Daniel Cormier TV - Daniel Cormier & Ben Askren DEBATE 100 men vs. one gorilla + Eddie Hearn on boxing vs. UFC

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Daniel Cormier TV - Daniel Cormier & Ben Askren DEBATE 100 Men vs. One Gorilla + Eddie Hearn on Boxing vs. UFC"

Introduction

Released on May 3, 2025, this episode of "The Herd with Colin Cowherd," hosted by iHeartPodcasts and The Volume, features former UFC champions Daniel Cormier and Ben Askren engaging in a spirited discussion. The episode delves into the ongoing debate between UFC and boxing, explores the financial dynamics within each sport, and culminates in a humorous yet thought-provoking debate on a hypothetical scenario: 100 men versus one gorilla.

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UFC vs. Boxing: Insights from Eddie Hearn

The conversation kicks off with Ben Askren referencing a statement from Eddie Hearn, a prominent boxing promoter known for his work with top fighters like Canelo Alvarez and Tyson Fury. Askren highlights Hearn's perspective that while boxing may seem to be thriving, it faces challenges not immediately apparent.

Ben Askren [06:00]: "Eddie Hearn said something like, boxing is killing it. I feel like boxing's dying."

This remark sparks a detailed analysis from Cormier, who counters by emphasizing the relativity of success metrics between the two sports.

Daniel Cormier [06:53]: "Because the money in boxing is much bigger today than it's ever been. Those guys weren't making anywhere near what they're making today."

Cormier argues that while pay-per-view (PPV) numbers might appear lower for UFC compared to boxing, the revenue distribution and overall financial health of the UFC make its stance robust.

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Pay-Per-View Sales and Revenue Comparison

The hosts delve into the intricacies of PPV sales, comparing the UFC's performance to that of boxing. Cormier points out that even seemingly lower PPV numbers in the UFC translate to substantial revenue due to different payout structures.

Daniel Cormier [07:21]: "Yeah. Right. Like, so essentially, it's very relative, but in terms of numbers, different stars, not so much."

Ben Askren concedes that while boxing may boast higher individual fight earnings, the UFC's consistent event schedule and broad fighter roster contribute to its financial stability.

Ben Askren [08:05]: "So the UFC's killed it for ESPN."

However, Cormier highlights that recent UFC PPV events have seen a decline, with some only reaching around 100,000 buys, a figure he deems "really bad" for the sport.

Daniel Cormier [08:35]: "I think that number today is smaller than it was in the past because I know on good authority that there have been some pay per views, Ben. That you wouldn't believe."

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Fighter Earnings: UFC vs. Boxing

A significant portion of the discussion centers on fighter compensation. Cormier contrasts the UFC's payment structure with boxing's, noting that a larger number of UFC fighters earn a livable income compared to their boxing counterparts.

Daniel Cormier [09:24]: "Not even half of boxers make 12 and 12. They don't make that. Now, the bigger guys make a ton of money."

Askren adds that the UFC's approach allows more fighters to sustain their careers, although top-tier boxers like Canelo Alvarez still earn exponentially more.

Ben Askren [18:03]: "That's great. I do think the UFC fighters are making kind of more than ever."

Cormier reinforces this by sharing his personal earnings from high-profile UFC events, illustrating the financial opportunities within the organization.

Daniel Cormier [18:29]: "I know what I made to fight Derrick Lewis. And when it came out and I don't know who told them, everybody was so surprised. But now I know probably, I know of maybe 10 to 15 guys that are making that."

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The Lack of UFC Stars Compared to Boxing

While boxing has historic figures who transcend the sport, the UFC has struggled to cultivate similarly iconic stars. Cormier attributes this to the UFC's business model, which focuses on the organization's brand rather than individual fighters.

Daniel Cormier [13:19]: "Eddie Hearn was on that show this weekend because there's a lot of people fighting on Friday and Saturday."

He acknowledges Conor McGregor as a standout UFC star but suggests that such figures are rare within the organization.

Daniel Cormier [13:19]: "The only athlete that ever overcame that truly was Conor McGregor."

Askren concurs, noting that while the UFC successfully builds a consistent fan base, it lacks the marquee names that boxing promotions leverage to draw massive audiences.

Ben Askren [19:05]: "So Eddie Hearn maybe has a few points there, I just can't get behind the fact that boxing is huge or as big as it's ever been. I don't feel that way at all."

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Promoters and Business Strategies

The discussion shifts to the role of promoters, with Cormier highlighting Eddie Hearn's experience and success in boxing.

Daniel Cormier [19:19]: "Don King was with Muhammad Ali, right? ... he clearly understood the game, right?"

He suggests that the UFC could benefit from adopting some strategies from boxing promoters to enhance their marketability and fighter star power.

Daniel Cormier [20:10]: "If the UFC takes anything from Eddie Hearn, I would listen to some of his advice because he has been in the game for a really long time."

However, Cormier remains optimistic about the UFC's ability to navigate these challenges by leveraging its existing strengths and strategic partnerships.

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The Hypothetical Debate: 100 Men vs. One Gorilla

Adding a lighter tone to the episode, Cormier and Askren engage in a humorous debate about a viral online scenario: whether 100 men could defeat a single gorilla. This segment showcases their camaraderie and quick wit.

