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Raf's Recollection | Coming soon!
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Raf's Recollection | Metamoris recap shows are always my favorite episodes.
Always.
Not only do we dedicate an entire episode to breaking down the techniques, production value, and implications of the big event, but we also get a chance to catch up with some of our favorite friends (new and old), as they help us analyze these matches from every possible angle.
Following in the tradition of our previous Metamoris recaps (Metamoris 4 and Metamoris 3), we enlist a team of six to help us take a look at the card and break down each match.
Joining us this go round...
Kit Dale - Leading us off on this podcast is our good pal Kit Dale. When looking to analyze the explosive match-up between Garry Tonon and Zak Maxwell, we figured: who better to speak on the match than a guy who not only had some of the best seats in the house, but also happened to commentate on the match as it was going on (not to mention: who knows a thing or two about competing against Tonon at Metamoris). In addition to his observations about the match, Kit also hooks us up with some great details about the behind the scenes nature of the show, reveals what Kenny Florian was too scared to do, and Kit and I discover where our jiu-jitsu venn diagrams intersect.
Ruben Avila 
- As one of of the more prolific BJJ writer/bloggers on the circuit, we decided to turn to the guy behind BJJGrappling.com, Ruben Avila, to help us try to make sense of the lengthy (and ultimately underwhelming) game show that was "Submit Vinny Mahalhaes for $10,000!" More importantly, we ask if this is a format that Metamoris should continue to use in future installments going forward. That and he gets Kevin to inadvertently support the use of WWE-esque rules in order to make a match like this more interesting (slick move, Ruben. He never even saw it coming!).
Jim Lawson - It only makes sense that we enlist the help of our friend Jim Lawson of The Warrior's Club to help us break down the epic rematch between two exciting BJJ warriors. Jim makes his second appearance on the show detailing the finer points of Keenan Cornelius' and Yuri Simoes' respective games and attacks. As the lone gi match of the card, Jim tells us how the match stacked up against the five other bouts (and even describes how the fight looked like in person at the Long Beach Convention Center that night).
Travis Newaza - Very few people can refer to themselves as the "sweetheart" of Brazilian Jiu-JItsu and get away with it. Yet somehow the distinction doesn't seem too far off when you get around to talking about Travis Newaza. As one the owner of one of the coolest BJJ brands out on the circuit (Newaza Apparel) Travis has made a name for himself as a brand owner who doesn't just make clothes for the BJJ community, but who also takes a great deal of pride in being immersed in the culture of the sport. On this podcast, Travis helps us measure the shock value of the Metamoris "secret match," it's overall impact, and even discusses the finer points of Ed O'Neil's head.
JT Torres - In order to get the most objective account of the match-up between JT Torres and Rory MacDonald we decided to ask JT himself to take an objective look at his match against Rory MacDonald. Just kidding. No part of our conversation is objective in the least. Instead, JT gives us the inside scoop on what it was like to compete against an opponent who outweighed him by close to 40+ pounds, outlines the game plan he used during the match (and describes the adjustments he had to make), and even takes a minute to respond to the comment that Rory was prepared to let his arm get broken on the Metamoris mats.
Rob Acree 
- And finally, closing out the podcast, is one of Kevin's training awesome partners from BJJ and MMA Training Center out in Chantilly, Virgina, Rob Acree. Rob uses his black belt acumen to properly contextualize the match between Renzo Gracie and Kazushi Sakuraba, navigating us through not only the historical significance of this highly-anticipated rematch, but also giving us a detailed breakdown of the techniques and strategies utilized by both Renzo and Sakuraba. Additionally, he helps me get in some great digs at Kevin's expense, so I seriously can't complain about that.
A damn good podcast from start to finish. Thanks to everyone who participated and helped us breakdown this monumental event. And keep an eye out real soon for episodes of Around the Mat to start popping up all around.
And get ready guys. Kevin touches down in LA in just a few days and we've already got big plans for our 100th episode! Get ready folks!
If you want to send us a message on our social media, merely hastag #VerbalTapTurns100 with a twitter message, Instagram meme, video or Vine to send us a message (we might just talk about it on air)!
Oh Yeah, Check This Out
I got the chance to shoot the shit with Garry Tonon this week. Good times were had.
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Raf's Recollection | I'll never forget the time I discovered Mac Danzig and I had a mutual set of friends. Years ago I discovered that Mac and I were only a couple degrees of separation away from each other all thanks to my best friend Bobby.
And when you're in good with my long-time best friend (and future best man at my wedding) and his family, in my book, it means you've already been vetted and that you're good people.
Before I had a podcast, or even really knew I'd take up jiu-jitsu, I was just a UFC fan who enjoyed Mac's work in the Octagon. Perhaps it's my knowledge of how reality shows work and get spliced together, but even when I sat at home watching his time on The Ultimate Fighter I always thought he got a bum wrap on the way he was depicted. It's not entirely surprising, it's just the nature of the beast known as reality TV.
But as someone who doesn't tend to get caught up in that sort of thing (even then), I just knew I liked his fighting style and thought he had a promising future (in retrospect, I can see that I have a long history of rooting for the jiu-jitsu guys). Naturally, I was stoked to see him go on to win the show and have a solid run in the UFC.
After years of hearing great things about him and the way he teaches from our mutual friends, I was pleasantly surprised a few months ago when I heard he was holding a Striking for Submissions seminar down here in LA. I packed up the gym bag and made it down.
Before the seminar, I got the chance to meet and exchange pleasantries. We talked about our mutual connections and BS-ed about a number of MMA and BJJ topics, all the while Mac lived up to all of the great qualities our mutual friends had come to say about him.
By the time we got around to the seminar and I saw him demonstrate his first BJJ transition, I realized something I had long since forgotten: Mac was one of the first people I watched and learned how to do jiu-jitsu technique from.
While I had watched a number of fights before his tenure on The Ultimate Fighter, I never really paid attention to the science of it all. For whatever reason, his style just clicked with me and, while I may not have understood the exact reasoning behind every grip or underhook, I remember finding myself interested in the craft and wanting to learn how to break it all down.
And on this day, on these mats, there he was telling me to stop doing the technique so wrong and try to get it right for a change.
He didn't actually say that, but you're all familiar with how I roll by now.
Nonetheless, it was just a cool moment in my training journey and all the more reason his appearance on the show was so cool for me personally.
On the podcast this week, Mac (37:20) drops in to provide a little more insight about the actual production of The Ultimate Fighter, the awesome connection he has to the world of animation, his interest in photography, what its like to transition out of fighting, and even describes what it's like to be on the other side of the cage as a referee.
