00:00 >> How are you feeling?
00:03 >> Fantastic.
00:04 I can't complain.
00:05 >> A couple of days to your fight, man.
00:08 How are you feeling body, mind?
00:10 >> Body feels great.
00:12 Mind feels great.
00:13 A little hungry, but can't complain.
00:15 It's part of the course.
00:16 >> First main event, man.
00:18 How are you feeling about that?
00:20 >> Yeah, man.
00:21 It feels natural.
00:22 When I first got it, it was a little bit surreal.
00:25 But the closer and closer it got, it kind of felt like, okay,
00:28 this is the destined path.
00:30 I feel like I've spent enough time here and I've gotten enough eyeballs on me
00:34 to where the company feels like I deserve it.
00:37 And when Saturday comes, you just got to go out there and put on a good show
00:41 so they'll give you another one.
00:44 >> Another long layoff.
00:46 Why the layoff?
00:48 >> Right after my last fight, maybe like a week or two after,
00:52 I herniated two discs in my spine,
00:54 so it was a little rough getting back in there.
00:58 And they initially gave me six months on recovery time.
01:02 I tried to expedite it as much as I could,
01:04 but that usually results in it taking longer than expected,
01:08 and that's kind of how it went.
01:10 >> How frustrating is that?
01:12 I know that last year you got some fights in,
01:15 and you were looking to be more active this year.
01:17 And again, another layoff.
01:19 >> It's exactly like you said.
01:21 To be honest, it's one of those things where it was easier to deal with this time
01:25 because you start getting used to it.
01:27 I hate to say it, but like you said, last year a big goal was just to stay more active.
01:32 It's always the goal, you know.
01:34 Knock on wood, I could actually keep through it this time, but it is what it is.
01:39 I try not to overthink too many of that stuff.
01:42 And just the problem's in front of you.
01:44 You've got to solve it.
01:46 >> They throw you Edson Barbosa, a UFC legend.
01:50 What were your thoughts when they threw you that name?
01:53 >> Man, it was really dope.
01:54 They initially gave me that name during the pandemic to fight in Abu Dhabi,
01:58 but I couldn't make it because of passport problems.
02:01 So I thought it was an opportunity that I've already missed.
02:04 So when they brought it back around, man, it was a yes instantly.
02:08 Like you said, Edson's a legend.
02:10 That's a name that I would love to have under my resume.
02:13 >> Obviously on paper it's a very fun fight.
02:15 Both of you guys had very fun striking.
02:17 I asked him, like, do you see the fight?
02:19 Do you like staying on the feet or, you know, with it being a mixed martial arts fight,
02:23 do you see it kind of going everywhere?
02:25 >> To be honest, the way we both fight, even when I tell myself that I'm going to wrestle,
02:30 it doesn't really come out as much, you know.
02:34 But, yeah, like you said, you see both of our styles, man.
02:37 It's just going to be a very exciting fight.
02:40 That's kind of why they put it together.
02:42 We're going to be in the middle and throw.
02:44 >> How do you see this fight ending?
02:47 >> I see it ending in a finish, to be honest.
02:49 If it's not a finish, then it's going to be one of those drawn-out wars.
02:53 Definitely a fight of the night.
02:55 >> Contender Series ended on Tuesday.
02:58 There was a war on that season, but do you kind of still think you and Mike Davis had the best fight of all time?
03:04 >> Yeah, so to be fair, it was two females.
03:08 >> Two females and then on the same episode.
03:10 >> Okay, yeah, so to be fair, I didn't watch it.
03:13 But, biasly, I would still say me and Mike Davis had the best fight in Contender Series history.
03:19 It's one of those things, even the fans say it, too.
03:21 So I'll have to go watch this one to see if it beats ours,
03:24 or maybe they could play it side-by-side on UFC.com or something and let the fans decide.
03:30 >> And last night there was the news that Volkanovsky is stepping in on short notice.
03:35 Man, what are your thoughts on that?
03:37 >> Man, that is crazy, man.
03:39 Before that, he put out a statement about fighting in Sephora in January, and literally things changed in a day.
03:45 But, man, congrats to him.
03:47 It's one of those things, a wise man once said, "Being in the UFC is an opportunity."