Askren introduces the topic with a humorous angle, questioning the gorilla's endurance against multiple opponents.

Ben Askren [22:26]: "How many humans would the gorilla kill before the gorilla gas out?"

Cormier counters with detailed reasoning, emphasizing the gorilla's physical advantages and the improbability of such an outcome.

Daniel Cormier [32:46]: "Every man is done by the gorilla in 10 minutes."

The debate evolves into a playful exchange of strategies, with both hosts entertaining various tactics while ultimately agreeing on the futility of the scenario.

Daniel Cormier [35:25]: "You guys have no idea. Like, it's the most ridiculous conversation of all time. I can't believe we're doing this on our show."

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Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Wrapping up, Cormier reflects on the insights shared during the episode, acknowledging the complexity of the UFC vs. Boxing debate and the potential influence of experienced promoters like Eddie Hearn on the UFC's future strategies.

Daniel Cormier [19:55]: "But he's been in the game for a really long time... those guys are smart, and they're going to employ the right people to guide them down the right path."

The episode concludes with a blend of acknowledgment for the ongoing discussions within combat sports and a lighthearted sign-off following their entertaining gorilla debate.

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Notable Quotes

• Daniel Cormier [06:53]: "Because the money in boxing is much bigger today than it's ever been."
• Ben Askren [08:05]: "So the UFC's killed it for ESPN."
• Daniel Cormier [13:19]: "The only athlete that ever overcame that truly was Conor McGregor."
• Ben Askren [19:05]: "So Eddie Hearn maybe has a few points there, I just can't get behind the fact that boxing is huge or as big as it's ever been."
• Daniel Cormier [32:46]: "Every man is done by the gorilla in 10 minutes."

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Final Thoughts

This episode offers a comprehensive look into the dynamics of combat sports, juxtaposing the business models, financial structures, and star power of the UFC and boxing. Through candid dialogue and engaging debates, Daniel Cormier and Ben Askren provide listeners with valuable insights into the evolving landscape of mixed martial arts and boxing, all while maintaining an entertaining and relatable tone.

Transcript

[Daniel Cormier]

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[Ben Askren]

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[Daniel Cormier]

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[Freddy]

Thank you. Yeah, it was great. We. This was our first ever. There's not a lot of things we haven't got done at awa, but senior US Open champion was one of them. So we checked that box. Next thing we need to check is senior world medalist, and we're hoping to get that done this year.

[Daniel Cormier]

Or maybe like an Olympian or something, huh? That might be Olympian, world team member, like, something.

[Freddy]

I kind of count those as the same. I mean, you. You did both, so I think they're the same because it's like there's obviously every fourth year, there's no Olympics. Not a world what?

[Daniel Cormier]

So, Ben, wait, you made an Olympic team but not a world team, and so you're trying to jumble them all together? So wait, so, Ben, were you.

[Freddy]

Olympics is harder. I did the harder one.

[Daniel Cormier]

Wait, wait, Ben. So were you one of the unfortunate ones of making the Olympic team but not a world team? Is that what that is?

[Freddy]

Yeah, I made it at 23. You didn't make anything before you were 23.

[Daniel Cormier]

Yes, I did.

[Freddy]

You did not make a senior world team for your 23.

[Daniel Cormier]

Yes, I did.

[Freddy]

You are lying. You would be the first one in 2003. How old were you in 2003?

[Daniel Cormier]

So I'm 40.

[Freddy]

What's your birthday? What year were you born in?

[Daniel Cormier]

1979. So I was 24. God damn it. I think he got me. I was 24. You're right, bro. You're right. God dang it. I was 24. Actually, 25 because it was in the. The summer of two.

[Freddy]

When's your birthday?

[Daniel Cormier]

79.

[Freddy]

But what day? What day?

[Daniel Cormier]

March 20th. March 20th.

[Freddy]

All right.

[Daniel Cormier]

Yeah. Hey, Ben. So. God, I hate you. It's really frustrating that you're smart. Guess what, bro? I think you have someone that is willing to speak about the UFC in the same way that you do, because you guys are, like, respectful, but then you kind of take your shots, then you give respect, then you take your shot. It's like you give compliments hidden underneath, like, a little bit of hate. That's like. That's, like, your game.

[Freddy]

That's your game.

[Daniel Cormier]

When it comes to Dana White.

[Freddy]

No, I. I recognize the strengths and weaknesses in Dana's character, and I don't gloss over the weakness parts, but, yes, there's. I mean. I mean, that's. Most human beings you meet, like, there's some things you love about them, respect about them, and there's some things, like. I'm not so sure about this one, Dana. Maybe even to the extremes on both sides, of course. But, yeah, I. I like this Eddie Hearn clip. I. I actually agree with him on some parts, and I actually disagree with him on some parts. And you watch boxing more than me. So he said something like, boxing is killing it. I feel like boxing's dying. I am not a huge boxing fan, but that's what I feel like.

[Daniel Cormier]

So it's kind of all perspective. Right. Because the money in boxing is much bigger today than it's ever been. Those guys weren't making anywhere near what they're making today. I'm sorry, back then to what they're making today. Obviously, things change, right? Inflation, the economy changes. Everything goes different. Right. So, yes, maybe the $10 million they were making in 1997 equates to what today, Ben? 30.