It's a fantastic first conversation with a guy who's been a friend of podcast long before we even had him on. We look forward to having him back on some time soon.
In the meantime, check out his work at http://www.macdanzigphoto.net/.
As an avid photography fan, I'm not one to put over work if I don't find it really good. But his stuff is awesome and I strong encourage you all to give it a gander.
But Wait, There's More!
Our pal, Alex Perez returns on this week's podcast to find out if he beat Kevin in our UFC 180 edition of Over/Under Kevin.
In addition to finding out the results, Alex helps us recap all of the awesome (that sick main event), the disgusting (Ultimate Fighters taking a #2 in the cage), and the really disgusting (the worst PSA for Cauliflower ears ever) things that made one of the shortest UFC PPV's in recent memory a fun and unpredictable night of fights.
Metamoris 5: The Game Show
Because no Metamoris card is complete without at least three match-up changes, we had to get creative with our latest Around the Mat preview series. We always like to record these things a week out of the show as to try and get you a preview that's the most up-to-date possible, but when the news hit that Kevin "KO" Casey was out of his match-up (prompting the BJJ equivalent of American Idol to take place) as I was editing the latest installment of our Metamoris Preview Series, I had to do something.
This was that something.
The following is a sneak preview of our show that's coming out a little later tonight. Hope you all enjoy it!
EDIT: And here's the entire full length episode for your viewing pleasure:
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Raf's Recollection | We all know Garry Tonon [46:54] as one of the most exciting grapplers on the planet. With an aggressive style on the mats that relentlessly goes after submissions, Garry has made a huge name for himself in the world of competitive jiu-jitsu as one of the most reliable "sure bets" for an exciting match.
Even when if it means putting himself in terrible positions. And that's just part of what makes his matches so unpredictably exciting.
The guy has a gas tank that puts a great number of us to shame (despite a number of well-documented accounts of how much fast-food the kid ingests). But, as I came to find out last week, even interviewing Garry Tonon can be a workout.
Not because the guy is a difficult interview (our conversation is a lot of fun), but because he just has so much energy, you have to match his level of intensity during the interview. Even in the moments we spent talking with Garry off-air, before our interview officially began, Kev and I found ourselves having a great time comparing notes and jokes. As I overheard the rapid-fire cadence in his voice, it began to make complete sense:
Garry Tonon doesn't do anything slow.
With that in mind, I encourage you all to give a listen to a dynamic interview we do with Garry, as we touch upon all the bases: his match at Metamoris 5, what his expectations of his opponent Zak Maxwell, if his eating habits are truly as terrible as some Metamoris preview videos lead us to believe, what it's like to train with Rory MacDonald, and what he really thought of my interpretation of his BJJ game at Metamoris 5.
Yep. This one.
It should be noted that a running joke at my gym has been how when I played Garry, my jiu-jitsu was way better than normal. Leaps and bounds better. So while I'd love to base my game entirely on Garry's movement, I will remind you that too is an exhausting endeavor (the guy never quits moving).
Be sure to give Garry's episode a listen and then let us know what you think!
Peace Out, JEvans
Last week, we said goodbye to our pal, John Evans who is forging ahead with his journey to open out his own jiu-jitsu school. Mind you, he'll still be here in the Valley, but he's going to be opening up his own place for BJJ instruction very soon.
As one of the most influential people in my BJJ career, I can't thank John enough for his patience and his help with my game. Any gains I've made over the past few years are due in part to his superb coaching abilities.
And because no goodbye is without it's hardships, allow me to post the video of the way we closed out John's experience here at VMAC.
[embed]http://instagram.com/p/vE4UiBj6r5[/embed]
Be sure to follow him on Twitter at @BJJBreakdown and look out for more updates about his school at BJJBreakdown.com.
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Raf's Recollection | Considering all of the videos and writing I have to get done this week, I'll keep this short. We had a huge week on the podcast, previewing this weekend's UFC 179 with our pal Marcus Kowal and discussing all things World Jiu-JItsu Expo.
Marcus (pictured here in a new headshot compliments of our good friend Blanca Marisa Garcia) joins us this week to take on Kevin on our latest installment of Over/Under Kevin.
Some of you know Marcus as our pal from Systems Training Center down in Hawthorne, while others of you may somewhat recognize this guy as the host of his own podcast the MMA Roundtable.
Yep, since we last left Marcus, he has now grown up and started a podcast of his own. So we decided to give him some well deserved shit to start the show and then get into our picks for this weekends fights.
I Went to the World Jiu-JItsu Expo!
Let's just say this weekend was another mad capped weekend of insane jiu-jitsu coverage.
Accompanied by my two awesome photogs (Alex Perez and Octavio Villanueva), we hit up the World Jiu-JItsu Expo for a second year of crazy coverage.
On the podcast, Kevin spends the first twenty minutes asking me all about it and I talk a little bit about some of our favorite experiences and observations from an event that is something akin to what we call "Jiu-Jitsu Christmas."
I got to talk with this guy.
And this guy.
And even catch up with this guy.
I'm working to get out a video per day, but right now, here are two of the first videos we've edited from this weekend.
Keep an eye out on our YouTube page as we'll be posting as many videos as we can from this weekend's World Jiu-Jitsu Expo.
Hope you enjoy it, folks!
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Raf's Recollection | Vinny Magalhaes {13:29) is the MMA version of a workaholic. It seems like every time he finishes a fight or a grappling match, he's already lining up the next fight (or two).
You might even call him a fight-aholic. It's like the guy's addicted to competing.
Lucky for us it results in some amazing fights to watch both in the cage and on the mats.
Shortly after walking us through his sick light heavyweight title win at Titan FC 30, Vinny talks to us about his next Metamoris 5 match-up against Kevin "KO" Casey (... only to work on creating a match for himself at Metamoris 6).
That's right. A month before Metamoris 5 even happens, Vinny's already offering himself as available and ready to fight at Metamoris 6.
But that's the spirit of the fight in Vinny. He's a goal-oriented fighter who's not just content holding MMA gold around his waist. It seems like he's ready to fight any time, any where, any place.
On this week's podcast, Vinny describes his Titan FC 30 fight camp, what his training partners think of his workaholic tendencies, and even gives us some insight into the fighter psychology that takes place inside of the cage.
Then Vinny switches gears to answer some BJJ questions, including his thoughts on Keenan Cornelius' performance at Metamoris 4, what it's like to film one of those Metamoris preview videos, and even starts walking us through some of the competitors he'd like to have a rematch with.
Also, he fields a question thrown our way from Renato Laranja and then is informed about Kevin's poor attempt to recreate Vinny's match from Metamoris 4.
So Vinny, if you're watching. Here's the video of the terrible re-creation and I will be happy to provide you with Kevin's address once you finish watching it.
