world." Is your technical abilities in boxing stand up? How good do you think you stand technical abilities with somebody that's a professional boxer? Okay. Don't say Canelo because I wouldn't fight him because he's somebody you look up to. Yeah. Yeah. He inspired me so much at some point as I said like I would fight. No, no, no. I wouldn't if I prepare for six months like only boxing. I don't do anything about wrestling, about I don't know knees, elbows, grappling, whatever. Only boxing, bro. Put me whoever you want in front of me. Whoever. Whoever. And I hear a lot of guys talking about like boxers. No, Elia, he he has a good box boxing for MMA, but he has nothing to do with me in in in the boxing ring. I'm like, listen, you don't have anything to do with me outside, inside, whatever you want. Like, what you want to do? Even Even if you want to play a chess match, I beat you. Why do you think that? Why do you believe that? Because I know how good I am in boxing. I train every day boxing every day. That's part of my life. I spar with with pro pro boxers. I learn boxing. I I like I don't know. I consider myself that I can box with with anyone. Just give me six months only boxing preparation. I'm not even telling you like three because I need to to switch so many things that I do it because of MMA like the stance the movement is a little bit different for the boxing of MMA than for boxing boxing for pure makes sense and by the way for a long I mean Max Holloways was known you know as a guy that he would say he had the best standup. No no no he would say he was saying that but that wasn't the truth. So you don't even think he's the best standup? No, no, no. Compared to you or compared to anybody else com, it's not like take me out from the equation. Yeah. Like I don't think that I saw anyone in in in MMA that I was like he has a great boxing. No one. It doesn't matter from you see he was one of those but even Connor he had a great boxing for MMA uh very I don't know MMA stance you know in boxing you can't go like that because you are going to suffer but he had better better boxing than a lot of people he had But Max, you know, boxing is about simple movements. You can do so much movements and switch the standard switch the stands all the time. That's not boxing. In boxing, you have to be like very disciplined all the time and very protected. You have to select all your combinations. You have to move your head and you have to be very good to administrate your energy, you know, because you have 12 rounds and that's a completely different different movie. You your match up with Makv, where do you have the advantage and where does he [Music] uh this is what what I told you. You ask me, I feel that I have the advantage in in everything. This is what what what I truly believe you me personally I would ask him like what's your favorite submission whatever I don't know dark joke I'm going to submit you with that so if if you ask him what his favorite submission is you would do that to him this is a guy that's trained and coached by Khabib who you know 28 and0 you know stories that never lost a round in his life. I take him close to Khabib. I will submit him closer to Khabib. You'll submit him in front of Kabib. Yeah. I take him Khabib used to take people and he should take take them down and talk to Dana. I would do it to Khabib like I will take him but and then talk to Kabib. Talk to Khabib. Kabib, I have to do it. What would you tell him? No, I wouldn't. I wouldn't like all the respect. But this is how I felt. I felt that I I I submit him with with the DAR. Like what's which one is your favorite? Dar, you're not joking. Whatever he tells you, you This one I'm not joking. Like I I truly believe that I I submit him with the DAR or whatever. I don't know. Tell me which one's your favorite. Don't tell me a hell hook or some bulls. Bulls. submissions that I don't know. Now I'm curious. Now, now I'm actually curious to know what would be his what do you think his favorite would be? Um I think Dar or Guillotin. And if he says that Yeah, I go for that. No problem. It's going to be even more entertaining for me. Yeah. The people didn't realize that my background comes from wrestling from the ground game. I actually I grew up in in in with wrestling and with with BJJ and I developed my skills at at when I was 20 years old in in boxing game but my my best skills yeah are on the ground. It's so weird that you did this in Georgia and Spain. Who's there? who I mean do you understand like it's kind of weird to say that that because some of the guys you're coming from this camp okay you know he is he comes from what camp we know what camp he's coming from we've seen the videos we've seen the training we've seen how disciplined their camp is and everyone's from a different camp who who else is a very well-known person from the camp that you came up of outside of you and your brother who is wellknown Ilia that's weird it is it But that's why God's everywhere. He's everywhere. God's everywhere. [Laughter] Yeah, that's uh it's weird. It is weird. That's the part that's very weird with you where you know where did this come from? Do you think it Well, I mean it's not even that because you have access to everything. Would you guys watch a lot of YouTube and kind of repeated you and your brother and watch what he That's why I told you we were the first people to go into the gym. Uh we were taking our phones watching the videos I don't know drills in in BJJ for example drill to take to take someone's back and we were drilling that the whole day all the drilling uh single legs double legs I don't know the cage work boxing kickboxing elbows knees I don't know whatever how can we develop our ki or or stren or power or whatever I was like so obsessed with everything. I was working all day, every day. That was my obsession, all the time. But there's not a professional UFC fighter that's coaching you guys with your career. No. So, what is your first Not even a professional boxer or professional at all? No one. IA. That's weird. Yeah, it is. That That's very weird. So, what is the first interaction like the the way you were found? How how were you found? Who found you? Who saw you fight to say, "Hey, come on down." Or did you say I'm coming into the UFC to fight? No. So I had four fights when I started with my professional career in in Spain and at that point become very difficult to find a fight for me because in Spain at that point we didn't even had an events you know so I was like listen I have to do something because no one is going to come to me and touch my door. How old were you at this time? 18. Okay. So, 10 years ago. Yeah. 18. Okay. So, 18. 