[Freddy]

Yeah. Somewhere in there, huh?

[Daniel Cormier]

Yeah. Right. Like, so essentially, it's very relative, but in terms of numbers, different stars, not so much. Guys with the ability to sell, not so much. But I think that's across all platforms. In the ufc, they're not selling pay per views at the rate that they were before.

[Freddy]

Oh. So I agree with that. But don't you think that. And this is. I mean, this is A little bit to Eddie Heard's point, but I kind of think it's by design is that no matter who is fighting, if there's a UFC thing on, they're going to have X amount of people tune in. And, you know, ESPN cares about the amount of subscribers to their ESPN plus platform, and I think UFC has been killing it for them.

[Daniel Cormier]

Yeah, the UFC's killed it for ESPN.

[Freddy]

Yes.

[Daniel Cormier]

But I'm talking pay per view buys. I think that that sentiment that you just shared where you said there's a baseline number of people that will buy every ufc, I think that number today is smaller than it was in the past because I know on good authority that there have been some pay per views, Ben. That you wouldn't believe. The numbers now say a UFC pay per View sells 100,000 buys. Yeah, right.

[Freddy]

That's really low.

[Daniel Cormier]

Yes, that's what we would think. In boxing, they do 100,000 buys constantly, and it's low. But because of the structure of how the pay per views are paid out, it's not as bad. Whereas the UFC, when it does 100,000, that's really bad. So he might be saying boxing's killing it when the numbers are pretty comparative, but because of the way that it's. It's split in the revenue, they feel better about it.

[Freddy]

So you just mean money to the fighters or. Because I. So I feel like, you know, how many fighters on the ufc payroll, like 600 something?

[Daniel Cormier]

No, dude, there's like 700 something guys on the.

[Freddy]

Okay. Do you think. And so, like, if you're on the bottom of the UFC roster, you're probably making. What's the minimum now? 15 and 15 or something?

[Daniel Cormier]

No, no, no, no, no. It's 12 and 12.

[Freddy]

It's. It's okay. It's 12 and 12 is the minimum. You know, are there 700 boxers on planet Earth that are making that type of money? I bet the answer is not even. Not even close.

[Daniel Cormier]

Not even half. Not even half of boxers make 12 and 12. They don't make that. Now. The bigger guys make a ton of money.

[Freddy]

Yes.

[Daniel Cormier]

All right, so just for. To make a point, right? Eddie Hearn was on that show this weekend because there's a lot of people fighting on Friday and Saturday.

[Freddy]

So this coming Friday, Saturday.

[Daniel Cormier]

That's the problem. You don't even know.

[Freddy]

That's what I'm saying.

[Daniel Cormier]

You don't even know. But there's big name fighters. Canelo's fighting.

[Freddy]

Okay.

[Daniel Cormier]

Yofimo Lopez is fighting.

[Freddy]

Okay.

[Daniel Cormier]

Ryan Garcia's fighting.

[Freddy]

Javante Davis, Teofimo he, he, he was on the undercard for me when I did the, did the one boxing.

[Daniel Cormier]

Really? Hey, Luis, put it in the chat. Who else is fighting? Because it's Tiafimo, it's Ryan Garcia, it's Canelo, it's Tank. I think it's Tank Davis. Or if it's not Tank, it's the.

[Freddy]

I've heard all those guys.

[Daniel Cormier]

Yeah, you've heard of them, but you didn't know that they're all fighting in New York City. It's a big deal.

[Freddy]

Oh, why are they all fighting in New York City, bro?

[Daniel Cormier]

It's kind of like beat the streets. It's kind of like beat the streets.

[Freddy]

Really?

[Daniel Cormier]

Yes, yes. So they're all fighting on those two days and what is honestly like, the matchups aren't great. Lou, throw the odds to those boxing fights on Best Fight Odds dot com. Luis. It'll tell you what the odds are on those fights. But they're putting on this blockbuster of an event and people like you who's in combat sports don't even know it. Now when Eddie Hearn goes, it's killing it. When Tyson Fury fights Francis Ngannou, it kills it. When Tyson Fury fights against Alexander Usyk, it kills it. Like those fights kill it. We just don't have as many of those fights as we used to remember. We could get, we could get Tyson Holyfield, we could get Riddick Bowe versus George Foreman. We could get Michael Moore versus Tommy, Tommy Morrison. We could get so many great fighters back in the day. All the while, Oscar De La Hoya is rocking and rolling. Floyd Mayweather's rocking and rolling. There are so many.

[Freddy]

Great question though, Daniel here, but. So you're naming all these guys. Right. But in, and this is my limited understand of boxing, the UFC has we'll say 80 to 90 of the high level talent in mixed martial arts.

[Daniel Cormier]

Yes.

[Freddy]

Is there any company in boxing that has anywhere near that amount?

