Raf's Recollection | Coming Soon stories about this week's podcast with Zombie Mike Dubois and Ernesto Torres from the Results Will Vary Podcast.
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Raf's Recollection | Stuff about UFC 163 and Bellator 97 Coming Soon!
Raf's Recollection | I don't think Kev and I have laughed more than we did on this episode. Our new friend, TRAVIS, from HowToFightNow.com, had us in stitches the entire episode.
For those unfamiliar, Travis is the guy behind this MMA/boxing viral sensation.
Yep. That guy. And he's awesome! In our EXCLUSIVE interview, we find out what makes Travis tick. He talks about how the video came together, if people continue to ask if they can punch him in the face, and talks a little bit about the types of fun (and FREE!) instructional videos that can be found on his website.
And while the video that introduced us all to the magic that is @FightSmartTrav is hilarious (and now stands at a cool 2.2 million views online), it doesn't even come close to capturing the essence of the MMA perfectionist who wants to find new and entertaining ways to educate folks about the essence of mixed martial arts and self defense.
There truly is more to Travis than meets the eye. Sure he's animated, he's got some great MMA training stories, and exudes the perfect type of nonsense that we indulge here at Verbal Tap, but there's a method behind the madness that can be found at his HowToFightSmart.com and I'd highly encourage you all to check out the videos he's providing for Free.99. So get on it, before he gets the good sense to charge you a-holes for the top notch instruction he's providing.
Additionally, Kev and I take some time to talk about this weekend's UFC on FOX 8 and explain where the hell we've been for the past three weeks. And before you ask: no, we've missed you more, America. So stop reading this and download/listen to the podcast already!
Peace!
Raf's Reflection | Coming Soon!
Raf's Recollection | More to come later.
Raf’s Recollection | Don’t any of you let a word of this get back to Kev, but I might be moderately proud of the guy.
No seriously, not a word to him. Before we know it, the compliment will go to his head and then we’ll all have that to contend with. Fortunately, he never reads these things, so I’m usually at liberty to insult him as I please.
But this week is a little different. On this week’s podcast, we talk a little bit about Kevin’s jiu-jitsu game and discuss his experience at a US Grappling tournament in Virgina last week.
Over the past year and a half, Kev has developed and refined his competition game. And under the fine direction of the folks over at BJJ and MMA Training Center, he has been able to meet and surpass a great deal of his competitive goals in a relatively short time span. It’s a testament to both his team and his own dedication to the craft—and, while I might be speculating here, I think we may just be hearing the beginning of it.
We spend a great deal of time insulting one another on the podcast, but when it comes to competition, I don’t kid around. I’ve never quite been the type that thinks the competition is defined solely by wins and loses, but my overall hope is always that he does well and that he meets and surpasses his own competitive goals.
I will, however, become absolutely get pissed if I don’t get results fast enough.
When I finally got the good news about the tournament, I was momentarily happy to hear how he placed—and then, moments later, really pissed it took so long for me to get a goddamn result (do you not get 4G on the East Coast?!!!)!
Anyway, this week, we rightfully acknowledge his hard work and then get right back to calling him an idiot (that will conclude the one compliment I pay Kevin per year).
But that’s not all we’ve got this week. Our pal, Gilbert Jamal Smith, returns to the podcast to talk about his upcoming fight against Jason Lee for Prize Fighting Championship on Saturday, July 13th.
What we like most about Jamal is not only his ability to respond to a joke (he tends to respond to internet trolls on Twitter with kindness), but also the honest and candid ways that he responds to our questions.
He never ducks a question, he’s honest to a T, and there’s always a memorable sound bite or three that comes out of an interview with him (my personal favorite comes towards the end of the interview with his response to a question about a “game plan”).
Not only that, but he’s willing to be silly and doesn’t take himself that seriously—demonstrates as much by playing not one, but TWO games with us on the Podcast (one of which was an entirely new segment, created just for Jamal).
Nonetheless, we wish Mr. Smith all the best as he gets ready for his fight in two weeks and hope that if you live in Colorado, you go support the guy in action. And if you can’t make it to Colorado, be sure to drop the man a note on the Twitter and let ‘em know what you thought of his appearance on our Podcast.
Until then, we’ll just be waiting for results, Jamal. And, as I’ve denoted earlier, I’m really bad at waiting for results. So I’m gonna want to hear from you how it all goes down. From your pals at Verbal Tap: Best of luck to you, good sir!
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Raf's Recollection | In martial arts, when a Black Belt is kind enough to give you their time, you take it. With every demonstration, every suggestion, every sparring session, they provide the kind of insight that can literally change a person’s life.
