JRE MMA Show #186 with Sean Sharaf

The Offer and the Camp [00:00:00]

• The initial offer for Strickland to fight Israel Adesanya came up around June, potentially for a White House card.
• Strickland was approached about fighting Adesanya, with the UFC also possibly considering Jon Jones for the same event.
• The fight was eventually scheduled for a September card in L.A., with about six weeks' notice.
• Strickland had been in camp for a previous fight that fell through, meaning he was already in shape.

  "They asked me. That was the Ali. He had reached out to me. He was like, hey, they're talking about possibly getting you on the White House."

Unconventional Training and Living [00:03:00]

• Strickland maintained an intense training regimen, including eight weeks of no sexual activity and strict adherence to "marine mode."
• His financial situation was dire, leading him to stay in fighter houses, casinos, and even his car.
• He received a $4,000 advance on his purse from his management to fund his training camp.

  "I didn't have anything in my name. So I've been bouncing around from fighter houses. There's Fighter House LV. They started out, and it's like 40 bucks a room you get."

The Fight Plan and Mindset [00:06:00]

• Strickland believed he was going to win and envisioned a tough, back-and-forth fight.
• His game plan involved staying in Adesanya's face, even if taken down.
• He drew inspiration from Jon Jones's pre-fight speech to Daniel Cormier, repeating affirmations of dominance.

  "Sure, he might get the takedown, you're going to stay in his fucking face. I was screaming the fucking affirmation – the John Jones speech."

Doubts and the Knockout [00:07:00]

• Previous UFC fights, including a loss to Tafa and a win against Aspilin, made Strickland question his power.
• He doubted his ability to finish opponents with strikes, unlike his earlier career.
• The knockout blow came from a left hook, which immediately made him question the reality of his victory.

  "And so when I just hit him with that left hook and he fell, I was just like – I started cussing. I jumped on him. I was fucking – bro, I was like, what the fuck is going on, man?"

The Upset and Its Aftermath [00:08:00]

• Adesanya was a -2400 favorite, potentially making it the biggest upset in combat sports history.
• Strickland felt the odds reflected a disrespect, possibly due to his recent losses.
• The knockout was visually dramatic, with Adesanya's head snapping back upon impact.

  "He was a minus 2,400 favorite. Yeah. It's a disrespect. Was it 2,400? Yeah, it was. That's what it was? Okay."

Disbelief and Processing [00:10:00]

• Strickland described feeling detached from reality immediately after the fight, like being in "another galaxy."
• He hasn't fully processed the win due to a packed schedule of interviews.
• He expressed a desire to go to a mountain or the desert to take mushrooms with his dog to process the experience.

  "Everyone's saying, like, are you sure you did that? Because, like, I vividly remember, like, before they walked out and everyone started booing, like, I shook their hand."

The Path Forward: Champion or Retire? [00:12:00]

• Joe Rogan questioned if Strickland's path was still about becoming a champion or if this win was the ultimate achievement.
• Strickland acknowledged that this victory might be the pinnacle, referencing the saying "leave the table when you're up."
• He admitted to telling his coaches and friends that he might be content with this win if he achieved it the way he visualized.

  "Everyone's making it seem like this is just a fucking lucky punch, one shot. And, like, so this is my thing is I've always been taking my journey fight by fight."

Lack of Support and Motivation [00:14:00]

• Strickland highlighted the lack of sponsors, promotion, and support throughout his journey.
• He questioned the purpose of continuing if it's only for money or a belt, given the physical toll and lack of support.
• He mentioned potential brain matter issues found in scans, adding to his existential questions about his career.

  "I had zero sponsors. I got zero promo. I got zero, like, any kind of, like, support throughout this whole thing."

The "Lucky Punch" Narrative [00:17:00]

• Strickland dismissed the idea that his knockout was a "lucky punch," emphasizing it was a perfectly executed technique.
• He argued that calling it lucky diminishes his accomplishment and disrespects his opponent's status.
• He stressed that his intention was to land the left hook on the chin, which he successfully did.

  "There's no such thing as a lucky punch. Anybody says that's a moron. Or they don't know any better."

The "Only Love You When You're Hot" Phenomenon [00:19:00]

• Strickland discussed how the public and the "game" only support fighters when they are winning.
• He cited examples like Justin Gaethje and Max Holloway, whose popularity shifted with their wins and losses.
• He acknowledged that this is the nature of the "hurt business" and that fighters are often discarded once they are no longer winning.

  "People only love you when you're hot. Like when fucking Gaethje got knocked out by Holloway, he wasn't fucking hot."

The Role of Experience and Training [00:22:00]

• Strickland contrasted his own journey with Adesanya's, highlighting the difference in experience and striking ability.
• He pointed out Adesanya's lack of experience in "the fire" and his relatively short time training striking.
• Strickland emphasized the complexity of striking and the need for extensive training and coaching.

  "There's a gap in experience and there's a gap in striking ability. I mean, he obviously is an incredible athlete."

