00:00 [FOOTSTEPS]
00:03 Welcome back.
00:10 It's been a year between fights.
00:12 Obviously, preparation for a fight happened,
00:14 but it's been a year.
00:15 So I guess, what's the feel like for you to finally,
00:17 hopefully, get back in there?
00:19 Yeah.
00:20 I'm feeling that good anxiety.
00:21 You know, I'm kind of anxious to fight, to perform,
00:25 to show everything that I'm working.
00:27 And that's it.
00:28 I'm happy with the opportunity, my first main event.
00:32 So lock and load, ready for Saturday.
00:34 I was going to ask how special it
00:36 feels to be in a headliner, right?
00:37 I mean, you're coming off a setback, obviously.
00:39 But to be in the main event, to know the UFC trusts you
00:42 to be in the main event, what's that feel like for you?
00:45 It's awesome.
00:46 I feel like a gratitude for things that are always working
00:52 for us, finally happening.
00:54 And also really motivated to take
00:56 the best of this opportunity.
00:58 And that's it.
01:00 Fight, get back to the winning column,
01:02 especially on the main event.
01:03 And I think it's awesome, not just for my career,
01:06 but also the flyweight division.
01:07 I always love when I see the flyweight guys doing
01:10 the headline, the UFC events.
01:12 And then in the next week, we have also Pantoja
01:15 in a second headline for the belt on Nuria,
01:17 which is always a huge event.
01:20 So I'm really excited with all this
01:23 that happened in this momentum.
01:24 Very cool.
01:25 So everything's good.
01:27 Do have to deal with a change of opponent.
01:29 I guess, how much was that a frustration?
01:31 How much did it impact your preparation
01:33 to have to change up?
01:36 Right away when we got the news that Maneu was out,
01:39 we got frustrated.
01:40 I was thinking about him since last year.
01:43 We started the preparation around November, December,
01:47 because the fight was in the beginning of January.
01:50 And then we closed the fight against him again.
01:52 So right on the moment, you get frustrated, you get worried.
01:56 Oh, is my fight going to get postponed?
01:58 Is my fight going to get canceled?
02:00 They are going to get another opponent.
02:03 Who they are going to get me to fight?
02:05 Is a ranked guy or not?
02:06 But at the same day, we closed the fight against Alex.
02:10 So that was good.
02:11 And right away, I changed my mentality.
02:13 I was already focused on Alex.
02:16 And the good thing was like four weeks before the fight.
02:20 So we have enough time to make all the adjustments
02:23 on the training, on the strategy part,
02:25 on the technical part.
02:27 So it was enough time to make all the adjustments
02:30 that we needed and to be ready to get this victory.
02:33 During that little short time of frustration,
02:35 was there any part where you're like,
02:36 I should have just fought in January?
02:38 No, because I was really confident about the choice
02:44 that we made because of the weight cutting and stuff
02:47 like that.
02:48 That part of doubt on my mind, it
02:51 happens more like on the first days
02:54 after the fight didn't happen.
02:56 Like, oh, should I get this fight or no?
02:58 But even with a little bit of doubt, that's normal.
03:01 At the end, I was really confident with our choice.
03:07 And it is what it is.
03:08 And right now, we're still here.
03:10 We still have the main event.
03:11 And the most important thing is that I'm going to fight
03:15 and I'm going to win.
03:16 Doesn't matter if it is Manel, Perez, or whatever.
03:19 The important thing is to win and to keep
03:21 on growing on the UFC.
03:24 What happens if in the future they come to you
03:26 with Manel's name again?
03:27 Are you like, no, man, we can't do this fight?
03:30 Or do you take the fight?
03:31 Right now, I'm not thinking about it.
03:33 Not even Manel or even the belt itself.
03:36 So no, I'm completely focused on the fight.
03:39 Like you said, more than a year that I don't fight.
03:41 So I'm really, really excited to put the great job
03:45 inside the octagon.
03:46 I want to fight.
03:46 I want to perform.
03:47 I'm not thinking about the future no more.
03:50 But honestly, after the fight, I will be looking up.
