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Speaker 2: Real fans need real unlimited.
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Speaker 1: So I have been monitoring closely the Walter Waite situation. If you guys recall, when I learned of the fight card a couple numbered events ago, I was shocked because I had no idea that they were going to do an interim title being that the champion Islam Makachev had just fought in August in Philadelphia. With that being said, I was very excited because Morales versus Prates.
00:02:18
Speaker 2: Is a fight that we have all wanted.
00:02:21
Speaker 1: And we all thought that if there was to be a number one contenders fight, it would be these two. And after that fight was announced, there was a lot of excitement for it. But then it kind of settled, right? Everything was kind of settled. And then someone put a microphone in front of Carlos Prates. And Carlos Prates has been, and I mean, I'm being very, very nice when I say this. Carlos Prates has been trying to make a point in the best way that he could about And that was like him being forward, if I'm being completely honest. He has not held his tongue in regards to the champion, Islam Akhachev. But it's not just protest, it's managers involved. Everybody is trying to find a way to convey their disappointment that they are not fighting the world champion, Islam Akhachev. Protest said, I've been in this game for 17 years. When it's finally my turn to live my dream of becoming champion, this guy Islam backs out like that. I think everybody was pissed off about Islam's decision. I was, the UFC was, and the people don't like it. To that, his manager says, I don't think even the UFC really knows what happened. Anyway, something made him change his mind. I'm not naive enough to think Makachev is afraid to fight Carlos, but something.
00:03:52
Speaker 2: Made him change his mind.
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Speaker 1: The protest goes on to say if he fights for passion, he would fight the number one contender in January. I will not add anything on his legacy. I will finish his legacy, brother. And also, he will make me look great. Mark my words. I love that protest's manager states the obvious. Islam Akhachev is not afraid of anyone. I know this guy well. this guy is not afraid of anybody. He's not afraid of Carlos Protest. Islam did reply saying that the guy that had Carlos running around the cage or something like that, Luis put that tweet in there, he had just beat in the last fight. But Protest is very disappointed and upset that he is not getting an opportunity to fight Islam Akachev. Here's one thing that I love about the challenges of today's mixed martial arts. One, They want to fight the best guy. They don't want to fight another guy to get the championship or grow. They want to fight the absolute best. If you are a legend, there is a target on your back right now. Whereas Ilya Teporya, because of the way he was doing people, he might have been feared. Nope. Justin Gaethje wanted him. And that's the same thing with protest. While I believe that, I don't know the reason Islam's not fighting.
00:05:21
Speaker 2: I really don't.
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Speaker 1: I have no idea. I do understand when he says I don't want to fight in Ramadan. That's so difficult. These guys don't eat at all when there's sunlight. They're waking up in the middle of the night to eat before the day starts. And it really is difficult. I had a kid that lived with me when I was at Oklahoma State that would go through Ramadan and he just struggled all day to train.
00:05:45
Speaker 2: That's so hard.
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Speaker 1: I get that. The January fight, I just believe that these guys and girls as champions, they just don't fight that frequently. It's not just fought in Philadelphia. If he had not fought since February, March of last year, I would kind of understand that frustration. Luis asked me before we started doing this, but Proctez is very active. I said, well, he's not the champion yet.
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Speaker 2: If we know.
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Speaker 1: Anything as the mixed martial arts fan, we know how difficult it is to turn and burn as the champion. We very rarely see people super active. We saw Marab do that last year.
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Speaker 2: We saw it.
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Speaker 1: And then he ran into Peter Yan, who's an absolute buzzsaw, and he got beat.
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Speaker 2: Then he got beat again by him.
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Speaker 1: So now Marab's path to the championship seems to be dead for right now. Look, when you are a champion, and you defend the belt, you risk everything. You risk absolutely everything when you
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defend that championship. So I imagine the champions want to be absolutely ready every single time. And honestly, guys, they just don't fight that much. When I look at some of these numbers, Islam's last four fights, June 24, January 25, November 25, August 26.
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Speaker 2: So 25, he fought twice.
00:07:17
Speaker 1: Gacy's last four, April 24, March 25, January 26, June 26.
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Speaker 2: He's fought four times.
00:07:25
Speaker 1: Tuporia before he lost to Justin, February 24, October 24, June 25, June 26. Again, remember, When he fought for that belt in February 24, I think that's when he was fighting Volk to become champion. Then he became champion. It slowed down. You want to talk about Volk's final four? February 24, April 25, January 26, October 26.
00:07:49
Speaker 2: Kayla Harrison.
