ITALKSPORTS Episode 35 - UFC 315 Recap, Problem with fighters today and NBA Conference Finals
Episode 35 delves into the aftermath of UFC 315, where Valentina Shevchenko convincingly triumphed over Manon Fiorot, while Jack Della Meddalena seized the welterweight title from Belal Muhammad. This pivotal victory positions Della Meddalena for a title bout against Islam Makhachev, who has vacated his lightweight title, now contested in an anticipated clash between Charles Oliveira and Ilia Topuria. I express my concern regarding a notable trend among UFC fighters, who seem increasingly inclined to secure victories through judges' scorecards rather than pursuing finishes, a topic initially broached by Luke Thomas in his podcast. Additionally, I provide commentary on the NBA playoffs, particularly my astonishment at the New York Knicks’ progression to the conference finals against the Indiana Pacers, and I analyze the matchup between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference Finals.
The aftermath of UFC 315 serves as a pivotal discussion point in episode 35, where Valentina Shevchenko's dominance over Manon Fiorot is analyzed alongside Jack Della Meddalena's decisive victory over Belal Muhammad for the welterweight title. This victory sets the stage for a highly anticipated title fight against Islam Makhachev, who has vacated the lightweight championship, now contested by Charles Oliveira and Ilia Topuria in what promises to be an electrifying matchup. The conversation pivots to a broader concern regarding the current trend in UFC fights, wherein fighters appear more focused on accumulating points to secure victories via judges' decisions rather than seeking to conclude bouts decisively. This phenomenon, highlighted by Luke Thomas's commentary on his podcast, raises questions about the impact on fight quality and viewer engagement. The episode further transitions into a discussion of the NBA playoffs, reflecting on the unexpected success of the New York Knicks as they advance to the conference finals against the Indiana Pacers, while also dissecting the thrilling matchup between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Minnesota Timberwolves. With a serious tone, I express disbelief at the Knicks' performance, underscoring the unpredictable nature of the playoffs this year, where traditional powerhouses have faltered, paving the way for new narratives in both the UFC and NBA.
Takeaways:
- In the aftermath of UFC 315, Valentina Shevchenko demonstrated her dominance against Manon Fiorot.
- Jack Della Meddalena's victory over Bilal Muhammad opens the door for a welterweight title clash with Islam Makhachev.
- The trend of fighters prioritizing judge's scorecards over finishing fights has led to lackluster performance.
- Luke Thomas's podcast sparked a conversation on the decreasing frequency of fight finishes in the UFC.
- In the NBA playoffs, the Knicks' unexpected run to the conference finals has shocked many fans.
- The Western Conference finals will feature a thrilling matchup between Oklahoma City and Minnesota.
Transcript
Damn, even two great teams in a playoff series are gonna blow each other out one day.
Speaker A:Pause, pause, pause.
Speaker A:If I was married and my wife was pregnant and she was giving birth on the same day.
Speaker A:Look, there's only gonna be one of these.
Speaker A:I can make more.
Speaker A:I can make more.
Speaker A:He knocked him out with a broken arm.
Speaker A:Like you don't understand the gravity of that.
Speaker A:Like you broke.
Speaker A:Like broken.
Speaker A:Marambo.
Speaker A:Okwashe.
Speaker A:Who will it be?
Speaker A:Oh, God, please not the Knicks.
Speaker A:If the Knicks.
Speaker A:If the Knicks win the championship, we will never, ever hear the end of it.
Speaker A:It's gonna be orange and blue skies everywhere.
Speaker A:If ant man wins a ring this season, he's top 20.
Speaker A:Ah, years.
Speaker B:Doc, look, come on, man.
Speaker B:Who are you gonna take off the top 20 now?
Speaker A:Ellen Iverson?
Speaker A:I don't know.
Speaker A:Charles Barkley.
Speaker A:Charles Barkley can go mike check.
Speaker A:1, 2, 1, 2.
Speaker A:What's good?
Speaker A:What's good?
Speaker A:What's good?
Speaker A:How long has it been?
Speaker A:How long has it been?
Speaker A:Too long is the question.
Speaker A:How are you?
Speaker A:He talks sports and his name is Mukundi.
Speaker A:Episode 35, baby.
Speaker A:Yeah, yeah, I took a while, you know, I had to build up the suspense.
Speaker A:Like, yo, when is episode 35 coming?
Speaker A:I'm kidding, yo, it's been, yo, man, it's been.
Speaker A:It's been a crazy three weeks to a month.
Speaker A:I haven't recorded an episode in almost a month.
Speaker A:And it feels weird.
Speaker A:It's the longest I've gone without recording since I started this podcast and I was getting withdrawal symptoms.
Speaker A:And what pained me the.
Speaker A:The most is watching everything happen in the sports world.
Speaker A:And I can't talk about it.
Speaker A:I can't talk about it.
Speaker A:Like, I wanted to come here and laugh at LeBron James for being eliminated in the first round.
Speaker A:I couldn't do that.
Speaker A:I wanted to come here.
Speaker A:And actually, you know, we might get to that one, but like, a lot has happened in the past couple of weeks, dog.
Speaker A:Last time I recorded, the playoffs had just started.
Speaker A:We are starting the conference finals now.
Speaker A:Let me put that into context.
Speaker A:That me that means I missed.