EBI Dos!
A
lso on the podcast, I talk a little bit about what it was like to watch the Eddie Bravo Invitational 2 in person.
I don't want to go too much into detail (as the show has yet to be televised and we're working on a cool side project here as part of our coverage), but it was a cool experience that was a blast to attend.
I just wanted to take a moment to thank the wonderful participants (a number of whom are friends of the podcast) who did an exceptional job that evening. And also, my thanks to Alex Perez for the fantastic work helping us with fight coverage through the night.
Are You Going to the World Jiu-Jitsu Expo?
If so, don't be afraid to stop by and say hello. I'll be covering the event live in Long Beach all weekend and would love to run into you guys while we're there.
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And FINALLY...
Check out our latest installment of Around the Mat, where we break down the Metamoris 4 match between Dean Lister and Josh Barnett.
We love hearing what you guys have had to say about our other installments, so keep them comments and likes comin'!
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Raf's Recollection | I want everyone to look at the photo of Eric Jackman over on the right hand side of this page.
What look do you see?
Do you see the look of a stone cold killer, here to bring an end to the one win streak of Kevin's Over/Under Kevin miracle win? Or do you see a deer-in-the-headlights realizing he's in way over his head?
Aside from being a phenomenal rorschach test, our pal Eric provides a true challenge to Kevin. As the main prediction guy over at the MMA Hour, the guy knows a thing or two about being accountable when it comes to picking who will win or lose a fight.
Which is why it only made sense to bring him on our podcast to basically crush Kevin's dreams.
But the question is: does Eric go straight for the kill or does he let Kevin think he actually has a chance?
Only time will tell.
We outline the prospects for not only this weekend's huge UFC 175 card, but we also take a look at this weekend's mercy-killing finale to the "season of boring" Ultimate Fighter.
Speaking of, we've got not just one, but TWO "1 Minute Reviews" of the past two episodes of The Ultimate Fighter to bring you up to speed on a show you probably haven't been watching.
So quick, come get your fix of my BJ Penn impression before Dana White likely makes him try to retire this Sunday night!
Until then fight fans!
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Raf's Recollection | On the podcast this week: Amechi Akpom and Dream Jiu-Jitsu’s Baddest Brown winner Brian Carlsen.
But first, let me just start by saying, I’ve ingested a lot of jiu-jitsu this week. And by a lot, I mean, even more than the ridiculous average I normally ingest in a given week.
My weekend started with a fantastic seminar conducted by my pal (and former Verbal Tap guest) Travis Conley last Saturday afternoon. Kev has spoken so highly of his friend Travis for so long that any time I’ve asked what it’s like to train with him, Kev merely lets out an exhausted sigh and mutters “…rough.”
At his own BJJ home base in Virginia (BJJ and MMA Academy), Kev is surrounded by a set of friendly, but competitive killers. And as someone who is no averse to an aggressive style of sparring, his recommendations are highly respected.
So there was little doubt in my mind Travis would bring a certain kind of game to a seminar.
And the man did not disappoint.
Travis’ style is heavy. It’s pressure filled, it’s intense, and controlled all at the same time (kind of the exact opposite of my own style I bring to the table)—which is all the more reason I wanted to see him at work. I like learning from people who challenge me to venture outside of my comfort zone.
But there’s more than just the element of smash that Travis brings to his seminar instruction, it’s an impressive ability to adapt to the needs of his individual students.
We had a wonderful spectrum of folks at the seminar whose skill levels were varied (ranging from experienced BJJ practitioners to my buddy, Ross Ellis, who was there to try out jiu-jitsu for the very first time) and Travis did an excellent job of making sure each student walked out with more than just a choke or a guard pass, but that every person in attendance left with something to improve their individual game.
That’s a tough thing to do.
We want to send a very sincere thank you to Travis for taking the time to stop by The World Famous Gracie Barra Encino to conduct a truly one-of-a-kind seminar. We also want to send a big shout out to the homie, Marcus Kowal, for playing host and being so welcoming with his establishment.
And our biggest thanks go out to the great people who came to join us. Many of the folks in attendance are friends of the podcast and their support was a wonderful reminder of the excellent company we keep here at the podcast. And to our new friends: I look forward to training with you beasts again sometime soon!
Superbad
The day after the seminar I got the chance to work Media for Dream Jiu-Jitsu’s Baddest Brown tournament.
For those not in the know, Dream Jiu-Jitsu is leading the charge of alternatives for BJJ junkies who are seeking more just out-advanting-ing or point-ing their opponents. This California-based organization has quickly made a name for itself by providing athletes with a series of tournaments that feature creative and innovative stipulations.
The main attraction of last Saturday’s tournament: a 32 man, brown belt invitational that’s no time-limit and submission-only. The catch? Competitors flip a coin before each round to determine if they will compete in either gi or no gi competition.
Crazy, right?
So it was no surprise when I found out that Travis was contacted to be a part of this group.
I was fortunate enough to interview all 32 participants in the competition and found myself immersed in their backstories (in the coming days, we’ll be posting some of the fun interviews we conducted at the tournament). Each of these killers seemed excited and motivated to be a part of tournament that wouldn’t be left in the hands of a ref or lost by a sweep in the last thirty seconds. And the thrill of shifting gears between gi and no gi proved to be a great catalyst for their excitement.
Among the interviews, I had the pleasure of meeting Brian Carlsen (from http://eastonbjj.com)—a mild mannered, self-described nerd who’s spent the better half of the past year competing at tournaments every other weekend. Carlsen’s upbeat attitude and easy-going attitude made him a breeze to interview (I mean, he shouted out his grandma and grandpa during my pre-interview with him, how can you hate the guy?).
And while I was not surprised to see him win the entire tournament—having had a front row seat to the grueling wars between highly skilled BJJ competitors that were all around—I was keenly aware of the degree of difficulty involved in each of those hard fought wins.
I was thrilled he agreed to come on the podcast to talk about his experience. On here, he talks about the tough mental stamina used to win the tournament, the caliber of his competition, and then Brian describes the hero’s welcome he received when he got back to his training partners back at Easton BJJ.
On a personal note, I was truly inspired by the dedication and resolve demonstrated by each of the guys in the 32 man invitational. In getting to know many of them and their backstories, you really got a sense for their love of sport. It’s my hope to be able to relay their narratives, as thanks from the wonderful technique, heart, and soul they left on those mats.
I learned so many things from them all and can’t wait to butcher all of their technique back at my gym.