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Speaker 1: April 24, October 24, June 25, 2025. And now the fight against Amanda Nunes this weekend.
00:08:01
Speaker 2: The champions just don't fight that frequently.
00:08:04
Speaker 1: So while I get Protez's frustration, what happens if he does become the champion? And then now we are asking him to compete more. Is he going to be more open to fighting more frequently? Because again, you risk everything. You literally risk everything every time you step into the octagon as the champ. Against the most dangerous contender in the world. And guess what, guys? We know that we... You guys know I love Islam. That's my boy. I've known him for a really long time. I also am aware and observant enough to know that he fought in August and he didn't want to fight in January, at least in my opinion, because the fight was hard. The Ian Gary fight was hard. And if you guys don't think for one second that... Islam recognized that that was more difficult. That was the hardest fight he's had in a long time. Dustin Poirier made it to round five, but it wasn't as hard as this Ian Gary fight. Ian Gary's length made it difficult.
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Speaker 2: Ian Gary's size made it difficult.
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Speaker 1: Everybody in Islam's camp before told you it was going to be difficult and it was difficult. So it's hard when it's hard. You take time. When I lost to Jon Jones in 2015 January, I was not the champion. They gave me an opportunity to fight Rumble Johnson for that belt in May. I said, oh yeah, absolutely. Then I was like, that was not hard though. That wasn't a hard fight. Then I fight in October of 2015 as the champion against Gustafson. That was really hard. I didn't fight again until the summer. I needed time. When it's hard When it's hard, you need time to recover, especially as the champ, if you are aware of what you're putting at risk every day.
00:10:00
Speaker 2: Time you step in there. So yes, Carlos Prochez is frustrating.
00:10:04
Speaker 1: But on the other hand, you have a champion, a long reigning champion that recognizes the dangers of who he's going to fight, one, and two, the dangers of what's at stake every time he does fight. Now, I know people are going to say, well, DC, you're, of course, you're going to defend Islam. It's not about defending him. I'm giving you an inside perspective of a champion's mindset and what you feel whenever you have these opportunities.
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Speaker 2: And I listed those champions.
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Speaker 1: I listed those champions, but you can go down the line and you will find more champions than not that are not Marab Dualishwili fighting every single weekend. It's just the truth. It's just the absolute truth. You can't, you won't find it any other way. That's not how it works. Islam's not afraid though. He's not afraid. He'd probably fight Carlos Protes in the octagon, outside the octagon, on a wrestling. He'd fight him anywhere and so would Protes. This is going to be a great fight.
00:11:04
Speaker 2: Protes needs to handle the Morales issue though.
00:11:07
Speaker 1: I would encourage him, forget about Islam right now because you don't get to him unless you get through Morales.
00:11:14
Speaker 2: Forget about him. But him beating the drum.
00:11:17
Speaker 1: Hamza Tamayev was not fighting frequently until Sean Strickland went to Houston, did what he did, called him out, and made us think about it. And then he fought him. So while Prates might not, I don't think he cares Islam's reasons. I don't think he cares. I believe that he's doing the right thing by making the noise. To hopefully make the champion. Upset. The one difference between Shamaya. And all those other guys. That got goaded into the fight. By. Goaded into the fight.
00:11:55
Speaker 2: By.
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Speaker 1: The challenger. They didn't have fights scheduled. Like protest has fights scheduled.
00:12:02
Speaker 2: But again.
00:12:03
Speaker 1: Sean Strickland. Wanted to fight for the belt. After he was the champ. He fought Costa. In June 2024. And earned his title opportunity. Which did not come until February 25.
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Speaker 2: Right?
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Speaker 1: After he lost to Duplessis. He came back in February. Of 2026.
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Speaker 2: He wanted him. Then he got Chamayev. In May.
00:12:25
Speaker 1: Of this year. And he still has not fought again. Because now he's the champion again. It's just how it goes. It's just how it goes.
00:12:33
Speaker 2: And I kind of would imagine.
00:12:35
Speaker 1: Unless Protes is one of those outliers, his schedule will probably slow down a little bit once if he becomes the champion. So, it is what it is. But if you're Protes, keep beating that drum. Keep that champion paying attention. And hopefully, it earns you that championship opportunity.
00:12:51
Speaker 2: But focus on the task at hand. Because right now, that task is Michael Morales. And he's insanely dangerous. All right? Till next time, guys.
00:13:00
Speaker 1: Like, subscribe, and tell your friends about my YouTube channel. Peace.