Speaker A:Well, podcast wise, at least I missed the rest of the first round and I missed the second round entirely.
Speaker A:As far as you're concerned, if all you get is from.
Speaker A:I talk sports.
Speaker A:As far as you're concerned, the playoffs had have just started and now we're about to do a time loop to the conference finals.
Speaker A:That's it.
Speaker A:That's it.
Speaker A:And I do apologize.
Speaker A:And I do apologize.
Speaker A:But, but, but all that and more on episode 35.
Speaker A:But before that, of Course.
Speaker A:Dokatella.
Speaker A:What's good, dog?
Speaker B:I'm good, man.
Speaker A:This is for you.
Speaker A:This is for you.
Speaker A:This is for you, Dokotela, because today is a very big day.
Speaker A:It's a very special day.
Speaker A:I have started a new chapter in my life and it's an exciting one and it's a scary one.
Speaker A:You are now looking at the new voice of the youth Plug on career in Double Radio.
Speaker A:That is an online station that I urge you to listen to.
Speaker A:I am on weekdays, 12 to 3pm but there are other great shows there that I think you should check out.
Speaker A:And I'm still.
Speaker A:I'm.
Speaker A:It's still for me, like, number one.
Speaker A:Make sure.
Speaker A:If you don't listen to anything, make sure you listen to me.
Speaker A:And then we'll get to everyone else because they're actually quite good people and, you know, I like them.
Speaker A:So today was my first, first, first day on the job.
Speaker A:And today was my.
Speaker A:It just.
Speaker A:Just felt so good to be back on air, back on radio.
Speaker A:Remember a couple months ago we tried the Y thing and it didn't work.
Speaker A:But you know what?
Speaker A:A loss is not a loss is a blessing.
Speaker A:And you miss every shot you don't take.
Speaker A:And look where we got, boy.
Speaker A:Look what we got.
Speaker A:Now we here.
Speaker A:Now we here.
Speaker A:I am an anchor of the flagship show, Three Hours here.
Speaker A:But talking for three hours is a mission, bruh.
Speaker A:Talking for three hours is a mission.
Speaker A:But today was my first show and I had the honor of having our very own Dokotela on the show talking about workplace psychopaths.
Speaker A:And that was.
Speaker A:That was a great discussion, bro.
Speaker B:It was.
Speaker A:That was a great discussion.
Speaker A:My sister.
Speaker A:My sister texted me.
Speaker A:She's like, y' all are trying so hard to sound serious and professional.
Speaker A:So, like, I can hear y' all holding your laughs in.
Speaker A:And I was like, you know what?
Speaker A:True, true.
Speaker A:At some point I had to read the room because I wanted to use not so friend, not so radio friendly words at some point, just out of habit, like comrade, like, oh, you know, when you said we're live, when you say we're live, I was like, don't do this to me, bro.
Speaker A:I was like, don't do this to me.
Speaker A:You can't do that.
Speaker A:Not on the first day, bruh.
Speaker A:Not on the.
Speaker A:But, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker A:Shout out, dog.
Speaker A:You good?
Speaker B:No, I'm good, man.
Speaker B:Listen, football has just been crazy.
Speaker B:Well, soccer for your benefit.
Speaker B:Manchester City lost to Crystal Palace.
Speaker A:How does that happen?
Speaker A:Easy.
Speaker A:How does that happen?
Speaker A:But you know what?
Speaker A:The Knicks beat the Celtics.
Speaker B:The Knicks Beat the Celtics.
Speaker B:You're going to talk about that now and then Chelsea is officially in the fourth spot, but it's by one point and we still have to make sure we get the results.
Speaker A:Do you know, wait, isn't the Premier League season.
Speaker B:It's not over.
Speaker B:So there's a couple of games.
Speaker A:So wait, Liverpool just won because at this point it's.
Speaker A:There's no catch.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Mathematically they beat everybody so bad that mathematically that they won the league.
Speaker B:Like.
Speaker A:What.
Speaker B:But you know what you are the funniest thing is.
Speaker A:And then they wasn't.
Speaker A:Didn't they lose a coach last season?
Speaker B:Yeah, they got a new coach last season.
Speaker B:So.
Speaker A:Yeah, because I remember it was quite a big deal that the Arsenal coach was.
Speaker A:What.
Speaker A:What's his name?
Speaker B:No, no, Joken Klopp.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:He said he was running out of energy.
Speaker B:Then he left.
Speaker B:And they left the season.
Speaker B:The Manchester City decided to tank.
Speaker B:He left the wrong time.
Speaker B:So.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:So the funny thing is that Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are 16 and 17 on the log.
Speaker B:For context.
Speaker B:That's just above relegation zone.
Speaker B:And one of those teams are going to be playing Champions League football because one of them has to win the Europa League.
Speaker B:That's coming up on Wednesday.
Speaker B:They're going to win a title.
Speaker A:And if you win a title, then by default you stay in the.
Speaker A:You stay in the.
Speaker A:You get the championship.
Speaker B:If you win that.
Speaker B:That's that cup.
Speaker A:They're going to automatically are this.
Speaker A:Is it any cup like.
Speaker A:Or are there specific cups that win?
Speaker A:This one specific one.
Speaker B:This is called.
Speaker B:There's a Champions League.
Speaker B:Then there's the lower one called the Europa League.