03:52 So when these opportunities show up, man, you better be ready to capitalize on it.
03:56 And I'm sure he's been compensated very, very well for it, too.
03:59 So I'm very, very happy for him.
04:03 >> And if people want to know, where's the unprofessional breakdown for your card?
04:08 >> I've been advised that it wouldn't be smart for me to make an unprofessional breakdown for my fight, you know.
04:12 But once the fight is over, I'll be right back to making the unprofessional breakdowns and making these millions.
04:19 >> Good luck, man.
04:20 >> Thank you.
04:21 >> Like you mentioned, you were actually supposed to fight Edson Barboza back in 2020.
04:25 Has your approach towards him changed at all since then?
04:28 >> No, no, it's pretty much the same game plan we had before.
04:32 >> And a win Saturday night over Barboza would be huge for your resume, like you said.
04:36 Are there any other guys in the featherweight division that you'd like to add towards your resume?
04:39 >> For sure.
04:40 Well, the thing specifically with Edson is that he's one of the few OGs left in the weight class.
04:46 I think around now, that's why I called out Korean Zombie in my last fight, too, you know.
04:51 It's one of the people that I would watch when I was a kid, you know, or the people I watched when I was coming up.
04:56 I would like to get that guy before they leave, you know.
04:59 So when it comes to that aspect, I think Edson might be the last one.
05:03 Max Holloway is a young OG, you know, so that would be a cool one, too.
05:07 But I really think Edson is the last one.
05:09 >> And I know the guy I'm about to mention is not really an OG, but an Arnold Allen rematch, is that something you'd like to get back?
05:14 >> Oh, yeah, 100 percent, man.
05:16 You know, I was two strikes away from getting that win, you know, so two silly mistakes.
05:22 So that's definitely one I would love to get back.
05:24 >> Sure. And obviously having a Nigerian background, how eager are you for a potential UFC Africa card one day?
05:29 >> Man, I've been asking for that forever, you know.
05:31 I really believe the pandemic set a lot of stuff back when it comes to the logistics behind that.
05:36 I'm sure the people behind the scenes will know more about that than I do.
05:41 But, yeah, whatever is going on around that time, I would love to be on that card.
05:45 I might pull out a one fight to get into that card, you know.
05:49 >> And what's the message you're looking to leave Saturday night?
05:52 >> Man, I am who I say I am, you know.
05:54 I love the fact that the UFC gave me this opportunity.
05:57 I got to capitalize it as much as I can.
06:00 >> Thank you.
06:01 >> Hey, Sadiq right here.
06:02 Last night, season seven wrapped up with Contender Series.
06:05 You came from there as an alum.
06:07 For you, when you take a look at what it's done so far for the UFC and yourself,
06:11 what are your thoughts on just reflecting on those journeys and what opportunities that brings?
06:14 >> Man, it's really dope, especially a lot of us that were like those early seasons before they actually got like the foot in going.
06:21 So it's really cool.
06:23 And like I said before, the fight I had with Mike was kind of like the perfect job interview to get into the UFC, you know,
06:31 because I feel like that was a good way to introduce myself.
06:33 The people, if you don't know, you better go watch that fight on YouTube or something.
06:37 So the way we both performed, I mean, he got in the UFC, too.
06:41 So people kind of already had a good blueprint for the kind of fighter I am, the kind of guy I am.
06:46 And I kept on showing that consistently.
06:48 And now we're here, main event.
06:50 >> It's an awesome journey.
06:51 Kind of jumping off of what Alex mentioned about the breakdown, a lot of fighters take a look at other fighters and what's going on in the fight world.
06:58 As you looked past that this season, I don't know how much you got to watch.
07:02 Was there anyone that you're looking out for you should kind of mention to UFC and UFC fans like you need to keep an eye on this fight?
07:09 >> Oh, man, when it comes to fighting, you would drive yourself crazy.
07:11 I spent about eight to 10 hours a day focused on fighting, you know, so the more time I could take decompressing out of it, the better.
07:19 So, no, I don't have anyone for you.
07:21 >> All right.
07:22 Appreciate it and good luck Saturday.
07:23 >> Thank you.
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