But Wait There’s More…
Our pal, BJJ Training Journal’s (BJJTrainingJournal.com), Amechi Akpom, returns to the podcast to take on Kevin on another thrilling installment of Over/Under Kevin for UFC 174. Listen in to find out if Kevin will remain undefeated at losing, or if Amechi will be the first person to lose to my slow-witted co-host.
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Raf's Recollection | What do you do when your co-host is unavailable during a week when you have an interview with Stuart Cooper and need to review what took place at this year's Worlds?
Well, naturally you carry on without the guy and replace him.
J/Ks everyone.
Don't worry, Kev isn't going anywhere. He just was out of town for the week (and will be back with us next week).
In the meantime: We landed a whale of an interview with Stu (We've been truly anxious to hear about his legendary filmmaking process for some time now).
If for some reason you're unfamiliar with Stuart Cooper, you would be well served to check out the documentary about him below.
And if that's not enough to help you understand the the man behind the camera, why not take a look at a few samples of his work.
We've had the pleasure of being in contact with Stuart Cooper for some time now, but we've long been fans of his work.
His documentaries do a superb job of filling in the metaphorical and narrative ellipses for the avid BJJ enthusiast. The stories behind many of our favorite BJJ athletes often extend further than what we see on the mats during tournaments. When you watch a Stuart Cooper film, you get more than just why a match or a tournament is important. We get a rare insight into the philosophy, the psyche, and even the small nuances of the fighter's personal lives (try telling me any two Stuart Cooper documentaries are alike).
For me, his films aren't just comparable to quality found on the big budget, fight countdown shows (similar to the ones produced for the UFC and Bellator), the creativity exhibited in many of these vignettes stand up against a number of documentaries period. They strive for uniqueness in an industry where narratives are often uniform and bland.
On the podcast, we talk about his filmmaking process, some of the crazier experiences he's faced, and his new Indiegogo campaign he's mounted (https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/stuart-cooper-films) to help off-set the costs of making these films.
While the notion of traveling around the world, training BJJ, and making films sounds like a dream, the cost of making multiple, high quality videos on a regular basis basis is anything but glamorous. As a man who's portfolio has been a free and open book for the past several years (and who's films have often showcased the sport in an entirely different light), we highly implore you to donate to his Indiegogo.
Believe us, we know no one likes taking out their wallet when they don't have to. But the breakdown of his production costs is a mere fraction of what other places would charge for a comparable product-- and a loss of films like his would be a huge setback for a sport we all love.
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/stuart-cooper-films
Verbal Tap Goes to Worlds
This was my first time attending a Worlds competition. While I've been a number of tournaments over the past year and a half, I learned a lot from my experience down in Long Beach last week.
For example, Worlds is loud (http://instagram.com/p/oorT9Wj6rD/).
And there's a lot of matches that happen all at once.
(#TwoEyesTwelveMats was a personal favorite hashtag to use).
And it's a lot to take in all at once.
But it was a great experience and I got to see a ton of great matches and friends.
(I didn't get the chance to mention it on the podcast, but I really do believe this: Much in the same way they have warm up mats for the competitors, they should also have mats designated just for spectators who want to start drilling something they learned and thought was cool during the competition.
Hell, I should get some perk for my spectator fee, right?).
But, I did go at it alone. I had back up at the event to help me better understand all of the action taking place.
Yep, that's right. Our good pal, BJJ Breakdown's John Evans (seen in the accompanying picture looking more bad ass than ever thanks to me, #streetcred) was there to help explain all of the moves that blew my mind.
John not only covered the event with me, but he also shows up on this podcast to walk us through some of the highlights.
All this plus we get in a One Minute Review of The Ultimate Fighter (!!!).
What are you waiting for, listen in now!
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Raf's Recollection | More about our interview with Josh Clark and our review of "Over/Under Kevin" with Brandon McCaghren coming soon.
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Raf's Recollection | When we heard that Kit Dale was going to start a podcast, we wasted no time in bringing him on our show to ask him directly why he hates us so much.
Because, as someone who wins the BJJ internet on a regular basis, he has absolutely no reason to make the rest of us look so bad in podcast form as well (I know, dick move, right?).
Nonetheless, despite our plead for him to do otherwise, it looks like we will soon be privy to a podcast by the man the the undisputed best beard in jiu-jitsu.
On our show this week, Kit gives us a rough outline of what we can expect on his own show and assures us there is plenty of room for people who tell dumb jokes in the sport (we'll see about that).
We also chat a little bit about what exactly went down at Pans (ya know, that time where he was in the states to compete but "forgot to register"), we give him time explain what hell his thing is against drilling, and allow him the opportunity to address his internet beef with #HeSoHotRightNow, Keenan Cornelius (if you ask me, their internet beef takes me back to the days of the East Coast/West Coast rap wars... ya know, just minus the massive drive by shootings and whatnot).
Additionally, Kit Dale talks about his new school, how his silly videos come together, and he tries to convince us that he's trying to pave a new way for the lazy jiu-jitsu practitioner (again, not buying it, if you listen to him, you'll find he's not that lazy).
What I've always liked about Kit is this: When you're around comics or people who are funny on a regular basis, you find they don't tend to laugh at other comedians' jokes. Be it insecurity or competitiveness, there's often a game of one-up's-manship that prevents some funny people from laughing at other people's stuff. When you're around Kit, not only does he know how to tell a mean joke, but he's also the first to laugh at someone else's. You see it on the internet when he interacts with people on threads (or even when he heartily laughs at whatever photoshopped creations his fans have left at his virtual doorstep), the guy's got a great sense of humor and has contributed some much needed comic relief to the jiu-jitsu community.
And, as advertised, what you see is what you get: Kit's more than happy to talk nonsense, but he's also not afraid to get serious when it comes to talking about jiu-jitsu. Hearing a long-form explanation of his take on drilling and hearing what a class of his feels like sounds like a cool alternative. I, for one, would definitely be interested to take one of his classes just to see what it's like in action.
So yeah, we'd love to get your feedback on this episode, gang. And be sure to let us know what you think of the enigma that is Kit Dale.
But Wait, There's More
On this episode, we've also got another installment of our One Minute Review of The Ultimate Fighter. AND we did something we've never done before.
As a means of celebrating our 200th Facebook like, we invited "Mr. 200" himself, our pal Zac Calhoun, to have 200 seconds of uninterrupted airtime.
That's right, thems the kinds of perks we offer to our major milestones, kids. And we think we might be doing it again.
So be sure to follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, and Instagram (@VerbalTapCast, for all of them) for your chance to get some airtime on our show.
And what did Mr. Calhoun use his 200 seconds to speak about? Well, I don't want to give anything away, but the photo above might be a good hint.
All we got for now. Smoke 'em, if you got 'em, folks.
