Jon Realejo is an avid UFC Fan and the Founder of https://www.bloodycanvas.net/. Check out the website and stay tuned for more collaborations between the two of us.
Transcript
Jon Realejo just hearing anything no booths, it almost seemed like it wasn’t, taking still all right to be pretty loud and rambunctious, so it was. It was definitely odd. So I guess we can just start by talking about your thoughts on that. I guess yeah. You know and a lot of people compared it to like the prelims that go down in Vegas and stuff, but kind of how you the nail on the head words. You know it was in Brazil and we’re so used to a certain type of atmosphere whenever the UFC goes to Brazil and that was obviously lacking um. I thought it was definitely a little bit weird, but I didn’t think it was as weird as I thought it would be. You know there were. There were definitely long stretches where I think. While the fight was happening, I forgot that there were no fans, but when the announcer, when Joe Martinez was announcing their names or went during the walkouts – and there was no, there was no sound and no fans going crazy. That’S the only time it really like hit me that wow there’s really nobody in there, but when the fights were happening, I kind of forgot about it to be honest, yeah yeah, I kind of found like I found when they were doing the like wait after the Fight they announced the winner and all that it was really weird like not usually like if a American wins on Brazil’s soil, there’s booze and not hearing any of that, it was extremely unusual. What were your thoughts on the fights overall? Like uh, I mean I was ridiculously impressed with Gilbert Burns. I knew he was legit, but knocking out a veteran like Demian Maia was super impressive, yeah yeah. Absolutely I was that was very impressive by burns. As far as as far as the fight Sims themselves, you know I thought that you know especially for a card that had so many decisions to get things started. You know we had nine decisions in a row. I thought it was pretty good when you consider that there weren’t any finishes. Amanda rebus looks like a future contender. She’S a monster, Brandon Moreno picked a big win against jucier for me. Go and now he’s you know at the very top of that division with not too many names ahead of them if any for a potential title shot, I was you know not necessarily rooting for or against him, but I wanted to see Johnny Walker in a second And third round fight and seeing you know what happened against Krylov yeah, I mean I think he was exposed a little bit and in a different way than he was exposed by Corey Anderson, but I think over the long. I think I think this fight helped him a lot more than you know. The Corey Anderson fight did where it was just a fire fight right from the jump and he gets finished early in that one. My cano dominating that was very impressive. I’M interested to see him at lightweight and then the the winners of the co-main and main event I mean just dominant stuff, really really impressed by Gilbert burns and Charles Oliveira. You know what do you think I mean obviously not to Meccano. Now he was top 15 at featherweight. What do you think could be next for him I mean I, I love a fight between him and Felder. I think that would be exciting, but it’s almost some people could say it’s a bit, much of a jump there at 155. Is there anyone else there that you think would be a better matchup for armor yeah. I mean there’s it’s it’s it’s interesting, because you know it’s possible that just based on lack of options, we could have situation where Charles Oliveira is the one fighting Paul Felder again like it’s just there’s so much going on at the top of the division. A lot depends on what happens at UFC 249. If we even get that fight, we also have to wait and see what happens with Conor. Is he gon na fight, gay chi or not like there’s a lot of moving pieces? Another fight for my condo that would interest me would be an ally Quinta. I think that could be. That could be an easy, an easy fight to make. If there’s nothing else going on and Iaquinta has been struggling to find an opponent and get a fight booked as well, yeah there’s but there’s a lot of the fighters that are ranked in the lightweight division. Are there kind of matched up like sort of at this point or they’re kind of in the wait-and-see spot like a gay chi or an Olivera or obviously Connors, which obviously, what kind of wouldn’t get that fight? But there was, you know I mean, but there’s there’s a lot going on it lightweight, but at the same time it’s like kind of standing still as far as what could potentially happen. Next yeah, it’s it’s unusual, especially for the the lightweight division for it to just be at a standstill. I always find that there’s always matchups to make its top 15, but my feeling a lot of those guys, are coming off losses like Paul Felder and I can to an aid. They might be perfect for that rebound they’re. Looking for a rebound against someone like my Cano, who is