2015. Yeah. Who Who's on top of the world in 2015? Connor is on top of the world, right? Is UFC is Connor and Jo Jones, Jose Pier, all all. Yeah. Those I think. Who were the biggest names of UFC in 2015? Conor, Holly Holm, go a little bit lower. Ronda Rousey, Daniel Cormier, John. Okay. Yeah, got it. So, I'm like, I have to do something. I need a plan. Demetrius Johnson. Yeah. So, you need a plan. So, I start to talk to myself. I'm like, what can I do? And that that point Gustafson, Alexander Gustafson, was fighting for the belt against John Jones. And that guy was training in in Sweden in Allst Star gym at that time. And that was the the the most recognized like gym in Europe. And I'm like I have to go there because I'm sure that he's monitor or someone is going to Sweden in Sweden in Stockholm. So I'm like I I need to go there because I know that someone is going to see me and the only thing I need is I need an opportunity. I need a I need a fight. I need to prove my my skills. Then I had the second problem that I didn't have enough money to to travel because you need money to to go from Spain to to Sweden and stay there, I don't know, for two weeks, three weeks, whatever. So I did, I don't know, crazy things with with when I was 18 years old. I went to that place. I went to my my first training. I finished the training and the guy who who was representing everyone at that time and actually he's the manager of Kamzad also at this time Kamzad Chimay you know he came to me and he was like do you have some someone to that is representing you and I'm like no who who did he see you train who who did he see you spar that guy this guy yeah this guy saw saw me in in in the training with everyone in the mat oh but there's not a fight that he saw you he's just watching you on the mat exactly he saw training with with everyone, you know, purely ground, no boxing, nothing yet. I think we did a little bit of boxing. We we we mix it up. We did something in the ground. We did something with in in the striking. And once I finished the training, he came to me and he asked me like, "Do you have a a manager?" I'm like, "No. Do you want me to represent you?" And I'm like, "This is why I came here." And in three weeks, he called me. No. And one week he called me like I have a fight for you. And I started my my journey there and the rest is history. Who was your first fight? I start I started to fight in Finland. My first international fight. Who who was it with? Uh it was Mika. I don't I don't remember. He Can you look this up? I'm actually really curious. So So this is Watch that fight. I finished him in the first round. Then after that one in three and a half weeks, he called me and he he gave me the the the fight for the Cage Warriors World Championship. So this is not UFC yet. No, no, no, no, no. This is not UFC. Look, no, the the Mika. There's Mika is I had four fights and I went to Sweden and he gave me that fight. Mika Hamal. Yeah. Submission guillotine show. Yeah. In the first round. First round 335. After that fight, he called me in a three and a half weeks or four weeks. Look, I fought April 28th. 6 weeks later. Yeah. Something like that. Mhm. Then I fought June 16 for the Cage Warriors uh world championship. Then I was signed by Brave. I did uh two fights and I get the call from the UFC. Oh, got it. So, you're Ysef Salal is your first UFC fight. Yeah. So, each one of those fights back to back to back it's first round. Go back down a little bit, Rob. Right there. Look at first round. Ma 335, first round 139. Keep going up. First round 115. Lewis Gomez first round 342. Stephen uh going Calves and then you're in the UFC. Yeah. And then you win third round five minutes. Yeah. I get the call. Oh, that's co. Yeah, that's co. I was sick and they called me and they told me, "Do you want to fight in the UFC in 8 days?" And I'm like, "Of course." I had to cut like 12 kilos um kilos. Kilos like I don't know how much is like 25 pounds, something like that. It's a lot in 8 days. That's a lot. Holy [ __ ] I had to fight at 400 p.m. local time in Abu Dhabi because they were like 26 pounds you had to lose at at this weight. Yeah. In 8 days. H how'd you lose 26 in 8 days? It's like dehydration. That's tough. That's a lot on that body. That's a lot. I'm I'm 245. If I lose 26 pounds is a lot. But I had to spend a day in the hospital because the UFC is asking you for a lot of um medical medicals. Then I had to go I spend a day to get my visa. I don't know. I had in reality five days. So crazy. So you go to UAE for the fight. Rob, can you go back to the fight list? So you go to UAE, you have that fight. Yeah. October 11. Mhm. I remember that. I watched that card. Yeah. And then I fought December 5th. And that's ESPN. Yeah. It's not even a main ones yet. No. And then go to Ryan Hall Vegas. Jen Jai Herbert. That's the one with the kick. That's the one that they gave you two weeks, right? When they called you two week prep. Which one? The J Herbert. Yes. Uh that has a huge story behind that. that I have a huge story behind that fight because I was supposed to