[buzzsprout episode='170169' player='true']
Raf's Recollection | A day after appearing on our podcast and hearing the show, Brandon McCaghren, sent me a text saying, "don't ever try to sing my song ever again."
I can't even begin to tell you how many times I've laughed at that text this evening.
The song Brandon claims we butchered is new hit single, "I Dominated Eddie (The Gracie Filter)"--a gripping acoustic ode to the epic Metamoris 3 match between Royler Gracie and Eddie Bravo. It's a playful tribute to the epic match that took place at Metamoris, as well as some choice words said after the event. Most impressively, the breezy vocals and relaxed vibe could easily slip their way into a Jack Johnson discography.
Fans of our show, however, know from time to time Kev and I like to occasionally leave an Easter egg to close out the podcast. On this go round, we thought it might be fun to try and harmonize Brandon's single over Skype (which is surprisingly hard to do). It left such an impression, Brandon felt the need to channel his inner GSP and let us know he was not impressed with the caliber of our voices.
And he's right, there is no way we could ever do his song justice. I mean, just listen to it (and pay special close attention to the bridge).
The man has some serious pipes. Which is why we were stoked when he agreed to come on the podcast.
In addition to getting some great insight behind the song and the accompanying video that was produced for him, we talk a little bit with Brandon about his experience getting into jiu-jitsu, what Eddie Bravo thinks of the song, and talk about his great 10th Planet affiliate he has out in Decatur, AL.
Give his page a look and like and if you make it to the Alabama area, be sure to visit his gym.
Just don't sing the song to him as bad as we did :-)
Over/Under Kevin: UFC 172: Judgement Day
James D. Koh returns to the podcast to find out who last week's installment of Over/Under Kevin. And while I don't want to give anything away, the following photo might give you an idea of how the end result turned out.
Yep.
It was pretty rough.
But James sticks around to help us recap all the fights that took place at UFC 172 and then Kev and I discuss some of the #TakeAways from last Saturday night's #UFC card.
What's That? You miss the One Minute Review?
A new season of The Ultimate Fighter means it's time for the return of the 1 Minute Review. Yes, we hear you loud and clear folks. And boy do I have some impressions in store for you this season.
Let us know what you think of the review on Twitter (@VerbalTapCast) this week and immediately start following us on our new social media. That's right, bitches, we're on Instagram and Vine now. So feel free to follow along all of our hijinks.
Until next time, fight fans.
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Raf's Recollection | It's always a good time when our friends drop by to say hello.
This week, we were joined by two Verbal Tap favorites (Cody Bollinger and Marcus Kowal) and a dude who promises to be a welcome addition to the Verbal Tap family (Dmitry Gerasimov).
Cody Bollinger
Just hours after picking up the win in his debut match at the World Series of Fighting 8, Cody stops by the podcast to give us an EXCLUSIVE interview about his win and the crazy couple of weeks he had leading into his fight against Tyson Nam.
What I always like about talking with Cody Bollinger is that he doesn't try to hide anything. He doesn't give us any spin or PR speaking points, this is a fighter who speaks clearly and honestly about his training regimen, the difficulties he faces, and even what was really going through his head just moments before the judges rendered their decision last Saturday night.
More than anything, we're happy to hear the hard work and perseverance paid off. To some, Cody may only be known as the guy who missed weight on The Ultimate Fighter.
But around here, he's known as a friend of the podcast who never that set back get him down. We were stoked to see him pick up the win, especially when you hear the kind of mental endurance the guy had to channel to make it to the fight AND THEN go three grueling rounds with a widely respected opponent like Nam.
Don't Sleep on the Beasts at Systems Training Center
Verbal Tap faithful will know Marcus Kowal as a correspondent for our show. But there's much more to the guy than just a strange Swedish accent and subversive videos where he interviews himself (he's been called the "Eddie Murphy of MMA" by absolutely no one).
Not only is he the owner of a fantastic gym out in Hawthorne, California (Systems Training Center), but he also happens to be a pretty solid MMA fighter in his own right. He fights against Zac Chavez at this Friday night's Resurrection Fighting Alliance 12 in Los Angeles.
And he's not the only Systems Training Center fighter to step into the cage, he'll be joined by teammate Dmitry Gerasimov—a Taekwondo black belt with some serious power and rage—who will take on Jordan Isordia on the RFA 12 pre-card.
I mean, just look at the guy. Everything about Dmitry screams "this. is. SPARTA!!!"
I've had the pleasure (/misfortune) of being friends with these guys for some time and can vouch for their talent and dedication. The stuff that they're doing over at Systems is truly incredible.
I'd wish them luck in their respective fights, but they each possess a great work ethic that's not the type that really needs the wish of luck. Rather, I wish them the full opportunity they deserve to display the crazy skills they have in the cage this Friday night.
On the podcast, we talk about their training, their close relationship, and even why the hell these two jokers would even remotely want to do stand up comedy when punching people in the face is so much cooler!!!
I'll be covering the events live this Friday night, so keep it locked down to VerbalTapCast.com and our Twitter for updates all night long!
But Wait, There's More
- Kev also debuts his new movie reviewing segment called 'Nuff Said.
- I update my ongoing feud with BJJ Podcast Nemesis, Paul Moran, after Paul double booked one of our guests from last week on his "podcast," Open Mat Radio. And with full journalistic integrity, I provide a thoroughly comparative analysis between our interview with Matt and Paul's interview with him. You can head to the following link here to listen to Paul's podcast and quickly realize how right I am about the whole ordeal.
- While you're at it, don't forget to contribute to Matt Kirtley's IndieGogo campaign to help fund a kick ass Reverse Omoplata Instructional.
- Also, be on the look out for my BJJ Training Journal blog later this week, as I attempt to give you all an honest look at my training, as we embark upon the never-ending journey that is trying to discover why I continue being so terrible at the sport of jiu-jitsu.
You can find me on the online directory of BJJTrainingJournal.com at Raf Esparza.
VERBAL TAP (Episode 51) with Chris Leben
[buzzsprout episode='136326' player='true']
Raf’s Recollection | When I had the chance to interview Chris Leben about a year ago, I was prepared for just about anything.
And I mean, anything.
At the time, I didn’t know where the conversation would organically go or what kinds of topics he would be open to talking about.
As one of the longest tenured employees of the UFC (and one of the last original members of the Ultimate Fighter cast still actively fighting), we’ve been privy to the many ups and downs in Leben’s life. Like any of us, Chris has his demons. However, unlike most of us, he’s had to battle a great deal of them in the public eye.
We’ve all seen the incredible fights. We’ve witnessed the confrontations from the first season of The Ultimate Fighter. And we’ve read about the changes in training camps and heard about the struggles in his personal life. It’s all part of the Chris Leben narrative, and all very well-documented.
