UFC 257 fighters Jessica Eye and Michael Chandler take off for Abu
[chatter]
>> I mean, it’s cool
being on a Conor card.
That means more people
are gonna be watching.
It just means that I
can make my success
that much bigger
and it’s a fun matchup.
JoJo, apparently she wants
to bloody my face up, so.
I’m excited to showcase
the killer that I am
and the fighter that
I know that I am
and I’ve always been.
So, expect fireworks.
>> So, wrestling.
All of our major tournaments,
all of our world championships,
junior world championships
and everything were in Europe.
We traveled to Russia.
We flew to Japan for
World Cup, things like that,
so, every year I was
traveling overseas,
like, 3 or 4 times a year.
[beeping]
So, I already know all
the little tricks and tips
and everything to make
it as smooth as possible
and recover easy.
>> I think it’s a really
good matchup.
You know, it’s a fight
that I asked for actually.
You know, he’s a really
tough guy, for sure.
You know, got a big name.
I think it’s gonna
be really great.
Like, grappling
against a striker.
I hope I get the submission
in the first round.
>> Ooh, the flight itself, not
really looking forward to it.
But it wasn’t until my
boy, he trains at ATT,
that I realized that
he probably would be
on this flight, but
at the end of the day,
it doesn’t matter.
You know, hopefully we’re not
sitting next to each other.
That’d be [bleep] weird.
But.
But, nah, I don’t care.
>> This is gonna be so cool.
There’s little doors, guys.
Look, check it out.
[laughing]
Oh, my God.
I’ve never traveled like this.
Like, I don’t even think
I’ve ever seen anything.
This is my little home,
my camera.
Here’s all my food
that we’ve packed.
So yeah, my little
apartment for 15 hours.
>> Looking at it though,
I’m like, dude,
if that guy is on this flight,
he is gonna be
sitting right next to me.
That’s– we don’t have
doors like these guys.
But, whatever.
It is what it is.
>> Gameplan for the flight
is think like a Navy Seal.
Go to the bathroom when you
need to go to the bathroom.
Sleep when you feel
like you need to sleep.
So, we’ll see what
the flight brings.
I know it’s 16 hours-ish.
And it should just be a blast.
Peace out.
[airplane roaring]
>> I think that we’re 9 hours
into the 15-hour flight.
And everything is geared
towards performance.
If I want to perform well,
I have to do the things
that get me to that spot,
and I just learned that
sitting for 16 hours
on a plane is just not
good for performance.
So, pretty much everybody
on the entire flight
is sleeping right now,
so it’s good and quiet,
and I don’t have too many
people looking at me
as I’m the weirdo who
works out on the plane.
[interview on phone]
>> Dana’s meeting with Khabib.
Sounds like Khabib is
willing to come back
if somebody does something
spectacular next weekend,
so the stage has been set.
The door has been opened.
I go out there and take
care of business,
there’s a chance I’m
fighting for that title, so.
We’ll see.
Obviously that’s
a deep division,
Conor, Poirier, myself,
Hooker, Oliveira.
It’s the most electrifying,
most energized,
most hyped division
in the UFC right now.
So gotta go out there and
do my job here in a week
and show Khabib
something spectacular.
good old fashioned
passionate American wrestling
vs Dagestani Sambo.
Will we see it?
I hope so.
Beat me if you can.
[chatter]
>> Alright, how you doing?
>> Good.
>> How hard have you worked
to get back to
where you are right now?
>> In my career,
I’ve been knocked down
and it’s been a process
of building myself up
over and over again.
And I’ve put
everything into this
to get back to this position,
to be one fight away
from another title shot.
>> Okay, so fighter stance.
>> Dustin: 6 years is
a long time at the top
of the best organization
in mixed martial arts.
>> Let’s do it again.
There you go.
>> Dustin: To get
there, it’s one thing.
To stay there for
six years on top five
is another thing.
You have to be constantly
evolving and growing
just to stay there.
So, I think me and Conor both
are completely
different fighters
and this is a different
fight this time.
Beautiful day on Fight Island.
[bird chirping]
>> Mike: Been
here for a week now.
Stretching the legs
a little bit,
something nice and light.
Just get some fresh air.
Let the horse run
a little bit, you know.
Cut him loose,
let him feel good,
break that sweat and get
the endorphins flowing
and always sets
a positive mood.
We’re kind of out
of heavy quarantine,
but still in, you know,
semi quarantine.
We’re stuck to the
premises of the hotel.
I think he’s super pumped.
His wife just arrived yesterday.
And the rest of the team
just arrived yesterday.
And when his wife’s around,
he’s very chill, very relaxed.
>> Fight week, baby.
>> Mike: And that’s
what you want.
A guy as comfortable as can be,
and then he can fight to
his greatest potential.
>> Dustin: My wife
got here yesterday.
Hopefully tomorrow
around lunchtime,
she’ll be out of quarantine.
I know a lot of people don’t
like to bring their wives
or around them during
fight week and stuff.
But that’s not the case.
It was just me and
her 14 years ago
driving to fights in her car,
staying in the same hotel room.
It’s our livelihood.
So she’s so much
intertwined with it all now,
that’s why she’s
a fan of the sport.
[music playing]
♪♪
>> Reed: Today’s
Dustin’s birthday,
so we had the chef
make his favorite cake,
which is carrot cake.
Remember, whatever
Dustin wants to do
is fine with me.
If he wants to
throw it back at me,
listen, I’ll
take it like a man.
Ready?
Go, c’mon.
[all singing]
♪ Happy birthday to you ♪
>> Dustin: Come on!
[all singing]
♪ Happy birthday to you ♪
♪ Don’t eat any cake ♪
♪ Happy birthday to you ♪
>> That was a little bit
of tease, huh?
>> I need it!
I need the calories,
it’s all good.
>> What’s it gonna take
to get get past Conor,
first of all, and then
that world title?
>> Well, getting past
Conor is what it takes
to get to the world title,
I believe.
I think everyone
knows that, like I said.
This is a number one
contender fight.
Whoever wins this fight,
fights for gold next.
But I can’t get
ahead of this fight.
You know, I have 25 minutes
and one of the best fighters,
most dangerous fighters
in the world.
Nothing left to do but
get in there and scrap.
Show the work that I’ve put in.
>> As we’ve spoken before
about being
emotionally invested, etc.
It seemed personal to you,
the first time around.
>> And it was.
It was very personal.
I was emotionally invested,
like you said.
I cared too much.
I wanted to hurt the guy.
Not even seeing the footage,
I can remember
what that felt like.
I don’t even have
to see the footage.
I can think about
it and remember
my attitude towards
the whole situation.
I felt like I was
fighting everybody.
I just cared what
everybody said
and now I don’t care.
>> We have picked up
something for you,
but we want to bring it to you.
>> To my room or–
>> Here.
>> Here?
Okay.
>> Guys.
[all singing]
♪ Happy birthday to you ♪
♪ Happy birthday to Dustin ♪
♪ Happy birthday to you ♪
>> Dustin: Thank you, guys.
Thank you. I appreciate it.
>> I was like this.
>> What’s up.
Good and you?
>> I love you so much,
and I hope you have
a great day tomorrow.
Happy birthday and I love you.
[singing]
♪ Happy birthday to you ♪
♪ Happy birthday to Daddy ♪
♪ Happy birthday to you ♪
>> That’s the best, man.
[dramatic theme music]
♪♪