fight in January against Mosarv. He pulled out from the fight. Then I I I came back to home and they called me. But in reality, I I was prepared. I was prepared. But it it was a different weight class. I went up to 155. That fight is not in my weight class. It's in light. So that's not 145. You want the 155. So that happens if they just call you to say, "Do you want to take a fight that's not at your weight class?" They can make those calls. Yeah. And you get to say yes or no. Yeah. Of course. You always have a choose. Got it. And then after that, I follow with your friend, Bryce Mitchell, and then Josh. Yeah. We wish him best of luck. You're being sincere. What? You're being sincere or you're joking? No, no, no, no. I wish him all the best. I hope the best wins. Yeah. What a story. Everything started from Sweden in reality. Wow. You went to Sweden this guy. This is what I used to say to everyone. If you want if you want to have something that you never had, you have to do things that you never did. Move your ass. Yeah. But but what is what is very unique about what you're saying? I I told I talked about a bodybuilding story earlier. I had a guy named Dorian Yates. I don't know if you know what Dorian Yates is in bodybuilding. He's he won six Mr. Olympias. The guy had the most ridiculous physique. This is Dorian Yates. He won six Mr. Olympia. He's from UK. Okay. And what made him unique is all the other bodybuilders that would compete, they were all in the US and so they would all train at the same gym. Okay? So they could see what kind of improvement you're making cuz they're all here. Flex Wheeler, Kevin, you know, all the guys. This guy was in London, not even in London, in a city outside of London, like in a regular city. And you would only see him once a year. So everybody's like, "Well, is he training hard? Is he not training guard? Is he training guard?" And then when he would come, he was a scientist. He paid attention to everything and he would come and dominate and he won six of them in a row because nobody could see him. Yeah. He was a real real um a lot of people try to model their bodybuilding after this guy. He does a very he lives a very different life right now. He yoga. I don't follow that sport. But who who is who is the the number one for you in in in bodybuilding ever? It's probably Ronnie Coleman, Arnold. Uh old school would be a guy named Lee Haney. Phil Heat has an incredible physique. Kevin Levrone Flex Wheeler. Jay Cutler's got a good good amount of following. It's probably this guy, Ronnie Coleman. He He is a He's a If you go to a different picture, Rob, go to images and and let me ask you, do you really think that they only drink whey proteins to get this big? You know, you know, it's at a point that they tell you everything they use now. Yeah. Oh, yeah. But they don't do drug test like No, not Mr. Olympia. No, they don't do any drug test. No, but they they put so many things in their body. It it's it's a it's a very But by the way, some people say like, you know, hey, even if you put it in your body, that doesn't mean you're gonna win Mr. Olympia. No, it's it's a lot of detail. It's a lot of stuff that you got to do to be a These guys are a diet. It's diet training, by the way. It it sucks as a life. It's not a good life. Sucks. It's not a good life at all. Like, it's a very different life. It's not even a healthy life. It's not a healthy life. Most of them would say few of them can keep it. like some of the guys were able to continue their life and still do okay, but uh it's a different life. So, the reason why I'm saying this is for you. Here's a guy and his brother living in Georgia go to Spain. This is not a UFC market. And then you guys through YouTube watching videos, you train independently on your own. And then you come up and then fighter of the year, undefeated. Now you're at a place, lightweight, about to have a big fight. Hopefully soon. We'd love to see that fight happen this year. Hopefully. Hopefully. You're waiting for that phone call, huh? I'm waiting. I'm waiting. I'm waiting. I'm very excited to be honest. Either if it's Charles or Islam, it's going to be a huge one. And I I know that the fans are going to going to enjoy a lot. What do you think is unique about Charles style because Charles, you know, it's history. It's very interesting the way he came at the beginning and then he reputation he changed his reputation and then you would think he was going to be losing it and then he won with Michael Chandler and he had a few very good backto backto back wins that were unbelievable the way he recreated himself but what's your opinion on his style of fighting? M I like him of course he he has a great ground game and striking nothing special for me and in the ground he's dangerous he he has the most submissions in the UFC history I think so him yeah I think so he he's a dangerous guy in in the ground but I think that he's the the kind of guy that when He feels that you are more powerful. He gives up. He gives up like fast. I don't think that he's the kind of fighter where he finds like some advers how you say adversary. Yeah. Adversary that he keeps going, keeps going, keeps going. No, he's like he gives up. 10 loses. 