And yet, through it all, Chris has remained a fan favorite all of these years for his ability to walk into an octagon as both a showman and enigmatic fighter.
So when I talked with Chris Leben for the first time last year, I found myself pleasantly surprised by his willingness to talk about his past. Chris doesn’t hide behind it or cleverly find ways to get around questions revolving around it. He tells you like it is: good, bad, and all that’s in between.
On our latest podcast, we find that Leben is the same candid speaker who reveals how he could have improved the performance of his last fight and what you can expect in his fight against Uriah Hall at UFC 168. It’s a refreshing kind of honesty in a sport that can often be filled with excuses disguised as explanations.
But, like any of our interviews, we get to bring out the funny in the fighter. Chris gets some opportunities with us to joke about Frank Trigg, missed merchandise opportunities, and even former nicknames.
Aside from getting the chance to joke around more this time with Chris, I found the conversation a strong indication of an individual working to make good in their life.
You can hear how happy he is to be part of a new training team. You can hear the optimism. You can hear the hunger he has to be a stronger and smarter fighter.
It’s a story we can get behind here at the podcast, as we will definitely be rooting for him come December 28th.
Bigfoot Silva vs. Hunt
So who thought this was going to be such a great fight?
Be honest.
On the podcast, we discuss our surprise. And while Kevin tragically works his limited capacity for metaphorical language (he struggles several times during the podcast to come up with different ways of calling these guys “fat”), I think we do a decent job at capturing our relative surprise at how good this fight actually ended up being.
We’re not really sure what this means for the division (or, frankly, even if we’d want to ruin what we saw by seeing it again in rematch form), but we elaborate some of our favorite observations from the now classic Heavyweight match-up.
Paul Walker
Kev and I take a few moments during the podcast to lament the loss of Paul Walker, specifically on behalf of the BJJ community.
It’s been a story that’s bummed out folks for good reason, and the tributes that have poured in for him from fellow BJJ practitioners and enthusiasts alike have been great to read. We also slightly discuss the need for there to be new ambassadors of the sport who will pick up where he left off.
But Wait, There’s More…
Also on the podcast, we talk to “GSP” about his upcoming press conference that he’s holding on Friday afternoon. That’s right, Verbal Tap EXCLUSIVE. GSP reveals what the hell is going on.
Is it a mall opening? Is he just signing autographs like Dana White said? Does he have some kind of marketing scheme up his sleeve?
Tune in to find out!
Oh… and…
Seriously, don’t forget to leave us a review and rating (5 stars!) on our iTunes page. Just look for Verbal Tap Cast
We’ve really been gaining some momentum the past few months and want to start making an even bigger presence on our iTunes page.
So be a pal, click the link HERE, press find in iTunes and then leave us a cool rating and review. We love the feedback, as it helps us make an even better Verbal Tap podcast for you all. Thanks much in advance!
[buzzsprout episode='131832' player='true']
Raf's Recollection | It's hard to believe, but It was exactly one year ago that we posted the very first installment of Verbal Tap on the interwebs.
I'd love to say that Kev and I had some grand scheme we had mapped out about how this whole podcasting thing would all play out. But the rationale behind the creation of this show was pretty simple: We like talking about fights, we thought it might be fun to record a conversation about it.
When we started this thing, we honestly didn't have a website or t-shirts in mind. We never thought we'd get the opportunity to interact with some of our favorite athletes—let alone cover events or have them tell us they're fans of our work.
Hell, we weren't even sure people would even want to listen to what we had to say. But, we've consistently been floored the number of you tune in week in and week out to our show—and who, by extension, have become a part of the Verbal Tap family.
And I'm happy to tell you all that one year later that making the podcast is every bit as fun to me and Kev as it was on day one (you could even say we're more excited to make these episodes now).
That's why we decided to do a throwback episode. No guests, me doing some shitty impressions, and having a spirited debate about yet another Georges St. Pierre decision win (hint, he appears on the show around the 40 minute mark).
Before we go on to the important things, we just want to thank all of you for tuning in over the past year and for giving us a forum that allows us to combine two of our biggest passions: comedy and MMA. Without question, our lives have greatly benefited as a result of this podcast.
So thank you to all who have listened in, helped us out, come on as a guest or even just told your friends about our stupid little show. It's been a blast and we have no intention of slowing down any time soon.
It's your support that allows me to say (without hyperbole) that the best of Verbal Tap has truly yet to come.
Enough of that Crap, I Went to UFC 167
Turns out, we weren't the only people celebrating an anniversary. While we turned one, the UFC turned 20 this weekend. And I was lucky enough to see it all.
On the podcast, I present a Top 10 List of the Most Memorable Things from UFC 167 and give you all the exclusive behind the scenes details from the event.
I also describe what it was like to watch the GSP/Hendricks fight live and then talk about the weirdest press conference I have ever seen in person.
Don't Worry, We Haven't Forgotten About "The Ultimate Fighter"
On this jam-packed episode, we still find the time to review the last two episodes of TUF. I do two "1 Minute Reviews" and then we talk about the finer parts of Cain Velasquez: Harley Davidson Spokesman, Ronda Rousey: Ultimate Slumber Party Host, and Miesha Tate: The Person Ronda Rousey Still Hates No Matter How Many People She Sends to the Finale.
All this and much more on this week's podcast!
[buzzsprout episode='127907' player='true']
Raf's Recollection | One of my favorite things about watching people tweet during The Ultimate Fighter is the amount of vitriol that’s spewed at a fighters’ direction. Certainly, we are no strangers to having fun at the expense of the cast members, but you won’t often find me or Kevin telling the fighters how much better we are than them.
Or how we, ourselves, would have acted so much better in a given situation.
For the record, these are my favorite kinds of tweets, #Humblebrags at the expense of a fighter’s success or misfortune.
Hindsight is a wonderful gift, and I’m sure only a handful cast members ever really know the pressure that comes with living in a house like that for six weeks.
Which is why when Cody Bollinger agreed to come on the podcast, I thought it might be a good idea to read some of the tweets the internet wrote about him (hope one of them was yours, you might have to listen in!)
If you haven’t seen the episode yet (and are patiently waiting for the “One Minute Review” to catch you up to speed), let’s just say things didn’t go well for Cody on last week’s episode.
In fact, they kind went “Dana Meeting” bad.
To his credit, Cody showed up, listened in on our “One Minute Review,” made some comments about the episode, Coach Miesha Tate, and, yes, even responded to some the interesting tweets written about him.
