A new story from THE FIGHT with Teddy Atlas

Automatic TRANSCRIPT

You got to look at Sarah. I mean, that guy is a beast. Really, I have some I have so much respect for all the guys in your business John. But that guy's got to be at the top of the list to do what he's done at his age. I mean, and then he's a lot more than just the toughest landscape of all time. Put it down. That's true. Yeah. I mean. No, I do believe of all the guys who have realized success at an advanced age if we can even say that, right? Go over to share a Randy couture, Daniel Cormier, I mentioned Andrea lobster, I do believe Glover Teixeira set himself apart, right? I do. Nature of the matchups he had against young, hungry, up and coming contenders and the fact that he was able to go toe to toe with them. I think you're absolutely right. That he has set himself apart. One thing that I did just want to bring up with you briefly, because again, like I don't say this because I'm here, but having you in this MMA space to whatever degree is a tremendous asset, right? I'm watching the telecast this past weekend, may rob dwellers, Willie, and pyotr Yan, and they show your tweet. And you mentioned the word deliberate, right? How pyotr Yan he just fights a little bit too deliberate for this type of matchup. And then a couple rounds later, you went back to that adjective, right? So I'm taking notes for my podcast that I'm taping later today. I write down teddy Atlas deliberate, right? And then you go back to it. And that's the adjective. So your wealth of information and knowledge, right? It transcends combat sports. And I was in your position, granted, there were only ten people listening. But I was hosting the mouthpiece boxing show in 2004 and people were like, why are you guys talking about MMA? And, you know, I couldn't get those ten people off my back. I'd imagine for you. It's a different navigation, but it's a real thrill for us to have you talking about this stuff. Well, thank you, John. It's, like I said, it's some, it's great to have you with us. You give us validation with them and they world. Yeah, you're probably smiling when I say that because you're so humble, but you do. You do, you give us our chops as the word you use earlier. A little bit extra that you aren't here talking to MMA with us. You know, you touched on, we touched on a fight with Jones, of course. On that card was an extraordinary upset. That upset in the women's fight was as big as they come, probably, have, where does that fit in upsets that you've seen and, you know, what do you think of when you were sitting there calling that? Because I love when you guys do this. Oh, well, hey, I mean, and you had to, I didn't see it because I was there alive with you. So I couldn't have the privilege of seeing that, but there must have been some been a few of those. There's nothing like it. It's the greatest unpredictable theater in live sport. And when I think back to maybe going to call a college basketball game, right? I just don't know how I would go back to doing that. This sport has ruined a lot of the other sports for me. But yeah, I mean, sometimes it's hard to quantify historically and upset until you have some separation from it. Certainly I was more surprised when giuliana Pena beat Amanda Nunes just given where Amanda Nunes was at that stage of her career. I don't want to sit here and say that this was a passing of the tourists because Valentina Shevchenko is probably going to be a three to one favorite if there's an immediate rematch and it stands to reason. She's got a great chance to beat Alexa grosso, but Alexa Grasso was elevating towards her fighting prime and everything was coming together and she had put in the requisite work with her wrestling and her grappling. Juxtaposed against Valentina Shevchenko, who might have been smarting after a split decision win last June in Singapore, but I do believe that some of that shot had come off of Valentina that the rest of the division felt like all of a sudden this champion wasn't so otherworldly and was a little bit beatable. But I do believe the grosso upset was rooted in two things. Conditioning and preparation, right? Those are two things that she can control. She has the best coach. I think that she can get in Mexico, her uncle Francisco grosso. Great jiu-jitsu coaches that drilled that flight ending sequence. But then just her commitment to conditioning. Not to mention that she trains granted. It's not Mexico City, but training above sea level, right? The ability to go 5 rounds. She could have gone 15 rounds with Valentina Shevchenko and I think she was buoyed by just the strength and conditioning. So the whole division is wide open, man. I mean, I always say, and I know I'm being a little bit long winded, but the best part of this job for me. The best part of this job for me is seeing a non champion become a UFC champion for the first time. And thus, the reactions were all very happy for Alexa grosso here a week removed. I'll tell you why it happens. I'll tell you why it happens. So that I can speak on from my boxing background. It happens because of Dana White and because really I'm not it happens because he insists unlike boxing because boxing has no regulator. Boxing has no dictator. Sometimes it dictator could be good. As long as they're not laughing heads off. You know, that's not good. That's not good. Right. But when you say it's my way of the highway, you know, and you say

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