Speaker B:If they win that, they get a Champions League spot.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:Chelsea is in the Conference League final.
Speaker B:That means nothing.
Speaker B:If we win that.
Speaker B:We're not going to.
Speaker B:Doesn't guarantee any European spot.
Speaker B:But Chelsea.
Speaker B:Hey.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Anyway.
Speaker B:But we're number four.
Speaker B:We're fine.
Speaker A:You'll be okay.
Speaker A:They've been number four all year.
Speaker A:That's.
Speaker A:That's.
Speaker A:There's nothing to clap at.
Speaker A:They've been.
Speaker A:They've been like this the whole year.
Speaker A:Not even actually.
Speaker A:They've been like this.
Speaker A:Been like this.
Speaker A:Oh, man.
Speaker A:All right.
Speaker A:Wow.
Speaker A:Wow.
Speaker A:How are you, my dog?
Speaker A:How are you?
Speaker A:Are you fine?
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:You can just tell me down there.
Speaker A:Mukundi.
Speaker A:I'm fine.
Speaker A:Mukundi.
Speaker A:I'm.
Speaker A:Well, I missed you.
Speaker A:What is happening.
Speaker A:What is happening in the ufc, bro, I'm not even gonna get to the NBA because if I start with the NBA, I'll never get A chance to go to the ufc, because from there you understand.
Speaker A:But what is happening.
Speaker A:What is happening in the ufc?
Speaker A:Chaos.
Speaker A:Beautiful chaos, though, much like the violence itself, but chaos everywhere.
Speaker A:Now, let us start with UFC 315.
Speaker A:UFC 315 came and went, and we saw Valentina Shevchenko do what Valentino Shevchenko does.
Speaker A:What does she do?
Speaker A:Oh, she just beats people up.
Speaker A:And retains a championship in her 10th title fight and her ninth victory in a title fight, I think.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:She has now defended her title against Manon Fiero.
Speaker A:And.
Speaker A:Wow.
Speaker A:I'm not gonna say much about the fight because it was a decision fight.
Speaker A:And lately I've been feeling some type.
Speaker A:Excuse me, I've been feeling some type of way about finishing because it's actually a very big chat that Luke Thomas had.
Speaker A:And if you want to check it out, Luke Thomas's channel is very amazing.
Speaker A:I might just put a description down there.
Speaker A:I might just put a link in the description and the show notes for, you know, the Spotify and other DSPs.
Speaker A:Yeah, I'm trying to.
Speaker A:I'm trying to accommodate our audio only audience these days, you know, because I feel like I've been neglecting.
Speaker A:But, yeah, Luke Thomas said it best that fighters are not fighting to finish their opponents anymore.
Speaker A:They're not fighting to finish the fight.
Speaker A:They fighting to win the fight.
Speaker A:There's a very big difference between the two.
Speaker A:If you finish a fight you finished, like, you gotta finish, be it KO submission, referee stoppage, I don't care, but you finished it.
Speaker A:And fighters haven't been doing that.
Speaker A:I felt the same way watching Volkanovski fighting Diego Lopez.
Speaker A:However, that's just because.
Speaker A:That's also just because Volk is a genius, and I don't think he has the power, the devastating knockout power, to actually just finish fights like that all the time.
Speaker A:But some fighters that we know have the power and we know they can just don't do that.
Speaker A:And I don't know why, like, fighters are fighting to just win on the scorecard as long as the judges are happy.
Speaker A:Which leads to boring fights.
Speaker A:Which leads to boring fights.
Speaker A:Let me see this card, bro.
Speaker A:Let me see this card and give you an example of what I'm saying.
Speaker A:The.
Speaker A:The main event, decision.
Speaker A:Co.
Speaker A:Main decision.
Speaker A:Jose Aldo lost by decision.
Speaker A:Oh, shout out to Jose Aldo, by the way.
Speaker A:Why do I say Jose?
Speaker A:Everyone else says Jose, but those are Americans.
Speaker A:But anyway, Jose Aldo just retired.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:The greatest of all time in the featherweight division.
Speaker A:The great.
Speaker A:Well, I wouldn't say the greatest, but Jose Aldo is definitely top five in that division.
Speaker A:Mount Rushmore of the division.
Speaker A:No doubt, no doubt.
Speaker A:This dude looked unstoppable until he ran into Conor McGregor.
Speaker A:And that's Conor McGregor.
Speaker A:He has been on a spiral lately, but at the end of the day, Jose Aldo did what he was supposed to do, and he won.
Speaker A:Sorry, I'm just getting a call.
Speaker A:That's why we put our phones on mute, because it was blocking my view.
Speaker A:But where was I?
Speaker A:Decision.
Speaker A:So decision.
Speaker A:Main event.
Speaker A:Co.
Speaker A:Main.
Speaker A:Decision.
Speaker A:Jose.
Speaker A:Decision.
Speaker A:Alexa Grosso versus Natalia Silva.
Speaker A:Decision.
Speaker A:Also, Alexa.
Speaker A:Crossover fell off.
Speaker A:I said it the last time she fought Valentina Shevchenko in her.
Speaker A:In her last fight.
Speaker A:I find it very funny that these two are on the same card and they.
Speaker A:They were each other's last opponents.
Speaker A:One is on the main co.
Speaker A:Main.
Speaker A:Defending her title like she always does.