Right after our interview with Cody, Sarah Moras stops by. Sarah’s been one of my favorites on the TUF because of her awesome talking head segments.
She has a very honest speaking style that never pulls any punches (even when talking about herself).
Sarah describes her history with some of the other TUF cast members, talks a little bit about her trademark arm bar, details where her fighting travels have taken her, the types of guys she trains with and even speaks a little bit about her interactions with the winner of TUF:18’s Best Cameo award, Tim Gorman.
And, in my favorite part of the podcast, Sarah tells us an extended (and much better version) of how she got into MMA and reveals how the very funny "Peggy Morgan is a 'giraffe'" comment happened.
If you get the chance, go support her and our friends over at FightForSomething.ca. You can pick up one of her fighter t-shirts right here!
Gentleman’s Agreement
One thing that amazes me about the sport of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is the amount of respect displayed between teammates. It’s one of the reasons I like the sport so much. I’ve always been the type of person who thrives in team environments and I love that while gyms do a great job at refining an individual’s abilities, it's typically done through a strong team dynamic.
Having said that. I’m still really confused about the part where you let a teammate win via gentleman’s agreement.
For those not in the know: There is a practice in competitive BJJ where two members of the same team will settle final matches in a jiu-jitsu tournament through a prearranged agreement (where the two fighters do not have to fight).
Yes, you can win a tournament this way. Yes, it happened at worlds this weekend.
Granted, I recognize what a terrible human being I am. And, believe me, I’m no authority when it comes to any matter competitive BJJ. Additionally, I completely understand not wanting to create a rift between teammates—and I even kind of get that it’s the “right thing” to do—but it’s still kinda weird to me.
However, the gentleman’s agreement thing got me and Kev to wonder how a black belt finals match at Worlds between us would look like (I’ll pause for your laughter). Aside from hilarious and highly improbable, I’d still love to hear what you all think about this BJJ practice.
But Wait, There's More!
We also play another installment of Over/Under Kevin about this week's UFC's Fight for the Troops 3.
Give a listen and let us know what you think of Kevin's picks!
[buzzsprout episode='126277' player='true']
Raf's Recollection | Take it easy on Kev this week, gang. It's been a rough couple of days.
When we finished recording the podcast on Sunday, Kev and I had what we considered to be one of our best episodes. In fact, Kevin was so pleased with the way things were turning out during the editing phase, he actually sent me several texts just to say how awesome the episode was.
Of course, we didn't know this at the time, but that euphoric sentiment would turn out to be the kiss of death.
Just moments after putting the final touches on the podcast (and right as he was uploading it to our site), Kevin happened to notice that his audio went missing. Something happened during the conversation process that eliminated a significant portion of Kevin's vocal track.
Now, while the thought of having a Kevin-less podcast is something that sounds fantastic in theory, just think about how crazy I would have come off. Oh sure, my voice would make it seem like I was in the middle of a conversation with someone else, but the large chunks of radio silence from Kevin would have made me sound downright insane.
Just to give you an idea of how the podcast would have sounded without Kevin, please consider the following visual metaphor on the right hand side here.
Anyway, Kev took the day to get his head together and we (somehow) managed to slab together a podcast for your listening pleasure.
In fact, I don't know if it's a testament to his talent or a slight on the production value we normally carry on this dog and pony show, but you can hardly tell there were any major audio problems in this podcast (and if you do, keep it to yourself, please. No one likes a show-off).
Nonetheless, should you feel so inclined, send Kev a nice message (@PhillipsKevin1 on the Twitter) to let him know his efforts are appreciated. We'll go back to treating him like shit next week.
The Gentleman
While I don't have the kind of extreme beef that Dana White does with "The Gentleman," Josh Hill, I do give him a little bit of grief on the podcast. It has nothing to do with his (ironically stated) struggle of growing up "really, really ridiculously good looking" or even the fact that he has a truly impressive grappling record of 36-1 (North American Grappling Association).
It has more to do with the fact that he's so damn polite.
It's almost upsetting.
While Dana's spared no expense telling us what a "one trick pony" Josh Hill is throughout the season, I wasn't very surprised when the extremely well-mannered Canadian did the extremely well-mannered Canadian thing of not talking shit about Dana White (the nerve of this guy!).
But that doesn't stop me from trying to prod. And I'd even like to think we got him to have a couple moments of (dare I say?) "edge" during our interview, where we also ask about his MMA journey, his family's roots in pro wrestling, and his fight against former-opponent-turned pal, Mike Wootten.
We even issue a challenge for the next time he comes on the podcast. Let's see if he's got the stuff to prove us wrong.
The Vixen
I suppose we could have subtitled this podcast "The Gentleman and The Vixen" (I swear this wasn't by design, I'm only stupidly realizing this now), but we also get the chance to talk with the "Venezuelan Vixen," Julianna Pena.
As one of the first TUF cast members to fight (and therefore share their narrative), we've arguably gotten to know more about Julianna than most of her fellow cast members this season. We certainly touch on topics like the letters she wrote to her teammates, how it felt to be portrayed as the underdog, and even got to ask if she felt her housemate makeovers paid off.
However, I'll put this out there right here and now: One of our questions brings out one of the most unexpected stories Kev and I have ever heard on the podcast. It's a story that not only helps identify what makes Julianna so mentally and physically tough, but also gives you an idea of why she fights. It's an awesome story and, frankly, I'm happy she was willing to share it with us.
Additionally, if you happen to be in the Spokane, Washington area, be sure to support Julianna's team at Northern Quest Resort and Casino's "Conquest of the Cage," as both her brother-in-law and her training partner Elizabeth Phillips will be fighting in the co-main event. Tickets for that fight can be found right here.
Odds and Ends
Among some of the Odds and Ends topics that make it onto the podcast this go round include: Which UFC Fighter would make a great WWE Superstar, how good of a public speaker is Dana White, and why we can't stop talking about Lyoto Machida's scarf.
All this and more on this week's podcast!
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Raf's Recollection | Sometimes the UFC hype machine jumps the gun and overuses the phrase "must see" fight.
We get it, promoting fights is a tough business. And when you promote hundreds of fights a year, you sometimes run out of ways to get people to tune in, sometimes saying the same things over and over again.
For example, fans of The Ultimate Fighter are no strangers to the phrase "you won't want to miss the _______ fight of the season."
Most intense. Craziest. Most controversial. You name the cliche, they've done it. Thousands of times.
However, in the case of Jessamyn Duke and Raquel Pennington, you had a fight that was truly worthy of the UFC hype machine. And we here at Verbal Tap were lucky enough to get Jessamyn to drop by the podcast to talk about the instant classic fight between her and Raquel. But that's not all, Jessamyn shares some inside scoops about The Ultimate Fighter house, discusses if she has any regrets missing out on the pre-fight pool party, and listens in on the 1 Minute Review of her episode (letting us know exactly what she thinks of my impression of her).