10. It's not one, two, three, four. Can you go to his record? But I think it was seven, eight, nine. It's 10. Go to his Wikipedia rap just to see how it is because, you know, I've seen this guy's story and Yeah. But the 10 losses, a lot of them are go back by submission, by knockout, and one by decision. But you wouldn't want to fight Arman, the one that's first place right now behind uh I think that he needs to build himself a little bit more, but if the UFC tells me that you're good with that as well. It's for the belt. You'll take anything, right? He's going to get the chance. Got it. Yeah, it'll be it'll be interesting to see what happens. The thing with him is he's 28 years old. You guys are similar ages. He's also young. Yeah. Charles is 35. So 28-28. This would be He needs one one two fights. He needs one or two fights before he fights you. He's Armenian, by the way. You ever fought an Armenian? What? Have you ever fought an Armenian? No. No. We Georgians have a great relationship with Armenians. Yeah. I have a lot of friends. Armenian. Armenians. You look Armenian like I you know when I Yeah. I mean, you look you're you're a good-looking Armenian is what you are. You're a very good-looking guy, but obviously it's from the same region. My mother's side, uh, they're from Baku. Aaran. Yeah. Baku Azaran. So, they after the whole everything. All our own neighbors. Yeah. All in the same region. Do you do you follow any of the politics like with what's going on with Ukraine and Russia? Do you follow any of that stuff or not really? Yeah, a little bit. What do you think about it? What do you think about what's going on there? What do you think about Zalinski Putin? You know, there's how the world sees it, but then you're in the region, right? You're there. So, in America, you know, Putin's a bad guy. Let me tell you this, this, this, and that. He started the war. Or Zillinsky, all he wants is money. He's bought. He just keeps taking money. What do you think about what's going on there? Even if he wants to take the money and all that, I don't know. I'm against to kill the people always. I'm always going to vote for the peace always. So I don't know. I don't I don't I don't know that deep about who but something that I know from my history from my livingings are that they they are the Russians are Putin. Let's say like the politicians that run Russia because nothing against the people uh regular people from Russia. I'm talking about the politicians. They don't give a damn about anyone. Yeah. In Georgia, I was living in 2008. I saw what they were doing to to my people. So, Russians. Russians. Russians. Yeah. Russians. I don't know. Dangerous people. Dangerous people. Interesting. And I think that you can't trust at all in in in Russians. And I repeat, I'm not talking about the regular people. I'm talking about the politicians. It's it's crazy. I don't know. Is Is there a Where's Kabib and Islam? Where are they from? They're from uh Pakistan. Pakistan. That's that's part of of they are Russians, right? They are Russian. And when they start to attack any place in the world, the first people they send to the war is like Russians, Chnians, the people they have, not you're you're not going to see any Russian Russian in a war. You're always going to see the people they have like call yourself a Russian, but wait for my call because may Why do you think that is? Because they use them. They of course they use them. They they they give them a a position, a place, but at some point I'm going to may I'm going to ask you to do something for me. That's how it works everywhere in the world. You do something for from for someone, you want something back. This is how it works. Yeah. It's crazy. I don't know what what are your thoughts from here from the United States? Like what do you think about what's going on in Ukraine? Well, I mean, you know, when you when you watch Zalinski, at first everybody's like, "Whoa, Putin invaded. What's that all about?" And then as it gets deeper and deeper and you hear the stories, the money being funneled through, constantly wanting the money to continue, coming up here talking to the president as if America needs to give him more money, disrespecting the US president a little bit on the way he handled himself at the White House. He has lost all credibility with a lot of people in America. Most Americans now don't fully support and trust Zillinsky. They see Putin as exactly who he is. He's a Russia loyalist. Number one, he's an old school guy. Uh, but you know what you get with him. Yeah. You know who I think you can judge a whole country because of of one person. I don't disagree. No, I don't disagree. I think you're right. That goes to Iran because we don't like Zalinski. We are not supporting the the Ukrainians and we are going to going to say that the Russians are not the the lo Kimbaden. How you say that in English? Kimbayen. Imbadores. Inadores, can you say I don't know if if I'm even saying correctly invaders. Invaders. Invaders. They they are the invaders. 100% they are the invaders. Right. No. And then do you think the the opposite that they are not? I think if in the history is a little bit complicated when you go back and you read about the fact that US made a promise when Putin went to Clinton is like hey I'd like to join NATO. would you guys want to entertain the idea and it's like yeah let me call you back calls him back 5 minutes not right now Putin wanted to join NATO why don't you want him to join NATO because if they don't join NATO you need war so he can make more money so you need a bad guy so you want to kind of isolate Putin to the side and you know do you really think that if Putin wants to join NATO he he he couldn't do that yeah because they said so why he's not a part of NATO you think they would want him to join NATO course they they don't they they don't want You think you think Putin you think they would want Putin to join NATO? If they want Putin to join NATO, why not? You think NATO wants Putin to join NATO at this point? I wish that No, I wish that no because I don't I don't I don't want to have Listen, the the the history I have my family has with Russia. I'm like with with the people that runs runs that country. It's like I don't give a damn about about them, you know? I'm all against Putin. Against Putin. Like I get that. No, listen. I lived in Iran. We had a war with Saddam Hussein, Iraq, and Jimmy Carter in the US. I understand like I'm there is emotion here. I grew up with, you know, Christian family in a country where 99% were