You're not at home, Anthony. You are currently in Denver.

I am in Denver. I'm finishing up this last little bit of what we're going to call a training camp, and we're going to go do this thing.

Yeah. So last week, I commentated the fight, and as you know, we do the fight of meetings. And I'm on there and I'm talking to Zack for anyone that doesn't know, he's a vice President, one of the heads of production. And I'm asking him questions about what's going on with three or three and all the rest of it. And he's like, put it like this. He mentioned a couple of things, but he's like, I can't go into too much detail. He said, have your notifications on your phone today? Because that was the day that Dana announced and made all the changes and all the rest of it. He did not allude in one little way that on that announcement, it was going to say, Anthony Smith versus Carlos Oldberg. And I thought, You bastard, Anthony.

He might not have known. It wasn't even good until that night, right before he announced it. Right before he announced it was when we got it done.

So it took me through it, obviously.

So I've been training anyways. When Jamal was hurt, he was in Omaha training with me. So I never stopped training after I fought in Brazil. I was doing the strength and conditioning, and I really was just doing it because I got so sick of getting so out of shape and so heavy. And then a fight pops up, and then it takes me two or three weeks or whatever to get in shape. The pre-cam Yeah, I'm doing eight-week training camp, but four of it is dying because I'm out of shape. I'm at altitude. The whole team's beating the shit out of me. I'm not hanging because I'm just heavy. And I just got, Oh, I'm done with it. I'm done getting out of shape. So I'm just going to stay in shape, and then I'll have to get ready. So that was the mindset. Well, then Jamal was fighting Carlos Oberg, and so we've always trained together. So he came to Omaha, Danny went to Vegas. So we were just training together, and I was in really good shape. We were sparring five rounds in a row together, and they were super high paced. I mean, they were really competitive rounds.

We were in there getting after it. I don't want I guess I don't want to tell his business too much, but he was battling through some stuff. And the last couple of days, he was really-Physically? Yeah, physically. He was really struggling the last couple of days. And it wasn't just the knee. It's really the The only one they're talking about, but he has some other things that are really lingering and bothering him a lot. So the last couple of days were rough. Oh, yeah, that's the fluid they took off of that cyst. It's gross. But he was in a lot of pain, and he was struggling. So we went, we spent Saturday or Friday. No, Saturday. We spent Saturday out at my uncle's farm, rode Razors, hung out. He flew home Sunday, and then got the imaging done on Monday, and called that he called me. And it was him, his manager, his coaches, and we just talked about it, and he just wasn't able to do it. He just couldn't, not at the highest level where he could be successful. And so I just thought that was it. Okay, cool. He's got a poll.

It's not a big deal. Then they called me and they were like, We heard you've been training with Jamal. Are you in shape? How's your weight? Are you interested? And so I just thought about it, Mike. And I did say on here to you, no more short notice fights.

You did?

I don't really look at this.

You were very Convincing.

Yeah. I don't really look at this as a short notice fight, though. If I take... Because we're on this journey. We're not worried about the title. We're not worried about all the bullshit. We're taking one at a time, and we're just going to do it like that. So I put this fight in its own little box. And I just thought, well, why wouldn't I take it? I'm in good shape. I've already been thinking about Carlos Oberg for four weeks in terms of how do I help Jamal. My whole team in Omaha is Carlos Oberg geared already. So they've already watched the film. They've already come up with game plans. They've already seen where he's good, where he's not, where he could be exploited. We just flipped that to me now instead of Jamal. So I just put it in its own box and said, well, why wouldn't I? I'm in shape. My weight's low. I'm healthy. I'm not banged up. I don't have the brain stress of being in a training camp for the last four or five weeks because I haven't been. I've been training like I am in camp, but I haven't been stressed out about it.

I'm not laying in bed thinking about Carlos Holberg for five weeks.

Enjoying the process.

Yeah, I just been hanging out training. It's been fun. And so I was like, Yeah, fuck it. Let's do it. Because before, the Khalil That was different. That was very much, could I win? Yes. But it was more like hoping that we could put ourselves in a position to win with the expectation that if I win, then that puts me in a better spot with the title. So I was taking a big risk, hoping to get a big reward. I'm not really taking a risk here because I don't feel like there's a lot on the line. I want to go in and I want to compete and I want to battle it out. And I want to put in a performance I can be proud of and really go in there and just be the best me I can be. But there's no like, I'm not hanging this title thing over my head. I just want to go out there and have fun, and I just want to fight, and I want to go out there and win. And I don't know, I just couldn't find a reason not to. I'm just in a really good place.