Moments later, we backtrack and do the episode of The Ultimate Fighter (Episode 5) that Kev pathetically tried to review on the last podcast. BJJ black belt and TUF cast member Chris Holdsworth drops in to listen to the second 1 Minute Review, describe his fight against Chris Beal, and even takes a moment to critique the season premiere of The Walking Dead(?). And while you're listening to the podcast, do us a solid and check out the great stuff Holdsworth has over at his personal website ChrisHoldsworthMMA.com (otherwise he's going to beat me up a whole bunch). The dude is very funny and has already promised to start putting up some awesome videos on his page (we've got some solid BJJ-themed video short ideas if you're up for 'em Holdsworth).
But What About Phil Harris?
Calm down. It wouldn't be a true MMA podcast if we didn't cover the controversy surrounding Rousimar Palhares and the "screaming tap" heard all around the world. Our resident go-to BJJ Expert, BJJ Breakdown's JOHN EVANS, drops by to weigh in on the controversy and tries to explain what the hell happened when when Toquinho caught Mike Pierce in a nasty looking heel hook.
I Trained at Some Guy Named Marcelo Garcia's Academy
In our shout outs, I describe my training session over at Marcelo's in New York. I can't say enough good things about the wonderful people over at Marcelo's and the patience they displayed in teaching me techniques that were far beyond my capabilities. As a complete stranger, they truly treated me like one of their own and were committed to making sure I got the most out of my experience. I just want to say "thank you" to all of them for being so cool.
It was a nice in a lifetime experience and I truly hope I can return back there some day when I'm somewhat less terrible at jiu-jitsu.
"The Goose"
While we crack wise about the gi I received from BJJHQ in the video above, I can't thank the good people over there enough for sending me the "The Goose" here after hearing me talk about the crack-like addiction I have to purchasing stuff from their website (it's taking in my being not to buy every thing going up on the rolling deals sale right now). For the last year and a half, I've been rolling with the same (boring) white, judo gi. And while I love this stupid gi, every time I train, I have to race home to immediately put it in the wash so that I can train again the next day. And now, I am happy to report that I can now alternate gis and (finally) walk into my jiu-jitsu classes like one of the cool kids with this awesome looking gi. Serious props to them and Kev and I are going to be filming a video in the near future to show our appreciation.
All I got for now. Give the podcast a listen folks. I don't think you'll be disappointed!!!
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Raf's Recollection |There's nothing worse than missing a UFC card. If you know me, you know I absolutely hate missing a UFC card.
I have a set of calenders in my house and at work that meticulously map out UFC cards, Fight Nights, and Ultimate Fighter episodes months in advance. But, every so often, you hit a weekend where you have a set of plans you just can't get out of. That was the case for Saturday Night's UFC 165. Not just for me, but also for my co-host.
Of course, it had to be on a night when a potential Fight of the Year took place.
But fear not Verbal Tap Cast fans, because Kev and I are committed to giving you the very best coverage, we wouldn't just talk blindly about a set of fights we didn't get the chance to watch. That's why we brought in a panel of folks to help us ring in our 40th episode AND piece together exactly what took place during the fight between Jon Jones and Alexander Gustafsson this weekend.
We start with our pal, Ben Unanaowo(a sports enthusiast/couch potato who's never short on opinions about sports) giving us a play-by-play account of the UFC 165 main event. But we wouldn't be doing our job if we just left it at that. Given the controversial nature of the fight—with a public outcry among MMA fans who were angry with the judge's decision and the multiple interpretations from spectators on how the fight went down—we decided to bring in two experts to give this epic battle the attention it deserves.
Enter our experts: Making the case for the Jones, training partner and podcast favorite Bubba McDaniel drops by tell us why the judges were right to score the fight for the champ, while Swedish MMA Fighter Marcus Kowal (and owner of SystemsTrainingCenter.com) makes the case for Gustafsson. Bubba and Marcus walk us through every angle of the fight and even tell us the implications for the Light Heavyweight division. And our conversation DOES. NOT. DISAPPOINT.
And if you guys are fans of having experts drop by to talk about the fights, we're more than happy to bring it back and (maybe) even hold a full on debate between panelists on the next go-round for controversial fights like this. Let us know what you think.
BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE: That's not all fight fans! In addition to our signature World Famous "One Minute Review" of this week's The Ultimate Fighter, we also talk with Kickboxer Joe Schilling who fights this Saturday at GLORY Kickboxing in Ontario, California. In our EXCLUSIVE interview Joe, he talks about how he got the name "Stitch 'Em Up," his gym in Los Angeles (The Yard), his clothing line (Can't Stop Crazy), and we discuss if he's really a bad guy or not (spoiler alert: he's not).
So do us a solid, check it out and let us know what you think!
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Raf's Recollection | Of all the Ultimate Fighter cast members I've done impressions of, perhaps no one has had a better sense of humor about it than Jimmy "Crash" Quinlan.
On one particular installment of the show (Episode 14), Kev and I spent approximately 10 minutes worth of time discussing the finer points of a Jimmy Quinlan impression.
Which is why it was somewhat refreshing when I ran into Jimmy at the UFC Fan Expo earlier this year, I didn't get punched in the face (he had more than one opportunity to do so). When you do impressions of folks with such a strong wrestling background, you almost expect to be on the receiving end of one of their patented overhead slam takedowns. Fortunately for me, Jimmy's always just laughed off the impression and played along.
It also doesn't hurt that Jimmy identifies himself as a bit of a "smart ass." So not only does that make him exactly the type of person we like talking to on the podcast, but it also makes him the kind of guy who is impervious to comments like "What is happening?" and "wtf am I watching" when he posts videos like this:
We at Verbal Tap wish nothing but the best to Jimmy as he takes on Luc Bondole at New England Fights' "NEF X" this Saturday at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine. For more information about tickets, hit up this website and be sure to follow Jimmy on the Twitter at @JimmyCrashBJJ.
Also on the podcast, we do our World Famous "One Minute Review" of the second episode of The Ultimate Fighter, we play a game of "Over/Under Kevin" to figure out how to bet on this week's UFC 165, and we also chat about this video:
I must have watched this clip over 20 times in the past few days. Maybe it's because it bares a certain resemblance to a Pro Wrestling Hall of Famer's signature move: Rolles Gracie does the best Ric Flair fall I have ever seen in MMA. Ever.
If you doubt me, simply watch the video above and compare it to the art that is the Ric Flair flop below. #YoureWelcome