definitely ultra dangerous, how about what do you feel about Gilbert burns and Demian Maia? What do you think could be next for those guys, obviously there’s a lot of rising contender turnout 170, with guys like chiesa, big win over dos Anjos as well as, what’s his name Jeff Neil, who Mike Perry brand new faces there could be, could be waiting for More, do you think a bigger name? It could be waiting for Gilbert burns he’s calling out Woodley, who I don’t believe should be taking that fight. Personally, I think Colby’s, it’s probably the better suited fight for him, if not the rematch or the the rebooking of Leon. Edwards, but what do you think should be next for burns and as well as Demian Maia yeah, you know it’s it’s kind of it’s kind of hard to predict right now because of what happened with the fight that was supposed to happen on Saturday. If that fight happened, then we would have a lot of clarity in the welterweight division on what could potentially happen. Next, but now I mean I’m a big Leon. Edwards fan, but now the fight to make is clearly tyron, woodley and Colby Covington like that fight has to get booked now and in it leaves Leon Edwards. You know on the outside looking in, but at the same time I feel like Leon. Edwards should be no more than one fight away from a title shot. You know it is, is Gilbert burns the type of opponent that he could put, that Leon, Edwards, could fight and that could propel him for a title shot. I don’t know is that is it? Maybe wonder boy for for Leon Edwards, you know, maybe that fight gets him a title shot it’s and then, after that. I think that you have to start at the top of the division and kind of work your way down and without knowing that it would be tough. I mean, I think, the ideal situation, if I’m being honest, would be McGregor fights. Mazda dal Edwards gets a title shot and then you book Tyron and Colby to fight the winner of Leon Edwards in tomorrow, Iseman and then you book you book in whatever fashion Stephen Thompson, Gilbert, Bernstein, sorry, michael Chiesa and Jeff Neil, the four of them you book Them in with like two different matchups, I think that that could create some buzz, but it’s it’s so hard to predict what can happen next. We just don’t know what they’re gon na do at the very top of the division. Yeah it’s and then this weight is making it definitely way more complicated, because who knows it could be six months out before we potentially see a title fight? Who knows how long this is gon na, be? You know they’re predicting 18 months before they even come up with a solution for the coronavirus, hopefully there’s matches before then, but who knows who knows how it’s gon na all play out? It just seems like lightweight divisions. Been is a mess right now because there’s a bunch of contenders and the same that goes with welterweight. So I have no idea how they’re gon na rearrange that and rebook it and I’m hearing that they had to cancel a Barclays Center. So that’s no longer an option for UFC 249. So who knows where they’re gon na take it whether it be overseas? I know Dana posted a picture of the fight on the moon. Yeah actually be the only solution here. Yeah, there’s got to be some like billionaire with a private island that no one’s been to, since this whole thing started that they can host the fight. I mean like that’s: got ta exist somewhere in this world, yeah yeah. The problem is, how is it going to get sanctioned? That’S true, but I mean yes somewhere, like Saudi Arabia or Qatar. There might be able to maybe able to swing something. I’M the only issue there is is an event like that worth putting um putting on. If there’s not gon na be anybody in attendance, I just find. I have no idea like that that that fights been so jinxed, so I want to see it regardless. If there’s no one in attendance, I just don’t know if it’s really worth it or if it’s worth waiting waiting it out, but I’m just glad I’m not Dana White yeah and an interest, a something that I’m looking to. Is you know if that fight does happen? Let’S say on April 18th, we get AB, you can get mad off and Tony Ferguson and they fight. How many fights are they gon na have on that card? Is it a situation? Are we gon na have a situation where that’s the only fight of the night, where, like they just make, that fight happen and kind of like don’t do anything else, or do they have just like a main car to kind of like mix the prelims like? What does that look like, and I mean who knows, I would imagine that they want to keep it to the least amount of people as possible. To not have it go too crazy, but does that do we get a full card or I’ve? No, I whatever they decide, I’m it’s a crazy story. It really is yeah. I I have no idea how it’s gon na play out, but I mean I’d still pay the full 70 bucks to watch just the two of them play fight for sure yeah. So I think even just those two I’m unsold, but you cute – I don’t. I don’t think you can just put one fight on TV. I got ta. I don’t think you can do