03:53 You know, it's the direction that I'm
03:54 going to the top of the mountain.
03:56 I don't want to think about Manel anymore.
03:59 What do you think about Alex as an opponent,
04:01 what he brings to the table?
04:02 Obviously, a veteran, high level.
04:04 What do you think of him?
04:05 Exactly.
04:06 Alex is an experienced guy, more than 25 fights.
04:09 He already been in championship fights.
04:12 He already fought for five rounds.
04:14 He's a well-- a complete fighter.
04:17 He's good on the striking game, have heavy hand,
04:21 heavy leg kicks, good wrestling background.
04:24 You know, he's a complete fighter.
04:26 And this will be a great challenge for me.
04:29 And my mentality is the same as always.
04:31 You know, this is the most important and most difficult
04:33 fight of my career.
04:34 That's how I'm going to this fight.
04:36 You know, I respect him and respect his martial arts.
04:40 And I'm ready to get the victory.
04:42 I know you said like, hey, I'm not
04:43 thinking about the belt or anything.
04:45 But like, the flyweight division is kind of crazy right now.
04:47 Obviously, with Steve stepping in there and taking a title.
04:49 You two guys are highly ranked guys in a main event,
04:52 you know, the week before a title fight.
04:54 So does this feel like a big fight to you in the division?
04:57 And maybe you think it deserves maybe more attention
05:00 than it's getting?
05:02 I don't know about more attention that is given.
05:04 I think this kind of help with the flyweights.
05:07 It's kind of changing.
05:08 I can see that people are liking more and more the flyweights.
05:12 Like I said, it's awesome.
05:13 I get really happy when I see the flyweights
05:16 headlining the UFC.
05:17 And I have two in a row.
05:18 So this will be awesome for the flyweight division.
05:21 And I think the momentum is really good for me
05:23 to get the victory on a main event of the UFC
05:25 one week before the belt. You know,
05:28 so the momentum is really good.
05:30 So everything that is happening is really good momentum.
05:34 And I will take the best of this opportunity.
05:37 Last thing for me, you're always a respectful guy.
05:39 But like you said, it's kind of important time at flyweight.
05:42 So a big win here.
05:43 Do you get on the mic and start making some call outs
05:45 and trying to stir the pot a little bit?
05:47 Or is it just, hey, let's get a win and see what happens?
05:49 Like, what's the plan?
05:50 Right now, it's just let's get a win
05:53 and let's see what happens.
05:55 Because I got to win.
05:56 I got to do a good win.
05:57 And good things will happen for sure.
05:59 But yeah, I will not change my style.
06:02 You know, I'm not going to try to be someone that I'm not.
06:05 But for sure, I can promote a fight even being respectful.
06:08 So I will talk.
06:09 But I will talk my way.
06:11 And if a good victory, if UFC wants,
06:15 I will be there on the first line
06:18 to watch Erceg and Pantoja to make the fight.
06:23 What were your thoughts when Steve Erceg got the title shot?
06:29 First thing that I think was like, man,
06:32 Pantoja is really the man.
06:33 You know, he doesn't run from challenge.
06:36 You know, it was awesome that he took that challenge.
06:38 UFC needed a big fight, a title fight for the Rio event.
06:44 And Pantoja just took the fight.
06:46 You know, he didn't--
06:47 like he always do, he didn't run from the challenge.
06:49 So I think this makes his career even brighter and bigger.
06:54 And also, he's really good for the flyweight division.
06:57 Like I said, it's awesome to see the flyweight division
06:59 headline in UFC.
07:01 And I think Erceg, he just got the opportunity.
07:03 You know, we already saw this happen before,
07:06 not just on the flyweight division,
07:07 but even in other divisions.
07:09 Sometimes, MMA is about time.
07:10 You know, like that's what happened.
07:13 Like they need a big fight.
07:15 Pantoja was ready to fight.
07:17 He wanted to defend the belt in Rio.
07:19 I think it's part of his dream, you know,
07:22 to defend the belt in his home crowd.
07:25 And Erceg took the opportunity, and Pantoja too.