Speaker A:The other one is in, well, one of the fights and lost by decision once again.
Speaker A:So there was one finish.
Speaker A:The whole main card.
Speaker A:I'm not gonna look at the preliminaries, because at the end of the day, the main card is the attraction.
Speaker A:And if out of four fights, five fights, there are four decisions, what does that tell you?
Speaker A:No one is fighting to finish their opponents anymore.
Speaker A:And sure, I hear you when you.
Speaker A:And you're gonna say, but what if the level of competition and both fighters are just evenly meshed and it's just too hard to finish?
Speaker A:I don't care.
Speaker A:The numbers don't lie.
Speaker A:The numbers don't lie.
Speaker A:Damn.
Speaker A:Even two great teams in a playoff series are gonna blow each other out one day.
Speaker A:Pause, pause, pause.
Speaker A:But we saw it happen.
Speaker A:We saw it happen.
Speaker A:The Nuggets and the.
Speaker A:And.
Speaker A:And the OKC Thunder.
Speaker A:We saw it happen.
Speaker A:Two great teams.
Speaker A:But a blowout is a blowout because.
Speaker A:What?
Speaker A:Why?
Speaker A:There's always someone who's trying to step on someone's neck, and that person will always have the edge, and they will always win and finish their business.
Speaker A:They equip.
Speaker A:The blowout loss is the equivalent of a knockout in the ufc or finish.
Speaker A:You handled your business.
Speaker A:You did what you were supposed to do.
Speaker A:You didn't leave it down to the refs.
Speaker A:You didn't leave it down to the judges.
Speaker A:You said, I'm finishing this.
Speaker A:So because of that, man, I don't know what I can say about the ufc, and I don't know what can be done to make this better.
Speaker A:I just think fighters are trying too hard to win on the scorecard.
Speaker A:And fair enough, the judges don't make that very easy.
Speaker A:But we shall see how that.
Speaker A:How that goes in the future.
Speaker A:I hope the UFC does something about it.
Speaker A:But Valentina Shevchenko did what she does, and she's probably just making her case for almost go.
Speaker A:There'll never be anyone above Amanda Nunes.
Speaker A:Well, not never, but right now, no one is above Amanda Nunez.
Speaker A:So.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:The main event.
Speaker A:The main event.
Speaker A:Ah.
Speaker A:Ah, man.
Speaker A:Successful hate Watch.
Speaker A:Oh, man.
Speaker A:Bilal Muhammad has lost his welterweight title just as quick as he wanted.
Speaker A:With no defenses.
Speaker A:0.
Speaker A:He is in what we call a transitional champion in wwe.
Speaker A:That's what you are.
Speaker A:That's what you are.
Speaker A:You're a transitional champion, and we thank you.
Speaker A:Bilal, you kept it warm for, like, what, six months?
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:You were.
Speaker A:You were the number one welterweight in the world for six months.
Speaker A:Shout out to you.
Speaker A:And this is not against Bilal Muhammad.
Speaker A:Bilal.
Speaker A:Muhammad is a great fighter.
Speaker A:Like, he's a great, great fighter.
Speaker A:However, Jack Della Medalena.
Speaker A:And that's the first and only time I'm saying his name right.
Speaker A:Jdm.
Speaker A:JDM is that man.
Speaker A:He's a bad man.
Speaker A:He's a beast, bro.
Speaker A:And at only 28 years old, he's just about to enter his prime, and he is about to look unstoppable.
Speaker A:He is looking unstoppable, dude.
Speaker A:He beat Gilbert Burns, and that was with a broken arm.
Speaker A:He broke his arm during the fight, and he still got the finish.
Speaker A:That's a bad man.
Speaker A:That's a bad man.
Speaker A:When he started his MMA career, he was.
Speaker A:He lost his first fight, and then he lost his second one, and they're like, nah, we gotta do something about this.
Speaker A:He's been undefeated since.
Speaker A:He's got 18 wins now.
Speaker A:Eight.
Speaker A:18 wins, dog.
Speaker A:Let me.
Speaker A:Let me show you this.
Speaker A:Let me look at who he has beaten.
Speaker A:Shout out Australia, dawg.
Speaker A:We got another great champion from Australia.
Speaker A:Still number one, let's not forget.
Speaker A:Look at the people he's beaten.
Speaker A:He beat Bilal.
Speaker A:Now he beat Gilbert Burns once again.
Speaker A:He knocked him out with a broken arm.
Speaker A:It's like, you don't understand the gravity of that.
Speaker A:Like, you, bro, like, broken.
Speaker A:You understand the injury.
Speaker A:The injury.
Speaker A:Technically speaking.
Speaker A:Technically speaking, if this was not a violent sport that condoned the violence, if this was any other sport.
Speaker A:He's off the field.
Speaker A:Oh, he's taken away.
Speaker A:He's going home.
Speaker A:You break an arm, it's.
Speaker A:But this dude broke his arm, went on to KO a dude with a knee and elbows.
Speaker A:He was throwing with that broken arm.
Speaker A:Do you realize how badass that is, bro?
Speaker A:Do you realize.
Speaker A:I know, dude.
Speaker A:I.
Speaker A:I almost cry when my finger jams when I'm hooping and it's swollen for like a week and I can't do anything.
Speaker A:I cried.
