And but, Neal, thank you so much for taking the time today.

I don't know, uh, you maybe are tapering down your training at this point, cause your fights.

Ah, you know, next Saturday, I'm tapering down a little bit.

I still want to do a little bit more scoring.

I likes foreign, so we'll probably do some strong tomorrow.

And, uh, maybe even the week of the fight, But when I was a way, we get kind of crazy like that, but yeah, papering down for sure, for sure.

Well, we know that.

You know, Fridays are famous at kings for the for this barring.

So who are you working with?

I knew you and Kelvin or both on the same card.

Calvin is the main event.

So are you guys putting in rounds together?

Because I know that since Joe's and just left, that was one of your main sparring partners.

So who you working with? 00:00:58.020 --> 00:01:3.560 So, uh, Calvin, we've been definitely doing a lot of rounds together, Especially since I'm a southpaw. 00:01:3.580 --> 00:01:5.190 it helps helps him. 00:01:5.200 --> 00:01:10.300 His opponent is sell qua, and his hand speed is off the charts, so it helps meal.

I've been doing a lot of work with G get you?

Kat said.

He's a glory fighter.

He's, uh he's a contender right now for the 1 45 belt.

Yeah, and also Arthur, Esther's ruler, who fights now on a C B.

It's the Chechnya show.

Uh, I think it's one of the biggest shows in Russia.

So right.

Uh oh, the ber coot.

I don't know if you guys were familiar with the one that Fabricio goes over four sometimes.

Yes.

Uh, Arthur just came back.

He thought or not came back, but he flying California for the A C B.

C.

Showed he had a first not a first round knockout of, ah, really tough opponent.

So it's been, uh, it's I've had really good training partners.

Nice.

Well, a guy like Giga is gonna be really important to you.

Obviously.

We know Edson Barboza has those kicks, and we've seen Gigolo. 00:01:58.580 --> 00:02:0.690 It shut people down with liver kicks and everything. 00:02:0.690 --> 00:02:1.780 I mean, the guy's good. 00:02:2.410 --> 00:02:2.800 Yeah. 00:02:2.800 --> 00:02:3.730 I mean, liver kicks. 00:02:3.730 --> 00:02:6.580 If you watch his first fight in glory. 00:02:6.590 --> 00:02:10.480 You see him doing rolling thunder, spending back picks.

He's jumping off the ring.

It's not even a, you know, like the Pettus kick off the case, but he's doing it in a rank.

He's just he's doing.

He's doing a little bit of everything.

He's just having fun out there.

So, uh, when it comes to sparring with you, get it, It's definitely is definitely something special.

It's hard to explain.

Nice.

Very nice.

Well, obviously, we know that, um, as you mention your fighting Edson Barboza and the guy is very well known for his kicks for his spinning attacks.

So I mean, maybe you can't have somebody that can exactly replicate him, But how hard do you think it is to get your timing and to be able to get your game going against somebody like Ensign who is so he doesn't telegraph those moves, you know, he's so fluid.

Yeah, I agree.

He doesn't telegraph, and I think that's why I'm not really in a focus on his time so much. 00:02:59.770 --> 00:03:4.460 I'm gonna focus on my timing and just making sure I go there and ah, be aggressive. 00:03:4.660 --> 00:03:9.260 Look for all the look for all the openings, even though he doesn't show them too much. 00:03:9.500 --> 00:03:13.620 And, ah, pressure, there's I have the ability to take him down and finish him on the ground.

I have the ability, not amount.

So I think I have more weapons in this fight, and I think that's gonna be the difference.

He has to watch out for my takedowns.

He has to watch out for my striking, my clenching There's just I have Maur more tool that pink than him, and I think that's gonna be the difference.

Yeah, we'll be interesting to see how he if he adapts his game, knowing, like you said, that the threat is always there for a takedown.

And sometimes you really see when people get hesitant to throw kicks.

If somebody is such a great takedown artist, I don't think he's gonna be hesitant just because whenever even in when, he quite ah, good grappler she threw, still throws, kicks his kicks air so fast they're not telegraph.

So I think he's gonna continue throw those kicks. 00:03:53.300 --> 00:04:0.480 Ah, and, uh, I kind of plan on Ah ah I accept that and I plan on implementing my game plan. 00:04:0.490 --> 00:04:4.310 Ah, regardless of his kicks. 00:04:4.640 --> 00:04:9.250 And are we doing you a disservice anyway, by just calling you a grappler like you just mentioned? 00:04:9.250 --> 00:04:11.030 You have Ah, full arsenal.

