CHAPTERS
- 0:00 – 2:40
Retirement from fighting, identity shifts, and staying busy post-UFC
Joe and Chad open with catching up on life after MMA. Chad explains that retirement made him busier, and describes the mental dip fighters can feel when their athletic identity suddenly changes.
- •Chad is busier after leaving MMA than during fight camps
- •Post-retirement depression/aimlessness and redirecting intensity
- •Wrestling-to-MMA lifelong routine and identity as an athlete
- •Age 36: still physically capable of competing at a high level
- 2:40 – 3:41
Longevity in combat sports: Randy Couture, Dan Henderson, and rare late-career outliers
They pivot into how unusual it is to compete into the 40s and beyond. Joe recalls Couture’s late start and Henderson’s toughness, using them as examples of extreme durability.
- •Randy Couture’s late UFC start and long championship run
- •How rare elite performance in the late 40s/50s is (Bernard Hopkins)
- •Dan Henderson’s continued sparring and physical ‘density’
- •Henderson’s legacy moments, including KO power and fighting bigger men
- 3:41 – 8:24
Early UFC nostalgia: Blockbuster tapes, VHS events, and the wild west rule era
Chad remembers renting UFC tapes as a kid, and Joe recounts the early days of the promotion. They trade stories about what was (and wasn’t) available, plus the chaos and rule quirks of the era.
- •Watching UFC events on VHS from Blockbuster
- •Joe’s memories of early tournaments and matchups
- •Early promotion rights/availability and how fans consumed MMA
- •Setting the stage for how much the sport has evolved
- 8:24 – 14:29
Fighter pay realities, bonuses, and the risk of cancellations and bad judging
The conversation shifts to compensation: performance bonuses, purse splits, and judging errors. Chad describes the financial hit when opponents withdraw late, and they discuss the lack of protections for fighters.
- •Cheyenne Buys’ emotional reaction to a $50k bonus as pay flashpoint
- •Entertainment vs merit: ‘asses in seats’ drives pay
- •Training camp costs when fights fall through and fighters don’t get paid
- •Idea of insurance/protection for injuries, cancellations, and judging mistakes
- 14:29 – 19:08
Big weight cuts, ‘sanctioned cheating,’ and why more weight classes could help
Joe and Chad dive into weight cutting as a systemic problem. Chad details his own brutal cuts and how performance suffers, while Joe argues the sport needs more weight classes and less dehydration-based advantage.
- •TJ Dillashaw discussion leads into broader weight-cut critique
- •Chad’s wrestling cuts vs feeling better after moving up in college
- •Joe calls MMA weight cutting ‘sanctioned cheating’
- •Proposal: add more weight classes (every ~10 lbs)
- •Chad’s 145 cut details and how he felt after rehydrating
- 19:08 – 20:43
Dietician protocols, dehydration concerns, and the Frankie Edgar KO reflection
Chad explains how a new weight-cut system and diuretics may have affected him, referencing his loss to Frankie Edgar. They discuss how dialing in a cut can take time and how dehydration can impact durability and cardio.
- •Using Lockhart-style protocols and natural diuretics
- •Chad suspects over-dehydration contributed to being ‘lights out’ vs Frankie
- •Aldo’s move to 135 as an example of adapting body composition
- •Fasted training and muscle loss as part of dropping divisions
- •Weight cuts + nerves + recovery time create suboptimal fight-day feel
- 20:43 – 24:49
Extreme endurance mindset: Cam Hanes, David Goggins, and adaptation through pain
They admire ultrarunners’ discipline and talk about the body’s ability to adapt when pushed. The segment includes a graphic detour into Goggins’ destroyed feet and stories of training through damage.
- •Cam Hanes’ relentless workload and self-imposed discipline
- •Goggins’ feet and the cost of high-mileage endurance
- •Meniscus ‘like leather’ story and adaptation through stress
- •Chad’s preference for road biking over running due to joint/back strain
- •Theme: most people never push far enough to adapt
- 24:49 – 27:39
Major announcement: Chad Mendes returns—via boxing and bare-knuckle
Chad reveals he’s signed a contract to compete again, but not in MMA. He outlines why boxing (including bare knuckle) appeals to him now, and how the opportunity came together.
- •Chad announces a return to competition: boxing/bare-knuckle, not MMA
- •Why he retired: family timing, business focus, mindset not 100% in MMA
- •Bare-knuckle promotion reached out through Urijah Faber
- •He wants to compete before it’s ‘too late’ in his late 30s/40s
- 27:39 – 32:15
Bare-knuckle logistics: hand wraps, timing, weight class, rounds, and UFC permission
They get into the practical details of bare-knuckle rules and Chad’s upcoming date. Chad explains the weight, round length, and why the format suits his explosiveness, plus how it works while still under UFC contract.