Muslims in Iran. I saw what they did to Christians. I have memories of that. I didn't leave at 2 years old or four years old. I left at almost 11 years old. So those memories stay. They're in the blood. They don't go away. I have mine as well on experiences. But to me, I think sometimes I sit there and I wonder that they need a bad guy for them to um think about it this way. What has been the biggest boxing fight of all time that made the most money? Uh it was Floyd against Pacquiao. Yeah. What is the biggest Rob? Can you pull out what is the biggest boxing pay actual money pay of all time? You know who I think it's Connor against what you want to tell me with I'm I'm going to tell you the point I'm making to you here that's number one okay so okay so number six is that go back up right six is de la Hoya against Mayweather good fight go to the next one okay Floyd Canelo go to the next one both of those he made fun of him because he would wear the Cinco de Mayo Conor McGregor who's that fight with is that with Mayweather yes okay what's the next one and then Pacquiao Okay, that's one of them. And then Mayweather again with Pacquiao. What's the first one? I'm actually curious now. What's the first one? Who's that with? Is that Connor? Mayweather McConnor. Okay. So, do you remember $275 million? A billion dollars in earnings, one fight. Yeah. $1 billion in earnings, one fight. Right. Okay. The reason why this did so well is because everybody was convinced they hated each other. They needed an enemy. Okay. Okay. So, my opinion, Ilia, there's a lot of money being made when there's wars. Who makes money? Weapons. Things, you know, a lot of good weapons being sold. If there's no war, they don't make money. Like just like in UFC, if there's not a like for example, what's going to get more eyeballs? You against Charles or you against Islam? Yeah, of course. Why? Because it's more personal. Dagistan against Georgia against Are you kidding me? That could be like, but why? Because it's emotion. It's here. So then people going to come and see more pay-per-view. Money is going to be made. Of course, it's a great business model. I totally get it. End of the year, Jon Jones against Aspenol, right? Everybody wants to see that heavyweight fight to see if it's going to take place or not. John wants money for it because it's probably going to be his last fight. If that happens, that fight's going to be insane, right? Okay. Okay. If all of a sudden Putin's in NATO and he is now there's peace in the world and no issues, how do you sell stuff? Who made money with Ukraine and Russia, the war? Who makes money when there's the stuff with Israel, Iran, Hamas? Who makes money when Iran and, you know, Iraq or Afghanistan? Who made money? These guys that make weapons? It's a business model. So, I think a part of it is yes, Putin is a loyalist to him, KGB background. I I know his background, what his loyalty is to, but I'm also not naive to believe that there's people in the back that go like this. Hey, Ilia, let me tell you what he said about you. Hey, let me say what he said about you. And they're poking you, right? To upset you. Why? Because it sells more. So they they can't have all these guys get along because then those guys don't make money. And these are big contracts. Do you know who's the first company that came in on the contract with Ukraine after all the damages that happened in Ukraine? Did you see a company came out and they got a $400 billion contract to fix Ukraine? The the Rockefellers. No. No. Right here. So you hear the story about Black Rockck announces new investment initiative to rebuild Ukraine. Okay. Well, why rebuild it? Why rebuild it? So, but you need war to rebuild. Of course, you need damages to rebuild. So, I am just as careful with the money people that want to see war as I am with world leaders like Putin, Xi, all the other guys. Both of them you have to be careful with. So, do do so you believe that they do it because of of the business? Of course. Okay. Not not Putin. Putin is here. I think that it's it goes a little bit more far than only sell weapons for Putin. Yeah. For Putin and for the United States and for everyone that that has the the weapons to sell. Maybe let me explain it a different way to you. Khabib against Connor. Yeah. The fight. Who fought for money? Who fought for heart? For money. Connor for heart. Kabib. Okay. Okay. So Putin against the people that sell weapons. Yeah. Who's fighting for his country? Who's fighting for money? Uh see that's the difference. Yeah. But I I'm I'm not very agree with that because I don't think that he is looking only for the for the weapons. You know what I what I mean? How how many uh people dies in the in the war? Like I don't know two 200,000. How much weapons they need? I don't know how much money is that in total. No, but how much money did they spend in the weapons in the in in the war with with Ukraine? A lot a lot of money. It's it's in the billions on top of billions. And I'm not talking about Russia or Ukraine. I'm talking about all the people that make those weapons, okay? The General Dynamics, the, you know, uh uh you can list the name of the companies that these guys that sell the weapons. That's a business model. Do you know who Eisenhower is? No. The president of US Eisenhower? No. Okay. So when he was Show me the face maybe. He was a former general. Oh. Many years ago. This is before my time and your time. This is a long time ago. So this guy died in 1969. I was born in 78. So this is before my time. When he was done, this guy was a Was he a four-star general, Rob, or a fivestar general? Can you go a little bit lower? Fivear. He was a fivestar general. I mean a five. You know what five star is like? Yeah. I can imagine like we don't have a lot of I don't know how type in how many five-star generals America's had. How many five star How many five star generals