CHAPTERS
- 0:01 – 0:52
Setting the stage: Badr Hari rematch and why it’s massive for kickboxing
Joe and Rico open with the December rematch against Badr Hari, framing it as a potential biggest fight in kickboxing history. They discuss the venue in the Netherlands and how huge European crowds are compared to the U.S.
- •Rematch date and early hype around ticket demand
- •Gelredome venue size (roughly 25–30k) and Dutch fan culture
- •Kickboxing’s mainstream status in Europe vs. limited U.S. traction
- •Why this matchup is viewed as historic for the sport
- 0:52 – 2:43
Why kickboxing hasn’t exploded in America (and rules that affect fan appeal)
They dig into the puzzling lack of American mainstream interest in kickboxing and Muay Thai despite MMA fans loving stand-up. Rico argues pathways like wrestling-to-MMA are more common in the U.S., and discusses how rulesets (like limited clinching) shape entertainment value.
- •U.S. combat-sports pipeline favors MMA over pure striking arts
- •Patriotism vs. star power: why great fighters should draw anywhere
- •Muay Thai clinch time and pacing as a barrier for casual viewers
- •Glory’s more ‘commercial’ rules: short clinch then quick breaks
- 2:43 – 4:27
Elbows, cuts, and safety: striking rules and fight longevity
Rico explains why he dislikes elbows—mainly due to cuts—and Joe compares the damage seen in bare-knuckle boxing. They discuss elbow pads in amateur Muay Thai as a safety measure that preserves action while reducing career-threatening cuts.
- •Elbows as a major source of cuts and fight stoppages
- •Amateur Muay Thai elbow pads: fewer cuts, similar KO potential
- •Bare-knuckle boxing: facial damage and career longevity concerns
- •Rico’s training story: accidental elbow in MMA practice
- 4:27 – 5:51
Could Rico do MMA? Heavyweight opportunity, motivation, and timelines
Joe presses Rico on whether he’d consider a UFC run, noting how shallow heavyweight can be. Rico admits he’s thought about it, explains his limited MMA experience, and later estimates he’d need about a year to prepare seriously for high-level MMA.
- •Rico’s single MMA fight and willingness to ‘try everything’
- •Joe’s take: UFC heavyweight is shallow, title mix comes quickly
- •Rico’s honesty: MMA isn’t his primary ambition unless the offer is big
- •Estimated MMA readiness: about a year plus fights to acclimate
- 5:51 – 7:35
The first Badr Hari fight: anticlimax, suspicion, and the rematch logic
They revisit the controversial ending of the first fight when Badr’s arm injury halted the bout. Rico calls it an anticlimax and suggests the ending conveniently enabled a rematch, then breaks down his Round 1 approach and pressure style.
- •Unclear details around Badr’s injury and post-fight reporting
- •Rico’s view: ending created the ‘perfect’ setup for a rematch
- •Round 1: absorbing jabs while pressuring to find distance
- •Rico’s trademark: dragging opponents into ‘deep waters’
- 7:35 – 10:58
Pressure cardio at heavyweight: training with lighter fighters and managing resources
Rico explains how years of sparring lighter, high-volume fighters built his pace and endurance. Joe and Rico discuss the strategic balancing of power vs. output and the concept of fighting as a resource-management game.
- •Training history with lighter champions shaped Rico’s high pace
- •Choosing volume and pressure over single power shots
- •‘Thinking man’s game’: decision-making under fatigue
- •Comparisons to Nick Diaz-style attrition and late-round surges
- 10:58 – 14:39
Jamal Ben Saddik rematch: staying calm, fixing mistakes, and late finish
Joe praises Rico’s comeback win over Jamal Ben Saddik, emphasizing composure after getting hurt early. Rico details the specific technical mistake (stance switch positioning) and his mental reset—accepting a lost round and focusing on the long game.
- •‘Rocky’ narrative: early trouble, steady recovery, late stoppage
- •Technical breakdown: southpaw switch error led to getting tagged
- •Mental strategy: concede the round, reset, and rely on conditioning
- •Opponent’s early flurry drained his gas tank, enabling late takeover
- 14:39 – 19:48
Badr’s reputation, inactivity, suspensions, and the importance of ring timing
They outline Badr Hari’s legendary status, legal trouble, inconsistent activity, and a steroid-related suspension context. Both discuss how long layoffs affect timing and comfort under lights, emphasizing the advantage of staying active.