[Daniel Cormier]

Not like it used to be before. Before a lot of guys were with Top Rank Boxing. They were with Top Rank, they were with Don King. Like you had a few promoters that had all the guys. Now they're a bit spread out and with TKO boxing, Right. They're going to be trying to draw in a lot of that talent themselves. Like they already have Callum Walsh, who's been headlining cards for a long time. But look, teofimo is a minus 225. Ryan Garcia is a minus 900. Devin Haney is the other one, he's minus 1200. So they're kind of Mismatches Right. In these fights. So they want to get eyes on the sport, though. But I listed to you right now four of the biggest names in the sport of boxing, and you didn't know. Ryan Garcia is one of the biggest names. Not for the best reasons, because he's out of his minds at times, but he's a part of it. But when Eddie Hearn is saying, I can't name six stars in the ufc, that's one of those areas right there, Ben, where. Where I go. He's very complimentary of Dana saying, they run a great business. They do this. They do this. But then it's also like there's no. There's no. There's no stars there. But I think that in itself, Ben, if you do believe there aren't any stars there, that in itself lends to the idea that the UFC itself is what sells.

[Freddy]

Correct.

[Daniel Cormier]

And it's not the athlete. The only athlete that ever overcame that truly was Conor McGregor.

[Freddy]

So, okay, so I would say earlier. Oh, did I pull something out? Am I good still?

[Daniel Cormier]

Yeah, I can hear you.

[Freddy]

I pulled off my eye so early. Earlier in the UFC's career, the lifespan of the UFC, they were more reliant on those. You think, like, Randy Couture had some contract disputes?

[Daniel Cormier]

Yep, yep.

[Freddy]

Ortiz, Chuck Liddell. I saw Chocolate Eldest again.

[Daniel Cormier]

Yeah. Where at?

[Freddy]

Vegas. He was there. You didn't see him?

[Daniel Cormier]

He was at the tournament, I think maybe.

[Freddy]

I think Dwayne's kid was wrestling.

[Daniel Cormier]

Oh, it was Rockland. It was Rock.

[Freddy]

Yeah, I think Chuck was there. Anyway, so back in the day, they were. They were more reliant on pay per views. But now there's a UFC card. I want to say, is it. Is it 42 weeks per year, of which I think 10 of those are pay per views.

[Daniel Cormier]

13. 13. We have 13.

[Freddy]

Okay. 13 out of the 42 are pay per views. There is no one putting this many fights on consistently in boxing. And I was thinking, like, I just looked it up because I actually thought they were bankrupt. But there was like, that PBC who was trying to. Al Heyman was trying to buy a bunch of boxes.

[Daniel Cormier]

Yeah, yeah.

[Freddy]

Build something. But no one's been able to build it in boxing. So while I think Eddie Hearn maybe has a few points there, I just. As a non boxing fan, I just can't get behind the fact that boxing is huge or as big as it's ever been. I don't feel that way at all.

[Daniel Cormier]

But even with Fox, when the UFC left Fox, remember, they put PBC on Fox to almost replace it, and that didn't last very long.

[Freddy]

It flopped right there.

[Daniel Cormier]

There's nothing that comes after the UFC and does as well, because you're right, the UFC does have a base, a core group of people, especially free fights. You're clicking through the channel, You're. You got your hand, you're remote, you're quick, and you see some fights you might stop and watch. I don't know that you always do that with boxing. Here's. Here's one of those ones that I thought was a bit of a head scratcher because he's been in this business for a long time, so he knows, and he understands. He goes. TKO is promoting Canelo versus Crawford. The combined value of those purses is anywhere between 120 and $150 million. If that fight does 1.5 million buys or whatever, does that mean that when a UFC fight does 1.5 million buy, they are making a hundred million dollars?

[Freddy]

I think the answer is yes.

[Daniel Cormier]

Okay, so you think that the answer is just that.

[Freddy]

Yeah, but, dude, Zoof is making. Yeah, Zoof is making all my. But how many paper you sell that much? It's probably been. That's what I was seven in history. That's five.

[Daniel Cormier]

About to say Khabib and Connor sold 2.4 million.

[Freddy]

That was the biggest ever.

[Daniel Cormier]

Ever. I will tell you from experience, being on the card with Brock Lesnar and.

[Freddy]

Yeah. Why did you get to fight Brock Lesnar? That was.

[Daniel Cormier]

Yeah, because Brock went back to the wwe. Man, he. Brock kind of screwed me a little bit. Yeah. Brock Lesnar, myself, Amanda Nunes, UFC 200. 1.3 million buys.

[Freddy]

Yeah.

[Daniel Cormier]

1.3 million buys. I know what that equated to me in my pocket as a person that made pay per view points. But a hundred million dollars? I mean, what. What is it, Ben? 1.2 million buys at. At 69.99. Tell me that.

[Freddy]

Well, that's 69 million plus. We'll say 14 was $84 million approximately.

[Daniel Cormier]

Right?

[Freddy]

Yeah.

[Daniel Cormier]

So.

[Freddy]

And I'm sure. I'm not sure. I'm sure the pay per view gets a little cut of that or something.

[Daniel Cormier]

Yeah, of course. But still, like 84 million at 1.3. At 200,000.

[Freddy]

Yeah.

[Daniel Cormier]

Right. You're almost at $100 million. So. Yes, maybe it does. But. But even that. Right, Even that, in saying that, what is the goal of that? To see, like, what's the UFC making opposed to what they're paying the fighter? Or, like, what. What's the goal in him saying that? Is he saying that whoever's going to pay these purses, who I believe is going to be Riyadh season, I believe that the Turkey Sheikh, Turkey and those guys, yeah, we'll probably cover that. But what's the point in saying that, that, that there's just more money to give the fighters? Like, I'm trying to understand.