that, but I don’t either but like it’s there’s a lot more obstacles when you the more fights that you have on the card, I, if I it’s a bet, I would say that we get like a five fight me. Apart type of fight yeah, I could see that I could see that happening just just the main card and nothing after that yeah. So it’s just so so unusual to see something like that. Certainly yeah yeah, and I guess so I guess now the we can talk about the the main event there. Kevin lee saying he’s gon na take a lot of time off he’s. Obviously still young he’s 27. I was explaining this to a buddy of mine. I said it’s kind of like a dare until type thing where you’ve fought for the title. You’Ve made a name for yourself now to get easy fights to build your name back up again and get on a nice win streak. It’S gon na be difficult because you’re just so well known that you’re only gon na get difficult fights. Do you find like that’s? That’S a situation. Kevin Lixin, I mean you saw with Darren till he fought for the title, lost to straight fights and then they booked him against Kelvin Gastelum. It was extremely dangerous. I think Kevin Lee is sort of in a weird spot where they’re not gon na match him up with some guy outside the top 15. It’S only gon na be real legit fighters, but obviously now he’s got good coaches around them and I do think taking some time is the right move. I just don’t know how long he’s gon na be out for your thoughts on that yeah. You know it’s definitely an interesting case. Darren till is a really good. You know way to compare him, but you know there was at least would dare until you know it was a quick knockout against Mazda Dahl where it was like. You know he gets. He gets hit and that gets knocked out and he was changing weight classes. He had things going for him. I think Kevin Lee if he is going to take some time off, go up to 170. I think like at this point like if you’re going to or if you’re gon na take time off like get like the next time, Kevin Lee fights the weight should not be an issue you get you get it controlled to wear 155 is significantly easier or just Or just go up to welterweight and yeah, it’s it’s gon na, be tough for him to get an easy fight and he hasn’t – and he has can constantly said that he doesn’t want easy fights which makes it even harder for him in that regard as well and Another person who he’s kind of in a similar situation, to is I’d, say Anthony Pettis when he got booked with Diego fajita, where it’s like he’s fighting a guy in Diego fajita who most people might not know. But, like that’s a monster, do you say it is a monster and it was a and it was a high risk, low reward fight for Pettis and we saw how that happened. How that went down – and it’s like is Kevin Lee in that similar spot. I think he very well could be yeah. I also find like guys like, for example, Donald Cerrone, like great now he’s on a three-fight losing streak and he’s been on these losing streaks in the past. He takes a step back fights. A couple of unranked fighters gets four or five six seven wins in a row sometimes and he’s right back in there, and I think for guys who are on two three fight losing streaks. That may be the way to go, but, like you said, you can find find himself in a situation like Anthony Pettis, where you’re fighting a killer, that no one knows, and he built the name off Pettis and now Pettis finds himself in a really weird spot. So yeah there’s there’s, there’s definitely high risks to doing that. It’S just I. I don’t see Kevin Lee being able to pick up victories against the top ten of the division. I think when he’s on, he he’s capable, but he, but now ever since the passing of his coach, he hasn’t. He hasn’t looked like the same Kevin Lee that we saw against michael Chiesa, for example. So I I’m not sure what the right move is for Kevin Lee, and I think I forget who I matched him up with last weekend, but someone someone ripped on me for it and no matter who I’m as people up with someone someone’s ripping rip me up For it, uh-huh that’s a cost of doing business yeah I mean I only do it for fun and the amount of people that are ripping on me telling me not to do it anymore, I’m like yo, I’m just doing I don’t get paid for this. This is just me having fun I just I just looked it up you, you match them up with the neil darish, which i think is a great fight. I think that, and that’s the type of fight where we’re talking about where it’s similar to the Pettis fajita fight, where that’s a monster right there and who, at times, dare you looks like a future contender. Sometimes when he fights you know other times he leaves you know you looking for a little bit more from him, but there’s times where he looks like a flat-out monster and that’s a tough fight for Kevin Lee and that’s kind of the fight that were you know The team same type of fight that we’re describing yeah exactly, I dare usually really impressive, against Drakkar close insane. He was rocked and then just went forward and knocked him out. I