- •Badr’s historic résumé and ‘wild man’ persona
- •Legal problems and inconsistent competition slowed momentum
- •Drug testing context and suspension timing implications
- •Ring feel and performance comfort depend on staying active
- 19:48 – 22:16
Drug testing realities: event-only testing vs year-round controls
Joe and Rico examine how drug testing works around Glory/Dutch commissions and why event-only testing is easier to game than year-round programs. Rico stresses wanting a cleaner sport for safety and fairness, especially at heavyweight power levels.
- •Testing administered via Dutch commission rather than Glory directly
- •Event-only testing vs WADA-style out-of-competition scrutiny
- •Rico’s stance: keep testing strict to make the sport safer
- •PED advantages: power, endurance, and early-round danger
- 22:16 – 26:03
Building kickboxing’s popularity: Dutch hero narrative and U.S. growth hopes
Rico describes how public perception in the Netherlands shifted as he became a mainstream ‘good guy’ figure, amplified by the Badr rivalry. Joe reiterates Glory’s elite striking product and both discuss what it would take to grow kickboxing in America.
- •Netherlands mainstream shift: parents now see kickboxing as ‘cool’
- •Badr vs Rico: ‘national asshole’ vs ‘national good guy’ storyline
- •Glory’s U.S. events vs Europe’s arena-scale success
- •Gym growth and developing American kickboxing talent as a path forward
- 26:03 – 34:51
Strength, explosiveness, and sparring philosophy: balancing hard work with control
Rico breaks down his training mix: strength, conditioning, skill sessions, explosiveness work, and sparring frequency. He explains why he avoids maxing out and why controlled sparring matters for longevity and maintaining high-level partners.
- •Training split: strength ~3x/week, skills/pads 2–3x/week, explosiveness work
- •Method: low reps then high reps to sustain repeated power output
- •Sparring 2–3x/week; hard to body/legs, controlled to head
- •Training with rivals (e.g., Benny Adegbuyi): ‘if he’s better, I’m better’
- 34:51 – 44:43
Hollywood ambitions: acting plans, management, and staying ‘all-in’ on fighting
Rico discusses moving into acting, working with U.S. management, and taking language/acting improvement seriously. Joe asks about the risk of being distracted; Rico insists he and his coach separate phases—either fully focused on fighting or fully focused on filming.
- •Working in LA: meetings, representation (Paradigm), skill-building
- •Training/celebrity crossover: Kevin Hart, Mark Wahlberg, Anthony Hardonk
- •Upcoming film: action/black-ops role but wanting to show real acting range
- •Avoiding ‘one foot in, one foot out’—focus blocks for fights vs movies
- 44:43 – 52:53
Cardio, mindset, and the ‘champion grind’: running, mental toughness, and overtraining risk
They talk about running as a hated-but-essential base builder, especially for a 260-pound heavyweight. Rico frames discomfort as mental conditioning and admits he needs his team to prevent overtraining because his default is always to push harder.
- •Long runs build aerobic base and faster recovery, despite joint stress
- •‘Comfortable being uncomfortable’ as a competitive advantage
- •Rico’s obsession: always doing extra (stretching/abs) beyond sessions
- •Team role: pulling him back when fatigue and overtraining signs appear
- 52:53 – 1:17:54
Recovery, tracking, nutrition, and mental coaching: optimizing the full package
Rico details monitoring temperature and vitals, keeping logs, using a doctor for bloodwork-based supplementation, and relying on massage and cryotherapy for recovery. The conversation expands into sports psychology, grief, and how talking things out can improve performance and life balance.
- •Monitoring: blood pressure, temperature, logging, and trend analysis
- •Nutrition approach: private chef in camp, high intake, ‘eating himself slim’
- •Recovery stack: daily physio/massage, cryotherapy, sauna, float tanks
- •Mental training: mentorship plus sports psychology; processing grief and stress
- 1:17:54 – 1:20:15
Fight logistics and closing: how to watch Rico vs Badr, plus final push for kickboxing
They confirm the event date and distribution options (UFC Fight Pass and possibly ESPN/ESPN2). Joe emphasizes the bout as a gateway for new fans to understand elite kickboxing and they end with Rico’s social handles and a hopeful outlook for U.S. growth.
- •Date: December 21; positioning as the era’s biggest 1-on-1 kickboxing fight
- •Broadcast: UFC Fight Pass, with mention of ESPN/ESPN2 (not fully confirmed)
- •Joe’s pitch: must-watch fight to showcase high-level striking
- •Outro: Rico’s Instagram/Twitter and final encouragement to grow the sport