[Freddy]

I don't. I think that's just one thing that boxing points to, to say we're better than you because they want to feel like they're better than them. But then, you know, I mean, to the point made earlier, UFC has seven fighters, 700 fighters on roster. There's. There's not 700 boxers making a decent living in the whole world. And so while the very, very top people may make more, the very bottom people make a lot less.

[Daniel Cormier]

They do. I mean, Canelo probably makes $40 million. Him and Terence Crawford must be making some big time money from the city. Those purchases are 125.

[Freddy]

That's great. I do think the UFC fighters are making kind of more than ever. I, I would be shocked. Not shocked. I would be curious to see how many fighters. And we would include fight purse plus UFC sponsorship, so we'll exclude other sponsorships. They may get made more than say a quarter million dollars last year. I bet the numbers, like really, really? Yeah, but it's a couple hundred and I. Boxing is probably like way low.

[Daniel Cormier]

I will tell you this. I know what I made to fight Derrick Lewis. And when it came out and I don't know who told them, everybody was so surprised. But now I know probably, I know of maybe 10 to 15 guys that are making that. It was astounding how many guys are making that number.

[Freddy]

It's great.

[Daniel Cormier]

Now it. That was only seven years ago in 2018 and. Huh.

[Freddy]

I wanna. Can I, can I, can I ask you a question?

[Daniel Cormier]

No, no, wait, please. We're almost done. What is your problem?

[Freddy]

I'm so excited, but I don't even.

[Daniel Cormier]

Know what it is.

[Freddy]

It's okay. You're gonna have great opinions. It doesn't matter.

[Daniel Cormier]

Okay, okay, I'll take it. All right. I'll give. Wait, so wait, so wait. What's the verdict on the Eddie Hearn thing? Hater are respectful of the ufc.

[Freddy]

Okay. Verdict is he has some good points and he has some points that are kind of stupid. Yes. The UFC has, has put at a premium the building of the UFC brand so that there's a baseline of fans who turn in tune into ufc no matter who's fighting. They may not know who's Fighting by Saturday. They're turning. Tuning in to watch it on ESPN plus or wherever it's streaming. I think there's. There's positive and negative that. The positive would be there's more fighters earning a living in MMA than there is in boxing by a long margin. The negative is there are not as many stars earning the wages that they are in boxing. So plus or minus?

[Daniel Cormier]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I think. I think that he respects the ufc. I also think that the ufc, if they do take anything from his words. You got to kind of listen to a guy that's been promoting fights for 30 years. He knows the game, right? He has to know something about boxing to have made it, as long as he has made it for as horrible as people make Don King out to be. Don King was with Muhammad Ali, right? Don King was with all those guys all the way through Mike Tyson. So he clearly understood the game, right? So if the UFC takes anything from Eddie Hearn, I would listen to some of his advice because he has been in the game for a really long time, and. And it's a new venture for the ufc. But those guys are smart, and they're going to employ the right people to guide them down the right path. But, boy, what a way to kick off TKO boxing. If you're promoting Crawford versus Canelo, that's a big deal. Ben, I.

[Freddy]

Sorry. I'm sorry. Before we get to the grill thing, that's. I'm so excited about. Okay. I had to ask you. I thought Crawford was like a 145, and I thought Canelo was like a 170.

[Daniel Cormier]

Yeah, but it doesn't matter. Crawford's a 147. He was smaller when he was younger, but now he's going up. Dude, how. How do you not go up and fight a guy that fights it? Well, Canelo was a 154 pounder originally. Every time he goes up, it's just bulking and just. He looks big. I don't know what the catch weight is, but anywhere, like in the 160ish range, I'm pretty sure Bud is going to be willing to fight him. Dude, it's like $60 million. Could you imagine if he makes $60 million and he still lives in Omaha, Nebraska?

[Freddy]

He probably has the biggest house. He's probably a bigger house than Warren Buffett.

[Daniel Cormier]

He's got the biggest house in the world, dog. Hey, his boys are really good wrestlers, too.

[Freddy]

Yes.

[Daniel Cormier]

They want everything, man. They won, like, all those roller tournaments. They want them. All those dudes are studs. His youngest boy at Wrestlemania. He's like, I know you. You're the wrestler. And he was like, sitting next to me right in. The whole time he's walking with this belt, bro. And every time he goes in front of me, he just kind of eyes me as he walks back.

[Freddy]

How old is it?

[Daniel Cormier]

He's like maybe 9 years old, 10 years old. Every time he walks past me, he's like. I was like, he's the man, though. All right, but you go ahead. Get to the.

[Freddy]

All right, what is going on? You know what? There's this thing online, a hundred men versus a gorilla. And Luis brought it up as a possible talk. And I thought, hey, we'd have fun with this. And I've. I made one post about it, and I thought I would get engaged.

[Daniel Cormier]

Was it engaged?

[Freddy]

Yeah, it was engaged very well. But my post was, how many people is the gorilla gonna kill before it gases out? Because no one's talking about that. They're about how strong it is or how powerful. Every strong man. And listen, I was out, man. This is. You're gonna love. You're gonna love.