Speaker A:This dude finished a whole fight he was getting hit in the face with.
Speaker A:He beat Gilbert Burns, he beat Kevin Holland, Basil Hafez, Randy Brown, Danny Roberts, and a whole bunch of other people.
Speaker A:But, dude, so much green.
Speaker A:So much green on his record.
Speaker A: ude hasn't lost a fight since: Speaker A:Nine years undefeated.
Speaker A:And he's active.
Speaker A:He's active.
Speaker A:He's fighting at least once every once every year.
Speaker A: He fought three times in: Speaker A:So shout out to JDM Jack De La Medalena.
Speaker A:Oh, my God.
Speaker A:Yo, what's up with these ufc.
Speaker A:What's up with these UFC dudes, huh?
Speaker A:Could you guys find simpler names?
Speaker A:Fighters, please, could you find simpler names?
Speaker A:I'm tired of biting my tongue every time I try to pronounce a UFC fighter's name.
Speaker A:Shavkat Rachmanov.
Speaker A:Hey.
Speaker A:Merav.
Speaker A:Dwalish.
Speaker A:Fili.
Speaker A:Jack Della Medalena.
Speaker A:Ian Machado.
Speaker A:Gary.
Speaker A:I'm tired, I'm tired, I'm tired.
Speaker A:It's like.
Speaker A:It's like y' all and black Americans are fighting for who has the hardest to pronounce names.
Speaker A:We get it.
Speaker A:You're not Loquisha, but just stop it, okay?
Speaker A:Just please, just find a.
Speaker A:Find a normal name, like Sean Brady.
Speaker A:Like, simple, generic, generic name, bro.
Speaker A:But anyway, Jack Della Medelena wins the welterweight title from Bilal Muhammad in a five round decision, which was actually a great fight.
Speaker A:I complained about the decision, but this was a great fight.
Speaker A:And the future means he is now fighting Islam Makacha for the title.
Speaker A:Next.
Speaker A:Now, why is he fighting Islamakacha, if you ask?
Speaker A:Because Islam has vacated his title.
Speaker A:He has vacated his title because he wants to fight for the welterweight title and he wants to go double champ status, which, once again, I will never understand the UFC and its favoritism.
Speaker A:Because why can't Ilya just.
Speaker A:Why can't Islam just keep the title?
Speaker A:Why did he have to vacate it?
Speaker A:But I think it's just something that's been happening over the past year or two.
Speaker A:Any champion that tries to become a double champion just ends up not becoming a double champion.
Speaker A:Because they have to really.
Speaker A:They have to give away the title and revoke it and whatever, and it's still just, yo, take this and you'll be recognized as a double champ because you were champion two in two divisions, which is fair and that is right.
Speaker A:Very few people have been champions in two divisions and mixed martial arts and Islam Makachev is trying to be one of them.
Speaker A:And if he does that, I will be very impressed.
Speaker A:But this is a different beast that he's.
Speaker A:That he's fighting.
Speaker A:This is in an upper weight class.
Speaker A:He is on the.
Speaker A:On the verge of 35.
Speaker A:And you know how it goes in these weight classes.
Speaker A:He's on the verge of 35 if he's not already 35.
Speaker A:Actually, he's around that age.
Speaker A:And here comes this young 28 year old in the division and I don't know if Islam is actually going to win, but I still have him as the favorite in this fight.
Speaker A:And JDM also does silly mistakes, which is cool against any other fighter but Islam Makhachev because he makes little to no mistakes.
Speaker A:And guess what?
Speaker A:When you make a mistake 9 times out of 10, you will pay for it because Islam is just that good.
Speaker A:Number one.
Speaker A:Pound for pound for a reason.
Speaker A:Number one.
Speaker A:Pound for pound for a reason, bro.
Speaker A:So what does that entail?
Speaker A:I'm glad you asked.
Speaker A:Let me tell you.
Speaker A:It means now the lightweight title is vacant and in a few weeks we are.
Speaker A:We are feasting.
Speaker A:In a few weeks we get to see Charles Oliveira, everyone's favorite fighter, against Ilia Toporia in a new division and he's trying to claim the lightweight title and he's also trying to be double champion.
Speaker A:Champion.
Speaker A:Will it happen?
Speaker A:We will see.
Speaker A:And you know, I will see because I'll definitely be there.
Speaker A:I'll definitely be there.
Speaker A:If I was married and my wife was pregnant and she was giving birth on the same day.
Speaker A:Look, there's only going to be one of these.
Speaker A:I.
Speaker A:I can make more.
Speaker A:I can make more.
Speaker A:I can make more.
Speaker A:Like, I'm sorry, I'm not.
Speaker A:I'm not missing Oliveira versus Toria for anything.
Speaker A:Any.
Speaker A:Anything.
Speaker A:Do you understand that?
Speaker A:I'm not missing this fight.
Speaker A:Why would I?
Speaker A:This is probably the best fight right now, the best fight that's built for the next couple of months.
Speaker A:But we're gonna be feasting for the next couple of months because we got Ilya and Charles, we got DDP and Khamzat, we got Max and Dwellishvili going for their rematch.
Speaker A:We got.
Speaker A:Bro, there's a fight that I'm forgetting, but there's another blockbuster fight, I think.
Speaker A:Okay, I don't want to get my names wrong, but yes, we got great fights coming along with Charles Oliveira and Ilya Tuporia being the one fight that everyone is looking forward to.
