Why would that be?
In case your dad and mom put you in martial arts if you have been younger, your dad and mom had cash. Martial-arts coaching isn’t low-cost. And a variety of these guys have been school wrestlers, so all of them went to varsity. Like Chuck Liddell. Have you learnt who Chuck Liddell is?
Certain—inform everyone.
The stereotypical final fighter. He’s bought a Mohawk, massive, mean-looking man with a Fu Manchu. He seems to be like an axe assassin, for those who noticed the man. He graduated from Cal Poly with a level in accounting. [Laughs.] So these have been the kind of guys that have been preventing within the U.F.C., and I believed that their tales have been very attention-grabbing. And the reality is, for those who’ve ever been to a U.F.C. struggle, it’s the most fun stay sporting occasion you’ll ever see. There’s so many alternative methods to win and lose, and simply the power and the excitement contained in the constructing is superb.
What do you imply there’s so some ways to win and lose?
So, in boxing, I punch you to the pinnacle or physique extra occasions than you punch me to the pinnacle or physique, and I win, or I knock you out. Within the U.F.C., you are able to do all of that, too, however you may as well kick, knee, elbow. It may go to the bottom the place you struggle for submissions. So it’s continuous motion.
I wrote a e book about Muhammad Ali way back. I feel we each agree he may be the best athlete who ever lived—
Or human!
Who’s the Muhammad Ali of the U.F.C. in your estimation, and why?
Properly, now we have a man named Conor McGregor, who I might say is like our Muhammad Ali. However, for those who’re searching for your Michael Jordan, it might be Jon Jones, who’s the best.
And why is that?
Jon Jones has by no means been beat, and he’s moved up and down weight lessons. It’s very, very distinctive and arduous to be undefeated within the U.F.C.
How did you purchase U.F.C.? Since you appear to, on reflection, have purchased it for a music.
Yeah, two million {dollars}. Once we have been coaching in jujitsu, and we began to fulfill a variety of the fighters, I began to handle among the guys. And I bought right into a contract dispute with the previous proprietor, Bob Meyrowitz, and Bob stated, “ what? There isn’t any more cash, O.Okay.? I don’t even know if I can afford to placed on the following occasion.” We hung up and I stated, “Wow, that’s attention-grabbing.” I referred to as my companions, Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta, and stated, “I simply bought off the telephone with the proprietor of the U.F.C. I feel they’re going bankrupt. They’re in hassle, and we must always purchase them.”
Wasn’t it type of dangerous? You had Senator John McCain—who’s no person’s concept of a wimp, God is aware of—name M.M.A. “human cockfighting.”
Proper.
How do you reply to that?
I feel that with out Senator John McCain I in all probability wouldn’t be sitting right here having this dialog with you proper now.
Inform me why.
His stance on the U.F.C. drove them towards—and never solely them, however us, after we purchased it—towards regulation and being regulated by the athletic commissions in every state. [He holds his hands close together.] This many individuals need to see a freak present. [He holds his hands far apart.] This many individuals need to see an actual sport.
It was banned in thirty-six states. What have been the rules put into place in order that it was not a freak present?
What kind of tripped them up early was them sensationalizing it, like, “Two males enter the octagon, one man leaves: probably the most brutal, bloody, violent sport on the earth. There are not any guidelines!”
That’s simply hype. You hear that in boxing, too.
When the primary one was coming, no person believed it was true. They’re, like, “There’s no approach this could possibly be actual, that that is going to occur.” And it was actual. It did occur. And everyone tuned in due to the sensationalism, however that finally ended up biting [Meyrowitz] ultimately.
How so?
As a result of Senator John McCain went after it and stated it was disgusting. Take into consideration, at the moment—once more, if you and I grew up, proper?—John Wayne film. John Wayne would hit a man, proper? Man would go down. John Wayne didn’t leap on high of him and begin pounding him. He’d stand him again up and he’d hit him once more. You didn’t do this. You didn’t leap on a man when he was down.
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