The Daniel Cormier Show - Movsar Evloev on Alexander Volkanovski UFC 333 fight, Mighty Mouse & Aldo CALLOUTS

0:01 The volume. Daniel! Come on, somebody!

0:12 What's up guys, welcome to a brand new episode of the Daniel Cormier Show brought to you by Total Wallace, the official mobile service provider of UFC. Hey, real UFC fans need 5G data that won't tap out. Real fans need Real Unlimited. Today I am joined by one of the best featherweights in the world, the number one contender for the championship, Mozart Vloyev.

0:33 How you doing my guy? How you feeling? Can't wait.

0:37 Can't wait. Three more days until historical moment.

0:41 But it's been a long time waiting.

0:42 Right, right.

0:44 You've been able to sit through, I mean, 20-0, 10-0 in the UFC. It's a big record for a guy that's done some tremendous things in his career. To sit and have to wait for that title opportunity, how's that been for you?

0:59 How's that been for you in terms of you mentally?

1:02 I just enjoy it all the time. You know, I stay in Florida. I trained in the best gym in the world with the best people, you know. And all this time wasn't suffering for me. And also, I'm a Muslim, you know. Whatever comes or don't come is already written. So I just take it with patience.

1:29 So just your faith, your religion has allowed for you to be able to, where most men would be really frustrated, you've been able to kind of just stay true to who you are.

1:38 Yeah, to be frustrated about things you cannot change, at least it's stupid. Yeah.

1:45 How much time are you spending in Florida at American Top Team?

1:48 70 years.

1:49 But you live in Florida full time?

1:51 Oh, yeah. I just go like for... Short breaks to like to my family and well most of the time I stay in Florida.

2:00 Mm-hmm 20 you know that's a dominant right to say the least When you started this career, then you envision this like.

2:12 Being an undefeated fighter getting ready to fight for UFC championship Because we all have dreams right before those dreams to turn into reality They don't happen all the time.

2:23 Honestly you know I didn't think about to be undefeated or to be like big goat of the this sport the my career started with the fight I just go for my first fight to just go to China you know you know to to just travel because I even didn't know that I can win the fight so and after that one Then I realized so I can play around, so I can do a little more than I thought I can do. And now I'm here with 20 and no record and fighting for the title soon. So, good.

3:08 Does it mean something to be fighting Alexander Volkanovsky for the championship, a guy that's been? a champion for a long time, and honestly, almost a guy that's advocated for you to get a title fight. He was the one that was calling for you to get this title opportunity.

3:22 Yeah, when I win the belt, inshallah, I should pay half of my money to these guys. But yeah, to fight with somebody like Alex Volkanovski for your first title fight and become champion, by beating this guy that means a lot more than you beat somebody else because he proved that he's truly legend and you know this is like this looks like a dream to become champion and take the belt from him.

4:08 Were you surprised that he was actually calling for you to get a title shot? Because if I'm being honest, if that was me, I wouldn't be calling out the guy that would seem to be the worst possible matchup for me. Were you surprised when he started publicly saying, I want to fight a Vloyev? It has to be a Vloyev. It can't be anybody else.

4:27 I think you... You, like, you lying. You, you, you, you legend. You always fight.

4:36 I would fight. I'm not saying I would be afraid.

4:38 To become best.

4:39 Hey, turn the light back on. I'm not saying I would be afraid.

4:44 I'm just saying, though, like, you seem, you would seem to have the most difficult style for him. But that's the fight that he was in pursuit of. Were you surprised when you started seeing that?

4:54 If I would be him... I also want to fight with the best guys because I'm not just....

5:01 It's Will, man. Will, you just had it, Will.

5:03 I'm here not just to become champion, but to become champion and prove that I'm the best. To be the best, you need to fight with the best. And that's what Alex is trying to do.

5:18 When you look at Volk today, opposed to Volk before in the last couple of fights with Diego Lopez, his last few title opportunities, the wins that he's had, what do you see in Alexander Volkanovsky? Is he the guy that you remember watching when he was on that legendary run beating Max Holloway three times?

5:36 Now he looks even more dangerous than before.

5:40 You think so?

5:40 Yeah, I think so. And that's, you know, maturated me even more. And I don't want to be the weak version of him. I want to be the prime Alex Volkanovski. And I'm only proving to myself that I'm the best. And this, I'm about to do this Saturday.

6:08 You know, I have, a.

6:11 Lot of people have said that you have earned this opportunity for a long time. But with this chance now, being that it took so long to get here, right? Having to win 10 times in the UFC. I don't think I've seen a guy win as many fights in the UFC before a title fight than Max Holloway won 12.