has America had? I think it's a few. Okay, there you go. George C. Marshall, Douglas MacArthur, Eisenhower, Henry H. Arnold, and Omar Bradley. Five of them. Okay. Eisenhower is the only one from the five that becomes a president. Okay. When he's done being a president, he's given his last speech. He gives this famous speech that everybody always talks about and he says, "Be very," this is the speech right here. Oh, sure. Okay. I'm very curious about this one. Yeah. Can you play it, Rob? Now, this conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. Large arms industry. Can posit like arms? Like they're selling weapons. It's a large weapons industry. Keep going. The total influence economic, political, even spiritual. There you go. Is felt in every city, every state house, every office of the federal government. We recognize the imperative need for this development. Yet, we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. Our toil, resources, and livelihood are all involved. So is the very structure of our society. In the councils of government, we must car guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought. Go back by the the acquisition. So, this is very important. I want to explain this part to you. Ometo, can you come here and explain this? Unwarranted. Ombberto, can you come in here just to explain this part? I think he's going to come here if you can. Can you just translate this part if you could? If you want to give him the mic. So, when he's saying it, just translate the key word. So, the acquisition of unwarranted influence, keep playing it. The acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought by the military industrial complex. Pause it right there. Military-industrial complex. Meaning the the the there is these guys that buy influence politically, economically and spiritually. Militaryindustrial complex by selling weapons. Mhm. So be very careful how much influence those guys have because those guys imagine on the back end they make tens of billions of dollars, hundreds of billions of dollars and they come and they buy politicians. Mhm. Here's $50,000. Here's $100,000. here's $300,000. Here's $200,000. Go make this law or go do this or go do that. The more wars, the more money they make. Okay? So, he's saying when he's done being a president as a five-star general, be very careful with these companies that are going to use their money economically, politically, and spiritually to create and start war. All the narrative. Yeah. So we just to me I used to always like I used to think this way. You know how you grow up you think everything they taught you in school. Mhm. You know how you said like the earth is flat. What did you say? I don't care if the earth is flat or that but there's certain things we're taught right and then later on you're like man I don't know about that. I don't know about this. I don't know about this. And then you know you create your own opinions as you're going through it. There's the core belief there's the values. There's family. There's pride. There's faith. There's God. There's all of that stuff. But sometimes you got to be when people are wanting to poke the bear, you know. Don't get me wrong. Did Putin take advantage of the fact that a weak leader was in America like Biden? Yeah, of course he took advantage of it. Would it have happened with Trump? By the way, what do you think about Trump? Have you met Trump yet? No. No. No. No. I I actually I I I like the hard personality that Yes. the strong personality that Trump represents, you know, he he's like, "We do it this way or we don't do it." And I like that, you know. I don't know. I don't know. He's He's playing his game. Me and you, we can think whatever we want to think. But at the end of the day, I as I said, I vote for peace and I I hope and I I think that Trump is seeking for for the peace for in the world. Even if it doesn't look like that at some point and someone uh I don't know, you see a lot of crazy crazy things in the social media, I really think that he's doing that and and he's looking like for the best interest for the for the United States and this is what he has to do. That's why the people chose him as a as a leader. So you like him? Of course I like him. You haven't met him yet? Not yet. You know, he probably really likes the way you fight. Yeah. You know, he's a big fan of the fight. He watches everything. I know. I never saw him in in in in my fights because he goes sometimes like randomly. I go to this this event, this one. We never at the same time. At the same time. Are you going to this fight or are you going this? You're not going to be there? Okay. Well, if you're in that place, it's going to be crazy. Yeah. That's why that's why you're not going. I'm not going to watch to to like other sporty I don't go. I enjoy my and that's it. Well, listen, you fight Islam, he's going to be at that fight. I think so. I mean, I I listen, of course, if he's got political different things that he's dealing with is he's got a big job. But I think if the two of you guys fight, he's going to tell China. He's going to tell Russia. He's going to tell everybody, "Hey guys, we're not fighting this weekend. No tariffs on anybody. Everybody's good. We're going to get along. I'm going to fight a couple. Let me I want to understand understand some kind of things like you Americans people that live that are living here like what's your perception perception about like what's happening in the in Ukraine what happened in in in in Georgia for I don't know if you know the story like what do you think about all that like I I want to know you your your thoughts specific to what specific to Georgia specific to specific to the world like what what's your prediction what do you think that it's going to happen in the next five five years like so do you know like America was divided in between Ukraine and you know