CHAPTERS
- 0:02 – 1:46
Reconnecting years later and jumping straight into the Usyk controversy
Joe and Rico open by realizing it’s been years since Rico’s last appearance, then immediately dive into Rico’s recent boxing bout with Oleksandr Usyk. Joe argues Rico dominated most rounds and that both the scorecards and stoppage felt unjust.
- •They confirm the long gap since the last podcast together
- •Joe praises Rico’s performance vs Usyk and disputes the judges’ closeness
- •Rico describes the emotional difficulty of an ‘unjust’ outcome
- •Discussion frames the fight as potentially the biggest kickboxer-to-boxing upset ever attempt
- 1:46 – 6:41
Bad judging, early stoppage, and the case for transparency reforms
They dissect how controversial scoring and stoppages damage trust for fighters and fans. Rico compares boxing’s lack of transparency to soccer’s VAR system and argues combat sports need review mechanisms and accountability.
- •Joe: judging is either incompetence or corruption; both are unacceptable
- •Rico: fans and experts saw one fight; scorecards suggested another
- •Rico advocates VAR-like tools and the ability to overturn clear mistakes
- •Joe notes stoppage review is hard, but agrees on systemic reform
- 6:41 – 8:12
Appeal aftermath, ‘stopped after the bell,’ and why there’s no rematch buzz
Rico explains they appealed the stoppage and were told key points of the appeal were valid—yet nothing was overturned. Joe finds it telling that despite being Usyk’s toughest heavyweight fight, there’s little talk of an immediate rematch.
- •Rico: appeal validated multiple issues (including stoppage timing) but decision stood
- •Joe questions what an overturn would even mean given scorecards/knockdowns
- •They note the lack of rematch chatter is suspicious given competitiveness
- •Conversation shifts to who benefits from Usyk staying unbeaten and marketable
- 8:12 – 10:01
The ‘Rocky story’ rematch case and Usyk’s pivot to other opponents
They argue the logical business move is a Rico–Usyk rematch, not alternatives like Deontay Wilder. Rico frames it as ‘unfinished business’ at a late-career stage where he only wants fights that make sense and build legacy.
- •Rico wants a rematch for narrative and closure, not just repetition
- •Joe: Wilder isn’t the same fighter; Rico–Usyk is far more compelling
- •Rico believes Usyk changed plans after realizing how hard the fight was
- •Both emphasize legacy: big fights with a clear story
- 10:01 – 13:41
How Rico’s size, cardio, and pace shocked boxing commentators
Joe describes watching the fight and realizing Rico’s physicality and composure were major factors. Rico laughs at commentators questioning whether he could maintain movement and feints—highlighting his signature endurance for a 260-pounder.
- •Joe: Rico’s calmness and ring presence resembled elite championship experience
- •Commentators underestimated Rico’s cardio; Joe calls him an anomaly at heavyweight
- •Rico: he ‘lives in the gym’ and refuses to lose on conditioning
- •They revisit the moment Usyk finally hurt him and the ‘too quick’ stoppage
- 13:41 – 20:13
How the fight got made: Statham, Joshua plans, tragedy, then Usyk
Rico tells the origin story: Jason Statham advocated for him in boxing circles, leading to an initial plan to fight Anthony Joshua. After schedule shifts and Joshua’s tragic accident, Rico’s team pitched the ‘undisputed vs undisputed’ Usyk concept—and it quickly became real.
- •Statham introduces Rico to boxing decision-makers after a major fight weekend
- •Initial offer: Rico vs Anthony Joshua while Rico was filming Road House 2
- •Joshua fight delays, then derailed by a tragic car accident
- •Rico proposes Usyk; both teams and Turki Alalshikh embrace the idea
- 20:13 – 25:40
Why kickboxing struggles in America: promotion, storytelling, and media machines
Joe laments that American fans love stand-up but kickboxing still lacks mainstream traction. Both agree the missing ingredient is storytelling and consistent promotional content—something the UFC excels at with series like Embedded and Countdown.
- •Joe: it’s not about Americans needing ‘their own’ champions; it’s promotion
- •They praise UFC’s content pipeline for building emotional investment
- •Rico: Glory’s biggest gap was storytelling beyond ‘punches and kicks’
- •They discuss ONE’s kickboxing/Muay Thai growth but limited US penetration
- 25:40 – 28:08
Free agency, vacating the belt, crossover options, and the Ngannou fork in the road
Rico explains why he vacated his kickboxing title and explored MMA/boxing opportunities as a free agent. He reveals he had an MMA-versus-Ngannou offer brewing but chose the Usyk opportunity for legacy and uniqueness.