Speaker A:We all know that Charles Oliveira is going to get knocked out in the second round.
Speaker A:But still I will be there rooting for him because he's my guy.
Speaker A:He's my guy.
Speaker A:And remember, remember a couple months ago, what I say, what I say.
Speaker A:We're talking about boxing.
Speaker A:And I said in boxing, as soon as you lose a fight, you are washed.
Speaker A:Charles Oliveira has lost 11 fights in the UFC.
Speaker A:Dude, Charles.
Speaker A:Charles Oliveira hasn't, Didn't.
Speaker A:Didn't even win his last fight.
Speaker A:And yet here, here he is.
Speaker A:I told you that championship run is coming, dog.
Speaker A:I told you.
Speaker A:And here we are.
Speaker A:The championship.
Speaker A:The championship run is coming.
Speaker A:Charles Oliveira is gonna, is gonna get knocked out by Iliot Poria.
Speaker A:And I will cry, I really will, because he gets hit too much.
Speaker A:And if you get hit too much, Ilya hits too much.
Speaker A:If you get what I'm saying.
Speaker A:He hits like a truck.
Speaker A:The first and only person to ever knock out Max Holloway, the first person in the division to knock out Alexander Volkanovsky.
Speaker A:The two goats of the, of the division.
Speaker A:He just said moving up to lightweight now.
Speaker A:Okay, fine.
Speaker A:Yo, I spent so much talk time talking about ufc, I didn't think I'd spend this much time, but it is bedtime.
Speaker A:Playoff basketball.
Speaker A:It's the most wonderful time of the year.
Speaker A:It really is.
Speaker A:Are you not entertained?
Speaker A:Because I am.
Speaker A:Oh my God, I am entertained.
Speaker A:I am shooketh and flabbergasted at the same time.
Speaker A:I do not understand what is happening.
Speaker A:On one hand.
Speaker A:On one hand I am happy because for the first time in God in NBA history, we are going to have a different champion for the seventh straight year.
Speaker A: a back to back champion since: Speaker A:And I love that so much.
Speaker A:For the league.
Speaker A:For the league.
Speaker A:And I love the fact that out of those seven teams, the only team that actually won a championship from the PAT over the past, well, 10 years or prior, or in the past decade rather.
Speaker A:Yeah, the only team to have won a championship in the past decade is the warriors.
Speaker A: They won in: Speaker A:And then obviously the dynasty happened.
Speaker A:But besides that, the Lakers won.
Speaker A:The, the Raptors won.
Speaker A:That was their first and only.
Speaker A: The lakers won in: Speaker A:That was their first in 10 years.
Speaker A: y haven't been relevant since: Speaker A:The Bucks won.
Speaker A: hat was their first one since: Speaker A:Karima Abdul Jabba was still called Lu Alcinder.
Speaker A: y, he wasn't, but like still,: Speaker A:I've already told you about those.
Speaker A:2023 was the Denver Nuggets.
Speaker A:22.
Speaker A:And that was their first one as well.
Speaker A:2024 was the Boston Celtics.
Speaker A:And we finally have another ring in Boston.
Speaker A:So the 081 can now.
Speaker A:Yo.
Speaker A:You see if the buff rings.
Speaker A:The 08 ring, the buffest of them all.
Speaker A:Boy.
Speaker A:It's the Ronnie Coleman of rings.
Speaker A:I'm telling you.
Speaker A:I'm telling you, that thing was carrying so much weight.
Speaker A:But anyway, yeah, we are now expecting a new champion.
Speaker A:Who will it be?
Speaker A:Oh, God, please, not the Knicks.
Speaker A:Go.
Speaker A:If the Knicks.
Speaker A:If the Knicks win the championship, we will never, ever hear the end of it.
Speaker A:It' be orange and blue skies everywhere.
Speaker A:You know what?
Speaker A:I'm even happy for them.
Speaker A:I even wrote here goat Knicks.
Speaker A:But I know.
Speaker A:I know that it will not happen because at the end of the day, you can count on the Knicks to disappoint you.
Speaker A:Much.
Speaker A:Much like the Dallas Cowboys and the Baltimore Ravens.
Speaker A:So I will not be surprised when the Knicks lose in the.
Speaker A:In the conference finals to the Pacers.
Speaker A:They took them seven last year.
Speaker A:Halliburton, please.
Speaker A:I've never.
Speaker A:Bro, do you see.
Speaker A:Do you see where this season has led me?
Speaker A:I am rooting for the Indiana Pacers.
Speaker A:I haven't liked that team since.
Speaker A:Since Paul George left.
Speaker A:I am rooting for the Indiana Pacers.
Speaker A:Why?
Speaker A:Why?
Speaker A:Because I don't want the Knicks to win.
Speaker A:And I said it.
Speaker A:I said it because the world will not know peace of the.
Speaker A:If the Knicks win the championship.
Speaker A:I can already see Spike Lee making a whole movie about it.
Speaker A:I can already see Stephen A.
Speaker A:On first take every morning.
Speaker A:I can.
Speaker A:Yo.
Speaker A:Oh, my God, bro.
Speaker A:My God.
Speaker A:So, yeah, the New York Knicks just beat the Boston Celtics to win the.
Speaker A:To go to the Eastern Conference finals.