Zalinsky or not Zalinski some some groups were they thought Zillinsky was the greatest hero in the world okay and they were fully supporting uh Zalinski and some people thought Zalinsky was bought and people were just giving money to him and you know a continuous war not necessary every time coming and saying I need more money I need more money Yeah, I need more money. And so American taxpayers are sending money. We're like, wait a minute. We're sending all this money to Ukraine, war with Russia, but we have problems in America right now. Why are we doing this? So there there's a big part of Americans where if support Can you type in Rob where the support was for Do you think it's it's it's easy like like that like how you explaining Zalinski was coming knocking the door. I need money and they were giving the money to him. And do you think do you really think that it happens like that and they they didn't had any interest behind behind that money behind that moment accountability or interest whatever I don't know it's like do you really think that let's say Biden was giving the money to to Zalinski like that I don't know take this take that well whatever Zalinski has Biden had interest with uh with Ukraine that he got in trouble with on a hot mic when he said certain things because they were going after his son. There was some issues that was going on at a time. So there are a lot of things that you see to to see that financially the president may have even benefited from it, may have benefited from it on that deal with Zalinski. And then people on the back end also probably benefited from a little bit of a war. it turns into, you know, it's a $400 billion contract to rebuild Ukraine. That's a lot of money, Ilia. It's a lot of money. So, I I think I think this is what we see, then I think this is what's going on. Yeah. You know, and we don't see this, right? But at the same time, um what we learned the last eight years with the news is you can't trust everything you see. You have to stay skeptical and you have to question a lot of things. And I learned one thing a long time ago, and I I think this this will make sense to you. What's most important to in your life? What's the top five most important things in your life? My family. Okay. um let's say me myself uh my relationship with God my spiritual work uh my job my work I don't know my occupation pride right of course okay and is your pride more Georgia or is it more Spain would you say you're more Georgian it's difficult to choose between mom and dad you Yeah, I know. That's why I ask. Yeah. So, so both are important to you cuz you have both fans, right? They both love you. Okay. But something probably like when when you were a kid, how did you guys look at Russia in a good way? Like, no. Okay. All right. From what age? Probably very young age. Since I was burned. Who can change your mind? Um, I think that it's it's a little bit difficult to to forgive something like that. A lot of my family members were uh lost their lives in in that war. So, how you can forgive that? I agree. So, here's what I learned a long time ago. You know how you said, "What's the point of earth is flat?" Yeah. There's no point of that argument. There's no point here. The reason for it is because it's personal. Do you know what I'm saying? you went through the pain. I don't know that. Just like when I lived in Iran, I went through the pain. And trying to explain it to somebody else, it's like, wait a minute. What do you mean? You don't know what I went through. Just like what you went through, right? So, you know, yeah, as a kid, my dad was my hero. My parents got a divorce. My mother's family, they were communist. I hated it. It was always over money. Always arguing over money. Money caused my parents to get a divorce and politics. I don't want to deal with politics and I'm going to make a lot of money. So my drive to make money was because we had nothing. Okay. Do you see what I'm saying? So now try to convince me that communism is good. You're never going to do it. Of course. Yeah. Me neither. I know. So, but but to me in a situation like this, when talking to somebody that experienced what happened in Georgia, that's why when Patty said what he said to you, it was personal. Of course, it was personal. Yeah. And that's similar to what happened with Connor and Kabib when they were fighting and some of the comments was made. Connor was probably trying to sell the event, but Kabib is not trying to sell the event. I know. I know what you mean. Yeah. So to me, I understand why this is a a important sensitive topic to you and to many people, not just to you, to a lot of different people in the world. But I always watch the people that when my parents were together, I would watch an aunt. She would come to our house when my dad was at work as a kid. I'll never forget this. She would sit there and just go for three hours. I'm a six, seven year old kid. just three hours talking bad things about my dad. Did your husband buy you a necklace? You know, such and such bought such and such wife their necklace. Why doesn't he do that for you? Did he ever take you to dinner? You know, such and such. Did he take you to Italy? You know, such and such. I don't think he takes care of you. Look how beautiful you are. He's lucky to have somebody like you. And I would watch this. And then my dad would come home after working 12 hours, driving 2 hours to work at 8:30. And then my mom would go and scream at him. Boom. And you know who it was? It wasn't my mom. It was that lady. Yeah. Yeah. So to me, I'm very careful with people like that, of course. And it happens in wars and in politics. So that's what I'm saying. When when they say, "Hey, why don't they let him join NATO?" And all this other stuff. I don't know the people behind closed doors that are, "Hey, let me tell you. Hey, let me tell you. Hey, let me tell