- •Rico vacated the Glory belt after ‘doing it all’ and wanting bigger crossovers
- •Talks with UFC (including a Derrick Lewis idea) existed but didn’t align
- •Ngannou MMA offer grew financially, but Rico chose Usyk for historic upside
- •Rico: he didn’t miss kicking in boxing—he felt comfortable with pure hands
- 28:08 – 40:01
Open scoring distorted strategy—and Rico’s regret over one key mistake
They revisit the impact of open scoring: Rico’s corner told him the fight was even after eight, forcing him to press harder. Rico fixates on a late error—walking into Usyk’s uppercut—feeling it gave officials an opening to end things controversially.
- •Open scoring revealed a tie after 8 rounds, contradicting Rico’s feel and commentary
- •Rico increased pressure instead of safely coasting, leading to higher risk
- •He regrets the single sequence: stepping in dangerously and eating the uppercut
- •Joe argues Rico’s self-criticism is part of what makes him elite
- 40:01 – 44:47
Game-planning Usyk: southpaw angles, smothering range, and volume over power
Rico and Joe break down the tactical approach built with trainer Peter Fury. Key themes: move left away from the southpaw power, use size to crowd Usyk, and throw multi-punch sequences to collapse distance before landing meaningful shots.
- •Rico: heavyweights tried to ‘outbox a cruiserweight’; the plan had to differ
- •Core adjustment: move left vs a southpaw to avoid walking into the left hand
- •Use physicality to smother Usyk and disrupt his usual rhythm and control
- •Volume combinations: accept early punches miss to create entry on punch 6–8
- 44:47 – 1:07:53
Training partners, southpaw sparring problems, and the six-month rewiring to box
Rico details the preparation logistics: finding quality southpaw sparring at heavyweight is extremely difficult, so they used multiple partners of different sizes. He also explains the deep technical changes required—especially stance and positioning after a lifetime of kickboxing habits.
- •Rico trained with elite heavyweights over the years (Fury camp connections)
- •They rotated a big southpaw and a faster lighter southpaw to mimic Usyk’s challenges
- •Six months of ‘pure hard work’ to rewire stance (less square, more bladed)
- •Rico: boxing-to-box is different than boxing-to-kickbox; instincts had to change
- 1:07:53 – 1:14:44
Conditioning blueprint: endurance-based lifting, heart-rate work, and joint protection
Joe digs into Rico’s unusual cardio for his size. Rico explains a hybrid strength-and-conditioning approach: high-rep full-body circuits with minimal rest, structured treadmill intervals/endurance, and joint-sparing tools post-ACL surgery.
- •Rico emphasizes mental framing: ‘when I feel tired, my opponent is worse’
- •High-rep circuit lifting (20+ reps, 30s rest) blends strength and conditioning
- •Heart-rate monitoring and treadmill work (interval + long steady runs)
- •Uses bodyweight-unloading treadmill after ACL/meniscus surgery; avoids concrete running
- 1:14:44 – 1:21:36
Grief, emotional processing, and finding a post-fight identity through acting
Rico shares that his mother died during camp and reflects on a lifelong tendency to convert emotional pain into training fuel. Acting has helped him reframe emotions as something to feel and express rather than suppress, supporting a healthier transition as his fighting career winds down.
- •Rico describes not fully processing grief (mother and earlier father loss) during camps
- •He recognizes the need to ‘take it in’ instead of pushing everything down
- •Acting mentors encourage him to feel and channel real emotion on camera
- •He lists projects (Den of Thieves 2, Road House) and excitement for future roles
- 1:21:36 – 1:28:27
Spectacle and symbolism: fighting at the pyramids and the full-circle family moment
They discuss the surreal setting of the Usyk fight in front of the pyramids, including Rico’s entrance production and the emotional resonance of finding photos of his mother at the same site decades earlier. Rico describes the event as ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ level for location and atmosphere.
- •Promoters pitched the pyramids via a simple message—then confirmed an outdoor mega-event
- •Rico recreated his mother’s pyramid photos, making the moment deeply personal
- •Entrance choreography: ‘cracking’ the ground and lighting the pyramids for the first time
- •He describes near-mishaps (jumping down steps) and the unique outdoor vibe
- 1:28:27 – 2:17:12
Combat sports ecosystem: UFC pay gaps, new promoters, rules debates, and what’s next
The conversation broadens to fighter pay, competition among promotions, and why options matter for athlete leverage. They also debate injury-causing techniques (calf kicks, oblique kicks, eye pokes, glove design) and end by circling back to the central goal: making the Usyk rematch happen.
- •Rico: UFC money likely can’t compete now; boxing is more viable financially
- •They praise Turki Alalshikh for forcing big fights via massive incentives
- •Rules talk: eye pokes and glove design (Trevor Whitman gloves), calf kicks vs oblique kicks
- •Closing push: Rico remains a free agent, wants the rematch, and hopes momentum builds