[Daniel Cormier]

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[Daniel Cormier]

Blending Vice's signature dynamic storytelling with the high octane world of sports, Vice Sports brings an exciting and diverse range of programming that goes beyond the game catch, action packed live events and exclusive sports documentaries and profiles only on Vice tv.

[Degree]

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[Daniel Cormier]

It's story time. It's story time. Before you make your point, I have to share this with you.

[Freddy]

Okay.

[Daniel Cormier]

All right. This is the best. So I have this friend named Freddy. He works for EA Sports. He's the producer and he oversees all of the voice work that John Anak and I do. He had this great idea that him and his wife or his fiance, I'm not sure, are going to go on an African safari and then they're going to go into the mountains to see mountain gorillas. Right? See where this is going? This is great.

[Freddy]

This is a great story.

[Daniel Cormier]

They go on this safari. He tells me. It's amazing. He said the Smells are ridiculous though. Like dead animals, people eating. He had a video of lions hunting a thing and then he killed them. And I watched the video and he go, bro, those. Those SUVs are right next to the killer. So you could smell all that disgusting. But after they're done with the safari, they go up to the mountain. He said they're like certain hikes you can go higher or you can lower based on your fitness. They went higher. They said there are rules when it comes to these gorillas. You cannot see, you cannot appear big. You have to put yourself small and you have to make sure you're quiet. They go up into how, like how.

[Freddy]

Close they get in.

[Daniel Cormier]

They're like, just please listen, please listen. So Freddie and his girlfriend or wife, I'm not exactly sure what they are, I think it's his wife or with a group of people that they go. This group of people they know from family have a 21 year old kid that is with them. 21 year old boys are full of testosterone. They like to mess around, right? He like to mess around. So they go up, there's this whole family of gorillas. They're in the brush with them. Ben. They're like literally like right next to him. But then they see the silverback, the big one, what's it called? The. The male. The alpha. The alpha, yes. They tell them if you see him, make sure head and appear small.

[Freddy]

And you don't look him in the eye probably.

[Daniel Cormier]

You don't look at him. You do not look at. So Freddy is standing in front of a rock. A big, like a boulder, like a rock.

[Freddy]

Okay.

[Daniel Cormier]

The silverback is there, eating things. The kid though is behind Freddy on the rock. He's standing on the rock bed. So not only is he not cowering, Ben, not only is he not cowering down, he is laying. He's like as big as he could ever imagine. Freddie said, all of a sudden the thing looked at the kid, right? Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. Ran. So Freddie goes, oh my God. And he turned his head down like he turned. Oh my God. Like scared. He said, next thing he knew, he woke up under the bush. It ran towards and slapped him on his back.

[Freddy]

Ben slapped him.

[Daniel Cormier]

If the gorilla slapped them, Ben, he said, I told him, I told him. I said, wait, it hit you. He goes, it actually hit me. He said that because the kid was up. The kid then jumps down.

[Freddy]

Why did it slap the kid should have got the kid.

[Daniel Cormier]

Because when it started running the kid went down. So like you gotta. So he was in front of the kid. He said it hit him.

[Freddy]

That gorilla said all you humans look alike.

[Daniel Cormier]

It hit him in his back. He said he. He kind of was under the brush with half of his body in under a tree. Yeah, 15 to 20 yards away, or 15, 20ft away from where he was. He said he looked back because he goes, I had the most loudest and weirdest scream I've ever made in my life. He goes, I was fearful he was going to come and kill me. He goes, I look back, he goes, he's literally just sitting down, eating again. No worries in the world. He was just hanging out. He said he, in that moment, he realized, like, his rib felt like it was broken. He said that thing had hit him at about 5%. 5%?

[Freddy]

How does he know what 5% of a gorilla is?

[Daniel Cormier]

He said it went super small. He said it hit him barely. Bam. He said he could tell. He goes, it was like he was just like, swatted a fly away. Like, we go, ah, get out of here. He said, it was like it swatted a fly and it threw him 10 yards away under a tree. Before you make your point, that man weighs 170 pounds. 170 pounds. And it slapped him once and he flew, okay? He flew into the brush.

[Freddy]

I told him, people with guns there to protect your man Freddy.

[Daniel Cormier]

Cuz I told Freddy. I said, freddy, Freddy's an Asian guy. I go, bro, don't be doing that white person stuff. I said, that ain't for you. I said, they always see those. Hey, you always see those people. They're in there with those gorillas and they're like, oh, my God, oh, my God, oh, my God, oh, my God. Why put yourself in that position? So now that I've told you that story.

[Freddy]

Okay, make your point. All right, so I was thinking, my point on the one thing I said on Twitter is how many humans would the gorilla kill before the gorilla guest out? Because everyone's neglecting cardio here because cardio is a thing. So then I was thinking, I actually thought of a black fighter who gassed out, but I said, I don't want to use him because people might say I'm comparing a black man to a gorilla, which I'm not. So you know who I thought of? And I actually saw him last weekend. I don't know if you saw this fight, but I have never seen a human being so tired. I saw Kellen Fluenger from Arizona State this weekend. Okay? I kind of put myself in harm's way because he was kind of standing up.