Speaker A:Meanwhile, the Indiana Pacers did that by beating the Cleveland Cavaliers, which.
Speaker A:Wow.
Speaker A:Wow.
Speaker A:Scriptwriters.
Speaker A:Adam Silver.
Speaker A:Yeah, I know.
Speaker A:Y' all cooked.
Speaker A:Y' all cooked the whole season.
Speaker A:Y' all had us saying no team can beat Boston.
Speaker A:No, no team can beat Cleveland.
Speaker A:Cleveland and Boston are the two best teams in the league.
Speaker A:Are they?
Speaker A:Are they really?
Speaker A:Because they all at home.
Speaker A:Sure, it's very important to note that Jayson Tatum was injured, but they all at home, are they not?
Speaker A:It's very important to note that Evan Mobley and a bunch of players in the Cavs were injured, but they all at home.
Speaker A:Are they not?
Speaker A:Cool.
Speaker A:That's the East.
Speaker A:So we got the Eastern Conference finals, Pacers and the Knicks.
Speaker A:That'll start.
Speaker A:However, the West.
Speaker A:The wild, wild West.
Speaker A:The best series of the year has come to an end.
Speaker A:Thank you, Denver Nuggets.
Speaker A:OKC thunderi Wua.
Speaker A:You gave us great basketball.
Speaker A:Seven beautiful games.
Speaker A:Actually, Game seven was eh.
Speaker A:But seven great games of basketball in probably the most nail biting series I've seen in a minute, bro.
Speaker A:The Denver Nuggets, with no coach, with nothing but Nikola Jokic, with no coach actually managed to take the OKC Thunder to seven games.
Speaker A:To seven games.
Speaker A:We won't talk about how the.
Speaker A:How game seven was a blowout.
Speaker A:But still, in seven games they did that.
Speaker A:I was impressed, I'm not gonna lie.
Speaker A:And then, and then.
Speaker A:Do not let Anthony Edwards smell bad blood in the water.
Speaker A:Yes, sis.
Speaker A:Hey, that boy.
Speaker A:That boy, that boy is just out here collecting all these legends like Thanos, bro.
Speaker A:He's just ah, last year swept KD.
Speaker A:Okay, LeBron and Luca sent them home.
Speaker A:Oh, Yic K sent Joic home.
Speaker A:Who am I sending home now?
Speaker A:Okay, I'm not going to say.
Speaker A:Steph, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green.
Speaker A:Ah, who's next?
Speaker A:Cause we all know if Steph was healthy, that series is entirely different.
Speaker A:Hell, the one game Steph played, they won.
Speaker A:And then that was the only game they won for the rest of the series.
Speaker A:Yeah, I know.
Speaker A:So Ant Edwards is going to the conference finals for the second year in a row.
Speaker A:However, I do not think Minnesota is equipped to beat okc.
Speaker A:Nah, nah.
Speaker A:If they win, it's gonna be for one reason and one reason alone.
Speaker A:Because Ant Edwards, Jimmy Butlered this thing and he's very capable.
Speaker A:I told NJ I don't think that boy is willing to lose twice.
Speaker A:I don't think he's willing to lose back to back conference finals.
Speaker A:I don't.
Speaker A:And don't forget, he's now extra confident.
Speaker A:I sent Luca home.
Speaker A:Luca sent me home.
Speaker A:Who's next?
Speaker A:Who's next?
Speaker A:But I am.
Speaker A:I am conf.
Speaker A:I am confident in OKC just handling their business.
Speaker A:Because once again, at the end of the day, I was gonna say something which is not true because look what's happening out east.
Speaker A:I was gonna say the better team has to handle their business regardless.
Speaker A:But no, no, not always the case.
Speaker A:So yeah, playoff basketball.
Speaker A:It's the most wonderful time of the year.
Speaker A:And I'm happy I get to watch what you got for me, bro.
Speaker B:First of all, let's go back to the combat sport.
Speaker B:Take that you had.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:Floyd Mayweather is arguably one of the greatest boxers to have ever boxed, right?
Speaker B:Yes, arguably he's not the greatest, but he has to be top five.
Speaker A:Mount Rushmore.
Speaker B:You.
Speaker B:You can make a very good argument for the most advanced Fighter Michael Jai White call him the most advanced fighter to have ever laced up gloves.
Speaker A:Now, I trust Michael Jai White's opinion.
Speaker A:On fire.
Speaker B:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker B:He's a proper martial artist.
Speaker B:Like he, he, he watches Floyd Mayweather fights on Slow Mo.
Speaker A:He's, he's dope.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:And, and he didn't even press any buttons.
Speaker B:So if I could have a boxer's career, it'll be Floyd Mayweathers.
Speaker B:If I could have a boxer's career.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:Because the aim is to hit and.
Speaker A:Not get hit and make as much money while doing it.
Speaker B:Make as much money while doing it.
Speaker B:He hasn't knocked anybody out in a professional fight from what I understand.
Speaker A:Same.
Speaker B:So what is wrong with you not wanting to finish your opponent?
Speaker A:Now, I'm glad you brought Floyd up.
Speaker A:How many boxing fans do you know that rate Floyd?
Speaker B:A lot of them.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:But we rate his technical prowess.
Speaker A:Yeah, as a fighter.
Speaker A:Yeah, as a fighter.