07:28 So this will be awesome for Pantoja legacy
07:31 and for the flyweight division.
07:33 Who do you think wins next weekend between Pantoja
07:35 and Erceg?
07:36 I think Pantoja will keep the belt.
07:38 And I'm also rooting for him.
07:41 We trained together years ago in Alvino.
07:44 I have a good relationship with him.
07:46 I can call him a friend.
07:48 And I hope that he wins and maintain the belt
07:50 in Brazil, in Brazil.
07:52 I cannot do the oppose, you know.
07:55 Like, it's in Brazil, man.
07:56 The Brazil got to keep the belt.
07:58 So, you know, say you go out there and win this Saturday,
08:01 and you get to fight Pantoja next.
08:03 Like, is it going to be tough trying to fight a friend?
08:06 I've already been through that before.
08:08 My first UFC fight was against Bruno Correa.
08:12 He was in the Ultimate Fighter with me.
08:14 And we was really, really close in the Ultimate Fighter.
08:17 You know, we was doing everything together,
08:19 helping each other.
08:20 And then we got to fight.
08:23 But yeah, man, that kind of thing happens.
08:26 And I got to say, of course, it's
08:29 kind of a little bit more motivated when
08:31 you fight against someone that is not that cool, you know,
08:33 is not your friend, for sure.
08:37 But also, at the same time, it's good to think about,
08:40 like, if me and Pantoja, we are fighting for the belt,
08:43 it means that both friends, they got
08:45 on the peak of their career.
08:48 So we both are on the top.
08:50 I want to succeed the same way that I
08:52 want my friends to succeed.
08:53 So we will be both really successful defending the belt.
08:57 So it will be nice, too.
08:59 You know, it will be an honor to share the octagon with Pantoja
09:02 if that happen one day.
09:03 Cool.
09:04 Thank you.
09:05 Welcome.
09:07 We were speaking with Alex Perez earlier.
09:08 And he talked a lot about his wrestling accolades.
09:11 Do you think that you would want to surprise him
09:13 with a wrestling of your own?
09:16 I want to surprise him in all areas, you know?
09:19 I want to play my music and to be on top in all areas.
09:22 And in the grappling game, as well.
09:24 I know he has a strong wrestling background.
09:28 I know he's good at it.
09:30 But I also am good at it.
09:32 I'm Brazilian jujitsu black belt.
09:34 I've been doing this since, man, nine years old.
09:37 So I'm ready for whatever.
09:39 And both you and Alex said that Pantoja
09:42 was going to win against Erceg.
09:44 But do you think that there is a certain challenge
09:48 that Erceg brings to Pantoja?
09:50 For sure, man.
09:51 It's not because Erceg is the number 10.
09:53 It is not a dangerous fight.
09:55 He's a really dangerous fight.
09:57 I've been watching all of his fight in the UFC.
10:00 He's good.
10:00 Good striking game.
10:01 Good grappling.
10:02 He's strong for the division.
10:03 He's tall for the division.
10:05 For sure, it's going to be a tough matchup for Pantoja.
10:07 But I just think that Pantoja will be ready
10:09 and he'll get the victory.
10:11 Thank you.
10:11 Welcome.
10:12 One quick follow up.
10:13 Alex said you had been to his house before.
10:15 Do you remember going to his house?
10:17 And were you sizing him up at the time, being like,
10:19 I could take this guy?
10:20 No, no.
10:21 When I went to his house, I was not sizing him up.
10:23 I had no idea to fight with him.
10:26 I have a very close friend, Mateusinho,
10:28 is a Muay Thai coach.
10:30 He lives with him.
10:31 And Alex is always so nice with me, so respectful.
10:34 I saw him at the beginning of the week,
10:37 and he was so respectful.
10:38 We got to shake hands and everything.
10:40 But it is what it is.
10:41 We're going to fight and have no feelings.
10:45 Just go there, do my job.
10:47 No feelings, no good, no bad, no happy, no nothing, no sad.
10:51 And it is what it is.
10:53 Just go to do my job.
10:55 Thank you, guys.
10:56 Thank you.
10:58 [BLANK_AUDIO]
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