you." You know, that's the part that at this phase of my life, I'm very careful with. Of course, you can trust closely. Yeah. To anyone to anyone. Me personally, um at this point, um I wouldn't be surprised with with anyone because sometimes you try to go to the top with with with the people that don't even want to see you at the top. Yeah. There was a book called Laws of Human Nature, Robert Green. I think you would like this book. Which one? Uh, Laws of Human Nature by Robert Green. Can you go to images, Rob? Go to images. I read some some of his book. So, you probably read 48 Laws of Power. Yeah. Okay. So, if you read 40 Laws of Power, you will love this. You probably have it translated Spanish, different languages. Yeah, I have it. I have it in Spanish. I You're going to love this. Yeah. But I read the books also in English. I tried. I try to. Yeah. You'll love You love this. Actually, I I I learned my English reading books. You did? Yeah. I was going like, you speak very good. What? You speak very good. I try to. I try to. And I'm not living here. In reality, I don't have any contact with someone that that uh speaks in in English. My wife, she she does. She's from Miami. Yeah. And sometimes we try to speak in in English and we also try to watch some movies but I don't go outside and talk to the people in in English and I try to I don't know read the books and if I don't I I don't understand any word like I try to go word by word. Now I think you you'll love this because he says something in the book. He says, "If you really want to know if someone's your friend or not, test them by telling them some good news and some bad news." Okay? If you tell them bad news, if they get a little bit happy, be very careful with that person. You'll see it on their face. He explains it. And he says, "Give some of your friends a little bit of good news. If you see they get a little bit not happy, be careful with them because they, you know, you know, there are people that are very happy for you no matter what." Yeah. And if something happens to you, they're like, "How can I help? What do you need from me?" Right. You see it immediately. Your family. Yeah. Your well your family. Sometimes your friends as well. Certain friends that are maybe very close. Not a lot of them, but you probably have one or two or three of them like that. He explains that in this book here on, you know, breaking that part down. I will. I think I will read this book. Ilia, I can't wait to see the fight and I can't wait to be there when you guys fight and I can't wait to be there and the president to be there when you guys have that fight. I can't wait for that. But hopefully we we have peace in the world. And hopefully we have peace in the world. And hopefully Oh yeah. Hopefully. Would you ever want to meet Putin? Would you ever want to meet Putin? No. No. Never. What if there's peace? Would you ever want to fight in Russia? What if this fight is in Russia? I wouldn't fight in Russia. Really? So if Islam fights in Russia, you wouldn't fight there? I wouldn't fight. Why is that? Because there's so much place in the world that I could fight. Why I would fight in Russia? I would love to fight in than the United States, but not in Russia. Not in Russia. Actually, I I the only place I would fight is in the United States or in Spain. Got it. But would you ever fight in Russia? No. Never. Never. Have you ever gone to Russia? No. Would you want to visit Russia? I don't want it, but if the destiny wants me to to go or I have to go for some reasons, I would go, but not fighting. Not not putting a show in Russia and working there. I don't know. I would. Yeah. You're so interesting, bro. I would. You're so interesting. Seriously. So interesting the way you are. Yeah. Because I'm telling you, like uh uh we have guys here that uh they absolutely love you. Seriously, like when we're doing like we're going through the podcast, you know, the prepping and talking about it who love you 100%. Like this is this is let me tell you this guy's this is he's a trifecta. He's got the looks he can fight. He's got the confidence all this stuff, right? But just talking to you, you are so interesting. You're locked in here. I don't know. Maybe sometimes it it happens to me also that I switch my mentality. Sometimes I switch my thoughts. Maybe. But at this point right now, you're asking me, this is my answer. I don't know. I I right now I wouldn't fight in in Russia. Okay. Maybe tomorrow. Who knows what's going to happen tomorrow? If you fight in Russia, I'm going to text you. I'm going to say Ilia, why are you fighting in Russia? What's going to happen? Please. When is your birthday? What month's your birthday? January 21st. January 21st. All right. January 21st. Well, brother, um, it's been a pleasure having you on. You're an interesting guy. I'm excited to see you go and get everything you want in life. You know, the the highest paid athlete, the biggest fights, biggest live it there. I I don't like that conversation, but I don't know where I said it and it became like viral that I I said it in reality. You don't really care about that. I don't care about that. You know what I mean? I said it. But God bless everyone. Peace for everyone. There's a place for everyone. So I wish I agree. Yeah. Well, you're competitive. You're competitive, which is okay. Always. Always. I was born like that. Thank you very much. It's been I really really enjoyed it, man. I do it. And I learned a lot of things, my man. Take care, everybody. Bye-bye. Bye-bye. Nowadays, more than ever, the brand you wear reflects and represent who you are. So for us, if you wear a future looks bright hat or a value tamement gear, you're telling the world, I'm optimistic. I'm excited about what's going to be happening. But you're a freethinker. You question things. You like debate. 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