[Daniel Cormier]

He's a fighter now?

[Freddy]

No, he was. I mean, kellen F. Graduated 2005, maybe a couple years before me.

[Daniel Cormier]

Okay.

[Freddy]

Yeah. So anyways, he was standing in front of people. I said, hey, Kellen, is anywhere you could sit down? Because he is like, he's a ginormous human. I mean, super tall, big ass, shoulders. Like, this is a big, large man. And he fought in Bodog, and I don't remember why, but they fought on the beach, bro. He would take this guy down and he was so tired, he'd lay on him, and they say, okay, you're standing up. He would have to use the ropes to get up.

[Daniel Cormier]

No.

[Freddy]

Yes, he would. Oh, you go. And then he did take the guy down again, and he was, like, climbing up the ropes. I've never seen a human being this tired. But as we know, even dangerous human beings who have trained for this get tired. So it's like, okay, I was just doing the math. If the gorilla can kill a human in, say, 15 seconds, well, a hundred humans, that's 1500 seconds. Okay? That's like 25 minutes. Can the gorilla really fight hard for 25 minutes? And I think the answer is, hell, no. That girl can't fight for 25 minutes.

[Daniel Cormier]

He can't fight for 25. But no way, Ben. Every time they're running at him, he's just bang, bang, bang. 100 men have no chance, I would have thought.

[Freddy]

I just told you. It can't fight for 25 minutes.

[Daniel Cormier]

It will not take 25 minutes, because 15 seconds.

[Freddy]

That's 15 seconds a person, Daniel.

[Daniel Cormier]

Oh, when you all run, first off, you're all gonna jump on him and he's gonna go raw, like, and you're all gonna fly. He's gonna literally go, boom. And he's gonna, like, open his arms because you're all on him. First off, he's biting, he's scratching, and he's slapping the out of you, and every time he hits you, boom, you fly.

[Freddy]

Okay, hey, hold on. Wait, Let me. Can I pose one thing? I thought. Because I was thinking, okay, if I had 100 people, what would be the strategy? What if you just, like, run at him, like, fake, and then run away and then someone else runs, you know, so he's always, like, moving, you know, he's gonna charge.

[Daniel Cormier]

He's going to charge.

[Freddy]

So then you run. Everyone just evades him. But you kind of, like, antagonize, you know? Like, Daniel, I know at some point in your wrestling academy, you've been saying some mean to them little kids, and they're like, let's get Daniel. And they all tried to attack you every once in a while. These little kids do it to, like, Kellen Wolbert, one of the high school kids that's teaching. It only takes about four of them to get them.

[Daniel Cormier]

They never get Kellen Walbert. You're a liar.

[Freddy]

Yes.

[Daniel Cormier]

There was like, little kids did not get Kellen Walbert.

[Freddy]

Unless they're all like.

[Daniel Cormier]

They're like 110 pound kids grabbing him.

[Freddy]

80. 70, 80. I don't know. Somewhere in there.

[Daniel Cormier]

Yes, Ben. But yes, the gorilla. The gorilla literally is just slapping at you. I'm telling you, every time you get close, it hits you.

[Freddy]

What about not. Not weak human beings? I don't know if I'm weak or not. Okay, what if. What If I get 10 trained fighters and then we'll say 90, just solid.

[Daniel Cormier]

And there's some real problems with that, bro. There's some psychological issues with the 90 strong men because they have this belief that they're supposed to have a chance in the fighting. No, man, it makes it worse. If you don't have enough respect for what you're against, it's gonna be worse. I watched Khabib wrestle a bear, bro. I watched Khabib as a little boy wrestle a bear. And the bear was getting him. It was a baby bear.

[Freddy]

I didn't know that was a baby bear. I saw. I said Khabib pinned that bear.

[Daniel Cormier]

Yes, but it's a hard match. It's a hard match. If that bear is full grown, you have no chance, bro.

[Freddy]

We have no idea. I know you saw this, Daniel. I know this is. I'm gonna throw a great callback. Have you seen one more shot? The wrestling movie?

[Daniel Cormier]

Yes.

[Freddy]

John Smith's in there and Wayne Boyd. Crazy Wayne Boyd wrestles a bear in there. And I think he pins the bear.

[Daniel Cormier]

Yeah, but that's Wayne Boyd for you. Only Wayne Boyd would pin the bear. Like, come on.

[Freddy]

All right, how about Louis. How about 100 Daniel Cormiers versus a gorilla?

[Daniel Cormier]

I'm getting my ass kicked over and over again, bro.

[Freddy]

You. Come on, dude. I believe in you.

[Daniel Cormier]

You guys have no idea. Like, it's like the most ridiculous conversation of all time. I can't believe we're doing this on our show.

[Freddy]

What about you? Okay, you just told me in the beginning. I said the gorilla can kill a human every 15 seconds.

[Daniel Cormier]

It's gold. But it don't need to kill you. It just.

[Freddy]

That takes 25 minutes, bro.

[Daniel Cormier]

It just needs to hit you, dude. It hit. Ready? Soft.

[Freddy]

What? Really trying to hit. You're. Oh, you run at him, he swats, he misses. You know, that makes him more tired.