Psychological Warfare and Divine Intervention [00:25:00]

• Strickland believed his presence at the press conference, which he wasn't initially scheduled for, was "divine intervention."
• He saw his pre-fight comments as psychological warfare, designed to get under Adesanya's skin.
• He questioned whether his words affected Adesanya, but acknowledged the possibility.

  "Maybe that I wouldn't have gotten in his head if I didn't get in the press conference, you know? Because that was strategic."

The Prayer and Personal Journey [00:33:00]

• Strickland revealed he recited Surat al-Fatihah, an opening prayer from the Quran, for his deceased father.
• He discussed navigating life without a father and finding structure in the Marine Corps.
• He identified as a spiritual person rather than strictly religious, embracing various beliefs.

  "So that's Surat al-Fatihah. It's basically the opening prayer of the Quran. And it's basically like you say that for the dead."

The "Anti-American" Accusation [00:35:00]

• Strickland was called "anti-American" online for his prayer and perceived political stances.
• He refuted this, highlighting his service in the Marines and his American tattoos.
• He criticized the lack of nuance in public discourse, where support for Palestine is equated with anti-Americanism.

  "I saw someone online calling you an anti-American. And I was like, what? Because he has a Muslim prayer for his father?"

Navigating Success and Scrutiny [00:37:00]

• Strickland acknowledged the influx of people offering help and sponsorship after his win.
• He recognized these as opportunities but also warned of "snakes in the grass."
• He discussed the narrative of "selling out" or "going Hollywood" that often follows sudden success.

  "Part of that is a good thing. Like these are opportunities that come out of success. Right. So it's like you could say they're taking advantage of you."

The Reality of the UFC and Pressure [00:40:00]

• Strickland contrasted his experience in the Apex center with the arena fight, noting the difference in pressure.
• He felt he performs better under high-pressure situations.
• He admitted he was on the "chopping block" before this fight, facing potential release from the UFC.

  "This is my first, that was my first arena fight. Like my, my last two were in the Apex. Oh, wow."

Considering Retirement and Financial Realities [00:47:00]

• Strickland revealed he is filing for bankruptcy this year due to the financial struggles of pursuing his fighting career.
• He questioned if the money from fighting was worth the physical toll, given he could make money through other means like trading or private security.
• He expressed a desire to understand his motivation for continuing to fight.

  "I'm legit filing bankruptcy this year. Like, that's fucking, like, I really ran myself all the way into debt, like, fucking chasing this fucking shit."

The Importance of Coaching [00:55:00]

• Strickland discussed the lack of consistent, high-level coaching throughout his career.
• He admitted to not having a main coach and bouncing between gyms, always seeking a "Rocky and Mick" type mentor.
• He agreed that dedicated, technical coaching is crucial for reaching world-champion caliber.

  "I was really trying to find that. Well, Eric Nixick was in your corner."

The Role of Eric Nixick [01:02:00]

• Eric Nixick stepped in as Strickland's corner man on fight day due to his original coach's family emergency.
• Strickland praised Nixick's analytical approach and effective communication during the fight.
• He acknowledged that Nixick's coaching ability is not diminished by his lack of fighting experience.

  "He's like very analytical with it. And that, that, that was very good for me."

The Gaza Conflict and Political Discourse [01:05:00]

• Strickland expressed his horror at the situation in Gaza, calling it a "horrific injustice against humanity."
• He criticized the use of terms like "genocide" and the dismissal of the suffering.
• He discussed the difficulty of speaking out politically, citing Macklemore's experience.

  "I think it's terrifying that people will dismiss it. And they, here's the thing that they do, they use different terms, right?"

Surveillance and the "Era of Unreality" [01:15:00]

• Strickland and Rogan discussed the proliferation of surveillance technology like Flock cameras and Palantir.
• They raised concerns about the potential for abuse and the erosion of privacy.
• The conversation touched on the difficulty of discerning real from fake information in the age of AI and deepfakes.

  "The real problem is like the Benjamin Franklin quote for people that are willing to give up liberty for security deserve neither."

The Future of AI and Superintelligence [01:25:00]

• The discussion shifted to the rapid advancement of AI and the potential for superintelligence.
• They expressed fear about AI potentially controlling society and the race between nations to develop it.
• The possibility of AI robots engaging in combat was also explored.

  "We're going to be run by robots because they're smarter than us. Yeah."

The Financials and Future [01:40:00]

• Strickland revealed he earned $30,000 to show, $30,000 to win, plus a $100,000 bonus from Dana White and the Mobland show.
• He plans to give the $100,000 bonus to his mother.
• He acknowledged that the discipline and focus he applied to fighting could be applied to any endeavor.

  "It was 30 to show, 30 to win and I got the 100k bonus. Wow."

Manifesting Dreams and Inspiration [01:45:00]

• Strickland shared a video of himself speaking to David Goggins in 2019, where he predicted his UFC career and appearance on the Joe Rogan podcast.
• He resonated with Goggins's story of overcoming injury and regret.
• The clip highlighted Strickland's long-held aspirations and his journey to achieve them.

  "I told him I was like you're gonna see me on the Joe Rogan podcast one day in the UFC and I'm pretty sure he's gonna remember me because he we had a good conversation."