VERBAL TAP (Episiode 94) with Vinny Magalhaes

[buzzsprout episode='212870' player='true'] Raf's Recollection | Vinny Magalhaes {13:29) is the MMA version of a workaholic.  It seems like every time he finishes a fight or a grappling match, he's already lining up the next fight (or two).

You might even call him a fight-aholic.  It's like the guy's addicted to competing.

Lucky for us it results in some amazing fights to watch both in the cage and on the mats.

Shortly after walking us through his sick light heavyweight title win at Titan FC 30, Vinny talks to us about his next Metamoris 5 match-up against Kevin "KO" Casey (... only to work on creating a match for himself at Metamoris 6).

That's right.  A month before Metamoris 5 even happens, Vinny's already offering himself as available and ready to fight at Metamoris 6.

But that's the spirit of the fight in Vinny.  He's a goal-oriented fighter who's not just content holding MMA gold around his waist.  It seems like he's ready to fight any time, any where, any place.

On this week's podcast, Vinny describes his Titan FC 30 fight camp, what his training partners think of his workaholic tendencies, and even gives us some insight into the fighter psychology that takes place inside of the cage.

Then Vinny switches gears to answer some BJJ questions, including his thoughts on Keenan Cornelius' performance at Metamoris 4, what it's like to film one of those Metamoris preview videos, and even starts walking us through some of the competitors he'd like to have a rematch with.

Also, he fields a question thrown our way from Renato Laranja and then is informed about Kevin's poor attempt to recreate Vinny's match from Metamoris 4.

So Vinny, if you're watching.  Here's the video of the terrible re-creation and I will be happy to provide you with Kevin's address once you finish watching it.

EBI Dos!

Also on the podcast, I talk a little bit about what it was like to watch the Eddie Bravo Invitational 2 in person.

I don't want to go too much into detail (as the show has yet to be televised and we're working on a cool side project here as part of our coverage), but it was a cool experience that was a blast to attend.

I just wanted to take a moment to thank the wonderful participants (a number of whom are friends of the podcast) who did an exceptional job that evening.  And also, my thanks to Alex Perez for the fantastic work helping us with fight coverage through the night.

Are You Going to the World Jiu-Jitsu Expo?

If so, don't be afraid to stop by and say hello.  I'll be covering the event live in Long Beach all weekend and would love to run into you guys while we're there.

Social Media Plug

Follow us and stuff.

Facebook: /VerbalTapCast

Twitter: @VerbalTapCast

Instagram: @VerbalTapCast

Vine: @VerbalTapCast

And FINALLY...

Check out our latest installment of Around the Mat, where we break down the Metamoris 4 match between Dean Lister and Josh Barnett.

We love hearing what you guys have had to say about our other installments, so keep them comments and likes comin'!

VERBAL TAP (Episode 51) with Chris Leben

VERBAL TAP (Episode 51) with Chris Leben

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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 28^th.

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!

VERBAL TAP (Episode 48) goes to UFC 167

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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!

VERBAL TAP (Episode 22) with Adam Cella

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.

VERBAL TAP (Episode 21): UFC 159 Review with Mike Jasper

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.