Well, when you look at it on paper, I mean, number one, you do look very lean. You look in shape, so you clearly have been training. Yeah, it's nothing but positives, to be honest. When was it? Not too long ago. What? Two months now? Maybe less? May.

Let What do you think here? May first. May first, yeah.

So you fought May first, right? So you just fought then. You got paid then. Let's remember, this is why we do it. I know you get paid pretty handsomely as well. You know what I'm saying? You get another payday, you get to go out there. You get to fight. You've already been mentally prepping for Carlos Oldberg. I mean, that's huge in itself. You're just replicating his style. That means you got to analyze it.

I've already looked at him. I've already watched him and trying to do what he does.

Already halfway there. I mean, that's perfect. When you look at it on paper, I mean, listen, he's a really good striker, let's be honest, but it's not like you can't strike either. But I think when it comes to mixed martial arts, I think if you can get him down to the ground, I think there's a very It's a good possibility of it being a quick finish for you. Of course, it ain't going to be easy. He changes his disease, he's not to stop takedowns. He's good. You're not going to rush at him like, oh, man, what was the last time?

What was his last time? Oh, God. What was his last name? Metafield.

Yeah, Alonso. You're not going to do an Alonso Metafield.

No, I think a full mixed martial arts fight is how you win this one. I'm not going to go out there and stand in front of him because that's stupid. That's where he's best, especially when he gets swagging and he starts feeling himself. He feels good. He gets to his spots. He does mirror Izzy in a lot of ways, the way that they defend. They lean back. They both counter really well. But I think you make it a full mixed martial arts fight and make him worry about the wrestling, the clinch, the grappling. And I got the gas to do that. We can fight everywhere, and I'm going to force him to do that. And I'm confident that over 15 minutes, he's not going to be able to stay at it. The first round, I think he'll be really, really tough. I think he'll defend takedowns I think he'll manage the range really well. I think you just keep chipping away at him, and I think we'll get him out of there. But I feel really good about it.

That's the perfect game plan, and it's great to hear that because you're right. I mean, listen, could you compete on the feet? This is essentially what I said on Thursday's show. Can you compete on the feet? Of course you can. Is that the smartest way to victory? Absolutely not. You're playing his game. He's a kickboxer that has come off as a mixed martial arts. You use your skillset, you check your ego to one side. But the big picture in terms of you and your family, your career, you go out there, you get paid again, you get to compete in the sport that you love. You raise your profile. It's a huge card. It's international fire week. And let's not forget that Alex Pereira is the main event. You go out there, you get the job done. You're taking down dream scenario, bam, bam, double leg. You get on top, Kimora, rear naked chalk, whatever the case may be. You get on the microphone, you shout out the Believe You Me podcast. Last. I'm joking. And then you say, Hey, Pereira, good look in your fight. You get the job done. I'm here. I'm next. Look at that shit.

This is what I'll do to you. You haven't fought a grappler yet. I'm not a... I don't know. Finish the sentence for me. I'm not an idiot.

I'm not going to stand in front of you and play that game. This is mixed martial arts, and we're going to have a full fight. Could you imagine? Yeah. I mean, I'm not really thinking about that, but- Think about it. Yeah, but I'm just- Manifest it. I'm just worried about Carlos Oldberg. He's a tall task. He's really good at what he does. He's young, he's hungry. He's got a big opportunity in front of him. And I got to remember that when these guys fight me, I'm their world title fight, and they're trying to make a name off of me, and I got to make sure that that doesn't happen. And I think he's got an incredible skillset on his feet, but I'm going to It's going to affect them everywhere else, too.

No, for sure. Well, every single fight is the most important fight of your career. You know that because the ramifications with wins and losses in terms of your career, et cetera. But if you allow yourself to dream, if you look at the bigger picture, then it does all map out perfectly.

You have a couple of skids. If I cut a promo on Alex Pereira right afterwards.

Look at this. I was saying this on the show Saturday night where we had to hype up your fight a little bit. I was like, Look at this. You have your ups and your You've had 50 professional fights. You come in, you just beat Veto Petrino. You come out, you take out another hotly ranked guy on short notice. You get the respect of the world. You cut a promo with Alex Pereira. You two have this thing, competitiveness already. And then you fight Alex Pereira, who's now one of the biggest stars in the sport, and you win by rear-necky chalk. And not only do you get the Championship, not only do you get your fight purse, but you say, Yo, you owe me 50K, buddy.

And you owe me 50K. And you owe me 50K. I'm going to take that in cash. Yeah, yeah, yeah.