- •Why thick wraps exist in bare-knuckle (wrist support) and risks of cuts
- •Fight date and location: Oct 22, Chandler AZ; no opponent yet
- •Weight: 155 to avoid major cuts; rounds: five 2-minute rounds
- •Training approach: mix exact 2-minute rounds with longer volume sets
- •Still under UFC contract; UFC approved him competing elsewhere
- 32:15 – 39:18
Bare-knuckle’s growth, ex-UFC talent pipeline, and ‘bare-knuckle MMA’ ideas
Joe notes the sport’s expansion and the smart strategy of signing recognizable UFC names. They debate bare-knuckle’s realism and brutality, and touch on Masvidal’s involvement in bare-knuckle MMA concepts.
- •BKFC recruiting strategy: known UFC fighters (Paige VanZant, Lombard, etc.)
- •Forbes claim: fastest-growing combat sport
- •Joe’s old argument for bare knuckle in MMA (more realistic grappling) vs cut risk
- •Masvidal-linked bare-knuckle MMA concept and public perception (‘barbaric’)
- 39:18 – 42:13
Evolving fight formats: cage effects, open-field fighting, and Russian ‘team fight’ chaos
Joe argues the cage heavily shapes MMA tactics and imagines fights on a larger open surface. They laugh at extreme Russian formats like one-vs-three fights and reflect on how combat sports keep experimenting.
- •Cage as a strategic factor: takedowns and wall-walk standups
- •Hypothetical ‘football field’ fighting with rules against running away
- •Russian team-fight/chaos formats and a shocking 3-on-1 clip
- •Desire to remove ‘extraneous’ factors to make fights more ‘realistic’
- 42:13 – 46:39
Old-school MMA rules, early gloves/shoes, and Lion’s Den ‘break you’ training culture
Watching vintage Vitor Belfort footage leads into early UFC rules and gear. Joe and Chad recount how gloves were optional, shoes were allowed, groin strikes happened, and early gyms like Lion’s Den had notorious initiation-style training.
- •Early UFC: optional gloves, sometimes shoes, grabbing shorts, and more
- •Vitor’s early speed and ‘Jiu-Jitsu’ branding despite boxing KOs
- •Groin strikes era (Hackney vs Joe Son) and other rule oddities
- •Lion’s Den as one of the first MMA teams and extreme conditioning tests
- 46:39 – 58:09
Sparring, brain health, and the rise of technical coaching (Duane Ludwig, Danaher)
They discuss fighters who limit sparring and the damage accumulated in camps. Chad describes Alpha Male’s early ‘KO each other’ sparring culture and how Duane Ludwig introduced structure, then they broaden into what elite obsessive coaches do differently.
- •Pros/cons of hard sparring; examples of reduced-sparring success (Holloway, Emmett)
- •Alpha Male early days: heavy sparring leading to concussions
- •Duane Ludwig’s structured approach improving technique and longevity
- •Obsession-driven coaches: Duane, Mark Henry, Danaher; ‘cheat code’ concept
- •Tension around the Faber–Duane split and its impact on fighter development
- 58:09 – 1:15:51
Carnivore diet experiment: psoriasis improvement, reintroductions, and training carbs
Joe asks about Chad’s psoriasis improvement on carnivore. Chad details lifelong symptoms, rapid improvement after cutting sugar, and how he reintroduces foods (fruit, rice, oats) to balance performance while tracking flare-ups.
- •Psoriasis history and spread; sleep deprivation/caffeine can worsen it
- •Carnivore/elimination approach: rapid improvement within 1–2 weeks
- •Sugar and processed foods as major triggers; nightshades noted as triggers
- •Performance tweaks: adding fruit, rice, oats for explosive training output
- •Discussion of doctors Baker and Saladino; individuality of diet response
- 1:15:51 – 2:59:32
Hunting stories and predator realities: moose, bears, lions, coyotes, and wildlife management
The back half becomes a long hunting and conservation discussion. They trade dramatic stories (Alaska moose, grizzly encounters, mountain lion stalking) and argue for predator control and science-based management—especially in California.
- •Alaska trophy moose tag story, pack-out realities, grizzly stealing meat
- •Mountain lion encounters; predators as both fascinating and dangerous
- •Bear meat quality depends on diet (blueberries vs rotten salmon)
- •California issues: bear quotas, dog restrictions, mountain lion protections
- •Public misconceptions about hunting; ethical argument for wild meat
- •Coyotes: adaptive breeding, expansion into cities (Central Park), and management tradeoffs
