[buzzsprout episode='177179' player='true']
Raf's Recollection | More about our interview with Josh Clark and our review of "Over/Under Kevin" with Brandon McCaghren coming soon.
Viewing entries tagged
The Ultimate Fighter
[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.
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='134707' player='true']
Raf's Reflection | I don’t think you could have scripted a better 50th episode. This may go down as one of our finest shows.
Granted, I’m still equal parts amazed and baffled that we’ve made it to 50 episodes (I’m amazed how the time has flown by; baffled at how I haven’t killed Kevin yet).
But when you consider that this time last year, Kevin and I started this podcast talking about a Carlos Condit fight (where Kevin debuted his now long-documented love affair with all things Carlos Condit), it’s truly remarkable that the man himself would grant us some time to talk with him just days before his upcoming fight against Matt Brown.
And really, our interview is a testament to Carlos Condit’s fearlessness.
While most people tend to keep a distance from their stalkers, Carlos actually indulges Kevin’s love affair. Perhaps it’s because Kevin isn’t exactly a threat to him in the slightest. Perhaps it’s the way one typically carries themself when they are nicknamed a “Natural Born Killer.” Perhaps it’s because he’s a badass muay thai skills that could render the both of us extinct in a single strike.
Who can say?
Nonetheless, Carlos proved to be a great sport, answered a series of questions from our very own obsessed fan-boy, and managed to give us one of our best interviews ever in the process.
But That’s Not All...
What better way to end our coverage of all things Ultimate Fighter than to bring on BOTH newly crowned winners from Season 18? That’s right, we’ve got both Chris Holdsworth and Julianna Pena.
We ask both Chris and Julianna about their fights, their celebrations, and get some great insight into what it actually feels like to win the Ultimate Fighter.
But what’s impressive about Chris and Julianna is the fact that they were both willing to squeeze us in just hours after winning their respective fights.
Holdsworth manages to find the time to talk with us moments before catching a flight at the airport, while Julianna fends off “dying” to call in to the podcast.
As two people whose UFC careers are about to take-off, we couldn’t be more grateful they carved out the time to talk with us (again) during what must be one of the craziest (and most significant) weeks of their lives.
We’re truly honored to share in their celebration and cannot wait for what lies in store next for these two very talented fighters.
He’s Baaaaack
No Verbal Tap milestone would be complete without a visit from our good friend Bubba McDaniel.
Here at Verbal Tap, Bubba is family. Not only is he an engaging UFC fighter with a great sense of humor, but he’s fiercely loyal and has always made time for us. When the three of us get on a call together, it’s like listening to three longtime friends gather round to drink some beers and shoot the shit.
And while we are now the show that’s lucky enough to book great guests like Carlos, Chris, and Julianna, Bubba was actually the first guest to come on the show. Last season, Bubba caught wind of our Ultimate Fighter mockery, thought it was funny, and actually offered to be on our podcast.
At the time, we weren’t really doing interviews on the show (mostly because we weren’t entirely sure we had the capability of doing so). And really, up until that time, we were complacent having me do impressions of all the fighters. However, a real fighter provided even more comic possibilities—especially if they proved a good sport with being made fun of.
But we did some research, changed some audio settings, and boom, the rest is history. After Bubba came on, the game changed for us. Suddenly other fighters became interested in coming on our show as well.
So when you talk "gold standard" here at the show, there’s a reason Bubba is the first person that always comes to mind—and why he’s always welcome on our show.
Messages
While our guest booking for this episode turned out to be pretty spectacular, one of the things that makes this episode so unique is the mix of well-wishes and trash talk we received from some of our favorite guests over the past year.
Kev and I had long been considering the idea of opening up a voice mailbox where we could get some friends of the podcast to leave us messages. When it came time to put the 50th episode together, we figured we’d put out a note to some of our former guests and see what happened.
The result is magical.
It really ties the episode together in a way we couldn’t have expected. When we reached out to folks, we didn’t really provide them with any guidelines; we just asked if they wouldn’t mind leaving us a message for our 50th episode—fully expecting them to go all Comedy Central Roast on us.
And there is plenty of fun at our expense. But there was a surprising amount of sincere congrats and appreciation for the show that we do—which is really awesome to hear. We’re humbled by our friends’ support and we thank each and every one of the guys who called in to leave us a message.
[Now, don’t get too used to me saying nice things. I’m going back to being the same asshole you’ve all come to know and put up with shortly.]