6:28 12. Way back in the day. It's a very difficult division to get a title. Habib is the same, right? Huh?

6:32 Habib is the same.

6:34 Well, yeah, he won a whole bunch of fights too. 11.

6:36 But it was like those divisions are so deep that you can explain it right with those guys at that time, whereas it's a little bit harder to explain why you haven't had it yet. But with that, with that weight, with having to win so many fights, do you feel pressure now that you have.

6:52 To get it done in this one? Or do you feel like.

6:56 This is another fight where I can win, become the champion, but if it's not, I know you don't think about losing, but if it doesn't happen, is there a pressure that comes with waiting so long and almost having to win because it will be too long to wait again for another opportunity?

7:10 Yeah, I don't think about this this way because if I win, I win because it was written. And same thing if I lose. I don't think about to win or lose. I just think about to show the best version of me. And that's the only important thing. Yeah. But until today, I was winning all my fights. And any time before or after, loss is also an option.

7:47 You know, I can take it with a... With dignity, how to say it. with dignity yeah like I'm not special but I have confidence for this fight and now I feel stronger than ever and maybe this is the reason you know why I why I was waiting for too long because now best version of me will fight First time for his style.

8:28 I don't know how much you pay attention to stuff outside of your camp, but there's been a lot of stuff around your position. Demetrius Johnson had some stuff to say about you publicly, about you and your title opportunity. Then Jose Aldo had some stuff to say about you and your title opportunity.

8:50 When you see that from two guys that are legends in.

8:53 The game, guys that are respected by so many, because as athletes, we want to have the respect of our contemporaries. What do you make of those types of statements from guys like Jose Aldo and Demetrius Johnson?

9:07 Uh, they earn their, uh, respect, right?

9:11 Yeah.

9:11 I haven't yet.

9:13 Maybe that's... But how can you not have earned your respect when you're 20 and 0 and won 10 fights in the UFC? Partly was, Jose Aldo's points was based on decisions. You having decisions, but you're still winning fights. And ultimately, that's what matters.

9:25 His fights, more entertainment than mine because of his style. And, uh, Demetrius Johnson is one of the best fighters and I'm trying to get to reach this level too but I need too many things like you know to do before to get there and of course you know you I'm not saying I like what they saying but I don't take it deep maybe it's they have reason to say that.

10:01 Maybe they believe what they're saying. Because look, he text me, Demetrius Johnson, and I just see his message. After one year, he asked me to come for his interview. Maybe that was reason, you know, he feel bad about me. And also, Aldo, I mentioned that he was, for me, Alex Barrett, because he's a champion when doping test wasn't like in UFC.

10:37 Maybe I hurt him by this. Many reasons, or they just think what they think.

10:46 When you look back on your career, right, obviously you haven't had the finishes that some guys have had. But obviously your intention is to finish fights. What would it mean to you if you can not only win this fight and become world champion, but get a finish over Alexander Volkanovski? Because then every decision you may have had leading up to that is forgotten. Because in the biggest moment of your career, you would get that stoppage.

11:10 Good point. And this is what I'm about to do for the next one. And I'm looking after finish, not just belt.

11:20 What would it mean to you to win that championship in Abu Dhabi?

11:26 Obviously, you're Muslim. Right. A lot of support here.

11:29 What would it mean for you to become a world champion in this region of the world over a guy like Alexander Volkanovsky?

11:37 Yeah.

11:38 Maybe this is the only place we can fight and where I have, like, at least... the same level of support as Alex has. Because America, Australia, if I go there, you know, I'll be alone. Yeah, here, I got, like, my support by me. Yeah, but, yeah, like you said, this is Muslim country and to become champion here and also this place close to my house, like, to my... Republic, they can come. You know, they're already here, so.

12:19 How many people do you think you're going to have here to watch?

12:21 I think, like, just the people who text me about tickets, these thousands, you know.

12:31 Oh, my God.

12:32 They thought I have, like, extra thousand tickets or something like that. Yeah, I need, like, spend all of my money to bring them. But I said, okay, I would like you to see there, but... I don't have much tickets, yeah.

12:46 Well, what would it mean? Lifetime dream to become world champion?

12:52 Yeah, yeah.

12:53 Yeah. Well, good luck this weekend.

12:55 Thank you. Thank you.

12:56 Guys, Mo Sarvloy of Challenges for the UFC featherweight championship this weekend against Alexander Volkanovski in the main event this weekend in Abu Dhabi. Make sure you guys go follow this guy. He's a great dude, a tremendous fighter. This weekend, he tries to accomplish his ultimate goal. Until next time, guys.

13:13 Peace.