Speaker A:Nope.
Speaker A:Like we rate.
Speaker A:Once again, we rate his technical prowess, but as a fighter, that's always been something people beefed with him about because at the end of the day, sure, the point of boxing is to hit and not get hit.
Speaker A:Case in point, hit, hit, hit.
Speaker A:There's a reason Rudy Gobert is a four time defensive player of the year and we still debate if he's a Hall of Fame player or not.
Speaker A:Because I get what you're saying.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:But context matters.
Speaker A:And in this context, you said it yourself, he has never knocked anyone out.
Speaker A:Same.
Speaker A:And if you just want to live like that, you can play it safe.
Speaker A:And we will statistically have no choice but to acknowledge you because 500 is 50 0.
Speaker A:However, Robert Hori has seven rings, but he wasn't the best player on that team.
Speaker A:Would you rather have Robert Hori seven rings or Kobe Bryant's five?
Speaker B:We've already talked about this.
Speaker B:We've already talked about this, so.
Speaker A:Exactly.
Speaker A:So I feel like that's in boxing and other combat sports, that's the same scenario.
Speaker A:You won the fight, but how did you fight?
Speaker A:You won, but you didn't beat him.
Speaker B:Oh, Apollo Creed.
Speaker B:Apollo Creed.
Speaker A:Actually, I'm leaving it there.
Speaker A:I'm leaving it there.
Speaker A:I think that says it all.
Speaker A:You won, but you ain't beat him.
Speaker B:And I get it.
Speaker B:And this is why they.
Speaker B:Some, many, if not everybody I've spoken to rate Muhammad Ali overflowed me with a.
Speaker B:Yeah, sure, he lost six fights, but he knocked out what, 25.
Speaker A:30 people rate Mike Tyson more than Floyd because of that.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:33 straight knockouts.
Speaker A:That's wild.
Speaker A:In the first round.
Speaker B:Boy, before you even go, gotta get up your popcorn.
Speaker B:Then the next one.
Speaker B:First of all, my favorite to win the the NBA is out.
Speaker B:I thought New Yorkic was going to pull something out of the hat, but then they fired his coach.
Speaker B:Yeah, the Boston.
Speaker B:Remember we said the Boston Celtics were going to repeat?
Speaker B:And then I thought it was okc.
Speaker B:Ufc, Lakers in five.
Speaker B:None of that.
Speaker B:None of that.
Speaker A:So then now we met.
Speaker A:Going home in five.
Speaker B:For me, I think whoever wins the Western Conference finals is taking it all.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker B:I don't see the Pacers or the Knicks.
Speaker B:Whoever gets out the east holding a candle to the way Shay is playing or if Ant man gets to the finals, it's.
Speaker B:It's gonna be a sweep.
Speaker B:Batman gets in the final, it's gonna be a sweep.
Speaker A:Easily.
Speaker A:Because no way Ant man is legend is letting you take a ring from him.
Speaker A:I refuse.
Speaker A:And I'm sorry.
Speaker A:If Ant man wins a ring this season, he's top 20.
Speaker A:Ah, years.
Speaker B:Doc, look, come on, man.
Speaker B:Who you gonna take off the top 20 now?
Speaker A:Allen Iverson?
Speaker A:I don't know.
Speaker A:Charles Barkley.
Speaker A:Charles Barkley can go.
Speaker A:Charles Barkley can go.
Speaker A:Charles Barkley can go, dog.
Speaker A:Yeah, okay, because what you mean to tell me in a two year span this kid.
Speaker A:Not.
Speaker A:This kid swept kd Eliminate.
Speaker A:He's in the league, is he not?
Speaker A:He's still averaging 30.
Speaker A:Is not exactly like you say, old KD, but he's still averaging 27.
Speaker A:Five and five.
Speaker A:So swept KD sent Jokic home.
Speaker A:Beat LeBron.
Speaker A:Sent LeBron and Luca home.
Speaker A:Sent Draymond and.
Speaker A:And Jimmy Butler home.
Speaker A:Oh, I'm not.
Speaker A:I'm not talking about Steph because once again, that would have been.
Speaker A:But he took the opportunity, so I ain't even mad at him.
Speaker A:Even that I have to commend.
Speaker A:And then you mean to tell me he's gonna beat okc, the team that everyone has been ra about for literally the past two seasons?
Speaker A:The bit OKC have had the overall best record in the league for the past two seasons.
Speaker A:Each season that team and then go to the finals and be whatever the east gives them.
Speaker A:Are you.
Speaker A:Do you mean to tell me that's not a Hall of Fame run all on its own?
Speaker B:All right, the Knicks.
Speaker B:You got to save us from this.
Speaker B:You got to save.
Speaker B:We got to keep Charles Buck on the top 20 list.
Speaker B:That's all I got for you, man.
Speaker A:All right.
Speaker A:Yo, tell me what you think.
Speaker A:These are all just the thoughts of a man sitting on a chair in Joburg.
Speaker A:This was fun.
Speaker A:Episode 30, and it's a long one, but it's been a minute, so we decided.
Speaker A:You know what?
Speaker A:We can go a bit over time.
Speaker A:From me, Mukundi, man, just go out there, watch sports, be nice to your mother, and as always, enjoy the violence.
Speaker B:We got to win something this season.
Speaker B:This season.