thought that was insanely impressive, but then he’s also had fights against Alexander Hernandez, who I mean no disrespect to Alexander Hernandez, but I mean it was his debut to start and he managed to be Peniel. But I think 9 times out of 10 Peniel wins that fight, but but yeah I mean but Neal’s looked incredible in some fights and not so great in others and then very similar to Kevin Lee. So I don’t know I thought that that match that made sense. They were both on that card or I think they fought two weeks apart or something like that. So timelines dare users on the 248 card, yeah yeah, so I’m assuming timewise, neither one of them seemed to have much. I mean Kevin Lee got choked out. It wasn’t like he got knocked out. I don’t think the the timeline for his return, assuming he doesn’t actually take a long way off. I think injury wise. They should both be be matched up well, like I think. Maybe the timing should theoretically make sense and they’re both I mean, I think where there are Benigno is probably a win away from top 15 and Lee could rebound off that. So I don’t know. I thought I thought that matchup made sense at the time, but yeah. It’S a lot easier to just say: you’re, an idiot, you don’t know anything to actually put all that thought process into a matchmaking decision. Yeah yeah, there’s a I and I feel like there’s I’ve, always like it’s something that there’s always interested me. It’S like how man be so fun and why I haven’t the UFC done it, but there’s so much more to it. Right like there was one of them injured is one of them. There’S not can one of them not get a visa, and there’s these all these other little things that some people don’t put into it in a thought process before walking in another matchup, for example, I, after Yoel lost two artists Anya, I said Noel should take a Step back and fight, omariya met off and people were ripping on me for that and I get it, you know we go Wells, a monster he’s been he’s top five he’s legit he’s. Arguably his last three losses could have gone either way, but three he’s losing. He lost three fights in a row, so I figured taking a step back and fighting off. Matt off would be a good idea. That being said, everyone disagrees with it. So it’s it’s! It’S hard, it’s hard to find a matchup. That makes sense for a lot of these guys, and I don’t know I I enjoy doing it, but there is a lot of people who rip on before every matchup I make yeah. So I would not want to be yo CH maker. For that reason, all right all right yeah. So what I guess? How long do you think this is gon na prolong like do you think it’s gon na be a two-month thing. 3-Month thing, I I genuinely think it’s gon na be a lot longer than Dana White wants to admit yeah. I think that we might get to 49. I think we might get to 49. Do you think I pushed, or do you think it’s gon na happen on that date? I I would put, I would say my feeling is like 60 % we get. We get it on April 18th because I think Dana White will do whatever it takes to make that fight happen on that date. Yeah. Does that mean that we’re gon na get a fight night card the next week? I don’t remember which, which card is next? After that, but like does that mean that that card is gon na happen? No, I I think it could be months and months before we see. We see the UFC every single weekend and at that point I’m very interested to see how they handle it. Like, let’s say, they’re they’re back in full swing in let’s say July, right, like let’s or July August whatever, and that’s when the UFC’s on every weekend now our? How are they gon na handle it? Are they gon na book more cards on Fridays and have like these double weekends type of thing where they have all these fighters? They’Re gon na have a backlog of fighters who haven’t fought in forever, there’s gon na be so many title fights that are gon na. Have to take place there’s all of these things that are occurring, and you can’t necessarily just make all these stacked cards, because then the fighters at the you know at the bottom, that you know you know: unranked fighters, early early, prelims types of fighters like they’re, not Gon na fight for like a year, it’s it’s tough, it’s really really hard. So I think that we could have a situation where we’re seeing the UFC on Friday and on Saturday for multiple weeks. I think that’s entirely possible yeah. I also think similar what they did with. I think Jack Marshman was a Jack Marshman. Someone from this that was subside, weakened, fought on Cage, Warriors yeah and I think that’s a possibility as well like if you can’t get a fight booked and set period of time or we can’t get you in a card will allow you to fight on another or In another organization against another UFC fighter, obviously I don’t think that’s ideal for for the UFC, but I think I think Dana has to offer them three fights a year. I think is what their contract says. So if they can’t offer every fighter on the roster all 500 or whatever of them, these three fights of the year they’re gon na they