Which is why we were beyond fortunate to have Rafael Lovato Jr. stop by the podcast to give us more than an hour’s worth of his time. Not only did the decorated American black belt talk about his own Jiu-Jitsu journey, but he also candidly discussed the struggles he’s faced over the years to achieve his dreams and "make history."
For those unfamiliar, Lovato is arguably the most successful Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitor in America. Should you need a reference, just watch this:
Honestly, we could have devoted an entire other podcast just to name the laundry list of accomplishments the man has achieved, but somehow Kev and I managed to cage our inner-bjj nerd tendencies to ask him about his competitive drive, how Chuck Norris changed his life (seriously, he did), and the circumstances that prompted him to make this terrifying face.
Already a gi and no gi World Champion, Lovato made history last month when he became the first non-Brazilian to win the Absolute division at the Brasileiro.
Take a moment to let that sink in.
Becoming the first American to win the open weight division in one of the most competitive Jiu-Jitsu tournaments in existence. To put that in perspective, if the average BJJ enthusiast or practitioner (such as you or myself) won said competition, it’s very likely a majority of us would spend most of our days walking around like this.
The win in Brazil was an especially nice feather in Lovato’s cap, as it marked the realization of a dream that started nearly 15 years prior. In the podcast, Lovato talked about attending the competitions as a kid, idolizing these giants of Jiu-Jitsu, and daring to think, “I can do that.”
There’s so much about Rafael’s journey that you don’t see on the mats. It is especially true that behind every great accomplishment is a story that is every bit as exceptional—and to get to hear the man (who, himself, grew up without the guidance of a Black Belt during his formative years) describe it is nothing short of a treat.
If you’re even remotely interested in the art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and don’t find something that connects to your own journey in this interview, I’m gonna suggest that you have someone check your pulse. In all my years of conducting interviews, I don’t ever think I’ve been able to gain better insight into an athlete’s mindset and drive, let alone a Black Belt’s.
There’s this part toward the end of this interview where Professor Lovato responds to one of our fan questions and drops that kind of knowledge that speaks to the heart of anyone whose ever stepped foot on the mat and thought, “I can be better.”
A day after this interview, I went to train and had a spectacularly awful day of Jiu-Jitsu. To be specific: I gassed out, I didn’t feel I performed up to my best, and I quit on myself (while I can accept wins and losses, I don’t accept quitting on myself). When I walked out of my training sessions, I couldn’t help but keep the last part of this interview with me.
Sure, hearing the words of an accomplished Black Belt first-hand didn’t hurt, but it was the tone and conviction of a man whose own experience and hardships in Jiu-Jitsu made it near impossible to allow a sense of negativity linger on my own performances. In fact, Lovato’s words and/or example might even make you leave a training session thinking, “Not I can be better, I will.”
Suppose that’s why it’s important to know that when a Black Belt gives you their time, you take it. Otherwise, you might just miss out on making your own history.
EDIT: For those wondering what Lovato's Brazilian Absolute matches looked like, simply head on over to the following link to watch Lovato break down his own matches!
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Raf's Recollection | There are days when I feel that Kevin shouldn't be allowed on the internet. Sometimes he just gets so excited to post things, he kinda neglects the whole concept of context.
Which is why I'm here to tell you that, yes, there is a reason this video of a 90's slow jam rapper, Shabba Ranks, is posted alongside our interview with one Mr. Gilbert Jamal Smith (no lie, it will completely make sense if you listen to the podcast).
However, would I describe the appearance of Shabba Ranks in the podcast as a "middle school moment" (what does that even mean?) and post it above the photo of the person we actually interviewed? Probably not, but that's just semantics and layout design people. Kev does the best that he can with all of the obvious limitations he faces.
But that's not why you're here. You're here to listen to MMA and likely to hear what our friend Jamal has to say. In this exclusive interview, Mr. Smith holds nothing back as he candidly discusses how he felt about fighting Bubba McDaniel on The Ultimate Fighter Finale, if he felt he and Bubba actually deserved a spot on the main FX card, and how the fight between the two of them came together.
Not only that, but we learn a little more insight into the way Jamal made the transition from grappling to MMA, what affected him the most on his fight at the Ultimate Fighter Finale, and why he is known by Jamal to some and Gilbert to others.
Oh, and don't worry, we get to the bottom of the whole "why is he so against shirts" thing AND learn what's the deal behind that whole six-shooter dance he always does.
That's right, people, we're serious journalists.
So give this fun and very honest conversation about The Ultimate Fighter, the UFC, and Shabba Ranks (?) a listen. You won't regret it.
#SHABBA!
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.