You know, very well rounded fighter.

Sometimes sometimes some people take the words well rounded as a little bit of a desk.

Like I'm not really good at anything, huh?

But I think it's I think it's a positive thing.

I think in this day need you've got to be well rounded.

I mean, I feel like I I have shown a lot of striking, uh, on a good level of striking.

My last opponent was Rashid.

He was mostly looking to strike with me.

Uh, who's that?

Me hearties.

This is my niece, Madison.

She, uh she just likes the pop in whenever Madison.

He likes to see who's on who's on the phone booth.

Yeah, she's a bit nosy to She has to know at what everybody else is doing, boy, Like I was saying, uh, last two fights, I've been really more more stand up for me. 00:04:59.280 --> 00:05:2.000 I wasn't able to take rushing down, so I had to stand with them. 00:05:2.130 --> 00:05:5.550 He's considered a very good striker, and to be honest, with you. 00:05:5.560 --> 00:05:7.310 He felt like a very good striker. 00:05:7.600 --> 00:05:8.750 Uh, James Vic? 00:05:8.840 --> 00:05:9.910 Yeah, again. 00:05:9.920 --> 00:05:10.760 A striker.

Very tall.

Very good.

So I've been standing with these guys s Oh, I don't know where I'm brink.

That's far.

Standing goes Stand up.

Striking goes But I feel quite good.

Nice.

Nice one.

You're obviously you just mentioned the words ranked.

You don't know.

You know where you're ranked right now?

When I just looked before we talk, they have you at number nine.

Um, I know you're trying to make that climb up.

I'm curious what you make of the division right now.

Obviously, we know in a couple days Tony Ferguson and hubby we're going to be fighting.

You know, Connor's taking a little bit of time off, but there's a lot of names in there that you have already fought.

But I'm wondering, you know, for you if you get past Edson Barboza, are you looking at a guy like, um uh, Eddie Alvarez?

Is that Is that somebody you're trying to call out next? 00:05:57.550 --> 00:06:9.590 Maybe I'm putting that out, not not calling out, but like, yeah, that wouldn't make sense as far as fights go, Um uh, I'm not really so much in search of that title. 00:06:9.810 --> 00:06:10.880 My crown is another.

But I'm telling you this I want to fight the best guys in the world.

That really is what I'm looking for.

I'm not I'm not trying to Ah, chase a piece of metal.

I want to fight the best guys in the world.

I want to enjoy what I do and I don't want to be Ah, plagued by the idea of ah, a title shot and of a looming title shot of it never actually coming, coming.

So I just want to Right now I want to do what I'm doing and I've been very happy with it.

Well, as we know, with a guy like Damian, Maya, you can quote unquote do everything right.

You know what I mean?

It it still may not come to you.

Yeah, exactly.

That's really disappointing for Damian.

Maya, man, I I really I I do believe you deserve that title shot. 00:06:54.590 --> 00:07:1.480 Uhm, this This has happened quite a bit, though, as in the 1 70 division actually to excite. 00:07:1.480 --> 00:07:6.200 Remember, Tyrone Woodley had a few ah, few good fights where I thought he was gonna get a title shot. 00:07:6.290 --> 00:07:7.280 It didn't work out. 00:07:7.470 --> 00:07:14.850 So I guess his patients patients is the name of the game because the UFC gets to decide who fights for the title.

That's perfectly fine.

I'm as long as they continue to give me tough opponents.

I can't complain.

Eddie Alvarez, very tough opponent.

I would be very happy to fight him.

Okay, so just that's all.

That's all there is for me.

If they continue to give me high level guys very nice.

And did you?

Obviously, you're very familiar with with Tony Ferguson.

He's a guy that has fought some of your old training partners, and he's a guy that obviously has been around for quite some time as a guy who's on the so Cal scene.

But am I correct in this hearing that you actually don't think he's gonna get past Toby?

You're taking it.

You're taking your monument off.

I'm gonna Yeah, I'm gonna pick.

It's so close. 00:07:55.300 --> 00:08:8.570 I I'm leaning towards, could be just because his grappling is so strong and he's he's been able to implement that Every fight against good strikers against good wrestlers against it doesn't really matter who his opponent is. 00:08:8.570 --> 00:08:10.810 He's been able to implement his his game.

Ah, what what?

I think Ah, where the tides could changes Is Tony's ability toe change something in an instant.

Whether being elbow, whether it be a kick, he has Oh, our submission.

He has ability to, you know, change the fight instant.

It may not be a finished but in the mind set 11 one guy's mindset goes from Oh, I'm winning the fight, too.