have to pay them their fight money, I’m pretty sure knowing Dana and know in the UFC they’d rather than fight somewhere. But yeah I mean I mean like, like you said: there’s they’re gon na have to double-booked or like they used to. I think previously they used to have an event in the States and then event in Europe the same day as well fight nights but yeah. It’S it’s it’s unusual for for this to be out like, and it’s shutting down multiple states, multiple venues there, so it’s not even like they can move it to other areas. It’S being Taiyo world right now is is locked down. So I don’t know how they’re gon na work work their way around it yeah and we might get. We might get to a point where, like a huge number, a huge percentage of the world just has it like. That’S like very, I would say possible, but maybe you know looking a little bit more like that’s that kind of like a doomsday type of thing, but like if 80 percent of the world catches this thing are like. Is it possible that we just say, okay, like just go back to living your normal life like this, is just like part of life? Now, like I don’t until they come up with some some way to salt, like some antidote or whatever, like? Is that where we’re headed, it’s just there’s so many different possibilities, it’s so hard to predict how like what the outcome might be. Yeah. It’S always it’s unusual, but I just can’t wait for this thing to all I’ll go away. I mean every Saturday night for the past five years. I’Ve been watching UFC, so not having now on Saturday. Nights is weird: what how did you get involved? I guess like what was there a specific fight? I was having this conversation with a friend of mine last weekend and he’s like yeah. He just recently got involved Connors, the guy that got him and into it. I feel like a lot of people who got involved and started watching UFC because of Connor. I got involved personally I started. I fell in love with it with when was shot and rampage we’re coaching, the Ultimate Fighter that was the when I saw rampage tear down that door. I was like I got it, I’m all over this classic. Is there a specific fight that got you into it or a specific fighter or event yeah? You know it fighter, it was Chuck Liddell and I was – and I would say I was a very, very casual fan for a long time and then just I don’t even you know, Chuck Liddell got me into the sport and then I’m it. There wasn’t like a necessary like a specific time or specific fight, or anything where I just like realize like well, I’m watching this every weekend now, like you know what I mean like it, just kind of just kind of happened, and but yeah Chuck Liddell definitely got Me into the sport he was on like the best damn sports show and like all that kind of stuff, he was everywhere and then I hated Tito Ortiz as a kid cuz. You know, I guess he’s like that all stuff yeah. So it was that kind of stuff, and then you know a certain point. Maybe I don’t know seven years ago when it whenever who knows it was just kind of like wow like I’ve loved this sport, yeah yeah, I yeah I got. I got hooked really quickly, like I made a spreadsheet a couple years ago, where I have a list of every fighter that ever fought ever fought their records, the events and the amount of people in attendance like it’s all, connected with formulas and Wow. It’S is this a passion I have and I don’t even know where it came from. I don’t I mean I didn’t done a little jujitsu, but I don’t. I don’t do martial arts, so I have no idea where this came from. I have no idea but yeah. I know it I don’t know it took over and that’s literally all I think about when I’m not at work and even when I’m at work, I’m thinking about it. So it’s it’s definitely unusual for me to have this sort of passion and a lot of my friends are like hey. Why don’t you come out? I’M like got to work on my spreadsheet, but but now it’s a definitely a weird passion, but once you fall in love with a sport, I find everybody’s hooked on it like once you’re hooked on it, you either die hard or you’re, not into it at all. Yeah yeah, your your hardcore, you know you’re the c-word. You know that people have loved thrown that one around but yeah exactly alright. Well uh. I mean that’s thanks for thanks for taking the time to talk it’s first time for me. So, thanks for being pretty open and yeah, I was it was hard for me to get going at first, but I’m glad that we had a pretty good conversation there and I’m definitely looking forward to doing this. I want more people on I want. I want to. Hopefully get a couple fighters on as well once I get a little bit better at it, I guess and some more fans and and whoever wants to talk about it – anything related to UFC, I’m always down to talk. So it’s appreciate it yeah, absolutely not a problem. Anytime, in all, right I’ll have a have a good one and keep washing your hands. Man, and that same day I guess stay inside, don’t get don’t go, don’t go, get infected or anything and stay safe. Awesome thanks man, all right!