Although, I will close with this.
I didn’t get to hear this podcast until late Wednesday night (after a marathon weekend of playing host to family guests and writing/producing another installment of my own Late Night talk show) right before going to sleep.
As I put in my headphones to listen to the podcast, I actually found myself getting lost in the very show I had helped to produce and create. Between all of the great interviews, the fantastic messages from our friends, and even a solid performance from both me and Kevin this week, I realized that we truly are making the podcast we always imagined possible.
So thank you to all of you who have been here for these 50 special episodes. Whether you’re a former guest, long time listener or even some random internet troll, thanks for checking us out.
And to those of you who are new: Welcome, we’re just getting started.
[buzzsprout episode='133320' player='true']
Raf's Recollection | This is a hell of a show. We've got a little bit of everything on this one.
We begin with my BJJ podcast arch-nemesis, Paul Moran, from Open Mat Radio who helps us with our comprehensive coverage of last weekend's FIVE GRAPPLING event out in Anaheim.
Paul describes how the event looked on the live stream and we contrast it to the observations I made while watching the event live.
Obviously, Paul does the best he can to match the superb BJJ analysis and commentary that I bring to the table. But, along the way, we make some solid observations about the production, presentation, and spectacle that was FIVE GRAPPLING (if you haven't done so yet, check out my EXCLUSIVE interview with James Puopolo above)
Also, we get to know more about Paul and his whole life story blah, blah, blah. Paul's so great, he's beloved in the jiu-jitsu community, go support his critically acclaimed podcast Open Mat Radio or something. Boring. Onto the next guest.
On a serious note, tho. Check out all that FIVE GRAPPLING had to offer. The entire event is up for view right here:
James Koh
I have such an appreciation for newscasters who bring a positive perspective to the sport of mixed martial arts. If you aren't lucky enough to catch the kind of solid work James Koh does out here in LA with his show Cage Talk, you are truly missing out on the work of a sports journalist who shares a true passion for MMA.
Cage Talk is a panel sports talk show that airs immediately after every UFC on FOX telecast. Not only is it fun and full of energy, but James finds great ways to get UFC Fighters to help break down fights. It's unlike any other local programming put on by our Los Angeles, FOX 11 affiliate—and it's the perfect show for those who are looking for a lively discussion right after a major UFC card.
I was so glad we were able to get James on to talk about a variety of topics, including last week's Pacquiao fight, comparisons between the UFC and the NBA (don't get Kevin started), and even bring on the UFC Middleweight Champ, "GSP," to respond to criticism James makes about his fighting style.
For more of James Koh, give his work a look right here.
Davey Grant
And, of course, it wouldn't be a true installment of Verbal Tap without another spectacular "1 Minute Review" with yours truly. This week, we brought in Davey Grant to help us make sense of what the hell went down the week of his semi-final match-up against Anthony Gutierrez.
We learn a little bit more about DJ Davey G and even get a chance to have him try to talk shit to "Chris Holdsworth" on our show.
Truth be told, now that we've had both cast members on the show, Kev and I are going Switzerland on this one and staying out of making any predictions.
We're just looking for a great match between our friends Holdsworth and Grant—and we have no doubt we're in for a great fight. Truly, may the best man win.
Next Week on Verbal Tap
Don't forget, next week is our big 50th Podcast. You're definitely gonna want to tune in for that one. Tell a friend and get excited.
[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!
[buzzsprout episode='122349' player='true']
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!!!
[buzzsprout episode='117188' player='true']
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!
[buzzsprout episode='115494' player='true']
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
[buzzsprout episode='114063' player='true']
Raf's Recollection |Have you, like I, been counting down the days until the return of The Ultimate Fighter? I know it's only been five months, but it's felt like an eternity.
For those new to our program (welcome), we here at Verbal Tap live for making fun of The Ultimate Fighter. We even have a signature portion of our podcast where we review each episode of the telecast in one minute's time (coincidentally named our World Famous "One Minute Review").
What's that? It's impossible to make fun of all things Ultimate Fighter related in just one minute's time? Well, I'd invite you to listen to our podcast and try and tell me differently ;-)
Now before any of you TUF purists who are new to the show start trying to troll our comment boards, allow me to say this: Kev and I love the show. We're huge fight fans and we're rooting for new talent to work it's way through the ranks (one need only to look at the roster of guests we've had come on the show to know how much we support it).