Oh, no, he's attacking me.

And the other fighter goes from Ray.

I was losing, but now he's in trouble.

Now it's my turn.

So and I think Tony is very good at that.

I think that's one of his strongest attributes, so the fight could change, but it if I have to pick out pick could be.

But I would definitely favor it.

Could be all right.

Well, mindset obviously is important. 00:08:55.700 --> 00:09:0.030 You're gonna be in enemy territory, taking on Edson Barboza who does train here in the States. 00:09:0.190 --> 00:09:3.290 But as we know, obviously Brazilian, you're going down to Brazil. 00:09:3.290 --> 00:09:6.710 Are you ready for the vie Mo hairs I know you've been before? 00:09:6.710 --> 00:09:11.220 I know you've heard it, but you're gonna be walking in there with an American flag draped around you.

The enemy?

Uh, pretty much, Yeah, I'm kind of I'm kind of I'm ready for that.

Actually.

Last time I was there, you, uh I kind of got to soak it in a little bit more.

Even though they're chanting it.

It really showed their love for the sport.

Ah, it's they're not.

It's not love for me, for sure, but it shows love for the sport.

And in Brazil right now with me, I heard, is becoming almost his biggest software.

People love them in May over there.

So right, So I take that as a positive on.

I tryto not think about the fact that it's not for me.

But, you know, I do believe since you're part of the king's family that you are an honorary Brazilian.

I mean, I feel like that it happens. 00:09:55.610 --> 00:10:2.610 So you get that love anyway because your affiliation with Cordero and Kings and for sure, I get a ton of love over there. 00:10:2.610 --> 00:10:4.340 I get a ton of in Brazil. 00:10:4.500 --> 00:10:13.410 But when it comes down to it, when I'm when I'm fighting someone like Carlos Diego for era, when I find someone like before the UFC, Gilberto dos Santos.

When I'm gonna fight, that's and Barbosa, I don't blame them.

They gotta pick their boy.

Like if I go And if I fight in the Syrian and, ah, and the Syrian crowds No ads and they're not about your brands and they're gonna hear from me, it just it is what it is.

And I'm okay with that first.

Well, you'll have a partner in crime I mentioned.

Obviously, Kelvin Gasoline is in the main event against Vitor Belfour.

How is he doing?

You know, obviously I'm gonna have actually been texting him and trying to catch up with Kelvin tomorrow.

But, you know, people have such a concern with him at 85 though, he seems like the weight issue is not gonna be as big a deal.

This is a fight that he asked for.

So in your opinion, how's he looking in terms of his game plan against somebody like Vito?

What?

What would be your your estimation of how that fight could go? 00:10:59.280 --> 00:11:1.800 This is the sharpest I've seen, Kelvin. 00:11:1.800 --> 00:11:3.790 And, you know, Calvin came to us. 00:11:3.840 --> 00:11:9.070 I want to say, a year, year and 1/2 ago and, uh, his first camp with us. 00:11:9.070 --> 00:11:12.420 He kind of he showed up and he started out really slow.

By the end of the camp, he was he was good to go and he was in shape and and he was feeling much better than the beginning of this time.

He was good from the beginning, and he's just gotten sharper and sharper.

A and, Ah, And that obviously is an attribute of him showing up to the gym or and we're quite not really taking any time off.

Right?

Uh, I'm telling you, man, this kid is he's got a big future.

I'm really excited to see what he's gonna do.

Yeah, I love it.

I love, actually, I feel like both, You know, his Twitter handle even is on a mission for, you know, for gold at me.

I feel like both you guys are in such great places in your careers, like just like one or two fights away from getting the big shot, you know?

You know, I never even think about it. 00:11:56.590 --> 00:12:0.770 Everybody keeps telling me that that could be 11 or two fights away the title. 00:12:1.020 --> 00:12:7.790 It is kind of wild to think about, but it's just It's not It's not what I look for any more. 00:12:7.800 --> 00:12:21.390 I used to, like, think about the title so much and used thio e I mean, I thought about to the point where I was like, I was getting it, getting kind of depressed, but at this point, man, I don't need a piece of metal to feel good about myself.

I am facing a different grown right.

Very nice.

Very nice.

Well, one thing up.

Speaking of crown speaking of how it used to be, I saw a picture on instagram of you rocking the sweetest throw.

You know, I'm gonna ask you to bring that back.

Davey, Come on.

Bring that there.

I will.

Look, I'm selling.

I want to try to bring it back, But it is a lot a work.

It takes a long time.

Keeping my hair short is just so easy.