[Daniel Cormier]

Every swat that that connects breaks a rib or something. Every.

[Freddy]

Okay, that's not death. That guy gets up and fights some more.

[Daniel Cormier]

You remember when your rib popped? When you're getting gut wrenched and you're.

[Freddy]

On the ground, it doesn't feel good. It hurts. Because this is life or this is life or death. This is like, you know, I mean, we have to make it real. Life or death, like war, where the men are actually fighting to the death.

[Daniel Cormier]

We better have some spirits or something, because that gorilla gonna eat your life.

[Freddy]

No, they said, and I'm running.

[Daniel Cormier]

I'm choosing life. I'm taking out you.

[Freddy]

No, you can't.

[Daniel Cormier]

Oh, 99 dudes, man. Y'all 99 dudes with a chance.

[Freddy]

Hey, I can't believe you.

[Daniel Cormier]

That's actually crazy that that's going around. I got that text the other day. DC100 UFC fighters are a gorilla. I'm like a gorilla all day.

[Freddy]

No way. We're gassing it out. We're gassing up. Hey, do you know which fighter I was thinking about that was black that gassed out? Because I brought Eric Lewis? No, it was actually. I believe it was against Derek Francis. No. Charlton Almeida.

[Daniel Cormier]

Oh, he got so.

[Freddy]

Don't you remember? Didn't he? Like, wasn't it Derek Lewis, where he sat against the cage?

[Daniel Cormier]

Blades. It was against Curtis Blade.

[Freddy]

Oh, Curtis.

[Daniel Cormier]

Blades kept shooting, kept shooting, and he exhausted and Curtis knocked him out. But again, we're talking about cardio, Ben. The fighters have to not get tired either. The amount of energy you're putting out, you're not fighting.

[Freddy]

100 people aren't fighting. There's like 90 standing it back and maybe 10 or fighting at a time.

[Daniel Cormier]

I think you actually believe that 100 men could take a gorilla?

[Freddy]

I actually do, yes. I think. I think you're not. I think you and others, you're. You're only thinking about the gorilla in prime form at the beginning of the fight, but you're not listening. That he has to not gas out for 15 seconds, perhaps that's 25 minutes.

[Daniel Cormier]

Every tooth is like this big, bro. Every tooth is like. It's every.

[Freddy]

He's got to go catch him and bite him, though.

[Daniel Cormier]

Every tooth is like, this big. I can't believe he actually.

[Freddy]

Drew, you just told me the gorilla could not fight hard for 25 minutes.

[Daniel Cormier]

No, he can't, but he don't need to.

[Freddy]

How long can he fight hard for? 10 minutes.

[Daniel Cormier]

I think the gorilla is done with y'all in 10 minutes max.

[Freddy]

That would be. That would be like six seconds per human being.

[Daniel Cormier]

Every. Every man is done by the gorilla in 10 minutes.

[Freddy]

No, that's. He's killing a human every six seconds. There ain't no way he's catching him in six seconds.

[Daniel Cormier]

The moment you get close, you're done. And then he gonna stop. He's not gonna just keep running around chasing you. He's.

[Freddy]

That's why people need to keep coming at him.

[Daniel Cormier]

They're literally smart. They're smart. They're actually smart animals.

[Freddy]

You know, you come out, you slap him in the back of the head, then you run away.

[Daniel Cormier]

No, you're so crazy. By the time you slap his head, you're done. You're so stupid.

[Freddy]

No, he can't reach. Here's the way you.

[Daniel Cormier]

I'm done with this. I am done with this conversation.

[Freddy]

You guys vote. Tell. Tell Daniel I'm right. That the 100 Daniels in the comments.

[Daniel Cormier]

Tell me if Ben is right, because I think it's so ridiculous, and I can't believe we spent eight minutes on this.

[Freddy]

100. Daniel Cormier are beating a gorilla. I'm betting my house on that.

[Daniel Cormier]

Shut up, Ben. All right, guys, that was another episode of Funking the Champ. Thank you to Total Wireless for always backing the channel. Thank you, Ben, for joining. I appreciate you. Until next time, guys. That's Ben Askren. I'm Daniel Cormier. We'll catch you on the next one. Peace. This podcast is sponsored by Total Wireless, the official wireless partner of ufc. When you're streaming the fight or sharing those takedown highlights, you need a wireless provider that keeps you close to the action. With Total Wireless, you're covered by the Verizon 5G network, so you don't have to worry about your connection being knocked out at the biggest moments. It's not something you can usually say about a wireless provider, but Total Wireless really does have your back. They're in your corner every second of the day, so you never miss a thing. Visit totalwireless.com or visit your local Total Wireless store to learn more about how Total Wireless can be in your corner. 5G access requires a 5G capable device and a 5G service area. Additional terms apply. See website for details.

[Degree]

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[Dutch Vet Service]

Time is precious and so are our pets. So time with our pets is extra precious. That's why we started Dutch. Dutch provides 24? 7 access to licensed vets with unlimited virtual visits and follow ups for up to five pets. You can message a vet at any time and schedule a video visit the same day. Our vets can even prescribe medication for many ailments and shipping is always free. With Dutch, you'll get more time with your pets and year round peace of mind when it comes to their vet care.