Nonetheless, it's probably important to mention we're going to tell a lot of jokes at the show's expense. We're gonna make fun of the fighters. And we're gonna have a blast doing it, so don't take it too seriously folks. So sit back and check out our first Ultimate Fighter review, we're gonna make it a blast for you all this season.
But that's not all we've got for you this week. In addition to discussing last week's UFC Fight Night 28, we also talk to Fight Master's Joe Williams.
What you may know about Joe "Mongo" Williams from the show is that he's a strong competitor with a fantastic wrestling background. What you might not know is that he is secretly a comic at heart.
You read that right.
Additionally, we talk about Joe's next fight, some pranks that happened between Team Shamrock and Team Warren that never made it to air, and we even get Joe to play a game of Rep that Tweet with us.
So download the podcast and let us know what you think, folks!
NOTE: For whatever reason the Skype/Podcast Editing Gods were against us this week, so be sure to listen to this Podcast on your headphones. And be forewarned the transitions may be a little loud.
Kevin's Description: Raf and Kevin celebrate Cinco De Mayo with Professional Fighter Adam Cella from The Ultimate Fighter Season 17! They also talk a little Jon Jones, UFC 159 Payouts, Tito Ortiz vs. Jon Jones, Anderson Silva vs. Jon Jones, and finally end with your questions from twitter! Visit VerbalTapCast.com right now and get daily MMA coverage!
Raf’s Recollection : The first thing that strikes you about Adam Cella (aside from those dashing baby blues) is the fact that the man tells a mean story.
There's an inherent politeness to the timber of his voice that makes the punchlines to his stories both hilarious and friendly at the same time.
That's a rare gift. So that even when he's having a little bit of fun at the expense of his close friends from the show, it's never mean spirited. It's similar to that of a little brother playfully ribbing their older brothers—and really makes it easy to see why he was so popular within the house.
On the latest podcast, we get Cella to open up about some of the lighter moments in The Ultimate Fighter—including a few choice gems about roommates, cut scenes from the house, and maybe even an impression of a certain fellow cast member who may or may not have celebrated their 30th birthday this weekend (we apologize in advance Mr. The Menace; Happy Birthday!).
Among some of the other topics we touch upon with Mr. Cella in this interview: which current UFC fighter is afraid of spiders, what the future holds in store for the TUF vet, and what does Cella have to say to all of those who thought Jon Jones let him tap him out with this guillotine.
We hope you'll join us for some fun on the podcast and then drop us a note in our comment section. And after that shoot our friend Mr. Cella a nice note over on his Twitter at (@AdamCellaMMA) to let him know what you thought!
You can download an MP3 of this episode right here.
Kevin's Description: The guys argue about the most exciting moment of UFC 159, talk a little about the new song for GSP, then Mike Jasper stops by to keep the show from completely derailing. Listen in, and leave a comment telling us your thoughts on UFC 159!
Raf’s Recollection : Sometimes it is a small world after all. As we started booking fighters to come appear on the show, I had a friend (the incomparable Melissa Benassi) offer to help us reach out to one of the folks who fought in the premiere episode of this season's Ultimate Fighter.
And even though the multi-talented, Mike Jasper, didn't make it into the TUF house (he lost in the first round to Collin Hart), he hasn't missed a beat in his still undefeated career as a professional fighter (the loss to Hart is tallied as an exhibition).
In addition to being impervious to Raiders jokes, Jasper was very candid about the behind the scenes nature of The Ultimate Fighter production. And, believe us folks, there's a lot of stuff that you don't see on TV. The UFC doesn't just pick 32 guys and then have them magically show up. Jasper tells us his side of the story and, if you've ever wondered how it all comes together, this interview is a must-listen.
But that's not all. If you act now, you'll also get to hear a little bit about the man, the myth, the legend: Bas Rutten.
Yes, this Bas Rutten.
Jasper happens to train out of Rutten's gym (MMA Elite) and talks a little bit about the way Mr. Rutten runs the gym.
So give it a listen to the podcast that we're dedicating to Melissa Benassi for making this very special episode happen. You can check out Jasper's fight right here.
You can download an MP3 of this episode here.
Title says it all folks! Raf Esparza's one minute review of The Ultimate Fighter has Bubba "the Menace" McDaniel and Luke "BIgSlow" Barnatt stopping by for some great perspective on Mike Tyson's most recent visit to the house, the crazy round of quarterfinal fights, and so much more! Tune in, you won't want to miss out on this one!
You can also download this episode right here.